The Entertainer! - Nov. 2016 by Times Media Group

PHX METRO Â» NOVEMBER 2016

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STARR

BILLY SHEARS FINALLY GETS HIS BAND

STRINGS that SING

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

Electro violinist Lindsey Stirling returns home

DAVE MASON

JONNY LANG

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Friday, December 9 In The Showroom

Saturday, December 31 In The Ballroom

ALONE TOGETHER AGAIN Saturday, January 7 In The Showroom

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Saturday, January 14 In The Ballroom

Saturday, February 4 In The Showroom

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Friday, February 10 In The Showroom

Friday, February 17 In The Showroom

Saturday, February 18 In The Showroom

For tickets call the box office at 480.850.7734 or visit ticketmaster.com 101 & Talking Stick Way • Scottsdale • talkingstickresort.com Locally owned and caringly operated by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

CONTENTS

22 ON THE COVER

BRAVE ENOUGH

Gilbert’s Lindsey Stirling finds peace after keyboardist’s death.

14 12

UNDER THE PANDORAN SKY

AMERICA’S SWEETEST RACE

Hot Chocolate Series heads back to Scottsdale.

Cirque du Soleil celebrates James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ in ‘Toruk: The First Flight.’

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

Times Media Group 1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway Suite 219, Tempe, AZ 85282 Phone 480.348.0343 Fax 480.348.2109 entertainermag.com

CONTENTS THE METROPOLITAN

publisher

Steve T. Strickbine steve@entertainermag.com

Top 25 • Hot Chocolate Run • Cirque du Soleil • Arizona International Auto Show • Scottsdale Gun Club • “Dragons and Vines”

THE EXTRAORDINAIRE 19 Extraordinary Rides • The Cure • Lindsey Stirling • Finesse Mitchell • Theresa Caputo • Goodguys Rod & Custom Association

THE TOURIST

Tour Du Jour • Flagstaff • Resort Updates

THE ARTIST

Jackalope Art and Craft Fair • Arts Calendar • Holiday Roundup • Hidden in the Hills

THE CRITIC

GOTTA HAVE ART Jackalope Art and Craft Fair brings the artisan community together.

BE MERRY The holidays sing, dance, act and

rock their way across Valley stages.

art director

Erin Loukili erin@entertainermag.com

designer

Jaclyn Threadgill

contributing writers

Joseph J. Airdo, Alison Bailin Batz, Dave Clark, Brian Gregory, Savannah Haas, Chad Haire, Kimberly Hosey, Kenneth LaFave, Cassidy Landaker, Megan Marples, Carson Mlnarik, Randy Montgomery, M.V. Moorhead, Tim J. Randall, James Swann, Melissa Szenda, Marshall Terrill, L. Kent Wolgamott

Beer Over Here • BeerFinder Directory • Beer with the King • Defining Beer Drinkers • Beer Gear • Great Beer Pairings • Beer Tenders

THE HIGHROLLER

associate editor

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski christina@timespublications.com

Aaron Kolodny aaron@entertainermag.com

Best Food Events in November • Happy Hour Guide • Stockyards • Diner Insider • BLK Live • Crepe Club

THE CRAFTMASTER

Robbie Peterson

rpeterson@timespublications.com

circulation director

Coming Attractions • Ask Our Experts! • The Report Card

THE DINER

editor in chief

ONE COPY PER READER

Journey • Casino Entertainment Calendar • Best Casino Events in November • Aeromyth

THE GLADIATOR

November’s Best Sports Events • Paul and Amy Goldschmidt • Golf Section

THE YOUNGSTER

The Funnel Cake • The Best Family Events in November • Cave Creek Phoenix Zoo

THE SHOWMAN

Huey Lewis and the News • Live Music Calendar • Ringo Starr • Barenaked Ladies • Rae Sremmurd • Switchfoot • Kellie Pickler • Bruce Hornsby • Daisy • Rumer Willis • Lydia

THE NIGHTOWL

107

Mad Mixologist • The Best Nightlife Events for November • Golf Clap • Anjunadeep

THE THINKER You’re Not Gonna Believe This

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112

GOLDEN CHILD Paul and Amy

Goldschmidt bowl for Phoenix Children’s Hospital dollars.

The Entertainer! is circulated throughout the Phoenix Metro area, especially concentrated in entertainment districts. ©201 Affluent Publishing, LLC. A free online subscription is available to all readers simply by going to entertainermag.com/subscribe. For calendar and news items, the deadline for submission is the 15th of the month prior to publication. Submissions are included based on available space and are used at the discretion of the editor. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations will not be returned unless it is specifically requested and submission is accompanied by a properly addressed envelope and sufficient postage. The Entertainer! makes every effort to authenticate claims and accurate times and event locations. We encourage readers to verify information prior to attending events or purchasing tickets. DISTRIBUTION SERVICES PROVIDED BY:

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THE METROPOLITAN

PHX » CITY » LOCAL » PRIDE » DO » SEE

The Fine Art of Inlay 16

Start Your Engines 15 Under the Pandoran Sky 14 Shot in the Dark 11

TOP25

602.254.7399, herbergertheater. org, 11 a.m., free.

Theresa Caputo Live! The Experience

Carson Mlnarik » The Entertainer!

Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, 480.941.1225, dbg.org, 8 a.m., $10$22 and $4 for dogs.

Certified Local Fall Festival

Grand Prix of Scottsdale

NOVEMBER 4 TO NOVEMBER 6 The Grand Prix of Scottsdale roars through the streets of downtown Scottsdale, showcasing Arizona-made Vintage Mini Racers, centuries-old models from around the world and the most stylish brands of the Roaring ’20s. Build your own Vintage Mini Racer or enjoy wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres at The Great Gatsby lawn party and VIP reception. Downtown Scottsdale, 7124 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, 480.527.9779, grandprixscottsdale. com, times vary, $40-$180.

Dogs’ Day in the Garden

NOVEMBER 5 This is one family outing your furry family members can join! Walk through the garden’s trails, meet other dog lovers and pose for photographs. There will be crafts, dog treat samples, special dog presentations and doga (dog yoga). Enjoy the weather and watch your pup’s tail wag.

NOVEMBER 5 It’s all about living local at the Certified Local Fall Festival. Accessible by light rail, this event features vendors from all around the state. Try delicious samples, trucks, wine, beer and spirits made in the Grand Canyon State. Enjoy performances by local artists. Margaret T. Hance Park, 67 W. Culver Street, Phoenix, 602.956.0909, localfirstaz.com/fall-festival, 10 a.m., free.

The Ultimate Wine Run

NOVEMBER 5 Do you want to go running but find you lack motivation? What about wine? The Ultimate Wine Run comes to Phoenix, taking you on a fun 5K or 1K through a wine-filled venue with a DJ, dance floor, food trucks and beaucoup wine. In fact, awaiting you at the finish line will be an Ultimate Wine Run Souvenir Glass and a celebratory pour! Camelback Ranch Park, 10710 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 623.302.5000, theultimatewinerun.com/phoenix-az, 2 p.m., $35-$70.

Bob’s Biker Bash

NOVEMBER 5 The infamous Bob’s Biker Bash is back with the biggest motorcycle bash that Scottsdale has to offer. The day starts with a self-guided ride that kicks off at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and travels to the HarleyDavidson of Scottsdale, where riders will be greeted with festivities and a live concert featuring Kellie Pickler, Montgomery Gentry and Craig Morgan. All rider fees, concert tickets and a percentage of food sales will benefit Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale, 15656 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, 480.905.1903, phoenixchildrensfoundation.org, 11:30 a.m., $20.

Herberger Theater Festival of the Arts

NOVEMBER 5 The Herberger Theater Festival of the Arts is the perfect opportunity to get a taste of Arizona artwork. The free festival will feature performances by the likes of Ballet Arizona, Phoenix Conservatory of Music and Center Dance Ensemble. There will also be visual arts, film screenings, dog adoptions, food and craft beer tasting. All proceeds will benefit the theater’s youth outreach programs. Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe Street, Phoenix,

NOVEMBER 10 The Long Island Medium herself, of the hit TLC show, shares her psychic gifts. Caputo will give interactive readings to audience members and discuss personal stories and her gifts. Comerica Theatre will be alive with the buzz of emotions swirling when the big-haired, big personality takes the stage. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.379.2800, comericatheatre.com, 7:30 p.m., $39.75-$89.75.

City Lights Movie Nights: “Hook”

NOVEMBER 11 Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Robin Williams classic “Hook” at CityScape’s City Lights Movie Night. Enjoy movie-themed entertainment and activities with your picnic blankets and chairs in the lights of the downtown Phoenix skyline. Unleash your inner Lost Boy and watch Peter Pan come back with the whole family. Patriots Park at CityScape, 1 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.772.3900, cityscapephoenix. com, 6:30 p.m., free. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Toruk-The First Flight, Cirque du Soleil

Cooks & Corks

NOVEMBER 11 Enjoy the outdoor atmosphere and weather at Cooks & Corks, featuring Arizona’s top local chefs and a collection of winemakers from around the world. Sassy and The Sneak Attack will perform, and Pinspiration will teach crafting. All proceeds support the Scottsdale League of Arts in its effort to promote arts and arts education in Arizona. Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, 10600 E. Crescent Moon Drive, Scottsdale, 480.945.7193, cooksandcorks.org, 6:30 p.m., $125-$175.

VintageCon

NOVEMBER 12 Do you love old stuff? VintageCon promises to be the largest vintage convention, offering a haven and celebration of culture and commerce. There will be thousands of vendors and buyers from around the world, keynote speakers, an after party, ceremonies and of course, lots of old stuff. Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. Third Street, Phoenix, 602.262.6225, vintagecon.com, all day, $15.

Lindsey Stirling

NOVEMBER 12 Gilbert-bred Lindsey Stirling has had quite a ride as America’s favorite violinist with a crazy fusion of dance, modern, hip hop and classical. Her YouTube channel has more than 8 million subscribers, she’s done numerous collaborations with the likes of Christina Perri, Pentatonix, Andrew McMahon and Dan + Shay. This artist will be keeping the audience entranced with cuts from her new album, “Brave Enough.” Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.379.2800, comericatheatre.com, 8 p.m., $29.50-$58.50.

An Evening with Ina Garten

NOVEMBER 15 The country’s most beloved culinary icon, Ina Garten of “Barefoot Contessa” cookbooks and the TV show, is coming to town to get personal and share her storiesstories—and, of course, her recipes! Mesa Arts Center, One E. Main Street, Mesa, 480.644.6500, mesaartscenter.com, 7:30 p.m., $41-$77.

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NOVEMBER 16 TO NOVEMBER 20 Toruk-The First Flight transports the audience to the world of Pandora from James Cameron’s “Avatar.” Watch in amazement as the movie comes to life with spectacular visuals, puppetry and stagecraft. Cirque du Soleil bonds two kindred artistic visions to capture the whole family’s imagination. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 602.379.7800, talkingstickresortarena.com, times vary, $47-$125.

An Act of God

NOVEMBER 17 TO DECEMBER 4 God comes to Arizona in this hilarious and critically acclaimed play. God and his angels answer some of the deepest questions to plague mankind. He’s finally setting the record straight— and not holding anything back. The play is written by the 13-time Emmy Award-winning David Javerbaum of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” Center Stage, 222 E. Monroe Street, Phoenix, 602.254.7399, herbergertheater.org, times vary, $41-$70.

Journey

NOVEMBER 19 Inside all of us, there’s just a small town girl living in a lonely world. Legendary band Journey comes to The Pool at Talking Stick Resort to play an intimate set. Whether it’s a blast from the past for you or songs you live to daily, you’ll sing along to songs like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Any Way You Want It” and “Separate Ways.” The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480.850.7777, talkingstickresort.com, 8 p.m., $49-$250.

Street Food Cinema: “Mean Girls”

NOVEMBER 19 This time, you can sit with us. Street Food Cinema presents an outdoor movie series with tasty food trucks, live music, interactive games and more. This November brings cult teen classic “Mean Girls” starring Lindsay Lohan, Tina Fey and Rachel McAdams in this take on girl versus girl fights in the high school kingdom. Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 323.254.5068, streetfoodcinema. com, 5 p.m., $12-$20.

hits like “Hello” and “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” in between her hilarious stories and banter. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 602.379.7800, talkingstickresortarena.com, 7:30 p.m., sold out.

Phoenix Pizza Festival

NOVEMBER 19 Who doesn’t love pizza? The Phoenix Pizza Festival is back to celebrate what it calls “the most perfect food.” The festival will be filled with live entertainment, drinks and some of Arizona’s best pizza offerings, including Il Bosco and Grand Avenue Pizza Co. All ages are welcome, there’s just one rule—you must eat the crust! Margaret T. Hance Park, 67 W. Culver Street, Phoenix, 480.442.9176, phoenix.pizza, 11 a.m., $10.

Pie Social 2016

NOVEMBER 19 You throw dozens of delicious delicacies, celebrity chefs, community members and arts programs together and you get Roosevelt Row’s Pie Social. Friends and neighbors come together for an afternoon of pie tastings, live music, kids’ activities and screen printing. There will be free glasses of milk from Danzeisen Dairy, dancing, merriment and most importantly, lots and lots of pie to taste. Bioscience High School, 512 E. Pierce Street, 602.764.5600, rooseveltrow. org/events/pie-social, 2 p.m., $12.

Global Dance Festival: Wild West Edition

NOVEMBER 19 Dance the night away with thousands of attendees and some of the world’s best EDM artists in the cool fall air at one of Arizona’s most beautiful venues. Featured performers include Alison Wonderland, Bassnectar, Herobust and Joyryde. Rawhide Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, 480.502.5600, rawhide.com, 6 p.m., $89-$179.

Gabriel Iglesias

NOVEMBER 20 Funny man Gabriel Iglesias, also known as Fluffy, is recognized for bringing down the house with his stand-up comedy, stories about his real life, his crazy voices and ever-present Hawaiian shirt. He has been the subject of multiple comedy specials, a film and now his own reality show. Don’t miss him when he hits Scottsdale. Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480.850.7777, talkingstickresort. com, 8 p.m., $60-$200.

Adele

NOVEMBER 21 Queen of heartbreak ballads, Adele, is back and healthy after having to postpone a Phoenix tour date due to vocal rest. Expect to hear many of her new

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical NOVEMBER 22 TO NOVEMBER 27 The next show coming through Gammage is not just the story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom and her relationships, nor is it just about her career. It’s about the beautiful music that turned out to be the soundtrack to a generation. The musical features King classics like “It’s Too Late,” “You’ve Got a Friend” and “I Feel the Earth Move.” ASU Gammage, 1200 S. Forest Avenue, Tempe, 480.965.3434, asugammage.com, times vary, $30-$175.

Ladies ’80s Night

NOVEMBER 23 Valley Bar is throwing it back to the ladies of the ’80s by providing a soundtrack of nothing but the best ladies of the decade, including Madonna, Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Kim Carnes, Tiffany and Blondie. The event is for those 21 and older and there is no cover. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, 602.368.3121, valleybarphx.com, 8 p.m., free.

Turkey Day 5K/10K

NOVEMBER 24 Get a head start on burning off those Turkey Day feast calories with a Thanksgiving Day race! There will be a 5K and 10K for adults and youth and a mile run for the smaller turkeys. In addition, there will be postrace food, a finish festival, free photos with Turkey Tom and a costume contest for categories like the best-dressed turkeys and families. Wesley Bolin Plaza, 1700 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 480.299.1203, turkeyday-5k.com/ races/phoenix, 6 a.m., $8-$45.

Carefree Southwest Art and Indian Market

NOVEMBER 25 TO NOVEMBER 27 Magic Bird Festivals kicks off its events season with the family-friendly outing that is a Black Friday alternative for eclectic holiday shopping. Showcasing 100 artists, and thousands of traditional and contemporary designs, Carefree Southwest Art and Indian Market celebrates Native American artisanship and intercultural understanding. Carefree Desert Gardens, 101 Easy Street, Carefree, 480.488.2014, carefreeazfestivals.com, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free admission.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

SHOT IN THE DARK

Visit Scottsdale Gun Club for a date with machine guns Brian Gregory » The Entertainer!

pon entering the Scottsdale Gun Club, it’s easy to be impressed with the clean lines of the retail store and the retail armory. This store is brightly lit, the merchandise in plain view, and nearly a dozen expert staff are available to answer questions. Located in the Scottsdale Airpark, the Scottsdale Gun Club is where folks go when personal

protection is on their mind. But today, we aren’t gun buyers. We rented our guns—and they were machine guns. Like most folks, our date nights never ended with the firing of automatic weapons, but tonight, we would break the chains of boring couples’ activities. Yes, you can rent fully automatic machine guns, along with rifles and handguns at SGC. The Machine Gun Adventures experience is marketed as a date-night activity

and while that may seem odd at first, there is something really “Mr. & Mrs. Smith-ish” cool when you’re both blasting the living daylights out of target with a weapon Rambo would be thrilled to own. Our hearts pounded and the adrenalin rushed. It was a great way to learn how to handle firearms without gun ownership, or to try guns before making a purchase. SGC has a diverse selection of guns from which to choose. For $99, we had the shooting experience of a lifetime and it was worth every penny. But safety comes first. We learned how to load, operate, hold and fire, thanks to our instructor, Corey, an ex-policeman who knew his stuff. It was fascinating to learn about weapons from someone whose life depended on them for survival. Corey and the rest of the staff at SGC are expert former military or law enforcement professionals. Corey had us locking and loading in no time and into the incredible, air conditioned gun range we went, ready to see what we were made of. SGC has more than 30 machine guns, including Thompsons (TommyGun), UZIs, WWII-era guns and M-16s among others. It can seem overwhelming, but the staff is available for recommendations. We decided to start with 9mm handguns. SGC’s state-of-the-art, 32-lane, shooting range is computerized so you can send your paper target as far down as you

Scottsdale Gun Club

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like (up to 25 yards), and bring it back to inspect your marksmanship. When you first hold a heavy, loaded machine gun, there’s a shiver of ominous excitement. This was the real deal. First, we learned how to fire one round at a time in semiautomatic mode. The 9mm submachine guns we fired were powerful, but the kick wasn’t anywhere as forceful as I’d imagined it would be. It quickly became comfortable. Finally, it was time to switch the knob to “full-auto.” I looked down the sights and gently squeezed the trigger as my mind heard Arnold Schwarzenegger screaming for me to “Get back to the chopper!” Oh my, this was fun. The bullets go fast in full-auto mode and you’ll use ev ery round they give you. More are available for a few extra bucks. Afterward, the Scottsdale Gun Club has a package that includes a gift card for K O’Donnell’s Sports Bar, located next door. As we enjoyed a post-shootout beer, we couldn’t help but feel the same kind of relaxation you feel after a great massage.

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AMERICA’S SWEETEST RACE Hot Chocolate Series heads back to Scottsdale

he holiday season is not without its decadence, but here in the Valley, things are a little different. As those in colder climates around the country resign to stay inside and keep warm, our “cold” weather is perfect for a chilly, snow-free run, which means we can pack in the sweets without consequence to our waistlines. Sorry, rest of America. That pretty much makes the Valley the best place to be come December, and Scottsdale’s Hot Chocolate Run is out to combine tasty treats and exercise, all in one seriously sweet race on Sunday, December 4. Who wants to chase a carrot, anyway? At the Hot Chocolate Run, the motivation to finish is so much sweeter. The 2016 goodie bag will include a luxurious, fleece-lined full-zip tech hoodie and a reusable drawstring bag. New for the season, all 15K finishers will receive a finisher medal. The medal is made from metal alloy shaped to resemble a chocolate bar with a city-specific removable magnetic insert. After completing the race, participants can receive a finisher mug with a rich dark hot chocolate, fondue and dippable snacks while enjoying a live DJ. The 5K and 15K race will begin at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick and will wind throughout Scottsdale, with chocolate chip, Tootsie Roll and marshmallow stations treating runners along the way, finally culminating in a post-race

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party with chocolate fondue, a kids zone, merchandise tent, and of course, rich, rewarding hot chocolate. This is one of the most popular themed races in the country, with over 200,000 participants nationwide since its 2008 Chicago inception. Hurry to register because spots are filling up fast. The fourth wave of registration ends November 13, with the 5K for $49 and the 15K for $74, after which the prices will increase to $54 and $79, respectively. The Hot Chocolate Series is the fastest-growing 5K and only 15K series in the world. The series is produced by RAM Racing, the nation’s premier race production company based in Chicago. It strives to give participants an emotional, unforgettable race experience. To sweeten the deal, a portion of the proceeds will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities, so you can feel good that you gave back, even if drinking hot chocolate is hardly a chore. So bundle up, stretch it out and prepare to live a full day of deliciousness without the guilt.

Hot Chocolate 5K and 15K

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, hotchocolate15k.com, Sunday, December 4, 5K begins at 7:30 a.m., 15k at 8:15 a.m., $49-$79

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UNDER THE PANDORAN SKY

Cirque du Soleil celebrates ‘Avatar’ in ‘Toruk’

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

homas Evans can easily perform in front of thousands as part of Cirque du Soleil. But if there’s one family member in the audience, the Seattle native is a nervous wreck. One of those crowds is Phoenix, where his brother recently moved. “If my parents are in the audience, I’m a thousand times more nervous, which is ironic because they’ll love you either way—I hope,” says Evans, calling from Minneapolis. Evans is touring as a part of “Cirque du Soleil: Toruk: The First Flight,” which comes to Talking Stick Resort Arena Wednesday, November 16, to Sunday, November 20. Inspired by James Cameron’s movie “Avatar,” “Toruk” transports fans to the world of Pandora in a visually stunning live setting, according to Evans. Narrated by a “Na’vi Storyteller.” “Toruk” is a tale set thousands of years before the events depicted “Avatar” and

before humans stepped foot on Pandora. “In terms of the show, it’s good for everyone, all ages,” he says. “It’s beautiful. It’s narrated very well. I has some great characters in it. It’s different from other Cirque du Soleil shows you’re going to see. This is a very different step for Cirque du Soleil, which I think is great.” When a natural catastrophe threatens to destroy the Tree of Souls, Ralu and Entu, two Omaticaya boys on the brink of adulthood, decide to take matters into their own hands. Upon learning that Toruk can help them save the Tree of Souls, they set out, together with their newfound friend Tsyal, on a quest high up in the Floating Mountains to find the red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky. Prophecy is fulfilled when a pure soul rises among the clans to ride Toruk for the first time and save the Na’vi from a terrible fate. Evans plays a Na’vi male. “This show is way bigger than the other shows that I’ve done,” says Evans, who says he’s in his 20s. “It’s a much more narrative show with more characters. I’ve done shows before, a specific act. I’ve done shows where I’m more of a character.

“This show is much more character-based than the previous shows I’ve done. There’s a different element to it.” Despite the character, Evans says his job requires intense workouts, especially cardio, Pilates and running. “Stamina and taking care of your body are essential for us as artists,” he says. “We have to be on point with the least amount of pain possible. It’s a physical job so it’s important that we stay physically and mentally fit.” Athletics have been lifetime loves for Evans. He was a gymnast as a youngster, then moved on to competitive diving. When he was 16, he trained at a circus school in Seattle and his career “snowballed from there.” “It was a decision between going to university on a diving scholarship or me pursuing circus,” he says. “Circus was way more appealing to me.” After high school, he moved to Quebec City where he studied circus and was soon hired by Cirque du Soleil. Now Evans splits his time between the road, Las Vegas and Seattle. “Being on tour all the time, though, I don’t own or rent property,” he says. “I’m

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kind of a gypsy, which is another interesting process. It’s great. “It does have its pro and cons. It’s interesting and new and fresh to live out of two suitcases and very simplistically. It’s different than living in your hometown. But I don’t pay mortgage, rent or car payment. I really like touring. I don’t want to be on tour forever. Both sides have their advantages and disadvantages.” Evans has fallen in love with Cirque du Soleil. “I want to keep performing until my body is ready to stop performing,” says Evans, who is studying communications online. “I want to do shows that I want to do while I still have it in me.”

“Cirque du Soleil: Toruk: The First Flight”

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 800.745.3000, ticketmaster. com, various times, Wednesday, November 16, to Sunday, November 20, $39.75-$109.75.

Arizona’s

ice #1 ChFo or Fun! 18 Rides

Over

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AND

Attractions

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

START

Nov 18 - Jan 29

Show rolls into convention center Thanksgiving weekend

festival in the country.

YOUR ENGINES The LARGEST light Arizona International Auto

Tim J. Randall » The Entertainer

errari, Maserati, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini and Aston Martin vehicles rev the hearts of car fans, but they aren’t easily accessible to the

everyday purchaser. Patrons can grip the wheels of 500 vehicles ranging from the new Ford F-150 to Lambourghinis at the Arizona International Auto Show at the Phoenix Convention Center from November 24 to November 27. “The auto show is a place where consumers can check out all the newest vehicles, side by side in a nonselling environment,” says Shelbi Okumura, show spokeswoman. “The event will showcase hundreds of the latest cars, trucks, crossovers, SUVs, exotics, alternative fuel vehicles and more.” The event, which harkens back to the days of 1960s tail fins, has become a staple in the Valley, according to Knox Ramsey, president of the Valley Auto Dealers Association. “This is a comfortable environment for consumers to learn about the latest vehicle offerings,” he says. “There is always a good flow of traffic and the floor is very easy to navigate, so attendees never feel crowded.” Ramsey describes the show’s demographics. “This is essentially for the benefit of consumers, as we know that 45% of attendees intend to buy or lease a new vehicle within one year,” he says. “The experience allows future buyers to make an informed decision by shopping any number of vehicles on display, and learn from the product specialists on site.” It’s more than about just kicking the

tires. Guests can experience the thrill of driving Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Jeep, Kia, Lincoln, Mazda, Ram, Scion, Subaru and Toyota vehicles at the Auto Show Road Test. “After consumers pick out their favorite models on the show floor, we invite them to go for a test drive around the Phoenix Convention Center,” Okumura says. Ford Regional Manager Steve Papanikolas says his brand participates in the show because it’s a “great way for Ford and all its dealers to reach people in Phoenix and the surrounding area with our latest lineup of new vehicles.” For those who own a fantasy car, the Dream Car Photo Contest allows patrons to snap selfies next to their vehicles and enter the pictures into a drawing for gift cards by posting to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Hours for the festival are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, November 24; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, November 25; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, November 26, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, November 27. The final day is geared toward children, who can meet Iron Man and Ant-Man. “The auto show has always had a significant influence on a car buyer’s decision and we appreciate the opportunity to educate and inform,” Ramsey says.

EXPERIENCE IT AT

Arizona International Auto Show

Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. Third Street, Phoenix, autoshowphoenix.com, various times Thursday, November 24, to Sunday, November 27, $7-$11.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE FINE ART OF

INLAY

Tradition meets technology in ‘Dragons and Vines’ Kenneth LaFave » The Entertainer!

uitars should be seen as well as heard. That’s the idea behind “Dragons and Vines: Inlaid Guitar Masterpieces,” a special exhibition hosted by the Musical Instrument Museum (the MIM) opening November 5 and running through next summer. “You won’t see these instruments onstage. In fact, they’re rarely seen at all,” says Colin Pearson, co-curator of the unique show of more than 30 instruments. The MIM, the planet’s most respected museum of musical instruments, is the only venue in the world to host this exhibition. The instruments in “Dragons and Vines”—mostly guitars, but also including some banjos and a single ukulele—represent handcrafted inlaid artwork created from materials including abalone shell, motherof-pearl, gold, copper, wood and others. “This exhibition shows the current state of inlay art. The cutting edge of inlay art in the last few decades it has pushed further forward than ever,” Pearson says. The exhibition is presented in partnership with the Maryland-based inlay company Pearl Works, with the majority of the pieces coming from the private collection of Larry Sifel (1948-2006), the company’s founder. An ancient art going back centuries, the inlaying of string instruments with designs made of shell and other materials has leapt forward due to contemporary technological advances. This has affected both the method of inlay and the materials used. “By using CNC”—computer numerically controlled—“routers, a very complex program cuts the shells and the cavities they are laid into,” Pearson explains.

This makes possible designs of extreme precise details. “Also, since the 1990s, new materials for inlay have been developed. One called ‘abalam’ consists of taking layers of shell and laminating them together.” This doesn’t mean that the artisan has been eclipsed by digital technology. The creative aspect still requires a human being with vision and imagination. “People still have to create the design. It is up to each individual artist to utilize the unique pieces of shell,” Pearson points out. “The exhibition demonstrates that tradition and technology are not enemies.” The name of the exhibition reflects the two most common design motifs. “The vine is the most traditional and historic. For centuries the vine pattern has shown up on string instruments. The dragons really represent the innovations of the last few decades. We’re featuring the entire series of eight ‘Dragon Guitars’ made by PRS Guitars since 1992.” Instruments on display will include: • “Dragon 2002” electric guitar, 2002, inlay by Pearl Works, Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Guitars. Designed by Jeff Easley, an independent designer, this guitar depicts a close-up view of a dragon’s head covering almost 90% of the body. The materials used include shells, mammoth ivory, and other exotic elements. • “Martin D-50 Koa Deluxe” acoustic guitar, 2003, inlay by Pearl Works, C.F. Martin & Co. This instrument’s inlaid work depicts Martin’s traditional “Tree of Life” design. The vine patterns are cut from dark-heart abalone shell and are outlined in mother-of-pearl. • “Night Dive” OM Guitar, 2004, inlay

by Pearl Works, C.F. Martin & Co. This guitar illustrates the process of collecting shells for inlay. The center of the fret board depicts divers collecting abalone shells, rendered as if seen through rippling water. Were these instruments made for visual effect? Or are they also fine instruments for making music? “Everything in the exhibition is playable. However, there is very significant cost associated with instruments that artists have spent hundreds of hours inlaying. So you probably won’t ever hear these instruments played on a stage. There’s somewhat of a paradox there.” Pearson says a second paradox is that the instruments are even seen that much—at least, not by the general public. “These are not usually publicly displayed. They come to us on loan from private collections, so it’s very exciting for us to be able to show this collection, most of which has never been seen before by the public.” Just how we can tell what these visually beautiful instruments sound like? “We have produced high-quality video that includes brief performances on the instruments,” Pearson assures. As of press time, there was also the possibility of scheduling a concert in the MIM’s performance facility that would utilize some of the displayed instruments.

“Dragons and Vines: Inlaid Guitar Masterpieces” Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, 480.478.6000, mim.org, begins November 5 during museum hours, $7-$10.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE EXTRAORDINAIRE

STYLE » ENVY » PASSION » FASHION » BEAUTY » DESIGN

EXTRAORDINARY RIDES Acura RDX SUV Chad Haire » The Entertainer!

cura is a well-known car brand, but many consumers don’t realize the company makes excellent sport utility vehicles, too. The RDX is its flagship model, offering sporty street performance, off-road ability and upgraded technology options. Under the hood is a sophisticated 3.5-liter V-6 engine, rated at 279 horsepower. While many high-end vehicles try to impress us with transmissions operating on 7, 8, or even 9 gears, this one is a more practical 6-speed automatic. There are paddle shifters on the steering wheel for those who like to operate gear selection on their own. Fuel economy is listed at 20/29 mpg for the two-wheel drive system, or 19/28 mpg for this all-wheel drive unit we had. In the real world, we observed 19/26. This is impressive mileage, but the driver will have to fill the tank with super premium octane to get it. While the cabin doesn’t qualify as luxurious, it is still impressive. Materials and

workmanship are excellent, and those nice leather seats are first rate. Most controls are easy to use, and have large knobs for use with gloves. The glove box is too small, the auto-dimming mirror can’t be turned off, but these are minor complaints. On the street, this SUV is fun to drive. That engine loves to reach its redline, making great sounds in the process. Steering is responsive, cornering ability is great, and the 4-wheel disc brakes stop this rig in a hurry. We did take the RDX off road. With high-ground clearance to avoid rocks, and AWD for superior traction in sand, it performed well. Keep in mind, this SUV is based on a car platform, so the driver must tread lightly. This RDX had the upgraded “Acurawatch” package. It includes hightech stuff like lane keep assist, radar cruise control, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and an extra display screen. These brought the total tab to $44K. By ordering fewer options, the price can be dropped, but the fun factor will not.

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CURE COMMON FAN

FOR THE

Lol Tolhurst recalls Robert Smith’s friendship in ‘Cured’ Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

ol Tolhurst admittedly has a vivid memory—especially when it comes to his years as co-founder of The Cure. That came in handy when he recalled The Cure’s history and his friendship with singer Robert Smith for his book “Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys.” He’ll sign copies at Zia Records’ Camelback location in Phoenix on Sunday, November 6.

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“For some reason, despite my alcoholic affliction, I was blessed with a very good memory,” Tolhurst says. “I found memories are like dominoes; once you start to excavate a couple, they all sort of fall together. Memories are slippery things. We’re remembering memories of memories.” The book, which was released on October 11, traces The Cure’s run, from the time Smith and Tolhurst became friends at age 5, through the band’s formation in 1976. Tolhurst, who left in 1989 and reunited in 2011, and The Cure sold

more than 27 million units worldwide and earned 40 platinum and gold records in the Unites States, Europe and Japan. Tolhurst says his book tour has been “better than my wildest expectations.” The questions—even the “zingers”—have been fascinating. “Cure fans are very dedicated,” Tolhurst says. “They study things immensely. “I think it’s because they feel that we’re just as committed on our side of the equation as they are. This is true of the very first time The Cure came to California and the West Coast. We played

a lot of small clubs and colleges. That made people accept us because they saw us in the same way as local bands—except we came from 5,000 miles away.” Tolhurst says writing “Cured” was a “complete revelation,” but something he’s always wanted to do. “I have a tattoo on my right shoulder—two quills, crossed,” he says. “I must have been thinking about it then. I’ve been an avid reader my whole life and always wanted to write. “This was the right time for the book. Enough time had passed between the events in the book—most of them, anyway. I wanted to reflect on them in a reasonable way.” He did his due diligence before penning the book, reading Stephen King’s “On Writing-A Memoir of the Craft,” and autobiographies. “I read all of the memoirs and autobiographies that I could get my hands on,” Tolhurst says. “Some of them—not naming names—seemed like score-settling exercises. They set the basic premise in the beginning, and then for the next 100 pages share how they hate the other guys in the band or the judge who gave them a bad rap. That’s something I didn’t want to do.” The books he enjoyed were those that were straightforward and honest, like Steve Martin’s “Born Standing Up” and Duff McKagan’s releases. “I thought I’m going to make it as honest in that way,” he says. “You don’t do yourself any favors if you try to hide stuff. You can tell they’re hiding something. Like Pete Townshend; there were some things that we kind of know, everybody knows, but Pete doesn’t mention them. It’s a bit weird.” He says writing “Cured” was the “most wonderfully creative process since I left The Cure.” Tolhurst wanted to explain his life to himself and, in the process, help others. “I heard from someone in Detroit who has a sober recovery center,” he says. “They put my book on the list of recommended reading—already. That blows my mind. That was my deep purpose. “I didn’t want to be ‘Behind the Music Part 58.’ It’s always the same bloody story. It never changes.”

Lol Tolhurst

Zia Records, 1850 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.241.0313, ziarecords.com, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, November 6.

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BRAVE ENOUGH

Gilbert’s Lindsey Stirling finds peace after keyboardist’s death

Carson Mlnarik » The Entertainer!

ince her days as a YouTube star, Lindsey Stirling has made violin concerts hip, with her back bends, and hip-hop and ballet moves. The costume changes and light show are reminiscent of an EDM festival. But the fun stopped temporarily for the Gilbert native, who graduated from Mesquite High School. Her latest album, “Brave Enough,” comes from a raw and emotional place for Stirling, who plays the Comerica Theatre on Saturday, November 12. It documents the emotional journey she traveled after the death of her best friend and keyboard player Jason “Gavi” Gavati. “I kind of shut off in every possible way after it happened—especially emotionally,” recalls Stirling, who was a quarter finalist on “America’s Got Talent.” “I just closed up and went numb for a while.” Refusing emotion only worked for so long and Stirling found herself inspired by the writings of Brené Brown, a scholar and author on shame and vulnerability. “The thing that stuck out to me is she said you can’t selectively numb emotions, if you numb the bad, you numb the good,” Stirling said. “I didn’t want to live a life that was just numbing, I wanted to live a full life.” From there, the album was born. The collection and its title track reflect her feelings about the troubling time: If she was “brave enough,” she could have a whole heart again and experience the hard emotions needed to feel joy. Each song tells a step of the process, from faith and trust to getting up after you fall to independence and gratitude. INDEPENDENT SUCCESS A former Arizona Junior Miss, Stirling has achieved success on her own terms. She has 8 million subscribers and 1.3 billion-plus views on YouTube, and a New York Times bestselling autobiography— all without the benefit of a major record label. Stirling’s fan base has proven its size and her impact continues to expand. When it comes to inspiring those who have supported her for so long, Stirling is eloquent and determined in her advice. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

“Don’t be afraid to start,” she says. “It feels overwhelming, like the journey is way too far, but do something. Whether it’s playing open mic night or drawing pictures and posting them on Instagram. Whatever it is, just start sharing what you love because you’ll always be better for it.”

NO STRANGER TO ARIZONA Before she released the chart-topper “Shatter Me” in 2014 and was named No. 4 on Forbes’ “Highest-Paid YouTube Stars,” Stirling grew up in Gilbert. Returning home is always a treat for Stirling, who turned 30 in September. “People say, ‘Where do you want to go when you have time off, where do you want to travel?’ Honestly, I travel all the time, I want to go to Arizona,” Stirling says. “I want to get some Cafè Rio and climb Camelback Mountain. That’s my favorite stuff to do, to be honest.” Stirling specifically her booking agents to end the tour in Arizona once again to intensify that coming-home feeling. “I see so many people in the audience who I know, whom I went to high school with, who I went to church with growing up. It’s so cool and I love that,” she says. BUCKET-LIST PROJECT For the album, Stirling enlisted some of her bucket-list favorite artists for collaboration. “Brave Enough,” her third album, has a collaborative feel. Christina Perri, also a Brown fan, lends her vocals to the album’s title track. Weezer lead singer Rivers Cuomo sings on “Don’t Let This Feeling Fade,” with Christian rapper Lecrae. Her current hit is “Something Wild,” in which Andrew McMahon of Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness sings. The song also appears in the credits of Disney film “Pete’s Dragon.” Stirling recalls being in the studio writing with McMahon. She looked at her producer and grinned. “There were a lot of moments that were like, ‘Wow I can’t believe this person is working with me,’” Stirling says. She wants her concert to reflect the mood of the album. She wanted it so much that she was skeptical that it would work. “It just seemed like I stretched myself too thin, pushed the envelope too far, and

now here we are, the show’s running like clockwork,” says Stirling, who had just pulled into Kansas City for a show. “The fans have been loving it and it’s so rewarding to see that happen.” Stirling described the show as extremely visual and theatrical. She gave “Mirage,” her favorite song to perform, a Bollywood feel with Hindi visuals, belly dancers and video flashes. In between songs and clips, she shares personal stories and experiences. Stirling really wanted the tour to tell the same story as the album about being vulnerable. “I hope that people leave with the resolve to be brave enough in whatever they do,” she says, “We’re all consistently trying to better ourselves, I hope people feel empowered.”

Lindsey Stirling w/The Federal Empire

Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 800745-3000, ticketmaster.com, 8 p.m. Saturday, November 12, $29.50-$58.50.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

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WITH FINESSE

Stand-up comedy is Mitchell’s baby, but acting has proven successful

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

ormer “Saturday Night Live” comedian Finesse Mitchell is a rare performer. He’s made the transition from comedian to respected actor, recently appearing on Cameron Crowe/J.J. Abrams’ Showtime comedy “Roadies.” “It was cool working with Cameron Crowe and J.J. Abrams,” Mitchell says. “You wouldn’t normally see someone like me in this role or think that I could get that role. “You only get to work with certain people throughout a career, especially if you start with stand-up comedy, if you’re not like this Julliard-trained actor. I was a fan of Cameron Crowe’s work. So, for me, it was this big deal.” Sure, a big deal, but Mitchell’s baby is stand-up comedy, and with that, he’s appearing at Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy on High Street from Thursday, November 17, to Sunday, November 20. Prior to those dates, he’s working on a Charlie Sheen-produced movie for Crackle called “Mad Families.” The movie focuses on three families—one Hispanic, one African American, one Caucasian—who, due to a mix-up, share a campsite over the July

WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

4th holiday. They agree to peacefully cohabitate, but then decide on a series of competitions to determine a winner. “Stand-up is my thing, my baby, my bread and butter,” he says. “It’s great to be a decent actor and book some roles. I get to meet some cool people—Charlie Sheen, Leah Remini, David Spade, Dennis Quaid, Chanel Iman and Naya Rivera from ‘Glee.’ It’s a really big cast and it’s really, really fun.” Streaming providers like Crackle, Netflix and Hulu are the ways to go, Mitchell says. He calls it the “future of entertainment.” “So many comedians and comedic actors, people like Charlie Sheen and David Spade, have passion projects,” he says. “We used to get them financed and shot, but movies and TV are changing right in front of us. I love it. You get to watch shows whenever you want and wherever you want. The whole social media and just streaming, that’s where entertainment is going. You have to get on that train or get left behind. A network deal isn’t bad, either.” He would know. He was on “Saturday Night Live” from 2003 to 2006 and Mitchell calls it a learning experience. “Because you’re young, going there week after week and being around a

bunch of talented people was great,” he says. “There was Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon, who weren’t super megastars yet. It felt like school. “I think that’s how I learned to hone my writing and work with other people’s ideas. I also learned some frustrations in show business, like not getting your stuff on.” Mitchell, who is hoping to soon film a comedy special, calls Fey a genius. “Tina Fey doing Sarah Palin, that’s comedy magic,” Mitchell says. “That’s gold. God created this. I’m a big political junkie. I saw Trump, met him and got to know him a little bit on ‘SNL.’ He didn’t used to talk like that. That’s crazy. “In my opinion, Trump has been a Democrat for a very long time. Suddenly, for him to be so anti this and anti that, it’s weird. I get what he’s trying to say, but he’s wrapping it up in a very bad present.”

Finesse Mitchell

Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy, 5350 E. High Street, Suite 101, Phoenix, 480.420.3553, houseofcomedy.net, various times Thursday, November 17, to Sunday, November 20, $15-$22.

FINISH

LINE Goodguys brings cool cars and cool people to WestWorld for the final time this year

G OPERATION

SPIRIT

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

“

ong Island Medium” Theresa Caputo wants to change the lives of everyone she encounters. It validates her skill, but when she brings her show to the stage, she admits it’s overwhelming. “I learned that no matter what, I’m only one person in a room of 5,000,” Caputo says. “I can only channel so many souls in a two-hour period.” The star of “Long Island Medium” on TLC, Caputo hopes to change her fans’ lives with a Thursday, November 10, appearance at the Comerica Theatre in Phoenix. “People cry,” Caputo says. “I can feel the weight being lifted. I can feel the healing begin. There’s nothing more comforting than when spirit has me address someone. “You can see the sadness on (fans’) faces, but when spirit is done channeling, they’re smiling and they’re remembering positive and beautiful things about loved WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

The ‘Long Island Medium’ changes fans’ lives for the better

ones who have died. They’re not focusing on the negative. That’s the most rewarding thing about what I do.” The most challenging part of her job is “having to stop.” “I could go on forever when I’m channeling spirit,” says Caputo, whose third book is set for release in 2017. Even fans who aren’t chosen to communicate with long-passed loved ones via Caputo will still witness something incredible, she says. “Whether you get read or not, you’re experiencing something so powerful, so positive, that it’s life changing,” Caputo says. “It gives you permission to forget about all the negativity and just kind of embrace life with happiness and joy. We should be thankful for what we have.”

Theresa Caputo

Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 10, $39.75-$89.75.

oodguys Rod & Custom Association will drive “cool cars, cool people and good times” into WestWorld for the final time this year November 18 to November 20, as part of the 19th Southwest Nationals. More than 3,000 candy-colored and chromed hotrods, customs, classics, muscle cars and trucks will be featured, along with AutoCross racing, food, music, exhibits and entertainment. Founded in 1983, Goodguys welcomes all genres of American car enthusiasts, but leans toward V8 powered, low-to-the-ground eye catchers like hot rods from the 1930s and 1940s, lead sled customs from the 1950s, muscle cars from the 1970s and the new breed of American muscle like 5.0 GT Mustangs and Z28 Camaros. For those who need to shop for a project, there’s the midway featuring multimillion-dollar custom big-rig tractor trailers, offering

high-performance parts and accessories. Used car parts swap meet and car corral rounds out the marketplace. Kids can have fun, too, with a model car program sponsored by Revell that sends the little ones home with a kit. Other activities include the PPG coloring contest and face painting. Goodguys K&N Filters All American Sunday on November 20 invites owners of American-made or -powered show cars and trucks of all years to show off next to the 1972 and earlier iron. All American Sunday participants are eligible for awards, and can join in the AutoCross on Sunday. Registration for All American Sunday is 7 a.m. November 20.

The Goodguys 19th Southwest Nationals

WestWorld 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, 925.838.9876, goodguys.com, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, November 18, and Saturday, November 19, and 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday, November 20, $6-$20, with $5 parking.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE TOURIST

VACATION » SIGHTS » DAY TRIPS » ADVENTURE » EXPLORE » TRAVEL

TOUR DU JOUR

Welcome to “The Tourist,” a section for the more than 40 million visitors to our state, as well as the locals. But we’re not stopping at the border. Anything is fair game, so expect us to also clue you in to popular destinations of merit. Whether it be nightlife, natural wonders, golf, resort diversions, amazing cuisine or one-of-akind attractions, let us point out the best of the mileposts. As we peel back the first few pages of what’s in store, we’ll bet you find more than one item that should be on your bucket list. Enjoy!

CRAFT BEER | WINE FOOD | LIVE MUSIC 4 color with rich black

The Brass Tap The Brass Tap at Mesa Riverview has 60 taps and more than 240 different beers in bottles and cans, making it the best craft beer experience in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Come on in and enjoy great beer and fantastic pub fare. It opens at 11 a.m. daily. The Brass Tap was recently awarded the Arizona Society of Home Brewers ASHy Award for Arizona Best Craft Beer Bar—East. The owners of The Brass Tap are proud and grateful for receiving the award as it comes from an organization that appreciates craft beer. So, if you haven’t been to The Brass Tap, stop in and check out its constantly rotating 60 handles of great craft beer. 1033 N. Dobson Road, Suite 104, Mesa Riverview, Mesa, 85201. 480.610.2337 (BEER), brasstapbeerbar.com/Mesa

Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy Enjoy the best comedy club in the city, showcasing the absolute brightest stand-up comedy stars! Experience a world-class showroom, delicious food and full-bar service. Arrive early and visit The Heckler Lounge, a great place to meet, see live close-up magic and later, hang out with the comics after the show. The club is located on High Street (formerly City North) in Phoenix’s North Valley—one of the country’s hottest entertainment districts. Open Tuesday through Sunday, with additional performances on Fridays and Saturdays. The Heckler opens for happy hour daily. 5350 E. High Street, Suite 105, Phoenix, 85054, 480.420.3553, HouseOfComedy.net

(480) 610-2337 TheBrassTap.com

O.K. Corral Visit the actual site of Tombstone, Arizona’s legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and see Wyatt Earp and “Doc” Holliday in daily reenactments. There are life-sized animatronic figures of the eight-gun fighters, too. Experience the Corral as it was in the 1880s, with working blacksmiths, antique cowboy gear, western buggies and four museum displays. Ticket includes admission to multimedia Tombstone history show and a copy of the October 26, 1881, Tombstone Epitaph newspaper with original reports of the gunfight. 326 E. Allen Street, Tombstone 85638, 520.457.3456, okcorral.com

Pig & Pickle Looking for an eclectically different place to dine and drink? There’s no better place to go than Pig & Pickle, where there are no “me too” dishes or boring bar food. The best local craft beers, a fantastic wine selection, hand-crafted cocktails and fresh baked bread compliment a menu that defies a brief description. At the famous P&P, the knowledgeable staff helps you blend a variety of tastes to create a unique dining experience. Open for lunch, dinner, happy hour and latenight adventurers. Closed Mondays. 2922 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, 85251, 480.990.1407, pigandpickle.com

Arizona Museum of Natural History What’s cooler than an indoor mountain with a waterfall and simulated flash flood? Dinosaurs of course! You’ll marvel at Cretaceous Seas, an exhibit about the ocean over 66 million years ago. Pan for gold in the History Courtyard, visit a real territorial jail, learn about Arizona’s geological wonders and much more! 53 N. McDonald, Mesa, 85201 480.644.2230, AzMNH.org

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CrackerJax Family Fun and Sports Park

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The entire family will be entertained at CrackerJax! Experience a variety of attractions including go karts, 18hole miniature golf course, 300-yard golf driving range with two levels and 66 bays, bumper boats, batting cages, the Bungee Dome, Alien Invasion Laser Tag, volleyball courts, Water Wars arcade, restaurant and more. Ideal for birthday parties and corporate events of all sizes. Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; and 10 a.m. to midnight. Friday and Saturday. Driving range is open at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. 1601 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 85254, call 480.998.2800, CrackerJax.com

Dillon’s KC BBQ Bayou Dillon’s KC BBQ Bayou is ready to serve its great food to diners in its new location—13 miles closer than its previous spot. Spend the day, choose a camp site or dine with us at this wonderfully huge venue that only Dillon’s Bayou, and its award-winning barbecue can offer. Check out the general store, where you’re sure to find something necessary or unique. Our guests and employees are our greatest asset and we’re grateful for their loyalty. Visit one of our destination locations: Dillon’s Bayou at Pleasant Harbor and Dillon’s at The Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium. Four Valley Locations, dillonsrestaurant.com

Come See Where We Live See Over 140 Exotic Animals! Big Cats, Bears, Primates, Wolves, Birds, Reptiles, Critters and more! Guided Tours

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13441 E. Highway 66 Valentine, AZ 86437

Located on Historic Route 66 at mile marker 87, 29 miles east of Kingman, AZ.

(928) 769-1800

KeepersOfTheWild.org

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

Alison Bailin Batz » The Entertainer!

While maintaining its cozy “college town” charm, Flagstaff is gaining more and more national attention as a hot spot for adults looking for adventure and culinary creativity. Here’s a few of the reasons why.

STAY The Little America Hotel Set among 500 acres of pristine Flagstaff forest and just miles from downtown’s top attractions, The Little America Hotel has been making headlines for its 14,000-square-foot interior and partial exterior renovation. The enhancements include the addition of a modern, contemporary lobby with Southwestern flair and an impressive bar and restaurant called The Silver Pine. Non-hotel guests can still enjoy the property’s creative cocktails, gastropub-meets-comfortfood menu and expansive patio (with heaters) that offers a view the stars and the 500 acres of woodlands. flagstaff. littleamerica.com

DINE AND DRINK

If you haven’t been to Flagstaff recently, you are missing what is clearly the start of a culinary revolution at nearly 7,000 feet. Here are some best bets.

Coppa Café Consistently ranked one of the top restaurants in Arizona, this Europeanstyle bistro is set amidst the mountains of Flagstaff serving dinner and Sunday brunch. Husband and wife owners Brian Konefal and Paola Fioravanti craft stunning dishes using house-cured meats, as well as locally procured ingredients. coppacafe.net

Root Public House Chef David Smith’s reputation preceded him even before he opened Root Public House earlier this year. Having proven himself by launching the uber-successful Criollo Latin Kitchen, Proper Meats + Provisions and Brix Wine Bar concepts in Northern Arizona, the bar was set high. And, Smith nailed it. Part meeting

house, part love letter to the farm-totable movement, Root Public House is a celebration of food and people—and bringing both together in harmony. rootpublichouse.com

Tinderbox Kitchen Though less than 10 years old, Tinderbox Kitchen is often named among the restaurants credited for helping to re-launch the foodie movement in Flagstaff. Focused on providing progressive American comfort food, the menu is often eclectic and always changing. The restaurant has become so successful that the owners acquired the space next door and create “The Annex,” a hip, indoor-outdoor cocktail bar with realdeal mixologists. They took over the space next to that, creating a more breakfastskewed haunt called the Tinderbox Tourist Home. And yes, it was once an actual tourist home. tinderboxkitchen.com.

Proper Meats + Provisions Arizona’s only exclusively local, wholeanimal butcher shop and deli, offering specialty cuts of meats and carefully curated local or premium imported products. All meats offered are humanely and sustainably farm-raised. Proper Meats + Provisions, owned by devoted local businessman Paul Moir, also offers an eat-in and takeaway menu featuring sandwiches, local cheeses, fresh-baked breads, house-made soups, as well as craft beers and Arizona wines. propermeats.com

nickname for Route 66—The Mother Road—the intimate brewery tasting room was born out of the Marquess desire for a new start in life and always features at least 12 brews on tap, many of which change seasonally. motherroadbeer.com

FLG Terroir Wine Bar & Bistro Perched on the second story of a prominent building on San Francisco Street is one of the best wine bars in Arizona—FLG Terroir. Formerly The Wine Loft, this dark and dreamy bar specializes in small boutique wines from around the world in all price categories, and its list is fast approaching 500 labels by the bottle. In addition, with more than 30 wines by the glass and a great selection of bottled beers with a focus in Belgian Ales, it is perfect for after-dinner drinks. Insider tip—try the dessert wine with one of the house made gelatos or pastries. flgterroir.com

The Commerce Hidden on a side street just off Route 66 in the heart of downtown Flagstaff, this bar focuses on taking old-school cocktail classics and twisting them every which way but loose. They take pride in using vintage spirits and those made in Arizona. With that, they infuse them with housemade syrups and fresh juices as well as crazy flavors of bitters and botanicals. facebook.com/thecommerceflg

Historic Brewing Company With 20 beers on tap and growlers to go, Historic Brewing Company’s Barrel and Bottle House on the Southside of San

Francisco Street gives you wide selection of house-made and locally brewed favorites to imbibe. The second of its two taprooms in Flagstaff, this location lets you order in beer-friendly food from nearby Proper Meats + Provisions, Ewa’s Thai Cuisine and Tourist Home. Don’t miss creative pours like the signature Piehole Porter, a traditional brown porter infused with cherries and vanilla. historicbarrelandbottle.com/

Pepsi Amphitheater This hot spot has hosted performers including Melissa Etheridge, Willie Nelson and the Charlie Daniels Band in recent years. Developed in a natural forest bowl, the venue is also earning praise for its growing line-up of wine, food and music festivals. A bonus: The amphitheater is linked to the Flagstaff Urban Trail System and welcomes guests to bike or walk to any event. pepsiamphitheater.com

Flagstaff Extreme Just steps from the Pepsi Amphitheater, it is not uncommon to see Flagstaff visitors flying from rope swings and zip lines. Why? The Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course and its intricate obstacle course set among the trees. After a detailed safety program, guests are given the green light to brave five courses, each consisting of 10 to 17 obstacles. Each course, much like with popular ski mountains, is color-coded to denote difficulty. flagstaffextreme.com

DRINK

Mother Road Brewing Company Tap Room The story behind Mother Road Brewing Company Tap Room is just as good as the beer itself, and worth the trip to meet husband-and-wife owners Michael and Alissa Marquess to hear it in person. Named in homage to John Steinbeck’s WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

MY EVERCHANGING

ROOMS

Arizona resorts strive to stay fresh by reinventing themselves Alison Bailin Batz » The Entertainer!

High-end luxury vacation spots like Kimpton’s Amara Resort and Spa, Fairmont’s Scottsdale Princess and the destination formerly known as the Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center are constantly evolving to ensure they are among the most highly rated in the world. To keep up with the Joneses, here is a peek at some of the most impressive recent enhancements and upgrades.

Kimpton Amara Resort and Spa When Kimpton bought the Amara property in 2013, it wasted no time in making plans to reimagine the 100-room Uptown Sedona resort. Famous for its views of the Cleopatra Red Rock formation, the resort has undergone millions in updates to the property’s rooms, spa and dining concepts. “‘Modern native’ was the idea our design team was inspired by, and we held ourselves to that creative development in all aspects of the refresh,” said Devin Mahoney, general manager at Amara. “It was important for us to infuse elements of the craftsmanship and traditions of the Hopi and Navajo tribes that are indigenous to Northern Arizona, such as basket-making, rope-weaving, rain sticks and turquoise. Our designers were inspired by native patterns and indigenous skills, but we’ve reinvented it in a contemporary way instead of trying to be too literal.” Pulling from the color palette of the surrounding lush foliage and the brilliant desert flowers that dot the property, green, aubergine, bright marigold and injections of hot fuchsia can be found throughout the new interiors, which complement the WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

red rock views that envelop the resort. Design elements found throughout the rooms are live-edge wooden headboards that were individually crafted from fallen trees and vary from room-to-room, crystal drawer accents and geode artwork that pull inspiration from Sedona’s spiritual center, turquoise table lamps, oversized sitting chairs with woven rope accents, colorful rain sticks positioned above the bed to promote sweet dreams and artwork featuring a jackalope, the mythological creature, adding a bit of whimsy. The resort’s common spaces, among the most recent upgrades to be completed, include a living room where guests can enjoy complimentary wine hour nightly; outdoor lounge and lawn areas; and a massive 26,000-gallon infinity edge saltwater pool that overlooks the Oak Creek and red rocks. The resort’s signature restaurant was also redeveloped and relaunched as SaltRock Southwest Kitchen and Craft Margaritas. Headed by Chicagoland chef Robert Hoffman, the restaurant boasts an expansive list of agave-based cocktails and inspired Southwestern dishes bursting with rich, robust flavors. amararesort.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch Last year, as it approached its 40th anniversary in business, the Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center underwent a massive $10 million renovation to transform the independent resort and revitalize its amenities. The result? The property has been rechristened The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch, A Destination Hotel. The space has a new restaurant and bar, hip main pool, significant outdoor meeting and event space upgrades and enhanced guest rooms. Kitchen West Restaurant, the new dining establishment, has been among the most celebrated enhancements thus far.

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess The past several months have been extra special for the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess as it recently unveiled its newest attraction: Sunset Beach. “We looked at our customer and said, you know, people in Arizona, the only thing we’re really missing is a beach, so why not add a beach?”’ says Pam Gilbert, the resort’s director of sales and marketing. “This 9,000-square-foot beach, thanks to 830 tons of white sand from Florida and a $27 million investment by the resort, features the Princess’ largest and grandest pool.” The pool itself is almost 7,000 square

Historical photos adorn the walls, paying homage to the rich history of the land upon which The Scottsdale was built. The beautiful views of McCormick Ranch Golf Club, not to mention the open kitchen concept, certainly don’t hurt either. The resort’s new lobby bar, Bar Six40—named after the number of acres of land that Army Chaplain Winfield Scott purchased in 1888 that would become Scottsdale—serves as an extension of Kitchen West, offering local coffee, freshly squeezed juices and light breakfast options in the morning and afternoon along with craft beers and wines on tap with delectable bites from Kitchen West later in the day. thescottsdaleresort.com

feet and has an entirely zero-edge entry with a swim-up bar. According to Gilbert, Sunset Beach also has more than 400 feet of water slides, beach-themed cocktails and a splash pad for the little ones. “But that’s not all we had up our sleeves by a longshot,” says Gilbert, noting the recent renovation also included the addition of 100-plus new luxury rooms and another dining option on the property, Toro Latin Restaurant and Rum Bar. Toro boasts more than 150 rums— including rum tasting flights—as well as a suviche bar, wok dishes and creative twists on Asian and Latin-influenced small plates and entrees. scottsdaleprincess.com. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

scottsdale center for the performing arts

Holidays at the Center The Capitol Steps What to Expect When You’re Electing

Friday, November 25 Saturday, November 26 Sharing songs and skits from their new album, What to Expect When You’re Electing, the irreverent D.C.-based political comedy troupe pokes fun at all sides of the issues – from left to right – with fresh, up-tothe-minute material inspired by the latest headlines, scandals and more.

Sister’s Christmas Catechism

Mariachi Sol de México® de José Hernández Presents

David Benoit

Dec. 9–18

Saturday, Dec. 17

Sunday, Dec. 18

A holiday fiesta with the Maestro of Mariachi

The beloved jazz music of Vince Guaraldi and Peanuts

The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold Sister and her students solve the greatest Christmas caper ever.

A Merry-Achi Christmas

Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown with Special Guest Sara Gazarek

More Jolly ... An Evening with

Bruce Hornsby Friday, Nov. 18

Tig Notaro

Thursday, Dec. 8

Live & Local Holidays

Santa’s Helpers Friday, Dec. 9

Pete Pancrazi Quartet Friday, Dec. 16

Steve Vai

Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Tour

Monday, Dec. 12

The Hot Sardines Holiday Stomp

Sunday, Dec. 18 Mesa Arts Center

David Britton Christmas Friday, Dec. 23

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

Click ScottsdalePerformingArts.org

Call

480-499-TKTS (8587)

Visit

7380 E. Second St.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE ARTIST

CULTURE » THEATER » DANCE » GALLERY » DRAMA » VISION

SHOP LOCAL

Jackalope Art and Craft Fair brings the artisan community together Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

elissa Shipley, Sara Diederich and Laura Fischer share the common vision of hosting a “community-meets-artisan” event that brings locals together. With that, the trio launched Jackalope Art and Craft Fair in Pasadena, Denver and Phoenix. This year, it moves from Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix to WestWorld in Scottsdale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 26, and Sunday, November 27. “We’re moving to WestWorld to get more of the Scottsdale demographic involved,” Shipley says, adding admission is free. The event, held in conjunction with Small Business Saturday, boasts 150 local artisans. “Something that really distinguishes Jackalope from the others is we are handmade only,” Shipley adds. “In Arizona, there are a lot of markets that do vintage and antique or upcycled. We’re handmade only. There’s no resale, vintage or antique. We do some upcycles if it’s taking it out of it original context and into something new.” In addition to the handmade holiday shopping selection, Jackalope will have workshops for attendees to participate in. “We have a series of workshops where attendees step into the DIY world and become makers themselves,” Shipley says.

“We’re exposing this makers community.” According to Shipley, highlights include Trekking the National Parks, a family board game that lets players visit the parks in a fun and competitive way; and R2SK8 Products, which fashions recycled skateboard accessories into jewelry and home items. Their websites are trektheparks.com and r3sk8products. com, respectively. Shipley, Diederich and Fischer met through an event planning job that focused on production, music and performance. They wanted to work with the marketing aspect of events, and formed Jackalope. “I love the shopping aspect of these shows,” Shipley says. “There are a lot of nice soaps and body products, holiday items and candles and amazing cards. You can literally find anything—jewelry, fashion, art. You can buy gifts for yourself or for your family and friends.” But it’s more than just a shopping event. “We’re going to have workshops for kids, too,” she says. “There’s going to be food and a bar. You can really spend all day there.”

Jackalope Art and Craft Fair The Hangar Tent at WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, jackalopeartfair.com/ phoenixvendors, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 26, and Sunday, November 27, free.

WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

ARTS

CALENDAR Randy Montgomery » The Entertainer!

First Friday – Read Between the Lines NOVEMBER 4 The Herberger Theater Center celebrates Phoenix’s First Friday events with monthly free outdoor performances. This month, there will be spoken word and open mic performances, local author signings, live music, and a book drive.

Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe Street, Phoenix 602.254.7399 herbergertheater.org

Camelback Studio Tour and Art Sale NOVEMBER 4 TO NOVEMBER 6 Visit six home studios featuring the work of 25 local artists. A self-guided tour will take you from home to home, where pieces of art will be on sale. All of the home studios are located within

the Sherwood Heights neighborhood between Thomas and Oak, and 54th and 60th streets. This is the eighth year for this exciting tour. Presented by the South Scottsdale Art Alliance Various locations through South Scottsdale 480.215.5975 camelbackstudios.com

“Love is Here to Stay: A Gershwin Cabaret” NOVEMBER 4 TO NOVEMBER 20 TheaterWorks continues the “Masterworks Series” with a tribute to George and Ira Gershwin. This musical is written and directed by Steve Hilderbrand and Gary Gallner, with choreography by Katrina Sanders. Presented by TheaterWorks Peoria Center for the Performing Arts 8355 W. Peoria Avenue, Peoria 623.815.7930 theaterworks.org

“The Music Man” NOVEMBER 4 TO NOVEMBER 20 The six-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy about a fast-talking salesman has been an audience favorite since its debut in 1957. Filled with quirky characters, hilarious moments and a nostalgic score, this is a perfect selection for Mesa Encore Theatre’s 80th anniversary season. Presented by Mesa Encore Theatre Mesa Arts Center One E. Main Street, Mesa 480.644.6500 mesaartscenter.com

West Valley Wind Ensemble NOVEMBER 4, NOVEMBER 6 AND NOVEMBER 17 This 55-member musical group will play a variety of band music celebrating people and places that make America great. While admission is free, the ensemble asks that patrons bring nonperishable food items to support the West Valley Food Bank. Presented by the West Valley Wind Ensemble Various Locations, Sun City westvalleywindensemble.org

VERTICAL FIX PRESENTS “TIMELESS” NOVEMBER 6

ORPHEUS CONTINUES A PROUD TRADITION

Get in the spirit of the season by experiencing

Holidays with Orpheus Come experience your favorite songs like “Silent Night”,

“Do You Hear What I Hear“ and “Jingle Bell Rock” along with other classics recognized by all. Sunday, December 4, 2016 3:00 PM AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH 17200 N. Del Webb Blvd. Sun City Tuesday, December 6, 2016 7:30 PM VELDA ROSE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 5540 East Main St. Mesa Sunday, December 11, 2016 3:00 PM CAMELBACK BIBLE CHURCH 3900 E Stanford Dr. Paradise Valley

Advanced Purchase Pricing: Adults $20 Seniors and Students $15

FIRST FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4

Pricing at the Door: Adults $25 Seniors and Students $20

Children 12 and under admitted Free.

Buy your tickets now! Call 602-271-9396 or go online: orpheus.org Enter Promo Code: ENTMAG16 WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

CAMELBACK STUDIO TOUR NOVEMBER 4-6

WEST VALLEY WIND ENSEMBLE NOVEMBER 4, 6, 17

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016 RUSALKA NOVEMBER 11-13

16/17

BOB AND BING NOVEMBER 11

A n t o n í n D v o Rˇ á k

Rusalka Nov 11 & 12 at 7:30 pm Nov 13 at 2:00 pm Symphony Hall

NOA NOVEMBER 5

Herberger Theater Festival of the Arts NOVEMBER 5 Admission is free this year for the event that celebrates the arts in the community. Bring the family and experience live music, theater, dance, film and children’s activities. There will be four indoor and outdoor stages and a variety of activity areas. A number of area arts organizations will participate alongside food booths and craft beer tastings. Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe Street, Phoenix 602.258.9481 herbergertheater.org

Noa NOVEMBER 5 Achinoam Nini (Noa) is hailed as Israel’s leading international singersongwriter. Having performed all over the world, including Carnegie Hall and the Colosseum in Rome, she will give audiences the opportunity to experience her unique and beautiful sound. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

7380 E. Second Street, Scottsdale 480.499.TKTS (8587) scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Vertical Fix Presents “Timeless” NOVEMBER 6 Based in Tempe, Vertical Fix provides aerial training to students looking to get into aerial dance and acrobatics. During the show, students will perform on the trapeze, hoops and rope. Artists are as young as 13 years old. Grab the family for this dazzling display. Higley Center for the Performing Arts 4132 E. Pecos Road, Gilbert 480.279.7184 higleyarts.org

Dvorˇák’s lush & exotic version of The Little Mermaid. You think you know the story of this little mermaid, but the fairytale doesn’t break the surface. Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s original story, Rusalka features dark forests, woodland sprites, and the glorious aria, “Song To The Moon.” Sara Gartland, who is “enchanting, with an expanse of surging sound,” (Opera Today) returns to take the title role. Sung in Czech with English supertitles.

“Bob and Bing’s Road to Victory” NOVEMBER 11 Head to Gilbert to celebrate Veterans Day with a patriotic tribute. This recreation of a Bob Hope USO shows features acts paying tribute to the likes of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, W.C.

Presented by

Tickets: $25-$135

azopera.org 602-266-7464

O ffi ci a l A i rl i ne

O ffi ci a l H otel

O ffi ci a l P i a no

Saturday, November 19, 2016 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Scottsdale Civic Center Plaza

Sunday, November 20, 2016 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

FREE ADMISSION & FREE PARKING

ARIZONA’S #1 FALL FINE ART FESTIVAL

7380 E. 2nd St., Scottsdale

For more information visit our website

Mary Beth Maddox

www.888artfest.com

WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Fields, Jack Benny and Ella Fitzgerald. Higley Center for the Performing Arts 4132 E. Pecos Road, Gilbert 480.279.7184 higleyarts.org

“Rusalka” NOVEMBER 11 TO NOVEMBER 13 Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story, “Rusalka” introduces us to a water nymph who will risk everything to be a part of our world and find true love. Sung in Czech with English supertitles. Presented by Arizona Opera Phoenix Symphony Hall 75 N. Second Street, Phoenix 602.266.7464 azopera.org NEW YORK GYPSY ALL-STARS NOVEMBER 19

“Billy Elliot” NOVEMBER 16 TO DECEMBER 24 Audiences have fallen in love with Billy Elliot, a boy who trades his boxing gloves in for ballet slippers. The show features a powerful story, dance numbers and the popular score from Elton John. Funny and uplifting, this is one show not to miss. Phoenix Theatre 100 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix 602.254.2151 phoenixtheatre.com

NOVEMBER 16-DECEMBER 24

“An Act of God”

THE NUTCRACKER NOVEMBER 25-DECEMBER 4

NOVEMBER 17 TO DECEMBER 4 Described as “sweetly outrageous and gently irreverent,” the acclaimed Broadway show has been brought to Phoenix by Arizona Theatre Company. The premise is God and Her angels answer questions that have plagued mankind. Written by 13-time Emmy Award-winner David Javerbaum. Presented by Arizona Theatre Company Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe Street, Phoenix 602.256.6995 arizonatheatre.org AN ACT OF GOD NOVEMBER 17DECEMBER 4

WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

“What to Expect When You’re Electing” NOVEMBER 17 The Capitol Steps is a D.C.-based comedy troupe that pokes fun at politics from all sides. Expect to get a lowdown of the highs and lows of this historic presidential election season. Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts 1090 S. Vulture Mine Road, Wickenburg 928.684.6624 dewpac.org

“Hairspray” NOVEMBER 18 TO NOVEMBER 21 Set in 1962, the story follows teenager Tracy Turnblad’s desire to appear on a TV dance program. Alongside a toetapping soundtrack, is a dose of social commentary on the 1960s. The play is based on the John Waters’ film of the same name. Queen Creek Performing Arts Center 22149 E. Ocotillo Road, Queen Creek 480.987.SHOW qcpac.com

Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour NOVEMBER 18 TO NOVEMBER 27 Explore and shop 47 art studios throughout Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is Arizona’s longestrunning artist studio tour, and is in its 20th year. With 47 locations and 188 artists participating, this is an art lover’s dream come true. Presented by the Sonoran Arts League Various locations 480.575.6624 hiddeninthehills.org

BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL NOVEMBER 22-27

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

New York Gypsy All Stars NOVEMBER 19 Described as “a unique stew of traditional Euro-Turkish gypsy music, seasoned liberally with jazz and funk,” this group hails from New York’s East Village. The music promises to be the best of what gypsies did, combined with musical ideas from nations spreading from India, to the Balkans, to Western Europe. Chandler Center for the Arts 250 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler 480.782.2680 chandlercenter.org

“Nutcracker” - Presented by Ballet Etudes NOVEMBER 25 TO DECEMBER 4 Kick off the holiday season with the Ballet Etudes’ 30th annual production of the Christmas classic. Along Clara’s magical journey, you will encounter life-size mice, snowflakes, dancing confections and, of course, the Sugar Plum Fairy. Chandler Center for the Arts 250 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler 480.782.2680 chandlercenter.org

“Beautiful – The Carole King Musical” NOVEMBER 22 TO NOVEMBER 27 Carole King wrote or co-wrote more than 100 Billboard Top 100 pop songs and released more than two dozen of her own solo albums. Witness the inspiring true story of the Tony- and Grammyaward winning star, whose music is a soundtrack to an entire generation. ASU Gammage 1200 S. Forest Avenue, Tempe 480.965.3434 asugammage.com

Letters Home

New York Gypsy All Stars

Christmas with Clay Aiken

Saturday, November 12 3pm & 7:30pm

Saturday, November 19 7:30pm

Friday, December 16 7:30pm

OPPÉ December 27 - January 8

Full season listing

ChandlerCenter.org 480.782.2680

Family Arts Festival

November 6, 2016 • 10am–5pm Shemer Art Center • 602.262.4727 • shemerartcenter.org WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

BE MERRY

The holidays sing, dance and act their way across Valley stages

Kenneth LaFave» The Entertainer!

f the composers Peter Tchaikovsky and George Handel were alive, they’d be very wealthy men. Every winter, their music is heard throughout the land as the very epitome of Christmas: Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” and Handel’s “Messiah.” Ditto Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Tchaikovsky, Handel and Dickens are gone, but they left us a legacy of work that forms the core of wildly varied Christmastime arts and entertainment. Around the Valley, it’s possible through the New Year to see several Nutcrackers and Messiahs, myriad children in a Christmas pageant, ukuleles strumming holiday tunes and Alice Cooper’s Christmas Pudding, featuring Santa Claus, rock ‘n’ roll...and a guillotine. Here are some of the highlights of holiday entertainment in the Valley of the Sun, 2016. DANCING CHRISTMAS: NUTCRACKERS AND SNOW QUEEN The New York Times has called Ballet Arizona’s production “one of the top three Nutcrackers outside New York.” So expect great dancing and spectacular sets and costumes. The company will perform on various dates between Friday, December 9, and Saturday, December 24, at Phoenix Symphony Hall. For times and ticket prices go to balletaz.org. Ballet Etudes’ “Nutcracker” is an East Valley tradition, a showcase for young talent and a heartfelt artistic experience. The company’s 30th anniversary production of the fabled ballet will be performed at two locations—Chandler Center for the Arts from November 25 to December 4, and the Mesa Arts Center from December 9 to December 11. For details, visit balletetudes.net. A modern-dance alternative to “The Nutcracker,” “Snow Queen” is an annual holiday event first staged by choreographer Frances Smith Cohen more than 25 years ago. Performed annually by Center Dance Ensemble at the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix, the nonreligious story-in-dance has become a Valley holiday staple. It runs this year on various dates between Tuesday, December 6, and Wednesday, December 21. For details, see herbergertheater.org. SINGING CHRISTMAS: MESSIAH AND OTHER VOCALIZATIONS The Phoenix Symphony really, really wants you to hear Handel’s Messiah. Arizona’s largest-funded performing arts organization will present its version of the enduring Christmas classic at five different locations between Wednesday, December 7, and Sunday, December 11. The venues are: Wednesday, December 7,

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

Scottsdale Center for the Arts; Thursday, December 8, Camelback Bible Church; Friday, December 9, Mesa Arts Center’s Ikeda Theatre; Saturday, December 10, Camelback SDA Church; and Sunday, December 11, Pinnacle Presbyterian Church. For times, ticket prices and addresses, visit phoenixsymphony.org. The Phoenix Symphony also knows that not all of you want to listen to 224-year-old music that requires you stand when the choir sings “Hallelujah.” For those folks, it will play a holiday pops program from Friday, December 2, to Sunday, December 4, at Phoenix Symphony Hall. The concert features familiar Christmas songs performed by singers Gary Mauer and Christiane Noll, plus you, the audience, in a holiday singalong. Details at the website. Finally, if you’re hankering to extend the holiday feeling via classical music, the Phoenix Symphony will host its annual New Year’s Eve Gala on Saturday, December 31. It’s an event that includes Strauss waltzes and a complimentary glass of champagne. Prefer your singing without symphony orchestra? Try American Songbook singer Dave Seabaugh and his 25-piece big band on Saturday, December 17, at the Mesa Arts Center. It’s the first time the crooner has done a Christmas show. If a rock band is more to your taste, you live in the right town: Alice Cooper blends elements of Halloween with the joys of December holidays in his “Christmas Pudding.” Korn and the Gin Blossoms will be there, but it is Cooper’s own Hollywood Vampires, featuring Johnny Depp and Joe Perry, that’s sure to get the blood pumping. It happens Saturday, December 3, at the Celebrity Theatre. Go to celebritytheatre.com. ACTING CHRISTMAS: THE DICKENS, YOU SAY “A Christmas Carol” is the ultimate holiday story. Charles Dickens’ tale is all about greed vs. compassion, and the need to look at our lives as more than self-serving trips through random phenomena. The Hale Centre Theatre in Gilbert has made an annual business of presenting Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the others in a much-loved staging. This year’s happens Thursday, December 1, to Saturday, December 24. Go to haletheatrearizona.com.

If you find “A Christmas Carol” a little too sentimental for your taste, you can still enjoy the story as transmuted by former writers for “The Colbert Report.” “Twist Your Dickens” plays the Phoenix Theatre Wednesday, November 30, to Saturday, December 24. What is it? Imagine Dickens’ story told with smart-aleck satire and audience interaction. Go to phoenixtheatre.com. In non-Dickensian stagecraft, the award-winning Childsplay presents something called “A Very Hairy Javelina Holiday.” Sounds as if someone finally made winter holidays relevant to the Sonoran Desert! It happens Saturday, November 19, to Saturday, December 24, at Tempe Center for the Arts. Check out tca.ticketforce.com. CLAY AIKEN RETURNS TO THE STAGE Clay Aiken’s epitaph may be “That Guy from American Idol,” but it’s one of the biggest accomplishment of his career. Thanks to his near win, he has sold 6 million albums and sold out 11 U.S. tours. For this Chandler Center for the Arts show, the former congressional candidate will be accompanied by a 22-piece orchestra. He reportedly ends his Christmas tours with his signature holiday song, “Don’t Save It All for Christmas Day.” HOLIDAY MISCELLANY: ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF Mesa Arts Center is this year’s winner for most unusual holiday offerings. Want ukuleles playing holiday tunes? You got it. “Christmas with the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain” arrives Sunday, December 4. Choirs and orchestras converge at the MAC Friday, December 2, and Saturday, December 3, for “Good Will Toward Men.” Think “Christmas” and immediately think “children”? Mesa Arts Center has something for you Thursday, December 1, to Sunday, December 11, when it presents the East Valley Children’s Theatre in “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Is jazz such a constant in your life that even Christmas means jazz? Try saxophonist Dave Koz’s Christmas Tour at the MAC on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Finally, here’s a holiday event found in every Valley home that has a piano, a keyboard or a guitar: It’s called “Gather round and sing a carol.” Free admission.

Award-Winning Fine Art, Wine & Culinary Festivals 10 am - 5 pm • Free Admission • Free Parking Vermillion Promotions, producers of award-winning festivals and special events, cordially invites you to experience the Southwest’s finest Art, Wine and Culinary Festivals. Our signature events feature acclaimed artists from throughout the United States and abroad, fine wine, food and live entertainment. Enjoy an exceptional Festival experience!

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CAVE CREEK Stagecoach Village Arts Festival November 25, 26, 27, 2016 7100 E. Cave Creek Rd. TUCSON St. Phillip’s Art Festival November 18, 19, & 20, 2016 St. Phillip’s Plaza 4280 N. Campbell Ave.

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Cassidy Landaker » The Entertainer!

ourd artist Jane Boggs sees Hidden in the Hills as more than a celebration of art. She calls it a coming together of friends. “Many of our returning patrons have become clients and friends,” says Boggs, who serves as event co-chairwoman as well. “And, it’s fun to see new patrons discovering the many talented artists in our event.” This year’s Hidden in the Hills takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, November 18, to Sunday, November 20, and Friday, November 25, to Sunday, November 27. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

“It’s a six-day open house where everyone you like comes to see you,” says Carole Perry, marketing chairwoman and glass artist. Hidden in the Hills is the Valley’s largest six-day studio tour and sale to art enthusiasts, patrons and serious collectors. Celebrating 20 years, the event is a free, self-guided tour that features 188 artists in 47 locations throughout Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale. Each of the studios showcases one or more artists and their works. “This year’s Hidden in the Hills promises to be one of the best yet, with a wide variety of styles, mediums and price

Hidden in the Hills studio tour celebrates 20 years

ranges,” says Pat Bell-Demers, Sonoran Arts League executive director and Hidden in the Hills co-chairwoman. “With our studio tour taking place the weekends before and after Thanksgiving, it’s perfect for holiday shoppers who want to find an original, unique gift.” Perry has been on the tour for 20 years. She says she’s seen the event grow from 200 attendees to 2,500 and the caliber of artwork improve significantly. A $5 four-color, glossy directory offers a comprehensive list of participating artists, pictures of their work and a map of the studios. Linda Korstad’s “Wishing and Hoping” was selected for the cover.

An interactive website, hiddeninthehills.org, offers information about participating artists and assists attendees in setting up their tour.

Hidden in the Hills

throughout Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale, 480.575.6624, hiddeninthehills. org, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, November 18, to Sunday, November 20, and Friday, November 25, to Sunday, November 27, free.

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COMING

ATTRACTIONS “Doctor Strange”

“Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk”

PG-13 - 130 MINUTES Benedict Cumberbatch plays a neurosurgeon with a destroyed career who sets out to repair his hands only to find himself protecting the world from inter-dimensional threats. Rachel McAdams and Mads Mikkelsen also star. Opens November 4.

R - 110 MINUTES Joe Alwin plays a soldier who is brought home for a victory tour after a harrowing Iraq battle. Flashbacks reveal what really happened to his squad—contrasting the realities of war with America’s perceptions. Opens November 11.

“Trolls”

“Bad Santa 2”

PG - 92 MINUTES Anna Kendrick voices the optimistic leader of the Trolls who, together with her polar opposite (Justin Timberlake), must embark on an adventure that takes them far beyond the only world they have ever known. Opens November 4.

R - 87 MINUTES Billy Bob Thornton reprises his role as a man who, fueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, teams up with his angry little sidekick (Tony Cox) to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve. Kathy Bates and Christina Hendricks also star. Opens November 23.

“Almost Christmas”

“Hacksaw Ridge” R - 139 MINUTES Andrew Garfield plays a WWII American Army medic who, serving during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first conscientious objector in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Opens November 4.

PG-13 - 120 MINUTES Danny Glover plays a beloved patriarch who asks his family for one gift this holiday season—to get along. If they can honor that wish and spend five days under the same roof without killing one another, it will be a Christmas miracle. Opens November 11

“Moana”

“The Edge of Seventeen” PG-13 - 102 MINUTES Hailee Steinfeld plays a high school student whose life gets even more unbearable when her best friend (Haley Lu Richardson) starts dating her older brother (Blake Jenner) until the unexpected friendship of a thoughtful boy (Hayden Szeto) gives her a glimmer of hope. Opens November 18.

PG - 103 MINUTES Auli’i Cravalho voices a young woman who uses her navigational talents to set sail for a fabled island. Joining her on the adventure is her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui (Dwayne Johnson). Opens November 23.

For more movie reviews, in-depth celebrity interviews and behind-the-scenes insights, tune in to breakthrough entertainment 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KPHX 1480 AM and BreakRadioShow.com. Email film writer Joseph J. Airdo at joseph.airdo@gmail.com.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE CRITIC

LIGHTS » CAMERA » ACTION » SCREEN » ENCHANT » TRANSPORT

What movie should you see this month? Ask our experts!

Our film writers grade what’s in theaters Movie

JOSEPH’S MOVIE OF THE MONTH:

“Desierto”

“Desierto” is a blood-curdling, edge-of-your-seat, rollercoaster ride of a cat-and-mouse chase through the dangerous-yet-beautiful desert. Jonás Cuarón, who cowrote his father Alfonso Cuarón’s 2013 adrift-in-space thriller “Gravity,” has written and directed an incredibly intense motion picture that takes the breathtaking visuals and terrifying themes of his father’s film and recreates them right here on earth. Meanwhile, it adds an extra threat in the form of a vicious villain expertly played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The end-result is short on depth and dialogue but big on action and suspense, leaving viewers gasping for air and possibly screaming at the screen with pangs of anxiety. RANDY’S MOVIE OF THE MONTH:

“Deepwater Horizon”

This disaster movie follows a formulaic storyline, but the acting and special effects make up for any familiarity and sets it apart from your typical “movie of the week.” The explosion and fire killed 11 crewmen aboard the offshore drilling rig, and in turn ended up causing the largest oil spill in U.S. history. This tragic and devastating event have been recreated using a talented cast under the expert direction of Peter Berg. While not the best film of the year, it should manage to still snag a few nominations come award season.

Joseph

“Queen of Katwe”

It’s surprising how many movies about chess there are, and how enjoyable a lot of them are. The real-life heroine of this one, from Disney, is Phiona Mutesi, a teenage chess champion from Katwe, a slum neighborhood in Kampala, Uganda. According to the movie, she was illiterate when she learned to play, and learned to read mainly so she could study chess manuals. The script follows the “Rocky”/“Hoosiers” template, but the director, masterly Mira Nair, avoids the potential schmaltz in the yarn without sacrificing its potent emotion, and gets terrific performances, especially from Madina Nalwanga as Phiona.

ABOUT THE FILM WRITERS

Randy

“American Honey”

“The Birth of a Nation”

“Blair Witch”

“Bridget Jones’ Baby”

“Deepwater Horizon”

“Denial”

M.V.

B B

“Desierto”

“The Disappointments Room”

“Girl on the Train”

“Goat”

“The Magnificent Seven”

“Masterminds”

“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”

“Phantasm: Ravager” “Priceless”

M.V.’S MOVIE OF THE MONTH:

JOSEPH J. AIRDO is a film critic, producer and onair personality for Breakthrough Entertainment, a talk radio show airing 11 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KPHX 1480 AM and BreakRadioShow.com that shines a spotlight on the practical perspectives of the topics and themes explored in movies. He has a pet duck named Frozen who is as opinionated about movies as he is. Email him at joseph.airdo@gmail.com.

The Report Card

B C

“Queen of Katwe”

“Snowden”

“Storks”

“Sully”

“Voiceless”

“The Wild Life”

RANDY MONTGOMERY is a Los Angeles-based film critic who lived in, and still loves, Arizona. Living within walking distance of multiple major studios is a dream come true for this long-time movie buff. While not sitting in the dark and munching on popcorn with extra butter, you can find him riding roller coasters and enjoying the arts. Email him at randymwriter@yahoo.com.

M.V. MOORHEAD has won five first-place

Arizona Press Club awards for criticism. His reviews and other writings appear in Wrangler News (wranglernews.com), Phoenix Magazine and on his own blog, Less Hat, Moorhead (mvmoorhead.blogspot.com). A native of Pennsylvania, he lives in Phoenix with his wife, kid and three Chihuahuas with five eyeballs between them. Email him at mvmoorhead@cox.net. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE DINER

EAT » EXPERIENCE » INDULGE » SAVOR » DEVOUR » NOSH

Happy Hour Guide 50

Bad to the Bone 60

BLK Live 54

Sweet and Savory Success 62

NOVEMBER FOOD EVENTS Megan Marples » The Entertainer!

A Musical Veterans Day Ice Cream Social

Food and Wine Experience

NOVEMBER 11 Stop by Organ Stop Pizza for a patriotic party with ice cream and a free concert. During the event, only beverages and ice cream will be sold at regular prices. Pizza will not be available. Organ Stop Pizza, 1149 E. Southern Avenue, Mesa, organstoppizza.com, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., free admission.

NOVEMBER 4 TO NOVEMBER 6 Taste food from more than 60 restaurants and meet with celebrity chefs like Scott Conant and Mario Batali. Activities will bring out the chef in all of us. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, azcentralfoodandwine.com, times and admission vary.

Serbfest: Food and Culture Festival NOVEMBER 5 AND NOVEMBER 6 Learn more about Serbian culture through St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church’s food and festivity offerings. Taste homemade Serbian cuisine and pastries, take in folklore performances, see live music and shop at the bazaar. St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, 4436 E. McKinley Street, Phoenix, stsava.com, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, $3.

Phoenix Pizza Festival NOVEMBER 19 Come to Margaret T. Hance Park to sample pizza from more than 15 pizza vendors selling slice for $2 to $5 each. Full pizzas will be available, too, from the likes of Dough Mama, Fireside Pizza and Whiskey Ranch. Need a sugar buzz? Visit the dessert food trucks. Margaret T. Hance Park, 1202 N. Third St., Phoenix, phoenix.pizza, 1 a.m. to 5 p.m., $10.

Cooks and Corks

Chiles & Chocolate Festival

NOVEMBER 11 Join the Scottsdale League for the Arts for a culinary adventure under the stars. Top chefs from around the Valley create delicious samples of their finest creations. General admission includes unlimited food and drink samples. Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, 10600 E. Crescent Moon Drive, fourseasons.com/ scottsdale, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., admission $125.

NOVEMBER 11 TO NOVEBER 13 Try gourmet chocolate and chiles from Arizona vendors at the Desert Botanical Garden. Live entertainment includes Cuban percussionist Juan Pino and Alma Phoenix Bachata. Everything sampled will be available for purchase that weekend. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, dbg.org, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., entrance included with garden admission of $22 for adults.

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Red, White and Brew Craft Beer Festival NOVEMBER 19 Sample beer from more than 30 breweries and mingle with people who have a passion for the craft. Learn more about the brewing process and ask questions to beer experts. All proceeds go the Capt. Jeremy A. Chandler Scholarship Foundation. Ground Control, 4860 N. Litchfield Rd., groundxcontrol.com, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., $30-$35.

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HAPPY HOUR GUIDE Brat Haus

3622 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. $2 off all drafts, $1 off bottles, cans, liquor and wine and food specials

Hard Rock Café

3 S. Second Street, Phoenix Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. $3.50 domestic bottle and draft, $4.50 select craft beer, $5 premium well, house wine and double shot of Fireball

Buck & Rider

Hungry Monk

Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers

Lucky Strike Bowling

Craft 64

Luxe Lounge

4225 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix Weekdays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday 9:30 p.m. to close $6 signature cocktails, house pours and featured glasses of wine

1760 W. Chandler Boulevard, Chandler Daily 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. $1 off all alcohol, but ask about daily specials! For example, Wednesday is $3 pints of craft beer all day!

4222 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 20831 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 117, Scottsdale Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. $3 domestic pints, $4 local pints, domestic aluminum bottles and premium well drinks, $5 house wines

50 W. Jefferson Street, #240, Phoenix Daily 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. $2 domestic drafts, $3 craft/import drafts and well drinks, $4 premium cocktails, house wine and food specials

6922 E. Main Street, Scottsdale Daily 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. $1 off all beers and $2 off all wines

16000 N. Maricopa Road, Maricopa Monday through Friday 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and all day Sunday $3 well drinks, house wines and 16 oz. domestic drafts

Dirty Dogg Saloon

10409 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. $1 off domestic beers, well drinks and call

Duke’s Sports Bar & Grill

7607 E. McDowell, Scottsdale Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. $3.50 domestic drafts and bottles, $5.25 house wines and $8.99 domestic pitchers

Pure Sushi Colony

5538 N. 7th Sreet, Suite 110, Phoenix Daily from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sat/Sun 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. $3 off regular-priced cocktails, wines by the glass and sake. $2 off regular-priced bottles of beer. Wide selection of sushi, appetizers and signature cocktails and Japanese beers & bombers.

Rehab Burger Therapy

7210 E. 2nd Street, Scottsdale Daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 11 a.m. to close on Thursdays $1 Off all party starter appetizers, $1.50 PBRs, Domestic Pints $2.50, Premium Pints $3.50, $1 off shots, wines by glass and specialty drinks

Scottsdale Beer Company

8608 E. Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. $1 off all Scottsdale Beer Company beers, well drinks, wines by the glass and food specials

Stockyards Steakhouse

5009 E. Washington Street, #115, Phoenix Monday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. $2 off draft beer and Saloon Snacks, $3 domestic bottles, $4 well drinks and $5 house wine with complimentary tenderloin sliders

The Mission at Minder Binder

SunUp Brewing Co.

Old Town Tavern

TapHouse Kitchen

715 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe Daily 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. $2 domestics, $4 quality wells, $2 off all pizzas

7320 E. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale Daily 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Bucket of beers (five beers for two people): $12 domestic, $16 Mexican imports, $20 premium

322 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix Daily 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. $5 select appetizers and $1 off beers

Hilton Village, 6137 N Scottsdale Rd #108, Scottsdale, AZ 85250 7 Days! 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. $2 off all draft beer, spirits and wine on tap. $2 off all beer flights, house wine. $2 off all Tap House Kitchen custom cocktails, Tap “House" Margaritas and $1 off all well drinks. And more!

El Chorro

Park Place Bar & Grill

Tutti Santi

EVO

Pig & Pickle

Uncle Bear’s Grill & Tap

Gallagher’s Sports Grill

Pure Sushi Bar & Dining

5550 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley Monday through Saturday 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. $3 glass of house wine and domestic bottled beer and $5 El Chorro Margaritas and well drinks

4175 N. Goldwater Boulevard, Scottsdale Daily 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. $3 beers, $4 well drinks, $5 wines and $6 cocktails

Five locations across the Valley Daily 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight $2.75 well drinks, $3.25 domestic drafts, $3.50 house wine and several food specials

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7373 E. Scottsdale Mall, #6, Scottsdale Tuesday through Sunday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. See a full list of specials at www.peterscuisineaz.com.

2922 N Hayden Road, Scottsdale Tuesday through Sunday, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. $5 select small dishes, select cocktail and select wine and beer

20567 N. Hayden Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale Mon-Fri, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sat/Sun 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. $3 off regular-priced cocktails, wines by the glass and sake. $2 off regular-priced bottles of beer. Wide selection of sushi, appetizers and signature cocktails and Japanese beers & bombers.

6339 E. Greenway Road, Suite 108, Scottsdale Monday through Friday, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Select beers $3, well drinks $3 and select glasses of wine $5

9053 E. Baseline Road, Mesa, 2115 E. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek; Brewery: 4921 E. Ray Road, Phoenix Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday through Thursday, 10 p.m. to close $3.50 Uncle Bears craft pints, domestic bottles, wells & house margs, $4.50 22 oz. Uncle Bears crafts, guest craft pints, Deep Eddy cocktails & house wine, $5.50 22 oz. guest crafts & sangria

Wasted Grain

7295 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale Wednesday through Sunday, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Scottsdale’s Longest Happy Hour $5 shared plates, $5 drink specials

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BLK S LIVE

Scottsdale Airpark’s newest attraction serves up the highest-grade steaks and top-notch acts around a pool Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

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ophisticated yet casual, BLK Live has become one of the go-to spots in the Valley for upscale food, live music and recreation. Within the 20,000-square-foot property is a dining room, bar and patio are, as well as a pool with custom cabanas, a palapa-covered bar, and an adjacent concert hall that accommodates 1,000 guests for live entertainment, wedding receptions or other private events. “It’s such a unique venue,” says Robert “Cookie” Oliver, BLK Live manager. “We bring a lot to the table that nothing in the area has. We describe it as rock-based and casual fine dining. We want customers to hang out and enjoy themselves.” BLK takes its name from the black Wagyu cattle considered to be the United States’ highest-quality beef, which is featured prominently on the menu. The restaurant’s name is also a nod to the live music it offers in the dining room, concert hall and poolside on weekends.

The contemporary American menu emphasizes grilled hand-cut Wagyu (American Kobe) steaks from Snake River Farms, a family-owned business founded in Idaho in 1968. BLK also serves Akaushi Wagyu beef from Heart Brand, fourth-generation cattle ranchers in Texas who work diligently to maintain and protect the Akaushi breed. “Our goal is to serve delicious and approachable food with the highest quality ingredients,” says Kevin Johnson, a principal of Skydoor Restaurants, which owns BLK Live. “We are providing Scottsdale residents and visitors the unique combination of a fine dining destination in a relaxed atmosphere with great entertainment. This will be the first venue of its kind in the area.” Executive Chef Daniel Hackett and Sous Chef Michael Casanova created the menu for BLK Live, which Oliver calls “modern American.” “We have a Kobe burger, the BLK meatloaf, and our steaks are both Kobe,”

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Oliver says. “We also do a Kobe slider and kids Kobe filet.” BLK Live, which was scheduled to host its grand opening on Halloween weekend, has a well-rounded menu—not just steak. The BLK menu includes an array of appetizers including tuna poke (Ahi Tuna, wonton chips, wasabi mayo, Sriracha mayo); crispy pork belly (braised pork belly, smoked peaches, brown sugar bourbon); frog legs (fried, served with a creole aioli) and more. BLK also serves soup made from scratch daily, and a variety of salads made fresh with chicken, ahi and Kobe steak options. Nearly a dozen burgers and sandwiches are featured, including a barbecue-stuffed burger (Sailor Jerry spiced rum barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese and fried onions); blackened chicken sandwich (blackened Redbird chicken, pepper jack cheese, avocado, red onions, tomatoes, Salanova lettuce and roasted garlic aioli); El Jimador Burger (El Jimador-marinated patty, tequila guacamole, bacon, pickled jalapenos, carrots, onions, pepper jack cheese); and a Coppola Cabernet Burger (Coppola-marinated patty and grilled tomato), as well as turkey and veggie burgers, among others. Other entrees at BLK include roasted pork tenderloin (served on cheddar bacon polenta with a red wine cherry reduction); rack of ribs (Sailor Jerry spiced rum barbecue sauce, served with jalapeno mac & cheese, French fries); Coppola filet (8 oz. Snake River Farms filet, purple mashed potatoes, asparagus and fried onions); BLK meatloaf (brown sugar glaze, garlic mashed potatoes, collard greens); Redbird brick chicken (roasted veggies and a rosemary demi glaze); and chicken and waffles (Redbird chicken, Frosted Flakes, red hot waffles, Crown Royal maple syrup, jalapeno honey butter) to name a few. “I would say some of the most popular items are, appetizers, coconut shrimp, pork belly and Brussels sprouts. The BLK gorgonzola salad has Kobe filet in it. That’s popular. It’s a real high-quality steak salad. “The Bullet bourbon burger is a 21-and-over burger. It’s marinated in Bullet bourbon. The onions are caramelized with bourbon also. It comes with a 50 ml bottle of bourbon on the side. The meatloaf is one of my favorites, though. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

It’s classic comfort food. It uses A5 Kobe beef in it.” There’s one dish that’s particularly important to Oliver. “The fish and chips,” he says. “I’m personally from Rhode Island so fish and chips has a special place in my heart. It has Uncle Bear’s mandarin wheat beer in the batter.” Besides fish and chips, the seafood dishes include salmon (sautéed and served with couscous in a dashi broth); scallops (butternut squash puree, smoked apple, fennel salad) and Steam Bag Trout (quinoa, herb butter, white wine, lemon.) A variety of side dishes are available for sharing. Featuring sophisticated yet casual décor, BLK has a modern flair with wood plank walls, wood tables, bright orange upholstered booths, galvanized metal accents and custom lighting with an industrial feel. Tributes to music legends can be found throughout the dining room and poolside cabanas in the form of custom artwork. Los Angeles-based artist Roman Pastucha was commissioned to create life-like paintings, which are airbrushed acrylics reproduced onto Plexiglass. Known as hyperrealism, the paintings have the look of a photo, and are backlit at night for a dramatic effect. Iconic artists David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, AC/DC and Led Zepplin are depicted. Adding to the ambiance are 34 TVs and multiple fire features throughout the restaurant and patios. Upon completion of BLK’s patio—which will be the largest patio for dining in Scottsdale—the restaurant will accommodate more than 200 people for dining, and approximately 1,000 for private parties. “It’s great to work for a company that puts the effort in and wants to do it right,” Oliver says. “We want to make the room something really unique and beautiful.”

BLK Live

7301 E. Butherus Drive Scottsdale 480.494.5069 blklivescottsdae.com

The “Dillo” Has The BEST Happy Hour In Town! Tues-Sat 3pm-7pm & 10pm-2am

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Food served until midnight (Sun-Wed) and until 1am (Thurs-Sat) Prices are dine-in only. Not valid with any other promo or discounts

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TEAM TRIVIA

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1904 E. Camelback Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85016

ESTABLISHED 1997

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Rawhide’s Thanksgiving Buffet

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Carson Mlnarik » The Entertainer!

Thanksgiving is usually a time for tradition and turkey, but if you’re a little bored with the post-cranberry sauce hangover routine, try mixing it up. Instead, take the family out to dinner to one of the Valley’s Thanksgiving events and get served, in the best way possible.

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Spend Thanksgiving western style at Rawhide’s annual Thanksgiving buffet. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., a traditional selection of holiday favorites will be served, including maple-roasted turkey, garlic-roasted mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. Prices are $19.95 for adults and $9.95 for children, ages 12 and younger. Reservations are recommended, and Rawhide’s attractions will be open, so you can top off your filling feast with a breezy mechanical bull ride. Rawhide Western Town and Steakhouse, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, 480.502.5600, rawhide.com.

Chompie’s Arizona’s beloved East Coast deli does Thanksgiving big, with a dinner with all the fixings. This is in addition to cranberry pumpkin waffles, state fair-stuffed French toast, pumpkin bagels and scones. All four locations will be open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offer pick-up full meal packages and dine-in service starting at $15.99. All pick-up dinners must be ordered at least 72 hours in advance. Chompie’s, 9301 E. Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale, 480.860.0475, other locations in Glendale, Tempe, Chandler and Phoenix, chompies.com.

Luci’s Healthy Marketplace Swing by Luci’s for a meal to go or for dine-in on Thanksgiving Day. For $140, customers can get a complete meal

including precooked roast turkey, gravy, cranberry, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie with substitutions available. It also offers sides a la carte and desserts. Luci’s will serve its regular menu for those looking to dine in. Luci’s Healthy Marketplace, 1590 E. Bethany Home Road, Phoenix, 602.773.1339, lucishealthymarketplace.com.

Jewel’s Bakery and Cafe Jewel’s Bakery and Cafe provides gluten-free options for those not wanting to miss out on a delicious meal because of dietary restrictions. This year it is providing a large assortment of Thanksgiving desserts, including pies, stuffing cubes, rolls and cornbread mix. Order in advance to snag your piece of the pie. Jewel’s Bakery and Cafe, 4041 E. Thomas Road, Phoenix, 602.714.5243, jewelsgfcafe.com.

Urban Cookies If you’re looking to pick up something sweet for the family—or if you burnt your own pie and need a quick fix—Urban Cookies has you covered. Sweet potato, cranberry orange, apple or pumpkin pie is on the menu, but those who are a little more adventurous can turn to pumpkin pie in a jar, ginger molasses cookies, maple donuts or roasted pear shortbread. Top it off with their homemade whipped cream. Urban Cookies, 4711 N. Seventh Street, Phoenix, 602.451.4335, urbancookies.com

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

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BAD TO THE

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

BONE W ith a rich history and a menu that goes just as deep, The Stockyards in Phoenix is the gold standard in the Valley. “When you’re an historic landmark, a high-end steakhouse, you’re competing against restaurants that throw money,” says Gary Lasko, one of The Stockyards’ three owners. “They’re all slick and new. We don’t want to be ‘slick and new.’ We want to be true to who we’ve always been. We want to try to transport you to the 1950s when the restaurant was in its heyday.” The Stockyards opened in 1947 and became a favorite gathering place for cattlemen, bankers and politicians. In 1953, the restaurant was destroyed by fire and temporarily closed. The following year, The Stockyards and its saloon reopened. In 2004, a team restored and revitalized the restaurant, which is on the City of Phoenix Historical Register for its central role in Arizona’s cattle industry and its relevant architectural style. “The restaurant is on the site of the original Phoenix stockyards,” says Lasko about Edward A. Tovrea’s packing house west of 48th Street and Van Buren. Helen Tovrea decorated, planned and designed the new look of the restaurant after the fire. “In 1947, the restaurant was built to feed all the cowboys working the pens here. We’ve been here a long time. The light rail has helped.” The restaurant closed from June 2004 to March 2005, during which time the restaurant was replumbed and rewired. A new kitchen was installed. During the last 12 years, the owners have releathered the booths, installed new carpeting. “We do something every year to keep refurbishing it,” he says. “Other restaurants have cement floors and exposed ductwork. They’re high energy and loud. This is a little different. “We have built the business. The recession in 2008, 2009, 2010 was difficult. But I have good partners in Mike and Gary Smith, who are third-generation Arizonans. They grew up on a ranch and they used to bring cattle here. They love

being associated with the restaurant.” He chalks up the restaurant’s success to his staff and clientele. “I have a wonderful staff,” he says. “We have a multigenerational pull in this restaurant. I have people who are 50, 60 years old who say they celebrated their 10th birthday here. “I had women in their mid-40s come in with the children’s menus they colored when they were 7 or 8 years old. I made photo copies because it’s a different children’s menu than we have now.” The menus are key. From the lunch menu, the most popular item is the prime rib and cheddar sandwich. “That’s the best item on the menu, too,” says Lasko, who previous managed Roy’s in Scottsdale and Phoenix. “I get customers who say, ‘I’d love to order something else, but I’m scared to death it’s not going to be a good as this sandwich.’” Steaks and prime rib are The Stockyards’ centerpieces. “We do slow-roasted prime rib every night,” he says. “We have a big cow on the

roof. You have to be true to the beef. The sandwich has always been the No. 1 seller, but we serve lots of prime rib in the evening.” Besides the sandwich, roast pieces are used in the steak soup, hamburgers and chili. “We end up with a lot of trim from the filet mignon, New York strip and the ribeye,” he says. “We grind it. That’s what we use for our hamburgers. We put it in our chili. “If you get a hamburger here, you’re getting filet, New York strip and ribeye. We accumulate so much of it. We’re using it in hamburgers, sliders, chili and meatloaf. We still donate hundreds and hundreds of pounds to the Phoenix Fire Department.” “It’s been a beef-centric menu for forever. You need other things, though. We have a game niche that plays well for us—elk, wild boar and venison sausage, walleye, pike and buffalo meatloaf. We like the game thing. It goes well with the Stockyards’ theme.” Lasko says he read a quote on the web that sums up buffalo meat: “Buffalo

The Stockyards maintains rich history and beefcentric menu Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer! tastes like beef wishes it tastes.” “That buffalo is otherworldly,” he says. “It has less fat and cholesterol than chicken breasts. We have a buffalo hot dog at lunch that’s a quarter pound.” The best-selling nonbeef item is the skillet salmon, which is pan-seared with citrus chile glaze. The menu may standout, but Lasko is proud of The Stockyards’ history and its look. Local cabinetmaker Russ Kapp carved the bar and its wooden stools in 1954. Kapp carved them when he was 35 and died at age 92. The lounge features murals by painter Catherine Patton of Pasadena. Lasko says the theory behind The Stockyards is simple: “You’re only as good as the last meal served.”

The Stockyards

5009 E. Washington Phoenix 602.273.7378 stockyardssteakhouse.com

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SWEET AND SAVORY

SUCCESS Three brothers, two Crepe Clubs and one American dream Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

ares Tarabichi bleeds maroon and gold. He and his brothers, Karim and Omar, say they wouldn’t have found success with The Crepe Club’s two thriving locations without the top-notch education they received at ASU. “I really love Arizona and ASU,” says Fares, who carried a double major in political science and business administration. “I’m an extremely proud Sun Devil.” Each of the three brothers moved from Syria to Tempe to attend ASU, with Fares attending last. Two years ago, they started a small food cart on campus serving up their longtime specialty: crepes. The business has since grown. They opened their first brick-and-mortar space four months ago in the Biltmore Fashion Park, near Williams Sonoma, in Phoenix. “I was running the operations of the cart,” he says. “One of my brothers works for Weebly [a web-hosting service], so he does all the social media. My other brother works for Pepsi, but he’s into continuous improvement, making sure everything is getting done in the most efficient way possible,” he says. “I’m a strategy consultant. I look at the long-term. We collaborated on this, and it’s going very, very well.” Fares, who left his job in Dubai at PricewaterhouseCoopers to help with family businesses, runs the restaurant full time. His brothers still have their jobs, he says. “I took a huge pay cut, but it’s absolutely worth it. It’s a lot of fun. Both WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

locations—the one on the ASU campus and here—give us a wide variety in our customer base. We’re constantly tweaking our menu to satisfy everyone. It’s been a great journey.”

THE AMERICAN DREAM Fares attended a French school; English is his third language behind French and Arabic. He didn’t learn it academically. “What really taught me English was the Cartoon Network—honest,” he says with a wide grin. “‘Dexter’s Lab’ and all those shows were learning tools for me. “The show, ‘Friends,’ was important too. It’s by far one of the things I associated most with America. I absolutely loved that show. Other than the Cartoon Network, it most helped me improve my. I had to learn English really well to go to ASU.” Fares moved here 11 years ago, at age 17. “There was a lot of oppression there,” Fares says of his home in Syria. “I certainly felt it. My parents wanted us to leave and go to the U.S. I was very outspoken, which isn’t ideal when living in an autocratic regime. “I was one of the lucky ones who got to pursue an education, which gave me the tools I needed to build my dreams. I’m looking forward to being successful, so I can give back to the country.” He will do so through education, he says. He believes it’s “the key to every problem in the world.” “I don’t think that weapons solve anything,” he says. “I think they just add to the problem. By teaching people how to love and teaching knowledge, people can have a lot fewer problems than they have now.”

The Tarabichis’ parents left Syria a couple years ago, but their grandmother remains. Fares says she refuses to leave the house where she was born. “She’s very stubborn. I think I get a lot of that from her,” he says. “She’s been living there for 85 years, and she’s not willing to let go.” Like his brothers, he feels Arizona is his home. “I left for a short time after graduation,” says Fares, who moved to Paris after graduation to work for a nonprofit. “I’d come back a couple times a year, but I missed it too much. “I remember when I first moved here, it was extremely different. Coming from Syria to the U.S., and then from Paris to the U.S., it was very different. I’ve traveled many places, but I never really lived anywhere else.” The Tarabichi brothers often would traveled to Paris to eat at a specific restaurant, which led to their love of crepes. “My father opened a bakery on Mill Avenue and Seventh Street, Delice Bistro, and he needed help. I quit my consulting job in Dubai and came to help him. “They were serving crepes and they were delicious. A lot of students liked them. So I met with Aramark and ASU. They loved the crepe cart idea, and the rest is history.” On a recent weekend, The Crepe Club’s customers spilled out onto The Biltmore’s lawn. Fares says this reflects the popularity of the restaurant. “We’re very successful—especially on the weekends. We don’t have an open seat in the house.”

Fares believes that the variety of crepes offered is responsible for the eatery’s success. “It’s a good way to mix sweet and savory,” he says. “It’s very fast, too, but it’s far from fast food. Instead, it’s great food that comes out to you fast. That was one of the pitches we gave to ASU. ‘Your food comes out within 3 minutes, and it will come out amazing.’ ” The three men wanted to emulate American classics while maintaining a French influence. “The S’mores crepe is one of my favorite things,” he says about the gooey treat. “The croissant French toast is amazing, too. Instead of using bread, we use croissants. It gives it that little extra flavor.” Looking forward, Fares would like to continue their relationships with ASU’s food provider, Aramark, and Macerich, the Biltmore’s management company. “We hope to grow with them to campuses and malls across the country. We’d like to add about 10 locations in the next five years,” Fares says.

The Crepe Club

Flagship Store: Biltmore Fashion Park 2502 E. Camelback Road, Suite 130, Phoenix 602.956.0087 thecrepeclub.com ASU: 550 E. Tyler Mall Near Wexler Hall Tempe

0 2 Craft Beers on Tap!

Locally Sourced

Lunch • Dinner • Brunch

At Hilton Village 6137 N. Scottsdale Road #108, Scottsdale, AZ 85253 480.656-0012 • www.TapHouseKitchen.com SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMS • BREWERIES • VINEYARDS

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE CRAFTMASTER

SIP » BREW » RELAX » EXPERIMENT » REFRESH » TOAST

Beer Over Here

Drink up at any of these Valley beer events this month Carson Mlnarik » The Entertainer!

Arizona Storytellers: Craft Brewing and Craft Cocktails

NOVEMBER 3 Celebrate Arizona Cocktail Week with a drink in hand and an open ear. Local mixologists and craft brewers will share stories of their lives, profession and favorite drinks. There will be plenty of craft brews and cocktails, so get there early to grab a seat and keep the drinks a-coming. AZ Heritage Center at Papago Park, 1300 N. College Avenue, Tempe, 602.444.8605, bit.ly/2cGRwNw, 7 p.m., $10.

Bacon, Blues & Brews

NOVEMBER 5 It’s time to appreciate the best B’s in America—bacon, blues and brews. Craft beer meets country music and bacon at this one-day festival. Local country and blues artists will hit the stage throughout the day. There will be plenty of brews to sample and any kind of bacon dish imaginable. Founders Park, 22407 S. Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek, 480.358.3700, bit.ly/2dhr5M2, 12 p.m., $8-$65.

Not Your Average BBQ & Brews

NOVEMBER 5 The classic American barbecue is elevated here by three of Phoenix’s most talented chefs—Scott Holmes of Little Miss BBQ, Stephen Jones of Desoto Market and Bernie Kantak

of Citizen Public House. Wash down that delicious wagyu beef or pulled pork with selected beer pairings. What could be better than beer and barbecue? Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, 877.977.6849, foodandwine. protixonline.com/bbq-brews, 5 p.m., $79.

Chillin’ n’ Swillin’ Beer Festival

NOVEMBER 5 Drink beer for a cause at the Chillin’ n’ Swillin’ Beer Festival, which showcases beer vendors from California, Nevada, Colorado and Arizona. Proceeds will benefit Lake Havasu charities. Let your beer opinion be heard with the People’s Choice Award or participate in the home-brew contest. Rotary Community Park Ball Fields, 1400 S. Smoketree Avenue, Lake Havasu, 928.486.7286, chillin-nswillin.org, 2 p.m., $25-$30.

NovemBEER Festival

NOVEMBER 12 Beer lovers can delight in their favorite time of the year: NovemBEER! Attendees will bite their fists in deliberation having to choose between 100 different beer options from nearly 50 breweries. The festival brings old and soon-to-be favorites. Each ticket includes 30 samples so not a single option goes unsipped. There will also be live entertainment and food trucks.

Arizona Center, 400 E. Van Buren Street, Phoenix, 602.229.8482, novembeer.com, 1 p.m., $25-$55.

Girls Pint Out at Scottsdale Beer Company

NOVEMBER 16 Beer isn’t just for boys! Join the angels of ale themselves, AZ Girls Pint Out, for an evening of craft beer and appetizers at Scottsdale Beer Company. Tickets include six glasses of 5-ounce pours, and appetizers will be served at happy hour prices. There’s no membership price; just show up ready to drink, and chit and chat! Scottsdale Beer Company, 8608 E. Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale, 480.219.1844, bit.ly/2cZgQKw, 6 p.m., $7.

Brewers Ball

NOVEMBER 18 Celebrate craft beer with a “The Great Gatsby” feel at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. Live music, craft beers and a unique meal by the Biltmore’s executive chef will color the night. Revel in culinary delight with craft beer samples, handcrafted brews and good company. Arizona Biltmore Hotel, 2400 E. Missouri Avenue, Phoenix, 480.586.6711, chooseazbrews.com, 6:30 p.m., $125-$2,250.

Beer Tasting at the Phoenix Pizza Festival NOVEMBER 19 Do you like a taste of pizza with your beer? The Phoenix Pizza Festival

is back with an impressive beer selection to complement its pizza offerings. Helio Basin, That Brewery, Wren House and Ohso are just a few of the eight breweries bringing their beers to pizza fanatics. Margaret T. Hance Park, 1202 N. Third Street, Phoenix, 480.442.9176, phoenix.pizza, 11 a.m., $10.

Rio de Cerveza Brew Fest

NOVEMBER 19 Craft brewers from across the region come together in Yuma to sample the best local, regional and national brews around. This year features Oskar Blues, Grand Canyon and Hangar 24. Of course there will be art, live entertainment and food to round off the river of beer flowing underneath the Yuma sun. Desert Sun Stadium, 1280 Desert Sun Drive, Yuma, 928.376.0100, riodecerveza.com, 5 p.m., $31-$80.

ASU vs. U of A Watching Party

NOVEMBER 25 There’s nothing like a good football rivalry. When you throw in two local college teams—ASU and U of A—you know it’s going to get personal. Watch the rivalry heat up at Doc and Eddy’s while enjoying ice cold Coors Light for the night and vying for great giveaways. Doc & Eddy’s, 909 E. Minton Drive, Tempe, 480.831.0635, docandeddystempe.com, 7:30 p.m., free.

Get in the New Years Issue!

AD DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 20TH FOR NEW YEARS ARTWORK

EDITORIAL DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 15TH FOR NEW YEAR’S PARTY INFORMATION

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BeerFinder DIRECTORY Where to find the best craft beer bars in town

Craft 64

6922 E. Main Street, Scottsdale Craft 64 is proud to offer 36 local Arizona beers on tap in the heart of Scottsdale. Arizona beers only!

Mellow Mushroom Pizza

2490 W. Happy Valley Road, 5350 E. High Street, 740 S. Mill Avenue Locations throughout the Valley Incredible Pizza and amazing beer make Mellow the place to go for a craft beer experience.

Papago Brewing Company 7107 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale The granddaddy of Arizona beer bars, there is something for every beer lover at Papago.

Boulders on Broadway

530 W. Broadway Road, Tempe Boulders has the appeal of a neighborhood bar with a beer list that’ll make your eyes pop.

Hungry Monk

1760 W. Chandler Boulevard, Chandler Whether you want great wings or great beer, Hungry Monk’s selection is tough to beat.

Harvey American Public House

1524 E. Williamsfield Road, Gilbert First class food and first class beer, all set away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Goldwater Brewing Co.

3608 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale This new brewery is already making waves with their desert inspired brews--and names. Check out their Scotch’Dale Scottish style ale.

Spokes on Southern

1470 E. Southern Avenue, Tempe A comfortable bike-themed grill with 24 draft handles and food made from scratch.

Culinary Dropout

5640 N. Seventh Street, 7135 E. Camelback Road Locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale Located at The Yard, Culinary Dropout has everything you look for in a great restaurant experience, especially great beer.

Scottsdale Beer Company

8608 E. Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale Quality craft beer made right here in Scottsdale. Happy hour from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with $1 off all Scottsdale Beer Company beers, well drinks, wines by the glass and all small bites and starters!

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Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row

4420 N. Saddlebag Trail Scottsdale Dierks Bentley has been known to kick back with a craft beer or two, and so can you at his digs.

Garage Wine and Tap

1534 E. Bethany Home Road, Phoenix With a small selection of great beers and a reputation for outstanding food, Garage should be on your list.

Thirsty Lion

2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway Tempe Plenty of great taps and plenty of room to hang out, let someone else do the shopping at Tempe Marketplace.

Copper Blues/Stand Up Live

50 W. Jefferson Street, Phoenix Have a beer and a meal at Copper Blues before the stand-up show. You won’t even worry if it’s sold out.

Brat Haus

3622 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale The name says it all--brats, pretzels, Belgian fries and plenty of craft “bier” to make everyone happy.

Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers 4222 N. Scottsdale Road, 20831 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale Do we need to say more? The name spells out everything you need to know.

Fox Cigar Bar

1464 E. Williams Field Road Gilbert Cigar fans, this should be your stop for cigars and great craft beer. Enjoy a walk in the humidor, the dark wood bar and a patio that is perfect for a cigar and a beer.

World of Beer

526 S. Mill Avenue, 2224 E. Williamsfield Road Locations in Tempe and Gilbert Let these fine folks take you around the world with over 50 taps and 400 bottles. You are bound to find your favorite beer.

Flanny’s Bar and Grill

1805 E. Elliot Road Tempe Home of the Third Thursday Tap Takevoer. The rest of the month is pretty good, too.

Phoenix Public Market Café

14 E. Pierce Street Phoenix The Phoenix Public Market Café is a casual urban hangout offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and great beer.

Main Ingredient Ale House 2337 N. Seventh Street Phoenix A charming old home is the location for this Coronado neighborhood hangout spot.

Pig & Pickle

2922 N. Hayden Road Scottsdale A restaurant that focuses on balance and quality, Pig & Pickle doesn’t skimp when it comes to their craft beer selection, either.

House of Brews Sports Bar 825 S. Cooper Road Gilbert Is it a sports bar or a craft beer bar? It’s both!

The PERCH Pub & Brewery

232 S. Wall Street, Chandler Located in historic Downtown Chandler, this brewery and pub not only has delicious craft brews, but is also home to a collection of beautiful, brightly colored rescue birds!

TapHouse Kitchen

Hilton Village, 6137 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 108, Scottsdale Taphouse kitchen has 20 handles of the most sought after craft beers, mostly local brew and 2 THK selection rotating handles that change with the season and taste of what we are craving at the time.

Ground Control

4860 N. Litchfield Road Litchfield Park Fresh roasted coffee and an ever-changing selection of good beer, including a fantastic import selection, make this one of the top spots in the West Valley.

The Brass Tap

1033 N. Dobson Road, Suite 104 Mesa Over 60 Taps of great craft beers and over 300 total craft beers from around the globe available! Casually upscale atmosphere, open-air patio that is cigar-friendly, nice menu, daily specials and knowledgeable staff. What more could you ask for!

Uncle Bear’s Brewery

4921 E. Ray Road, Phoenix Stop by to enjoy some local craft beer including Uncle Bear’s and other guest taps as well as delicious bites and a great happy hour!

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

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BEER WITH The winter THE KING beers are here James Swann » The Entertainer!

ovember is always an exciting time, as the fall and winter beers begin to trickle in. After six months of hot weather and lighter beers, many people are ready for a morning chill and a hearty brew. Take a good, long glance at the tap list in your favorite pub on your next visit and witness this transformation of styles. Here are some local beers to look out for in the coming month or so.

1. Huss Rice Pudding Porter 2. Dragoon Half Moon Dunklewiess 3. SanTan Winter Warmer 4. SanTan Railslide (yup, they double up) 5. Four Peaks Double Pumpkin 6. Historic Pumpkin Piehole Porter 7. Sun Up White Russian Stout 8. Barrio Mocha Java Stout 9. Craft 64 Wicked Winter’s Tale Ale 10. Prescott Christmas City Ale

WORLD’S BEST

Brewed by Unibroue: Chambly, Québec, Canada J3L 2H6 | Imported by Unibrew USA: New York, NY 10036 Please enjoy our refermented ales responsibly

BELGIAN STYLE TRIPEL

WORLD’S BEST STYLE WINNER

La Fin du Monde ( The End of The World ) “ la - faeh - doo - mohnd ”

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There is nothing quite like a little spice during the holiday season and every one of these beers delivers in its own special way. Imagine pairing the Barrio Mocha Java Stout with all those sweets acquired during Halloween or the Huss Rice Pudding Porter with your Thanksgiving turkey. Even better, how about the SanTan Winter Warmer, made with ginger and honey, with a Christmas ham. Comforting beers for traditional comfort foods. Ginger snap cookie, anyone? What I personally enjoy about these beers is that they bring with them a sense of gathering, community and good tidings. I realize much of this feeling is because of the holidays, but doesn’t a nice malty brew make each occasion even more special? I know it always has for me. Until next time, cheers! The “king” of the Valley beer scene, James Swann owns the craft beer and pizza pub Craft 64 in Old Town Scottsdale and lives for Arizona culture.

New Belgium® and the bicycle logo are trademarks of New Belgium Brewing Co.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream beer. This winter, dip into the fridge—not just the freezer— to find a dozen ways to sate your sweet tooth. Our newest collaboration with Ben & Jerry’s brings together two different types of pint-makers for one common goal: to fill your glass with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ale. To craft this confection, we dove into our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes for inspiration, and then whipped hefty doses of chocolate, brown sugar and vanilla into a doughhued blonde ale base. The result is a full-bodied beer that seduces with a perfect balance of vanilla and chocolate, and finishes with just the right amount of sweetness. Put down the spoon, pick up a pint.

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ABV: 6% ENJOY NEW BELGIUM RESPONSIBLY

alking into a bar can be a little unnerving for someone just entering the craft beer scene. So what does a beer drinker who is well versed in light lagers, but not much else, do when they enter one of these craft-centric watering holes? The more you understand about the different styles of beer, and where they fall on the “hop-malt continuum,” the easier it will be to find that next perfect pint. “Malt” represents grains processed for brewing. Although barley is the most common brewing grain, wheat, rye, oats, corn and rice are also used. It’s malt that provides much of the flavors, aromas, color and the sugars for the yeast to ferment the “wort” into beer. Hops are the spice of beer, and are used to counteract the very sweet liquid wort that is produced from the malt. A beer without hops would be too sweet for most palates, so they’re necessary to give the drink balance. Beers that tend to use just enough hops to balance, but not showcase the hops, are called “malt forward.” Beers that are intended to highlight, showcase and sometimes assault your senses with hop aroma and flavor are known as “hop-forward” beers. Picture a straight line, and think of malt-forward beers being on the left and hop-forward beers on the right. This is known as the “hop-malt continuum.” Beers will fall somewhere on this line, depending on their characteristics. A middle-of-the-road beer is called a “balanced” beer. The level of balance does not indicate quality of a beer. It simply lets you know what to expect when consuming a particular beer style. American IPA and Imperial IPAs

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would fall on the far right. These beers are intentionally unbalanced, providing just enough malt behind copious amounts of aromatic, flavorful hops. The intention is to showcase the hops so balance is not the goal. Hoppiness is. These beers also have high levels of bitterness, so they finish dry. Examples include Ballast Point Sculpin, Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA and Russian River’s Pliny the Elder. Pale Ales, American Ambers, California Commons and authentic German and Czech Pilsners are styles that would fall on the hoppy side to the right of the balanced midpoint. To the other extreme, rich, malty Scotch Ales, English Strong Ales and Barleywines are found on the left. These beers are all about the malt, often with just enough hops to support. Other beer styles that would fall on the malty side include Brown Ales, Imperial Stouts, Belgian Dubbels and Dark Strongs, English Porters and Blonde Ales. Four Peaks Kiltlifter is a good example of a malt-forward beer. Beers that would appear truly balanced are Amber Ales, Helles and Dortmunder Lagers, and even some Robust Porters where the bitterness from the malt and higher hopping rates can counteract the rich malts to create balance. Spaten Premium Lager, a Helles is a fine example of a well-balanced beer. Understanding malt versus hops and the styles that represent these differences gives you a better chance of ordering a fantastic beer the next time you find yourself facing a wall of beers you hadn’t heard of. Dave Clark is a Certified Cicerone and all around beer geek who lives in Gilbert.

DEFINING BEER DRINKERS Understanding the styles and terminology in a crowded craft beer marketplace Dave Clark » The Entertainer!

CRESCENT CROWN MOBILE APP LOCATE EVENTS, BRANDS & BREWS ANYWHERE. App Available on iTunes & Google Play

Search for CRESCENT CROWN in the app store

BEER GEAR

GREAT BEER PAIRINGS:

THE MARKET

Forget about wine pairings! We hail the hop. We’re all about pairing our favorite craft brews with delicious dishes from Valley restaurants. Alison Bailin Batz » The Entertainer!

“In 2014, we were so proud to open The Market by Jennifer’s Restaurant + Bar in the heart of Arcadia. Under the direction of my long-time friend Richard Fiero, (previously of Barrio Cafe), we have developed a space that is casual and elegant with a menu that incorporates locally grown, sourced and crafted ingredients. And while our space was formerly home to a wine bar (Ernesto’s Backstreet Wine bar, to be exact), our menu perfectly complements craft beers—especially local ones—just as well. The SunUp Bearded Blonde is definitely a favorite. It is so clearly and American Blonde Ale, which means there are heavenly notes of toast, florals and even citrus, that is pairs well with almost everything on the menu. Blonde ales, in general, are a wonderful gateway beer for macro beer drinkers wanting to step into the craft beer world or for the beer geek who wants a lunch brew before finishing the rest of the work day.”

Game-day tailgating just got cooler Cassidy Landaker » The Entertainer!

YETI has created an officially licensed ASU cooler, certified with school spirit for game-day events. In the Sonoran Desert, drinks can get warm rather quickly. But with YETI’s new ASU cooler available in the Roadie 20, Tundra 45, Tundra 65 and Tank 85, even a Sun Devil can stay cool. A popular cooler brand, YETI was founded in 2006 by two brothers who were tired of existing products that didn’t keep beer cold. Their mission was to build the cooler they would use everyday if it existed, and that they did. These coolers come in different shapes and sizes known as the Tundra, Roadie, Hopper, and Tank. Tundras are the rectangular shaped and original YETI coolers, and a Roadie is just the smaller version of a Tundra. A Hopper is the company’s personal and portable cooler. Tanks are the biggest, as the name implies, and are just a big ice bucket. Head to yeti.com/ official-arizona-state-coolers/ to snag your own cooler.

—Jennifer Russo, owner and executive chef at The Market by Jennifer’s Restaurant + Bar

BEER

Brewery: SunUp Brewing in Phoenix Style: Blonde Ale Name: Bearded Blonde This brew has a nice bready, cracker, malt aroma with lemon peel, citrus hop notes derived from Cascade and Falconers Flight hops. The flavor mirrors the aroma, creating an easy drinking pale malt flavor and slightly floral, citrus hop bitterness. This beer is a crystal clear, dark gold and pours with a clean off-white head. This one is so popular, that SunUp announced in September 2016 that they would be canning it. As a result, the beer can be purchased at the brewery, local liquor stores and at locations such as Total Wine & More, Whole Foods Market and Bevmo across the Valley, as well as enjoyed at The Market by Jennifer’s Restaurant + Bar.

J&G DISH

Dish: Butter poached shrimp with Hayden Flour Mills grits, grilled corn, gremolata, candied lemon ($14) Why: Bearded Blonde pairs well with any lighter fare, especially fish and sushi. We like to play on it a bit, recommending it with a richer item in the grits and butter, without overpowering. The secret to the pairing’s success, though, is lemon naturally brings out the flavor of the beer. Our candied lemon on the shrimp and grits paired with the brew makes for a perfect bite or sip every single time.

The Market by Jennifer’s Restaurant + Bar

3603 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix 602.626.5050, themarketphx.com

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BEER TENDERS

Bartenders who really know their beer Alison Bailin Batz » The Entertainer!

artender Kurtis Williams works at one of the hippest, coolest beer and cocktail spots around—The Gladly. When it opened in 2013, The Gladly had some big shoes to fill. It was, after all, the second restaurant from the team that brought us Citizen Public House, which was named among the among of the Best New Restaurants in America by Esquire Magazine in 2011. Williams joined the team in 2014 and is focused on delivering personalized hospitality to each guest—especially the beer lovers who visit both locations. He got his start in bartending in college at Mill Avenue Cue Club, where he worked for nearly a decade and would eventually serve as manager. After a colleague joined the Gladly team in 2013, Williams saw the innovation the organization was bringing to the craft and beer scene in Arizona and wanted in. Insider tip: ask him about his beer cocktails. What do you think makes craft beer special? Flavor, versatility and passion. Flavor: The diversity as well as the depth and range of flavors of craft beer always impresses me. The brilliant brewers who are coming up with new and unique flavors are always pushing and inspiring me to experiment with new ingredients and flavors Versatility: Whether it be pairings with food or actually using it as part of a cocktail, the possibilities are endless. Passion: The time and effort that people are putting into their craft as well as the love of their craft really shows through in the end product. How did you get interested in craft beer? I am one of the rare Tempe natives who you will still find living in Arizona. My first beer experience was during my time at ASU. I’d frequent Four Peaks with my friends and that was the first time I realized that there was this amazing world of craft beers out there. After my first few pints, I was hooked.

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I then took advantage of traveling, soon making craft breweries around the country part of each of my itineraries. What is your favorite part about the beer culture in the Valley? Speed! I love that it is growing and expanding at such a fast rate. I think about what was available 10 years ago and look at the scene now and it’s amazing—it has to be one of the fastest-growing industries in Arizona at this point. I feel like there is a new brewery popping up every time I turn around. There are so many talented people in the Valley whether it comes to food, cocktails or beer. All of these things combined I feel will help to solidify Arizona’s place as a legitimate food and beverage scene across the nation. What is your favorite part of the local beer culture? We are just that—local. Many of us were born or grew up here. We are Arizona strong and Arizona proud. Arizona beer culture is uniquely us. What is your favorite beer at the moment? That question is a tough one. It’s impossible to name just one, in fact. I am on a Hoppy kick right now, so anything IPA—especially the double IPAs and barrel IPAs. Locally, I love what Helio Basin, Helton, San Tan and Four Peaks are doing with IPA flavor profiles. Here at The Gladly, we make good use of IPAs beyond just serving them up daily—and offering recommendations to guests on how to do craft beer right. We actually use IPAs and other craft beers in many of our cocktails. A few menu cycles ago, we featured a Bay City Shandy, which included hopped vodka, grapefruit liqueur and was topped with an IPA. Though not on our traditional cocktail list right now, not a day goes by without getting a special order for it, for which I am more than happy to oblige.

The Gladly

2201 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.759.8132, thegladly.com.

DON’T STOP

BELIEVIN’ IN JESUS

Journey keyboardist explores his Christian side on new album Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

ourney keyboardist Jonathan Cain sees the humor in his life; a rock musician who leads worship services with a pastor wife. “God has a sense of humor, being a rock star with a preacher,” Cain says via telephone from a tour stop in Texas. But that doesn’t diminish his relationship with wife Paula White-Cain, with whom he lives in Orlando, Florida. She is well known, having delivered the benediction at the Republication National Convention this year. “I was very proud,” says Cain of his wife of two years. “It’s the first time a woman has ever done it.” Cain is stepping out from his home for a tour that comes to The Pool at Talking Stick Resort on Saturday, November 19. He’s admittedly a little leery about the show, with bandmates singer Arnel Pineda, guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith. “As long as we don’t get wet, we’ll be fine,” he says in jest. “They just can’t throw Arnel in the pool, although he might jump in at the end. Seriously, Arnel has been a blessing. He’s such a pure soul. He loves his family. He loves God. He loves our music. He makes us better.” The rare intimate show is important to Cain because his brother lives in the Valley. “My younger brother has made Scottsdale his home,” says Cain, who is celebrating his 35th year with Journey. “My father and mother lived there until they passed. I moved them to Scottsdale from Chicago. I’m also friends with Danny

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Zelisko, who’s a philanthropist. He’s a collector of sports memorabilia and rock memorabilia. He’s really a dear friend.” Sports and music are two hobbies or jobs that are also important to Cain, the lyricist and composer behind the unintentional sports anthem “Don’t Stop Believin’.” A fan of the Chicago Cubs, Cain was looking forward to attending a World Series game or two, events that were on his bucket list. “I’m a Chicago guy,” Cain says during the last week of October, just as the World Series was about to start. “I doubt they’ll play ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ at Wrigley Field, though. That’s the San Francisco Giants song. “They will play Journey now and then. It’s amazing to have our songs played at sporting events. I love it because I love sports. It’s just an honor.” Playing music, in general, is an honor for him as well. Journey is considering working on a symphony album. In late October, Cain released a Christian solo album, “What God Wants to Hear.” “I’ve been doing praise and worship for the last year at New Destiny Christian Center,” he says of the Apopka, Florida congregation. “My songs were ready to go and I decided to pull the trigger. It’s just in time for Christmas. “We’re going to rock for Jesus”

Journey

The Pool at Talking Stick, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 8 p.m. Saturday, November 19, $45-$250.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE HIGHROLLER

PLAY » SPIN » LAUGH » GROOVE » UNWIND » WIN

Terry Fator

CASINO ENTERTAINMENT

CALENDAR

Megan Marples » The Entertainer!

NOVEMBER 9

NOVEMBER 1

Route 66

Arizona Blacktop Duo

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 2 Kush County

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

Mancini the Band

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 3 Kris Kristofferson Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com

NOVEMBER 4 Powerdrive

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 5 Pacquiao vs. Vargas

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

Walkens Trio

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 11 Led Zepagin - Led Zeppelin Tribute

Casino Arizona, casinoarizona.com

DSB - Journey Tribute Band Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 12 Tribute to the Legends of Reggae Featuring Uproot Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

Sinatra and Friends Starring Bob Anderson Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

NOVEMBER 15

Quantrum

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

Carlos Mencia

Conference Center at Casino del Sol, casinodelsol.com

NOVEMBER 8 Mike & Ted

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com

The Stilettoes

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 19 World Fighting Federation Presents Wild Horse Pass Fights Live Mixed Martial Arts Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

Journey

The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com

Furious George

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 20 One of These Night: A Tribute to the Eagles Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

Gabriel Iglesias

Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com

NOVEMBER 22 Freddie Duran Duo

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 23 Thaddeus Rose

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

Stanley Serano Trio

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 25 Young Country

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 25 AND 26 Aeromyth - Aerosmith Tribute Casino Arizona, casinoarizona.com

NOVEMBER 26 49 Laughs

Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

The Walkens

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 29 John Eric Duo

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

Silhouette

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

Stanley Serano Trio

NOVEMBER 16 Bandstand Shows

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

Walkens Trio

The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

NOVEMBER 18 Grupo Yndio

Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

EPROM

is an acronym standing for Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. More importantly EPROMs are a microchip used in slot machines that determine the theoretical return of the game. A slot manager can change the return of a slot machine by simply replacing the EPROM chip, although regulations may require additional paperwork. — Wizard of Odds, wizardofodds.com WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE BEST CASINO EVENTS IN NOVEMBER Cassidy Landaker » The Entertainer!

Live at The Lounge

His engaging performances and powerful voice draws in music lovers of every generation. Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler, 1.800.946.4452, wingilariver.com, $25-$50.

NOVEMBER 1 Enjoy Arizona’s lively side with free diverse musical performances that are always on point at Live at The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino. From classic rock to R&B or country, there’s music for everyone. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, 15406 Maricopa Road, Maricopa, 480.802.5000, caesars.com/ harrahs-ak-chin, free.

Terry Fator

Pacquiao vs. Vargas

NOVEMBER 5 The legend takes on the champ this November in the welterweight championship. Manny Pacquiao and Jesse Vargas may be fighting at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, but fans can watch it on the big screens during the live broadcast at Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino. Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino, 15091 S. Komatke Lane, Laveen, 1.800.946.4452, wingilariver.com, $20.

Sinatra and Friends starring Bob Anderson

NOVEMBER 12 Bob Anderson was discovered by legendary TV host Merv Griffin at his home and introduced him as “The Singing Impressionist” to the world via his live show at Caesars Palace.

NOVEMBER 18 Terry Fator, “America’s Got Talent” comedian and ventriloquist, is coming to The Ballroom at Talking Stick Resort. Fator wows audiences by incorporating stand-up comedy, classic songs and puppeteering into entertaining skits. There are VIP and merchandise packages available for the event. Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480.850.7777, talkingstickresort. com, $45-$155.

Gabriel Iglesias

NOVEMBER 20 The #FluffyBreaksEven tour is making a stop at The Ballroom at Talking Stick Resort. Fuse TV’s Gabriel Iglesias stars in the nonscripted series with tour mates Martin Moreno and Nick Gutierrez in which Iglesias shares his road adventures. One of America’s most popular comedians is sure to put on a show to keep you laughing the whole night. Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480.850.7777, talkingstickresort. com, $40-$200.

Aeromyth

NOVEMBER 25-26 Come rock out to Aerosmith’s songs performed by the tribute band Aeromyth. These guys are so good you’ll think you’re standing a few feet away from Steven Tyler himself. Aeromyth performs the classic songs like “Walk This Way,” “Dude Looks Like a Lady”, and “Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing,” as well as the deep cuts. You won’t want to miss them at Casino Arizona. Casino Arizona, 524 N. 92nd Street, Scottsdale, 480.850.7777, casinoarizona.com, $15.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

ince Chris VanDahl was a junior high school student in Michigan, he has been plagued with comparisons to Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. He admits that it was, at one point, annoying. Now he takes it in stride as the lead singer of Aeromyth. “If you would have told me 15 years ago that I would be making my living performing as Steven Tyler, I would have told you that you were crazy,” says VanDahl, who lives in Las Vegas. “The irony is I’ve been a musician performing on stages since I was 13 years old. I spent my entire life trying to carve a name for myself in an original career. It didn’t matter if I was playing laundromats or arenas, I’d still get the Steven Tyler thing.” Early in his career, VanDahl played with L.A. Guns, Cherry Street, Boneyard and Love/Hate. But it wasn’t until he returned to his home state that he found his calling. “I’d gotten out of the business and moved to Traverse City and ended up in a band with Kenny Olson, Kid Rock’s guitarist,” he says about Pack of Wolves. “We were recording a record and I got the phone call from a guy named Neal Shelton; he’s our Brad Whitford in Aeromyth. They were looking for a Steven Tyler for his tribute band.” He vividly remembers laughing. “I told him that I was 2,700 miles away and, anyway, the last thing he’ll ever catch me doing is performing with a Steven Tyler tribute band. “Famous last words.” Shelton and VanDahl remained friends and one day he relented. “I said, ‘OK, I’ll come check out your crappy band,’” he says. “I went down there and the band wasn’t very good. Neal was, but the band wasn’t. After they finished and we were talking, I said I was open to doing this but he had to replace everybody in the band to do this properly.” That was a decade ago. The band went from a $50-a-night dive bar band to playing internationally to sold-out houses. And yes, VanDahl has met Tyler— and now they’re friends, thanks to a

NO ‘MYTH’

Aeromyth brings the authentic Aerosmith experience to the stage mutual acquaintance. VanDahl’s recent accomplishments do not start and end with Aeromyth. He performs as Tyler as part of Legends in Concert, an award-winning, Vegas-based tribute show that has visited the Valley. “What I love is it brings joy to people,” VanDahl says. “We’re not the taxman. We provide an escape and people love Aerosmith. Aerosmith’s been around for 40 years—that’s got to say something.” Aeromyth is playing Friday, November 25, and Saturday, November 26, at Casino Arizona in Scottsdale. Fans can expect two very different shows each night. “Aeromyth really brings the suspension of disbelief. If you’re 20 feet from the stage, you’ll forget you’re watching a tribute band. “With Aeromyth, the music will be a mix of everything from greatest hits to the more obscure stuff. That’s why we like to

come in for a couple of nights. We like to mix it up. It gives the real Aerosmith fans the opportunity to see a lot of the material that Aerosmith doesn’t perform live.” VanDahl is just happy to be on the stage. Performing is what he does best. “I think that life is short,” he says. “If you don’t love what you do, you have to make a change. In my case, I don’t see a point to doing something that your passion doesn’t exist for.”

Aeromyth

The Showroom at Casino Arizona, 524 N. 92nd Street, Scottsdale, 480-850-7777, 800-7453000, ticketmaster.com, 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 25, and Saturday, November 26, $15. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE GLADIATOR

CHEER » HIT » HIKE » LEAD » ROOT » COMPETE

NOVEMBER’S BEST

SPORTS EVENTS

Carson Mlnarik » The Entertainer!

Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trail Blazers NOVEMBER 2 The Phoenix Suns take on the Portland Trail Blazers in their first home game of November. Our home team has a good track record, having beat them 86-73 during the summer league. With NBA games picking up steam, you’ll want to jump fast to grab a seat in the Purple Palace. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, suns. com, 7 p.m., $9-$575.

Nashville Predators at Arizona Coyotes NOVEMBER 3 Earlier this year when the Arizona Coyotes took on the Predators in Nashville, it was a fierce battle that went into OT. The ‘Yotes eventually lost, but this time the Coyotes have their fans behind them at home. While the ice may be cold, the game is sure to be hot as the hockey season continues. Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Avenue, Glendale, coyotes.nhl.com, 7 p.m., $17-$315.50.

Ragnar Trail McDowell Mountain Relay NOVEMBER 4 TO NOVEMBER 5 Run into the night with the Ragnar Trail run at McDowell Mountain. The race provides runners with more than 50 miles of majestic mountain views, desert scenery and fun and challenging trails. You may even catch a peek of a javelina as you take on rocky climbs and sandy descents. McDowell Mountain Regional Park, 16300 N. McDowell Mountain Park Drive, Scottsdale, runragnar.com, 8 a.m., $60-$220.

Charles Schwab Cup Championship NOVEMBER 9 TO 13 The Charles Schwab Cup Championship marks the end of the season for PGA Tour Champions with a game of golf on the awardwinning course at Desert Mountain. The championship features the 26 top points leaders from the season and

has become a career marker. Last year, Bernhard Langer won the season-long points race, the third of his career, while Billy Andrade beat him in the cup with a birdie on the first hole. Desert Mountain Club, 10550 E. Desert Hills Drive, Scottsdale, schwabcup.com, times vary, $35-$75.

Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers NOVEMBER 13 The Cardinals took on the San Francisco 49ers in an away game in October without key player, quarterback Carson Palmer. This time around, it’s an entirely different spirit when the two teams play again at the University of Phoenix Stadium. Come out and support the Cardinals as they show those Californians how we play under the Arizona sun. University of Phoenix Stadium, 1 Cardinals Drive, Glendale, azcardinals. com, 2:25 p.m., $65-$555.

Can-Am 500 NOVEMBER 13 It’s all coming down to the wire with the semifinal race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Five will pull into the ring but four drivers will emerge as finalists for the championship. The race comes at the end of a NASCAR-filled weekend, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series 200 race between veterans and rookies taking place the day before. Phoenix International Raceway, 7602 S. Avondale Boulevard, Avondale, phoenixraceway.com, 12:30 p.m., $10-$130.

shuttles and position drills. Gene Autry Sports Complex, 4125 E. McKellips Road, Mesa, azrattlers. com, 9 a.m., $80.

get in formation on the attempt days. Skydive Arizona, 4900 N. Taylor Street, Eloy, skydiveaz.com, times vary, $570-$590.

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ASU vs. U of A Football NOVEMBER 25 What side of the Territorial Cup are you on? Families will be divided, football fans will be screaming and a champion will emerge when ASU takes on the U of A in Tucson. Pay careful attention to your blue and red or maroon and gold whether you’re watching from the stadium or your couch. The winner’s fans get bragging rights for a whole year! Arizona Stadium, 545 N. National Championship Drive, Tucson, arizonawildcats.com, 7:30 p.m., $10-$120.

NOVEMBER 23 TO NOVEMBER 27 If you’re an adrenaline junky with an addiction to free falls, you might want to look into Skydive Arizona’s attempt to break a world record! The group is hoping to create the largest women’s vertical jump formation. Participants must be able to safely turn 180 degrees, control their level and proximity during jumps and must have or obtain a skydiving license. Jumpers will participate in a few days of practice jumps before gearing up to

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Rattlers Open Tryout NOVEMBER 19 Have you been so caught up in an arena football game that you found yourself yelling, “I could do a better job?” It’s time to put your money where your mouth is. The Arizona Rattlers are holding open tryouts. The team has recruited nine participants from training camp in the past two seasons, six of whom made it on the active roster. Participants must bring their own cleats, shorts and accessories and arrive ready to play. They will be evaluated on their performance in a 40-yard-dash, short

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BOWLING

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Paul and Amy Goldschmidt hope to flush out children’s cancer Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

owling has become the go-to holiday event for Paul and Amy Goldschmidt’s families. “It’s something fun to do,” says Paul, the all-star first baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks. “We like to go bowling. We’re very amateurish. We’re not going to throw gutter balls. We can be competitive and have fun.” With golf tourneys a dime a dozen, the Goldschmidts decided to throw Goldy’s Bowling Bash on Thursday, November 10, to raise money for Phoenix Children’s Hospital Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders. The event, which takes place at CityScape’s Lucky Strike, begins at 5:30 p.m. for bowling, followed by a 9 p.m. afterparty. Goldy’s Bowling Bash will boast appearances by Luis Gonzalez, Mark Grace, Jim Bones Mackay, Drew Stanton, Dustin Pedroia, Andre Ethier, Brandon McCarthy, Justin Upton, Miguel Montero, Paul Konerko and David Peralta. “There are a lot of golf events,” Paul says. “You could go to one every week. They’re really fun. I love golf as much as the next person, but they can get a little long. We wanted to mix it up. With golf,

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you’re playing four or five hours. This is an hour and a half.” The Goldschmidts have been big supporters of Phoenix Children’s Hospital since he was called up to the majors in 2011. “I went to a golf tournament that was benefiting Phoenix Children’s Hospital,” Paul says. “I went over there and hung out with the kids.” He and Amy manned the coffee cart without the fanfare of being associated with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Eventually, he brought his jersey and photos that were duplicated at Walgreens. “Now I have professional photos,” he says with a laugh “We went through the volunteer process, so we’re full-fledged.” Goldy’s Bowling Bash is the couple’s first major foray into fundraising. “We would just volunteer our time,” Paul says. “We brought kids to the game. Then we were asked to be the honorary chairs for the new Phoenix Children’s Hospital Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders. That’s what prompted us to do an event.” Adorned with a necklace engraved with the name of the couple’s son, Jake, Amy says it’s worth the work. “If we’re going to ask people to donate money or time, we wanted it to go to a worthy cause,” she says. “We said let’s do this event and raise some money, but more

importantly, raise awareness of the need.” Right now, Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s cancer center is housed in an older part of the facility. “It’s not big enough,” Amy says. “They’re treating people in the waiting room. That’s a hard thing to go through. They need some sort of privacy. It’s a very big need that can get overlooked. It’s so overcrowded because it’s one of the top places in the Southwest.” Paul says he and Amy enjoy keeping the kids entertained. For four years, Amy has thrown a birthday party for the patients in The Zone, a play area for sick children. “We can’t go in there and do the treatments, but what we can do is distract what they’re going through and ring a sense of normalcy,” Paul says.

Goldy’s Bowling Bash

Lucky Strike, CityScape, 50 W. Jefferson Street, Suite 240, Phoenix, 480.423.1414, goldysfund4kids.org, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, November 10, call for ticket prices and sponsorships.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

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GOLF SECTION

THE EAGLE IS BACK

Course renovations have put Eagle Mountain Golf Club back on ‘must-play’ lists

hile the jawdropping vistas of Eagle Mountain Golf Club may be the most memorable part of the playing experience, general manager Bret Greenwood wanted more. He yearned to give his players the most complete golfing experience in Arizona, with course conditions that match the club’s reputation for having “The Best Finishing Hole in The State.” “Eagle Mountain has wonderful potential but has struggled with poor fairway conditions over the last couple years,” Greenwood says. “Our ownership group decided it was time to make an investment in the future with significant changes that will really hit home with our loyal players and visitors alike. And it was a great decision.” Eagle Mountain spent more than $100,000 on a fairway renovation project to eliminate the long-term negative effects of reclaimed water use. Drainage issues, compaction and poor water quality built up a salt layer in the soil—wiping out any chance at maintaining healthy grass. Local golf course construction

company Casa Verde Golf and Landscape then installed more than 30 drainage basins in low fairway areas across the entire Fountain Hills jewel, which helps redirect reclaimed water away from grass roots and allow for proper drainage in these areas. Then new soil and turf were added to the problem areas, and the results have been extraordinary. Eagle Mountain also hired a new superintendent, Mike Reinecke, who just completed one of its best annual overseed in several years. Players have noticed as well, with recent post-round comments including “...very impressed with the work that was done,” and “...course was in the best condition I’ve played it in three years.” Come out and see all the great changes at Eagle Mountain Golf Club and enjoy a wonderful golf experience. Make sure to snap and share a few photos along the way. We guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

In Association with The Arizona Golf Association

$202, players GOLF THE For can experience LOOP 202 three top courses

elcome to The Loop 202 Golf Trail: Winter golf just got a lot easier to play. In December, players will experience three of the best public golf courses in Arizona—ASU Karsten, Longbow and Papago—as well as receive a $10 food and beverage voucher for each course’s restaurant, for just $202 including tax. Arizona’s winter residents, as well as travelers from colder-climate regions of North America, will also enjoy a Stay & Play option of The Loop 202 Golf Trail, by staying two nights at the new Hilton Homewood Suites at Tempe Marketplace. Located adjacent to a vibrant outdoor shopping mall with 75 retail shops and 25 restaurants, the Hilton Homewood Suites is a short drive from all three golf courses. For December only, three rounds of golf and a two-night hotel stay, is just $399 (plus taxes). All three golf courses, as well as the hotel, are located within a half-mile of the Loop 202 Red Mountain

Freeway. Enjoy Tempe’s ASU Karsten, a championship Pete Dye, Scottish links design. It is home to one of the strongest collegiate golf programs in the country, and is located just 10 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Then take aim at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, a Ken Kavanaugh masterpiece that captures the essence of Arizona golf. It is consistently ranked among the top courses by local, state and national publications, as well as golf writers and course raters. And finish The Loop 202 Golf Trail at one of the state’s finest public tracks: Papago Golf Course in Phoenix. Designed by renowned golf course architect William Francis “Billy” Bell, it features stunning views of the Papago Buttes, Camelback Mountain, South Mountain and downtown Phoenix. Visit asukarsten.com/specials to buy your Loop 202 Golf Trail package today, or call ASU Karsten general manager Derek Crawford directly, at 480.784.4837.

Painted Mountain Golf Resort

The Painted Mountain 18-hole championship golf course offers great conditions, amazing amenities and excellent value. It features a complete golf resort experience that’s open to the public, and annual memberships are available. Our par-70, championship golf course and complete short game practice facility offers tournament and league play. Come and enjoy exceptional dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner, served daily, with live entertainment at the Painted Mountain Restaurant, Patio & Lounge. Shop at the Trends Sports Boutique for fine ladies’ and men’s golf apparel, as well as women’s fashions, unique gifts and accessories. Ask us about scheduling a charity golf tournament fundraiser as Painted Mountain is the perfect venue. Come see why we are your place to play! 6210 E. McKellips Road, Mesa 85215, 480.832.0156 (tee times), 480.832.0158 (dining reservations), PaintedMountainGolf.com

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE YOUNGSTER

FROLIC » DISCOVER » IMAGINE » FAMILY » FUN » CONNECT

THE FUNNEL CAKE BLOG: WHAT’S NEW IN SOCAL

SOMETHING NEW

Next year, California theme parks will add attractions Randy Montgomery » The Entertainer!

ver the summer, several new and exciting additions were announced for Southern California theme parks that will be debuting in 2017. Super heroes will be invading two parks, while an entire new land will be added to another. In Valencia, Six Flags Magic Mountain is in the process of building its first indoor dark ride, which, officials say, will rival similar attractions at Disneyland and Universal Studios. “Justice League: Battle for Metropolis” is being hailed as “the world’s most innovative motion-based gaming attraction.” Set inside the 23,624-square-foot Hall of Justice, the 4-minute ride will feature one of the first 360-degree virtual loops, wind, fire, fog, special effects, and all of your favorite Justice League characters, including Harley Quinn. While no date has been set, management is targeting a spring opening. A guest favorite at Disney California Adventure is slowly being dismantled. Guests were shocked to see the Tower of Terror sign already being removed during the Halloween celebration in preparation of a full redo of the Twilight Zone themed drop ride. Next summer, Guardians of the

Galaxy – Mission: Breakout will debut and offer a brand new adventure utilizing the existing structure. Characters from the blockbuster films will appear amongst the new ride that will feature new visual and audio effects. Multiple random and unique ride profiles will match the rise and fall of the lift, set to music from the film’s soundtrack. Sea World San Diego has been in the news quite a bit lately regarding its killer whale shows. A new experience will replace the current shows, providing a more educational approach, rather than one of entertainment. For fans of Shamu, don’t worry. He’s not going anywhere. Lost among the media frenzy was the announcement of a new land. Groundbreaking has taken place and an opening has been set for late spring. Ocean Explorer will feature aquariums, rides and digital technologies to immerse guests into an experience centered on exploration and adventure. Continuing the park’s mission, the new attractions will also inspire protection of our oceans’ wonders. Animal experiences will include a giant Pacific octopus display, and an impressive indoor ride where you will board a submarine and embark on a research mission to collect data on how to help animals.

For photos and additional updates, visit: facebook.com/theFUNnelCakeBlog • theFUNnelCakeBlog.com

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THE BEST FAMILY EVENTS IN

NOVEMBER

Megan Marples » The Entertainer!

Farm Days

NOVEMBER 4 AND NOVEMBER 5 The Phoenix Zoo’s Harmony Farm gives kids an immersive zoo experience by offering meet and greets with local farmers, as well as activities like games and wagon rides. Children can also learn how to train a goat and visit with other farm friends. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway, phoenixzoo.org, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., included with zoo admission.

Earth & Space Exploration Day NOVEMBER 5 Hosted by ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration, this interactive experience allows kids and their families to learn about space through interactive exhibits like “Is Your Meteorite for Real?” There will also be 3-D astronomy shows at the Marston Exploration Theater. Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building IV, ASU Tempe Campus, 781 E. Terrace Road, Tempe, 480.727.3583, engineering. asu.edu, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., free admission.

First Saturdays for Families

NOVEMBER 5 Bring the kids, ages 4 to 12, to create artistic masterpieces at the ASU Art Museum. The themes change each month and the materials are provided by the museum. Families are encouraged to explore the exhibits once they complete their projects. ASU Art Museum, 51 E. 10th Street, Tempe, 480.965.2787, asuartmuseum.asu.edu, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., free.

Gilbert Days

NOVEMBER 10 TO NOVEMBER 19 Celebrate Gilbert’s heritage with funfilled activities for the whole family. Events include a rodeo, water lighting and concert, 5K run and a parade. Events are held throughout Gilbert, from Water Tower Plaza to the Gilbert Heritage District. Gilbert, gilbertaz.gov.

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Olde Time Communication

NOVEMBER 12 Come to STEM Saturday at Tumbleweed Ranch and learn how people communicated way before social media was ever even a dream. Play with a telegraph, try out a switchboard and learn about carrier pigeons. This program is hosted by Chandler Museum. Tumbleweed Ranch, 2250 S. McQueen Road, Chandler, chandleraz.gov, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., free.

ENCHANTED ISLAND NOVEMBER 19-20

Rock the Block!

NOVEMBER 19 Rock the Block! returns for the seventh year and once again brings a day filled with music, fun and laughter. Children can enjoy a kids zone with rides and inflatables while parents browse more than 100 retail vendors. Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, 3 S. Arizona Avenue, Chandler, rocktheblockaz. com, noon to 10 p.m., free admission.

OLDE TIME COMMUNICATION NOVEMBER 12

GILBERT DAYS NOVEMBER 10-19

Enchanted Island Harvest Festival

NOVEMBER 19 AND NOVEMBER 20 Celebrate the harvest season at Enchanted Island and its amusement park rides. Families can visit a petting zoo, scale a rock wall and ride a pony. Guests who bring a can of food to donate to St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance receive a $1 off admission. Limit five cans. Enchanted Island, 1202 W. Encanto Boulevard, Phoenix, 602.254.1200, enchantedisland.com, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., $7-$20.

FIRST SATURDAYS FOR FAMILIES NOVEMBER 5 ROCK THE BLOCK! NOVEMBER 19

FARM DAYS NOVEMBER 4-5

CONNECTING WITH NATURE

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

Phoenix Zoo boasts Lego and holiday lights this holiday season

Kimberly Hosey » The Entertainer!

y son and I recently went to the Phoenix Zoo to check out the newest exhibit—but none of the new animals moved. That was exactly as it should be. The exhibit is made of a million Lego bricks, 27 sculptures scattered along the zoo’s paths and trails. “Nature Connects: Art with Lego Bricks,” from award-winning New York artist Sean Kenney, has been displayed in several cities. The collection includes an oversize monarch butterfly on a milkweed blossom (constructed from almost 40,000 bricks), a roseate skimmer dragonfly (27,788 bricks), a herd of deer (84,442 bricks) and seahorses swimming through a vibrant coral reef (88,516 bricks). The largest sculpture, at 133,263 bricks, is a family of polar bears that took 1,048 hours to build. And here I was proud helping my niece build a rudimentary “house” one afternoon. The vivid sculptures are, surprisingly, reasonably accurate—no cartoonish animals here—and so imminently fitting for the Phoenix Zoo’s educational focus. Also particularly fitting is the theme behind Kenney’s project: Connections. Through his sculptures Kenney invites viewers to study the forms of the flora and fauna, and to reflect on the connections between things—and ourselves—in nature. “Much as Lego pieces connect, everything in nature is connected in an intricate balance,” Kenney says. The exhibit, done in partnership with the zoo and the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation, features extinct, endangered, threatened or vulnerable animals. “Everyone can get something out of

the exhibit, whether it’s an educational message about conservation and ecosystems, an appreciation for the beauty of nature, the fun of seeing giant, largerthan-life sculptures built with millions of Lego bricks, or even the inspirational back story about my flight from white-collar employment to follow this crazy dream of becoming a ‘professional kid,’” Kenney says. The pieces are designed and placed to encourage specific and meaningful reflection about specific animals or ecosystems. The Africa Trail is a temporary home to Lego zebra and wildebeest, as well as a “disappearing rhinoceros,” which is made in a series of flat sections—making the animal appear to vanish when viewed from a certain angle, like its real-life wild counterparts. A snow leopard, jeweled chameleon, and Galapagos tortoise, with a finch perched atop, await visitors along the Tropics and Children’s Trails, the latter of which teaches visitors about Charles Darwin’s momentous visit to the Galapagos Islands, where he studied finch species. In front of the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation stands a model of the extinct dodo. The exhibit, like the rest of the zoo, is perfect for all ages, though your experience of it is likely to vary depending on the age of your companions. As my son and I discussed the fate of the dodo and its closest living relative (the Nicobar pigeon, a rainbow-hued, flamboyant but shy bird you must check out in the Tropical Flights aviary), a nearby family exclaimed to a toddler and grade-school girl: “Look! Just like your Lego at home!” We all, however, marveled at the time and number of bricks it took, and later my son found a kindred spirit in a chatty 8-yearold who had a lot to say about sea turtles. As we checked out the sculptures, we,

of course, visited the animals. This is what we call “perfect zoo weather,” and the animals seemed to agree: The giraffes were all out having a leisurely lunch, allowing us to compare patterns of the two species. A giant anteater ambled along a fence. The zoo’s family of orangutans—two adults and a baby—lounged together for a family picnic. Big cats, reptiles, birds, primates, you name it. Go to the Phoenix Zoo, as always, to observe the animals and enjoy a day full of nature and science. And for the next few months, check out the amazing Lego sculptures and discover even more about connections—in nature and in these amazing works of art. Also coming up, plan to check out ZooLights. A whole new menagerie lights

up—literally. Millions of lights in hundreds of displays decorate the zoo in a parade of animated animals. You can also check out light and music shows, activities for the little one, and carousel rides. ZooLights runs Wednesday, November 23 to Sunday, January 8. The zoo opens daily at 9 a.m. through the winter. It closes at 4 p.m. through January 8. It closes at 5 p.m. again January 9 to May 31.

Phoenix Zoo

455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix 602.286.3800 phoenixzoo.org WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE SHOWMAN

LISTEN » JAM » INNOVATE » EVOLVE » ROCK » SING

3 DECADES OF HEART

Music is still a drug for Huey Lewis and the News Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

Huey Lewis and the News

Livewire, 7320 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, 480.361.9783, livewireaz.com, 8 p.m. Saturday, November 19, $72.

or Huey Lewis, playing gigs means two things: being in the rhetorical pocket and leaving the show with cash in his real pocket. That’s why Huey Lewis and the News’ Saturday November 19, at Scottsdale’s intimate Livewire is such a great proposition. “It’s better for the crowd and it’s good for us—they’re paying us anyway,” Lewis says about playing an intimate gig. “Go figure. We pay for less people, charge more and get more money. It’s a smaller venue, but better sound and more expensive ticket prices.” Lewis says there are musical benefits to playing a small show. “It’s fun for the band because it sounds better,” he says. “Musically, it’s easier to get in the pocket and it sounds better.” This year, Huey Lewis and the News are celebrating their 38th anniversary. The year 2013 found the band releasing the 30th anniversary edition of it breakthrough album “Sports.” “I can’t believe it’s been 38 years, and I can’t believe I’m the age that I am,” he says. “How did it happen? I still feel good. We work at it. I’m sure we haven’t gotten any worst. I think we’re getting better.” Songs from “Sports” like “The Heart of Rock & Roll,” “Heart and Soul,” “I Want a New Drug” and “If This is It,” still stand up today, according to Lewis, who will release a new album in 2017 or 2018. “I don’t know why it still resonates,” he says. “You just get lucky with that stuff. It hits a nerve or it doesn’t.”

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Sum 41

Livewire, 7 p.m., $21-$186.56

The English Beat

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $23-$25

LIVE MUSIC

CALENDAR

Cassidy Landaker » The Entertainer!!

Paper Bird, Luxxe, The Senators

NOVEMBER 1

Acoustic Alchemy

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $8-$10

Joan Baez

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., $35.50-$43.50

Stanley Serrano

NOVEMBER 2

Celebrity Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $49-$89 Copper Blues, 7:30 p.m., free

Blind Pilot

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $18-$28

Thee Oh Sees

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $18-$20

Helleborus

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

The Sugar Thieves

The Rhythm Room, 9 p.m., $8

1984! Big Brother is Watching You Dance The Rebel Lounge, 11:30 p.m., free

House of Stairs

Gypsy Bar, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., free

Chris Webby w/Bobby O, Brixx, 4AM, Metronome, Pub Rock, 7:30 p.m., $15-$18

Ryan Sims Band

Livewire, 6 p.m., $18

Death Grips

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $27-$42

Southern Culture On The Skids 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $12-$15

October Sky, From Mars, Ichi Sound Yucca Tap Room, 9 p.m., free

NOVEMBER 9 The Wonder Years w/ Real Friends

Marquee Theatre, 6:30 p.m., $22.50

Steven Wilson w/ Bruce Soord

Celebrity Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $39-$79

STRFKR

Kaleo

NOVEMBER 5

Car Seat Headrest

Club Congress, 8 p.m., $12-$15

Haas Kowert Tice

Citizen Rose, Poison Ivy, Nothing On The Moon, Proxy

$uicideboyS

The Rhythm Room, 4:30 p.m., $8-$10

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $21-$51

Snow Tha Product

The Rebel Riot & Less Than Jake

Community Center

Livewire, 7 p.m., $18 Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $28.50-$35.50 191 Toole, 7:30 p.m., $20-$23 Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $25

Bob Moses

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $20-$55

Papa

The Flycatcher, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Combust, The Left Loosies, Disco Pilot, Steamboat Messiah Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Marc Ford & The Neptune Blues Club The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10-$12

The Garden

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $12-$14

NOVEMBER 3 English Beat

NOVEMBER 15 AND NOVEMBER 16

Livewire, 7 p.m., $23

The Rialto in Tucson and Marquee Theatre, $33-$36 and $30.50 and $47.50, respectively The Pittsburgh-based rapper and reported boyfriend of Ariana Grande is touring behind album, “The Devine Feminine.” He’s sure perform his classics like “Donald Trump,” “Knock Knock” and “Party on Fifth Ave.” and songs from his latest album. With a hilarious and rowdy personality, Miller is sure to not disappoint fans at the Rialto in Tucson and the Marquee Theatre in Tempe November 15 and 16, respectively.

Bad Religion

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Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Attila

Copper Blues, 8:30 p.m., free

Mexrrissey

Mac Miller

Lung, Darkness Dear Boy, Field Tripp

NOVEMBER 8

Kris Kristofferson

Talking Stick Resort, 8 p.m., $40-$75 Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $30-$45

Azizi Gibson

191 Toole, 8 p.m., $12-$25

Nathan Kalish & The Last Callers, The Lonesome Wilderness, Tyler Matock Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

NOVEMBER 4 James McMurtry Crescent Ballroom, 7 p.m., $17$20

Yucca Tap Room, 5:30 p.m., $15-$20

The Repeat Offenders

The Rhythm Room, 6 p.m., $8

Keller Williams Kwahtro

Marquee Theatre, 8:30 p.m., $25

Hayden James

Crescent Ballroom, 8:30 p.m., $15-$18

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $25-$28

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Southern Culture On The Skids The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $15-$18

Adam Torres + Thor & Friends The Flycatcher, 8:30 p.m., $12

Sales, Tangerine

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $14-$16

Zac Harmon

Unwritten Law, Runaway Kids, Silent X,

The Rhythm Room, 9:15 p.m., $10-$12

Pub Rock, 8 p.m., $12-$15

NOVEMBER 6

NOVEMBER 10

Turnstile

Animals As Leaders

Nile Theater, 6 p.m., $15

Livewire, 7 p.m., $20

Fea, Devastation, Corky’s Leather Jacket

Ulcertate, Zhrine, Phobocosm

Yucca Tap Room, 7 p.m., free

Rumer Willis

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $58.50-$68.50

Tim Reynolds & TR3

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $20-$25

Yeesh x Twin Ponies x Dent x Instructions

Yucca Tap Room, 7 p.m., $15-$18

Dave Damiani and The No Vacancy Orchestra w/ Renee Olstead and Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $38.50-$43.50

Car Seat Headrest

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $15-$18

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $5-$8

Gina Sicilia Band

NOVEMBER 7

Health, HO9909, Soft Shoulder

Daughters, The Body, Loma Prieta

Baseline CD Release Show

Yucca Tap Room, 7 p.m., free

Puddles Pity Party

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $25-$40

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10 The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $12-$15 Pub Rock, 7 p.m., $10-$12

NOVEMBER 11 Julion Alvarez

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 7 p.m., $49-$149

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

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Adele

NOVEMBER 21

Talking Stick Resort Arena, sold out Hello from the other side, she must have called a thousand times to tell you she’s returning to Phoenix. Don’t miss the multiplatinum, Grammy winner perform songs like “Hello,” “Chasing Pavements” “Someone Like You” and “When We Were Young.”

Paris Chansons feat. Endre Balogh

NOVEMBER 12

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $38.50-$48.50

Hopsin

Lindsey Stirling

Centennial Hall, 8 p.m., $29.50$59.50

Young Dubliners

191 Toole, 8 p.m., $16-$18

Futuristic

Livewire, 8 p.m., $15-$100

Kevin Devine & The Goddamn Band, Pinegrove, Petal The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $15-$18

The 44s

The Pressroom, 7 p.m., $25-$100 Comerica Theatre, 8 p.m., $25-$60

Rae Sremmurd

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $35-$95

Staren Black, Ironkill, Soul Provider, 2 In The Chest Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., $10

PWR BTM, Bellows, Lisa Prank The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Hunny w/ Paper Foxes Pub Rock, 8 p.m., $15-$18

The Rhythm Room, 9:15 p.m., $10-$12

House of Stairs

Gypsy Bar, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., free

Trapt

Pub Rock Live, 8 p.m., $15-$20

NOVEMBER 13 Marc Cohn

Musical Instrument Museum, 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., $33.50-$48.50

Lupe Fiasco

Livewire, 7 p.m., $28

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Girl Repellent

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

The Boxer Rebellion

Crescent Ballroom, 8:30 p.m., $17-$20

Cold Shott & The Hurricane Horns

The Rhythm Room, 9 p.m., $8

1984! Big Brother is Watching You Dance The Rebel Lounge, 11:30 p.m., free

House of Stairs

Gypsy Bar, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., free

Ryan Sims Band

Wasted Grain, 10 p.m., free

NOVEMBER 19 Barenaked Ladies

Mesa Amphitheater, 7 p.m., $20

Gypsy Soul

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $33.50-$43.50

Journey

Talking Stick Resort, 8 p.m., $45$250

Barenaked Ladies NOVEMBER 19

Jesse & Joy

Mesa Amphitheatre, $20 The Canadian pop quartet will not only play the hits and songs from its latest album “Silverball” during this rare Arizona show. The pinball enthusiasts will bring the humor. (Hint: Be sure and stay until the end of the show.) In the spirit of the season, bring a nonperishable food item to the AARP-sponsored show to be collected by The Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Masters of Illusion

Ms. Lauryn Hill

Comerica Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $35$100

Amy Grant w/ Michael W. Smith and Jordan Smith

Grand Canyon University, 7:30 p.m., $62-$255

Lil Yachty

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $22-$25

This Patch of Sky, Holy Fawn, The Living Receiver, Moon Eat Stars The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $8-$10

Darlingside

Club Congress, 8:30 p.m., $12-$14

NOVEMBER 14 Emarosa

Nile Theater, 6:30 p.m., $15

Bria Skonberg

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $30.50-$38.50

The Record Company

Club Congress, 7:30 p.m., $13-$15

Toro y Moi

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $22-$25

Gogol Bordello

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $30-$45

July Talk w/ Mona

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $10-$12 WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $37-$150

NOVEMBER 15

NOVEMBER 16

Chucho Valdes-Joe Lovano Quintet

Karrin Allyson

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., $33.50-$53.50

Il Divo

Comerica Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $48$125

Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band Celebrity Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $71$275

Dream Theater

Centennial Hall, 7:30 p.m., $34.50$69.50

Gogol Bordello

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $29

Joe McMahon, Divided Heaven Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Lany

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $17-$20

Mac Miller

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $33-$36

Huey Lewis & The News Livewire, 8 p.m., $72

Sick Sick Sinners, Cursed Bastards, Rodeo Riot, Outlaw Inlaws, Buried in Red, The Freak

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $33.50-$43.50

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., $10

Mac Miller

The Rebel Lounge, 8:30 p.m., $20$22

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $30.50$47.50

Reason To Rebel w/ F.I.T.S, Dream Gun, Welcome To The Midwest Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Fishbone w/ Aunt B Soul Power Band

The Rhythm Room, 9 p.m., $8

DJENTRIFICATION

The Rebel Lounge, 11:30 p.m., free

Ryan Sims Band

NOVEMBER 17

Copper Blues, 8:30 p.m., free

Bad Suns

NOVEMBER 20

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $20-$25

Igor & The Red Elvises

Switchfoot w/ Relient K

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10

Marquee Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $33.50$53.50

Trash Talk, Black Noise

The Suffers

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $15-$17

Shaggy

Livewire, 8 p.m., $20

Estampas Portenas Tango

Har Mar Superstar

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $43.50-$58.50

Copeland, Rae Cassidy

NOVEMBER 18

191 Toole, 8 p.m., $12

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $20-$25

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $29-$46

Melanie—The Family Show

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $35.50-$39.50

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $15-$17

Jesse & Joy

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $35-$150

Joe Del Rio

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Night Beats, C.G. Roxanne and The Nightmares, Snake! Snake! Snakes! The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $10$12

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

NOVEMBER 21

NOVEMBER 26

Adele

School of Rock Sugar Skulls

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 7:30 p.m., sold out

Lucky Devils with Shea Marshall

The Rebel Lounge, 4:30 p.m., $8-$10

No Volcano

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $8 advance, $10 at the door

The Rhythm Room, 8:30 p.m., free

Switchfoot & Relient K

Guttermouth, Get Dead, The Cryptics, Swapmeat, No Gimmick, We Might Be Wasted, Krovak

The Lochness Mobsters

Dry River Yacht Club

NOVEMBER 22 Rialto Theatre, 7:30p.m., $33.50-$36

The Rebel Lounge, 8:30 p.m., $10-$12

NOVEMBER 23

Harold’s Cave Creek, 9 p.m., call for cover

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $12-$14

Red Fang

The Rebel Lounge, 8:30 p.m., $22

Mija

The Pressroom, 9 p.m., $32+

Ryan Sims Band

Harold’s Cave Creek, 9 p.m., call for cover

NOVEMBER 24 Happy Thanksgiving!

NOVEMBER 25 Sleeping With Sirens

“That would be wasting money.”

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., $15

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Big Sandy & His Fly Rite Boys

Ryan Sims Band

NOVEMBER 27 Trial By Fire Tour with Yelawolf

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $26-$29

NOVEMBER 28 The Naked and Famous

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $29.50-$99

Skinny Lister

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $15-$17

NOVEMBER 29 Helmet w/Local H

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $18-$20

Livewire, 7 p.m., $23

Ceekay Jones, Rafael Vigilantics

Kool Keith

191 Toole, 8 p.m., $25

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Eric Bellinger

The Pressroom, 8 p.m., $25-$35

NOVEMBER 30

Marc E Bassy

Two Tongues

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $15-$17

Meat Puppets/ Mike Watt & The Secondmen

Crescent Ballroom, 8:30 p.m., $20$22

1984! Big Brother is Watching You Dance The Rebel Lounge, 11:30 p.m., free

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $17-$20

Half Japanese Girls, Bombtrack Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

MIM Musical Interludes Series featuring Herberger String Quartet 10:30 a.m., free with museum admission, $7 concert only

House of Stairs

Gypsy Bar, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., free

Ryan Sims Band

Harold’s Cave Creek, 9 p.m., call for cover

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L. Kent Wolgamott » The Entertainer!

STARR

STRUCK WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Ringo Starr sees a future with his band’s current lineup

ingo Starr and His All Starr Band is no longer the former Beatle being backed by a revolving cast of well-known musicians. It’s a real band, Starr says, that he hopes to keep together indefinitely. “The band is good,” Starr says at a tour-opening news conference. “We’ve been together for five years. We know what to do...We’re getting longevity as a band now. It’s so far out. I’ve no plans to change it. If I’m going on tour, they’re coming.” The 12th—and longest-running— version of the All Starrs includes guitarist Todd Rundgren; guitarist Steve Lukather from Toto, Santana keyboardist Greg Rolie; Mr. Mister bassist Richard Page and drummer Gregg Bissonette. They play the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 15. The first edition of the All Starrs was formed 1989 and the lineup over the years has seen Joe Walsh of the Eagles, Burton Cummings of the Guess Who, John Entwistle of the Who, Peter Frampton, Jack Bruce of Cream, to name a few, pass through its ranks onward. For much of its history, assembling the band has been a hit-and-miss proposition. “I have a list,” Starr says of how the band members are chosen. “Sometimes they’ve been nominated by their own management. Sometimes, they’ve been asked by my management. Sometimes, I’ve called them myself. “It’s people I love and think would be great to play with. ‘Til we get to rehearsal, ‘til the first day of rehearsal, I’ve no idea if it’s going to work. But this one worked so well, and is so supportive, it’s just been a dream for me.” It’s been such a dream, Starr says, he was able to get these All Starrs into the studio during the making of his 2015 album “Postcards from Paradise.” “For the very first time, we actually wrote and performed a song (“Island in the Sun”) on my last album,” he says. “The first time I’ve got the All-Starrs to write and record a song, after all these years, since 1989. I tried it and it and it never worked. But with these guys, it did.” Lukather and Rundgren also co

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

wrote one song each with Starr for that 2015 album. It’s not just Starr who believes that the current group is the best band of All Starrs. Rundgren, the longest serving member of the group, confirms that notion. “I’ve pretty much seen the entire evolution of the band,” Rundgren says. “I was in like the third one, 1993 or something, the first time I was in the All Starrs. Yes, there is something substantively different about this particular lineup. “Ringo’s criteria are usually you just have to have three hit records sometime in your career,” Rundgren says. “But nobody gets a psychological evaluation, so there’s that factor sometimes. The other factor is sometimes people have three hit singles and that’s the only thing they can play, so they turn the volume off on the guitar for the rest of the set. “So there’s the combination of a certain kind of maturity in all of us, playing with other musicians,” he says. “I think that’s part of it. But also we complement each other’s material really well in a way that a lot of the other lineups couldn’t do. Everyone can play everybody else’s material probably as well as it can be played. That’s what makes it tight, not just musically but we all realize we’re doing our best for each other.” It took a little time for the All Starrs to get to feeling like band, Lukather says. “It took me about two years, every time I’d turn around and see him and go ‘holy crap, what am I doing up here?’,” Lukather says. “Then it all settled down. The music itself, it’s so eclectic and different, but somehow we make it sound like a band. Because this is a band.” That says, the All Starrs can still get “Starr struck” on stage. “As a drummer, and I look five feet away and here’s my favorite drummer ever, to me the world’s the world’s greatest drummer, the greatest song drummer that ever lived, that changed the game of musical drumming, the thrill is still every single day,” Bissonette says. “What an honor.”

For Starr, a good band is a necessity—something he’s learned over nearly 60 years. “I am a drummer, I need these guys, you know,” he says. “It’s a dream, I had at 13. I got the drums at 17. I was in a band three months later. I’ve been moving in bands since then. That’s a joy for me. Playing, I love to play. That’s what I do I get the opportunity to keep doing it. How great is that. It’s a thrill, yeah.” Each of the All Starrs gets to perform a couple of their biggest hits during the show. The bulk of the set, of course, is made up of Starr’s songs from those on which he sang lead with The Beatles, like “Yellow Submarine” and “With a Little Help from My Friends,” to his recent solo material. “It’s hard,” Starr says. “I love ‘Backup Boogaloo.’ We do ‘Photograph.’ I’ve put back into the gig a couple Carl Perkins numbers, ‘Matchbox.’ I recorded that a long time ago. I’ve got the new record... I like them all really. I love some of them...I’m just so grateful I’m still at it.” Starr is also clearly grateful that he’s doing it with this All Starr Band. “It just worked so well,” he says. “Everybody gets on most of the time. We have a lot of fun. Everybody on stage is a great musician and they have great songs. So, it was ‘next year, do you want to go on tour?’ and they were all free. That’s how it started. Now, at the end of this tour, this year is different, we’re doing the whole month of June and the start of July and then we’re off ‘til October and we’re all getting back together again. I hope they enjoy it as much as I do.”

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Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band

Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix, 602.267.1600, celebritytheatre.com, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 15, $71-$275.

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MATCHING WITS Odds are Barenaked Ladies’ show will be high-energy and comedic Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

arenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart says it’s no real surprise that they’re playing a Society of St. Vincent de Paul benefit sponsored by AARP. He’s quick to remind that while the musicians are pushing 50, so are writers and fans who have followed the Canadian pop band since it started in 1988. All joking aside, he says that followers his age, 49, understand Barenaked Ladies’ sense of humor, musical prowess and quirky lyrics. “In the grand scheme of things, I think about it in terms of my parents,” Stewart says. “My parents are not that much older than me. They’re both 68. My mom was 19 when she had me. We’ve always shared the same musical tastes and they were never offended by my music. “There’s the great tradition of rock ‘n’ roll rebellion. You’re supposed to be (mad) at your parents. That never happened musically. Socially, it certainly did because that’s what kids do.”

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He’ll make his parents and others of that age proud when the band records an album with the legendary a cappella group The Persuasions. Barenaked Ladies, who performed with the act in Central Park, will “reimagine” 10 of their songs and a Persuasions song for the collection. “As a drummer, my singing isn’t too bad, but these dudes are incredible,” says Stewart, who cites a 1992 gig at then-Desert Sky Pavilion with Los Lobos as BNL’s first Phoenix show. “Barenaked Ladies are known for our vocal arrangements and harmonies. This will take it to a whole new level. “We’re all very excited to delve into the intricate harmony crazinessland that these guys come from. They’re legendary. One of the dudes used to be in The Drifters. They’ve been around for more than 40 years.” The album will follow “BNL Rocks Red Rocks,” a live collection that was released earlier this year. The track list includes “The Old Apartment,” “Brian Wilson,” “One Week” and “If I Had $1,000,000.” “Our show is difficult to explain

to people,” Stewart says. “It’s a real live experience. There are the songs and stuff, but there’s the banter, the energy, the dancing and the general good vibe going on in the crowd. “That doesn’t always translate to CD. Plus, we were so excited about playing Red Rocks that that added extra energy to the performance. It jumps off the digital tape.” Stewart adds that it’s Barenaked Ladies’ goal to entertain each other and that, therefore, translates to the crowd. “It feels like they’re hanging out with us, more than us performing for them on the stage,” he says. More than that, concerts give Barenaked Ladies—which also includes singer/guitarist Ed Robertson, bassist/ vocalists Jim Creeggan and keyboardist/ guitarist/vocalist Kevin Hearn—the chance to show off their musical prowess. Former members include Jim’s brother, Andy, and singer Steven Page. “I think that’s always been a part of the band as well,” Stewart says. “In the early days, when we started out, Jim Creeggan was getting a degree in musical performance.

“Andy was studying musical composition. Kevin grew up going to St. Michael’s Choir School in Toronto. He’s also a highly accomplished classical pianist.” Page sang with choirs as well. Their talents aren’t something that BNL has flaunted, Stewart adds. “We were more proud of our ability to put on an entertaining show and write and sing great songs, than we were being masters of our instruments,” he explains. “Let me tell you, it sure helps to have that ability to explore all different avenues. Consider Kevin: He plays so many different instruments that he adds a lot of colors to the records. Live, we all swap out and show different strengths. It’s great to have that facility at our fingertips.”

Barenaked Ladies

Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center Street, 480.644.2560, mesaamp.com, 7 p.m. Saturday, November 19, $20. Bring a nonperishable food item for The Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

“I knew better and so do you. They were amateurs, so I easily eliminated them.”

EARDRUMMERS

Hip-hop’s Rae Sremmurd play ‘crazy’ word games with fans Cassidy Landaker » The Entertainer!

ip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd is known to “start a party,” and the brothers from Tupelo, Mississippi, are continuing it on their “SremmLife 2” tour that hits the Marquee Theatre on November 12. Khalif “Swae Lee” Brown and Aaquil “Slim Jxmmi” Brown called from their bus, where energy was high from previous shows. “We had our first two shows, and it was crazy,” Slim Jxmmi says. “We brought out YG, Ty Dolla $ign, Mike Will. It was just wild.” “SremmLife 2,” the duo’s second album and follow up to “SremmLife,” dropped in August and debuted at No. 7 on The Billboard 200 album chart, selling 15,000 copies and 30,000 sales-plusstreaming-units. On its new collection, Rae Sremmurd—“EarDrummers” spelled backward—produced the hits “Look Alive” and “By Chance,” and collaborated with artists like Lil Jon on “Set the Roof,” Gucci Mane on “Black Beatles” and Juicy J on “Shake it Fast.” “It’s a really well put-together album,” Slim says. “There are fast songs,

slow songs. We have all types of songs.” Along with the tour, the Browns have been hard at work on music videos and tour footage, which they called “movies.” “We’ve dropped a couple movies,” Swae says. “We dropped ‘Set the Roof,’ and we just dropped ‘Black Beatles,’ ‘Start A Party’ and we’re just going to continue dropping these movies.” When not on tour or making music, Slim says he likes to play video games, while Swae prefers to explore. Rae Sremmurd hopes to keep the party going and bring fans along with it. “The inspiration came from how we’re living and when we went to different states,” adds Swae, whose favorite song on the new album is “Start a Party.” “Everything we saw and all the parties and such, and the come up, I guess, has inspired us so much.”

Rae Sremmurd w/Lil Yachty, Eearz, Bobo Swae and Impxct

Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Avenue, Mesa, 480.829.0607, luckymanonline.com, 8 p.m. Saturday, November 12, $35-$95.

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SHINING

LIGHT

Switchfoot brings upbeat attitude to Marquee Carson Mlnarik Â» The Entertainer!

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

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“When your ad is seen by over 1 million people a year who have money in their pockets... You win.”

wo decades of performing, touring and writing music could take its toll on a musician. That’s not the case for Switchfoot’s guitarist and keyboardist Jerome Fontamillas. In fact, Fontamillas and the rest of the band are more excited than ever as they embark on the “Looking for America Tour,” which hits the Marquee Theater in Tempe on Sunday, November 20. The group is touring with Relient K, with whom they have performed, but never on a tour this big. “It’s kind of like a dream tour for us,” Fontamillas says. “I love their songs and we get to listen to them every night.” Switchfoot is touring to promote its latest album, “Where the Light Shines Through,” which dropped in July. The group reunited with producer John Fields, with whom they had worked on several albums. The collection’s name comes from the title track, which the band says best encompasses the album’s theme of acknowledging your wounds and darkness and through that, finding the light. With 10 albums under its belt, Switchfoot has many options when compiling its setlist, so it usually performs a mix of old favorites and new tracks. One new song—“I Won’t Let You Go”—is Fontamillas’ favorite to perform because of its emotion and energy. That being said, the band tries to switch up the setlist nightly to play the songs that mean the most to it. “The songs are very focused. (Singer) Jon Foreman is the principal songwriter, but he expresses a lot of things that the whole band views.” A 15-year member of the band, Fontamillas has been playing piano almost as long as he can remember. He’s grateful to his parents for putting him in piano lessons as a youngster. He originally hated it, but now he’s thankful.

“My parents forced me to start playing the piano when I was 7,” he says. “Later on in life, you’re like, ‘That was very good for them to do because now I play keyboard for this band.’ I thank them every time I see them.” Fontamillas joined the group in 2001. Lead singer Jon Foreman had invited him to play keys for and he originally turned down the offer for a job in the corporate world; one that lasted a whole day and a half. “The second day on the job, during my lunch break, I called Jon and said ‘I hate this job, can I play keyboard for you guys?’” Fontamillas recalls. He quit his job that day and helped the band record the 2003 breakout album “The Beautiful Letdown,” which included the hits “Meant to Live” and “Dare You to Move.” The rest is history. “When I started playing with them, we were 15 years younger, so our outlook on life was a little bit different,” Fontamillas says. “You start to see life differently but because you’ve been growing with them, your views in life coincide with theirs.” The band plans to enjoy the rest of the tour and push forward with it internationally next year. “Every night is an oh-my-gosh moment,” Fontamillas says. “You look back and you’re like, ‘Man, I’ve been doing this for over 20 years. I’m very grateful.’”

Switchfoot

The Marquee, 730 N. Mill Avenue, Tempe, 480.829.0607, luckymanonline.com, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, November 20, $33.50$53.50.

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“Small Town Girl,” hit stores in October 2006—a prospect she thinks is crazy. “It’s only been 10 years, 10 years out of an eternity,” Pickler says. “You don’t just work 10 years and throw in the towel. I feel like I’m just getting started.” Pickler has plenty on the horizon. Her Grand Ole Opry-affiliated home goods line—dubbed Selma Drye after her pistol-wielding great-grandma—is releasing its second winter line. She recorded a Christmas song for it. “It’s so exciting that I get to put things together that we have in our own home and the homes of my great-grandma, Selma, and of my grandmother, who raised me,” she says. “It’s neat to make other people’s houses become homes.”

SPREADING THE ‘LOVE’

‘IDOL’

CHATTER K

Kellie Pickler defies image to do what’s right Carson Mlnarik » The Entertainer!

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ellie Pickler is a country singer, songwriter, dancer, TV personality and, of course, reality show star. One thing she doesn’t live up to is her ditzy blonde image. No stranger to philanthropy, Pickler is scheduled to come to town in early November for Bob’s Biker Blast at HarleyDavidson of Scottsdale with Montgomery Gentry and Craig Morgan. All proceeds benefit Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Pickler regularly supports charitable causes and held a free show at Tempe Marketplace in 2011 for KNIX’s Back to School Drive. Recently, she was given the Department of Defense Spirit of Hope Award for her work with USO. Performing to raise money for Phoenix Children’s Hospital is in her wheelhouse. “I think it’s important to shine a light on things that matter,” says Pickler, calling from her tour bus in Cincinnati. “I get to be a part of something that’s special and bring awareness and raise money for a good cause. It’s a blessing to be a part of it.” Pickler has been in the business for 10 years, since she sang her way into TV viewers’ hearts on “American Idol.” In that decade, she launched a home goods line and premiered a reality TV show on CMT, “I Love Kellie Pickler.” Her first album,

“I Love Kellie Pickler” focuses on the singer’s daily life and adventures with her husband, Kyle Jacobs, friends and families. “It’s nothing dramatic, nothing too personal. It’s all light hearted,” says Pickler, who likens it to shooting a sitcom, “We just want to make people smile and make people laugh and have a good time. For us, being able to shine a light on the positive and have a good time and be silly and goofy and serious at the same time, it’s a good thing.” This season has shown Pickler and her husband’s escapes in Tokyo, their take on Uber and her experiences carhopping at Sonic Drive-In. “We had a ball. It’s like a video scrapbook of our crazy summer, you could say,” Pickler says. “There’s a lot in store for the rest of the season.” Her concerts play out in the same way, with Pickler chatting up the audience in between songs like “Red High Heels,” “Best Days of Your Life” and “No Cure for Crazy.” “We just try to keep it fun and take everyone on an emotional roller coaster,” Pickler says. “We have our songs we run to when we want to have fun and celebrate the good times and we have our songs that we run to when we want to have our own little pity party, and that’s alright too.” Pickler is still full of the same Southern charm that the public was introduced to on “American Idol,” throwing out phrases like “Your vibe attracts the tribe” on the phone, and singing impromptu Patsy Cline in the middle of a Tokyo bar on her show. Despite her media ad opportunities, it always comes back to the music. “It’s just a part of me and that’s just what I do and that’s how I’m wired. That’s who I am.”

Kellie Pickler

Bob’s Biker Blast, HarleyDavidson of Scottsdale, 15656 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, bit. ly/1RCgN5m, 5 p.m. Saturday, November 5, $22.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE WAY IT IS WITH

BRUCE HORNSBY

Virginia native found his way to music thanks to Leon Russell and Elton John

Marshall Terrill » The Entertainer!

he world was never in danger of losing Grammy artist Bruce Hornsby to basketball, which is a good thing. The Virginia-born pianist, composer, and singer-songwriter, who stands 6-foot4, was a power forward and Division II and III prospect in high school. By the time he was a senior, his focus switched from hoops to the piano thanks to a friend who turned him onto Leon Russell and Elton John. “I was blown away by both men and that sent me full force into this life of music,” Hornsby says. Audiences will get the full force of Hornsby’s music when he stops by The Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will host, “An Evening with Bruce Hornsby” on Friday, November 18. Hornsby’s work displays a creative iconoclasm that has been a constant in the artist’s three-decade career, starting with “The Way It Is,” the title track of his 1986 debut album. The single of the same name dominated mainstream radio that year and helped earn Hornsby a best new artist Grammy. Hornsby admits the song’s success was purely accidental. “Everyone thought ‘The Way It Is Was” was a B-side until a BBC Radio One DJ in London started playing the song, and from there it went,” Hornsby says. “So no prescience there!”

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“Trust me, my friend... When you deal with the pros, your worries fade away.”

Hornsby says the timing was also right for him as an act. Even though the ’80s is fondly recalled for pop synthesizers, glam metal, big hair, tight pants and outrageous fashion, he was the beneficiary of an “Americana strain” on the radio. “That strain was represented by John Mellencamp’s great records, Tom Petty’s, Bruce Springsteen’s, and on and on,” Hornsby says. “So we, with our accordions, mandolins, fiddles, hammer dulcimers and piano seemed to fit in with this scene.” Fitting in also meant lots of hits, collaborations and industry awards. In addition to “The Way It Is,” Hornsby charted with “Mandolin Rain,” “Every Little Kiss,” “Look Out Any Window” and “The Valley Road.” He wrote “Jacob’s Ladder,” which Huey Lewis and the News turned into a No. 1 single, and co-wrote and played piano on Don Henley’s 1989 smash, “The End of the Innocence.” His most noted collaboration was with The Grateful Dead, which started in 1988 and ended in 1995. Hornsby appeared frequently with the iconic band on stage as a guest, which he fondly recalls. “My time with the Grateful Dead was so rich and beautiful,” he says. “I love their songs; their songbook is one of the greats in the history of American music. And their approach to the playing of those songs made reinvention of them always possible.” Reinvention doesn’t appear to be much of a concern to Hornsby and neither does the music business, which has undergone a sea of change since he broke out in 1986. “Staying fresh creatively has mercifully never had anything to do with the music business,” he says.

Bruce Hornsby

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7830 E. Second Street, Scottsdale, 480.499.8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org, 8 p.m. Friday, November 18, $35-$69.

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104

BLOSSOMING

WITH OPPORTUNITIES

Local band Daisy enters the big leagues with Mesa Music Festival Savannah Haas » The Entertainer!

or 22-year-old Anthony Perre, playing music has been a moving experience. He and his Daisy bandmates have made their mark on fans and local radio stations, specifically with their debut EP “In Retrospect.” A Highland High School graduate, Perre was told by a listener that Daisy’s pop music helped him tackle suicidal thoughts. “He heard one of the songs on the record and says it was a helpful thing to get him out of that mindset,” Perre says. “When we heard that, it took us a second to really realize there are some people who feel so strongly about the music that it’s able to keep their heart beating. That was the most humbling thing that has happened.” This year has been remarkable for Daisy, according to Perre. In September, 93.3 ALT-AZ radio host Mo showcased Daisy’s music on her show “Homegrown with Mo.” Daisy is building on that experience by performing as part of the Mesa Music Festival from 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday Nov. 12, at Queen’s Pizza. “It’s going to be really fun,” Perre says. “It’s our first step into the festival world. We’re used to doing shows, but that’s all we’ve done. It’ll be cool to be a part of the festival culture.”

LONGTIME FRIENDS The foundation for Daisy was laid when Perre walked into a class his senior year at Highland with John Mayer blaring through his earphones. He never thought he would meet his best friend and future bandmate, Michael Petry. Petry was scheduled to play the Highland talent show later that week but was scared to do it alone. “But I needed to do something to feel accomplished,” Petry says. “When the talent show came up, I was terrified but I thought, ‘Maybe somebody could do it with me.’” Petry chased down Perre after class and asked him to join him on stage. They lost the talent show by 10 votes, but the teens discovered just how much they enjoyed playing music together. “After that show, we were on top of WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

the world the whole night and we looked at each other and says, ‘Let’s be a band,’” Perre says. The two scored a slot playing at an Invisible Children charity event, where longtime friend Dylan Kielly asked if they needed another musician. “I’ve known Dylan since seventh grade and we’d just play a lot of hardcore stuff when we were angry kids back in the day,” Perre says. Perre took the role of lead vocalist, Petry jumped on lead guitar, and Kielly moved to percussion. From there, the band was influenced by a variety of artists ranging from System of a Down to Earth, Wind and Fire. But they all agree that Daisy’s music is pop. After recording “In Retrospect” in 2015, the band put an ad on Craigslist for a bassist and keyboardist. Ty Kidd from New Hampshire answered the call. “My influences are System of a Down and Slipknot and then I got into heavier stuff like Suicide Silence...and then I joined a pop band,” Kidd jokes. Perre says he wants to devote his life to music. “I just want to be able to make the coolest music, have a lot of people like it, and be able to support myself as a musician with these four guys,” he says. “My best friends are sitting here with me. With something as important as a band, you’re signing up to do this business for your whole life. I want to like you as a person and enjoy your company first before I ever think about playing music with you.” Daisy is gearing up to release its second EP, “Beauty of These,” this winter. The single, “Hear You,” will come first. “We’re just really excited for this next EP to be out,” Perre says. “It’s like watching a kid grow up and go through preschool, and then go to college. You hope that all the work was worth it.”

Daisy

Mesa Music Festival, Queen’s Pizza, 125 W. Main Street, Mesa, mesamusicfest.com or facebook. com/daisybandaz/, 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, November 12, free.

FAMILY TIES THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

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Rumer Willis wants to make music on her own terms

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

umer Willis sticks by one rule: love and accept who you are. The daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore finds this especially important considering her lineage. She prefers not to have her success compared to that of her parents. “If you try to hold yourself up to a standard of anyone else—your parents, friends, fiancé, anybody—you’re never going to meet your expectations. You can’t

base it on being someone else. “My whole philosophy is don’t set expectations that are for someone else. Set expectations for you and your successes.” Willis has a talent that’s little known outside of California and New York: She’s a cabaret singer and she’ll perform at the Musical Instrument Museum on Sunday, November 6. “My goal when I play a show is, hopefully by the end, people are laughing and maybe even crying for joy,” she says. “I love to make people smile and laugh during my shows.

“I think sometimes cabaret shows can be viewed as serious and quiet. I like it when people are loud and holler and show how much they’re enjoying the show.” She started studying opera at a music conservatory in Idaho at the age of 12, and then continued her classical training at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. Willis studied opera and musical theater. She explains she appreciates it more in retrospect. “I was so young at the time,” says Willis, whose first concert was the Spice Girls. “You definitely appreciate it more looking back. I was so young and it was so far away from home in a place that is so cold. “I didn’t know what I was in for at the time. It was such an incredible learning experience, though, there were tools that I learned that I can use now.” That includes stage presence and confidence, which she has used since 2014, when she started a weekly artist residency at the Sayers Club in Hollywood. After

releasing her cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” on iTunes last year, she starred as Roxie Hart in a Broadway production of “Chicago.” Recently, she appeared in the film adaptation of the musical “Hello Again” and made her solo cabaret debut at Café Carlyle in New York. The 2015 winner of “Dancing with the Stars,” Willis is working on her debut album with writer and producer Linda Perry. “She’s such a talented woman,” Willis says. “She’s done an incredible job pulling stuff out of me and getting to the root of what I’m trying to say with music.”

Rumer Willis

Musical Instrument Museum,4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, 480.478.6000, mimmusictheater. themim.org, 7 p.m. Sunday, November 6, $58.50-$68.50.

RUNNING

WILD

Lydia expands sound with live string section Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

ydia is giving fans an enhanced experience when it comes to the Mesa Arts Center Thanksgiving week. The Tempe-based dreamy pop band is touring with two violinists and a cellist to put a unique spin on its music. “We have other random instruments that we usually don’t see on stage, too,” adds vocalist/guitarist Leighton Antelman. “It’s a different kind of show. We’re in rehearsals now, but the songs are sounding a little bit different than

normal—in a good way.” Antelman, whose band released the album “Run Wild” last year, explains that the tour has been in the works for a while. “The opportunity just came up and everything aligned,” he adds. “We jumped on the opportunity to do it before we made a new record. It’s really cool to hear how this is turning out. Sometimes the instrumentation is only on the record. We never get the chance to play it live. It’s really fun.” Having been on tour since November 5, Antelman is looking forward to playing the Mesa Arts Center, a venue that he has yet to visit.

“Hometown shows are a whirlwind because your family and friends want to hang out with you and see you because you’ve been out on the road for a month or more,” he says. “Sometimes we have a whole bunch of commitments. Time management is a little bit of a struggle, but I get to sleep in my bed for a night.” Besides the album and the tour, Lydia is pushing the video for its latest single, “Georgia,” which was filmed in Bisbee. Fans can learn about the video, tour and the band—who met at Gilbert’s Greenfield Junior High—during VIP meet-and-greet sessions that Lydia is selling on its website, lydiaband.com, for

a $35 upcharge. “We hear some incredibly outrageous stories from fans,” Antelman says. “It gets a little overwhelming. At least two to three fans show of their Lydia tattoos. It’s pretty gnarly. We’re trying to do a collage of all of them. But this meet and greet is cool for the fans.”

Lydia

Mesa Arts Center, One E. Main Street, Mesa, 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com, lydiaband. com, 8 p.m. Wednesday, November 23, $20-$25.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016

THE NIGHTOWL

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SIP » UNLEASH » MIX » MINGLE » PULSE » SHAKE

MAD MIXOLOGIST

Getting down and dirty with the Valley’s hottest shot slingers Alison Bailin Batz » The Entertainer!

ing & Louie’s is where “Modern Asian meets American Comfort.” John Banquil, director of brand development and the beverage program, has been with the brand since it opened in Scottsdale in 2008. At the time, the alcohol choices included a few wines, beer and three cocktails. When given the chance to explore the Valley and beyond in search of inspiration to develop a more complex beverage menu, Banquil took inspiration from the mixologists at Jade Bar, local speakeasies and even Z’Tejas. As a result, in 2010, he launched the company’s first true cocktail menu. During the past six years, Banquil has been at the forefront of developing signature cocktails for Ling & Louie’s as well as seasonal favorites and even homages to specific spirits, such as its recent Bourbon Appreciation Month Menu. The Entertainer recently sat down with this self-taught mixology master to dish on drinks.

MIYAGI’S MANHATTAN

Tell me about the oddest drink request you’ve gotten of all time: It was a self-inflicted request to use “pak chee” in a cocktail. I know it sounds fancy, right? “Pak chee” happens to be cilantro in Thai. But, for whatever reason, I always hated it. However, when I saw mixologists like Jason Asher using herbs, spices and even beets in amazing cocktails, I was inspired to try my own hand, starting with an ingredient I didn’t even like. It took a lot of trial and error, but once I thought to mix the cilantro with an herbaceous gin and cut it with some great citrus vodka and homemade ginger-lime syrup, I really had something special. I called the drink the “Pak Chee Martini” in honor of our Asian influence here—and the drink was a bestseller on the menu for years.

What is your No. 1 pet peeve when working? I am right handed. Our entire team is right handed. And we all are creatures of habit. We like our stations just so. Given there are no lefties on our team, when I leave the bar to help in the kitchen or check on guests and come back to find the pour spouts not all facing

2 ounces Nikka Coffey Grain Whiskey 1 ounce Carpano Antica Formula 2 dashes Fee Bros. Plum Bitters 1 dash Angostura Bitters Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir to combine, and strain into a martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.

the same direction for ease of righthanded pouring, I get a little mental. Organization is the key to speed and accuracy—and keeping the customer happy. They don’t want to see us struggling with product. I’ve even called myself out a few times when I’ve been guilty of this.

What is your go-to drink when you’re at a bar other than your own? Ready for the ultimate “male” answer? Manhattans. And while I am sure you get that a lot, I love testing these seemingly easy cocktails almost everywhere I go because depending on the whiskey used, the bitters used and the bartender’s style, the flavor can

be wildly different from one place to the next. I like a perfect dollop of bitters. So much so, I have been known to ask for a specific measurement. I am also really into Japanese whiskies right now, just on the rocks or cut with the perfect amount of mineral water.

What does ordering a vodka soda say about a person? They like a clean drink. I don’t judge; drink what you like, and don’t let anyone call you out for it.

What is one cocktail would love for us to feature in the magazine this month? Our Miyagi’s Manhattan, which is

expertly mixed with Nikka Coffey Grain Whiskey from Japan, Carpano Antica Formula, Fee Brothers Plum Bitters and Angostura Bitters.

What do you like about this drink? Throughout November, we are really focused on taking American classic dishes and cocktails and giving them a little Asian spin. Perhaps our favorite from the cocktail offerings is this Miyagi’s Manhattan. This unique twist on the Manhattan infuses the cocktail’s traditional assertive flavors with hints of plum and the unique characteristics of the Japanese Whiskey. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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THE BEST NIGHTLIFE EVENTS

FOR NOVEMBER Carson Mlnarik » The Entertainer!

have been used in a variety of video games and movies. Citing his need to evolve, Giacomotto and his music blur genre lines, including techno, house, electro, deep house and more. Scarlet-Monarch Theatre, 122 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.456.1991, 9 p.m., $10.

into the Electric West once more with an explosive lineup featuring Bassnectar, Alison Wonderland, Nero and Galantis. Dance the night away with friends under the Arizona sky and join together to appreciate the best sounds EDM has to offer. Rawhide Western Town and Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, 480.502.5600, 3 p.m., $89-$179.

Bingo Players Claude VonStroke

NOVEMBER 5 In 2016, Claude VonStroke was named America’s Best DJ in Pioneer DJ and DJ Times’ annual poll. His blend of American house and techno makes his live show is one not to pass up. Monarch Theatre, 122 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.456.1991, 9 p.m., $25.

NOVEMBER 11 Bingo Players started as a duo of Dutch DJs, Maarten Hoogstraten and Paul Bäumer, in 2006. The group rose to fame with hits like “Cry (Just a Little)” and “Rattle.” When Bäumer died in 2013, Hoogstraten continued to make music under the name and will celebrate the group’s 10-year anniversary with this tour. Portions of each ticket sold will go to the F Cancer charity in Bäumer’s memory. Maya Day and Nightclub, 7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, 480.625.0528, 9 p.m., $21.

Hayden James

NOVEMBER 5 The Australian-born singer/songwriter and producer spent time opening up for Odesza on its U.S. tour. Now he brings his deep and calming voice to Crescent Ballroom. Be prepared to just close your eyes and dance to songs like “Just a Lover” and “Something About You.” Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Avenue, Phoenix, 602.716.2222, 8:30 p.m., $15-$18.

Olivier Giacomotto

NOVEMBER 5 Olivier Giacomotto is a French-born DJ and Beatport Music Awards nominee. His beats make usual appearances in the Top 10 charts and his songs

Nicole Moudaber

NOVEMBER 12 Born in Nigeria, Nicole Moudaber has been described as “the most underrated DJ” by DJ Magazine. Her debut album, “Believe,” stayed at the top of the Beatport techno, tech house and deep house charts for a month. Moudaber has said music saved her life and she’s just returning the favor. Hear cuts from her recent “Silent Sigh” and more surprises when she takes the stage. Scarlet-Monarch Theatre, 122 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.456.1991, 9 p.m., $15-$20.

Mija

NOVEMBER 23 Los Angeles-based Mija has made a huge name for herself at only 22 years old, having already played festivals like Bonnaroo, TomorrowWorld and Burning Man. Her hit single “Crank It” has more than 2 million streams on Spotify. Her self-curated “Fk a Genre Tour” will also feature Jack Beats, Nosaj Thing and more. The Pressroom, 441 W. Madison Street, Phoenix, 602.396.7136, 8 p.m., $35-$250.

Timeflies

Anna Lunoe

NOVEMBER 12 Anna Lunoe was the first solo female DJ to perform on the main stage at the 2016 Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas. The Australian-born DJ also hosts a weekly show on Apple Music’s Beats1 Radio. Songs like “Stomper,” “Real Talk” and “I Met You” have made her a staple in the EDM world. Monarch Theatre, 122 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.456.1991, 9 p.m., $15-$35.

NOVEMBER 17 Timeflies brings together friends, Cal and Rez, two guys with Pro Tools, a love for scotch, the Green Lantern and a mix of influences. Their freestyle and good-time vibe music appeals to all ages, bringing out boy band and rap sounds on one track and dance beats on another. The group will be playing some of their popular live covers as well as songs from their new album “Just for Fun.” Club Red, 1306 W. University Drive, Mesa, 480.258.2733, 8 p.m., $30.

Global Dance Festival AZ

NOVEMBER 19 Global Dance Festival is back for a third year. Watch Rawhide transform

Diplo w/ Martin Garrix

NOVEMBER 30 After the recent mega successful Mad Decent Block Party, Diplo returns with Martin Garrix of “In the Name of Love” and “Hello” fame. Diplo has worked with a slew of artists in the game, including Beyoncé, Sean Paul, Britney Spears and most recently Justin Bieber on “Where Are U Now.” When you have two of the hottest DJs in the game together under one roof, you know you will be a stellar show. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.379.2800, 8 p.m., $37-$57.

PAC12 and BIG10 on the

BIG SCREEN AIR HOCKEY • JUKEBOX • BILLIARDS BOARD GAMES • DARTS • GIANT JENGA

3002 N ARIZONA AVE, STE 1 • CHANDLER, AZ 85225 • (480) 621-6004 • LOCALPLAYYARDBARGRILL.COM WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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THE ANGLE OF

APPROACH Golf Clap climbs EDM ladder by observing others Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

ryan Jones’ act Golf Clap, for whom he collaborates with Hugh Cleal, is making its debut Arizona appearance at the Wild West Edition of the Global Dance Festival. The set will be a far cry from the last time Jones was in Arizona. “I haven’t been to Phoenix since I was in marching band and we did the Fiesta Bowl,” he says about Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. “That was my freshman year. I felt like I had heat stroke.” The Wild West Edition of the Global Dance Festival on Saturday, November 19, brings together the best in dance music such as Bassnectar, Datsik and Galantis to Rawhide Western Town and Event Center on Saturday November 19. Jones says events like these are learning experiences. His previous project, High Caliber, didn’t get off the ground, he says, because he only knew how to create songs and shop them to labels. “Plus, we lived in Indiana,” he says. “I lived in Chicago for a bit, too, but I didn’t know anybody. In 2005, I started under my own name. After that, when I moved to Detroit, we started looking at it in a different way. “What we do now is we see what people are doing two pay grades above us and copy that.” The Detroit-based duo has released songs on Kerri Chandler’s Madtech, Simma Black and have tracks coming later in the year on Huxley’s No Ideas

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label. They were also named as one of Mixmag’s Hot 6 artists in August, and supported Disclosure this summer. All of this is the culmination of a lifelong dream for Jones. “I started playing drums when I was 8,” he says. “My friend had a snare drum. That’s all I talked about so my parents bought me one. When I was 16, I realized all I was listening to was dance music, rap and hip hop. None of it had a live drummer. I was playing drums less and less. “I didn’t know what DJing was exactly, so I bought turntables and started getting any record with a house beat that was decent. I figured it out and got a sampler and drum machines shortly thereafter. I had a decent collection by the time I graduated high school.” He remembers his goal: To have his first record out by the time he was 21. “I finally made my first record and they sent it to me in the mail six days before my 21st birthday,” the 35-yearold says proudly. The duo, who run their own label, Country Club Disco, are planning on playing their set by ear. “It depends on the vibe there,” he says. “Maybe a little techy house, with a little more bass to it.”

Global Dance Festival

Rawhide Western Town and Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, globaldancefestaz.com, 3 p.m. Saturday, November 19, starts at $79.

ABOVEAND

BEYOND Anjunadeep takes the extra step to promote artists Melissa Szenda » The Entertainer!

he dance music label Anjunadeep annually sends off its brightest talent on arguably their most challenging test yet: a North American tour. Founded in 2005 by Above & Beyond and James Grant, Anjunadeep started as an outlet for the deeper and more progressive side of the trio’s DJ sets. Since then, it has grown and evolved into one of dance music’s most respected record labels. It has discovered and highlighted talent like Dusky, 16 Bit Lolitas, Lane 8 and Croquet Club. Anjunadeep’s mission to release soulful and melodic electronic music has never faltered after a decade and more than 200 releases. This year’s tour features six artists spread across 16 North American cities. On Thursday, December 1, Relentless Beats presents Anjunadeep North American Tour at Monarch Theatre in downtown Phoenix. This stop showcases Luttrell, Theo Kottis and Yotto.

One-third of M Machine, Luttrell released his first two solo tracks—“Away” and “Need You”—on Anjunadeep. Kottis made his entrance onto the scene in 2014 with the release of his EP “Waiting Game,” which quickly jumped up into the Beatport Electronica top 10. Since then, he’s sent to stores three more EPs and continued creating melodic techno that Anjunadeep was quick to discover. Finnish house producer Yotto has had an impressive 2016. His summer hit “The Owls” brought magic to dance floors across the world, while his “Wondering” EP displayed three more deep, diverse electronic tracks. His dark sounds, paired with bright melodies, make him a perfect addition to the label. It’s understandable why Billboard called him “the leader of the Anjunadeep new school.”

Anjunadeep Showcase

Monarch Theatre, 122 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, relentless beats, 9 p.m. Thursday, December 1, $15.

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YOU’RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS

Bizarro facts that will stretch your noggin

Sean Connery wore a toupee in every James Bond movie.

Cassidy Landaker » The Entertainer!

Riding Disney World’s Big Thunder Mountain roller coaster helps you pass .

kidney stones

After hearing such stories from his patients, a Michigan urologist took kidney models filled with stones on the ride and found they had passed up to 70% of the time, depending on where he sat.

Abraham Lincoln is tom hanks’ third cousin, four generations removed. There is a New York City hot dog vendor who pays

$289,000 a year for his location.

It snowed in the sahara desert for 30 minutes on February 18, 1979. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

The Chinese Segway rip off, 9Bot, used the money it got from selling the rip off to BUY THE ORIGINAL COMPANY.

There is a species of bee called

euglossa bazinga,

named after Sheldon Cooper’s famous

BAZINGA!

catchphrase from CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory.”

MAY about 29

8,000

is officially “PUT A PILLOW ON YOUR FRIDGE” day.

Americans are injured by musical

instruments each year.

During World War II,

audrey hepburn

was a courier for resistance fighters in Holland.

Most of the smoke billowing up from a space shuttle launch is not exhaust. It is water vapor from the pool of water under the shuttle designed to absorb the acoustic shock waves that could otherwise tear the shuttle apart.

WE G

L O T OF PR S IZES IVE

US ON PHACEBOOK

CREATIVE DIRECTOR CHRISTOPH HAGEL

CREATIVE DIRECTOR VARTAN BASSIL

WHERE CLASSICAL MUSIC MEETS BREAKDANCE

PERFORMANCE BY

THE FLYING STEPS

COMERICA THEATRE DOWNTOWN PHX DECEMBER 9-11