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PHX METRO » SEPTEMBER 2016

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DANE COOK

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BEAUTIES & BENTLEYS The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships bring serious horsepower to the Valley

THE ZOMBIES AND FELIX CAVALIERE’S RASCALS Sunday, September 11 In The Showroom

DWEEZIL ZAPPA Cease and Desist Tour Saturday, October 1 In The Showroom

FOREIGNER Sunday, October 16 At The Pool

THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER Thursday-Saturday September 22-24 In The Showroom

ALICE IN CHAINS Presented by Friday, September 30 At The Pool

ZZ TOP

LOS LOBOS

Sunday, October 9 At The Pool

Friday, October 14 In The Showroom

TERRY FATOR

GABRIEL IGLESIAS

Friday, November 18 In The Ballroom

Sunday, November 20 In The Ballroom

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 SEPTEMBER 2016

CONTENTS

18 ON THE COVER

SERIOUS

HORSEPOWER

The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Horses & Horsepower is back for its sixth celebration of equestrian action, extravagant cars and rousing revelry.

CHANGING LIVES

Sadie Robertson of “Duck Dynasty” inspires at Grand Canyon University Arena.

WATER WONDERLAND

Whether it’s Hydroflying, eating or cruising, Lake Pleasant offers fun for the family.

on the cover: Natalie Camacho, Arizona’s top-rated female polo player photo by Chadwick Fowler makeup by Charlie Green hair by Lisa Forster Baxter

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 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

Top 25 • Sadie Robertson • Oktoberfest • Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships Horses & Horsepower • PHX Insider • Ali Siddiq

THE EXTRAORDINAIRE 25 Extraordinary Rides • Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas • Dane Cook • Black Sabbath

THE TOURIST

28 LIVING THE DREAM Playing the Oddball festival was on Dane Cook’s bucket list.

Tour Du Jour • Sensational Sedona • A Day on Lake Pleasant

THE ARTIST

THE DINER

Best Food Events in September • Rockin’ Taco Street Fest • Euro Café • Diner Insider

THE CRAFTMASTER

Beer Over Here • Beertenders • BeerFinder Directory • The Story of Sapporo • Sapporo Knows Sushi! • Tour de Fat • Great Beer Pairings • Trappist Ales • The King has Spoken

THE HIGHROLLER

designer

circulation director

FALL ARTS PREVIEW From The Monkees to “The Drowsy Chaperone,” the Valley boasts plethora of performances this season.

Aaron Kolodny aaron@entertainermag.com

contributing writers

81 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.

September’s Best Sports Events • Archie Bradley

THE YOUNGSTER

The Funnel Cake • The Best Family Events in September • The Octonauts • Slide Across America

THE SHOWMAN

Tyler Farr • Live Music Calendar • Def Leppard • Jared & The Mill • Chris Young • Squeeze • Prophets of Rage

THE NIGHTOWL

103

Mad Mixologist • The Best Nightlife Events for September • Lane 8 • We Were There— Where Were You? • Flosstradamus

THE THINKER You’re Not Gonna Believe This

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Joseph Airdo, Alison Bailin Batz, Caity Hemmerle, Kimberly Hosey, David Isaac, Kenneth LaFave, Megan Marples, Randy Montgomery

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Casino Entertainment Calendar • Best Casino Events in September • The Zombies

THE GLADIATOR

executive editor

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski christina@timespublications.com

Jaclyn Threadgill

Robbie Peterson

rpeterson@timespublications.com

Erin Loukili erin@entertainermag.com

Coming Attractions • Ask Our Experts! • The Report Card • Scottsdale International Film Festival

editor in chief

art director

Cabaret • Arts Calendar • Fall Arts Preview

THE CRITIC

publisher

Steve T. Strickbine steve@entertainermag.com

108

86 PICTURE

PERFECT D-backs starter Archie

Bradley documents life in the bigs with Polaroids.

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

Sadie Robertson 12

TOP25 Caity Hemmerle » The Entertainer!

WATER Exhibition

SEPTEMBER 1 TO SEPTEMBER 18 WATER is Canadian artist Edward Burtynsky’s exploration of humanity’s increasingly stressed relationship with the world’s most vital natural resource. Between 2007 and 2012, Burtynsky traveled the globe, from the Gulf of Mexico to the shores of the Ganges, crafting an ambitious representation of water’s increasingly fragmented lifecycle. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, 602.257.1880, phxart.org, 10 a.m., free with museum admission.

La Visuality: Joys and Tribulations of Visual Creatures

SEPTEMBER 3 Arizona Latino Arts & Culture Center shows Latin-inspired art by a group of inspirational Latinas—Dayami Perez, Sylvia Crucet, Adriana Martinez and Yolanda Ortiz. See, hear and connect with who they are, where they came from and where they are going. Arizona Latino Arts & Culture Center, 147 E. Adams Street, Phoenix, 602.254.9817, alacaz.org (under construction), 7 p.m., free.

Gamer’s Paradise

SEPTEMBER 6 Enjoy tunes curated for gamers by electronic music artist and chiptune junkie, Mercurius FM. Sip on cold drinks from a fully stocked bar, and play complimentary video games. Grab free swag and enjoy the vibe. Cobra Arcade Bar, 801 N. First Street, Phoenix, 602.595.5873, cobraarcadebar.com, 9 p.m., free.

Drake

SEPTEMBER 6 Drake is the whole package—singer, songwriter, actor, comedian— and he proved it by hosting and performing on “Saturday Night Live.” The Grammy Award-winning, multiplatinum-selling artist will bring the musical side of his talents to the Valley in support of his new album, “View.” Be prepared to do the “Hotline Bling” dance. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 7 p.m., $45-$145.

In The Heights

SEPTEMBER 7 THROUGH OCTOBER 2 From the creator of the Broadway smash “Hamilton,” “In the Heights” tells the story of a young store owner in Manhattan who watches the joys

Polo championships 18

and heartbreaks of his tightknit community as residents pass through his bodega. Phoenix Theatre, 100 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, 602.254.2151, phoenixtheatre.com, 7:30 p.m., $41-$86.

City Lights Movie Nights

SEPTEMBER 9 Cool down in the summer heat with a movie night under the stars, inside of a mini-winter wonderland. Play in real snow while enjoying a free screening of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” CityScape Phoenix, 1 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.772.3900, dtphx.org, 6:30 p.m., free.

Urban Ale Trail

SEPTEMBER 10 Hosted by Downtown Phoenix Inc., this walkable beer tasting tour runs along the light rail corridor from downtown to uptown Phoenix. Participants can sample amazing craft beers and local cuisine throughout the central city. Multiple locations, Phoenix, 602.495.1500, dtphx.org, 1 p.m., free. $1 or $2 tastings.

Ali Siddiq 22

Crossroads of the West Gun Show

SEPTEMBER 10 AND SEPTEMBER 11 During the last year, Crossroads of the West Gun Shows have attracted over a half million guests, more than any other exhibition of its type in America. The events offer hundreds of tables to meet the needs of everyone from the annual hunter to the avid gun collector. Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix, 602. 252.6771, crossroadsgunshows.com, 9 a.m., $16.

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas

SEPTEMBER 16 Don’t miss the “Future Now” tour where influential entertainers and former Disney stars Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas join forces for what is one of Phoenix’s most anticipated summer music events. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 7 p.m., $25-$85.

Bayside

SEPTEMBER 10 Bayside is touring in support of its new album, “Vacancy,” a musically upbeat, fun collection that deals with the isolation and transient feelings that come with a breakup. Lead singer Anthony Raneri leads the charge as Bayside hits The Pressroom stage. The Pressroom, 441 W. Madison Street, Phoenix, 602.416.1261, thepressroomaz.com, 7:30 p.m., $19-$22.

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5

SEPTEMBER 16 TO SEPTEMBER 18 The 2016-17 season kicks off with the epic grandeur of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Tito Munoz, in his third season as Virginia G. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Piper music director, leads The Phoenix Symphony in a masterful interpretation of Beethoven’s powerful “Victory” symphony. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second Street, Phoenix, 602.495.1999, phoenixsymphony.org, 7:30 p.m., $23-$84.

family to experience Brazilian bands, dancers, performers, DJs, martial arts, food and drinks. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second Street, Scottsdale, 480.499.8587, braziliandayarizona.com, 2 p.m., $15.

Blink-182

David Peralta Bobblehead Day

SEPTEMBER 17 The first 20,000 D-backs fans through the gates can jump on the freight train and take home a David Peralta bobblehead. The adorable collectible shows the outfielder in his trademark leaning pose. Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, arizona.diamondbacks. mlb.com. 5:10 p.m., $19-$250.

Mad Decent Block Party

SEPTEMBER 16 AND 17 Diplo and his Mad Decent Block Party are hitting the road and stopping by Rawhide for a massive twoday party. He’s bringing along acts like Brillz, Lil Dicky, Dada Life and Flosstradamus. Rawhide Western Town and Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, 480.502.5600, rawhide. com, 5 p.m., $75-$169.

Arizona Restaurant Week

SEPTEMBER 16 TO SEPTEMBER 25 This statewide affair offers foodies a wealth of dining opportunities and the chance to travel outside their neighborhood and try something new. From sizzling Southwestern and soothing comfort foods to fivestar dining and international fare, it’s all on the table during Arizona Restaurant Week. Various locations, arizonarestaurantweek.com, $33 or $44.

Messy Fest

SEPTEMBER 17 Messy Fest promises a great time for a great cause—Phoenix Children’s Hospital. This outdoor event features all things cluttered, chaotic and untidy, from massive mud pits designed for jumping and flinging to large-scale fingerpainting and even a mashed potato tug-of-war. Schnepf Farms, 24610 S. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek, 480. 987.3100, messyfest.com, 9 a.m., $20.

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Def Leppard

SEPTEMBER 20 Catch ’80s rock-radio legends Def Leppard perform classics such as “Rock of Ages,” “Foolin’,” “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Love Bites.” Accompanying Def Leppard at AkChin Pavilion are REO Speedwagon and Tesla. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Avenue, Phoenix, 602.254.7200, livenation.com, 7 p.m., $15-$125.

Polo Preview Party

SEPTEMBER 22 The Polo Preview Party, sponsored by Realty Executives, will be held at The Cholla, a luxury model home at the Village at Mountain Shadows in Paradise Valley. The 6,980-square-foot, two-level Cholla boasts an outside oasis and the pioneering Cullum car-bar. Guests can enjoy food and drinks, mingle with polo powerfuls and enjoy music by Grammy Award performer DJ Maestro Hughes. The Cholla, Village at Mountain Shadows, Paradise Valley, thepoloparty.com, 5:30 p.m.,

Brazilian Day Festival

SEPTEMBER 24 The largest, most authentic festival celebrating Brazil’s independence in the Valley, the Brazilian Day Festival is a great opportunity for the whole

SEPTEMBER 24 Following the release of its first song without Tom DeLonge, Blink-182 is touring this summer with A Day to Remember and All Time Low. Don’t miss this chance to catch three of the most pop-punk groups of this era in one show. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Avenue, Phoenix, 602.254.7200, livenation.com, 7 p.m., $25-$95.

Slide Across America

SEPTEMBER 23 TO SEPTEMBER 25 The three-day event, is set to feature more than 25 water slides with the event centerpiece the 42-feet-high Dropkick Slide. The event isn’t just for kids; adult swim night is from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, September 23, with music, drinks and Slip N Slides. Salt River Fields, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, saltriverfields. com, various times, $20-$60.

Flume

SEPTEMBER 27 This 24-year-old Australian record producer and musician creates complex, intelligent, original productions that sound great anywhere—all from the bedroom of his parents’ house. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.379.2800, ticketmaster.com, 8 p.m., $27.

Arizona Summer Ends Margarita Mojito Festival

SEPTEMBER 24 Enjoy unlimited tastings of craft margaritas, mojitos, and select craft and Mexican beers and even get an embossed souvenir glass for $40 in advance, $45 at the gate. For free, patrons can enjoy music, a carnival, water games, water cannons with occasional filling stations, food trucks and food vendors. The event benefits the Calling All Angels Foundation. Rawhide Western Town and Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, 480.502.5600, margaritamojitofestival.com, noon, free admission, $40-$45.

Sriracha Festival

SEPTEMBER 24 Sriracha takes center stage at this festival that gives Valley chefs the opportunity to serve up dishes with the trendy sauce. Every ticket includes unlimited tastings from each food vendor. Sriracha Festival is open to those 21 and older. Heritage Square, 113 N. Sixth Street, Phoenix, 602.261.8063, srirachafestival.net, 6 p.m., $35.

Alice in Chains

SEPTEMBER 30 Some say that Alice in Chains has never sounded better, now that the Seattle rock act has 10 years under its belt with singer William DuVall. (Original lead singer Layne Staley died of a drug overdose a few years before.) Decide for yourself when Alice in Chains comes to The Pool at Talking Stick Resort. Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480. 850.7777, talkingstickresort.com, 8 p.m., $25-$90.

A Taste of Greece

SEPTEMBER 30, OCTOBER 1 AND OCTOBER 2 Experience the spirit and flavors of Greece at the outdoor party that features traditional Greek food, products, music and costumed folk dancing. A kids’ fun zone provides fun for the little ones. St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, 2716 N. Dobson Road, Chandler, 480.899.3330, st-katherine.org, 5 p.m. Friday, September 30, 11 a.m. Saturday, October 1, and Sunday, October 2, $3.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

Sadie Robertson of ‘Duck Dynasty’ brings inspirational event to GCU Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

ith her dimples and engaging smile, Sadie Robertson just wants to make the world a better place. A member of the “Duck Dynasty” clan, the 19-year-old Robertson is taking it one step at a time with her next chapter of “The Live Original Tour 2016,” which comes to Grand Canyon University on Tuesday, September 27. “It’s going to be one of those events where you say, ‘We laughed, we cried, we did a little of everything,’” Robertson says. “It’s going to be so much fun. Kids, teens and young adults are going to have a good night. It’s going to be life changing. A lot of times, you have this motivation, this little spark, and you want to do good. I’m going to show you this is how you do it, this is how you go out and truly do it. It starts tonight” She’s doing it with a little help from her “squad,” which includes her brother John Luke and his wife Mary Kate Robertson, cousins Reed and Cole Robertson, Reed’s fiancée Brighton Thompson and filmmaker Max Zoghbi and his wife Bonnie Kate, who hold a unique and inspirational tale of their faith as victims of “The Dark Knight” shooting in Colorado in 2012. The close-knit group will share their hearts, take attendees on a journey of inspirational messages, dramatic onstage performances, Q&As and a few surprises. Musical guests on the tour include Christian rockers Family Force 5, husband and wife duo Love and the Outcome and Reno.

do this. This isn’t about me and more people knowing my name. “There is just a definite need for this in the world right now. We need something that’s solid, positive and good.” Robertson has carried her philosophy into multiple business ventures, including a prom dress line with Sherri Hill, school supplies for DaySpring, jewelry and home goods with Glory Haus, and a fashion line with Wild Blue Denim that can be found at Rue 21 stores nationwide. “We have a lot going on,” she says. “I have a clothing line, a book and several other things. My clothing line is great for girls to comfortable in. I also have a devotional book coming out this fall. There are a lot of good things going on that’s helping the world.” Writing the book, she says, was challenging. “I had a lot of help,” she says. “I love the process. It was very fun. I do not like to read, so when they asked me to write a book, I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ Then I met with the author, we came up

with the story and the rest was easy. It ended up being a great book. One that I’ve read. It I can read it, anybody can.” Robertson recently returned from a mission trip to Uganda where the “Live Original” tour posse met and learned from Help One Now’s local leader, Pastor Edward Magumba, and his team who started His Mercy School to benefit orphans and children from extremely poor families in the Mayuge district in Uganda. Robertson was inspired to give back by her family—grandfather Phil Robertson, founder of Duck Commander, and parents Korie Howard Robertson and Willie Robertson, the company’s current CEO. She has five siblings: John Luke Robertson, Rebecca Robertson, Willie Jr. Robertson, Bella Robertson and Rowdy Robertson. She says it would be difficult growing up in the spotlight, if she didn’t have her parents and family for support. “I think it would be hard to do it by myself,” Robertson says. “The whole family doing it with me. They keep me grounded. It’s very helpful. They are very

supportive. My mom is with me at all of the meetings. She’s on almost every call. “I feel very, very blessed to have this opportunity and to have the platform that I’ve had. God gave me millions of people to inspire. I love giving back and helping people. It makes life easier.” At “The Live Original Tour 2016,” Robertson hopes to break down barriers. “You can be a fan and look up to me like on Instagram,” she says. “But this is about being a friend. You’re going from a fan to a friend. You’re not just looking at me from afar. You’re literally looking at me. I don’t want people to idolize me. I want people to relate to me.”

“The Live Original Tour 2016” with Sadie Robertson Grand Canyon University Arena, 3300 W. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, 877.552.7362, gcuarena.com, 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 27, $20-$60.

A VISION

Robertson created “The Live Original Tour” based on a vision she had a couple years ago. “I had this vision from God about two years to go host my own event and call it ‘Live Original,’” she says. “That’s what my book was called. I told my mom I wanted to do it and she made me think about it. She waited a week and asked me again. I still wanted to do it.” She did a test run of it in Nashville and sold 4,500 tickets, “which is great for Nashville,” she says. “I thought we could WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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Oktoberfest celebrations carry on German traditions Kelly Potts » The Entertainer!

ktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Germany, during late September and early October, and is attended by 6 million people each year. Can’t make it to Germany this year to celebrate? Don’t fret—you can celebrate at many events across the state!

Sierra Vista Oktoberfest Friday, September 9, to Saturday, September 10. The Sierra Vista Oktoberfest returned to Veterans Memorial Park in 2012 after a two-year hiatus. It now boasts a beer garden, German cuisine, live entertainment from the Hamptons, kid’s carnival and arts and craft vendors. If you go: 3105 E. Fry Boulevard, Sierra Vista. sierravistaaz.gov/ event/oktoberfest/2016-09-09/

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Heber/Overgaard Oktoberfest

Fountain Hills Oktoberfest

SanTan Oktoberfest

Saturday, September 17, and Sunday, September 18. Join the 29th annual Oktoberfest in the Pines at Tall Timbers County Park. Enjoy a beer garden, hay rides, kid’s inflatables and anvil shoots. There will also be more than 60 arts and crafts vendors. If you go: Tall Timbers Park, Highway 260, Overgaard. heberovergaard.org/community-events/

Friday, September 30, and Saturday, October 1. This Oktoberfest at Fountain Park is hosted by the Southwest German Society, AMVETS Post 7, Fountain Hills Elks Lodge #2846 and the Town of Fountain Hills. Join this party for authentic German music, food and beer. experiencefountainhills.org/events/2016/ oktoberfest

Saturday, October 1. This is the ninth annual Oktoberfest for SanTan Brewing and downtown Chandler. The event will include stein races, keg rolling, tricycle races, keg contest, bratwurst eating contests and a beer pong tournament. If you go: 3 S. San Marcos Place, Chandler. santanoktoberfest.com/

Brat Haus Oktoberfest

Flagstaff Oktoberfest

Saturday, September 17. Brat Haus Oktoberfest will be an affair for those 21 and older with themed activities, food, craft beer and entertainment. Grab your lederhosen and dirndl and enjoy beer garden games, brat eating, stein holding and beard contests. If you go: 3622 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. brathausaz.com/

Saturday, October 1. The eighth annual Arizona Oktoberfest event supports the Flagstaff Sunrise Lions Club. Live polka music, German beer, and free root beer floats for kids in the root beer garden. Contests for yodeling, costume, brat eating and beer hoisting. If you go: Wheeler Park, Flagstaff. flagstaffoktoberfest.com/

Friday, October 7, and Saturday, October 8. Visit the ninth annual two-day Oktoberfest hosted at Locomotive Park by the Kingman Route 66 Rotary Club. In addition to the beer and German food, there will be kid’s games and live bands, and a triathlon. If you go: Locomotive Park, 310 W. Beale Street, Kingman. gokingman.com/Brews-and-Brats-Oktoberfest

Brew and Brats Oktoberfest

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake

Haus Murphy’s Oktoberfest

Red Rocks Oktoberfest

Goodyear Oktoberfest

Friday, October 7, to Sunday, October 9. Tempe Sister Cities hosts the 43rd annual Tempe Oktoberfest as a fundraiser for its student and teacher exchange program. At the three-day Oktoberfest, you will find a carnival, dachshund runs (and a 5 Mile / 5K / 1-mile race (Saturday) in addition to German food, beer and wine gardens and live music. tempeoktoberfest.com/

Fridays October 14 and October 21, and Saturdays October 15 and October 22. German restaurant Haus Murphy’s in Glendale hosts an Oktoberfest celebration for two weekends in October. Enjoy beer and food, in addition to authentic German music. The band Die Guggenbach Buam flies in from Germany for this event. If you go: 5739 W Glendale Avenue, Glendale. hausmurphys.com/ location.html

Saturday, October 22. The Sedona Oktoberfest features local Arizona craft brewers who bring their Oktoberfest beers. In addition, the fest features German-style bratwurst, potato salad and big pretzels! If you go: Los Abrigados Resort, 160 Portal Lane, Sedona, redrocksoktoberfest.com/

Saturday, October 29. The Goodyear Oktoberfest will feature authentic Bavarian food, Oktoberfest beer and beer mug. If you go: Goodyear Municipal Airport, 1658 S. Litchfield Road, Goodyear. oktoberfestgoodyear.com/ No matter how you decide to celebrate, there is no shortage of festivals to get your fill of beer, brats and blues.

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BEAUTIES, BEASTS & BENTLEYS 18

The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Horses & Horsepower brings polo—and much more—to the Valley Sondra Barr » The Entertainer!

Can’t wait to have your fun on the field? To kick-off the next greatest show on grass, head to the Polo Preview Party on Thursday, September 22, to mingle with polo powerfuls and enjoy music by Grammy Awards performer DJ Maestro Hughes. Held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at a luxury model home at the Village at Mountain Shadows in Paradise Valley, it’s a chance to tide you over until the main event. Space is limited. For more information, email info@thepoloparty.com. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

repare to behold all of the beauty and power of horses, automobiles, and polo players your eyes can handle. On Saturday, November 5, the sixth annual Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Horses & Horsepower takes to WestWorld for a day of posh decadence. Equal parts pageantry and panache, the event offers high revelry for a modern age complete with luxury vehicles, fashion, art, music, cocktails, dancing, fireworks, and, yes, beautiful women (and men) competing astride powerful beasts traveling upward of 30 mph. This year the event is even bigger and better than ever with four premier polo matches featuring some of the best players in the world including America’s top polo player and GQ model Nic Roldan. He’ll be playing in the featured match at The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships for the third time as a member of the Aspen Valley Polo Club, which will be defending its title. According to event founder Jason Rose, “It’s the world’s most interesting polo party.” You’d be hard pressed not to agree if you’ve attended in years past. Akin to the vibrant atmosphere at the 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, but with polo––not golf––in the starring role, it draws a diverse crowd who come to experience the events within events. With general admission starting at just $20 and a special $10 twilight-only pass good after 3 p.m., all the way to a front-row table in the Molina Fine Jewelers’ tent for $3,500, with numerous options in between, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at multiple price points. But there’s more than just polo. As one of Scottsdale’s must-attend events of the year, more than 11,000 people annually turn out for what has transformed into the country’s most attended polo event. Here’s a sampling of what you can look forward to at the 2016 polo party.

Stella Artois Pavilion

Get your groove on in The Stella Artois Pavilion. An elite experience with DJs, dancing, drinks and more, it’s pomp and party all the way for guests looking to see and be seen among the well heeled.

The World’s “Longest” Catwalk Fashion Show

A fashion show like you’ve never seen before, more than 100 models will take to the world’s longest catwalk in the middle of the polo field. Produced by Phoenix Fashion Week, it’ll showcase emerging Phoenix Fashion Week designers and boutiques on a catwalk that stretches nearly 200 yards from west to east across the field.

Barrett-Jackson Preview & Horsepower Showcase See some serious horsepower with a preview of the world-famous BarrettJackson 2017 Collector Car Auction, along with local Ferrari and Lamborghini car clubs lining the field. As the event’s title sponsor, you can also expect to see the most luxurious, top-of-the-line vehicles from Bentley Scottsdale.

The World’s Most Beautiful Art & Luxury Auction by J. Levine Nothing goes better with fast-paced polo than beautiful art. This year’s auction promises to be a spectacular show of rare antiques and breathtaking works of art.

5 6

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The Polo Matches

This year’s lineup features Polo Azteca vs. La Jolla Polo Team, the Palm Springs Polo Team vs. Arizona Polo Club, and the reigning champions, the Aspen Valley Polo Club vs. Palm Beach Polo Team, followed by The Women’s Sunset Polo Match, featuring the most beautiful women in American polo, including Arizona’s highest ranked (and this month’s cover girl) Natalie Camacho and Miami Beach polo star and model, Pamela Flanagan.

Cultural Concert & Fireworks

It wouldn’t be a party without music. During The Women’s Sunset Polo Match, The Cultural Concert will play instead of the announcer. This unique concert combines the musical stylings of a hip-hop artist, the Arizona Opera, Scottsdale Philharmonic and Grammy performer DJ Maestro Hughes. The day tops off with a bang, as a fireworks finale lights up the evening sky.

Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Horses & Horsepower WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, thepoloparty. com, 10 a.m. Saturday, November 5, prices vary.

A dog and fashion show like no other, see the Valley’s most stylish pooches and pups strut their stuff on stage in stylist attire.

The Phoenician Afternoon Tea & High Society Tent

Experience afternoon tea like never before. Put on by The Phoenician Resort, enjoy traditional tea service with beautiful views of the McDowell Mountains and the rousing polo matches while being serviced by The Phoenician High Tea Hostesses on the resort’s traditional fine china.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

PHX INSIDER Western Restaurant Roundup Madison Rutherford » The Entertainer!

What could be better than enjoying some ribs or a porterhouse (or rattlesnake for the fearless foodies out there) while being immersed in the lore of the Old West? Be sure to bring a Stetson, an open mind and an empty stomach when you canter down to these western-themed restaurants.

Rawhide Western Town & Steakhouse

Cue the infamous western duel whistling, rattling boot spurs and creaking of wagon wheels. Complete with bars, souvenir shops, galleries and activities like horseback riding, panning for gold and mock gun fights, Rawhide provides an Old West experience reminiscent of a John Wayne horse opera. The Rawhide Steakhouse and Saloon embodies the spirit of the southwest with cowpoke-worthy cuisine; the menu includes rattlesnake, country fried chicken, steak and burgers. It also features snacks like “armadillo eggs” (jalapeño poppers), “Texas toothpicks” (onion strings) and Rocky Mountain oysters (we’ll let you figure that one out for yourself ).

giant, two-story dining room is ideal for families and large parties. Patrons have the option to get to the lower level via the stairs or a tin slide. The restaurant’s balcony offers Valley views and an expansive banquet hall. Live music echoes off the high ceilings and will make even those with two left feet want to break out into a Texas two-step. The fare includes fried rattlesnake, ribs, steak and classic comfort food like bacon mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. Each meal is paired with a heaping bowl of salad, corn on the cob, baked beans, biscuits, fry bread and a complimentary post-dinner helping of cotton candy. Once you’re filled to the brim with a dinner fit for a dude ranch, say “howdy” to Horney, the restaurant’s resident bull, on your way out.

5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, 480.502.5600, rawhide.com.

8383 S. 48th Street, Phoenix, 602.431.6474, rustlersrooste.com.

Harold’s Cave Creek Corral

The Stockyards Steakhouse

This lively southwestern saloon-style watering hole and restaurant has an extensive menu that has something for everyone— even vegetarians! The restaurant also purveys seafood, salads, pasta, Tex-Mex and of course, a plethora of steak, chops and burgers. This honky-tonk hotbed often hosts live musicians and karaoke for those looking for a rootin’-tootin’ time.

6895 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 480.488.1906, haroldscorral.com.

Rustler’s Rooste

Grab your 10-gallon and your six-shooter, practice your best “yee-haw” and mosey on down to Rustler’s Rooste for an unforgettable western dining experience. The

This classy chophouse displays a tamer side of the Valley’s Wild West dining vibe. The restaurant has been serving classic western cuisine since 1947 and is often referred to as Arizona’s original steakhouse. The eatery boasts an upscale Americana atmosphere and a comprehensive menu chiefly featuring steak and seafood (they even have a $64 “Beef & Reef ” option) as well as sandwiches and more exotic choices like elk and buffalo. With chandeliers, wooden paneling and images depicting southwestern yesteryear adorning the walls, The Stockyards certainly provides a classy alternative to the classic cowboy culinary experience.

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FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Houston comedian finds he can be himself with comedy Connor Dziawura » The Entertainer!

li Siddiq was drawn to comedy for one reason: freedom. “The freedom to express yourself unscripted. That’s what really drew me to it,” says Siddiq. “Just the freedom. Nobody else’s words. Either my own words, my own thoughts. It’s a lot of freedom in comedy.” Initially there wasn’t, as Siddiq began his comedy career behind jail walls. He was sent to prison for six years at age 19 for selling cocaine. Since his release, he has found mainstream success, having released a handful of albums, and garnered appearances in HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam” and Comedy Central’s “Gotham City Live.” While this jail experience changed him, he doesn’t let it define him.

“It gave me a fearlessness,” he says. “I’m very open on stage. I really don’t allow people to judge me from any of my experiences of my stories or anything that happens to me...prison gave me that voice. When you can persuade somebody to listen to your story or give them a different way of thinking…it gives you this confidence.” Growing up in Houston, Siddiq discovered comedy at age 10 when he heard an unfiltered Richard Pryor. The legendary comic turned him onto comedy, but he says his influences are Rodney Dangerfield, Dick Gregory, Dave Chappelle, D.L. Hughley, Bill Cosby, Steve Martin and Robin Williams. He is also inspired by some of his lesser-known contemporaries. “They can give me a lot of insight on what not to do or what to do or which way to go,” he says.

Siddiq initially kept his career under wraps, with only his girlfriend and friends knowing what he did. His family eventually found out he was a comedian. “They didn’t really know what I was doing,” Siddiq says. “I just wanted to do it on my own so as I gradually got better, people would start talking about me and that’s how my friends and my family found out that I was actually doing stand-up.” Now that he’s making a name for himself, he wants to have across-the-board popularity. “I want to have the Marvin Gaye appeal,” he says. “You want to be funny. You want to be attractive. You just want to have an appeal about you.” Siddiq has several albums and specials lined up, as well as a five-day stay at Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy from September 28 to October 2.

602-997-7575 9445 N. Metro Parkway East CastlesNCoasters.com

“What’s coming up now is my Comedy Central special and then my album, ‘Damaged Goods,’” he says. “But even after ‘Damaged Goods,’ I still have the album that I already recorded, called ‘I Keep Making Mistakes,’ and I’m working on ‘Let Me Tell You a Story’ right now as a special—as an hour special. I’m keeping busy.”

Ali Siddiq

Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy, 5350 E. High Street, Suite 105, Phoenix, 480.420.3553, az.houseofcomedy.net, various times Wednesday, September 28, to Sunday, October 2, $13-$22.

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THE EXTRAORDINAIRE

STYLE » ENVY » PASSION » FASHION » BEAUTY » DESIGN

EXTRAORDINARY RIDES

Dodge Challenger SRT C. A. Haire » The Entertainer!

ome consumers might balk at paying $55K for a Dodge, but because the factory has no problem selling Viper sports cars at $100K per unit, half that amount for this awesome Challenger SRT seems like a bargain. Under the hood is a powerful 6.4liter V-8 cranking out 485 horsepower. The base transmission is a 6-speed manual. Smart buyers will spend an extra $1,500 for the 8-speed automatic gearbox that is quicker, easier to live with, and more economical with fuel at 15 mpg city, and 25 highway. The brake rotors are

the size of a manhole cover and bring this 4,400-pound monster to a quick halt. The heart of an SRT can be found in its main computer electronic control system. It adjusts suspension stiffness, steering feel, transmission shift points and traction performance. Simply press the ECO, STREET, SPORT, or TRACK mode for each. For drag racing, there is a setting for launch control speed from 1500-3500 rpm. Once adjusted, the driver simply pushed the gas pedal, and the car does the rest. Another program records G forces during cornering, as well

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as 0-60 mph and quarter mile times. For the record, my test car clocked 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, and 12.8 seconds in the quarter mile. That was quick enough for me. I was disappointed to find SRT models don’t come with a spare tire. This does save weight, and helps acceleration times, but doesn’t mean much if you get a flat. For those who want more, there is the upgraded SRT Hellcat. With a supercharged 707 horsepower engine and 0-60 time of 3.6 seconds, it is a true thrill ride. But with prices around $75K and a waiting list up to one year, this basic SRT model makes more sense.

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Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas bring close friendship to the stage Megan Marples » The Entertainer!

emi Lovato and Nick Jonas have grown personally and professionally since their days on “Camp Rock.” But appearing together in the Disney movie meant much more than just hanging out. “Not only was it a great friendship with lots of differences in our personality, but also on creative and artistic levels, I think we were a big support,” Jonas says. The two are still supporting each other, as this summer they’re touring as part of the “Future Now” jaunt which comes to Talking Stick Resort Arena at 7 p.m. Friday, September 16. While touring may sound glamorous, Lovato admits that it isn’t always that way. Moments of loneliness are quelled by Jonas’ company. “Getting homesick is rough but that’s why I’m excited to tour with Nick because it’s going to be amazing having one of your best friends on the road with you whenever you do get homesick or you’re having a rough time.” she says. For Jonas, touring has become awkward as well. A few years ago, he broke free from the Jonas Brothers to launch what would be a very successful solo career. Touring without them has been a stumbling block. “I’m so accustomed to traveling with family and having that be my version of touring,” says Jonas, who will appear in the upcoming James Franco-produced film “GOAT.” “Thankfully, by touring with Demi, we share a management team who are some of our closest friends and it

makes the environment on tour feel less lonely than it probably would.” MISSION STATEMENT Lovato says this tour is her way of showing fans that she’s a stronger person after stints in rehab to help with eating disorders, depression and drug abuse. While in treatment, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and it is something with which she still struggles. “I wanted to prove to people that I wasn’t just a stereotypical Hollywood starlet that goes to rehab and falls back into the trap of the things that got her there,” Lovato says. “I wanted to make sure that the music I made was great and that I was passionate about the music that I put out.” Lovato’s latest album, “Confident,” reflects that and showcases her ability to sing about what matters to her. “I’m going to make the music that I really want to make,” she says. “I’m going to say the things that I’m terrified to say in my music, but that’s honest and the honesty in my new music is what I’m really proud about.” Jonas is celebrating his new music as well, as he just released “Last Year Was Complicated.” “I see every challenge as an opportunity to pivot and find something, a new way of showing people what you’re all about and giving them some more depth,” he says. “Demi pushed me to be more vulnerable in my music with this next record and encouraged me to really open up about some things that happened in my life.” Both artists are excited about performing together, but want to bypass the

usual pomp and circumstance of tour productions. “I think the focus is less on big gags and production elements because for Demi and I, that has less importance,” Jonas says. “It’s about building content that is unique and speaks to what we’ve gone through in our lives and isn’t just straight down the middle.” Lovato and Jonas also became business partners and founded Safehouse Records last year. They have been learning how to balance their business and personal relationships. “I think that Demi and I are the first to say that we still have a lot of growing to do still and that when it comes to our business as it relates to our friendship, that’s something you have to take day by day,” Jonas says. With all of the difficulties that a tour production brings, Lovato and Jonas are staying grounded and letting their music take center stage. “Our friendship has been full of great moments that were challenging, but I think at the end of the day it’s a lot of love and a lot of care and very, very genuine,” Jonas says.

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas w/Mike Posner Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 800-745-3000, ticketmaster. com, 7 p.m. Friday, September 16, $29.95-$89.95.

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ODD COMEBACK

Dane Cook is ready to unleash new material on festival fans Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

omedian Dane Cook admits he’s shy. He can play in front of crowds of 20,000-plus fans, but when it comes to oneto-one interaction, it’s a struggle. “I’m fortunate that I’ve never been a nervous performer,” says Cook, calling from Palm Springs, California, where he was filming an undisclosed movie. “I’ve made a joke about this in the past: I can play for arenas full of people. I’ll be literally excited with a little nervous energy. I’m not at all trepidatious. But with the meet and greets, my shyness from way back is there.” Cook is scheduled to play in front of thousands at Ak-Chin Pavilion on Sunday, October 2, as part of the Funny or Die Presents Oddball Comedy and Curiosity Festival Tour. Hosted by Jeff Ross, Oddball brings Cook together with Bridget Everett, Iliza Shlesinger, Jim Jefferies, Kumail Nanjiani, Matthew Broussard, Sebastian Maniscalco, Tom Segura. “The invite came out of leftfield,” says Cook, who has been cast as Robbie in Starz’ “American Gods.” “I was gearing up for my own tour. I’ve been writing new material the last couple of years. I was just about to schedule tour dates and we heard from Oddball. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of the festival, but I’ve never been able to make that happen. All of my friends have been on it.” Cook—who took a break from the road after a series of personal tragedies, including the deaths of his parents—says he will deliver well-crafted material. He worked out the kinks at previous shows to prepare for Oddball. “I have a pretty good idea of how people are going to receive the new material,” he says. “At a place like the improv on a Wednesday night in L.A., you’re getting a wide array of people in there. I don’t have to get on the road early on to feel confident about it.”

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He’s also feeling confident about some of his upcoming projects, including a TV show that’s in development. Cook says he’s in talks with networks as well as outlets like Netflix and Amazon. “A few years ago I was frustrated that a show I was going to get going wasn’t connecting,” he says. “I’m glad it didn’t go the way I hoped. “These days, as an artist, you have even more freedom. I want to offer a show that really, truly represents my thoughts and feelings completely, as opposed to adhering to networks or advertising.” Cook says he feels he’s on the cutting edge of a new breed of entertainment outlets “I like going into things with a group of people who are enthusiastic about new technology,” he says. “It’s an exciting time. I know the guys behind Oculus Rift. They’re being approached to create film for virtual reality now. “The way we’re receiving stories and our entertainment are changing rapidly. It’s an exciting time to be at the beginning of the new golden age of entertainment.” Right now he’s sticking with good old-fashioned stage shows and the camaraderie of Oddball. “I came up in ’94, ’95, ’96. There were plenty of nights when I was bumped or shuffled because of Chris Rock or my buddy Dave Chappelle—a short smorgasbord of the best of the best. That was the boot camp of it. “The Oddball festival is a celebration of those humble beginnings. We’re not competing, but we’re rooting for each other to have stellar sets.”

Funny or Die Presents Oddball Comedy and Curiosity Festival Tour

Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Avenue, Phoenix, 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 5 p.m. Sunday, October 2, $29.95-$125

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SABBATH Metal godfathers say ‘the end’ is near

Alan Sculley » The Entertainer!

he announcement that Black Sabbath would spend 2016 on its final tour immediately triggered the question that usually greets news of farewell tours: Will this really be the last roundup for the genre-defining heavy metal band? If singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler’s responses during a recent teleconference interview are any indication, there’s no wiggle room when it comes to calling this tour final. “No,” Osbourne replies succinctly to a query about whether the band might change its mind about future activity. “It’s definitely the end,” Butler chimes in, reinforcing Osbourne’s response. In a sense, the success of Black Sabbath’s 2013 comeback album, “13,” and the tour that followed it solidified the thinking between Osbourne, Butler and guitarist Tony Iommi that there was nothing left to accomplish. “‘13’ was our first No. 1 (album) ever in the United States,” says the 67-year-old Osbourne, whose tour comes to Ak-Chin Pavilion Wednesday, September 21. “And we wanted to end it on a high note.” “We just all decided that we wanted to do one last tour,” Butler, 66, elaborates. “And we’re all getting up there in age, and while we’re still at the top of our profession, both musically and aesthetically, we wanted to go out on the top and we feel that this is the right time to do it.” Considering the ups and downs that characterized much of the four-plus decades of Black Sabbath, it’s understandable the group has decided to quit while the quitting is good. With “13,” Osbourne, Iommi and Butler did what many undoubtedly thought would be mission impossible at this advanced stage of the original trio’s career—they made new music that lived up to the standard set by Black Sabbath’s original run of 1970s albums, which included such landmark releases as “Paranoid,” “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” and “Sabotage.”

With their thick, thundering riffs, bombastic beats and often dark or topical lyrical themes, the first half-dozen albums created the template for the entire heavy metal genre and featured many of the cornerstone songs that still populate the band’s live shows, such as “Paranoid,” “War Pigs,” “Iron Man” and “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.” But by the time of Black Sabbath’s seventh album, 1976’s “Technical Ecstasy,” inter-band tensions, drug use and burnout had taken a toll and the music was suffering. Osbourne even left the band after rehearsals for the next album, “Never Say Die!,” only to return to Black Sabbath several months later and complete the recording of that 1978 album. But after touring “Never Say Die!,” Osbourne quit for real, leaving Iommi, Butler and drummer Bill Ward to pick up the pieces. Osbourne went on to what became a highly successful solo career that has included 11 studio albums, seven of which went platinum or better in the states, and a high-profile reality TV series, “The Osbournes.” Black Sabbath, meanwhile, pressed on with Iommi recruiting a succession of singers (including Ronnie James Dio and Ian Gillian) and drummers (most notably Ward and Vinny Appice) and bassists (Butler did a few stints) over the next two decades and releasing a steady stream of albums of varying quality and popularity among metal fans. As the years went on, rumors of a reunion of the original Sabbath lineup surfaced periodically before Osbourne in 1997 reunited with Iommi and Butler for that summer’s Ozzfest tour. Ward then came on board for more shows in December of that year. The band also attempted to record new material following those shows and again in 2001, but the sessions did not come to fruition. Two more reunions followed, for the 2004 and 2005 Ozzfest tours, before the four original band members in November 2011 announced plans to do a new album and tour behind

that release. But Ward dropped out of the project in February 2012, leaving Osbourne, Iommi (who at the time was battling lymphoma; is doing well now) and Butler to carry on with Rage Against The Machine’s Brad Wilk filling the drummer slot in making “13.” Osbourne declined to discuss what went wrong with Ward and why he has since refused to rejoin Sabbath. “I don’t want to talk about it, actually, Next question, please,” Osbourne says of Ward. If relations with Ward appear strained, Osbourne says making “13” and having a successful tour to support the album was rewarding and helped set the stage for the group to do its final tour and leave Black Sabbath in a good place. “I mean, Black Sabbath has been through the mill over the years,” the singer says. “To come back and be friends with my buddies who I started up with all those years ago, it’s a closure for me to have a chapter of my life which I can say, ‘Well we came, we saw, we had a good time, and now it’s over.’ “I’m glad we ended up having more or less whatever has gone on between us over the years, we’ve gotten rid of all that,” he says. “And we are friends again. So it’s, I mean, it’s good that at the end of my days on this planet, I can say, ‘Well we ended OK,’ you know.” Before the final tour was announced, there had been talk of attempting a follow-up album to “13.” Those plans were abandoned, but the group will have a new release to sell at shows on the final tour. Called “The End,” the CD includes four studio tracks—“Season of the Dead,” “Cry All Night,” “Take Me Home” and “Isolated Man”—that were left off of the “13” album and live versions of four songs from “13”—“God is Dead,” “Under the Sun,” “End of the Beginning” and “Age of Reason.” The extra studio tracks were a product of changing plans for the “13” album.

“We went into the studio with an idea of 13 songs, which is why the album is called ‘13,’” Butler explains. “But then, when we were in the studio, we wrote another three songs; we just brought it up to 16 songs. And then we left off to regroup and to pick which songs would go on the album, and to give it some light and shade. So we picked the eight songs that went on the ‘13’ album. And we still have these—we did a few (additional) songs on the limited-edition versions of the album. And then we had the four left over. And so what we’ve decided to do is a gig-only CD.” No new material has been written since the “13” sessions, according to Osbourne and Butler, so “The End” CD includes the only remaining songs in the vault from the final Black Sabbath reunion. Osbourne says the band is essentially planning a greatest hits/fan favorites show on the final tour. “We decided not to do so many new songs (off of ) the last album ‘13’ because what people really wanted is the old classics,” Osbourne says. “It takes them back down memory lane for them, I suppose.” Butler says he isn’t sure what he’ll do after Black Sabbath calls it a day. Osbourne, though, has some plans. “I’m going to be doing another solo tour,” he says. “I don’t know what sort of situations are coming up. But I don’t want to do extensive touring. I can’t do it anymore, a year out on the road. So, I’m done. I’ll do gigs. I’ll do watered-down tours and things. But I’m going to still be actively involved in music to a certain degree, I hope.”

Ozzfest w/Rival Sons

Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Avenue, Phoenix, 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 21, starts at $30.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 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!

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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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Best Western Inn of Chandler The comfort and conveniences of a luxury hotel for the business traveler or a vacationer are offered by the Best Western Inn of Chandler. Free high-speed internet access and complimentary hot breakfast. All rooms include microwave refrigerator, iron, ironing board and coffee maker. Seasonal pool and year round spa. We are close to Chandler Fashion Square, golf courses, ASU and much more. We are also only minutes from Downtown Chandler and 15 minutes to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. AAA, AARP and corporate discounts apply. 950 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler, 85225, 480.814.8600, bestwesternarizona.com

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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

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

SENSATIONAL SEDONA The best keeps getting better in Red Rock country Alison Bailin Batz » The Entertainer!

t’s always a good time to visit Sedona. Over the past year, several resorts in the area have stepped up their game more than ever with property facelifts, expansions and more, making your visit now better than ever. Here are some not to be missed:

Orchards Inn Orchards Inn, located in Uptown Sedona and just steps from some of the best shopping, dining and art galleries in the area, recently completed a nearly yearlong renewal of its property. Not only did the inn, which boasts some of the most awe-inspiring views of the Red Rocks, add on a Sonoran-style Mexican restaurant in 89 Agave Cantina, but it completely re-imagined its guest rooms and suites. Each room now features new furniture and fixtures with details and colors reflective of the nearby mountains, creek beds and running water. Every detail was clearly thought out and is infused with subtle hints of the Southwest, allowing guests to experience the unique visual and cultural surroundings of Sedona, even when they are in the comfort of their room. In conjunction with the completion of the guest room update, which also includes several pet-friendly rooms, the property has also implemented a new series of programming and packages. Each experience is inspired by Sedona’s unique beauty and adventurous nature, and tailored for families, couples and groups. For more information, visit orchardsinn.com.

accommodations including Vista Suites, Creekside Cottages and Lodge rooms have been renovated with modern furniture, Italian linens, down bedding, and inspired décor featuring local artists. Many of the cottages offer cozy fireplaces, outdoor cedar showers and private balconies for taking in the scenic surroundings. Guests are also able to see the creek upon arrival to the completely re-imaged lobby and welcome cottage. There are two new dining experiences at the resort—Cress on Oak Creek and Etch Kitchen & Bar. Both were designed to infuse the incredible Creekside location into each guest’s dining experience, and both succeed on all levels. Each of the venues is headed up by executive chef Rochelle Daniel, one of the few women in the position in the Southwest. Prior to L’Auberge, Daniel gained fame working at Zinc Bistro in Phoenix and then consulting for the opening of Lush Burger Restaurant and by providing food demonstrations through The Food Network. Her menus range from high-end bar bites to multicourse, sommelier-paired tasting menus.

Cress on Oak Creek has already been named “One of the Top Ten Restaurants in the Southwest” by Conde Nast Magazine. A variety of fitness and wellness activities—some traditional and some uniquely Sedona – are offered daily and worth the trip alone, including Creekside yoga, duck feeding, forest bathing, hiking, guided runs, expert-led stargazing and even a chance to mix one’s own “signature scent in the L’Apothecary Spa. For more information, visit www.lauberge.com.

Mariposa Seeking solace in the healing red rocks of Sedona following a family tragedy two decades ago, executive chef and restaurateur Lisa Dahl shed her life in the fashion industry of San Francisco for a fresh start as a self-taught chef creating a culinary empire that would ultimately create and define the culinary scene in the small Northern Arizona resort town. Dahl opened her first restaurant, Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano in 1995. More than 20 years later, Dahl & Di Luca remains a dining tradition

MARIPOSA

for generations of locals and travelers alike and is credited with opening the door for other chefs to create their own footprint in Sedona, a town with just 10,000 residents, but 3 million annual visitors. As demand continued, Dahl expanded her own presence in Sedona opening Cucina Rustica, an ItalianMediterranean fine dining concept, in 2003; followed by her first casual restaurant serving pizzas and salads in 2013, Pisa Lisa, which she has ambitions to expand outside of Sedona. Just last year she opened her most ambitious project yet—Mariposa Latin-Inspired Grill, a dramatic new destination restaurant focused on South American-inspired cuisine that serves as a true reflection of Dahl’s style and love for fashion, design and art. Dahl uses a woodfired grill and wood-burning oven to create handmade empanadas, ceviches, grilled chorizos, fresh fish dishes, mole and housemade chimichurri sauces inspired by her travels to Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. For more information, visit mariposasedona.com. ORCHARDS INN

L’AUBERGE DE SEDONA

L’Auberge de Sedona Already one of the most luxurious and eye-poppingly beautiful resorts in the world, L’Auberge underwent a recent $7 million renewal targeted at improving the arrival and dining experiences for guests by focusing on Oak Creek, on which the resort is located. The result: each of the upscale

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LAKE PLEASANT

A DAY ON

Whether it’s Hydroflying, eating or cruising, the area offers fun for the family

Erica Odello » The Entertainer!

leasant Harbor Marina at Lake Pleasant is a one-stop shop for all things water—whether you own a boat or not. We don’t have a boat, but still yearned to spend a day at Lake Pleasant. The businesses along the dock— ranging from Pleasant Harbor Boat Rentals to the relatively new Dillon’s Bayou—made it easy to enjoy the water. My first stop of the day was Pleasant Harbor Boat Rentals, where the manager, Clint, said he would be happy to rent anything from a sail boat to a jet ski, from a pontoon boat to a sport boat. I was interested in something more exciting, though. I was there to try the company’s HydroFlight. The associated HydroBoard has two snowboard-like boots attached to it, with a giant hose connecting it to a personal water craft. The PWC operator controls the throttle that shoots water through the

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hose to the board, through the jets on either side of the bottom of the board. If you keep your balance, the water pressure is enough to push you above the lake surface. Skilled riders can fly around like a superhero, even doing flips. New riders like me just try to stay upright. Riders wear life jackets and helmets, which have waterproof, voice-activated walkie-talkies mounted to the side. The instructor, Rachel, wore the other end and gave me advice as I was learning how to control the board. Before we got started, I had to lay on my belly. Once we were a safe distance from other boats, the dock and other hard objects, Rachel told me to stand up with my legs just slightly bent. When I was ready, she throttled up the HydroBoard and I started to rise from the water. And I promptly fell on my face. “Try to relax. It’s a lot easier when you relax,” Rachel says through the walkie-talkie. “And if you can, try to dive if you fall forward. It won’t hurt as much

as a belly flop.” Sound advice and well worth listening to, if I could just keep my balance to begin with. I quickly learned that it was easier to get into a standing position from my stomach than from my back, so I rolled over and stood. I gave Rachel the thumbs-up, and she gave the board more power. This time, I kept my balance. I kept rising. And rising! Arms flailing for balance, I managed to get 3 or 4 feet in the air before I came crashing down. Rachel let off the throttle when she saw me falling and was able to slow my descent from a painful landing into something that was just slightly embarrassing. This time, Rachel’s voice in my ear said “This next time, if you dive try to come up again. I’ll keep the throttle on and you won’t have to start over, you’ll go in the air again.” So that’s what I tried to do. I rose about 4 feet into the air, hovered for a few seconds, then started to fall forward. I dove, and as soon as I

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

hit the water, I arched my back and felt myself pushed up out of the water again. It worked! And it was actually easier than starting from a dead-stop. For the remainder of my 15-minute ride, it was a series of rise, hover, lose balance, fall and repeat. It was amazing. I managed to hover for 20 seconds for my longest ride, and while it felt like I was about 20 feet in the air, according to photos it looks like 5 feet is a more reasonable estimate. Before trying the HydroFlight, I was skeptical of the price. I mean, how can anything that only lasts for 15 minutes be worth $75? After having done it, the price is definitely in-line with the experience. I was exhausted from the top of my head down to my toes, and so proud of the hovering I’d managed. After watching other people try it, I realized that I didn’t do half bad. REPLENISHING MY STRENGTH My next stop after the HydroFlight was Dillon’s Bayou, a floating Kansas Citystyle barbecue restaurant that proudly declares “No shoes, no shirt, no problem!” I’ve eaten dinner at Dillon’s Bayou a number of times. The location, which includes gaps in the floor where you can see through to the lake, is a great place to take out-of-town guests for great food and a fun atmosphere. I’d never been there early enough to try their breakfast menu. I wasn’t disappointed. Its breakfast burrito is among the best I’ve had with a good balance between sausage and egg. Both of

my kids ordered the pancakes which were light and fluffy with great flavor and a side of perfectly cooked bacon. As a treat, they were able to order snow cones with just about any flavor they could imagine. So of course they ordered all of them. Weekend evenings at Dillon’s Bayou are great parties. It offers either live music with some of the local best bands, or it’ll fire up its amply stocked jukebox. While dancing isn’t required, the dance floor and associated lighting is fun, especially when you can see the water through the floor. The staff at Dillon’s Bayou is what really makes the atmosphere. They are dressed as casually as the patrons and they greet everyone with a smile. Whatever you want, there is a member of the staff to bring it to you as quickly as possible. TIME TO RELAX My final activity for the day was a ride on The Phoenix, a 68-foot, double-decker boat operated by Lake Pleasant Cruises. Today, we were captained by Forrest Packebush. Guests have a choice between the air-conditioned main deck, which is enclosed by huge windows, or the tables on upper deck. Sitting on the upper deck allows riders to watch the captain through the door of the bridge. The lower deck boasts the snack bar, which serves soft drinks, beer, wine and snacks. Throughout the 90-minute voyage, Packebush, who lives full-time on Lake Pleasant, gives his passengers an

interesting lesson in Arizona geography and wildlife. It’s an interactive cruise. His second mate brought children onto the bridge and let them steer the ship. Unlike other sightseeing tours where kids stand near the wheel, pose for a picture, then are ushered out of the way, Packebush let all of the kids take temporary, supervised control of the vessel. Watching him tell my daughter to turn the wheel a quarter turn to the right, (to avoid a downed water skier), then to straighten out for a bit, was almost as exciting for me as it was for her. A highlight of our cruise was seeing wild burros enjoying the afternoon sun on a ridge close to the water. The captain says they come down to the same spot every day to eat the greenery and rehydrate. As we were enjoying the burros, a blue heron flew by which the captain says is part of a re-nesting program that was recently introduced to the lake.

If simply floating along listening to interesting Arizona history isn’t your thing, Lake Pleasant Cruises also offers music, sunrise/breakfast, brunch and dinner cruises, serving delicious barbecue from Dillon’s. If the happy crew is any indication, these special events are definitely something to add to your “must-do” list. Unlike the HydroFlight which is only offered in the summer, Lake Pleasant Cruises offers voyages year-round. The best part of visiting Lake Pleasant is that all three of these excellent businesses are located within a few steps of each other at Pleasant Harbor Marina. Simply park above the lake, hop a trolley to the marina, then pick which activity you’d like to do first. Whether it’s food, a shot of adrenaline on the HydroFlight, or a relaxing cruise around the Valley’s largest body of water, you will find what you need to enjoy the lake. Even if you don’t own a boat.

Pleasant Harbor Boat Rentals

40202 N. 87th Avenue, Peoria 85383, 928-501-5101 boats4rent.com/pleasant-harbor-az

Dillon’s Bayou

Pleasant Harbor Marina, 40202 N. 87th Avenue, Peoria 85383 928.501.2227, dillonsrestaurant.com/dillons-bayou

Lake Pleasant Cruises

40202 N. 87th Avenue, Peoria, 85383, 602-456-9955, ext.1 lakepleasantcruises.com WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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THE ARTIST

CULTURE » THEATER » DANCE » GALLERY » DRAMA » VISION

STANDING THE

TEST OF TIME

Cabaret’s Kit Kat Club opens at ASU Gammage Robbie Peterson and Jennifer Haaland » The Entertainer!

he Kit Kat Club arrives on the ASU Gammage stage September 13, and once again we’re all invited to come to the “Cabaret”—the opening show of the theater’s Broadway Across America 2016-17 season. Andrea Goss will play the fishnet-sporting, bowler-wearing chanteuse Sally Bowles, and there’s no question how well she knows the part. She started as a member of the ensemble and an understudy for Sally on Broadway. She eventually backed up Michelle Williams, Emma Stone and Sienna Miller. And now the role is all hers. Some have said she’s the best throwback to Liza Minnelli since the movie version (1972). Goss disagrees, and says her performance is not based on any previous rendition. “Liza Minnelli was an important Sally, there’s no doubt about that,” Goss says. “But it would be a disservice to replicate a previous interpretation. We want to tell the story the best we can now.” This production and its iteration of the story, which also features “Queer as Folk” star Randy Harrison as the jaded emcee, centers on the seedy stars of the

world’s most famous fictional dive bar, the Kit Kat Club in Berlin, as they naughtily dance beneath the Nazi radar in 1931 Berlin, on the brink of World War II. The original debuted in Boston in 1966, and celebrated a landmark 50-year anniversary earlier this year. It was, not surprisingly, a sensation then, with audiences unaccustomed to shows mixing burlesque call girls with topics such as Nazis, alcoholism and abortion. Also touring with the national production, and a true “Cabaret” aficionado, is Alison Ewing. She points to the differences in this version of the classic. “This production is a lot different than the glitzy Liza Minnelli movie,” says Ewing, who has bounced among several tawdry roles in the nightclub ensemble. “You’ll see the definitive Tony Awardwinning revival ... it’s more seedy and edgier. It feels current, too, because the show is politically raw. It emphasizes the underlying stress of the political climate,” adds Ewing. “It’s such a powerful story,” agrees Goss. “The movie diverted away from the novel, but this production is true to that 1920s/ early 1930s setting, and much more realistic.

“And, yes, many have remarked that it mirrors things happening in the world now, and in the U.S., too. People will draw their own conclusions about all that, whether seeing it in a new light or for the first time.” “Above all it is a revival, yet the same show and so much fun, both funny and witty. The biggest difference is in the music,” Goss adds. “The ensemble is the band, she says. “They sing, they dance, they act.” But there’s more. Ewing sees this “Cabaret” as a “stripped-down,” streamlined version. In addition to singing and dancing, every scantily clad Kit Kat Club member is also playing an instrument. “We are the orchestra. There is no pit,” explains Ewing, who is an accordion player among the strings, brass and woodwinds. “You don’t just hear the music, you see it. You’re a part of the nightclub action.” In this immersive production, Ewing plays Fraulein Koft, the oldest dancer at the club and the comic relief in the show. As a younger singer-dancer, she played Lulu in the 1998 National Tour and on Broadway in 2000. In between, her Iowa high school French teacher helped prep

her for the ensemble role she played in the Paris production. “Koft is a fun, meaty role. My character is a survivor,” Ewing says, laughing. And she assures the Gammage audience that the most loved parts of the Broadway sizzler are intact, including favorite numbers like “Maybe This Time” and “Life is a Cabaret.” But beneath that familiarity, she says, the excited frenzy of anticipation disguises a gnawing bit of foreboding. It’s what “Cabaret” does best, and why it’s stood the test of time. Single-ticket sales are now available for Cabaret, which kicks off the ASU Gammage 2016-17 season September 13 and runs through September 18. Single tickets are also now available for the new production of The Sound of Music, coming to ASU Gammage October 18-23. Both are available to the public at ticketmaster.com and asugammage.com. Season subscriptions for 2016-2017 are also still available. Purchase of the package guarantees a place in line for the 2017-2018 Broadway season, which will include the Tempe engagement of Hamilton. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

ARTS

TONY ABEYTA (NAVAJO), B. 1965, “CANYON,” 2004, OIL ON CANVAS. GIFT OF AMERICAN INDIAN ART MAGAZINE.

CALENDAR “IN THE HEIGHTS” SEPTEMBER 7 TO OCTOBER 2

“Pageant”

Labor Day

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 18 A musical comedy beauty pageant where six “women” compete for the title of “Miss Glamouresse.” The women are actually men, and hilarity ensues. Each performance is unique, as the audience selects the winner at each show. Arizona Broadway Theatre 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria, 623.776.8400, azbroadway.org

SEPTEMBER 5 Spend Labor Day with the little ones at the museum. Explore interactive and hand-on galleries, with more than 300 play experiences spread out over 48,000 square feet of space. Named one of the top three children’s museums in the country, the galleries are designed for the smallest toddler to the age of 10. Children’s Museum of Phoenix, 215 N. Seventh Street, Phoenix, 602.253.0501, childrensmuseumofphoenix.org

Personal Journeys: American Indian Landscapes THROUGH SEPTEMBER 28 On display at the Heard is an exhibition exploring the relationship American Indians have with land and how that has been expressed in art. Land for the artists on display reflect a personal journey in history, culture and identity. Heard Museum, 2301 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, 602.252.8840, heard.org

“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” PERSONAL JOURNEYS: AMERICAN INDIAN LANDSCAPES THROUGH SEPTEMBER 28

SEPTEMBER 2 TO SEPTEMBER 18 Based on Ian Fleming’s children’s book and made popular by the 1968 film, the story about the flying car was adapted by Fountain Hills Community Theatre for the stage. This musical adventure features a familiar and unforgettable score. Fountain Hills Community Theatre, 1445 N. Saguaro Boulevard, Fountain Hills, 480.837.9661, fhct.org

“PAGEANT” THROUGH SEPTEMBER 18

“In the Heights” SEPTEMBER 7 TO OCTOBER 2 A Broadway favorite and Tony Award winner opens Phoenix Theatre’s 2016-2017 season. Set in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, the story focuses on a young storeowner who watches the daily lives of those in his community. The soundtrack is a mix of hip-hop, jazz, salsa and more. Phoenix Theatre, 100 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, 602.254.2151, phoenixtheatre.com

“Cabaret” SEPTEMBER 13 TO SEPTEMBER 18 This Tony Award-winning production is straight from Broadway and is produced by the critically acclaimed Roundabout Theatre Company. Leave your troubles outside and come enjoy this amazing production with some of theater’s most iconic songs. ASU Gammage, 1200 S. Forest Avenue, Tempe, 480.965.3434, asugammage.com

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“Footloose”

“John”

SEPTEMBER 9 TO SEPTEMBER 25 Cut loose, footloose, kick off the Sunday shoes. Ooh-wee Marie shake it, shake it for me...one of the most famous and beloved musicals takes the stage in Mesa. The preacher in a small town has enforced a ban on dancing, that is until the new kid from Chicago moves to town. Presented by Mesa Encore Theatre at Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa, 480.644.6500, mesaencoretheatre.com

SEPTEMBER 16 THROUGH OCTOBER 1 Director Ron May and Stray Cat Theatre bring the new play from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Baker to the stage. The setting is at bed and breakfast in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. A young couple working out their problems realizes something is not quite right at the establishment. This new work has been receiving critical acclaim nationwide. Presented by Stray Cat Theatre Tempe Center for the Arts 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe 480.227.1766, straycattheatre.org

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 SEPTEMBER 16 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 18 Join the Phoenix Symphony for its season opening concert under the direction of Conductor Tito Muñoz and Behzod Abduraimov on the piano. The performances will be a masterful interpretation of Beethoven’s “Victory” symphony. Phoenix Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second Street, Phoenix, 602.495.1999, phoenixsymphony.org

Sapphire Celebration!

Opera’s Greatest Hits

with Frederica von Stade

Verdi, Puccini & Mozart Oct 15-16

ˇ antonín Dvorák

Rusalka

A Boy Named César – Lunch Time Theater SEPTEMBER 19 TO SEPTEMBER 29 Grab a sandwich and get in a quick theater performance on your lunch break! The story focuses on the childhood years of César Chávez as his family learns that they will be evicted from their Yuma farm. While out getting water, the ghost of his grandfather appears with a prophecy of his future.

NOv 11-13

GiaComo puCCini

Madama Butterfly Feb 3-5

composed by

Craig Bohmler Libretto by

Steven Mark Kohn executive producers

Billie Jo and Judd Herberger

WorlD premiere!

Riders of the Purple Sage Mar 3-5

GioaChino roSSini

Cinderella (La Cenerentola) apr 7-9

Tickets Start at $25

azo p e ra.org 602-266-7464

Presented By

All performAnces At symphony hAll

CONCERT

Sunday Oct 2

Gates open at 1 p.m. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

BALLET UNDER THE STARS SEPTEMBER 22 TO SEPTEMBER 30

Presented by New Carpa Theatre Company, Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe Street, Phoenix 602.258.9481, herbergertheater.org

Ballet Under the Stars SEPTEMBER 22 TO SEPTEMBER 30 Ballet Arizona presents a series of free, outdoor concerts are venues around the Valley. Temperatures are cooling down, and this is a perfect opportunity to sit under the stars and enjoy the magic and beauty of ballet. The events are open to the public and appropriate for the entire family. Ballet Arizona, Various Locations, 602.381.1096, balletaz.org

Brazilian Day SEPTEMBER 24 Couldn’t make it to Rio for the Summer Olympics? No worries... simply head to Scottsdale for a day of Brazilian culture. The festival will include indoor and

BRAZILIAN DAY SEPTEMBER 24

outdoor entertainment, including live performances and interactive demonstrations. Experience music, dance and more! Scottsdale Civic Center Amphitheatre, 7380 E. Second Street, Scottsdale, 480.499.TKTS, scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Firefly SEPTEMBER 24 Firefly is a trio of sisters who won the Arizona Country Showdown. While they will perform popular cover songs, they are known for their original music utilizing instruments such as cello, guitar, mandolin and piano. Chandler Center for the Arts 250 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler 480.782.2680, chandlercenter.org

Joe Nichols SEPTEMBER 24 American country music artist Joe

MEL ROMAN: COMING OUT UNDER FIRE THROUGH OCTOBER 2

Nichols has released eight studio albums since entering the scene in 1996. His latest single was released early this year. On tour, this Queen Creek concert will feature a variety of past and current hits. Queen Creek Performing Arts Center, 22149 E. Ocotillo Road, Queen Creek, 480.987.SHOW [7469], qcpac.com

“The Copper Queen” SEPTEMBER 25 Julia Lowell was a “lady of the evening” that used to frequent The Copper Queen Hotel is Bisbee. Her untimely death took place in Room 315 in 1910, and it is said he spirit has haunted the room over since. This performance contains adult themes and suggestive dialogue, audience discretion is advised. Arizona Opera, 1636 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, 602.266.7464, azopera.org

M /ChandlerCenterfortheArts 480.782.2680 ChandlerCenter.org N @ChandlerArts

ZOPPÉ

MEL ROMAN, DETAIL, “NATURE/NURTURE,” 1998. LAMINATED PIGMENT PRINT MOUNTED TO BOARD WITH WOOD FRAME AND NEON; 96 X 96 INCHES. COLLECTION OF THE SCOTTSDALE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART. GIFT OF THE ARTIST AND THE ARIZONA HUMAN RIGHTS FUND

Mel Roman: Coming Out Under Fire THROUGH OCTOBER 2 Mel Roman was an artist, civil rights activist and clinical psychologist. His life’s work focused on achieving social justice for the disenfranchised. The artwork is a representation of his social work. Scottsdale Musuem of Cotemporary Art, 7374 E. Second Street in Scottsdale, 480.874.4665, smoca.org

“The Drowsy Chaperone” THROUGH OCTOBER 8 Expect one show-stopping song and dance number after another when attending this production at the Hale Centre Theatre in Gilbert. The popular Broadway production has won five Tony Awards and is an audience favorite. The 1920s parody is billed as “A Musical Within a Comedy.” Hale Centre Theatre, 50 W. Page Avenue, Gilbert, 480.497.1181, haletheatrearizona.com

September 2016 25 Get The Led Out The American Led Zeppelin . . . . . . . . . 7pm October 2016

28-29 Julie Madly Deeply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Times Vary

November 2016

12 Letters Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3pm & 7:30pm 19 New York Gypsy All Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30pm

December 2016 10 Dmitri Matheny’s THE SNOWCAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11am 16 Christmas with Clay Aiken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30pm

27-31 Zoppé Italian Family Circus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Times Vary

January 2017 1-8 22 27 28

Zoppé Italian Family Circus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Times Vary The King: The Music of Elvis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3pm Roots & Boots: Pam Tillis, Sammy Kershaw & Collin Raye . 7:30pm Drumline Live . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8pm

February 2017 12 17 18 25 26

Rhythm of the Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . California Guitar Trio & Montreal Guitar Trio . WAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pump Boys and Dinettes. . . . . . . . . . . The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra .

. . . . .

. . 3pm 7:30pm 7:30pm 7:30pm . . 3pm

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood: Two Man Group Golden Dragon Acrobats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Art Garfunkel: In Close-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Ferrante in An Evening with Groucho . . . . . The Doo Wop Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Piano Battle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hypnotic Brass Ensemble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stormy Weather: The Story of Lena Horne . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

7:30pm . . 6pm 7:30pm . . 3pm 7:30pm . . 3pm 7:30pm 7:30pm

March 2017 3 5 11 12 18 19 24 25

April 2017

. . . . .

8 Recycled Percussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30pm 9 Classic Albums Live performs Ziggy Stardust . . . . . . . . 7pm

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Phind it

A PLETHORA OF

PERFORMANCES

The Valley’s burgeoning performing arts embark on a new season THE MONKEES

Kenneth LaFave» The Entertainer!

he performing arts in the Valley of the Sun have grown up. Where 20 years ago a single weekend might offer one possibility, or two, today’s typical weekend of live music, theater and dance is four-to-five times that in quantity with a parallel growth in quality. As a new season of performing arts launches, here is a guide to the major players throughout the Valley. The list includes producers (groups that put concerts and shows together, such as the Phoenix Symphony and Ballet Arizona) and presenters (the local arts centers that bring in outside acts). PRODUCERS Phoenix Symphony plays the classics, pops and tributes to classic rock in a 2016-17 season that celebrates Beethoven, Brahms…and Bowie. Popular young music director Tito Munoz is at his professional peak, leading concerts known for their energy and sonic luster. Most take place at Phoenix Symphony Hall in downtown Phoenix, but the Mesa Arts Center, the Scottsdale Center for the Arts and the Musical Instrument Museum are among its occasional venues. The season opens September 16-18 with Munoz conducting Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. “The Music of David Bowie” December 30 and a tribute to film composer John Williams, May 12 to May 14, take the orchestra to non-classical destinations. Website: phoenixsymphony.org. On the eve of its 50th anniversary season, Arizona Theatre Company came off a near-shutdown, escaping financial

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collapse when last-minute heroes came up with $2 million. Talk about drama! The company will be hard pressed to match that onstage, but it will give it a try October 6-23 with “King Charles III,” a speculative play about what might happen when Prince Charles succeeds Queen Elizabeth II. The classic musical “Fiddler on the Roof ” (January 6 to January 29) promises to be a highlight, as well. All performances are at the Herberger Theatre Center in downtown Phoenix. Website: arizonatheatre.org. It began as a single-venue theater, but Phoenix Theatre today boasts a two-stage enterprise, complete with classy restaurant and bar facilities. The complex at East McDowell Road and North Central Avenue is shared with the Phoenix Art Museum. Specialties of the company are musicals, and 2016-17 brings a raftload: “Into the Heights” (September 7 to October 2), “Billy Elliot” (November 16 to December 24), and Bullets Over Broadway (March 8 to April 2) among them. Website: phoenixtheatre.com. Arizona Opera opens 2016-17 with “Rusalka” (November 11-13), its first production of Dvorak’s opera. But the really unique offering is an original, “Riders of the Purple Sage” (March 3 to March 5). All performances are at Phoenix Symphony Hall. Website: azopera.org. According to The New York Times, the annual “Nutcracker” production by Ballet Arizona is among the five best outside of New York.” But don’t stop with the holiday favorite (December 9 to December 24), check out this major classical company’s production of “Romeo and Juliet,” produced to coordinate

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

with the approach of Valentine’s Day, February 9 to February 12. Performances are at Phoenix Symphony Hall, with live music by The Phoenix Symphony. Website: balletaz.org. Center Dance Ensemble annually presents “The Snow Queen” (December 3 to December 18), a modern-dance holiday alternative to ballet’s “Nutcracker,” plus other original work. The most interesting offering on this season’s lineup: “Eye of the Moon,” a work created after Lorca’s “Blood Wedding,” March 2 to March 5. Performances are at the Herberger Theatre Center in downtown Phoenix. Website: herbergertheater.org/. Hale Centre Theatre produces plays and musicals throughout the year in its luxurious facility near the heart of suddenly-hip downtown Gilbert, 50 W. Page Ave. The season commences with “The Drowsy Chaperone” (running now through October 8) and will include such offerings as the theater’s annual “Christmas Carol” (December 1-24) and Thoroughly Modern Millie (Feb. 16-April 1). Website: haletheatrearizona.com. PRESENTERS ASU Gammage is a spectacular, Frank Lloyd Wright-designed venue on Arizona State University’s Tempe campus, just south of University Blvd. and Mill Ave. It is home to first-rate touring productions of Broadway shows.

The first two this season couldn’t be more contrasted: a super-sexy revival of Cabaret (September 13 to September 18) and the ultimate family musical The Sound of Music (October 18 to October 23). If you haven’t seen it yet, The Book of Mormon comes to Gammage May 8 to May 18. (You’re going to have to wait another season for Hamilton! It is on the schedule for 2017-18). Website: asugammage.com. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is the flagship of local presenters, dating to the 1970s. The building is part of the Scottsdale Civic Plaza, at 7380 E. Second St., adjacent to Old Town Scottsdale. The artists it brings in cover a multitude of genres: Broadway, classical, pop, jazz & blues, theater and dance. Masterful jazz guitarist Pat Metheny kick-starts the season September 16, the Warsaw Philharmonic drops in November 3, and Broadway megastar Patti LuPone appears January 28. Website: scottsdaleperformingarts.org. Mesa Arts Center’s season opens with a shimmering memory of the 1960s: The Monkees. This is not a tribute band, but a band put together by the remaining living members of the pop-rock group: Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork. Their September 15 appearance kicks off a season that includes appearances by stellar modern-dance troupes of Twlya Tharp (Oct. 7) and Paul Taylor (April 20). Website: mesaartscenter.com.

CLAY AIKEN

From the outside, the Tempe Center for the Arts building, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, seems to glide across the desert with metal sails. Inside, performances of all sorts are noteworthy, from the award-winning Childsplay drama company to ASU School of Music pianists and vocalists to dance companies and jazz. The highlight of the latter is expected be the magnificent Bill Charlap Trio on April 22. Website: www.tempe.gov, type “arts” in the search engine. The Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler. The well-rounded schedule includes “Letters Home” (November 12), a drama

based on actual letters written by service personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq; Ballet Etudes’ performance of the “Nutcracker” (November 25 to December 4); and “Christmas with Clay Aiken” (December 16), a concert by the singer of “American Idol” fame. Website: chandlercenter.org. Higley Arts Center, 4132 E. Pecos Road, is Gilbert’s focal point for the performing arts. Its 2016-17 offerings center on three areas: acoustic strings, one-man shows and classic-rock tribute bands. Particularly intriguing from the first group: 9-String Theory, a duo comprising six-string guitar and three-string Russian domra, November 12. Website: higleyarts.org. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

COMING

ATTRACTIONS “Brother Nature”

“Goat” R - 96 MINUTES

Nick Jonas plays a young man who, reeling from a terrifying assault, enrolls into college with his brother and pledges the same fraternity. What happens there, in the name of “brotherhood,” tests the young man and his loyalty to his brother in brutal ways. Opens Sept. 23.

R - 100 MINUTES Taran Killam plays a politician who has big plans to propose to his dream girl (Gillian Jacobs) at her family’s lake house. But everything goes awry when he meets his potential brother-in-law (Bobby Moynihan): a full-time camp counselor with a heart of gold and a wild sense of fun, pining to be Roger’s best friend, and ultimately catapulting him into a series of unfortunate events. Opens Sept. 9.

“The Wild Life”

“Deepwater Horizon”

NR - 90 MINUTES

PG-13 - 100 MINUTES

After a violent storm, an outgoing parrot and his quirky animal friends wake up to find a strange creature on the beach: Robinson Crusoe. Slowly but surely, they all start living together in harmony, until one day, when their comfortable life is overturned by two savage cats, who wish to take control of the island. Opens Sept. 9.

An offshore drilling rig explodes and creates the worst oil spill in U.S. history. Stars include Mark Wahlberg, Dylan O’Brien, Kate Hudson and Kurt Russell. Opens Sept. 30.

“The Dressmaker” NR - 118 MINUTES

“Sully” PG-13 - 100 MINUTES

Tom Hanks portrays Chesley Sullenberger, who became a hero after gliding his plane along the water in the Hudson River, saving all of the airplane flight’s 155 crew and passengers. Opens Sept. 9.

Kate Winslet plays a glamorous woman who returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong. Liam Hemsworth also stars. Opens Sept. 23.

“Masterminds” PG-13 - 94 MINUTES

“The Magnificent Seven” PG-13 - 132 MINUTES

Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves. Stars include Denzel; Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and Vincent D’Onofrio. Opens Sept. 23.

Zach Galifianakis plays an armored vehicle driver whose work crush Kristen Wiig lures him into the scheme of a lifetime, organizing one of the biggest bank heists in American history. Owen Wilson, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Jason Sudeikis also star. Opens Sept. 30.

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 SEPTEMBER 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:

“Suicide Squad”

“Suicide Squad” starts off insane and slowly devolves into just weird and a little dull. Much like its recent DC superhero universe cousins, the new actioner is littered with flaws spurring from its muddled plot and eventual apocalyptic self-seriousness. However, it’s fun first half makes the experience worthwhile, thanks especially to Margot Robbie’s unhinged portrayal of Harley Quinn. A far better film would have been a “Bonnie and Clyde”type tale featuring Robbie’s character’s love affair with Jared Leto’s Joker. However, as is, the movie remains an entertaining escapade of eccentricity that will amuse but not amaze. RANDY’S MOVIE OF THE MONTH:

“Indignation”

The film, based on the novel of the same name by Philip Roth, features award winning performances. The story focuses on a diligent young man who falls in love while studying at a strict and quite conservative college in the 1950’s. Where the production lacks in skillful direction and pacing, it makes in a talented cast. A rushed ending cannot overshadow what Logan Lerman and Sarah Gadon bring to the screen. Hopefully, they are not forgotten come nomination season. Also of note, is a supporting performance by Tracy Letts as the meddling Dean. Scenes between Lerman and Letts are some of the best seen on screen this year. M.V.’S MOVIE OF THE MONTH:

Joseph

“Absolutely Fabulous”

This historical thriller, which dramatizes the plot to assassinate Nazi bigwig Reinhard Heydrich in Prague in May 1942, keeps us tense with murmured conversations in back rooms and furtive romance between bursts of violence. We badly want Czech partisans Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan to succeed in killing “The Butcher of Prague” even though we know that if they do, the reprisals will be horrible, and director Sean Ellis, who co-scripted with Anthony Frewin, uses this ambiguity to give Anthropoid a brooding mix of tragedy and exhilaration. Squeamish viewers should be forewarned, there are Jacobean, hard-to-watch scenes of torture.

ABOUT THE FILM WRITERS

Randy

M.V.

“Anthropoid”

“Bad Moms”

“Cafe Society”

“Don’t Think Twice”

“Florence Foster Jenkins” “Ghostbusters”

A C

“Gleason”

“Ice Age: Collision Course”

“Indignation”

“The Infiltrator”

“Jason Bourne”

“Lights Out” “Mechanic: Resurrection”

“Anthropoid”

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

C B

“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”

“Nerve”

“The Secret Life of Pets”

“Star Trek Beyond” “Suicide Squad”

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

DIAMONDS ROUGH IN THE

Scottsdale film fest finds the jewels to show fans

Kenneth LaFave » The Entertainer!

WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

my Ettinger, director of the Scottsdale International Film Festival, watches movies for a living. But before you turn green, con-

sider this: “I and the other eight programmers watched more than 400 films to find the entries that would become a part of the Scottsdale Film Festival,” Ettinger says. Still green? Wait for it. “Sometimes during the process, a note would circulate among the programmers saying, ‘How did they get funding for this dog? I could’ve made a better film.’” In other words, there are a lot of very bad films out there, and to get to the jewels among them, Ettinger and her crew dig through a lot of rock and dirt. This year’s “boutique festival,” as Ettinger characterizes it, runs from October 6 to October 10. Opening night is at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, where Ettinger also oversees the film series, with the remaining screenings slated for Harkins Shea 14 Theatre. As of press time, the final list of

films and the prices of tickets (some of which include multiple screenings) were not available. For this information, go to ScottsdaleFilmFestival.com. The opening night film is typical of the festival’s sensibility and level of quality. “Denial,” which stars Rachel Weisz, is a narrative drama based on the real-life confrontation between a Holocaust denier and the woman charged with proving him wrong. The woman portrayed by Weisz, Deborah E. Lipstadt, will make an appearance via Skype following the screening October 6. “Denial” is one of the 50-plus films in this year’s festival. Ettinger prides herself on the national variety of the films selected for Scottsdale, as well as their quality. This year’s features hail from 20 different countries, including such expected contributors as Australia, India and Germany, but also such surprises as Ghana, which has never before been represented locally. Of course, the USA is represented as well. “We include some more mainstream films that we hope will get newbies in the door and interested international cinema.” One of them this year is “Max Rose,” starring Jerry Lewis—yes, that Jerry Lewis.

“He made it in 2013 and it got something like eight screenings, then went dark,” she says. “The director has re-edited it and released it as a 2016 film. It’s Lewis’ first starring role in more than 20 years. I didn’t hold out much hope at first—Lewis has had health problems and he’s the bellwether for a lot of interesting headlines—but it’s a very strong film and he’s very strong in it. I’m hoping ‘Max Rose’ will draw a large audience.” In the past, the festival has hosted appearances by young, then-unknown talents who went on to fame, including Alicia Vikander, who this year won an Oscar for “The Danish Girl,” and young Anton Yelchin, who played Chekhov in the recent “Star Trek” films and who died in a freak accident in June. Ettinger’s bottom line is that the Scottsdale festival is all about quality over quantity. Five days is a brief stint compared to festivals that go on for weeks, but she would rather focus on finding the best of the best. “We get enough submissions that we could easily be a two-week event if we played some of the stuff that other festivals play and charge people at the door. But I don’t think I could do that with a clear conscience.”

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

THE DINER

EAT » EXPERIENCE » INDULGE » SAVOR » DEVOUR » NOSH

Happy Hour Guide 52 Rockin’ Taco Street Fest 54 Euro Café 58

THE BEST FOOD EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER Caity Hemmerle » The Entertainer!

Arizona Restaurant Week

Phoenix Cooks SEPTEMBER 3 Phoenix Cooks is the biggest annual food event in the Valley. Now in its 12th year, this heavenly foodie event brings together the area’s best chefs. Eat, drink and indulge at Phoenix Cooks. Westin Kierland, 6902 E. Greenway Parkway, 602.374.6000, phoenixcooks.com, 10 a.m., $60-$100.

SEPTEMBER 16 TO SEPTEMBER 25 Foodies can enjoy it all here—from sizzling Southwestern dishes and comfort food to five-star dining and international fare. Area restaurants will serve meals for $33 or $44. Check the website for a complete list of participating eateries. Various locations, arizonarestaurantweek.com, $33 or $44.

Sweet Corn Festival

Rockin’ Taco Street Fest

SEPTEMBER 3 Snowflake’s Sweet Corn Festival features children’s and adult rodeos, a parade, arts and crafts, barbecue, dance, a hay ride and tours of historical homes—all in the name of the delicious veggie. Taylor Rodeo Complex, Route 77 and Paper Mill Road, Snowflake, 928.536.7366, snowflaketaylorchamber.org, 9 a.m., free.

SEPTEMBER 17 A food, music and cultural celebration, Rockin’ Taco Street Fest show off creative tacos made with fish, shrimp, chicken, carnitas, carne asada, veggie and more from a dozen local restaurants. Wash it all down with fresh fruit fresca, Mexican cerveza, tequila and/or margaritas. Plus, save room for churros, Mexican candies and palettas.

Dr. AJ Chandler Park, 125 E. Commonwealth Avenue, Chandler, 480.855.3539, downtownchandler.org, noon, $8-$10.

Sriracha Festival SEPTEMBER 24 Sriracha takes center stage at this festival that gives Valley chefs the opportunity to serve up dishes with the trendy sauce. Every ticket includes unlimited tastings from each food vendor. Sriracha Festival is open to those 21 and older. Heritage Square, 113 N. Sixth Street, Phoenix, 602.261.8063, srirachafestival.net, 6 p.m., $35.

Garlic Festival in the Grove SEPTEMBER 24 AND SEPTEMBER 25 The 2-year-old Garlic Festival in the Grove celebrates a passion for great food, wine and garlic. Activities in-

clude a garlic recipe competition, garlic vendors, wine tastings, bocce ball and music. Queen Creek Olive Mill, 25062 S. Meridian Road, Queen Creek, 480.888.9290, queencreekolivemill.com, 10 a.m., free.

A Taste of Greece SEPTEMBER 30, OCTOBER 1 AND OCTOBER 2 Experience the spirit and flavors of Greece at the outdoor party that features traditional Greek food, products, music and costumed folk dancing. A kids’ fun zone provides fun for the little ones. St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, 2716 N. Dobson Road, Chandler, 480.899.3330, st-katherine.org, 5 p.m. Friday, September 30, 11 a.m. Saturday, October 1, and Sunday, October 2, $3.

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HAPPY HOUR GUIDE Brat Haus

Gallagher’s Sports Grill

Pig & Pickle

Buck & Rider

Hard Rock Café

Rehab Burger Therapy

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

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

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

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

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

Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers

Hungry Monk

Craft 64

Lucky Strike Bowling

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

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!

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

Creole Cajun Bistro

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

Luxe Lounge

5070 S. Gilbert Road, Suite 400, Chandler Monday through Friday 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. $1 off all wines by the glass, $2 off all signature drinks and $1 off all appetizers

SunUp Brewing Co.

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.

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

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

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

Tandoori Times

Tandoori Times Indian Bistro

8140 N. Hayden Road, Suite H-115, Scottsdale 5626 W. Bell Road, A-103, Glendale Tuesday through Sunday, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. $1 off wine and liquor, $2 off all beer and happy hour appetizers from $3.99

Duke’s Sports Bar & Grill

Old Town Tavern

Tutti Santi

El Chorro

Park Place Bar & Grill

Uncle Bear’s Grill & Tap

EVO

Peter’s

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

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

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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

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.

8320 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wine and Champagne are $5 and appetizers are $6

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

ROCKIN’ TACO

STREET FEST

Food, Lucha Libre wrestling, salsa competition and piñata party top festival Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

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he Rockin’ Taco Street Fest will feed every more folks this month as the 5-yearold party moves to Dr. AJ Chandler Park in downtown Chandler from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, September 17. “The new location will allow us to expand and grow this fantastic festival into a cultural experience for the entire East Valley to enjoy,” says Landon Evans, event coordinator. “We’ve added more of everything including taco vendors, bands, activities and fun.” A food, music and cultural celebration, Rockin’ Taco Street Fest taco vendors include (so far): Bene Plates, BLK Live, Casa Rey’s, El Palacio Restaurant & Cantina of Chandler, Frites St, Garcia’s, Honey Bear’s, International Truck of Tacos, Jamburrito’s, Modern Margarita, Rock a Belly, SanTan Brewing Company and Traveling Monk. To accompany all of those tacos, patrons will enjoy local craft beer, fresh fruit fresca, Mexican cerveza, tequila tastings, margaritas and more. Plus, save room for elote, churros, Mexican candies and kettle corn,

The entertainment lineup includes: • Ballet Folklorico Dancers » noon to 12:30 p.m. • Good Rust » 12:30-1:45 p.m. • The Deep Down » 2-3 p.m. • Lucha Libre Wresting » 3-8 p.m. • Black Moods » 3:15-4:30 p.m. • New Frequency » 4:45-5:45 p.m. • Tommy Price & the Stilettos » 6-7:15 p.m. • Santana Tribute Band » 7:30-9 p.m. Other event highlights include: a taco-eating competition, a salsa competition, Chihuahua races, niños play zone and a piñata party. Doors open at noon, general admission to the Rockin’ Taco Street Fest is $8 online during presale and $10 day of. Children 12 years old and under will be admitted for free with a paid adult. A limited number of VIP admission tickets are available online only, while supplies last. VIP Admission is $65 and includes six alcoholic beverages, unlimited soft drinks and water, catered food from El Palacio Restaurant & Cantina of Chandler, private restrooms, front stage access/ view, private seating. VIP is a 21 and over entry only.

Tickets are available online now at RockinTacoAZ.com. Be sure to visit the fest social pages @RockinTacoAZ for more vendor announcements. The sponsors are El Palacio Restaurant & Cantina of Chandler, SanTan Brewing Company, Downtown Chandler, Alta Steelyard, Corona light, Modelo Especial, Pacifico, Yelp, Bravo Tipping, Boost Mobile, Yellow Cab, BLK Live, Arizona Canine Center, Earnhart Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, Hubert’s Lemonade, Modern Margarita, Tequila Cabrito and Clasico de Centinela. A percentage of the proceeds from the Rockin’ Taco Street Fest will benefit the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership (DCCP), a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to mobilize leadership and resources to advance the development of downtown Chandler as a regional destination for shopping, dining, living, culture, and the arts. It works on behalf of the Enhanced Municipal Services District, created in 2006, to provide enhanced marketing and promotion, safety and beautification of the downtown area beyond what is done by the City of Chandler. For more information, visit downtownchandler.org.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

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Loyal Euro Café customers have loved the place for a quarter century Marjorie Rice » The Entertainer!

tep into Romeo’s Euro Café in Gilbert’s Heritage District and the first thing you see is a wall filled with Mexican folk art—colorful crosses, Milagros, statuary and dishes. Then you pass by a case crowded with mouthwatering cakes and pastries. Farther down the room is a wall packed with wine bottles. The cozy, welcoming café is a reflection of the tastes and personalities of owners Romeo and Janice Taus—nothing cookie-cutter or corporate about it, and they like it that way. So do the customers who have been coming here, and to their previous place in Mesa, for upward of 25 years. The artwork and restaurant design are Janice’s passion. “We had a very limited budget but I think it has a nice feel,” she says. “I kind of like doing something with nothing sometimes.” And the pastries, well, they’ve been part of Romeo’s life since his mom started baking rum cakes with buttercream, chocolate ganache and raspberry preserves for his birthday. “My mom has been baking that cake for my birthday for 60 years,” he says. “Anyone who’s been here a few years has had one on their birthday as well.” Now and then, one finds its way into the pastry case, beside such temptations as the Intoxicated Love and Satin Bondage cakes. Janice suggests you stop at the case before you order dinner. “Sometimes it’s not a bad idea to pick your dessert first because some of them taste a little better if they’re not too cold,” she says. Chains are fine for what they offer, and hot, chic new spots are fun, but it’s the dining spots you know, where they know you and make you feel welcomed, that help define a community and enrich its experience, especially in a downtown area like Gilbert’s Heritage District. And that’s what the Euro Café brings to the area. Along with some great food and wine. Why Gilbert? “We wanted someplace close to our

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former place, where we’d still be in the middle of our customer base,” Janice says. “I’ve always like the feel of the downtown. A long time ago, when I worked with a drug company, I used to call on the pharmacy across the street, so I was familiar with the area. It’s a fast-growing community, and it still has its character. There’s something about the way things were designed here, having the parking lot at the back versus right on the street that has a different feel. People like it—I like it. “I think what they’ve done down here is wonderful. You can tell, with others being drawn here, that they think so as well.” The Tauses didn’t start out as restaurateurs. Romeo is an immigrant from Romania who has been in this country since the early 1970s. His family settled in Detroit, and his early working years were spent in the automotive industry, then the discount drugstore business, where he met Janice. Janice had family in Arizona, and despite forays into Las Vegas and the South Shore of Long Island, the state kept luring the couple back. Romeo got into serious cooking when he worked in an office next to a pizzeria and became friends with the owner. “On Sundays, he used to give cooking classes,” Romeo says. “I used to go there, watch the Pistons play basketball and be the towel boy for his cooking classes. For me they were like magic classes. “All my free time, I went in. I felt compelled, that this was something I really needed to get involved in. I spent a little over a year in his kitchen as a stagier (unpaid student worker).” In June 1991, the Tauses opened their own café in Mesa. They shared the duties, with Romeo in the kitchen and Janice in the front of the house and handling much of the business side. “I had worked in a kitchen before, but it kind of morphed into Romeo being the cook,” Janice says. “I’d be in the kitchen working from a cookbook and recipes, and he’d come in and just throw things together.” “It was a very humble beginning,”

Romeo says. “We expanded a couple of times, and when we left we had a 125-seat restaurant, a couple of patios, a bakery, a bar, a wine bar, a music venue and art gallery.” Over the years, the neighborhood changed, and 12 years ago, the Tauses decided to open a new restaurant, this one in downtown Gilbert. “We thought this neighborhood had a great future,” Romeo says. “The people from the town and the Heritage District, and Joe Johnson from Joe’s Real BBQ, Farm Grill and Liberty Market were the driving force. We just buckled down for the ride. “We thought, if we build it, they’ll come,” he adds. “That’s exactly what happened.” In the culinary field, people are always attracted to what’s new. The challenge is to keep people from coming back after they’ve “discovered” a place. Romeo and Janice seem to have discovered the secret. “I try to project a place that I would like to go to,” Romeo says. “It’s a very welcoming place, where you can feel comfortable about coming in and enjoying yourself. I like to think that this is what we do well. “Our food is very personal, and we’re not for everybody,” he adds. “For somebody who is in their early 20s, this is not a happening, cutting-edge place to be seen.” He’s right. Instead, it’s a place made for regulars, folks who come in often for familiar favorites. And there are plenty to choose from the expansive menu that runs the gamut from traditional Mediterranean appetizers featuring eggplant, artichokes, peppers and feta, through salads and antipasti, on to pitas and subs, three pages of main dishes and then those pastries. Leave room for dessert. One of the items on the menu is Sun Flower Beef, a combination of steak strips, green onions, red peppers, Portobello mushrooms, sunflower seeds and capers in teriyaki sauce over linguini. It may seem like an unlikely choice on a Euro Café menu, until you consider Romeo’s Romanian roots. The country, bordering the Balkan Peninsula, was crisscrossed by traders

used linking Asia and the Middle East with Europe and Northern Africa, so the cuisine reflects an intercontinental range of traditions. The menu keeps growing, in part because they like to add new things, while customers—and Janice—hate to see old favorites go away. “It’s an enormous menu,” Romeo says. “We probably have 50 or 60 items, but this is what we do. Everything is a la minute. We make our own gyros, bread and dressings—everything.” The menu additions include items from special events Romeo and Janice have been serving since their Mesa days. Every third Tuesday, they host a food and wine pairing with three wines and three courses for $33. “It’s as much for the crew as it is for the guests,” Romeo says. “We create new, seasonal, regional dishes and we pair them with wines so they can do something fun.” About six years ago, they added Thursday night wine and food pairings. Romeo and Janice join guests for the meal. “People work hard and we would like them to stop and take a few hours out of their busy week and relax and have a conversation,” Romeo says. “We do one appetizer, one salad, two entrees and dessert, with wine. My wife serves, and she and I sit down and we’re open books for people who want to ask about the food, the wine, the restaurant. This way I can solicit reactions.” “I really like that we’re sitting with the guests,” Janice says. “I like having community tables, and they’re different every week, depending on who comes.” The Thursday dinners are five courses for $27, and five wines, one paired with each course, for another $10. Reservations fill up fast. Check the website for schedules and menus.

Euro Café

Heritage Court, 207 N. Gilbert Rd., Gilbert, 480-962-4224, eurocafe.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

Join Us For Our New Daily Specials

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UnderTow

f nautical nonsense be something you wish…Phoenix’s first underground tiki bar is a must-see. The seafaring speakeasy, which resides under Sip Coffee & Beer Garage in Phoenix, debuted its tropical cocktails and immersive maritime atmosphere last month. Patrons who attended the August 14 grand opening of the 500-square-foot subterranean space waited for hours to get a glimpse. Many eager cocktail-craving customers didn’t even make it in. The bar, which was the former garage’s oil change bay, is designed to be dimly lit, intimate and rarely crowded. The only “above-deck” beacon denoting how to find the covert cocktail bar is a wooden ship hanging from the ceiling above the basement’s staircase. Beneath the surface, intricate, hand-carved pillars, portholes featuring picturesque ocean scenes, wooden casks and dim lanterns provide a scene right out of “Pirates of the Caribbean.” The custom-made wooden bar is decidedly the nucleus. Behind it, several mixologists are hard at work shaking, stirring and garnishing premium cocktails with spices, fruit, flowers, miniature paper umbrellas and large blocked ice cubes. The menu is a treasure trove of tiki-inspired cocktails like Dutchmen’s Demise, Lost Loot, Scallywag’s Scandal and the infamous Scorpion Bowl, a boozefilled vessel designed to be shared by two to four people. The next leg of UnderTow’s voyage is the introduction of food. The bar is enlisting Cullen Campbell, the culinary mastermind behind Phoenix favorites Crudo and Okra. The menu, projected to

debut in October, will feature Polynesianinspired fare, pupu platters and dim sum, a traditional Asian style of eating that includes sweet and savory snacks like pork buns, dumplings, pot stickers, pudding and pastries. Between the plethora of premium cocktails and prospective food menu, it’s clear UnderTow will take Phoenix’s burgeoning culinary scene by (tropical) storm.

UnderTow

3620 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 602.753.6504

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

THE CRAFTMASTER

SIP » BREW » RELAX » EXPERIMENT » REFRESH » TOAST

Beer Over Here

Drink up at any of these Valley beer events this month Old Town Scottsdale Labor Day Brews Cruise

SEPTEMBER 4 Grab your beach cruisers, tricycles or 10 speeds and don your best swim attire and let the fun begin. The ride starts at Grimaldi’s in Old Town, and travels to Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers, Social Tap and Boondocks Patio & Grill. Sip on SanTan Brewing Company beer at each stop. Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, 4000 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480.917.8700, http://bit. ly/2aAzSF3, 1 p.m. $25-$30.

Urban Ale Trail

SEPTEMBER 10 Hosted by Downtown Phoenix Inc., this walkable beer tasting tour runs along the light rail corridor from downtown to uptown Phoenix. Participants can

sample amazing craft beers and local cuisine throughout the central city. Multiple locations, Phoenix, 602.495.1500, dtphx.org, 1 p.m., free. $1 or $2 tastings.

Cardinals Viewing Party

SEPTEMBER 11 Catch the first Cardinals game of the season at North Mountain Brewing. Wear your Cardinals gear and get 10% of your bill. North Mountain Brewing, 522 E. Dunlap Avenue, Phoenix, 602.861.5999, northmountainbrewing.com, 5:30 p.m., free admission.

I Love the ’90s Bar Crawl

SEPTEMBER 17 Pull out the Zubaz pants, Gameboys and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

gear and get jiggy with the best music of the ’90s. The I Love the ’90s Bar Crawl is coming to ASU on Saturday, September 17. The $20 tickets include an I Love the ’90s Bar Crawl Mug for drink specials at participating bars. ASU, various locations, facebook. com/events/512850028885408, 3 p.m. $20.

Born and Brewed: Tucson’s Beer Cup

SEPTEMBER 17 Make your way to The Hotel Congress for craft beer perfectly complemented by a special menu and live music. Ten Tucson breweries compete for the title of best flagship beer, best specialty beer and people’s choice prizes. This year’s judging panel includes Kevin Bosley of Fort Collins, Colorado’s Odell Brewing Company, plus surprise judges.

GRAB

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Arizona Summer Ends Margarita Mojito Festival

SEPTEMBER 24 Get unlimited tastings of craft and Mexican beer, along with craft margaritas and mojitos—and even get an embossed souvenir glass—for $40 in advance, $45 at the gate. For free, patrons can enjoy music, a carnival, water games, water cannons with occasional filling stations, food trucks and food vendors. The event benefits the Calling All Angels Foundation. Rawhide Western Town and Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, 480.502.5600, margaritamojitofestival.com, noon, free admission, $40-$45.

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Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, Tucson, 520.622.8848, hotelcongress.com, 6 p.m. $15-$50.

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BEERTENDERS Bartenders who really know their beer ALISA KNOPH, NORTH MOUNTAIN BREWING Alison Bailin Batz » The Entertainer! even cultural backgrounds, but we are all about accepting every flavor of person that comes our way. What is North Mountain Brewing the perfect place for craft beer? Let me count the ways! First, I am here. Second, the food complements our beer so well that we launched a beer/food pairing program that knocks every guest’s socks off. (My recommendation is to try the poutine with some of our malty pairings if a first-timer). Third, we make 100% of all the beer we serve. Our co-founder Rob Berkner is our master brewer. He is an Arizona native and loves to share his passion for the Arizona desert culture and the art of craft-beer brewing with all of us. Fourth, we have a mascot. Candy’s mom, who hails from the Philippines, is our unofficial mascot; talking to guests all day and making everyone feel at home. In addition to Rob, Candy and Lola, the family’s daughters all work with us, too. We are the ultimate family business. And finally, we are huggers. There is nothing like a great craft beer and hug after a hard day at work.

lisa Knoph is the “beer hostess with the mostest” at North Mountain Brewing, a locally owned, family-operated brewery and gastropub in Phoenix. Knoph and North Mountain brewing founders Rob and Candy Berkner are inspired by the public houses of Colonial America and Britannia as well as the spirit of the iconic beer halls of Europe. With a modern interpretation, this decidedly American establishment gives beer drinkers a new place to call home. What do you think makes craft beer special? The flavors—both the flavor in craft beer and the endless style of craft beer WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

available—transport your mouth on a little adventure. Right now, for example, I am really into IPAs. Why? The earthiness and floral notes of hops make me feel like I am running through a forest whenever I take a sip. How did you get interested in craft beer? It’s actually a funny story. I skated myself into the industry, quite literally. I am a roller derby girl, playing both jammer and blocker on the Surly Gurlies. We are a state-level team and winners of the 2013 and 2014 Arizona State Roller Derby Conference. Well, I was skating down Dunlap back in 2013 and rolled right past North Mountain Brewing. Somehow, I had missed the super-cool spot every

time I drove by. Intrigued, I happened in by myself and made fast friends with the female beertender working that day. I ended up getting her into roller derby, and she got me into craft beer. It wasn’t too long before I connected with the entire team there, and eventually signed on myself as a beertender. I had previously worked in the service industry, but not in 15 years. They took a chance on me that paid off for all of us. What is your favorite part about the beer culture in the Valley? Above I talk about the diverse flavors in craft beer. The beer culture in the Valley is just as flavorful—rich in diversity and all about inclusion. We are wildly different in age, life experiences, family situations and

What is your favorite part of the local beer culture? You nailed it in the question—local. The majority of those of us who are involved in the local beer culture all work for and brew for locally owned and operated breweries, as are many of the bars and restaurants that carry our beer. We are local, and all support local. What is your favorite beer at the moment? Right now, there are two. I love our N’erotic Belgian Ale, which has an alcohol content of 10.2%. It is golden in color, smooth and malty with a nice Belgian bite from the yeast. I also adore our Belay IPA, which has an alcohol content of 8%. This IPA is directed firmly at the hophead in all of us.

North Mountain Brewing 522 E. Dunlap Avenue, Phoenix, 602.861.5999, northmountainbrewing.com

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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!

Union Barrel House

3636 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale Look for a changing selection of taps along with great food.

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!

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THE

STORY

he Sapporo brand was founded in Sapporo, Japan, in 1876, when a German-trained brewer named Seibei Nakagawa combined his advanced brewing knowledge with his passion for Japanese craftsmanship to create a one-of-a-kind beer. From the beginning, Sapporo was a favorite among beer lovers – a crisp, clean taste they appreciated and an advanced brewing process they respected. Lauded for this famously crisp and refreshing taste, Sapporo lagers have been enjoyed by stylish and contemporary, yet selective beer-loving consumers for almost half a century in the United States. Sapporo Premium was first brought to America in 1964, and in 1984, SAPPORO U.S.A., INC. was founded to maintain the high quality and distribution of the brand throughout the country. Soon thereafter, Sapporo established its status as the No. 1 Asian beer brand sold in the United States. Sapporo Premium is the eldest member of the Sapporo brand family that also includes Sapporo Reserve and Sapporo Premium Light. On September 1, 2016, a new product, Sapporo Premium Black, will be launched. Sapporo beers are made from only the finest natural ingredients and epitomized by a luxurious use of fine aroma hops. The combination of select barley and hops with an extreme attention to quality give Sapporo beers their crisp taste, refreshing flavor, and mild, refined bitterness. Their uniquely shaped silver can represents the distinctive style and flavor one can enjoy from Sapporo beer. Before reaching consumers, Sapporo goes through multiple processes to ensure the quality is at its best. Sapporo scientifically tests gas volume and oxygen levels, and perform a thorough “five senses” test, including smell, taste, color, foaming, and brightness. From quality ingredients to their unique packaging to thorough testing, Sapporo knows how premium beer is made. All Sapporo products sold in the United States are brewed in the La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Guelph, Canada.

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SAPPORO S

KNOWS

SUSHI! Here’s your primer on all things sushi in the Valley

o, if you don’t know Sukiyaki from Teppanyaki or Sushi from Sashimi, fear not. It’s time to find the great food and learn the “raw” truth right now. This month, The Entertainer! takes you on a tour of some of our city’s most celebrated sushi destinations as well as a few pearls you may not have heard of. The Sushi trend is exploding in Phoenix with hundreds of options to choose not available years ago. What we present to you here are some fantastic Japanese cuisine options to explore, most with full menus of cooked and raw foods so anyone can find what they like. As the No. 1 Asian beer brand sold in America, Sapporo Beer, in its many varieties, is served at most all sushi restaurants, as well as countless places all over town that just know good beer. As a stand-alone brew with a crisp, clean taste, it can’t be beat for complimenting Asian food, but most of our featured restaurants also serve it with sake or “Bomber-Style” creating some of the best happy hours around. No matter where you get your sushi, or your Sapporo, they do pair-up nicely together quite well, so do give it a try. Kanpai! (Cheers!)

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

Hiro Sushi

9393 N. 90th Street Scottsdale 85258 480.314.4215 hirosushiaz.com Serving traditional sushi for lunch and dinner, this cozy spot is tucked away just east of the 101 on Via Linda in Scottsdale. Rave reviews and a stunning presentation highlight Hiro Sushi, which is not pricey, despite the Scottsdale address. Open Monday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for dinner; Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner. No lunch on Saturday (5 p.m. to 10 p.m.) or Sunday (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Sake and wine served. Sapporo Beer and others also served.

MOTO Sushi 6845 N. 16th Street Phoenix 85016 602.263.5444 mrmotorising.com

MOTO means original, and this popular pan-Asian restaurant with Japanese, Chinese Vietnamese and Thai selections opened in 2005 under the watchful eye of Vince Heppler, the first Anglo sushi chef in Arizona. Drinkables include a wonderfully eclectic beer list plus traditional Asian crowd-pleasing brews like Sapporo. MOTO is proud to be the only Asian/ sushi restaurant in Phoenix to serve craft beer on tap. A full bar and of course sake selection awaits you and happy hour is Monday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Saturday and Sunday when drink specials and food specials abound. The menu is huge here so plan on visiting several times to really form an opinion. There is a lot here that has nothing to do with sushi, so it’s a great place to take everyone—sushi lover or not. Selections include wings, bowls, fish tacos, sushi, spring rolls, noodles, soups, salads, appetizers, nigiri, sashimi, rolls and craft beer pouring from the taps!

Roka Akor

7299 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale 85253 480.306.8800 rokaakor.com Sushi is only the beginning at this landmark Scottsdale steakhouse and sushi haven. The décor is definitely swank and upscale but prices are in line with sophisticated Scottsdale dining. Serving a full and wonderful variety of sushi, sashimi, tempura, steaks, seafood and a plethora of sauces, Roka Akor has won numerous accolades. If drinking is your game, go directly to the bar and enjoy the all-day, everyday happy hour with huge discounts up to 50% off Sapporo Beer and others, 40% off select liquor and 30% off all wines by the glass. You’re not going to go wrong here.

Sushi Ko

9301 E. Shea Boulevard Scottsdale 85260 480.860.2960 sushikoscottsdale.com Serving up tasty sushi since 1995, Sushi Ko offers traditional Japanese lunch and dinner 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. A full menu of appetizers awaits as well as soups and salads. Tempura, teriyaki, noodle and Katsu dishes as well as a list of house specialty seafood dishes are recommended. Got kiddies? Bring them here for a child’s menu and a wide variety of simple deserts. Sapporo Beer, among others and sake are also served, and take-out is available. Prices are very reasonable and you will find Sushi Ko tucked away in a shopping center next to Chompie’s.

RA Sushi Valleywide rasushi.com

Locals know RA means party! There’s a reason they have six locations in Arizona. The food is excellent and the drink variety is crazy good. Sushi includes maki, sashimi, nigiri, hand rolls, specialty rolls and samplers. Non-sushi mongers will enjoy Katsu, teriyaki, chicken yakisoba, black pepper steak and other dishes along with a variety of desserts. Happy hour is 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and again 10 p.m. to close. Sundays you can get happy 3 p.m. to close if you can last that long with all the great drinks, 12 oz. Sapporo and Sapporo Light Bombers for $8.50 and many other varieties of things that go “bomb.”

Kabuki Japanese Restaurant

6770 N. Sunrise Boulevard Glendale 85305 623.772.9832 2000 E. Rio Salado Pkwy Tempe Marketplace Tempe 85281 480.350.9160 kabukirestaurants.com Kabuki showcases traditional and innovative Japanese cuisine, creative cocktails and contemporary interior designs. When the Kabuki menu is in your hand, prepare for some tough decisions. Saying that Kabuki’s dining selections are extensive is an understatement. Items include an array of small plates, vegetable and seafood salads, sushi, sashimi, rolls, specialty rolls, teriyaki, sukiyaki, tempura, combinations, wagyu beef, noodles, rice dishes and more. Kabuki’s happy hour (Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) menu features a lineup of small plates, salads, sushi and rolls, plus cocktails, sake, wine and our favorite beer, Sapporo! Try an ice-cold Sapporo beer by the mug ($4.25 reg $2.95 HH), pitcher ($19.95 reg $13.95 HH) tower ($26.95 reg $18.95 HH) or “KI Bomb” ($7.95 reg $5.75 HH). With an award-winning kid’s menu (Restaurant Hospitality Magazine), gluten-free and vegetarian offerings, there really is something for everyone.

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Sakana Sushi

Four Valley Locations sakanasushi.com Since 1994, Sakana has been serving outstanding sushi and Japanese cuisine in the Valley. Sakana has a simple lunch or dinner menu that is easy to navigate and they fly in their fresh fish regularly from all over the world. Sushi varieties come in nigiri and maki styles and a complete menu of cooked items (entrees, noodles, teriyaki, tempura, salads, soups) is available as well, many with gluten-free options. Hours vary slightly between locations so visit the website to find your favorite Sakana. The restaurants offer a full bar with beer and wine selections.

Sapporo

14344 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale 85254 480.607.1114 sapporoscottsdale.com Sapporo of Scottsdale has long been a popular destination restaurant, not just for excellent food, but a great bar experience. One of the few restaurants where you can enjoy full Teppanyaki meals, extensive sushi offerings and expert bartenders mixing up exotic libations all in the same place, Sapporo is in a word, popular. Pricing is surprisingly not over the top for Scottsdale and happy hour (seven days, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.) pricing downright reasonable. A variety of wines, sakes and beers domestic and Asian such as Sapporo, as well as premium call drinks are priced to keep you engaged and having a great time. Between the sushi, Teppan and wide selection of dinner items, there is something for everyone at Sapporo, which is why everyone goes there.

Sushiholic

Ginban Sushi

Squid Ink

One of the first things you notice about Sushiholic’s menu (once you get over the sheer size of it), is its amazing selection of rolls. The purveyor’s sense of humor is next. With names (and pictures!) like Shrimp Killer, Booty Booty, Kiss My Tuna, Godzilla Roll, Tootsie Roll, Second Climax and Viva Las Vegas Roll, you can’t help but be curious about all of them. Specialty cocktails like the Naughty Ninja and Sinful Geisha continue the fun. Salads, tempura, teriyaki, appetizers and even a kid’s menu leaves no member of the family left out. Sapporo beer lovers will find exceptional pricing such as $3.75 (12 oz) and $5.95 (20 oz) among a great selection of beers and sake. Happy hour virtually never ends with 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. for standard happy hour and reverse happy hour from 8 p.m. to close. Open 11 a.m. to midnight daily. Closed Sundays.

If Ahwatukee is your hang, check out Ginban Sushi. Lunches are light with Bento boxes, teriyaki dishes, sushi and sashimi. Ginban’s happy hour is Tuesday and Saturday 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and reverses from 8:30 p.m. to close. On Sundays, you can’t miss it as it lasts all day from noon until 10 p.m. Enjoy top-name beers like Sapporo for only $3 and up, Sake Bombs for $6 (12 oz) and $8 (22 oz), sushi rolls from $3 and up, two-piece Nigiri for $2.50 and up, apps from $2 and salads starting at $3 complete the lineup. The restaurant really shines at dinner and offers a wide variety of sushi and cooked appetizers, nigiri, sashimi, soups, rolls, teriyaki, tempura and katsu dishes and 25 specialty rolls.

2 E. Jefferson Street. Phoenix 85004 602.258.0510 Squidinksushi.com

Shimogamo

4218 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale 85251 480.758.4994 crabandmermaid.com

3957 E. Camelback Road Phoenix 85018 602.956.2354 sushiholicaz.com

3941 E. Chandler Boulevard Phoenix 85048 480.706.1338 ginbansushiaz.com

2051 W. Warner Road Chandler 85224 480.899.7191 shimogamoaz.com In Shimogamo, we find a great Chandlerarea sushi restaurant that specializes in small plates but also can score big points with its hearty entrees like ribeye Shimogamo steak, salmon, black snapper, Teriyaki spare ribs, ribeye beef and more. Happy hour is easy to remember; every day from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A large Sapporo beer is only $4 and sake bombers only $6.50 and a number of the more popular sushi and rolls are discounted as well. Shimogamo has a really nice variety of sake and shochu as well. The restaurant has a clean, modern look and is open 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays for dinner, and 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily for lunch.

9947 W. Happy Valley Road Phoenix 85383 623.561.7747

Late-night sushi-cravers rejoice. Here’s a place to get sushi as late as 2 a.m. (Phoenix) and midnight (Peoria). Squid Ink is a fusion concept with items ranging from pot stickers, ramen and chicken wings to duck confit and coconut curry shrimp. The sushi menu serves up just about every crowd-pleasing sushi, rolls, and sashimi one could want including a number of house specialty rolls. Happy hour daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Crab & Mermaid Fish Shop

What’s the next best thing to sushi? A great casual seafood restaurant that also offers amazing drink specials and a raw bar. Crab & Mermaid opened to rave reviews recently in March and offers a full menu that focuses on fresh seafood from coast to coast, such as regional clam chowder, lobster rolls, crab cakes, po’ boys, shrimp boils, fresh fish caught on the West Coast, Baja-style tacos and a raw bar. The raw bar features a varietal selection of oysters, littleneck clams, shrimp ceviche, jumbo lump crab cocktail, snow crab claws, tuna poke, jumbo shrimp cocktail and chef ’s seafood platter. One great aspect of it menu is that it allows you to choose the fish you want, customize it with 10 different sauces and spices, and then have it cooked any of five different ways. A child’s menu is available as well. Crab and Mermaid serves lunch (11 a.m.) and dinner (10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 11 p.m. Friday to Saturday) and happy hour is Monday and Friday 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and offers a variety of $4 beers, $4 premium wells, $5 house wines and light eats.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

Scottsdale’s casual seafood dining experience

Pure Sushi

5538 N. Seventh Street Phoenix 85014 602.730.3566 puresushicolony.com Fans of Pure Sushi in Scottsdale will be pleased to know that a new location opened at The Colony, located on Seventh Street just north of Missouri Avenue in Phoenix in the heart of 7th Street’s hippest new food district. Pure Sushi Colony offers a wide variety of fresh, top-quality fish, expertly prepared right before your eyes. Dozens of unique specialty rolls offer complex flavors and simply delicious alternatives to the usual suspects. Not into sushi? Great! They have amazing, juicy beef and chicken dishes as well as vegetarian and gluten-free options. Experience seasonal specialties designed with local ingredients in mind.

Umami can be found in their sushi as well as in their original cocktails. Try the signature Asian Pear Martini, crafted with organic pear juice or the refreshing cool cucumber. In addition, Pure Colony offers unique and approachable wines and sake for the perfect pairing. Whether you’re sitting at the sushi bar, a cozy booth or even in the spacious bar, you’ll be comfortably surrounded by its immaculately designed space. Exposed steel beams hearken back to the areas original ’50s-style architecture. Bathed in deep tones and blue lights, relaxing is a breeze. Stop in for a generous Bento Box at lunch or bring the gang in after work for happy hour and grab a Sapporo beer or any of its fine brews, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily. And if you need to impress a date, this is a great place to do it. Be the first to check out Pure Sushi Colony, where you can get your “roll on” every day.

Advice from a Mermaid: Drink like a Fish! Experience seafood from coast to coast. Monday - 1lb. Lobster Specials Every Monday 1 for $20 | 2 for $30 Tuesday - All Day Happy Hour featuring $2 Oysters on the Half Shell! Thursday - Peel and Eat Shrimp 1lb. for $15 | 2lb. for $25 | 5lb. for $60 Fish Fry Lunch Special $15 Offered M–F | 11am – 5pm 4218 N. SCOTTSDALE ROAD CRABANDMERMAID.COM

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BIKES & BEER

Tour de Fat brings costumes, brews and sustainability to Tempe Kara Curtin » The Entertainer!

our de Fat is returning to Tempe Town Lake October 1, melding creativity, sustainability and philanthropy. “It feels like Christmas morning,” says New Belgium’s Arizona Sales Manager Billy Apel, who has helped make the Tempe leg of the traveling Tour de Fat festival a success for five years. “So many people come out in costume to bike together and drink beer together. There’s no one else that has an event like we do and we give all the money we raise to nonprofit organizations.” The proceeds from the food, drinks, merchandise and tickets will returned to Arizona residents through the Tempe

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Bicycle Action Group, a nonprofit organization pushing to make cycling a salient form of transportation around the Valley. Staffed completely by volunteers and supported mainly by New Belgium Brewing Company, the Tour de Fat has spanned nine cities across the Unites States for the last 15 years encouraging attendees to join in their eclectic competitions and be a part of its movement toward a more sustainable Earth. “We do a really cool event called the Slow-Ride competition,” says Apel. “It’s a 10- to 15-yard race, but the last one to finish wins. Seven or eight people try to ride as slow as they can while balancing and finishing last. A lot of people look forward to that and even practice for it.” New Belgium, a brewery with a 99% diversion rate and that produces less than 1% of waste, stocks Tempe Town Lake with largely “green” vendors, compost and recycle stations, and stations and trucks running on biofuel from recycled waste oils. As if this effort wasn’t refreshing enough, New Belgium finds one volunteer each year to make a crucial sacrifice to lessen the environmental imprint. “Every year someone trades in their car for a bike,” says Apel. “We sit down with whomever volunteers and make a custom commuter bike for them. We’ve made some pretty cool bikes. We usually find someone who trades in a second car

they have that they might have on the side of their driveway and don’t drive often. It’s a lot of fun to watch the ceremony at Tour, and it makes a bigger environmental difference than you think.” Complementing the charitable achievement of Tour de Fat is the hilarity of the day’s entertainment. With the Slow-Ride competition, a dance competition, a game show to win a bike, a fashion showdown and a large list of musical acts, this day of cycling feels like Christmas morning but resembles an early Halloween party. “It’s always encouraged to ‘let your freak flag fly’ at Tour de Fat,” says Apel. “It’s all about celebrating beer, bikes and a great time. There’s about 15 employees from our brewery called ‘carnies’ and they dress up all kind of crazy. “We start planning what we’re going to wear to Tour de Fat months in advance. It’s never just waking up and deciding to wear this wig and this tutu. A lot of people work on both their costumes and their bikes way in advance. I’ll have random people come up to me at the park and tell me all the things they’ve fixed up on their bike just to ride it at Tour de Fat. The craziness all stemmed from that.” While pumping air into your tires or searching for the perfectly kooky ensemble, be sure to listen to the psychedelic music of Dr. Dog, the festival’s headlining

act who previously sold out the Marquee. Growing from years past, the 2016 Tour de Fat will feature seven bands and a second stage showing off local Arizona musicians. Tour de Fat is for the avid cycler or the newbie. “With our core values and beliefs, we want to be a force for good with not only world class beers but also as a responsible, sustainable company,” says Apel. “The Tour de Fat can get crazy but we raised $109,000 for our sweet nonprofits last year. I’m confident that success will continue this year.”

Tour de Fat

Tempe Town Lake, http://bit. ly/2bnce5w, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, October 1, $10

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SAPPORO

Brewery: Sapporo Brewery Style: Sapporo Original Beer: the oldest brand of beer in Japan Name: Sapporo Premium Beer

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!

“For decades, Sapporo has been known for its vibrant nightlife atmosphere and fresh, high-quality food. Our award-winning menu includes a variety of premium sushi and Teppanyaki dishes as well as classic and contemporary Asian specialties, such as grilled black cod glazed in miso, delicately fried tempura, and even a spicy version of Hawaiian poke. Our clientele—and their evolving tastes—always come first. Case in point—the popularity of our pad Thai tacos, which gives our guests a choice of several proteins, all paired with our Asian flavors to perfection.” —Mark McLaughlin, executive chef at Sapporo Scottsdale

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First brewed in Sapporo, Japan, in 1876 by the German-trained brewer Seibei Nakagawa. The brewery’s flagship brand, Sapporo Premium Beer is an ideal choice for any beer lover seeking a fine lager with a refreshing flavor and moderately light body. It’s a wonderful beer to drink with any Asian food, but especially an Asian barbecue flavor. Its finish is very clean.

DISH

Pad Thai tacos Why: Available a la cart for just $5 each, guests have the option to choose from our mouth-watering sea bass, barbecue hoisin pork, cooked-to-perfection chicken or even garlic shrimp piled into a gluten-free and fast-fried rice paper and coupled with a pad Thai slaw we make from scratch with cilantro, basil, mint, carrots and both red and yellow cabbage, as well as fresh avocado. The topper—a housemade Sriracha aioli. The combination is a perfect complement to—of course— Sapporo beer, which is a smooth (and surprisingly light) lager from Japan whose crisp notes are only heightened by the spice of the tacos. It’s a perfect balance on the nose and even better on the palate.

Sapporo Scottsdale

14344 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480.607.1114, sapporoscottsdale.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

TRAPPIST ALES Dave Clark » The Entertainer!

ith the religious landscape changing in 1098, a group of French monks formed Citeaux Abbey in the hopes of aligning with the rule of St. Benedict. As the Latin term for Citeaux was “Cistercium,” these monks became known as “Cistercians.” A sub-sect called La Trappe evolved from this group and they were referred to as “Trappists.” The monks’ purpose was to be self-sufficient and to benefit their local community. Brewing, among other things, satisfied this purpose. As the new order grew, some of the monks re-settled throughout Europe, including establishing monasteries in Belgium and the Netherlands. Coincidentally, these countries provided ideal conditions for beer brewing, and the abbeys took full advantage of that. They honed their craft until the beers they produced became known as some of the very best. Their craftsmanship, along with the native yeasts of their regions provided complex flavors that are unmatched anywhere else in the world. Though there are hundreds of abbeys that have breweries there are only a handful of Trappist breweries. To be designated an authentic Trappist Brewery, three criteria must be in place. The monks must be from the aforementioned Cistercian order. The monastery must control the brewery. The brewery’s purpose must cover the sustenance of its monks and to provide for the community in which it resides. Six of the seven “classic” Trappist Breweries reside in Belgium with Koningshoeven, the sole exception, in The Netherlands. The six Belgian breweries are: Rochefort, Achel, Westmalle, Chimay, Orval and Westvleteren. Trappist breweries typically focus on just a few exceptionally crafted Belgian styles.

The history behind these world-class ales

(Editor’s Note: recently a few new breweries have opened with proper accreditation to be considered Trappist breweries, including one in the United States, though this article will focus only on the seven who have been making some of the world’s greatest beers for centuries.) Trappist breweries produce a relatively small amount of beer and the majority of this is bottled and exported. Often a Trappist beer will be named simply with the brewery name and a corresponding number. The number loosely represents the relative strength of the beer. So a beer with a 6 will indicate a lighter beer whereas a beer with a 10 or 12 will indicate a stronger, higher alcohol beer. For example, the Trappist brewery Rochefort produces and exports three beers: Rochefort 6, 8 and 10, with 10 being the strongest. Each of these Trappist breweries is renowned for producing one or two world class examples of various Belgian beer styles. Chimay Grand Cru and Westvleteren 12 are Belgian dark strong

ales that provide an extremely complex aroma and flavor profile of dark fruit, candy sugar, toffee and caramel along with other spices and yeast characteristics. Westmalle produces what many consider to be the pinnacle of both the Belgian dubbel and trippel styles. The dubbel has characteristics similar to the dark strong with the dark fruit and candy sugar notes, but in a much less intense package. The trippel is a highly effervescent blonde beer, with spicy yeast flavors that pack a sneaky 9% alcohol punch. Six of the seven original Trappist breweries distribute regularly to the Unites States with Westvleteren being the exception. Though the term “Trappist” is a designation and doesn’t indicate a specific style of beer, it has long represented the epitome of brewing craftsmanship, believed by many beer connoisseurs to best the best in the world. Dave Clark is a Certified Cicerone and all around beer geek who lives in Gilbert.

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THE I KING HAS SPOKEN

James Swann » The Entertainer!

Local beer flourishes throughout the Valley

sell quite a bit of local beer at my place, Craft 64, but did you know that quite a few other places around the Valley also support it in a big way? In Chandler, it is The Hungry Monk. For years, I have shown up at The Hungry Monk for a pint of a great local beer, and I can always find a Four Peaks Hop Knot or a SanTan Devils Ale there. As a side note, owner Jim Lolli recently remodeled and the place looks great. He also opened a Prescott location. Next, The Brass Tap in Mesa has multitudes of beer and always features several locals of every style. Most importantly, owners Jason Rowe and Jessie Rowe III can answer any questions about every beer on tap. By the way, there are rumors that location No. 2 is coming. Stay tuned. Let’s head out to Flagstaff and chat about The State Bar, which offers a wide selection of local beer. Expect to find at least two or three beers from Historic Brewing like Pie Hole Porter or Opposable IPA, in addition to beers from Wanderlust and Mother Road. This hidden gem is worth seeking out. You won’t be disappointed. Until next time, cheers! Known locally as “King James,” James Swann is a top authority on craft beer. He is one of the managing partners of Craft 64 in Scottsdale.

The Hungry Monk

1760 W. Chandler Boulevard, Chandler, 480.963.8000, https://www.facebook.com/ thehungrymonk/home

The Brass Tap

Mesa Riverview, 1033 N. Dobson Road, Suite 104, Mesa, 480.610.2337, brasstapbeerbar.com

The State Bar

10 Historic Route 66, Flagstaff, 928.266.1282, thestatebararizona.com

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to MargaritaMojitoFestival.com WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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BOYZ II MEN - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 SARA EVANS - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

I-10 and Wild Horse Pass Blvd. Owned and operated by the Gila River Indian Community

Tickets at WinGilaRiver.com or call 1-800-WIN-GILA

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

THE HIGHROLLER

PLAY » SPIN » LAUGH » GROOVE » UNWIND » WIN

Walkens Trio

CASINO ENTERTAINMENT

CALENDAR

Megan Marples » The Entertainer!

SEPTEMBER 6

SEPTEMBER 1

Andrea & Gemini

Stanley Serano Trio

ASU Trivia Night

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

SEPTEMBER 2 Frank Caliendo

Conference Center at Casino del Sol, casinodelsol.com

Tedeschi Trucks Band

The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com

Boyz II Men

Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

Pyromania - Def Leppard Tribute Act The Showroom at Casino Arizona, casinoarizona.com

Shining Star

Lone Butte Casino, wingilariver.com

Quantum

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

SEPTEMBER 3 Rhythm Edition

Lone Butte Casino, wingilariver.com

Asleep at the Wheel Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

Live DJ

Lone Butte Casino, wingilariver.com Casino Arizona, casinoarizona.com

John Eric Duo

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

SEPTEMBER 7 Thaddeus Rose

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

Walkens Trio

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

SEPTEMBER 9 Soundwave

Lone Butte Casino, wingilariver.com

The Walkens

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

SEPTEMBER 10 Los Muecas

Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

Smooth Groove

Lone Butte Casino, wingilariver.com

Static

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

SEPTEMBER 11

SEPTEMBER 4

The Zombies and Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals

Kush Country

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

SEPTEMBER 5 December ’63 - Four Seasons Tribute Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

The Showroom at Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com

SEPTEMBER 13 John Eric Duo

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

SEPTEMBER 14 Thaddeus Rose

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

SEPTEMBER 15 David Lee Garza y Los Musicales Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

SEPTEMBER 22-24 Thunder from Down Under

The Showroom at Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com

SEPTEMBER 23 Soul Persuasion

Lone Butte Casino, wingilariver.com

Live DJ

Young Country

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

SEPTEMBER 16

SEPTEMBER 24

Mariachi Rodriguez

Sara Evans

Outside the Line

Checker’d Past

Shining Star

Lone Butte Casino, wingilariver.com

SEPTEMBER 23-24

SEPTEMBER 16-17

Don’t Look Back - The Boston Experience

Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

DSB - Journey Tribute Band The Showroom at Casino Arizona, casinoarizona.com

Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com The Lounge at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

Casino Arizona, casinoarizona.com

New Frequency Band

Lone Butte Casino, wingilariver.com

SEPTEMBER 17

SEPTEMBER 25

Gregg Allman

Hank Williams Jr.

The Showroom at Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com

Canelo Alvarez vs. Liam Smith Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

Rhythm of the Sun Band

Lone Butte Casino, wingilariver.com

Marco Antonio Solis

AVA Amphitheater at Casino del Sol, casinodelsol.com

Chad Freeman & Redline

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

SEPTEMBER 20 Freddie Duran Duo

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

AVA Amphitheater at Casino del Sol, casinodelsol.com

SEPTEMBER 27 Freddie Duran Duo

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

SEPTEMBER 28 Silhouette

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

Stanley Serano Trio

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

SEPTEMBER 30 Alice in Chains

SEPTEMBER 21

The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com

Silhouette

Mötley Crüe’d

Stanley Serano Trio

Checker’d Past: ’80s Tribute

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

The Showroom at Casino Arizona, casinoarizona.com Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino, wingilariver.com

Piano Man - Billy Joel/Elton John Tribute Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, harrahsakchin.com

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THE BEST CASINO EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER Caity Hemmerle » The Entertainer! hammed it up on football and baseball preshows, as well as on stage. At his shows, Caliendo says fans can expect a lot of energy culled from observations, characters and anecdotal stories. Casino del Sol Conference Center, 5655 W. Valencia Road, Tucson, 1.855.765.7829, casinodelsol.com, 8 p.m., $35-$110.

DSB - Journey Tribute Band

SEPTEMBER 16 TO SEPTEMBER 17 Revered by fans as the “next best thing” to Journey, DSB brings its tribute act to the Casino Arizona Showroom for two nights. DSB remains true to Journey’s musical legacy and delivers a nostalgic concert experience. Casino Arizona, 524 N. 92nd Street, Scottsdale, 480.850.7777, casinoarizona.com, 7:30 p.m., $15.

Frank Caliendo

Thunder from Down Under

SEPTEMBER 22 TO SEPTEMBER 24 With its dynamic dance routines and barely there costumes, Thunder from Down Under has been making women swoon for more than two decades. The Las Vegas act makes for the ultimate ladies’ night. Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480. 850.7777, talkingstickresort.com, 5 p.m., $25.

Don’t Look Back - The Boston Experience

SEPTEMBER 23 Catch Don’t Look Back – The Boston Experience transports fans back to the ’70s so they can rock out to the classic rock band’s anthemic tunes like “Most Than a Feeling,” “Long Time” and “Amanda.” Casino Arizona, 524 N. 92nd Street, Scottsdale, 480.850.7777, casinoarizona.com, 7:30 p.m. $15.

SEPTEMBER 2 Well known for his impersonations of Morgan Freeman, Al Pacino and Robin Williams, Frank Caliendo has

Hank Williams Jr.

SEPTEMBER 25 Hank Williams never had much in the way of a career choice. The choice wasn’t whether he’d sing, but what, how and why. Don’t miss the performer who has been selling out massive venues longer than his father spent on Earth. Casino del Sol AVA Amphitheater, 5655 W. Valencia Road, Tucson, 1.855.765.7829, casinodelsol.com, 8 p.m. $35-$650.

Alice in Chains

SEPTEMBER 30 Don’t miss modern rock icons Alice in Chains at The Pool at Talking Stick Resort. Fans can reserve a cabana furnished with casual seating, misting system, streaming video of the show and a personal refrigerator stocked with assorted nonalcoholic beverages for a great view of the show. Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480. 850.7777, talkingstickresort.com, 8 p.m. $25-$90.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

STILL HUNGRY The Zombies release new material to keep their career fresh Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

he Zombies’ Colin Blunstone wants fans to know that he and his bandmates aren’t chasing the past. Instead, they’re hungry for the future. He’s sharing that message through the name of The Zombies’ latest album, “Still Got That Hunger.” “It’s a line in a song,” the 71-year-old Blunstone says about the title. “It just seemed to sum us up. When we go on stage, we have more energy than we did in the ’60s. It’s such a pleasure to play with world-class musicians who are totally committed to that night’s performance.” Blunstone is dedicated to his band’s U.S. tour at the moment. The Zombies and Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals will perform at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale on Sunday, September 11. The tour features vocalist Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent, alongside bassist Jim Rodford (formerly of Argent and The Kinks), Rodford’s son, Steve, on drums, and session guitarist Tom Toomey. The Zombies will return next year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the album “Odessey and Oracle.” “Rolling Stone named it one of the top 100 albums of all time,” he says.

“We’ll be playing a series of shows that’ll feature contemporary songs half of the show and ‘Odessey and Oracle’ for the second half.” The Zombies’ revival is something that thrills Blunstone. “I thought our touring days were over,” Blunstone says. “We got together for six specific concerts in 1999. We enjoyed it so much that we just kept playing. “We didn’t call ourselves The Zombies for years. But there was a worldwide interest in hearing The Zombies’ catalog. We sat down with the original members about using the name The Zombies. It seemed appropriate. It was never our intention to reform The Zombies. This has been a wonderful surprise.” Blunstone explains he is looking forward to returning to America. “We love touring the states, full stop,” he says. “Any British musician feels that way. America is the home of rock ‘n’ roll. That’s where the blues, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll originated. All of the greats come from America.” Some Americans admire England similarly. The Beatles, after all came from England.

“I never think of it because that’s where I live,” he says. “But America, that’s where Elvis, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and so many rock bands from my era in the 1960s came from. “You also have a wonderful and very, very demonstrative audience.” The United States has inspired him as well. He described his music as “based on American music, only put through an English filter. “The roots are firmly in American blues tradition. We’re going back to the states and playing an American repertoire. At first, we were a little apprehensive about how people would respond. Not only were American artists welcoming and supportive. The audiences were absolutely wonderful. We needn’t have worried.”

The Zombies and Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals

Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480.850.7734, 8 p.m. Sunday, September 11, $25-$80. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T MISS THE FINAL TWO GAMES OF THE REGULAR SEASON FIRST RESPONDERS DAY SUN | Sept 11 | 3 PM

FAN APPRECIATION Night THU | Sept 15 | 7 PM First 2,500 fans will receive an Ann Meyers Drysdale Bobblehead courtesy of

Tickets starting at $9 phoenixmercury.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

THE GLADIATOR

CHEER » HIT » HIKE » LEAD » ROOT » COMPETE

SEPTEMBER’S BEST SPORTS EVENTS Madison Rutherford » The Entertainer!

Meet Me Downtown Phoenix 5k

Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm

BYU Cougar Cactus Classic

SEPTEMBER 5 Sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield and the City of Phoenix, this free, weekly jaunt combines fitness and fun. Participants may walk or run on a 3.3-mile loop that traverses the streets of downtown and Margaret T. Hance Park. There is an additional 2.9-km stretch for those who want to go the extra mile. The meet-up starts at Copper Blues and ends with a closing ceremony. Copper Blues, 50 W. Jefferson Street, Suite 200, Phoenix, meetmedowntownphx.com, 5:15 p.m., free.

SEPTEMBER 15 The Storm has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in 11 of its 16 years in Seattle and it’s still hungry. Come see if the Mercury can best the team when it takes on the Storm on this Thursday night. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 1.800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 7 p.m., $9-$225.25.

SEPTEMBER 2 As cool temperatures approach, the competition heats up at Papago Golf Course. Join former Cardinals QB and Brigham Young alumnus Max Hall and other players, alumni and fans for a scramble golf tournament that involves giveaways, lunch, personalized football jerseys and more. Papago Golf Course, 5595 E. Moreland Street, Phoenix, http:// bit.ly/2bEBN01, 8:30 a.m., $175.

Iron Boy 35 Professional Boxing SEPTEMBER 3 Iron Boy Boxing hits the historic, 2,650-seat Celebrity Theatre for a night of action from up-and-coming prizefighters. Iron Boy is determined to bring fresh, local talent to the national and international arena, so watch as young boxers battle for their place in the spotlight. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix, http://bit. ly/2bEAXk7, 6 p.m., $14.50-$29.

NAU at ASU Football SEPTEMBER 3 The north and south match wits as ASU kicks off its football season against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks for the first time in four years. Sun Devil Stadium will have different access points than last season, a small step in a multimillion-dollar renovation that will eventually include new concourse levels, bathrooms, concession areas and a Student Athletic Facility. Prepare for a sea of maroon and gold and high energy levels as fans kick off the football season with gusto. Sun Devil Stadium, 500 E. Veterans Way, Tempe, http://bit.ly/2bBlte8, 7:45 p.m., $35-$290.

Loops PHX SEPTEMBER 5 Every Monday night, State Bicycle Co. and PHX Bike host a ride for Phoenix’s cycling enthusiasts. Bicyclists of all skill levels are welcome to the event that familiarizes riders with their equipment and their community. The ride typically goes for 10 to 20 miles with three stops along the way. This event is BYOB—bring your own bike! Helmets and front and rear lights are also strongly encouraged. Civic Space Park, 424 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, bikearizona.com, 8 p.m., free.

Cardinals vs. New England Patriots SEPTEMBER 11 The Red Sea returns full force as the Cards take on New England in their first game of the regular season. The Cardinals have the upper hand as Tom Brady won’t be snapping for the Pats.

University of Phoenix Stadium, 1 Cardinals Drive, Glendale, 1.800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 5:30 p.m., $140-$1,556.

Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers SEPTEMBER 17 This game is sure to hit a fever pitch as spectators stand by to witness the latest installment of the DodgersDiamondbacks rivalry. We’d love to see the D-backs win, but, even more so, we want to be among the first 20,000 guests to grab a David Peralta bobblehead. Peralta may be out for the season, but we can still celebrate all things freight train. Chase Field, 401 E., Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 1.800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 5:10 p.m., $19-$185.

Hispanic Heritage Day with the D-backs SEPTEMBER 10 Los Gigantes play the D-backs again for Hispanic Heritage Day. Enjoy a street festival before the game from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. that includes food trucks, a beer garden and live music. The first 20,000 fans will receive a special “Los D-backs” soccer jersey, courtesy of Pepsi. The team will be sporting its Los D-backs uniforms. Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 1.800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 5:10 p.m., $19-$185.

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PICTURE PERFECT

D-backs starter Archie Bradley documents life in baseball with Polaroids Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

laying Major League Baseball is a privilege and a right that needs to be earned with years of practice and experiences. D-backs starting pitcher Archie Bradley realizes this and knows the career of a ballplayer is limited. He didn’t want to document his time with his cellphone camera and have the photos disappear into a cloud. So, while shopping at the Scottsdale Quarter, he picked up a Polaroid camera. Now a wall at the Scottsdale home he shares with third baseman Jake Lamb and infielder Phil Gosselin is covered with memories of “get togethers,” chance meetings with legends and family reunions. “I started out when I was shopping one day and the store had a Polaroid camera there,” says the 24-year-old WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Bradley with his soft Oklahoma drawl. “I took a couple Polaroids of my buddies and I around the house. One thing turned into another and I have a wall covered with photos.” He takes the photos and notates on them the date and circumstances of the shots. What started as a fun time around the house, turned into a hobby that he takes on the road with him. “You can only take so many pictures on your iPhone and it goes into the cloud,” he says. “A Polaroid is unique and special. I have about 150 to 200 photos with a date or note. I can look back and remember the exact moment with my friends and what’s going on. “I have photos of different ballparks and people I look up to. I have photos of Vin Scully and Bob Uecker. They’re special memories and I’m documenting

my time in the big leagues.” That includes goofing around with Lamb and Gosselin. During a campaign to get Lamb on the National League All-Star Team, the three participated in a Diamondbacks-created video that mocked the Jake from State Farm commercials. “We always have good times at the house,” he says. “We can look back at it quite a few years down the road and have a few memories.” Bradley, who purchases film from Amazon Prime, recently bought a mini Polaroid so he can fill in those little crevices on the wall that the full-size pictures don’t cover. His most prized possession among his collection? “The morning after my little brother got married, my family and I took photos,” he says. “The photos tell their

own stories. I have photos of when my best friends come to visit, ‘get togethers’— not parties—we have on off days. “They’re special and unique in their own right.” It’s all about having fun during a trying season. “Unfortunately, the season isn’t going the way we planned,” he says. “We’re working really hard to try to win baseball games. We’re playing to our best ability. “On top of that, we want to have fun and make the most of the opportunities that we’re given. I know it’s special and rare to play in baseball—especially side by side with Jake being one of my best friends. It’s an awesome time and we’re just trying to make the most of it and have the most fun we can while trying to be the best baseball players we can be.”

Arizona’s

e c i o h C 1 # un! For F u

Over Rides AND Attractions

Desert Storm Double-Loop Coaster • Four 18-Hole Mini-Golf Coourses • Zip Line • Go Karts Giant Arcade • Sea Dragon • Sky Diver • Dark Ride Bumper Boats • Splashdown • Ramrods Carousel • Flying Bugs • Patriot Coaster • Magic Carpet • On The Ropes ... And More!

602-997-7575 9445 N. Metro Parkway East CastlesNCoasters.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

THE YOUNGSTER

FROLIC » DISCOVER » IMAGINE » FAMILY » FUN » CONNECT

THE FUNNEL CAKE BLOG: WHAT’S NEW IN SoCAL

HALLOWEEN STARTS IN SEPTEMBER IN SoCAL

Randy Montgomery » The Entertainer!

alloween is just around the corner and the season begins earlier each year as Southern California attractions prepare for what has become one of their busiest seasons.

Halloween Horror Nights

SEPTEMBER 16 TO OCTOBER 31 (exact dates TBD) Universal Studios utilizes its Hollywood roots to deliver one of the most detailed and intense Halloween attractions

anywhere in the world. This year’s Horror Nights will feature a parkwide scare zone replicating the recent release of “The Purge: Election Year.” Horror franchise characters will be brought to life in a variety of walk-through mazes featuring Freddy vs. Jason, Michael Meyers and Leatherface. If that wasn’t enough, other attractions will be based on “The Walking Dead,” “The Exorcist” and the horror-themed Christmas movie, “Krampus.”

Universal Studios Hollywood 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California 800.864.8377 universalstudioshollywood.com

Fright Fest

Dark Harbor

Fright Fest has quickly become a favorite among theme park enthusiasts. Once considered the “underdog,” this event has grown significantly. The park will bring DC Comic’s “The Suicide Squad” to life in a terrifying scare zone. Walk-through attractions include “Red’s Revenge” and “Vault 666.” A newly relocated maze called “Aftermath 2,” will be the biggest in the park’s history. The best part, Fright Fest is included in general admission. Only an upcharge wristband is required to enter the mazes once the sun goes down.

With mazes based on real ghost stories from the massive ship’s long history, guests traverse through rarely seen sections of the boat. A fun, carnival atmosphere is enhanced by dozens of monsters looking to scare the daylights out of you as you wander the grounds. Visit “Circus: Big Top Terror,” or meet Scary Mary aboard the ship. Visit “The Sideshow” for an entertaining evening of freaks and geeks. New this year, The Iron Master comes to life in an all-new maze and will terrify guests.

SEPTEMBER 17 TO OCTOBER 30

Six Flags Magic Mountain 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia, California 661.255.4100 sixflags.com/magicmountain

SEPTEMBER 29 TO OCTOBER 31

Queen Mary 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, California 877.342.0738 queenmary.com

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

THE BEST FAMILY EVENTS IN

SEPTEMBER

Caity Hemmerle » The Entertainer!

Astronomy Nights

SEPTEMBER 2 Learn about the solar system in Mesa Community College’s state-of-theart planetarium during Astronomy Nights. MCC also offers telescope viewing of the moon, planets and other celestial bodies. Mesa Community College Planetarium, 1833 W. Southern Avenue, Mesa, 480.461.7027, mesacc.edu, 6 p.m., free.

City Lights Movie Nights

Grandparents Day

SEPTEMBER 11 Grandparents are admitted free to the Children’s Museum on September 11, which is Grandparents Day. Bring the family and enjoy a day of play and education. Children’s Museum of Phoenix, 215 N. Seventh Street, Phoenix, 602.253.0501, childrensmuseumofphoenix.org, 9 a.m., regular admission, $10-$11.

Messy Fest

SEPTEMBER 17 Messy Fest promises a great time for a great cause—Phoenix Children’s Hospital. This outdoor event features all things cluttered, chaotic and untidy, from massive mud pits designed for jumping and flinging to large-scale finger-painting and even a mashed potato tug-of-war. Schnepf Farms, 24610 S. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek, 480. 987.3100, messyfest.com, 9 a.m., $20.

EXPLORE. RESCUE. PROTECT!

The Octonauts hit the Comerica stage Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

or the first time in the United States, fans of “The Octonauts” can see their favorite stars from the beloved animated children’s television series live on stage in a new interactive theater show. With a cast of underwater explorers led by Capt. Barnacles, Lt. Kwazii and Medic Peso, “The Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure” brings the educational series to life on stage in a high-tech production featuring costumed characters and animated projections that provide a fully immersive experience for fans of all ages. Jonathan Shank, executive producer at Red Light Management, who also produced the hugely successful touring family shows Peppa Pig Live and Fresh Beat Band, talks about the new Octonauts show.

Family Storytime

SEPTEMBER 21 Kids can partake in interactive learning fun during family storytime, which is open to family members of all ages. Puppet friends sometimes help tell the stories. Tempe Public Library, 3500 S. Rural Road, Tempe, 480.350.5500, tempe.gov, 6 p.m., free.

Slide The City

SEPTEMBER 24 There’s no better way to cool off from the scorching Arizona sun than a giant slip and slide. Besides 1,000 feet of slick, inflated vinyl along Palisades Boulevard, Slide the City brings to town music, entertainment and local vendors. 15899 E. Palisades Blvd., Fountain Hills, 480.816.5185, slidethecity.com, 10 a.m., $30-$45.

exploration for everyone on stage and in the audience. Q: Kids normally see these characters on TV, so what is the reaction once they are live on stage? JS: Seeing reactions on children’s and parents’ faces when the characters are on stage is one of the most amazing and rewarding parts about producing these shows. It brings the characters to life in a way the children never thought possible, stretching their imagination and bringing them directly into their favorite character’s world for the day. “Octo-Cadets” and their families will assist the dynamic team of adventure heroes on their fast-paced, underwater adventure. The highly interactive experience includes sing alongs to musical numbers from the television show and new songs written just for the stage production.

Q: Why did you decide to create an Octonauts live show? JS: The Octonauts brand was continuing to grow and many families I spoke to love the show and the characters. There was a U.K. production which was very well done last year and it seemed like the right time to debut the production here in the Unites States. I love the educational value of the television show—we showcase that in the live production. Q: How much crossover is there from the TV show? Is this a brand new story? JS: There is a ton of crossover and I think families are going to love the production. This is a brand new storyline and script. It’s a fun adventure and a great deep sea

Q: In addition to singalongs, what are some of the other interactive elements kids and families can expect? JS: It’s a really fun show and everyone who attends is a cadet in training so the entire show is interactive! I don’t want to give away too much! New “Octonauts” episodes are premiering throughout the year on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Seasons one, two and three are also available on Netflix, and the first “Octonauts” 4-D movie adventure is coming this year.

“Octonauts Live!”

Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 800-745-3000, ticketmaster. com, octonautsliveus.com, 5 p.m. Sunday, October 2, $28.50-$38.50.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

SLIP

SLIDING AWAY

Slide out of summer with a splash at Slide Across America festival Kimberly Hosey » The Entertainer!

ith the summer coming to a close (even Arizona’s extended summer is starting to simmer down) and water parks closing for the school year, you might have thought you were out of opportunities to treat your kids—and yourself—to a day of slides and water play. If you were pining for one last splash, you’re in luck: Salt River Fields, together with AZ Bounce Pro, is bringing back the popular Slide Across America event for three days Friday, September 23, through Sunday, September 25. Slide Across America is the largest inflatable water park in the country. The three-day bash this month will feature

more than 25 water slides, including the highlight of the event, the Dropkick Slide—a 42-foot-high slide that launches riders into the air at the end of the slide, for a dramatic (but safe) landing in a giant stunt bag. Other slides will include the 40-foothigh Hippo Slide, similar to the Dropkick but with more of a splashdown than a launch at the end; and 36-foot-high Tidal Wave Slide, known for its steep incline. These are the events I live for: My teen will actually be excited, we’ll spend a great end-of-summer day together—and it just plain looks fun. Giant, towering, boldly colored (and boldly huge) slides? Yes, please! Some of the larger rides, like the Dropkick Slide, are restricted to older guests, but there will be small inflatable

slides specially for little ones as well. This truly is a family-friendly event: No matter your family makeup, you’re likely to find something for everyone to love here. If you tire of sliding, try the spin cycle ride—otherwise known to my family as “that spinning upside-down space-age thing that looks like it should make you sick but doesn’t.” Spin at your own risk, of course, but we’re certainly thinking of trying it. Also available will be a 25-foot-tall rock climbing wall, complete with climbing equipment, bungee trampolines, a zipline and more. AZ Bounce Pro is providing the attractions, which it usually rents to events or individuals. Here, dozens of attractions will be available at once. It will be set up like a festival or carnival: No need to proceed through every slide or activity; just pick the ones you and your family like. Smaller inflatable slides are ready for little guests, but there is something for everyone: Larger rides like the Dropkick Slide are geared toward teens and adults. Don’t worry, though; a sense of childlike fun is still encouraged. In fact, if you don’t have enough time to hit all the “grownup” slides with kids in tow, you might consider making a return trip for Adult Night. “This cool event literally was a hit last year for kids—and to our surprise adults, too. So this year we’re highlighting a night specifically aimed at the kids at heart and, of course, still welcome the whole family,” said Dave Dunne, the general manager of Salt River Fields. Popular Arizona vendors and food trucks will be offering food starting at $4, including cheeseburgers, barbecue, fry bread, pretzels and more; as well as cold beers.

Make sure everyone who wants to slide is prepared: Swimwear or swimming-compatible clothing is required to ride all slides, and no jeans or denim are allowed. And don’t forget sunblock—for yourself and the kiddos. Access to Slide Across America is $25 for general admission ($20 if you buy tickets before September 15). A family four-pack of tickets is $80 ($60 in advance). Kids 2 and younger are free, and parking is free. Tickets are required for any entrance to the park.

Slide Across America

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale slideacrossamerica.com. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

THE SHOWMAN

LISTEN » JAM » INNOVATE » EVOLVE » ROCK » SING

‘REDNECK CRAZY’ C Tyler Farr will take the stage at Peoria’s P83 concert series

ountry star Tyler Farr is headlining the P83 Concert from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, October 2, at the Peoria Sports Complex, part of the P83 corridor. Along with great music, concertgoers can enjoy the savory fare from gourmet and specialty food trucks and vendors. Farr released his highly anticipated sophomore album, “Suffer in Peace” (Columbia Nashville), on April 28. Its success was immediate. “Suffer in Peace” debuted in the top 5 on the Billboard 200 and Country albums charts. “Suffer in Peace” is the follow up to his 2013 debut “Redneck Crazy,” which landed at No. 2 on the Billboard Country albums chart and No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. Farr the only solo male country artist in the last 10 years to have his first two studio albums debut in the top 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Farr’s No. 1, platinum-selling single “Redneck Crazy” was called the “song of the summer” by The New York Times and segued into the gold-certified No. 1 song “Whiskey in My Water.” Farr’s first single from “Suffer in Peace,” “A Guy Walks into a Bar,” is his third radio hit, landing in the Top 5 at country radio and being certified gold. Joining Farr at P83 are country artists Davey Arnold and Ry Bradley. Arnold’s resume includes gigs opening for Dierks Bentley, Joe Nichols, Brothers Osborne, Chris Janson and Craig Morgan. In May, Arnold released his new single, “Autumn Love...” and is continuing to play throughout the Southwest.

Bradley blends the best of classic country with the sounds of Freddie King and The Rolling Stones. He grabbed the attention of the music industry with the 2014 release of his debut single, “New Kind of Lonely” from the EP “Freedom Like This.” The song earned airplay on 100-plus country radio stations throughout the nation, and led to a three-week showcase on SiriusXM’s breakout country station, “The Highway.” Tickets to the show are $10 in

advance or $15 at the gate. VIP tickets are $25 presale and $30 at the gate. Parking is free. The P83 Concert is sponsored by Desert Diamond West Valley, Larry H. Miller Toyota Peoria and the City of Peoria. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit p83az.com/party. The P83 music events have become signature events for the West Valley Peoria’s P83 corridor, a premiere destination located just south of Bell Road on

83rd Avenue, is the gateway to dozens of entertainment options, from restaurants and bars, to Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres Spring Training baseball.

Tyler Farr

Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N. 83rd Avenue, Peoria, p83az.com/ party, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, October 2, $10-$30.

Bob Shimizu Presents “String Thing”- an evening of jazz guitar!

Bobby

Broom

Ron

Eschete

Rhythm Room 10/13/16 7:30P Shimizu $25

Bob

WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

SEPTEMBER 5 Cobalt

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

LIVE MUSIC

CALENDAR

Gap Dream

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Russian Circles

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

Success w/Broadway Calls

The Rebel Lounge, 7:30 p.m., $12

SEPTEMBER 6

Bill Parker w/Cadence

Fiddler’s Dream Coffeehouse, 8 p.m., $8

Kublai Khan

Underground, 6 p.m., $12

Master w/Sacrificial Slaughter Club Red – West, 6 p.m., $15-$17

Royal Southern Brotherhood

The Rhythm Room, 9 p.m., $15-$20

Tiger Army

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

Trevor Hall

Club Congress, 7 p.m., $18-$20

Connor Dziawura » The Entertainer!!

Watsky

Drake w/Future

Club Red – East, 7 p.m., $20-$55

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 6:30 p.m., $49.50-$149.50

SEPTEMBER 1

SEPTEMBER 3

Floating Points

2 Tone Lizard Kings

Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble

The Chris Mitchell Experience

The Game

5 Seconds of Summer

Nikki Hill

Analog Outlaws

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

Mild High Club

Orpheum Theatre, 8 p.m., $40

Hardwell

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $17-$20 The Pressroom, 8 p.m., $30-$500

SEPTEMBER 10 Last Exit Live, 9 p.m., $7-$10 Ak-Chin Pavilion, 7:30 p.m., $10-$5,979

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $10-$12

The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 11 a.m., $30

Paper Foxes

Innocent Elaine

Roxy Roca

Assemblage 23

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

The Rebel Lounge, 6 p.m., $8-$10

Last Exit Live, 8:30 p.m., $5

Radney Foster

Joey Fatts

Yeats

Bayside

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $12-$15

The Rebel Lounge, 7:30 p.m., $8-$10

The Rebel Lounge, 5 p.m., $8-$10 The Rebel Lounge, 8:30 p.m., $15-$17 The Pressroom, 7:30 p.m., $19-$22

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $33.50-$38.50

Pub Rock Live, 7 p.m., $12-$20

Swans

Rialto Theatre, 8:15 p.m., $35-$53

SEPTEMBER 7

ODESZA

The Album Leaf

Black Sun

Gemini Syndrome

Glow Party

Juliette Lewis

God Is an Astronaut

Lorena Robles w/Mark Mulligan

Goya

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $24-$27

Wayne “The Train” Hancock Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., $12-$15

Young Roddy w/Trademark Da Skydiver Club Red – West, 8 p.m., $15-$20

SEPTEMBER 2

The Mavericks

Maya Day + Nightclub, 12 p.m., $70$125

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $16-$18

Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra

Pub Rock Live, 8 p.m., $13-$15

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $8-$10

Sarah Chapman The Lost Leaf, free

Shawn Colvin & Steve Earle

Livewire, 7 p.m., $15

Beth Hart

Livewire, 7 p.m., $26 Pub Rock Live, 7 p.m., $8-$10 191 Toole, 7 p.m., $10-$25 Crescent Ballroom, 8:30 p.m., $16-$18 Valley Bar, 8 p.m., free

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m., $25-$49

Fiddler’s Dream Coffeehouse, 6:30 p.m., $20

Kandi Kid Nation

Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band

The Sugar Thieves

Tab Benoit

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

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $26-$30

LV 2 AZ

Toyguitar

Vandoliers

Maná

Dierdre w/Co-Op

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Gareth Emery

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $10-$12

SEPTEMBER 8

McRAD w/D.F.L.

Boyz II Men

Wild Horse Pass, 8 p.m., $55-$115

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

The Rebel Lounge, 8:30 p.m., $5-$7 Maya Day + Nightclub, 9 p.m., $15

Highest Conspiracy

Last Exit Live, 8:30 p.m., $8-$10

Wyves

SEPTEMBER 4 Erick Morillo

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

Bingo Players

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $25-$55

Cedric Burnside

Hotel Books w/Dayseeker, CONVICTIONS

The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 11 a.m., $15

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10-$15

The Flamin’ Groovies

Ak-Chin Pavilion, 7 p.m., $27-$2,730

Hot Sugar

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $22-$25

Luke Holland w/Ella Kaye

Livewire, 8 p.m., $10

Pub Rock Live, 7 p.m., $12-$15 Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $10-$12 Club Red – West, 6 p.m., $13

Sierra Hull

MSTRKRFT

Nato Coles & The Blue Diamond Band

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $33.50-$38.50

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Sub Focus

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $34-$49

Tedeschi Trucks Band

The Rebel Lounge, 7:30 p.m., $12-$14

The Pressroom, 9 p.m., $20-$750 The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 8 p.m., $25-$100 WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Colvin & Earle Sianvar

Fifth Harmony w/JoJo Puddle of Mudd

Marquee Theatre, 6:30 p.m., $21

Run Boy Run

Crescent Ballroom, 7:30 p.m., $12-$15

Tempe Sour

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

The tens

The Lost Leaf, free

SEPTEMBER 9 Animal House

Nile Theater, 8 p.m., $10

Club Red – West, 8:30 p.m., $10-$12 Underground, 6 p.m., $10 Talking Stick Resort Arena, 8 p.m., $51-$176 Yucca Tap Room, 7 p.m., $12-$15

Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $35.50-$40.50

Run Definitely Run w/Atom’s Fall, Murkocet Club Red – East, 5 p.m., $10-$15

Sugaray Rayford Band

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

Trevor Hall

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $17-$27

The Zombies

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $30-$51

SEPTEMBER 11 Muskellunge w/James Reams & the Barnstormers Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $25.50-$31.50

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

Somos

Post Malone

The Wes Williams Band

Rumble King

The Zombies w/Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals

Sam Bush

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $27-$75

The Rebel Lounge, 7 p.m., $12-$15 Last Exit Live, 9 p.m., $7-$10

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

The Showroom at Talking Stick Resort, 8 p.m., $25-$80

SEPTEMBER 12

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

Last Exit Live, 8 p.m., $35-$55

SEPTEMBER 17

SEPTEMBER 13 Art of Dying

Club Red – West, 6 p.m., $16

Brian Fallon & the Crowes w/ Ryan Bingham Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $25

Counting Crows w/Rob Thomas Ak-Chin Pavilion, 6:45 p.m., $31-$674

Deep Sea Diver

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Guitar Army

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $48.50-$58.50

The Movement

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $13-$15

Watermelon Slim

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

SEPTEMBER 14

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $43-$80

Gavlyn

Club Red – West, 7 p.m., $10-$13

Kraftwerk

Orpheum Theatre, 8:30 p.m., $49.50$69.50

The Monkees

Banda Magda

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $40.50-$48.50

The SteelDrivers

St. Paul & the Broken Bones

Blackkiss

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $25

Daryl Hall & John Oates

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free Ak-Chin Pavilion, 7 p.m., $10-$905

El Ten Eleven

Club Congress, 8 p.m., $13-$15

VanLadyLove

SEPTEMBER 16 Anthony Green

Jon Pardi

Nile Theater, 7 p.m., $17.50

Local Natives

191 Toole, 8 p.m., $12-$15

The Movement

The Pressroom, 8 p.m., $20-$25

O.A.R.

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 7 p.m., $29.95-$89.95

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $21-$26 Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $30 Last Exit Live, 9 p.m., $12-$15 Livewire, 8 p.m., $31.75-$33.25

Sam Outlaw

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $12

SEPTEMBER 15 Afton Showcase

The Rhythm Room, 6:30 p.m., $11-$14

Boyce Avenue

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 7 p.m., $29.95-$89.95 Pop fans get ready. Two favorites, Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas are going on tour together. With the former having released “Confident” and the latter’s “Last Year Was Complicated,” both artists have plenty of new music to premiere for fans at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

Avi Buffalo w/The Kickback

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $33.50-$38.50

Fiddler’s Dream Coffeehouse, 8 p.m., $8 Marquee Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $25

Mesa Arts Center, 7:30 p.m., $37-$100

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

Billy Swisher w/Judy Wilson, Bob Gibney

SEPTEMBER 16

191 Toole, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Porches

Davina and the Vagabonds

Weslynn

Keith Harkin

Bob Log III

Crystal Castles

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas Hirie

Pub Rock Live, 7 p.m., $13-$16

Mad Decent Block Party – Day 1 Rawhide, $18.50-$169

Pat Metheny

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m., $35-$85

SEPTEMBER 19

Stateline

Crescent Ballroom, 8:30 p.m., $25-$30

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $12

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $43.50-$53.50

Audiotopsy

Swans

If These Trees Could Talk

Tom Rush

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., $48.50-$53.50 Club Red – East, 8 p.m., $10

Camila

Cass McCombs Band

Valley Bar, 7:30 p.m., $13-$15

Future Thieves

Pub Rock Live, 7:30 p.m., $10-$15

Jared & The Mill

Livewire, 7 p.m., $17-$20

Khruangbin

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

Kim Wilson & His Blues All-Stars

Pub Rock Live, 8 p.m., $12-$15 Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $28.50-$38.50

Dick Stusso

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., free

Dinosaur Jr.

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $30.50$35.50

SEPTEMBER 20 Brett Dennen

191 Toole, 8 p.m., $22-$24

Def Leppard w/REO Speedwagon, Tesla

Ak-Chin Pavilion, 7 p.m., $10-$665

Geoffrey Keezer and Friends w/Keola Beamer

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $38.50-$43.50

Leon Bridges

Mesa Arts Center, 7:30 p.m., $37-$45

Marian Hill

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $20-$22

Mark Mulligan w/Dave Sheehy

The Rhythm Room, 9 p.m., $15

Fiddler’s Dream Coffeehouse, 6:30 p.m., $20

The Linecutters

Matt Wertz

Underground, 6 p.m., $8

Last Exit Live, 8 p.m., $15-$18

Los Temerarios

Still Corners

Celebrity Theatre, 8:30 p.m., $50-$110

Mad Decent Block Party – Day 2

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $13-$15

Rawhide, $18.50-$169

SEPTEMBER 21

Marco Antonio Solis

Black Sabbath w/Rival Sons

Anselmo Valencia Tori Ampitheatre, 8 p.m., $63-$286

Ak-Chin Pavilion, 7:30 p.m., $9-$1,538

No Society

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $25

Club Red – West, 7:20 p.m., $10-$12

O’Connor Band

Bloc Party Foy Vance

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $16-$20

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $43.50-$63.50

Highly Suspect

Prophets of Rage w/ AWOLNATION

Lera Lynn

Ak-Chin Pavilion, 7 p.m., $27-$433

Providence

Last Exit Live, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $20-$23 Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $30.50-$35.50

The Naked and Famous

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $27.50-$95

SEPTEMBER 18

Nick Moss Band

Coheed and Cambria

Squeeze

Rialto Theatre, 7 p.m., $29-$37

Steel Pulse

Livewire, 7 p.m., $22

This Wild Life

Pub Rock Live, 7 p.m., $15-$18

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10-$12 Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m., $40-$80

Xenia Rubinos

191 Toole, 8:30 p.m., $10

The Z.G.’s w/Action Jets Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

The Skatalites

Valley Bar, 7:30 p.m., $20

Tech N9ne

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $35-$45

SEPTEMBER 24

Delta Rae

SEPTEMBER 22

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $33.50-$38.50 Americana music darlings Delta Rae have been described as a North Carolina-born version of Fleetwood Mac. With beautiful harmonies and meaningful lyrics, Delta Rae is touring while taking a break from recording a new album. Need a taste of Delta Rae? The heartbreaking but frank “If I Loved You”—ironically featuring Lindsey Buckingham—is one of this decade’s best tracks.

SEPTEMBER 22 Delta Rae

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $33.50-$38.50

Gaelic Storm

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $27-$32

Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas Club Congress, 7:30 p.m., $10-$12

Lord Dying w/Black Fast, Child Bite Pub Rock Live, 7 p.m., $12-$14

Luke Bryan w/Little Big Town, Dustin Lynch Ak-Chin Pavilion, 7 p.m., $10-$2,730

The Spill Canvas

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

Twin Peaks

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $13-$15

Spiritual Rez

blink-182 w/A Day to Remember, All Time Low

Ak-Chin Pavilion, 7 p.m., $55-$3,640

Fat Joe

Gloria Trevi

Celebrity Theatre, 8:30 p.m., $45-$120

Iration

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $26

Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Krewella

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

Donovan

Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Flans

Comerica Theatre, 8 p.m., $27

Comerica Theatre, 8 p.m., $49.50

The Heavy

Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $22.50-$23

Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet Mesa Arts Center, 7:30 p.m., $35

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $20

The Repeat Offenders

Flume

Glen Hansard

Slipknot w/Deafheaven

Tucson Convention Center, 7 p.m., $27.50-$57.50

Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Resort, 8 p.m., $48-$99

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $12-$15

Soul Power Band

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

Trivium

Marquee Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $24

Whitechapel w/Oceano

Club Red – West, 6 p.m., $20-$25

SEPTEMBER 25 Elizabeth Cook

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $31.50-$38.50

Mary Chapin Carpenter

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

Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $15-$17

SEPTEMBER 26 Atmosphere

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $26-$43

Band of Skulls

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

The Crookes

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Donovan

Mike Eldred Trio

Flatfoot 56

Underground, 7 p.m., $12-$15

Allison Weiss

Underground, 7 p.m., $12-$14

Big Head Todd and the Monsters

Fox Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $32-$67

Brendan James

Last Exit Live, 9 p.m., $12-$15

Chris Young

Grand Canyon University Arena, 7:30 p.m., $39.50-$55

Musiq Soulchild w/Avant Okkervil River

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $20

Caveman

The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 11 a.m., $30

The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 8 p.m., $25-$90

Nothing But Thieves

Sara Evans

Steve Aoki

Alice in Chains

Celebrity Theatre, 8:30 p.m., $20-$55

SEPTEMBER 28

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

SEPTEMBER 30

Rialto Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $30-$45

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

Crescent Ballroom, 8:30 p.m., $49

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Cymbals Eat Guitars

Chandler Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m., $18-$24

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., sold out

The Rhythm Room, 9 p.m., $10

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $25

Firefly

Piebald

Musical Instrument Museum, 6:30 p.m., $33.50-$38.50

Cold War Kids

The Dread Crew of Oddwood

The Weeks

Crystal Bowersox

SEPTEMBER 27

Celebrity Theatre, 9 p.m., $25-$40

Last Exit Live, 8:30 p.m., $5-$8

SEPTEMBER 23

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $28-$75

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., sold out

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m., $35-$69

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Saint Motel

Molotov

Ottmar Liebert

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., $43.50-$48.50

Rocky Votolato

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $15-$16

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

Phantogram

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $27.50

Stick to Your Guns

Nile Theater, 6:30 p.m., $16

Soul Power Band w/Mike Eldred Trio, Bad News Blues Band, The Rocket 88s, Sugar Thieves, Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band The Rhythm Room, 7 p.m., $12-$15

Tal Wilkenfeld

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $38.50-$43.50

The Steepwater Band

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10-$12

SEPTEMBER 29 August Burns Red

Nile Theater, 6 p.m., $17

Chrome Sparks

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $13-$15

Darsombra w/The Woodworks, Devil Grass, Dirt Moon Yucca Tap Room, 8 p.m., free

Dropkick Murphys

Marquee Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $30-$45

Lee Perreira

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

Magic Men LIVE!

blink-182 w/A Day to Remember, All Time Low

Comerica Theatre, 8 p.m., $23-$103

SEPTEMBER 24

Oh Wonder

Ak-Chin Pavilion, 7 p.m., $45-$95 Having just earned its first No. 1 since 2001’s “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket,” blink-182 is returning to Arizona with A Day to Remember and All Time Low for a show at Ak-Chin Pavilion. Despite losing founding member Tom DeLonge, blink has gained Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba, and fans are more than accepting, with many longtime lovers praising the trio’s newly released “California.”

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $20-$23

Ottmar Liebert w/Luna Negra Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $28-$34

Rocky Votolato

Club Congress, 7:30 p.m., $15-$17

Ying Quartet w/Zuill Bailey

Mesa Arts Center, 7:30 p.m., $30-$70

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

LET’S GET

ROCKED Phil Collen calls Def Leppard his ‘dream job’ Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

Def Leppard summer tour has become a seasonal staple. But, according to co-lead guitarist Phil Collen, it’s different this year. “Something happened this year that hasn’t been around since the ’80s,” says Collen, whose band plays Ak-Chin Pavilion with REO Speedwagon and Tesla on Tuesday, September 20. “The reaction to us and our new album have been amazing. I think it’s because we have this integrity. We’ve never disbanded and reformed. It says a lot in this superficial age.” Def Leppard released its self-titled album in October and it subsequently landed at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums chart. It features the singles “Let’s Go” and “Dangerous.” When Def Leppard hit the studio, the musicians didn’t intend on writing an album. “We went in to write a single,” Collen says. “But we kept firing off all these ideas. We actually didn’t talk about an album. We agonize over creating albums. “It’s a bad business decision to make an album in this day and age because it

costs more than you can actually make. We made this for all the right reasons, though—that purity. We love music. We love the band. It was exciting to be inspired like that. There was no pressure from record labels or management. We made music because we wanted to. As a result, we’re digging the record.” Collen is liking his career as well. The night before the interview, he jammed on stage with Hollywood Vampires’ Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp, as well as Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots and Matt Sorum, formerly of Guns N’ Roses. He lives in California and, during a touring break, returned to his home state to produce the new Tesla album. He doesn’t want to express himself through music. He needs to. “Art is a wonderful way to express yourself without having to explain yourself,” he says. “I found that out very early on in my career or maybe midway through. That’s the reward for me. The artistic expression is the award. “Monetary gains and all of the attention is fine, but that’s not the ultimate goal. We played these horrible pubs for

free for so long, but it was still amazing. I love it. I love it.” Playing with acts like Def Leppard and the Hollywood Vampires is inspiring. “It’s my dream job,” he says. “I still get to do this after all these years. I’ll be 60 next year, and I still get to run around like a little kid with no clothes on as well on stage and still get away with it.” He hopes that Def Leppard will continue for some time. “A lot of rock bands, in general, are just disappearing,” says Collen, who has been in Def Leppard for 34 years. “The rock industry is in decline; I’m talking about sales and the record industry, not music in general. People are going bonkers for us. I think it’s a little weird.”

Def Leppard w/REO Speedwagon and Tesla

Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Avenue, Phoenix, 602.254.7200, 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 20, $25-$125. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2016

FROM THE

SOUTHWEST Jared & The Mill rep the Valley on new EP Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

ared Kolesar is proud of Jared & The Mill’s new EP “Orme Dugas.” It’s not just that the songs are strong, or the band clicked. Kolesar sees “Orme Dugas” as the ultimate tribute to the Southwest. “I think this time around we proved to ourselves that we could develop a sound that is very true to where we come from,” says Kolesar, who grew up in Scottsdale. “One thing I really wanted to express was a Southwest sound that hasn’t been explored thoroughly in contemporary music.” Kolesar and his band—Michael Carter (banjo), Larry Gast III (guitar), Chuck Morris III (bass), Josh Morin (drums) and Gabe Hall-Rodrigues (accordion/keyboard)—will celebrate the release of “Orme Dugas” with party and concert at Livewire in Scottsdale on Saturday, September 17. “We really feel strongly that this is a representation of Arizona as we know it,” he says. “I can’t dictate how other people perceive Arizona. They might see it as a hip-hop or metal album. This is a sonic representation of where we are from a place that we really love.” Produced, mixed and engineered by Grammy winner Ryan Hewitt (Tom Petty, Dixie Chicks, The Avett Brothers) at House of Blues Studios in Nashville, “Orme Dugas” is named after an exit outside of the Valley that encompasses the beauty and peaceful setting a band yearns for.

“It’s off the I-17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff,” he says. We love that drive and it’s one of our favorite camping spots. We always do our best on the return trip home to go that way. It’s a nice, therapeutic introduction back to Arizona, starting with the high pines through high desert and then the Valley. It’s a great return trip home.” The songs on “Orme Dugas” are just as varied as the Southwest. The lead track is “Keep Me Going” a country-hooked-powerhouse about the hopeful but hesitant feeling one has when starting a new relationship. The Western-tinged song “Lost Scared & Tired” details the struggles and sacrifice of touring life, while the pedal steel-driven “Still Alone” captures the apprehension of going through a breakup while on the road. “The Gin Blossoms and Jimmy Eat World were explosive pre-indie takeover,” Kolesar says. “A lot of people have told us what we believe: We’re a true sonic representation of Arizona and the Southwest. We have the influence of mariachi, we have aspects of American country and the post-folk movement that’s all over the nation. “We take all of this and all of those different cultural ingredients in the same way that Arizona does. We’re proud as heck of this record.” Kolesar explains that Jared & The Mill have a natural chemistry that dates back to before elementary school. “Me and the banjo player have been best friends since the seventh grade,” he

says. “Same with Larry and Josh. There are these two duos in the band. Larry and Chuck have known each other since they were babies because their dads play music. “It’s very much like a brotherhood. We’re very close to one another. It’s almost like we’re friends before we’re a band.” That made it easy for Kolesar to loosen the songwriting reins, as Carter and Gast contributed as well. “The artist in me loves to write songs and know that the songs we’re playing are internal thoughts I’ve had and something I’ve had really close to me,” he says. “I acknowledge that my bandmates also have the same desires. It wasn’t that difficult to give up. They’re good friends of mine. “We’ve always had the same lineup. It’s always made too much sense for us to play music together.” The EP reflects a common vision between the musicians. “This EP is the truest form of us,” Kolesar says. “We’re a group of rascals who grew up in a borderland that mixes several prominent cultures that all equate to the Wild West. We love deeply and fully and are old enough to have regrets. This record reflects that.”

Jared & The Mill

Livewire, 7320 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, 480.970.6980, livewireaz.com, jaredandthemill. com, 7 p.m. Saturday, September 17, $17-$20.

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MUSICAL

TAPESTRY Squeeze to weave hits, new tunes into SCPA show

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

NASHVILLE

STAR

Timing was finally right for country singer Chris Young Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

ountry singer Chris Young was on the promotional trail for his latest album “I’m Comin’ Over” last November when he received the news every artist wants to hear. His album hit No. 1. “It is my fifth album and the first time I ever had a No. 1,” Young says with a laugh, calling from Montana. “The timing just wasn’t right before: George Strait dropped the same week as us one time. Blake Shelton came out the same week as us another time. “Finally, I was able to check that off my artist bucket list, so to speak. It was really, really special.” Young celebrated the milestone with a “real nice dinner” with his team in New York. “We didn’t have too much downtime,” he says. “We were in the middle of launch week, but it was definitely something I celebrated.” The 2006 “Nashville Star” winner chalks up the collection’s success to the popularity of the title track. “Having the song ‘I’m Coming Over’ as the first single, one that people love so much, was big,” says Young of the No. 1 song. “That was the fans’ first impression of the album. I’m proud of every single song on it. I’m continuing that momentum with ‘Sober Saturday Night.’” Young will perform those songs and more at Grand Canyon University Arena on Friday, September 30, with Dan + Shay and Cassadee Pope. “I’m really pumped up about the WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

tour,” he says. “I know Cassadee really well, and Dan + Shay well, too. It’s nice to tour with a bunch of people I’ve been around and friends with.” He knows Pope especially well, as the two duet on his song “Think of You.” “When you’re on stage with her, you want to up your game because she’s such a great singer,” he says. “I want to make sure we’re on the same level. “She’s probably one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. She’s very, very easy to work with. I was glad she wanted to do ‘Think of You.’ She was the first person I asked. I went 1 for 1.” Young has been spending the summer touring, but he’s also in the midst of recording a Christmas album. Young couldn’t reveal too many details, but he did say that it will feature traditional and original songs. “It’s always weird to record a Christmas record in the middle of summer,” he adds. “It’s funny to walk out of a tracking session on a Christmas record and it’s 102 degrees outside. “But, I really, really love Christmastime. It’s easy to wrap my head around this project.”

Chris Young w/Dan + Shay and Cassadee Pope

GCU Arena, 3300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.639.8979, gcuarena.com, 7:30 p.m. Friday, September 30, $39.50-$199.

hris Difford of Squeeze is in a good place. The English pop band, which kicks off its U.S. tour at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, September 21, is pleased that the act has witnessed a resurgence since the 2015 release of the album “Cradle to the Grave.” “We’re fortunate to get back on the radio and have people buy our records again,” Difford says via telephone from England. “You don’t get many bites at the cherry when you’re at this end of your career. I think we’re very lucky and we should make the most of it.” “Cradle to the Grave” is Squeeze’s first album of new material in 17 years, which is why the collection’s success comes as a surprise to Difford. The songs were commissioned for a similarly named British sitcom, “Cradle to Grave.” “A friend of ours (Danny Baker) wrote a script for a TV show and asked us to write the music for it,” he says. “We thought we would have to make our songs fit the script. He said, ‘Forget that. Write a

really good Squeeze album.’ That’s exactly what we did.” Those songs will be the focus of Squeeze’s SCPA show. “We’ll be primarily playing songs from it and all the usual songs that people love Squeeze for,” he says. “It’s a tapestry of all things.” Some of those hits are “Black Coffee in Bed,” “Up the Junction,” “Tempted,” “Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)” and “Hourglass”—all staples on classic rock radio. “We’re really fortunate to have had a history that stands up and timeless in a way,” Difford says. “That’s the nature of Squeeze.”

Squeeze

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second Street, Scottsdale, 480.499.8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.org, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 21, $55.

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TAKING THE

POWER BACK T

Led by Tom Morello, Prophets of Rage resurrects the fight Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

im Commerford may be the bassist for Prophets of Rage, but the former Rage Against the Machine musician is also the rap-rock band’s biggest fan. Founded this year, the supergroup features Rage Against the Machine guitarist/Prophets of Rage mastermind Tom Morello and bandmate drummer Brad Wilk, with Public Enemy’s Chuck D and DJ Lord and Cypress Hill’s B-Real. “I’m a fan of Rage. I’m a fan of Cypress Hill. I’m a fan of Public Enemy,” Commerford says. “I know if I weren’t a member of Rage Against the Machine, I would certainly go see Prophets of Rage. There are a lot of people out there in the world who feel the same way.” He can say that on good authority. Social media went nuts when videos teasing the band’s creation were posted. Subsequently, tickets for shows, including a September 17 gig at Ak-Chin Pavilion, are selling briskly. The setlist features original songs and covers of Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy and Cypress Hill tracks.

“It’s like playing with my idols,” Commerford says. “It feels so good and so right to look back at Tom and Brad. It’s easy to write music, and hooking up with two idols like Chuck and B-Real, I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about playing music. “Everyone’s really psyched about everything that’s happened. I’m excited about the music we’re recording. I’m excited about the shows we played. I’m excited about the shows we’re about to play. I’m excited about the world that we will ultimately conquer.” At the time of the interview, Prophets of Rage had recorded two songs, including the recently released aggressive track “Prophets of Rage.” It was produced by Brendan O’Brien, who turned the knobs for Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave collections. “Both sound like jams to me,” Commerford says of the songs. “They came together in a similar way as the first Rage record. It was easy. It was fun. It was exciting. We just rode on that wave. What we came up with was spectacular.” Commerford, whose band played a “guerrilla” gig near the Republican

National Convention, is just as caught up in the whirlwind of Prophets of Rage. “This happened pretty quickly,” he says. “That’s the beauty of hip-hop and rock music. Back in the day of the first Rage record, it was too easy. You don’t have to worry about the melody and crafting the music to support the melody. You’re crafting the music to support the attitude. “This has come together quickly, sure, but it’s par for the course in writing the kind of music that we write.” That music is the perfect amalgamation of Rage Against the Machine, Cypress Hill and Public Enemy, he describes. “The best thing I can reference is the first Rage record,” he says about “Rage Against the Machine.” “I am a different music now because of the different things I’ve done in my career. I want to get better as a bass player. I can’t wait to come off tour and look at the calluses on my fingers and be proud.” How can someone as acclaimed improve on his craft? “Better by being proud of what we’ve accomplished and better by being a better

musician,” he says. “Better by knowing I gave the people what they wanted. “We are 50% of the show and the audience is the other 50%. I can look out at the audience and see if we’ve succeeded, and see if they are reacting the way they should be. If they are, then we’re getting it done.” With the taglines #MakeAmericaRAGEAgain and #TakeThePowerBack trending virally, Prophets of Rage are hoping to bring some peace to a troubled world. “The world is going through some heavy (stuff) right now—sorry for swearing,” Commerford says. “It feels so good to be able to go bump against that with music. Music is a language that we all understand.”

Prophets of Rage w/ Awolnation

Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Avenue, Phoenix, 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com, 7 p.m. Saturday, September 17, $20-$39. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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THE NIGHTOWL

103

SIP » UNLEASH » MIX » MINGLE » PULSE » SHAKE

MAD MIXOLOGIST

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

amed after the iconic Camelback Mountain, The Camby Hotel is all about “refined revelry.” Thanks in part to lead mixologist Libby Longlott, the hotel’s lounge The Bees Knees is abuzz with the perfect blend of the classic and cutting edge. Longlott, who got her start in the restaurant industry on the East Coast and honed her craft at The Parlor in Phoenix, is focused on giving locals and hotel guests a modern cocktail bar experience with a Prohibition-era feel. Think classic cocktails-meets-unexpected twists, including infusing spirits with honey from the bar’s honeycomb displayed in a glass case.

Tell me about the oddest drink request you’ve gotten. Just a few weeks ago, I got a request to make vodka cocktail as close to the flavor of a dirty martini as humanly possible, but without the salty olive brine that gives the drink its signature flavor. Given that a dirty martini only has three ingredients— either a vodka or gin combined with dry vermouth and olive brine—I needed to get creative to find a replacement for the olive brine. I started with the vodka and dry vermouth, then put combinations of other ingredients to the side to test what might work. And I found a fabulous one—a combination of celery bitters and dill, which I mixed with the spirits. I served it in a martini glass, but used cracked black pepper on the rim instead of salt to enhance the earthiness of the celery and dill. It was a hit!

What is your No. 1 pet peeve when working? I have a solid tie. First, guests often get a bad rap for being difficult, but most are quite friendly and helpful. So much so, in fact, they often pile up their used dishware on the bar and push it forward to me so I can easily grab it, rather than clearing each individual guest’s area one by one. There is just one problem; I store all of my fresh herbs and garnishes on my side of the bar. So when folks try to pile up dishes and help, they often end up grazing my ingredients, which means I throw them away. Tied with this very sweet, yet ultimately unnecessary gesture, has to be the impatient service team member or customer.

Craft cocktails often have layers and layers to the recipes—not to mention fresh ingredients that take time to cut, squeeze or even torch—so when folks expect a specialty drink in 90 seconds flat, it is nearly impossible to meet that expectation.

What is your go-to drink when you’re at a bar other than your own? My go-to drink has to be the negroni. Because the base of a negroni is so simple—gin, vermouth and Campari—I love to see how my fellow mixologists put their own signature or spin on their version of the cocktail. Some add salt, for example, to take the edge off the bitterness. Others work to enhance the botanical flavor from the gin. After that, I

Sounds like this person might play it safe, and needs a gal like me to get him/her out of her comfort zone. I love a challenge. It’s often when I do my best work.

ordered agave cocktail. This cocktail embodies everything about fall without being overdone or artificial. The maple syrup acts as a flavorful sweetener, perfectly complementing the spices in the pumpkin puree, while still allowing the base spirit of tequila to shine through. The lemon juice also adds certain brightness to the drink, and in this case, balances the cocktail better than lime juice.

What is one cocktail would love for us to feature in the magazine this month?

PUMPKIN SPICE MARGARITA

love to try something from the bar’s signature menu as well.

What does ordering Jack and Coke say about a person?

Pumpkin Spice Margarita

What do you like about this drink? What I like about this recipe is that it’s an easy sipping seasonal twist on a frequently

Combine the following: 2 oz Forteleza Reposado Tequila 3/4 oz lemon juice 3/4 oz pumpkin puree 1/4 oz organic Vermont maple syrup

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104

THE BEST NIGHTLIFE EVENTS

FOR SEPTEMBER Connor Dziawura » The Entertainer!

Gareth Emery

SEPTEMBER 2 U.K. EDM artist Gareth Emery is stopping by Maya Day + Nightclub to push his album “100 Reasons to Live,” which was released in April. He’s sure to deliver a diverse and crowd-moving set and give fans 100 reasons to live. Maya Day + Nightclub, 7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, 480.625.0528, mayaclubaz.com, 9 p.m., $15.

Sub Focus

SEPTEMBER 2 Bodies are sure to be moving at the Pressroom on September 2, as U.K. drum and bass producer Sub Focus will be stopping by for a set. While his most recent album is 2013’s “Torus,” the handful of singles are more than enough to warrant attendance at this show. The Pressroom, 441 W. Madison Street, Phoenix, 602.396.7136, thepressroomaz.com, 9 p.m., $20-$25.

Hardwell

SEPTEMBER 3 House music is alive and well at Talking Stick Resort, where Hardwell will stop by The Pool to prove he feels comfortable in more than just a festival scene. With his massive house/pop crossover appeal, EDM crowds aren’t the only ones poised to have a good time. The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480.850.7777, 11 a.m., $30.

ODESZA

SEPTEMBER 3 This electropop duo is a big deal in 2016. With a handful of wildly popular cuts like “Say My Name” and “Bloom,” ODESZA will be stopping by Maya Day + Nightclub to deliver its brand of club-friendly music. Maya Day + Nightclub, 7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, mayaclubaz.com, 12 p.m., $70-$125.

Erick Morillo

SEPTEMBER 4 Crowds will definitely “like to move it” on September 4. While he may be known for his 1993 hit “I Like to Move It,” with Reel 2 Reel, Morillo has a plethora of albums and styles from which to draw. The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480.850.7777, 11 a.m., $15.

Bingo Players

SEPTEMBER 8 Originally formed as a duo in 2006, Bingo Players is now the moniker of Dutch DJ and producer Maarten Hoogstraten. While this project has never released a studio album, 10 years of history and successful singles are more than enough to take to Tucson’s Rialto Theatre. Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street, Tucson, rialtotheatre.com, 8 p.m., $25-$55.

Glow Party

SEPTEMBER 10 With DJs Deca Dance, Big Mike, N8V, Rare and plenty more to last the night, 191 Toole’s Glow Party is sure to be a wild event. Dancing and glowsticks are the central themes of this event, so come prepared. 191 Toole, 191 E. Toole Avenue, 191toole.com, 7 p.m., $10-$25.

Mad Decent Block Party – Day 1

SEPTEMBER 16 AND SEPTEMBER 17 Mad Decent Block Party is returning to Rawhide this year—this time as a two-day event. Among those scheduled to play are Diplo, RL Grime, Flosstradamus and others. Bringing a mix of trap, hip-hop and dubstep, Mad Decent Block Party accommodates all corners of the EDM crowd. There are not too many curveballs in this lineup, but Mad Decent fans are likely to be impressed with the inclusion of essential trap artists and popular rapper Lil Dicky. If you can dance to it, it’s likely to be there. Rawhide Western Town and Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, 480.502.5600, rawhide. com, 5 p.m., $18.50-$169.

Post Malone

SEPTEMBER 16 While not everyone may know Post Malone’s name yet, they will soon. With the massive success of his single “White Iverson,” an appearance on the fan-favorite “Fade” from Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo,” and an opening

A MAKE IT

HAPPEN Lane 8 is turning technology on its side

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Melissa Szenda » The Entertainer! merican electronic music producer Lane 8 is encouraging concert goers to put their phones away and actually embrace his live shows during his “This Never Happened Tour.” Lane 8 told SoundCloud that this habit of recording shows with cellphones is a distraction to other fans and artists. “We live at a time when distractions from reality are never further away than our fingertips,” says Lane 8, also known as Daniel Goldstein. “Our phones offer us unlimited stimulation and temporary comfort. The possibilities of technology are endless, but they also limit the possibility…the possibility to truly experience and submit to the moment.” Often, people are so busy capturing the moment that they forget to get lost in the music. This is the motivation behind “This Never Happened,” which is also the

stint on Justin Bieber’s Purpose Tour, Post Malone has come a long way in the past year, and now he will be stopping at the Marquee Theatre. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Avenue, Tempe, 480.829.0607, luckymanonline.com, 8 p.m., $27-$75.

Krewella

SEPTEMBER 23 Krewella has been making a name for themselves over the past few years, with a number of highly popular songs like “Live for the Night.” With their eclectic blend of dance-pop, dubstep and electrohouse, they have maintained a spot in the EDM scene and will stop by Crescent Ballroom on September 23. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Avenue, Phoenix, 602.716.2222, crescentphx.com, 8:30 p.m., $49.

Krewella (After-Party)

Keep the party going after checking out Krewella at the intimate confines of the Crescent Ballroom. Maya Day + Nightclub, 7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, mayaclubaz.com, 9 p.m., $15.

Steve Aoki

SEPTEMBER 24 Having collaborated with an eclectic variety of artists, from Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo to Lil Jon, LMFAO and Linkin Park, the cakesmashing Steve Aoki has found himself at the top of his game. Fans of electronic shows should check out Aoki’s set. The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, 480.850.7777, releasevip.com/dj/steve-aoki/, 11 a.m., start at $30.

name of his record label. Lane 8 invites music lovers into a space where “the only thing that matters are the people in that room, the music and the magic that happens when those things interact.” The movement has received a rousing response. “This Never Happened” kicked off in San Francisco and, in an interview with Billboard, Lane 8 said he had “honestly never seen so many happy smiling faces at one of (his) shows.” Grab your friends and forget your phone for a night that in 2016 standards, may have never happened.

Lane 8

Monarch Theatre, 122 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, relentlessbeats. com, 9 p.m. Saturday, September 24, $15-$20.

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WE WERE THERE— WHERE WERE YOU?

Duran Duran, August 3 Gila River Arena

English pop stars Duran Duran served up a retrospective of their hits, ranging from “Planet Earth” to “Pressure Off.” We were there, but keyboardist Nick Rhodes wasn’t, as he had a family emergency back in the U.K. MNDR filled in for the founding band member. Nile Rodgers, whose band Chic opened the show, joined Duran Duran for a few songs, namely “Notorious” and “Pressure Off.” PHOTOS BY KIMBERLY CARRILLO

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106

FROM DIVE BARS TO

LOLLAPALOOZA Flosstradamus enjoys slow ascent Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

losstradamus—the trap duo otherwise known as DJs J2K and Autobot—wasn’t exactly embraced when in its early days in Chicago. Promoters thought J2K (Josh Young) and Autobot (Curt Cameruci) didn’t fit in what they were doing at DJ nights. “The ones who had house parties didn’t accept us initially,” Cameruci says. “We had to play rock ‘n’ roll venues and bars. We had to make our own little route for people to come and check us out. We had to redefine what it meant to be a DJ in Chicago.” The duo created their own scene, one that bred rappers and other musicians. That gave Flosstradamus the opportunity

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to grow organically, instead of exploding and then sinking just as fast. “We started out 10 years ago playing little bars and little hole-in-the-wall places in Chicago,” Young says. “We would play little house parties and now we played headline sets at Lollapalooza (Chicago) this summer. “It was a slow and gradual and amazing evolution. I feel like we’re on the cutting edge of things.” To track its “movement,” Flosstradamus has founded a record label, High Def Youth. “We wanted to have our own way of discovering new artists, of building a family around this sort of movement that we started,” Young says. “That is very inspiring. You watch YouTube and some of the youngest kids who are 13, 14 are doing the most cutting-edge stuff. It’s really cool.” As for Flosstradamus, Young and Cameruci both say that their blend of hip-hop and DJ music is innovative. “It’s more of a kitchen sink kind of thing—blending hip hop with house and with rock songs,” Young says. “We

did everything. The promoters didn’t know how to accept that. We are all over the map.” Flosstradamus will show the Valley what it has when it plays the second night of the Mad Decent Block Party at Rawhide Western Town and Event Center in Chandler on Saturday, September 17. Fans can expect to hear Flosstradamus’ latest single, “Came Up,” with FKi 1st and Graves that features Post Malone and Key! “It shows the evolution of us as musicians,” Cameruci says. “We’ve been making high-energy dance music for a while now. We wanted to move in a more listenable direction. We wanted something that would work in a club and in your iPod at home.”

Mad Decent Block Party

Rawhide Western Town and Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Rd., Chandler, http://bit.ly/2bHHHyJ, time TBA Friday, September 16, and Saturday, September 17, starts at $53.

108

YOU’RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS

Bizarro facts that will stretch your noggin Tickets to the

FIRST SUPER BOWL were

$12, which was considered exorbitant in 1967.

The U of A marching band was one of two college bands to play at the first Super Bowl’s halftime show.

Carson Minarik » The Entertainer!

FOOTBALL HELMETS

weren’t a mandatory piece of equipment for players in NFL games until 1943.

The Green Bay Packers’ WAITING LIST is so long that parents put their children’s name on the list THE DAY THEY’RE BORN. The Miami Dolphins are the only team to have a PERFECT SEASON—winning all 14 regular games and three postseason matches. That was IN 1972. THE NERF FOOTBALL

was invented by a former NFL kicker.

Super Bowl Sunday is the

second biggest eating day of the year for Americans, second only to Thanksgiving.

A single cowhide makes about

10 footballs.

According to the National Chicken Council, Americans consume 1.3 billion chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

NFL cheerleaders only make about

$100 per game. A cow has a

1-IN-17.4 MILLION CHANCE of being used to create one of the footballs used in the Super Bowl.

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