Cover Story
Arte en el Otro Lado / Art on the Other Side
Driving down the main street that cuts through Nogales, Sonora, it dawns on me that maybe my always-worried mom is right after all: Maybe life on the other side of the border is dangerous. The driver of the car is Nogales artist Guadalupe Serrano, who casually grips the steering wheel with his left hand. In…
Help Some Kids Having a Tough Year
When 36-year-old Tina Rieger was struck and killed while crossing Broadway in a crosswalk at 8:15 a.m., Dec. 6, six children were left without a mother. It’s an immeasurable tragedy in any case, but it seems especially cruel in the midst of this festive season. The kids have gone to live with their grandparents in…
The Ultimate Beach Toy
This looks like it would be a lot of fun in Rocky Point.
New Menus at Noble Hops and Sir Veza’s
Noble Hops Gastropub just put out a new menu. If you like fare that starts at dressed-up pub fare and ends somewhere near fine dining, head over here. Or you could head over here and check out the new menu at Sir Veza’s Taco Garage. It also has a new happy hour from 3 to…
Today’s Strange Russian Food Ad
Admittedly, this isn’t as strange as the same nation’s Burger King ad, and the theme is similar to the brand’s ads in the US, but Mickey Rourke is involved in this Russian Snickers commercial, so that’s at least a little weird.
Café A La C’Art Expands, Adds a Bar and Dinner Hours
Café A La C’Art, the popular restaurant at the Tucson Museum of Art, has added about 50 additional seats and will soon have dinner hours and a bar. Codi Perry, who manages the front of the restaurant, says the restaurant recently took over four additional rooms. He said the liquor license has also been approved,…
Ke$ha’s Bob Dylan Cover Much Better Than Expected
I really like Ke$ha, but it would be easy to assume that the frequently Autotuned pop princess shouldn’t be allowed near the Bob Dylan catalog. Still, her take on “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” is really quite good. Seriously, you should give it a listen. If you’d like to hear the Amnesty International collection…
Talking Comics: Cynthia Replaces Arnie Edition
Not permanently, but for this episode of Talking Comics with Heroes & Villains, Cynthia breaks down the gender barrier in local video-based comic book reviews. Also, they discuss Defenders #1 and the “lamer Marvel heroes”.
NACLA Report on the Americas: ‘The Students Saved the Program’
The current issue of the NACLA Report on the Americas is on Latino student movements and includes an article on part of the fight for Mexican American Studies in the Tucson Unified School District. The piece was written by UA assistant professor Nolan Cabrera from the Center for the Study of Higher Education (an ethnic…
Talking Christmas Songs With Fook
This morning, I spent my weekly spot on the Fook morning show on KFMA discussing somewhat unique Christmas music again, so if you’d like to hear more than a snippet of my selections. Here they are, starting with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings above, performing “Ain’t No Chimneys in the Projects”. The other three are…
Silver Leaving KGUN After 28 Years
KGUN Channel 9 announced to its staff today that Dave Silver is leaving as the station’s sports director. Silver, who has worked with KGUN for 28 years, has accepted a position with the UA Foundation. Silver’s final day on the air is slated to be Dec. 23.
The Great Cover Up Lineup Is Here! The Great Cover Up Lineup Is Here!
If you haven’t already decided to go to one or more nights of The Great Cover Up this weekend, I’m sorry that you make bad decisions that negatively affect your happiness and hope that one day you will realize the error of your ways. Otherwise, if you are smart and good looking (like all Great…
A Peek Inside the Playground
The spot for the enormous video screen in the lower bar of Playground. We took a peek inside the new downtown bar and lounge Playground this morning, and things are coming along nicely. Owner Kade Mislinski, who also owns the nearby HUB Restaurant and Ice Creamery, gave us a quick walk through while workers toiled…
I Had a Noche Dulce Vanilla Porter, and I Liked It
This is a picture of the Noche Dulce vanilla porter I had at the opening of Borderlands Brewery last Saturday. Something like five million people showed up for the event and there was a line out the door for most of the night. I ended up crouching in a corner as the tasting room filled…
Why Do You Hate Me, Elvis Costello?
Elvis Costello. I’ve purchased your multiple reissues. I’ve paid not-cheap ticket prices to see you live. I’ve purchased your various vanity projects and shelved them right next to your albums that I actually enjoy. I thought I’d never see a day where I was more disappointed in you than when you married soft-jazz hack Diana…
Go to DevastatingExplosions.com Right Now
Yes, it’s a tie in for Old Spice, but it’s remarkably satisfying nonetheless.
Jerry Sandusky’s Lawyer is Terrible at Lawyering
Jerry Sandusky clearly has an odd sense of how to hire a lawyer already, considering he hired Joe Amendola, a guy who impregnated a teenage girl that was one of his clients, but Amendola keeps digging deeper into a well of stupidity: The choicest moment: At one point, Amendola discussed the possibility that Mike McQueary…
American Burger Kings Need More Unicorns
It would appear the Burger King by my house no longer sells Chicken Fries, so I have no reason to go there, but if I could be promised unicorns and DJ’s spinning giant hamburgers as records like they apparently have at the Russian locations, I could probably be convinced to stop by. [Eater]
There’s an Arizona Centennial Gun, Obviously
As part of Arizona’s celebration of its hundredth birthday in 2012, there’s a wide array of merchandise to be purchased, most of which will likely end up in the back of a closet somewhere once the purchaser realizes they bought a sweatshirt for a state’s centennial and that wearing such an item would just be…
Apparently, Drake’s Coming to Tucson
No official confirmation from the TCC itself, but according to the internets, former child star turned big time rapper Drake is coming to the TCC Arena as part of his Club Paradise Tour with A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar on March 4th. Tough break, Phoenix! No word on when tickets will be on sale yet,…
A (Somewhat Biased) Celeb-Tastic Gift Idea for Your Dude
So, lately, i’ve been asked where I’ve gotten these rope and hook bracelets I’ve been wearing for the past several months. Miansai.com Miansai’s Michael Saiger. Well, look no further than MIANSAI. MIANSAI stands for Michael Andrew Saiger, a one-time student at the University of Arizona who now designs these really nifty trinkets in Miami. Saiger…
I Really Want to See This Sushi Movie
I don’t want to wait until March to see Jiro Dreams Of Sushi, a documentary about Jiro Ono, generally considered the world’s best sushi chef, who works at a sushi bar with ten seats in a Tokyo subway station. I want to see it now and then I want to eat everything on the screen.…
A Contender for Strangest Tucson Advertisement of the Year
This ad is more unsettling than sexy for me, but I’m also not the sort of person looking to buy a truck, so maybe they’ve got their target demographic locked down.
‘Narco-Mania’: A War on the War on Drugs
Released on the 31st anniversary of John Lennon’s death, Narco-Mania is Mexico-based filmmaker, journalist and teacher Greg Berger’s latest satire with his brand of Gringoyo sting that keeps shedding light on the War on Drugs and its devastation in Mexico. Actually, what Berger skillfully presents is a declaration of war on the War on Drugs.…
They’re Back: Election Integrity Activists Head Back to Court
According to a press release issued Friday by election integrity activist John Brakey, Tucson attorneys Bill Risner and Ralph Ellinwood head back to court to carrying on the election integrity battle over the RTA election ballots and more on Monday, Dec. 12, Judge Kyle Bryson’s Courtroom, fifth floor, Pima County Superior Court, 110 W. Congress:…
A Wonderful World, Indeed
I confess to being a nature porn junkie, especially when it comes to those extraordinary BBC series Planet Earth, The Blue Planet and the upcoming Frozen Planet, so I was utterly captivated by this tribute to Sir David Attenborough.
Keeping Families Together: Rally and Procession Today to ICE
There’s still time to join No More Deaths, We Reject Racism and Keep Tucson Together at their rally and process, which began today at 1 p.m. at Santa Monica Parish, 212 W. Medina, near South 6th Avenue and Valencia. A procession is expected to take place at 1:30 p.m. to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement…
Cheap Show Alert: Of Montreal Coming to Tucson
Here’s a bargain for indie pop fans: Of Montreal is coming back to the Rialto on March 19th, and while the tickets are quite affordable already at $11, but if you hurry up and get tickets during the presale happening now, you can get them for $9. Since there are often eight or nine members…
Songs From Sleep Driver: Week Two
Sleep Driver, “Rings” by TucsonWeeklySleepDriver The guys from local instrumental rock outfit Sleep Driver were nice enough to share with The Range four tracks from their new EP “Signals”, available January 2nd online and in limited edition physical form. We’ll post a track each Monday in December, starting with “319” last week, and continuing this…
Occupy Tucson Stays Put … For Now
At last week’s Occupy Tucson general assembly, ideas were tossed around on what’s next and a glimpse on what negotiations are taking place between Occupy representatives and the city of Tucson, and the legal battle over the 600-plus citations the Tucson Police Department has issued to Occupiers since day one on Oct. 15. This meeting…
Supreme Court to Hear SB 1070 Challenge
So, this should be interesting, especially with eight justices set to decide on the case (Justice Elena Kagan has recused herself from the case): The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether Arizona may impose tough anti-immigration measures. Among them, in a law enacted last year, is a requirement that the police there question…
The Only Color That Matters in 2012
If you have any clothes that aren’t orange in hue, throw them away! According to Pantone, the people who decide the colors, Tangerine Tango is the color of the year for 2012: Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward. “Sophisticated but at the…
I Miss You, JJ King of Beepers
While this ad from an Indiana beeper salesmen is amusing, it really just makes me miss JJ, the King of Beepers, who was unavoidable for a stretch in the 90’s before cell phones obliterated the pager market. While the Phoenix New Times ran a feature on the guy during his heyday and there’s a Flickr…
Today’s Nü-Rock Political Moment From Korn
Noted political philosophers/contenders for worst band ever Korn have weighed in on the 2012 election: The metal band, which rose to fame in the 1990s when its “Follow the Leader” album, spoke with Billboard.com to promote their new album, “The Path of Totality,” and explained the meaning behind some of their songs, including “Illuminati.” Frontman…
Political Roundtable: Mitt Vs. Newt in AZ, Grijalva Vs. Sheriff Joe & A Talk With New Mayor Jonathan Rothschild
The latest edition of Arizona Illustrated’s Political Roundtable, featuring a look at how Newt is beating Mitt among Arizona Republicans, an examination of the legal fights over healthcare in the state and partisan elections in Tucson, and a talk with new Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild. Republican strategist Jonathan Paton and former Pima County Democratic Party…
Court Ruling: Redistricting Commission Is Not Subject to Open Meeting Law
Attorney General Tom Horne suffered another big defeat in Maricopa County Superior Court today. Judge Dean M. Fink ruled that the Independent Redistricting Commission is not subject to Arizona’s Open Meeting law, which eliminates an entire line of prosecution that Horne had hoped to use to remove members of the commission. From Fink’s ruling: Applying…
Katy Perry Is Going to Ruin My Saturday
The minute I saw that Katy Perry would be hosting Saturday Night Live with Robyn as the musical guest, I could already feel the angst filling in my soul. I love Swedish popstar Robyn, but I despise Katy Perry. I didn’t like her Christian pop record when I cared about such things, I don’t understand…
What to Listen to This Week: Friday Edition
In this installment of our music recommendation series, our music writers suggest songs by the Ghost Wolves, Colin Stetson, Kathleen Edwards and the Dirtbombs. Carl HanniThe Ghost Wolves, “Snake & Jake Shake” This rude duo hail from Austin. The video totally speaks for itself and doesn’t need any help from me. Curtis McCraryColin Stetson, “Judges”…
Ready for End Times 2012?
Worried about the world ending next year? Yeah, who isn’t, right? Well, why don’t you buy yourself a Mystic Myan Power Cloak. It’s kind of like Harry Potter’s cloak, but this one really saves your ass. The secret of the cloak is the magical fabric, an ancient Mayan rite handed down through the centuries. Deep…
This Is Certainly Something New to Protest
Tomorrow in London, women will be marching on Harley Street to protest “designer vaginas”, partially by attaching large furry things to their (clothed) crotches. While admittedly I’m not up on the latest in vaginal plastic surgery, I think men might owe women an apology for whatever we’ve done to their collective self-image that this is…
Cover Up Conjecture: “Heaven at 27” Edition
In part four of the series no one asked for (part one: Wings; part two: Wilco; part three: Mariah Carey), I suggest five songs from an act that will be featured at the three day (and one afternoon) music event The Great Cover Up, happening December 15-17 and benefiting the Tucson Artists and Musicians Healthcare…
Idiot Boksen – Republicans Totally Watch TV Like This…
Why don’t conservatives love this man?!? Earlier this week, Dan Gibson posted about Experian Simmons’ most recent poll examining political ideology and TV watching habits. A similar poll was released last year. This whole thing is fascinating to me, because as much as anything else, the entertainment we consume speak to our vast ideological divides.…
Democrats Cancel Presidential Primary, But Claim It Has Nothing To Do With Project White House 2012
The Arizona Democratic Party bowed out of Arizona presidential primary earlier this week. Jennifer Johnson, the spokeswoman for the Arizona Democratic Party, told The Range that the party will instead have a caucus in the congressional districts later this year. “That will save the taxpayers some money,” Johnson said. But we couldn’t help but wonder…
Political Roundtable: The GOP Presidential Primary, Raul Grijalva vs. Sheriff Joe, Healthcare Battles & More!
Tonight on Arizona Illustrated’s Political Roundtable: We talk about Newt vs. Romney in AZ, the ongoing court fight over health care for Arizonans under the poverty line, Congressman Raul Grijalva’s fight with Sheriff Joe and a bunch more. Plus, Mayor Jonathan Rothschild stops by for a visit! Tune in at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 6…
This Week in Tucson Bicycling
Michael McKisson/TucsonVelo.com A rider flips over turning the cyclocross race in Tucson. Cyclocross, a form of bike racing, returned to Tucson this week. Check out the photos and video from the race that included a lot of crashes. A local mountain bike racer has made the first cut for the US Olympic team. Find out…
What NOT to Name Your Kid in 2012: Most Popular Baby Names 2011 and Names Likely to Turn Kids into Criminals
Illustration Ryn Gargulinski A boy named Sue may not have a fighting chance. An original thought can be tough to come by, as can an original name. The latter is constantly evidenced by folks who name their dogs two of the most popular monikers of Max and Sassy. Or parents who name their kids Emma.…
This Kind of Weather Calls for a Hot Toddy
In my homeland of Wisconsin, where it is often cold enough to freeze wild animals solid, nobody drinks hot toddies. This has always seemed like an enormous missed opportunity, but up there the drink de riguer is canned beer, and even subthermal temperatures don’t change that. Down here in Arizona, where it gets cold enough…
Tool Is Coming to Tucson
As far as I can tell, Tool, fronted by winemaker/Arizonan Maynard James Keenan, hasn’t performed in Tucson since May of 2007, so it’s news that they’re coming back to the TCC Arena on January 17th of next year. The band is currently working on a new album, their first since 2006’s 10,000 Days, so fans…
What to Listen to This Week: Thursday Edition
In this installment of our music recommendation series, our music writers suggest tracks by Halloween Town, Big Star, and Television. Jarret KeeneHalloween Town, “A Faster Bullet” Las Vegas native Ryan Pardey has done it all—studied English literature, tended dive bars, played pro-level poker, and tour-managed the most commercial of Vegas rock bands, The Killers. Now…
There Are Scouts in the Weekly’s Office!
Unfortunately blurry photo by Dan Gibson The Cub Scouts of Pack 261 are visiting the Tucson Weekly offices today to learn about how a weekly newspaper is put together. We don’t get all that many tour groups through here, so this merits a blog post, right? Thanks for coming by, Scouts!
Jon Stewart vs. John McCain, Round 537
The Daily ShowGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook Jon Stewart wonders why Sen. John McCain is so eager to give away American freedoms in the fight against terror.
Coming Soon: Koi Sushi Bar
We’ve just gotten word that a new sushi joint is going in at the old Golden Corral spot at 715 E. Wetmore Road. Koi Sushi Bar has yet to post an opening date, but the liquor license has already been applied for and is currently pending approval. We’ll let you know when we learn more.
Want to Try Food & Wine’s 50 Best Bars? Better Fly to San Francisco
It’s a little silly that national publications feel the need to make lists of the best whatever in America. While I imagine a magazine like Food & Wine does have the ability to visit bars all over the country, they are always going to be working off a limited sample size. I wouldn’t even feel…
That Very Strange Sword Clip Is Actually a Music Video
Last month, I mentioned my love for a brief and very strange clip of teenagers dancing with sharp objects to Eurodance music. Well, it turns out that clip was merely a teaser for a new music video from electro-dancehall act Major Lazer, seen above. While I think I might prefer the music from the first…
Project White House 2012: Jim Terr for President!
Presidential candidate Jim Terr has informed us that he’ll be joining Project White House 2012, although he says aim to have “a couple of affairs and rehabs between now and January 9.” You, too, can run for president in Arizona. Find out how here!
2012 Desert Diamond Cup Teams Announced
Nathan Saxton Action from the 2011 Desert Cup at Hi Corbett While I’m clearly wildly biased as the sort of person who actively seeks out opportunities to watch Major League Soccer matches on television on a regular basis, I’m very excited for the 2012 Desert Diamond Cup (renamed due to new casino-based sponsorship) coming to…
The Bisbee Breakfast Club’s Tucson Location Is Open
The new Bisbee Breakfast Club is open at 4131 W. Ina Road. If you like breakfast, burgers and big portions, a visit might be in order. You can check out the menu over here.
Good Job, Josh Brodesky
I haven’t been entirely kind to Josh Brodesky’s work for the Star in the past – I did try to coin a neologism based on his name, after all – but when the guy isn’t getting worked up about seemingly minor aspects of Tucson’s bureaucracy, he’s a really good writer, and his piece on Steve…
Ai Bistro Will Feed You Well Tomorrow
Ai Bistro, a student-run eatery inside the Art Institute of Tucson at 5099 E. Grant Road, No. 100, is holding it’s semester finale dinner tomorrow and it’s all-you-can-eat! It sounds like some downright crave-worthy food is on deck, too. I’ll post the menu after the jump. Ai BISTRO Friday, Dec 9th 11am-2pm The Art Institute…
Media Watch
Lee Enterprises announces bankruptcy; Tucson media fundraiser time!
Love That Peppery Heat
Full-disclosure time: Barbecue is not on my list of favorites. Call me un-American, but I’ve never developed a passion for ‘cue—and believe me, I’ve had my fair share of the stuff. Having said that, Mr. K’s does put out some pretty decent barbecue. Not everything we had was top-notch, but I can see why this…
Weekly Wide Web
Twitter’s blog post this week announcing their top hashtags of 2011 says everything you need to know about the service—and its mix of the interesting and the mega-banal. Egypt was one of the most-discussed topics on Twitter in 2011, and for good reason, as the uprising to remove Hosni Mubarak played out on social media…
Competing Protectors
Since forming 35 years ago at the request of northern Pima County homeowners who wanted their own fire department, the Golder Ranch Fire District has slowly expanded its boundaries south and west, and currently covers 200 square miles. Most of that growth has gone unchallenged. Many times, the annexations were warmly welcomed by residents and…
Noshing Around
Thai China Bistro; Buddhist temple dining; Meat on the road; Downtown breweries; Santa visits Main Gate Square
Last-Minute and Local
In our Nov. 17 Gift Guide, we featured awesome items made locally—rather than focusing on independently owned stores, as we have in years past. And it was a lot of fun. However, only a limited amount of awesome Tucson-made holiday gifts can fit into one Tucson Weekly feature—and we felt kind of guilty about omitting…
A Progressive Sweep!
Rebuffed in their attempt to obtain statehood by a presidential veto in August 1911, Arizonans quickly sought a second chance. Because it included a judicial-recall provision, President William Howard Taft had rejected Arizona’s draft Constitution. (See “Judging Democracy,” Aug. 4.) Within days, Congress sent him new legislation requiring the removal of the provision allowing the…
Bard With Booze
For more than 40 years, Kinky Friedman has perfected his unique combination of country-music-making, fiction-writing, playwriting, political aspirations, pointed satire and snake-oil showmanship. But when we call him at his Texas ranch, Friedman is concerned most with his sartorial choices for his upcoming concert jaunt. “You caught me with my pants off,” he says. “I…
Groovy Movies
It’s time for the annual home-video gift guide. That means I am taking a break from throwing eggnog at people and singing Arbor Day tunes! (Yes, we celebrate the holidays in a very strange way at my place.) I admit that after all of the national press coverage of mob scenes at Walmart, I’m a…
Police Dispatch
The perils of being “pussy-whupped”; Marine fights!
Technology Rules!
This year, I predict many stockings will be stuffed with pepper spray, the hot item popularized by campus cops, “competitive” shoppers and teenagers who really want to have the last word at school. You could go that route, but you’ve always thought of yourself as a special snowflake, someone who bestows gifts that are a…
Filth for a Cause
It was 3 p.m. on a Thursday when I caught Doug Stanhope on the phone. He was en route to record a podcast, he said—and was waiting for his ‘shrooms to kick in. Perfect. The standup comedian and Bisbee-area resident has been described as obscene, vulgar, profane and perverted. He is a man not afraid…
Soundbites
The 14th Annual Great Cover-Up is here; New music from local bands; and more!
Editor’s Note
As part of the Tucson Weekly’s ongoing evolution … we now have an app. If you have an Android device, drop everything (unless you’re currently reading this on an Android device, in which case DO NOT DROP THIS), and head for the app store. Now. Download the app. Use the app. Play with the app.…
City Week
Salsa to benefit a border issues charity; Commemorating International Human Rights Day; Posada time!; Kids playing Radiohead, jazz style
Nine Questions
Peter Newbegin is the program coordinator for employment and economic development at the International Rescue Committee, a non-governmental organization in Tucson working with the U.S. Department of State to aid and resettle political refugees. He writes short stories and love songs for secret performances at porch shows. What was the first concert you ever saw?…
Danehy
In an effort to avoid being accused of Scrooge-like symptoms, I have a few complaints to register before the start of the holiday season. I mean, it is Dec. 8; pretty soon, all the stores are going to have Christmas displays and stuff. 1. Could somebody please round up all of the Kardashians and put…
TQ&A
Rachel Molyneux adopted her first “pit” when she was 16 and working at a local animal shelter. “Pit” is the word Molyneux affectionately uses for the Staffordshire terrier, aka pit bull. Since then, Molyneux has adopted more pits and is a local cheerleader for the breed. She and her boyfriend last year started Pit n’…
Love Mound: The Noose, the Tree, and the Desert Sky (Hover Tank)
A critic’s bag of clichés spills open when one attempts to describe the big-bang thunder and primal thrust of Love Mound. But that’s probably because the local trio incorporates the spirit and sound of many renowned head-bangin’ bands—from Black Sabbath to Queens of the Stone Age—and, in the process, carves a unique slice of hard…
Downing
What is Occupy Wall Street about? Well, it’s not about greed, per se. Nor is it about class envy. Dirty hippies who want to be Donald Trump? The slander doesn’t even scan. The movement is about objecting to the fox minding the hencoop. About being tired of watching the public exchequer looted. It’s a populist…
Elegant Simplicity
If you’re a fan of simple, sweet love stories told in song, performed by practiced professional actors in the beautifully wrought setting of a well-directed production, then read no further: Call Arizona Theatre Company’s box office, and buy your tickets to Daddy Long Legs, an adaptation of Jean Webster’s book about an orphan and her…
The Fall: Ersatz GB (Cherry Red)
The late, great British disc jockey John Peel once commented that the Fall, his favorite band, were always different, always the same. On his 29th studio album, Mark E. Smith (post-punk’s Keith Richards) leads the current version of his band through a mediocre set that could easily be outtakes from their last three albums. Peel…
Guest Commentary
Arizona has a brand-new money-laundering operation to deal with. It’s not one of the usual immigrant- or drug-smuggling operations where they clean up their ill-gotten gains with Western Union wire transfers. This new scheme happens to be perfectly legal—for the time being, anyway. It’s written into a law created by our Republican legislators last session…
Take an Art Stroll
The Old Pueblo’s vida loca is celebrated—and satirized—in Martin Quintanilla’s raucous new exhibition at Contreras Gallery. The poor Convento, the landmark Spanish adobe that Tucson allowed to crumble to dust, bravely raises its arches in the comical wall-size painting “Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo.” Present-day landmarks also get their due in Quintanilla’s wicked acrylics, from the…
The Resonars: Bright and Dark (Burger)
Among Tucson’s musical secrets are the Resonars. While the revolving roster of musicians led by songwriter Matt Rendon has languished in relative obscurity for more than 10 years, the band has consistently released a cache of albums that constitute a superlative source of ’60s-style harmonies and pop-laced psychedelia. They are a “he/she likes me” kind…
Mailbag
Ethnic Studies article was opinion, not journalism; Stegeman speaks; RichRod is great!; RichRod stinks!; Occupy is a peaceful movement; A correction
Pictorial Pleasures
If Emily Dickinson were alive today, she’d be celebrating her 181st birthday on Dec. 10. She’s not, of course. The poet died at 55 in 1886, but her Tucson fans are feting her birthday on Saturday anyway. The party is the grand finale of The Big Read—the genre-jumping festival of poetry, music and dance that’s…
Off Schedule
I am not a huge fan of schedules, as my editors can attest. Schedules by their nature restrict and squeeze and coerce us, sometimes in uncomfortable ways that we didn’t really think about when we penciled in the appointments. I avoid them when I can. So when two governors—Christine Gregoire of Washington, and Lincoln Chafee…
Picture Perfect
Janet Marcotte remembers the clay pots filled with yellow pansies on the University Medical Center lawn. There were six of them—one for each of those killed by gunfire on Jan. 8—amid all the candles, teddy bears, photos and other mementos that made up the shrine that grew in the weeks following the shootings. “I thought…
Can’t Help It
A glance at the perfectly picked cover art for this new collection of short stories by K.L Cook will tell you what you’re in for: It’s “Orpheus and Eurydice,” from a 1992 acrylic by Stephen Schultz. Picturing Eurydice following Orpheus up from the dark of Hades, it shows her gazing at him with trust, hope…
Live
Marty Kool has been spinning blues on KXCI FM 91.3’s Saturday-night Blues Review for more than 25 years. As charter members of the original Tucson Blues Society, and more recently the Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation, he and his wife, Mary, are significant and beloved icons within the local blues community. It was no surprise,…
The Skinny
From Walkup to Rothschild; Jennifer Rawson handed the bill for mishandled matching funds; Nancy Wright Young exploring a Board of Supervisors run.
Top Ten in Books
1. Inheritance Christopher Paolini, Knopf ($22.39, sale) 2. The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins, Scholastic ($8.99) 3. Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly, Scribner ($21.59, sale) 4. Explosive Eighteen: A Stephanie Plum Novel Janet Evanovich, Bantam ($22.40, sale) 5. 11/22/63: A Novel Stephen King, Scribner ($35) 6. And So It…
So Long, Connie
Connie is an Asian elephant. Shaba is African. For nearly three decades, they shared a half-acre allotted to them at the Reid Park Zoo. “Shaba has a lot of respect for Connie,” said Gale Ferrick, who spent more than two decades caring for the animals. “She will always wait until Connie’s done with a toy…
Titans of Industry
Who Killed the Electric Car? asked its timely question in 2006. The documentary chronicled General Motors Corp.’s somewhat daring experiment with an electric vehicle in the 1990s and the car’s ultimate failure, even though the thousand or so who did drive a GM EV1 sang its praises. You won’t find an EV1 on the road…
Top Ten in Music
1. Various Artists Christmas in Tucson (independent) 2. Various Artists Winter Harvest Christmas (San Jacinto) 3. Various Artists Luz de Vida: A Compilation to Benefit the Victims of the Tucson Tragedy (Fort Lowell) 4. The Grannies For Those About to Forget to Rock (Wondertaker) 5. Void Sessions 1981-83 (Dischord) 6. Bonnie Prince Billy Wolfroy Goes…
Top Ten in Movies
1. Super 8 Paramount 2. Our Idiot Brother Weinstein 3. 30 Minutes or Less Columbia 4. Friends With Benefits Screen Gems 5. The Change-Up Universal 6. Conan the Barbarian Lionsgate 7. Larry Crowne Universal 8. Another Earth Fox Searchlight 9. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil Magnolia 10. The Devil’s Double Lionsgate
Bless These Films!
It’s holiday time, and that means it’s time to watch holiday movies while drinking eggnog spiked with Tanqueray. (Actually, that’s a terrible beverage combo. Don’t do it.) Here’s a selection of holiday films and specials—some new, and some very old—that I suggest you watch in the days before Santa shows up, rummages through your fridge,…
Now Showing at Home
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (Blu-ray); The Help (Blu-ray); Rushmore (Blu-ray)
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: I read in your book that Mexico is due for a revolution about every 100 years or so. The last one was in the first part of the 20th century, and you said the country is about ready for another one. Do you think the drug war presently being fought between the cartels…
Mommy Dearest: Depressed Moms Can Affect Babies’ Brains
The out-of-sync parenting of depressed mothers can actually change the physical structure of their child’s brain. Youngsters who don’t have a healthy attachment to their mother can develop a host of mental problems. They might throw frequent temper tantrums, become more withdrawn and nervous, act out in school or even sink into depression themselves. Researchers…
Cover Up Conjecture: Mariah Carey Edition
In part three of the series no one asked for (part one: Wings; part two: Wilco), I suggest five songs from an act that will be featured at the three day (and one afternoon) music event The Great Cover Up, happening December 15-17 and benefiting the Tucson Artists and Musicians Healthcare Alliance. Today, I pick…
