Cover Stories
The Top Seven Things About SXSW 2019
Sometimes I’m not even sure whether it really happened. But, if it did, here were some of my favorite parts.
Arizona to Austin
Tow’rs formed in Flagstaff in 2014, but now has members spread across Arizona. With a decidedly DIY aesthetic, they’ve released three albums and amassed a dedicated fanbase during multiple tours.
The Best of SXSW 2019
SXSW remains the best place in America to see up-and-coming bands, as Emily Dieckman and Rodd McLeod reveal in this week’s recap of SXSW.
Laughing Stock: Picnic with Sketchy people
Tater Salad and Tequila Ron “Tater Salad” White was a crowd favorite in the original Blue-Collar Comedy Tour. He earned a national following as a cigar-smoking, scotch-swilling storyteller of everyday life. But he was always of different stuff than his redneck-culture colleagues. He was tater salad to their grits and scotch to their beer-and-a-shot. These…
26 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: April 5 to 7
Petey’s Big Sketch Show. Heads will lol at this sketch comedy event put on by some of Tucson’s funny people. How did things like Saturday Night Live and Monty Python get started? With a bunch of funny people getting together to make stuff happen. You don’t want to miss the start of the next big…
UA Student Media Displaced From Long-Time Newsroom
The University of Arizona’s Park Student Union, located at 615 N. Park Avenue, will undergo extensive renovations as part of its transition to a facility called the UA Global Center. It is envisioned to be the one-stop shop for services provided by UA Global, a department that serves international students and faculty who are entering or…
Four Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Thursday, April 4
Best Wishes For Worst Times. Presented by the University of Arizona Museum of Art, this screening takes the audience on a fictional art tour. Led by fictional art critic Maria Denolt, this film introduces viewers to six artworks which demonstrate principles central to art history (and time travel). Since 2012, Tucson-based artist and archivist Dani…
XOXO: Where to Rock Thursday, April 4
Perhaps best known for his early work with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, this Texas guitar legend has gone onto be hailed by Guitar Player as a “virtual guitar deity.” That’s right. Jimmie Vaughan brings his sharp retro style to the Rialto Theatre. Local shredder Michael Hebert and Michael P. jump start the evening. Details here. “They’re…
Help Build New Trails at Painted Hills
On the West side of town there are many places to pull off the road and enjoy the scenery. One such pull off is the Painted Hills trailhead. Currently connecting to a small system of trails, Pima County is looking for volunteers to expand the hiking options. Located on the edge of Tucson Mountain Park,…
Claytoon of the Day: Trumpy Gator Balls
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Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Wednesday, April 3
Cirque du Soleil Corteo. We’re all familiar with the concept of Cirque du Soleil: mind blowing acrobatics, wicked-cool sets and stories that leave you feeling awestruck. In this show, the clown Mauro has just passed away, but instead of being in mourning, the people who loved him are exuberantly celebrating his life. There’s juggling, bouncing…
XOXO: Where to Rock Wednesday, April 3
Embodying the duality—the passion and poignancy that exists when age-old ideologies manifest into real world struggles—of a city and its people divided, Arizona Friends of Chamber Music presents the Jerusalem Quartet. With a program that features works by Haydn, Debussy and Shostakovich. Composed in the immediate aftermath of WWII, Shostakovich’s String Quartet in G Major,…
Strong Start Tucson 2.0: A New Early Childhood Education Proposal
Remember Proposition 204 in the 2017 election, also known as Strong Start Tucson? If it passed, it would have raised local taxes to provide quality early childhood education to children in Tucson whose parents can’t afford to pay for it. The proposition went down by a wide margin. In a reasonably progressive town like Tucson…
Adoptable Pet: Vincent Needs A Home
“Hi friends! My name is Vincent and I am a 5 year old boy with a lot of love to give my new family. I came to HSSA as a stray so they don’t know much about me. I love to have my belly rubbed and that’s rare for a kitty cat! I hope I…
Five Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Tuesday, April 2
Peanut Butter & Jelly Flight at 1912 Brewing. Celebrating this classic American treat, 1912 Brewing is teaming up with Daniela’s Cooking to present three different creations of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and pairing them with two 1912 beers and their “Peanut Butter and Jelly Crime” mead. (Rumor has it there might even be tacos…
XOXO: Where to Rock Tuesday, April 2
One of indie rocks’ most beloved acts, Luna create A Place of Greater Safety at 191 Toole. Details here. From humble beginnings, this former “garage band” from Topeka went on to sell 30 million albums worldwide. Classic rockers Kansas celebrate the release of their sextuple-platinum album Point of Know Return by performing it in its…
Arizona Softball Sweeps In-State Rival ASU at Hillenbrand Stadium
The University of Arizona’s softball team is on a roll, having won nine games in a row, all against Pac-12 foes. The Wildcats (27-7, 9-0) latest victim was the Arizona State Sun Devils, who were swept by a combined score of 18-0 in a three-game series in Tucson. The three-game performance was enough to give…
DACA Recipients Respond to Border Patrol Presence on UA Campus
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipients at the University of Arizona have penned a letter that was released today in response to a Customs and Border Patrol presence at the university’s main campus on Tuesday, March 19 in the Modern Languages building. CBP agents were guests of an event hosted by the Criminal Justice Association,…
Arizona Rolls Past Wyoming in WNIT Quarterfinals, 67-45
A crescendo reached its fever pitch as the final seconds drained from the clock at McKale Center on Sunday afternoon. The joyous celebration of an announced crowd of 7,717 was the net result of a 40-minute shellacking by the Arizona Wildcats. The Wildcats (22-13, 7-11) pummeled the visiting Wyoming Cowgirls in the Women’s National Invitational…
Claytoon of the Day: Creeper 2020
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Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Monday, April 1
Recognize This? You ever go to an art gallery and feel totally unsure of what you’re looking at? At this month’s Wilde Meyer Gallery exhibit, you don’t have to feel bad, because the whole point of this exhibit is that the art is abstract, with art of everything from people to animals to scenes from…
XOXO: Where to Rock Monday, April 1
This pop singer-songwriter is a classically trained pianist. She played keyboard with BØRNS before striking out on her own. Acclaimed for her dreamy, immersive soundscapes, her debut single “White Noise” rapidly climbed both Spotify and HypeMachine’s viral charts to occupy the No. 1 position. Ella Vos at 191 Toole. From icy Sweden, former Ace of…
Meet Some Authors This Weekend
If you like Route 66 and chimichangas, you’ll want to meet local authors Rita Connelly and Terrence Moore Saturday afternoon at the Barnes and Nobel on Broadway. Starting at 1 p.m., Rita Connelly will be signing copies of her latest book, Arizona Chimichangas. While many restaurants from Flagstaff to Bisbee claim to have been the…
Hot Wax | Taco Sauce – Original Hot
Hot on the spiked heels of Taco Sauce’s debut release, Original Hot—a freewheeling retro hell ride that navigates a few of the pitfalls faced by Generation Y-ers, including dating app hookups and the manipulative psychology of gaslighting—XOXO caught up with frontwoman Gabi Montoya to pick her brain. Saucy? Si señora, just like a worn pair of…
All Bets Are On: Breaking Down the Sweet 16, Arizona Women’s Basketball and the Sugar Skulls
Co-hosts Christopher Boan and Tyler Vondrak return for an action-packed show that covers the gamut of topics. Both break down the night’s action in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, before delving into Thursday’s Women’s National Invitational Tournament win for Adia Barnes and the Arizona Wildcats. The final segment of Friday’s show previews the Tucson Sugar…
Arizona Beats Idaho, 68-60 Advancing to WNIT Elite 8
A crowd of more than 6,000 people roared in unison as the final seconds drained from the center-court clock at McKale Center on Thursday evening. The red-and-blue-clad fans that filled the arena were treated to a four-quarter duel between the host Wildcats and a spunky Idaho Vandals squad that never relented. The two sides virtually…
Tucson Cine Mexico Celebrates Thriving Mexican Film Industry
Since she was a child, Martha Sosa has learned life lessons from the films that demonstrated them to her. “I’ve always been a very keen cinephile, thanks to my dad, whose way of talking to us was through films,” Sosa said. “I got a very deep relationship with the cinema experience through watching films in…
“The Dirt” Isn’t Worth Your Time on Netflix
Jeff Tremaine, director of the Jackass films, tries to deliver an actual narrative movie and bombs miserably with this lame biopic of Motley Crue. Based on the book written by members of the band, the film covers the band from formation through their career, and makes a mess of the whole thing. For starters, Tommy…
Kamala Harris Wants To Raise Teachers’ Salaries
The Green New Deal is an aspirational list of ideas of ways we can improve the environment and lift people’s standards of living. Do we need a Green New Deal? Is it doable? Can we afford it? Democrats are asking those questions seriously while Republicans pretend the GND would mean an end to hamburgers, milkshakes…
My Brightest Diamond Performing at Tucson Music Hall Saturday
Grandiose and artful, My Brightest Diamond is bringing their modern pop to the Tucson Music Hall when they open for Death Cab for Cutie this Saturday, March 30. Fronted by singer and multi-instrumentalist Shara Nova, My Brightest Diamond has released multiple albums since 2006, juggling the chamber pop, synth pop and singer/songwriter genres. Nova broke into the mainstream…
Claytoon of the Day: Trippin’ With Betsy
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Football Fiesta: Tucson Sugar Skulls
Coleman wants his players to focus on limiting penalties, while maximizing their offensive drives and stifling the Strike Force’s high-flying pass game. If they can do that, then the sky’s the limit for the newfound Tucson squad.
Three Painters, Three Galleries
With the air balmy and the skies sunny, it’s time to take an art stroll.
Congressional Questions: U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick
U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-CD2) recently sat down with Tucson Weekly to talk about a range of issues facing Congress.
Indigenous Exploration: Tucson Cine Mexico
Sala has made several short films before, but he knew when he came up with the concept for this one that it would make a good candidate for his first feature film.
Troubled Waters: UA experts discuss Arizona drought contingency plan
In the late hours of Jan. 31, the Arizona Legislature passed a drought contingency plan in a nearly unanimous vote.
Reel Indie
Movies to see at Tucson’s indie theaters this week
The Skinny
The fight to stop Rosemont Mine continues and democrat Mark Kelly has a clearer shot at Martha McSally next year
Editor’s Note
Find out what fills the pages this week.
Police Dispatch
A cohabiting couple were arrested for fighting like cats and dogs while living in a car.
Police Dispatch
While on patrol, an officer located a big conglomeration of graffiti, in the form of text, covering the whole west side of a bridge and retaining wall
Know Your Product: NEEDTOBREATHE
There’s a certain amount of wonder that stems from hearing unreserved passion in music, and this South Carolina folk rock act has nothing to hide.
MMJ: Courts and Campaigns
The Arizona Dispensaries Association announced their plans last week for a 2020 ballot initiative to legalize adult-use cannabis, March 20.
Double Trouble: Jordan Peele’s Us
The film starts with a quote about America having many miles of tunnels underneath its surface…
XOXO
Where to rock in Tucson this week
Kicked to the Curb: Housing experts discuss causes of Pima County’s high eviction rate
Between 2015 and 2018, more than 13,000 Pima County renters were faced with an eviction.
The Secret Is Out
In 2018, word spread that the IBT owners were taking over a small spot just a few doors down with a focus on food. I made my way there when it opened a few months ago with gleeful expectations.
Danehy
The irony hall of fame will probably soon be opening a new exhibit dedicated to the fact that the same President of the United States who wants to sic the federal government on Saturday Night Live just signed an executive order in favor of free speech on college campuses.
Quick Bites
All the best places to grab a bite this week
City Week
Fun to be had around town this week
