Cover Story
King of Belts
So here’s a thought: If a young man in Canada was more receptive to getting punched in the face, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers might not have a touchdown dance; Floyd Mayweather might be wearing giant gold medals around his neck as he walks to the ring (Olympic judging screwjobs notwithstanding); and wrestling superstars…
Muppets Sing-A-Long at The Loft on June 28
What’s better than a frog and bear touring through America? The answer: Singing along with said bear and frog movin’ right along America. The Loft Cinema is bridging the Rainbow Connection to your love for the Muppets this month. There will be a sing-along screening of the 1971 classic, The Muppet Movie. The all ages…
You Should Like Max Cannon’s ‘RED MEAT’ Facebook Page
I don’t have to tell you who the hell Max Cannon is. Honestly, I don’t know if he knows who he really is either, but that’s besides the point. The man of thousand characters and ideas has started a Facebook like page dedicated to his prolific comic, RED MEAT. Looks like his website has received a complete face-lift: We invite you…
The New ‘Reading Rainbow’ Theme Song Shows How Powerful Reading Can Be
We are big fans of the Reading Rainbow. Naturally, we couldn’t resist sharing the Funny or Die collaboration with Levar Burton. Burton shows us how books can make you a God that kills butterflies with one touch and book burning is essential for the good of mankind. Reading Rainbow's New Theme Song with LeVar Burton from LeVar…
Baja Oktoberfest is Looking for Tucson Artists to Design Poster
Do you like to drink and draw? The Baja Oktoberfest organizers are looking for Tucson’s best artists to design their promotional poster. Submissions will be accepted through through Tuesday, July 1. Three finalist will be selected by Arizona Craft Brewers Guild, and the public will vote through Thursday, July 10. From the press release: Not only will…
Despite CCA’s POV, Anti-Private Prison Remain Victorious
After running a recent blog post on local organizations celebrating former Senator Dennis DeConcini’s departure from the Corrections Corporation of America board of directors, we heard from a CCA spokesperson that a correction was in order. This isn’t the first time the Nashville-based corporation asked the Tucson Weekly to run a correction of a previous…
Carlos Neyoy to Obama: “Please Don’t Turn Your Back On Us”
A letter dated May 29, 2014 went out to President Obama from Carlos Neyoy, the thirteen-year-old son of Daniel Neyoy Ruiz, currently in sanctuary with his family at Southside Presbyterian Church in South Tucson since May 13—hoping, praying and working to stop his deportation with the support of the Southside community and other immigrant rights…
Nothing Is Coming to 191 Toole
The Philadelphia band with the not-super-easy-to-Google name, Nothing, is coming to 191 Toole on Thursday, July 31 opening for Ceremony. I find myself getting excited about shows all the time (example, another one), but in the case of Nothing, I’ve probably listened to their debut album, Guilty of Everything, more than anything else that’s come…
From Greyhound to Southside Presbyterian: Immigration Central
Standing outside the Greyhound bus depot on Wednesday, May 28 at 9 p.m., a woman leans against the railing, takes a deep breath and looks across the parking lot at the I-10 traffic. A break from the noise and activity inside, where about 20 other women and their children, more than 10 children—crying, laughing, playing…
What on Earth Is Slender Man?
If you’ve been following the horrifying attempted murder by two 12 year-olds of their classmate in Waukesha, Wisconsin, you probably heard references to “Slender Man,” the being the alleged attackers claim they wanted to honor with the killing: The bizarre nature of the attack has stunned the community of 70,000. Even more unsettling, police say,…
Fed Court Blocks Another AZ Abortion Law
A federal appeals court has blocked an Arizona law that put new restrictions on the use of medication to induce an abortion. The Weekly examined the the legal battle at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in an April story: At issue in the case are new regulations of drugs that induce abortion. In 2012,…
Check out Isaiah Toothtaker’s Music Video and 30-Pound Chain
The video you’re about to watch is not safe for work, so turn those speakers up. Isaiah Toothtaker, local hip-hop artist and tattooist, received some coverage from music magazine SPIN on Tuesday. Toothtaker debuted his latest music video for “La Mer” off the 2013 Nine Inch Nails “Frankenstein” album, ИOTHING. Apparently, the new gold chain draped over Toothtaker’s…
Fluxx Fundraiser at La Cocina Tonight
The Range reported that the Fluxx Studios will close its art space in June. Dante Celeiro, Executive Director and co-founder, says it costs $5,000 a month to operate the LGBT community performance space. Fluxx hosts an array of classes and workshops that cater to all walks of life. There will be a fundraiser to keep the nonprofit organization open for…
‘The Switch’ at Flycatcher Tonight
June is here so you know what means, Tucson. There will be a free improv comedy show tonight from 9 p.m. to midnight at Flycatcher, 340 E.Sixth St. Tonight’s host will be Amanda Hurley. I believe it’s the show’s first female host since it’s inception. Hurley was an intern at Comedy Central’s Colbert Report and is…
Watch Al Foul’s New Music Video
The one-man- band Al Foul is back to his old tricks. This time, the wandering honky tonk blues traveler released his new music video for “Call Me When You Get to DudleyVille” on Sunday. Click here to buy the song off his 2012 self-titled album.
Meet Cesar Chavez. No, Not That One.
Scott Fistler, A.K.A. Cesar Chavez, is getting the attention he’s always wanted. The Arizona Republic reported that Fistler, who has run for office a few times as a Republican, filed a name-change with Maricopa County last November to become Cesar Chavez and is now in the running for Ed Pastor’s seat in the House of Representatives in…
Rise and Fall of The ‘Homies’
Photo courtesy of VICE. What happen to my Cochino figure? Big things come in small packages, esse. The urban, miniature phenomenon that swept the nation has come and gone. Bradley Ellison, a.k.a. Sugarman, made $1 million the first year “Homies” hit the vending machines. “We have been picking the pockets of little children across the…
H.T. Sanchez: “Let’s Build TUSD, Not Close It Down.”
The Star’s Sunday editorial proclaims that TUSD should close more schools. Superintendent H.T. Sanchez disagrees — in the immediate future, anyway. Sanchez begins his May 30 Team Member Update with the headline, “No Schools Closing — Rather, Schools Opening!” He acknowledges the school closing recommendation in the Efficiency Audit report created for the district by…
We Won Awards From the Arizona Press Club
Last night, the Arizona Press Club handed out their annual awards honoring excellence in journalism around the state and the Tucson Weekly took home seven honors, including three first place nods. Todd Miller’s June 6, 2013 cover story about the Migrant Trail Walk, “Following in Their Footsteps”, won first place for Community Immigration Reporting. Margaret Regan…
AZ Illustrated Politics: Th-th-th-that’s All, Folks!
Last night’s AZ Illustrated Politics featured a one-on-one interview with Attorney General hopeful Mark Brnovich, who is challenging incumbent AG Tom Horne in August’s GOP primary. Then I sat down with former lawmaker Jonathan Paton and Democratic strategist Rodd McLeod to look ahead at the key races in this year’s election season. I was delighted…
CBS Cancels ‘The Arsenio Hall Show’
Variety has reported that CBS has cancelled the The Arsenio Hall Show. The show has been in reruns and the network says financially viable to green light a second season. Hall hasn’t issued an official statement or tweet, yet. From Variety: CBS said in a statement: “Unfortunately, ‘The Arsenio Hall Show’ will not return for a…
Video of the Day: Chance the Rapper Covering ‘Arthur’ Theme Song
Here’s a post the children of the 90’s might enjoy. Last weekend, Chance the Rapper covered the Arthur jingle “The Best You Can Do” at the Sasquatch! Festival in Washington. You might know chance from his collaborations with Justin Bieber. Aside from his esteemed musical career, this is a pretty positive video for a Friday afternoon.…
‘SPIN’ Features Prom Body
Prom Body has a busy summer ahead of them. The four-man “wavves-y stoner punk” band are going to tour along the west coast through August. You already heard “My Paradise” from their upcoming album Naughty by Natural on The Range. Today, SPIN shared “Pretty Flowers”. If you haven’t heard Creep the Strange already, click here to read Joshua Levine’s review. But for…
BASIS Charter School News From Phoenix
Gene Glass, a Regents’ Professor Emeritus from Arizona State University, is a staff member at the National Education Policy Center (NEPC) and writes a terrific, informative blog, Education in Two Worlds. He’s recently written two posts which contain first person accounts of two brushes with BASIS, one from a parent who tried to enroll her…
‘Scott Pilgrim vs. The World’ Party at Bookmans
I think we can all agree that Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was pretty underrated and doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Sometimes comic book adaptations don’t have to be blockbusters, and maybe, just maybe, it could serve a bigger purpose for future generations. Luckily, someone in Tucson knows what’s cool and is hosting a…
Hero of the Week: @HiddenCash
The news is usually focused on hate, corruption, and crime, but not all is lost. While your favorite athlete was being indicted for two more murders, an everyday hero was at work. Our story begins in San Francisco, California. An anonymous man reportedly closed a lucrative real estate deal and decided not to pocket all…
Cold Beer Makes Some People Play Great Tunes
Sometimes musicians make music, and it inspires others to cover it if you’re lucky. Someone filmed Jesse Stewart cover Donnie Dumphy’s “Cry Tunes.” Stewart does such a great job speeding it up and belt out the lyrics like he wrote it. I found this on Reddit, and one commenter linked the original, so you can compare and contrast.
You Missed an Amazing Goal at Last Night’s FC Tucson Game
Jamaican forward Odaine Sinclair scored both goals in FC Tucson’s 2-0 win over BYU last night, but his first – just before halftime – might be one of this city’s 2014 sports highlights, a magnificent bicycle kick flying past the bewildered opposing goalkeeper. League leaders FC Tucson are back on the pitch Saturday night for…
Garboski, Electric Blankets, Megafauna at Flycatcher Tonight
Tonight, Garboski and Electric Blankets are performing with Austin, TX., band Megafauna are at Flycatcher, 340 E. 6th St. Our “Megafauna’s bombastic, fiery rock exists in its own realm,” Weekly music writer Eric Swedland said in this weeks Rhythm and Review column. Click here to buy Megafauna’s latest album on Bandcamp. This is your last chance to Garboski…
Power Rangers and Jesus Crashed Mr. Head’s Comedy Night
Wednesday nights are optimal for comedy. It’s hump day, and we could all use a good laugh. For the last couple years, Mr. Head’s Bar and Gallery and Kevin William Lee have hosted a spot for the local comedians to stretch their funny legs and try telling jokes in front of a live audience every…
Cinema Showdown: Decadent Rome and Deadly Japan Edition
Cinema La Placita, Tucson’s premier downtown outdoor film series, is playing one of my favorite films of a time time tonight—Howard Hawks’ classic madcap comedy His Girl Friday. Cinema La Placita has been playing Cary Grant films all month long, and this is definitely a high-point to go out on. If you’re into zany romantic…
UA Doc’s Work Changes the Definition of “Dead”
New Scientist takes a look at the work of UA trauma doc Peter Rhee and his colleagues, who is exploring a new technique of saving lives by putting people in a form of suspended animation. Rhee, who was one of the trauma docs on duty during the 2011 shooting rampage at Gabby Giffords’ Congress on…
Way to Go, Gun Lobby: You’ve Made Another Friend
Richard Martinez, father of a University of California Santa Barbara student killed in the recent mass shooting that took six lives, is taking on the gun lobby. How far will this latest challenge go? From talkingpointsmemo.com: “Have we learned nothing? These things are going to continue until somebody does something,” Richard Martinez said in an…
Megafauna: Maximalist
Megafauna’s bombastic, fiery rock exists in its own realm. The Austin power trio—fronted by Dani Neff on guitar and vocals —draws its complex yet infectious sound from multiple antecedents, turning from blues to prog-metal to big riffs that could rest just as easily alongside grunge as ’70s stoner rock. Maximalist finds the band in a…
Adios to City Hall
Tucson City Manager Richard Miranda announced his resignation last week. In a two-paragraph letter to Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and the City Council on Friday, May 23, Miranda said that “after nearly 40 years of service with the City of Tucson, I feel that is time to make this move for my family and me.” Rothschild…
Adios to City Hall
Tucson City Manager Richard Miranda announced his resignation last week. In a two-paragraph letter to Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and the City Council on Friday, May 23, Miranda said that “after nearly 40 years of service with the City of Tucson, I feel that is time to make this move for my family and me.” Rothschild…
Live
Tyvek with Discos, Solar Culture, Wednesday, May 21 Discos doesn’t get the credit they deserve for one reason: They’re perceived as a side project of Lenguas Largas, one of Tucson’s most acclaimed rock ‘n’ roll bands. Yes, they share members with Lenguas, but outside of the multiple drummers, there is no discernible musical connection. Discos…
Home Is Where the Hut Is
Addressing homelessness and housing has been an ongoing discussion in Tucson in what sometimes seems like forever, and while some organizations have been able to address some challenges it remains a problem, especially when city folks are tasked with clearing parks when tourist events hit town. Well, one group of advocates working with the homeless…
Guest Commentary
When a racist rancher in Nevada and his armed supporters can command headlines by claiming to own and control publicly owned lands, perhaps it’s time to remind Westerners about the history of the nation’s public-land heritage. Recall that it is we, the American people, who own the public lands that make up so much of…
22 Down, 28 to Go
Minnesota became the 22nd medical marijuana state in the nation recently, or at least they were supposed to by the time you read this. As of press time, Gov. Mark Dayton (D) was vowing to sign a compromise bill between the state House of Representatives and Senate, both of which have Democratic majorities. The dueling…
Soundbites
DOWN TOGETHER If you’re a Roger Clyne fan, the wait for the former Refreshments frontman’s return to his birthplace Tucson following his April 2013 show has probably been a little rough, especially following the release of his new album The Independent. Sure, you’ve probably got your tickets for the forthcoming two-day Circus Mexicus show in…
Editor’s Note
Despite the fact that I own an iPhone and my car has an USB port that makes it really easy to listen to music while driving, I still spend time tuning into local radio. This makes basically zero sense, I realize, but yet when I don’t feel ambitious enough to find a playlist on Spotify…
Illustrious Indian
People often ask me for restaurant recommendations. I hesitate to answer because, in spite of the fact that it’s my job to review restaurants, I’m not sure of their personal preferences or palates. I’ve recommended a few, of course, and now I have one that I can add to that limited list. Sher-e Punjab is…
Danehy
I recently got an unsolicited e-mail from the Goldwater Institute touting the part the group played in the final destruction of teachers’ unions in Arizona. The wording of the press release was absolutely giddy, explaining how the cabal of white guys in expensive suits has stripped away all legal protections from people who have selflessly…
An Evening in Red
Ed is a heterosexual man, has been married more than 20 years, has three children—and has HIV. He is one of more than 1.1 million people in the United States carrying the virus. About one in six of these people do not know they have it. Ed used to be in that category. In 1999,…
Ask A Mexican!
Dear Mexican: While vacationing in Mexico, a couple of times I have had vendors or waiters address me as chica. I didn’t think much about it at the time, but while relating a conversation with one of these guys to a Mexican friend of mine back in the U.S., he insisted that chica is WAY…
Happening Fast
One of the final scenes in the 1976 Watergate flick All the President’s Men is of reporters Woodard and Bernstein typing away while a televised Richard Nixon takes the presidential oath in their newsroom. They are oblivious or unconcerned; calmer than the eye of a hurricane as they essentially sign what will become the president’s…
Why Should We Care?
There is a lot of “Why should we care?” in Bicycling with Molière, a French comedy about old actors and older theatre. Not that the theatre itself is unworthy: Molière was one of the greatest dramatists to ever live. Tartuffe is probably the most universally applicable of his plays, a withering satire that even in…
True TV
Esc Artistry Undateable Thursday, May 29 (NBC) Series Debut: When Whitney debuted in 2011, The Only TV Column That Matters™ asked, “Who’s this funny Chris D’Elia guy?” and “Why the hell are networks still producing laugh-tracked comedies in the 21st Century?” Three years later, I’m asking the same questions of Undateable. The idea of D’Elia…
Short, Not Short Enough
You know a play’s up fake creek without a paddle when one character whips out a handgun to keep the other character from exiting stage left. That device is deployed more than once in the four short but not short enough plays that comprise Iraq in 3/3 Time With a Coda. That could be my…
Primer
Tony Furtado WHO IS HE? Tony Furtado’s music career has had several incarnations. Although he listened to jazz, folk, pop, blues, Celtic music and classic rock while growing up, he initially made his mark in bluegrass. After taking up the banjo at 12, he became known as a teen-age prodigy, twice winning the National Bluegrass…
DVD Roundup
Blackout The day before his wedding, a retired criminal finds himself on the hook for 20 kilos of stolen mob cocaine. No sooner than you can say “one last job,” he has 24 hours to save his fiancée. Or not—there’s plenty of coke-loving fish in the sea. (Music Box) In the Blood When her husband…
Media Watch
KXCI POISED FOR NEXT STEP IN GROWTH Community radio station KXCI 91.3 FM is ready to significantly improve its market imprint. Last fall, in conjunction with its 30th anniversary, the station embarked on an ambitious fundraising campaign. Residents answered the call, and as a result KXCI can move ahead with planned enhancements that figure to…
Brain Matter on the Couch
Who knew Sam Shepard could be so damn scary? And who is this Jim Mickle fellow? As a deranged father recently released from prison and seeking revenge, Shepard is just one of the many reasons to see Cold in July, a first rate Texas thriller from director Jim Mickle that stands as one of the…
Two Seats, 10 Candidates
With the contentious Sunnyside Unified School District governing board recall election behind us, the next school board election to pay attention to is Tucson Unified School District. If it’s anything like the TUSD 2012 election, voters will have another cast of characters to choose from (See “The District’s Dozen,” Sept. 20, 2012). Ten potential candidates…
The Skinny
OCELOT’S MORE TROUBLE FOR ROSEMONT Last week’s TW examined Rosemont’s Copper’s problems with acquiring a Section 404 permit under the Clean Water Act, which is key to getting approval for its plans for a mile-wide open-pit mine in the Santa Rita Mountains southeast of Tucson. (See “Water Pressure, May 22.) Here’s more bad news for…
Noshing Around
Ode to Oink Few things in the food world cause as vehement of a reaction as bacon. No one person you speak with is indifferent to the fatty, porky, versatile food. There is the “I am over bacon or never ate it because I’m a vegan” camp, and the “Oh my, I love bacon on…
