Cover Story
The Fall TV Preview
THE HYPE You’ve been hearing about them for months, and they haven’t even premiered Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ABC, premiering Tuesday, Sept. 24 Those of us who work for a living and weren’t financed to vacation at San Diego Comic-Con or the Television Critics Association press tour this summer haven’t seen the full pilot episode…
They Have an Off-Menu Item at Tucson Tamale Company
Maybe other people know this already (although there’s nothing on the internet that I could find), but there’s a “secret” menu item at Tucson Tamale Company. Perhaps you feel you’ve gone as far as you can with their generally delicious menu of tamales and want to head into the great unknown, so next time you’re…
Election Law Referendum Team Turns In 146,000 Petition Signatures
This week’s Skinny notes that it’s the moment of truth for two referendum efforts to overturn laws passed in the last legislative session. Former state lawmaker Frank Antenori’s referendum to block the expansion of Medicaid has fizzled out, but the Protect Your Right To Vote Committee came through with roughly 146,000 petition signatures. Since they…
Say What You Will About Tucson, At Least We’re Not Eating Squirrels
No matter how bad things get, at least we’re still one step ahead of Bentonville, Arkansas, the home of an annual squirrel cookoff: Entering its second year, the contest held just off Bentonville’s bustling town square Saturday included 30 teams with contestants from nine states, who competed to come up with the finest squirrel-based delights…
Unplugged Wine Bar Hopefully Opening on Congress This Weekend
From Unplugged’s Facebook page Earlier this month, the retail store Wine Depot on Grant closed down, but the owners are heading downtown to bring their expertise to a wine bar, Unplugged Tucson at 118 E. Congress, next to whatever the heck is happening with that Voodoo Jack’s space. They’re still in the midst of getting…
Corporate Twitter Accounts Are Just About the Worst Right Now
The tweet the Suns apparently thought better of and deleted today. First of all, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t remember what happened on September 11, 2001. I’m not trying to minimize the sadness and tragedy of that day. However, at some point, corporate social media accounts will be able to let the day go…
The “Escape From Tomorrow” Trailer Is Super-Creepy
Escape From Tomorrow, you might remember, is the film that showed at Sundance earlier this year famous for largely being shot inside Disneyland and Disneyworld without Disney’s permission. The general assumption was that the film would never find commercial release, since Disney is generally incredibly protective of their intellectual property and the movie is in…
Here’s a Newish FIDLAR Live Video
Yesterday, a friend of mine for Portland sent me an all-caps Facebook message that read “Go see FIDLAR at Club Congress Sept. 23.” When I told him that I had already seen the band and was already planning on going to the show here, his response was “SO WHY DIDN’T YOIU TELL ME TO SEE…
3 Ways to Keep Summer Flowers Alive During Our Desert Fall
Marylee, The Potted Desert Summer Vinca Desert Landscape 1. Jet Spray:All of your potted plants including flowers, shrubs, cacti, succulents – i.e. everything – every day if you are able. This will increase air circulation and deter pests and disease such as spider mites, powdery mildew, aphids, etc. Do this in the early morning while…
You Really Shouldn’t Text or Tweet During a Film Screening, And You Really Shouldn’t Call 911 When Someone Does
Straight up, you’re an asshole if you’re using your phone during a movie. It’s distracting and annoying. Our eyes are immediately taken away from the screen and are now focused on your glowing rectangle. It’s rude and inconsiderate. However, if someone is using their phone during a movie, do not call 911 to report it.…
It Is J.J. Abrams’ Mission To Drive Us All Insane In The Most Entertaining Way Possible
It was about a month ago that my latest J.J. Abrams-fueled madness journey began. That was when the interwebs exploded with buzz about a mysterious new “trailer” for some project from Bad Robot, the production company run by J.J. Abrams that is responsible for so much of the last 10 years’ greatest, most mind-numbing fanboy…
So, Here’s a Story That Will Enrage and Depress You
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Reuters released the third and fourth parts of their five part story on what is essentially an online network connecting people who don’t want their adopted kids anymore and those who are willing to take them in. The catch, of course, is that…
John McCain Still Wants Congress To Vote To Bomb Syria
So it appears that Secretary of State John Kerry’s off-the-cuff suggestion that Syria turn over its chemical weapons has been embraced, at least temporarily, by Syria, Russia, the United States and other world powers. Sen. John McCain, however, still wants to go forward with a vote to authorize the use of force—which is kind of…
Want to See James Bay Tonight at Club Congress?
UPDATE: Too late for you to get the free tickets, but go see the guy anyhow, ok? James Bay, a London singer-songwriter that will appeal to fans of classic singer-songwriters, but also to fans of Glen Hansard and David Gray, is playing Club Congress tonight with ZZ Ward. Last minute, obviously, but we have a…
Doggone Good Cause – and Food!
Mark your calendars: On Tuesday September 17th, there will be a special benefit for Southern Arizona Greyhound Rescue at Feast. Thanks to the generosity of Chef Doug Levy and his team, 20% of all food & beverage purchases will be donated to this most-worthy cause. Doug is unarguably one of Tucson’s most creative chefs and…
No Play For You! NCAA Denies Arizona Transfer’s Request To Play This Season
Before the soapbox comes out, here’s the news: Arizona football coach Rich Rodriguez announced today the unsurprising fact that the NCAA denied transfer receiver DaVonte’ Neal’s hardship appeal to be able to play this season, instead of sitting out until 2014. Now, for the opining. The standard rule in college football and basketball is simple:…
Chief Keef Bailed On His Show in Tucson Because He Apparently Doesn’t Like Having More Money or Fans
Chief Keef, the 18-year-old rapper out of Chicago who is known for producing something that resembles hip-hop at times, bailed on his show in Tucson last week in an impressive fashion — you see, he no-showed his concert not once, but twice. Because, you know, 18-year-old millionaires famous for songs such as “Hate Bein’ Sober”…
I Want a Churro Borough Pop-Up, and I Want it Now
LA Magazine Dear Food Truck Community: I never ask for anything. I have my favorites and just when I start to think about what I’d love to see served out of local food trucks, it instantly appears. (Thank you, Twisted Tandoor.) But I read a recent post in LA Magazine about the Churro Borough Pop-Up…
Grijalva Say He Opposes Military Strike in Syria Because It “Will Only Make Things Worse”
Congressman Raul Grijalva explains his opposition to a military strike against Syria: When we hear about human rights violations, war crimes, and the murder of civilians — which is exactly what we face in Syria today — we feel a strong urge to punish the guilty and respond with violence. The images we have all…
Tough Choices! Must be September
We know it’s music season when two shows on the same night give the same people an anguished choice. We’re going to figure you opted for Kid Cudi at AVA on Thursday and the Chicha Dust CD realease party on Saturday, because you would have missed Chicha Dust opening for Café Tacvba. Personally, we can’t…
Happy Birthday, “Hey Ya!”
While inferior to Big Boi’s first single from the Outkast double album Speakerboxx/The Love Below, the grown and sexy “I Like the Way You Move,” Andre 3000’s “Hey Ya!”, celebrating its tenth birthday today, will seemingly live on forever as the perfect somewhat funky song for white people to play at their weddings, getting people…
We Need to Find Out the RTA’s Position on Kittens
(Steven Liu/Scratching Pad) Let’s be honest. This is Arizona. Once we get our modern streetcar operating, we’re not stopping the train for any damn kittens. OK? That’s the way it’s going to be. In New York City, they probably have more no-kill shelters anyway. They can afford to stop a few subway trains for some…
Some Filmmakers Actually Got Into Lisa Frank’s Base of Operations, Made It Out Alive
“The World of Lisa Frank” – A Short Film from Scott Ross on Vimeo. Reclusive artist, business woman and queen sitting upon an undoubtedly rainbow-and-sparkle covered throne Lisa Frank actually allowed filmmakers to enter Lisa Frank world headquarters in Tucson, where she sat down for an interview on just exactly what it’s like being Lisa…
Community Viewing of “Cross Border Killings” Tonight at UA School of Journalism
Al Jazeera America debuts the latest in the Faultlines documentary series, Cross Border Killings, about the recent spate of Border Patrol agent-involved shootings, at 7 p.m. tonight. The screening will be followed by an informal conversation the situation on the U.S./Mexico border. The UA School of Journalism is hosting a community viewing of the documentary…
Tonight: Tucson Slutwalk Day of Action
The Tucson Slutwalk and friends will gather from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight at the Fourth Avenue Plaza, 318 N Fourth Ave., for the International Day of Action to end slut shaming, victim blaming and rape culture. There will be spoken word and other performances, along with a “This Is What A Slut Looks Like”…
AZ Illustrated Politics: The Syria Debate, Tucson City Council Races, Rosemont & More
On Arizona Public Media’s AZ Illustrated tonight: Who would have thought that former Pima County Democratic Party chairman Jeff Rogers would be agreeing with Sen. John McCain and and Tucson Tea Party founder Trent Humphries would be agreeing with Congressman Raul Grijalva? Rogers and Humphries talked about Sen. John McCain’s support for a military strike…
Your Friday Afternoon Time-Waster Revolves Around Making Cookies Revolve Around You
The end of the office-based work-week draws near, so what better way to kill time than to pretend that you are the leader — nay, the god — of a cookie-forged empire? Enter Cookie Clicker. The premise is simple: You start out clicking an on-screen cookie. This, somehow, produces more cookies. From there, you create a…
Congratulations to Tucson Weekly’s Margaret Regan
Weekly World Central was proud to find out today that Tucson Weekly writer and arts editor Margaret Regan will be honored with the third annual Al Filipov Peace and Justice Award on Saturday, Sept. 21, presented at the Trinitarian Congregational Church in Concord, Mass. From Boston.com: The award comes in recognition of Regan’s work reporting…
Each New Trailer for “Gravity” Freaks Me Out Even More
Ignoring for a moment that there’s a lot of sound in a trailer that mentions how you can’t hear anything in space (pesky details!), the newest trailer for Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity is kind of terrifying (assuming you have occasional nightmares about drifting hopelessly in space, which seems to be relatively common). Considering Cuarón’s last film…
Will the Next Mess We Make Be Syria?
My son and I tend to have important discussions in the car — rides to school early the morning or just running errands to the comic store, his allowance burning a hole in his pocket. And yes, we don’t shy away from uncomfortable or complicated topics … so lately it’s been about Syria and what…
The Pedersen Friday Prep Football Preview
A year ago, the football teams from Catalina Foothills and Cholla High School each went 0-10. And they were both far worse than those records would indicate. Now, each team has a chance to start 2-0, all but wiping away the memories of a lost 2012 season. For Catalina Foothills, it’s 34-28 overtime victory over…
Alabama Shakes is Coming (to Phoenix)
Sometimes we get caught up in our backyard, so happenings in other parts of the state tend to slip by, but this is almost unforgivable. Completely missed the concert line-up announcement for the Arizona State Fair. Forget about Megadeth, Trace Adkins or Snoop Lion — make way in your schedules and hearts for Alabama Shakes.…
If You’ve Ever Wanted To Be Shot By a Lung-Gun with Teeth, Here’s Your Chance: Live Inside a David Cronenberg Movie!
David Cronenberg is a sick man. The good sick. He may have moved away from his staple bio-horror films with his recent outings, but he still enjoys the terrors from within. According to this Indiewire article, he wants you to join in the fun. “David Cronenberg’s films are dark, twisted, and absolutely riveting, but would…
Hey, Metalachi Is Coming to Town!
Back in the olden days of 2011, I wondered on The Range whether Los Angeles-based metal/mariachi joke band Metalachi’s gimmick is amusing or not and never really came up with an answer. It’s definitely a clever idea and I do enjoy hearing the music of Dio in nearly any context, but I can’t quite figure…
Go See Electric Guest for Free, Thanks to Red Bull
You’ll have to move relatively quickly, but Red Bull is hosting a free show at O’Malley’s (ok, sure) for the 21+ crowd on the 24th featuring Electric Guest, Hands and Strange Names. You have to sign up for something via Facebook and probably swear off drinking beverages by any of their competitors, but a no-cost…
“Blood Simple” Kicks Off Coen Bros. Retrospective at The Loft Tonight
The Loft is celebrating the Coen Brothers all month long in September. The retrospective kicks off tonight with their first film, Blood Simple, a noir tribute that holds up great almost three decades after its release. From the Loft: With their debut feature film, the entertainingly nasty noir Blood Simple, Joel and Ethan Coen announced…
Now You, Too, Can Dress Like RichRod
The apparel choices for the discerning UA football fan are many, as long as it involves red or blue. For students, you can go with the standard-issue Zona Zoo shirts provided as part of your club membership (but remember that, if you walk out of Arizona Stadium early while wearing a tee that states “Zona…
Bad Astronomy: Martian Flash Flood
NASA/JPL/University of Arizona Phil Plait’s Bad Astronomy blog flags a photo from the UA’s HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to note that it may have rained on Mars a long time ago: This fan is on the inside of the rim of Mojave Crater, a 60-kilometer-wide (40-mile-wide) impact crater near the equator of…
Wow, Arizonans Really Love the Lottery
The Arizona Lottery announced yesterday that the state’s tax on those with largely hopeless dreams of instant wealth hit record numbers for the fiscal year of 2013, continuing a run of six consecutive years of new highs. $692.9 million in tickets were sold in whatever made up version of 2013 the Lottery uses, which based…
DJ/Personality/Politician Austin Head Headlines Playboi Party Friday
Fashionable cool people of Tucson! Friday night, Playground’s rooftop is scheduled to taken over by the Playboi Party, the first in a series of quarterly open-air dance parties with “celebrity DJs, live Go-Go dancing and prominent Drag Queens.” Based on the event’s website, I feel like my distinct-lack-of-ripped-abs might be somewhat out of place at…
UA Students and Staff, Get Cheap Tickets to Great Shows Today
I am neither a student nor a staff/faculty member of our local university, so I’m out of luck, but if you fall into one of those categories, you should head over to Centennial Hall (from 9 am to 7 pm) or the UA Bookstore in the Student Union (from 10 am to 6 pm) and…
“It Will Happen to You”
“It will happen to you. You think it won’t, but it will.” The admonition could refer to a number of things, from falling in love to getting old. But writer Joan Didion, whose words these are, was speaking specifically about experiencing the sudden death of someone very close. In her case, it was her husband,…
Happy Accidents
In Off the Wall, at Philabaum Glass Gallery downtown, Tom Philabaum is showing off a brand-new form of glass art. Despite that title, the works hang on the walls, part painting, part collage and a tiny part sculpture. Bold, painted circles and diamonds and stripes ricochet between two layers of flat fused glass, and bits…
Danehy
You have to give those people credit; they are a hardy bunch. It was a mid-August day in Tucson. The temperature was hovering near 275 degrees, with 140 percent humidity. The simple act of breathing made you feel as though you were doing Bikram yoga in hell … during the rainy season. But there they…
Starring Jon Voight’s Mouth
Ethan Hawke and Selena Gomez make for one sorry movie duo in Getaway, a sure sign that the summer movie season is coming to an end. Studios have commenced dumping their crap. Hawke plays Brent, a former race car driver who comes home to find his Christmas tree in disarray and his wife gone. He…
Safier
Get ready for the Arizona Department of Education’s War on TUSD, Part 2. It’s almost inevitable. Almost. Only Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal can call off the bitter, destructive battle by declaring a truce. And that’s exactly what he should do. If you remember, Tom Horne and Huppenthal turned TUSD’s Mexican American Studies program…
Predictable Thrills
It doesn’t come close to something like Three Days of the Condor or The Parallax View, but Closed Circuit is a stylish throwback to the cynical political thrillers of the 1970s. It plays too many familiar notes without much flair or emotion, though, and that’s ultimately its undoing. The timing for a film like this…
Media Watch
THOMAE REPLACES RECKER ON IMG PRE- AND POST-GAME Ryan Recker’s departure as KVOA Channel 4 sports director left more than just a void at the local NBC affiliate. It also opened a slot on the IMG Network’s radio pregame show. So to fill the position, IMG moved a versatile talent from within to handle host…
True TV
Ragin’ Cajun Redneck Gators Thursday, Sept. 5 (Syfy) Movie: It’s the last Syfy B-flick of the summer—and this one doesn’t live up to the idiot-genius of Sharknado, either. As you’ve probably guessed, Ragin’ Cajun Redneck Gators is about killer swamp-chompers; what you can’t possibly surmise is how they got that way: “Contaminated moonshine dumped in…
Editor’s Note
I’m not entirely sure why, but the Arizona Daily Star is making me particularly grumpy lately. It’s possible that my sabbatical from listening to anything on 104.1 “The Truth” is leading me to find new media to be annoyed by and there’s certainly solid journalistic work being done by the daily newspaper, but there are…
Guest Commentary
On Sept. 14 and 15, thousands will head for the Pima County Fairgrounds, as Crossroads of the West hosts its third gun show of the year. There will be some 375 tables loaded with handguns, semi-automatics and other weaponry available for purchase. But there won’t be any metal detectors, surveillance cameras or much of a…
Now Showing at Home
Delete When the Internet becomes self-aware and turns on mankind (just go with it), it’s up to a hacker-activist named Lucifer (Seth Green) to stop it. No, this isn’t a Robot Chicken sketch from 1997; it’s an actual miniseries that was on actual TV. (Gaiam) Homeland: Season 2 After not blowing up Washington D.C. last…
PACC Problems
Like most bad ideas, this one sprang straight from the loins of good intent. It was, in short, our softhearted decision to rescue two lost, massive but apparently sweet-natured pit bulls, wandering the streets on a viciously hot August afternoon. We tried loading them for a van ride to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona,…
Russian Delights
One of the best parts of this job is that I get to try new foods (new to me, at least). Such was the starter at Kalina, a restaurant that brings the foods of Belarus, Ukraine and other former Soviet states to the far eastside. The appetizer was called Herring Wearing a Fur Coat ($5).…
The Skinny
WAR TORN There’s nothing like an impending missile strike against another country to create strange political bedfellows. After President Barack Obama presented evidence that the Assad regime had used chemical weapons against its own people and called on Congress to support a strike against Syria, he found himself allied with Sen. John McCain. McCain and…
Noshing Around
Help Shake Cancer When the folks at Zinburger learned that 5-year-old Chase Lock, who has been diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer, loves Zinburger’s Butterfingers milkshakes, they decided to partner with the Lock family charity, Lock in Hope. Zinburger is bringing back the milkshake this month and donating 100 percent of sale proceeds to…
Don’t Call It a Comeback
The closure of The Underestimated City’s downtown store at 117 E. Broadway Blvd. came as a surprise to those who’ve seen the brand’s designs floating around Tucson on hats, shirts, jackets and backpacks. According to TUC owner Israel Zavala, the problem was simple: Downtown Tucson had become a tough place to run a business. Between…
Apocalyptic and Ecstatic
By the time the Sex Pistols played their final shows in 1978, Johnny Rotten had changed one of the famous lines in “Anarchy in the U.K.”—”Don’t know what I want but I know how to get it”—into the much more assured “I know what I want and I know how to get it.” Simone Stopford…
Police Dispatch
TILE GUY’S REVENGE RINCON BEAT AUG. 9, 9 A.M. A husband received a letter, allegedly from his wife’s former lover, that said she was cheating on him again and that he should get tested for STDs, according to a Pima County Sheriff’s Department report. The letter had been mailed to the couple’s church, where the…
Soundbites
COLOR ME IMPRESSED Congratulations to Tucson Live Music Space (TLMS), which celebrates its One-Year Anniversary this week. That’s no small feat when you consider the space makes no money on alcohol sales, which is how most other music venues continue to stay in business. (The all-ages venue has a strict no alcohol/no drugs policy.) Similarly,…
New Direction
During a recent tour with new YWCA Tucson executive director Kelly Fryer of the organization’s Bonita Street headquarters, there’s a lot of “picture this” and “imagine that.” Seven months into her new post, Fryer says the organization is making changes to make sure that after 100 years the agency remains relevant to the community and…
Live
Here’s a little secret: Almost everybody loves heavy metal music, whether they admit it or not. From the first power chords that came through the amplifiers of the Kinks and the Who in the mid-’60s, to Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin’s official introduction at the end of the decade, there’s been a hushed but still…
Pedersen on Sports
The evolution of Sahuarita from a blip along the road to Mexico into a full-fledged community has been a long one, with many notable milestones. Incorporation came nearly 20 years ago, when folks came together to hold off a perceived takeover from the Green Valley machine to the south. Then came the town’s first major…
Here Come the Fun Police
I was minding my own business one night last week, fucking a girl in a parked car, when a Tucson police cruiser rolled up directly across the street. The officer didn’t get out. Instead, he just hovered over there in his car, generally being noticed and silently threatening to ruin a perfectly enjoyable and wildly…
Chicha Dust: ¡Live at The Dust Ballroom!
This local supergroup embraces the Peruvian style of cumbia known as chicha, which was named for a fermented drink. Chicha music first came to attention in North America with the release of the two-volume compilation, The Roots of Chicha, from which all these songs are culled, and these desert rockers faithfully nail the heady blend…
Dance via Collaboration
Have you ever wanted to dance with a modern dance company—you know, get your groove on and be equally inspired by the music as the dancers always seem to be? Well, Artifact Dance Project’s latest, wear.house, will make that happen. The professional dance company always collaborates with professional live musicians, and this project—at LoveSmack Studios…
Gunplay & Isaiah Toothtaker: Frownin
Essentially, Frownin is a one-song cassette single that includes a downloadable EP of remixes. Redundant? No. “Remix” in hip-hop music is typically a completely different song with the same title. While the lyrics are the same in this case, the remixes are changed radically enough from the original song enough to constitute a different piece…
City Week
Food for Thought Catalyst Café: Innovating for Good 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10 Joel D. Valdez Main Library101 N. Stone Ave. 791-4010; tucsontalks.blogspot.com Catalyst Café pictures itself as Tucson’s answer to constantly evolving technology and the way it impacts individuals, communities, nonprofits and small businesses. “The Café’s mission is to help organizations into…
Nine Inch Nails: Hesitation Marks
“I am just a copy of a copy of a copy,” sings a provocative Trent Reznor, one of the most distinctive voices in American music, in his first vocal on the new Nine Inch Nails record. As tense and moody as ever, Nine Inch Nails sound reinvigorated on Hesitation Marks, an album that recalls The…
TQ&A
Michele Jiha, vice president of Wings for Women, says the organization’s mission is to “empower homeless and impoverished women to overcome despair through basic living support, coaching and guidance to lead self-sustainable, productive lives.” On Saturday, Sept. 21, the group will hold one of its two annual fundraisers — the 3rd Annual Gala, hosted by…
Ask a Mexican
Dear Mexican: I have read (the usual suspects and a few Know Nothings) that illegals can say a few magic words to get temporary, pending review, asylum status. The reports say the illegals can claim asylum from drug gangs. My understanding is that fear of crime in one’s home country has never been grounds for…
Sign of the Apocalypse? NAACP Meets with KKK
Just in case you missed it over the weekend: The apocalypse officially began when John Abarr of the United Klans of America (KKK) met with Jimmy Simmons of the NAACP. The meeting, believed to be the first of its kind, was coordinated by Simmons to address reports of attacks against black men and KKK pamphleting…
Magic and Miracles, Juggalo-style (Just Because)
Just because we haven’t had a reason to bring up Juggalos doesn’t mean we shouldn’t share an Insane Clown Posse video on this fine Tucson day, especially when it’s about magic and miracle and music … an intellectual musical journey. Get outside, Tucson: “There’s nothing but miracles outside your door.”
