Friday, Aug. 15
Muse
516 N. Fifth Ave.
Apparently the "indie" designation for a film is as much a state of mind and aesthetics as it is a budgetary category. Tucson's filled with filmmakers--most of whom wear the indie stripe in all categories.
Ascension Pictures is one of those production companies churning out unique gems. They're putting on a screening benefit to help those who lost houses in the Aspen fire.
Director Pearry Reginald Teo premiers his latest short film, Children of the Arcana, a co-production with Ascension. Also screening are local flicks: John Higgins' Data Thief, Rick Gutierrez' Affection, Christina Marafino's Mirabella, Justin Kreinbrink's The Student From Dunblane, Matt Jackson's Waiting, Todd Sepp and Matt Van Hoesen's The Littlest Cowboy and Justin Dobbles' Marbles.
The directors offer the audience's donations to the Mount Lemmon Rebuilding and Reforestation Committee--a group of residents who are bypassing the bureaucrats' slo-mo allocation of funds to help rebuild the mountain.
"All profits from the evening will go directly to Summerhaven residents. No waiting for other organizations to decide when it's convenient for them to dole out funds. They decide for themselves, and that's what we liked," says Gabriele Andres of Ascension Pictures.
Support the creativity and the charity. Screening starts at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. with speakers. A reception follows at 9 p.m. with donated food from area restaurants. The event is free, but don't forget to drop your bucks into the hat.
Questions? Call 869-4593 for answers.
THE HOGS TURN 100
Friday, Aug. 15
UA Main Library
Cherry Avenue and University Boulevard
Could motorcycle gangs have terrorized a town using the 1903 Harley-Davidson? Maybe.
During the Mexican Revolution, the U.S. Army experimented with using motorcycles to deliver communications to major camps. By 1917, one-third of all cycles being produced were sold to the U.S. military. By World War I, half of all Harleys became military bikes. Today, the H.O.G. --Harley Owner's Group--has more than 1,100 chapters representing 650,000 members around the world.
The UA exhibit celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Harley-Davidson Company and its much-ballyhooed motorcycles. Go up to the third floor display area and see for yourself.
"There's a huge celebration taking place this month in Milwaukee," says Bobbie Atchison, a bike enthusiast and co-curator of the UA spread. "We approached Harley Davidson Buell of Tucson, and Bill Nash and Tina Vario were happy to provide some especially unique items for our display. Plus we've got some special items from personal collections."
Mary Feeney, UA Library's business librarian and co-curator, has added company history and business information to bolster the visuals.
The show stays up through Sept. 30. View it during summer hours, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, noon to 6 p.m., through Aug. 24. After that, regular hours are daily.
Call 621-6441 for details.
WAYBACK SURPRISE
Friday, Aug. 15
Old Town Artisans Courtyard
201 N. Court Ave.
Saturday, Aug. 16
Cushing Street Bar and Cafe
191 W. Cushing St.
If you were at the TAMMIES last week, Tucson's homage to its best local musicians, you may have heard: The Wayback Machine won for Best Cover Band.
"I would have preferred Best Atypical Cover Band, but hey, you take what you get," says Wayback's percussionist and harmonica player, Jim Lipson. "When the award was announced, I was half listening and half chatting with someone and had to be told to run up there on stage. The Mollys were about to begin playing, and it was all quite amusing."
Instead of learning the familiar, which is the hallmark of cover bands, Wayback looks for the unfamiliar, for songs that move them--from artists like Lucinda Williams and Rosie Flores or Aztec Two-Step and Crosby, Stills & Nash to local icons Dusty Chaps and Cathy Rivers.
The band itself has gone through an incarnation. Reduced from a seven-piece dance band with a fairly set lineup, the group has pared itself down to three core members--Tom Woolley on guitars and bass; Beverly Seckinger on bass, guitar and mandolin; and Jim Lipson banging on percussion and blowing on harmonicas. Everyone sings. Then the band fills itself out with players on saxophones, guitars, mandolin, violin and drums. Their set list boasts 100 tunes. With the revolving players, you can bet no two gigs are ever the same.
The atypical cover band plays two acoustic shows this week. At Friday's gig from 7 to 10 p.m., Shanti Foster joins in on violin, mandolin and guitar while Bruce Blackstone plays dobro; Gary Mackender plays drums and Bobby Kimel and Jo Wilkinson of Four Corners sing selected tunes.
Saturday's performance goes from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. and features a quartet version with Shanti Foster as the fourth player.
Cover on Friday is $4 and $3 on Saturday.
MAGIC HAPPENS
Saturday, Aug. 16
Temple of Music and Art
330 S. Scott Ave.
The local chapter of the Society of American Magicians has been meeting monthly in Tucson for 26 years. It's a forum for professional, amateur and budding magicians to hone their skills in the art of prestidigitation. The club also offers shows throughout the year at hospitals and assisted-living homes and donates tickets to charities like The Sunshine Kids and Big Brother and Big Sisters.
This year's show features touring professionals returning to their hometown. Adrian Van Vector plus John Shryock and Mari Lynn have just finished separate European tours. Stars of Magic also includes the 2003 Stage Magician of the Year Norm Marini. The emcee is Tim Mansfield, who won the state's Stage Magician of the Year in 2002.
Get your tickets in advance at www.dotucson.com or at Williams Magic, 6528 E. 22nd St. Risk it and get them at the door. They cost $10 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under. The two performances start at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.
For all your questions, call 790-4060.
LITTLE OLD CAT LADY
Saturday, Aug. 16
Borders Books and Music
5870 E. Broadway Blvd.
The hoarding of animals was recently diagnosed as a unique mental disorder that usually afflicts older women. The hoarder is geographically or emotionally isolated from other people and chooses to surround herself with animals--collecting so many animals that she is incapable of humanely caring for them.
Never mind finding out (or addressing) why the elderly might be isolated or why they gravitate towards animals. Stereotypes are more fun, especially when they become "illness."
Mystery writer and best-selling author J.A. Jance's new novel follows a fictional Cochise County sheriff who's investigating the macabre death of an animal hoarder and her 17 dogs. In conjunction with National Homeless Animal Day, Jance reads from her new mystery, Exit Wounds, in a benefit for the local Humane Society of Southern Arizona.
The International Society of Animals Rights hosts the national day-long commemoration to shed light on the magnitude of dog and cat overpopulation. They try to raise awareness about the millions of dogs and cats killed in shelters each year for lack of homes. Their message: Spay those litters; take care of those critters.
Along with the reading, Borders also sponsors a benefit day for HSSA at both its Tucson locations. During business hours, any customer who presents a Benefit Day voucher gets 15 percent of the purchase total donated back to HSSA.
Jance's reading goes from 2 to 4 p.m. She also shows up at Barnes and Noble at 7325 N. La Cholla Blvd. on Sunday, Aug. 17, from 2 to 3 p.m.
For more information, call 584-0111.
MARS ATTACKS
Saturday, Aug. 16
Flandrau Science Center
1601 E. University Blvd.
We're almost there. It's the closest approach of Mars to Earth in 60,000 years
Celebrate with special Saturday events through Sept. 27. This week's festivities include a live planetarium presentation on the fiery planet at 8:30 p.m. by Bob Martino, former Assistant Director of the Perkins Observatory in Ohio.
Flandrau staff is refurbishing the 16-inch-in-diameter observatory telescope, and the main mirror is being shined and re-coated to yield even better images of the red planet. The MarsQuest show fires up at 2:30 p.m. every Saturday. There's also a special exhibit continuing through January. And there's telescope viewing (weather permitting, of course) with the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association on the UA mall Aug. 27-30 and selected weekends in the fall.
It all happens in front of or inside the center. Telescope viewing is free. Planetarium shows cost $5.50 for adults, $4 for kids under 13 and includes the exhibits. Free parking is available on campus in metered spaces after 5 p.m.
621-STAR is the number to call for details.
