Thursday 21
RAW POWER. Creative fads and rampant materialism rub hedonistic shoulders in Al Perry's Pop Art and Consumerism Show, now on display in the Raw Gallery.
The broad-based exhibit brings together more than 21 talents, ranging from Fern Barber and Catherine Eyde to James Graham, Tallia Keene and Fish Karma.
Al Perry's Pop Art and Consumerism Show runs through November 27, with an opening reception from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, October 23, in the Raw Gallery, 43 S. Sixth Ave. Regular gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, during Downtown Saturday Night and Thursday Night Artwalks. Call 882-6927 for details.
MORTAL FLAME. Gangster gals raise unholy hell in Burning Life, showing as part of the UA German Film Series.
Set in post-unification Germany, director Peter Welz's version of Thelma and Louise portrays the journey of two women who team as crooks to overcome personal and societal frustrations. They skyrocket to fame as "Robin Hood's daughters," distributing their booty among the needy. As their journey continues, however, the pair sink ever deeper into crime and terrorism, and their relationship is put to the test as the police close in.
Show time is 7:30 p.m. in the UA Modern Languages Auditorium, east of the Student Union and north of the main mall. Admission is free. For details, call 621-7385.
Friday 22
DESERT DYSFUNCTION. Quintessential Theatre revives a classic play by August Strindberg -- albeit with a desert twist -- in its production of Miss Julie.
Newly adapted by artistic director Laura Ann Herman, the drama plumbs the social depths of late 19th-century Tucson, peeling back layers of racial, class and sexual tensions. Focusing upon a complex web of relationships between a man and woman, a master and servant, a Mexican and Anglo, and between great wealth and dire poverty, Quintessential's always top-notch cast successfully wraps these intricacies into a tight, riveting knot.
Show time is 8 p.m. on The Quintessential Stage, 118 S. Fifth Ave. Performances continue at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday, through November 7. Tickets are $12, $10 for seniors, students and military, and available by calling 798-0708.
BLOODLINES. UA dance promises a "short but power-packed concert" when they present Family Ties.
Ranging from ballet to modern and jazz dance, the show includes "Sound Effects," a compendium of comedy and "raw energy" choreographed by Sam Watson, and "Waiting...in Blue," danced by Molly Coffman to a lyrical jazz piano improvisation by Thelonius Monk, played by John Wilson. The troupe will also perform the finale from "Paquita," and "Stomping to Break Ground," choreographed by Michael Williams.
Show time is 5:30 p.m. in the UA Gittings Dance Theater, north of McKale Center on the main mall. Admission is $8. Call 626-8030 for details
Saturday 23
BLOCK PARTY. Cutting-edge creativity goes on the block for Dinnerware Contemporary Art Gallery's 18th annual art auction and fund-raiser.
More than 100 pieces including paintings, prints, sculpture and photography have been donated by big-hearted artists to benefit this great, non-profit gallery. Their names read like a Who's Who of regional talent, from Cynthia Miller, Jim Waid and James Davis to Tom Philabaum, Gail Marcus-Orlen, Liz Frank and Eric Twachtman. This year's featured piece is a painting by Monique Mynlieff.
That's in addition to hordes of gift packages provided by area businesses for a silent auction, along with tasty hors d'oeuvres and beverages.
The party is 6:30 p.m. in the Dinnerware Contemporary Art Gallery, 135 E. Congress St. Tickets are $20, $35 for couples, and available at the gallery, City Home Furnishings, Territories and Yikes! Toys, or by calling 792-4503.
COOL CATS. The Arizona Icecats fire up to face the University of Colorado for another night of prime hockey action.
Smooth-talking Timothy Gassen also returns for his second year as "Voice of the Icecats," dishing up play-by-play, along with commentator Brian Baltosiewich.
Game time is 7:30 p.m. in the TCC, 260 S. Church Ave. General admission tickets range from $6 to $9; children under 12, students, seniors and military personnel get in for $4. Tickets are available at the TCC box office and all Dillard's outlets. For details, call 792-4266.
SONIC BLAST. Catch some heavenly aerobatics when the Desert Thunder Air Fest takes to the skies over Sierra Vista.
Highlighting this year's show will be the Air Force demonstration team, a.k.a. the Thunderbirds, and the Golden Knights, the Army's award-winning precision parachute team. Also on the roster are Julie Clark's MOPAR T-34; Chuck Lischer and his F-260; Wayne Handley's Turbo Raven; and Bob Carleton with Silent Wings.
The high-altitude extravaganza will also feature an array of vintage planes, modern-day fighters and military helicopters, along with plenty of chow and souvenirs.
Desert Thunder Air Fest is 10 a.m. today and tomorrow at the Libby Army Airfield in Sierra Vista. Take I-10 east to the Sierra Vista exit. Travel south to Sierra Vista, turning right at the Fort Huachuca entrance. Drive time is approximately one hour. Advance tickets are $8, $1 for children ages 6 to 14, and available at The Beverage House, 6250 N. Oracle Road. Tickets will cost $2 more at the gate. Kids 5 and under get in free. For information, call (520) 533-1287.
Sunday 24
FRESH CORNUCOPIA. Great regional produce and fine bluegrass music combine forces at the Tucson Farmers' Market.
Out of the Blue features three-and-four-part mountain harmonies of traditional and contemporary bluegrass. The line-up includes Tom Poley on banjo, guitar and vocals; Emily Creigh on guitar and vocals; Bill Rost on bass and vocals; and Donny Russell on mandolin and vocals.
They'll provide a musical backdrop for some of the freshest veggies and related products available in these parts, all offered under temperate October skies.
The Tucson Farmers' Market runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, with music at 10:30 a.m., in St. Philip's Plaza, on the northeast corner of River Road and Campbell Avenue. Admission is free. Call 743-8063 for details.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. Enjoy most-favored status of a cerebral sort when Julie Chen presents Experiences While Studying in Beijing.
Hosted by the U.S.-China People's Friendship Association, Chen will discuss her stint as a student at Beijing University. She boasts the timely providence of residing in the vast country while NATO forces were bombing the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, so this promises to be a particularly enlightening chat.
The event is 2:30 p.m. in St. Paul's Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 2331 E. Adams St. Admission is free. For information, call 795-1682.
Monday 25
COMET COMMENTARY. They blaze through the sky with the greatest of ease. But the question is this: do they aim to please?
Comets are the stuff of legend, objects of fear and fantasy, and rich fodder for centuries of doom-sayers. While one of the flying flames striking the earth could spark global catastrophe, catching sight of the hurtling beauties, such as the Hale-Bopp Comet two years ago, is a humbling source of wonder.
Now Dr. Humberto Campins of the Research Corporation takes a fresh look at these intergalactic dazzlers with What Have Comets Done for Us Recently? Campins' visit is hosted by the Steward Observatory as part of its long-running lecture series.
The free talk is at 7:30 p.m. in the UA Steward Observatory, Room N210, on campus at 933 N. Cherry St. For details, call 621-5049.
Tuesday 26
BRAZILIAN WUNDERKIND. South America's musical vibrancy arrives in the Old Pueblo with an appearance by Virginia Rodrigues.
Discovered by the legendary Brazilian singer-composer Caetano Veloso in the hillside favellas of Salvador, Rodrigues exploded on the Latin music scene with her first album, Sol Negro. The recording showcases her rich contralto voice and bewitching mastery of a wide range of musical forms, from jazz-influenced pop and carnival samba to haunting ballads and Afro-Brazilian folk songs.
When the CD was released in this country, Rolling Stone called Rodrigues "a spell-binding South American diva." The New York Times agreed. "Suddenly out of obscurity," the paper declared, "Rodrigues is the New Voice in Brazil."
Catch that stunning voice at 7:30 p.m. in the UA Centennial Hall, inside the main gate east of Park Avenue. Tickets are $20, $10 for students, and available at the Centennial Hall box office, or by calling 621-3341.
SEEDS OF THOUGHT. Learn about flora appropriate to our rugged terrain when Tohono Chul Park hosts their Seeds, Seeds, Seeds lecture.
With the help of Sunset magazine, the park's dedicated green thumbs have gathered copies of "Best of the West" seed catalogs. Now they'll share tips gleaned from all that literature, focusing on plants with the best chance of thriving in the low desert.
The workshop is 2 p.m. in Tohono Chul Park, 7366 N. Paseo del Norte. The cost is $4, $2 for members. Call 742-6455 for details.
Wednesday 27
SWING SCENE. Dig some very cool swing when the Kings of Pleasure hold court in Ric's Cafe.
In fact, jazz graces the cafe's courtyard every Wednesday and Saturday night, with a mix of blues and jazz on Friday. All that music emanates in the courtyard, with sweet sounds wafting towards open skies. In addition, free swing dance lessons are offered each Wednesday.
The Kings of Pleasure play from 7 to 10 p.m. at Ric's Cafe, 5605 E. River Road. Call 577-7272 for information.
CINEMATIC SUDS. Grab a brisk brew and great cinematic thrills when the Nimbus Brewery foams up for another night at the movies.
These weekly screenings in the humble brewpub draw a loyal following, and why not? After all, what can top fine hops and prime cinema? We're talking an irresistible combo of fine Nimbus brews, free popcorn, and the always delightful living-room ambiance. On tonight's menu are two Francis Ford Coppola classics, The Cotton Club and Apocalypse Now.
Show time is 6:30 p.m. in the Nimbus Brewing Co., 3850 E. 44th St. Admission is free. For details, call 745-9175.
