City Week

Born to Be Wildly Generous

We here at the Weekly are suckers for good causes. Something about others being all warm and generous makes us feel bubbly and nice inside. Such is the case involving Bike for Sight, a motorcycle show put on for the Southern Arizona Association for the Visually Impaired (SAAVI) by Bonehead Choppers, Harley Davidson of Tucson and Rock 107.5.

Bikers are often given a bad rap, but events like these prove they are often just softies with hearts of gold (don't tell them I said so, though). All proceeds from the event will go to SAAVI, an organization that helps visually impaired individuals locally.

The event itself will feature 11 bike classics, such as choppers (yep, like the bike predominantly featured in Pulp Fiction), sportsbikes, cruisers and the "rat bike" (a category for the most trashy, obliterated, ratty bike). There will also be food, live music, awards, T-shirts, beverages, raffles, bike games and trophies ("huge trophies," according to the press release).

So, feel good about yourself by helping out a great cause and head on over to the Kino Community Center this Friday. The cost is $5 per person or $8 per couple; children below the age of 10 get in for free. This is an all-ages event. --M.P.

All Things Food

If food is more than just sustenance for you, then the Tucson Culinary Festival should be up your alley. If money is no object when it comes to indulging your extravagant palette, then the Tucson Culinary Festival is for you. If rare artisan cheeses and wine make you salivate ... you get the picture.

The Tucson Culinary Festival celebrates its third delicious year of existence with plenty of wine lunches and wine dinners, as well as phenomenal multi-coursed meals prepared by top chefs like Zarela Martinez and Aaron Sanchez. The festival, taking place all over Tucson--with a fair amount of events occurring at the Westward Look Resort--looks to be a gastronomical celebration for all parties involved.

Some highlights (or at least things that made me very, very hungry to read about) include Roma Caffe's Italian food and wine feast Thursday (tonight at 6:30 p.m., $70) and Terra Cotta's Southwestern-themed luncheon (Monday at 11:30 a.m., $55). You probably noticed the prices, which really are not bad at all, considering the quantity and quality of the food and drink being served. On an unrelated note, it certainly does not fit all salaries--especially those of interns--and donations will be accepted in my name at the Tucson Weekly (joke alert!).

However, if food, wine and overall great times are priceless to you, there is no finer culinary event in Tucson. Where else can you be served multi-course meals by several of America's finest chefs? Prices range from $50 to $175. To check out all the events, check out the Tucson Culinary Festival's Web site. --M.P.

Fight for Your Right

Back in the spring of 2001, some suckers got broken off. Broken off real bad like, and thusly, Mic Fights was born.

No, Mic Fights does not literally involve a group of musicians--armed with microphones--beating each other senselessly. Instead, Mic Fights squares emcees off against each other in freestyle rap battles that may result in shame and sadness for the losing emcee.

To put it more dramatically (and in the vein of the popular rap-battle film 8 Mile): 16 teams and 32 emcees compete for $1,000 in prize money and their chance to not blow this opportunity, which is coming once in a lifetime (yo). Detroit crowds be damned, www.micfights.net boasts that Tucson's Mic Fights are home to "the meanest crowd on Earth." So, emcees best be bringing their "A" game and a box of Kleenex.

This Saturday, punk/metal/hardcore/underground rap/all-things-youth club Skrappy's will host Mic Fights. After eight successful events since their 2001 origins, the folks behind Mic Fights look forward to another evening of fierce competition, DJs and rowdy crowds.

Whether you're a casual emcee/rap battle fan or a diehard battling emcee yourself, Mic Fights is Tucson's No. 1 option for all things rap + battle. (Although it's unlikely I will attend the event, and I am certainly not qualified as a freestyle rapper, I have been practicing my freestyle raps just in case. My chances to eventually win Mic Fights? Snowball + hell.) If you are one of the people who likes to check out real, raw rap talent, then head over to Skrappy's this Saturday. The event is $10. --M.P.

Formatted Tunes

It's not everyday an Arizona band makes a splash in the mainstream. So, it's perfectly natural to smile, clap your hands and shout "yeah" when The Format roll into Centennial Hall this Wednesday, still riding the success of 2003's debut album, Interventions and Lullabies.

The duo, who makes pop music with a punch, will be playing an uber-cheap show for their legions of diehard fans in the large auditorium, thanks to the efforts of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona and the University Activities Board. Looking to bring fun and interesting speakers, musicians and comedians to the UA, the joint boards recently presented Napoleon Dynamite actors Efren Ramirez (Pedro) and Aaron Ruell (Kip Dynamite).

Now, the boards will bring the rock ... well, at least the pop, as The Format aim to dazzle a (hopefully) packed venue. Interventions and Lullabies launched the band into the high pop stratospheres, including a musical slot on a popular television show about teenagers in Southern California. Following the heels of their successful, underground 2002 EP--(not so) cleverly titled EP--The Format was courted by big-time labels. Although Interventions and Lullabies was released by Elektra Records (Metallica's home), their latest EP (Snails) was released by musical giants Atlantic Records.

The band is currently working on their sophomore album (probably would be easier if they focused a little less on EPs ... just saying) and doing a few concerts in and around Arizona. Tickets are $10; Tickertape Parade (not a real one, I think) and The Dares open the show. --M.P.