Tempe Conventions & Visitors Bureau

I love art.  Whether it’s painting, drawing, sculpture, or ceramics, I’ve always enjoyed the creative process.  When I was younger, I loved to draw and even took art/drawing lessons for a time.  Some are blessed with artistic talents that make the rest of us sit back and admire what they’re able to create.

Rachel Goede is a local, Tempe artist who is able to paint masterpieces.  She’s an Omaha, NE native that studied painting at ASU and eventually graduated with a BFA in painting from there too.

“I wanted to be an artist ever since I was a little girl.  I always thought being an artist was the most radical and amazing profession a person could possibly have,” she said.  “I still think that, however, being an artist can be hard because not everyone is excited about my art as I am. I love what I do. I have always loved creating art because it calms a craving within me.”

Like most artists, everyone has something that inspires them.  For Rachel, her inspiration comes from people.  “I am inspired by faces. I simply want to document people around me, including myself, so that I can tell others about whom and what I know, and about my life. I paint myself because I know my own face better than any other face.  I love the human figure and the face; I believe the human body is very beautiful.”

Even though she finds her inspiration through the human figure and enjoys that, she has painted some traditional, Arizona landscapes.  Her work includes an art studio classroom at ASU overlooking monument Valley Arizona, as well as, a still life painting about horse culture in Arizona.

“Most of the portraits I have painted are about Arizona in a wider sense, because they are about my experiences while living here. Arizona, and my portrait subjects that I have met here, are very dear to me and I want others to know their roles in my life.”

To see more of Rachel’s work, you can visit her website here.  For more information about Tempe arts and culture, be sure to visit the Tempe Tourism website or call 800-283-6734.

FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL comes to ASU Gammage this week.

I loved Flashdance, the movie and am so excited that the big Broadway musical version is coming to Tempe this week.  Yep, millions of us got that “Flashdance” feeling in 1983 when the movie, with its great music, dancing and romantic story, swept us away. Fast forward thirty years we can be swept away again by FLASHDANCE-THE MUSICAL when it comes to ASU Gammage, April 30-May 5.

With electrifying dance at its core, FLASHDANCE-THE MUSICAL tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel mill welder by day and a bar dancer by night with dreams of becoming a respected professional performer. Along the way she falls in love with her boss at the mill.  And, in true fairy-tale fashion, it all works out in the end with Alex’s prince of a boss/boyfriend helping to make her dream come true. Think of it as Cinderella in a welding mask and leg warmers!

The audience shares in Alex’s trials and triumphs with great dancing and a score that includes the biggest hit songs from the movie, including the Academy Award-winning title song “Flashdance – What a Feeling,” Maniac,” “Gloria,” “Manhunt,” and “I Love Rock & Roll.”  plus 16 brand new songs have been written for the musical.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://asugammage.com/shows.

For more great events to enjoy this week, check out this list.  View a complete list of Tempe events, or call the Tempe Tourism Office at 1-866-914-1052 for more information.

• April 30: Stu Siefer Trio with Dave Henning and Felix Sainz, Mad Hatter Brew Pub
• April 30 & May 1: Prince, Marquee Theater
• April 30- May 5: FLASHDANCE-THE MUSICAL, ASU Gammage
• May 1: Walk-in Wednesdays Open Mic Night, Tempe Center for the Arts
• May 1: Open Mic, Tempe Improv
• May 1: Open Jam, May 2: Tim Hawley, Rula Bula Irish Pub
• May 2:  Music on Mill, Mill Avenue District
• May 2: Outliars Comedy Club, Robby Fox’s  Public House
• May 2-3: ASU School of Theatre and Film Presents Spring Capstone Screenings, Galvin Playhouse
• May 2: Tyler, The Creato and Special Guest Earl Sweatshirt; May 3: Tom Keifer of Cinderella, Marquee Theater
• May 2-4: Chris D’Elia, Tempe Improv
• May 3: Music in the Garden: Cinco de Moio Latin Grooves, Desert Botanical Garden
• May 3: Class Clowns Comedy, Tempe Center for the Arts
• May 3: Tempe Comedy Concert Series: Funny Times 10, Tempe Center for the Arts
• May 3: Snake Burner; May 4: Sea Merchants, Rula Bula Irish Pub
• May 3:  Tim McAlee; May 4:  Bill Dutcher, Top of the Rock
• May 3:Michael Ferraro; May 4:The Beatless, Tempe Marketplace Barnes & Noble Fountain
• May 3:Vinyl Nova; May 4: Mindy Harris Band, Cascada, May 5: Ratio, Georgia Chrome, Tempe Marketplace District Stage
• May 4: Stu Siefert Combo, Robbie Fox’s Public House
• May 4: First Saturday for Families, ASU Art Museum
• May 4: The Senators: An Evening of American Roots Music, Tempe History Museum
• May 4: Firematic Flea Market, Hall of Flame Fire Museum
• May 4-26: Childsplay Presents: A Wrinkle in Time, Tempe Center for the Arts

Visitors to the Valley have the exceedingly rare opportunity to see art from one of the best contemporary collections in the world — right here in Tempe’s own ASU Art Museum, on the corner of 10^th Street and Mill Avenue.

Turn Off The Sun: Selections From La Colección Jumex is on view now until Sept. 7, 2013, and features more than two-dozen impressive pieces from Mexico City’s spectacular Fundación/Colección Jumex – whose works have been exhibited in the United States only one other time.

Based in Mexico City, the Jumex brand is popularly known as the manufacturer of beloved juice and nectar drinks in little blue cans. You’ve probably seen them at the grocery store. But what most people don’t know is that Jumex has a 10-year history of supporting contemporary art through collecting, exhibitions and educational programs. In fact, La Colección Jumex contains more than 2,600 works by emerging and established contemporary artists from Mexico, Latin America, the United States and Europe.

Turn off the Sun brings to the Valley major pieces and installations by artists rarely or never seen in Arizona, exploring diverse media and practice. Some are small photographs, others huge, room-sized installations. More than 20 artists from around the world have pieces on display in Turn Off the Sun, including Doug Aitken, Dan Graham, Alejandro Almanza Pereda, Miguel Calderon, Jose Damasceno, Mark Dion, Monica Espinosa, Cao Guimaraes, Santiago Sierra, Superflex and Jeff Wall.

The work has been selected around the complex relationship between the state of Arizona and Mexico, with broad references to borders, labor, movement and site, and is co-curated by ASU Art Museum Senior Curator and Associate Director Heather Sealy Lineberry, ASU Art Museum Curator Julio César Morales and Curator Michel Blancsubé of Colección Jumex.

This exhibition is already attracting national attention, having received excellent press in Art in America and been featured on the cover of the San Francisco Arts Quarterly. The press agrees with what we at the museum already knew: No matter what kind of art turns your mind on, you’ll find it when you escape from the heat and come to Turn off the Sun.

We’ll see you at the museum!

–Juno Schaser

For more information about Tempe events, visit the Tempe Tourism Website or call 800-283-6734.

“I’m the most important person in the lives of almost everyone I know and a good number of the people I’ve never even met.”

I love this quote.   It makes me laugh every time I read it.  That’s the beauty of David Sedaris.  He makes you laugh with his satirical genius but you know there is nothing but truth to what he says.  The best selling author will be at ASU Gammage, tonight at 7:30 p.m., reading excerpts from his new book, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls.  His new collection of essays examines world travel through the eyes of Americans and vice versa.   The nice folks over at Amazon summed it up best when they said, “From the perils of French dentistry to the eating habits of the Australian kookaburra, from the squat-style toilets of Beijing to the particular wilderness of a North Carolina Costco, we learn about the absurdity and delight of a curious traveler’s experiences.”  If that doesn’t leave you intrigued, nothing will.

Sedaris was born in New York but moved to North Carolina as a child.  He attended Kent State University before transferring to, and graduating from, the School of the Art Institute in Chicago in 1987.  He published his first collection of essays in 1994 and has been described as one of the “rock star writers”.  Currently, he lives in West Sussex, London.

Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls will be his ninth published collection of essays.  Some of his more famous works include Me Talk Pretty One Day and When You Are Engulfed in Flames.  One of the funniest essays of his I’ve ever read is called SantaLand Diaries.  It’s about his supposed experience as an elf in New York when he was working at Macy’s during Christmas time.  Now, I wasn’t a bad kid growing up.  But, like most children, every once and while, you have a tantrum because that’s what kids do.  He describes a child, having a tantrum.  His mother calls over to Sedaris, dressed as one of Santa’s elves, to tell her son that if doesn’t stop screaming and yelling, Santa won’t bring him any toys.  I love this because I can picture my mom doing this.  His response is priceless.  “I said that Santa changed his policy and no longer traffics in coal. Instead, if you’re bad, he comes to your house and steals things. I told Riley that if he didn’t behave himself, Santa was going to take away his TV and all his electrical appliances and leave him in the dark…I said, he’s going to take your car and your furniture, and all of your towels and blankets and leave you with nothing.”

If you’re looking for some laughs to get you through the rest of this week, go see him tonight at ASU Gammage.  He’ll be having a book signing after the show, so you’ll be able to meet the satirical genius yourself.

Do you want to know about more great events happening in Tempe?  Be sure to check out our WEBSITE or call 800-283-6734.

FELA!, the joyous dance, theater, music spectacle comes to ASU Gammage April 23-24. Directed and choreographed by Bill T. Jones, who received the Tony Award for Choreography, FELA! explores the extravagant world of Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti. The musical delves into the complex life of multi-instrumentalist musician/composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music and human rights activist Fela Kuti. His music often reflected his strong opposition to dictatorships and specifically targeted the militaristic governments of Nigeria.

This show is definitely not your grandmother’s musical. Fela’s penchant for extravagant showmanship is evident in music and choreography unlike anything else on Broadway. FELA!, with its inspiring and exhilarating song and dance, is definitely entertaining. However, the show features some raw language, mild sexual content, drugs and violence which may be inappropriate for young viewers. It’s perfect for mature tweens and teens, particularly those with an interest in music or dance.

For years I’ve heard nothing but rave revues about this show and its incredible music and dancing. And, I’m absolutely fascinated by Fela Kuti’s story. So, I’m really looking forward to seeing FELA! I also find it amazing that Bill T. Jones himself was actually here in Tempe and the Valley completing a three year guest residency at ASU!

On April 25, one of my favorite authors David Sedaris will return to ASU Gammage to read some of his latest works and to answer questions from the audience followed by a signing of his newest book Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls (scheduled for release late this spring). I can’t wait to read this one! I’ve read several of his collections of essays, which are reflections on the human condition and are often drawn from his own life experiences. They are wonderful reads that are irreverently funny and always make me laugh out loud. I’m talking really hard, loud laughing; the kind that make you cry and have trouble breathing, which can be embarrassing  when reading  in public places.

For more information on both events and to purchase tickets, view ASUgammage.com.

For the rest of the Tempe arts, culture and entertainment story check out this list of other great events taking place this week. View a complete list of Tempe events, or call the Tempe Tourism Office at 1-866-914-1052 for more information.

• April 22: Green Day at the TCA, Tempe Center for the Arts
• April 22: A Day to Remember; April 23: The Gaslight Anthem, Marquee Theater
• April 23:  Nicole Pesce  & Jerry Donato, Mad Hatter Brew Pub
• April 23: Herberger String Quartet, Tempe Center for the Arts
• April 23-24: FELA!, ASU Gammage
• April 23-24: The Eighth Annual ASU Student Film Festival, Harkins Valley Art Theater
• April 24: Tempe Poetry in April: Myrlin Hepworth; Walk-in Wednesdays Open Mic Night, Tempe Center for the Arts
• April 24: David Bernstein; April 25; Colin Barley, Studio Vino
• April 24: Crystal Castles; April 25: Blackberry Smoke, Marquee Theater
• April 24: Open Jam; April 25: Jeff Sullivan, Rula Bula Irish Pub
• April 25: Music on Mill, Mill Avenue District
• April 25: Outliars Comedy Club, Robby Fox’s  Public House
• April 25: David Sedaris, ASU Gammage
• April 25: Tim White; April 26: Bird City and Friends, World of Beer
• April 25-28: Mitch Fatel, Tempe Improv
• April 26: Music Under the Stars, Tempe Center for the Arts
• April 26: 25^th Anniversary of Danzig, Marquee Theater
• April 26: Mojo Farmers, Tempe Marketplace District Stage
• April 26: Just Jade; April 27: Michael V., Tempe Marketplace Barnes & Noble Fountain
• April 26: Keltic Cowboys; April 27: Jeff Hunt Band, Rula Bula Irish Pub
• April 26-May 26: Childsplay Presents: A Wrinkle in Time, Tempe Center for the Arts
• April 27: Music Unites! A Benefit to Feed the Hungry, Tempe Marketplace District Stage
• April 27: Route to Persepolis, Tempe Center for the Arts
• April 27:  Stu Siefert Combo, Robbie Fox’s Public House
• April 27: Paul Ludenai; April 28: Bill Dutcher, Top of the Rock
• April 28: Miss Gay Western States America 2013, Tempe Center for the Arts
• April 28: Alkaline Trio, Marquee Theater

Last weekend, Tempe had its annual Spring Festival of the Arts on Mill Ave.  Like most of you, I walked around and left with some new wall décor.  I was pretty bummed out when I woke up on Monday morning, thinking that all the fun was over.  But then I remembered that Feast of the Street is this Saturday, April 13th in downtown Phoenix on First Street between Taylor Place and Moreland.

Feast of the Street is based off of London’s Feast on the Bridge.  It should be an amazing time and I can’t wait to check it out. They’ll have a half-mile long dining table, where you can sit back with some new friends and enjoy food that was locally harvested and prepared.

But the fun doesn’t stop there.  They’ll have food demonstrations, story telling and tasting stations, in addition to food trucks.  Favorite local restaurants like Matt’s Big Breakfast, Carly’s Bistro and Pita Jungle will be there, along with many others.  Not interested in food?  No problem.  Head over to the Cityscape Beer Garden.  Tempe favoriteFour Peaks Brewing Company and Lumberyard Ale will featuring their handcrafted beers.

This event is FREE – that’s right – free and there’s free parking as well.  This is all made possible by the ASU Art Museum and the Desert Initiative, Roosevelt Row CDC and the artists Clare Patey and Matt Moore. Patey and Moore also collaborated on an exhibition called Cu²⁹: Mining for You, at the ASU Art Museum through May 11.

So head down to Feast on the Street this Saturday, and if you see me, be sure to say hello.  It’s guaranteed to be a great time.

For more information about other events, be sure to visit the Tempe Tourism Office website or call 800-283-6734.

One of the great things about Tempe is the people.  Tempe has a lot of diversity, which in large part is due to Arizona State University.  There are many restaurants that offer up cuisines from all over the world. We get visitors to our office everyday that are visiting our city from near and far.  But one thing that I’ve noticed about Tempe is it doesn’t matter where you’re originally from, everyone here is really nice.

One such individual, who should be called the nicest man in Tempe in my opinion, is Otto Valdez, who works at the Tempe Mission Palms in their Guest Services Department.  Otto moved to California from Guatemala in 1984.  After living there for a few years, he and his family moved to Arizona, to be closer to family that was living here.  He’s worked at the Tempe Mission Palms for 12 years.

Because Otto has been here a lot longer than I have, I asked him how Tempe has changed over the years.  He said that the construction of Tempe Town Lake is the by far the biggest change and that it has been great for the area.  “Tempe Beach Park keeps hotels and restaurants busy.  It’s great for business,” he says.  A lot of ASU parents and families stay at the Tempe Mission Palms when they come to visit their kids.  Otto says most continue to stay at the hotel throughout their child’s time at school and they all develop a friendship throughout the years.  “They become like family,” he says.

I was surprised to learn that quite a few celebrities have stayed at the hotel through the years.  Otto has met a couple and seen many others.  “Jeff Corwin, from Animal Planet, is extremely nice,” Otto tells me.  He then points to a little, sitting area off to the side of the lobby and says to me, “You see over there?  President Obama once stayed at our hotel before he was President and gave an interview sitting right there. “

Next time you’re staying at the Tempe Mission Palms or maybe you’re just hanging out in Harry’s Lounge for a drink, keep an eye out for Otto.  If you see him, say hi.  He’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet.

For more information about hotels and information in Tempe, be sure to visit our website and or call 800-283-6734.

Just recently, I was introduced to a brand new building to explore on the Arizona State University Tempe campus. Officially named the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building IV (ISTB 4), the interactive exhibits located inside are just fascinating. It both impressed and boggled my mind. The exhibits are designed to advance research and discovery, and to encourage children to explore their futures as scientists and engineers. And best yet –  it’s free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The ISTB 4 space includes the “Gallery of Scientific Exploration,” outfitted with kiosk-style interactive exhibits and large-format, high-definition monitors that display video from Earth-observing satellites and robotic probes of other worlds. This first floor gallery invites visitors to explore earth and space sciences through digital media, public lectures, visible laboratories, and interactive displays. Exhibits include a replica of the Mars Rover Curiosity, EarthScope, an instrument used to measure and understand earthquakes and continental movement, and Magic Planet, a digital video globe with a six-foot diameter sphere-shaped screen that presents dynamic global and extra-terrestrial information.

The Gallery of Scientific Exploration also features the meteorite display on the second floor, drawn from the extensive collection of ASU’s Center for Meteorite Studies. Visitors can explore interactive displays, handle touchable specimens, and watch a video display of the collection’s specimens.

You will stretch your mind to the very edge while exploring the exhibits in this building, and learn lots of cool factoids along the way. If you have time during the week, it’s definitely worth making the trip to Tempe to explore ASU’s ISTB 4.

Mars Rover Replica at ASU's ISTB 4, credit Tom Story

Working on Mill Avenue, there are a lot of shops I have never been to yet I walk by every day.  One such store is Brand X Custom T-Shirts.  I decided it was time to go in and check it out. Now that I have, I can honestly say that Brand X is great.  It’s locally owned by Charles, who opened it after graduating college.

I was fortunate enough to chat with the man himself and was able to learn more about him and his business.  Charles is a Michigan native and graduated with a degree in business from Michigan State University.  After graduating, he moved to Arizona to work for the Hillstone Restaurant Group, you know, the one that manage some of our favorite valley restaurants.

Charles has always been a big supporter of originality and giving people the opportunity to express themselves.  In July 2006, he rented retail space and started Brand X on Mill Ave.  His store gives people like you and me an outlet to do just that – express ourselves.

If you’ve never been to Brand X before, it’s not like your typical clothing store.  It’s really laid back and you’re not being constantly harassed by sales people every fifteen seconds.  I loved that.  They have designs on the wall and books with pages and pages of images to choose from.  In non-clothing related items, there’s a Super Nintendo downstairs, where you can sit back, play Mario and pretend you’re 10 years old all over again.  The concept of the store that Charles has brought to life is wonderful.

“It’s great,” says Charles.  “My concept needs an urban experience and Mill Ave is just that.”  You can choose from a lots of designs at Brand X and have one put on a t-shirt, long sleeve shirt or hoodie.  They have a variety of different fits in every color you can think of.  If you don’t see a picture that catches your eye, you can bring in your own design.  While I was there, I saw that you can even turn your Instagram photos in iPhone cases, coasters, koozies and more.  For Instagram addicts like myself, I think this is a brilliant idea.  You can buy one shirt or a hundred, it’s all up to you.

“Tempe is full of opportunity.  It’s an exciting time to be part of the city,” Charles points out.   If you haven’t been to Brand X, you should definitely stop in.  They’re located on Mill Avenue, just south of Fourth Street. Visit their website, www.brandxtshirts.com, or give them a call: 480-200-2833.

Four more information about Tempe shopping and events, visit the Tempe Tourism Website or call 800-283-6734.

I’m a huge Garrison Keillor and A Prairie Home Companion fan who has been listening to this wonderful quirky weekly broadcast for more years than I care to remember. So, I am thrilled that the show is coming to Tempe this week. Yes, the low key and loquacious Garrison Keillor will give us the low down on Lake Wobegon and pay homage to Minnesota’s sturdy Scandinavian roots on Saturday, January 19 on stage at ASU Gammage.

I’m looking forward to putting faces to the voices I’ve listened to over the years. I enjoy the eclectic mix of music that might include blue grass, country western, gospel, jazz and rock. I love skits with wranglers Lefty and Shorty in The Lives of the Cowboys and private eye Guy Noir. I also get lots of good laughs from the assorted fictional characters and places that are often included in “The News from Lake Wobegon,” like the Pastor Ingqvist of the Lake Wobegon Lutheran Church and his successor Pastor Liz, Father Emil of Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility Roman Catholic Church, various members of the Bunsen and Krebsbach families and the always eligible Norwegian bachelor farmers. And then there are the hilarious commercials for the show’s fictitious sponsors such as Powdermilk Biscuits, Bebop-A-Reebop Rhubarb Pie, Duct Tape Council, and the Ketchup Advisory Board.

A Prairie Home Companion started production in 1974. It broadcasts live every Saturday night and on local public radio stations (here on KJZZ). Many of the programs are broadcast from their St. Paul, Minnesota home, the Fitzgerald Theater. However, the cast and crew hit the road regularly to perform in cities throughout the U.S. and occasionally abroad. The road shows are always tailored to the cities and areas they visit. I’m sure there that this show will have lots of good natured humor aimed at Tempe, ASU and Arizona, which will make it especially fun.

How nice that we Arizonans don’t have to travel many miles and brave the Minnesota winters to see a live production of this show that has 4.3 million listeners on close to 600 public radio stations coast to coast and beyond. We can see it live this Saturday at ASU Gammage at 3:45 p.m.

You’ll find plenty of other great arts, culture and entertainment events taking place in Tempe this week. View a complete listing of Tempe events, or call 480-894-8158 for more information.

• January 14: Down, Marquee Theater
• January 16: Walk-in Wednesdays Open Mic Night, Tempe Center for the Arts
• January 16: Faculty Artist Series: Michael Kocour, ASU Recital Hall
• January 16: Krystal Clarke; January 17: Colin Barley, Studio Vino
• January 17: Stella Pope Duarte: Writing Through Revelations, Visions, and Dreams:The  Memoirs of a Writer’s Soul, Changing Hands Bookstore
• January 17: Third Thursday on Mill, Mill Avenue District
• January 17: Jeff Sullivan; January 18, The Sullivans ; January 19: Traveler, Rula Bula Irish Pub
• January 18: Class Clowns Comedy, Tempe Center for the Arts
• January 18: Keller Williams; January 19: Trampled By Turtles, Marquee Theater
• January 18: Laura Walsh Band; January 19: Peppermint James, Tempe Marketplace District Stage
• January 18: Radiant Sky; January 19: M Squared, Tempe Marketplace Barnes & Noble Fountain
• January 19: Green Revolution Opening Reception, Tempe Center for the Arts
• January 19: Stu Siefert Combo, Robbie Fox’s Public House
• January 19: Lakeshore Jazz Series: The New West Guitar Group, Tempe Center for the Arts
• January 19: Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, ASU Gammage
• January 19: Perfectly Imperfect Dance Company: Found, Tempe Center for the Arts
• January 20: Jake Greider, Rula Bula Irish Pub
• January 20: P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Finish line: Tempe
• January 20-March 3: Childsplay Presents: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type, Tempe Center for the Arts