Arizona Bike Week
Bikers and riders rejoice. Arizona Bike Week at WestWorld of Scottsdale is here. With it comes five days of loud engines, lots of leather jackets, and everything motorcycle. From April 11 through 15, events will include FMX stunt shows, flat track racing (participation is encouraged), and rock concerts featuring local talent and headliners like ZZ Top, Collective Soul, Chevelle, and Shine Down. With vendors at various locations and sponsors including Harley-Davidson, attendees can expect to see — and ride — the latest in the biking world.
The flat track racer competition and tattoo contest offer a chance to win some money, free tattoos, and body piercings.
WestWorld gates open at noon on Thursday, April 12, at 16601 North Pima Road. Tickets start at $28, but children younger than 12 get in free. For more info, call 480-644-8191 or visit the Arizona Bike Week website. Melina Zuñiga
Anne Perry
Historical crime novelist Anne Perry got a late start, publishing her first novel, The Cater Street Hangman, when she was 40. Since then, she has become the preeminent modern voice in Victorian detective novels, with her bestselling Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series.
When she returns to the Poisoned Pen on April 12, however, she’s moving on to the next generation. Twenty-One Days introduces Daniel Pitt, a young barrister in Edwardian London, eager to prove himself outside his famous father’s shadow. He gets his chance when he has three weeks to prove his client didn’t murder his wife — or else the man swings from the gallows.
Hardcover copies are available for $28. The event will start at 7 p.m. at 4014 North Goldwater Boulevard in Scottsdale. Visit the Poisoned Pen website for more information. Michael Senft
“Not Here, Not Now, Not That: Protest Over Culture in America”
Protests about arts and culture aren’t a new idea. But you can get fresh insights about the practice during a free talk called “Not Here, Not Now, Not That: Protest Over Culture in America.” It features Steven J. Tepper, dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University. Tepper will share information from his 2011 book of the same title, and bring perspective to more recent controversies.
Tepper has explored the cultural landscapes in several cities, such as Charlotte, Denver, and San Francisco.
And he’s considered protest surrounding several types of work, including books, clothing, film, music, performance art, television, and visual art. Hear his take from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 12, at ASU Art Museum, 51 East 10th Street in Tempe. Visit the ASU Art Museum website. Lynn Trimble
Bar Flies
Phoenix New Times’ monthly reading series Bar Flies is back. And this time, it’s all about growing up.
Curated by Katie Johnson, the night will feature stories from Debra Metelits, Daniel Mills, Sativa Peterson, and Kim Porter. Expect both hilarious and heartbreaking tales of maturity and childhood.
The readings will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12, at Valley Bar, 130 North Central Avenue. Admission to the 21-and-over event is $5. For more information, visit the Valley Bar website. Lindsay Roberts
The Blunt Club
A 16th birthday is one of life’s major milestones. It’s also a good excuse to put on a big-time blowout, which is what the folks behind The Blunt Club will do on Friday, April 13, in honor of the local hip-hop night’s 16th year of existence.
The party will take place at Yucca Tap Room, 29 West Southern Avenue in Tempe, and will feature DJs like Pickster One, Element, and Pnyce in the mix. Tucson hip-hop group Jivin’ Scientists will headline, and Blunt Club promoter and painter Adam Dumper will serve up live art.
Just like any sweet 16 shindig, there will be a slew of gifts, including an exclusive four-inch vinyl record mixed by Pickster One and pressed by Lock Grooves. “We just wanna do fun stuff like that and give back to our fans,” Dumper says.
The records roll starting at 8 p.m. Admission is $5 before 10 p.m. and $10 after. See the Blunt Club Facebook page. Benjamin Leatherman
“Transitory Conversations”
Conversations abound when people encounter the work of Washington ceramic artist Patti Warashina. That’s because she’s skilled at channeling the chaos and absurdity of current times into figurative works of art, according to Patty Haberman, curator for Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum.
“Patti uses irony and humor to take a hard look at contemporary society,” Haberman says. “But she also explores the oddities in her own everyday life.”
Visit the museum at 1 East Main Street between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Friday, April 13, if you want to be one of the first people to see Warashina’s work in a new exhibition titled “Transitory Conversations.” On view through August 5, it’ll leave you thinking about how you might portray the more perplexing circumstances of your own life and times. Visit the Mesa Arts Center website. Lynn Trimble
Legally Blonde, The Musical
Not all heroes wear capes. Take Elle Woods for instance. The somewhat unlikely champion of sisterhood, tenacity, and feminism was known for several iconic looks, most of which involved a small chihuahua and the color pink. Woods’ story of triumph, law school, and really good manicures gets the stage treatment in Legally Blonde, The Musical.
It’s based on the movie you know and love. Which was based on a book by Arizona author Amanda Brown. Lyric Opera Theatre presents the adaptation at the Evelyn Smith Music Theatre, 1100 South Mill Avenue on Arizona State University’s Tempe campus.
Showtime is 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 13. Performances continue through Sunday, April 22. Tickets are $8 to $11. See details at the Herberger website, or call the box office at 480-965-6447. Becky Bartkowski
Blast Radius
Artist Adriene Jenik is memorializing the loss of life caused by U.S. military actions in Afghanistan during a performance called Blast Radius, which starts at 7:30 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time) on Friday, April 13. She’ll walk the blast radius for the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb dropped by the U.S. on April 13, 2017. The radius is the perimeter of the area around the bombing site where there were serious impacts on people and the land.
“This walk seeks to memorialize the civilians who have been killed, the villages being terrorized, the populations in migration, and the lands being scarred as a result of the endless wars being carried out in our name,” Jenik says in her written artist statement for the piece. Follow her performance through a Museum of Walking live stream. Visit the Museum of Walking website. Lynn Trimble
"Lust in Hell"
Whenever the Agents of Lust throw a party, it’s usually a messy, noisy, and chaotic night filled with scandalous activities, libidinous thrills, and freaky behavior. And they wouldn’t want it any other way.
The local fetish-oriented performance troupe has been staging such outlandish affairs over the last five years, which typically feature its members unleashing showers of sparks with metal grinders or staging debaucherous vignettes involving sex toys.
A similar scene is likely to unfold at Rogue Bar, 423 North Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale, on Saturday, April 14, during “Lust in Hell,” the troupe’s fifth anniversary party. Industrial, metal, and hard rock bands will perform, as will various burlesque, belly-dancing, and performance artists.
The freaky fun starts at 8 p.m. Admission is $10. See the Agents of Lust Facebook page. Benjamin Leatherman
Chandler Craft Spirits Festival
Whatever your cocktail preference, from harsh and bitter to delightfully fruity, a variety of local and boutique distilleries can help quench that thirst. Frolic outdoors while getting your sip on at the Chandler Craft Spirits Festival. These booze purveyors are mixing it up all day, and the event also features food vendors, games, and live music.
This swig-fest happens from 3 to 9 p.m. at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, 178 East Commonwealth Avenue. Tickets are $25 and include a tasting cup and eight tastings. VIP lounge passes are $100 and include 20 drink tickets and access to a buffet. Admission is free for kids 12 and younger who are accompanied by a parent. Visit the Chandler Craft Spirits Festival website. Amy Young
UFC Fight Night
UFC Fight Night makes its Gila River Arena debut for a nationally televised bout on the Fox Network. For the main event, Safford, Arizona, native Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje will take on Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier in what many prognosticators are dubbing the fight of the year. The event also will feature a welterweight matchup between Carlos “The Natural Born Killer” Condit and “The Immortal” Matt Brown.
Step into the Octagon at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, at 9400 West Maryland Avenue in Glendale. Tickets are $50 to $160. For more information, visit the Gila River Arena website. Jason Keil
Black Cloud by Carlos Amorales was part of "Order, Chaos, and the Space in Between" at Phoenix Art Museum.
Phoenix Art Museum
Maybe it’s been a minute since you spent a day at Phoenix Art Museum. If so, you’ve been missing out on a lot. Carlos Amorales’ Black Cloud installation is back. Tech dresses by Iris van Herpen fill two galleries. And Valeska Soares’ acclaimed mid-career survey exhibition “Any Moment Now” is a downright must-see.
Lucky for you, there’s time to catch up — and it won’t cost a dime. Admission to the museum is free from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 15, for this month’s Discount Tire Free Family Weekend. Expect hands-on activities, performances, free tours, and other programming each day at 1625 North Central Avenue. See details at the Phoenix Art Museum website or call 602-257-1880. Becky Bartkowski
Ball-A-Palooza
At Michael Muriett’s annual Ball-A-Palooza event, the host says you will “rock your nuts off.” He started the benefit for the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation after losing his 19-year-old son Justin son to the disease in 2012, just 9 months after a late-stage diagnosis. As much as Muriett hopes to collect some dough, he also wants to raise awareness. In addition to hosting the benefit show, he has spoken at high schools and various events. “This is our third year,” he says, “and we’ve had so many great bands play and more that have offered.”
The musical lineup includes rock acts Panic Baby and Sunset Voodoo, as well as singer-songwriter Ben Anderson. The charity gets 100 percent of the proceeds. Have fun and raise funds starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, at Last Exit Live, 717 South Central Avenue. Tickets to the 21-and-over event are $10. Visit the Last Exit Live website. Amy Young
Cycle the Arts: North Scottsdale
April is bike month here in the Valley. Which makes sense, considering spring is in full swing — and there’s no better time to enjoy the outdoors. The folks at Scottsdale Public Art are on board and hosting Cycle the Arts: North Scottsdale on Sunday, April 15, when riders can admire outdoor works of art and the blooming desert landscape on a 30-mile guided bike tour.
Attendees will walk away with a better understanding of the Valley’s art offerings, as well as a full-body workout. So it’s really a win-win for everyone.
The tour is intended for experienced riders because of its distance and route conditions. If you’re up for the challenge, the event is free. The tour begins at 7 a.m. at Mustang Library, 10101 North 90th Street, and rolls until noon. To learn more, visit the Scottsdale Public Art website. Melina Zuñiga
Start your engines.
Tyrone Diaz Photography
The town of Guadalupe and Intimidations Car Club band together to organize the annual Guadalupe Car Show.
Now in its 17th year, the event has drawn a larger crowd at each edition thanks to its combination of free and family-friendly entertainment. For its 2018 edition, more than 250 customized lowriders will be on display.
Programming also includes lucha libre wrestling, food trucks, Tex-Mex music by Grupo Regreso, and entertainment by DJ Kane, the original singer of the Kumbia Kings.
The show runs from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 15, at 9201 South Avenida del Yaqui. For more information, contact Miguel Alvarado at 480-430-8446. Jason Kewl
Stagecoach
John Ford’s Stagecoach isn’t just one of the most significant cinematic achievements, it holds a bit of Arizona history. The film was Ford’s first of many shot at Monument Valley, located on the Navajo Nation at the Arizona-Utah border. The film stars John Wayne as an escaped outlaw riding a stagecoach to New Mexico with a ragtag group of passengers threatened by Apache attacks.
At 7 p.m. on Monday, April 16, FilmBar, 815 North Second Street, will host a screening of Stagecoach as part of the FilmBar Film School series. Arizona State University professor Joe Fortunato will introduce the film and provide live commentary. After the screening, attendees will have the opportunity to discuss Stagecoach as a group. Tickets are $9. For more information, visit the the FilmBar website. Tanner Stechnij
The Color Purple
Get excited, book nerds. The Pulitzer Prize-winning period novel by Alice Walker turned Tony Award-winning musical is coming to ASU Gammage Theater.
The Color Purple follows Celie, an oppressed black woman in early 1900s rural Georgia. She endures rape, the loss of her children, a tyrannical husband, and domestic violence. Set to a score that includes jazz, gospel, and blues music, Celie’s journey veers toward hope.
Showtime is 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17, at 1200 South Forest Avenue in Tempe. Performances continue through April 22. Tickets are $99 and are available on Ticketmaster. Lindsay Roberts
Geeks Who Drink
What’s a better way to spend a Tuesday night than with some buddies, beers, and trivia?
The people behind Bitters Bar, 1455 North Scottsdale Road, #115, can’t seem to think of a finer option. The bar’s weekly trivia gathering, Geeks Who Drink, continues on Tuesday, April 17. And the folks at Bitters have kept in mind that it’s a school night. Trivia starts at 7 p.m and ends — very reasonably — at 9. In other words, it’s perfect for people who enjoy night life but also enjoy getting to bed at a decent time. Participation is free. For more information, visit the Bitters Facebook page. Tanner Stechnij
Uptown Farmer’s Market
Let’s be honest. Going to a farmer’s market immediately makes you feel like a healthier person. Who doesn’t want that?
Even if you don’t buy any vegetables, it’s worth a trip to the Uptown Farmer’s Market at 5757 North Central Avenue to feel slightly better about yourself. Vendors sell everything from kale and goat cheese to fresh fish.
So grab your grocery list and get shopping on Wednesday, April 18.The farmer’s market continues on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through the end of April. For more information, visit the Uptown Farmer’s Market website. Lindsay Roberts
