7 Best Things to Do in Phoenix This Weekend

Gallery Talk: Ehren Tool and Garth Johnson
Ehren Tool found ceramics as a creative outlet after serving as a marine in Operation Desert Storm. The veteran handcrafts cups covered in imagery referencing the effects of military service on veterans and the impact of war on societies. Serving as both social commentary and functional objects, Tool has given away thousands of his cups in the past decade. He’ll continue creating and gifting them on Friday, September 11, when he visits ASU Art Museum Brickyard to craft and collaborate on new cups with the public. From noon to 1 p.m., Tool will discuss his work in the museum’s current exhibition, “Statement Piece,” with ceramics curator Garth Johnson. An exhibition reception is slated for 6:30 p.m. that evening.

All events are free and open to the public at 699 South Mill Avenue, Suite 108. For more information, visit asuartmuseum.asu.edu or call 480-965-0014. Becky Bartkowski

Todd Barry
In 1982, comedian Todd Barry wrote to David Letterman — who had only been hosting NBC’s Late Night for a few months — about his killer Paul Shaffer impression. The YouTube video of Barry being telephoned by the future television icon features the 18-year-old displaying the deadpan delivery that he’s become known for, even in a momentary razz of the sardonic host. Equally able to garner laughs with his wry observations and spontaneous audience interactions — the basis of his 2014 Louis CK-produced special, The Crowd Work Tour — the comic and podcast host is one of the best on the mic.

Barry performs at the Tempe Improv, 930 East University Drive, on Friday, September 11. Admission is $20, with a two-drink minimum. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.tempeimprov.com. Jose Gonzalez

Live Lucha Libre Wrestling
To your average gringo, lucha libre might conjure images of Jack Black running around in colorful tights – but there’s so much more to this tradition of free wrestling, which originated in Mexico in the 1800s. The best way to learn more? Experience it for yourself this weekend at Live Lucha Libre Wrestling at Crescent Ballroom, 308 North Second Avenue. There will be six matches total with luchadores including The Prophet, Chano Cota, Lord Drako, Ave Drago , and Chris Evans. The evening will feature musical guests El Grave Digger and DJ Maclovio.

Live Lucha Libre Wrestling kicks off at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, September 11; doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance or $22 at the door, and food and drinks are available for purchase at the 21-and-over event. For more information, call 602-716-2222 or visit www.crescentphx.com. Katrina Montgomery

ASU Sun Devils Football vs. Cal Poly Mustangs
It’s been two decades since the ASU football team had its national title hopes dashed in a heartbreaking last-minute Rose Bowl loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Since then, the Sun Devils have wallowed in mediocrity. So, while the Devils are supposed to be a contender this year, ASU fans have long learned that there are no sure things with this team.

The exception to the “no-sure things” rule is Saturday, September 12’s home opener at Sun Devil Stadium, 500 East Veterans Way, against the Cal Poly Mustangs. The Mustangs, an FCS team, are essentially being paid to get annihilated by ASU, so anything other than a blowout would be stunning.

The game kicks off at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and are available via www.thesundevils.com. Ed Kummerer

Drowning in Life and Delusions of DuBois
Binary Theatre, the student production arm of ASU’s Department of Film, Dance, and Theatre, focuses this season on new works by students. The opener’s a two-fer: Drowning in Life by Chelsea McCasland and Delusions of DuBois by Shannon Phelps, running through Sunday, September 13. Drowning in Life’s title is literal: The main character drowns in a bowl of Life cereal and then travels through limbo. Delusions of DuBois is a sort of sequel to A Streetcar Named Desire — unhappy heroine Blanche DuBois is (Streetcar spoiler alert!) in the asylum, internalizing all that has happened.

The plays are works in progress, though nicely staged, and the playwrights “keep writing and writing” during the rehearsal process, according to Binary board member Jeremy Leung. Be part of the progress at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 10, at Prism Theater, 970 East University Drive in Tempe. Tickets are $7 at www.binarytheatre.org or at the door. Julie Peterson

"Tales on the Horizon"
Canadian artist Kelly Richardson brings her first solo exhibition to the Southwest that inspired it when “Tales on the Horizon” comes to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

Richardson works with video installations, melding landscape paintings, 20th-century cinema sensibilities, and scientific research to create a science fiction-like take on what the future may hold. These films explore the importance of the environment around us, culturally and environmentally, and on scientific frontiers like space exploration and weapons testing.

The exhibition will be on view through Sunday, January 10. Museum hours are noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, September 13, at 7374 East Second Street. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for students. Visit www.smoca.org for free museum times and member discount information, or call 480-874-4666. Janessa Hilliard

Girls Rock! The Movie Screening
The list of Valley women, past and present, who kick ass musically runs deep from individuals in the scene like Courtney Marie Andrews, Yolanda Bejarano, Erin Caldwell, Jelena Gonzalez (no relation), Claire Griese, Jane Joyce, Kimber Lanning, and Emily Spetrino-Murtagh to female-fronted bands including Doll Skin, French Girls, The Jumping Bomb Girls, The Love Me Nots, The Peeps, Slugger, and The Tommy Ash Band. Girls Rock! Phoenix is intent on giving rise to the next generation of ruckus-raisers and hosts a screening of the 2007 documentary Girls Rock!, about the music-centric camp for girls in Portland, Oregon, on Sunday, September 13.

The screening will be at The Newton, 300 West Camelback Road, and admission is $12 for adults and $6 for kids. Visit www.girlsrockphx.org for more info. Jose Gonzalez