A few days ago, we had a sneak peak at the new trailer for the new James Cameron Movie, Avatar.

Today, we have the HD and HD+ Trailer for Avatar.

Avatar HD Trailer

Avatar HD+ Trailer (The best quality available)

Popularity: 5% [?]

So everyone is probably wondering what’s going on this weekend. Gonna break tradition here and post what’s going on around town. Every event is accompanied by a Facebook event with more info about said event.

A few things to note in general:

1) This is the FUSE 1 year Anniversary
2) Saturday marks the last Shake! EVER. Don’t miss it.
3) Last year, the place to be for the first part of the evening (say between 6PM and 10 PM) is Mill Ave in Tempe. Why? Because the sidewalks are PACKED with people in costumes. Just find a place to sit along Mill and watch.
4) The Coyotes team you’ve been waiting to go see all these years that didn’t suck is here. They play Saturday night at 6 PM versus the Anaheim Flying “V’s” at the Jobing.com Arena.

Before we start with the list – Here’s some Pumpkin Atrocities for you:

Haunted Houses

Check out ‘The Nest’. The Biggest, the best, and the longest Haunted house in the area is THE place to go for Halloween. With over $500,000 worth of special effects and at one mile in length, ‘The Nest’ is the haunted house standard by which all others are judged.

http://www.frightened.com/information.htm

Hockey

Coyotes/Ducks – Jobing.com Arena – Puck Drops at 6:00PM
Go see it!!!

http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=56861

Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Madcap Theaters in Tempe is having a special Halloween showing of the ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’.  The show promises ‘Virgin Sacrifice’, Audience Participation, A Costume Contest, Prizes.

http://www.madcaptheaters.com

Friday

Phoenix/Downtown Phoenix

..::FUSE 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY HALLOWEEN MASSACRE ::..

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=165953310137&index=1

Social – Incognito

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=153590898804&index=1

Old Town Scottsdale/Scottsdale

Haunted House 7340 w/ Felix Da Housecat @ Axis Radius

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=166239528150&index=1

KDP PRESENTS CREAM SCREAM AT CREAM STEREO LOUNGE FRIDAY 10/30

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=168646232560&index=1

“FRIGHT NIGHT” Friday Halloween!! – Martini Ranch

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157459522885&index=1

CROWN FRIDAYS PRE HALLOWEEN BASH! – Crown Room

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163700464361&index=1

PCL Friday Hosted by Justin Gurian – Pussycat Lounge

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=171227264248&index=1

Halloween Cathouse – Angels & Outlaws

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186069486797&index=1

HARL♥T – Mondrian

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187590411186&index=1

Glendale

Hallo Scream Weekend Friday Night with DJ PROPHET! – Sangria Luxe Lounge

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=164791533613&index=1

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161935314766&index=1

Chandler

Friday Night Salsa Dancing and Contest -Villalpando’s

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170057325145&index=1

Saturday

Scottsdale and Old Town

The Very last Shake! EVER – Rogue Bar – Scottsdale

http://www.myspace.com/shakeroguebar

Dogathon 2009 – Scottsdale Waterfront

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=305503725555&index=1

GHOST BALL!!! THE LARGEST HALLOWEEN BLOCK PARTY IN AZ!!! – Axis/Radius/Suede/Myst

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=158688313989&index=1

PCL’s ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=159581144010&index=1

Raven’s 4th Annual MASQUERADE & COSTUME BALL

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139324696159&index=1

A DIRTY PRETTY HALLOWEEN WITH KEVIN DOW PROMOTIONS

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163193442793&index=1

Haunted Hotel Halloween Costume Ball – Hotel Valley Ho

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=167414596581&index=1

Stone Rose Lounge presents “2nd Annual Nightmare on Princess Drive”

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151678850926&index=1

Dead Sexy with DJ Mikyl & Geoff Jenkins – Jackrabbit

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=180804124082&index=1

Phright Knight • Halloween 2009 • Club Rain Scottsdale

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151791042881&index=1

dystg.com/ACME Halloween Party

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=164025051311&index=1

Phoenix and Downtown Phoenix

Family Event – Malloween – Desert Ridge Marketplace

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=150999052376&index=1

A Wicked Night at the Wrigley Mansion – Halloween Party

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140506768246&index=1

HAUNTED SKY – Sky Lounge

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162479279897&index=1

Hallows Eve @ Club Sanctum…BRAND NEW CLUB!!!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162434563303&index=1

Glendale

sadfasd

Tempe and Mill Ave

HALLOWEEN HOMECOMING @ VINTAGE !!!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160586399037&index=1

Halloween Bash 2009 @ Crave on Mill

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162422868917&index=1

Bones N Ho’s Shipwrecked HALLOWEEN w/ DJ ES in the mix – San Felipe’s – Tempe Marketplace

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163624188166&index=1

Sunday

Sindustry Halloween Ball – Angels & Outlaws – Scottsdale

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161763523252&index=1

POST MORTEM HALLOWEEN BALL WITH KDP & DJ SCOTTY BOY @ MARTINI RANCH NOV 1ST

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=194730932500&index=1

Popularity: 72% [?]

This may not seem like a big deal but you have a chance to own a piece of Nine Inch Nails history for free.  During some of the last shows on their ‘Wave Goodbye’ tour, the end of which will see the band on hiatus for an undetermined amount of time, they played a series of small intimate club shows across the US.  One of these shows took place in New York City at Webster Hall (August 23rd of this year).

It was on this night, Nine Inch Nails shocked the world by performing their landmark 1994 album ‘The Downward Spiral’ in its entirety.  This was the first time ever that they had performed this amazing album live.  However, they ran into a snag.  According to their website:

On the recent Wave Goodbye tour, we were unable to professionally film the band’s performance of The Downward Spiral at Webster Hall, due to exorbitant fees requested by the LiveNation venue. Our open camera policy, however, remained in tact, and as soon as the show ended fans took matters into their own hands, organizing online to track down everyone who had filmed HD footage of the show. Now, only two months later, the group has released a polished, edited, downloadable DVD of the full Downward Spiral performance from Webster Hall. The entire thing has been recorded, edited, and distributed entirely by fans, and it’s the latest example of the amazing things fans will do when their creativity isn’t limited by outdated, misguided restrictions.

So the fans mobilized and released this show to the world and what an amazing job they did with it.

Here’s a sample from the show:

To view or download the show, please head here:

http://theninhotline.net/features/TDSlive/

Popularity: 62% [?]

1) Phoenix Suns Fan Fest -- Don’t miss this opportunity to see your Phoenix Suns up close and person this Saturday at US Airlines Arena. The event is free but the Phoenix Suns are asking you to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to St. Mary’s Food Bank. There’s TONS of things to do for the whole family.

For more information, check this out:

http://www.nba.com/suns/fans/fanfest_2009.html

2) The Arizona State Fair -- The Arizona State Fair has gone out of their way to make sure that you come to this year’s edition of the Phoenix tradition. They have so many admission and other deals that it’s almost a crime not to go!

http://www.azstatefair.com/

Also follow them on twitter as they’re giving away GREAT prizes for the duration of the fair!

http://twitter.com/azstatefair

Tickets for all Arizona State Fair Concerts are on sale now. All shows are at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Concerts include:

11/03/09 David Cook
10/23/09 Abba The Tour
11/07/09 Kelly Clarkson

3) U2 Live from the Rosebowl in Pasadena, CA -- The first ever worldwide webcast of U2’s Rose Bowl concert will be shown on YouTube

The concert will be broadcast from this page

http://www.youtube.com/user/U2official

4) ASU Football Team -- The ASU Sundevils play the surprising Stanford Cardinals in the bay area this weekend. Kickoff is at 7:15 PM and will be carried on Fox Sports Arizona.

For more information, please refer to the ASU Game day central:

http://thesundevils.cstv.com/gameday/asu-09-fb-gameday.html

5)FUSE -- Bar Smith -- Friday Nights -- $5 -- Bar Smith -- Downtown Phoenix -- 10PM -- 2 AM

With this week’s FUSE, they are celebrating their 1st anniversary of throwing down great beats at Bar Smith. The masterminds behind FUSE have pretty much owned Friday night in Downtown Phoenix for the majority of the year. Come see why this is one of the best events around town.

For you Facebook Types:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151920581777

6) Movies in the Park at the Biltmore Fashion Park -- We posted the Spring edition of this movie series at the Biltmore Fashion Park and it looks like they’re continuing it this fall. Movies in the Park is a weekly outdoor movie series

Here’s the schedule:

October 23- When Harry Met Sally
October 30- The Birds
November 6- West Side Story
November 13- Diamonds Are Forever
November 20- The Graduate
November 27- Funny Girl
December 4- White Christmas
December 11- Elf

http://www.shopbiltmore.com/events.asp?id=15633

7) The Nest Haunted House -- I went to check this out last night and was pretty blown away by not only how big it was but how the haunted house challenged all of your senses. The NEST is in Avondale and is worth the drive for those of you in the East Valley. This is one of the biggest and best of the Haunted Houses in Arizona, if not the West Coast.

We will have a full review of the haunted house next week.

For more information and directions, please refer to the Nest’s website:

http://www.frightened.com/

8) Phoenix Coyotes - The Coyotes have been surprising everyone inside and outside the State of Arizona with their amazing play so early in the season.  Head on out to a game because they’re playing some AMAZING hockey!

Tickets:

http://coyotes.nhl.com/

9) The Arizona Cardinals are headed off to the Big Apple to take on the New York Giants on National TV! Game time is 5:20 PM Arizona time and will be carried on NBC.

http://www.azcardinals.com/

10) The National Touring Production of ‘Grease’ starring ‘American Idol’ winner Taylor Hicks as ‘Teen Angel’ -- October 20 through October 25th at the Dodge Theater

11) Microsoft Retail Store -- As you may have heard by now, Microsoft opened their first ever retail store in the Scottsdale Fashion Plaza this past week and we would recommend everyone checking out the new store!

http://www.azvibe.com/phoenix-entertainment/2009/10/22/microsoft-opens-first-ever-retail-store-in-a-grand-fashion/

12) “A Nightmare on Elm Street” Parts 2 & 4 -- Rare 35mm Screening -- Friday and Saturday at the MADCAP Theaters in Tempe -- The Midnight Movie Mamacita has a great pair of classics set up for you. This weekend you can see Part 2 and Part 4 of the Nightmare on Elm Street series in glorious 35 mm!

Details:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=159508708612&index=1

13) CRAVE’s -- Arizona Grand Tasting -- One of the bigger events on the Greater Phoenix area Food Calendar! Taste every corner of Arizona’s unique cuisine as more than 40 independent restaurants, 200 wineries and dozens of celebrity chefs present their finest food, wine and talents! Experience thrilling cooking demonstrations, informative wine seminars and discover why the world Craves the Arizona flavor!

Details:

http://cravearizona.com/

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=57680214031&index=1

14) Shake! -- Every Saturday Night -- Rogue Bar -- Scottsdale -- $5 (approx) If you are a frequent reader of this site you know that one of the best places to go on a Saturday night is Shake!. Great Music and fun for a great price!

http://www.azvibe.com/phoenix-entertainment/2008/10/27/review-shake-the-rogue-saturday-october-25th/

15) Don’t forget the Downtown Phoenix Public Market -- Weekly on Wednesdays from 4 to 8 PM and Saturday from 8 AM to Noon. http://www.foodconnect.org/phoenixmarket/

16) The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art has free admission every Thursday http://www.smoca.org/

17) Upcoming Event Tickets

The 1st ever Arizona Wine Growers festival will take place at The Farm at South Mountain on November 22nd. Tix on Sale now. http://bit.ly/1m6wPT

18)The Most Interesting Show in the World -- October 23 -- Tickets are free and they are first come, first served.

Entertainment:

WORLD FAMOUS CONTORTIONSIST, Mei Ling
THE HUMAN BEATBOX, Butterscotch
THE WORLDS MOST DANGEROUS COMIC, Mark Faje
BURLESQUE SINGER, Melody Sweets
THE HUMAN SLINKY
THE DANGEROUS MR. & MS. G
Additional special guest appearances….

HOSTED BY ANGELO MOORE OF FISHBONE

More info on the event and how to get tickets, refer to this link:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157603606369

19) UFC 104 -- Loco Patron in Scottsdale is the place to watch it….for free!!!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=191734299971&index=1

20) The Ghosts of Phoenix Tour - Haunted Houses not doin’ it for ya? How about touring one of the most haunted Hotels in America? On this tour you get get a guided tour of the public and non-public part of the hotel. Perfect for Halloween!

http://www.ghostsofphoenix.com/

21) 8th Annual Kokopelli Krush Festival - October 23rd-25th -- Chandler -- $20 if you want to participate in their grape crushing competition/$10 per person for wine tasting -- includes commemorative glass.

From their website:

“Hello all you Grape Stompers! It’s that time again to get out your stomping feet and get down to Kokopelli for a little Grape Competition. The action that weekend is sure to please as our runners and stompers compete against the grape juice to be the best juicer around and have the opportunity to win a free trip on Kokopelli. We will have winetastings all weekend long, but no worries none that are being juiced by the feet out back (who knows where those feet have been”

http://www.kokopelliwinery.com/

22) Phoenix Suns -- Their pre-season roster is in full swing! Catch all the action courtside! Tickets:

http://www.nba.com/suns/tickets/arena.html

23) Market on Mill -- Every Thursday outside of the MADCAP theaters in Tempe, is a local public market that has been quickly gaining in popularity. Check out some great local farmers and craftspeople (among others) that sell their fare to the masses.

http://marketonmill.org/

24) ROCKTOBER CONCERT -- October 24th -- Featuring Ratt, Dokken and Great White. 5p. Gates open at 4p. $35 tickets-redeem stub for $10. Go to www.cliffcastlecasino.net for more info and a linek to purchase tickets at www.ticketforce.com or purchase tickets at the Castle Club. Call 928-567-7999 for more info.

25) Steely Dan -- October 27th -- Dodge Theater

26) Rob Zombie: Starts his Hellbilly Deluxe 2 Tour in Phoenix on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29 at Dodge Theatre (with special guest Nekromantix)!

21.5)

Concerts

Tickets on Sale this week:

Shows off on the horizon:

KISS - The Hottest Band in the World is coming to Phoenix on December 1st!

Details:

http://www.azvibe.com/phoenix-entertainment/2009/09/24/kiss-brings-their-alive-35-tour-to-the-jobing-com-arena/

VIP tickets:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/kiss?ac_link=kiss09_local_spotlight&spotlight_ren_od=1&tm_link=tm_homeA_4_f1

Regular Tickets:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1E004330A7BD4CC4?artistid=735455&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1

Puscifer Featuring Maynard James Keenan of TOOL -- TWO SHOWS -- THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 & FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 at Orpheum Theatre -- *** A limited number of $44 tickets are available to fans who would like to attend both shows. ***

- Trans-Siberian Orchestra -- Sunday, December 6 -- Two performances at 3:00 p.m. (link to purchase tickets for the 3PM show) and 8:00 p.m.(Link to purchase tickets for the 8PM show) -- Jobing.com Arena. Tickets on Sale Now at all Live Nation Outlets and at Live Nation.com.

Brian Setzer Orchestra’s 7th Annual Christmas Rocks! Extravaganza -- Tuesday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m. -- Dodge Theater --

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker at Dodge Theatre Tuesday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Joel McHale -- Thursday December 31, 2009 -- Dodge Theater -- 8:00 PM

Mark Knopfler: SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2010 at Dodge Theatre
For you Facebook Types:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119749753741

Popularity: 69% [?]

Tonight starting at 7 PM in the plaza of the Biltmore Fashion Park, Westcor will be celebrating their 40th Birthday by offering free Mojo Yogurt and the classic movie “When Harry Met Sally”. The best part? It’s all FREE!!!

Original movie trailer:

The Classic Fake Orgasm scene:

Popularity: 24% [?]

As we previously reported on our Facebook/MySpace/Twitter pages, Bon Jovi announced yesterday that they will be kicking off the Circle World Tour.  It’s a nearly two year world tour stopping at the Jobing.com arena on February 24, 2010.  On-Sale dates for the Jobing.com show have not been announced yet so stay tuned….

You can watch the tour announcement along with a special concert for fans here:

Powered by iClips.net

Popularity: 14% [?]

Popularity: 10% [?]

Photos from today’s festivities have been posted to our Facebook Fan page:

http://www.facebook.com/azvibe

Videos from today’s festivities have been posted to our YouTube page:

http://www.youtube.com/azvibephx

Today at the Scottsdale Fashion Square marked the grand opening of the first ever Microsoft Store in the world.  The state of Arizona experienced first hand what it’s like to have Microsoft throw a party…and what a party it was!  Customers were treated to free food, products, shirts, and gifts up to the moment when the store opened to the public.

Starting yesterday afternoon, customers were lining up for the first glimpse at what is pretty much the first ever public front for Microsoft (outside developer conferences and things like that) for the average consumer.

Right before the opening, a brief grand opening ceremony started with the General Manager of the new store and Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner.  Mr Turner (video of these ceremonies can be found on our YouTube channel -- Link is above) proceeded to lay the ground work for what Microsoft plans to offer the community including value in their products, choice and service.

Before the ribbon cutting, Microsoft proceeded to officially donate over 1 million (US) dollars in products and cash to many local charitable organizations as noted in the following videos:

Once the presentations were over with, it was time to show the world what the store looked like!

As the long line of fans made their way into the brand new store, some went immediately to the back of the store to get a complimentary gift bag (as was advertised on Facebook/Twitter/etc).  Other customers browsed around the new store and began to explore all the technologies Microsoft had to offer.  For me this was the most fascinating part of the Grand Opening…watching people explore and test new and existing Microsoft technologies.

The main part of the store that people really loved to explored was the Microsoft Surface tables (there’s four of them in the store).

Here’s a sample of what the Microsoft Surface technology is all about:

As stated previously, what fascinated me today was watching all the people who have never used this (and Windows 7) technology by exploring what the given technology can do for them.  It was like watching a kid open a present on Christmas day.  It was definitely a study in the human condition.

I tested the new Windows  7 (love it!) and then checked out some of the different configurations that customers could use with Windows 7.  From the Xbox, to media center PC’s, there was something for everyone to check out at the store.  Furthermore,  I was told that the Microsoft Store carries Hardware that cannot be purchased anywhere but the Microsoft Store.

Other than the Microsoft Surface demos, I was fascinated by the Xbox section of the store and the many different demos that customers can check out and play Xbox games within the main screen that is on the interior perimeter of the store.  Check this out:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2852750&id=33123943379

As I left the store, mainly because of a camera with a dead battery along with no more memory card room and a nearly dead Blackberry, I still had many questions not only about how the Microsoft store came to be but also how and in what manner customers can leverage the resources at the Microsoft store.

A spokesperson at Microsoft was kind enough to answer the following questions for me:

Q. Why did Microsoft choose Scottsdale to be the location of their first ever retail store? There are many cities in the US that could have been a perfect candidate for the first Microsoft retail store (like New York City, Seattle, San Francisco, etc). What made Scottsdale stand out as the perfect candidate for the first ever Microsoft Retail Store?

A. Scottsdale Fashion Square is world-class shopping center. When the company looked at real estate options, the team evaluated mall traffic patterns in high-performing suburban shopping centers. The local community has been wonderful to work with and Microsoft couldn’t be more excited to begin its retail efforts and learn from area residents.

Q. Was the date to open the Microsoft retail store in Scottsdale chosen to only correspond with the worldwide launch of Windows 7?

A. It’s an exciting day for the company and our customers, and it made sense to align the opening of the first-ever retail store with the release of the newest operating system.

Q. Of the staff chosen for the Store, are they all originally from Arizona or were they brought in from Redmond or other Microsoft campuses around the globe?

A. Microsoft hired retail talent from across the industry, regardless of location, to build the best in-store team possible.

Q. Given that retail stores sometimes need to change with the times, how will Microsoft adapt to changing times/tastes/technologies?

A. The customers are in charge. Their feedback will help shape the strategy, products and services Microsoft offers in the stores and online.

Q. I took a look at the ‘Microsoft Store Services’ booklet that was being handed out at the store Launch this morning. If a customer has a question that is normally handled by the worldwide product support divisions at Microsoft (ex. phone in support), is the staff at the Microsoft Retail Store trained to handle questions about Exchange or other Microsoft business products?

A. Customers can ask store employees anything. These experts will give their best effort on any type of technology, regardless of brand, release date or purchase location.

Q. Is the Microsoft Store only designed for home consumers or are they going to take on Business products (SQL, Exchange Server, Developer Tools, etc)?

A. The store is designed to bring to life the connected experiences people can have with hundreds of products such as laptops running Windows 7, computing accessories, Xbox consoles and accessories, Windows Phones, Zunes, and first- and third-party software titles. In-store technical support and learning services are available for all customers, but the focus is on meeting the needs of general consumers.

Q. Let’s say I wanted to attend one of the free classes in the theater at the back of the store, how can I find out about these classes? From the looks of the Store website, (http://store.microsoft.com/home.aspx and http://store.microsoft.com/Locations) I’m not seeing the list of classes.

A. The best way is to check with the store for the latest class schedule. Customer feedback and requests will guide the focus and selection of sessions.

Q. Does the store have wireless if customers want to bring their Laptops in for classes at the Theater? I know the Mall has Wi-fi but the connection is sometimes spotty at best.

A. Yes

I would strongly suggest all residents of Phoenix, even if you are an Apple fan, to come out and check out what the Microsoft store has to offer. You can spend quite a bit of time on the Microsoft Surface tables alone.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Just got a note from the good people at the Jobing.com arena saying that Bon Jovi is making a special announcement at 9:00 AM today!  You can see the announcement and a concert by Bon Jovi at the Westgate City Center WaterDance Plaza.

If you can’t make it out to the Westgate City Center for the announcement, the event will be carried live on Bon Jovi’s website (below).

Methinks this is the official announcement of their World Tour as their new album, The Circle, will be released November 9th, 2009.

For more information please refer to the Bon Jovi website:

http://www.bonjovi.com

Popularity: 12% [?]

Editors Note:  Photos from the event have been posted to the AZ Vibe Facebook page (click link).

Sunday evening marked the 2009 ‘Uncorked and Unplugged’ fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale.  You couldn’t ask for a better night as the unseasonable 100 degree-ish weather from earlier in the day set the stage for perfect weather by the time the sun went down.

For those of you who have never been to this event, all of the interior public areas of the Desert Ridge Mall were shutdown for this event (except for the Movie theater and the Barnes and Noble book store).

As we entered the event I paused to look up and the gateway and sky (photo above) just set the tone for a wonderful evening.  When we entered we received an extremely well designed sample tray that would hold our wine glass and prevent spillage/breakage of said wine glass.  Attendees were also given a gift bag with many great items such as a corkscrew/wine cork set in a wooden box.  A very nice touch for all who attended the event.

I started on east end of the event at Bill Johnson’s Big Apple and checked out every table until I got to the Blue Martini table at the far end of the venue.  I sampled as much food as possible and a few of the wines.  Can’t really comment on the wines because I needed to stay sober (which I did) for the drive home.

Some of the highlights of the sampling…

Bill Johnson’s Big Apple – Great shredded pork and cole slaw

San Felipe’s – Pork Street Tacos were very tasty but a bit dry for other ingredients (like salsa) Also, there was a Don Julio station inside the San Felipe’s area that were distributing your choice of Tequila shots or a Margarita shot.

Arizona Grand Resort – Gazpacho topped with Avocado Gelato.  This was my favorite…taste.  The Gazpacho was served in a plastic shot glass with a drop of the Avocado Gelato on top.   Here’s a picture before tasting so you can see what I mean. The first taste was amazing as the combination of the Gelato and Gazpacho was one of the most original and delicious culinary experiences I’ve had in a long time.

Ling and Louie’s – Wango Mango Chicken – Very tasty!

Orange Sky – Bacon wrapped prawn in scallop bacon coated in jalapeno sauce.  This sample was my favorite as it was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy along with amazing way bacon wrapped prawns (or anything for that matter) taste.  Having the bacon coated in Jalapeno sauce  Here’s a picture of what it looked like before it was eaten.

Rock Bottom’s Prime rib was especially tasty!

Rubio’s Shrimp and Chicken Tacos – I’m biased towards Rubio’s ever since I had their real lobster burrito for the very first time.  Rubio’s may be a chain restaurant but the main thing they excel in is taste.

If there were any complaints about the evening there would be only one.  The lack of seating for people who got tired while walking around.  There seemed to be lots of people who were sitting in places that wasn’t designed to be sitting places.  An example would be the amount of people who were sitting in the Children’s playground because all the other main seating areas were all being used.

All in all, this was a wonderful night to remember with culinary treats that challenged every part of my palate.  If ever anyone sees this event being advertised next year, do not hesitate as this is one of these events that makes the greater Phoenix area a great place to grow roots and to just have fun.

Pictures from the evening’s festivities have been posted to the AZ Vibe Facebook fan page.  The link to the page is:

http://www.facebook.com/azvibe

Popularity: 9% [?]

Before you head out to the U2 show there are some things you need to know.

1) You WILL NOT be allowed to tailgate in the Parking Lot of University of Phoenix Stadium.

2) Parking at the Westgate City Center or the University of Phoenix stadium parking lot will cost you $20

3) Get there early. This has been an amazing show since it started in Europe in June

4) You are allowed to Video Tape the show. The band is taking a page from Nine Inch Nails ‘Wave Goodbye Tour’ and are allowing fans to Video Tape the show. U2 wants fans to upload the video to their website and if you look on YouTube there is a LARGE repository of footage documenting the entire tour.

5) The Edge has created an Twitter account (which hasn’t been publicized on U2’s website at all) and has been documenting the entire U2 360 tour outside of the shows themselves via his blackberry phone camera. It’s not really U2 related, think of it as a facinating art project. Here’s the URL:

http://twitter.com/360FromTheEdge

Popularity: 22% [?]

Microsoft has announced that their first ever, retail store will have it’s grand opening on October 22nd.

Popularity: 34% [?]

I for one, was looking forward to this day.  When I first moved to the Phoenix area a few years ago the last department store in the old east wing was being closed down for good.   I also watched the various stages of demolition of the East Wing over the next few years.  I didn’t really understand the need to demolish the entire east wing of the Scottsdale Fashion Square as I thought it was a very functional mall.

That was until I stepped into the grand opening celebration of the new east wing of the Scottsdale Fashion Square.

WOW!

Now I fully understood that not every store would be open at this grand opening.  The stores that were open were of a pretty amazing variety. Everyone in attendance was treated with a lovely light breakfast with beverages, a band that was playing very Frank Sinatra-ish music, and an overall festive atmosphere.

As I strolled around the new wing I checked out not only the stores but the interior architecture and the exterior improvements. For example, the expansion leverages the natural light from the sun in all their skylights.

The more I poked around the grand opening, the more I understood why the east wing was demolished and rebuilt.  Basically, they’re trying to keep things fresh and to avoid becoming just another mall like many of the others in the Greater Phoenix area.

I explored every one of the new stores that were open during the grand opening celebration and here are some of my thoughts:

Christian Audiger – This is basically the person who took all of famed Tattoo artist Ed Hardy’s designs and put them into one of the most popular fashion lines of the modern era.  I used to do marketing for a vendor of some of the Ed Hardy/Christian Audiger line and this store was what exactly I envisioned this clothing line’s retail store would be.  This even included the sometimes hard to find Hardy/Audiger perfume line.  The only thing I didn’t expect was the store to be so small.  For a retail product line that is pretty popular in this area, I expected more from the overall size of the store.

Banana Republic – The opening of the Banana Republic store in the new east wing also marked the grand opening of the clothing retailer’s new retail concept.   It’s an amazing architectural and fashion feast for the eyes.  Detailed Photos are up on the AZ Vibe Facebook fan page (link below).  This store is a perfect marriage for the Scottsdale Fashion Square and Banana Republic.

True Religion – The brand that is synonymous with high end denim and apparel, opened their first store in Arizona with the opening of the east wing. This store is packed to the rafters with a wide variety of clothing to choose from.  The best way to describe True Religion to those who aren’t familiar with the brand is from their company website.  True Religion is “quality, American-made, authentic, timeless, great fitting, 1970’s inspired jeans, with a trendsetting appeal for today’s consumer.”

Barney’s New York – The department store that is synonymous with the cutting edge of fashion, opened their first store in Arizona.  For those of you who are expecting something new and exciting to add to your wardrobe, Barney’s is the destination for all.  I was truly impressed with the wide array of designers that were represented at Barney’s.

Now the centerpiece of the Grand Opening was the ‘Where Fashion Becomes Art’ exhibit where many local and national artists were each given a  mannequin from there they were allowed to take their mannequins and express what fashion means to them.

I thoroughly enjoyed the wide array of mannequins on display for the east wing grand opening.  Mere words couldn’t describe what the artists produced for this art display.  Take a look at the photos and video on the AZ Vibe Facebook fan page (link below) to see a sample of the many mannequins that were on display for the grand opening.

Given all the time and effort put into the re-design of the east wing of the Scottsdale Fashion Square the people at Westcor put considerable time and effort into not only the re-design but into the choices of what stores will be opening in the new east wing.

From what I saw today, the Scottsdale Fashion Square are indeed making sure that the Scottsdale Fashion Square stands on its own from their competitors.

I hope everyone gets out to check the new east wing out for yourself to get a sample of the style and class offerings that makes the Scottsdale Fashion Square a truly unique destination for all.

Photos and Video from the Grand Opening Celebration can be found on the AZ Vibe Facebook Fan Page:

http://www.facebook.com/azvibe

Popularity: 6% [?]

1) U2’s 360 Tour -- Tuesday 10/20/09 -- Time TBD -- University of Phoenix Stadium

2) The Arizona State Fair Opens today! -- The Arizona State Fair has gone out of their way to make sure that you come to this year’s edition of the Phoenix tradition.  They have so many admission and other deals that it’s almost a crime not to go!

http://www.azstatefair.com/

Tickets for all Arizona State Fair Concerts are on sale now. All shows are at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Concerts include:

11/03/09 David Cook
10/22/09 The Black Crowes
10/18/09 Stone Temple Pilots
10/17/09 Bob Dylan
10/23/09 Abba The Tour
11/07/09 Kelly Clarkson

3) ASU Football Team -- The ASU Sundevil Football team, who barely beat lowly WSU, is taking on surprising Washington (who has the toughest schedule in the Nation) this Saturday at Sundevil Stadium.  Kickoff is at 7:15 AZ Time and will be shown live on FSNAZ.

http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101209aaa.html

4)FUSE -- Bar Smith -- Friday Nights -- $5 -- Bar Smith -- Downtown Phoenix -- 10PM -- 2 AM

With this week’s FUSE, they are celebrating their 1st anniversary of throwing down great beats at Bar Smith. The masterminds behind FUSE have pretty much owned Friday night in Downtown Phoenix for the majority of the year. Come see why this is one of the best events around town.

For you Facebook Types:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151920581777

5) Uncorked and Unplugged -- The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale is having their main fundraiser of the year and it looks like it’s gonna be a great one!

Check out our preview of the event!

http://www.azvibe.com/phoenix-entertainment/2009/10/14/uncorked-and-unplugged-a-great-benefit-this-weekend/

For you Facebookers:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=103819188811

6) Movies in the Park at the Biltmore Fashion Park -- We posted the Spring edition of this movie series at the Biltmore Fashion Park and it looks like they’re continuing it this fall. Movies in the Park is a weekly outdoor movie series

Here’s the schedule:

October 16- Pretty in Pink
October 23- When Harry Met Sally
October 30- The Birds
November 6- West Side Story
November 13- Diamonds Are Forever
November 20- The Graduate
November 27- Funny Girl
December 4- White Christmas
December 11- Elf

http://www.shopbiltmore.com/events.asp?id=15633

7) The Nest Haunted House -- I went to check this out last night and was pretty blown away by not only how big it was but how the haunted house challenged all of your senses. The NEST is in Avondale and is worth the drive for those of you in the East Valley. This is one of the biggest and best of the Haunted Houses in Arizona, if not the West Coast.

We will have a full review of the haunted house next week.

For more information and directions, please refer to the Nest’s website:

http://www.frightened.com/

8) Grand Opening of Howl at the Moon -- Friday the 16h from 7PM to 2 AM -- Old Town Scottsdale’s newest nightspot looks like it’s going to be the hottest spot this weekend.  Free Food from 7-9 PM and fun all night long!

For more details and your invite into the grand opening, check out the following page:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=182482285008

9) The Arizona Cardinals are on the road this week in Seattle taking on the unpredictable Seahawks.  Kickoff is at 1:05 AZ time and will be shown on Fox 10.

http://www.azcardinals.com/

10) The National Touring Production of ‘Grease’ starring ‘American Idol’ winner Taylor Hicks as ‘Teen Angel’ -- October 20 through October 25th at the Dodge Theater

11) Rodney Carrington -- 18+ -- Friday -- 10/16/09 -- 8:00 PM -- Dodge Theatre

For you Facebook Types:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139803872781&index=1

12) Adrian Belew -- TICKETS ON SALE NOW! -- THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22 -- THE RHYTHM ROOM -- Tickets: $28

13) The Official U2/Black Eyed Peas Afterparty -- October 20th -- Will I Am from the Black Eyed Peas is scheduled to play a DJ set for everyone at Axis-Radius.  Rumors have been going around that all members of the Black Eyed Peas and Members of U2 will be in attendance.

Details and info on how to get tickets:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157603606369

14) Shake! -- Every Saturday Night -- Rogue Bar -- Scottsdale -- $5 (approx) If you are a frequent reader of this site you know that one of the best places to go on a Saturday night is Shake!. Great Music and fun for a great price!

http://www.azvibe.com/phoenix-entertainment/2008/10/27/review-shake-the-rogue-saturday-october-25th/

15) Don’t forget the Downtown Phoenix Public Market -- Weekly on Wednesdays from 4 to 8 PM and Saturday from 8 AM to Noon. http://www.foodconnect.org/phoenixmarket/

16) The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art has free admission every Thursday http://www.smoca.org/

17) Upcoming Event Tickets

The 1st ever Arizona Wine Growers festival will take place at The Farm at South Mountain on November 22nd. Tix on Sale now. http://bit.ly/1m6wPT

18)

The Most Interesting Show in the World -- October 23 -- Tickets are free and they are first come, first served.

Entertainment:

WORLD FAMOUS CONTORTIONSIST, Mei Ling
THE HUMAN BEATBOX, Butterscotch
THE WORLDS MOST DANGEROUS COMIC, Mark Faje
BURLESQUE SINGER, Melody Sweets
THE HUMAN SLINKY
THE DANGEROUS MR. & MS. G
Additional special guest appearances….

HOSTED BY ANGELO MOORE OF FISHBONE

More info on the event and how to get tickets, refer to this link:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157603606369

19) - John Prine -- 11/20/2009 -- 8:00 PM -- Dodge Theatre

20) The Ghosts of Phoenix Tour - Haunted Houses not doin’ it for ya? How about touring one of the most haunted Hotels in America? On this tour you get get a guided tour of the public and non-public part of the hotel. Perfect for Halloween!

http://www.ghostsofphoenix.com/

21) International Horror & Sci Fi Film Festival -- Taking place at the MADCAP theaters in Tempe, one of the coolest events in the B Movie schedule this year is going on right NOW!

Here’s the schedule of what’s going on:

http://www.horrorscifi.com/

For you Facebook Types:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197520010920&index=1

22) Phoenix Suns -- Their pre-season roster is in full swing! Catch all the action courtside! Tickets:

http://www.nba.com/suns/tickets/arena.html

23) Market on Mill -- Every Thursday outside of the MADCAP theaters in Tempe, is a local public market that has been quickly gaining in popularity. Check out some great local farmers and craftspeople (among others) that sell their fare to the masses.

http://marketonmill.org/

21.5)

Concerts

Tickets on Sale this week:

Shows off on the horizon:

ROCKTOBER CONCERT -- Featuring Ratt, Dokken and Great White. 5p. Gates open at 4p. $35 tickets-redeem stub for $10. Go to www.cliffcastlecasino.net for more info and a linek to purchase tickets at www.ticketforce.com or purchase tickets at the Castle Club. Call 928-567-7999 for more info.

Steely Dan -- October 27th -- Dodge Theater

Rob Zombie: Starts his Hellbilly Deluxe 2 Tour in Phoenix on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29 at Dodge Theatre (with special guest Nekromantix)!

-

KISS - The Hottest Band in the World is coming to Phoenix on December 1st!

Details:

http://www.azvibe.com/phoenix-entertainment/2009/09/24/kiss-brings-their-alive-35-tour-to-the-jobing-com-arena/

VIP tickets:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/kiss?ac_link=kiss09_local_spotlight&spotlight_ren_od=1&tm_link=tm_homeA_4_f1

Regular Tickets:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1E004330A7BD4CC4?artistid=735455&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1

Puscifer Featuring Maynard James Keenan of TOOL -- TWO SHOWS -- THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 & FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 at Orpheum Theatre -- *** A limited number of $44 tickets are available to fans who would like to attend both shows. ***

- Trans-Siberian Orchestra -- Sunday, December 6 -- Two performances at 3:00 p.m. (link to purchase tickets for the 3PM show) and 8:00 p.m.(Link to purchase tickets for the 8PM show) -- Jobing.com Arena. Tickets on Sale Now at all Live Nation Outlets and at Live Nation.com.

Brian Setzer Orchestra’s 7th Annual Christmas Rocks! Extravaganza -- Tuesday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m. -- Dodge Theater --

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker at Dodge Theatre Tuesday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Joel McHale -- Thursday December 31, 2009 -- Dodge Theater -- 8:00 PM

Mark Knopfler: SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2010 at Dodge Theatre
For you Facebook Types:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119749753741

Popularity: 83% [?]

One of the best fundraisers this year is happening this Sunday at the Desert Ridge Marketplace under what is going to be absolutely PERFECT weather conditions!

Uncorked and Unplugged is back for it’s 6th year and it promises to be a memorable event!

Come support a great cause that helps children, in a great supervised environment, to explore and become all that they can be.

Over 20 local restaurants will feature samples from their menus such as Bill Johnson’s Big Apple Restaurants, Brio Tucson Grille, Cholla Prime Steakhouse & Lounge.  Just take a look at what’s being served up:

http://www.uncorkedandunplugged.org/2009-Menu.htm

Music will feature artists such as:  Rock Lobster, Showstoppers Live (from Casino Arizona), DJ William Reed, The Love Me Nots, and at the After Party, Wonderboogie.

Beverages featured at the event will include wines from Chalone Vineyards, Rosenblum Cellars, Sterling Vintner’s Collection.  Hensley and Company will serve up their wide array of beverages featuring Kona Brewing Company.  Widmere Brothers and Red Hook Breweries round out the Beer selections.  There will be a Ketel One martini bar hosted by Blue Martini as well as a margarita bar with Don Julio Tequila.

In case anyone was worried about scenarios where they may have had too much to drink all attendees will have a free cab ride home sponsored by Hensley & Company and Scottsdale Insurance Company.

Ticket prices start at $125.

ALL proceeds will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale.

To purchase tickets, and further information please refer to the Uncorked and Unplugged event website:

http://www.uncorkedandunplugged.org/

Tickets are also available at all Valley BevMo locations.

The two Basic ticket packages are:

$125 – Main Event tickets – Tastings from 6-9 PM

$200 – Main Event and Post Party Tickets from 6PM to Midnight.

Popularity: 11% [?]