…is bringing his vast catalog of hits to the Chandler Center for the Arts on Friday September 10th at 8 PM. Selling over 50 million albums to date, making countless ladies hearts go ‘pitter patter’, are just some of the ways Bolton has cemented his place in pop culture and pop history.
Playing a venue like the Chandler Center for the Arts is a unique opportunity for Michael Bolton fans to see him up close and personal. In addtion, the Chandler Center for the Arts is one of the most acoustically perfect venues in the greater Phoenix area.
Don’t miss this chance to see a musical legend in an extremely intimate venue. Tickets go on sale to the general public next Monday but….
You can purchase super-secret tickets in a pre-sale going on right now!
CBS will be having a casting call for the next season of Big Brother on Saturday April 3rd at the Sandbar Mexican Grill in Chandler between 1 PM and 5 PM.
The address is:
7200 West Ray Rd
Chandler, AZ 85226
For more information and to download an application and casting call requirements, please refer to the CBS website:
Our friends at Ear Candy are giving away 10 pairs of 3 day passes to the 2010 McDowell Mountain Music Festival which will be at a new location this year (see the Google Map Below). Each Pair of tickets is valued at $200.
The Contest starts today and runs until April 9th.
If you aren’t familiar with the McDowell Mountain Music Festival, it is an annual three day music festival with a wide variety of bands, food, and fun for all. The best aspect of the McDowell Mountain Music Festival is that all the proceeds from the event go directly to local charities. This year, Ear Candy has been marked as one of two recipients of proceeds from this festival. This festival WILL be Ear Candy’s biggest fundraiser this year.
Ear Candy, is a 501(c)(3) approved Non-profit devoted to countering the cutting of arts budgets in the state of Arizona by providing a wide variety of music education in elementary schools. Founded in 2007 by Nate Anderson (below), Ear Candy provides numerous programs to help children get exposed to the world of music.
In the greater Phoenix area many music programs in many school districts have been the victim of school budget cuts. Arts programs seem to always be the first programs to go when this happens.
This is where Ear Candy steps in.
Ear Candy provides not only musical instruments but exposure to the world of music through in-school classes, after school programs and even meeting major musical artists. If you would like to see examples of some of the events Ear Candy puts on check this out. The power of music has the ability to touch many lives as many of you know. However, kids coming up in area schools are not exposed to the many wonderful aspects of music and are at risk from not getting a balanced education.
Since Ear Candy is a non-profit organization, they need donations to be able to impact the most people possible. Via the contest links above and below, you can donate money or instruments to help Ear Candy sustain music programs in schools. They don’t even have to be brand new instruments to be able to be donated. Ear Candy will accept ‘gently used’ instruments as well.
Ear Candy’s goal this year is to impact over 10,000 children in the Phoenix area but they need YOUR help to be able to reach their goal! Please take the time out to help such a wonderful charity if you can!
To enter the contest and for more information about the wonderful things Ear Candy are doing in our community please refer to the link below:
Green Day is returning to the Phoenix Area and bringing its ’21st Century Breakdown’ stage show spectacular to the Cricket Wireless Pavilion on August 30th. Green Day returns almost a year after their last Phoenix appearance in 2009 (they played the US Airways Center on August 22nd) where they played for almost three hours. Opening the show will be AFI.
I personally have seen Green Day live and they are one of the few artists that actually ‘get’ how to put on a live show. Their shows are not to be missed.
Green Day also has two special offer for fans who purchase tickets to this show:
1) The Ticket Prices for all seats will not include ‘any additional fees of any kind’.
2) When tickets go on sale to the General Public, Green Day will have a very limited supply of $20 General admission lawn seats available.
You can purchase tickets before the general public by joining the Green Day Fan club:
Actor and Country Music legend Tim McGraw is bringing his ‘Southern Voice’ tour to the Cricket Wireless Pavilion on June 3rd at 7 PM. Opening the show will be Lady Antebellum and Love and Theft.
Tickets go on sale Friday April 2nd at 10 AM. Ticket prices will be $69.75, $45.00, and $29.25 for Reserved seats. General Admission lawn seats will be $29.25. 4 packs of Lawn tickets will be available as well for $88.00.
You can call 1-800-745-3000 to charge by phone. To purchase tickets on line just click the link below:
Advanced tickets are available via Tim McGraw’s fan club….for a fee. Details:
Well, we are in the middle of a major overhaul of the main AZ Vibe website at the moment and that includes this weekly article. As you can see we are transistioning to a new format and eventually will be moving the events and concerts off on the horizion to their own dedicate page. If you look at the Concerts format at the bottom of this page, each event has a link to either the ticket purchasing page or to an article with expanded coverage and information. This is the format we are going to be transferring to when the overhaul is done.
As for this week, the four main general events going on around town are:
- Wrestlemania XXVI – The Grandaddy of all Wrestling events is finally here. Taking over the University of Phoenix Stadium, the WWE never failed to put on anything less than a tremendous event.
- Spring Training winding down – We’re in the final days of Spring Training and if you haven’t gone out to check out a game in this lovely weather, do it!
- Big events in Tempe – The Tempe Festival of the Arts and the Dragon Boat festival out on Tempe Town lake make for a tremendous cultural afternoon out in the sun.
- Concerts – Paul McCartney and the Black Eyed Peas highlight a tremendous week in music around town
1)THE biggest thing goin on this coming week are the events surrounding the tail end of the WWE Wrestlemania XXVI. Two wrestling events and one Hall of Fame evening are the proverbial cherry on the frosting for a tremendous week with the WWE. Here’s the three events you should check out:
WWE Hall of Fame Night- March 27th – Dodge Theater – This is the night that the WWE dedicated to enshrining past wrestlers into it’s Hall of Fame
2) Phoenix Coyotes and Phoenix Suns Playoff tickets – Individual tickets go on sale this weekend! Check out the link below for more information on how you can secure your tickets for the post season!
3) Paul McCartney – Sunday March 28th – Jobing.com Arena
4) Phoenix Coyotes – The Phoenix Coyotes are on the verge of clinching their first playoff birth for the first time since 2001. There’s only a few regular season home games left so don’t miss your chance to see the hottest team in Phoenix battle for their playoff positions. Ticket’s for this weekend’s Avalanche game is selling out fast.
…as we’re going to post all the latest deals for tickets and other cool things.
5) Movies in the Park – Biltmore Fashion Park – FREE – The popular event is back for another year at the Biltmore Fashion Park. This free event is a great way to just kick back and watch some great movies on the big screen outside!
THIS WEEK’S MOVIE: THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
For more information and a list of movies in the coming weeks, check this link out: http://bit.ly/dmrnJO
6) Phoenix Suns – The new season is in full swing and out to do one thing. Win it all! Catch all the action courtside!
7) Spring Training almost over! We’ve got your guide for purchasing tickets online for all spring training games for all Cactus League games (Includes Tuscon too)!
10) Alkaline Trio – March 30th – Marquee Theater (Call (480) 829-0707 for tickets because the promoter’s website is down)
11) Bon Viviant – March 28th – Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass – This is a food and wine tasting event that benefits the Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley. Come dressed in your best Western gear and sample some of the best foods and wines in the area. There will be live music and a silent auction so come on out and help a great cause!
Phoenix International Raceway – SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600 Weekend – April 10th – The Action of NASCAR comes to one of the tracks that drivers love! Come see why it’s such a fun weekend if you are a race fan or not.
Rock the Zoo featuring Vertical horizon and Marcy Playground – April 23rd – Phoenix Zoo – The Phoenix Zoo’s biggest fundraiser of the year features two great acts. I personally have seen the types of Parties the Phoenix Zoo throws. I’m here to say that they know how to put on one hell of a party!
2010 ASU Undie Run – May 4th – 8 PM to 10 PM – Tempe SRC Fields (ASU Campus) – The Annual event held on the last day of classes for the ASU academic year. Show up in an outfit that you want to donate to charity, strip down to your underwear (donating the outfit to those in need) and go on the run in your underwear
18) Walk in Wednesdays (Open Mic Night) Tempe Center for the Arts – Every Wednesday night – 6:30-11PM – The Lounge at the Tempe Center for the Arts – Check out some of the area’s up and coming artists in a spectacular setting.
20) Scottsdale Old Town Farmer’s Market – Every Saturday from 8:30 AM to 1 PM – On the Corner of Brown and 1st Street in Old Town (Across the Street from ‘The Mission’ and ‘The Carriage House’.
21) 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.
22) Chandler Farmer’s Market is every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Dr. A. J. Chandler Park (downtown Chandler)
23) Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers – March 26th and 27th – 8 PM – Marquee theater (Call (480) 829-0707 for tickets because the promoter’s website is down)
24) Scottsdale Art Walk – Every Thursday evening from 7 to 9 PM – FREE – Dubbed ‘America’s Original Art Walk’ art fans get the opportunity to browse through all
26) Black Pearl Poetry – Tempe – Thursdays – MADCAP Theaters – $5 Adults $3 Students (no matter what age) – 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM – A poetry open mic night right in downtown Tempe!
29) Tony and Tina’s Wedding – March 23rd to March 28th – Chandler Center for the Arts – One of the best theater experiences that YOU participate in. Comes with dinner and a champagne toast.
Chicago with the Doobie Brothers – June 15th – Dodge Theater – Tickets on sale March 29th at 10 AM – Two of the biggest pop/rock acts of all time will be starting a co-headlining tour in Phoenix
Country Throwdown Tour – June 18th – 1PM – Cricket Wireless Pavilion – Featuring Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Jack Ingram, Little Big Town, The Eli Young Band, Eric Church, The Lost Trailers, Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses, Jonathan Singleton 7 the Grove, Heidi Newfield
Atomic Punks (a KILLER tribute to early Van Halen) – April 17th – Marquee theater (Call (480) 829-0707 for tickets because the promoter’s website is down)
Shows off on the horizon:
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Elvis Costello Solo show – April 9th – Desert Sky Series at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets on sale now.
Muse – April 9th, 2010 – US Airlines Arena At long last Muse is coming to Phoenix! Don’t miss this opportunity to see one of the best rock acts today!
Vampire Weekend – Marquee Theater – April, 13th 2010 – 7:00 PM – All Ages Show – Marquee theater (Call (480) 829-0707 for tickets because the promoter’s website is down)
Country Thunder – Arizona – April 14th – April 17th – Florence Arizona
Mark Knopfler: SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2010 at Dodge Theater
Pato Banton – May 16th – Club Red – (Tickets can be purchased via ticketweb.com) – One of the greatest Reggae artists of all time is playing an intimate show at Club Red. This is a perfect venue to see Pato Banton in.h
Two of the major pro sports teams are on the verge of clinching their spots in the post season. The Phoenix Coyotes and Phoenix Suns have had amazing seasons which have captivated fans. Now both teams are getting ready to take their games to the next levels and take their shot at their respective championship trophies. Both teams have playoff tickets going on sale to the general public within the next few days.
Here’s what we know…
Phoenix Coyotes – Their tickets go on sale this Saturday March 27th at 10 AM.
For more information and how to purchase tickets, please refer to the article on our Coyotes site:
Phoenix Suns – Individual playoff tickets for the first two games of round 1 will go on sale Monday March 29th at 10 AM at all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling 1-800-4-NBA-TIX, at the US Airways Center box office, and online via Ticketmaster’s website.
Please note that the Suns first round opponents may not be known until the final day of the season on April 14th.
The first round of the playoffs will take place on April 17th and April 18th.
Here’s the direct link to purchase your Suns playoff tickets via Ticketmaster:
If you follow employees of the Phoenix Suns on Twitter, you know they have been cooking up a very unique event for a Suns regular season game. During the Phoenix Suns/Houston Rockets game on April 11th, will be ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars’ night.
If you purchase tickets via the link below, you not only can get discounted tickets (Lexus Club tickets start at just $96) but a portion of the proceeds will benefit Phoenix Suns Charities that help children in need across Arizona.
According to the Suns promo page here’s what you can expect at ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars’ night:
* Exclusive Phoenix Suns / Star Wars t-shirt with every ticket purchased through this page.
* Photo opportunities with classic Star Wars characters throughout US Airways Center.
* Costume contest. Dress as your favorite character for a chance to win official Star Wars merchandise!
* In-game Star Wars entertainment. Can you say Suns Dancers in hair buns?
* Sneak peek at the upcoming The Clone Wars season finale.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please refer to the link below:
Legendary punk/hardcore band Bad Brains is making an EXTREMELY rare appearance in Phoenix on April 10th at 8 PM at the Celebrity Theater. The reason why this is such a rare performance is because the band doesn’t tour in the traditional sense anymore. Also, they only seem to play one off shows or a very small string of shows.
Opening for Bad Brains will be The Goad & The Occasional Others, Bad Shit, and Via Vengeance.
This show is serving as the after party show for the PHXAM Skateboard Tournament taking place at the Rio Vista Skateboard Park in Peoria, AZ.
For a great career summary about the band, check this out:
Hollywood Director Kevin Smith brings his hilarious spoken word show to the Orpheum Theater on Saturday April 10th at 7:00 PM. If you haven’t seen him live or haven’t seen any of his clips on YouTube, you are in for a treat. He talks about anything from insider Hollywood stories, celebrities and just about any part of his life. He’s a master story teller and this is an experience that should not be missed. Check out the videos below to get a feel for what his shows are all about.
Well the question that everyone is wondering is if the Dave Matthews Band is coming to Phoenix on their Summer Tour. The short answer is no. Not sure what the long answer is. However, if you are willing to travel to see the Dave Matthews Band, here are the closest locations to see them:
8/20/2010 – Chula Vista, CA (aka San Diego) – Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
8/21/2010 – Irvine, CA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
8/23/2010 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
Now if you want to go to the place that is pretty much the mecca for Dave Matthews Fans, the place to go would be their annual weekend at the Gorge. The Gorge is THE best concert venue in North America. Located in the geographical center of the United States, the Dave Matthews Band have been playing the Gorge every summer since 1996. What makes these weekends special is that if they aren’t promoting a new album (which they aren’t this summer), they do not play the same song twice at any point in the weekend.
So why do people flock to a venue that is literally in the middle of nowhere?
There’s some great concerts that are on sale now like ‘Rain: A tribute to the Beatles’. THE best Beatles impersonators ever. Also, check out the events calendar as we’ve just added a bunch of events that are just around the corner.
Also, check out a Coyotes game if you can. They’re kicking ass and taking numbers and it’s looking like they’re going to make the playoffs too!
1) Phoenix Coyotes – The Phoenix Coyotes are off to their best start in a LONG time. Residents of Phoenix have been waiting for the team to get good to go see them and that time is NOW! They are one of the biggest surprises in the league and one of the hottest teams in the league. Come on out and see what all the hype is all about!
We’re going to post all the latest deals for tickets and other cool things.
2) Movies in the Park – Biltmore Fashion Park – FREE – The popular event is back for another year at the Biltmore Fashion Park. This free event is a great way to just kick back and watch some great movies on the big screen outside!
3) Arizona Derby Dames Season 5 Opener – Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum – March 20th – If you haven’t had a chance to see some great roller derby action, now is your chance. This is a GREAT evening of fun.
6) Phoenix Suns – The new season is in full swing and they’re off to an AMAZING start! Catch all the action courtside! Tickets: http://www.nba.com/suns/tickets/arena.html
8) NU(Native+You)= Art+Opera+Drinks+Dining – Heard Museum – Every 3rd Friday – Free – From the NU Facebook Event: “The Heard Museum’s third Friday evening free series, NU (Native + You), will mix opera and art on March 19th from 5:30 to 9 p.m. The evening includes a panel discussion with several well respected contemporary artists, and a performance by Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers. Admission to the event and museum is FREE.
11) Red Cliff – MADCAP Theater – Tempe – Friday and Saturday – Showtimes 4PM, 6:40PM, 9:20 PM – Two people that brought you the action classic ‘Hard Boiled’ bring you the story of a ledgendary Chinese 208 AD battle that brought the end of the Han Dynasty. Director John Woo shot this film on such a grand scale it has become a classic in Asia. Tony Leung also returns to work with Woo for the first time since ‘Hard Boiled’ to bring a new classic.
12) The Slammin’ Salmon- MADCAP Theater – Tempe – Friday and Saturday – Showtimes 6PM, 8PM, 10PM – From the Makers of ‘Beerfest’, and ”Super Troopers’ comes Broken Lizard’s latest comedy ‘The Slammin’ Salmon’.
Phoenix International Raceway – SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600 Weekend – April 10th – The Action of NASCAR comes to one of the tracks that drivers love! Come see why it’s such a fun weekend if you are a race fan or not.
Rock the Zoo featuring Vertical horizon and Marcy Playground – April 23rd – Phoenix Zoo – The Phoenix Zoo’s biggest fundraiser of the year features two great acts. I personally have seen the types of Parties the Phoenix Zoo throws. I’m here to say that they know how to put on one hell of a party!
The Arizona Wing Proudly Presents ‘A Night in the 40′s’ - March 20th – Falcon Field Airport Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing – One of the biggest swing dancing events takes place at the Falcon Field Airport in Mesa. It’s going to be a huge event that is attended by swing dancing fans as well as people who just want to get out and have fun. Tickets and more info: http://www.bigbanddance.com/
18) Walk in Wednesdays (Open Mic Night) Tempe Center for the Arts – Every Wednesday night – 6:30-11PM – The Lounge at the Tempe Center for the Arts – Check out some of the area’s up and coming artists in a spectacular setting. http://www.tempe.gov/TCA/wiw.htm
19) The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art has free admission every Thursday http://www.smoca.org/
21) 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/
23) Yoga in the Park – Every Sunday from 10:30 to 11:30 AM the Biltmore Fashion Park will host a free yoga session for all. If you do not own a yoga mat, one will be provided for you.
24) Scottsdale Art Walk – Every Thursday evening from 7 to 9 PM – FREE – Dubbed ‘America’s Original Art Walk’ art fans get the opportunity to browse through all http://www.scottsdalegalleries.com/
25) Don’t forget the Downtown Phoenix Public Market – Weekly on Wednesdays from 4 to 8 PM and Saturday from 8 AM to Noon.
26) Black Pearl Poetry – Tempe – Thursdays – MADCAP Theaters – $5 Adults $3 Students (no matter what age) – 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM – A poetry open mic night right in downtown Tempe!
Carole King and James Taylor ‘Intimate and in the Round’ Trubadour Reunion Tour – Jobing.com Arena – May 19th at 7:30 PM – Tickets available at all Live Nation outlets and at Live Nations’s website:
One of the all time classic comedies will be playing outdoors at the Biltmore Fashion Plaza’s Center Lawn Friday March 19th. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off will be ‘Movies in the Park’ featured presentation of the evening and will be show in it’s original, uncut format. There is no charge for this event and the festivities get underway at 7:30 PM.
I personally have been to quite a few screenings of ‘Movies in the Park’ and it’s not only a great experience to watch a movie outdoors, it’s a perfect date night event. You are allowed to bring a blanket, chair, etc to the Center Lawn. I’ve seen other people bring their own snacks and other bring food from the many restaurants at the Biltmore Fashion Park.
This is a great event for not only dates but for a group of friends as well. You haven’t truly had a movie going experience unless you’ve seen a great movie outdoors.
Here’s the list of the rest of the movies for the Spring edition of ‘Movies in the Park’.
This past weekend was one of the best food events of the spring as ‘Devoured’ took place at the Phoenix Art Museum. The great thing about having events such as Devoured during this time of year is that the weather more than likely agrees with the event. This weekend the weather indeed agreed, save for some wind, and added a great vibe to the overall atmosphere of this great event!
Devoured operates as a non-profit organization to promote not only local businesses but to shine a light on the City of Phoenix as a culinary destination.
After entering the ‘Devoured’ grounds, I had a hard time determining where to begin first. Instead of going to each booth one by one, I decided what any good foodie would do….throw caution to the wind and let their stomach be their guide.
I then dove into a promising world of what exactly the Phoenix Culinary scene has to offer.
From the Bacon Ice Cream by Sweet Republic, to the Meatballs and Butterscotch pudding (two separate dishes) served up by FnB, to the Apple Pie and Irish Cream ice cream served up by Udder Delights, to shrimp tostadas from Ticoz Resto-bar. There was a cavalcade of wonderful food offerings that would satisfy the pickiest of eaters.
The best samples from Devoured that stood out in my mind were:
Sweet Republic’s Bacon Ice Cream – Bacon is so difficult to properly leverage as a dessert item yet Sweet Republic does it with such ease. This recipe allows the bacon flavor to be present without overpowering the rest of the key ingredients while still classifying the concoction as a dessert.
Relish Burger Bistro – The newest addition to the Phoenician Resort offered Kobe Beef Sliders that were an example of perfection in the burger, bun, and the cheese. For the first time in my life, I ate a burger that didn’t need any form of condiments as the Kobe Beef sliders stood on its own as an amazing food offering. For me and my palate, that’s a strong statement as to how amazing this burger tasted.
Ticoz Resto-Bar – They offered a great shrimp tosdada with an amazing tasting guacamole looking sauce. Every bite was a perfect compliment to the sunny day at Devoured.
Hana Japanese Eatery – They served up chicken balls dipped in a Teriyaki Glaze that was out of this world.
Wine
One of the great aspects about Devoured was the selection of wines available. However, many of them did not have any indication of what wineries they represented.
All of the restaurants represented at Devoured had cards in their stalls indicating what establishment they represented. However, not a single winery had an identifying card. There were a handful of wineries that brought their own informational displays, some of which I recognized from other food festivals around the area.
I tried a good sampling of the wines available especially the wines from Arizona Stronghold. If you don’t recognize the Arizona Stronghold winery, the owners were the subject of a recent documentary called ‘Blood into Wine’. Also, one of the owners/winemakers is Maynard James Keenan, the lead singer of ‘Tool’.
Even with the notoriety of ‘Arizona Stronghold’, none of the wines at Devoured really stood out to me as a great or important wine. Furthermore, none of them really complimented the foods available at Devoured.
Chef Demonstrations/Seminars
If there was one aspect of Devoured that really stood out to me, it was the Chef Demonstrations and the Seminars. The Chef Demonstrations were top notch as many of the area’s top chefs just under an hour demonstrating their crafts. The demonstrations were outside so they were well attended. I’m a fan of the Food Network and love to watch just about any food related show so I can soak up recipes, food styles and food theory.
The Seminars, on the other hand, were not so well attended.
I personally didn’t know where the Seminars were until I practically stumbled onto the Tequila demonstration by Agave expert, Tania Oseguera. Had I known where the seminars were located I probably would have attended most, if not all of them. The selection of guest speakers that were available at Devoured would have satisfied any food lover.
Finally, one of the drawbacks to Devoured was not related to the food or the beverages, it was the lack of places for people to stand or sit with their newly acquired food/drink samples. Having to juggle camera equipment with food, napkin, and a wine glass wasn’t easy. I ended up dropping my camera near the end of the day because of the lack of available table/arm space. If there were more tables around that would have helped immensely for all who attended.
One of the best and most useful ideas I have seen to help alleviate the lack of arm space was at ‘Uncorked and Unplugged’ this past October.
Check out this below:
This was one of the most original ideas I’ve ever seen and was EXTREMELY useful while checking out all the food and drinks that were offered at ‘Uncorked and Unplugged’. If the people that put Devoured together can come up with something like this, it would be a great benefit to their cause!
Finally, another thing I would love to see for next year is to expand the selection of restaurants represented here from mostly Central Phoenix establishments to restaurants valley wide. If this festival is truly going to encompass what all of Phoenix has to offer, I would love to see a festival full of all that Phoenix has to offer.
When it comes to Art Festivals in the greater Phoenix area, I’m extremely hesitant to head to any individual art gallery (or cover it on this site for that matter) as the art scene is completely over-saturated. I’m not against art or artists it’s just that there are WAY too many art galleries around the area to the point that it desensitizes me and my desire to promote art on this site. I see a lot of the same things over and over again in the individual art galleries around the area and after a while it just gets…..boring.
Now the exception to this would be events like First Friday in downtown Phoenix. In the Roosevelt district, for example, you can go to the First Friday events and not see the same thing twice. This is what I LOVE about first Friday. You can never get tired of going month in and month out as everything is different every time you go.
Now when it comes to Art Festivals in the greater phoenix area, I’m on the fence in regards to my opinion of the festivals. I don’t hate them but I am skeptical about going. As I’ve said, I’m not really excited about the local art scene. However, I started this site specifically to shine the light on the cultural aspects of the Phoenix area that area residents should know about.
My opinion changed after I checked out the 40th Annual Scottsdale Arts Festival.
The thing that drew me to investigate this festival was that all the artists at the festival were 1) mostly from outside Arizona and 2) were hand picked to appear at the festival. Based on this alone, my desire to check out this festival was pretty high as there would be a great infusion of new artists to investigate.
Once I got to the festival it was like an artistic breath of fresh air. The amount and types of art at the festival more than kept my interest but it also fed my creative appetite to see how different people view the word around them. The types of art available ranged from photography, paintings, metal work, drawings, glass work, wood work and much more (check out the photos for samples). Just being around the artists and the many works they produced made me want to get out a pen an pad and start drawing myself at the festival.
On top of all this, the Scottsdale Arts Festival had music and some great food to choose from. The selection of music to listen to was as varied as the art available to view at the festival. A perfect match on such a sunny day.
Look, if you get the chance to go the Scottsdale Arts Festival next year, do it. The Scottsdale Arts Festival is one of the truly great area cultural events that makes Scottsdale and Phoenix such an amazing city to live in.
Devoured operates as a non-profit organization to promote not only local businesses but to shine a light on the City of Phoenix as a culinary destination.
