Editors Note: We’ve made some changes to the ‘Best Things’ list by removing the ‘Event’s and ‘Concerts’ list. We moved both of the pages to new locations and the links to both of these pages can be found at the top of every page. Here’s the links to…
The AZ Vibe Events Listings
The AZ Vibe Concert Listings
We are going to continue to list the concerts and events for the coming week here (as you will note at the bottom of the page). However, all concerts and events that are off on the horizon will be posted on the pages above.
Two of the biggest events of the week are the Arizona Fall Frenzy which boasts one of the BEST ever overall lineups in local Arizona music festival history. The other big event this week is Arizona Restaurant Week where the Arizona culinary community creates special value priced three course meals for all to try. Arizona restaurant week is one of the most popular events of the fall season!
1) Arizona Fall Frenzy – September 17th, 18th, and 19th – Tempe Beach Park – One of the strongest local festival lineups in a LONG time decends on the Tempe Beach park for what will be a memorable festival. Scheduled to perform are: Stone Temple Pilots, Shinedown, The Cult, Sevendust, Weezer, Sublime with Rome, Primus, Devo, Blue October, The Dirty Heads, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Sour, Halestorm, Hellyeah, Airbourne, Hail the Villan, and New Medicine. If you’re heading to the festival for one or all three days, you’ll want to read our guides to the festival:
Arizona Fall Frenzy – Cheat Sheet – Last Minute Ticket Deals – Contests – FAQ’s and more
Arizona Fall Frenzy Day 1 Preview
Arizona Fall Frenzy Day 2 Preview
Arizona Fall Frenzy Day 3 (Uproar Festival) Preview
2) Arizona Restaurant Week – September 18-26 – Various Locations Around Phoenix – The Arizona Culinary world will put their talents on display for the week and offer specially priced three course meals for all to sample. You’ve heard some great things about a blossoming culinary community in Phoenix, come see why!
3) Phoenix Coyotes Training Camp – September 18th – 27th – Jobing.com Arena – Fans will be able to watch training camp as it progresses. See who makes the cut on the deepest and most talented Phoenix Coyotes roster ever!
4) Modern English – September 17th – The Compound Grill
5) Margaret Cho – The Cho Dependent Tour 2010 – September 18th – Dodge Theatre
6) Arizona Diamondbacks 2010 Season – Another season of Diamondbacks baseball is well underway. New manager Kirk Gibson has the Diamondbacks ready to take on Major League Baseball’s best! Don’t miss the action this season as they challenge the best of Major League Baseball!
Ticketmaster has your individual tickets for all game this season:
http://ticketsus.at/azvibe?CTY=85&DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/Arizona-Diamondbacks-tickets/artist/805895
7) Fuse Fridays — Bar Smith — Downtown Phoenix — Fun starts at 9:00 PM — Check out one of the best reasons to head to Downtown Phoenix on a Friday Night. Fuse Fridays is a great night of beats and is also a great place to see and be seen!
This week features:
Mowgli w/ Opening Set by Zachary J
Italian born DJ and producer Mowgli (Michele Savasta), began his career humbly in the north Italian village where he grew up. With few nightclubs to really get lost in and no happening music scene, Mowgli felt compelled to make his own sounds and made do with a cheap keyboard and sampler. It wasn’t long before he discovered hip-hop, immersing himself in the lifestyle and culture before moving …to pastures new in Bologna. Once there, Mowgli indulged in all manner of illegal rave diversions until fixing up and making the move to the London in 2006.
Mowgli’s unrelenting ambition to find new directions and expand his musical boundaries saw him experiment with different musical genres, but his time spent producing Drum and Bass in Bologna left him with elements to his sound that made it instinctively recognisable. Mowgli’s first EP on Mantra really pricked the ears of the industry and grabbed the attention of the underground House scene. In the year that followed, Mowgli’s bootleg of the Chemical Brothers,” Do It Again”, led to an influx of remix requests, some of which include X-Press 2, Santogold, The Sugababes, Martin Solveig, Armand Van Helden, Tommy Sparks, Tricky and Simian Mobile Disco amongst others.
For you Facebook types:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=117260938328044&ref=ts
8) Chris Issac – September 23rd – Celebrity Theater
9) MADCAP Theaters – Tempe – Ongoing – I think by now everyone knows that MADCAP has earned a permanent spot on the best things to do list for the week for the wonderful selection of movies to choose from. Check their listings (click the link) for what’s showing for the given week. You just might find that gem of a movie, a classic or something new and original to watch. MADCAP has it all!
10) NBC’s Last Comic Standing Live Tour: 2010 – September 17th – Mesa Arts Center
11)
RADIO PHOENIX POOL PARTY FUNDRAISER – Saturday September 18th: 2PM – 8PM – Clarendon Hotel – (All Ages) – Not only is this a great pool party but it’s a fundraiser for Radio Phoenix, the Valley’s only community radio station.
12) Chandler Center for the Arts Free Concert Series – Every Friday until September 19th, the Chandler Center for the Arts will have a series of concerts that is open to the public (seating is on a first come, first served basis).
Here’s the lineup of concerts that you can see for no charge:
Sunday, September 19, 2010 – 3pm – Calo Flamenco – CUADRO
13) Yoga in the Park – Biltmore Fashion Park – Every Sunday in the Center Lawn at 10:30 AM is a free 60 minute Yoga session.
14) 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 the local art galleries.
15) Arizona State University Football – This week marks the opening of the 2010 Arizona State Football season. The Sun Devils hit the road and play at Wisconsin on National TV (ABC). Kickoff is at 12:30.
16) The BIG Men of Comedy Tour – The Comedy Spot – Old Town Scottsdale – Friday, Saturday & Sunday September 17, 18 & 19 – SHOWTIMES: 8:00 & 10:00 p.m.(Fri & Sat) & 7:00 p.m.(Sunday) – Tickets $10 – $12
17) Downtown Chandler Art Walk – September 17th – on Boston and Marcos Streets
18) Mesa Arts Center Season Kick off Party – Friday, Sept. 10 – 6 – 10 p.m. – Free – from the Mesa Arts Center press release "Experience the rhythms, the beats, the sights and the theatrics as the fall season kicks off at Mesa Arts Center. New exhibitions open at Mesa Contemporary Arts (MCA) which will feature artwork by contemporary American Indian artists. Festivities include free live performances by Mesa Arts Center’s Founding Resident Company organizations in the four theaters along with Art Studios activities and demonstrations. The unforgettable night will begin at 6 p.m. on the Shadow Walk, located in the heart of Mesa Arts Center, awakening the rest of the gorgeous complex with the native music styling of the GRAMMY winning R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton & Will Clipman: The R. Carlos Nakai Trio."
19) Southwest Shakespeare Company’s 2010-2011 Season – Sept 9th – April 30th – Mesa Arts Center
20) The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art has free admission every Thursday
21)Black Pearl Poetry Phoenix Friday’s – Fair Trade Cafe – 1st and Roosevelt – Downtown Phoenix – Check out some great open mic poetry!
Local Farmer’s Markets to check out!
Don’t forget the Downtown Phoenix Public Market – Weekly on Wednesdays from 4 to 8 PM and Saturday from 8 AM to Noon.
Ahwatukee Farmers Market – 8 AM to Noon – 4700 East Warner Road, Phoenix, Az 85044
Scottsdale Old Town Farmer’s Market – Every Saturday from 8:00 AM to 12 PM – Under the shade at Scottsdale Stadium Enter Through Gate
North Scottsdale Farmers Market – Every Saturday from 7 AM to 11 AM – Located at 94th Street and Shea Boulevard
Chandler Farmer’s Market is every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Dr. A. J. Chandler Park (downtown Chandler) – Live music on the second Thursday of every month.
21.5)New to the Concert/Event Calendar this week:
Tickets on sale Friday September 17th at 10 AM
Usher with Trey Songz and Miguel – Friday November 19th – Jobing.com Arena (Show details in the link)
Zappa Plays Zappa – December 6th – Dodge Theater – According to the press release voiced by Dweezil Zappa: “Has it really been 70 years? In honor of my dad’s 70th birthday which would have been December 21st 2010, we are celebrating with a special Dweezil/Zappa Plays Zappa musical tour in the fall 2010. One day is not enough so we are extending the birthday festivities from November through December. The tour stops in Phoenix on Monday, December 6th at Dodge Theatre. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 17th at 10am.
Not only we will be performing with him once again via the technological wonderment of enhanced video during live performance but we will also be performing the works from one of his most well known albums. That’s right, Apostrophe, played in its album running order. It’s always been one of my favorites and it’s certainly a fan favorite as well. “
Vince Vaughn and Kevin James Comedy Roadshow – November 17th – Dodge Theater – According to the press release “Hollywood funnymen Vince Vaughn and Kevin James are set to embark on a 14 city national tour of the “Vince Vaughn and Kevin James Comedy Roadshow,” featuring live sketch comedy by Kevin James, Vince Vaughn and surprise guests, as well as standup comedy performances by national recognized comedians Richie Minervini, Owen Benjamin and Steve Byrne. “
Tickets on sale Saturday September 18th at 10 AM
Megadeth – November 6th – Arizona State Fair – Free with admission to the fair
Tickets on sale now
Phoenix Symphony 2010-2011 Season – Various locations
New to the Events Calendar
Ballet Under the Stars – September 22-26 – Various Locations – Every year before Ballet Arizona’s season begins they perform outdoors at various amphitheaters around the greater Phoenix area. This is a MUST see. Schedule of appearances is in the link.
The Nest (Haunted House) – September 24th to October 31st – Rawhide in Chandler is host to what MSN called the #1 scariest haunt in America! Back for another year, the Nest is ready to scare your pants off!
Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day – September 25th – Check out just about every major museum in the state of Arizona for free.
2010 International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival – October 14th – 17th – MADCAP Theaters – Tempe
Scottsdale Fashion Week – November 4th – 6th
Arizona Wine Growers Festival at the Farm – November 6th – Farm at South Mountain – Shake hands and drink the juice of Arizona’s own wine grape farmers and wine producers in the picturesque setting of Phoenix’s historic Farm at South Mountain this fall. Nearly all of the state’s top wine growers will gather to showcase their finest wines at an interactive event where guests will learn about Arizona wine production, walk through an exhibit of the state’s wine growing regions, participate in fun and educational wine seminars and taste dozens of wines!
2010 Indian School Corridor Block Party – November 7th – Noon to 5 PM – Indian School Road between 32nd Street and 38th Street – A great yearly festival that shows the greater Phoenix area what the all the businesses in the Indian School corridor offers the community.
5th Annual Arizona Walk-n-Roll – November 21st – 10AM to 4PM – Chapparal Park - A great fundraiser for the Families of SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy)
A John Waters Christmas – December 10th – Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts – The ‘Pope of Trash,’ John Waters is best known as the director of such classic cult movies as Pink Flamingos, Polyester and Hairspray. Placing the ‘X’ firmly in X-Mas, he shares some of his favorite holiday traditions in this heartfelt and eccentric one-man show that celebrates the season’s profane orgy of shopping and gift giving. Includes adult content.
New to the Concert Calendar
Doc Severinsen & El Ritmo de la Vida – October 14th – Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts – According to the promoter’s website “Doc Severinsen’s virtuosity on the trumpet is rivaled only by his unforgettable stage presence. This Grammy Award winner has toured with the Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman bands, recorded more than 30 albums — from big band to classical — and worked with major orchestras throughout North America, including 22 seasons as the Phoenix Symphony’s principal pops conductor. Of course, he will forever be known as Johnny Carson’s witty and wildly dressed band leader on The Tonight Show.
Now living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Doc maintains a busy performance schedule with his innovative and aptly named trio, El Ritmo de la Vida (‘the rhythm of life’), featuring guitarist Gil Gutierrez and violinist Pedro Cartas. “I came to Mexico with retirement on my mind, but when I heard them play I knew that I would be playing with them for some time to come,” notes Doc. “Latino music, along with the blues, has always been among my favorites, and Gil and Pedro do it along with a European style that I love and so do our audiences.”
Gorillaz – October 26th – Dodge Theater – Scheduled to perform with Gorillaz – Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Bashy, Little Dragon, De La Soul, Bobby Womack, Roses Gabor, Bootie Brown, Kano – *UPDATE* N.E.R.D added as opening act!
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