Welcome back to the Tucson WTF, where we know and show Where The Fun is! We can’t tell you how happy we are to hear all of your positive feedback on our first issue!
As your guide to where the cool kids are in Tucson, Tucson WTF asks and answers:
• Where’s the FOOD?
o Where is are great places to eat and/or drink?
• Where’s the FUSION?
o Where can I go to listen to music and dance?
• Where’s the FIESTAS?
o What else is there to do? Get me to the party!
In this issue Tucson Tasty Show introduces you to the midtown Vegan Deli & Market, and the Mexican food fusion of Copal. Tucson Loves Music is introducing you to local musician Leron Daniels, and making you aware of the newest music venue, The Brick Box! Finally, our friend from the Spark Project Collective is giving you plenty of time to prepare for the Day of the Dead.
Every issue we will have new features and events for you to see. We hope you enjoy these publications. Please reach out to us if and let us know what you would like to hear more about in the next issue. markmarrero@arizona.edu
While you’re reading this paper, ask yourself: How can Tucson WTF help me find all the F’s… including friends!
Sincerely,
UA Student Media
Volume 1 – Issue 3
The University of Arizona’s Tucson WTF is published by Arizona Student Media.
Have you ever wondered what the person was doing in the back of the room at a live music event? There is much more than meets your ears, and requires a lot of expensive electronics, cables and audio engineering skills.
For this brief introduction, it’s impossible to explain how instruments, microphones, and various speakers are cabled and controlled at the Front of House (FOH). Suffice it to say this is NOT a trivial subject!
The role of the audio engineer is to be in a position to hear the performance exactly as the audience does and adjust the sound levels. Achieving the right mix of instruments and vocals is critical, especially at a large concert venue. For this reason, the FOH must be in a central location in the same area as the audience.
The public address (PA) speakers are pointed toward the audience and produce the primary sound. The subs are huge speakers/ enclosures that create a thumping base so intense you feel the sound waves hitting your body.
How can musicians hear themselves with the PA speakers projecting away from the stage? Enter the role of the stage monitors! Each performer should have a dedicated monitor. The sound tech sends the ideal audio mix to each one so musicians hear themselves.
With these speakers all pumping out highdecibel audio, the microphones may reamplify the sound, creating a repetitive feedback loop. Have you ever heard that annoying high-pitched squeal? WTF? That’s feedback!
Learning how to operate a sound system can be a fascinating experience if you are technically inclined. If you love music, but don’t play an instrument or sing, becoming an audio technician can provide a path to participate in the local music scene. Imagine getting paid to attend your favorite live music events!
This publication is partnered with a local business startup Tucson Loves Music whose mission is to promote music and technology. If you have interest in music, especially the geeky side, they can provide free tours of some of Tucson’s top live music venues and discuss apprenticeships.
Fill out this contact form to learn more!
TUCSON LOVES MUSIC!!!
Musician Spotlight – Ariel Miranda
Meet Ariel Miranda!
“The beauty of music is so powerful in how it connects people and it inspires me to create songs that help others through the different stages of their lives.”
Humble Beginnings Making Her Mark Looking Ahead
Twenty-one-year-old Tucson native Ariel Miranda has been connected to music since childhood. While her family wasn’t musical, Ariel couldn’t help but sing and dance around the house, inspired by Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus among other rising pop artists of her time.
Seeing her joy, Ariel’s parents decided to nurture her passion with a purple Hannah Montana guitar and lessons when she was just seven years old.
Ariel first met her mentor, Damon of Barnaby and the Butcher, at the Chicago Music Store. He not only sold her that guitar, but also became her instructor. They worked together until her junior year of high school.
Ariel’s dedication has provided some exciting opportunities, including auditions for America’s Got Talent and American Idol. She didn’t make it beyond the taped auditions for “Idol,” but she got a “yes” from Katy Perry. That plus a week of interviews and photoshoots are career bright spots.
Ariel performs all around Arizona, including venues like Culinary Dropout, the Arizona State Fair, and Dusk Music Festival—having won a spot during a local “Battle of the Bands” as a soloist.
Ariel describes herself as a pop singersongwriter and focuses on lyrical storytelling.
Ariel is now focused on producing singles, including her latest Works for Me, released on October 4th.
She is also gearing up for more shows, including a performance on the Big Stage at the Arizona State Fair early this month.
Outside of music, Ariel juggles other responsibilities. She is a real estate agent and is working on certification to become a Pilates instructor. She also manages her own bookings and marketing campaigns.
Even with this busy schedule, Ariel remains committed to growing her music career and fan base.
Her confidence soared when she learned to play and sing at the same time, a skill she mastered while performing Katy Perry’s The One That Got Away at an in-home concert for her family.
“I draw from my own life, and from those around me—my hope is the music connects with people on a deep, emotional level. Adding little details from my life keeps the music genuine.”
Follow her journey on YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, Apple Music, and her website. www.arielmirandamusic.com
40 MORE Live Music Venues within 5 Miles of Campus?
OK, Listen up! In issue #1 we led you to 20 live music spots within a mile of campus. Last week, we added 26 more in the downtown area. Extending the radius to five miles, we have FORTY (yes 4-0!) more venues that offer live music.
Do you remember how to find all these great gigs/venues? Use TucsonLovesMusic.com of course! 1. 17th Street Music Salon 830 E 17th Street
2. American Eat Company 1439 S 4th Ave
3. Saint Charle’s Tavern 1632 S 4th Ave
4. El Casino Ballroom 437 E 26th Street
5. Cafe Santa Rosa 2615 S 6th Ave
6. Hotel McCoy 720 W Silverlake Rd
7. The Tuxon Hotel 960 S Freeway
8. MSA Annex 267 S Avenida del Convento
9. Mercado San Agustin 100 S Avenida del Convento
10. Marriott Star Pass Resort 3800 W Starr Pass Blvd
11. Habitation Realty 641 N 10th Ave
12. Blondies 624 N Stone Ave
13. Brother John’s 1801 N Stone Ave
14. The Jackrabbit 2000 N Oracle Rd
15. Monterey Court 505 W Miracle Mile
16. The Outlaw Bar 1302 W Roger Rd
17. Brodies Dark Horse 2449 N Stone Ave
18. MoJo Cuban Kitchen 1929 E Grant Rd
19. Culinary Dropout 2543 E Grant Rd
20. Groundworks 2919 E Grant Rd
21. Sidecar 139 S Eastbourne Ave
22. Reid Park Zoo 3400 E Zoo Ct
23. BBQ Rush 5151 S Country Club Rd
24. Harbottle Brewing 3820 S Palo Verde Rd
25. Hush Social Club 2101 S Alvernon Way
26. Lodge on the Desert 306 N Alvernon Way
27. The Bashful Bandit BBQ 3638 E Speedway Blvd
28. House of Bards 4915 E Speedway Blvd
29. RJ’s Frozen Cactus 5769 E Speedway Blvd
30. The Chicago Bar 5954 E Speedway Blvd
31. Encore Tucson 5851 E Speedway Blvd
32. The Glowball/Sheraton 5151 E Grant Rd
33. Plaza Palomino 2900 N Swan Rd
34. BZ’s Bistro 3225 N Swan Rd
35. Tucson Hop Shop 3230 N Dodge Blvd
36. Shooters Saloon 3115 E Prince Rd
37. St. Philips Plaza 4280 N Campbell Ave
38. Sullivan’s Steakhouse 1785 E River Rd
39. The Eddy Hotel 4626 N Campbell Ave
40. El Corral 2201 E River Rd
Brewing CompanieS
We love nothing more than the full fine dining experience with beverages and creative chef-driven food. But sometimes, we just need good booze and a cheap bite (or two.)
You might have heard of a pub crawl, which is a cute way for people to lazily go drinking. In Tucson, we say WTF! No, we don’t crawl, we are more intense and we URBAN HIKE! Urban hiking is an underground term created by your Drunken Uncle (you’re welcome). The idea is, you are not doing anything lazily, you are expending energy, hiking a couple of miles and drinking and eating along the way. Here is a short list of where you can go on your first urban hikes for Booze and Bites.
1912 Brewing Co.
2045 Forbes Blvd Ste 105
520-256-4851
The name stems from the year AZ was born, and showcase local ingredients in their beer.
Barrio Brewing
800 E. 16th St.
520-791-2739
"Rustic-chic brewpub with well-known happy-hour specials, shuffleboard & up to 12 house beers on tap."
Boarderlands Brewing
119 E. Toole Ave. 520-261-8773
Boarderlands
Brewing Sam Hughes
2500 E. 6th St.
520-222-6061
"A second location for great
Crooked Tooth
Brewing Co.
228 E. 6th St.
520-444-5305
"Family owned brewery offering
Slow Body Beer
831 E 17th St.
"We’re a lager and session beer focused brewery committed to quality, drinkability & accessibility."
Brick Box Brewery
220 E. Broadway Blvd.
520-372-2266
"New brewery brought to you by the former General Manager of Thunder Canyon Brewery, James Owens and former head brewer Michael Nixon."
"New brewery brought to you by the former General Manager of Thunder Canyon Brewery, James Owens and former head brewer Michael Nixon."
"The reason Tucson WTF was created! A underground brewery that is amazing and very few know
Montosonora Brewing
1015 S. Park Ave
520-416-6686
"We are bringing the best of the old world beer styles."
"# 101 Solid beer line up, and a very friendly staff."
Pueblo Vida Brewing Co.
115 E Broadway Blvd.
520-623-7168
"Rustic-chic & dog-friendly brewpub offering a large selection of IPAs on tap, plus board games."
S Toole Ave #200
"Arizona's first Co-Op Brewery + Taproom, available for booking."
Region-Inspired Craft Beers in the heart of Downtown Tucson!"
BOOZE AND BITES
Agave
House
943 E. University Blvd.
No Anchovies
870 E. University Blvd.
- Frozen Prickly Pair Margarita
- Order a Frozen Prickly Pair Margarita. It's frozen and you're in a desert, plus it contains alcohol so this beverage makes all kind of sense . Pair it with a order of chips and their three salsas for a light meal around $20
Corbett Brewing
309 E. 7th St.
This is where you pre-game. The bar is open from Thursday - Saturday 4-10 and Sunday 4-8. A pint of craft beer is only $3. It is $5 a pint after that, but on Sunday it stays at 3 bucks. You might catch live music too!
- Pitchers of beer
- One of the last restaurants in town that serves beer by the pitcher. Since the pitchers start at $16 (a little more than 4 beers), and a pizza for around $20, 4 people can eat well for $40. You can also get pizza by the slice for less than 5 bucks.
The Boxyard
238 N. 4th Ave.
- Boxyard Lager
- You can get burgers, Vietnamese foor or Mexican at Los Perches. The Classic Percheron $12 burrito is filled with steak, green chili and bacon then wrapped in more bacon! It's enough to split between two people, so add 2 lagers at $12 and you have a great meal for 2 under $30
- Lindy's Brew Lindy's on 4th
500 N. 4th Ave.
- The Irish Red Lindy's Brew is very tasty. It's just $5 during Happy Hour which runs - 3 -6pm weekdays. Feel free to try the OMFG Burger Challenge (7 patties stacked high) if you dare!
Brick Box Brewery
220 E. Broadway Blvd.
- Craft Beer
- In addition to a full menu, there are 2 Brick Box specials worth the trip. Wednesdays you can get bratwurst, fries & a beer for $13. On Sundays a burger, fries and a beer is $13.50 Two meals with a beer for under $14? WOW!
Lindys OMFG Burger
- Get a bucket of 5 bottles of beers for $16. Add an entrée or appetizer, and you and your friends can eat well for $30. We recommend the Papa Loka or quesabirrias.
It’s spook season again boys and ghouls. That means it’s time to make the trek to the near middle of nowhere to Gates Pass and Kinney Road to experience an all-immersive ghost town gone full blown haunted madhouse called Nightfall. (Old Tucson is really just a half-hour drive from The University of Arizona campus.)
Nightfall has been a terrifying Tucson tradition since 1989, and this year is its greatest and most ghastly yet. Holding creepy court at Old Tucson, a film studio built in 1939 asa set for a movie called Arizona and then used for many years for other projects such as Rio Bravo, Three Amigos!, Tombstone and the TV show Little House on the Prairie, just to name a few.
NIGHTFALL
A Tucson Tradition of Spooky Western Fun
Mark Whittaker yeahwritemark@gmail.com
520-861-4198
Nightfall is much more than a sideshow for easy thrills. It is an evening of frights and delights that needs to be experienced to be believed. When the gates open at 6pm, the opening “scaremony” introduces you to what’s ahead. Then you’re set loose in a dizzying arena among performers dressed as zombies, evil clowns, undead cowboys, batty bar maids and the usual suspects of freaks and beasts.
The theme of Nightfall this year belongs to a demon queen named Mary Hyde who has the power to summon the hellspawn in order to build her army of ill-willed weirdos. So when you see her, you may want to turn the other way or you might get hypnotized byher sinister charms. Bwahaha!
Mary rules over two walk-through menacing mazes
that reveal her malevolent motives. There’s The Bloodletting, a lab turned into slaughterhouse, where vampires imprison werewolves in order to drain their blood and Hell’s Gate where Mary conjures frightful fiends to add to her troops of doom. Two other themed haunted mazes await you as well.
At every turn there is a new and spectacular live magic, including a stunt and creepily comic show right there in front of you, so close that you’d think that you were part of the performance. Be prepared to be part of the action as Nightfall invites you to participate in its sinister stage.
There are five “scare zones” with names such as Devil’s Playground, Terror Walk and Abomination Row that only the brave dare to seek and enjoy.
All of this frightening frolic may sound as if Nightfall is not family friendly, but it’s okay to bring the kids!
There is a safe space for youngsters to enjoy featuring games, face painting, train rides, mini golf and even a petting zoo.
The shows, the scares, the stunts, the steps, it can easily make one a might hungry and thirsty. Fear not, Nightfall offers a ravishing array of refreshments. The “Hydeout” Grill supplies the peckish with burgers and turkey legs, Big Jake’s BBQ is where you’ll find brisket and pulled pork sandwiches. There’s also the Nacho Nook and High Noon Pizzeria.
At The Devil’s Den and Rosa’s Cantina you’ll find signature cocktails. Tucson’s own Crooked Tooth Brewing has concocted “the darkest light beer” especially for Nightfall. It is chillingly tasty and devilishly delightful.
Nightfall opens at 6pm and closes at 11:30 every day in October. Last call for bars and restaurants is 11pm.
Standard tickets begin at $44 for adults, $34 for kids 5-12. Those 4 and under are free.To fully indulge, avoid lines, get free merch, reserved seating for shows, preferred parking and access to a private lounge, there is the R.I.P. pass going for $99 a head and worth every cent.
Upcoming EVENTS
THURSDAY
Nightfall at Old Tucson
Old Tucson oldtucson.com/nightfall
Every Thurday Nightfall offers $29 tickets instead of $44 tickets
Daniel Linder - UofA
Faculty/Pianist
Koffler Great Room
11 am - in the Koffler Great Room
Hip Hop Showcase w/SOZE
Brick Box
SAT
OCTOBER 18th FRI
8 pm - Tickets: $8, 21+, With special guests Kenai Reyna, Big Vinci, SPITTHERAT, & YML Nene + Cruz Ocho
OPEN HOUSE CRAWL
Redezvous Urban Flats
Rendezvous@avenue5apt.com
4 pm - Open House Crawl, while showing Beetlejuice! Enter to win a $100 Gift Card
Open House Crawl
One North 5th Apartments OneNorthFifth.com
4 pm - Open House Crawl, while showing Scream! Enter to win a $100 Gift Card
Mark Miller Band
OCTOBER
19th SAT
Maverick King of Clubs $5 cover - Country
Brook Sample
Frog & Firkin
6 pm -No cover
Kavita Shah & Cape Verdean Blues
311 E. Congress arizonaartslive.com
Experience a heartfelt tribute to global music legend Cesária Évora and Cape Verde’s rich musical traditions with Award-winning jazz vocalist Kavita Shah.
Big Hair Laidies Night
House of Bards
7 pm - $10 cover for the guys - Gals 1/2 off cover and well drinks
OPEN HOUSE CRAWL
Herbert Residential
HerbertLiving.com
4 pm - Open House Crawl, while showing Friday the 13th! Enter to win a $100 Gift Card
Freddy Jay Walker Concert
JoJos Restaurant
6 pm - No cover, Diverse musical styles
Anime Wonder
Tucson Expo Center tucsonexpocenter.com
Anime Wonder is a 2-day Anime & Japanese Food / Pop-Culture Festival.
OCTOBER
13th SUN
Sunday W/ Silk & Soul
Brother John's BBQ 2 pm - No cover
Alligators in the Sewer
Brodies Dark Horse Tavern
pm -No Cover - Hard Rock
Barnaby & the Butcher
Top Dead Center
OCTOBER
25th fri
Open House Crawl
The Gallery on 5th Apartments GalleryOnFifth.com
4 pm - Open House Crawl, while showing The Nightmare Before Christmas! Enter to win a $100 Gift Card
UA Mall
$20 - 21+ Rock and Roll Dance Partyfrom 9 am -3 pm, come and have fun for free on the UA mall as apartments complexes show you why you should live there. There will be a mechanical bull, dunk tank and ZNORA will be playing live from Noon - 1 pm.
ZZ Top & ZNORA
Linda Ronstat Music Hall
ZNORA will go from the UA Housing Fair to the Linda Ronstat Music Hall to open for ZZ Top. Now go and get yourself some cheap sun glasses.
