The Entertainer! Magazine - March 2021

PHX METRO » MARCH 2021

SPRING TRAINING

This season sees familiar faces

TRUE

CALLING

Camille Booker returns to Barrett-Jackson JARED KOLESAR

March 10 – April 4

THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH CREATED BY

RICHARD MALTBY, JR. CONCEIVED BY

WILLIAM MEADE

April 14 – May 23

And be sure to check out our final show of the outdoor season!

Frank Sinatra’s story is told through the combined range of four virtuoso vocalists, performing the best of his songs in an intimate nightclub setting. With music including “Fly Me to the Moon,” “I Get A Kick Out Of You,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” and—of course—“My Way,” you’ll be swinging in the aisles at this fresh new Broadway revue.

TICKETS AT PHOENIXTHEATRE.COM | 602–254 –2151 Ring of Fire is adapted from the Broadway Production by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Jason Edwards

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

TRUE

CONTENTS

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ON THE COVER

CALLING

Camille Booker is champion auctioneer

8

10

OVERCOMING HEARTBREAK

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Moon vs. Sun battles annoyances to make new music

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Jared Kolesar goes solo with some familiar faces on the cover: Camille Booker Cover photo courtesy Barrett-Jackson

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

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ON FIRE

Dobson graduate Dorian Bustamante brings ‘Raya’ to life

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Steve T. Strickbine

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Vice President

Michael Hiatt mhiatt@timespublications.com

ExecutiveEditor

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contributing writers

CONTENTS

UPFRONT

Alison Bailin Batz, Lila Baltman, Steve Carr, Samantha Fuoco, Alex Gallagher, Ethan Greni, Kamala Kirk, Claire Natale, Jacqueline Robledo, Jordan Rogers, Claire Spinner, Annika Tomlin

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Barrett-Jackson • Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk • Daniel Ash • Jared Kolesar’s Wheelwright • Mecum Auctions • Soda Bread

CITY

Staff Photographer Pablo Robles

Contributing Photographers

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LUNAFEST • “Raya and the Lost Dragon” • Eddie and the Getaway • John the Ghost • Gio Benitez

ARTS

18

Art Detour • Romerofest • “Ring of Fire”

DINING

21

Pita Jungle

BEER AND WINE

22

Peacock Wine and Bar • Mad Mixologist

CASINOS

24

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino

SPORTS

CASHING IN

20

25

25 32

Friendly Pines

MUSIC

33

Sore Eyes • N8NOFACE • Bury the Darkness • Dropout Kings • Grey Daze • Smith/Kotzen • Drake Bell • Amelia Joyce

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ONE COPY PER READER

Phoenix Theatre tells the story of The Man in Black

Cactus League Preview • Michael McDowell

FAMILY

Disney Animation Studios, Chris Graythen/Getty Images, Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images, Jim McMurtrie, Mecum Auction Inc., Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

CACTUS LEAGUE GUIDE

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UPFRONT

PHX » CITY » LOCAL » PRIDE » DO » SEE

TRUE CALLING

Champion auctioneer Camille Booker returns

By Kamala Kirk

W

hen Camille Booker was a child, she said she was shy and terrified of getting in front of

a crowd.

Now the Washington native is a bid spotter for Scottsdale-based BarrettJackson, a premier car auction. The Scottsdale 2021 auction is set for Saturday, March 20, to Saturday, March 27, at WestWorld of Scottsdale.

“The idea of getting up in front a crowd didn’t exactly appeal to me at the time,” Booker says. “It wasn’t until my last year at the University of Washington when I realized this was the profession I wanted to pursue. The interactions with people were what appealed to me, as well as the opportunity to be able to help them through various life situations.

Booker has been a key member of the Barrett-Jackson team for the past five years, and many members of the car community recognize her from the main auction block where she works as a professional bid spotter.

“I serve as the liaison between the lead auctioneer and the bidder,” Booker explains. “The auctioneer is up on the stage but can’t see every person in the crowd that raises their hand, especially with bids coming in from all across the room. Our team consists of multiple bid spotters that help relay bids to the auctioneer. For some people, this is their first experience buying a car at an auction, so we’re there to provide assistance and help them feel more comfortable during the bidding process.”

Booker’s role requires her to read people’s body language, as well as understanding each person’s specific needs and bidding style.

“Everyone is different, from firsttimers and car dealers to the guy who has been coming to Barrett-Jackson auctions since the very beginning,” Booker says.

“One person may want to stand on the opposite end away from the bid spotter because they don’t want to be seen, while somebody else will want me right next to them the entire time. I also have to be able to recognize when someone is done bidding or if they want to keep going.

It’s about understanding everyone’s

personalities and comfort levels.”

Booker has been an auctioneer for more than 20 years and helps run her family’s auction business, Booker Auction Company, which was established in 1980 in her home state of Washington. A third-generation auctioneer, Booker’s grandfather and father were both auctioneers, along with several of her uncles and all three of her siblings. As a kid, she grew up helping her family with their auction business and attended auction school when she was 16 but didn’t plan on becoming an auctioneer.

She underestimated herself. In 2011, Booker won the woman’s title for top auctioneer at the International Auctioneer Championship, which is sponsored by the National Auctioneers Association and brings together top auctioneers as they compete for the world title. Booker also met and befriended Joseph Mast, who won the men’s title that same year. After he became the lead auctioneer with BarrettJackson in 2015, Mast invited Booker to join the team.

“I had the privilege of going to a

couple of Barrett-Jackson auctions before I went to work for them, and it’s definitely one of those bucket list experiences,” Booker says. “It’s the premier auction to be a part of. It’s truly amazing to see how many people show up to enjoy the show. Besides the auctions, there is so much else going on for people to see and enjoy. They’re a fabulous company to work for, from their professionalism to their overall presentation and how the entire event flows from start to finish. There are so many moving parts that are going on to make everything look absolutely flawless.

I love the work that I get to do with Barrett-Jackson, because it’s completely different from what I normally do.”

Booker has worked for a variety of auctions, from agricultural equipment and livestock to charity fundraisers. She loves the diversity and new experiences that each auction provides.

“I often tell people that one of the coolest parts of my job is that one day I’ll be wearing boots and jeans up on stage, then the next day I’m in a gown for a charity fundraiser,” Booker shares.

“It keeps my life interesting, and I learn something different each time.

I get to meet all kinds of people and being exposed to so many things is an extremely rewarding part of this job.”

Booker says some people’s decision to bid on a car is based on an emotion or memory that holds special meaning for them.

“Whether it’s the same car that their parent had growing up or the car they drove when they were in high school or always wanted to drive, there is often a lot of emotion associated with bidding on a car,” Booker explains.

Each auctioneer has his or her own “chant,” also known as bid calling, which is the rapid-fire speech that is used to help sell the items during an auction.

Booker has developed her own chant over the years that has contributed to the success of her auctions.

“Having good general cadence and pace is important, because when people are listening to an auctioneer all day long, they don’t want to be annoyed by the person’s voice,” Booker points out. “You also don’t want to go too fast, because people need to be able

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

to understand you. I adjust my chant depending on the type of event that I’m working at. At a car auction, we need to maintain a relatively quick speed so that we can get through hundreds of cars in a limited amount of time. But at a fundraiser where people are enjoying their drinks, you don’t want to whip through the items. Chanting helps escalate the excitement and enthusiasm at every auction.”

As a result of COVID-19, the auction industry has faced its fair share of challenges and has successfully pivoted in new directions. At the onset of the pandemic, Barrett-Jackson shifted to online auctions for several months. In October, the company returned to live events and hosted its first Fall Auction at WestWorld of Scottsdale, proving that it could safely hold in-person auctions while following safety guidelines and protocols. Booker is looking forward to participating in the Scottsdale Auction in January.

“Everybody is doing things a bit differently this year, and we’re all just trying to adapt,” Booker says. “With their online auctions, Barrett-Jackson has done a really great job at making people feel engaged and connected. At our October auction, we had to maintain a certain distance, and everyone was wearing masks, so since we couldn’t read lips, we had to learn other ways to communicate with buyers. BarrettJackson did a phenomenal job of making sure that all of the right protocols were in place in order to make people feel safe.

At the end of the day, everyone was so happy to be there and excited to have some sense of normalcy again.”

Fundraising auctions are among Booker’s favorite events in which to participate. She always looks forward to the annual charity car auctions that Barrett-Jackson hosts.

“Barrett-Jackson does an amazing job every year at supporting a wide variety of charities,” she says. “People love those moments at the events. I remember a couple of years ago when Jay Leno introduced George Bush on stage, and seeing how excited the crowd got was definitely one of the top moments.

Another time, we were in Las Vegas a few weeks after the mass shooting had occurred, and Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis donated one of his cars to the charity auction, with proceeds going to the first responders. That was a very touching moment for all of us.”

Booker’s 10-year-old son is also showing prowess as a future auctioneer, having already participated in local fundraising events for their community.

While Booker may send him to auction school when he gets older, she wants him to follow his dreams, which may or may not result in following in his mother’s footsteps.

“I’m very grateful to be in this position where I get the opportunity to interact with and help so many people in

different capacities,” Booker shares.

“I enjoy working with my family, and I love my team — my co-workers have also become my extended family.

Maintaining professionalism and a strong work ethic are very important to me. Even though auctioneering has been a man’s world, there are a lot more women working in this industry now. I’ve worked hard and have been

privileged to have success, but I always remember where I came from. I look

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forward to continuing on this path, and I feel truly blessed to be where I’m at.”

Barrett-Jackson Various times Saturday, March 20, to Sunday, March 21 WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road Tickets start at $12 for children; $18 for seniors, military and students; and $25 adults For more information, visit barrett-jackson.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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OVERCOMING HEARTBREAK UPFRONT | CITY | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Moon vs. Sun battles annoyances to make new music

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

O

ur Lady Peace frontman Raine Maida and his wife, singer Chantal Kreviazuk, are cozy and playful during a Zoom call to talk about their new project, Moon vs. Sun. He rolls his eyes and laughs when she calls them “lovers.”

They then “argue” about the use of the word. Kreviazuk says it’s true. Maida contends it’s weird.

The fun banter pales in comparison to the couple’s problems in their forthcoming documentary, “I’m Going to Break Your Heart.” The album and documentary are set to be released April 23.

The film examines the couple’s relationship as they create a record together for the first time after 22 years of marriage. It marked their first trip away from their three sons and a turning point in a 25-year relationship.

They sequestered themselves on the French island of St. Pierre et Miquelon in a tiny apartment during the dead of winter.

“That’s our life,” Maida says before Kreviazuk joins him. “That was a moment in time like that. It got rough on that island, more so than it does here when we’re working in our studio at home.

“The island was really freaking cold.

We got off the plane and everyone else was getting on to leave. It was a little French fishing village, and in the winter everyone leaves to go to back to France.

There wasn’t a lot to do there, which was fine for the creative part of it.”

Kreviazuk says there’s a silver lining with the documentary, which will open in select theaters and on streaming services.

“There’s a big message that comes from the music we’re creating,” she says.

“When you see the movie, you’ll see us being a regular couple annoying each other. When we make music together, this beautiful thing happens. If we can conduct ourselves as harmoniously as we’re able to when we’re writing, there’s hope. In the beginning of a relationship, love is a feeling, but it becomes an active practice. It’s a grind, but it’s worth it. To connect through conflict isn’t the end of us; it’s an opportunity. The music was the result of that connection.”

Maida explains there wasn’t a time when he and Kreviazuk thought they should hide the conflicts. The documentary shows their kids struggling a bit with their parents’ absence.

“It was literally three plane rides to ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

get back to our kids,” adds Maida, who recently traveled to Arizona for their son’s basketball tournament.

“Basically, it’s a week in the life or a few weeks in the life of us trying to make a record together. I will say that’s the only way we would have been able to do it, because we tried to do it literally a bunch of times here, but there are too many distractions.

“There are the freaking dogs and phone calls and kids.”

The first single was “St. Josephine,” which sews a patchwork of acoustic guitar, piano and violin. The bilingual track — Kreviazuk sings in English and French — was released in honor of the Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, the Patron Saint of Slavery and Forgiveness.

The Sudanese woman was canonized in 2000.

The island of St. Pierre et Miquelon is an essentially another character in the documentary. For example, Kreviazuk describes a rehearsal space as a “weird ancient hall."

“Even though the hall was indoors, the character of the town and country come

through,” she explains.

“I just love it. It has a vintage texture to it. It added a lot to the music, for sure.”

Appointed to the Order of Canada in 2014, Maida and Kreviazuk have left their mark on popular culture.

Maida’s rock band, Our Lady Peace, has won four Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys. The act is known for hits “Innocent,” “Superman’s Dead” and “Starseed.”

Kreviazuk, who won a Grammy and two Junos, has worked with Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Together, the couple penned songs from a variety of artists, including Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

The project came about when the couple wrote “I Love It When You Make Me Beg.” Maida says it’s one of his favorite songs he’s ever been involved with and “top three songs in my life.”

“It was like, ‘How do we do this?’” he

adds. “We tried to keep doing this, like come in late at night when everyone’s asleep. Two years later, nothing.”

A friend suggested Kreviazuk and Maida film the journey because it was going to be “special,” she says. The staff and the schedules would keep them accountable.

“We booked flights, we booked hotels and we couldn’t back out,” Maida adds.

“Those added to the responsibilities of producing the film. We hired all these people because, otherwise, we would have backed out.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on promotional work to support the album and the documentary. Maida, who like Kreviazuk, contracted and recovered from COVID-19, is hoping to play live sooner rather than later. The upside of performing later is fans can sit with the album, learn the music and further appreciate any live performance.

“As a couple, there are just so many metaphors,” she says. “When I think of music, it’s like nature, which is where poetry comes from. I’m not saying that environment solves problems or can set you on a path of continual healthy patterns or cycles, but it’s romantic in some settings.”

Moon vs. Sun facebook.com/moonvssunofficial

‘A LOT OF FIRE GOING ON’ THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

9

Daniel Ash takes chances with his new project

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

F

or about 43 years, Daniel Ash has played primarily with the same group of men — vocalist Peter Murphy, drummer Kevin Haskins and bassist David J — in the influential goth band Bauhaus.

Ash also played in Tones on Tail with Haskins, and in Love and Rockets with David J. and Haskins.

Later this year, he will show off his new project, Ashes and Diamonds, with a different cast of characters.

In Ashes and Diamonds, Ash will be joined by Public Image Ltd.’s Bruce Smith, and Paul Spencer Denman of Sade’s band.

“I’ve never worked with these two guys before,” Ash says. “It’s a real breath of fresh air. It’s still me working on songs as such. The approach is different, as we’re not in the same (place). Bruce is on the East Coast. Paul is in LA. I’m here (Ventura County, California).

“The music has this New York vibe to it, which is really working out well.”

The lineup came about organically.

Denman desired to perform with Ash for years, as their birthdays are within a day of each other.

“We have a lot in common,” he says.

“I believe in that zodiac stuff. We’re two Leos and a Sagittarius. There’s a lot of fire going on.

“He contacted me, and it felt this was the time to do it. Everybody has a lot of time on their hands. We started just to see how it would work. We have a great chemistry there. We get things done relatively quickly. We’re spontaneous, rather than laboring for things for months on end.”

The trio has recorded about 15 songs and, as of mid-February, was in the final stages of mixing and finishing the record, which is as of yet unnamed.

Though they started work in the studio 18 months ago, the band traded files with each other to finish it when the COVID-19 pandemic began to plague the world.

“We’ve been working via the internet,” he says. “We’re sending files to each other, tweaking songs. When we get the mixes back, we tweak them again.

“All of the stuff was written without the three of us being together. It’s bass, drums and guitars. There aren’t a ton of overdubs on it. It’s quite simplistic in that way.”

Of the 15 songs, Ash predicts the band will choose the best 10 and release those tracks.

“How we’re going to put it out has yet to be determined — maybe a track

a week or two weeks or put the whole thing out. I don’t know,” Ash says.

“We’ll probably do vinyl as well. That seems to be really picking up these days.”

Ash has lived in Ventura County since 2000, living about 10 miles “up the road from the ocean.” He’s spent the pandemic imbibing in his motorcycles, riding up to the mountains to get away from the pandemic storm.

“The bikes sort me out,” Ash says.

“It’s my yoga, if you like. I’ve been riding since I was 12. That has kept me going this whole time. It’s the one thing you can do and stay solitary. When this really hit, about last April or May, everybody was staying in. I was going on the bike, filling up at gas stations in the middle of nowhere.

Still, he came down with COVID-19.

He says he believes he picked it up at a motorcycle shop in Oxnard, California, and realized he had it May 15.

“I was down for the count for 15 days,” Ash says. “I think, subconsciously, I wanted to get it out of the way. Now I have the antibodies for it.”

Ash says he’s looking forward to hearing the reaction to Ashes and Diamonds’ music. They hope to play live once the pandemic restrictions are lifted and to have the tracks placed in film and television.

“A few tracks are custom made for

that,” he says. “It happens by accident that way. They stand up on their own as instrumentals.”

Ashes and Diamonds ashesanddiamonds.net

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

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UPFRONT | CITY | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Jared Kolesar goes solo with some familiar faces

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

U

nder the trees at La Grande Orange, Jared Kolesar looks like he’s about to jump off the picnic table bench.

Kolesar, wearing a black T-shirt that says “Deport all racists,” is getting ready to announce Jared & the Mill is no more.

He’s excited about renewing his “solo project,” Wheelwright. It’s “solo project” in quotes because the same musicians will co-write and perform when it’s convenient for them.

“We’re changing the way that we do everything,” says Kolesar, whose nails on his left hand are painted shades of black.

“Last year hit super hard. We had a little chat. We have a new manager now and she asked me, ‘What do you want as a band? What do you want spiritually?

What are you trying to achieve? What do we see in five years?’

“As a manager, it’s good to know how your clients feel. I didn’t know the answer to that.”

The band sat in a circle on drummer Josh Morin’s front yard and discussed the future of Jared & the Mill. Guitarist Larry Gast III wanted to retreat from

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touring and move to Minneapolis to be near his girlfriend. Morin said his partner was pregnant.

“I was super happy for them, but, obviously in my mind, I’ve only been thinking about my music career for 10 years,” Kolesar says.

“I don’t know if that’s healthy or not.

I was pretty stressed for a couple of days, but I realized it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to take a step back and reassess; just spend a week not thinking about it. I feel like I make my best decisions when I’m not thinking about it.

“I thought, ‘What if we kept doing things as a band, but we slapped my mug on the face of it and said it’s a solo project, but the guys stayed around me as a creative force.”

The musicians were on board, as they could pick and choose how much they wanted to be involved.

Kolesar is now recording and performing — once again — under the moniker Wheelwright.

“It gives me the freedom to go out and do things that I want to do,” he says.

“I can go to LA and write, if I want. I could do a tour. I could do a holiday tour. Usually, people want to be home

over the holidays. I’m just trying to be as productive as possible.

“It gives me the ability to act as my own artist, which is something I’ve never really been able to do.”

Jared & the Mill’s music isn’t going away. It will stay on streaming platforms.

On March 3, the handles and names will switch on social media and Wheelwright will release music on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music and other streaming services.

Wheelwright's first single, “Just Like You,” is certainly a departure from Jared & the Mill. Kolesar describes

the song as having a “dance vibe” and taking inspiration from contemporary R&B and grittier genres like Western, punk, grunge and hip-hop. Call it a funky version of Jared & the Mill.

The Wheelwright logo is more aggressive, too, having a switchblade through the second W. “It’s the sickest thing in the world and I can’t wait for it to be a sticker,” says Kolesar, who recently started the company PastaClique (@pastaclique on Instagram). “There have already been a couple of fans who thought it was aggressive. I said, ‘Well, I love it. I’m so sorry.’”

Kolesar is hoping most fans enjoy the music — and the logo for that matter.

He believes in the 20-plus songs he’s written, and he thinks they’re “super killer.”

He briefly stops to comment on a La Grande Orange customer’s beautiful dog. The animal lover in him is emerging.

Without a pause, Kolesar returns to “Just Like You,” which he calls the perfect introduction to Wheelwright’s music.

“It’s my thesis statement,” he says with a smile. “It’s going to be a really great way to set the ship off to sea. It still feels like a band, honestly. Nothing has changed much spiritually between me and the guys, which is great. I just feel like I’m getting the best of both worlds.”

PRANCING HORSES THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

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Ferraris headlining the Glendale Mecum Auction

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

F

erraris are taking center stage at Mecum Auctions’ third annual event at State Farm Stadium from March 18 to March 20.

The 1,200-car lineup will be headlined

by Steve Todhunter’s collection, which includes 20 vehicles ranging from seven pristine, low-mile Ferraris to a 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra FAM previously owned by late actor Paul Walker.

Not only is Todhunter a car collector, he is an example of someone who has an eye for evolution. Instead of continuously adding to and growing his collector car stables in numbers alone, Todhunter has poured his efforts into raising the bar in regard to the rarity and desirability of the collector cars within.

Among the group are seven extremely low-mile Ferraris wearing Rosso Corsa

2021 is available online in advance and onsite at the auction for $200, and it includes admission for two to all three auction days. For those unable to attend in person, enhanced remote bidding options are also available, with options for both online and telephone bidding.

Mecum Glendale 2021 Doors open at 8 a.m. and auctions begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 18, to Saturday, March 20 State Farm Stadium, 1 Cardinals Drive, Glendale $20 general admission mecum.com

red, ranging from a 175-mile 2011 599 GTO (Lot S103) to a 2,254-mile 2018 812 Superfast (Lot S108). The GTO is one of just 599 produced and one of only 125 exported to the United States, but not the rarest of the bunch.

Also in the prancing horse corner is a one-of-499 2009 F430 Scuderia Spyder 16M (Lot S107) with just 1,866 miles, a 2016 Ferrari F12tdf (Lot S105) showing just 449 miles and originally owned by Roger Penske, a 2,017-mile, Cavallino Classic-winning 1992 Ferrari 512 TR (Lot S102), a 1,344-mile 2005 Ferrari 575M Superamerica with Ferrari Classiche Red Book (Lot S104) and a 1,497-mile 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina (Lot S106).

The purpose-built 2006 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo (Lot S109) from Todhunter’s Glendale offering is one of just 14 produced,

shows 1,167 miles on its clock and stands as a state-of-the-art American supercar.

Other unique offerings from the Todhunter assemblage include the aforementioned 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra FAM (Lot S111.1), CSX1010, previously owned by Paul Walker, a 1969 Dodge Daytona (Lot S112), a pair of 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastbacks, one wearing Grabber Blue (Lot S113) and one wearing Grabber Green (Lot S114), as well as a handful of modern, low-mileage muscle cars and a selection of Triumph and BSA-brand antique motorcycles.

Together, the selection that Todhunter will bring to Glendale includes a wide range of vehicles that well demonstrate Todhunter’s metamorphic voyage as a collector of some of the world’s most celebrated and coveted automobiles.

Bidder registration for Mecum Glendale ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE FORMING OF IRISH SODA BREAD

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UPFRONT | CITY | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Mediterra Bakehouse shares its popular recipe

By Claire Natale

A

s with many great creations, it is the drive of necessity that leads to them. Irish soda bread has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the United States and is commonly thought of as a popular bread in Ireland.

However, its history is somewhat unclear.

The Native Americans are credited with first combining a natural form of soda, pearl ash created from the ashes of wood to leaven bread without yeast. In 1824, Mary Randolph’s “The Virginia Housewife” includes a recipe for soda cake with baking soda as a leavening agent. This process became popular.

Historically, Irish flour did not have a high gluten content, which is needed to rise when using yeast. Baking soda, when combined with an acid, creates a reaction that helps “soft” wheat to rise.

Financial hardships and inexpensive items led to soda bread’s creation. These quick breads are made of “soft” wheat flour, baking soda, sour milk and salt and was even popular among Irish lower and working classes.

Additionally, fresh milk was consumed as a beverage. Sour milk, which was usually thrown away, is used to react with the baking soda. Today, buttermilk is substituted.

The shape and baking of traditional

Irish soda bread are also layered in lore and tradition. Farming families, who did not have ovens, baked the bread in iron pots or on griddles. This resulted in the bread’s signature dense texture with a hard crust.

As time passed, the bread’s shape changed. Ireland’s northern regions divide the dough into four and create triangular shapes. It is then cooked on a flat griddle.

In the south, the dough is baked in a classic round loaf with a crosscut, which “lets the fairies out” and wards off evil.

Today, this classic recipe has evolved to include butter, eggs and flavorings from raisins, caraway seeds or orange zest.

Mediterra Bakehouse, a family-owned and -operated bread bakery, has peddled its version of Irish soda bread for more than a decade every March. Studded with golden raisins and caraway seeds then topped with Demerara sugar, Mediterra Bakehouse prides itself on its old-world techniques, making each loaf by hand. The staff uses the best ingredients, including the heritage grains the bakery farms and mills into flour.

Mediterra’s irish soda bread can be found at a local farmers markets, Valley Whole Foods and AJ’s Fine Foods.

Mediterra Bakehouse 226 S. Main Street, Coolidge mediterrabakehouse.com

MEDITERRA BAKEHOUSE’S IRISH SODA BREAD Ingredients - 1.075 pounds (3 2/3 cup) bread flour - 0.035 pounds (3 teaspoons) salt - 0.015 pounds (1.5 teaspoons) baking soda - 0.015 pounds (1.5 teaspoons) baking powder - 0.86 pounds (13.8 ounces) buttermilk - 0.04 pounds (4 teaspoons) caraway seeds - 0.54 pounds (1 cup) Golden Raisins - 1 to 2 tablespoons Demerara sugar Combine ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixers. Mix on low for 3 minutes. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 more minutes. Reduce speed to low and mix for 2 final minutes.

Shape dough into two 20-ounce rounds. Place each on a cooking sheet, cover with a light cloth and let proof for 1 hour in a draft-free area.

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Cut a cross 3/4-inch deep on top of the dough. Sprinkle with Demerrara sugar. Bake for 40 minutes on a baking sheet.

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

CITY

13

STYLE » ENVY » PASSION » FASHION » BEAUTY » DESIGN

PROMOTING EQUALITY

LUNAFEST helping give women filmmakers a platform

By Connor Dziawura

W

hen LUNAFEST returns every year, it brings with it a new set of films from around the world to highlight strong women, powerful images and impactful language.

Founded in 2001 by the makers of Luna — a nutrition bar for women — the all-women traveling film festival celebrates these filmmakers while raising money for local women’s causes.

This year marks the sixth time the festival comes to Phoenix. Once again hosted virtually by Soroptimist International of Phoenix, it will feature seven short films by and about women at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 7. Phoenix’s first prime-time anchorwoman, Mary Jo West, and Phoenix Film Critics Society President and “RightThisMinute” host Gayle Bass will serve as co-emcees. Tickets cost $25 per household.

Though suggested for audiences ages 16 and older, the festival bills the shorts as being “Rated Equal.” This highlights the importance of creating “an opportunity for women to have an equal platform to men,” says Lisa Farrar, cochair of LUNAFEST and president-elect of Soroptimist International of Phoenix.

“The films are typically always going to be with a subject matter that

is of significance to women, perhaps something that’s really top of mind with things that are going on from a contemporary perspective, and then diverse — so the films there might be a dramatic film, there might be a comedy film, there might be one or two animated films,” Farrar explains.

The seven films this year are Holly Morris’ “Overexposed: Filming an Arctic Odyssey,” Meg Shutzer’s “Knocking Down the Fences,” Amy Bench’s “A Line Birds Cannot See,” Sharon Shattuck’s “The Scientists Versus Dartmouth,” Maria Finitzo’s “Until She is Free,” Tracy NguyenChung and Ciara Lacy’s “Connection,” and Christine Turner’s “Betye Saar: Taking Care of Business.”

“I can honestly tell you this is my sixth year of viewing the films with LUNAFEST and I’m never disappointed,” Farrar says. “And I thought this year’s films were just particularly outstanding, so I’m really excited for people to have an opportunity to view them.”

Described by Farrar as “a collaboration of women who are passionate about women and passionate about elevating women,” LUNAFEST is a partnership between Luna and Chicken & Egg Pictures, a nonprofit that supports women nonfiction filmmakers.

Over the past 20 years, the touring festival has grown to being shown in “Until She is Free”

“Overexposed: Filming an Arctic Odyssey”

more than 200 cities throughout the United States and Canada each season — and this year even co-produced three films with Chicken & Egg Pictures.

Since its inception, LUNAFEST has spotlighted over 170 women filmmakers and hosted more than 2,500 screenings, while raising more than $6 million for women’s causes. Each stop on the tour is hosted by a local nonprofit organization; such is the case with Soroptimist International of Phoenix, which supports the educational objectives of women and girls.

“We’re all passionate about LUNAFEST, but it’s also about Soroptimist International of Phoenix,” Farrar says of the Phoenix event. “I mean, we’re raising money for women and girls. … We do educational grants, scholarships, and coaching and development for high school girls — so basically career coaching for high school girls — so we’re super passionate about that. We want to make sure that we’re … focused on raising those monies through this vehicle of LUNAFEST.” As was the case last year, LUNAFEST is moving forward virtually due to current events. This time, however, organizers had time on their side.

Originally planned to be in person at a larger venue than in previous years, the 2020 Phoenix event had to make a quick pivot. Roughly five days before its scheduled date, the COVID-19 shutdowns hit, Farrar recalls. It was then pushed back a few months, but when things didn’t turn around, organizers postponed it again and began the shift to

a virtual format.

“We were optimistic that we could really grow that event last year, and we were able to grow it, but we just ended up doing that virtually,” Farrar says.

She admits last year “was a little bit clunky,” as it incorporated a live Zoom intro with the short films streamed through Vimeo and ticketing handled

by Eventbrite. This year, LUNAFEST is using the more streamlined Eventive.

Films will be preceded by a prerecorded introduction.

A streaming link and password will be sent to ticket holders on the morning of the event, and films can be watched until 4 p.m. Monday, March 8.

“It’s a pretty special event and it’s pretty powerful, so I love everyone that’s helping us spread the word,” Farrar says. “Our desire is to really grow this film festival in our local market area and make it a signature fundraiser for us as well as elevate women’s issues and important things about women to our community.”

LUNAFEST 4 p.m. Sunday, March 7 Virtual $25 per household lunafest.org Soroptimist International of Phoenix Info: siphx.org Chicken & Egg Pictures Info: chickeneggpics.org ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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E R I F N O

Dobson Dorian Bustamante graduate brings ‘Raya’ to life

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

D

obson High School graduate Dorian Bustamante has a resume that speaks volumes.

Joining Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2019, Bustamante is embedded in the legendary family, having worked on Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” as well as Disney’s upcoming “Jungle Cruise.”

His first job? “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.”

“I submitted (my resume), interviewed and was hired,” he says. “So, my first gig, luckily, was in the ‘Star Wars’ art department.”

Bustamante now is getting ready to celebrate the March 5 release of “Raya and the Last Dragon,” for which he served as the layout artist. It will be available on Disney+ with premier access in most markets at the same time it’s released in select theaters.

“Raya and the Last Dragon” takes place in the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity.

Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned, and it’s up to a lone warrior, ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people.

Like most Disney fans, Bustamante is looking forward to seeing the completed film.

“I can’t wait to see it,” he says. “When I saw it, it was a work in progress. The composer, James Newton Howard, is my favorite composer. I love that guy.”

“Raya and the Last Dragon” features a voice cast of Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Benedict Wong, Izaac Wang, Thalia Tran, Alan Tudyk, Lucille Soong, Patti Harrison and Ross Butler.

“This film was important to me because a lot of my friends are Southeast Asian,” Bustamante says during a Zoom call during which his avatar was Rocket Raccoon.

“One of my closest friends is Thai.

This is actually a very different film. I don’t think I’ve seen a Southeast Asian Disney movie before. There’s ‘Mulan,’ but with the action and the style — with 3D and computer animation — that’s what I thought was cool. It was a cool action film for sure.”

Born and raised in Arizona, Bustamante was inspired to pursue an art and film career when he saw Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” in 1993. He dabbled in 2D animation before turning

to CGI. Ten years later, he worked with the director who inspired him.

In 2001, when he was 20, he moved to San Francisco to work in the “Star Wars” art department for George Lucas. He says the hours were long, but he learned everything from concept art to final compositing.

After the “Star Wars” prequels, he was recruited to work with Spielberg on “War of the Worlds” in Los Angeles.

Since then, he’s collaborated with James Cameron on “Avatar” and JJ Abrams with “Star Trek.”

For “Raya and the Last Dragon,” Bustamante was the layout artist who helped visualize the cinematic look of the animated film by placing digital cameras within a scene.

“I had just come off of helping supervise the last two ‘Avengers’ fi lms — ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame,’” he says.

“There was a lot of choreographed fight scenes and battles. When it came to ‘Raya and the Last Dragon,’ they were doing it, too. Awesome. I was like, ‘Dude. I’m right in there.’”

It seems as if COVID-19 would have thrown a wrench in the production of “Raya and the Last Dragon.”

Bustamante says it did not.

“Like everyone else in California, we were told, ‘Oh, you guys need to pack

up and go,’” he says. “OK, great. We had monitors waiting for us at the end of the day. I put in the car and set up a home office. I was good to go by lunchtime the next morning.”

Creatively, however, it was challenging. To ensure accuracy, a Southeast Asian consultant team was on staff.

“They would correct us if they put the wrong foot first and instances like that,” he says. “So, being in layout and doing all the camerawork, I was just trying to make sure we didn’t have errors.

“They would tell us, too, what would be appropriate for this and that. Then we would make adjustments.”

After “Star Wars,” “Avengers,” “Avatar” and “Star Trek,” Bustamante remains modest.

“I just keep busy,” he says. “I really don’t notice things until I look backward — especially right now. I’ve realized a lot of the stuff I’ve worked on have actually been Disney films. Now that Disney owns Lucasfilm, I came full circle from where I started to where I’m at right now.”

“Raya and the Lost Dragon” Opens Friday, March 5, on Disney+ and theaters http://bit.ly/3sp5q9l

GETTING AWAY THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

15

Eddie Eberle always finds the ‘silver lining’ in music

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

S

inger-songwriting Eddie Eberle comes from a storytelling background. He doesn’t share mindless lyrics; he delves deeper than that. With his project Eddie and the Getaway, Eberle is able to share that.

His latest single “Silver Linings” — co-written and co-produced by Lincoln Paris, formerly of Cage the Elephant — and the track’s music video are just the beginning. He’s planning on releasing a song every six weeks.

“Storytelling is a little more like country, just the way they go about saying things,” says Eberle, who moved last year from Scottsdale to Nashville.

“I grew up on Tom Petty storytelling stuff and early 2000s pop-rock like Cage the Elephant and the Killers.

Lincoln taught me to embrace my youth and energetic side. Songs prior to ‘Silver Lining’ were a little more on the midtempo side. This one is jump-upand-down stuff.”

A mutual friend introduced Eberle and Paris, and the two hit it off when they

had coffee together.

“We started talking about musical influences and stylistic stuff, and what he sees in me as an artist,” Eberle says.

“It was just super natural. You hear about those stories. This song, we wrote it in an hour and a half and spent another day recording. It felt so natural.

It was cool to find someone who’s so similar.”

Eberle’s musical journey started in Scottsdale, while he attended Notre Dame High School. Now he’s taking online classes through ASU for a degree in business entrepreneurship. Eberle, who is joined in his band by Christian “Champ” Champion, will graduate six months early so he can focus on music.

“We’re actually setting up a tour for all of my followers on TikTok, too,” he adds. “We’re doing a backyard party tour. I’ve never done it. I have a pretty decent fanbase, so I’d like to take advantage of that and see all the people who have helped grow my music.”

Eddie and the Getaway eddieandthegetaway.com

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LIVING FOR THE MOMENT

16

UPFRONT | CITY | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

John O’Callaghan releases his first solo record

By Claire Spinner

T

he Maine frontman John O’Callaghan has been practicing self-reflection as the country approaches the one-year anniversary of the first lockdown.

Having recently released his first full-length solo album, “I Only Want to Live Once,” under the moniker John the Ghost, O’Callaghan has discovered himself through the pandemic.

The Maine relied heavily on touring, so O’Callaghan had more time to contemplate his music and his personal life.

“I’ve been coming to terms with not having touring in my life, so I have had to do more introspective reflection and thinking about who I want to be and what kind of persona I want to exude off stage,” O’Callaghan says.

“It has been tough, but I am very fortunate for all the things I have and fortunate that I am still able to make music and that people are still listening.”

Raised in Chandler, O’Callaghan has released music with his band for nearly 15 years. As an industry veteran, he feels he has more freedom with songwriting.

“I think that being comfortable enough to be vulnerable comes with time,” he says. “It really helps you feel like you can take more risks. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to take some of the chances I did on this album without experience under my belt.”

Releasing an album was not the original plan, as the Phoenix resident wanted to release songs individually. The result is an album featuring a multitude of styles and influences, all recorded in a whirlwind nine days with Globe producer Matt Keller. They recorded one song a day, not worrying about an overarching theme.

“I didn’t really care to overthink things while recording,” O’Callaghan says. “I just wanted to express myself in the moment and then move on. I think it made the album really honest in that way. I didn’t have time to sit and overthink and be neurotic about the material, so it was a breath of fresh air. I was just having fun.”

The songs were written exclusively by O’Callaghan, with only Keller aiding in production. Used to recording with a band, O’Callaghan experienced new pressures in making the music. But it felt good to go beyond his comfort zone.

“It was cool to be able to have that kind of pressure on my shoulders alone and to be responsible for playing ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

and recording everything and just hammering out the lyrics in a quick time frame,” he says.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, O’Callaghan had good news to share.

He married in November, and that has impacted his music greatly.

“When you decide you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, naturally it impacts your train of thought and your mode of thinking,” he says. “It’s been a really incredible time in my life.”

Arizona also inspires his music.

“I think Arizona has a heavy effect on everything that I write about,” he says.

“Having the experience of being able to leave Arizona and see other parts of the world made me really appreciate what I have here — the sunsets, the weather and, of course, family and friends. It’s really just a long way of saying that I love Arizona and I feel like I was very fortunate to have been born here and to live here.”

O’Callaghan said he would love to tour the album, but he is focusing on the present. He wants to remind his fans and

himself of that.

“To me, it’s really all about just being in the now and knowing that just existing is enough,” O’Callaghan says.

“That’s the message I ultimately want to send not only to just my fans, but to myself as well. We are existing right now in this moment, and nothing else means much more than that.”

John the Ghost johntheghost.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

17

KNOWLEDG E IS POWER

Gio Benitez shares survival stories on A&E

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

G

io Benitez had a busy week. He headed to Pasadena to cover Perseverance Rover’s descent and touchdown on Mars. Then, the ABC reporter and transportation correspondent covered the Hawaii-bound United Flight 328’s in-air emergency.

“It’s funny because I landed Saturday morning,” he says. “I had done a story on ‘GMA’ (‘Good Morning America’) about Mars. I was looking forward to the weekend. I had to turn around to go out.

“It can get kind of busy, but, at the end of the day, nobody was hurt on this plane. That is the best kind of story.”

Benitez is even busier now. He recently launched his A&E channel series “I Survived a Crime.”

The show takes viewers on a journey into the experience of being a victim of a sudden crime, from the moment those attacked first perceive the danger through the potential long-lasting effects. Using surveillance and cellphone footage captured during the crime, the series follows individuals going about their daily lives who were confronted

with a dangerous situation and forced to make a quick decision on how to protect themselves or their families.

“It’s funny,” he says. “I have a friend who loves horror movies. Now he’s hooked on this particular show. Survival stories are compelling.

“When I heard about this show, I said, ‘OK, my favorite kinds of stories I like to tell are survival stories. We learn so much from people.’

“We could all relate because all of us have different circumstances we have to go through. In cases of survival, we hear what got them through that particular moment and what they were thinking, and how they dealt with that kind of drama and how they deal.”

Benitez says it was interesting to hear that the victims didn’t know how they expected to react. Most fought back and were able to escape.

“I certainly felt like I was talking to survivors in watching the clips,” he says. “I have no idea how I would even react. When faced with a situation, they needed to act and did whatever they could think of doing to escape.

“Law enforcement didn’t agree with some of their tactics. That’s why we show you why they did it and what law

enforcement says you should do. I hope it’s a learning tool and viewers are able to put that in their mental toolbox.”

As transportation correspondent for ABC News, based in New York and Washington, D.C., Benitez regularly covers aviation, space, railroads and the auto industry for all ABC News programs and platforms.

Benitez is an award-winning reporter and has covered a wide range of stories for the network, including the Pulse nightclub shooting, El Chapo’s underground escape from a Mexican prison, and the Boston Marathon bombing.

Before joining ABC News in 2013, he was a reporter for WFOR-TV in Miami, where he covered the 2012 presidential election and the Trayvon Martin case.

In January 2010, Benitez traveled to Haiti to cover relief efforts following the devastating earthquake. His return flight to Miami was turned into a rescue mission, as he traveled with injured Haitian evacuees to the island of Curaçao. In June 2009, he was the first reporter to shoot a TV story entirely with an iPhone.

Before becoming a reporter,

the Miami-born Benitez was an investigative producer at WFORTV and worked on stories involving Medicare fraud, public safety and government corruption. He started at the station as an Emma L. Bowen Foundation work-study scholar.

Eighteen episodes of “I Survived a Crime” have been filmed. Benitez says “I Survived a Crime” is the perfect TV show for the COVID-19 pandemic, as it shows the strength of the human spirit and its resilience.

“We have that human instinct to survive,” he adds. “When I was a kid — probably 13 — I lived in Miami and saw hurricanes all over the place.

During the hurricanes, I would watch TV and see the power of television and keeping people safe and helping people. Through this medium of television, I’m able to help people. I became obsessed.

“A mentor of mine said knowledge is power. I couldn’t agree more.”

“I Survived a Crime” Wednesday nights on A&E aetv.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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ARTS

CULTURE » THEATER » DANCE » GALLERY » DRAMA » VISION

A MONTH OF ARTS AND CULTURE

Art Detour marks 33 years with expansion

By Connor Dziawura

A

rt Detour, Phoenix’s original art walk event, is broadening its footprint from an extended weekend to more than a month of arts and culture.

Launched in the Downtown Phoenix area in 1989, the annual Artlinkproduced event is signifying 33 years with a fitting 33 days. Expanded both in duration and geographical boundaries due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event will be loaded with in-person and virtual events through March 31.

On deck are more than 300 arts activities and “Articipants,” the term affectionately given to participating arts venues, arts and culture organizations, arts-supporting businesses from around the Valley, and visual and performing artists from around the state.

“Many people are familiar with First and Third Fridays, but Art Detour precedes all of that,” explains Catrina Kahler, president and chief executive officer of Artlink.

“Similar to those events is that it is very much self-guided. It’s a way to discover parts of the city via the arts that you may not have previously experienced. But in addition to that, there’s a higher focus on the artists themselves. It’s not just about the destinations that provide the visual and performing arts offerings that we’re talking about, but it’s also exploring the spaces where the artists are creating.

“Visits to the artists’ studios was the

founding element of Art Detour, so what that implies is that Art Detour is really about making the creative process more visible. It’s developing the relationships with the artists in a one-on-one manner,” Kahler continues. “Art Detour over the years has evolved into, yes, selfguided studio tours, gallery exhibitions, performances, but also culinary arts.

There are a number of restaurants and bars who are very much connected to the arts and culture community … and it’s the ecology of the whole arts and culture community that Art Detour celebrates.”

Highlights at Art Detour include the 21st annual juried exhibition at FOUND:RE Phoenix Hotel; Bentley Gallery’s “Color Theory” exhibition; The Garment League’s Annual On Central Fashion & Art; Alwun House Foundation’s Exotic Art Show; live artists, antique shopping and bands at Hawksalvage; Bragg’s Vendor Market at Bragg’s Pie Factory; Vertigo Art Gallery’s “Inner Child” multiartist exhibition; and Modified Arts’ window exhibitions.

Featured thanks to the expanded geographical boundaries are “Forbidden Colors” at Mesa Arts Center; the Happy Mustache Art Collaborative at Ironwood Projects; FoodintheAlleyisArtintheAlley at Joan Baron Studio; the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Art Museum; and Valley Metro’s Artsline celebrations.

And, keeping in line with the potential that some people may still be avoiding in-person gatherings, virtual highlights include Herberger Theater Center’s “The Human Spirit”; virtual youth art classes

“The Unbearable Lightness of Guide Dogs” by Kris Manzanares

“Shibarushi” by Snood City

by Keely Finucane; The Gallery’s “The Capsule Collection”; Music at Trinity’s “Urban Nocturnes Live in the Labyrinth”; and Phoenix Center for the Arts’ “The Art of Mixing – Colors & Cocktails.”

Art Detour will operate within the confines of COVID-19 restrictions — though this time the organizers are aiming to counteract any issues.

Kahler recalls mass event cancellations beginning the week Art Detour was starting last year, leaving some activities to carry on as planned while other spaces closed their doors.

But nobody foresaw that the pandemic would remain ongoing a year later, Kahler admits, adding that rising case numbers in the fall and winter led Artlink to think differently and get creative. Despite the effects, she says the art community remained — and Artlink needed to be there to help.

So, the arts-supporting nonprofit made a commitment to move forward, taking in public health concerns while paying attention to the time and space needed. Acknowledging the rise in virtual programming and content over the past year as well as the importance of connectedness between people, Artlink is ensuring online content alongside its in-person programming while also expanding the duration and geographical boundaries of the overall Art Detour, ensuring social distancing and avoiding large gatherings.

“We really just made the commitment that Art Detour needs to happen. We can’t cancel. This is an artist-born event. It’s been around 33 years. It must happen,” Kahler says. “So, when we started looking at continuing with the weeklong schedule, a week schedule implies a series of events, and that just

didn’t work. So that’s when we just said, OK, let’s bust it wide open and go with the 33 days and just celebrate and take the time to articulate all of the communities that make our arts and culture community what it is, as vibrant as it is, and take the time to celebrate all facets of it.”

As to whether Art Detour will continue in its new monthlong format or revert back to a week of arts once the pandemic subsides has yet to be determined. Artlink’s goal right now, Kahler says, “is to be as responsive as possible.”

“Artlink amplifies what is happening in the arts community, and if COVID lifts — when COVID lifts — and the arts community starts producing more frequent in-person experiences … we will be there to promote that,” she says.

“If, for whatever reason, there are still some limitations and, in a more positive light, if the community continues to innovate where they’re seeing online experiences or actually expanding their reach, where they’re able to reach new audiences that they couldn’t reach prior to that, we will definitely continue to promote that; we’ll do that on a yearround basis as Artlink.

“Art Detour plans are to be determined at this point,” she adds.

“We’re going to get through the 33 days and see how that goes and seeing how best this celebratory event can serve the community in the future.”

Art Detour Through March 31 Various locations Pricing may vary artdetour.com

AN ‘IMPORTANT VOICE’ THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

19

‘Romerofest’ honors ATC’s Elaine Romero

By Steve Carr

E

laine Romero has never had a problem putting words to paper. She’s been making those transfers since she was small child.

“I’ve always written,” she says. “In high school, it was mostly poetry and short stories,” she says. “But her awakening as a playwright happened during her freshman year in college.

“The semester before I took a theater course, I had taken a fiction course. I met with one of my professors and told him, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I can only think in dialogue.’ He told me to write a play. I wrote my first one at 18.”

She’s never stopped.

Over the course of a 20-plus-year career, most of them as playwright-inresidence at Arizona Theatre Company (ATC), her work, her name and her reputation have reverberated across the international theater community.

That impact will become even clearer during March, when her body of work drives a monthlong celebration dubbed “RomeroFest,” the brainchild of Arizona Theatre Company Artistic Director Sean Daniels.

“In the American theater, we foolishly only do celebrations of a body of work when a playwright dies or moves away.

Let’s not wait for either with Elaine,” Daniels says.

“Elaine Romero is an internationally produced and recognized playwright who chose to make Tucson her home. It’s time for us to start celebrating the artists who are here, and how better to do that but by experiencing her work. She is an important voice of our generation — and just a ton of fun. So, who doesn’t want more Elaine around?”

And that she will be when 16 theater companies in the United States and Mexico present her plays in digital readings, performances and even a film.

“RomeroFest,” presented by ATC and Tucson-based Winding Road Theater Ensemble and The Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre, will launch at 7 p.m.

Monday, March 1, live event hosted by ATC featuring a town hall-type panel discussion about Romero’s work and its impact.

The launch event and each of the plays presented for free by ATC can be viewed at arizonatheatre.org and on YouTube, Facebook and Vimeo. Viewers can

watch presentations by other theaters, including Childsplay in Tempe, by visiting arizonatheatre.org/romerofest.

When Sean Daniels first uttered the word “RomeroFest,” I thought he was joking. I think we all chuckled for a second,” Romero says.

“I never dreamed anyone in the American theater would give such precise attention to my work, especially launched from here in Arizona, where sometimes I have felt particularly anonymous.”

That may change with presentations by theater companies in Phoenix, Tucson, Mexico City, Colorado Springs, New York City, Portland, Raleigh, North Carolina, and South Bend, Indiana.

“I had often dreamed of seeing my plays next to each other — to better understand how they are in conversation with one another, but also to better understand each one individually more,” Romero says.

“A playwright is not in a position to say, ‘Hey, I’ve written all these plays. It’s really my life’s work. Pay attention to me.’ A playwright can only keep doing the work and pray that people see the quality of what they have created — that folks have the curiosity to see their plays as part of a larger body of work — that theatres see their commitment to refining the work — that others will be excited about the voice of the writer and the voice of their plays.”

Her connection to and deep love for the theater became clear through her mentors and the discovery of “what it means to write a play and how a play lives and breathes in those three dimensions,” she explains. “I’ve always been attracted to that three-dimensional world where writing could live in a bigger way.”

Daniels will direct two of the plays: “Halsted,” presented by ATC on March 10, and “Wetback,” presented by

Winding Road Theater Ensemble on March 15.

Among Romero’s most important works are those included in her war pentalogy.

“When I was 5 years old, my uncle was killed in the Vietnam War,” she says of her motivation. “I have written the war plays to understand what happened to my cousins, my extended family, my country, our world, and to him.”

Her play “Barrio Hollywood” was the first in publisher Samuel French’s 175year history to be published in English and Spanish acting editions.

In addition to the plays being presented during “RomeroFest,” each Friday episode of ATC’s livestreaming podcast “Hang & Focus” will feature guests associated with the productions.

“RomeroFest” arizonatheatre.org ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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CASHING IN

Phoenix Theatre tells the story of The Man in Black in ‘Ring of Fire’

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

J

ohnny Cash’s story will be told using 38 of The Man in Black’s songs during the Phoenix Theatre Company’s musical “Ring of Fire.”

The musical, which runs March 10 to April 4, will performed at the theater’s new socially distanced outdoor stage.

“You’ll get the songs that are more well-known ones and the ones that are a little more obscure — but all really amazing songs,” says Scott Weinstein, “Ring of Fire” director.

“They’ve been repurposed in the different moments. ‘Country Boy’ was repurposed to be about his childhood, which is what he was about. ‘The song ‘Five Feet High and Rising’ was about a flood that nearly wiped out the family’s farm. That’s used in that context as well.”

The song “Ring of Fire” is performed like it would be in concert, but also meant to be about his relationship with June.

Weinstein stressed “Ring of Fire” is not a tribute act but a musical. Five musicians play their own instruments.

“It’s a fun theatrical piece that has something for everyone,” Weinstein says. “There are recreations of some of his performances; the other times songs are more theatricalized. Fans of rock concerts will get that, and fans of musicals will get that, too.”

Weinstein is a familiar face to the Phoenix Theatre Company, as he also directed “Million Dollar Quartet.”

Living in New York and working as a freelance director, Weinstein was referred by friends to the Phoenix ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Theatre Company.

“I just fell in love with this theater,” he says. “I go all over the world directing plays. It’s fun but hard. I don’t get to make relations everywhere I go. At the Phoenix Theatre, I bonded all the staff, the community and the actors.

“The moment I got here, I was welcomed by everyone. I had so much fun working with this amazing team and staff. We rehearsed in masks and face shields.”

In “Ring of Fire,” two actors play Cash — Alex Crossland plays the young version of him, and Greg Hammer, who played Cash in “Million Dollar Quartet” starts as the singer later in life.

“It’s really all five people embodying the spirit of Johnny Cash,” Weinstein says. “The spirit infuses the whole show.

It’s much more theatrical in context.

“It’s very fun and cool. What’s nice, too, is it leaves room for the audience to have their own experience with it in a way. They can loosely see their own lives in it and take these songs as a metaphor.”

Weinstein is a longtime Cash fan whose love and appreciation deepened through his work on “Million Dollar Quartet.” Cash’s music, Weinstein says, has a real staying power because good stories “never really go out of style.”

“Ring of Fire” Various times March 10 to April 4 Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix $59 602.254.2151, phoenixtheatre.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

DINING

21

EAT » EXPERIENCE » INDULGE » SAVOR » DEVOUR » NOSH

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT

Pita Jungle predicts opportunities with first food truck

By Connor Dziawura

S

ince it was founded in 1994, Pita Jungle has grown to 24 locations across the Phoenix area, Flagstaff and Tucson. To continue its expansion and provide healthy options to a growing customer base here in the Valley, the Mediterranean chain is taking a different angle with the launch of its new food truck.

“Everyone has been kind of seduced by the notion of food trucks, and that had started a few years ago when food trucks came out of the woodwork as a new thing,” says Bassel Osmani, Pita Jungle co-founder. “Chefs were going on food trucks. Suddenly, it wasn’t just typical ‘food truck’ food.”

Citing a shift from typical “festival food” such as hot dogs to “gourmet” options, Osmani realizes there are opportunities that come with mobile food, especially in light of recent events.

“Now, in the wake of COVID — or while we’re still in COVID — we realized that’s something that we can use in several fashions,” Osmani explains. “Having turned to Uber Eats and DoorDash and all these platforms during this pandemic, we noticed with our brand recognition all that we needed to do is turn on a platform to get sales.”

The 20-foot truck features a custombuilt kitchen, serving some of the brand’s usual starters, salads, pitas, sandwiches, bowls and desserts — not to mention

combos and a few new items specific to the truck. Osmani calls the selections Pita Jungle’s “greatest hits” that also work in a mobile format. Plus, he says, the team is leaving room for specials.

“We’ll be testing things to see what works, what doesn’t,” he explains.

Osmani is keeping his eye on opportunities from all angles, and he sees many different ways the food truck could prove useful to Pita Jungle.

Mainly, it will allow expanded access to areas where the chain doesn’t already have restaurants, while also allowing third-party delivery support. Osmani likens it to a new restaurant and digital storefront.

The truck’s location will be updated in real time on Pita Jungle’s website, with the brand also aiming to engage with supporters on social media, Osmani says.

On the other hand, he says catering is a “huge” part of Pita Jungle, which has always sought a practical way of doing so.

“If nothing else, I mean, that food truck will be a very useful tool just to shape up and fortify our catering operations,” Osmani says. “And then if things work out, the sky’s the limit, right?”

While the goal is to eventually have a fleet of food trucks, Osmani considers the first one “the proverbial wetting the whistle.” It all depends upon results.

“We’ll take it from there,” he says.

Beyond the obvious scenarios, Osmani is open to other opportunities for the food truck. That includes a future in which there could be a drive-thru lane, something he says other restaurants have had success with during the pandemic.

“Imagine you have a physical location and you put the truck next to it and you create a traffic loop where cars drive up to the food truck, place an order on a microphone or by a human attendant in a parking lot, and then they drive through it and pick up,” he describes.

Another opportunity could be going so far as to put food trucks in more

remote locations, giving people access to healthy food by such areas as rest stops.

“I thought about the notion of going somewhere on the I-10 or the I-8 between Phoenix and San Diego, Phoenix and LA, and putting food trucks there,” Osmani notes.

And while he emphasizes it’s not in the works, a “summon” feature is on his wish list so the food truck could target highdemand areas.

“There’s lot of cool applications, but we have to figure out the logistics,” he says.

Pita Jungle pitajungle.com @pitajungle

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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BEER AND WINE

SIP » BREW » RELAX » EXPERIMENT » REFRESH » TOAST

SHAKE YOUR TAIL FEATHER

Peacock Wine Bar shares elegance and wine

By Annika Tomlin

P

eacock Wine Bar blends the owners’ passion for the alcoholic beverage and a family feel.

Tracy Wallace and her husband, Rich, opened the Gilbert wine bar after visiting a similar place in San Francisco.

“I had gone to this one wine bar at least twice while I was there,” Tracy says.

“The environment really resonated with me because it was very comfortable. I didn’t feel like I was being rushed to drink up and leave.”

Upon her return to Arizona, Tracy looked for a similar place and found nothing that matched the way that wine bar made her feel.

“I knew I wanted to do something, and I didn’t know what it was,” she says.

“After all of this I was like, ‘Hey, I think we’ll open a wine bar.’ My husband actually thought it was just some crazy thing that I said.”

He realized she was serious when she started scouting locations.

“We have a lot of beer and wine bars (in Gilbert), but they’re smaller and they offer beer and wine — mostly beer,” says Tracy, a Gilbert resident. “The other thing, the wine list at least at these ‘wine bars’ is very small. I knew I wanted to offer a wide range of wine from all over the world.”

Peacock Wine Bar has two wine clubs — Peahen Club, which sends one bottle of white wine and one bottle of red or two bottles of red wine monthly for $35, or Peacock Club that includes one bottle of white wine and two reds monthly for $55.

“Our wines that we choose for wine club, we never have them on our menu ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

or on our wine wall,” Wallace says. “We offer a 15% discount for our wine club members (along with) complimentary wine tastings whenever we have a wine tasting.”

Peacock Wine Bar offers an array of wines, beers and delectable fare.

Customers can choose one of three wine flights including a combination of four wines (red and white) for $22, four global reds for $30 or four “worldly whites” for $26. Each wine is a 3-ounce pour.

“One of my favorites is called Ball Buster,” Wallace says of the wine priced at $10 for a glass and $32 for a bottle.

“It’s made by Tait Winery, and it’s a syrah.”

Rounding out her top three are sauvignon blanc, Casas Del Bosque ($9/$29) and cabernet franc called Durigutti ($11/$35).

Her favorite three beers at the Peacock Wine Bar are Phantom Bride IPA from Belching Beaver ($7); Peanut Butter Nitro Stout from Belching Beaver ($7); and her “all-time favorite is a sour,” Rainbow Sherbet by Prairie Artisan Brewing ($6).

Weekly specials at Peacock Wine Bar allow everyone to join in on the friendly wine bar experience.

Mondays they either have teacher appreciation or educator appreciation night, allowing 20% off for qualifying patrons. Tuesday is $10 off bottles or “$10 Tuesday.” Wednesday is date night offering a $50 special for a bottle of wine and fondue. Thursday is Ladies Night with happy hour lasting all day and the Peacock Board which is an assortment of meats, cheeses and accompaniments for $15. Soon to be added to the menu will be five cocktails.

“Because of our license, we have to use

a wine-based spirit,” Wallace says. “The difference between a wine-based spirit and a regular spirit is that a wine-based spirit is fermented, where like your Ketel One, all of that is distilled.

“We will use the wine-based spirit in the amount that would equal to a regular spirit because they are a little lower in alcohol percentage.”

As for food, the menu is simple yet creative. Starters feature a protein board, bread and dipping, assorted olives, red pepper bacon avocado toast, burrata plate and naan, and hummus with veggies ($5 to $15).

The “Main A’Fare” boasts bruschetta and charcuterie boards, flatbreads, salads and a cheese fondue for two ($8 to $30).

End the meal with chocolate or macaron flight ($15).

Peacock Wine Bar was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic but is still holding on.

“Business was kind of nonexistent for us,” says Wallace about the start of the pandemic. “We were just at our sixmonth mark when we had to close the first time. We’re still getting our word

out there.

“When we closed, we tried the to-go wine and beer and sometimes some of our food, but it never really caught on.

We did a little bit, but it just never really took hold.”

When restaurants were allowed to reopen, Wallace saw a decline in customers because “why would they go out of their way to come to our little wine bar when they can’t sit and enjoy their time.”

“We closed a second time and I had to let all of my staff go the second time around because I didn’t have any more funds to pay payroll with,” Wallace says.

“We reopened in September and since then … we’re not doing awful.

“Basically, when we reopened it was just like we opened for the first time.”

Peacock Wine Bar 1525 N. Gilbert Road, Suite C108, Gilbert 480.590.1586, peacockwinebar.com

MAD MIXOLOGIST A THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

By Alison Bailin Batz

drian Galindo is a bartender at Guac Star Kitchen and Cantina, an innovative plant-based Mexican food eatery in Tempe that creates a dining experience typically associated with that of hip, mainstream restaurants found in New York and Los Angeles. The California native brings experience from Postino and Ghost Ranch to the new restaurant and bar.

ODDEST INGREDIENT YOU’VE EVER USED IN A COCKTAIL? I’ve used corn masa, nitrous gas and even Szechuan buzz buttons, which are edible flowers that have a numbing effect, but I think the weirdest overall ingredient just in terms of taste and “why would you ever put that into a drink” is aquafaba. Aquafaba is a vegan alternative to egg whites, and at the risk of exposing every bartender with an aquafaba cocktail, this ingredient is basically the packing water from cans of beans, usually a more neutral-tasting bean like garbanzo.

FAVORITE MEMORY WORKING BEHIND A BAR? Not only have I had some of the best conversations of my life on either side of the bar, but almost all of the friends I have made in Arizona are a direct result of me bartending. And, wow, do we have hundreds of great memories.

If I had to pick just one, though, I once had a regular who introduced me to a guest sitting next to him. He was in the process of moving from Houston and looking for houses in the area. It was a busy night, so I didn’t have much time to talk, so after I got off I sat with them for a drink. I started talking to the random guest, who was around my age, and we all decided to go grab a drink somewhere else.

Well, one drink swiftly turned into six drinks,

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which then turned into a trip to Old Town Scottsdale, that then turned into some questionable decisions and being out until 4 in the morning when I had to work brunch the next day at 7 a.m. This was five years ago now, and that random guy is one of my best friends.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE LOOKING TO GET INTO THE INDUSTRY? In terms of all-around best life advice for the industry, try your hardest to be a good person to those around you. Bad gas travels fast in a small community, and the Phoenix service industry is extremely small. In terms of growing as a bartender, get involved with wine, beer and culinary arts. These will all teach you new things and develop your palate/ creativity. The wine world, especially, will have you doing things like swishing with different liquids to learn about viscosity and mouthfeel, licking rocks to learn about minerality, and sniffing produce in the grocery store — well, at least it would pre-COVID-19. The insights you can glean from food and wine are invaluable. These communities touch, taste and smell everything so they can incorporate them better into their craft.

FAVORITE COCKTAILS OR SPIRITS WHEN NOT WORKING? If I am just hanging out at home, I’m all about Mexican spirits. The menu at Guac Star really pushed me to incorporate agave spirits in more approachable ways for the less agave inclined, and the next menu I’m working on for Bacanora helped my love for the lesser-known spirits blossom. I have always wanted to get closer to my roots, and Mexican spirits like mezcal,

Bacanora, sotol and raicilla are fun ways to do that. I very rarely drink, which is kind of funny considering my current career choice, but when I do it’s usually straight mezcal or a mezcal cocktail.

TELL US ABOUT THE COCKTAIL PROGRAM AT GUAC STAR. The cocktail program at Guac Star is all about agave-based spirits. Our aim is to make it fun and approachable, but we also want to ease the burden of service on the bartenders by kegging the cocktails. While most of the drinks are an homage to classic ’80s and ’90s cocktails (think cosmo or Long Island iced tea), the main focus was trying to do elevated cocktails that don’t require eight to 10 touches. We really wanted to focus on speed of service while not taking away from the quality of the products, so we do our best to incorporate quality spirits and fresh ingredients. That being said, we are living in the Instagram age, so it was important to us to make every drink as beautiful as realistically possible utilizing fresh edible orchids, dehydrated fruit and colorful mixes. The visual

TROPICAL HEART 1.5 ounces Corazon Single Estate Silver Tequila (infused by Guac Star with avocado pits and cilantro) 1.5 ounces lime juice 3/4 ounces tropical heat syrup (made with equal parts pineapple real and Guac Star’s homemade chile de arbol tincture) 1/2 ounce Combier Triple Sec 1/2 ounce agave Build all ingredients into a small shaker tin, add ice, shake until ice cold to the touch. Strain into a wine glass with a chile de arbol salt rim; top with ice and garnish with sliced fresnos peppers.

and aromatic components are super important, but equally as important is the experience these cocktails can provide.

WHAT IS ONE DRINK YOU WANT TO FEATURE THIS MONTH AND COST? The Tropical Heat, $9 WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS COCKTAIL? For one, it seems like every restaurant and bar that has a margarita has a jalapeno margarita, but our spicy margarita uses chile de arbol, guajillo and habanero for both a unique spice and flavor. That alone would be good enough for me, but as an added bonus I got to nerd out on this cocktail quite a bit by making these chiles into a rapid nitrous infusion tincture. The process essentially uses a nitrous whipper, a neutral spirit (I used vodka for neutral flavor), and the chopped chiles. The tincture only takes about 20 minutes to make, and the nitrous infusion adds a creamy mouthfeel and hint of sweetness that cuts the capsaicin burn just a touch. The Tropical Heat also incorporates pineapple real syrup and is a build off of our house margarita, so aside from being three of my favorite things — delicious, nerdy and spicy — it is also a super-fast drink to make.

Finally, for added spice, we use a chile de arbol salt lip if you so desire an extra kick in the mouth.

Guac Star Kitchen & Cantina 920 E. University Drive, Suite 204, Tempe 480.219.9272, guacstar.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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CASINOS

PLAY » SPIN » LAUGH » GROOVE » UNWIND » WIN

‘A GREAT LITTLE OASIS’ Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino inspires grown-ups to play

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

H

arrah’s Ak-Chin Casino’s sweltering gaming floor is filled with the sounds of bells, winners’ squeals and chitchat among the guests on a recent Saturday. They’re all socially distanced, even in the busy restaurants.

Michael Kintner, the casino’s senior vice president and general manager, is proud of how the complex has been able to survive the pandemic.

He chalks it up to Caesars Entertainment’s affiliation with Harrah’s. Players can sign up for Caesars Rewards, which can be collected at any of the company’s nearly 40 U.S. properties for casino gaming or entertainment activities.

“It doesn’t cost anything to sign up,” he says. “Right now, if you sign up, you get $25 in free play. You can use your credits in the restaurant, nongaming or gaming. It keeps people coming back.”

Approaching his 16-year anniversary with Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, Kintner enjoys the venue as much as the guests.

He shares his joy when strangers ask about his occupation.

“People ask me, ‘What do you do for a living?’ I say, ‘Well, I play games for a living,’” he says with a laugh.

“Seriously, I get to work for 864 very talented people. They like to provide great service as part of our culture and who we are at Harrah’s Ak-Chin. We

like to say we inspire grown-ups to play.”

Stellar customer service is part of the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino experience, he says, although it’s hard to tell the maskclad employees are smiling.

“Normally, we smile, make eye contact and say, ‘Hi, how are you doing?’”

A few years ago, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino underwent a $10 million expansion. Now the resort has more than 529 hotel rooms and suites.

“On the weekends, we can run 100% sold out,” he says. “It’s a little down during the week. For the most part, people are getting vaccinated and case numbers are going down. We’re starting to see some people come back.”

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino is doing its part to keep guests safe. The facility has sanitation stations, masks, temperature checks and employees who clean the slot machines.

“We’re keeping everything as clean as possible,” he says. “We’re social distancing in our restaurants. We’re actually down to about 27% of our seating capacity and our buffets are completely closed. It’s worked out.

Guests have been able to come back and play.”

Management decided against keeping plexiglass in between the games because it causes “all sorts of vision issues.”

“We’re only running at about 72% of our machines,” Kintner says.

“Our slot performance manager has gotten really creative. We only have so much floor space, and plexiglass wasn’t working for us. If there’s a dispute

on a jackpot, like, say a machine has something funky happen to it, or a customer says, ‘I won $1,000’ and there’s really only $800, surveillance has to be able to see it.

“We were working with our tribal regulators and they weren’t very comfortable with that. We decided not to have as many games so we could socially distance and spread out as we could.”

Cameras are also placed throughout the casino and hotel to ensure guests — and workers, for that matter — are socially distanced.

“If we ever have an issue, we are able to contact trace and find out whether it’s employees or whoever and deal with it,” Kintner says.

The casino, he says, is perfect for local folks as well as travelers. Kintner is used to Spring Training or Waste Management Phoenix Open visitors, the numbers of which have dwindled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re also missing our Canadian visitors right now,” he says. “As you can see, though, we’re pretty busy.”

The restaurants are bustling as well.

For casual dining, there’s Agave’s Restaurant, which serves traditional and Southwestern fare, and the tapas-style Oak & Fork.

Those wanting something a little more upscale can check out Chop, Block & Brew. Featuring a wood-burning mesquite grill, Chop, Block & Brew boasts a rustic and relaxed environment and serves steaks, prime rib and seafood.

For quick bites, check out Dunkin’ or Copper Cactus Grill.

“The restaurants are fantastic,” Kintner says. “Oak & Fork has small plates and a wine bar. We have all the wine taps on the wall. I want to say there are 16 of them. So the wine comes out at the perfect temperature. The small plates are amazing.

“It’s a really great space with the outdoor patio when the weather’s beautiful. We have heating lamps out there, along with a fireplace and televisions. This is a real favorite.

“Agave’s is a three-meal restaurant that’s back by the pool. It’s our café, if you will. It has a bit of a Southwest flare to it. Copper Cactus Grill is our 24-hour quick serve. You can get a hamburger quickly or a bite-sized pizza.

“Chop, Block & Brew is our signature steakhouse. People rave about the woodfired grill. We also have craft cocktails in the lounge.”

Want to play more games? Next door — connected via an elevated walkway — is the Ak-Chin Circle Entertainment Center. A movie theater, bar and grill, bowling, laser tag and arcade fill the 165,000-square-foot entertainment mecca.

“It’s like a great little oasis here in the desert where people can come out and have a good time,” he says.

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino 15406 Maricopa Road, Maricopa 480.802.5000, caesars.com

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

SPORTS

CHEER » HIT » HIKE » LEAD » ROOT » COMPETE

AROUND THE HORN

This season’s Spring Training sees a lot of familiar faces

By Ethan Greni

S

pring has finally come back around, which means Major League Baseball isn’t far behind.

It’s a special time of year for the Valley, as baseball fans across the country usually make their annual migration to the desert.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s mostly likely not going to be the case. The uncertainties of the 2020 season are behind us, though, and it’s time for ballplayers to get back to work. Spring Training began Feb. 28, and we’ve got everything you need to know about all 15 Cactus League teams in 2021.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: 2020 RECORD – 25-35 The D-backs finished last in the NL West in last year’s truncated season, missing the playoffs for the third year in a row. That being said, there were some positives to take away from 2020.

Buckeye-raised right fielder Kole Calhoun finished top 10 in the NL in home runs and RBIs — 16 and 40, respectively — in his first year playing for his hometown team. With one more year on his contract and a club option for 2022, the 33-year-old will certainly look to keep his production near that level in 2021.

First baseman Christian Walker showed improvement in his second full season in the majors, batting a career-high .271 and finishing third in the NL with 18 doubles.

Despite committing three errors, he was top 5 among NL first basemen in assists (28), double plays turned (40) and fielding percentage (.990).

Coming into 2021, the D-backs core is largely the same as last year. A couple of notable departures are outfielder Jon Jay, and former Arizona State pitcher Mike Leake. Jay, a career .283 hitter, struggled in his second stint as a Diamondback, batting .160 in just 50 plate appearances.

Leake, who opted out of the 2020 season, posted a 3-3 record in 10 starts with a 4.35 ERA for the D-backs after being acquired midseason in 2019.

Arizona’s biggest offseason acquisition was veteran reliever Joakim Soria, signing him to a one-year, $3.5 million deal. The 6-foot-3 Soria, who turns 37 in

David Peralta

(Photo by Jill Weisleder/ Arizona Diamondbacks)

May, had a 2.82 ERA in 22 appearances with the Oakland Athletics last season, and is considered a top contender for Arizona’s closing spot in 2021.

CHICAGO CUBS: 2020 RECORD – 34-26 After winning the NL Central, the Cubs are still just four years removed from their World Series title. They had a chance to make a deep playoff run in 2020, and drew a seemingly favorable matchup in the Wild Card series against the 31-29 Miami Marlins, who hadn’t been to the postseason since 2003.

Unfortunately, the Cubs’ bats dried up as they managed to score just one run in the series and were swept in two games.

A few notable players will not be returning to the Windy City this season, including fan-favorite outfielder Kyle Schwarber, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Washington Nationals. The Cubs also traded veteran right-hander Yu Darvish to the San Diego Padres, landing pitcher Zach Davies and several prospects. Darvish was named to the All-MLB First Team after the season.

By far, the biggest acquisition for

the Cubs this offseason was free agent left fielder Joc Pederson, who signed a one-year, $7 million deal in February.

Pederson, fresh off his first World Series championship with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is just two years removed from a 36-home run, 74-RBI season in 2019 that also saw him hit .249, all career bests.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX: 2020 RECORD – 35-25 The White Sox took an important step in 2020, reaching the postseason for the first time since 2008. First baseman José Abreu was named AL MVP after leading the league in RBI with 60, finishing second in home runs with 19, and fourth in average with .317.

Shortstop Tim Anderson has emerged as a budding star, hitting over .320 for the second year in a row and winning his first Silver Slugger award.

The club turned heads around the league in October when it hired Tony La Russa, 76, as its next manager. The Hall of Famer managed the team from 1979 to 1986 and hasn’t managed since leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series title in 2011.

The Sox made another splash in December by trading for right-hander Lance Lynn from the Texas Rangers.

Lynn has placed top 5 in the AL in wins and strikeouts in each of the last two years and was considered the best pitcher on the market at last year’s deadline. He went 6-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 2020.

Pitching was obviously a priority for the Sox, even though its collective 3.81 ERA last season was well below the league average (which is a good thing).

Chicago signed free agent reliever Liam Hendriks, who was named the AL’s Reliever of the Year in 2020 and was named to the All-MLB First Team, to a three-year, $54 million contract.

Also joining the club is familiar face Adam Eaton, who previously played in Chicago from 2014 to 2016. The right fielder signed a one-year, $8 million contract after spending the last four years with the Washington Nationals, winning the World Series in 2019.

CINCINNATI REDS: 2020 RECORD – 31-29 Despite hitting a league-worst .212, Cincinnati ended its seven-year playoff drought on the strength of their ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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UPFRONT | CITY | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Minasian plans to keep the team competitive and traded for veteran right fielder Dexter Fowler from the Cardinals. The soon-to-be 35-year-old is looking to rebound from a tough 2020 campaign that saw him limited to just 31 games while hitting .233, well below his career average.

The Angels’ biggest concern last season was pitching, putting up the AL’s third-worst ERA at 5.09. To address it, the team signed lefty José Quintana to a one-year, $8 million deal, traded for former Reds closer Raisel Iglesias, and acquired Alex Cobb from the Baltimore Orioles.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS: 2020 RECORD – 43-17

Manny Machado

(Photo by Matt Thomas San Diego Padres/Getty Images)

pitching, before losing to the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card series.

The Reds’ biggest problem offensively was their heavy reliance on home runs.

Over 60% of their total runs scored came on home runs, which is something the team will look to change in 2021.

The club took a big hit in free agency, losing 2020 NL Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer to the Dodgers. Bauer is the only Reds pitcher to win the Cy Young.

Finding a replacement for a pitcher of his caliber is nearly impossible.

The team didn’t make many big acquisitions, but they did sign twotime All-Star closer Sean Doolittle to a one-year, $1.5 million contract after trading previous closer Raisel Iglesias to the Los Angeles Angels for reliever Noé Ramirez. They also added depth relievers Edgar García, Brandon Bailey and Jeff Hoffman.

CLEVELAND INDIANS: 2020 RECORD – 35-25 Big changes are on the horizon for Cleveland. This year is likely to be the final season of Cleveland Indians baseball before the club changes its nickname, and on the field, the team will look a bit different than in years past.

In January, the Indians traded fourtime All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and longtime starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the New York Mets for shortstops Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario, plus a pair of prospects. Trade rumors had been circling the superstar Lindor for months, and the return wasn’t quite what many were expecting.

The good news for Cleveland fans is that there is still a lot of talent on the roster. Right-hander Shane Bieber won the AL Cy Young in just his third season, dominating batters with his 1.63 ERA and incredible league-record 41.1% strikeout rate. The team also boasted a ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

pair of Gold Glove winners in catcher Roberto Peréz and second baseman Cesar Hernandez, and a Silver Slugger in third baseman José Ramírez.

In a division with rebuilding teams like Detroit and Kansas City, the Indians are still a threat to make the postseason.

COLORADO ROCKIES: 2020 RECORD – 26-34 After missing the playoffs for the second year in a row, the Rockies decided it was time for a change. In early February, the team traded franchise centerpiece Nolan Arenado to the Cardinals for a package of prospects and young players.

Arenado’s faith in the team reportedly diminished last year, presumably explaining the low return for the fivetime All-Star third baseman. Arenado won the NL’s third base Gold Glove the last eight years in a row and has won the last four Platinum Gloves.

On the mound, righty reliever Daniel Bard turned out to be one of the best baseball stories of 2020. After not having pitched in the majors since 2013, Bard finished with a 4-2 record in 23 appearances and a 3.65 ERA. He was 6/6 in save opportunities and won the NL’s Comeback Player of the Year award.

The club will move forward with 34-year-old right fielder Charlie Blackmon leading the way offensively.

Although his power dipped in 2020, his .303 batting average shows he’s still got some juice left.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS: 2020 RECORD – 26-34 It’s been a rough go for the Kansas City Royals since winning the 2015 World Series, but things could be looking up. After back-to-back 100-loss seasons in 2018 and 2019, the Royals’ 26-34 record in 2020 roughly equates

to 70-92 in a full season which is… not good, but still an 11-game improvement over the year prior.

The team will miss 14-year veteran outfielder Alex Gordon, who retired after last season. The 37-year-old was a three-time All Star, eight-time Gold Glove winner, and two-time Platinum Glove winner, having just won the award last season.

The Royals made some decent additions to their squad this offseason, signing free agent lefty Mike Minor, first baseman Carlos Santana, veteran righty Ervin Santana, and resigned reliever Greg Holland. They also acquired left fielder Andrew Benintendi from the Boston Red Sox for outfield prospect Khalil Lee. The club also boasts four prospects in the MLB’s top 100 rankings, including shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., ranked No. 7.

Witt, drafted second overall in 2019, has impressed Royals management thus far, and is estimated to make the big leagues as early as 2022.

There’s still a long way to go for this team, but they may not be down for long.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS: 2020 RECORD – 26-34 For a team fielding likely the most talented player in baseball history, the Angels have not lived up to expectations.

Star center fielder Mike Trout, an eighttime All Star, has only seen postseason action once, getting swept in the 2014 ALDS by Kansas City.

The club has made big acquisitions in recent years, bringing in players like Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon, as well as manager Joe Maddon, but nothing has seemed to work. Losing four-time Gold Glove winning shortstop Andrelton Simmons in free agency didn’t help either.

New Angels general manager Perry

After years of playoff disappointment, the Los Angeles Dodgers finally captured their first World Series title since 1988. The team was unstoppable for most of the year and aren’t likely to slow down in 2021.

A few key pieces won’t be returning to LA in 2021, including Joc Pederson and left-hander Alex Wood. The gains far outweigh the losses, however, as they signed the biggest free agent pitcher on the market, Trevor Bauer, to a three-year, $102 million contract. The reigning NL Cy Young winner joins an already stacked rotation, featuring Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Julio Urías, and David Price, when healthy.

The team also bolstered its bullpen by resigning Blake Treinen and trading for Corey Knebel from the Milwaukee Brewers. The Dodgers held the best ERA in the majors last year at just 3.02, and they might be even better this year.

Pitching isn’t the only scary thing about this club. They led the majors in home runs last year with 118, averaging almost two a game. With players like Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, AJ Pollock and Max Muncy all returning in 2021, it’s tough to see another team usurping that throne.

The reigning champions also added to their infield by acquiring Sheldon Neuse from the Athletics and re-signing third baseman Justin Turner to a twoyear, $34 million contract. Turner has averaged over .300 in four of his seven seasons wearing Dodger blue, and quickly became a fan favorite through his play and iconic red hair. Neuse, 26, has only played 25 major league games to date, but has averaged .250 and hit three doubles, in addition to some very impressive numbers in the minors.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS: 2020 RECORD – 29-31 The Brewers took a step back in 2020, finishing under .500 for the first time since 2016. They still managed to qualify for the postseason under last year’s expanded format but didn’t stand a chance against the powerhouse Dodgers in the Wild Card series.

The club decided to move on from

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

longtime left fielder/free agent Ryan Braun, who leaves as the franchise’s alltime leader in home runs with 352.

Experiencing a bit of a sophomore slump last year was second baseman Keston Hiura, who turned heads in 2019, making the MLB All-Rookie team. He’s a player who’s looking to rebound with a big 2021 campaign and is expected to switch to first base this year.

Devin Williams, the reigning NL Rookie and Reliever of the Year, was fantastic last year and will try to continue that success. In 27 innings pitched, he posted a miniscule 0.33 ERA and struck out 53% of batters.

Milwaukee’s biggest addition was signing free agent second baseman Kolten Wong to a three-year, $18 million deal. The longtime Cardinal will help solidify the team’s infield defense.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS: 2020 RECORD – 36-24 The A’s are a team stuck in a time loop. They develop great players who eventually become too good for the team to afford and lose them to teams with deeper pockets. This offseason was no different. Infielders Marcus Semien and Tommy La Stella, pitchers Liam Hendriks, Mike Minor and Joakim Soria, and outfielder Robbie Grossman all signed with other teams in free agency.

To fill the void left by Semien at shortstop, the A’s acquired two-time All-Star Elvis Andrus from the Texas Rangers for a package including fanfavorite designated hitter/left fielder Khris Davis. “Khrush,” as he is known in Oakland, is just three years removed from leading the major leagues in home runs with 48 back in 2018. The team also signed veteran infielder Jed Lowrie for his third stint in Oakland and acquired lefty reliever Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers.

The good news for the A’s is they finally got over the first-round hump in the postseason after knocking out

27

the White Sox in the Wild Card series.

Despite being the only AL West team to finish over .500 in the regular season, they fell to their division rival Houston Astros in the ALDS. They’ll look to be back in the postseason for a fourth straight year in 2021.

SAN DIEGO PADRES: 2020 RECORD – 37-23 The 2020 Padres were a revelation under first-year manager Jayce Tingler, ending a 14-year postseason drought and fielding one of the most exciting teams in recent memory. The dynamic duo of third baseman Manny Machado and shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr. turned the Padres into must-watch television, and with big additions to an already-strong pitching staff, they could be even better this year.

The team acquired starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Blake Snell in separate deals, giving them an incredible one-two punch to start their rotation, followed

by All-MLB Second Teamer Dinelson Lamet. Darvish is a four-time All Star who was named to the All-MLB First Team last year, and Snell won the AL Cy Young with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018.

As if the Padres weren’t scary enough, they’ve also got two top-10 prospects ranked on MLB’s top 100: lefty pitcher MacKenzie Gore, and shortstop CJ Abrams. There was talk of Gore making his debut last year, so don’t be surprised if the Padres give the 2017 third overall pick a look in 2021.

With the combination of power and pitching the Padres possess, the Dodgers’ biggest threat could come from their own division.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: 2020 RECORD – 29-31 The Giants missed the playoffs for a fourth straight year by the skin of their teeth under new manager Gabe Kapler. The team scored the fifth-most runs in the NL, largely on the back of All-MLB Second Team outfielder Mike

Kyle Seager

(Courtesy Seattle Mariners)

Padres infielder Fernando Tatis Jr.

(Photo by Matt Thomas/ San Diego Padres)

Yastrzemski. “Yaz,” as he’s known by fans, has only played two seasons in the majors at age 30, but has provided a significant boost offensively, hitting .297 last year while leading the team with 35 RBI. San Francisco added second baseman Tommy La Stella and pitchers Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood through free agency to round out their roster.

DeSclafani struggled last year in Cincinnati, but earned himself a one-year, $6 million contract with the Giants in the hopes of bouncing back. La Stella is a career .274 hitter who earned his first AllStar nomination with the Angels in 2019.

SEATTLE MARINERS: 2020 RECORD – 27-33 The Mariners haven’t played postseason baseball since 2001. The last time the Mariners made the playoffs, the first Harry Potter movie hadn’t even been released in theaters yet. Not that Mariner fans need to be reminded of that fact, but it shows just how desperate this team is to break that streak.

Third baseman Kyle Seager led the team with 40 RBI, but it was AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis who stole the show in Seattle. The 25-year-old outfielder led the team with 11 home runs and a .262 batting average and was selected for the award unanimously. The team also featured two Gold Glove winners, first baseman Evan White and shortstop J.P. Crawford.

There is help on the way though, and in the not-so-distant future. Outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez are ranked as MLB’s No. 4 and No. 5 prospects, respectively, and could see action on a Major League field soon.

Kelenic seems to be the closer of the two to making the big leagues, so keep an eye

out for his name in 2021.

The team is also reportedly in agreement on a multiyear contract with free agent reliever Ken Giles, who is likely to miss the entire 2021 season after having Tommy John surgery. Giles was considered one of the top closers in baseball before his 2020 struggles.

TEXAS RANGERS: 2020 RECORD – 22-38 The Rangers haven’t fared well since their 95-win season in 2016, but 2020 was especially rough. Their 38 losses in a 60-game season roughly equates to 103 over a full schedule, which would’ve been their first 100-loss season since 1973. Texas also had the worst batting average in the AL at just .217. They didn’t get much help from their pitching staff either, registering the fifth-worst ERA in the league at 5.02. They also committed the fourth-most errors in the AL with 40. To put it simply, this team needs help everywhere.

To remedy this, new general manager Chris Young made several moves.

He signed 2018 All Star righty Mike Foltynewicz to a one-year, $2 million contract. He also brought in former Rangers outfielder Delino DeShields on a minor league contract, with an invitation to Spring Training.

By far the biggest move of the Rangers offseason was trading longtime shortstop Elvis Andrus to Oakland for a package including slugger Khris Davis. Davis hit 133 homers and knocked in 335 runs from 2016-2018, leading the majors in home runs in 2018 with 48. He hasn’t been anywhere close to that form the last two seasons, but with just one more year on his contract, the team isn’t taking too much of a risk.

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28

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SPRING TRAINING 2021 Arizona Diamondbacks

Chicago Cubs

Game Schedule February/March Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted) Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Game Schedule February/March

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

Mar. 1 MIL

2

7

8

9

CHI

14

SF

SF

15

SEA

1:10 p.m.

21 CWS

22

28 CWS

29

OAK

CHI

12:05 p.m.

SD

COL

3

CLE

10

16 OAK

17

23

24

30

SEA

CLE

LAD

TEX

4

LAA

11

18

6:05 p.m.

CLE

25

5

CIN

KC

TEX

6:05 p.m.

12

LAD

6

19

LAA

MIL

13

20

1:10 p.m.

26

CIN

SD

KC

27

Feb. 28

Mar. 1 SD

2

7

8

9

14

28

12:40 p.m.

Monday

Tuesday

8

9

1:10 p.m.

 Home

Wednesday

CIN

3

 Away

LAD

AZ

16

1:10 p.m.

22

29

Friday

Saturday

SD

SD

4

CIN

10

17

SF

5

1:10 p.m.

11

1:10 p.m.

6:05 p.m.

23 CWS

SD

SEA

CHI

12

1:10 p.m.

18

6

LAA

1:10 p.m.

19

1:10 p.m.

24 LAA

MIL

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

22

23 CWS

24

30

31

LAA

AZ

SF

17

SD

4

LAD

11

18

6:05 p.m.

SEA

25

COL

CLE

LAD

5

CLE

12

MIL

6

MIL

13

19 OAK

20

26

27

6:05 p.m.

SF

Monday

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

SF

CLE

13

26

SEA

LAD

2

7

8

9

1:10 p.m.

20

1:10 p.m.

25

SEA

Mar. 1 CLE

27

CHI

SF

SD

1:10 p.m.

14

21

LAD

COL

OAK

15

22

SF

SD

CHI

SEA

3

CWS

10

1:10 p.m.

16

SEA

6:05 p.m.

23

CIN

4

CIN

5

6:05 p.m.

11

MIL

12

17 OAK

18 CWS

19

24

25

26

LAA

31

28

COL

1:10 p.m.

29

CLE

30

AZ

LAA

TEX

Tuesday

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Friday

Mar. 1 CIN

2

7

8

9

21

22

29

AZ

SF

MIL

Monday

Tuesday

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

Feb. 28 LAD

CLE

27

AZ

12:00 p.m.

Sunday

Saturday

20

CHI

31

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

Thursday

SF

6:05 p.m.

Game Schedule February/March

Monday

6

13

Game Schedule February/March

15

CIN

Saturday

1:10 p.m.

6:40 p.m.

30

LAD

San Diego Padres

14 CWS

COL

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Oakland Athletics

KC

KC

12:05 p.m.

Feb. 28 TEX

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

SF

10

16

Sunday

12:10 p.m.

Sunday

28

SEA

15 CWS

29

TEX

OAK

3

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

Thursday

1:10 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

15

OAK

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

CLE

CIN

TEX

KC

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

7

KC

Saturday

Game Schedule February/March

2

28

Friday

Game Schedule February/March

Mar. 1 LAD

21 OAK

Thursday

Kansas City Royals

Feb. 28 AZ

TEX

LAA

12:05 p.m.

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

14

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Colorado Rockies Sunday

CWS

AZ

21

31

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

1:10 p.m.

Tuesday

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

Feb. 28 COL

1:10 p.m.

Monday

MIL

1:10 p.m.

16

23

30

CHI

AZ

COL

3

COL

4

5

1:10 p.m.

10

17

MIL

KC

24 CWS 31

11

18

TEX

SD

12

19

1:10 p.m.

25

SEA

26

LAA

SD

CHI

LAD

6

SEA

Feb. 28 SEA

Mar. 1 CHI

2

7

8

9

1:10 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

13

CIN

6:05 p.m.

20

27

LAA

TEX

KC

1:10 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

14

CIN

12:05 p.m.

21

LAA

15

CLE

MIL

1:10 p.m.

22

1:10 p.m.

28

AZ

29

KC

COL

12:10 p.m.

CWS

3

MIL

10

23

24

CHI

6:05 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

30

COL

1:10 p.m.

17

CIN

TEX

1:10 p.m.

16 CWS

1:10 p.m.

4

31

SF

11

5

SF

6

LAD

6:40 p.m.

12 OAK

13

18 OAK

19

20

25

26

CLE

1:10 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

TEX

6:40 p.m.

AZ

LAD

1:10 p.m.

SEA

6:40 p.m.

27

LAA

29

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

SPRING TRAINING 2021 Cincinnati Reds

Chicago White Sox

Game Schedule February/March

Game Schedule February/March Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted) Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Sunday

Saturday

Feb. 28 MIL

Mar. 1 LAA

2

7

8

9

LAD

14 OAK

15

21

22

28

AZ

CHI

SF

29

AZ

TEX

SD

16

SD

3

KC

10

4

SF

11

CIN

5

SEA

12

TEX

6:05 p.m.

17

1:10 p.m.

LAD

23 CHC

24 OAK

30

31

18

KC

25

CIN

19

SEA

6

CLE

13

LAA

20

CLE

6:40 p.m.

26

MIL

27

1:10 p.m.

COL

2

7

8

9

SF

14

21

1:10 p.m.

Saturday

Sunday

SD

CHI

MIL

COL

LAA

3

LAD

16

COL

10

SEA

KC

17

6:05 p.m.

23

SD

30

4

6:05 p.m.

CLE

24

MIL

1:10 p.m.

KC

5

6:05 p.m.

AZ

12

18

19

6:05 p.m.

TEX

SEA

6:40 p.m.

6:05 p.m.

25 CWS

6

Tuesday

Feb. 28 CIN

Mar. 1 KC

2

13 OAK

7

8

9

20

14

6:05 p.m.

11 CWS

6:05 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

29

LAD

6:05 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

22

LAA

6:05 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

15

Monday

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

SF

6:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

26

AZ

OAK

MIL

6:05 p.m.

27

1:10 p.m.

CHI

21

6:05 p.m.

31

28

12:05 p.m.

TEX

SD

SEA

SEA

TEX

16

22

23

29

KC

12:00 p.m.

AZ

1:10 p.m.

15 OAK

MIL

3

30

LAA

SF

AZ

10

LAA

17

CIN

4

MIL

AZ

CHI

1:10 p.m.

11

SD

12

1:10 p.m.

18

6:05 p.m.

24

5

CHI

25

19

LAD

COL

1:10 p.m.

26

COL

6

CWS

13

SF

20 CWS 27

LAD

31

12:40 p.m.

Milwaukee Brewers

Game Schedule February/March

Game Schedule February/March

Game Schedule February/March

Monday

Tuesday

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

2

7

8

9

SEA

CHI

SD

MIL

22

1:10 p.m.

LAD

CIN

3

TEX

6:05 p.m.

10

1:10 p.m.

15

29

CIN

CHI

LAD

Monday

16

23

30

7:10 p.m.

CLE

TEX

LAD

17

CLE

SEA

4

AZ

11

SF

18

MIL

6:40 p.m.

24

KC

25

COL

5

OAK

12

19

6

COL

Mar. 1 COL

2

8

9

AZ

13 CWS

7

KC

20 OAK

14

27

21

26

1:10 p.m.

SD

31

TEX

28

7:10 p.m.

KC

SF

LAA

Monday

Tuesday

Mar. 1 TEX

2

7

8

9

15

KC

Sunday

Saturday

COL

SF

CIN

SEA

16

23

6:40 p.m.

29

LAA

CIN

10

AZ

6:05 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

22

3

MIL

MIL

11

18

24

25

1:10 p.m.

30

7:10 p.m.

LAA

CHI

17 CWS

SEA

AZ

CHI

6:05 p.m.

5

KC

12

19

CLE

TEX

26 OAK

6

SD

13

LAD

MIL

3

4

10

1:10 p.m.

16

LAD

22 CWS

23

28 OAK

29 OAK

30

TEX

CLE

17

CHI

COL

CWS

Friday

11

18

1:10 p.m.

24

31

SD

25

LAA

SEA

MIL

5

SD

Saturday

6

KC

6:40 p.m.

12

19

26

COL

CIN

CHI

Monday

Sunday

20

SD

Feb. 28 CWS

Mar. 1 AZ

2

7

8

9

14

27

CLE

SEA

13

CLE

20

Mar. 1

Tuesday

7

8

LAA

21

SEA

22

1:10 p.m.

28

CIN

14

MIL

SEA

6:40 p.m.

21

MIL

1:10 p.m.

28

15

AZ

1:10 p.m.

22

LAD

2

CLE

9

KC

1:10 p.m.

16

CIN

12:05 p.m.

KC

6:05 p.m.

23

6:40 p.m.

29

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

29

CLE

TEX

3

1:10 p.m.

SF

1:10 p.m.

16

23

LAD

LAD

TEX

CLE

11

17

18

24

COL

5

1:10 p.m.

10 OAK

KC

COL

25

LAA

SF

6

1:10 p.m.

12

1:10 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

19

CHI

AZ

13

TEX

1:10 p.m.

20

1:10 p.m.

26 CWS

CHI

1:10 p.m.

CIN

6:05 p.m.

27

1:10 p.m.

KC

31

Game Schedule February/March Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

Thursday

4

1:10 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

30

SD

Texas Rangers

 Home  Away

Wednesday

SD

OAK

1:10 p.m.

12:10 p.m.

3

CHI

1:10 p.m.

CLE

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

1:10 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

27

LAA

15

1:10 p.m.

1:10 p.m.

7:10 p.m.

Monday

Feb. 28 SD

Tuesday

1:10 p.m.

31

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

Thursday

4

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

Feb. 28 LAA

AZ

Friday

Seattle Mariners

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

AZ

Thursday

Game Schedule February/March

 Home  Away

Wednesday

CWS

15

Game Schedule February/March Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

CIN

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

 Home  Away

Wednesday

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

Feb. 28 OAK

San Francisco Giants Sunday

Tuesday

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

Mar. 1 CWS

21

Friday

Los Angeles Dodgers

Feb. 28 SF

14

Thursday

Los Angeles Angels Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

28

Wednesday

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

Mar. 1 OAK

12:10 p.m.

Sunday

21

Tuesday

Feb. 28 COL

28

Games start at 1:05 p.m. (unless noted)

14

Monday

Game Schedule February/March

 Home  Away

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

Dates, times and teams are subject to change.

COL

Cleveland Indians

30

AZ

10

TEX

4

1:10 p.m.

11

1:10 p.m.

17

LAA

6:40 p.m.

24

CHI

6:40 p.m.

31

COL

18

LAD

SF

25 OAK

5

CWS

1:10 p.m.

12

CIN

6:40 p.m.

6

OAK

1:10 p.m.

13

20

26

27

SD

6:40 p.m.

Mar. 1 SF

2

7

8

9

1:10 p.m.

19 CWS

6:40 p.m.

COL

Feb. 28 KC

TEX

14

6:05 p.m.

SF

21

6:40 p.m.

28

LAD

COL

CLE

CHI

12:05 p.m.

CHI

15

22

CWS

16

COL

23

1:10 p.m.

29

MIL

30

CLE

SF

LAA

MIL

3

LAA

10

SEA

1:10 p.m.

17

AZ

6:05 p.m.

24

CIN

6:05 p.m.

4

5

6

11 OAK

12 CWS

13

18

19

20

SD

CIN

6:05 p.m.

25

SD

6:40 p.m.

26

LAD

KC

6:05 p.m.

AZ

MIL

1:10 p.m.

SEA

6:05 p.m.

27 OAK

31

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REPRESENTING THE STATE

30

UPFRONT | CITY | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Fan favorites gear up for the Cup Series

By Jordan Rogers

T

he 2021 NASCAR Cup Series has begun, and after an action-packed race at the Daytona 500, Arizona natives and fan favorites are off to a great start.

Drivers like Glendale native Michael McDowell and Tucson’s Alex Bowman will return home to the Grand Canyon State for the NASCAR Cup Series Race at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 14, at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale.

McDowell recently won the Daytona 500.

“It’s just amazing,” McDowell says.

“There’s so much to be thankful for and so much along the way that the journey hasn’t been super easy. It’s very gratifying and very rewarding. I feel like (there has been a long) process to get to this point.”

Daytona marked McDowell’s first career win in the Cup Series. It’s also the first time an Arizona driver won the race.

McDowell pitted during the caution prior to a huge wreck at the front of the pack that took out 16 cars, including the pole winner and Tucson native Alex Bowman.

“At Daytona, you’ve got to get to the end; you’ve got to survive,” McDowell says. “There’s a lot to it. There are a lot of circumstances involved in there and luck and putting yourself in a position (to win). A lot has got to go your way to get to the end of the race. A lot of the race is that survival element.”

For McDowell, he says sometimes you

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just have to be at the right place at the right time. He has finished in the top five at Daytona and used that experience to score the victory.

“We felt like this could be a really great year for us with the new schedule,” he says. “Obviously, kicking it off with a win is huge.”

Bowman was running in second place at the time of the wreck. The 27-yearold knows he has a bright future in NASCAR. “Alex Bowman is from Arizona as well, and he’s a super talented guy,” McDowell says. “He’s with a great organization and he’s going to have a long career and do a lot of things. I feel fortunate that

I beat him to the punch in winning the (Daytona) 500. He’s going to be so successful, and it would be hard to stay ahead of him in any category.”

McDowell and Bowman are the only two Arizonans in the Cup Series.

McDowell says it a privilege and a cool opportunity to represent the state.

BIG SHOES TO FILL During the offseason, NASCAR lost one of its most storied and successful drivers, as Jimmie Johnson retired after 18 years. He left behind seven championships and 83 career victories.

His legacy in NASCAR leaves him among the greats in the sport, and the

onus now falls onto Bowman, as he inherited Johnson’s No. 48 car after his retirement.

Bowman says he and his team are extremely excited to get to work on that No. 48 car.

“To try and fill another set of big shoes and go to the 48 is going to be really fun,” Bowman says. “I was definitely nervous when (team owner, Rick Hendrick) told me.”

The changes don’t stop at the car number for Bowman. He also inherited Johnson’s primary sponsor: Ally Financial Bank. Bowman says he’s looking forward to getting Ally its first win.

“You never know how working with a new partner is going to be,” Bowman says. “But working with Ally has been so much fun so far. I’ve really enjoyed it.”

While he knows driving the No. 48 car is a huge deal that comes with a lot of added pressure, Bowman isn’t going to allow it to get to him this season.

“I think the biggest thing for me is that there’s not a car number in the world or a situation in the world that’s going to put more pressure on me than I put on myself,” he says. “Obviously, I want to win for Hendrick Motorsports and for Chevrolet and for Ally and for everybody that makes this deal possible.

More so than any of that, I just want to win for me, so I put a ton of pressure on myself each and every week to go do that and to run well, to run how we should.

“Outside situations don’t really add to that. I probably put too much stress and too much pressure on myself at times, but I really care about how we run. It’s

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

not because somebody’s saying, ‘Oh, the 48 (car) has to go win or needs to go win a championship.’”

Hendrick knows Bowman has what it takes to win and is looking forward to seeing what he can do.

“I’m super excited about this year,” he says. “Alex can definitely win; he had a bunch of second-place finishes. He’s just going to get better.”

Though he hasn’t been in the shop as much during the offseason due to the pandemic, Bowman knows that the key to his Cup Series is consistency.

He wants to represent Hendrick Motorsports the right way.

“Anytime you walk through the front door at Henrick Motorsports you know there’s a standard here and it’s a very high standard,” Bowman says. “The expectation is to win a lot of races and to win championships.”

Bowman believes he and his team can make a lot of noise if they can run this season similarly to the way they ran last season’s playoffs.

LAST YEAR’S WINNER Bowman’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Chase Elliott, may just be NASCAR’s single biggest fan favorite. He’s coming off of a season in which he won the championship at Phoenix Raceway, and he is ready to defend his title.

Despite last season’s championship, however, Elliott believes he and his team have more work to do and can get even better.

“The cool thing for me, is that I think there’s more for us to go get,” Elliott says. “I don’t think we’re at our very best in every category, which is really cool for me and something our team should be able to take a lot of pride in, to have the result we did last year but also know that we can still improve in some pretty big ways.”

Hendrick says he feels Elliott is at an all-time confidence level. Bowman echoes that feeling.

“The confidence level with Chase Elliott is unbelievable,” Hendrick says.

“They really believe they can win every week. He’s way more mature than his age.”

“They’ve been really dialed in for a long time, and I think that’s just going to continue,” Bowman says. “Chase has always been confident, especially on the racetrack. He’s always been a confident guy.”

Elliott recognizes his confidence level and feels as though the 2021 Cup Series can be a successful one. He says winning a championship plays a huge role in that.

“I think for me, I’ve just been trying to enjoy all of the different situations and scenarios that I’ve been a part of,” he says. “Obviously, winning a championship is great. I think it brings confidence to our entire team. I’ve really just enjoyed winning and enjoyed racing.”

Elliott ran about five or six races in the offseason. He says that at 25 years old, he’s just doing the best he can to enjoy

life and take every opportunity placed in front of him.

He recognizes sports as a whole are a “what have you done lately” game.

Even though he’ll run this Cup Series as the defending champion, he knows he can’t afford to take his foot off the gas pedal.

“No matter what you do, if you have a bad stretch or don’t do well, they’re going to come after you about whatever you’ve done recently,” Elliott says. “On the flip side of that, too, if you have a good run after being trash for a year, everybody is going to be hyping you up and jumping on the bandwagon.

“It’s all about performance. We want to push and continue to do good for ourselves and push our team internally.

That’s all that really matters to me.”

Hendrick says his driver is in a fantastic headspace. He thinks this season can be a special one for the Georgia native.

“I think Chase has such a sharp head on his shoulders,” Hendrick says. “You don’t have to tell him too much. He celebrated and now he’s ready to go and try and do it again. He’s got his head on right. He’s a competitor, but he takes it all in stride. I’m really excited about this year for Chase.”

Elliott is going to do his best to live through the peaks and valleys of the season while staying as levelheaded as possible.

He knows being the defending champion brings many, many more

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eyeballs. In the end, he wants to be one of the best and most consistent drivers the sport has to offer.

“I think there’s a small group of guys that can win literally every week, that nobody would be a bit surprised if they won the race,” Elliott says. “I think that I can want our team to be a part of that conversation as well. I want to get to the point that when we leave the racetrack, that nobody is surprised that we won.”

Elliott will return to the site of his championship victory. For McDowell, this season’s race in Phoenix carries more weight.

“Any time it’s a hometown race it’s special,” McDowell says. “My wife and I like to make a trip out of it and get to see all of our family. This year it’s even more so special — just bringing the hardware back to Arizona and representing Arizona as its first Daytona 500 champion.

“That was very cool and was a very special moment. I’m really looking forward to coming back home and seeing everybody and just being able to celebrate that.”

NASCAR Cup Series Race 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 14 Phoenix Raceway, 7602 Jimmie Johnson Drive, Avondale Visit website for information 1.866.408.7223, phoenixraceway.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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FAMILY

FROLIC » DISCOVER » IMAGINE » FAMILY » FUN » CONNECT

HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY Friendly Pines to celebrate with camping kids

By Lila Baltman

I

n just a few short months, children will, hopefully, get to do what they were not able to do last summer because of COVID-19.

They will pack up sleeping bags, pillows, flashlights and duffel bags filled with their names labeled on everything, give mom and dad a hug goodbye, and then board a bus that will take them up to Friendly Pines Camp in Prescott.

Located in the cool pines of the beautiful Bradshaw Mountains, Friendly Pines Camp has become a favorite sleepaway camp tradition for thousands of families.

“We’re now seeing a fourth generation of campers,” says Kevin Nissen, the longtime co-director who has worked full time with the camp for 30 years.

“Many of our former campers, who are now the parents and even grandparents of current campers, tell us that they love that we’re still teaching the same, classic camp songs and square dances; still cooking Dutch oven biscuits over a campfire; and offering many of the same outdoor sports, activities and camp traditions that they remember doing.”

Founded in 1941 by Bud and Isabelle Brown and accredited through the American Camp Association, Friendly Pines Camp is Arizona’s longest-running family-owned summer camp. The founders’ great-granddaughter, Megan May, is the camp’s other co-director.

Designed for ages 6 through 14, this coed sleepaway camp offers more than 30 traditional camp activities, including horseback riding, swimming,

waterskiing, ball sports, rock climbing, performing arts, fine arts, pet care, fencing, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, dancing and sewing.

According to Nissen, “Sleepaway camp is the ideal training ground for developing resilience or grit. At sleepaway camp, boys and girls are encouraged to try new things, like riding a horse or waterskiing, or scale the climbing wall.

“Camp is also a place where children can discover their inner strength. They learn that maybe — for the first time — they can make their own way in the world. And isn’t that what we really want our kids to know?”

Being “unplugged” and away from so much screen time is another big reason why parents choose to send their children to Friendly Pines for a couple of weeks every summer.

Nissen says he hears from more parents every year that they simply want their children to enjoy socializing and playing with other kids face to face, not on social media, and they want their kids to enjoy being outside in nature. Every afternoon during “siesta” kids can be found reading and relaxing in the hammocks that swing between the trees.

This summer, Friendly Pines is scheduled to operate from May 29 through July 24. There are one-, two-, four- and six-week sessions available. The camp’s COVID-19 safety protocols are on the camp’s website.

“We will continue to communicate with the state and county health departments and maintain our high level of communication with our camp families regarding changes in status for

summer 2021,” Nissen says.

“We are currently enrolling for this summer, and all families have until May 1 to cancel without any penalty, less a $100 administration fee.”

Parents should also know that while many of the camp’s activities and traditions have remained the same over 80 years, all the main buildings and cabins have been remodeled and upgraded. Each cabin comes equipped with its own bathroom and shower. Plus, while many of the same classic camp foods continue to be served, the kitchen staff today is very willing and able to accommodate any child who is vegan, gluten free and lactose intolerant.

“What we really try to offer kids — in addition to lots of new experiences and learning — is just a great deal of fun,” Nissen says.

“Unlike a school setting, summer

camp is primarily designed to be fun.

In fact, most former campers will recall their time at camp as being the most singularly fun time of their lives.”

SAVE THE DATES • 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, March 28: Friendly Pines will host a Facebook Live information night.

• 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 22: Free open house. Families are invited to visit in person for camp tours, wagon rides, toasting marshmallows, zipline rides, drawings for prizes, and a special 80th birthday celebration.

Friendly Pines For more information, call 928.445.2128 or visit friendlypines.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

MUSIC

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LISTEN » JAM » INNOVATE » EVOLVE » ROCK » SING

ONE-HIT WONDERS FOR CHARITY

Sore Eyes’ covers EP benefits nonprofit

By Alex Gallagher

S

am Etling has always wanted to be heard.

In the hardcore punk band Dead Either Way, Etling was tired of listeners unable to comprehend his screaming. With his latest project, Sore Eyes, Etling just wants to be heard and understood.

“It was a matter of me wanting listeners to understand my lyrics, because I feel like what I’m talking about is really important,” Etling says.

Initially Etling’s solo acoustic project, Sore Eyes now features a group of local punk rockers. Etling met drummer Matt Slusser while he was playing bass for the surf-rock band Phantom Party. Slusser and Etling are now roommates.

Etling also recruited guitarist Nate Coughlin, who graduated with him at Mountain Ridge High School.

Rounding out the lineup is bassist Ryan King, with whom Etling previously played in No Lungs.

Etling is no stranger to the punk rock scene or creating collaborative compilations.

Etling helped plan a one-hit-wonders compilation in early 2020 and planned to donate its proceeds to the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign.

However, when Sanders dropped out of the Democratic primary, the project hit a wall.

“I was talking to my roommates a couple of months ago and I really wanted to create another one-hit-wonders album,” Etling says.

“We know tons of bands in the Valley and tons of bands from the Bay Area. So, I wanted to put this compilation together because I love the idea of a bunch of bands covering one-hit wonders.”

The “(Nearly) One Hit Wonders” compilation also features bands from Colorado, where Etling now lives. So far, Etling has been blown away by the music he has received.

“I was expecting a bunch of quick acoustic covers,” he says. “The only submissions I have gotten so far are fullband songs and are great-quality songs.

“Knowing that people care enough about this kind of thing to go into the studio and record a song is the coolest thing to me, and it makes me so happy

to be a part of this community.”

The “(Nearly) One Hit Wonders” compilation may include Aaron Allen & Those Who Were There’s cover of the Rockwell hit “Somebody’s Watching Me.” Etling says it’s better than the original and is on repeat.

Etling was also intrigued by the Denver-based punk band People Corrupting People’s ska cover of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind” and the Celebration Guns’ cover of Orange Juice’s “Rip It Up.” Of course, the compilation would not be complete if Sore Eyes did not have a song on the compilation. Sore Eyes covered Harvey Danger’s 1997 hit “Flagpole Sitta,” which Etling is excited to release.

Etling was having a hard time finding a good cause to support with the proceeds — until his close friend made a suggestion.

“My roommate, Lou, is transgender and mentioned the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which is a super cool foundation for the Black-trans community,” he says. “They collected money for a COVID-19 fund for Blacktrans people. Before that, they created housing for them.”

He decided to recruit donations and

release the music through Bandcamp.

“Our current plan right now is just Bandcamp, because it’s a lot easier for us to keep the money in the right place,” Etling says.

“If I threw the music up on streaming, it would be a nightmare to keep track of when the money comes in, and I would have to separate it from my regular music.

Bandcamp offers a really good way for me to make a PayPal account and funnel all the funds into one account and donate that money to the charity.”

Originally, Etling wanted to release the EP in February, Black History Month. However, Bandcamp does revenue sharing on the first Friday of every month. He’s hoping to release it on March 5.

As for Sore Eyes, they hope their cover will not be the only music fans hear from them in 2021. They recently finished recording an 11-song, full-band album.

However, a release date is unknown due to the pandemic.

“I just don’t want to put an album out during a pandemic when I can’t share it with a live audience,” Etling says.

Sore Eyes soreeyesaz.bandcamp.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

INSPIRED BY LIFE N8NOFACE shares Tucson culture with fans 34

UPFRONT | CITY | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

B

orn and raised near Tucson, Nathan Hose says “nobody” leaves his hometown. He wanted to make music, so he split and moved to Long Beach in 2000.

The fruits of his labor as N8NOFACE is “Bound to Let You Down,” a collection of songs inspired by “breakups, addiction and life lived outside the lines of the law.”

“Everything inspired this,” he adds.

“Everything I’ve lived through and done is in this album. My subject matter is something you might find in a punk song. Growing up, I was around a lot of

guys who lived outside of the law. I tell stories like that.

“I had a ton of friends from Nogales — even in my high school years.

Growing up in Tucson, everybody was doing some kind of narco trafficking. I was the black sheep of my crew. I love music, and I’d drag them to concerts.”

He took one of his friends, who was half-Black and half-Mexican with braids and jewelry, to a Rev. Horton Heat show.

In the crowd, Hose says, the friend did not look like he belonged there.

“He ended up digging it,” he says. “I’ve had the same circle of friends since I was 14. I’m 40 now.”

“Bound to Let You Down” is

a melding of ’80s/’90s nostalgic synthpunk and grimy rap. He bought his first drum machine online because Tucson stores didn’t have anything unique — just mariachis, he says.

“I wanted to do weird stuff,” he adds.

“I came up listening to rap and hip-hop in my younger years.”

Every day Hose works on music, while others go home after their job and play “Call of Duty.” He’s obsessed with producing music.

“It’s something I just can’t stop doing,” he says.

N8NOFACE n8noface.bandcamp.com

BRINGING LIGHT INTO THE DARK

Bury the Darkness stays positive during tough times

By Alex Gallagher

B

ury the Darkness is an ambitious metal band whose message and sound differ highly from the Arizona metal scene.

“The name Bury the Darkness envelops the ideas we have that life is not always positive,” says vocalist Jared Harper. “We like to write about the dark side of life but show that there is light that comes at the end. It’s looking at darkness from a positive viewpoint where eventually bad times will end. We try to take that negative energy and turn it into something good.”

Their latest song, “Gone but Not Forgotten,” deals with the band’s collective emotions of losing loved ones.

The musicians grabs death but put a positive spin on the message by saying the dead should not be forgotten.

Bury the Darkness’ prior song, “Break Me,” details the struggle with negativity and how to stay positive.

Previous band breakups dampened the musicians, but they came together to jam in late 2019 but did not officially form until November of that year. They count their official start date of November 2019 when they added guitarist Marc Rosenfeld.

While at Mesa’s Mountain View High School, Rosenfeld befriended drummer Jon Keeney in the orchestra and met Harper in an AP music theory class.

Harper and bassist Brandon Brantley are childhood friends. Once they met Rosenfeld and Keeney, they all bonded over similar musical interests.

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It was in that orchestra class, however, where Rosenfeld, Keeney and Harper started their music career. They taught Brantley to play bass.

The band, however, does credit its lessons in classical music as an influence on its sound and style.

“We have a very versatile sound: hard-hitting riffs, ambient production, powerful vocal melodies and emotional lyrics,” Rosenfeld says.

“We’ve all had experience with theory and classical, and we get to bring that all into the metal world.”

While classical music taught them how to keep a beat and play in a bandlike setting, Bury the Darkness channels new-age metal bands like Bring Me the Horizon and I Prevail.

Rosenfeld also credits the pioneering acts of modern metal like Slayer and Slipknot as influences on his music style.

“We try to give our fans a taste of every sound with contrasting soft and hard music,” Rosenfeld says.

“We’re working on changing an EDM song into a rock cover right now; even that has its own unique sound.”

Bury the Darkness credits producer Frankie Ghiloni, the owner of ToneHeart Studios, with the sharp sound of their singles.

“Frankie and his girlfriend, Hannah, have really helped us,” Rosenfeld says.

“Hannah has done all of our lyric videos and created our original logo, and Frankie does all of our mixing and mastering.”

Mentored by Matt Good of From First to Last, Ghiloni has worked other modern metal acts, like Asking

Alexandria and Hollywood Undead.

Ghiloni isn’t the only person who has helped the band. We Came as Romans bassist Andy Glass designed the new merchandise and logo.

The logo features a figure-eight-like shape and an octagonal shape intersected by a triangulated cross spelling out the band’s initials of BTD. While the band does credit influential colleagues, it truly is its ability to find light in dark times that makes it shine.

The ongong pandemic has allowed them to do just that.

“I feel like right now, there’s so much

to write music about, and I feel like there’s going to be a boom,” Rosenfeld says.

Bury the Darkness has five songs demoed in addition to the singles it has in the works. They’re hoping to livestream a concert and have their music played on the SiriusXM channel Octane.

Although times are tough, Rosenfeld has a saying that has allowed him to make his way through life.

“After every rainstorm, there’s sunshine and a rainbow. Right now, we’re definitely stuck in the rain, but we’ll make it through,” Rosenfeld says.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

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TEAMWORK IS IMPORTANT

Dropout Kings find collaboration is their sweet spot

By Alex Gallagher

D

ropout Kings are no strangers to collaborating with other artists.

The Phoenix-based trap-metal band teamed with former Of Mice & Men vocalist Shayley Bourget’s new band Dayshell in 2019 and upped its exposure in music. Helmed by Cactus High School graduate singer Adam Ramey, Dropout Kings wrote “Kombat” with Dayshell.

Once the two finished their lyrics, they turned their words over to Dropout Kings’ rapper and Phoenix resident Eddie Wellz to put his personal touch on the song. Wellz seems to relish not only in the opportunity to express himself but to meet new musicians.

“Getting the opportunity to work with different artists who have a different style is nice because it meshes well with our style,” Wellz says.

“It’s just nice to keep getting more chances to keep collaborating with more bands and more people.”

While it is easier to do features than pure collaborations, both provide great opportunities for bands to shed light on their favorite up-and-coming acts.

“I think the easier way to do it is if there’s an idea of what the artist wants the direction of the collaboration to be,” Wellz says. “But when there are

situations where artists want a song created from scratch, those are always fun.”

Their true collaborations did not end with Dayshell, as they were able to connect with the budding Oklahomabased metal band Outline in Color and hardcore artist/engineer Blupill on the song “BottleRat.” The song served as their most collaborative project to date, as it not only deviated from their conventional sound but showed how three artists of differing sounds are able to display their talents on one track.

Their latest collaboration with the U.K. rap/metal band Hacktivist is their most ambitious crossover to date.

The song, “I Ain’t Depressed,” serves as a “hype song for being depressed,” as described by both Ramey and Wellz.

“The lyrics were about how everybody feels depressed at one point or another, but at some point, you have to hype yourself up even if you have to lie to yourself to change your mindset or your surroundings,” Ramey says.

From its horror-inspired intro to Ramey’s screaming chorus, the song helps listeners escape negative headspace and dark emotions.

“When you are depressed and you feel that darkness and dread over you and you’re ready to release that energy, that song gives you that punch in the mouth needed to release that energy,” Wellz

says.

“I Ain’t Depressed” proved to be challenging due to the pandemic and the distance that separates the bands.

From having to send lyrics back and forth with Hacktivist vocalist Jot Maxi to recording a music video, the project was a learning experience and a testament to modern music technology.

Dropout Kings launched an exclusive merchandise line to promote the collaboration.

While working with higher-profile acts is exciting, platforms like Featured X, a social platform where artists can reach out to one another to create music, have made it easier for bands like Dropout Kings to work with their idols.

The fact of the matter is that “we are really collaborating with a lot of people we are friends with,” Ramey says.

“We’re also always listening to people on all levels from local to megastars like Drake. As much as we make music, that is how we’re able to stay creative and have fun,” Wellz adds.

A prime example of this is their work with the local metal group Bury the Darkness, to whom Ramey was introduced through his digital marketing company, Push Digital Marketing.

The two bands wrote “Gone But Not Forgotten,” which discusses the struggles of coping with loss.

Bury the Darkness wrote most of the

song and approached Ramey and Wellz for a feature.

The pandemic changed the music industry and forced artists to become increasingly more creative with ways to promote themselves and make a living.

“Now more than ever, a lot of artists are missing out on their biggest stream of income, which is touring,” Ramey says. “There is a cost involved, but it’s an investment. It’s always surprising what good things can happen when you put yourself out there.”

Ramey says the worst thing an artist can say is “no” when asked to collaborate on a song.

Dropout Kings have been signed to Atilla frontman Chris Fronzak’s label Stay Sick Records since 2019. The sextet is shopping for a new label and have several songs in the works.

They are also hopeful to make a return to the stage this summer and play festivals in Europe as well as Rebel Rock Festival in Florida.

While they have no timetable for release on their latest songs, they do plan to continue to treat fans to new releases every two to three months.

“Overall, we’re staying busy and trying to keep our brains busy during this crazy time,” Ramey says.

Dropout Kings dropoutkingsmusic.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

REMEMBERING CHESTER BENNINGTON

36

UPFRONT | CITY | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Grey Daze strips down its music for new EP

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

T

he surviving members of Grey Daze are once again celebrating Chester Bennington with the release of “Amends…

Stripped,” an acoustic version of the album that hit stores in June 2020.

“The idea occurred during the process of recording ‘Amends,’” says Sean Dowdell of Grey Daze and owner of Club Tattoo.

“Tom (Whalley, founder of Loma Vista Recordings) mentioned he wanted a couple tracks that were different from the record. When they did a distribution deal with Target and Walmart, they wanted exclusive tracks.”

Dowdell handed over acoustic tracks that Whalley called “incredible.” He was so impressed by the songs that he

suggested Grey Daze release an EP with five acoustic tunes.

“We just showed the label we had these performances,” Dowdell says. “They were the same songs done a different way. We’re all fans of ‘MTV Unplugged.’

We thought it was a great idea.”

“Incredible” is also a word he uses for the response to “Amends,” which he says resonated with many Bennington fans.

“They connected to it emotionally,” says Dowdell, who lives in Queen Creek.

“I received tens of thousands of messages from fans. One song (‘Sickness’) went to No. 2 and was on the charts for 34 weeks. At the end of the year, we ended up on five or six different best-of-2020 album lists. I think we did justice to the music.”

The music is Dowdell’s way of dealing with Bennington’s death. He says he’s at a point now where he’s dealing with

Bennington’s passing better. Now, it’s about maintaining and trying to do what’s best for the music and Bennington’s legacy, he adds.

Fans haven’t seen the end of Grey Daze, as the group has another album’s worth of tracks with Bennington’s vocals.

“I shared the songs with the label,”

he says. “They freaked out and love the songs. They’re excited about them, which is cool to see.

“Chester’s looking down smiling. I just know it.”

Grey Daze greydazemusic.com

THROWBACK ALBUM ‘Smith/Kotzen’ explores the musicians’ influences

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

R

ichie Kotzen and Adrian Smith have a love for the American blues and traditional soul music.

Together they explore both on their debut album, “Smith/Kotzen.”

Used to working solo, Kotzen says it was a pleasure to work with Smith.

“I was so accustomed to doing everything myself,” Kotzen says. “It’s nice to be in a situation where we’re sharing the songwriting. I really loved it. It gave me a chance to have another perspective and sit back and lay back while he did his thing.”

Recorded on the Turks & Caicos Islands in February 2020, produced by Kotzen and Smith and mixed by Kevin “Caveman” Shirley, the nine-track collection sees the two musicians trading off on guitar and bass.

“I’ve been all over the world, so many places touring, but I hadn’t been to Turks & Caicos Islands,” Kotzen says.

“It was such a great vibe down there. The

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water is incredibly clean, and the beaches are beautiful.

“We had a house we rented that was gorgeous. It was like something out of a story. We got up in the morning, went for a swim and then started working.

We’d wrap it up, go for dinner and do it all over the next day. We really got a lot done. We made a really cool record.”

The record features special guest performances by Smith’s Iron Maiden bandmate Nicko McBrain on drums for the track “Solar Fire,” and Kotzen’s friend and touring partner Tal Bergman on drums for “You Don’t Know Me,” “I Wanna Stay” and “Til Tomorrow.”

Kotzen plays drums on five other songs.

“We made a really cool record,” Kotzen says. “It’s a rock record — the likes of which people don’t make anymore. It throws back to our influence of the late-1960s, 1970s, Free and Bad Company. We had a great time on it.”

Smith/Kotzen smithkotzen.com

‘WAITING FOR THE WORLD’ THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Drake Bell is burning to perform again

By Annika Tomlin

T

he COVID-19 pandemic caused musicians around the world to cancel their tours and park the tour bus at home. Drake Bell was one of them, but he used the time to create music in the new albums “The Lost Album” and “Sesiones en Casa.”

“It’s just a bummer because I played like five concerts in 2020, maybe more than that,” Bell says via Zoom. “But still, going from hundreds of shows to like 10 the whole year was crazy.”

Bell will return to the stage, though, at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at the Park Place Mall Drive-In Venue in Tucson.

“I play off of all the records,” he says about his live shows. “Obviously, I do the theme song (for ‘Drake and Josh’). I do ‘Found a Way,’ a couple of the other songs from shows that were also on my record and then some of the new stuff.

It’s all mixed.”

One of the few shows he played last year was a socially distanced concert in October at a Florida college, which, according to Bell, was “really cool and very different.”

“It was really strange (because) that was the longest time that I had gone without performing,” Bell says.

“I got on stage and was like, ‘Do I even know how to do this? What am I doing? Shoot.’ Usually, it’s like I play this set every night for the past six weeks, so it was like, ‘Wait a minute, probably should have rehearsed.’ It went great, but that is the only show since lockdown.”

37

Bell did a socially distanced meet and greet after the show, which was also strange, but he needed to connect with fans.

“Everyone knocks Florida, but I felt incredibly safe,” Bell says about the 12 hours he spent there for his concert.

“When I got to LAX, it was packed, there were people everywhere masks down over their chins and then I arrived in Florida and it was pretty empty.”

NEW MUSIC DURING PANDEMIC Prior to the start of COVID-19, Bell finished and released his first album for 2020, “The Lost Album,” which features previously unfinished songs.

“It was really nostalgic to go back and hear these songs and do it right from 10 years ago,” Bell says. “(‘The Lost Album’) came out in February and then COVID hit.

“I put out a song called ‘Diosa’ in July, and that did pretty well, and then I put out a song called ‘Waiting for the World,’ which is basically my quarantine song.”

When asked about his second 2020-released album, “Sesiones en Casa,” Bell says, “I forgot I released that last year, too. I released a lot of music that year — wow.”

“Sesiones en Casa” was Bell’s first primarily Spanish album. It featured “Diosa” and his 2018 song “Fuego Lento”

DRAKE CAMPANA Bell grew up in Southern California close to Mexico, where he and his family visited regularly.

“Living in Orange County, where I grew up, it’s very hot rod culture and just very Hispanic,” Bell says.

“I was spending a lot of time there (in Mexico) and even thinking about moving down there and just fell in love with it. I would do songs in Spanish live, but they would be covers. Then, back in

2018, I was like, ‘I have to write my own song in Spanish that is original.’ I wrote ‘Fuego Lento,’ put that out, and just everyone flipped.”

Within the last two years, Bell also started sharing messages on social media in Spanish.

“The majority of my fan base is Latin America, and so I was like I don’t even need to tweet in English anymore,” he says. “If I tweet in English, there will be more people hitting translate than if I wrote in Spanish.”

Bell switched his social media handle from “Drake Bell” to “Drake Campana,” which means “bell” in Spanish.

“It was just something funny that I was doing with my fans, and they just thought it was hilarious,” Bell says.

“They started making tons of memes like my passport … and all this stuff.”

The memes quickly went viral, with Bell posting his favorites on his social media pages.

“It was a viral thing for a second,” he says. “It was really funny, but then the United States picked it up. It’s like, ‘Oh, my God, he changed his name, he moved to Mexico, he’s doing this, he’s doing that,’” Bell recalls.

“My fans and I were like, ‘What?’ It was just something fun that I was doing with my fans and then it just caught on and took off.”

QUARANTINE AND THE FUTURE During quarantine, Bell spent “a lot more time playing” and creating music.

“I’ve been able to have a lot more time to sit down at the piano, so I would say a lot more practicing,” Bell says about improving his piano skills.

“As far as songwriting, it’s not really any different. I just have more time to be creative and be home and write and do stuff.

“It’s sometimes hard to get motivated, but the time has helped. I’m not on the road. I’m not in an airplane. I’m not in a hotel or car. I’m sitting at home at the piano,” he adds, playing a few notes on the piano.

Bell hopes he can perform more in 2021. He’s always writing new music and wants to get the songs out there.

“I just want us all to get out there safely and back to normal life,” he says.

“Playing live music was great, but not being able to do it is not great.”

Drake Bell Live 3 p.m. Saturday, March 13 Park Place Mall, 5870 E. Broadway Boulevard, Tucson $55 to $60 per car bit.ly/3px31rr ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

AN ‘AMERICAN IDOL’

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UPFRONT | CITY | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Songwriting is the heart and soul of Amelia Joyce

By Jacqueline Robledo

A

melia Joyce moved to the Valley five years ago in hopes of turning her musical passion into a career.

Twenty-four years ago, Joyce was born in Jackson, Michigan, with five siblings, all of whom would perform together. She took piano lessons throughout middle school and high school.

“Growing up in a small town, there weren’t a lot of opportunities for me to stay and try and develop my career,” she says.

“I always wanted to live out West. I came out here when I was 19 and chose Arizona because my sister lived here. I was hoping it would be my steppingstone to LA.” Once she arrived in Arizona, the then-19-year-old singer moved to Peoria and performed in coffee shops and at open mic nights. She did not expect the reactions or opportunities that were to come.

“My first open mic night was at this busy bar, and I started playing a song songwriters. It was after I performed that I looked them up and I couldn’t believe what I read.”

Her success only grew from there.

Two years later, Joyce was awarded a golden ticket to Hollywood for season 18 of “American Idol.” Joyce credits her friend, fellow Phoenician Wade Cota, who was in the top six of “American Idol” the previous year, for recommending her to a producer of the show.

“I saw the opportunities that Wade got, and I was like, well, it won’t hurt to try,” she says. and everything just went quiet, and everyone was like, ‘Where the heck did you come from? You’re not from around here, are you?’” says Joyce, who now lives in Downtown Phoenix.

In 2017, she won Alice Cooper’s Proof in the Pudding in her first competition.

She, in turn, opened for Cooper, Tommy Thayer and Ace Frehley, Rob Halford and Slash.

“I have such good memories of that,” she says enthusiastically. “I’m not a competition kid at all, but I met a lot of great people through that competition. I met the founding fathers of rock ’n’ roll. I didn’t grow up listening to that kind of music. I was into ’70s folk singers and singerENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Joyce traveled to Hawaii to compete in the Top 40 before being eliminated from the competition.

“It’s kind of like a really intense summer camp with a bunch of kids from all over,” she says. So, it was a really good challenge for me with the TV element of it, and overall I’m super glad that I did it.”

Prior to returning home from “American Idol,” Joyce released a single that can be found on Spotify called “What No One Says.” Her single, “Cigarettes,” hit streaming services this year.

Although COVID-19 has put many opportunities on hold for the young artist, she says the show has helped her clarify the type of artist she would like to be moving forward.

“The heart and soul of what I do is songwriting,” she says. “To be able to have a career by performing my original music is the next level of what I’m working toward.”

At her gigs, she performs covers by the likes of Elton John, Billy Joel, Carly Simon and Carole King but sprinkles in original songs.

“That’s water to the fish,” she says with a laugh.

Amelia Joyce Facebook.com/xxameliajoyce

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