The Entertainer! - November 2020 by Times Media Group

PHX METRO Â» NOVEMBER 2020

HOP WHITE RABBIT

Into The

Speakeasy celebrates second anniversary with expansion

SCOTTSDAZZLE RETURNS

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

CONTENTS

PERRY FARRELL

Alt-rock godfather proves he’s more than Jane’s Addiction’s singer

HOP WHITE RABBIT

Into The

Speakeasy celebrates second anniversary with expansion

ON THE COVER

DANNY ZELISKO

Valley concert promoter pens new book, “All Excess”

on the cover: Allison Neri of The White Rabbit Cover photo by Tim Sealy

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

Times Media Group 1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway Suite 219, Tempe, AZ 85282 Phone 480.348.0343 entertainermag.com

publisher

Steve T. Strickbine

steve@entertainermag.com

Vice President

Michael Hiatt mhiatt@timespublications.com

Executive Editor

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

christina@timespublications.com

Assistant Editor Connor Dziawura

Staff Writers

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS

North Valley arts festival returns with social distancing in place

CONTENTS UPFRONT

White Rabbit • 311 • Perry Farrell • Concerts at Home • Marshall Shore • Tommy Lee

CITY

circulation director Aaron Kolodny

aaron@entertainermag.com

contributing writers

Nicholas Barker, Adianna Bermudez, Andrew Checchia, Morgan Cole, Olivia Dow, Sue Kern-Fleischer, Laura Latzko, Sarah Nguyen, Jacqueline Robledo, Victoria Stibrik

Staff Photographers

Pablo Robles, Tim Sealy

Contributing Photographers

Charcuterie Roundup • Thanksgiving Roundup

BEER AND WINE

Happy Hour Roundup • Sommeliers

CASINOS

Hotels for Heroes • We-Ko-Pa

SPORTS

A TASTE OF THANKSGIVING

Don’t want to cook? Here are some options

Salt River Fields Baseball Academy • The Navajo Warrior • NASCAR

FAMILY

Great Wolf Lodge • Light Shows • “Over the Moon”

MUSIC

The Stray Cats • Wild Giants • The Record Thieves

IN CLOSING

production manager Courtney Oldham

Hidden in the Hills • Phoenix Theatre Company • Scottsdazzle

DINING

designer

Shannon Mead

production@timespublications.com

Danny Zelisko • Junk in the Trunk • For King & Country

ARTS

Kristine Cannon, Sarah Donahue, Annika Tomlin

THE NAVAJO WARRIOR

Longtime professional wrestler to be honored in Tempe

Anarcho Punk, CraftBoxGirls.com, Miachelle DePiano, Jonathan King, Lauren Hansen, Russ Harrington, J. Martin Harris, Christian Houda, Robby Klein, Meeno, Neflix, Myriam Santos, Joanie Simon ONE COPY PER READER

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UPFRONT

PHX » CITY » LOCAL » PRIDE » DO » SEE

HOP INTO THE WHITE RABBIT

Speakeasy celebrates second anniversary with expansion By Annika Tomlin

hen Nick Medina and Corey Potts were in the telecommunications business, they traveled around the world, hitting speakeasies in their free time. Two years ago, the pair opened the Prohibition-inspired bar The White Rabbit in Downtown Gilbert. “About two years ago we went out to dinner and came down to Gilbert,” Potts says. “We were waiting in line to go someplace and Nick pulled out his phone, and we’ve had this building forever, and he said, ‘What do you think about carving 2,000 square feet and creating a speakeasy?’ I said, ‘Yep, let’s do it.’ We literally came up with the idea pretty much that night. It’s just a passion project.” Speakeasies came into prominence during the Prohibition era. They were hidden and accessible only through a secret password. That appealed to Potts and Medina. “We just really like the atmosphere and the ambience of a speakeasy just because it’s so different from anything here,” Medina says. “It’s not a country bar or a dive bar. It’s just a different feeling and ambience with a different energy when you walk into the speakeasy versus another type of bar, and that’s what attracted us to that type of bar.” After offering a password, The White Rabbit guests are taken down a staircase and through a secret door. The door is covered in artifacts with an illuminated rabbit as the door handle. Potts says they refuse to dust the entrance, because real cobwebs add to the ambience. “We don’t have crazy passwords,” Potts says. “Most of our passwords are slogans or sayings from the 1920s,” Medina adds. “For example, the last one I believe is ‘whisper sister,’ which is basically the definition of a female proprietor of a speakeasy.” Another previous password harked back to “Gone with the Wind”: “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” The owners thought it was appropriate for the environment. In the 1920s to 1940s, speakeasies

were named after animals to get around the Prohibition laws. “What really appealed to us with a white rabbit is coming down the rabbit hole,” says Medina. “That whole experience of not necessarily ‘Alice in Wonderland’ but maybe Jefferson Airplane.” The White Rabbit has a room dedicated to photographs of people from the 1920s to ’40s that were given to them by social media followers. Potts and Medina contributed photos of their grandparents to The White Rabbit. Potts says a man in his late 60s came to The White Rabbit’s soft opening and quickly recognized a picture of a woman in a wedding dress. “He goes, ‘I love this place. It is cool, because you see that picture there, I sent it to you. That’s my mom.’ It gives me goosebumps thinking about it,” Potts says. The gentleman pointed to another photo of the entire wedding party and told Potts his mother “would have loved this place.” The owners say The White Rabbit wouldn’t have found success without its staff. They give bartenders and servers the space and environment to thrive. “Our No. 1 cocktail we sell is bartender special,” Medina says. “Behind the bar they will ask you what you want your base to be and how do you want your drink. Do you want it fruity? Floral? Or vegetal? Then they go back and create everybody their own signature

cocktail. “It’s really about creating something special not only for our staff but the community.” The White Rabbit will soon finish The Parlor Room and The Rabbit Hole, two new rooms in the establishment. “The Parlor Room is for when we get a lot of requests to do buyouts here. Especially on Fridays and Saturdays, it is very difficult to do,” Potts says. “We have the additional square footage, so we’re actually building that out for people to do buyouts or overflow. It’s still going to have the same look, feel and experience of The Rabbit, but it’s dedicated for that purpose.” The Parlor Room will include seating for up to 100 people but will only be open for 50% capacity along with the rest of The White Rabbit once it passes a health inspection and obtains a certificate of occupancy. “We’re also building what’s called The Rabbit Hole, which is going to be our speakeasy within a speakeasy,” Potts says. “We’re still working with that one.” The Rabbit Hole is a space for a private party with up to 18 people and with its own mixologist that will be open by reservation only Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. “We are going to schedule out the bartenders two to three weeks out in advance,” Potts says. “They are going to create their own menu, and everyone is

going to know the experience that they are coming in for.” The White Rabbit is open at half capacity, while following CDC guidelines such as social distancing, temperature checks and masks. After shutting down twice during the pandemic, Potts and Medina are hopeful they are in the clear. “It was difficult because we shut down and then we reopened and then we were told to shut down again,” Medina says. “It was difficult for us and for our employees to do that. “Hopefully we won’t get shut down again—we’ll see. Fingers crossed. Everything has been going well so far.” The White Rabbit marked its second anniversary in October. However, due to the pandemic occupancy restrictions, Potts and Medina did not celebrate. “I wish we really could do something, but with COVID right now, it’s pretty difficult to do anything other than the 50% occupancy. Even the live music is kind of on hold right now,” Medina says. “We are hoping to—if we can’t do anything this year—once for sure COVID is over, we plan on doing quite a few different events.”

The White Rabbit 207 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert 480.750.0099, twr.bar thewhiterabbitbar on Facebook

All Mixed Up

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

311 is ready to ‘rock’ in a new, pandemic environment By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

inger Nick Hexum looks at the COVID-19 pandemic as a glass half full. His band, 311, hasn’t been able to perform since February, but the break has had its own benefits. “I have three children—all elementary school age,” Hexum says. “What’s been really cool about it is I know I’m the one who taught my now-6-year-old daughter to read this year. I taught her to ride a bike. Because of this extended time, I’m the guy who taught her this. It’s a special memory that’ll last forever.” But 311’s break is about to end for a bit. The reggae-rock band is scheduled to play two shows on Friday, November 13, as part of Concerts in Your Car at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. “This has been our longest break,” Hexum says. “The only time we took a break this long was in 1998. We were touring so much then that we had to take a little break to get houses and find a place to live. We were living on the road. That was 22 years ago. It’s going to be nice to get out there and rock.” Hexum says he and 311 signed on to do Concerts in Your Car—which also hosts shows in Ventura County, California, and San Diego—on the recommendation of the soft-rock tribute band Yachtley Crew. He’s good friends with the musicians, who play basketball and poker with him. “Once he recommended it and said it was great, I said let’s do it,” he says.

“Phoenix is a great market for us. I remember in the early days, Phoenix and Atlanta were two of the first places that embraced 311. I’m talking 1993, the early days, when ‘Do You Right’ was our first single.” The Nebraska natives are ready to unleash their pent-up energy that’s equal to those days 30 years ago, Hexum says. “I think there will be a lot of joy uncorked since we’ve been itching to play for so long,” Hexum says. “We have an amazing crew and production manager who’s going to design a killerlooking stage to make sure it’s visually worth it and custom designed for the unique stage setup we have.” This year, 311 was slated to tour in support of its 30th anniversary, which was waylaid because of the coronavirus. As part of the celebration, 311 is sharing congratulatory messages on its YouTube channel from fans and celebrities like Venus Williams. “She’s an inspiring person to know,” he says. “She’s taking some inspiration from us. That feels good. She came out in Florida early last year and she said, ‘I’ve known you for a long time. I remember what it was like when I first heard the words to ‘Flowing’ on the radio. The words moved me so much. It’s nice to see someone else is going through what I’m going through.’ “That was her gateway to get into the world of 311. She’s come to a lot of shows. She saw us once and brought Serena, who brought Common. I thought this was the coolest backstage scene.” Hexum, 50, has a photogenic memory when it comes to the 30 years of 311. For example, he vividly recalls the moment he realized 311 was more than a hobby. It was a career. It was the band’s first show, June 10, 1990, at Sokol Hall in Omaha. “The first show we had we opened for Fugazi and the place just erupted into a wild mosh pit,” Hexum recalls. “I thought, ‘We’ve got something.’ It was that early in our career. I knew we tapped into something really special. “I thought we just have to get out there and play for people. Everyone was ready to move out to California together.” The plan worked. In three decades, 311 has released 13 studio albums, 10 of which reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top 200 albums chart. Nine of its radio singles reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s alternative radio chart. The road dogs played more than 2,000 shows— including 11 311 Day events and six Caribbean cruises—across the nation

and 27 countries. In mid-August, 311 launched a ninepart webisode series called “30 Years of 311” that is posted on 311’s online social channels on Wednesdays. They feature 7-minute video clips spanning 311’s career. “The pandemic has given us time to take stock at how blessed we are,” Hexum says. “When you think about how wild the early shows were, we’ve changed a lot over the years. We’re always improving.” The show in Phoenix will be in the round to allow fans maximum visibility. Hexum says playing in drive-ins is a thrill for him. “Everybody gets to be very close, and we’ll have space to run around in a new setting,” he says. “Drive-ins were a big part in Omaha, Nebraska. We had a

huge station wagon, kind of like the one in Chevy Chase’s ‘Vacation’ movies. We would turn around backward and go and watch double and triple headers and the ‘let’s all go to the lobby’ and get snacks song. I have very fond memories of going to the drive-ins in Omaha. To be the entertainment at the drive-in is really cool.”

311 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Friday, November 13 Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix Tickets, in advance only, start at $99 per car. concertsinyourcar.com or 311.com/shows

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The Third Act

Perry Farrell emerges from the dark for next chapter

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

hen Perry Farrell hit 60 in March 2019, he knew he had to change. He spent years in the dark but decided it was time to emerge. “I just holed up and I partied. I didn’t want to completely be social,” Farrell says. “I didn’t really want to completely become active, an active participant in society. “At 60, you know how it feels, man. You get a little wear and tear. We made it through this far. For the rest of my life, it’s maintenance and discovery. I want to maintain and be around and available not just to people but my family for sure.” Thanks to Farrell’s management, vaulted music will be readily available on November 6, pushing the singer’s legacy beyond “just” Jane’s Addiction or Porno for Pyros. “Perry Farrell—The Glitz; The Glamour” is a 35-year retrospective of Farrell’s life, music and arts that features 68 alt-rock rarities that will be served in a vinyl and collectible boxset. This collection puts his stake in the ground, as it were, as the “Godfather of Alternative Rock.” Across nine 180-gram vinyls, “Perry Farrell—The Glitz; The Glamour” takes fans through his expansive solo career starting with his first band, Psi Com, and its five-song self-titled EP. Recorded in 1985, just prior to the formation of Jane’s Addiction, the Psi Com sound was inspired by artists like Joy Division and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The band was recently featured in new documentary “Desolation Center,” the previously untold story of ’80s guerilla music, art and culture in Southern California, and is available now on all streaming video platforms. From 2001, “Song Yet to Be Sung” was inspired by and recorded after a lifechanging experience in Sudan helping free thousands of slaves from human bondage. This experience and album set forth Perry as a humanitarian and his commitment to equality. The 12-song EP was written and produced by Farrell and is joined on the album by lifelong friends including Dave Navarro (Jane’s Addiction), Martyn LeNoble (Porno for Pyros) and Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction and Porno for Pyros). Satellite Party’s 2007 album, “Ultra Payloaded,” was co-produced by Perry, ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Steve Lillywhite and Nuno Bettencourt and features his wife and muse, Etty Lau Farrell. The 12-song LP also includes collaborations with John Frusciante, Flea, Fergie, New Order’s Peter Hook, Peter DiStefano (Porno for Pyros),Thievery Corporation and Mad Professor. For the recording of 2018’s “Kind Heaven,” the alt-rock icon assembled guest stars—Elliot Easton (The Cars), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Mike Garson (David Bowie), Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction), Etty Lau Farrell, Dhani Harrison as well as Tommy Lee, the Bloody Beetroots, Kascade and Joachim Garraud. It features singles “Pirate Punk Politician,” a searing indictment of the current state of our planet under a rising tide of autocratic regimes, and the soaring song of hope “Let’s all Pray for This World.” “The project was led by my management team,” Farrell says. “They came in, maybe a year ago, and they noticed I was all over the place. I hadn’t documented my career, all my pictures I’ve been saving, my life, my memories. My publishing was all over the place. “I had four to five projects. Some of them were just sitting there gathering dust. They were beautiful projects. They started listening to it and they said, ‘We want to pull it all together and make a centrifuge or a center of gravity for it all.’ They really love the music. They wanted to know what happened to the music. I told them the industry just kind of evaporated or eviscerated slowly right before our eyes.” Farrell worked on new music back then for the likes of Psi Com and then reality hit. The Virgin Records store in LA shuttered. “Tumbleweeds were going through the parking lot.” “It was a beautiful record,” he says. “But it would end up stillborn. The songs were so good, and I put so much work and time into it. They were lovely. We wanted to put out a box set and go all the way back to Psi Com.” The boxset also includes an unearthed recording of Jim Morrison that Farrell has composed and, to complete the circle, written and recorded with LA’s next-generation Starcrawler. “I did the Jim Morrison song with a young group, Starcrawler, from LA, that I produced and written with Taylor Hawkins and Starcrawler,” he says. Eleven specially commissioned remixes and collaborations spanning two

exclusive records round out the set. These feature heavyweight luminaries from the electronic dance world, including Maceo Plex, Groove Armada, UNKLE, Solomun, Booka Shade, Richard Norris, Francois K and the Avalanches. Farrell compares the box set to the snacks his wife orders. “My wife gets snacks from different countries, like Russia, another box from Korea, another from Sweden, and then you get to taste what their potatoes are like,” he says. “Some chips have a shrimp taste, and others are super sour gummies. That’s what the box set reminds me of—this crazy box of snacks. You go through it and you look at the packaging and you open the box really quickly and taste it.” The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating to Farrell, who founded Lollapalooza. This year, Lollapaloozas in Chicago, Brazil, Argentina, Stockholm, Paris and Berlin were canceled. “We worked on Lolla 2020 as a virtual event,” Farrell says. “Honestly, I’m with the people, man. I stay on top of politics and current events. I’m very motivated because of Kamala Harris and

the Democrats and BLM, and I really want to participate in the world going forward. “I think the next 10 years will be super exciting. We can retrofit or tear down the walls, become socially active and artistically active. It’s going to make it through. I’m inspired.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Farrell has been working on his memoir, another goal for his 60s. “I have history,” he says. “When the pandemic hit, I said, ‘OK. I’m going to settle down and get my act together— probably what everybody’s doing— gather my music, my publishing, my pictures, stories, and I’ve had a really fun time doing it. “Now, I really feel I’m prepared to enter into the third act of life. There’s a lot you can accomplish in this third act. I don’t want to look at this third act as I have to slow down. I was slowed down in the middle. Now I feel like the best Perry I can be.”

Perry Farrell perryfarrell.com

CONCERTS AT HOME THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

Get cozy—virtual shows are coming in fall and winter By Olivia Dow

rowd cheering, blood pumping and entertaining thousands of singing fans. These are experiences that artists everywhere are missing after the COVID-19 pandemic has halted concerts around the globe. Artists are not the only people missing the rush of live music; fans are feeling the void as well. Now, artists are bringing concerts to audiences at home. While these concerts may be different than what fans are used to, jamming out to your favorite artist in your pajamas could be a different, but just as enjoyable, experience. Here are a few artists who are bringing live music to viewers at home.

tries to quell pandemic boredom with a live show that’s free. The stream will be found at nugs.tv website.

Dumpstaphunk

6 P.M. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 The funk and jam band Dumpstaphunk doesn’t stray too far from home for its virtual show. It will play at Tipitina’s in New Orleans. Tickets are $14.99 for the HD broadcast or $59.99 for six shows through Tipitina’s. Tickets for the show can be found on the nugs.tv website.

Niall Horan

10 P.M. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 Former One Direction singer Niall Horan will bring “Heartbreak Weather” to the stage at London’s Royal Albert Hall for fans across the globe. Tickets are $20 on universe. com, a Ticketmaster partner. (No fees associated.) Proceeds from the show will be given to the #WeNeedCrew fund.

Tickets are on the nugs.tv website and are $14.99 for the one show and $59.99 for six shows.

Toto

7 P.M. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 The classic rock band Toto will debut its new lineup during the show that replaces a massive worldwide tour the “Africa” act was supposed to do. Tickets to see Toto are $15 and can be purchased on dice.fm.

Master Class with Sebastian Bach

6 P.M. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16 Rocker and Broadway star Sebastian Bach offers virtual vocal lessons. (Why not?) Tickets are $300 and can be purchased through the universe.com website.

AJR

7 P.M. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, FOR NAU STUDENTS ONLY Known for its hit “Bang,” AJR will fete NAU’s homecoming with a virtual show for students only. Tickets are free at events.nau. edu/event/ajr-virtual-concert.

of the Shins, Eagles of Death Metal and Neon Castles. Tickets start at $15 and can be found on the Noon Chorus website, noonchorus.com/brendan-benson.

The Soul Rebels and Big Freedia

7 P.M. SATURDAY, NOV 21 The Soul Rebels, an eight-piece New Orleans-based brass ensemble, teams with bounce’s Big Freedia for a livestream from Tipitina’s.

Jonas Brothers

TBA THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Continuing with their comeback, the Jonas Brothers are working with Lenovo to host a free concert for fans. Further details for the show are to be announced. Keep your eyes peeled on jonasbrothers.com.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

6 P.M. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18 The TSO couldn’t bring its bombastic shows to arenas this holiday season, so the collective will perform virtually. Tickets start at $30 and can be found at tsolivestream. com/tso/livestream.

The Radiators Patty Griffin

5 P.M. SATURDAYS, NOVEMBER 7, NOVEMBER 21 AND DECEMBER 5 Patty Griffin will bring “Patty Griffin: A Residency Streaming Live from The Continental Club” to living rooms everywhere. Each show in the three-night series will be new, with partial proceeds going to benefit 18 independent venues in the country as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate the live music community. A series trailer video is available via Griffin’s socials now. General admission tickets are $25; residency pass for all three streams is $60. Tickets at mandolin.com.

ekoostik hookah

5 P.M. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 Everybody’s favorite Ohio jam band

6 P.M. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13 New Orleans rockers the Radiators will hit the Tipitina’s stage as well. Tickets are $19.99 and can be found on the nugs.tv website.

Metallica

3 P.M. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14 Metallica will perform live and acoustic at Metallica HQ in San Rafael, California. Tickets start at $14.99 on the nugs.tv website. The profits from the show benefit the All Within My Hands foundation.

Brendan Benson

3:20 P.M. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14 Acclaimed singer-songwriter Brendan Benson will celebrate his 50th birthday with a livestream from the 5 Spot in Nashville. He’ll be accompanied by a full band comprised of members ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE HIP HISTORIAN

Marshall Shore continues to engage audiences during the pandemic By Laura Latzko

arshall Shore, the man known as “the Hip Historian,” has a thirst for acquiring new knowledge and sharing it with others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he had to find new ways to do this, including hosting virtual happy hour. The Arizona History Happy Hours are accessible through the Marshall Shore, Hip Historian Facebook page and on Twitch at 7 p.m. Thursdays. Past shows are also available for viewing on Facebook and YouTube. Shore has partnered with AARP Arizona, which is helping to promote his virtual show statewide. The historian offers the show for free but is accepting donations. Like many others, he hasn’t been able to work due to venue closures and event cancellations during the pandemic. Along with his show, Shore has been working with Virtual Arizona Pride, hosting LGBTQ-themed happy hours on topics such as LGBTQ entertainers in Arizona for the organization’s Third Saturdays. During his time as a historian, Shore has hosted a range of different events, including themed tours, bingo nights and Arizona history talks. He started the

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virtual happy hours so he could connect with others. “I missed sharing stories with people and, in return, them sharing with you,” Shore says. Through in-person and virtual events, he has met folks with rich histories, such as a woman in Scottsdale whose dad worked for area resorts in the 1960s. Often during the virtual shows, audience members will use the chat feature to talk with each other and with the host. “People are having this other conversation as you are talking, ask questions and being able to give tidbits about their own experience,” Shore says. The virtual shows have a talk-show format, with his conversations fitting into different segments. For one segment, he shares facts about small towns in Arizona. “We have some really amazing little tiny places that are rich with history,” Shore says. “For me, that’s part of the fun. I pick a town, and I don’t even know the history. I know it’s an old mining town, but when did it start? What was there? How is it functioning now? Did it have a boon in the ’50s?” Another segment touches on Arizona’s music history. “I get a chance to talk about some really cool voices that have come from Arizona and get a chance to highlight

the diversity of that,” Shore says. Each week, Shore brings on guests with knowledge of the topics discussed, which so far have included Arizona’s Tiki history, Hohokam canals and the local R&B music scene of the 1950s and ’60s. During each virtual happy hour session, Shore provides cocktail recipes. “I’m looking at how to make it engaging, because so many things virtual are just talking heads. I think for a lot of people, it’s easy to watch that and zone out,” Shore says. He has found that asking trivia questions helps to keep audiences engaged, especially when he goes more in-depth and creates discussion around the answers. “I’ve learned it’s more fun if you ask questions and at the end of that go through the answers and talk about why that’s the answer. That way, you empower people so when they walk away, they know more than when they came in,” Shore says. During his career, Shore has built up a collection of goodies that he often shares with viewers. His collection includes a cocktail stirrer designed by sign maker Glen Guyette. Through his work, he has put a spotlight on people who have been part of Arizona’s history. This includes comedian and singer Rusty Warren of “Knockers Up” fame and Madge Copeland, who opened the first Black salon in Phoenix. Even when doing virtual shows, Shore continues to dress in his colorful

signature style. He focuses on different items of clothing, such as his eyewear, because of the format but still continues to don clothing items such as his handpainted Arizona jacket. Hailing from rural Indiana, Shore has a master’s degree in library science and worked as a librarian in New York and the Phoenix area before becoming a historian. He moved to Phoenix in 2000 and started on his current path in 2009, when he hosted his first event. He developed his nickname “the Hip Historian” during Arizona’s Centennial. He always had an interest in information, community building and theater, but there wasn’t a job that fit with those passions. This prompted him to create his own job. “When I first moved here, there was this prevailing thought that there’s no history here. As I was going out, I’d come across these amazing stories and realize people just haven’t taken that time to explore. It was like, ‘Let me do that,’” Shore says. He says his natural curiosity has always been part of his personality. “As friends back in New York would say, I would talk to a stump. I think everybody has a good story. You just need someone who’s willing to listen,” Shore says.

Marshall Shore facebook.com/ Marshall-ShoreHipHistorian-293574637371590

TWO SIDES

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

Tommy Lee unites female and male energies on new album By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

ommy Lee pops up on Zoom donning a fedora, sunglasses and a black T-shirt that reads “Please Evolve” in his pricey home

studio. “This Zoom thing is so (expletive) cool, because typically we would probably be doing a phone interview,” he says, smiling widely. “It’s been so cool to see people who you’re actually talking to. What a concept.” Lee is pushing his new album “Andro,” a mix of electro, hip-hop, funk, dance and industrial music with special guests like Post Malone, Josh Todd (briefly), South African rapper Push Push, Lukas Rossi (from Lee’s former TV show “Rockstar: Supernova”) and Tyla Yaweh. “I hope people enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it,” he says. “When I do my own thing, genres don’t even exist for me. I love bobbing and weaving through them all, smashing them together when they’re not supposed to go together. I love that stuff.” “Andro” is represented on the album with the female energy tracks on one side and the male voices on the other, Lee says. “Boom. That’s where the title ‘Andro’ came. The record clearly has two dominant energies—one male, one female. Once I separated them, they danced. They both have their own vibes.

I don’t think that’s ever been done. I may be wrong, but I don’t think anybody’s ever done that conceptually. It’s really cool.” The guest artists came as an afterthought, Lee explains. “I have a collaboration list of people who I have always wanted to work with. I’ve admired their stuff. I’ve been following them and checking their stuff out,” he says. “I’d be like, ‘Oh my God. So and so would just kill this track. They’re perfect.’ I would reach out to them and say, ‘Hey, I got a track. This has your name all over it.’ They would hear it and be like, ‘I’m in.’ Two days later, we’d be here at the studio recording it. It really started with the music, and the music sort of dictated what voice went with the vibe, what lyrics, all that stuff.” One person with whom he particularly vibed was Julia Sykes of London’s PLYA. She appears on the song “Make It Back.” “I had this song and I sent her just the music, right, and she loved it,” Lee says excitedly. “She wanted to do it. She comes over and I was like, ‘Julia, what would you like to hear?’ I had taken another girl’s a cappella and I Frankensteined it. I kind of chopped up how I hear the melody going. “She didn’t want me to play it for her, because she didn’t want to be influenced by it. I said, ‘OK, fair enough. I get it.’ She goes out in the studio and she starts

singing. I look at my engineer and I’m like, ‘Dude, what the (expletive).’ It was 98.9% of what I had already heard in my head—and she never heard this. I was freaking out. She killed it. I played her a demo of what I was thinking, and I’ll never forget her face. She was sitting on the couch like this” with mouth agape. “That’s just rare. Christina, that just does not happen. I love telling people that story ’cause, wow, I still get goosebumps telling it.” Now was the perfect time for “Andro” because the Motley Crue stadium tour with Def Leppard and Joan Jett was postponed and, frankly, Lee was over music. “I was like, ‘OK. I’m going to take a year off. I’m going to clear my head. I don’t want to hear about music. I don’t want to listen to the radio. I don’t want to see it. I’m just going to remove myself and just air it out’—and I did that,” he

recalls. He did that for a year until he got antsy and the songs started creeping into his head. Lee thought the songs were “awesome,” and he says he had to put out the music. “I wasn’t really planning on it,” adds Lee, who had just shot a “seriously ghetto, fabulous” video for his song “Caviar on a Paper Plate.” “I just can’t sit around.” Lee says “Andro” passed the ultimate test. “I still listen to it. After you’ve worked on a record for, God, a year and a half, you’re sick of it. You’ve heard it so many times that you’ve just worn it out. I still listen to it, and that’s a really good sign. That doesn’t happen often.”

Tommy Lee tommylee.com

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CITY

STYLE » ENVY » PASSION » FASHION » BEAUTY » DESIGN

IN ‘EXCESS’

Promoter Danny Zelisko recalls career in first book By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

anny Zelisko sits at his desk, surrounded by memorabilia from his 45 years as a promoter. The centerpiece is Billy Cobham’s red drum kit. Throughout the Paradise Valley home that serves as an office—his house is two doors down—are memories of those who have passed as well, like longtime friend Jerry Riopelle and comedian Robin Williams. The story is clear to visitors of the office, but now the public can read about his career and exploits in his book “All Excess Occupation: Concert Promoter.” “When I look at it in one collection, it’s an enjoyable book,” says Zelisko, who has produced more than 10,000 concert events. “I was extra careful not to step on toes or tell tales out of school, which I certainly could. I made sure I didn’t share details in writing for the public of things that people said or did around me that they expected to be in confidence.

This isn’t stories about people snorting ants, which was in a recent rock star bio. It’s about how much fun it is to put on concerts, meet people and explain who they are about.” Zelisko says writing the book was a challenge, as he tried to remember “everything clearly” and include the appropriate folks. The latter was a sticky point, as he doesn’t have photos of many of his friends. After all, success came thanks to his friends. “I didn’t want to make it a really big bio kind of story about me, because I don’t think people are interested in all my personal details,” he says. “I tried to get to the concert promoting thing as quickly as possible. How I got to be doing concerts, how I got to being around famous ballplayer and learning the etiquette of going from a fan to a friend. “So many people I’ve seen over the years lose it and go to pieces when they see somebody they idolize. It’s like, ‘Get a grip, will ya?’” As he mentioned, Zelisko shares an array of photos from his personal

archives, including him with Alice Cooper, Willie Nelson, Roger Waters, Aerosmith, the Grateful Dead, members of Led Zeppelin and the Doors, Herbie Hancock, Jeff Beck, Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson, Chuck Berry, Jon Bon Jovi, Tony Bennett, Muddy Waters, Genesis, Tina Turner, Billy Idol, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Billy Joel, Bob Seger, the Monkees, James Brown and John Prine. “I went through box after box of photos, and I couldn’t believe how many there were,” Zelisko says. “With each picture, there’s a memory—‘That’s the night such and such happened. …’ Putting captions with the photos makes the accompanying anecdotes come to life.” In addition, Zelisko chronicles his lifelong love of sports, his passion for collecting memorabilia and autographs, as well as some of the friendships he formed while in his preteens with the likes of Chicago Cubs shortstop/first baseman Ernie Banks as well as Chicago Bears stars Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers (the bond between the latter two was the basis of the tear-jerker film “Brian’s Song”). Of Sayers, who recently passed away, Zelisko says, “Gale knew how

close Brian Piccolo and I were and was a great comfort to me and my dad at Pic’s wake. I won’t ever forget his kindness.” Most notably, former Detroit Tigers player and ex-Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson penned the foreword. “I’ve known him, obviously, for years and years,” he says. “We met at a Who concert that I was doing in ’07. Bob Melvin brought him then. He was just the bench coach. “I’m very fortunate to have made such incredible friends. I think a big reason for that is because I’m always very honest with the people I deal with. I can admire them and worship what they do, but I deal with them straight and tell them the truth. I think that’s how you last in the business, and it’s how you maintain relationships.”

THE BEGINNING The Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame inductee’s story began in grade school in Niles, Illinois, when he helped a Little League coach arrange a team visit by Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo. For his work, Zelisko was paid $30, or 10% of Piccolo’s take. Music was a staple in the Zelisko household. He has a slight memory of

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his mother playing records by Frank Sinatra and listening to Elvis Presley on the radio. “What I remember mostly is my mom used to play some weird 78,” he says. “It definitely wasn’t music at the time. It was ‘How Much is that Doggie in the Window?’ “I didn’t think of that as music. Then, when the Beatles came along, I was into them. I realized later they were a baby band. They had a crummy little deal with Vee Jay Records, then Capitol and then Swan.” He fell in love with Arizona the first time he saw it during a college road trip. He started working on a small investment from a friend and his dad, as well as his dad. He raised $11,000 and that lasted three shows. At age 19, Zelisko’s first show was Mahavishnu Orchestra in Tucson. With his father’s help, he booked Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters to play Phoenix. It was a quick learning experience. He learned he had to sell many tickets to pay for those costs and even more tickets to make money. Tickets were $3.50 to $5.50. “It almost broke even,” he says. “I didn’t have any shows until the fall, and they didn’t make money. It was a real leap of faith, even for the $11,000 at the time that I raised, which was definitely a larger amount of money than $11,000 is now.” He parlayed that gig into Evening Star Productions, booking acts like the Police, Cheap Trick, Pat Benatar, Talking Heads, Kiss, Bon Jovi, No Doubt and Nirvana into the 700-capacity Dooley’s Nightclub. Evening Star found success throughout the Southwestern United States in the 1980s and 1990s in venues like Veterans Memorial Coliseum, America West Arena (now known as Talking Stick Resort Arena) and stadiums. In 1990, Evening Star began promoting shows in the Desert Sky Amphitheatre, with its grand opening show with Billy Joel. The facility has undergone several name changes, including Blockbuster Pavilion, Cricket Amphitheatre, Ashley Furniture Homestore Pavilion and, finally, AkChin Pavilion. By 2000, SFX rolled up Zelisko’s Evening Star to the conglomerate the following year. Zelisko was tapped to be SFX’s Southwest office president. A few years later, Clear Channel Communications bought SFX, and Zelisko and his staff became part of Clear Channel Entertainment. “There was a point in the early 2000s when everybody got lumped into that consolidation—or most everybody did,” he says. “It was definitely weird. It was different to not feel like you’re steering the wheel.” Six years later, Clear Channel evolved into Live Nation, for whom Zelisko

was president and then chairman of Live Nation Southwest. He left his post in 2011 to begin promoting shows as Danny Zelisko Presents.

KEY TO SUCCESS The old saying goes, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” Zelisko’s Arizona competition are those he trained from the 1970s to 1990s. “They learned from mistakes that were made by somebody other than them, which would be me, or they may have made mistakes while they were working for me. Ultimately, it was my responsibility, because they worked for me. They got a great learning experience by being with me for years. It’s proven by the fact that they’re successful on their own. So good for them. I’m proud of them.” He doesn’t like it when he’s beat out of a date by somebody “who was a nobody when I met them.” Nevertheless, it’s thrilling because his prodigies had the wherewithal and the abilities to get stuff done. He admits he would be depressed if his competitors didn’t get any shows. That would mean Zelisko did something wrong. Major promoters are making “jillions of dollars,” and in a different world than Zelisko. However, he’s happy where he is: promoting 120 to 250 shows per year. At his peak, it was doing between 400 and 500 shows. Throughout the ’90s, he grossed $30 million a year in sales, with an average attendance of 800,000. Zelisko’s topselling show was a 1995 Grateful Dead show in Las Vegas. The competitors he’s referring to are Live Nation, Charlie Levy of Stateside

Presents, and Tom LaPenna with Lucky Man Concerts. Zelisko calls trial and error his education. He’s successful because he follows his hunches. “People are always looking for shows to book, and it just never stops,” says Zelisko, who has a second home in Hawaii. During his 45 years, Zelisko says he gave newbie bands plenty of chances. It goes the other way, too. “I remember getting offered Rush for $5,000 plus $3,500 for their sounds and lights in the late ’70s, early ’80s. It merely came down to personal preference. “I just didn’t like Rush at that time,” he says. “I like them now, but I was into these other groups at the time. I was kind of a snob, like Emerson Lake and Palmer and King Crimson. I thought they were superior, and it turned out Rush held their own pretty well.” A rival promoter booked Rush into Veterans Memorial Coliseum and it brought in 10,000 fans, which he calls “huge” for a $8,500 spend.

EXPANDING THE EMPIRE During his “downtime,” he travels around the world, including Europe for a few weeks annually. Travel, he says, is probably his biggest expense outside of food. He prefers not to attend other promoters’ shows, but he admires “civilians,” those who have to buy concert tickets, wait in lines at will call, and don’t have dressing rooms or parking spaces. “Without those things, I’m a little bit like a fish out of water,” he says. “After

12,000 shows, it’s hard to go to another person’s show. It’s weird. I’m not a good civilian.” Besides Phoenix, Zelisko’s markets include Albuquerque and Las Vegas. He started doing shows in Vegas in the early ’80s. “I’m not looking to poach somebody else’s market, but if they’re not happy with who they’re using or, preferably, if they haven’t been there in years and nobody’s asking, ‘I’ll raise my hand.’” The Celebrity Theater in Phoenix is essentially his home turf. “I do feel very at home with the Celebrity, just like Talking Stick (Resort in Scottsdale) or Downtown (Phoenix)—people I’ve done business with for years. I’ve been doing business at the Celebrity the whole time I’ve been in business.” He hopes “All Excess Occupation” moves fledgling concert promoters. “I hope it inspires some people—some young guys and girls, music fans who don’t understand about the legend and the history of the concert business,” he says. “Mine is merely a part, but nobody has put out a book like this. There have been some biographies, but this book spared no expense to cover it super well, to give you a bird’s-eye look at what happens. I can’t wait for it to get into people’s hands.”

“All Excess Occupation: Concert Promoter” dzplive.com or amazon.com For a special donation to benefit NIVA’s Save Our Stages, Danny Zelisko is offering hand delivery to purchasers in the Valley. ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

TAKING OVER THE QUARTER

Junk in the Trunk returns with a new venue and free admission By Annika Tomlin

unk in the Trunk Market is back and ready for business with its new Holiday Pop-Up at Scottsdale Quarter from November 1 to December 27. Since 2011, Coley Arnold and Lindsey Holt have been running a vintage and antiques market every year, their first one in a friend’s backyard in September of that year. Over the years the women moved their market to WestWorld of Scottsdale, attracting more than 200,000 shoppers. “(The Holiday Pop-Up) is actually something that we talked about doing for a really long time,” Arnold says. “When COVID-19 hit, a lot of our vendors were impacted and were not able to make an income these last six months because all of our shows have been canceled. We really wanted to come up with a solution for them and give them the opportunity to make some money this year. Also, I know a lot of our shoppers were really sad about the market.” When it came time to decide where they wanted to host this new Holiday Pop-Up, Scottsdale was the answer. “We know that Scottsdale has always been a big gathering place for us,” Holt says. “That’s where our markets have been for nine years. That’s been our home, so we wanted to keep doing something there for sure.” The ladies of Junk in the Trunk have had to cancel two markets this year because of COVID-19 and one in San Diego last year prior to the pandemic. “I think for us basically we had to

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reevaluate our entire business because every market we had planned for the last year has basically been canceled,” Holt says. “We really had to reevaluate everything in trying to come up with a way to help our vendors to provide.” Holt considers their vendors “family.” “They have become our family, and we wanted to be able to find a way to help them and also provide for their families, because not only was it a loss of income for us, but it was a loss of income for all of them.” During COVID-19, the ladies have completed other ventures, including opening a small boutique shop and restaurant in Phoenix called The Vintage Arcadia and offering an online space for their vendors. “We launched an online marketplace in April, and we have, I think, over 90 vendors on there,” Holt says. “Even though we weren’t able to all gather in person together with our vendors and with our shoppers, it’s still been a fun way for us to kind of all be together and a fun way for our shoppers to still be able to shop from all of our amazing vendors.” While the majority of the vendors are from Arizona and California, the online marketplace features makers from around the country. As for the Holiday Pop-Up, the organizers spoke to the Scottsdale Quarter in April to plan it. The store,

which has free admission, will be open Tuesday to Sunday, allowing the 40 vendors to restock on Monday. “The inventory will be constantly changing,” Arnold says. “The vendors will be constantly restocking until it will be kind of like a new store every time that you come in, which will be really fun. “These vendors will have a storefront in a really high-end mall where most of them wouldn’t be able to afford it normally. “ One of the staple features of the markets—the photo backdrop—will make an appearance at the pop-up, along with an equally decorative storefront. “We are trying to bring the market to this pop-up shop and just make it a mini version,” Arnold says. “All of the favorite things, like the photo backdrop, music and shopping, will be there. We’re bringing a little bit of everything that people know and love about the market.”

Junk in the Trunk presents The Market at Scottsdale Quarter 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday through December 27 Scottsdale Quarter, 15059 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite H 1-180, Scottsdale junkinthetrunkvintagemarket.com

RESCUING CHRISTMAS For King & Country saves the holiday for the less fortunate THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

or King & Country’s Luke Smallbone didn’t necessarily feel down about the quarantine. It gave him time to slow down. “Everybody’s situation is different,” Smallbone says. “For me and my household, it was an amazing reprieve. I’m just gone—in and out of town a lot. I was able to be home for the longest time in our marriage, and we’ve been married for 10 years. “Last year, I said, ‘I’d love to be able to take six months off and just be home.’ I didn’t think it would come with a pandemic. We live on a little farm. We bought some cows—eight cows. We were doing things I wouldn’t otherwise get to do. We were able to make some memories that otherwise wouldn’t exist. I hope for better circumstances, but it’s great to be home.” Now, however, he and his brother, Joel, are returning to the stage for “A Drummer Boy Drive-In: The Christmas Tour” to celebrate the duo’s first holiday album, “A Drummer Boy Christmas.” The tour includes a stop at Gila River Arena’s parking lot on Saturday, November 21. Smallbone says the album, which was in the works for “years,” was no easy task. “In the past, we overemphasized every tiny little detail,” he says. “With that, you lose a little bit of the big picture. We had to get this thing done in a certain time frame. We had to go in with our intuition the first time around, and we didn’t have an option to go back. “Every record that you ever make is a small miracle. There are so many things that have to go according to plan. We tracked most of this while the pandemic was going on. It was mixed in London, with some tracking in LA, mastered in New York and also tracked in Nashville. Yet we were all basically in

our homes.” With the live shows, the Grammy Award-winning Australian brothers teamed with the Salvation Army and ask concertgoers to bring new, unwrapped toys. The goodies will be collected by representatives from the nonprofit and distributed to families struggling during the holiday season. “When we first came to America, we didn’t have any money,” he says. “If it wasn’t for our family being a first-grade class project, we wouldn’t have been able to have Christmas. “We were looking at the idea of not being able to have gifts under the Christmas tree. The idea of gifts isn’t what defines Christmas. It is the element of Jesus and his birth. It’s a gift. It’s representing the birth. Partnering with the Salvation Army, it’s a way to remember what it was like to come to a new country, a place where we had nothing. We’re at a situation where we had this opportunity to give back to people and Rescue Christmas.” For King & Country is saving Christmas in other ways. With collectives like Mannheim Steamroller and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra grounded due to the pandemic, For King & Country is providing holiday entertainment across the country. “I say from the stage every night how grateful we are that people come out and join us for these drive-in events,” Smallbone says. “For us to do these shows for people in cars—and doing it safely—it’s a real honor for us.”

For King & Country’s A Drummer Boy Drive In: The Christmas Tour

Hidden In The Hills Artist Studio Tour

NOVEMBER 20–22 & 27–29 CAVE CREEK • CAREFREE • NORTH SCOTTSDALE

7 p.m. Saturday, November 21 Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Avenue, Glendale Tickets start at $99 ticketmaster.com

SEE ARTISTS IN ACTION SOC I AL ST

Visit 35 studios featuring over 135 artists at this one-of-a-kind event. Find unique gifts for the holidays!

ANCING

(Clockwise from top left): Jacki Cohen, Jason Napier and Nancy Pendleton

480.575.6624 • HiddenInTheHills.org ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

ARTS

CULTURE » THEATER » DANCE » GALLERY » DRAMA » VISION

Shimmering with Hope

Sandy Pendleton’s contemporary glass art shines By Sue Kern-Fleischer

t a time when many arts and entertainment events have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Arizona’s largest and longest-running artist studio tour, Hidden in the Hills, is happening Friday, November 20, to Sunday, November 22, and Friday, November 27, to Sunday, November 29. Coordinated by the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League, this year’s 24th annual, free, self-guided tour features 139 artists at 35 socially distanced, private studios throughout the scenic Desert Foothills

communities of Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale. Glass artist Sandy Pendleton is participating as a studio host for her second consecutive year. Her spacious Cave Creek studio will feature four guest artists: her sister, mixed media painter Nancy Pendleton; jeweler Carol Tenwalde; and Mark and Nancy Dabrowski, a husband-and-wife team that creates contemporary wood sculpture. Pendleton grew up in the Midwest, living much of her younger years in Michigan. While she was always creative, she enjoyed science and math, which helped her succeed in her technical career at IBM, working in service development and project management. She and her husband moved to Arizona in 1981, and now that they are retired, they split their time between their homes in Cave Creek and Pinetop. Pendleton’s passion for glass art was ignited in 2003 after she took a basic glass class at her local community college. “Like so many people, I fell in love with glass while gazing at beautiful stainedglass windows. I was attracted by

the intense colors and the interaction of light and glass,” Pendleton says. “When I took a class working with glass fired in a kiln, I was instantly attracted to the transformation of the glass by the heat of the kiln. It was like magic.” She kept pursuing her new interest, taking more classes and experimenting on her own. “I love glass in all forms, I once took a glassblowing workshop, but I quickly realized that doing kiln work

suits my personality better,” she says. “Glassblowing is quick, focused and requires being ‘in the moment.’ I like to fuss and spend time ‘in the weeds.’ I enjoy losing myself in tiny pieces of glass until my vision emerges. Kiln work allows me to revel in the process.” Pendleton’s work has evolved significantly since those early days. Pieces may involve a variety of kiln processes. They often involve hundreds of small pieces of glass carefully placed over the course of a series of carefully controlled firings to achieve the desired results. Her colorful fused glass sculptures include several series, such as her intricate, multilayered glass houses; her captured motion sculptures, where glowing, molten glass is manipulated in a kiln to create unusual one-of-akind pieces; and her Earth-inspired sculptures, which are iridescent accented with additional glass textures that allow the pieces to react to changing light over the course of the day.

ART SOOTHES HER SOUL When the coronavirus pandemic hit,

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Pendleton found solace in her work. “During the early days, I was listening to the news constantly. I was anxious, unsettled and I was becoming a nervous wreck,” she says. “Finally, I turned off the radio and started back to work with glass. I am so grateful to have a passion that can consume my attention for hours on end. Sometimes, I start with pieces that are whimsical and fun, such as a vase of ﬂowers for my desk or a pair of lovebirds inspired by visitors to my backyard. The act of creating is soothing to the soul.” Lately, she has been devoting time to her series of “Glass Houses,” which she created last year. “As we have found ourselves sheltering in place, we are reminded that home is our place of sanctuary. We take refuge and draw our loved ones near to us. The four walls are not confining; they are comforting,” she says. The familiar form of a house and the associated concept of home allows her to explore a variety of themes. “Home is a state of mind. Home is where the spirit resides. Color and texture are about the senses, whether it is the calming effects of gazing out over water or the riotous colors of autumn. Put multiple dwellings together and you create neighbors and community,” she says. Pendleton has also been energized by her new “Story Baskets” series of glass

sculpture. “I have spent half of my life in the Southwest, and I have always appreciated the traditions and color

The patterns suggest images and stories in my imagination, and it is always fascinating to learn what stories other viewers bring to the pieces,” she says.

PASSIONATE ABOUT PROCESS Even before the pandemic, Pendleton found the process of creating glass art to be meditative. “Glass is not forgiving, so I have to think through what I am doing and I must be patient,” she says. “Placing tiny pieces of glass is more therapeutic

palette of native people,” she says. “I think of the ‘Story Baskets’ as a contemporary take on the tradition of basketry.” The focal point of her glass “baskets” is created by layering glass pieces together and melting them into a slab. “When the slab is sliced, it reveals patterns created by the movement of the glass. Mixing transparent and opaque glass adds depth and helps me to achieve the impression of a woven basket.

than tedious for me. I am still mindful of size and color placement, but it is an opportunity to let my mind wander.” She uses a lot of textures, which means she needs to carefully control the heat of her kiln. But she also embraces the surprises that she encounters when working with hot glass. “The hot glass manipulation is exciting and so spontaneous. The thinking is in the setup. Once the glass is hot, I have only a few seconds to open the kiln and move the glass before it firms up again. I never know what I have until the glass has cooled, and each piece is always unique,” she says. Color is also very important to her, and while she typically gravitates to warm colors, like red, she shares that she’s now on a “blue kick,” having recently discovered how to create tiny blue bubbles. “The bubbles are embedded in the glass, and I’m in love with them,” she says. “The curvature of the little blue bubbles changes how the light bounces off each piece.” Sandy Pendleton’s Studio No. 10 will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both weekends of the Hidden in the Hills tour. “One of the hardest things about this pandemic has been the cancellation of so many art shows and gallery closures. I miss the opportunity to share my creativity with others, and I’m really looking forward to welcoming guests to our studio. If there was ever a great time to treat yourself to a new piece of art, this is it.”

Hidden in the Hills 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, November 20, to Sunday, November 22, and Friday, November 27, to Sunday, November 29 Throughout Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale hiddeninthehills.org ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

‘A HAPPY MEDIUM’ 18

Phoenix Theatre Company resumes productions on outdoor stage By Connor Dziawura

hen the COVID-19 pandemic hit earlier this year, the Phoenix Theatre Company found itself in a tricky place. It was in the midst of a production of “Sondheim on Sondheim” and was opening “Something Rotten!” But concerns were mounting. “When word was spreading around Phoenix specifically about how the cases were going and what other states were recommending, we had really difficult conversations about what our plan was and how we were going to keep our staff safe and our actors safe,” explains Karla Frederick, director of production. Because Phoenix Theatre Company puts on productions for large audiences, utilizing people with other day jobs, potential exposure between people is greater, she says. So, for the first time since it was founded in 1920, the organization ceased programming, shortly before Gov. Doug Ducey issued a statewide stay-at-home order. “We felt like it was smarter and safer to be on the more cautious side, just because of how big our safety bubble actually is, to go ahead and close our doors,” Frederick explains. Now, with the economy slowly turning around and events resuming with health guidelines in place, the Phoenix Theatre Company is gearing up for its 2020/2021 season—but with some modifications of its own. The fall/spring season will launch on a new outdoor stage at the nearby Central United Methodist Church, a block north of the theater. The first show, “Happy Birthday Dionne,” a tribute to Dionne Warwick featuring local trio We3, will run from November 10 to November 22. The new, 32-by-24-foot stage will seat roughly 250 attendees in pairs, with 6 feet of distance in all directions—and a wall of screens on the back of the stage. The Phoenix Theatre Company is also following various health protocols onsite for all guests. It was a struggle to figure out how to resume shows safely, Frederick reveals, with planned relaunch dates coming and going. The hope was to return to the usual operation, but that possibility went out the window as COVID-19 case counts continued to rise. “Early on, none of us really knew how long a hiatus would be, and so of course you’re optimistic,” she says. “You start with two weeks … and those two weeks ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

became two months and it extended and extended, and the longer it got the scarier it was, for sure, for all of the live events industry. “We are lucky enough that our patron base and our COVID impact is smaller than, say, the festival circuit,” she adds, explaining that an entire industry essentially crumbled overnight. That side of the entertainment world, she says, doesn’t have the same opportunity to return to programming. “We are so fortunate to have been able to find a path to program—but still not programming at the extent in which we are accustomed,” she continues. “We are making the best out of a difficult situation, but not every company is able to do that. Particularly larger festival-like companies, they obviously aren’t going to be able to find a happy medium like we have, so it has been devastating for this entire industry.” With in-person shows on pause, the organization was forced to turn to digital experiences—something which proved to be a challenge. Phoenix Theatre Company is not experienced in that realm, so it had to make a quick pivot to still be able to reach audiences—who, Frederick says, aren’t used to engaging with the organization in that capacity either. Frederick feels live events don’t translate as well digitally as they do in person either, so the team had to get creative with online engagement. But audiences ultimately want to— safely—return to live, in-person events, Frederick says. “We tried a bunch of things and we’re

still trying a bunch of things, and I do think that desperate situations create invention,” she says. “I feel like we are going to continue succeeding in the digital world and we’re never going to let it go after this. We’re learning as we go. It will now be an additional tool in our toolbox. “Yeah, we’ll go back to our live, our bread and butter, the thing we do best, but now we can come up with interesting ways to reach patrons in their homes that we never explored before. So, in some respects, it’s pushed us to do things that will benefit us in the long run, even though it’s definitely not what we do.” The new stage is intended to be a temporary structure, but it’s convertible to a long-term format if the need arises. The full potential for programming hasn’t yet been explored in detail, though the space is available to the church for outdoor services as well as other community partnerships that could arise. “Once this exists, it’s a great opportunity for other programming,” Frederick says. “Obviously in the summer it wouldn’t be great for Arizona, but at some point it’s another venue that we can program and that other community members can program.” The season is slated to run outdoors through May, with the usual indoor theaters tentatively resuming activity in June with productions of “Becoming Dr. Ruth,” “The Rocky Horror Show” and “Something Rotten!” “It doesn’t mean necessarily let go of or forget about the outdoor space,” Frederick clarifies. “We’ll always have

that as an opportunity, and quite frankly we’ve now figured out how to do that, so we can recreate that at any point that we need to. “But our hope is, of course, to return to our spaces. That’s what we function best in; it’s really the showcase of what we do. And we have all of our tools then at the ready at that point, whereas the outdoor experience is going to be a little more limited on the production values. It will still look amazing; it’s just different than what you get when you’re actually in the theater itself.” With a long and uncertain journey now coming to a sort of end, Frederick admits she’s “exhausted but excited.” “It’s been a process, and I know that at the end of it, we will be so proud and excited to be able to bring live events back, even in this capacity,” she says. “It is thrilling for us; it’s thrilling for the community; and ultimately, the thing that we need most right now is to be able to commune in a safe way and come back to this art form that so many of us love. “We do this for a reason, and the fact that we’ve been handicapped has been almost detrimental, not only just for us but for our audience. So it’s thrilling to be able to bring live events back, even in our small little corner of the world.”

Phoenix Theatre Company outdoor venue Central United Methodist Church, 1875 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix phoenixtheatre.com

ROAD TRIPPINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; WITH MY FRIEND Find 5 Great Day Trips From the Valley

Dazzling Display Scottsdale’s holiday celebration takes on new meaning By Sarah Nguyen

ot even a pandemic can stop the joys of the holiday season. Moving into its fifth year, Scottsdazzle is back for another monthlong celebration from November 6 to December 21. The holiday extravaganza will feature beloved annual events as well as new additions that will become new favorites of attendees. Scottsdale’s director of tourism and events, Karen Churchard, says the festival was meticulously planned to evoke holiday cheer. “Each event is designed to get guests into the spirit of the season in a purposeful way,” Churchard says. Jackie Contaldo, the city’s downtown

specialist of the tourism and events department, says the events were reimagined with social distancing in mind. There will be quite a few surprises for those who are accustomed to the bustling crowds of prior years. The extravaganza will take steps to follow CDC and state health and safety guidelines. “A majority of the events are limited to 50 guests or less and allow for social distancing between attendees,” Contaldo says. Masks will be required when guests roam around the event space. They will not be required, however, when guests remain in their designated spot or space during an event. For those who are still wary of attending public events, the city has

shifted annual events to virtual formats, like the sing-along and the holiday tree lighting. Both will be free on November 28. The Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market will have no admission fee. It’s held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays during Scottsdazzle. In addition to fresh local produce, guests can get holiday gift shopping done with various artisanal and craft products available. Holiday music will provide the soundtrack. A few of the events will be ticketed due to the pandemic. “This is due to limited spacing for each event,” Contaldo says. “Net proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Vista del Camino.” Art lovers are encouraged to attend the unveiling of Canal Convergence, which runs from November 6 to November 15. Canal Convergence is a project dedicated to showcasing art installations that are dispersed throughout Old Town Scottsdale. At the center of it is “Information

Flow,” a piece created by Justin Winters and Walter Creations that will cover the expanse of the Arizona Canal at 200 feet. The installation will use interactive pressure pads that light up when activated. The glittering sight of lights reﬂected off the canal will remain a fixture throughout the entire duration of Scottsdazzle for guests to fully absorb and enjoy. Small Business Saturday will be held November 28, when guests can enjoy various incentives that local restaurants and retailers are expected to offer. Sip and savor the finest wines from participating wineries during the Santa Wine Around, a wine-tasting event on December 12. Attendees are encouraged to dress in holiday-themed attire or as their favorite holiday character. Due to the pandemic, there will be a limit on the number of guests.

Scottsdazzle Info: scottsdazzle.com

Scottsdazzle Canal Convergence

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, TO SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 The city of Scottsdale and Scottsdale Public Art invite locals and visitors to get in the holiday spirit beginning as early as Thursday, November 6, with the unveiling of Canal Convergence, a project dedicated to amazing art installations located throughout Old Town information tower, where it is processed and redistributed through a light sequence performance. Info: canalconvergence.com

Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market

8 A.M. TO NOON SATURDAYS FROM NOVEMBER 21 TO DECEMBER 19 The intersection of Brown Avenue and First Street becomes home to the weekly festive farmers market, featuring Scottsdazzle activities such ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

as Letters to Santa and live holiday music to enjoy while shopping for artisan products, handmade gifts and crafts, and fresh produce.

Letters to Santa

SATURDAYS, NOVEMBER 21 AND 28, DECEMBER 5, AND ONLINE Even Santa is following contactless guidelines and getting techy by taking to the internet to receive

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children’s letters this holiday season. Parents and children can fill out and submit their letters to Santa via scottsdazzle.com anytime, or they can print their letter at home and “mail it” (no stamp required) at the Letters to Santa station at the Old Town Farmers Market on November 21 and 28 and December 5. Children will receive a letter back from Santa through the good old-fashioned mail.

four their own designated space to enjoy festive flicks on a giant inflatable screen. By reservation for a nominal fee; groups of more than four must reserve additional spaces. Gate opens at 5 p.m.; movies begin at 6 p.m. Space is limited; online registration required.

through the rediscovery of some of the area’s most beloved hidden gems. Following hour-long storytelling sessions, guests are encouraged to explore the map that will lead them to Old Town cherished treasures. Space is limited; online registration required.

Yuletide Yoga

Seasonal Charcuterie Teach & Taste Scottsdazzle Stroll

6 TO 9 P.M. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27 The inaugural “Scottsdazzle Stroll” kicks off this year’s Scottsdazzle. Holiday revelers can usher in the season with a socially distanced stroll along the canal banks in Old Town Scottsdale to enjoy holiday vignettes, seasonal lighting, the Scottsdazzle tree, live entertainment and holiday characters. Before or after the stroll, attendees can drink and dine or start their holiday shopping.

Small Business Saturday

ALL DAY SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28 On this day, residents and visitors are encouraged to Shop Scottsdale to help support independent businesses and boost the economy while also enjoying specials and sales.

6 TO 8 P.M. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9 Schmooze hosts this limitedattendance, socially distanced demonstration that showcases how to put together an artfully presented charcuterie board for intimate holiday gatherings at home this season. Attendees will receive their own prepackaged charcuterie kit to make at their table once seated as chef Tony Hamati demonstrates preparation and presentation tips. Patrons can purchase additional prepackaged charcuterie kits to take home or for gifts to friends. Parties will be seated together and spaced at least 6 feet apart from other guests. Space is limited; online registration required.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4; SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, AND SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 For three nights in a row, movie buffs can enjoy a favorite holiday hit—“The Santa Clause” on Friday, “Elf” on Saturday and “Home Alone” on Sunday. Held on the East Lawn at Scottsdale Civic Center, this new event allows groups of up to

6 TO 9 P.M. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 This wine-tasting event returns with new safety guidelines and limited participants. Spirited attendees are encouraged to dress as their favorite holiday character and sip their way through Old Town Scottsdale’s participating wineries and tasting rooms at their own pace.

Sparkle & Spin ScavengerHunt

10 A.M. TO NOON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19 AND SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20 Participants must find objects as they spin their way through Old Town for this seasonal scavenger hunt and advance toward the finish line to submit their results. Participants must register online.

Merry Make & Take

Gold Palette ArtWalk

Holiday Movie Night

Santa Wine Around

8 TO 9 A.M. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, AND SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20 Rise and shine with two socially distanced Zen sessions on Marshall Way Bridge hosted by CorePower Yoga on Saturday and CA Yoga Barre on Sunday. Spaces are limited; online reservations required.

6:30 TO 9 P.M. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10 Scottsdale’s holiday-themed ArtWalk takes place throughout the Scottsdale Arts District, showcasing Old Town’s art galleries. Carolers and Santa visits are included.

The Dazzle of Historic Old Town

9 TO 10 P.M. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, AND 1 TO 2 P.M. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 This new event will take participants back in time to explore the holiday traditions of Historic Old Town

11 A.M. TO NOON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, AND 10 A.M. TO NOON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 The Mercantile of Scottsdale hosts two events including prepackaged supplies needed to create the craft along with a guided tutorial. During Saturday’s hour-long craft session guests will design and paint a wood ornament with which to “trim the tree,” and Sunday’s two-hour course leads attendees through making their own festive succulent terrarium. Space is limited; online registration required.

Festive Food Demonstration 2 TO 3 P.M. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 The Saguaro Scottsdale Hotel La Señora’s chef will lead guests through a demonstration on how to prepare elegant holiday food items featuring tips, tricks and recipes. Space is limited; online registration required.

Holly Jolly Painting Party

1 TO 4 P.M. SATURDAY DECEMBER 19, AND SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20 This socially distanced painting party is on the Marshall Way Bridge. Hosted in partnership with The Brush Bar, participants will receive their own personal supply kit, used to create a fun holidaythemed painting to take home. Online preregistration is required.

Sun Salutations Yoga

11 A.M. TO NOON MONDAY, DECEMBER 21 In honor of the 10th anniversary of the Soleri Bridge, The Foundry hosts a socially distanced serene yoga session that aligns with the Winter Solstice as the sun shines through the pylons on the Soleri Bridge Plaza. Registration required.

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DINING

EAT » EXPERIENCE » INDULGE » SAVOR » DEVOUR » NOSH

ALL A-BOARD

These restaurants put the ‘cute’ in charcuterie By Annika Tomlin

ost people think of a meat and cheese plate as a lastminute buy at the grocery store for an upcoming party. However, charcuterie boards put together way more than just your average deli meat and cheese. Styled with fruit, flowers and other accompaniments to go along with the array of meat and cheese choices, charcuterie boards are picture-worthy restaurant items that the whole table can enjoy. The following restaurants put the “cute” in charcuterie.

B GASTROBAR Formerly known as Cuisine & Wine Bistro-Gilbert, B Gastrobar is renovated and rebranded and still serves delicious made-from-scratch food. It offers three different boards—a mixed board with two cheeses, two meats, grilled bread, fruit, nuts and pickles; a fried brie board served with garlic bread and raspberry jam; and a burrata board with fig jam, roasted pistachios and grilled bread. Postino

B Gastrobar, 1422 W. Warner Road, Gilbert, 480.497.1422, bgastrobar. com, $15-$18.

Peacock Wine Bar

COPPER AND LOGS Owned by the Buschtetz family, who also owns B Gastrobar, Copper and Logs offers its rendition of a charcuterie board. The C&L Board features an assortment of cheeses and cured meats served with additional condiments like jam and fruit and nuts. Copper and Logs, 832 S. Greenfield Road, Suite 101, Gilbert, 480.590.4260, copperandlogs.com, $16.95. HUMBLE PIE There is more to Humble Pie than just great pizza. It has a board literally called the Smorgasboard, which is its antipasto extravaganza of charcuterie with cheese, hummus, artichokes, wild mushrooms, crispy Brussels sprouts and its very own forno bread. Humble Pie, 3890 W. Happy Valley Road, Glendale, 623.580.4300; 6149 N. Scottsdale Road, 480.556.9900, humblepieusa.com, $17.

THE LOLA Five charcuterie boards are available at The Lola, one of which is the chef board featuring burrata, coppa, prosciutto, peppered salami, fig jam, chef’s olives, stone fruit, sweet gherkins and herbed pesto port wine derby cheddar. The Lola also has a cheese board, a fruit and jam board, a hummus and veggies board, and a keto board. The Lola, 6770 N. Sunrise Boulevard, Glendale, 623.877.5225, thelolaaz.com, $14-$18. MERKIN VINEYARDS Merkin’s guests can pick and choose what locally produced meat and cheeses they would like on their charcuterie boards that come with a chef’s selection of housemade accompaniments. Cheeses from Rovey Dairy in Glendale include pecorino, gouda and cheddar, along with goat cheese from Crow’s Dairy in Buckeye. Wagyu summer sausage is available from Rovey Farms in Glendale, as well was bundnerfleisch, schinken and blutwurst from German Sausage Co. in Phoenix. Merkin Vineyards, 7133 E. Stetson Drive, Suite 4, Scottsdale, 480.912.1027, merkinoldtownscottsdale.com, $11-$52. MINGLE + GRAZE Part of the fun of charcuterie boards is picking out what you want on the board. Mingle and Graze lets customers do exactly that with a

build-your-own board broken down in four steps—step one, pick between two, three or four cheeses; step two, choose meats, including prosciutto and mortadella; step three, choose accompaniments such as artisan jams or fresh and dried fruits; and step four, choose the type of bread or crackers to stack everything on top of. Mingle + Graze, 48 S. San Marcos Place, Chandler, 480.726.2264, mingleandgraze.com, $10-$32.

NORTH ITALIA The single chef’s board at North Italia really packs a punch. It is comprised of prosciutto di parma, spicy coppa, pecorino stagionato, crescenza, grilled piquillo pepper, Castelvetrano olive, marcona almond, fig mostarda and grilled bread. The board serves two to four people. North Italia, 4925 N. 40th Street, Phoenix, 602.324.5600; 15024 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480.948.2055, northitalia.com, $17. OVEN + VINE Try your hand at creating your own charcuterie board at Oven and Vine. Boards are have three or four items each. Choose from cheeses like 18-month aged cheddar, double cream brie and goat cheese, while adding meat options such as sweet sopressata, Genoa salami and prosciutto rustico. Oven + Vine, 14 W. Vernon Avenue, Phoenix, 602.687.7632, ovenandvine.com, $14-$17.

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PEACOCK WINE BAR Peacock Wine Bar offers three boards to accompany wine. The Peacock’s Choice Board is an assortment of meats and cheeses and accompaniments that the chef chooses for you. Or your own has three meats, ranging from calabrese salami to iberico chorizo, along with three cheeses, like manchego or port wine derby, finished off with three accompaniments, such as spicy pickled asparagus or fig spread. There is also a cheese board that includes four cheeses of your choice and three accompaniments. All boards come with almonds, crackers and naan. Peacock Wine Bar, 1525 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert, 480.590.1586, peacockwinebar.com, $20-$25. PEDAL HAUS BREWERY Each of the two Pedal Haus Brewery restaurants offers a separate sharable board. The Chandler location has a meat and cheese board including prosciutto, soppressata, Irish cheddar, smoked gouda, cherry balsamic onions, marcona almonds, olives and crostini. The Tempe location serves a sausage and charcuterie board with andouille sausage, beerbraised brat, prosciutto di parma, soppressata, Irish cheddar, balsamic and cherry onions, marcona almonds, house marinated olives, crostini and haus mustard. Pedal Haus Brewery, 730 S. Mill Avenue, Tempe, 480.314.2337; 95 W. Boston Street, Chandler, Queen Creek Olive Mill

The Sicilian Butcher

480.656.1639, pedalhausbrewery.com, $16.

POSTINO Postino offers four charcuterie boards. The Bounty has crispy cauliflower, market vegetables, guindilla pepper, spicy marcona almond, herb cucumber cream and smoked almond hummus. The cheese board dishes up an artisan cheese trio, assorted nuts, quince jam and toasted bread. The Butcher’s Block

brings together artisan meats and cheeses, smoked almond hummus, asparagus, olives, assorted nuts and crostini. Lastly, the Pub Board ties in soft pretzel, Schreiner’s chorizo, cornichon, aged cheddar and Peruvian corn nuts. Postino, 5144 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix for additional locations see website, 602.274.5144, postinowinecafe.com, $14.25-$15.50.

QUEEN CREEK OLIVE MILL Queen Creek Olive Mill offers more than just olives at its restaurant. It has an antipasto board that includes artisan meats and cheeses, chardonnay herb mascarpone, roasted vegetables, Sonoran spicy beans, Cerreta dark chocolate, salted roasted nuts, del Piero olive mix and ciabatta from Noble Bread. Also on the menu is a cheese board with artisan cheeses, chardonnay herb mascarpone, roasted vegetables, sonoran spicy beans, seasonal fruit, del Piero olive mix and ciabatta from Noble Bread. Queen Creek Olive Mill, 25062 S. Meridian Road, Queen Creek, 480.888.9290, queencreekolivemill.com, $15-$17. THE SICILIAN BUTCHER This restaurant puts together four options of charcuterie boards, one of which is served on a 5-foot-long board. The Sicilian in Strada, priced at $15 per person, is a signature family favorite topped with Sicilian eats like panelle fritters, potato croquettes, arancini, craft meatballs with creamy polenta, artisanal meats and cheeses, pickled condiments and jams, and traditional bruschetta. It also serves the mozzarella board, polenta board, and the cured meat and cheese board. The Sicilian Butcher, 15530 N. Tatum Boulevard, Suite 160, Phoenix, for additional locations see website,

602.775.5140, thesicilianbutcher.com, $14-$16.

THE VIG This might only be a starter, but it can surely stand alone. The chef’s board at The Vig consists of a selection of meats and cheeses, grilled noble bread, pickles, fruit paste and beer mustard. The Vig, 6015 N. 16th Street, Phoenix, for additional locations see website, 602.633.1187, thevig.us, $19. VA BENE The antipasto misto is an Italian platter with prosciutto, spicy soppressata and Genoa salami, roasted bell peppers, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, fresh mozzarella, parmesan and milk mozzarella and serves two. But on Tuesday and Wednesday there is a $30 special for a chef choice board and a bottle of red or white wine. The items of the board are different each time. Va Bene, 4647 E. Chandler Boulevard, Phoenix, 480.706.4070, vabeneaz.com, $14.95-$30. ZINQUÉ Zinqué is the place to be when looking for a French-inspired charcuterie board paired with a hip, low-key ambiance and a globally inspired wine program. Selected cheeses and bread imported from the famous Poilâne Bakery in France make up some of the delicacies in its four boards. Euro-style boards include the burrata and San Daniele prosciutto board with toasted baguette, a classic charcuterie plate, a vegetarian cheese board and a beef carpaccio board with arugula and Parmigiano Reggiano. Zinqué, 4712 N. Goldwater Boulevard, Suite 110, Scottsdale, 623.745.9616, lezinque.com, $17-$19. ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

TURKEY TIME

Valley restaurants make Thanksgiving easy By Victoria Stibrik

very Thanksgiving it’s the same thing: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, a family dispute of some sort. It’s tradition. But this year can be different—and we’re not talking about family fights. Whether it’s Sanctuary’s “elevated” Thanksgiving or Chompie’s traditional goods, the holiday dinner can be anything you want and more.

BECKETT’S TABLE This year, Beckett’s Table will offer the same sides it did last year: bacon cheddar biscuit stuffing ($29), mashed potatoes ($28), Brussels sprouts ($32), gravy ($18), cranberry sauce ($18), fig and pecan pie ($31) and citrus zest cream cheese ice cream ($10). Each can feed six people. It has also added something else to the menu this year: a six-pack of wine ($99). The deadline to order is November 21, and pickup is November 25 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beckett’s Table, 3717 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 602.954.1700, beckettstable.com. BOURBON AND BONES Want to get out of the house and make a mess at someone else’s place without feeling bad about it? Bourbon and Bones

is offering a three-course dine-in special ($49.95) this Thanksgiving. Customers get a choice of French onion soup or house salad as the starter. The entrée includes turkey, mashed sweet potatoes, country stuffing and traditional cranberry compote with pumpkin spice Bundt cake for dessert. Reservations must be made for this special, and customers can go online to do so. Bourbon and Bones, 4200 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480.629.4922, bourbonandbonesaz.com.

CHOMPIE’S If the turkey is all that is needed, customers can purchase a whole, 20- to 22-pound oven-roasted turkey ($129.99) complete with lifesaving, reheating instructions. But if you want it all, it has that, too, with either the traditional or the basic Chompie’s Thanksgiving dinner options. Both come with two 9-inch pies, apple and pumpkin, and can serve between 12 and 15 people. The basic ($219.99) comes with the turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry relish and dinner rolls. The traditional ($249.99) has everything the basic has, with the addition of mashed potatoes, candied yams and green beans. Besides these two full meals, Chompie’s is also offering several a la carte items: sliced turkey

Chompie’s

breast ($8.50 per half pound), stuffing ($6.99 per pound), gravy ($3.99 per pound), matzo ball soup ($9.99 per quart), mashed potatoes ($5.99 per pound), cranberry relish ($5.99 per pound), green beans ($7.99 per pound), candied yams ($7.99 per pound), large potato pancakes ($2.99 each), rolls ($4.99 per dozen), 9-inch apple or pumpkin pie ($12.99 each), pumpkin pie crème brulée ($5.99 each), and 9-inch deluxe pies ($14.99 each) that include pecan, banana cream, chocolate cream or coconut cream. Or customers can order a 20- to 22-pound turkey ($129.99). Orders can be made online, in the store or by phone by November 23. Chompie’s is also serving a dinein Thanksgiving dinner from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. ($20.99 per person, $9.99 children 10 and under). Chompie’s, 4550 E. Cactus Road, Phoenix, 602.710.2910, chompies. com, see website for other locations and phone numbers.

HASH KITCHEN But what about breakfast for the entire month of November? Hash Kitchen has that covered with Thanksgivinginspired brunch specials that last the entire month. Try its carved turkey and cornbread stuffing hash ($17) with sweet potatoes, hand-carved turkey, cornbread hash, two poached eggs, and gravy drizzle. In need of something much sweeter? Go for the sweet potato pancakes with maple cranberry syrup ($13). It also has leg of lamb hash ($18), carved turkey and stuffing waffle ($16), and carved turkey eggs benedict ($15). Hash Kitchen, 4315 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 602.612.5580, hashkitchen.com, see website for other locations and phone numbers. Hash Kitchen

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HEARTH ’61 Besides offering its seasonal menu,

Hearth ’61 will serve holiday specials from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Stop in for a full turkey dinner with all the sides ($46), butternut squash soup ($10), pumpkin pie ($10) or butterscotch pecan pie ($10). Or get the turkey dinner to go ($46) along with an entire pumpkin ($26) or butterscotch pecan pie ($32). Call 480.624.5458 to make dinner reservations and 480.524.5431 for to-go orders. Reservations are to be made no later than 5 p.m. November 24. Hearth ’61, 5445 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley, 480.624.5400, mountainshadows.com/dining/ hearth.

MIRACLE MILE DELI Miracle Mile Deli is here to help with everything but the turkey this Thanksgiving. The sides are offered a la carte, and most can feed three to four people. Mashed potatoes, gravy, potato salad, coleslaw, pasta salad, homemade soup (serves two) each come in 1 quart ($9.50 each), 1 quart of stuffing ($8), 1 pound of cranberry sauce ($5), one dozen Kaiser or onion rolls ($15), a big loaf of rye bread ($9, 24 slices), a regular loaf of rye bread ($5, 12 slices), a pint of horseradish ($7), 1 pound of dill pickles ($4, 10 spears), a whole pie—pumpkin, cherry, pecan, apple, lemon meringue, coconut meringue, Boston cream or blueberry ($16). Miracle Mile Deli will close at 7 p.m. November 25. Customers are urged to call as soon as possible with their orders. Miracle Mile Deli, 4433 N. 16th Street, Phoenix, 602.776.0992, miraclemiledeli.com. MORNING SQUEEZE So often people are caught up in planning the big Thanksgiving feast that they forget about the most important meal of the day—breakfast. Well, not this year, because Morning Squeeze

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

has a Thanksgiving breakfast special with the launch of its holiday breakfast meals, which serve six to eight people. Customers can get a vegetable quiche, a meat quiche, breakfast potatoes, French toast casserole and fruit ($120). But it gets better. Customers can add a bloody mary kit ($15) to the meal, which has two bloody marys complete with all the garnishes: bacon, olives, lemon, lime and the seasoned salt for the rim. But wait! There’s more! There’s also a To-Go-Sa kit ($15) with a bottle of champagne, orange juice and simple syrups. Orders can be made online and must be placed by November 23. (There’s even more good news: The same special will be available for Christmas.) Morning Squeeze, 690 S. Mill Avenue, Suite 110, Tempe, 480.264.4688, morningsqueeze.com, see website for other location and phone number.

SANCTUARY ON CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN RESORT AND SPA Leave the turkey in the freezer, because Elements at Sanctuary is here with the goods—roasted vegetable Wellington, grilled filet of beef, pecan-crusted swordfish, Moroccan spiced lamb shank, or butternut squash raviolis. This is Thanksgiving and you know the rules—leave room for dessert! Choose (if you can) between brownie pecan pie, pumpkin spice crème brulée, quince cranberry strudel or butterscotch cheesecake. But if tradition is everything and turkey is what you want, customers can get a four-course, prix-fixe menu at Elements, or they can enjoy a private feast during their stay at the Villas at Sanctuary. The meal is $105 each from noon to 1:45 p.m. and $125 from 2 to 8 p.m. Children ages 6 to 12 are $45, and 5 and younger are free. Drinks, tax and gratuity are additional. Customers can make their reservations online or by calling, and there’s no formal deadline. Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa, 5700 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, 855.245.2051, sanctuaryoncamelback.com. Miracle Mile Deli

SOUTHERN RAIL Beckett’s Table’s sister restaurant, Southern Rail, is having the same Thanksgiving special with the same deadlines and pickup details. Southern Rail, 300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.200.0085, southernrailaz.com. STRATTA KITCHEN Stratta Kitchen is offering a meal ($75) that serves four people, and it comes with options. That’s right. Stratta Kitchen is letting you choose. Customers get a choice between two salads—roasted beet and apple or quinoa and winter green—and a choice of three sides: caramelized pear and candied chestnut stuffing, sauté of green beans and black kale, roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, and butterwhipped Yukon potatoes. The main course is 2 1/2 pounds of slow-roasted buttermilk turkey with housemade giblet gravy and cranberry, orange and ginger sauce. And for dessert (the best part), there’s either pumpkin pie with vanilla bean cream or bourbon caramel pecan pie with quark caramel sauce. Orders can be made online or by calling throught November 19. Orders are to be picked up November 26 from 9 a.m. until noon. Stratta Kitchen, 8260 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, 480.597.9195, strattakitchen.com. TOMASO’S In keeping with this “elevated” theme, Tomaso’s has a Thanksgiving special that’s sure to please. Start off with a butternut squash bisque ($9) and then dive straight into eggplant torte and butternut squash ravioli ($28) with layers and layers of eggplant, basil, tomato and cheese fondue. Tomaso’s is also offering a prix-fixe five-course Thanksgiving dinner ($52). This includes the butternut squash bisque, Tomaso’s salad, and handcrafted truffle and egg ravioli. The main course features a roasted turkey dinner with sausage and fennel stuffing, olive oil mashed potatoes with pancetta

Trapp Haus

and scallions, Brussels sprouts agro dolce and cauliflower pistachio cake with gruyere. And if there’s still room after all that—of course there is!—the meal is finished off with pumpkin cheesecake. The special is available for dine-in and takeout options, and reservations are encouraged. Tomaso’s, 3225 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.956.0836, tomasos.com.

TRAPP HAUS BBQ Maybe this year calls for something traditional, but with a twist. In that case, Trapp Haus BBQ is offering 10- to 12-pound smoked turkeys or Cajun fried turkeys ($85 each). Or if customers want something a little different this Turkey Day, they also have prime beef brisket ($145) available. But that’s not all. Customers can add any of Trapp Haus BBQ’s sides upon request: half trays of macaroni and cheese, collard greens, baked beans, coleslaw or potato salad ($35 each). But don’t forget about dessert! There’s pumpkin caramel cheesecake ($35). Preorders can be made online or by calling the store until November 22. Trapp Haus BBQ also has other Thanksgiving-inspired specials for the whole month of November. Stop in to try one of its Thanksgiving rolls ($8.99), a Thanksgiving Sammitch ($11.99) or “A Piece of the Pie” cocktail ($10). Trapp Haus BBQ, 511 E. Roosevelt Street, Phoenix, 602.466.5462, trapphausbbq.com. WILDFLOWER Loaves and pies and breads—oh

my! Wildflower, formerly Wildflower Bread Company, has just that this year for Thanksgiving. Order one of its pies—pumpkin, apple crumb or roasted nut ($17 to $20)—or some of its pull-apart rolls—potato dill, sourdough or nine grain ($4.75 to $5.75 per half dozen)—or maybe some of its stuffing loaf ($12.99). Preordering is available from November 1 to November 22. Orders to be picked up on November 24 must be made by November 21, and orders for November 25 must be made by November 22. Wildflower, 4290 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 602.850.8585, wildflowerbread.com, see website for other locations and phone numbers.

ZUZU ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho will serve Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. ($54 to $79). It will have a chef-attended starter buffet and entrées that range from turkey to osso bucco and roasted pumpkin risotto. And for dessert, there’s apple piecaken or sweet potato spice cake. Takeout is also available in individually portioned meals ($42) or as a half-turkey family meal ($199) or a whole turkey family meal ($269). Family meal orders must be made by November 19 and individual meal orders by 5 p.m. November 22. Call 480.421.7997 to make dinner reservations and 480.248.2039 for to-go orders. ZuZu, 6850 E. Main Street, Scottsdale, 480.421.7712, hotelvalleyho.com/zuzu. ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

BEER AND WINE

SIP » BREW » RELAX » EXPERIMENT » REFRESH » TOAST

IT’S HAPPY HOUR AGAIN Day celebrates foodie friends and drinking buddies By Jacqueline Robledo

ot only is November filled with changing leaves and pumpkin spice everything, but it is also the month of National Happy Hour Day. Grab your foodie friends and drinking buddies and get ready to celebrate the best day of the year on Thursday, November 12! Here are some happy hour specials around the Valley.

CRUJIENTE TACOS Traditional happy hours don’t work for you? Don’t worry! CRUjiente has you covered with its reverse happy hour every Friday and Saturday from 9 to 11 p.m. along with its normal happy hour offered every day from 4 to 6 p.m. Grab a $5 Premier CRU Margarita, crafted with 100% blue agave tequila, house agave syrup, fresh squeezed lime and muddled oranges. All draft and bottled beers are $1 off, and wine by the glass is $2 off. Try the tortilla chips and guacamole for $9 or the $5 salsa trio and happy hour tacos like the $3.50 pork belly taco. CRUjiente Tacos, 3961 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.687.7777, crutacos.com. FAMOUS 48 Famous 48’s happy hour runs deep and wide; the options are endless. The special menu features a skillet cornbread ($7.50); nachos, everyone’s favorite, for $8.50; Southwest hummus ($7.50); dip trio ($9.50); “Sundeviled” eggs ($6.50); and a famous burger for $10.50. The happy hour drink menu includes domestic pints for $3.50, craft pints ($4.50), Truly Hard Seltzers ($4.50), house wines ($5.50), premium well drinks for $5.50, frozen margaritas ($6.50), and F48 mules for $6.50! Stop by Famous 48 any Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. to check ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

out these delicious deals for yourself. Famous 48, 8989 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 608, Scottsdale, 480.361.4833, famous48.com.

KASAI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE Sure, it’s known for its teppanyaki tables, but Kasai Japanese Steakhouse in Scottsdale is the perfect place to enjoy a refreshing cocktail while enjoying the beautiful outdoors during happy hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. daily. The deals include $2 off all beer and wine, $3 off all cocktails and $2 off all appetizers. Kasai Japanese Steakhouse, 14344 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480.607.1114, kasaiscottsdale.com. NOOK KITCHEN Check out Nook at Night, the reverse happy hour at this trendy restaurant. It’s offered Fridays and Saturdays from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. It offers $3 off appetizers, salads and pizza; $2 off signature cocktails and draft beers; and $5 Tito’s and red and white wine. It also offers a weekly happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Nook Kitchen, 4231 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 602.296.5655, nookkitchen.com. PHX BEER CO. Need a place with a waterfront view? PHX Beer Co.’s Scottsdale restaurant and brewery is the best spot to catch that perfect fall weather in the Valley while sipping a cold brew. The Hayden Road location’s patio backs up to a beautiful lake and green belt. “Hoppy Hour” is from 2 to 6 p.m. during the weekdays, with $2 off PBC Brews, $6 cocktails, $2 off glasses of wine, and food specials. PHX Beer Co., 8300 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, 480.571.8645, phxbeerco.com. PITA JUNGLE On November 12 only, Pita Jungle will offer a sample

platter that will showcase its signature tapas, including hummus and chicken with pine nuts, fresh mozzarella and tomato, baked pita chips, kafta mini pockets, feta, pickles and cucumbers for just $25. If you can’t make it out on National Happy Hour Day, it also has tapas starting at $2 and daily drink specials every day from 3 to 6 p.m. Pita Jungle, 4340 E. Indian School Road, Suite 17, Phoenix, 602.955.7482, pitajungle. com. Visit website for other locations.

Visit website for other locations.

THE SICILIAN BUTCHER Not called the designated happy hour for no reason. The Sicilian Butcher offers happy hour all day, every day! Craft cocktails are available for $9, red and white house wines are $6, and draft beers are $5. For only $19, you can get a bottle and a board with house-select wine paired with a polenta and meatball board. Other happy hour items feature Italian American favorites and regional Italian cuisine, including spaghetti and meatballs ($8), margherita flatbread ($8) and rigatoni and chicken ($9). The Sicilian Butcher, 15530 N. Tatum Boulevard, Suite 160, Phoenix, 602.775.5140, thesicilianbutcher.com.

ZINQUÉ Looking for a new high-design, lowkey spot? Try Zinqué. It has happy hours every Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. It offers $5 specialty cocktails, $4 off wines by the glass, and $2 off beers. The happy hour menu also features $8 sangrias and pinot grigio as well as $5 Lagunitas IPA. French-inspired small plates offered during happy hour include the ratatouille quesadilla ($6), salami toasts ($4) and roasted mini sausages ($6). Check out this Euro-inspired restaurant ASAP! Zinqué, 4172 N. Goldwater Boulevard, Suite 110, Scottsdale, 623.745.9616, lezinque.com.

VOODOO DADDY’S STEAM KITCHEN Locally owned and operated, VooDoo Daddy’s Steam Kitchen is a Cajun, Creole and Caribbean restaurant. Enjoy happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and get $4 wells and $3 domestic bottles. VooDoo Daddy’s Steam Kitchen, 1325 W. Elliot Road, Suite 106, Tempe, voodoodaddy.com.

UNCORKING CREATIVITY Sommeliers are pouring out their hearts to survive THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

By Kristine Cannon

cottsdale-area sommeliers are avoiding a sour grapes attitude and finding creative ways to stay afloat amid a pandemic that’s crushed the spirits of virtually every industry. The highly trained wine experts work hourly and for tips and often live paycheck to paycheck. As they make their way back to restaurants, some sommeliers are also embracing virtual tastings and online workshops. “The sommelier is even more valuable than before now than ever,” says Scottsdale Maple & Ash Wine Director Jason Caballero. Since reopening May 21, Maple & Ash has rehired all but one sommelier furloughed in March. As his sommeliers collected unemployment, Caballero set up virtual workshops where they learned from experts in the field. “I thought, ‘We don’t have guests in the restaurant, so let’s take care of the bar staff. Let’s make sure they understand Bordeaux and they understand burgundy so when the doors do open again, everyone’s got a leg up,’” he explains. Scottsdale sommelier Samantha Capaldi also went virtual. Capaldi is the founder of Samantha Sommelier, which, pre-pandemic, specialized in in-home wine tastings for Scottsdale and Phoenix clients. Over the last few months, her virtual wine tastings, which she began hosting in 2019, took off. “I had at least a 50% increase in bookings,” Capaldi says. “I taste every day. Every weekend is booked.” Capaldi launched her in-home winetasting business about four years ago, after working her way through several Scottsdale restaurants and tasting rooms as a sommelier. Prepandemic, she would host three to four in-home tastings a week. But while local wineries and tasting rooms scrambled to offer virtual wine tastings and workshops as the pandemic has worn on, Capaldi had already made a name for herself in that space. “Last year, when I took it virtual, I loved it because I developed a whole other clientele on the East Coast and even internationally,” Capaldi says. “Since COVID, it’s become more of an interactive activity that people think about, which has been great.” Capaldi’s demographic has also expanded. At the start, Capaldi’s virtual clients

Samantha Capaldi

were millennials, people in their 20s and 30s; but now, she’s booking their parents and even grandparents. “I have done tastings for a group of women in their 70s,” she says. “I never imagined myself catering to that.” And they’re no longer reserving wine tastings for the weekend or special events; they’re booking tastings on weeknights, too. “People are getting more of that European mindset. They’re realizing it can be a part of your everyday life,” Capaldi says. Capaldi is also a brand consultant, a service that’s also taken off for her amid the pandemic. “I’m working with chefs right now to create online food and wine pairing experiences,” Capaldi says, adding that she tries “to help people who think they can’t take it online.” “The online world is our future. Even when things get back to normal, there’s going to be people that are going to be more cautious, and it’s always good to have another outlet.” Caballero also stepped in to help ensure Maple & Ash’s to-go orders maintained a high level of quality by rethinking how food was presented and packaged “just to make sure that the people are getting that value.” Wine sales were down as much as 50% while the dining room was closed.

Caballero even adjusted Maple & Ash’s wine prices to compete with retailers such as Total Wine and Tarbell’s Wine Store. “It’s a definitely a difficult time for the wine industry,” says Jonathan Coppins, a winemaker at Su Vino Winery for 10 years, co-owner of the new wine and beer bar Rift in Scottsdale, and a sommelier of about six years. “You definitely find your core group of people who love your wines—they’ll support you—but getting new clients is really, really, really tough for us,” he says of Su Vino Winery. Coppins says the most difficult part of the pandemic for tasting rooms like Su Vino is getting people through the door. “Getting the new guys in and having them try is probably the most difficult thing, especially now. Everybody’s nervous about what they can and cannot do, and they’re afraid of their liquor license getting taken away from them,” he says. According to United Sommeliers Foundation co-founder and President Cristie Norman, sommeliers are typically the first to be released and the last to be hired back when a major economic downturn hits restaurants. “A sommelier is not an elitist, glamorous job,” Norman says. “Sommeliers do not work on salary. They work hourly and for tips, often

live paycheck to paycheck without benefits such as unemployment or health insurance.” As of about a month ago, however, Maple & Ash started “stabilizing,” Caballero says. Maple & Ash is hosting its Fall Wine Dinner on November 10. This summer, Marcellino Ristorante in Old Town launched a new series of twice-monthly wine dinners that include a four-course dinner with Italian wine pairings by Dario Soldan, sommelier and founder of Classico Wines in Tempe. “Not only do guests enjoy the warmth of their banter, they learn about the wine characteristics, origins and why they pair so perfectly with each course,” says coowner Sima Verzino. Caballero thinks Phoenix and Scottsdale are “on the verge of becoming a more somm-centric town.” A mentor of sommeliers since 2013, Caballero says, “There’s so many good sommeliers in Arizona. … They really want to make people have the greatest experience they can.”

Sommeliers samanthasommelier.com, mapleandash.com, suvinowineryaz.com, marcellinoristorante.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

CASINOS

PLAY » SPIN » LAUGH » GROOVE » UNWIND » WIN

HOTELS FOR HEROES

Health care workers to receive discounts at Gila River Resorts By Andrew Checchia

uring this period of quarantine and lockdown, people are facing unprecedented levels of stress, anxiety and general concern for the state of the world. According to the CDC, levels of depression and substance use have elevated significantly for people all around the country. While of course the pandemic itself might cause passive stress for us all, health care workers have borne the brunt of the psychological toll. Fortunately, that struggle has not gone unrecognized. As average citizens band together for elaborate gestures

of gratitude—from donated meals to skywriters—companies like Gila River Hotels & Casinos are extending special offers to the first responders to the current crisis. The casino/resort group is offering a 25% “hero” discount to its room rate at two locations, Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino in Chandler and Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino in Laveen, available to health care workers with a valid form of ID. “We kind of figured that this was the perfect time to say thank you to the first responders and health care workers,” says Teaya Vicente, the company’s public relations manager. The promotion, running through December 30, aims to offer a muchneeded break to those front-line workers.

And with the easing restrictions on business operations around Arizona, guests can enjoy their stay both playing on the casino floor and dining in the recently reopened restaurants. Those restaurants include the luxury Shula’s Steakhouse and a casual cafe. “We’ve been putting up plexiglass dividers between slot machines,” Vicente says as an example of the company’s myriad pandemic safety protocols. For those workers especially passionate about sports in these trying times, Gila is also offering the discounted rate for its sports-themed rooms. These specialty stays highlight iconic Arizona teams, including the Diamondbacks, Coyotes and Cardinals, each one decked out with

themed bedding, shower curtains and even autographed memorabilia. “At the very beginning there was some hesitation, but now people are wanting to get out and do more stuff,” Vicente says of Gila River’s steady rise in reservations. So, as we take time for ourselves trying to calm those terse COVID-19 nerves, health care workers can look to places around the Gila River for a dose of discount-fueled gratitude. To those first responders, we thank you. To the rest of us, don’t forget to take a vacation.

Gila River Hotels & Casinos playatgila.com

‘PURE EXCITING’

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

We-Ko-Pa says farewell to Fort McDowell, hello to new casino By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

e-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, formerly known as Fort McDowell Casino, has reopened in its state-of-the-art facility with 850 slot machines, 22 gaming tables and live bingo on October 29. The casino’s interior is 100% smoke free, as is the hotel. However, there are four “very comfortable” outdoor designated smoking areas. “We’re very excited,” says Mary Ketterling, general manager for We-KoPa Casino Resort. “The project has been in construction for more than two years. “The casino is entirely new. We’re leaving Fort McDowell behind. All of our food and beverage areas are new. One of the highlights is Ember restaurant, an upscale fine dining restaurant. High-quality steaks and an open mesquite wood-fired grill are part of our Ember experience.” The sports and entertainment spot, WKP, is the showpiece of the casino, Ketterling says. The sports bar-themed restaurant offers creative pub fare and craft beer, along with gaming activities. Entertainment such as tribute bands, dueling pianos, comedy nights and top bands and dancing will be found there, too. “WKP is a play on the We-Ko-Pa brand,” she says. “It’s a fun place. It’s a sports bar environment with creative pub fare and craft beer, and in the evening, we’ll have live entertainment. We’ll have blackjack there. “We’re real excited about this. We’re even going to have a proprietary beer, Hamala, which means ‘foam water’ in Yavapai.” Ketterling says the casino and resort are “absolutely beautiful” and a complete change from Fort McDowell Casino. Native American designs reflect earth, water, desert flowers and tortoise shells, not only in the atrium but throughout the facility. “It’s modern,” says Ketterling, who has worked for the Yavapai Nation, which runs We-Ko-Pa, for four years. “It has cool native touches and native themes and modern features. It’s really rewarding to be a part of something that’s bigger than just the business. It’s contributing to a way of life.” The hotel has 246 guest rooms and is connected to the casino, something that wasn’t the case with Fort McDowell. “We really look forward to rebranding the casino with the same We-Ko-Pa and the physical connections,” she says. “For folks in the resort who want to try the food venues, we are now housed under

one roof. That’s something that’s going to be appreciated by our patrons.” As far as COVID-19, the casino and hotel are in full compliance. Patrons will have their temperatures taken at all entrances to We-Ko-Pa. Anyone with temperatures over 100 will not be admitted into the facility. Employees and patrons are required to wear masks, and the facility has a “large number” of sanitation stations with wipes. “We also have a lot of signage, announcements and floor decals for

social distancing,” Ketterling says. “We’re limiting the number of folks who are in elevators at any time. Something new to us is a four-story parking garage. We’ll be limiting occupation in each of our outlets. Our food and beverage venues are at 50% of capacity or less. We have plexiglass barriers on gaming machines. We also have machines shut off to encourage distancing between gaming machines.” Overall, the opening is exciting for the Yavapai Nation, Ketterling and the employees.

“I’m thrilled. The team is thrilled,” she says. “We have a number of very longterm employees who have worked for the nation for a long, long time. I can’t explain the level of excitement. The team is so excited to get into the new building and shot off their whole area.”

We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort 10438 WeKoPa Way, Fort McDowell 480.789.4957, wekopacasinoresort.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

SPORTS

CHEER » HIT » HIKE » LEAD » ROOT » COMPETE

PLAY BALL!

Salt River Fields hosts children’s batting academy By Morgan Cole

ids can learn how to hit like Trevor Story or Charlie Blackmon in the Colorado Rockies’ batting cages as part of the Salt River Fields’ Baseball Academy. The hitting clinic is November 27, Black Friday, at Salt River Fields, the spring training facility the team shares with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Chris Bonnell, Salt River Fields’ marketing director, and Jeff Rodin organized the camp. Rodin founded the D-backs Baseball Academy, which is a different entity, 20 years ago.

The D-backs Baseball Academy is a year-round baseball and fast-pitch softball instruction division of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Some of the camps are held at SRF. But all of the D-backs Baseball Academy camps have been postponed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Salt River Fields is separate from the Diamondbacks, and we’ve developed our own,” Bonnell says about the new baseball academy. Bonnell says they chose Black Friday so parents could drop off their kids for fun and baseball while they go shopping. The camp will adhere to Arizona COVID-19 congregate guidelines, so

social distancing will be maintained. “We’ll keep it to just about 30 kids for each session,” Bonnell says. There will be two sessions for this hitting clinic, and each session is two hours. The first session is for ages 6 through 12 from 10 a.m. to noon. The second session, from 2 to 4 p.m., is for ages 13 to 18. “There are about eight or nine cages there, so it allows us to space out the kids in really small groups,” Bonnell says. Participants are required to bring their own equipment to ensure helmets, gloves and other required pieces aren’t shared and touched by multiple kids. SRF will also not provide water to the campers.

“We have hand sanitizing stations at each cage already installed,” Bonnell says. All coaches and staff are required to wear face masks, and campers are highly encouraged to wear masks as well, according to Bonnell.

Salt River Fields Baseball Academy Black Friday Hitting Clinic 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, November 27 Salt River Fields, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale saltriverfields.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

STILL FIGHTING WITH FIRE The Navajo Warrior celebrates his 30 years of wrestling By Laura Latzko

s the Navajo Warrior, Arizona-based wrestler Steve Islas traveled the world for major individual and tag-team matches. He has also tried to impart his knowledge on other wrestlers. This year, he celebrates his 30th anniversary as a professional wrestler with a special event at Sun Studios of Arizona on Saturday, November 21. The main event will be a six-man tagteam match with three wrestlers on each side, including the Navajo Warrior. With VIP tickets, patrons will receive a chance to see a special VIP wrestling match and take part in a Q&A with Islas. Islas says his 30th anniversary evokes feelings of nostalgia and pride in what he accomplished as a wrestler and teacher. “I’m feeling like the time flew by,” Islas says. “It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. It’s a good feeling to see the guys and girls who I’ve wrestled with and traveled with do their thing, branch out and have their success. It’s a really cool feeling. “To know that people still want to see me wrestle is exciting.” To build his wrestling career, Islas says he has lived a healthy lifestyle and continued to work out, including weight training and strongman lifting. “It is a lot of taking care of yourself. You really can’t avoid injuries, but if you can minimize the number of injuries you get, it helps with longevity,” Islas says. In his career, Islas sustained major injuries such as torn ligaments in his knee and a broken leg. He returned to wrestling the same day his cast for the broken leg was removed. “I would get bored if I was sitting too long,” Islas says. “I feel better when I’m active. Once I slow down, the aches and pains start to catch up.” Islas continues to occasionally wrestle through companies such as Impact Zone Wrestling, which he co-founded. Hailing from Gilbert, Islas still lives in Arizona and travels for work—handling licensing for wrestling video games.

LIFELONG PASSION During his wrestling career, Islas won major tag-team as part of the Tribe with his student, Hawaiian Lion, and heavyweight titles with organizations

like the World Wrestling Federation, now known as the WWE. He worked with the Hawaiian Lion since 2004, when they went to Japan to wrestle together. Islas says it can be difficult to find a good tag-team partner. He and the Hawaiian Lion developed a strong connection in the ring, but the rapport came over time. “Besides getting to know each other’s wrestling moves and styles, it is also getting to know the person,” Islas says. “A lot of the stuff that happens in the ring is by a look. If I give him a look or he looks at me a certain way, we can tell what the other is thinking.” The two had a strong rivalry with fellow tag teamers the Ballard Brothers, whom they wrestled in 15 countries. He enjoyed the experiences he had in Japan, Spain, Germany and England. “In Japan, it is treated like a sport,” Islas says. “You would get the newspaper, and in the sports section, you would have the results of the baseball games

and also the results of wrestling matches. In the United States, it’s looked at as entertainment.” As a Native American wrestler, it was important for him to be a positive role model. “I wanted to represent our culture in a way where if a young Native American boy or girl happened to see me on television or see me live, it would give that feeling of ‘somebody who looks like me is doing this,’” he says. “I took that as a responsibility, because I didn’t want to look bad in their eyes.”

SHARING KNOWLEDGE Islas used to operate an Arizona

wrestling school. “I would always remember the guys who came before me who would take the time to teach me something, even if it’s just a small lesson of how to do something in the ring or the etiquette of how to carry myself,” Islas says. “If I can pass on the knowledge that was given to me to the next person, and they could find success in it and pass it on to the next person, that was one of the things I did because I wanted to keep the wrestling business full of new, fresh faces.” Known as the Navajo Kid and Shawn Dakota, too, Islas says it was challenging to develop a larger-than-life alter ego, as he was a shy kid growing up. “It was hard to put myself out there like that, even though that’s what I was attracted to,” he says. “What drew me to wrestling was the larger-than-life characters. Trying to develop myself into one of those was hard. But once it started to happen and I started to get the reactions I was looking for from the crowd, it made it easier, and it evolved from there.”

He was inspired by wrestlers like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Wahoo McDaniel and Tito Santana. He wrestled through junior high and high schools. It took him some time to develop as a professional wrestler, after breaking into the business at age 19. “I would say it was about nine years in where I started to feel comfortable in my own skin and get my groove,” Islas says. His persona evolved with him. “The persona went from as the Navajo Kid, it was the youthful good guy that was full of fire, full of energy,” Islas says. “As it has developed, it is the seasoned veteran who is not afraid to take a shortcut here and there to get a win but still fights with that fire.”

IZW NAV30: 30 Years Brother! Navajo Warrior 30th Anniversary Celebration 6 p.m. Saturday, November 21 Sun Studios of Arizona, 1425 W. 14th Street, Tempe $20 to $30 facebook.com/izwwrestlingaz ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES NASCAR speeds into Avondale—with restrictions

By Nicholas Barker

early 55 years after becoming an official racetrack, Phoenix Raceway will host the NASCAR championship series from November 6 to November 8. Obviously, things have changed quite drastically, and the experience for fans will be much different than other years at Phoenix Raceway. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the country, and nothing seems normal these days. Phoenix Raceway President Julie Giese still wants fans to enjoy the series as if life were back to normal. “For us, it was something that we’ve been waiting over a year and half to get to this race weekend,” Giese says. “We are excited for this opportunity to showcase Phoenix Raceway, the city of Avondale, and the entire state of Arizona for that matter.” Although fans will be allowed to the track, the raceway will not be filled. Only about 20% of the track will be filled, which means only about 8,000 fans will attend the championship weekend. Strict guidelines will be in place for fans who do choose to attend the events. “Face masks are required, temperature screening upon entering the stadium, and social distancing throughout the entire venue while you are here,” Giese says. “Cashless concessions and a number of new protocols are in place to ensure a safe experience for everyone.” Limited fans will be allowed into the track, but fans of NASCAR in Avondale can still attend a drive-in watch party at The BLVD in Avondale. Hosted by the city of Avondale, NASCAR and Phoenix Raceway, the

inaugural NASCAR Championship Watch Party at The BLVD will bring every second of the action from the track directly to the fans, all from the comfort of their vehicles. The event is free to attend, but guests must register in advance, as spaces are limited. In addition to watching the first NASCAR Cup Series champion crowned at Phoenix Raceway, the afternoon of fun will consist of virtual appearances by NASCAR Cup Series drivers and other special guests, as well as a special gift pack for each car. Guests can also enjoy food trucks, games and other activities. The BLVD, located at 755 N. 114th Avenue in Avondale, opens its gates at

10 a.m., with the green flag set to drop for the championship race at 1 p.m. Visit phoenixraceway.com/watchparty for more information. “We worked with the city of Avondale on a watch party to just allow more people to participate in the event and come together as race fans to celebrate the championship just a few miles down the road from the track,” Giese says. “We’re excited to engage a few more people knowing that not everyone can be at the track on race weekend.” Championship weekend will feature the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and other championship events. The NASCAR Cup Series

Championship will no doubt feature the most fireworks. Eight drivers are left in the cup series with just one more race to complete, and as of right now, only Joey Logano, who recently won at Kansas Speedway, has earned a spot in the final four for championship weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski round out next three who are closest to clinching a spot. Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Martin Truex Jr. and Kurt Busch are the last four of the final eight who leave a lot of work to be done if they want a chance to win a championship. The last playoff race before the championship will be the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. Once that race is completed, Joey Logano and three other drivers will have earned their spot in the final four at the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. “Certainly a different event than we thought we would be hosting, but excited still by the fact that we are hosting it,” Giese says. “We will crown four champions, and we will have some fans with us as well.”

NASCAR Championship Weekend Friday, November 6, to Sunday, November 8 Phoenix Raceway, 7602 S. Avondale Boulevard, Avondale 623.772.2000, phoenixraceway.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

FAMILY

FROLIC » DISCOVER » IMAGINE » FAMILY » FUN » CONNECT

LEARNING WITH COVID-19

Great Wolf Lodge’s new e-learning package gives kids the ultimate recess By Victoria Stibrik

he era of online learning and COVID-19 is no walk in the park for many families. No recess, no time with friends and no activities, except for homework. Great Wolf Lodge Arizona resort and indoor waterpark has presented families with a creative solution, combining school and vacation with its new Howl ’n Learn package to give families a safe, fun and productive way to conduct their e-learning. “We put the Howl ’n Learn Package and Wiley’s Schoolhouse together to be a convenience factor for families,” says Jason Lasecki, director of corporate

communications for Great Wolf Lodge. “As more and more schools went to remote or e-learning, we put this together so families could have a place to come where they could do their e-learning.” The package can be added on for a flat rate of $85, which includes program participation, a pre-packaged snack, and late checkout at 2 p.m. Students can complete their schoolwork in the on-site classroom, which has high-speed internet access and supervision by the kids’ entertainment team. Snacks, crafts and recess breaks are also provided to create a happy and healthy learning environment. “We’ll have Wiley (the Wolf) come in, in the morning, and get people going

by doing some stretching exercises and getting the wiggles out,” Lasecki says, adding that this can help kids really focus on their learning. To ensure everyone’s safety, face coverings are required, hand sanitizer will be applied and reapplied, and desks are spaced 8 to 10 feet apart, with plexiglass barriers. “Physical distancing is a huge thing,” Lasecki says. Pack members at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona monitor guests, making sure they aren’t huddled together or wandering off near other families. In addition, there are hand sanitizer dispensers placed every 10 to 15 feet within the resort, and efforts have been made to make everything as contactless as possible. “I think that with all those measures that we have in place, we’ve seen that families are interested in coming to Great Wolf Lodge and getting that getaway or that escape that they’ve been craving,” Lasecki says. The beauty of this program is that

parents have uninterrupted time all to themselves. Parents can relax, catch up on their own work or go down waterslides—the possibilities are endless. The Howl ’n Learn package has not been implemented at all Great Wolf Lodge locations across the country. “We’re actually piloting it at five locations,” Lasecki says. The five include the Arizona location and the ones in Grapevine, Texas; Gurnee, Illinois; Pocono Mountain, Pennsylvania; and LaGrange, Georgia. “If we see it perform well at those five resorts, then there’s very much a likelihood that we can expand it to others,” Lasecki says. Wiley’s Schoolhouse e-learning adventure is available through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, but it does have some potential to get extended for longer. “We’ve definitely designed it as a convenience for those families who are dealing with remote learning right now, and if we see remote learning continue on after the Thanksgiving break, it’s definitely something that we would look to continue to extend,” Lasecki says. Since it was launched on September 21, the program has been received well by participants. “We’ve seen a really nice acceptance thus far of families who are really looking for that option to have a little different, change of pace with their e-learning,” Lasecki says. Once the online learning is done and the crafts are completed to perfection, the resort awaits. “I think the light for the kids is the fact that you can’t have a better afterschool activity than going out of your e-learning classroom and going to play in the waterpark,” Lasecki says. “Playgrounds at your school? That’s nothing. Coming to Great Wolf Lodge for e-learning and having that amazing waterpark as your after-school activity—that’s something that I think a lot of kids will remember for a long, long time.”

Great Wolf Lodge’s Howl ’N Learn 7333 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale 480.948.9653, greatwolf.com/howl-n-learn ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

IT’S LIT

These Valley holiday light shows will sleigh it By Adianna Bermudez

t’s time to celebrate the holidays with light shows that bring glittering delight to all. There are multiple opportunities to visit light displays that feature music, 3D spectacles and snowfall.

WORLD OF ILLUMINATION

The largest animated light show in the world will host “Rockin’ Christmas” in Glendale and “Arctic Adventure” in Tempe. “Our team feels a responsibility as a preeminent light display in Arizona to end 2020 on the brightest note,” says Simon Kreisberger, co-owner of World of Illumination. “Rockin’ Christmas” will feature a 500-foot-long tunnel made of millions of RGB LED lights in the Westgate Entertainment District. “Arctic Adventure,” at the Tempe Diablo Stadium, is a polar bear-themed display featuring a 36-foot-tall animated snowman named Sunny. Both shows will have additional Christmas characters and simulated snowfall. “Our mission has been to do this for the community and give them the special escape that they really need,” Kreisberger says. Visitors will remain in their cars at World of Illumination, ensuring everyone’s safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Registration is required to help control traffic and reduce wait times. All tickets can be bought online at worldofillumination.com. Tickets are $29 per car on weeknights. On weekends and holidays, it’s $39 per car. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Arizona

Foundation. Customers have the option to donate all of their purchase at checkout. “We have always used our huge platform to do the community’s work,” Kreisberger says. “Rockin’ Christmas” opens November 6, while “Arctic Adventure” opens November 10. Both shows end January 3 and are open every day, including holidays, from 6 to 10 p.m.

ZOOLIGHTS AT THE PHOENIX ZOO Arizona families can create fun memories at the Phoenix Zoo’s dazzling light show. Animal sculptures and millions of Christmas lights will

showcase the beauty and wonder of the animal kingdom. This year, visitors have the option to walk or drive to view the light display. ZooLights Walk Thru will run November 7 to January 31 on select nights. Members’ tickets cost $16. General tickets cost $20. Cruise Zoo Lights, the drive-thru

option, opens November 12 and runs through January 28 on select nights. Members’ tickets per car cost $60. General tickets per car cost $75. Both experiences are open from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Check the ZooLights calendar at phoenixzoo.org for specific dates. Visitors who choose the walk-thru experience can visit Santa and his elves

for a photo at the Leapin’ Lagoon. A three-story Christmas tree will stand tall and pretty at the Crossroads Café. Visitors can munch on kettle corn and sip hot cocoa while they shop at pop-up zoo shops and the Desert Marketplace gift shop. Both experiences will feature newly added exhibits. The Outer Tropics Trail hosts the Polar Paradise, and the Wildlife Lantern Safari features 66 animals, including polar bears and kangaroos. Drivers must prepurchase food and photos but can purchase souvenirs at the Stop, Shop and Support Cruise Gift Shop at the end of the drive-thru.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS AT SALT RIVER FIELDS Salt River Fields at Talking Stick is excited to debut their Holiday Lights display on November 23. The display is 1.2 miles of nearly 5 million lights that make up six tunnels and 20 vignettes. Visitors can expect to see twinkling ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

displays of traditional Christmas themes, such as ornaments, snowmen and candy canes, but also unique displays involving butterflies and optical illusions. This drive-thru holiday light show was designed over the course of two years by Steve Driscoll. On December 10, the lights will blink white and blue to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah. Synchronized holiday music will play on FM radio. Visitors have the option to purchase carriage rides, which include Fast Passes. It is highly encouraged that visitors purchase tickets online to reduce wait times. Tickets will be sold at the door based on availability. Online general tickets for weekdays are $35.99 and for weekends are $45.99. At-the-door general tickets during weekdays are $40 and on weekends are $50. Special pricing for Fast Pass, VIP, limo/bus and holiday tickets can be found at holidaylightssrf.com. Holiday Lights will be open from 5:45 to 10 p.m. daily, including holidays, until New Year’s Eve.

LIGHTS AT THE FARM Mesa’s Vertuccio Farms is hosting Lights at the Farm, Arizona’s largest walk-thru synchronized light show. From November 14 to January 3, visitors will experience tunnels of dazzling lights that feature over 2 million LEDs that are powered by over 12,000 computer channels that keep the lights in sync to music. The show features ceramic elves, Arizona-themed displays, reindeer with personal nametags, and a 10-foot-tall snowman. Families can skate under the stars on the 4,000-square-foot skating rink made of synthetic panels. Lights at the Farm was created out of a love for Christmas. It is sure to bring joy to everyone who visits. Lights at the Farm will be open from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $11 online and $13 at the gate. Military personnel, medical professionals and seniors will receive a discount.

THE IMPOSSIBLE IS POSSIBLE THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

Glen Keane says ‘Over the Moon’ was a gift from God By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

isney animation legend Glen Keane was looking for something more, even throughout his tenure with the juggernaut. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, even when he was animating characters like Ariel and Beast. He found it in Netflix’s “Over the Moon,” a colorful, emotional story about Fei Fei, who builds a rocket to the moon after losing her mom to look for Chang’e, a goddess of love. “I left Disney and started to do some work using an iPhone, like ‘Dear Basketball’ with Kobe (Bryant). Suddenly, then everything that was coming in was wonderful and new and I started to develop a feature I was going to do,” he says. “Netflix approached me to do this wonderful story that contained the kind of character I love, which is the character who believes the impossible is possible. I’m like that myself.” Formerly of Paradise Valley, Keane knew he had to do this. The story was written by screenwriter Audrey Wells, who was diagnosed with cancer and died before the film was released in October. “Audrey knew she would not live to see this movie,” he says. “She was really writing this story for her daughter so she would be able to move on in life. It’s about loving somebody new and going through the pain and embracing change in your life. I was born to do this movie.” Keane, 66, put a subtle bit of his life in the movie as well. The round table the family sits around recalls a piece of furniture in his childhood home. “When I was a kid, our family would sit around this round table in the living room,” he recalls. “My mom would have collected coins in a jar throughout the year and we’d all guess the total. Whoever got the closest to it would get everything in the jar. “We would all gather around and start to count. Those were wonderful times sitting around together, counting that change; and at that same table, we would sit around and have wonderful meals together.” When his parents passed away—father was “Family Circle” cartoonist Bill Keane—he inherited the table. In “Over the Moon,” the family in China sits around a table like his. “When I went to China, I sat down in a Chinese family’s home and life was shared through food,” he says. “I think we all gained 10 pounds from this movie. We would gather around this little table.

“On my wall, I had a monitor that I would call ‘my window to the world.’ This was an internationally made film—the modeler was in Spain, the set designer was in Holland, animators were in Canada, Chinese designers in Shanghai, musicians in New York. The world was coming in, and we’d sit around that table and make the movie. In some amazing way, we were preparing for this pandemic where everything went to Zoom. We were already doing the movie that way for two years.” In a way, the project reminds him of “Dear Basketball,” which won the Academy Award for Best Short Film (Animated) and the Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Post-Produced Graphic Design. The film is based on a letter Bryant wrote for The Players’ Tribune in 2015. “Kobe—what a surprise,” he says. “The best things in life are not necessarily things you’re working for. They’re the gifts, straight from God’s hand to us and you receive them. Kobe was like that. ‘Over the Moon’ was like that. “Kobe is an animation fan. I’ll

never forget the day he showed up at the studio. He came in a big, black Suburban. He hopped out alone with Vanessa and the girls. He was walking up and I thought, ‘This is so crazy.’ Our little studio was in West Hollywood, in a little Spanish-style house. It was a humble little place.” As Bryant gave Keane a hug, the animator wondered what the basketball star thought of his studio. “He was really quiet, just looking around,” he says. “He said, ‘It’s perfect.’ I said, ‘What’s perfect? What do you mean?’ He said it was everything he wanted it to be. “What he saw was something that was very much like him—he was a guy who worked. There were no short cuts. It was about an incredible discipline in his life that started when he was in the NBA. He did poorly in a game, and that night he shot 1,000 free throws. He worked hard. In our studio, there was evidence of work and craft. He identified with that.” The two sat down and watched Bryant’s top 20 plays, which Keane had previously downloaded.

“I said, ‘I can’t animate you unless you can tell me what’s going on in your head at these moments,’” Keane recalls. “We went through each one of those 20 great plays and he described it to me. I realized, for Kobe, his great success was not his athletic skills; it was his intelligence. I found this in the characters I love—they believe the impossible is possible.” That’s why he wanted to animate Fei Fei. “This 12-year-old girl builds a rocket to the moon. She knows math, technology, physics, and I animate that in her eyes,” he says. “The other part of her that’s really given to her by her mom is this faith, believing what others don’t believe and seeing what others don’t see. I animated that in Kobe. This little 12-year-old girl, Fei Fei, is the same. It was a wonderful thing to animate two characters with the same amazing thing.”

“Over the Moon” On Netflix now ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

MUSIC

LISTEN » JAM » INNOVATE » EVOLVE » ROCK » SING

‘THE LUCK OF THE DRAW’ The Stray Cats album recalls ‘greatest tour’ By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

lim Jim Phantom considers the Stray Cats lucky. The rockabilly band that famously includes him, guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer and upright bassist Lee Rocker was founded in 1979. Therefore, they spent last year celebrating its 40th anniversary. One more year, and the 40th anniversary celebration would have been squashed due to COVID-19. “It was the luck of the draw,” Phantom says. “Last summer, we were able to do our greatest tour we ever did. One year later on the calendar, and it wouldn’t have happened.” That tour was captured on the 23-track “Rocked This Town: From LA to London,” which hit stores in September on Surfdog Records. The collection was produced by the band and mixed by Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Arctic Monkeys). The album’s career-spanning track

listing features the Stray Cats’ greatest hits as well as several new songs from last year’s “40,” the band’s first new album in 26 years. The tour and the subsequent album went well because, Phantom says bluntly, “We have nothing to prove at this point.” “The audience is getting bigger all the time. It’s younger people and our original fans. We’re gaining new, younger people all the time. “The new kids, they are thrilled that they can come see us. The original fans weren’t sure they would see us again. Everyone was into it from the minute we started. The only thing I could concentrate on was keeping up with the other two.” The Stray Cats’ latest album, “40,” hit No. 3 on the Billboard charts and No. 1 on the rock charts. “When someone from the office calls and says, ‘The record’s No. 3,’ everyone is on cloud nine. It means a lot,” he says. “That was more inspiration to go and have a gas and play as good as we can

every night.” Phantom says the band wasn’t going to tour this year, so COVID-19 didn’t affect its plans. Phantom was going to accompany his wife, Eagles of Death Metal bassist Jennie Vee, on her Australian tour. While in Australia, Phantom planned to produce a rockabilly album by Jimmy Barnes. “We went on tour with him in the middle part of the ’80s and we just became friends,” Phantom says. “We always stayed in touch with him for 35 years.” Vee and Phantom have kept busy recording music together, while she has been pushing her own clothing line. Phantom is an avid baseball and Strat-o-Matic fan who hosts “Rockabilly RaveUp” on Little Steven’s Underground Garage, SiriusXM 5 p.m. Sundays. “I started doing Patreon and podcasts, too,” he added. “It’s an extension of the radio show. Jennie edits it with me. It’s

my favorite thing to do. It’s a nice way to fill the day. It’s not the same as going out on tour, but we’re finding ways to kill time.”

Slim Jim Phantom

slimjimphantom.com twitter.com/officialslimjim

Jennie Vee

thejennievee.com

MUSIC AS THERAPY

Singer Austin Walashek shares heartbreak through song By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

ustin Walashek’s friends have called him the “male Taylor Swift.” His penchant for writing about broken hearts and broken relationships has earned him that nickname. He’s furthering the cause with his band’s single, “Rose.” “I write a lot about my past girlfriends and relationships,” he says. “It’s about getting closure on one of my girlfriends and accepting we’re not together. I thought she was the one, and it took a really long time to accept we’re not going to get back together. “The whole song starts off by saying, ‘40 miles down the interstate, 100 miles an hour.’ Literally, she lives 40 miles away. It’s within a reachable distance, but I’m never going to get there.”

Walashek and Wild Giants will play that song and a slew of others 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, November 27, at Amped Coffeehouse in Anthem. A 2-year-old alt-rock/blues band, Wild Giants features Walashek on vocals with a rotating group of musicians. “It’s basically a solo project and then I hire musicians to play along with me,” he says. “But 90% of the time it’s the same two or three guys. We play a lot of blues rock-style songs and alternative rock, a lot of ’90s rock. “I really like doing songs that people wouldn’t expect us to do. I remember once one of the baristas here said we should play ‘Bennie and the Jets’ by Elton John. I said we weren’t going to do that. As the set was progressing, though, it kept sticking in my head. I thought, ‘Screw it. I’ll try it.’ It’s been a staple in our set since then.” Walashek enjoys challenging himself

in terms of original and cover songs. He grew up listening to ’90s rock and grunge. His father’s favorite band is the Eagles. So Walashek counts the Foo Fighters and the Eagles among his favorites. “I also love Jimi Hendrix,” he says. “He’s one of the best blues players we ever had. I know a lot of people don’t really classify him as blues, but if you listen to his non-mainstream songs, they’re very bluesy. “I also like the Black Keys. They’re very blues rock.” As far as Arizona bands, Walashek enjoys Damn the Weather, which he discovered while booking acts for Amped. Born in San Diego, but raised in New River, the Boulder Creek High School graduate says he plays his songs for his best friend, who figures out they’re mostly about exes.

“He knows my whole life story,” Walashek says with a laugh. “I try to be cryptic. My songs are so personal. This is my way of going through therapy. When I’m writing such personal songs—when the songs aren’t very positive—I don’t want to tell the listener who they’re about. I don’t trash talk.” Still, he can’t shake the Swift comparison. “I never thought about it like that,” he says. “But it’s true.”

Wild Giants

7 to 9 p.m. Friday, November 27 Amped Coffee Company, 3434 W. Anthem Way, Suite 102, Anthem 480.462.6733, ampedcoffeeco.com facebook.com/wildgiantsmusic wildgiantsmusic.com

FROM AUTHORITY ZERO TO RECORD THIEVES Valley drummer’s punk rock ‘supergroup’ to drop debut album THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020

By Sarah Donahue

fter playing with Tempe’s Authority Zero for over a decade, Jim Wilcox carried his passion for drumming from the Sonoran Desert to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where he helped create a punk rock “supergroup” that will soon release its first album. The new band, Record Thieves, was pieced together with members from other well-known bands in the Denver music scene, like Allout Helter and Boldtype. Record Thieves dropped its first single, “Sacrifice,” on October 7 and its second, “Work it Out,” on October 27, teasing the release of its debut, 11-track album, titled “Wasting Time,” which is set to release this year on November 24 on Thousand Island Records. The punk band’s first single features complex, hard-hitting drum lines; intelligent guitar riffs and passionate vocals combined with a strong sound of melodic hardcore and a hint of pop punk. Record Thieves started recording the album last winter, 41-year-old Wilcox says. Upon its completion, and as the band started looking for the right record label, is when COVID-19 started running its course around the world. “We originally were trying to release this back in April, but that all got turned upside down,” he says. Thousand Island Records actually wanted to release the album next year, Wilcox says. However, the band had been sitting on the record for so long at that point that it told the record company that it had already constructed its second album and that “we’d really like to get this one out of the way.” Normally, around this time the band would be preparing for a concert tour, but with the looming threat of COVID-19, that isn’t possible. Record Thieves talked about doing a livestream performance for people to enjoy, but with the lack of pumped-up, moshing fans, it unfortunately just won’t be the same, Wilcox says. “The energy of people being in the room with you is huge,” he says. “Losing that portion when you’re streaming— there’s pretty much no one there, you’re just doing it for a camera. And so, it kind of sucks, you know what I mean? “We’re really looking forward to being able to tour maybe next year—(it’ll)

probably end up being the year after that, because who knows what the hell’s going to happen.” Luckily, there are some live performance options in Denver that the band is considering, he says. Some larger clubs that normally fit 500 people are offering socially distanced shows where a maximum of 50 people can safely enjoy the face-to-face experience of live music. Right now, with everything being turned upside down, the band is focusing on creating its first music video, he says. It’s also finding other ways to create online content to create a “longevity-type situation versus just one livestream.” Record Thieves records its music in Wilcox’s home studio, which sits 10,000 feet high in the Rocky Mountains. The band used the scenery of the area as a theme for the album artwork as well as the cover of its first two singles. He described the connection between the cover art and the album name, saying it’s a “smoky background and it looks like everything’s dead, and there’s just this ski lift that’s not obviously running anymore—hence the reason (it’s called) ‘Wasting Time.’” The band is looking to shoot scenes for the music video in that scenery, too, to “give us some synergy between the album cover and the song that we decide to use,” he says. Record Thieves started forming around four years ago, Wilcox says. Allen White, one of the band’s guitarists, and Wilcox went through a long process of trying to solidify their sound as well as trying to find the right members. After practicing and playing shows with a number of band members who couldn’t fully commit, White and Wilcox decided they weren’t getting anywhere. “(White) and I basically just said, ‘Screw it. Let’ just go write a record and stop worrying about practicing and shows and all that,’” Wilcox says. “That’s when everything kind of shifted,” he says. “We basically got to the point where we didn’t have to be concerned about anything else—it was just about writing good songs—and then basically the band started putting itself together.” From there, the other guitar player, Fred Bear, offered to join after hearing a demo they wrote, he says. It was ideal that it happened that way, because “the biggest challenge was realistically just

finding the right lineup of musicians that really worked together and had the same vision,” he says. The full lineup also includes vocalist Mike Waterhouse and bassist Chad Gilbert. A new band with new members brought a new sound that Wilcox evolved into, he says. “I’m definitely doing a few things on this album that I didn’t previously do regularly with Authority (Zero) records or any of my other 20 other projects that I play drums with.” Wilcox is on “all ends of the spectrum” in the music world, he says, mentioning how he DJs, works with hip-hop artists, produces EDM under the name Blue Collar Prophet, and is also part of a triphop project with his sister-in-law. He is also part of a stoner-rock project called Wolf Blood Moon with friends in Arizona. “At the end of the day, writing and recording music is the thing that I love more than anything else in the world,” Wilcox says. “So, I never tend to turn down projects or turn down the collaborations or anything like that.” When he was younger, Wilcox started his music-playing pursuit as a guitar and bass player and says, “I was never very good at them.” He opened the portal to the world of drumming when he was in his late teens when his friend told him to

try banging it out on his dad’s drum set. “I just could play,” he says. “I didn’t know how I understood it, but I did. I just knew how to play that day. That became the focus of my life at that point in time.” Later on, he went on to tour the world and sell out shows with Authority Zero. After leaving the band in 2012, he spent another year in Phoenix DJing with friends until his wife suggested moving to Colorado, where she had lived. His family and many other ties to Phoenix had moved away, so he told his wife he was down for a new adventure in Colorado. “Two weeks later, we left,” he says with a laugh. He still talks to the Authority Zero guys and misses his friends in Phoenix, “but I truly do love it here,” he says, adding that the mountains, the snow and everything that comes along with it are some of the best parts of living in Colorado. “I prefer the cold to the heat,” he says with a chuckle. “I love Arizona. I grew up there, so of course I’ll always have a soft spot for Phoenix,” he says.

The Record Thieves “Wasting Time”due in stores on Tuesday, November 24. ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

IN CLOSING

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NUMBERS

By Annika Tomlin

There are four towns in the United States named “Turkey.” They can be found in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana and North Carolina. In 2015, four men in New York made the world’s largest serving of mashed potatoes, weighing 2,641 pounds. Wild turkeys can run up to 20 mph when they are scared. The average number of calories consumed on Thanksgiving is 4,500. 14 slices of pumpkin pie are 4,500 calories. Thanksgiving football began in 1876 with a game between Yale and Princeton. The first NFL games were played on Thanksgiving in 1920. Approximately 50 million viewers watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, while 3.5 million view it in person. Turkeys have two stomachs. England’s “Tyson,” the heaviest turkey, weighed 86 pounds. In 1981 Butterball started a “Turkey Talk-Line” to help people with their turkey questions.

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The Entertainer! - November 2020

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