21 minute read
Arts
Chandler show celebrates quilts’ story magic
BY SRIANTHI PERERA
Contributor
Linda McCurry’s art quilt depicts adversity.
Years ago, her Gilbert home caught fire around the chimney; the fire burnt downstairs near the fireplace and upstairs through the master bedroom. Her koi fish died in her pond due to firefighters putting a flame retardant in it.
In flaming red, orange, brown and yellow, she traces the story in her quilt titled “From the Ashes.”
“There was a lot of restoration to do,” McCurry said. “You could say from the ashes we rose and came back as strong as we could.”
Stories such as this are what exhibit curator and judge Ellen M. Blalock sought when she was invited to assemble the City of Chandler’s annual art quilt show. Art Quilts XXVI: Stitching Stories, featuring 64 story quilts made by 53 artists from across the country, runs through Jan. 8 at Vision Gallery and CCA Gallery.
A resident of Syracuse, New York, Blalock is passionate about story quilts.
“I know that quilters work and artists work in all kinds of different ways and I wanted to be inclusive of a lot of people’s voices because not everybody does figurative work,” she noted.
“What is also important to me is the story behind the quilt and not just a story the quilt is telling. Somebody may be having the story of why they made the quilt and or it could even be the process,” she added.
Blalock herself is a narrative artist documentarian who works in photography, video, drawing and fiber. Most of her creations come in series form, such as the 32-piece Family Quilt Project; Not Crazy, which looks at mental illness in the African American community; and the one on feminism.
In addition to creating picturesque fabric art, Chandler artist-novelist Laurie Fagen often portrays causes important to her. For this show, Fagen chose to highlight a photograph her brother, a nurse practitioner, sent of himself: gowned, gloved and masked for work in the Covid ward.
“I don’t typically manipulate photos in Photoshop for my fiber art, but this one I specifically did because it was the year of the pandemic, he was frazzled and the world was frazzled,” she said. “So, I changed the colors, I left threads attached to it, I just made it as frazzled as possible.”
Fagen, who also authors crime fiction novels and creates polymer clay jewelry, imparts texture and dimension to her work.
Her recent line of fiber art involves taking photos, printing them on the
In her story quilt titled “Seeking Center/Finding Balance,” Shelly White creates a visual snapshot of her goal of “calm” as she navigates competing concerns, an overload of information and confusion. The layered colors of nature, repetitive patterns and topographic lines help chart a path to peace, order, and beauty,”
she said. (Courtesy of Shelly White.)
See QUILTS on page 52
Massively upgraded Pollack Tempe Cinemas reopens
When you walk into the newly renovated Pollack Tempe Cinemas, Michael Pollack will be there to greet you himself, wearing his traditional black shirt.
Only it will be a hologram of the Chandler shopping center owner/developer – one of many new additions to his theater complex at Elliot Road and McClintock Drive, which has reopened after a 20-month closure.
There are 15 more holograms on the walls, showcasing some of the products for sale at the snack bar. The sound system has been upgraded, as have all the theater seats.
“We still have some of the things that are the original character that this theater has always had, at least since I’ve had it, and that is all the memorabilia, the collectibles, a lot of the posters and a lot of things that are from movies that are many, many, many, many years ago.”
Pollack added new decorative ceilings, changed the curtains on the sides of the theaters to give it a contemporary look and refurbished the floors.
“It reminds me of Disney,” Pollack said of his sparkling floors.
Pollack said he began planning reopening six to eight months ago. That included ordering three black crystal chandeliers from Spain.
Pretty much everything is new and improved. Some of the major improvements are in the bathrooms – where he installed touchless toilets, sinks, soap dispensers and paper towel dispensers.
That’s in direct response to the pandemic, which shut his theater down for nearly two years beginning in March 2020 after the government ordered all cinemas closed.
“We sat back and waited until we felt it was the right timing,” Pollack said. “First of all, there wasn’t a lot of content out, which was difficult.
Pollack Tempe Cinemas plays movies that have already been released and are on their second run. Movie fans who are patient can see the top movies a few weeks after everyone else, but pay a lot less. Tickets are only $3.50. The theater will only be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to start.
Pollack didn’t set out to be a theater owner. He said he bought the strip mall on the southeast corner of McClintock and Elliot about 20 years ago and the existing theater owner wanted out. So he had three options, which were limited because the building’s floor sloped downward.
“I can tear down that building and start over,” Pollack recalled saying at the time. “Two, I can invent a new game called downhill bowling. Or, three, I can figure out how to run a movie theater.” The time the theater was shut down gave Pollack a chance to make other upgrades. For example, patrons can now purchase their tickets and select their seats online, something they could not do before the pandemic. However, he did bring back many of the favorites his regular customers enjoy. There are lifesize figures of many entertainment legends, and others, including presidents. One tradition Pollack is keeping alive involves the holiday lights outside his theaters. He said they put them up last year despite everything being closed down because he felt they needed a little holiday cheer. “At night, it looks absolutely incredible,” Pollack said. He said there are hundreds of thousands of lights in the display and that thousands already have visited this year.
He said he recently went through a drive-thru holiday light display and it cost him $50. Pollack said people come to his mall at night to take their photos before his light display for free.
“This theater always had its own identity, it always had its own uniqueness,” Pollack said. “But now, it’s over the top. You’re not going to find a more contemporary theater than what you’re looking at right now anywhere in the United States that I know of.”
Developer Michael Pollack has spent $1 million on upgrading his movie complex at McClintock Drive and Elliot Road, Tempe, including new luxurious seating in all the theaters. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
Back for laughs
After the long pandemic shutdown, comedy is back in Sun Lakes as The ImproVables, Sun Lakes Community Theatre’s comedy improv troupe, will perform at Sun Lakes Country Club for a buff et and show starting at 5 p.m. Feb. 5. Tickets will be available next month at the administrative offi ce of Sun Lakes Country Club. The ImproVables rely on suggestions and ideas from the audience and create scenes off the top of their heads with no scripts and no rehearsal. The re-organized troupe of 20 performers comprises former and new members. “We meet and practice every Monday morning,” founder Phyllis Novy said. “It is a joy to begin each week with laughter.”
(Special to SanTan Sun News)
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This bus drive will light up your holiday spirit
BY ALLISON BROWN
Contributor
Cruising neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights is a tradition for many families, but sometimes the logistics do not work out.
Kids complain because of the lack of lights, and/or parents miss the views because they have to watch the road.
Jarrod Riddle said this was the case for his family when he was a kid, and it inspired him to offer his own tour through Spirit of Arizona Tours
“I thought, ‘What if I find a really good route where friends and family don’t have to worry about the route or driving, they can just hop on a tour and enjoy the lights how they were meant to be enjoyed?’ So, that’s where the idea came from, and it’s been a pretty successful one,” Riddle says.
“We get a lot of families that show up in ugly sweaters or dressed up or some bring Christmas cookies and it gets turned into a nice little family event.”
The tours run at 6 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. through Dec. 31 – except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Each tour starts in Tempe near the 101 and Warner and goes through Tempe and Chandler. The 90-minute tours pass dozens of homes and stop twice for close-up looks.
A longtime Valley resident and certified historian, Riddle has been a tour guide for 10 years. Using his insider information, Riddle plans a perfect route that is guaranteed to have great decorations and even avoids traffic delays for an entertaining ride from start to finish.
“If I’m going to offer a Christmas light tour, it’s going to be above and beyond,” Riddle says. “It’s not just going to be random neighborhoods. I made sure to scout out several locations where each street keeps getting better.”
Riddle says the tour hits every decoration imaginable, like music-synchronized light shows, Santa Claus, nativity scenes and, in true Arizona fashion, illuminated cactus.
The tour not only goes through some of the best displays in the state, but also the country.
“Two of the streets on the tour compete for best Christmas light displays in America, and one of those streets is basically like a street festival,” Riddle says.
“They have food trucks and Santa Claus who the kids come and talk to. They do horse carriage rides. So, for that street, I actually let my guests get out and walk it if they want. I give them about 20 to 30 minutes to get out and actually walk the streets themselves. It’s a good, fun experience.”
There is more to see than the classics, too. One of the unique displays on the tour is a giant, 25-foot-tall Christmas koala who takes up an entire front yard. Riddle says he spoke to the owner and found out the bear was originally from a storefront in Australia.
Apparently, the family brought it with them when they moved to the States and it was passed down to Phoenix residents. Riddle says that it is always a bit of a show-stopper and has a
Left: Jarrod Riddle he has a five-star rating on Google, TripAdvisor and Yelp. The company earned those stars because, he says, he cares about the customer experience. Right: The tour takes riders through some of the most eye-popping Christmas displays in the East Valley.
(Special to SanTan Sun News)
See LIGHTS on page 54
Left: Annemarie Comes of Mesa created her art quilt “Branching Out” by “weaving” into fabric a cyanotype of a photograph of tree trunks. (Courtesy of Annemarie Comes) Center: Laurie Fagen of Chandler created “Frazzled,” a story quilt portraying her nurse practitioner brother outfitted to work in the COVID ward. (Courtesy of Laurie Fagen) Right: Linda McCurry’s “From the Ashes” depicts a story about her Gilbert home catching on fire. (Courtesy of Linda McCurry)
QUILTS from page 50
fabric and thread painting with a few miles of thread.
“I embellish the art quilt with thread, give it texture and dimension. That’s my basic technique that I’ve been doing recently. Oftentimes they’re embellished with other things – charms, yarn, ribbon, surface designs, foiling techniques and adding paint,” she said.
“I love the tactile feel of the fabric and being able to take any fabric and work with them is always just something that’s very satisfying to me,” she said, adding “everything from the design to the creation to the actual manipulation of the fabric, I enjoy the whole process.”
Annemarie Comes of Mesa works in a similar process to weave photography to fabric.
Her quilt titled “Branching Out” is a cyanotype of one of her photographs.
“My image was printed in my dark room in black and white, then turned into a large-scale transparency which was exposed overtop of chemically coated fabric,” she said. “Our Arizona sun was then used to transfer the image onto the fabric.”
“As an Arizona-based photographer, I try to capture special moments in time – a lot of sunsets – so others can enjoy the beauty, as well,” she added.
After isolating for much of the past months due to the pandemic, Comes relishes the freedom to create art.
“It was wonderful to revisit fabrics/ quilting and the cyanotype process in the past year. It’s so wonderful to allow others to enjoy my image in a quilted form once again,” she said.
Details: visiongallery.org/event/artquilts-xxvi-stitching-stories/
DJ Dillon Francis celebrates bubbly third album
BY JORDAN HOUSTON
Staff Writer
Platinum-selling artist, producer, songwriter DJ Dillon Francis has made waves since dropping out of Santa Monica College – including the recent release of his jovial happy-house third studio album.
In celebration of his 34th birthday, the Los Angeles-based musician recently launched “Happy Machine,” an infectious and bubbly house album boasting a grip of new material. The eight-track piece features previously released songs “Unconditional,” with 220 KID and Bryn Christopher, “Love Me Better,” which recently reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Dance/Mix Show Airplay Chart with Shift K3Y and Marc E. Bassy, and “Reaching Out,” featuring Bow Anderson. “Happy Machine” seeks to celebrate life, family and friends, while signifying the joyous journey in returning to a post-pandemic era, Francis shared.
“I feel like the reason I named it is so self-explanatory,” Francis said. “I feel like you would have an inkling that it must be a very happy album to listen to – so, be prepared for hooking yourself up with a serotonin IV drip while listening to this.”
The Mad Decent-released album, which exudes optimism and bright beats, is also the 34-year-old’s most collaborative work of art. It highlights contributions from globally recognized songwriters who have worked with the likes of Selena Gomez and Shawn Mendes, including Jenna Andrews, MNEK, Teddy Geiger and Sarah Aarons.
Despite its title, Francis said he was the opposite of “happy” when he created the album during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was really going through it, I had been Pelotoning a lot and my favorite instructors happened to all be from the UK,” he explained, noting his favorite instructor frequently played “euphoric” piano house music.
“I started listening to a lot more music in that genre and it was making me so happy, especially for what we were all going through,” he continued. “Though that, I kept diving into piano house and said, ‘You know what, this is what I want to make right now.”
Since 2011, Francis has built a reputation for himself a champion of the moombahton electronic genre, as well as embracing trap and dance-pop. With numerous chart-hitting records and Grammy nominations under his belt, Francis’ resume includes the No. 1 Dance Radio Airplay hit “Anywhere” (feat. Will Heard), “Candy” (feat. Snappy Jit), No. 1 Billboard Dance Club Songs chart topper “Coming Over” with Kygo (feat. James Hersey), and the RIAA platinum certified “Get Low” with DJ Snake, which surpassed 500 million worldwide streams.
In 2012, Francis made history as “the first moombahton artist to achieve the No. 1 spot on Beatport” on the Something, Something Awesome EP, according to Insomniac. His 2014 major label debut “Money Sucks, Friends Rule” graced Rolling Stone’s Top Electronic Albums of 2014 list, while its 2015 follow up “This Mixtape Is Fire” EP bowed at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart. In 2018, Francis earned back-toback Latin American Music Award and Latin Grammy nominations for the song “Sexo,” featuring Residente and iLe.
But the path to success wasn’t always a straight arrow for the exuberant entertainer, he shares.
Born in 1987, Francis grew up LA as the son of an alternative medicine doctor. However, he was a fan of mix of punk and electronic music by the time he reached high school. Francis later briefly attended Santa Monica College, in which he also started experimenting with music production.
It wasn’t long before he took the plunge to drop out of college pursue his dreams of making music full time. Francis recently announced his upcoming Sugar, Spice and Everything Ice U.S. tour with co-headliner Yung Gravy for 2022, featuring stops in New York, Washington, D.C., Austin, Nashville and other locations nationwide.
The platinum-selling artist said he is looking forward to performing for live audiences again, emphasizing the value of interacting with fans.
“It’s really awesome to finally see people ingesting the song,” he shared, recalling a recent performance of “Real Love” in Tampa. “It was already so cool to see people singing it in the crowd. That is such a satisfying feeling because I’ve played them without anybody listening to the songs – I can see the reaction now.”
DJ Dillon Francis
If you go
Who: Alan Walker; Alesso; Alison Wonderland; Bijou; Chris Lake; Destructo; Diesel, aka Shaquille O’Neal; Dillon Francis; DJ Snake; Excision; Fisher; Gem & Tauri; Gordo; Kaskade; Lost Kings; Madeon (DJ set); Martin Ikin; Nora En Pure; Purple Disco Machine; Seven Lions, and Sonny Fodera When: 6 p.m. Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 Where: Rawhide Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler Cost: Two-day general admission passes are $159; VIP passes are tiered Info: decadencearizona.com
LIGHTS from page 52
“Godzilla effect” on kids and adults.
Families and friends are transported to each sight on a luxury bus which is even decorated inside with garland and lights. The bus has 14 captain’s chairs that have armrests and recline for a truly cozy and homey atmosphere.
“They can bring whatever they want on the bus as far as drinks are concerned,” Riddle says. “Since I’m doing the driving, people like to bring hot cocoa for the kids and maybe some canned drinks for the grownups, which is totally fine by me.
“I’ve had people bring little Christmas cookies and stuff like that, so basically they can make it like their own little holiday party.”
This is the Spirit of Arizona’s third year offering the Christmas Lights Tour. Riddle estimates he has about 900 guests on average per year.
He says the proof is in the pudding when it comes to his tours, as he has a five-star rating on Google, TripAdvisor and Yelp. The company earned those stars because, he says, he cares about the customer experience.
“Don’t worry about the route, don’t worry about the driving,” Riddle says. “All you need to do is show up, sit back, relax and enjoy the lights.” Information: spiritofarizonatours.com
Chandler, EV ring in New Year with music
BY SARAH HABER
Contributor
The Chandler Center for the Arts will be saying farewell to 2021 with a special New Year’s Eve show featuring four powerhouse vocalists and a 10-piece orchestra presenting the hits of Broadway shows.
With Musical Director Jr McAlexander, vocals will be provided by Jamie Parnell, Kristen Drathman, Kaitlynn Kleinman Bluth And Jordan Bluth
They will be performing the big bold music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Rodgers & Hammerstein, as well as songs from “Mamma Mia!,” “Jersey Boys,” Carole King’s “Beautiful” and more.
There will be a champagne toast and party favors as well as a photo booth for complimentary photos and a special souvenir from the evening for all attendees. JR McAlexander is the owner, executive producer and genius behind local stage company Showtune Productions. A 25-year veteran of the professional theatre, he has overseen the music direction of more than 375 productions throughout the United States and Canada, including numerous national touring Broadway companies.
Chandler Center for the Arts Showtime Series also features productions created by Showtune Productions and JR McAlexander. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 8 p.m. Dec. 31, Tickets $26 to $46, chandlercenter.org
Straight No Chaser singer Jasper Smith predicts the group’s a cappella New Year’s Eve performance at the Mesa Arts Center will be extraordinary.
“This is the last show in our tour, so we are going to pull out all of the stops,” Smith said.
Founded at Indiana University, Straight No Chaser has spent the year on its “Back in the High Life Tour,” pushing the deluxe edition of the album “Social Christmasing,” which features “Celebrate Me Home” with Kenny Loggins and “Christmas Show.”
The newest member of Straight No Chaser, Smith describes the shows as “having a little bit of something for everyone. There are all kinds of genres from ’40s, ’50s all the way to Dua Lipa.”
The performances are just as special for Straight No Chaser as they are for fans. In mid-November, a Texas audience member shouted, “I missed you!”
“(The concerts) speak to the connection we have with the fans,” he said.
Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa, 8 p.m., tickets start at $90, mesaartscenter.com
Straight No Chaser is among several entertainers ushering in the New Year around the Valley. Here are other ways to celebrate the end of 2021 and what’s to come in 2022.
Music fills the air on New Year’s Eve New Year’s Eve at Mesa Arts Center. (Special to SanTan Sun News)
Linger Longer Lounge
Uptown Phoenix’s Linger Longer Lounge is offering a block party-style evening with two performance areas featuring Meet the Sun, Citrus Clouds and Bee Bohannon. DJs include Layton, Jules Quimby and Jake Stellarwell. The evening will end with a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. 6522 N. 16th St., Suite 6, Phoenix, 8 p.m., $24 before December 14, $35 between December 15 and December 31, lingerlongerlounge.com
Phoenix Symphony New Year’s Special with Leslie Odom Jr.
Tony and Grammy Award winner, Leslie Odom Jr., lends his pipes to the Phoenix Symphony. Best known for his role as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton,” he will blend classics, pops and surprises to keep attendees glued to their seats.
Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix, 7:30 p.m., tickets start at $44, phoenixsymphony.org
Sublime with Rome
Reggae rockers Sublime with Rome hits the Marquee stage for two nights, including December 31, to ring in 2022. Special guests include Phoenix’s Katastro and The Irie on December 30, and Katastro and Spray Allen on December 31.
Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe, 8:30 p.m., tickets start at $50, luckymanonline.com
Decadence Arizona
Relentless Beats and Global Dance present Decadence Arizona, also for two nights, December 30 and December 31. The epic lineup is Alesso, Alison Wonderland, BIJOU, Chris Lake, DJ Snake, Gem & Tauri, Kaskade, Madeon (DJ set), Martin Ikin, Nora En Pure, Purple Disco Machine and Seven Lions on Dec. 30; Alan Walker, Destructo, Diesel aka Shaquille O’Neal, Dillon Francis, Excision, Fisher, Gordo, Lost Kings, Loud Luxury, Marshmello, Sonny Fodera and TV Boo on NYE.
Rawhide Western Town & Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, 5 p.m., tickets start at $200, relentlessbeats.com
Comedian Peter Fogel brings his oneman show to the Herberger Theater Center from December 29 to January 30, including New Year’s Eve. On stage, Fogel shares crazy holiday memories while bringing to life a multitude of hilariously eccentric characters.
Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix, 8 p.m., tickets start at $69.50, herbergertheater.org
