With all the signs of progress in downtown Phoenix, it’s time to take a look at some old favorites. Short Leash Hot Dogs and Urban Beans, The Torch Theater, Lawn Gnome Publishing, The Firehouse and the Trunk Space are all bringing out their best work this week, presenting movies, poetry championships, improv, forgotten musical favorites and more all within a brief light rail ride of the Downtown campus.
- Monday, Sept. 17
- 8:00 p.m. Show
- Urban Beans: 3508 N. Seventh St.
- Getting there: Rail — Central Avenue and Seventh Street stop
- Price: Free with food and drinks available for purchase
Recommended if You Like: unusual dogs, chill cinema, early-week relaxation
Every third Monday, midtown favorite Urban Beans gives locals something to celebrate early in the work week–Short Leash Hot Dogs. The food truck institution sets up monthly in the parking lot of the popular bar, coffee shop and pastry shop to pair its delectable hot dog combos with the sweets and drinks of Urban Beans. Guests are invited to grab a drink, a bite to eat and lounge on the shop’s spacious patio in front of a makeshift movie screen and enjoy a classic film. Though this month’s film has yet to be confirmed, last month featured the 2004 Paul Giamatti breakout “Sideways.”
The Neighborhood featuring Leslie Barton
- Saturday, Sept. 15
- 8:30 p.m. Show
- The Torch Theater: 4721 N. Central Ave.
- Getting there: Rail — Central Avenue and Camelback Road stop
- Price: $10 at the door
Recommended if You Like: themed improve, downtown scenesters, Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Weekends at midtown’s Torch Theater are always filled with activity. Among its six rotating weekly shows is the popular Neighborhood, presenting an improvised portrait of Central Phoenix’s arts scene. Each week, the show features a different local star, ranging from artists to musicians, activists to business owners, giving the performance a familiar edge. The guest star leads the improvisation, providing a backing monologue for the improvisers as they craft entire scenes and characters from the guest’s life stories. This week, the guest is Leslie Barton, a longtime veteran of the standup, performance art and music scenes in Phoenix, most known for her work with Space 55, and booking music at The Paper Heart and Modified Arts during the early 2000s.
Individual Phoenix Poetry Championship
- Thursday, Sept. 13
- 8:00 p.m. Show
- Lawn Gnome Publishing & Bookstore: 905 N. Fifth St.
- Getting there: Walk — Fifth Street between Roosevelt and Garfield streets
- Price: $5 suggested donation at the door
Recommended if You Like: Def Poetry Jam, Saul Williams, competitive expression
Aaron Johnson of Lawn Gnome Publishing has been the patron saint of the Phoenix poetry scene. But since opening his own bookstore, the ante has been upped considerably with weekly open-mic events and poetry slams. The Thursday invitational slams this season have all been leading up to this week, with individual poets competing to earn points towards entrance into a prestigious national competition. The poets who have earned the most points over the past several weeks will adhere to strict guidelines for this week’s championship: performing a three-minute, two-minute and one-minute poem in the first, second and third rounds respectively to demonstrate their oral and written dexterity. Based on the scores of five judges and the reactions of the gathered audience, the winner will be awarded a spot at the Individual World Poetry Slam in Arkansas, representing Lawn Gnome and Phoenix. Though such spoken word performances are generally looked at as purely expressive, the competitive aspect adds an entirely new edge to the events, forcing performers to truly bring out their very best work in order to gain a chance at national prominence.
- Friday, Sept. 14
- 6 to 11 p.m.
- The Firehouse: 1015 N. First St.
- Getting there: Walk — First and Roosevelt streets
- Price: FREE
Recommended if You Like: Marcel Duchamp, gritty art, Dada
Reuben and Amy, or RareAzona, have made a name for themselves creating confounding pieces of found-object art. This Friday, the duo is bringing their latest work to the always-exciting Firehouse Gallery, and bringing along some friends for the ride. Sean-Michael Gettys, Kristi Kuhl, Brian Harrison and Robyn Kingsley will join the pair, presenting their own art pieces crafted exclusively from objects found, rather than bought. Accompanying the opening will be a series of readings of “found” poetry, taking the discovered beauty of the world to a new place. Those who find the world of painting too stuffy, take note: here you will find the rawest creations possible, taking the world’s detritus and crafting something beautiful.
- Saturday, Sept. 15
- 10:00 p.m. Doors, 10:30 p.m. Show
- The Trunk Space: 1506 NW Grand Ave.
- Getting there: Bike — 15th and Grand avenues
- Price: $5 in advance at psykosteve.com or at the door
Recommended if You Like: “American Art”, avant-rock, My American Heart
It’s been a rough career thus far for Weatherbox. Though only in existence for seven years, the band has shuffled through 10 members, three record labels and a long period of silence following their last album. But with a new record and support from the new Youth Conspiracy Records, Weatherbox is looking to reclaim much of the attention they garnered with their debut album, “American Art,” which earned rave reviews from Alternative Press, SmartPunk, AbsolutePunk.Net and Punknews.org. Rejoined by two early members, founder Brian Warren has refocused his vision for the band around hooks and the bands long-existent psychedelic tendencies. For their current tour, the band is celebrating its past while preparing for the future, performing their debut album “American Art” in full at each show, working in brand-new material along the way.
Events compiled by Connor Descheemaker
