Hawaiian HAPA to perform at the Rialto Theater

“Hapa” is the Hawaiian word for half, so half Caucasian/Anglo people in Hawaii are called “Hapa-haole” (and there are many different varieties of bi-racial people there, with so many intermarriages going on).

The popular Hawaiian group “HAPA” will be coming to Tucson and performing at the Rialto theater, 318 E. Congress St. on July 21.

More info: www.rialtotheatre.com.

Doors open at 7 p.m., show is at 8 p.m. reserved seating. Tickets on sale online or at Bookman’s.

From the Rialto’s website:

Like the Hawaiian Islands themselves, HAPA’s Pan-Polynesian music is an amalgam of infuences ranging from ancient genealogical chants to the strummed ballads of Portuguese fisherman, Spanish cowboys, and the inspired melodies and harmonies of the traditional church choirs of the early missionaries. Add to this a dose of American acoustic folk/rock, and you have what has been described as the “most exciting and beautiful contemporary Hawaiian music the world knows!”… (Maui Times).

These disparate ingredients blended together musically in the Pacific emotes the unique flavor of what Hawaii and HAPA music is: “beautiful, fragile, spiritual, powerful”… (L.A. Times).

Often encapsulated as the “Sound of Maui”, HAPA’s music evokes a place that many people at different times have referred to as heavenly. The overriding quality of their music is one of beauty and serenity, found in the majestic tones of the oli (chant), mele (song), the elegant movements of the sacred dance known as hula, and the exhilarating innovative sounds of virtuoso slack key guitar. HAPA’s self entitled debut cd released in 1993, swept the 1994 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawaii’s equivalent of the Grammy’s), becoming the biggest selling CD by a group or duo in the history of recorded Hawaiian music. The group’s ground breaking music has established them as the most recognized name in Hawaiian music internationally since their debut release, with sold-out shows from Tokyo to New York.

Written by Barry Rivers, President, Maui Film Festival
June, 2003

I don’t think I’ve ever heard this group perform back home, but I hope to in the future.

3 days of celebration for Arizona’s 100th Birthday (Feb. 10, 11, 12)

3 days of weekend fun coming up in celebration of Arizona’s 100th birthday on 2/14/12.

Info from 2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com website. I’ve listed a few of the events below, but go to that website for the full schedule.

Friday, Feb. 10:

4pm: GRAND OPENING, hosted by KOLD Channel 13 and Chuck George. Mayor Jonathan Rothschild will open the festivities to an antique airplane fly-by and the raising of the 1912 American Flag originally flown over the Arizona Capitol. This event will take place at the main stage on 6th Ave., just south of Pennington.

Plus lots of musical entertainment on two stages (6th Ave x Pennington, and Scott Avenue Stage x Broadway), 4:15 pm. to 9:30 p.m.

…and more events along Congress Street including Cinema La Placita’s 6 p.m. showing of 1963 movie “McLintock!” (starring John Wayne) filmed at Old Tucson Studios.

Saturday Feb. 11:

2nd Saturdays Downtown usual excitement & events, plus music starting at 12 noon at 6th Ave. x Pennington stage. Scott Avenue/Broadway stage starts up at 1 p.m. with puppet shows for the kids, plus more exciting groups like Brazilian Batucaxe at 4 p.m. and Japanese Odaiko Sonora (taiko drums) at 5:15 p.m.

AND don’t miss the events over at the Joel D Valdez Main Library , 101 N Stone (11 to 5 p.m.), or at UA Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. for an “AZ 100 & Counting” free event (3 to 5 p.m.)

Over at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street:

1:30pm-3:30pm: “A Special Chat with Noted Tucsonans of the Past,” presented by the Downtown Centennial Committee. This historic event will present reenacted interviews with a few of the famous men and women who helped create the State of Arizona and build The Old Pueblo, from 1912 to present. After the historic re-enactments the audience will enjoy films of Southern Arizona life in the early part of the twentieth century. This film is a composite of several travel logs gathered from 1920-30 by the “The Sunshine Climate Club,” an early Tucson tourist promotion group.

Cinema La Placita will be showing at 6 p.m. the classic 1940 movie “Arizona” (starring William Holden), also filmed at Old Tucson Studios.

Sunday Feb. 12:

Several events starting with an early 9 a.m. downtown bike ride, ending up with an 8 p.m. Dweezil Zappa (son of Frank) Concert at the Rialto Theatre (see below)

9 a.m.Celebrate the Centennial with a 1.5 hour bike ride, discovering Sonoran Desert street trees. Learn to identify different low water native trees in the Downtown streetscape, planted by volunteers, neighborhoods, the City of Tucson and the Downtown Tucson Partnership as part of the 1,000 Trees Please campaign. This easy bike ride through downtown and neighborhoods meets at the SE corner of Broadway Blvd. and Scott Ave

Scottish Rite Cathedral, 160 S. Scott Avenue:
2pm-4:30pm: ACLU presents “Arizona Civil Rights Memories”, a panel discussion moderated by former Tucson mayor, George Miller. Retired Arizona Supreme Court Justice Stanley Feldman, retired UA Law School Dean, Professor Emeritus Charles Ares will be on the panel, as well as ACLU of Arizona Founding Board Member Cornelius Steelink.

Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street:

8pm: Zappa Plays Zappa All Ages. After taking more than three years off to study the physical performance and technical compositional techniques of his father, Frank Zappa, Dweezil Zappa began his search to create a combo that could, according to Dweezil, “accurately execute Frank’s music in the most authentic way humanly possible.” Rather than creating what he called a “circus” of Frank’s former bandmates, Dweezil’s focus was on providing an avenue for the elder Zappa’s music to new generations of listeners. (Tickets: $26-$56)

Enjoy the many festivities downtown and around town, all birthday celebrations for Arizona.

Another free & family-friendly 2nd Saturday Downtown (plus the St. Patrick’s Day parade & festival)

The March 12th 2nd Saturday Downtown event coincides with the St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival (click here for my previous blog). The one hour parade will begin at 5:30PM on 14th & Stone Avenue, wind through Downtown – E. Congress, Broadway and 6th Avenue – ending at Armory Park, where the festival will be. (The St. Patrick’s Day festival starts there at 3 p.m., prior to the parade, and will go on throughout the evening.)

This is the eleventh 2nd Sat. DT urban fest since the inaugural event on May 8, 2010. Website: www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com. It’s been almost one year of these fun- filled urban street fests, and I’ve been to almost every one. It’s wonderful to see Downtown come alive again!

For the usual event schedule, click here for the music entertainment at The Rialto Theatre, the Fox Tucson Theatre, the Scott Avenue stage, and the numerous other locales on and around E. Congress Street. Most of the events are FREE. There are lots of booths too selling delicious food (from all nations), and crafts as well. And lots of clowns, street musicians, people on stilts, human statues, etc. etc.

Food note: delicious, creative crepes will be made & sold in the Planet of the Crepes wagon on Saturday night (photo below courtesy of Jessica Kraus, owner).
She serves freshly made fruit crepes but also ones with chicken, vegetables, and other unique combinations.

Planet of the Crepes wagon

Had a mango/strawberry w/ coconut flakes crepe this past Sunday at the new European Farmers’ Market on the NE corner of Campbell/Speedway, and it was “some ono” – Hawaiian Pidgin English for yummy. (Her cute crepe wagon reminded me of the ubiquitous lunch wagons back home in Hawaii).

Photo below taken by Jeff Smith of the Zsa Zsas (McZsa Zsas?) group slated to perform at The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress, for free (along with a real leprechaun):

Enjoy another 2nd Saturday Downtown! And don’t forget to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day again (for real) on March 17.

2nd Saturday Downtown on Feb. 12 (most events have been re-scheduled due to mass shooting on January 8)

Most of us were glued to our TV sets, radios, computers or other electronic devices due to the horrific news on the last 2nd Saturdays Downtown on January 8. Most of the street events were canceled, due to the shock and grief over the 6 innocent dead victims and 13 others wounded (including CD 8 Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords) shot by suspect Jared Lee Loughner. And many families & friends were at the various hospitals that were treating the wounded, especially University Medical Center.

So, coming up Feb. 12, TNT (AC/DC Tribute) will now be re-scheduled at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St., 7 to 9 p.m.

Listed below is the event schedule from 2nd Saturdays Downtown website, with a message of sympathy:

We are regrouping for Feb 12th to celebrate Tucson’s community,
to honor those who were lost on Jan 8th and to offer healing to those recovering. Mucho amor a Tucson!

Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress
7pm: Tucson’s Christian Youth Theater presents Roald Dahl’s timeless story of the world-famous candy man “Willy Wonka.” ($10 to $15)

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Scott Avenue Stage (between Congress and Broadway):
5:45pm-7:00pm: Tammy West & The Culprits (Soulful Americana)
7:15pm-8:30pm: Five Way Street (Classic Rock)
8:45pm-10:00pm: Kevin Pakulis Band (On the rock side of Americana)

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Congress Street @ 4th Avenue
6pm-9pm: Les Avenge (beat boy acrobatics)

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Along Congress Street

4:45pm-5:15pm: 7 Pipers Band
5:30pm-7:30pm: Odyssey Story Arts Cart
6pm-10pm: Living Statues by Parasol Project

Live mural paintings by Joe Pagac, SW corner of Congress & 5th Ave.

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Scott Avenue @ Congress Street

6pm-9pm: Odaiko Sonora (Taiko Drumming, demos & hands-on workshops)

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Along 6th Ave.

5pm-10pm: Cristales Car Club

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Ronstadt Transit Center @ 6th Ave. & Congress St.

*7pm-9pm: Magician John Coppin performs a non-stop show*

5pm-6pm: The Wonderfools (family variety show)

Wonderfools taken by Shanda Romans, courtesy of 2nd Saturdays Downtown

6pm-7pm: Avatara (ethno psychedelic fusion)
7pm-7:30pm: Batucaxe (Brazilian drum & dance)
7:30-8pm:The Wonderfools (family variety show)
8pm-9pm: Lykiska (tribal fusion bellydance)
9pm-10pm: Mik Garrison (eclectic one-man band)

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Indian Village Lot – Kid’s Corner! Between Stone & Scott on Congress St.

West Wall: Cinema La Placita – 6pm – Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971, with Gene Wilder)
7:45pm – City High Short Films Festival: “As We See It – Digital Narratives” on the topic of Unconditional Love

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Old Pueblo Garage, 27 E. Congress St.

5pm-7pm: Jacob Garcia

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NW Corner Congress St./Stone Ave.

5pm-7pm: Mik Garrison (eclectic one-man band)

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Chicago Store, 130 E. Congress St.

6pm-9pm: Deceptively Innocent (Rock/Pop/Alternative)

Log onto 2nd Saturdays Downtown website (click here) for more info on the entertainment schedule (plus more photos). If you haven’t been downtown for this 2nd Saturdays monthly event yet, you’re in for a real urban treat, just prior to Valentine’s Day!

TNT at the Rialto (for free) on 2nd Saturday Downtown

Over at the Rialto Theatre (318 E. Congress) 7pm-9pm: TNT (AC/DC tribute band), free for 2nd Saturdays Downtown on January 8, 2011.

TNT rock band

Grind to play at the Fox Tucson Theatre

Another FREE concert, 7 to 9 p.m over at the Fox Tucson Theatre (17 W. Congress). Grind is advertised as a Tucson-based variety band, playing “modern country.”

Entertainment schedule below for the Scott Avenue Stage (between Congress and Broadway):

5:30pm-6:30pm: Deceptively Innocent (Rock/Pop/Alternative)

6:45pm-7:45pm: Mirror Image (The acoustic, jazzy duo was Arizona Daily Star’s 2008 Battle of the Bands winner)

8:00pm-10:00pm: Five Way Street (Classic Rock)

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Indian Village Lot – Kid’s Corner! Between Stone & Scott on Congress St.

West Wall: Cinema La Placita – 6pm – Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

7:45pm – City High Short Film Fest: “As We See It – Digital Narratives:” on the topic of Unconditional Love

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Along Congress Street

6:30pm-9:30pm: Critical Stilts – Stilt walking & dancing
by Tucson Circus Arts

Live mural paintings by Joe Pagac, SW corner of Congress & 5th Ave.

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Scott Avenue @ Congress Street

6pm-10pm: Odaiko Sonora (Taiko drumming & workshops)
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Along 6th Ave.

5pm-10pm: Cristales Car Club

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Ronstadt Transit Center @ 6th Ave. & Congress St.

5pm-6pm: The Wonderfools (family variety show)
6pm-7:30pm: Mik Garrison (eclectic one-man band)
7:30-8pm:The Wonderfools (family variety show)
8pm-9pm: Lykiska (tribal fusion bellydance troupe)
9pm-10pm: Avatara (ethno psychedelic fusion)

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Old Pueblo Garage, 27 E. Congress St.

5pm-7pm: Jake Garcia (guitarist)

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NW Corner Congress St./Stone Ave.

6pm-8pm: A Son y Sol (Latin American music with a twist)

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For more information, www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com. Check out the photos of the winners of last month’s Holiday Windows Decorations Contest, and the Horrible Holiday Sweater Contest. Some of those sweaters were honestly pretty ugly.

1/8/11 UPDATE: due to the shooting of Congresswoman Giffords and 18 others at the Safeway in NW Tucson, most of these events will be cancelled tonight.

Free concert at The Fox: Portland Cello Project

2nd Saturdays Downtown presents …The Portland Cello Project from Oregon

Saturday, May 8, at 7 – 10pm

This free concert will be at the lovely Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street. Info from their website:

“From The Rialto Theatre and Hotel Congress on the east end to The Fox Theatre on the west, downtown Tucson will come alive in a series of free-to-the-public, arts, entertainment, shopping and dining happenings called 2nd Saturdays Downtown, set to kick off Saturday, May 8, 2010 and every second Saturday of the month thereafter.

Kicking off the 2nd Saturdays series in grand style is a world-class free concert by the Portland Cello Project (www.portlandcelloproject.com) at the Fox Theatre. This indefinable ensemble transcends your typical conceptions of what a string group can do, playing everything from inspired original compositions, to obscure 19th -century folk songs to straight-ahead rock n’ roll. As a special treat, Tucson-based singer-songwriter Howe Gelb will join the ensemble as they combine symphonic stylings with one of Tucson’s most renowned musical collectives.

Portland Cello Project, photo by Tarina Westlund

Thanks to Tucson’s Providence Service Corporation (NASDAQ: PRSC) for helping to underwrite this show.”

And thanks to Ian Fritz (co-organizer of the Eat More Pie! Contest) who alerted me about this concert, as his sister Anna (pictured above) plays in this Portland Cello Project.

2nd Saturdays Downtown (www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com) monthly events will be from 5 to 10 p.m., with the next ones scheduled for June 12, July 10, and August 14. Check out their website for more activities, for this ongoing “Urban Street Fest”.

This inaugural Saturday event will also feature an outdoor stage on Scott Avenue between Congress St. and Broadway Blvd., to include music by The Modeens (6 to 7 p.m.), The Mission Creeps (7:15 to 8:30 p.m.), and Greyhound Soul (8:45 to 10 p.m.). Sounds like Downtown Saturday Night has finally returned, on a monthly basis.

Another reason to go on down to downtown!