Caribbean “Sticks & Fingers” to perform at 2nd Saturdays Downtown

More Hot Hot Hot! music this coming Saturday July 14 at 2nd Saturdays Downtown.

Dance to the lively beat of Caribbean drums from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Ronstadt Transit Center (NE corner of 6th Avenue and Congress St.), with Sticks & Fingers.

Richard Noel playing the steel drums with Sticks & Fingers

Sticks and Fingers is a dynamic percussion group that produces a joyful Afro-Caribbean sound. Their range of musical genres is vast… from Calypso, Soca, Reggae and African beat to American Standards. The artists integrate various percussion instruments into all these diverse compositions together with dance and vocals, transporting their audience to a festive, joyful experience in the tropics.

Founder/percussionist Richard Noel is from the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. He recently produced a new CD called “Taking it Higher”. I have been seeing & hearing Sticks & Fingers perform their dynamic music downtown over the past few years, and just recently met Richard at the 2012 Tucson World RefugeeFEST. He plays the steel drums and Congas, Bongos, Timbales, Djembe, and Bells.

Sticks & Fingers website: www.rdnoel.com.

More info about other happenings on and around Congress Street on Saturday: www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com

Arts, Life

Carnaval coming to 2nd Saturdays Downtown!

This is your chance to enjoy Brazilian & Caribbean music on April 14, 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. all over Tucson’s 2nd Saturday Downtown. First off from 5:30pm-6pm: Batucaxé & Friends Procession along downtown streets.

On the Scott Avenue Stage (E. Congress/Scott Avenue):

6pm-6:45pm: Capoeira Brasil
6:45pm-7:45pm: Batucaxé (Afro-Brazilian drum & dance)
7:45pm-8pm: Flam Chen, accompanied by Batucaxé
8pm-8:15pm: Poi-Zen Fire Troupe
8:15pm-9:15pm: Key Ingredients of African Soul (Afro-Beat/Reggae)
9:15pm-9:30pm: Poi-Zen Fire Troupe
9:30pm-10:30pm: Latin Funk Project (Latin/Rock)

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

7pm-9pm: UA Steel Band brings a Caribbean dance party with the sounds of soca & calypso music! Photo and info below from Fox website:

The University of Arizona Steel Band program is comprised of two steel bands, UASteel and Blue Steel. The steel band program was founded in 1987 by Professor Gary Cook and then doctoral student, Jeannine Remy. Born from a small group of personal steel drums, the band now has over 50 instruments and involves students from across the campus. Eric Hines is the current Director of the UA Steel Band program.

UA Steel Band

Over at Ronstadt Transit Center (E. Congress/6th Avenue):

7-8:30pm: A Son y Sol Latin-American Music with a twist
9pm-10:30pm: Sticks & Fingers percussion ensemble featuring recording artist Richard Noel from the Caribbean island of Trinidad & Tobago.

Carnaval is coming to downtown Tucson! There’s going to be dancing in the streets!

And not to worry about Congress Street being temporarily closed (between Stone Ave. & Toole) due to the modern streetcar construction. Here’s a press release from 2nd Saturdays Downtown about parking & traffic flow (click here).

Not Caribbean, but FREE screenings on Saturday night for the 21st Arizona International Film Festival:
The Screening Room 127 E. Congress St.
5pm: Family Shorts 1
6pm: Family Shorts 2
7pm: Alligators Always Avoid Anchovies
8pm: Stardust and the Bandit (“A nerdy for mob accountant named Guy Bacon enters the Witness Protection Program and is relocated to Old Tucson Studios, the famous movie-set-turned-theme-park in southern Arizona. Things start to get a little hairy for Bacon, however, when someone recognizes him”.)
9pm: Comedy Shorts

Arts, Life

2nd Saturdays Downtown schedule for November 13

Entertainment Schedule for 2nd Saturdays Downtown, www.http://www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com/ on Saturday, November 13, 2010 (mostly between Hotel Congress and the Fox Theater on Congress Street). Parking is on the street or in the Pennington Street Garage.

Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St.
7pm-9pm: Nils Lofgren, guitarist with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band
Acoustic show. $15 – $75. “Prior to Springsteen, Nils recorded with Steven Stills, Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr, Grin, Dr. John, Los Lobos, Kathy Mattea, and has also released twelve solo albums.”

Scott Avenue Main Stage @ Broadway Blvd. —
6:00pm-7:00pm: Silverbell

7:15pm-8:30pm: the RAiLBiRDz (funky, soulful blues, R&B)

8:45pm-10:00pm: Michael P’s Big Band (soul, funk, honkey-tonk and rock)

Street Performances along Congress St.:
6pm-10pm: Living Statues, presented by Parasol Project

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Ronstadt Transit Center @ 6th Ave & Congress St
6pm-6:15pm: Preview performance of “An evening with Shel Silverstein”
6:15-8pm: The Bike-A-Stra
8pm-10pm: Five Way Street – Classic rock and expert harmonies

7pm-9pm: Magician John Coppin

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

West wall: Cinema La Placita – “Alice In Wonderland” (animated version).
East Wall: Ultimate Electronics hosts Rock Band video competitions. Plus art activities for the kids, and more!

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Old Pueblo Garage, 27 E. Congress St.
6pm-8pm: (-J.)™ (ukelele, guitar, folk)
8pm-10pm: Cruz Billy – Delta blues

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NW Corner Congress St/Stone Ave
6pm-8pm: The Fourth Street Stringband – (Americana/folk/bluegrass)

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SW Corner Congress St/Stone Ave
7:30pm-10pm: Les Avenge – beat boy acrobatics
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Chicago Store, 130 E. Congress St.
6pm-10pm: Toby Chivers with Deceptively Innocent
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Flanagan’s Celtic Corner, 222 E. Congress St.
7pm-9pm: Tucson Fire Department Pipes and Drums
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Plus an art opening reception of “Small Wonders” at the Drawing Studio, 33 S. 6th Avenue –their annual holiday fundraiser featuring a large variety of “small works priced for holiday giving”, 6 to 9 p.m.

I’ve only missed one 2nd Saturdays Downtown since their inaugural event on May 8, 2010. Come on downtown & enjoy the musical performances and all the fun! Bring the kids.

December 11 is the next 2nd Saturdays Downtown.

Arts, Life

Teenager Toby Chivers opening at the Fox for 2nd Saturdays Downtown

13 year old Toby Chivers (rock guitarist) will be the opening performer at the historic Fox Tucson Theatre, before Latin jazz musical group “Descarga”, on Saturday October 9 for the monthly 2nd Saturdays Downtown urban street fest. Concert is free, from 7 to 9 p.m., 17 W. Congress Street. Chivers plays with a teen band called “Deceptively Innocent.”

Toby Chivers

Event schedule to date from website, www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.org.

Scott Avenue Stage (between Congress St. and Broadway Blvd.):

6:00pm-7:00pm: A Son y Sol (Latin American music with a twist)
7:15pm-8:30pm: Banana Gun (upbeat acoustic)
8:45pm-10:00pm: Jumper (power-pop)

Along Congress Street:

Art Car Exhibit: 10+ vehicles presented by Automorphosis
Odyssey Storytelling: Look for the StoryArts Cart on the topic – “Masks: Hidden Identities”
5:30 pm-6:15pm: 7 Pipers Band – bagpipers
7pm-9pm: Critical Stilts – Stilt walking & dancing
6pm-10pm: Living Statues, presented by Parasol Project (see photo below courtesy of Donovan Durband)

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Ronstadt Transit Center @ 6th Ave & Congress Street:
5:30pm-7pm: Les Avenge – beat boy acrobatics
7:00pm-8:00pm: Desert Melodies
8:00pm-9:00pm: The Technophobes – candy folk music
9:00pm-10:00pm: Honey Pistol – folk rock/indie/acoustic
7pm-9pm: Magician John Coppin
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Indian Village Lot – Kid’s Corner! Between Stone & Scott on Congress:
West wall: Cinema La Placita screens “Alice in Wonderland” & an encore presentation of a compilation of music videos from the Tucson Film & Music Festival.
East Wall: Ultimate Electronics hosts Rock Band video competitions.

Plus art activities for the kids, an anti-gravity jumping device and more!
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Old Pueblo Garage, 27 E. Congress Street:
6pm-8pm: Blanco Cliff & John White – blues

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NW Corner – Congress St./Stone Ave:
6pm-8pm: The Missing Parts – Folk music from an undiscovered country

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SW Corner – Congress St./Stone Ave:
7:30pm-10pm: Les Avenge – Beat boy acrobatics
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Chicago Store, 130 E. Congress Street:
6pm-10pm: One Phat DJ
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June’s Corner Store, 10 E. Broadway Blvd.
6:30pm-8pm: TBA
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Flanagan’s Celtic Corner, 222 E. Congress Street:
Annual Celtic Pumpkin and Gourd Carving Contest. Gift Certificates to Flanagan’s Celtic Corner will be awarded.

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And over at El Presidio Park and the Jacome Library Plaza of the Joel D. Valdez Main library is Tucson Meet Yourself, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., also on Saturday! Read my blog on that annual event (click here).

Upcoming 2nd Saturdays Downtown: Saturday, November 13, 2010 and Saturday, December 11, 2010.

Arts, Life

2nd Saturdays Downtown and Rendezvous on 4th Avenue, both on 9/11

Two for the price of none: 2nd Saturdays Downtown and Rendezvous on 4th Avenue, both on 9/11. Read on about these two free urban street fests:

On the Scott Avenue Stage (between Congress and Broadway):

6:30pm-7:30pm: The Dusty Buskers – Performing with their latest four-man lineup, featuring award-winning banjo player Rudy Cortese and Hadji Banjovi of The Brambleberries on bucket bass. “Celtic-bluegrass tunes with a punk attitude and a subversive comedic slant.” TucsonScene.com

7:45pm-9:00pm: Sentido – Featuring guitarists Justin Fernandez and Brian Scott (formerly of Tesero) and bass player Andrew McClarron, the band showcases traditional Spanish flamenco music, while also incorporating lively danceable rhumba pieces. The style is comparable to the likes of the Gipsy Kings and Paco de Lu

9:15pm-10:30pm: Fourkiller Flats – “An alt-country combo that combines elements of post-punk rock with a decidedly country bent.” – Stephen Seigel, Tucson Weekly

And at the Fox Tucson Theatre (free concert) at 17 W. Congress St.:

7pm-9pm: Anna Warr and Giant Blue Band – “rock and blues served with brass and sass!”

Doors open at the beautiful Fox Theater at 6 p.m.

STICKSnFINGERS Caribbean group with dancers on August 14 at the Fox Theater, courtesy of Jon Scanlon

2nd Saturdays Downtown is more than the music performances, it’s an urban street fest with vendors selling all kinds of food, arts & crafts, some advertising programs. There have also been human statues, street musicians, telescope viewing, circus acts, free advice by a guy with a stand, tarot card readings at the past 2nd Saturdays– since the inaugural event on May 8, 2010. And most of the businesses on and around Congress Street are open for business, even the art galleries.

Big Skye pie makers, courtesy of Donovan Durband

I usually look for the friendly pie makers (Big Skye) at Ronstadt Transit Center, to enjoy one of their many delicious pies. And they’re inexpensive too!

So venture on downtown via car, bus, bike, motorcycle, skateboard, or walk under the 4th Avenue Underpass for another family-friendly urban street fest on Saturday September 11, the 9th anniversary of 9/11/01.

“Rendezvous on 4th Avenue” is also happening Saturday night as well, from 5 to 9 p.m. between University Blvd. and E. Ninth Street (north of that 4th Avenue Underpass). Live music, merchant sidewalk sales, fashion show at 7:30 p.m. at Winsett Outdoor Performance Center, 316 N. 4th Avenue. More info: www.fourthavenue.org

Rendezvous on 4th Avenue poster

UPDATE: Photos of this great 9/11 event, courtesy of Donovan Durband:

http://tucsoncitizen.com/community/2010/09/12/photos-of-another-great-2nd-saturdays-downtown-fest/

Arts, Life

Another terrific 2nd Saturdays Downtown (photo gallery)

Here are some photos of last night’s 2nd Saturdays Downtown urban street fest, along and around E. Congress Street, compliments of Donovan Dean Durband (Ward 6 Council aide and former Executive Director of the Downtown Tucson Alliance), and Tucson Birthday’s photographer Jon Scanlon.

human statue, courtesy of Donovan Durband

A Son y Sol at Ronstadt Transit Center, courtesy of Donovan Durband

Roll Acosta on the Scott Avenue Stage, courtesy of Donovan Durband

A couple of art receptions were going on as well at Arts Marketplace (featuring artist Mel Dominguez), teen art at The Drawing Studio, and “The Art of Functional Fashion” mixed in with bike training (with drums!) at the newly opened 02 Modern Fitness center at 186 E. Broadway (corner of 5th Avenue). Over on Congress, Daniel Martin Diaz was showing his art in Sacred Machine (photo below). There was definitely diverse community art to choose from last night.

Daniel Martin Diaz's Sacred Machine gallery, courtesy of Donovan Durband

Also here are some photos by Jon Scanlon for Tucson’s Birthday at the Fox Tucson Theatre.

standing room only at the Fox Theater, courtesy of Jon Scanlon

We spent almost our entire time at the free Fox Tucson Theater concert, featuring first The Seven Pipers Scottish bagpipe troupe, then the Gospel Music Workshop of America, followed by former Tucson Citizen staffer Daniel Buckley‘s video of Cele Peterson, and a short talk by “Big Jim” Griffith (of Tucson Meet Yourself fame), then lots of great music.

Gabriel Ayala at the Fox, courtesy of Jon Scanlon

Gabriel Ayala (Native American guitarist) was followed by STICKSnFINGERS Caribbean band with 5 calypso like dancers, Chinese Lion dancers of the Tucson Chinese School, then guitarist Salvador Duran (with Chili Willie on bongos), Los Gallegos (4 talented brothers), and finally Mariachi Sonido de Mexico with singer Olga Flores. Wow, it was a multi-cultural fest of terrific local music & dance, for over two hours.

Sticks & Fingers with dancers, courtesy of Jon Scanlon

Chili Willie with Salvador Duran, courtesy of Jon Scanlon

Los Gallegos at the Fox, courtesy of Jon Scanlon

Mariachi Sonido de Mexico, courtesy of Jon Scanlon

“Big Jim” on stage said it all “This is our community, and ain’t it great?” This event was a tribute to Tucson’s “First Lady of Fashion”, Cele Peterson, who passed away at age 101 in May of this year. For more photos of this Fox Birthday event, go to the Tucson Birthday website (Flickr) for Jon Scanlon’s photo file (click here).

If you haven’t been to a 2nd Saturdays Downtown event yet, mark your calendars for the next one on September 11. It’s a family-friendly event as well, as shown by this photo last night of these joyful little boys playing with bubbles:

boys playing with bubbles, courtesy of Donovan Durband

Arts, Life

Photo gallery of first 2nd Saturdays Downtown

The inaugural 2nd Saturdays Downtown “Urban Street Fest” was held on Saturday, May 8, 2010, on Congress Street between the Hotel Congress & Church Avenue. I wrote a previous blog about most of the evening’s happenings (click here), and am now posting some great photos.

All photos taken by and courtesy of Donovan Dean Durband, Ward 6 Council aide: