#2: Phoenix Rock Lottery at Crescent Ballroom, Jan. 16
You really don’t need Bono, Bob Geldof, or Willie Nelson to pull off a killer collaboration concert for charity. Case in point: Phoenix Rock Lottery, in which musicians from 25 local bands will meet in the morning, hold a lottery to form five groups at random, spend the rest of the day writing and rehearsing four songs per band (three original tunes and one cover), and perform that night, with proceeds benefitting Rosie’s House, a music academy for underprivileged youth in Phoenix. Participants include Rick Burch (Jimmy Eat World), Matt Maloy (Captain Squeegee), Sam Wiley (The Wiley Ones), TJ Friga (Playboy Manbaby), Lonna Kelley (Cherie Cherie), Nick Ramirez (Harper and the Moths), Ben Gallaty (Andrew Jackson Jihad), and Kristilyn Woods (Dry River Yacht Club). $12, 8:30 p.m., at Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix.
#3: “If/Then” starring Idina Menzel at ASU Gammage, Jan. 12-17
Even if your first exposure to Broadway superstar Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent, Frozen, Glee) was John Travolta butchering her name and introducing her as “Adele Dazeem” at the Acadamy Awards in 2014, you’re likely more aware of her acting talent and awesome vocal prowess at this point. The Tony Award-winner’s latest project, the musical “If/Then,” was penned specifically for Menzel, and follows two storylines (one of choice, one of chance) in the life of her character, Elizabeth, a city planner who attemps to restart her life in New York City. The production at Gammage also features Tony Award-winner LaChanze (The Color Purple), Anthony Rapp (Rent), and James Snyder (Rock of Ages). Tickets for this touring production’s Tempe run cost $30-$200, and according to Ticketmaster, there are “not many left” for many of the shows. Visit asugammage.com for show times.
#4: Riverdance at Mesa Arts Center, Jan. 12-17
In 1981, the same year the MTV channel debuted, another major music melding happened in Ireland, at the Eurovision Song Contest. There, two composers wrote a piece of music called “Timedance” to accompany an Irish folk band, which included electric bass, drums, and a four-piece horn section. Thirteen years later, one of those composers performed an intermission piece based on “Timedance” at the ESC, titled “Riverdance.” This sonic fusion between traditional Irish music and modern rock was augmented by fast-paced Irish dance numbers and in late 1994, made its debut in Dublin as the spectacular stage show audiences have come to know and love. Though it’s long lost the luster of the lead dancer who was at the crest of its breakout, Michael Flatley (who left the production in October 1995), “Riverdance” remains a rich and spirited entertainment experience. Tickets cost $47-$77, and pre-show dinners are available for $25 on Jan. 15-17. Visit mesaartscenter.com for show times.
#5: “Talk Cinema” at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Jan. 12
Harlan Jacobson, former editor-in-chief of “Film Comment Magazine” and a movie critic whose work has appeared in publications including “The New York Times,” “Washington Post” and “USA Today,” founded this multi-city club for moviemongers. “Talk Cinema” features a sneak preview of a buzzworthy independent or foreign film, followed by a moderated discussion with guest speakers. It’s perfect for non-picky film fans and those who love surprises, since the title of the film being screened is not revealed until you get there. $17. 7 p.m. at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.
About the main image:
“Fragonard’s Cat” by Cindy Schnackel. The artist says, “One day in Goodwill, not long after seeing the call for ‘Cats & Guitars,’ I spotted a used guitar… the idea is to do a take-off on Jean-Honore Fragonard’s 18th-century painting, ‘The Swing,’ [and it] came out of the blue like most of my thoughts. Maybe it was because Fragonard’s central character was a little naughty, like cats are. I replaced Fragonard’s other characters with one that a naughty swinging cat might encounter in the garden.”
