Page 36 - the NOISE November 2013

Jake Busby is performing at the Elks Opera House as part of the Sepncer Day Need for Feed Concert. PHOTO BY ANNIE ROTHROCK
Author Alan Dean Foster, of Star Trek & Star Wars fame, among many, is at the Peregrine for its Anniversary Weekend. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MELFORD
November marks the start of the holidays in this little mountain town. Prescott re- ally and truly campaigned for and won the designation of Arizona’s Christmas City, so November and December are fully loaded with all things holiday related. While folks here mark Thanksgiving as the start of the holiday madness, there is plenty to be grateful for in the local arts ‘n culture scene throughout the entire month.
There are plenty of gallery shows, theater, music and other arts events on tap, but No- vember is also a great time of year to wile away an hour or two in one of the many local bars, restaurants or cafés. As a bonus, some of these places also double as pretty impres- sive art and/or live music venues.
Folks looking to warm up with a hot cuppa won’t want to pass up Wild Iris Coffeehouse. Located about a block off the Courthouse Square at 124 S. Granite, this little gem offers up a wide array of teas in addition to coffee and espresso drinks. Two things in particular that make Wild Iris extra awesome. First up, they have seriously delicious coffeehouse treats. No, really. Their baked goods are dangerously tasty. Throw in a comfortable and stylish setting, as well as a patio area for those warmer days, and it’s dang near the perfect place to catch your breath or to start scribbling new dreams in that journal you’ve been meaning to start.
Raven Café is the obvious multi-tasking arts stop on any given day in Prescott. Be- sides the extensive selection of beer and wine, much of the food is sourced locally and that means great seasonal specials on a reg- ular basis. Throw in curated exhibits of local artwork that change more or less monthly, as well as tons of live music, and it’s pretty much a shoo-in. It can get loud in the eve- nings, especially Thursday through Saturday, so choose your times accordingly.
Live music fans will be happy to hear that the bar and grill formerly known as Coyote
Joe’s, now re-
named Prescott
Cantina, has
rejoined the ranks of Prescott’s live music venues. Local bands are once again regular performers on the patio and the popular 80s Dance Night has been reinstated. Annie’s At- tic (renamed “The Loft”) is also back, now as a sports bar and part time dance space. The menu has been revamped, too. Go check out the re-envisioned hot spot at 214 S. Mont- ezuma and see why the locals love this place.
Prescott has a growing number of micro breweries and places featuring Arizona wine and beer. For those obsessed with all things pumpkin and/or pumpkin spice flavored, head over to Granite Mountain Brewing (GMB) at 123 N. Cortez and check out their Lordy Gourdy Pumpkin Ale. GMB is one of Prescott’s newer hidden treasures and is a great place to grab a beer and a comfy chair to chat with friends. They often have local musicians playing live, but this place is more intimate than rowdy.
On the theater scene, Prescott Center for the Arts (PCA) is cooking up a version of The Lion in Winter for November. There is, of course, a holiday connection, with the action in the play set during Christmas, 1183. Cathy
Miller Hahn directs an able cast in this fre- quently reprised look at the royal machina- tions of King Henry II. The show kicks off on November 14 and runs through Novem- ber 23. Tickets are $11/$15 for matinees or $15/$19 for evening performances and can be purchased at the PCA box office or online at pfaa.net.
If serious drama isn’t your thing, check out Dead Man’s Cell Phone over at PCA’s black box theater space, Stage Too. This comedy takes a look at mortality and redemption in our overly connected techno era. Written by Ma- cArthur “Genius” grant recipient, Sarah Ruhl, and directed by Bruce Lanning, this play is just the ticket for theater peeps looking for a walk on the lighter side. The entrance
to Stage Too is in the alley behind Peregrine Book
Company on North Cortez Street. For tickets and a map to the theater, check out the PFAA website, pfaa.net/stage-too.html.
Speaking of Peregrine Book Company, there are two shindigs in November worth a looksee. First up is a talk and book signing by sci-fi legend Alan Dean Foster on Saturday, November 16 at 2PM. Not only is Mr. Foster a darn good writer, but he’s also known for being a better than average speaker. Extra points for being able to do a bit of super early holiday shopping for that beloved sci- fi fan on your list. The second event worth checking out is the Open Mic Poetry night on Wednesday, November 20 at 5:30PM. Typ- ically hosted by local poet Dan Seaman, this is the perfect opportunity for budding poets to try out some lines in front of a live and en- thusiastic audience. Head over to 219A North Cortez for the literary goodness, or check out their website, PeregrineBookCompany.com.
Arts Prescott Gallery has a show run- ning through November 21 of Benny Good- man’s fine art furniture. This native Arizonan has been making furniture since he was a teenager and opened his first fine art furni- ture store in Jerome in 1990. Since then, Mr. Goodman has remained dedicated to cre- ating functional art created to his exacting standards. His work frequently features na- tive Arizona woods and southwestern influ- enced inlay work. Stop by Arts Prescott Gal- lery at 134 S. Montezuma and check it out.
Starting November 16 and running through the end of December, ‘Tis Art Cen- ter & Gallery has a show of up-cycled, wear- able art. This fun, eclectic show features work by artists Mary Kaye O’Neill, Carol Hunter- Geboy and Linda Scott. In addition to the usual suspects of hand-painted scarves, there are some whimsical reinventions and repurposeditemsaswell.Visitthe‘Tisast105
S. Cortez or visit their website, TisArtGallery. com for more info.
The top event in November, the Spencer Day Need for Feed Concert, does double duty as an awesome live music event and fundraiser for Wildhorse Ranch Rescue. On Saturday, November 9, nationally known jazz vocalist and songwriter Spencer Day will perform at the Elks Opera House Theater along with Ricci Hardt from Pennsylvania and Prescott’s own Jake Busby.
Mr. Day’s award-winning music has been described as a cross between Chet Baker and Paul Simon, although comparisons to Harry Connick, Jr. are not far off the mark. This young singer has put out four albums since 2004, with his latest effort, The Mystery of You, released earlier this year. Mr. Day has opened for Rufus Wainwright and performed on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
Two other singer songwriters will open the show. Mr. Hardt is no stranger to the stage, performing across the US for over 20 years. His music is a mix of blues, jazz and country with a dash of pop. Local phenom, Jake Bus- by, has been shaking things up in Prescott for a few years now, winning the Texaco Country Show Down in 2011 and nabbing 3rd place in this year’s event. Mr. Busby is best known for a mix of outlaw originals and blues influ- enced ballads.
Tickets for the show range from $22 to $30, with all proceeds going to help support Wildhorse Rescue Ranch, an Arizona 501c3 that is home to a ton o’ rescued horses and other critters. This show is the perfect way to dig some seriously great music while sup- porting an organization that does great work. Get your tickets online at ElksOperaHouse. com or call (928) 777-1370. If you want to know more about WRR and the work they do, check out WildHorseRescue.org.
| Angie Johnson Schmit is gathering her woolly things in short order. slackerwriter@gmail.com
36 • NOVEMBER 2013 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us