Page 46 - the NOISE December 2013

ABOVE: Sticks & Tones member Maria Flurry, with a focused student of the triangle. COURTESY PHOTO
AT CENTER: Charles McPherson is at PJAZZ’s 20th Anniversary Celebration December 15; ABOVE: Esteban, along with Teresa Joy on violin, is at the Elks Theatre December 8.
The holiday season is in full swing and if your arts ‘n culture dance card isn’t full, it’s not for lack of things to do. Besides the
traditional stuff like the Christmas Parade and Acker Night, there are tons of art shows and music events hitting Prescott in Decem- ber. To be honest, there are so many amazing events going on this month it is impossible to choose just one.
The most jam-packed weekend of holiday events hits December 7th and 8th. Officially kicking things off is the Christmas Parade on December 7th at 1 p.m. There is always a huge crowd downtown, so plan on showing up early. The two best ways to get yer parade on are to bring a lawn chair and your warm- est snuggle-wear and stake out your spot early, or grab a table near a window at one of the bars or restaurants on the parade route. There are benefits to both. You won’t get quite the same feeling in a bar or restaurant as standing on the sidewalk. On the other hand, easy access to food and hot drinks is a nice trade off. Either way, bring your peeps and enjoy the show.
After the parade, most folks take a quick dinner break before continuing the festivi- ties with the Christmas Tree Lighting at the Courthouse Square at 6 p.m. Or, if you want a little Arizona history with your holiday cel- ebrations, stop by the Sharlot Hall Museum and check out their Frontier Christmas dealio. The museum will have historical re- enactors on site and some great exhibits to show how the holidays were celebrated in the “olden days” of Territorial Arizona.
The holiday goodness continues on Sun- day at the Heritage Park Zoological Sanc- tuary when Santa shows up with some love- ly pressies for the critters. The kiddies can get their picture taken with Santa, but honestly, half the fun is watching the animals get spe- cial treats. Go to heritageparkzoo.org for details on this event.
If you’re in the mood for some holiday tuneage post-zoo goodness, head over to
the Elks Opera
House for a con-
cert by Esteban,
featuring Tere-
sa Joy on Sunday. Fans of classical and fla- menco guitar will put this on their “must see” lists, and for good reason. Esteban is one of the few living students of Andres Segovia, a pivotal figure in the history of classical guitar. Teresa Joy will be joining her father, Esteban, on stage. She will be lending her violin skills, making for a mix of musical magic. There will be shows at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and tickets start at $25. Order tickets online at elksop- erahouse.com, get ‘em at the box office or call (928) 777-1370. For more info on Esteban, visit his website at estebanmusic.com.
Also at the Elks, KJAZZ’s Blaise Lantana will be hosting a SuperBall Gala Celebra- tion, the Prescott Jazz Society’s 20th Anni- versary Show, on December 15th. Featuring a slew of jazz musicians ranging from vocalists Claridee and Robert Vann to saxophonist Charles McPherson, it should be a stellar show. More info on the event & musicians, as well as tickets, can be had at pjazz.org.
The other super popular recurring holiday event is, of course, Acker Showcase Night. On Friday, December 13th, Prescott’s down- town is transformed into a massive musical block party. With a whole slew of musical performances at various merchants around the Square and beyond, there is a little bit of just about everything. Steel drum bands, barbershop quartets, classical, folk, rock, country, clogging, swing dance, belly dance
— the list goes on and on.
The crowds have grown tremendously
over the last few years, so be prepared. Pick up a map as soon as you can and choose your performances. This event is totally free, but should you feel moved to make a donation during Acker Night, rest assured that your money will go to support music scholarships for local kids. For more info on Acker Show- case Night and what Acker is all about, check
out their website at ackernight.com. On a more mel-
low and intimate holiday note, local actors Joanne Mack
Robertson and Sean Geralds are perform- ing Norm Foster’s one-act play, The Christmas Tree as a dinner theater show. The approxi- mately 40-minute long romantic comedy is directed by Linda Miller and will be per- formed on the patio at El Gato Azul. Catch this show the first two weekends in Decem- ber, featuring a feast of El Gato’s delicious tapas, beverage and dessert along with the show. Proceeds from the event will go to support Park Avenue Theater, a local chil- dren’s theater group, so that’s an extra cherry on top of an already awesome shindig. At $30 per ticket, it’s a steal of a deal. Seating is limited and tickets are going pretty quick, so call (928) 445-1070.
On the fine art front, the local galleries are putting on their seasonal best. It’s pretty much impossible to walk into a gallery and not be completely wowed by the selection of fine art and gifts. From the gorgeous handmade and hand-painted leather shoes by Mark & Cody Carter (Van Gogh’s Ear) to the often whimsical goodness of Newman Gallery, the range of locally produced art is nothing short of impressive. Don’t forget to check out the ‘Tis Art Center & Gallery while you’re out and about. This month’s show, “Curious Paper” is pretty awesome.
There are two holiday musical shows host- ed by the Folk Sessions worth a shout out this month. The Cowboy Christmas has be- come so popular that the Folk Sessions and the Prescott Center for the Arts have made it into an annual event. With two performanc- es on Saturday, December 14, the show fea- tures Western singer/songwriter Mary Kaye and renowned cowboy poet Gail Steiger. You can get tickets at pfaa.net, at the box of- fice or call (928) 445-3286.
The second concert from the Folk Sessions
should be a great show for the entire fam. A Christmas World Tour is a participatory, multi- cultural celebration of Christmas world tradi- tions. Folks will be invited to play along with music and games in a program created by the Sticks and Tones duo, Henry & Maria Flurry. This musical power couple has performed in numerous locations across the state and are well-known locally. Head over to Trinity Pres- byterian Church on December 21st at 4 p.m. to join in the fun. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for kids and are available by phone at (928) 379-2554 or online at sticksandtones.com.
Fans of bluegrass will be stoked to hear that Texas Express will be performing at the Raven Café. Fresh off two tours in South America, this trio will bring their unique brand of country infused bluegrass just in time to shake off some holiday stress. Cellist and guitarist Michael Shay hails originally from Texas, but currently lives in Quito, Ecuador. Banjo player Sam Guthridge (also of Chester River Runoff ) and lead guitarist Geoff Union (Ragged Union, Bright Union and Two High String Band) round out the trio. Exact show date and time is available at ravencafe.com. Want a taste of what to expect? Hit up the band’s website at michaelshay.com.
Rounding out the month is the final blow- out of the year, New Year’s Eve. The place to be is, of course, right on Whiskey Row. One of the best things of the year was the reopen- ing of the Bird Cage Saloon after the 2012 fire that destroyed it and a few other busi- nesses. It’s extra awesome that local fave The Cheektones will be ringing in the New Year at the Bird Cage this year. This band is super fun to dance to and really know how to rock the house. Oh, and as a bonus, the Bird Cage is so close to where they do the Boot Drop at midnight that you pretty much can just step outside for the big countdown. Bring your dancing shoes and shake off 2013 in style.
| Angie Johnson Schmit is getting darn good at her two step. slackerwriter@gmail.com
46 • DECEMBER 2013 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us