THE COMEDY SPOT COMEDY CLUB NOW AT DESERT DIAMOND CASINO-HOTEL’S MONSOON NIGHT CLUB

The Comedy Spot Comedy Club is opening a new location at Desert Diamond Casino-Hotel’s Monsoon Night Club. Professional comedy shows are featured at the Monsoon every month. The first show is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 12th at 8:00 pm. Seating begins at 7:00 pm. All shows are free to the public; guests must be 21 years old or older to attend. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please visit www.desertdiamondcasino.com or www.thecomedyspot.net.

Headlining the Nov. 12th show is the talented Jay Penn. A well-known national touring comedian, Penn has opened for acts such as Larry the Cable Guy, Jim Breuer, and Billy Ray Cyrus. After moving to Arizona several years ago, Penn quickly earned top honors when he was named the “Funniest Person in the Valley.” The Comedy Spot Comedy Club first formed in 2003 in Scottsdale, Ariz. They have been host to nationally known comedians that have been on Comedy Central, Leno, Letterman, HBO, and Showtime. In addition to professional comedy acts, the Comedy Spot also offers open-mic nights and comedy classes. Desert Diamond Casino is located on Pima Mine Road, Desert Diamond Casino Hotel on Nogales Highway, and the Golden Ha:san in Why, Arizona, are enterprises of the Tohono O’odham Nation.

Handoff ceremony celebrates Skrappy's independence

Young people, local politicians and the public celebrated Skrappy's long-held dream of independence with a handoff ceremony and open house July 16 at the center's new downtown location.
 
Beginning July 1, Skrappy's ceased to be a program of Our Family. It is now operated by the Tucson Youth Collective, a community group of youth and adults who are forming their own nonprofit corporation.

"This is something the kids have wanted for a long time,'' Our Family Executive Director Sue Krahe said.  "We are happy to have supported this program and nurtured these young people long enough for them to be ready to step up and leave the nest. We're proud of them and wish them every success."
 
Skrappy's was founded in 1995 by parents Kathy and Bill Wooldridge, along with youth involved in underground punk bands in Tucson. Skrappy's became a program of Our Family in 2002.
 
Pima County Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard Elias, as well as Tucson City Council Members Steve Leal and Nina Trasoff, were there to celebrate the persistence and teamwork of Skrappy's youth in reaching their dream. Skrappy's youth also thanked the three for their untiring efforts to secure the center's new space at 191 E. Toole.

More Tucson Music Events

These United States share first MP3 from forthcoming album, Everything Touches Everything. Also, August pre-release tour - album available early at Aug. shows and band web site, and nationally Sept. 1 - Upcoming shows w/ Deer Tick, Lucero and Murder by Death. They will be in Tucson on Sept. 15th.

Tucson favorite El Charro Café announces the start of their NEW Fiesta de la Musica Live Music Series at select locations (see attachment), a great new value of live music every weekend featuring some of Tucson’s most talented local musicians.

Marcy Playground will be performing songs from their new album, Leaving Wonderland …In A Fit Of Rage, in your area.  Marcy Playground will be in Tucson playing The Rock on August 29th  -- they’ve come a long way from “Sex And Candy!”

Vancouver’s 3 INCHES OF BLOOD have announced a string of headlining dates before heading out this fall with melodic death metal icons In Flames, and prog metallers Between The Buried and Me and The Faceless. The tour stops in Tucson on September 23 at the Rialto Theater. Read about 3 Inches of Blood concert tour.

Portugal. The Man, the experimental/alt-indie-band from Wasilla, Alaska, may not have quite as many people talking about them as fellow Wasillian Sarah Palin, but the band has developed a hell of a buzz since their stand-out performance at this year's Bonnaroo. They perform in Tucson at the Clubhouse on September 29, 2009. Read about Portugal.The Man's concert tour.

"Piano Fireworks" Piano Recital featuring Yelizaveta Beriyeva concert has been rescheduled to January 10, 2010 at 3:30pm. The concert is sponsored by Oro Valley Summer Chamber Music. Read more about Piano Fireworks concert.

Platinum-selling Aussie Xavier Rudd at the Rialto

Xavier Rudd, Australian best singer/songwriter, is kicking off his North American tour and will be stopping through to play the Rialto Theatre in Tucson, AZ on Tuesday, June 23rd, in support of his fourth album, Dark Shades of Blue. Xavier has led sold out tours through Europe, Canada, Australia, and the US, and has also toured with the Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, and Ben Harper – therefore broadening his already supportive and large fanbase.

Xaviers past albums/DVDs have received gold and platinum sale awards, and this fourth album is on its way to continue that wining streak. The release, in its entirety (along with online media), can be found at http://www.transfermediagroup.com/release/xavierrudd/xavier_rudd.html

Anamieke at Plush

As part of her Schoolnight Sessions series, 'Fresh and Folky, Swing and Sultry' indie songstress Anamieke Quinn entertains on a Tuesday night in the front room of the highly regarded hipster venue Plush in Tucson on June 23 at, 9:30pm. Having recently returned from the SXSW festival in Austin, Phoenix-based singer/songwriter Anamieke is now preparing for a July tour of New England.
 
You may know her from her appearance with rock band Phish, Les Claypool and John McEuen in the recently released live album/dvd ‘Vegas 96’; or as Squeak the yodeling cowgirl from campy vintage western trio Motel Arizona (www.motelarizonamusic.com).  But this time she is solo with an acoustic guitar instead of a bass fiddle, and not yodeling- but singing all original tales of triumph and adversity.  
Eclectic and Funky Folk rock mixed with deep and stirring ballads are at the heart of Anamieke's performances.  Lyrically intensive pieces that hook and deliver are her specialty.  With a voice that soars and scratches in just the right spots mixed with Django-esque chord progressions and quirky subject matter i.e. Bite Me (The Cannibal Song), she is not your typical strummy-strum-strum heartbroken female guitar player.  New full-length release 'Anamieke Is Singing To You!!' will be available at the shows.  To see & hear more visit: www.anamieke.com. For booking/interviews, please write to: anamieke@yahoo.com

Tucson Bluegrass Music Festival 2009

The Desert Bluegrass Association presents the Tucson Bluegrass Music Festival on October 23, 24 & 25, 2009 at Desert Diamond Casino.

The tenth annual festival will feature all-day (10am - 5:30pm) performances on Saturday and Sunday by The Gibson Brothers, Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Goldwing Express, The Brombies, Headline Bluegrass Band and the Blues "N" Grass Neighborhood Band  - all staged in a beautiful outdoor plaza.  Friday evening (7pm - 9 pm) features the Desert Bluegrass Association band contest.  Up to 10 bands will compete for $750 in prize money and the opportunity to perform on the festival stage on Sunday.