Java.April.2016

245 •APR 2016
AMADA
CRUZ
LOCAL RECORD LABELS • PAUL MOISER • SNAKE! SNAKE! SNAKES!

THE ULTIMATE
COLLECTION:
ICONIC BASEBALL CARDS FROM
THE DIAMONDBACKS COLLECTION
Through April 24, 2016
From Wagner to Williams,
Mantle to Mays, the most
iconic heroes and legends of
America’s Pastime have come
to Phoenix Art Museum.
Purchase your tickets at the door
or online at tickets.phxart.org
IN GRATITUDE
The Ultimate Collection: Iconic Baseball Cards from the Diamondbacks Collection
is organized by Phoenix Art Museum. It is made possible through the generosity of
E.G. “Ken” Kendrick and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
IMAGE CREDITS:
Clockwise from top left: Honus Wagner, 1909, American Tobacco Company.
Willie Mays, 1951, Bowman Gum Company. Joe DiMaggio, 1941, Play Ball. Hank
Aaron, 1954, Topps. Mickey Mantle, 1952, Topps. Babe Ruth, 1916, Sporting
News. All images from The Diamondbacks Collection.

CONTENTS
8
12
22
32
34
FEATURES
Cover: Amada Cruz
Photo by: Carrie Evans
8 12 22
34
AMADA CRUZ
The New Face of Phoenix Art Museum
By Jenna Duncan
LOCAL RECORD LABELS
By Tom Reardon
SUMMER GAMES
Photography: Chadwick Fowler
Styling: Shannon Campbell
SNAKE! SNAKE! SNAKES!
Tranqulio
By Mitchell L. Hillman
NOVELIST PAUL MOSIER
Dancing with the Muse
By Demetrius Burns
COLUMNS
7
16
20
30
38
40
BUZZ
Publish or Perish
By Robert Sentinery
ARTS
Damian Gomes
By Jenna Duncan
Randy Barton
By Amy L. Young
The Hive Turns Five
By Amy L. Young
FOOD FETISH
Thai Long-an
By Sloane Burwell
SOUNDS AROUND TOWN
By Mitchell L. Hillman
GIRL ON FARMER
Driving School Is Not Funny
By Celia Beresford
NIGHT GALLERY
Photos by Robert Sentinery
JAVA MAGAZINE
EDITOR & PUBLISHER
Robert Sentinery
ART DIRECTOR
Victor Vasquez
ARTS EDITOR
Amy L. Young
FOOD EDITOR
Sloane Burwell
MUSIC EDITOR
Mitchell L. Hillman
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Jenna Duncan
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Rhett Baruch
Celia Beresford
Demetrius Burns
Tom Reardon
PROOFREADER
Patricia Sanders
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Carrie Evans
Chadwick Fowler
Shaunté Glover
ADVERTISING
(602) 574-6364
Java Magazine
Copyright © 2016
All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph
or illustration is strictly prohibited without the written
permission of the publisher. The publisher does not
assume responsibility for unsolicited submissions.
Publisher assumes no liability for the information
contained herein; all statements are the sole opinions
of the contributors and/or advertisers.
JAVA MAGAZINE
PO Box 45448 Phoenix, AZ 85064
email: javamag@cox.net
tel: (480) 966-6352
www.javamagaz.com
4 JAVA
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Confluence is the merging of many artistic voices,
exploring what it means to be young leaders and
culture bearers in Indian Country today.
FEBRUARY 6 – APRIL 17
Patron Sponsors: Dino and Elizabeth Murfee DeConcini
2301 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ
602.252.8840 | heard.org
Logo by Warren Montoya (Santa Ana/Santa Clara Pueblo)

APRIL CONCERTS AT THE
MIM MUSIC THEATER
Vaud and the Villains
Sat., Apr. 9 | 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $33.50–$38.50
This 19-piece New Orleans–
style orchestra and cabaret is
an exuberant fusion of jazz,
R&B, gospel, and rock and roll.
Monsieur Periné
Wed., Apr. 27 | 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35.50–$41.50
Rooted in gypsy-jazz music,
this Colombian group’s fresh
style connects 1930s Paris
with the youthful spirit of
modern Bogota.
Lucy Kaplansky
Sat., Apr. 30 | 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $28.50–$33.50
Whether singing her own
originals, country classics, or
pop favorites, Lucy Kaplansky
has the ability to make every
song sound fresh.
To purchase tickets or for the full concert series lineup,
call 480.478.6000 or visit MIM.org.
4725 E. Mayo Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ

PUBLISH OR PERISH
By Robert Sentinery
BUZZ
When Harold Jefferson Coolidge penned the phrase “Publish or perish” in 1932,
he was addressing fellow scholars who were honing their careers in academia,
hoping to secure tenure-track positions. I doubt Coolidge could have imagined
the relevance of those words in today’s social media–driven culture, where
individuals become news channels unto themselves. As our feeds clog with an
ever-expanding glut, it is refreshing to step back and embrace some of the old
ways of sharing ideas and creative enterprises.
This might seem self-serving coming from the editor of a (primarily) print
magazine, but there is a growing legion of people who eschew the online frenzy
for something more tactile, sensory and experiential. For example, Phoenix has
seen a recent spike in the number of record labels releasing locally honed music
stamped out on vinyl. Yes, turntables are required, but this is a national trend,
and the factories that still press vinyl records have been running at full capacity.
The four labels that writer Tom Reardon looks at espouse a primarily punk, indie
and D.I.Y. aesthetic, which makes sense, since it’s all about being hands-on (see
“Local Record Labels,” p. 12).
Printed books are another dinosaur medium that won’t go away, and that’s
a good thing for novelist Paul Mosier, who loves to write. He has stacks of
handwritten journals, which are embellished with artistic covers that Mosier
painted himself. It is that kind of creative thinking and honing of his craft that
recently landed him a two-book deal with HarperCollins, one of the big-five
publishing houses in the world.
Paul and his wife, Keri, are longtime creatives who’ve managed to eke out a
living and raise two beautiful girls. Keri has been running her Mer*maid line
of jewelry since the ’90s, and Paul has sold paintings and taken writing gigs
over the years. Troubling news recently shook their cozy Coronado home when
their youngest daughter, Harmony (age seven), was diagnosed with cancer. The
central Phoenix community has rallied around the Mosiers with fundraising
efforts and support, and the good news is that Harmony’s tumor is shrinking (see
“Novelist Paul Mosier,” p. 34).
When the Phoenix Art Museum brought in its new director, Amada Cruz, a little
over a year ago, there was controversy. Some longtime employees were let go
as part of the changing of the guard, and the local media had a feeding frenzy.
Now that the dust has settled, writer Jenna Duncan had the opportunity to sit
down with Cruz. What she found was a warm and open person who brings an
enormous amount of experience, having worked at some of the top museums
around the country. Cruz is devoted to serving not only the public—by making
the museum more open and culturally diverse—but also artists, with whom she
has many close personal friendships and gains much inspiration for her own
work (see “Amada Cruz: The New Face of Phoenix Art Museum,” p. 8).

AMADA
CRUZ
The New Face of Phoenix Art Museum
By Jenna Duncan • Photos Carrie Evans
8 JAVA
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“As a director,
you have to
multitask. The
fundamental
thing is to have
a strong vision
of what you think
your institution
should be doing.”
Amada Cruz has lived in many different large cities and worn many hats, career-wise. But the main artery
that runs through her entire curriculum vitae is simple—it’s art. About a year ago, she was named Sybil
Harrington Director of the Phoenix Art Museum (PAM).
Cruz was recruited to PAM from her previous position at Artpace in San Antonio, a large artist residency program
(not to be confused with Artspace, a different program based in North Carolina). Artpace, founded by Texas
philanthropist Linda Pace (lindapacefoundation.org), is 21 years old. The program supports three artists per year:
one local, one national and one from abroad, for specified periods of time. Cruz served at Artpace for two years,
first as a guest curator in 1996 and again after she was asked to return a couple of years later to work full-time.
Prior to working at Artpace, Cruz served as program director at United States Artists in Los Angeles, a nonprofit
organization—supported by the Ford, Rockefeller, Rasmuson and Prudential foundations—that awards
unrestricted grants of $50,000 each to dozens of working artists in the United States each year.
“It was fascinating. I did that for seven years, and I feel like I got this very privileged view of art across many
disciplines,” she says. She served on many panels for these grants and reviewed countless applications.
This helped inform her of what was really going on in the trenches of contemporary visual art. She worked to
balance the list of nominators with experts from many different disciplines. “People who run regional grant
JAVA 9
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programs often have a very specific expertise that we could utilize,” she
says. “It was interesting.”
Cruz also served as an executive director at Artadia: The Fund for Art and
Dialogue in New York City. “After I left that job, I realized that I had a much
more interdisciplinary approach in terms of what I consider good art,” she
says. “I should reword that: an appreciation for interdisciplinary practices. For
example: someone who is a dancer who is also a spoken-word artist. I didn’t
realize how much of that hybridity was actually happening in all these artistic
fields. And I gained a much better appreciation for that.”
Working with a myriad of interesting contacts and perusing the Internet for
research, Cruz says she’s constantly assembling new plans and ideas for
PAM. For example, this year the museum will launch more docent-led talks in
Spanish. The entire museum is already in the process of updating its signage
and displays to bilingual.
Cruz keeps her ear to the ground and takes in feedback from sources far
and wide, but she especially enjoys working with artists. “You have casual
conversations with artists that you know,” she says. “It’s nice to have those
resources—those people I can call. I have a lot of artist friends. And when I
started working in the museum world, I worked with many young artists on
projects and commissions. Dialoging with living artists is exciting to me. I don’t
know how Velázquez created Las Meninas, but I know how these living artists
create their works.”
Cruz was born in Havana, Cuba, and emigrated with her family when she was
only nine months old. She received exposure to the arts at an early age because
her family believed that having cultural experiences was important. She grew
up on the East Coast, living in proximity to Boston, Washington D.C. and New
York City. Her parents are both attorneys. She says that in her household there
was an appreciation for many forms of art, from live music to visual arts,
theater and ballet.
Cruz interned at the Guggenheim Museum part-time while she was a student at
New York University. “My very first job was as a lowly intern working on a show
called New American Artists,” she says. “It was during that time I realized that it
would be possible to make a living doing something that I loved.”
“At NYU I had a really important art history professor named Edward Sullivan,”
she says. According to Cruz, Sullivan’s passion led many students toward a very
deep interest in art. He helped her uncover and connect with contemporary
work, as well as the classics. Sullivan’s teaching at NYU sparked Cruz’ interest
in the golden age of Spanish art: Diego Velázquez and Francisco Goya. Her
interest only grew as she entered the art world as a professional.
After graduating from NYU, Cruz traveled in Europe for a year. When she
returned to New York City, she was hired back at the Guggenheim, full-time, as
an assistant to a curator. After her time there, she was hired on by the Lannan
Foundation to help establish a museum in Lake Worth, Florida. At this job she
was “thrown into” the business part of the art world. “I was essentially starting
this funky, private museum,” she says. She had to figure out everything from
mounting art on the walls to filing taxes and hiring staff. This was also where
Cruz met her husband.
The Lannan family eventually asked Cruz to move to Santa Fe to help them open
a space there. But instead, she decided to move to the Hirshhorn Museum
in Washington D.C., where she became curator of exhibitions. Next she went on
to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and was part of the team that
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moved the entire collection to its current modern location—the space that it is
well known for. Cruz talks about the connection between Phoenix and Chicago and
how many people move out here from Chi-town. “This seems like a very familiar
crowd to me—I love Midwesterners,” she says.
Cruz recalls a temporary installation that she helped orchestrate, done in the sky
above the Chicago museum, with New York City artist Gary Simmons. It was
a skywriting project where Simmons wanted the pilot to draw stars in the daytime
sky. It took a very long time to locate a pilot who could actually do the job, because
in the late 1990s skywriting was a dying profession.
“We found someone out of Boston who had to fly his little plane out to Chicago,”
Cruz says. “But what we forgot is that Chicago is known as the Windy City for a
reason!” When the wind came up, it smeared the stars across the sky, so they
ended up looking a little more like starfish, she recalls. “It actually became part
of the piece,” she says. The spectacle left an impression on residents of the city,
and for months after, when Cruz gave tours of the museum and she’d mention the
project, people would remember having seen it.
After her time in Chicago, Cruz was hired at the Center for Curatorial Studies
at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, just an hour and a half
outside New York City. Here she led the staff of the center. Most of her work
involved running the exhibitions, but she also had the opportunity to teach
graduate-level curatorial practice.
The era had a breadth of experimentation. Cruz was introduced to Takashi Murakami,
and this was where he had one of his first American exhibitions. Cruz was at Bard
for five years, and the proximity to New York City provided an ample audience for
her work. “It was far enough away that when I’d invite an artist, there was a little
less pressure,” she says. “I think I got more experimentation.”
One of Cruz’ first moves at PAM was to hire a new chief curator, Gilberto
Vicero, from the Des Moines Art Center. He was secured with the monies
from the Selig endowment. Cruz’ initial goal at the museum is increasing
attendance. She also hopes PAM’s website upgrade will be completed by
the end of the year. “As a director, you have to multitask,” she says. “The
fundamental thing is to have a strong vision of what you think your institution
should be doing. My vision is of a really open space, metaphorically speaking, of
course—accessible and welcoming. I manage staff and work with the board and
donors to make it open and accessible to all.”
Her first challenge as new director was to get to know the collections quickly.
PAM has a unique mix of Asian, Southwestern, and Contemporary art, as well
as fashion. It is an enormous and very diverse collection. When asked about
the museum’s tradition of showcasing local artists, she said, “I am happy with
showing art from here. But I want the BEST art.”
Later this year, Cruz will bring the Cuban artist Terasita Fernandez. Fernandez
has shown in Miami and was recently named a MacArthur Award Fellow. Her
installation piece Fata Morgana provided shade over walkways in New York
City last summer. Kehinde Wiley’s show New Republic, which was exhibited at
Brooklyn Art Museum a few years ago, is also coming to PAM this fall.
Later this month, Cruz promises big surprises with Phoenix Rising: The Valley
Collects, opening April 16 and running through May 29. She says this exhibit
will feature many selections of work borrowed from local Valley art collections,
including contemporary works, Asian and Latin American art and much more.
Many of these items have never been shown publicly, Cruz says.
phxart.org
JAVA 11
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GILGONGO RECORDS
JAMES FELLA
Gilgongo Records is supremely interesting. Their
diversity of music is one of their greatest strengths,
and founder James Fella has an amazing ear for great
tunes. The label is supports itself financially, and
Fella operates it in the spirit of every great non-profit,
by sinking any proceeds back into the business so he
can continue to put out more and more music.
When did Gilgongo start?
About 11 years ago!
BY TOM REARDON
Phoenix has had an active and often ambitious music scene for at least the last half century.
Fortunately for music fans, there is plenty going on in the Valley of the Sun these days with both live
and recorded music. We are privileged to have a lot of great bands, exciting venues and, seemingly
for the first time in a while, a number of cool record labels that are documenting the scene.
From James Fella’s Tempe-based Gilgongo Records and Rob Locker’s AZPX Records in South
Scottsdale, who have both been at it for over a decade, to Jeremiah Gratza’s President Gator and
the newest kid on the block, Thomas Lopez and his Slope Records—the underground, independent,
punk and noise world is very well covered by these interesting dudes with a penchant for putting
out some of the most listenable music their genres have to offer.
We decided to spend a little time with the folks in charge and see what brought them into the world
of releasing records, which is one of the most expensive and often least lucrative forms of nontraditional
gambling a person can get into.
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How many releases have you had, and what
format do you prefer to work with?
We are currently at about 85 proper catalog releases,
but do occasional releases that are not part of that
“main” discography, if that makes sense—so more
like 115 or so in total. Mostly records, some CDs at
times and occasionally lathe-cut records, as well.
How do you go about selecting the bands you
work with?
I have been fortunate to have artists whom I respect
very much reach out to me with ideas for releases.
Though that’s not to say that I don’t go out on a limb
here and there and try to convince someone to work
with me.

What inspired you to start Gilgongo
I had always wanted to release records. There was
a gigantic punk community in central New Jersey
[where Fella grew up] that was all about DIY, selfexpression,
et cetera. Small labels and even bands
doing their own records was very common, and
the only thing keeping me from doing that at the
time was that I was maybe 13 or 14 and obviously
lacked the resources. So by the time I was 20 and
had regular work, I jumped into releasing records as
quickly as possible.
What does the name of the label mean?
“Gilgongo” is a fictional word but synonymous
for “extinct,” and it comes from Kurt Vonnegut’s
Breakfast of Champions (1973).
What would be your dream release?
In reality, having been privileged enough to release
the most recent John Wiese full length, Deviate
From Balance, was a bit of a dream. I have worked
with him a lot [Gilgongo has done seven releases for
Weise’s project “Sissy Spacek”], but this was the first
time we did a solo release.
What’s coming up for Gilgongo?
We are in a bit of a dull period at the moment
because of how long the turn time is with [vinyl]
pressing plants right now. Here is the plan for the
rest of 2016: Filthy Grin (Vancouver) LP, Mia Loucks’
Sister Honey Demos LP, Soft Shoulder LP.
AZPX RECORDS
ROB LOCKER
AZPX is a labor of love for Rob Locker and an offshoot
of his AZPX Skateboards company, which has issued
somewhere around 10,000 skateboards over the
last 13 years. The label began in 2003 and is very
much rooted in the DIY culture. It requires a level of
commitment from the artists, as well, to both music
and skateboarding, in some form or another.
How many records have you released?
Officially we have 12 published recorded
documents of local AZ music, in various formats.
Our first release being the only re-issue from the
early eighties AZ punk scene. [This release, Junior
Achievement’s Fade to Black CD, remastered with
bonus live tracks, was done while Thomas Lopez
of Slope Records was still a partner in AZPX and
with the aid of Scooter Buell, who founded Malt
Soda Records.]
How do you choose bands to work with?
First and foremost, I’ve got to be a fan of the band.
I am not after a certain sound, look or scene. I am a
fan of (almost) all genres of music and prefer to keep
the bands on my label as diverse as possible, but
with that skateboarder mentality, attitude and DIY
sensibility. Even if you are not a skateboarder, those
are the qualities I look for.
What labels are you a fan of and been inspired by?
Obviously, I am a huge Placebo Records fan. Phoenix
was way different back then. If you lived here, there
was a certain sense of isolation, even if you were in
the middle of the city. To discover that a record label
in my hometown was making incredible music that
the rest of the country was checking out was real
eye-opening. It taught me the DIY ethos.
What is upcoming for AZPX?
We have a full-length Dephinger 12” vinyl release
coming down the tubes. My studio project, the
Ditch Diggers, is about to release a song with guest
vocalist Brian Brannon [from legendary Phoenix punk
band JFA].. Poolside Sacrifice has recorded some songs,
but they are too busy skateboarding to finish up.
Dream release?
I already did my dream release with High Rollers
[AZPX12], a 12” vinyl tribute to the Placebo Records
compilations that had a huge influence on me. The
AZPX Cooperative really pulled together on that one
to make it something I am really proud of. If I could
only get off my ass and market it. Been too busy
skateboarding. Side note: Mike Watt, if you read this,
get a hold of me.
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PRESIDENT GATOR RECORDS
JEREMIAH GRATZA
In 2012, Jeremiah Gratza decided to start President Gator as a way to showcase
the best and brightest Arizona has to offer the music world. President Gator
considers itself to be a boutique label, specializing in limited-edition vinyl records.
What inspired you to start President Gator?
When I started the record label, there were a lot of bands that I really liked and
wanted to help out, more than just putting them on shows. So I decided to put my
money where my mouth was and put out two split 7”s for Bogan Via/Miniature
Tigers and Gospel Claws/ROAR.
What made you decide to go all vinyl?
I guess my love for the medium. I love the way they sound, and that they can come
in different shapes and sizes.
put out great cutting-edge music. I also love how they have grown, yet remain
independent since the ’70s!
How do you go about selecting bands to release material from?
It’s 100% based on what I like.
What would be your dream release?
I would love to reissue any of the Jimmy Eat World releases from Wooden Blue
Records (One, Two, Three, Four 7”, Jimmy Eat World or Christie Front Drive/Jimmy
Eat World split 7”). Not only because they are one of my favorite bands, but
because Wooden Blue Records is a real inspiration for President Gator.
What do you have coming up?
I just released a 10” EP for Celebration Guns and have a 12” LP for Snake! Snake!
Snakes! coming out in April.
Are there any labels that you have modeled yourself after for any
particular reason?
I guess I really like Beggars Group. They are the parent company to 4AD,
Matador, Rough Trade, XL and Young Turks. I think they are really innovative and
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SLOPE RECORDS
THOMAS LOPEZ
Thomas Lopez loves punk rock music, and like his label-running peers, he’s
channeling his energy and money into documenting the rich Phoenix music scene
(as well as Tucson and a growing list of national bands) in a way that both casual
fans and avid collectors will love. The quality of his packaging is top notch. As the
label matures, Lopez will join his peers Fella, Locker and Gratza to help make our
spot on the international music map that much larger.
How did Slope Records come about?
I’ve always wanted to start my own record label, since I was a young kid growing
up in the Phoenix punk scene trading tapes, and now is my time.
How many releases have you had so far?
Currently I have eight releases in stock and 12 in production, many of which are
about to be released.
Tell us about some of the upcoming releases.
The eXterminators go into the studio in April to record a full-length of their original
songs from 40 years ago with lineup Dan Clark (Victory Acres/The Feederz),
Doug Clark (Mighty Sphincter), Don Bolles (The Germs) and Cris Kirkwood (Meat
Puppets), Feederz Live at the Star System (1980) full-length LP. The Christian Family,
a killer Phoenix duo of garage, is getting a four-song, 7” EP.
What labels do you look at and go, “I would like to be like them?”
Placebo Records from right here in Phoenix had the most influence on me. The first
compilation, Amuck, still holds up and makes more sense to me now than it did
when it was released.
Dream release?
A re-issue of the classic Placebo Records compilations Amuck and This Is Phoenix
Not the Circle Jerks, as well as re-releasing the infamous Jesus 7” by the Feederz.
How do you choose bands to work with?
I like to mix a little of the past from Arizona (and other states), and offer current
bands too. But I purposely choose bands that are different from each other to keep
the label interesting. And of course I have to like the music or the artist, as well.
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ARTS
DAMIAN GOMES
Vacancy at Treeo
By Jenna Duncan
When embarking on the pursuit of a life’s passion,
such as fine art, young people often turn to the
masters and perform small feats of imitation, which
may take many forms. It may be in technique or subject
matter. It may also be in style, process or attitude.
For Damian Gomes (pronounced like gnomes, and not
like Gomez, as one might assume), approaching the
canvas and borrowing from the masters might be part
of the process, but it seems much of his attraction to
painting comes from mastering oil as a medium, and
not simply pumping out product. “I tried acrylic, but
just couldn’t get the results I was looking for,” Gomes
says about his new works in oil, now on view at
Treeo Gallery on 6th Street near Roosevelt.
Though he’s been embracing sketching and drawing
for years, Gomes is new to painting, he says.
He worked for almost a decade as a hair stylist,
migrating around different Phoenix salons including
Swank and R Salon. “I worked at Snapdragon for
six years. I just quit doing hair a few months ago,”
he says. There is something about painting that just
drew him in. He moved to a bigger space and made
his former home into a studio. His works range from
moderate portrait-sized (around 24” by 36”) to larger
works on canvas often exceeding six feet per side.
He says that while part of his process is learning
the best technique for moving colors around his
canvas, part of the process is to develop a palette,
too. Current works are rich in earth tones, mostly
figurative in nature, and sometimes evocative of,
yes, many of the masters in oil, abstract and classic
(Francis Bacon and Fritz Scholder come to mind).
One large, smudged oil image (“Bully”) resembles
a fierce, aggressive, one-horned bull. A romantic
soft-focus pink nude evokes the sentimental feelings
of Valentine’s Day. Another figure sits at rest with a
beer can.
Gomes says he works with a product called oil bar,
smudging thick black marks like coal across some
images and smooth, creamy whites across others.
The process can be messy, he says, and it takes time
to tidy up before a studio visit. “Half the time I’m just
painting with my fingers and these crazy brushes I
buy at Home Depot,” he says.
Styling hair is a very kinesthetic exercise, and certain
similarities between Gomes’ previous work and his
painting are notable. Hair styling keeps the stylist
on his feet for hours at a time, and a transition to
painting isn’t too strange in that regard. Painters,
especially those who work large scale, often have
to strain and stretch, or sit in one pose for hours.
Both jobs can be taxing on the body over time. And
Gomes says he’s always had ideas come to him when
he’s working with his hands, whether his hands are
immersed in water and shampoo or turpentine and
oil paint.
Damian Gomes: Vacancy
Through April 11
Treeo
906 N. 6th St., Phoenix
www.treeohouse.com
Facebook (Damian Gomes)
Instagram (@damian_gomes).
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RANDY BARTON
Ptnd Dzrt Project
By Amy L. Young
Navajo artist Randy Barton, raised in Winslow,
Arizona, is a man on the move. His inherent need
to travel is something that mixes with his pervasive
desire to create art in various forms. Though his
journey has had him living in cities like Phoenix, Las
Vegas and San Francisco, he has found his way back
to Winslow, where he has opened up the Pntd Dzrt
Art Boutique, and most importantly can be near his
teenage daughters and other family members.
Painting is a sizeable portion of how Barton spends
his artistic time. His abstract works, sometimes featuring
a palette related to the desert and other times
richer and less earthy-hued, are infused with Native
American symbolism that is meaningful to him. His
big brush strokes come from growing up as a graffiti
artist, and that sensibility of working with spray cans
is a part of his art and always will be.
Before hitting the road, Barton went to graphic
design school in Tempe and honed his skills for a
career in commercial work. After school, he went
to San Francisco for a few years, but says he later
“went back to Phoenix because it’s where I came up
in the arts.” He opened a few studios in the downtown
area, trying different locations.
The need to wander hit him after a year or so and he
went to Las Vegas to open another studio, but found
that the town wouldn’t be his ultimate destination.
He headed back up to San Francisco and felt like, at
that point in 2014, things really started falling into
place.
“I was going to Miami to DJ at a friend’s art show
during the annual Art Basel event,” said Barton. “I
let the people at ArtBattles.com know this, because
they’d previously been wanting to bring me to NYC
to do something. They asked if I wanted to battle. I
did, and I ended up winning the live-battle competition.
The word got around about that and led to more
opportunities.”
One of those opportunities was a commission from
the owner of Albuquerque’s Eldorado Hotel to create
80 paintings for the venue. This was a result of
Barton receiving a fellowship from the Southwestern
Association for Indian Artists to create an artist’s
guestroom at Nativo Lodge. During this same time
period, he also won a first-place ribbon at the Santa
Fe Indian Market.
Barton is happy to be surrounded by family and to
have a solid base in Winslow. He’s right across from
the famed La Posada hotel and says his Pntd Dzrt
Art Boutique sees a nice mix of out-of-towners and
locals. The retail portion of the place features fine art
and clothing based on his designs, as well as wearable
art made by other artists whose work he likes.
“Pntd Dzrt is a good place to see the whole picture
of what I do,” Barton said. “My paintings, my work
space, the store, the place I create beats, my entire
aesthetic—it’s all here.”
The busy artist is part of the Medicine Paint live art
crew, and in addition to some out-of-town events
they are planning, he’s hoping to have a crew event in
late May in Winslow. Next up, though, is a solo show
at a new gallery in Taos, New Mexico, in mid-April.
www.pntddzrt.com
www.randylbarton.com
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THE HIVE TURNS FIVE
By Amy L. Young
The Five + 50 art exhibition, currently running at the
Hive Gallery through April 18, celebrates the venue’s
five-year anniversary. The “5” is for the number of
years the gallery has been in existence, and the “50”
is for the number of artists in the show. Actually,
it’s 54, but those extra additions just add to the
interesting mix of artwork available to peruse and
purchase. Each artist was given a 20” x 20” wood
panel to do with whatever they liked. From painting
to photography and more, the results range from fun
to powerful to exciting. Some of the participants
include Lalo Cota, Ashley Macias, Colton Brock,
Sierra Joy, Bobby Castaneda, Steve Weiss and
Thomas “Breeze” Marcus.
Located on 16th Street near Oak, this neighborhood
gem is more than just an art gallery. The Hive
operates true to its definition—it’s a shelter for
buzzing bees. The bees, in this case, are the tenants
who utilize the spaces within the complex. Currently,
the place is fully loaded with occupants. There’s The
Bee’s Knees vintage retail store, Demi Coffee, artist
Jacob Meders’ Warbird Press printmaking studio,
photographer Montye Fuse’s studio and gallery, and
Sophie McCurley’s space, which will offer workshops.
There’s also a trailer that is rentable via Airbnb and a
garden area where you can pick up some greenery to
beautify your personal surroundings.
The Hive is owned and operated by Julia Fournier and
Steve Helffrich, who have their own studio spaces, as
well. Julia is a retired schoolteacher, and she’s also
a writer, working on a book of true-life stories about
raising the twin sons that she and Steve adopted.
Steve is an architect and a fine art painter, who,
Fournier says, “always wanted to buy a building that
he could use for his own work but to also include a
gallery and resale boutique.” He found this building
through a client, and the rest is history.
Though Fournier and Helffrich are currently changing
the nature of their relationship, ending a decadeslong
marriage, they are both committed to a lifelong
friendship, co-parenting and continuing to grow and
develop The Hive, which is undeniably a labor of love
for them both.
Fournier and Helffrich are gentle souls who love
community and are excited to have a place to foster
that spirit. Each exudes a complete authenticity in
their shared passion regarding the venue as they
discuss its history and future. “I always wanted
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a space where micro businesses could develop
and grow,” said Helffrich. “We want patrons to
be exposed to things that they might not normally
see, and to be able to do so in a warm and calm
environment.”
The serenity one feels upon venturing through The
Hive and its different areas feels like a natural
extension of the owners’ intentions. Julia, who is
more of a mother hen than a queen bee, is often
found in The Bee’s Knees, her curated retail spot,
which carries a moderate but highly covetable
selection of clothes, art and accessories. It also
offers items on consignment by local creators. This
retail space is a little reminiscent of Julia herself—
quiet and a bit mysterious. That air of mystery is
hardly contrived but more of a quiet sensibility that
allows relationships to flow organically. She was
excited about the store and started collecting items
for resale while she was still wrapping up her lengthy
career as an educator.
Though owning a building like this comes with
an endless set of tasks, the two have fallen into
some natural grooves, each handling things they
are particularly suited for. Julia has discovered a
fondness for booking the art shows; Steve handles
the installation side. At the end of the day, they’re
both equally excited by, and proud of, what’s hanging
on those walls. They have a really deep fondness
for emerging artists, and just as they enjoy helping
micro-businesses grow, they like to give new,
upcoming artists opportunities to exhibit their work.
Art isn’t the only programming at The Hive Gallery.
Art exhibitions often include DJs, and the venue has
also hosted live music performances and film events.
The upcoming year will see more of that type of
entertainment, as well as some new offerings. Both
Julia and Steve like the idea of having interesting
events that bring in new audiences. With that said,
The Hive is “still a bit of a secret space” that many
people are still discovering.
Julia described how she recently stood in the gallery
and took a panoramic photograph of the exhibition,
and said that looking at it gave her “360 degrees of
happiness.” As the pair continues to pour a mixture
of zest and hard work into fortifying The Hive, let’s
look forward to what the next five years will bring.
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Thai Long-an, Dine Long Time
By Sloane Burwell
According to a well-known restaurant superstition, some locations are cursed. I’ve
never believed it, but there is a tiny house-turned-restaurant spot that has been
several pizza joints (some good, some bad) since I moved into the neighborhood.
When America’s Taco Shop took over, I was certain the spell would be broken.
And when it closed, given their great reputation and food, I began to wonder if
there might be some merit to the thought that certain locations just aren’t meant
to be restaurants. I’m hoping this latest incarnation can forever fix what may have
marred this tiny, well-placed spot in the past.
Thai Long-an manages to pack in 10 slightly undersized four-top tables and a
hostess station. You’ll notice how small the tables truly are once your meal and
its many components appear. But you’ll hardly mind once you begin to dig in. The
small tables are almost a plus, since it’s easier to sneak a nosh of your dining
companion’s food.
Thai Long-an has all the usual suspects, like a stellar Thai Iced Tea ($3). Theirs
is a textbook version, minus the slightly bitter taste that comes from concentrate
(discovering the mix at Lee Lee’s grocery finally explained that bitterness). Plus
there’s a wider range of imported beers here than I would have thought. You’ll
need the Singha ($4.95) to wash down the impending fiery heat.
Thankfully, most of the appetizers ease you in. The Thai Toast ($8.95) is excellent.
Their version comes coated in panko breadcrumbs and loaded with ground pork
instead of shrimp. These tasty winners manage to be crispy and still melt in your
mouth. The Egg Rolls ($5.95) are standard fare—well made and tasty, but not
nearly as stellar as the Crab Rangoons ($7.95), which are head and shoulders
above others. I’m not sure how they accomplish this, since there are only three
ingredients in play (cream cheese, imitation crab and the wrappers). Whatever
magic makes this happen is worth the price. Same with the excellent, slightly
kicky peanut sauce that comes alongside.
Perhaps the best indicator of the impending inferno comes in the tiny side of
ubiquitous cucumber slaw. This version has sliced chili on top. Note to self: when
the cooling accouterment comes spiced, the kitchen is telling you where their
heart lies.
I like heat, don’t get me wrong. I’m a confident 3, on most scales of 1 to 5. Even at
Thai E-San, the home of mega hotness, I’m a solid 3. It’s the kind of heat that you
feel, but doesn’t leave you gasping for air. I’ll be frank—several of the 3s here left
me gasping. And given that this was true on multiple visits, I’m smart enough to
keep my beer close, and my squirt bottle of slightly sweet “sweet and sour” house
sauce on the ready to beat back any raging fires.
On Tom-Kha ($10.95 with chicken) usually you expect the coconut broth to mediate
some of the spice factor. Not a chance here. Loads of tender chicken, mushroom,
lemongrass and galangal come in the familiar silver cooking ring, heated by
Sterno. You’ll notice the bright red color right away, and interestingly enough the
soup gets hotter the more you eat. “I can’t stop!” said my friend. I wasn’t sure if
he meant he couldn’t stop because it was so fl avorful or because it was so hot, like
“I can’t stop my lips from peeling.” Honestly, I barely heard him because I was too
busy slurping from my bowl and then sipping beer to stem the burn.
Lest you think that 3 is merely the point where heat begins, the Pad Thai ($10.95),
at a 2, was still shooting sparks. My heat-seeking dinner date proudly
proclaimed this one of the best Pad Thai’s he’s had in town. Realistically,
consider ordering a number down. Maybe it’s just me, but there’s a point at
which the flavor is a second to the ferocious fire in my mouth. I love the heat. I
just need to be able to eat it.
Our adorable server indicated that the Roast Duck with Red Curry ($13.95) was
their most popular dish, and I understand why. An impressive amount of duck is
simmered into a dizzying array of herbs, chili, tender veggies, and a handful of
sliced pineapple to create a slightly sweet symphony of savory goodness. Spooned
over rice, it’s nearly magical.
Salad fans will happily enjoy the Papaya Salad ($10.95). I picked Bangkok style
with shrimp, peanut and Thai long bean, and received a rather large plate of
shredded green papaya, carrots, a smattering of long bean—and a giant pile of
red chili. The perfectly cooked shrimp were in the nearly impossible to achieve
c-shape, and ground peanuts provided texture and crunch. However, at a 3, this
salad was too hot for me. I lasted three bites before it was too much. I took it
home, and overnight it got even hotter. My remedy to the caustic hotness was to
shred even more cabbage into the mix and remove all the chili. I still managed
three bites at a time before I had to take a break. I’ll be honest here: it’s been a
long time since a 3 brought me to my culinary knees. And this salad did. I’d order it
again, at a 1.5 or, if I feel lucky, a 2. If it weren’t so yummy, I would have given up
and tossed the remnants in the bin.
One caution: If you visit, note that the chicken satay ($9.95) is missing some of
Thai Long-an’s usual magic, with rail-thin slices of anemic chicken stretched onto
skewers. I’d skip these until something in the preparation changes.
I’m still not convinced that the restaurant location superstition is rooted in any
kind of reality. The restaurant biz is a risky game, and over 50% fail in the first six
months. Not very lucky, right? I also know that garlic is supposed to keep away
vampires. And maybe for this location, spicy chili is the key to driving away bad
luck. I hope it’s true; Thai Long-an is a compelling place with a lot of tasty things
going for it.
4447 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix
Thailong-an.com
Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Summer
Games
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Photographer: Chadwick Fowler
Wardrobe Stylist: Shannon Campbell
Hair & Makeup: Pearl Espinoza, Make Up Forever
Assistant: Sean Beatty
Models: Bailee, Falon and Houston, Ford RBA
Clothing and Accessories: Sexpot, Mia Marcelle, Cremieux, Barbara
Gerwitt, Sibi, Ralph Lauren, Adora, Vivi
Location: Courtesy of Candelaria Design
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MAGAZINE

Snake!
Snake!
Tranquilo
By Mitchell L. Hillman
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If you asked in the spring of 2012 who the next
breakout band from Phoenix would be, I would
most assuredly have said Snake! Snake! Snakes!
At that point, they were riding high on their
debut self-titled EP from 2010, had just released
two new singles (“Thieves” and “Outsider”),
and their music was grabbing serious attention
from Paste and CMJ, as they headed to SXSW.
Not only that, but ALL of their songs were being
used for licensing and placements in campaigns
for Sephora, Tommy Hilfiger and Tabasco
and in movies and TV shows like Spectacular
Now and Vampire Diaries.
Their sound was fast-paced, catchy indie rock
with synths and reverb vocals that matched the
zeitgeist of the time. Then, due to circumstances
beyond the band’s control, a lineup change
happened, along with a change in sound. Ditching
the keyboard and adding an additional guitar
(specifically the guitar work of Dan Tripp), Snakes!
reemerged louder, more vicious and more punk. It
was fantastic, but many die-hard fans of their old
sound were disenfranchised. The new live sound
played out like psychotic surf rock, and I wanted
studio recordings of this new direction.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever waited so long for a fulllength
debut from any band. There were starts and
stops, it was suggested that a cassette would be
released of the demos or another EP might emerge
as years passed, but nothing was released. Five
and a half years after their original EP, Tranquilo
has finally arrived, and it is everything I could have
hoped for. If this doesn’t bring their old fans back,
it doesn’t matter, because this should garner a
whole new legion of followers.
Snake! Snake! Snakes! is Jonathan Messenger
(vocals, guitar), Chris Sanchez (bass), David Cooper
(drums) and Dan Tripp (guitar), and together they
have reinvented the band with a vitality that is
nothing short of a sonic revelation. As with the
EP, this album is masterfully produced by Bob
Hoag at Flying Blanket, which seemed impossible
a year ago due to unresolved conflicts from their
2010 sessions. Upon listening, I could not be more
grateful that all differences were put aside and the
album will be released with the right lineup, sound
and producer.
Tranquilo begins with a blast of feedback and a
guitar line with pounding drums reminiscent of The
Velvet Underground’s “I’m Waiting for the Man,”
but when Messenger sings it comes out more
like Jason Spaceman (Spacemen 3, Spiritualized).
“Mantra” has long been one of my favorites from
their live set, and this recording does it total
justice, whether it’s the nervous feeling of the
music or the frantic guitar rave-ups throughout.
I was at first shocked by its lead placement, but
it makes perfect sense in the way it captures
your ear and holds your attention. “In My Head”
has been a live staple for Snakes! for years, and it
sounds better than ever here. It has a classic Phil
Spector drum sound behind the wash of feedbackdriven
guitars, and at under two minutes, it may be
quick but it is sublime.
Oddly, it wasn’t until about the tenth listen that I
realized “O Death” is a surf-drenched pop song,
with garage trimmings. It reminds me of another
of Hoag’s favorite bands, Gospel Claws, in its
arrangement and the way that Messenger almost
croons the vocals. By the third track, the album
sounds like a dream live set, except you don’t
have the distraction of a couple in conversation
behind you. “War” makes it clear that they have
no intention of relenting the pace, and it has some
furious skin-pounding drums courtesy of Cooper,
while the guitars rage throughout. It comes across
a bit reminiscent of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
at their grittiest.
“Travelin’” is another pop song in garage-rock
clothing, which the recording makes far more clear
than the live performance. These arrangements
completely vindicate the band’s sonic detour
three years ago, and justify the vision of Jonathan
Messenger without a doubt. This song has some
of his finest vocals. Without the monstrous guitars
and the feedback, this could have been a hit in
1965. “Washed Out” starts out like a traditional
indie rock song, but it sure doesn’t stay there
long. The guitars crunch with a neurotic timing,
while the solo returns to surf roots. It has as much
influence from The Velvets as it does from The
Stooges, and it’s a perfect finish for the first half
of the album.
Many of our beloved local bands have a touch
of cannibalism, lyrically speaking, whether it’s
Lawnchair who wants to eat your legs or The
Rolling Blackouts who want to eat your brains. In
this case Snake! Snake! Snakes! simply “Want
Your Blood.” This has been one of my live favorites
since they restructured. Surprisingly, it’s one of the
more subdued numbers here. “Sentimental Life”
gets to the heart of the wild proto-punk sound
that Tranquilo offers from the beginning to the
end, once more blending Lou Reed phrasing with
an Iggy Pop lilt. It may only be two minutes long,
but it’s one of the most engaging songs—perfect
proto-punk with fuzzed-out, flailing guitar and
surprising, uplifting “woo hoo hoo” backing vocals.
While the second half of the album might seem
to have slowed only slightly, “Dead N Dumb”
eviscerates that idea, channeling the Snakes!
inner Raw Power or Fun House. Clocking in at
less than two minutes, it’s like a shot of adrenalin
straight to your eardrums. Good things come in
small packages, they say, and this is one of the
album’s finest moments. It was the teaser song
released late last year, and it seemed pretty wild
at the time, but in the context of the album it’s
even more raucous than it first seemed. “I Know
You Best” is certainly a sentimental slow burner,
but it is hypnotic in its delivery, especially the
overriding guitar that grabs your ears with claws.
“Wasted Time” might the finest song on the
album. There is a spiritual depth that is inspiring,
and it just hangs in your head after every listen.
After over a dozen rotations of the album, this
is THE song that my mind comes back to again
and again. Maybe it’s the changes in tempo,
the pounding surf drums, Tripp’s guitar licks or
Sanchez’ killer bass. Whatever it is, this song is
just pure gold no matter how many spins I give
it. The album concludes with the near ballad
“Hangin’ on a Wall,” which almost serves as a
coda to the entire affair. It’s the comedown from the
pure adrenalin rush of the preceding 33 minutes. I
wasn’t sure at first about it being the closer but,
honestly, it wouldn’t fit anywhere else for pacing
or perfection’s sake. It is just a perfect fuzzed-out
shoegazer making its way into the album’s brilliant
sunset.
The old adage is that “good things come to those
who wait.” Well, after over five years, this album
is our plentiful reward. It plays out as my favorite
set list for a Snakes! show committed to record
with fantastic arrangements and performances. I
truly hope that we don’t have to wait until 2021
for the next installment, but if that’s the case, I
somehow suspect it will be every bit as good and
worth the wait.
Snake! Snake! Snakes! will release Tranquilo on
April 9th at Crescent Ballroom, joined by a lineup
that includes Playboy Manbaby, PRO TEENS and
Strange Lot.
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CELEBRATION GUNS
The Me That Used To Be EP
SURF
Islands
DECKER.
Last Exit Live
It’s hard to believe that, aside from some split
releases and a couple singles, it’s been just shy of
two years since Celebration Guns has had an EP all
their own. I’ve been living with a demo of The Me
That Used To Be for over a year, eagerly anticipating
its release. This month everyone will be able to
enjoy this five-track gem. The EP kicks off with “The
Volunteer,” which is often their live-set closer and
easily their best song. From the sheer rush of the
sound, to the catchy hooks and stunning percussion
work, it succeeds on many levels. It was the first
single released for the record, and with good reason.
“Thank You For Your Time” explores complex
arrangements and peculiar time signatures, with a
math-rock sensibility inside a perfect pop song. It’s a
difficult trick to pull off, but Celebration Guns makes
it look easy. While “Ready to Go” is more traditional
indie-rock, it’s no less powerful, and its furious pace
makes it a fun ride, especially during the dizzying
breaks. This is easily the next single.
“Have It Your Way” is a hip-swinging, head-shaking
good time, with no lack of wry cynicism in the lyrics.
The rowdy crowd sing-along with the marching
band snare at the end is one of this record’s finest
moments to be sure. The title track brings the EP
to a close with a hypnotic number that is dreamy
shoegaze rock reminiscent of their sound when they
started in 2013. The only way Celebration Guns could
top this is with a full-length album that maintains
this kind of strength from beginning to end. The Me
That Used To Be will be released by President Gator
Records on Friday, April 8, at Crescent Ballroom with
Twin Ponies, Sundressed and Flower Festival.
Aaron “Surf” Tijerina doesn’t make surf music in the
classic sense, which is confusing since he records
under that moniker. Instead he makes music that IS
the sound of the surf, somehow evoking the sun,
sand and the feeling you get as you sit around a
beachfront campfire. SURF has just released their
new album, Islands, and it is their best work to date.
The themes are a little darker, more unsure, with
more soul searching and introspection. It is the sound
of a songwriter coming of age and into his own.
In some respects Tijerina’s style could be compared
to Jack Johnson and his contemporaries, but there
is more depth here. Tijerina’s gentle voice is full of
warmth on stand-out tracks like “Heaven,” “SURF,”
“Travelers” and the awesomely titled “Soviet Beach
Party.” It’s difficult to say which is more soothing,
his voice or the mesmerizing guitar. The closest
SURF comes to traditional surf music is the reverbheavy
instrumental “Derek’s Song 2,” which ends
on a slightly disturbing note with samples from The
Shining buried in the mix.
“New New” is a song about thinking to yourself on
a long desert drive, and it sounds exactly like that.
The upbeat backdrop for “Everyday” is fascinating in
a song that is about yearning to be elsewhere and
lost love. The inspirational lyric “Every day I awake
is another day I’m free” sets the tone. Meanwhile,
“Seal Beach” is interesting because of its stark and
fascinating arrangement. The album finishes with the
lush and beautiful instrumental “For Jenn,” which
carries you out like a wave into a beautiful crimson
sunset. This is a great soundtrack for laid-back days
by the pool and leisurely rides on the long board.
In late February, decker. had a show at Last Exit Live
that was recorded in its entirety. While not all the
songs from that evening made the cut, the album
entitled Last Exit Live captures the spirit of the night
perfectly. decker. is a band that revolves entirely
around Brandon Decker, and that evening, along
with his long-term keyboardist Amber Johnson, he
welcomed guest musicians including Mitch Freedom
on drums and Mike Upsahl on bass, along with Taylor
Upsahl, Camille Sledge (PAO) and Matt Thornton
(Vinyl Station) on backing vocals. The song selection
shows a new direction decker. is taking toward its
next album and features some amazing covers.
It starts off with the new live favorite “Blackwash,”
presumably from the upcoming record, then moves
seamlessly into a stunning cover of “Bukowski” by
Modest Mouse. “Patsy” is clearly a crowd favorite
(and is easily my favorite decker. song of all time).
This rendition is pure gold. Sometimes a cover
exceeds the original, and in this case Deer Tick’s
“These Old Shoes” finds new brilliance here,
even breaking into Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” for
a moment.
“Speak in Tongues,” from 2013’s Slider album,
has taken on a completely new life, followed
by an inspirational speech from Decker himself.
“O Death” from last year’s Patsy is hauntingly
beautiful, even more so than the studio version.
The album finishes with “Snake River Blues,” the
title track from decker.’s next full-length, and as the
finale this is the perfect segue into the next stage of
what the band has in store for us later this year. This
record is a document of a perfect evening, capturing
a band that is eternally in transition, pursuing evergreater
heights.
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Sounds Around Town By Mitchell L. Hillman

THE HOURGLASS CATS
Portraits of Cats EP
LIGHTSPEEDGO
Just a Memory EP
DENT
dent EP
It’s been three long years since The Hourglass Cats
released their debut EP, 432, and just when I had
given up hope for another record, they dropped
Portraits of Cats out of the blue last month! A lot has
changed for THC in those three years, and their sound
has matured and moved away from the ska-based
reggae groove. These six songs prove they have a
new affection for rock ’n’ roll. Don’t worry, they’ve
still got a great groove—they’ve just expanded their
sound, with impressive results.
Fans will absolutely love the intoxicating reggae
pop of the opening track, “Rainchecks,” which is an
instant Cats classic. Exploring more Latin influences,
“Bailar Para Mi” (“Dance for Me”), uses rhythms,
crowd noises and whistles to transport you south of
the border for a few minutes of fantasy. The song
widens the scope of their musical territory. The
guitars start getting heavy on the prowling, growling
“Downtown Funk,” and it feels like a turning point
in the record, introducing a more traditional rock
influence on their new songs. “Been Thinkin’” goes
straight for the throat with an edgy garage rock
sound, with no hint of ska or reggae, just pounding,
straight-up rock ’n’ roll through and through.
Meanwhile, “Too Damn Rude” is a fantastic take on
2 Tone ska with an edgy rock vibe. It is an immediate,
in-your-face dance number. Portraits of Cats finishes
with another rock-and-roller in the form of the catchyas-hell
“Be That Way.” The guitars are pure rock
while the vocal delivery has a more hip-hop vibe. It
also features one of the finest bass solos I’ve heard
in a long time. Clearly The Hourglass Cats have
matured since their debut, and if this is the shape of
things to come, I can only say “Bring it on!”
LightSpeedGo has been a favorite punk band around
town for a couple years, since they released their
debut EP, New Direction, in 2014. They make backto-basics
American punk reminiscent of the skating
soundtrack of my teenage years, with a pace that
never gives up. Recently released on California’s
Felony Records, the six-song Just a Memory EP is a
breath of fresh air.
It starts with “Go,” which leans a bit on Social
Distortion, but the early days when they were
actually punk, before they moved on to bigger
labels. “Get Away” is two minutes of anthemic So
Cal–styled punk at its finest, with raging guitars,
bombastic drums and a chorus that is just so catchy it
hurts. “Last Flight” is just pure pleasure, reminiscent
of the kind of punk that Operation Ivy and pre-major
label Green Day were pounding out. “Not You”
should be considered for a single, as it has a great
crossover sound between Southern alternative rock
of the ’80s and riotous punk. It’s a standout track to
be sure, with ringing guitars, harmonies and more
catchy hooks.
The title track is a heavy little number that rages like
their lives depended on it. This feels like this is what
Descendents or very early Lemonheads would have
sounded like, with slightly heavier guitars and better
production. The EP ends with “Runaway,” which is
a surprising turn in tempo and pace. It’s like a skaterat
version of a rock ballad, with a little more grit,
but there is an acoustic guitar or two in there. More
than anything it speaks to the songwriting ability of
this crew, that they can go beyond the realm of their
usual genre.
Sounds Around Town By Mitchell L. Hillman
At the start of 2015, dent debuted with a double
A-side single that put them on the local music map.
Rather than rush to release anything further last year,
they stuck to practicing, playing a ton of shows and
recording their self-titled EP for this year’s release.
It begins with the very spacey and psychedelic
“Halfway,” with a sound that harkens to the birth
of indie rock in the early ’90s. Best listened to with
headphones for maximum enjoyment, the song is the
lo-fi equivalent of DMT, delivering an amazing journey
in just over three minutes.
With the exception of the whistling bit, “Visit Us” is
a very shoegazey number that swirls around like an
intangible specter in the dark. It too is brief, yet vast.
“Oven” slows down into a brilliantly grungy mire,
as it should since it’s about Arizona summers and
their likeness to a broiler. The song captures how the
heat of the season turns your brain into mush while
confined to air-conditioned lassitude.
Of their two previous singles, “1996” is the one that
makes the cut here. It sounds like something Matador
Records would have happily released that same year.
A keenly lo-fi psychedelic rock number, it speaks to
you with guitars and a continual sense of hypnotic
ascension. The epic-length (comparatively speaking)
finale, “Listener,” is the perfect maelstrom to end,
with its vibrations still ringing in your skull long after
it has finished, evoking the early days of My Bloody
Valentine brilliantly. With the purchase of this EP
on Bandcamp you can also score the bonus track
“Frontflip.”
For more on these events and other highlights of
the Phoenix music scene, check out Mitchell’s blog
at http://soundsaroundtown.net. For submissions
or suggestions contact him at mitchell@
soundsaroundtown.net
JAVA 33
MAGAZINE

Photo by Shaunté Glover
NOVELIST PAUL MOSIER
D a n c i n g w i t h t h e M u s e
BY DEMITRIUS BURNS
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Paul Mosier believes in the muse. His life story lends serious credibility to its magic,
mythic power. Specifically, his development as a writer defies conventional logic in that
he isn’t a heavy reader. Most writers are galvanized to write because of an innate love
for reading. But Mosier is a writer because, well, he likes to write. It’s as simple and
beautiful as that. Mosier is set to release a book with HarperCollins next January. And, crazy
enough, it was all beget from a song lyric first recorded by bluesman Junior Parker in 1953. The lyric
was, “Train I ride, 16 coaches long.”
It was from this seemingly simplistic phrase that Mosier was able to draw a stream of
consciousness that turned into the novel Train I Ride. According to Mosier, he simply followed
the muse as it took him on a ride. “All of my experience with how stories begin supports
my subscription to the idea of the muse. I like the way that it helps me to have a degree of
humility. I’m fortunate that the muse knows my address,” said Mosier.
Mosier was born in Phoenix at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Throughout school he was in the gifted
programs, and in sixth grade he developed a film script called “Intergalactic Gophers.” Though
his parents were not necessarily creative, they were able to provide their kids with the autonomy
to create. Mosier’s brother is a cartoonist and
his sister is a writer.
By the time eighth grade rolled around and
kids began fumbling through the awkward
depths of adolescence, Mosier was fumbling
around for different reasons. By eighth grade,
Mosier was an alcoholic. His reason for
drinking was simple: he was afraid of women.
“I found that I really liked being drunk because
it made it easier to walk past girls without
dissolving. I felt that if I didn’t dance with a
girl at the eighth grade dance, I would die
alone,” said Mosier. He spent the next 10
years or so in a drunken haze. “With drinking
I felt like I was strapping myself to a rocket
and who knows where I would end up. I had to
take LSD on the weekends just so it didn’t feel
like a Tuesday night,” Mosier said.
Though some people drink to feel, Mosier
felt like it was a means to numb. Once he
decided to quit in 1990, there was no stopping
the feelings. “I was medicated while I was
drinking, and now I’m a feelings junky. My own
writing makes me cry all the time. It wouldn’t
work to be liquored up or high. The truth of
write drunk, edit sober—some people won’t
allow themselves to be seduced by the muse
until they drink,” Mosier said. Mosier was able
to transfer all these new feelings into short
stories that he would read to his muses in the
flesh: women.
As the saying goes, energy cannot be created,
it can only be changed from one form to
another, and in that way Mosier used his
writing to impress women, rather than hiding
behind the liquor. Whether it was the girls
at 5 & Diner or the baristas at Dos Estrellas,
Mosier made sure that what he wrote was
read by women. “It’s interesting that the
creative spirit that visits humans is female.
They’re just better than us. They’re more
charming.”
It was the women he met who were his first
audience. He wanted to write stories that
spoke to them. However, in 1993 there was
a girl who made smoothies at The Eggery
in Phoenix who would soon become his main
JAVA 35
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audience. He asked Keri on a date by writing on the cover of a short
story he’d written, and she said yes. Fortunately for Mosier, after a
period of dating she said yes to marriage, as well.
Paul wrote on and off in the ’90s during his marriage. He also
made half of his living as a painter. He didn’t write his first
novel until November 2011. Up until that point he was mainly a short
story writer. However, he decided to try to write a novel for National
Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and he was able to complete it.
He describes the process as “hammering away. ... I decided to make
the protagonist’s pet fish the narrator. I put a line into the fish’s mouth,
and it was a good first line and I was chasing after it. It showed me
that I could do that and produce something at that length. And taught
me that you don’t have to do it all in advance. You see the road as you
walk down it.”
Something that really helped Mosier transition into novel writing
was the Phoenix Writer’s Group. In the group he was able to meet
other writers who could help him flesh out his stories and ideas.
At one point he was going three or four times a week to seek out
feedback from his fellow writers. One in particular helped him
articulate who he was as a writer. Jake Friedman believed that
Mosier was a postmodern writer, given his inclination for magical
realism and having questionable narrators tell his stories.
Though Mosier might not have had the credentials that some of the
other writers did, he had all the work ethic. Once Mosier finished his
first novel, he says that he couldn’t help but stretch most of his ideas
into novels in one way or another. Whereas a lot of writers agonize
about how they are going to write a novel and affix a great degree of
weight to it, Mosier has always approached the process very simply.
“The most important thing is writing,” Mosier said. “I feel like some
people are trying too hard to be prepared to do it before they do it. I
think you do better as you do it. When I was an undergrad there was
this guy in my hall who would sharpen his pencils and just organize
his desk. If you’re supposed to tell stories, just get into it and trust the
muse. I don’t think that the muse is going to give you the whole thing
at once. Sometimes I write the first line and trust that the next line will
come.”
It was this sort of thinking that created the book Train I Ride, which
was picked up by NYC-based publishing giant HarperCollins in the
summer of 2015. Before that, Mosier had tried to send his selfpublished
book Breakfast at Tuli’s to various publishers, but nobody bit.
36 JAVA
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Once he finished writing Train I Ride, he sent query letters to publishers
out of obligation. He was resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t get
any hits and that the book probably wouldn’t be published. However,
an agent who loved his work and believed in him pitched it to several
large publishing houses. Not only did a major publisher want his book,
but two of them did. Mosier decided to go with HarperCollins, and
months after they struck a deal he found himself meeting with the
editors and his agent in New York’s iconic Chrysler Building, telling
jokes and talking about his book. Train I Ride is due out in January
2017 and is the first in a two-book deal Mosier signed with his agent.
Despite the incredible high he felt from signing the book deal, Mosier’s
life was brought back to earth when he found out in February that his
youngest daughter, Harmony, had developed cancer at age seven. What
originally seemed to be a rapidly growing overbite was diagnosed as
rhabdomyosarcoma. Harmony had to spend nine days in the hospital,
but her hopes remained high throughout. Mosier has been touched by
the community’s generosity throughout it all. One of the more notable
contributions was “Hope for Harmony,” an art sale and reception at
Treeo, spearheaded by Stacey Champion, with donations from local
artists, which raised more than $5,000.
“Being able to accept the love and support has lifted our spirits to
match Harmony’s, which has been high from the start. She would make
the doctors laugh when she was in the hospital,” Mosier said. Mosier
also talks about the gift of community. Before going through the fight
with Harmony’s cancer, he thought the concept of community was kind
of hokey, but the love and support his family has received, and the
battle he’s seen his daughter put up, have taught him that it’s powerful
and true. Harmony’s cancer treatment is going well so far; the tumor
has shrunk.
Mosier believes in the muse, and now he most certainly believes in the
power of community.
To donate to Harmony’s recovery, please visit
www.gofundme.com/ysp6tsfw.
JAVA 37
MAGAZINE

GIRL ON FARMER
Have I talked about my new license picture? I think
that I have. But let me remind you just in case. In the
past few years, I have developed a googly eye problem
in pictures. I constantly look like I’m cross-eyed
or at half-mast. To counteract this issue I have developed
a new strategy. When my picture is being taken,
I keep my eyes open VERY WIDE and look straight
ahead. The effect is that I look like I’ve just inhaled
a sand castle made of crystal meth. Not a very good
look. I mention this because I got a ticket for a recent
accident (as you also may already know) and now I
have to go to driving school.
Driving school requires that you scan your driver’s
license, which is something I shy away from. I want
to send in my old one, where I look like a young, cute
hippie instead of someone who will steal your silverware
and kidnap your cat for ransom.
Did you know that you have a wide choice in driving
schools? There are about 15 different options you can
take. I had no idea it was such a lucrative industry.
The one I chose is the Improv Driving School. Why
does the Improv have a driving school and who
authorized this? Their key selling point is they promise
to make driving school funny and that you can finish
all the online classes in about an hour. Not true.
They may be funny, but according to AZ law, the class
has to be six hours long, which is not funny.
Six hours of driving school seems like an awful lot
just to avoid a fine for a ticket. I think if your accident
is stupid like mine was (hardly an accident—more of
an unfortunate event), you should get to choose the
self-help skill that would be useful in avoiding such
an unfortunate event. My driving skills had little to
do with what happened; it was more my impulsivity
and impatience that led me to turn while only kind
of looking, like an idiot. Maybe I should have to go
to some Zen or relaxation counseling instead of driving
school. I already know that what happened falls
within the “excessively stupid” category. The Improv
funny driving school won’t help me. And I think once
they see my license photo, they will get the impression
that driving school is the least of my worries.
Opting out, however, is not a choice if I want to
avoid points on my creepy-looking license, so I am
stuck with this Improv online course. There is no
38 JAVA
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When my picture is being taken, I keep my
eyes open VERY WIDE and look straight
ahead. The effect is that I look like I’ve just
inhaled a sand castle made of crystal meth.
way around what “the man” says we have to do. This wisdom is according to my
friend—who also thinks that “the man” is responsible for airplane chemtrails,
a fake moon landing, silent microwaves penetrating our brain from a variety of
household objects and, what no conspiracy theory should be without— spreading
cancer—said while smirking and rubbing his hands together like an evil
cartoon villain. “The man” is happy that I have to attend the Improv driving school
because he will get to take my money and buy more moon-landing props.
As much as I don’t like blaming “the man,” or “the woman,” for that matter, I do
feel like they have a little vendetta against me this month. Not only do I have
to attend driving school, but it gets worse. In the rental car I was driving postaccident,
I got a parking ticket (for nonresident parking) IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
And the angry, roly-poly ticket-writer woman did not care that I was chasing her
little golf cart down the street shrieking, “It’s kind of not my car!” No. She did
not care. She did not care that the visitor plate fell on the floor because we went
on a trip and it was lost in the shuffle. She did not care that I was, at the very
moment she was writing my ticket, watching a video for my driving school! My
pleas did nothing to slow her and her cart down. She rode into the sunset and
left me on the sidewalk, teary eyed, with a ticket in hand for $200.
Now I owe “the man” two things: finishing up my online driving school and paying
the ticket on my space-age rental that was parked in front of my very own
house. I am not happy about any of this. And I also don’t have the money to be
paying any of this. Luckily, I have a plan to fund the fines for all of these unfortunate
events. It involves stealing your silverware and ransoming your pet. At least
that what my driver’s license picture says.
I don’t care what the Improv tells me; this is not so funny. Well, the tickets aren’t,
but I guess my satanic zombie-eater license picture kind of is.

NIGHT
GALLERY
Photos By
Robert Sentinery
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1. Jessica is a fine wine expert
2. Skyler and Lindsay from Couture in the Suburbs
3. Grant from MMPR with Ryan from Modern Manor at
Shake Shack
4. Norbert Guthier “Co-Works” show at Tieken Gallery
5. Snapped this handsome couple at Devoured
6. Jesse and Samantha at Palette to Palate
7. Mia with Pete Deise sculpture at “Myopia” at New City
8. Aubrie and Shawn at Devoured Culinary Classic
9. Lovely little black dress ladies
10. Trini and Francisco from Volr Salon
11. Athene and Dewana at Tieken Gallery

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12. Hangin’ with Brea and Henri at the Coronado Home Tour fest
13. Vinyl Station rocked the Shake Shack opening
14. Artist Edina Tokodi at Canal Convergence
15. Shake Shack grand opening at Scottsdale Fashion Square
16. Smiling faces at Tieken Gallery
17. Tad and pals at Tieken
18. Coronado Home Tour festival
19. Fun behind the bar at the Moxy Hotel
20. Beate from Mane Attraction and pal
21. Melinda and friends at the Coronado fest
22. Shake Shack execs celebrate at their Scottsdale location
23. More fun at the Shake Shack opening
24. Up close and personal with these ladies
25. Chalk car and its owner at Coronado fest
26. James, Casebeer and Randy at Palette to Palate
27. Jonathon from Arizona Wilderness Brewing
28. “The Real Nitty Gritty” show at MonOrchid
29. Diamond and friend at the Moxy Hotel opening

CUSTOM QUALITY SCREEN PRINTING
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Distant Visions
Apparatus and Ephemera from
the Televisor Era 1884-1928
Steve Gompf
Admission!
Continues through May 1!
STEVE GOMPF, Salesman
Sample Televisor,
1901 American, 2015,
Mixed media with video,
20 x 20 x 7½ inches.
Courtesy Televisor
Museum International
(teleseum.org).
One East Main Street • Mesa, Arizona 85201 • 480-644-6560 • MesaArtsCenter.com

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30. Pavle and Carla at Palette to Palate
31. Spray can chess at the “The Real Nitty Gritty” show
32. Pretties in the VIP at Devoured
33. Lovely Denise of Lotus Contemporary Art
34. Ty getting his nosh on at Devoured Culinary Classic
35. Handy wine glass holders at Devoured
36. Lisa from Practical Art is rocking her new Pete Deise necklace
37. Lauren Lee’s opening at {9} the Gallery
38. Todd and Kelly Bostock from Dos Cabezas WineWorks
39. Laura and Ernesto at Art d’Core Gala
40. Doug from Otro Café with Diana from AZ Foodie
41. Chef Johnny Chu from Red Thai
42. Body paint artist Mark Greenawalt at Lotus Contemporary
43. Devoured Culinary Classic cuties
44. Peace out with the Café Tranquilo crew
45. Mike Afsa in “The Black & White Show” at Lotus
46. Justin from Art(ist)serv and his lady at Art d’Core
47. These guy look like they’re ready for a cruise

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48. All dressed in black, black, black
49. Ostrich egg art at Art d’Core Gala
50. Carlos Rivas of Servous Nystem
51. Hendrick’s Gin girls at MMMFest
52. Leoni’s Foccacia in the house at Devoured
53. Sunny sunflower girls
54. Chef Vincent creates in the VIP lounge at Devoured
55. Artist Justin Queal in Larry Ortega’s “Myopia” show
56. Phx Theatre ladies and their furry friend
57. Representing Homeboy’s Hot Sauce and The Larder and the Delta
58. Kirti and friend at the AZ Foodie meet up
59. Eric is pouring AZ Stronghold at Devoured
60. Cool vendors from Seattle at MMMFest
61. Yuko and Thaddeus at Colin’s show at The Chocolate Factory
62. Wandering minstrels on the First Friday beat
63. Pink champagne toast at the Moxy Hotel
64. Birthday girl Stacey and her yummy tart
65. Folks from the Unexpected Space at Art d’Core

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66. Dave Quan and his girl with his mural
67. Damian Gomes’ opening at Treeo
68. Snap-happy fun with Debby
69. Shake Shack grand opening attendees
70. James Agency trio at the Moxy Hotel launch
71. D’Lisa and Jayson at Devoured
72. At the Hana booth with Nagisa and Bryan
73. The Huggers in the house at Tieken Gallery
74. Amanda and Shaun and Stacey’s b-day party
75. Gail and Fred at Tieken Gallery
76. Having fun with our March feature model Miwa
77. Hovering around the Dos Cabezas booth at Devoured
78. Met this cute couple at the Myopia show at New City
79. How ’bout them tomatoes, with chef Cullen Campbell
80. Constance with her sculpture at “Myopia”
81. Sip, sip, nosh, nosh at Devoured Culinary Classic
82. Epic Beck at McDowell Mtn. Music Fest
83. Ashley and Steve at The Chocolate Factory

David Sedaris
Saturday, April 30, 8 p.m.
Tickets start at $29
Orpheum Theatre, Phoenix
Back by popular demand, a reading and book signing
with the best-selling author and public radio
personality, known for his sardonic wit and incisive
social critiques.
“… one of the greatest humorists
writing today.” – Chicago Tribune
Order your tickets today!
Click Phoenix.TicketForce.com
Call 602-262-6225
Visit 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix
Scottsdale
Cinematheque
April – September 2016
Tickets $7 (reserved seating)
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Stage 2
Perfect for adventurous movie-goers and lovers of fine cinema,
Scottsdale Cinematheque showcases new independent, foreign and art
films that are not screened at other Valley theaters. New films are
introduced each month, with multiple screenings on selected weekends,
all with reserved seating. Curated by Scottsdale International Film
Festival Director Amy Ettinger, the Cinematheque series also will include
occasional guest appearances and live-video discussions with
filmmakers, when available.
Order your tickets today!
Click
Call 480-499-TKTS (8587)
Visit 7380 E. Second St.
ScottsdalePerformingArts.org
Where the Road Runs Out
April 8–10
Director: Rudolf Buitendach
Country: Equatorial Guinea
The Automatic Hate
May 13–15 & 20–22
Director: Justin Lerner
Country: United States
The Dying of the Light
June 10–12 & 17–19
Director: Peter Flynn
Country: United States