Java.NOV.2017-web

262 • NOV 2017
CHUCKIE DUFF • SAGRADO GALLERIA • ASHLEY MACIAS • TWIN PONIES

11/16/17 – 12/03/17
A SECRET THE RIVER WON’T GIVE UP
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IN FLUX Cycle 7 is a site-specific temporary
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BY MARISELA TREVIÑO ORTA
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CONTENTS
8
12
22
30
34
FEATURES
8 12 22
34
WHO IS CHUCKIE DUFF
By Jeff Kronenfeld
FAREWELL TO
ASHLEY MACIAS
The Artist Relocates to Mexico City
By Jack Cavanaugh
SOLARIS
Photographer: Chris Loomis
Fashion: Galina Mihaleva
TWIN PONIES
By Mitchell L. Hillman
CROSSING THE RIVER
The Light Rail Expansion, Sagrado and the
Changing South Side
By Daniel Mills
Cover: Allie Cripe, The Agency Arizona
Photo by: Chris Loomis
COLUMNS
7
16
20
30
38
40
BUZZ
Urbanity
By Robert Sentinery
ARTS
The Sole of PHX
By Demetrius Burns
Sheila Pepe
By Amy L. Young
FOOD FETISH
The Grand
By Sloane Burwell
SOUNDS AROUND TOWN
By Mitchell L. Hillman
GIRL ON FARMER
Guide to Holiday Eating
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
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Jenna Duncan
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Demetrius Burns
Jack Cavanaugh
Sam Clark
Jeffery Kronenfeld
Nicole Royse
Tom Reardon
PROOFREADER
Patricia Sanders
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Chris Loomis
Enrique Garcia
Johnny Jaffe
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4 JAVA
MAGAZINE

FIRST FRIDAYS AT
THE HEARD
NOV. 4 – JULY 1, 2018
CELEBRATE OUR
LATEST EXHIBITION
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CREATE YOUR
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JEWELRY!
Awa Tsireh (Alfonso Roybal),
1898-1955
San Ildefonso Pueblo
Detail of Eagle and Snake, c. 1920s
The Cleveland Museum of Art,
gift of Amelia Elizabeth White 1937.798
Detail of Eagle and Snake tray,
c. 1930s - 1940s
Howard Collection
2301 N. CENTRAL AVE. PHOENIX, AZ 85004
602.252.8840 | HEARD.ORG

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SCULPTURE AT DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN
OCT. 13, 2017 – MAY 13, 2018
Included with membership or Garden admission
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Additional support provided by
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URBANITY
By Robert Sentinery
BUZZ
There is no question that Phoenix is experiencing a growth cycle and the
urban landscape is changing rapidly. What’s different about this particular
period is that, instead of the usual push to the outer boundaries of suburban
purgatory, we have seen so much investment in the central core. “Infill” is a
buzzword that rolls easily off the tongue of many a developer, planner and
politician. That is all quite nice, but the problem is, instead of just filling in
the checkerboard of dirt lots that abound in central Phoenix, so much history
has been torn down to make it cheap and easy for out-of-town developers
to build generic money-making machines (namely, expensive high-density
rental apartments and condos).
Enter Chuckie Duff, a renegade developer who has helped save a number of
smaller urban buildings in our burgeoning city center. Chuckie seems to carefully
curate his tenants and then invests loads of money into creative rehabs
of buildings that would likely be torn down otherwise. The result, in a single
word, is “character,” that elusive trait that makes a place interesting and
worth exploring. We are all familiar with the businesses Chuckie has championed:
Gallo Blanco Café, Sutra Yoga, Cobra Arcade Bar, Rebel Lounge,
Gracie’s Tax Bar, Antique Sugar, PALABRA hair studio, and many more. Yes,
Chuckie was born with privilege, but it’s what he’s done with his resources
that makes him an important contributor (see “Who Is Chuckie Duff?,” p. 8).
As we gear up for a new light rail extension that will send trains down Central
Ave., across the river, and into the heart of South Phoenix, one can’t help
but wonder how this economically depressed area on the doorstep of downtown
will be affected. For decades South Phoenix has functioned as a sort of
barrio of its own, with a unique sense of place and identity. Stakeholders in
the area, including Sagrado Galleria, have made sure that South Phoenix artists
will be represented in public art along the light rail. There is a persistent
hope that the character of the place will remain and improve with added
resources. The fear is that it will be lost to accommodate generic commuter
housing along the rail line (see “Crossing the River: The Light Rail Expansion,
Sagrado and the Changing South Side,” p. 34).
Finally, it’s not easy to say goodbye to a friend and community member
who has decided to move on. Ashley Macias is relocating to Mexico City to
pursue art career opportunities. Macias is known not only for her unique biomorphic
surrealist paintings that open doorways to the imagination but as
one of the core Phoenix artists who was there at the beginning and literally
grew up in the scene, sharing her life and work as an ultimate expression
of community. Good luck, Ashley. We will miss you, but I’m sure we haven’t
seen the last of you (see “Farewell Ashley Macias: The Artist Relocates to
Mexico City,” p. 12).
WE PUT THE ART
IN MARTINI
Artist Christian Candamil puts a twist on a piece
by Janis Leonard and fashion designer Galina Mihaleva
THURSDAY DATE NIGHT
Join us for a perfect night out and
take advantage of SMoCA Free Thursdays
with free admission to the museum
all day (12 --- 9pm)
We cook till half past midnight every night of the year
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WHO IS
CHUCKIE
DUFF?
By Jeff Kronenfeld
Photo: Danielle Wood
8 JAVA
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Photos: Joel Contreras
Downtown Phoenix was a different place even
just a few years ago, especially on a Friday night.
Think of the corner of McKinley and Second
Street. Where once sat a sleepy office building now
is Cobra Arcade Bar, with its raucous Friday and
Saturday night crowds spilling down the block.
Ariel Bracamonte, or Ari as he prefers, assembled
and restored vintage arcade games for years while
trying to get Cobra opened. Even he had his doubts
about the location. But not Chuckie Duff. “He’s a
visionary, he can see things. I would have never
thought Cobra worked in that building, but he knew
it would,” Ari recalls. “When we first looked at it, it
was just cubicles.”
It seems like every day a new building packed with
condos appears on the skyline and the units sport
whopping price tags reminiscent of LA or New
York. Often enough, in the coffee shops and bars
that are sprouting up with nearly equal frequency,
you’ll overhear someone bemoaning the speed and
character of this development. They’ll likely throw
around the word gentrification, usually contorting
their face as they do.
And it’s true, whether you like it or not, downtown
Phoenix is gentrifying fast. But it’s important to
remember what the area was actually like before the
recent boom.
“If you look at when Chuckie and those guys first
came into downtown, it was a pretty desolate
place. It was the kind of a place that the sidewalk
rolled up at nighttime,” said Christine MacKay, the
community and economic development director for
the City of Phoenix. “Fast forward to 2008, when
the light rail opened and ASU’s downtown campus
really kicked off. Now there are about 13,000 ASU
students in downtown, but more importantly, this has
really driven the residential. There are about 4,000
high-density residential units either planned or being
constructed, with 1,900 of them finished in the last
12 months.”
While many of the downtown developers are giant
corporations or out-of-state private equity groups,
not all are such distant, impersonal entities. Once the
bassist for local indie band Dear in the Headlights,
Chuckie Duff is a Phoenix developer who focuses
on rehabbing and restoring old buildings rather than
tearing them down.
Without Chuckie, you wouldn’t be able to drop tokens
at Cobra, pick up a plant at Pueblo, take a yoga class
at Sutra, catch a show at the Rebel Lounge or – the
most recent addition to this small empire – throw
back a pint at Gracie’s Tax Bar. And this isn’t even
the complete list. Chuckie owns the buildings that
house these businesses, and he’s not just some suit
collecting a rent check. He is involved, in varying
capacities, as a partner, advisor, investor and friend.
One of his renters, Michael Lanier, founder of The
Bosque and Pueblo botanical shops, summed up
Duff’s model succinctly. “Chuckie buys old buildings
that need work, that could easily get torn down and
rebuilt into high-rise apartments or expensive retail,
but he finds local businesses that would do well in
them and then rehabs the places, putting in all the
upfront money.”
Before Duff was a developer, he was a musician, and
before that, just a kid who loved to play music. His
parents were affluent and insisted on homeschooling
prior to college. He said there were times he begged
to go to school, especially after he hit puberty, but
his parents never relented. Church groups and then
music provided him with social interactions, and it
seems this early musical influence was seminal both
personally and professionally.
Duff is not successful just because of family
resources, though obviously that helps. Lots of
developers have money. Chuckie is successful
because he knows the area, chooses his partners
wisely and doesn’t cut corners on the builds. And,
of course, having the capital at hand helps.
The people he works with aren’t just business
contacts, they’re friends (or friends of friends),
fellow musicians or part of that certain group of
creatives that swirl around downtown in various
interminglings and make up the scene.
While operating Flying Blanket recording studio and
playing with Dear in the Headlights, Chuckie met lots
of musicians, promoters and artists whom he would
later work with as a developer. There is Dan Hargest,
once the vocalist for Pollen and currently the owner
of Acme Prints. There is Grace Perry, the founder and
namesake of Gracie’s Tax Bar and former lead singer
for death metal band Landmine Marathon. They both
rent from him.
Although Chuckie has never lived outside the Valley,
he has travelled and seen other places, particularly
when touring. He saw lots of bars and entertainment
districts. He saw that these cities had things that
Phoenix didn’t, but maybe could.
“This is sort of my soapbox about Phoenix,” Chuckie
said as he leaned back in his chair and began
animating his words with sweeping gestures.
“There’s just so much opportunity here because we
tend to be one or two steps behind other cities. So
it’s just finding something that doesn’t exist that
people want and filling it in. In Los Angeles, there
JAVA 9
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are plenty of dive bar concepts, with tons of
competition in that arena, but in Phoenix there is
the first-mover advantage.”
“There have been arcade bars across the nation for
the last decade in cities much smaller than Phoenix
that are very successful. No one had done one
here correctly and in the right location. It’s just fun
to be able to bring an idea like that to completion
and have people get it right away. I’m obviously a
big proponent of Phoenix and am always trying to
convince people to come here and do things, because
there’s still a lot of demand to be filled.”
The way Chuckie catalogues the businesses he works
with is emblematic of his approach. When he recalls
how a particular venture started, it’s always in the
form of a story and, more often than not, one set at a
bar. Take the night Chuckie learned about Ari’s plans
for an arcade bar. “I was at the Monarch seeing Boys
Noize, hanging out with my friend Jeremiah, who is
president of Gator Records,” Chuckie recalled. “He
was telling me about his friend Ari who has all
these classic video games and wanted to start a
bar, and I was like, ‘Hey, I just bought this building
and you should come look at it.’ These things always
seem to happen that way, a little bit fortuitously, a
little bit randomly.”
10 JAVA
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There’s also the story of how he began working with
Jorge Torres of PALABRA, a hair studio, gallery and
café on First Street near Roosevelt. “My stylist, Zack,
worked there, and that’s how I met Jorge and found
out they were losing their space,” Chuckie said. “We
were having a few drinks one night at Lux, and I was
like, ‘Well, let’s find you a building.’ After looking at
a few, that one seemed like the right thing. We were
actually able to pick up two dirt lots to the south as
part of the purchase, and I feel like we paid below
market for it.”
After realizing that the touring life wasn’t for him –
Duff was married at the time, with a young child – he
pursued the most immediate opportunity available to
him. “My dad said if I got an MBA, he’d hire me, so I
went back to school, did that and started working for his
company,” Chuckie said. “They own apartments, most
of which are straightforward suburban stucco buildings,
and so I got a feel for doing that for a few years.”
In 2010, Chuckie started exploring some of the
smaller apartment complexes downtown. “I
was looking at these deals downtown, and the
economics just didn’t make any sense to me.
They were so inexpensive. Of course, we were
in the recession and things were difficult, but I
was like, ‘There’s no way we can lose money on
this.’” Eventually they acquired the Continental
Apartments, a two-story 1960s garden-style
building on Third Street and Portland.
“We sandblasted it, picked an interesting contrast in
paint color, went inside and did concrete floors and
new countertops, and for lack of a better word, did a
‘hipster’ remodel,” Chuckie said. “And people really
responded to it, so we started doing more of those.
Next, we did one on Fifth and Willetta called the
Carol Mary, which was vacant when we bought it,
except for about 30 cats that we had to re-home.”
After a few of these smaller apartment buildings,
Chuckie made the leap into adaptive reuse, which is
urban planner speak for changing what a building is
used for, like when an old factory gets turned into a
bar or restaurant.
While it sounds simple, there is a lot of work and
expense involved. There is the rezoning process,
and then there is the construction side. Rehabbing
old buildings is a costly and unpredictable endeavor,
Chuckie explained, and once you start tearing out
walls, you never know what you’ll find.
“I tend to spend about twice as much as I budget,”
Chuckie explained. “I want to make nice places for
people and not cut corners, but with old buildings,

you never know. It’s like an onion, every time you peel
back a layer, you cry.”
Chuckie’s most recent project, Gracie’s Tax Bar, is a
good example. Wanting to preserve the shell of the
building, including the faded signage from the bar’s
previous life as a tax service, Chuckie and his team of
architects and builders essentially constructed a new
building inside the old walls. It was a crazy and kind
of expensive route to go, but he doesn’t scrimp when
it comes to preservation. To date, all of his projects
downtown have involved preserving and restoring old
buildings, rather than tearing them down.
“Phoenix suffers from just demolishing historical
buildings and not preserving culture,” said Grace
Perry, the owner and namesake of Gracie’s Tax Bar.
“Chuckie is a huge advocate of preserving Phoenix
culture, and both of us truly care about Phoenix and
want to make it better.”
Unfortunately, even Chuckie is starting to be priced
out of the area, shifting his focus further afield with
a development at 10th and Pierce (home to Gallo
Blanco) and a recent acquisition on the north end of
the Warehouse District.
“It became 2015 and I couldn’t afford anything
between Seventh and Seventh anymore,” Chuckie
said. “Suddenly these apartments are coming out of
the ground. You see cranes everywhere, and I can’t
afford to buy anything with meat on the bone, where
I can spend a little extra on my tenants and make
sure to do it right.”
High-density residential units are coming available by
the thousands, and they’re actually finding tenants,
too. While this change does drive up rents, pricing
out poorer people, it also creates areas that are more
walkable and capable of supporting local businesses.
“I appreciate the trajectory. I think some of the
buildings are kind of boring. There’s not as much
character as there used to be, so that sucks,” said
Lanier. “But the more people that come in, the more
buildings with character you can eventually get. The
artists that can stick it out will end up with some
really incredible spaces to show and people that can
afford to buy their work. It’s sort of this huge web of
pros and cons, but I’m an optimist, so I kind of see all
the positives in it.”
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Farewell
Ashley
Macias
The Artist Relocates Mexico City
By Jack Cavanaugh
12 JAVA
MAGAZINE
Photo by Daniel Swadner

While waiting for our meeting at Gracie’s
Tax Bar on the day before one of the
biggest First Fridays of the year, I take
in the decor and sip a beer. It’s late
afternoon and Ashley Macias is texting me, telling
me she’ll be a bit more delayed, as she’s still waiting
for a completed painting of hers to be delivered to
Legend City Studios for Chaos Theory 18. Gracie’s
has also commissioned her to paint a mural on their
patio just days before Macias leaves for Mexico
City indefinitely. Aside from meeting me, she will
be participating Chaos Theory, completing this lastminute
commission, delivering more of her pieces to
collectors and attending the wedding of a close friend.
Macias finally arrives in a frenzy, still catching her
breath. I thank her for meeting me and she replies, “Of
course! I don’t really know how to say no, anyway. I’m
always like, “Yes! Yes! Yes! but then I end up tearing
my hair out. I’m just stoked for things. New projects,
anything. I just want to do as much as I can before I
go. A lot of people want me to do pieces. They’re like,
‘Oh, you’re leaving? Oh, let me get a piece now!’”
The recent weeks of unrelenting tasks are a side of
this artist’s life that the general public doesn’t often
see. “There’s not that much time in the day. It’s not
just the process of getting a painting done, it’s also
getting it over to someone. There’s really not enough
time. That’s probably why I don’t sleep. I want to
have time to paint.”
Macias has been a fixture in downtown Phoenix for
several years, and has amassed a very large body of
work, including canvas paintings, illustrations, murals
and live interactive pieces. She has even painted
her surreal creatures on live humans for Canal
Convergence among other events. While the past week
for her has been a prime example of the behind-thescenes
stresses of an artistic life, Macias can’t imagine
a different lifestyle.
“Every now and then, as a joke to myself, I say
‘what was I thinking?’ I feel like I’ve always created,
so [being an artist] comes naturally, but I didn’t
really know I could do anything with it. I wish I
had known. I could have done something with it
sooner, but I feel pretty good now. It just feels
like what I’m supposed to do—my lifeline. It’s
difficult, but everything’s difficult at some point, and
when I take that deep breath, I’m happy. I feel like I’m
getting better every year.”
Macias’ approach to creating rides the line between
having a deliberate goal in mind and allowing the
work to take on its own shape. “It’s a little of both
depending on the mood. I like to plan and have a
more definitive process, but I feel like the more I
grow into this, the harder it is to try and force the
direction. A lot of what I do is very organic and fluid.
I have something general in mind and then it grows
around that. It’s hard to explain, because when I’m
in the process, I feel like I’m in another place. I’d like
to be a little bit more formulated and I feel like I’m
getting there as I start to understand my art better.”
While Macias is a native Arizonan, she’s venturing
into Mexico for some mural commissions and to
meet up with a past collaborator as part of the SEED
project. SEED, an acronym for Stellar Emissions
Encapsluation Device, is a project spearheaded
by Devin Fleenor, a Phoenix artist best known for
his work with the band, Mr. Meeble and other
audiovisual projects. The project is described as an
artificially intelligent art installation and will be on
display at Museo Franz Mayer as part of MUTEK.
MX and Abierto Mexicano de Diseño from October
11th to 22nd. Macias calls it “the next level of what
JAVA 13
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Photo by
14 JAVA Richard Douglas
MAGAZINE

Photo by Charles Darr
Fleenor is doing with AI light art. It’s meant to be
therapeutic, but it’s also intelligent art.”
Macias’s role is loosely defined as an assistant on
the project. “I just get to see what they do and learn
as I go. Mostly, I’m just really great moral support!”
She laughs. “You know Devin’s an alien! He’s the only
person that makes me feel normal. When I say I’m
an alien, he’ll give me a look like ‘yeah but it’s ok.’
He always has this genuine warmth, like ‘it’s ok that
you’re weird. Weird is good.’”
Another large-scale mural project that Macias recently
completed is plainly visible to passersby at the
intersection of 6th Street and Roosevelt, on the Grateful
House. “I had been talking to Grateful for almost a year
now, and never really happened. Finally, I was like, ‘Hey
dude, do you wanna keep having an ugly house or not?’
And he was like, ‘you’re right. Let’s get this going.’”
The former black and white abstract design strewn
across the Roosevelt-facing wall was recently
replaced with a monochromatic blue mural painted
by Macias and another local artist who goes by the
name Volar. “He’s a really good graffiti artist but he’s
also great at doing abstracts. We worked together
really well. He’s really great with the [spray paint]
can, so I figured if anything, it be a good experience.
We came up with a concept that was exactly what I
was envisioning. That’s what I mean by really good
chemistry—working with another artist that really
gets what you’re thinking.”
“Grateful House is going through a partner change,
and they’re teaming up with USA Today. That’s why
we went monochromatic blue. Grateful will be in
contract with them, so there’s going to be more
artwork and opportunities. I’ve been talking to the
building owners Kyle [Cox] and Justin [Rainbow], and
they’re really wanting to get more in touch with the
community and potentially get more artists involved. The
city’s growing and this could be a really exciting thing.”
I asked Macias if she thought Phoenix would
permanently lose her presence, to which she
reassured me that she would return. “This is home.
I really love Phoenix. I feel like it made me grow
up in a lot of ways, coming downtown to the arts
scene and becoming part of such a supportive the
community, but I feel like it’s necessary to move
somewhere where I feel newly inspired and bring
what I have there from here and vice versa.”
Like many in downtown Phoenix, Macias has seen
her life and career as an artist directly affected by the
swift changes to the physical and social landscape.
“I’m kinda confused about where it’s going. But I
am optimistic because I feel as long as the artists
are here, they can create a greater influence and
awareness. Right now, I feel like the city is confused,
like it’s going through puberty. I feel like having a
voice is really important, but it’s also about action.”
“Whether or not you like the changes, how are you
going to be a part of it? There are a lot of things
happening that might make us uncomfortable, but
it is our duty to seek and create opportunities that
make the [broader community] recognize artists. I
think voicing an opinion is healthy, but action really
does speak louder. It’s still a very fresh playground
and there’s room for everybody. Keep creating and
be consistent. Artists are the reason these changes
are happening because people want to be part of the
arts. We just can’t give up that easily. ”
Those who have seen Macias’ surreal and colorful
pieces can immediately pick up on their depth.
“Obviously my art is very personal. It’s always
hardest to talk about my own work because there so
many points to make, and it comes from an internal,
emotional place. My art is always about exploring
deeper consciousness, the human psyche and human
nature. I always try to portray this. I want to create
the human element through plants, through, well
everything that exists, but also create this very deep
construct of what goes beyond the human mind.
What’s underneath; what really defines us as living
things and how beneath it all, we all part of that
same origin, that same beauty.”
Instagram: @ashleymacias
facebook.com/ispeakashley

ARTS
THE SOLE OF PHX
Artists Celebrate 50 Years of the Suns
By Demetrius Burns
It’s funny that the greatest musical artist and the
greatest athlete of our time peaked at the same
moment and were both named Michael. Jackson and
Jordan defined legacies in pop music and basketball,
respectively, to galvanize people everywhere.
Basketball is an art form full of rock stars pulling
on gravity’s rainbow with every dunk, crossover and
spin move. It is a series of coordinated gestures
punctuated with machinations of grace, charisma
and sheer athletic magnitude that has become
synonymous with a lifestyle. In that sense, basketball
players are artists, and their canvas is brown and
striped.
In a calculated effort to capture the undeniable
synergy between the NBA and art in general, the
Phoenix Suns have launched The Sole of PHX, a
creative partnership with many artists brought in to
paint oversized (8’ x 6’ x 3’) high-top sneakers for
an exhibit spread throughout the city. The project
embodies the artistry and vision of basketball and the
keystone moments in Phoenix Suns history.
The Sole of PHX includes a legion of local and
regional artists and is a fun, interactive way for
the community to mark the Suns’ 50th anniversary
celebration, from the arena and into the streets. The
15 Suns-inspired art pieces will be displayed all
around the Valley throughout the Suns’ 2017-18
golden-anniversary season.
The Fortoul Brothers, Gabriel and Isaac, having just
completed their duties as official artists for the
Lost Lake Festival – with their bold graphic works
emblazoning all sorts of festival swag, including the
monumental banners surrounding the stages – have
two sneakers in The Sole of PHX, “Fire of Life” and
“Desert Flame.” Both celebrate the glowing orb that
brings its fierce magic to the desert and its people.
“We cycle and elevate like the sun.” Indeed, these
artist brothers are on the rise with a number of
national and international projects in the works.
Native artist Thomas Breeze Marcus is really excited
about his sneaker. “I am honored to be a part of this
project for the Phoenix Suns’ 50th anniversary,” said
Breeze. “I am even more thankful that I was able to
create a piece of art that specifically represents the
original tribes of the Valley, the Akimel O’odham of
the Gila and the Salt River communities, which is
where my families are from, including the Tohono
O’odham Nation of Southern Arizona. The Phoenix
Suns will always remind me of my grandfather, who
was a huge fan of the team and would even sit in his
truck to listen to the games if they weren’t on TV.”
Another Phoenix-based muralist and rising art star,
JB Snyder, produced a sneaker titled “Fragmented
50” with his classic geometric designs and vibrant
colors. In this case, Snyder integrates the purple
and orange palette from the Phoenix Suns franchise
into his signature grid of continuous lines and
hidden imagery, helping to successfully bridge the
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gap between the Phoenix art underground and the
corporate sports franchise.
Bill Dambrova is a native Arizonian artist who lived
and worked in Los Angeles for 10 years. “I was
really into the Suns when I was a kid in the ’70s, so I
wanted to honor that time period with the colors and
a riff on the logo that they used back then,” he said.
Dambrova got into art at an early age, and for him
shoes were an opportunity for personal expression.
“My shoes were painted different colors and had
names of punk bands written all over them, and there
were rips and holes in the canvas where my crazy
colored socks would poke out,” he recalled. His piece
for the exhibit, titled “Jumper,” depicts a well-worn
and loved shoe that pays tribute to the Suns and to
the prickly flora that abounds here.
The sneakers in the exhibit have an interactive
dimension that allows visitors to use the Suns app
(newest version is required) to scan the plaque and
unlock content and prizes. Prizes include Suns tickets,
50th season rewards and discounts at the Suns Team
Shop. Fans who scan 10 sneakers will receive two
lower-level tickets to a Suns game, and those who
scan all 14 (Luke Air Force Base is excluded) will
be entered into a chance to win a pair of courtside
seats to the Suns matchup against the Golden State
Warriors on Sunday, April 8.
Following the 2017-18 Suns season, the sneaker
art will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting
Phoenix Suns Charities.
suns.com/sole
Bill Dambrova, Jumper
Thomas Breeze Marcus, Basketry Meets Bball
Fortoul Brothers, Fireoflife
JB Snyder, Fragmented 50
The list of participating artists and their
sneaker locations:
-Former Phoenix Suns legends Dick and Tom Van Arsdale (Talking
Stick Resort Arena)
-Thomas Breeze Marcus (Talking Stick Resort)
-Isaac Caruso (City Hall and Luke Air Force Base)
-Timothy Chapman (Phoenix Zoo)
-Curt Condrat (Harkins at Crossroads Town Center)
-Estevan Curiel (Tempe Marketplace)
-Bill Dambrova (Desert Ridge Marketplace)
-Gabriel and Isaac Fortoul (Encanto Park and the Central Ave. and
Roosevelt light rail station)
-Gilda Garza (Legends Entertainment District)
-JB Snyder (Mesa Arts Center)
-Robert Vargas (Westgate Entertainment District and 5th Ave. and
Drinkwater in Scottsdale)
-Graffiti artist Clyde (corner of Mill Ave. and University Drive in Tempe)
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SHEILA PEPE
Mid-Career Survey at PAM
By Amy Young
One of Phoenix Art Museum’s current exhibitions,
Sheila Pepe: Hot Mess Formalism is the first midcareer
survey of Pepe’s work, and the title couldn’t
be more perfect. For more than two decades, Pepe
has been crafting large-scale installations from both
domestic and industrial fibrous materials, resulting in
grand displays that never lose the combined presence
of structure and chaos. And just like in any situation
where that type of parallel is dominant, your mind
immediately goes to work, trying to put those parts
together to both absorb and understand the whole.
The way Pepe engages the physical space in her
installations reflects a penchant for embracing
nontraditional protocols. When you encounter her
work, it doesn’t feel like an in-your-face rebellion, but
more of an act of individualism that adds urgency to
the importance of pushing the envelope. For instance,
in her site-specific Put Me Down Gently installation
at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston in
2014, she involved the building’s elevator shaft. That
machine’s own functional motions made it become a
partner with her work, giving it movement and flow.
Crochet, as a medium, has caused polarization in the
art world. Some see it more as craftwork than fine
art. Pepe acknowledges that train of thought in an
interview she gave while installing Put Me Down
Gently. She explains how she brings art, craft and
design together to transcend those staid boundaries
of thought. Work from that installation is included in
this exhibition, highlighting her interesting blend of
materials, such as parachute cords, yarn and laces.
In that same interview, she also talks about how
she learned how to crochet from her mother as a
child and then, as many kids do, abandoned it.
She found her way back to it 30 years later. Now,
as a feminist and educator, she uses strategic
and creative thinking blended with artistic talent
to weave together these new statements that defy
patriarchal notions of recognized or accepted forms
of art and art-making processes.
Just as she doesn’t pound you over the head in how
she uses the exhibition spaces she works in, Pepe
also doesn’t get too showy with her palette. For
instance, you’ll see Common Sense II at Phoenix
Art Museum, a 2010 work from Hand + Made:
The Performative Impulse in Art & Craft, at the
Contemporary Art Museum in Houston. Here, she
utilizes red and black yarns and rope to create a
complex, webby hanging piece. The bold colors are
forceful, as broad shapes are created around intricate
tangles. In Red Hook at Bedford Terrace (detail
with artist), from 2008, it’s black, green and white
shoelaces, cotton yarn and nautical towline that all
unite to dangle and dazzle.
With these installation pieces and their inherent
order-meets-chaos effect, it’s the viewer that
becomes the middle ground. As you circle
through and around these site-stylized works,
the perceptions develop. Pepe has created that
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oom, that freedom within her creation to speculate,
interpret and understand.
Second Vatican Council Wrap is one of the show’s
most intense pieces. Synthetic and natural yarn
and metallic threads are combined in a hearty wall
hanging that makes you feel its weight by just
eyeing it. The Second Vatican Council was active
in the 1960s to address relations between the
modern world and the Catholic Church. If it is
a direct reference to religion in Pepe’s own life,
then it would probably be a fair assumption that it
involved complexity.
Hanging fiber pieces aren’t all you will see. Short
Stack is one of Pepe’s wood sculptures that also
feature paint and gloss to create a platform of loosely
stacked black pieces. They support a wood square on
top that slightly resembles the back of the witnessstand
seat in a courtroom. There’s also Oversewn
Object with Different Things Underneath, which
uses fabric over accumulated armature to create an
abstract figure. This piece has a distinct sense of
whimsy that isn’t prominent in Pepe’s work.
Currently, Pepe is the Core Critic in the Painting +
Printmaking Department at Yale, following years of
teaching at numerous universities, including Bard
College, Brandeis University and RISD. With a vast
number of acclaimed solo and group exhibitions
under her belt—in both galleries and museums—this
mid-career survey was due. In 2018, the exhibition
travels to the Everson Museum of Art and the Bemis
Center for Contemporary Arts.
Sheila Pepe: Hot Mess Formalism
Through January 28
Phoenix Art Museum
www.phxart.org
Sheila Pepe, Red Hook at Bedford Terrace (detail with artist), 2008. Shoelaces,
cotton yarn, and nautical towline. Variable dimensions. Smith College Museum
of Art, Purchased with gifts from members of the Museum’s Visiting Committee
in honor of the retirement of Ann Johnson.
Sheila Pepe, Short Stack, 2017. Wood, paint, gloss medium. Collection of the
artist. Photo by Alan Weiner.
Sheila Pepe, Second Vatican Council Wrap, 2013. Synthetic and natural yarn,
and metallic thread. Collection of the artist.
Sheila Pepe, Common Sense II, 2010. Crocheted baby and worsted weight
yarns, rope, and community participation. Installation view, Hand + Made: The
Performative Impulse in Art & Craft, Contemporary Art Museum Houston, Texas.
Sheila Pepe, Put Me Down Gently, 2014. Parachute cord, laces, yarn and hardware.
Installation view, Des Moines Art Center, Iowa. Collection of the artist.
Photo: Rick Lozier Photography.
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THE GRAND
By
A 24-Hour Haunt
Sloane Burwell • Photos: Synergistic Studios
I took it as a sign that the apocalypse might be nigh when Denny’s popped up
as a late-night delivery option on Seamless. Sure, you COULD get Moons Over
My Hammy delivered at 2:00 a.m., but should you? Clearly the answer is no, but
sometimes you’re hungry and it’s late. And that’s where the Grand comes in. Part
goth coffee shop, part late-night wi-fi study zone and part Arizona club history
museum (of sorts), the Grand manages to blend all fairly seamlessly into an
interesting mix of tasty caffeinated possibilities.
The Grand is clearly the product of Steven Rogers, the creator of Amsterdam
(the club that once inhabited the Grand’s hallowed grounds), as well as Crowbar,
Sanctum and the Works, among others. The Grand manages to integrate
elements from each club iteration into one interesting spot. The gorgeous
wooden bar from Amsterdam is now the menu reader board, lending heft and
artistic credence to the gorgeous, cavernous two-story space. The light fixtures
appear to be from Crowbar, and the industrial gear tables now topped with glass
were once at the Works.
The Grand has plucked design elements from decades past and merged them
in such a way that they seem almost timeless. The gothic influences from the
Sanctum’s lit signs now blend perfectly with the haunted holiday motif. I almost
feel sorry for folks who will miss the massive Halloween installation, which
includes a full-size carriage with skeletal riders and mounts and a spooky, greyclad
demon baby in the front window. Dotted along each industrial steel pillar
is a cartoonish skeletal dog, howling at the moon. To be honest, I’m hoping that
this isn’t just a Halloween thing, but a Grand thing.
Themed drinks in this 24-hour spot (you read that right, this place is indeed 24/7)
include vampiric-themed lattes and “poisoned apple” drinks. Please, Steven, let
those stay, too. I loved the Iced Green Tea ($4.25/large), which actually tasted
grassy and green like it should and not an overly sweet, inauthentic chain
creation. Great Drop Coffee ($3.75) is also excellent.
You’ll order drinks and food at the charming walk-up counter. I’m not sure
how the servers managed to find us and our number—this place is enormous.
Two capacious stories provide loads of large and small tables, plus plenty
of secretive spots for canoodling, as well as a rather large outside patio. On
every visit, the place remained spotlessly clean (no small feat for a fast-casual
business model and so much room to cover).
In true 24-hour coffeeshop style, we found great wi-fi and plenty of USB
charging stations. We also found a great mix of people: dressed-up club kids,
students of every stripe, moody goths and loads of hipsters. We especially
enjoyed the playlist—slightly emo, with just enough Sisters of Mercy. Not just a
coffeeshop, the Grand maintains a full bar (till 2 a.m.) with a great selection. We
loved the Clown Shoes Chocolate Sombrero Stout ($7) and the Sazerac ($9).
I love a good burger, too, and the Grand ($11) didn’t disappoint. Made from short
ribs, topped with white chedder, bacon-shallot gastrique and arugula, all loaded
into a Noble Bread buttermilk bun. It was extra beefy tasting from the short ribs.
Cooked to medium was perfect and didn’t render the bun a squishy, soggy disaster.
The BLAT ($9.50) is a tasty combo of bacon, fried egg, tomato, sunflower sprout
and avocado smashed into toasted 21-grain bread. The egg was well cooked and
perfectly salted. The avocado lended an avocado-toast air to this extra fancy BLT
that I would happily order again.
There are no sides with the sandwiches here, so consider the kicky Kale Caesar
($6.50), a well-made baby kale and romaine creation with pecorino instead of parmesan.
I loved the roasted garlic addition, which brought some extra umami to the table.
The Grand loves a good mac & cheese, and we enjoyed the daily special Mac of
the Moment ($9), a buffalo-wing mashup with loads of hot sauces, bleu cheese and
what appeared to be bacon dust loaded on top (seriously loaded—not a complaint,
as it was MAGIC). This is an enormous mac & cheese option you’ll want to share.
We wanted to love the Buffalo Cauliflower bites ($8) and assumed that they were
the same tempura-battered cauliflower from the excellent Buffalo Cauliflower
Sandwich ($9). They were not. Perhaps that would have been okay had they been
cooked a tidge longer. The dish is loaded with the same carrot ribbons, buffalo
sauce and bleu cheese as the aforementioned sandwich, and we nearly launched a
sizable nugget over the students next to us when we attempted to cut into it with a
butter knife. Great tasting, but woefully undercooked.
Piping hot, well-seasoned fries ($4.50) are a great choice. Arriving in a large bowl
with aioli, they are meant for sharing. As are the avocado fries ($6.50), a plate of
deep-fried avocado spears.
You’ll find an array of ever-changing desserts at the counter. We loved the homey,
hand-folded danishes ($3); flavors change daily. For me, the berry was best. Who
doesn’t love a huge chocolate chip cookie ($2)? Our charming server told us the
options change daily, and we noticed some adorable themed creations on our visits.
I’m looking forward to how these progress throughout the year.
The Grand is a gorgeous building that is meticulously decorated with enough Phoenix
nightlife history to draw you in, and if you aren’t into club history, it just looks damn good.
It’s the kind of space that has a sense of presence and history, and feels like it has been
here forever, with enough nooks and crannies for even the most anti-social to hide out
and not be readily found. With ample wi-fi, charging options, loads of drinks and
food, and a 24-hour schedule, the Grand is pretty grand to me.
The Grand
718 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
grandcentralcoffeecompany.com
Open 24 hours
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Photography and Art Direction: Chris Loomis
Fashion Design: Galina Mihaleva
Model: Allie Cripe, The Agency Arizona
Makeup: Jamie Kouri
Hair: Ethan Murray
Location: Arcosanti
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Twin Ponies
By Mitchell L. Hillman
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Photo: Jessica Spriggs

I’ve been waiting for a full-length album from
Twin Ponies since their inception, maybe
slightly before, actually. You see, in the beginning
there was Tugboat, who over the course
of four years put out a fantastic album and two
amazing EPs. They were primed to rule the world,
but the very night they released their album in
2012, they called it quits. This was a damn shame,
but not for long. Born from the ashes of Tugboat,
Wayne Jones, Phillip Hanna and Jordan Tompkins
recruited guitarist Jacob Lauxman and formed
Twin Ponies.
I will never forget the release show for the debut
of their PORES EP. It was an amazing evening,
and their limited-edition songbook containing the
lyrics, sheet music and a download code for the
record was the most creative I’d seen. I’ve been
a fan ever since, addicted to their live shows and
following their spare releases religiously. Right
from the start they had an album’s worth of tracks,
but over the last four years we’ve gotten two EPs
and two split EPs, with Celebration Guns and dent.
I begged Jones to put out a full album, and finally
it’s here. Once more, Wayne Jones (vocals/guitar),
Phillip Hanna (bass/synthesizer), Jacob Lauxman
(guitar) and Jordan Tompkins (drums) lay down
their tracks on wax.
At the heart of it, Twin Ponies is a muso band,
musicians playing music that other musicians will
totally love. They are not the kind of band to get
singles on the radio, other than late-night college
radio or independent airwaves, and yet everyone
who knows them loves their stuff. When it comes
down to it, they’re just indie down to their pores.
They blend post punk and math rock, early alternative
and punk flourishes. One of the things I love
about Twin Ponies is that no one else sounds like
them, anywhere.
Guitar sounds crackle, feedback whines, edgy
chords come out of the din, before Jones’ vocals
kick in, and a minute in the entire band explodes
with “Great Big Great.” It’s a fantastic live number
and a great opener for the album. This should
get one of two reactions from the unprepared:
either “What the heck is this?” or “Whoa, what is
THIS?” With Twin Ponies everything is bathed in
math rock madness and walls of guitars, yet they
somehow find a pop hook in the delicious center.
“Great Big Great” has all of this, from the blissful
cacophony to the soaring hook on Jones’ chorus
vocal accompanied by soaring guitar. It’s a hell of a
way to kick off the album.
I’m not ordinarily a fan of long songs, but when
Twin Ponies go on a six-to-eight-minute bender,
they have my absolute rapt attention. They know
how to keep it interesting and ever changing.
“Ends and Pieces” is the first of the three longer
numbers, and every moment is completely engaging.
Unlike a lot of bands that abuse the length
of a song for self-satisfying reasons, Twin Ponies
actually take you to places as dark as they are
redemptive, and all aurally fascinating. It’s an
exploration in the exploitation of grunge guitars,
with thunderous drums and Jones’ distinctive indie
rock vocal, with slowcore, shoegaze moments.
“Balloon Animals” makes a reprise here from
last year’s split record with dent, and it fits in
seamlessly with the rest of the album. After
the epic mindblower we just experienced, “Balloon
Animals” sounds like a pop song, clocking
in at 99 seconds. An instant hook, and then,
poof, it’s gone. In its bubbly wake, “Thumbs
Down” begins like a dirge with deep bass and
unsettling snares. When the guitars come in, it
becomes disorienting. As Jones starts to sing,
it gets woozy, playing like a harrowing psychedelic
experience. With its embedded sense of
dread, it’s an amazing rendition of how your soul
feels on a bad day, but musically.
The mood is completely reset by the near joyful
guitar that bursts forth from “Humpty.” It’s a peculiar,
stripped-down song at the start, that moves
into one of the finest, catchiest songs in their catalog.
It’s another one of my favorite jams from their
live set. Also, it must be said that Jones’ voice
here is simply stellar. “Groundskeeper” follows
immediately, and the vocal prowess continues
across the shortest tune found here. It’s a perfect
companion/coda to “Humpty,” with Jones singing
every bit as passionately and the guitars just going
to town with pervasive mania.
“Pipius” is the longest epic found here, exceeding
eight minutes. It starts slow, grinding you in
as it ambles along, leaving you to wander on the
drumbeats. Jones sounds like he’s fronting Radiohead,
and it’s as intoxicating as it is unnerving.
Two minutes in, it picks up in mood and tempo
but becomes a little more haunting and dreamy.
It feels like going down a rabbit hole. Disjointed
keys appear, Jones moans with lyricless
vocals—this is deep space in the land of Twin
Ponies. Mind-bending guitars deceive you, propel
you from one movement to the next in continuous
exploration of notable unfound sounds, until
it slowly disintegrates and you are left with only
stars in your eyes.
There’s a familiar chime to the single guitar strum
that starts “God’s Droppings.” It happens twice
more, but it’s not the same. After the third strum,
the song predictably explodes into another
uniquely catchy number. It’s one of their signature
songs because this is the epitome of what
Twin Ponies is about; this is the very quintessence
of their existence distilled into four and a
half minutes of brilliance. Jones sings his heart
out while the guitars, keys and drums create a
maelstrom that seems to spin around your consciousness,
making you dizzy and unhinged, until
at last you are released and it’s like being thrown
off a fast-moving merry-go-round.
The last epic number in this collection also serves
as the finale. “All That’s Left” comes on like
slowcore, like Codeine with J. Mascis on vocals.
Twin Ponies’ slower numbers still remain heavy
as hell and continuously fascinating. In this case,
it sounds like they are wringing out all that’s left
of your consciousness, grinding your mind into
submission and preparing you for the end of the
album, which vanishes into a vibrational dusk of
noises, feedback and silence.
Twin Ponies’ self-titled full-length album is the
band at the height of their powers, doing what
they do best. It is a journey in sound, mood
and musical architecture—an entire gallery of
paintings in motion that ride through the air to
touch your soul, engage your mind and rearrange
your senses.
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THE BITTERSWEET WAY
Presents
JJCNV
Mono or Mono
RED TANK!
X
The Bittersweet Way is celebrating 20 years of
making music, which is to say Jedidiah Foster (the
last original member) has been putting out some of
the most succinct and concise rock ’n’ roll under the
radar for two decades. During the two years since
they released Songs We Want to Sing, I’ve caught
up on their catalog as I eagerly anticipated their
new record. Presents is the Bittersweet Way with a
new sound and lineup, including Jess Pruitt (Some
Magical Animal, Doctor Bones) and Ehren Stonner
(Treasurefruit). They are bigger, better and louder
than ever.
Presents opens with “Already Over,” and you can
see how it began as an electro-pop piece with its
keyboard bit, but then there’s the crushing weight of
exploding guitars added to the mix. “Last Call” seems
to be about what you think it’s about, with Foster
delivering a subdued, almost ballad-like vocal
while the band plays like a juggernaut. “Nothing
Left to Say” is one of the best Bittersweet tunes
ever, with Foster singing like Morrissey on ludes
and a catchy, yet mournful hook. The band almost
approaches slowcore with “Lay Down,” and it’s
hauntingly touching in its execution.
“Singing songs in minor keys is almost cheating”
begins “Almost Cheating,” seemingly addressing
the album itself from within. It’s a bit shoegazey,
to say the least. The pulsing bassline that starts
“Anywhere But Here” belies the direction of an
otherwise wildly elusive pop song, making it the
most fascinating track here. “That Girl” is just solid
rock ’n’ roll through and through. Presents finishes
with “Saddest Night,” like whiskey neat with a perc
chaser in waves of amphetamine. It’s a maelstrom of
madness to be sure that ultimately puts an uplifting
spin on the entire affair.
In the decade I’ve been covering local music, JJCnV
has always been on the scene, and it’s hard to reckon
that it’s been two years since their last record. After
listening to Mono or Mono a few times, I was able
to see them, and they just blew me away. This time
around Dana, Jeff and Pete have the Blowhards on
hand, which is Mark and Trent on saxophone and
trumpet, respectively. Right from the start with “Bury
the Hero” they’ve got a fine blend of early Pixies
meets Cows at an Amphetamine Reptile convention,
which is everything I love.
Dana takes lead vocals on the cleverly titled
“Footloose La Trec,” and it slays here as it does live.
“Happyning” sounds like an homage to early Pere
Ubu, with situationist amusement embedded in the
core. It’s amazing that JJCnV can capture intense
creepiness in 98 seconds, but that’s what’s going on
with “Visiting Relatives.” Creepy in title only, “Bones
Make Good Coals” is fantastic post punk that seems
legitimately uplifting after the nightmare fodder that
preceded it.
“Question...the Invitation” is fascinating for the
percussion alone—a mesmerizing near-tribal rhythm
that brings you into proto-punk, art rock territory once
more. One of my favorite recent live tracks has been
“Abracadaver,” and Dana sounds better than ever
delivering a searing, steamy vocal with horns all agog
about her. The epic length “Luv Luv” is longer than
the previous three songs combined, and every damn
second of it is solid. The song starts to rage into a
new beast after two and a half minutes as it builds
into fantastic waves leading you to an orgiastic
crescendo leaving you on the beach head of JJCnV’s
manic high tide.
When I found out Red Tank! was putting out a new
record, I was expecting another full-length classic.
But to be fair, they released three of those in a row,
so we’re getting an EP called X. I have no complaints
about any additional “dystopian punk for millennial
scum” that Red Tank! doles out, and this four-track EP
is a perfect rendition of their brand of intellectually
stylized noise and dreck.
This time around, they’ve recorded in a garage in LA,
maybe did some drums in a studio, and somehow
captured themselves perfectly. It’s loud, fast and
unruly, which is their defining trait, but somehow
they give so much more than you’d expect on a brief
release like this. In the scope of the entire record,
“Destroy Me” and “Tell Me” both seem to be building
up to “Pharaoh Step” and “Moments → Nothingness,”
which are two of their finest songs ever.
“Destroy Me” is a two-minute math rock teaser that
feels like aggressive psychedelia. “Tell Me” amps
up the neurotic narcosis with a mind-bending wall
of guitars. “Pharaoh Step” is worth the price of
admission alone and serves as a centerpiece here.
The vocal delivery stands out, because it’s your first
chance to really hear and understand the lyrics,
delivering poetics over a catchy-as-hell guitar line
descending and ascending in perfect swoons.
“Moments Nothingness” is the grungier-than-hell
finale and reminds me of how music sounded on
early SubPop singles. Their existential lyrics are
pure poetry across the entire record, but especially
here. It ends with the hypnotic, occasionally
discernible refrain “I can’t wait for these moments
to grind me into nothingness.” Red Tank! can rock a
record in a garage better than most can handle in a
major-label studio.
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Sounds Around Town By Mitchell L. Hillman

GHOST IN THE WILLOW
Missing Persons
MRCH
Reactions
BEN ANDERSON
You Topia
Gil Rodriguez is a man of many talents, and Ghost
in the Willow shows his rock ’n’ roll side with a
full band to back him. This time around he has
Jedidiah Foster on electric guitar, Jess Pruitt and
Brad Wandrey handling bass and Sean Harris on
drums, while he’s on vocals, various guitars and
glockenspiel! The pre-release single was the
engaging and hook-heavy “Favourite Company,”
which serves as the opener to draw you in. There’s
an ’80s Athens, GA vibe in there somewhere that
remains throughout the record and enjoyably so.
“Around the Bend” slows the tempo slightly but
still has that early alternative sound. Two songs
in and you realize the lyrical potency. They are
impactful, each song painting a different story
perfectly. “Swings at Your Hips” has an almost Social
Distortion feel, but with less aggression and only a
slight snarl, with a nod to Gaslight Anthem. Mixing
things up, “Blue, Red & Beige” is the first ballad on
the record. The title is a nod to the Who’s “Blue, Red
& Grey,” and if you were unsure, the lyric “But I hate
every minute of the day” seals the deal. It’s a stunner
and the low-key centerpiece of the record.
“Hello, Duck” extends into the folk realm with more
poetry painting displayed across an acoustic tune
featuring a cameo by Kayla Clancy on vocals. They
kick out the jams on “Mixing Wolf,” and it feels
like a rock ’n’ roll explosion after the introspective
reflection of the last two songs. Here they get into
a bit of post-punk territory, reminiscent of Bob
Mould’s post Husker Du outfit Sugar, with a splash of
Soul Asylum thrown in. Missing Persons ends with
“Outside in the Rain,” another acoustic number that
sends you adrift and ends the record with its storysong
imagery.
At the start of 2015, the members of MRCH broke
away from the Prowling Kind for a “side project”
and put out a string of catchy, fascinating dream-pop
singles. They followed those with their debut EP last
year and have now returned with a full-length album.
Reactions is a stunning album that doesn’t rely on
heavy-handed singles to make its presence felt. That
is to say, it is best taken as an entire experience
rather than broken down song by song. Each song
certainly stands toe to toe with past singles like
“Glitter McQueen” and “Spin,” but this is MRCH’s
album and feels like exactly that.
MRCH’s brand of synth-pop atmospherics and dream
pop vocals is a concoction of lush textures woven
into a ten-song achievement in mood architecture.
While “My Mistake” is an obvious single, it shouldn’t
overshadow the album itself. This is far more
engaging than most indie electronica out there.
There’s magic in this married duo of Jesse and
Mickey Pangburn, and it shines through every track. It
reminds me of the kind of music David Lynch favored
on the original run of “Twin Peaks.” I’m pretty sure
in the Lynchian universe this would be top-charting
music, with expectations of their appearance at the
Roadhouse.
The most amazing aspect of Reactions is that you can
listen to it with deep intent or simply listen to let your
mind unwind. It’s equally effective. If there’s any way
to get MRCH to Europe, I’m pretty sure everyone will
go ape over their sound, their style and their hypnotic
aural magic. Reactions is as much about dancing as
it is about chilling, and that’s a difficult dichotomy
they’ve managed to reconcile.
Sounds Around Town By Mitchell L. Hillman
Watching the burgeoning career of Ben Anderson has
been a pleasure over the last couple years. His sheer
growth can be felt when you listen to Where the Lights
Go? from last year and follow it immediately with
this year’s You Topia. You may question if it’s even the
same musician. But just like his debut, this record is a
collaboration with Olivier Zahm from Electric Lotus. If
you have any doubts, the stunning single “Clay Pigeon”
will quickly convert you. It’s like Anderson went from
being a soft-spoken folk singer to a psychedelic maestro
with a predilection for Radiohead. It’s also a fine reaction
to the violence inherent in the resurgence of fascism and
a strong statement about the mental health of a country
that experiences such frequent mass shootings.
One of the finest songs to come out of Arizona in a
while, “Absentia” starts with a stark arrangement that
feels almost harrowing after the unsettling end of the
opener. It’s like swimming in dystopian waters, with
some fabulous production flourishes and fascinating
percussion. Nothing could prepare you for “Goodbye
Serenity,” which is a straight-up pop rocker and another
milestone in Anderson’s growth.
The finale, last year’s single “Lukewarm,” in retrospect
seemed to aim where this record would be heading,
with major arrangements and an eye toward flawless
composition. If it didn’t spotlight Anderson’s soulful
singing, another facet of his musical persona, it would
feel like a step backward. But it somehow caps off this
otherwise brilliantly neurotic collection with a bit of
easy-on-the-ears comfort. Trust me, it makes the landing
into reality that much easier, but you’re going to want to
play it again.
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

Crossing the River
The Light Rail Expansion, Sagrado Galleria and the Changing South Side
By Daniel Mills
34 JAVA
MAGAZINE

Photo: Sam Gomez
South Phoenix has been forgotten by the city. It is isolated and contained, pushed back against the
South Mountain Preserve and bordered to the north by the Rio Salado—two geographic features
that define its edges, framing the empty lots and dilapidated buildings between.
Traveling up the Central Avenue corridor, narrow streets and blighted shops give way to high
rises, new development and a downtown revitalization, which has spread into the Warehouse District, a
little further to the south. With the extension of the light rail to South Phoenix, scheduled to open in 2023,
this inequality may all soon change.
The disparity between the two sides of the Rio Salado is not an accident. A legacy of segregation and
displacement hovers over the area, leaving a distinct mark that separates it culturally and economically.
Cuatros Milpas, Golden Gate and other barrios that existed across the railroad tracks have either vanished
or continue to dwindle, their names unknown to outsiders.
In the 1930s, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC)
encouraged lending to “pre-approved” areas of the city based on racially coded maps. Created from the
New Deal, in response to the Great Depression, these maps determined where programs and public
projects would be focused in cities across the country.
In Phoenix, not only were minorities not eligible for FHA housing to the North of downtown, but local bank
and federal loan programs were denied to residents south of Van Buren—a practice known as redlining.
Cut off from the same financial services available in the white neighborhoods uptown, South Phoenix’s
growth was hindered while its people continued to live in sub-standard conditions.
This created the blight that gave justification for tearing down several South Phoenix neighborhoods,
which culminated in the 1970s and ’80s when thousands of families were displaced by the expansion of
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Pollution and environmental degradation from Sky Harbor had depreciated
JAVA 35
MAGAZINE

already low property values, and forced sales through eminent domain gave
residents very little pushback.
The entire Golden Gate Barrio, bordered by Buckeye Rd, 16th St, Grant St and
Sky Harbor Circle was razed with the exception of one structure—the iconic
Church of the Sacred Heart, which is an island in an urban desert of dirt lots,
was eventually added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.
Since 1986, its doors are opened once a year for Christmas Mass to former
neighborhood residents.
With the expansion of the light rail comes new opportunities, mobility and
investment—but also skepticism. Once again, a major development will
change the social and urban fabric of neighborhoods that have persevered
through nearly a century of policy aimed against them. The new rail line
down Central Avenue from Washington to Baseline Rd. won’t be completed
for another six years, but already the community is working to make sure
their voices are heard at every step in the process.
Martín Moreno has been a resident of South Phoenix for over 35 years.
He arrived here from Tucson and began working as a muralist in the
neighborhoods, and also as an educator; Moreno, however, prefers the term
“cultural warrior.”
He is one of the many artists selected to provide public art works for the new
five-mile extension, which will adorn light rail platforms and along the route.
Of the fourteen artists awarded contracts, 10 are from the Phoenix Metro
area, and many of those are from South Phoenix.
This is an example of how the project, only in the planning phase, has
already brought opportunity to the area. But as Moreno explains, it wasn’t
that simple. “The fact that 10 local artists, many of whom are from South
Phoenix, were awarded contracts is not just coincidental. That was due to a
lot of hard work, and the selection process was evened out so that we would
be represented properly,” Moreno explains.
The hard work entailed community workshops and meetings to help artists
submit their proposals and navigate through the grant-writing process, which
can be long, laborious, and daunting without the proper resources.
“There are a lot of artists from South Phoenix, many who graduated from
South Mountain High School. I mentored many of those artists, and they
need a place to work where they can develop their skills and show their
work,” Moreno says.
The Sagrado Galleria, which Sam Gomez and Jay “Tranzo” Olivas relocated
to South Phoenix in 2016, is just that kind of place. Since opening on Central
Avenue along the light rail’s eventual route, The Sagrado has served as a
hub for community participation, especially for those concerned with making
sure South Phoenix has a voice in rail extension. “It was at Sagrado Gallery
where we met as artists and as community members. I give credit to [Gomez]
and his contacts who ensured that this whole process went down properly,”
Moreno says.
Francisco Garcia, a muralist who moved from Los Angeles to South Phoenix
in 2003, says that artists from the south side have faced difficulties that
Martin Moreno, Photo by Daniel Swadener
others have not. Their art is often relegated to their side of town and not
represented in galleries throughout the city. “There are people that have been
involved in the public arts [in South Phoenix] for over thirty, forty years—longer
than some of the younger generation have been around. Their experience, and
our experience in the community hasn’t always been an easy one. There have
been a lot of times when artists don’t get paid or they’re not getting the same
opportunities,” Garcia says.
Gomez cites the light rail plans and gentrification within the Roosevelt Row
arts district as motivation for relocating The Sagrado. With a downtown that
is becoming increasingly expensive, artists are in need of finding new spaces.
Where they will go is anyone’s guess—the Grand Avenue arts district and 16th
Street north of McDowell have served as alternatives, but South Phoenix is
home to a large group of the artists that populate the city and their growing
presence is being felt.
For people like Moreno and Gomez, the changes happening south of the Rio
Salado are the result of dedication for a place they call home, rather than just
an exodus from the city’s established arts district in search of cheaper rent.
36 JAVA
MAGAZINE

Photo: Jeremy Franko
With new investment comes risk. The opportunities the light rail will bring
to South Phoenix are counterbalanced by the same factors that gentrified the
Roosevelt Row. Luxury condos and development will creep their way south
of the railroad tracks, where the trauma of displacement and segregation
committed in the name of progress already looms large.
“Any metropolis has that history,” Moreno considers, “Phoenix has it in the
expansion of the airport. All those neighborhoods were either relocated or
disappeared from the face of the earth. All that history and culture were
erased, and there was a lot of resentment towards the city because of it.”
He continues, “I’m sure that will be the case with the light rail extension,
unless people like [Gomez] and other folks who are invested in South
Phoenix maintain its character and ensure that dislocation from identity
doesn’t happen.”
This does not mean that development isn’t welcome. South Phoenix fought
for the light rail to come, and now they will fight to make sure its residents
receive the economic benefits it brings. “That boils down to community
participation, community organization and trying to hold the city accountable
for anything—including negative things that may come from the light rail,”
Moreno reasons.
When viewed through the lens of history, the light rail’s extension may
continue the legacy of displacement. Time will tell how and to what degree
the residents benefit. Homes and businesses along the path will certainly be
affected as the city is irreversibly changed. This is true of any major urban
development, but the negative impacts sting that much more where former
barrios were once located, their names now forgotten, or never learned, by
those north of the Rio Salado.
JAVA 37
MAGAZINE

GIRL ON FARMER
Halloween has become the official start of th e
holiday season. And along with it comes the Pumpkin
Spice frenzy. Trader Joe’s pumpkins the hell out
of cookies, crackers, lotion, lip balm and more.
Starbucks wants you to gain 10 pumpkin pounds
drinking pumpkin spice frappalattes. If pumpkin
fl avor is so damn delicious, why can’t we have it year
round? Here’s why—it’s not that good. We live in
a time where we can buy what we want when we
want. Seasonal anything doesn’t even exist anymore.
I can buy strawberries and bananas in the middle
of a blizzard. Is there something about the magical
pumpkin that makes it available only in October?
It comes in a can, for god’s sake. This limited
availability of pumpkin products is a myth created to
make pumpkin more desirable. And I’m not having it.
However, I will have a bit of everything else. The
start of the holidays is the start of me being a fat
ass. It begins with the Halloween candy, which I
purposely overbuy. We have about 10 trick-or-treaters
each year, but you would not know this according to
the amount of candy I stockpile. My shopping cart
looks like I am running one of those trunk-or-treat
parties. A few years ago I bought candy I didn’t like
so much so that it would be less tempting to eat. But
I ate it anyway, so now I figure what’s the point. If I’m
going to eat 30 leftover candy bars, they may as well
be my favorite. Why subject myself to the volcanic
throbbing of my teeth and gums for second-rate
candy like Nerds? I treat my cavities to only the finest
chocolate. That’s how they know I love them!
All the eating that’s about to happen over the next
few months is bound to bring up some major dental
issues that I staunchly ignore. It’s much easier to pretend
my teeth aren’t falling out when they are not actively
pulsing with pain. I know I need to go to the dentist,
but even just thinking about it makes my palms sweat
profusely. Then I get sick to my stomach. All that poking
around, sticking small daggers into my gums and then
busting up my precious teeth with a tiny jackhammer,
and there is no amount of nitrous oxide that is effective.
If I don’t get enough I become sweaty and then I become
rigid like a corpse and cannot open my mouth. If I get
too much my laughter quickly turns to nap time and I
keep falling asleep and closing my mouth. I am not my
dentist’s favorite patient.
38 JAVA
MAGAZINE

If pumpkin flavor is so damn delicious, why
can’t we have it year round? Here’s why—it’s
not that good.
I don’t even like me touching my teeth. I will brush them just to be a decent
human and be able to participate in social events, but flossing gives me the
chills. What more do these teeth want? Isn’t it enough to smile and say good
morning to them, give a quick brush and move on? The best teeth-related news
I’ve had in years was the study by some English scientists that said flossing is
unnecessary. Sure, the English are not known for their sparkling choppers, but
science is science, people. And my gut tells me that flossing is overrated.
Another thing I am trusting my gut about this holiday season is calories. Turns
out they are much harder to get rid of than I would like to believe. I recently
found out that I am calorically delusional, when my friend Steve gave me a tour
of his fancy new iWatch. Aside from looking like Michael Knight calling Kitt for
a rescue (look it up, millennials!), that watch can do many amazing (and kind
of creepy) things. One of them is tell you how many calories you are burning
during your various daily activities. He explained that the first day he wore it,
he was amazed at how much sitting around happens during the work day and
simultaneously how little calories are burned doing mundane things like walking
the dog or mowing the yard. “So the next day I rode my bike, and walked up A
Mountain. I was excited that I burned almost 400 calories,” he tells me over a tall,
pumpkin-flavored beer. 400 calories! I thought he was going to tell me it burned like
thousands of calories! That’s the way my calorie-counting system works.
When I’m feeling my fat slowly transforming from merely a roll to an entire loaf,
I implement calorie counting. I base it on the –ish scale and also my gut instinct
as to how many calories an activity will burn. For example, walking from one
side of the house to the other a few times I feel burns 200ish calories. Walking
to the mailbox? That’ll take care of 50 to 75ish calories. Bike ride around the
block? That takes care of however many calories I ingested eating lunch. No
matter what I ate (or the distance of the bike ride). It’s the act of getting on a
bike that makes it so good at burning calories. Oh, another important thing is to
not count the calories from alcohol or any small treats where you promise not to
have another one. It’s now making a lot of sense why I haven’t been dropping the
pounds as I had expected.
I do encourage you to use my calorie-counting system anytime you’d like to
indulge this holiday season, without the guilt. Thankfully, one thing I won’t have
to worry about are pumpkin calories. I don’t care for pumpkin, which is lucky for
me. A frothy pumpkin spice coffee beverage is 380 calories, which will take many
more bike rides than I thought to get rid of. I do like a nice pumpkin beer from
time to time, but it’s fine—everyone knows those calories don’t count.

NIGHT
GALLERY
Photos By
Robert Sentinery
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1. Rare Scarf Vintage model at Chaos Theory 18
2. DJ Dana at the Heard’s “Sunglasses at Night” party
3. P-body with the red dress lady
4. Architect Richard Doria at For the People
5. Posing with the Lalo Cota art
6. D’Lisa at the new Salon D’Shayn grand opening
7. Randy + Alicia
8. Conner has a friend in town from Germany
9. Jennyfer and Marcelle at Chaos Theory 18
10. Post Chaos Theory fun at Gracie’s
11. Hector and Crystina at Legend City Studios

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12. Tucker with this lovely lady at AZ/88
13. All together now ladies, Salon D’Shayn opening
14. Dallas and Polyvia are color-coordinated tonight
15. Red cup sighting at Bishop’s Salon
16. Andres, Carla and bambino Aleister at Salon D’Shayn
17. Horizontal b/w stripes vs. vertical b/w stripes
18. Will and pal looking dapper tonight
19. DJ Pickster rocking the Bishops grand opening
20. Dynamic duo at Bishops
21. Fiat Lux pop up gallery hostesses
22. Samir and Rachel celebrate at Salon D’Shayn
23. “Sunglasses at Night” party at the Heard Museum
24. Beth and her handsome hubby
25. Candy and friend at Salon D’Shayn
26. Snapped this duo at the Chocolate Factory
27. Jacques and Raquel founders of Fiat Lux pop up gallery
28. Crewmember at Bishops Cuts / Color
29. Nicole and Frank at Salon D’Shayn

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30. Rockin’ the ’hawk
31. Baubles, bubbles and belles
32. Tic, tac, toe
33. Gennaro and wifey at the taco truck
34. Dave and India at Chocolate Factory
35. Pink Tutu Project’s Bob Cary at Fiat Lux
36. Jelena and Davina at Chaos Theory
37. Phoenix Coquí caters Puerto Rican food
38. Lord Zep and Mello at Chaos
39. Hector from the Chocolate Factory in white
40. Matt and Dominica at Chaos
41. Rose-colored glasses, cactus and devil horns

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42. T.C. Cannon opening at the Heard Museum
43. Christopher and Susan with her Beatles piece at Chaos Theory
44. Chaos Theory parking lot follies
45. Mitch and co. from Rare Scarf Vintage
46. Sarah and Brandon at Legend City
47. Joe Wille Smith with his Chaos Theory piece
48. Angelina and her other half at Legend City Studios
49. Kathy and her guy at Chaos Theory
50. Mia shows off her angel wings
51. Jesse and pals at Chaos Theory
52. First Friday art crawl
53. Andria and pal pose with some fine art
54. Tara with her cacophonous shopping-cart piece at Chaos
55. Nuptial bliss with Liliana and Matthew
56. Cumbia vibes at Matthew and Liliana’s reception
57. Ashley and Jack at Gracie’s
58. Sherry has the perfect dress for SMoCA
59. P-body on the ones and twos at Fiat Lux

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60. Priscilla, Audrey and Enrique
61. Matt and his gal at AZ Taco Festival
62. Putting on the Ritz
63. Claire curated “Repositioning Soleri” at SMoCA
64. SMoCA Fall Opening Celebration
65. Undertow is in the Margarita Tent at Taco Fest
66. Kira Brown (Honeygirl) and Scott Johnson (Gin Blossoms)
67. SMoCA VIPs at the “Repositioning Soleri” opening
68. Ray Ban Aviator twinsies at Taco Fest
69. Art Deco party at Alta Fillmore
70. Taco Fest trophy takers
71. Double-fisted in the Margarita Tent at Taco Fest
72. Cien Agaves was pouring Herradura
73. Bill and Wendell in conversation at Eldorado on 1st
74. Chance the Rapper headlines Friday at Lost Lake Festival
75. More fun in the Margarita Tent
76. Even Santa loves tacos
77. Gabriel, May and pal in the VIP at Lost Lake

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78. Beer Salt anyone?
79. Eldorado on 1st preview party
80. Fun chalk wall at Lost Lake
81. Met these cool peeps at Taco Fest
82. BYOC, bring your own couch
83. Lost Lake crew in blue
84. Working the juice bar at Lost Lake Fest
85. Nelson and his gal in front of JB’s piece at Lost Lake
86. More Taco Fest mayhem
87. Lady with baby and cockatoo
88. Sweet serenade with the Don Julio girl
89. Closing down Taco Fest
90. Quick and Deadly Urban Art booth at Lost Lake
91. Stars and stripes forever
92. Yo quiero tacos
93. Miller’s Bar 75 at Lost Lake
94. End of the night at AZ Taco Fest
95. Tacos, Speedos and beach balls!

BidUP!
Silent Auction
Fundraiser
Reception & Sale: Sat, Nov 18, 2017 (6-8pm)
Jean Pierre Arboleda, The Abominable One, 2016, Oil
on canvas, 30 x 48 inches. Courtesy of Haven Gallery.
*FREE
DAVID MANJE, Dos Manos y Mano Negra
(Two Hands and Black Hand), 2017.
Monotype on panel, 12 x 12 inches.
Admission!
The Fantastical Worlds & Creatures
of Contemporary Artists
Continues through Nov 26, 2017
One East Main Street • Mesa, Arizona 85201 • 480-644-6562 • MesaArtsCenter.com

REGISTER FOR SPRING!
maricopa.edu/spring-18
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