The upcoming El Tambó is going to be a multinational lovefest, featuring music by Chicago-based Dos Santos and New York’s Karikatura. Both are virgins to the Tucson scene, so come show them how the desert shakes it.

As cumbia and other Afro-Latin American, transglobal genres inspire a new sense of infatuation in the U.S., both bands knew this was the right time to get sucked into the Southwest. Being friendly with El Tambó creator, Logan “Dirtyverbs” Phillips, sparked talks to make their Old Pueblo debut at this special session of El Tambó presents...

Phillips will be spinning his usual goodness, too, of course.

I chatted with Alex Chavez, guitarist and singer of Dos Santos, and Ryan Acquaotta, Karikatura’s vocalist and percussionist, about what they’re going to be bringing to the Hotel Congress patio the evening of Wednesday, July 22. Music starts at 8 p.m. and admission is free. 

DOS SANTOS


Alex Chavez is really enjoying living through what he calls the curious return of cumbia. These days, bands and DJs in every corner of the country are headed that direction, but the OG golden age of cumbia happened in the 1950s and '60s. "Before salsa became salsa in the 70s, the one kind of Latin American style that you saw take hold in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina...was cumbia," he says. "It was the backbone of Latin America."

In their respective home towns, the guys grew up listening to different versions of cumbia, and other Afro-Latin genres, so when Chavez and fellow band mates (Irekani Ferreyra, guitar and vocals; Peter "Maestro" Vale, congas and bongos; Daniel Villarreal-Carillo, drums; and Jaime Garza, bass) picked up their instruments and started making noise, adopting a cumbia-esque sound organically came to be.

Here's a taste of Dos Santos' background: Puerto Rico, Mexico, Panamá, the borderlands of Texas. Their Afro-Carribean, pan-Latin cumbia style filled a void in the Chicago live music world.

"Chicago is home to one of the largest populations of Latinos...the second largest of Mexicanos outside of East LA, but there wasn't this scene for live music similar to what we were playing, which I found interesting," he says. "There was Latin alternative stuff, a lot of Mexican roots, Puerto Rican, so a light bulb went off and we said 'let's follow this.'"

He describes Dos Santos music as the summoning of cumbia legends like Rigo Tovar and Xavier Passos. "In Mexico, you have everything from regional Monterrey to cumbia rebajada. In the '60s and '70s, along the border, people like Tovar and Passos playing this very working-class, blue collard cumbia...we draw inspiration from that," he says. In fact, in many countries, cumbia is known as "the music of the people" because of its origin in humble neighborhoods. 

Every summer, as even lifelong Tucsonans hide away near their swamp coolers or run off on beach vacations, things slow down here in the Old Pueblo. In an effort to get you out of the house and running* around town, our advertorial team dreamed up a "Summer Passport."

If you are one of our super cool print readers—thanks for that, by the way—then you may have already noticed something on Page 25 of the paper. If not, here's the deal: 24 local businesses have given us gift cards—so, so, so many gift cards—and we're raffling them off in packs.

Here's how you play:

Pick up a Weekly and start visiting the businesses listed on Page 25. The first business you stop by will give you your golden passport. Each business has a task you have to complete (ie, take a selfie, eat a quesadilla,  sing on stage—basically, things you would want to be doing with your day anyway) in order to get their square marked off. Once you've stopped by all 24 locations, come by the newsroom (7725 N. Mona Lisa Road, #125. We're open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and turn in your game card. You have until Friday, Sept. 4 at noon to enter.

We're giving away three ridiculously sizable packs of prizes. Basically, winning means we've got your entertainment and gift-giving budget covered for quite a while.

So hit the streets, check out some local businesses and do some good luck rituals, because these prizes are pretty damn hefty.


*We're not really going to make you run. You can drive around with the air conditioning up as high as your little heart desires. It's hot out there.

Grab a seat in the cool, dark Fox Tucson Theatre on Saturday, July 18 and be transported aboard the Nostromo when the historic venue hosts a special screening of 1979 sci-fi horror thriller classic Alien. Ridley Scott's penchant for suspense combined with designer and artist HR Giger's industrial gothic aesthetic creates a visually-stunning and tense flick that, through the use of real special effects and not crummy CGI, stands the test of time over 35 years later. Plus, Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is a total badass.

However, that's not the only sci-fi flick showing at the beautifully restored '30s-era movie house. E.T., The Matrix and Close Encounters of the Third Kind will all be projected in 35mm on the big screen on July 25, Aug. 1 and Aug. 15, respectively.

All screenings begin at 7:30 p.m. and are $7 for entry. For tickets and more information, visit the Fox Tucson Theatre website.

And, without further ado, here's Ripley being totally rad:

Southside Presbyterian Church's the Rev. Alison Harrington is speaking the truth on the Huffington Post.

(Southside Presbyterian has been part of a new emergence of the Sanctuary Movement. The church has housed undocumented mother Rosa Robles Loreto for nearly one year as she fights her deportation order.)

To paraphrase, this country is continuing to do what's been done since the conquest: devaluing and trying to destroy all that is sacred to Native American tribes, over some man-made rule that Christian religious traditions and practices are above the beliefs and traditions of Native Americans. The most recent example being Oak Flat.

Harrington points to an op-ed in the New York Times by Lydia Millet, where she says that if Oak Flat were a Christian, Jewish or Muslim holy site, no senator "who wished to remain in office would dare to sneak a backdoor deal for its destruction into a spending bill—no matter what mining company profits or jobs might result."

As the fight to save Oak Flat from the hooves of money-hungry politicians and Resolution Cooper mining, be aware of Christian privilege. "And I must confess that as much as I think about privilege related to my race, class and sexual orientation, I have not spent enough time thinking about what it means to have Christian privilege," she writes.

Here's part of her post. I highly recommend reading the rest, here. 

Of course, there are those who will argue that somehow Christianity is under attack and perhaps not surprisingly, their arguments sound a lot like the arguments of those who say the Confederate Flag shouldn't be removed. But the truth is that not only are our religious traditions respected but they are defended viciously from every corner when there is even a perceived slight to us. And even as these same people fight to defend constitutionally guaranteed religious freedoms, the religious traditions of native peoples are outright dismissed and denigrated and at best co-opted for our own enlightenment and entertainment. Its time for us to be honest about this privilege and the way in which this mentality is threatening to destroy Oak Flat.

In the beginning of July, members of the Apache Stronghold began a journey to Washington, D.C. in their struggle to defend Oak Flat. As they journey, it is my hope that white Christians might also be inspired to begin a journey of our own as well; a journey deep into our own history and religious traditions; a journey of courage as we seek to be painstakingly honest with ourselves about the way in which our faith and our holy texts have been manipulated and used as a deadly weapon against this earth and against native people. We need to be really honest with ourselves about our own complicity in the mentality that sees no problem treating sacred land like a commodity and the religious practices of native people as something less than our own practices.

Tucson filmmaker Alex Italics (profiled by the Weekly back in February) has made a new video for They Might Be Giants. It appears he annoyed a few people in the process, as you can see if you watch "I Am Invisible."

I was about to write a completely different post, about an article maintaining that disadvantaged kids have less access to top quality teachers than kids from higher income families. But then I came across a very long paper by David Berliner, a highly regarded, much-published emeritus professor of education at ASU and a fellow at the National Education Policy Center, and I decided to go another way and look at Berliner's assertion that problems related to income inequality and poverty have more impact on students' educational achievement than schools and teachers. So I'll save the "problem with schools" post for another day and focus on the argument that the major source of our educational problems originate outside the school walls.

There are two basic schools of thought about why children from low income families tend to achieve at a significantly lower level than higher income children. One school of thought says failing schools are to blame. If we just figure out how to get these kids into "successful" schools—maybe set up a bunch of great charter schools or give kids vouchers to private schools that can succeed where "government schools" fail, maybe "fix" the problems with schools that are part of our traditional education system, maybe combine both approaches—student achievement will soar and our educational problems will be solved. The other school of thought says schools can't fix the educational problems that are linked to children living in poverty. We need to address the economic and social issues plaguing our society to see a significant improvement in achievement in lower income kids.

Obviously, these two views aren't diametrically opposed. People who think "failing schools" are the problem acknowledge the fact that kids living in poverty have educational disadvantages, and people who think the problems are more societally based acknowledge that better schools lead to better outcomes. But the decision about where to put our energies and resources is determined by which aspect we think is more important.

Right now, the "good schools are the answer" side is winning, big time. The whole conservative privatization/"education reform" movement is based on the idea that all we need is better schools. And that's the basic direction Obama and many other somewhat progressive Democrats have gone as well, even if they don't emphasize privatization as much as the conservatives.

David Berliner disagrees, and I'm on his side of the argument. Here are some passages from his paper, Effects of Inequality and Poverty vs. Teachers and Schooling on America’s Youth, which summarize his ideas.

All right, you primitive screwheads—listen up! There was plenty of big Hollywood news out of the San Diego's Comic Con International over the weekend, but for my money, the most exciting trailer was for Ash vs. the Evil Dead, a continuation of the Evil Dead franchise that I never imagined seeing come together. Let's hear it for Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi and the rest of the Evil Dead team—if the trailer is any indication, they are back in prime form.

One of the joys, one of many, in living alone is the fact that you can sit around in your birthday suit, binging on Netflix and snacks with quiet, private dignity. While any day can easily be an appropriate nude day, today is the day to really bare it all and let it all hang loose, keeping the law in mind of course. 

National Nude Day, celebrated by primarily nudist organizations and folks with too much time on the Internet, like myself, is unofficially celebrated every July 14. (Bastille Day who?) Like most “obscure” holidays, this one’s origin story is shrouded in mystery and is seemingly without any form of official, or unofficial, documents. From what I can find, it has been celebrated since 1976 by American nudists and naturalists and might have originated in New Zealand, who is much more public in their observance of the holiday.

So, you want to celebrate without getting arrested? Go out and stay at a nudist resort if you want. If this isn't your first naked rodeo you can streak till the cows come home, but if you want to celebrate with a little restraint, or you're not so into the idea of seeing or being seen by other naked people here are five, legal ways to celebrate the naked body.

1. Spa Day
Spas are a perfectly acceptable place to be naked. So, consider the 14th an excuse to go treat your self. Saunas are a great way to relax and detoxify. And stripping down for a massage with nothing between you and a stranger’s hand but a soft towel is totally not awkward if you keep your eyes closed for its full duration.

2. Skinny Dipping
Not that we have a plentiful supply of water just sitting around for the taking, but if you have a pool, or have a friend with one, a sans-swimsuit dip could be a great way to declare your nude body love. I’m not going to encourage you to break into an apartment pool, or surprise your neighbors in their hot tub. But, if you have LEGAL access to a private pool, swing that constricting bikini around your head like a prideful flag and leap in. Hell, invite your friends to join in. 

The Iran deal announced earlier today has drawn a lot of criticism from Republicans and cautious support from Democrats.

Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-CD3) joined his Congressional Progressive Caucus colleagues in praising the agreement:

The historic agreement struck today between the United States, our allies, and Iran is a triumph of international relations. President Obama, Secretary Kerry and our P5+1 partners have proven that there is a better paradigm for foreign engagement than the constant threat of military action: it’s called diplomacy. This deal is the responsible way to avert nuclear ambitions, and to ensure that we all share a safer and more peaceful world.

Meanwhile, Congresswoman Martha McSally (R-CD2) is critical of the proposal:

Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. They have the blood of Americans and our allies on their hands and show no signs of stopping their destabilizing actions in the region. During these negotiations, I joined my Arizona colleagues to outline specific requirements that needed to be included in any deal, such as “anytime, anywhere” inspections and the dismantling of infrastructure needed to cut off Iran’s pathway to a nuclear weapon. I have serious concerns those requirements were not met.

Instead of dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, as was the Administration’s stated goal, this deal seems to keep it intact. It naively assumes Iran simply will stop supporting terrorism across the Middle East and threatening our close ally Israel, things it has done for decades. By removing sanctions, it eliminates all pressure for Iran to curb its destructive actions, while hastening their acquisition of ballistic missiles and other weapons.

The dangers of a bad deal cannot be overstated. A nuclear capable Iran will bolster their influence, further decay regional stability, and present a greater and more destructive threat to our security and that of our allies than ever before. Over the next 60 days, I will review this agreement and take action along with my colleagues as needed to protect Americans from a dangerous deal.

Summer eats are ripe with fresh, bright flavors and prominent among them are tomatoes and basil. This weekend, you'll get two opportunities to celebrate the tasty union of these two foods when Heirloom Farmers Markets celebrates the abundance of the season with live music, demonstrations and, of course, plenty of basily and tomatoey wares for purchase. 

From 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday, July 18, you can peruse tomato and basil concoctions like basil and sun-dried tomato bread, chilled gazpacho, tomato jams and basil-infused soaps and olive oils at the Oro Valley Farmers Market (10901 N. Oracle Road).

Then on Sunday, July 19, the Rillito Park Farmers Market (4502 N. First Ave.) will present all of those goods and more for market visitors. Live music, courtesy of Paige Anderson & The Fearless Kin (CA), will keep crowds entertained while special chef demonstrations, beginning at 10 a.m., will teach you how to make the most of your newly bought, local tomatoes and bunches of basil. The Rillito Park Farmers Market also runs from 8 a.m. until noon.

Now all you need is a fresh ball of mozzarella and you've got yourself a caprese...