Electric Six frontman Tyler Spencer, aka Dick Valentine, will be the first to tell you that this wild and wacky experiment was never supposed to last. When the Detroit disco-rock troupe formed in 1996 as the Wildbunch, they were seen by many as a novelty at worst, a party band at best.

Many, many members and 22 years later, the band is arguably going stronger than ever. They have 16 albums in the arsenal, with a 17th on the way this year. And sure, the days of international hits singles such as “Danger! High Voltage” and “Gay Bar” might be behind them, but mainstream global adoration has been replaced with the sort of cool factor that comes with rock & roll longevity.

That they’ve never gone away, that artistically they’ve developed into a tight-knit, truly unique hard rock unit, speaks volumes for the under-appreciated talent behind Spencer’s deceptively sleepy eyes. The man has had his demons in the past, but in 2018 he’s a force of nature. In fact, for the past few years the Electric Six has been putting out two albums per year.

“The whole idea of spending many months on one album doesn’t work for us,” Spencer says. “With the first few records, we didn’t have access to the sort of home recording technology that we do now.”

That’s quite a thing to consider: The only thing stopping the Electric Six’s prolific nature in the early days was the fact that the technology wasn’t keeping up with them. Now that they can turn out one album after another, they do.

Here’s the thing though—an E6 album is always good and usually great. This isn’t some conveyor belt of garbage, churned out at regular intervals to keep their modest but still enviable fanbase happy and spending. Rather, this is an artist, working with a group of great musicians, creating awesome rock ‘n‘ roll.

Since Kurt Lueders is the only actual rocket scientist we know, we like to imagine all of them share his love of bad puns, old game-show references and classic lines from popular movies.

Lueders coaches Tucson Improv Movement’s Throwdown team, the family favorite in the 7:30 p.m. slot Saturdays. That show’s fast-paced, faux-competitive games inspired him to launch a show of his own creation, The Game Show Show, featuring pairs of Tucson celebrities facing off to win (not) fabulous prizes.

Leuders premiered his show last May in TIM’s 36-hour Improvathon. Literally an overnight success, it’s now featured at 7:30 p.m. the last Saturday of every month. March 31 contestants are Todd Getzelman, who, with his wife, Celene, owns Revel Wine Bar, and Jared Hood, front-of-house manager at The Coronet. Those two establishments flank TIM in its new location at 414 E. 9th St.

To date, Lueders says, his most successful show featured Kristal Pino of 106.3, The Groove, and Tina Jennings from Morning Blend on KGUN 9. “Our competitors are always friendly with each other.” April guests will be KXCI DJs Brigitte Thum and Gwen Hernandez.

Each show includes three improv games around suggestions collected in advance from the audience. Suggestions are secret until shown on a monitor that only improvisers and the audience can see. The improvisers act out scenes that reveal clues until a contestant guesses correctly.

“We have three games we play regularly,” Lueders says. “In Mix and Mash-Up, we take two movies or TV shows and mash them up together. The improvisers act out what that might look like. The example we use is When Harry Met Sally mashed up with Dirty Harry to make When Dirty Harry met Sally. The improvisers might use famous lines like ‘Do you feel lucky, punk?’ And then someone might scream like they’re shot, and another actor might say. ‘I’ll have what she’s having’. When we had two burlesque dancers as contestants, we mashed up the Robin Williams movie Flubber with Cher’s movie Burlesque to make Flubberlesque.’

“The final game is a lightning round where contestants have 90 seconds to guess 8 suggestions. Our improvisers act them out using only mime and gibberish.”

Contestants who win at least two rounds have taken home such fabulous prizes as an MTV alarm clock and a set of refrigerator magnets in the shape of insects. “They’re not really fabulous prizes,” says Lueders. “That’s the show’s running gag.”

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Art

Sculptural Gourd Vessel. Admit it. You’ve always wanted a sculptural gourd vessel to display in your home. And what better sculptural gourd vessel to display in our home than one you’ve stippled, couched and papered yourself? If you don’t know what a sculptural gourd vessel is, it’s a really beautifully detailed, curvaceous piece of art made out of (obviously) a gourd. And you can make one in these seven-hour class at Tohono Chul—so bring a lunch. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 24. Tohono Chul Education Center #2, 7211 N. Northern Ave. $100 general public, $90 members.

Star Wars “Stormy Night” Painting. Finally! A mash-up that lets you combine our love of Van Gogh with our love of Star Wars. Tipsy Picassos hosts this event where they’ll walk you through a painting and—if you’re over 21 and so inclined—you can drink your way through the experience. Painters under 21 are welcome, as long as they’re accompanied by parents or guardians. Wear something you don’t mind getting paint on, and don’t stress about making your painting perfect. It’s supposed to be fun, and besides, “Do or do not. There is no try.” 6 p.m. Friday, March 23. HighWire Lounge, 14 S. Arizona Ave. $35.

Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon. This could be an oversimplification, but there are pretty much two types of people in the world, right? The people who are strictly readers of Wikipedia, and the people who actually make edits and contributions to the site. Now’s your chance to move into the second camp for a good cause, especially if you’re a woman, or identify as a woman—only 10 percent of all editors on the site are!—but people of all gender identities are welcome. Art + Feminism and the UA Poetry Center are partnering to improve the coverage of transgender women, feminism and the arts on Wikipedia by updating and expanding bibliographies on poets’ Wikipedia pages. Easy, fun and important! Noon to 3 p.m. Friday, March 23. University of Arizona Poetry Center, 1508 E. Helen St. Free.

Spring Festival of the Arts. It’s finally here! The Spring Festival of the Arts is one of the largest regional art events in Southern Arizona, and is so big that it has to be held twice annually and spread across two days each time. Check out art from up to 150 artists, and enjoy the classic double whammy of supporting local artists and picking up some new pieces to decorate your home. Plus, enjoy lots of food trucks, live music and hands-on family art activities. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 24. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 25. Oro Valley Marketplace, 12155 N. Oracle Road. Free.

Music

Frida. The Artifact Dance Project has put together this performance piece, filled to the brim with different forms of art, to honor one of the most iconic female artists in history. With original music by Lane Harmon and Roger King and original choreography by artistic director and choreographer Ashley Bowman, the piece tells the story of Kahlo’s complicated relationship with her partner, Diego Rivera, of her boldness, of her playfulness and of the art that was born of it all. Claire Hancock dances as Kahlo, and David Alexander Johnston dances as Rivera. The group of talented musicians will be joined by the Tucson Girls Chorus in a special appearance. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 22 through Saturday, March 24. 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 25. Stevie Eller Dance Theatre, 1737 E. University Blvd. $31.

Can comedy fans give up vicarious ghetto life and the spotlight earned by their own awkward grip on multiculturalism? Would comics of color let ever resist the abundant comedy fruit of the dominant culture’s heedless racism?

Heck if I know. I’m as big a sucker for all that as the next guy, but the current wilderness in our concept of race makes it seem worth asking.

Gary Bynum, owner of Laff’s Comedy Café, stresses just one criterion: Is it funny? Since Trenton Davis is headlining four shows at Laff’s on March 16 and 17, let’s just go with that. Davis is hella funny. And so is his opener, Lyall Behrens, a social critic with exceptional chops in celebrity impressions.

Born in North Carolina, Davis has logged well over 10,000 hours of standup in 45 U.S. clubs. His TV credits include The Real, Laughs on Fox and Bar Rescue. He finished second in the San Diego Comedy Festival, first in the Sacramento and Seattle International comedy festivals and was a finalist in the NBC Standup for Diversity program. He also writes ads for Beats by Dr. Dre.

Davis’ biography stresses that he grew up in a two-parent household — good to know if you were hoping for single-mom-in-the-ghetto jokes. His first gig was a fraternity prank, but it was such a hit he started hosting shows at his church.

In a revealing interview for the 2013 Seattle International Comedy Festival, Davis tells how he committed to comedy ten year ago, after a long hiatus from dabbling in it. “I went to the Ice House to watch a show. . .I watched how this comedian had the crowd in his hands; how he was bringing everyone laughter and, I swear. God spoke to me, ‘Trenton why are you not on stage?’ Since then there aren’t more than 5 days I’m not on some stage, making people laugh.”

In the same interview, Davis describes his act. “I (take) audiences on a journey. I introduce myself, tell them who I am, where I’m from, and then after they get comfortable, I tell them the crazy things that go through my head, how insecure I am, and why I have trouble when it comes to relationships.”

Boom. Human. Visit laffstucson.com for showtimes and reservations.

Retro Game Show is Back!

Watch the world’s tallest drag queen and scholar Tempest du Jour host “Hollywood(ish) Squares at Club Congress on Saturday, March 17. Show’s at 7; tickets are $12.

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Music

Old Time Rock n’ Roll Dance Party with Heartbeat. Don’t you just love that old time rock n’ roll? That kind of music just… soothes the soul. At least that’s what some people say. At this musical revue, the front seating section will be cleared out, so that you can dance the night away, or feel free to sit back and enjoy the music. Or you could sit back with some food and drink from the kitchen until you’ve had enough to drink that you want to go up and dance to some classic oldies. 7 p.m. Friday, March 9. Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road. $12.50 GA.

Remembering Mr. Sinatra. You’ve definitely heard of Frank Sinatra, but you may also may have heard of Julie Budd, who often performed as one of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ supporting acts at Caesars Palace. OR maybe you saw the oft-compared-to-Barbara-Streisand vocalist star in the 1981 film The Devil and Max Devlin. Whether you’ve heard of her or not, though, you won’t want to miss this chance to hear her pay tribute to Frank Sinatra himself at this Invisible Theatre-hosted show. 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 10 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 11. Berger Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Speedway. $42.

Arizona Friends of Chamber Music Festival. If you missed the first few days of this symphonic spectacular, fear not! You’ve still got two more chances to see performances by Celino Romero, Bernadette Harvey, Romie de Guise-Langlois, Yura Lee, the Morgenstern Trio, the Dover Quartet and the Romero Guitar Quartet. And they’ll be playing the likes of Vivaldi’s Guitar Concerto in D, Ravel’s Violin Sonata No. 2 and Stravinsky’s Suite from L’Histoire du Soldat. Friday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 11 at 3 p.m. Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. $30 each day.

Women Rock. Well duh, women rock. But some women, like Carole King, Tina Turner and Janis Joplin are actual rock ’n’ roll icons. Celebrate these babes at this event, which features the Tucson Symphony, a cast of singers, and hits that you’re definitely going to be singing along to, like “Proud Mary,” “Love is a Battlefield” and “You’re So Vain.” 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 10 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 11. Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. $15 to $77+.

Catalina Organ Festival. The next organ festival event features David Enlow, who’s not only the organist and choir master at the Church of Resurrection in New York, but a member of the organ faculty at the Juilliard School, which sounds like a pretty big deal even if you don’t know anything about organ virtuosity. He’s also the dean of the American Guild of Organist’s New York City Chapter. He’ll be playing the works of Bach, Franck, Dvorak and Debussy, along with some improvisations of his own, which are no-doubt pretty mind-blowing. 7 p.m. Friday, March 9. Catalina United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Speedway Blvd. $20 online and $25 at the door.

Theater

Abeyance: A State of Temporary Disuse or Suspension. Everybody loves spending time in a waiting room. Everyone especially loves spending time in the waiting room before you head in for a job interview, where you get sweatier and sweatier as the nerves build and the prospect of being jobless forever stares you right in the face. It’s terrible when you’re going through it, but it turns out it’s hilarious to watch someone else go through it, like Tyler West does in this one-man show about a very broke man waiting for the interview of his life. Let’s just be glad it’s not just this time and have some hearty laughs at his (character’s) expense. 10:30 p.m. on Friday, March 9 and Saturday, March 10. Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. $10.

If you like listening to some bellicose British dudes convey their aggression through their music, you won't want to miss Shame. These raw, rhythmic post-punks are just starting off, but have already garnered a fair amount of praise from their hard rock throwback sound mixed with indie rock. They're a band that's clearly listened to the great punk classics, and that shows via their favorite albums. Catch them playing with Protomartyr at Club Congress on Tuesday, March 6.

Eddy Current Suppression Ring
Primary Colours

This album has an immediate identity to it, sounding effortless and confident throughout. The simplicity is what I find most powerful, in the music as well as the vocals, it feels timeless and will always be an album I can go back to and draw something different from it. 

—Charlie Steen (Vocals)

Modern Lovers
s/t

I absolutely love how painfully awkward Jonathan Richman’s lyrics are throughout most of this album, and the instrumental being so simple yet so brilliant at the same time. This was also a fairly recent discovery for me but i was hooked almost instantly, haven't been able to stop listening since.

—Sean Coyle-Smith (Guitar)

Stooges
Fun House

Stooges’ Funhouse was an album I was obsessed with when we started the band, and one I rarely tire of. The driving rhythm of songs like TV eye and Loose were a big influence on our early sound, and the sleaze of "Dirt" was a something I tried to capture with the bassline of the "Lick."

—Josh Finerty (bass)

Pavement
Slanted and Enchanted

It’s just unlike anything I’d heard before or heard since. So painfully dorky yet so effortlessly cool. Most of the time this isn't even my favourite Pavement record but it’s the album that introduced me to them so it holds a special place in my heart.

—Charles Forbes (Drums)

Television
Marquee Moon

Marquee Moon is my favourite album of all time because it introduced me to an entirely different way of playing guitar. It heavily influenced me in songs like concrete and tasteless, as I began to focus more on single note playing rather than generic chord progressions. The impact it’s had on me as a musician is invaluable.

—Eddie Green (Guitar)

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Multi-Day Festivals

Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention. Put on your top hat and enormous goggles, grab some sort of tricked-out nerf gun and slap a cog onto your cell phone, because it’s time to get steampunk! Also, this is the only steampunk convention in the U.S. that takes place at a western-themed town. Hear live music from Abney Park, load up on purchases from more than 60 vendors, check out some of the 80+ panels and workshops (including make & take workshops), and see a fashion show, tea dueling and other entertainment. And this year’s theme is Robots vs. Dinosaurs, so dress/act/take sides accordingly. Friday, March 2 to Sunday, March 4. Old Tucson, at 201 S. Kinney Road, is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and it’s open to WWWC attendees only from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday. Ticket prices vary by age and number of days/events attended. Lowest price is $5 for “Dissection of a Seance”, “Shooting Sexy Steampunk” or “Tipsy Tea Dueling” events to $115 for a Maverick Family 3-day pass with two adult and one kid passes. (The Aristocrat Pass is sold out).

Fourth Avenue Spring Street Fair. Is it just us, or did the Fourth Avenue Winter Street Fair just happen? Honestly, we’re so glad that the wait is over so soon, because this is one of the greatest events in Tucson—just ask the 500,000 people and 300 artists that come from all over the place to be a part of the fair. Funds from the event go toward supporting our beloved Fourth Avenue’s infrastructure, a cluster of local nonprofits and other free community events throughout the year. A free shuttle service will take you from the Pennington Street Garage down to the fair. 10 a.m. to dusk Friday, March 2 through Sunday, March 4. Fourth Ave.

Cat Mountain Station Spring Art Festival. What better way to spend a spring day than at a festival full of local artists? You probably just did your spring cleaning, so you have to fill your house back up with new beautiful things to make up for the stuff you just got rid of. And it’s important to do your civic duty and support local art. To the festival! 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 4. Cat Mountain Station, 2740 S. Kinney Road. Free entry.

Your Weekly list to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Theater

Lost in Yonkers. New York State: Two young teenage boys are sent to live with their menacing grandmother for the summer (but also with their sweet Aunt Bella and Louie, their hoodlum of an uncle). This Pulitzer Prize- and Tony award-winning play takes place in New York State during World War II, but it’s a story that anyone who’s ever been 15 and felt suffocated by their family. Saturday, Feb. 24 and Sunday, Feb. 25 and Friday through Sunday, March 2-4. Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. Sundays at 2 p.m. Arizona Rose Theatre, 4500 N. Oracle Road, suite 329. $15 GA, $13 senior and military with ID, $8 kids 12 and under.

Black Pearl Sings! There are two things to know about Alberta “Pearl” Johnson. She’s in prison for life for murder, and the rare folk songs her ancestors have passed down to her are her lifeline to her family. Susannah, a collector of songs for the Library of Congress, wants to record Pearl singing the songs. To Pearl, Susannah could mean freedom. And to Susannah, Pearl could mean a huge advancement in her career. But the two find themselves tied together in ways deeper than they expected in this play that pass the Bechdel test with flying colors. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22 through Saturday, Feb. 24 and 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24 and Sunday, Feb. 25. Invisible Theatre, 1400 N. First Ave. $34 GA.

Let’s Get Literary

Panel: Poetry + Non-literary Influence. The Bagley Wright Lecture Series at the UA has given poets a platform to talk about the way they think about poetry since 2013. In this event, lecturers Dorothea Lasky, Joshua Beckman, Timothy Donnelly, Terrance Hayes, Rachel Zucker, Srikanth Reddy and program director Matthew Zapruder will all be reading from their lectures and talking about some of their greatest influences from outside the world of poetry. 3 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24. UA Poetry Center, 1508 E. Helen St. Free.

Wyatt Earp: Tombstone Brewing Company is pairing up with Casa Video Film Bar to give an authentic feel of the Wild West. See? Even films can get involved in Arizona Beer Week. Watch Kevin Costner play perhaps the most famous sheriff of Cochise County, and battle it out at the O.K. Corral. Or as the cool kids call it, the Okie Dokie Corral. 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16. 2905 E. Speedway Blvd.

Sans Soleil: Grace St. Paul's Episcopal Church is opening up your mind with one of the most acclaimed documentaries of all time: Sans Soleil (or "Sunless"). This experimental documentary is part stock footage, part travelogue, part essay film, all combined to examine memory and what it means to be human. 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16. 2331 E. Adams St. Details here.

The Art of Truffles: No, not the thousand-dollar mushrooms people hunt for in the Black Forest. You'll learn how to make some awesome chocolatey treats, courtesy of Tamara from Chantilly Tea Shoppe. And all the while you're learning, you get to sip some wine! 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16. 7090 N. Oracle Road.

Chinese New Year Dinner: The Carriage House is kicking off the Chinese new year with a five-course meal made specially by chef Devon Sanner. Included with the massive meal is a welcome cocktail and wine. And if all of that isn't enough, there is also a special performance by the Jade Lion. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16. 125 S. Arizona Ave. For reservations, email [email protected].

TEDxUofA: Uncharted. The first annual TEDxUofA conference is here! You'll hear from geologist, educator and writer Jess Kapp in her talk "Say Yes," about taking risks for the sake of self discovery. Shepard Robbins will talk about the dark side of comics in his talk "Under the Page." Biosystems engineering professor Joel Cuello talk about using amplified intelligence to achieve more sustainable methods of food development in "AI Does Food." Marketing assistant professor Caleb Warren will talk about why we love the products we do in "What Makes Things Cool." Jonathan Bean will talk about the shifting nature of markets in "Demand Less." Hester Oberman, Ph.D, will talk about religion and philosophy in "Belief Out of the Closet." And Nolan Cabrera, a scholar of race and racism, will talk about the pitfalls of privilege in "White Immunity." 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16. Crowder Hall, 1017 N. Olive Road. $20 GA, $20 VIP, $10 student, $15 student VIP.

Rachmaninoff Rhapsody: Vadym Kholodenko, a Ukrainian pianist who won the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, is making his TSO debut with Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. TSO Music Director José Luis Gomez commissioned a piece by former Young Composers Project student Anthony Constantino, and the piece, Luminosity's Witness, will make its world premiere at TSO. Also on the docket: Selections from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet and Ginastera's Dances from Estancia ballet. 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18. Details here.

Quilt Fiesta! Are you ready for the most wholesome festival this world has ever seen? Well, you'd better get ready. With vendors, quilt appraisals, a vintage quilt turning and a special kids section, it's a show with something for everyone. (Even if you're not INTO quilts, you're into being warm, right? And seeing people love what they do?) Plus, there's demonstrations on the modern quilt movement and crafting the perfect border. Guest speaker Dixie McBride will be giving two talks: "Garage Sale Heirlooms" and "Quilt Judges and Jurors: Who Are They?" Admission comes with a raffle ticket to win the award-winning quilt Star Light, Star Bright. Friday, Feb. 16 to Sunday, Feb. 18. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. $10 for one day, $20 for all three days (only available on Friday). Free for kids 14 and under. Details here.

TMA Annual Spring Artisans Market: More than 100 juried artists are coming together so that you can buy tons of beautiful things in one place. Pottery! Glass! Jewelry! Textiles! Fine art! You name it! This is also your last opportunity to see the museum's feature exhibition, Dress Matters: Clothing as Metaphor. Live performances by Andy Hersey and Shelly Hawkins Dance on Friday, Solidarity Sympa and Lisa O'Neill Saturday and Jazz Pyramid Scheme, ft. tidypaws, Dimitri Manos and Thøger Lund on Sunday. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16 to Sunday, Feb. 18. Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, 140 N. Main Ave. Free. The museum is free and open to the public during all three days of the market as well. Details here.

24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. This team relay and solo rider mountain bike event is one of the largest 24-hour events in the world. Yes, it literally lasts from noon on Saturday to noon on Sunday. While these maniacs are riding their bikes for longer than most of us have ever done anything continuously, we mere mortals can enjoy fun stuff too, like a Four Peaks Brewing beer garden, hot cocoa in the In-N-Out Burger Exchange Tent and a Maxis Tire Toss. 24 Hour Town is a tiny utopia that gets erected for the weekend (utopias can't last forever, you know) and that's where it's all going down. Friday, Feb. 16 to Sunday, Feb. 18. Starts at noon on Friday, 6 a.m. on Saturday and 7 a.m. on Sunday. Camping sites vary in cost, but most include a requirement that you bring some canned goods for a food drive.

Wizards. From the man who brought you the world's first X-rated animated film comes a psychedelic and fantastical vision of the future. Ralph Bakshi's animation certainly is unique, and so is this movie. Elves, Orcs, laser guns and all the bizarre pre-digital animation you could ask for. This movie was made just one year before he released the 1978 animated version of the Lord of the Rings, but rivals it in scope and scale. Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway. 10 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17. $6.

Battle of the Beers. Huss Brewing Company is heading over to Tap & Bottle for the second annual Ro Sham Beaux competition. It's a tough competition between the Barrel Aged Koffee Stout and the Imperial Chocolate Porter, and many more. Who will survive? You'll just have to show up to find out. 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17. 403 N. Sixth Ave, suite 135. Details here.

Off the Vine Wine Festival. Wine takes over Steam Pump Ranch for a day. Not only will there be dozens of local wine tastings, but you get to talk with local winemakers and enjoy live music. Price of admission includes a commemorative glass and six tasting tickets. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17. 10901 N. Oracle Road. Details here.

When Immigration Hits a Wall: Life in the Borderlands Location. In case the issue of immigration ever feels like it's getting too abstract for you, hear from three locals about what the changing landscape of immigration policy means for them. Mo Goldman, a Tucson immigration attorney, will talk about what's changed and what to expect going forward on the legal side of things. Loreno Verdugo, a community health adviser and coordinator for El Rio Health Center and coordinator of Ventanilla de Salud in the Mexican Consulate, will share stories about immigrants she's seen make their way to Tucson. Alejandro Ursua, a UA grad and DACA recipient who now works for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, will share his own story of how the uncertain future affects his family. Hosted by the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson. 9:30 a.m. to noon. Saturday, Feb. 17. Joel D. Valdez Library, 101 N. Stone, Lower Level 1 Meeting Room. Free.

Ansel Adams Public Celebration. On some level, aren't we all, always, celebrating the work of Ansel Adams? Here's a chance for us to do it all together, in the same place and at the same time. The Center for Creative Photography's new exhibit, Ansel Adams: Performing the Print, will open, and there will also be archival object tours (self guided-the best kind), vintage camera display and a presentation from Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist and pal of Ansel Adams, David Hume Kennerly. Plus, cake! Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17. Center for Creative Photography, 1030 N. Olive Road. Free.

Tucson Take Back the Night. Singer songwriter Charlie King is playing at this event to raise funds for Take Back The Night, which will in turn raise awareness of sexual violence and provide support to survivors. You'll enjoy a free concert with Charlie, performances by musical guests including the Tucson Women's Chorus and a FREE mean Mexican meal catered by Maria Garcia of La Indita Restaurant. A raffle gives you the chance to donate to a good cause, and possibly take home some good stuff, like TBTN T-shirts, some local art, free tickets to shows or gift certificates to area businesses. 6 p.m. meal, 7 p.m. concert. Saturday, Feb. 17. Unitarian Universalist Church, 4831 E 22nd St. Free. Call Ted at 623-1688 or email [email protected] for more info. Details here.

Happy Birthday, Arizona! The ol' girl is 106, but we all know she doesn't look a day over 25. To celebrate our sweet state, Old Tucson is offering buy one, get one free admission, living history presentations, and some classic Old West entertainment to remind you that 106 is actually pretty old. A special flag ceremony at noon both Saturday and Sunday will be held to make sure Arizona's feeling extra loved. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 and Sunday, Feb. 18. Old Tucson, 201 S. Kinney Road.

Vigilante Days in Tombstone. Okay, yeah, this is a skip, hop and a jump outside of Tucson, but it'll be cool. There'll be tons of historical reenactments, the famous "Hanging Tree," a Geo Coin for geocaching and a chili cook. You can visit the Courthouse Museum, tour the Goodenough mine and ride a stagecoach around town. Plus, a fashion show by the Tucson Vigilettes, and the chance to enter a raffle to win a ROSSI Model 92, .45 caliber long colt lever action rifle and handmade case (just don't shoot your eye out). 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 and Sunday, Feb. 18. Allen Street in Tombstone, Arizona. Free entry. Details here.

Winter Meet at Rillito Park Racetrack. Everyone's favorite historic racetrack just started its Winter Meet last weekend, and there's five more weekends to go, including 12 live race days! This week on the docket, we have Military and First Responder Day on Saturday, Feb. 17 and Arizona VIP Day (government and civic leaders appreciation) on Sunday, Feb. 18. (Call them at 745-5486 to learn more about reserved seating). May the best horse and jockey win! The gates open at 10 a.m. on race days, with a post time of 1 p.m. 4502 N. First Ave. $5 GA, $10 Clubhouse admission.

Cruise, BBQ & Blues Festival and Car Show. If you're not into cars, this is a great chance to finally understand what all the hype is about. Over at SAACA, they're firm believers that automobiles are art - blending mechanics, design and science to produce beautiful, functional machines that have, in many ways, made the world feel like a smaller place. The event also features live blues music, barbecue and 20 different awards given in categories including Best Interior, Best Engine and People's Choice. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oro Valley Marketplace, 12155 N. Oracle Road. $5. $1 discount for military and veterans, free for kids 10 and under. Tickets available at the door. Details here.

Cornelio Vega y Su Dinastia ain't your papa's norteña. His colorful accordion and mariachi-inspired guitar show he's a genre scholar, but his lyrics offer modern twists. In "El Problema," Vega's cooing the blues of a Sonoran kid with a hankering for guns and fast cars and not his family in el norte. The usual romantic viewpoint is love trumps all but Vega sings, "Se que nada es para siempre" (I know that nothing is forever). This kid-jaded take on traditional values, while paying tribute to the genre's roots, is subtly revolutionary. Vega made a name for himself on YouTube, where he's earned more than 58 million hits. And it's no wonder; he offers relatable, well-executed Mexican music, from the perspective of a boy who grew up witnessing heartaches and limitations of older, honest workingmen's lives lived along the problematic frontera. With Adriel Favela, Omar Ruiz, Jonatan Sanchez and Helen Ochoa. Tucson Expo Center, 3750 E. Irvington Road. Doors at 9 p.m. $50. General admission. All ages.

Dent May. Mayer Hawthorne most recently proved how smooth saxes, disco beats and pitch-corrected blue-eyed soul can make for intricately arranged sugar-pop. Dent May fell in line. But just as you're swept up by May's well-crafted, lounge-y creepers, the lyrics bum out: "Caviar days, plastic surgery nights/90210 with you by my side." Originally from Mississippi, Dent May mecca'd to L.A., where his gifted melodic sensibility (Silverlake's love affair with Brian Wilson, natch) got packaged in hipster cat T's and Spencer's hippie bling. Too bad 'cause songs like "Best Friend" and "Meet Me in the Garden" are gorgeous, yet ultimately insincere. It's music for folks too embarrassed to let themselves feel. Unlike, say, Frank Zappa, May doesn't lift a corner on his schtick to let listeners in on the joke. His cynicism feels unearned, the irony too poker-faced. Yes, Congress will be packed. With Moon King and Liquid Summer on Saturday, Feb. 17. Club Congress, 311 E. Congress. 7 p.m. $10. 16+. Details here.

Tucson Roadrunners. Our beloved hockey team has two home games this week against the Bakersfield Condors. Though both teams are avian, the roadrunners have the advantage of being more accustomed to doing battle on the ground, rather than in flight. At 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, you'll like $1 food night and the youth jersey giveaway, and at 4:05 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 19, you won't want to miss the fidget spinner giveaway. Tucson Arena, 260 S. Church Ave. $10 to $56+. Details here.

National Wine Day with Cheese Pairing. It seems like there's a national day for everything now. Who's making this stuff up? But a National Wine Day is perfectly alright by me. Certainly better than a National Left Sock Day, or whatever is coming up next. 1912 Brewing is celebrating the occasion with some of the best wine and cheese this side of Napa Valley. 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18. 2045 N Forbes Blvd, suite 105. Details here.

TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Run. If you have to run on the dusty trails of Tucson, you might as well go big with it, and run a race that goes through Old Tucson Studios, a slice of the Old West. There's a men's 4-mile, a women's 4-mile and a family 1-mile, and everyone who registers gets a fee cowboy breakfast, and admission to Old Tucson for the day! (Your guests get special discounted pricing as well). And everyone registered gets free admission to the International Wildlife Museum for the day too. So honestly, you could just run a mile and wind up with a free breakfast and a free day at some of the coolest places in Tucson, which almost sounds too good to be true. Registration begins at 7 a.m. in the Old Tucson Parking lot. Women's start at 8 a.m. and men and family runs start at 9 a.m. Old Tucson Studios, 201 S. Kinney Road. $40 4-mile trail run and $25 1-mile run. Details here.

Kimya Dawson. Since Kimya Dawson left Moldy Peaches and blew up with "Loose Lips" (from the Juno soundtrack), she has quietly toured and recorded her quirksome folk-pop (and even made a smart, lovely album for toddlers). Gentle, basic guitars accompany her dense, multi-syllabic words, which are as earnestly unadonrned as they are funny and melancholy ("If you want to kill yourself/Remember that I love you/Call me up before you're dead/We'll make up some plans instead"). Her forlorn nursery rhymes are mostly open-hearted, and brave ones at that. When she veers whimsical ("I like my new bunny suit/It makes me feel cute"), it's the unwavering vocal sincerity that keeps her music from faltering. One gets the feeling that Dawson's best friends are still all imaginary and that a blanket tent in her bedroom (with a portable record player inside) is the only place she feels at home. With AJJ and Cesar Ruiz. Club Congress, 311 E. Congress. 7 p.m. $8-$10. All ages. Details here.

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Panels

When Immigration Hits a Wall: Life in the Borderlands Location. In case the issue of immigration ever feels like it’s getting too abstract for you, hear from three locals about what the changing landscape of immigration policy means for them. Mo Goldman, a Tucson immigration attorney, will talk about what’s changed and what to expect going forward on the legal side of things. Loreno Verdugo, a community health adviser and coordinator for El Rio Health Center and coordinator of Ventanilla de Salud in the Mexican Consulate, will share stories about immigrants she’s seen make their way to Tucson. Alejandro Ursua, a UA grad and DACA recipient who now works for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, will share his own story of how the uncertain future affects his family. Hosted by the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson. 9:30 a.m. to noon. Saturday, Feb. 17. Joel D. Valdez Library, 101 N. Stone, Lower Level 1 Meeting Room. Free.

TEDxUofA: Uncharted. The first annual TEDxUofA conference is here! You’ll hear from geologist, educator and writer Jess Kapp in her talk “Say Yes,” about taking risks for the sake of self discovery. Shepard Robbins will talk about the dark side of comics in his talk “Under the Page.” Biosystems engineering professor Joel Cuello talk about using amplified intelligence to achieve more sustainable methods of food development in “AI Does Food.” Marketing assistant professor Caleb Warren will talk about why we love the products we do in “What Makes Things Cool.” Jonathan Bean will talk about the shifting nature of markets in “Demand Less.” Hester Oberman, Ph.D, will talk about religion and philosophy in “Belief Out of the Closet.” And Nolan Cabrera, a scholar of race and racism, will talk about the pitfalls of privilege in “White Immunity.” 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16. Crowder Hall, 1017 N. Olive Road. $20 GA, $20 VIP, $10 student, $15 student VIP.


No One Told Me This Sh*t Was Going to be Hard! Well ain’t that the truth about just about everything in life. In this case, though, it’s about the ups and downs, failures and successes, trials and tribulations of being an entrepreneur and starting your own company. Hear from a panel of experts at this interactive event, including representatives from InHouse, the real estate software company. 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15. Connect Coworking–Downtown Tucson Office Space, 33 South Fifth Ave. $5.

Art and Music

Sonoran Seasons. This is easier to remember at this time of year, when we’re not all making frantic dashes from our air-conditioned houses to our air-conditioned cars, and burning out hands on our steering wheels, but Tucson actually has more than one season. In fact, it has five: winter, spring, fore-summer, summer monsoon and fall. Tohono Chul Park’s new gallery exhibit celebrates Tucson’s array of seasons, and of biological specimens. Featured artist Janet Windsor uses graphic design and stitching skills to create fiber artwork of desert seasons. Exhibit runs through Wednesday, April 18. Artist’s reception: 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15. Curator’s Talk: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20 and Thursday, Feb. 22. Tohono Chul Park, 7366 Paseo del Norte. $13 adults, $10 students, seniors over 62 and military. $3 kids 5 to 12 and free for kids under 5.

Ansel Adams Public Celebration. On some level, aren’t we all, always, celebrating the work of Ansel Adams? Here’s a chance for us to do it all together, in the same place and at the same time. The Center for Creative Photography’s new exhibit, Ansel Adams: Performing the Print, will open, and there will also be archival object tours (self guided—the best kind), vintage camera display and a presentation from Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist and pal of Ansel Adams, David Hume Kennerly. Plus, cake! Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17. Center for Creative Photography, 1030 N. Olive Road. Free.