• Aleksa Brown

Like many of the victims of the Jan. 8 shooting rampage in Tucson, Ron Barber has a way to go before he recovers from his wounds.

Barber, who was shot twice in the assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, suffered nerve damage that has left him without sensation in his left leg below the knee, except when he feels pain. He’s in physical therapy to learn how to walk with a brace and hasn’t had the strength to return to his job as district director for Giffords’ office.

But he didn’t let that bum leg stop him when he was invited to bring his family onstage with Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Alice Cooper and more than a dozen other musicians to sing “Teach Your Children” at the end of last week’s benefit concert at the Tucson Convention Center.

“There was no hesitation on my part,” Barber says with a laugh. “That’s one of my favorite songs, and it’s the perfect song to end the evening with the message that we’re trying to send out. To be singing it onstage with Crosby and Jackson and Nash and all the others? It was really cool.”

“Teach Your Children” was the final song of a star-studded concert for Barber’s Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding, which will support victims of the shooting massacre, as well as programs to discourage bullying in schools and assist the mentally ill.

There were many spectacular moments during the nearly five-hour concert: Jackson Browne and Jennifer Warnes on “Golden Slumbers.” Soul legend Sam Moore pulling the audience into “America the Beautiful.” David Crosby and Graham Nash jamming through “For What It’s Worth” with Keb’ Mo’ and “Long Time Gone” with Nils Lofgren. Nils shredding through the Beatles “Any Time At All.” The exuberance of Ozomotli, who had previously refused to play in Arizona following the passage of SB 1070, the state’s immigration law. Calexico and Mariachi Luz de Luna teaming up with Jackson Browne on “Linda Paloma.” Joey Burns’ love letter to the heart of Tucson during “Crystal Frontier.” Jackson Browne on the keyboards for “Doctor My Eyes” and guitar for “I Am a Patriot.” And Alice Cooper’s maniacal set as the show reached its end: Cooper exhorted the audience to sing along on “I’m 18” and “School’s Out.”

“If you don’t know these songs, you never went to high school,” Cooper hollered.

After Cooper wrapped up his quick set, nearly all of the musicians who had been onstage during the show came together for the finale of “Teach Your Children,” with Barber and his family gathering around a mike at one end of the stage.

Barber is kicking around ideas for another benefit concert, depending on who’s available in the future, but he’s not ready to go into showbiz full time.

“I have to tell you, it was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life,” Barber says. “I don’t know if it’s in my future. My future is with Gabby. As long as she can work and she will have me, I’ll be there.”

Aleksa Brown snapped some photos during rehearsal:

• Aleksa Brown

The emotional photo on the cover of Japanese daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun by photographer Toshiyuki Tsunerari might end up being the iconic image from last week's earthquake and tsunami.

[HT: Blogging via Typewriter]

One of the best things about Tucson in March (for a music-lover) is that the city serves as a pit stop for some pretty awesome bands on their way to and from South by Southwest.

Take indie pop rockers Uh Huh Her for example. The duo lit up Club Congress last night with a bubbly, high-energy performance that left fans cheering and clapping for an encore.

Below are a couple more pictures from the show!

• ANGELO SAMORA-VARGAS
• Tucsonans came in droves to the emptied-out university campus for the annual festival. Vendors, readers, authors, journalists flood the UA campus in this photo taken on the first day.

The Third annual Tucson Festival of Books came to a close after thousands of Tucsonans came out to participate in book signings, workshops, panels, food, and games.

Tucson Weekly writer Jim Nintzel participated in a panel on Saturday morning, talking about the January 8 shootings, along with several other journalists; while freelancer Jay Rochlin moderated a panel on Dispatches from the Borderlands, a presentation with five authors who have covered the border in their books, including TW Arts Editor Margaret Regan(Fashion collection).

• STEPHANIE FOUSSE
• Human Project entertainers performed at one of many stages Sunday. Members of the same troupe performed at last November's Pima County Democrats election-night party where they were introduced by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

• STEPHANIE FOUSSE
• Characters from science fiction, children's fiction, cartoons, and just characters peppered the yearly festival to the delight of children and adults.

More after the jump

• STEPHANIE FOUSSE
• Mort Rosenblum signs copies of his book Little Bunch of Madmen: Elements of Global Reporting after the presentation.

• STEPHANIE FOUSSE
• Mort Rosenblum speaks on the current state of global reporting at the festival of books.

Rosenblum, who also teaches International Reporting at the UA School of Journalism, has reported on peace and war from 200 countries, eventually becoming the AP's chief international foreign correspondent. From 1979 to 1981 was editor of the International Herald Tribune. Rosenblum has written a series of books about U.S. press coverage of international affairs, as well as books about political and economic issues in Africa and France.

Rosenblum was one of hundreds of presenters at the third annual Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona.

Visit the site at Bunchofmadmen.com

• JOHN DE DIOS
• Mort Rosenblum, professor, journalist and author, speaks to a packed crowd.

More photos from today's Book Festival coming soon.

(Disclosure: Blogger John de Dios is a member of the Little Bunch of Madmen: Elements of Global Reporting web management team.)

You might say that Mr. Free and the Satellite Freakout has a cult following. If that's true, I would like to know where to sign up.

Yeah, that's how good their 7" release show was last night at the Red Room at Grill.

Discos kicked off the free show with the kind of set I definitely would have paid for, while the guys from Mr. Free sold records and set up. Here are some shots from the night.

MFSF

• ANGELO SAMORA-VARGAS
• Thousands of Tucsonans have made it out to the Tucson Festival of Books.

The Tucson Festival of Books hits its third year at the University of Arizona campus. Thousands of Tucsonans are at the festival for workshops, book signings, panels and games.

For the schedule, visit Tucson Festival of Books.

• ANGELO SAMORA-VARGAS
• Books and food on a Saturday afternoon. What else is there?

Story by Melanie Huonker

Surrounded by picturesque views, grazing cattle, and open fields, I found myself forgetting I was in Arizona. Gone were desert plains and cactuses, I was surrounded by vineyards.

Just 60 miles southeast of Tucson in the Sonoita and Elgin area is home to 10 different vineyards surrounded by scenic views of mountain ranges.

“They are starting to make some really good wines here,” said Cindy Carlson, a frequent visitor to the area. “The fact that it’s growing like it is [here] is very nice to see.”

• ALLISON MULLALLY
• Ilana Jonas, center, in 'Seven Eves', choreographed by Claire Hancock for Artifact Dance Project at the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre on May 9, 2009

In 2008, Canadian transplant Allison Mullally picked up a camera and found a new passion in photography and photojournalism.

Three years later, Mullally has accumulated one of the more impressive portfolios of visualjournalism work at the University of Arizona School of Journalism. In January, Mullally participated in The New York Times Student Journalism Institute in Miami as one of four photographers selected out of scores of candidates from around the country.

But before Miami, Mullally found her vision and her muse photographing dancers from the UA School of Dance.

These photos are among some of the images Mullally photographed in 2009, during a showcase rehearsal she was given access.

Interview by Melanie Tortorello