Steampunk Afternoon
A Tucson Steampunk Society Gathering
2 to 7 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 18
Amazing Discoveries 2410 E. Broadway Blvd.
982-0556; meetup.com/Tucson-Steampunk-Society
In the spring of 2011, the Tucson Steampunk Society formed not long after the local Wild Wild West convention. Now, the TSS hosts social gatherings and workshops every month, and a steampunk book club at Antigone's Books on the second Sunday of each month. If you're wondering what steampunk is, it's basically Victorian science fiction reimagined and brought to life.
On Sunday, the TSS will host an event in honor of Jessica Feinberg, a local artist who is releasing her new book, Clockwork Nouveau. The book consists of 30 pages of artwork and a discussion of techniques used to create the art, which includes sketching, ink and watercolor. Signed copies will be available for purchase at the event.
The event will also feature tea dueling, which TSS member Jocelynne Simone says involves a bit of psychological warfare against one's opponent.
"You take your official tea dueling biscuit and dunk it in your tea. At the count of five you raise your biscuit and face off with your opponent. The last man or woman standing and able to complete eating their biscuit after their opponent's biscuit has crumbled or fallen shamefully on their cravat wins the duel," Simone said. "We highly recommend people come and participate and see tea dueling in action. It's a very fun event."
Although newcomers may hesitate to get involved in steampunk events, "what they will find invariably is that they are welcomed with open arms," Simone said.
Other activities at Sunday's event include drawing, painting, crafting and steampunk-inspired tabletop gaming. Tea, cookies, cupcakes and other treats will be served. Admission to the all-ages event is free.—N.H-G.
A Different Kind of Storytelling
Historias Immigrantes exhibition
Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery and Workshop 218 E. Sixth St.
1 to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday, through Saturday, Aug. 31
According to a survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, about 40.4 million immigrants resided in the United States in 2011, making up 13 percent of the nation's population. Behind the statistics are the stories of the immigrants: their journeys, their families, their struggles and successes.
Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery and Workshop aims to provide a place to share those stories in its latest exhibition, Historias Immigrantes (Immigrant Stories).
Through paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed-media, the participating artists in the free show tell their own stories about how they have been affected by immigration.
"I think it's important (to tell these stories) because ... all we tend to hear is just the stats and the numbers on the news. But you know, it goes beyond borders and politics," said John Salgado, president of Raices Taller and an artist in the exhibition.
"Immigration is really the stories of the people that came. Each story is different, so that includes, you know, people that just got here, people that have been here a long time, and even the original native people."
Topics covered in the show range from family to journeys to protests and identity issues, he said.
Salgado said he hopes people who view the current exhibit will leave with the idea that immigration is about everyone, not just about a certain group of people the media may be focused on at any given time.
"The struggles have been there since the country started," Salgado said.
—A.D.
Party Like It's the '70s
KXCI Celebrates 1973
5:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 17
The Rialto Theatre318 E. Congress St.
740-1000;rialtotheatre.com
Today there are countless music festivals, from Coachella to Lollapalooza, but Woodstock is the mother of them all.
Every August since 2009, community radio station KXCI 91.3 FM has honored the legendary concert by putting on a show highlighting a year in rock music history. The first one honored 1969, the year Woodstock was held, and this year it's time to relive the musical excitement from 1973.
"Everybody has their own take ... everybody has their own perspective of that time period and what that music meant to them," said Amanda Shauger, KXCI's community engagement director. "For some people they were graduating high school or they were in college. Some people weren't born and maybe know some songs from the radio or from Guitar Hero. It's everybody coming together celebrating music from a time period. There were all kinds of ups and downs in that time ... but the music remains."
This year, local musical acts will take the stage at the Rialto to cover songs from the hit albums of 1973. Hank Topless will do Charlie Rich's Behind Closed Doors. The Jim Howell Band will take on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Golden Boots will cover Paul McCartney & Wings' Band on the Run and the Cochise County All Stars will reprise Waylon Jennings' Honky Tonk Heroes. Deschtuco will do Neil Young's Time Fades Away, Silverfox will do songs from David Bowie's Aladdin Sane and Sun Bones will cover tunes from Stevie Wonder's Innervisions.
General admission is $11 advance or $12 day of. Reserve seats are $16 advance and $17 day of. Children 12 and younger are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
—N.H-G.
Drag Kings Do Their Thing
Kings for a Cause 5
8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 16
Fluxx Studio414 E. Ninth St.
304-2007;kingsforacause.weebly.com
Dana Cianciotto has been performing in drag for six years. "It was kind of a fluke," she said, describing how she started. A friend of hers was organizing a show in Phoenix and several entertainers dropped out at the last minute, so Cianciotto decided to help her friend. "I ended up doing it and falling in love with it," she said.
Cianciotto is now organizing the first Kings for a Cause show in Tucson. Kings For a Cause organizes charity performances across the nation, and this year marks its 50th anniversary. Fifty percent of the Tucson proceeds will go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a national charity, and the other 50 percent will go to a local charity, The Other Mothers. Cianciotto hopes to raise at least $500.
"I felt like it would be a good opportunity to raise awareness of drag kings ... because not a lot of people know we exist. Everybody knows about drag queens but there is a new movement that has been happening for the last six years or so with drag kings," Cianciotto said. "I thought, if we are going to try to raise awareness for ourselves we might as well do it for a good cause and raise money on both levels at the same time."
The show will not be limited to drag king performances. It will also include burlesque, drag queens and Arizona's youngest drag king, who is said to be 8 years old. The event also includes a raffle with prizes, and auction items from Whole Foods Market, Live Theatre Workshop, Musical Mayhem Cabaret and other businesses.
Admission to the all-ages show is free, but there is a $5 suggested donation.
—N.H-G.
