Tempe Conventions & Visitors Bureau

Music provides the soundtrack to my everyday life. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to listen to all the music that I would like to hear. Luckily in Tempe, there is a wealth of talented musicians who play in our local clubs, restaurants and concert venues. You can find a complete calendar of live music, and all Tempe arts and cultural events, at www.TempeScene.com.

Live music and a college town like Tempe just go together. In the 1960s, JD’s in Tempe was a venue of choice for up and coming artists of the day, such as Waylon Jennings. More recently, Tempe emerged on the music scene with its unique blend of jangly pop in the mid-1990s, with the Gin Blossoms leading the charge. The Meat Puppets, who heavily influenced Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, also hailed from Tempe. Today, bands like the ska-influenced Hello Swindon, the American roots music by Shelby James, the feel-good tunes from Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers and the ever popular world music by Walt Richardson are increasing in popularity.

“Music on Mill” brings musicians to Mill Avenue every Thursday evening from 5-9 p.m. “Jazz at Monti’s” gives local jazz musicians a chance to showcase their talents every Monday night. “Walk in Wednesdays” at the Tempe Center for the Arts, hosted by Walt Richardson, is an open-mic night for talented local singers and bands.  Emerging musicians have plenty of opportunities to showcase their talents at weekly open mic sessions at other popular night spots such as the Yucca Tap Room, Club Red, Big Fish Pub and Rula Bula Irish Pub.

And, venues like, The Clubhouse Music Venue, The Sail Inn and Marquee Theater, Club Red, Long Wong’s at the Firehouse, 910 Live, Yucca Tap Room, Big Fish Pub, The Big Bang, Sucker Punch Sally’s Old School Diner, John Henry’s Restaurant, Pier 54 and Tempe Marketplace have full calendars of live music  – so much so that you can find a performance every night of the week. National acts coming to Tempe soon include 30 Seconds to Mars, Angels & Airwaves and Jordin Sparks.

For a taste of Tempe’s excellent music scene, check out the video of Sean Wheeler and Zander Schloss performing live at Sucker Punch Sally’s Old School Diner:

It’s no surprise to me that salsa is the #1 condiment in the U.S. If you want to celebrate your love for salsa, don’t miss the My Nana’s Best Tasting Salsa Challenge, happening tomorrow at Tempe Beach Park.

From 11 am to 6 pm on April 24, you can sample the best salsas from 75 amateur and professional chefs. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite — the winning chef gets bragging rights and a fabulous grand prize trip. There will also be a margarita mix-off where 20 bartenders will compete to make the best margarita. There’s a kid zone just for the little ones, a Macayo’s food court (yummo!) and live entertainment by fun local bands like the Chadwicks.

Tickets are just $10 and all proceeds benefit Arizona children affected by bleeding disorders via the Arizona Hemophilia Association. For more info, visit www.salsachallenge.com.

See you there!!

Being a caffeine addicted, lover of good coffee, I was surprised and delighted to learn that Tempe is the home of Cortez Coffee, a family owned business that has run a plantation in Costa Rica for nearly two centuries. At their Tempe roastery, they roast, package and ship those wonderful aromatic Costa Rican coffee beans. They offer two special labels created by the City of Tempe: Mill Avenue Urban Blend and Town Lake Roast as special labels. Cool!

Ron Cortez has generously offered to donate $2 of every bag of Mill Avenue Urban Blend sold at the Thursday Night Market on Mill to benefit Walk-in Wednesday, the open mic night at Tempe Center for the Arts.  A bag of beans costs $12.00. You can have your great cup of java and help support the Walk-In Wednesday with Walt Richardson open mic programs at the Tempe Center for the Arts. The Thursday Night Market is a nice mix of of local growers, food producers and artisan vendors.  Browsing all the booths is a lot of fun, but  not to worry if you can’t make it to the market. Ron will donate some funds from their coffees purchased off the label.  Just visit their www.cafecortez.com to order.

Everyone’s favorite alt theatre company, Stray Cat, is opening a new show on Friday, April 16: 12th Night of the Living Dead.

Sounds like Shakespeare you say? Well, yes, if you like your Shakespeare shaken and stirred with zombies. The creative minds behind Stray Cat Theatre are producing a riff on this classis tale by adding lots and lots of zombies. I would try and paraphrase the premise myself, but their Web site says it best: “When a strange meteor smashes into that famous ship en route to Illyria, the bodies pile up even faster than the romantic complications. Can true love conquer being turned into a zombie? Can a zombie be made to understand the affairs of the heart…without eating it?”

Yes, this could be the most fun that you’ve ever had in an auditorium. Check out the Web site for show times and ticket information: http://straycattheatre.org/.

My Nana’s Salsa Challenge is right around the corner! Get your salsa taste buds ready! Businesses and individuals will be competing to make the best salsa in their category – hot or mild. The Challenge takes place on Saturday, April 24 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Tempe Beach Park .

This is one of my favorite events all year long. I love it for so many reasons. The salsa, of course, but also the food, the drinks, the live music and the amazing weather all combine for to create the perfect Saturday! There is even a Funzone for kids!

Over 75 competitors prepare more than 85 homemade varieties of fresh salsa. Is your mouth watering yet? There are two categories of salsas: mild and hot, so you can pick and choose your favorites depending on your preferred spice level. Each competitor is vying for the $1,000 cash prize for grand champion.

In addition to the salsa tasting mania, the annual Margarita Mix-Off is always fun to watch. Local bartenders show off their talents to win the judge’s vote for best Margarita. Cool off during the afternoon with a refreshing margarita!

The best part? The funds raised at the Salsa Challange benefit the Arizona Hemophilia Association, a non-profit organization that serves the individuals and families affected by bleeding disorders.

Tickets are only $10 at the gate and children under 12 are free.  Discounted tickets can be purchased in advance for $8 at any valley Fry’s or Fry’s Marketplace or at www.salsachallenge.com.