Fast Heart Mart (left) and Roblyn "the Goblin" will bring their fun, goofy "Sidewalk Rock" to a couple of venues in town when they stop here on their latest tour. Hear the duo perform Saturday at Casbah Tea House or Monday at Plush.

Hailing from the “cheap and sunny” city of Albuquerque, N.M., Fast Heart Mart (a band and a man), with upcoming shows at Plush and Casbah Tea House, offers a fun, goofy twist on folk.

After listening to Fast Heart Mart (aka Martin) and Roblyn “the Goblin” perform their songs of worldly discontent, quitting your job and preparing for the end of the world will never seem like better ideas. We caught up with the touring duo via e-mail.

What got you into playing music? When did you start?

FHM: I had a lot of anxiety as a kid (and still do) and I was going to therapists and stuff, but then I discovered I could have my own personal therapist through songs.

R: Jimmy Page. In ’77, I saw Zeppelin live in Phoenix at the university. That’s when I started playing electric guitar. . . . A cherry-red pre-CBS Fender Mustang. Then the Sex Pistols came along and I realized that even I could be in a band!

How would you describe your style of music?

FHM: I like to call it Sidewalk Rock because it is a quiet, dinky, intimate music that you can play without plugging into the grid. I usually have to just call it folk-rock, though, or acoustic punk.

From where do you draw your inspiration?

FHM: I try to capture those unpleasant things and hang them out to dry so I can conquer them.

R: On the street when the little children make their parents stop to listen and dance and then cry when they’re made to leave. I can see that the innocents really need this music and the jaded ones will try to discourage us. But we have to keep getting the songs out there for the thirsty before they give up on sincerity all together.

Where did Martin get the name “Fast Heart Mart”?

R: Fast Heart Mart was born with a congenital heart defect that makes his heart race sometimes. It has taken family members. When he was 17, he had a defibrillator implanted in chest to shock it back into rhythm. He suffered a lot of anxiety until he learned relaxation techniques of yoga, breathing and moderate exercise. And, his name is “Martin.”

A lot of your songs seem to portray a frustration with living a typical life and working boring jobs. Does this stem from personal experience?

FHM: Yes. And I like to encourage people to dream their biggest dream and chase it as fast as they can.

Where do you most like to play music?

FHM: Outside, totally acoustic, on a nice, sunny day.

R: This music sounds better played outside: Sidewalks, porches, garden parties and festivals. But we also enjoy playing on ferries in New Zealand, in red-lit lounges, listening rooms and cafes filled with our fans, friends and families.

How do you guys tour?

R: Two years ago we converted a diesel VW camper van to run on salvaged vegetable oil, which we collect from the better restaurants. You can read about the conversion at biofuelvan.blogspot.com. We travel coast to coast selling CDs and shirts while making a documentary about our travels. You can watch our weekly progress at fastheartmarttour.blogspot.com. Mutant Mariachi is Martin’s own recording label, so we keep all the money we make. In 2007, we toured New Zealand where Fast Heart Mart has dual citizenship. Europe will be next!

You visit Tucson on a fairly regular basis. What attracts you?

FHM: The people are great. Anarchists, students, hippies, bicyclists, etc. And the sunshine!!!

R: I was born there! We love to eat at the Casbah Tea House. . . . And we love Plush. . . . We love Toxic Ranch Records where you can buy our CDs, and the free store at Dry River Collective. We love Hotel Congress and their incomparable Bloody Mary bar!

Money? Fame? Fortune? What are your goals for the future?

FHM: Money to pay for our house would be nice and to go out to eat every once and a while. I want to write happier songs that don’t come across wrong. Good health.

R: Peace, love and anarchy.

Tell me about your guitar.

FHM: It is a double-neck acoustic guitar. I have to have an acoustic guitar because we play a lot of shows without any amplification.

I used to travel with two guitars. One in standard tuning, one in “C-minor” tuning. I was always having to switch between the two onstage and I even forgot one in a town once. Now I have one guitar with two necks.

My current one is a double neck ovation like Richie Sambora used from Bon Jovi. I bought it in Portland for $200 after someone stole my other double neck acoustic guitar. I never thought I’d play an Ovation guitar, but I really like it. The rounded back makes it project really well in acoustic situations. I spray-painted it with my favorite colors. . . . black and blue.

In the song “Mayan Prophecy,” you sing about the world coming to an end in the year 2012. Do you really believe this is going to happen?

FHM: I think in some ways it already is. People are becoming more aware of the environment and their surroundings. I like to think that the end of the world is a good thing. No one’s going to die, just a new beginning. Maybe money will have no meaning?

R: Polar shift? Mass evolution via DNA light activation? Aliens taking us away?

Turning away from governmental corruption and war to embrace personal responsibility and peace through true equality and global consensus decision-making? It’s gonna be big.

You and Roblyn have a great dynamic onstage. Where did you meet and how did you end up playing together?

R: Like Sonny and Cher. Everybody secretly loves watching other couples bicker!!

I first heard Fast Heart Mart by accident during Winter Solstice 2002 at a little nightclub in Albuquerque. He played his set of songs fusing acoustic punk with rap, East Indian raga, and old-time mountain music with lyrics about quitting your job. His sincerity made me care again.

Two weeks later I saw him again. I told him not to stop playing music. That it was very important he keep making this amazing music. I said, “I’m a musician, too, and I hate everything.”

I told him I had worked in every facet of the music industry for over 20 years and my professional advice to him was, “Quit your day job.”

Two weeks later, I was playing his acoustic bass!

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IF YOU GO

What: Fast Heart Mart in concert

When/Where: Saturday at Casbah Tea House, 628 N. Fourth Ave., 8 p.m.; Monday at Plush, 340 E. Sixth St., 9:30 p.m.

Price: Free

Info: Casbah Tea House, 740-0393, www.casbahteahouse.com; Plush, 798-1298, www.plushtucson.com

Belinda Araneta will participate in this year's All Souls Procession to honor lost loved ones.

Thousands gather each year as the massive, teeming All Souls Procession deluges Fourth Avenue and winds its way downtown. Giant skeleton puppets and grotesque stilt walkers march alongside solemn, darkly clothed mourners. Some walk in contemplative silence while others whoop and yell.

For roommates Vanessa Allen, 22, and Drew Abromowitz, 23, the All Souls Procession is a party they wait for all year long. For Belinda Araneta, 45, the procession will be a time to reflect on her mother, who died in December.

“It’s just a big blend where creative expression for living meets remembrance,” Abromowitz says.

The procession is an annual event that coincides with the Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos, a celebration of life and a tribute to the dead.

“It’s a wonderful day,” Araneta says. “We are all so busy in our lives that it makes you stop and really think about the person you’re missing and some of the memories. That means the food they liked and the music they liked, as if they were part of your life still.”

Following her mother Aurelia’s death at the age of 83, Araneta has gone through a period of grieving and is beginning to cope with the loss. Preparing for the procession has helped her in that process, she says.

“It’s really healing to be able to do this and it’s a feel-good kind of thing, not like I feel depressed,” she says sitting in the kitchen of her mother’s home. “I think she would love the artsy excitement and music. She would love to be part of that, so why not take her?”

In the procession Araneta will carry a portrait of her mother, whom she describes as a charitable, eclectic, family-oriented woman who enjoyed spending time in the kitchen cooking meals for her family.

“She could make anything,” Araneta says. “The woman could take leftovers and make anything, with no recipe, and she was fast!”

When Aurelia wasn’t cooking she was either tending to her elaborate garden or painting. Nearly everything in the Araneta home is highlighted by Aurelia’s bright and colorful touches. Door frames, windows, desks, beds, even shoes are all adorned with colorful flowers and small designs delicately brushed on their surfaces.

“She would paint phones, she would paint anything. At one point she was painting clothes,” Araneta says. “We used to have a joke that if we stood still she would paint us.”

While Araneta sees the event as a time for reflection and contemplation, she has no problem with those who take a more light-hearted approach to the procession.

“Everyone goes for their own reasons,” she says. “At different times of your life that tradition holds a different meaning for you. So if you’ve never had a loved one pass away it might not mean as much to you; it’s more like, ‘Well let me dress up in my mask and have fun and walk around with people.’ ”

For Allen and Abromowitz the procession is more of a grand party than a time for mourning.

“I don’t think remembrance is the pure essence of the parade when you look at the giant puppets and people walking on sticks and stuff like that,” Abromowitz says. “If it was just a parade of people solemnly marching in remembrance I think it would be an entirely different thing, but it’s meant to be a celebration of life and really festive.”

Last year, the two roomies started a tradition of inviting people over to their Fourth Avenue home to drink, party and prepare for the parade.

“People brought fake flowers and their own makeup and extra costume pieces and people traded off,” Allen explains.

“Totally, so if someone wants to stick a last-minute accessory in their hair or if someone shows up and they don’t have face paint, at the very least everyone has makeup,” Abromowitz adds.

To Allen and Abromowitz, lavish and unique costumes are a crucial part of the event. When asked what their ideas were for this year’s costumes, Allen began to answer as Abromowitz ran off to another room to fetch his costume.

“I think the spirit of it is to kind of just put together whatever you can. What most women strive for is a white dress so they look like brides, but it’s mostly skeleton face paint or girls have a lot of flowers in their hair,” Allen answers as Abromowitz suddenly appears back in the room holding a homemade shell of an elaborate hoop dress.

“Best dead person ever, Marie Antoinette,” Abromowitz explains giddily. “So this year there is going to be a big dress stitched on top of everything and I’m making a corset that shrinks me down to, (gestures a tiny oval with his hands,) and I’m just going to paint those shoes golden.”

Like Abromowitz and Allen, many people put a lot of care into their costumes and see the procession as a great way to connect and socialize with other locals around Tucson.

“You meet a lot of people and the thing is, whether it’s a Halloween run-off costume or a new costume for the occasion, this gives you the chance to really go the extra mile to do something awesome, and you’re really recognized and in turn you recognize other people’s amazing effort,” Abromowitz explains.

For their get-together this year Abromowitz and Allen are expecting more than the 20 people who showed up last time. This year the party will be open to all, Abromowitz says.

“If people want to bring booze and not trash the house then we’re good to go.”

The spectacle of the procession intertwined with the rich cultural holiday has made the All Souls Procession a local staple and important event in the community.

“Every year the procession gets bigger and bigger and bigger and every year more and more people find a need for it, there’s a need for this,” Araneta says.

Allen and Abromowitz agree with Araneta’s opinion that the procession is a key Tucson tradition.

“We’re like totally into this thing,” Allen says.

Adds Abromowitz, “Yeah, Día de los Muertos is amazing.”

Drew Abromowitz plans to dress up as Marie Antoinette in this year's All Souls Procession.

The Procession of Little Angels, which is held the day before the All Souls Procession, is specifically for children.

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IF YOU GO

What: 19th annual Tucson All Souls Procession

When: 5 p.m. Sunday

Where: The procession begins at University Boulevard and Fourth Avenue and continues through downtown, ending at the old railroad docks near Sixth Street and Stone Avenue.

Price: Free

Info: www.allsoulsprocession.org

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DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS EVENTS

PROCESSION OF LITTLE ANGELS: The Procession of Little Angels is a parade designed entirely for kids, held the day before the All Souls Procession. Children participate in art activities such as wing making, face painting, sugar skulls decorating, story telling and theater. Angels on stilts will lead the children on a procession around a downtown public square to the finale stage area, where artists present a live performance-spectacle. Have your children bring pictures, photos or drawings of their loved ones who have died. This may include pets, family members or friends. These items will be scanned and projected on the side of the library building. Children’s Altar Project: Bring pictures, mementos, toys and other items to contribute to this evolving children’s community altar. This is meant as both an altar for children to add items to, as well as families to honor children who have passed. When: 3-7 p.m. Saturday Where: Jacome Plaza, Joel D. Valdez Main Library 101 N. Stone Ave. Price: free Info: www.allsoulsprocession.org

DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR PRESENTATION: Take part in a traditional Día de los Muertos altar presentation. This ceremony honors those who have passed away and welcomes their souls back for the celebration. When: 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 15 Where: The altar is in Tolteca Tlacuilo in the Old Town Artisans Complex, 186 N. Meyer Ave. Price: Free Info: 623-5787

‘DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS’ AT CONTRERAS: Remember departed relatives and friends through photography, paintings, shrines and assemblages by Cathy Murphy, David Tineo, Carolyn King, Martin Quintanilla, Neda Contreras and E. Michael Contreras. The show runs through Nov. 29. When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Where: Contreras Gallery, 110 E. Sixth. St. Price: free Info: 398-6557

‘DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS’ EXHIBIT AT OBSIDIAN: The Mexican holiday honoring the dead is celebrated with an exhibit of ceramics, drawings, paintings, photographs and jewelry. With 14 participating artists, the show runs through Nov. 15. When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Where: Obsidian Gallery, 4320 N. Campbell Ave. Price: free Info: 577-3598, www.obsidian-gallery.com

RAICES TALLER EXHIBIT: Community groups, guest artists and gallery members pay personal tribute to the “Day of the Dead” with altars, ofrendas (offerings), paintings and sculpture. The exhibit runs through Nov. 22, with a closing celebration set for 6-9 p.m. When: 1-5 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays or by appointment Where: Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery and Workshop, 218 E. Sixth St. Info: 881-5335, www.RaicesTaller222.org

El Tiradito Shrine

Think your house has ghosts or other supernatural phenomena?

You may want to call Mark Boccuzzi, who founded Tucson Paranormal Research in 2006.

The group looks for proof of “survival of consciousness,” more commonly referred to as ghosts.

Boccuzzi has trouble defining his far-from-ordinary lifestyle.

The 45-year-old says he’s always had an interest in the unusual and became fascinated with the supernatural after a series of strange occurrences in his dorm room at Salem (W.Va.) College in 1986.

“The word ‘skeptical’ is kind of loaded and doesn’t always have a positive connotation, but I think if you do this kind of stuff you need to be skeptical,” says Boccuzzi, who started his first paranormal research team about nine years ago.

Over the years, he developed the elaborate process he now follows.

TPR does not get rid of “ghosts” but instead observes and researches reported phenomenon.

First, Boccuzzi extensively and repeatedly interviews a prospective client via e-mail and telephone. That rules out people who are mentally unstable or flat-out frauds, among other things.

Next, Boccuzzi and a team of three or four do repeated observations in the home for about a month, taking multiple readings, voice recordings and video footage.

The team uses everything from thermometers and video cameras to electromagnetic field meters and Ouija boards. Members create “control” areas throughout the house to ensure that their observations are not affected by outside stimuli.

They also try to engage the alleged presence, asking the “ghost” various questions, encouraging it to make contact and even requesting it to send a message via the Ouija board.

An investigation takes months to complete, concluding with data analysis that itself can take months.

Boccuzzi says virtually all of his investigations find that nothing supernatural or even unexplainable is occurring.

It is the 2 percent to 3 percent of instances that he has found to be legitimately unexplainable that keeps him going.

One of the unexplained instances occurred at Tombstone’s Bird Cage Theatre, recognized by many paranormal groups as haunted.

Boccuzzi got hooked while living in California in 1999. After doing extensive advance research on the allegedly haunted Rose Hill Cemetery in Antioch, Calif., he and friends visited the site but found nothing.

That promptly deterred everyone but Boccuzzi, who was hooked.

“The history of these locations is fascinating,” he says. “The process was really interesting.”

46 W. Simpson St.

Velasco House

Hotel Congress

Z Mansion resident Rebecca Luiten gets ghostly in this time-lapse photo. Owner Tom Hill says paranormal researchers have told him an upstairs room now used for laundry is haunted. But he suggests that any ghosts in the home are friendly.

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1. El Tiradito

(The Little Castaway)

420 S. Main Ave.

The shrine is on the spot where legends says shepherd Juan Oliveras was killed by his father-in-law and later buried. Legend says Oliveras was killed for having an affair with his mother-on-law.

According to folklore, your wish will come true if you light a candle at the shrine in the evening and it burns all night.

An unusual experience led Phoenix-based author Stella Pope Duarte to research a book about the shrine. In a 2005 Tucson Citizen interview, she recalled the fateful trip to Barrio Viejo. “I had never heard about El Tiradito . . . When we were heading to El Minuto, (my daughter and I) passed El Tiradito. . . . I said, ‘Oh, look, there’s a little shrine.’”

When she returned to her van, the lights were on and the battery was dead. It was light out when she arrived at the restaurant, and an alarm screams when the lights are left on.

“So, during that time, my daughter said, ‘Mom, let’s go see the shrine.’ ” said Pope Duarte, who believes the man buried there wants her to tell his story.

2. 46 W. Simpson St.

This home in Barrio Historico has been the site of many a ghostly happening, according to Tucson Citizen archives. For instance:

• Unexplained noises have been reported, including the sounds of a radio playing.

• Herminia Suarez lived in the house in 1946 and she and her five children, including Mary Rivera, frequently spotted “la muchachita,”a girl age 7 or 8. “Rivera’s husband, Alfonso, had an experience in the house – one that so unnerved him that he never stayed there overnight again,” Citizen reporter Paul L. Allen wrote in 2003. “He awoke to a noise, and intended to get up and investigate. As he tried to sit up . . . he felt strong, cold hands pressing his chest, pinning him to the bed. Struggling against the pressure, he half-rose, only to be pressed forcefully back to the bed.”

3. The Velasco House

471, 475, 477 S. Stone Ave.

and 522 S. Russell St.

Dating to the 1850s, the house is mostly connected to former owner Carlos Ygnacio Velasco, who lived there from 1878 until his death in 1914.

After he died, the house was abandoned and later was turned into apartments. It fell into disrepair, but eventually ended up in more capable hands and extensive remodeling began.

Not long after the renovations were started, several unexplained experiences occurred, including several reports of an apparition of a man’s head and shoulders, in one instance identified as Velasco.

4. Hotel Congress

311 E. Congress St.

Hotel Congress co-owner Shana Oseran has told the Citizen she’s heard of and seen countless unexplained incidents.

Two that stand out are incidents involving guests and perhaps unearthly visitors.

In one instance, a man was staying at the hotel with his dog. He later wrote to the hotel with this account: As he slept, there was a gust of wind. The dog started barking and the bathroom door slammed shut. The man turned on a light, saw nothing and went back to sleep. The next morning, “every single towel and washcloth was in the toilet,” Oseran recounted to the Citizen.

In another instance, a man complained that, “All night, I had to stay in the room with that guy with the suitcase sitting in the chair.”

Then there was the fire department photographer who told Oseran that pictures taken of rooms in the Hotel Congress contained white orbs.

5. Z Mansion

288 N. Church Ave.

Owner Tom Hill and his family live in the mansion, which was built in 1898 as a private home. Now it’s available for public events on a limited basis.

He says a local paranormal research group says an upper room used for laundry is haunted.

“We have seven kids,” Hill once told the Citizen. “I don’t think any ghost really wants to hang out. . . . If there are ghosts, they are Casper – happy guys.”

Compiled from Citizen archives

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HAUNTED ARIZONA

• www.arizona-leisure.com/arizona-haunted-hotels.html

• www.sgha.net/az/invest_az.html

southwest ghost hunters assc.

• www.hauntedhouses.com/states/az

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Bird Cage Theatre

With a team at the Bird Cage Theatre in Tombstone, Boccuzzi tried to contact an alleged ghost by asking questions of it.

Investigators found that when he asked a question, the electromagnetic readings recorded on field meters placed around the theatre would spike.

While Boccuzzi says this is not definitive evidence that something supernatural was at play, it is something he cannot explain and must investigate further.

Boccuzzi’s first ‘encounter’

Boccuzzi says his first paranormal encounter occurred one morning while he was asleep in his Salem College dorm room.

He awoke to find himself paralyzed in bed, overwhelmed by what he described as a dark presence pushing down on his chest. After several terrifying repetitions of this over time, when it happened again, he began reciting The Lord’s Prayer. The experience stopped and never recurred.

Not satisfied to simply chalk the experience up to a run-in with some incomprehensible evil force, he determined to find an explanation. Eventually, Boccuzzi learned about a condition called sleep paralysis, which is known to cause the symptoms he had experienced.

He would later adopt this skeptical approach to the supernatural as the framework for his paranormal investigations.

Boccuzzi’s background

Aside from Tucson Paranormal Research Boccuzzi works in a University of Arizona research lab studying advances in consciousness and health.

He has also been involved in a many organizations dedicated to the study of such things as mediums, entity contact and psychic properties – such as the Windbridge Institute.

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IF YOU GO

What: Dias de los Muertos Walking Tour of Tucson’s Historic Hauntings

Who: Ghost Girl Tours leader Rebecca Petithory-Hayes

When: 6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Jácome Plaza, 101 N. Stone Ave.

Price: $10 per person

Details: Bring a camera. Don’t bring kids younger than 13. You can bring copies of photos of deceased loved ones to post at El Tiradito shrine.

For more information and future tour dates, call 293-1455 or e-mail tuazghostgirl@q.com.

It’s big, it’s rowdy, it’s a good time

When asked if we could take her photo, waitress Rachel Tapp hopped on the bar and struck a pose.

River’s Edge Lounge

Address: 4635 N. Flowing Wells Road

Phone: 520-887-9027

Let’s face it. The River’s Edge Lounge is a country bar chock-full of blue-collar regulars drowning their woes in deep glasses of booze. Fortunately, it’s not hard to join the party.

The rough and rowdy hoedown hangout can be a little intimidating at first glance but it won’t be long before you fit right in and find yourself chatting it up with some old barfly or belting out drunken karaoke while two-step-stumbling across the dance floor.

While River’s Edge is nowhere near as tame and drab as the classic Cheers bar, regulars and staff alike will legitimately begin to recognize you and even learn your name after only a few visits. If you’re not careful, the Edge will quickly become your raucous, yet cozy haven from your troubles. The Cheers theme song says it all.

“Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. . . . Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.”

Setup: Rivers Edge is a big bar that still often manages to be crowded. The main floor is full of tables and booths facing a dance floor and stage in the front. To the right is a full bar as well as a separate room dedicated entirely to pool tables. To the left is a large outdoor patio with a television that often shows NASCAR. To the back of the building is a foosball table and a dart board.

Libations: While River’s Edge has a full bar, it’s more of a beer drinking place. They offer a wide selection of beer at low prices, with five on tap including Coors and Amberbach ($2.50 per-pint, $7 for a pitcher). As if the prices weren’t cheap already, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. pints are only $1.50.

Service: River’s Edge gets a gold star in this department. Waitresses and bartenders are incredibly helpful, friendly and easy on the eyes. Owner Matt Bristol claims that River’s Edge has the hottest bartenders in town. You be the judge. Service is as quick as possible given the volume of people at the bar at any given time.

Entertainment: There is no shortage entertainment. Karaoke happens Sundays through Thursdays from 8:30 to close and is a great time whether you are singing or just watching other people belt out “Welcome to the Jungle.” River’s Edge also has live music on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 p.m. to close. The particular night that I went, the country band “Bone Creek” was jamming the night away. When I mistook the name of the band for “Lone Creek” the keyboardist was kind enough to put it into terms that I could understand. “No, it’s Bone, like boner minus the R!” All in all, whether you just want to people watch or jump in on some of the fun, you will never be bored at the Edge.

Bottom line: Good fun, good people, cheap beer and never a dull moment, it doesn’t get any better than the River’s Edge.

Actor Ruben Reyes is dressed and ready to greet his victims as LockJaw at Nightfall.

Halloween is coming up and there is no lack of terror in the air, but how do you decide which scare is right for you? Three different haunted events reviewed here show you can choose the degree of dread you want to keep you entertained and terrified this Halloween season.

The Nightmare at Breakers Water Park

This one takes the cake in the fright department. I nearly peed myself. The Nightmare creatively and brilliantly combines every horror imaginable into a cohesive and terrifying experience.

The attraction is broken down into three distinct events. The most terrifying of the trio is “Dr. Darke’s Darke Asylum.” The only part of the asylum that isn’t horrifying is the ironic, attractive girl at the entrance dressed in a kinky nurse outfit. Once she lets you in, the whole ordeal goes to hell.

To be honest, it’s difficult for me to give an entirely detailed account of this catastrophe, being that a decent amount of my time in the Asylum was spent with my eyes shut trying to power through the whole thing.

I am not ashamed.

From the moment you walk in, this haunted house is unrelenting. Each room epitomizes a vastly different but equally terrifying illustration of horror. Whatever your fear of choice is, Dr. Darke will come through for you. From an entire room dedicated to cracked-grin clowns to bloody body parts strewn about, the Asylum is a terrifying sensory overload that doesn’t let up until you sprint out in the end.

I won’t give away the last doozie that sends you screaming into the night.

The longer but slightly less scary “Black Voodoo” takes you through graveyards, broken-down rooms and forces you to walk far too close to a very convincing man butchering a body with a meat clever.

These are no-holds-barred haunted houses. You will be chased, yelled at and herded like cattle straight into things you would rather not encounter. They are certainly not for the faint of heart.

The “Eleventh Hour Maze” is a far more pleasant, psychedelic experience. With a pair of 3-D glasses you are let loose into a maze of bright designs and polka dots against dark walls. All of these colors appear to jump off the surfaces, and it’s impossible to resist trying to reach out and grab a handful of the colorful dots that appear to be floating in space.

The Eleventh Hour is a groovy experience, but The Nightmare is not worth attending unless you’re looking to be scared.

Buckelew Farm’s Haunted Cornfield

Wandering through a cornfield out in the boonies at night is an inherently unique and enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, Buckelew’s “Haunted” Cornfield was unable to offer much more than a leisurely stroll with the occasional cheaply masked figure popping out from time to time.

Each year, Buckelew Farm splits its cornfield into two sections, an elaborate corn maze and a haunted section dedicated to perpetuating people’s fear of farmland. This year’s haunted section was much longer than in previous years but seemed to have an overall lack of inspiration.

Instead of filling the added distance with ghosts and goblins, the longer walk proved to be just that – a long walk. The dead time in the tour seemed to be the result of a lack of hellish hires. Pig-head man becomes increasingly less scary after the third time you run into him. My group became so acquainted with one monster in particular that he took a moment from his malicious maiming to ask us the time. The random maintenance man strolling through the maze also kind of killed the mood.

This isn’t to say there weren’t times I found myself recoiling in terror. When creatures can jump out from anywhere, a few of them are bound to scare the hell out of you. These scares, however, tended to be a bit disorganized.

Back again this year is the terrifically terrifying pitch-black house of halls as well as the classic leather-face chain saw crazed beasts. Buckelew’s haunted cornfield is naturally a very different experience from the other haunted houses around town. Let’s face it, even without monsters, cornfields are a little creepy.

One disappointing difference this year is the lack of a theme. Throughout the journey you walk through a hall of bouncing clowns, dark alien figures and in the end bizarrely wind up in some kind of war trench. While this doesn’t detract from the random freakouts, you do lose something on the psychological end of the experience.

But it is nice to be out in the fresh air under the stars.

If you don’t mind the long drive and a bit of a wait in line once you get out there, Buckelew Farm’s Haunted Cornfield is worth checking out at least once.

Nightfall: Release the Beast

This year’s Nightfall at Old Tucson Studios is a great time for the family but will leave horror freaks wanting a bit more.

As usual, Old Tucson has transformed its western-themed town into a fun Halloween hangout. Fog fills some streets and various ghouls freely wander the village. Many buildings in town have been converted to haunted houses or performance areas for various shows. Food establishments and stores have been altered to fit the theme. Don’t be fooled; “Freaky Fries” taste exactly the same as french fries.

Most of the events this year relate to Dr. Jebediah Hyde, the evil and maniacal ruler and tormentor of Nightfall. The Halloween-inspired performances and collection of haunted houses, both of which are hit or miss.

The performance of “Hyde School Musical” is a fun spoof involving Dr. Hyde’s interactions with teens who sporadically break into song and dance. The cast of this show is surprisingly talented and the script is witty and entertaining.

In the ways that “Hyde School Musical” succeeds, the show “Symposium of Atrocities” falls flat on its face. Symposium is poorly written and doesn’t seem to follow any intelligible plot line. While everything else at Nightfall seems to be relatively family-oriented, Symposium is full of somewhat shocking and pointlessly crude dialogue involving everything from bestiality to date rape. Granted, there is a disclaimer alluding to the adult content, but it still comes off as tasteless and out of place.

As far as the haunted houses go, they are all good for a little thrill but nothing that will freak you out too much. Doctor Hyde’s Subterranean Laboratory has some neat automated “experiments,” and the Spider’s Lair is a fun, quick jaunt through, well, a spider lair. “Iron Door Mine” is a little more frightening than the others but nothing to lose your head over and “Fear Train” is more of a relaxing train ride through the surrounding desert than anything too terrifying.

The final show of the night, “Release the Beast,” is a Twilight Zone-esque journey to the town of Nightfall where Dr. Hyde is transforming humans into beasts and must be stopped. This show has a lot of entertaining high-flying stunts as well as nicely choreographed fight scenes.

Overall, if you’re not looking for anything too intense and just want to enjoy the Halloween spirit, Nightfall is the place to be.

Ghouls wander the grounds and interact with the guests at Old Tucson Studios.

The spider's lair

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IF YOU GO

What: Buckelew Farms Haunted Cornfield

Where: 17000 W. Ajo Way

When: Friday and Saturday from around 6:30 to midnight.

Price: $18

Info: 822-2277, buckelewfarm.com

What: “Nightfall: Release the Beasts”

Where: Old Tucson Studios, 201 S. Kinney Road

When: Friday and Saturday, 6 p.m.-12 a.m.; Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 6-10 p.m. through October.

Price: $24 for adults, $20 for children (4-11)

Info: 883-0100, nightfallaz.com

What: “The Nightmare” at Breakers Water Park

Where: 8555 W. Tangerine Road

When: Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m.- midnight; Sunday and Thursday, 7-10 p.m.

Price: $12 for one event, $21 for two, $24 for all three.

Info: tucsonscreamers.com

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RELATED

Halloween, Day of Dead events in the Tucson area

The 35th annual event is an opportunity to take in many cultures and for them to raise funds to help their own.

Diba Kushkaki, owner of Sultan Palace, will serve up lamb and chicken kabobs this weekend at the 35th annual Tucson Meet Yourself downtown.

Diba Kushkaki was forced at age 10 to flee with her family from Kabul, Afghanistan, as a result of the Russian invasion.

The 38-year-old now uses her passion for cooking to help Afghan refugees settle in the United States.

Kushkaki will be cooking lamb and chicken kabobs this weekend at the 35th annual Tucson Meet Yourself, to help others from her homeland.

She married when she was 16, and her husband taught her to cook. Like her mother and grandmother, Kushkaki found she had a flair for it, and her flair quickly turned into a cooking flame.

“She was very good at the time,” husband Shafiuddin says. “Now she is doing things that I cannot dream of doing. She is very talented.”

Diba Kushkaki dreamed of opening a small restaurant, but didn’t have the opportunity when she and her husband moved to Germany. When the family came to the U.S. in 1999, settling in Tucson, she was asked to cater for Islamic students at the Tucson Islamic Center. This job would be the catalyst for turning her dreams into reality.

“From there it started,” Kushkaki says. “People said, ‘You should have a restaurant. Oh my God, your food is so delicious, you have to have a restaurant!’ ”

In January 2005, she opened Sultan Palace at Main Avenue and Drachman Street. It has since moved to 943 E. University Blvd., serving the same Afghan cuisine.

Aside from fulfilling Kushkaki’s love of cooking, Sultan Palace has provided her with the means to further help Afghan refugees. Along with the Noor Women’s Association, the Kushkaki family helps new arrivals.

“When (refugees) come here, we visit them, we translate for them, hire them or help in any way to establish their lives,” she says.

Sultan Palace will participate for the first time this year as a nonprofit food vendor at Tucson Meet Yourself. The festival has 30 food vendors representing 26 ethnicities and provides nonprofit ethnic clubs and restaurants an opportunity to raise money to contribute to their club or community.

“We feel this is a way to support groups and ethnic communities that may not otherwise have an outlet for this,” says Mia Hansen, president of the Cultural Exchange Council of Tucson, which organizes Tucson Meet Yourself.

Hansen is happy to provide this service to Sultan Palace.

“We want to keep (Sultan Palace) going because that is kind of the unofficial social center for the Afghan community,” Hansen says. “The Afghan people who run that restaurant give a lot back to the community.”

The money the restaurant raises at the event will go to an Afghan man who was injured in a car accident and can no longer support himself or his family in Afghanistan, Kushkaki says.

“He used to work three shifts so that he could support his family in Afghanistan,” she explains. “Since the car accident, he can’t work anymore, so we are going to help.”

Shafiuddin and Diba’s five children – ranging in age from 5 months to 20 years old – will pitch in at the Sultan Palace booth.

Diba and her family see Tucson Meet Yourself as a way to share their culture and learn about cultures outside of their own. While they are excited about trying new foods, Diba’s 19-year-old son, Ehssanullah, explains that serving food is about more than just eating.

“In Afghanistan, when people eat it’s never just your own family,” Ehssanullah says. “It’s very common to invite as many people as you can. It’s a time when people come together. Our customers are more friends than just people who come and eat.”

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FOOD VENDORS

Nonprofit vendors at Tucson Meet Yourself sell traditional cuisine representing each one’s culture. Participants this year are:

• Sultan Palace (Afghan food)

• Original Corn Roast of Tucson

• Tucson Armenian Cultural Society

• Tucson Chinese Christian Church

• Club Colombia de Tucson

• Club Costa Rica

• Danish Club of Tucson

• Filipino-American Sampaguita Club of Tucson (Filipino)

• Order of AHEPA/ Daughters of Penelope (Greek)

• Hungarian-American Club

• India Society of Southern Arizona

• Order Sons of Italy in America

• Taste of Jamaica

• Safe Mission (Jamaican)

• Southern Arizona Korean Association

• Lao American Veterans

• Lao Student Club

• Grupo Folklorico Juvenile de Tucson (Oaxacan-style Mexican food)

• Los Chiquilines (Mexican)

• Middle Eastern group

• Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha (American Indian)

• Desert Indian Dancers (Tohono O’odham)

• Solidarity of Tucson (Polish)

• Apostolic Morning Light Church (soul food)

• COGIC Women’s Association (soul food)

• Club España de Tucson (Spanish)

• VASA Lodge No. 691 (Swedish)

• Thai Tucson

• Dhammaratanaram Temple (Thai)

• Thriratana Tucson Buddhist Temple (Thai)

• Foundation for Intercultural Dialogue (Turkish)

• Vietnamese Student Association

• San Ignacio Yaqui Council (Yaqui)

• Yoeme Barrio Libre (Yaqui)

Source: Cultural Exchange Council of Tucson

———

If you go

What: Tucson Meet Yourself

When: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday

Where: El Presidio Park, Pima County Courthouse and Jácome Library Plaza, 115 N. Church Ave.

Price: free admission

Info: 792-4806 www.tucsonmeet yourself.org

Giant Sand members (from left): Anders Pedersen, Howe Gelb, Peter Dombernowsky and Thøger T. Lund.

Local musician Howe Gelb of the alt-country band Giant Sand is still wearing his sunglasses as the patio lights of Hotel Congress flicker on. His view of the world has been far from bright.

“Things have been kind of dark over the last eight years,” he solemnly notes as he squeezes a lime into a bottle of Negra Modelo.

Gelb says that he is not a political man by nature but that he cannot stop the turmoil in the world from oozing into the subtext of his music.

“Whatever is going on on the planet seeps into the story lines of the songs,” he said.

Gelb pulls no punches discussing whom he blames for much of the current stress that the world has been under. While he tries to keep things in perspective, he says that he can’t help but be affected by the poor leadership exhibited in the U.S. over the past eight years. This affection, however, is not entirely negative.

“You can blame some people in office for good music; good, loud, rock ‘n’ roll music,” he says. “They are so uninspiring that people have to overcompensate and create inspiration. The best rock seems to be made when Republicans are in office, as a sort of counterbalance.”

This theory holds true in the band’s new album, “proVISIONS,” whose material Gelb and Giant Sand will perform at Club Congress on Saturday.

The album was released Sept. 2 and features guest vocalists Isobell Campbell, Neko Case and M. Ward.

The CD’s artwork of a blood-splattered woman holding a large butchered fish as well as the title of the album were originally unclear to Gelb when he selected them.

“I saw the piece of art and something hit me about the picture and I thought, ‘I think that has to be the cover,’ ” he remembers. “I always like not knowing why but knowing what has to be.”

Since the initial intuitive decision, Gelb says that he is starting to piece together how the name and artwork relate to the album.

“After I put (the album) together it started to make sense to me, as if someone else had put the record together.”

Gelb explains that the title, “proVISIONS,” may have stemmed from his observation of how difficult it has been for many people to provide for their families in recent years. The image of the butchered fish, he elaborates, might translate into the harsh, sometimes disturbing, realities people have to face in order to provide.

While Gelb has his own speculations, he emphasizes that it is up to the listener to interpret the album in whatever way is most applicable to their own life and views.

“Just because I say what I thought (the album) was about when it left my hands doesn’t mean that’s what it is,” he says. “When it hits your ears, it’s not mine anymore. It’s whatever you make of it, so there’s no incorrect assessment.”

He also applies this belief to the possible political influence of the album.

“(The album) will apply itself in ways that are completely not political,” Gelb clarifies. “I think too much politics in music or art saddens the episode, making it so you can’t reflect back on it as easily.”

The music of “proVISIONS” can certainly be interpreted in many different ways. While, the album as a whole seems to carry a somber, even glum tone, Gelb rarely writes a lyric that can be definitively interpreted as political. Instead, the majority of the songs on the album appear to address the age-old issues of love and loss.

The first track on the album, “Stranded Pearl,” opens with Gelb contemplating in spoken voice, “when the taste of love has all but gone sour.” A simple acoustic guitar and drum then pick up the rhythm as the song gets going. Campbell’s sweet and soft vocals in this track provide a perfect juxtaposition to Gelb’s rough, raspy voice as they sing, “every girl is like a pearl, heart’s strung along and then left stranded.” The other guest vocalists, including Case on the song, “Without a Word,” are utilized just as effectively, perfectly complementing Gelb’s voice and music.

Giant Sand’s tour promoting “proVISIONS” began Sept. 15 and while Gelb says that he loves performing all over the world, he can’t stand the process of traveling from one place to another.

“I have to keep coming up with ways to trick myself into getting there,” Gelb says, laughing. “Something inside of me constantly tries to miss the plane every time.”

As far as his concerts during the tour, Gelb says that they can be drastically different from one night to the other. He stays away from overplanning his gigs because he says that it will put him off from the natural mood of the show and could cut off the energy that he is receiving from the audience.

“I try to tap into the way things naturally move or sway,” Gelb explains. “It’s kind of like an antennae, holding that guitar with enough straight metal in it. You’re picking up signals from somewhere.”

During the span of Gelb’s international tours and over 30 years of playing music, his style has been categorized as “desert rock.” People in England have gone as far as affectionately calling the artist in his 40s the “Godfather of Alt-Country,” Gelb says. He clarifies, however, that his preferred title would be, “The Ambassador of Erosion-Rock and its Reconstitution.” Gelb explains that the term “erosion-rock” is more fitting with the way the desert is constantly changing as a result of monsoons, wind and heat.

“(Erosion) makes the most sense to me,” he says. “I like that kind of change and I notice that my music has the same similar stamp on it. Every night it changes.”

Gelb is also concerned with change as far as the upcoming election is concerned. He hopes that change will overcome, but if the government continues to let the people down, he’ll let the creation of great new rock ‘n’ roll find the balance.

“The pendulum just swings the other way.”

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IF YOU GO

What: Giant Sand in concert

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St.

Price: $10

Info: 622-8848, www.hotelcongress.com

———

Related story

CD Review: Giant Sand’s new album is compelling

Dean Wilson hopes to finish El Tour de Tucson in no more than 5.5 hours.

Dean Wilson is 38 years old, has moderately high cholesterol and works as an aerospace machinist.

A year ago, he bought the first bicycle he’s had since high school.

Nov. 22, Wilson will attempt to ride 109 miles, the complete El Tour de Tucson course, in less than 5 1/2 hours.

Wilson says he was far from athletic when he bought an inexpensive mountain bike last summer in order to keep up with his 7-year-old daughter, Rachelle, as she learned to ride.

It turns out Wilson’s daughter was not the only one developing a love for cycling.

In early June, Wilson ditched that heavy mountain bike for a sleek $800 titanium-framed road bike and decided to attempt El Tour’s longest ride.

“If I’m going to do it, I might as well do it all,” he says nonchalantly.

The tour offers four distances for those serious about riding: 35-, 67-, 80- and 109-mile courses, as well as four-mile and quarter-mile rides for families and children.

When Wilson started training about three months ago, his friends and family were skeptical about his seemingly impetuous and ambitious goal. Some asked him if he had lost his mind, expressing doubts that he would have what it takes to complete the race.

Now confident from his training, he has a new perspective on the uncertainties of his friends.

“People who cycle understand,” he says. “People who don’t think they are going to fall over if they ride just around the corner to the grocery store.”

Jason Tullous, head coach at Carmichael Trainings Systems’ Tucson center, 3384 N. Winstel Blvd., says that while he generally advises riders to train for about six months to prepare for the 109-mile course, Wilson should be fine.

“He picked a good amount of time to start preparing,” Tullous says. “He started five months out and I think that’s enough time to be able to do the whole thing.”

In the beginning of his training, Wilson learned nutrition was going to play a big part in accomplishing his goal. During one ride, he found himself exhausted and soon realized that it was because of a lack of nutrients in his diet.

“Your body needs things (during training) that it didn’t necessarily need before,” he says. “If you don’t feed your body and give your body fluids, you can put yourself in the hospital.”

Now on training days, Wilson makes sure to eat a carbohydrate-rich breakfast, generally oatmeal and fruit. He is up to riding three or four hours every Saturday and Sunday, as well as two days during the week for 90 minutes.

“You can easily drop weight if you train seriously,” he says. “I’ve lost 15 pounds since May.”

Wilson also expects that his pesky cholesterol has begun to lower without the aid of the medications his doctor suggested. He says he also finds riding early in the morning – before the heat and traffic increase – to be calming.

“It’s a complete stress reliever,” he says. “You can choose to either focus on life or ignore life and focus strictly on your training. It’s incredibly relaxing.”

Wilson says his confidence is growing the closer it gets to race day. At this point in training, his focus is on gaining power to avoid losing speed on the uphill sections of the tour.

“I don’t have any real worries,” he says. “I’m just trying to keep training hard. I’m trying to improve on my weaknesses so that come El Tour time, I’ll be at a peaking point.”

On race day, he will be very conscious of hydrating himself and eating carbohydrates to keep up his energy.

After the 109-mile ride, Wilson will ride the four-mile family course with his very first training partner, daughter Rachelle.

Regardless of how his race turns out, he says the next step is the same: “It will be time to drink.”

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Tips

With 35-, 67-, 80- and 109-mile courses, plus quarter- and four-mile distances for families, El Tour de Tucson has races for all ages and fitness levels.

Whether you want to start training for one of the longer rides or just make it a day out with the kids, here are some tips from Jason Tullous of Carmichael Training Systems to help ensure that you have a fun and safe time while making the most of the experience.

• Eat right. Carbohydrates are the body’s main fuel source, the closer it gets to El Tour, the more carbs you should eat. Try to cut out junk food as much as possible, but something sweet every now and then won’t hurt.

• Train. Depending on your goal, a good starting point is to ride three or four times a week if you have time. If you are training hard, make sure you set aside rest days to recover.

• Set a realistic goal. It is important to create a goal as a way to keep yourself motivated and on track. If you are starting from scratch right now, the 35-mile distance might be a good place to start. If you are ambitious, the 67-miler will provide a challenge.

• Stay motivated. There are many ways to do this, from a motivational screensaver on your computer to hiring a coach. Telling supportive friends and family about your goal is another way to keep yourself pumped.

• Keep a training diary. Log how often you’re riding, for how long and how you felt during the ride. Trace your progress and try to establish why a session was particularly good or bad.

• Find a training partner. Ride with a friend or join one of Tucson’s many cycling clubs. Riding with other people will help you get used to riding in close proximity to other riders and will add a social aspect to your training.

• Stay hydrated and healthy during the race. Throughout the race, drink plenty of water and continually eat small portions to keep your hydration and energy levels high. Adding a little salt to your water can also help you avoid dehydration.

• Have fun. Don’t get yourself too worked up before the race; take a few deep breaths and relax.

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TAKE THE TOUR: About 10,000 riders are expected to enter the 26th annual El Tour de Tucson, Nov. 22. Starting lines and times vary by ride distance. Registration for El Tour is open through Nov. 20. The race entry fee includes a processing fee, registration and minimum contribution. Online registration, which costs an additional $8 processing fee, closes Nov. 16. Or register in person Nov. 17-20 at Perimeter Bicycling Association’s office, 2609 E. Broadway. For details on the race, including registration info and race-related events, call 745-2033 or go towww.perimeterbicycling.com.

Drive up the mountain for food, music, dance

John Prokop's Musikmeisters (from left) Prokop, tuba, Arleen Watkins, accordion, and Ben Buette, drums, perform every weekend of Mount Lemmon Ski Valley's Oktoberfest.

Cancel your flight to Germany. Mount Lemmon Ski Valley’s Oktoberfest has all the beer, brats and atmosphere of the real deal at considerably cheaper cost and travel time.

“We have the mountains and the pines and the aspens; we have the setting for Oktoberfest,” says Mary Whelan, Ski Valley office manager and Oktoberfest organizer. “Add the German beer, German food, the dancers and the music and it all comes together.”

She says Ski Valley pulls out all the stops to ensure that its Oktoberfest, weekends through Oct. 12, has all the culture and raucous attitude expected at such an event. The festivities will include the John Prokop band pumping out German tunes, as well as the Bela Vrucina dancers, who will perform three weekends starting Sept. 27.

“You’re going from summer into fall,” Whalen says. “That’s a time to celebrate!”

Festival enthusiasts will be able to chow down on a variety of German foods, including bratwursts, German potato salad, German rolls, cooked cabbage and much more at The Iron Door Restaurant.

And what would Oktoberfest be without the beer? Ski Valley is going to provide all your favorite American beers as well as specialty German selections Paulaner Oktoberfest and Spaten Oktoberfest. For the more dedicated swillers, beer steins will be sold at the gift store.

The presence of beer, however, shouldn’t discourage the younger crowd from joining in on the fun, Whalen says, emphasizing that the event is for the whole family.

“It’s a lot of fun because you have all ages there,” she says. “You have teenagers coming up to dance; you have families with children; you have seniors who love to polka.”

Even the younger, more plucky members of the crowd will get the chance to strut their stuff at the casual gathering.

“The kids in the audience come up and dance with the dancers for the ‘Chicken Dance.’ ”

Mount Lemmon Ski Valley hosts Oktoberfest activities weekend Sept. 20 through Oct. 12.

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IF YOU GO

What: Oktoberfest at Mount Lemmon Ski Valley

Where: 10300 Ski Run Road, Mount Lemmon

When: 11:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 20-21, 27-28 and Oct. 4-5 and 11-12

Price: Free admission, $4 for parking, additional cost for food, beverages and souvenirs

Info: 520-576-1400

John Convertino (left) and Joey Burns of Calexico will play Saturday in a benefit concert for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

Joey Burns and John Convertino have never been content to stick to the same old thing.

The Tucson duo, better knows as folk-alternative band Calexico, playing at the Rialto on Saturday, frequently teams with other bands and musicians and is always developing new and interesting flavors to add to its musical platter.

“It’s like when you go to El Charro,” singer/guitarist Burns says. “You’re always going to order some kind of carne seca, but you might want to try something different every now and then.”

Calexico’s new album, “Carried to Dust” (Quarterstick), provides plenty of new tastes. The album serves up a stylistic roller coaster with musical guests like Sam Beam (Iron and Wine) and Spanish musician Jairo Zavala, who is featured on numerous tracks throughout the album.

The opening track, “Victor Jara’s Hands,” starts the album off on a quick, upbeat note while Zavala’s smooth vocals add a sense of timelessness and intrigue to the song. The next song, “Two Silver Trees,” goes in a completely different direction as Burns intimately whispers his vocals over an acoustic guitar and snare before bursting into the chorus, singing smoothly over a dangling piano rhythm.

Calexico’s attraction to working with other bands and musicians is always something that has come naturally and is a crucial part of their development as music artists, says Burns, who was speaking from a local studio, where he and Covertino were working with Jairo Zavala’s project Depedro on a song for a Chris Gaffney (Hacienda Brothers) tribute. A local favorite, Gaffney died earlier this year.

“Musicians tend to gravitate towards one another. It’s that language that connects musicians. We’ve always really enjoyed it,” he says. “It helps give you ideas to maybe try something different or look at an old song in a new way. It gets you moving.”

This idea of change is just manifested in Calexico’s style of music. The duo also is concerned with changes in the political realm.

“We have this whole presidential election based on change which is an interesting topic to bring to the people,” Burns says. “Music usually taps into that philosophy of changing it up.”

Calexico’s upcoming show will be a benefit for Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who is running for re-election in November. Burns says he thinks the show will be an effective fundraiser for Giffords but that there is a bigger picture to look at.

“I would love to do more of those around the country because I think that now would be a good time,” he says. “The economy is having a hard time, people are turning more to each other to figure out how to solve problems.”

Whether their focus is music or politics, Calexico is a band that will always have a rich perspective.

“We’re musicians, we work in change, we work within change, we exchange change as a currency,” says Burns.

———

IF YOU GO

What: Calexico’s Gabrielle Giffords benefit show with Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Where: Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St.

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Price: $15 students, $25 general admission.

Info: 740-1000, rialtotheatre.com

Artist Daniel Martin Diaz often uses symbols in his paintings, like those found on the dress of the crowned figure in "Elegy."

Profound anguish fascinates self-taught Tucson artist Daniel Martin Diaz.

Diaz’s painting “Capulus,” for instance, shows a bound-up figure of Jesus Christ lying dead in a coffin. There are visible cuts on his body and a crown of thorns wraps his head. A raven perches menacingly above him.

“Any time I start a painting, I think about the passion and suffering that people have experienced throughout time and I try to focus on that,” says Diaz, 41, in a phone interview. “It’s really an important theme for me.”

Diaz’s new exhibit, “The Anatomy of Sorrow,” at the Arizona State Museum, works toward “dissecting” concepts of misery, a project he has been exploring since he first started painting 12 years ago.

“These are themes that really inspired me to paint,” he says.

Another painting in the exhibit, “Elegy,” illustrates a crowned woman in a dress with branches stemming from her sleeves instead of hands. A skull and a hand with an eye in the palm adorn the front of her dress. Symbology, particularly the use of Catholic symbols, is very prevalent in Diaz’s works. He believes that symbols can be used to convey universal truths.

“I really think it’s interesting that imagery evokes instinctual things inside of us,” he says. “I tend to use symbols that evoke that instinct in me and my work, and that speaks to other people as well.”

Also in “Elegy,” the Latin words Terra and Ignis run along the bottom hem of the woman’s dress. The use of Latin within his paintings is another mysterious signature of Diaz’s art.

“People see my work and they don’t really understand what it’s saying. The fact that there is Latin gives it this mystical quality,” he says. “Once you delve into the words that I use, there’s another element to it.”

Diaz is careful to mention that these symbols and texts are not thrown together haphazardly. Each painting is designed to convey a particular sentiment; if the painting fails to succeed in doing this then it is worthless, he says.

“There’s an element to the paintings beyond just the paintings themselves. I’m trying to capture emotion. If I see that the emotion isn’t there, I’ll just abandon the painting and move on to the next one.”

Aside from continuing his study of misery, “The Anatomy of Sorrow” exhibits a new aspect of Diaz’s work. His piece, “Sanctimonia,” is composed of a small, symbolic painting surrounded by an intricately carved, black frame that resembles the silhouette of a cathedral.

“I’m making these frames look like gothic building facades,” Diaz says. “More than ever, with this exhibition, (the frames) are going to be a lot more prominent.”

Diaz has also began imitating an old style of art known as “block printing,” a technique used to reproduce images using a large wooden stamp. While he is not actually using the traditional stamp, Diaz is hand-painting reproductions of sacred heart symbols and butterflies.

Regardless of Diaz’s changes in style or choice of medium, he emphasizes that it is always more about the passion than about the physical manifestations of his creations.

“It’s always trying to capture that magic.”

———

IF YOU GO

What: “The Anatomy of Sorrow” art exhibit by Daniel Martin Diaz.

Where: Arizona State Museum on The University of Arizona campus, 1013 E. University Blvd.

When: Sept. 15-Oct. 27, 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Free public celebration with activities and book signing, 1-4 p.m. Saturday

Price: $3 suggested donation

Info: 626-8381, statemuseum.arizona.edu

Live music, record fest and fashion show all part of Hotel Congress’ annual celebration

The HoCo Festival marking Club Congress’ 20th anniversary in 2005 was such a big hit that organizers decided to make it an annual celebration.

This year’s Friday-through-Sunday event will feature three stages with more than 40 bands, including Tucson favorites of the past (a reunion of Gentlemen Afterdark) and the present (longtimers Howe Gelb and Al Perry on through relative newbies Golden Boots and The Swim), plus a Meat Puppets’ headliner show.

Returning Saturday, is the HoCo Record Show, which was among the more popular offerings last year. New is a fashion show by Buffalo Exchange and solar-powered lighting on music stages, part of the festival’s efforts to be more “green.”

Best of all: Admission still is free.

———

RELATED STORIES

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Acts, solar power will light up stage

———

IF YOU GO

What: Hotel Congress’ fourth annual HoCo Festival

When: various times Friday-Sunday

Where: 311 E. Congress St.

Price: Tickets free in advance from Hotel Congress, Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, Buffalo Exchange, ZIA Records, $5 at the door.

Info: 792-6366, www.hotelcongress.com

HOCO SCHEDULE

FRIDAY

7 p.m. – Movie screening of documentary “Fuzz ” at Preen, 272 E. Congress St.

Alt. Country Showcase (outside)

7:30 – Dusty Buskers

8:30 – The Fell City Shouts

9:30 – Devil Makes Three (Portland, Ore.)

10:45 – Dusty Rhodes (Los Angeles)

midnight – Mother Truckers (Austin, Texas)

Fuzz Stage (inside)

8:15 – The Shudders

9:15 – Winelord

10:15 – Lemondrop Gang

11:15 – Blackwood and Co.

12:30 a.m. – Mr. Free and the Satellite Freakout

SATURDAY

9 a.m.-3 p.m. – Record Fair

3-8 p.m. – Eco-Fair

5-9 – Al Perry Surf BBQ

6 – Wedding in Copper Hall

Al Perry’s Surf Stage (outside)

5:30 p.m. – Al Perry

6 – Wolfman and The Nards

7:15 – Big Galoot

8 – Shrimp Chaperone

8:30 – Al Perry

9 – Ned Sutton and The Rabbits

10 – Howe Gelb

11 – Power Solo

midnight – Meat Puppets

Dance Stage (inside)

8 p.m. – Music video

9 – Gentlemen AfterDark

10 – Milk:Blood

10:45 – 21 Pump Street

midnight – Bang! Bang!

SUNDAY

5 p.m. – BBQ

Mudhouse Stage (outside)

6 p.m. – Golden Boots

7 – TBA

8 – The Swim

9 – Buffalo Exchange Recycled Fashion Show

9:45 – Centro-matic (Denton, Texas)

11:15 – Holy Rolling Empire

midnight – Tom Walbank

Acoustic Stage (outside)

7:30 – Jeremy Sewer

8 – Mirror Image

8:30 – Brian Fields

9:30 – Naim Amor

10 – Amy Rude

10:30 – Andrew Colberg

Caliente Stage (indoor)

7:30 – Young Mothers

8 – Otterressy

8:45 – West 6

9:30 – Runaway 5!

10:15 – R’ Cougar

11 – Feel Good Revolution!

11:45 – Flagrante Delicto

12:45 a.m. – Deludes

Gentleman Afterdark circa 1988 are (from left) Kevin Pate (with shades), Jon Norwood, Brian Smith (center), Stuart Smith and Robin Johnson (kneeling).

To Gentlemen Afterdark vocalist Brian Smith, his band’s reunion show at the first HoCo Festival three years ago was almost a mirror image of the wild shows in the ’80s. Except for the faces staring back.

“I thought it was fantastic,” Smith remembers. “It was crowded – a lot of old faces – a lot of wrinkles. I can’t believe how wrinkly some people are. It’s great!”

Gentlemen Afterdark, returning Saturday to play at this year’s HoCo Festival, is a new wave, glam-rock band that hit its heyday in the ’80s, often playing in Tucson. The name was created as a sarcastic expression for people who would dress and act normally during the day, then transform into self-proclaimed rock stars at night.

“We were rock stars 24/7,” Smith proclaims proudly from a bar in Detroit.

As a result of this dedicated, rocker lifestyle, the band always had an incredibly strong stage presence that seemed to come naturally to them, guitarist Robin Johnson says.

“(Smith) is very charismatic and very, very energetic. He knows how to move and be a frontman . . . ,” Johnson says from his home in Phoenix. “I was always proud of the fact that (Gentleman Afterdark) struck me as a band where someone would go to a nightclub and see us play and then wake up the next day and think, ‘Did I really see that? That was a spectacle.’ ”

It was not long before this onstage passion attracted the attention of the legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper. After seeing the band live, Cooper was confident that it had the potential to be great and, along with Dick Wagner (music director and guitarist for Cooper), decided to produce an album for the band. The self-titled EP would turn out to be a disappointment.

“Alice and Dick had their own idea of what we were supposed to sound like,” Johnson says. “We weren’t happy with how the record sounded, but we had a hell of a time hanging out in the studio with Alice and Dick. It was crazy.”

Smith recalls similar frustration with the album, but offers a much more revealing, albeit graphic account of the “crazy” recording sessions.

“I’ll tell you one thing; I was on coke the whole time I was doing those vocals. There was so much coke in the studio and yeah, I did coke the whole time,” Smith recalls nonchalantly. “My voice is a lot different than what it sounds like on that record. That was just an embarrassment that I’ve tried to live down ever since.”

This haphazard involvement with drugs would end up contributing to the downfall of Gentlemen Afterdark. The now-clean Smith recalls the difficulty the band would suffer as a result of addiction.

“There was a lot of heartache. There was a lot of f—— heartache in that band,” Smith says. “There were a lot of people who got strung out on drugs and there was a lot of alcohol.”

The band was also constantly discouraged by false hopes and missed opportunities. Producers and managers would convince the group that they had just produced a hit song or that they were on the fast track to fame, Smith says. To the band’s disappointment, none of these predictions ever panned out.

“There were all these (encouraging) things that would happen, but nothing happened,” Smith says. “We were picked by People magazine’s ‘Stars of the Future.’ Next to Tom Cruise and Glenn Close was us! You obviously know what happened there.”

“We were always this close,” Johnson says. “And we came out wanting.”

The band would eventually split up and spread across the country to various other projects. It wouldn’t be until David Slutes, a mutual friend and entertainment director at Hotel Congress, approached them about considering a reunion show.

The result of their first get-together was better than the band could have imagined.

“It was how a rock ‘n’ roll show should be, with the crowd packed up to the front of the stage,” Smith says. “A lot of people remembered some of the old songs. People were singing the lyrics. It made me miss performing. . . . I got goose bumps. So, I mean, when I get goose bumps, it’s a good thing.”

While Johnson, drummer Winston Watson, bassist Kevin Pate and keyboardist (and Brian Smith’s brother) Barry Smith will have three days to rehearse, Brian Smith will have a matter of hours to get back into the groove of things. The editor and writer for the Detroit Metro Times will not arrive in Tucson until the day of the show.

“We’re going to do a sound check and that’s my only rehearsal, and then we’re going to do the show,” Smith says in a devil-may-care attitude. “It’s going to be a f—— nightmare.”

Smith is not even sure he will be able to sing his lyrics when the time comes.

“I can never remember the words. I don’t know. Maybe it will come back, (but) I don’t know,” he said. “It will be tough. It’s a lot harder now because I’m sober. In Gentleman Afterdark, we were all drug addicts and drunks.”

Regardless of his doubts, Smith is sure he still has all the energy and charisma that he did back in the day and that, overall, the show will be great.

“Things will fall over. There will be lots of energy and things flying around,” he says.

As for the look, don’t expect Gentleman Afterdark to let down their old fans. Onstage, they will be the same dedicated rockers they always have been, down to the hair.

“Oddly, we look pretty much the same as we were,” Johnson confirms.

“I haven’t changed much,” says Smith. “I guess I still look like I run weird or something. I haven’t changed a bit.”

———

IF YOU GO

What: Hotel Congress’ fourth annual HoCo Festival

When: various times Friday-Sunday

Where: 311 E. Congress St.

Price: Tickets free in advance from Hotel Congress, Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, Buffalo Exchange, ZIA Records, $5 at the door.

Info: 792-6366, www.hotelcongress.com

———

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Criss Angel inspired Crow Garrett’s style

Crow Garrett works his magic on Griselda Delgado, Eddie Serrano and Cesar Molina at Club Congress.

Beads of sweat are starting to smear Crow Garrett’s eyeliner as he walks around the Hotel Congress patio, clutching a deck of cards. Even though he has been doing this for nearly 18 years, the initial encounter always terrifies him. A woman sitting at a table, nursing half of a beer and puffing on a cigarette, makes eye contact with him as he passes. This is his chance.

“Can I show you something?” he asks nervously.

She looks skeptical but agrees to participate.

Garrett has her choose a card from the deck. Once she looks at it, he asks her to insert the card back into the stack. Garrett then returns the cards to their box and has the woman hold the card case tightly in her hand.

“I want you to focus on that one card. You’ve got that one card in your mind, right?” he asks. “Now relax. Take a deep breath. Now, relax your arm. Relax your wrist. Open your hand just a little bit.”

Suddenly one card begins to slowly rise from the deck.

“No way,” the woman says as a look of disbelief spreads across her face.

Garrett cracks a wide grin. All anxiety is gone. This is what he lives for.

The 23-year-old Cholla High School graduate got his first magic kit at the age of 5. Now a professional magician, he spends many nights lurking local bars and nighttime hot spots, performing what he calls “street magic.”

Decked out in a sleeveless shirt that reveals tribal tattoos snaking up his right arm, as well as a leather buckled bracelet on his wrist and a dark cross hanging from his neck, Garrett looks more like a rock star than a magician. It was Criss Angel, star of the television show, “Mindfreak,” who motivated Garrett to stray from the typical magician style.

“Back in my early days, everything consisted of what I like to call ‘tuxedo magicians,’ where everyone wore a tuxedo and a nice button-up shirt with a vest. Everybody looked the same,” Garrett recalls. “So when Criss Angel came out, it showed everybody that not all magicians are the same; there are different styles, different qualities to magicians. That made me stand there and say, ‘This is my style of magic.’ ”

Garrett, nicknamed “Crow” as a result of his childhood love for the 1994 movie and comics of the same title, does not limit his off-beat style to his clothing. His street performances sometimes include wacky variations to classic tricks. For instance, in one illusion, Garrett has a volunteer pick a card out of a deck, then replace it into the middle of the stack. He then flips the deck face up to allow the participants to try to find their card. It is not until they eventually look up that they realize that with a quick sleight-of-hand their card is no longer in the deck but, instead, is hanging from Garrett’s mouth.

This one-on-one interaction is what draws Garrett toward performing street magic.

“Dealing with a deck of cards and looking at people’s faces when I could find their card blindfolded made me enjoy what I do,” he says.

His love for up-close-and-personal magic does not mean that he is a stranger to stage performances. It was his first stage gig at 15 with Old Tucson Studios that inspired him to pursue magic as a career. He now makes a living traveling back and fourth between Tucson and Los Angeles, performing at various clubs and doing private shows in both cities.

During his stage events, Garrett often intermingles his fondness for music into the act. He is currently working on a performance that will include music from one of his favorite bands.

“I have an illusion right now that I’m setting up that involves the band Journey and their song ‘Faithfully.’ It’s a whole romance piece,” explains Garrett. “If everything goes according to plan I hope to release it to the public in the next year or so.”

To keep up with the newest illusions and perfect his craft, Garrett says that he dedicates nearly all of his waking hours to studying magic.

“I never leave home without a deck of cards,” Garrett says. “I’m always interested in what other magicians are doing. I’m always seeing who’s raising the bar and seeing if there are ways I can create my own bar.”

This persistence to his trade is something Garrett says he will never be able to put behind him.

“I tried leaving magic for about a year or so when I was 16,” Garrett says. “There’s a rule that once you do magic, you’ll never leave it. It’s stuck with you forever. I’ll do it until the day I die.”

When someone asks how a specific trick is done, Garrett is surprisingly honest and forthcoming with his response.

“Can you keep a secret?” he asks. “So can I.”

Christel Nuckolls apparently can't believe her eyes as Garrett impresses her with a card trick.

Many fathers teach their sons how to play baseball or how to fix cars. Steve Purdy taught his son, Trent, how to collect rare, psychedelic, acid rock and punk vinyl records.

While other father-and-son duos go on vacation to see sports games, Steve and Trent travel around the country to sort through mountains of records.

“We go on trips together, record buying trips,” 61-year-old Steve says during an interview at his midtown office. “We went to El Paso together. We found a place where some crazy old woman had 30,000 records stashed in a warehouse. So we went and looked through every one of them.”

“It was pretty intense,” Trent, 28, adds.

Both are looking forward to the Hotel Congress’ HoCo Record Show on Saturday, where they will be surrounded by vinyl lovers like themselves.

Steve, who claims to have literally sorted through millions of records in his lifetime, has been collecting for around 30 years. His insurance clients at work often wonder what’s behind the nondescript door in his office that always remains locked, he says. What they’re missing is a treasure trove for vinyl freaks: crates and boxes packed with hundreds of albums, their brightly colored sleeves adding the only variety in an otherwise monochromatic, drab office space.

This mysterious room houses the overflow of records that Steve can no longer fit into his home. When tapes and CDs began to take over, Steve never followed the trend. He has never bought a CD. If it’s a band he likes, then they will have a vinyl, he says.

Trent, on the other hand, admits to buying CDs, but only if he can’t find the album on vinyl. He has been collecting for half of his life, starting out with off-beat punk records.

“I got (those albums) on vinyl because it seemed more interesting to me,” Trent remembers. “It’s just the original format and it appealed to me because it’s going out of date and seemed archaic.”

Though their reasons for getting into records are different, there are a couple of things that both of them sternly claim can never be replaced by CDs and MP3s.

“(The recording) is analog to analog on vinyls, as opposed to analog to digital transfer, which destroys the sound quality,” Trent says while rifling through his dad’s records.

“Yeah, I think it’s a deeper, richer sound on vinyl,” collecting comrade Steve adds. “I think most people who really are into it would know and agree.”

Another aspect about records they both appreciate is the large and creative artwork that adorns the covers of vinyls, which could never fit on a CD case, Steve says.

The biggest question is what method the team uses to collect records and find the rare and valuable among them. Steve, who spends up to 10 hours a week scouring for finds, claims that there is no golden answer.

“It’s just perseverance and sticking to it, because there are lots of places to find records and there is no guarantee that you’re ever going to find a good one,” he says. “But if you look, look, look, look and never stop, you’ll probably find something.”

Trent, who spends only six or seven hours a week on the prowl, broke it down even further.

“Just dig,” he says, laughing.

Steve admits that there are subtle ways to raise the chances of finding good records but he is hush-hush to an outsider.

“There are ways to do things that are a little more than luck of the draw, but I’m not about to divulge my secrets,” Steve says with a wry smile.

Both Steve and Trent will be among the vendors at the HoCo Record Festival. At the inaugural Hotel Congress record fair in January, Steve sold some of Trent’s records but was suspicious of the then-new event and did not expect much.

On the contrary, Steve was taken aback by its success.

“I was totally surprised. It was a really good show,” he says. “I was shocked because I go to shows all over the country and it was really, really good. Great crowd. I sold a whole bunch of Trent’s stuff. I was really pleasantly surprised.”

Trent shares his father’s opinion of the event, but from a consumer’s point of view.

“Last time, I found some great stuff,” he says. “It’s definitely the best (record show) in Tucson.”

As for the cause of the great success, Steve attributes it to the, ahem, sound planning by fellow record-lover Herb Calleros, the event’s organizer, who opened the show to the public with free admission.

According to Calleros, this freedom for the inquisitive may just change people’s lives.

“Basically, it’s just for that curious person. You just never know who’s going to come out of the woodwork and become a fan,” he says. “I’ve seen a few people get that little itch. They were kind of curious. Then, next thing you know, we’ve created a monster.”

“It’s kind of an addiction for me now,” Steve admits. “I don’t know if I could go to a place and not go looking for records. I would say until I’m physically not able to, and I don’t see that happening.”

Trent was more definite about how long he’ll pursue elusive vinyl gems.

“Until I’m in the dirt, when I’m in the dirt, that’s when I’ll be done.”

“It’s like a big treasure hunt. That’s what it boils down to,” Steve says, staring off into space. “Some guys have metal detectors to go hunt for treasure. To me, I’m treasure hunting when I go look for these things. You find gems. That’s really what it’s all about. That’s what makes it fun.”

———

IF YOU GO

What: Hotel Congress’ fourth annual HoCo Festival

When: various times Friday-Sunday

Where: 311 E. Congress St.

Price: Tickets free in advance from Hotel Congress, Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, Buffalo Exchange, ZIA Records, $5 at the door.

Info: 792-6366, www.hotelcongress.com

———

RELATED STORIES

HoCo schedule

Hard-loving rockers pumped for reunion gig

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