DOWNTOWN/ FIRST NIGHT rings in 2010

70+ performances and activities make Tucson’s premier New Year’s Eve festival

a perfect affordable choice for families

Admission buttons make great wallet-friendly holiday gifts

GET YOUR TICKETS AT MMM ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 21

MMM DISCOUNT: $10 ADULTS…$5 CHILDREN (under 5 free)

FIRST NIGHT kicks off its second year in Tucson’s historic entertainment district! This family-friendly and alcohol-free festival has expanded to 11 Downtown venues and features Tucson’s top musical acts, multicultural entertainment, magic, comedy, dance, visual arts, movies, kids activities and more.

The fun starts at 4 pm with activities perfect for the younger set and those young at heart. Enjoy animals from Reid Park Zoo, Physics Factory, puppets and music as the late afternoon turns toward evening.

At nightfall, the energy builds as FIRST NIGHT venues get buzzing with a slate of outstanding local entertainment – you’ll find everything from jazz and rock to country and swing and all shades in between. Headliners this year include Lisa Otey, The Last Call Girls, Angel & The Blues Disciples, R. Carlos Nakai and Howe Gelb – a who’s who of Tucson’s best performers.

Community acts are also a hallmark of FIRST NIGHT. Youth performance groups, art experiences, local films and stargazing introduce you to the wonderful features that make our city vibrant and unique.

Everyone is invited to share the fun and anticipation as the evening builds toward a fireworks grand finale at midnight! Join us in the TCC Plaza for the best view.

It’s simply the most exciting way to celebrate New Year’s Eve!

GO!

What: FIRST NIGHT TUCSON 2010

When: 4 pm – 12:30 am, Dec. 31.

Where: 11 venues in Downtown Tucson (Ticketed venues plus several FREE venues).

Cost: Admission buttons are $12 for adults, $6 for kids 6-12. 5 and younger are FREE. Buy your buttons at Bookmans, TCC box office, Fox Theatre and online at DowntownTucson.com.

Details: Visit DowntownTucson.com for more information and updates.

Festival schedule and information follows:

FIRST NIGHT: How it Works

Admission: Tickets for FIRST NIGHT are actually colorful event buttons that are to be worn during the festival. Each year to come will feature a new design, instantly becoming a fun New Year’s Eve collectible. Admission buttons are $12 for adults, $6 for kids 6-12. Kids 5 and younger are free. Buttons allow entry into all shows, all venues, all night. Admission buttons are not required at our free venues.

Venues: FIRST NIGHT has 11 wonderful venues this year.

Button venues are: Armory Park Center, Beowulf Alley Theatre, Fox Tucson Theatre, Leo Rich Theatre, Scottish Rite Cathedral, The Screening Room and the galleries at Tucson Museum of Art.

FREE venues are: El Centro Cultural de las Americas, La Placita Village, TCC Plaza, Tucson Children’s Museum and outside entertainment at the Tucson Museum of Art.

Entry is general admission – first come, first seated. If a show is filled to capacity, audiences will be cleared from the venue after the show allowing those next in line to grab a seat. There are no reserved seats.

Family-friendly: FIRST NIGHT is alcohol-free to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere. Each performance is appropriate for all-ages.

Volunteers: Need assistance at the festival? Volunteers will be stationed throughout downtown to answer questions and offer directions. Look for them in FIRST NIGHT t-shirts.

Want to volunteer? Volunteers are needed to serve as ushers and festival ambassadors. If interested, please contact FIRST NIGHT Volunteer Coordinator Mia Hansen, president of the Cultural Exchange Council.

Email her at Mia@culturalexchangecouncil.org.

Finding food:

You won’t go hungry! You’ll have many choices for eating at FIRST NIGHT from grab-n-go to sit-down options. Food vendors – serving hot dogs, Mexican food, hot chocolate and many other items – will be stationed at TCC Plaza and at Tucson Children’s Museum. Some entertainment venues will sell coffee, soda and snack foods.
Also, many Downtown restaurants will be open and ready to serve you! Look for options in La Placita Village, along Congress Street and throughout Downtown. Visit DowntownTucson.com for a list of eateries.

Parking: It’s easy to park for FIRST NIGHT. There are 9 public parking garages and numerous surface lots available. Visit DowntownTucson.com for a downloadable Event Parking Map and rates.

Sponsors: The Downtown Tucson Partnership is grateful for the support of our event sponsors. Thank you to Cox, Raytheon, CODAC, Community Partnership of Southern Arizona, Providence Corporation, Tucson Toros, Bookmans, KOLD, Caliente/Arizona Daily Star, Clear Channel Radio and Good News Radio Broadcasting for making FIRST NIGHT come to life for our community.

First Night Entertainment schedule

Admission button required for entry into the following venues

For access to the following venues, you must be wearing a FIRST NIGHT admission button. Seating is general admission and is filled on a first come, first seated basis. Should a show be filled to capacity, FIRST NIGHT volunteers will suggest another nearby venue for your enjoyment. Seats will not be reserved for any show.

Armory Park Center

(Teen venue)

Venue hours: 6-11:30 pm

220 S. Fifth Ave.

Thank you to Providence Corporation for sponsoring Armory Park Center

6-6:45 pm: Wolfe Bowart

Wolf Bowart is devoted to world-class physical theater productions that know no cultural or age barriers. Bowart grew up in Tucson and spends time here when he is not traveling around the world performing. Bowart’s performance is funny, surprising and heart warming for everyone.

7-7:45 pm: Golden Boots

Golden Boots is an alt-alt country band from the American Southwest, home to open spaces, Roy Rogers, and the Hydrogen Bomb. Their warped and fractured mixture of psychedelic rock, folk and country has drawn comparisons to Alex Chilton, The International Submarine Band, Beck, and the Monkees.

8-8:45 pm: Athens Marathon

Dante Cuestas-Thompson, Dylan Barnes and Eric Zammpripa play in a style the band self describes as “Math-Rock/Folk/2-Step.” Athens Marathon has been influenced by an eclectic mix of bands.

9-9:45 pm: Lifers

Lifers is a fuzzed out power-pop band. They are influenced by early punk rock and anything with a melody.

10-11:30 pm: DJ Sid the Kid teen dance party

Ready to dance? Sid the Kid will energize the night with a mix of classic hip-hop, electronica and popular dance music.

Also at Amory Park Center, 7-10 pm: VOICES – a community-based nonprofit organization founded to provide youth with a safe space, positive relationships, and the skills training to document real-life stories -will present material from its Radioactivism Project.

Beowulf Alley Theatre (100 seats)

Venue hours: 4-11:30 pm

11 S. Sixth Ave.

Thank you to Community Partnership of Southern Arizona for sponsoring Beowulf Alley Theatre

4-4:45 pm: Interactive youth activities

5-5:45 pm: Old Time Radio Theatre (live performance)

Baby Snooks and Daddy’s version of Pinocchio, first presented on Dec. 30, 1948, as part of Camel Screen Guild Players.

6-6:45 pm: Not Burnt Out, Just Unscrewed

Improvisational comedy in the style of Whose Line is it Anyway. Watch as they create fast paced games and scenes (based on audience participation and suggestion) right off the top of their heads!

7-7:45 pm: LNT@the Alley – 16 Hamlets & an Ophelia

A hilarious and madcap retelling of Hamlet in no fewer than 16 different ways, including Jack Kerouac Hamlet, Wizard of Oz Hamlet and Raiders of the Lost Hamlet.

8-8:45 pm: Old Time Radio Theatre (live performance)

Three Skeleton Key, first presented as an episode of Escape, Nov. 15, 1949.

9-9:45 pm:  LNT@the Alley – 3 am: In the Absence of Time and Memory

An uproariously acerbic trot across one man’s night of anger, angst and unemployment.

10-11:30 pm: Angel & the Blues Disciples

Angel Diamond delivers soulful blues interpretations accompanied by the dynamic Blues Disciples Band. Musical arrangements range from down-home and hard-hitting originals to contemporary and classic blues.

Also at Beowulf (in the lobby): 4-7 pm – Face painting, balloon art and a clown; 8-11:30 pm – palm and tarot card readings and aura readings.

Fox Theatre Tucson (1,100 seats)

Venue hours: 6-11:30 pm

17 E. Congress St.

Thank you to Cox Communications for sponsoring Fox Tucson Theatre

6-6:45 pm: Larry Redhouse Quartet

Jazz pianist Larry Redhouse is influenced by many musical styles including Tower of Power, Santana, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock among others. Joining Larry will be some of Tucson’s most talented musicians: Mark Usvolk on bass, Gil Rodriguez on drums and Robert Moreno on congas and percussion. The trio weaves jazz, Latin, funk and fusion throughout its performances.

7-7:45 pm: Spirit Familia

Spirit Familia is a high-energy dance band playing a combination of Latin, Funk and Reggae. Think Ozomatli meets Tower of Power backed by some James Brown funk in a roots and culture style. Members of the group represent the cultural diversity and musical influences of many continents – they will bring the world’s cultures closer to your heart.

8-8:45 pm: Ryanhood

High school rivals turned award winning, nationally touring acoustic duo, Ryanhood learned to connect with audiences early. On the streets of Boston, Ryan Green and Cameron Hood first started the foot-stomping, story-telling, and flashy guitar playing that they’ve since become known for – while busking with acoustic guitars. Since then, Green and Hood have toured the country opening up for artists such as Jason Mraz, Kelly Clarkson, Lifehouse, Matt Nathanson, and the Plain White T’s.

9-9:45 pm: R. Carlos Nakai, Will Clipman and William Eaton

R. Carlos Nakai is the world’s premier performer of the Native American flute. Of Navajo-Ute heritage, Nakai has released more than 35 albums on the Canyon label since 1983. In addition to his solo appearances throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan, Nakai has worked with guitarist William Eaton, flutist Paul Horn, composers James DeMars and Phillip Glass and multiple symphony orchestras. The trio of R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton and Will Clipman is a summit meeting of master musicians. The trio is committed to improvisation – the fine art of crafting music directly from the heart or through composing.

10-11:30 pm: Howe Gelb

Dubbed “The Godfather of Alt. Country,” Tucson-based musician Howe Gelb has remained the sole epicenter and creative force behind the ever-fluid configurations of Giant Sand for more than a quarter century – giving birth along the way to an extended musical family tree that fostered the likes of The Band of Blacky Ranchette, The Friends of Dean Martinez, OP8, and Calexico. With an impressive catalog of material that stretches back to 1983, he can easily claim some 40 albums as both a band leader and a solo performer, each of which maintains its own genre-defying singularity while also drawing on the not-so disparate threads of country, Southwestern roots, lo-fi, jazz, and punk.

Leo Rich Theatre (500 seats)

Venue hours: 6-11:30 pm

In the TCC theater complex, east of the Tucson Music Hall

Thank you to Cox Communications for sponsoring Leo Rich Theatre

6-6:45 pm: Stories that Soar!

Stories That Soar is a literacy and performing arts program which merges the talents of professional adult performers and children’s original stories to create innovative and insightful theatre productions for schools and community events.

7-7:45 pm: Arizona Youth Chamber Ensemble

Young Tucson singers performing music that reflects their own personal tastes including both contemporary and classical works from the standard repertoire exhibiting a broad range of styles and languages as well as a variety of different genres of material.

8-8:45 pm: Stories that Soar!

See 6 pm listing.

9-9:45 pm: Not Burned Out, Just Unscrewed

Improvisational comedy in the style of Whose Line is it Anyway. Watch as they create fast paced games and scenes (based on audience participation and suggestion) right off the top of their heads!

10-11:30 pm: Lisa Otey and Diane Van Deurzen

Award-winning Lisa Otey and her partner Diane Van Deurzen share the stage to bring you the sophisticated, sensual and sultry sounds of blues, jazz and standards mixed with some driving barrelhouse and hot jazz piano.

Scottish Rite Cathedral (300 seats)

Venue hours: 6-11:30 pm

160 S. Scott Ave.

Thank you to CODAC for sponsoring Scottish Rite Cathedral

6-6:45 pm: Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl

When Derrick and Amy Ross began performing as Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl their intentions were simple enough: select a name that hinted at their roots in the American West and established their identity as a determinedly two-person operation. Wherever they went, they brought a simple musical proposition – her piano and voice, his acoustic guitar, a love of life’s little details, and a sense of humor.

7-7:45 pm: Leila Lopez

Leila Lopez has been compared to the likes of Ani Difranco and Fiona Apple. Her original finger picking style and poetic lyrics have captivated listeners both locally and nationally. Leila grew up in Tucson, surrounded by a musical family and slowly began to cultivate a passion towards music at an early age. Encouraged by her family, Leila began to play guitar when she was eight years old, and eventually moved on to learn the bass guitar, piano, cello, drums, banjo and mandolin. .

8-8:45 pm: Santa Cruz River Band

The Santa Cruz River Band is a beloved local musical group. In 2004, the group’s founder Teodoro “Ted” Ramirez teamed up with Michael J. Ronstadt to form the duo “Ronstadt Ramirez” – they immediately began touring internationally. The duo’s success afforded them the opportunity to expand and included recognized and celebrated Southwestern backing-musicians of the Santa Cruz River Band. The Santa Cruz River Band performs songs in many languages including: English, Spanish, Welsh and American Indian languages.

9-9:45 pm: DeGrazia Spanish Guitar Band

The DeGrazia Spanish Guitar band brought audiences to their feet at First Night in 2008. Domingo DeGrazia – the youngest son of famed artist Ted DeGrazia – is frontman and bandleader while Grammy nominated artist Jim Pavett shines on percussion and drums. Lead guitarist Dustin Jones rounds out the core of the band with guitar playing Spanish guitar that easily moves between exotic and soulful.

10-11:30 pm: Last Call Girls
The Last Call Girls are a high energy, honky-tonkin’ country band, playing a mix of rock-a-billy, traditional country, and bluegrass. They take their music back to the roots of country with some great old time favorites by Patsy Cline, Hank Williams and Johnny Cash, interspersed with original songs by nationally acclaimed songwriter, Nancy McCallion. The Call Girls are fronted by Lisa and Nancy McCallion.
The Screening Room (100 seats)

Venue hours: 4-11:30 pm

127 E. Congress St.

The Screening Room’s Short Film Countdown will feature a collection of short films representing the best screened at The Screening Room in 2009. Audiences will be able to vote for their favorites in each category and the winners will be featured in “The Best of …” program.

4-4:45pm: IndieYouth: Films by Kids

Youth made films from Tucson will be the order of this program. These shorts will give you new perspectives of the community we live in.

5-5:45pm: IndieYouth: Films for Kids

Funny, inspiring and thoughtful indie shorts made for and about kids.

6-6:45pm: Internationally Speaking

For all those who read languages better than they speak them, this program is a bonanza of foreign words and sounds.

7-7:45pm: The Comedy Hour

It is time for some laughs, so sit down for a program of cinematic comedy.

8-8:45pm: Cine Latino

See the work of emerging filmmakers contributing to the growth of Latino cinema.

9-9:45pm: The Dramatic Hour

Films that will make you pause and think about the drama of life.

10-10:30pm: Animated Worlds

Explore new worlds only seen through animated eyes.

10:45-11:30pm: The Best of 2009

And the winners are….

Tucson Museum of Art

Venue hours: 4-9 pm

140 N. Main Ave.

Thank you to KOLD for sponsoring Tucson Museum of Art

4-4:45 pm: Guided gallery tour – Ansel Adams: A Legacy

A survey of more than 100 photographs by famed landscape photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984), this exhibition is a tribute to one of the 20th century’s most admired artists.

4-9 pm: Enjoy the galleries of Tucson Museum of Art to see multiple exhibitions:

• Ansel Adams: A Legacy

• Han and Beyond – The Renaissance of China: The James Conley Collection

• Telling Stories: Narrative Art from the Permanent Collection

• Art of the American West

Free venues

No admission button is needed to enjoy the entertainment at the following venues:

El Centro Cultural de las Americas

Venue hours: 4-8 pm

40 W. Broadway

4-6 pm:  Gabriel Romo

Gabriel Romo is a classical guitarist who plays popular Mexican and American music.

6-8 pm: Grupo Latido

Grupo Latido will energize audiences with Latin rhythm and popular American tunes.

Also at El Centro: Traditional holiday food such as chili burros, hot chocolate and Mexican pastries will be for sale.

La Placita Village

Venue hours: 4-11:30 pm

Southwest corner of Church and Broadway

Venue sponsor: Caliente

4-4:45 pm: Greg Morton Trio

This band of hot pickers includes Greg Morton on guitar, Mark Robertson-Tessi on mandolin and Jim Stanley on upright bass and vocals. They feature progressive bluegrass, hot swing, and “new acoustic” music with a Southwestern flair. They perform in open improvisational style.  Every different, memorable show provides an excellent musical experience for listeners.

5-5:45 pm: Larry Armstrong & CopperMoon

Larry Armstrong was learning songs before he learned to ride a bike. The son of local western music legend Dean Armstrong, Larry was exposed to all the greats of his childhood first hand. Larry plays guitar, handles most of the lead vocals and writes much of the group’s material. Wife Kathy’s vocal harmonies give shape to the song and Sam Sawyer’s inventive bass lines supply the rhythmic and harmonic counterpoint.

6-6:45 pm: Bayou Seco

Bayou Seco celebrates the music and dance of the bayous and prairies of Louisiana and westward, over the dark starry Texas plains, through the craggy Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico, and on into the Saguaro studded Sonora Desert of Arizona. Cajun, Zydeco, Norteño (Tex-Mex), early Chicken Scratch, New Mexican Spanish Colonial Dance tunes and cowboy songs form a historical repertoire which is played with great energy and excitement in the hot chile spirit of today’s Southwest.

7-7:45 pm: Carnivelaros

Bandleader Gary Mackender formed The Carnivaleros in 2001 after drumming with The Mollys from 1993-2000. During that time he dragged his accordion across the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The Carnivaleros has allowed him to hear a full band play the music he’s been writing since those years on the road: strains of Zydeco rhythms mixed with Tex-Mex polkas, moody Eastern European themes and a bit of blues and swing thrown in for good measure.

8-8:45 pm: Wayback Machine

For more than 10 years the Wayback Machine has been providing a soundtrack of blues, reggae and all sorts of rock and roll for audiences of all ages. Initially conceived as a throwback to the more hippie-oriented sounds of 60s and 70s, the group has grown in a way that has allowed it to evolve into a much more musically adventurous band.

9-9:45 pm: Sticks & Fingers

Sticks and Fingers is a dynamic, percussion group that produces a joyful Afro-Caribbean sound. Their range of music is vast – from calypso, Soca and reggae to African beat and American standards. Group members integrate various percussion instruments into these diverse compositions together with dance and vocals transporting the audience to a festive experience in the tropics.

10-11:30 pm: El Camino Royales

The El Camino Royales are a rockabilly-surf-American roots band. The trio is comprised of Andrew L. See on the upright bass, lead and backing vocals, Mighty Joel Ford on the stand up snare drum, and backing vocals and Michael P. on guitar, lead and backing vocals. The El Camino Royales have an extensive repertoire of favorites from all eras of American music, including a wide variety of instrumental music.

TCC Plaza (Tucson Convention Center)

260 S. Church Ave.

4:30-5:15 pm: Barbara Y Las Flamencistas

Barbara “La Flamencista” Schuessler has studied Flamenco dance for decades, including working with many of the masters of the art. To her, Flamenco encompasses life and the pulse of rhythm ignites the soul.

5:30-6:15 pm: Loveland

The singing and writing of David Bryan is backed by an all-star cast of Tucson musicians. This alt country group plays with raw feelings in every song.

6:30-7:15 pm: Orquesta La Unica

The orchestra is a 10-piece salsa band that was started three years ago with the idea of experimenting with the traditional and contemporary rhythms of the Caribbean and Latin America. Although started as a “Charanga” band, the group has been changing and developing through evolving styles of orchestration. It is an energetic band that is appealing to dancers as well as listeners.

7:30-8:15 pm: Bateucaxe

Batucaxé the winner of the 2009 Tucson Tammies Award in the World Music Category, is a non-profit drum and dance ensemble and school. Inspired by the music of Brazil, Batucaxé features the music of many traditions, from Brazil and all over the world.

8:30-9:15 pm: Kings of Pleasure with Dance Revue

The Kings of Pleasure is a retro-swing band that was formed in 1996 by bandleader/guitarist Mike Hebert.  The band has released three internationally distributed CDs, including the record Pleasure Chest that won a TAMMI (Tucson Weekly music award) for best CD release in 1998. Their First Night appearance will feature a dance revue with cabaret, Latin, and swing style dancers.

9:30-10:15 pm: The Wyatts

The Wyatts are on the verge of redefining adult alternative while bringing the sounds of the Americana artist to the road map. A little twang here, some pop harmony there, and a whole lotta heart is what you can expect to hear. While the blending of styles is nothing new, The Wyatts do it differently.

10:30-11:15 pm: Bad News Blues Band

The Bad News Blues Band has been gaining a reputation for house burning live performances all over the United States as well as Canada, Mexico, Turkey, Romania, Ireland, the U.K. and even Russia!

This band is on the move with a smoking hot rhythm section, sweet smoldering horns, blistering guitar, and an impressive frontline of dynamic vocals.

11:30 pm – 12:30 am: Hollywood Knights

Hollywood Knights formed in 2003 as a Tex-Mex and old school funk band. The group plays cumbia, merengue and salsa music is made up of musicians who love what they do and appreciate all styles of music.

Midnight: Fireworks!

Thank you to the Tucson Toros for sponsoring the First Night fireworks

2010 will be ushered in with an exciting fireworks show, launched from the TCC Plaza! Join us in the plaza for the best view.

Also in TCC Plaza:

Thank you to Raytheon for sponsoring the following scientific explorations.

4-6 pm: Reid Park Zoo

Zookeepers and educators will introduce youngsters and those young at heart to a few friendly creatures who live at the zoo.

4-7 pm: Physics Factory

Learn from scientists and educators about the fascinating world of physics. Partake in some scientific experiments that will spark your curiosity.

4 pm – midnight: Mat Bevel’s kinetic sculptures

Delight in the wacky and wonderful world of Mat Bevel. See several outrageous kinetic inventions that will illuminate both the night and your sense of humor.

Tucson Children’s Museum

200 S. Sixth Ave.

Thank you to Raytheon for sponsoring Tucson Children’s Museum

4-4:45pm:Matt Cotten of Tucson Puppet Works
Matt Cotten is well known for his work in organizing Tucson’s annual All Souls Procession.  As artistic director of Tucson Puppet Works, Cotten has ushered in an emergence of puppetry theater to the Tucson area.

5-5:45 pm: Mad Science

Youngsters can enjoy hands-on exploration of all areas of scientific inquiry.

6-6:45 pm: Odaiko Sonora

Odaiko Sonora performs Taiko – the artistic, powerful, and physically demanding discipline of Japanese ensemble drumming

7-7:45 pm: Jovert

Steel band from Tucson High Magnet School. Movement, theatrics, and choreography are part of each Jovert performance.

Also at Tucson Children’s Museum:

4-8 pm: Flandrau’s “Star Party”
Astronomers from the Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium Science Center will have telescopes set up at Tucson Children’s Museum to point out constellations, stars, star clusters, visible planets, galaxies, and other bright objects of interest.

Tucson Museum of Art

140 N. Main Ave.

Thank you to KOLD for sponsoring Tucson Museum of Art

5-5:45 pm: New Year’s Resolution Community Drawing and Painting

Visually express your hopes for 2010 and participate in a community inspired work of art about New Year’s Resolutions!

6-6:45 pm: Ceramics Studio Open House and Raku Firing

Play with clay and witness the unique and sometimes unpredictable and volatile 350-year-old firing process that is Raku! Under the guidance of professional ceramics artists learn how this beautiful, crackled appearance is made.

7-7:45 pm: Sonoran Glass Art Academy

Watch SGAA glass artist Karl Taylor demonstrate the art of torch-working. Karl has been working with glass since 2001 and specializes in creating hollow forms and vessels.

8-8:45 pm: Elemental Artistry Fire Dance Performance

Tucson’s fire performance troupe, Elemental Artistry, will present “Cirque D’illumine”, the circus of illumination. Ignite your imagination and enjoy an enchanted evening with aerial artists, jugglers and fire dancers.