Gilbert Folk Festival returning after two-year hiatus
BY NOAH FRIEDMAN
Following a two-year break, the Gilbert Folk Festival will be making a homecoming to the Heritage District from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20.
The Gilbert Folk Festival is one of five of its kind to be held annually in Arizona. The community get-together went on hiatus due to a lack of benefactors and venues.
“In addition to our title sponsors, Cholewka Law and Heritage Financial, we had to enlist the cooperation of downtown merchants and business for stage locations,” said Robert Zucker, the festival’s founder and manager of the Higley Center for the Performing Arts. “We have accomplished that task.”
Although the Gilbert Folk Festival hasn’t taken place since February 2014, Zucker said that not much about the program would change.
“As this is our first year operating under new leadership, we have simply added one additional music location and a workshop location to our schedule,” Zucker said. He added that a large group of volunteers from local schools would help get
around downtown Gilbert.
A unique aspect of this particular celebration is that it features multiple stages throughout the town, so visitors will be entertained throughout the day.
“We have more than 70 live music acts on six stages throughout downtown Gilbert as well as music workshops,” said Becky Cholewka, the founding attorney at Cholewka Law. “There are plenty of choices for everyone in the family within walking distance.”
Musician Jim Pipkin will be performing on the stage at Bergies Coffee Roast House at 1 p.m. He said that the Gilbert Folk Festival is laid back compared to some of the other places he has played.
“[There is] no gate fee, no fences between the performers and the audience. [It is] very informal and relaxed. Much more peaceful,” Pipkin said.
After seeing the successes of the Gilbert Folk Festival, Cholewka said that sponsoring the festival would give back to the community.
According to the official Facebook page, the social gathering will be guaranteed in Gilbert for at least two years. The
date for the 2017 Gilbert Folk Festival is set for Saturday, Feb.18.
Pipkin explained that this event is a great way for people to come together without the hassle of taking a trip far away to see skilled artists.
“I think this is a very important event for Gilbert, and for the East Valley,” Pipkin said. “There are some seriously talented songwriters and performers living here, and this festival allows local residents the opportunity to experience them without driving to another part of the state, or even other parts of the country, or staying up late to catch a club date with a cover charge.”
To listen to Jim Pipkin’s music, go to www.cdbaby.com and search “Jim Pipkin”.
More than 25 artists represented at free show
Art in the Olive Grove is being held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Queen Creek Olive Mill, 25062 S. Meridian Rd., Queen Creek. More than 25 members of the Artists of the Superstitions will have their paintings, photography, jewelry, woodworking and gourd creations on display to purchase.
In addition to entertainment and wine tasting in the parklike setting, tours of the Olive Mill will be offered for a fee. The Olive Mill has local finely crafted olive oil for sale in their gift shop plus, coffee, pizza and sandwiches.
The Artists of the Superstitions is a juried art group of award-winning artists from Apache Junction and Gold Canyon and was formed in 2007. AOTS sponsors five fine art shows every year, including the popular Studio Art Tour in November.
Admission to the show is free. Info: www.artistsofthesuperstitions.com.
Gilbert’s Lindsey Stirling pens memoir about fame and mental illness
BY TAMARA JUAREZ
Infectious electronic beats, carefree dancing and a violin. It’s not the usual recipe for success, but for Lindsey Stirling, it was enough to propel her onto the global spotlight.
Since her online debut in 2007, the dubstep violinist from Gilbert has enjoyed two chart-topping albums, soldout tours worldwide and numerous musical awards. With more than 7 million subscribers and 1 billion views on her YouTube channel, Stirling’s unprecedented success can only be described as a tour-de-force as she prepares to record her third album and celebrates the release of her first book, “The Only Pirate at the Party.”
In her book, the 29-year-old musician, named one of Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 in Music, shares stories of her unconventional rise to fame, quirky adolescence and struggles as a young artist with mental illness.
“‘The Only Pirate at the Party’ is the story of how I turned into the person
ON STAGE
Nelson Illusionists, Friday, Feb. 5, and Saturday, Feb. 6, HCPA. Nelson Illusions is a one-of-a-kind theatrical spectacle combining rare and original illusions with award-winning, jaw-dropping magic.
The Company Men, Saturday, Feb. 13, HACC. A unique interweaving of today’s Top 40 hits with reimagined classics of the last six decades, including Sam Smith, Michael Jackson, Katy Perry, Billy Joel, The Temptations and more.
Smokey Robinson, Saturday, Feb. 13, and Sunday, Feb. 14, WHP. The legendary R&B singersongwriter is known for such hits as “Tears of a Clown,” “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” and “The Tracks of My Tears.”
Anything Goes, Thursday, Feb. 18, Friday, Feb. 19 and Saturday, Feb. 20 (repeating Feb. 24-27). Cole Porter’s classic musical includes such hits as “I Get a Kick Out of You” and “It’s De-Lovely.”
I am.” said Stirling. “It has everything from very humorous and fun childhood stories to deeper things, such as how I learned I had an eating disorder, and how I overcame anorexia and depression.”
Despite her tremendous achievements, Stirling credits most of her strength to past struggles and an unyielding desire to become a better person. By sharing her experiences, Stirling hopes to encourage readers to never lose hope.
“My road to success has been filled with a lot of failures along the way and a lot of disappointments,” she explained “But the most successful people are the ones that persevere and keep going through the failures, so I’m hoping that someone who is wants to chase their dream will have the courage to do so and realize that there will be a lot of ups and down, and that it’s just part of the process.”
After being rejected by countless
music reps and on national television during 2010’s “America’s Got Talent,” Stirling launched her career using social media, which many claimed would end in another failure. Fortunately, with the infinite support of friends, family and countless fans, Stirling was able to reach her goals.
Over the years, Stirling said, she has come to realize that one of her biggest challenges and triumphs has been learning to accept who she is, and embracing what makes her special.
“I don’t mean to be different,” Stirling said. “It’s not like I try to stand out and be different all the time, but sometimes you just realize that you are different and that it’s OK to be different.
“That’s what I want people to take away from that story and many other stories from my book: You can embrace what makes you different and it doesn’t have to make you feel alone, it doesn’t have to make you feel like an outcast.
Differences can be wonderful. They can be celebrated. And I actually owned a huge part of my success to my differences rather than them being a huge setback.”
Salt N Pepa, Saturday, Feb. 20, HACC.
The first female rap group is best known for its hit songs “Push It,” “Tramp,”
“Shake Your Thang,” “Shoop” and “Whatta Man.”
Oak Ridge Boys, Saturday, Feb. 20, WHP. Four-part harmonies and upbeat songs give this group its distinctive sound.
Lee Ann Womack, Sunday, Feb. 21, CCA. Country Album of the Year nominee Lee Ann Womack sings hits from her most acclaimed albums.
Close to You: The Music of the Carpenters, Wednesday, Feb. 24, HCPA. Singer and playwright Lisa Rock has compiled a moving tribute to the music and life of Karen Carpenter and brings it to the stage with her six-piece backing band.
The Music of Whitney Houston with the Phoenix Symphony and guest vocalist Rashidra Scott, Saturday, Feb. 27, MAC. Broadway sensation Rashidra
Scott joins the Phoenix Symphony to celebrate the amazing music and extraordinary talent of Whitney Houston.
Jason Coleman: The Piano Magic of Floyd Cramer, Friday, March 4, HCPA. The distinctive “Nashville” sound of Floyd Cramer is recreated by Coleman.
Gordon Lightfoot: 50 Years on the Carefree Highway, Friday, March 4, WHP. The storytelling singer-songwriter looks back on a career spanning half a century.
2CELLOS, Saturday, April 9, MAC. Its version of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” went viral in 2011, and the Croatian cellists continue to with dynamic music videos and covers.
Alton Brown Live: Eat Your Science, Thursday, May 12, MAC. Fans can expect more comedy, talk show antics, multimedia presentations and music.
VENUES
CCA—Chandler Center for the Arts
250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler Tickets: (480) 782-2680, www.chandlercenter.org
HCT—Hale Centre Theatre 50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert Tickets: (480) 497-1181, www.haletheatrearizona.com
A self-proclaimed workaholic, Jepsen finds inspiration in the ‘80s
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
Carly Rae Jepsen is sitting on the set of “Grease: Live,” in which she appeared as Frenchy. She’s about to be called for rehearsals at any moment, but she’s bound and determined to speak about her tour that comes to the Marquee Theatre on Wednesday, Feb. 24. That’s even if the interview has to happen in two parts.
Jepsen enjoys being busy. In late January, she was not only juggling “Grease,” which aired Jan. 31 on FOX, and interviews, but late-night TV show appearances, concert rehearsals and a promo tour of Japan. But she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’m a workaholic,” confessed Jepsen, who broke through to U.S. radio with “Call Me Maybe.” “I think it’s sort of easier [to handle] when you’re passionate about the work that you do. It doesn’t feel as extreme as it balances itself out.”
That personality trait especially came through when she was preparing to record her latest album, 2015’s
“Emotion.” She wrote 200 tunes for it— including the hit “I Really Like You”— with a slew of songwriting partners.
“It was long and confusing,” she said about the songwriting process. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to make at first. So I started to collect all the things that I loved about pop music. I worked with many different writers and producers and allowed myself to experiment.
“It all became clear and started taking shape once I found inspiration.”
That muse was the 1980s, a decade she loves.
“There’s something about the ‘80s that pulled me when I was making this record,” said Jepsen, 30, and a former “Canadian Idol” contestant who finished third.
“I wanted to make it an ‘80s lovefest on the album and live. Live, I have a very talented keyboard player, who happens to play the saxophone. So it’s a drummer, guitarist, bassist and myself. We’re all the best of friends. We boogie together and play a lot of the songs from Emotion and some of the songs
from Kiss as well.”
She’s a workaholic and a perfectionist. She made changes to her album past her deadline, she said.
“I listened to it a lot when I was done,” she said. “I wanted the order to feel right. I wanted to see if I had harmonies I wanted to add. I really analyzed it a lot. I’d take it on runs, listen to it in the car. I turned in something later than expected. It just wasn’t totally right yet.
“The perfectionist and workaholic qualities in me must drive others crazy, but I can’t help myself. I’m only doing what comes the most natural to me.”
Carly Rae Jepsen performs at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24 at the Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. Tickets are $25. For more information, call (480) 829-0607 or visit www.luckymanonline.com.
Carly Rae Jepsen. Submitted photo
Participants had many colors and designs to choose from.
Color Me Relaxed
The Maricopa County Southeast Regional Library hosts the “Color Me Relaxed” class. The class will go on into the spring giving participants the opportunity to re-connect with a childhood activity in a new way—with an emphasis on relaxation and gathering for a friendly and social evening of fun. GSN photos by Tim Sealy
Julie Goldberg gets a kick out of a table-mate’s story.
Anu Iyengar shows off her colorful work.
Dee Spencer begins to fill in her design.
Carmen Cortez chooses a design from a book of intricate patterns.
Anu Kulkarni has a friendly conversation with another colorer at her table.
Mary Hanson enjoys the company of the other folks at her table.
Annette DeMary, Tracy Garcia and Donna Pocano share a laugh at the table.
Twenty participants gathered in “The Dig” for a relaxing session of coloring.
Heroes and Villains
Alek Skarlatos goes from tackling terrorist to ‘Dancing’ star
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
Alek Skarlatos is late for an interview. The Oregon Army National Guardsman was tied up going through airport security on his way to his hosting duties for the “Dancing with the Stars Live!” tour.
The story is ironic. After all, he did a little terrorist prevention of his own when he and two friends—Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler—famous tackled a gun-wielding man on a Paris-bound train in August.
His life has been a whirlwind since then. President Barack Obama awarded him the U.S. Army Soldier’s Medal, and from French president Francois Hollande received the Legion of Honour. On a lighter note, he spent the fall competing on season 21 of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” with pro Lindsay Arnold, finishing in third place.
“Honestly, I just take it a day at a time. That’s the only way,” said the 23-year-old Skarlatos of how he handles his fame. “Life changes whenever it wants and how ever it wants. You can’t really control a lot. So you just have to learn how to deal with things as best you can.”
That includes serving as host on the “Dancing” tour, which comes to the Comerica Theatre for two shows on Sunday, Feb. 14.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Skarlatos said. “I’m actually really excited. We’re all having drinks together right now, waiting for our flight. I like all the people I’m going with. It’s a lot of fun. They’re all good people.”
While most former contestants complain more about the physical toll on their bodies during their run on “Dancing,” Skarlatos knows how to put things in perspective.
“It really wasn’t too bad,” he said about the constant rehearsals. “At times it was
kind of rough, using different muscles than I’m used to using. Coming off of Afghanistan, it wasn’t too difficult. Maybe if it was before Afghanistan it would be hard. But [while I was in Afghanistan] I was working out every day.”
He’ll continue his “Dancing” participation as a host and dancer.
“I’m doing a little bit of hosting and talking, then I’m doing about three or four dances with Emma [Slater] and Lindsay [Arnold] and a group number,” he said.
At the time of the interview, he was looking forward to the first show so he could soothe his nerves.
“I’m a little nervous about the speaking parts,” he said. “I’ve never had to fill time before. But when they asked me to host, honestly, it was like no big deal. I’ve been dancing in front of 14 million people every night.
“This is a whole different story, honestly, seeing everybody looking at you and having to talk for 2 minutes at a time or whatever and fill space. It’s going to be a challenge for me.”
Skarlatos’ latest challenge is penning a book about his experiences on the train. He couldn’t give any details about it other than it is planned for 2016.
“It’s been a pretty crazy year for me,” he said. “I’m looking forward to things calming down.”
“Dancing with the Stars Live!” comes to the Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix, at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. Tickets are $38 to $63. For more information, call (800) 745-3000 or visit www.ticketmaster. com.
Alek Skarlatos and “Dancing with the Stars” pro, Lindsay Arnold. Submitted photo
