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Mesa Arts Center 17-18 Performing Live Season Announced
By: A.A. Cristi May. 21, 2017
Season highlights include the National Geographic Live speaker series which delivers stories of life-changing explorations from behind the camera, the Classical Music Inside Out series curated by GRAMMY award-winning cellist Zuill Bailey, a line-up of Jazz legends including Herbie Hancock and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Chick Corea, concerts like The Beach Boys and David Archuleta, and much more.
"We have scheduled a strong, well-rounded performance line-up this season with artists that are impacting our lives and the direction of the arts nationally." says Cindy Ornstein, Executive Director at the Mesa Arts Center.
Mesa Arts Center is located at One East Main Street, Mesa, AZ, 85201. Full schedule of more than 50 performances is listed below.
Billy Cobham and Spectrum 40 Band
August 6, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $40-$45
Billy Cobham has remained a tireless musical explorer, ever since his breakthrough in the early 1970s as a founding member of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and then as a drummer/band leader whose recordings (such as Spectrum) and powerful, complex style of play greatly influenced the course of jazz and jazz-fusion. In this special concert, you will experience an electrifying and memorable performance by Billy and the Spectrum 40 Band, featuring Dean Brown (guitar); Ric Fierabracci (bass), and Gerry Etkins (keyboards).
Presented in partnership with Art of the Rhythm Section.
The Music of Styx
August 11, 2017 • 8:00 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $35-$55
Dennis DeYoung is a founding member of Styx, not only is he the lead singer, but he is the writer of seven of the band's eight Top Ten Hits. His live concert showcases Styx greatest hits including "Lady," "Babe," "Come Sail Away," "Mr. Roboto," "Rockin the Paradise" and more.
Presented in partnership with Live Nation.
A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy
August 12, 2017 • 8:00 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $42-$65
Performing classics and surprises from throughout the thirty-year history of FINAL FANTASY by composers Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, Naoshi Mizuta, and Hitoshi Sakimoto, A New World delivers an unparalleled intimate experience. Under the direction of acclaimed conductor Eric Roth and with award-winning piano soloist Benyamin Nuss with the New World Players chamber ensemble, this is a concert not to be missed.
Presented in partnership with Stateside Presents.
August 17, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $38-$66
For the first time since Mesa Arts Center opened, Jazz Legend Herbie Hancock returns. Continually re-imagining jazz, the ever-ingenious Oscar and multiple Grammy-winning pianist, will bring his newest mind-blowing explorations to the Ikeda Theater. Herbie Hancock is a true icon of modern music; he has transcended limitations and genres while maintaining his unmistakable voice. With an illustrious career spanning five decades and 14 GRAMMY Awards, including Album of the Year for River: The Joni Letters, he continues to amaze audiences across the globe.
George Benson and Kenny G - The Breezin' & Breathless Tour
September 15, 2017 • 8:00 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $55-$130
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of George Benson's Breezin' and the 25th anniversary of Kenny G's Breathless, each artist's set will feature classic album cuts and greatest hits as well as songs they perform together. Collectively they have sold over 125 million albums, won 11 GRAMMYs and achieved 16 #1 Albums and 10 #1 Hit Songs. Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to see two legends come together for one iconic show!
September 17, 2017 • 7:00 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $45-$99.50
The Beach Boys are one of America's greatest rock bands. Songs like "Good Vibrations," "Fun Fun Fun," "Help Me Rhonda," and "Surfin USA" became anthems for a generation and continue to engage new fans today. The Beach Boys are led by Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, who along with Jeffrey Foskett, Brian Eichenburger, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill and Scott Totten continue the legacy of this iconic American band.
Presented in partnership with Emporium and R Entertainment.
Chopin/Bolling and the Matt Herskowitz Trio
September 21, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $30-$45
Hear Frédéric Chopin as reimagined by the Matt Herskowitz trio, in a 21st century context of mixed genres, grooves and improvisation. The program showcases the complete Sonata no. 2 in Bb minor, op. 35, and includes new original compositions by Matt Herskowitz inspired by Chopin himself. The eclectic evening begins with the incomparable music of Claude Bolling and highlights from his Suites for Cello and Jazz Piano, and Violin and Jazz Piano. The ensemble includes Zuill Bailey, cello and Lara St. John, violin.
The Magic of Bill Blagg Live!
September 22, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $33
Both critics and audiences rave about Bill Blagg's incredible high-energy, grand-scale magic and illusions. Nicknamed "Houdini Times Ten!" by NBC, Blagg's show is packed with mind-blowing illusions and his trademark off-the-cuff personality that make this show a great family event! People will float in mid-air, vanish in the blink of an eye and so much more! Witness over 90 minutes of interactive, action-packed magic and illusion performed by the country's most prominent magical star, Bill Blagg! Get your tickets before they disappear!
Dancing Earth
September 30, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $20
Rulan Tangen (Metis) and Dancing Earth has been named by Dance Magazine as "One of the Top 25 to Watch." Dancing Earth strives to create experimental yet elemental dances that reflect their rich cultural heritage and explore identity as contemporary Native peoples. The work embodies the unique essences of Indigenous multi-tribal perspectives through creation and renewal of artistic and cultural movement rituals. Ancient and futuristic, their dances are a language of "bone and blood memory" in motion.
Take Me to the River: Live!
October 6, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $46
Featuring Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby Rush, William Bell, Frayser Boy, Al Kapone, The Hi Rhythm Section and the Stax Alumni Band, and produced by the TMTTR Education Initiative group, this live concert is a journey through the soul of American music. These artists are featured in the TMTTR documentary film celebrating the inter-generational and inter-racial musical influence of Memphis in the face of pervasive discrimination and segregation. Rolling Stone says "TMTTR was one of the best things we saw at Bonnaroo. William Bell brought stunning theatricality and dynamics. Bobby Rush was at once gorgeous, deep, moving, and hilarious."
The Minimalists: Less Is Now Tour
October 7, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $27-$87
Join The Minimalists for a night of less. They will present an in-depth talk about minimalism and record a live version of "Ask The Minimalists" for their popular podcast. #LessIsNow
Presented in partnership with Live Nation.
Ludovico Einaudi
October 17, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $40-$80
Known as a "pianist with Rock God tendencies" Daily Telegraph, Einaudi's unique musical alchemy draws on elements of classical, rock, electronica, and world music. Luminous, emotive, effortlessly lyrical, and always supremely refined, his music and performance have rendered traditional definitions of genre and audience obsolete. Einaudi released a series of chart-topping albums and has quietly become one of the most successful musicians on the planet. His music has been featured in blockbusters including BLACK SWAN, The Reader, This Is England and J. Edgar. Go online to see Ludovico's "Elegy for the Artic" (Greenpeace): youtube.com/user/ludovicoeinaudi.
National Geographic Live
Terry Virts - View From Above
October 18, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $24-$60
Sometimes, a little distance is all you need to see things in a brand-new way. For astronaut Terry Virts, his newfound perspective was from the International Space Station (ISS), where he installed the Cupola module, granting an unprecedented 360-degree view from the station. When he later became the commander of the ISS, he made good use of the Cupola, taking more photographs than any astronaut who came before him. Many of those images were later used in the National Geographic book View From Above and IMAX film A Beautiful Planet, but to hear Virts tell it, no photo can capture the perfect shade of blue from a sunrise viewed from outer space.
Love on the Floor
October 22, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $35-$153
Love on the Floor will take you on a journey through stages of love - Romance, Passion, Hurt, and Power. Featuring Dancing with the Stars two-time Mirrorball Trophy winning sensation, Cheryl Burke, Love on the Floor "tells the story of a relationship from beginning to end" (US Magazine) and is not a ballroom show! Cheryl will captivate the audience alongside Charlie White and Meryl Davis. Don't miss a beat - get your tickets before they are gone!
Home Free
October 25, 2017 • 8:00 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $17-$241.50
Founded by brothers Chris and Adam Rupp, Home Free has been perfecting their live show for years prior to winning The Sing-Off. Their experience on the road carried them to a Sing-Off victory, swelling their fan base and bringing their homegrown country style into a national spotlight. Home Free continues to entertain audiences nationwide with their high-energy show that meshes Nashville standards with pop hits dipped in country flavor. They arrive in town on the heels of their debut release on Columbia Records, Country Life.
Presented in partnership with Emporium Presents.
Hudson
October 25, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $30-$40
This cooperative all-star band calls themselves Hudson, named after the Hudson River Valley they all affectionately call home. There's a belief that geography defines destiny and that the place you live can have a profound impact on who you ultimately become. The collective known as Hudson demonstrates qualities and virtues consistent with its namesake - creatively rich, highly interactive and loaded with possibility. Drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Larry Grenadier, keyboardist John Medeski, and guitarist John Scofield team up to celebrate their mutual musical histories and Jack's 75th birthday in an amazing new collaboration.
Day of the Dead
Featuring La Santa Cecilia, Mexrrissey and Mariachi Flor de Toloache
October 27, 2017 • 8:00 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $38
Celebrate Dia de los Muertos with the diverse sounds of modern Mexico. Los Angeles based La Santa Cecilia's unique sound blends Latin rhythms and rock and world music, earning them a Best Latin Rock Album GRAMMY. Mexrrissey reimagines songs by Morrissey and The Smiths in Spanish with a definitive Mexican instrumentation and voice. GRAMMY -nominated Mariachi Flor de Toloache is the first all-female mariachi group who recently toured with Dan Auerbach's band The Arcs.
Shopkins Live!
October 28, 2017 • 1 p.m. & 4 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $17.50-$100
Shopkins Live! lights up the stage in this premiere live production packed with show stopping performances featuring the Shoppies. Join Jessicake, Bubbleisha, Peppa-Mint, Rainbow Kate, Cocolette, and Polli Polish as they perform the coolest dance moves, sing the latest pop songs, and show off the trendiest fashions. Featuring innovative set design, creative costuming, and state of the art projections, this is one theatrical you don't want to miss!
Presented in partnership with Emporium Presents.
Flamenco Legends - The Paco de Lucia Project
November 2, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $40
MAC remembers our friend and a favorite musician, Paco de Lucía. Javier Limón, longtime collaborator of Paco De Lucía, reassembles the original band that toured with the legendary flamenco guitarist in the last years of his career. Paco de Lucía was the world's premier flamenco guitarist and, according to many, Spain's greatest export. Throughout his career, he performed and recorded with musical legends such as Eric Clapton, Chick Corea, and Carlos Santana among others. Experience the secrets and future of flamenco at the highest level while honoring the legacy of Paco de Lucía.
Steep Canyon Rangers
November 3, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $33
What does North Carolina sound like? In a state that's also produced Doc Watson, James Taylor and the Avett Brothers, there's hardly a more well-rounded answer than the Steep Canyon Rangers. A bluegrass band at their core, the Steep Canyon Rangers effortlessly walk the line between festival favorite and sophisticated string orchestra. They're as danceable as the most progressive, party-oriented string band, and equally comfortable translating their songs for accompaniment by a full symphony.
November 5, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $37-$47
An artist whose music is at once timeless yet utterly of its time, Gregory Porter solidifies his standing as his generation's most soulful jazz singer-songwriter with Take Me to the Alley, winner of the 2017 GRAMMY Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album, and the follow-up to his 2013 Blue Note debut Liquid Spirit. Yet, in his remarkable career, Porter has demonstrated an innate ability to transcend genre and connect with audiences from all walks of life. His new music reflects the singer's mindful growth as an artist and person amidst the constant touring demands that result from tremendous international success.
Down the Rabbit Hole
November 9, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $33-$108
Mythbusters alumni Kari Byron, Tory Belleci and Grant Imahara's new Netflix White Rabbit Project will feature the trio using their scientific sleuth skills, as they head down the rabbit hole to investigate weird and wonderful events from pop culture, science and history.
National Geographic Live
Anand Varma - Beauty and the Bizarre
November 15, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $26-$40
When Anand Varma takes a photograph of a parasitic wasp consuming a caterpillar from the inside, he doesn't want to you to be disgusted. He wants you to be astonished. After all, he's devoted years of his life to perfecting his techniques to create dramatic, bizarre-and beautiful-images of the miniature world around us. In these truly unique images, he reveals the secret life cycle of the honeybee, captures the lightning-fast behaviors of hummingbirds, and offers a rare glimpse at our world's small wonders.
A Sarah Vowell & Daniel Handler Conversation & Book Signing
November 16, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $25-$35
New York Times' bestselling author of six nonfiction books, Sarah Vowell and best-selling author Daniel Handler, will be in conversation onstage together, with book signing to follow. Vowell, author of Lafayette in the Somewhat United States, examines the connections between the American past and present, with personal, often humorous accounts of everything from
presidents and their assassins to colonial religious fanatics. Handler's most recent novel is We Are Pirates about which Neil Gaiman says "Honest and funny, dark and painful. We Are Pirates, reads like the result of a nightmarish mating experiment between Joseph Heller and Captain Jack Sparrow. It's the strangest, most brilliant offering yet from the mind behind Lemony Snicket," now seen in their adaptation on NETFLIX.
Trio Jinx
November 16, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $20-$30
Trio Jinx brings together the low hums of double bass, spinning lines of flute and amber swirls of violin/viola. They are a classical core trio, offering an evening of classical music spiced with dashes of folk, jazz and improvisation. Trio Jinx is a part of the Young Artist Development Series by Peabody Conservatory a program of Johns Hopkins University.
The Righteous Brothers
November 25, 2017 • 8:00 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $32.50-$59.50
With a string of #1 classics, including the most played song in radio history, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield topped the charts in four decades. Says Medley after Bobby's death, "No one could ever take Bobby's place, but when I caught Bucky Heard's show it all came together - I found the right guy to help me recreate the magic. The concert experience features their biggest hits - "Soul & Inspiration," "Unchained Melody," Medley's Grammy- winning Dirty Dancing theme "The Time of My Life," and much more!
Presented in partnership with Emporium Presents.
Dave Koz & Friends
December 13, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $59-$89
This year's 20th anniversary tour promises to be extra-special, reuniting Koz with two members of the original lineup - David Benoit and Peter White - and Rick Braun, a guest on many of Dave's holiday jaunts, dating back to the early years. Newcomer Selina Albright will also join in the festivities. Together, the five remarkable artists will perform fresh renditions of Christmas classics as well as a Chanukah medley and hits from their respective catalogs.
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
December 16, 2017 • 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $36-$81
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis has been America's favorite holiday tradition for the past 30 years! Grammy Award-winner Chip Davis has created a show that features the beloved Christmas music of Mannheim Steamroller along with dazzling multimedia effects performed in an intimate setting. Experience the magic as the spirit of the season comes alive with the Signature Sound of Mannheim Steamroller. Their holiday CDs have become synonymous with Christmas and continue to occupy
top spots on Billboard's Seasonal Charts every year!
Menopause the Musical
December 20-22, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
December 23, 2017 • 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
December 24, 2017 • 2:00 p.m.
December 26-29, 2017 • 7:30 p.m.
December 30, 2017 • 2:00 p.m.
December 31, 2017 • 2:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $46-$66
Set in a department store, four women with seemingly nothing in common but a black lace bra on sale, come to find they have more to share than ever imagined. The cast makes fun of their woeful hot flashes, forgetfulness, mood swings, wrinkles, night sweats and chocolate binges. A sisterhood is created between these diverse women as they realize that menopause is no longer The Silent Passage, but a stage in every woman's life that is perfectly normal! It's a hilarious celebration of women and The Change!
The Fab Four
January 19, 2018 • 8:00 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $29.50-$57.50
The Fab Four is elevated far above every other Beatles Tribute due to their precise attention to
detail. With uncanny, note-for-note live renditions of Beatles' songs, the Fab Four will make you think you are watching the real thing. This incredible stage show includes three costume changes representing every era of the Beatles ever-changing career. Hear such classics as "Can't Buy Me Love," "Yesterday," "A Day In The Life," "Penny Lane," "Here Comes The Sun," and "Hey Jude."
Presented in partnership with Emporium Presents.
The Moth
January 26, 2018 • 8:00 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $33-$48
The Moth is dedicated to the art of storytelling. The Moth has presented more than 3,000 stories, told live and without notes, by people from all walks of life to standing room only crowds worldwide. Each Moth Mainstage features simple, old-fashioned storytelling by five wildly divergent raconteurs who develop shape for their stories with The Moth's directors.
Niyaz presents The Fourth Light Project
January 31, 2018 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $46
The Fourth Light Project combines live music and sacred dance performance with interactive technologies. The audience is invited inside the art to share in a unique narrative and multi-sensory experience. Described by The Huffington Post as, "an evolutionary force in contemporary Middle Eastern music," Niyaz has created a 21st century global trance tradition, blending poetry and folk songs from their native Iran and surrounding countries, with rich,
acoustic instrumentation and modern electronics. The artists' four best-selling, critically-acclaimed albums all debuted at #1 on iTunes and their music has been featured in The Matrix, True Blood, Alias and more.
Assisted Living the Musical
February 2, 2018 • 7:30 p.m.
February 3, 2018 • 3:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
February 4, 2018 • 3:00 p.m.
Piper Theater | $33
Assisted Living: The Musical is a 75-minute vaudeville-esque revue. The show's host couple
enters heaven, suspecting their son pulled the plug... to get his hands on Dad's vintage Corvette. They don't mind. Instead, the couple fondly remembers Pelican Roost, a full-service
retirement community. Naomi Lipshitz-Yamamoto-Murphy regularly upgrades her living arrangements, an unintended consequence of spousal mortality. A Wellness Center nurse actively - very actively - recruits organ donors. A frentic hypochondriac chases... Well, you get the idea. There are no sad songs, no Depends jokes and no f-bombs in Assisted Living: The Musical. Everyone there is having way too much fun for that!
PostSecret: The Show
February 6, 2018 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $46
PostSecret: The Show is an immersive, poignant journey through the humor and humanity of personal stories we keep to ourselves, and on rare occasions, share with others. Images, videos, three actors and a guitarist guide the audience through crowd-sourced narratives revealing true stories behind secrets. See the secrets that brought hundreds of millions to the Post Secret blog, which became six best-selling books. With the bravery of RENT and the surprising honesty of The Vagina Monologues, PostSecret: The Show is a breakthrough in audience sourced storytelling that reaches beyond the confines of the stage, reminding audiences that secrets can be both walls and bridges.
February 7, 2018 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $48-$68
The New York Times raves; "Darlene Love's thunderbolt voice is as embedded in the history of Rock and Roll as Eric Clapton's guitar or Bob Dylan's lyrics." This Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has done it all...from the highly successful Lethal Weapon film Series and the Oscar winning Twenty Feet From Stardom to appearing on Broadway in Hairspray and Grease. As part of Phil Spector's wall of sound hit factory, her Billboard hits include: "He's a Rebel," "The Boy I'm Gonna Marry," "Wait Until My Bobby Gets Home," "He's a Fine, Fine Boy" and many others. Rolling Stone has proclaimed Darlene Love to be "one of the greatest singers of all time."
Presented in partnership with Fx Arts Management.
National Geographic Live
Zoltan Takacs - Deadliest Lifesavers
February 7, 2018 • 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $24-$60
Biomedical scientist Takacs collects and researches the deadliest snake, scorpion, and jellyfish venoms for medical innovation-venoms that target vital life functions and thus could be the blueprint of novel medications. An aircraft pilot and scuba diver, he's traveled to 155 countries and survived charging elephants, pirated waters, and a series of snake bites.
Piers Lane - Chopin by Candlelight
February 15, 2018 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $30-$45
In Chopin by Candlelight, British-Australian pianist Piers Lane will enchant the audience with a complete account of the Nocturnes by the much-loved Romantic composer (performed in the atmospheric glow of candlelight). "Chopin remains unsurpassed as a composer for the piano. He knew how to make the instrument sing at its lyrical best," says Lane. "The music speaks eloquently to people everywhere of the beauty, the heartbreak, the dance, the yearning, the rhythm, the soul, of life itself."
February 21, 2018 • 7:30 p.m.
Ikeda Theater | $37
Compared to the likes of MiLes Davis and Jimi Hendrix, ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro is bringing his lightning-fast fingers and revolutionary playing techniques to the Valley for an enthralling evening of jazz, pop and funk. One of the world's most exciting and innovative ukulele players and composers, Jake redefines ukulele music-performing everything from traditional Hawaiian tunes to covers of popular hits like George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." "Shimabukuro has elevated this simple, four string, two octave instrument to a classical art form. He can cross a range of genres with ease, using skills appropriate to each. He produces string sounds resembling an acoustic tenor guitar that mix flamenco, classical, blues, and acoustic rock fingerstyling." - GratefulWeb.com
John McEuen
February 23, 2018 • 7:30 p.m.
Piper Theater | $30
McEuen brings decades of worldwide performing experience with banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin. Referred to as 'the String Wizard,' he weaves stories of his travels and family life, taking us on his musical path. A founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John instigated the 1972 classic Will the Circle Be Unbroken album, which is in the Library of Congress as "one of America's most important recordings." With music from the 1960's to now, original songs laced with hits, and a tribute to the 'Circle' album music, it all comes to life in an evening of acoustic music in overdrive.
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