Monday Mashup: Gratitude
I want to send out a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the #ChandlerHunt on Friday. It was a huge learning experience and twice the amount of fun I thought it would be. Ya’ll rock, and I wish I could give you a hug (in a totally, not creepy kind of way).
I also want to thank the businesses that put up with me and were more than willing from day one to participate. Gangplank, Serranos, Inspirador, Di Sciacca, Sibley’s West, San Tan Brewing Company and Dashawn from Costco. Please make sure to visit them and tell them how amazing they are. (You can find Dashawn at the Chandler Mall Costco. Look for this charming fellow)
Also, thank you to Jennifer at the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership, for introducing me to all the right people. Give them a shout and ask how you can help make Downtown Chandler even more awesome than it is.
Thankyouthankyouthankyou.
Oh, and we did have a show. The Sugar Thieves get better every time I see them, but here’s the video, if you need proof.
Weekend Preview: I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it.
Horrible song to have stuck in your head this early in the morning. But it really does sum up my mood, so in the long run, it’s all good.
Tonight is the amazing, once a year, over the top Downtown extravaganza: Sugar Thieves and #ChandlerHunt.
It’s officially fall, but really it’s still the tail end of summer, and we want to do it right. The show starts at 7:30 and the doors open at 6:30. If you’re participating in #ChandlerHunt, you’ll have enough time to hit all the stops and still get a good seat, no worries. As always seating is first come, first served. If you haven’t heard Sugar thieves before, you’ve been missing out. They are so much fun to listen to and an outright blast to see live. Give them a listen to here, and I’ll see you tonight!
Annnnnnd #ChandlerHunt. You can still register here, or just show up! It’s not like your name has to be on a list, we just wanted to get a rough headcount of people so we know how much stuff to put out. Also, the prizes are awesome, and not just from CCA. On a stop and see something you like? That might be one of the prizes that we’re offering to those who complete the hunt. And I’ll have something for everyone, so come out and watch for a Tweet and Facebook post around 5:45.
And for being such a great blog audience, here’s my final #ChandlerHunt clue.
If you’ll notice, the color of the chiles matches the color of the awnings outside this location.
(#ChandlerHunt)
See you tonight!
Monday Mashup: Ask and you shall receive
Another case of the weekend gone missing.
Chandler Symphony’s Pops Concert was a HUGE success on Friday. They not only packed the house, but the packed the lobby too. Thank you guys so much. It’s a great feeling to see such an amazing support base in the community. <3 you.
The Get Out Expo went really well, and a big thanks to everyone who came out, and those who came out and either said the secret phrases or did the not-so-secret High Five. The looks from the other booths cracked me up. If you couldn’t find us, or weren’t able to make it out, all the information that we had at the Get Out Expo can be found here, here and here.
Don’t forget to sign up for #ChandlerHunt. You don’t want to be left out of the fun, do you?
Also, groups can now buy tickets (minimum of 10) to Awesome 80′s Prom. It’s at least 10 kinds of awesome and really fun and different way to spend the evening.
Since there isn’t a Free Concert this weekend at CCA, you could spend your weekend checking out #ChandlerHunt and Awesome 80s. Just sayin’.
(Ps. Those of you at the Get Out Expo that said you got to the Pops Concert early because of my warnings on Facebook and Twitter made my weekend. High fives all around!)
Weekend Preview: No rest for the wicked
Not that we’re wicked, we all just have wicked senses of humor. Makes our world go ’round.
This weekend we have two opportunities to get out and have some fun. Tonight we have the Chandler Symphony Pops concert, and this is one of our most popular summer concerts. The Symphony always puts on a great show, and they fill the house up quickly. Doors open at 6:30, seating starts at 7:00, and if you want a good seat, get here as soon as the doors open (shoot, if you want any seat at all…). Again, it’s a free concert, but since you love us and love air-conditioned events in the summer, feel free to drop a few bucks one of the many donation boxes (we suggest $5 per person and $10 per family).
Then tomorrow we’re going to hanging out at the Mesa Arts Center for the Get Out Expo from 10 am-3 pm. If you follow us on Twitter or Like us on Facebook, you’ll have several opportunities to win some sweet #swag. (If you can’t tell by now. I love giving out things.) I’ll be posting at the event with instructions, so keep a lookout!
In other business, we have had our first two restaurants sign up to take part in Eat Your Art Out Chandler: Chandler BBQ Co. and Venezia’s Pizzeria. That means that on February 28, 2012, these restaurants (among many) have generously offered to donate a portion, or all, of their profits that day to supporting the arts in Chandler. You’ll be hearing all about it over the next several months, and I’ll do profiles on the restaurants so you can try them out before Eat Your Art Out Chandler.
Finally, who hasn’t signed up for the September 30th #ChandlerHunt? Get your friends to help you or do it alone and keep the glory to yourself.
Tuesday’s Mashup: Back after a long weekend
Boy, did we need the long weekend here at the Center.
Not because we needed that extra day to recover from the sunburns we got while floating down Salt River or because we wanted to sleep in just one more time, but because we needed that day to make sure everything is going to go as planned and send the summer off with a bang. Here we go.
Scavenger Hunt:
This won’t be the first time you’ll hear me talk about the scavenger hunt( or #ChandlerHunt), and you may have already heard me drop some hints. Well, here’s the skinny.
September 30 we’re having our last Free Summer Concert with Sugar Thieves, and we in Downtown wanted to make it a memorable experience. I’ve been working with a handful of Downtown Chandler locations to set up a scavenger hunt on September 30 before the concert. The end of September is usually nice (but that may be 23 years of living in Arizona talking) and it’s a good excuse to get out and explore Downtown Chandler, maybe find something new, and win some awesome swag. You can find out more information and register here. As always, feel free to send me any and all questions and I’ll be happy to answer them.
Chandler Symphony Pops Concert
The Chandler Symphony is always an awesome show, and this Friday they’re putting a little “pop” into their performance. They’ll be giving summer a great send off by performing some of their and their audiences favorite symphonic songs. If you have been to a Chandler Symphony Pops concert before, you know these things pack the house, so get here early. Show starts Friday night at 7:30, doors open at 6:30, and as with all the Summer Concerts, it’s free but we do ask for a donation.
Get Out Expo
After you hang out with us on Friday, join us at the Mesa Arts Center for the Get Out Expo from 10 am-2 pm, where the Valley’s best artists and performing arts venues will be hanging out for the day showcasing what we all have to offer you. And since you are all loyal blog readers, Facebook friends or Twitter followers, you probably already know most of what we have to offer. However, you know me, and you know how I love giving you guys stuff, so show up and you’ll be in for a treat.
Wow, that was a lot. I think I need a cookie to take my mind off my aching wrists. Or you could show up at the Pops Concert, Get Out Expo and #ChandlerHunt and that would make everything all better.
Monday Mashup: Songs that make you feel all warm and fuzzy
On Friday, love was definitely in the air.
Rusty and Kristen were amazing. They sung duets and solos about all aspects of love, from meeting someone for the first time, to looking back on memories of a person and being able to smile. It was a wonderful concert, and one thing I noticed was that the music really hit home with our audience. Our already nice and wonderful audience was nicer (if that’s possible) and couples who came in together left holding hands and smiling at each other. Really, a great thing to see.
But don’t take my word for it, here are a few clips from the show to make your Monday morning a little better.
Kristen’s solo from Thoroughly Modern Millie.
Rusty’s solo Starting Here, Starting Now (Which I think is also a name of a musical, in addition to being a Barbra Streisand song)
And another Streisand song on the cello. I could listen to this performance all morning, and I just might.
Happy Monday, ya’ll!
Weekend Preview
It feels good to get back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Bad Cactus Brass band is going to tear the roof off this joint tonight and I can’t wait. If you’re coming to the show tonight, and you should because it’s free, don’t even worry about seating. Once they get going, you’ll be too busy enjoying yourself and dancing to actually sit. If you’re not sure if New Orleans party music is your thing, you can sample these lovely fellows here. (Note: Don’t do what I just did and forget that you had your speakers turned up at full volume. Yowza.)
Since this is the first free summer concert this year, I’d just like to give everyone a heads up about how they work. The show is at 7:30pm, so the doors to the foyer open at 6:30 pm and seating opens at 7:00 pm. Like I’ve mentioned, it is free to get in, but since you love CCA as much as I do (or more), you have the option to give the Center a donation. We suggest $5 per person or $10 per family. Of course, you’re welcome to give or not give as much as you want (but I have my fingers crossed that you’ll give more). Also keep in mind that seating is done on a first come first served basis, so if you really, really want the third seat from the left aisle in row H, show up early.
Please (pretty, pretty please) don’t forget to Like us on Facebook and follow us Twitter for a chance to win two tickets to Gaelic Storm. Sometime before the show starts I’ll be posting THE video that you need. Do what the video says and you’ll have a shot at winning.
Monday Mashup (A Day Late But Not A Dollar Short)
I’m not sure if it was because WordPress was down yesterday, or if my computer hates me, but the return of Monday Mashup had to be postponed until Tuesday. Apologies to all who were looking forward to it.
This weekend things are really starting to heat up at CCA. Friday kicks off our Free Summer Concert Series, and getting things started right is Bad Cactus Brass Band. Take a minute and check them out, I’ll be here when you get back.
Talk about talent, and you get to see them for free! They’re a wonderful New Orleans style party jazz band all wrapped up in Cajun spices, and they are going to bring the house down this weekend. Anyone who can get through a Bad Cactus Brass Band show without dancing must not be listening properly. I mean, how can you sit down when you’ll want to get up and move music coming at you? Any video I get of them might be a little shaky, just because I’ll be dancing around the whole time (which is worth coming out to see itself).
As if free amazing party music isn’t enough to get you to come out, I have a few other surprises up my sleeve. You’ll have a chance to get some fantastic (and discounted) tickets to an upcoming show, and even a chance to win tickets!
I might have said too much. Oh well. Just make sure you’re following us on Twitter and have Liked us on Facebook. I’ll have more details there about what, when and how you can win tickets, as well as information on the discounts.
On Friday, come over and say hi. It’s always nice to meet online friends in real life (and you might walk away with tickets…)
