Hot, Hot, HOT Labor Day Weekend Festival in Tucson!
Maybe I shouldn’t tell you about this. Maybe you shouldn’t even think about coming. After all, it’s still hot here on Labor day. Maybe you couldn’t take it. And then you’d probably get all advance-tickety and shut out some Tucsonans who don’t make plans until the last minute, when it hardly even counts as a plan any more, which is nearly all of us.
If you don’t come, we can have Exene Cervenka and John Doe perform (yes, together, at the same time and on the same stage) just for us. And the Meat Puppets. Heaven knows we could easily fill the venue ourselves for the Calexico/Cracker line-up on Sunday. Then there’s all the food, recycled fashion shows, record fair, activities for kids and other general fun we wouldn’t have to share.
Still, these days we owe it to our friends to pass along a bargain, and for four days of entertainment, $25 really is a bargain. Of course you may have air fare or gas prices to contend with, but some of the funkiest, funnest places to stay in and near downtown are really affordable, e.g. La Siesta and some of the other ’40s and’50s motels on Miracle Mile (quick, before they’re all completely gentrified!). And there’s always couch-surfing.
Then, too, there’s the PotluckCon Audio Conference mixed in, presented by many of the same folks who used to put together TapeOpCon in past years.
So, in the interest of humanitarianism, and the need for community in difficult times, here’s the whole, crazy shebang for Tucson’s HOCO Festival, organized mostly by Dave Slutes of Hotel Congress, September 3-6. And, aw heck, you’re welcome to come if you want. You know Tucson’s always gonna treat you like family.
Preliminary Schedule Of Events
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
7 pm
Rialto Theater
TAMMIES Awards Show (Tucson Weekly‘s annual readers’ poll of their favorite musicians in several categories)
11 pm
Club Congress Stage
TAMMIES After Party with Surprise guest
Friday, September 4th, 2009
4 pm
PotLuckCON Audio Conference
7pm
Hoco Solar Mainstage
Hoco Latin Night
Featuring Sergio Mendoza Y La Orkesta, Hosted by Raul Aguirre
Mariachis, Mariachi Tesoro, Salsa, Flamenco y Latin Mix DJ Dance Party
Sonoran Hot Dogs! Spiked Agua Frescas! Sangria! Margaritas!
8pm
Club Congress Stage
AZ Punk Rock Reunion
Six of Arizona’s legendary punk rock acts on one stage!
Saturday, September 5th, 2009
9am -3pm
Club Congress
Hoco Record Fair
11am
PotLuckCON Audio Conference
2pm
Historic Train Depot Plaza (across the street from Hotel Congress)
Hoco Family Fest-FREE!
Live entertainment including Mr. Mocos
Global food booths, vendors & family fun activities!
Live entertainment from 3pm to 9pm
5pm
Hoco Solar Mainstage
5th Annual Nick Luca BBQ
Live Music and Cup Café great locally farmed and raised BBQ
9pm
Hoco Solar Mainstage
Meat Puppets and Friends
Live music til close
10pm
Club Congress Stage DJ DANCE PARTY with Surprise guest
Sunday, September 6th, 2009
11am
PotLuckCON Audio Conference
2pm
Historic Train Depot Plaza
Hoco Eco-Fair-FREE!
Live entertainment from 3pm to 9pm, featuring BATUCAXE
(Batucaxe is a guerilla mambo troupe. Dare ya not to silly dance!)
Global food booths, vendors & family fun activities!
5pm
Hoco Solar Mainstage
5th Annual Al Perry BBQ
Live music and great locally farmed and raised BBQ
6pm
ORGANIC Wine Tasting
7pm
Club Congress Stage
RECYCLED Fashion Show
8pm
Hoco Solar Mainstage
TBA
9pm
Caliente Mainstage
Nick Luca BBQ, Cracker, Calexico
Live music ’til close
CLUB CONGRESS AFTER PARTY
Neil Hamburger
Har Mar Superstar