Page 60 April 2014 Pressroom fills niche market in downtown venue scene Tino Ferrulli I invite you to tune into AM 1510 or FM 99.3 on Fridays at 7:24 in the morning on the "Money Talks" segment where I discuss all sorts of great information regarding automobiles, leasing, and technical advances in the industry. This is a live segment each day and the information you will digest (along with your breakfast) I believe you will find useful. Lightweight, athletic and luxurious. 480-748-4810 tinoferrulli@gmail.com Mercedes-Benz of Scottsdale 4725 North Scottsdale Road • Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Catch me on the Radio! FREE SEMINAR Estate Planning & Long-Term Care Alternative Open to the Public Seating Limited – Call Today *COMPLIMENTARY REFRESHMENTS Featured Topics • Estate Planning (Wills, Living Trusts, POAs) & Elder Law • Asset Based Long-Term Care – an Alternative to Traditional Long-Term Care Location, Dates & Times Mountain Shadows Golf 5517 E Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85253 Tuesday, April 22, 2014 & Thursday, April 24, 2014 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. To RSVP & Obtain More Information: 602.354.5980, 602.230.2995 or rhoover4839@netzero.com 480.999.0237 or David@McQSidLaw.com Estate Planning & Elder Law David L. Siddall, JD, LL.M. McQueen & Siddall, LLP 15849 North 71st Street, Suite 120 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 480.999.0237 David@McQSidLaw.com Asset Based Long-Term Care Alternative Richard A. Hoover, RHU Spence, Cassidy & Associates, LLC 4835 East Cactus Road, Suite 105 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 602.230.2995 RHoover4839@Netzero.com By Danika Worthington Two entrepreneurs took over the old brick printing press warehouse sandwiched between Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office and the Superior Court downtown in February and turned it into the only mid-sized event venue downtown. “The beauty is that we fill the gap in between the small and the large (venues) in town,” said co-owner Jason Charles, who also runs Latest Craze Productions. “So we fill this niche.” The Pressroom can fit a little more than 1,000 people and host events ranging from concerts to weddings, Charles said. It has a patio with a new food truck every event, VIP sections with bottle service, portable bars and plenty of bathroom space, he said. Additionally, the space has curtains that can be moved to adjust the room size. So if a small group of 150 people want to use the warehouse, they won’t feel like they are in a “cave,” he said. Co-owner Narender Raju who owns RSVP Special Events LLC also said the curtains are beneficial for creating different sized spaces. “There’s some artists that feel like they want to connect with their audience a little more and see each face in the crowd,” Raju said. “We’re just trying to make it an experience.” Promoter Stephen Chilton has hosted a concert at the space and already has more scheduled. He said the size is ideal. Small bands can start in downtown Phoenix and play at smaller venues in galleries or at Crescent Ballroom but once they start gaining a large fan base, they go to Tempe venues, he said. When they make it big, they come back downtown for the big arenas. There wasn’t a place for mid-sized bands to play downtown. “I really like that it’s downtown,” Chilton said. “I’m a big proponent for downtown Phoenix and I have been for a long time.” Charles and Raju, both Chicago natives, said they want to bring people downtown. Charles said people live in beautiful suburban areas but can feel melded into the stucco. “When people come down here they feel a little more down to earth and natural in the urban environment,” Charles said. They both said people don’t realize that there are a lot of things happening downtown, especially in the art districts of Roosevelt Row and Grand Avenue. They said they want downtown to be a destination or a stay-cation for people in the Valley. Charles and Raju have worked together for years in the event planning business, Raju said. They are used to working large scale, multicultural weddings with 500- 800 attendees that can last up to three days, he said. They’ve been talking for years about owning their own venue that they could c u s t o m i z e on the p r o d u c t io n side, he said. “ E v e r y time we have an event, we’re like, ‘If we could rig here…,’” Raju said. The two found the space on a bit of a “fluke,” C h a r l e s said. He was working an event in the space for a teen who wanted to throw a party for his high school. He normally didn’t do smaller parties but happened to do this one. Also, his employees were busy with a lot of events that weekend so he was working the party. When he walked inside, he said he loved the place and wanted to meet the owner. Charles brought Raju to the venue. “It wasn’t even a second thought,” Raju said. “In the same week, we got going on everything.” The two leased the warehouse then got their full liquor license, the only warehouse in the district to have one, in the beginning of February. Within two weeks, the two got the space ready for their first event on February 14. A drawing factor for both was the history associated with the building, Charles said. The space started as a grocery store in the 1920s, Raju said. It was a couple other things until it was made into a printing press in the late 50s. It functioned for about 40 years until a national printing company bought it in the 90s, Charles said. The company took the employees and equipment but left the space, Charles said. “The space can leave “creative types” feeling “dazed and confused” because of the possibilities it allots for,” Charles said. “When we give tours, someone will get caught looking at a beam,” he said. “It’s a system overload.” The Pressroom is located inside an old printing press warehouse.

Page 61 April 2014 Muppets Most Wanted Director: James Bobin Starring: Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais, and Ty Burrell Not to miss, Muppets Most Wanted is a pleasure to watch, and best enjoyed with company. Muppets Most Wanted picks up immediately where the most recent Muppets movie left off, showing what happens after the show ends and all the extras go home. Unsure where to go from there, the Muppets are vulnerable to the charms of Dominic Badguy (Gervais), who convinces them to hire him as their manager and go on an international tour. However, things take a turn for the worse when a Kermit lookalike and convicted criminal, Constantine, escapes prison. Disguising himself as Kermit, Constantine has the real Kermit arrested and joins the Muppets on their world tour so he can execute a jewel heist with the help of his sidekick, the Muppets’ new manager Dominic Badguy. 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Reminiscent of the past while staying grounded in the present and looking toward the future, the new Muppets’ movies have plenty of pressure on them, and they handle it well. The last film was a pleasant surprise, and the newest one may be more so. The story and songs are cleverly written so the movie’s younger audience can easily digest and enjoy it, as well as adding dialogue and jokes to entertain the older crowd. One of the perks is, of course, the many cameo appearances of famous performers, and the European setting of the new movie gives its creators an excuse to add more British names to the list. Without giving away too much, a sample of the familiar faces seen onscreen are Tom Hiddleston, Christoph Waltz, Lady Gaga, Selma Hayek, Stanley Tucci, Hugh Bonneville, and Tom Hollander. The Muppets, with their long history of bringing joy to families, have still got it. Muppets Most Wanted and its predecessor, The Muppets , bring these iconic characters to a whole new generation, and return to transport their long-time viewers back to that world. However, it is highly suggested to see the previous Muppets’ movie before this sequel to avoid confusion, as it sets up the entire beginning of the new film. There aren’t many excuses available to avoid grabbing a friend or family member and seeing the new Muppets’ movie. Pure, unadulterated fun, Muppets Most Wanted earns 4 out of 5 stars! Julie Demetros is an Arcadia resident who writes about movies and books at julieatthemovies.wordpress.com. Plan your next date night. A rcadiadaily.com Visit A&E at: