Pag e 4 ♦ A pr il 4 - 10, 2001 ♦ T h e L u m b e r ja c k Culinary genie escapes out of Aladdin’s lamp
N ic k W o o d ($6.25). The Lumberjack The chicken was Review excellent, heavily With a menu that reads like a Middle spiced on a bed of rice. Eastern primer and a dining room out of It was accompanied “1001 Arabian Nights" Aladdin's restau by tsatizki (yogurt sauce), pita slices and an rant, 211 S. San Francisco St., offers the enormous mound of Greek salad, which 1 most authentic Arabic and Greek H x k I in forfeited to my companion. Flagstd ff. She enjoyed the vegetarian plate, which My companion and I were seated consisted of humnuis. tabouli, promptly on a recent T h u rsd ay at a table in babaghanouge, red cabbage salad and the tiny dining room, next to the rug of a felafel. The hummus received gtxxl m arks, belly-dance ensemble performing that as did the tela tel, a gixtd sign from a con night. noisseur. We started off with two rosewater Finishing our main courses, we decided lemonades (95 cents), one of the evening's to have the Pistachio Baklava (S2.50), the drink specials. There was plentv of lemon, special dessert that night. but the rosewater w as decidedly buried bv As opposed to the standard layered the citrus onslaught. walnut dessert, it was a folded pocket of Perusing the appetizers, nothing caught filo dough wrapped around a mixture of our eve, but we were able to get the chopped pistachio and honey The use of spinach and feta triangles from the special pistachios was an interesting turn which, ties section as an appetizer for $3.75. They combined with the unorthodox presenta were the best I have ever eaten. Redolent of tion, gave the Baklava an interesting tex onion without being overpowered, they ture. were a perfect pairing of spinach, feta, In an unassuming building south of the onion and pinenuts. climbing gym, lacking a large marquee, Our appetites firmly whetted, we Aladdin's is easv to miss. A m E l l i s/T h e L u m b e r j a c k moved on to the main course. I selected the But if in the neighborh
S a r a h J . B e l l clapping to the beat of their first No. The Lumberjack 1 hit "All for You." Review The band was very impressive The harmonious melodies of Sister Hazel and the with outstanding vocals and a great edgy rock of Vertical Horizon tilled the air at Celebrity conversation with the audience. Theatre Saturday evening in Phoenix. The two bands, Vertical Horizon walked on stage with high expecta which have been touring together this spring, appeared tions to meet the audience's demands. The band was at the intimate venue and attracted fans of all ages. not as audience friendly and down to earth as its open Playing to a packed house, Sister Hazel took the stage ing act, although it attempted to be. first. Their voices, doing a n a capella version of a song Front man Matt Scannell made contact with the audi from the band's newest release "Fortress," rose above ence by shaking hands and asking everyone to clap. the hushed crowd. Bassist Sean Hurley handed out picks throughout the The members played together and talked to each concert. other as if they have been friends since childhood. Their Vertical Horizon made several successful moves to down-to-earth attitudes and the feeling they put into play to the crowd and catered especially to the female each of the songs drew fans into the performance. fans. It involved the audience in singing its radio hits Although the Gainesville, Fla., natives were acting that were exceptionally well done for a live perform like normal guvs, they had a larger than life presence ance. moving around on the rotating stage at the center of However, the songs played between the hifs left Celebrity Theatre. something to be desired. The music was heavily cen
The band interacted with fans both w'hile singing and tered on drawn-out instrumentals and the energy of the P h o t o c o u r t e s y o f D i z P o r i i i r o in between songs. show went in spurts. Bassist Jeff Beres even borrowed a camera from an The most exciting part of the show was when the Bassist Sean Hurley of Vertical Horizon jams out at audience member to take the fan's picture at the show. band came back after a rousing version of "Everything the band s recent Phoenix stop at Celebrity Theatre. Sister Hazel fans sang to a good mix of both new and old You Want." songs. The audience expected this to be the last song, but significantly different, both bands were enthusiastic The band even performed a few covers like "Gold after a few minutes of cheering the band walked back on about bringing music to fans. Dust Woman" and "Leaving on a Jet Plane." The lighters stage and sang its new release "We Are." The venue also made a difference in the show. The came out for their new hit single "Champagne High" Both Sister Hazel and Vertical Horizon performed fact that Celebrity Theatre is such a small venue made and front man Ken Block started the audience members exceptionally well. Although their stage presences were the show more appealing to concert-goers.