Ignite Phoenix After Hours

Greetings! We’re just knocking some of the dust off our different sites to gear up for Ignite Phoenix After Hours III this Summer.

One of those sites is our Ignite Phoenix After Hours Facebook page. If you’re on the FB, click over there and give us a Like. Say Hello. Sing us a song. We love that kinda stuff.

Stay tuned for dates and other events soon. In the meantime, there is still a day left to sign up to present at our main Ignite Phoenix event. Ignite Phoenix #12 is coming up May 4th!

Cheers!

Shawn Vermillion owns a white, fur top hat and matching ensemble? Yes.
Brie Copley once searched for “guineapigs.com” and found something unexpected? Yes.
Shana Ostrow can send me a crocheted fetus? You betcha.

We also learned that we may be outgrowing our venue. (We can’t help being popular.) We learned that we don’t really need microphones to make life easier. (They often make life more difficult, in fact.) We furthermore learned that talking to strangers is really easy when someone on stage is talking about strip clubs. (Well, that’s what I learned, at least.)

Another Ignite Phoenix After Hours has come and gone. Next time, there will be a #3 beyond the letters, “I-P-A-H.” By then, new Phoenicians will have heard about us. You will invite different people—friends, who after hearing about IPAH #2 will say, “What? People talk about that in public? I have to go!” It’ll be a year from now, so who knows? Maybe you will be different, too. Maybe you will be a presenter next time around …

We have some time to wait and work before the next Ignite Phoenix After Hours, and to you, dear reader, I issue a call to action. I’m serious. If you know anyone—anyone who is different, interesting, or possibly insane—I challenge you to ask them to submit for the next IPAH. We are the lucky many, who already know about Ignite Phoenix and its edgy pal, After Hours.

There are those in the Valley who have never heard of Ignite, let alone the R-rated version. They need to hear about it. They need to understand there is unquenchable passion in Phoenix. There’s no need to hide in the shadows with your own unconventional opinions; there’s a whole crowd of people who want to hear from YOU and applaud YOU. It’s time to reach out to new demographics, and over the course of the next year, we’d love to hear your suggestions at ignitephoenix@gmail.com.

But don’t forget: we also want you to spread the word to the people you admire, who should be part of the inspiring community known as “Ignite Phoenix.”

Will I make it a life goal to hit up Burning Man? Yes.
Will I check out some Harry-Draco slash fiction? Probably.
Will I shamelessly ask my gay friends for salon referrals? Damn straight.

I don’t know about you, but I feel lucky to be a part of the Ignite community. I challenge you to spread the love to others … especially if those “others” don’t mind throwing some f-bombs around and ESPECIALLY if those “others” are not easily offended. Thank you, Phoenix, for another wonderful event. See you next year!

PS: The next Ignite Phoenix is October 28, 2011. Check out the website for more info.
PSS: Pics are up from IPAH #2 on Flickr. Go see!

But it wasn’t just about sex last night, was it? Collectively, we learned something, and it wasn’t always easy to swallow. (Get it? Heh, heh …) It’s good to learn new things. It’s good to step outside our comfort zones. I think we all had moments of shock last night. We had moments of awkward discomfort. We also had moments of enlightenment, and that is what it’s all about.

The Ignite Phoenix After Hours crew would like to thank a handful of folks for a job well done and well appreciated.

FIRST: The presenters. We (literally) couldn’t do this show without you. We appreciate your amazing bravery for getting up on stage and putting yourself out there. We can’t thank you enough … and we hope to see you at IPAH #3!

SECOND: Thanks to our Ignite volunteers and crew. You don’t only move furniture; you give this event a name and a face. Your enthusiasm, patience, and passion keep Ignite going. We hope to continue inspiring our Valley of the Sun, but we could not do so without your support. Thank you. As always, you did a great job!

THIRD: The sponsors!!!
Evening Entertainment Group for hosting us at Radius Nightclub.
(And what wonderful hosts you were!)
Splinter Creative for the gorgeous programs.
(What would we do without your powers of design?)
Brand X for the t-shirts.
(You keep us lookin’ hot.)
Victor Moreno for the outstanding t-shirt design.
(We loved our t-shirts ahhhhhh!!)

IN CONCLUSION: Thank you, Valley of the Sun. Thank you for coming out and supporting Ignite Phoenix After Hours. We are here to inspire you. We hope we did our jobs last night. We also hope you will consider submitting presentations for an upcoming Ignite event. For more info about what’s next, check out http://ignitephoenix.com/.

Furthermore, if you have feedback on IPAH #2, we want to hear about it. Your preferences help us shape and mold future events, so if you do not speak, you will not be heard. Send comments to ignitephoenix@gmail.com. Please, let us know how we did … and we’ll see you at Ignite Phoenix 11.

Oh, and did I mention: THANK YOU, PHOENIX!!!!!

Are you excited? We sure are. You’ve seen the list of presenters and their presentations in an earlier post. This is bound to be a rather… inspiring evening (wink, wink). We’re less than a week away from the July 29th event, and we want to make sure you know what you’ve signed up for.

Night of Details for IPAH #2, Friday, July 29th.
Time and Location: 7 PM, Radius Night Club in Scottsdale.
(DOORS OPEN AT 6 PM. Not a moment before.)
Directions: HERE. (Radius will open to the public at 10 PM, but you’re welcome to stick around and party the night away!)

Event Parking.
There are three parking options near Radius:
1. The Galleria Garage: 4343 N. Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale, AZ. Just south of Radius at the corner of Shoeman and Wells Fargo Ave.
2. The Stetson Lot: 7375 Stetson Dr. Scottsdale, AZ. Slightly farther south of Radius on Stetson between Civic Center Plaza and Wells Fargo Ave.
3. Street Parking: There is quite a bit of street parking available in the area.
(For additional info, visit http://www.scottsdaledowntown.com/GettingAround.aspx.)

Radius is a NIGHT CLUB.
Ignite Phoenix After Hours is for the 21 and older crowd, so if you’re hoping to bring a date under the age of 21, you’ll have to go solo or find another date. Radius Night Club is literally A CLUB. You must bring your ticket and an ID to get inside. Do not forget either, or you’ll be left standing outside, your ear to the door, hearing whispers of words like “breast,” “striptease,” and “threesome.” Do not let that happen to you.

The State of Undress.
Considering this is an R-rated event, if you want to wear leather pants and a corset, go for it. Have some kinky role-play wear or a furry costume you’re read to bust out? More power to you. Just know that seating is extremely limited, so wear your comfy thigh high boots … or your Converse.

Don’t Fear the Karaoke.
Karaoke from the last After Hours event was hilarious, and because we know how much everyone loves it, we’re holding it again at intermission. If you want to participate, find someone in an IPAH t-shirt prior to the show. He/she will point you to a signup sheet. If you don’t want to participate, you’re out of luck, because we’ll find you.

Unable to Attend?
Unable to attend Friday night? No worries. We’ll miss you, but let us know that you have an extra ticket because we have a waiting list of eager After Hours fans. Feel free to touch base on Twitter or Facebook.

Now that the official stuff is out of the way, let me post this reminder: you have less than a week to prepare your mind, body, and … ur … any other part you need to prepare for IPAH #2. It’s Ignite Phoenix After Hours time, people. Time to support your pals and fellow Phoenicians! See you Friday!

We had some amazing presentation submissions for Ignite Phoenix After Hours #2. Some made me cringe; others made me laugh; and some made me want to know more … just like the fourteen chosen presentations below. (Don’t tell me you don’t want to know more about dick crocheting, okay? I know what you’re like.)

So without further ado, I give you the presenters for IPAH #2:

• Go Crazy for Art’s Sake. Michelle Burchfield
• Sex, Booze & Massage Therapy. Shawn Carpenter
• Sexual Types: Are You a Pit Bull Man or Antelope Woman? Amara Charles
• Pornography: It’s All In The Title. Brie Copley
• Strip Clubs Are a Girl’s Best Friend. Sheila Dee
• Slash Fiction 101: Luke’s Lightsaber, Harry’s Wand & More. Dustin Diehl
• The Evolution of the Sex Toy. Amy Donohue
• SOCIETY IS DOOMED! AGAIN! and again and again and… Daniel Messer
• Choosing to Die: When Suicide Becomes an Option. Jeff Moriarty
• Cubicle Dweller by Day, Dick Crocheter by Night. Shana Ostrow
• Polyamory: Yeah It Is All About the Sex! CA Sizemore
• Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Gays but Were Afraid to Ask. Chad Swaney
• Parables vs. Facts: Why We Know the Earth is Older than 6000 Years. Evo Terra
• Burning Man. Shawn Vermillion

You want to see these presentations … which means you have to buy tickets. Tickets go on sale tomorrow (that’s TOMORROW) at noon on the Eventbrite ticket page. Tickets are ten bucks each. You must be twenty-one to attend the July 29th event in Scottsdale.

We would like to thank all the brave people who submitted presentation ideas for IPAH #2. We wish we could have ALL of you on the IPAH stage. Alas … Please keep an eye on the After Hours website for info about IPAH #3 and submissions!

Okay. Presenters, get to work! The rest of you, buy your tickets tomorrow!

Submissions for IPAH #2 are now closed. Sorry if you missed your opportunity at greatness … but there’s always next time, right? You can see a full list of IPAH #2 submissions HERE.

We will announce the official list of those who made the cut on Friday, July 8th, right here on the blog. Keep an eye out.

And don’t forget: tickets go on sale Saturday, July 9th, at NOON. Here’s a link to the ticket page. BE READY! They sell out FAST!

See you July 29th in Scottsdale!

You now have thirty-six hours to submit a presentation to Ignite Phoenix After Hours 2. If you weren’t aware of this, where have you been? It’s time to think. Think! What do you have to share with your fellow Phoenician? What amazingly crazy thing happened to you that one time? What creepy coincidence changed your whole life? Or hey, why think so grandly? Think small, if you gotta.

Here’s a list of words to get your brain in overdrive …

Road Rage
Capital Punishment
Prayer in Public Schools (including the Pledge of Allegiance)
Literary Censorship
Marijuana
Social Ethics (or the lack thereof)
Political Correctness
Sex Education in Schools

Seriously, there are so many controversial issues out there that deserve discussion. Have a personal feeling about one of them that you’d like to share? Then get to it today!!! Thirty-six hours are left; after that, your chance at IPAH greatness will have passed until IPAH #3. You don’t want to wait that long for your next chance, do you?

You know the drill. We need:
Your name (or pseudonym)
Your bio
Your presentation description

Remember the rules:
You must be 21 and over to present AND attend.
Your presentation cannot incite hate.
Your presentation description should be safe for general consumption; your presentation can be anything but.

Now get your thinking cap on and head to the Speak page to submit your presentation. (Presenters for IPAH #2 will be announced Friday, July 8.) Thirty-six hours left! Tell your friends! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Tickets for the first IPAH sold out in record time. We didn’t really expect the speedy sell-out; maybe we didn’t expect so many freaky Phoenicians to be so freaky and proud. We do expect tickets to disappear quickly this time, so we’re giving you plenty of time to prepare yourself to click that “BUY” button as many times as you like.

The official Ignite Phoenix After Hours #2 ticket sales begin Saturday, July 9th, at NOON. Bookmark our Eventbrite site so you’re ready. Tickets cost $10 each.

I’ve said it once. (Actually, I’ve said it several times.) No one beneath the age of twenty-one can buy tickets or attend IPAH #2. We don’t feel comfortable filling your innocent heads with whatever the presenters might say. Plus—the more legal reason—we’ll be in a bar. So if you’re under the age of twenty-one, don’t even think about it. I’m serious. If you even think about it, we will find you and take your computer.

Anyway … for those of you twenty-one and up, mark your calendars. I will repeat myself: tickets for IPAH #2 go on sale Saturday, July 9th, at NOON AM on Eventbrite. If you missed the first IPAH, you don’t want to be the Very Sad Person who also misses the second one.

Ignite Phoenix After Hours #2 will happen Friday, July 29th, from 7 to 9 PM at Radius Nightclub in Scottsdale. We look forward to seeing you there!

We all remember Shanna Katz’s presentation from Ignite Phoenix After Hours #1. Don’t deny it; she talked about vaginal fisting. I KNOW you remember, okay? So what were the presentation after-effects? Read on …

Ignite Phoenix After Hours was my first experience with the whole concept of Ignite. I had a local ASU student email me, telling me she was super excited about the After Hours edition and wanted me to shake it up with some sex positive something-or-rather. As I come from a background of both theatre and creative education, I decided to take up the challenge of submitting a presentation idea … on Vaginal Fisting. In five minutes.

I cannot express how glad I am that I made that plunge. The experience of re-thinking my ninety minute class into only five was a great challenge for an educator, as well as an awesome reminder about what I really wanted to get across to my audience.

The night of, I was nervous. Most people have a skewed idea of what fisting is, and I was worried I was going to be booed off the stage or have some people making rude and crude jokes. Let me tell you; there is nothing in the world like the feeling of having a room full of tipsy people hold up “good fists” and “bad fists” when you tell them. Having watched my video, I loved the crowd’s energy and inter-activity.

IPAH was definitely a different experience than presenting on college campuses or in kink spaces. However, it was one that challenged me as an educator and gave me quite an emotional rush as it happened. I’d absolutely do it again!

Shanna, we would NEVER boo you off stage. That’s just how IPAH people are. We love to support each other, and we love to learn new things. What do you have to share with the IPAH #2 audience? Don’t forget: presentation submissions are due July 1st!

Remember that IPAH #1 presentation about having sex with an asthma sufferer? Would you believe that presenter is actually … shy? Read on for “What Debbie Walker learned from Ignite Phoenix After Hours,” also known as “Trial of a Timid Person.”

I’m a fairly timid person. Sure, once I get to know people I’m Queen of the TMI but deep down I’m more the hanger-on and not the star. Though when my friends started to push me (seriously, I had permanent hand prints on my back), I started to think about presenting at an Ignite Phoenix event. It’s in my nature to be a bit raunchy, so when Ignite Phoenix After Hours came along I felt it was the better fit.

I had a dozen reasons NOT to present. Because of medical issues I knew I’d have trouble memorizing what I wanted to say. Because I’m chicken I wasn’t sure I could even make myself get up there and speak at all. Because of my low self-esteem I just knew nobody would be interested and they’d all hit the bathroom when it was my turn. The list goes on. But I knew I just had to do this.

My presentation was “Fuckin’ Asthma” where I skimmed over the issues and limitations a person with severe asthma has when planning … sex. Honestly, it went great. I was nervous before it was my turn, but I bulldozed over that fear and moved on stage without letting myself over-think it. I remember having a bit of a panic when I did forget a portion of my presentation, but the audience was supportive and I ad-libbed through it. People laughed when they were supposed to and didn’t laugh at me. I walked off that little stage with relief, but also pride and joy. I did it!

The ideas keep popping up in my head for my next presentation. Now that I know I can do it, I need to work on doing it better! Plus I find I’m not as timid about speaking up in other situations anymore. Ignite may have created a monster.

To hear more from Debbie, be sure to follow her on Twitter and check out her blog. Now, submit a presentation for IPAH #2, and let us make a monster of you, too.