Titanic: An Immersive Voyage

Events
by Jim McLennan

Galleria Centre, Scottsdale
July 23rd, 2026

There have certainly been bigger nautical disasters than HMS Titanic. The wartime sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff resulted in the loss of over nine thousand lives, roughly six times as many. But none has made such an indelible mark on pop culture. Purely in the cinema, there have been dozens of films based on or inspired by it. The first came out less than a month after Titanic sank, and starred actress Dorothy Gibson, who was actually a survivor of the event. Most famously, of course, is James Cameron’s Titanic, which remains the second-biggest movie worldwide, almost thirty years after its release. Tapping into this interest, an exhibition recently opened in Scottsdale, promising to “tell the story of the RMS Titanic like never before.” So, does it?

Read More

Abba Voyage

Events, Music
by Jim McLennan

Abba Arena, London
June 5, 2025

My love of Abba has been previously documented. So when staying in London for the first time in a number of years, there was one item essential on the to-do list. Attend the Abba Voyage show, recreating the band in their late seventies prime. It was an ambitious endeavour, utilizing motion capture, work by Industrial Light and Magic, and digital projection in a three thousand capacity, custom-built venue, taking six years from concept to opening, and at a total cost estimated to be $175 million. That’s a lot of effort, but has paid off. Since opening in May 2022, the show has played seven times a week at 99% capacity. At an average ticket price of close to three figures… Well, do the math.

Read More

(State) Fair’s Fair…

Events
by Jim McLennan

Arizona State Fairgrounds, Phoenix
22nd September, 2023

Much like the Renaissance Fair, the Arizona State Fair is something which we feel like doing only about once every five years. And by the end of the day, we have usually remembered exactly why we are such rare visitors. But it’s still an experience, and as such, deserves to be documented. It is certainly part of Arizona history, the State Fair dating back to well before there even was a state. It began in 1884, as the Arizona Territorial Fair, and has taken place on its current location since 1905, which is positively the dawn of time historically, by the state’s standards. There have been various interruptions since for wars, pandemics (both Spanish Flu and COVID-19) and economic depression, but the event is now a fixture in the calendar for October.

Read More

Jurassic Quest

Events, Pop Culture
by Jim McLennan

Bell Bank Park, Mesa
26th February, 2023

Our mission to bring you every a report on every dinosaur-related exhibit to pass through the state of Arizona continues, with a visit to Jurassic Quest, which bills itself as “The #1 Dinosaur Experience in North America!” There appear to be several set-ups touring the country simultaneously: I guess they’re the dino-equivalent of the Blue Man Group. General admission is $22, but that just gets you in the door; if you wanted your kids to experience all the other attractions, an “unlimited” admission is $36. However, the small print informed me that the maximum weight for the rides was 140 lbs, so we sadly bought general admission tickets, and I consoled myself with another doughnut.

Read More

The UFO Experience

Events, Pop Culture
by Jim McLennan

Arizona Boardwalk, Scottsdale
8th January, 2023

I’ve always been interested in UFOs. As a kid, I used to have a subscription to Flying Saucer Review, and wrote a letter to the local police chief, inquiring about the topic. My level of fascination has waxed and waned over the years, but never went out entirely. I’d say my current level of belief is a definite maybe. That life exists elsewhere in the universe seems almost certain. That some people have had some very strange experiences is also true. Whether these two facts are connected, and if so, in what way… I just don’t know. [Chris is more sure they are] But I certainly find the more extreme end of UFO stories – stuff like the Dulce UFO base and war – very entertaining. So, on hearing about a UFO exhibition opening across town: well, that’s a Christmas present for Chris sorted.

Read More