Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208 www.cvindependent.com
Editor/Publisher
Jimmy Boegle
staff writerS
Haleemon Anderson
Kevin Fitzgerald
coveR and feature design
Dennis Wodzisz
Contributors
Melissa Daniels, Charles Drabkin, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Clay Jones, Matt Jones, Matt King, Keith Knight, Cat Makino, Brett Newton, Greg Niemann, Dan Perkins, Theresa Sama, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor
The Independent is a proud member and/ or supporter of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, CalMatters, DAP Health, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, and the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Please indulge me this month while I use this space to tout some big awards this little newspaper has earned.
First, on a national level: Matt King won first place in the Music Writing category of the annual AAN Awards. There’s no breakdown into categories; all publications, no matter the size, compete against one another. In other words, Matt and the Independent were honored as having the best music writing among all alternative newspapers (that entered the contest, at least), period—which is pretty significant.
On the state level: The Independent took home a whopping 15 California Journalism Awards, from the California News Publishers Association, for work done in 2023. The CNPA does break down entries into categories, and the Independent falls into Category 5, for “weeklies” with a print circulation between 11,000 to 25,000; publications with an average of 300,000 to 399,000 unique online visitors per month; or a staff of six to 10 full-time-equivalent employees. (We have nowhere near that many unique visitors or employees, but our monthly print circulation is around 16,000, so that’s our category.) For some awards, the CNPA combines categories.
Most significantly: We finished third in the category for General Excellence—even though the vast majority of our competitors are MUCH larger.
Other awards:
• First place (all divisions) in the Online Story Presentation Page Layout and Design category. In other words: We have the best website in the state, as far as the judges are concerned.
• Second place (Division 5) in the Coverage of Business and the Economy category, for “Open During Construction: Backstreet Art District Business Owners Bemoan the Lack of Communication Regarding a Storm Water-Drainage Project,” by Kevin Fitzgerald.
• Second place (Divisions 4-7) in the Print Front Page Layout and Design category, for Dennis Wodzisz’s cover designs.
• Second place (Divisions 4 and 5) in the Print Inside Page Layout and Design, for Dennis Wodzisz’s design of The Music Issue (April 2023).
• Second place (Divisions 4-7) in the Tourism/Travel Writing/Reporting category, for “Vine Social: A Trip to Mexican Wine Bootcamp in Baja Was Eye-Opening—and Beyond Impressive,” by Katie Finn.
• Third place (Divisions 4-7) in the Best Newsletter category, for the Indy Digest, by Jimmy Boegle.
• Third place (Divisions 4-7) in the Immigration Reporting category, for “Unpredictable Arrivals: A Look at How Riverside County Deals With the Tens of Thousands of Asylum-Seekers Who Pass Through Each Year,” by Kevin Fitzgerald.
• Third place (Divisions 4-7) in the Religion and Faith Writing category, for “Helping the Poorest: The Galilee Center Plans to Double in Size to Meet the Ever-Growing Need for Services in the Eastern Coachella Valley,” by Cat Makino.
• Third place (Divisions 4 and 5) in the Music Writing/Reporting category for “Emotional Enjoyment: Pappy & Harriet’s and the McCallum Theatre Unite to Present Emo Orchestra,” by Matt King.
• Fourth place (Divisions 4 and 5) for “Desert Rock Pilgrimage: Kyuss Fans From Around the World Make an Annual Journey to the ‘Welcome to Sky Valley’ Sign,” by Matt King.
• Fourth place (Division 5) in the Environment Reporting category for “Colorado River Water: Local Effects,” by Kevin Fitzgerald.
• Fourth place (Division 5) in the Homelessness Reporting category, for “Civic Solutions: Local Food Banks and Service Agencies Are Working to Decrease the Stigma Around Food Insecurity—While Helping Those in Need,” by Maria Sestito.
• Fifth place (Divisions 4 and 5) in the Editorial Comment category, for “Please Prepare for Hilary, and Take the Storm Seriously (Indy Digest Special),” by Jimmy Boegle.
• Fifth place (Divisions 4-7) in Print Special Section category, for the Best of Coachella Valley. Congrats to all the winners! Our talented staffers and contributors make me very, very proud.
Welcome to the August 2024 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent. Thanks, as always, for reading.
—Jimmy Boegle
jboegle@cvindependent.com
Cover photo by David A. Lee
HIKING WITH T
Just a 90-minute drive away, Wrightwood offers gorgeous mountain views on cooler trails
Is anyone else tired of seeing messages like “excessive heat warning remains in effect” and “dangerously hot conditions” from the National Weather Service? I sure am! While I’m grateful that we have these warnings, I am with the lingering, record-breaking heat impeding on my trail time.
This is the time of year when I try to get out of the desert heat and head to higher grounds with cooler temperatures, and I encourage you to do the same. One of my favorite summer getaways includes many hiking trails—and the home of a long-time dear friend: The small, nature-filled mountain town of Wrightwood.
138, only 15 miles from Interstate 15. Sitting along the Pacific Crest Trail (www.pcta.org) in the San Gabriel Mountains at an elevation of around 6,000 feet, this mountain town is accessible without serious mountain driving thanks to the Cajon Pass, a mountain pass between the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains that has been used for years as a passage from the Mojave Desert to the Los Angeles Basin. This makes the drive to Wrightwood perhaps the easiest mountain drive in Southern California—perfect for taking the dogs along. It is less than 100 miles and about a 90-minute drive west from the Coachella Valley.
Wrightwood is located in the Angeles National Forest along State Highway 2, off Highway very long log along the trail that she and her husband call “the sitting log.” It makes for a perfect place to have a snack or just sit back, relax and take in the most beautiful and serene surroundings. Although there is shade along this trail, you will want to get an early start during the summer months to beat the sun; even early morning temperatures could be in the mid-70s. Also, be cautious if you go during the springtime months, when there could be snow on the trail. Restrooms are available, and leashed dogs are welcome.
There are miles and miles of hiking trails in and around Wrightwood; here are some of my favorites, some of my friend’s favorites, and some of the best-rated hikes according to AllTrails (alltrails.com):
• Grassy Hollow to Jackson Flat (4.7 stars on AllTrails) is an easy out-and-back, just more than 2.5 miles, with only a 400-foot elevation gain, that takes around an hour to complete. Start this trail at Grassy Hollow Visitor Center (which requires a Big Pines Parking Pass), off West Blue Ridge Fire Road, from State Highway 2; follow the PCT north to Jackson Flat Campground. You’ll experience some amazing mountain views along this trail, and you can see from the desert to the ocean. It is one of the favorites of my friend, Pam Hillard, an avid hiker in Wrightwood. When I asked her what makes this trail one of her favorites, she gushed about how beautifully green it is, and explained that there is a
• One of my absolute favorites, Inspiration Point to Snowmaking Pond Loop Trail (4.5 stars), is a 3.5-mile moderate loop with an elevation gain of just more than 610 feet that takes a little more than 1 1/2 hours to complete. Park at the parking area for Inspiration Point (which requires a Big Pines Parking Pass), just off State Highway 2. Cross the Angeles Crest Highway; one route option is to hike along the PCT to the snow-making pond at the top of Mountain High Resort. Then, take Blue Ridge Truck Trail back toward the highway to finish where you parked. Taking the PCT to the pond is a steeper grade, but it’s a more straightforward route, with no turns or junctions. If you prefer a more gradual incline, take the Blue Ridge Truck Trail all the way to the pond. Either way, there will be spectacular views. On a clear day, you’ll enjoy high-desert views to the north, and see as far as Catalina Island to the south. It should be perfect during summer months, but there could be slick snow patches as late as July, and sections of the truck trail could be closed during the winter
months while the ski area is in operation. Be mindful of your surroundings, and keep an eye out for wildlife; I have seen bear tracks on this trail not far from the highway. Leashed dogs are welcome, and restrooms are available at the parking area.
• The Blue Ridge Trail (4.7 stars) is a moderate, 4.2-mile out-and-back with an elevation gain of just more than 1,100 feet that takes about 2 1/2 hours to complete, according to AllTrails. It is off State Highway 2 (on the south side), near the exit of the Mountain High Resort parking lot. The trailhead begins at Big Pines Visitor Center. This is said to be one of the most pleasant hikes in the Wrightwood area. You begin by crossing over a wooden bridge, with a creek of melting snow from Mountain High running underneath. As you navigate up the side of Blue Ridge, you’ll be under the shade of beautiful oak and pine trees until you reach the end of the trail at Blue Ridge Campground, where restrooms are available. Leashed dogs are welcome. This trail can be icy during winter months, so exercise caution during that time by using microspikes and trekking poles.
• Also a moderate hike with a rating of 4.7 stars, the Big Horn Mine Trail is 3.7 miles out and back with only an elevation gain of 587 feet; it generally takes just more than 1 1/2 hours to complete. The trail starts southwest of Wrightwood off State Highway 2 in the
Vincent Gap parking lot (which—you guessed it—requires a Big Pines Parking Pass), along with the Mine Gulch Trail. The Big Horn Mine Trail continues around the side of Mount Baden-Powell and offers stunning views, but can be treacherous, with washouts and slides in certain places. This trail has limited shade and can heat up fast during the summer months, so be prepared! Also, be mindful of wildlife, especially rattlesnakes around the mine area—and be aware of the Poodle-Dog Bush plant. It has lavender, bell-shaped flowers and can severe, long-lasting skin irritation, worse than poison oak. It can also cause respiratory issues. Be careful on this trail! AllTrails states that leashed dogs are welcome, but I wouldn’t recommend bringing dogs on this trail.
Don’t forget to display your National Forest Adventure Pass in the windshield of your vehicle, as it is required for some of the trails, except for trails that now require that aforementioned Big Pines Parking Pass, which costs $5 per day; you can find details here. Remember to always take more water than you should need—at least one liter per hour. Even cooler climates can heat up fast during this time of year. Never hike alone, and always tell someone where you’re going. Wear sunscreen along with lightweight and loose-fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to the early morning or evening— and stay safe on the trails!
Pam Hilliard on the Inspiration Point Trail near Wrightwood. Gary Hilliard
OPINION KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS
BY BONNIE GILGALLON
If you’re a patron of the arts in the Coachella Valley, chances are you are quite familiar with the Palm Springs Cultural Center—located in the building formerly known as the Camelot Theatres. You’ve likely attended a play, film or musical performance there, or perhaps you purchased some fresh produce at the weekly farmers’ market.
The man behind all of this activity is the center’s executive director, Michael Green. A resident of Palm Springs, Green was born in the tiny town of Swannanoa, near Asheville, N.C. The town was so small that there was only one exit off Interstate 40, Green noted.
He is a third-generation “only child,” but his father was determined that he not be raised like one. Cousins and neighborhood kids gave Green plenty of playmates, so he never felt alone. Green
showed a creative bent early on. He did a lot of writing, acting and singing as a youngster, which was fully supported by his mother, whose own family had been quite musical.
After graduating from Wake Forest University with a double-major in English and theology, and a minor in philosophy, Green planned to go to seminary school in Atlanta to pursue pastoral care as a career—but both insufficient scholarship funds and his decision to come out as gay changed all that.
With some creative-writing classes under his belt, and armed with a small writing portfolio, Green pitched himself as a copywriter to local ad agencies. He started out as a jack of all trades, doing typesetting, proofreading and so on. Eventually, he became the third of three partners in a small ad agency. That gig lasted 20 years, and along the way, he met his husband, Stephen Boyd.
After a while, the pair decided that the pressure of the advertising biz was just too much. “It eats its own,” Green said.
Their world travels and stays at many small, quaint hotels inspired them to buy their own small hotel. After a nine-year search, they decided the midcentury-modern Triangle Inn in Palm Springs was perfect. They purchased it in 2000, and for a few years, Green, traveled back and forth from the desert to Atlanta as he shut down his ad agency.
Though the hotel—a clothing-optional resort for gay men—was thriving, Green and his husband both yearned for something a bit more creatively fulfilling. Green met Rozene Supple, the owner of the Camelot Theatres, at a tourism advisory-board meeting. In 2007, the Supples formed the nonprofit Palm Springs Cultural Center, and Green came on board to take care of marketing. After a series of executive directors did not work out, the Supples offered Green the position in 2010; he accepted.
Both Ric and Rozene Supple have since passed away, and Green has done his best to carry out the vision they had for the Cultural Center, which was to make it a true multicultural entertainment resource for the city.
“I started out just wanting to do a little freelance work to entertain myself—and look what happened!” he said. “I listened to the Supples talk about their vision a lot. I kind of got hooked on the idea that a place like the Cultural Center could exist.”
In January 2018, the building was re-dedicated as the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Programs with live theater and live music began; momentum was building … and then came March 2020, and the COVID-19-caused shutdowns. The only events that could safely continue at the Cultural Center were the outdoors farmers’ market, and later drive-in movies in the north-side parking lot.
Coyote Stageworks, the renowned theater company which had just moved into the building’s Theatre 3, was about to open its second production there when the coronavirus reared its ugly head. By the time things opened up again, Coyote Stageworks had gone out of business, so when Desert Ensemble Theatre Company approached Green about taking over Theatre 3, he readily agreed. The space is now booked solid from October to May.
The other piece of the puzzle at the Cultural Center is live music. (Full disclosure: I’ve performed at the Cultural Center multiple times.) Shows range from intimate performances in the second-floor lounge to events in the 500seat Theatre 1, with musical styles ranging from jazz to Broadway, pop, folk, blues and gospel. While touring acts at times perform at the Cultural Center, Green said he’s determined to keep the focus on local performers.
Raising funds continues to be a challenge for the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
“The Supples gave us the building, which is great, but they did not leave an endowment, so we’ve got to search for funds on our own,” Green said. “There are a lot of expenses involved in operating a building of this size.”
The center does have a full-time grant writer, and several sponsorships, including one from the city of Palm Springs. Giving back to the community is important to Green, so he frequently offers free space at the center to
Palm Springs Cultural Center executive director Michael Green is raising the bar for arts in the Coachella Valley
local groups for meetings and lectures. There’s a philanthropic aspect to the farmers’ market as well.
“We do a dollar-for-dollar match. If anyone with a WIC (Women, Infants and Children Program) or a SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) card spends $20, we’ll give them another $20 worth of food,” Green said. “That’s important, because often, these low-income families can’t afford the healthy, fresh produce we offer.” If participating vendors leave food after the market, the center donates it to one of the local food banks.
Green says he’s seen a lot of change in the desert. “We’ve seen a blossoming of the hotel industry, and it’s amazing how many restaurants are here now,” he said. “Also … it was hard to find theater or music. Now, it’s everywhere.”
Green said Palm Springs is one of the friendliest places he’s ever lived. “It’s like a little home town. I love the fact that when you walk around downtown, people see people they know. Everyone waves and says hi, and I find that just amazing. It’s a very special place.”
He said he loves what’s become his “second career.”
“I get so excited when I come in here and there are four or five events going on at the same time—there’s music upstairs, and something going on in all three theaters,” he said. “That gives me so much energy.”
Green’s bucket list includes slowing down a bit and traveling more with his husband Stephen, and perhaps finally writing the novel he’s had in his head for years. But for now, he’s happy at the Cultural Center.
“I get frustrated sitting in meetings where all people talk about are the reasons something can’t happen. My view is, just say ‘yes,’ and see if you can make it happen,” he said. “My mantra is ‘tikkun olam,’ a Jewish phrase which means ‘fix the world.’ If we as human beings, even in a small way, could fix the world and leave it better than we found it, then we’ve accomplished something.”
For more information about the Palm Springs Cultural Center, visit www.psculturalcenter.org. Bonnie Gilgallon hosts a weekly podcast called The Desert Scene, available at radio111.com/ the-desert-scene.html. She also writes theater reviews for the Independent. Email her at bonniegnews@gmail.com.
Michael Green, on Palm Springs: “It’s like a little home town. I love the fact that when you walk around downtown, people see people they know. Everyone waves and says hi, and I find that just amazing. It’s a very special place.”
MISSING THE BUS
SunLine needs to raise service levels and improve communication with users
by Miguel Guevara
SunLine provides a vital service to many of us who use it to traverse the Coachella Valley to go to work, school or important personal events such as doctor’s appointments. Public transportation is also important because, if effective, it can reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions, and contribute in the fight against climate change.
Yet, despite its criticality, the SunLine Transit Agency has taken steps that negatively impact the quality of its services without seemingly any accountability—and has not provided a roadmap to address its current shortcomings.
I moved to the valley three years ago and have used SunLine ever since. When I moved here,
SunLine was operating under a reduced schedule; the justification was the pandemic, with the underlying assumption being that after the pandemic was over, SunLine would restore to its high-frequency service—what it calls Level 1 service.
The pandemic emergency is over, and service not been restored to Level 1; instead, the current service has degraded, affecting every user of the system.
In September 2021, SunLine moved to Level 1 and 2 service on some routes. Buses ran more frequently, and had extended hours. Users could see the end of the tunnel and feel like there was a path to normality. Unfortunately, the improved service only lasted a month: In October that year, SunLine cited operational difficulties and went down to Level 2. Today, SunLine operates on a reduced Level 3 schedule.
SunLine cited a desire for improved reliability as a reason to reduce the schedule frequency. The implicit promise SunLine made to its users was: We will reduce the schedule, but you can count on our buses being on time and showing up. However, SunLine’s promise has not materialized. In my experience, buses often arrive late, or don’t arrive at all. I’ve reported these incidents to SunLine, only to receive corpspeak responses.
(Editor’s note: The Independent reached out to SunLine via Twitter/X and two different email addresses in an attempt to confirm that SunLine was currently operating on a reduced Level 3 schedule. We received no response. The last schedule update we could find on the Sun-
Line website is from October 2021.)
Nowadays, a trip from Palm Springs to Palm Desert that used to take 40 minutes from can take 55 minutes. This is due to several factors. Since SunLine runs a reduced schedule, every bus experiences more demand, which means that every bus makes more stops, and it takes more time for the bus to run throughout the route. The buses are also more crowded, leading to a worse customer experience.
All of this degradation has happened with virtually no accountability. SunLine announces schedule changes without appropriate lead time, and doesn’t request input from users. Certainly, SunLine has expanded good initiatives, like its SunRide program, to more cities in the valley. However, these small improvements don’t make up for the significant degradation in the quality of the service it offers.
Just recently, SunLine reduced its schedule even further. The No. 1 routes that traverse the valley along Highway 111 are running every 30 minutes. This is a high-density corridor, and SunLine should instead be increasing bus frequency.
What’s worse is that there is still no light at the end of the tunnel. SunLine users have no way of knowing whether these changes are temporary. We also don’t know if SunLine is aiming to restore its schedule back to Level 1 at some point—or if they will go in the other direction and reduce the schedule even further. We’re in the dark and subject to decisions that feel arbitrary and have concrete negative effects.
Local politicians who speak of climate change as a priority should hold SunLine accountable for its failures over the years. It is time for SunLine to give the Coachella Valley a responsive and at least minimally decent transportation service.
Miguel Guevara is a technologist living in the Coachella Valley. He arrived here after living in the San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, Mexico City, Cuernavaca, San Diego, Mauna Lani and Brazil. He enjoys hiking and biking in the desert. He can be reached at mail@miguel.pw.
NEWS
FROM THREE BEDROOMS TO TWO
by Kevin Fitzgerald
In 2022 and 2023, the Kropfl family operated their condominium property on Serena Drive in Palm Desert’s Monterey Country Club as a short-term rental.
The family purchased the unit in 2021. It was marketed as a three-bedroom home with an interior atrium by the previous owner, the Compass real estate agent who handled the transaction, the homeowners’ association’s sales and leasing office, Zillow, Redfin and, well, everyone. The family’s plan was to generate enough income to support Keith Kropfl’s approaching retirement.
In January 2024, Carrie Kropfl was surprised when the city of Palm Desert denied the
STR-permit-renewal—because the city now considered the property to be a two-bedroom unit, not three.
“I was contacted with an informal email, by the way,” Carrie Kropfl said during a recent interview. “No due process, no formal letter, nothing—just, ‘You don’t have a three-bedroom. You have a two-bedroom, and we’re lowering your occupancy from six to four. And if you don’t make the change immediately on the Airbnb and VRBO websites, we will not renew your license. We were not informed of our rights. We weren’t really told why, so I started reaching out.”
She began checking with her STR-operating neighbors and found that many had received similar notifications.
“I finally demanded due process,” Kropfl said, “and once I made that demand, the city (shared) the process of appealing this decision, but it took a good three days before I got that information. At that point, it was just me on my own, and I had 10 days to respond, so I had to move quickly, or I would lose my opportunity altogether.”
Kropfl joined forces with other STR operators, hiring the same attorney they’d used about a year before when the city told them Monterey Country Club was no longer allowing STRs. They prevailed in that matter—but this time, the attorney urged them not to fight this permit refusal, since it was based on a re-evaluation of certain floor plans that seemed to incorrectly identify an atrium-adjacent living space as a third bedroom, which put it in conflict with California state building standards. According to those regulations, atrium-adjacent spaces with no direct egress available via a door or window to the outside of the property could not be utilized legally as a bedroom.
The attorney suggested the STR operators propose a compromise to the city: They could instead utilize the living-room area as a bedroom for STR purposes. The city denied the request at a hearing in early May, primarily on the grounds that if the city agreed to this group’s request, they would
have to accept similar requests from all city condo owners seeking STR permits.
Kropfl kept fighting. She was turned down by the Palm Desert Building Board of Appeals in late May. At the June 27 Palm Desert City Council meeting, Kropfl again presented her case, and was denied in a 4-0 vote. (Gina Nestande, a real estate agent, abstained.) The councilmembers’ main stated concern was the ability of people using that now-illegal bedroom to escape during a fire or other disaster. Palm Desert Mayor Karina Quintanilla said: “Safety is non-negotiable. I think that’s one thing we can all agree on.”
Kropfl and her neighbors realized this change could have effects beyond STR rentals. There were questions as to whether they had paid too much for their properties—and are paying too much in property taxes.
They also realized it was not just Monterey Country Club that was affected; Kropfl said thousands of condominium owners across multiple Coachella Valley communities would be impacted by the ruling.
“I just started requesting records,” Kropfl said; she now has many of those records posted on her website, palmdesertfraud. com. “I’d uncover another thing, and request another record, and uncover another thing, and request another record. I started posting to the Monterey homeowners’ Facebook page, and educating people that this is not a short-term rental issue. … I learned that there were over 100 units built (in MCC alone) that had atriums and that would be affected.” At least 10 other condo communities had been developed by the Sunrise Company—builders and managers of the MCC community— between 1973 and 2018 across multiple Coachella Valley cities.
So now what? The owners are considering everything from class-action lawsuits against Sunrise Company, the city and others, to appeals with the state of California and, to lower their taxes, Riverside County.
Additionally, the Palm Desert City Council’s expression of safety concerns may have placed the city in the position of needing to notify
Palm Desert opens a can of worms by determining that some spaces can no longer be considered bedrooms—and could be ‘unsafe’
potentially thousands of city residents that they are living in unsafe housing conditions, as determined by the council.
The Independent emailed Quintanilla and requested an interview to discuss how the city plans to deal with the challenge; we did not receive a response as of our press deadline. We also emailed and tried to call Paul Herrera, the government affairs director at the California Desert Association of Realtors; he has not responded.
Meanwhile, Carrie Kropfl is unwilling to let this matter rest.
“We overpaid for our home by 20-30%,” Kropfl said. “I overpaid by more than $150,000 for my home. I would have never bought it for the price I paid, because when you run the numbers for (operating) an STR here … it doesn’t make any financial sense. I’m having anxiety over it. I’m not sleeping, and it’s definitely caused a lot of stress, emotionally and financially. I lost both my
parents a year ago, six weeks apart, and I was their primary caretaker, so I’m still in repair from that. It’s just been a lot to carry on my shoulders. But I want to fight the good fight.”
Kropfl continues to post updates on social media platforms like Facebook and Nextdoor, and she said she is buoyed by the increasing number of views and followers that her palmdesertfraud.com website is garnering.
“I’ve had 1,200 hits to the website (as of early July), and I have 60-plus subscribers now,” she said. “My (posts on) Nextdoor get upwards of 5,000 views. I’ve been doing Facebook posts strictly on the Monterey (Country Club) Facebook page, but other people within other communities are also doing posts on their Facebook pages.”
The Independent asked Kropfl if, as word of this dispute gets more widely disseminated, she’s hopeful that class-action lawsuit options are becoming more viable.
“Yes,” she said. “Power in numbers.”
Monterey Country Club condo owner Carrie Kropfl stands in the recently prohibited atrium-adjacent bedroom in her home. Kyle Christensen Photography
REFILL, REUSE
by Melissa Daniels
AA new Yucca Valley store invites desertdwellers to become conscious shoppers
new refill shop in Yucca Valley invites shoppers to clean up their cleaning habits. Salina Rhodus this spring opened The Green Roadrunner, a refillery and haven for eco-conscious shopping. Inside, shoppers can stock up on dozens of cleaning products and home essentials ranging from laundry detergent and multipurpose cleaner to sunscreen and face moisturizer. Unlike a typical store, the products are sold from large bulk containers kept behind the counter. Customers can bring their own jars in which to put the products, and there’s also a donation area for people to leave extra jars or containers for other shoppers to use.
Like many entrepreneurs in the zero-waste field, Rhodus is cognizant that consumer behavior
is hard to change. But she hopes offering better-for-the-planet swaps can be the start of a longer journey.
“If every single person did one thing, it would make a huge difference,” she said. “It’s fine starting with switching over to compostable sponges. Then it’s, like, switch over to laundry (refills) instead of buying plastic jugs. Now let’s add some hand soap in there. And then as you go, you can develop new systems.”
In addition to the refill items, The Green Roadrunner has well-stocked shelves of zero-waste products by emerging eco-conscious brands. Some of these are meant to
be eco-friendly swaps for existing products, like bamboo paper towels or compostable dog waste bags. Offerings also include crystals she sources herself, plus goods, like jewelry and herbal blends, from local vendors. In an adjacent room, Rhodus curates vintage clothes and recycled goods.
The Green Roadrunner is part of a trend spreading across the country as people seek to limit their consumer waste. There’s more than a dozen “refill stations” in the Los Angeles area, but they’re not exclusive to major metros. Mid-sized cities like Cleveland and Kansas City have their own versions of refill and zero-waste
shops. In Palm Springs, It Refills is slated to open in Flannery Exchange this summer.
So far, the idea is resonating in Yucca Valley. The Green Roadrunner has about a 70% customer return rate, a fairly strong percentage given the number of tourists who are also coming through. Some customers are making weekly or biweekly stops, with Rhodus starting a loyalty program to reward frequent shoppers.
The sticky shopper behavior surprised even Rhodus, who was unsure whether people in the community would be interested in the concept. “I was, originally, not sure about if people would want to do this,” she said. “Sustainability is tough, because there’s a behavior change that takes a while.”
A big part of running the shop, Rhodus said, is educating shoppers on what eco-friendly products can do. She’ll happily walk new shoppers step by step through the taring process, which prices out a refill by weight minus the weight of the container. And she’ll explain where she sources the bulk products from, or the vendors with which she’s partnered.
There’s also the financial education piece, as refilling can be a much more affordable alternative for those willing to make the change.
A pickle-sized jar full of cleaning vinegar, for example, is less than $4 and will fill 10 to 12 spray bottles mixed with water and essential oil to create a multi-purpose cleaner.
“There are a lot of misconceptions that going zero-waste is more expensive, and it’s not necessarily true,” Rhodus said. “It really balances out, because you’re not paying for that plastic and labeling every time. You’re just paying for the product you’re using.”
For Rhodus, getting The Green Roadrunner up and running was part dream, part opportunity. Rhodus came across a refill shop several years ago in Manhattan Beach and was intrigued by the possibility of running one herself. In addition to working as a real estate
agent, Rhodus had been working in sales for a laboratory, a role where she frequently learned about the ingredients that make up food and products.
Rhodus and her family moved to the Morongo Basin in early 2023. Rhodus was suddenly laid off last September, and found herself wondering what was next.
“I was ready for a change, but I didn’t know if I was ready to make the commitment to do this,” she said.
Then in January, she saw a space along Highway 62 that had been vacated by an adult-entertainment business that moved to a different location. It was a prime corner spot in a shopping plaza next to This N That thrift shop.
Rhodus instantly saw potential due to its central location, good visibility and proximity to local supermarkets and discount chains. She quickly jumped on the property and got to work renovating the space. Long nights ensued as Rhodus and her husband, Austin, worked on merchandising and inventory. “It’s been challenging, but in the best way possible,” she said.
Rhodus is eager to keep things local. When she closed on the Fourth of July, she posted on social media so customers who had planned to come by could contact her to make arrangements. There’s a free book-exchange shelf, and also a spot to drop off old toothbrushes to be recycled. Rhodus spruced up the landscaping around the plaza to add some curb appeal, and has hosted a few food-truck events for celebrations like Father’s Day.
“People have come in and thanked us, and we’ve had a lot of community support,” she said. “We have a population that is definitely interested.”
The Green Roadrunner is located at 57533 Twentynine Palms Highway, Suite 2, in Yucca Valley. For more information, call 760-418-5469, or visit www.thegreenroadrunner.com.
The Green Roadrunner opened in Yucca Valley in March 2024, filling a vacant commercial spot that previously housed an adult-entertainment shop. Photo courtesy of Salina Rhodus
CIVIC SOLUTIONS
by Melissa Daniels
When Evan Gray moved to the Coachella Valley in 2022, he was struck by the number of creative and lively people he met—whether he was at the doctor’s office, a coffee shop or a local boutique.
But Gray also picked up on something every newcomer to the desert has experienced: While the area is a hub for many unique and driven people, with a bustling events calendar, few of these events are geared toward newcomers who want to meet new people. Fortunately, as director of programs for the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, Gray was in a position to do something about it.
“If you’re someone looking to network, especially in a place where you’re new, chambers are not necessarily known as a place to go,” Gray said. “It was the middle of the fiscal year, with no budget, but I was confident I could come up with something creative.”
That led to the creation of EMERGE Palm Springs, which has hosted monthly “Social Hours” at venues across Palm Springs since February 2023. The events bring together scores of desert-dwellers looking to make new connections or simply socialize—and, of course, enjoy fabulous food, drinks and scenery in classic Palm Springs tradition.
The goal is to have attendees form meaningful relationships—and not just for business opportunities, either. Some attendees have met folks who become their roommates. Others simply became fast friends who would go on to host each other’s birthday parties. While technically a Palm Springs Chamber program, Gray sees it as more of a social club.
Programs like EMERGE could become an important conduit as the nature of work by professionals fundamentally shifts. Millions of people in the U.S. founded businesses or became self-employed entrepreneurs during the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic: The U.S. Census Bureau reported a 24% increase in new business applications in 2020. As of 2022, roughly 11% of the nation’s 157 million employed workers were self-employed, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
The rise of remote work creates a vacuum for community building. While the workplace has traditionally been a common spot for young people to make friends, develop relationships and gain a network, professionals spending their days on Zoom calls may find themselves missing a sense of community. The desert in particular has a younger population of newcomers who moved here amid the COVID-19 lockdowns, due to their ability to work remotely— and there’s also a population of Millennials and Gen-Zers who have grown up here and want to continue calling the desert home.
Social-media software Buffer found in a 2023 State of Remote Work survey that while
the vast majority of remote workers would recommend it, it can be isolating. One in three said they were staying home too often because they don’t have a reason to leave. Around one in five said loneliness was the most difficult part of remote work. “These two struggles go hand in hand and paint a picture of how the reality of remote work can be very challenging,” wrote Hailley Griffis, Buffer’s head of communications and content. This is where facilitators like Gray and events like EMERGE can create an important community link.
“I knew the valley needed something like EMERGE, but I didn’t know how much until its kickoff,” Gray said.
For the first event in February 2023, the staff at The Rowan Palm Springs offered up the poolside rooftop bar as a venue. The Brady Sandahl Real Estate Group sponsored catered food. With minimal marketing, the event attracted dozens of attendees.
“It worked too well,” Gray said. People were asking for one the following month, and Gray hustled to get the next event on the books.
Since then, EMERGE has gained popularity mostly due to word of mouth. Gray operates a lively Instagram feed that posts professional photos from the events by local photographer David Garcia-Tlahuel of Arsvida. EMERGE also has an email list nearing 700 people. Average attendance so far is around 60 people per event, with more than 100 at the Windmill City Screen Printing Social Hour in April 2024.
Gray aims to keep the events fun, lively and light; this isn’t about networking in stuffy professional clothes and swapping business cards. He chooses interesting and attractive venues to help increase the draw. Casa Cody, Palm Springs’ oldest operating hotel, hosted the June 2024 Social Hour. Others have included locally beloved spots like Las Palmas Brewing and Boozehounds, and more experience-driven locations like SoulGlow Aura portrait studio.
Attendees who are looking for a little help on the connection front are given cards with question prompts that go beyond, “What do you do for work?” Instead, they’re invited to share their answers to thoughts like, “What
A new Palm Springs Chamber program is bringing together Coachella Valley creatives and entrepreneurs
piece of advice has stuck with you throughout your life?” or, “What’s a trend or development in your field that you find particularly interesting?”
Gray is cautious about branding it as a “young professionals” program, though the average attendee age is in the mid-to-upper 30s. Gray is adamant in making sure that EMERGE is open for anyone who wants to attend. There’s also no residential component, with attendees coming from all valley cities.
“There are all kinds of people making huge impacts on the valley,” he said.
He also sees EMERGE as a way to carry on the Palm Springs society culture to the next generation. He wants to continue to draw sponsors and secure more investment. That means bigger and better parties—and bigger and better community impact.
“I want to understand: How do we create our own social scene like the people we look up to in their 60s and 70s, with awesome parties and galas?” he said. “We’re the future of this place. Why not start now in having fun and
building a really unique and cool thing that the valley hasn’t seen?”
For more information, visit www. emergepalmsprings.com or instagram.com/ emergepalmsprings.
Opens August 16!
A recent EMERGE event at Windmill City Screen Printing drew more than 100 people. David Garcia-Tlahuel/Arsvida
CV HISTORY
CIndio resident Jacqueline Cochran was one of the 20th century’s most revered aviators
The enterprising and daring business executive, who made her home in Indio, was a pioneer in by greg niemann
oachella Valley resident Jacqueline “Jackie” Cochran (1906-1980), one of the most prominent aviators during the 1940s and ’50s, is said to hold more speed, altitude and distance records than any other pilot, male or female.
women’s aviation, setting numerous records and becoming the first woman to break the sound barrier, on May 18, 1953.
Cochran was also the wartime head of the Women Airforce Service Pilots in 1943 and 1944, which employed about 1,000 civilian American women. She was later a sponsor of the Mercury 13 women-astronaut program.
She was born as Bessie Pittman in Florida in 1906, the youngest of five children. The family, including 7-year-old Bessie, worked long hours in Columbus, Ga., cotton mills. The youngster helped baby-sit families, learning to cook and change diapers. (Cochran often claimed she was adopted and lived in a foster home, but that is not the case.)
She left home at about the age of 11 to live with and provide odd jobs for a family of six children, The mother owned three beauty parlors, and Bessie picked up the trade while working around the place.
In her posthumously published autobiography, she said she changed her last name to Cochran after searching a phone book and concluding that “it had the right ring to it.” However, other sources say that in 1920, when she was around 14 years old, she married a man named Robert Cochran; she soon gave birth to a son, Robert, who died in 1925. She divorced Cochran—but kept the name, and also started using Jackie/Jacqueline as her first name.
Determined and hardworking, she moved to New York City, where, using her natural charm and inexorable persuasion, she snagged a prestigious job as a beautician at Antoine’s exclusive salon at Saks Fifth Avenue. She alternately spent the winter seasons working at the Antoine’s salon in Miami.
In Miami, in 1932, she met a thin, clean-cut, freckle-faced blond man who took an interest in her. He was Floyd Bostwick Odlum, founder of Atlas Corp. and chief executive officer of RKO Studios (prior to Howard Hughes). At the time, he was reputed to be one of the 10 wealthiest men in the world. Two months later, he called her, and they began seeing each other.
By then, Jackie had developed a line of cosmetics, establishing her own company, Jacqueline Cochran Incorporated. She confided to Floyd that she had been thinking about leaving Antoine’s to go on the road to sell her cosmet-
ics. He suggested that she get a pilot’s license to cover the territory she would need to cover, especially in the economic climate of the Great Depression. Cochran took flying lessons—and discovered her life’s passion, making her first solo flight only three weeks later. Within two years, she obtained her commercial pilot’s license, and later bought her own plane.
Odlum was an astute marketer who recognized the value of publicity. Calling her line of cosmetics Wings to Beauty, Cochran, with Odlum’s guidance, flew her own plane around the country promoting her products. By the 1940s, her products were being sold in department stores across the United States. She also became the American distributor for several upscale French products.
Odlum also took an interest in Jacqueline’s flying and provided financial and logistical support for her entry in numerous air-racing events. Jackie later said, “Every orphan dreams of marrying a millionaire, but I had no idea at first that Floyd Odlum was worth so much money.”
Jackie Cochran and Floyd Odlum married in 1936 after his divorce. Although in private life she was Mrs. Floyd Odlum, she continued to use her maiden name.
Cochran fell in love with California—especially the desert. She said: “It can be so beautiful. And so peaceful. Under the sun’s glare, deep colors shrink into pastel, and the limitless white of the sands merges into the grays, greens and purples of the sage, the desert holly, the yucca and the ocotillo, the mesquite and smoke trees. … I lost no time buying 20 acres.”
She picked the biggest hill in Indio and started building. “Eventually Floyd purchased close to 900 acres, and we called our property Cochran-Odlum Ranches,” she said.
The couple entertained numerous noted guests there. Its grounds were visited by many celebrities and famous friends, including Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lyndon Baines Johnson; Eisenhower reportedly finished his memoirs while staying at the ranch. An especially close friend was Amelia Earhart, who reportedly spent several days relaxing at Cochran’s ranch prior to her ill-fated flight around the world in 1937.
The ranch is now home to Indian Palms Country Club & Resort on Monroe St. in Indio.
The ranch house became the present location of the golf shop and banquet room. Cochran admitted, “God, there was a lot of my own sweat and blood in that ranch house.” It was a place where the over-achiever pilot and her over-achiever financier husband found they could relax the best.
Jackie Cochran’s prowess in the air was unmatched. Cochran was the first woman to land and take off from an aircraft carrier; the first woman to pilot a bomber across the North Atlantic (in 1941) and to fly a jet aircraft on a trans-Atlantic flight; the first woman to make a blind (instrument) landing; the first woman to become the president of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (in 1958); the first woman to fly a fixed-wing jet aircraft across the Atlantic; the first pilot to fly above 20,000 feet with an oxygen mask; and the first woman to enter the Bendix Transcontinental Race.
In 1948, Cochran joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a lieutenant colonel. She was promoted to colonel in 1969 and retired in 1970; she received three awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross for various achievements from 1947 to 1964.
Cochran regularly utilized the airport in Thermal, which was established in 1942 as
part of the Desert Training Center, which had been renamed Desert Resorts Regional, was again renamed in her honor in 2004 by Riverside County and is now the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport.
On May 9, 1996, the United States Postal Service issued the 50 cent Jacqueline Cochran stamp, complete with a picture of her and the words: “Jacqueline Cochran Pioneer Pilot.”
Close friend Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, said about Cochran: “She was a remarkable person, and she was a competitor. You’ve got to be aggressive, and you’ve got to have guts to go out and get exactly what you want. Jackie got what she wanted. … Sometimes even she couldn’t believe what she had accomplished.”
Jackie Cochran died on Aug. 9, 1980, at their beloved ranch home in Indio that she had shared with her husband until his death four years earlier.
Sources for this article include Jackie Cochran: An Autobiography by Jacqueline Cochran and Maryann Bucknum Brinley (Bantam, 1987); Jacqueline Cochran: Biography of a Pioneer Aviator by Rhonda Smith-Daugherty (McFarland and Company, 2012); and Palm Springs Air Museum and National Air and Space Museum archives.
Jacqueline Cochran. Photo courtesy of the National Air and Space Museum
AUGUST ASTRONOMY
Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight
For August, 2024
This sky chart is drawn for latitude 34 degrees north, but may be used in southern U.S. and northern Mexico.
The month offers excellent views of the Milky Way, the Perseid meteor shower and a bevy of bright celestial bodies
TBy Robert Victor
he Milky Way at its best; the Perseid meteor shower; three bright morning planets, with two of them forming a close pair for several days around mid-month; the first appearance of the brightest star, Sirius; and a “blue moon.” These are some of August’s celestial highlights!
On Aug. 5 at dusk, from a place with an unobstructed view of the horizon between west and west-northwest, look for a young, 3% crescent moon paired with Venus, just 1-2° to its lower right. When the southernmost classical zodiac constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius are in the south at dusk, conditions are far short of ideal for viewing Mercury and Venus as evening planets: The ecliptic, or plane of Earth’s orbit and centerline of the lunar and planetary highway,
then makes a low angle with the horizon. On Aug. 6, the 6% moon is 12° to the upper left of Venus, but is still quite low. Note the crescent looks like a bowl tipped almost on its side, pouring out its contents.
The best Milky Way viewing during convenient early evening hours this summer—after twilight ends and within two hours after sunset—occurs from dark locations in the absence of moonlight through Aug. 7, and Aug. 24 through Sept. 6. The brightest patches of the Milky Way are the Cygnus Star Cloud, along the axis of the Northern Cross within the summer triangle; and the Great Sagittarius Star Cloud, looking like a puff of steam rising out of the spout of the Teapot.
Watch the waxing moon skip past Spica over two evenings: See the moon 4° to the star’s lower right on Aug. 9, and 8° to its upper left on the next evening. The moon appears very close to Antares during evening hours on Aug. 13. From Palm Springs, the upper edge of the moon passes one moon’s width below the star at 11:26 p.m.
The moon reaches its southernmost excursion this month on Aug. 15, appearing in gibbous phase, 84 percent illuminated, within the Teapot of Sagittarius. From Palm Springs, the moon is only 27° up when it passes its highest point directly south at 9:32 p.m. That’s 6° lower than the midday Winter Solstice sun of Dec. 21. In 2024 and 2025, the moon’s monthly north and south excursions are at their most extreme of their 18-to-19-year cycle.
The full moon at dawn and dusk on Aug. 19 is a “blue moon.” But didn’t we have one just last year, on Aug. 30, because it was the second full moon of that month? This time, using a different definition, we can again celebrate a blue moon, because summer 2024 has four full moons, and the third one within an astronomical season is designated as “blue.” This summer’s first full moon occurred on June 21, just 29 hours after the solstice, and this season’s fourth one fits in on Sept. 17, more than 100 hours before the autumnal equinox deadline. For a
discussion of the multiple definitions of blue moon, visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_moon.
At nightfall on Aug. 20, the moon, just past full, appears low in the east to east-southeast, with Saturn about one degree to its upper right. At dawn’s first light the next morning, Aug. 21, the waning gibbous moon is well up in the southwest, with Saturn 5° to its lower right. Continue following the moon each morning through Sept. 1, and watch it pass three additional bright planets and three bright stars. On Aug. 26, the last quarter moon, half full and 90° west of the sun, appears a wide 10-11° north of Aldebaran, eye of Taurus, the Bull. On Aug. 27, the 38-percent crescent moon passes north of Jupiter and Mars, forming an eye-catching triangle. On Aug. 28, this month’s northernmost moon reaches its highest point just 5° south of overhead in Palm Springs 2 1/4 hours after sunrise. On Aug. 29 and 30, the thinning moon skips past Pollux and Castor, the “Twin” stars of Gemini. Shift your viewing time to one hour before sunrise, and look very low in the east-northeast, 12° below the 6 percent crescent moon on Aug. 31, and 4° to the right of the last, old 2 percent crescent moon on Sept. 1, for newly emergent Mercury. The morning sky of August 2024 is nothing short of spectacular! Starting this month, 6.5° apart and moving half a degree closer each day, bright Jupiter and red Mars adorn the already beautiful constellation Taurus, with reddish Aldebaran and two standout star clusters, the Hyades and Pleiades. On Aug. 4, Mars passes 4.9° north of Aldebaran. On Aug. 14, Mars passes 0.3° north of Jupiter. The pair will be well worth getting out early to view for several mornings before and after this date of closest approach! On Aug. 24, Mars passes 5.6° south of Elnath, or Beta Tauri, tip of the Bull’s northern horn. Three days later, Mars passes 2° north of Eta, the tip of the southern horn. On what date(s) will Mars lie closest to a line joining them? By Aug. 31, the Mars-Jupiter gap widens to 8.4°. Jupiter and Saturn are well
worth telescopic views. Saturn’s rings appear 3° from edgewise on Aug. 18, just as the planet passes 1.1° south of the 4.2-magnitude star Phi Aquarii.
Evening mid-twilight occurs when the Sun is 9° below the horizon. Aug.1: 43 minutes after sunset. 15: 42 " " " 31: 40 " " "
Annually, after viewing the peak of the Perseid meteors (on Aug. 12 this year), it has been my custom to look for the rising of Sirius in the east-southeast morning twilight glow, below Orion. After Sirius has risen and before Altair (southernmost star of the Summer Triangle) sets, there are 11 stars of first magnitude or brighter visible simultaneously. Add the three bright outer planets to the total, and you have a treasure chest of jewels! You can enjoy the same starry scene four minutes earlier daily, or two hours earlier per month, until mid-January, when Altair disappears into the western evening twilight glow. The same three planets will still be around, with Venus added. For charts following planets and bright stars in morning and evening twilight in coming
months, as well as tips for locating the faint, distant two outer planets Uranus and Neptune, visit the Sky Calendar Extra Content Page at abramsplanetarium.org/msta.
The Astronomical Society of the Desert will host a star party on Saturday, Aug. 3, at Sawmill Trailhead, a site in the Santa Rosa Mountains at elevation 4,000 feet. For dates and times of other star parties, and maps and directions, visit astrorx.org.
The Abrams Planetarium Sky Calendar is available by subscription from www.abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar. For $12 per year, subscribers receive quarterly mailings, each containing three monthly issues.
Robert Victor originated the Abrams Planetarium monthly Sky Calendar in October 1968 and still helps produce an occasional issue. He enjoys being outdoors sharing the beauty of the night sky and other wonders of nature.
Stereographic Projection Map by Robert D. Miller
After almost 25 years of shaping the Coachella Valley’s performing-arts agenda, Mitch Gershenfeld will just fade away this summer, like an old soldier of the desert cultural wars.
There will be no send-off at the McCallum Theatre. The performing-arts center he has led with multiple titles gave him a farewell party when he first retired in 2019. He returned twice at the behest of former McCallum board chairman Harold Matzner after two successors didn’t work out. Now he’s “slipping quietly away” at the end of August, he says.
His title has changed from “president and CEO” to “artistic director.” New board chairman Garry Kief has named chief financial officer Robert McConnaughey interim president. Gershenfeld said someone else will negotiate the contracts for acts he selected for 2026.
He’s giving up his house and car, and hanging up the croquet mallets that made him a Mission Hills Country Club champion, in exchange for prolonged stays in nations such as New Zealand, Australia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar with his wife, Sam.
“We are leaving the country to become permanent roving expats,” he said in an e-mail in May.
Before getting his boarding pass, Gershenfeld sat down with a journalist who has covered his entire McCallum career—and often criticized his shows for being too reflective of a bygone era.
Lunch turned into something of an exit interview, reviewing shows that made the McCallum as much a part of the Coachella Valley experience as golf and sunshine. Topics included the best McCallum acts of the 21st century, shows that seemed “safe,” and favorite artists who got away.
He also talked about audiences that often featured more stars in the seats than on the stage. The McCallum perpetuated the old Palm Springs experience as a place where tourists could see stars mixing with regular folk. That surprised him upon his arrival in 2000, he said.
“That was the realization that this is a very different and very special community,” Gershenfeld said. “The fact that you have all these folks living here, the fact that you had this incredible history—I had no idea when I got here it was going to be like this, and it’s been a joy.”
Lunch and e-mail interviews have been edited and condensed into the following Q&A.
There’s not much of that celebrity community left in the Coachella Valley. What do you think changed? I don’t know that the community really changed. I think it’s constantly evolving. I think you still have that community here that wants to support the arts.
Yeah, but the celebrities coming out to see their celebrity friends at the McCallum … You don’t have that so much anymore. If Barry Manilow is performing at the theater, there will be some celebrities who will come. (When David Foster performs), you always see Diane Warren. I remember I was backstage, and we had Johnny Mathis. I knew Andy Williams was coming to see him backstage. So, the door opens, and I look at this guy, and I’m thinking, “Man, Andy Williams doesn’t look so good.” It turned out it was his brother, and Andy was standing behind him.
The Really Big Shows
One historic show you produced was your benefit for Sept. 11 victims (“Let Freedom Ring,” featuring local stars Suzanne Somers, Jack Jones, Keely Smith, Howard Keel, Herb Jeffries, Peter Marshall, Hal Linden and others). Barry Manilow was the icing on the cake. We and the whole country —the whole world—were obviously very upset and trying to figure out, “What are we going to do?” I went to Ted (Giatas), who was the CEO then, and said, “Let’s do some sort of tribute. We’ll collect money and give it to the Red Cross.” So I started making phone calls. Garry (who managed Manilow) was the first one I called. He said, “Absolutely, we’ll be there.” I started calling other people I knew, and we got a really amazing lineup. Hector Elizondo was the emcee. I didn’t know Barry; I had never met him, but (Manilow’s assistant) Marc Hulett called. Barry would say, “You’re going to do this, but I think it would be better if you did this (instead).” He did this four or five times in the weeks preceding the show, and he was correct every time. This was a guy who knew how to put the show together and how to make it perfect.
Can you expand on what he did?
I was planning to have a certain-sized musical ensemble, and Barry suggested a better configuration. He had ideas about the order of the program, and I think it was Barry who did this: Suzanne Somers was going to sing “Cockeyed Optimist” (from South Pacific).
But she was going to sing it as a ballad. I said, “That just doesn’t sound like a good idea,” and Barry said, “No, this is going to work really well.” And it was brilliant. It was so moving to hear those lyrics sung as a ballad (when she was publicly fighting cancer). Barry has an amazing musical sense. I think one of the
reasons he’s lasted as long as he has is he’s meticulous about every single thing.
I once heard Barry say to Jack Jones after a McCallum concert, “Do you always do shows like that?” He was astonished. And Jack replied simply, “That’s my show.” Can you talk about Jack’s McCallum concerts and his importance to the theater?
Jack is one of my favorite singers. When Ted Giatas was CEO, he was trying to dig the McCallum out of the financial hole it was in. He started a “Friends” campaign, and Jack was one of the people, along with Rita Rudner, who stepped up to help the theater portray a more welcoming image—and it worked. Jack really had an extraordinary voice. He sang with great fluidity and ease. He is also a great jazz musician. It’s kind of a shame he became so well-known for “The Love Boat” theme, because it overshadowed his abilities as a jazz singer. Each time Jack would perform at the McCallum, he did a completely different show. Sometimes it was with a big band, and sometimes a small combo. But he never let himself get pegged with any particular style, because he could sing anything and everything. Of course, he had that great high register.
Mitch Gershenfeld on Jack Jones: "Jack really had an extraordinary voice. He sang with great fluidity and ease. He is also a great jazz musician. It’s kind of a shame he became so well-known for ‘The Love Boat’ theme, because it overshadowed his abilities as a jazz singer."
Photo courtesy of Bruce Fessier
Photo credit: David A. Lee
Two of my favorite shows in your tenure were Joe Cocker and Bonnie Raitt. You had Bonnie more than once. Joe Cocker was only here one time. What was the reaction of your board to those rockers? When I started, I used to have to run everything by a committee of the board. They were wonderful people, but they mostly knew about classical music and fine arts. When I started bringing in Luis Miguel and some of these other people, after I think two years, the committee decided it would be disbanded, because the program was working, so I never really had to answer to anybody about programming. I could pretty much do whatever I wanted.
I remember I had a chance to bring Whoopi Goldberg. This is when President Ford was (on the board). He was a good guy. He said, “I have two questions: Will you make money?” I said yes. “And, do I have to go?”
There were artists I booked just because I wanted to meet them. One of them was Anthony Bourdain. I had read his books and watched him on TV, and I wanted to find out if he was the personality he was on television, which was kind of a crusty guy. He was the nicest guy in the world. We had him twice, and the first time we brought him in, it was just amazing. The audience was not a traditional McCallum audience. It was very young, and when he walked out onstage, it was like a rock concert. They were on their feet screaming. (In 2007), we had Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal and Fatso Jetson, which I thought was a great group. Those kinds of things, the opportunity to do stuff like that (as a benefit for local charities selected by bandleaders Josh Homme and Jesse Hughes)—that was such a cool thing to be able to do.
They didn’t think they’d be successful because they didn’t have a track record? Yeah. Nobody knew who they were. But the first time I brought them (in 2011), they sold out three shows. I had seen them in Australia, and I thought they hit that sweet spot for our audience.
2Cellos was one I thought was a really cool act. They got too big for us. This Mitch’s Picks (series) I did was a lot of fun, because I think it introduced people to shows (they) would not have come to otherwise. Most of the shows were successful.
I think overall, we booked as many new things as we could. The letters to the editors or e-mails I would see (said): “It’s always the same acts. Why aren’t you doing anything new?” We’d point out, “We have 26 new things on the season that have never played here before.” If you ask people, “What do you want to see at the McCallum?” they either don’t know, or they’ll mention someone who plays stadiums.
When I brought Luis Miguel, that was such a cool thing to be able to do.
Some of the other people, I just wanted to meet. … I was so glad the first time we brought Jonathan Winters. He was so brilliant. The second time, he had started to decline, and it was sort of painful to watch. But the first time, just to be close up to see how that mind worked was really amazing.
What was he like in person?
He was lovely, very gentle and soft-spoken. But you put something in his hand, and his mind was so quick, he could take that and do five minutes on it.
There are artists I introduced to the theater. Some became very popular; some didn’t. The Ten Tenors were something nobody thought would be successful. I had a feeling they would be.
Was it attracting a Latino audience that was special to you?
First of all, he was a major, major artist. He didn’t play theaters. The only reason we got him was I knew his agent, and his agent was looking for a place for him to rehearse before he went on his world tour. He wanted to rent the theater for a week. I said, “I’ll give you the theater for a week if you’ll give me a show.” So we got one show. Back then, I had a programming committee. They had never heard of Luis Miguel. I said, “This is going to sell out, and it’s going to be a really pivotal moment for the McCallum.” Of course, we did it, and it was. I was happy to bring in a lot of the big Latin acts until the casinos came in and started taking those away.
Shows That Were ‘Safe’
Some artists played so many times. Was there one show by Chris Botti that stood out, or do you remember him for the fact that he sold out every year for 20 years? Obviously, I’m very happy when an artist sells out. But what I love about Chris is he will bring different musicians each time, and every musician is absolutely brilliant. When we first started bringing him, it was a lot of him playing the trumpet. But he learned over the years, maybe as he got older, he didn’t want to play that much, and he’d give it to other people. His show became more than Chris Botti. It became Chris Botti and these other musicians who were just so brilliant.
You always had comedy, but it was different than the standup you started doing this year. How did you pick the comics before Kief influenced you to get more contemporary acts?
Well, some of the comics were just legendary. We’d have Bob Newhart or—before we discovered who he really was—Bill Cosby. They just attracted that audience. The Borscht Belt (show) was the Catskills on Broadway— Freddie Roman. That had come out as a film, and again, I thought there would be an audience for it. I thought there would be people who remembered the Catskills, and it turned out they did.
Were you thinking, “These are comics you should know, and if you haven’t experienced their old culture, this is an opportunity,” or was it just, “We have an audience for this”?
Yeah, I want to fill the seats. But I think also, I want to preserve those memories for people, and I think some of those comics are a way to do it. I listened to Bob Newhart records when
continued on next page
Mitch Gershenfeld (left) on Barry Manilow (right): "This was a guy who knew how to put the show together and how to make it perfect." Photo courtesy of Mitch Gershenfeld
Mitch Gershenfeld first brought The Ten Tenors to the McCallum in 2011. "Nobody knew who they were. ... I had seen them in Australia, and I thought they hit that sweet spot for our audience." Photo courtesy of Bruce Fessier
continued from Page 13
I was a kid, so to have him on the stage, I got the same thrill everyone in the audience did. But I booked Kathy Griffin for years before she started going to casinos. I had Margaret Cho. Bill Maher used to come in. Bob Saget— who was the nicest guy in the world and the dirtiest comic I ever heard in my life onstage. Jay Leno was terrific and a great person. When The Show (at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa Rancho Mirage) first started, I tried to compete. The casinos would offer three or four times (the McCallum’s) money, and I realized that was a losing thing. I began shifting the programming, and I think it made us a better performing arts center. If all I have to do is fill 1,100 seats, we can do some things the casinos aren’t even thinking about—everything from a Garrison Keillor to John Cleese or National Geographic Live. Also, some musical acts: Are they going to do Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin, Patti LuPone? I may compete with them on Paul Anka, but Paul Anka just happens to love the McCallum.
You have such a broad North American audience. Did you have to work at that, or did it come without much effort? I had some friends who managed timeshares, and they created itineraries for guests to see the McCallum on their trip to the desert. It didn’t matter what the show was: “You have to see the McCallum.” The brand attracted people. I got here in 2000; Ted (Giatas) got here in 1999. Before that, the McCallum’s reputation was not good. There was that whole Ponzi scheme (when the McCallum’s executive director and controller, among others, were indicted on felony charges in 1996). When I started, the first Friday, everybody in the office cleared out: “Where did everybody go?”
Well, they went to cash their paychecks because sometimes they didn’t (clear). … The McCallum was mired in debt. Ted came in and worked very, very hard. President Ford was an amazing help. I started doing things with programming so people would start feeling better about what we do. I think we turned the reputation of the McCallum from negative to positive, and from positive to just beloved.
When people move into country clubs, their friends and neighbors tell them about the McCallum Theatre. It’s not something we have to do, to actively seek that audience. That core audience, they’re coming from the gated communities. Now, when I do a show that’s a little different, they’re coming from other places as well. But that core audience is like 60-plus (years of age). So the people who were in their 40s when I started at the McCallum are now our audience.
Harold Matzner talked about building a base of people who may not give large donations, but, given time, if they like the environment and the people, they’ll donate more later.
Harold was the one who really set us on the course of financial stability. Harold was sort of all about the cash: “Bring in cash, and that will give us financial stability,” and it’s worked incredibly well, because the McCallum now has a reserve fund that’s very, very healthy. If we have to spend a million bucks to put a new roof on, we can do that. We replaced our parking lot last year. That was like a million. That’s all Harold.
Artists Who Got Away
Do you remember when Peter Marshall did his Old Faces of … Old Faces of 2002. For me, that was such a kick. Artie Johnson was on that show, (with) Ronnie Schell, Tom Poston.
I thought Bob Einstein had the line of the night when he said, “I was a new face when this evening started.”
Bob Einstein was such a clever guy. When I talked to him, I said, “Let’s do a Super Dave show on the stage.” He said it’s impossible, because those bits were all created for television, and they all involved some sort of an illusion. Obviously, he didn’t crash and go
through all that. It was all theatrically staged for television, and I’m sure there was stopaction. He said, “I could never do that on the stage.”
What about Aretha Franklin, who you had and lost?
Well, now you’ve opened a can of worms. I had Aretha booked on two occasions. The first time, the day of the show, she cancelled because of illness.
With quotation marks around “illness,” I see you saying.
Yes. Her band was not informed. They all showed up in the afternoon. It’s like, “How come nobody told us there’s not a concert?”
The second time, she cancelled the day before the concert—“illness.” I said, “Well, I need proof. I need a doctor’s (note).” Her agent faxed some bullshit note from a doctor, but I was told by someone who had worked with her a number of times: Before she does a show, she’ll look at how much she was getting, and if she didn’t feel it was enough, she would just cancel. So she cancelled on us twice.
One comic I had tried to book, and he was a difficult guy to work with, was Shecky Greene. When I first got to the theater— remember Marshall Stone (a film exhibitor who helped Sonny Bono start the Palm Springs International Film Festival)? Marshall had a television show around 2000. I knew Lennie (Green, a legendary agent), and I’m watching TV. Marshall says, “Why don’t you ever play the McCallum?” And Shecky says, “The Jew at the McCallum won’t hire me.” I called Lennie and said, “Lennie, what’s going on here?” He said, “Shecky, he’s meshuga (crazy). Don’t worry.” I did try a couple times to get Shecky. One time, I had him contracted, and he cancelled, because he said the money he had agreed to was not enough. But Shecky did one of Keely (Smith’s) shows. Keely would always identify celebrities in the audience, and she said, “Oh, Shecky Greene is here.” Shecky
comes onstage and does 12 minutes of the best material I’ve ever heard. He was brilliant, but he had his issues.
I know you tried to get Trini Lopez to play the McCallum. He said he wasn’t valued as much in his home community as he was in Latin America and overseas. Can you address why you two weren’t able to reach a deal for him to play the McCallum?
I spoke to Trini and his management on several occasions and tried to get him to perform at the McCallum. Ultimately, it came down to money. I offered him an amount I thought was right for the ticket prices and number of seats I felt we could sell. He wanted more than I felt we could afford, so we never made a deal. I feel bad about that. I really would have liked to have seen him on our stage.
There are so many fragmented communities in the Coachella Valley. You built a community around the McCallum Theatre. I think that’s a great legacy. Well, I’m happy with what we did, and I’m optimistic about where it’s going.
Will you come back?
I don’t think so.
Never?
I mean, I don’t know that I’ll have any reason to. I don’t have any family here.
What about croquet at Mission Hills? THAT I would come back for.
Bruce Fessier was inducted into the inaugural class of the Coachella Valley Media Hall of Fame in February and has been reporting on the Coachella Valley since 1979. He can be reached at jbfess@gmail.com, and followed at facebook.com/ bruce.fessier and Instagram.com/bfessier.
Bill Murray with Mitch Gershenfeld. Photo courtesy of Mitch Gershenfeld
John Monahan, Robert Klein, Lucie Arnaz and Mitch Gershenfeld earlier this year.
Photo credit: David A. Lee
DO-GOODER
BEYOND PAYMENTS
By Haleemon Anderson
An outreach team in Riverside County wants to be the “new face of child support.”
As a unit of the Riverside County Department of Child Support Services, the team educates parents on child support initiatives, while providing “immediate services for immediate needs.”
This summer, the team is hosting a series of resource fairs throughout the county. The pop-up fairs are held at community centers, with the team using metrics to determine where vulnerable
families exist within pockets of wealth.
Jade Pernell is part of the outreach team for the department. Their work focuses more on the whole family, and less on enforcement, Pernell said. “We are bringing immediate resources that address food insecurities, health and immunization needs, and the need for diapers, among other things.”
These critical needs vary across the county. Pernell said resources—to tackle issues from housing insecurity to immunizations to vision and dental exams for kids—are targeted for maximum impact. In the eastern Coachella Valley, for example, there’s a large population of migrant workers in the region, so translators are on hand to assist Spanish-speaking clients.
“We want to create positive interactions with child support, and we also want to dispel a lot of myths,” Pernell said. “Child support has been around since the (Great) Depression, so we’ve gone through quite a bit of change, and we’ve (continued) to evolve. We are still child support; we still do have the child’s best interests at heart. So yes, we enforce child support, but we’re also into wraparound services.”
The Coachella Valley was chosen for the first series of resource fairs. The RCDCSS partners with local agencies to support these “Community Connection events.”
“We get with organizations that have boots on the ground, that really understand and are interconnected with the community,” Pernell said. “We try to make sure that we’re in places that the community already feels comfortable in, and already has a vested interest in going to begin with.”
Anybody can attend the fairs. When participants arrive, they answer a short survey to determine if they have immediate needs, like food or health concerns. The team steers them to specific resources based on their answers, and attendees can visit provider booths to sign up for childcare, job-training or low-cost health insurance, among other services.
Parents can also start a child-support case or re-activate a dormant case onsite.
“The goal,” Pernell said, “is to make this process as seamless as possible, because we’re dealing with very sensitive things—like
children and money. Our first goal is to educate parents both on their rights and on the resources that are available, and how seamless the process can be.”
Each fair is set up in the same way, with a vast amount of resources, but the types of resources at each are different, depending on the area’s needs.
“For instance, in the Inland Empire, we’re having a huge issue with rent right now, of finding places to live, or rent that’s affordable, and then making sure that we don’t have multiple families living in two- and three-bedroom apartments,” Pernell said. “When we ask particular vendors to come, it isn’t haphazard; it’s based upon research showing that these particular things are of need in that community.”
Karla Flores Rosas is the community outreach specialist with the John F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation. The agency offers classes in parenting and referrals to Ophelia’s Project, an empowerment program for teen girls.
At the Family & Farm Workers Service Center in Mecca, Rosas said the fairs are accessible for people who may be reluctant to seek help.
“When people hear any county (agency) name, they’re already afraid as it is,” Rosas said. “Being able to have these resource fairs really brings in that light that, ‘Hey, they’re not here to take my children away. They’re not here to charge me for child support only. They’re here to support the community to ensure that they get those resources that they need.’ Sometimes (child support is not paid due to) just a lack of resources. For a lot of these families, it’s not necessarily them not wanting to provide for their children or not wanting to support them.”
The RCDCSS works with workforce development and the housing division of the county’s Department of Public Social Services to help participants get on their feet.
“We have a very close relationship,” Pernell said. “We can refer and do warm handoffs. If an individual calls us and says, ‘Hey, I know I owe child support, but I also cannot find a job, or I’m having food and housing insecurity,’ obviously we want to address the child support issue—but child support isn’t going to be the
The Riverside County Department of Child Support Services holds a series of events to ‘create positive interactions’
first call they make if they have all these other insecurities looming.”
Changes in the System
Marquese Howard is the marketing, media and communications coordinator at the RCDCSS. He said the resource fairs are getting the word out about new programs to lessen negative stigmas and help parents make good on child-support payments.
Recent legislation created the “pass through” program. Previously, if families received cash assistance through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, child support payments went to the state to repay that assistance; now, those payments go to the family.
A debt-reduction program is also available for participants with payments that are in arrears. It’s based on a calculation of income to debt ratio—as well as a stipulation to never miss a payment.
The agency also makes sure communication goes both ways. When a case is opened, or when any modifications are added to a file, both parents are notified immediately.
“The child support (structure) you knew 10 to 20 years ago is not the child support of today,” Howard said. “Many people are still going on the stories they were told from past generations.”
These changes began in 1999, when the state removed child support jurisdiction away from the counties’ district attorney’s offices. Still, Pernell said, the public needs to be constantly educated on their rights and responsibilities. She said the outreach team is seeing changes, albeit gradually.
“The first part of that separation from the DA’s office was a lot of rebranding and re-educating the community, which we continue to do now,” Pernell said.
Case managers today have more autonomy, and with that comes the ability to create rela-
The Diaz family talks to providers from the Riverside University Health System at the Coachella Valley Library resource fair. Haleemon Anderson
tionships and bonds with participants, said Pernell. “By having those bonds, it allows us to humanize child support—to walk (people) through the process, to be a team member, as opposed to someone who’s just overseeing their case.”
Roger De Leon is involved in such a case. In a testimonial video, DeLeon thanked the program for the resources that allowed him to get back on track with his payments—and his life. He describes his joy in watching the department transform over the years.
“One of the biggest things that I hear out there with dads in the community is, ‘How do they expect me to pay for my child support if I can’t go to work because I don’t have a license, and something happens?’” De Leon said. “(It’s great) being able to see that program come to life, and seeing fathers who walk in a bit defeated … then walking out excited: ‘Wow, this was different. I got my driver’s license back.’”
Howard said the outreach team recently celebrated DeLeon with a proclamation at a fatherhood event.
“As part of his journey of being a father, he changed his life around and began working for Riverside County,” Howard said. “He continues to be an advocate, (talking) with local fathers who might be in this same situation.
The Nonprofit SCENE
August 2024
A Month of Events
August is Child Support Awareness Month, and the outreach team will hold a month-long series of surprise pop-up events. These “daily acts of support” are designed to surprise and celebrate the many community partners that help get resources out to families. Howard said the team could show up with ice cream or special prizes.
Saturday, Aug. 10, will be a landmark event for anyone who wants to see the RCDCSS in action. That’s when Open Saturdays merges with Child Support Awareness Month. The Iowa Avenue branch of Riverside County Child Support, in Riverside, is open every second Saturday of the month to accommodate parents who can’t make appointments on weekdays. Sign-ups are available for in-person and virtual appointments.
The team will amp up August’s Open Saturday event with music, food and giveaways.
“We are small but mighty,” Pernell said. “… We are trailblazing in the child support arena. I think the best way we’re doing that is through our outreach team (providing) positive interactions with child support. We’re there to do wraparound services. We want to educate, and we want to meet those needs.”
For more information about the Riverside County Department of Child Support Services, visit rivcodcss.com
Haleemon Anderson is a California Local News Fellow. She can be reached at handerson@ cvindependent.com.
Dusty Wings of the Desert’s season-closing luncheon at Sun City Palm Desert’s lovely Ventana Room on Monday, June 10, was the scene for its charity presentation to Tools for Tomorrow, funded by proceeds from Dusty Wings’ April fashion show luncheon, co-chaired by Gayle Hodges and Felicity Binkow.
Dusty Wings incoming board president Diane Backovich led a standing ovation and champagne toast to Jean Carrus for outstanding leadership during her presidency. Carrus then presented a check for $15,000 to Tools for Tomorrow board president Judith Antonio and executive director Andrea Hecht. Combined with the proceeds from the previous year’s fashion luncheon, chaired by Althea Heagy, Dusty Wings has donated a total of $23,000 to Tools for Tomorrow.
Antonio thanked Dusty Wings for its support of TFT’s free Creative Clubs, serving 1,200 children annually throughout the Coachella Valley. The after-school program for children ages 8 to 11 integrates art, music, theater and creative writing. TFT’s handson arts experiences promote self-esteem, collaboration, creativity and social-emotional learning.
During dessert, special guest Rose Hunter was introduced. A 100-year-old former stewardess, Hunter flew for American Airlines and shared interesting memories about her time in the air.
In its 35 years as a nonprofit, Dusty Wings of the Desert’s fellowship of airline flight attendants has raised more than $1 million for local charities.
To inquire about membership, contact lindy.mcgowan@yahoo.com.
—Submitted on behalf of the nonprofits by Jeri Hamilton
3 Restaurants Unlimited Flavors
Former Dusty Wings board president Judy Glenn and current board president Jean Carrus present a $15,000 check to Tools for Tomorrow president Judith Antonio and executive director Andrea Hecht. Dana Melton
ARTS & CULTURE
METEORS AND FLYING SAUCERS
By Matt king
Our desert is perfect for experiencing the wonders of nature, and the expansiveness of the high desert in particular is a stargazer’s dream.
Every year, the Perseid meteor shower lights up the sky, with 50 to 100 seen per hour— and this year, Twentynine Palms is celebrating the annual event with a six-day gathering focused on … extraterrestrials?
Yep! Area 29: Galactic Gathering is a UFO and skywatching festival taking place from Thursday, Aug. 8, through Tuesday, Aug. 13. The gathering will include a number of alien-themed events like art shows, film screenings, cosmic bowling, pool parties, yoga and more, with stargazing events tak-
ing place on the peak meteor shower nights of Monday, Aug. 12, and Tuesday, Aug. 13.
During a recent interview with Sara Lyons, the organizer of Area 29, she explained how the event came together.
“Area 29 is a community-wide, big umbrella festival that is primarily being organized by Rediscover 29, which is our local business association,” said Lyons. “We noticed that last year in Twentynine Palms, due to the Perseid meteor shower falling on a weekend, we had a huge influx of visitors to our community during a time of year when normally no one comes—and the town was kind of unprepared for it. The tourists didn’t really have anything to do besides come and try and find a place to look at the stars. Also, in August in Twentynine Palms, there’s not a lot of things for locals to do, because people aren’t planning things during the hot weather, so we wanted to combine the excitement of the annual Perseid meteor shower and the potential to have people visiting our community, but also give our community members something to do during this really slow season.”
The wide-open areas of the high desert have a long history of purported UFO sightings and extraterrestrial stories. Just last year, headlines were made regarding a potential UFO sighting above the Marine base.
“We decided, if we’re all going to be looking at the sky anyway, looking for meteors, then why not also have some fun and capitalize on the rich history of UFO and alien-watching here in the high desert?” Lyons said.
Area 29 is also a celebration of the businesses in the Twentynine Palms area, and the creative and entertaining individuals who run them.
“We really have been calling in all of our local businesses and our local community members, artists and creators and entrepreneurs, and anyone really who wants to be involved,” Lyons said. “We are inspired by bigger alien festivals, but ours is definitely a little bit more fun and a little sillier. We have some really cool programming, like film screenings and speakers and presentations, but we also
have fun and silly stuff—like we have pole dancers who are going to be dressed like aliens, and we’ve got a pool party where we’re going to be floating on alien floats. We’re going to have a bunch of art workshops and activities, and a mobile tattoo bus that will be popping up at various locations in town throughout the weekend. We also have a scavenger hunt that we’ll be running for the entire weekend that will entice people to visit all of our local businesses. We’re really just trying to have as much fun as we can, and throw everything at the wall to see what sticks. We hope that this will be a fun flagship event that will grow, and we can do it every year.”
While the attendance of guests from outer space has yet to be determined, Lyons confirmed that some guests will be visiting from outside of the desert.
“We are bringing in Brad Abrahams, who’s a director based in Texas, and he is going to be coming out to show his 2017 documentary, Love & Saucers,” Lyons said. “It’s about a man who believes that he has been having very romantic relationships with aliens for his entire life. We also have actor and writer Mike Caravella, who is going to be doing a sneak preview of his sci-fi Western comedy, which is called Astral Plane Drifter, which was shot out in this area. We do have Leslie and (Stephen) Shaw, who are from the low desert, and they’re going to be coming up to speak about their abduction experiences, and then we have Chris Campion, the journalist, who is part-time-Morongo Basin-based, and he will be speaking about Saturation 70, the lost Gram Parsons movie that was shot partially at the UFO festival in 1969 in Landers.”
A majority of the Galactic Gathering events will be free to attend, while a few will require tickets.
“The presentations with our speakers and our authors taking place on Saturday, those presentations will be free,” Lyons said. “The scavenger hunt will be free to participate in. There will be all kinds of art activations and things that are free to participate in, and then some of the art
‘Area 29: Galactic Gathering’ brings alien-themed fun to Twentynine Palms during the Perseid meteor shower
workshops are ticketed. The screenings will be ticketed, and our 21-plus pool party will be ticketed. The majority of the events are going to be either free or very low-cost.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be a party without music!
“We’ll be hosting alien-themed karaoke, taking place at Out There Bar, and Out There Bar is going to be hosting after-parties every night,” Lyons said. “Bowladium and the Back Alley Lounge will also be hosting a couple of after-parties. We have a galactic sound bath scheduled, and we’re still kind of figuring out a little bit of other programming, so we may have more entertainment in the late evenings.”
During last year’s Perseid meteor shower, some folks complained about crowded streets and jammed roadways entering and exiting the desert. Lyons said she and her team have put measures in place to elevate the experience for this year’s shower.
“Part of the festival is about creating messaging around the meteor shower so that people who are visiting, and also people who are local, can experience it in the best way, without being intrusive to our community or to the National Park, because that was an issue last year,” she said. “We have been working with Joshua Tree National Park on messaging that we will be pushing. We’re going to be providing some locations where people can go and look at the meteor showers without having to
pull over on the side of the road, which was an issue last year. The 29 Palms Inn, our local historic hotel property, has kindly offered on Monday and Tuesday nights, which will be the peak nights for viewing of the meteor showers, to provide their space for people to come and hang around and look up at the sky in a relatively low light environment … and it’s not going to be intrusive to or destructive to the National Park.”
Lyons pointed out that last year’s peak meteor-shower nights fell on a weekend, during a new moon, making for particularly excellent viewing.
“This year, it will be falling on a Monday and Tuesday, which is also the first day of school for a lot of folks in the community,” she said “The National Park has wanted to advise people to manage their expectations on viewing this year, because it won’t be as spectacular as last year, but just because last year was such a zeitgeisty event, we just expect that people are going to want to come either way. We want to be able to provide people with some opportunities to hopefully see some stars and also just have fun.”
Area 29: Galactic Gathering will run from Thursday, Aug. 8, through Tuesday, Aug. 13, at multiple locations in Twentynine Palms. For tickets, an updated schedule and more information, visit rediscover29.com.
A still from Saturation 70, a lost Gram Parsons movie that was shot partially at the UFO festival in 1969 in Landers. Journalist Chris Campion will speak about the film during the Area 29 festival.
MOVIES & TV
THE U.S., CUBA AND THE MOB
By Kevin Fitzgerald
The six-episode docuseries Mafia Spies focuses on the clandestine partnership between the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and members of the U.S. branch of the Mafia to plot the assassination of Fidel Castro. It’s a tale that wends its way between Washington, D.C., Cuba, Las Vegas, Chicago—and Palm Springs.
Shortly after the revolution was complete on Jan. 1, 1959, with the departure of dictator and mob partner Fulgencio Batista from Cuba, Castro began to forcibly push the Mafia off of his island nation, shuttering the Mafia-backed casinos and sex-trade establishments. This alienated some of the most powerful mob leaders of the time, like Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano, Bugsy
Siegel and Chicago crime boss Sam Giancana. Meanwhile, CIA Director Allen Dulles was fuming that Castro refused to support American interests—and he was uneasy about the political alliances Castro was entertaining with other revolutionary movements, and with the Soviet Union.
Created by showrunner Tom Donahue (who also co-wrote and co-directed some of the episodes) and Ilan Arboleda, Mafia Spies was released on Paramount+ on July 16, with episodes airing on Showtime starting July 22. In a recent interview, the Independent asked Donahue what motivated him to produce this study of an anxiety-ridden timeframe for U.S. citizens—who awoke each day mindful of a possible nuclear strike orchestrated by the Soviet Union.
“I think you just answered your own question,” Donahue said. “It’s like the stakes can’t get higher than the apocalypse as the stakes.”
The series is based on the book of the same title written by Thomas Maier; Donahue was instantly hooked when he first read it.
“It was right up our alley,” Donahue said. “I grew up on James Bond. I grew up on mob movies like Goodfellas and The Godfather. It combined several of my favorite genres all in one—not to mention Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. It was a convergence of all these worlds. It was also a time in American history when pop culture and entertainment fused with politics. The Kennedy administration understood how to embrace pop culture, and to use it in their administration. It’s fun to watch how Frank Sinatra and Sam Giancana and John Kennedy all interact across these six episodes.”
The docuseries blends archival footage with dramatic re-creations and original live interviews to lead the viewer through this twisted tale of high-risk political maneuvering and international brinksmanship. Donahue said he started developing the series by creating an outline from Maier’s book.
“From that outline, (we filled) it in with these great expert interviews. From there, I storyboarded areas where I didn’t want to just
rely on ’60s archival (footage). We’ve all seen so much of that archival before, so I wanted to limit the use of what you’ve seen before, and create premium cinematic re-creations that leaned into certain cinematic tropes. … It was really fun. Here you have a really serious history that you’re telling with stakes that reach the apocalypse, and at the same time, it’s a mob movie. It’s a spy movie.”
While the series depicts incidents in Havana and various U.S. cities, all of the scenes were shot at various locations in Los Angeles.
“We got to shoot on the legendary Paramount backlot, so in one morning, I filmed in five cities: Havana, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York,” Donahue said.
The action shifts to Palm Springs when Frank Sinatra becomes a player in the plots being hatched.
“It’s really featured heavily in Episode 4,” Donahue said. “It begins with Desi Arnaz creating a hit show called The Untouchables, about Al Capone versus FBI agent Eliot Ness. So the mob is really upset about the depiction of Italian-American characters in that show. They deputized Frank Sinatra to talk to Desi and get Desi to tone down his stereotyping of Italian Americans. They’re so upset about it that they even put a hit out on Desi, and this mortifies Frank—Frank is friends with Desi. So Frank meets up with Desi in Palm Springs, and they argue. At one point, Desi is, like, incredulous. He’s like, ‘Frank, what do you want me to do? Make them Jews? They’re Italians.’ Ultimately, though, Frank explains, ‘There’s a hit on you, and if you’re not careful, things can happen.’ Desi relents, and he softens the image of the Italian Americans in the show after that.
“When Sam Giancana realizes Frank was successful at this, he’s like, ‘Let’s get Frank to get Bobby Kennedy to back off on harassing the mob.’ So Frank goes to a dinner party, and … in very coded language tries to get Bobby to back off, and Bobby refuses. (Mobster) Johnny Roselli drives down to the compound in Palm Springs to talk to Frank and see if he
The Palm Springs area plays a significant role in Paramount+/ Showtime docuseries ‘Mafia Spies’
was able to talk to Bobby. Frank explains what happened, and Roselli leaves in a huff. He tells Giancana, and this makes Giancana very upset, so Sam puts a hit out on Frank Sinatra. … Now I won’t tell you what happens—except you know Frank dies of natural causes in 1998.”
Donahue felt strongly that the story required inclusion of the Cuban perspective to provide historical balance, so the production travelled to Cuba on more than one occasion to obtain input from a variety of people.
“We didn’t want to just tell this from the American side,” Donahue said. “In so many of the tellings of these Cold War stories, you get only the American side. So we went to Havana, first on kind of a research mission. We met up with some former intelligence operatives, some child soldiers of the Bay of Pigs—and even a showgirl. Then we went back and did the interviews with them. I think that’s an exciting aspect of the series, that we have their point of view. We unravel the story of the Bay of Pigs; we hear from the child soldiers from the other side, and you understand their love for Castro and their love for the revolution. We try not to immediately demonize the revolution, until we
itarian posture. He’s not initially like that. I would even argue that the U.S. drives him toward that posture… because instead of trying to co-opt him, we immediately demonized him, which became a fatal flaw.”
Donahue said the subject matter of the docuseries should resonate strongly with today’s viewing audience, even though the story is 60-70 years in the past.
“What you’re seeing here is the seeds were planted for a lot of the distrust Americans feel toward the United States government,” he said. “Part of that is having, and allowing, secret institutions to run amok without accountability. In a democracy, I think that’s anathema. (President Harry) Truman, when he created the CIA, he didn’t want to do it. He dismantled the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) after World War II, which was the precursor to the CIA, and he thought a democracy should not have a secret organization working within it. But because of the Cold War and the Soviet Union, there was pressure to create one—and it’s had bad consequences throughout the history of United States.”
see Castro kind of slide more into an author-
Longtime local arts and entertainment reporter Bruce Fessier makes an appearance in Mafia Spies.
CAESAR CERVISIA
By brett newton
JASON DAVID HAIR STUDIO LOVE YOUR HAIR
Can you blame me? We’ve already been through absurd numbers of absurdly hot days, and the heat—combined with some other nonsense going on in my life—is making me a bit crazy. When my friend Justin suggested I tag along with him to North Park in San Diego, I
Country Club and Cook Street Palm De sert
He was there visiting Big Trouble Tattoo to get more incredible work done on his leg. While I find it fascinating how the artists work (in this case, drawing the idea they had just discussed, free-hand with Sharpies, and then going for it), I decided to take a stroll in the perfect weather
760-340-5959
www.jasondavidhairstudio.net
to get a beer ever.) I walked south on 30th Street to Bivouac Ciderworks, whose ciders I’ve mentioned in previous columns, where I praised them for dry and semi-dry ciders with incredible fruit flavors bursting forth. Thankfully, the only thing that has changed is the addition of the café, huge bar and dining area, and the extra tank space in the back. I didn’t see Lara, the owner, this time, but I did have a wonderful chat with Casey behind the bar while she did an impressive amount of prep; Bivouac does cognac, brandy and gin cocktails, too. As we talked, I sipped on a glass of their West Coastin’—a cider with blueberry, honey and
lavender. Casey is a fellow Certified Cicerone, and we chatted about the industry and the lack of craft-beer bars. I had a couple of quick samples of the OMG (orange/mango/guava) and the Nectarine Peach—both were very enjoyable—before continuing on to the next destination.
After ambling a little further south and then going east on University Avenue, I wound up at North Park Beer Co. When last I saw them, they had just celebrated seven years of age and had a killer party with their friends and friends’ beers. On this visit, it was an early afternoon on a Wednesday, so I went to the bar and quickly ordered their Waka Waka Waka, a pilsner generously dryhopped with Riwaka hops from New Zealand. From the first whiff, I knew it was going to be a flavor explosion—and it definitely was. I immediately texted Justin to tease him while he agonized on the tattoo table, and then
A quick trip to San Diego yields yet more amazing cider and beer
continued to sip from the beautiful, large pilsner glass. I would try to describe Riwaka’s flavors and aromas, but there is just so much going on, and the beer was so damned fresh that all I could do was be thankful that there were four-packs of it for sale.
While I waited for my friend’s tattoo to be done and sipped on my hoppy pils, I chatted with one of the beertenders about beer-ish things. I asked her if she had heard anything about a place a half-mile away or so that houses three small breweries, sort of like a co-op. The spot had been suggested to me by one of the beertenders at Las Palmas Brewing, and I was curious. Seek, GOAL., and Sword & Barley Brewing are all in one place, and North Park’s beertender recommended Seek’s beers as being good, so now I have a destination for a future trip. And there will be a future trip.
As I finished savoring my first beer, the newly inked Justin walked in, planted himself next to me and ordered a glass of the Waka Waka Waka to help dull the pain; I ordered the NP Pils, served in a dimpled mug. This more-traditional German-style pilsner also tasted extremely fresh and crisp, with the Noble hops giving it a lovely grassy and slightly citrusy flavor; it all wrapped up in a nice, moderately bitter finish.
I soon realized the imminence of my departure from San Diego, and I wished time
could stand still so I could soak in the beauty and forget about the desert for a little while longer. After all, I had barely touched the surface with North Park’s tap list. Alas, reality is a cruel mistress, so we grabbed some beer to-go and fought the traffic back home to the seemingly never-ending heat. Despite the fact that we spent more time on the road than enjoying San Diego, that didn’t deter us from agreeing that it had been well worth it, even if only for the weather.
If you’re near North Park, please go and enjoy.
San Diego’s Bivouac Ciderworks recently added a café, and a huge bar and dining area. Brett Newton
VINE SOCIAL
JASON DAVID
By Katie finn
ttention, fellow wine enthusiasts, bargain hunters and anyone who thinks all inexpensive wine is frat-party garbage: Let’s talk about that magical intersection of frugality and fabulousness—wines that cost $10 or less that won’t give you an immediate headache or that dreaded cheap-wine hangover. Trust me when I tell you that you can enjoy a good bottle of wine
stack, and it doesn’t help that most grocery stores’ bottom-shelf wines are all the same old com-
Yes, you can get great wines for less than $10 per bottle; here are a few suggestions
It’s the ideal companion for barbecue ribs or a juicy burger, and it’s 100% estate grown.
I was pretty skeptical of this bottle when it was first presented to me, but after one sip, I was a believer! I had never seen a bottle of bubbly with a screw cap (seriously!), and now I’m wondering where this has been all my life. It offers delicate bubbles, fresh citrus and light tropical fruit notes, with a bright and mouth-watering finish; I could drink this all day. With a price tag of $7 a bottle, it’s the perfect mimosa-maker, but equally as delightful all by itself.
Faisao Vinho Verde, Portugal: This Portuguese delight is not only budget-friendly, costing around $8, but it’s also low in alcohol, making it perfect for daytime sipping. Light, crisp and slightly effervescent, the Faisao Vinho Verde is like a summer breeze in a bottle. It pairs excellently with seafood, salads and pool floaties.
Cedar Brook Sauvignon Blanc, Lodi: Lodi is the great California pioneer of wines that are well-made, from established estates—and still a fantastic value! This baby is no exception. Usually only found in restaurants for happy hours and by-the-glass-offerings, I’ve found this in a few select shops as well. It drinks way above its $9-a-bottle price tag and will impress even your snobbiest of wine friends.
MAN Chenin Blanc, Coastal Region South
From one of my favorite wine countries in the world, this lip-smacking white is your new summer sipper. Created by three of South Africa’s most-talented wine-makers, this Steen (what they call chenin blanc in SA) is bursting with Mandarin oranges, Key limes, Meyer lemons and fresh herbs. It’s great with simple grilled chicken and veggies, or light fish.
Two Vines Chardonnay, Washington: I know chardonnay isn’t everyone’s best friend. But let me tell you, when I tasted this beauty from Washington state, I knew this would be the ultimate crowd-pleaser! Light and fresh with soft citrus notes and nary a chip of oak or buttered popcorn in sight, this is not your typical chardonnay. At around $7 a bottle, this is perfect for entertaining, or Tuesday nights when you just need a glass of something easy and refreshing.
Silver Ridge Pinot Noir, California: Never did I think I’d find a pinot noir from California—or anywhere, for that matter—that retails for less than $10 and tastes like this! It’s everything you want in a pinot, with bright and juicy red fruits, silkiness on the palate, and a teeny kiss of vanilla on the long, smooth finish. This is one impressive wine value.
Gen5 Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi: Always on some sort of “best buy” list, the Gen5 zinfandel packs a punch without punching your wallet. For five generations, the same family has lived on and worked the vineyards planted on their land. At roughly $10 a bottle, Gen5 offers bold flavors of blackberry and plum, with a hint of pepper.
La Vieille Ferme Rouge, Languedoc, France: Meet your new best friend. If you think you can’t get a fabulous bottle of wine from France for less than $10, this stunner is here to prove you wrong. With notes of ripe cherry, a touch of spice and a smooth finish, La Vieille Ferme Rouge is perfect for any occasion, from Netflix binges to dinner parties where you want to look sophisticated without having to wear pants. Bonus: The rose and sparkling wines from La Vieille Ferme are equally as delicious!
Borsao Garnacha, Zaragoza, Spain: Spanish wines are always solid bets for wine bargains, but this Spanish garnacha is a steal. At $8 a bottle, it’s bursting with flavors of dark fruits and has a velvety texture that feels way more expensive than it is. Borsao Garnacha pairs wonderfully with tapas, pizza or a fancy charcuterie board.
Black’s Station Cabernet Sauvignon,
Yolo County: Another winner at $8, Black’s Station Cabernet offers a delightful balance of rich dark-fruit notes with a touch of mocha and leather aromas. It comes in at a modest 13% alcohol by volume (modest for California cabernets, anyway), so you can have a couple of glasses with dinner and still manage to stay upright.
Finding great wine on a budget doesn’t have to be an epic quest. With a bit of knowledge and a sense of adventure, you can enjoy some truly wonderful wines without emptying your wallet. Whether you’re a red devotee, a whitewine lover or someone who enjoys a bit of bubbly, there’s a budget-friendly option out there waiting for you. So pour yourself a glass, and toast to the joys of being a thrifty yet fabulous wine-lover. Cheers!
Katie Finn is a certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine with two decades in the wine industry. She can be reached at katiefinnwine@ gmail.com.
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/SUPPORTERS COMPASS ROSE
Your Fiduciary Advisor
FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT
It’s
all about the beef: the short rib at Spencer’s, and the bibimbap at Kpop
By Jimmy Boegle
WHAT The boneless slow-braised beef short ribs
WHERE Spencer’s Restaurant, 701 W. Baristo Road, Palm Springs
HOW MUCH $39; included in the $60 summer dinner prix fixe CONTACT 760-327-3446; www. spencersrestaurant.com
WHY It’s a delicious version of a classic dish.
Spencer’s Restaurant is a Palm Springs classic for good reason. The food is solid; the service is excellent; and the location, tucked up against Mount San Jacinto as part of the Palm Springs Tennis Club, is unparalleled.
WHAT Bibimbap
WHERE Kpop Foodz, 35400 Date Palm Drive, Cathedral City HOW MUCH $14.99
CONTACT 760-424-8600; www.kpopfoodz.com
Call us today to schedule a complimentary consultation and get acquainted with an independent, Fee-Only financial planning & investment management firm located here in the Coachella Valley.
Allow us to show you the benefits that result from a financial plan tailored to helping you achieve your goals.
The restaurant is known for its climatecontrolled patio/ courtyard— and as luck (?) would have it, the hubby and I wound up sitting on that patio on the hottest day ever recorded in Palm Springs. While the experience was certainly warm, the climate was indeed controlled, for the most part.
But what about the food? If you’re looking for cuisine that’s avant-garde or unique, go elsewhere—but if you’re looking for classic meat, seafood and pasta dishes done well, Spencer’s is a fine place to go.
On that toasty July evening, I took advantage of Spencer’s dinner prix fixe deal: an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert for $60. While my Caesar salad appetizer was decent, and my carrot cake dessert was divine (and very much worthy of an endorsement within an endorsement), it’s the short-rib entrée that made my mouth water the most. The slow-braised beef was so tender that no knife was needed, and the savory rib jus was, in a word, perfect. The accompaniments—mashed potatoes, baby carrots and asparagus—were all prepared well, as one would expect.
Spencer’s also offers breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch menus—but just don’t go on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, as the restaurant is currently closed on those days. But whenever you go, you’re in for a fantastic classic dining experience.
WHY The mixture of beef and fresh veggies. The Coachella Valley could certainly use some more Korean restaurants—and hooray, we have a new one, Kpop Foodz, in the space that was most recently home to Weenee Roadhouse. I really, really hope Kpop succeeds in a space where a lot of restaurants have had short lives. The hubby and I went there for a recent weekend lunch. The menu includes appetizers, “kimbap” rolls (like sushi rolls), ramen, various meats over rice, Korean barbecue dishes and about 10 “house specials,” ranging from spicy beef soup, to bean paste stew, to pan-grilled mackerel. I was delighted to order one of my favorite Korean dishes—bibimbap.
Not only is properly prepared bibimbap one of my favorite Korean dishes; it’s one of my favorite dishes, period. (I especially the hotstone version, in which the rice is put into a sizzling-hot stone bowl, making the rice on the edges crispy—but Kpop doesn’t offer this version.) The mix of rice, beef, crisp veggies and a fresh egg, along with the tasty bibimbap sauce, can be addictive—and Kpop’s version is quite good. The next time I order it, I’ll probably request to pay extra for additional beef, but I can’t complain about the amount I received for the downright-reasonable price of $14.99. Also: An endorsement within an endorsement goes to the complimentary kimchi that’s served along with all meals. Damn, it was delicious.
Again, I really hope Kpop succeeds in this space; within the last six years, I’ve liked three other restaurants in this location enough to give them Indy Endorsements, and they all closed after relatively short stints. Does Kpop Foodz have what it takes to break this streak? My fingers are crossed—because the more Korean food we have in the Coachella Valley, the better.
Restaurant NEWS BITES
By charles drabkin
A BIG CHANGE MAY BE COMING TO LOCAL SUPERMARKETS
The Kroger and Albertsons grocery-store chains are trying to merge, and they have announced that if successful, four Coachella Valley grocery stores—the Albertsons in Palm Springs and Palm Desert, and the Vons in Palm Springs and La Quinta—would be sold to C&S Wholesale Grocers, the company that owns the Piggy Wiggly brand.
The Federal Trade Commission is suing to stop the merger, which was first announced in 2022, because it would likely negatively affect consumer choice and prices; the sale of these stores and others was proposed to make the merger more palatable.
The case is slated to head to trial sometime in August.
THE ACE SHOWS OFF THE TALENTS OF GUEST CHEFS
The Ace Hotel and Swim Club, at 701 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, is continuing its “Taste Buds” summer series with James Beard Award-nominated pastry chef Caroline Schiff, from Friday through Sunday, Aug. 16-18.
This series brings nationally recognized talent to the Coachella Valley, as they add dishes to the existing King’s Highway menu for a weekend. Next up, from Sept. 20-22, is Los Angeles-based chef Wes Avila, of Piopiko.
Get more details on this and other Ace events at acehotel.com/palm-springs/goings-on.
CLOSURES AND RESTAURANTS FOR SALE
Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill, at 350 S. Indian Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, appears to have closed—suddenly and permanently. Readers of this column may recall its extended closure last year due to electrical problems in the building. The restaurant was sold; the sale fell through; and it reopened in August 2023 under the same management. Phone calls to the owners have not been returned, so keep an eye on this space for possible updates.
Sol Agave, at 262 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, has for a while had a sign up saying it is temporarily closed. Calls to its other restaurants for more information have not been fruitful. Restaurants we’ve seen on the various sites for sale include Mega Café, at 78375 Varner Road, in Palm Desert; and Dillon’s Burgers and Beer, at 64647 Dillon Road, in Desert Hot Springs. Both appear to be operating normally. Also listed: Carnival Restaurant, at 69820 Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage; I don’t remember it ever being open.
Two restaurants listed for sale are in the midst of summer closures: French Miso Café, at 19 La Plaza, in Palm Springs; and Sol y Sombra, at the Paloma Resort, at 67670 Carey Road, in Cathedral City. Current owners have announced plans to reopen on Oct. 1 and Sept. 17, respectively.
IN BRIEF
El Toro Toco has opened a new space at 50991 Washington St., Suite 1, in La Quinta. The Mexican restaurant and grocery store serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and sells meat, produce, seafood and baked goods. Learn more at eltorolocolaquinta.com. … The owners of the popular Chula Artisan Eatery, at 47150 Washington St., Suite B, in La Quinta, have opened a sister location at 74929 Highway 111, in Indian Wells: Chulita Café. Both locations are open for brunch, lunch and cocktails. The menus at the two locations are different but show the same respect for traditions and ingredients. Learn more at www.chulitacafe.com. … Apong’s Cathedral City is moving from next to the strip clubs on Perez Road in Cathedral City, to 35850 Date Palm Drive, Suite A, with an expected opening in mid-September. Their other location at The River in Rancho Mirage is up for sale, but the current owners promise me that no transfer of ownership will be completed until the new Cathedral City location is up and running. So, do not worry—we will not be without Krispy Krunchy fried chicken or Filipino food. Learn more at apongsphillysteak.com. … Jon Butler has joined Palm Springs sister properties Holiday House (holidayhouseps.com) and Sparrows Lodge (sparrowslodge.com) as executive chef. Butler’s pedigree includes working at Tra Vigne in St. Helena, Calif., and Noma in Copenhagen. Most recently, here in the valley, he was at The Penney in Rancho Mirage, and Kiki’s in La Quinta. … A new specialty wine shop is open in downtown Palm Springs. Perry’s Fine Wines and Liquors, of Provincetown, Mass., fame, has opened at 641 N. Palm Canyon Drive. As at their P-Town location, they stock a variety of specialty foods in addition to liquor. The owners have designed the space to reflect Palm Springs with a nod to Cape Cod. Learn more at perryspsp.com. Do you have a hot tip or news to share? Reach out: foodnews@cvindependent.com.
MUSIC
MUSICAL MEETING PLACE
By matt king
As downtown Indio continues to grow—with an emphasis on the arts—certain businesses are beginning to become community hubs.
One retail space that has grown to represent more than just sales is Music House Indio. The shop opened in Indio in late 2021 and has blossomed into a multifaceted space for purchasing music equipment, recording music, having band practice, learning an instrument, seeing a
show—or just hanging out.
During a recent interview with co-owners Geoffrey and Estefania McManus, they talked about how the shop began with Jim Little, Geoffrey’s grandfather.
“He always has a bunch of ideas—a youth cover band, a recording studio, a music store,” Estefania said. “He wants to get more into the recording side, too. He’s done all of this stuff in the past on his own. He owned his own music store in Portland, and he did recording for a bunch of people up in Oregon.”
Added Geoffrey: “He’s always had this dream of having one joint operation of music for everyone. Like Stef was saying, his old music store … was just a hangout. Musicians would come who were going through on tour, and he would pitch to them, ‘Hey, come give a clinic, and I’ll let you guys use a rehearsal room for free.’ Kids would be in there just chatting up, trying different things and making groups. We tried doing that over in our old location, off of Cook Street (in Palm Desert), but it was an industrial complex, and it wasn’t really inviting. When we got the opportunity to move, we jumped at this location, because it has a storefront, a nice little middle section for a recording studio, a great back room—and all these things just started coming together. That’s when we’re like, ‘Oh, it kind of fits the vibe of what’s going on here, so let’s pour more money into inventory, and make it a real music store.’”
Geoffrey said he takes pride in offering a “mom and pop feel.”
“People can walk in here, and they feel like they can talk to someone who not running around, answering a phone, not really giving you the time of day, or trying to push something on you that you know isn’t really in your price range,” he said. “Here, I’ll tell you if you don’t need that, and I’m able to give out free things like, ‘Oh, hey, you bought this; here’s X, Y and Z.’ Having that ability to just give back to people and not be money-hungry is what I think people really appreciate.”
The folks at Music House Indio work to eliminate the fear and pressure that come with buying your first instrument.
“Sometimes we get students and kids com-
ing in with their parents, and they feel much more welcomed here,” Estefania said. “… I think there’s a lot of apprehension when it’s a big investment, and you want to make sure your kid gets set up right. We’re really here to make that a more comfortable process.”
Beyond the retail storefront, Music House offers music programs free of charge.
“We have a program called MES, Music Educational Services, and that’s our afterschool band program where we go through Desert Sands Unified School District and hit all the elementary schools that want us,” Geoffrey said. “We offer beginning band, ukulele, guitar, pre-band, drum circle, mariachi and all these different things. The district pays for it, but everything is free for the kids after school. During the summer, all that stops, but we continue to have summer band here, so that way, kids can still come and have a band experience, and try new instruments all the time.”
Another element of the store’s musical outreach is Heatwave—a youth cover band.
“It is sponsored through the Boys and Girls Club, and they make it so no one has to pay any money to be in the group at all,” Geoffrey said. “It’s there to give kids a real-world experience without having to spend an arm and a leg on their own. We help facilitate, get them gigs, and (help them) learn popular music. You’re not just playing charts; you’re playing actual things that are being taken from the Grammys.”
Added Estefania: “Heatwave started in 2008, and was founded with a National Association of Music Merchants grant, and then from there, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley wanted to keep sponsoring us. Heatwave provides experiences like touring: It’s a week long, usually during spring break, and they get to go to all these different elementary schools and perform for them … and then we usually have a big performance somewhere. Two years ago, we played at Whisky a Go Go, and then we were also able to take the kids into a recording studio. … We want part of the proceeds from the store to keep going into Heatwave so that way, we can keep providing more of those opportunities.”
Heatwave recently performed at Second Sat-
Music House Indio combines instrument sales, youth bands, lessons, concerts and more
urdays, a monthly concert put on by the city of Indio at the new Center Stage on Miles Avenue.
“I would say that the city has been very supportive of us and what we’re doing here,” Geoffrey said. “I think the whole music scene itself is being supported now by Indio, since they’re kind of catching on to, ‘Hey, we have the biggest festival here, and we have nothing to show for it outside of that,’ so they’re getting this ‘Miles of Music’ thing going, and I think they’re supportive of anything that’s art that comes through.”
Added Estefania: “I think they also support us because we’re focused more on the youth and giving them opportunities. Then the youth can go on to make their own bands, and be adults here, and just continue that cycle.”
A few months ago, Music House Indio opened the doors to their back room for local shows. Ever since, the diverse nature of the desert’s music scene has been shown off in the tiny, makeshift venue, especially the Coachella Valley’s hardcore scene.
“It’s been the whole ideology for everything we do—giving people the opportunity to try something new and take that first step,” Geoffrey said. “Ever since the hardcore scene
has popped up in our back room, it’s grown on me so fast—because I didn’t really like it. I like the music, but the culture itself was very intimidating. Once I got to meet everyone, it’s like, ‘Oh, everyone is a big teddy bear.’ Everyone’s having a great time and thankful that they are given a place that isn’t going to break the bank.”
Music House is the latest new venue to open its doors to bands from across the desert.
“It’s a great springboard, especially with Little Street increasing their capacity,” Geoffrey said. “Our whole plan is to have our space be the beginning, where beginning bands come through and do smaller shows here. Then, it’s going to be around 300 in capacity for Little Street when it’s all said and done.”
Added Estefania: “With the youth and the store and the venue, we just want to make people’s first step something comfortable. Music’s fun for everyone, so we want to break down anything that’s intimidating, or anything that might make someone apprehensive to start.”
Music House Indio is located at 82777 Miles Ave. For more information, visit instagram.com/ musichouseindio.
Instrument sales are just one of the things happening inside Music House Indio.
MUSIC
SOLACE IN SONGWRITING
By matt king
The band He Films the Clouds goes well beyond an average mix of metal and emo—pouring intense thought and deep messaging into both the lyrics and the music.
For years, the band has provided emotionally charged, thoughtful songs and albums, gut wrenching visuals and music videos, and a wildly energetic live show. Songs like “Dissociate” and “Mothertongue” show an elevated approach to metalcore that will make listeners reflect on
life, and the music video for “Together (at Meadows Edge)” is a tear-jerker.
He Films the Clouds is adding to their seven-year-plus legacy with “Your Seven Embers,” a new song that was scheduled for release on Friday, July 26. Throughout the four-plus-minute rager, the band navigates through brutally heavy instrumentation, while beautifully melodic and bright sections that uplift the listener.
During a recent phone interview with frontman Xavier Hernandez, he talked about how the song emerged out of a bit of soulsearching.
“We’re trying to start a new chapter of what He Films the Clouds is, and part of that was really trying to figure out what we could do together creatively, especially in light of changes that have come across in the band over the years,” Hernandez said. “… How do we approach things now, and how do we accomplish the things we want to accomplish, while also still keeping intact the things that we’ve done before? This can be a very weird path to navigate, especially when you put five people in a room together. We knew we wanted to release a couple of new songs, and experiment and really figure ourselves out in a way that makes sense for everyone involved.
“We just threw ourselves into the fire a little bit. We rented an Airbnb out in the middle of nowhere. It’s a place called Needles, Calif., and we spent three days straight just in this house, writing and workshopping a bunch of new sounds and new ideas—and what came out of that was three singles that we’re now getting prepared to release over the next few months.”
Hernandez appreciated the feelings that came with working together to write music, a process that has become less common.
“In our music community, it’s very easy to just do things on your own,” Hernandez said. “We can record stuff at home; we can just send ideas to people, and it takes out some of that interactive necessity that comes with creating something unique. You need a little bit of everyone together, instead of just people (adding to) one or two people’s ideas.”
The lyrics for “Your Seven Embers” add to the band’s emotionally driven catalog, with
lines like: “You wonder what’s enough / or why you’re alone / and if you’ve ever loved.”
“Whenever I’m trying to approach writing things lyrically for the band, I’m trying to operate in two worlds at the same time,” Hernandez said. “I am lucky enough to be the mouthpiece for He Films the Clouds, but I’m not He Films the Clouds, and no single person is. Whatever He Films the Clouds is, is what I’m trying to invoke. I’m using my own personal experiences, or drawing from my own stories, or stories that I’ve encountered through other people, or movies, or things that I’ve read, and see what any particular song is trying to tell me. Those two things are coming together—what is this song trying to say, and what can I use, with the tools that I have, to draw that out.”
Hernandez values the importance of having a creative vehicle like He Films the Clouds to understand his emotions, because he is using the songs to reach others.
“You’re putting yourself in a very vulnerable place, but I realize that the more I’m willing to do that, the more authentic it comes across, and someone, somewhere, is going to come across that and realize that it’s OK— like they’re not alone in what they’re going through, and they’re not crazy for thinking what they’re thinking or feeling what they’re feeling,” he said. “I’ve spent a lot of time growing up like thinking that there was something wrong with me, and the older I get, the more I realized those things that I told myself out of fear or insecurity were just lies, and that there are some people, who I think are the most put together, dealing with those same things, or dealing with those same emotions.”
Hernandez credited a recent surge in the hardcore scene to a need for connection.
“We’re just coming out of a very weird time in society where a lot of people lost control over their own lives,” Hernandez said. “We had to be locked up in our houses and had to be away from everything. … It took a couple of years for people to get back a sense of freedom of expression, and that is very palpable at a DIY show. … When you go to a show, you’re there with people who are interested in the same things as you are, who you may or may
He Films the Clouds shows off emotionally charged metal on new single ‘Your Seven Embers’
not have ever met otherwise, and you’re enjoying something that is just pure, raw energy. It’s the best therapy you can get. You’re getting to do that with a community, with a culture, and you feel like you’re part of something. That was something that I feel like a lot of people weren’t able to have for a good two or three years, and we’re seeing that with this new generation of showgoers who finally get to experience that.”
Because He Films the Clouds was on the forefront of this current wave of heavy music with heavier lyrics, many local musicians and bands I’ve spoken to have high respect for the band.
“When we hear things like that, it shows that whatever we’re trying to do is paying off somehow, and it’s helping others,” Hernandez said. “We don’t take any credit from that, because we just feel like we’re trying to do for others what music has already done for us, and we’re just paying that forward. We just want to show people what it’s like when music isn’t just something you do; music is who you are, and how much you’re willing to give yourself of that will really help other people along the way.”
The themes behind “Your Seven Embers” and the rest of the band’s upcoming EP work in
tandem with their previous LP, Node “(Node) is about someone who has survived an overdose and is trying to overcome their insecurities and their doubts and their selfimage, but realizing that there’s a process to all that—going through cycles of ups and downs, like getting better and falling short and beating yourself up, then getting yourself back up again, and doing better each time around,” Hernandez said. “… With this EP, it’s like a different angle to the same story: If that person didn’t survive that experience, and they had to look back on their life, what would they think about everything that happened? All their worries, all their regrets, all their dreams, all of their memories—what did it all mean? I try to present that in the form of someone who is haunting their own life, trying to pick up the pieces of realizing that there’s so many things that they held on to that led to emptiness, and using that as a cautionary tale. Not everyone gets the happy ending, so what can you do to learn from that? Even with the tragedy of someone’s life, there’s still something that someone can learn from.”
For more information, visit instagram.com/ hefilmsthecloudsofficial.
He Films the Clouds.
MUSIC
ALL ABOUT THE IMAGE
By matt king
Horror and music have operated in tandem for decades; consider the mix of punk and Halloween that both Ozzy and the Misfits did so well.
One band that is making sure scary rock doesn’t die is Twentynine Palms’ own SPELLGRINDER. Mixing melodic metal and terrifying thrash, with foreboding yet poppy lead vocals sharing spooky tales, SPELLGRINDER evokes the sound of hair-metal greats, yet the horror
theme pushes their sound into a territory that is more hair-standing-on-end metal.
The band recently released their sophomore LP Planet of the Vampires, eight tracks featuring moments of arena rock, ferocious riffs and homages to cheesy horror movies. The music video for the song “Planet of the Vampires” even includes scenes from a ’60s movie called Planet of the Vampires
During a recent interview with frontman Spooky Von Amduat, he explained how the band came to be.
“I have been playing music forever, but nothing that was like SPELLGRINDER, with different kinds of rock ’n’ roll and American roots music and the heavy stuff,” Amduat said. “I grew up a punk rocker, but I had never had anything that was consistently as stylized and exciting and weird. SPELLGRINDER is kind of a weird band. We don’t sing about our feelings or political issues; it’s a horror-themed band. In 2020, I had been conceptualizing having a band that had that razor-sharp, kind of Pantera edge, but with that bluesy, kind of sexy Danzig feel, with all of the horror themes and other influences creeping in.”
For Amduat, it was a matter of combining interests into a passion project.
“When I’m not doing music, I am completely obsessed with horror movies and writing little short stories and making little short horror movies with my friends,” Amduat said. “There’s this creative well there, and if you want to talk about something topical, horror is great for allegory, but it’s just a lot of fun writing these little stories and having that be a theme of a band. People really would see Misfits or Alice Cooper (in SPELLGRINDER), like horror-leaning bands, but I didn’t think we sounded like them. I thought we were sounding like Danzig and Pantera, but I was wrong. You’re not always the most accurate about what you’re doing; other people know better.”
The love of all things gothic carries into the band’s aesthetic, from the jet-black hair to the leather jackets.
“Everything that SPELLGRINDER does, I think, is really cool, and it is all designed to entertain me,” Amduat said. “When I was conceptualizing the band, it wasn’t just a sound;
it was an image. I’ve always loved rock ’n’ roll, and there’s a look to it there. When I first saw the Ramones, I was like, ‘Whoa,’ and when I first saw Rancid, I was like, ‘Whoa.’ It’s a powerful thing when the Beatles are all wearing their suits or other looks; it’s a look of unity. It’s a culture, and it always made me just think, ‘Wow, that’s very cool.’
“When I was in high school, and I saw bands like Pantera, I thought that was just ugly. I didn’t like seeing a bunch of big ol’ dudes in shorts looking angry; that wasn’t cool to me. I liked more glamorous, more dangerous, sexy shit. … I wanted the band to look and be presented like a band that would have just killed me when I was in high school.”
Being all about the image can have some downsides, though.
“You have to be a gatekeeper,” Amduat said. “Sometimes I lose a drummer. There are a lot of good drummers, but they’re in a lot of good bands, and you’ve got to share them, and bands are hard. They’re unnatural. When I lose a drummer, let’s say the next guy is shit-hot, but he’s a guy who is not going to be helping me sell records. … It looks weird when I’m around people that are not like me onstage, but you put me around guys like me, it’s fucking awesome. I’m trying to stack the deck and put myself and my product in the best light. SPELLGRINDER, we keep that image clean; we keep it tight; and it helps us sell a lot of albums and T-shirts. My current drummer, the guy I’m training up right now, his name is Aldo, and he’s, like, 60 years old, but he’s a beautiful 60-year-old. He’s got flowing locks and wears very stylized rock ’n’ roll clothing, and every time he’s come to my house for band practice, he’s never driven the same car twice. That’s a flex.”
Another unique aspect of SPELLGRINDER: Their live shows are rounded out with … a go-go dancer.
“That’s a move right there,” Amduat said. “There are a lot of bands out here that sound great, but they don’t necessarily look great. We’re a bunch of rowdy rock ’n’ roll dudes, and what really helps the medicine go down is my lovely wife, who is the go-go dancer. We saw Mötley Crüe, and they had dancers onstage, and she’s like, ‘Oh, shit, that’s a good move
SPELLGRINDER’s brand of spooky hair-metal rock puts an emphasis on the party
right there. We’re doing that.’”
SPELLGRINDER used Planet of the Vampires to indulge into more glam and arena-rock stylings, a place of comfort for Amduat.
“The first record, I think, is a full statement, and it does show a lot of range in that statement,” Amduat said. “This new album is a different statement. It is all meant as one piece. It’s written in a different zone than the first album, really from a basic kind of goal. I really wanted it to be like Ozzy Osbourne’s The Ultimate Sin, or Mötley Crüe’s Shout at the Devil era. With the first album, I had these influences like Anthrax and Judas Priest and Megadeth and these gnarly things, and people were responding like, ‘You sound like W.A.S.P. and Alice Cooper and Ratt,’ so I started leaning into glam and metal and also more into my punk roots. … With this one, I’m putting it way further in my comfort zone, as far as the gear, the arrangements and the song structures— and the songs are easier to perform. They have more breath in them, so more performance can happen. I can step away from the microphone at times. I think the second album makes me like this band even more … and it’s building up
to what the third album is going to be, which is some dirty, spooky rock ’n’ roll with our upcoming concept album. Planet of the Vampires is a tight album; it’s eight songs; it’s just as focused as the first, but it’s a progression in the statement of the band.”
Although each song is a different horror story, Amduat said listening to the lyrics comes second to rocking out to the sounds of SPELLGRINDER.
“The themes of the song are the least-important thing when you’re experiencing our band live,” Amduat said. “If you can’t understand the lyrics, the songs are exciting; the band is exciting; we’ve got big hooks; we perform well. We’ve got a go-go dancer on stage, and we’re just shit-tight. … You don’t have to overthink it. You don’t have to worry about some idiot jumping or fly-kicking you, and you’re probably going to see some titties. SPELLGRINDER is a party band; it’s not a hardcore, sweating-in-a-parking lot band. It’s a little more sleazy.”
For more information, visit www.instagram.com/ spellgrinder or cryptofspellgrinder.com.
SPELLGRINDER.
MUSIC
MULTITUDE OF VIBES
By matt king
Sometimes you have to close your eyes to let music transport you to another world—but with some bands, the care and attention they pour into their sound can immediately evoke visions of beauty, and put you in a meditative and transcendental headspace.
The band Color Green, based out of Los Angeles, writes songs that feel like a summer breeze, a trip to the beach or a walk in the woods. Their sound, like that of their heroes the Grateful Dead,
spans a number of styles and feelings, such as the good-vibe boogie of “Ain’t It Sad,” rainy-day jam “Night” or road-trip rocker “High and Low.”
The band’s music transports the very best of ’70s feel-good rock into the modern day, and places an emphasis on a jam-heavy live show.
Color Green’s just-released sophomore LP, Fool’s Parade, digs further into the cosmic journey with tracks like the trippy “Four Leaf Clover,” the sweet blues of “Fool’s Parade” and the heavy, headbanging rock of “God in a $.”
The band is heading on tour in support of the new record, making a stop at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace on Sunday, Aug. 18, opening for Drugdealer.
During a recent interview with band members Noah Kohll and Corey Madden, they shared their thoughts on the new album.
“It feels like a ‘finally’ for me, I’m sure for everyone else, too,” Madden said. “It’s been a little bit of time, so it feels really nice to have it in the air to everybody now, and it’s not a weight-on-your-shoulders kind of thing. The freedom of it being out in public is pretty sick.”
Added Kohll: “It feels good for it to be out. It’s funny, because we recorded it almost, like, a year ago, so a lot has changed. I feel like an album is like a moment in time, and as musicians, I feel like we’re always growing.
It’s awesome to have it out, but I’m also in the headspace at the moment of looking forward to new stuff as well.”
Fool’s Parade is a nine-song journey that transcends both hard and soft rock, taking listeners through a multitude of vibes. Since the band is always focusing on the next jam, the release of the LP has caused them to revisit it.
“In full transparency, we’ve done a handful of interviews where people ask you about songs, and a few of them are pretty heavy in the back of my head, but for some, I’m like, ‘Man, I don’t really remember,’” Madden said.
“It’s been a while where so much other shit has gone on, where I really have to dig deep to be like, ‘Oh, yeah, that was the vibe of this kind of thing,’ because you’re just on to the next thing. You just keep moving, and especially when enough time goes by, it’s like, ‘I’m already on the new shit, dude.’ When it came out, I listened to it for the first time in a long time, and I was transported back to that time.”
Color Green entered the studio as a live band to track Fool’s Parade. The result is an album that encapsulates the diverse and dynamic sounds of the band’s live shows.
“I’m really excited about people being able to listen to it, because we’ve been playing these songs for about a year now, and I’ve gotten comments saying, ‘You guys sound different than you do on your records,’ and I feel like this record is more in line with how we sound live these days,” Kohll said. “Obviously, it’s ever-evolving, but it’s cool that now people can have some sort of expectation of what they’re going to see live, more so now than before.”
The band members took a meticulous approach to recording and production.
“When you’re in the studio, things are more underneath a microscope,” Kohll said. “As we were preparing to record the record, we had certain things that we were doing that we did have to change in the studio, because you’re looking at every strum and drum hit and stuff like that. There is a picking-apart thing you have to do when you go and record, and that was definitely done, especially with rhythm tracks. There was a lot of focus on what was going on rhythmically, to have everything move as one unit.”
One stand-out moment is the song “5:08,” a
The band Color Green brings a musically diverse, jam-heavy set to Pappy
and Harriet’s
softer jam that evokes somber and emotional feelings across the burning, six-minute ripper.
“When we recorded it, I think every one of us was crying or cried,” Kohll said. “We were alone doing our vocal takes in a booth so that no one could see each other, and we all confessed to each other that there were moments where we were tearing up while singing it.”
Even though vinyl albums and CDs are experiencing a resurgence, not every music listener in 2024 likes to listen to albums all the way through. A majority of musicians keep up with current listening habits by dropping singles, but for Color Green—a band who sounds ripped straight from the 1970s—a full album just makes sense.
“We’ve done the single thing before, but there’s always this constant idea of being like a timeless group,” Kohll said. “I listen to music as albums these days, and honestly, I didn’t even think about it. I don’t think it was an active decision to be like, ‘We’re not going to do singles.’ It was like, ‘Ah, we’re a band; we’re going to make a record.’”
Added Madden: “I think everyone in this band loves albums. … It feels like an official stamp when you make a full record. I don’t think there’s a deep thing around it. I love a record, but also, if … you have one or two (songs) that you just want to release, why not? Whatever feels good.”
Color Green’s tour will give the band a chance to both play through the new album and workshop brand-new songs.
“We have a couple of songs that we are probably going to debut on this tour,” Kohll said. “This is going to be the first tour for us where we’re playing certain songs that we haven’t recorded yet. I’m looking forward to that space of being like, ‘Oh, this hasn’t been recorded yet, so there’s even more freedom in what that song is going to be like live.’ When you have something recorded, it’s so easy to fall into the tendency of just playing what the recording sounds like, or what you did on the recording. I’m excited to have this feeling of newness for the audience in terms of, ‘Oh, they’re playing these songs from this new record; it’s their new record tour,’ and then they also get new songs that are also new for us. I’m pretty stoked for that element.”
Color Green will perform with Drugdealer at 9 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 18, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Tickets start at $40.64. For more information, visit colorgreenband.com.
By matt king
August! Stay cool; stay safe; and enjoy what our local entertainment scene has to offer.
Acrisure Arena features a stacked calendar this month. At 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 8, one of the most prominent pop-rock voices of the ’90s, Alanis Morissette, is set to perform a stellar show with openers Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Morgan Wade. Tickets start at $63.70. Catch what’s being billed as the final tour by Latin sensations Los Temerarios at 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 9. Tickets start at $123.76 as of this writing. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, regional Mexican outfit Grupo Marca Registrada, from Sinaloa, will visit the desert. Tickets start at $59.05. Alternative-rock titans from the ’00s Kings of Leon are teaming up with opener Phantogram to present an unforgettable night at 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 23 Tickets start at $62.01 as of this writing. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24, catch Jeff Lynne’s ELO for the final time, as their date in Palm Desert will begin a farewell tour for the poppy ’70s rockers. Tickets start at $184.50. Acrisure Arena, 75702 Varner Road, Palm Desert; 888695-8778; www.acrisurearena.com.
Fantasy Springs has a handful of intriguing music offerings. Diamond-certified songwriter and multi-platinum artist Chase Rice brings his country sounds to Indio at 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 2. Tickets start at $52. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 3, Latin icons Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys team up for a night of Grammy Award-winning songs. Tickets start at $52. Country rockers Nitty Gritty Dirt Band are visiting the valley on their farewell tour, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 17. Tickets start at $52. At 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24, enjoy some engaging Korean music from Kim JongSeo and So Chan-Whee. Tickets start at $73. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www. fantasyspringsresort.com.
Color Green. Stephanie Pia
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
August 2024
Happy
MUSIC
DESERT-ROCK FORCE
By matt king
The local rock scene continues to flourish thanks to both the arrival of new bands—and desert greats who have been part of the scene for years.
Since 2006, garage-rock and desert-blues hybrid WAXY has been a constant force in the Coachella Valley music scene. Fiery, rolling riffs; hard-hitting instrumentation, and a side of soft and melodic vocal approaches have merged into a sound that some deem stoner rock, some deem
psychedelic, and some deem sweet.
WAXY has been reinvented many times, but frontman Robbie Waldman has always remained the leader. The band—now with Carlyn Park on bass and Nick Fulsher on drums—is set to perform at Pappy and Harriet’s on Sunday, Aug. 4, alongside Niña Coyote eta Chico Tornado.
“There are two stars of the show,” Waldman said during a recent phone interview. “Our friend’s band is from the Basque Country, which is in northern Spain, and they’re called Niña Coyote eta Chico Tornado. They’re really good friends, and we were just in Europe in May, and they helped us, and now we’re reciprocating, so that’s fun. They’re a monster rock ’n’ roll group. They are insanely rad, and they are so entertaining.”
WAXY is no stranger to Pappy’s, as Waldman has experienced the allure of the Pioneertown Palace many times before, both as a performer and as an attendee.
“It’s in the middle of nowhere, but now it’s the center of so many things, and it’s not just a desert experience; it’s a Southern California experience,” Waldman said. “No matter where you’re visiting from … it really is a beacon of fantastic music. International touring bands play there, and continue to play there, so it’s something that we are really looking forward to. Jon Ballard, who’s been a live sound guy for many years, has been the conduit for us. … I turned in a bunch of stuff about the idea for the night, and then it got taken up to JB Moresco, who’s the owner, and he’s like, ‘Let’s do it.’ It’s really just like a, ‘Will you please let us play?’ and they said, ‘Sure; don’t fuck it up.’”
Carlyn Park, a semi-recent addition to WAXY, will make her Pappy’s debut on Aug. 4.
“It’s surreal,” Park said. “I’ve been going there for as far back as I can remember. I grew up in Palm Springs … and I remember seeing more local bands play there, and thinking it was so cool. Of course, we’ve all seen our favorite bands at Pappy’s. … I think it will be a really exciting and surreal experience, but mostly I’m really excited that our friends are coming to play, and I’m excited for our friends to see our friends coming from so far away.”
WAXY recently did an 11-date tour across
Europe, sharing their desert-infused sound with a continent including many fans of the legends of the Coachella Valley’s music scene, like Kyuss and Brant Bjork.
“Kyuss has had a big impact from years ago, and a couple of things have happened in Europe,” Waldman said. “Over the last 15 years, there’s been an organization of rock ’n’ roll groups—heavy blues-rock, down-tuned, rock ’n’ roll bands—and it’s all called Desertfest. There’s Desertfest Berlin, Oslo, London and two or three others that I’m missing. These are festivals that sell anywhere between 5,000 to 10,000 tickets. … We did get invited to go to play Desertfest London, but we didn’t want to just go for a single show.”
Waldman began reaching out to club owners, promoters and friends to fill out tour dates.
“We just hustled for the shows and had a great time, and it was very DIY,” he said. “We had our own van. We drove every mile—no merch person, no live sound person—just the three of us going out and having a really good time and trying to be as safe as possible. … I think there’s a thirst for really cool music and cool people doing it. It’s a classic story of, ‘You came from where? You must be good.’”
WAXY’s current era began earlier this year with the release of Unmastered, the band’s first new record in five years. Unmastered sees WAXY digging deeper into their blues and doom repertoire, and continuing to experiment with a lowdown desert groove across 11 riff-packed tracks.
“With the new record, it’s a new birth,” Waldman said. “There have been a lot of member changes throughout the years of whatever WAXY has done, now playing with Carlyn and playing with Nick, our new drummer.”
WAXY is still an independent operation, Waldman said.
“We’ve had offers in years past, but I’ve always been very fearful of them,” Waldman said. “… I’ve always been unfortunately disconnected from it. The biggest change that I’ve seen in music—and I think it’s probably a good change—is that bands at any level, really, need representation. Clubs, festivals big and small, they don’t want to talk to the band; they want to talk to the manager, even if it’s a best friend. Where I aspire to be is with a booking
WAXY celebrates a new record and a new lineup at Pappy and Harriet’s
agent, and that means a label also. … I still have not been able to graduate to consistent festival level, and we don’t have any real representation out there to get us playing bigger stages more consistently, because there’s more live music than ever, and more people putting cool one or two-day events together than ever before. It’s always a hustle.”
Park’s contributions to WAXY have both honored the past and pushed the rock outfit into the future.
“I’m just grateful to get to be a part,” Park said. “I have nowhere near the experience like what Robbie has, or like what most of the people I’ve been lucky enough to play with have. I picked up the bass late in life, after years and years of being a music fanatic. … I’ve learned so much. It’s definitely about honoring the legacy. Robbie’s a super-talented musician and songwriter, and as far as having stuff to contribute, I think that because I’m a small-business owner, I’m probably better with some aspects of image and things like that, because I’m always thinking about things from the small-business-owner mindset. As far as playing the bass, I just try to keep up.”
Before discussing WAXY’s current drummer, Waldman wanted to pay tribute to Tyler Ontiveros, WAXY’s previous drummer.
“He’s still with us in spirit, and he played on every song except one on the new record,”
Waldman said. “His imprint is really big with us, and Tyler’s a monster, and I mean that in the best possible way. He is an insanely great drummer. He is so technically skilled. … He’s definitely a rock ’n’ roll guy, double kick pedal and double drums. Waxy is a little bit more bluesy and not that speedy, but he was a wonderful addition in the WAXY journey.”
Current drummer Nick Fulsher is keeping the WAXY machine running.
“We got hip to him during the pandemic era,” Waldman said. “He was in a San Diego duo called Moxi and Loon. … We had met along the way, and I always dug how he plays. We became friends through mutual friends in the band Flames of Durga. It’s been about six or seven months, I think, so we’re approaching a year, and we’re already working on new material, and we want to try to actually get a new album done before the end of the year.
“We want to try to emerge as a working man’s band. I never stop writing songs and never stop riffing out, and I never stopped wanting to jam.”
WAXY and Niña Coyote eta Chico Tornado will perform at 9 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 4, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Tickets are $15, or $10 each for a four-pack. For tickets or more information, call 760-228-2222, or visit pappyandharriets.com.
Waxy.
The Venue REPORT
continued from page 27
Things are heating up at Spotlight 29! At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, corrido singer/ songwriter Gerardo Coronel, “El Jerry,” will perform. Tickets start at $32. The world-famous male strippers’ group, the Chippendales, will take it off at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 17. Tickets start at $26.85. At 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 23, ’70s funk band Average White Band, responsible for the hit “Pick Up the Pieces,” will fire through some groovy tunes. Tickets start at $32. R&B singer and actor Mario will visit the valley at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24. Tickets start at $47.45. At 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 30, experience a set of softrock ballads from guitar virtuoso Christopher Cross and pop-rock band Pablo Cruise Tickets start at $47.45. The legendary Kevin Hart will perform an intimate evening of comedy at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 31. Tickets start at $160.35. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www. spotlight29.com.
Morongo is mixing up music and comedy this month. At 9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 2, comedian Michael Blaustein will bring the laughs to Cabazon. Tickets start at $46.50. Experience a double dose of Latin jams at 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 9 with Los Nuevos Rebeldes and Las Voces del Rancho. Tickets start at $68.25. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, funk and rockfusion outfit Grand Funk Railroad will bring the ’70s to 2024. Tickets start at $46.50. Hong Kong actor and singer Ruco Chan will perform at 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 11. Tickets start at $88.25. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www. morongocasinoresort.com.
Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage has some great excuses to leave your house this August. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 3, fresh off of the Tom Brady roast, Nikki Glaser is coming to tear the house down with laughter. Tickets start at $55. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, witness the one-of-a-kind magic and spectacle of iconic magician Lance Burton. Tickets start at $25. A double dose of new wave will be on full display when Boy George and English rock band Squeeze unite for a performance in Rancho Mirage at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug.
23. Tickets start at $110. Hear hits like “Africa,” “Rosanna” and “Hold the Line” when Toto visits the desert at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 31. Tickets start at $65. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www. aguacalientecasinos.com.
Agua Caliente in Palm Springs has residencies and more! Desert Blues Revival Wednesdays feature the harmonica and soul of Shakin’ Ground Blues Band (Aug. 7), 1950s rock time capsule The Dreamboats (Aug. 14), local rock jams from Brad Mercer and the Profile (Aug. 21) and rock and dance from Crimson Crow (Aug. 28). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $17.85, available at eventspalmsprings.com. Carousel Thursdays showcase a tribute to Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan from Jason Fabus and Sal Lozano (Aug. 1), the swingin’ sounds of Eva and the Vagabond Tales (Aug. 8), a journey through time, jazz and burlesque with Ginger Collins (Aug. 15), the smooth vocals of Dan Olivo (Aug. 22) and the jazz-guitar stylings of Will Brahm (Aug. 29). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $17.85, available at eventspalmsprings.com. For some big comedy names: Actor/comedian Kevin Pollak will perform at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, and actor/comedian Ron Funches will perform at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24. Tickets for both shows start at $40. Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 888999-1995; www.aguacalientecasinos.com.
Pappy and Harriet’s features a diverse August lineup. Here are just a few shows: At 9 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 11, witness the combination of bluegrass and Satan from Johnny Lawhorn and the Pentagram String Band, with folk songs about the devil; Joe Buck Yourself will also perform. Tickets start at $10. Punk-rock stars from the ’80s FEAR will bring hardcore to the high desert at 9:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 23. Tickets start at $40. At 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24, a group led by the legendary drummer for Nirvana and Melvins—and he’s Coachella Valley resident!—the Dale Crover Band will grace the Pioneertown Palace. Tickets start at $20. Surf punks The Frights head to the desert at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 31. Tickets start at $35.
Oscar’s has one event on the schedule aside from the usual residencies: At 7 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 14, Deven and Ned will host a charity event for Bloom in the Desert Ministries, complete with digital bingo, music, comedy, prizes and more! Tickets are $25 with a food/drink minimum. Oscar’s Palm Springs, 125 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760325-1188; oscarspalmsprings.com/events.
Modernism Week – October
October 24-27, 2024
Tickets on Sale Now
Architecture Tours by Modernism Week
October through May
Modernism Week
Celebrating 20 Years
February 13-23, 2025
Tickets on Sale November 1
Ron Funches
Photo by Monica Orozco
MUSIC
LUCKY 13 the
We quiz the owners of two of the valley’s most beloved screen-printing shops
by matt king
NAME Freddy Jimenez
BUSINESS Blue Hill
Studios
MORE INFO Blue Hill
Studios has been a screen-printing force in the east valley for many years now, providing top-notch designs, high-quality prints and good deals for local bands, brands and others. Owner Freddy Jimenez is always helping local creatives create posters or shirts that match their expression, and when he’s not screen-printing, Jimenez is crafting his own art. For more information, visit instagram.com/bluehillstudios.
What was the first concert you attended? Coachella 2003. I was in the sixth-grade and got to check out the White Stripes, Iggy and the Stooges, and the (Red Hot Chili) Pepper.
What was the first album you owned?
I think it was the Star Wars: Episode 1 soundtrack, and I was in the second-grade.
What bands are you listening to right now?
I always tend to go back to Interpol, Mint Field, Explosions in the Sky, or Crumb.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? None. I have nothing to hate on as of today.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Really wish I got to see David Bowie.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
Pop. I love it all. We’re talking about the Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish type of pop.
What’s your favorite music venue?
Pappy’s for sure! They always have some of the most magical shows.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
I don’t remember any lyrics ever, but if you want to feel something, listen to “Head in the Ceiling Fan” by Title Fight.
What band or artist changed your life?
I don’t think any artist in particular had a large enough impact to change my life entirely, but I’ve obviously been inspired and continue to be inspired by many artists when it comes to the craft, whether it is music or art. I’m getting inspired heavily by graphic designers from the 1930s-1950s. I’m really into that whole World War II/New Deal style, so I’m digging through the books and looking for inspiration there.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
I feel like Roger Waters has a lot to say, and he’s someone I really respect, so I’d really like to have a conversation with him and ask him a gang of questions as opposed to just one!
What song would you like played at your funeral?
Not sure. I’ll work on a playlist, though!
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Turn on the Bright Lights by Interpol.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
The new Cálmala single, “Esta Sí Es Cumbia.”
NAME Chase Prints
BUSINESS Mesh Screen Printing
MORE INFO Mesh Screen Printing has been making a name for itself in the local music world. Not only does the Palm Springs business make beautiful quality prints and shirts; the shop recently hosted “Watch Your Head Vol. 1,” an all-day celebration of hardcore music and community. For more information, visit instagram.com/meshscreenprinting. The owner and lead printer is Chase Prints.
What was the first concert you attended? Dr. Dre, Up in Smoke tour.
What was the first album you owned?
KoЯn, self-titled.
What bands are you listening to right now?
Face Facts, KILLFLOOR, and Kanye West.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
New age rap shit is on another level. I’m still banging some slappers, though!
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
KoЯn at Woodstock ’99, Jimi Hendrix, Biggie.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? Lo-fi instrumentals.
What’s your favorite music venue?
Oof, that’s tough. It depends what style of music I’m listening to at the time. I’m on different moods every day.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“Real g’s move in silence like lasagna,” from “6’7,” Lil Wayne.
What band or artist changed your life? Jay-Z. The Blueprint made me want to become a hustler. Nipsey Hussle made me become a business owner and showed me the value of being in certain positions in life.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? Nipsey Hussle: What lit the fire?
What song would you like played at your funeral? “Steady Mobbin,” Lil Wayne.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? This isn’t a fair question, ha ha.
What song should everyone listen to right now? Listen to what keeps you going, what motivates you. Use what you listen to as your guide to being your greatest self.
OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD
“What Comes Fourth?”— you got three in a row … By Matt Jones
Ike’s spouse
Caramel candy brand
30 for 30 channel
Love, in Rome
Peters of American Horror Story
High point
Angel’s citation for forgetting an instrument?
Sit a while
Muse of astronomy
Wilson who played Dwight Schrute
Like some almonds
Abbreviation after a
Cessation
Give it ___
Lean meat source 31. Question of a continental country consortium’s willingness to rock the mic?
2000s boy band
named after a Florida city
35. Physically flexible
36. L.A. tree
39. “Clean” surface?
42. Advance, as cash
43. Farmyard refrain
45. Shabby
47. The Insult Comic Dog’s French counterpart?
50. West Germany’s official name until 1990, for short
53. Ready for action
54. “Unbelievable” band of 1991
55. “Chandelier” singer
56. Suffix after mountain
57. Parodize
59. Split in two
61. Somebody Feed (Netflix travel documentary)
63. What happens when you treat your garden hose badly?
66. Verdi opera heroine
67. Dull pain
68. Quetzalcoatl worshipper
69. “Ocean Man” group
70. Shout it out
71. All That Jazz director Bob Down 1. Organic fertilizer component 2. Conscienceless 3. Centrist style?
