VOL.2 | ISSUE 4
IN APRIL, THE COACHELLA VALLEY BECOMES THE CENTER OF THE MUSIC WORLD. LET'S CELEBRATE. PAGE 26
2 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
APRIL 2014
A Note From the Editor
Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208 www.cvindependent.com
April is going to be one helluva month in the Coachella Valley. I’ve come to this somewhat obvious conclusion after a marathon editing and compiling session for the issue you’re holding right now, during which I perused tens of thousands of words of copy—much of which details how and why, exactly, April is going to be so amazing. First up: music. Turn to Page 26 to dive into our special Music Issue. Brian Blueskye has been hard at work over the last month-plus, doing interviews, gathering information and writing his butt off. The result: four profiles on bands playing at Coachella; two profiles on Stagecoach bands; stories on other bands not to miss at both Coachella and Stagecoach; and a rundown of information on Coachella-related parties occurring before and during the festival. He also did two Lucky 13 interviews, as well as his normal monthly Blueskye Report. All of this music coverage, by the way, is fantastic; see for yourself. In other words: If you’re a music-lover, and you see Brian around town during the month of April, you should really buy him a drink for keeping you so well-informed. Next up: everything else that’s going on around the Coachella Valley—and there is a lot going on, much of which is detailed in a brand-new feature we’ve added to the Independent this month: events listings from ArtsOasis, the creative-resource center that’s a project of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership. Head on over to ArtsOasis.org, and you can peruse a fantastic events calendar that contains all sorts of great information—or you can just turn to Page 17 to view some of those same listings, which in this case have been edited and compiled by the Independent staff. (Don’t see your event included in the ArtsOasis calendar? Head to the website and submit the information, dang it!) And now, back to music: The Independent is proud to be sponsoring a great April event that benefits a fantastic cause. The PreCoachella Warehouse Party is taking place at Coachella Valley Brewing Co. in Thousand Palms from 3 to 8 p.m., Saturday, April 5. The party will feature two stages of DJ music, live art, yummy food and, of course, great beer. In fact, you’ll get four beers along with your $35 admission fee. Proceeds from the event will go to EcoMedia Compass, a group that wants to save the Salton Sea by promoting awareness of the sea, the problems it is facing, and potential solutions. (Props to my friend Alex Harrington, aka All Night Shoes, for being one of the party’s organizers.) Check out the back cover of this issue for more information. Yep. This issue proves that April’s going to be a truly special month for the Coachella Valley. Let’s get it started, shall we?
Editor/Publisher Jimmy Boegle Assistant Editor Brian Blueskye Editorial Layout Wayne Acree Advertising Design Betty Jo Boegle Contributors Gustavo Arellano, John Backderf, Victor Barocas, Max Cannon, Jon Christensen, Kevin Fitzgerald, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Alex Harrington, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Brane Jevric, Keith Knight, Christina Lange, Marylee Pangman, Erin Peters, Deidre Pike, Guillermo Prieto, Anita Rufus, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor, Matt Weiser The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month. All content is ©2014 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The Independent is available free of charge throughout the Coachella Valley, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 by calling (760) 904-4208. The Independent may be distributed only by the Independent’s authorized distributors.
—Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com
Cover design by Wayne Acree
The Independent is a proud member and/or supporter of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, the LGBT Community Center of the Desert, artsOasis and the American Advertising Federation/Palm Springs-Desert Cities.
CVIndependent.com
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 3
APRIL 2014
OPINION
KNOW YOUR
NEIGHBORS
Is It Time for the Older Generation to Let Younger People Lead?
WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION
By Anita Rufus lthough sexual orientation and dirty-trick campaigning have dominated the headlines regarding the Rancho Mirage City Council election on April 8, to my mind, there is a more interesting issue that has emerged: Should only older and more-experienced individuals be elected to represent the city’s residents? Councilmember Dana Hobart recently made that assertion, casting Councilmember Scott Hines as “younger … (with) just ambition.” Hines attended the Air Force Academy, earning a degree in political science in 1992, and then master’s degrees in public management from the University of Maryland, and organizational management from George Washington University. With more than 20 years of business and entrepreneurial experience, he is hardly a kid. Hobart served in the Air Force for four years, then graduated from California State University and earned a juris doctorate from the USC School of Law in 1963. In addition to a long legal career and positions of prestige within the legal community, he successfully argued a case before the United States Supreme Court in 1976. Assuming these are both honorable men who want to serve their community, why would age even be a factor? Do older residents only want to see people their own age elected? Here’s what I’m wondering: Is it time for the younger generations to take over? Remember that old saying, “Never trust anyone over 30”? Although Hines is well beyond millennial age, a recent poll by the Pew Research Center sheds some light on the ongoing conflicts between the generations. “Millennials,” defined as people between the ages of 18 and 33 by Pew, have very different views of traditional cultural norms and institutions. The underlying struggle to redefine our society is taking place throughout the country at all levels. A recent column in The New York Times by Charles M. Blow, discussing the Pew findings, got me thinking. Yes, there is value in the wisdom we hope to have developed over many years of experience, but there is also value in accepting that society’s norms have already changed in important ways, and that public policies must adjust to reflect those changes. For example, 69 percent of millennials believe that marijuana use should be made
legal, while only 32 percent of the so-called “silent generation” (those 68 and older) support legalization (although even that number has almost doubled since 2002). On the issue of whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry, 68 percent of millennials support such rights, compared to only 38 percent of the silent generation. Millennials also largely believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases (68 percent), and that immigrants in the country illegally should be allowed to stay and eventually apply to become citizens (55 percent). In the Coachella Valley, particularly the western and central parts, we tend to think of the local population as made up of many retirees. However, according to the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP), in 2011, only about 30 percent of valley residents were 55 or older. Does that mean almost 70 percent of our residents are not having their interests represented when elected officials are from older generations? Not necessarily. For example, in Rancho Mirage, more than half of the population is 60 or older. Yet it is worth considering that elected officials are supposed to not only manage current realities, but plan for the future viability of their communities. That may require attitudes and philosophies that encompass the cultural changes we are already experiencing. Local officials have to consider policy approaches that are necessary for their communities to be seen as welcoming to younger generations. At the national level, “the
Rancho Mirage City Council Members Scott Hines, Ted Weill and Dana Hobart.
young-old partisan voting gaps in 2008 and 2012 were among the largest in the modern era,” said Blow. So if Rancho Mirage is largely made up of older people, does that mean their City Council representatives should disdain appealing to younger people? Not if they want their city to survive. When I first moved to the Coachella Valley in 1985, I remember thinking that all the service employees who worked in local cities—waiting tables, cleaning hotel rooms, maintaining golf courses, working in sales, etc.—could not possibly afford to live in the cities where they were employed, and thus had less invested in making those cities sustainable. I remember when, in 1988, Indian Wells, which then boasted one of the highest per-capita incomes in the state, sought an exemption from having affordable housing built within their city’s borders. Thankfully, they lost that battle, thanks to a veto by the then-Republican governor. The Pew poll showed that millennials are more racially diverse and less disapproving of government services. They are experiencing higher student-loan debt, poverty and unemployment, and lower levels of wealth and personal income. However, they are the future, and we need to incorporate their attitudes and needs if we hope to sustain our communities. So, the question remains: Should only older
and more-experienced individuals be elected to represent the city’s residents? Should age trump “ambition”? When Hobart was younger, wasn’t he ambitious? As Blow puts it: “One might argue that millennials simply haven’t lived long enough to hit the triggers that might engender more conservatism … but it could just as well be that this group of young people is fundamentally different.” Is it perhaps time that older folks recognize that younger generations have something to offer as a balance, with a new approach to “the way we’ve always done it.” Our future will be as different from today as today is from the “traditional values” of a mere 50 years ago—a time that some in the older generation still cling to as what should be “normal.” Without that balance, and those new ways of looking at our culture and our institutions, we are only stalling the inevitable. Maybe it’s time for older folks, myself included, to just get out of the way. Those with experience should teach, mentor and advise— but let younger generations lead. Anita Rufus is also known as “The Lovable Liberal,” and her radio show airs Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on KNews Radio 94.3 FM. Catch Know Your Neighbors every other Wednesday at CVIndependent.com. CVIndependent.com
4 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
APRIL 2014
OPINION
ASK A MEXICAN!
Are Old Stories About Racism Against Mexicans Exaggerated?
!
WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION
By Gustavo Arellano EAR MEXICAN: My dad says that when he was a kid growing up in Downey, Calif., they used to open the local plunge (pool) to mexicanos and negritos only on Thursdays, because the pool was cleaned once a week on Friday mornings. Is this an accurate account of racism in the 1940s or an exaggeration? Do you know of other blatant racial policies back then, and which ones still exist against Mexicans today? Pocho Pendejo Who Can Barely Hablo Español DEAR POCHO: Absolutely true story. Gabachos think that the desegregation movement was a primarily African-American affair, but that’s nowhere near the verdad—fact is, Mexican Americans not only suffered a lot of the same discrimination (work, school, housing and even pools) as African Americans; they were also at the forefront of the legal battle to overturn such pendejo laws—especially here in Southern California. A Mexican American from Fullerton named Alex Bernal was sued by his gabacho neighbors in Orange County Superior Court when he moved into an all-white neighborhood; the case, Doss vs. Bernal, set legal precedent against housing covenants, as Bernal won his case against those idiots. In 1944, Lopez vs. Seccombe took on the issue of segregated swimming pools in San Bernardino; a federal judge found such discriminatory policies to be illegal. And Mendez, et al. vs. Westminster, et al. found five OC Mexican familias taking on school districts that made their children attend all-Mexican schools; that case went all the way to a federal court of appeals, with an amicus curae brief from the NAACP (which, of course, would go on to argue the far-more-famous Brown v. Board of Education). Then there’s all the legal desmadre waged in Texas during the 1950s (especially the efforts of the brilliant Tejano legal team behind Hernandez vs. Texas, a 1954 Supreme Court case that found Mexis were humans under the 14th Amendment). Today, many folks today are fighting for the rights of undocumented folks. Mexicans not only have suffered from discrimination—we fight back for everyone’s rights, as our legal
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precedents benefit todos. DEAR MEXICAN: I’m a U.S.-born Latina whose family has lived in Colorado for generations. Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that more Latinos from the Caribbean and Central and South America are moving to our beautiful state. I’ve also noticed how pendante many of these newcomers are. One Puerto Rican executive is giving presentations to publicrelations firms in Denver, telling Anglos that not all Latinos are “poor or brown or Mexican.” Why is it OK for every new group that moves to this state to use Mexicans as scapegoats? Colfax Chica (But Not the Streetwalking Kind) DEAR WABETTE: Because that’s the American way, chula. If there’s one thing that new immigrants quickly learn after bus routes and how to get on welfare, it’s to hate Mexicans. It gets particularly heated with Latinos, though, because many of them want to assert their own ethnic identity in a country that—outside of Washington, D.C., Florida and parts
of the East Coast—is almost exclusively Mexican when it comes to Latinos. While I don’t blame the boricua for wanting to let people know he’s not Mexican, I must also wonder why he wants people to know he’s Puerto Rican … DEAR MEXICAN: How come Mexican men wear belt buckles that look like wrestling belts? R.I.P. Eddie Guerrero DEAR GABACHO: Think utility, vanity and Freud. A massive belt buckle ensures that our sturdy belts won’t burst under the double strains of the tools we hang from it—whether they be wrenches, cell phones or revolvers—and the bellies that rise from our middles like Kilimanjaro in the Tanzanian plains. It’s a Mexican man’s most-cherished accessory, after the tejana and alligator boots, so of course he’ll glam up his buckles with engravings—names, arabesque designs and pastoral scenes are the most popular. But owning a bonito buckle isn’t enough for Mexican men. As Freud points out, any time men flash abnormally large possessions—like goateed gabachos flying the American flag from their Ford F250s—it’s a stand-in for our cocks. In an hombre’s case, however, the buckle is a stand-in for our lessthan-stellar members. (Most sexology surveys rank Latinos third behind blacks and gabachos on the large pipi scale.) So ladies: The larger the buckle, the teenier the weenie. Catch the Mexican every Wednesday at CVIndependent.com. Ask the Mexican at themexican@askamexican.net; be his fan on Facebook; follow him on Twitter @gustavoarellano; or follow him on Instagram @gustavo_arellano!
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 5
APRIL 2014
OPINION
THE POTTED DESERT GARDEN
The Story of One Home’s Front Courtyard Entryway
WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION
By MARYLEE PANGMAN any of us have gates at the front of our desert homes. They are nice to have, as they can keep the critters out while also creating a beautiful courtyard that serves as the first entry to our home. An adorned gate, of course, crafts a welcoming message to your guests as they approach your home. Beyond that, however, you may not think of this area as a space that needs added décor; after all, we don’t live out there. Often, a sidewalk or driveway leads right up to the entry way, limiting choices on what can be placed at the wall or gate. A container garden at the front gate can offer a living welcome to all who come to your home—including yourself, every day! Consider the case of this home, where the gate and entryway were essentially a blank slate. To the left of the gate is the driveway, leading to the garage. There is landscaping to the right of the gate on a downhill slope. This situation was perfect for a trio of pots, which added color and curb appeal to the entry. Planted in these winter pots are Euryops, Snapdragons, Dusty Miller and an Artemesia. The tall pot on the right has similar plantings, along with a Pyracantha in full bloom. Our next picture shows the summer story of this gate. The Euryops and Artemisia are still growing after a winter pruning. Because these pots are western-facing, a Lantana variety has been added, for low water usage and to deter critters. You can see the Pyracantha is just about ready for a pruning that will guide it up toward the arch of the gate. Unfortunately, the homeowner started having a serious battle with various animals—who are coming down into residential areas more due to the drought— that thought of the plants as possible food. At first, the homeowner they added fencing to the pots, but that became an eyesore real fast. Because of the fencing issues and the water/calcium stains that were developing on the aggregate concrete, we finally decided to switch the previous pots out with colorful blue pots that were rectangular in shape, to hug the entry walls. We added Red Yucca and Golden Barrels, enhancing the front gate with an easy-care invitation to enter. Welcoming, isn’t it?
Marylee Pangman is the founder and former owner of The Contained Gardener in Tucson, Ariz. She has become known as the Desert’s Potted Garden Expert. She is available for digital consultations, and you can email her with comments and questions at potteddesert@gmail.com. You can also follow The Potted Desert at facebook.com/PottedDesert. The Potted Desert Garden appears every Tuesday morning at CVIndependent.com.
During the summer, a mix of plants both remaining and new created a nice look
When animals started treating the plants as food, fencing helped—but was rather unsightly.
This entryway was begging for some décor.
Three pots filled with winter plants added a lot to the entryway.
The final, lovely solution: Rectangular blue pots with Red Yucca and Golden Barrels. CVIndependent.com
6 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
APRIL 2014
NEWS
IN AN EFFORT
TO CONSERVE
Tiered-Rate Billing Could Soon Come to West Valley Water Customers
WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
By Kevin Fitzgerald espite recent helpful storms, it’s a fact: There’s a water shortage in California. Depending on the news source, the state is suffering through its worst drought ever, the worst since the 1880s, or—at the least—the worst in the last 15 years. “Not only was 2013 one of the driest years on record in California; it followed two dry years in 2011 and 2012,” said Craig Ewing, the Desert Water Agency’s president of the board, during his opening remarks at a recent DWA public workshop regarding water conservation and management. Concern is highest in communities farther north, like Santa Barbara, where water restrictions mandated by a Stage 1 drought alert were initiated on Feb. 4. Customers there are being asked to reduce water usage by 20 percent. Still, some projections say that available water resources for that city could run out as early as July. “I am not calm and collected,” said Ray Stokes, manager of the Central Coast Water Authority, the agency responsible for importing state water into Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, to the Santa Barbara Independent. Here in the Coachella Valley, the news is comparatively good for Desert Water Agency customers. The agency serves customers in Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs. “We have underground storage called the aquifer here,” explained Ewing at the workshop. “Ninety percent of our water comes from that; 10 percent comes from snows and the creeks. So we aren’t in the desperate condition they’re in up north.” The good news continues. Due to the combined efforts of the DWA on the west end of the valley, and the Coachella Valley Water District agency (CVWD)—which services most of the communities from Cathedral City east to the Salton Sea—the water level in the aquifer has been supplemented frequently since 1973 through the “recharging” of the supply with water obtained from the Colorado River as part of an agreement with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. “We started banking natural runoffs during wet years,” Ewing said. “Now we’re trying to maintain a stable supply. But we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, since they’re telling us that the 21st century will be drier than the 20th. This comes down to some big issues around climate and geology and water availability, and your role as a human being to leave a smaller water footprint as we go forward.” Ewing noted the fortunate reality at play in the Coachella Valley. “We live in a desert, and yet we have direct access to the California State Water Project, so we don’t pay a middle man,” he said. “We have this aquifer that actually filters the water so we don’t have to spend money on treatment, and it provides a valuable natural storage resource. We have to recognize that we are probably the most fortunate people out there with regard to water—but that’s no reason to ignore the drought problem.” Also in attendance at the public workshop was Assemblyman V. Manuel Perez, who is currently running for the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. “I’m here because I felt it was important to hear about the concerns that our constituency CVIndependent.com
may have and to hear from the DWA what they are proposing,” he said. “Everyone has to do their part at the end of the day. We have to do everything we can to protect our most important natural asset.” DWA officials discussed some of the water-conservation efforts currently under way. The first is operational efficiency, which involves the water agency’s efforts to make sure it saves water in the way it’s delivered to the customer. This includes replacing damaged water mains, providing homeowners with smart water meters, and identifying irrigation-system leaks, among other initiatives. Other efforts include educational outreach, customer incentives or rebates, and regulatory restrictions on water usage. Tiered-rate billing is also under serious consideration and
study by the DWA. For CVWD customers, tiered-rate billing is already business as usual. “We started tiered rates in 2009,” said Heather Engel, CVWD director of communications and legislation. “And we didn’t get a lot of resistance from our customers. We did a pretty heavy education campaign, which included sending ‘shadow bills’ to every customer for three months prior to implementation. They got to see if their bill would go up, go down or stay the same. And for 80 percent of our customers, the bill actually went down by a couple of pennies. “Some people did accuse us of just trying to make more money,” Engel continued. “But it really was an education program. People maybe thought they were being very conscientious with their water use, but here was a guide that they could look at and say, ‘Wow! I’m being excessive.’ Maybe they had leaks they didn’t know about and could now address.” Are tiered rates definitely in the future for DWA customers? “If you ask me, I’d say yes,” said DWA board president Ewing. “But it will be a discussion for the board. I think we need to go there.” Barbara Ojena, a Palm Springs citizen, seemed pleased that she attended the workshop. “I was very impressed how on top of things the organization is. Personally, I’d like to see a few more regulations put in place at this time, because we are in a severe situation statewide. I think we need to make people more aware of that and conserve what we’ve got.”
Desert Water Agency board president Craig Ewing: “Not only was 2013 one of the driest years on record in California; it followed two dry years in 2011 and 2012.” KEVIN FITZGERALD
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 7
APRIL 2014
NEWS
APRIL ASTRONOMY Get Ready for a Total Lunar Eclipse! WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
by Robert Victor pril 2014 at dusk: Jupiter is clearly the brightest “star” in evening twilight during April. Mars briefly equals or slightly outshines Sirius as the red planet passes opposition and makes its closest approach to Earth in the second week. Next in apparent brightness are Arcturus and Capella, high in the sky and easily seen. Slightly fainter Saturn rises in the eastsoutheast around mid-twilight at month’s end. In the eastern half of the sky, Regulus, Arcturus and (barely) Mars are already up and ascending on April 1. As Earth passes between Mars and the sun on April 8, Mars is at opposition to the sun and visible all night. The same alignment occurs with the star Spica just five days later. The moon forms striking gatherings with stars and planets during the first half of April. The waxing crescent will be a beautiful sight during the first few evenings in April as it climbs higher each night. On Thursday evening, April 3, the moon will appear close to the lower right of Aldebaran, eye of Taurus, and among the stars along the right side of the “V” of the Hyades star cluster forming the Bull’s face. At 8:17 p.m., as seen from the Coachella Valley, the leading dark edge of the moon will occult, or cover up, the fourth-magnitude star Delta-3 Tauri, causing the star to suddenly blink out. The occultation will be best seen with binoculars or a telescope. Just more than an hour later, about 9:25 p.m., the star will reappear at the bright edge of the moon; it will not be as easy to observe the
exact moment of its reappearance. On Sunday evening, April 6, the moon, nearing first-quarter phase, passes 5 degrees south of Jupiter. On the next evening, the moon will be widely south of Pollux, one of the Gemini Twins, and on Thursday, April 10, it will pass widely south of Regulus, heart of Leo, the Lion. During all of those evenings, the waxing moon will be tracking south of the ecliptic, or “below” Earth’s orbital plane—but that will come to an end late on the night of Monday, April 14, as the full moon returns close enough to our orbit plane to be completely immersed in the umbra, or dark central core of Earth's shadow—causing a total lunar eclipse! The eclipse begins as the moon begins to enter the Earth’s umbra at 10:58 p.m. The Earth’s diameter is nearly 3.7 times that of the moon, but the Earth’s shadow during this eclipse will appear only 2.7 times as large as the lunar disk. That’s large enough for the moon to easily fit, with plenty of room to spare! As more of the moon is immersed in Earth’s shadow, the reddish color of the shadow will become noticeable. The reddish illumination is sunlight which has passed through the Earth’s atmosphere and gotten refracted into the Earth’s shadow. The total eclipse begins at 12:07 a.m., early on Tuesday morning, April 15. The 78 minutes of total eclipse is a perfect time to use binoculars to locate the asteroids Vesta (magnitude 5.7) and Ceres (7.0), at peak brightness and just 2.4 degrees apart in Virgo, an easy star-hop from the dimmed moon and Spica. These asteroids are the
Morning visibility map at mid-twilight. ROBERT D. MILLER
destinations of the Dawn space mission; Dawn has already visited Vesta and is on its way to Ceres, arriving there in 2015. Deepest eclipse occurs at 12:46 a.m., when the northern edge of the moon comes closest to the center of Earth’s shadow. Total eclipse ends at 1:25 a.m., and the moon’s withdrawal from the umbra will be complete at 2:33 a.m. April 2014 at dawn: Venus continues to dominate the morning sky. Find it in the eastsoutheast in morning mid-twilight, drifting farther north as the month progresses. A telescope shows Venus in gibbous phase, fattening from 54 to 66 percent full, but shrinking in apparent size as it recedes from Earth. Saturn is a steady yellow “star” sinking slowly in the southwest. To Saturn’s lower right are bright reddish Mars and blue-white first-magnitude Spica, but they drop below the west to west-southwest horizon before month’s end, after passing opposition on April 8 and 13, respectively. Other bright objects in the morning sky are golden Arcturus, well up in the west to upper right of Mars and Spica; reddish Antares, heart of Scorpius, in the south-southwest to southwest; and the Summer Triangle of Vega, Altair and Deneb high in the east, topped by
Evening visibility map at mid-twilight. ROBERT D. MILLER
its brightest member, Vega. April’s waning moon, just hours after the lunar eclipse, is still close to Spica and Mars at dawn on the 15th. Early on the morning of the 17th, the moon passes closely south of Saturn, and on the 18th, the gibbous moon passes widely north of Antares. The lastquarter moon on the morning of April 22 will be 5 degrees north of the ecliptic, near stars marking the head of Capricornus, the Seagoat. On the mornings of April 25 and 26, the crescent moon will appear near Venus. The new moon will occur on April 29. Check the website of the Astronomical Society of the Desert (www.astrorx.org) for dates and locations of “star parties,” where everyone is welcome to look through our telescopes at the moon, planets and “deep-sky objects.” Robert C. Victor was a staff astronomer at the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University. He is now retired and enjoys providing skywatching opportunities for school children in and around Palm Springs.
CVIndependent.com
8 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
APRIL 2014
NEWS
THE STATE’S WATER SOURCE
After More Than 240 Years, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Continues to Both Confound and Nourish Californians
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By Matt Weiser hen Padre Juan Crespi first sighted the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in 1772, he thought he would be able to walk around it. The Spanish missionary and his party of 15 soldiers had been dispatched to find a land route from Monterey to Point Reyes, where Spain hoped to build a port. But 10 days into their journey, in the heart of Alta California, Crespi and his men encountered a maze of water, mud and swamp. It was the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, the largest estuary on the West Coast of the Americas. Crespi expected the estuary to function like others he had seen, fragmenting into dozens of small braided channels fanning out toward the sea. Upstream, he figured, they would find a single channel to cross. But this estuary did the opposite: As Crespi traveled upstream, the water spread out. “Crossing these rivers by boat or canoe would be apt,” a chastened Crespi wrote in his diary. “Because if you do not, it’s (necessary) to climb the mountains to the southeast and seek the path of the large river. To climb such a high pass certainly requires a greater number of soldiers and more provisions, which is why I withdrew.” Crespi was the first known European to glimpse this odd California landscape, and the first of many to be confounded by it. Sixteen rivers and hundreds of creeks converge from all over California on the Delta’s vast central plain—all mud, tules and marsh—finally forming one mighty river that drains the state’s whole churning belly. It’s called an “inverted” estuary, because its waterways unite before reaching the sea. The only comparable place on Earth is the Okavango Delta in Botswana. When Crespi encountered the estuary, its floodplain extended 100 miles north and south, filling the Central Valley with a wealth of snowmelt, all of it destined to squeeze through the land gap later called Golden Gate. Today, the Delta is crossed by three state highways and hundreds of miles of railroad tracks and county roads. There are 1,100 miles of navigable channels, and 72 islands ringed by levees. Modern charts detail where to anchor, where to catch the best striped bass, where to find the most convenient bridges and ferries. But the levees may be vulnerable to earthquakes. If they fail, the water supply would be compromised by a flood of salty water from San Francisco Bay. And rising sea levels could taint the water supply permanently. The Delta, which still covers an area the size of Rhode Island, provides half of all the freshwater consumed by a thirsty state, serving 3 million acres of farmland and 25 million Californians, from Silicon Valley to San Diego. Gov. Jerry Brown hopes to better serve the state by spending $15 billion on a new waterdiversion system. It would shunt a portion of the Sacramento River out of the estuary into two giant tunnels, 30 miles long and 150 feet underground. The intent is to divert freshwater in a way less harmful to imperiled native fish species, while protecting those diversions from floods, earthquakes and a rising sea. The tunnels would serve existing state and federal canal systems that begin in the south Delta, near Tracy, and divert water to cities and farms, mostly in Southern California CVIndependent.com
and the San Joaquin Valley. Another $10 billion would go to wildlife habitat improvements, in part to breach levees and restore tidal action to some islands. But after seven years of study, state officials acknowledge that removing so much freshwater upstream may cause “unquantifiable” water-quality changes. Meanwhile, critics say taking so much freshwater from the estuary could harm Delta farms and perhaps concentrate pollutants in a way that hurts the same fish state officials hope to restore. The Delta continues to confound. Forty-five years after Crespi turned back, Padre Narciso Durán came through with two small boats on an expedition led by Lt. Don Luis Arguello. Their trip through the watery maze began on May 13, 1817, and lasted two weeks. Durán, who kept a journal, came along to baptize Indians. They set out in a storm, and the boats became separated at the confluence. When the storm finally quit, and the boats were reunited, another challenge arose: It was snowmelt season, and the downstream current in the Sacramento River was so strong that it nearly halted their progress. Without wind, days of brutal rowing followed, with little upstream progress. The party soon encountered a variety of branching side channels, and they could not be sure which one was the river itself. Because the Delta was in flood, the true riverbanks and many of the natural islands were submerged. They took a wrong turn, but eventually got lucky and recovered their course. Familiarity with this labyrinth benefitted the locals, who fled as soon as they spotted the expedition boats. The Europeans found two villages vacated; occupants of a third village “fled at the noise of the launches, leaving only two old women, more than 60 years old.” Durán felt obliged to baptize both women. Durán, who was no naturalist, does not mention any animals. But the Delta was teeming with wildlife in a way that is difficult to imagine today: Vast herds of elk and pronghorn antelope roamed here, hunted by wolf and grizzly bear. The maze of curving sloughs was a nursery for one of the world’s most productive fisheries. The Delta remains the most important salmon fishery on the West Coast, producing most of the wild-caught king salmon in the Lower 48. Yet there are 57 endangered species here,
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. WORLDISLANDINFO.COM VIA FLICKR
including steelhead trout and two runs of salmon. Modern-day Californians are as oblivious to the region’s natural wealth as Durán seemed to be. A January 2012 survey found that 78 percent of California residents don’t know where the Delta is, or even what it is. The day after baptizing the two women, Durán and his party reached their turnaround point. They hoped to find a place to erect a cross, “and there to end our quest and retreat downriver.” After rowing upriver three more leagues, they pulled ashore to rest, where they spotted a village of Natives, “who came out at them armed with their customary fierce clamor.” Arguello mustered his soldiers to confront the Indians, who “calmed down, to everyone’s relief, and said they had armed themselves believing we were hostile people.” The travelers were invited to visit a larger village one league upriver. But Durán and his cohorts never found the second village. And amid the flood, they could find no solid ground to erect a cross. So they carved one on an oak tree. The exact location of that cross is unknown today. But according to Durán’s diary, they carved it about 80 miles upstream from the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers—or near today’s state capital, Sacramento, where Gov. Brown weighs the fate of the Delta today. Matt Weiser covers environmental issues for The Sacramento Bee and has written about the Delta and California water for 15 years. The contemporary translation of Crespi and Durán’s journals is by Alexa Mergen. This essay originally appeared in High Country News.
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NEWS
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By Brian Blueskye usic-promoter Goldenvoice puts on the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals here every year—but that’s not all that the company does in the Coachella Valley. Goldenvoice, in partnership with California CareForce, is holding another free health clinic at the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio, on April 3-6. Last year, California CareForce and Goldenvoice provided free medical, dental and vision care to 2,770 people at a cost of just more than $1 million. During a recent interview in La Quinta, CareForce president Pamela Congdon discussed the specifics of the four-day clinic. “We’ll have 70 dental chairs and 10 vision lanes, and we can make about 300 prescription glasses per day,” Congdon said. “We give a full eye exam, and with the dentists, we can do extractions, restorative fillings and cleanings. We run it like a mini vision office and a mini dentist’s office. Medical will also have acupuncture and a chiropractor.” Congdon said that they hope to help at least 900 patients a day. “It’s really the working poor,” she said. “It’s people who have jobs who are good people, and they’re down on their luck. The problem is that if people can afford medical insurance, it doesn’t include dental and vision. Eighty to 90 percent of the people who come through our clinic need dental and vision. Some of these people haven’t been to the dentist in 20 years, and some people have been using an old pair of glasses.”
She told one story about a college student who needed extensive dental work. “He needed five implants and a bunch of other dental work,” she said. “Good kid, college student—and he had an estimate of $20,000. We weren’t able to do the implants at our clinic, but we were able to remove all of the teeth. “These are people like you or me. It could be your neighbor coming through—you don’t know. When I went the first time, I thought it was going to be a bunch of homeless people, and it’s not.” Goldenvoice’s involvement has been essential in providing these services. Congdon said that after noticing the income divide in the area, as well as the lack of medical services and the valley’s spread-out geography, Goldenvoice was eager to step in and give back. “I think they’ve been so grateful to the community for the Coachella festival,” she said. “They wanted to give back to the community and the people who can’t afford to come to
Goldenvoice, California CareForce to Hold Another Free Health Clinic
their festivals.” The people who line up to receive care are also very grateful, even though many of them face a long wait. “They feel like you have given them hope and their dignity back,” she said. “They will come up to you and say, ‘We don’t know what we would have done without you.’” Congdon had advice for people to prepare if they need services at the clinic. “It’s going to be a long night,” she said. “They need to bring their medication; they need to bring snacks and food, and nothing that’s sugared or anything like that. We want them not to feel stressed. They should also bring portable chairs. We’ll get them through the clinic as fast as we can. Unfortunately, we don’t know any other way for them to get in line and get the ticket.” Congdon said that the medical professionals
ask no questions related to citizenship. “When they come through, we do patient registration. We just get emergency contacts and demographic information, and whatever of that they want to give us is fine. Then they need to go to triage; we need to make sure their blood pressure isn’t too high. We do diabetes testing; and we ask for their medical history.” The California CareForce Clinic will take place at the Riverside County Fairgrounds, 82503 Highway 111, in Indio, from Thursday, April 3, through Sunday, April 6. Tickets will be issued to patients at 3:30 a.m. each day. Only one service number will be issued to each person in line. Patients will be let into the clinic at 5:30 a.m. for registration. For more information, call 877-811-6038, or visit www.californiacareforce.org
Last year’s Goldenvoice/California CareForce clinic helped almost 2,800 people at a cost of more than $1 million. CVIndependent.com
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NEWS
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SNAPSHOT
Images From March in the Coachella Valley and High Desert
Nick Waterhouse made his third appearance at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace on Saturday, March 15. The young soul/blues singer seemed extremely comfortable prior to the show, as he hung out by the stage and at the bar. Dressed in a suit and black loafers, Nick started his 15-plus song set with “Indian Love Call.” PHOTO BY GUILLERMO PRIETO/IROCKPHOTOS.NET
Novak Djokovic hits the ball against John Isner during Djokovic’s semifinal victory at the BNP Paribas Open champion on Saturday, March 15, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The next day, he would defeat Roger Federer to earn his third BNP Paribas Open title. PHOTO BY KEVIN FITZGERALD
Novak Djokovic, Kevin Spacey, Will Ferrell and WBO welterweight champion boxer Timothy Bradley (who resides in the Coachella Valley) pose after two tickets to Bradley’s April 12 championship fight with Manny Pacquiao were auctioned for $12,000 during the Desert Smash tennis tournament at the La Quinta Resort on Tuesday, March 4. The tournament is part of the two-day Desert Showdown, an annual fundraiser for Cancer for College, a charity that funds college scholarships for cancer survivors. PHOTO BY KEVIN FITZGERALD
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APRIL 2014
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•• "Peter and the Starcatcher" Enchants the McCallum ⓯ April Theater ⓰ Western Lit: A Summer Gig at the Sewer Plant ⓱ April Arts Listings From ArtsOasis www.cvindependent.com/arts-and-culture
Gesso Cocteau Says She's Making Some Big Changes in Her Art
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A LOCAL GREAT MAKES A TURN
“Da Brava Madre” (“The Good Mother”). CVIndependent.com
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 13
APRIL 2014
ARTS & CULTURE
INTROSPECTION AND INTENSITY
Local Artist Gesso Cocteau Finds Herself at a Turning Point
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By Victor Barocas esso Cocteau’s 20-year retrospective at the Classic Art Gallery in Palm Desert was full of works that were lyrical, intense and introspective—works which demonstrated Cocteau’s ample contributions to contemporary figurative art. Some 100-plus people attended the retrospective that all but filled every room in the gallery. There was an almost equal division between bronzes and drawings, with Cocteau’s works demonstrating respect for the unique qualities of these distinct mediums. Bronzes by Cocteau, a renowned artist who calls the valley home, are found in private and public collections worldwide; her public commission “Endless Celebration,” located in Bellevue, Wash., is the tallest free-standing cast sculpture in the United States, standing some 51 feet tall. Her sculptures at Classic Art Gallery range in size. Some are small, suitable for a shelf or desktop, while life-sized and even larger pieces are better suited to an outdoor garden. “With my sculpture, I strive to create pieces that have a soul and are ‘timeless,’” she told me. Cocteau’s sculptures present a oneness and a discernable flow. The better pieces consist of at least two figures; often, just a single foot, usually en pointe, connects to the base. By using just one connection point, she replaces heaviness with gracefulness. The effect is furthered as Cocteau tailors each base to the figures above. This aesthetic is found in “Love’s Divine,” on display at the gallery. By affixing only one figure’s foot to the base, Cocteau
depicts the two floating figures interacting in air. Her technique produces tremendous dimensionality and a sense of movement— confirmed when looking at a sculpture’s shadows on a wall or the floor. Cocteau’s commitment to drawing has always helped her succeed as a sculptor; however, her return to drawing as a focused voice in her creative repertoire is relatively recent. “Drawing is part of me,” she says. “And while I’ve been drawing seriously for a long time, it became very personal after my mother’s death. She introduced me to drawing many decades ago. Drawing became an outlet to work through the loss.” After conducting her own photo shoots, Cocteau creates her self-portraits from the resulting images, employing a limited set of tools (i.e., paper, graphite, pastels). Recognizable pencil strokes and shading define her figures. While most of Cocteau’s largest drawings are no longer on display at Classic Art Gallery, a
number of her smaller drawings are still up— and these intimate drawings display the same intensity and introspection typical of her lifesized and oversized drawings. While an outward lyricism dominates her sculptures, her self-portraits are pensive. There is only figure, no ground; Cocteau seems to float in space, lost or perhaps alienated. Without becoming trite or saccharine, the artist assumes almost identical meditative poses in her “Prayer Series”; one of these works remained on display at the gallery as of press time. Cocteau’s most-powerful picture, “Drawing #5,” is larger than life. The paper, ragged across the top and bottom, sets the mood. (Unfortunately, “Drawing #5” is located at her studio and not the gallery; however, visitors to the gallery can see a picture of it and Cocteau’s other works, or can get a glimpse at www. gessococteau.com/portfolio/drawings.) With this drawing, Cocteau focuses on her body from the neck to her feet. Other than a slight tilt of her legs and torso toward the viewer, the artist sits in profile. Her positioning of arms and legs creates a complex composition. Reminiscent of several John Sloan drawings, “Drawing #5” shows the artist undressed; however, the drawing is too modest to be considered a nude. Cocteau included elements of a floor, differentiating “Drawing #5” from her other large and oversized drawings. By doing so, she creates depth—
A work from Gesso Cocteau’s “Prayer Series.”
making this a transition piece. Cocteau told me that the recent retrospective marked a turning point in her career. “In addition to continuing my work in bronze, future pieces will likely be completed in some other metal, like steel,” she said. “I suspect that my drawings will be less introspective. By including other objects, they will take on a narrative. “I, too, am looking forward to seeing how my work evolves.” The works of Gesso Cocteau are on display at Classic Art Gallery, 73399 El Paseo, in Palm Desert. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday. For more information, call 760-568-3355, or visit www.classicartgallery.com. Victor S. Barocas is a photographer, author and educator/ business coach. Based in Cathedral City, he can be reached at Victor@VictorsVisions.com.
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ARTS & CULTURE
PETER PREQUEL
‘Starcatcher’—Winner of Five Tony Awards—Heads for the McCallum Theatre
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By Jimmy Boegle or Edward Tournier, the late-March stop at the McCallum Theatre for the traveling Peter and the Starcatcher production will be a Southern California homecoming, of sorts: The actor, who now calls New York City home, spent seven years in the Los Angeles theater scene. Tournier, who plays always-hungry-orphan Ted in the humorous Peter Pan prequel, is one of L.A. theater’s biggest defenders. “It gets a bad rap around the country, because people claim the actors there only want to be in film and TV,” says Tournier, 30. “But it’s a community where there are God knows how many actors, and it’s the most vibrant breeding ground for new plays that I’ve ever come across. That’s why I stayed there for so long. People there are passionate about theater.” Shortly after moving to New York City about a year ago, Tournier earned his first touring role in Peter and the Starcatcher, a play written by Rick Elice based on the humorous and whimsical novel penned by Dave Barry
A scene from Peter and the Starcatcher. CVIndependent.com
and Ridley Pearson. The play had a successful nine-month stint on Broadway in 2012 and 2013, during which it nabbed nine Tony Award nominations—with five wins. The current tour began last August in Denver, and is slated to conclude in Boston in June. The Independent spoke to Tournier by phone when he was in chilly Minneapolis,
shortly before he was to take the stage for the touring production’s 200th show. “It’s funny: In L.A., if you’re doing a play, you will do three or four performances a week for a relatively short amount of time, like a month or so, or six weeks, for a total of 12 to 15 performances,” he said. “For us (on tour), that’s a drop in the bucket.” He said the biggest difference between doing eight shows or so per week and doing three or four is the stamina that’s required of the cast and crew—especially since Peter and the Starcatcher is such a physical show. Another challenge has been keeping the show fresh, Tournier said. His character, Ted, is a mistreated orphan who gets taken under the figurative wings of young Peter and Molly, and he spends much of his time dealing with an overwhelming food obsession. “It’s a funny, sweet role,” Tournier said. “A
lot of my lines are one-liners or punch lines. It’s interesting to gauge how they go over in different regions. Comedy, of course, depends on timing, and … it can be a challenge to keep things from getting stale.” One of Tournier’s favorite aspects of Peter and the Starcatcher is its theatricality, he said: Twelve actors play 100 different roles; with the help of an onstage band and the audience’s collective imagination, they create the world of Neverland on what Tournier referred to as a bare-bones set. “This is a play for theater-lovers,” he said. “The things done onstage could not be done in any other medium.” He said it’s magical to see each audience get engaged in the world that they help create. “I call it lightning in a bottle,” he said. “It takes such sleight of hand to create this play with limited effects.” Tournier said that the play is meant for all ages; like with the great cartoons of old, children and adults will each find different levels of humor. “(The play) really draws on a lot of old theater traditions,” he said. Peter and the Starcatcher is coming to the McCallum as the Palm Desert venue—one of the busiest in the country during the winter and spring months—enters the homestretch before largely going dark during the summer. In April, the McCallum will host Broadway great Patti LuPone (April 3 and 4) and Diana Krall (April 11), among many others. The McCallum’s ever-popular Open Call Talent Competition performances will occur April 17-19, and the College of the Desert production of Les Misérables will take the stage May 1-4. A show by the Coachella Valley Symphony will close the McCallum’s 20132014 season on Friday, May 9. Peter and the Starcatcher will be performed at 8 p.m., Friday, March 28; 2 and 8 p.m., Saturday, March 29; and 2 and 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 30, at the McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, Tickets are $25 to $95, For tickets or more information, call 760-340-2787, or visit www.mccallumtheatre.com.
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Annenberg Theater Events James Barbour, who has starred on Broadway in shows including Assassins and Beauty and the Beast, performs at 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 9. $88. Broadway Tenors features Steve Bogardus, John Cudia and David Burnham singing beloved Broadway hits, including songs from Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera, at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 12. $60 to $75. At the Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs. 760-325-4490; www.psmuseum.org/annenberg-theater.
A Chorus Line—From Desert Cities Music Theatre The Musical Theatre University’s Desert Cities Music Theatre presents A Chorus Line, starring Broadway great Eric Kunze and a bunch of talented young actors, at 8 p.m., Friday, April 4; 2 and 8 p.m., Saturday, April 5; and 2 p.m., Sunday, April 6. $15 to $35. At the Helene Galen Theatre at Rancho Mirage High School, 31001 Rattler Road, Rancho Mirage. 760-2026482; www.hgpac.org. Coyote StageWorks at the Annenberg Theater Nora Ephron’s Love, Loss and What I Wore is performed at various times Wednesday through Sunday, from Friday, March 28, through Saturday, April 5. $39 to $55. At the Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs. 760325-4490; www.psmuseum.org/annenberg-theater. Fame, the Musical—From Rancho Mirage High School Performing Arts The fantastic students at Rancho Mirage High present the musical about the famous New York City performing-arts school, at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26; and 2 p.m., Sunday, April 27. $7 to $15. At the Helene Galen Theatre at Rancho Mirage High School, 31001 Rattler Road, Rancho Mirage; www.hgpac.org. Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune— From Coachella Valley Repertory CV Rep concludes their season of Terrence McNally plays with this classic story of two middle-aged people who open up to each other on their first date. 7:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, April 6. $40. At the Atrium, 69930 Highway 111, No. 116, Rancho Mirage. 760-296-2966; www.cvrep.org. Jesus Christ Superstar—From Palm Canyon Theatre The Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera! At 7 p.m., Thursday; 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, from Friday, April 4, through Sunday, April 20. $32; $10 students/children (call the box office). At 538 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760-323-5123; www.palmcanyontheatre.org. Marvin’s Room—From Indio Performing Arts Center Kirk Geiger stars in Marvin’s Room, “a hilarious and wondrous account of one woman’s commitment to loving others first, and her belief that giving such love has made her life unbelievably rich, even as she faces her own death,” at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, April 6. $19 to $26. At the Indio Performing Arts Center, 45175 Fargo St., Indio. 760-775-5200; www.indioperformingartscenter.org. McCallum Theatre The hit musical play based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, Peter and the Starcatcher, is performed at 8 p.m., Friday, March 28; 2 and 8 p.m., Saturday, March 29; and 2 and 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 30. $25 to $95. Broadway great Patti Lupone sings at 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday, April 3 and 4. $55 to $105. Morgan James, recently in the Broadway revival of Godspell, performs at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 5. $25 to $65. Michael Childers presents One Night Only, a show paying tribute to the Jewish legacy of Broadway; it’s a benefit for Jewish Family Service of the Desert, at 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 23; $75 to $195. The McCallum hosts College of the Desert’s production of Les
Misérables at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 1; 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 2 and 3; and 2 p.m., Sunday, May 4. $25 to $45. At the McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert. 760-340-2787; www.mccallumtheatre.com. Poster Boys—From Desert Rose Playhouse The world premiere of Dan Clancy’s Poster Boys, a drama about two plaintiffs recruited to serve as the public faces for a lawsuit against California’s gay-marriage-banning Prop 8, takes place at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, April 20. $25 to $28. At 69260 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage. 760-202-3000; www.desertroseplayhouse.org. Sixth Annual Play Reading Series—From Dezart Performs The company’s renowned Play Reading Series enters its sixth year, with talented actors and directors doing staged readings of submitted plays; the audience votes for the best, and the winner or winners are performed by Dezart Performs during the 2014-2015 season. At 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 11 and 18; and Saturday, April 12 and 19. $8 per show, or $25 for all four. At the Pearl McManus Theatre at the Palm Springs Womans Club, 314 S. Cahuilla Road, Palm Springs. 800-838-3006; www.dezartperforms.com. South Pacific—From Shadow Hills High School The talented students at this Indio high school perform the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, at 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday, April 10 and 11; and 2 and 7 p.m., Saturday, April 12. $10 advance, senior or military; $12 door. At Shadow Hills High School, 39225 Jefferson St., Indio. 760393-5400, ext. 44301. Sylvia—From Desert Ensemble Theatre A.R. Gurney’s play focuses on a dog, the couple that adopts her, and the chaos that ensues. Shows at 7 p.m., Friday, April 25; 2 and 7 p.m., Saturday, April 26; and 2 p.m., Sunday, April 27. $22; $18 students, seniors and military. At the Pearl McManus Theatre at the Palm Springs Womans Club, 314 S. Cahuilla Road, Palm Springs. 760-565-2476; www.detctheatre.org. Theatre 29 The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Town’s Women’s Dramatic Society Murder Mystery, a story about a theater’s opening night gone terribly wrong, takes place at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, through Saturday, March 29. $12; $10 seniors and military; $8 students. Alan Palmer’s Fabulous Divas of Hollywood is performed at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 12; and 2:30 p.m., Sunday, April 13. $15. Nunset Boulevard follows the Little Sisters of Hoboken as they’re getting set to perform at what they think is the Hollywood Bowl; turns out it’s actually a bowling alley. Shows at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, from Friday, April 25, through Saturday, May 24, with 2:30 p.m. matinees on Sunday, May 4 and 18. $12; $10 seniors and military; $8 students. At 73637 Sullivan Road, Twentynine Palms. 760-361-4151; theatre29.org. The Three Queens of Hearts Anna Maria Alberghetti, Ruta Lee and Mary Ann Mobley star in this live reunion show which features songs including “Memories” and “Maybe This Time,” at 7 p.m., Friday, April 4. $50. At the Indian Wells Theater at CSUSB Palm Desert, 37500 Cook St. 760-341-6909; pdc.csusb.edu/eventstheater.html. Tribunal—From Script2Stage2Screen Mark Milo Kessler’s play examines the strange relationship between Izzy, a court translator, and Hannelore, an avowed Nazi, in the days just before the Nuremberg Trials, at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5. $10. At the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert, 72425 Via Vail, Rancho Mirage. 760-345-7938; www.script2stage2screen.com.
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ARTS & CULTURE
A CRAPPY JOB
Western Lit: A Summer Gig at a Sewage-Treatment Plant Leaves an Impression on John Kevin Scariano
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BY BRIAN BLUESKYE e all remember our first job—perhaps an entry-level gig in fast food or retail. However, John Kevin Scariano had a very different experience: His first job was at a sewage-treatment plant in Chicago. He’s written about that experience in his book Marsh Township Sanitary District. The book begins in 1975. Scariano—now a resident of Albuquerque, NM, who works at the University of New Mexico’s School of Medicine—at the time was a high school graduate looking for work, so his father phoned a friend, a superintendent with the Marsh Township Sanitary District. The book’s back cover has a quote that sets things up nicely: “Because I was unable to participate in World War II, as it had ended three decades before, my father decided the nextbest experience in which I could fully attain manhood would be to spend two summers working in a sewage-treatment plant south of Chicago.” The details Scariano shares are, in many ways, deplorable. Topics covered include a lack of safety (Scariano ended up getting an infection due to the fact that he was working with fecal matter) and the blunt, hardcore talk of his co-workers on subjects such as their war-time experiences, race issues and their sexual fantasies involving Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Scariano notes that he saw himself as much more intelligent than his co-workers; he sometimes corrected them or threw scientific tidbits into conversations—so it’s no surprise they saw him as a snobby, know-it-all brat. The book also discusses the fact that Mafia bosses were involved with the sanitary district; Scariano goes into great detail regarding their involvement. The FBI even makes an appearance. While Scariano is spending time in crap— literally (one of his jobs was to analyze samples of fecal-matter density)—many of his friends were attending summer programs, traveling in Europe, or enjoying the typical summer experience. His father is not sympathetic in any way, while his mother does show some sympathy by having cold beers ready for him when he gets home. Scariano spends a lot of time contemplating why he wasn’t as fortunate CVIndependent.com
as his friends. Does Scariano look back on the experience fondly, perhaps appreciating his father for toughening him up by making him take such challenging work? He offers this bit of insight regarding the job and his high school friend Bobby: “Maybe I never did learn the value of the dollar; I’ve never been very good when it comes to money. But I certainly learned the value of good friends.” Given that the now-Dr. Scariano went on to teach at the University of New Mexico’s School of Medicine, obviously some of the experience must have been of value. This slim volume is an interesting read—even if the topics can at times be stomach-churning. Marsh Township Sanitary District, By Dr. John Kevin Scariano (AuthorHouse, self-published), 125 pages, $14.95
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APRIL ARTS Film SCI-FI LIT FLICKS: CHILDREN OF MEN Nominated for three Academy Awards, Children of Men is a dystopian film loosely based on P.D. James’ 1992 novel. In 2027, in a chaotic world in which women have become infertile, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary. Prior to the movie, enjoy a short conversation between science-fiction expert Sherryl Vint, UC Riverside English professor, and Tod Goldberg, director of UCR Palm Desert’s low-residency MFA program. 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 8. Free. University of California, Riverside—Palm Desert, 75080 Frank Sinatra Drive, Palm Desert. 760-834-0800; palmdesert.ucr.edu/ programs/Lit_Flicks.html. PALM DESERT ART DOCUMENTARY SERIES: STOLEN In the early morning hours after St. Patrick’s Day 1990, thieves disguised as policemen gained access into Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner museum and successfully executed the largest art heist in modern history. Stolen is a full exploration of this unusual crime and the fascinating, disparate characters involved. The film will be followed by a Q&A with Lynne Richardson, co-founder of the FBI Art Crime Team. 6 p.m., Thursday, April 17. Free. University of California, Riverside—Palm Desert, 75080 Frank Sinatra Drive, Palm Desert. 760-8340800; palmdesert.ucr.edu/programs/ArtDoc13.html.
Music FOOLS FOLLY GOES TO BROADWAY A luncheon with a musical program of Broadway favorites features Paul MacKey, Lola Rossi, and other surprise performers. Proceeds benefit Well in the Desert. 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 2. $95. Spencer’s Restaurant, 701 W. Baristo Road, Palm Springs. 760-327-8577; www. wellinthedesert.org. GARDENS ON EL PASEO CONCERT SERIES Residents and visitors alike can start off Saturday evening by socializing at the wine-and-cheese reception held on the center lawn before each concert at 5:15 p.m. For a $12 donation, guests enjoy light refreshments catered by Pacifica Seafood Restaurant and Sullivan’s Steakhouse, as well as two glasses of wine sponsored by Anderholt Whittaker. April 5: John Stanley King Band, benefitting YMCA of the Desert. April 12: Magdalena Chovancova, benefiting Angel View. April 19: Organic Sol, benefiting United Cerebral Palsy. Free. The Gardens on El Paseo, 73545 El Paseo, Palm Desert. 760-862-1990; www.thegardensonelpaseo.com.
OPERA IN THE PARK Building on a tradition of presenting talented young opera singers to the Coachella Valley, the Palm Springs Opera Guild of the Desert will present the 16th annual Opera in the Park. This annual event features a selection of familiar arias sung by talented young opera singers with a professional orchestra conducted by Maestro Valery Ryvkin. Bring your picnic lunch and enjoy a wonderful day of beautiful music. Food libations, and art vendors will add to the festivities. Noon to 4 p.m., Sunday, April 6. Free. Sunrise Park, between Ramon and Baristo roads on Sunrise Drive, Palm Springs. 760-325-6107; palmspringsoperaguild.org. OPERA UNDER THE STARS The fifth-annual event. Receiving the St. Cecilia Patron of Music Award will be Nancy Harris, on behalf of the Coeta and Donald Barker Foundation. Local artist Gideon will create the art piece that will be presented to the foundation. A reception, a sit-down dinner and a divine opera presentation are included. 6:30 p.m., Sunday, April 13. $125. Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa, 44400 Indian Wells Lane, Indian Wells. 760-323-8353; www. operaartspalmsprings.org. PALM SPRINGS WOMEN’S JAZZ FESTIVAL L&G Events is proud to announce the return of the Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival, with more than 30 national and international celebrated female jazz musicians. Various prices, times and locations from Thursday, April 3, through Sunday, April 6. 760-416-3545; pswomensjazzfestival.com.
Speakers ARTS AND LETTERS: TERESA RHYNE Meet the author of The Dog Lived (and So Will I), a New York Times bestseller. She’ll talk about her love of beagles, her triumph over cancer and her wildly popular memoir of survival. 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 2. Free. University of California, Riverside—Palm Desert, 75080 Frank Sinatra Drive, Palm Desert. 760-834-0800; palmdesert.ucr.edu/ programs/ArtsLetters13.html. THE LAST 100 DAYS IN WORLD WAR II IN EUROPE The Palm Springs Air Museum presents Dr. Ed Gordon, who has lectured around the world and taken travelers to locations in Europe and the Pacific in order to highlight the facts of World War II as they unfolded. By January 1945, the Allies were closing in on what remained of Hitler’s Europe. Even though the Germans had spent their last reserves in
the abortive Battle of the Bulge, 10 million solders would still resist during those last 100 days. Gordon recounts the landmark events that would shape the political destiny of Europe and the world for the next 50 years. 1 p.m., Saturday, April 5. Lecture is included with regular museum admission. Check the website for other lectures, which occur every Saturday in April. Palm Springs Air Museum, 745 N. Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs. 760-778-6262; www. palmspringsairmuseum.org. WELLNESS MATTERS WITH DR. EBEN ALEXANDER Neurosurgeon and author Dr. Eben Alexander will discuss his near-death experience and his book Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey Into the Afterlife, which chronicles his powerful, life-changing story. 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 9. $85. Annenberg Center for Health Sciences at Eisenhower Medical Center, 39000 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. 760-340-3911; www.emc.org/body. cfm?id=1220.
Special Events CELEBRITY DOODLES A fun and unique fundraising event, and a great cocktail party. The event features professional entertainment (including singer Taylor Dayne) plus live and silent auctions of celebrity donated items such as art, tickets to a show, a celebrity book, signed memorabilia or even a doodle itself. A benefit for Desert AIDS Project. 6 p.m., Saturday, April 5. $179. Palm Springs Air Museum, 745 N. Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs. 415-420-9063; www.celebritydoodles.com. CLASSIC CARS UNDER THE STARS Desert Willow Golf Resort transforms into a showroom of vintage cars on display. See all the classic cars, enjoy live music, eat an amazing dinner and have a great time. 5 p.m., Saturday, April 19. General $49; classic-car owners $35. Desert Willow Golf Resort, 38995 Desert Willow Drive, Palm Desert. 760-346-0015; www.desertwillow.com. DATA-SKILLSUSA GOLF TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER The Digital Arts Technology Academy is holding its secondannual Golf Tournament in support of students competing at the state and national levels. Noon, Saturday, April 5. $99. Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort, 1885 Golf Club Drive, Palm Springs, 760-989-2483; www.dataskillsusa.org. THE DINAH SHORE WEEKEND Club Skirts presents The Dinah, the largest girl party music festival in the world, rocking Palm Springs for 23 years. Various prices, times and locations from Thursday, April 3, through Sunday, April 6. 888-923-4624; thedinah.com. FAUX FUR BALL The fur will be “faux,” but the fun will be real. Chef Arturo Montez will whip up fabulous food, and libations will flow. You’ll be seated on the faux fur ... and can pet real fur on our beautiful dogs and cats. KESQ and CBS Local 2 personality Bianca Rae will emcee. 6 p.m., Saturday, April 12. $95. Palm Springs Animal Shelter, 4575 E. Mesquite Ave., Palm Springs. 760-567-6464; palmspringsanimalfriends.ning.com/events/faux-fur-ball.
WHITE PARTY PALM SPRINGS The largest gay dance party in the world, with DJs, live performances, pool parties and more. Various prices, times and locations, from Friday, April 25, through Sunday, April 27. 323-782-9924; www.jeffreysanker.com/2014-wp-main. html.
Visual Arts 99 BUCKS ART SALE The Artists Council of the Palm Springs Art Museum holds its annual “99 Bucks” art-sale fundraiser, featuring 5-by-7inch canvases, created by a wide range of celebrities and artists, all sold anonymously for $99. After the canvases are purchased, the name of the artist is revealed. Past contributors include Ed Ruscha, Tony Bennett, Barry Manilow and K.D. Lang, among others. 4:30 p.m., Saturday, April 12. Free. Riviera Palm Springs, 1600 N. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760-322-4850; fineartamerica.com/ profiles/99-bucks.html. ARTWALK OPENING: BIRGITTA KAPPE View the beautifully painted landscapes and street scenes of the desert by the artist during El Paseo’s First Friday Artwalk. 5 p.m., Friday, April 4. Free. Desert Art Collection, 45350 San Luis Rey Ave., Palm Desert. 760-674-9955; www. desertartcollection.com. DESERTSCAPES: OUTLIERS In conjunction with Desertscapes, a month-long collaboration of major arts and community organizations celebrating artwork inspired by the Coachella Valley landscape, three Southern California photographers—Bill Brewer, Victory Tischler Blue and Jeff Alu—will be featured in three solo exhibits. Through Thursday, April 10. Free. Marks Art Center at College of the Desert, 43500 Monterey Ave, Palm Desert. 760-776-7278; www.collegeofthedesert. edu/community/gallery/Pages/ex.aspx. HOPI KACHINA CARVING WEEKEND Cabot’s hosts the new Hopi Kachina Carving Event as part of the museum’s 100th anniversary. Friday, April 11, through Sunday, April 13. With museum admission. Cabot’s Pueblo Museum, 67616 E. Desert View Ave., Desert Hot Springs. 760-329-7610; cabotsmuseum.org/100-year. INDIAN WELLS ARTS FESTIVAL More than 200 award-winning artists feature hundreds of pieces of one-of-a-kind artwork available for purchase. Paintings, drawings, ceramics, glass, photography, sculpture, jewelry, apparel and hand-crafted wares are included. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, April 4, through Sunday, April 6. $12; children 12 and younger free. Indian Wells Tennis Garden, 78200 Miles Ave., Indian Wells. 760-3460042; www.indianwellsartsfestival.com. Submit your free arts listings at calendar.artsoasis.org. The listings presented here were all posted on the ArtsOasis calendar, and formatted/edited by Coachella Valley Independent staff. The Independent recommends calling to confirm all events information presented here.
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MOVIES
NOW SHOWING AT HOME
New Blu-Ray Releases Include a Best Picture and an Ill-Advised Remake
THE VIDEO DEPOT
TOP 10 LIST for MARCH 2014
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By Bob Grimm 12 Years a Slave 20th Century Fox, released March 4 The picture that took home Best Picture honors at this year’s Academy Awards is based on the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in upstate New York who was abducted and sold into slavery before the Civil War. The film from director Steve McQueen, which took home three Oscars, is a towering achievement, one of last year’s bravest and most-uncompromising films. Chiwetel Ejiofor got a much-deserved Oscar nomination for playing Northup, a man who was forced to work on cotton plantations—one of them run by the despicable Edwin Epps, played by Michael Fassbender (also an Oscar nominee) in a vicious and brilliant performance. McQueen shows slavery as the horror it was, and Ejiofor puts a character on the screen who you will never forget. If you were one of the few people who saw 2011’s Pariah, you know that Adepero Oduye is a stellar actress, as she further proves here as Eliza, a woman sold into slavery and taken from her children. Relative newcomer Lupita Nyong’o (an Oscar winner) is equally heartbreaking as Patsey, a victim of Epps’ sick abuse. The movie is shocking, violent and unrelenting in its mission to show this country in its worst, most shameful days. It’s about time somebody had the guts to make a movie like this one. Special Features: There are not a lot—just some short features on the score and the folks who made the movie. Oldboy Sony, released March 4 It was an asinine, ridiculous, energy-wasting, moronic idea to remake Chan-wook Park’s certifiably insane 2003 revenge-film classic. I’m fairly open-minded about the idea of remakes, but some films should never be touched again. Heck, it’s amazing that the original Oldboy—a
shocking tale of captivity, octopus-eating and incest—actually made it to the big screen in the first place. Spike Lee landed the job of Americanizing Park’s film (after Steven Spielberg flirted with the idea), and he actually does a decent job in the first half. Josh Brolin plays a drunken louse who gets kidnapped and imprisoned in a strange hotel room for 20 years while somebody frames him for the murder of his wife. He is then released— whereupon he starts seeking revenge. The captivity scenes are the best parts of this movie, with Brolin doing a good job of losing his mind. However, the movie falls apart when he gets out, even though Lee’s attempt to re-create the infamous hallway hammer scene is admirable. Rumor has it Lee’s original cut was an hour longer. I’d like to see that, because what made it to the screen feels both unnecessary and incomplete. Special Features: You don’t get the extended cut, alas, but you do get an extended version of the infamous fight scene, and a making-of doc. Blue Is the Warmest Color Criterion Collection, released Feb. 25 Adèle Exarchopoulos delivers one of last year’s breakout performances in Blue Is the Warmest Color, a shocking and beautiful movie about a young woman discovering her sexuality. Exarchopoulos gives a performance that feels honest at every turn, with an expressive face that belongs on the big screen. Léa Seydoux (the assassin from the last Mission: Impossible film) is also powerful as Emma, the blue-haired woman upon whom Adele sets her sights. The two are wonderful together and provide real soul in a tremendously affecting love story. Director Abdellatif Kechiche overdoes it a tad with some of the most explicit and overlong sex scenes ever displayed on a commercial movie screen. I’m not surprised that the actresses were a little pissed at their director in the aftermath. The scenes could stand a little trimming. Still, Exarchopoulos and Seydoux kept me riveted for nearly three hours. It’s a shame this
was never submitted as a contender for the Best Foreign Film Oscar, because it was a true winner. Special Features: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a lamer set of supplements on a Criterion Collection release. There are a couple of commercials, and that’s it. There are no commentaries, no makingof docs, no sex-scene bloopers … nothing. It’s shocking. Perhaps there will be a special edition in the future. Nebraska Paramount, released Feb. 25 I can’t deny the amazing acting work in this Best Picture nominee from the likes of Bruce Dern (an Oscar nominee), Will Forte, Bob Odenkirk and especially June Squibb (also an Oscar nominee). These performances are all wonderful. What I can bemoan is the stupid, stupid story that propels that acting. Dern plays an old codger who becomes convinced that he’s won a million dollars because of a magazine-subscription letter saying he’s a winner. So he starts walking from Montana to Nebraska; his son (Forte) eventually helps him on his quest with an automobile. It’s a dumb idea, and the premise is too improbable for a serious comedy movie. Still, it does lay the groundwork for a decent father-son dynamic between Dern and Forte; Odenkirk shows up as another son and knocks his part out of the park. The film nabbed six Oscar nominations, and Squibb was the most deserving for her work as Dern’s droll wife. (The black-and-white cinematography is also quite nice.) As for the Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Director (Alexander Payne) and Best Actor nominations … I don’t think so. The movie is good in a peculiar way, but far from great. While Dern gave a strong performance, it doesn’t stand up when compared to the work of Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street and Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years a Slave. (They all lost to Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club anyway.) Special Features: There’s just one, a making-of doc, that’s a decent-enough watch.
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street.
1. The Wolf of Wall Street (Paramount) 2. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Lionsgate) 3. Homefront (Universal) 4. American Hustle (Sony) 5. Frozen (Disney) 6. 12 Years a Slave (20th Century Fox) 7. Out of the Furnace (20th Century Fox) 8. Saving Mr. Banks (Disney) 9. Delivery Man (Disney) 10. Hours (Lionsgate) CVIndependent.com
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•• SNIFF THE CAP HEADS TO PASO ROBLES •• RESTAURANT NEWS BITES: TASTY TREATS AT APPETITO; DRINK AND WINE PAIRINGS AT FANTASY SPRINGS; AND MUCH MORE! •• THE INDY ENDORSEMENT: TWO TASTY COCKTAILS (AND A BURGER, TOO!) www.cvindependent.com/FOOD-DRINK
FRESH AND FRUITY BREWS Coachella Valley Brewing Co. Is Making Waves With Expanded Distribution, Special Offerings (Including Kumquats!) and Excellent Events
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FOOD & DRINK
the SNIFF CAP
Going Back for the Bitch in Paso Robles
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By Deidre Pike n older couple in a BMW drove randomly, stopping in directionless confusion at one busy intersection before zipping illegally around a car parked at a stoplight and lurching up the Highway 101 onramp. “I’m going to assume everyone on the road is sloshed,” said Dave. Fair assumption. Drivers might be three sheets to the wine wind anywhere. But Paso Robles—not quite a five-hour drive from Palm Springs, just north of San Luis Obispo—sports 120 wine-tasting rooms sprawled over a twisting, hilly maze of country roads. It’s no wonder the Paso Wines website recommends swishing and spitting when tasting. Or hiring a driver. Speaking of hired drivers: I must give a shout-out to my extremely responsible husband, who limited himself to tiny tastes so that I could drink. Which is why I was three sheets to the wine as I wrote notes for this column in the front seat of his Honda Civic. A weekend of delicious fermented goodness! Paso’s Wild Wine Festival weekend, no less! It was close enough to my birthday to qualify as my gift. Dave booked an ocean-view campsite at Hearst San Simeon State Park. Paying $20 a night for a campsite instead of $200 a night at a bed-and-breakfast meant we could buy more wine to take home. And the stars were glorious. Before we hit the road, I created a “zinful itinerary” on the Paso Wine website (www.pasowine.com), focusing on wineries in West Paso, many that specialize in Rhone varietals. Dave also made a Google map with wineries we knew or that were recommended by friends. (Drop me an email at dpike@ cvindependent.com, and I’ll share the map with you.) Of course, my smartphone died, and the battery in Dave’s iPad ebbed to almost non-existent. So when Sara Hufferd, serving wine at Cypher Winery, handed us a booklet with a print map, we were grateful. Print on paper—still so useful. Hufferd introduced us to Cypher’s rule-bending wines, from the 2010 Freakshow Anarchy ZMS ($40, zin-mourvedre-syrah) to the raging 2011 ZinBitch ($30). Dave purchased the 2009 Peasant GSM ($40, grenache-syrah-mourvedre), and we drank it that night by our campfire. We went back Saturday so I could buy the Bitch. Paso’s March event once celebrated zinfandel exclusively, but has expanded to include “other wild wines.” Coming soon: Paso’s 32nd Annual Wine Festival, May 15-18, with a Grand Tasting—60 wineries and gourmet food fare—on May 17. This event tends to sell out, so plan ahead.
Festival goodies varied by winery but included free food pairings, barrel tastings, live music, winemaker dinners, vineyard tours—and piles of people. Some tasting bars were three-deep in sippers. But the Paso folks kept things running remarkably smooth. At many wineries, tasting bars were set up outside or spread out in large sprawling buildings. At Tablas Creek Vineyard, we received plenty of personal attention from Cindy, who took us through the featured wines and food pairings—and even went off-menu, rustling up a delicious 2011 mourvedre ($40) and a fun obscure 2011 tannat ($40). “Because it’s your birthday!” she said. Everywhere we went, servers were friendly and attentive, even when wildly busy. When we walked into the jam-packed wine bar at Whalebone Winery, Victoria the Temp behind the bar made eye contact, grinned and managed to pass me a taste of Whalebone’s 2012 Ballena Blanca. She gave me tasting notes so that I could read about this tasty white ($28, marsanne, grenache blanc, roussanne). Victoria works in a law office by day. She’s a fan of the 2011 Boneyard ($33, mourvedre and friends), which we buy. Obviously, Paso also didn’t disappoint on its original promise—zinfandel. Stand-outs? At Adelaida Winery, one tasting bar was devoted to library zins bottled more than a decade ago. The bar was, again, swarmed, but a kind server walked around the bar to meet me with a bottle of 2002 zinfandel and tasting notes printed on card stock. The aged velvet fruit hit my tongue, and I wrote “holy shit!” at the top of the page, followed by “redolent with zinness.” At age 12, the wine’s tannins have matured, disappeared, leaving smooth fruit and spicy black licorice. I stood in the shade, enjoying this zin and watching a mass of joyous humanity. A woman played guitar and sang “Wagon Wheel” as the server roamed back around to me and delivered a 2002 reserve zin ($60)—even better than the first. The grapes came from 80-year-old vines in a dry-farmed vineyard nearby. I tasted three more zins before moving on to the winery’s current release, the 2011 Michael’s Vineyard zin ($36). After so many leathery old wines, this one clambered for attention like an adolescent. No matter: We know what he’s going to be when he grows up. Speaking of young, Adelaida’s 2012 zinfandel was still in barrels. Inside the winery, a woman dispensed tastes by
Winemaker Frank Nerelli is the great-grandson of one of the first winemakers in the Paso Robles region. DEIDRE PIKE
inserting a phallic glass tube, or “thief,” into the barrel’s bung. Tasters lined up, three or four at a time, and she dispensed an ounce or two in each glass. Barrel tasting excites folks. We had arrived in Paso Robles on Friday afternoon when the wineries were less populated by swarming hordes. We drove past dozens of tasting rooms, looking for one recommended by several friends. Zin Alley is right off Highway 46 West, next door to Cypher. Inside, a partially lit fellow was drinking and buying a T-shirt with a clever logo: “If found, please return to the nearest winery.” “I just had to have it!” the man said, face glowing. “The nearest winery,” I replied, happily, “because any winery will do!” “Exactly!” Zin Alley has plenty of such kitsch, including a sign that notes: “Wine is how classy people get shit-faced.” The guy left, and we had the place and winemaker Frank Nerelli to ourselves. Nerelli grows grapes, makes small batches of wine and pours for folks in the tasting room. It’s not surprising that he’s a skilled wine-making fiend. His great grandparents Lorenzo and Rena Nerelli owned one of the first vineyards in Paso Robles, which they bought in 1917. Frank Nerelli bought his property from his uncle in the 1970s. When I cast him as a hard-working guy, though, he shrugged. “I play quite a bit,” he assured me. “You gotta know how to prioritize.” On a weekday morning, he might work, say, pruning a row or a row and a half of grapes. “If I start at 6, I’m done at 9,” he said. “Then I can drink beer all day.” We liked this guy. Nerelli’s award-winning wines were as amazing as my friends’ rave reviews suggested. Nerelli’s Generation 4 ($47) is a blend of 80 percent syrah with 20 percent grenache. Dry-farmed. Never any pesticides. The grenache balanced the rich, dark syrah expertly. We liked this wine. Nerelli looked at my business card. “Sniff the Cap,” he said and chuckled. Dave and I felt right at home. Paso Robles, we’ll be back. CVIndependent.com
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FOOD & DRINK the
Not Even a Year Old, Coachella Valley Brewing Co. Is Making Waves With Expanded Distribution, Special Offerings and Excellent Events
WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/FOOD-DRINK
By Erin Peters region formerly best known for old-school martinis continues to expand its craft-beer prowess—and a brewery that’s not even a year old is, in many ways, leading the way by offering small-batch offerings, tap-room special releases and seasonal farm-to-glass brews. Coachella Valley Brewing Co. may be best known for its popular wide releases like Kolschella, Desert Swarm and Monumentous, but it’s also pushing limits with clever blends, new yeast strains and inspiring bourbon beers. Currently aging in the barrels at the Thousand Palms brewery is Mayahuel, a new Belgian-style agave tripel. This will be the first offering of the brewery’s new Fault Line Society, a premium reserve club, with memberships starting at $150 per year. Fault Line Society members receive discounts and can earn points, which can be redeemed for gift cards to be used on future purchases. Members will also be invited to beer-release parties, among other perks. Find details at www.cvbco.com. Mayahuel gets its name from the Aztec goddess of agave. Additions of Blue Weber Agave Nectar and clear candi sugar, imported from Belgium, lighten the body while adding complex alcoholic aromas and spicy flavors of banana, clove and anise. The complexity is complemented by the additions of tangerines and limes. This beer has been aging in bourbon barrels for more than a month, with another month or two left to go; expect those bourbon barrels to add rich notes of toffee, vanilla and caramel. Desert locals are no stranger to small critters and insects—and CVB is offering a seasonal bourbon-barrel-aged Russian imperial stout, called Black Widow, to Fault Line Society members. At a whopping 16 percent alcohol by volume, Black Widow is formulated with a Maris Otter malt base and five different dark-roasted malts. After fermentation began, brewmaster Chris Anderson and company added Belgian chocolate, molasses, Vermont maple syrup and Belgian dark candi sugar. This pitch-black beauty was then placed in bourbon barrels, where it’s currently aging. If you’re looking for something lighter to suit the warmer valley days, try the Oasis Ale, a 5.6 percent ABV ale-and-cider medley. Anderson has been known to gather the apples from Julian orchards himself. This unique offering begins with malted white wheat and pale malted barley; freshly pressed cider is then added to the brew, resulting in a refreshing beer. CVIndependent.com
Currently on tap is the popular “Luke Rye Walker” Belgian-style rye double India pale ale. The beer is named after Luke Anderson, Chris Anderson’s new son. The intergalactic IPA was formulated with Pacific Northwest pale malt, caramel malt and malted rye, resulting in a sweet yet earthy backbone. The toffee notes are given life with simcoe and Australian summer hops. The force continues with Torulaspora delbrueckii, the house wild yeast, deepening the complexity with fruity esters of pear and peach. Try a pint before it disappears! CVB is also busy expanding its reach and brand. Young’s Market Company started distributing 1,200 cases of CVB beer statewide in mid-March, with Desert Swarm, Kölschella and Monumentous India Pale Ale being offered. And watch out for 200 CVB handles in bars and restaurants across Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. Of course, April is known for being the biggest music month in the Coachella Valley, and the brewery is helping people get ready with the help of local artists and DJs. On Saturday, April 5, from 3 to 8 p.m., CVB and the Coachella Valley Independent—yep, that’s us—will offer live art, food, six DJs and, of course, great craft beer at the Pre-Coachella Warehouse Party. Southern California native and Palm Springs resident Caitie Magraw and fellow artist Michael Perez are collaborating on a live art piece and will be painting throughout the day. The entertainment lineup includes local music luminaries All Night Shoes (aka Alex Harrington, an Independent contributor and one of the party’s organizers), Synthetix, Ivanna Love, Feeme A, RowLow and CreamSFV. The $35 ticket price includes four 12-ounce Coachella Valley Brewing beers.
People from Coachella Valley Brewing Co. recently picked 700 pounds of kumquats to use in the Desert Swarm beer. ERIN PETERS
Get tickets before they sell out at www. brownpapertickets.com. Proceeds will go to the EcoMedia Compass; the nonprofit is working to raise awareness about and funds to restore the Salton Sea. EcoMedia Compass and its “Save Our Sea” movement began when Kerry Morrison, a local musician, filmed a music video there. Morrison realized the sea’s needs and potential, and banded together with fellow artists, scientists, filmmakers and activists. Get more info at www.ecomediacompass.org.
In-between the two Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival weekends, CVB will take over the taps at Eureka! in Indian Wells: On Wednesday, April 16, CVB will have a minimum of five handles at the Indian Wells craft beer and burger restaurant. It’s great to see Coachella Valley Brewing answering the call for a bigger selection of sophisticated and modern beers. As Anderson frequently implores: Stay thirsty, revolutionaries!
APRIL 2014
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Reject mediocre media
CVIndependent.com
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FOOD & DRINK
Restaurant NEWS BITES
WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/FOOD-DRINK
By Jimmy Boegle APPETITO CAL-ITALIAN DELI IS OPEN—AND EXCITING It’s safe to say that Appetito Cal-Italian Deli, at 1700 S. Camino Real, in Palm Springs (located in the same building as Koffi), is unlike every other restaurant in the Coachella Valley. On one hand, the service is fast-casual, meaning that you order at the counter and then get your food delivered to you. (Take note: One of the managers lectured me when I called the service style “fast casual,” even though the term is accurate.) On the other hand, the food you’ll receive is better than you’d get at almost every other so-called fast-casual restaurant. (This explains the lecture.) On one hand, the menu looks fairly simple: It includes starters, salads, pastas, sandwiches and foccacia (think pizzas, but on foccacia rather than pizza dough). On the other hand, it’s not simple at all: For example, one of the salads is a surprisingly tasty Tuscan kale Caesar (I say “surprising,” because I despise kale), and the ricotta gnocchi is made entirely of cheese—no potato or pasta is present. On one hand, the décor is open and has a bustling, industrial sort of feel. On the other hand, the space is quite comfortable and features great lamps and other fantastic touches, due to the Christopher Kennedy design. There’s also a great bar, and the patio features an amazing mountain view over the adjacent Ace Hotel and Swim Club. I was invited to a recent media dinner at Appetito, and I was stunned by all that managing partner Patrick Service and executive chef Chad Shaner—both veterans of the New York restaurant scene—have managed to accomplish so far. We tried a lot of food, and my favorites included the blistered shishito peppers ($5); the tagliatelle with English peas, pancetta, pecorino and a hint of mint ($11 regular portion; $16 full portion); and the foccacia with oven-dried tomatoes, stracciatella, oregano and garlic ($9). However, the undisputed highlight was the porchetta panino, with pork, broccoli rabe, provolone and a chili aioli ($14). It’s delicious on its own; it’s simply stunning when paired with Coachella Valley Brewing Co.’s Appetito Ale—brewed specially for Appetito, and brewed specifically to go with the porchetta panino. Appetito opens at 11 a.m. daily. Call 760-327-1929, or visit www.appetitodeli.com for details. FANTASY SPRINGS OFFERS SIP OF THE DESERT The Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, in Indio, is promoting its new Sip of the Desert Wine and Spirit Tasting series thusly: “Think monthly wine club, but with the top wineries and spirit distilleries all in one place, knowledgeable representatives, no pricey membership, gourmet cheese pairings and a breathtaking view spanning across the valley floor.” OK. We’re intrigued. On Wednesday, March 26, the first Sip of the Desert will feature wines from Napa Valley’s Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. On Wednesday, April 23, expect tastings of Scotch! The monthly event is held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the 12th Floor Cocktail Lounge and Wine Bar, and it will cost you $20. Reservations are recommended at 760-238-5727. THE RITZ-CARLTON TAKES A CALIFORNIA-CENTERED DINING APPROACH After a number of long and costly delays, it appears that The Ritz Carlton, Rancho Mirage, 68900 Frank Sinatra Drive, is actually going to open soon: The resort is hiring and accepting reservations for arrivals starting on May 15. But what does the Ritz have in store for foodies? The resort’s website offers some clues. The State Fare Bar + Kitchen “pays tribute to California’s prized harvest and ingredients, inspired by offerings from the finest purveyors in the Coachella Valley, inland Southern California and the Pacific coast,” says the website. “Presenting the best of California for daily breakfast, lunch and supper, the restaurant provides a fresh and creative California menu, a lively chefs’ display kitchen, seasonal and artisanal culinary specialties, and signature cocktail trolley service offering table-side classics with a twist.” Wait. Did that say signature cocktail trolley service? Very cool. In the fall, The Edge steakhouse is slated to open at the resort as well. Watch for details at www. ritzcarlton.com. IN BRIEF If you’re picking up this issue of the Independent early, and you’re a local, take note: Sessions, the restaurant at the Hard Rock Palm Springs (150 S. Indian Canyon Drive), is offering half-off breakfasts and lunches to locals every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday through the end of March. Another tip for locals: The Hard Rock pool is open to the public at no charge (as long as you’re 21 or older), and as the weather warms up, there will be more poolside barbecue options available. … Shawn Aoki, the chef at Pinzimini at the Westin Mission Hills (71333 Dinah Shore Drive, Rancho Mirage), is now offering a new five-course tasting menu. Enjoy kale chips as an amuse before moving on to cauliflower soup, herbed risotto and lobster toast. For the main course, choose between porcini fennel-rubbed flat-iron steak or basil pesto pasta, before finishing with a profiterole for dessert. All of this is yours for $75; visit www. pinziminipalmsprings.com for details. CVIndependent.com
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APRIL 2014
FOOD & DRINK the
INDY ENDORSEMENT
WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/FOOD-DRINK
This Month, We Bring You Details on Two Fantastic Cocktails
By Jimmy Boegle WHAT The Smokey and the Jalapeño Egg Burger at Eureka! WHERE Eureka!, 74985 Highway 111, Indian Wells HOW MUCH $13 (Smokey) and $11.50 (burger with fries) CONTACT 760-834-7700; eurekarestaurantgroup.com WHY A perfect cocktail with a perfect burger. Regular readers of this space know I have a love of good, unique craft cocktails. Regular readers of this space also know I have a love of all things meat. Therefore, I now have a love of Eureka! There are a dozen or so Eureka! restaurants, most of them in Southern California, and one of the newest locations opened not too long ago in Indian Wells, in the space that once housed Le St. Germain. Burgers are one of the star attractions, although salads and other entrées (like pan-seared salmon and a beer-braised duck that I must try on a future visit) can be had, too. The other star attraction: booze, including an impressive variety of beer and some of the tastiest-sounding cocktails you’ll find in the valley. I met The Beer Goddess for a recent lunch at Eureka!, and after reading the irresistible description of the Smokey cocktail—Corsair Triple Smoke whiskey, plus vermouth, cherry liqueur and orange—I faced a dilemma: I really wanted this cocktail. However, I normally avoid hard liquor during weekday lunches— plus, I was meeting The Beer Goddess, and Eureka’s selection of beer is close to stunning. Well, the Smokey is decidedly not beer. I ordered the Smokey anyway. As the saying goes: You only live once. I was glad I did. The cocktail was the perfect blend of savory (thanks to the notoverwhelming-yet-present smokiness), sweet and citrus. It took amazing self-control to limit myself to one—but there was a long drive (and half of a workday) ahead, so limit myself, I did. Of course, we were having lunch, not just drinks, so I also ordered the jalapeño egg burger—and it was also endorsement-worthy. The burger was prepared to order—a spot-on medium rare—and came out juicy without being greasy. And how can one go wrong when adding
egg, bacon, jalapeño slices, cheddar cheese and just a bit of chipotle sauce? You can’t. It was one of the better lunches I’ve had in a while. Eureka! WHAT The Nutty Chi Chi WHERE Tonga Hut Palm Springs, 254 N. Palm Canyon Drive HOW MUCH $11 CONTACT 760-322-4449; www.tongahut.com WHY Nutty and creamy is a dreamy combination. Tiki bars—drinking establishments that serve tropical, island-themed cocktails, often with an emphasis on fruit juices and rum—used to be a big freaking deal. After World War II, these bars slung mai tais and scorpion bowls to a thirsty, eager public. In fact, Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley were the home of a number of tiki bars before the craze subsided and largely died off in the 1970s. However, to some, like Tonga Hut co-owner Amy Boylan, the craze never died. The original Tonga Hut has been a mainstay in North Hollywood since 1958, and when her crew opened the second Tonga Hut here in downtown Palm Springs in February, they reintroduced tikibar culture to the Coachella Valley—in a big way. Ask, if you can, for a tour of the Palm Springs Tonga Hut; the detail will amaze you. One of my favorite details: photos, menus and other memorabilia from some of those late, lamented Palm Springs tiki joints, framed within each of the booths. Very cool. Unlike the original Tonga Hut, the Palm Springs spot has a full kitchen and serves food; they’re working out a few kinks in that area, as one would expect. But thanks to 56 years of experience, the folks at Tonga Hut have the drinks down pat—and one of our favorites is the Nutty Chi Chi. The drink is not all that complicated—it’s got some creamy piña-colada fixings, vodka and macadamia-nut liqueur—but the result is a smooth, sweet, refreshing and nuanced glass of fun. This drink will be even more refreshing as the temperatures rise. Our recommendation: Head to Tonga Hut; get a seat on the awesome balcony, if one is open; order a Nutty Chi Chi; and raise your glass in a toast to the fact that the valley’s cocktail and bar scene is improving—thanks in part to the return of tiki to the desert. CVIndependent.com
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IN APRIL, THE COACHELLA VALLEY BECOMES THE CENTER OF THE MUSIC WORLD. LET'S CELEBRATE. CVIndependent.com
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 27
APRIL 2014
MUSIC
FUNK TO THE PUNK
Despite Never Receiving the Success It Deserved, the Legendary Band Fishbone Keeps on Going
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By Brian Blueskye he band that arguably had the most influence in Los Angeles’ 1980s music scene was neither the Red Hot Chili Peppers nor Jane’s Addiction. It was a band called Fishbone—and that band will be playing at Coachella on Sunday, April 13 and 20. While many contemporaries in the L.A. music scene went on to have great mainstream success, Fishbone struggled—but despite years of heartbreak and failure, Fishbone keeps on going. The story of Fishbone goes back to 1979. John Norwood Fisher (bass), Phillip “Fish” Fisher (drums), Kendall Jones (guitar), Chris Dowd (keyboards and trumpet) and “Dirty” Walter Kibby (trumpet and vocals) were placed in a busing program that took them from South Central L.A. to a junior high school in the San Fernando Valley. In school, they met a local by the name of Angelo Moore (vocals), who would bring all of them together to start a band influenced by funk, punk, reggae and ska. In fact, they were the first band to bring the “funk to the punk,” according to the 2010 documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone. The all-African-American band simultaneously enthralled and confused both white and black audiences. During a recent phone interview, Norwood Fisher said that being bused to the San Fernando Valley definitely changed his perspective when it came to music. “It absolutely had an impact on a certain level,” Fisher said. “It brought me closer to the conversation of punk rock. In the hood back in ’79 to ’83, no one was playing punk rock. Plus, when we would sit around and talk about who was the best guitarist in the world, we’d be like, ‘JIMI HENDRIX!’ Some white dude would say, ‘JIMMY PAGE!’ And then one time, somebody said, ‘FRANK ZAPPA!’ I didn’t own any of (Zappa’s) records, so I had to find Dr. Demento on the radio, who would play Frank Zappa, and I was like, ‘THAT’S THAT GUY!’ I was really able to dig in to Frank Zappa that way.” The band began playing shows in the Los Angeles punk scene, and formed close bonds with local musicians including the members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Thelonious Monster, both of which started in 1983. They would later befriend the members of Jane’s Addiction, too. It was a time when the Los Angeles music scene having an impact on the world. “It really looked like a pinnacle point for underground music,” Fisher said. “Looking back, everything in L.A. was on fire. The dance clubs, the live music of all kinds—hip hop,
reggae, punk, the East L.A. sound, and East L.A. punk—and Fishbone were mixing it all up; so were the Chili Peppers. There was this rockabilly scene that was vibrant, and there was just a lot going on. It was the time when you could go to any club, and fall in, and hear some really good music.” Although Fishbone was influencing numerous musicians and playing epic live shows, the record labels didn’t know what to do with the band. Columbia Records was the first of many labels to sign the group, in 1983. The label first released a self-titled EP—which featured the track “Party at Ground Zero”—in 1985. “Even through the confusion, I can see where Columbia Records was doing its best,” Fisher said. “They were used to a cookie cutter, easy-to-understand world. The fact that we confused them didn’t mean they didn’t work their asses off.” Much later, representatives of a record label came clean about their feelings regarding Fishbone. “We were with Hollywood Records and did The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx (in 2000), and they told us, ‘We were always afraid of the Fishbone project.’” In the late ’80s and early ’90s, the band members began to add a metal sound to their music; for example, listen to their cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “Freddie’s Dead,” and tracks such as “Fight the Youth” and “Sunless Saturday.” Fishbone’s 1991 album, The Reality of My Surroundings, was critically acclaimed and earned them their biggest commercial success. Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction also invited the band to play on the Lollapalooza tour in 1993. However, things began to fall apart right before Lollapalooza, when Kendall Jones joined a Christian religious cult led by his
Fishbone
estranged father, who was in Northern California. Fisher, along with some of Jones’ siblings, went to try to bring Jones back. A scuffle ensured; Jones and his father later filed attempted-kidnapping charges against Fisher. Fisher assembled a top-notch legal team and was eventually acquitted, but only after a costly trial; many people contributed to Fisher’s legal fund, and bands such as Tool and Alice in Chains played benefits for him. “Believe me when I say my life would be so different today if people didn’t do that for me,” Fisher said. “It’s hard for me to grasp the words on the level of gratitude. I was a guy facing nine to 11 years in prison! That’s pretty deep. I kept my composure, for the most part, but god damn! If it would have gone the other way, it would have been a tragedy, especially when I think about if I were represented by a public defender.” Fisher said the incident was an unfortunate and trying mistake. “The situation to me was that (Kendall) was my brother, and he needed help,” Fisher said. “That was all that was in my mind. It fucking had nothing to do with the band continuing. It was just Kendall was my best friend—he was my drinking buddy. We wrote tons of songs together, and we did all kinds of shit. So, that’s what that was about.” The attempted-kidnapping debacle began what may have been Fishbone’s most-trying period. Some original members left; they were dropped by another label. Soon thereafter, the third-wave ska revival hit full swing, thanks in part to No Doubt, a band with whom Fishbone once shared the stage. Other ska-based bands such as the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Sublime were also making it big—yet Fishbone was largely left out in the cold. Not even
the band’s 1996 album, Chim Chim’s Badass Revenge, would help. “We were not even wanted, and that was it,” Fisher said. “We made Chim Chim’s Badass Revenge, and we had to go make another record that never got released. The material was right; the production was right; and that was aiming us in the perfect direction for us to join in and be a part of that. Unfortunately, our producer, Dallas Austin, got into it with Clive Davis, and it became a record that never got released.” Still, Fishbone has drawn a devout niche audience over the years. Meanwhile, Fisher has been involved in a few side projects and even played on a tour with Clarence “Blowfly” Reid. Angelo Moore, under the moniker of Dr. Madd Vibe, and has released solo material, including books of poetry. Kendall Jones has since left the religious cult, and was shown in Everyday Sunshine playing a show with Fishbone as a surprise guest. Fisher said he has forgiven Jones for what happened—but a return to the band is unlikely, given Jones is not currently in contact with the other members. Meanwhile, the working relationship between Fisher and Moore has been strained at times. Fisher explained what keeps them working together. “It’s the love of the music,” Fisher said. “We’ve been playing music together since 1979, so it’s like a family affair. We both have other projects and stuff, but I’m very aware and attached to the legacy of the band and trying to preserve that. “At my core, I just feel like the world needs a Fishbone. As long as there is some fun to be had with it, it’s working for me. If it’s too much of a chore, maybe we need to take a break.” CVIndependent.com
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MUSIC
AN INDESCRIBABLE
SOUND
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion Brings Its Indie/Underground Successes to Coachella
WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC
By Brian Blueskye
hatever you do, don’t call the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion— playing at Coachella on Friday, April 11 and 18—a “nostalgia” act. Jon Spencer began his music career as the guitarist and vocalist for the Washington, D.C.-based psychedelic/punk band Pussy Galore. (Pussy Galore also included guitarist Cristina Martinez, who would go on to become Jon Spencer’s wife.) Pussy Galore dissolved in 1990, and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion surfaced in 1991. Shortly thereafter, a 15-song bootleg titled A Reverse Willie Horton started making the rounds. A Reverse Willie Horton—now considered by many to be the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion’s debut album— featured a cover with a reverse-negative picture of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas kissing his wife as President George H.W. Bush looked on, at Thomas’ swearing-in ceremony in 1991. During a recent phone interview, Spencer said he had nothing to do with either the album cover or the album’s release. “It’s a bootleg. I didn’t put it together,” Spencer said. “That record is the Blues Explosion’s first recording session that we did with (Mark) Kramer. I sent it to somebody, and it got bootlegged. I think the Reverse Willie Horton album came from Philadelphia.” Throughout the ’90s, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion recorded and toured with big names—all while developing a sound that’s impossible to describe. Many people have labeled them as a blues band; others have used the term “nostalgic”—and neither is even close. While the sound includes elements of blues, it also contains bits of rock ’n’ roll and a punk influence. The band’s proper, self-titled debut album, released in 1992, included some tracks from Reverse Willie Horton; few copies were produced and released. It was the release of Orange, in 1994, that led to critical acclaim, an appearance on MTV’s The John Stewart Show, and a tour with the Beastie Boys. Orange also featured an appearance by Beck on the track “Flavor.” Beck was a rising star at the time, and he invited the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion on a tour of Australia and New Zealand. “That first experience was fine,” Spencer CVIndependent.com
said about working with Beck. “But later on, Beck became not so good to work with. ‘Loser’ was just starting to happen, and Beck would talk about my old band Pussy Galore being an influence on him. Around that time, I was mixing Orange in the studio in Manhattan, and we had the song ‘Flavor,’ and I thought, ‘Well, what about asking Beck to rap on this song?’ I got his number from someone at Geffen, called him up, and he was a good sport and said he’d do it. I let him write for 20 minutes and called him back, and we recorded over the phone.” After Orange, the band recorded A Ass Pocket of Whiskey with blues legend R.L. Burnside. The album was recorded during one afternoon in February in Holly Springs, Miss. “The guys from Fat Possum Records rented a hunting lodge, and it was out in the country,” Spencer said. “We just spent four or five hours that afternoon. It was bitterly cold; there was an ice storm a couple of days beforehand, and snow and ice are very rare down there. It was in a house, and it wasn’t a proper recording studio. The Fat Possum people brought in some recording equipment, and there was no heat. There was a big fire going in the fireplace. The Blues Explosion and R.L. had been touring together, and we’d been playing songs together more and more during encores. Matthew Johnson at Fat Possum thought, ‘Why don’t you go in the studio with him and record?’ That’s what we did.” In the fast-paced, DIY recording session, R.L. Burnside had no problems, Spencer said. “He was a farmer most of his life. He wasn’t a prima donna. It wasn’t like we were recording with Pavarotti or Elton John. (Burnside) was
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
a guy who definitely had no problem with anything, really. He was tough in some ways, for sure.” While Jon Spencer Blues Explosion songs and albums have made the charts in the United Kingdom, the band has not managed to do so here in the States; still, the band has enjoyed a great deal of success with indie- and underground-music lovers, and many critics have raved about the band’s live performances. The band also received some good music-video exposure back in MTV’s heyday. Bands such as The White Stripes, The Black Keys and others have listed the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion as an influence. “A lot of these bands that people will mention to me, I don’t think they sound close,” Spencer said. “We’ve always been more of a
punk band and quite more experimental. We’re not very traditional. We are a rock ’n’ roll band, but we’re not recycling the early-’70s sounds and styles.” Since 1991, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion lineup has remained consistent, with Judah Bower (lead guitar) and Russell Simins (drums) remaining in the fold. The band’s most-recent release, Meat+Bone, was well-received by critics. As for playing at Coachella, Spencer was brutally honest in his assessment. “I think the festivals we have in the States are modeled after the big European festivals,” Spencer said. “It’s nice to see a lot of festivals here in the States, and we’re very happy to be asked to play Coachella.”
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MUSIC
TRANSCENDING BORDERS
Founded in Mexico City, Zoé Proves That Music Is Indeed a Universal Language
WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC
By Brian Blueskye hile music is a universal language, it can be difficult for bands to break through language and cultural barriers. However, Zoé has been breaking through both: The band from Mexico will be performing at Coachella on Sunday, April 13 and April 20. The band began in Mexico City in 1994, and—like many new bands—it went through various lineup changes and identity crises at first, before finding a degree of consistency. The current lineup includes León Larregui (vocals), Sergio Acosta (guitar), Jesus Baez (keyboards), Angel Mosqueda (bass guitar) and Rodrigo Guardiola (drums). During a recent phone interview, Sergio Acosta talked about Mexico’s small but powerful alternative-music scene. “Mexico’s music scene is closer to traditional music,” he said. “The alternative-music scene in Mexico is there, but there is music from all around the world, and we have a lot of influences.” Those influences include a variety of indierock and psychedelic-rock bands—but each album the band has put out since the self-titled debut in 2000 has had a different sound. “The recording sessions for us are the joyful part of the process,” he said. “Experimentation has been a big cornerstone for us. It’s always been important for us to generate our own original sound. On our second album, we used a drill and typewriters, and any old piece of junk that we could find that could generate sound.” Zoé has had a long working relationship with producer Phil Vinall, who has also worked with Pulp, Placebo and Elastica, just to name a
few bands. “Phil has worked with us since the mix of the first album in 2000,” he said. “When we started working with him, it was through e-mail and the tracking of our first album. Luckily for us, he was moved by the music, and we got to go to London to make our first album; since that day, he’s been our producer. He’s a very important part of the sound, and we have great communication with him.” Zoé also has a friend in Nick McCarthy, of the Scottish band Franz Ferdinand. McCarthy was introduced to Acosta by a visual artist in Mexico. “We met outside of the music environment,” he said. “We just became friends. Later on, Nick came for a holiday to Mexico City, and we were working on a show at the Palacio de los Deportes (Palace of Sports). We were just like, ‘Hey, why don’t you play a song with us?’ He came to the rehearsal room; we sung together; and we had a great show.” McCarthy has also collaborated with Zoé in the recording studio.
“We have this great friendship. We always see each other when we’re in the same place, and we spent a holiday together a couple of months ago,” Acosta said. Acosta claimed the band doesn’t think about the language and cultural barriers it faces. The band has recorded some songs in English and has managed to have success in a number of American markets; the band has also developed a degree of popularity in Europe. Acosta said it all comes down to the power of the music. “We have some songs in English,” he said. “… We sang them in English because they sounded better. It can be frustrating having a language barrier, but we also believe that music is music. We used to listen to music that was mostly sung in English. I also love French music—and I speak very little French. We just think that people get into the music for the emotions that it creates. For about nine years,
we’ve also toured the U.S., and each time we play, we see more American people who maybe speak Spanish, but maybe they also like the music. I think there are people who might not understand (all of the music), but they still like the band.” Acosta said he and his fellow band members credit their camaraderie and friendship as the most essential element of their success. “Zoé was founded in really good friendship, and we believed we had a good project,” he said. “For us, it’s just very natural for us to get together and make music. Nowadays, after so many years together, we still feel very creative together, and we have a lot in common. We just like to make music together, and we believe that’s what keeps us going. “We’re very lucky to be a band who can do these kind of tours and play festivals like Coachella. We’re very happy, and we’re very proud of what we have.”
Zoé CVIndependent.com
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MUSIC
SOMETHING
ON THE SIDE
Chino Moreno—Best Known as the Frontman of the Deftones—Says His Side Project Crosses Has Helped Him Grow as a Musician
WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC
By Brian Blueskye hino Moreno has a lot on his musical plate—and Coachella attendees will get to enjoy the intriguing work of one of the Deftones front man’s side projects, Crosses (†††), on Friday, April 11 and 18. The Deftones busted out of the Sacramento music scene in the 1990s and were soon opening for prominent and established metal acts such as KISS and Ozzy Osbourne. The band also shared the stage with groups like Korn and Limp Bizkit, which went on to become their contemporaries. However, the Deftones captivated audiences in ways that Korn and Limp Bizkit never could, and were by no means a band that would be categorized as “nu-metal.” Not only could Chino Moreno scream a brutal assault of lyrics; he had a melodic voice and a fantastic stage presence. In fact, some have called him one of the best metal frontmen of all time. Crosses is nothing like the Deftones (nor is it anything like Moreno’s alt-rock side project, Team Sleep). Crosses takes listeners on melodic, dark and hypnotic musical journeys, with a little electronica thrown into the mix. In Crosses, Moreno teams up with guitarist Shaun Lopez—who Moreno has known since childhood—as well as producer Chuck Doom. The band put out its first EP in 2011, and followed that up with another EP in 2012. During a recent phone interview from Austin, where Crosses were slated to perform at SXSW, Moreno explained how Crosses came together. “Shaun and I came up together early on in the Sacramento music scene,” Moreno said. “He was in a band called Far, and with me being in the Deftones, we played a lot of shows together early on. A few years ago, I ended up moving a couple of blocks away from him in Los Angeles, and he had a little studio in his pad, and I’d always cruise over to see what he was working on. One particular time, he was there working on stuff with Chuck (Doom), which turned into the Crosses stuff. I liked what I heard, and I was like, ‘Yo, let me get up on this.’ One song led to two, and then three and four.” The first two EPs were offered to fans for free and promoted via social media. The experiment ended up being well-received, and led to a full-length, self-titled release in February. It reached No. 26 on the Billboard 200 chart. Moreno cited a number of musical influences. CVIndependent.com
“The first time I heard Kraftwerk when I was a kid, that was something that really caught my attention more than anything. It sounded very futuristic at the time,” he said. “Around the time I was in the fifth-grade, I discovered Depeche Mode, and for me, that really changed the course of my taste in music. To me, that music had a lot of the low-fi electronics that the early rap music had. It had a really cool, sort-of dark melody that flowed throughout it. To me, that was the ultimate music.” Moreno has said that his lyrics don’t necessarily address specific topics. “At times, (the lyrics are) dark and desolate—but they’re also warm in places, too,” he said. “… I’m never trying to sell anything or any ideas. With whatever music it is … the music is presented to me, and what you get on there is my reaction to it.” Moreno stressed that he doesn’t engage in side projects because he feels limited by the Deftones. “Any of the side projects I do, I don’t do them because I feel like there’s something I can’t do,” he said. “It’s honestly just me working with different people. When you work with different people and do things in different ways, you actually learn from those experiences. I never had any sort of vocal training or music schooling, so playing with different people and playing in different projects has been how I’ve learned—and now, I continue to learn.” Tragedy struck the Deftones in 2008, when bassist Chi Cheng was injured in a car accident
Chino Moreno
that left him incapacitated up until his death in April 2013. Deftones fans contributed money to go toward Cheng’s health-care costs throughout, and the Deftones proceeded in the hopes that Cheng would perhaps one day recover and return to the band. Moreno said that in the end, the tragedy brought the band even closer together. “I think it’s as simple as enjoying the people you’re around,” he said. “I’m lucky enough with the guys in the Deftones that we grew up together as kids, and we started in the garage
in 1988 when we were 15 or 16 years old. There’s a bond there, and we actually still enjoy making music with each other. I’m most proud of that, and I know most people don’t have that. Chi’s passing was one thing that brought us closer together.” He said he feels similarly close to his Crosses bandmates. “I think that natural aspect of it keeps it inspiring,” Moreno said. “It’s not something that’s preconceived. This is what we do. We’re hanging out, and let’s make some tunes.”
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WHAT TO SEE?
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By Brian Blueskye f you’re going to Coachella, and you’ve never been before, consider yourself warned: It can be a frustrating experience. Coachella has so many bands, with numerous acts playing all at once, that it can be tough to choose where to go, and who to see. You’ll probably wind up missing some bands that you wanted to enjoy—and don’t be surprised if you don’t realize that one of your favorite artists is playing with a solo/ side project you haven’t heard about until it’s too late. Yes, it can be overwhelming—but we’re here to help, with this list of Coachella performers worth checking out. Friday, April 11 and 18 Dum Dum Girls: Independent contributor Guillermo Prieto—a fine judge of music, if you ask me—is a big fan of this all-female foursome from Los Angeles. The Dum Dum Girls are on the up and up after getting noticed by indie critics and signing with Sub Pop Records. Now it appears they’re ready for the mainstream. Their single “Rimbaud Eyes,” from Too True, released back in January, is starting to pick up steam. If you like Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, you’ll love Dum Dum Girls. Anti-Flag: If you’re pissed off at the establishment, and angry about having to stand out in the sun and buy bottled water—yet you’re cool with spending $375 to get into Coachella—you’ll love Anti-Flag. The Pittsburgh punk outfit is known for its sentimental punk tracks such as “Your Daddy Was a Rich Man,” “Your Daddy’s Fucking Dead,” “Captain Anarchy,” “Angry, Young and Poor,” “The Economy Is Suffering” and their best-known anthem, “Die for Your Government.” If you question what they’re being paid to play at Coachella, shut your dirty mouth! They’re being paid in anarchy! Goat: This Swedish outfit put out World Music, one of my favorite records of 2012. The band wears freaky costumes, offers a hilarious back story about being from a cursed village destroyed by Christian crusaders, and turns in bizarre stage performances—so you
probably shouldn’t miss them. Oh, and the music is great, too: A psychedelic-rock sound is combined with Afrobeat cuts. You’ll truly enjoy this band—I promise. Chromeo: Chromeo is the one EDM act you should catch at Coachella—even if you don’t care for EDM. Dave 1 and P-Thugg will make sure you’re having a good time with their electrofunk anthems such as “Night by Night” and “Fancy Footwork.” These guys are a throwback to the cheesy disco/ pop periods of the ’70s and ’80s—in a good way. It’s hard to guess where in the lineup and on which stage these guys are going to be, so figure it out and claim your spot early. The Replacements: As far as the big names and reunions go, this is the best, in my book. This Minneapolis band formed in 1979 and did great things before breaking up in 1991. They’re being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year for leaving their mark on college radio and the post-punk scene. If that’s not enough to convince you to see them, the song “Can’t Hardly Wait” inspired a film by the same name in 1998, about a high school graduation party during which Ethan Embry tries to give a letter to Jennifer Love Hewitt. (OK, maybe that isn’t very convincing. Just go see them, dammit.) Saturday, April 12 and 19 Drowners: Make sure you arrive early on Saturday to catch Drowners. If you’re a fan of The Cure, The Smiths or any other ’80s Brit-Pop band, you’ll love them. They’re out to make the ’80s cool again! Since forming in 2011, Drowners have toured with the Arctic Monkeys, The Vaccines, and Foals, and have a
Ty Segall
Coachella Can Be an Overwhelming Experience—but We’re Here to Help With This List of Must-See Acts
The 1975
new self-titled album to their credit. Ty Segall: Ty Segall has come a long way since he started his solo recording career in 2008. With his psychedelic-fuzz-fused garage rock, you can expect a noisy and crazy performance that will make the eclectic-musiclover in you feel right at home. Bombay Bicycle Club: Bombay Bicycle Club is pure fun. Their songs get easily stuck in your head, and you can’t help but smile when listening to many of their songs. If you’re having a bad day at Coachella, Bombay Bicycle Club might be all you need to turn that frown upside down. Mogwai: This Scottish instrumental rock group will definitely offer a unique experience to those who have never heard of them. Their songs have no real vocal tracks—just some distorted lyrics here and there in the background on a few of their songs. Still, make no mistake: Mogwai is one of the best bands on Saturday’s bill. Nas: Nas became one of the more-prolific of MCs of the ’90s after coming out of the Queensbridge housing projects in Queens. Prodigy of Mobb Deep mentioned Nas extensively in his autobiography, My Infamous Life; as the story goes, Prodigy and Nas once had a rap battle that ended in a draw. He’s one of NYC’s most-legendary rappers, so Nas will probably shine the brightest among Coachella’s rap/hip-hop performers. Sunday, April 13 and 20 Preservation Hall Jazz Band: This is a rather strange, if welcome, inclusion on the Coachella lineup. The Preservation Hall Jazz
Band is the musical jewel of New Orleans’ French Quarter, and has been going since 1963. They are the house band of New Orleans’ Preservation Hall, so if you want to experience something different at Coachella, they are the one act on Sunday you won’t want to miss. If you enjoy them, check out Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, who are performing later in the day. J. Roddy Walston and the Business: Ever since Kings of Leon hit the mainstream, the whole Southern-rock-meets-blues thing has been ruined for me. However, J. Roddy Walston and the Business have restored some hope: There are some genuine blues influences in their music, with some lively Southern-rock touches here and there, too. These guys rock, and I’d imagine they’ll put on a great live show. Frank Turner: While folk music already hooked up with punk rock due to work by artists such as Billy Bragg, Frank Turner is the folk-meets-punk artist of today. Unlike Bragg, Turner isn’t all that political; however, Turner did get some unwanted attention in his native United Kingdom after The Guardian ran an erroneous story about him being a rightwinger; it reportedly led to death threats. In any case, Turner’s music is great, and he’ll offer an enjoyable live experience for those who wish they could have attended Coachella last year to see The Lumineers. The 1975: The members of The 1975 have been playing music together since 2002, and in 2012 (Enough years for ya?), they signed with an indie label called Dirty Hit. Since then, they’ve released a series of EPs, as well as a self-titled LP in September 2013. They’re a hit in their native UK—and are gaining attention here in the States, too. Their electro-pop sound is catchy, and they manage to include some unique themes in their lyrics. This is one band that will definitely be talked about at Coachella. CVIndependent.com
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PLAYING THEIR
HEARTS OUT
JD McPherson Says His ’50s-Style Rock Will Fit in Just Fine at Stagecoach
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By Brian Blueskye tagecoach lineups have been known to stretch the definition of country music a bit—and that explains JD McPherson’s inclusion in the 2014 lineup. JD McPherson—who will perform on Friday, April 25—plays music that is a throwback to ’50s rock ’n’ roll. Yes, his music includes some classic country elements, too, but McPherson is best known for belting out high-energy vocals with that ’50s bass and guitar sound in the background. Since he released his debut album, Signs and Signifiers, in 2012, he’s been on fire and was named an “artist to watch” by Rolling Stone. McPherson, a native of Oklahoma who currently lives in the city of Broken Arrow, talked about his upbringing in Talihina, Okla., during a recent phone interview. “My upbringing in Oklahoma was very rural,” McPherson said. “I grew up on a 160acre ranch in southeast Oklahoma, and I had a lot of time on my hands. The ‘mall’ for me was kind of a monthly trip with my parents to Portsmouth, Ark. That’s when I would pick up music and music magazines. “The (local) music scene was the one me and my two friends made for ourselves,” he said with a laugh. He went on to earn a master’s degree in arts at the University of Tulsa, and became an art and technology teacher. However, he didn’t feel like teaching was really his calling. “I always poured more energy into music than I really had business doing as far as a ratio to responsibility,” he said. “Music was something I was perfectly happy doing in my spare time, and I was fortunate enough to go on to be doing it for a living. It was absolutely the best thing that could have happened to me.” McPherson’s musical influences are undeniably diverse. Buddy Holly is one; another is Little Richard. I asked what drew him to the music of Little Richard. “One of my favorite (songs) of all time is ‘Keep-A-Knockin’,’ and it’s just the most awesome, swinging, full-abandon record I’ve ever heard,” he said. “I can’t believe that got played on the radio. It’s just really, really psycho. That record sums up everything for me. It obviously influenced a lot of folks; Led Zeppelin copied the drum intro for ‘Rock and Roll.’ A lot of the garage bands are trying to CVIndependent.com
touch that sound. It just sounds like fun and danger at the same time.” Another influence: hip-hop from the ’90s, such as the music of Wu-Tang Clan. “It’s the sound and textures,” he said. “Especially in the ’90s, a ton of really exciting sound textures were happening. I don’t know if it was the sampling technology they had at the time, but everything sounded like it was coming from a TV, and there was some really cool production stuff happening back then. I think a lot of the Ice-T records were really cool, and the Dr. Dre records obviously sound cool. They were sampling all these funk records and stuff, which were already squashed and crunchy-sounding. But when they did their treatment to it, it just sounded really cool.” He said the release (by Rounder Records) and eventual success of Sounds and Signifiers caught him by surprise “I made that record as a project while I was still teaching school,” he said. “I had no idea that I wasn’t going to be teaching school any more. We just made it as something we wanted to make. Everything sort of happened at the right time—including me losing my job. That allowed for it to happen.” The recording process was entirely independent, he said. “It was not made for general consumption by any means,” he said. “It was the first fulllength recording recorded at my bass-player Jimmy’s studio. He had been building a studio in his attic, and it was the first thing he did. We put everything into it.” While the record’s success was a complete surprise, McPherson said he and his band did have one goal—eventually accomplished—in mind with the recording.
JD McPherson
“There was a little scene of places we would be able to get gigs once in awhile, especially overseas,” he said. “We knew for sure we’d probably get some weird rock ’n’ roll gig at a festival in Spain. Spain has this really rabid rock ’n’ roll fanbase. We were like, ‘Hey, man, we might get a free trip to Spain out of this. Let’s put everything into it!’ “We worked really hard on (the album), but the more we worked, the less … it looked like a ’50s record. I have to brag about our sound engineer, Alex Hall, for a moment, because I don’t think there’s another modern record that completely nailed the sound of ’50s rock ’n’ roll. But it was mission accomplished, because our second gig was in Spain.” There’s a new album in the works. McPherson and his band are working with Mark Neill, one of the producers on the Black
Keys album Brothers. “We’ve been working on it for a while now,” he said. “We’re really excited about it. Mixes are starting to roll in right now, and it’s sort of preliminary.” As for his performance at Stagecoach, he said he’s not worried one bit about his music fitting in. “We’ve played very, very sacred folk music festivals where we had no business wheeling a Hammond organ onto the stage, and we’ve played things like Bonnaroo,” he said. “We just kind of go and do our thing. We’ve been very fortunate to be invited to so many kinds of festivals. There’s no bigger country music fan than me, and I personally love the challenge of going into something that seems like we don’t necessarily belong. I love that. “We will play our hearts out every time.”
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FROM NASHVILLE TO JOSHUA TREE
There’s a Lot of Classic Rock in The Wild Feathers’ Classic-Sounding Country Music
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By Brian Blueskye ock ’n’ roll and country have always been connected—and they’re certainly connected with The Wild Feathers. The Nashville group uses influences from Led Zeppelin and Neil Young to create a strong Americana sound. They’ll be performing at Stagecoach on Friday, April 25. All of the members were raised on rock music with Southern musical traditions, but they have embraced more of a classic country sound in their music. During a recent phone interview, Joel King (vocals, bass) discussed The Wild Feathers’ formation. The Wild Feathers are Ricky Young (vocals, guitar), Joel King, Taylor Burns (vocals, guitar), Preston Wimberly (lead guitar/pedal-steel guitar) and Ben Dumas (drums). “Me and Ricky knew each other in Nashville,” King said. “We got together and wrote some songs, and really started the band from that. It was kind of a natural thing, and one thing led to another. We kind of set out for it, but not really.” While Nashville is obviously known for being at the heart of the mainstream countrymusic scene, it’s also a home of the early rock ’n’ roll sound. “It’s the best place in the world,” he said. “The quality is really high there. I love Los Angeles; I love New York, given they have everything there, but Nashville is just music, pretty much. Everybody has something going on—or fucking 10 different things going on—and it’s just cool to be around that. It’s inspiring.” When it comes to the big “Nashville sound,” King said it’s obvious that modern country
music has become quite diverse. “There are a lot of great singer-songwriters doing the classic sound of country right now,” he said. “I think a lot of classic rock could be called country music these days. I don’t know if Neil Young would be classified now under country, Americana or whatever you’d want to call it, but there’s a lot of really good stuff going on now—and a little bit of a revival going on right now as well. We can kind of sense it.” The band’s self-titled debut album was released in 2013. King said the band took a laid-back approach. “We did one song a day,” he said. “We did it live in the same room. Usually, people do something like: The drummer comes in for one day, and it’s drum day. ‘Prepare yourself for tomorrow, because it’s the vocal day!’ We were like, ‘Fuck that!’ You lose excitement, and you lose energy doing that. We would get in there and do everything we could live. Sometimes the vocals would be live, whatever we could get
The Wild Feathers
down. By the end of the day, we’d have great songs.” The band, in a sense, has a local connection: Band members have said their sound is like “Led Zeppelin and The Band had a baby in Joshua Tree (who) grew up listening to Ryan Adams covering the Stones’ ’70s country influenced songs.” Is there a Joshua Tree influence in The
Wild Feathers’ music? King said there most certainly is. “We’ve been out there a bunch of times,” he said. “We went up there to the Joshua Tree Inn and rented the room Gram Parsons died in. We stayed in that room on his birthday, and we had to get as drunk as could be to make it through the night, because we were scared.”
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DIVERSE COUNTRY
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By Brian Blueskye t Stagecoach, attendees never quite know what to expect. Big Nashville stars mix with folk singers, alt-country rebels, oldtime country acts and rock stars performing solo sets. Of course, many of the most-intriguing acts won’t be gracing, as it’s called at Stagecoach, the “Mane Stage.” Here are some bands and musicians we think attendees should consider checking out. Friday, April 25 The Howlin’ Brothers: If you like old-time, traditional country, The Howlin’ Brothers have you covered. Their old-time sound is quite an experience, as demonstrated on their debut album, Howl; check out songs “Hermitage Hotstep” and “Tennessee Blues.” They’ll definitely offer an enjoyable experience. The Wailin’ Jennys: The all-female trio from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is known for beautiful harmonies that leave listeners wanting more. Listen to their tracks “Swing Low Sail High” and “The Parting Glass,” and you’ll definitely want to add this group to your list of acts to see. Does the name sound familiar? Perhaps you’ve heard one of their appearances on A Prairie Home Companion. Katey Sagal and the Forest Rangers: Sagal—best known as the actress who played Peg on Married With Children, and who now plays Gemma on Sons of Anarchy—is back at Stagecoach with the Forest Rangers for the second year in a row. I mentioned them in last year’s list of Stagecoach acts not to miss, and I was not disappointed. When the Forest Rangers took the stage last year, they played a few songs without Sagal—leaving those in the crowd wondering if she would even appear. However, appear, she did—and it was unbelievable how beautifully she sang Leonard Cohen’s “Bird on the Wire.” When Curtis Stigers showed up to sing “John the Revelator,” CVIndependent.com
it was equally spectacular. Hopefully, the group will have a longer set than they did last year. Eric Paslay: Eric Paslay is an up-andcoming star with a big Nashville sound. The native Texan has had a lot of success in the last couple of years. After performing on Amy Grant’s How Mercy Looks From Here—with Grant and Sheryl Crow on the track “Deep as It Is Wide”—he released his self-titled debut album in February, and it shot to No. 4 on the Billboard country chart. Country fans love his track “Friday Night.” Lynyrd Skynyrd: Lynyrd Skynyrd? At Stagecoach?! Why not? The renowned Southern-rock band was one of the biggest bands of ’70s, sharing stages with the Rolling Stones and The Who. However, tragedy struck in 1977, when the band’s plane crashed, killing original frontman Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, as well as several others. The surviving members, all of whom were injured, decided to dissolve the group afterward. In the late ’80s, the band resurfaced, with Van Zant’s brother Johnny taking the lead. Since then, the band has lost original members Allen Collins, Leon Wilkeson and Billy Powell after each of them passed away. The band is best known for rocking out tunes such as “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Gimmie Three Steps,” “Simple Man” and, of course, “Freebird,” but in recent years, the band has alienated many fans by recording anti-left songs and performing with the likes of Ted Nugent, Kid Rock and Hank Williams Jr. Still, their classics are worth sitting through the new material; just flick your Bic and scream “FREEBIRD!!!” when you find yourself annoyed. Saturday, April 26 Whiskey Shivers: Whiskey Shivers is a bluegrass style band from Austin, Texas, with all of the traditional instruments represented—yes, even the washboard. Some of their bluegrass tunes are funny; others have punk-rock-style lyrics; yet others may leave you wanting to square dance (or whatever it is you do to bluegrass music). In any case, they’re an
Stagecoach Has Always Been Known for Its Variety—and This Year Is No Exception a great live band—and three of their original members are still part of the group.
Trampled by Turtles
entertaining addition to the Stagecoach lineup. Seldom Scene: On the other hand, if you like your bluegrass more on the sentimental side, the Seldom Scene is worth checking out. Since forming in 1971, the band has paid its dues— although the members received some criticism for adding an electric bass at one point. Ben Eldridge is apparently the only original member of the band left, but the band’s credentials are nonetheless impressive: The Seldom Scene was invited to a White House dinner in 2008 and was nominated for a Grammy Award not too long ago. Trampled by Turtles: If you’re a fan of Old Crow Medicine Show, you’ll love Trampled by Turtles. This alt-country/bluegrass band from Duluth, Minn., played Coachella in 2012; they played Stagecoach once before, too, in 2010. While they haven’t achieved the popularity that some other alt-country bands have, take it from me: They are still one of the best live acts in America. Don McLean: While many people think “American Pie” is about the death of American values, it’s really about the day the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly’s plane crashed in Clear Lake, Iowa, on Feb. 3, 1959. Don McLean, a folk icon of the late ’60s/ early ’70s, has written other great tunes, but is unfortunately most remembered for “American Pie.” If you get tired of country and bluegrass, McLean’s act should offer a nice retreat. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band formed in the 1960s group and developed a great combination of rock and country music—and they’re not from Texas or Tennessee, but Long Beach! They started as a traditional country band, playing the acoustic instruments you’d hear in folk music, but eventually transitioned to electric instruments. They’ve done everything from opening for Bill Cosby to jamming with Dizzy Gillespie, and they recently re-recorded their hit “Mr. Bojangles” with Keith Urban and Dierks Bentley. They’re
Sunday, April 27 I See Hawks in L.A.: I See Hawks in L.A. is a great alternative-country band from— you guessed it—Los Angeles that has been around since 2000. The band has a bit of that Bakersfield sound combined with cosmic country, with great songs such as “Stop Driving Like an Asshole,” “The Beauty of the Better States” and “Hallowed Ground.” While they’d sound fantastic up at Pappy’s and Harriet’s, they’re sure to sound fantastic at Stagecoach, too. Shovels and Rope: I had never heard of this group until I saw them on the Stagecoach lineup; the name alone made me want to learn more. The info I gathered on this band is that they’re a folk duo—and they rock. There are some gospel influences in there with some old-time folk, but there are also electric guitars and some old-time percussion instruments in the background. This is one performance I’m personally looking forward to. Michael Nesmith: The Monkees frontman seemingly disappeared off the face of the Earth for a while after a 1990s Monkees reunion. While Nesmith is primarily known for the Monkees, he has written country music in the past, and has even released some country songs; you can find some recordings on YouTube, including some recent live performances. This was definitely one of the more surprising names to appear on the Stagecoach lineup; in any case, it should be interesting when Nesmith takes the stage. John Prine: Not even cancer in the neck could stop this prolific folk songwriter. While he doesn’t sing like he once did, he’s still writing great songs about love, life and humor. He also hasn’t been afraid to write songs with social commentary. Many of today’s biggest songwriters, such as Conor Oberst and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, have been influenced by Prine; they even appeared on an album made in tribute to Prine. In late 2013, he was diagnosed with cancer again—this time, in the lungs—and underwent successful surgery. Despite the recent illness, he remains on the lineup and plans to make the show.
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APRIL 2014 By Brian Blueskye April brings Coachella and Stagecoach to the valley, of course—but there are a lot of other great music events going on as well. The McCallum Theatre is winding down the 2013-2014 season—but in a big way. At 8 p.m., Tuesday, April 1, John Anderson and Tracy Lawrence will be performing. John Anderson had some success in the late ’70s and early ’80s, but in the late ’80s, his career was at something of a dead end. Then in 1991, Anderson staged one of the biggest comebacks in music history with his multi-platinum album Seminole Wind. Tracy Lawrence has had a steadier career ever since he arrived on the scene in 1991; multiple albums of his have hit the country Top 10. Tickets are $25 to $65. Diana Krall will be stopping by at 8 p.m., Friday, April 11. The acclaimed pianist and vocalist is considered one of the best modern jazz artists and has won five Grammy Awards so far. She’s married to Elvis Costello and is the mother of twin boys—yet her career is still going strong. Tickets are $75 to $125. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www. mccallumtheatre.com. The Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa has one music event you won’t want to miss in April. ZZ Top will be stopping by at 9 p.m., Friday, April 4. The Texas-based blues
ZZ Top: Agua Caliente, April 4
and rock band has become well known for their guitar-driven sound, as well as their beards—although Frank Beard, the band’s drummer, doesn’t have a beard. Go figure. Tickets are $75 to $115. The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www. hotwatercasino.com. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino has a great schedule during the month of April. Il Divo will be appearing at 8 p.m., Friday, April 4. This is the second stop in the Coachella Valley within a year for the operatic vocal group, featuring members from Spain, continued on next page ➠ Switzerland, France CVIndependent.com
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shows, and the band is best known for its pop radio hits— so many don’t know that the band started out by playing with an edgier sound that approached punk. In fact, many of their friends and contemporaries were quick to criticize them when they moved toward pop. Tickets are $25 to $45. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-7755566; www.spotlight29.com. Morongo Casino Resort Spa has an event in April that will get many country music fans excited. At 9 p.m., Friday, April 4, Big and Rich will be stopping by. Big Kenny and John Rich have billed themselves as playing “country music without prejudice” and are known for teaming up with various rock and hip-hop musicians. They have also worked with country rapper Cowboy Troy. One of their biggest hits, “Save a Horse
Diana Krall: The McCallum, April 11
and the United States. Tickets are $59 to $109. At 8 p.m., Saturday, April 5, Rob Thomas will take the stage. Thomas is the frontman of Matchbox 20, one of the most successful bands of the late ’90s. He also has a couple of solo albums to his credit. Tickets are $39 to $79. At 8 p.m., Saturday, April 19, The Temptations and The Four Tops will be performing. These legendary groups were both pioneers of the Motown/ soul sound. Otis Williams is now the only remaining original member of The Temptations, while Abdul “Duke” Fakir is the only remaining original member of The Four Tops. Still, both groups are most definitely worth seeing. Tickets are $29 to $69. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com. Spotlight 29 Casino will be hosting Sugar Ray at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 5. Frontman Mark McGrath has become a Ryan Seacrest-like figure by hosting various television
Sugar Ray: Spotlight 29, April 5 CVIndependent.com
Big and Rich: Morongo, April 4
(Ride a Cowboy),” is a staple on jukeboxes, karaoke song lists, and cover-band set lists. Tickets are $69 to $79. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-2524499; www.morongocasinoresort.com. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace has a lot of Coachella-related events going on that you can read about elsewhere in this issue, but other great stuff is happening at the venue in April, too. At 9 p.m., Wednesday, April 9, folkrock band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will be stopping by. In a little more than a decade of existence, the group has released five albums to critical acclaim and international success. Tickets are $25. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-365-5956; www.pappyandharriets.com. The Hood Bar and Pizza will be welcoming back Amigo the Devil at 9 p.m., Wednesday, April 9. Amigo the Devil brands himself as performing “murderfolk.” He’s a rather talented banjo player who has plenty of songs about the dark side of life. No, this isn’t your parents’ folk music by any means. Admission is free. The Hood Bar and Pizza, 74360 Highway 111, Palm Desert; 760-636-5220; wfww.thehoodbar.com.
Rob Thomas: Fantasy Springs, April 5
Amigo the Devil: The Hood, April 9
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IT’S PARTY TIME Locals Not Heading to the Polo Grounds Can Get in on the Fun, Too!
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By Brian Blueskye Not going Coachella? You’re far from alone; most of us can’t afford the cash or the time it takes to go to the festival. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t experience a taste of what Coachella has to offer: A number of local venues throw affordable parties and events before, during and between the Coachella weekends. We asked representatives of a variety of venues what they had planned. Some declined to tell us, at least as of our late-March press deadline—perhaps because they didn’t want to let the cat out of the figurative bag too early, or perhaps because the details had not yet been finalized. For example, we’ve heard rumors that venues including BAR, CLINIC BAR AND LOUNGE and the HARD ROCK PALM SPRINGS may hosting some great parties and events, but we couldn’t get the details. (Watch the Independent Facebook page those details as they are revealed.) Here are three great events about which we have the details. (And before we move on, a moment of silence, please, for the death of the Ace Hotel and Swim Club’s fantastic Desert Gold; the series of events has been replaced this year by other programming.) COACHELLA VALLEY BREWING CO’S PRE-COACHELLA WAREHOUSE PARTY We admit we’re a little biased about this one, because we’re sponsoring it: On Saturday, April 5, from 3 to 8 p.m., Coachella Valley Brewing Co. will host a party featuring two stages of music, live art, great food and—of course—delicious beer. Independent contributor All Night Shoes (Alex Harrington), with the help of with Phonetix Entertainment Group, has assembled an impressive DJ lineup that includes Synthetix, Ivanna Love, Femme A, RowLow and CreamSFV. Caitie Magraw and Michael B. Perez will create a live work of art in the midst of the festivities, too. The $35 ticket includes four CVB beers, and proceeds will go to EcoMedia Compass, a group working to restore and promote awareness of the Salton Sea. Coachella Valley Brewing Co. is located at 30640 Gunther St., in Thousand Palms. Get tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/594166. PAPPY AND HARRIET’S PIONEERTOWN PALACE Pappy and Harriet’s has announced a fantastic series of events going on before and during Coachella, and there may be more to come: Robin Celia, one of the owners of Pappy’s, told me one additional event may be announced in April; watch the Independent Facebook page for details. Here’s what we already know: At 7 p.m., Thursday, April 10, the Afghan Whigs will play an outdoor show on the eve of their Coachella appearance. The Afghan Whigs announced their reunion earlier this year, along with news that they are recording new material. The show’s opener is Brody Dalle, the former frontwoman of the Distillers, and Queen of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme’s wife; she’s currently working on her debut solo album. Both of these acts should bring the house down! Tickets are $30. Later that night, at 11:30 p.m., Goat and Holy Wave will be playing an indoor show; tickets are $15. The good news: At 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 16, Little Dragon and The Internet will play an outdoor show. The bad news: The event is already sold out. Pappy’s is located at 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Call 760-365-5956, or visit pappyandharriets.com. THE HOOD BAR AND PIZZA’S COACHELLA KICK-OFF PARTY The Hood Bar and Pizza has scheduled two shows by Mickey Avalon, at 9 p.m., Thursday, April 10 and Thursday, April 17. Avalon is a white dude from Hollywood who raps about drugs, prostitutes and his sexual escapades; he has a rather strange appearance that includes eyeliner and makeup. If you’re feeling brave enough to check this one out, and you’re 21 or older, tickets are $15. There are no pre-sales, so it’s first-come, first-serve. The Hood Bar and Pizza is located at 74360 Highway 111, in Palm Desert. Call 760-636-5220, or visit www.facebook.com/thehoodbar. —Brian Blueskye
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By Brian Blueskye
NAME Bri Cherry GROUP Machin’ MORE INFO Machin’ mixes elements of world and Latin music into “Spanglish Jive.” Bri Cherry’s violin combines with David Macias’ vocals and guitar, and Andy Gorhill’s upright bass, to set a great mood at the Purple Room Palm Springs (1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive) each Thursday night. For more info, head to www. machinmilitiamusic.com. What was the first concert you attended? Weezer, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. What was the first album you owned? A Spice Girls album. What bands are you listening to right now? I listen to a wide variety: a lot of Beats Antique, Grammatik, Gogol Bordello, Hazmat Modine, Rhapsodija Trio, Django Reinhardt, Mumford and Sons, Jack Johnson, Buena Vista Social Club, Weezer, Beatles, and Bob Marley. Of course, I will listen to Machin’ to enjoy what we’ve created, as well as to listen and see where I can improve.
What band or artist changed your life? How? Machin’ has had the biggest impact on me—not only as a musician, but also in my personal life. David (Macias) has saved me with his music, in a way. I wasn’t going down the greatest path when we met; these days, I’ve been getting my feet back on the ground.
buying music. I’m suddenly a big fan of the band The 1975.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? The Beatles: How did you get the whole world to know about your music in a short amount of time?
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Steely Dan. They were unrivaled in their time, with complex arrangements and wry, deeply personal lyrics.
What song would you like played at your funeral? I would want people to bring their acoustic instruments and find a chord progression or two, and simply jam. Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? The Beatles, Abbey Road. What song should everyone listen to right now? “Start Wearing Purple” by Gogol Bordello; “iEsta Vez No!” by Machin’; and “Gente Decente” by Machin’.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? Jamming in the living room with Blue Moon or champagne, and with carne asada tacos. What’s your favorite music venue? Schmidy’s Tavern is an up-and-coming venue that is really growing on me. Also, the Purple Room in Palm Springs is pretty happening and also has a fantastic sound system, good food, good drinks, good times, etc. What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? Our song, “iEsta Vez No!” mainly because of rehearsals, ha ha! CVIndependent.com
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Thumpy, pedestrian pop/dance music and EDM—the latter being a sonic fad if there ever was one.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? For a while there, it was Flight of the Conchords. My longest-running guilty pleasure is Grace Jones. She’s still got it, both sonically and visually. What’s your favorite music venue? The Hollywood Bowl, but only with really great seats (which I rarely get). What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? Billie Holiday, “You Go to My Head”: “With a smile that makes my temperature rise / Like a summer with a thousand Julys / You intoxicate my soul with your eyes.” What band or artist changed your life? How? Chuck Mangione. His huge radio hit, “Feels So Good,” had a hook that I couldn’t get out of my young head. … I took up the trumpet in school because of Chuck. And when the live album from his most excellent Hollywood Bowl concert came out, the photo spread inside the album jacket made me pine to live in Los Angeles some day.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? The Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus stuff. What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Beats Antique or Gogol Bordello.
Keep Your Eyes on These Two Up-and-Coming Local Musicians
NAME DJ Baz, aka Barry Martin MORE INFO DJ Baz’s sets tend to include a variety of types and genres. Catch him Wednesdays from 8 to 11 p.m. at Azul Tapas Lounge, 369 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. What was the first concert you attended? The Beach Boys. My best friend and I drove down to Akron and saw them at the amphitheater. What was the first album you owned? Class Clown by George Carlin. Hs brand of heady comedy inspired me to question and think about stuff before blurting out an opinion. What bands are you listening to right now? All of them. Now that I’m a DJ beyond the hobby stage, I’m … nearly constantly listening to and
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? Justin Timberlake: “Why didn’t we go steady?” What song would you like played at your funeral? “Cycle Song” by cellist David Darling. It’s simply the most brilliant and beautiful piece of improvised music I’ve ever heard. Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? Bob Marley’s Legend. What song should everyone listen to right now? “Slow, Hot Wind” by Sarah Vaughan. Trust me.
FRESH SESSIONS WITH ALL NIGHT SHOES: APRIL 2014 Seeing as you’re reading our gigantic Music Issue, you probably already know that April is a big music month for the Coachella Valley. The month’s main event: The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which has been around since 1999, and has grown—massively— ever since. This year’s lineup features a diverse collection of performers from all over the world. To celebrate the festival, for this month’s FRESH Sessions, I’ve compiled a set of tracks that includes some music by up-and-coming artists at the festival, as well as songs by some more well-known acts. I like Coachella because it showcases a wide variety of performers and genres. Everything from indie rock to trance is represented under various tents, all with an atmosphere that is electric. While the festival has lost a bit of its local element, unfortunately, it still seems to carry a strong sense of culture and creativity. As for my appearances this month: Watch my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ansofficial) for an updated list of gigs—but make sure you don’t miss the Pre-Coachella Warehouse Party, at Coachella Valley Brewing Co. (30640 Gunther St., Thousand Palms), starting at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 5. Tickets are $35, and that includes four CV Brewing Co. beers, lots of music, live art and tons more. Get your tickets now at brownpapertickets.com! In the meantime, here’s the April FRESH Sessions. Enjoy! • Chromeo featuring Toro Y Moi, “Come Alive” • Duck Sauce, “Barbara Streisand” • Anna Lunoe and Touch Sensitive, “Real Talk” • Flight Facilities featuring Elizabeth Rose, “I Didn’t Believe” • Chromeo, “Bonafied Lovin’” • DJ Topsider, “Mast (Yale x Classixx)” • Anna Lunoe “Up and Down” • Alf Alpha x All Night Shoes, “Deep End” • Justin Timberlake, “Suit and Tie” (Aeroplane Remix) • Flume featuring Chet Faker, “Left Alone”
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Across 1 Casino features 5 Pacific Coast salmon 9 King novel about a rabid dog 13 Feeling regret 15 Group whose O doesn’t stand for “oil” 16 Quite a distance away 17 Commend highly 18 Inbox item 19 Expensive Japanese beef 20 Amount of time before you stop reading inflammatory Web comments? 23 Laughingstock 24 Glitch 25 Cincinnati-to-Detroit dir. 26 $ fractions, for short 29 Did hayfield work 31 Wonder-ful count? 33 Force that I’m certain will pull you back to Earth? 37 “Let the Rabbit Eat ___” (mail-in 1976 cereal contest) 38 Hosp. area for critical cases 39 Reese’s “Legally Blonde” role 40 Food label units that don’t mind waiting around? 45 Get retribution for 46 Sour, as a stomach 47 Icelandic band Sigur ___ 48 7, for 14 and 35: abbr. 50 Microbrewery product
51 Dr. with six Grammys 54 Burp after drinking too many colas? 57 Beloved honey lover 60 Change of address, to a realtor 61 Barracks barker, briefly 62 Neighbor of Hank Hill 63 Risk territory 64 Wrath 65 Several 66 Good, to Giuseppe 67 Word appearing before or after each word in the long theme entries Down 1 Moda Center, e.g. 2 Garb for groomsmen 3 Catchers wear them 4 ___-nosed kid 5 1978 debut solo album by Rick James 6 Abbr. on a phone dial 7 Castle Grayskull hero 8 “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer 9 Blue Velvet, for one 10 Roswell crasher 11 MMA move 12 Mined set? 14 Comprehensive 21 “To Sir With Love” singer 22 John of the WWE 26 Cook-off food 27 “Her,” “She” or “It”
28 Eye nuisances 29 Confine 30 Record label named for an Asian capital 32 Each’s partner 33 Face-valued, as stocks 34 “Top Chef” network 35 Focus of traffic reports? 36 Holy food? 41 Round toaster brand 42 Tension reliever 43 “I Shot Andy Warhol” star Taylor 44 “Battleship Potemkin” locale 49 Big name in farm equipment 51 Funeral lament 52 Rival of Rafael and Novak 53 January in Juarez 54 Use your jaw 55 Dash and splash 56 Horatio who played Aaron Neville on “SNL” 57 Kissing in public, e.g. 58 Lummox 59 “Nicely done!” ©2014 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) Find the answers in the “about” section of CVIndependent.com!
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