Coachella Valley Independent May 2015

VOL. 3 | ISSUE 5

DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, OUR VALLEY'S STRICT NEW WATER RESTRICTIONS ARE LIKELY HERE TO STAY PAGE 12

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MAY 2015

A Note From the Editor

Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208 www.cvindependent.com

Editor/Publisher Jimmy Boegle Assistant Editor Brian Blueskye Editorial Layout Wayne Acree Advertising Design Betty Jo Boegle Contributors Gustavo Arellano, Victor Barocas, Brian Calvert, Max Cannon, Garrett Dangerfield, Mary Duan, Kevin Fitzgerald, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Alex Harrington, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Keith Knight, Robin Linn, Marylee Pangman, Erin Peters, Deidre Pike, Dan Perkins, Guillermo Prieto, Anita Rufus, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor

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.

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COVER DESIGN BY WAYNE ACREE; PHOTO by Thorsten Nieder

The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month. All content is ©2015 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher.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.

Before I moved to the Coachella Valley, I lived in Tucson, Ariz.

One of the things I love about Tucson is that the residents there seemingly understand that they live in the desert: Outside of a few neighborhoods, lawns are the exception, not the rule; instead, residents put xeriscapes and low-water desert plantings in their yards. At our house in Tucson, our yard featured rocks, cacti and other desert vegetation. My neighbors and I got cranky when we saw someone watering a sidewalk. In other words, water was viewed as a precious resource.

But here … well, as much as I love the area, I’ve always been turned off by the fact that lawns are, in many neighborhoods, the rule, not the exception.

When my partner and I first moved here, we were in escrow for 53 days on a nice home in Cathedral City which had an epic, lawn-centered backyard. (We fell out of escrow after 53 days when the bank we were using for our mortgage decided to screw us, and we wound up scrambling to find an apartment—but that’s a story for another time.) I was always conflicted about that yard: It was gorgeous, and I loved it, but it always felt wrong to me. My partner and I discussed getting rid of the grass, and I’d like to think that we would have done so—but had we done so, ours would have been the only house within eyesight without a lush, green lawn.

Of course, water is not unlimited. Due to the pervasive drought (which some people believe is less of a “drought” and more of a “new normal” due to climate change), state and local jurisdictions are finally cracking down and instituting severe water restrictions. Let’s just hope it’s not too little, too late.

On Page 12, Kevin Fitzgerald has the latest news on local water restrictions— and we’ll be back with updates at CVIndependent.com and in next month’s print issue. On Page 13, we have a story about the pros and cons of using a more market-based approach when it comes to water rights; consider it food for thought.

Of course, water issues will continue to be a coverage-focus area for us here at the Independent—just as they have been from Day 1. Our goal is to keep you informed— and perhaps play a part, albeit a small part, in changing the culture here in the Coachella Valley. We live in a desert, folks, and we need to act like it.

Welcome to the May 2015 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent. Enjoy.

—Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 3

MAY 2015

OPINION

KNOW YOUR

NEIGHBORS

Meet Local Members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

By Anita Rufus ne category of gun deaths goes beyond even National Rifle Associationinspired “no restrictions on guns” inanity: when small children get guns and accidentally shoot someone.

It happens far too often: • Elmo, Mo.: A 5-year-old found his grandpa’s loaded gun and killed his 9-month-old baby brother with a shot in the head.

• Emerson, Neb.: A 4-year-old got a rifle from a gun case underneath a bed and shot his mother while playing with it. The bullet went through a wall and a recliner, hitting her in the side.

• Newark, N.J.: A 9-year-old girl was shot by her 12-year-old brother playing with a handgun in their home. The mother faced child-endangerment charges.

• Hayden, Idaho: A 2-year-old killed his 29-year-old mother in a Walmart. She had a loaded weapon in her purse and a concealedweapons permit.

• Tulsa, Okla: An Army veteran, 26, was killed after being shot in the head by her 3-year-old son. The child found a handgun and fired one shot.

• Louisville, Ky.: A 4-year-old accidentally killed herself when she grabbed a handgun left by a relative on a piece of furniture. Charges against the relative were dropped.

• Cleveland: A 1-year-old boy was killed by a 3-year-old family member when he picked up a gun, which went off. “It’s a sad day for Cleveland,” said Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams on newsnet5, an ABC affiliate. “This fascination we have with handguns … in this country has to stop. This is a senseless loss of life.” The person responsible for bringing the weapon into the home and leaving it where the child could get to it was said to likely face charges.

• Detroit: A 30-year-old Michigan mother was charged with second-degree child abuse after her 4-year-old son shot himself in the thigh. She apparently fell asleep on the couch after returning from a shooting range, leaving her handgun in her holster.

Locally, deaths and injuries from guns are in the news virtually every day, and the headlines are cumulatively alarming. Statistics show that more than 2 million American children live in homes with unsecured guns—and as many as 1.7 million of those homes include guns which are loaded and unlocked. More than two-thirds

of accidental shootings by children could have been avoided if guns had been responsibly stored, according to Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

“Nearly two children are killed in unintentional shootings in America each week,” Watts wrote in a piece for the Huffington Post. “America’s epidemic of gun violence has been sustained for so long that even toddlers and children shooting children is becoming a terrifying new normal.”

Moms Demand Action is the national organization Watts began after the 2012 Sandy Hook shootings in Newtown, Conn.

The group is dedicated to demanding action from lawmakers, companies and educational institutions to establish common-sense gunlaw reforms that protect children: child access prevention (CAP) laws. Although the NRA says such laws infringe on Second Amendment rights, polling shows that about 82 percent of Americans—and 81 percent of gun owners— favor allowing charges against adult gun owners if a child gets a negligently stored gun, and death or serious injury results.

Dori Smith (dorismithca@gmail.com), a Palm Desert resident since 1999, feels we’ve gone backward since Sandy Hook.

“Part of what we loved here, coming from Connecticut with lots of time spent in New York, was how safe we felt,” she says. “But now, murders—particularly gun murders—–are seemingly increasing even in our beautiful valley.”

Smith decided to join Moms Demand Action and start a local chapter. The kickoff meeting was held in a park with about 15

local residents: a retired rabbi and his wife; a former NRA member and proud gun owner who wants smarter laws to protect children; an elder-law lawyer and his wife who believe we need common-sense laws that hold adults responsible; two retired teachers who are concerned about guns on school grounds; and others with specific connections to gun violence. One person has a son who was held up at gunpoint; another has a mentally ill cousin who bought guns in a state with lax laws; another has a friend who was shot.

Marlene Levine, a 12-year resident of La Quinta who has been in the desert for 35 years, recalls an incident when her son was in the second-grade and was with a young friend—who wanted to show off the gun in his lunch box.

“To this day,” she says, “I remain thankful for the alert playground aide who saw that something odd was happening.”

There are no federal CAP laws or any national requirements for gun owners to safely store firearms. California is one of 28 states (plus the District of Columbia) that have enacted criminal liability on persons who negligently store firearms where anyone under 18 could get access, regardless of whether the minor actually gains access or uses the gun.

These laws do make a difference. A 1999 study found that more than 75 percent of the guns used in youth-suicide attempts or resulting in unintentional injuries were stored in the residence of the victim, a relative or a friend. CAP laws resulted in lowered suicide rates among 14- to 17-year-olds, as well as a decrease in unintentional injury in homes with children. In 12 states where such laws had been in effect for at least one year, unintentional firearm deaths fell by 23 percent among children younger than 15.

Dori Smith wants to expand the influence of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America here in the Coachella Valley.

“This is an issue that should transcend politics,” she says. “It’s about keeping our children safe.”

As Moms founder Shannon Watts says, “There is no such thing as an accidental shooting when it involves a child shooting himself or herself or another person with a

carelessly stored gun. It’s due to an adult gun owners’ negligence.”

We should not be satisfied that California has stiff CAP laws when children in other states are at risk. As a nation, we can surely do better.

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. EMAIL HER AT ANITA@ LOVABLELIBERAL.COM. KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS APPEARS EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY AT CVINDEPENDENT.COM. CVIndependent.com

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MAY 2015

OPINION

THE POTTED DESERT GARDEN

Five Tips for a Worry-Free Summer

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

By MARYLEE PANGMAN e have had a hot start to the spring here in the Coachella Valley!

Many of you might be saying: “What spring?” The entire Southwest has been running 10 degrees above normal, jumping us into an early period of 90-degree days. I have heard too many people already complaining about the heat.

Regardless, May is a good time to get your potted garden in good shape before the real saturated heat starts. Here are some tips to guide you along your way. Think about these this month before the intensity of the heat keeps you indoors.

1. It’s not too late! You can still plant summer flowers, shrubs, cactus and succulents this month. If you have a blank-slate area of your yard, consider getting out there with a few new jumbo-sized pots and some well-started summer plants—and make a major difference in your landscape. The most important things to keep in mind if you are going to create a new potted garden this month are: • Plant early in the morning.

• Make sure your plants have healthy root systems before purchasing.

• Be sure your plants’ root balls are moist before planting.

• Water the pots fully when you are finished with your planting (except for pots with cactus).

• Keep a close eye on your pots during the first two weeks of growth to make sure they are getting enough water. You do not want your plants to dry out as they are getting established. Once you see new growth on the plants, you know they are off to a good start.

2. Because the desert summer sun is so

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intense, even sun-loving plants prefer a little shade. Place pots under a lightly leafed tree, such as a Mesquite tree, for dappled light.

3. Move some of your favorite pots and plantings onto a patio or into an entryway.

Getting them into the shade and close to your living areas will provide them with the conditions they need for summer success.

Furthermore, you will more likely keep an eye on them, because you will see them every day.

4. As you would expect, the key to success in your hot desert pots is water—consistent, plentiful water. If you water your pots with an irrigation system, set it to come on about 4 a.m., and water before the lines heat up in the sun. If you are watering by hand, water as close to sunrise as you can. Both you and your pots will love you for it. Be sure the water coming out of the hose is not hot. Water pots until the water comes out of the drain hole.

However, only water your potted succulents and cacti when the soil is almost dry. I use a water meter for this to make sure I am not overwatering them.

5. If you do lose some plants to the heat,

Even sun-loving plants appreciate a little shade—for example, from a lightly leafed tree, such as a mesquite tree.

don’t leave dead or dying plants in the pot. All that does is make you feel bad. My motto has always been: Better dirt than dead!

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. FOLLOW THE POTTED DESERT AT FACEBOOK.COM/POTTEDDESERT. GET A FREE COPY OF TEN TOP TIPS TO DESERT POTTED GARDEN SUCCESS BY VISITING WWW.POTTEDDESERT.COM/M. THE POTTED DESERT GARDEN APPEARS EVERY TUESDAY AT CVINDEPENDENT.COM.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 5

MAY 2015

OPINION

ASK A MEXICAN!

Do Mexican Men Have Thicker Hair Than White Men?

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

By Gustavo Arellano EAR MEXICAN: Why do Mexican men have thicker hair than Caucasian men? Is it because it runs in the genes? (I am only asking about hair on the head, not body hair.)

Frankie DEAR GABACHO: It’s ALWAYS about the genes for Mexicans, whether it’s our love of tortillas and tamales (indigenous ancestors), beer (Germans) or frizzy hair (the negritos in our family tree who no one ever acknowledges, even though a brother was born with a Jheri curl that made Lionel Richie’s mane seem as florid as a high-and-tight). The same influence applies to male-pattern baldness: Native Americans are the least-affected ethnic group on Earth when it comes to being pelones, a scientific consensus that is so prevalent that you can find it repeated without citing any study in multiple medical dictionaries. The Mexican couldn’t find any study specifically focusing on Mexicans, but don’t forget that a bunch of us have sangre india in our veins.

As for those of us who are getting calvos?

As it says on a sweatshirt that my mami once bought at the swap meet and used to wear before realizing what it meant: I don’t have a bald spot; it’s a solar panel for a sex machine!

DEAR MEXICAN: I have a Hispanic heritage, with long bloodline of Hispanics who came to this continent in the 1600s. Having researched my roots, I discovered that the Spaniards have Germanic roots, and the migration to the Americas and interbreeding soon created the mestizo, with other bloodlines and heritages.

The generalization of terms used to describe a Hispanic were, for centuries, labeled as “white”; to make my point clearer, there was no such race as brown. In all of the documents that our forefathers filled out, there were lists of races, which included white, red, black, yellow or red.

There was never an option for brown.

Then the question of nationality came: Today, we’re listed as Anglo, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Mexican American, African American, Oriental, Pacific Islander or other.

This is where my soapbox becomes a podium:

Mexicans are white. You hear in all the polls on TV that the whites voted this way, and the Hispanics voted that way! I cannot stand to hear that all the people in attendance at a particular school were 20 percent white, and 60 percent Hispanic! They are all the same people! Hispanics are white!

Anglos and Hispanics are in the same race.

It’s the nationality that makes them two separate entities. Thank you for listening, and hopefully some clarity will overcome the misnomer that Hispanics are a separate race than the Anglo, when we were both white all along!

Manito Manuel DEAR WAB: Repeat after me: Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful. Brown is beautiful.

Now, go repeat that to all your Hispano friends in New Mexico who insist their ancestors never got it on with a mestizo, and tell them que se vayan a la chingada with their claims of pure bloodlines—or, better yet, go hang with Hitler.

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!

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MAY 2015

NEWS

SICKLY-SWEET

An Effort to Put Warning Labels on Sugary Beverages Runs Into Fierce Opposition

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

By Mary Duan he metal tab pulls back with a familiar click-click-hissssss as bubbles rush to the top of the can. The alluring scent wafts through the air, a familiar smell that hints at what’s to come.

If you’re drinking a 20-ounce Mountain Dew, you’re consuming the equivalent of 18 teaspoons of sugar. A same-sized Pepsi equals 16 teaspoons, and a Coke comes out to 15. A 16-ounce Rockstar Energy Drink slams more than 15 teaspoons.

Here’s the problem with what you’re drinking, some scientists say: Humans are not biologically designed to deal with that much liquid sugar at once. Since there’s no digestion involved, it enters the bloodstream and is absorbed more quickly than food.

As it does, the sugar overwhelms the pancreas, the organ tasked with regulating blood sugar, and over time wears it out.

Welcome to Type 2 diabetes.

Harold Goldstein, a doctor of public health, is the founding executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA), a Davis-based nonprofit whose mission is to look for solutions to what scientists say is an alarming increase in diabetes and obesity in California.

About five years ago, the CPHA commissioned a study by the UC Center for Weight and Health to see if there was a correlation between obesity and sugary beverage consumption.

The UC study found that Americans on average were consuming 278 more calories a day than they were about 2 1/2 decades before, with 43 percent of those calories defined as new beverage calories.

“I had no idea what the answer was going to be, but what they came up with was simple and compelling,” Goldstein says. “I was stunned. It was twice as much as I guessed.”

We weren’t just eating more. We were drinking more. And mostly, we were drinking more sugar, a phenomenon that coincided with the “soda wars” of the ’70s and ’80s, where Coca Cola and Pepsi went head-to-head on television advertising campaigns. It also coincided with an increase in portion sizes: In the ’70s and ’80s, a 12-ounce can was the norm. Now, fast-food restaurants offer 32-ounce cups with free refills.

Another surprising statistic, this from the National Institutes of Health, via Goldstein: A CVIndependent.com

quarter of teenagers, or 23 percent, have prediabetes, an increase from 9 percent just 10 years ago.

“These beverages are tricking the body,” Goldstein says. “The pancreas goes wild and the liver says, ‘Look at all this. I’d better save it for a rainy day and turn it into fat.’ There is a cohort of teens that will be entering the health-care system with higher rates of diabetes than ever.”

The grim statistics are why state Sen. Bill Monning, a Carmel Democrat, backed by CCPHA and the Health Officers Association of California, is going back into battle with the beverage industry.

On Feb. 11, Monning introduced Senate Bill 203, which would require a warning label to be placed on the packaging of sugarsweetened beverages including sodas, sweet teas, sports drinks and energy drinks. The label would be required on drinks with 75 or more calories per 12 ounces and would read as follows: “STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING—Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.”

However, the beverage industry is willing not only to put a lot of muscle and money behind the effort to stop him, but also to try to stop information they deem harmful to their industry from reaching the public.

Last June, on the same day Bill Monning’s previous labeling bill died in the state Assembly Health Committee, PepsiCo spent $2,200 on a catered event for 13 legislators and more than three-dozen legislative staff members from the Latino Legislative Caucus,

as the Sacramento Bee reported. Of the legislators who attended, two voted against SB 1000, the previous iteration of the labeling bill.

In 2014, the American Beverage Association California Political Action Committee, also known as the American Beverage Association Strategic Advocacy Fund, spent $11.8 million on various candidates and measures. Of that, $9.24 million went to the successful opposition of a soda tax floated before San Francisco voters. The group also spent $2.43 million to defeat a Berkeley soda tax, which passed despite fierce industry opposition.

The PAC donated $4,100 to Luis Alejo, D-Watsonville, who this year became head of the Latino Legislative Caucus, and the same to the Senate campaign of Ben Hueso, the San Diego Democrat who is vice chair of the Latino Legislative Caucus.

It put $27,200 into Gov. Jerry Brown’s campaign and $3,000 into Attorney General Kamala Harris’, too. It gave $46,000 to the Democratic State Central Committee of California and $10,000 to the California Republican Party.

Fast-forward to this year. The PAC started 2015 with $504,000 in the bank. The spokesman for the Latino Legislative Caucus PAC and foundation, Roger Salazar, is now the spokesman for CalBev, also known as the California-Nevada Beverage Association, the trade association representing the nonalcoholic beverage industry in California and Nevada. The Cal-Nev Soft Drink Association PAC spent $37,371 on various campaigns in 2014, mostly as $1,000 contributions to individual legislators.

In the hours and days that followed Monning’s announcement of his labeling bill, CalBev went on the offensive.

In a written statement, CalBev Executive Director Bob Achermann said obesity and diabetes are more complicated than a warning label. Monning’s bill is “misguided,” and singles out soft drinks while ignoring sugar-rich cupcakes, donuts and processed foods. It’s also riddled with loopholes that will confuse consumers, according to the statement.

For example, the release says, fountain sodas purchased at restaurants with table service will be exempt from labeling. The release also calls

State Sen. Bill Monning: “While sugar is in other foods, medical evidence is clear that liquid consumption of sugar is more immediately damaging.”

out milk-based products like Frappuccinos and lattes, which contain as much sugar and more calories than soft drinks.

Salazar says the industry has taken on an initiative to reduce sugar-sweetened consumption 20 percent by 2025.

“There are ways you can have a collaborative effort, but bills like this seek to demonize an industry with a shocking label when there are other, broader causes to obesity and diabetes we should be looking at,” Salazar says. “It’s about balancing calories, and there’s no question we support programs that educate people about nutrition and exercise.”

But the statement that there could be a collaborative effort came as news to Monning.

“They haven’t proposed any compromises to us that would work for them,” Monning says.

“I think we’ve maintained open and cordial conversation. Their position on labeling is: They provide caloric information on the label, and consumers have that at their fingertips.”

Monning acknowledges other sources of sugar are out there, but says none are as dangerous.

“While sugar is in other foods,” he says, “medical evidence is clear that liquid consumption of sugar is more immediately damaging. When you eat it, more is eliminated through digestion.”

This story originally appeared in the Monterey County Weekly.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 7

MAY 2015

NEWS

OFFERING INDEPENDENCE

The Braille Institute’s Goal: To Eliminate Barriers in the Lives of Blind and Visually Impaired People

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

By Brian Blueskye elice Chiapperini, a manager and field-services coordinator for the Braille Institute, doesn’t think his organization gets the publicity it needs.

“We’re the best-kept secret in the Coachella Valley,” he said.

The Rancho Mirage location is one of five Braille Institute centers in California. The organization was founded in 1919 by J. Robert Atkinson after he lost his sight. Atkinson learned to read Braille and managed to transcribe 250 books.

“We like to say that we offer services to those with low-vision to no-vision, and everybody in between,” Chiapperini said. “A lot of people have misunderstandings about who we serve, and our name is a bit misleading.

‘Braille Institute’ invokes in people’s minds images of people who are totally blind—images of Helen Keller, and things like that. While we do serve that community, the majority of the people we serve fall into the category of low-vision.”

Who qualifies as low-vision?

“Anyone who has been diagnosed with any type of degenerative eye condition to where corrective lenses will no longer work,” he answered. “That means the person has been to their doctor or eye doctor; they are given the strongest glasses that they make, and they still can’t see their face or the words on a page. We can provide those people the tools, the training and the adaptive devices they need so that they can continue to do whatever it is they want to do, despite the vision loss.”

How many people are visually impaired in the region?

“From this center, we serve the Riverside, Imperial and San Bernardino counties,” Chiapperini said. “In that three-county radius, the census says there are some 80,000-plus visually impaired people. That’s a huge number, and it’s equal to the city population of Indio. We only see about 4,000 to 5,000 of those people on an annual basis.”

Chiapperini said the institute started primarily as a Braille printing press and Braille lending library. “We still are a Braille press and Braille lending library, but nowadays, less than 10 percent of visually impaired people can read Braille. The majority of our clients, 90 percent, can’t read Braille.”

I was a bit taken back by that piece of information.

“Years ago, it was 50 percent,” Chiapperini said. “Back in the 1960s, the federal government mandated that students with physical disabilities be brought into the

mainstream education system. Prior to that, there were dedicated schools for the blind and dedicated schools for the deaf. When the students were brought into the mainstream schools, (teachers) weren’t equipped to teach them Braille. … What did they do? They taught them audio. It was at the time when audio and cassette learning was being introduced.”

Chiapperini also shared another reason why a lot of visually impaired adults don’t know Braille. “Many of the people who become visually impaired today become visually impaired as older adults, and it’s not feasible to teach older adults Braille—the reason being is because as we grow older, we lose sensitivity in our fingertips. It becomes impractical.”

Chiapperini said the Braille Institute is leading a campaign to reintroduce Braille into the learning system. The organization also works to help all visually impaired people live independent lives—even though many people in need at first resist help.

“Going to senior health fairs or to assistedliving facilities, the ladies shuffle up to me and say, ‘Braille Institute? I don’t need your services, and I’m not blind!’ One of the frustrating things is a lot of older people won’t self-identify as having vision loss because of vanity and fear. They don’t want to admit they have as much vision loss as they do, because then the DMV will take away their license. … It’s frustrating for us, because we can provide them the tools to make their lives much more enjoyable and easier, if only they would understand. … Inevitably, they take a few classes, and we give them some adaptive devices, and they make a remarkable turnaround, because there’s a sense of independence coming back.”

BRIAN BLUESKYE

What services does the Braille Institute provide?

“Think of us as a community college for the visually impaired,” he said. “This is a place where they can come and take classes. We offer two types of courses. One is the core-skills class; that’s where you learn the basics— cooking, dressing yourself and handling money. The second are enrichment classes, where you can take art classes, photography classes, arts and crafts, horticulture and all sorts of things.”

Chiapperini noted that advances in technology have changed the ways in which visually impaired people live and interact “You can be totally blind and use a smartphone as well as you or I use it,” Chiapperini said. “There are more than 200 applications for visually impaired people that are free or 99 cents. (Handling) money is always an issue for visually impaired people,

so we teach people how to fold their money according to the denominations so they know what they have in their wallet. … There’s an app out there called EyeNote that works through the camera and tells you how much money you have. There are apps that recognize color as well.”

Chiapperini showed me a device that measures liquid in a cup and beeps once the cup is filled to the appropriate level.

“When someone has macular degeneration, they have a hard time distinguishing color and depth. If they were in the kitchen, and they had a white cup, and they were going to pour milk into this cup, it would be very challenging,” he said.

THE BRAILLE INSTITUTE’S RANCHO MIRAGE CENTER IS LOCATED AT 70251 RAMON ROAD, IN RANCHO MIRAGE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 760-321-1111, OR VISIT WWW. BRAILLEINSTITUTE.ORG/RANCHOMIRAGE.HTML.

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MAY 2015

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 9

MAY 2015

NEWS

MAY ASTRONOMY Say Goodbye to the Bright Winter Stars This Month—and Get Ready for an Epic Planetary Pairing

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

by Robert Victor n May, four of the 16 stars of first magnitude or brighter visible from Southern California begin their annual leaves of absence, sinking into the western twilight glow.

In order of departure, they are Rigel, Aldebaran, Sirius and Betelgeuse. In June, Procyon, Capella and Pollux will follow—all the stars of the huge Winter Hexagon, with Betelgeuse inside.

It’s enjoyable and relaxing to look for these stars within an hour after sunset on clear spring evenings. Those who watch regularly are certain to notice the stars appearing lower each evening at the same stage of twilight, and eventually dropping out of view.

This change is a direct consequence of Earth’s annual revolution around the sun.

As seen from Earth from late April through mid-July, the sun appears to move from Aries through Taurus into Gemini, causing these zodiac constellations and their neighbors to sink into the evening twilight glow, and, after several weeks, to reappear in the eastern sky at dawn.

(Exception: Far northern Capella emerges at dawn before it leaves the evening sky.)

The moon and naked-eye planets provide additional spice for skywatchers. In early May 2015, as many as four planets can be viewed simultaneously by observers with unobstructed views toward the west-northwest and east-southeast. During May’s first week, Mercury shines near magnitude 0, and on May 6, reaches its greatest angular distance from the sun this time around, 21 degrees.

Around that date, Mercury also attains its highest position for this year at dusk. The best time to find it may be nearly an hour after sunset; look about 22 degrees to the lower right of brilliant Venus. Also on May 6, find bright Jupiter 45 degrees to Venus’ upper left.

On May 6, wait until almost an hour and a half after sunset, when Mercury is just 3 degrees up in the west-northwest. Then turn around to find Saturn at about the same height above the opposite horizon, in the east-southeast.

Look a couple of minutes earlier each evening until May 11, and you’ll find Mercury and Saturn 5 degrees above opposite horizons, 1.2 hours after sunset. But by then, Mercury has faded to magnitude +1.0, and it will fade further in the following days.

Much easier than catching four planets simultaneously in May 2015 is viewing three, and you can do so in all of May and well into July! The span of Venus-Jupiter-Saturn starts out 159 degrees long on May 1, shrinking through 150 degrees on May 9, 135 degrees on May 22, and to 125 degrees on May 31. Venus and Saturn, the endpoints of the lineup, are

both 10 degrees up 2.5 hours after sunset on May 1, improving to 23 degrees up at a very convenient viewing time of 1.3 hours after sunset by end of May. As a wonderful bonus, these three planets are the most impressive for telescopic observation: Venus starting in gibbous phase, two-thirds full at the start of May, passing through half full in early June, through ever larger and thinner crescent phases as the planet draws closer to Earth; Jupiter, with its cloud belts, and its four bright satellites discovered by Galileo (as were the phases of Venus); and Saturn, with its amazing rings, now 24 degrees from edge-on!

Excellent views of these showpiece planets make this a superb time to schedule evening sky watching sessions—star parties! The Astronomical Society of the Desert will host a star party on Saturday, May 30, at the Visitor Center of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument on Highway 74, about four miles south of Highway 111 in Palm Desert. For more info, including dates of and maps to locations of star parties planned for this summer, visit www.astrorx.org.

If you haven’t been following the 5-monthslong approach of Venus to Jupiter in the evening sky, start now! Venus and Jupiter are 50 degrees apart on May 1, closing to 35 degrees apart on May 16, and 20 degrees on June 1. The gap between the two brightest planets continues to narrow, to 10 degrees on June 14, to 5 degrees on June 21—and only 1/3 of a degree apart on June 30.

Many moon and planetary events in the evening sky in May and early June are illustrated on the Abrams Planetarium Sky Calendar. A downloadable PDF of the May issue, with an evening sky map, may be reprinted and distributed free of charge. Go to www.abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar.

Evening visibility map at mid-twilight. ROBERT D. MILLER

On May 1 and 2 in evening twilight, watch the waxing gibbous moon leapfrog past Spica.

The full moon occurs on the evening of May 3. On May 4-6, two hours after sunset, watch the waning gibbous moon go past Saturn and Antares.

The moon returns to the early evening sky on May 19, as a thin crescent low in the westnorthwest, 21 degrees to 22 degrees to the lower right of Venus. Two days later, on May 21, the moon passes 9 degrees to the lower left of Venus, which now forms an isosceles triangle with Gemini’s “Twin” stars Pollux and Castor. Jupiter is now 30 degrees to Venus’ upper left. On May 23, the fat crescent moon appears 6 degrees to the lower left of Jupiter.

Catch the half-full first quarter moon near Regulus on May 24, and a gibbous moon near Spica on May 29.

On June 1, the nearly full moon appears in the southeast near Saturn and Antares, while Venus aligns with Pollux and Castor in the west-northwest. That same evening, Jupiter appears 20 degrees to Venus’s upper left, with just 29 days to go until their spectacular conjunction on June 30!

ROBERT C. VICTOR WAS A STAFF ASTRONOMER AT ABRAMS PLANETARIUM AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. HE IS NOW RETIRED AND ENJOYS PROVIDING SKYWATCHING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN IN AND AROUND PALM SPRINGS.

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MAY 2015

NEWS

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

SNAPSHOT

Images From April in the Coachella Valley

The Living Desert gained a cute new resident on Friday, April 10, when the first bighorn sheep was born at the zoo since 1993. The father of the 4.2-kilogram ram (male) is 4-year-old Dante, who sired four lambs at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park prior to arriving at The Living Desert last year. The first-time mother, Nolina, is almost 7 and was born at the Los Angeles Zoo. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LIVING DESERT

About 200,000 people attended the two Coachella weekends at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. While headliners AC/DC and Jack White wowed crowds, Sunday headliner Drake received reviews that were mixed, at best. Florence Welch, of Florence and the Machine, offered an amazing performance at the final day of Coachella 2015 on Sunday, April 19, after being carried to her stage-front chair (top); she broke her foot performing at the first weekend of Coachella. Meanwhile, Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl, aka Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, posed for a gorgeous photo after their Friday, April 17, performance.

PHOTOS BY GUILLERMO PRIETO/IROCKPHOTOS.NET

CVIndependent.com

ANA Inspiration winner Brittany Lincicome tees off on the first hole of what would become a legendary final round on Sunday, April 5: An eagle on the par-5 18th hole catapulted her into a playoff, which she won on the third hole to capture her second ANA Inspiration/Dinah Shore golf-tournament title. PHOTO BY KEVIN FITZGERALD

MAY 2015

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 11

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MAY 2015

The New Normal

Coachella Valley Water Agencies Enact Strict New Water Restrictions

By Kevin Fitzgerald

March 17, the California State Water Resources Control Board made it clear: Californians need to escalate the battle against the continuing, disastrous drought that’s plaguing our state.

Gov. Jerry Brown first held a press conference to reiterate the need for increased voluntary water conservation. Soon after, though, he went on the offensive: In an executive order issued April 1, he delivered the first list of state-mandated water-use restrictions in California’s history—mandates which will remain in effect until at least Feb. 28, 2016, although most people believe they’ll remain in effect well beyond that date.

The order means the two main watermanagement agencies in the Coachella Valley—the Desert Water Agency (DWA) on the west end, and the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) on the east end—have been charged with creating, implementing and following local water-usage-reduction programs.

The CVWD held a board meeting to solicit public input on April 14.

“I’d estimate that we had nearly 100 people there—and we don’t get any people at our meetings very often,” said Heather Engel, the agency’s director of communication and conservation. “I think the board really appreciated the outpouring from the community and the sharing in the discussion.

Here’s the thing: We need to hear from them which restrictions are feasible and are going to be accepted by them.”

The CVWD’s new strategies and restrictions were slated to be announced at the board meeting on Tuesday, April 28.

(For more information on that meeting, visit CVIndependent.com, and/or pick up next month’s print edition.)

Over at the DWA, on Tuesday, April 21, the board of directors held a public meeting—and an estimated 200-plus citizens packed into the small meeting room, overflowing into the lobby. The size of the crowd required that Katie Ruark, the DWA public information officer, deliver her multimedia presentation CVIndependent.com

on water-conservation efforts twice—first in the meeting room, and then to the disgruntled citizens forced to stand outside the meeting room’s doors.

While the CVWD put two weeks between the public-input meeting and an announcement of new restrictions, the DWA issued revised policies just hours after public input was received on April 21. Given that tight turnaround, it’s difficult to understand how the public comments could have influenced the final policy announcement.

The DWA restrictions, which took effect immediately, declare that “the following uses of water are now prohibited (or continue to be prohibited): washing of hardscapes; running water to wash vehicles (buckets and stop nozzles on hoses are permitted); (and) the use of potable water in fountains or other decorative water features (unless necessary for aquatic pets).”

The decree continues, “Irrigation restrictions include: using potable water outside of newly constructed homes and buildings that is not delivered by drip or microspray systems; outdoor residential irrigation shall be restricted to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, after 7 p.m. and before 7 a.m.; a commercial, industrial or institutional customer may implement an alternative water use reduction plan that achieves reductions in water use equivalent to those expected from the restrictions prescribed herein, if approved …; runoff such that water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots, or structures is prohibited; irrigating up to 48 hours after measurable rainfall is prohibited; the use of potable water to irrigate turf within street medians, and turf within the dedicated right of way on either side of a public street, is prohibited.”

The restrictions end with: “Additional restrictions for hotels and restaurants include: Restaurants may provide water to customers only upon request; (and) operators of hotels and motels shall provide guests with the option of choosing not to have towels and linens laundered daily.”

The DWA also asked customers to refrain from emptying and refilling swimming pools from June 1 through Oct. 31, unless absolutely necessary.

Per State Water Resources Control Board policy, no restrictions are being placed on the agricultural industry. In CVWD territory, agriculture accounts for 50 percent of total

An overflow crowd showed up at the Tuesday, April 21, meeting of the Desert Water Agency. At that meeting, the agency issued a series of new water restrictions. KEVIN FITZGERALD

water usage, as compared to 17 percent by golf courses, and 33 percent for domestic use— public and private, commercial and residential.

Both of the valley’s agencies have been told to reduce their customers’ total usage by 36 percent as computed against 2013 usage numbers. By comparison, some water districts in the state have been asked to reduce usage by as little as 6 to 10 percent. The percentage target for each district was based on per-capita usage numbers, so this high target for valley residents was predicated on consistently high per-capita average-usage totals.

In a letter to the State Water Resources Control Board by DWA general manager David Luker, he blamed seasonal residents for much of the high water usage.

“During the warmer season, approximately 30 percent of water bills are sent out of the state of California,” Luker wrote. “Seasonal residents have homes that use water whether they are here or not, but they are not counted as population. The water use of seasonal residents is placed on the backs of yearround residents, as seasonal residents are not included in population data.”

Unlike the DWA, the CVWD declined to make a comment to the SWRCB. “A 36 percent reduction is not going to be easy as a whole water district,” said Engel. “We still think that the state’s per-capita number

for us is not a fair representation, but we have decided that, no, we’re not going to push back.

We’ve decided that if the state wants us to reduce by 36 percent, then we’re going to do what we can to reduce by 36 percent.”

At the DWA’s public meeting, numerous community speakers urged the board to adopt and implement a tiered-billing policy soon— even though a state appeals court had just ruled that a four-tiered pricing plan adopted

by San Juan Capistrano was in violation of Proposition 218, a 1996 initiative passed by voters that prohibits government agencies from charging more for services than their actual cost.

However, the CVWD, which has had a tiered-billing system since 2009, is confident the agency’s system could withstand any legal challenge.

“We don’t think it will have an effect,” Engel said about the ruling. “Our understanding is that the court’s problem was not with budgetbased tiered rates in general, but with rate structures that arbitrarily set the pricing. Our rate structure is based on our cost to provide service.”

FOR UPDATES, VISIT CVINDEPENDENT.COM AND/OR PICK UP NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 13

MAY 2015

ACanWater Market?

Financial Tools Help Get a Precious Resource Where It Is Needed?

By Brian Calvert

alifornia has been taking strong measures to deal with extreme drought. Gov. Jerry Brown recently ordered cities to cut water use, and approved new regulations to limit the flow of water in toilets, urinals and faucets.

But some economists think that there are more efficient and effective ways to mitigate drought—so they’re starting to dust off the idea of water markets.

Putting financial tools to work in the world of water management, they believe, could free up more water for use, overcoming some of the major problems associated with dry spells, and avoiding the need for some crisis measures.

Proponents say markets can tell us where water is scarce and where it isn’t, and could help address one of the more nefarious aspects of water-wasting: how cheap water seems compared to how important it is.

“Drought is a train moving at us at three miles per hour,” Jennifer Pitt, director of the Colorado River Program for the Environmental Defense Fund, says, “and if we don’t get off the track, it’s our own damn fault.”

Rather than complicated laws, policies and agreements, a market system could allow users to sell or buy rights from year to year, or to conserve water use without losing water rights. Such instruments, for example, would help a broccoli farmer lease his water rights to an almond farmer, earning money on a fallow field for a year while preventing a catastrophe in his neighbor’s orchard. Water law today often prohibits farmers from doing that.

While California’s drought has dominated headlines, the Colorado River Basin and many other watersheds are facing a longer-term problem: As the climate changes, dry areas of the planet are likely to get drier, so droughts will probably last even longer.

“Markets are going to be critical to the solution to drought,” Pitt says. That doesn’t mean privatizing water fully, but recognizing water’s relationship to the land it runs through—and therefore to property.

Currently, most water is bound to property rights, under a series of doctrines that make it hard to move around and hard to conserve. A use-it-or-lose-it aspect underpins many water policies. They may be mere slips of paper, but water rights can be as cumbersome to move as boulders. That lack of flexibility in Western water policy and law creates “quite a bit of tension and risk,” says Peter Culp, a water

lawyer at Squire Patton Boggs, in Phoenix.

In a recent discussion paper for the Brookings Institution’s Hamilton Project, “Shopping for Water: How the Market Can Mitigate Water Shortages in the American West,” Culp and co-authors Robert Glennon, at the University of Arizona, and Gary Libecap, at the University of California at Santa Barbara, give five proposals for putting water markets in place: “Reform legal rules that discourage water trading to enable short-term water transfers; create basic market institutions to facilitate trading of water; use risk mitigation strategies to enhance system reliability; protect groundwater resources; and continue to expand federal leadership.”

That means, for example, that states could encourage water users to free up water on a short-term basis. (The broccoli farmer who gives his water for a year for the sake of his neighbor’s almonds is an example of this.)

They also suggest finding ways to link water rights to consumption, rather than diversion, and to ensure that junior water users are not harmed in times of drought. They advocate for eliminating the “beneficial use doctrine,” which demands that all water must be used for a beneficial purpose, such as agricultural irrigation or a city utility, or see its right forfeited. That idea, the authors say, hampers markets and discourages efficient use of water.

Water markets certainly have detractors and caveats. There’s a lot of reluctance to move out of the old system, which has been in place for years and is surrounded by complicated, hardto-untangle laws and traditions.

Such rights could also be traded without regard to the rural communities that rely on them, says Patricia Mulroy, the former water czar for Las Vegas and currently a fellow at Brookings.

“Once the market forces take hold, the only thing people will talk about is the money,” she says. “And only the economists and the accountants will move their lips.”

This story originally appeared in High Country News (hcn.org).

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CVI SPOTLIGHT: MAY 2015 THURSDAYS ARE A DRAG AT THE COPA

B

JAMES CESENA

CVIndependent.com

ELLA DA BALL IS ONE OF THE VALLEY’S most ubiquitous (in a good way) entertainers.

The hostess with the mostess can be found every Monday hosting Trivia Night at the Amigo Room at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club. (Full disclosure: The Independent usually has a strong contingent present at the Ace Trivia Night.) Every Tuesday, Bella hosts a Cabaret Variety Revue at Georgie’s Alibi Azul Patio. And since January, Bella has hosting a brand-new show each week— Lipstick Thursdays, at the Copa.

“It’s a high-energy, fun mix,” said Bella da Ball—whose alter ego is Brian Wanzek (or is it the other way around?)— about the 90-minute show. “It’s primarily drag, and there are vocalists who come in and do some numbers.”

Bella said the performers primarily work the main floor, rather than the Copa’s long stage, so they can get up-close and personal with the audience.

“It’s a fun, audience-participation type of thing,” she said.

“People love the costumes, the headdresses, the sequins, and the props, like hula hoops and guitars.”

Whereas the long-running Tuesday show at Georgie’s Alibi features a variety of musical genres and multiple vocalists, Lipstick Thursdays at the Copa focus more on drag and contemporary pop music.

“It’s more high-energy, more in-your-face, and more of a party,” Bella said.

Even though drag is the focus at Lipstick Thursdays— regular performers include Marina Mac, Jersey Shore, Pinkie Meringue Shimmer, Sassy Ross, Rickie Lee and Cherilyn— vocalists are also a key part of the show, including a rotation among talents including Carol Kamenis, Charles Herrera and Keisha D. Don’t let the drag focus fool you: Bella said Lipstick Thursdays draw a mixed crowd—even including corporate parties.

JAMES CESENA

“They brought boas and light sticks, and were singing, and clapping, and dancing, and partying,” Bella said about a recent corporate group. “The vast majority of people who go out to shows can appreciate this. It’s music, drag, comedy and fun.”

Bella noted that in addition to happy-hour drink specials until 9 p.m., attendees can order pizzas from Tropicale, the Copa’s sister restaurant next door. She said she hosts a great show for people to enjoy before or after Palm Springs VillageFest, too.

“People can come and relax,” Bella said. “Everybody wants to get involved.”

Lipstick Thursdays take place at the Copa, 244 E. Amado Road, in Palm Springs. Doors open at 6 p.m., with an 8 p.m. show time; a DJ follows at 9:30.

Admission is free. For more information, call 760-8660021, or visit www.copapalmsprings.com.

—Jimmy Boegle

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 15

MAY 2015

ARTS & CULTURE

FROM 42ND STREET

TO FRANK’S 100TH

The McCallum Theatre Announces Its 2015-2016 Schedule

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/ARTS-AND-CULTURE

By Jimmy Boegle t’s been a fine year for the McCallum Theatre.

“This is one of the best seasons we’ve had in terms of artists—and financially, as well,” said Mitch Gershenfeld, the president, CEO and longtime booker of the McCallum. “Ticket sales have been very, very strong this year, considerably stronger than last year.”

The McCallum is winding down its wildly successful 2014-2015 season with College of the Desert’s production of Fiddler on the Roof, running Thursday, April 30, through Sunday, May 3. But all this leads to a question: How can Gershenfeld and the McCallum raise the bar next season?

The answer came when the McCallum released the schedule for the 2015-2016 season, and it seems that Gershenfeld looked east to raise that figurative bar— specifically, all the way to Broadway.

The McCallum’s new season features eight Broadway and Broadway-style shows, with musical comedy classic 42nd Street (Nov. 24-29) and newly revived hit Pippin (Jan. 12-17, 2016) leading the way, followed by the ever-popular Jersey Boys (Feb. 16-21) and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (March 25-27).

Joining those shows are shorter runs of the 20th anniversary tour of Riverdance (Jan. 23 and 24), one-man comedy show Steve Solomon’s Cannoli, Latkes and Guilt (Feb. 12), the nowlegendary The Producers (Feb. 27 and 28), and a brand-new McCallum production, Tribute to the Follies (March 10 and 11).

“This one of the strongest Broadway seasons we’ve ever had,” Gershenfeld said.

In particular, Gershenfeld said he was proud to nab Pippin, on its first national tour after winning four Tony Awards—including Best Revival of a Musical—in 2013.

“The production is so brilliantly done,” he said.

As for that Tribute to the Follies: Gershenfeld said the folks at the McCallum wanted to pay tribute to—but not necessarily imitate—the legendary Palm Springs Follies. Therefore, they assembled a show honoring not only the Palm Springs Follies, but theatrical revues including the Folies Bergère and the Ziegfeld Follies.

Performers from the Palm Springs Follies will play a big part in the show.

“We’re doing three performances,” Gershenfeld said. “If people like it, we’ll do more next year.”

For a second year, Gershenfeld is offering his series of “Mitch’s Picks.” These are his personal selections of shows featuring unfamiliar or under-the-radar artists. (For what it’s worth, several of his picks for the

soon-to-conclude season ended up being wildly successful: Tickets for 2Cellos and the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain sold out well before show time.)

In something of a contradiction, his first pick features a fairly familiar name: Jane Lynch, who will be taking the stage on Nov. 14.

The Glee star, known best for being a comedic actor, will be bringing to the McCallum stage her new solo-concert show, “See Jane Sing!”

“She has a wonderful cabaret act,” Gershenfeld said. “People don’t know her as a cabaret performer.”

Mitch’s other picks: unconventional organist Cameron Carpenter (Feb. 3); the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, a long-performing ensemble that plays songs from the 1920s and 1930s (Feb. 10); The von Trapps (yes, those von Trapps; March 2); and comedy violin-andpiano duo Igudesman and Joo (March 18).

Gershenfeld compared Carpenter to 2Cellos, but in reverse: While the 2Cellos guys look traditional, and use traditional instruments to play non-traditional (read: rock) music, Carpenter looks non-traditional, and uses a (sort of) traditional instrument (a souped-up organ, in his case) to play traditional (read: classical) music.

“He is known for his technical brilliance,” Gershenfeld said. “He plays Bach on an organ—but he is kind of a rebel and a bad boy.

He’s very flamboyant. He’s … developed an organ that has electric elements to it. It’s like an organ on steroids.”

All of the usual McCallum staples are back for another year, including five shows as part of Fitz’s Jazz Café (curated by Easy 103’s Jim Fitzgerald), four “Keyboard Conversations With Jeffrey Siegel,” and McCallum’s season-

Jane Lynch will bring her cabaret concert show to the McCallum on Nov. 14.

opener, the Fourth Annual Family Fun Day, starring lots of animals and ventriloquist Kevin Johnson, on Sunday, Oct. 18.

Something new this year: Frank Sinatra would have turned 100 in December, so the McCallum is celebrating the legend with several shows, including Frank Sinatra Jr. in “Sinatra Sings Sinatra” (Feb. 5 and 6), and Steve Lawrence paying tribute to his longtime friend on Feb. 14.

“More than any other singer alive today, Steve Lawrence is the personification of the Great American Songbook,” Gershenfeld said.

Of course, Gershenfeld is not done with the 2015-2016 schedule; in fact, he’d booked another show on the day we spoke to him, he said.

“I’ve pretty much filled the calendar,” he said. “There will probably be another six to 10 shows added to the season.”

In other words … stay tuned.

FOR TICKETS OR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.MCCALLUMTHEATRE.COM. CVIndependent.com

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MAY 2015

ARTS & CULTURE

BRILLIANT CONTRASTS

Desert Rose Teams With the Author of ‘To Wong Foo’ to Mount a Hilarious Production

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/ARTS-AND-CULTURE

By Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume ike the little dog, you’re going to laugh—and you’ll love it.

The Desert Rose Playhouse’s new comedy, The Little Dog Laughed, was written by Douglas Carter Beane. He’s not a household name, but perhaps he should be: He’s the genius who crafted the amazing screenplay for To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, in which the late Patrick Swayze rose to new heights of acting skill, playing virtually his entire role in drag and turning in one of the most amazing and finely tuned performances ever.

So you already know you’re in for a comedic experience that combines wit with situational comedy and a cast of unusual characters. This four-person play, perfectly cast and deftly directed by Jim Strait, deals with Hollywood’s legendary but real craziness—though it’s mostly set in New York. The lights come up on a surprisingly bare stage: a rainbow-hued curtain, one chair, two doors and a lone rubber-tree plant.

Enter Joey. Oh, Joey! Miss English, dressed in her signature red wardrobe and with her red hair and enormous centipede eyelashes, catapults us into the play with a sensational monologue. She plays Diane, a lesbian Hollywood agent, and a classic, she is—she’s a product of Rodeo Drive and beauty salons and the horrors of trying to earn a living on the fringes of showbiz. Any actress who complains that there are no great roles for ladies older than 40 has never met Joey English, because she consistently finds terrific characters, and she’s always busy. In Joey’s Diane, we see an extraordinary combination of brassiness covering vulnerability, bravado hiding terror, and sarcasm shielding damage. Even at her snarkiest and sharkiest, we sense Diane’s bandaged wounds. With huge comedic gifts and an edgy voice, Joey brings the script to life, and snaps out some of the funniest lines in the play. Tottering about on her uber-heels, with sequins flashing wildly in Phil Murphy’s lighting, she is perfectly cast in this role as The Powerful Mistress of Hype. She is totally convincing, as her embittered verbal ax falls on such innocent victims as Cobb salads. The first-night audience rewarded nearly every one of her scenes with applause.

And then, surprise! The stage transforms in an instant. A bed rolls out; the lighting shifts; and, pow, we’re in a New York hotel room. We meet the show’s two males—the amazingly consistent John Ferrare (has he CVIndependent.com

ever flubbed a line?) as Mitchell Green, a sleek, California-tanned, rising movie star obsessed with his “image.” He contrasts in every way with Timothy Douglas, playing Alex (or Bryan), an attractive youngster sent over by an escort service. And we’re off to a confusing start, with the movie star being drunk, and the greedy rent boy unsure about what to do with him. As actors, both appear effortless in their easy, seemingly natural relating to each other … and both are impressively fearless about stripping off their clothes. (The banner on the play’s poster warns about nudity and adult situations, so don’t say we didn’t tell you. Maybe now would be a good time to toss in a language warning, too.) Mr. Movie Star is emotionally conflicted about whether or not he is gay … and, it turns out, the male prostitute is as well: Despite multiple sexual experiences daily, he doesn’t “feel” gay. OK …

In fact, Alex has a girlfriend. Say what?

Meet Allison Feist as Ellen. She is perfect as a potty-mouthed, hormone-ridden, completely self-absorbed Young Person of Today. Weak Ellen’s best gift seems to be her ability to take remorseless advantage of other people, rather than find her own purpose in life. Her youthful appearance, in every way, provides a stunning contrast to Diane’s artificial glam. Ellen is adrift on life’s surface, and we both sympathize with her and find her amusing at the same time. She is crucial to the plot, so don’t write her off … despite her managing to use every

Joey English and John Ferrare star in Desert Rose Playhouse’s The Little Dog Laughed.

single annoying bit of verbal teen slang in existence (starring “like” and “you know.” Like ... you know).

The dialogue weaves through secrets, lies, truths and retractions, combining trash talk with yearning sincerity, and punching out the caught-you-off-guard humor. (“It’s like a relationship, only it’s enjoyable.”) The script mixes irony with real fears like the terror of being alone or having to fight for one’s own freedom. We are frequently told that “Diane solves problems,” and as the conflicts and confusion accrue, the characters turn to the agent for solutions. I won’t give away the wonderful twist at the end of the play, though I’ll promise that the writing is utterly masterful, and the resolution is a never-sawthat-coming surprise.

Kudos to the Desert Rose support team who made such a success of this play. We’ve already mentioned the mega-talented director, Jim Strait, whose flawless sense of timing, crystalclear insights into the characters and lovely sense of stage balance all combine to make this play a delight. Turns out Strait is in charge of the scenery and the sound, too. His husband,

Paul Taylor, is the play’s producer, and a steady hand on the wheel, he always is. Phil Murphy’s lighting is, of course, gorgeous; is there anything more fun than a disco ball? Mark Demry’s costumes are most excellent. (Well, there was a briefly hilarious entanglement with a tie belt on a robe.) And Steve Fisher’s stage managing is smooth and sweet, as usual.

It’s the contrasts that make this play brilliant—the playwright’s insights, the director’s right-on choices and the actors’ thoughtful explorations of their roles. New York versus California. Youthful versus older. Shrewd versus naïve. Successful versus struggling. Focused versus confused. The multi-faceted result is hugely satisfying, and you will leave the theater smiling.

You’ll laugh … and you’ll love it.

THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED IS PERFORMED AT 8 P.M., FRIDAY AND SATURDAY; AND 2 P.M., SUNDAY, THROUGH SUNDAY, MAY 17, AT THE DESERT ROSE PLAYHOUSE, 69620 HIGHWAY 111, IN RANCHO MIRAGE. TICKETS ARE $28 TO $30. FOR TICKETS OR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 760-202-3000, OR VISIT WWW.DESERTROSEPLAYHOUSE.ORG.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 17

MAY 2015

ARTS & CULTURE

IMAGES OF HOME

BY THE LEGENDS WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/ARTS-AND-CULTURE

By Victor Barocas n exhibit of the works of either Ansel Adams or Dorothea Lange is a “must see.” However, it approaches artistic nirvana when a museum hangs images by both icons in the same show.

The La Quinta Museum is doing just that right now in the exhibit Iconic Light, on display through Aug. 15.

The two greats were contemporaries; in fact, they both served as photography faculty at the California School of Fine Arts.

Adams’ black-and-white photographs remain visionary and meticulous. His images more than communicate the beauty of the American landscape and wilderness; they speak to his lifelong commitment as a conservationist. His photos here, taken at the Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center near Palm Desert, do not disappoint.

Adams’ image of a cholla cactus is beautifully eerie. In the foreground, a single tall cholla stands in front of what appears to be a boulder. The lighting creates an aura— and the cactus body seems skeletal. A field of cholla, many with the same aura/skeleton combination, surrounds the boulder. In essence, Adams created a graveyard where the cacti appear as erratically placed crosses.

Another Adams work from the Deep Canyon Research Center also spotlights one cactus: A lone ocotillo, with its needle-like branches emanating from a central point, stands alone.

The nearby mountains look like a shield that

both hides and protects the single, firmly planted cactus. Like Harry Bertoia’s metal sculpture “Spray,” air movement will cause the ocotillo’s branches to sway. It’s as if the sculptor got his inspiration for his midcentury masterpiece from Adams.

With a third piece from Deep Canyon, Adams offers a very different look at nature.

In a departure from his signature landscapes, Adams photographs a highly textured and swirling rock formation—exaggerated by his use of light, dark and shadows. If Adams was not so well-known for landscape photography, the piece might well be considered abstract.

While Adams found his inspiration in nature, Dorothea Lange is known for

The La Quinta Museum Shows Coachella Valley Pictures by Ansel Adams and Dorothea Lange documenting Americans affected by the Great Depression; later, during the 1940s, she took images of Japanese Americans forced into interment camps. Her Coachella Valley images illustrate pathos and resignation. Without apology, Lange shares, with compositions that contain a Degas-like sense of movement, her experience of our neighborhood.

“Date Picker’s Home” shows a lone, doorless shack built out of tar paper, palm fronds and pieces of concrete. The shanty’s roof is made from palm fronds sitting atop slats of wood. Standing alone, right of center, a young, adolescent, dark-haired girl looks at the photographer. Her seemingly emotionless gaze seems to ask, “Why?” Even though he’s surrounded by other men, “One of 100 Carrot Pullers in Coachella Valley” illustrates the aloneness of the migrant worker extracting carrots from the ground. Crouched, the puller’s lack of identity is assured; his head, just a black mass, sits above his shirt and below his large hat. The shadows that protect him from the sun also guarantee his anonymity. Lange’s composition, by creating a sense of flux and movement, attenuates the overwhelming sense of despondency.

Clean, open wood crates, clearly intended to hold the crops, are to the puller’s right and left. Everything points to the lone puller. The highly structured composition, while seeming architectural, does not come across as totally static.

This type of an intimate exhibit is a rare opportunity. While the La Quinta Museum does not exhibit a tremendous number of works, any potential criticism of that fact misses the point: The show is visually manageable. Visitors can remember and not be overwhelmed by a great number or images.

Also, the viewer shows how two American photographic masters, at around the same point in time, offered two different visions of our home, the Coachella Valley. Lastly, this show offers a unique an opportunity to show children—without them becoming too antsy— what our valley looked like in the mid 1930s.

ICONIC LIGHT IS ON DISPLAY THROUGH SATURDAY, AUG. 15, AT THE LA QUINTA MUSEUM, 77885 AVENIDA MONTEZUMA, IN LA QUINTA. MUSEUM HOURS ARE 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M., TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 760777-7170, OR VISIT WWW.LA-QUINTA.ORG/ YOUR-GOVERNMENT/COMMUNITY-SERVICES/MUSEUM.

MAY THEATER La Cage Aux Folles—From Palm Canyon Theatre Georges manages the Saint-Tropez nightclub, featuring drag entertainment. When Georges’ son brings home his fiancée’s ultra-conservative parents, things get crazy; at 7 p.m., Thursday; 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, from Friday, May 15, through Sunday, May 24. $32 to $36. At 538 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760-323-5123; www.palmcanyontheatre.org.

CV Rep Writers’ Drop-In Group Andy Harmon facilitates this group for all writers who are interested in becoming better storytellers, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, May 9 and 23. $15 at the class. At the Atrium, 69930 Highway 111, No. 116, Rancho Mirage. 760-296-2966; www.cvrep.org.

Fiddler on the Roof College of the Desert presents Fiddler on the Roof at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 30; 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2; and 2 p.m., Sunday, May 3; $20 to $45. At the McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert. 760-3402787; www.mccallumtheatre.com.

Hold These Truths—From CV Rep During World War II, university student Gordon Hirabayashi fights the U.S. government’s orders to relocate people of Japanese ancestry to internment camps. Gordon begins a 50-year journey toward a greater understanding of America’s triumph—and a confrontation with its failures; at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday; and 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, through Sunday, May 3. $45. At the Atrium, 69930 Highway 111, No. 116, Rancho Mirage. 760-296-2966; www.cvrep.org.

The Little Dog Laughed—From Desert Rose Playhouse Mitchell Green is a movie star on the verge of hitting it big.

One problem: His agent can’t seem to keep him in the closet; at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, May 17. $28 to $30. At 69620 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage. 760-202-3000; www.desertroseplayhouse.org.

The Magic Show Dean Apple performs magic and illusions with FlowBox, Chazz and Minnie at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 22 and 23; and 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24. $20 to $25. At the Indio Performing Arts Center, 45175 Fargo St., Indio. 760-775-5200; www.indioperformingartscenter.org.

The Miracle Worker—From Desert Theatreworks The classic play about the life of Helen Keller is performed at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Saturday, from Friday, May 8, through Saturday, May 16. $26 regular; $24 seniors; $16 students with ID. At the Arthur Newman Theatre in the Joslyn Center, 73750 Catalina Way, Palm Desert. 760980-1455; www.dtworks.org.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood—From Theatre 29 This musical ends differently every night, depending on what the audience decides. A rowdy ensemble of actors mounts a staging of Charles Dickens’ unfinished novel, and everyone is a suspect in the murder of young Edwin Drood; at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, from Friday, May 29, through Saturday, June 27; there are also 2:30 p.m. matinees on Sunday, June 7 and 21. $12 regular; $10 seniors and military; $8 children and students. At 73637 Sullivan Road, Twentynine Palms. 760361-4151; theatre29.org.

The Sleeping Beauty—From CK Dance CK Dance presents the storybook ballet at 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 22; and 3 p.m., Saturday, May 23. $20 to $30. At the Annenberg Theater at the Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs. 760-325-4490; www.psmuseum.org.

Wait Until Dark—From Theatre 29 An apartment in 1960s Greenwich Village becomes the site of theater’s most terrifying game of cat and mouse, at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, through Saturday, May 9; there is also a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday, May 3. $12 regular; $10 seniors and military; $8 children and students. At 73637 Sullivan Road, Twentynine Palms. 760-361-4151; theatre29.org.

“Date Picker's Home,” by Dorothea Lange.

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Comedy Gabriel Iglesias The famously fluffy comedian performs. 8 p.m., Saturday, May 2; and 6 p.m., Sunday, May 3. $45 to $75. The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. 888-999-1995; www.hotwatercasino.com.

Film Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival This unique festival features an eclectic mixture of landmark and obscure vintage movies from the classic film noir era.

Various times and prices, Thursday, May 14, through Sunday, May 17. Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs.

Arthurlyonsfilmnoir.ning.com.

Music Dueling Pianos America’s top dueling-pianos show returns for one night only of energetic song, fun and audience participation by two extremely talented piano performers. What makes this show unique? The audience chooses all the songs. The audience also chooses what not to play and when to stop. 7 p.m., Saturday, May 2. $10. Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 800-838-3006; purpleroompalmsprings.com.

Fantasy Springs Rock Yard Concert Series At 7:30 p.m., full-throttle rock music fires up, and the live music continues until midnight.

Friday, May 1: Tribute to Duran Duran.

Saturday, May 2: Tribute to Red Hot Chili Peppers. Saturday, May 9: Tribute to Queen.

Friday, May 15: Tribute to ZZ Top. Saturday, May 16: Tribute to Van Halen. Saturday, May 23: Tribute to Prince. Saturday, May

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MAY 2015

MAY ARTS 30: Tribute to Guns N’ Roses. Call for other shows. Free. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio. 888-3315645; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For the Love of Broadway With Carole Cook Meet a true Broadway star, Carole Cook, of 42nd Street and TV shows The Lucy Show and Here’s Lucy. 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 22 and 23; and 1 p.m., Sunday, May 24. $30. Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 800-838-3006; purpleroompalmsprings.com.

Grooves at the Westin: Hiroshima Grammy-nominated Hiroshima creates a musical world all its own. The intoxicating mix of traditional Japanese folk music and instruments interwoven with jazz, R&B, salsa and more has been a pioneering voice in contemporary music since the 1970s. 7 p.m., Saturday, May 16. $45 and up. Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa, 71333 Dinah Shore Drive, Rancho Mirage. 760-7702150; www.westinmissionhills.com.

Vanessa Sheldon, Harpist, With PSHS Orchestra Vanessa Sheldon will perform a variety of solo harp music and the Handel Concerto with the Palm Springs High School Orchestra. Soloists from the high school will also be featured on flute, saxophone and viola. 4 p.m., Sunday, May 10. $15. Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church, 47321 Highway 74, Palm Desert. 760-8610350; www.gold2ivory.com.

gala will feature a performance by music legend Darlene Love, followed by dancing to a high-energy band. Love has had several Billboard hits and was featured in the Academy Award-winning movie Twenty Feet From Stardom. The event includes cocktails, dinner, dancing, and silent and live auctions of extraordinary trips, one-of-a-kind collectibles, marvelous merchandise and more. 5:30 p.m., Saturday, May 9. $395 and up. O’Donnell Golf Club, 301 N. Belardo Road, Palm Springs. 760-325-8481; aidsassistance. org/evening-under-the-stars.php.

Brew at the Zoo “Save Wildlife One Beer at a Time.” Enjoy a sampling of handcrafted beers, food and live entertainment from more than 50 local breweries and restaurants. Proceeds help The Living Desert care for more than 500 animals and 1,600 protected acres, and provide scholarship programs for thousands of visiting school children. 6:30 p.m., Saturday, May 2. $50; $40 members; $125 VIP. The Living Desert, 47900 Portola Ave., Palm Desert. 760-346-5694; www. livingdesert.org/event/brew-at-the-zoo.

Special Events

Discover Indio Block Party Join the city of Indio and the Indio Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the 85th anniversary of Indio with a free community block party. Included in the festivities will be a motorcycle show, classic car show, carnival rides, food trucks, barbecue, kids activities, mini-train rides, art installations, live bands and more. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 16. Free. Indio Chamber of Commerce, 82921 Indio Blvd., Indio. 760347.0676; indiochamber.org.

AIDS Assistance Program’s Evening Under The Stars Gala The 22nd annual Evening Under the Stars

The Geology of Gold and Silver This lecture by D.D Trent, a professor emeritus at Citrus College, is part of the Old

School House Lecture Series, which started in 1999 and is run in partnership with the Twentynine Palms Historical Society. 7 p.m., Friday, May 8. $5 at the door. Old Schoolhouse Museum, 6760 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms. 760-367-5535.

Memorial Day Flower Drop and Air Fair This special day at the Palm Springs Air Museum includes a brief memorial service dedicated to all of our fallen comrades, who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms.

In their honor is a fly-by and flower drop of more than 3,000 red and white carnations from a B-25 Mitchell bomber. 1 p.m., Monday, May 25. $16 with discounts.

Palm Springs Air Museum, 745 N. Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs. 760-778-6262; palmspringsairmuseum.org.

Visual Arts Summoning Ghosts: The Art of Hung Liu This exhibition of art by prominent Chinese artist Hung Liu features more than 65 works, including 34 large-scale paintings, ephemera (sketch books, photos, informal paintings) and studies from private and public collections from around the world.

On display 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday; and noon to 8 p.m., Thursday, through Sunday, May 24. $12.50, with various discounts and free periods. Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs. 760-322-4800; www.psmuseum.org.

SUBMIT YOUR FREE ARTS LISTINGS AT CALENDAR. ARTSOASIS.ORG. THE LISTINGS PRESENTED ABOVE 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.

MAY 2015

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MOVIES

NOW SHOWING AT HOME Ryan Reynolds Hears Voices; Matt Damon Kicks Ass; and Michael Douglas Goes Hunting

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MOVIES

By Bob Grimm The Voices Lionsgate, Blu-ray released April 7 Ryan Reynolds goes fullon insane for The Voices, a funny, gory and bizarre offering from director Marjane Satrapi, who directed the animated film Persepolis. Let it be said that The Voices is about as far away from Persepolis as cinematically possible.

Reynolds plays Jerry, a factory worker with a sad past involving his mom and sock puppets. Jerry has voices in his head—well, sort of: He hears them coming out of the mouths of his cat and dog.

After some time in an institution, Jerry is trying to assimilate back into society with the help of a kind therapist (Jacki Weaver).

He starts by trying to ask out Fiona (Gemma Arterton), a girl at the office. Things don’t go so well—and Fiona’s head winds up residing in his refrigerator. That head has frequent conversations with Jerry. Credit goes to Arterton for making Fiona a memorable, funny character, even if she’s just a severed head.

Thanks to some goading from the pets (brilliantly voiced by Reynolds), Jerry seeks new victims. While searching, he falls in love with Lisa (Anna Kendrick).

While it is funny, The Voices is also genuinely scary. Much of the film is seen through Jerry’s eyes while he’s on medication—his apartment is very organized, and his pets are loyal—but things change when he goes off the meds. We see his world the way it really is.

Reynolds is terrific, fully committed and crazy. The women in the cast do a great job of making their characters much more than screaming victims; Arterton and Kendrick know how to do happy-creepy.

Special Features: You get a bunch of behindthe-scenes featurettes along with some deleted scenes.

Interstellar Paramount, Blu-ray released March 31 Upon revisiting Interstellar, I would like to make the following observation: Matt Damon kicks mortal ass in this movie.

Yes, I know, most of the hubbub involving this film focuses on the Matthew CVIndependent.com

McConaughey performance, and whether or not the science ideas hold up. For me, the most startling aspect of this flick is when Damon shows up deep in the picture and fucks things up, old-school.

I didn’t necessarily buy what director Christopher Nolan and his cronies were trying to postulate about wormholes and space travel. However, I did thoroughly enjoy the work of the special-effects crew, the performances and, yes, Matt Damon playing a total douchebag.

Did you know Steven Spielberg was originally set to direct his movie? If he had, it would’ve probably had a John Williams score and a whole other vibe. Instead, Nolan made a good movie that makes you think—a good movie that makes you think Matt Damon kicks ass!

Special Features: There’s a documentary about the science of the film narrated by McConaughey.

Missy Peregrym in Backcountry.

Backcountry Available on demand and via online sources including iTunes and Amazon.com Of all animal-attack movies—films in which sharks, birds, insects, Mickey Rourke and tigers attack and eat people—bear-attack movies freak me out the most. Granted, Jaws is still the granddaddy of all animal-attack films, but there’s just something freaky and depressing about bears mauling humans in movies.

Well, Backcountry goes into the Bear Attack Hall of Fame with Grizzly (1976), The Edge and the documentary Grizzly Man. Missy Peregrym and Jeff Roop play Jenn and Alex, a troubled couple looking to have a good time while and canoeing lakes. Things take a bad turn when a mysterious stranger (Eric Balfour) has a fairly intimidating fish dinner with them by a campfire. Things take a really bad turn when Alex loses his way and gets the couple lost. Things become absolutely catastrophic when a black bear smells Alex’s bloody socks.

There’s a bear attack in this film that will bring tears to your eyes. As bear attacks go, this one isn’t quite as bad as Harold Perrineau getting eaten while Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins watch in The Edge. All in all, writerdirector Adam MacDonald’s film is a good watch thanks to the actors—and some fine bear casting.

The story, which MacDonald describes as Open Water with a bear, is supposedly based on a real-life event in which two campers were attacked in northern Ontario. Knowing that MacDonald based his carnage on something that really happened makes Backcountry all the more scary.

THE VIDEO DEPOT

TOP 10 LIST for APRIL 2015

Jennifer Lopez in The Boy Next Door.

1. The Boy Next Door (Universal) 2. The Wedding Ringer (Sony) Michael Douglas in Beyond the Reach.

Beyond the Reach Available on demand and via online sources including iTunes and Amazon.com A mean rich guy (Michael Douglas) pays a young, innocent guide (Jeremy Irvine) to take him hunting for big-horn sheep in the Mojave Desert. Once they get out there, rich guy gets an itchy trigger finger and actually shoots an old guy who just happens to live out in the middle of nowhere.

Then the rich guy gets even meaner. Also, the movie gets dumber.

Douglas is usually fun to watch, even when he is in a bad movie. Well, this one is really bad. When his evil rich guy gets the idea to have the guide take off his clothes and wander around the desert until he dies, it makes absolutely no sense. The rich guy wants to eliminate the evidence that he committed a murder by making the guide die of exposure—but then he just tries to shoot him anyway. Huh? It all leads up to one of the dumbest, most implausible finales you will see. Douglas is interesting as always, but Irvine is a major drag.

3. Taken 3 (20th Century Fox) 4. The Gambler (Paramount) 5. The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death (20th Century Fox) 6. A Most Violent Year (Lionsgate) 7. Paddington (Anchor Bay) 8. Everly (Anchor Bay) 9. The Man With the Iron Fists 2 (Universal) 10. Cake (20th Century Fox)

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the

FOOD & DRINK Rejoice: It’s the High Season for Southern California Beer Festivals WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/FOOD-DRINK

By Erin Peters pring is in full bloom—and so is beer-festival season!

Beer weeks and festivals celebrate the culture and community of craft beer and give fans options to enjoy new and special brews—and there are a lot of these special events coming up in places that are fairly close by.

The Brewers Association celebrates American Craft Beer Week May 11-17.

You can enjoy this craft-beer celebration just about anywhere: Many craft-beer establishments are celebrating with rare beers, dinner menus or specials.

During ACBW, celebrate with Angelinos at the sixth annual Los Angeles Vegan Beer and Food Festival (www.veganbeerfest.com). It takes place Saturday, May 16, at Rose Bowl and will feature a vegan smorgasbord, the best of the region’s craft beer and live music.

It’s put on by Tony Yanow and Nic Adler— the same guys who brought craft culinary selections to Coachella. Tickets cost $50 to $80 and include unlimited pours of more than 100 beers from 65 breweries, as well as access to food that can be purchased from 40 vendors.

The first Paws for Rhythm and Brews will be held Saturday, June 6, a little closer to home—at the Idyllwild Nature Center (www.arfbeerfest.com). Proceeds go to the Animal Rescue Friends of Idyllwild (ARF), a grassroots rescue group on the mountain; tickets are $25 in advance. Paws for Rhythm and Brews is also holding what’s believed to be the first homebrew competition in our neighboring mountain community; registration closes on May 24, and winners will be announced at the festival. Not only can you escape the desert heat for a weekend; you can help a great cause. ARF’s mission is to rescue animals that have been abandoned or lost, or whose owners are no longer able to

JULIE VERIVE

care for them. Janice Murasko put together the fest with her husband.

“All of our dogs are kept with foster families, so we don’t have a kennel. All of them go with different fosters until they’re adopted,” she said. “We do have a small cattery; we can have up to 10 cats at a time. … We survive on very small grants, donations and fundraisers. … We have a veterinarian who comes up once a month, because there are no vets on this mountain.”

So it’s a great cause, and a great time as well: There will be awesome barbecue, live blues, a stein-holding contest, and wine for those who don’t drink beer. There will even be free shuttles from town to the event!

A bit bigger and farther away: LA Beer Week is returning June 20-28. Festivities begin on Saturday, June 20, with the LA Brewers Beer Week Kickoff at a new location: Exposition Park’s south lawn. Tickets are $45 and selling fast. If you miss out on the kickoff event, there will be more than 200 events spread around various bars, restaurants, retailers and breweries during the week.

I recently spoke with acclaimed brewer Victor Novak, now with Golden Road Brewing, about LA Beer Week. The Los Angeles brewery recently announced plans to open a second location, in Anaheim.

“I love doing outside events,” he said about LA Beer Week. “… We have great sales people, but it’s not the same as having a brewer on site at a festival for someone to talk shop and give people more detail on how the beer is produced.

Golden Road will be brewing its seasonal IPA, Heal the Bay. Proceeds go to various environmental projects in Southern California. Novak will also be brewing a special brew for a Star Wars-themed “May the 4th Be With You” event: The Hudson Porter, an imperial porter with rye, will be transformed to Java the Hudson after Novak and his team add vanilla beans and cocoa

nibs, and later coffee, to the brew. Novak is hoping they will have some available for L.A. Beer Week.

“To have the brewer presence there, I think, is huge,” he said. “(Events) are not only fun for us; it is nice to interact. We’re a great community. Now we see the other brewers, and get people’s feedback on what we’re doing right then—good and bad. If they have an issue, I’d rather they tell me, than read about it on Beer Advocate or something.”

Also: A bucket-list beer festival would have to be the Firestone Walker Invitational, held in Paso Robles on Saturday, May 30. Even brewers like Novak love it. Unfortunately, it’s already sold out, so mark your calendars for next year.

“If someone were able to get hold of one (ticket), that is the must-attend,” Novak said. “It’s so huge and so hard to get into, as a brewer and an attendee. It’s beautiful up there, and you can go wine-tasting. It’s classic California.”

If you’d rather head farther south, don’t miss Escondido’s Stone Sour Fest, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, June 28 (www. brownpapertickets.com/event/1171599).

A $49 ticket includes a commemorative glass, 15 3-ounce tasters and more than 100 amazing beers from which to choose. I’ll be there with a bus full of Coachella Valley locals.

Pucker up!

In August (keep your eyes open for the exact date), keep a look out for the Blue

Palms Brewhouse Seventh Anniversary in Hollywood (www.everfest.com/e/blue-palmsanniversary-los-angeles-ca). It’s one of the coolest beer parties in So Cal. Lucky for us, there are plenty of events at which we can enjoy a variety of Southern California beers. Of course, every day is a good day for beer!

JULIE VERIVE

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FOOD & DRINK

the SNIFF CAP Still 49, and Liking the Finer Wines of Paso Robles

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By Deidre Pike his is about creeping age and rolling green hills. It’s about interspersed wide patches of California poppies that cause drivers to pull over and take photos—as do acres of vines and vines and vines.

I’m 49 years old, and I could spend every spring on the Central Coast.

Dave and I drive the hybrid to Paso Robles the week before I turn 50.

Wining and dining here ain’t no bargain, but we’re still young enough to camp in a tent among the spring-breaking crowd at Hearst San Simeon State Park.

As age advances, though, I sense in myself less barrel-tasting wildness and more smoothness, like velvet syrah cellared with a cool film of crusty particulates forming over a bottle. I feel mildly dusty in Tobin James’ crowded tasting room, when we’re drinking charming, affordable wines and feeling less than enchanted. That bottle of jammy Tobin James Ballistic zinfandel ($18) we loved so much six or seven years ago? Its once-beloved plumishness feels gooey to us now.

We taste and shrug. It’s fine. “Maybe we outgrew the Ballistic,” I speculate, as a perceptive tasting-room employee introduces us to Tobin James’ finer vintages. We walk out with a delectable bottle of 2011 Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel ($38). Dry-farmed. Intense.

Maybe it’s the voice of experience, or tasting the $75 bottle of Jada’s 2012 WCS JackJohn.

But I realize this shit’s getting expensive. This is not a new epiphany, of course—it’s not the first time Dave and I realize that we could spend serious dough on wine, money we don’t have.

Seems the price of boutique wine is escalating—supply and demand, baby—at the same time as our, you know, palates are improving. Spendy combination, that. Credit

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card debt looms.

Dave and I arrive at Jada Vineyard and Winery around 10:30 a.m. for my breakfast wine. The winery’s one of more than a dozen on that famed stretch west of Paso Robles— Vineyard Drive, just off Highway 46 West.

Many people are kicking back at tables on the patio already. Knowledgeable servers deliver tastes of wine paired with various cheeses. A person might be here for a couple of hours, sipping, snacking, soaking up the sun— and then buying the 2011 Jersey Girl Estate Syrah ($47) and/or the 2012 Jack of Hearts ($54, petit verdot, cab sauvignon).

Dave and I opt to stand at the bar, and I ask to taste only reds—a few from the “reserve” pairing, and a few from the “signature” pairing.

Today, I’m searching for the best GSMs in the land of the Rhone Rangers.

It’s good to have a goal.

A GSM isn’t the meat additive from Chinese restaurants. It’s a red Rhône blend, modeled for wine blends from the Rhône wine region

of southern France. Grenache grapes—with bright red berry and spice flavors—most often dominate the blends. Syrah contributes inky depths and structure. Mourvedre gives it the mysterious and ruddy elegance.

For me, it’s all about the mourvedre. I’ve been drooling over the memories of my last year’s Paso GSM finds. I want more.

Fortunately for my pocketbook, Jada’s JackJohn GSM blend disappoints me. It’s nice.

I like it. But I don’t adore it to the tune of $75.

I don’t want to drown in a vat of it. Or pour it all over my lover and, well, you know. Maybe that’s because the blend features only 9 percent mourvedre. I need more mourvedre.

The Jada wine I want is the 2012 WCS Tannat, also $75. Tasting notes quote wine columnist Anthony Dias Blue, who calls it “dark and lush” and “long and seamless.” High happy five to the tannat. I’ll buy a bottle when I win the lottery.

Jada is one of the member wineries of the Rhone Rangers. Since the 1980s, Central Coast winemakers have riffed on southern Rhone wine styles with creative finesse.

Dave and I won’t make it to more than a handful of wineries over the weekend. That’s OK. Every trip to Paso Robles should include a visit to the Albertsons on Niblick Road. There, we pick up Kenneth Volk’s 2012 Mourvedre, Kukkula’s finely tuned and nicely aging 2007 Sisu (GSM), and Hearst Ranch Winery’s 2012 Three Sisters Cuvee (GSM). Buy enough wine, and a 30 percent discount kicks in. The tasty $22 Hearst wine ends up less than $16. I will have caps to sniff.

Back on the road, I pick the collective wisdom of tasting-room employees about who’s pouring what, where and when. The kind folks at Tobin James send us to Cass Winery. There, Dave doles out the dough for a 2012 Rockin’ One Red ($43) as my birthday gift. Thanks, sweetie pie. Speaking of pie, the Rockin’ One is 60 percent mourvedre, and I fight the urge to dab some behind my ears and on my wrists to wear as cologne.

The folks at Cass send me to Zenaida Cellars for the 2011 Wanderlust ($35), a wine that pulls off a 50 percent grenache-dominated blend. Also of note: the 2012 Fire Sign ($42), a cab sauvignon-syrah-zin blend that kicks off a

At Whalebone Winery in Paso Robles, Travis Hutchinson pours a big, juicy taste of Boneyard.

DEIDRE PIKE

burning desire for more.

Someone else recommends the Lone Madrone, where I find much to love in the mourvedre-dominated 2011 Points West Red ($35), a complex Rhone that contains the GSM trio of grapes plus hardy cinsault and the darkskinned counoise.

We spend the longest time at Whalebone Vineyard, a family winery with excellent everything. There, Travis Hutchinson talks us into joining the club in order to nab a couple bottles of the 2011 Boneyard. Yes. It’s that good. Hutchinson invites us to stay for cheeseburgers. We have other plans, but we appreciate the invite. This is our kind of place, and we’ll be back and back.

A final recommended stop: the new guys on the block, Brecon Estate. Brecon is a teeny outfit with only a few wines released so far. But one of these wines is a 2013 mourvedre ($42).

It’s splendid now, but promises luxury overload in five or six years.

I buy this bottle as a gift to myself for my 55th birthday. I will put it in my “cellar” (read: dark closet) ’til 2020.

If I feel old now, I can’t imagine how I’ll feel then. But the mourvedre will make it all better.

Given the rising price of wine, I’m betting it will taste like 100 bucks.

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FOOD & DRINK

Restaurant NEWS BITES

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/FOOD-DRINK

By Jimmy Boegle CLOSED: 3RD CORNER WINE SHOP AND BISTRO The busy season is over—and that means this is the time of year when some restaurants on the edge financially will decide to close up shop rather than brave another Coachella Valley summer.

One of the first casualties of the (unofficial) summer of 2015: the 3rd Corner Wine Shop and Bistro, which was located at 73101 Highway 111, in Palm Desert. It closed on Sunday, April 19.

In a news release, owner Ed Moore blamed the seasonality of business in the Coachella Valley for his decision to close the Palm Desert 3rd Corner, which opened in June 2010.

“Unlike our other two very successful restaurants in Ocean Beach and Encinitas, our Palm Desert location is a highly seasonal location which does very well in the winter and early spring, but struggles, like many restaurants in the Coachella Valley, during the summer and fall,” Moore said. “The seasonality of the market coupled with the fact that our restaurant lease is expiring has prompted us to close down our Palm Desert location.”

The aforementioned Ocean Beach and Encinitas locations of 3rd Corner remain open. For more information, visit www.the3rdcorner.com.

NEW: ROOSTER AND THE PIG Rooster and the Pig, a “Vietnamese American Beer Bar” located in the old Café Scandia space at 356 S. Indian Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, is now open.

We didn’t get a chance to check out the place in person before our press deadline, but the menu posted on the restaurant’s website offers some intriguing Vietnamese-themed fare, including tumeric chicken, mushrooms and gai lan (aka Chinese broccoli) over forbidden rice; a banh mi burger; and sweet-and-sour vegetable soup with pineapple, tomato, cilantro and sprouts. These yummy treats come courtesy of chef Tai Spendley, whose influences are listed on the website as “French technique, Asian heritage and bi-coastal gallivanting.”

The website also includes this tidbit: “The Rooster, of course, wants to be in charge, and that suits the hard working, No. 2-preferring Pig just fine. The practical-minded Rooster has clear and detailed vision, and the Pig gleefully helps carry out the Rooster’s plans.”

We don’t know what that means, but we find it utterly fascinating.

Learn more by calling 760-832-6691, or visit www.roosterandthepig.com.

IN BRIEF Palm Springs Desert Resorts Restaurant Week is here—or at least it is as of Friday, May 29. The annual celebration of all things food and drink in the Coachella Valley runs through Sunday, June 7; during that time, participating restaurants will be offering three-course prix-fixe menus for either $26 or $38. Watch www.palmspringsrestaurantweek.com for a list of participating restaurants, menus and more. … Congratulations to Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse, located at The River, at 71800 Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage. The granddaddy of local craft brewers celebrated its 13th anniversary in April. … The folks at Bart Lounge, the bar and art gallery located at 67555 E. Palm Canyon Drive, No. F-124, in Cathedral City, tell us the much-anticipated joint will be opening its doors on Friday, May 1. A big name will be present, in a way, for the bar’s opening month: The art of film great Tim Burton is on display. Get details at www.facebook.com/bartlounge. ... In other bar news: The space that once housed Clinic and, briefly, Hester, at 188 S. Indian Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, is now home to Tryst. It shares ownership and management with Score, a bar just around the corner on Arenas Road. Get more details at www.facebook.com/pages/Tryst-Bar-andLounge/867474949983973. ... Congrats to Johannes Restaurant, located at 196 S. Indian Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs—for my money, one of the top restaurants in Palm Springs. Mimi Sheraton, a former restaurant critic for The New York Times, included Johannes Bacher’s schnitzel in her book 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die. … Update: The demolition of the building that was home to Bernie’s Lounge and Supper Club, at 292 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, finally took place in April. The building was destroyed by a Christmas Day 2014 fire; keep your fingers crossed for a late-fall opening of Bernie’s 2.0 in a brand-new building at the same location. … The Steakhouse at the Spa Resort Casino, located at 401 E. Amado Road in Palm Springs, has a new executive chef: Kieran Fleming. He’s a veteran of Hyatt properties in San Diego and Indian Wells, and spent five years at the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa.

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FOOD & DRINK the

INDY ENDORSEMENT Get Great Chinese Food in Indio, and Tasty Falafel in Rancho Mirage!

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/FOOD-DRINK

By Jimmy Boegle and Garrett Dangerfield

WHAT The Szechwan beef lunch special WHERE China Bistro, 45765 Towne St., Indio HOW MUCH $7.50 (lunch special) CONTACT 760-342-7288; chinabistroindio.com WHY Good flavor—and they deliver the spice, if you ask.

Let’s say you’re an east valley resident craving good Chinese food for lunch. Or maybe you’re from the west valley, and you’ve been called to jury duty at the Larson Justice Center—and you want a quick, delicious lunch (preferably at a spot within walking distance). In either case, it’d be smart to head to China Bistro.

Just a block north of the Larson Justice Center, China Bistro offers great Chinese food at reasonable prices—especially at lunch.

The menu includes the standards one would expect, and we were fortunate enough to select the Szechwan beef.

The dish featured a reasonable amount of tender, tasty beef (you can get this preparation with shrimp or chicken, if you prefer), as well as a variety of crisp vegetables, including green and red bell peppers, mushrooms, celery, water chestnuts, carrots and onions. It was all covered in a tasty sauce, and served alongside some decent, if unremarkable fried rice (regular rice is also an option); a fried wonton wrapper; and the soup of the day (which was egg drop soup when we were there).

One other detail worth noting: We like our food very spicy, and far too often, restaurants fail to make food spicy enough for our tastes.

Well, the good folks at China Bistro adequately heeded our request for spicy Szechuan beef, and left our taste buds happy.

The next time we find ourselves in Indio, you can bet that if we’re in the mood for some delicious, inexpensive Chinese food (and we are pretty much always in such a mood), we’ll be stopping by China Bistro.

CVIndependent.com

WHAT The Falafel Pita WHERE Francesco’s Café, 72047 Dinah Shore Drive, No. C1, Rancho Mirage HOW MUCH $9.95 CONTACT 760-202-4425 WHY The falafel is perfect—and it’s enhanced by the yummy accompaniments.

So Francesco’s Café specializes in Italian and Persian cuisine.

Wait, what? Last I checked, Italy and Persia (or, as it’s called today, Iran) are about 2,000 miles away—making this cuisine combo somewhat suspect.

But you know what? This mix works quite well, as fans of this little strip-mall hole-inthe-wall will tell you. Here at Independent world headquarters, we’re particularly smitten with the stuff on the Persian side of the menu—specifically, the falafel pita.

Our mouths begin to water when we think of those balls o’ falafel—the crispy exterior, the moist interior, the perfect blend of herbs and spices (including garlic, coriander, cilantro and parsley), and so on. Mmmm.

But the tastiness doesn’t stop there: This falafel comes with all sorts of sauces and accompaniments to take the flavors and textures to a whole other level. The hummus enhances the garlicky earthiness of the falafel.

The tzatziki adds a yogurt-y coolness. The tabbouleh contributes herb-y goodness. The tomatoes add a crisp freshness. Mix and match however you’d like; put whatever you mix up in some delicious pita; and enjoy!

If falafel isn’t your thing (and it really should be your thing when it’s this good), Francesco’s Café offers all sorts of other delicious fare, including kabobs and other pita dishes on the Persian side; and pastas, seafood entrées, sub sandwiches, pizzas and calzones on the Italian side. The décor is quaint; the service is good; and the prices are pretty gosh-darned decent.

So get thee to Francesco’s, and enjoy a bit of Italy and Iran in Rancho Mirage!

MAY 2015

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•• Palm Springs' Steve Rowland: The Man Behind Sugar Man •• Punk Icon Otis Link Makes a Home in the High Desert •• L.A. Witch Makes a Date for Desert Daze •• The Lucky 13 •• FRESH Sessions With Alex Harrington www.cvindependent.com/music

First They Won a Spot at Tachevah. Then They Played Coachella. Next Up: A Debut Album.

A GOOD TIME TO BE A

LITTLE RED SPIDER

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Little Red Spiders rocked the Tachevah block party just days after playing at Coachella. BRIAN BLUESKYE

The Blueskye REPORT

MAY 2015

By Brian Blueskye May is here, which means the Coachella Valley is quieter, with less traffic and temperatures starting to rise. However, locals know the truth: The Coachella Valley never sleeps, and there are plenty of great things going on to see and do.

At 1 p.m., Saturday, May 2, the Desert Daze festival will be taking place at the Sunset Ranch Oasis in Mecca. The bill includes Warpaint, RJD2, CVIndependent.com

Deap Vally, Minus the Bear and many others.

General admission tickets are $55. Sunset Oasis Ranch, 69520 S. Lincoln St., Mecca; desertdaze.org.

The Joshua Tree Music Festival is back, coming Thursday, May 14, through Sunday, May 17 to the Joshua Tree Lake Campground. The Last Internationale, The Floozies, Airtist and many others will be performing. Single-day passes start at $60 to $90; it’s $180 for a fourday pass. Joshua Tree Lake Campground, 2601 Sunfair Road, Joshua Tree; www. joshuatreemusicfestival.com.

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is rocking into May. At 8 p.m., Saturday, May 9, you’ll be yelling “Timber!”

Pitbull when Pitbull takes the stage.

The rapper has racked up a bunch of hits since his career began in 2001; it’s been said on the interwebs that the new formula for a popular song involves collaborating with Pitbull. Tickets are $69 to $129. At 8 p.m., Friday, May 15, you can enjoy some family tradition with Hank Williams Jr. The son of Hank is quite popular with country-music audiences, but in recent years, he’s pissed off a lot of people with his controversial statements—including his former friends at Fox News, whom he scorned in one of his recent songs, “Keep the Change.” Tickets are $49 to $109. At 8 p.m., Saturday, May 23, R. Kelly will be stopping by. It’s no secret that R. Kelly was the subject of a lot of news back in 2002 when a video surfaced of him … um … well, let’s just say it was a dirty video that supposedly showed him with a minor. (He was acquitted of charges, by the way.) Fun fact: R. Kelly was a talented basketball

player; he even played in the USBL from 1997 to 1999.

Tickets are $49 to $109.

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www. fantasyspringsresort.com.

Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa is hosting some Kalin and Jinger events worth mentioning. At 8 p.m., Saturday, May 16, it’ll be a magical night with Kalin and Jinger. This couple has left audiences speechless with their magic show and has enjoyed numerous television appearances. Tickets are $30 to $60. At 8 p.m., Saturday, May 23, you won’t want to miss Lynda Carter. The star of Wonder Woman is also a talented songwriter, as well as a gay-rights continued on Page 28 activist. She’s sure to impress.

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MUSIC

BEHIND SUGAR MAN

Meet Palm Springs’ Steve Rowland— Actor, Singer and Legendary Record Producer

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC

By Brian Blueskye teve Rowland wondered why I wanted to interview him.

Well, he has an impressive acting résumé from the ’50s and ’60s. He was the frontman for The Family Dogg, and produced albums and songs for Sarah Brightman, Rodriguez and the group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich. Finally, he discovered Peter Frampton—and today, he calls Palm Springs home.

So that’s why I wanted to interview Steve Rowland.

He was born into an entertainment-business family in Los Angeles. His father was a film director, and his mother was a writer. He found early success as an actor, with credits including Battle of the Bulge, Crime in the Streets, Bonanza and The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp.

“I left Hollywood in 1963 to go co-star in a film in Spain called Gunfighters of Casa Grande, and four films later, including Battle of the Bulge, I decided I didn’t want to be an actor anymore—I wanted to be a singer,” Rowland said. “While I was in England, I met a guy walking down the street … and I was carrying my demos. He asked me, ‘Are those your demos?’ and I said, ‘Yeah,’ and he said, ‘I tell you what: Will you let me manage you if I can get you a deal?’

“He took me to Fontana Records and introduced me there to a guy named Dick Leahy. Dick Leahy was an assistant to the (A&R head) of Fontana Records, a guy named Jack Baverstock. Jack was a very gruff sort of guy. He never saw anybody, and you had to make an appointment. It was always very quick, and you were out of there. On the day I met him, it was because someone cancelled their appointment. We played the records for Jack Baverstock, and he was impressed, and he wanted to sign me, but he never smiled. The next day is when the home office came and deported me back to Spain.”

A woman (a friend of Baverstock) with whom Rowland had a brief love affair was able to pull some strings, and Baverstock arranged for a work permit for Rowland to be in the U.K. However, Baverstock soon informed Rowland of what at first seemed like bad news.

“He said, ‘We have a problem: You can’t be a singer. Have you ever produced any records?’

I said, ‘Yeah, as I matter of fact, I had a small hit in Los Angeles called “Out Riding” where I played drums and produced the record. I know a bit about it,’” Rowland remembered. “He said, ‘Well, I told them that I’m going to make you a

producer. You’re an American; you’re going to produce some records for us to export to the United States.’

“Then he introduced me to a band called Dave Dee and the Bostons, and they had two shit managers. They were brilliant writers, and the first record we did was called ‘Hold Tight!’; 13 hits later, the home office said, ‘OK, you can have a five-year visa to stay.’ Suddenly, I was a producer in England and had my own group and was the lead singer in Family Dogg. It all went from there.”

Rowland eventually stumbled upon Rodriguez and offered to produce his second album, released in 1971, Coming From Reality.

Both of Rodriguez’s albums were commercial failures, but would go on to be bootlegged in South Africa. They wound up providing the soundtrack for the country’s anti-apartheid efforts, and Rodriguez finally earned domestic acclaim thanks to the 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man. Rodriguez and Rowland instantly clicked, and even though Coming From Reality was a commercial flop, Family Dogg would go on to record six of his songs. How did his songs do with Family Dogg?

“Rave reviews, absolute raves,” he said.

“They had thought I had written them, even though it was Rodriguez, and they thought my name was really Rodriguez. My album did pretty well, and I thought, ‘Well, I could sing, but I’m not a great singer—and they’re raving about the songs and they wouldn’t even listen to Rodriguez?’

“Then I lost track of him. It was 2006, and

Steve Rowland, on Rodriguez: “There are some great artists, but to me, he’s the best. The fact that nobody recognized it, to me, is insane.” BRIAN BLUESKYE

my phone rings. It was a Swedish filmmaker doing a documentary on Rodriguez.”

Rowland said he’s been in talks with Rodriguez to produce his third album, but is uncertain as to whether that will happen.

“I think, out of all the artists I’ve done, he is the best one,” Rowland said. “There are some great artists, but to me, he’s the best. The fact that nobody recognized it, to me, is insane.”

Rowland offered one piece of advice to musicians.

“A lot of (intellectual) artists don’t want to be commercial; they want to be ‘cred.’ I used to fight with artists all the time with that, given they wanted to be ‘cred,’” he said. “The record companies back in that day would say they’d drop (an artist) unless (the artist) came up with a record that charts. If they’re paying for the record themselves, they can do what they want. But if the record company is paying for it, they want to get a return. You have to look at both sides of the coin. I used to try to tell (musicians), ‘Hey, you want some money in your pocket?’ and they’d say ‘Yeah!’ because they’d always have their hand out. I’d tell them they couldn’t do it until they went commercial. … If you’re trying to be cred, and nobody buys

it, the only credibility is in your little crowd, and everybody goes, ‘Yeah, that’s good man!

Don’t sell out!’ They aren’t buying the records.”

Rowland, 82, is widowed and lives in Palm Springs with a little dog that he said ‘has filled the house with the spirit of my late wife.’ He’s also dealt with injuries from motocross and skiing; he walks with a noticeable limp.

“As a motocrosser, I was average. As a ski racer, I was average. As a go-cart racer, I was average. You can’t do those things unless you make them primary in your life,” Rowland said. “Everything else has to take a backseat, because you have to work at it. These guys who win championships in all these sports, it’s not by accident; it’s by really hard work.”

How did Rowland end up in Palm Springs after 40 years in the U.K.?

“When I was a kid, my parents used to bring me down, and we’d stay at the old La Quinta Inn, and I remembered it. It was such damn cold and awful weather in England, and I thought, ‘I’ll go back to Los Angeles.’ I had a friend here, and I came over, and I thought, ‘I like this, but I know it’s hot in the summer.’ So I left and said, ‘I’ll get a place in Palm Springs.’”

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COACHELLA

REDUX

Little Red Spiders Plan to Release an Album Following an Epically Successful April

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC

By Brian Blueskye o some, the success that Little Red Spiders enjoyed in April—the band won a slot at the Tachevah block party, and played on the Coachella stage during Weekend 1—seemed like it came out of the blue.

However, the band has actually been around for a while, and two members are in the well-known Desert Hot Springs band Slipping Into Darkness.

During a recent phone interview, bassist Nigel Dettelbach talked about Little Red Spiders’ origins.

“There was a band a few years back called The Dead Suites. Our former lead singer, Anthony Taboada, passed away last year, and Jesse (Williams), who is now the singer of this band—they would sing together. We had a different drummer at the time, and now we have Nigel Carnahan. So it’s basically the same band with a different lineup. We play one or two of the songs from back then in dedication to our former lead singer. … It feels like a new band, but it’s not, given we’ve been playing together for a long time.”

During Tachevah, the group’s psychedelic rock sound stood out and got people moshing.

It reminded me a bit of the music of Ty Segall.

“We all like the ’60s and ’70s psychedelic rock ’n’ roll, blues, and all that stuff. So it just comes out naturally; it’s not contrived at all,” Dettelbach said. “It’s not like we’re trying to fit

within a certain genre. If we make a song, we just put our color on it, and it turns out that way. We don’t go out to shoot a certain sound.

It’s just all part of our natural writing process.”

Dettelbach said the band went into the Tachevah contest thinking the slot was already theirs.

“You kind of have to go in there thinking you’re going to do it; otherwise, it’s not even worth it,” he said. “I can speak for myself and the rest of the band when I say we’re not into the whole ‘pay to play’ and ‘battle of the bands’ thing, but for something like this? We weren’t going there to lose. We figured that the judges

Little Red Spiders got the Tachevah crowd moshing. BRIAN BLUESKYE CVIndependent.com

would be hip to what’s going on, and that our sound is a likable sound—catchy, good and relevant.”

Dettelbach said he and his bandmates were never nervous about playing in front of the judges. “For us, it just felt like another show.

We didn’t go into it with any butterflies. It didn’t feel much different at all.”

Dettelbach and Carnahan had played Coachella before—in 2013, with Slipping Into Darkness—and they enjoyed their return to the Coachella stage with Little Red Spiders during Weekend 1. The band played with Terry Reid, a vocalist and guitarist who was almost made a member of Led Zeppelin, and who was a judge in the Tachevah contest.

“Nigel (Carnahan) and I were talking about that, and we were really happy and appreciated it,” Dettelbach said of their Coachella return.

“It’s great to know even though we’re in different projects that we could do something like that.”

The Slipping Into Darkness crowd has welcomed Little Red Spiders with open arms; in fact, the two bands’ fan bases overlap quite a bit.

“Technically, it’s half the band and the rhythm section of Slipping Into Darkness,” Dettelbach said of Little Red Spiders.

“Everybody that’s into the Spiders is also into Slipping, and it’s one big community.”

Dettelbach said a debut Little Red Spiders album is in the works.

“We’ve already started working on the tracking; we’re working on more songs,” he said. “We have a recording facility that we’re able to work in, and we don’t have to worry about paying people to record us, and we can spend as much time as we want on it. It’s a great thing to have. We’ll have something out fairly soon—within the next few months, to be honest.”

Dettelbach thinks both projects can achieve national success through hard work and independent promotion.

“Technically speaking, we are a local band, but we don’t think of ourselves as just a local band,” he said. “… We plan on leaving the country and being gone for a while. We want to be a national act.”

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ LittleRedSpiders.

Tickets are $25 to $45. At 6 p.m., Sunday, May 31, you will be happy to know Theresa Caputo, the “Long Island Medium,” will be back at The Show. She’s received praise from a large fan base and criticism from figures such as James Randi; in any case, she’s a star: She sold out The Show the last time she was here. Tickets are $85 to $125. The Show at Agua Theresa Caputo Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.hotwatercasino.com.

Spotlight 29 Casino has a couple of events you won’t want to miss.

Dwight Yoakam will be performing at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 9. Yoakam is also an accomplished actor who appeared in the movie Sling Blade, with Billy Bob Thornton, as the foulmouthed, drunken boyfriend, Dwight Yoakam Doyle. Yoakam’s Bakersfield sound is a throwback to the era of Buck Owens, and he’s a master performer. Tickets are $45 to $65.

At 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 16, there will be a Mariachi Festival, featuring Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez, Graciela Beltrán and Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles. Tickets are $20 to $40.

Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www.spotlight29.com.

After a packed April, Morongo Casino Resort Spa has at least one must-see show in May. You heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend that at 9 p.m., Friday, May 15, REO Speedwagon will be performing. The ’70s and ’80s were good years for this arena-rock band, and they’re still going strong, having done several tours with Styx and other bands from that period. Tickets are $60 to $70. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www.morongocasinoresort.com.

Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace is operating at a slower pace after a crazy round of Coachella-related shows in April. There’s a sold-out Neutral Milk Hotel show taking place in late May. Beyond that, at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 7, there will be a performance by Mojave Sky. Mojave Sky is local to the Joshua Tree area and includes Pappy’s security man David Johnson, who plays bass. Admission is free. At 7 p.m., Friday, May 29, there will be another performance at Pappy’s by JD McPherson. McPherson’s vintage rock ’n’ roll sound, combined with a little bit of Americana, has been a hit; he JD McPherson played Stagecoach in 2014.

Tickets are $15. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760365-5956; www.pappyandharriets.com.

The Copa in Palm Springs has a special music event coming in May. At 8 p.m., Friday, May 8, songwriter Crystal Bowersox will be performing.

She was a runner-up on American Idol in 2010 and is remembered for her struggles during the show with Type 1 Diabetes. Tickets are $25 to $35. Copa, 244 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 760-866-0021; www.copapalmsprings.com.

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MUSIC

DESERT ROCK CHRONICLES Punk Icon Otis Link Makes a Home in the High Desert

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC

PSYCHEDELIC WOMEN L.A. Witch Makes Waves With a Darker, Horror-Driven Sound

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC

By Robin Linn

By Brian Blueskye

tis Link has spent his life at the center of the hard-core punk-rock counterculture that bloomed in California during the ’70s and ’80s. He developed stylistically at a time when the underground art scene was exploding in Los Angeles—when the same California subculture that gave birth to punk-rock rebellion also created a demand for lowbrow art, where pop-art and surrealism collide.

Long before desktop computers and Photoshop, the technologies of the day were spray glue, collages, copy machines and cutand-paste. Punk art used outrageous images and crude text, and could be shocking, yet hilarious. Lowbrow art finds inspiration from comic books, graffiti, erotica and surf culture; it can be anti-political, anti-establishment, psychedelic, thought-provoking, raunchy, gory and horrific. The music and the art of this period represent a generation that stood up against a fractured society.

“We are a really fucked-up culture now,” Link said. “The reason we have war is to make big business—bombs. They learned not to televise war during Vietnam. They don’t do it anymore.

We are a big, dumb, crazy country. They’re starving us. It’s all of us. Everyone thinks they are the only ones struggling. We’re all struggling. The same wages are being paid now as a decade ago. It’s revolution time—but their are no more revolutionaries. No body cares anymore. People used to burn things down; now they get a permit.”

The business model built by pioneers like Otis Link is what drives the independent artists of today’s music business: It’s all about the merch. Income generated from T-shirts, bumper stickers, records, CDs and posters make it possible for bands to go on the road and survive from city to city.

Music remains a big part of Otis Link’s life.

He performs and records with L.A. punk band The Billy Bones (thebillybones.com), fronted by Steven William “Billy Bones” Fortuna, former frontman of The Skulls. The band has released a 7-inch EP and one full-length, The Complexity of Stupidity, on Dr. Strange Records. The record is rock ’n’ roll full of catchy hooks and clever lyrical themes. They possess a pop-sensibility

.A. Witch is a band on the rise.

Sade (vocals, guitar), Irita (bass, organ) and Ellie (drums) have toured the U.S. and Mexico with a dark, psychedelic rock sound—and they’re part of the Desert Daze lineup on Saturday, May 2, at the Sunset Ranch Oasis in Mecca.

During a recent phone interview, all three members discussed how L.A. Witch formed.

“We’re all from Los Angeles,” Sade said.

“Irita and I met through a mutual friend, and we all worked for the same company. Irita had been jamming with friends, and they were looking for a guitarist, and that mutual friend introduced us, and we met up and started playing together.

“Ellie wasn’t in the band until about a year ago; we lost our drummer because she moved to New York.”

L.A. Witch’s dark, psychedelic sound came naturally, the members explained.

“We don’t consciously try to sound like anything specific,” Irita said. “I think we’re directed toward darker things and darker sounds. That just sort of comes out in the music.”

The band members are all huge fans of horror films—something which undeniably influences their sound.

“I was raised on a lot of horror films and sci-fi,” Sade said. “My dad was really into that stuff—a lot of experimental and abstract kind of stuff. I’ve always really been drawn to that. I also really like Mafia and prison kind of movies, like Escape From Alcatraz and stuff like that.”

Their live shows have gained them a lot of popularity, and they recently finished a tour.

“Last year, we got invited to play in Mexico by our friends,” Irita said. “We went and played a couple of weeks in Mexico; we went to New York; and we just finished our first West Coast tour at the beginning of this month. The last show on our tour was at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs.”

Playing in Mexico was a positive experience for L.A. Witch.

“I think that all of us can agree that it was one of the most fun trips we’ve had,” Sade said. “It was definitely very different as far as the city and the environment goes. I think

Otis Link: "People used to burn things down; now they get a permit."

delivered with the spirit of punk.

Who Is Billy Bones? is the name of a punk rockumentary that answers the question the title poses. Directed by Kathy Kolla and Drew Milford, the film is finished, and a pre-trailer has been posted on YouTube. Learn more by visiting www.facebook.com/WhoIsBillyBones.

Link is a longtime friend of Gary Tovar, one of the founders of Goldenvoice. Tovar signed Goldenvoice over to colleague Paul Tollett when he was sent to prison for marijuana-smuggling.

Today, Tovar travels with Otis, and each festival season, the two partners and a team of 16 go out and work three booths at Coachella. Otis goes into major T-shirt-production mode at the onset of spring to create shirts with his original art. This year, a scorpion and an owl were part of his Coachella T-shirt concept.

After a long run in Orange County, Otis has taken up residence in the high desert. He purchased a piece of land and is remodeling a hacienda-style home that was once a Pentecostal church. He has been busy turning what was once a chapel for worship into a private venue and living quarters. Link’s art and memorabilia is everywhere. The home reflects Link’s colorful imagination and provocative artistic style and is as much like a gallery of art and collectibles as it is a home.

“I dig the high desert. It’s affordable and away from people,” he said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT LINK’S FACEBOOK PAGE AT WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PAGES/BAD-OTIS-LINK/7124496611.

READ MORE FROM ROBIN LINN, INCLUDING AN EXPANDED VERSION OF THIS STORY, AT RMINJTREE.BLOGSPOT.COM.

L.A. Witch. MONI HAWORTH

the reason we liked it so much was the crowds and the people are much more hungry for music. I think in L.A., everyone plays in a band, and we have so much access to venues and instruments. When we played down there, they brought us gifts and were always so nice, and they were always so excited. When you’re performing and your crowd is excited, it makes you excited, and you want to play even more.

All of the members agreed that Los Angeles is a tough music scene to crack.

“I think that we’re pretty unique,” Ellie said.

“I’m not really worried about standing out, given we have our own sound. L.A. is really super-saturated with so much music and bands.”

Sade agreed.

“People come here trying to launch their acting careers or their modeling, and this is the place—Hollywood,” Sade said. “This is where everyone wants to come to be famous, to be a star, or be somebody. Sometimes, we get thrown into that mix, and I think we’ve been really lucky. I don’t really know what it is, but I don’t worry about not being able to stand out.

No matter what, at the end of the day, we’re playing for fun.”

After playing at Desert Daze last year, the band is looking forward to returning.

“It was so fun,” Irita said. “There were so many great bands on the lineup, and we were so excited to be a part of it. We played almost first, at the hottest time of day—but it was really fun.”

DESERT DAZE TAKES PLACE STARTING AT 1 P.M., SATURDAY, MAY 2, AT THE SUNSET RANCH OASIS, 69520 S. LINCOLN ST., IN MECCA. GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS ARE $55. FOR TICKETS OR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT DESERTDAZE.ORG. CVIndependent.com

30 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

MAY 2015

MUSIC

FRESH SESSIONS WITH Alex Harrington: May 2015

the

LUCKY 13

WWW.CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC

By Brian Blueskye NAME Clay Samalin GROUP CIVX MORE INFO After the departure of bassist and lead vocalist Nick Hernandez, guitarist Dillion Dominguez took over lead vocals of Cathedral City’s CIVX, and Clay Samalin and his bass guitar joined the group. Learn more at www. facebook.com/civxmusic.

What was the first concert you attended?

A Brian Setzer concert when I was 5. It was at an amphitheater in Santa Barbara. I just remember singing along and snapping my fingers to “The Dirty Boogie.”

What was the first album you owned?

Good News for People Who Love Bad News, by Modest Mouse. I got it when I was 6 for a Christmas present, and it has been my favorite album ever since.

What bands are you listening to right now?

Foals, Modest Mouse, Interpol, Oberhofer, King Krule, and Mac DeMarco.

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?

Trap and electronic-type music that would be played in the Sahara tent at Coachella. It is painful noise to my ears.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

I really wish I could have seen Foals and Cage the Elephant play together. That must have been a crazy show with wild energy.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

Metallica when they were at The Big 4 (concerts with Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax).

What’s your favorite music venue?

The Wiltern in Los Angeles.

CIVX CVIndependent.com

Meet Members of Two Great Local Bands That Have Gone Through Recent Transitions

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

“Late Night,” Foals.

What band or artist changed your life? How? Oberhofer, because it made me want to play guitar.

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?

Yannis (Philippakis) from Foals: “When will your next album be out?”

What song would you like played at your funeral?

“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

Good News for People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra. Try being upset while listening to that song.

NAME Cliff Horn GROUP Safety Net MORE INFO Remember the band Plastic? The group is now known as Safety Net, featuring Carrick O’Dowd (vocals, guitar), Austin Lawrence (bass) and Cliff Horn (drums).

Catch them at the Coachella Valley Art Scene on Wednesday, May 13. For more, visit www. facebook.com/safetynetmusic.

What was the first concert you attended?

I was really into this tiny band from Bakersfield called Lost Ocean, and they played a show at one of our local popular venues called The Dome. … Lost Ocean doesn’t exist anymore, and they became a total indie “hair pop” band once they signed to a major label.

R.I.P. What was the first album you owned?

Oh man, I went crazy over this weird tape which was a collaboration between Disney and Michael Jackson. I was probably 5, and I had to special-order it through a magazine.

What bands are you listening to right now?

Nils Frahm, Vessels, Ryan Adams, Pile, Jon Hopkins, Dan Deacon, Father John Misty, Evening Hymns, Sore Eyelids, Viet Cong, Mister Lies, Three Trapped Tigers, and the absolutely stellar To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar.

Safety Net. KENNETH DAVID GEIGER

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?

I really can’t seem to wrap my head around the whole EDM culture. I grew up consuming a lot of house/trance/techno/drum ’n’ bass/deep house stuff, yet for some reason, I can’t seem to really follow along with the current hype.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

Refused just reunited again for a tour. That is all.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

There’s this side project of Owl City’s Adam Young called Swimming With Dolphins.

It’s totally just syrupy-sweet candy-coated bubblegum pop music, and I can totally get down to it.

What’s your favorite music venue?

The Cathedral of Hardcore, aka the Arseo house (in Cathedral City). The shows there are my church. It’s a tie with FUNZONE in Santa Barbara.

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

I constantly have Tom (DeLonge)’s verse from Blink 182’s “I Miss You” on loop thanks in part to the Weird Wide Web. What band or artist changed your life? How? When I was young, Radiohead and Sigur Rós really did change my life when I first discovered them. They helped me digest exactly how music can be evocative, even overwhelming, by cleverly layering some of the simplest elements and tones.

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?

I want to ask John Lennon if he saw it coming.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

“The Show Must Go On,” by Queen.

I have curated a mix this month that should prime you for the upcoming summer season!

I wanted to turn up the heat and bring you tracks that can get anyone moving. I took some inspiration from the deeper side of dance, so this playlist can take you from the pool to the club—and back!

I recently decided to retire All Night Shoes and perform under my “real” name, and with that, my style has evolved as well. In any case, you may hear some familiar sounds here— maybe you can pick them out!

I hope you enjoy this exclusive mix. Enjoy these pre-hot season sounds!

• Redlight, “Gold Teeth” (TRU Concept Remix) • Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk” (Chris Lake Edit) • Breach, “Let’s Get Hot” • Anna Lunoe, “Breathe” (Cosmo’s Midnight Remix) • Galantis, “Runaway (U & I)” (East and Young Remix) • Tough Love, “So Freakin’ Tight” • Kolombo, “Ur the Finest” • SNBRN featuring Kaleena Zanders, “California” (Chris Lake and Matroda Remix) • Kaskade, “Never Sleep Alone” • Bee’s Knees featuring Marty Rod, “Rumored to Be Real” • Breach, “Jack” (Alex Harrington Remix)

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

Radiohead’s Kid A. What song should everyone listen to right now?

Ryan Adams’ “Gimme Something Good.”

There’s something just so yearning and sexy about it.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 31

MAY 2015

COMICS & JONESIN’CROSSWORD

Across 1 Maze runner 4 Sarah Michelle Gellar role 9 Tasmanian ___ 14 Mellow 15 Skater ___ Anton Ohno 16 Hair extension 17 Skeleton’s weapon?

19 Redheaded Broadway character 20 1996 gold medalist in tennis 21 Black Sabbath singer, to fans 23 Last of 12, for short 24 ___ of Maine (toothpaste brand) 25 Antiseptic used on muscle pulls?

28 They can be rolled or crossed 30 Potato outside 31 Pipe unclogger 34 Address starter 37 Spitefulness 40 Ready follower?

41 The rougher alter ego?

44 Card game based on matching groups of three 45 Impersonates 47 Exchange 48 Impersonate 50 Disorderly defeat 52 Cable staple since 1979 54 Act on misery loving company?

58 Obama predecessor 62 The A of BAC: Abbr.

63 Aunt Bee’s nephew

64 Aretha Franklin’s longtime label 66 Shop tool 68 Complaint during a bland Mad Lib? 70 Roots family surname 71 Pint-sized 72 Pen fluid 73 Comedic actor ___ William Scott 74 Defeats, as a dragon 75 Dr. Mario platform Down 1 City near Casablanca 2 L.A.’s Whisky ___ 3 First coffee break time, perhaps 4 Meadow sounds 5 Revolt 6 In favor of 7 Knock senseless 8 “Holy moly!”

9 The Rock’s real first name 10 Ending with hallow 11 Bad change of scenery?

12 Cornell and Columbia, for two 13 Bloodsucker 18 Krupp Works city 22 Lighter option 26 “Baloney!”

27 Intricate network 29 ___ Kippur 31 June honoree 32 2016 Olympics setting

33 Colonial collectibles 35 ___ Impact Wrestling (wrestling league) 36 Blood bank’s universal donor 38 Band presented on an island, perhaps 39 “And many more” 42 Bar legally 43 Figure known for calling out?

46 Theo, to Cliff 49 Risking a lot 51 Annual PGA event 53 High-class 54 ___ or better 55 Skateboarder’s jump 56 Cheese coverings 57 Do some tune-up work on 59 Bolt like lightning?

60 Goosebumps creator R. L. ___ 61 The Green Mile actor 65 2008 World Series runner-ups 67 ___ Dew (stylized brand name) 69 ___ Maid en Manhattan (Telemundo novela) ©2015 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) Find the answers in the “about” section of CVIndependent.com!

CVIndependent.com

32 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

MAY 2015

Deals available in the Independent Market as of May 1:

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Look for more deals to be added during the month!

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