Coachella Valley Weekly - January 29 to February 4, 2015 Vol. 3 No. 45

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www.coachellavalleyweekly.com • January 29 to February 4, 2015 Vol. 3 No. 45

WWW.LOSOUNDDESERT.COM

Mario Lalli

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Rancho Mirage Writers Fest

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The Green

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Tachevah

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TKB Bakery

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

Lo Sound Desert: A Silver Screen Rock Doc on the Desert Scene

Coachella Valley Weekly

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com publisher@coachellavalleyweekly.com facebook.com/cvweekly

760.501.6228

Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Alaina Majiros, Raymond Bill, Jorge Gutierrez, Edward L. Prichard III Classified Manager & Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Features Writer Lisa Morgan, Judith Salkin, Denise Ortuno Neil, Heidi Simmons, Kira Golden, Rich Henrich Writers/Contributors: Robin Simmons, Rick Riozza, Craig Michaels, Bronwyn Ison, Haddon Libby, Rachel Montoya, Angela Janus, Janet McAfee, Dale Gribow, Raymond Bill, Jack St. Clair, Rob Brezny, Eleni P. Austin, Noe Gutierrez, Sunny Simon, Karen Creasy, Richard Weiss, Dr. Peter Kadile, Dr. Maria Lombardo, Bruce Cathcart, Julie Buehler, Flint Wheeler, Laura Hunt Little, Rebecca Pikus, Monica Morones Photographers Laura Hunt Little, Scott Pam, Lani Garfield, Chris Miller/ Imagine Imagery, La Maniaca Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

Contents

Lo Sound Desert Sneak Preview.............. 3 Interview With Mario Lalli........................ 5 Dancing With Our Stars............................ 7 Breaking the 4th Wall- Having Our Say.. 7 Don’t Be Cluless In The CV........................ 8 El Paseo First Weekend............................. 9 Rancho Mirage Writers Festival............. 10 LMS - The Green....................................... 11 LMS - Tachevah Top 15 Finalists............. 12 Desert DJs - DJ Khodi Rayne.................. 13 Consider This - Lloyd Cole...................... 14 Art- Christina De Musee......................... 15 Pet Place................................................... 16 The Vino Voice......................................... 17 Club Crawler Nightlife............................ 18 Screeners................................................. 22 Book Review............................................ 23 Heroes in Recovery 6K ........................... 26 PGA DUI Free Ride Home....................... 26 Haddon Libby: It’s All Local.................... 27 Dale Gribow............................................. 27 Safety Tips................................................ 28 ShareKitchen........................................... 28 Sports Scene............................................ 29 Humana Challenge................................. 29 Health Fitness.......................................... 30 Free Will Astrology.................................. 31 Mind, Body & Spirit................................. 31 Life & Career Coach................................. 32 Ask The Doctor........................................ 32 Comics - Weiss Cracks............................. 34

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t all started with a drum beat. Then another and another. Centuries would pass but the ancient winds would sound again. The sand was blinding but the vision was clear. Make music not rules. And so it began, the creation of a sound, a scene and a subculture that still rages near and far. This is the story of desert rock and the minds behind a movement that would shake the world beat by beat along the 33rd parallel, the same parallel of the Bermuda Triangle and the Egyptian Pyramids. Coincidence? We think not! Desert Rock Lives!

On January 31st, the highly anticipated SNEAK PREVIEW of Lo Sound Desert followed by concerts with several of the bands featured in the doc will take place at The Hood at 6pm.

This will sell out. The event is sponsored by CV Weekly and Buzz Factory.

I interviewed the Berlin filmmaker, Joerg Steineck, director of “Lo Sound Desert,” the documentary about the Californian desert punk rock scene that generated, Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age. The film provides an intimate view on the scene’s past and progress, narrated entirely by the main protagonists: the musicians.

CVW: What’s your doc about?

JS: LO SOUND DESERT explores the origin of a specific sub-genre of underground rock music and its spreading variations until today. There’s a whole bunch of interchangeable terms that try to catch this genre’s attitude - call it Stoner or Desert Rock, but it’s just pure heavy music, that got its origin from punk and long time jams.

CVW: Were you able to figure out when this sound started?

JS: What basically started in the early 80’s in some suburban garages in a place called Coachella Valley, in the middle of the desert, was more than a new style of heavy music.

In a way it never appeared completely or reached an extreme popularity like simultaneously grown, but disproportionately hyped and commercialized Grunge in the late 80’s.

CVW: Whose perspective is this documentary coming from?

JS: Lo Sound Desert is narrated by some of the main protagonists: Josh Homme, Mario Lalli, Alfredo Hernandez, Scott Reeder, Nick Oliveri, Chris Cockrell, Zach Huskey (members of bands like Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age, Across The River, Yawning Man, Fatso Jetson, Mondo Generator, Dali’s Llama, Half Astro, Vic Dumonte’s Persona Non Grata, Slo Burn, Unida, You Know Who…). It also features members of bands like Fu Manchu and Nebula.

CVW: Will we see the real stories behind the scenes?

JS: They lead us through unconditioned rehearsal garages in Southern California, smoked-up European backstage rooms and wasteland venues in the nowhere, - silent

By rich henrich

witnesses of legendary ‘Generator-Parties’.

CVW: Who has been most helpful to you in the process of this doc?

JS: Mario & Larry Lalli, Josh Homme, Brant Bjork, Scott Reeder, Nick Oliveri, Alfredo Hernandez, Sean Wheeler, Zach Huskey and everyone.

CVW: Why did you want to make a documentary on the Desert Rock scene?

JS: I listened to a band named Kyuss when I was a teenager. That was my first connection to desert music. Before I started working on the film, I got in contact with some folks from the desert to shoot a music video. At that time I was studying in San Diego, CA, and had just vague knowledge about that scene, so I figured it would be a good start to learn more by just doing it, driving to the desert, meeting continue to page 4

PHOTO STILLS FROM “LO SOUND DESERT COURTESY OF JOERG STEINECK

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

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From the Publisher: I asked a few of the desert rock legends that are in the movie to answer the questions below and share their thoughts….

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people. The rest happened naturally.

CVW: How do you define “The Scene?”

JS: I’m not sure if there is A scene per se. It’s not like Seattle, where a lot of bands sounded the same. It’s more that the desert scene consists of varieties in music and styles. It’s a pool of differences.

It’s not necessarily a scene built up by choice. In the beginning it was more that isolation factor that bound together: small suburban communities surrounded by a vast wasteland. But the outcome would be people who are inspiring each other by what they’re doing: entertaining themselves. And size-wise it was never more than 200.

CVW: Who are the originators, the creators and innovators of this sound that comes from the Desert?

JS: Ever since people have lived in the desert, they have been having parties and finding ways to entertain themselves. One of the bands from the 80s desert scene that went in a more rockish, jammier direction was Across The River. Mario Lalli, Scott Reeder, Alfredo Hernandez, Mark Anderson. These guys were a lot of people’s main influence and they injected finesse into punk rock. They opened up doors for more artistically relevant music.

Also, Mario is not just a great musician, he’s also very forward-thinking. Some of his great talents are to organize events and to motivate people to do something, to be creative. He has a huge impact on what happened in that scene.

CVW: What allowed this music to take shape in Coachella Valley?

JS: The region, the natural surroundings themselves, but also some special characters, like Mario, bringing it all together. “Do it yourself” is sometimes a burden but in general definitely a good way to get the creative juices flowing. The need for some cultural distraction was pretty high, for teenagers there was less than nothing to do except for wait until they grew old enough to get a car and leave the

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desert. There had to be an outlet to relieve pubertal stress, but before that everything had to be built from nothing. This ultimately led to the final step of going out into the desert, far away from all the narrow-minded authorities, to have so-called generator parties, where people would meet to jam, hang-out, skate, party, have a good time. From there nature itself becomes more relevant in terms of creative proceeding and developing.

CVW: Even after the decline in popularity in the U.S., Europe and AU, NZ still embrace this sound. Why is this? What is the difference in audiences in the U.S and abroad?

JS: There’s a difference in perspective of what the term ‘desert rock’ means or how big the audience actually is. Europeans have a different definition than people from the desert themselves. If you ask a general European rock music fan who has heard the term “Desert Rock”, he/she would probably say: Kyuss or Queens Of The Stone Age. “Desert Rock” to Europeans probably means a specific sound that paints a picture of the surroundings but isn’t necessarily made in those surroundings themselves. And to be honest, compared to all the mainstream genres, the little family of psychedelic music lovers is quite clear. Even if there are small festivals popping up like the Desertfest in Berlin or Stoned From The Underground in Erfurt, Germany, it’s still underground and it will stay like this because that’s what it’s meant to be.

CVW: What surprised you in the process of making this documentary from a technical stand point?

JS: I’d like to skip this question because I’m not exactly sure what you mean. Instead I want to tell you why I chose DIY…Before I finally decided to make this film all by myself, which was a tough but necessary decision to get this done the way I wanted it to be.

I tried working together with different media companies. But the result would have been that the original idea to make a film specifically about the desert scene drifted in a

more commercial direction, with a bigger focus on bands like Kyuss and QOTSA. They offered financial and general production support, but also intended to tell me how to do it, how to beef up the look, how to make it more mass compatible.

So I figured - the whole scene is based on DIY, so why shouldn’t the film be? Stylistically I guess I had a clear vision from the beginning - I didn’t see a reason for using the priciest camera equipment with the sharpest lenses when the whole story takes place in the desert, full of sand and dust. I wanted it to look rather grindy and distorted to express the general punk rock vibe and atmosphere of that time.

High-gloss kills imagination in general but here - making it look “pretty” would have been a definite stylistic mistake.

CVW: Do you think there is something special to a place that allows for creation, like the desert? What factors need to be present for something new to form from the ethers?

JS: I think the desert is a very abstract place.

For people who don’t live close to anything like this, it even appears unreal or surreal. It’s vast and it seems like nature completely removed all embellishment there. I mean, if you go through a forest or the fields and remove the functional aspect of all living things you will eventually find some rather fancy accessories that mother nature provided, seemingly just for keeping us entertained. The desert on the other hand can be very pure: There will only be a few chollas and tumbleweeds and a lot of sand for miles, and you will be completely exposed to some strange feeling that can be defined as truth if you will. Not for nothing religions and spirituality itself grow from desert regions. It’s a matter of loneliness and quietness your mind has to cope with.

And if there’s only basic elements between you and your creativity, like surviving or dying in a very abstract but literal sense in this context, you will probably experience a different approach to your inner processes, or what moves you. And going out there, making music might be a more natural approach than going into the studio or rehearsal room to jam.

The music style that people from the desert rock scene were mainly influenced by in the early 80’s was punk rock. And that’s the influence from outside. But when you grow as musician or artist in general you get shaped more by your closer, your direct influences rather than only of what comes in through the media. That’s when people started to expand their musical range and putting less emphasis on the visual performance. They’d go out into the desert and spend their time with their friends… and jam. Everything else comes naturally.

Hard rock or punk that was played by desert

bands was definitely not a new invention, but it definitely has its desert coloring.

CVW: Where will this music evolve in the next decade?

JS: Psychedelic Rock? That’s hard to foresee actually. It might bob up and down like heavy metal for a few more years with variations to come, but I’d say for sure it will never become mainstream.

CVW: What was the most fun you had during this production?

It was definitely not clearing music rights or waiting for promised original footage that would never come!

But there are many different fun facts that you experience when you do everything by yourself as filmmaker.

Editing can be fun, animating and creating the film›s art too, and so is filming interviews with people. To be honest, this was the toughest DIY thing I›ve ever experienced. I felt pretty relieved when I recognized this would come to an end after almost 10 years, so I can finally move on and concentrate on new projects.

Please check out the film’s website and facebook pages at: www.losounddesert.com and www.facebook.com/losounddesert The screening of LoSound Desert will take place on Saturday, Jan. 29 with doors opening at 6pm and Herbert performing at 6:30. Movie starts at 7pm sharp. After party with the following bands: Blasting Echo 8:35 / Hellions 8:55 / War Drum 9:15 / Hot Beat Pussy Fiend 9:35 / Dali’s Llama 9:55/Family Butcher 10:15 / Fatso Jetson 10:35/ You Know Who 10:55 / Nick Oliveri’s Uncontrollable 11:15 / House of Broken Promises 12:35. All ages until 10pm. $10.00 Cover. This show will sell out.

CVW: What does being part of the desert rock scene means to you? What impact do you feel Joerg doing this movie has on the desert music scene and how do you feel about being part of the movie?

Scott Reeder: (Across The River, Kyuss, The Obsessed, Unida, Goatsnake, Sun & Sail Club, Butcher, The Freeks, Ten East, Yawning Sons, Fireball Ministry, Dead Issue, Target 13, Subservice, Nebula) It was nice to read in The Desert Sun that Joerg considers my old band from the mid 80’s, Across The River, to be the major influence of how this desert rock thing came to be. After that, I was the first person from our little scene to play overseas in 1991 during my time with The Obsessed. When I joined Kyuss, I bugged the guys for a couple of years about getting over to Europe - I knew we’d kill it there, too!

Some of the people who’d helped The Obsessed overseas also jumped right in for the Kyuss thing! I’m stoked for all the desert musicians that have been able to get over there since those days, and proud of Josh, after Kyuss, for really breaking it out on such a huge scale with Queens Of The Stone Age! He’s brought lots of attention and interest back to our desert, which has benefitted lots of musicians around here, whether or not they realize it. I really appreciate Joerg for preserving some of the memories of our scene’s history with this film.

Gary Arce: (Yawning Man, Ten East, Fatso Jetson, Sort of Quartet, Oddio Gasser) I guess if I were to have a quote it would be...I was fortunate enough to have friends that played music and were into the same mindset, which is: “the rules are no rules”.

We were punk rock kids who embraced everything musically. Bands like Across the River, Inglenook, Dotted Swiss, Sons of Kyuss and Yawning Man for me were the original desert bands that set the tone for

Interview with Mario Lalli (Part 1)

Godfather of Desert Rock, Trailblazer, Music Pioneer, Desert Rock Legend, Creator of the Generator Parties, Owner of the infamous Rhythm and Brews, these are just a few titles that have been used to describe the talented musician, Mario Lalli. hile it’s been well documented go down in history and be talked about for that there have been more years to come. than a couple of feuds between Lalli has been in many bands over the some of the desert rock legends, one thing years including: Dead Issue, Across The that all of them agree on is their love and River, Inglenook, Sort of Quartet, Orquesta respect for Mario Lalli, hence why he was Del Desierto and his two current bands, awarded the “Pioneer Award” at the 2014 Yawning Man and Fatso Jetson, both of who CV Music Awards. he will be touring Europe with beginning Mario was not alone in paving the February 3. musical highway from the dirt roads of the During an hour and 20 minute chat, desert- he had a little help from his friends. Lalli shared his thoughts on the desert rock He is a humble man who continually gives scene, the old generator party days, Joerg credit to all the others who blazed the Steineck’s “Lo Sound Desert” movie and trail that created a whole new genre of getting ready to go out on tour. music: “desert rock” or “desert stoner CVW: Please share with us your rock” to some. Either way, Mario’s name involvement with Joerg and his movie. is synonymous with the creation of that Lalli: He’s put a lot of time and effort genre and that genre is now legitimately into this and I’m sure he’s spent the last 6 cemented in music journals world-wide. years feeling really good about it and then And the notorious generator parties will losing inspiration and wondering ‘what the

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Photos Courtesy of Larry Lalli

what’s happening today.

Mike Pygmie: (Melodious Pygmies, The Agents, Brothers from Different Mothers, Invitro, The Whizards, You Know Who, John Garcia, Mondo Generator, Waxy, Brant Bjork and the Operators) It has heavily influenced the way I play and even think about music because it’s a community where rather than trying to sound a certain way to fit in you get more respect for being yourself. No rules Rules!

I can only imagine what impact it will have. I know that discovering new bands is incredibly exciting to me and I hope that a lot of people get exposed to some killer bands through the film. I’m super stoked to be involved in it because I’m really proud of our scene. Some of my favorite bands ever are from right here and are some of my best friends as well.

Ian Taylor: (Unsound, Mondo Generator, Furious IV, The Adolescents, Chump, Ian Taylor & The Guilty Party) It’s strange to hear that people are talking about the shows and the parties we threw over twenty years ago, but I’m OK being associated with a pretty impressive group of musicians. It’s rad that most of the people we started out jamming with as kids are still plugging away today and touring the world playing their songs!

Maybe it will shine a light on a new generation of bored kids with guitars.

Who knows, but mostly it’s just cool that somebody is sharing the songs and stories with the rest of the world. Better late than never right. Hah! There have been many interviews over the years and it looks like Joerg might be the first one to pull this off. It must have taken a lot of patience, time and money to get this crazy cast of characters to sit down for a minute... Cheers to Joerg! (If he doesn’t make us look like assholes, that is.)

Jeff Bowman: (Unsound, Mighty Jack, Waxy and Nick Oliveri’s Uncontrollable) I am really grateful to have experienced that incredible era of desert music, both as a listener and a musician. It was a scene of doers...of troopers: An army of kids starving to be on one side or the other of the art and expression...ballsy enough to endure what it took to make it all happen. The music was great, the vibe was right and to this day the memories, lore and respect for the whole scene follows every one of us who were a part of it...whether we’ve “made it out of the desert” or not.

I’m excited that this film is being released and will shed even more light on the great bands and tenacious people that took part in creating this desert scene...A scene that has become a globally recognized genre.

There was no template here, no precedent, and no real support from the outside. It was built from the sand up by our own Mario Lalli and a few hundred of his devoted friends. It’s a heroic true story and I expect that is exactly what this film will capture and share with thousands around the world.

Zach Huskey: (Dali’s Llama, Primordial Blues, The Hick Ups, Hot Beat Pussy Fiend) I’m just happy that I grew up in a place where the kids encouraged original music (in all genres), and that I was a musician and a songwriter of original music in that environment. What “desert rock” means to me - it’s about creating original “outsider” music with the basis being punk rock and other underground unique musical styles, such as blues, 70’s hard rock, free jazz, Americana with a big dose of 60’s psychedelic garage band sounds, etc, etc, etc. It’s about freedom. It’s about being a music fan and it’s about old and new friends, and about creating the music you want to create. It was about creating a place where the few bands that existed could have the freedom to express themselves. It was about creating, or finding places where we could play our original music.

January 29 to February 4, 2015 Hopefully bands from the desert will get more exposure and hopefully that helps the bands in the long run. Erica and I like and respect Joerg. He did this movie because he’s a fan of desert rock and he spent a long time filming it. I spent quite a bit of time with him. Taking him out in the desert “snake hunting,” jeeping and just talking about the old days before generator parties, and how things changed through the years. Joerg asked if I would record some soundtrack music, which I did with Scott Reeder up at The Sanctuary. I hope this documentary does well. He should be proud.

Tony Tornay: (Ink Cause, Solarfeast, Fatso Jetson, Deep Dark Robot) I’m not sure what being a part of the “desert rock scene” means to me, I just know that I am proud of what a bunch of bored kids created with a little ambition and a lot of volume. When I was a kid I was jealous of people in LA or San Diego or any other major city, they had all the music stores, venues, publications… We had nothing. It took me a few years to realize how lucky we were to be able to start with a blank slate and create something for ourselves that was completely for us, by us, and without any rules.

Jack Kohler: (War Drum, Waxy) Desert rock is a genre that’s spread all over the world, and War Drum’s music is so drawn from the desert around us. It’s incredible to me that it’s gotten to where it has, and just as important to keep it alive and thriving. There’s a pulse in this desert, and we all get together for things like this to honor that tradition.

Joerg’s interest and passion for Lo Sound Desert breathes life into the desert music scene. People have been waiting for a DECADE for this film to be seen, and it’s brought unity amongst old and new friends alike. We sat with Joerg in Berlin and gave him our outlook on the desert scene, and were honored that he included our music in the film. Hats off Joerg!

by tracy dietlin hell have I just spent the last 6 years of my life on’ and then rediscovering inspiration.

You get so excited about the idea and at the beginning it’s all you can think about. You eat, sleep, drink it and then a year goes by and sometimes it’s stuff you have to take care of on your end and then sometimes you’re doing a lot of waiting on other people and then you start thinking ‘what was this all about in the first place’. And this has gone on for over 6 years so I think he’s looking forward to wrapping it up.

CVW: What made him decide to have the viewing at The Hood?

He originally bought plane tickets and he and his girl were going to come. We were talking about several different places to have the viewing like IPAC and Art Galleries, Hard Rock, Hacienda, Camelot, the old Plaza theater, and my first thought was to have it at the Riviera because that’s where you had the CV Music Awards and my family was so continue to page 6

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impressed with how that all turned out.

Normally when I take on doing an event like this I have a couple thousand bucks to throw around to put down on a room, rent some chairs, and take care of business but that wasn’t the case. Then Jack (Kohler) said ‘Dude let’s just keep it simple. We’ll have it here at The Hood. We’ve got the screen, we’ll get some chairs.’ I think it will be fun and very fitting for the people in the movie because of the vibe at the Hood. It’s perfectly set that it should be at a rock club.

CVW: Are there plans for the movie after this viewing?

Lalli: I’ve been talking to Sarah Scheideman at the CV Art Scene about a concept where we will have an extended showing of the movie maybe once a month.

My cousin Larry (Lalli) is a photographer and he has some really great old photos that nobody has ever seen before. Like Kyuss’ first promo photos. And there are a couple other friends who used to take a lot of pictures back in the early days. And we will ask Chris Miller and others to contribute current photos and we could put them on the walls for people to see when they come to see the movie. Sarah could be the Curator. We could have some merch and CDs available there and make it a really cool event.

When I thought about all the pictures that didn’t get used in the movie I thought this would be a great way for people to see all these groovy pics from the generator

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parties, garage parties, my old club. And people can look at them on the wall and say ‘wow! I remember being at that party or show’ and it take them back to that place.

I want to involve the CV Art Scene because I have a lot of respect for what they’re doing and they are like the second generation of artists.

It will be daunting to gather everything but it will be worth it. I still have flyers from shows we did back when I was 16. It’s like a scrap book of flyers. I remember when Agent Orange played here and TSOL did a show in Bermuda Dunes when I was in high school. Anyway we’re hoping to get that going in March.

CVW: So Yawning Man and Fatso Jetson are both going on tour together? When do you leave?

Lalli: We are flying to Germany on Feb. 3 and we’re doing the whole tour together.

We scaled back both bands to be able to make it happen. My son Dino will be trading off bass and guitar with me in both bands and Tony Tornay will be playing drums for Fatso. For Yawning Man, Gary Arce will be playing guitar and Bill Stinson will be playing drums instead of Alfredo, because he’s got a bunch of other stuff going on.

The last few years this desert rock thing has become a bonafide genre almost like punk or ska and there’s this scene where when we first went to Europe years ago there were metal fans and punk fans and hard rock and now it’s like the young kids my son’s age have grown up with desert

rock. When I talk about the music I grew up with I’m talking about Iron Butterfly, Jimi Hendrix and the Byrds (laughing). I mean there are festivals over there now that are devoted to the desert rock scene. It feels like now we are able to pay for our air fare and come home with some money in our pocket.

We will be gone for a whole month. Josh (QOTSA) and Brant (Bjork), those guys have really opened a lot of doors for the rest of us to be able to go over there and do this.

CVW: It still baffles me that most of the desert bands go over to Europe to much respect and adulation and yet they don’t have the same reception here in the States.

What do you think about that?

Lalli: That’s a really good question (laughing). I don’t know because I’ve never really tried. In the early 90s Fatso Jetson went on tour with Kyuss in the midwest and west coast. They had already toured with the Dwarves so they had built a solid fan base. I think that now because of all the popularity of Josh and Brant’s projects that it might be possible now to tour in the States, but it would be very different from over there.

We really have the luxury of being able to go to Europe and they are prepared for us because Kyuss and QOTSA covered some of our songs and with the internet the fans over there do their homework and they are familiar with us.

I’m really excited about doing a tour here in the States since we have a booking agent here now. But we will have to carve out our own path here. I wouldn’t be surprised if we rolled into Dallas to play some bar and only 15 people showed up, but I’d be stoked that 15 people in Dallas wanted to hear our music (laughing). I mean sometimes I come back to where I’m from and only 15 people show up because they’re like ‘we’re over it’.

In Europe there’s like a lore to it and I am forever grateful for how we are received there. I went to a friend’s record release party a couple weeks ago and the band that was playing was amazing and they were some of the most badass musicians ever and I was talking to them and they said ‘Dude you’re going to Europe. How do you get to do that?’ And I thought honestly bro I don’t know because you just blew my fuckin mind you’re so good, you should be going.

We are really lucky.

CVW: What do you credit the longevity of you career to?

Lalli: I would say that we played for so many years without the distraction of being popular, being concerned about making money or the business. At the same time that kind of kept us in one spot. There are a lot of sacrifices that guys that tour all the time have to make. I wasn’t prepared to say fuck the restaurant, fuck my family, I’m just gonna go and be gone all the time.

Bottom line is I think that we all just have a love for playing music together regardless of whether we made money or got famous.

You can see Fatso Jetson before they leave for their European tour at The Hood Bar & Pizza in Palm Desert. The screening of Lo Sound Desert will take place on Saturday, Jan. 31 with doors opening at 6pm and Herbert performing at 6:30. Movie starts at 7pm sharp. After party with the following bands: Blasting Echo 8:35/Hellions 8:55/ War Drum 9:15/Hot Beat Pussy Fiend 9:35/ Dali’s Llama 9:55/Family Butcher 10:15/ Fatso Jetson 10:35/You Know Who 10:55/ Nick Oliveri’s Uncontrollable 11:15/House of Broken Promises 12:35. All ages until 10pm. $10.00 Cover. This show will sell out.

f you have never been to the TV show, Dancing with the Stars, this is the next best thing. One of our instructors, Van Spencer in the upcoming Dancing with Our Stars, has choreographed dance routines for the TV show troupe and appeared on the show. Now you can personally experience the pizzazz and exhilaration of the show in this multi-charity fundraiser. Produced

by Lynne Bunch of A Charity Affaire, this popular event has raised $375,000 for 80 different charities since 2006.

Event tickets for Dancing with Our Stars, Sunday, February 15 at 1 pm at the Agua Caliente Casino are $80 and include lunch and one vote for the charity of your choice.

Votes are $20 each and can be purchased in advance of the live competition to support your favorite participating charity.

The following charities and dancers providing a magical, inspiring evening of dance are Carmen Lopez & Van Spencer, Soroptomist House of Hope; Kytti St. Amand & Van Spencer, Parkinson’s Resource Organization; Traci Kaylor & Don Ramos,

All Things are Possible and Barbara Bedford & Van Spencer, Rescue Animals of the Universe. Two couples, Jennie Gerhardt & Van Spencer and Mary Anne Eason & Ismael Esquivel, both dance for Coachella Valley Horse Rescue.

Also enjoy the tantalizing non-charity Pro/Am competition from our dance community featuring Elizabeth Wood & Dennis Lyle, Tim Dawson & Elvia Gomez, Barbara Bedford & Van Spencer, Rose Marie Rae & Bill Foster, Nina Beck& Amine Raif and Margaret Hines & Van Spencer. The noncharity Amateur competition has Kathleen Collins & Sonny Routt and Shirley Putnam & Nick Ingrao.

Celebrate the Valentine’s Day weekend with the special person in your life and enjoy romantic entertainment by our hostess Sharon DiHaworth, lunch, the dance competition and dancing for all the guests several times throughout the show.

Hosts will be on hand to dance with guests.

For additional information, contact lynne@acharityaffaire.com, 760-218-1687 or go to www.dancingwithourstars.com.

January 29 to February 4, 2015

Breaking the 4th Wall

A Stage Review: “Having Our Say: The delaney sisters’ first 100 years” he first thing I heard as I took my

By Dee Jae Cox

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seat for The CV Rep’s production of, “Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First Hundred Years” was the 1930, Ethel Waters jazz/blues classic “What did I do to be so black and blue?” After my initial wide-eyed realization of how racist the song was, I later realized what a perfect choice it had been to set the mood and tone for the story of two ‘colored’ sisters, (Colored being the term they preferred) who had survived a century of American history. Emily Mann’s play, “Having Our Say, The Delany Sisters’ First Hundred Years,” presented by The Coachella Valley Repertory, has got to be one of the most moving and poignant pieces of drama that I’ve seen cross the stage.

Chris Brown as 101 year-old Bessie and Regina Randolph as 103 year-old Sadie, tell the story of the Delany sisters who experienced a century of American History and were proud to talk about it. These two actresses are as stellar as they come. Both were beautiful and strong as the centurion sisters, Sadie and Bessie Delany. I was captivated from the moment they entered the stage. I hung on their every story, firmly believing that I had entered their world and was now a visitor in this beautifully crafted mid-century home.

It does not get better than Chris Brown and Regina Randolph if you’re looking for top notch performances. They made me laugh, cry and feel especially honored as a guest in their home.

Mann’s script beautifully weaves together the pieces of two extraordinary lives. Born before the turn of the 20th Century, these two sisters experienced the world that most only read about in history books. From coming of age with Jim Crow laws in the south to the Harlem Renaissance. Meeting Eleanor Roosevelt, watching the civil rights unfold under the greatness of a man like Martin Luther King Jr., confessing that they preferred Jimmy Carter over Reagan, though Bessie did love Eisenhower. And as Bessie said with a mischievous smile, “If you don’t vote, you don’t have a right to complain. And I surely don’t want to miss a chance to complain.”

From early Jazz to modern hip-hop, they saw it all and so did we as the audience was invited into their home while they prepared a dinner in celebration of their deceased father’s birthday. I could smell the turkey

as they chatted and shared photos with the audience like we were old friends.

Jimmy Cuomo’s set is perfection. Detailed walls, furnishings and props all an ideal backdrop for the story being told. Aalsa Lee’s simple costumes and Lynda Shaeps hair and makeup, added the ideal touches of truth and to the characters as we were drawn into the lives of these 100+ year old women who moved with determination and definite control of all of their faculties.

Ron Celona’s direction brought the script to its full potential; casual, yet exact. More than busy work, each move had a purpose that supported the telling of this incredible story.

There is absolutely everything right about the CV Rep’s production of ‘Having our Say’.

If you are looking for an excellent piece of theatre, this is the show to see. It is a personal and intimate oral history that can be appreciated and enjoyed by all ages.

Coachella Valley Repertory gets a four stars on Broadway rating, for having three plays written by women in their season.

Bravo to Artistic Director Ron Celona whose efforts in bringing gender equality to theatre gets a standing ovation.

Having Our Say is in production at the Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre located at 69930 Highway 111, Suite 116, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 from through February 8, 2015 with evening performances on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 PM and matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM. For Reservations: call 760-296-2966, or visit www.cvrep.org Dee Jae Cox, is a playwright, director and producer. She is the Cofounder and Artistic Director for The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project and the host of KPTR 1450’s hit radio show, “California Woman 411” in Palm Springs.

Look for Part 2 of Mario Lalli’s interview next week on our website at coachellavalleyweekly.com.

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

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Don’t Be

CLUELESS IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY

What a Season!

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f you can’t find something to do to get you out of the house, to release you from the clutches of the remote and away from the boob tube, to inspire you to shove aside all the toys your hands are constantly fiddling with all hours of the day and night, ad nauseam, if you can’t find something to use up all that cheap fuel you’ve been pumping into your jalopy, we want a pulse count! There’s music to hear and dance to from ukulele to you-name-it, Gershwin jazz to Franz Liszt, award-winning foreign films with mysteries to unravel and mid-century modern homes to prowl through on tour and then there is always a party somewhere. And you’re invited! Read on.

Thursday, January 29, 7 PM. Be still my strumming heart when The McCallum Theatre presents The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Yahooey! Yes, we kid you not.

It’s an evening you won’t forget offering a funny, virtuosic, twanging, awesome, footstomping giggle-to- guffaw time, jumping from Tchaikovsky to Nirvana via Otis Redding and spaghetti western soundtracks; the Orchestra takes the audience on an eclectic music adventure. Formed---even more likely, “yanked” into being in 1985 as a bit of fun, their first gig was an instant sell-out and they’ve been performing ever since. Their mission was simple: To have fun and “not to lose money.” Public opinion was that an orchestra consisting entirely of ukuleles in different sizes was a strange concept; something that attracted the performing members. They determined to make something fresh and entertaining, modern and old-fashioned, in a different style which deviated from current performance fashion. In 2015, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain will celebrate 16 million minutes of “ukuleleation,” having been on the road and around the world for thirty years and counting. Tickets are priced at $70, $50, $35 and $25 and are available at the Theatre’s web site at www.mccallumtheatre. com, or by calling the McCallum Theatre box office at (760) 340-ARTS. The McCallum Theatre, located at 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert CA 92260. Google the group on YouTube. You won’t regret it.

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Thursday, February 5, 7:30 – 9:00 PM. Serial Musical Evenings: Pete Carlson’s Jazz for Jazz Lovers features The Banda Bros.

Sextet and all we can say is, “hot, hot, hot!”

Led by Drummer Ramon Banda and Bassist Tony Banda, brothers who’ve been playing together and playing well with others, such as Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band (a 32 year-intune collaboration!) since before they were teens, starting with backyard jam sessions and wedding bands. Today the Banda Bros. are trumpeted as one of LA’s hottest Latin jazz bands performing a blend of Latin, Afro-Caribbean, and straight ahead jazz and original compositions. Hear and cheer them at Pete Carlson’s Golf and Tennis, 73741 HWY 111, Palm Desert. Admission ticket: $25 per person. Call for more information 760-5683263, or toll-free: 1(800) 600-3263. Visit website: www.petecarlsonsgolf.com Seating is limited. Non-profit concert proceeds support jazz education and scholarships for young musicians in the Coachella Valley.

Saturday, February 7, 9:00 AM. The Desert Film Society presents “24 Days” (“24 Jours”). “Lia Award winner, Jerusalem Film Festival, Israel. Directed by Alexandre Arcady, in French with English sub titles, and based on true events that occurred in 2006 in France and on a memoir written by the victim’s mother. The narrative: A woman walked in to a wireless store on Boulevard Voltaire, pretended to be interested in the new phones, asked for the sales attendant’s number and left. Later, she called asking to see him. Ilan wasn’t suspicious, he was 23 years old, with his whole life before him. How could he have known that by meeting a beautiful

by Diane Marlin-Dirkx girl in a café near Porte Orléans he was flirting with death? Starring: Zabou Breitman, Pascal Elbé, Jacques Gamblin, Éric Caravaca, Sylvie Testud. Festival showings: Toronto Jewish Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Canada; Jerusalem Film Festival, Israel; Jewish Film Festival, Australia; UK Jewish Film Festival, UK; Boston Jewish Film Festival, Cucalorus Film Festival (NC), Palm Springs International Film Festival, USA .The “buzz” quoted from Screen Daily: “French director Alexandre Arcady delivers one of the most wrenching and politically astute films to come out of France.” Palm Springs Camelot Theatres, 9:30 AM showing. Doors open at 9:00 AM w/film introduction at 9:20 AM. Discussion follows the film. Complimentary refreshments. Free to Desert Film Society Members, $15 at the door.

Additional info: 760-770-0507 or visit desertfilmsociety.com. Desert Film Society is a non-profit 501 (C)(3) Organization.

Sunday, February 8, 3 PM. It’s tune-up time for the 8th Annual Doctors’ Concert Fundraiser for The Steinway Society of Riverside County.

Ruth Moir, founder/president, doesn’t play around for this fundraiser, she encourages those in medical practices to put down one instrument for another in the interest of programs to “engage, educate, and inspire children, changing their lives forever,” Florence Henderson, TV’s favorite Mom on “The Brady Bunch,” is Honorary Chair of the concert. And we’d bet the doctorsRainer Bergmann, Scott Aaronson, Murthy Andavolu, Lisa Lindley, Judith Zacher, Justin Thomas, Eric Fox, and Vincent D’Auria.-enjoy performing, as well. The many benefits gained are amazing. The non-profit Steinway Society produces classic concerts in schools for K through 12, including performances by internationally known professionals, Piano and ukulele labs for elementary group lessons in daytime/after school programs, financial need awards including lessons, pianos (!), Annual Festival Competition and Winners Concert, workshops, summer music camp and student mentoring, Music is Wellness performances monthly for the Memory Care Center at Eisenhower Medical Center.

Reception and concert at the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences, 39000 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage. For tickets, call 760341-4130, $65 per person/open seating. No practice necessary.

events

“Don’t Be Clueless” wants to remind you that press releases for inclusion should be in to the Coachella Valley Weekly at least two weeks ahead of the scheduled event! Thanks.

January 29 to February 4, 2015

By judith salkin

February Offers Perfect Weather for First Weekend Palm Desert!

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Friday, February 12 – Sunday, February 22. Modernism Week celebrates 10 Years!

So Cool! So Party-Hearty Ready! Make it a Throwback Thursday night celebrating 10 years of Modernism Week at the best party of the decade! Fasten your seat-belts as DJ Jason Bentley, KCRW’s Music Director and host of ‘Morning Becomes Eclectic’ and ‘Metropolis’ will take everyone on a wild ride! Opening night guests will be the very first to experience CAMP, our new 30,000 square foot MW Headquarters. So, bring on your midcentury style and dance the night away! 7 PM – 10 PM at MW CAMP (Community and Meeting Place), 555 N. Palm Canyon Drive at W. Chino, Palm Springs, CA 92262 .Cost: $125 per person. Admission includes wristband for 5-day return admission to MW CAMP. Valet parking included. Adults 21 and over, please. Tickets are available at modernismweek.com. Added Attraction on Saturday, February 21, 7 – 10 PM. Celebrate Modernism Week After Dark at the Vintage Travel Trailer Show! This fun and funky outdoor soiree will showcase 40+ beautifully restored vintage trailers, buses and Airstreams – many never-before-seen at Modernism Week. Don’t miss this special opportunity to step inside an enchanting vintage trailer community aglow with a myriad of faerie lights. You’ll have the chance to place your vote for a “secret” trailer award and see this, along with other awards – including “Best in Modernism,” presented to the proud trailer owners who have travelled from all over the West to be at Modernism Week. Tickets: $25 per person; $15 for students (ID required); Free for children 12 & under. Party with the stylish and festive trailer owners as you enjoy retro Rockabilly music and fun for the whole family. Your ticket includes admission to the Vintage Travel Trailer Show party, entertainment and access inside the vintage trailers. Food, beverages, cash bar, and sweet treats will be available for purchase. No pets, please. At the Hilton Palm Springs Parking Lot, 400 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262

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here is no better time to enjoy First Weekend Palm Desert and all that the City of Palm Desert has to offer than the days and nights of a desert winter!

With daytime temps typically in the 60s to 70s, it is the best time to take in all the city has to offer from its acclaimed attractions like the Living Desert Wildlife and Botanical Park, world class entertainment at the McCallum Theater, the art at El Paseo galleries and Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, The Galen and, nearly everyone’s favorite pastime, shopping!

February’s First Weekend Palm Desert is packed with a bit of everything that makes this city such a special place. The Living Desert’s Park After Dark offers a chance to see what happens at the zoo when gates close for the night, while the McCallum Theatre has a slate of performers that includes Cabaret artist Michael Feinstein and an evening with Scottish pipers performing military music.

Those are in addition to Paint Nite at 3rd Corner, the second installment in the Gardens on El Paseo’s popular concert series that supports local charities, Cruise Night and so much more!

Here’s a sampling of activities happening for First Weekend Palm Desert on February 6 through 8, 2015! Keep checking the website at www.pdfirstweekend.com or call the Palm Desert Visitor’s Center at (760) 568-1441 for added events!

February 6, 2015 El Paseo Cruise Night - 3:15 to 6 p.m.

El Paseo between Hwy 74 & Portola Ave elpaseocruisenight.com; (760) 346-8965 Whatever your favorite memory of muscle beauties and vintage rides may be, they’re bound to show up for El Paseo Cruise Night! The cars gather at 3:15 p.m. on the upper deck of the Gardens on El Paseo’s parking structure and begin cruising the street around 4:30 p.m.

El Paseo Art Walk - 4 to 8 p.m. www.elpaseoartwalk.com The galleries stay open later and some will offer a chance to meet artists at gallery receptions or other special events for Art Walk! It’s a wonderful way to see what’s happening in the art world!

El Paseo After Dark - 6 to 8 p.m. elpaseocatalogue.com; (877)735-7273.

Many of the street’s 250 fine boutiques, specialty shops and restaurants stay open a bit later for El Paseo After Dark between Highway 74 and Portola Avenue! Shop a little later and then enjoy a great meal at your

favorite restaurant for an exciting night on the town!

Free First Friday - 4 to 9 p.m.

Palm Springs Art Museum, The Galen 72567 Hwy 111, Palm Desert www.psmuseum.org; (760)346-5600 Enjoy free admission to the museum, microbrews from Babe’s BBQ and Brewhouse. Take in the performance by artist Michael Petry at 6 p.m., and concert in the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden at 7:30 p.m.

The Park After Dark: The Living Desert 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. 47900 Portola Ave Members: Adults-$20, Children-$10; Nonmembers-$30/$20 www.livingdesert.org; (760) 346-5694 If you’ve always wanted to sneak in and see what the animals do at night, here’s your chance. This family adventure includes an up-close animal presentation, guided walk through the zoo and s’mores around a campfire to top off the night.

American Trilogy-Tribute - 7 p.m. Feb. 6; 2:30 p.m. Feb. 8 $40 Evening; $30 Matinee CalState San Bernardino/Palm Desert Campus, 37500 Cook St (760)341-6909 pdc.csusb.edu/eventstheater A tribute to American icons Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Neil Diamond.

The Scottish International Military Tattoo - 8 p.m. $25-$75 McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred WaringDr mccallumtheatre.com; (760)340-2787 A Scottish cultural extravaganza with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, featuring bagpipers, drummers, singers and dancers performing the marches, schottisches, reels and dances of Scotland.

February 7, 2015 Free Guided Art Tour - 9 a.m.

Palm Desert Civic Center Park, San Pablo and Fred Waring Dr. palmdesertart.org; (760) 568-1441.

Free guided walking tour of some of the city’s public art. Meet in front of the Messenger of the Puul at the southwest entrance to the park off of Fred Waring Dr. Saturday ArtVentures: Investigate and Create! - 11 a.m.

Palm Springs Art Museum, The Galen 72567 Hwy 111, Palm Desert psmuseum.org; (760)346-5600 This month, get into Valentine’s Day listening to The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond and, like Bond, create your own

special valentines. Make one to leave for the museum and make one to take home. Great for families with children 12 and younger; children must be accompanied by an adult.

The Gardens Annual Concert Series 5:15 p.m.

Center Court, Gardens on El Paseo $12, includes Wine and Cheese Reception before concert at 6 p.m. thegardensonelpaseo.com/events The band is Heatwave and proceeds benefit Eisenhower Medical Center.

Michael Feinstein McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring $65-$95 mccallumtheatre.com; (760) 340-2787 Michael Feinstein has been called “the most prominent ambassador of the Great American Songbook” (LA Times).

He interprets songs by Irving Berlin, the Gershwin brothers, Harold Arlen and other

great American composers of the early 20th century.

February 8, 2015 Paint Nite - 1 to 4 p.m.

The 3RD Corner - Wine Shop and Bistro, 73101 Hwy 111 $45 www.paintnite.com Join artist Kellie Gillette-Wood for mimosas and art! Limited seating!

59th Annual Edition of It’s Magic! - 3 p.m.

McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring $15-$35; Rancho Mirage residents, $10-$40, call for discount information mccallumtheatre.com; (760)340-2787 Milt Larsen and Terry Hill present the finest stars of magic, comedy, variety, sleight of hand, and stage illusions.

Jazzoo at The Living Desert - 4:30 p.m.

The Living Desert Wildlife and Botanical Park, 47900 Portola Ave Members, $35; Nonmembers, $45 livingdesert.org; (760)346-5694 An afternoon of music for jazz lovers with vocalist Carol Bach-Y-Rita. Fluent in five languages as a speaker and singer, Bach-YRita is a favorite of jazz festivals and venues across the U.S. and Europe, including the Monterey Jazz Festival.

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

Authors

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Local Music Spotlight

By Heidi Simmons

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t’s time to add the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival to the list of top Coachella Valley events.

Held last week, over three days in three venues with 40 authors and 800 attendees, the Second Annual Writers Festival solidified its status as an important as well as fun and fabulous festival.

The Rancho Mirage Writers Festival now takes its place among the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the Coachella Music Festival, creating a significant cultural trifecta with equal appeal and status.

Doubling its size from last year with twice the number of attendees and authors, the Writers Fest drew five Pulitzer Prize winners and two National Book Award winners.

“The reaction has been great,” said Jamie Kabler, Festival Founder. “It’s the enthusiasm and the appreciation of those attending. We have a very smart audience.”

To say Kabler is an energetic guy is an understatement. On day two, he wore a pale blue shirt, Bermuda shorts, blue suede shoes and a whistle, which he used to get the crowd’s attention. After a shrill blow from the podium, the audience stopped talking in a flash and he graciously thanked the donors, the city, library personnel and everyone in the audience.

Just two summers ago, Kabler attended the Sun Valley, Idaho Writers Conference and was inspired to bring a similar event to Rancho Mirage.

“I knew that a writers festival would broaden the conversation and had the potential to be an important cultural event for readers of fiction and nonfiction,” wrote Kabler in the program. He also knew the valley’s warm weather would help draw talent.

David Bryant, Library Director said in his welcome note: “We decided to call our celebration a “writers festival” rather than a “writers conference” because it connotes an energy and joy rather than the formality and seriousness of a conference.”

Indeed, the fest was a joy for those who love to read and for those who love to write.

Fiction and nonfiction authors shared not only insights about their books and narrative work but also their writing process.

This year the Festival celebrated American history, American humor and American celebrity. Actor Michael York

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by Lisa Morgan

The Green - “Chocolate andSpecial RosesGuests: Tour”Through the Roots Comes to the Date Shed THIS FRIDAY, January 30 @ 9PM, 18+

The Valley’s Best New Fest: Rancho Mirage Writers Festival

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and his wife, photographer Pat York spoke about their books, as did Candy Spelling and former Mayor of Los Angeles, Richard Riordan. Actor Laurence Luckinbill performed his one-man play “Hemingway.”

Added this year were moderators who brought their own expertise and acumen to the discussion, like Variety’s, Peter Bart, and Los Angeles writer and Pulitzer Prize winner Patt Morrison.

The Festival attracted locals, snowbirds and out-of-towners. A woman who lives in London bought a condo last fall in Rancho Mirage and when she joined the library, she received an email about the Writers Festival and immediately bought her ticket.

The event sold out within a week of its announcement.

Abigail McGrath runs Renaissance House, a writer’s retreat in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and is opening a retreat in the CV. She came to check out the literary talent and potential interest.

Each attendee was given a canvas tote with a matching notebook and pen. Guests filled their bags with author’s books and filled their notebooks with author’s wisdom.

Besides the Rancho Mirage Public Library, other venues included the Helene Galen Auditorium at the Annenberg Center for Health Science on the Eisenhower Medical Center campus and the Galen Performing Arts Center at Rancho Mirage High School.

The daytime events were held at the library while evening programs were held at the off campus venues.

The library was divided and organized into specific areas. There were three main lecture halls named for authors: Steinbeck, Didion and London. When the Didion and London rooms overlapped and overfilled with attendees on the first day, the library

staff created a new space the next day bringing in 150 more chairs and audiovisual equipment to solve the problem.

Barnes and Noble took over the library conference room with a pop-up bookstore -- part of the sales going to fund next year’s event. The authors had a designated signing table and the library provided authors a private lounge.

The foyer had a table with coffee, bottled water and hard candies to keep guest alert and happy throughout the day. In the center of the library, Constance Gordy played the grand piano during the break -- her beautiful music wafted throughout the venue.

Even the parking lots were organized.

Valet service was provided at the west end of the library and the front lot served as an alfresco dining area with brightly colored covered tables and umbrellas. Lunches were included with the ticket.

“The vibe is good and weather has assisted us,” said Bryant. “The staff here is just incredible. They love being here and they love their work.”

The library and festival staff graciously hosted what amounted to a great party with

erudite, loquacious guests. The staff was plentiful and ready to assist. They dressed in matching shirts and had friendly smiles.

Next year’s event has already sold more than half the tickets. At this point, organizers plan to cap ticket sales at 800.

So get your tickets now. This event is only limited by its space. Publicity is intentionally low-key because the event sells out almost immediately.

“We’ve already booked six authors for next year,” said Kabler. “They’re the best and the brightest.”

Kabler and his team, supported by the City of Rancho Mirage, Sponsors, Founding Angels, regular Angels and Friends, are a dedicated group of citizens who love books and value cultural content here in the CV. Together they have created one of the valley’s finest festivals.

“Last year we were finding our way.

It was a bit more of an experiment,” said Bryant. “This year it is more polished, it is bigger and we know it’s for real and for a good long time.”

he Green’s first, self-titled album, steeped in roots reggae and Hawaiian traditional music, was released in February 2010. The album’s single “Love I” was the band’s breakthrough single on Hawaiian radio. The album set a Billboard Reggae Chart record by remaining on the chart for 69 straight weeks. The album was named iTunes Best Reggae Album of 2010 and finished the year as the No. 9 album on the 2010 Billboard’s Year End Reggae Chart, alongside artists Rebelution, Matisyahu and Bob Marley. In May 2011, The Green’s second album, Ways & Means, spent four weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Reggae Chart and won Best Reggae Album at Hawaii’s 2011 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.

Hawai’i ‘13, the latest album by the 6 year old band from Oahu, topped the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart once again, selling 4,960 copies in its first week of release. It, along with Ways & Means, has sold 50,000 copies. Reaching deep into their arsenal of sonic expression, Hawai’i ‘13 could have just as aptly been called, “50 Shades of Green”.

It’s a sexy blend of genre influences atop their traditional foundations, that become even more evident after you talk with Zion Thompson, lead guitar, lead vocalist and one of the bands many songwriters.

Once Thompson starts citing his influences of soul, blues, and a “few other old funk guys”, your ears begin to open up. Suddenly, the obvious influence of roots reggae gladiators like Bob Marley grows into an extraordinary listening experience, as other names are

sonically forced to memory - names like Al Green, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix.

There’s even a contemporary pop flavor at times. “Our music is influenced by everything, really,” shares Thompson. “The Green is a really diverse band. There’s no telling what you’ll hear when you walk onto our bus. I remember the Rebelution guys walked on our bus once, and we were slamming Shania Twain real loud. They looked at us like, ‘What is this? This is not what I expected!’” He laughed as he recalled the moment, and then continued, “There’s a time and a place for every kind of music. We listen to it all, and are influenced by it all. We especially sponge it up when we tour and hear other bands. To us, it’s all relative, even country music. Hawaiian music - the chord progressions, the story telling - they are so similar to country music.”

With a steady diet of touring, and the regular success of their albums, I asked Thompson if they receive the “Rock Star” treatment on their home island. “There’s no real rock stars from Hawaii,” he laughed.

“If you’re known as a musician, you’re just a musician, like the musicians that we looked up to growing up. We see them all the time. I may take a picture with them, but it’s not like a big rock star vibe. The music community is just like family, and there’s so much talent out here.”

Hawaiians who have been transplanted in the mainland particularly love to come to their shows, reminding them of home. But not all places are as receptive. Still, you won’t hear Thompson complain. “We’ve been lucky enough to see and play places that don’t see reggae - ever,” he shared. “We’ve played places that have never had reggae and may never have it again, like Tyler, Texas. You see

January 29 to February 4, 2015

them, and it looks like they’ve never imagined this kind of music. That’s the great part...you get to open people’s minds.”

Having seen the growing popularity of the genre here in our own community, I asked if he’s noticed it growing elsewhere. “I think it’s been growing since we started. But I think reggae, in general, is spreading more and more, and getting popular in main stream culture. You see actors, athletes or even other musicians who don’t play reggae, listening to reggae and wearing shirts representing reggae bands. I think it’s that connection people feel through the ideas or even the melodies. It’s kind of feeling like the biggest thing right now. The people that come to our shows - their comments, all reflect things that

really keep us going. You can connect to any genre, but the message on top of the emotion that the music delivers, is a positive one, so the connection is very strong. We just try and be real with what we write, and the music we come up with isn’t forced. We keep it natural.”

Authenticity is a key word in the music industry. Everybody wants it or is trying to attain it in their music. With The Green, it comes as natural as breathing. Get to their show this Friday, and slip into a state of “Mahalo”. Then buy their albums, so you never have to be too far away from it.

The Green band members are: Caleb Keolanui – Lead Vocals Ikaika Antone – Keys, Lead Vocals JP Kennedy – Guitar, Lead Vocals Zion Thompson – Guitar, Lead Vocals Brad “BW” Watanabe – Bass, Keys Jordan Espinoza – Drums Find their music and more information at these websites: thegreen808.com/ iTUNES smarturl.it/oph4p8 AMAZON smarturl.it/qhlqpk CD / VINYL ow.ly/rN0DF GOOGLE PLAY smarturl.it/vk0n7y STORE:thegreen.shop.redstarmerch.com

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

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Local Music Spotlight

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by Lisa Morgan

Block Party Show Down - Annual Tachevah Block Party Competition

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ver 50 bands submitted for a shot at playing the largest and most enviable local stage, second only to our annual music festivals. This opportunity for passionate musicians is brought to us by world renowned music festival guru, Goldenvoice, along with partners P.S. Resorts, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, The Desert Sun, the City of Palm Springs and Harold Matzner.

Videos were submitted, social media campaigns were launched, and fans voted daily. The end result: 15 bands with the most votes were selected to battle it out on stage in front of judges who will determine whether they have “the stuff” to play at the block party that traditionally draws hundreds of fans. The finalists have been broken up into three groups to play three venues on three different dates. One winner from each of these shows will go on to play the coveted block party stage on April 15.

TACHEVAH, EAST VALLEY COMPETITION, Wednesday, January 28th, 6pm @ Date Shed, 50725 Monroe Street, Indio ALCHEMY “Alchemy is group of like-minded individuals who like to play pleasurably sweet-sounding, high energy music. We’ve been playing for a little over a year and recently we’ve had the fortunate pleasure of keeping busy and playing almost every weekend somewhere around the valley.

We’re humbled by the response of our loyal fans and friends, and we like to thank them.

It wouldn’t be possible without them. We are currently in the process of recording our full length album, and it’s almost finished.

Those who want to keep hearing Alchemy should stick around, because it’s going to be awesome!” – Alchemy: Andrew Gonzalez on vocals, Erik Lopez on bass, Danny Gonzalez on guitar, Rogelio Chavez on keys, and Luis Monroy on drums. Listen to them at soundcloud.com/alchemycoachella.

DEATH MERCHANTS “We just want let the people know that we are very humbled by this opportunity to potentially be one of the groups to represent for the Coachella Valley in the Tachevah Block Party. There are a lot of talented musicians out here, and we are thankful that our fans voted for us. We are also excited and take great pride in shining a light on the Coachella Valley hip-hop music scene. We feel that the hip-hop music scene gets over looked, and doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, especially with the amount of talented artists we have here in the Valley. We look forward to doing our

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best to impress the judges with our eclectic sound and diverse on stage personas, and most importantly we look forward to giving the crowd an amazing show!” – Death Merchants are: Lootenant (Biloxi, MS), Chylite (Chicago, IL) & Nolan Lowlife (Indio, CA). They are currently located & work out of the COACHELLA VALLEY in Southern California. Their music can be found at www.soundcloud.com/death-merchants.

ELEKTRIC LUCIE We are so Stoked to make it to the finals again! Last year, we were not all there, but this year, we are so ready. The gloves are off! Let’s get ready to RUMBLLLLLLLE! Expect a great performance by your humble servants.” - Elektric Lucie: Frontman, Viktor Estrada on guitars and vocals, Jorge “Bassman” Carrillo on bass and chorus, Hernan Hernandez on drums and percussion and Danny Sandoval on keys.

Check them on Facebook, elektriclucie.com, & reverbnation.com/zinema1.

IDEATION Founder and frontman, John Marek, found himself an overnight, YouTube, viral sensation after Dave Navarro tweeted his homemade video, saying, “This kid, John Marek, pretty much rules!” The video has had just shy of 1 million views. “Thank you to all the friends and fans who voted to get us this far,” Marek posted on Facebook, after learning his band made the top 15.

“Your job is not quite done,” he pled. “Come to the Date Shed to get us into the finals.

Make sure you bring all your friends, family, co-workers, anyone with two ears and a brain. Nobody is going to want miss the first five bands duke it out to play Tachevah.”

Ideation is John Marek, lead vocals and guitar, Justin Wilkinson on drums, and Ari Hozman on bass. You can follow their music at facebook.com/IdeationMusic. See the viral video “Back of My Head” and their Tachevah submission, “Blanket of Hurt” at youtube.com/Ideaitonband.

THR3 STRYKES Winners of Coachella Valley Music Awards Best Rap/Hip-Hop Artists , Thr3

Strykes has been regularly featured at shows throughout the Coachella Valley and Los Angeles, and are prominently selected to open for headliners at the Date Shed.

Josh Hall, one of the power duo shared, “For years now, we’ve made it a point to encourage a frenzy and have a good time at the shows. Something like Tachevah is what we’re built for. A spectacle mixed with some fury. Major thanks to all that voted - we shall not disappoint.” – Thr3 Strykes is Josh Hall, Josh Fimbres, and “an assorted family of musicians and artists they call their squad. Follow their music at youtube.com/THR3STRYKES and facebook. com/3STRYKES. TACHEVAH MID-VALLEY COMPETITION, Wednesday, February 25th @ The Hood Bar and Pizza 74360 Hwy 111, Palm Desert

1000x “We’d like to thank each and every single person who voted for us. It means the world how much support we receive when we are just four high school kids trying to reach our dreams. 1000x has been together for 6 months, although we’ve been best friends for years. We attend Ontario High School. Our dream is to play music our whole lives. Creating something that’s living and breathing in sound waves and can positively affect the lives of the people it reaches is truly remarkable to us. We are just four best friends putting our whole lives into something we believe in, and creating music that can impact others like the way music saved us.” Follow 1000x (pronounced One Thousand Times) at facebook.com/1000xOfficial, youtube. com/1000xBand, twitter.com/1000xband, and instagram.com/1000xband.

BEISBOL “About one year ago we decided to start out on our path, moved back to Hemet, started a record collective with a bunch of amazing bands and friends in Hemet. We, built our own recording studio, and we are currently recording our follow up to our fist full length ‘Lo-If Cocaine’. Our record collective/label is called GKISS records, and it is based on community and bands working and playing together to make the

best art we possibly can. We are first and foremost music lovers and try our best to help each other make music, videos, and all of the sorts while having fun.”Ryan Burian. Ryan and Jeffery Burian are Béisbol, a California-based Pop/Rock band that “wants to melt your face.” To follow Beisbol, go to facebook.com/beisbolmusic or gkissrecords.com/beisbol.

R BUCKLE ROAD The first country band to ever make it to the Tachevah finals, the 8 piece, rocking Americana band were the winners of the Coachella Valley Music Awards Best Country Band and featured on Pattie Daly Caruso’s “Valley Views”. They have opened for headliners such as Jason Charles Miller at the Whiskey A Go Go and Kim Wilson and The Fabulous Thunderbirds at the Moro Bay Harbor Festival. “Everyone in RBR has been doing music for a long time,” shared lead guitar player and songwriter, Michael Pedersen. “We know that in the big picture, this is just another step on the road to where we are going. However, today, we give this step our full, 100% focus. Today, Tachevah is the most important thing we can do.” Follow R Buckle Road and their music at facebook.com/RBuckleRoad, or reverbnation.com/rbuckleroad

CAXTON Caxton were the winners of the Coachella Valley Music Awards Best Overall Band, and are fronted by Best Female vocalist winner, Christina Reyes. “We are beyond stoked to have made the finals this year, and could not be more grateful for the votes,” shared Reyes. “We’re excited to be beside such talented bands and artists, and would love for people to come and root for us at the show in February. Winning would mean so much to us! We’ve been playing in the

desert for a long time. We are writing a new album, and can’t wait to finish and debut it to our desert fan base.” You can follow Caxton and their music at facebook.com/ CaxtonMusic, and on iTunes.

MOZAIQ This band is rocking blend of reggae, dub, ska and pop. Their selection in the top 15 makes them the first band to represent the reggae genre. Mozaiq was unable to be reached for comment at the time of this article, but you can find them on Facebook.

TACHEVAH EAST-VALLEY COMPETITION, Wednesday, March 25th @ Bar 74360 Hwy 111, Palm Springs CHASE WALKER BAND “We are really excited to be in the Tachevah finals. Our passion is creating music, and nothing is greater than getting to perform that music to a live audience.

Our fans tell us we have old souls, creating new music with roots in the great music of the past. I feel so blessed to have Randon Davitt & Matt Fyke as my band members and friends over the last two years. We have played 136 shows together all over the country. We have made so many amazing friends and played with many legends along the way. In September 2014 we released our debut album and are thrilled with the positive response it has gotten. Just last month it was voted 2014 Best Debut Album

by Wasser Prawda magazine in Germany.

We are currently in the studio recording our second album, and are excited to play a few of our new songs at Tachevah.”- Case Walker. For more information, current touring schedule and live videos, visit chasewalkerband.com.

STRANGERS YOU KNOW Strangers You Know is a sonic collective out of Southern California, brought together by chance and kept together by similar musical interests. Despite this, it’s the differences in musical backgrounds of each individual that create the unique and diverse sounds of the band. From folk to electronic, the group has explored the likes of both polarities and everything in between. The band, which comprises Grady Lee (vocals, guitar), Adam Haagen (piano, guitar, vocals, banjo, mandolin), Dakota Dobbin (Drums), Sjors Van Alphen (bass), is currently finishing their second EP and gearing up for a west coast tour over the summer of 2014. The band has been part of Warped Tour and will be playing at the annual Rhythm, Wine and Brews Experience, February 28th joining the bill with headlining acts, Slightly Stoopid, Ozomatli, Fishbone and more. Follow them on twitter @StrangersUknow, soundcloud. com/strangersyouknow and reverbnation. com/strangersyouknowmusic. Their music

is available for download now at iTunes (under our prior name Reprise) and at wearereprise.bandcamp.com and cdbaby. com/cd/reprise4. Also available on Spotify!

LITTLE RED SPIDERS “We are just a band of ghosts driving meat colored skeletons made of stardust.

We have been very fortunate to have so much support from friends and family.

We could not have gotten this far without them.” – Little Red Spiders are Jesse Williams: Vocals, guitar, harmonica, and theremin, Nick Antonicelli: Guitar, Andrew Williams: Keys and saxophone, Nigel Dettelbach: Bass guitar, Nigel Carnahan: Drums, Hana Wexler & Brianna Dettelbach: Back-up vocals and percussion. Two of the members are from the popular band, Slipping Into Darkness who have played at Coachella in the past. Follow them at facebook.com/SourdoughRecords, facebook.com/LittleRedSpiders, on Twitter @Sourdoughrecords

WAXY “We are very excited to be a part of the Tachevah showcase,” shared band founder, Robbie Waldman. “I guess the third time’s the charm for us. All the bands participating are rad, and Wednesday, March 25th at Bar should be interesting. The Tachevah Block party is a wonderful event, and it’s so cool that underground desert bands get a chance to play on a big stage! WAXY has a new record coming out in April so the timing for us couldn’t be better. Check us out Saturday, January 31st at The Hood or Friday, February 20th with War Drum at The Purple Room. Thank you Golden Voice for your love of the arts and support of the local scene!” See them at waxy-music.com or facebook.com/WAXYOfficial.

THE BROSQUITOS This talented band of Desert Hot Springs High School students were selected out of several entries, to open for Andy Grammer at Mix 100.5’s Acoustic Palooza held at the Hard Rock Hotel Grand Ballroom in Palm Springs. “We are beyond excited and grateful to the voters to have made the cut for Tachevah! It all started at our talent show here at the school. We covered a song so uniquely and well, that people wanted to download it and thought it wasn’t ours.

From there, we’ve written a full EP. We hope to be considered for any record label, we are waiting to be produced, managed, toured!” Follow this band and their music at facebook.com/TheBrosquitos and soundcloud.com/the-brosquitos.

desert djs

January 29 to February 4, 2015

By craig michaels

At age 28, DJ Kohdi Rayne has been mixing music half his life

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hile growing up in Bakersfield Ca., Kohdi began expressing himself as a break dancer at age six. His passion would soon change after a friend brought in a turn table and mixing board during his freshman year in high school. After his friend demonstrated some scratching techniques, Kohdi got his turn and instantly fell in love with mixing music.

After maintaining his grades, his father agreed to reward him with two turntables, a mixer, two speakers and some hip hop records.

After graduation, Kohdi went into the tech world but would eventually lose his job and decide to relocate to the Coachella Valley from Santa Barbara in 2008. He moved to Palm Springs with a friend and started playing in the bars and clubs within a couple weeks of his arrival. One of the most active DJs in the Coachella Valley, Kohdi currently plays six to seven nights a week at the Village Pub in Palm Springs and officially hasn’t had a weekend off in 7 years but says he loves it!

Incorporating his enthusiasm for music, dance and life, he puts on show for his audience. “I love to dance around, get dance circles started and show the crowd how to move to the music so they feel more comfortable to interact,” explains Kohdi.

During his sets, you can regularly hear Kohdi enhancing the music through scratching, drum tracks and other sounds the feel good at the time. He has perfected the art of mixing genre to genre. Kohdi can mix up to 20 different genres per night providing that the crowd is receptive to the cultural transitions.

Having spent many years in the rave community DJing at big parties and desert events, Kohdi admits to having a big passion for Drum & Bass and Electro. He is confident in the versatility of his music selections when reading the dance floor: “I pride myself in knowing I can play for anyone, anywhere, for an extended period of time.

You want it, I’ve got it.”

Prior to his current 3 year residency at the Village Pub, Kohdi owned and operated his own mobile DJ company call “IDOLEYEZ.” Although doing an occasional mobile gig is not out of the question, his priority these days is making sure his duties are taken care of at the Pub. Ultimately Kohdi is happy to play anywhere the music will be appreciated but having a steady gig helps pays the bills. Having been homeless at one point and resorting to selling his DJ gear to survive, Kohdi doesn’t want to end up in that situation again.

His plans for the future are to stay humble and excel at his positon at the Village pub.

This DJ/entrepreneur also dreams about possibly expanding his business to a full service entertainment agency down the road.

If you would like to book DJ Kohdi you can email him at: kohdirayne@gmail.com.

Craig Michaels Craig Michaels Productions (760) 880-3848

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Eleni P. Austin

LLOYD COLE

“Standards” (Omnivore Records)

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oesn’t it stink to be human? Fallible, weak so tiresome/How could God create a beast so low? How should I know?” That’s Lloyd Cole lamenting the human condition in the song “Blue Like Mars” from his latest album, Standards.

When Punk Rock exploded in Great Britain it set the stage for a musical revolution. The feral antics of bands like the Sex Pistols and the Damned opened the door for the more nuanced approach of the Clash and the Jam. Ironically, the advent of Punk Rock ushered in a songwriting renaissance that lasted until the mid ‘80s. Led by Punk poet laureate Elvis Costello, the first wave included Joe Jackson and the Jam’s Paul Weller. Their songs combined the storytelling prowess of the Who’s Pete Townshend and the Kinks’ Ray Davies with the literate wordplay associated with Cole Porter and Ira Gershwin.

The second wave of talented wordsmiths included Morrisey from the Smiths, Roddy Frame from Aztec Camera, Paddy McAloon from Prefab Sprout and Lloyd Cole, who fronted Lloyd Cole & The Commotions.

Lloyd Cole was born in Buxton, Derbyshire, England in 1961. He grew up close by in Chapel-en-le-Frith. When it was time for college, he originally studied law at University College London.

By the time he switched to University Of Glasgow he was majoring in English and Philosophy. It was there he met drummer Stephen Irvine, guitarist Neil Clark, bassist Lawrence Donegan and keyboard player Blair Cowan and formed the Commotions.

The band signed with Polydor Records in the U.K. and Geffen in the U.S., releasing their debut, Rattlesnakes, in 1984. Cole wrote all the songs, highly influenced by T. Rex, Punk Rock and Bob Dylan, in fact he is quoted as saying he “was drunk on Dylan” during this period.

Cole’s lyrics displayed a musical sophistication that belied his tender age.

He referenced everyone from Simone de

WESTFIELD MALL 72840 Hwy 111 #171 Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-341-2017 www.recordalley.com

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Beauvoir and Greta Garbo to Norman Mailer (and his tailor). The melodies were a pleasing mix of Folk Rock jangle. The album was a critical and commercial success in Great Britain and received restrained approval in America.

Between 1984 and 1989 the band released two more albums, Easy Pieces, named after the seminal Jack Nicholson film, “Five Easy Pieces,” in 1985 and “Mainstream” in 1987. Both achieved respectable sales but received cooler critical receptions.

Once the band broke up, Cole relocated to New York and began concentrating on a solo career. He hooked up with drummer Fred Maher, (Material, Scritti Politti), and legendary guitarist Robert Quine, (Richard Hell & The Voidoids, Lou Reed). Maher suggested Matthew Sweet, just beginning his own solo career, be recruited for bass duties.

Cole’s self-titled debut arrived in early 1990. The sound was stripped down, but the lyrics were at once cinematic and evocative.

He quickly followed up in late 1991 with Don’t Get Weird On Me Babe. The title was inspired by a Raymond Carver story. The first half of that album was straightforward Rock & Roll, the second half a lush suite of songs that recalled the subtle complexities of Burt Bacharach compositions.

He continued to record in the ‘90s

Consider This

refining his sound on albums like 1993’s “Bad Vibes” and “Love Story” from 1995.

Perhaps missing the camaraderie of a band, he formed The Negatives in 1997 with Jill Sobule on guitar and vocals, Dave Derby on bass, Michael Kotch on guitar and Rafa Maciejak on drums. Their eponymous debut was released in 2001, “Etc” arrived two years later.

As the new millennium progressed, Cole was back on a solo career path. He recorded three albums, Music In A Foreign Language in 2004, Anti-Depressant in 2006 and Broken Record in 2011. Although he has a passionate fan base, he maintains a low profile.

After a four year absence Cole has returned with his 10th solo album, Standards.

Surprisingly, the album opens with a cover of John Hartford’s “California Earthquake.”

Rather than follow Hartford’s Folk/ Bluegrass template, Cole amps up the angst on this doomsday rocker, with insistent, plinking piano chords, pummeling drums and coiled guitar riffs that snake through the melody. Cole’s mien is blasé as he intones “Atlantis will rise, Sunset Boulevard will fall/ Where the beach used to be, there won’t be nothin’ at all.”

Just as the last ringing chords subside for “...Earthquake,” “Women’s Studies” kicks in.

Sharing musical DNA with The Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers,” the song offers a playful recollection of Cole’s debauched University years, getting baked to Springsteen’s Nebraska album and expanding his mind reading Howard Zinn’s “People’s History Of America.” He succinctly sums it up, “We were young and we were stupid, it was fun while it lasted/To complete my education I had to wake up in your bathtub/Oh those Monday morning quarters I grew so accustomed to.”

The next two tracks, “Period Piece” and “Myrtle And Rose,” pull at the same collegiate thread. The former opens with thrumming, Entwistle-esque bass lines giving way to chiming Byrdsy guitar. Here, Cole embellishes his campus radical cred; “It was my austere demeanor defined the age, next to me the green world greener and the grey world grey/The old man came said destroy this symbolism...Western hedonists mourn my passing daily.”

The latter is a slower more contemplative look at his years as a callow campus Casanova, cutting a carnal swath across the women’s dorms. “Lost will be the souls of the wanton and the weak.” Realizing he has fallen for one of his conquests, he is crestfallen to discover he was just a notch in her bedpost. Here he quietly crafts the best phrase ever to characterize the slow sting of unrequited love…“The longer you were gone the less the longing.”

A couple of songs tackle love from a more seasoned vantage point. “No Truck” is accented by sunshiny acoustic chords and a country comfort melody. Cole slips into the skin of a jilted lover who’s beautiful

art Scene

Christina De Musée

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surroundings leave him cold. “I have seen the high road and the low, I found no satisfaction/I have seen the mountains sweep down to the sea, I heard the music it’s not moving me.” Despite his dour sentiments, sweet arpeggios dart and pivot like fireflies.

“Silverlake” finds him in a placating mood following a lover’s quarrel. Over hushed acoustic guitars, a kick-drum beat and sawing violin, Cole is penitent, but not particularly apologetic. He admits, “No I don’t love you like I should/Baby, I can’t leave you like this.”

Jittery, ‘90s era Lloyd Cole reappears on two songs. The aforementioned “Blue Like Mars” weds caffeinated rhythms and stately synths to fractious, growling guitars.

“Opposites Attract” offer a smart-ass declaration of love over wiry, angular guitars.

The melody and dense instrumentation recalls the minimalist (albeit danceable) angst of proto-punkers Television and PostPunk progenitors Gang Of Four.

Other interesting tracks include the sweet and sour samba of “It’s Late” (fidelity with an expiration date) and the satirical shuffle of “Kids Today.”

Here Cole lampoons the age old conceit that teenagers are only concerned with fads, riffing on Be-Bop Jazz and jitterbugging, Rock & Roll rites of passage and codified Punk Rock rituals. It ends with this tart nonsequitur, “how can you say there’s nothing wrong with kids today/We got post ironic ennui, and Queens Of The Stone Age/I love your Vivienne Westwood shirt, why won’t you let me wear it?”

The album closes with “Diminished Ex,” an acrid mea culpa shot through with bitterness and regret. Pin-wheeling guitar riffs flare and spark, accentuating Cole’s obdurate demeanor. It’s a curious end to a wonderful record.

Standards was recorded in New York, East Hampton and Los Angeles. Cole relies on old friends like Fred Maher, Matthew Sweet and Dave Derby for drums, bass and backing vocals. Even ex-Commotion Blair Cowan provides keyboards. Cole plays most of the lead guitar. (Of course, Robert Quine’s stinging pyrotechnics are sorely missed, since he passed away in 2004.)

Lloyd Cole never disappoints. Standards is a rich and nuanced portrait of the artist as a not-so-young man.

hristina De Musée, nationally and internationally known artist, is holding an open studio viewing on Thursday, February 5 at 6 to 9 p.m. in Palm Desert. With a retrospective of her artwork spanning over the past five years over 30 paintings will be on display throughout the 4,500 square foot residence. Guests will have the opportunity to visit the artist and explore her private studio while absorbing the many layers of De Musée’s artisitic realms, as well as purchase her work.

Her work has been exhibited in museums such as Norton Simon Museum, Long Beach Museum, Armand Hammer Museum, and also collected by the Monterey Peninsula Museum. Private collections include Johnny Carson, Charlie Sheen, Malcom McDowell, Roland Joffe, Tommy Chong, Paramount Pictures, The Independent Press Group, Windmark Hotels, Townsend Engineering Corporate and others. Recognized in national media, her work has been highlighted in two Playboy Channel video documentaries along with specials on CNN, Channnel 9 “MidMorning LA,” and more. Other accolades include press coverage in The Los Angeles Times, Orange Coast Magazine, The Robb Report, Los Angeles Magazine, Beverly Hills Today, Architectural Digest, The Artist Magazine and Art in America, among others.

De Musée’s well-documented career has earned her prominence in her field, nationally and internationally, being recognized at fine

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

January 29 to February 4, 2015

Open Studio for “MYTHS and FANTASIES,” Featuring “Bigger than Life” Paintings

galleries, museums and special events. “De Musée’s paintings are refreshingly original, yet painted with a real passion for antiquity and a love of materials,” says Martha Scott, of Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art. Known for her colorful and rich portrayal of the figure and psychological portraits , De Museé’s artworks captivate the viewer with a powerful presence and mood with colorful, dreamlike figurative interpretations with evocative portraits. Both sensual and confrontational they are strangely reminiscent of another age while still being edgy and contemporary . She has re-invented a new body of artwork that incorporates many of the elements she has imprinted as her distinct style into a new body of artwork that is more succinct as well as complex .

For more information and illustrations of her artworks visit christinademusee.com.

The public should RSVP to attend the event and obtain the specific location to (760) 493-0114 or via email to cdemusee@ gmail.com.

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

PET PLACE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Janet McAfee

Hazards of Pet Chewing

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harlie, my brother’s dog, died last week on the operating table during surgery after swallowing part of a rubber ball. The object ruptured his esophagus. Charlie’s family is heartbroken over the loss of their 3-year-old Shepherd mix dog, and wondering what they could have done differently. What can pet owners do to prevent such a tragedy?

Objects most likely to cause this type of obstruction are smooth sided and spherical like a golf ball or rubber ball. Pet owners need to acquire information and exercise caution.

Symptoms that indicate your dog swallowed something causing an obstruction are vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite and blood in the feces. Charlie vomited, could not keep food down, and could barely drink water. The emergency vet clinic did blood work, but it was not until Charlie was seen by his regular vet that an x-ray showed what appeared to be an object.

If your pet has these symptoms, it’s important to get the animal in for veterinary treatment as soon as possible, particularly

beautiful baby

Baby’s owners never came, and this sweet Boxer girl hopes for a wonderful new family! Meet this 3-yr-old pup at the Coachella Valley Animal Shelter, 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms. Dog ID#A1118230.

(760) 343-3644.

CASSANOVA This lover boy promises to be faithful now that he is neutered.

Cassanova is a 3-yr-old Patched Tabby who loves to cuddle. Contact ForeverMeow Rescue at (442) 234-8405

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if you know he has a tendency to chew and swallow foreign objects. Fortunately, most cases are not fatal, but they can be distressful for you and your pet.

Lillian Roberts, DMV, sees this problem in her practice at Country Club Animal Clinic in Palm Desert. Dr. Roberts comments, “The most common thing dogs swallow are toys of an inappropriate size or toys that are worn out, and then they can’t pass them or vomit them up. We also see cases of dogs eating things out of the trash or clothing left on the floor. The breeds most likely to ingest foreign objects are Labs and Golden Retrievers, although I had one 14-year-old Yorkie patient who needed carpet fibers removed from his stomach.” Dr. Roberts noted that even bones can be a problem if they splinter. She recommends Kongs as the safest alternative.

These can be filled with a dab of peanut butter or pet food, and keep the dog occupied for some time.

Toys that are too small can easily be swallowed or become lodged in their throats.

Discard broken or torn pet toys. Remove parts of pet toys that can easily be eaten

such as ribbons, strings, and artificial eyes.

Check with your vet about what chew toys are appropriate for your dog. The Humane Society of the United States recommends very hard rubber toys such as Nylabone and Kong products.

Feline patients may have ingested such objects as string, thread, and ribbon. During the Christmas season, tinsel dangling off the tree may tempt your cat. Cats have been known to consume sewing thread along with the attached needle.

For a variety of reasons, some dogs are habitual chewers and you must “dog proof” your home and yard. Keep objects like pens, shoes, eyeglasses, remote controls and dirty laundry out of reach. Plastic bags that once contained food are very attractive to dogs.

Keep trash cans covered or out of reach.

One of the most common things Dr. Roberts has removed from dogs’ digestive tracks are tennis balls. Dogs love to play with tennis balls, but they can be hazardous if swallowed.

Puppies, like human toddlers, explore the world by putting things in their mouths.

Chewing facilitates teething and makes sore gums feel better. Check with your vet and specialty pet shops to find appropriate things for puppies to chew.

According to local dog trainer Sandy Miller, some dogs chew out of boredom. Sandy states, “Obedience training will improve your dog’s behavior in many areas, including chewing and digging. When a dog has rules and structure, his behavior improves.” One of the basic commands is teaching your dog to “leave it” and release a foreign object, whether it’s a valuable possession or a chunk

Meet Kelsey

Meet Kelsey! This little 1-yr-old rescue Terrier is sweet and shy. She would like a home with gentle, kind humans, and maybe another little dog to play with. Adoption donation.

Call Loving All Animals at (760) 834-7000.

of plastic in the back yard. Sandy stresses that dogs need to be part of the family and get enough human interaction. Dogs left alone for long periods of time are more likely to chew and destroy things out of frustration.

Both Sandy Miller and Dr. Roberts recommend Bitter Apple spray, a pet repellent available at pet specialty stores. This product can be sprayed on objects and surfaces you want the dog to stay away from. One of my foster dogs would chew and eat her bedding and throw rugs until I discovered this product.

Do not discipline your dog if you arrive home and find your most expensive pair of shoes chewed up, even minutes after the act.

The dog doesn’t associate any punishment with behavior that’s in the past. Don’t run after him if he runs away with your favorite sweater because he will think this is a game.

Instead, call him to come toward you and offer a treat instead.

Give your dog plenty of “people time”, and physical and mental exercise. A tired dog is less likely to get into trouble. Take him on car trips and on interesting walks in different neighborhoods. Chewing behavior may be related to separation anxiety as well as boredom. Don’t ban your dog from all play with toys. They can benefit greatly from a game of fetch or Frisbee, and the bond between you will increase through these games.

Country Club Animal Clinic can be contacted at (760) 776-7555. For assistance with challenging dog behavior problems including chewing, trainer Sandy Miller can be reached at (760) 360-4085.

January 29 to February 4, 2015

by Rick Riozza

New Year’s Wine Resolutions

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very talk show in town is telling us that by the third week of January most of our new year’s resolutions have already gone by the wayside. Well they can’t be talking about us wine enthusiasts, because one, we’ve just barely made them, and two, when it comes to wine resolutions; we have a stellar record of keeping our promises to enjoy some good wine for the coming year.

I’ve just heard over the airwaves that there’s some substance found in the body of a jellyfish that can be used to improve a person’s memory. I’m thinking that’s true because everyone remembers the time they got stung by one at the beach.

Of course we’re hoping for more recent pleasant memories, especially when thinking back on how delicious that special Champagne was over the holidays.

And indubitably, aren’t these memories especially sharp?

Well—as it turns out, a team of researchers from the United Kingdom’s University of Reading completed a study in 2013 in which they tested the effects of phenolic acid present in the red and white grapes used to make Champagne.

First off, I like this study because I continually have to discuss—even argue— that white wine is healthy too. According to the team’s research, the phenolic compounds in Champagne’s red and white grapes “can improve spatial memory which is responsible for recording information about one’s environment, and storing the information for future navigation.”

All due to the altering of proteins in the brain, these alterations, according to the study, are positive ones which enhance the body’s aptitude for spatial memory and, possibly, for fighting cognitive loss later in life.

Cheers! This is the perfect New Year’s resolution we look forward to keeping all year! Drinking one to three glasses of Champagne a week is very good for the brain, to keep things clear and lively. Wine writer James Duren calls it “a memoryboosting bottle of bubbly”.

So okay—while we’re on the subject, why not make another New Year’s resolution to enjoy the moderate intake of some healthy red wine! Interestingly, there are some vino lovers who are still a bit hazy on the health facts. Not getting too nerdy about things, let’s just cover it once again this year.

Moderate drinking can raise your levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). HDL is commonly known as “good cholesterol” because it helps your body rid your blood vessels of bad cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein or LDL. In a 2005 American Heart Association journal article titled, “Red Wine and Your Heart” the authors, Dr. Szmito and Dr. Verma, wrote about the effect of red wine on cholesterol levels. “One to 2 drinks per day of any alcohol type have been shown to increase HDL cholesterol by about 12 percent.”

This effect can be attributed to the levels of polyphenolic compounds in red wine. Not only do polyphenols help raise HDL levels, they wrote, but they also may help prevent the onset of atherosclerosis, the disease in which blood vessels begin to harden as the result of any number of factors including high blood-pressure and high cholesterol.

“Both the alcohol and polyphenolic compounds found in red wine appear to favorably maintain healthy blood vessels by promoting the formation of nitric oxide, the key chemical relaxing factor that plays a pivotal role in the regulation of vascular tone,” the doctors stated.

Citing another study about heart health, Szmitko and Verma said that men without cardiovascular disease who drink one to three drinks per day at a rate three to four days per week could decrease the risk of a heart attack “by as much as 32 %.”

While excessive alcohol consumption can have adverse effects on your health, moderate consumption of wine is linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Wine contains heart-healthy antioxidant compounds known as resveratrol and procyanidin. Red wine is particularly rich in these substances. When it comes to content though, some red varieties contain more cardio-protective compounds than others.

Now this is a debate red wine enthusiasts

love to drink over: Which grape varietal is the healthiest?

When studying 100 different red wines, Leroy Creasy, PhD, a professor emeritus in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell University, consistently found the highest concentrations of resveratrol in Pinot Noirs that had been grown in cool, rainy climates.

Also scoring very high in resveratrol is Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and Malbec.

Now as to procyanidins, All red grapes, particularly those with thick skins and high skin-to-pulp ratios, contain them. But, after measuring the concentration of several common red wine grapes, cardiovascular expert at the William Harvey Research Institute in London, Dr. Roger Corder, identifies Tannat as the grape with the greatest concentration.

The rustic wines, made from Tannat grapes, contain very high levels of procyanidins. This antioxidant improves cardiovascular and arterial health, and has been linked to increased longevity by several studies, including one 2006 paper published in the journal Nature.

The real-life evidence of Tannat’s benefits can be seen in the surprisingly long

lifespans of residents of the département of Gers in southwest France, whose local wine appellation is Madiran. Gers contains more than double the national average of men in their nineties. Madiran’s principal grape is Tannat and it has been known in France as “Le Vin Noir”—the black wine.

Interestingly, Uruguay vineyards abound with Tannat—their new “national wine”.

Total Wine in Palm Desert has a good selection of Tannat, including one from California’s Tablas Creek Winery.

My pick for one of the healthiest wines in town: Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec $8.50 at Pavilons. Intense dark fruit flavors with violets and elegant touch of smoke & vanilla. A votre santé! Cheers!

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

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www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

January 29 to February 4, 2015

Club Crawler Nightlife

Scan the QR Code to get the Club Crawler Nightlife on your Mobile Device via the Smartphone Phone Book!

THUR JANUARY 29

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29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Reunion w/ DJ Day Amigo Room 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Paul Elia 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Tommy Dodson 6pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Live Entertainment 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Live Entertainment 6pm DESERT FOX; PS; 760-325-9555 Thirsty Thursdays 7pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm ESCENA LOUNGE & GRILL; PS; 760-9920002 Courtney Chambers 5pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 T.B.A. 7:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-345-6466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Battle of the Bands 8:30pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Hot Rox LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-3452450 Country Night w/ Whiskey Tango 8pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-999-1995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MARGARITA’S; PS; 760-778-3500 Live Music 6pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760327-4080 Jazz and Supper Club Night w/ Jack Ruvio 7pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Blisses B 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Open DJ Night w/ The Deep Ones 8pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760-327-1161ext.230 Kal David Unplugged 8pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-3278311 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 6pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3479985 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 8-12am THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Tony DiGerlando 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-3459770 Rodeo Drive’s Happy Hour Cabaret

3:30-5:30pm, Stan Watkins Latin Swing 6:30-10pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-9pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-3285955 Michael Keeth 6-10pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Powerman 5000, Hed Pe and Knee High Fox 8pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-5648744 Rob Martinez and Todd Ashley 7pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Bill Saitta 6pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Tropicana Nights 9pm

FRI JANUARY 30 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The Bob Garcia Band 6pm 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Karaoke w/ T Bone 9pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Dream Club 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 TBA 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Fleet Easton 7:30pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 T.B.A. 10pm BISTRO 60 @TRILOGY; LQ; 760-5010620 The Carmens 6pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760775-5566 DJ PWee 8pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 The Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CAFÉ DES BEAUX- ARTS; PD; 760-3460669 Brigette Marie Valdez 6pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm CLEMETINE; PD; 760-834-8814 Gina Carey 6pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Live Entertainment 6pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 The Green w/ Through the Roots 9pm DICKIE O’NEALS IRISH PUB; PS; 760325-2600 The Hive Minds 9pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-3422333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm EUREKA; IW; 760-834-7700 TBA 6:30pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 House Band 8:45pm HARD ROCK HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9676 “Jump Off” DJ 9pm Lobby THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Chuck Norris Experiment, You Know Who, The Hellions and The Sorority 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-345-6466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 Live DJ 8:30pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm

LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company in the afternoon, Hot Rox in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-3452450 Common Ground 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-999-1995 DJ 9pm MARGARITA’S; PS; 760-778-3500 Live Music 6pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327-4080 Kevin Quinn & The Typical Lizard 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760-345-0222 Trill 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Gene Evaro Jr. and the Family 8pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2281199 T.B.A. 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760-327-1161ext.230 The Gand Band 8:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 T.B.A. 9pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-3278311 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 7pm, Mercedes Moore Sidebar Lounge 10pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 R Buckle Road, Wade Crawford and Wayward Sirens 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-3229293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Rock 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Demetrious and Co. TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3479985 Desert DJs 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Pat Rizzo 6:30pm TILTED KILT; PD; 760-773-5458 T.B.A. TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760-328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE; MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951755-5391 The Rick Whitfield Band 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-3459770 Trish Harley & Barney McClure Duo 6:30-10pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 T.B.A. 1:30-4:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Slim Man Solo Show 5:30pm

WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 T.B.A. 9pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-5648744 Rob & jb 7:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Rose Mallett 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Girl’s Night Out w/ The Men on the Hollywood Strip 9pm

SAT JANUARY 31 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bev & Bill 6pm 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 9pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Highlife w/ DJ Day 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Cabaret on the Green Open Mic w/ Les Michaels and Wayne Abravanel 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Denise Carter 7:30pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 The Vintage Belles: A Night of Burlesque 10pm BISTRO 60 @TRILOGY; LQ; 760-5010620 The Carmens 6pm BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760775-5566 DJ PWee BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Gina Carey 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Live Entertainment 6:30-9:30pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm DICKIE O’NEALS IRISH PUB; PS; 760325-2600 Karaoke 8pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-3422333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 T.B.A. 9pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 T.B.A. 8:30pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm HARD ROCK HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9676 “Solid” Guest DJs, 11am poolside, 9pm Lobby THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Lo Sound Desert Documentary Preview and Party w/ Herbert, Blasting Echo, The Hellions, War Drum, Hot Beat Pussy Fiend, Dali’s Llama, Family Butcher, Fatso Jetson, You Know Who, Nick Oliveri’s Uncontrollable and House of Broken Promises 6pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-345-6466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 T.B.A. 8pm continue to page 24

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

good grub

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

January 29 to February 4, 2015

by Lisa Morgan

TKB Bakery & Deli in Indio Named 4th best Place to Eat in the Nation!

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“We’ve been coming here for over 8 years,” they shared. “We would come at least 4 times a month. We watched these kids (the owners) grow up over the years and it’s been great.” They both enjoyed their meal as they’d done many times before, always consistent and always good. “Fresh meat, fresh bread, fresh attitude,” they smiled. It sure looked good, but I thought to myself, “How good could a sandwich possibly be?”

Then came Jack’s and my sandwiches, hand delivered by their creator. Holy mother of all stackable delicacies! Nathan brought out a sandwich that I could never replicate in 100 years, and I have food building skills of my own! Homemade Cuban pork tenderloin that had a flavor so beautiful and deep, the Dali Llama would be impressed.

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00 8

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Nate had built it to perfection with pesto sauce, Italian dressing, mayo, black olives, pepperoncini and Swiss cheese on a fresh, home-baked parmesan cheese roll hot off the panini press. “The pork tenderloin sandwich was out of this world. Nate made it one of a kind for us, fully loaded, Cuban style. TKB nailed it once again!” (Apparently, I was the only one who had yet to discover this absolute gem.)

As good as the sandwiches, breads and desserts may be, there are a couple of ingredients that I think knock this place’s food clean out of the park: Kindness and generosity. The owners and staff are genuine people, with serious skills in making people happy. Whatever fresh hell your day may have handed you, I guarantee that you can walk into that wonderful little factory of happiness and feel refreshed and recharged by the time you leave – or at the very least, ready for a good post gluttony nap.

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elp released its 2015 edition of the top 100 places to eat in the United States, and TKB Bakery & Deli in Indio was named the 4th best place to eat in the country! I don’t know about you, but I had to ask myself, how could a sandwich be that good. Obviously, a lot of people thought so, and took the time to say so on Yelp. There was only one way to know for sure - I had to check it out myself. I brought a few friends along with me. Not just any friends, but hungry friends, who are self proclaimed connoisseurs of the beloved craft of sandwich making.

It was almost 2 o’clock when I walked in and the place was packed. The first sign that this place might be more than hype, was the presence of our local Sheriff Department focused and eagerly at work on a beautiful pair of sandwiches. Joining me, were husband and wife “foodie” team, Eric and Angela Skelton. Jack Kohler, booking manager at the Hood Bar and Pizza also joined us, and with him working at an establishment that has some of the best bar grub in the valley, I knew he’d have a good frame of reference.

Nate (Nathaniel) took our order. I told him to give me his best sandwich. Jack ordered the same. The Skelton’s ordered an egg salad and a TKB Combo sandwich.

EST. 2

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

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Movie Reviews with Robin E. Simmons

PACINO LOSES HIS GRIP THE HUMBLING

Not unlike BIRDMAN in exploring themes of performance, madness and identity, Pacino’s latest big screen offering plays loose with his actual persona as a gifted stage actor who discovers he’s inexplicably lost his grip on the audience.

We first meet over the hill actor Simon Axler (Pacino) in his dressing room applying make-up and lecturing about Shakespeare.

As he argues with his mirror image about the “all the world’s a stage” speech from “As You Like It,” he repeats the line over and over wondering if his reading is believable. We in the audience recognize that the line reading is a fail. In short order, Axler collapses on stage. Next thing we see him announce from his hospital bed that he’s never again going onstage. He confesses to his fellow psychiatric patients that he has lost his mysterious connection with the audience.

And further, since acting has been his entire life, he has been set adrift. Now what?

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The great irony here, as in BIRDMAN, is the lead actor is anything but washed-up!

Pacino’s retreat to his rural Connecticut home and the strange encounters he has with visitors, especially his lesbian goddaughter Pageen (Greta Gerwig) who admits a lifelong crush on Pacino’s Axler. I was not fully engaged in the first half of this uneven farce, but about halfway through, it got really interesting. I thought of John Garfield famous line: “Life is rehearsal. Only performance is real.”

Whether intentional or not, it occurred to me that this modest artistic exercise suggests that life is performance and, at the same time, it’s all rehearsal. Reality is somewhere in-between. And that’s Axler’s dilemma: he can no longer parse reality. But make no mistake, Pacino still holds the gaze of the audience in this sometimes thoughtful, often funny drama about stagecraft as a life force. Pacino’s mature performance imbues this theme with a sly nod to Shakespeare’s “Lear.” Or so it seems to me.

Barry Levinson directs with a light touch. The exceptional cast, besides Pacino and Gerwig, includes Dianne Wiest, Many Pitankin, Charles Grodin and Kyra Sedgwick as an unhinged ex lover of Gerwig’s Pageen.

Adapted from Philip Roth’s book by Roth, Buck Henry and Michal Zebed. Definitely worth a look. Now playing. Palme d’Or. NEW FOR THE HOME THEATER: DOWNTON ABBEY: SEASON 5 Now that the good folks of Downton Abbey are back on PBS, it’s a solid bet that the Bly-ray Season 5 collection will fly off Amazon’s shelves as our craving for binge watching remains unabated. Or, if you have the will power, go ahead; see if you can watch this mesmerizing series in drawn-out bits on subsequent Sunday evenings until March 1.

Returning stars include all our favorites and guest stars feature Harriet Walter (“Atonement”), reprising her role as Lady

Screeners No.149

Book Review

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

January 29 to February 4, 2015

By Heidi Simmons

A Celebration of Writers and Readers

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Shackleton, and Peter Egan (“Death at a Funeral”), who returns as Lord Flintshire, together with completely new characters played by Richard E. Grant (“Girls”), Anna Chancellor (“The Hour”), and Rade Sherbedgia (“24”).

The storyline will follow plot threads left dangling from last season, including Lady Mary’s courtship contest, Lady Edith’s trials as a secret single mom, Thomas’ scheming against Bates, Robert’s battles against modernity, Tom’s quest to be true to his ideals, Violet’s one-line zingers, and much, much more. Season 5 begins in 1924. The Britain has its first Labor Party prime minister.

The radio is the latest miracle of the times.

Downton’s traditional ways are assaulted on all fronts. Head housekeeper, Mrs. Hughes, says to and butler Carson: “We’re catching up, Mr. Carson. Whether you like it or not, Downton is catching up with the times we live in.” Mr. Carson replies, “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of!” The Blu-ray and DVD sets contain all of Season 5 plus the finale.

There’s 40 minutes of bonus material. The 3-disc set is the original edition that aired in the UK. Masterpiece/NBCUniversal/PBS. Blu-ray.

BROTHERHOOD OF BLADES Set in 1627 during the late Ming Dynasty, this gripping martial arts action drama is about a young emperor who takes measures to end the powerful influence of eunuch Wei and destroy his supporters. Wei was a real historical character but director and co-writer Lu Yang (with Chen Shu) have reimagined his fate and created a fresh storyline that is filled with action and a welcome ambiguous morality. Tense and complex, the plot has conspiracies within conspiracies. The up-close swordplay is

jolting and the production, though not lavish, nicely evokes another era. There’s an option for a nice English language dub. Well Go USA. Blu-ray LUCY

From writer/director Luc Besson (LA FEMME NIKITA, THE PROFESSIONAL and THE FIFTH ELEMENT), comes this fastpaced, crazy-good sci-fi action film that has Scarlett Johansson on the run with a surgically embedded but leaking bag of a mind and body enhancing synthetic designer drug. Johansson is terrific as a cold-blooded warrior operating beyond human logic, running from very bad guys and toward vengeance, rescue and maybe redemption. The big fail of Johnny Depp’s TRANSCENDENCE that attempts a story that merges the human mind with cyber space is fully realized here in big, bold strokes.

Morgan Freeman costars. Nice extras include the featurette “Cerebral Capacity: The Science of LUCY.” Recommended.

Universal. Blu-ray.

Comments? robinesimmons@aol.com

he Second Annual Rancho Mirage Writers Festival celebrated the craft of writing and the joy of reading.

With 800 people in attendance and 40 authors, it was an exciting event with multiple programs at three different venues.

Here are some highlights from the Rancho Mirage Library venue: Fiction authors Mona Simpson, Casebook, and Lorrie Moore, Bark, participated in a conversation with Los Angeles Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Patt Morrison. As is her trademark, Morrison wore a big floppy hat.

Both fiction writers, Simpson and Moore, had very different processes for writing.

Simpson works daily, focused and disciplined.

Moore, who teaches fulltime at the University of Wisconsin, works when she has the time.

She confessed that drinking many cups of coffee helps her writing.

Simpson likes to use an interconnection between the characters in her stories, where as Moore does not like to carry over her characters from book to book.

About the writing process, Moore added, “I think there should be surprises for the author and the reader.”

Nonfiction author Bob Colacello, whose memoir Holy Terror is about his relationship as a young man sucked into Andy Warhol’s world, gave an insightful talk about the late

pop artist’s private life.

Colacello worked and traveled with Warhol, meeting and partying with his friends and celebrities. He said although people saw Warhol as a shy character, he was actually very driven and persuasive. Colacello said Warhol wanted to be thought of as a Picasso.

“Andy believed if it wasn’t fast, easy and simple, it wasn’t worth doing,” said Colacello.

“He believed if you had to force it, or work too hard on it, it wasn’t for you.”

According to Colacello, Warhol had

a religious side and thought pop culture symbolized what we most believe as true and relevant.

Art Historian and author Debra Solomon, who wrote American Mirror: The Life of Norman Rockwell, shared her thoughts about the artist’s life. Talking and showing slides of Rockwell and his paintings, Solomon said that Rockwell had an innate genius in portraying heartland American culture.

Surprisingly, she said that Rockwell could not draw without a model and that he always felt he was cheating because he could not paint from his imagination. Rockwell was married three times. “I believe artists save the best parts of themselves for their work,” said Solomon. “And that is difficult on their wives.”

Solomon suggested that Rockwell might have been homosexual. She said Rockwell was the quintessential painter of American boyhood and there was a parallel between his life and his work. Asked if his homosexuality was important or made a difference, Solomon replied, “Anything that informs us about the artist is indeed something to be considered.”

The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer is a story of a family coping with loss as narrated by Matthew who is a schizophrenic.

Filer shared that he worked as a nurse in a psychiatric ward and was compelled to write a story through their eyes.

Filer admitted that when he started the novel it was a completely different vision and that as the writing process continued his story changed. “Writing is a very difficult thing to do,” Filer said. “Nothing in the first draft survived.” The book took seven years to write and the publisher found the title in the first chapter. Filer never had a working title.

The audience asked questions about mental illness and the healthcare system.

Debra Tate spoke frankly about her book Sharon Tate: Recollection, a pictorial she put together that celebrates her sister’s beautiful life as a pop icon, model and actress. Debra noticed that the Internet Generation ages 15 to 25 did not know about her sister’s achievements – only her horrific demise.

Tate began by addressing the elephant in the room. “In my book, there is no mention of the two M’s – Manson and murder,” said Tate. “I wanted this book to show the world how special and beautiful my sister was and all that she had accomplished.” Tate had 600 pictures when she delivered the book to the publisher, who promptly demanded she cut it

to 230 photos.

Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate’s husband at the time of her murder, wrote the forward. Many celebrities include notes that accompany the amazing photos of Sharon.

Reluctantly, Tate did indeed address the murder and Manson. With a deep breath and a moment of consideration, she decided to tell the audience what she really thought.

“Manson is not the monster,” Tate said. “It was the Family who decided to kill my sister.”

Sharon Tate was pregnant with Polanski’s baby when she was bound and tortured to death.

Debra Tate continues to be an outspoken Victim’s Rights advocate. This February 16, killer Bobby Beausoleil is up for parole. Tate plans on being there to stop the killer from getting out, but it might not be so simple. She needs help from the public and requested letters be sent to her through her website sharontate.net Sam Wasson, author of Fosse, gave a dynamic presentation that included film clips from the dancer, writer, director and choreographer. Wasson worked three and half years on the book, interviewing more than 300 people. “Talking about Bob brings him back to me,” Wasson said. “I never met him, but as an author I fell in love with him.”

Wasson wanted to set the record straight about “jazz hands.” He said jazz hands were never a Fosse move. In fact, his move was not high open fluttering hands, but was the opposite with low, open, still hands. He demonstrated the move.

Wasson said that Fosse lived with constant insecurity and self-loathing and that he understood that all of us are in show business because everyday we disguise our fears and self-doubt with an artificial demeanor.

The Rancho Mirage Writers Festival is a delight and a wonderful addition to our valley’s quality cultural programs and events.

This affair allows for intimate discussions between readers and writers. Get your tickets now for 2016, because this event sells out quickly and seating is limited.

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January 29 to February 4, 2015 continued from page 19

KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 DJ Geo 9pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Palm Springs Sound Company,in the afternoon,Hot Rox,in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760345-2450 Common Ground 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-999-1995 Fresh 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MARGARITA’S; PS; 760-778-3500 Live Music 6pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327-4080 Trevor McSpadden 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760-345-0222 Duover w/ Lisa & Jojo 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-3655956 We Are Scientists w/ Line and Circle 9pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2281199 T.B.A. 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 The Hive Minds and Pocket Yellow 9pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760-327-1161ext230 The Gand Band 8:30pm RENAISSANCE PALM; PS; 760-3226100 Art of Sax featuring Sax Man Will Donato & Eddie Reddick 7-10pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 T.B.A. 9pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-3278311 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 7pm, Missy Andersen Sidebar Patio 7pm, Mercedes Moore Sidebar Lounge 10pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Coachella Valley Music Show’s Anniversary Concert 7pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-3229293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SIDEWINDER GRILL; DHS; 760-3297929 Karaoke w/ Milly G 6pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Music 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3479985 TBA 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-3271773 Darci Daniels 6:30pm TILTED KILT; PD; 760-773-5458 T.B.A. 9pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760-328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951755-5391 DJ Hektik 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-3459770 Pat Rizzo & All That Jazz Band 6:30-10pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Rob & JB 1:30-4:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ

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www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 8pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Celebration of life show for Dave Rice w/ Little Train 7pm, Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-5648744 Scott Carter 7:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Stanley Butler Trio 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJs 9pm

SUN FEBRUARY 1 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 Bob & Allison 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Slacker Sunday w/ Induce 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Jazz Brunch 11:30am AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 The Judy Show 7:30pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Steve Madaio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888-999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke 9pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-3422333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm HARD ROCK HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9676 “Fusion” Pool Party 11am poolside INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-345-6466 Ted Herman’s Big Band 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 Open Jam 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Palm Springs Sound Company,in the afternoon,Hot Rox,in the night MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 4-8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7:30pm THE NEW YORK COMPANY RESTAURANT; PS; 760-778-7789 Lili Rose 7pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327-4080 Longest Running Jam Session in the valley. Hosted by JB, Sign up 6pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-3655956 The Sunday Band 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 The Jam Session 5-9pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760-327-1161ext.230 The Judy Show 5:30pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-3274080 Art of Sax Sidebar Patio 5pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Eddie Gee 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Smooth Brothers THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-3271773 Luck Be a Lady w/ Francesca Amari and Darci Daniels 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-3459770 Jazz Time Band 2-5pm, John Stanley King 6-9pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Scott

Carter 1:30-4:30pm, Rob & JB 4:30-9pm, DJ Idol Eyez 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Tony DiJerlando 6pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Line Dancing w/ Tina 5:30-9pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-5648744 Michael Keeth & Martin Barrera 7pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 The Smooth Brothers 5:30pm

MON FEBRUARY 2 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 Bonny Jean 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-345-6466 Ron Kalina’s Jazz 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 Hot Rox NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760-327-1161ext.230 Spencer Day 9pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 T.B.A. 6pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Michael James & 3sum 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Tony Grandberry 6:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Richard & Mary 6pm

TUE FEBRUARY 3 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 Paul & Jo 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke with Kiesha 9pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Bella da Ball Dinner Revue w/ guest performers 7:30pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 Vinyl Sessions 8pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm ESCENA LOUNGE & GRILL; PS; 760992-0002 Jesse Sweitzer 5pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke hosted by Phillip Moore 9pm INDIAN CANYONS GOLF RESORT; PS; 760-833-8700 DJ Randy Johnson 6pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-345-6466 Michael D’Angelo 6:15pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 Ted Quinn’s Open Mic Reality Show Jam 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 Palm Springs Sound Company NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Tim Burleson 7:45pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760-327-1161ext.230 Rose Mallett

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com 6:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Open Mic 8pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-3274080 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 6pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Demetrious and Co. VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-3459770 T.B.A. 4pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Live entertainment VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 6pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 John Bolivar & Barney McClure 6pm

WED FEBRUARY 4 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 Dan Horn 6pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Jazz Jam 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Tommy Dodson 6pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 T.B.A. 6-10pm CAFÉ DES BEAUX- ARTS; PD; 760-3460669 John & Gina Carey 6pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm ESCENA LOUNGE & GRILL; PS; 760992-0002 Jesse Sweitzer 5pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-345-6466 Open Mic w/ Rich Bono & Poupee Boccaccio 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-

January 29 to February 4, 2015

2250 Live Music KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Open Mic hosted by Amy Angel 6:30pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 Hot Rox MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 “Sing Jam” w/ Michael Healy 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2881199 Karaoke w/ KJ Ginger 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760-327-1161ext.230 The Michael Holmes Trio 6pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Straight Ahead Jazz THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-3271773 Open Mic w/ Les Michaels 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-3459770 Lizann Warner 6:30-10pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Nite Fixx 9-2am WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Karaoke THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-5648744 Rob & jb 7:30pm WOLFGANG PUCK’S; PD; 760-5682700 WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Brian Nova Trio 6pm

S and G

PUMPING SERVICE

Septic Tank & Grease Trap Pumping Sewer & Drain Cleaning Odor Control

California Woman 411 with your host Dee Jae Cox

760-404-6325

(760) 340-2840 www.triabike.com

‘Talking to women who lead and inspire’ Saturday’s from 10 – 11 a.m.

KPTR 1450 AM Palm Springs, CA California

CA-WMN-411 www.CaliforniaWoman411.com

Open Daily 10 am - 6 pm Sunday 12 - 5pm 44841 San Pablo (West Side of Street), Palm Desert, CA 92260

Produced by The Los Angeles Women's Theatre Project:

www.lawtp.org www.californiawoman411.com

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

events

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

By Denise Ortuno Neil

4th Annual Heroes in Recovery 6K

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n today’s world, dealing with addiction and mental health issues are more prominent than ever. Those who go through recovery need the support of their community to get through the process of healing from their addictions. To help, Heroes in Recovery, in association with Michael’s House is holding their 4th Annual Heroes in Recovery 6k event on Saturday, January 31st benefitting Safe House of the Desert.

Heroes in Recovery is an organization that promotes and supports those who are going through recovery of addiction and mental issues. Michael’s House is a treatment center part of the Foundations Recovery Network, and provides treatment of drug addiction and mental health disorders from depression to bi-polar issues.

The benefitting charity is Safe House of the Desert. The non-profit organization is dedicated to giving shelter to youth in need, focusing on runaways and victims of human trafficking, and also provides assistance with drug addiction for youth.

Jeff Skillen, one of the event organizers is excited about the annual event, “The idea is to bring awareness and break the stigma of those dealing with addiction and mental health issues,” said Skillen.

The event will take place in downtown Palm Springs beginning and ending at the Michael’s House treatment center on North Palm Canyon. The 6k will kick off at 8am and end at 10:30, meandering around the base of the grand San Jacinto Mountain. The

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race is open to all participants young and old with a variety of physical ability. There will be refreshments as well as musical entertainment and a variety of vendors representing intervention and recovery services.

Skillen pointed out that many people ask why the event is a 6k instead of the more traditional 5k that most races are, to which he explains, “People in recovery have to go the extra distance.”

Participants will receive a t-shirt, racing singlet and finishers metal. Prizes will be given to the top four male and females in Overall and Masters Divisions, to 1st, 2nd, 3rd and even 4th place lovingly titled, Almost Podium.

Those interested in joining the race can register online for $30, on January 30th at Running Wild in Palm Springs, or for $40 on race day. Skillen himself will be joining the race with an enthusiastic “Heck ya!”

As a community it is imperative to support those who are making strides to recover from their addictions and mental health issues. And to insure them that they are not alone will only encourage them to move forward in a positive direction. The Heroes in Recovery 6k will not only help those who need support, but also benefits our communities youth by benefitting Safe House of the Desert. So come out and help those in need go the extra distance.

For more information and to register visit www.heroes6k.com

Community Free Ride home for those who have been drinking

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he PGA-DUI Foundation Free Ride Service is the first program of its kind in the USA. PGA-DUI Foundation is a non-profit organization launching its services with four vehicles in July 2013. They are initially picking up riders in Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells to drop them off to their homes across the Coachella Valley. Although location pickup is restricted to these three cities, they are planning on expanding to cover the entire Coachella Valley in the very near future.

Parents and Guardians Against Driving Under the Influence believe that Prevention is better than Punishment. Unlike other DUI organizations which seek to punish only after a DUI incident occurred, PGA-DUI believes in helping to PREVENT any and all DUI related accidents, injuries and arrests.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, for the time period of July through October 2014, (since the launch of PGA-DUI) there was a 28% decrease in DUI arrests from the previous year in the cities of Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells combined.

Arrest Information for DUI’s 07/01/13 – 10/31/13 07/01/14 –10/31/14 Rancho 29 34 Mirage Palm 85 58 Desert Indian 16 04 Wells Communities have long struggled with the negative impact of impaired driving. From needless death and injury to overloaded criminal justice systems, alcohol-related crashes and DUI arrests take an emotional and economic toll on society.

PGA-DUI wants to ensure a sober ride home for individuals who have consumed alcohol and would otherwise drive, posing a risk to themselves, their passengers, and others sharing the roadway.

PGA-DUI program enjoys the broad support from potential users, drinking establishments, community organizations,

PGA DUI FOUNDATION

and the alcohol beverage industry and is believed to help reduce the number of intoxicated drivers on the road.

PGA-DUI provides a safe transportation alternative for people who have driven themselves to a bar or restaurant and, after drinking alcohol, seek another way to get home. Generally, the patron’s car remains at the establishment until later the next day, when the vehicle owner, now presumably sober, is able to pick it up.

The Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA) estimates that drivers pay $15,649 (over 10 years) for their first-driving-under-the-influence (DUI) conviction. A chunk of that is for higher auto insurance rates, accounting for most of the 29% increase since 2011. Expenses include fines, penalties, vehicle tow/ storage, legal fees and mandatory alcohol education classes, but do not include loss of income, medical costs, civil liability or vehicular damage.

PGA-DUI provides weekend safe ride services, when impaired driving is most likely to occur in the community.

WHERE TO FIND THEM CALL 760-340-1500 FRIDAY – SUNDAY 6:00 PM – 2:00 AM Look for their fleet of bright orange Toyota Prius vehicles which also feature a “FREE RIDES” vehicle wrap.

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Haddon Libby:It’s all local

January 29 to February 4, 2015

How Safe Is Your Hospital?

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ne out of 25 people who go to the hospital will contract a new infection during their stay. Even worse, 440,000 people will die in the United States this year because of hospital errors.

Nonprofit The Leapfrog Group, grades 2,500 hospitals based on 28 performance measurements complied from data with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), American Hospital Association and other respected sources.

The hospital grading is overseen by a blue ribbon group of medical safety experts from Stanford, John Hopkins, Harvard, UC-Davis, UC-SF and Vanderbilt.

This letter grade is given twice a year to determine each hospitals safety record. An ‘A’ score means that the hospital complies with best practices for medical care while ‘F’ means that the hospital is failing. Of all hospitals, 31% received As, 27% Bs, 35% Cs, 6% Ds and 1% F’s.

The Coachella Valley is very fortunate in that all three Coachella Valley hospitals posted some of the top scores in the state. For comparison, some of the most respected hospitals in Southern California had the following scores: the UCLA Medical Center in Westwood received a ‘C’, Scripps

Hospitals in Chula Vista and San Diego received ‘B’ scores while the Hoag Hospital, Cedar-Sinai, UCLA-Santa Monica and Riverside Community Hospitals received ‘A’ scores.

Eisenhower Hospital had an ‘A’ rating due to proper staffing to prevent safety problems, staff follow-ups intended to make surgery safer, and proper nurse staffing levels. Problems at Eisenhower were negligible. Deaths from treatable serious infections were better than most hospitals nationally at 86 incidents per 1,000 cases.

For comparison, the best hospital in the country has 53 occurrences for every 1,000 cases while the worst was 156 per 1,000.

Desert Regional Medical Center also had an ‘A’ rating due to proper staffing to prevent safety problems, staff follow-ups to make surgery safer, and proper nurse staffing levels. Desert Regional’s worst score related to deaths from treatable serious complications which occurred at a rate of 141 for every 1,000 cases - the highest level in the Coachella Valley. Some of this poor score is most likely attributable to the very difficult cases brought to their Critical Care Unit.

JFK Memorial had the lowest rating in the Coachella Valley with a still respectable ‘B’

score. JFK struggled when it came to having specially trained doctors available for the Intensive Care Unit as shown by a score of 5 out of 100 - a score that equals the lowest score in the nation. JFK also struggles to find enough qualified nurses. While this hospital was very effective at preventing infections, death from treatable serious complications occurred at a rate of 112 for every 1,000 cases, a level that is average but unacceptable according to Leapfrog.

In the pass, Banning’s San Gorgonio Hospital received a ‘B’ score with its biggest problem mimicking JFK and related to insufficient specially trained doctors for the Intensive Care Unit.

Receiving a surprisingly low, ‘D’ score was Loma Linda University Medical Center due to problems related to medication errors, poor ventilator administration, poor hand washing practices and failing marks when it came to surgery safety.

Hi-Desert Regional in Joshua Tree has received a ‘D’ score since 2012 due to generally poor usage of antibiotics at all stages of surgery and patient ventilation problems.

El Centro Regional has received ‘F’ scores for the last 18 months due to medication errors, poor ventilator administration, poor hand washing practices and failing marks related to specially trained doctors for ICU, staff not working together, insufficient nurses and inadequate training.

Other failing hospitals in Southern California include Loma Linda-Murrieta, Western Medical-Santa Ana and Antelope Valley Hospital of Lancaster.

A full list of hospital scores nationally can be found at hospitalsafetyscore.org.

Dale Gribow On The Law

Palm Desert Lawyer Exposes Technology’s Effect on DUI’s

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ast week’s discussion of technology and accident cases led to several calls asking if it has affected DUI matters too. The discussion herein addresses the DUI technology advances from chemical testing to sentencing.

DUI, or “Drunk Driving” as it is usually called, is among the most commonly charged criminal offense in the greater Palm Springs community. Locally we have more DUI deaths per capita, than anywhere else in California.

Drunk Driving is a charge that can have the most devastating effects on an individual’s life. Not only are there court punishments but many jobs and careers are lost or devastated by a criminal DUI conviction.

DUI’s are the one charge that can, and do, occur with normally “non-criminal” law abiding citizens who have never been arrested before and will probably never come in contact with law enforcement again. They are shocked to find a “stacked deck” where technology considers them guilty if they are .08 or more… until they prove themselves innocent.

Technology has come a long way when it comes to DUI’s. As a young lawyer, .15 was considered under the influence and the DA’s experts would testify that anyone .15 or over was “deuced” or under the influence. The DUI vehicle code violation has always ended

in a 2 and thus the deuce term. Initially called a 502, 23102 and currently a 23152. Then a driver with a .15 reading was not under the influence. Ironically most of the cases I see today are less than a .15 but over a .08. They would not have been arrested in “the day”.

Technology then lowered the bar and .10 became the standard before it was reduced to the “gold standard” of .08. There is currently a national movement to lower it to .05.

A driver previously had a choice of blood, breath or urine. The FBI determined that urine was not accurate, however the state courts continued to use the urine test until the state courts accepted the technology and disallowed urine. Yet there were tens of thousands of convictions from urine tests.

After a plea or conviction the Indio Court imposes JAIL on a first offense DUI so technology developed an ankle bracelet to track a defendant in their home. The newest version can even detected if the wearer had consumed any alcohol. The Ignition Interlock was developed for more serious cases so that the driver has to blow into a device for the car to start.

Social media created more challenges.

The DA’s office saves a lot of time and money by going on line to find the names and information on defendant’s friends they can question if necessary. Law enforcement can

observe Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin posts where the driver boasts about his drinking the night of the arrest and other incriminating statements that make it easier to get a conviction.

Body cameras and dash camera technology show what really happened.

Drivers that thought they passed all the tests are often surprised when they see how poorly they did on field sobriety tests and how they look. Of course the opposite is true when the driver looks and acts sober and not under the influence.

One of the biggest technological advances is the computer. Previously the arresting officer or DA had to look through records that were handwritten or typed up to determine if this was the first DUI or if the driver was on probation for anything else…thus increasing the severity of the sentence. Most Americans do not understand the multiple names given to Hispanics or mid easterners. In the past it allowed them to have numerous DUI’s under the different configurations of their name.

With today’s technology it is more important than ever before to NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. Take a taxi…it is a lot cheaper than calling me.

If you have any questions regarding this column or ideas for future columns please contact Dale Gribow Attorney at Law at his

NEW number 760 837 7500 and or his new email: dale@dalegribowlaw.com Dale Gribow 1) TOP LAWYER rating by Palm Springs Life every year.

2) Perfect AVVO 10.0 Peer Review Rating by fellow attorneys 3) Preeminent Rating by Martindale Hubbell legal directory.

4) Selected for Best Attorneys of America (Limited to Top 100 Attorneys in each state.

5) Man of the Year 7 times- including the City of Palm Desert and the City of Hope.

6) Dale Gribow Day proclaimed 4 x’s.

In December 2013 Dale was sole attorney appointed to the Coachella Valley Association of Government’s Public Safety Ad Hoc Blue Ribbon Committee. It is made up of all the local police chiefs and mayors as well as the Sheriff of Riverside County, the head of CHP and Border Patrol to study Drunk Driving related issues. In 2014 Gribow was again the only attorney selected to the Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Health Matters Committee addressing Drunk Driving matters. Dale is also one of the founders of Shutdown Drunk Driving, formed upon the death of his client who was killed by a drunk driver while jogging in October 2013.

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

safety tips

by Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

Smoke Detectors - Install, Inspect and Protect!

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“

t’s unfortunate to report that the number of fire fatalities do to no or non-working smoke alarms is on the rise says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Reports also show that roughly one-third of the tens of millions of smoke detectors installed in homes are not in proper working condition.”

Replace batteries at least twice a year.

A good time to remember to change the batteries is when the time changes and you change your clocks. Never borrow batteries from smoke detectors for other purposes.

If you have problems with nuisance alarms, do not disconnect your detector. Try another location or another model of detector, but keep your home protected.

Test your smoke detectors at least once a month. It takes only a moment to test a

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smoke detector that could save your life.

Clean your smoke detectors at least twice a year to remove cobwebs and dust that can degrade the unit’s sensitivity. Never paint any part of a smoke detector.

If a room has a high pitched ceiling, mount the unit at or near the ceiling’s highest point. When installing a detector in a stairway, position the detector in the path smoke would follow up the stairwell.

Don’t install a detector near a window, door, forced-air register, or fireplace, where drafts could detour smoke away from the unit.

For additional information contact your local fire department and visit: www.usfa. fema.gov/prevention/outreach/smoke_ alarms.html Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

by chris clemens

The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa Presents Aphrodisiac Cooking Demonstration Just in Time for Valentine’s Day

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he Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa showcases a special aphrodisiac cooking demonstration on February 7 with culinary Author Diane Savahge Brown. Featuring a succulent dish from her popular book, The Seduction Cookbook: Culinary Creations for Lovers, she will give cooking tips and tricks for a romantic meal that keeps Valentine’s sexy.

In addition to her book, Ms. Brown explores the romantic side of food, drink and aphrodisiac foods writing for magazines such as Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Sunset, Veggie Life, Chile Pepper and Wine Enthusiast. She has also demonstrated her aphrodisiac cooking secrets on radio and television including cooking with Dick Clark and Danny Bonaduce on “The Other Half,” appearing on Fox News “Ask the Expert,” and giving Valentine’s Day tips to Leeza Gibbons on “Leeza at Night.”

The demonstration takes place at 2 p.m. on the patio of Pinzimini Restaurant for $35 per person. Reservations can be made by calling (760) 770-2150. The Westin Mission Hills is located at 71333 Dinah Shore Drive in

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Rancho Mirage and can be reached at (760) 328-5955. For more information about the resort visit westinmissionhills.com.

sharekitchen

they share beacuse they care..

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ince its inception over three years ago, ShareKitchen has been a business incubator to food entrepreneurs.

What does a business incubator do?

Most simply, a business incubator helps existing and start-up businesses to become financially viable and successful firms that can ‘graduate’ from our shared space.

ShareKitchen has worked with a variety of food entrepreneurs. Food entrepreneurs can be someone who is making a specific product for resale, a caterer, a farmer, a chef wanting to test a restaurant concept or even a roving supper club! We do this from our facility in Cathedral City based in what used to be Buddy Greco’s Supper Club.

ShareKitchen has the only facility of its kind in Riverside County.

Besides providing the location for people to try or build their entrepreneurial endeavors, ShareKitchen has a team of professionals who are available to help when it comes to product design, marketing, recipe development, best business practices, financial management and industry connections. All of these things are done at costs that are drastically less than what one would pay if trying to do

this on their own.

The positive results of this program are demonstrated in the dozens of people and businesses that we have assisted over the last three years.

As we look at the future, ShareKitchen is focused on building a larger facility that will help a wider cross-section of small and medium-sized food enterprises. As one example, we are working on making sure that food grown in the Valley is processed locally instead of being shipped to somewhere else before being reshipped to the Valley for sale. By processing locally, we can reduce food miles, create jobs and reduce the cost of food to everyone.

While the new facility is a big project, we have received the enthusiastic support of the USDA, Clinton Foundation, the City of Coachella and many others.

sports

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

January 29 to February 4, 2015

by Flint Wheeler

A break from “De-Flategate”… You’re Welcome.

I

f you’ve watched even a little college basketball this year, or even just highlights from games, you know that Kentucky is good. Not just good, but really good. Like, scary good.

No, I mean it. They’re that good.

Kentucky has the chance to go down in college hoops history as an undefeated team, and as one of the most dominant teams to ever take the hardwood. But many teams have had that chance, only to be tripped up along the way, usually unexpectedly.

Upsets are a part of sports. In fact, it’s one of the big reasons we love to watch sports. We love to see the underdog pull off the impossible dream.

When you talk about college hoops, it’s almost fun to root against teams like Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and others like them. The type of teams who seem to always be good, and always get all the attention.

Give us more Wichita States, by god! Hail to the Dusquenes of the world!

So who can be Kentucky’s pebble in the shoe? If you look down their conference schedule, it doesn’t look like anybody. In fact, according to ESPN, Kentucky is given better than an 80% chance of winning every

GOLF

remaining game on their schedule.

Does that mean it can’t happen?

Absolutely not. Here are two remaining (not counting March Madness) teams who match up well with the Wildcats and stand

a chance at upsetting the nation’s number one team. Moral of the story? Buy that undefeated ticket and get ready to cash.

No. 3 – Georgia Bulldogs The Bulldogs are that team in the SEC that no one is talking about, but that even Jay Bilas says is very good, and improving.

They sit at 8-3 as conference play gets ready to begin, and they’ve already pulled off a couple of big upset wins, including against Seton Hall and Kansas State.

Georgia’s style of play, crashing the boards hard and forcing the opposition to foul early and often, might be the best way to beat the Wildcats. The Bulldogs shoot a lot of free throws using this technique (only 11 teams in the nation take more free throws per game), and it keeps them in games.

Kentucky is a better team than Georgia, but the style of play may be the difference maker. Georgia plays tough defense, but has issues with a good low post game. Kentucky could put a lot of points up in the paint.

The Wildcats will meet the Bulldogs twice this year, once at home on Feb. 3, and then traveling to Athens on March 3.

The away date, the second to last game of the regular season, could be where the Wildcats fall.

by Alaina MAjiros

TGA Premier Junior Golf Clinic at Humana Challenge Kids’ Day

T

he only thing that outshined the bright colored clothing at this years’ Humana Challenge were the smiles on hundreds of children. This free event was open to children of all ages. I couldn’t wait to interview Ross Kvinge, CEO of PowerBilt and owner of TGA of Coachella Valley. He and his staff and volunteers provided instruction, education of rules and history of golf.

CV Weekly: This was a great idea. The kids had a blast. I didn’t see one unhappy kid out here, how many were here today?

Ross Kvinge: Oh, we had well over 200.

This was our fifth year doing this and every year more and more turn out and this was a record year for us. It was a lot of fun.

CV Weekly: This is wonderful. Tell me about the attire and the shoes, what were they required to wear and bring with them today?

Ross Kvinge: Actually, we tell them to just dress lightly. Most of them, you know, do it in tennis shoes and shorts. We supply all the equipment, so really they just need to come on out.

CV Weekly: So they just show up?

Ross Kvinge: Well, they preregister and we have a goody bag for them. We work the age groups so we know we have enough clubs for right hand, left hand and different ages.

No. 2 – Arkansas Razorbacks The Razorbacks are a team that matches up well with Kentucky. They score a lot of points (84.9 per game), are excellent on the boards and have a strong team concept, evidenced by their 19.6 assists per game.

Kentucky will only meet the Hogs once this season, and it’s at home. That’s the big advantage the Wildcats will have. However, it’s a very late-season game, falling on Feb. 28, and a lot of improvement (and injuries) can happen between now and then.

If the Razorbacks keep getting better as they have all season, and up their 47 percent shooting clip from the floor, then it could be an upset in the making.

Arkansas isn’t great defensively, allowing 71.3 points per game, so this end of year SEC battle could end up being a last-onewith-the-ball-wins-it shootout.

Founder of Silex Strategies L.L.C. providing sales and consulting in Insurance, Retirement, Real Estate and Taxes through A.I.G./Valic. PGA Class A Member and T.P.I. Certified Golf Trainer. Host of “The Tilted Sports Radio Show” on Fox Sports 1270 from 3-7pm on Thursdays, Live from The Kilt.

Ph. 760-409-4612 flintwheeler.com

CV Weekly: Okay, I understand that. Tell me more about this, what did they walk away with today?

Ross Kvinge: Well, one, we just want them to have fun. You know, to experience golf. We go through quite a bit in learning each station. They have putting, chipping, wedge game, all the way up to the driver.

This year we added fitness in the educational sense and we teach them a little bit about the rules and etiquette of golf.

CV Weekly: Tell me more about that.

Ross Kvinge: We have a handbook that we work through our enrichment program [clinics held at schools] and it goes through with lessons, rules, etiquette and history. We found it helped them understand the game, continue to page 30

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

HIGHLIGHTs OF THE HUMAN CHALLENGE: continued from page 29

where it came from, where it’s going and what the objectives are.

CV Weekly: So you take them from basic to however much they can learn?

Ross Kvinge: All the way through. Our main focus in after-school enrichment is we introduce them to the game, educate them in golf. We go to their schools and then we start running events like this and different opportunities.

CV Weekly: What is the hardest thing kids learn in golf, is it the swing, is it posture?

Ross Kvinge: We first get them set up and get them going. When they are this little it’s just playing. You get them with their grip, and once you get that set up you let them swing and have fun. You know, they’re all athletic, they’re young, and it makes pretty good progress for them.

CV Weekly: Did you bring out any products for them to buy?

Ross Kvinge: We do over at our booth, you know, that are for kids. We gave away a set of clubs. We auctioned off a bunch of things today like sets of clubs for them to get an opportunity to play more.

Week of January 29

CV Weekly: Yeah, I saw that. They thought that was wonderful and they loved it. Well, this event is great, tell us where and when to sign our kids up.

Ross Kvinge: Go online to www.playtga. com and find the Coachella Valley. We are nationwide. Right now, we just launched this in the Fall, so we are just getting started in the schools and we are going to do camps and play days, just bringing in more and more to the valley for the kids.

CV Weekly: Is there a deadline for getting kids signed up?

Ross Kvinge: We are just getting set up. If they go on the site they’ll see all the events we have and they can sort it all out by the event, if it’s an enrichment program, if it’s a camp, if it’s a play day, and all that.

CV Weekly: Great. Is there an age group that you don’t cater to?

Ross Kvinge: Well, as we get into leagues it goes all the way up to 18. We focus on grade schools and we do middle schools, too.

CV Weekly: How much does it cost?

Ross Kvinge: $99 for six weeks.

For more information on the TGA Premier Junior Golf Clinics and school enrichment programs, please visit playtga.com

Health&Fitness

by Personal Trainer Karen Creasey

Fitness Saboteurs

I

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f you are anything like me you have set a fitness goal only to look back at it and wonder what happened. Sometimes it feels like the universe is conspiring to keep me from reaching my goal. Can you relate? Even the most passionate fitness enthusiasts face challenges to stay active. Sometimes life just interferes. Sometimes our friends and family interfere. Other times we sabotage ourselves.

Saboteurs come in all shapes and sizes; learn to recognize them. Here are a few to consider and some fresh ideas on how to combat them with practical strategies.

Temptations – Whether it is the leftover birthday cake, the friend’s invitation to have another drink, or the movie that is showing at the same time as your fitness class, temptations can be real saboteurs. Making healthy lifestyle changes in the midst of assorted enticements can be tough. Using willpower, sticking to your plan and reviewing your goals frequently will keep you on course through the temptations.

Stress – When you are up against deadlines or carrying a daunting workload; when your kids are sick or your good health is in question; you may feel as though you cannot handle one more thing, including exercise. But at the most stressful times a good brisk walk may be the best

thing for you. Exercise can alleviate stress, boost your mood, and change your thought patterns.

It can be the very tool that gives you the strength you need to face whatever is challenging you.

Negative Self-Talk – Nothing destroys your confidence and motivation faster than your own negative self-talk. It interrupts your ability to visualize success. Next time you catch yourself having negative unbecoming thoughts replace them with positive uplifting ones. Give yourself some credit. Tell yourself you are proud of the progress you’ve made or the steps you’ve taken towards your fitness goals.

The Unexpected – Life is not always predictable. Unexpected changes like being called into work or your child catching cold has the potential to sabotage your workout schedule. Instead of throwing your hands up in defeat or frustration, look for ways to bounce back. Modify your plans and be creative. Pull up a YouTube exercise clip and workout in your front room for instance, or walk up and down a flight of stairs during a break at work.

Behavior change is hard. Complement yourself for what you have done well so far.

Stay strong, focused and true to your goals and aspirations. For more tips call Karen at the Palm Desert Aquatic Center 760-565-7467.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do you have an entourage or posse that helps you work magic you can’t conjure up alone? Is there a group of co-conspirators that prods you to be brave and farseeing? If not, try to whip one up. And if you do have an inspirational crew, brainstorm about some new adventures for all of you to embark on. Scheme and dream about the smart risks and educational thrills you could attempt together. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you especially need the sparkle and rumble that a feisty band of allies can incite.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The cosmos seems to be granting you a license to be brazenly ambitious.

I’m not sure how long this boost will last, so I suggest you capitalize on it while it’s surging. What achievement have you always felt insufficiently prepared or powerful to accomplish? What person or club or game have you considered to be out of your league? What issue have you feared was beyond your understanding? Rethink your assumptions. At least one of those “impossibilities” may be more possible than usual.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When I attended the University of California at Santa Cruz, my smartest friend was Gemini writer Clare Cavanagh. She headed off to Harvard for her graduate studies, and later became a pre-eminent translator of Polish poetry. Her work has been so skillful that Nobel Prizewinning Polish poet Czselaw Milosz selected her as his authorized biographer. Interviewing Milosz was a tough job, Clare told blogger Cynthia Haven. He was demanding. He insisted that she come up with “questions no one’s asked me yet.” And she did just that, of course. Formulating evocative questions is a Gemini specialty. I invite you to exercise that talent to the hilt in the coming week. It’s prime time for you to celebrate a Curiosity Festival.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Somewhere someone is traveling furiously toward you,” writes poet John Ashbery, “at incredible speed, traveling day and night, through blizzards and desert heat, across torrents, through narrow passes. But will he know where to find you, recognize you when he sees you, give you the thing he has for you?” This passage might not be literally true, Cancerian. There may be no special person who is headed your way from a great distance, driven by a rapt intention to offer you a blessing. But I think Ashbery’s scenario is accurate in a metaphorical way. Life is in fact working overtime to bring you gifts and help. Make sure you cooperate! Heighten your receptivity. Have a nice long talk with yourself, explaining why you deserve such beneficence.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In 1768, Britain’s Royal Society commissioned navigator James Cook to lead a long naval voyage west to Tahiti, where he and his team were supposed to study the planet Venus as it made a rare transit across the face of the sun. But it turned out that task was a prelude. Once the transit was done, Cook opened the sealed orders he had been given before leaving England. They revealed a second, bigger assignment, kept secret until then: to reconnoiter the rumored continent that lay west of Tahiti. In the coming months, he became the first European to visit the east coast of Australia.

I foresee a comparable progression for you, Leo. The task you’ve been working on lately has been a prelude. Soon you’ll receive your “sealed orders” for the next leg of your journey.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): According to computer security company Symantec, you’re not in major danger of contracting an online virus from a porn website. The risk is much greater when you visit religious websites. Why? They’re often built by inexperienced programmers, and as a result are more susceptible to hackers’ attacks. In the coming weeks, Virgo, there may be a similar principle at work in your life. I suspect you’re more likely to be undermined by nice, polite people than raw, rowdy folks. I’m not advising you to avoid the do-gooders and sweet faces. Just be careful that their naivete doesn’t cause problems. And in the meantime,

© Copyright 2012 Rob Brezsny

check out what the raw, rowdy folks are up to.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Life has a big, tough assignment for you. Let’s hope you’re up for the challenge. There’s not much wiggle room, I’m afraid. Here it is: You must agree to experience more joy and pleasure. The quest for delight and enchantment has to rise to the top of your priority list. To be mildly entertained isn’t enough. To be satisfied with lukewarm arousal is forbidden. It’s your sacred duty to overflow with sweet fulfillment and interesting bliss. Find ways to make it happen!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You may have never sampled the southeast Asian fruit called durian. It’s controversial. Some people regard it as the “king of fruits,” and describe its taste as sweet and delicious.

Naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace said it was like “a rich custard highly flavored with almonds.” But other people find the durian unlikable, comparing its aroma to turpentine or decaying onions. TV chef Anthony Bourdain asserts that its “indescribable” taste is “something you will either love or despise.”

I foresee the possibility that your imminent future will have metaphorical resemblances to the durian, Scorpio. My advice? Don’t take things personally.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Talking will be your art form in the coming week. It’ll be healing and catalytic. You could set personal records for most engaging phone conversations, emails, text messages, and face-to-face dialogs. The sheer intensity of your self-expression could intimidate some people, excite others, and generate shifts in your social life. Here are a few tips to ensure the best results. First, listen as passionately as you speak.

Second, make it your intention to communicate, not just unload your thoughts. Tailor your messages for your specific audience. Third, reflect on the sometimes surprising revelations that emerge from you. They’ll give you new insights into yourself.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Let’s say you want to buy an 18-karat gold ring. To get that much gold, miners had to excavate and move six tons of rock.

Then they doused the rock with poisonous cyanide, a chemical that’s necessary to extract the good stuff.

In the process, they created toxic waste. Is the gold ring worth that much trouble? While you ponder that, let me ask you a different question. What if I told you that over the course of the next five months, you could do what’s necessary to obtain a metaphorical version of a gold ring? And although you would have to process the equivalent of six tons of raw material to get it, you wouldn’t have to use poison or make a mess. Would you do it?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In 1899, the King of the African nation of Swaziland died while dancing.

His only son, Sobhuza, was soon crowned as his successor, despite being just four months old. It took a while for the new King to carry out his duties with aplomb, and he needed major guidance from his grandmother and uncle. Eventually he showed great aptitude for the job, though, and ruled until his death at age 83. I’m getting a Sobhuza-type vibe as I meditate on you, Aquarius. New power may come to you before you’re fully ready to wield it. But I have confidence you will grow into it, especially if you’re not shy about seeking help.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the 1951 animated movie version of Alice in Wonderland, Alice says to herself, “I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it.” I hope you won’t be like her, Pisces. It’s an excellent time for you to heed your own good advice. In fact, I suspect that doing so will be crucial to your ability to make smart decisions and solve a knotty problem. This is one of those turning points when you really have to practice what you preach. You’ve got to walk your talk.

Homework: What’s the most important thing you’ve never done? Testify at FreeWillAstrology. com.

Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

January 29 to February 4, 2015

Mind, body & Spirit

by Bronwyn Ison

CORE STRENGTH

S

ix-pack abs appears to be a fascination with Americans.

Possessing rock-hard washboard abs is the goal amongst many. Truly one should be thinking, how do I maintain the muscles “springy and elastic,” in a well honed state?”

A healthy muscle has this consistency. Many people get caught up in how many crunches or abdominal exercises they can do in one day. This is a misconception. You don’t need to have a six-pack to have healthy abs.

Fortunately our abdominals are a group of muscles that can be exercised everyday. Let’s take a look at the anatomy of our abdominals. The rectus abdominis is actually the 10-pack that runs from the pubic bone to the breastbone. This muscle helps us rise out of bed in the morning.

This muscle is also the most superficial and visible of the four abdominal muscle groups. The internal and external obliques are on the sides of the torso and helps us bend and twist. Our oblique muscles are used in virtually every activity. Finally, the deepest layer of abdominal muscles is the transverse abdominus. The center of all of our movement stems from the transverse. The transverse abdominus is located horizontally underneath the rectus abdominis and the obliques. The transverse also function with the autonomic nervous system. I am a yoga instructor and those who attend my classes know I focus heavily on strengthening the abs. Yoga is excellent for training and building strength and healthy abs. Too many people think ab training is doing hundreds of crunches, which does nothing for flexibilty. The reality is, you should train for strength. You can actually shorten your muscles by only doing crunches or training for a six-pack. If you train in only one direction, you’re limiting your range of motion.

Some would say our abdominals speak volumes to our mental health as well. You know when you get a gut feeling about

something. Research tells us we hold a lot of anxiety in the abdominal region. Working the abdominals may help relieve some of this tension. As we know physical activity can relieve stress, tension, and anxiety.

Connecting with your center may assist with understanding and listening to your gut feelings.

Utilizing proper breathing while performing abdominal exercises will be essential for how you strengthen and tone this region. In my experience as a yoga instructor, I have learned many students are troubled when trying to identify their lower belly. The area from the pubic bone to the navel is challenging to identify because it’s an area not verbally expressed by many teachers or coaches. This area can also be referred to as the “sleepy area” of the abdominals. This area can be awakened with specific exercises and breathing techniques.

Understanding and developing your core strength is one thing. Most importantly, maintaining the strength by being consistent in your exercises is paramount. Mix up your exercises so you don’t lose interest. I generally refer to our abdominal region as a corset. It supports your organs and your spine. Think healthy abs, healthy spine, healthy body and mind.

Bronwyn Ison is the owner of Evolve Yoga. e-volveyoga.com 760.564.YOGA

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January 29 to February 4, 2015

Life & career Coach

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Sunny Simon

Streamline Your Life by Putting Your House in Order

I

t happens every January. A few weeks after packing the holiday decorations away, I develop an urge to streamline my life beginning with the clutter hiding behind the scenes. On the surface my home and office appear pristine and streamlined, but cabinets and closets hold a challenging assignment for an organizational expert.

Intent on never having to repeat the cycle again, I decided to find a once-and-for-all system. My strategy was to seek advice from the Japanese cleaning consultant, Marie Konda, dubbed the “guru of tidiness.” The author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” has clients lined-up on a three month waiting list. I plunked down my $16.99 plus tax and dove into this New York Times best seller.

The book helped diagnose my problem.

I seemed to possess a fear of letting go of certain items like books (my Kindle is probably on overload) and my nemesis, magazines.

I confess to being a magazine maniac with subscriptions to everything from “Success” to “Eating Well.” Since I truly do not have the time to read them all, these periodicals fill my cabinets, closets and are probably lurking in boxes in the garage. And yes, no matter how much I think my wardrobe each season, I still have too many clothes.

Kondo professes “when we really delve into

the reasons why we cannot let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear of the future.” So I searched my soul and found nothing to fear. Then I launched a campaign to sort items into multiple containers for pitching and donating. Marie was 100% accurate about reducing what we own.

Streamlining is essentially detoxing our home and the detox has a positive effect on our wellbeing.

Where is your clutter? Is it in piles of reading material, or multiple pairs of shoes you never wear loitering in boxes beneath your bed? Still hanging on to that outdated blazer in your closet or the ugly sweater Aunt Sarah gave you for Christmas three years ago? What is this intense connection we have with material objects that serve no purpose?

Join me in this and experience a mental uplift. Let’s free up space in our offices, garages and psyches. I’m saying goodbye to Martha Stewart Living, July 2007. How about you throw out those sexy red stilettos that make your feet hurt within five minutes of wear? Put your surrounding environment in order. Choose to keep only what brings you joy. My new mantra is clear your space and clear your mind.

Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching. More about Sunny at www.raisethebarhigh.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Ask The Doctor

January 29 to February 4, 2015

by dr peter kadile

Dr. Peter M. Kadile is Board Certified in Family Medicine. He has an integrative, osteopathic medical practice and is also known as the local, house call doctor; Desert House Call Physician. He is on staff at Eisenhower Medical Center and medical director for Serenity Hospice. His office is located in beautiful Old Town La Quinta, 78-100 Main Street, Suite 207, La Quinta, CA 92253. (760) 777-7439. DesertHouseCalls@aol.com. www.deserthousecalldoc.com.

The doctor knows best

Dr. K, I have been having a lot of leg cramps lately, especially at night. I’ve started to take some potassium supplements, but the cramps continue. Anything else I can try?

-Terry, Indio Terry, leg cramps or muscle cramps in general, can have many causes, but they can commonly be caused by poor hydration and/or mineral deficiencies. Drinking enough water is the first thing you should try.

Alcohol and caffeinated beverages can also cause dehydration, so try and avoid them if cramping continues. It has become common knowledge that low potassium may cause muscle cramps, but if supplementing with potassium doesn’t work, you should also try magnesium.

Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function. Low levels of magnesium can contribute to muscle cramping. Magnesium supplements are over the counter. I generally recommend starting with 300mg once to twice a day for leg cramps. Taking too much magnesium may cause diarrhea.

Dr. Kadile, whenever I got a cold as a kid, my mom would always give me chicken soup. She said the soup would cure my cold, is there any truth to that? -Woodrow, Desert Hot Springs Woodrow, there actually has been some scientific research showing that, yes, chicken soup may be effective against cold and flu symptoms. The ingredients in chicken soup have anti-inflammatory properties and can slow the movement of cells which can cause the inflammatory symptoms such as congestion and cough. Chicken soup can also speed up mucus movement, which can decrease congestion and decrease the time the cold virus is in contact with the lining of your nose. So rest, drink fluids and eat your chicken soup.

Dr. Kadile, I got the flu shot this year, but I

still got the flu. What’s up with that? -Roger, Thousand Palms Roger, the flu shot is not 100% effective in preventing the flu. Its effectiveness varies every year, but generally it is only @ 60% effective. With this current flu season, estimates are showing that the current flu vaccine is only @23% effective. Every year a panel of experts decide on which flu strains may become predominant and formulate the vaccine. The experts make a scientific prediction on which flu strains will need to be vaccinated against. They of course don’t always get it right and sometimes the flu virus can mutate and change, rendering the vaccine ineffective.

Dr. Peter, my daughter was sent home from school because she has “pink eye”. I was told she had to see a doctor, but by the time I could get an appointment for her, the redness in her eye was gone. Should she still see the doctor? -Betty, Rancho Mirage Betty, “pink eye” (conjunctivitis) is the common name given to redness or inflammation to the conjunctiva or whites of the eyes. The condition can be caused by viruses, bacteria or allergies. It is most commonly caused by a virus, and like a cold, will usually resolve on its own in a few days to a week. Usually viral conjunctivitis is associated with increased watery discharge, whereas bacterial conjunctivitis may have thick green or yellow discharge. Bacterial conjunctivitis requires antibiotic eye drops or ointment for treatment. Pink eye is contagious and is commonly transmitted when an infected person rubs his/her eye and then touches someone and that person then rubs his/her eye. That is why it is much more common in young children who don’t usually wash their hands.

If your daughter’s eyes are no longer red and without any discharge, than she likely had a viral or allergy “pink eye” that got better on its own but if she is complaining of eye pain, than she should still see the doctor.

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