Coachella Valley Weekly - August 6 to August 12, 2015 Vol. 4 No. 20

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coachellavalleyweekly.com • August 6 to August 12, 2015 Vol. 4 No. 20

Don Airey of Deep Purple

pg 4

Mikeal Healey

pg 5

The Anthology Festival

pg 7

Higher Heights

pg 7

August 6 to August 12, 2015

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

August 6 to August 12, 2015

The Date Shed Opening Up 3 Nights A Week Starting September 25

By tracy dietlin

Coachella Valley Weekly

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

760.501.6228

Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Bobby Robles, Deborah Evans 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, Lola Rossi, Dee Jae Cox, Patte Purcell, Esther Sanchez, Janet Newcomb Photographers Laura Hunt Little, Scott Pam, Lani Garfield, Chris Miller, La Maniaca, Esther Sanchez Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

Contents The Date Shed..................................... 3 LMS - Don Airey of Deep Purple........ 4 Backstage Jazz - Mikeal Healey......... 5 Musical Therapy.................................. 5 Open Mic Competition ....................... 6 Anthology Festival ............................. 7 LMS - Higher Heights.......................... 7 Consider This- The Dream Syndicate..... 8 Art - Amadea Bailey ........................... 9 Pet Place............................................10 The Vino Voice ..................................11 Club Crawler Nightlife......................12 Book Review .....................................15 Screeners ..........................................16 Haddon Libby...................................18 Dale Gribow......................................18 Safety Tips ........................................19 Sports Scene.....................................19 Free Will Astrology...........................20 Mind, Body & Spirit ..........................20 Ask The Doctor .................................21 Life & Career Coach...........................22

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ost valley residents would agree that The Date Shed, aside from the casinos, is the premier concert venue in the desert. Boasting a large stage with top-notch sound and lighting, a comfortable green room equipped with a stripper pole, a sizable VIP room for meet and greets or band merch, a large outside patio, indoor and outdoor bars and a capacity to hold 667 people, it is the perfect place to catch a show.

It is especially exciting to see bands like Queensryche, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ozomatli, Fishbone, The Expendables, Tribal Seeds, The Ataris and Duff McKagen Loaded, who normally play to much larger crowds, perform in this intimate setting. It is also cool to watch our local bands show us what they’ve got on this (larger than the local bars) stage.

With it being such a great venue many folks have wondered why The Date Shed hasn’t offered more shows. “Last year in our 4th season we decided to pull back a bit and only open to have a show that would draw 200 people,” shared Kristen Reinhagen-Ortiz, General Manager of Empire Music Ventures, also known as Queen of the Date Shed. “We were successful so we decided to ramp it up and bring in more shows this year.”

Not only will they be offering 3 shows a week but a very diverse roster of touring acts sprinkled in with local bands. I asked Reinhagen-Ortiz how this came about. “Alex (Haagen IV, owner of Empire Polo Grounds

and Date Shed) came to me and said he wanted the venue opened 3 nights a week.

The lineup was put together by myself and Ming Bob, but we have an open door here so the staff had input as well. Most people either know of the Date Shed and love it or have never heard of us. So we want to change the latter. We are confident that the acts we bring in will draw an audience but not enough people know we are out here.

This year is about branding the venue itself!”

Date Shed’s events will tie local businesses in with the local bands and do special promotions not being done anywhere else in the valley. “Our goal next season is to have 2 or more national touring acts per week so we are using this season as a transition. Last year we were able to prove that we could fill the venue with 200 people at every show.

Now we want to take it to the next level,” said Reinhagen-Ortiz.

I asked Reinhagen-Ortiz which show she is most excited about. “Metalachi is the show to see this fall and I’m not really a metal fan but the combo of the 2 genres, mariachi and metal, is really amazing to watch. Local band Aphrodisiac Jacket will open and Bri Cherry will be walking around between bands playing violin.”

This is great news for all of us music revelers here in the valley. Peruse the schedule below and check back periodically for updates and added shows at Dateshedmusic.com. Follow them on facebook/DateShed.

SEPTEMBER 2015

Friday, November 20, 2015 METALACHI / 18+ / 8PM doors Friday, September 25, 2015 - THE Saturday, November 21, 2015 - Local EXPENDABLES / 16+ / 8PM doors Rap Battle / 18+ / 8PM doors OCTOBER 2015 Sunday, November 22, 2015 - Industry Friday, October 2, 2015 - MURS / 18+ / Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors 8PM doors DECEMBER 2015 Saturday, October 3, 2015 - Long Duk Friday, December 4, 2015 - EeVaan Tre Dong / 18+ / 9PM doors Sunday, October 4, 2015 - Industry & The Show Holiday Special / 18+ / 9PM Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors doors Saturday, December 5, 2015 - PAUL Sunday, October 11, 2015 - Industry WALL / 18+ / 8PM doors Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors Sunday, December 5, 2015 - Industry Friday, October 16, 2015 - Thr3 Strykes, Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors Drop Mob / 18+ / 9PM Doors Friday, December 11, 2015 - THE Saturday, October 17, 2015 - PUDDLE UNTOUCHABLES / 18+ / 8PM doors OF MUDD / 18+ / 8PM doors Saturday, December 12, 2015 - Ming Sunday, October 18, 2015 - Industry Bob’s 12 days of Christmas giveaway Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors musical showcase / 18+ / 9PM doors Sunday, October 25, 2015 - Industry Sunday, December 13, 2015 - Industry Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors Friday, October 30, 2015 - REBEL SOUL Sunday, December 20, 2015 - Industry JHAZ / 18+ / 8PM doors Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors Saturday, October 31, 2015 - Desert DJ Friday, December 4, 2015 - EeVaan Tre Entertainment Halloween collaboration & The Show Holiday Special / 18+ / 9PM W/ TRT doors NOVEMBER 2015 Saturday, December 5, 2015 - PAUL Sunday, November 1, 2015 - Industry WALL / 18+ / 8PM doors Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors Sunday, December 5, 2015 - Industry Friday, November 6, 2015 - Black Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors Sabbitch / 18+ / 9PM doors Friday, December 11, 2015 - THE Sunday, November 8, 2015 - Industry UNTOUCHABLES / 18+ / 8PM doors Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors Saturday, December 12, 2015 - Ming Friday, November 13, 2015 - DJ Bob’s 12 days of Christmas giveaway KRISTINA SKY / 18 & up / 9PM doors musical showcase / 18+ / 9PM doors Saturday, November 14, 2015 Sunday, December 13, 2015 - Industry FORTUNATE YOUTH / 18+ / 8PM doors Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors Sunday, November 15, 2015 - Industry Sunday, December 20, 2015 - Industry Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors Night W/ Kruz & Kenga / 18+ / 9PM doors

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August 6 to August 12, 2015

Local Music Spotlight

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Lisa Morgan

Deep Purple’s Don Airey Shares Rock&Roll Tangents - Past, Present and Future Coming to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Special Events Center August 15th, 8pm

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eep Purple’s world renowned keyboardist, Don Airey had aspirations of becoming a classical player.

Inspired by his father, he began training in classical piano by age seven, and he continued to feed his love of music through a degree at the University of Nottingham and a diploma at the Royal Northern College of Music. “I think my parents had high hopes for me going to the music college and all that,” Airey shared in native, Sunderland, England timber. “I had aspirations to be a classical player. I was quite a hot jazz player too, doing a lot with big bands and trios. One Friday night, I went to see Deep Purple. They were playing down the road from my college. I came out thinking, ‘Actually, I want to do THAT!’ All these years later, here I am. It’s all kind of strange.”

The indelible mark left by Deep Purple launched the music scholar on a path that would lead him to play with artists on the cusp of legend, such as Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Whitesnake, Steve Vai, Rainbow, Empire, Thin Lizzy, Brian May and Living Loud, to name a few. He even worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber before coming full circle in 2002, and joining the band that changed the course of his music.

CVW: “Does your head spin when you think of all the experiences you’ve had and the people you’ve played with?”

Airey: “Well, you kind of look back in amazement. It’s a ‘What was I doing there?’ kind of thing. It’s nothing that I planned. You go through a series of tangents and before you know what’s happened, you’re rocking away as hard as you can.”

CVW: “How did your father react to your change in direction?”

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Airey: “My parents had expected I’d be a composer or concert pianist, but when my dad came to see me with the band Rainbow, I could see he was quite impressed with what was going on.”

CVW: “What were your expectations when you joined Deep Purple?”

Airey: “I thought it might last a couple of years. But it’s just gone from success to success, as far as the touring side of it goes, and we’ve made some pretty decent albums.

The last one (What Now?), in particular, has done very well for us all over the world.”

CVW: “The world has changed tremendously since you started playing, as has the music industry. How has that affected things for you?”

Airey: “It’s not like it was when you were younger. The wildness has gone out of it a bit, and you have to pace yourself a lot more than you used to. Essentially, the same thing still stands – we’re still full-on when we go out there. I think we’re the busiest rock band in the world. We do 140 gigs a year sometimes. One year we played in 52 countries. In 2005 we did a month in Russia, and we were in Siberia for two weeks. That’s an experience! That does things to your head that you don’t expect.”

“The industry has collapsed more or less, which has been to the benefit of bands like Deep Purple, who can actually go out and play live. The support structure that you used to get from the record company isn’t there anymore, so you’ve pretty much got to be self sufficient.

As a band, you can’t rely on the guy smoking a cigar back in an office in New York to bail you out of any trouble you get into. You’ve got to sort it all out yourself. You’ve got to do the job properly and give value for money. I think that’s been the secret of Purple’s success over the last few years.”

CVW: “Do you all get along well with all the touring that you do?”

Airey: “It’s never been an easy job, being in a touring band. As you get older, you get a bit wiser. It’s very easy to fall out with people on the road. You’re stuck together 24/7, and there’s a pretty pressurized psychological thing about it. But it’s something I’ve learned from Purple. They just deal with all the various things that can go wrong so beautifully, and the show goes on no matter what.”

CVW: Your last album, What Now?, was released 2 years ago. Can we look forward to another album any time soon, and what is the band’s creative process?

Airey: “We have a new album on the back

burner that should come out next year. With Purple, the way it happens is the way it’s always happened, since day one in 1968. Everyone sits down together, Ian (Paice) sets the pace, and we’re off. That’s just how it works. We do 8 hour days when we’re writing and rehearsing.”

CVW: “Now, I don’t want to start your morning off grumpy or anything, but Deep Purple has been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, but never inducted.

Do you want to speak to that?”

Airey: (laughs) “I don’t think there’s a chance of that ever happening now. That should have happened over the last ten years.

But nobody’s really that bothered about it.

What bothers me is why hasn’t Ian Gillan been knighted by the Queen of England yet?

He should be Sir Ian Gillan! It’s something of a

backstage jazz

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

August 6 to August 12, 2015

By patte purcell

Mikeal Healey at Melvyn’s Ingleside Inn

scandal in my opinion (tongue in cheek)!”

Deep Purple, is considered by many to be 1/3 of the “unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to midSeventies” along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. They made the 1975 Guinness Book of World Records as “the globe’s loudest band” thanks to a 1972 concert at London’s Rainbow Theatre, and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide.

This band will bring rock and roll to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino as only true legends can, Saturday, August 15th, starting at 8pm. No self-respecting rock enthusiast would allow themselves to miss it, and that’s not just me blowing “Smoke On the Water”. Tickets can be purchased at www.fantasyspringsresort.com or call (800) 827-2946 while they last.

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he most iconic jazz jam in the desert is undoubtedly the Melvyn’s Jam on Sunday afternoons from 3:30-7:30. Singers, musicians and happy revelers pack this hopping place to enjoy the sounds of local and national acts who sit in with the band. Some of the ‘names’ who’ve graced the jam microphone range from Kim Anderson (Dancing With the Stars) to Mick Avory (drummer for The Kinks) and

superstar Rita Coolidge, just to name a few.

The man behind the keyboards, Mikeal Healey, is the pianist/musical director and brings a wealth of experience and talent to this weekly event. He’s performed at Melvyn’s for over 6 years. His history begins with him playing the piano at age 5. He was very involved with the theatre in his younger years where he played and sang and musically directed. This gave him an ‘encyclopedic knowledge of theatre’ as the press called it and led him into other great things.

He spent 14 years playing in Las Vegas.

He started with comedienne Rusty Warren who introduced him to others. He played with the Righteous Brothers, Don Rickles and Reba Mc Intyre. He’s traveled the world 3 times on tour.

The Melvyn’s Jam brings him full circle back to the desert. He loves heading up the

Welcoming Music Therapy

I

met music therapist Amanda Neira this weekend. She is the first music therapist in the valley and a breath of fresh air. She was born and raised in Iowa.

She went to Western Illinois University where she majored in Music Therapy.

Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.

She completed her 1200 clinical hour training (internship) at Oasis Rehabilitation

weekly show as it allows him to interface with people and he feels it’s a great honor.

During the season, he does a single at Melvyns on Sundays, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights along with The Sunday Jam at 3:30. Some of the repertoire includes music from the Rat Pack and Great American songbook although he does some special selections. He says the music is dictated by the crowd and loves to make people happy.

His goals in life include remaining a student because “as a student all things are possible”.

He currently has 7 CDs that he’s recorded since he came to the desert.

You can find out more about him by visiting his website at maestromikael.com.

Melvyns is owned by Mel Haber, who visited Palm Springs as a respite from his hectic life in New York.

He came upon the Inn while strolling

by Richard Noble

Center in Indio California. She passed her music therapy board exam in March of 2012. She fell in love with the desert while she was here but was not able to stay due to the fact that there are no music therapists in the valley, so no music therapy jobs.

She decided to move back to the Midwest and attend Maryville University in St. Louis, MO where she completed her Masters in Music Therapy in May of 2014.

She was able to start Coachella Valley Music Therapy part time in October of 2014 and moved here to work it full time in July.

She is an advocator for music therapy and always tries to educate people on the fact that music therapy isn’t just singing songs to people! As I am sure you understand! It is an evidence based practice that is recognized as an allied health profession.

As a drug and alcohol counselor I listened to her as she explained song writing, notes and chords and different tempos and instruments that have the power to provoke traumatic memories and the process of lyric writing and song singing to aid in healing as a music therapeutic process.

Amanda also treats children with autism, older adults with strokes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

“Music Therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of

around town and fell in love with it on the spot. He bought it in April of 1975, completely renovating the entire property and created Melvyn’s Restaurant and the Casablanca Lounge and continues to cater to leaders of industry, show business and politics. They are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit the iconic Melvyn’s in Palm Springs, for the jazz jam, it’s located in the Ingleside Inn, 200 W Ramon Rd, Palm Springs, CA. (760) 3252323. inglesideinn.com pattepurcell@yahoo.com

business profile such as: overall physical rehabilitation and facilitating movement, increasing people’s motivation to become engaged in their treatment, providing emotional support for clients and their families, and providing an outlet for expression of feelings.” –American Music Therapy Association We welcome Amanda to the desert and hope she finds her place in treating addictions and those with mental health concerns and know she’ll be a vital asset to our community.

You may reach Amanda by phone and visit her website today.

Amanda Neira MMT, MT-BC Coachella Valley Music Therapy (760) 393-1029 coachellavalleymusictherapy.com

individuals. After assessing the strengths and needs of each client, the qualified music therapist provides the indicated treatment including creating, singing, moving to, and/ or listening to music. Through musical involvement in the therapeutic context, clients’ abilities are strengthened and transferred to other areas of their lives.

Music therapy also provides avenues for communication that can be helpful to those who find it difficult to express themselves in words. Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in many areas

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August 6 to August 12, 2015

Local Music Spotlight

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Local Music Spotlight

Anthology Festival at Plan B Boasts Wide Range of Talent

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Alex Updike

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Open Mic Competition

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ow! Semi Finals night #1 at the CV Open Mic Competition Summer edition 2015 was full of talent! Groups of enthusiastic fans cheered on their favorite finalists as they competed for their spot in the Grand Finals 8/11/2015.

DJ Alex Updike kept everyone rocking in between performances as excitement was in the air. 6 semi finalists performed 2 songs each for our celebrity judges- Jesse Tostado from P.Lab Productions, vocalist and musician Giorg Tierez, plus Derek Jordan Gregg, Sean Poe and Matt Styler from The Hive Minds. As the votes were tallied the audience enjoyed a special comedic performance from Matthew Maloney.

Huge nod to ALL of our Semi Finalists who gave fantastic performances: Porsia Smith, Avenida, Marco Thoma, Trenches, Solus Lupus, and Ol’ Doc Rickenbeck.

The top 3 contestants who will be moving on the the Grand Finals are: Avenida, Ol’ Doc Rickenbeck, and Porsia Smith.

Congratulations to you all! Come out and see these talented performers at the Grand Finals Tuesday 8/11/2015 at Schmidy’s Tavern in Palm Desert. The show begins at 8pm and our Grand Finalists will be competing for a $500 trip to Las Vegas from Crater Lake Spirits, an Artist Development

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Workshop from Producer Ronnie King, and 8 hours of studio time plus a mix and master from JEM Productions. I hope to see you all next Tuesday for our Semi Finals #2 where our second set of 6 performers will compete. Don’t miss the excitement! Look for coverage of this week’s event and the announcement of winners in the next issue of Coachella Valley Weekly!

SPECIAL THANKS to all of our amazing sponsors: JEM Productions, Ronnie King Music, Crater Lake Spirits, KAM Studios, CV Weekly, Canyon Copy & Print, DJ Alex Updike, and the Mary Pickford Theatre.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Our next session will begin Tuesday 8/18/2015 and will be open to ALL AGES and YOU may compete EVERY week! PLUS Schmidy’s has a HOUSE DRUM SET you can use! PLEASE NOTE: Due to our overwhelming number of interested performers, sign in starts at 7pm and will be closed at 7:45pm. BRING YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY and FANS and note that the competition usually ends by 10:30pm so be sure your friends and family know to stay until the end to voice their vote!!! For questions or information about sign-up, please “LIKE” and see Facebook.com/CVOpenMicCompetition or contact creator and host, Morgan James at MorganAliseJames@Gmail.com or text/call (714) 651-1911

ou may not have heard much about the “Epoch Momentous” movement, but if founder Abel Lujan has anything to say about it, that will not last long. As an emcee himself, Lujan has experienced firsthand the difficulties of branching out and finding recognition in the Coachella Valley, and knows that many other talented performers are struggling in the same way. That is one of the motivations behind Lujan’s Anthology Festival; he has a desire to provide platforms for emerging artists to not only perform on, but thrive on as well. And he does not plan on stopping here. His goal is to take what he is doing musically and move it beyond the confines of the Coachella Valley into Los Angeles and beyond. But all great movements have a starting point. For Lujan, that starting point was Thursday night at Plan B Live Entertainment and Cocktails in Thousand Palms.

The night started off on a shaky note due to a few sound issues... mainly getting it to work.

But then again, anyone who has experienced any sort of musical event probably should not be surprised at such a delay. The night eventually kicked off with local band Nuclear Cowboys, comprised of members Marco Thoma (drums/rapper), Mike “Sick Boy,” (lead guitar/ lead vocals) and Dave Strauss (bass). Describing themselves as a “punk, country, and rockabilly” type of band, Nuclear Cowboys started off the evening with a mellower punk rock sound and, as any self-respecting punk/country/rockabilly band would undoubtedly do, moved straight into a cover of the Jay-Z classic “99 Problems.”

The switch worked well, and the crowd enjoyed Thoma’s rendition as he showed off his ability to simultaneously play the drums and rap. Even though the band plays mostly covers at this point, they were adamant that they are not a cover band. Original pieces are in the works, but as the band has only been together for about a month and half, fans are simply going to have to wait. “We want every show to be a party,” the Cowboys said. And as the lead act of the Anthology Festival, they did an excellent job.

Following the Nuclear Cowboys was the undoubted highlight of the evening, singer and Open Call at the McCallum winner, Brianna Finnell. Finnell sang three songs which

beautifully exhibited her range and vocal ability.

She started her set off with the Journey classic “Don’t Stop Believing,” then moved into “Sabor a mi,” a beautiful piece sung in Spanish. She finished her night with the theatrical number “Glitter and be Gay,” a high-energy, entertaining piece which allowed Finnell to show off her ability to hit the high notes. Finnell, who recently performed in Les Miserables at the McCallum Theater and sings at Oscars and the Hyatt Hotel in Palm Springs, is heading to UC Irvine this summer on a full-ride vocal scholarship. After hearing her sing, nobody should doubt why.

Finnell exhibited a smooth and classical voice which made listening to her both relaxing and a pure joy.

Following Finnell was a lineup of mostly local rap artists. While many were talented, one that stood out was freestyle artist Solus Lupus, who highlighted his set by freestyling about a beer someone had left on stage and then, consequently, chugging it. The rapper, who goes by Solus Lupus because it is Latin for “lone wolf,” believes he is one of a dying breed, as he raps about the profit of knowledge and experience rather than the profit of money or women. His lyrics prove this. Surrounded by a line-up of talented, yet often times stereotypical lyricists, Solus Lupus showed depth and heart in his music, made all the more impressive by the fact that it was all coming straight off the top of his head.

Overall the night was an enjoyable experience. Rap groups Kaus & Efect, Lost Age Gang, and Action Pack Music, along with solo rappers Insane Rhetoric and Scoonz, as well as musical acts Porsia Camille and Razor J all performed. “We want to inspire people to make the most of their God-given talents,” Lujan said, and “we want to make people happy.”

Congratulations Mr. Lujan, you did just that.

August 6 to August 12, 2015

Photo and article By esther sanchez

Higher Heights

Socially Conscience, Spiritually Uplifting

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eggae music is alive and well in the Coachella Valley. Some may find it surprising that our little desert metropolis would foster island music of true quality. Those of us who have experienced local favorites such as Tribe-O and Irie Junction are well aware that reggae is yet another genre that is thriving on our local scene. It hasn’t been much longer than a year since Higher Heights played their first, official gig. During that time, desert music fans have started taking notice, and they have a new single that might just demand your attention.

Consisting of band members, Mike Fernandez (lead vox, guitar and lyricist), Adrian Fernandez (drums), Mario Quintero (bass) and Juan Rivera (congas), Higher Heights is currently in a period of transition. Rivera is a new addition to the band and the position of lead guitarist is temporarily being filled by highly sought-after talent, Alex A., whom the group is thrilled to have as a part of the family for as long as he sees fit.

Bassist, Mario Quintenero, a self-taught guitarist and son of a professional trumpet player from Mexico, started with the band during their infantile stages through informal jam-sessions.

As time passed and relationships strengthened, they arrived at a point of realization that, if they were going to be a band, they needed a bassist.

That’s when Mike and Adrian asked Quintero if he would be interested in learning the bass... which he did.

Quintero: “I am really proud to be a part of this project. Mike has written so many songs that have depth and come from the heart. Every song means something and that was a big part of why I wanted to be a part of Higher Heights” With their ever-expanding catalog of original songs, combined with solid musicianship and a healthy dose of charisma…Higher Heights has been attracting attention. Currently, they are preparing to release their newest single, “Indian on the Mountain” which was produced by our desert’s best-known music producer and proud, Coachella Valley native, Ronnie King.

For those of you who aren’t in the know, Mr. King, (founder of Ronnie King Music/cofounder of Ronnie King Entertainment) is a Multi-Platinum, Diamond Certified (more than 10 million sold) Oscar and Grammy Nominated producer, composer, arranger, musician and philanthropist. King has a ridiculously impressive list of professional credits that is definitely worth googling. An international success with the heart of a local boy, Ronnie King has far from forgotten from whence he came. Introduced to front-man,

Mike Fernandez by mutual a mutual friend, he was enthusiastic and intrigued by what he discovered.

King: “Fernandez wrote this epic song, “Indian on the Mountain”. The idea behind this collaboration, to my knowledge has never been done. It’s a rare find if anything. We combined reggae with authentic, Native American birdchants sung by, Mike M. that were respectfully executed and integrated into a new sound that combines the spirit of both worlds represented.

As a producer, I really enjoyed being a part of this experience.”

I hung out with Higher Heights at the property of mutual friends, the beautiful, Lovelight Ranch in Sky Valley. While enjoying some of the most breathtaking scenery our valley has to offer, we listened to music, spoke about life and enjoyed delicious food provided by the band’s manager/promoter and general support-system, Mercedes Fernandez who is also the wife of front-man, Mike Fernandez and mother of drummer, Adrian. I asked Adrian about how he ended up making music with his father.

Adrian Fernandez: “When I was 16 my Pops gave me his old guitar and taught me the basics.

I learned guitar and bass on my own from there.

Eventually, he got me a drum-machine and I learned a lot from using that and wanted to pursue it further so when I got some tax money I bought my own drum-kit. It was at that point that we started pulling something together and doing shows.”

While chatting with Mike, I wanted to know what it means to him having his son in the band and his wife so closely involved with the business end.

Mike Fernandez: “Of course it means a lot to me to have my son as a member of my band. It also seems to mean a lot to others...to see the cooperation and connection between father and son...that we have a common goal….” Fernandez continues: “...and Mercedes handles all of the promotion, booking and PR...I don’t even have to worry about any of it. Her work and the sacrifices she makes are what allow me to do all of the creative work I need to do for the band.”

Those of us who are fans of Higher Heights are thankful to Mrs. Fernandez for allowing her boys the time and space to continue to spread peace and promote unity through their music. Experience Indian on the Mountain, and everything else Higher Heights has to offer by following them on facebook! facebook.com/ higherheightsmusic

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August 6 to August 12, 2015

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Eleni P. Austin

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The DREAM SYNDICATE

nyone who came of age in Los Angeles in the late 70s/early 80s experienced a musical renaissance that was mostly underground. Of course Punk Rock was invented in the bowels of New York and exploded in Great Britain, but it thrived in L.A. Maybe all that smoggy sunshine provided an energizing boost of vitamin D. Pioneering Punk bands like X, the Weirdos, the Plugz, Fear and the Germs began making names for themselves in unlikely venues like the Masque and Madam Wong’s. Some bands were inspired by the D.I.Y. ethos of Punk, less so by the nihilistic style. So they began creating new sounds.

As the ‘80s began, the music scene was as sprawling as the city itself. From the skinny tie Power Pop of the Knack, the Nerves, the Plimsouls and 20/20, the Roots-Rock of The Blasters and Los Lobos, the Blues/Jazz/ Psychobilly mash-up of the Flesh Eaters, the thrashy R&B of Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs to the Post-Punk/Cow-Punk of the Gun Club.

Diving head first into this sweaty musical mosh pit were four bands that became loosely known as the Paisley Underground.

The Bangs (later the Bangles), the Salvation Army, who, following threat of legal action from the venerable charity organization became the Three O’Clock, the Rain Parade and the Dream Syndicate, all took their musical cues from ‘60s Psychedelia and Garage Rock.

While the music of the Bangles, Rain Parade and the Three O’Clock hewed more closely to sunshiny antecedents like Love, the Merry- Go-Round and the Byrds, the Dream Syndicate’s inspirations took on a darker hue. Nico, the Velvet Underground and Neil Young’s backing band, Crazy Horse, were early touchstones.

The Dream Syndicate was the brain child of Steve Wynn. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he formed a couple of bands as an under-grad studying at UC Davis. The Suspects, which featured future Syndicate bass player, Kendra Smith, and 15 Minutes

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

8

“The Days Of Wine And Roses” (Omnivore Records)

with Russ Tolman and Gavin Blair. They would go on to found the critically acclaimed San Francisco band, True West.

An English major, Wynn returned to Los Angeles, along with Smith to finish his college studies at UCLA. It was there that he met two more English majors, guitarist Karl Precoda and drummer Dennis Duck. All three clicked musically. When Kendra Smith came on board, The Dream Syndicate was born.

By February 1982, the band performed their first show at Club Lingerie in Hollywood.

A self-released, four song EP quickly followed.

The band signed with the indie label, Slash, and their first full-length, The Days Of Wine And Roses appeared later that year.

The Dream Syndicate had a mercurial seven year run. There were myriad personnel changes, Kendra Smith left after their debut and Karl Precoda made it through the second LP, Medicine Show and another EP, This Is Not The New Dream Syndicate Album…

Live, before giving notice. Wynn and Duck soldiered on with other players, recording two more studio albums, Out Of The Grey and Ghost Stories. A final live recording, Live At Raji’s served as their epitaph.

During their heyday, The Dream Syndicate never sky-rocketed up the charts. Really the only Paisley band to manage that feat was the Bangles. But the cognoscenti understood the power of the band, and so did future generations.

Roxy Music-ian and producer, Brian Eno famously quipped that the first Velvet Underground album sold less than 30,000 copies but every person who bought the album started their own band. That applies to The Dream Syndicate as well. Several groups, (Pixies, Nirvana and American Music Club) have fallen under their spell.

Unfortunately, most of their catalog has been out of print for years. Luckily the folks at Omnivore Records have just re-issued the Dream Syndicate’s full-length debut, The Days Of Wine And Roses.

Consider This

Just as Rhino Records did in the ‘80s, Omnivore is a label that painstakingly reissues classics, curating under-appreciated gems and worthy music that has seemed to slip through the cracks. The label was founded by music industry veterans. Cheryl Pawelski, Brad Rosenberger, Greg Allen and Dutch Gamblitt, are music aficionados first, executives second. That’s a rare combination.

“Tell Me When It’s Over” opens the record with an authoritative drum crack.

The song creates a template for the whole album. Grinding rhythm guitar, stutter-stop drums and roiling bass lines provide ballast for Precoda’s meandering lead guitar riffs.

Steve Wynn’s vocals are a perfect distillation of twentysomething ennui; “and I really don’t know,” he admits, “cause I don’t want to know, tell me when it’s over.”

The next three tracks kick out the jams in all the right ways. Feedback squeal signals the beginning of “Definitely Clean.” The minimalist melody is fueled by a manic boinging backbeat and rubbery bass lines. Guitars skitter and careen in concentric circles Wynn demands some honest answers all the while protesting, “I’m not worried ‘bout you, why should I be?”

Ominous “Boris The Spider” bass scales propel “That’s What You Always Say.” Slashing power chords overlap with slithery rhythm guitar riffs and a punishing beat.

Nearly a minute elapses before the vocals kick in. Wynn launches into a cryptic rant over a lover’s suspected infidelity. Precoda’s dissonant solo, drenched in feedback, underscores the singer’s anger and betrayal.

On “Then She Remembers” locomotive rhythms and squalling guitars mirror a desperate scenario. The lyrics offer opaque details of physical exploitation at the hands of an abusive father; “Textbook case of a mistreated daughter, who’s been told of some better options/She agrees but she can’t forget her father.”

Steve Wynn relinquishes the spotlight on a couple of tracks, “Halloween” and “Too Little, Too Late.” The former is a Karl Precoda composition. Tentative guitar chords swirl, as the instrumentation slowly builds into a midtempo groove. Guitar textures pivot, buzzing like a stoned bee one second, scaling back to delicate arpeggios the next. Spooky shards of feedback collide with wobbly, thereminesque notes. Wynn’s vocals weave in and out, appropriately forboding and sepulchral.

The result is haunting and spectral.

Kendra Smith takes the reins on the latter.

Dreamy and contemplative, it’s a conscious break from the frenetic pace of the rest of the LP. Smith’s blasé vocals channel the same sort of Teutonic detachment that made Nico such a provocative chanteuse. Precoda’s subtle slide notes bend and ache, echoing the lyrics’ sadness and despair.

Other interesting tracks include “When You Smile.” Feedback screeches and curdles

art Scene

August 6 to August 12, 2015

by Angela Valente Romeo

Amadea Bailey – Theft and Abstraction

I

had an extraordinary childhood.” That is how Artist Amadea Bailey introduces herself to the world. That childhood laid her path to becoming a well-respected abstract artist. “I was born in Germany. From the ages of 5-10 I lived in Kenya. It was a sensual life where everything and anything seemed possible,” continued Amadea.

Those years of unfettered freedom and adventure made an indelible mark on her.

It was Yale University that she discovered her true passion for art. “A retrospective of Claude Monet’s water lilies at the Museum of Modern Art in New York transported me.

The vast expanses of color, the abstract forms swirling and unfolding,” Amadea explains. “I knew that my life was meant to explore the bold richness of abstraction.”

Her work has many layers to it. (One cannot look at a painting and not see what lies outside the canvas.) “I prefer large-scale work because it allows me to move across the surface. By working on larger format my work becomes a dance with me. My work is order out of chaos - I enter a world of space and matter, building up my canvases with color and texture, recapturing the freedom and movement of my African childhood.”

Amadea’s work has been featured in galleries and museums. In March 2013 she was part of the Yin Yang Exhibition at Gallery 446, Palm Springs. “I do like to see people experience my work. Art is to be shared and enjoyed. ” But sharing art does not mean stealing the art. “My house was broken into when I was out of town and took TEN of my paintings were taken. I believe this person knew me and was intentionally after my work. I am hoping that one day I will see my paintings again,” said a visibly shaken Amadea. “

for nearly a minute before Wynn begins singing and adding his gunslinger rhythm guitar flourishes. Duck and Smith’s tandem timekeeping kick in, locking into a loping, see-saw rhythm.

“Until Lately” is a dizzying 180 degree sea change. Rumbling bass lines connect with a slinky hi-hat beat and Wynn’s laconic vocals. It’s nervous Jazz until Precoda’s guitar leaps into the fray, adding fractious guitar pyrotechnics along with folksy harmonica runs. Fittingly, the song shuffles to conclusion, collapsing into a sweaty shambolic heap.

The album closes with the epic title cut.

A jittery, caffeinated backbeat and rumbling bass lines anchor the proceedings. Precoda pulls out all the stops, his guitar alternately surfs, scorches, twangs, jangles and wahwahs, it’s a tour-de-force. Wynn’s vocals match the instrumental intensity as he sketches out a pulp fiction narrative.

Back in 1982, that is where the Dream Syndicate left the listener, but Omnivore being Omnivore, the label had to include some special extras. Dennis Duck discovered a lost rehearsal cassette and the label did a little sonic clean-up. These songs are presented here for the first time ever.

Two of the tracks, “Outside The Dream Syndicate” and “Like Mary” were recorded in early 1982, right after the band formed.

The remaining tracks, “Is It Rolling, Bob?” “A Reason,” “Still Holding Onto You” and “Armed With An Empty Gun,” came together in December, 1982, and offers a fascinating glimpse at what “Medicine Show” might have sounded like had the original line-up stayed remained intact.

It’s astonishing to note that The Days Of Wine And Roses was recorded in three eight hour sessions that lasted from 12am to 8am, taking place in between the band member’s regular jobs. This nearly perfect album was produced by Chris D. (ne’ Desjardins), the Punk Rock Poet and visionary front man for seminal L.A. bands like the Flesh Eaters and The Divine Horseman.

By parsing the past, The Dream Syndicate predicted the future. They rarely get the credit, but critical darlings like Parquet Courts and Ought, crib liberally from The Dream Syndicate playbook. 33 years later, The Days Of Wine And Roses and Dream Syndicate are still head of the times.

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“I would like everyone to see images of the work so they can be recognized. You never know where the work could end up: a staged home, auction house, on a TV show or movie, flea market......anywhere. Please let me know if you think you recognize any of these paintings. . Three of the paintings are part of a body of work I have been working on for a long time: Free Spirit, Rockstar, and Footsteps. To see one’s work and livelihood stolen is a surreal unsettling experience. ” If you should see the works, please contact Amadea through her website. For more about Amadea and her work, visit www.amadeabailey.com.

9

August 6 to August 12, 2015

PET PLACE

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by Janet McAfee

Superstars Milissa and Delila

T

he small Pomeranian mix dog was out of time at the San Bernardino County shelter at Devore. One of the most adorable dogs I’ve ever seen, she was on the 4th day of availability with no adopter or rescue. I wondered why she was not adopted until I noticed her head slightly shaking. Loving All Animals, my rescue group, recently saved another dog that had a foxtail imbedded inside her ear, and I suspected this dog had the same condition.

If so, a simple surgical procedure could correct it. I named the five pound spunky pup Delila, and we made the joyful freedom ride back to the Coachella Valley.

The vet removed a total of five foxtails from Delila’s ears. This evidence suggests the stray dog was out in the desolate fields and tough streets of San Bernardino for quite some time. It soon became apparent Delila was an amazing little dog, with a giant Alpha attitude that rivaled none. She quickly established her placement as “leader of the pack” taking charge of other canines she encountered. I believe her Alpha attitude and “tough girl” body language kept Delila alive in a community where large stray dogs and predators abound.

Delila bullied my mother’s 40 pound Cattle dog, such that Jessie cowered under the bed during our visits. At adoption events, she took a defiant stance with the dogs of prospective adopters. Preferring the company of humans, Delila was a precious gem who would melt lovingly into your arms.

We concluded Delila would do best in a “only dog” household. One prospective adopter was sure Delila could successfully join her home with 2 other rescue pups, only to call two days later with a desperate plea the dogs were not getting along. Delila came back.

Milissa Meyer was grieving the loss of her precious dog Amy. She was decidedly not in the market to adopt another one.

Ignoring her comments, I handed her Delila at the Draft Horse Ranch Yappy Hour. Milissa recalls, “When I met Delila she looked at me as if to say ‘please take me home’ and wrapped her paws around my neck. We are the perfect match. When I wake up in the morning and look into her eyes, all my disappointments go away and I’m filled with joy. I love this dog so much, and she always has her eye on me. When I look at Delila, I

I

Cute Cosmo This adorable 5-moold kitten has several things on her wish list…. good food, toys, catnip, belly rubs, and a loving home with you! Rescued

by Loving All Animals.

Contact (760) 834-7000.

Sweetheart Sammy This loving, long-legged Chi mix prances like a ballerina.

This 1-yr-old girl came back to Loving All Animals when her human died suddenly.

Sammy hopes for a happy new home. Adoption donation. (760) 834-7000

10

by Rick Riozza

No longer in the dark with Dark Horse Wine

feel a flutter in my heart. It’s as if we were meant to be together.”

Milissa went on a casting call for Altura Credit Union, and named Loving All Animals as her favorite charity when she was chosen.

This gorgeous duo were featured in Altura’s televised commercials across the country promoting both Altura’s services and Loving All Animals’ rescue of homeless pets. Delila and Milissa beam down from billboards throughout Riverside County. Altura Credit Union presented Loving All Animals a check for $5,000 to help us save more animals

like Delila. Delila’s stardom is all the more amazing considering her survival on the streets and narrow rescue from the shelter with only minutes to go.

For more information about rescue dogs and cats contact Loving All Animals at www. lovingallanimals.org or (760) 834-7000.

Jmcafee7@verizon.net

August 6 to August 12, 2015

know I’m a little behind the wine times with this article on Dark Horse Wine.

I’ve heard that maybe a year or so ago Trader Joe’s Market was an exclusive seller of the stuff—but come to think of it, I haven’t been to Trader Joe’s in over a year! And I know they’ve always had such good deals on wine—especially with Italian wine imports.

Well, life happens—there you go.

Anyway back to the subject of Dark Horse Wine. Just last winter, their line of reasonably priced wines showed up on the shelves—at around $9. I remember a vacationing English lady in my wine department taking notice of this new brand, and it almost startled her that a wine would be named as such. “Dark Horse!” she sounded off, “Do you know what that means!?”

Well—I always understood that term to refer to an unlikely person or thing becoming successful or winning a competition or something. The way the lady put it, it sounded that maybe there was a “darker” meaning—if you will. I really wanted to ask her what she really meant—like perhaps in British jargon, a macabre connotation. But I was scared to sound like a dupe.

So pretty much every time I walk by this wine, I replay that brief conversation. What’s up with that!

Lisa Zelka is the sale representative for Wine Warehouse, one of the major wine and spirits distributors in California. She is a very lovely and amiable person who I love talking wine with. Her company distributes Dark Horse. So of course I’m curious about this line up of wines. At Haggen in Rancho Mirage, we carry their Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Red Blend, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

I’m eager to taste these wines so I can talk about them to our customers. As a wine steward, we are expected to know the products we offer. With wine labels exploding on the market, we stewards are almost under the gun to stay on top of our game. Often times, we’ll spend a day at the distributor’s offices tasting from their wine portfolio.

But we can only taste so much—and I can purchase only so many bottles without going into debt!

We look for added assistance by way of sampling individual bottles on our time off. In charge of a thousand label wine selection, every so often, I’ll request these wine samples. Some wine distributors out there think they’re doing us a favor—like they’re treating us to their wine. The smarter distributors know better: It’s our trusted and personal recommendation that the customers rely on to try new and different wines.

Lisa absolutely understands that and was eager to get me to sample these Dark Horse wines. Due to unexpected circumstances, it took a little longer than I had wished—or

maybe I was just becoming anxious with this dark horse thing.

I did my homework and found out that Dark Horse is a new label from the Gallo wine company. And we know that it is one of the biggest and most powerful wine companies in America—which means they certainly know how to produce a wine that is going to please. To boot, they generated over 50,000 cases in their first year. That certainly doesn’t fit any “dark horse” I know.

Anyway, I just tried the wines, and I’m pleased to recommend them to the wine buying folk who wish for a tasty table wine and a great price. Currently, all of Dark Horse varietals are on sale for $7.99 at Haggen. A definite bargain when picking up four or more bottles.

Dark Horse Chardonnay: A delicious chard for the price; indeed, it’s what I refer to as one of the biggest-bang-for-the-buck.

You’ll not find such a luscious and round white wine at this price range. It has really bright flavors of apricot and peach along with rich flavors of baked apple and pear, layered with toasted oak, brown spice with a smooth, lingering finish.

I enjoyed this wine with salt and pepper roasted turkey wings—delish!

As to the reds. My personal favorite is the Dark Horse Red Blend. It’s got all that California red and blue fruit going on that we love in a blend, while actually being a mix of Malbec, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Merlot sourced from Argentina, California and Australia!

Again, the winemakers at Gallo show they can really put together a wonderful wine to match any of the California red blends at the $15 to $20 range. This wine owns deep flavors of dark berry and black current. The tannins are easy with hints of dark roasted oak leading to a long finish. I hate to beat a dead horse, but I’m telling you, at this $7.99 price—it’s the deal of the season.

The other two reds are the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Merlot. The Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon has really bold flavors of blackberry and black cherry with medium tannins, brown spice and a dark chocolate espresso finish. The winery says: “This Cabernet Wine was carefully aged to develop dark fruit flavors and dark roast aromas.”

The Dark Horse Merlot has really robust flavors of jammy dark fruit layered with toasted oak, molasses and brown spice with a long full finish. “This Merlot wine was carefully aged to develop dark fruit flavors and mocha aromas.”

For you wine aficionados who just read between the lines in my Cab and Merlot descriptions, it was my polite way of describing “fruit bombs”. Now I’m quite aware there are bunches of you vino lovers who love the fruit forward wines that California can produce. If so, these are the wines to buy right now! You’ll love them and you’ll love the price For those of us who love a more subtle and complex wine, no worries. The “secret” to enjoying well-made wine that starts off as “fruit bombs” is to simply aerate them in a large decanter for a day or two in or out of the fridge. Wildly out-of-the-barn, Dark Horse Cabs and Merlots came back. Cheers!

11

August 6 to August 12, 2015

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­­THUR AUGUST 6

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VIBE; MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951755-5391 The Rick Whitfield Band 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 TBA 5:30pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-3285955 Michael Keeth 6-10pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 TBA 9pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Yve Evans 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Girl’s Night Out w/ The Men on the Hollywood Strip 9pm

SAT AUGUST 8 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Beverly Derby 6pm 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 9pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 DJ Don Cesar noon poolside, Stronghold Reggae 10pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm 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 Jesika Von Rabbit and The Voodoo Organist 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Hollace and The Dirty X’s 9pm open 6pm-2am 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 DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm 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 The Sweat Act, Pocket Yellow and The Hive Minds 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Bill Ramirez 6:30pm 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 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 Kool Breeze 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-999-1995 TBA 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; 760327-4080 JB & The Charm School Band 9pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 John Garcia and Waxy 9pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2281199 TBA 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Sunday Funeral 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Abby Hawkins Band 9pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-3278311 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 7pm, Sidebar Patio 7pm, Hot Wyre Sidebar Lounge 10pm ROCKYARD @ FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; Playground and Bonfire (AC/DC Tribute) 7:30pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 R Buckle Road 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-3229293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-7771601 Smooth Brothers 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SIDEWINDER GRILL; DHS; 760-329-

August 6 to August 12, 2015

7929 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 VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Rob & JB 1:30-4:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 8pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-3285955 Courtney Chambers 6pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 8pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Stanley Butler Band 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJs 9pm

SUN AUGUST 9 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bob Garcia 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 DJ Induce noon poolside, Slacker Sundays w/ Matt Harris 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Jazz Brunch 11:30am AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 The Judy Show 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Motown, R&B and Funk 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Steve Madaio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888-999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm 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 THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 2nd Annual Summer Showdown Battle of the Bands 6pm continue to page 17

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August 6 to August 12, 2015

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Book Review

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By Heidi Simmons

There is a Price for the Choices We Make

W

e all know it’s a bitch getting old.

It takes a concerted effort and a positive attitude to deal with aging in a healthy way. After all, it can’t be stopped, so we must cope. In David Gates’ collection of 11 short stories and a novella, A Hand Reached Down To Guide Me (Knopf, 318 pages), when it comes to getting older, some people are better at it than others.

Gates’ characters are intelligent and artistic people who just can’t seem to get their shit together no matter how many decades pass.

The book starts with the novella, “Banishment,” in which a woman recalls her life. A Yale graduate, she marries a younger co-worker at her first job at Newsweek. The marriage doesn’t last -- even after bringing other women into their bed to make it interesting. She leaves her husband after having an affair with a man 20 years her senior. She marries the older man. They live an isolated life as both pursue their art – he a painter, she a writer, but she never finishes writing a book.

She finally leaves her ailing, aging husband for his daughter and the two live less than happily ever after in a small rural town at minimum wage jobs. So much for an Ivy League education and subsequent career. For the protagonist, it’s a series of self-destructive choices – a little weed, some heroine and a few too many affairs -- then suddenly she’s old.

She says: “Sooner or later, and in my case I hope later, you’ll have to look at exactly who you were and everything you did, and it’s going to be a shitshow.” Now in her fifties, she feels invisible to

August 6 to August 12, 2015

A Hand reached down to guide me By david gates Novella

others and she still can’t see her own life or a way to happiness.

In, “George Lassos Moon,” Carl is busted for drugs and driving under the influence near his hometown with a young girl and must call his beloved Aunt Lissa to bail him out. He hasn’t visited in years. Aunt Lissa and her husband raised Carl and his brother Henry after their parents died in a car accident. Carl was six. Aunt Lissa’s husband has died, and his older, resentful brother lives on the hill behind the house.

The brother doesn’t understand what happened to Carl’s life. Why can’t he get it together? Why use drugs and alcohol? He turned out okay.

The sweet Aunt does her best to help and all Carl can do is be mean. His Aunt says: “You still make the mistake of thinking you can see everyone and no one can see you. It was cute when you were six.” In his mid forties, about to go before a judge, he still can’t control his impulses. He wants to run away, chase tail and leave his Aunt paying for the gas.

“Locals,” is about a young man from a successful

family who leaves college and joins his hippy brother in upstate New York. Doing odd jobs to survive, he realizes he has become a businessman.

Now a successful contractor, he is dependent on local hires. When he stops a fight at a funeral, he realizes the locals have become his family as well -- and, he’s been in the town for forty years.

In the final and title story, “A Hand Reached Down to Guide Me,” Paul Thompson is a legend as a bluegrass mandolin player who, when young, becomes unlikely friends with the protagonist.

Years later, when they reconnect, Paul asks his buddy if he can come to his farm to die. The protagonist and his new girlfriend agree and they are with Paul to the end. The protagonist, who is now in his sixties, discovers that life has to be lived in the present.

In all of the stories there are common denominators: sex – older men with younger women, drugs (marijuana and alcohol), infidelity, professors who teach at community colleges, dead parents, a feeling of being invisible and more infidelity.

The majority of the collection covers the varying character’s lives for decades. They are not just middle age, but also old age. This makes the stories intriguing. It’s rare to consider a lifetime, what it all means and how it affects the lives of others.

Clearly, Gates is working something out about the choices we make and the way our paths bend as a result. Mistakes are not only made when young, but even at fifty, sixty or seventy. Gates might not call bad choices “mistakes.” It’s simply a choice.

Most of the characters in the book are writers or artists who have given up on their dreams. The

various narrators lose sight of their ambition, lofty goals and all that is sacred -- basically to get laid.

They are intelligent and educated people who should know and do better, but don’t. But maybe Gates is asking what is better? How should life be?

They majority of the stories are told in first person, and yet we get very little insight into their self-destructive motivations. I appreciate reading about despicable and self-loathing people as long as they try to redeem themselves or discover their flaw. In A Hand Reached Down to Guide Me, most are too intellectual to see how to manage change.

I think if these stories were placed in reverse order, it would have more impact as a whole, giving insight to what contributes or constitutes to a fulfilling life. When we finally look at the narrative of our lives, there’s rarely a hand to guide us.

Joshua Tree to Host film International Film Festival

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14

bevvy of films, industry professionals and celebrities will convene in the Hi-Desert during the Joshua Tree International Film Festival, set for September 18-20, 2015 in Joshua Tree, CA. With over 60 films (features and shorts), a Red-Carpet Opening Night Gala, confirmed celebrity guests and the presentation of 7 JTIFF Awards to Outstanding Film Makers, the 3-day event has something for everyone. For schedules and information, visit the Official website, JTIFF.org, or call 760-424-6861.

Set in the internationally recognized artsy community, and against the mesmerizing beauty of Joshua Tree National Park, the event is a first for the Hi-Desert region, and is being produced

by Eric Quander. Of the event, Quander says, “The festival marks a turning point of sorts for our village. With over 1.6 million tourists visiting annually, this event will give folks another reason to stop for a while, and check all we have to offer.” Film makers and audiences are expected from all over, including: Japan, Africa and all parts of Europe. Films will be screened at 7 different venues throughout Downtown JT, and festivities go on until midnight.

Event organizers are collaborating with local organizations to widen its appeal. On Saturday, in association with Mil-Tree, the powerful documentary about a Vietnam Veteran and his journey to healing himself and his community, Stray Dog, will debut; JT Pride is hosting a block of LGBTQ friendly films, while 29 Excursions welcomes the critically acclaimed, An American Descent, about the first African-American team to climb Mount Denali. There still many volunteer and sponsorship opportunities available and festival administrators welcome your interest.

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August 6 to August 12, 2015

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Movie Reviews with Robin E. Simmons

ON BEING ALIVE

Screeners No.176

PICK OF THE WEEK:

A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE It’s hard to describe the brilliant, life-affirming films of Swedish director Roy Anderson. It’s easy to say his films are comprised of snippets of seemingly unrelated moments showing ordinary people going about their often-benign lives.

But that’s not really fair because his films are so meticulously constructed and crafted, the resulting accumulation of images and scenes triggers an oddly exhilarating emotion. It’s a powerful virtual experience that embeds itself into one’s own and rises at unexpected moments days, weeks, even years later. Does that make sense?

I was profoundly moved by Anderson’s last film, the perfectly titled YOU, THE LIVING, and have thought of it hundreds if not thousands of times since seeing it several years ago. His films seem to have no agenda but to show us in a fresh way the awe, wonder and strange paradoxes of existence itself, even at its most banal.

As a species, it’s nice to be of reminded of fleeting moments an emotions so ephemeral, yet shared by the entire human family.

The always-static camera and the muted pastel colors of the artfully designed sets in which actors made their uniquely

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MON AUGUST 10

choreographed moves mesmerized me. The subtle ambient sounds further enhanced every scene.

Anderson’s latest masterpiece again lives up to the title. Metaphorically speaking, the entire film is as if a pigeon on a branch views human life. An image established in a museum exhibit near the beginning.

The story, such as it is, is kind of built around Sam and Jonathan, two sad-sack salesmen peddling novelty trinkets. This wondrous existential comedy quivers between the comic and the tragic, the grand and the minute, the essential and the hackneyed. I love how Sam and Jonathan meander through a dreamlike landscape of absurdist episodes that penetrate and spotlight the human condition. Are they manifestations of Don Quixote of Sancho Panza or perhaps Beckett’s Vladimir and Estragon? Or are they a variation of Stan and Ollie?

The surprise and delight of the scenes and images, some horrific others darkly comic, are part of the panorama of life itself -- the essence of being is on the screen. It’s all a brilliant tapestry that resonates in a deep place. At least it did for me.

This non-narrative film is not for everyone, but it is a great example of a movie as art. It’s by far the most provocative film unspooling anywhere at the moment.

And these moments are all we ever have.

Now showing at Palm Desert’s Cinemas Palme d’Or.

VACATION And now, for the other end of the wit spectrum…

How sad it was to see -- or rather endure -- such a monstrously unfunny reboot of a beloved and iconic comedy that has been embraced across generations since it was first released in 1983.

Harold Ramis’ big hit was adapted by John Hughes based on his original short story, “Vacation ‘58” in the National Lampoon. Who can forget Chevy Chase and Ellen Barkin packing the kids in the Wagon Queen Family Truckster and heading off to California’s most famous amusement park in a series of disastrously funny set-pieces all due to dad’s crazed optimism driving an insane determination to force his family to have a shared memory and bonding experience.

The new and decidedly grim aberration of the much-loved original plays on the good will of audiences. But beware: the tone is decidedly different. As written and directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (co writers of the dud THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE, and intermittently funny HORRIBLE BOSSES 1 & 2), the movies seems to emphasize sexual molestation of kids and vile gags for its humor.

Ed Helms plays a grown up Rusty Griswold who tells his wife (Christina Applegate) that instead of their usual cabin vacation in Michigan, he wants to recreate his childhood road trip to Walley World.

Realistically, it makes no sense that he would even want to do this, the original trip being such a huge disaster. But Rusty mainly thinks it will revive their marital bliss.

The two young sibling brothers -- Skyler Gisondo and Steele Stebbins, especially the latter – are naturals, in spite of the awkwardly staged and revolting attempts at humor the script demands. (I use the word ‘humor’ here very loosely since fecal matter and vomit vie for attention.) The brief cameo of a visibly bloated Chevy Chase and near silent Beverly D’Angelo further saddened me.

I did kind of like the next generation Griswolds’ choice method of transportation -- the “Tartan Prancer,” or as Rusty calls it, “the Honda of Albania. The mutant hybrid has two gas tanks and a zany assortment of dangerous key-fob controls. But it’s a very long, unpleasant haul amidst a stream of

gross gags that finally goes nowhere. I was relieved when this barely funny, cringeinducing road trip was over. Now playing.

NEW FOR THE HOME THEATER:

MISSISSIPPI MERMAID I had just finished screening Francois Truffaut’s 1969 Hitchcock-like twisty romantic thriller that takes place on Reunion Island, a remote place far off the coast of Madagascar, and one I had never heard of, when the news of a piece of a Boeing 777 wing debris, likely a piece of long missing Malaysian Flight 370, was found on the same island. It was a strange coincidence perfectly fitting the movie’s central mystery in which plantation owner Jean Paul Belmondo’s beautiful mail order bride (Catherine Deneuve) may not be what or whom she seems. In fact, she’s probably worse. Based on Cornell Woolrich’s “Waltz Into Darkness,” Truffaut’s dazzling, romantic, color noir is compelling and satisfying. It was filmed on Reunion Island locations, a nice touch of authenticity. I had no idea where the story was going but knew I was in good hands from the start. It’s vintage Truffaut and a treat for those who are not familiar with this title. This limited (only 3,000 units) Blu-ray is from Twilight Time Movies, a terrific resource for film buffs and collectors. Check out their other previously unavailable BD titles at screenarchives.com CORRECTION: Last week’s column was visited by the auto-correct, typo gremlins. Tom Cruise’s character in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION somehow became Ethan Hawke! Cruise plays Ethan Hunt. My apologies to Tom Cruise -- and Ethan Hawke.

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TUE AUGUST 11 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 The Luminators 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 BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Rock & Roll 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm 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; 760-325-2794 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 PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327-4080 Open Mic Jam w/ Jimi Heil 7pm

August 6 to August 12, 2015 RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-3274080 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 6pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Open Mic Competition Hosted by Morgan James 8pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Demetrious and Co. THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-3271773 Douglas McDonald 6:30pm 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 6pm

WED AUGUST 12 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 Daniel Horn 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Eli Wulfmeier 7pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Jazz Jam 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Beer Pong Contest 6pm-2am 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; 760-3662250 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 PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327-4080 Billy Erickson & Matt Barnes Show 6:30pm 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 Talent Quest 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Live Music 9pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 T-Bone Karaoke 9pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Straight Ahead Jazz 6pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-3271773 Open Mic w/ Les Michaels 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Nite Fixx 9-2am WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Karaoke 9pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Yve Evans 6:30pm

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Haddon Libby Lefthanders and the Dog Days of August

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s we enter the ‘dog days of August’, you might find it interesting to know that the phrase finds its origins back in 750BC. It seems that the heat of the summer coincided with the rise of Orion’s dog, Sirius and the dogstar in the constellation Canis Major, high in the skies from July 24th to August 24th.

It is no surprise then that August 26th is National Dog Day in the United States and World Dog Day around the globe. Top dog, George W. Bush, brought attention to this day in 2004 with a letter of support to the National Dog Day Association. It is worth noting that Dog Day is the creation of public relations specialist, Colleen Paige, who

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two years after starting Dog Day, started ‘national’ days for horses, wildlife, kids & pets, Police K-9s, Pet Travel Safety, Speciallyabled Pets, Pet Day, Puppy Day, Cat Day and the list goes on. Can someone spell o-p-p-or-t-u-n-i-s-t?

Five days after the Fox ‘News’ Republican debates is Presidential Joke Day. I’m not kidding. This was started on August 11, 1984 when then Presidential Ronald Reagan quipped into a microphone, “My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”

The next day is Middle Child Day. I suppose this is to make middle children feel special for not being the oldest or youngest.

If this matters to you, you might need c-o-un-s-e-l-i-n-g.

safety tips

The next day on August 13th is Left Hander’s Day sponsored by Lefthanders International (who knew we have a group… I’m a southpaw… ambidextrous actually but I don’t see a celebration of the uniquely coordinated…maybe we can enlist Caitlyn Jenner to help us with our cause… to have been in the Kardashian family, switched genders and won the Olympics in the decathlon, I’m thinking that you have to be fairly dextrous). They say that left handers, who make up 7-10% of the world population, have a higher chance of developing schizophrenia. This reminds me to check and see if Rep. Ted Cruz is left handed.

What other fun tidbits do we have to look forward to in August?

Well, August is Romance Awareness Month. I don’t know if this means that we are supposed to engage in romantic behaviors or just peer voyeuristically at others in love but I’m guessing that it means the former so it might be a better idea to

profess your love to those you care for than to peer at others in love (there was a man doing this at the gym and it just seemed creepy).

August is also Water Purity Month.

Hopefully, organizers of the Summer Olympics in Brazil take this more seriously than they did for early Olympic trials run last weekend. It was just reported by the Associated Press that Olympians who went in the waters around Rio were exposed to bacteria and viruses levels that were 1.7 million times the levels considered safe. At minimum, most Olympians will have a very high chance of contracting Hepatitis A, a viral infection of the liver.

Other days of note include Book Lover’s Day on the 9th, Thrift shop Day on the 16th, Bad Poetry Day on the 18th, Senior Citizen’s Day on the 21st and Women’s Equality Day on the 26th.

Whatever day it is, remember that we are only on Earth for a short time and it is up to each of us to make every day special and live life to its fullest.

Haddon Libby is Managing Partner of Winslow Drake, an investment management and advisory firm, and can be reached at hlibby@winslowdrake.com.

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named. The beneficiary should be a trust in some plans.

8. Corporations and Small Business Plans It is important to have great detail in what happens to a business upon the death of a major owner. Often the estate plan should nominate a committee to make major decisions on what happens to the business. The more information shared with the person who will take over, the better chance that the business will survive.

9. Guardianship Plan to avoid being declared incompetent if you have a stroke or accident. Update your power of attorney every two or three years and consider a living trust. Both of these documents will help avoid guardianship.

10. Drafts Ask the attorney to send you a draft of your documents. Review the documents considering the above steps.

Remember unless you want your estate plan to kick on right away.. When you drink don’t get behind the wheel and be involved in an auto accident (whether it is your fault or not) or get arrested for a DUI…I don’t need the extra business....and you do not want your estate planning to take affect NOW.

The When, Where’s and What’s to Evacuateildfires During A Wildfire! are burning throughout

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the State and things will only get worse before they get better says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. If by chance you are near a wildfire, you may be asked to evacuate. Here are some things you should know if you find yourself in that situation: When should I leave? It is wise to leave the area as soon as an evacuation is recommended. This will help you avoid being caught in a fire, smoke or traffic. This will also help firefighters keep roads clear, which allows them to work without obstacles.

Where should I go? Call your friends or family who live outside the threatened area and see if they can offer you a place to stay during the evacuation. Your local fire department or city officials will also have designated evacuation shelters.

What should I take with me? Prepare an emergency kit well before a fire strikes. This kit should include things like a first aid kit, a three-day supply of non-perishable food and three gallons of water per person, spare keys and cash and medication. If time allows, then you should pack easily carried valuables, chargers for your cell phones and laptops,

and anything irreplaceable such as family photos.

What about my cat, dog, bird, lizard, etc.?

Ask friends and family if they can shelter your animals during an emergency. Keep a list of 24-hour numbers for pet-friendly places such as animal shelters, pet boarding facilities and veterinarians.

What should I wear? If you need to go outside while there is an active fire nearby, put on some protective clothing like sturdy shoes, cotton or woolen clothes, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and gloves.

For more Info visit: readyforwildfire.org/ evacuation Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

sports Scene

by Julie Buehler

Rousey: An Athlete For The Ages

CAN YOUR FAMILY RISK ANOTHER DAY WITHOUT AN ESTATE PLAN? 4. Tax Issues Discuss all federal and state tax issues with your attorney so that you have a full understanding of all possible costs involved with your estate 5. Marital Rights If you do not have a pre or post marital agreement-you might be in for a surprise.

Your spouse has certain marital rights and could contest your will or trust and be awarded assets. Discuss fully what these rights are and take steps to do a post marital agreement if possible problems exist.

6. Asset Protection It is important to know what assets are exempt from creditors while you are living to insure assets will be left in your estate.

Your attorney should be able to discuss and give you a list. Often you can get an umbrella insurance policy to give you added protection from automobile accident claims....and umbrella policies are cheap.

7. Review Retirement Accounts and Insurance Products Review all your retirement accounts and insurance products to make sure the beneficiaries are consistent with your estate planning objectives. For example - if your estate plan has stretch provisions-make sure you do not have outright beneficiaries

August 6 to August 12, 2015

by Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

Dale Gribow On The Law

he following ten steps should be considered by everyone starting to plan their estate. It is also a good review for those who have already planned their estate.

1. Lists Make a list of all assets and associated their values so that an attorney can determine the net value of your estate.

2. Special Needs Every family has special needs. It is important that you plan for special needs in your estate plan. Special needs include planning for children on government benefits, children with drug and alcohol addictions, and children who are unable to manage money. Estate plans deal with all of these issues in different ways. Often the distributions are stretched out over a long period of time to make sure the estate is not wasted. Special needs should be addressed with love and understanding.

3. Naming Trustees and Personal Representatives Personal representatives and trustees should be carefully selected. It is a job that deals with people skills and money management. You and your attorney should discuss this in great detail. Sometimes a corporate trustee is your best choice.

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DON’T DRINK & DRIVE, CALL A TAXI OR UBER…IT’S A LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME DALE GRIBOW Selected ”TOP LAWYER” Palm Springs Life 2011-2016 Perfect AVVO 10.0 Peer Review Rating “Preeminent” Rating by Martindale Hubbell Legal Directory Selected for Rue “Best Attorneys of America” (Limited to Top 100 Attorneys per state) 2015 Client Appreciation Award & 2015Martindale Hubbell Client Distinction Award For more than 30 years Gribow has been committed to protecting client’s civil and criminal constitutional rights. Regardless of whether the matter concerns a Serious Accident, DUI, Business, Real Estate or Estate Planning issue, every case is diligently handled with the utmost of respect and care.

Gribow offers clients decades of experience and success, thus making him the attorney of choice for thousands of clients.

If you have any questions regarding this column or ideas for future columns please contact Dale Gribow at 760 837-7500 or dale@dalegribowlaw.com

D

epending on whether you move your mouth when you read or not, it may have taken you longer to read this sentence than it took Ronda Rousey to defend her bantamweight title in UFC 190.

34 seconds.

The only thing that goes faster is the process of compiling a list of athletes as dominant in their respective sport as Rousey is in women’s MMA... ever.

There was Jordan and the Bulls in his prime.

Tiger Woods owning the PGA Tour.

Roger Federer proving power and grace could coexist and sufficiently humiliate opposition.

Great athletes in previous eras were dominant in competition, but didn’t face the same level of scrutiny, pressure and swirling limelight.

But Rousey is in a class of athlete and in rarified company not only because she is a dominant physical presence and undefeated in professional fighting, but she’s also a pioneer in a sport that failed to capture mainstream attention until she came along.

She’s had to be the most polarizing character, the biggest target, the loudest mouth and the most talented athlete the sport has ever seen. Her history in Olympic judo is one that most fans neglect to correlate to her current success, but without that background, she couldn’t fill all the roles she currently does.

She’s had to be as interesting as Magic and Bird yet add the marketing impact of Jordan.

She’s had to be the steady hand of Jack and Arnold, yet be as dominant as Tiger.

She’s had to lay the foundation to build a sport’s popularity like Becker and McEnroe and Sampras and Agassi, but then send a wrecking ball through any opposition time and time again like Federer.

And she’s had to do so in a sports climate that questions dominance.

After Rousey dismantled Alexis Davis in 16 seconds in UFC 175, Dana White, UFC’s CEO- that is Chief Exaggeration Officer- had his feet firmly planted on the ground when he said Rousey was “pound for pound the best athlete in the world,” and “the most unique

athlete I’ve ever worked with.” He went on to gush about her importance not just to UFC but women in general, even called her a “game changer” for women sports and beyond.

“She could walk down the Vegas Strip and wreck every guy,” White said in the postfight press conference. “There’s never been a woman in the history of mankind that can do that.”

That statement is more true today with Rousey’s prowess in the cage and on the silverscreen.

And while critics may point out much of White’s histrionics are salesmanship, these comments about Rousey are closer to truth than hyperbole.

While women are becoming more vocal and more widely accepted in all circles, socalled male-dominated and others, the first thing you hear about a woman crossing into new territory in sports is how attractive she is, or is not.

Mainstream female athletes need to be ridiculously dominant or pretty. And sadly, we’re still at a place where if a mediocre female athlete is pretty, she tends to procure more attention than her more competitive counterparts because of her looks.

Women’s golf, tennis are faced with that dilemma regularly with the likes of Natalie Gulbis and Anna Kournikova racking up more swimsuit calendar shoots than calendar dates for tour victories.

But Rousey is a game changer, not because she is pretty, but because it doesn’t matter anymore.

Sure, when she was plastered on the cover of ESPN The Body Issue, fully nude and showcased her 6-pack, that made everyone take notice. But she quickly displayed her value and worth is unquestionably her work ethic, determination and fierce competitiveness.

People love staring at a Ferrari, but what makes it special is hearing the engine purr.

And while Rousey is certainly pretty, she’s proving her value is far beyond such subjective frivolities and THAT’s what is a game changer.

People wonder why aren’t there more women to fight Rousey.

Do people wonder why there aren’t enough golfers that could dethrone Tiger?

Anyone question where the contemporary to Federer was? Or why no one could stop Jordan?

Make no mistake, Rousey would be dominant in any era, sport or field because her intensity and dedication, not because there’s no competition.

Women’s MMA is still breaking through to the mainstream consciousness and while it does that, the most important contribution Rousey can offer is her ability to work through the pettiness of swirling questions and continue her dominance of the sport.

Just like Tiger always had to do. Just like Federer learned to conquer.

In short, Rousey just needs to be like Mike.

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August 6 to August 12, 2015

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Week of August 6

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Charles de Lint is a novelist whose stories are influenced by folklore, myths, and science fiction. In his book Yarrow, a wizardly character named Toby is skilled at conjuring.

He can make small objects appear and disappear, for example. But Toby yearns for more. “I want to be magic,” he says. “I want to be a friend of elves and live in a tree. I want to marry a moonbeam and hear the stars sing. I don’t want to pretend at magic anymore. I want to be magic.” If you have ever wished for a comparable upgrade, Aries, now is an unusually favorable time to work on it.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): An imaginative Welsh man named Liam Bennett has developed a “dausage,” which is a blend of a doughnut and sausage. One of his most requested treats is pork meat stuffed with strawberry jelly. Even if this novel blend doesn’t appeal to your taste buds, it serves as a good prompt for my advice: The coming weeks will be a favorable time to expand your notion of what types of nourishment are fun and healthy for you. I mean that in the metaphorical as well as the literal sense. Experiment with new recipes, both with the food you provide your body and the sustenance you feed your soul.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the woods, living matter isn’t segregated from the decaying stuff.

Rotting tree trunks are host to teeming colonies of moss. Withered stems of ferns mingle with cheerful saplings. Audacious mushrooms sprout up among scraps of fallen leaves. The birds and beetles and lizards and butterflies don’t act as if this mix is weird. They seem to be at peace with it. I suspect they thrive on it, even exult in it. That’s the spirit I suggest you adopt as you enjoy the paradoxical mélange of your life in the coming weeks, Gemini.

Celebrate the mysterious magic that emerges as you simultaneously fade and flourish, decline and increase, wind down and rise up.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Here are some tips on being the best Cancerian you can be: 1. Cultivate your sensitivity as a strength. Regard your emotional vulnerability as a superpower. 2. Nurture yourself at least as much as you nurture others. 3. Learn to know the difference between your golden hunches and the glimmering delusions that your demons stir up. 4. Be kind, but don’t be exorbitantly nice. 5.

Remember that others’ unhappiness is rarely your fault or responsibility. 6. Keep reinventing the way you love yourself.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “What are the best things and the worst things in your life, and when are you going to get around to whispering or shouting them?” This question was posed by Leo author Ray Bradbury in his book Zen in the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity. Even if you’re not a writer yourself, you will benefit from responding to his exhortation.

It’s one of the best things you could possibly do to activate your dormant creativity and intensify your lust for life. This is one of those times when working with your extremes is not only safe and healthy, but also fun and inspirational. So do it, Leo! Get excited and expressive about the best and worst things in your life.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): It’s time to leave behind the golden oldies. You’d be wise to tiptoe away from tradition, and give the ghosts of the past one last kiss goodbye, and wean yourself from nostalgia for the good old days. Frankly, my dear, you’ve got numerous appointments with the future, and it would be a shame to miss them because you’re mucking around with memories. In the coming weeks -- for that matter, in the coming months -you’re most likely to thrive if you become an agent of change. And the most important thing to change is your relationship to the person you used to be.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In Indonesia, the term gotong-royong is defined as the “joint bearing of burdens.” In practice it means that you and I and our allies get together voluntarily to help each other achieve a shared goal. It may also be an agreement to provide mutual aid: I help you do what you need to have done, and you help me with my task. Gotong-

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© Copyright 2015 Rob Brezsny

royong also implies that we enjoy working together.

The emotional tone that we cultivate is affection and care. By sharing a burden, we lighten the load that each of us has to bear. I bring this to your attention, Libra, because it’s the gotong-royong season for you and yours. Be the ringleader who initiates and sustains it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In one of his poems, Jack Gilbert mentions “the incurably sane,” who are “uncrippled by beauty” and “unbutchered by love.”

When I read those lines, I felt a surge of protest.

Is there a single person on the earth who fits that description? No! I was miffed by such starry-eyed idealism. Later, though, as I studied the astrological omens for you Scorpios, my attitude softened. I realized that the coming weeks may be a time when many of you will at least temporarily be incurably sane, uncrippled by beauty, and unbutchered by love. If you’re one of these lucky ones, please use your blessed grace to spread an abundance of blessed grace everywhere you go.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If you’re not skirting the edges of the forbidden zone, you’re playing it too safe. If you’re not serving as a benevolent mischief-maker for someone you care about, you’re shirking your duty. Your allegiance should be with X-factors and wild cards. You will thrive to the degree that you cultivate alliances with mavericks and instigators. Are you shrewd enough to mess with time-tested formulas? Are you restless enough to rebel against habits that stifle your curiosity?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): How to be a Capricorn, according to my Capricorn reader Sadie Kennedy: When you are younger, take yourself too seriously. Look and act older than you actually are as you serve what’s most practical. Sacrifice fun and frivolity, working doggedly to achieve the goals you yearn for, until you reach some level of accomplishment. Then realize, as if struck by a thunderbolt, that fun and frivolity have practical value. Begin to age backwards like Benjamin Button as you balance work with play and discipline with leisure. Enjoy the fruits of your intense efforts as everyone tells you how relaxed and supple and resilient you are becoming.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Cracking open the shell of a soft-boiled egg is a tricky task. You must be firm enough to break the shell, but sufficiently gentle to avoid making a mess. If you live in Germany, you have access to a metal instrument that provides just the right measure of soft force.

It’s called an Eierschalensollbruchstellenverursacher, translated as “soft-boiled egg shell cracker.” Your assignment in the coming weeks is to cultivate a talent that is metaphorically similar to an Eierschalensollbruchstellenverursacher. I believe you will need that blend of sensitivity and power on numerous occasions.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Americans often regard Cuba as impoverished and backwards. There is an element of truth in their prejudice, primarily because the U.S. has imposed a stifling embargo on the Caribbean nation for over 50 years. That’s why, for example, many Cubans drive cars that were manufactured in the 1950s. But I wonder how my fellow citizens would respond if they knew that in some ways Cuba’s healthcare system is better than America’s. The World Health Organization recently congratulated Cuba for being the first country on earth to eradicate the transmission of syphilis and HIV from mothers to babies. Can you identify a metaphorically similar situation in your personal life, Pisces? Are there people you regard as inferior or undeveloped who could teach you an important lesson or motivate you to grow? Now is a perfect time to benefit from their influence.

Homework: Would it be possible to turn one of your liabilities into an asset? How? Testify at FreeWillAstrology.com.

Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

Mind, body & Spirit

by Bronwyn Ison

KEEPING YOUR MOJO IN FLOW

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osing that loving feeling for something you once possessed such a passion for can be frustrating or debilitating.

Fortunately, I had the pleasure this past weekend to attend a conference hosted by a friend of mine. It was a gathering of female entrepreneurs who were on quest to keep their mojo flowing. What does mojo mean? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a power that may seem magical and that allows someone to be very effective, successful, etc. I will confess I don’t want to lose my mojo! You shouldn’t lose yours either.

How does one keep the fire ignited?

Attending a workshop/seminar, or engaging in a small group to exchange ideas may help you remain motivated. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people will be exceptional and essential if you want to progress. We are human. Our lives are busy and likely filled with stress. With so much tugging and pulling you may have lost your motivation for many facets in your life. You are not alone. Remaining motivated can be a challenge. Especially if you feel your life is routine. Or, you feel as though your life is spinning out of control. Staying organized will help you stay motivated.

It may help to get a plan implemented in your life. What are your goals, dreams, and aspirations? Take a few moments, days or weeks to target what you want and when you need it. A lack of direction will also kill the deal. You must know where you are going.

Map out your day-to-day tactics. Focus on how you will arrive at your destination. You

may need to keep a journal, write on sticky notes, use a voice recorder, or document your journey. Whatever facilitates keeping you on track… just do it!

Often when we lose our confidence we lose our entire focus. Negative thoughts rush through our minds. Negativity creates weakness in the mind and in our spirit as a whole. Possibly you are focusing too heavily on something you desire and neglecting what you already have obtained. To vacate a negative thought pattern, focus on gratitude.

Take time to focus on all that is positive in your life. Think of your strengths rather than dwelling on your weaknesses. Once you realize what you possess you can build upon your successes. This alone will improve your motivation.

Stay focused. A lack of focus is a motivation killer. Develop a concrete goal. Stay confident and do not succumb to negativity. Set a positive goal and expel all fear of not succeeding. Your brain will instantaneously devise a plan. Once the plan is concrete you can stop worrying about your future and do something about it.

When you know what you want, you become motivated to take action.

Inevitably each one of us will have our moments. We will have bad luck, low energy, and occasional failure. Remember… You will beat the odds. You have all the ingredients within you to stay motivated.

Stay driven with purpose and let your light shine.

Bronwyn Ison is the owner of Evolve Yoga. e-volveyoga.com 760.564.YOGA(9642)

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Ask The Doctor

August 6 to August 12, 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. deserthousecalldoc.com.

* * What you need to hic know about hiccups Dr. Kadile, I frequently will have

hiccups after drinking beer but not wine.

The hiccups will usually last until I sleep them off and be gone by the morning.

What exactly causes hiccups and is there a faster way to get rid of them? - Joan, La Quinta Joan, hiccups are caused by involuntary spasm of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity and is responsible for respiration. Why hiccups actually occur and why certain people are more prone to them is unknown, but the condition has been associated with: • eating hot food • eating too much • eating too fast • eating spicy food • drinking carbonated beverages • drinking alcohol • heartburn or acid reflux • certain medications for pain/sedation • increased stress, excitement or anxiety There is no known 100% effective cure for hiccups, but several remedies are popular and may work, such as holding your breath or getting scared. When you hold your breath,

your body retains carbon dioxide and causes your brain to focus on improving oxygen supply relieving the diaphragm spasm.

Getting scared may restart your breathing pattern, thus relieving the hiccups. Other possible solutions: • slowly drink ice cold water • gargle with very cold water • bite a lemon • swallow a teaspoon of sugar • breathe into a paper bag Hiccups will generally go away on their on in less than two days, but if they persist any longer, then you should see your doctor for further evaluation since they can be associated with some serious medical conditions. There are prescription medications that may help, but in my experience these medications rarely work.

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August 6 to August 12, 2015

Life & career Coach

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www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

August 6 to August 12, 2015

by Sunny Simon

Commit to Keeping Score

I

’m a tracker. It probably started with a piggy bank I received when I was thirteen.

Being composed of see-through glass made it the best money keeper ever. It enabled me to visualize my coin saving progress for purchases important to a teenage girl.

Since my youth, I’ve continued to monitor progress made on many different activities.

Technology not only increased my tracking habit, but made it easier. For example, the bookworm in me loves Goodreads, a website that compiles books I’ve read and want to read. I also monitor the traffic on my blog, and Facebook sends me all kinds of analytical data on my business page. For many years I have clipped a simplistic pedometer on my waist to measure my steps. Recently I upgraded to a wrist apparatus that tracks my progress in calories burned and monitors my sleep.

The designers of my new tracking device are very clever. When I input my daily goal of 10,000 steps per day the prompt signaled me to “commit.” Get it? I was not instructed to “save,” but rather to commit to achieving a daily goal.

They are my kind of people. Inspired by this, the first day of use I nearly wore out the little button checking my progress.

Here is the point. I may not always succeed in obtaining my goal of 10,000 steps, but that

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hot pink tracking band on my wrist encourages me to try, informs me when my progress wanes and signals me when I’ve nailed it.

Tracking progress on goals is motivational. If you need proof of this, think about your to-do list and the satisfaction derived when you cross an item off your list. Monitoring helps keep you focused with an eye on important datapoints of achievement as you move toward completion.

Become a tracker. Try designing a simple excel spreadsheet for monitoring your goal improvement or download an app like Evernote to keep your progress visible on your desktop.

A tracking system is also a way of holding you accountable. Remember the step goal commitment I made to my activity band? At the end of the day it will show me numbers telling the story of just how committed I am. Seeing the proof of how I fell short may be disappointing, but also serves to help me recommit.

Have an important goal like the number of sales to close or pounds to lose? Act now.

Commit to it in writing, begin tracking your progress and be prepared to celebrate when you reach the goal line.

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

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August 6 to August 12, 2015

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