Coachella Valley Weekly - November 17 to November 23, 2016 Vol. 5 No. 35

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coachellavalleyweekly.com • November 17 to November 23, 2016 Vol. 5 No. 35

Bill Engvall

pg 7

Il Divo

pg 9

Drum Hall

pg 9

Amanda Shires

pg 11

Bighorn Institute

pg 25

November 17 to November 23, 2016

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

9TH ANNUAL CONCERT FOR AUTISM BENEFIT SET TO ROCK

Coachella Valley Weekly

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

760.501.6228

Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Advertising Director James Theall Sales Team Morgan James Classified Manager & Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Features Writer Lisa Morgan, Rich Henrich, Heidi Simmons, Denise Ortuno Neil, Judith Salkin Writers/Contributors: Robin Simmons, Rick Riozza, Craig Michaels, Bronwyn Ison, Haddon Libby, Janet McAfee, Rachel Montoya, Angela Janus, Dale Gribow, Raymond Bill, Sam DiGiovanna, Rob Brezny, Eleni P. Austin, Noe Gutierrez, Sunny Simon, Dr. Peter Kadile, Bruce Cathcart, Julie Buehler, Flint Wheeler, Laura Hunt Little, Lola Rossi, Jack St. Clair, Dee Jae Cox, Patte Purcell, Rebecca Pikus, Janet Newcomb, Angela Romeo, Esther Sanchez, Alex Updike, Jenny Wallis, Uncle Ben Photographers Laura Hunt Little, Scott Pam, Lani Garfield, Chris Miller, Esther Sanchez Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

CONTENTS 9th Annual Autism Benefit.......................3 Breaking the 4th Wall - Review of "Sordid Lives"........................................5 Jimi Fitz & Friends - A CV Christmas........6 Bill Engvall at Spotlight 29......................7 Kathy Griffin / Terry Fator at Fantasy Springs.................................7 Sting at Agua Caliente..............................8 Il Divo.........................................................9 Drum Hall..................................................9 CV Open Mic Competition .....................10 Backstage Jazz - John Stanley King.......10 Amanda Shires........................................11 Consider This - Tim Buckley...................12 Art Scene - Charlie Ciali..........................13 Pet Place..................................................14 The Vino Voice ........................................15 Club Crawler Nightlife............................16 Good Grub - Montes Grill.......................18 Screeners.................................................20 Book Review............................................21 Safety Tips...............................................21 Haddon Libby.........................................23 Dale Gribow............................................23 LiveStream Community Blood Drive....24 Bighorn Institute ....................................25 Slim Man..................................................26 Sports Scene ...........................................26 Free Will Astrology.................................27 Mind, Body & Spirit ................................27 Ask Jenny................................................28 Life & Career Coach ................................28

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ccording to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.

CDC is committed to continuing to provide essential data on ASD, search for factors that put children at risk for ASD and possible causes, and develop resources that help identify children with ASD as early as possible. About 1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.

ASD is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. ASD is about 4.5 times more common among boys (1 in 42) than among girls (1 in 189). What the CDC doesn’t mention is the effects this has on families with autistic children and the expense for care.

Nine years ago, Coachella Valley musician, Josh Heinz, decided to get a group of friends together to help ease the burden upon families, like his own, who have autistic children. “Every time I do an interview, everyone, whether it’s a radio station or newspaper or anyone, everyone asks the same question: “Can you explain autism?” His voice struggles to find an answer. “No, I can’t. It’s a spectrum and every day is a little different and every individual and family has similar experiences but they vary in severity. Honestly, it would be easier if I could just show a video,” his fatigue echoes. This weekend, Nov. 18 & 19 at The Tack Room Tavern in Indio, CA, over 20 local bands and musicians will take the stage to help raise awareness and funds for families across the Valley faced with the difficulties of autism.

“I have a son and a step-son with autism.

They are both pretty severe. My step-son is 14 and along with the normal challenges of raising a teenager, autism increases the challenges in our household. The other day at 7:30 in the morning, he walked outside and turned on the hose. He just stood there in his pajamas with the hose pouring water over his head. There’s no explanation for it.

And if you press him for an answer, it can send him off. This is autism but only a small picture of it,” says Heinz, a caring man with a cause to create greater awareness for the disease.

BY RICH HENRICH

ALL PHOTOS BY STEVE YOUNG

Heinz, and his wife Linda, are both active musicians playing in at least two bands at any given time, which is not easy considering the level of care their kids require. “It’s not like you can get just anyone to come over and watch the kids,” he says. Linda is also a music teacher, who works with autistic children. “If I wanted to raise the most money, I would probably get a big name, like Barry Manilow and try to do the event at McCallum Theatre in January or February. Every year, we’ve been able to raise more money (last year was about $8200) but I feel like whatever we raise is more than what we started with. I just don’t want the focus to be about how much money we raise. This is really about helping and creating more awareness. Every year, we are increasing awareness, even through the bands that participate that might not have known much about it, “ says a triumphant Josh Heinz.

Often times, society can judge. If you are a “grown up” and still in a “local” band, the social stigma can be unfair. “I wanted people to know this community of musicians wasn’t just about making noise and drinking beer. We could also organize and make some real impact,” says Heinz.

So, Josh reached out to his community of local musicians and challenged them to come together and “do good.” The result is the ninth annual benefit concert for autism, which raises awareness and funds for Coachella Valley families faced with the many challenges raising an autistic child brings, particularly costs of therapy. With the funds being raised a session that might cost $65 could be offset by a Lumpy’s grant and might only cost $15 for a family.

“The Concert for Autism is put on by a group of musicians who have personal connections to Autism as fathers, mothers, family members and friends,” says Heinz.

Though the concert is not directly affiliated with the Lumpy’s Foundation for Autism, organizers have found this charity to offer valuable assistance for those families that deal with Autism on a daily basis,” states the proud musician, father and organizer.

One band in particular, The Hellions, have been involved from the start and have played every benefit! Rumor has it that they are also one of the most fun acts to watch!

The event not only does good for our community but for anyone who loves music and wants to support or discover new music, Heinz & Company have put together one of the greatest two-day festival line-ups of music one could ever ask for in the blessed Valley. One new addition worth mentioning are The Flusters. Their following has grown considerably this year. They even took the stage at Coachella this year. “We are happy to have them and they’ve been great. I asked them to play an earlier time, which isn’t always easy. No ego involved, they just are happy to help,” beamed Heinz.

Some Band and Concert Highlights: Zach Huskey - Front man for Dali’s Llama and a pioneer in the legendary desert music scene. He will play a very rare acoustic set.

Not to be missed.

The Sweat Act - In 2 years this rock band has become known for their high-energy shows and melodic songs.

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

AUTISM BENEFIT continued from page 3

Caxton - Highly regarded CVMA Award winners will play a special acoustic set.

You Know Who - Super talented threesome that takes punk rock to another level of technical genius.

Michael Keeth - “The Voice” - as some have called him. The desert’s best male vocalist, he will deliver an acoustic set on Saturday.

HOBP - A longtime hard rock staple in the desert, HOBP tours Europe regularly.

Machin’ - A favorite for those who like to dance and groove to Latin-based rock music.

Courtney Chambers - One of the most powerful voices in the desert, with the songs to back it up.

Johnny Elsewhere - The most exciting ukulele player in the desert.

This is just a small glimpse of the magic that is soon to smack your ears. Mr. Heinz also wanted to make a point to thank the sponsors: CV Weekly, of course.

The Tack Room Tavern - For opening up their venue for the show and how accommodating they have been.

AVSU - Providing lights and screens for the event.

Impression Designs - They donated this year’s t-shirts. Concert for Autism had lost their usual t-shirt maker, and it looked like any t-shirts would have to be paid for, taking money from their final benefit raise. During an interview with Jimi Fitz, he graciously went to them and told them about the

benefit. They in turn offered to do shirts for the cause. “This is another example of how great some people can be, by helping us out,” says Josh Heinz.

Xpress Graphics - They have always been so kind to take care of all our printing needs. Pretty awesome what they do for us.

Any event of this nature has many incredible and often invisible hands helping in quiet ways along the way. “I do want to point out that though Linda and I work hard on the benefit, we could not do it without so many people donating time, equipment and their selves for this event. From people behind the scenes, to people volunteering and to people setting up and running lights, sound and visuals. I want to thank Ming Bob for hosting and helping as well. He will be announcing the raffles. It truly is a team effort and we can’t thank everyone that helps make it work. Again, the type of support we receive is just another reason we love our little music community!” exclaims an elated Josh Heinz.

All funds raised from the concert, will be donated to Lumpy’s Foundation for Autism, a 501c3 non-profit. Donations are tax deductible and the organizers are still accepting donations for raffle prizes and silent auction items. For more information or to donate online, please visit the website at: www.concertforautism.com or their Facebook page for up-to-date info. Go have fun and support a worthy local cause that is making a difference in local lives every year.

BREAKING THE 4TH WALL

THE GRAND LINE-UP FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH: 6:00 - 6:25 - Rick Shelley - Acoustic Stage, 6:25 - 6:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 6:30 - 7:05 - Basson - Main Stage, 7:05 - 7:25 - Sugarbritches & Taffolla Acoustic Stage, 7:25 - 7:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 7:30 - 8:05 - The Flusters - Main Stage, 8:05 - 8:25 - Mike Sick Boy - Acoustic Stage, 8:25 - 8:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 8:30 - 9:05 - The Hellions - Main Stage, 9:05 - 9:25 - Courtney Chambers - Acoustic Stage, 9:25 - 9:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 9:30 - 10:05 - Waxy - Main Stage, 10:05 - 10:25 - Giselle Woo - Acoustic Stage, 10:25 - 10:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 10:30 - 11:05 - You Know Who - Main Stage, 11:05 - 11:25 - Lance Reibsomer - Acoustic Stage, 11:25 - 11:30 - Announcements/Raffle,

11:30 - 12:30 - Machin’ - Main Stage Saturday, November 19th: 6:00 6:25 - Johnny Elsewhere - Acoustic Stage, 6:25 - 6:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 6:30 - 7:05 - SunDrug - Main Stage, 7:05 - 7:25 - Esjay Jones - Acoustic Stage, 7:25 - 7:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 7:30 - 8:05 - 5th Town - Main Stage, 8:05 - 8:25 - Rob Lawrence - Acoustic Stage, 8:25 - 8:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 8:30 - 9:05 - The Sweat Act - Main Stage, 9:05 - 9:25 - Caxton - Acoustic Stage, 9:25 - 9:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 9:30 - 10:05 - Blasting Echo - Main Stage, 10:05 - 10:25 - Zach Huskey - Acoustic Stage, 10:25 - 10:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 10:30 - 11:05 - Throw the Goat - Main Stage, 11:05 - 11:25 - Michael Keeth - Acoustic Stage, 11:25 - 11:30 - Announcements/Raffle, 11:30 - 12:30 - HOBP - Main Stage

BY DEE JAE COX

PHOTOS BY PAUL HAYASHI

A STAGE REVIEW OF “SORDID LIVES”

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t’s not a stretch to imagine the comedy and tragedy of being a gay man from Texas. There is just something about the juxtaposition of southern hospitality with right wing conservatism that pulls you in like watching a car driving in the wrong lane towards oncoming traffic. You just know that there’s bound to be an accident. Del Shores is one of those creative writers that manage to find the humor in the wreckage, and his play ‘Sordid Lives,’ currently in production at the Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs, is bound to make you laugh out loud, as you simultaneously hold your breath waiting to find out who survives the crash. ‘Sordid lives,’ was originally produced in Los Angeles in 1996 and garnered 14 Drama-Logue awards. In 1999 it was made into a film and it soon there after became a cult classic.

Billed as ‘a black comedy about white trash,’ the synopsis alone is enough to make you curious. Who doesn’t like to peek into a window and watch the dysfunction of other peoples lives, as three generations of a Texas family gather to mourn the accidental death of the family matriarch, Peggy. Peggy’s sister, ‘Sissy’ (Shirley LeMaster) picked the wrong week to try and quit smoking, as she deals with the death of her sister and the coming together of family and friends who bring their own special brand of dysfunction into the mix.

Shore’s characters are bold and brass and aren’t afraid of crossing those conservative lines.

Having a good laugh while confronting serious issues, such as bigotry, guilt, homosexuality, forgiveness and acceptance. This campy romp explores the topic of self-acceptance, but more so the idea of how family and friends come to accept one another even when it goes against everything they believe in.

Peggy’s conservative, stick-up-her-behind daughter Latrelle (Yo Younger), captures the soul of this character. Younger is one of the best actresses I’ve seen and she captivates in every role. The ever inebriated Juanita (Morgana Corelli) brings levity to the soberest of moods and kept me laughing whenever she was on stage, while the Thelma and Louise duo of Noleta (Jennifer Bennett) and La Vonda (Mary Ewing) make the boys, Odell (Don Cilluffo), G.W (Dan Graff) and Wardell (Matt Lawson) bare near all, as they are forced to confront the all too obvious double standards between men and women.

Michael Hadley shines as Brother Boy, the Drag Queen who has spent most of his adult life clinging to his own truth, while his psychiatrist Dr. Eve Bolinger (Denise Strand) appears to be the real one in need of psychotherapy. And SE Layne beautifully ties the threads of these sordid lives together with her humorous and poignant musical interludes.

The casting of Ty Williamson, (Nicholas Geogea) Latrelle’s son and the narrator of this story, appeared to be the only miscast role. The character of Ty is 27 years old, Geogea looked

about 16 and every time he talked about when he was a kid, I couldn’t help but think, ‘what do you mean, when?’

I have seen some of the most beautiful and creative sets on stage at the Palm Canyon Theatre, but this wasn’t one of them. There didn’t appear to be a cohesive set design, just a meshing together of the individual pieces that are required in the script. But Steve Fisher’s direction kept this cast of characters flowing easily and seamlessly across the stage and through the scenes, as each character’s story was told and the family ties were secured and knotted tightly.

Sordid Lives is a fun and moving play with a whole lot of down home charm. It is targeted more towards an adult audience and is currently in production through November 20th, at the Palm Canyon Theatre, located at 538 North Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.

For Reservations: Box Office: 760.323.5123 palmcanyontheatre.org

Dee Jae Cox is a playwright, director and producer. She is the Cofounder and Artistic Director of The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project.

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

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JIMI FITZ & FRIENDS: A CV CHRISTMAS

MCCALLUM THEATRE. SATURDAY – DECEMBER 10 – 8PM

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t’s a hometown holiday celebration as jimi FITZ, CV 104.3’s Jim “Fitz” Fitzgerald, gathers together with the Valley’s best talent for an evening of hits and holiday treats on Saturday, December 10, at 8:00pm.

In addition to jimi FITZ, the show features Barry Minniefield, brightener, Frank Di Salvo, Jimmy Palmer, John Carey, John Stanley King, Kaitlyn Farley, Kal David, Lauri Bono, Penny Unniversity, Ronnie King, Sergio Villegas, Steve Madaio and Will Donato. jimi FITZ - Having the Coachella Valley’s virtually most recognizable voice, tonight’s host and star, Jim “FITZ” Fitzgerald originally hails from the East Coast. Having had two hit music videos on rotation in the beginning days of the now infamous MTV, he has also shared bills and stages across the country with the likes of The Ramones, James Brown, Mitch Ryder, and Johnny Cash - Johnny›s haunting and legendary voice is who Fitz is often favorably compared to. Fitz has recorded a number of albums over the years injected with his own brand of multi-faceted, contemporary rock as well as collaborating and recording with myriad musicians and bands, most recently working with Palm Desert’s own Penny Unniversity. Currently, you can hear Fitz on his radio show on CV104.3 weekdays 6am-10am.

With an eclectic and varied career as a radio D.J., musician, songwriter, and entertainment producer and host, Fitz has stood on the McCallum Theatre stage hundreds of times in the last 18 years introducing his highlighted artists and performers for his annual “Fitz’s Jazz Café at the McCallum” series. Now, for the very first time, he has the honor of performing as “The Star in the Spotlight” at this magnificent Theatre. All of tonight’s performers, bands, team-members and crew have come to know Jim “Fitz” Fitzgerald not only as a true friend and part of our musical families, but also as the Coachella Valley’s advocate for putting “front and center” the artists who call this valley their home. But tonight - it is HIS turn! Fitz, the stage is yours, have fun and enjoy being “front and center!”

Barry Minniefield - Barry Minniefield was once thought of as “Hollywood’s Singing Chef,” earning this title because of his acting, singing, and cooking skills. He spent ten years working as a gourmet chef cooking for some of Hollywood’s best known celebrities. In the early 1990s, though, he veered more toward developing his talent as a comedian and entertainer before finally focusing on his skills as a vocalist going so far as to making it to the final round singing on last season’s TV show “The Voice” coming in second place at the finale. Blake Shelton, a musician and coach on “The Voice,” says Barry’s voice is “larger than life” while coach/vocalist Pharrell Williams stated that he felt Barry’s singing had a “soulful essence” reminiscent of the great soul singers of the past. The exposure on “The

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Voice” ignited his singing career and he’s ready to keep pushing it forward, never looking back, ready to take on the musical world with his one-of-a-kind voice filled with emotion and soul.

Will Sturgeon (brightener) - Songwriter Will Sturgeon is a native of Palm Desert right here in our own Coachella Valley. He leads the Indie rock quartet brightener. Reflective of his home being here in the desert, Will’s tracks have a sunny feel and his lyrics wander from playful to thoughtful, giving brightener songs a sun-faded sense of longing and warmth.

Frank DiSalvo - A professional of 50 years as the desert’s premier entertainer celebrating Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and more. His show at Frank’s Place at the Indian Wells Resort features The Crooners, 60’s variety, comedy, stories and his guitar. Definitely a fun, feelgood entertainer!

Jimmy Palmer - Coachella Valley native Jimmy Palmer, guitar player and luthier is widely known as “The Guitar Doctor” for his skill at building beautiful, unique, custom guitars and guitar maintenance for musicians ranging from local independent artists to well-known musicians like Jesse Hughes of The Eagles and bands like Aerosmith and more. Jimmy’s shop where he works his magic and has honed his luthier skills is located in his garage at his home here in our Coachella Valley, giving him immediate access to working out new ideas when they pop into his mind and creating true works of art that give musicians the tool they need to make beautiful music.

John Russell Carey - John Russell Carey is originally from Chicago and a resident of Coachella Valley since the 1980s. John is a renowned writer, composer, guitarist, producer and songwriter. He is a standing member of ASCAP since 1984 and founder of the BB King Blues Tribute Concert/Fundraiser.

John Stanley King - John Stanley King (like his brother Ronnie) was born and raised here in the Coachella Valley and comes from generations of a very musically gifted family.

John is a master of many instruments, playing many styles including acoustic, jazz and classic rock with his distinguished voice being uniquely his own and establishing him as undeniably crowd-pleasing and memorable. John makes a guest appearance on jimi FITZ’s American Dream album adding his guitar chops on jimi’s cover of “Time Has Come Today.”

Kaitlyn Farley - A graduate of Washington and Lee University in Virginia, Kaitlyn is well versed vocally in jazz, musical theater, country and opera and was the grand prize winner of the 2016 McCallum Theatre’s Open Call award.

Recognized by the Desert Theater League, the L.A. Spotlight Awards and the State of California as recipient of the Governor’s Medallion of the Arts, she has most recently recorded with Penny Unniversity on their esteemed hit “Dance With Me.” Kaitlyn is a true vocal treat

BY DEANN LUBELL

for the ears and assuredly has a promising musical career ahead of her.

Kal David / Lauri Bono - Kal David, highly acclaimed blues guitarist, singer and songwriter has played with the likes of Peter Cetera, Paul Cotton and the band Poco, to name a few. Vocalist Lauri Bono met Kal at Woodstock where both were playing with their own individual bands at the time. Their chance meeting led to a lifetime of Kal and Lauri writing and performing their style of blues at hundreds of venues internationally. They were honored with a star on the Walk of Fame in Palm Springs. They call their band The Real Deal because musically they ARE real and true to their passion for music and for each other.

Penny Unniversity Established in 2010 and hailing from Palm Desert, the band “Penny Unniversity” masterfully plays an eclectic array of original music ranging from world, jazz, flamenco, pop, rock and so much more. They are currently working on their 6th CD. Not binding themselves to any specific genre, the band’s main songwriter, Michael Gagliardi, along with bass player and producer Ted Walker, frequently write music that provides an open door for guest artists to record and perform with them. Some of these guest artists include Steve Madaio, Ronnie King, Jack Lecompte, Tonja Nunez, Kaitlyn Farley, Patricia Welch, Tom Hartley and most recently, they’ve been collaborating with jimi FITZ ​creating more unique and intriguing music for your listening pleasure including a scintillating and moving cover of Buffalo Springfield’s song “For What It’s Worth.” Band members of Penny Unniversity are Michael Gagliardi (guitar and vocals), Ted Walker (bass and vocals), Rene Almodovar (percussion), Louie Rodriguez (drums), Anthony Patler (piano) and Bobby Furgo (violin). Their music is played on radio, TV and advertisements in countries around the globe. If they were forced to sum up their sound with one word, “global” would be it.

Ronnie King - Ronnie King is an Oscar and Grammy award nominated producer, composer, and musician as well as a popular Coachella Valley philanthropist, founder of Ronnie King Music and co-founder of Ronnie King Entertainment. He has collaborated with such diverse artists as Mariah Carey, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dog and Rancid, and played keyboards on the recent Penny Unniversity song «Over a Glass of Wine.» Ronnie›s talents are as unlimited as the love in his heart for producing great music and for helping those in need. Ronnie co-produced jimi FITZ’s latest album American Dream with jimi and ​Lewis Richards. He also plays piano and keys on the album.

Sergio Villegas - Multi-instrumentalist Sergio Villegas was born in Santiago, Chile, went to the conservatory of music at the age of 5, and started his career as a professional musician by the time he was 15 years old. He has lived in the United States since 1980 but has continued to play and tour with several groups worldwide and has worked on many types of recordings including tracks for TV shows, movies and commercials. Sergio currently plays his unique style of pop, soul, flamenco and Latin guitar at many Coachella Valley venues.

EVENTS

Steve Madaio Trumpeter and recording artist Steve Madaio, originally from Brooklyn, New York, started playing trumpet when he was just 6 years old with his parents encouraging him from the get-go. By the time he was 15, he was playing in professional orchestras for plays on Broadway. Within 2 years, he found himself playing with Paul Butterfield Blues Band at the Monterey Pop Festival and then at Woodstock in 1969. An exceptionally talented and diverse musician, Steve has toured with such artists as The Beach Boys, Janis Joplin and Stevie Wonder, and did 2 world tours with The Rolling Stones. When he resolved to live out his “dream role” as a session player, he worked with a multitude of well-known artists like John Lennon, Madonna, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Rod Stewart and Barbra Streisand, to name just a few, and he became one of the most sought after recording session artists of the time. Eventually settling in the Coachella Valley where he happily still resides, Steve does session work as well as playing with the Coachella Valley Symphony in 2013. Steve says “When your motive and intent are in the right place, everything else will follow.” He still thanks and credits his parents for allowing him to follow his dreams.

Will Donato - Will Donato is an award winning national recording artist, composer and saxophonist with a long list of well-known musicians of many genres with whom he has recorded in the past, present and future! Some of these include Rick Braun, Al McKay, Bruce Conte, Richard Marx, and many more. Will is recognized as one of music’s most dynamic sax performers and was quoted by NewJazz.com as “...a must see show!”

Tom Hartley – Associate Producer - Tom has been a prominent musical leader in our desert for over 15 years. His influence with The Desert Symphony Orchestra, and choirs from both Southwest Church and Desert Springs Church have reached thousands in live performances within the community and at The McCallum Theatre. He has produced eight CD recordings locally which took his Choir to Carnegie Hall in New York City as well as London and Paris. Tom is a three time Dove Award recipient from the Gospel Music Association.

Ted Walker - Assist. Production Coordinator Sherri Gagliardi - Production Assistant This performance of jimi FITZ and Friends and “A CV Christmas” on Saturday, December 10, is sponsored by Desert Lexus, General Air Conditioning and Plumbing, CBS Local TV 2, CV 104.3FM Ticket prices for this performance are $67, $47, $37 and $27. Tickets are available at the Theatre’s website at mccallumtheatre.com or by calling the McCallum Theatre Box Office at (760) 340-ARTS. The McCallum Theatre, located at 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert CA 92260, accepts payment by cash, personal check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

The McCallum Theatre Box Office, its phone center and website, are the only authorized outlets for tickets to performances presented at the Theatre. Tickets purchased from any other sources, such as brokers or secondary market websites, are purchased at consumer’s own risk and cannot be guaranteed as valid.

EVENTS

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BY MORGAN JAMES

BILL ENGVALL PERFORMS AT SPOTLIGHT 29

November 17 to November 23, 2016

COMEDY AT FANTASY SPRINGS CASINO

ON NOVEMBER 19TH IN COACHELLA

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omedian Bill Engvall, best known for being one third of the enormously successful Blue Collar Comedy troup alongside Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy, will be performing in the Coachella Valley on Saturday November 19th, 2016 at Spotlight 29 Casino. With a new comedy special out “Just Sell Him For Parts,” a dramatic role in a crime thriller “The Neighbor,” a weekly podcast “My Two Cents with Bill Engvall,” and a holiday movie “Wish for Christmas,” Engvall still manages to find time to see his fans on tour and spend time with his family. An impressive resume including well known sitcom “The Bill Engvall Show” in which he starred in and executive produced for three seasons on TBS, hosting popular game show “Lingo” on Game Show Network, plus finishing as a finalist and audience favorite on season seventeen of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

While Bill admits that he is pleased with all he has accomplished in his entertainment career so far, the goal oriented funny man is hoping to pursue more dramatic roles in the future. I spoke with this stellar star to get the low down on his upcoming Spotlight 29 show and discover his feelings on all of these exciting career developments.

I asked Bill first what brings him to the Coachella Valley at Spotlight 29 Casino- is this a specific tour or is this a single special visit. Bill laughs and replies, “I am always touring! I have been on tour since 1984!” He continues to explain that he is proud to be promoting his new comedy special “Just Sell Him For Parts,” this time around however, boasting “I have a lot of fresh material there. I think people will really like it. I have performed at Spotlight 29 before and it is a great venue. I am happy to be coming back.” I asked Engvall if the current election ever plays into his routine as he is known to comment on and make light of everyday occurrences, and also if he’d be sharing a bit of his new comedy special material.

“No I don’t touch the election subject,” he states with a sigh, “I stick to good old, every day, family friendly comedy. I have some great material for this upcoming show and I will throw in a few bits from ‘Just Sell Him For Parts,’ but I definitely won’t be giving it all away!”

If you’re a fan of Bill Engvall already, or if you become one after his show, the popular comedian hosts a weekly podcast “My Two Cents with Bill Engvall” with PodcastOne. A trendy medium currently, podcasts allow an easy way for an audience to plug in to the lives of celebrities, news people, etc.

When I asked what subjects are discussed on his Podcast, Bill explains “We talk about all sorts of things and hosts a number of guests which is fun. My wife has a segment where we discuss and answer questions from the point of view of a couple married

for 35 years. It’s a good time.”

Another endeavor of the multi-talented comedy artist has been acting. Proving he is truly a well- rounded entertainer and no stranger to film and television, Engvall has appeared and starred in a number of both including television series, “The Golden Palace” and “Hawthorne,” plus films “Bait Shop” and even “Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!.” Bill most recently wrapped a faith-based holiday film in which he plays Santa Claus called “Wish for Christmas,” a touching comedy which just came out November 1st. In contrast to the lighthearted Santa Claus role, the diverse actor completely surprised fans as he recently wrapped an intensely psychological role as the bad guy in crime-thriller “The Neighbor” out September 6th. Critics are raving about Engvall’s performance in the dark film as he scares with “quiet discomfort.” “I am used to playing the comedic sitcom dad and I really wanted to stretch myself by playing a more dramatic role,” Engvall explains, “I am fortunate to have gotten to do pretty much everything that I have wanted to do in my career so far. So now I am looking for different things. I like to get people talking and I really hope to continue taking on roles like this that stretch me as an actor and expose me to a broader audience. It is all fun. I am grateful.”

Don’t miss Bill Engvall at Spotlight 29 Casino on November 19th in Coachella and be sure to pick up his latest comedy special “Just Sell Him For Parts.”

MULTI-AWARD WINNING COMEDIAN KATHY GRIFFIN BRINGS HER “CELEBRITY RUN-IN” TOUR IN JANUARY Two-time Emmy and Grammy awardwinner, and NY Times bestselling author Kathy Griffin is bringing her critically-acclaimed “Celebrity Run-In” Tour to the Special Events Center at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino for a night of take-no-prisoners laughs Saturday, January 13, 2017.

Kathy Griffin is a towering figure on television, on tour, and in publishing. She breaks through the entertainment clutter with her universally recognized brand of pull-nopunches comedy.

In 2013 Kathy was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for writing and starring in an unprecedented 20 televised stand-up specials - more than any comedian in history. Buoyed by her dedicated and engaged fans, Kathy’s live standup performances are legendary and in a class of their own.

Whether she’s tearing up stars on the red carpet, making Anderson Cooper blush on New Year’s Eve, or keeping her fans doubled over with laughter with her stand-up specials and late-night talk show appearances, the always entertaining Kathy Griffin delivers an unbelievable, unforgettable night of laughter.

Kathy was a cast member on NBC’s Suddenly Susan and guest starred on Seinfeld and Law & Order: SVU. She lent her unique voice to animated characters in Shrek Forever After and the award-winning television shows The Simpsons, American Dad, and Dilbert.

Griffin’s other awards and honors include The Human Rights Campaign’s Ally for Equality, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s Leadership in Entertainment honor, GLAAD’s Vanguard award, The Trevor Life Award from the Trevor Project, and a Gracie Award for Outstanding Female Lead.

Tickets for Kathy Griffin’s “Celebrity Run-In” Tour at 8pm on Fri., Jan. 13, 2017 are $69, $49, and $39 and are on sale now at the Fantasy Springs box office, by calling 760-342-5000 or online at fantasyspringsresort.com.

SINGER, COMEDIAN AND CELEBRITY IMPRESSIONIST TERRY FATOR RETURNS TO FANTASY SPRINGS IN JANUARY Best known for his victory on America’s Got Talent in 2007, Terry Fator captured the hearts and tickled the funny bones of America with his unique combination of celebrity impressions and his unparalleled voice. On Friday, January 20, 2017, Terry Fator brings his “It Starts Tonight” show to the Special Events

Center at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Returning with Fator will be his all-star team of anything-but-ordinary puppets. These stars in their own right include Duggie the annoying neighbor, Emma the little girl with the big voice, Monty Carlo the lounge singer, Maynard Thompkins the world’s greatest Elvis impersonator and country superstar Walter T. Airdale. Each character allows Fator to sing a different genre in an unbelievable manner with performances ranging from Garth Brooks and Dean Martin to Aretha Franklin, Lady Gaga and more.

Terry Fator’s rise to fame, from his time with a Texas-based cover band to his very own theatre at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, was 32 years in the making. As a young man, Fator sang lead vocals for Texas the Band, a group whose playlist ranged from Garth Brooks to Guns N’ Roses.

A trip to Las Vegas in 2005 sparked Terry Fator’s desire to become a big-name entertainer and he left town with visions of billboards and bright lights, all featuring his name. Unwilling to give up on his dreams, Fator was persuaded to audition for “America’s Got Talent” when he saw a ventriloquist from season one on the “The Late Show with David Letterman.” During his audition, Fator stunned the judges with his puppet Emma Taylor and her impression of Etta James. In the final episode, a stunning Roy Orbison performance of “Crying” courtesy of Winston The Impersonating Turtle, led to an eruption of praise from the audience, the judges and America. His life would never be the same.

In one year, Fator went from small-town appearances to “The Today Show,” “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and, at long last, “The Late Show with David Letterman.”

Tickets for the 8pm Terry Fator performance on Fri., Jan. 20, 2017 go on sale Fri., Nov. 18, 2016 for $79, $59 and $39 at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, via telephone (800) 827-2946 or online at FantasySpringsResort. com. For more info on Terry Fator, please visit terryfator.com.

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

STING BRINGS HIS “57TH & 9TH TOUR” TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR A VERY SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

EVENTS

AT AGUA CALIENTE CASINO RESORT SPA FEBRUARY 11, 2017! TICKETS ON SALE NOVEMBER 21 AT 8AM

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ting brings his 57th & 9th Tour to The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, Southern California’s premier concert theater, for his inaugural appearance in the Coachella Valley and for what is certain to be a memorable performance with special guests Joe Sumner and The Last Bandoleros, Saturday, February 11, 2017. Tickets will go on sale Saturday, November 21 at 8:00 a.m.

On the 57th & 9th Tour, Sting will be joined by a 3-piece band including his longtime guitarist, Dominic Miller, plus Josh Freese (drums) and Rufus Miller (guitar).

Special guests include singer/songwriter Joe Sumner as well as San Antonio-based Tex Mex band, The Last Bandoleros.

Sting’s twelfth solo studio album, 57th & 9th, his first rock/pop project in over a decade, was released November 11 on A&M/Interscope Records. The ten-song collection represents a wide range of Sting’s musical and songwriting styles from the raucous, guitar-driven first single, “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You” to the ferocious, Road Warrior-style imagery of “Petrol Head” and the anthemic “50,000.” The album, produced by Martin Kierszenbaum, was recorded in just a few weeks with Sting’s long-time collaborators Dominic Miller (guitar) and Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), as well as drummer Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails, Guns ‘n’ Roses), guitarist Lyle Workman and backing vocals by the San Antonio-based Tex-Mex band The Last Bandoleros.

Composer, singer-songwriter, actor, author, and activist Sting was born in Newcastle, England before moving to London in 1977 to form The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. The band released five studio albums, earned six Grammy Awards and two Brits, and was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

As one of the world’s most distinctive solo artists, Sting has received an additional 10 Grammy Awards, two Brits, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, three Oscar nominations, a TONY nomination, Billboard Magazine’s Century Award, and MusiCares 2004 Person of the Year. Also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, in December 2014 he received the Kennedy Center Honors, one of the most prestigious cultural prizes in the United States. Throughout his enduring career, he has sold close to 100 million albums from his combined work with The Police and as a solo artist.

Sting’s support for human rights organizations such as the Rainforest Fund, Amnesty International and Live Aid mirrors his art in its universal outreach. Along with wife Trudie Styler, Sting founded the Rainforest Fund in 1989 to protect both the world’s rainforests and the indigenous people living there. Together they have held 17 benefit concerts to raise funds and

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Photo By Eric Ryan Anderson

awareness for our planet’s endangered resources, with the next event scheduled for December 14 at Carnegie Hall. Since its inception, the Rainforest Fund has expanded to a network of interconnected organizations working in more than 20 countries over three continents.

Joe Sumner has been honing his solo work for the past five years. While simultaneously fronting rock band Fiction Plane and pushing boundaries in the tech space with his app Vyclone, Joe has been painstakingly stripping back all that he finds inauthentic.

The result is a spacious and colorful sound that would not be out of place in a Wes Anderson movie. Starting with just his voice and an acoustic guitar, he writes heartfelt, playful and genuine songs that are never quite finished. “Every time I play a song I leave at least a few parts of it completely open to improvisation,” he says of his loose and collaborative performing style. “After you play a song fifty times I think it should get better, not just stay the same!”

This open-minded attitude comes in part from his extremely varied musical experiences – from touring with acts that he literally calls family (The Police, Sting) to artists like Snoop Dogg or singing in a modern opera and writing hits for other European artist. Joe also teaches highlyacclaimed workshops at music schools focusing on the emotional pressures of songwriting. Joe Sumner’s debut solo single

“Jellybean” will be released in January 2017.

The Last Bandoleros are a four-piece outfit blending Tex-Mex, country and rock ‘n’ roll. Their story begins in San Antonio, Texas with guitarist/producer Jerry Fuentes who, during a musical pilgrimage to Manhattan, chanced to meet New York native, singersongwriter/producer Derek James.

Fuentes and James began collaborating in Brooklyn. But, Fuentes kept being drawn back to his native Texas to record in the same San Antonio studio where a couple of talented brothers were also emerging.

Diego and Emilio Navaira, sons of Tejano music legend, Emilio Navaira, Sr., had been making a name for themselves around town for their energetic live performances and sterling vocal chops. Fuentes decided to combine both of his universes by introducing Derek to Diego and Emilio and inviting them to joint-sessions in Brooklyn and San Antonio where riffs and lyrics began flying fast.

Newly christened The Last Bandoleros, the quartet began playing live, opening for The Mavericks, Jon Pardi, Josh Abbott Band, Los Lonely Boys and Marc Broussard.

Recognizing their high level of musicianship, Sting called upon them to sing backing

vocals on his “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You” single which soared the heights of radio charts around the world.

Praise also began pouring in from the music press. Rolling Stone wrote: “[The Last Bandoleros’] music caroms wildly from rock and country to conjunto and pop, adding up to a sound that’s hard to get out of your head.” People Magazine dubbed the band “ones to watch” and Entertainment Weekly included them in their “Breaking Big” list. HITS Magazine described The Last Bandoleros as “Tex-Mex meets harmonyrich Beatlesque pop, with a healthy dollop of boy-pop charisma.”

The Last Bandoleros combine their unique cultural experiences with rare musical camaraderie and, as audiences will continue to discover, their exuberance and joy are contagious.

Tickets for this extraordinary evening with Sting, starting at $95, will go on sale Saturday, November 18 at 8:00 a.m., available online at HotWaterCasino.com and by calling (800) 585-3737. The concert takes place on Saturday, February 11, 2017, at 8:00 p.m. at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage.

EVENTS

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IL DIVO

L DIVO’s ‘Amor & Pasion’ tour has taken them through Boston, New York, Nashville, Houston, Portland, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Coachella Valley Weekly spoke with operatic tenor and former heavy metal front man Urs Buhler as he and the band finished up their Canadian leg of the tour. They make their final stop at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Special Events Center in Indio, California on Saturday 11/19/16 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at tickets.com or at the Fantasy Springs box office.

WHO IS IL DIVO? - IL DIVO is the multinational classical ‘popera’ crossover vocal group that originated in the United Kingdom in December 2003. The band, tenor Urs Bühler (Switzerland), baritone Carlos Marín (Spain), tenor David Miller (USA) and pop vocalist Sébastien Izambard (France) has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, achieved over 50 number one records, received 160 gold and platinum sales awards in over 33 countries and orchestrated four groundbreaking world tours.

Buhler: “We are three classically trained opera singers and one pop singer. We take popular songs that may be classic, standard or pop songs. We don’t necessarily perform straight classical music. Anything you can think of that has been a hit over the last 70 years and we take it and rearrange it for our four voices and sing it together as a four piece which gives it a unique sound. We’ve become well-known for it

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since 2004 when we first released our album.

For this album we looked for all the greatest standards and classics in the Latin American repertoire like “Besame Mucho” for example, which is one of the most recorded songs ever and Gloria Estefan’s “Don’t Want to Lose You Now” (Si Voy a Perderte).” IL DIVO has amassed the attention of both classical and pop music fans in the United States.

THE U.S. - “I love the states. Living in the states is very different than living in Europe.

Even though it’s some of the same culture, the day to day living is different. I do have a home in Sherman Oaks, California. I’m going to spend a lot of time there next year. We’ll likely perform another month here in the states next year.” Buhler now travels in tandem with his significant other and enjoys experiencing his second home. “I got married this year and this is the first time my wife is with me on tour.

To me living in the states on a practical level is very convenient, especially in the big cities. You can get what you need at anytime 24 hours a day. That’s different from Europe. The service industry is absolutely great in the states. People are friendly and helpful. I don’t think I could ever say goodbye to Europe because I am European at heart. The U.S. is a great place to live and I hope it stays that way.”

SOLO - IL DIVO are multi-instrumentalists and have a constant desire to extend outside

LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

DRUM HALL TO OPEN FOR FISHBONE

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ccording to his sponsor, Spaun Drums, Steven Hall is “arguably one of the hardest hitting more precise drummers in the So Cal music scene.” Son to Steve Hall Sr. (aka “Ballsy Hallsy”) of local metal legends STORMER, Steven continues to build that legacy having toured and graced the stage with acts like Capitol Eye (Skunk Records), Ripsville City Hall, Thr3 Strykes and currently Se7en4. His most recent project, Drum Hall, another badge of honor to the family name, will be opening for Fishbone at the Date Shed, November 18th, a band noted by critics as “one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the late ‘80s.”

Steven Hall’s Drum Hall had their debut at the Rhythm Wine and Brews Festival in 2016.

CV Weekly had the chance to catch up with Hall and find out how this new project that has been greeted with sold out venues and rave reviews came together.

Hall: “It’s kind of funny, actually. My friend since high school, Chris Cichocki, a well-known artist around the world who also works with the Rhythm, Wine and Brews Festival, asked me if I wanted to attend the show in 2015 with headliners Slightly Stoopid. We had been in a back yard, beer brawling, punk band called Crook together as kids along with Nick Flores (front man for Se7en4). As it turns out, I couldn’t go. But during that conversation, I threw out a suggestion; ‘Hey dude, maybe next year you can let me do a big drum circle at the entrance to the event when people are walking in.’ It was an idea I had that fed off of the concept of the Venice Beach drum circle I have been to on Sundays. As the sun goes down,

100s of people gather with drums and every kind of percussion. ‘That’s not a bad idea,’ he said. We didn’t talk about it again until two months prior to that next RWB Festival when he said that he got us a slot. I didn’t even have a name or anything put together for it…it was only an idea. Here I was, booked with a seriously big gig, and I hadn’t even started putting anything together. But I definitely had some ideas!”

“I called my friend, DJ Hellnaw, from Skunk Records and Capitol Eye. We got into a studio, started to work it out, and it really started to come together. About a month out from the gig, I reached out to all the drummers I knew – I even reached out to musicians that weren’t drummers, like Jamie Hargate of The Hellions who just has great musicality. We eventually pulled 12 other

November 17 to November 23, 2016

BY NOE GUTIERREZ

Photo By Carl Scheffel

their vocal abilities. “Sébastien at the moment is recording a solo album, Carlos has released a DVD of his solo show, and David is working on stuff. I’ve got stuff in the back of my head as well especially for next year, I just need more time. I think our show has encouraged each of us to let our personal creative juices flow a bit. It gives us 100% space in which to express ourselves.”

AMOR Y PASION - “We’ve added a lot of elements that we’ve never used before. We play instruments on the stage. We each perform a solo number. That’s something fans have been requesting years on end and this is the first time we actually do that. We give the audience a chance to hear each voice individually for a whole aria which allows them to appreciate us in a very different way. It gives us the opportunity to show off our individual talent much more than as a foursome. It’s magical and amazing when we sing together and we

love that. Singing solos gives us the possibility to express ourselves. Another exciting element and for the very first time we have dancers with us on stage. We actually dance as well. The whole Amor & Pasion album and tour is based on the Latin catalog. A lot of the songs are associated with dances like salsas, rumbas and boleros. The musical breaks where we don’t sing we dance a few steps. It’s not like we’re going to do the boy band thing of course. It’s a very colorful and entertaining show.”

FINALE - “IL DIVO is love and passion through these Latin songs. IL DIVO has always been about love and passion; heartbreak, hardships and relationships. Even a song like “My Way” (A Mi Manera), I guess “My Way” is about passion too; a passion for life. In the end it’s the expression of love and passion. That’s what this album and show is all about.” Indio is the last show of the ‘Amor & Pasion’ tour then IL DIVO head back to Europe to spend Christmas with friends and family. Next year there are plans to include only marginal touring so purchase your tickets and take in the love and passion with your true love. www.ildivo.com Facebook or on Twitter @IlDivoOfficial

BY LISA MORGAN drummers together for that festival. Still, two weeks out, we still needed a name; we came up with Drum Hall.”

“That year, we included Katie Cathcart (Bridger), Josh Fimbres (Thr3 Strykes), Josh Hall (Thr3 Strykes), Jamie Hargate (Hellions), Steve Ussery, (Caxton), Bob Llamas (The Hellions), my buddy Park Romney, Cesar Hernandez (Pedestrians) who’s like a brother to me, and Trevino Martin DeBajo (Se7en4). We pulled a lot of people together including sound, and everyone really came through. I didn’t think that it could get better than that, but since then, we’ve played the sold out Open Desert Music and Photographic Arts Showcase produced by Chris Cichocki (a show that featured the music of four desert rock artists playing in collaboration with the projected images of more than 130 local and international artists in the Annenberg Theater), and opened the CV Music Awards.”

CVW: “What made you think of bringing a DJ into the drum circle concept?

Hall: “I wanted it to be a bigger party than Venice. So I thought, kind of like how I role through life in general, that adding a DJ would turn it up a couple more notches. Every drummer needs a metronome. Why not interact hip hop gangster rap, one of the best metronomes that I ever learned from, and turn it into a drum circle on steroids.”

“This show will include me, my brother, Josh Hall as DJ, Josh Fimbres, Cesar Hernandez, Park Romney, Brian Pelletier, Katy Cathcart, and newer additions Troy Whitford (The Sweat Act) and Jared Rice who joined us at the CV Music Awards at the last minute. My brother Josh will start things off as our DJ/hype man and I’ll join him on stage. It will be just the two of us for the ‘full Hall experience’ before the rest of the crew comes on stage.”

“I am really excited about this show. I’ve been a fan of Fishbone since middle school. Their drummer and I are both endorsed by Spaun Drums. I’m looking forward to meeting him, comparing drum sets, and getting to know him after all these years of being a fan.”

Drum Hall will be joining local band Spankshaft in opening for Fishbone at the Date Shed in Indio on Friday, November 18th. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The show starts at 9pm and is open to adults age 18 and older. For more information, go to dateshedmusic.com.

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

JAMES LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT BY MORGAN BACKSTAGE JAZZ

BY PATTE CV OPEN MIC COMPETITION 2016 AT THE BLOCK: WEEK 7

PURCELL

WHAT’S UP WITH JOHN STANLEY KING

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uch an incredible group of talented artists and bands show each week for the CV Open Mic Competition 2016 at The Block Sports Bar & Grill in Cathedral City! Audience giveaways like T-Shirts from Brutal Bee Music Group have thrilled the rowdy cheering section each week as they warm up to voice their votes. Even more new faces came out to see what all this fun is about in week #7 of our competition, as they find out just how welcoming and supportive this open mic can be. Guest Judge VersaStyle aka Pete Campbell had the tough job of scoring and deliberating another tie breaking situation this week. However, once all of our talented musicians graced the stage and the votes were tallied, 2 separate acts were awarded 1st place and pushed into the semifinals on January 4th. Lance Riebsomer and David Morales of Black Water Gospel advanced and decided to take home a $25 gift certificate to Stuft Pizza Bar & Grill. AND Razor J aka Juan Espino will now move on to the Semi Finals January 4th and chose to take home 2 tickets to the Mary Pickford Theatre. If either win in the semi- finals, the artist will compete in the Grand Finals on January 11th for an MTV Quality Music Video Production from Desert C.A.M. Studios/Winmill Films and award winning Director Chip Miller, plus a $500 trip to Las Vegas from Crater Lake Spirits, as well as an Artist Development Session from Grammy nominated Producer Ronnie King, a Promotional Photo Shoot from Rav Holly, and a Boss RC-1 Loop Station Pedal from Guitar Center Palm Desert, and an artist Merchandise Package from Brutal Bee Music Group including logos, 25 shirts, stickers, and more. 2nd place was awarded to Bri Cherry

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& The Boys (with Dominique) who serenaded the stage and decided on a $25 gift certificate to The Block Sports Bar & Grill.

THANK YOU to ALL our performers at the CV Open Mic Competition for putting on a great show AND making the environment so supportive for all of the artists involved: Bri Cherry, Danny Zee, Dominique, Chris Colin, Zech B, Marco Thoma aka System, Shiloh Rumor, Lou King, Christopher Gorman, L Boogie Da Mann, Tyler La Salle, Juan Espino aka Razor J, Moses of Chapter, Lance Riebsomer, and David Morales. I also want to thank all of the fans that keep showing each and every week just to enjoy the show! Also a big thanks to Johnny Carmona, our amazing sound technician. I hope to see you all next WEDNESDAY at THE BLOCK SPORTS BAR & GRILL in Cathedral City! 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 sponsors: Desert C.A.M. Studios/Winmill Films & Chip Miller, Ronnie King Music, Crater Lake Spirits, Rav Holly, Guitar Center, CV Weekly, Canyon Copy & Print, Stuft Pizza Bar & Grill, Brutal Bee Music Group, and The Block Sports Bar & Grill.

Be sure to “LIKE” us at Facebook.com/ CVOpenMicCompetition for updates! ALL AGES ALLOWED and YOU may compete EVERY week!

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 11pm so be sure your friends and family know to stay until the end to voice their vote!!! For questions or info about sign-up, please see Facebook.com/CVOpenMicCompetition

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ne of the coolest dudes in the desert is John Stanley King and the big news is he is finally, finally coming out with another CD. This will be a mix of his originals and some remakes of classics. He’s particularly happy with his version of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”

In a twist he decided to record it with a bossa nova beat, but his band members on his Friday night gig at Vicky’s of Sante Fe are R&B guys that have played with The Gap Band and Janet Jackson. What started as Bossa Nova ended up with a funky R&B sound with lush strings. I can’t wait to hear it. The CD is recorded organically (recorded with everyone playing at once together).

He said it will be available in a couple of months. Let’s hope he stores the master somewhere other than underneath his car seat (true story). I’ve been a big fan of John’s for many years now and we’ve spent many an evening listening to him strumming his way into our hearts.

The other big news is that he is now the musical director at Vicyi’s of Sante Fe in Indian Wells. Vicky’s has upped the ante for local music, which is so appreciated. It’s become the real home for jazz in the desert.

They are supporting a total of 35 musicians a week from their locale. Kudos to them!

John now performs with a 6 piece band.

On Friday nights it’s his originals and some R&B, Boz Skaggs, and some dance music. Sundays he does his Sinatra repertoire with a grand piano and the bands in suits. He calls it ‘Blue Note’ style jazz.

He’s also filled the calendar for Vicky’s for the season with some great artists. Monday and Tuesday’s its Mike Costley. Wednesday it’s Barry Minniefield, Thursday nights Carolyn Martinez plays a bossa mix and standards with her 5 piece band including Craig Chesnut on drums. Saturday nights it’s Rose Mallet and Barney Mc Clure from 5:30 - 7:00 and Kal David and Lauri Bono from 7:30-11:00. It’s “Meet the Corwins” Fridays 5:30 to 7:30.

You can also catch up with John at the other gigs he’s doing. On Monday nights he does “Conversation Acoustic” at the Corktree. I asked him if it’s a solo. His reply “I’ve never done a gig by myself.”

Wednesday nights he’s on the veranda at the Hyatt in Indian Wells from 5:00-9:00 with a band including Andrew Ford on bass (one of my favorites).

Thursday nights you can sit under the stars amongst the fire pits and listen to him at the Blue Ember in Rancho Mirage.

John has been a stable presence in the Coachella Valley for 30 years. He brings a unique version of a variety of music in a casual easy style. He mentioned that he has people sit in with him.

Just last week he had a surprise celebrity stop by - Kevin Bacon (pictured).

A new season is on the horizon and with it, the best line up of jazz we’ve seen in many years. John Stanley King is one of those people helping to bring it about.

Patte Purcell - Muze Muzic pattepurcell@yahoo.com 1-702-219-6777

LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 17 to November 23, 2016

BY LISA MORGAN

AMANDA SHIRES CARVING OUT HER OWN “PIECE OF LAND” FROM A 15 PASSENGER VAN COMING TO PAPPY & HARRIET’S PIONEER TOWN PALACE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH

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inger/Songwriter Amanda Shires did not come from a family of music. Still, she has found herself surrounded by some of Americana’s greats in large part to her skill, both natural and learned, but also for her veritable authenticity. While many people have come upon her music only recently as a result of being married and playing most recently with her husband, Jason Isbell, who is currently doing his part to boost the popularity of the Americana genre, Shires has been building the foundation of her own career since she a young teenager. She began performing with the Texas Playboys, and has gone on to tour and record with John Prine, Billy Joe Shaver, Todd Snider, Justin Townes Earle, and Shovels & Rope. Along the way, she’s made three solo albums, the most recent being, My Piece of Land.

Shires, a young girl growing up in a broken home where neither mom nor dad had any real expendable income, somehow convinced her father to purchase a violin for her. Having sworn that she would learn to play it, Shires struggled on her own until her mother managed to afford lessons for her. It was through that instructor that she found herself with her first real gig at the age of 14, playing with the Texas Playboys.

I personally stumbled upon and immediately connected with Amanda Shire’s music when the song, “When You Need a Train It Never Comes,” was played on Outlaw Country, Sirus Radio. Her gentle, soothing voice contrasted the angst of the heart squeezing lyrics. I personally have never needed a train, but somehow in my soul, I agreed wholeheartedly that, “No, it never comes.” Shires songs, along with her incredible musicianship have a way of gently connecting to the listener at their core in unexpected ways.

Her marriage to Grammy winning Americana/Country songster, Jason Isbell, and their subsequent pregnancy have made her the topic of conversation for many, and not necessarily for her own music prowess.

At one point, Isbell, a very expressive and entertaining tweeter messaged his following, asking people to stop telling his wife that she won’t want to do music after the baby

Photo By Josh Wool

is born. Isbell understands more than anyone that Amanda Shires is an artist who is compelled to write, perform and connect with an audience and she does so brilliantly.

“People really do say things like that to you,” shared Shires with CV Weekly. “Like suddenly, something in you is supposed to change, and you won’t want to pursue your career or your passions. It’s something put upon us by people who have no clue what motherhood is about, and I’m not going to be that kind of example for my daughter. If your passion is to stay at home, that’s great - that’s a job in itself. If you feel you’re called to do other things, then you have to do them and employ some other amazing women into your life and make it work. I was told time and time again, ‘Oh, I guess you’re giving up music.’ If I was going to quit, I’d just quit. I wouldn’t quit passive aggressively and blame my child.”

When I mentioned how it would have sucked if Willie Nelson had quit since his kids are all some very good people as well as fantastic music makers, Shires responded, “He can because he is working within the social constructs that males get to operate in.” She added poignantly, “No amount of good parenting makes up for an unhappy mother. You can’t be unhappy and be good at it.”

Touring and being a mother has handed her challenges that have required some changes to her regularly touring schedule: “I am not able to do it like before. This tour is three weeks… three weeks that I’m gone without her. Jason is able to take her because he travels in a bus so she can sleep the night through and has help when he’s doing sound checks and shows. People tend to look at him like he’s a widower, but the two are best buds. It is hard enough to travel around as an adult in a 15 passenger van, much less with a child. It’s difficult - the distance and the time. I didn’t know it would be like this when I started touring again. I just went about the normal way of doing things…three weeks is generally what we do. Next year, I’ll probably only tour a week or two and be at home for a week or two. Three weeks is a rather large chunk of time.”

Her latest release, My Piece of Land, is a direct result of the changes and insights since becoming a mother: “I had to stop touring 34 weeks into my pregnancy because flying isn’t safe and doctor’s appointments became more frequent. I was trying to accept being home alone and bringing a child into the world. After I got done doing everything I could nesting wise, like cleaning out drawers, setting up the nursery, putting an art gallery in the garage (apparently this child needed to know that the garage was on point, she laughed), I just started writing. I got a few songs in and called Dave Cobb to see if he

would let me record. He said yeah. So then I played a few shows around town and recorded the rest of the time.”

Tracks like “You Are My Home,” “When You’re Gone,” and “The Way It Dimmed,” are pure truth bleeding into beautiful melody.

Produced by David Cobb, most well known for producing the work of Shooter Jennings, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell, every aspect of this album cuts through the clutter and rests a bar above. Neither the music nor the message of this album is forced and it is put on a pedestal beautifully

by Cobb. Shires isn’t looking for mass appeal or approval, just a catalyst for her thoughts and feelings which she shares with painful honesty with insight with a simple, seemingly unintentional, genius.

Amanda Shires and her band, which performed at last year’s Stagecoach Country Music Festival, held the crowd in the palm of their hands. This show at Pappy and Harriet’s is expected to be even better, providing an intimate listening environment for this prolific songstress.

Doors open at 7 pm and tickets are $20.

Seating is reserved by making a second seating (7pm or later) dinner reservations only. For more information go to www. pappyandharriets.com.

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

CONSIDER THIS

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

THE COMPLETE SINGLES 1966-1974 TIM BUCKLEY “WINGS: (OMNIVORE RECORDS)

“I lit my purest candle close to my window, hoping it would catch the eye of any vagabond who passed it by/And I waited in my fleeting house.”

That’s Tim Buckley singing his gorgeous lament, “Morning Glory,” and it sort of sums up his brief, flickering career as a musician. Preternaturally talented, handsome, stubborn, idiosyncratic, sometimes selfsabotaging, he should have been a superstar. Over the years he attained a cult following, but most people have never heard of him.

Timothy Charles Buckley III was born in Washington, D.C. on February 14th 1947. His father was a highly decorated WWII veteran who came from a family of Irish immigrants. His mother, Elaine was of Italian-American descent. Tim spent his childhood in the small town of Amsterdam, in upstate New York.

It was there that his mother ignited his passion for progressive Jazz, introducing him to the music of Miles Davis.

By the mid-fifties, his family moved to the small Los Angeles bedroom community of Bell Gardens. At this point his grandmother exposed him to singers like Bessie Smith, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday and Judy Garland. Meanwhile his father introduced him to the rural charms of Hank Williams and Johnny Cash.

When Folk music began to gain traction in the early ‘60s, young Tim taught himself the banjo and formed a series of groups inspired by the Kingston Trio.

Attending Buena Vista High School, Tim was popular and athletic, running for and winning school office and joining the junior varsity football team as a freshman. By the end of his sophomore year he quit football and began concentrating all of his energy toward music. It was around this time he began playing with Larry Beckett and Jim Fielder first as the Bohemians and then the Harlequin 3.

Tim’s family soon relocated to Anaheim, 50 miles south of L.A. At this point his parents separated, his father had become a volatile presence, possibly the result of suffering serious head injury during the war along with a severe work-related injury. Laser focused on music, and somewhat disillusioned, he cut school and began dating Mary Guibert. They were married in late 1965 when Mary believed she was pregnant. They soon discovered it was a false pregnancy.

The marriage was immediately tumultuous, but soon Mary was pregnant for real. In reality, Tim was much too young to handle the responsibilities of marriage and impending fatherhood. Pretty soon he bolted. They divorced a month before his son Jeff was born in late 1966. They only ever met once, when Jeff was eight years old.

Following a brief interlude at Fullerton College, Tim concentrated completely on his music career. He emerged from the same Orange County Folk scene that spawned Jackson Browne and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Jimmy Carl Black, drummer for Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention caught one of Tim’s performances at a club and recommended their manager, Herbie Cohen, check him out.

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

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Cohen quickly signed him and got him a gig at the Nite Owl Café in Greenwich Village. He also financed a six song demo which they sent to Elektra Records president, Jac Holzman. Immediately grasping his potential, Holzman signed Tim to the label. His selftitled debut arrived in October, 1966. An audacious introduction, it spotlighted his multi-octave voice and featured a clutch of surprisingly sophisticated songs, most of which he had been while he was in high school. It received rave reviews and achieved respectable sales.

Less than a year later, he returned with Goodbye And Hello. Equally as assured as his debut, the album added touches of Psychedelia to the mix and Jazzy textures that foreshadowed future efforts. Both “Goodbye...” and it’s follow-up, Happy Sad, (released in the summer of 1969), were produced by Jerry Yester.

A multi-instrumentalist, Jerry began his career with his brother Jim as the folk duo, the Yester Brothers, and later joined the New Christy Ministrels and Modern Folk Quartet.

Jerry Yester’s even-handed production provided ballast for Tim’s jazzier flights of fancy. Released at the height of his popularity, “Happy Sad” was his highest charting album, reaching #81. This marked the beginning of him using his voice as an instrument. His increasing experimentation began to alienate his fanbase.

Tim had entered his most prolific period, simultaneously writing and recording two albums: Blue Afternoon, which was released through Straight, (Herbie Cohen and Frank Zappa’s boutique label), arrived in late 1969. Lorca, named for the Spanish poet, Federico Garcia Lorca, went through the regular channels of Elektra Records and came out in May, 1970. Abandoning the melodicism that defined his earlier music, he pushed the boundaries, veering into Avant Garde territory.

Fully extricated from his Elektra contract, Tim reentered the studio in September, 1970 and recorded what he considered his masterpiece, Starsailor.

Released two months later, it contained his best known song, “Song To A Siren.” The tune was subsequently covered by This Mortal Coil, Robert Plant, John Frusciante and Bryan Ferry.

Tim stubbornly continued to follow his muse, and became increasingly frustrated by his lack of success. He began to rely heavily on drugs and alcohol.

Although he had remarried and adopted his wife Judy’s son, Taylor, he characterized his final three albums, Greetings From L.A. (1972), Sefronia (1973) and Look At The Fool (1974), as “sex funk” music.

On June 28th, 1975, following a well-received concert with his band, Tim celebrated, apparently all weekend. When a friend produced a bag of heroin he indulged. He had an adverse reaction and friends brought him home. They laid him on the floor and later they moved him to the bed. Checking on him, his wife Judy discovered him blue and not breathing.

Paramedics were called, but he was pronounced dead.

The coroner’s report listed cause of death as acute heroin/morphine and ethanol intoxication, resulting in an overdose.

While Tim never achieved stardom in his lifetime, since his death, his legacy and status has only grown.

Burnished in part by his son, Jeff’s brilliant but truncated career in the early ‘90s. Possessing his father’s innate musicality, Jeff made a huge splash in 1994 with his only studio album, “Grace.” In Memphis to record his sophomore effort, he went for a swim in Wolf River Harbor, a slack water channel in the Mississippi River. He was caught in the wake of a passing boat and accidently drowned. He was barely 30 years old, outliving Tim by two years.

In the years since his death, Tim’s records have drifted in and out of print. Luckily, the folks at Omnivore Records have found a way to assemble his most accessible music in a new compilation entitled

Wings: The Complete Singles 1966-1974.

The first four tracks come from his self-titled debut.

Wings epitomizes the perfect ‘60s Folk song. Lush and sylvan, it opens tentatively, propelled by a shuffle rhythm, ringing guitars and Tim’s breathtaking tenor.

Cushioned by a soaring string section the lyrics seem to offer comfort and counsel to a woman trapped in the throes of unrequited love.

“Grief In My Soul” lands somewhere between a Dylan-esque ramble and Monkees Folk-Pop, the buoyant melody and instrumentation belies the lyrics’ teen-age dramaturgy. Ballsy guitar collides with barrelroll piano and a jaunty backbeat as Tim soul-shouts “I’ve got ten thousand troubles, a million woes/I got grief in my soul that nobody knows.”

“Aren’t You The One” unspools like a Madrigal.

Over a martial cadence, tambourine accents and chiming guitar, Tim’s stentorian vocals sail over the melody, blunting his withering criticism of a woman who belittled him in the past. Meanwhile, “Strange Street Affair Under Blue” is his first attempt at sonic exploration. Beginning with a pronounced rhythm that flows like a Taxim, (which is traditionally used in Greek or Middle Eastern Folk Dances), it slowly accelerates and downshifts in a series of aural switchbacks. Guitar riffs pivot between subtle flickerings and frenetic fretwork. Lyrics like “You wish to catch and cage me now,” seem to take aim at his (almost) ex-wife and the false pregnancy that later became real.

Two tracks, “Once Upon A Time” and “Lady, Give Me Your Key,” have never appeared on any Tim Buckley collection before, (“Once…recently appeared on a boxed set from Rhino Records entitled “Where The Action Is,” spotlighting Los Angeles music from 19651968). The former is a Psychedelic raver that wouldn’t seem out of place on an album from Jefferson Airplane or Iron Butterfly. A rollicking work-out, its anchored kronky guitar, a galloping back-beat, bleating horns and kaleidoscopic keys. Tim’s powerful vocals crest over the calibrated chaos.

The latter is accented by Ragtime piano notes, jangly guitar, tumbling rhythms and a hint of harpsichord. Tim’s sanguine vocals match the pithy melody. On the surface, it seems like he’s looking for a little sexual healing, but during the swinging ‘60s, “key” was also code for kilo, which was a measurement for certain herbal refreshments.

On the four tracks culled from Goodbye And Hello, Tim continues to expand his musical horizons.

“Morning Glory” is a piano driven ballad that folds in liquid arpeggios and honeyed harmony vocals. It’s quite possibly his most ethereal melody.

With over pulsating keys, and harpsichord filigrees, the U.K. b-side, “Knight Errant,” offers up Elizabethan imagery as a camouflage for more salacious activities.

Lyrics like “I love her upstairs, I love her downstairs, but I love my lady’s chamber” aren’t particularly cryptic.

The U.S. flipside is “Once I Was.” A tear-drop rhythm and lonesome “Home On The Range” harmonica link up in ¾ time. The melody shares some musical DNA with Fred Neil’s “Dolphins.” The opening couplet, “Once I was a soldier, I fought on foreign lands for you” evokes imagery of the Vietnam war, (which was raging at the time). But the lyrics are really a wistful recollection of simpler times; “And sometimes I

wonder, just for a while, will you ever remember me?”

Congas and piano intertwine with organ fills and rippling guitar on “Pleasant Street.” Alternating between Jazzy verses and Psychedelic choruses, it includes thoroughly ‘60s stream-of-conscious non sequiturs like “All the stony people walking ‘round in Christian licorice clothes, and I can’t wait for Pleasant Street.”

“Carnival Song” is exactly as it should be.

Fluttery waltz rhythms wash over authentic carousel calliope sounds and Tim’s sing-song vocals. His mien is mournful as he strips away the midway façade, revealing the shabby reality.

Because his next three albums, Happy Sad, Lorca and Starsailor featured his purest and most experimental work, the shortest songs clocked in at over six minutes. None of them were released as singles, so the action skips from 1967 to 1969, landing on two tracks from Blue Afternoon.

“Happy Time” is a playful confluence of Jazzy guitar chords, thrumming bass and a tippling hi-hat rhythm.

The lyrics are a paean to the pure joy of creating music; “Ah, it’s a happy time inside my mind, when a melody does find a rhyme/Says to me I’m comin’ home to stay.”

“So Lonely” is a sad-sack Blues pastiche. Here, Tim bemoans his lack of companionship; “Oh, I don’t get no letters, nobody calls, nobody comes ‘round here no more/No pretty ladies, no pretty boys, nobody comes ‘round my door anymore.” The arrangement features fluid guitar licks, feathery rhythms and a gauzy vibes solo.

The Greetings From L.A. singles: “Move With Me,” and “Nighthawkin’” Are Tim at his most soulful.

The former is a wicked ramble that recalls a night at the “Meat Rack Tavern” in the company of a “big ol’ healthy girl.” The track is powered by gritty guitar, rollicking piano runs, licentious backing vocals and a soulful horn section.

The latter is a combo-platter of Afro-Cuban rhythms and choogling Rock N’ Roll. Tim reveals a gift for straight-forward narrative, spinning a tale of taxi cab bravado. (Literally the obverse of Harry Chapin’s lachrymose story-song “Taxi, which arrived three years later.)

The songs from Safronia, include the Prog-Rock see-saw of “Quicksand,” the Soul-shouter workout of “Stone In Love” and the Bluesy “Honey Man.” As intriguing as the melodies and arrangements are, Tim’s single-minded pursuit of carnal knowledge feels clumsy and awkward. What saves this set is his cinematic version of Fred Neil’s Folk-Jazz touchstone, “Dolphins” The album closes out with his final two singles, “Wanda Lu” and “Who Could Deny You.” Taken from 1974’s Look At The Fool, each song presents a different side of Tim Buckley. “Wanda Lu” is a conscious homage to the Kingsmen’s indecipherably salacious Rock classic, “Louie, Louie.” From the raucous rhythms to the shout-it-out chorus, it’s a long way from the pastoral grace of “Morning Glory.”

Finally “Who Could Deny You” is equal parts ambitious and idiosyncratic. It begins like a sophisticated Cole Porter Cha-Cha-Cha with Tim crooning and caressing the lyrics. Lush to the point of fecundity it suddenly shapeshifts into an Rockin/ Soul revue, replete with call-and-response vocals, tickly piano runs, spiraling synths (that pre-sage Steve Miller’s “Fly Like An Eagle” intro by two years), arch guitar solos and pummeling drums. It’s a dizzying end to a wide-ranging collection.

It’s interesting to note that what Tim Buckley and his record label regarded as his most commercially accessible songs still feel light-years ahead of their time.

Wings: The Complete Singles 1966-1974, opens the door to a rich musical legacy ripe for (re) discovery.

ART SCENE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 17 to November 23, 2016

BY REBECCA PIKUS

CHARLIE CIALI C

harlie Ciali has a totally likable personality! His wide-open boyish grin, warm handshake (or hug!) and affable manner can’t be missed. But his happygo-lucky demeanor belies a very serious & disciplined artist. Ciali’s work is primarily monotype prints and encaustic painting, and he works in acrylic and resin.

Monotype prints are prints pulled from a painting that has been painted on a plexiglass plate. Only one impression is made from the painted plate. The difficulty in this method of work is that the artist is always working in reverse of the final piece, & several “drops” of the inked plate may run through the press on one piece until the finished art work is achieved. Encaustic paintings have a long and rich history dating back to 800 B.C. Greek shipmakers using beeswax to caulk their boats may have begun to add pigment to the wax to decorate them. The Romans and Greeks used pigmented wax to paint over marble sculptures to give them a more life-like form.

The most recognized art for this era are the Fayum Portraits from Greco-Roman Egypt that date from 100 B.C. to A.D. 200 - they were head and shoulder wax portraits set into mummy casings.

Ciali’s latest paintings are part of the “American Flag Series”. He explains: “Artists often come full circle many times in their careers. This group of paintings revisits imagery that has emerged many times in my work. I have traditionally been a printmaker and encaustic painter. These paintings however are mixed media and acrylic with resin. I paint between the layers of resin to create a dream-like depth using imagery that has historic and personal relevance. The series is called the American Flag series. During this time of intense political drama I hoped to capture a place in our culture that isn’t the “greatest” or the “best” but is the most real.

Only in that reality do we discover who we really are. Color and tonal value is important in these works in establishing a thought rather than a realistic depiction of the subject matter.”

Charlie Ciali received his B.F.A. Degree in Ceramic Arts from Daemen College in 1978, followed by graduate studies at Edinboro University, Edinboro, Pa. During that time his work was shown in many group shows including the Albright Knox Art Museum, Buffalo New York and won entry into the “Super Mud” Exhibition at Pennsylvania State University, the leading American ceramics exhibition of its time. Following Graduate School he became a flight attendant for a major airline of which he is now retired.

Living in Minneapolis for over two decades he worked as the Assistant Director for MC Fine Arts Gallery. After five years with MC Gallery he opened his own gallery, “Perspectives” which specialized in glass and ceramic arts. Perspectives Gallery earned national recognition in several trade magazines and was named “Best of the Twin Cities” for art

galleries in its first year. The Gallery was invited to participate in a visiting Gallery Exhibit at the Tokyo Exhibition Center in 1995.

In 2002 he moved to Palm Springs and shortly after opened Ciali Studio where he offers assisted open studio time and teaches workshops.

Currently he also teaches several workshops around the country in both monoprint and encaustic painting.

He also teaches printmaking for the Palm Springs Unified School District from grades five through twelve. Ciali has served as a Palm Springs City Commissioner on the Parks and Recreation Board and the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission. He has also served as President on the Board of Directors for the Palm Springs Art Museum Artists Council. He has been a mentor for seven years with the Arts Institute of Palm Springs High School and has served as President of the Board for the Friends of the Arts Institute at Palm Springs High School.

In 2012 he launched a printmaking program with the Palm Springs Unified School District teaching printmaking from grades levels 2-12. He is a certified Artists Instructor for AKUA INK, Speedball and Enkaustikos Wax Supplies. Ciali is an award-winning artist and is in collections both nationally & internationally Charlie Ciali: Artists Reception “American Flag Series”, SAT, Nov. 26, 5:00 - 8:00PM REBECCA FINE ART GALLERY, 68895 Perez Rd, #7, Cathedral City, Ca (760) 534-5888 - Rebeccafineart.net - Open Bar, Music, Amazing Art

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

PET PLACE

A “LOVEFEST” WITH PIPPI

T

his column told Pippi’s story during the holidays last year while the dog patiently waited in a foster home, dreaming for her forever home. This year we happily report she is approaching the 1-year anniversary of her adoption by Rhoda Oltzik.

A friend of Rhoda’s told her about Pippi after reading her story in CV Weekly. Intrigued

by Pippi’s circumstances, Rhoda contacted Loving All Animals and Pippi soon arrived for a meet and greet.

Rhoda enthusiastically reports, “It’s a lovefest having this dog in my home. She is absolutely fabulous. I named her Jenny after Winston Churchill’s mother. Jenny loves all dogs and spends many happy days at the dog park. She gets along great with my two senior cats. She always surprises me with something interesting when I arrive home. She might move my shoes, or today she took a tomato off the kitchen table and put it by the front door, untouched. But she never destroys anything. I watched Jenny’s personality transform during the past year, and I think she feels secure now. It’s fortuitous that we found each other.”

Pippi’s first 3 years of life were a struggle.

She was born into a family of dogs living outside in a tent with a homeless man named

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Bernie in rural Riverside County. Bernie took in a few more stray dogs, and his pack grew to 11 dogs when discovered by animal control.

He loved his animals, but could not afford the vet care and nourishing food they needed.

The 7 female dogs ended up at the Riverside County shelter in Riverside. Pippi and her sister Tyco ended up in the back isolation room due to the staff’s assessment they were “fearful, rescue only”. Animal advocate Cindy Sorenson alerted Loving All Animals to the dogs’ plight, and we rescued them from the shelter. Meanwhile, Cindy raised funds to vet and neuter the 4 dogs Bernie was allowed to keep. Bernie loved his animals, and kept in touch concerning the status of two of his dogs now in our foster system.

Initially, Pippi and her sister Tyco proved to be a challenge in foster care, managing to escape from two secure back yards. The dogs had never been inside a home, and never walked on a leash. Pippi attended Loving All Animals’ adoption events, but most folks seeking a new dog want to be enthusiastically greeted with wet kisses and a wagging tail.

The more social Tyco was soon adopted, but Pippi proved to be reserved and a bit skittish when meeting new humans. It was discovered she needed to spend at least 24 to 48 hours with someone before becoming comfortable.

When placed with a couple, Pippi tended to

BY JANET McAFEE

favor one person over the other and guard them. Perhaps she was duplicating her pattern with Bernie on the hilltop she once called home.

Foster mom Nancy Atkisson loved caring for this precious pup. She states, “Pippi is extremely affectionate, and she enjoys snuggling with you. She’s a 5-star dog in every aspect. She learned to walk on a leash and heel when she was in my home. She’s a sweetheart and a loyal companion. She loved her new toys when she was here last Christmas. Pippi had a bed beside mine, and

MEET CHYNA Chyna says “I love you!”.

This Powder Puff Chinese Crested pup talks. Oneyear-old Chyna is 19 lbs of active doggie fun. Rescued

by Loving All Animals, www.lovingallanimals.org (760) 834-7000.

MEET MISS MAMA Meet Miss Mama at Petco in Palm Desert, Highway 111. This playful 2-year-old beauty is a Flame Point Siamese rescued by www.ForeverMeow.com (760) 335-6767.

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as soon as she saw I was awake, she would grab a toy and fly around the room in joyful excitement. Pippi is a one-person dog and seems to prefer women.”

Rhoda decided to give her that second chance. She gave Pippi the day or two she needed to settle in, while knowing it was a deal breaker if the newcomer did not get along well with her cats. Now Jenny, she is a gem of a dog, a dog whose little heart loves more than most, a dog who has the experience and wisdom only a rescue dog can have.

The holidays are here again. This is the perfect time to adopt a new pet. If you are feeling lonely, a rescue cat or dog will fill that hole in your heart. If you are anticipating happy gatherings with friends and family, that new dog sitting sweetly under the table can only add to the season’s joy. For more information about fostering or adopting a rescue animal, contact Loving All Animals at (760) 834-7000 or www.lovingallanimals.org.

Take a second look at the animal that is a bit shy, they might be a diamond in the rough that will bring a “lovefest” to your heart and home.

(Photograph courtesy of Sandy Swett, Pets N Their People) Jmcafee7@verizon.net

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

THE VINO VOICE

November 17 to November 23, 2016

BY RICK RIOZZA

THE WINE STEWARD OF RANCHO MIRAGE IS BACK!

W

ell—technically, I actually drive south a couple of blocks into Palm Desert. I know this because as I’m on Hwy 111, I see the Palm Desert city limit sign posted on my right just before I pull onto Fred Waring Drive and then into the Desert Crossing Shopping Center to my new wine rendezvous location.

Yes—you guessed it! I’m now your friendly neighborhood wine steward at Total Wine & More. And—loving it! Please folks, come on in and say hi!—stay awhile, check out my new adventure.

Previously, I was deemed the “wine steward of Rancho Mirage” where I managed the wine department over at Pavilions on Bob Hope & Gerald Ford. Some of you may remember the great wine selection and great prices we enjoyed at the store—it was one of the best wine collections in our valley! But the very strange West Coast business debacle, where Haggen’s Markets bought some of the Pavilions/Vons/Safeway operations and then went bankrupt immediately thereafter, brought an end to all that!

Interestingly, in my first couples of weeks at Total Wine, I’m meeting up again with so many of my previous Pavilions customers, whom to my delight, have quite happily found themselves at their new wine haven, where they find over eight thousand labels at prices that match any place in town.

Readers of this column know this wine venue quite well by now as I’ve written about this larger-than-life wine, beer & spirits store several times since its opening in 2013. It’s been my duty and pleasure covering and reporting their great wine deals for you enthusiasts—and, I’ve had a fun time writing about the place in hyperbole.

If I may quote myself from previous columns, I’ve included comments such as: “It’s a behemoth of a wine store that’s taller than City Hall; wider than the Indian Wells Tennis Garden; longer than a locomotive train, heavier than…well, we’re getting the idea.”

“Actually one cannot help from talking about it because you can’t escape the place!

It’s on every horizon in the desert—I’m looking at the mountains right now and I see it!”

“The fact is that Highway 111 is starting to dip right around the store’s location, due to the building’s heft. There is so much wine, beer, and spirits in that place that if the big earthquake hits, we’re in for torrents of libations flowing through our neighborhood streets. I’d better stock up on some very long and durable straws.”

“I mean—sure the building is large from the outside, but when you walk in and look all around, it’s like one of those sci-fi movies where one enters a large spaceship and inside you find a complete town with streets and stores and airplanes flying.”

“It’s the biggest wine store I’ve ever been in! I’ve always considered San Francisco, Paris, London, Chicago and New York as the wine capitals of the world, but who would have thunk that here in Palm Desert, the largest wine, beer, and spirits depot in the solar system would be sitting.”

“For any of you wine lovers who have somehow missed Total Wine, you obviously need a pair of glasses—or an atlas. The place is huge, has its own airport and can serve as ad-hoc army base if need be.” The store figuratively and literally “covers the waterfront”—I say that because, although I missed it, I’m sure there is a waterfront (like a portal to some Bordeaux dock) located somewhere in that store. I should have brought my binoculars.”

“The numbers of wine available are staggering. One can find vino from every state and country in the universe. But watch your step: you may fall into a black hole of wine. The good news is that you’ll get to taste every great wine in history; the bad news, you’ll return yesterday—it does get messy, but you’ll be okay and will come out of it with a Total Wines T-shirt!”

It’s certainly my pleasure to come on board with such a stellar squad of overthe-top beverage gurus! I’m now part of an affable team that whose first priority is customer service and to offer the best and most complete selection of beverage items

in our Solar System! If you can’t find the wine you’re after, give me a call.

I, of course, invite you into the store at your earliest convenience to meet & greet the gregarious staff, and, to simply take it easy and get lost in the store. GPS tracking devices are provided as you walk in—just in case.

And as would be expected in a wine metropolis, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays is the place to be where we can enjoy some wonderful tastes of wine at the rotund wine bar, where you can meet and greet with fellow wine lovers in the community— and , where I’ll be pouring intermittingly throughout the day.

For you loyal and avid readers—not to worry; as your responsible wine columnist, I shall continue to cover wine events and tastings, chefs and restaurant venues, and other fun wine happenings around town.

Clearly, we all wish to support our venerable local wine shops in the area—and we do!— we love the selections they provide us. As beer, wine & spirits purchasers, we’re all over the map. And it’s great to have a onestop beverage shop (okay—metropolis) on hand to grab everything we need at once!

See you at Total Wine & More, (760) 346.2029. If you can’t find it—just look up in the sky, you can’t miss it.

Next week, let’s talk about some tasty holiday cheer! Here’s to your health!

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

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­THUR NOVEMBER 17

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29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bobby Furgo & Co. 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Discoteca w/ DJ Victor Rodriguez 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Trio w/ Francesca Amari, Bill Marx and Doug MacDonald 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 RowLow, Razor J, CooBoi and more 9pm THE BLOCK; CC; 760-832-7767 Reggae Thursdays 9pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 John Stanley King 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHILL BAR; PS; 760-327-1079 Symara Stone and Giselle Woo 8pm THE CONGO ROOM; PS; 760-322-7353 TBA CORKTREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 The Bill Baker Show 6pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Barry Baughn and Bob Gross 6:30pm GADI’S RESTAURANT AND BAR; YV; 760365-6633 Open Mic Night 7pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 T.B.A. 7:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Chris Lomeli 7pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Punk Rock Night 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LA RUE BISTRO; LQ; 760-296-3420 Slim Man 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Country Night w/ South 65 8pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Mystic Aalanche Entertainment Presents: Ladies Acoustic Night w/ Esjay Jones, Courtney Chambers, Christina Reyes and Giselle Woo 9pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Smoky Knights 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 8pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Sharon Sills 6:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Taste Bothers 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 The Smooth Brothers 7pm STUFT PIZZA; PD; 760-777-9989 Acoustic Live w/ TBA 6pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 T-Bone Karaoke 8pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Anthony DiGerlando Show 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTE FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Robert Salisbury 5-6pm, Carolyn Martinez Trio 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-9pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Derek Jordan Gregg 6pm

WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Linda Peterson Jazz 6pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 8pm

FRI NOVEMBER 18

19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 TBA 9pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Cej 6:30pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Dig Deeper Weekend AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 The Gilmore & Bryan Show 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Fleet Easton 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Rossi Rock, J Patron, Porsia Camille, Thr3 Strykes, The Bermuda and more 9pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 The Refills 9pm BISTRO 60 @TRILOGY; LQ; 760-501-0620 The Carmens 6pm THE BLOCK; C.C.; 760-832-7767 Karaoke 9pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-7755566 DJ Double A 8pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 The Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHILL BAR; PS; 760-327-1079 TBA 7pm CLUB 5 BAR; IND; 760-625-1719 CVxHC Presents: CMF’s, Rogue Ogre, In The Name of the Dead and Face Facts 8pm THE CONGO ROOM; PS; 760-322-7353 Andy Cahan 6pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 The Bill Baker Show 6pm DATE SHED; IND Fishbone w/ Spankshaft and DrumHall 9pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2281199 DJ Ceddy Cedd 9pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Gina Carey 6pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 The Myx 8:30pm THE HARD ROCK; PS; 760-325-9676 Esjay & Friends Acoustic Sessions w/ Dan Horn and Will Kelly 8pm Lobby THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 30 Miles Out 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; 760345-6466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live DJ 8:30pm

KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Blue 62 8pm LA RUE BISTRO; LQ; 760-296-3420 Slim Man 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company in the afternoon, Hot Rox in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Common Ground 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 DJ Jerry 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MITCH’S ON EL PASEO; PD; 760-779-9200 Michael Keeth 12-3pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 AC/DC Tribute Band ( Noize Pollution ) 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760345-0222 Rockaholics 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Amanda Shires and Colter Wall 9pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Comedy Night w/ Jason Stuart ft. Jennie McNulty 8pm RANCHO LAS PALMAS; RM Radio 60 5pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Ghosts of Kelso 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Carmens 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Rock 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 9th Annual Concert for Autism 6pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Pat Rizzo & Dennis Michaels 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE; MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-7555391 The Rick Whitfield Band 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTE FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Meet the Corwins 5:30pm, The John Stanley King Show 8pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 T.B.A. 1:304:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am

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VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 TBA 5:30pm WANG’S IN THE DESERT; PS; 760-325-9264 Karaoke 8:30pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 TBA 7-11pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Rob Martinez and Todd Ashley ft. Lisa LaFaro Weselis 5-8:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Rose Mallett 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 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; 760345-6466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Teddy Quinn 5pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LA RUE BISTRO; LQ; 760-296-3420 Slim Man 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company,in the afternoon,Hot Rox,in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Common Ground 9pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bev THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888& Bill 6:30pm 999-1995 Basix 9pm 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 TBA 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Dig Deeper 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm Weekend 11am poolside, 10pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 8-1:15am 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm Cabaret On The Green Open Mic 7:30pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Denise Carter 7:30pm 4080 80’s Video Jam 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Palm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760Springs Comic Con After Party 9pm 345-0222 TBA 6:30pm BEATNIK LOUNGE; JT; TBA 9pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 THE BLOCK; C.C.; 760-832-7767 TBA 9pm Shadow Mountain Band 5pm, Sara Petite & The Sugar Daddies 8pm BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760-7755566 DJ 9pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Gina Carey 6-10pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; Karaoke 9pm PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Branden CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick and James: From Bach to Bieber 8pm Tuzzolino 5:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 California Celts CHILL BAR; PS; 760-327-1079 8pm 9pm CLUB 5 BAR; IND; 760-625-1719 TBA 9pm RIVIERA; PS; 760-327-8311 Michael Keeth THE CONGO ROOM; PS; 760-322-7353 TBA 7-10pm 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 The 8pm Bill Baker Show 6pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 Barry Baughn Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm Blues 8-11pm DILLON’S BURGERS & BEER; DHS; 760-774SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S 7131 TBA 8pm MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Carmens ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2288-11pm 1199 DJ Ceddy Cedd 9pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm Furgo 9pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 SIDEWINDER GRILL; DHS; 760-329-7929 Jack Ruvio 6:30pm Karaoke w/ Milly G 6pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 TBA SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron 8:30pm James 6pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm Music 10pm THE HARD ROCK; PS; 760-325-9676 Pool SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341Party w/ DJ Paparrazi and TBA 10am, DJ 3560 TBA 6pm Paparazzi and TBA at Bardot 9pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 9th THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 The Meltdown Annual Concert for Autism 6pm 2 hosted by Tip Toe Stallone ft. Glasses Malone THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 9pm Dennis Michael 6:30pm

SAT NOVEMBER 19

November 17 to November 23, 2016

TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm TRYST; PS; 760-832-6046 TBA 10pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-7555391 DJ Hektik 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTE FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Rose Mallett & Barney McClure 5pm, Kal David, Lauri Bono & The Real Deal 7:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Rob & JB 1:30-4:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Mark Gregg 7pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 TBA 7-11pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Stanley Butler Trio 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 9pm

SUN NOVEMBER 20

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bob Garcia 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 TBA 11am poolside, Slacker Sunday w/ Induce DJ Sets 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Brunch w/ Mark Kahny 11am AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 The Judy Show 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 CVxHC Presents: Sleeze Fix, Decapitate the Kause, Venus & The Traps, Panzram and Indecent Exposure 9pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Michael Keeth 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm THE CONGO ROOM; PS; 760-322-7353 Mikole Kaar Pro Jazz Jam 1-4pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Radio 60 3-6pm continue to page 22

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

GOOD GRUB

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY TRACY DIETLIN

MONTES GRILL INSIDE NEIL’S LOUNGE

O

ften we talk about “hidden gems” when reviewing a restaurant and this week I want to share one of those with you. Located inside of Neil’s Lounge is Montes Grill. Owned and operated by Eric Montes, this small kitchen can provide you with some of the best comfort food around. Montes isn’t the only cook in the kitchen there, he also has Reggie Martinez adding his personal flare.

I want to start with their chicken wings, which I feel are the best in the desert; so good in fact that I always order mine naked.

Of course they are also delicious with the different degrees of sauce they come with.

I’m also a big fan of their chicken bacon ranch sandwich, which is served on a large brioche bun with Swiss cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and onion, and includes a side of French fries, cold slaw or potato salad, all 3 of which are amazing. My favorite is the home made potato salad that is always so fresh like it was just prepared.

Now let’s move on to the beef! While I’m more of a fish and fowl girl, if I’m in the mood for ribs or tri-tip, this is where I want to go. The ribs are slow cooked for hours and by the time they arrive on your plate they are ready to fall off the bone. Perfectly

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seasoned these are to die for. They also have one of the best hot dogs in town.

The tri-tip sandwich is another one of my favorites; tender and juicy and I like that I can get both the creamy horseradish AND the real raw horseradish there. They also offer many typical bar appetizers but the taste and quality is a cut above most bar food. A few suggestions are the stuffed jalapeno peppers, nachos, pulled pork fries, and a sampler platter where you can enjoy a little bit of everything.

Montes Grill always provides the freshest ingredients and yet the prices are very affordable. The food there isn’t what

you would expect for a neighborhood bar/ watering hole. And the service is always top notch like you are a personal guest of Eric’s.

So next time you feel like having some great comfort food check out Montes Grill inside Neil’s Lounge. And don’t forget Neil’s has some of the best drink prices and heaviest pours in town and nightly karaoke.

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 17 to November 23, 2016

19

November 17 to November 23, 2016

SCREENERS

OUT OF THIS WORLD NOW PLAYING: ARRIVAL

Alien invasions and extraterrestrial visitors are a staple of vintage sci-fi paperbacks and classic mostly low budget films from the 1950s. Remember “The Man from Planet X”?

Director Denis Villeneuve’s (“Sicario,” “Prisoners”) engaging, smart and stylish take on the impact of humans encountering unexpected off-planet visitors tickles the

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www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

No. 239

eye and kindles the intellect.

Amy Adams is Louise Banks, a mom and acclaimed linguist with an existing security clearance who is called upon by military authorities to guide an elite that attempts to solve the global mystery of what appears to be a global invasion of unknown alien visitors hovering in sleek space ships that look like gargantuan lozenges or perhaps suppositories. What do they want? What kind of language do they speak and is it possible to communicate with them?

The movie, adapted from Ted Chiang’s excellent short story “The Story of your Life.”

What I like most about this unexpected film is the big theme of discovering we are not alone and the parallel emotions of self-discovery. Adams’ Banks must find a common language and along the way realizes that who we are and how we think depends on the mystery and nature of language and how we learn. While the rest of the country and most the world is freaking out, Banks must determine how the alien visitors speak and what they are saying. A huge task indeed. Strangely, this process triggers visions of herself and her young daughter Hannah. Do the strange and enormous octopus-like visitors somehow manage the flow of time itself? Clearly they can manipulate human minds. Banks knows that she is racing against time and that her

life and that of humanity is at stake.

In her search for answers, she takes a life-threatening chance that could save humanity.

This deeply human movie is an example of what great sci-fi can achieve both on the page and on the big screen. This is a challenging movie to describe in a few sentences. But that is what makes it worth experiencing for yourself. Please know that the less you know going in the greater the pleasure when it’s over.

Cinematographer Bradford Young captures an impressionistic tone and texture that creates a dreamlike state that washes over the proceedings and adds immensely to the significant visual and intellectual pleasure of this stimulating and satisfying film that will have you talking about it the next day. This is Adams’ movie and she is marvelous. Recommended. Now playing at Mary Pickford Theater.

NEW FOR THE HOME THEATER: WAR DOGS Based on an article that appeared in Rolling Stone article titles “Arms and the Dudes” by Guy Lawrence. Jonah Hill and Miles Teller play two junior high school friends now in their early 20s living in Miami Beach during the Iraq War who find a way to exploit a little known government initiative that allows small businesses to bid on U.S. military contracts.

Starting small, they begin raking in big money and are living the high life. But the pair quickly gets in over their heads when they lands a $300 million deal to arm the afghan military – a deal that puts them in business with some extremely shady people, not the least of which turns out to be the U.S. Government.

I’m not a big fan of Jonah Hill or Miles Teller, but they manage to capture the swagger and arrogance of their characters, but I was not especially rooting for their success or even safety. The one person I was rooting for was the pretty young wife (Ana de Armas) of Teller’s character.

Armas is a standout in what is mostly a thankless secondary role. In fact, she makes us care about the story, no small

achievement. Armas is set to co-star in “BLADE RUNNER 2.”

Co-writer director Todd Philips (“The Hangover”) manages to deliver a finished product that reflects the tease of the trailer and the promise of the poster. There are some laughs, but this is not really a comedy even though there are some laughs courtesy the crazy desperation, dangerous circumstances and dumb decisions of the leads. This middling and predictable film reminded me a little of “Air America,” but it’s not nearly as spectacular visually of subversive in it’s audacity to expose real corruption and oversight. The film also stars Bradley Cooper (he was a producer as well).

Warner Bros Home Ent. Blu-ray.

Questions, comments: RobinESimmons@aol.com

BOOK REVIEW

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 17 to November 23, 2016

BY HEIDI SIMMONS

THE MAN BEHIND WALTER WHITE -----------------------------------------------------

“A LIFE IN PARTS”

BY BRYAN CRANSTON MEMOIR

-----------------------------------------------------

T

he AMC series “Breaking Bad” changed how we watch TV. The show’s excellent writing and production values influenced small screen storytelling in refreshing new ways.

The main character “Walter White” will forever be one of the most memorable of all television characters. Both a protagonist and antagonist, Walter White made a lasting impression and captivated audiences as he changed from beloved science teacher to feared drug lord.

Bryan Cranston, the actor who brought White to life, shares his own story in A Life in Parts (Scribner, 280 pages).

Cranston begins his book by recounting the dramatic “Breaking Bad” scene where White’s partner, Jesse Pinkman and his girlfriend, Jane, have done too much heroin and are sleeping it off in bed. Jane starts to choke on her own vomit and White makes the choice to not help her. It is an intense and pivotal moment as White crosses a line from which he can never return.

Sharing how the emotion of the scene affected him and the crew, Cranston begins telling his personal story.

The book is divided into short sections. Each is a role he has played throughout his life as an actor: Walter White, Doug Donovan, Tim Whatley,

Hal, LBJ. Then there are the other major parts of his real life: Son, Friend, Lover, Husband and Father. And the Jobs Cranston has had: Paperboy, Flea Marketer, Beast Feeder, Farmhand, Minister, Carney, Assistant to the Assistant’s Assistant, to name a few.

Cranston grew up in Southern California.

His father was an actor and his mother came to California to pursue acting when she met Cranston’s father in an acting class. His father wanted to be a movie star. There were good times with new cars and a swimming pool. But there were challenges that the family could not overcome. His parents divorced and young Cranston never completely understood what exactly happened that made his father abandoned the family. Bryan has a brother two and half years older and a sister six years younger.

Money was always a problem for the divided Cranston family. Bryan and his brother worked to help their single mom. They lost their home and the brothers were temporarily shipped-off to their grandparent’s Yucaipa ranch to live and work.

The most surprising Cranston role was Hypnotist. He actually could put people under a lasting hypnotic trance. My favorite “part” was his Biker adventure and experience. He and his brother rode their motorcycles across the country with only $175. It was during this extended trip Cranston realized he indeed wanted to be an actor.

Cranston’s voice is on the page. He writes like

he talks in clear, articulate sentences. He is witty, honest and self-reflective. He shares intimate details about his work and private moments.

There is also wisdom. Cranston shares what it takes to be an actor and an artist in today’s “Hollywood” industry. For Cranston, the strong work ethic and can-do spirit he learned as a kid assisted him in his career as an actor.

On an audition for a candy bar commercial, Cranston had to repel down a four story building.

He had never done anything like it before. To ensure he got the part, he took an intensive climbing lesson and got the job.

To deal with the regular rejections as an actor, Cranston decided to see his auditions as an opportunity to give the casting people a performance that he would consider a gift. This changed his thinking and allowed him to love the difficult and vulnerable audition process rather than stress over whether he’d get the job or not.

Cranston reveals how extremely challenging it was preparing for his stage performance as President Lyndon Johnson. With miles of dialogue,

he worked harder than ever to memorize the material. At times, he was doubtful he could do it. He admits his exhaustion and fear. Cranston went on to win the Tony Award for his Broadway performance in All the Way. A Life in Parts is an encouraging story of a man who survived and prevailed. With great tenacity -- and luck -- he followed his dream to become a successful actor. Cranston gives freely of himself and shares his values.

This is a good read for anyone in the arts or pursuing an artistic craft. Today, Bryan Cranston is widely praised as one of this country’s best character actors. On stage or screen, he is able to transform himself and consistently delivers incredible performances.

I have had the good fortune to meet and speak with Cranston. He is exactly the person in the book: positive, insightful, thoughtful, encouraging and down-to-earth.

This memoir delivers a beautiful and intimate life of struggle and triumph. Cranston gives completely not with hubris, grandiosity or self-importance but with an appreciation and gratitude for how life’s twist and turns shaped his many roles.

The book’s total sum is more than his story.

Cranston’s A Life in Parts is an inspiration to relentlessly pursue your dreams with all your heart and soul.

SAFETY TIPS

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

NOW YOU’RE COOKING --WITH SAFETY!

T

hanksgiving is quickly approaching and did you know Thanksgiving Day is the leading day for home cooking fires, with three times as many occurring on Thanksgiving as any other day of the year? “Thanksgiving is a fun, festive holiday, but it’s also very hectic says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. “All the entertaining and distractions make it easy to forget about what’s cooking on the stovetop.”

These fires are preventable by simply being more attentive to the use of cooking materials and equipment. Don’t become a cooking fire casualty.

Let’s learn and share some facts about cooking fire safety: • Be careful wearing loose clothing around open flames on the stove • Use a timer and use “post it’s” to remind yourself of cooking times in the oven • Be careful using candles at the dinner table (especially if toddlers are present) • Use oven and mitts when handling hot pots and pans • Do not cool hot pans with water if grease is in them • Have a fire extinguisher near-by and know how to use it.

• Stay alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.

If you have a cooking fire: • Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

• Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number from outside the home.

• If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear path out of the home, and that someone has called the fire department.

• Keep a lid nearby when cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.

For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

CLUB CRAWLER NIGHTLIFE continued from page 17

EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm THE HARD ROCK; PS; 760-325-9676 Pool Party w/ DJ Paparazzi 10am INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Ted Herman’s Big Band 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Open Jam 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company, in the afternoon, Hot Rox, in the night MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 4-8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 The Sunday Band 7:30pm PETE’S HIDEAWAY;PS; 760-322-6500 The Evaro Brothers 7pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 The Judy Show 7pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Eddie Gee 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 The Myx 6pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 The Chris Gore Group Pro Jam 7pm VICKY’S OF SANTE FE; IW; 760-345-9770 John Stanley King Trio 6:30pm VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 TBA 5pm WANG’S IN THE DESERT; PS; 760-325-9264 TBA 6pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Rob Martinez and Scott Carter 6-8pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 The Smooth Brothers 6pm

MON NOVEMBER 21

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The Luminators 6pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Bill Marx 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Mood Deep House Lounge 6pm-2am THE CONGO ROOM; PS; 760-322-7353 Open Mic Comedy 8pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Larry Capeloto 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Hot Rox NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Open Mic 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Industry Night w/ DJ Tone 2pm-close SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 T.B.A. 6pm VICKY’S OF SANTE FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Mike Costley’s Showcase 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Michael James & 3sum 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 TBA 6:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Trish Hatley and Barney McClure Jazz 6pm

TUE NOVEMBER 22

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The Bob Garcia Band 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke with Kiesha 9pm

AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 AJ’s Singer Showcase ft. Robbie Wayne 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Bella da Ball Dinner Revue w/ guest performers 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 DJ and Dancing 9pm-2am THE BLOCK; C.C.; 760-832-7767 Karaoke en Espanol 9pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm THE CONGO ROOM; PS; 760-322-7353 Latin Night w/ DJ Lisp 9pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 The Bill Baker Show 6pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Chuck Alvarez 6:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Singer/ Songwriter Night 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke hosted by Phillip Moore 9pm INDIAN CANYONS GOLF RESORT; PS; 760833-8700 DJ Randy Johnson 6pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Michael D’Angelo 6:15pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Ted Quinn’s Open Mic Reality Show Jam 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 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; 760327-4080 Jethro BoDidley 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Ladies Night

PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Rose Mallett 6:30pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Douglas McDonald Duo 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTE FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Mike Costley Trio 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Tequila Tuesdays 9pm VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 TBA 6pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 John Boliver Jazz 6pm

WED NOVEMBER 23

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Daniel Horn 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Uncle Abe Presents: Heat Stroke- A Monthly DJ Night 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Jam w/ Shelley Yoelin Group 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Skyhigh, Rich Brandon, Captain OSIV and IMDEAD 9pm THE BLOCK; C.C.; 760-832-7767 CV Open Mic Competition Hosted By Morgan James 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 TBA 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm THE CONGO ROOM; PS; 760-322-7353 TBA 6-9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 The Bill Baker Show 6pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2281199 Karaoke 7:30pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 TBA 6pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Mighty Jack,

S and G

PUMPING SERVICE

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

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760-404-6325

The Sweat Act and 5th Town 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Open Mic w/ Rich Bono & Poupee Boccaccio 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live Music KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Open Mic hosted by Amy Angel 6:30pm LA RUE BISTRO; LQ; 760-296-3420 Andy Cahan 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Hot Rox MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 “Sing Jam” w/ Mikael Healey 8pm MITCH’S ON EL PASEO; PD; 760-779-9200 Michael Keeth 12-3pm 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; 760327-4080 Roger Lemieux 5pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-288-1199 Karaoke w/ KJ Ginger 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Michael Holmes Jazz Trio 6:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 9pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 The Myx 6:30pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Mike Costley Band 6:30pm TJ’S; PD; 760-345-6744 Derek Jordan Gregg 9pm VICKY’S OF SANTE FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Barry Minniefield 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Nite Fixx 9-2am WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Deanna Bogart 6:30pm

HADDON LIBBY

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 17 to November 23, 2016

POST-ELECTION NEWS

A

s new political realities settle in following the contentious 2016 elections, let’s take a look at some of the lesser reported stories of the Election Season: Brussels, Belgium: The European Union (EU) held an emergency meeting related to the election of Donald Trump as President yet France, the United Kingdom and Hungary did not attend thus muting the impact of the meeting. EU leadership wanted to send a ‘strong message’ to Trump regarding their expectations for trade agreements. A stronger message related to the demise of the EU is emerging due to the probable exodus of the United Kingdom and rumors that other nations like France may be considering a departure as well.

Chicago, Illinois: Rhonda Crawford was elected to be a judge in Cook County despite being under indictment and having had her law license suspended for impersonating a judge by hearing traffic cases for the Cook County courts. The Illinois Supreme Court has barred her from taking the bench until her legal proceedings have cleared. If she is found guilty as many expect, the Supreme Court will appoint another person to fill the seat.

Hooksett, New Hampshire: Republican State Representative Dick Marple won

reelection to a fifth term and was arrested on the same day. His offense? Driving without a license and failing to show up for a hearing. Marple is the same representative that said that women cannot legally become President and called the terrorists who bombed a nightclub in Paris, “diaper heads”.

Oceanside, California: Voters in Oceanside elected Gary Ernst to be City Treasurer despite having died of complications related to diabetes in September. The City Council now needs to decide whether to appoint someone to the position or hold a special election.

San Diego, California: Leading into the presidential elections, the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of San Diego sent out a flyer saying, “It is a mortal sin to vote Democrat…immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of

mortal sin descend into hell.” Subsequently, a church spokesman denounced the flyers and stated that they had nothing to do with the flyers that went out to parishioners.

This was not the first time such statements mysteriously emanated from church flyers.

Midlothian, Virginia and San Sebastian, Spain: Clayton Litten is a lifelong Republican who is dying of lung cancer. While in the bathroom on the Friday before the election, he saw the image of President-Elect, Donald Trump, in a bathroom tile. “What are the odds?” states Litten. “One in a trillion?”

Litten is not the only one to see Trump’s image in inanimate objects. Google Engineer

Matt Cutts saw Trump in a frosted churro while on holiday in San Sebastian, Spain.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: On Election Day, Judge Darrin Farmer was arrested for failing to deliver polling equipment to a local precinct as he was supposed to do.

After dropping off his wife at the store to buy refreshments and snacks for volunteers at the polling station, Farmer took the rest of the day to work as a driver for an Uberlike taxi service for the day.

Cleveland, Ohio: In non-election news, remember the “You’ve Got Mail” voice for AOL? His name is Elwood Edwards and he is now an Uber driver. Recently retired from a local news station, Edwards was paid $200 to record that now infamous line.

Deltona, Florida: Residents of a senior living community are under siege…by squirrels. Twice in less than a week, squirrels have been attacking residents. Fighting back, a staff member armed with a BB gun thwarted the most recent at attack killing the varmint at the scene of the event. More than four residents have been accosted by the tree-dwelling rodents.

Haddon Libby is a Financial Advisor and Managing Partner at Winslow Drake and can be reached at HLibby@WinslowDrake. com or 760.449.6349.

DALE GRIBOW ON THE LAW

HOW YOU SCREWED UP YOUR ACCIDENT CASE: 13 UNLUCKY MISTAKES!

1. NOT CALLING POLICE and gathering info & taking cell phone pictures of cars, CDL and Insurance cards: 2. WAITING TO LONG TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY resulting in evidence getting cold or destroyed 3. BE HONEST and DON’T HIDE PRIOR ACCIDENTS FROM YOUR LAWYER OR DOCTOR! 4. MISSING MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS OR GAPS IN TREATMENTS: Adjusters know jurors expect someone injured will treat on a regular basis without missing appointments. Otherwise jurors ask “how badly could they have been injured?”

5. INADEQUATE INSURANCE: Many CV locals DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE OR ENOUGH AUTO INSURANCE. You need more than the minimum insurance on your car with elevated UM. Without more than $15k you are taking your life in your own hands. From December 2015 to NOVEMBER 2016 two of my clients died in separate accidents and the “at fault” party had $15k or NO insurance coverage AND my clients only had $15k.

6. PROPERTY DAMAGE: Don’t take your car to a friend’s body shop so that a

property damage bill that should be $7000 is only $2500. An insurance company’s criteria for settling, is to look at your car’s property damage.

7. SILENCE IS GOLDEN: While talking to the police or adjuster remember this adage.

It is not only what you say BUT what the adjuster or officer THOUGHT HE HEARD YOU SAY. DON’T GIVE A STATEMENT TO ANY INSURANCE CO WITHOUT YOUR LAWYER’S OK. 8. NO IMMEDIATE MED TREATMENT: Refusing to go by ambulance to the hospital because you did not want to incur an ambulance or emergency room bills with your limited finances hurts your case.

9. HANDLING IT YOURSELF: Don’t initially handle the case. Getting maximum recovery is a “work of art”. Don’t put your bills through Medicare or Medicaid. There are many reasons but just don’t do it.

10. TREATMENT WITH WRONG DOC: Don’t use your regular doctor rather than a new one that has not seen you before. Your doctor’s file has all your prior complaints and injuries and we all have skeletons in our closet. The insurance company will interpret skeleton items such as: prior accidents;

seeing a shrink (that does not play well in front of some jurors unless you see the doc for this accident); having a venereal disease; having had an abortion (without sharing with your spouse); having an alcohol or drug issue etc.

11. A DOCTOR’S LACK OF EXPERIENCE WITH MED/LEGAL REPORTS: You want a doctor who is not only a good physician but is good at preparing MED/LEGAL reports.

The doctor’s description of your pains is critical and that is why for years I lectured annually to the International College of Surgeons annual meeting on “How to Write a Med/Legal Report”.

12. OUT OF TOWN LAWYER: Though good lawyers, they will not know the local judges and court personnel (clerks and bailiffs) and a lawyer can often get a lot of info from them...if they are friends.

13. SOCIAL MEDIA (FB): Don’t post that you’re feeling great or running to play tennis or golf. The insurance company will argue if you were well enough to play a sport you couldn’t be hurt that badly. Social media is the biggest advance for insurance companies who no longer have to hire private investigators. They can learn from

your daily posts how you are doing and that could be the kiss of death for your case. Take down your social media until the case is over. The insurance company can determine your friends and have investigators talk to them and learn how healthy you are. Your friends may assume you are ok because you do not complain.

IF you have any suggestions for future article contact me 760-837-7500/dale@ dalegribowlaw.com.

“TOP LAWYER” - Palm Springs Life 20112017 “TOP LAWYER” Inland Empire Magazine Nov 2016 AVVO Perfect 10.0 Peer Rating Weekly Accident Talk Show (ACCIDENTALLY YOURS) and Legal Columnist: LA & CV Paper/ Guest Society Columnist Desert Sun

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

COMMUNITY

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

LIFESTREAM COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVE

Riverside County Sheriff’s Department • 73705 Gerald Ford Dr, Palm Desert • Date: Tuesday, Nov. 22 • Time: 1 to 5 p.m.

Lowe’s • 78865 Highway 111, La Quinta • Date: Wednesday, Nov. 23 • Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Milan Institute • 75030 Gerald Ford Drive, Palm Desert • Date: Wednesday, Nov. 23 • Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Donors receive a free movie ticket.

Donors also receive free cholesterol screening and Gift of Life Donor Loyalty points that may be redeemed in the online donor store at LStream.org. Those aged 1844 years may register for Be The Match bone marrow screening at all donor locations free of charge.

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Healthy individuals at least 15 years of age may donate blood. Fifteen, 16- and 17-yearolds must provide LifeStream with written parental consent. Parent consent forms are available at any donor center, community blood drive or at LStream.org. All prospective donors should be free of infections or illness, weigh at least 110 pounds, and not be at risk for AIDS or hepatitis. Donors receive a free mini-physical as part of the donation process. Donating blood takes about an hour, yet gives someone a lifetime.

For more information, please call 1-800TRY GIVING. Join the LifeStream volunteer team and make a lifesaving difference! For information, call 1.800.879.4484, ext. 458.

Give Hope – Give Life – Give Blood

COMMUNITY

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BY ESTHER SANCHEZ

BIGHORN INSTITUTE F or many decades, the Coachella Valley has been a true hotbed of philanthropic work of all sorts and we at CV Weekly pride ourselves on doing everything we can to highlight, support and bring awareness to the many truly crucial, non-profit organizations that have developed throughout the history of our beloved valley. As important and well-deserving as any of the many local charity organizations that have taken root in the desert are, the Bighorn Institute is doing incredible work that is vital to the preservation of some of the most magnificent creatures that have made the desert their home and that is why they deserve all of our recognition and support.

Nearly 35 years ago, James R. DeForge, executive director and research biologist for the Institute, with the help of likeminded biologists and veterinarians founded the organization that has become the literal savior of the once, perilously endangered population of Peninsular bighorn sheep. These noble, yet typically elusive animals have evolved to be able to skillfully negotiate the most daunting terrain imaginable...surviving and at times, thriving through some the harshest of environmental circumstances this planet can throw at them. Like the indigenous plant life we often take for granted...cacti species that push their way through the tiniest cracks in the unforgiving, rocky ranges of the Santa Rosa, Anza-Borrego and San Jacinto Mountains where water is the scarcest of commodities….the bighorn sheep have survived under what seems to be the bare minimum of resources.

I was lucky enough to be invited by my friend and Bighorn Institute biologist, Marcus Nelson, to accompany a group of really cool folks who are members of the Institute on a hike in the exquisite, Carrizo

Photo By Esther Sanchez

November 17 to November 23, 2016

ADVOCATING FOR THE PRESERVATION OF DESERT WILDLIFE SINCE 1982

Photo By Ann Wride

Canyon to scan the peaks in hopes of spotting some of these shy, ninjas of the desert. The Institute hosts such events periodically during season.

Institute members and fellow hiker, Ann Wride (who supplied CV Weekly with some spectacular photos she took of the sheep on previous hikes): “My husband, Evan and I have been members for several years. We spend several months every winter here in the desert as we are from San Luis Obispo, California. We are lovers of wildlife and enjoy supporting groups who are successful at reintroducing species to the wild like the Bighorn Institute has done. They have successfully released over a hundred sheep into these local mountains. It is always a thrill to see one of the sheep or any wildlife in the pristine nature that surrounds the Coachella Valley. We love to hike and are always excited when we see one of the sheep. It’s an added bonus for us hikers.”

The fun and informative hike was led by associate director and biologist, Aimee Byard along with biologists Marcus Nelson and Bo Westerfield, who sported antenna devices that monitor particular sheep who have been collared for tracking purposes.

They can follow a signal that, if they are lucky, will lead them to the sheep. As was explained to me on the hike, the signal alerts the biologists if and when the collared animal is immobile for more than four hours in which case there is a probability that the animal might be sick or has passed.

I learned so much on journey about the animals themselves that I never would have known before. Even more so, I was incredibly impressed by the daunting and thankless work these biologists do on a daily basis for these animals. It’s one thing to take a leisurely hike with a fun group of like-minded patrons through a beautiful canyon on a lovely fall day in 75 degree weather. But, the reality is that their job requires them to track miles into unforgiving areas that none of us are ever likely see, regardless of the temperature. They do this because it is necessary work to maintain the survival of the bighorn population that at one point nearly disappeared.

Man-made development that has encroached on their territory, climate changes that have dried up their water sources, infections and diseases transmitted through non-indigenous livestock and the introduction of non-indigenous plant life that is often toxic to the sheep are just a few of the reasons why our local population of bighorn sheep have at times, teetered on the brink of extinction. The thankless work of the good folks at the institute, in cooperation with local donors, the California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management are the sole reason why extinction is not currently inevitable for the sheep.

I am thankful to have had my eyes opened to the reality of how we, as residents and arguably, invaders...have done to cause harm to our local wildlife populations and even more importantly, what we can do to protect them. Restrictions of certain areas from human traffic, particularly during lambing season is definitely one of the key issues. I must admit. I myself have been guilty on numerous occasions in the past of hiking up to an area on a trail where a sign has been posted to restrict further access and ignored it completely while arrogantly thinking to myself, “Screw the man!” The wealth of information I gained on our hike has made me think differently about those barriers.

In fact, according to the Institute biologists, strategically erecting barriers at the request of the foundation due to cooperation of some local city governments in recent years has proven even more successful to the growth of the local bighorn population than originally projected. In 2002 the city of Rancho Mirage erected a 4.5 mile fence that has been credited in helping the local sheep population. The city also maintains artificial water sources in the mountains and requires developments in the foothills to install fences. These simple tools have brought the herds in the area back from the golf-courses, roadsides and country club streets to the habitat where they belong.

Photo By Esther Sanchez

In February of 2014, state and federal wildlife agencies notified La Quinta city officials and the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission that, because sheep had been coming into the community, a barrier would have to be installed within two years. This has yet to happen and the conservation commission is conducting an environmental analysis of alternatives for keeping the sheep out of golf courses and neighborhoods in La Quinta.

I encourage every citizen of the Coachella Valley to educate themselves on the continuing plight of conserving the nature that surrounds us and support agencies such as the Bighorn Institute. Membership costs start at a mere $25 on up. Their website has a wealth of great info on simple things we all can do to help.

Bighorninstitute.org facebook.com/bighorninstitute

Photo By Ann Wride

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

SPORTS SCENE

SLIM MAN

I JUST ROLLED IN FROM SAN ANTONIO, AND BOY, MY RIBS ARE SORE!

O

n Monday, I drove from Palm Springs to guitarist Marc Antoine’s house in Laguna, as in California. I wanted to go over the Slim and Marc Show in San Antonio that Wednesday. They were expecting a couple thousand folks, and I wanted to make sure everything was OK with Marc. It wasn’t.

I wanted to sing a set of my songs, take a break, and then have Marc do his set. But Marc wanted to do it different; he wanted me to sing a few songs with him playing guitar, then he’d play guitar on a few of his songs with me playing bass. And so on.

So I re-wrote the whole show. It took all day. Tuesday morning, I got up at 4:30 and called Uber. Uber Dude didn’t show up, so Marc and I jumped in his car and tore off for the airport. He dropped me off, and parked the car. I checked in, and Marc came running up, just in time. He gave his ID, and the airline gal told him there was a small problem.

Marc’s flight wasn’t until the following day. The airline had made a mistake. The flight I was on was overbooked, and so was the connecting flight. Marc went back home; he wasn’t too thrilled.

I flew to San Antonio alone, and went straight to rehearsal. I went over all of Marc’s songs with the band, and since he wasn’t there, I had to not only play bass, but sing all his guitar melodies. I was singing “dee-dee-dee-dee-dum-da-dum-dum” for 4 hours straight. If anyone was outside and heard me singing Marc’s guitar parts, they’d have thought I’d lost my mind.

We practiced long and hard. We finished around 10 PM, and when I got to the hotel, Marc was just checking in. I got up at the crack of dawn, and did a TV show, San Antonio Living. The last time I was on the show, I went on after a two-headed turtle.

Seriously.

This time, the theme of the show was Wine Wednesday. They had asked me about my favorite wine, and had a bottle waiting for me. The anchor gal poured me a

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glass. Drinking wine at 10 AM is something that would normally make me think about heading to the Betty Ford Clinic. But I had a couple sips and sang a couple songs. Then it was back to the hotel.

The hotel staff was really sweet.

Everybody kept calling me “Mr. Man.” “Hello Mr. Man!” “How are you today, Mr. Man?” The concert that night was wonderful.

Even without rehearsing with Marc, everybody nailed his songs. We had a big band—drums, piano, a sax player/ keyboardist, a female vocalist/percussionist, and two percussionists. There were thousands of people sitting outside, screaming.

They were screaming, “DON’T GIVE UP YOUR DAY JOB, SLIM!” Just kidding. The crowd response was great. Towards the end of the show, they had fireworks. I started singing the Star Spangled Banner, but I started it in the wrong key; it was way too high. When I got to the high note--“the land of the FREE!”--I almost gave myself a hernia.

Marc and I got back to the hotel around midnight and had a drink at the bar. I was starving. I asked for some food, and the only thing they had? A huge plate of bacon. That’s it. There must have been a couple pounds of bacon. Seriously.

I had a couple of slices. I was so hungry I could have eaten both pounds without using my hands, but with a name like “Slim Man” sometimes it’s best to show some restraint.

The next morning, we flew back to California.

I was exhausted; I had hardly slept or eaten in days. When I got to Marc’s house, I ate like a horse. I strapped on the feedbag and chomped away. Then I went right to sleep. It was 3 in the afternoon.

That’s show biz, kids. Gotta love it.

Slim Man is a singer, cook, and lion tamer.

His concert schedule, CDs, and cookbook are available on his website: slimman.com

BY FLINT WHEELER

FBS BOWL PICTURE GETS STIRRED UP…

T

he No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 teams (all unbeaten entering this week) lost in the same week for the first time since 1985 and five Top 10 teams went down. One of the beneficiaries will play early on the Week 12 docket, on Thursday night.

No. 3 Louisville Cardinals at Houston Cougars (no line) Louisville has only one loss this season, at Clemson in a barn-burning 42-36 setback as a 1-point chalk back in Week 5. That had the Cardinals on the outside looking in for a shot at the four-team College Football Playoff. But not anymore, since Clemson lost a shocker to Pittsburgh Saturday, 43-42 as a 22-point favorite.

The Cardinals (9-1 SU, 5-4-1 ATS) have won five in a row since the loss at Clemson, including Saturday’s 44-12 rout of Wake Forest, though they fell short as massive 34.5-point faves.

Houston had its dream season ruined by two huge upset losses in three weeks, at Navy and at Southern Methodist. The Cougars (8-2 SU, 4-6 ATS) have bounced back to win their last two, but they were hardly impressive Saturday in a 30-18 home win over Tulane laying 26 points.

Starting QB Greg Ward and backup Kyle Postma both got dinged up in that contest.

I sat down for a quick five minutes with Lenny Vargas – A Local Professional Better. “It appears that Louisville controls its own destiny regarding the College Football Playoff. “Houston has been up and down of late, and Ward is injured, so we won’t post a line until his status has more clarity.

It’s a short week with travel for the favored Cardinals, but we fully expect the square bettors to support them here.”

No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners at No. 9 West Virginia Mountaineers (+3) Oklahoma is plowing its way toward another Big 12 title, though that might not be enough to earn a CFP berth next month. The Sooners (8-2 SU, 4-6 ATS) have ripped off seven consecutive victories (4-3 ATS), including a 45-24 rout of Baylor giving 17.5 points at home Saturday.

West Virginia (8-1, 4-5 ATS) is 6-1 SU in conference play and could certainly upset the apple cart of the Sooners, who are 7-0. The Mountaineers held off Texas 24-20 as a 1-point road favorite Saturday.

“By winning out, could one of these teams

sneak into the playoff picture? Anything is possible with the way this final month might unfold,” Lenny said. “But West Virginia is a pretty salty team, and this will be no walk in the park for Oklahoma. The Mountaineers certainly have the better defense, and that may end up being the difference.”

No. 19 Southern California Trojans at UCLA Bruins (+10.5) Southern Cal appears more than ready for its annual crosstown rivalry game with UCLA. Since a 1-3 SU and ATS start, the Trojans (7-3 SU, 6-4 ATS) have won six in a row and cashed in five of those games. On Saturday, USC knocked off previously undefeated Washington 26-13 as a 10-point road underdog.

UCLA (4-6 SU and ATS) is having a much less successful season, but a win over its archrival would surely provide a big boost. The Bruins halted a four-game slide on Saturday, topping Oregon State 38-24 as an 11.5-point home fave.

“The aforementioned Sooners have a great win streak going, but USC has looked more impressive during its recent run,” Lenny said.

“Outside of Alabama, the Trojans may be the hottest team in the country. They certainly have the talent to win this by two touchdowns, but it’s a massive rivalry game, and as we know, anything can happen in that scenario.”

No. 18 Florida Gators at No. 14 Louisiana State Tigers (-14) This game was originally scheduled for Oct. 8 in Gainesville, but was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew. The Gators (7-2 SU, 3-5-1 ATS) are coming off a 20-7 victory over South Carolina, pushing as a 13-point home favorite Saturday.

Florida QB Luke Del Rio (knee) sat out the last two games, but could return this week.

LSU (6-3 SU, 4-5 ATS) bounced back from its 10-0 home loss to Alabama by rolling over Arkansas 38-10 laying 9.5 points Saturday.

“It’s such an important game for both teams, considering Florida’s conference championship representation and LSU’s potential path to the Sugar Bowl,” Lenny said. “LSU is just in a better state regarding momentum and health right now, and all the hype is around the Tigers.”

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Week of November 17

ARIES (March 21-April 19): There is a 97 percent chance that you will NOT engage in the following activities within the next 30 days: naked skydiving, tight-rope walking between two skyscrapers, getting drunk on a mountaintop, taking ayahuasca with Peruvian shamans in a remote rural hut, or dancing ecstatically in a muddy pit of snakes. However, I suspect that you will be involved in almost equally exotic exploits -- although less risky ones -- that will require you to summon more pluck and improvisational skill than you knew you had.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The Onion, my favorite news source, reported that “It’s perfectly natural for people to fantasize about sandwiches other than the one currently in their hands.” You shouldn’t feel shame, the article said, if you’re enjoying a hoagie but suddenly feel an inexplicable yearning for a BLT or pastrami on rye. While I appreciate this reassuring counsel, I don’t think it applies to you in the coming weeks. In my opinion, you have a sacred duty to be unwaveringly faithful, both in your imagination and your actual behavior -- as much for your own sake as for others’. I advise you to cultivate an up-to-date affection for and commitment to what you actually have, and not indulge in obsessive fantasies about “what ifs.”

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I hesitate to deliver the contents of this horoscope without a disclaimer.

Unless you are an extremely ethical person with a vivid streak of empathy, you might be prone to abuse the information I’m about to present. So please ignore it unless you can responsibly employ the concepts of benevolent mischief and tricky blessings and cathartic shenanigans. Ready? Here’s your oracle: Now is a favorable time for grayer truths, wilder leaps of the imagination, more useful bullshit, funnier enigmas, and more outlandish stories seasoned with crazy wisdom.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Kavachi is an underwater volcano in the Southwest Pacific Ocean.

It erupts periodically, and in general makes the surrounding water so hot and acidic that human divers must avoid it. And yet some hardy species live there, including crabs, jellyfish, stingrays, and sharks. What adaptations and strategies enable them to thrive in such an extreme environment? Scientists don’t know.

I’m going to draw a comparison between you and the resourceful creatures living near Kavachi. In the coming weeks, I bet you’ll flourish in circumstances that normal people might find daunting.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Seventeenth-century British people used the now-obsolete word “firktytoodle.”

It meant “cuddling and snuggling accompanied by leisurely experiments in smooching, fondling, licking, and sweet dirty talk.” The coming weeks will be prime time for you to carry out extensive experiments in this activity. But here’s an interesting question: Will the near future also be a favorable phase for record levels of orgasmic release? The answer: maybe, but IF AND ONLY if you pursue firkytoodle as an end in itself; IF AND ONLY IF you relish the teasing and playing as if they were ultimate rewards, and don’t relegate them to being merely preliminary acts for pleasures that are supposedly bigger and better. P.S. These same principles apply not just to your intimate connections, but to everything else in your life, as well. Enjoying the journey is as important as reaching a destination.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Here’s an experiment worth trying: Reach back into the past to find a remedy for what’s bugging you now. In other words, seek out on an old, perhaps even partially forgotten influence to resolve a current dilemma that has resisted your efforts to master it. This is one time when it may make good sense to temporarily resurrect a lost dream. You could energize your future by drawing inspiration from possibilities that might have been but never were.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): By the time he died at the age of 87 in 1983, free thinker Buckminster Fuller had licensed his inventions to more than 100 companies.

But along the way, he often had to be patient as he

© Copyright 2016 Rob Brezsny

waited for the world to be ready for his visionary creations. He was ahead of his time, dreaming up things that would be needed before anyone knew they’d be needed. I encourage you to be like him in the coming weeks, Libra. Try to anticipate the future.

Generate possibilities that people are not yet ripe to accept, but will eventually be ready to embrace.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Does the word “revolution” have any useful meaning? Or has it been invoked by so many fanatics with such melodramatic agendas that it has lost its value? In accordance with your astrological omens, I suggest we give it another chance. I think it deserves a cozy spot in your life during the next few months. As for what exactly that entails, let’s call on author Rebecca Solnit for inspiration. She says, “I still think the [real] revolution is to make the world safe for poetry, meandering, for the frail and vulnerable, the rare and obscure, the impractical and local and small.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “We all have ghosts inside us, and it’s better when they speak than when they don’t,” wrote author Siri Hustvedt. The good news, Sagittarius, is that in recent weeks your personal ghosts have been discoursing at length. They have offered their interpretation of your life’s central mysteries and have provided twists on old stories you thought you had all figured out. The bad news is that they don’t seem to want to shut up. Also, less than 25% of what they have been asserting is actually true or useful. But here’s the fantastic news: Those ghosts have delivered everything you need to know for now, and will obey if you tell them to take an extended vacation.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the film Bruce Almighty, Morgan Freeman plays the role of God, and Capricorn actor Jim Carrey is a frustrated reporter named Bruce Nolan. After Nolan bemoans his rocky fate and blames it on God’s ineptitude, the Supreme Being reaches out by phone. (His number is 716-7762323.) A series of conversations and negotiations ensues, leading Nolan on roller-coaster adventures that ultimately result in a mostly happy ending.

According to my reading of the astrological omens, you Capricorns will have an unusually high chance of making fruitful contact with a Higher Power or Illuminating Source in the coming weeks. I doubt that 716-776-2323 is the right contact information.

But if you trust your intuition, I bet you’ll make the connection.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Some spiders are both construction workers and artists. The webs they spin are not just strong and functional, but also feature decorative elements called “stabilimenta.”

These may be as simple as zigzags or as complex as spiral whorls. Biologists say the stabilimenta draw prey to specific locations, help the spider hide, and render the overall stability of the web more robust.

As you enter the web-building phase of your cycle, Aquarius, I suggest that you include your own version of attractive stabilimenta. Your purpose, of course, is not to catch prey, but to bolster your network and invigorate your support system. Be artful as well as practical. (Thanks to Mother Nature Network’s Jaymi Heimbuch for info on stabilimenta.)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Aren’t there parts of ourselves that are just better left unfed?” asked Piscean author David Foster Wallace. I propose that we make that one of your two keynotes during the next four weeks. Here’s a second keynote: As you become more and more skilled at not fueling the parts of yourself that are better left unfed, you will have a growing knack for identifying the parts of yourself that should be well-fed. Feed them with care and artistry!

Homework: Though sometimes it’s impossible to do the right thing, doing the half-right thing may be a viable option. Give an example from your life: FreeWillAstrology.com ---------------------------------------Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

November 17 to November 23, 2016

MIND,BODY & SPIRIT

STRESS LESS A

BY BRONWYN ISON

s we quickly approach the holidays our stress levels increase. The holidays can be one of the most stressful times of the year. Isn’t this supposed to be a joyous time? The current hustle and bustle intensifies and it is easy to become overwhelmed. Traveling, shopping, organizing, cooking, cleaning, etc. It appears to be never-ending. How do we stress less and enjoy more? Each year I know this is the million-dollar question. I’ve come up with some tips to help ease you into the holidays as well as get you through them.

Several years ago I relinquished my setting expectations. I’ve learned when you don’t set expectations you relieve yourself from disappointment. Perhaps you are envisioning your Thanksgiving table to look just like out of magazine. Or, you’re hopeful your gravy will taste just like grandmother’s does. It’s not your job to try and win the perfect holiday award. You will make it the best you can and it will be great. Put forth your best, you will know that you tried, and you will be able to enjoy the festivities.

The holidays are a great time to delegate.

Refrain from taking all the responsibility.

Our family will be gathering for Thanksgiving and we’ve all assumed a dish or two to contribute. Whoever is cooking the turkey and providing the home should be contributing less than the others. Plus, you get to taste a little bit of everyone’s cooking.

Planning ahead can make all the difference. If you are under prepared you are sure to increase your stress levels.

We’ve all been there. Maintaining order will help with all of your planning.

We have a tendency to do more for others around the holidays. Plus, we are making more time for family. You can still balance your responsibilities utilizing good time management. Often, people neglect their exercise routines. If possible, include and encourage your family to join you.

This is quality time well spent together.

You are building memories, creating new

experiences, and engaging in healthy activities together.

Yoga, hiking, Pilates, and other physical activities will decrease your stress levels.

Integrating breathing techniques into your daily regimen can also lend to be helpful.

A little bit of stress (eustress or acute) keeps us motivated, creative, stimulated and excited. Episodic Acute Stress is a way of life for some and generally typical of everyday life. The unhealthy stress (chronic) is everyone’s silent killer. Clearly the chronic stress can reap havoc on you mentally and physically. Chronic stress can render and leave you feeling out of control and helpless.

Stay calm and cool and the rest will follow.

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

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November 17 to November 23, 2016

ASK JENNY

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BY JENNY WALLIS

“.. IS THERE A RIGHT WAY AND A WRONGear WAY TO DECORATE.. ” Jenny,

D

I am going to be moving in a month, I am very excited for my new home. I really want to start being conscious of what I have and where the proper place is to set things. But I don’t know the first thing about Feng Shui.

For instance, is there a right way and a wrong way to decorate your rooms?

Like the kitchen for example, is there such thing as Feng Shui in the kitchen?

Thanks, Brittney ------------------------------------------------Hi Brittney, Great question! Yes there is a correct way to decorate your home. Every room in every house can and should be Feng Shui’d.

The kitchen is no exception. Actually, it is probably one of the most important rooms.

The kitchen represents wealth in the Chinese culture. When in the kitchen, Feng Shui expects pay most attention to the placement of the stove. The logic follows a positive cycle: food feeds a person’s health therefore the better the food, the more capable the person and the larger his/her potential income.

The chef should be aware of anyone entering the kitchen, or else residents’ health, wealth, and personal relations may suffer. If a cook is surprised, then a nervous chain reaction will be set off. For example, if a husband’s hug startles his wife while she is chopping carrots or cooking over a hot stove, she may get upset and this will not only affect their relationship that evening, but possibly in the future as well.

The cook should work in a spacious, brightly lit, and well ventilated area. A stove

that is cramped in the corner will inhibit the chef’s Chi flow, lowering the quality of food, and harming the health, wealth, careers, and relationships of family members.

Symbolically, the stove also figures prominently in a home’s finances. It should be clean and work smoothly so that money can easily enter the home. All burners should be clean or business will be plagued with obstructions. The family’s prosperity can be influenced by the number of burners; the more burners, the more money earned. If some burners are not regularly used, the family will not prosper.

If the stove is against the wall, mirrors or reflective aluminum on the walls behind the stove works great for staying aware of your surroundings while in the kitchen. A mirror on the side of the stove will allow for a more peaceful atmosphere and smoother cooking movements. A wind chime or crystal, hung in line with the stove and the door is also a great cure.

One of the most important things to always remember is that when there is a drain anywhere near there should always be a plant close by as well. Otherwise, all the chi goes down the drain. But when there is a plant nearby, it attracts the chi and grows upward. That’s the direction we want for our health, relationships and finances.

Good luck with your new home!

- ❤Namaste, Jenny Don’t forget to follow Jenny at www. askjennynow.com, find her on facebook or contact her at 760-505-0952

LIFE & CAREER COACH

BY SUNNY SIMON

TIME TO LIGHTEN UP

H

ow do you dial down your intensity level? That question was posed by a client during a recent coaching session. His query made sense. When I met him two years ago it did not take long to realize Mitch was driven to succeed.

One definition of intensity is “a high or extreme degree.” Intensity is also “the fire you draw on when you are dealing with heightened circumstances.” No matter how you describe this high spirited personality characteristic, it is the degree of intensity that can serve to catapult you to great achievements or inhibit your ability to work harmoniously with others.

Consider the CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, who was recently named number five on Forbes’ “Richest People on the Planet” list. Impressive, yes, however, it is public knowledge that Bezos’ intensity level has cast him in the role of a demanding boss known for delivering harsh rebukes and tossing humiliating comments at employees. At times, Bezos, driving persona can demoralize others and conjure up negative feelings.

A highly emotional reaction to an intense desire to achieve can be destructive. As my client recognized, it is worth learning to control and temper such actions. So how do you apply the brakes when your gut reaction is to mow down anyone standing in the way of progress?

There are multiple strategies beginning with the tried and true numbers game, counting to 10. My personal go-to is a walk about. Do that physically, if possible, by briefly excusing yourself, postponing a discussion, or just mentally taking a time out. Once you eject yourself from a situation driven by your escalating intensity, practice some relaxation techniques. Do a deep breathing regimen to attain a state of tranquility.

When you begin to feel relaxed, get analytical. Zero in on what triggered your strong feelings. Take a moment to examine the consequences of forging ahead full stream versus employing a little consideration for the opposition you were about to crush. Ask yourself how important this will be in the long run. Does the situation really warrant a level of aggressive action, or can you bring it down a notch and accomplish the goal without shattering relationships and burning bridges?

A final suggestion, accept the fact that not everyone drives at mega speed. There is a difference between compromising your intention and lightening up a bit. Try it. You will attain the same results with less stress and increased harmony.

Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching and the author of the blog, www.lifeonthesunnyside.net.

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