Del Mar / Solana Beach / Encinitas Community Hub: West of the Tracks October 2022

You are likely not surprised to

You are likely not surprised to see

the

OPINION BY RAY SHAY

OPINION BY RAY SHAY

signaling loud and clear that in many of our local communities, as well as

signaling loud and clear that in many of our local communities, as well as

is

ipping” from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market.

market is “ ipping” from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE KNOWS TRUST IS NOT A GIVEN

We should not be surprised. e days of buyers submitting outrageous multiple o ers on homes with no repairs requested, no appraisal contingency, closing in ten days, and providing a free 60-day rent back to sellers are over. e overheated housing market could not last forever, and it needed to change, for all our sakes.

We should not be surprised. e days of buyers submitting outrageous multiple o ers on homes with no repairs requested, no appraisal contingency, closing in ten days, and providing a free 60-day rent back to sellers are over. e overheated housing market could not last forever, and it needed to change, for all our sakes.

Read Housing Market Flipping on page 2

Read Housing Market Flipping on page 2

RAY SHAY

OWNER

e Housing Market is Flipping

One of the bene ts of a cooling housing market is it makes it easier for families interested in moving up or downsizing to submit an o er to purchase a home contingent on selling their current home. is time-tested process reduces risk and provides time to ensure you are in tune with current market conditions, and that the home you are buying is in great shape. e below image from Altos Research provides details speci c to our 92127 zip code.

or worldwide nancial institutions. If you are thinking of changing your goals or adjusting your nancial planning, please consult with an expert in the eld.

I am just an old beat cop who earned his real estate license about 18 years ago when I was out patrolling some of the most dangerous areas of the City of San Diego. I subsequently earned my broker’s license, and with the

At the start of 2022, and for several months previously, there were o en less than ve homes available for sale in all of 92127. e housing market then quickly changed in the spring with homes available for sale ballooning to over 100. Homes for sale in 92127 are now tracking back downward with 61 homes currently on the market. Instead of the previous market time of about ve days, we are now up to about y days. If you are interested in seeing a virtual version of the above system that you can check online, please give us a call.

As the housing market so ens, some home buyers and investors tell me they have been waiting for this moment for a long time and have been sitting on the sidelines with cash in hand, waiting for the housing market to crash. ey are hopeful for a return to the great recession of 2008, where there was a 25% reduction in home values, multiple short sales, and homes were being sold for what felt like pennies on the dollar.

If you are one of those people waiting, I suggest you head on over to Dicks Sporting Goods and pick up a well-padded folding chair, and put your feet up because I believe you have a very long wait. In my opinion, I do not believe we are headed towards a drastic reduction in home values, but rather a correction, which is normal.

Before we get into my reasons, let’s clarify a few points. First of all, I am not a nancial advisor, economics major, or nancial analyst that closely monitors the stock market

help of a fantastic team of experienced multilingual real estate agents, we have sold well over 300 million dollars in homes, with the vast majority of them in 92127. Please visit our website at 92127experts.com.

I believe the dynamics impacting the residential real estate market are di erent now than in 2008 for a number of reasons. Current home loans are solid as the Fed has maintained tight control over home loans. In 2008 home loans were a house of cards, and there was also an oversupply of homes.

at is not the case now, and in fact, it is quite the opposite, with very few large new home developments being initiated except for “in- ll” projects which are developing smaller parcels of land or adding dwelling units to an existing residential lot.

Requests for building permits from the County of San Diego had been trending up for 24 straight months with the exception of the last two months which has shown a reduction in requests. A re ection of the limited number of residences available is also indicated by the increasing average rate to rent a one-bedroom apartment in San Diego, which has soared to about $3,100 a month.

An additional area that I believe reduces the chances of a drastic reduction in home values is our diverse economic base. In addition to our fantastic military, we have a diverse workforce, including substantial tech-related investing from a wide variety of companies moving into the county of San Diego.

I believe this changing housing market actually provides an excellent opportunity to purchase a home. I would not be scared o by the increasing interest rate as 3% home loans were an abnormality.

e below image shows one example of what delaying a million-dollar home purchase may look like.

For example, on July 26, 2022, Apple purchased 67 acres of land which included an o ce complex right here in Rancho Bernardo for 447 million dollars. ey appear to be on the hunt like other tech companies to purchase additional property in San Diego.

In addition to our great schools and amazing weather, we are so much better priced than northern California.

I believe it is essential to look at the entire picture and not freeze up because the published interest rate may be too high for your comfort. I think people forget there are a variety of ways to push down their actual interest rate.

In representing a buyer in a recent home purchase in Chula Vista, we were able to get seller concessions which included $17,000 to buy down the buyer’s interest rate. It is all about connecting with a professional real estate agent that you trust and a strong lender. I thought it would be helpful to provide you with the name and numbers of the best of the best lenders we have referred to our buyers and received positive feedback on.

Rick Doughty Wells Fargo Mortgage D- 858.395-7257 erina Wang Chase Home Loans D- 619.797.7227

Tracy Wheeler Summit Funding D - 619 705-9922

I always encourage buyers to talk to a variety of home loan lenders including a local loan broker, credit union, and a nationwide bank. Some buyers have also had some success in internet lenders but I would be cautious.

A er selecting your lender, I suggest you stick with them as they are an important member of your team and can assist you in closing the deal on time which is always important in negotiating the best possible price. .

As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me directly at 858 449-4970 or call or email any member of our team.

Have a great day,

WHAT DOES IT COST TO AGE WELL?

There are, no doubt, numerous ways to answer this question. I consulted the Elder Index. Dr. Jan Mutchler, University of Massachusetts gerontologist, has created the Elder Index, “a measure looking at how much income is needed for older people to maintain independence and meet their daily living costs while staying in their own homes”. This tool allows the user to input their state, county or metropolitan area, their housing status, if they are single or coupled, and their self-reported health sta tus. The index then computes an estimated annual income the user(s) will need to age independently and in place.

The Elder Index supplies us with a fi nancial estimation, but we all know that finances are only part of the equation when we consider the cost of aging well. What we do today will affect how we feel tomorrow and years to come. The plans we make and the actions we take today will either positively benefit us in the fu ture or conversely, negatively impact our health, wellbeing, and way of life (read financial, social, and emotional). Plan ning to eat a healthy diet today can mean lowering your risk of obesity and diabetes in the future. A recent change to many Medicare plans is the additional benefit of meal delivery services, an option that could jumpstart that plan to eat more healthily. Additionally, many plans of fer complimentary memberships to local

gyms and athletic clubs which could be just the nudge someone needs to start an exercise program today to avoid becoming overweight or obesity in the future. The costs associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes can certainly be calculated finan cially – the co-pays, deductibles, prescrip tion medications, and chronic disease management appointments being a few factors in the equation. But the social and psychological costs can be staggering, as we have seen in recent years.

The aging journey is unique for every individual. There is no “one size fits all” and the roadmap is far more diverse than just clinical appointments and medical issues. For some, it may look like hiring a housekeeping service be cause they can no longer bend and twist in the ways necessary to keep the home clean. They have begun to consider their limitations and decided to employ an outside agency to do the work they are no longer safe or happy doing. For others, it may include securing trans portation from various sources – the local bus, Uber, and GoGo Grandparent – to make sure they can get to the places they need and want, continuing to live life on their terms.

The majority of Americans, 85% of us, want to age in place yet less than half report being able to do so easily. Do ing the proper planning today can take

much of the guesswork and stress out of an unpredictable tomorrow. House keeping, transportation, meal prep/ delivery, in-home care, and personal emergency response systems are a place to start that planning. While you may be able to perform all of these functions now, you would be wise to plan for the day that you no longer can or want to. The alternative? Depends on the costs you are willing to bear.

Kie Copenhaver - Gerontologist, CSA, RHIA, SHSS, RCFE administrator

Aging Well Partners exist to empower aging adults in finding vetted and trusted resources and services that meet their specific needs.

DON’T BECOME A VICTIM OF TITLE FRAUD

check on title during a refinance or sale of their home.

The District Attorney’s Office fights this type of fraud with a dedicated team of prosecutors and investigators who work collaboratively with the Assessor/Recorder/ County Clerk’s office to bring fraudsters to justice. However, often the damage to victims has already been done.

• Sign up for the Recording Notification System

• Search the official County index for documents previously recorded under your name and your property.

• Use caution with online signature applications such as Docusign – read the full document to ensure it’s the correct contract and keep a copy of the signed version.

By District Attorney Summer Stephan

No longer is identity theft about safeguarding your mail, credit cards and bank account. Bad actors have evolved in their treachery and have moved on to stealing homeownership through title fraud. With a few forged documents, scammers can satisfy the recording requirements with the County Recorder, thereby changing title to the property and effectively stealing ownership rights.

You might be wondering how this type of fraud was possible.

Fraudsters create forged title documents and file them with the Office of the County Record er. Until recently, many of those crimes went undiscovered until the homeowner had a reason to

The San Diego County Assessor/ Recorder/County Clerk launched a system that will protect homeowners through a Recording Notification Service, free to all members of the public. Consumers may register online to receive an e-mail alert within 48 hours whenever a document is recorded on a registered property. Homeowners can register up to five names and five Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APN). This service will allow consumers to get ahead of fraudsters before they’ve had the opportunity to do real damage to a property.

Until recently, there were no systems in place to notify the rightful owner that title had been stolen. This gave fraudsters valuable time to obtain loans using the property as collateral or when the property is vacant, install renters and even sell the home to an unsuspecting buyer.

Consumers may register online by going to the San Diego County Assessor / Recorder / County Clerk website at: https://arccprn.sandiegocounty.gov/

Here are some tips to avoid title fraud:

• If you have a second home or vacant home, check it regularly to ensure there are no squatters, unwanted renters or fraudsters attempting to occupy the home –this can be as simple as installing an internet-based webcam at the home.

• Ensure your property tax bill is paid on time and is in your name.

• Ensure all your utilities are paid on time and are in your name.

• Continue to take steps to protect yourself from basic identity theft.

If you believe you were the victim of a title fraud, report the incident to a local police agency or request a San Diego District Attorney Real Estate Fraud Complaint Form at realestatefraudcomplaints@ sdcda.org. For more information, please visit our website at https:// www.sdcda.org/preventing/real-estate-fraud/.

As your District Attorney, I’m committed to increasing communication and accessibility between the DA’s Office and the public. I hope these consumer and public safety tips have been helpful.

IS THIS EPIC ANNUAL EVENT A BEST-KEPT SECRET IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO?

The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is a national hit, but too many downtowners don’t know what they’re missing in their own backyard

By Ron Donoho

San Diego Sun

A COUNTRY FULL OF foodies knows and loves the annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival.

The mega-event gets national accolades (and is beloved locally) but do downtown residents know enough about this national treasure right in our bay side backyard?

I’m not so sure. So take heed.

Anchored annually on Embarcadero Marina Park North since 2004 (excluding 2020), this year’s multisite festival runs from November 9-13.

The event started as a two-day affair that immedi ately attracted 2,000 attendees. The focal point, The Grand Tasting, initially featured 30 restaurants and some 60 wine vendors set up in booths in the scenic bayside park.

It quickly grew. Pre-COVID, the festival ran a 10-day schedule and included dozens of activities held all over the city.

The 2022 version is building back to pre-pandemic levels. Co-founder Michelle Metter expects a whop ping 60 restaurants and 200 winery, brewery and spirits companies to be on hand for this year’s Grand Tasting. (Don’t miss Metter’s backstory Q&A at the end of this article.)

Including non-food-and-beverage related booths, there will be roughly 300 tents, tables or booths cater ing toward gourmands.

Preceding the festival is SommCom, a mini-confer ence for wine enthusiasts.

The Wine & Food Festival kicks off with several foodie “expeditions,” including a chartered bus trek to the Guadalupe Valle in Mexico.

During the fest there are winemaker dinners, mix ology classes and appearances in the past by celebrity chefs such as Chad White, Jason McLeod, Javier Plas cencia, Drew Deckman, Bernard Guillas and more.

The itinerary includes a Grand Decant, the infa mous and spectacular Grand Tasting (November 12 this year), and the Grand Fiesta, which caps the party with a Taco TKO competition.

Just under 6,000 attendees can fit onto Embarcadero Marina Park North for the Grand Tasting.

Total attendance for this year’s five days of programming is expected to be 14,000.

Festival goers fill Embarcadero Marina Park North.

Chef Bernard Guillas steaks his claim.

The GOAT of SD Events

Having attended at least half a dozen Grand Tastings, I offer this educated opinion: This is the GOAT of Greater San Diego events.

I’m shocked when I gush about the festival to downtown neighbors who haven’t heard that culinary nirvana visits the city once a year.

Wake up and smell the duck carnitas. The prime brisket. The smoked-beet-and-mushroom tacos.

It’s a bold, three-hour experience (four hours if you buy a VIP ticket) that creates epic memories.

I’ve been there to watch local chef-célèbre Amy diBiase roast mouth-watering cedar-planked salmon; swooned over bites of Raclette cheese fire-melted onto fresh Röckenwag ner bread; listened with a tear in my eye while a Central Coast winemaker told a heartrending story about a smallbatch red blend named after his young son, taken by cancer.

You’ll never be able to consume everything The Grand Tasting has to offer.

It’s a casual chic outdoor buffet of culinary cool, with epic activations and live music. It’s full of flavors, aromas, person ality and passion. The cuisine is diverse--both domestic and international. It’s an approachable event, but also serious fun for foodies.

Drink it all in. Be prepared to exit the party a little bit tipsy, and counting the days until it returns.

Ticket prices vary. The Grand Tasting is $150. Events can be packaged or tickets can be purchased separately.

Warning: Events do sell out.

The Festival Backstory

I sat down with festival co-creator Michelle Metter on Em barcadero Marina Park North to get insight on the event’s backstory...

San Diego Sun: What’s the origin story of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival?

Michelle Metter: My now-business partner, Ken Loyst, and I were working in the recreational scuba diving industry. He’s a huge wine collector. We’d go to wine-andfood events across the country. He said,“At some point, San Diego is going to be ready for an event like this--these great destination experiences.” When we decided to start a business together, that’s what we did.

What research did you do?

Oh, it was horrible (laughs). We researched in Napa Val ley. We had to meet with lots of wineries, and lots of chefs. But seriously, we did our homework. We met with the city’s people. Hoteliers. The hotel association and the restaurant association. We wanted to make sure San Diego would want this. And that it could evolve into something like what we saw in other cities. The Port has been a phenomenal partner.

Was downtown always the focus of where you would do the festival?

From the beginning, Ken and I wanted to create something that was super iconic for the city. We wanted a waterfront event. Something that was picturesque, that

really told the story of our city. Embarcadero Park was a natural fit for us.

So it was originally designed to attract people from out of town, right?

We started it as a tourism-based event. And, we wanted to create something that locals would be proud of, and would have longevity.

Are downtown residents coming to this festival?

Without pulling ZIP Code numbers, I’d say we are getting a good percentage. We can always do better. We saturate the downtown market pretty heavily to let people know we’re here. But, there are probably also a lot of downtown residents who have no idea this incredible event is happening within steps of their front doors.

What do you remember about that first year?

It was 2004. It was so vastly different. We were a two-day event and everything was grassroots. I remember a lot of late nights, stuffing packets, literally doing everything by hand. It was a labor of love. Event planning is stressful. So we won dered, ‘Are they going to like us?’ But we had a really good turnout that first year.

And now the festival gets national recognition?

We were named the number-two Best Wine Festival in the latest USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. We got number-one in 2019. [An editorial board picks its Top 20 list in different categories and readers vote for the the Top 10.] We would love the support to get back to number-one!

The festival is also regularly in the annual BizBash Media List of Southern California’s Top 100 Events (including all categories), and in the top three for Biz Bash’s Food Wine & Hospitality Events.

What are some of your highlight memories from over the years?

There are definitely moments that have touched me in

different way:

•“Camp Cohn” was awesome. Cohn Restaurant Group wanted to show the story behind all their different places. They’re such a staple in the local community. They created an adult food camp for the Grand Tasting. Counselors had whistles. There was a circular fire pit. And a teepee. It was like a place where adults would go away to camp.

• Gail Gand on a catamaran was a highlight. She’s on Food Network and is an amazing, James Beard-award winning chef. We did a birthday brunch for her in the afternoon with amazing chefs out on the water. She was very touched and it was such a San Diego moment.

• One year, the US Grant hotel was celebrating its 100th anniversary. We gave the hotel’s original menu to a handful of chefs, and they redid it in a contemporary way. Katsuya Fukushima participated. So did the late Anthony Sinsay, who we miss dearly.

• There was one survival moment. Locals know how great our weather is year-round. One year, there was a torrential downpour dumping on us in the morning during set-up. We wondered if attendees or even vendors would show up. Well, they all did. It was raining when we opened, but 45 minutes later the sun came out. There was a massive roar from more than 5,000 people. And it was a great afternoon.

• A few years back, Monkey Shoulder whisky company did one of my favorite activations at the Grand Tasting. Right next our bathrooms area, they created their own row of Porta Potties. Only, one Porta Potty door was orange. When you went in that door it led to a speakeasy. There was a DJ playing and Monkey Shoulder was serv ing its whisky. There was no marketing on it, but once word got out there was a huge line.

For more information on festival events, go to sandiegow ineclassic.com.

Festival co-founder Michelle Metter.

Camp Cohn was a party-within-a-party.

ARTHRITIS PATIENTS LIKELY TO REPORT

Improvements Following CBD Therapy

Arthritis patients frequently report symptom improvements and reductions in their use of prescription medications following the use of CBD products, according to data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

A team of investigators affiliated with the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University in New York and with the Banner University Medical Center in Arizona surveyed a convenience sample of patients with either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Most of the participants (70 percent) acknowledged having used CBD products for symptomatic relief.

“The overall cohort reported significant reductions in pain after CBD use, with a 44 percent reduction in numerical pain score and 2.58-point reduction [on a zero-toten numerical pain score],” authors reported. “Pairwise comparisons demonstrated that the osteoarthritis group had greater percentage reduction and point reduction compared to RA and other autoimmune arthritis.”

Consistent with other studies, authors reported that many patients either reduced or eliminated their use of medications following their use of CBD products. They acknowledged, “Most respondents using CBD for joint pain reported a reduction or cessation of other medications due to CBD use (60.5 percent), including a reduction in anti-inflammatories (31.1 percent), discontinuation of anti-inflammatories (17.8 percent), reduction in acetaminophen (18.2 percent), discontinuation of acetaminophen (17.8 percent), reduction in opioids (8.6 percent), and discontinuation of opioids (18.9 percent).”

Most participants taking CBD products acknowledged experiencing either mild or no adverse effects.

Authors concluded: “In terms of the perceived effects of CBD on pain, physical function, and sleep quality, many patients using CBD reported symptomatic improvements.

These findings suggest that CBD could be an alternative to opioids for the treatment of arthritic pain. Clinicians and patients should be aware of the various alternative therapeutic options available to treat their symptoms of arthritis, especially in light of the increased accessibility to cannabidiol products.”

The administration of a topical form of CBD has been previously shown to be effective in patients with thumb basal joint arthritis, according to placebo-controlled

trial data. Arthritis patients who consume medical cannabis have similarly reported reductions in their opioid intake and improvements in their quality of life.

Full text of the study, “Cannabidiol as a

treatment for arthritis and joint pain: An exploratory cross-sectional study,” appears in the Journal of Cannabis Research. Additional information on cannabis and arthritis is available from NORML.

WONDERFRONT MUSIC FESTIVAL WANTS TO BE SAN DIEGO’S NEXT STREET SCENE

By Ron Donoho San Diego Sun

MUSICAL ENTREPRENEUR Ernie Hahn is eager to reconnect the public with pre-COVID leisure pursuits.

We’re strolling across downtown San Diego’s Em barcadero Marina Park North. Joggers glide past us on a quiet morning that’s pleasantly cooled by a fading marine layer. A barking dog on a leash punctuates the midweek reverie.

This grassy expanse between the San Diego Bay and the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina holds faint echoes. Wa-a-ay back in November 2019, this spot near Seaport Village is where the Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival sprang to life.

Seven bayfront stages. More than 100 bands. Seem ingly a lifetime ago, the area was transformed into a pul sating cornucopia of human celebration, soundtracked by an eclectic collection of musical genres.

An era of masked silence ensued. Nobody could have predicted a pandemic would pause the festival’s sopho more effort for three years.

Tickets are now on sale for the comeback, sched uled for November 18-20, 2022. Headliners are Gwen Stefani, Zac Brown Band and Kings of Leon. There’ll be plenty of up-and-coming bands, too.

Hahn and I are meeting on the downtown festival site to talk about the viability of an urban setting for a music festival. And, whether Wonderfront could reason ably aspire to be a successor to the late, great downtown music festival known as Street Scene.

Getting Off the Ground

Hahn is reminiscing—about recent past events and generational changes in the San Diego cityscape. A decade ago, he and co-founder Paul Thornton looked all over San Diego when they started considering sites for a music festival.

“We looked at Coronado, North Island and the beaches,” Hahn says. “We talked about Camp Pendle ton and Fiesta Island. We talked about Del Mar Fair grounds—before KAABOO came into town.”

[Note: The KAABOO music festival had a five-year run in Del Mar. Organizers planned to set up shop at downtown’s Petco Park in 2020. Then, pandemic. Con flicting reports surfaced over the future of that festival.]

Outwardly, Hahn is solely focused on the viability and destiny of Wonderfront.

“When we were looking around at first, no place was a unique fit that screamed San Diego the way Street Scene did,” Hahn says.

Nationally renowned, Street Scene was held down town from 1984-2004. Under the weight of the Great Recession, it changed locations, struggled financially and faded out in 2009.

Hahn loved the idea of being downtown, but development in the city made the Street Scene model unfeasible.

“We couldn’t do it in the middle of downtown like Street Scene did,” he says. “That’s partly why they left. The organizers lost all their contiguous downtown blocks. All those blocks became condos.”

Still, he says the “secret sauce” was in finding a way to connect to downtown. The solution: a partnership with the Port of San Diego and a festival site that spans the northwestern bayfront.

San Diego Roots

Hahn is a recognizable face in San Diego. It’s fair to say redefining downtown’s infrastructure runs in the family.

His family tree has roots in urban history. Grandpa was Ernest W. Hahn, who developed Horton Plaza, which in 1989 helped revitalize downtown.

At the time, Horton Plaza was a national model for mall-centric urban redevelopment. (More recently, Horton Plaza was gutted and is being reimagined as a mixed-used space for commercial and retail use.)

Before founding Dream Hahn, an experiential marketing company, Ernie Hahn, 53, spent most of the

last three decades heading the San Diego Sports Arena (currently named Pechanga Arena).

Over that time, he says he’s been a part of more than 4,000 concerts and events. He brings strong local relations to the festival effort—with longstanding ties to experts in lighting, sound, security and a long list of specialties that go into event production.

“Ernie is a people person,” says Thornton, who is also president of TAG Presents. “He’s good at the network ing. Me, I grind it out at the computer, doing the mar keting and the talent buying. We’re a good team.”

Thornton--whose festival efforts are bolstered by his TAG Presents team--has had plenty of time to tinker with the lineup. Fortuitously, he says more than 60 per cent of artists scheduled for 2020 rolled over to this year.

Forging Ahead

After coronavirus put the kibosh on the 2020 festival, Dream Hahn rolled out the Wonderbus concept.

Hahn and partner Bob Ridgeway bought a dou ble-decker bus and converted the top level into a state-of-the-art stage for bands. The lower level is a VIP Lounge.

Today, there are two Wonderbuses in the fleet. They tour all over San Diego County, playing live music on the go, while promoting the Wonderfront name.

“It’s giving the festival relevance, credence and pro motion—even when it wasn’t happening,” he says. “The bus is generating goodwill and positive vibes all along the way.”

Hahn hopes San Diegans will connect that the bus and the festival are a community-driven effort. Local notables invested in the Wonderfront Festival include Padres Hall-of-Famer Trevor Hoffman, skateboarding icon Tony Hawk and surfing legend Rob Machado.

“When Wonderbus does positive things in the com munity, I want people to know that the co-founders of the bus, and this festival, live in San Diego 365 days a year,” he says. “We’re not from out of town. This isn’t something where the owners arrive one week a year and leave. We’re here all the time.”

What to Expect in 2022

This year’s festival site will be streamlined from its 2019 layout. Two stages will be built in the Seaport Vil lage parking lot (combined capacity: 15,000). Two more (including the main stage) will stand on Embarcadero Marina Park North, which can accommodate about 17,500 people.

One additional festival stage will be set up on Broad

way Pier. That site will be free to the public and feature local bands.

The nearby Rady Shell at Jacobs Park (on Embarcade ro Marina Park South) will not be utilized for Wonder front.

Hahn says plans call for nearby Ruocco Park to be activated with a local partner as a “Taste of San Diego” food-and-beverage area.

Several aspects of Wonderfront are unique to the music festival experience, including floating venues, affiliated after-parties and in-and-out privileges afforded to all ticket-buyers.

• Floating venues. Hahn says the utilization of Flag ship Cruises & Events boats to do concerts on the bay was wildly popular in 2019. Plans for this year are still being fine-tined, but expect more access to “booze-andgroove” cruises.

• After parties. The festival shuts down at 10 p.m. all three nights. Night cruises on the bay are planned, as well as after-party concerts at venues like The Casbah and Music Box.

• In-and-out privileges. Ticket holders are allowed un limited in-and-out access to the festival site. Hahn raves about this concept.

Something Special for San Diego

Hahn doesn’t want concertgoers focused on hearing Gwen Stefani close the festival at night to miss the new er bands that are scheduled earlier in the day.

“If you want to put in 8 to 10 hours at our festival you could listen for two hours and then take a break,” Hahn says. “Go out and take a nap. Or discover a new downtown restaurant. Then come back. As many times as you like.”

He believes this is a key facet that makes the down town site ideal.

“If you live downtown, what could be better?” Hahn asks. “There’s a festival a short walk from your house. At the end of the night, you walk home. It’s ideal. If you’re from North County or out of town, the hotels are right here. It’s simple. It’s not like we’re out in the middle of a desert.”

Mostly, Hahn would like San Diegans to adopt Won derfront as a local institution. Like Street Scene.

“I want people to look at this festival the way they look at the Padres, or how they used to look at the Char gers,” he says. “This is their festival. It’s about music and discovering new bands, but it’s about San Diego first.”

For more information, go to wonderfrontfestival. com.

Ernie Hahn hopes the COVID-paused festival can regain steam to rise up and become an iconic downtown event

Ernie Hahn in Seaport Village.

The Wonderbus.

A scene from the 2019 Wonderfront Festival.

You might as well jump.

B rs and H Soups

TINA AFTER DARK

Thereare always a lot of restaurant options to choose from when you are in the Carmel Valley area near One Paseo. Once in a while we like to sample di erent stops just to mix it up a bit. On this night, we weren’t in a particular mood to do a full sit down meal so we decided to wander up to Sky Deck’s brewers deck rst. San Diego has been so hot and humid recently, so having a cold beer to start the night felt so refreshing. e selection of beers on tap at Rough Dra Brewing and the view from the deck made for a great atmosphere for the evening. Not to mention we got to watch Nadal play in the US Open on the TVs behind the bar. We were served by a very knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming bartender, who recommended we try the Grapefruit Weekday IPA. It was well balanced, not too hoppy and not too citrusy. We wanted more so we ordered a Hop erapy, a double IPA to share. It was just delicious and perfect for a hot summer evening.

By the time we nished, we had lost track of the time watching tennis and most of the restaurants around had closed for the night. But thank goodness one of my favorites, Nick’s Del Mar, was still open. We were lucky to grab the last two seats at the bar. Nick’s Del Mar has many well-known dishes, such as Shrimp Taquitos, Asparagus Fries, Prime Rib Dip, and Buttermilk Fried Chicken..the list just goes on and on. But I had my eye set on their Cioppino. e San Francisco Cioppino has a good amount of seafood like shrimp, sh, and clams.

It’s avorful and had a savory tomato broth. Plus the presentation was glorious with all the seafood. e Cioppino broth here at Nick’s Del Mar was phenomenal. You can smell and

taste the absolute freshness of the tomatoes, onions, garlic, bell peppers, celery and carrots used. e chunks of sea bass were my favorite as was the large delicious prawns.

e generous sourdough loaf was fresh out of the oven as evidenced by the billowing steam that came out of it when I pulled it apart. e fresh sourdough bread dipped into the broth was heaven. ere are times in life when calories shouldn’t count or matter. And this meal for me was such a time, not to mention the calories in the two beers we already consumed. Good news is that with the generous serving of Nick’s Cioppino, it was a good amount for the both of us to share.

Cold beers and hearty soup de nitely don’t sound like the best combination on a hot summer night. But it was so satisfying that I am still thinking about repeating that experience again soon.

Be sure to reach out to me when you encounter great local restaurants. I am always on the lookout to try something new!

Cheers!

Tina Wu

Direct: (760)

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE KNOWS TRUST IS NOT A GIVEN

By LinDee Rochelle

The Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce website states, “We hold to the truth that people do business with those they know, like, and trust.” Nothing is truer these days.

According to current news reports, consumer trust is at an all-time low, as stated by Edelman Trust Barometer, “We find a world ensnared in a vicious cycle of distrust, fueled by a growing lack of faith in media and government. ... and nearly 60 percent of consumers now buy brands based on beliefs.” (“Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Distrust,” Richard Edelman, CEO, Edelman; January 18, 2022.)

How do local communities move forward today

... as consumers look to businesses for leader ship? Like many other individuals and businesses over the past two years, the Solana Beach Cham ber of Commerce used the forced hiatus, along with a new Executive Director, to revamp, refresh and reenergize.

Jamie Johnson, Executive Director of the Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce, is tirelessly col laborating with local businesses and community leaders to further their goals in an ever-changing economic climate. Prior to 2020, Jamie honed her array of leadership skills in various executive jobs around North County.

During one of her executive positions, Jamie was tapped to take on the additional role as a liaison to the community. Through this role, she became involved with many local organizations, includ ing almost all of the Chamber of Commerce’s in North County. She also joined several Boards, including the Vista Chamber of Commerce Board. However, by the time the pandemic hit, Jamie was at a career crossroads.

Having left her last executive position in Decem ber 2019, Jamie recalled, “As the pandemic intensi fied, I felt helpless witnessing many of the organi zations I knew being forced to let staff go and try to do everything on their own to keep the doors open. My husband saw this and suggested I start my own business as a way to help. He said, ‘You know operations, you know marketing, you know HR, you’ve done it all. Be the extra pair of hands these businesses need.’ Less than two months later, I had my business operational and I had acquired my first client.”

As fate would have it

... although Jamie had a client right away, she decided to look for a part-time position to fill in the wage gap and provide a steady income while she grew her business. “I looked on LinkedIn,” said Jamie, “and coincidentally, there it was - an ad for the Executive Director position at the Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce. I said to myself, ‘I know them!’” She reached out to the Board, and they found a work model that delighted everyone.

During her first six months, she completely overhauled the Chamber operations and increased the benefits members received. Jamie recalled, “I had the benefit of looking at everything through the eye of a Chamber member, a business execu tive, and a business owner. I feel this gave me the unique combination of perspectives to ensure the Chamber represents and provides what is most important to our members – a Chamber that strives to be their partner, not just provide a basic membership.”

Since then, Jamie’s expertise, vision for the future, and passion for the role has helped keep the Chamber afloat. The true testament to the improved health of the organization came when Jamie was able to hire staff again to expand the impact and programs the Chamber can now pro vide. “My staff are the Chamber.” Jamie said, “They make the Chamber the incredible organization it is today.”

A business is only as good as its employ ees

... a truth that many companies seem to forget. If they don’t take care of their employees, it will eventually reflect in their business. Jamie knows this and sought new administrative talent for the Chamber.

The Chamber staff is comprised of a small but mighty team: Jamie Johnson, Executive Director; Akemi Falcon, Events & Marketing Specialist; and Liz Boyes, Social Ambassador. Akemi focuses on executing the Chamber’s marketing and various events, while Liz truly is the face of the Chamber, as she sees to the current members’ needs, and meets with potential members to discuss how they can work together for the common good.

Jamie explained, “The membership benefits are just the beginning of our relationship with a member. We believe tides rise all ships, and we seek to meet with each member to dive deeper into how we can help each other to reach both our goals. Our organization is a non-profit, not tied to any other organization or set funding source. The Chamber was created in 1948 for one purpose –to support and promote the local businesses and community. We encourage our members to be en gaged beyond their membership dues; otherwise, the experience will feel like a gym membership that is never used, and in turn will unsurprisingly, not meet the expectations of the member.”

The Sol in Solana Beach

... is the community connection. The Chamber also acts as the Solana Beach Visitor’s Center. This too, is receiving an overhaul. “We wanted to create a Visitor Center that was the go-to resource for both visitors and residents alike. We are in the process of rolling out an upgraded site and expand ing the information available on www.visitsola nabeach.com while also bringing back a number of Solana Beach’s signature events.”, said Jamie.

The Chamber’s largest event, Fiesta Del Sol, was on hold for two years due to the pandemic, but was back in May 2022 for it’s 41st year. The extremely popular free two-day music festival, in collaboration with the Belly Up Tavern, was a huge success, setting record attendance numbers. The City has already approved next year’s date which will be held May 20th & 21st, 2023. Find out more information as it gets closer at www.fiestadelsol. net .

Another long-standing event that is making its comeback debut is the Business Expo. An enor mous amount of fun, food, prizes, and networking will be packed into this two-hour event, being held on Thursday, September 29th, from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm at the Lomas Santa Fe Country Club in Solana Beach. Free to the public, the 10th annual Business Expo provides the local community an opportunity to discover businesses that are eager to serve them, right in their own home commu nity. The event promises food samples, business information and giveaways, free raffle tickets for amazing prizes, entertainment by local commu nity-based groups, and a more heightened level of business-community engagement than ever before.

So why should a company join The Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce or attend a Cham ber-sponsored event? “Supporting our organiza tion either as a business or local citizen is investing in the continued proliferation of this beautiful and special community.” Said Jamie, “Private individ uals and businesses financially support us because they believe in our purpose and trust in our stew ardship. With ongoing support, we will continue to have our local tides rise all our ships.”

At-A-Glance: https://solanabeachchamber.com/ (858) 755-4775 We’re open Mon- Fri from 10am – 3pm Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce 210 Plaza St

Hello my travel friends it’s been some time since we have connected but we’re back at it and with a storm of a story. I really mean a storm or in this case an actual hurricane.

I’ve never experienced a hurricane let alone on vacation and boy was it interesting. Of course, my first lesson was to look at the weather before flying but I honestly didn’t think twice and here we are. I boarded my hour and half plane to Cabo San Lucas and as we arrived on the first day, it was warm, sunny and calm waters. Arriving at the hotel, everything was perfect and the ocean was even better. As the day moved on we were cautiously reminded of a possible storm with some rain and wind. However, being spoiled in San Diego and clear skies for the moment, I didn’t think it would be that bad nor did the staff. We approached nightfall and headed out to one of our favorite restaurants El Toro and it was delicious per usual with their eggplant dip, which is way better than it sounds, and all their fresh seafood options.

We arrived back at the hotel while the staff was beginning to do their usually pre storm preventive measures such as putting up what I call glass protectors in front of windows as seen below:

I wake up the next morning greeted with storm clouds, harsh rain and strong winds. To me, this was lesson two, either be upset by the weather or enjoy the adventure and you bet I chose option two.

Being on a beach resort, the first thing I did was walk down to check out the waves. They were absolutely massive. The pictures could never do it justice but take a look below:

Keep in mind this is usually a tranquil bay and a popular spot for snorkeling however with the huge gusts of wind and powerful rain it truly looked like this tropical storm was

heading towards a small hurricane according to the staff. I was enthralled by watching these waves crash and stood there in awe of Mother Nature showing her indescribable power.

Due to the conditions, only one restaurant was open and limited dining options. They even had an auditorium of some sort which made me feel nostalgic of my elementary school days when everyone would hangout in the assembly room on rainy days.

It was truly impressive how well equipped and prepared the hotel was in doing their best to accommodate their guests during unpredictable times. I felt very lucky to be in such great hands.

One of my favorite memories was realizing since there isn’t much to do, we all decided to start watching Ted Lasso and it was filled with lots of laughs and heartwarming moments. Something as simple as watching a show together turned out to be my favorite part of the trip which would never have happened without a hurricane rolling through.

After two days of Ted Lasso, watching big waves, eating lots of guacamole and chips and dancing to music, we were able to enjoy the warm sun touching our skin and

watch the blue water glisten once again. Off we were to jump in the beach front pools!

I look at this situation the same way John Wooden does, “things turn out best for those who make the best out of the way things turn out.” In other words, traveling will always have its hiccups no matter how well planned, and sometimes bigger than others, but it’s how you make the best out of something is where the fondest memories come from.

Have a wonderful day and as always happy traveling everyone!

BY BART MENDOZA

Now one of the label’s most successful bands, it’s a fast rise for a band that self-released their first album in 2019. “I sent some demos around when I was 19-20 years old,” Torres recalled. “Brian (Witkin), the CEO of Pacific Records, liked the tunes but told us he wasn’t interested in signing us. So naturally I kept harassing him and he relented. We’ve been working with him for a couple years now and I’ve gotta say we’re pretty happy with how things have progressed.”

Their label considers them garage punk, though Torres casts a slightly wider palette. “Aesthetically I would describe it like a five-year-old with a bucket of rainbow paint,” said Torres. “Messy, mischievous, and colorful. Sonically we get “Pop Punk” “Surf Rock” and “Garage Rock” comparisons a lot. There’s often a sunny optimism to our songs juxtaposed with some more poignant tones in the lyrical content. It’s funny because I’m a pretty moody, brooding guy and more often than not, I’m outside the party having a cigarette, rather than I am chatting people up. My bandmates are far more sociable than I am, I think. But I’d like to be, I’d bet good money that’s why it sounds the way it does.”

Who does he consider to be musical influences? “Everything and anything,” Torres said. “I’m like a glutton at a buffet when it comes to music, I wanna consume it all. There is the obvious ones though, like The Beatles, Elvis, Chuck Berry. All the greats. My peers as well, everybody in the California Indie Circuit. Blues is an especially heavy influence on my guitar playing. I also have a fondness for

The Moonjacks

anything recorded prior to 1965. The Mills Brothers have a special place in my heart, timeless art.” His inspiration as guitarist is closer to home. “As far as my biggest inspiration for guitar playing it has gotta be my grandfather. He’s like a father to me. He bought me my first guitar and he continues to be my biggest supporter to this day. He’s a music lover through and through, always has been. He also does a bit of playing himself.”

Torres notes music isn’t the easiest way to make a living. “Yeah the music business is definitely tough, you gotta have thick skin or you aren’t gonna last,” he said. “Clubs try to cheat you out of the little money you do make, the road can be harsh and people who dis like you get jealous when they see your band starting to do bigger things. As a semi public figure you face all kinds of scrutiny. Dissenters wanna see you fall so they make up harmful rumors to try and derail your career. We see it happen to our peers constantly and we’ve been victims of it ourselves. The important thing is to hold your head high and deal with stuff like that with integrity. At the end of the day as long as you’re living your life truthfully and doing

your best to treat others with respect you’re gonna be alright. I’m proud to say that I surround myself with some of the kindest and most talented people I’ve ever met and I’m eternally grateful for that. They’re what motivates me.”

He’s proud of the band’s latest release. “Well, it’s out now and every time you stream it we make .00003 of a cent, so go stream it.,” he joked. “In all serious ness though It’s our first studio album and I worked on it for the better part of a year. I was a teenager when I wrote some of the songs and I’m excited to see where this record takes us. The folks over at Spotify liked our lead single “Sk8 Hi” enough to feature it on two major editorial playlists “New Music Friday” and “Surf Rock Sunshine.” Pacific is also in the process of securing syncs and television placements for the new tracks so right now all we are doing is crossing our fingers and hoping our hard work pays off. It seems to be pretty well received by our fans though and that makes me very happy!”

The Moonjacks will be promoting Bad Guy Stuff on the road through the new year before they start the process all over again. “We’ve got a bit more touring to do then its home for the holidays,” Torres said. “We don’t really get to spend as much as time we like relaxing with our family or even playing music for fun anymore. We’re always doing stuff on the computer, making our merch, things like that. So, it’s gonna be nice to have a little break.” The emphasis is on “little”. “Then we do some more recording and gear up to get back on the road next year, it’s like a merry go round,” he mused.

https://open.spotify.com/ar tist/4AqRJ5gzqsHLsIIfBZWT16

Clovis based trio, The Moonjacks, featuring Gabriel Torres, Christian “Dank” Miller, and Christian Joel Canales, recently released their latest album via Pacific Records, Bad Guy Stuff.

Beatles Youth Tribute Band / Fab Four Fun For Kids!

Sandi Shaner is well known around San Diego as a singer with several popular bands including Get Groov in (Pure Dance Music) and Groove is in the Heart (90s and beyond). Now she has added music educator to her resume, with a special Beatles Youth Tribute Band Pro gram, giving kids aged 7 – 16, the opportunity to learn to play Beatles songs and even perform them live.

“Back in 2016 we launched this program at Lindber gh Schweitzer Elementary (now Clairemont Canyons) school,” said Shaner. “It was with the intention of creat ing music education opportunities in schools, that allow for those with disabilities to participate with the main stream population. This is known as “inclusion practices.” My daughter, Carly, has autism and intellectual disability. She is also nonverbal. However, as I taught her music, she started singing the notes correctly. If I went out of pitch, she would cry.” Soon after this discovery, Shaner wrote a series of songs that would help get Carly through her daily schedule. “For example, we have a cereal song, a potty song, a get dressed song, a bye-bye song, etc. She be gan to understand me where before she would just stare into space. After three months of rehearsals in the Beatles Tribute program, she was singing along to the notes of songs like, “Help” and “Hey Jude.” Other children who were also either completely nonverbal or partially, were singing along to the songs of the Beatles. This inspired me to continue with the efforts up until just before the pandemic.”

Currently the classes are located in Clairemont with a nine person staff. Space is rented from the San Diego Unified School District. There are plans to add a second location soon. “We can have 20 mainstream kids and five with disabilities,” Shaner said.

What level of musicianship is needed to be part of this program? “To assess for musical ability we will use the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Musical Ability (MBEMA),” Shaner said. “This test will determine their music listening and singing ability. It will let us understand the child’s baseline and build their curric ulum from there. We want to know if they are to be a b eginner or intermediate performer. Those who are intermediate and have experience playing an instru ment or singing will be given solo roles. Those who are beginners will focus on group performances while we build their skills. The children with disabilities will be assessed to match them with a modified instrument so that they can learn with the group. For example, we can program a keyboard to light up so they can play

along. Also, by using a special capo, like the Chord Buddy, they can play a full chord on the guitar with just one finger while strumming.”

Why did she choose the Beatles as the basis for this program? “I chose the Beatles because they have a very large catalog, many of their songs have memorable sing along hooks, and they are the best

rock band to learn from,” Shaner said good natured ly. “They did it all naturally without technology. Rhythm, melo dy, and harmony. I saw that Carly loved the Beatles every time I played them, so I took a chance that other disabled children would respond the same way… and they did. For the first season, we will stick to the Fab Four. As children stay in the program year after year, we will expand their knowledge.”

She notes that part of the fun for students will be the opportunity to play live. “We are unique in the way that we teach them how to be live performing musicians,” Shaner said. “We are booked for two shows at the Clairemont Town Square, and will submit for the San Diego County Fair, street fairs around San Diego County, and concerts at their schools.”

When all is said and done, what is Shaner’s favorite Beatles song? “If I had to narrow it down, I would say “In My Life,” “Let It Be” and “Help,” she said. “It might be easier to ask me what my top 10 are!”

You can catch Shaner with Groove is in the Heart at: October 29 / Navajo Live Halloween Bash, November 5 / 710 Club. Meanwhile you can help Shaner celebrate her birthday on October 21 at the Full Circle Saloon, where she will perform with Get Groovin.

www.carlyscause.com/music-program

The Babys / Head First with David Yuter

North County based keyboardist David Yuter is now performing with 1970’s rock hitmakers, The Babys. He first played with the band, which still includes original guitarist Wally Stocker and drummer Tony Brock, at a Kansas City date in June and the shows have been getting exponentially bigger. “The next date I did was on August 27 up at Helwig Winery, with Orleans and Peter Beckett of Player (and The Thoughts! -ed). In mid-October I am flying to St. Louis, MO to play my first arena show with them on a bill with Orleans and Firefall.”

While The Babys will be a priority for Yuter, he remains busy with a multitude of projects. “I’m currently involved in about five local music projects, including Electric Dream Machine, Jazmine Rogers Band, Grand Sonic Theory, Citizens Modal and Ryan Hiller,” he said. “I also play a variety of wedding events and corporate gigs, while also running the sound and production aspects for agencies such as Lucky Devils, Republic Of Music and Acoustic Spot. And to top it all off I run my own agency, David Yuter Music, where provide some of the highest quality musicians and experiences for specialized events. Right now I’m playing about 150 shows a year and the list continues to grow.” How did Yuter get The Baby’s gig? “I’ve

been working professionally in the industry for about twelve years and started my career playing the Ultimate Jam Nights at the Whis ky A Go Go in Hollywood,” he explained. “While playing there I collaborated with Frank Simes (Music Director of The Who) amongst many other legendary players. At these shows I shared the house keyboard po sition with Walter Ino, who was out on tour with The Babys and Survivor at the time. We stayed in close contact over the years and when he needed a sub for The Babys, I was the first person he contacted. From there I’ve gotten to play a few really big shows with them and have several more on the books for this upcoming year.”

What’s it like to be on stage with such ac claimed players? “There are moments where I step out of my body and think of how

amazing it is to share a stage with legends such as Tony Brock and Wally Stocker, who both were also part of Rod Stewart’s band for years. Once I come back down I dive deep into the piano parts and recreate the songs as they were first recorded. I get to play the original keyboard parts written by Jonathan Cain of Journey, which is probably one of the coolest aspects for me. I am always grateful and remind myself that I belong in these circles. Growing up with the dream of being a rock star and now getting to share the stage with men I’ve admired for so long and talk about their legendary careers over dinner is incredibly humbling.”

Does Yuter have a favorite Babys song? “For me it’s a toss-up between “Every Time I Think Of You” and “Isn’t It Time.” Those are two of their biggest hits and we really

jam both of them at the end. It’s super fun to play live and the band really gets into it.” What does he enjoy most about perform ing with the band? “The opportunity I get to play beautiful piano songs for a large audience. A lot of the current work I do locally uses electronic piano sounds and synthesizers. The Baby’s is mostly just piano, Wurlitzer and B3 sounds and for me playing with these vintage sounds absolutely lights me up.”

Amongst a myriad of projects, Yuter is especially happy to be playing with musical heroes. “The Babys are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met working in the indus try,” he said. “Even though it was only my first gig with them a couple months ago, they’ve welcomed me with open arms and made me feel a part of the band right away.”

San Diego Covers The Beatles / Ten Fun Tracks!

Dozens of San Diego based artists have released songs penned by The Beatles, hundreds have performed their songs live, a testament to how great a set of songwriters the band contained. Case in point: On October 8, acclaimed guitarist Fred Benedetti will perform a special show at Dizzy’s in celebration of John Lennon’s Birthday, joined by vocalists Regina Moomjean & Julia Picone, multi-instrumentalist/bassist Jeff Pekarek and percussionist James Morton. Notably, Benedetti, alongside guitarist Peter Pupping, released an album’s worth of Beatles covers between 1997 and 2007, all well worth a listen. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to San Diego covering The Beatles. Here are ten fun covers of Fab Four related songs released over the past six decades.

www.dizzysjazz.com

• 2022/ The Greyboy All-Stars – “Taxman”

An organ and funk driven instrumental groover

• 2022 / Jeff Berkley & Shawn Rohlf – “Veronica”

It’s an arrangement close to the original, but it kicks, with great harmonies

• 2014 / Alison Adams Tucker – “Here Comes The Sun”

A sunny jazz recasting of the song

• 2013 / Atom Orr (Christopher Hoffee) –“Tomorrow Never Knows”

A new palette of sounds / colors on this iconic song from Revolver

• 2008 / Peter Sprague – “She’s Leaving Home”

Sprague has recorded several Beatles songs, his solo arrangement on this one is particularly

good

• 2006 / AJ Croce – “Maybe I’m Amazed”

A perfect match of song and performer

• 2003 / Fred Benedetti & Peter Pupping –

“When I’m 64”

The duo turns in a wonderful Chet Atkins styled fingerpicking arrangement

• 1976 / Frankie Laine – “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”

The 1950’s era hitmaking crooner contributed this song to the soundtrack of the film, All This and World War III

• 1970 / Raquel Welch & Bob Hope – “Rocky Raccoon”

A kitsch classic from an eponymous CBS-TV special, set in a western town. It’s on YouTube!

• 1968 / Gary Puckett & The Union Gap –“Lady Madonna”

This is almost a remake, but it’s a great showcase for Puckett’s voice.

• September 23 - The Schizophonics / The Casbah, San Diego. 9:30 p.m.

Top 5 Concerts / Live Music In San

Celebrating the release of one of the year’s most anticipated albums, The Schizophonics, Hoof It.

Opening up will be Creepxotica and Cardiel.

• September 25 – Tim Flannery & The Lunatic Fringe / The Belly Up Tavern, Encinitas. 8 p.m.

A release show for this acclaimed musician / baseball legend’s latest album, Waiting On A Miracle, which doubles as a fundraiser for The Love Harder Project, an anti-violence charity founded by Flannery.

• September 26 – Dark Globe / Navajo Live, San Carlos. 7:30 p.m.

A mainstay of San Diego’s early 90’s music scene, rock quartet Dark Globe, returns, still led by guitarist John Gire, alongside guitarist Scott Evans and bassist Mike Jones.

• October 14 - Farm Truck / Ramona Main stage, Ramona. 7 p.m.

An album release event for their latest, Sadie, with openers Sara Petite and Lady Psychiatrists Booth. Notably, violinist Patric Petrie (Skelpin / Brogue Wave / Calamity) has joined the band and a surprise quartet will also perform their tales of the new west.

• October 20 – Blue Largo / Humphrey’s Backstage Live , Shelter Island. 7 p.m.

A musical celebration for the release of Blue Largo’s new album, Got To Believe. The album’s first single is “A World Without Soul.” Blue Largo is an all-star blues band, featuring guitarist Eric Lieberman and vocal ist Alicia Aragon alongside the likes of SDMA winner Taryn Donath (keyboards), Ed Croft (formerly of NE1, saxophone) and Mike Jones (Dark Globe, Mississippi Mudsharks etc., bass).

San Diego Music News

• In honor of Louis Brazier, The 40th Annual Adams Avenue Street Fair, taking place on Septem ber 24 and 25, has added a sixth stage, at Lestat’s. Meanwhile, surf trio Alvino & The Dwells has had to cancel their appearance on Sunday

• What is Riston Diggs looking forward to most about the Adams Avenue Street Fair? “I’ve had the pleasure of attending the event in the past and I’ve always enjoyed the happiness I see on everyone’s face. I’m looking forward to performing and being one of the reasons that people have a great time.” Diggs will be performing on September 24 with The Gravities on the Groove & Blues Stage (7:30 p.m.) Does he approach outdoor shows differently than club dates? “I do actually approach outdoor shows differently,” he said. “I feel way more freedom vocally to be loud and proud on the microphone when outside. I get a kick out of knowing people can hear me from a distance. I’m giving it my all even for the people a few blocks away.”

• The 4th Annual San Diego Music Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony, hosted by Jefferson Jay, takes place on November 11 at Newbreak Church. 2022 inductees include Gustavo Romero, The Marine Band San Diego, Chris Hillman (The Byrds, Desert Rose Band etc), Jimmy and Jeannie Cheatham, Lar ry Zeiger and the late Alex DePue. Performers are set to include Romero, as well as Sue Palmer & Liz Ajuzie, Jeff Berkley & The Banned, Jamie Shadow light, Larry Zeiger, Rob Deez and Gato Papacitos.

• Tamar Berk has released a video for “Alone Tonight,” the fourth single from her current album, Start at the End. “In the video, I wanted to harken back to my youth when I was able to be alone for hours, entertain ing myself with my imagination and toys…making fake radio shows using my cassette player, setting up my toys and doing some sort of weird talent show and maybe even forcing my parents and siblings to watch while I perform some bizarre song or dance,” Berk said. “The last image in the video is an actual (vintage) photo of me pretending to be Barry Gibb. Can’t a gal dream of being one of The Bee Gees?”

• Jeffrey Brenneman has an eponymous six song EP, Marcos, out November 18. “It’s about growing up as a teenager in North San Diego County from 1977 - 1987, including songs, “Three Falls (Box Canyon),” “Jack’s Lake,” “Sand Hill,” “Questhaven,” “Sparks” and “The Red Barn.” The latter notably features members of The Dream Syndicate, Camper Van Beethoven, Redd Kross, Medicine, Permanent Green Light and Possum Dixon.

• Reunited 1970’s punk band, The Cardiac Kidz, has been in session for new recordings at Earthling Studios. In addition to original members Jim Ryan and Julian Jerry Flack, the band is rounded out by guitarist David Rinck and drummer Tommy Rodri guez, with Sppike Mike Muellenberg (The Spice Pistols) on bass. The new lineup made their debut September 18 at The Casbah

• Blues guitarist Anthony Cullins will be a featured artist at the two-day 15th Annual International Blues

Felipe Lions Club.

• The documentary about singer, Jesse Davis-My Life In Song, gets a special screening at Humphrey’s Backstage Live on October 2 at noon.

• Attn: Joel Scott Hill fans! The legendary guitarist has a vintage concert released next month: The Flying Burrito Brothers - Live From The Bottom Line NYC 1976, featuring thirteen tracks. The album is out on November 25 via the Liberation Hall label and is limited to 1200 copies.

• The Greyboy All-Stars are going all out with the 25th Anniversary edition of their album, A Town Called Earth. Dubbed the “Immortal” edition, this first time on vinyl re-issue, comes as a two-disc vinyl set, with extras set to include a previously unreleased track, “Cassiopeia’s Chair,” original liner notes by The J.B.’s Fred Wesley and an 18X24 color poster.

• Hemisphere’s album release show for their new album, Unity, will be October 22 at Humphrey’s Backstage Live. The album was produced by Peter Sprague and includes a reggae version of David Bow ie’s song, “Rebel Rebel”

• Congrats to Tim Lowman (Low Volts) and Dani Bell (Baby Bushka) who were married on September 10 in a bayside ceremony between sets at San Diego Blues Fest, officiated by Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top.

• On Septem ber 25, The Mothmen, featuring Ray Brandes (Tell Tale Hearts) and Ron Silva (The Crawdad dys), will perform at Manes and Music at the Ranch, a fund raiser for San Diego Therapeu tic Horsemanship, at Lincoln Acres. The event takes place from 11:00 a.m. to 03:00 p.m.

• Congrats to former San Diegan Dave Mustaine (born at Grossmont Hospital September 13, 1961) and Megadeth, who scored their first RIAA certi fied singles last month: “Peace Sells” (Gold / 1986), “Symphony of Destruction” (Gold / 1992) and “Holy Wars” (Platinum / 1990). Meanwhile Megadeth’s new album, The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!, is out this month. Fun Fact: Dave Mustaine is the former owner of Mustaine’s Winery in Fallbrook.

• Troubadour Gregory Page heads out for a tour of the Netherlands in support of his latest album, The Love For Me, starting October 30 in Waddinxveen and wrapping up on November 11 in Volendam

• Hector Penalosa (The Zeros / Flying Color) will be touring as part of Bay Area punk icons The Aveng ers starting September 21 at Zebulon in Los Angeles and wrapping up October 1 in San Jose.

• 1960’s era hitmaker Gary Puckett is busier than ever. He next heads out on a brief East Coast tour starting October 1, as a warmup for a lengthy UK road trip, set for October 11 through November 27

• The Jim Ryan Project’s third album of the year, 555, will be released 12/16/22. The first single, “Girl with the Beautiful Smile,” is out now.

• The world’s #1 human / robot duo, Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra, has a new album, Face Their Fears, out next month.

the perfect match of theme and artist. “What’s more metal than a robot? Nothing,” he said. As usual, this release comes with amazing extras; each deluxe, limit ed edition copy, is on clear one-sided, laser-etched 12” vinyl, while extras include a corpse paint face stencil and a glow-in-the-dark guitar pick.

• Future Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra news! Next up in 2023: Another themed album, Have an Existential Crisis, featuring rocksteady songs and Smoke + Mir rors Sound System’s John Roy on sax. The album will include alternate versions with human guest vocals on a parallel groove from Pall Jenkins (Black heart Procession), Pat Beers (The Schizophonics), Marie Haddad (Baby Bushka), Jacob Turnbloom (Mrs. Magician), Spencer Moody (Murder City Devils), Elena Fox, and Sean Tejaratchi. That project will be followed up with an internet-themed surf/ garage rock album called, Surf the Web, also featuring guitarist Schramp. www.satanicpuppeteer.com

• Hawaiian themed favorites, Slack Key Ohana (“Best World Music” winners at the 2022 SDMA’s) are working on a live album

• Slightly Stoopid’s album, Live at Roberto’s TRI Studios 9.13.11 has been released on limited edition 12” vinyl. The 4-disc collection features the Acoustic Set in Deep Purple Vinyl with Black Smoke (Discs A&B) and the Electric Set in Clear Vinyl with Black Smoke (Discs C&D). The album includes guest ap pearances from Bob Weir, Karl Denson, Don Carlos, Ivan Neville & Ian Neville, and Tommy Chong.

• Swami Records has had a busy 2022. The ul tra-collectible label’s recent 7” single from Swami John Reis & Creepxotica, “Shelter Island,” was pretty much an instant sellout, with other releases this year also including a self-titled album from Plosives (red or black vinyl), and a solo album from Swami John Reis, Ride The Wild Night, (black or green vinyl). Next up for the label is a non-San Diego release, Chi cago based Meat Wave’s fourth album, Malign Hex • Sven Erik Seaholm is back after seven years with a new album, Oxford, Comma. The first single, “She Sends Her Best,” is out now, with an album release show set for November 16 at Humphrey’s Backstage Live.

• Switchfoot’s new 11-track album, This is Our Christmas Al bum, is due out on November 4, with a tour set to kick off November 26 in Knoxville, TN.

• Thee Sacred Souls get a full page write up in the Sep tember 2022 (#346) issue of iconic British music magazine, Mojo.

• New Singles: Audrey Callahan – “Good Good Energy,” Ash Easton - “Blow My Mind,” Bella Kaye - “Psycho Ex,” Bloodstone The Street Preacher –Distractions, Little Dove – “Get Out Of Your Head,” Pierce the Veil – “Pass the Nirvana,” Julia Sage –“The Fall,” Sven Erik Seaholm – “She Sends Her Best,” Tolan Shaw – “Meet You,” Substitutiary Locomotion -“Awaken,” Joshua Taylor – “Cars Don’t Run Forev er”

and Arts festival taking place October 14 -15 in San Felipe. The event benefits the projects of the San

“Our fear-themed heavy metal album is due out on the scariest day of the year... no, not Hallow een... I’m talking about Election Day, November 8th, 2022,” said Professor B. Miller. Album #8 in a series of 20 themed discs, this is the first to feature local guitar player Scott Schramp. “This one is wild. It’s hard to overstate how epic it is,” Miller remarked. Most of our albums take about three months to write and record. This one took two years.” He considers this to be

• New & Upcoming Albums: Blue Largo – Got To Believe, Tom Brosseau - From Blue & White Notebooks, Ash Easton - Rough & Tough, Farm Truck – Sadie, Flamy Grant – Bible Belt Baby (tbd), Tim Flannery & The Lunatic Fringe – Waiting On A Miracle, The Greyboy Allstars - A Town Called Earth: The Immortal Edition, Landis St. – Window (11/12), Roni Lee – A Lifetime, Meidai - I’m Not the Bad Guy, Albert Gary Lewis - Oak Trees Will Crack, Meidai – Off Da Wall, Gregory Page – The Love for Me, Zach Phillips - Goddaughters, Roger! – Patterns, The Schizophonics – Hoof It, Sic Waiting - A Fine Hill To Die On, Slum Summer - Living in Milk, Pat rick Yandall – Blues Alley

• New Video Releases: Tamar Berk – “Alone Tonight,” King Whisker – “Food Dimension,” Mega deth – “We’ll Be Back: Chapter I,” Megadeth – “Night Stalkers: Chapter II” (ft. Ice-T), Omar Musisko - “Be fore Stella,” Strange Bouquets - “Mirrors,” Wild Wild Wets – “The Cut,”

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