San Diego CityBeat • Sept 4, 2019

2 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

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UP FRONT | FROM THE PUBLISHER

The beat goes on

F

or the past 17 years, San Diego CityBeat has been responsible for some of the highest-quality journalism in the city, the region and even the state. Week in, week out, CityBeat has held accountable those in power and provided comprehensive coverage of San Diego’s arts, music and restaurant scenes. In an age of journalistic blandness, CityBeat has fashioned a gritty, authentic voice—a manner of storytelling that intrigues readers and keeps them coming back issue after issue.

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This issue of CityBeat is polishing up its resumé.

Volume 18 • Issue 2 EDITOR Seth Combs WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Ramos COLUMNISTS Aaryn Belfer Ryan Bradford Edwin Decker Alfred Howard John R. Lamb Rhonda “Ro” Moore CONTRIBUTORS Christin Bailey Torrey Bailey

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 3

UP FRONT | LETTERS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THOUGHTS ON GLOBAL WARMING Editor, Regarding your pearl-clutching editorial on the climate change hoax [“Deal or no deal,” Aug. 28], the following is the list of apocalyptic predictions made in the past 50 years by global cooling/global warming/climate change/(and the most recently minted myth monikers) climate emergency or climate catastrophe alarmists that have come true: End of list.

Al Rava San Diego

EVERCLEAR: STILL POTENT That was awesome Ryan [“Searching for the afterglow in Margaritaville,” Aug. 28]!!

Thanks for taking me there without me really having to go there. Sucks to hear about Art’s battle with MS. But good to see him and his band rocking the zombies.

Sam Lopez via Facebook

4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

WE WANT FEEDBACK Did you read a story in San Diego CityBeat that made your blood boil, or caused you to laugh so hard you pulled a stomach muscle? If something inspires you to send us your two cents we welcome all letters that respond to news stories, opinion pieces or reviews that have run in these pages. We don’t accept unsolicited op-ed letters.

Email letters to christina@ timespublications.com. For letters to be considered for publication, you must include your first and last name and the part of town where you reside. Note: All comments left on stories at sdcitybeat. com will also be considered for publication.

UP FRONT

FOOD & DRINK

From the Publisher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

World Fare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Final Draught. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6 A Side-Eye of Sanity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Sordid Tales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

THINGS TO DO The Short List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12

BETH DEMMON

ARTS & CULTURE Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Feature: Drag Queen Story Hour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-16

MUSIC Feature 1: K. Flay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Feature 2: Lenny Kravitz. . . . . . . . . . 18 The Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 If I Were U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Concerts & Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-22

IN THE BACK Astrologically Unsound . . . . . . . . . . 21 Thr3e Punk Ales Brewing Co.

CannaBitch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

COVER PHOTO BY STACY KECK • STACYKECKPHOTO.COM

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY HUGH D’ANDRADE/DAVE MAASS

UP FRONT | NEWS

Watching the watchers A field guide for police surveillance in San Diego County

By Madison Vialpando, Christian Romero and Dave Maass

S

an Diego County is a perfect storm for the surveillance state. Between the busiest border crossing in the United States, a large military presence, a major port, a booming tech and cybersecurity industry, and elected officials who campaign on government innovation, it’s a wonder that San Diego has yet to become a Big Brother hellscape.

Or has it? Perhaps the process was so gradual that no one noticed.

Cops across the region carry mobile devices for face recognition. “Smart” streetlights equipped with video cameras have blanketed San Diego neighborhoods. Squad cars hoover up license plate scans while on patrol. The truth is, law enforcement agencies in San Diego County have been early adopters of a wide range of advanced surveillance technologies—body-worn cameras, drones, cell-site simulators—often with weak safeguards and, until recently, littleto-no input from the public.

To provide a counterbalance, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for civil liberties in the digital age, is partnering with the University of Nevada Reno’s journalism school to compile an inventory of surveillance technology used by police in communities around the country.

We started with counties along the U.S.-

Mexico border, paying special attention to San Diego due to its size and its pattern of aggressive technology acquisition. Dozens of students scoured the Internet, aggregating news articles, press releases, meeting minutes, and public records.

We have compiled this guide to surveillance as a counterbalance: Police are watching the public, so the public must watch right back.

Automated License Plate Readers

Automated license plate readers (ALPRs) are networks of cameras used to track the movements of vehicles. Police attach cameras to patrol cars or to fixed locations, like highway overpasses, to amass a searchable database that can reveal a driver’s movement. Police also create “hot lists” of plates of wanted vehicles and people to get realtime alerts whenever the cars are photographed by ALPRs. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department operates an ALPR network and shares the data with other agencies through ARJIS (the Automated Regional Justice Information System). Other agencies contribute data to the system, which is retained for one year.

COUNTY NEWS CENTER

Many agencies in San Diego County operate their own ALPR systems. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Carlsbad Police Department has the largest network of fixed ALPR cameras in the county. As of 2018, Carlsbad had 51 ALPR cameras surveilling 14 intersections, with 35 more approved for installation over the next year.

Carlsbad Police also operate six patrol cars equipped with ALPRs. The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) also has vehicles equipped with ALPRs, which are sometimes driven by volunteers.

Other entities with ALPRs include Coronado, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, Oceanside and San Diego Harbor police departments.

Federal agencies actively use ALPRs in the region, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In 2010 in Del Mar, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted one of the most infamous uses of ALPRs: ICE agents scanned license plates in a parking lot of a gun show and compared those license plates to cars crossing the border to try catching gun smugglers.

Body-Worn Cameras

As of 2018, SDPD deployed 1,348 BWCs manufactured by Axon. Officers are instructed to activate BWCs in all law enforcementrelated contacts. The BWCs can operate for up to 12 hours of continuous buffering and can record 10 hours of continuous video and audio media. In 2017, the San Diego County Sheriff began implementing a $1.1 million program to equip 860 deputies with Axonbrand BWCs. Other agencies using BWC include Carlsbad, Oceanside, Chula Vista, Escondido, Coronado, California State University and El Cajon police departments.

Face Recognition

San Diego County Sheriff’s Department patrol car with mobile ALPR @SDCITYBEAT

Law enforcement agencies throughout San Diego County have access to face recognition technology through a mobile app developed

by ARJIS. The Tactical Identification System (TACIDS) allows an officer to take a photo in the field with a tablet or smartphone and run the image against the San Diego County Sheriff’s 1.4-million mugshot database.

From 2017 through 2018, law enforcement users ran approximately 50,000 queries through the face recognition app. According to the ARJIS Acceptable Use Policy, the two main use cases for the technology are identifying someone who is not forthcoming with their identity and identifying people who are incapacitated. Homeless response teams may also use the technology to identify individuals to connect them with service providers. However, the massive number of times the devices are used in the field has raised concerns among civil rights organizations that officers are using this technology in many other situations.

The Port of San Diego, which manages the San Diego Harbor Police Department, was also set to install face recognition on a network of 400 cameras. Plans were delayed, according to the San Diego Reader, after a ransomware attack on the Port’s IT systems.

Cell-Site Simulators

Cell-site simulators, also known as Stingrays or IMSI catchers, are devices that masquerade as cellphone towers, tricking phones within a certain radius into connecting to the device rather than a tower.

Law enforcement often uses these devices to find the unknown location of a suspect or to identify the unknown people present at a particular time and place The SDPD has two portable cell-site simulators and one cell-site simulator mounted to a designated vehicle, according to NBC San Diego. After a public records lawsuit brought against the City of San Diego and the SDPD by the First Amendment Coalition, the department released heavily redacted documents showing its use of cellsite simulator technology. The documents did reveal that the devices can locate a phone to within 2 meters. The devices also have the capability to intercept communications, although SDPD says it does not use that feature.

According to SDPD’s policy for cell-site simulators, the department does not share the technology with other agencies. Between 2010 and 2015, SDPD used the device in 26 investigations.

WATCHERS CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5

CARLSBAD POLICE DEPARTMENT FACEBOOK

UP FRONT | NEWS

WATCHERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Drones

Local agencies generally use compact, less expensive drones known as small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) or quadrotors, as opposed to the larger systems deployed by the military and the Department of Homeland Security.

As of October 2017, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department operates a 10-drone program, according to Government Technology. A member of the sheriff’s drone unit said in an interview with A&E that the agency flew 87 missions in 2017 alone.

The Chula Vista Police Department deploys four types of drones: the DJI Inspire 1, the DJI Mavic Pro, the DJI Phantom 4, and the DJI Matrice M200. In 2019, the city of Chula Vista intends to expand its drone program to nine fire stations, where drone operators can use the technology to photograph crime scenes and “locate homeless encampments in difficult terrains.”

Other area departments deploy drones to aid in investigations, including the San Diego and Escondido police departments.

Smart Streetlights

As part of a “smart city” initiative to cut down on the city’s energy footprint, San Diego partnered with AT&T and General Electric to install and upgrade 14,000 streetlights, including 3,200 street lights equipped with sensor nodes that can test air quality and measure traffic flow. However, this program also blanketed entire neighborhoods with advanced surveillance equipment. The streetlight sensors use gunshot detection technology and can capture audio and video.

According to police policies, police can access these recordings within five days of a crime being reported, but the data can also be used for incident mapping and crime analysis. The policies also indicate SDPD may one day adopt advanced “video-based analytical systems” to monitor the feeds.

Gunshot Detection

Acoustics gunshot detection systems are networks of microphones that listen for the sounds of gunshots and then triangulate the location in order to alert the police. The most common vendor is Shotspotter.

The SDPD operates ShotSpot-

6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

ter. The sensors determine the time of a shooting, how many rounds are used and how many shooters are present, according to a report from Government Technology. All audio data is retained for 72 hours.

ShotSpotter has been installed in Valencia Park, Skyline, O’Farrell and Lincoln Park neighborhoods. In addition, San Diego’s smart streetlight technology can also perform gunshot detection.

Private-Public Camera Sharing

Ring, a company owned by Amazon that sells Internet-connect “doorbell cameras,” has begun partnering with law enforcement agencies in San Diego. The company markets cameras that stream live footage from people’s doorsteps to consumers, and residents are encouraged to share video with police through Ring’s “Neighbors” app. Since 2018 five agencies—San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the Chula Vista, La Mesa, Carlsbad and Oceanside police departments—have signed partnership agreements with Ring, according to Voice of San Diego.

While the SDPD has not signed an agreement with Ring, in 2010 the agency created a program

Carlsbad Police Department officers with BWCs to connect private surveillance cameras to its network so first responders can view live footage before arriving at active crime scenes. “Operation Secure San Diego” stalled, however, after running into technical difficulties, Voice of San Diego reported in 2014. Two years later, the San Diego Reader reported SDPD was again actively pursuing participants in the program.

Fusion Center and Palantir

The San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center (SDLECC) is one of 79 federally designated “fusion centers” nationwide that conducts large scale intelligence analysis and information sharing between local, state and federal agencies. Like other fusion centers in California, SDLECC uses software from Palantir Technologies to sift through disparate big data sources. The Gotham software, which was purchased for SDLECC by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department in 2013, currently contains 53-million data “objects” and can be accessed by more than 115 law enforcement staffers. Over the next three years, San Diego County will spend $493,000 on system maintenance. Palantir has garnered controversy due to its use in intelligence gathering by law enforcement agencies and because it provides similar services to ICE. SDLECC has a troubled history with surveillance technology.

A 2012 U.S. Senate investigation found that the fusion center had spent $25,000 on advanced surveillance tech, “most of which was so sophisticated it eventually returned it for simpler devices.” The center also spent $55,000 on 55 flat-screen televisions for “open-source monitoring,” which the Senate discovered was actually just watching the news. Fusion center officials told Senate staff the purchase was a “huge mistake” and the director had been fired.

Federal Surveillance Technologies

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) monitors the border using large MQ-9 Predator B drones and surveillance blimps called aerostats. However, these technologies are used infrequently in the San Diego area, according to a 2017 Government Accountability Office report. Between 2014 and 2016, aerostats only assisted in four apprehensions in the San Diego area. Meanwhile, CBP told GAO it does not fly many missions in Southern California “due to airspace restrictions related to the volume of commercial air traffic.”

Throughout the border region, CBP has installed surveillance structures called Integrated Fixed Tower systems (IFTs) that include electro-optical and infrared sensors, video cameras and radar systems that transmit back to workstations at border patrol centers.

CBP has installed Remote Video Surveillance Systems (RVSS) that provide short, medium and longrange surveillance through cameras, radio and microwave transmitters that mount onto stand-alone towers and structures. According to the Government Accountability Office, there are 41 RVSS and two IFT systems in the San Diego Sector.

CBP also mounts long-range surveillance systems on patrol vehicles. These Mobile Surveillance Capability (MSC) systems are 25foot towers with video and radar.

According to CBP, an MSC “automatically detects and tracks items of interest and provides the agent/ operator with data and video of the observed subject.”

This project is a collaboration between the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno. Research volunteers Zoe Wheatcroft and Tiffany Jing also contributed to this report. It is available for reuse under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.

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UP FRONT | VOICES

RHONDA “RO” MOORE

A SIDE-EYE OF

SANITY

Profits over protection

I

rarely sleep through the night. I usually watch the news or read articles from various media outlets until the sun comes up or I fall back to sleep. As a result, I tend to read about a wide variety of calamitous and curious happenings all over the world.

Because of this, I heard about the fires being set in the Amazon rain forest (and other places) long before many U.S. media outlets considered the story important enough to make their news cycle.

Conversations about the rainforest rarely center on how ranchers are converting great swaths of land to cattle farms. No one mentions how they use fire to keep the forest from reclaiming the land and also create opportunities to expand their holdings.

Before I hit up Google, most of what I could recall about the Amazon, and its importance to the world, was the result of long past Earth Day or Arbor Day celebrations and science classes.

The Amazon rainforest is a topic— one among too many—not covered with much depth in U.S. schools. If citizens know anything about the Amazon, it’s likely due to movies, television shows and—if they’re old enough—pharmaceutical drug campaigns lauding a medicine derived from some rare plant found in the rainforest.

No, I do not consider my viewing of numerous films set in South America to be sound research mostly because I’m not up for defending what would be an amazing B-movie list. But the lessons in those movies on photosynthesis and pollution stuck, because I like to breathe.

The lack of media attention on the fires wasn’t completely surprising. But I was shocked at the effort to downplay the fact that the great swaths of burning rainforest were the result of arson. Then I remembered we’re all living in a corrupt era where people pretend that resources aren’t finite, and no crisis is ever truly global if rectifying it might impact commerce.

Yes, I realize my cynical bent is showing. I admit that may be a result of watching one too many documentaries centered on the economy lately. But I can almost hear the disembodied voice of Gordon Gekko whispering in my ear, greed is good. If the science is bad for business, then it’s the science that’s attacked as the problem.

Powerful people (who seriously need to be in group therapy) do a lot of finger pointing about who’s to blame whenever environmental crises arise. Industrialized countries scoff at parts of the world not weighed down by the trappings of “progress.” People with lifestyles aiming to live harmoniously with the planet are treated as kooks and/or backwards. Valuable time is lost simply trying to get people to acknowledge a problem exists, that humans are responsible for it and, therefore, humans need to modify their behavior.

Too frequently, we permit our leadership to shrug at the idea that terraforming the planet with brute force so as to fit our needs could ever be a bad thing.

I recently got into a rather heated (but fun) discussion with several strangers on the topic. One gentleman adamantly parroted the ol’ “taxation is theft” chestnut throughout the conversation. Another staunchly advocated total deregulation as the only way forward because big government was just plain bad. Neither thought it important to address how nationwide initiatives would be funded if taxes were discontinued. Nor did it matter to them how, exactly, laws would be put into practice and enforced, absent a structure of oversight and regulation. I played devil’s advocate a lot because neither was very into details and both were all about making big sweeping statements.

But what I really wanted to know is what happens if that party policy soundbite gets put under pressure. Because these people are the same ones who believe a person’s work has value, but are frequently opposed to unionization.

They believe innovation is the way forward but often vote for politicians interested in maintaining the (economic) status quo. They rarely, if ever, evaluate the cognitive dissonance their attitudes and choices trigger in the rest of us.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-capitalism. I do, however, believe it’s contrary to the role of government to drive its people into a state of famine. The needs of a corporation are never more important than the needs of the people who drive its profits. Market indicators shouldn’t drive the priorities of a government, because a country is more than its economy. If we never replenish what we take from the planet and refuse to slow down in taking, an unbalanced budget will be the least of our problems.

You’d think we’d internalize that lesson when the world’s lungs are literally on fire. But no, we turn a blind eye and then watch world leaders posture and play games.

So, every time I read about an incident like the Amazon fires or discover another green initiative that includes market preservation for fossil fuels, I get a bit twitchy. To paraphrase a line from one of my favorite TV shows, “The Expanse,” earthlings were given a beautiful garden and they paved it.

We aren’t taking very good care of our home. And given that we earthlings haven’t yet found a way to sustain human life off-planet, that seems a bit stupid.

Then I remembered we’re all living in a corrupted timeline where people pretend that resources aren’t finite, and no crisis is ever truly global if rectifying it might impact commerce.

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A Side-Eye of Sanity appears every other week.

Follow Ro Moore on Twitter at @BookBlerd.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7

UP FRONT | OPINION

EDWIN DECKER

SORDID

TALES

Knock, knock knocking on chubby’s door

I

just stepped off the scale a few moments ago and am happy to announce a weight-loss milestone. Since May, when I began this insidious slog through The Valley of the Shadow of No Carne Asada Burritos, I’ve lost 50 pounds.

Indeed, I am ever closer to downgrading my condition from, Disgustingly-Dangerously-Morbidly-Obeseand Diabetes-Bound to merely “fat.” Oh, how I have dreamed of being just fat again. And now that I am knock, knock, knocking on chubby’s door, three questions come to mind.

1. Should I take up crack to get over the last hump?

2. Is there such a thing as a calorie free carne asada burrito?

3. If not, then where in my mouth is the most effective place to point a shotgun muzzle?

Of course, I’m kidding. It was a good move swapping carrot sticks for burritos—and pizza, cheeseburgers, fries, lasagna, cheesecake, pancakes, bacon, meatballs, meatloaf, tuna melts, onion rings, ribs, butter, peanut butter, pumpkin pie, cookies and milk, poutines, Alfredos, Kung Paos, gyros, wings—oh Lord not the wings!—pretzels, chips, potato chips, chocolate chips, fish and chips, Chipwiches, Kit-Kats, risotto, prosciutto, pistachios, mac salad, mac and cheese, mac-Donald’s and—sing it with me now—“Jelly filled doughnuts and crisp apple strudel / Bratwurst with sauerkraut and schnitzel with noodles / Hot butter dip for my calamari rings / These are a few of my favorite things.”

This is not the first time I lost copious amounts of flab. The first was in my early twenties. After spending much of my youth as a lard-carrying member of the YMCAA (Young Men’s Chunky Ass Association), I lost significant girth. I enjoyed being thin for a decade or so but then made the stupidest decision of my life: I started smoking. Fast forward 15 years, and I was languishing over a pack-a-day habit and hating my addiction as much as I hated Crocodile Dundee sequels.

I was in a constant cycle of quitting and failing until devising a three-stage plan.

First, there would need to be a moratorium on boozing. Over the course of the 36,000 times I quit smoking, I discovered that it was relatively easy—until having that first sip. Then I became like a crack whore trading blowjobs for loosies.

The second part of the plan was to use food as a substitute. I made a decision to lean into gluttony.

And guess what? It worked. It cost me 40 pounds and a gnarly sleep apnea problem, but my nicotine addiction was licked. Next, I proceeded to stage three: losing the spare truck tire.

And that worked, too.

Until it didn’t. After several years, I packed it on again. And even though I didn’t weigh myself dur-

ing that time, I knew things were getting out of hand judging by how my elastic, fatty pants left scars on my waist. Then one day I went to the doctor, who put me on a scale.

It was a moment I dreaded. I figured it might go as high as 260 or 270. It wasn’t even beyond the realm of possibility that it would read 275 pounds.

The scale groaned like an old, haunted house in a windstorm. The sheer distress of my tonnage caused it to fritz out, displaying gibberish-like characters more resembling the countdown on the Predator’s wrist cannon than actual numbers. When the scale returned to normal it read 297 pounds.

“Are you for real?” I barked at the scale. “There’s no way I am 3 pounds shy of 300!”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself,” said the scale. “Will you get off me now?”

After reading my chart, the physician said, “You need to lose weight.”

“No shit Doctor McObvious. Any other advice? Do I need to breathe air? Should I drink water too?”

When people ask how I did it, I tell them that, in addition to diet and exercise, it was helpful to dispel certain nutrition myths. Such as the fallacy that Souplantation is a health food joint or that it’s acceptable to eat cookie crumbles because calories leak out when they break. It also gave me strength to remember Eric Clapton’s ominous warning, “She’s a lie, she’s a lie, she’s a lie—Diet Coke.”

And while I typically cringe at self-help affirmations, this one proved useful: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” I can’t count how many times that quote gave me the strength to keep driving whenever coming upon an oh-so glorious, red and gold Roberto’s kiosk—its carne asadas calling me the way Comic-Con calls cosplayers.

Something else that bolstered my willpower was remembering all the wonderful life improvements weight loss has provided. For instance, when I jump for a basketball rebound, my feet actually leave the floor. Getting out of bed no longer requires a winch.

I can see my penis! (“Hello Boris, I’ve missed you!”) I can wipe my ass without throwing my back out. And lastly, when walking down the aisle of a passenger plane, people don’t glare at me with those, “Not-menot-me-please-don’t-let-him-sit-by-me!” eyes.

So, what’s the message? Don’t worry, I’m not going to pander to other jumbos by saying, “If I can do it, anyone can.” I’ll let the reader decide what the message is. All I know is that there’s a bag of carrot sticks in the fridge and a shotgun leaning against the wall.

Which one to choose, which one to choose?

I typically cringe at self-help affirmations, but this one proved useful: ‘Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.’

8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

Sordid Tales appears every other week.

Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com.

@SDCITYBEAT

UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

THE WORLD

FARE Panga to table

T

here are moments when I know a restaurant or eatery isn’t going to suck even before I’ve tried the food. In the case of Marea-Alta (Carretera Libre Tijuana-Ensenada Km 41 22710) in Rosarito, that moment came when I walked past its food truck kitchen and was nearly hit in the chest by a very recently deceased yellowtail being carried in from another truck. The feeling within that moment was confirmed when that same yellowtail ended up on my plate.

At first blush, Marea-Alta appears to be nothing more than a food truck on the side of the road, a dozen kilometers south of Playa de Popotla (home of the panga boats from whence that yellowtail was sourced). In reality, though, that food truck serves as the kitchen for the dining room next door. Marea-Alta also has an outside dining area with a wonderful view of the road.

My first bite of food at MareaAlta was the High Tide ceviche.

It’s rarely a bad idea to order a restaurant’s namesake dish (“Marea-Alta” means “high tide” in Spanish). In this case it was a Peruvian style ceviche with good acidity, avocado bits, slices of Persian cucumber and a touch of smoke from ash. But that yellowtail was, naturally, what really stood out; clean, slightly sweet and spectacularly fresh. The dish was so good, I wanted to tip my plate and drink the leftover leche de tigre juice.

The Baja ceviche did not hit quite the same heights. The fish was equally good (it was probably from the exact same fish used in the High Tide), but the sauce was out of balance, teetering on the edge of too-sweet. The best approach to the dish was to use copious amounts of Marea-Alta’s terrific roasted arbol salsa.

The crab burrito was a bit of a disappointment.

It was caught between the gut-bomb California-

@SDCITYBEAT

style and the much smaller, simpler and more direct Mexican-style burrito. Despite being built around a wonderful crab machaca (essentially rehydrated crab jerky), the addition of black beans, rice and god knows what else yielded a dish that was just a culinary mess.

In some ways, the crab burrito’s issues reflected both Marea-Alta’s challenges and opportunities.

It’s located on one of the more affluent, gringoheavy sectors of the Northern Baja coastline. That means plenty of money around but also north-ofthe-border palates.

Indeed, when my fish sandwich arrived, I was initially concerned. It looked like an American burger with the patty swapped out for a fish filet.

But what a piece of fish it was! The fish on sandMICHAEL A. GARDINER

High Tide ceviche wiches tends to be dry, but this was cooked with precision; moist, firm and sweet. The accompanying slaw offered a fresh, textural element.

The worst that can be said of Marea-Alta is that it’s caught between being slightly upper-end and appealing to gringo-Baja taste buds. One of the best things that can be said of Marea-Alta is that while it never veers far from gringo-pleasing mode, it does manage to elevate the dishes. The bottom line, however, is that when a restaurant starts with terrific star ingredients and prepares them simply but precisely, the result is rarely going to suck.

The World Fare appears weekly.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9

UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

BY BETH DEMMON

FINAL DRAUGHT Thr3e cheers

BETH DEMMON

I

can’t remember a time where I’ve been the racial minority when visiting a brewery in the United States. Sure, I’m often in the gender minority, but according to the Brewers Association’s latest statistics, white people make up 85.5 percent of craft beer drinkers. When I recently visited Thr3e Punk Ales Brewing Co. (259 Third Ave., 3punkales.com) in Chula Vista, I wasn’t the only white person, but I was definitely outnumbered. And that’s awesome.

Representation, or lack thereof, can make all the difference in a person of color pursuing an interest or career in craft beer or not. Festivals such as the Fresh Fest Beer Fest, the country’s first Black beer festival, and Suave Fest, which celebrates Latinx beer culture, have given historically underrepresented beer fans a place to feel as if they’re finally the insiders instead of perpetual outsiders.

But once-a-year events aren’t a substitute for day-to-day options. Places like Thr3e Punks cater to crowds that fall outside the typical middle-agedwhite-guy-with-a-beard stereotype without actually excluding anyone.

The beertender on the afternoon I visited chatted me up as I made my first selection (the Small Hops Champion session IPA), while a pretty excellent punk rock playlist blared from all around. I plopped down on a stool away from the crowds, ready to take notes and snap photos of my pints. I tend to get more looks than actual comments about my tasting method and I’m fully aware of how dorky I look, especially when I’m by myself. On this day, however, no one even glanced my way. It was subtle, but goes to show how non-judgemental the vibe is at Thr3e Punks. Maybe it was just my Black Sabbath shirt that helped me fit in. I’m going to go with non-judgemental.

The session IPA was good. Not as much fruity hop flavor as I’d expect from a beer that uses both Citra and Mosaic hops, but definitely a lot of lingering hop bitterness that resembled a more oldschool style of IPA. But it was the El Fumar smoked import helles lager that made me want to do the Blitzkrieg Bop. (I’ll try to cool it on the punk puns moving forward.)

Smoked beers can be an acquired taste, but this was so lightly smoked that it only served to accentuate

10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

Thr3e Punk Ales Brewing Co.

the nuanced grain flavor and bring out the understated complexities of a well-made lager. It reminded me ChuckAlek’s grodziskie, a delicately smoked ale that helped convert me into a lover of smoky beers. I’ve missed it terribly since ChuckAlek closed its biergarten last year, so to find a suitable replacement was very welcome.

Mexican-style lagers provide an easy drinking craft alternative to mainstream choices like Dos Equis and Corona. Thr3e Punks’ La Flama Blanca is no exception. That style has skyrocketed in popularity recently. This is due more to the fact that it’s so versatile than because of an increased Hispanic, Chicanx and/or Latinx presence in craft beer. But looking around Thr3e Punks, I’m hopeful both could one day be true.

After 4 years of Final Draught, it’s time for me to close my tab and head to the next place. This is my last weekly column for San Diego CityBeat. Want to keep in touch? Follow me on Twitter at @delightedbite or email me at beth@bethdemmon.com.

@SDCITYBEAT

EVENTS

SHORTlist

EVENTS

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

KAYLA RUTLEDGE

BALBOA PARK

BEER O’CLOCK

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, but at the San Diego Museum of Man, beer is being served anytime from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The museum is now featuring Beerology—an exhibit that pours over the history of ancient craft brewing. From the drink’s ties to agriculture and ancient city locations, all the way to documents of ancient texts and influences of religion, the exhibit is foaming at the brim with the rich lore of beer’s past.

The series of displays expose the ways in which ancient Egyptians, Sumerians, Chinese and other peoples have brewed a drink that has withstood the test of time. Artifacts like the solid gold beer cup of an Inca King top off the exhibit.

Though the $13 general admission ticket doesn’t cover the cost of drinks, it does allow patrons to view many of the other exhibits including Cannibals: Myth and Reality, Graffiti Art Murals, and Monsters!

SHELTER ISLAND

STACY KECK

Beerology Children five and younger get in free. Tickets are available at the museum. For more information, visit museumofman.org

BEAT THE BLUES

Cutting carbs is a thing of the past.

It’s time to indulge in one of the world’s most cherished gifts—pasta.

The Wine Pub on Shelter Island is hosting Pasta Making 101, a workshop during which pasta connoisseurs can try their hand at making their favorite noodles.

From 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, participants will focus on hand-rolling different shapes including garganelli, rotini and cavatelli, learning all about what differentiates one pasta from the next and which robust sauce best pairs with each shape.

At the end of the class, the newly developed pasta professionals will come together for a family-style pasta meal with salad. After leaving the table more stuffed than a ravioli, each participant will also take home more than a pound of pasta with storage and cooking instructions.

Tickets range from $65 to $100. For more information, visit thewinepubsandiego.com

Toy Piano Festival at Geisel Library, 9500 Gilman Road, La Jolla. Hear new works for toy piano at the 19th annual celebration of the tiny instrument originally created for children. Composers include Samara Rice, Alex Segal, Barbara Scheidker and more. From 12 to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5. Free. 858822-5758, library.ucsd.edu Don’t Tell Comedy at Location to be determined, La Jolla. The comedy show, which hast hosted performers like Hannibal Buress, Nikki Glaser and Tom Segura, will bring a secret performer to a secret location to be announced on the day of the show. From 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5. $20.

858-362-1101, lfjcc.org

DOWNTOWN

CARBOLOAD

Storytelling Sea of Change at Eclipse Bar & Bistro, 2145 Fern St., South Park.

Members of Storytellers of San Diego will share folkloric, personal and literary stories inspired by sea adventures and nautical themes. From 7 to 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 4. Free. 619-8502130, storytellersofsandiego.org

No need for the blues this weekend as The San Diego Blues Festival tunes up for a packed day on Saturday, Sept. 7, from noon to 8 p.m., at Embarcadero Marina Park North.

The family-friendly event will be headlined

by Taj Mahal, who will be prefaced by eight other acts on two stages.

Sit back, relax and enjoy some local beers, cocktails and wine as well as some of the city’s most popular food trucks and craft vendors.

Patrons enjoying this pop-up juke joint can feel good knowing all proceeds will benefit the Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank. To go the extra mile, attendees can also bring food drive donations.

General admission tickets are $35 each, and can be found at sdbluesfest.com

Stroll the Boulevard at El Cajon Blvd., North Park. Join over 20 businesses from across the country for an end-ofsummer walkabout featuring food and drink specials, music, art, and shopping. From 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept.

6. Free. 619-727-4971, facebook.com/ events/453026668878751/ Bella Notte: An Evening Under the Stars at Mt. Carmel High School, 9550 Carmel Mountain Road, Carmel Valley.

The award-winning choir and drama program will include musical performances, comedy, a three-course Italian dinner and the ambiance of an al fresco Italian trattoria. From 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. $10-$30. mtcarmelchoir. com La Cena È Pronta: A Culinary Musical Recital at La Jolla Community Center, 6811 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Recital exploring the ways food enriches life and brings people together featuring bass-baritone Joshua Arky, pianist Ines Irawati, and mezzo-soprano Alexandra Rodrick. From 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. $75. 858-459-0831, ljcommunitycenter.org Rewriting History: A Black Ancestral Narrative at Lux Art Institute, 1550 S. El Camino Real, Encinitas. The Haitian-born artist Fabiola Jean-Louis will present a series of painted works exploring the history and identity of race, paper as currency and fashion as a class system. From 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. Free-$10. luxartinstitute.org San Diego Farm to Fork Week at San Diego County. Celebration of the culinary association’s commitment to local food sourcing featuring special drinks, dishes, menus and desserts curated by chefs. Various times. Sunday, Sept. 8 through Sunday, Sept. 15. $55-$125. farmtoforksd.com

MATHEUS FRADE

The Fade ft. Jahman Hill at Freshly Faded, 2850 El Cajon Blvd., North Park. The Individual World Poetry Slam finalist will be featured in an open mic night of poetry, music and community

Pasta Making 101 @SDCITYBEAT

surrounding the theme of Black culture and empowerment. From 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 8. $10. freshlyfaded. com Picture This: Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., Downtown. Herbert Siguenza will talk about Latinos in Hollywood and the theatre before the screening of a documentary revealing an actor’s journey from Puerto Rico to Broadway.

From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, Sept.

9. Free. sandiego.librarymarket.com Earth Summit at Balboa Park Club, 2144 Pan American Road W., Balboa Park. Douglas Linden, Environmental Engineer at the EPA will discuss Tijuana’s water and wastewater infrastructure and ongoing efforts to reduce transboundary pollution. From 6:30 to 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9. Free. 619-3356679, citizensoversight.org Words Alive’s 2019 Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser at Marriott Hotel & Marina, 333 W. Harbor Drive, Downtown. Fundraiser for a nonprofit literacy organization featuring the novelist, playwright, literary historian, and screenwriter, Emma Donoghue, local vendors and more. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10. $175-$250. Fr 858-274-9673, wordsalive.org Tom Patterson at La Jolla Community Center, 4126 Executive Dr., La Jolla.

The author and psychiatrist will tell his story of overcoming a life-threatening resistant bacterial infection through phage therapy initiated by his wife, Dr. Steffanie Strathdee. From 5 to 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 10. Free. 858-4590831, ljcommunitycenter.org School is in Session: School Days of Early San Diego at Gaslamp Museum at the David-Horton House, 410 Island Ave., Downtown. Learn about the controversial “Walker Incident” in the school board, the first types of schools that opened and more about the early days of class in the area. From 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11. Free-$5.

619-233-4692, gaslampfoundation.org Adeena Sussman at Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Dr., La Jolla. The veteran American food writer and expat will discuss and sign her new cookbook with authentic Israeli recipes, Sababa. From 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11. $15-$18.

858-362-1101 Marisela y Amanda Miguel at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown.

The divas of Spanish ballads and romantic pop will perform their greatest hits of love and loss, including songs such as “Sola Con Mi Soledad” and “Mentiras.” At 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept.

7. $55-$150. sandiegotheatres.org Farruko at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter blending genres like reggaeton, hip hop and rap with bachata, mambo and vallenaato will perform his international hits and songs from his most recent album, TrapXficante. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8. $35-$75. sandiegotheatres.org

Taj Mahal SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11

BOOKS: THE FLOATING LIBRARY Chain gang

S

ome novels lure you in with an intriguing premise while others hit you over the head with a sledgehammer. Adrian McKinty’s new novel, The Chain, belongs in the latter category.

The novel’s plot can be summarized in a single sentence: Rachel O’Neill’s daughter has been kidnapped, but the only way to get her back is to kidnap another child whose parents can be counted on to keep the chain going.

The scheme plays on a parent’s worst fear: to have their child taken away from them in the most horrible away imaginable. What kind of monster would do such a thing? The twist is that Rachel must become that monster if she wants to get her daughter back.

Rachel is already having a bad day when her nightmare begins.

Her oncologist has summoned her to discuss the results of her most recent scan.

But after a few hours the possibility of her cancer recurring feels like the least of her worries.

This is rich territory for a thriller and McKinty makes the most of it. His language is sparse but direct, and the action is non-stop. Rachel’s terror is palpable when she comes to terms with what is

12 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

happening to her, but the novel is at its most harrowing when Rachel turns to targeting a child and plotting the abduction.

What makes McKinty’s devilish plot so chilling is how easy it is for amateur kidnappers to track a family’s movements through their digital footprint and social media use.

Google maps and iPhone applications provide an abundance of information that can be used against us. “The Chain” is the name of the shadowy criminal network, but it’s also a metaphor for how we’re tethered to our devices.

Although McKinty has won numerous awards for his novels, he’s never had a breakout success before now. In fact, not that long ago, he resorted to driving for Uber to make ends meet and was considering whether he should give up writing altogether. While The Chain will leave many readers anxious about how their social media use puts them at risk, the book represents something of a happy ending—and a new beginning—for its author.

—Jim Ruland

The Floating Library appears every other week.

@SDCITYBEAT

THEATER DAREN SCOTT

Dancing into adolescence

A

n audacious work that is not for the wide-eyed dance mom or rosycheeked plié prodigy, Dance Nation dares to delve inside the heads of prepubescent girls and root out the anxieties, fears and anger that will accompany them into their teenage years and beyond into the battlefield of adulthood. Moxie Theatre is staging the West Coast premiere of Clare Barron’s play with all the bravery and stridency for which this femalechampioning company is known. In one act that really should have been written as two, there’s self-mutilation, a gruesome dance injury, a fiercely frank, sexually explosive monologue and even characters bearing fangs. This is not the ballet school down the street or “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Under the severe tutelage (and creepiness) of Dance Teacher Pat (Daren Scott), a team of pre-teen dancers rehearses to the point of pain for competitions that could ultimately culminate in the Boogie Down Grand Prix in swingin’ Tampa, Fla. But the practices and rehearsals are only pretexts for the personal pains, discoveries and revelations of the girls, all of whom (as written) are played by adult actors. This may explain why Barron’s script has the 13-year-olds (or so) making

@SDCITYBEAT

first menstrual period. And Amina (Wendy Maples), who is the best of the dancers but for whom a first masturbatory orgasm is achingly elusive. Or Zuzu (Joy Yvonne Jones in an affecting performance), who faces with agony the reality that she will never be “good enough.”

Then there’s Ashlee (Andrea Agosto), whose full-throated avowal of powers sexual and otherwise is such an attention-grabber that the rest of the play never matches its intensity. Dance Nation, directed at Moxie by Jennifer Eve Thorn, plays on loss of innocence to a sometimes unsettling but sharply incisive extreme.

Dance Nation runs through Sept. 15 at Moxie Theatre in Rolando. $20-$45; moxietheatre.com.

—David L. Coddon

Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

Dance Nation articulate observations and pronouncements far, far beyond their age. The girls are, in effect, already women in girls’ bodies who, in navigating the terrors of their youth, may be affirming the adults they

will become.

The arc of the play isn’t really the quest for victory in Tampa. Instead, fragmented conflicts reside in the various girls, like Sofia (Sandra Ruiz), who experiences her

For complete theater listings, visit sdcitybeat.com

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 13

STACY KECK

CULTURE

Miss Oona Upland reads during Drag Queen Story Hour ’m 6’1” out of drag,” says Miss Oona, who’s towering but graceful even in the added height of her stilettos. She sports a shoulder-length blonde wig, full lashes and a floral jumpsuit.

“As I’ve been doing drag, [Miss Oona] has fully taken on this very housewife, almost PTA mom, kind of persona,” she says.

Her character is a natural fit for Drag Queen Story Hour (DQSH), a national organization where volunteers in drag read books to a group of children and parents. San Diego’s branch launched in June, and has since hosted two sold-out story hours at You Belong Here, a communal workspace in City Heights that also hosts art shows and events.

Across the country, DQSH has been met with both controversy and positivity. In February, CBS San Diego shared “An Imperfect Union” episode on Facebook about DQSH for children, and asked whether such events are harmful or educational. The comments ranged from passionate support to religious protest and every opinion in between.

“It’s been incredible. It has sold out every time,” says Alexandria Ott, a founder of DQSH San Diego. “Families, whether they are an LGBTQ family or not, want to raise their children to know otherness.”

After living in Chicago for seven years, Ott reached out to DQSH to start a local branch when she moved back to her hometown of San Diego.

“It became a necessity for the life of myself and my child to be around different voices, different people and different backgrounds,” says Ott. During the second San Diego DQSH on July 28, Ott’s son, Henry, sat front row before Miss Oona, helping her pick between books such as Nancy Tillman’s I’d Know You Anywhere, My Love and Peter H. Reynolds’ Say Something! Where he was once shy around Miss Oona, Henry now says he’s her biggest fan. The rest of the audience, made up of roughly 60 kids and parents, are a semi-chaotic cluster of giggles and chat-

14 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

ter, which Miss Oona intermittently regroups with her witty commentary and questions about the book she’s reading.

“Sometimes you might catch the kids staring at you, trying to figure it out, and most of the time they just chalk it up to me being a funny-looking woman or a really tall woman,” says Miss Oona. “Most of the time when they’re really young, [drag] is not even on their radar, which I think a lot of conservatives are concerned about… But there’s just this pretty person, Miss Oona, there to read, and the children accept it.”

Throughout the story hour, neither Miss Oona or the organizers bring up the topic of drag. The events are largely about creating a sense of community, acceptance and belonging, more than about who specifically is reading. Instead of announcing Miss Oona’s differences, the event works to introduce kids to the unfamiliar and act as a conduit for conversation between parent and child.

“We’re not making the reader feel different by announcing it. Instead we’re inviting kids into a situation that they’re used to doing all the time, which is reading,” says Ott. One uphill battle for DQSH San Diego is working against many adults’ perception of drag.

“I never thought I’d be doing drag with children ever because so many parents are like ‘Oh I have nothing against it, but I don’t want it around my children. They’re not ready for that,’” says Miss Oona. “But it’s no different than having a clown coming in.”

Most recently, an anti-LGBTQ hate group called MassResistance circulated flyers demanding that the Chula Vista Library cancel a DQSH reading on Sept. 10. The flyer contained dubious and false claims about homosexuality and drag queen culture.

“These fliers, and the so called ‘facts’ they share, are nothing but propaganda,” Miss Oona said in an email when asked for comment. “They utilize fear mongering and misinformation to depict a false view of these events. These story readings are not only safe, but also valuable when it

comes to an ongoing dialogue on diversity, self-acceptance and self-love.”

Miss Oona says she embodies a more maternal persona so that people feel more comfortable asking her questions about drag and gender, as if she’s a cool aunt or a friend’s mom. The opportunity allows a younger generation to engage with her and familiarize themselves with the LGBTQ culture in real life, rather than just observing it on TV. “There are singers that are not for children, there are dancers that are not for children and there are actors whose work is not for children,” she says. “Drag, at the end of the day, is an art form.”

The impact of these events reaches beyond the kids being read to. DQSH also creates a safe space for parents looking for a progressive, family-friendly community.

“There are a lot of alternative parents who don’t feel comfortable doing the traditional stuff, and they feel like they’re different as a parent, whether they’re part of the LGBTQ community or not,” says Ott. “I’m an alternative parent, I’m a single mom, I raised [Henry] by myself, I have tattoos… There are different types of parents. For some, I feel like traditional acts, like going to the library, may actually cause a bit of anxiety. So being somewhere that’s a little untraditional, a little bit progressive, it makes you feel safe as a parent as well.”

Similar events are popping up elsewhere, too. Sisters Pizza in Hillcrest will host its second story hour with Miss Oona on Saturday, Sept. 7, which will offer pizza specials and mimosas for purchase. It will also serve as a fundraiser for local drag queens and community allies. Miss Oona also reads at children’s birthday parties and other private events. Looking ahead, DQSH San Diego plans to host at least one story time every other month. The next reading at You Belong Here will take place on Sept. 8 from 10 to 11 a.m.

“I am here just to read to the kids,” says Miss Oona. “To talk to them and to engage with them, just to be another figure in their life.”

@SDCITYBEAT

CULTURE | FILM COURTESY OF GRASSHOPPER FILM

Dog days

Los Reyes

Observational doc from Chile tracks the lives of two strays

by Glenn Heath Jr.

I

f stray dogs could claim “squatter’s rights,” Cho- and how the dogs’ daily lives seem to mirror our own. la and Football would have a powerful case when it One young skater who frequents the park speaks endcomes to Los Reyes skate park in Santiago. The two lessly about arguments with family, his love for pot wayward pups are fixtures in the sprawling outdoor and how his dreams seem to be sabotaged by repetiurban space in Chile’s capital that is flanked by high- tive mistakes. While the same level of consciousness rise apartment buildings and a busy city highway. Dis- is never afforded to the dogs, we get the sense that affected teens come here to smoke pot, vent about they, too, are stuck.

Using imagery of nature overlapping with urtheir personal problems and practice the latest boarding tricks, all while the dogs chew on ratty tennis balls ban spaces, Los Reyes also poses inherent questions and bark at incoming cyclists. For man and beast, this about cohabitation, of which Chola and Football become key symbols. As the film progresses, Perut and is a place perfectly constructed to pass the time.

Co-directors Bettina Perut and Iván Osnovikoff Osnovikoff start to fixate on close-ups of the dogs, on their panting tongues and spent months watching Chola, a weathered paws. Mosquitos and spry Lab, and Football, an older flies also become an indicator of mutt, in their natural habitat. erosion and of the animals’ vulThe resulting observational docLOS REYES nerability as the realities of livumentary, Los Reyes, empathetiDirected by Bettina Perut ing outside take their toll. cally portrays patterns of habitOne of the moral conunand Iván Osnovikoff ual behavior that come to define drums facing a documentary like personality and survival. In the Not Rated Los Reyes is whether the crew case of both dogs, daily routine should intervene if tragedy ap(play, sleep, bark) illuminates pears inevitable. Perut and Osnuances of their characters, as do the voices of human subjects whose faces remain novikoff choose not to, which makes the film an even more brutal examination of how people take life (and largely off screen.

Sharing public space is what connects these two their natural surroundings) for granted.

In some respects, Chola and Football are living very different experiences. Chola and Football interact with people but often bleed into the background exactly how they please, with the freedom to roam of an environment that can be teaming with activity in wide-open spaces and interact with whatever life one night and desolate the next. Even more interest- throws at them. It’s the kind of experience some of ing is how the two dogs interact with each other, the the teens in the film wish they could have, untethroutines and actions they repeat over time, and the ered from familial and societal responsibilities. But through the trajectory of these two dogs, Los Reyes power dynamic that emerges between them.

Infused with youthful vigor, Chola is obviously the (opening Friday, Sept. 6, at Digital Gym Cinema in dominant force in this relationship. He likes to howl North Park) destroys the romanticism of such a fanat the sky, religiously chases horses and donkeys and tasy.

Still, the film is not meant to dash our faith, but barks at pretty much everything as if he were warding off unwanted trespassers. Football is quiet and wise, to cement our appreciation of the present moment. watching from the sidelines while his companion runs Through Chola and Football’s eyes, life slows down around in circles. Compared to the energized Chola, just enough for us to see their purgatory as something he’s hobbled by old age and decreasing stamina. beautiful and dynamic.

Park patrons overlook much of their canine activity, but the camera always stays locked in on the dogs. Film reviews run weekly.

The filmmakers are fascinated by territorial rhythms, Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com

@SDCITYBEAT

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15

CULTURE | FILM COURTESY OF 1091 FILMS

Before You Know It

Family style

R

achel (Hannah Pearl Utt) comes from a clan of flighty performers who think life is just one big theater stage. Early in the new comedy Before You Know It, her playwright father, Mel (Mandy Patinkin), and older thespian sister Jackie (Jen Tullock), rarely break character while romping around the East Village community theater/home they all share.

The impassioned soliloquies and method acting stand in contrast to Rachel’s far more stoic demeanor.

At one point, Jackie even accuses her of dressing like a “Mennonite caterer.” This brand of all-businessno-play makes Rachel a superb stage manager and an annoying wet blanket to the otherwise free-spirited members of the family.

Written and directed by Utt, Before You Know It takes this fizzy set up and spins a spirited “crazy family” yarn that becomes something modestly moving as it progresses, even as slapstick and melodrama never feel too far removed.

Dawning a mask of thick makeup and outlandish outfits, Judith Light shows up as Rachel and Jackie’s long-lost soap opera star mother. But her onscreen meltdowns pale in comparison to Jackie’s daily bouts with self-destruction.

Bitter truths regarding isolation and abandonment subtly reveal themselves, as both parent and child work through ongoing traumas that seem to fester no matter the person’s age. Utt’s writing and directing isn’t flashy, but it gives these solid actors the necessary space to create genuine, lived-in characters.

When every film nowadays seemingly has to be either a high concept drama or lowbrow blockbuster, something more humble like Before You Know It (opening Friday, Sept. 6, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas and Angelika Film Centers – Carmel Mountain) could easily be dismissed. Hopefully that doesn’t happen. Utt’s charming,

16 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

self-deprecating ensemble is an effortless screwball throwback that loves its characters no matter their flaws.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

OPENING Before You Know It: An East Village theater manager tries to keep her family from falling apart once she discovers her dead mother is actually very much alive and the star of a long-running soap opera. Opens Friday, Sept. 6, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas and Angelika Film Centers – Carmel Mountain.

Brittany Runs a Marathon: After a doctor recommends she lose weight, a hardpartying woman decides to take up jogging with the hopes of changing her life.

Opens Friday, Sept. 6, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas and Angelika Film Centers – Carmel Mountain.

It: Chapter Two: Pennywise, a murderous demonic clown, returns to the town of Derry 27 years after terrorizing a group of children. Opens Friday, Sept. 6 in wide release.

Los Reyes: This documentary looks at the lives of two stray dogs named Chola and Football who live in a popular skate park in Santiago, Chile. Opens Friday, Sept. 6, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

ONE TIME ONLY Roman Holiday: Audrey Hepburn plays a princess on the run who meets a charming journalist played by Gregory Peck in this classic romantic comedy. Screens at 8 p.m. Friday – Sunday, Sept. 6-8 at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

Agents of Change: Chronicling the stories and struggles of black activists at the forefront of the civil rights and black power movements, this documentary draws compelling links between the high-profile protests across university campuses of the 1960s and the current battles for educational equality in America. Screens at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park.

For complete movie listings, visit Film at sdcitybeat.com.

@SDCITYBEAT

KOURY ANGELO

MUSIC

Shining a positive light K. Flay changes direction with Solutions

T

By Taylor O’Connor he world is full of negativity and hardship to the point where it is frequently discussed on the news, between friends and in music.

Although it’s important to express negativity, doing so can become repetitive and tiring. Alternative pop artist Kristine Flaherty (aka K. Flay, decided to take her turn on her latest album, Solutions.

“I think about discouragement a lot, there are a lot of things that discourage us.

Art is a way to renew energy and renew passion,” Flaherty said.

“This record was a shift in my lyrical focus and my lyrical intent. In the past, on the last record specifically, I went into problems.”

To continue her growth, Flaherty asks herself: What’s the scariest thing I can do?

“For me the scariest thing is finding that little bit of light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “The next risk would be taking this pain and angst and pinning it into a more hopeful and optimistic direction.”

This time around, Flaherty said she was tougher on herself in terms of the production.

“I didn’t always accept the first idea. I’ve developed a critical eye for myself, which I’m proud of. There’s humility and ambition in that, you’re not always the best.”

Since she began her career in 2003, Flaherty has released three full-length albums, was announced to perform at Riptide Music Festival and Austin City Limits and was nominated for two Grammys.

@SDCITYBEAT

K. Flay Solutions is her third full-length album.

Her favorite song on the album is “Sister,” a track about her relationship with her siblings.

“I have different biological parents than my siblings, but I’m very close to [them],” Flaherty said. “I’ve always felt alienated from them, I really wanted to be their sister. Who cares if we aren’t biological sisters?

I want to be your sister and you want to be mine.”

“Family is a verb, you create it and you expand it. Family doesn’t mean biological, but it means people you love.”

The title comes from Flaherty’s hunt to identify the positivity in her life and finding her balance between order and chaos.

K.Flay is bringing her optimism on her Solutions North American tour, which comes to The Observatory North Park on Thursday, Sept. 5.

“It’s my mission to create as much energy

on stage as I can. That doesn’t always mean wild energy, but intimate energy. It’s love, and an experience of human emotion, that’s my mindset when I’m on stage.”

K. Flay

Thursday, Sept. 5 The Observatory kflay.com

Flaherty said a way to fill her time traveling is with her new microcast (a podcast under 10 minutes in length). Each “What Am I Doing Here?” episode can be found using

an Amazon Alexa or Google Home devices.

“I am a huge fan of podcasts. I got approached with this opportunity to create this show with whatever I wanted to do and was very intrigued.”

The show features conversation, jokes, musical interludes and special guests including X Ambassadors, Bishop Briggs, and Fitz and the Tantrums. The show is live and episodes are released every Wednesday.

“It’s very cool and it shows more sides to my personality. It’s been a cool way to express the different parts of me, there’s no rules,” she said.

Flaherty hopes to reach her fans and ignite their passions through her microcast and her current tour.

“I want them to have a sense of acceptance and a freedom to do them. When they express themselves authentically, they are their best selves. I hope to create a space for them to get to do that.”

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17

BY RYAN BRADFORD

MUSIC

THE

SPOTLIGHT

Always on the run

CHAD KELCO

Lenny Kravitz keeps busy with music, design and acting

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski New Skeletal Faces

D L

enny Kravitz likes to look forward.

On tour and hitting the San Diego Civic Theatre on Friday, Sept. 20, Kravitz will perform hits like “Let Love Rule” and “Mama Said.” But part of his two-and-ahalf-hour set will be dedicated to tracks from his 2018 critically acclaimed album Raise Vibration.

“We’ve been enjoying playing as much of the repertoire as we can,” Kravitz said. “I’m also playing a substantial amount of new music, which has been going over really well.

It’s encouraging.

“We’ve been playing three or four numbers of Raise Vibration. The shows have been powerful for us and for the audience. It’s been an exercise in community and unity and that’s what it’s really about—playing the songs, being there, playing a show and the connection between all of us.”

Kravitz elevates the union of rock, funk, blues and soul on his 11th full-length album.

The rocker felt like he was reborn during the recording process.

“It was beautiful,” he said. “It was exactly what I needed. It was exactly what was given to me. I was given this whole album in a succession of dreams.

“You can always have ideas about what you think you want to do. I play everything

and write it. I play lots of different styles.

There are a lot of different colors I can use and places I can go. Sometimes it can make a difference to know where I want to go. In the beginning, I was not sure where I wanted to go. After driving the whole thing and putting my head into it, I walked away from the studio, closed the door and a couple weeks

Lenny Kravitz Friday, Sept. 20.

San Diego Civic Theatre lennykravitz.com later, I was dreaming this music.”

One of those dreams brought the single “It’s Enough,” a powerful take on the tense, decisive rumination on the global state of affairs.

“People are standing up. I’ve had enough of racism. I’ve had enough of war. I’ve had enough of the destruction of the environment and the greed and dishonesty of world leaders,” Kravitz said.

“We’ve got to get back on track toward

18 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

moving forward through higher understanding.”

Reveling in the soul, rock and funk influences of the ’60s and ’70s, Kravitz is known as a writer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who won Grammy Awards and set the record for the most wins in the Best Male Rock Performance category.

In addition to his 11 studio albums, which have sold 40 million worldwide, Kravitz segued into film, appearing as Cinna in the box-office hits, The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Kravitz can also be seen in the critically acclaimed films Precious and The Butler.

His creative firm Kravitz Design Inc. has lent its talents to hotel properties, condo projects, private residences and brands like Rolex, Leica and Dom Perignon.

Kravitz is modest about his success.

“When you remove your ideas—not that you can’t use your ideas—you remove all that and say, ‘OK, give me what I’m supposed to have, and remove ego and everything from it, it’s a beautiful experience,” he says.

“Things come when they are meant to come. That’s the way it’s always worked, from my first album to now. Things come as they come. It may be different than what you thought would come.”

on’t let the sun, flip-flops and craft beer fool you: San Diego is a goth city. If you haven’t been to one of the ultra popular goth nights around town (the ones I told you about last October), then you’re missing out big time.

But even in a city brimming with dark music, there’s no one that sounds quite like New Skeletal Faces.

With a look that’s a cross between Misfits and hair metal, NSF could easily be cast as the evil band in a Battle of the Bands scene from an ’80s horror movie.

They’re pretty spooky, to say the least, and their live show contains just about as much smoke and garish lighting as a haunted house.

But their aesthetics would just be decoration if the music didn’t hold up, and NSF’s sound is as unique as their getups. Their mix of deathrock, metal and post-punk is a sonic blast reminiscent of Rozz Williams-era Christian Death.

The band is also able to reproduce the cavernous power of their recordings in a live setting, which makes their shows seem a little Dante’s Inferno-esque (but in a cool way).

Their upcoming show is also a benefit for the Minority Humanitarian Foundation, which provides resources for immigrants and refugees. Just goes to show that goth hearts ain’t all black.

New Skeletal Faces play Saturday, Sept. 7 at Kensington Club.

@SDCITYBEAT

MUSIC

IF I WERE U

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

Our picks for the week’s top shows

EVYN MORGAN

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 4

PLAN A: Spiritual Cramp, Supercrush, Heat, Absence of Mine, Inner Sound @ Che Café Collective. Bay area punks Spiritual Cramp are fantastic at making the old sound new again. Channeling bands like The Clash and The Sonics, the Bay Area band have a scuzzy, vintage sound that has a ton of swagger. PLAN B: Tessa Violet, UPSAHL @ House of Blues. Those who’ve had Billie Eilish on repeat may want to check out Tessa Violet. The Chicago pop singer’s songs have a way of getting stuck in your head for days, especially the viral single “Crush.” BACKUP PLAN: [Tape], Sweet Myths, Glow, and Wizaerd @ Soda Bar.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 5

PLAN A: Bleached, The Paranoyds, Sweetie Darling @ The Casbah. CityBeat readers hopefully caught our feature last week on L.A. punk band Bleached. Led by sisters Jennifer and Jessica Clavin, the band tweaked their sound a bit on the recently released Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? with fantastic results. PLAN B: K.Flay, Houses, Your Smith @ The Observatory North Park. Kristine Flaherty (aka K.Flay) is known for mixing up electro, hip-hop and rock into a nice little pop cocktail. And it’s worth showing up early for Houses, who specialize in dreamy lo-fi electro-pop that makes you want to make-out with stangers.

BACKUP PLAN: T.S.O.L., Authentic Sellout, Fang @ Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 6

PLAN A: Oso Oso, The Sidekicks, Future Teens, KOPPS @ House of Blues. A solid lineup of pop-punk and emo bands. Oso Oso and The Sidekick will have all the kids singing and bouncing along, but we’re really looking forward to KOPPS, the New York electro trio who seamlessly blend dancepop and comedic subject matter. PLAN B: Yin Yang Twins @ The Holding Company. The Atlanta hip-hop duo hasn’t made a banger since 2005, but we just feel like it’s worth it to go if only to scream out, “To the windooooooow, to the wall!” BACKUP PLAN: The Redwoods Revue @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 7

PLAN A: Ash Code, Belladonna Grave, AURAT @ SPACE. Channeling goth greats such as Bauhaus and Killing Joke, Italian goths Ash Code play that type of synthy dark-wave that’s perfect for dancing awkwardly and sweating through your allblack outfit. PLAN B: New Skeletal Faces, Flaunt, Homeless Sexuals, Quiet Fear, Christ Killer, Hellmarch @ Ken Club.

@SDCITYBEAT

KOPPS Speaking of goths, our web editor loves local metal band New Skeletal Faces (see this week’s Spotlight section for more). BACKUP PLAN: Cosmic Kitten, Spookey Ruben @ San Diego Content Partners

SUNDAY, SEPT. 8

PLAN A: The Black Heart Procession, The Color Forty Nine and Scary Pierre @ The Casbah. Black Heart Procession is the band local legend Pall Jenkins formed after Three Mile Pilot split up. It’s been a while since they’ve played together, so we’re excited to hear their dark, moody brand of indie-rock in a live setting again. PLAN B: Wingtips, Milliken Chamber, Mannequin @ The Whistle Stop. One blog aptly described Chicago’s Wingtips as a “post-apocalyptic ’80s dance party,” and we see no reason to argue with that assessment. It’s dark, synthpop gold. BACKUP PLAN: Kiana Ledé, Ann Marie, Summerella @ House of Blues.

MONDAY, SEPT. 9

PLAN A: Them Poehler Bears, Flower Animals @ Soda Bar. There’s just something pleasant and enjoyable about Riverside quartet Them Poehler Bears; inoffensive indie-folk with elements of slacker-rock thrown into the mix. BACKUP PLAN: The Naked I, Santé Prince and FAIRPLAY @ The Casbah.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 10

PLAN A: The Loons, The Fadeaways @ Soda Bar. La Mesa band The Loons have been busting out ’60s-inspired garage-rock for well over a decade and remain one of the more fun local bands on the scene. BACKUP PLAN: Stephen Marley, Jo Mersa Marley @ Belly Up Tavern.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 19

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

The Naked I (Casbah, 9/9), Steve Bradley, Richard Lloyd (Casbah, 9/25), Sweet Tooth (Soda Bar, 9/26), Earth Groans (SPACE, 10/3), The Living End (Brick by Brick, 10/6), Birdy Bardot (Casbah, 10/17), Monster Movies For Music (Observatory, 10/20), DEAN (Brick by Brick, 10/20), Vetiver (Soda Bar, 11/22), Turnover (Observatory, 11/24), The Slackers (Music Box, 12/5), Blockhead (Casbah, 12/14), Cattle Decapitation (Brick by Brick, 12/22), Reverend Horton Heat (HOB, 1/19), Sullivan King (Music Box, 1/24).

ALL SOLD OUT Mariachi El Bronx (BUT, 9/7), Jinjer (Brick by Brick, 9/11), Hayden James (Music Box, 12),Millencolin (Brick by Brick, 9/13), Phora (The Irenic, 9/13), Still Woozy (Music Box, 9/30), The Marshall Tucker Band (BUT, 9/12), Oliver Tree (Observatory, 9/18), Elder Island (Casbah, 9/21), Girl in Red (House Of Blues, 9/27), Madeleine Peyroux (BUT, 9/29), MXMTOON (HOB, 10/2), Obituary (Brick

by Brick, 10/3), Marc Broussard (BUT, 10/5), Cigarettes After Sex (Observatory, 10/5), Jonas Brothers (Pechanga Arena, 10/7), Morcheeba (BUT, 10/13), Tyler Childers (Observatory, 10/15), Caamp (BUT, 10/19), Black Pumas (Soda Bar, 10/25), Two Door Cinema Club (Observatory, 11/8), Built To Spill (Casbah, 11/14), Adam Carolla (BUT, 12/1), Stick Figure (BUT, 12/27-28).

CANCELLED Dick Dale’s Misirlou (BUT, 12/19), Goblin (Brick by Brick, 11/14).

GET YER TICKETS Jason Nash (Observatory, 9/7), Andy Grammer (HOB, 9/2), Carrie Underwood (Pechanga Arena, 9/10), Tony Bennett (San Diego Civic Theatre, 9/14), Chance the Rapper (Pechanga Arena, 9/18), Yungblud (Observatory, 9/19), Cigarettes After Sex (Observatory, 10/5), Lana Del Rey (Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 10/11), The Japanese House (Observatory, 10/11), The Who (Viejas Arena, 10/16), Judah & The Lion (Observatory, 10/17), Senses Fail (HOB, 10/19), Hozier (Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 10/26), Helmet (BUT, 11/7), The Maine (Observatory, 11/19), Aly & AJ (BUT, 12/8), King Princess (Observatory, 1/28).

SEPTEMBER WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 Tessa Violet at House of Blues. Pictographs at The Casbah. [Tape] at Soda Bar.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 K.Flay at Observatory North Park. Enforcer at Brick by Brick. The Robert Cray Band at Belly Up Tavern. Bleached at The Casbah. T.S.O.L. at Soda Bar. Serial Hawk at SPACE.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 Band of Skulls at Belly Up Tavern. Grateful Shred at Music Box. End of Summer at Brick by Brick.

20 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 The Blasters at The Casbah. Chris Cresswell at Soda Bar. Kalimba at House Of Blues. Jason Nash at Observatory North Park. Tassels & Tails at Brick

by Brick. Black Pool at House Of Blues.

Jordin Sparks at Music Box.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 Hammerfall at Brick by Brick. Mason Jennings at Belly Up Tavern. The Black Heart Procession at The Casbah. Skerfunk at Soda Bar.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 Steve Grimmett at Brick by Brick. Them Poehler Bears at Soda Bar. The Naked I at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 Carrie Underwood at Pechanga Arena.

Olivia Gatwood at The Casbah. The Loons at Soda Bar.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Greg Laswell at Belly Up Tavern. The Tim Bluhm Band at The Casbah. DAISY at Soda Bar.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 That 1 Guy at Soda Bar. Jay Som at The Irenic. Mr. Kitty at Brick by Brick. The Jacks at The Casbah.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Small Town Murder at Observatory North Park. Secret Fun Club at Soda Bar. Rebecca Jade & the Cold Fact at The Casbah.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 Peter Bradley Adams at Soda Bar. DSB at Belly Up Tavern. Kataklysm at Brick by Brick. Tony Bennett at San Diego Civic Theatre. Surefire Soul Ensemble at The Casbah. Junior Brown at The Casbah.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 Ex Hex at The Casbah. Gutter Demons at Soda Bar.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Clubz & Girl Ultra at The Casbah. Delvon Lamarr at Soda Bar. Fiesta del Sol Battle of the Bands at Belly Up Tavern.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 The Mountain Goats at House of Blues.

Methyl Ethel at The Casbah. Whitney Shay at Belly Up Tavern. Jesse Marchant at Soda Bar.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 The Selecter at The Casbah. Benjamin Francis Leftwich at The Irenic. Durand Jones at Belly Up Tavern. Brothertiger at Soda Bar. Bob Wier & Wolf Bros at Humphrey’s. Chance the Rapper at Pechanga Arena.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 The Selecter at The Casbah. ViVii at Soda Bar. Flying Lotus in 3D at House Of Blues. Zac Brown Band at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre. The Regrettes at Music Box. Yungblud at Observatory North Park. Luis Fonsi at Humphrey’s. The Brother Brothers at SPACE.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 Lenny Kravitz at San Diego Civic Theatre. Hatchie at Soda Bar. Florida Georgia Line at North County Credit Union Amphitheatre. Daring Greatly at California Center for the Arts. Emo Nite at The Casbah.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 Tijuana Panthers at Observatory North Park. The Iron Maidens at Brick by Brick.

Phum Viphurit at The Irenic. Daddy Long Legs at The Casbah. Guida at The Casbah. Guttermouth at Soda Bar. The Mattson 2 at Adams Avenue Street Fair.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 Casting Crowns at San Diego Civic Theatre. Herb Alpert at Humphrey’s. Daddy Long Legs at The Casbah. I AM at Brick

by Brick. Night Moves at Soda Bar. Jake Peavy at Belly Up Tavern. Bobby & the Pins at Adams Avenue Street Fair.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 Kendra Morris at Soda Bar. The Paper Kites at House Of Blues. Guida at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Blackalicious at The Casbah. The Strawberry Moons at Belly Up Tavern.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Wax Tailor at Music Box. Barns Courtney at House Of Blues. Steve Bradley, Richard Lloyd at The Casbah.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

@SDCITYBEAT

BY CHRISTIN BAILEY

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 UB50 at Petco Park. Hocico at Brick by Brick. !!! at Belly Up Tavern. Flatfoot 56 at The Casbah. Sweet Tooth at Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 Titus Andronicus at Soda Bar. Bombay Bicycle Club at Observatory North Park.

Don Broco at The Irenic. Lewis Capaldi at House Of Blues. Half Moon Run at The Casbah. Pink Sweat$ at Music Box.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 Yoke Lore at The Irenic. Soulfly at Brick

by Brick. Elektric Voodoo at Soda Bar. Drug Hunt at The Casbah.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 Revocation at Brick by Brick. Sean James Murphy at Soda Bar. Pink Eye at The Casbah.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 TWRP at The Casbah. Kayo Dot at SPACE.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Wed: Open Mic. Fri: Project Out of Bounds. Sat: Still Ill. Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., Normal Heights. Wed: ‘#HipHopWeds.’

Thu: ‘Trancension.’ Fri: ‘House Music Fridays.’ Sat: ‘Juicy.’ Sun: ‘Phantasy Lounge.’ Mon: ‘Organized Grime.’ Tue: DJ Staci.

@SDCITYBEAT

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: Drew Lynch. Fri: Drew Lynch. Sat: Drew Lynch (sold out).

Tue: Open Mic. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Sat: Wolf City Radio, Yeah Buddy. Sun: Cerebral Rot, Fetid.

Mon: Trivia. Tue: Karaoke.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown.

Fri: Graves.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. Thu: Red Wizard, Call of the Wild, Awakeners.

Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Thu: Kevin Childs. Fri: Greasy Petes.

Sat: Moonage Day Dreamers.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Katchafire, EarthKry. Thu: The Robert Cray Band. Fri: Band of Skulls, Demob Happy. Sat: Mariachi El Bronx, Tropa Magica (sold out). Sun: Mason Jennings, Lindsay Perry. Mon: Stephen Marley, DJ Shacia Payne, Jo Mersa Marley. Tue: Stephen Marley, DJ Shacia Payne, Jo Mersa Marley.

Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Fri: Mike Pope, Roger Molina, Jason Meyers, Stephan Sams, Sylvia Grape.

Sat: ‘City Heights Bar Crawl.’

Blonde, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Wed: ‘Dance Klassique.’ Thu: ‘XO Dance Party.’ Fri: ‘Just Can’t Get Enough.’

Sat: ‘Just Like Heaven.’ Sun: ‘Through Being Cool.’ Mon: ‘Modern Darkwave Nite.’ Tue: ‘Techit Easy.’

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad.

Sat: Big Dude.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

ASTROLOGICALLY UNSOUND Weekly forecasts from the so-called universe ARIES (March 21 - April 19): It never seems like a bear would really rip the doors off your SUV to get the Doritos you left on the passenger seat.

Until it does.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): This week will be like when your innertube angles up toward the edge of the waterslide and then you freak out and overcorrect only to cause yourself to spin and wipeout.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Like a professional Bigfoot hunter following up on the tell-tale rustling of a plant in the dense underbrush, this week you will be fooled, on camera, by an overactive raccoon.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): The more you practice, the better you get. That is, unless you’ve been practicing with bad form, and then you have to unlearn your wrong methods and it takes three times as long.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Never let your negative snap judgments of someone cloud your ability to make a more informed assessment of the ways in which they are truly terrible.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 December 21): You have to give yourself permission to verbalize your grandest ambitions before you can hope to achieve them. You also have to make sure nobody nearby is wearing a wire.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Don’t make any life-altering decisions this week. Then again, I suppose all decisions are life-altering in ways you could never truly anticipate.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19): You could teach an old dog new tricks if you wanted to, but why bother? Every dog has been pretty good with just their old tricks, all things considered.

LEO (July 23 - August 22): The rules of the great outdoors apply here as well: Pick up your trash, leave wild things alone and don’t just go around sticking your hands into holes.

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): No one ultimately knows what is good for you besides you, and on rare occasions, the Surgeon General might have some idea, but still.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): The reason you look better in the mirror than on camera is because the mirror is a portal to an alternate reality version of you who is drinking the daily recommended amount of water.

PISCES (February 19 - March 20): I’m sorry to disappoint you by letting you know that there will be no high drama this week. Nor will there be any profound suffering or any anguish at all. It will just be a normal week—nice, even!

Astrologically Unsound appears every week. Follow Christin Bailey on Twitter at @hexprax.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 21

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 Park. Thu: Enforcer, Warbringer, Beekeeper, Malison. Fri: ‘End of Summer Bash.’

Sat: ‘Tassels & Tails.’ Sun: Hammerfall, Alchemy, Nightshadow, Manic. Mon: Grim Reaper, Old James, Killing Tyranny, Twelve Foot Shadow.

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Wed: Pictographs, Doom Bloom, South Towne Sham. Thu: Bleached, The Paranoyds, Sweetie Darling. Fri: Aesthetic Perfection, Empathy Test, Amelia Arsenic, Relic.

Che Cafe, 1000 Scholars Drive S, La Jolla. Wed: Spiritual Cramp, Supercrush, Heat, Absence of Mine. Fri: Sonoda, Miles Bandit, Glympse. Sat: ‘Vegan Pozole Workshop.’

Dizzy’s, Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd.

Sat: Charles Owens Quartet.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown. Thu: ‘Take Over Thursdays.’ Fri: Senema, J-Haka.

Sat: DJ Moe. Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Al-Beats. Sat: DJ Scooter.

The Holding Company, 5046 Newport Ave. Wed: One I Red, Julia Sage & The Bad Hombres, KWN. Thu: B3K. Fri: Ying Yang Twins. Sat: ‘UFC Fight.’ Sun: Shepherd Canyon, Rosa.s Cantina, Howl at the Moon. Mon: Karaoke. Tue: ‘Reggae Tuesdaze.’

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Wed: Tessa Violet. Fri: Oso, Oso. Sat: Black Pool, RORRE, Ten Bulls. Sun: Kiana Lede.

Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: Shaken Stirred Band. Thu: Tradewinds.

22 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

Fri: Platinum Vibe. Sat: Evidence Band.

Sun: Greensky Bluegrass. Mon: Fuzzy Rankins. Tue: Blue Largo.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Sat: ‘Ascension.’

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., Kensington. Sat: New Skeletal Faces, Flaunt, Quiet Fear, Christ Killer, Hellmarch, Homeless Sexuals.

Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Comedy Night.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Wed: Harmony Road. Thu: Fish & JG. Fri: Alternatives. Sat: Manic Bros. Sun: Ron’s Garage. Tue: Gene Warren.

Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: Errolyn Healy, Cris O’Bryon, Peter Sprague. Sun: Keep It on the DL. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Fri: Machine Politik, The Blesses Hellhounds, Polux, Wicked Echos. Sat: ‘Bear Night Summer Blow Out.’ Sun: Karaoke. Tue: The Sun & the Mirror, Rancis Roberts, Nebula Drag.

Mother’s Saloon, 2228 Bacon St., Ocean Beach. Tue: Trivia.

Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas. Thu: The Sickstring Outlaws.

Fri: Ristband. Sat: Open Mic. Sun: ‘Jazz Jam.’ Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Karaoke.

Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy. Fri: Grateful Shred. Sat: Jordin Sparks, Funk’s Most Wanted.

OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Playboi Carti. Sat: Eric Dlux.

Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park.

Wed: ‘The Wednesday Jam Session.’

Thu: Erika Davies. Fri: Mochilero Allstars.

Sat: Mad Hat Hucksters. Sun: ‘Funk Jam.’ Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: Dante. Sat: Vavo.

Pour House, 1903 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside. Wed: Open Mic. Sun: Shane Hall. Mon: Trivia. Tue: DJ Lexicon Devil.

Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, Kearny Mesa. Wed: ‘Jazz 88 Blues Jam.’ Thu: Tomcat Courtney.

The Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. Sat: ‘Sabados en Fuego.’

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Jazz n Wings.’ Tue: ‘The Works Jam.’ Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Sat: ‘Acoustic Revolt.’ Mon: ‘Jazz Jam.’ Tue: ‘Adams Gone Funky.’

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: [Tape], Sweet Myths, Glow, Wizaerd. Thu: T.S.O.L., Fang, Authentic Sellout. Fri: Jerry Paper, Mamalarky. Sat: Chris Cresswell, Brian Wahlstrom, Zach Quinn. Sun: Skerfunk, Street Surfers, Tubulars, Cardboard Boxer. Mon: Them Poehler Bears, Flower Animals.

Tue: The Loons, The Fadeaways, DJ Tony the Tyger.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway.

Fri: Lil Tracy. Sat: Aries, Biskwiq.

SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights.

Thu: Serial Hawk, Deep Sea Thunder Beast, Gutter.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Midtown. Fri: ‘Fundamental.’ Sat: ‘Dumb Fat Records Takeover.’

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Paul Gregg. Tue: Trivia.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: ‘Stomp, Clap, Shake, Shout.’ Thu: Nautical Nation. Fri: Violent Traditions, 21 Gun Salute, Pissed Regardless, Dead on the Wire. Sat: Jesse & the Rock n Roll Three, The Shanghair, DJ Stack Aly. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Open DJ Night.

Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Wed: Hull & Deez. Thu: Corey Gray & Jake Coco. Fri: Coriander. Sat: Coriander.

Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Lucky Devils Band.

Tue: Corey Gray & Jake Coco.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., Bay Park. Wed: The Jazz Pocket Swing. Thu: Tommy Price & the Stilettos. Fri: Full Strength Funk Band. Sat: Detroit Underground.

Sun: Plow. Mon: ‘Sexy Salsa & Sensual Bachata.’ Tue: Big Time Operator Orchestra.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Thu: Midnight Track, Making Incredible Time, Roman Watchdogs, JB Leary. Fri: ‘Hip Hop vs Punk’ w/ The Fictitious Dishes, Opoetik & Evolve, Sloat Dixon, Them Cuts. Sat: Shake Before Us, Hiroshima Mockingbirds, Mistress 77. Sun: Fetid, Cerebral Rot, Crime Desire.

U-31, 3112 University Ave., North Park.

Thu: ‘BoomBox Thursdays.’ Mon: ‘#31 Flavors.’

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park.

Fri: ‘The Amandas.’ Sat: ‘’80s vs ‘90s.’

Sun: Wingtips.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach. Wed: ‘Club Kingston.’ Thu: ‘OB Hip Hop Social.’ Fri: Boostive, Arnny Paulmer & the Caddies, The Lavender Fields. Sat: Desert Rhythm Project, Psydecar. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: Lucier, Laurin Laskins, Bruises Run Deep.

@SDCITYBEAT

BY JACKIE BRYANT

IN THE BACK

CANNABITCH For the ladies

COURTESY OF FORIA

T

he last time I moved through my menstrual cycle I decided it was a good idea to go au naturel in combating pain and other period-related discomforts.

That means rather than popping ibuprofen to alleviate lower back and abdominal cramps, I turned to cannabis topicals, edibles and—for the first time—a suppository. For mood swings, which for me reach their full, bitchy apex in the days leading up to my period, I relied on the oral ingestion of CBD oil as well as smoking flower. And for my stubborn chest and back breakouts that only occur during this time, I decided to test out CBD soap.

For me, cramps are the worst just before things start flowing. Then my body gives me a short break, for a day, before the cramps show up in full force in both my abdomen and lower back. For the pre-show this cycle, I was caught off-guard and only had a 5 milligram edible on hand. I popped that, waited for Aunt Flo to descend and enjoyed the mild body high that also helped ease the pain.

The PMS stage is also when my break-out is the worst.

I decided to try LEEF Organic’s charcoal and clay Nooks + Crannies soap which, at 5 ounces, contains 20 milligrams of whole plant CBD oil. There was no noticeable difference on my broken-out skin, though it did nicely moisturize my tattoos.

Pre-period is also when my mood is at its absolute worst. Honestly, I go a little crazy during the acute phase just before my period starts. When my anxiety, at an all-

@SDCITYBEAT

Foria Explore suppository time high, sends me into rage spirals. I used White Fox’s Tranquility Tincture for that. It combines CBD with chamomile and other oils for an acute remedy that helps take the edge off my severe moods. I also made sure to have a few joints on hand at all times, so I could dip out of any annoying conversations with a convenient excuse and get pleasantly lifted while doing so.

For the return of the cramps after the start of my menses, I had a selection of Mary’s Medicinals transdermal patches on hand. The company sports a variety of options, including just THC or CBD, but I like to use the 1:1 (CBD:THC) 10 milligram patches. Combining CBD and

THC makes the most of the effect, offering what I consider to be the best bet for pain relief at a relatively low dose.

I slapped one on my lower abdomen/upper pubic area, since the skin there is more venous than the lower back, and let the patches do their work. Within an hour, I hadnoticeable, but not total, relief. Because my cramps are uncomfortable but not debilitating, that was enough for me.

For some reason, this cycle was more brutal than others, my cramps extending into day three. I’ve had a Foria vaginal suppository on hand for about a year now and have never felt the need to test it out; I didn’t want to waste it. Desperate times call for invasive measures, though, so I stuck the potent Relief suppository with 60 milligrams THC and 10 milligrams CBD up there and waited 30 minutes for it to kick in. I’m not well-versed in suppositories, but damn. These work. My lower half felt like a cloud, mostly devoid of pain and a little bit fuzzy for the next several hours.

Seeing that menstrual discomfort largely centers around mental and physical pain for many women, it was no surprise that using cannabis in various forms should help alleviate symptoms. For me, the true delight was seeing just how many ways this plant can tackle various ailments, in ways big and small. I become more of a believer with each day.

CannaBitch appears every week.

Follow Jackie Bryant on Twitter at @jacqbryant.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 23