San Diego CityBeat • Sept 18, 2019

2 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

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FEATURES

SOFT KILL

Volume 18 • Issue 4

17

EDITOR Christina Fuoco-Karasinski WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Ramos COLUMNISTS Ryan Bradford Edwin Decker Alfred Howard John R. Lamb Rhonda “Ro” Moore CONTRIBUTORS Christin Bailey Torrey Bailey Jackie Bryant David L. Coddon Beth Demmon Julia Dixon Evans Jamie Gadette Michael A. Gardiner Sara Harmatz Glenn Heath Jr. Lizz Huerta Beau Lynott Lara McCaffrey Scott McDonald Jim Ruland Ben Salmon Ian Ward EDITORIAL INTERN Mary Pat Abruzzo Aviva Waldman

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BECKY DiGIGLIO

FOOD & DRINK

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PRODUCTION MANAGER Tristan Whitehouse ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Steven Persitza SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jason Noble ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Tiffany Ferren Cirino PRESIDENT Steve Strickbine VICE PRESIDENT Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Interested in advertising?

Call 619-281-7526 or e-mail advertising@sdcitybeat.com.

The advertising deadline is 5 p.m. every Friday for the following week’s issue.

World Fare_ ________________ 6 Wort Mentioning ���������� 7

Yungblud ����������������18 Titus Andronicus ����������18

ARTS & CULTURE

If I Were U ���������������19 Concerts & Clubs ����� 20-22

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San Diego CityBeat is published and distributed every Wednesday by Times Media Group, free of charge but limited to one per reader. Reproduction of any material in this or any other issue is prohibited without written permission from the publisher and the author. Contents copyright 2019.

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Well, That Was Awkward ������������������ 5 Top 15 ����������������������������������� 9 The Floating Library ��������������������� 10

ON THE COVER:

Calendar of Events ������������������������11 Theater ��������������������������������� 12 Astrologically Unsound �����21 Film �����������������������������������15-16 CannaBitch ��������������� 23

Jung Sing of Silent. Photo by Becky DiGiglio

Twitter: @SDCityBeat | Instagram: @sdcitybeat | sdcitybeat.com

This issue of CityBeat is riding into the goth summer sunset.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 3

UP FRONT | LETTERS

DEAR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, Our public libraries are funded by our tax dollars. We shouldn’t have drag queens trying to normalized their lifestyle and influence impressionable young children. If they want to do so, they can host such an event on private property. The event is contrary to what the Supreme Courts calls, “community standards.” The LGBT+ community is a small percentage of the total population and they are forcing their agenda down our throats.

(Sears. The homosexual agenda.) They are doing so at the expense of those who share a different worldview. Prior to my working as an adjunct-faculty member at a major university in the south, a good friend was fired for expressing his opinion and exercising both his 1st Amendment and academic freedom rights regarding gay marriage. I had to file a formal complaint with the ViceProvost and the President of the university, along with threatening a lawsuit on behalf of my colleagues. I’d also written a letter in the student newspaper for which I could have been terminated. Pastors in Canada are considered criminals for expressing a biblical viewpoint. Christian bakers have been forced out of business and the list goes on and on. This is true intolerance, religious bigotry, unconstitutional and Fascist.

Sincerely,

4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

Mark A. Peter Solana Beach

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.

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UP FRONT | VOICES

RYAN BRADFORD

WELL THAT WAS

AWKWARD A life less awkward

H

ey all, this is my last column in San Diego CityBeat. I’ve never really been good at saying goodbyes and I just know if I were to attempt something profound or emotional, I would proverbially drop my notes, and accidentally fart in the microphone when I bent over to pick them up. So let’s just get to a few things that I’ve learned during my five years of writing “Well, That Was Awkward.”

Actually, wait. Before we get into it I just want to thank everyone at CityBeat who gave me this platform: Dave Rolland and Kelly Davis, my original editors, who took a chance on me and shaped my writing more than they’ll ever know. Ron Donoho who was such an enthusiastic cheerleader. Seth Combs for his continued belief and enthusiasm in the column, as well as his refining edits. Julia Dixon Evans, my bestie and writing partner, who looked at my work before anyone else. She often knew how to dig out the heart of each story better than I did.

Thank you to Carolyn Ramos, who made the words (and everything) look good.

Finally, thank you—yes you— for reading.

OK, here we go.

Anxiety is bad, but writing about it made me feel better: I set out to write “Well, That Was Awkward” as a way to document our glorious city through the lens of anxiety. Perhaps that’s a heady way to describe a column regularly covering cats, stomach issues and um, dirt. But all these things exist in a world which works to keep us feeling inadequate, nervous and worried. I spent the first half of my life stewing over every negative interaction I’ve ever had. But now I write about them. It serves as both therapy and revenge.

People will talk to you if you call them: One of the coolest things about working for a media organization is you can call or email anyone out of the blue and they’ll put aside time to talk to you. Even me! And I’m not even a hard-nosed gumshoe.

I know that doesn’t sound like a big thing but try to think of the last time you called a stranger called a stranger just because you wanted to know something, or invite yourself along to something bonkers.

Always say yes to weird adventures: I know there was a Jim Carrey movie where he spent a year saying yes to every opportunity and while I haven’t

seen that film, I imagine it’s probably pretty heartwarming. However, saying yes to stupid promotions and weird adventures made my life way more enriched and fulfilled. For instance, someone from Wienerschnitzel recently sent me an email with a coupon for a free chili dog. Dear Readers, I ran with that coupon to the nearest Schnitz I could find. Do I feel good for doing it? Of course not. But am I proud of myself for eating that tangy-sweet monstrosity? You betcha.

Carpe diem!

The chili dog at Fatboy’s Deli is really good: Speaking of chili dogs, Fatboy’s in North Park makes a killer chili dog. It’s something you wouldn’t expect to order at a sandwich shop. This may seem like a random piece of advice but Fatboys is right across the street from CityBeat offices and I don’t know if they will ever have a chili dog fan quite like me. Goodbye to you too, Fatboys.

Dig deep, but not too deep: Not everything is worth writing about. Keep some of your secrets.

Public relations is a wild career and I’m sorry to every PR person who’s ever had to deal with me: I feel for those who work in PR. I can’t imagine how difficult it is to put enthusiasm in some of the campaigns. Imagine how soul crushing it is to convince me a new Target is worth covering or the opening of a new Dave & Buster’s. A writer owes a PR person absolutely nothing, and I can only assume the job is like sinking into the abyss, but while still having to wear a smile.

So, I’m sorry to everyone who’s had to deal with me being a shithead and making your job harder, especially JPR (sorry about the Harrah’s thing).

We are all anxious: Not everyone is clinically anxious but no one has their shit 100% together.

It’s OK to feel alone in social settings. It’s OK to let conversations fall into awkward silences. To get sweaty when you’re nervous or terrible at job interviews. To not know the right thing to say at the right time. To avoid confrontation. Early on, I wrote “The only reason life isn’t devastatingly frightening is because we have to live it every day” and I still stand by that. We’re all working through life, often quite messily, but it’s always good to know that we’re not doing it alone.

Keep in touch with me on Twitter: @theryanbradford.

We’re all working through life, often quite messily, but it’s always good to know that we’re not doing it alone.

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SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5

UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

THE WORLD

FARE

Variations on the Vietnamese noodle soup theme

T

he cuisine best represented in San Diego restaurants—both in length and in depth—may not be Mexican and may not even be American. A case could be made it’s Vietnamese. Phở is, unquestionably, the most famous Vietnamese dish. It is, however, just one of the cuisine’s vast array of noodle soups. It’s a point highlighted at Tu Thanh (4804 University Avenue, Suite A) in City Heights with its bún măng vịt (duck and bamboo noodle soup).

Where pho is a powerhouse—full of richness from the beef bones, oxtails and various cuts of meat and offal—bun mang vit is about the interplay between the fragrant flavors of the broth, juicy duck and the salty-sweet-sourfunkiness of the ginger fish sauce.

The most unusual ingredient, though, is dried bamboo shoots.

Their earthy, slightly floral flavor and intriguing, somewhat crunchy texture runs counterpoint to the duck’s sweetness and the gingerrich broth. It’s that contrast that really makes the dish.

The way the duck is prepared in bun mang vit is entirely different from its familiar preparation in western cuisines. Duck is often treated as a stand-in for beef; almost “the other red meat.” But instead of rendering the fat and crisping the skin, at Tu Thanh the duck is cooked as part of the broth with lemongrass and those bamboo shoots. Instead of focusing on caramelizing the skin and leaving the meat rare, the goal is to emphasize the sweetness of the meat.

Perhaps the greatest pleasure of the dish is the textural contrasts between the silky bun rice noodles, the crunch red and green cabbage slaw, bamboo shoots and the soft, juicy, meaty duck.

Another take on the noodle soup theme is Tu Thanh’s bánh canh tôm cua: thick, almost udonlike noodles in a pork broth with crab, shrimp and

6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

fish cakes. The biggest impediment to enjoying this dish is the challenge of getting the slippery noodles from bowl to mouth. Even relatively good chopsticks skills might not suffice.

Better still is the, bún riêu, a crab paste, pork and tomato noodle soup featuring a savory broth and medium sized, round rice vermicelli noodles. Tu Thanh’s version is heavy on the crab paste and tomato and somewhat light on the pork. Where some versions of bun rieu feature pork hocks, Tu Thanh’s focuses on the crab flavor with a pork blood cake offering a minerally contrast. The result, despite all the pungent ingredients, was a noodle soup of surprising elegance and nuance.

The most surprising dish at Tu Thanh, though, may have been the fried sausage appetizer. It was incredibly simple: a single sausage sliced thinly and spread in two fans around the plate. And it was unlike any sausage I’d ever tasted from any cuisine. A pork sausage, yes, but with the flavor of lemongrass MICHAEL A. GARDINER

Bun rieu cutting through the richness of the pork to create an almost magical effect of enhancing the sausage’s savory character.

From that sausage to an array of noodle soups not called “pho,” a meal at Tu Thanh is a good glimpse at the range of Vietnamese cuisine. It’s also an indication of how varied San Diego’s Vietnamese food scene really is.

The World Fare appears weekly.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

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UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

BY KAREN BARNETT

WORT MENTIONING KAREN BARNETT

Boardwalk Beer Garden located across from the Africa Rocks exhibit at the San Diego Zoo

You Belong in the Zoo... With a Brew!

W

hen it comes to beer, visiting amusement parks would typically involve stale domestic lagers. Having decided to join the herds of people, dodging strollers and screaming children, some of us begrudgingly choose to choke down whatever alcohol is available. Thankfully, the San Diego Zoo has stepped up its offerings in a big way over the past few years.

Last July the zoo opened its Boardwalk Beer Garden featuring eight local taps. Though bar seating is limited to 10 stools, this mini oasis blocks the 80-degree afternoon sun and provides a quick respite from nana and gramps, who stop dead in their tracks (they’ve got to be around here somewhere). With quaffable suds like Fall Brewing Mango Jazz Hands (4.2% berliner weiss) or Mikkeller California Dream (5.8% pilsner) and big hitters like Modern Times Space Ways (6.7% hazy IPA) or Stone Pomma Said Knock You Out (7.4% IPA), the tap list is already better than some bars in town. A 15-minute walk from the entrance, handles rotate here more often than other locations inside the park, with their next change focused on Oktoberfest beers.

In an obvious conservation effort, drafts are served in collectable, glittered “Rex’s Roar” cups - a nod to the bronze lion statue which greets visitors

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upon arrival to the 100-year-old zoo. Beer here isn’t cheap, but the $14 16-ounce souvenir cup does get you $2 off refills. A deal that can be redeemed every visit, for the life of the cup. Not horrible. A proper glassware snob may take issue with the plastic cup, lid and straw. Having never drank a beer through a straw before, I have to admit it wasn’t as bad as anticipated. Dirty draught lines would pose a bigger concern, but the beer here is clean and tasty. Of course, you lose the aroma. A sensory true beer connoisseurs rate before their first sip. But let’s face it: you’re at the zoo.

Enjoying beer at the zoo doesn’t stop at the 10plus kiosks and restaurants that any visitor can access. Private beer dinners and festivals fill their calendar, raising money for the zoo’s Global Wildlife Conservancy, a nonprofit organization leading the fight to end species extinction. This Saturday night, Sept. 21, is the zoo’s annual Food, Wine & Brew Celebration. Event goers can expect to taste beer from some of San Diego’s finest including Burgeon, Abnormal, Eppig, Coronado, and Societe as well as 25-plus more breweries.

So, take a walk on the wild side in your own backyard. Zoo brews are just plain fun, and I’m not lion.

Write to wortmentioning@gmail.com or follow Karen Barnett on Instagram at @karensmallbarnett.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7

8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

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EVENTS

TOP 15

By Mary Pat Abruzzo

Town Hall Listening 1 LGBTQ SEPTEMBER 19 The LGBTQ Center irons out its strategic planning process by hosting a Listening Town Hall meeting to gain community feedback. A continuation of its summer planning process, the event will gauge the future of the LGBTQ Community Center. San Diego LGBTQ Community Center’s Auditorium, 3909 Centre Street, North Park, thecentersd.org, 6 to 8 p.m., free, reservations required.

Lotus in 3D 2 Flying SEPTEMBER 19 Known by his stage name Flying Lotus or FlyLo, Steve Ellison is a Los Angeles producer, DJ, rapper and filmmaker.

Known for his uniquely crisp and heady sounds with elements of hip-hop, avant garde jazz, EDM and dubstep, Ellison will dedicate this show to “Flamaga.” House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Avenue, Downtown, houseofblues.com/ sandiego, 7 p.m., $32-$65.

Summer Movies 3 “Coco” Downtown

PIFA San Diego is a nonprofit corporation that celebrates the cultures of the indigenous people of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. The festival is back for its 25th year with the theme “Journey Home,” offering fellowship, food, shopping and entertainment. Ski Beach, 1600 Vacation Road, Mission Beach, pifasandiego.com, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., free admission.

Tell Comedy 7 Don’t SEPTEMBER 20 AND SEPTEMBER 21 Shhh! Experience intimate comedy shows in a secret location with secret comedians. Don’t Tell Comedy has racked up laughs in over 40 cities across the United States, putting on shows in unlikely places from rooftops to storefronts with unannounced comedian. All shows are BYOB, allowing you to enjoy drinks and laughs without overpriced cocktails.

Buy tickets online and wait to find out the secret location noon on the day of the show. La Mesa, Hillcrest, Pacific Beach, donttellcomedy.com/sandiego, $25.

Diego Festival of Beer 8 San SEPTEMBER 21 Calling all beer aficionados and nonbeer lovers alike, San Diego’s original beer festival and cancer-fighting fundraiser returns for its 25th year featuring over 50 breweries pouring 120 taste-bud tingling varieties of craft beer. A guaranteed fun-filled evening with live music, food trucks, vendor booths and games. Broadway Pier, 1000 N. Harbor Drive, Downtown, sdbeerfest.org, 1 to 5 p.m., $30-$75.

SAN DIEGO FESTIVAL OF BEER

Pack your blankets, lawn chairs and favorite movie snacks for an evening spent with family or a date. Pantoja Park continues its summer movies series this week showing, “Coco.” Come early to snag a good seat and participate in pre-movie field games as you wait for the sun to set. Movies will begin 15 minutes after sunset. Pantoja Park, W. G Street, Downtown, 619-234-0201, summermoviesinthepark.com, free admission.

Art lovers and fashion seekers will love the rare and stunning collections of sterling silver and multistone laid jewelry, hand-woven rugs, blankets and pillows, and leather accessories found at Bazaar del Mundo’s annual Santa Fe Marketplace. Celebrating the colorful cultures of Native Americans and the American Southwest, this vibrant outdoor marketplace overflows with collection of Native American jewelry, art, crafts and decor. Bazaar del Mundo, 4133 Taylor Street, Old Town, bazaardelmundo.com, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday, free admission.

Islander Festival 6 Pacific SEPTEMBER 21 AND SEPTEMBER 22 Immerse and celebrate diverse cultures in and around our community. Hosted by Pacific Islander Festival Association,

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11 Vibe and Flow Yoga Series SEPTEMBER 22

The much-loved series comes to a close at The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club & Bungalows. Vibe and Flow is a silent disco meets yoga party, allowing yogis to flow with noisecanceling headphones, tuning into their favorite music and tuning out their busy surroundings. The Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Boulevard, University Heights, 619-2962101, lafayettehotelsd.com, 10 to 11 a.m., $35 includes one mimosa and all-day pool access.

of Mind 12 State SEPTEMBER 25

Diego Padres vs.

13 San Los Angeles Dodgers

Car Show 4 Hillcrest SEPTEMBER 21

Fe Market Place 5 Santa SEPTEMBER 20 TO SEPTEMBER 22

marktheatres.com, various times, $8-$10. Landmark Theatre discount card accepted for all shows.

Experience an intimate sit-down with local performers to gain insight into their journey of nightlife, drag experiences, and the entertainment industry. Vivvi the Force with DJ Jon Doss host the discussion followed by a drag show of the panel’s excellence. Amplified Ale Works Kitchen and Beer Garden, 1429 Island Avenue, Gaslamp District, bit. ly/2lXeGVu, 7 to 10 p.m., $15.

SEPTEMBER 20

Share your love of cars while enjoying the restaurants and bars of Hillcrest on the third Saturday of every month. Great Autos of Yesteryear is the largest LGBT car club on the West Coast. Roll down your windows and cruise to Hillcrest to experience this fabulous event. Pride Plaza on Normal Street, Hillcrest, greatautos.org, 1 to 4 p.m., free admission.

“Rear Window”plays at Landmark’s Ken Cinema

SEPTEMBER 26

San Diego Festival of Beer

Avenue Street Fair 9 Adams SEPTEMBER 21 AND SEPTEMBER 22 Southern California’s largest free two-day festival returns for its 38th year in Normal Heights. Presented by Monaco Cocktails, this event features 100 musical stage acts on seven stages with headlining performances by Los Teximaniacs with Cesar Rosas (of Los Lobos), the Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra and James Harman. Enjoy the music along with brews, bites, carnival rides and arts and crafts exhibits.

Adams Avenue Neighborhood, Adams Avenue, Normal Heights, adamsavenuebusiness.com, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, free admission.

Week of Film Classics 10 A SEPTEMBER 20 TO SEPTEMBER 26 Landmark’s Ken Cinema is known for screening new releases as well as independent, foreign and avant garde flicks.

This week, Ken Cinema is offering a special week of film classics like “Midnight Cowboy” and “Rear Window.” Ken Cinema, 4061 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights, land-

Catch a ball game before summer comes to an end. Support the San Diego Padres at Petco Park for a matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Petco Park, 100 Park Boulevard, Downtown, ticketmaster.com, 12:40 p.m., ticket prices vary.

Diego Restaurant Week 14 San SEPTEMBER 22 TO SEPTEMBER 29 Save your appetite for San Diego Restaurant Week, which does not require tickets. Just show up to your favorite restaurant—or one you have been dying to try—and enjoy a special prix-fixe menu. Reservations are highly recommended. Various locations, sandiegorestaurantweek. com.

Meets Downtown 15 Uptown SEPTEMBER 29 Travel back in time and experience the “roaring” twenties with a contemporary twist. Sparks Gallery has invited The Studio Door’s artists to collaborate on “Uptown Meets Downtown,” for which they have mashed up their contemporary styles with a nod to the freewheeling decade. Celebrate at the public opening reception with wine and a trunk show provided by Lulu Vintage Designs. The opening reception is from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, September 29. Sparks Gallery 530 Sixth Avenue, Gaslamp District, sparksgallery. com, various times, free admission.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9

BOOKS: THE FLOATING LIBRARY A Reason to Believe

R

ebecca Makkai’s acclaimed novel “The Great Believers” has been selected as the 2019 One Book, One San Diego.

Published in 2018, “The Great Believer” was named a book of the year by just about every major newspaper, website and publishing periodical in the country, including The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post and Publisher’s Weekly.

In addition, Makkai’s novel was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, and won the ALA Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, along with many other awards and distinctions.

“The Great Believers” begins with the funeral of Nico, a young gay man in Chicago during the AIDS crisis in 1985. As the epidemic devastates Chicago’s overlapping gay and arts community, curator Yale Tishman, latches on to Nico’s little sister, Fiona.

The narrative switches back and forth between Chicago and Paris thirty years later, where Fiona, now a mother, is searching for her daughter who is become involved in a mysterious group called the Hosanna Collective.

“The Great Believers” is a heat-wrenching novel filled with a large cast of characters astounded by their circumstances. It’s sprawling narrative includes Paris between the wars, modern art, con-

10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

temporary cults, and an HIV virus that isn’t going away—today approximately 1 million Americans are infected.

Makkai, who did an enormous amount of research for the novel, puts her characters through the ringer. When things seem like they can’t get any worse, they do; yet they carry on. It’s a novel about hope and it’s flipside resilience. Here’s Yale, waiting on the results of a blood test: “In 11 days he’d have his results.

And maybe then he’d long for this purgatory, the time when he could sit at his desk clinging to some small splinter of hope.”

“The Great Believers” is the perfect selection for San Diego, a beautiful city that is often reluctant to confront its ugly truths.

To celebrate the One Book, One San Diego launch, Makkai will appear at the Balboa Theater in San Diego on Thursday, September 19.

The event will also include a presentation by Terry Cunningham, chief of the STD, HIV and Hepatitis Branch of Public Health Services for San Diego County, as well as a performance by the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus.

—Jim Ruland

The Floating Library appears every other week.

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EVENTS ARTS Radiant Architecture: The Visionary Work of Eugene Ray at SDSU Downtown Gallery, 725 W. Broadway, Downtown. Eugene Ray will be in attendance to celebrate his 50th anniversary of working at SDSU as well as his architectural innovations throughout his career. From 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, September 19. Free.

619-501-6370, art.sdsu.edu Space & Surface: An Exploration in Art At La Playa Gallery, 2226 Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla. Artists Tracy Black and Greg Schaefer will share their ideas and creations inspired by the fusion of science and art and the fusion of surface, space, culture and time. From 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, September 20. Free. 858-454-6903, laplayagallery.com Art & Stories at Lux Art Institute, 1550 S. El Camino Real, Encinitas. Storytelling and art-making come together to explore the topics addressed by Artist-in-Residence Fabiola Jean-Louis in a program offered

by Storytellers of San Diego. From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, September 20. Free-$10.

760-436-6611, storytellersofsandiego.org

BOOKS Steve Shia at Valencia Park/Malcolm X Branch Library, 5148 Market St., Valencia Park. The author of “Stay Out of Prison” and “Don’t Go to Jail ABC’s” will speak about tools to avoid incarceration and share insights from his experiences, followed by a Q&A. From 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, September 18. Free. sandiego.librarymarket.com J.R. Strayve Jr. at Bonita-Sunnyside Branch Library, 4375 Bonita Road, Bonita.

The author of “First Spouse of the United States” will discuss themes in his latest

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book relating to today’s political and social unrest. From 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, September 21. Free. facebook.com/bonitalibrary Banned Books Week Read-Aloud Read-A-Thon at San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., Downtown. Commemorate banned history books and join library staff and community readers for staged readings of banned books by actors from Write Out Loud. From 4 to 6 p.m.

Monday, September 23. Free. 619-2365800, sandiego.librarymarket.com

FILM “The Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller: Live Documentary” at Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. Academy Awardnominated filmmaker Sam Green and the band Yo La Tengo will explore a 20th century inventor’s utopian vision of radical social change through urban redesign. From 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, September 19. $35-$52. 858-362-1101, my.lfjcc.org Lights! Camera! Autism! Film and Art Festival at Irwin M. Jacobs Qualcomm Hall, 5775 Morehouse Drive, Sorrento Valley. Celebration of local autistic talent featuring a classical musical performance from Michael Dendel, film screenings, and more. From 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, September 21. $20. 858-715-0678, autismsocietysandiego.rallybound.org

FOOD & DRINK Ocean Beach Pier Pancake Breakfast at Ocean Beach Pier, 5078 Niagara Ave., Ocean Beach. The 21st year of the tradition kicks off the fundraising season for the OB Food and Toy Drive with hot breakfast favorites served on the pier. From 7:30

a.m. to noon Saturday, September 21. $6-$120. 619-823-1054, pierpancakes. com SD Festival of Beer at Broadway Pier Port Pavilion, 1000 N. Harbor Way, Downtown. The 25th year of the beer-tasting and fundraiser will feature over 100 beers, plus live music to benefit San Diego Professionals Against Cancer. From noon to 5 p.m.

Saturday, September 21. $30-$75. sdbeerfest.org Bayside Brew Festival & Spirits at Pepper Park, 3299 Tidelands Ave., National City. Beer and music festival highlighting the culture of the community featuring microbreweries, tasting rooms, and over 40 local brands. From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 21. Free-$30. 619-477-9339, nationalcitychamber.org

PERFORMANCES Breakthrough: The Nineties-Art, Music, Food, Fashion, Live Performance at IDEA1, 899 Park Blvd., Downtown. A 1990s costume-themed evening with spoken word, live music, dance performances, visual arts, wine and food. From 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, September 21. $25-$40. vanguardculture.com

SPECIAL EVENTS Encinitas Cruise Nights at Southcoast Hwy. 101 and Encinitas Boulevard, Encinitas. Historic cars, such as hot rods, classic cars and Woodies, will line the streets, accompanied by live music as part of the summer monthly series, Encinitas Classic Car Nights. From 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, September 19. Free. encinitas101.com Global Climate Walkout at Hepner Hall at SDSU, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area. Students will walk out of their

schools and adults will walk out of their workplaces to join in demanding bold climate action and kicking off a global week of climate action. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, September 20. Free. climatewalkoutsd.org Dinner in the Library Gala at Geisel Library, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Rarely seen art and illustrations by the late Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, will be on display as the focal point of the 16th annual gala. From 6 to 9 p.m.

Friday, September 20. $300. 858-8224554, libraries.ucsd.edu Clash at Clairemont at Krause Family Skate Park, 3401 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Claremont. Hang out with pro-skate and BMX riders and bands, such as Black Flag, to fundraise for Claremont YMCA Skate & Bike Park and Grind for Life. From 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, September 21. $10. clashatclairemont.com

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS Is America Facing an Immigration Crisis? At University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, Morena. The National Review editor in chief will argue that migrants threaten national sovereignty while a Wall Street Journal columnist argues that foreign workers keep America prosperous.

From 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, September 19. Free. sandiego.edu/events Charity Casino Night at Side Bar, 536 Market St., Downtown. The nightclub will transform in a gambler’s paradise for the fourth annual fundraiser for the San Diego Bulldogs of the San Dieguito Boys’ and Girls’ Club. From 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 19. Free-$20.

619-495-9686, casinonightsd.com

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11

THEATER AARON RUMLEY

‘Amadeus’ retains all its potency

N

orth Coast Repertory Theatre has opened its 38th season with a resounding production of Peter Shaffer’s drama “Amadeus,” the acclaimed 1979 play about the Imperial Kappelmeister of Vienna, Antonio Salieri, and his envy of young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

As written by Shaffer, it was an envy that quickly turned toxic and quite possibly lethal. “Amadeus” went on five years later to become an Oscar-winning film that spread this theory to the larger public. (Officially, Mozart was said to have died, at 35 years old, from “severe military fever.”)

The character of Salieri is the crucial one in “Amadeus,” which is told in flashback from his point of view, beginning in a wheelchair as an old man stretching back to his 30s when Mozart was an amazing prodigy but also an irritatingly precocious young man. At North Coast Rep, the role of Salieri is filled with towering commitment and intensity by Tony Amendola, who brings out all of the calculating coldness the playwright instilled in the man (and which may well have existed). So potent is Amendola’s performance that it swamps a genuinely sensitive one by Rafael Goldstein as Mozart. But that is the nature of the play itself. Shaffer’s Mozart possesses tremendous charisma and childlike play-

Forty years after its debut onstage, “Amadeus” continues to enthrall and mystify.

“Amadeus” runs through October 6 at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. $49-$60; northcoastrep.org.

—David L. Coddon

Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING: “Monsieur Chopin:” Artist Hershey Felder, who has portrayed in one-man shows with piano the great masters from Beethoven to Tchaikovsky to Irving Berlin, created this show about Fryderyk Chopin back in 2006. This updated version returns for a limited run at the San Diego Repertory Theatre downtown through September 29.

“Amadeus” at North Coast Repertory Theatre fulness—and a little arrogance, too—but he proves no match as an adversary to Salieri.

There’s a grim inevitability to the sinister machinations of Salieri in North Coast Rep’s production. The impudent wackiness of Mozart, unlike in the film version, never dilutes the intensity of the story.

Much credit for this consistency of mood and tenor must go to director Richard Baird and to a supporting ensemble that doesn’t overplay its collective hand. Among that

12 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

supporting cast is Kathryn Tkel, whose turn as Mozart’s wife Constanze is multifaceted and moving.

Exits and entrances are handled gracefully on a sparse set designed by Marty Burnett. Elisa Benzoni’s late 18th century/ early 19th century costumes highlight the pretensions of the court of Vienna while also emphasizing the vast difference in the staid Salieri’s and impetuous Mozart’s personalities.

“The Virgin Trial:” This play by Kate Hennig, who wrote about Elizabeth I (as a younger girl) in “The Last Wife,” this time depicts the future queen of England as a 15-year-old under fire from all sides in the volatile Tudor Court. It runs at Cygnet Theatre in Old Town through October 6.

“Victor/Victoria:” The talented Allison SprattPearce stars in this gender-bending musical based on the popular 1982 film with Julie Andrews that was directed by her husband, Blake Edwards. It runs outside on the Moonlight Amphitheatre stage in Vista through September 28.

For complete theater listings, visit sdcitybeat.com

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BECKY DIGIGLIO

For DiGiglio photography soon became intertwined with her politics. Punk is inherently political, yes, but witnessing the injustices that followed Pointless Fest kicked off DiGiglio’s interest in capturing protests, as well as documenting injustices in our era—which includes photographing an immigrant detention center in El Cajon and the protests that followed Eric Garner’s death at the hands of NYPD. “I think there’s a real similarity between shooting protests and shooting music,” she says. “I think for extreme music, there’s the chaos of it—but people are there because they’re passionate about something.”

DiGiglio also cut her teeth exploring and photographing abandoned buildings in New Jersey where she grew up.

And although filming empty buildings seems like the situational opposite of protests or underground music shows, all of theses experiences speak to DiGiglio’s penchant for documenting cast-offs, underdogs and those that have been looked over. Plus, some of her wildest shoots have been when she’s alone in deserted places.

“I once fell through an abandoned building when I was a freshman in high school,” she says. “And one time I was in this old psych ward. It was snowing and there was a deer on the second floor of this building. The deer was in this narrow hallway and I thought, ‘I don’t want to get stuck with a deer,’ but it was pretty amazing.”

DiGiglio also describes a scene at Scotty’s Playland, an abandoned amusement park in El Cajon.

“Turns out, there’s a man who lives there with a dog. I didn’t notice anyone there at first, so I hopped in. I saw a guy, and he didn’t acknowledge me,” she says. “Then, all of a sudden, this dog comes barrell-assing toward me. Luckily, I ran and got to the other side of the fence. It could have continued to chase me but it stopped and just cruised off.

That was scary. That was most unsafe situation I’ve been in.”

DiGiglio’s nonchalance while sharing these very nightmarish and post-apocalyptic memories serves to underscore her willingness to go where few photographers go to capture the essence of a subject. It’s nearly impossible to scroll through @yourethenight without finding an image that shakes the viewer’s emotional core—whether it’s an

CULTURE | PHOTOGRAPHY

COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

hen looking at Becky DiGiglio’s pictures, it’s easy to think of spirit photography, the 19th century phenomenon where mediums claimed to capture the dead via the burgeoning field of photography. In these pictures, a subject sits posed while a ghostly visage—a faded and blurred face, perhaps—floats in the background. Even though spirit photography was revealed to be a hoax perpetrated by opportunistic hucksters, the images they produced are no less haunting, intimate, and—given the Civil War backdrop during which spirit photography thrived— strangely hopeful.

And while DiGiglio is not capturing spirits, her photographs feature the same kind of flash-in-the-pan, transitory qualities. As the eye behind the Instagram account @ yourethenight, DiGiglio has quickly made a name for herself as the premier documenter of San Diego’s nightlife and extreme music scenes. She thrives in darkened rooms where sweaty punks, goths and metalheads scream into microphones. She is able to capture the energy of bands that play as if their lives depend on it, and her double/triple/qua-

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Idles by Becky DiGiglio

Becky DiGiglio

druple exposure-style gives her pictures a manic illusion of motion. It’s as if her subjects are being exorcised.

“I like to have a little bit of chaos in my life,” DiGiglio says. We’re sitting in the back of Caffe Calabria. Around us, people type on computers and there’s a baseball game playing in the background. It feels like the least punk room in the world, but DiGiglio doesn’t mind. In fact, her humbleness almost belies her talent for capturing rage, spit, and viscera, and it’s this deep-seated, unpretentious quality that makes her work all the more impactful.

As a kid, DiGiglio grew up with a camera in hand, constantly taking pictures. But she can trace her attraction to photographing chaotic situations back to one particular show “The thing that made me really interested in photography was going to this show in Philadelphia called Pointless Fest, which no longer happens,” she says. “Afterwards, there was a clash with cops. Someone right at my feet got hit and had a seizure, and all of a sudden, tons of cops started coming. I had a camera, just a crappy point and shoot, and I started taking pictures. I mean, the show was fun to shoot, but the chaos afterward was the most interesting to me.”

image of Mexicali band Silent’s singer Jung Sing shredding his vocal chords, or borderline-NSFW photos from San Diego’s The Gay Agenda shows (hell yeah studded codpiece), DiGiglio’s technique is tight, unflinching, and intimate.

“I only shoot with one lens, which people cannot believe,” she says, explaining the methods behind her style.

“When I talk to other photographers, they’re like, ‘You only have one lens?’ It’s only for very short range. It’s a 28-70 mm, so I have to be super close at shows. I couldn’t shoot from the back of the room. I couldn’t zoom in. But I like to be at the front.”

Being that close to people being so raw gives DiGiglio a glimpse into human nature. And in describing that, she provides a vision of hopeDiGiglio provides a vision of hope, which—much like a ghost in a photograph—is fleeting and difficult to hold on to, but profound in the hands of someone who knows how to capture it.

“Punk and hardcore shows, for the most part, seem violent and aggressive, but people actually are very caring to one another,” DiGiglio says. “Even in the middle of chaos, they want to help each other.”

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 13

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CULTURE | FILM COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX

Deep Space Mine

“Ad Astra”

Brad Pitt tries to find closure in James Gray’s intergalactic gem

by Glenn Heath Jr.

S

tar Trek” famously described space as the final state of war, making travel across the lunar surface frontier. “Ad Astra,” an intergalactic odyssey akin to crossing the plains in 19th century American that refuses to glamorize exploration, sees it west. Instead of thieves on horseback, Gray gives us as the final responsibility. But mankind’s self-inflict- faceless marauders in space suits driving rovers and ed burden, which feeds a desperate need to find fresh wielding punishing laser weaponry. One masterful resources, search for alien intelligence, and conquer chase sequence strips away the jarring sounds one far off lands, comes with a steep emotional cost. It’s would normally associate with cars in hot pursuit, especially true for the children of parents who’d rath- making the ensuing crashes all the more devastater escape into dark galactic realms of self-mytholo- ing and poetic. Fans of Gray’s cop film “We Own the Night,” which features a similarly impressionist auto gizing than deal with the realities of everyday life.

Director James Gray focuses on this personal theme wreck, will not be disappointed.

As Roy travels farther away from Earth, he gets instead of fixating on the iconography and conventions of science fiction, a genre traditionally obsessed increasingly closer to reconciling the difficult truths with peering into our collective future through the about his father’s persona. This is even more comlens of technology rather than psychology. That order plicated since Clifford has long been anointed a hero gets reversed in “Ad Astra,” which quietly opens with by the very government that now views his legacy concise prologue explaining that our future existence as threat. “Ad Astra’s” heart of darkness narrative comes close to tracing over the serpentine trajectory is “a time of both hope and conflict.”

Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) embodies this of “Apocalypse Now.” Thankfully, the socio-political dilemma, but no one would know it from looking at implications of Clifford’s philosophies or Roy’s loyalties are less important than the him. Only in voice-over narraimpact those elements have had tion does this stoic man, the son on their parent/child relationof famed Space Command legAD ASTRA ship mostly defined by a father’s end Clifford McBride (Tommy Directed by James Gray absence.

Lee Jones), fully lay bare the Starring Brad Pitt, Liv Tyler, Gray has been concerned kind of doubts and questioning Tommy Lee Jones, with they ways patriarchal trauthat would put him in danger ma trickles down through genduring high-pressure situations. and Donald Sutherland erations since the beginning of Early in “Ad Astra,” that’s his career (“Little Odessa,” “The exactly what happens when a mysterious power surge cripples the space antenna Yards”), but “Ad Astra” (opening Friday, September where Roy has been tasked to conduct maintenance. 20) feels like an even more intimate family tragedy.

His atmospheric free fall is a symphony of spatial Much of that has to do with Pitt’s subdued, vulnerdisorientation, stylistically rivaling the crippling in- able performance. By his own reflective admission, tensity of Damien Chazelle’s “First Man.” Gray may be masculinity tropes have made Roy a stronger explorespecially attuned to the nuances of character-driven er and a weaker man, a brave explorer and a cowardly drama, but it’s in these moments that he proves just husband.

Coming to grips with these dichotomies informs as adept at orchestrating epic action scenes.

“Ad Astra” rather conveniently uses the afore- Roy’s struggle with guilt, and the film’s complicated mentioned anti-matter disturbance to jettison Roy view of responsibility in general. “Ad Astra” remains into deep space on a classified mission toward Nep- an impressive big budget marvel, but what resonates tune, where his father’s ill-fated extra-terrestrial most is the way Gray seamlessly explores how, evenfact-finding mission known as The Lima Project went tually, we all must come face to face with the legend of dark. Along the way, Roy’s experiences (some of them our parents, and reconcile the hurtful wounds they’ve violent and harrowing) provide a clearer window into indebted us. Through Roy’s eyes, the sting of parental how humanity has spread out across the solar system influence and its lasting, crippling effects becomes a like a plague, bringing capitalist and lawless urges to humbling experience. places that were supposed to inspire utopian hope.

For instance, the moon plays host to a fragmented Film reviews run weekly. collection of competing mining colonies in perpetual Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com

“

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SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15

CULTURE | FILM COURTESY OF METROGRAPH PICTURES

“A Bigger Splash”

Painting For You

E

very few months Landmark’s Ken Cinema presents a new weeklong retrospective of classic and cult films. Thus far, the programming has been equal parts milquetoast and adventurous, but it remains one of the few San Diego venues where audiences can watch repertory films on the big screen.

A new crop will begin screening on Friday, September 20, and one particular title stands out as must-see material. Jack Hazan’s “A Bigger Splash,” originally released in 1974, is a hazily fragmented psychological portrait of pop artist David Hockney as he tries to complete “Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures).”

Toeing the line between documentary and fiction, Hazan creates a nonlinear, lucid narrative in which Hockney is positioned as the cipher genius seemingly operating on an entirely different wavelength. Close friends like Mo McDermott (the film’s grouchy narrator) often look on from the outside at Hockney’s struggles helpless to intervene.

What remains clear throughout is Hockney’s otherworldly obsession with fellow artist Peter Schlesinger, who was once his muse and lover. While the two hardly share any scenes in “A Bigger Splash,” their presence is almost always felt through flashbacks, memories and the paintings themselves.

Films about enigmatic artists like to claim certain closeness to their subjects, but Hazan openly admits through his stylistic choices and melancholy tone that Hockney remains an unknowable persona.

It’s easier to share space with his paintings than the man himself.

“A Bigger Splash” (which screens all day Tuesday, September 24) plays with this perception to an almost uncomfortable degree.

Instead of coherent scenes that flow Hazan presents disconnected vignettes that sometimes fuse surrealism with the close proximity of cinema verité.

Hockney and Schlesinger al-

16 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

most see each other as omniscient specters, one perpetually haunting the other. Hazan’s film becomes rooted in these ghostly cycles of emotional crisis that endlessly destroy and rebuild one’s confidence in others.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

OPENING “Ad Astra:” Brad Pitt stars as a tormented astronaut who travels into space on a mission that could lead to his long-lost father who disappeared years before. Opens Friday, September 20, in wide release.

“Edie:” An elderly woman decides to fulfil her lifelong dream of climbing a mountain in the Scottish Highlands after her controlling husband finally dies. Opens Friday, September 20, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas.

“The GI Film Festival San Diego 2019:” A film festival entirely dedicated to presenting stories about military themes, some of which are made by veterans. Runs from Tuesday, September 24, through Sunday, September 29, at Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.

Ken Cinema Classics: This week’s collection of classic and cult cinema includes “The Bigger Splash,” a film about artist David Hockney, and “Daises,” an experimental drama from the Czech Republic.

Screens Friday, September 20, to Thursday, September 26, at Landmark Ken Cinema.

“Promare:” In this animated Japanese film, elite firefighters pilot mechanical suits to save the world from flame-wielding mutants. Opens Friday, September 20, at AMC Fashion Valley.

“Rambo: Last Blood:” Sylvester Stallone reprises his role as John Rambo, the Vietnam veteran who must protect his family from cartel members in this last installment of the famous action series. Opens Friday, September 20, in wide release.

“The Sound of Silence:” A self-taught scientist (Peter Sarsgaard) treats wealthy New York clients for depression and anxiety through an experimental sonic combination of tunes. Opens Friday, September 20, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

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

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MATTHEW WONDERLY

MUSIC

“

Soft Kill an Diego is a place that I can go back to,” said Soft Kill’s frontman Tobias Grave, and that is not something he takes for granted.

Originally formed in San Diego and now based in Portland, the dreamy shoegaze band no longer has anyone else in the original line-up besides Grave. The difference between now and then is not just personnel. It’s time, a few cities and the kind of distance only found through trauma and recovery.

Grave didn’t grow up here, but as a kid in the Boston area, he knew about San Diego’s

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independent music scene and sought out records that came out of here. It’s fitting that he’d form that early version of Soft Kill in the town he admired in his formative years.

But those early days nearly broke him.

As his struggles with “pretty much every hard substance” escalated and he began working toward recovery, Grave separated himself from the music scene, because touring meant being surrounded by partying. “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t be around it,” he said. Soft Kill re-emerged in Portland and now have several full-length albums under its belt, including 2018’s grief-stricken “Savior.”

Coming home to San Diego—where they’ll play at Che Café Collective on September 27—feels right to Grave, largely thanks to a community of friends that always welcomes him back. “Because as a recovering drug addict, there have been a lot of cities that I’ve lived in that I don’t want to go back to,” he said.

Soft Kill is touring with metalcore bands Vein and Dead Heat, and British hardcore punk band Higher Power. It’s an unexpected line-up, but to Grave, the energy and songwriting make it click.

“There’s such an energy to that kind of music. And there’s a way that it engages people that I think is pretty void within a lot of the bands we play with on a regular basis,” Grave said. “I love the mood that a band like Vein creates or harnesses,” he added.

The trick to collaborating, according to Grave, is finding moments of unity, like the varying bands’ emotional energy. “We’ve been picking a set on this tour that I think is cohesive to some degree, even though a song like ‘Whirl’ is clearly far removed from anything off (Vein’s) last record,” he said. “It still has a kind of flow that feels cohesive to me.”

Growing up, Grave found it easy to hide in a sonically insular world. “If I’d had more experiences where these bills were diverse, I probably wouldn’t have had my period where I was like ‘If it’s not punk and it’s not MTV I don’t care,’” he said. “I missed out on a lot of cool shit.”

It’s more than just branching out: starkly different sets act as palate cleansers for an evening. “I think that kids who go to those shows, if they’re open minded enough to enjoy it, their experience will be more unique than just going and sitting through four metal bands or four post-punk bands,” he said. “I think the world could be ready for that.”

And like in these live shows, Soft Kill wants to shake up your algorithms with recorded work, too.

With streaming services’ custom feeds and extremely specific internet radio stations, the increasingly narrow pursuit of

music to listen to is, for Grave, boring. “I kind of liked it when I had to search it out.

Not in a cool-kids style, but it’s kind of nice to suffer a little bit to find your escape. It’s nice to earn it.”

Soft Kill’s latest release is a dual-track split, “Suffering is a Gift” with hardcore band Portrayal of Guilt, out this month. The duo toured together earlier this year, and the range of sonic emotions contained within the not-even-10-minute EP is wild. “Sacrificial Rite,” Portrayal of Guilt’s contribution is a sudden wall of abrasive noise: atmospheric and darkly fatalist.

Clocking in at under 2 minutes, the thrashing Portrayal of Guilt track is over quickly as we’re ushered into the goth dream state of Soft Kill’s, “Tin Foil Drip.”

It feels—perhaps misleadingly—like a soft thing.

A synth-tinged intro with a driving, chimelike guitar make way for Grave’s vocals: “Live from a world of empty threats / they can break bones.”

The track is about the people who struggled with heroin alongside him.

While Portrayal of Guilt’s track is a bleak wish for a singular, solitary, obscured death, “Tin Foil Drip” is a memory bank, chock-full of tiny scenes and details.

It’s a broader look at the ripple effect of addiction and inevitable death. “I realized that all of my friends from that era were dead,” Grave said. “When I got into NA (Narcotics Anonymous), somebody told me that you die twice: once when you die and once when people stop saying your name.”

It’s a springboard to Soft Kill’s next album, “Dead Kids, R.I.P. City,” slated for release in April. And in the meantime, “Tin Foil Drip” is Soft Kill’s way of remembering these names. Curiously, the sole named character in the lyrics is called “Alive.” Whether it’s a real person or a stand in for everybody Grave wants to keep from that second death feels equally plausible.

With Soft Kill’s unlikely pairings, the task of telling and remembering these tragic stories has a new, hardened and more urgent energy—and if Grave has his way, a new audience too.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17

JONATHAN WEINER

BY RYAN BRADFORD

MUSIC

THE

SPOTLIGHT

Yungblud said he wants a revolution

RAY CONCEPTION

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Titus Andronicus

W

D

ominic Harrison is the first to say he wants to start a revolution. Before he became singer-songwriter Yungblud, Harrison was a suicidal, insecure young man who wanted to express his individuality by wearing skirts and painting his nails.

“I felt misunderstood all my life,” said Harrison, who grew up in Doncaster, England. “I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. Now I want to inspire and be inspired by the best fans in the world and watch it grow and get as big as it can get.

I want it to be a movement. I want it to be a culture.”

“The place around me wasn’t ready,” said Harrison, who grew up in Doncaster, England. “It wasn’t OK to be myself. I was depressed, anxious and suicidal.”

As part of his “revolution,” Harrison is bringing his music Observatory North Park on Thursday, September 19. He’s been dubbed a “community-driven rock star” for his vivid lyrics that bring his characters to life on his debut album “21st Century Liability.”

“I want to be representative of a generation that is so intelligent and so set on fighting for a world of equality, so bored of division,” said Harrison, calling from Seattle.

“I don’t care about numbers next to my name or a gold record. I can talk about how many people are out there when I walk out

Yungblud on stage. There’s nothing more powerful than looking one of my fans in the eye and having them say, ‘You saved my life.’ I hear that every day and I say that right back to them.”

His entire tour is nearly sold out—and he’s only on his first album. The last time he played San Diego, it was at Casbah in front of 15 people. Less than a year after the release of “21st Century Liability,” Yungblud has amassed more than 350 million global streams across all songs and platforms.

YUNGBLUD W/MISSIO Thursday, September 19 Observatory North Park ticketmaster.com

His song with rumored girlfriend Halsey and Blink-182’s Travis Barker, “11 Minutes,” has racked up more than 160 million streams. He partnered with Z2 Comics on an original concept graphic novel, “Yungblud Presents The Twisted Tales of the Ritalin Club,” slated for release in October.

“It’s mental right now,” Harrison said.

“I’m amazed to be in America. The shows have been one big sick, slightly dysfunctional family.

18 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

“The energy has been unfathomable. All I want to do is build a family and a community across the world. I want to meet more people.”

At the heart of it all is Harrison’s music.

He compares his songwriting process to his “schizophrenic brain.”

“It starts with the lyrics,” he said. “I write about what I know—the feelings, the stories I hear. It’s so crazy. The songs are less and less about me. They’re about the people I’m meeting.”

The songs are rooted in truth and Harrison said it’s that authenticity that allows his music to resonate, he said.

“I remember once I was writing an essay in English class,” he recalls. “I was writing about the desert. My teacher said, ‘Why are you writing about the desert? Do you know what it feels like? What it smells like?’

“I said, ‘I’m from Doncaster,’ which is like the Detroit of the United Kingdom.

I said, ‘Sir, you’re right.’ He taught me to write about what I know. As a musician, people can write music and be great singers, but people who listen know if you’re not telling the truth. It’s false. Those are the flash-in-the-pan artists who run out of things to say.

“People ask me if I’m exhausted. I say no. I’m anything but exhausted. I’m invigorated because I get to do this. People want to come and see me be myself. That’s the craziest thing.”

hether you like their music or not, Titus Andronicus’ singer Patrick Stickles is one of the most interesting guys in rock music, and for the past decade he’s used his band as a vehicle to lay bare his tumultuous life. His songwriting style is incredibly—almost cringingly—confessional, but his openness about depression, anxiety, his eating disorder and a multitude of other things that make him miserable is more genuine than what most punks are trying to peddle these days.

Stickles has also made a career out of messing with fan expectations. After the success of Titus Andronicus’ bombastic, layered 2010 epic The Monitor, they backpedaled with their lo-fi Local Business, which wasn’t without its charm, but The Monitor’s closing track “The Battle of Hampton Roads” is perhaps the most scathing and perfect critique of our culture. Then, they rebounded with a double-album masterpiece The Most Lamentable Tragedy—which turned their rage, craft and songwriting up to 11—only to follow that up with and album of slow piano ballads (2018’s A Productive Cough).

As a fan, it can get a little old to endure the whiplash of Stickles’ whims, but it’s rare to see a musician who DGAF quite like him, and whose only aim seems to be creating honest art. Plus, their newest album An Obelisk is a somewhat return to form for people who just want to rock out to scruffy-voiced punk. Catch them on this tour before their next album ends up containing only mandolins or something like that.

Titus Andronicus plays Friday, September 27th at Soda Bar

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MUSIC

BY RYAN BRADFORD

IF I WERE U Our picks for the week’s top shows

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 18

PLAN A: The Selecter, Unsteady, DJ Rhoda Dakar @ The Casbah. The Selecter are not only one of the originators of two-tone ska, but they were one of the few womanfronted ska bands in the ‘80s. Grab your black coat, white shoes and black hat and pickituppickituppickitup (your ass off the couch, that is) to see these innovative pioneers. BACKUP PLAN: Bob Weir @ Humphreys Concerts By the Bay.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 19

PLAN A: Yo La Tengo @ David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre. So, this is really cool: Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Sam Green is presenting a “live documentary” about Buminster Fuller, inventor of the geodesic dome (the structural design made famous by Epcot Center’s Spaceship Earth’s), and perennial indie royalty Yo La Tengo will perform an original score during the performance. No heart nor mind will leave untouched. PLAN B: The Regrettes and Greer @ Music Box. I don’t know if any of The Regrettes are legally old enough to vote, but their songs are wittier and smarter than just about any pop-punk band right now. See them tonight before they get mega huge. BACKUP PLAN: Yungblud and MISSIO @ The Observatory.

ergy, Bossfight, War Fever @ Soda Bar. Anyone who has ever listened to a PunkO-Rama compilation knows Guttermouth.

Even though they play catchy pop-punk like Blink-182, Guttermouth never cleaned up their act. This show is for degenerates only.

BACKUP PLAN: Buck-O-Nine @ Adams Ave Street Fair.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 22

PLAN A: Night Moves and Well Well Well @ Soda Bar. Dreamy, electro-tinged rock (with maybe just a touch of yacht rock?) seems like the perfect way to wrap up the weekend. Kinda sexy, kinda sad—listening to Night Moves is like drinking three glasses of white wine while looking at yourself in the mirror, and thinking “Damn. Still got it.”

BACKUP PLAN: I am and No Zodiac @ Brick By Brick.

ONLY TODD

FRIDAY, SEPT. 20

PLAN A: Hatchie, Orchin, Language of Flowers @ Soda Bar. A little dose of dream pop goes a long way to cure the summer doldrums, and Hatchie’s music is like sinking into a sweetened cold brew. Think Mazzy Star mixed with a little bit of late’90s pop—it’s both sad and catchy. The perfect soundtrack for writing in a felt-covered diary. PLAN B: Vertigoat, TOME, Birth Waters, Endless Nameless @ Tower Bar. There should be a disclaimer on this show that says “Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter.” There are a lot of heavy bruisers here, but Vertigoat is the perfect storm of doom, death metal and hardcore. Theirs is the type of music that makes God cry (in a good way).

BACKUP PLAN: Lenny Kravitz and his dong @ San Diego Civic Theatre.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 21

PLAN A: Tijuana Panthers, No Age, The Hurricanes, Mu$ty BoYz @ The Observatory. Tijuana Panthers epitomize the sound of Southern California. Their sun-baked, lo-fi rock is the soundtrack to sitting on a porch, drinking cheap beer and feeling totally content. Plus, No Age continues to amaze after breathing new life into punk in the late 2000s, and last year’s Snares Like a Haircut is their best album since Nouns. PLAN B: Guttermouth, Toxic En-

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Hatchie

MONDAY, SEPT. 23

PLAN A: Giuda and WIDOWS @ The Casbah. The ’70s were perhaps the greatest decade. The movies, the music, the hair styles. Giuda makes the type of throwback ’70s hard rock reminiscent of Thin Lizzy and KISS, and it’s awesome. Maybe get a blowout or your hair feathered before the show.

BACKUP PLAN: Kendra Morris, Julia Haltigan, Dj Profile @ Soda Bar

TUESDAY, SEPT. 24

PLAN A: Blackalicious, Roots & Tings, The Elephants In The Room, Bukue One @ The Casbah. Blackalicious—known for pioneering indie rap and their insanely rapid lyrical styles—are one of the most inspirational hip-hop acts. Plus, this year marks the 20th anniversary of their debut album Nia, so get your ass to The Casbah and see these legends do a victory lap. BACKUP PLAN: The Strawberry Moons, Stephanie Brown & The Surrealistics and Electric Mud.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 19

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Swell Spells (Soda Bar, 9/30), State to State (Casbah, 10/2), Deaf Club (Soda Bar, 10/8), Nebula Drag (Soda Bar, 10/10), Caracara (Soda Bar, 10/15), The Side Deal (BUT, 10/16), GRiZ (Observatory, 10/22), Half Pint (BUT, 10/24), Wovenhand (Brick by Brick, 11/1), French for Rabbits (SPACE, 11/5), Sloan (Casbah, 11/7), Homesafe (Brick by Brick, 11/9) Stonecutters (Brick by Brick, 11/11), Dizzy Reed’s Hookers (Brick by Brick, 11/16), MyKey (Soda Bar, 11/16), The Ocean Blue (Casbah, 11/16), Puma Blue (Casbah, 11/19), Ten Bulls (Soda Bar, 11/30), The Old Firm Casuals (Brick by Brick, 12/1), Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Observatory, 12/5), Pink Froyd (Music Box, 12/8), Death Eyes (Casbah, 12/8), JD McPherson (BUT, 12/11), Thievery Corporation (BUT, 12/12), Infected Mushroom (Music Box, 12/20), Eric Rachmany (Observatory, 12/22), Mud Slide Slim (Music Box, 12/22), Nada Surf (Casbah, 1/18), Big Head Todd & the Monsters (BUT, 1/23), American Authors (Observatory, 2/1), Tender (Music Box, 2/6), Dashboard Confessional (Observatory, 2/11), Paul Thorn (BUT, 3/19).

ALL SOLD OUT Elder Island (Casbah, 9/21), Girl in Red (House Of Blues, 9/27), The Movement (BUT, 9/27), Madeleine Peyroux (BUT, 9/29), Still Woozy (Music Box, 9/30), MXMTOON (HOB, 10/2), Obituary (Brick

by Brick, 10/3), Marc Broussard (BUT, 10/5), Cigarettes After Sex (Observa-

tory, 10/5), Jonas Brothers (Pechanga Arena, 10/7), Morcheeba (BUT, 10/13), Tyler Childers (Observatory, 10/15), Caamp (BUT, 10/19), DEAN (Brick by Brick, 10/20), 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 ViVii (Soda Bar, 9/19), Dick Dale’s Misirlou (BUT, 12/19), Goblin (Brick by Brick, 11/14).

GET YER TICKETS 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 18 The Selecter at The Casbah. Benjamin Francis Leftwich at The Irenic. Brothertiger at Soda Bar. Bob Weir & Wolf Bros at Humphrey’s.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 The Selecter at The Casbah. Flying Lotus in 3D at House Of Blues. Zac Brown

20 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

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. Jesse Palter at Soda Bar, 9/25),

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. Swell Spells at Soda Bar.

OCTOBER TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1 Reignwolf at The Casbah. Mercury Rev & Beth Orton at Belly Up Tavern. Tank & the Bangas at Music Box.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2 Stiff Little Fingers at House Of Blues.

Ziggy Alberts at Belly Up Tavern. Avatar at Observatory North Park. Grieves at

Soda Bar. Psyclon Nine at Brick by Brick.

Sully at Music Box. State to State at The Casbah.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3 Fruit Bats at The Casbah. Big K.R.I.T. at House of Blues. Hayes Carll at Belly Up Tavern. Nikki Lane at Soda Bar. Berner at Music Box. Earth Groans at SPACE.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 Hiss Golden Messenger at The Casbah. Beyond Creation at Brick by Brick.

Starcrawler at The Irenic. Okilly Dokilly at Soda Bar. The Pettybreakers at Music Box.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 Grandmaster Flash at California Center for the Arts. Futuristic at Soda Bar. Fleetwood Mac vs Abba at Music Box. Westcoast Podcast Expo at Music Box.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6 Marc Broussard at Belly Up Tavern. Big Mountain at Music Box. Vivian Girls at Observatory North Park. Dwarves at Soda Bar. The Living End at Brick by Brick.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7 Starset at House Of Blues. Son Volt at Belly Up Tavern. IDLES at Observatory North Park. SOURCE at Soda Bar. 1Take Jay at Music Box.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8 Jon McLaughlin at Music Box. Black

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

@SDCITYBEAT

BY CHRISTIN BAILEY

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 Lips at The Casbah. Bit Brigade at Brick

by Brick. Deaf Club at Soda Bar.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9 Dodie at House Of Blues. Dropkick Murphys at Park At The Park. The Parlor Mob at The Casbah. Skarhead at Soda Bar. Cass McCombs at Music Box. WAR at Belly Up Tavern.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Fri: CitySide, KL Noise Makerz. Sat: Dazed & Confused. Tue: Th3rd Coast Roots, Eureka Sound.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., Normal Heights. Wed: ‘Hip Hops Weds.’

Fri: ‘House Music Fridays.’ Sat: ‘Reggaeton vs Hip Hop.’ Sun: ‘Sunday Feels.’

Mon: ‘Organized Grime.’

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: Trae Crowder. Fri: Trae Crowder. Sat: Trae Crowder. Sun: ‘Comedy for a Cause.’ Tue: Open Mic. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: Burnin Up Drifting Roots, The Resonators, Ocean Natives. Fri: The Mice, The Rough, Half Past Gone, The Dangerfield. Sat: Indica Roots, Goodtones. Sun: Beatjackers, Chad Carrier, Tracy Lee Nelson. Mon: Trivia. Tue: Karaoke.

Jehlad. Fri: DJ Grimm, DJ L. Sat: ‘Neon Beat.’ Sun: ‘Rat Sabbath.’ Mon: Jason Hanna Trio. Tue: ‘Tiki Tuesday.’

Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Fri: Slower. Sat: Rare Form.

Weekly forecasts from the so-called universe ARIES (March 21 - April 19): No schemes this week. No schemes, no hoaxes, no deceptions, no pranks, no trickery or bon mots. And it goes without saying—but I’ll say it anyway—absolutely no flim-flams.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): This week a verbal altercation with a teenage employee at a fast-casual restaurant will have you rethinking everything you thought about whether your hairstyle looks good or not.

Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Sat: 80KV, INUS, The Knob Fondlers, Monochromacy.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): If you’re reading this please come to the gas station and head to the freezer with all the little burritos. I have managed to lock myself inside again and require immediate assistance.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Let love light the way… Wow, how inspiring. I should write more of these down. If you let yourself be guided by, uh, your heart then everything will be… well, I don’t know. You get it.

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

Sun: ‘Airplane Mode.’ Mon: ‘Bowie Night.’

Tue: ‘Techit Easy.’

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Wisdom grows in the fertile soil of all the mistakes you have made but please… you can’t just keep adding more and more soil. There is already so much.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 December 21): When they say don’t go to sleep angry, they don’t mean stay up without sleeping for six days straight because you’re angry.

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

Sat: Big Dude.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): I am a bit concerned that when I started writing this I looked and right in front of me a fly fell dead out of the sky. Surely a bad omen!

CAPRICORN (December 22 January 19): You are the center of attention this week. The oncoming train at the end of the tunnel. The really loud motorcycle driving down my street triggering the car alarms.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Durand Jones & the Indications, Rudy de Anda (sold out). Thu: Random Rab, Equanimous, Britton. Fri: The Aggrolites, Shane Hall, New Leaf. Sat: Livin’ on a Prayer, Lies N Roses. Mon: Rachael Yamagata, Zach Djanikian. Tue: The Strawberry Moons, Stephanie Brown & the Surrealistics, Electric Mud.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. Wed: Fozzy. Sat: The Iron Maidens.

Sun: I AM. The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Midtown.

Wed: The Selecter, Unsteady, DJ Rhoda.

Thu: The Selecter, Unsteady, DJ Rhoda.

Fri: Emo Nite. Sat: Elder Island, Dirty Nice (sold out). Sun: Daddy Long Legs, The Loons, Thee Allyrgic Reaction. Mon: Guida, The Widows. Tue: Nia, Roots & Tings, The Elephants in the Room, Bukue One.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown.

Fri: Roosevelt. Sat: CID, Niko the Kid.

Che Cafe, 1000 Scholars Drive S, La Jolla. Fri: Racetraitor, Graf Orlock, Extricate, Therapy.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. Wed: Club Possession, The Slashes. Thu:

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

@SDCITYBEAT

ASTROLOGICALLY UNSOUND

LEO (July 23 - August 22): When everyone is making fun of you for putting your shoes on the opposite feet you are not proving anybody wrong by continuing to wear them that way in protest.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): You may find that you’re attracting the wrong kind of attention, like a wriggling worm on a hook, but like the worm, it’s hard to get good attention when you’re in that kind of predicament.

AQUARIUS (January 20 February 18): You will solve your issues with authority only through a long spiritual journey breaking a wild stallion at the rural farm you inherited from a distant relative.

PISCES (February 19 - March 20): What can I say? It’s always a good idea to own your own bowling shoes.

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

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 21

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 Dizzy’s, Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Blvd.

Sat: Liz Ajuzie, Gerard Nolan.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown. Thu: ‘Take Over Thursdays.’ Fri: Senema, X-Ray. Sat: Birdy Bird. Sun: ‘Reggae Sundays.’

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Awall. Sat: Shaffy.

The Holding Company, 5046 Newport Ave. Wed: Dragontree, Side of Beans, Jamie Smith. Thu: Band of Gringos. Fri: Keep Your Soul. Sat: Bombargo. Sun: Full Moon Fever. Mon: Karaoke. Tue: ‘Reggae Tuesdaze.’

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Wed: Meg & Dia. Thu: Flying Lotus in 3D. Fri: Volver, Volver II. Sat: Gasolina Party. Sun: Fatboy SSE. Mon: The Paper Kites. Tue: Of Mice & Men. Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: Whiskey Ridge. Thu: Bayou Bros. Fri: Detroit Underground. Sat: Full Strength Funk. Sun: Funkology. Mon: Whitney Shay. Tue: Mercedes Moore.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Midtown.

Thu: ‘Acid Varsity.’ Sat: ‘Tech Support.’

Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Thu: Temple Canyon, The Gift Machine, Platypus Egg, Lizabeth Yandel. Mon: Open Mic. Tue: ‘Comedy Night.’

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Wed: Sophisticats. Thu: Josie Day. Fri: Mystique. Sat: Pat Ellis & Blue Frog Boys. Sun: Ron’s Garage. Tue: 3 Guys Will Move U. Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: Lorna Luft. Thu: Lorna

22 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

Luft. Fri: Janice Edwards Trio. Sat: Brenna Whitaker. Sun: Janet Hammer. Mon: Carol Curtis. Tue: ‘Stars of the Future.’

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: The Visiters, Drednotz, The Reveliers. Sat: Trick. Sun: Soul of a Decade II. Tue: Marujah, Reviva, Electric Elms.

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

Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas. Thu: Three Chord Justice. Fri: Sonic Tonic. Sat: James Allen Band. Sun: ‘Jazz Jam.’ Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Karaoke.

Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy.

Thu: The Regrettes, Greer. Fri: Iya Terra, The Ries Brothers, For Peace Band. Sat: ‘A Benefit Concert for the Immunotherapy Foundation.’ Sun: Haywyre, KOAN Sound, DATPHAT. The Office, 3936 30th St., North Park.

Wed: Karaoke. Thu: ‘Dig Deeper.’ Tue: ‘Night Shift.’

OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: ‘Undone on Thursday.’ Fri: Robin Schulz. Sat: Lil Jon. Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park.

Wed: ‘The Wednesday Jam Session.’

Thu: Trio Gadjo. Fri: The Color 49. Sun: ‘Funk Jam.’ Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: DJ Shift. Sat: Andrew Rayel.

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

Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, Kearny Mesa. Wed: Gino Mergillano. Thu: Tomcat Courtney. Fri: Patrick “BlueFrog” Ellis. Sat: Black Market III.

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

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., Hillcrest.

Wed: ‘Mischief.’ Thu: ‘#LEZ.’ Fri: ‘Electro-Pop.’ Sat: ‘Fuel.’ Sun: ‘Discoteka.’

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz.’ Thu: Chloe Lou & Davies. Fri: Chickenbone Slim & the Biscuits. Sat: Thump Juice.

Tue: ‘The Works Jam.’ Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Israel Maldonado.

Thu: DJ Ratty. Fri: Bonneville 7. Sat: Lexington Field, Finnegan Blue. Mon: ‘Jazz Jam.’ Tue: ‘Adams Gone Funky.’

Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave., North Park. Tue: Charlie Arbelaez.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: Brothertiger, Soft Streak, Sam Ritchie. Fri: Hatchie, Orchin, Language of Flowers. Sat: Guttermouth, Toxic Energy, Bossfight, War Fever. Sun: Night Moves, Well Well Well. Mon: Kendra Morris, Julia Haltigan, DJ Profile.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway.

Wed: Meg & Dia, New Dialogue, Glamour Waves. Fri: Being as an Ocean, Holding Absence, De’Wayne Jackson. Sat: Life in Discord, The Unsung, Saving the State, If Only, Awake, Ikana. Tue: Of Mice & Men, For the Fallen Dreams, Thousand Below, Blood Bather, A Hero Within.

SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights.

Wed: ‘Hardsommar.’ Thu: The Brother Brothers, Nick Jaina. Fri: ‘Guilty Pleasures.’

Sat: Diavol Strain, Altar De Fey, Dancing Plague, Mood of a Sinner. Tue: Karaoke.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Midtown. Fri: Yotto. Sat: ‘Overdrive.’

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Nor-

mal Heights. Wed: Paul Gregg. Sat: Hofstee, Julia Sage & the Bad Hombres, The Liquorsmiths. Tue: Trivia.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: ‘Subversion.’ Thu: ‘Ska, Soul, Mod, Reggae.’ Fri: No Small Children, Compress Collide, The Touchies.

Sat: Ashen Earth, Genestealer, Cerulean.

Sun: ‘Pants Karaoke.’

Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Wed: John Hull & Rob Deez. Thu: Corey Gray & Jake Coco. Fri: Coriander. Sat: Coriander. Sun: ‘Beach Bum Brunch.’ Tue: Erick Tyler.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., Bay Park. Wed: The Jazz Pocket Swing. Thu: Mercedes Moore Band. Fri: Funks Most Wanted.

Sat: 3 Car Garage. Mon: ‘Sexy Salsa & Sensual Bachata.’ Tue: The Tourmaliners.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Thu: Sycamore. Fri: Vertigoat, TOME, Birth Waters, Endless Nameless.

Sat: Techie Blood, The Berzerkers, The Divided, DJ Miggs. Sun: Concrete Elite.

Mon: Druids, Call of the Wild, Garth Algar.

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

Thu: ‘Boombox Thursdays.’ Sun: ‘Live Reggae.’ Mon: ‘#31 Flavors.’

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park.

Wed: Phantom Twins. Thu: The Kabbs, Havnaughts, Frank Taco. Fri: ‘F#ING IN THE BUSHES.’ Sat: ‘’80s vs ‘90s.’ Sun: ‘Whigsville Happy Hour.’ Tue: ‘Sketch Party.’

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach.

Wed: ‘Club Kingston.’ Thu: Toubab Krew.

Fri: Afrolicious, Jake Najor & the Moment.

Sat: Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin. Sun: Karaoke.

Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: ‘Electronica Jam Session.’

@SDCITYBEAT

BY JACKIE BRYANT

IN THE BACK

CANNABITCH PHOTOS COURTESY OF JETTY EXTRACTS

Take a deep breath

L

ike many people out there, the current vaping and pulmonary illness crisis has me confused and nervous. After digging around, it seems clear that it’s an issue of cheap additives and fillers added to poor quality e-cigarette juice and cannabis oil, which is only magnified by the lack of knowledge and regulation in both industries.

Does this mean everyone is going to have to toss out their brand new vape pens? Honestly, I wouldn’t blame someone for doing so, owing to the lack of available information in any official capacity. But not so fast.

One of the most important points to know is that there are two different industries in play here: the e-cigarette industry and the cannabis industry. Both experience draconian restrictions in some aspects of their respective sectors as well as a far-reaching lack of regulation in others, so pinning down one single source of the illnesscausing vapes has proven difficult for both healthcare professionals as well as law enforcement. A stunning lack of research in the cannabis sector, thanks to prohibition, is also causing a lack of relative knowledge combined with general consumer confusion.

Because Cannabitch focuses solely on cannabis, I’m going to lay the e-cigarette discussion to rest now. The deaths from pulmonary illness have been mainly associated with vapes or e-cigarette products purchased off the street (a.k.a. the black market), although one death has been linked to vaping THC. So far, the only identifiable substance in multiple products cited in different cases has been vitamin E acetate--a filler and cutting agent that New York State, in particular, has formally warned consumers about. That said, law enforcement and healthcare officials across the country still have not pinned down the exact issue.

Jetty Extracts Dablicators What can consumers do to protect themselves while enjoying vaping at the same time? First and foremost, would-be cannabis oil vapers need to do their own research. There are several companies that are producing high-quality cannabis oil vape cartridges using 100% cannabis oil, only. Unsurprisingly, these manufacturers are encouraging consumers to shop exclusively in the legal market, which in California means buying lab-tested dispensary-only products.

@SDCITYBEAT

Jetty Extracts cannabis oil cartridges “We were the first vape company to not include any additional additives or fillers,” Jetty Extracts Channel Marketing Director Cameron Pittman said in an interview. “We [the company’s founders] started Jetty knowing that the only thing we wanted to smoke on was pure cannabis oil.”

“At Jetty Extracts, we go above and beyond the legal requirements for testing by screening our products three times for potency, pesticides, heavy metals, molds and other foreign contaminants,” he explained. “The first test is upon intake of the raw cannabis material, next at the finished oil stage and, lastly, a state compliance test in final packaging.”

The Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) acknowledges its limitations in a market heavily saturated with black market products.

“We take public safety extremely seriously when it comes to cannabis products out on the market,” a public relations representative for the BCC told me over email.

“That’s why we’ve been trying to educate consumers with our public awareness ‘Get #Weedwise campaign,” he said, referring to a social media hashtag campaign the BCC has implemented. “Prior to any health issues from vaping, the bureau was actively trying to warn consumers about the dangers of buying illegal products from unlicensed shops. Products that most likely have not gone through strict state testing for contaminants that can sicken the consumer.”

There are other limitations as can only be expected in such early days of legalized use.

“The BCC does not require testing for additives like tocopheryl-acetate, so many legal cannabis cartridges could be cut with harmful thinning additives. We encourage customers to educate themselves about ingredients in vape cartridges or pods,” Pittman says.

“They can do this by asking their local budtenders, reading the ingredients listed on the packaging and researching the brands they are interested in buying and talking to the representatives directly,” he details.

Lucas Stafford, who is the co-founder of Boxxboyz Distribution, a black market cannabis company based in San Diego County, outlines the various incentives for compa-

nies who have chosen to stay in the illegal trade. At the same time, it offers purchasing guidelines for consumers still interested in purchasing black market goods.

“The black market has both a positive and negative impact,” he told me on the phone. “It offers alternative herbal remedies that corporate entities don’t provide. It also allows customers to buy direct from farm and local manufacturers and avoid the 200% mark-up the retail stores put on product. It also creates more job opportunities,” he explains.

“The cons include quality control, cut product and lower overall market value, so even big companies start cutting their products in order to keep up,” he says. In other words: one likely gets what they pay for. Whether exploring the white or black market, the onus appears to overwhelmingly be on the consumer.

While alarming and unfortunate, the current vaping and lung illness crisis highlights important points to remember in any growing industry--particularly a highstakes industry with significant health concerns and an already maligned public image. At the top of the list is consumer responsibility and education. Just because something is permitted doesn’t necessarily mean it is regulated or being watched at all. Too often, legislation is born in hindsight and in the wake of some kind of tragedy, especially in a new industry. Being a rational consumer requires education and knowledge, which is something that can’t always be provided by a government entity. Especially no entity that limited access to such knowledge for over 100 years.

Ultimately, consuming cannabis isn’t all that different from eating food. It’s nourishing, enjoyable, seemingly natural and inherently political. So, my advice in navigating the current vape controversy is to treat cannabis with the same care one would with feeding themselves: do the homework. Search for products using only 100% cannabis oil. And, when in doubt, ask how it’s made and what’s in it. If the answer isn’t easily and immediately provided, it’s safe to say it can be skipped.

CannaBitch appears every week.

Follow Jackie Bryant on Twitter at @jacqbryant.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 23