San Diego CityBeat • Nov 20, 2019 by Times Media Group

NOVEMBER 20, 2019 • SDCITYBEAT.COM • FREE

School of Rock Jim Breuer talks metal and the Mets

ANIMAE (P. 5) | JUST ANOTHER TUESDAY (P. 9) |SIMPLE PLAN (P. 11)

2 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 20, 2019

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EDITOR Christina Fuoco-Karasinski ART DIRECTOR Christy Byerly CONTRIBUTORS Jackie Bryant Michael A. Gardiner Glenn Heath Jr. John R. Lamb Haley Lorenzen Taylor O’Connor EDITORIAL INTERN Mary Pat Abruzzo PRODUCTION MANAGER Tristan Whitehouse ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Steven Persitza SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jason Noble PRESIDENT Steve Strickbine

FEATURE

Volume 18 • Issue 7

Jim Breuer

FOOD & DRINK

MUSIC

VICE PRESIDENT Michael Hiatt

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world fare

11 SPINCYCLE

SPINCYCLE________________ 4 Top 15 ��6 “Synonyms” ��8 World Fare_________________ 5 Calendar of Events ��7 “Just Another Tuesday” ��9

ARTS & CULTURE

IN THE BACK

9 8 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.

simple plan

FILM

CannaBitch

FILM

Jim Breuer �� 10 Simple Plan �� 11

ON THE COVER:

The Get Up Kids ��11-12 Cannabitch �� 14-15 Clubs �� 13

Jim Bauer - Photo byPhil Provencio

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NOVEMBER 20, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 3

UP FRONT | VOICES

SPINCYCLE

Local GOP Passed on Free Office Space Did party chairman benefit? By John R. Lamb

hen is free not good enough? It’s an intriguing question, given the tale told by long-time Republican JD Bols about his efforts to lighten the financial burden of the Republican Party of San Diego County, challenged enough as it is these days in retaining members and finding candidates to run in 2020. But money, apparently, isn’t a concern over in the fountain-burbling, Spanishstyle Rancho Bernardo environs of the local GOP. In a recent interview, Bols said he offered the party free office space for four years in a Miramar commercial building he owns, but never got a reply. When he made the offer in 2018, Bols figured he’d be saving the party coffers about $300,000 over four years. In a Christmas Eve letter to party Chairman Tony Krvaric, Bols wrote the savings would “greatly assist in covering expenses or salaries.” “The space is move-in ready, and I am willing to make some modifications, if the party chooses, to make the space even more functional for the party.” Carl DeMaio headquartered a previous failed congressional run in the Black Mountain Road building that Bols offered. San Diego City Councilmember Chris Cate staged a campaign office there as well. “When I talked to people about the office building,” Bols recalled recently, “a lot of them who had volunteered on those campaigns knew the

Local GOP member JD Bols offered rent-free office space to the party. He suspects party Chairman Tony Krvaric declined for personal reasons. (Photoshop by John R. Lamb)

building, saying, ‘Oh yeah, that was perfectly fine.’ It wasn’t like, oh that’s a trashy place, we can’t have the party there.” Bols, who’s been in the real-estate business for 30 years, said he made the offer last year when it appeared Krvaric, chairman since 2007, was finally stepping down from the post and signaled that Bols, a consistent donor and an alternate in the local GOP’s 80th Assembly District Caucus, should consider stepping up. As he campaigned for the position, Bols said he heard rumblings that the party was paying an “extraordinary” amount for its headquarters in the Rancho Bernardo Courtyard, described on its website as a “gem” that “is the fusion of modern technology, classic architecture and unparalleled tranquility.” As Spin detailed at the time, the party moved there in 2011 — where Krvaric operated a “wealthmanagement” business — after controversially breaking its lease in its long-time

4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 20, 2019

Sorrento Valley headquarters. The landlord there claimed the party trashed the place and left before giving notice. Ironically, that landlord recalled Krvaric asking on several occasions if he’d consider donating the rent as a party gift, which he said he declined. (The party eventually settled into a roughly 1,600-square-foot office at Rancho Bernardo Courtyard, with Krvaric moving his personal office to another suite.) Bols looked into the rumblings last year and determined that the party was paying $6,000 a month for 1,631 square feet, or roughly $3.67 per square foot. “Being in commercial real-estate myself, this seemed like an extraordinarily high amount,” he said. He then spoke to the building’s leasing broker and discovered the asking rate for the building at the time was $2.50 a square foot. Why the discrepancy? Bols suspects the party was also paying for Krvaric’s 500-square-foot personal business suite. Adding his

space to the party space brought the rate down to $2.81 per square foot, “much closer to the asking rate in the building,” Bols explained, adding that he has found no evidence of any party approval to pay for Krvaric’s personal office space. Hoping to “eliminate this cozy arrangement,” Bols made the free-office-space offer. He also argued his Miramar office building was more centrally located and “easier to get to.” He said party members “loved the idea. And, of course, Tony hated the idea.” That may not be quite a fair assessment, given Krvaric’s near-silence on the matter. He declined to respond for this column, and the only known time he reacted to the proposal came last January, when he made what Bols described as a “rare” appearance at an 80th Assembly Caucus meeting in Chula Vista. Lincoln Pickard, a Republican office seeker who said he’s challenging state Assembly tour-deforce Lorena Gonzalez in the 80th, confirmed that he asked Krvaric about the freeoffice-space offer, to which the chairman only replied “something like, ‘It wouldn’t work.’” Just the previous month, Krvaric surprised some by announcing that he would be staying on as party chairman, but insiders said the selfproclaimed “volunteer” chairman conditioned it with a request to be paid $300,000 over the two-year term. That proposal never materialized, but Bols now wonders, “Perhaps he figured out another way to get paid?”

(Krvaric receives $1,000 a month from the party for “office expenses,” according to campaign filings.) During annual budget discussions at an executive committee meeting a week after the 80th Caucus appearance in January, Krvaric said the party was moving to larger quarters in the Rancho Bernardo Courtyard and “he had just executed a lease where he prepaid two years of rent in the amount of $200,000,” Bols said. In his decades of commercial real-estate experience, Bols said he’s “never known a tenant to pre-pay two years of rent, especially when it is not their own money. And with an offer of free office space on the table. It was shocking.” A church has expanded into the space he offered, Bols noted, but he didn’t reject making a similar offer in the future. “Obviously that isn’t going anywhere under the current regime,” he said. Asked why he’s going public, Bols joked, “I’m not leaving the Republican Party because we have a bad uncle,” but added, “The party is not going to cleanse itself. Tony runs it as a dictatorship, and no one’s been willing to stand up to him.” As far as becoming party chairman, Bols is doubtful. “If I was still interested,” he said, “this interview would be the worst thing I could do because I become the Judas. But that’s OK. You believe in the cause. You don’t need to believe in the man.” Spin Cycle appears every other week. @SDCITYBEAT

UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

Delicious Opulence at Animae

’90s-style cross-cultural Asian fusion restaurant surprises—in a good way By Michael A. Gardiner

was suspicious of Animae (969 Pacific Highway, Downtown). The crosscultural Asian fusion concept seemed so very 20 years ago, and not necessarily in a good way. We’d been there before, as had Brian Malarkey with Burlap. Did we really need to do go there again? Then I took one step into the place and it suddenly seemed to make sense. The décor was the first clue. Art deco stylings hinted at a something beyond the obvious. All the soft surfaces and big, cozy banquettes spoke of high-end New York places of yesteryear (and in a good way): comfortable, eclectic and sophisticated. But did the food deliver on that promise. The first hint it would was a snow pea salad: a play on something of a Chinese classic. In the simple and perfect original, pea leaves are lightly wilted in garlicinfused oil and sauced with a bit of Shaoxing wine. How, I wondered, could Malarkey and Chef Joe Magnanelli improve on it? The answer was texture.

They swapped slices of the snow peas themselves in for the leaves and crumbled garlic chips in for the oil. Herbs and a nori vinaigrette rounded out the flavor profile. There’s a sense of opulence in what Animae does. Take, for example, the butter dumplings. The plate is covered with a sheet of wagyu beef carpaccio sprinkled with a layer of lemon zest and chives. This, in and of itself, would be a luxurious dish that might not have been completely out of place at Magnanelli’s former shop, Cucina Urbana. But then he crowns the carpaccio with a wild play on Chinese dumplings. Instead of a pork or shrimp filling these are stuffed with escargot: snails. It’s cross-cultural fusion, alright. There are, it seems, no rules except that it has to be delicious. One of the best dishes on Animae’s menu was the glazed black cod. The fish itself was almost light and airy enough to float in the sunflower dashi. A Vietnamese caramel glaze lent sweetness to the dish and the black and white sesame seed garnish gave it textural

interest. Indeed, attention to textural detail was a throughline across the menu. Cocoa nibs, for example, provided texture to the Hiramasa crudo. That worked well. Far better than the pear compote which, frankly, overpowered the fish. But it was the final savory dish—an off-menu special—that stole the show. Sous chef Quynh Nguyen’s purple Japanese purple yam gnocchi with Indonesian grilled peach sambal was as beautiful to look at as it was to eat. The flavors were perfectly balanced between the richness of the gnocchi, bit of heat from teardrop chiles and the sweetness of the sambal. The umami and funk of crab paste made it all work as one. One of the fundamental problems of the crosscultural Asian fusion movement was that it seemed, at times, to forget that the

Animae’s snow pea salad is a thoroughly reimagined version of a Chinese classic. (Photos by Michael A. Gardiner)

first duty of restaurant food was not to be fascinating. It’s first duty was to be delicious. And that, it seems, is something that was very much

on the minds of Malarkey, Magnanelli and their team. Yes, Animae is unabashedly a take on ’90s fusion. But it’s fusion that comes together.

Animae’s glazed black cod feels like it floats.

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NOVEMBER 20, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5

TOP15

OUR PICKS FOR COOL THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK By Taylor O’Connor

1 International Chocolate Tasting

NOVEMBER 20

Celebrate international education week by learning about international chocolate. Sounds like a good education! Guests are welcome to sample chocolates made in San Diego and from around the world. Chocolates and palate cleansers will be provided, and guests are welcome to bring their favorite chocolate to share. The hostel will have a happy hour going during this time and the event is free to attend. HI USA San Diego Point Loma Hostel, 3790 Udall Street, Point Loma, 619-223-4778, hiusa.org, 7 to 8 p.m., free admission.

2 Low Cut Connie

NOVEMBER 21

Recognized for its high-energy live shows, Philadelphia-based band Low Cut Connie will continue to amaze its fans on its latest tour across the United States. Lead singer Adam Weiner started the act as a solo project playing piano in New York City bars and restaurants. Low Cut Connie evolved into a band and it released its first album in 2010. Its sound has been described as if it was invented in Alabama in the late-1950s. Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach, 858-481-8140, bellyup. com, 8 p.m., $25.

3 Friendsgiving Family Dinner

NOVEMBER 21

Culture + Cuisine and San Diego Melanin are coming together for a “friendsgiving” celebration. Tickets include the three-course, family-style dinner, dessert and wine. Vegetarian and pescatarian meals are available, but vegan options are not. Guests with allergies are advised to email the hosts prior to booking. This event is 18 and older. See website for full menu. Suckerfree Southern

Plate & Bar, 751 Fourth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter, sandiegomelanin.com, sandiegomelanin@gmail. com, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., $59.98-$102.42.

4 Collective Hearts

NOVEMBER 21

Collective Hearts is a fundraiser to help local victims and survivors of sex trafficking. This year, Collective Hearts has partnered with Hidden Treasures, an organization ready to open San Diego’s first recovery home for minor victims of sex trafficking. Wine and light appetizers will be served, women-owned businesses will open up for guests to shop, and prizes will be given out. All are welcome and all proceeds go toward local victims and survivors of sex trafficking. 960 Grand Ave, San Diego, 888-373-7888, eventbrite.com, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., $25.

5 Murder Mystery Dinner Theater

NOVEMBER 21

Put on your detective caps and grab your notepads to solve this murder mystery at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Guests at the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater are automatically part of the story and are allowed to dress in costume. Everyone enjoys a three-course dinner, while they try to investigate the other guests to solve the crime. The Old Spaghetti Factory, 275 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter, 888-643-2583, murdermysteryco.com, 7 to 10 p.m., $43.98.

6 Bad Bunny NOVEMBER 22 Born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Puerto Rican Reggaeton singer known as Bad Bunny hits San Diego as part of his tour for his latest album “Oasis,” which dropped earlier this year. Ocasio gained popularity on Soundcloud before inking a record deal. In 2016, he broke through, thanks to his single, “Diles.” Later, he had a number of hits and was featured on

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collabs with Cardi B and J Balvin for the No. 1 single “I Like It.” He is now nominated for Best Urban Music Album and Best Urban Fusion/Performance for the Latin Grammy Awards. Pechanga Arena San Diego, 3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway, 619-224-4171, pechangaarenasd.com, 8 p.m., $56.

7 Laugh Outside: Live Comedy

NOVEMBER 22

Quartyard hosts this live comedy event, with its eatery, dog run, full-service beer garden and coffeeshop. The evening features comedy from Matt Stanton, Brand Wenzel, Allison Gill and Nicki Fuchs. Dogs are asked to stay at home, and there will be free entrance with an RSVP before 7 p.m., afterward, it costs $6.15. Quartyard, 1301 Market Street, East Village, 619-432-5303, quartyardsd.com, 6 to 9 p.m., free-$6.15.

8 Doggie Street Festival

NOVEMBER 23

The Doggie Street Festival started after the 2008 and 2009 economic crises when hundreds of dogs and cats were abandoned in empty houses. Families lost jobs and were unable to keep their pets, causing an overflow in animal shelters. Festival operators hope to connect animals with their forever homes. Food, music, vet tips, pet products, kids’ art area, auction prizes, contests and speakers will be at the event. Liberty Station NTC Park, 2455 Cushing Road, doggiestreetfestival.org, doggiestreet@gmail.com, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., free admission.

9 R&B Block Party: Jive Turkey Jam

NOVEMBER 23

This event is considered one of the best R&B block parties in the San Diego area. They will be playing all the jams that don’t make enough appearances in the clubs anymore, from the ‘90s to the early 2000s, it will make you want to come out and boogie with all of the pals. Two DJs will be banging hit after hit throughout the evening. This event is a canned food drive event, guests are invited to RSVP and bring any canned food to donate in order to get free entry. Without a canned food item, it is a $5 entry fee and the event is

21 and up. Quartyard, 1301 Market Street, East Village, 858-292-2000, eventbrite.com, 5 to 10 p.m., free-$5.

10 San Diego Margarita Madness 5K Run

NOVEMBER 23

This race is a little less about running hard, but just making it to the finish line to get a margarita in hand. With an RSVP, participants receive a T-shirt, a bib, a medal at the finish line and a margarita. The jumpin’ afterparty features DJs and, of course, more margaritas. East Mission Bay Park, 2195 E. Mission Bay Drive, margaritamadness5krun.com, info@margaritamadness5krun. com, 2 to 8 p.m., $27.37.

11 Gratitude Food Fest

NOVEMBER 24

PlantDiego—an organization helping San Diego thrive on whole, plant-based foods— features cheese/veggie/fruit trays, holiday herbed tofu, mashed melange, cashew gravy, roasted delicata squash salad, pumpkin pie chia pudding with vanilla “nice” cream. Loma Riviera Community Club House, 3115 Loma Riviera Drive, plantdiego. com/, register at tinyurl.com/ gratitudefoodfest2019, 2 to 5 p.m., visit website for charge.

12 The Simplicity of Sushi

NOVEMBER 25

Join Cozymeal for its cooking class with Chef Rodney. This two-hour, three-course-meal culinary experience is focused on sushi. Students will learn how to make shrimp gyoza with sweet chili and ginger dipping sauce, an assortment of rolls including spicy tuna roll, smoked salmon roll, fried shrimp tempura roll and California roll, and wrapping it up with a Japanese banana rice pudding. 501 W. Broadway, Suite 800, Serra Mesa, cozymeal.com, 6 to 8 p.m., $115.

13 Salty Cinema VI: “Deep Sea”

At the end of each short film, there will be a panel of deepsea experts with a variety of perspectives to discuss the importance of understanding the ocean. There will be four featured films, doors open at 5:30 and the films begin at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., the panel will host its discussion and by 7:30 guests are welcome to free snacks, beer/cider and a social hour. Guests are asked to bring their own cup to reduce waste. Scripps Seaside Forum, 8610 Kennel Way, La Jolla, eventbrite.com, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., free admission.

14 Cut Snake, Yolanda Be Cool and Bondax NOVEMBER 27

This Thanksgiving Eve bring out all your house moves to celebrate with three EDM DJs at Spin Nightclub. The headliner, Cut Snake, has a house and disco-pop sound that will surely get anyone’s feet moving. After spending the first decade of their careers as professional surfers, Leigh Sedley and Paul Fisher came into dance music while touring the world for surf contest and discovered the underground scenes in each country. Each new beach town brought different rhythms and beats, helping him create their own sound. Spin Nightclub, 2028 Hancock Street, Old Town, 619-2949590, spinnightclub.com, 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., $14.90-$25.71.

15 DJ MUSTARD

NOVEMBER 27

Dijon McFarlane, or DJ Mustard, is a Los Angeles-based producer and DJ. He is known for producing the singles “Rack City” by Tyga; “I’m Different” by 2 Chainz; and his latest, “Pure Water” with Migos. Guests must arrive by 11:30 p.m. for guaranteed entry with a copy of the scannable ticket (on paper or on a mobile device) and an email confirmation along with the credit card used to purchase the ticket. Guests must be 21 or older and all ticket sales are nonrefundable. Parq Restaurant and Nightclub, 615 Broadway, Gaslamp Quarter, 619-7276789, parqsd.com, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., $17.28-$23.04.

NOVEMBER 26

Salty Cinema is a film event featuring short films that explore the mysteries of the deep sea. @SDCITYBEAT

EVENTS ART “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park. San Diego’s favorite holiday tradition, back for its 22nd year, is a production that jumps right off the pages of the classic Dr. Seuss book and onto the Old Globe’s stage. Various times to Sunday, December 29. Ticket prices start at $29 for adults and $19 for children (17 years and younger). Children under age 3 will be admitted to 11 a.m. performances only. (619) 23-GLOBE. theoldglobe.org. “Friends’ Lecture and Reception: Bouguereau & America” at The San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado. Widely embraced by American collectors of the 19th century, William-Adolphe Bouguereau was once anointed the standard-bearer of cultural achievement throughout Europe. But by the 20th century, he was scorned by modernist critics and relegated to a footnote in art history where he remained for over a century. Comprising nearly 40 masterful paintings, Bouguereau & America will bring together many of the artist’s most important works with a fresh look into how collecting Bouguereau’s work reflects the lifestyles of American collectors in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. 6 p.m. lecture Friday, November 22. $10 members, students; $15 seniors, military; $20 nonmembers. 619-2327931. sdmart.org. “Lowriders: The Art of Low and Slow” at the San Diego Auto Museum, 2080 Pan American Plaza. Elements of lowriders and the lowrider lifestyle have appealed to cultures worldwide. Universal traits such as the sense of community, the rebellion of the mainstream, the reverence of cars, artistic expression and family appeal to the deep needs of belonging, social connection and sense of identity. The

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exhibit runs through February 1. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $6-$12. sdautomuseum.org.

BOOKS “The Gates: An Evening of Stories with Adam Gopnik” at Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Drive. Bestselling author and New Yorker staff writer Adam Gopnik tells the story of raising two children in New York. This one-man show of stories from his 30 years as a husband, father and writer is based on material developed with public radio’s “The Moth” and most recently played for a sold-out run at NYC’s Public Theater. A book signing will follow. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 21. $33-$52. sdcjc.org.

COMEDY Improv at The Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. 6 p.m. Thursday, November 21. It’s always a new show because the Palace Players perform completely improvised hilarious sketches, inspired by our guest stand-up comic’s routine. $10. 858-5739067. thecomedypalace.com.

FOOD & DRINK Latin American Inspired Food Tour at Bazille, 4401 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla. 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, November 21. Enjoy a selection of the best wines paired with the chef’s selected dishes. Dishes include spicy shrimp, patatas bravas, dessert, pastries and a variety of wine. $50. 858-812-3582. bit. ly/33WPnnx. Country Line & Wine Dancing in the Barrel Room at La Fleur’s Winery, 215 S. Pacific Street, Suite 106, San Marcos. 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, November 21. Get ready for dancing and wine. Come early and grab a glass of wine or a cold sangria and get those footloose moves ready. There will be line-

dancing with plenty of time to rest and relax with a bottle of wine and some treats. Free. bit.ly/2pq8qr9. Dinner with Huneeus Family Wineries Featuring Quintessa at West End Bar & Kitchen, 2334 Carmel Valley Road, Del Mar. 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, November 21. This winery reflects a diversity of geology, biodiversity and microclimates. It is inspired by the land’s natural grandeur and the Huneeus dedicated themselves to capturing its harmony. $75. 858-259-5878. westenddelmar. com. Forgotten Barrel Five-Course Winemaker Harvest Dinner at Forgotten Barrel Winery, 1120 W. 15th Avenue, Escondido. 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, November 22. This event will feature locally crafted wines and harvestinspired cuisine, which pair nicely. Guests will be trying six different wines from Forgotten Barrel, including a brand-new rendition of PapaDude. Winemaker John Eppler and owner Rodger Grove will attend the event to discuss wine. $110. 619-823-3541. winepairsevents. com. Wine Vault & Bistro: 10-course Thanksgiving Menu at Wine Vault & Bistro, 3731-A India Street, Mission Hills. 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, November 22. Celebrate the holidays with this 10-course menu paired with “under-the-radar” wines. $67.50 plus tax and 18% gratuity. 619295-3939. winevaultbistro.com. Craft Beer Festival at Grandstand West End, 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar. 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, November 23. Taste more than 100 brews while enjoying a day at the races. Taste hard-to-find craft beers as well as ales and ciders. Gourmet food will be available. $27. dmtc.com.

Grgich Hills Estate Wine Tasting at Pavilions, 3850 Valley Centre Drive, Piazza Carmel. 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, November 23. Taste the legacy of the legends. Mike Grgich was sought for his cabernet sauvignon and he was recruited by Chateau Montelena. Free admission. 707-2005608. bit.ly/2Oku8VV. Five-Course Wine Dinner at Keg N Bottle, 1030 Torrey Pines Road, Suite 4425, La Jolla. 6 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, November 24. Join Chef Erin Sealy and taste her dishes with acclaimed wines. The event will feature three new wines. Daniel Brunner will join guests to chat about the wines. $85. 619-823-3541. winepairsevents.com.

FUN “Natale: Journey to the North Pole” at Liberty Station’s South Promenade, 2850 Roosevelt Road. A circus-style big tent show in a Christmas-themed Holiday Village. Created by Spain’s vaulted La Fiesta Escenica and making its U.S. debut, “Natale” features a nostalgic holiday experience with top acrobatic performers and dancing animatronic polar bears and an array of surprises. Various times to Friday, December 6. $15-$99. 619-2035610. lafiestashows.com/natale.

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NOVEMBER 20, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7

CULTURE | FILM

An Ideological Crisis

‘Synonyms’ is a wild, radical portrait of nationalism gone wrong By Glenn Heath Jr.

vember 22, in wide release. “Gift:” An intimate exploration of real-life gift economies, this documentary reflects on the creative process, the reasons we labor in service of our gifts, and a celebration of the imagination. Opens Friday, November 22, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

oav (Tom Mercier) arrives in Paris seemingly out of thin air, like some nomadic ghost searching for a place to haunt. In the phantasmal opening sequence of “Synonyms,” he breaks into an abandoned apartment, strips naked and takes a cold shower. Upon exiting the bathroom, his clothes have mysteriously vanished. The young Israeli nearly freezes that night, but is luckily resuscitated by curious French socialites Emile (Quentin Dolmaire) and Caroline (Louise Chevilotte). But Yaov’s brush with death intensifies what is later revealed to be a complete disavowal of the Jewish culture and his national identity.

8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 20, 2019

Yoav rebels against conformity in “Synonyms.” (Photo by Kino Lorber)

Director Nadav Lapid slowly and enigmatically peels back the layers to this ongoing ideological crisis. This results in a scattershot pace that speeds up and slows down depending on the main character’s whims, which makes “Synonyms” surely one of the strangest and most intoxicating films of recent memory. Yaov’s dissatisfaction with Israel expands beyond the country’s social dilemmas, human rights abuses, and military policies. He decides to disavow Hebrew, his native tongue, for French in what becomes a linguistic act of defiance. “Synonyms” (opening Friday, November 22, at the Ken Cinema) frames Yaov’s shifting identity around multiple genre constructs, including riveting musical interludes, blasts of slapstick comedy, and war film iconography. This is a film that is bursting from the seams with possibility, even if the main character doesn’t always feel the same way. Lapid is the rare art film director that manages to convey a certain mood without relying on singular cinematic aesthetics. Instead, he’s more focused on the actors themselves, and how physicality and prose help

shield the emotional traumas underneath. By the end of “Synonyms,” Yaov’s future seems no less certain than it did in the opening moments, but his pain has definitively been traced back to specific and undeniable origins at both a nationalist and familial level. In short, he’s a tragic personification of nationalism gone wrong, stateless with nowhere to scream.

Opening

“21 Bridges:” Chadwick Boseman plays an embattled detective who confronts corruption during an intense manhunt for two cop killers that threatens to shut down New York City. Opens Friday, November 22, in wide release. “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood:” In this biopic about TV icon Fred Rogers (played by Tom Hanks), director Marielle Heller looks at how a specific friendship comes to define an entire life perspective. Opens Friday, November 22, in wide release. “Frozen II:” Royal sisters Anna (Kristin Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) travel to an ancient land searching for answers to their family legacy in this sequel to the mega-hit animation from 2013. Opens Friday, No-

“Honey Boy:” Shia LaBeouf wrote and stars in this indie drama about a young actor who struggles to overcome his tormented childhood and alcoholic father. Opens Friday, November 22, at Angelika Carmel Mountain Cinemas and Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas. “Synonyms:” A disaffected young Israeli man arrives in Paris ready to forget his Jewish heritage and embrace French culture in this strange comedy by Nadav Lapid. Opens Friday, November 22, at the Landmark Ken Cinema.

One-Time Only

“Blinded by the Light:” A Pakistani British teen embraces the music of legend Bruce Springsteen to reconcile the experiences of being a minority in Thatcher’s England during the 1980s. Screens at 8 p.m. Friday, November 22, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills. “In Between:” Three Palestinian women living in Tel Aviv try to balance traditions with modern culture. Screens at 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 26, at the San Diego Oasis Lifelong Learning Center in La Mesa. “Planes, Trains, & Automobiles:” Steve Martin and John Candy play complete strangers who are forced to travel cross-country together after an extreme weather event shuts down multiple modes of transportation. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, November 27, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma. @SDCITYBEAT

CULTURE | FILM

Making an Impact

San Diego filmmaker Jonny Santana wants to save troubled youth By Christina FuocoKarasinski

hen Jonny Santana heard about the Parkland shooting, he was overwhelmed with emotion. His politically minded friends who, like him, had just graduated from Otay Ranch High School, were joining rallies and pushing for the government to do something about gun control. Santana took a different route. He made a film. “I’m a filmmaker,” Santana says. “I thought, ‘What could I do to help the issue?’ I started looking for stories and I came across this TedxBoulder Talk, ‘I Was Almost a School Shooter’ by Aaron Stark.” Stark’s story—viewed more than 9.6 million times—is troubling. Overweight and cutting, Stark was bullied by his drug-addicted parents and his classmates at the various

schools he attended to escape the darkness. At age 16, he called social services to get help, but his mother made officials believe he made up the stories. She told him next time he should do a better job and volunteered to buy him razor blades. “He was a kid bullied by his parents and told him to kill himself,” Santana says. “He was overweight and grew up with a world full of hate. His parents raised a monster. He wasn’t thinking properly.” That is until a friend asked him if he wanted to join him for a meal and movie. That eased Stark’s rage and need to act out. Stark is now a married father of four. Stark, who has two other feature films under his belt, watched the TedxBoulder Talk at work and cried. “I was like, ‘This is intense,’” Santana recalls. “I did more research and realized what a real brotherhood was.

Aaron Stark, left, and Jonny Santana during a meeting in New York. (Photo courtesy Jonny Santana)

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Jonny Santana prepares a scene where the lead actor Jonathan Michel accepts a bribe from Beto Ochoa at a winter dance. (Photo courtesy Jonny Santana)

With Aaron Stark and his advisement, I made the film.” With the help of 150 San Diego artists, actors and businesses, the 21-year-old Santana created “Just Another Tuesday,” a film loosely based on Stark. The film will debut for free to the public on Friday, November 22, at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park. There are two screenings of the film—6:10 p.m. and 8:10 p.m. and both feature Q&As with Stark and Santana. The film, Santana says, is endorsed by national suicide and gun violence organizations like Brady Buzz, March for Our Lives and Moms Demand. “I spent all of my money on it--$30,000,” Santana says. “I worked for a start-up movie studio. I’d work 9 to 7 for them, go home and work on the film until 2 a.m. On Friday nights, I drove to San Diego, and then Monday I drove back to L.A. I did that for eight months. “It was an intense process.” Santana has been making movies for more than a decade,

inspired at age 4 after he saw his first film. In elementary school, he began creating short films and quickly learned how to write and format a screenplay. At 17 years old, Santana premiered his first film, “Fruit Juice,” and followed that with “The Empty Iris.” His goals are to inspire and change humanity for the better; to help support the San Diego film industry; to fund a nonprofit that teaches youth about goal setting; and live his life “at peace, knowing I did my best and worked my hardest in every area that I could.” For “Just Another Tuesday,” he hopes it’ll find viral success like “Kony 2012,” a 2012 American short documentary film produced by Invisible Children Inc. The film’s purpose was to promote the charity’s “Stop Kony” movement to make Ugandan cult and militia leader, indicted war criminal and the fugitive Joseph Kony globally known to have him arrested by the end of 2012. As of November 17, it

has had more than 102 million views. “I want to partner with nonprofits and have celebrity endorsements,” Santana says, “I want to generate some buzz with the premiere. Next year, we’re going to drop it online and hope for a massive viewership count. “Aaron Stark’s speech prevented three mass shootings. He has a Facebook group called You Are Not Alone and it has 2,000 members. He received three messages over the past year on that Facebook group where people told him they were inspired to turn their lives around. We hope to help that movement.”

“Just Another Tuesday” Premiere

6:10 p.m. and 8:10 p.m. Friday, November 22 Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park Free; info at evite.com

NOVEMBER 20, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9

COVER STORY

The School of Rock

Comedian Jim Breuer eschews politics for heavy metal By Christina FuocoKarasinski

omedian Jim Breuer is just an average guy. He loves baseball and heavy metal. He takes care of his family and he feels all of this makes him extremely relatable. “I come from a blue-collar family,” Breuer says. “I’m a dothe-right-thing type of guy.” That’s how he describes his show, which comes to The Observatory North Park at 8 p.m. Wednesday, November 27. “I have my set material, but it often goes off the rails,” Breuer says with a frequent laugh. “I go everywhere from my father passing away to teenagers to how I see the afterlife to colonoscopies. “I go anywhere and everywhere. I do everything I can, though, to stay away from politics.” Instead he’s fixated on baseball—especially the New York Mets—and music. Since 2015, his baseball video recaps have made their way to the MLB Network and ESPN “Sportscenter.” A die-hard metalhead, Breuer made his music debut, “Songs from the Garage” in 2016. Produced by Rob Caggiano (Anthrax, Volbeat), the album features tracks such as “Raising Teenage Girls,” the throwback anthem “Old School” and “Mr.

Rock ‘n’ Roll” with Brian Johnson of AC/ DC. Breuer is a frequent guest on SiriusXM’s “The Howard Stern Show.” He hosts a podcast called “The Jim Breuer Podcast,” which is available on iTunes and jimbreuer. com. Breuer has appeared with Kevin James on “Kevin Can Wait” on CBS as well as popular films “Zookeeper,” “Dick,” “Titan A.E.” and “Beer League;” hosting MTV’s popular “Beach House” and VH1’s Comedian Jim Breuer says music was his “college.” (Photo by Phil Provencio) “Web Junk 20;” and being featured on a collection of late-night TV shows. he could get into rock clubs “It was neck and neck “I’ve never had a better younger. with the lead singer of a hard time than now,” Breuer says. “In 1985, I couldn’t really rock/heavy metal band and a “Everything I’ve done is get into comedy clubs,” he comedian,” he says. really driven by passion and says. “The rock club would “In high school, I would inspiration. I tell my fans let the kids in on Tuesdays. I draw the stage and I would I want to leave them with would emcee and imitate Ozzy be opening for myself. I loved something. I do meet and and AC/DC. That is the world Eddie Murphy. I wanted to be greets and people say, ‘I really I’m most comfortable around. as big as Eddie Murphy, but needed this’ or ‘We’re going I’m not good with Hollywood. have a band that was huge. through a lot. This meant a lot. I thought that would be the I’m extremely comfortable This is inspiring.’ around the rock environment.” coolest concert ever, where “That stuff is more powerful someone could pull off a soldThese days, his musical for me than, ‘You are really tastes are the same. His out arena stand-up show and funny,’ although that’s “merlot,” depending on his then a concert—the same important, too.” mood, is Metallica, Judas fricking person.” Breuer always knew he Priest and “old Van Halen.” The comedy came quicker wanted to be an entertainer. Earlier in the day, though, and easier for Breuer, but

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he was cranking some Frank Sinatra. “The last big rock band that I really invested my emotions into was System of a Down,” he says. “I love AC/ DC. They’re mindless and fun. I like Metallica for the aggression and the lyrics. I really relate to so many songs in so many different ways. System of a Down, for me, was really along my thought process. I loved what they were talking about.” Breuer believes it comes from his nerdiness as a child. In high school, he ticked off his English teacher Mr. Turner, because he said he knew about George Orwell’s book “1984” from Judas Priest’s “Electric Eye.” “I know that sounds silly, but that stuff really made me think,” Breuer says. “Iron Maiden’s ‘Run to the Hills’ made a lot of sense. It made me think about what they were saying. Music has always been my teaching—my encyclopedia, my college.”

Jim Breuer

8 p.m. Wednesday, November 27 The Observatory North Park, 2891 University Avenue, North Park $20-$135 observatorysd.com

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MUSIC

Where They Belong Simple Plan, We the Kings and State Champs celebrate friendship on tour By Christina FuocoKarasinski

imple Plan drummer Chuck Comeau says his band’s latest tour with friends State Champs and We the Kings is relatively easy—or shall we say “simple.” The Montreal-born musician says the jaunt is a full-on celebration of friendship and fun. “We toured with We the Kings in Australia and it was awesome,” Comeau says in his thick French-Canadian accent. The band is from Montreal. “State Champs, we met on the Warped Tour, but we crossed paths before. It’s been a blast, but we’re looking forward to coming to San Diego. We’ve been stuck in the Polar Vortex the last week. It’s been freezing.” The three bands, along with Northbound, play Soma on Saturday, November 23, in what Comeau dubbed a “mini Warped Tour festival.” “The fans can expect four really great performances from all the bands,” he says. “Every band is fun and all about getting people to sing and

scream and jump and we give all we can onstage. We want to make sure everyone who comes through the door has a great time and leaves with a special memory.” One of those memories will be a set-closing performance of the song State Champs, Simple Plan and We the Kings recorded together, “Where I Belong.” “We perform it, all of us, together, at the end of the night,” he says. “It’s an unusual and exciting thing for us to do. The reaction has been insane. It’s cool and it’s a good vibe.” The song came about organically, Comeau says. They weren’t sure what to write about initially, but they came together to pen a song about their common denominator: music. “The one thing we all had in common for us and for our fans is music,” Comeau says. “Music has become a safe place, a place to be ourselves and where we fans can be themselves. For us, the shows have been that. It’s been a safe haven. A place where we all belong.” Derek DiScanio from State Champs sang with Pierre Bouvier from Simple Plan. The

Simple Plan, above, recorded a song, “Where I Belong,” with tourmates State Champs and We the Kings. (Photo by Chady Awad)

two bands thought they should include Travis Clark from We the Kings just to round out the bill. “It was a little less chaotic than 15 people in the same room trying to write a song,” he says with a laugh. “In terms of the spirit, it’s a real throwback to our early sound and it’s in all the bands’ authentic and genuine musical

direction. “I feel like with the song, we were able to capture what the

Simple Plan w/State Champs, We the Kings and Northbound 5:30 p.m. Saturday, November 23

three bands were about. It’s a high-energy song with honest lyrics.” Soma, 3350 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway Tickets are $33.50 in advance somasandiego.com

No More ‘Problems’

The Get Up Kids show maturity on its new album By Haley Lorenzen

ore than 20 years ago, The Get Up Kids released “Something to Write Home About,” which would become one of the defining albums of 1990s emo. Now, the Kansas City act is still capturing that heartfelt, introspective sound on its latest record, “Problems.” “Lyrically, we went with a concept of being able to write about themes that are @SDCITYBEAT

on ‘Something to Write Home About,’ which is a lot of loss and relationships and breakups,” says singer/guitarist Matt Pryor. “But it’s from the perspective of someone who is 20 years more experienced than the kids who wrote that one.” Fans can hear those songs on Saturday, November 23, when The Get Up Kids perform a soldout show at Soda Bar. The Get Up Kids formed in 1995, as a group of teenagers— Pryor, guitarist/vocalist Jim

Suptic, bassist Rob Pope and drummer Ryan Pope. Throughout the band’s 24year career, it has released six studio albums, as well as an array of EPs and singles. However, “Problems,” its first full-length album in eight years, ventures into old and new musical territory. “The difference between being in your twenties and being in your forties is pretty huge emotionally speaking,” Pryor says.

In between day jobs, marriages and kids, the band spent three weeks in Bridgeport, Connecticut, working on the album. “Honestly, it was the most fun any of us have had making a record,” Pryor says. “I mean we didn’t really argue at all, we had kind of a singular, almost like a hive mind, about what we were doing, and you know, everything was pretty laid back.” The album was produced by Grammy Award-winning

producer Peter Katis, who previously engineered band’s 2002 release “On a Wire.” “Ever since making ‘On a Wire,’ we really got along with Peter, we’d really like to do a record that he’s more than just the engineer on,” Pryor says. “Something to Write Home About,” along with the band’s first album “Four Minute Mile,” are considered to be staples of the second wave of emo, a label See

KIDS on page 12

NOVEMBER 20, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11

MUSIC

KIDS

from page 11

which many bands are quick to reject. Pryor has come to accept it. “See, the thing about it is the term seems to mean something different to every single person,” Pryor explains. “Like, to some people it seems to be like, I don’t know, Sunny Day Real Estate, and for some people, it seems to be Fall Out Boy or My Chem. I don’t really know how to define the genre. I don’t know if we fit into it or not. “It wasn’t a name that we chose, but we’ve come to accept it for what it is. But really, we try to be the best we can be.” The release of their third album, “On a Wire,” showed a more mature sound for the band, one that fans weren’t too keen about. Two years later, The Get Up Kids broke up.

In between this breakup and the release of “Problems,” the musicians worked together sporadically, while focusing on their solo careers and personal lives. Now, The Get Up Kids are focusing on touring, having returned from a tour in Japan, Australia, Malaysia and Hawaii a few weeks ago. “It’s a pretty highenergy show, a lot of rock songs, including a handful of songs off the new record, like five or six songs off it,” Pryor says. “We’re playing a lot off of ‘Something to Write Home About’ this year because of the (20-year) anniversary. “It’s a really fun show, and everyone gets to sing along, and everyone gets to leave with a smile on their face.”

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The Get Up Kids will tour next year with Dashboard Confessional. (Photo by Shawn Brackbill)

The Get Up Kids w/Kevin Devine and The Whiffs

8 p.m. Saturday, November 23 Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego Sold out 619-255-7224, sodabarmusic.com

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MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Meager (Soda Bar, 11/25), The Black Market Brigade (Soda Bar, 12/3), The Bronx (Casbah, 12/7), Electric Mud (Casbah, 12/10), The Fall of Troy (Brick by Brick, 12/15), Body Salt (Casbah, 12/17), Thursday (Brick by Brick, 12/18), Berkley Hart (Music Box, 12/19), Glass Spells (Casbah, 12/23), Nite Lapse (Soda Bar, 12/23), The Major Minus (Soda Bar, 12/27), Ten Bulls (Casbah, 12/30), KT Tunstall (Music Box, 1/9), MOANS (Soda Bar, 1/10), Tool (Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl, 1/10), Mrs. Henry (Casbah, 1/11), Red Handed Denial (Brick by Brick, 1/11), Portrayal of Guilt (SPACE, 1/11), Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe (BUT, 1/17), Los Dug Dug’s (Soda Bar, 1/25), Horrorpops (Brick by Brick, 1/31), Wolf Parade (BUT, 1/31), Howard Jones Acoustic Trio (BUT, 2/4), GARZA (Music Box, 2/8), Sitting on Stacy (SOMA, 2/14), Alexandra Savior (Soda Bar, 2/16), Habibi (Soda Bar, 2/25), Twiddle (BUT, 3/5), Umphrey’s McGee (Observatory, 3/12), Rebel Souljahz (Music Box, 3/14), Delta Spirit (BUT, 3/14), Nicole Bus (HOB, 3/16), Tennis (BUT, 4/3), Fleshgod Apocalypse (Observatory, 4/4), Ratboys (Ché Café Collective, 4/5), Lauren Daigle (Pechanga, 4/22), Camila Cabello (Pechanga, 8/12), Harry Styles (Pechanga, 8/30).

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ALL SOLD OUT

Adam Carolla (BUT, 12/1), Kim Petras (Observatory, 12/8), Thievery Corporation (BUT, 12/12), Bayside (Casbah, 12/12), Silversun Pickups (Observatory, 12/17), Chris Isaak (BUT, 12/17), Stick Figure (BUT, 12/27-28), Trey Anastasio Band (Observatory, 1/16), Michael Kiwanuka (Observatory, 1/22), Marcus King Band (BUT, 1/27), King Princess (Observatory, 1/28), Sinead O’Connor (BUT, 2/11), Dashboard Confessional (Observatory, 2/11-12).

CANCELED

Dick Dale’s Misirlou (BUT, 12/19), KT Tunstall (Music Box, 1/9), Christian Death (Soda Bar, 11/6), Jacky Vincent (Brick by Brick, 11/12), Goblin (Brick by Brick, 11/14).

GET YER TICKETS

Aly & AJ (BUT, 12/8), El Vez (Casbah, 12/22), Joyce Manor (Music Box, 1/10), Tool (Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl, 1/10), Blake Shelton (Pechanga, 3/7), Marc E. Bassy (Music Box, 3/17), Best Coast (Observatory, 4/1), James Arthur (Observatory, 5/19), Camila Cabello (Pechanga, 8/12), Harry Styles (Pechanga, 8/30). Wednesday, November 20 Mason Ramsey at House Of Blues. Meg Myers at Music Box. Ghostland Observatory at Belly Up Tavern. The World/ Inferno Friendship Society at The Casbah.

Thursday, November 21 Tyrone Wells at Music Box. Big Freedia at Belly Up Tavern. Charlotte Lawrence at House of Blues. Enterprise Earth at Brick by Brick. Our Girl at Soda Bar. Deep Sea Thunderbeast at The Casbah. Friday, November 22 Cherry Poppin’ Daddies at Belly Up Tavern. Cautious Clay at House Of Blues. Vetiver at Soda Bar. Whitey Morgan at Observatory North Park. Bad Bunny at Pechanga. Wonderfront Festival at Waterfront Park. The Expendables at Music Box. Emo Nite at The Casbah. Saturday, November 23 Hirie at Observatory North Park. Pinback at Belly Up Tavern. Shred for Dime Tribute at Brick by Brick. The Get Up Kids at Soda Bar. Wonderfront Festival at Waterfront Park. Simple Plan at SOMA. Spendtime Palace at Ché Café Collective. Johnny Distortion at Music Box.

Tuesday, November 26 The Dead South at House of Blues. Eddie Spaghetti at The Casbah. Widowmade at Soda Bar. Wednesday, November 27 Nile at Brick By Brick. Yachtley Crew at Music Box. Jim Breuer at Observatory North Park. Fortunate Youth at Belly Up Tavern. Cryptic Wisdom at Soda Bar. Booty Bassment at The Casbah. Friday, November 29 Buku at Music Box. Morbid Angel at Brick by Brick. The Maine at Observatory North Park. The Greyboy Allstars. The Rosalyns at The Casbah. The Bandulus at Soda Bar.

Sunday, November 24 The Chainsmokers at Viejas Arena. Crocodiles at The Casbah. Turnover at Observatory North Park. Wild at Soda Bar. Kottonmouth Kings at Brick by Brick. Wonderfront Festival at Waterfront Park. John Craigie at Belly Up Tavern. Monday, November 25 Emily Afton at Belly Up Tavern. Meager at Soda Bar.

NOVEMBER 20, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 13

IN THE BACK

CANNABITCH

Consumer Beware

Chemical analysis lab offers its services to the public By Jackie Bryant

ne of the greatest challenges in the

emerging legal cannabis industry is the issue of regulation and quality control. In an ideal world, products would be able to be taken at face value—everything on the packaging would reflect what is actually on the product. However, when dealing with agricultural products, especially those that have been previously illegal to cultivate, produce and sell, starting a new legal industry

with already-existing supply chains and attempting to regulate it Locally, retailers are taking matters into their own hands, hiring independent testing firms to verify the claims made by the companies that are producing the products they are selling. They are also taking responsibility for the market at large. In particular, Sorrento Valley dispensary Torrey Holistics recently hired San Diego-based Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs (InfiniteCAL) to test CBD products found in local strip malls, grocery stores,

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and through online retailers like Amaze. The CBD industry, in particular, is especially besieged at the moment because the compound has become a trendy additive, in addition to being technically federally legal to buy and sell, unlike products containing other cannabinoids, like THC. However, unlike other ingestibles that are regulated by agencies like the FDA, for example, CBD has no regulatory oversight. There is no formal quality control. Basically, this means that anyone can add anything to

any product, slap a label on it and—voila!—an aboveboard CBD product is born. And the consumer? They are likely none the wiser. There are also issues with potency. Legally, hemp-derived CBD products can contain no more than 0.3% THC, ensuring the product stays nonpsychoactive. There are plenty of highquality, honest CBD product makers out there, many of whom are rightfully nervous that some bad apples will spoil the whole bunch. It only takes a few serious incidents, akin to what is happening

with the current vaping and lung disease crisis occurring in the United States, for an entire industry to come to a screeching halt. “Not only is compliance testing required by California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control for all legal cannabis products sold in the state--it’s essential for consumer well-being. Whether it be for medicinal or recreational purposes, products purchased legally should not be making people sick,” says Josh Swider, CEO See

BEWARE on page 15

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BEWARE

from page 14

and cofounder of Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs. “Hemp growers are required to have their fields tested for potency prior to harvest to ensure total THC does not exceed 0.3%, but it’s the manufacturer who decides whether or not to have any safety testing done on their products.” The results of the InfiniteCAL report on 12 randomly selected products conducted for Torrey Holistics are sobering, to say the least. “We discovered that many of the CBD products purchased had huge variances in the claimed CBD potency,” Swider explains. “A 10% discrepancy is typically acceptable in the cannabis industry, but 67% of the samples we tested exceeded this [threshhold]. Even more alarming, three out of the

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12 had no CBD at all. Some products tested that claimed to be hemp-derived CBD actually contained THC levels greater than 0.3%, making them illegal on the federal level. Consumers wanting to avoid the psychoactive cannabinoid may experience unwanted effects from these products.” The results from the safety testing were also alarming, he says. About 25% of the products tested failed for pesticides, despite claims that they were “chemical-free” and “well-tested.” “The levels of pesticides found in these products were enough to make consumers ill, especially those that already have a weakened immune system and [who are] maybe using CBD to treat their ailments,” Swider says. “Surprisingly, all 12 passed our heavy metal analysis, which screened for cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic.”

It’s not hard to see why Torrey Holistics, which is one of the most well-respected dispensaries in San Diego (I regularly spend money there, myself), wanted this study done. There’s a businessboosting imperative to showing customers why they benefit from buying products they can legally and easily get elsewhere from a dispensary, instead. In my opinion, it goes beyond simple numbers, too.

It also benefits the legitimacy of the industry, which in turn only helps consumers and offers the industry a way forward in the future. “When purchasing CBD products from anywhere other than a licensed dispensary, customers should always ask to see a certificate of analysis (COA) from an accredited thirdparty laboratory such as InfiniteCAL,” Swider advises

would-be customers. “If there is—and there should be—a batch number listed on the COA, double-check that it matches the batch number on the product itself. Make sure the CBD and THC results match what is labeled on the bottle and that the batch has undergone safety testing. If you still have doubts, individuals are welcome to send products to us for testing.”

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