San Diego CityBeat • Jan 10, 2018

2 · San Diego CityBeat · January 10, 2018

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january 10, 2018 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR

Hemp for America (and the print media industry as well)

L

ongtime CityBeat readers have likely noticed we’ve changed our looks lately. Gone are the glossy covers and the staples that once held the paper together, replaced with an all-newsprint, staple-free format. And while the literal newspaper stock is higher quality and affords us the opportunity to have color photographs on every page, it hasn’t stopped a few acquaintances from reaching out to inquire if everything is OK at the paper.

The truth is that while the glossy covers were likely aesthetically pleasing to most readers, I personally supported the idea to go back to an all-newsprint format. After all, we’re not a glossy magazine. I’ve worked at several local glossies and when it came to CityBeat, I’ve always been proud of the fact that we were an altweekly first and foremost. That is, while a glossy cover looks nice, it’s rather superfluous when it comes to the content inside.

Oh, but yes, it will also save us money.

Working in print media is a treacherous craft these days.

And while I’m supremely devoted to this paper and to the industry as a whole, I’m also realistic about things. I’m writing this letter while visiting my mom in Costa Rica. It’s a family reunion of sorts, with my aunt, uncle and three cousins visiting as well. One of those cousins, Sophie, is a journalism major at the University of Montana, and it’s taken a lot of personal energy on my part not to try to convince her to change her major. She’s amazingly intelligent, and I have no doubt that she’d make a great journalist. It’s just that, much like her father, I worry about her job prospects coming out of college.

And it was with my family here that we all learned that Attorney General Jeff Sessions was rescinding the Cole memo, a move that signals a new era of federal crackdowns on the marijuana industry. The timing is by no means coincidental, happening only a few days after cannabis became officially legal in California. However, California is in a much better position than states such as Colorado and Washington. With the largest agricultural economy in the U.S. and the fifth largest overall economy in the entire world, our state is primed to fight the Attorney General. More importantly, as the industry grows, so will their lobbying power in Washington. Trump is already on record as saying legalization should be a state decision

(not that this means much), and one publication has already speculated that Sessions’ overreach could increase the odds that Congress could move to legalize marijuana in all of the U.S. And to circle back around, I’m also confident that in addition to the hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs created by the marijuana economy, legalization will also serve to save or help a lot of struggling industries including, but not limited to textiles, plant-based biodiesels and, yes, print-based media.

See, there’s a provision in Proposition 64 that allows for the cultivation of industrial hemp (essentially the THC-free version of cannabis sativa) and with the entire West Coast now decriminalized, there’s no reason to think we won’t soon be seeing the rather miraculous plant used to make clothes, oils, cosmetSHUTTERSTOCK ics and, yes, paper. In the ‘30s, before the U.S. banned it, hemp was considered a huge cash crop and farmers were highly encouraged to grow it to help the war effort. They even made a short government propaganda film titled Hemp for Victory. It wasn’t until the late ‘60s that it was designated a Schedule 1 controlled substance (thanks, Hemp farm Nixon!). And because it’s illegal to import and cultivate hemp seeds, we’re currently the only industrialized nation that doesn’t allow industrial hemp farming.

To be thorough, industrial hemp farming has been legal in California since 2014, but Prop. 64 offers new hope to the industry in that it eliminated a provision that growers get a federal DEA license, a long, expensive and tedious process. Already, news stories are sprouting up (pun intended) of California farmers excited for their first hemp harvest. And while I don’t personally consume marijuana, I have and will always support legalization of cannabis for the very reason that it will be great for the economy and serve to help the industry I work in.

CityBeat may never go back to glossy covers, but it’s simple economics: If one day California has a thriving hemp industry, then printing costs will go down.

If costs go down, then my industry can continue and there’s one more place that aspiring journalists like my cousin can land after college one day.

—Seth Combs

Write to seth.combs@sdcitybeat.com

This issue of CityBeat doesn’t remember anything after “what so proudly we hail’d” either.

Volume 16 • Issue 21 EDITOR Seth Combs MUSIC EDITOR Jeff Terich WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Ramos ASSOCIATE EDITOR Torrey Bailey COLUMNISTS Aaryn Belfer Edwin Decker Minda Honey John R. Lamb Alex Zaragoza

CONTRIBUTORS Christin Bailey, David L. Coddon, Beth Demmon, Andrew Dyer, Rachel Michelle Fernandes, Tiffany Fox, Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Lizz Huerta, Lara McCaffrey, Scott McDonald, Kinsee Morlan, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Jen Van Tieghem, Amy Wallen, Ian Ward

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PRODUCTION MANAGER Tristan Whitehouse

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4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

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UP FRONT | LETTERS

2018 DISAPPOINTMENTS...

RECONSIDERED? Hi Seth, I read your sad piece predicting bad outcomes for progressives in the 2018 elections [“Preparing myself for 2018 disappointments,” Jan. 3]. As a rare fellow traveler who also predicted Trump would win in 2016, I highly respect your instincts.

But I did want to mention that there are only three Democrats now contending for the right to challenge Duncan Hunter, not five.

Jensen dropped months ago. Pete Beauregard dropped out in December, and he endorsed Ammar Campa-Najjar. That leaves only Ammar, Patrick Malloy and Josh Butner. Butner has raised money but has been MIA for much of the season and is reportedly still working fulltime at his business and serving on the Jamul School Board. Meanwhile, Campa-Najjar has been endorsed by Indivisible CA50, Justice Democrats, Democrats for Equality, California College Dems, Democratic Women’s Club… you get the picture. Rumor has it he may even take the California Democratic Party endorsement from Butner at its pre-endorsement conference at the end of the month. Pretty big upset for a 28-year-old Latino Arab.

Of course, that success doesn’t lessen the challenge of running against the Hunter dynasty. But if Dirty Duncan isn’t indicted by the March 9 filing deadline, the GOP may not put a safe Republican heavyweight on the ballot for the primary. A surge of enthusiasm for Ammar and a depressed Republican vote could make it interesting.

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UP FRONT From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Sordid Tales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 At The Intersection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

FOOD & DRINK World Fare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 The Beerdist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

THINGS TO DO The Short List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-14

ARTS & CULTURE BOOKS: The Floating Library . . . . . . . . . . 13 FEATURE: Wick Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Seen Local. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19

MUSIC So with low expectations, I hope you can keep an ember of hope alive. The progressive grassroots is awake and fighting, even in places like red-red Ramona. Blue district activists will be boots on the ground in both 49 and 50, and with national groups and PACs gunning for CA’s GOP seats, 2018 will be unlike other midterm elections. And Hunter is already setting the table for an unfair indict-

ment by a “biased” FBI. Let me know if you or Torrey are interested in following the action in CA50 this year.

Enviro Dems will endorse on Saturday and Indivisible hosts a rally for Campa-Najjar in San Marcos.

Pam Hughes

Point Loma

San Diego County Indivisible

FEATURE: Quali. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Notes from the Smoking Patio . . . . . . . . . 22 The Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 If I Were U. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Concerts & Clubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-26

LAST WORDS Astrologically Unsound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 COVER PHOTO BY TORREY BAILEY

JANUARY 10, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5

MICHAEL MCCONNELL

UP FRONT | OPINION

Mayor Faulconer failed San Diego’s homeless in 2017 On the eve of the mayor’s State of the City address, we wonder if 2018 will be any different

By Michael McConnell 2017: The Year of Broken Promises At the beginning of 2017, Mayor Kevin Faulconer declared homelessness his “number one social service priority” at the annual State of the City address. A year later, however, the homeless situation is worse than ever.

Twenty people—most of them homeless—have died, and hundreds more have been hospitalized from San Diego’s hepatitis A outbreak, which spread mostly due to unsanitary conditions perpetuated by failed city policies. In a strategy that echoes the failed strategy of the winter tents that closed two years ago, three industrial-sized tents were erected for temporarily sheltering a fraction of the homeless population at a cost of $6.5 million. What’s more, the results from the 2017 annual Point-in-Time Count shows the number of homeless people in the city of San Diego has increased almost 10 percent, giving San Diego the shameful distinction of the fourth largest homeless population in the U.S., with 9,116 countywide.

On the eve of the mayor’s 2018 State of the City address, it’s hard to reconcile this troubling reality compared to the lofty promises the mayor made at the beginning of 2017, which included reducing the number of homeless living on the street and moving them into permanent supportive housing.

So how did we get here? Let’s examine how his misguided actions and inactions led us to this state.

Criminalization of the Homeless In an effort to balance the concerns of residents and businesses in San Diego, while also appearing empathetic to the homeless, the mayor made a point of saying that “being homeless is not a crime, but drug use, theft and other quality of life crimes cannot—and will not—be tolerated.” The problem with that logic is that “quality of life” crimes include everything from sleeping on the sidewalk to public urination—often unavoidable and lifesustaining behaviors for homeless people.

Despite this discrepancy in avoidable and unavoidable “crimes,” the mayor’s policies in 2017 favored criminalizing the homeless over real solutions. By encouraging stricter enforcement by the San Diego Police Department, large numbers of people living on the street—many of them downtown—were displaced by street sweeps touted as “cleanup and property removal” by the city. Often with nowhere else to go, these people would return to the same sidewalk where they’d be ticketed for “encroachment,” a citation that was actually designed to keep people from leaving garbage cans on sidewalks. And

since they can’t pay the tickets, warrants were often issued, leading to arrests and jail time, a vicious cycle that would begin again upon their release.

Those who didn’t return to the same downtown streets simply moved into neighboring communities, or increasingly crowded, unsanitary conditions in neglected areas in the East Village and Barrio Logan.

Creating a Public Health Crisis Despite the increase in street sweeps, these areas were never actually sanitized after homeless people’s belongings were removed. Little, if any, effort was made to install trash cans or increase access to bathrooms, hand-washing stations or storage facilities. In some instances, public restrooms were actually removed or locked due to issues with homeless people using them.

With no real way to clean themselves and a concerted effort by the city to push the homeless into crowded, dirty areas of the city—away from residents and businesses— the hepatitis A outbreak hit hard. San Diego became the topic of national news for our shameful response to a storm we had known was brewing long before it occurred.

After the bad press and public outcries, the streets are finally being washed and bathrooms and hand-washing stations have been installed. Still, these actions won’t bring back the 20 people who died from a disease that had all but been wiped out in the United States.

Failed Policies Reinstituted After the hepatitis A outbreak hit, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) outlined detailed recommendations, which have been largely ignored. These recommendations include strengthening outreach to unsheltered homeless; prioritizing housing placement as an alternative for people who are unsheltered or living in the city-sanctioned encampments; and strengthening coordinated decision-making and collaboration.

Two years ago, the mayor played a significant role in removing the winter tents, vowing to shift resources to a housing first model—a strategy that, when implemented correctly, has proven to be effective in reducing homelessness in Houston, Orlando and many other cities. This was a step in the right direction and it seemed our days of warehousing people in tents instead of real homes had come to an end. We were ready to move forward with evidence-based solutions.

6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

A homeless person sleeps outside the Balboa Theatre where Mayor Faulconer will give his State of the City address this week.

Or so we thought.

Instead of making a concerted effort to develop and reinstate enough permanent housing solutions to address the growing homeless population over the last two years, the mayor and many homeless service providers continued to stick to methods that focused on transitional or short-term housing interventions. And when the deadly hepatitis A outbreak hit, the mayor was forced to open a city-sanctioned homeless encampment near Balboa Park and, once again, three large tents at a price tag of about $1,700 per person per month.

Wrong Priorities While the mayor did little to effectively address the homelessness issue last year, he did advocate tirelessly for his proposed ballot measure, Proposition A. He touted the measure as a solution for funding permanent supportive housing for homeless people, despite allocating the majority of funds to a Convention Center expansion.

Despite pushback from the City Council and results from a scientific poll I commissioned showing the proposition lacked sufficient voter support to pass in both a November 2017 special election and November

2018 election, the mayor pressed on. He pushed for the proposition even when polling indicated voters favored an alternative measure that would raise funds exclusively for tackling homelessness, and had the twothirds vote required to pass.

And now, hoteliers and tourism officials— almost assuredly with the mayor’s support— have launched another effort to fund a convention center expansion, address homelessness and repair roads. This ballot measure, like the last, uses homeless people as pawns for the sake of a Convention Center expansion that the mayor, downtown hoteliers and tourism officials seem to covet above all else.

New Direction in the New Year?

In 2017, the mayor had no plan or strategy to back up his promises. He simply reacted to the catastrophes around him, and didn’t take accountability for the many lives lost and millions of dollars spent on failed “solutions.”

People are now paying attention. They want real leadership and action that will finally move us away from the mayor’s BandAid approaches to addressing homelessness.

Here’s hoping for the sake of the thousands of people living on the street that 2018 will be a different story.

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january 10, 2018 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

UP FRONT | OPINION

EDWIN DECKER

SORDID

TALES

The Sexual Revolution is not the reason for #MeToo, and it is

I

have encountered some cockamamie comments about the #MeToo movement thus far, but the one made by Susan Stamper Brown is easily the cockamamiest!

For those unfamiliar, Brown is a nationally syndicated columnist, motivational speaker, grief counselor and climate change denier residing in Alaska which, when you think about it, is a lot like a neon gas denier living in Las Vegas.

In her most recent column, “Suggestions for Liberals in 2018,” Brown claimed that, “The 1960s Sexual Revolution is why there is a #MeToo movement,” adding, “We are reaping the toxic side effects from the highly sexualized culture [it] created.”

Now, I am not so ignorant as to be unaware of the Free Love Movement’s unintended consequences, but to blame the Sexual Revolution (TSR) for the existence of Harvey Weinstein is like blaming traffic fatalities on the invention of the wheel. One would have to be huffing copious amounts of Aqua Net if they didn’t know that men have been un-consentingly goosing women’s asses—and dignity—long before any counterculture era; before Elvis unfurled his profligate hips on television, before the bikini first bound onto public beaches, before Deep Throat creeped into mainstream theaters, before the FDA approved the pill, before Jane Roe mopped the courtroom floor with the ass of Henry Wade and before ABC portrayed Mike and Carol Brady in—gasp—the same connubial bed.

Not only was this crap happening before the ’60s, there is ample evidence suggesting it was much worse. Before TSR, women spent even more of their time deflecting the misconduct of men. Sometimes the abuse came from their own goddamn husbands, which, unbelievably, was legally and socially sanctioned as evidenced by the fact that criminalization of marital rape didn’t begin until the mid-1970s!

Yes, things were so bad for females of that time that the term “sexual harassment” did not exist. Not because sexual harassment itself didn’t exist, but that it was prevalent enough not to require labeling—in much the same way it is unnecessary to label snow that is white, birds that can fly or romantic comedies that feature cheesy love montages six-to-eight scenes before the obligatory breakup.

It should be clear to anyone that Susan Stamper Brown is egregiously off base. In her defense, however, she might be clinically deranged and therefore not responsible for her words or actions. After all, this is a woman who—true story—believes that an August snowfall on the peaks of Alaska’s Chugach Mountains was God’s expression of displeasure for President Obama’s visit to Anchorage. Thus, it might not be prudent to hold Brown accountable for ideas about such complicated matters as human sexuality when

she cannot grasp that it sometimes snows on Alaskan mountaintops—even in summer.

Thing is, she’s not alone. The notion that the ‘60s counterculture is to blame for America’s perceived moral depravity has been around for a long time. Of course, I do not concede that America is morally depraved. To me, the counterculture partially liberated us from harmfully repressive (and oppressive) ideas about sex and gender. Indeed, Ms. Brown’s assertion is so wrong, she actually comes back around again to being right. Because, when we think about it, The Sexual Revolution is the reason for the #MeToo movement—just not in the way she thinks it is.

This might get a bit convoluted so bear with me.

When Susan Stamper Brown says, “The 1960s Sexual Revolution is why there is a #MeToo movement,” she is suggesting that the ’60s opened the door for an anything-goes mentality, thereby enabling men to hyper-sexualize and objectify women. The problem is that she’s conflating #MeToo with sexual misconduct when, in fact, #MeToo is a revolt against it.

When looking at it that way, then yes, The Sexual Revolution is, at least partly, why there is a #MeToo movement. Because without TSR paving the way, #MeToo might never have had the momentum, support and/or leverage to succeed.

The Sexual Revolution was about more than hosting psychedelic “In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida” lava lamp orgies. The Sexual Revolution was an important achievement for feminism as it taught us, among other things, that women also have the right, and the reason, to get their rocks off. That they should not be labeled sluts or whores or be affixed with scarlet chastity belts for simply wanting it, seeking it, getting it, exploring it and digging the shit out of it, ya dig?

Yet, according to Brown and her ilk, that’s a bad thing.

Her whole premise is really just a branch of the Make America Great Again worldview, which suggests that America was better before the ’60s. Well yeah, it was better for some. However for minorities, the LGBTQ community, the handicapped, whooping cranes, eagles, grizzly bears, anyone living downstream from a toxic waste dumper and—oh yes—women, life before 1960 was more difficult. The treatment of females as subordinates and objects, as well as male resentment for their having to be the uncontested custodians of the ever-elusive vagina— or as I like to say, Guardians of the Vagalaxy—made it easier for men of that time to dominate and subjugate.

So Ms. Stamper Brown, spare us the wholly unobservant, wildly uniformed, unscientific, uncorroborated, politically driven theories about why things are the way they are because, sure as Harvey Weinstein won’t watch news with his daughters anymore, they ain’t.

Blaming the current harassment scandal on the Sexual Revolution of the ‘60s is like blaming traffic fatalities on the invention of the wheel.

8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

Sordid Tales appears every other week.

Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com.

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january 10, 2018 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

CULTURE | VOICES

MINDA HONEY

AT THE

INTERSECTION

Welcome to my Jesus Year

H

appy New Year to you all and happy birthday to me! This month, I turn 33. It’s now a thing to celebrate your “Jesus Year” at 33. It’s the age Jesus was supposedly crucified and a resurrected.

I dunno if I’ll be having as big a year as Nazareth’s hometown hero, but something does feel special about this age.

All the most monumental years of my life have happened in the third year of my decades. My parents divorced when I was 13. It was ugly, it was messy and it signaled the end of my childhood in a major way.

We were no longer a family of five living in a brick ranch in the suburbs. There was a series of apartments, rental houses, lawyers, warmed-up meals and raging arguments. At 23, after moving to Southern California with my high school sweetheart, we broke up. And, to my surprise (but unlikely a surprise to anyone else who’s survived their 20s), my efforts to find someone new led me to find myself.

I chatted with that ex on the phone a few days ago.

He’s still got a little Kentucky in his voice, but his laidback demeanor has always been better suited for life in California, his days spent in the sunshine. I’d spent our sixyear relationship trying to recreate the picture-perfect life I’d felt I’d lost when I was a kid. But it’s hard to know in your teens and your early 20s what your life should actually look like. I wanted us to be a dual-income powerhouse.

I wanted us to figure out the things our parents hadn’t.

How to be in love forever, how to skip over financial missteps, and how to make something out of life that didn’t make your heart hurt.

Falling in love with someone is like having your own magic wardrobe into Narnia as you travel deeper, opening door after door, into the world of knowing someone.

In the six years we were opening doors, I’m not sure at what point we began to find small, closed-off spaces. Finding wardrobes had become wardrobes again. There must have been some realization that our life was not going to become what I had envisioned, but instead of racing toward adventure and the unknown, I fought hard to try to keep everything the same. To keep us the same.

In my 30s, I now know that I need a love, and

to be a love, that acts as wings to help the person I care about soar higher; to be that rather than serving as an anchor that chains them to the ground and the known world. I should have listened to Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings” a little closer when I was a kid. Talking to my ex, listening to him tell me about how his profession as a stunt stiltsman (yup, he does stunts on stilts for a living) is taking him around the world and all the skills he’s learned in the last decade, makes me so happy for him and so happy we broke up.

The creative, freeform lives we both live now are not the life we would have lived together. My mind flashes to this image of us in a dark kitchen, with one dim light on, sitting at the kitchen table, head in hands and miserable wondering how we got there. Moving to California helped us escape the fate of becoming some modern variation of our parents.

While on the phone, he also told me how happy he is for me and how I finally managed to become a writer.

“I know it’s something you’ve always wanted,” he said.

I told him how I’ve been struggling to write my dating memoir, how it opens with our breakup and how I want to get him just right, not make him look like an asshole because we were young and made mistakes.

“Oh, you can write whatever you want about me,” he said. And he meant it. Who he is now, and how he sees himself, isn’t threatened by my perception of him. Every writer’s dream ex.

I laughed and said back, “I already assumed I had permission to do that.” Yet, when I ended the call, I felt like I’d removed a brick from the emotional block I’ve been battling to finish my memoir and put it out into the world. My 20s destroyed me, and in my 30s, I am resurrected. I head into my Jesus Year confident in who I am as a person with no idea what the rest of my life will look like. However, I am no longer afraid of that uncertainty.

So, here’s to the wonders I’ll find in the unexpected places of my future and to the places in my past where I’ve left my mark.

I’m not sure at what point in the six years we were opening doors only to find small, closed-off spaces. Finding wardrobes had become wardrobes again.

10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

At The Intersection appears every four weeks.

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UP FRONT | FOOD

BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

THE WORLD

FARE

Frankie’s fame and flavor

I

n today’s overheated food world, a platform counts. Whether it’s opening a restaurant or publishing a book, “followers” and “friends” matter, sometimes at the expense of flavor. So, when Frankie “The Bull” Terzoli—of Bravo TV Top Chef fame and Food Network Cutthroat Kitchen glory—opened a new restaurant inside 57 Degrees in Middletown, I was dubious.

Fishmonger’s Market & Seafood Bar (1735 Hancock St.) belied my cynicism.

While it was Terzoli’s stint on Season Two of Top Chef that brought him into the public eye, he has deep roots in both the restaurant and fishing worlds. A secondgeneration fisherman and licensed captain since he was 10 (and Global Sourcing Manager for Great American Seafoods), Terzoli began cooking as a teenager in his uncle’s restaurant, Point Loma’s Venetian. Both worlds, as well as his food TV fame, come together at Fishmonger’s.

A dish of steamed clams underlines the point: Quality Manila clams are balanced—and highlighted—by a garlicky broth featuring Italian sausage and fennel. A glug of white wine in the broth does much the same for mussels marinara.

Neither looks fancy. Neither suffers for it. It’s the deep, comforting flavors that make both.

A bit more elegant were Fishmonger’s crudos. They range from a grilled octopus to several salmon options and a couple of hamachis. Many featured some form of fruit and salicornia (AKA sea beans, sea asparagus or samphire). Perhaps the best of these was a cherry hamachi featuring candied cherry, salicornia, raspberry balsamic vinegar, watermelon radish and smoked salt. Instead of fruity flavors taking over the dish, the sea bean’s brininess and the radish’s bite made the dish both balanced and beautiful.

@SDCITYBEAT

Another great appetizer was the baccalà-stuffed peppers, a play on a classic Spanish tapa of salt-cod in piquillo peppers. The kitchen whips the soaked and rehydrated baccalà and deep-fries the stuffed pepper, serving it with a remoulade dipping sauce.

There were hints of inconsistency.

Fishmonger’s play on a tuna melt was a riot of good flavors—the smoked tuna coming to the fore with a cascade of beautiful diced heirloom tomato on top and a fatty layer of melted brie cheese tying the flavors of the dish together. The problem, however, was architectural: It’s not practically possible to consume this open-faced sandwich in such a way as to taste all the flavors at once. It was a similar issue with the grilled shrimp po’boy. The flavor was good, the engineering: not so much.

MICHAEL GARDINER

Cherry hamachi Terzoli makes no bones about the fact he’s not the guy behind Fishmonger’s stove on a day-to-day basis. That’s a younger man’s game. He’s the one who guides what goes on the plate rather than the one who puts it there. When I mentioned I’d seen him put out some pretty good plates of food, Terzoli replied: “I beat those kids because I knew how to roll with the punches.”

He adds that he didn’t care about the tricks or the pretty plates.

“I care about the flavors and the food.”

Deep, evocative flavors and heaping, honest plates. For the most part, that’s just what’s on offer at Fishmongers.

The World Fare appears weekly.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

BY ANDREW DYER

THE

BEERDIST

Recharging at Kilowatt OB

ANDREW DYER

M

y first visit to Kilowatt Brewing (7576 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.) in 2015 didn’t go so well.

I enjoyed a flight or two of several of its beers, but nothing particularly stood out.

However, it was a barstool debate with a Florida tourist over which side fought for what cause in the Civil War that left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

The brewery and this experience have been inextricably linked in my mind since.

It taught me a lot about talking 19th century politics with Southerners while drunk, and, unfortunately, also kept me away from Kilowatt for two and a half years.

Looking to finally get over this, I made my way to Kilowatt’s new Ocean Beach (1875 Cable St.) tasting room. Of the handful of local breweries that have landed in O.B. in the last couple years, Kilowatt’s aesthetic is most at home. The interior is illuminated by black lights and colored fluorescents, activating the psychedelic art adorning the walls. The bar itself is similar to the one in its original Kearny Mesa tasting room—internally lit with light so bright it’s actually kind of difficult to sit there.

What I was really interested in was the beers. Kilowatt has a reputation as being somewhere in the middle of the San Diego beer hierarchy—not particularly offensive, but not quite on par with the upper echelon, either.

I began with the Honey Hefeweizen, a 5.6 percent ABV wheat beer—a style that’s pretty dependable in getting a read on a brewery. Hefeweizens are characterized by a straw-colored haziness and flavors of banana and clove. The beer ticked all the boxes, but was far from memorable.

Only four of the 21 available beers were IPAs, which speaks to the diversity of the overall output of the brewery. The 7.4 percent ABV 250 KWH IPA is a West

Kilowatt Brewing in Ocean Beach Coast IPA with a refreshing crisp hoppiness that any San Diegan would appreciate. Wilson the Coconut IPA, another 7 percent ABV IPA, was a more adventurous brew. The coconut came through in a much more robust manner than the better-known Vacation IPA from Resident Brewing, a fact I consider to be a plus.

Of the three dark beers I tried, only the Chocolate Macadamia Nut Stout stood out. This 5.8 percent ABV “sweet stout” was truly exceptional. Its relatively low alcohol content did nothing to weaken its robust nutty chocolate flavor and, in fact, made the beer much more mellow than most so-called “pastry stouts.”

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Grand Entrance Imperial Stout or the Belt Notcher Brown Ale, both of which came in tasting a bit too restrained (8.4 and 5.9 percent ABV, respectively). The foundation is there with these brews, but I’d like to see them dialed up.

Overall, Kilowatt’s OB tasting room offers a unique experience in a fun space, and there’s lots of room inside and out to enjoy the electric buzz throughout. With a wide variety of styles on tap, I’m confident anyone can find something to enjoy in a location that’s as authentic as it gets in Ocean Beach.

The Beerdist appears every other week.

Write to andrewd@sdcitybeat.com

JANUARY 10, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11

EVENTS

SHORTlist

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

BALBOA PARK

POWERFUL VOICES

For some, the idea of watching a staged reading of a play they’ve likely never heard of isn’t exactly on the to-do list. But when it comes to events like the Old Globe Theatre’s Powers New Voices Festival, it’s a means to see the next big thing before it’s big. Take for example, Dominique Morisseau’s Skeleton Crew. It debuted at New Voices three years ago and made its full production debut at the Globe last year. Our theatre critic David Coddon selected it as one of his best plays of the year.

“The works we will read this year are strong, diverse and vibrantly theatrical,” says Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “They make this festival an important source of work for our annual season and for other companies in San Diego. The Globe has commissioned new plays from writers our audience knows and from new voices.”

Other plays that went on to bigger stages are Nick Gandiello’s The Blameless and Anna Ziegler’s The Last Match, which had a successful run at the Globe and is currently playing off Broadway. Highlights from the fifth annual fest—which begins Friday, Jan. 12 and runs through Sunday, Jan. 14—include Giovanna Sardelli’s They Promised Her the Moon, based on the true story of Jerrie Cobb, a gifted woman chosen by NASA to become one of the first astronauts, but who ultimately never got to go into space.

LA JOLLA

Powers New Voices Festival We’re also looking forward to the Sunday return of New York City’s PigPen Theatre Co. (the imaginative troupe behind last year’s The Old Man and the Old Moon), who will be debuting The Tale of Despereaux, the fairtytale about a mouse who wants to become a knight based on the book and animated film.

The whole thing kicks off Friday at 7:30 p.m. with the “Voices of the Community: Celebrating Local Playwrights” event, which showcases works created by local residents through the Globe’s arts engagement initiatives. Tickets are free but require reservations. Check out theoldglobe.org for full schedule and times.

BARRIO LOGAN

DAY AND NIGHT

JAILBREAK

2018 is already looking up. On Wednesday, Jan. 17, twelve shirtless, Algerian and African male dancers will make their San Diego debut at UCSD’s Mandeville Auditorium (9500 Gilman Drive). What the Day Owes to the Night features Compagnie Hervé Koubi, the renowned European dance company led by choreographer Hervé Koubi. The 12 male dancers will combine capoeira, martial arts and urban contemporary dance, which means plenty of back flips and head spins. Koubi draws inspiration from Eastern paintings and Islamic architecture, while the score combines Johann Sebastian Bach, Hamza El Din & the Kronos Quartet and traditional Sufi music. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets range from $9 to $46. artpower.ucsd.edu LOU DAMARS

What the Day Owes to the Night 12 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

COURTESY OF THE OLD GLOBE

Thinking outside the box is an intrinsic part of any artist’s process, but for those incarcerated, the phrase can often take on literal meaning. The upcoming prison art show Behind The Walls will feature artworks by inmates of California prisons and will depict stories of their incarceration.

The show hopes COURTESY OF MESHEEKA to spark change ART GALLERY in the California prison system by drawing attention to inmates’ inhumane conditions.

Actor and activist Victor Rivers from the film Blood In Blood Out will also be there to support the cause and interact with atUntitled piece from tendees. Proceeds Behind the Walls from the event and art sales will be donated to the artists and their families. The exhibit opens from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12 at Mesheeka Art Gallery (2113 Logan Ave.) with tickets selling for $3 to $9. facebook.com/ events/1349515365113128

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EVENTS ART Network Error at Qualcomm Institute, 3390 Voigt Drive, La Jolla. An exhibition influenced by technology, featuring multimedia art by Trish Stone, as well as a panel of several guest speakers, such as Michael Trigilio and Pinar Yoldas. Opening from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11. qi.ucsd.edu HTijuana Art Tour at Tijuana, Baja California. A guided tour across the border to view Jamie Ruis Otis’ exhibition and other notable Tijuana artists’ studios. Includes lunch from Cubo Bistro. The trip is led by unDocumenta curator Alessandra Moctezuma and art collector Larry Poteet. From 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12. 760-4353727, oma-online.org HNiki de Saint Phalle: Mythical California at California Center for the Arts, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. An exhibition honoring the Franco-American mosaic artist who created several sculptures about the myths and legends of California. Includes maquettes, models, sculptures, photographs, furniture, blueprints and video.

Opening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12. Free-$10. 760-839-4138, artcenter.org HBehind The Walls at Mesheeka Art Gallery, 2113 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan.

A prison art show featuring artworks by inmates of California prisons that depict stories of their incarceration in an attempt to draw attention to their inhumane conditions. Opening from 6 to 11 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 12. $3-$9. facebook.com/ events/1349515365113128 HWick Alexander: On the Money at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. The local artist will present a recent series of collages depicting images from currency around the world. Opening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12.

Free. 858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org HAnna Stump: Piñata/Drone/Bust at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. The local artist, who founded the San Diego Feminist Image Group, will showcase new works that incorporate newspaper. Opening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12. Free. 858454-5872, ljathenaeum.org HOtro Mundo Nos Espera at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 1100 & 1001 Kettner Blvd., Downtown. An exhibition featuring student artists as they present and discuss their science-fiction pieces that explore outer space, alien encounters and the U.S./Mexico border. Opening from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan 13. Free-$10.

858-454-3541, mcasd.org Gray Matter at Thumbprint Gallery, 920 Kline St., La Jolla. A graphite art exhibit with works by nine artists, including Andrew McNamara, Jessica Perner and more. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan 13.

Free. 858-354-6294, thumbprintgallery.com

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HVinyl Record Art Show at La Bodega Gallery, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan.

Celebrating the four-year anniversary of La Bodega Gallery, the event will feature over 75 artists who created works using a 12inch vinyl record/album as their medium.

Plus live music, food and more. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13.

Free. 619-255-7036, labodegagallery.com HArt-A-Thon at Distinction Gallery, 317 E Grand Ave., Escondido. Presented by Distinction Gallery and ArtHatch, this annual event features works from more than 20 local artists who created art for 24 hours.

All pieces will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the center’s free teen art classes. From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. Free. 760-707-2770, facebook.com/ events/2011958025714875 HBarrio Art Crawl at Barrio Logan Arts District, Barrio Logan. A self-guided tour consisting of the open studios, galleries and local businesses of the Barrio Logan Arts District. Spaces include Bread & Salt, Chicano Art Gallery, La Bodega Gallery and over a dozen more. From 5 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 13. Free. 619-366-9006, facebook.com/barrioartcrawl Athenaeum School of the Arts Faculty Exhibition at Athenaeum Art Center, 403 20th St., Logan Heights. An exhibition featuring the works of over 30 faculty artists and happens in conjunction with the Barrio Art Crawl. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 13. Free. 858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org Monstrosities at Basic Bar/Pizza, 410 10th Ave., Downtown. Hosted by Thumbprint Gallery, the exhibition displays Guillermo del Toro fan art made by over 17 local artists such as Ellis Luu, Priscilla Cortez and more.

Opening at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan 16. Free.

858-354-6294, thumbprintgallerysd.com

BOOKS HWhat Lies Ahead Book Launch at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. Students from High Tech High North County will be on hand for the release of their new science fiction anthology, What Lies Ahead?.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11. Free. 858268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Ken Druck Ph.D at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The bestselling author and speaker will be promoting his latest self-help book, Courageous Aging.

At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11. Free.

858-454-0347, warwicks.com HJude Angelini at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The former comic and satellite radio DJ will sign and discuss his new collection of essays, Hummingbird. At 4 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 13. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com

BOOKS: THE FLOATING LIBRARY What it is not

A

ll he wanted was a pair of pants.

As a new arrival at a facility for orphaned boys, the unnamed protagonist of Colin Winnette’s The Job of the Wasp just wants to blend in. Then the tailor fashions a uniform that is too baggy and too long, ensuring that the boy will stand out, which is the last thing he wants to do.

After saying the wrong thing to the wrong person and a series of seemingly unprovoked attacks, the narrator is assigned to work in the garden where he makes a gruesome discovery. “There was a fingerling potato sticking up out of the dirt, pink and clean.”

This potato turns out to be something else altogether, which leaves our hero “a new boy in a bad situation.”

I’ve always been drawn to stories of wayward boys and girls caught in the machinery of brutal institutions. Growing up, I related to the characters played by Sean Penn in Bad Boys, Damian Chapa in Blood In Blood Out and Winona Rider in Girl, Interrupted more than classic tales of crime and punishment by Alexander Dumas and Charles Dickens. Maybe it’s because I went to Catholic school for 12 years and then signed up for more inflexible discipline by enlisting in

HOna Russell at Women’s Museum of California, 2730 Historic Decatur Road #103, Point Loma. As part of the museum’s Second Sunday Author Series, the author of the award-winning Sarah Kaufman historical mysteries will sign and discuss the latest, Rule of Capture. At 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14. $5. 619-233-7963, womensmuseumca.org Jeffrey Siger at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The bestselling mystery author will be promoting the latest installment in his Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis series, An Aegean April. At 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14.

Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Kimberly Ann Johnson at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The cofounder of the STREAM School for Postpartum Care book will sign and discuss her new book about pregnancy, The Fourth Trimester. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16.

Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com Pierce Brown at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The bestselling speculative fiction

the Navy—institutions that are particular about pants.

Whatever the reason, Winnette’s story has much in common with Dickens’ gothic tales of foul deeds with a whiff of the supernatural about them. Throughout his career, Winnette has been adept at adopting the style of a particular genre and then subverting it for his own purposes. In Haints Stay, he animates the Western with psychedelic violence and in Coyote, the disappearance of a daughter unravels not only a marriage, but the very fabric of the story.

With The Job of the Wasp, Winnette deftly introduces a stern Headmaster, an indifferent teacher, a perverted tailor and dozens of nameless enemies.

This whips up a web of intrigue, but it’s Winnette’s wicked prose (a standout passage: “What use is there in talking about something in the language of what it is not?”) that tantalizes the reader and introduces uncertainty at every turn.

Colin Winnette will be reading at La Bodega Gallery in Barrio Logan on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 7pm.

—Jim Ruland The Floating Library appears every other week.

author will sign and discuss the fourth book in his Red Rising series, Iron Gold. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16. Free. 858-2684747, mystgalaxy.com HKimberly Ann Johnson at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The local Emmy Award-winning television producer and decorator will sign and discuss her new book, Decorate This, Not That!.

At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. Free.

858-454-0347, warwicks.com

COMEDY HThe New One at La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla. A new play written and performed by the award-winning comedian Mike Birbiglia, who created Sleepwalk With Me, My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend and Thank God For Jokes. At various times through Sunday, Jan. 14. $45-$55. 858-550-1010, lajollaplayhouse.org

H = CityBeat picks

DANCE HCompagnie Hervé Koubi at Mandeville Auditorium, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. The European choreographer’s contemporary dance piece, “What the Day Owes to the Night,” features 12 French Algerian and African male dancers and pulls inspiration from Eastern paintings and Islamic architecture. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. $9-$46. 858534-8497, artpower.ucsd.edu

FILM HTorse at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Sherman Heights. A screening and discussion of the 1977 ballet piece by Merce Cunningham. The event will feature several guest speakers such as Dr. Amy Cimini and dancer Justin Morrison before and after the film. From 5 to 10:30 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 14. $7-$20. spacetimeart. org

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

JANUARY 10, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 13

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

FOOD & DRINK HSan Diego Brew Festival at Liberty Station, 2640 Cushing Road, Point Loma. The eighth annual fest will feature over 150 local and international craft beers, as well as San Diego’s most popular food trucks and live bands. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. $45$55. sandiegobeerfest.com

MUSIC Opera Wednesdays at La Jolla Community Center, 6811 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla.

Southern California’s top performing operatic artists sing in this series of special concerts. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10. $10 suggested donation. 858-459-0831, ljcommunitycenter.org WEDS@7: Eric Huebner performs Roger Reynolds’ Piano Etudes at Conrad Prebys Music Center, UCSD campus, La Jolla. This recital by guest pianist Eric Huebner will feature the entire collection of piano Etudes by György Ligeti, as well as Book I of Roger Reynolds’ Piano Etudes. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10. Free-$15.50.

858-534-3448, music.ucsd.edu/concerts HPercussion Lovefest at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Sherman Heights. As part of the San Diego Symphony’s “It’s About Time” Festival, this event highlights the different percussive styles from around the world with live musical performances and local acts. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, Thursday, Jan. 18 and Thursday, Jan. 25. $10-$20. 619-987-6214, freshsoundmusic.com

HSILENT/Possible Man with a Possible Gun/Lean Bowden/321 Andromeda at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Sherman Heights. Performances by several artists and groups ranging from an experimental drum duo and Mexicali post punk, to an improvisational dance duo, with visuals by !ZeuqsaV! From 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12. $10. facebook.com/ events/509779196068587 Fascinating Rhythm at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. This program of works opens the “It’s About Time” percussion festival and features pieces by Hector Berlioz, Serge Prokofiev and more.

At 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 and 2 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 14. $20-$76. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org Percussion: A Listener’s Guide at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. As part of the “It’s About Time” festival, this concert features music that emphasizes touch, rhythm and other elements of musical percussion with special guest red fish blue fish. At 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 16. $35. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org Taste of Opera at Tango Del Rey, 3567 Del Rey St., Middletown. The Bonita Trio performs sounds that infuse Argentine tango and the gritty style of Piazzolla’s opera, Maria de Buenos Aires. Plus tango demonstrations, drinks and light hors d’oeuvres. From 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. $40. sdopera.org

PERFORMANCE Markiplier at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. The YouTube personality stops by on his “You’re Welcome” tour for a night of imrpov games, sketches and on-

14 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

stage adventures. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10. $32-$108. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org HTom Gun Live at The Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy. An interactive and absurdist stage adaptation of Top Gun, as well as a tribute to Tom Cruise. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14. $27-$52. musicboxsd.com

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD HSunny’s Throw Aways at Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park. Poet Sunny Rey’s book release birthday bash and fundraiser for Urban Street Angels. It highlights several artists, poets, musicians and vendors such as Brooklyn Benedix, Chrissy Croft, Natasha Hooper and more.

At 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17. Free. facebook.com/events/1359169824191843

POLITICS & COMMUNITY HHuman Trafficking Awareness Rally at Balboa Park, Sixth Ave. and Laurel St., Balboa Park. The Junior League of San Diego hosts this community rally to educate and support efforts against human trafficking.

Speakers include District Attorney Summer Stephan, Assemblyman Brian Maienschein and more. From 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. Free. 619.234.2253, jlsd.org

SPECIAL EVENTS Winter Festival at Poway Community Park, 13094 Civic Center Drive, Poway. Experience all the benefits of winter such as sledding, roasting marshmallows and ice-

skating. Also peruse through vendors and enjoy lights, music and mountain-town charm. From 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12 and 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan 13.

Free. 858-668-4671, poway.org HSan Diego Multi-Cultural Festival at Ruocco Park, 585 Harbor Lane, Downtown. The annual fest showcases San Diego’s rich cultural diversity and traditional heritage through live music, dance performances, storytelling and children’s activities. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. Free. 858-5249108, sdmulticultural.com Barrio Logan Flea Market at 2146 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. Hosted by Por Vida Coffee & San Diego Vintage Co., this event features a wide variety of local vendors, music and food. At 4 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 13. Free. facebook.com/ events/1529313877135099 San Diego Travel & Adventure Show at San Diego Convention Center, 111 W. Harbor Drive, Downtown. A convention dedicated to travel, featuring keynote speakers Samantha Brown, Rudy Maxa, Patricia Schultz and more. Plus seminars and live cooking demonstrations.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14. Free-$18. travelshows.com/shows/ san-diego HDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade at Harbor Drive—Embarcadero, N Harbor Drive, Downtown. Join others on Harbor Drive south of Grape St. for this annual celebration of Martin Luther King that features floats, high school bands, drill teams, colleges, churches, peace and youth groups, and more. From 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14. Free. 619-2032014, alpha-zsl.org

All Peoples Celebration at Balboa Park Activity Center, 2145 Park Blvd., Balboa Park. The 30th annual community gathering honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with keynote speaker and civil rights activist Eva Paterson. From 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Monday, Jan. 15. $65. 619-269-1823, alliancesd.org

SPORTS San Diego Padres FanFest at Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd., East Village. Enjoy player autographs, kids’ activities, Q&A sessions, interactive experiences, the annual Padres Foundation Garage Sale and much more at this annual event. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13. Free. mlb.com/padres/fans/fanfest

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS HCounty Supervisor Dist. 4 Candidate Forum at Andrés Restaurant, 1235 Morena Blvd., Morena. Get to know the members of The Latino American Political Association of San Diego and the candidates running for the District 4 San Diego County Supervisor such as Bonnie Dumanis, Ken Malbrough, Nathan Fletcher and more. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16. Free. 760-749-6555, facebook.com/events/1954598214802565 HBuilders of the Female Future at Trilogy Sanctuary. 7650 Girard Ave., La Jolla. A live Cura Caos podcast recording featuring a discussion with fellow podcast hosts Nicole Capretz and Ismahan Abdullahi. At 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16. Free. facebook.com/curacaosradio

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THEATER COURTESY OF NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE

Around the world in 42 roles

C

ircumnavigating the globe in 80 days—in the preairplane travel 1870s, no less—was an ambitious enough prospect when the great French writer Jules Verne wrote an adventure novel about it, one that became a beloved classic. Today, a couple of centuries later, standup comedian/actor Will Vought is undertaking a daunting challenge of his own: He’s portraying 19 characters in a chaotic stage version of Verne’s story, one adapted by Mark Brown in 2001 and opening Saturday night, Jan. 13, at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach.

In this Around the World in 80 Days directed by Allison Bibicoff, five actors (Vought, Richard Baird, Loren Lester, Omri Schein and Lovlee Carroll) will play 42 characters in all, morphing, re-morphing and quick-changing their way through the tale of the intrepid Phileas Fogg and the many adventures he encounters on his global quest.

“I’ve never wrapped my head around playing that many roles at one time,” says Vought, who is billed as “Actor 1.”

“There’s a lot of homework in building each personal story.”

Vought calls the production “in many ways fight or flight. You have five actors who are responsible for everything.” That means not only performing but also physically changing the set pieces that transform the action from one part of the world to another.

“It’s a little terrifying at times, but at the end of the day that’s what the gig is,” Vought says. “This show is a workout. We’re all going to lose 10, 15 pounds during the run.”

While Around the World in 80 Days is Vought’s debut at the North Coast Rep, he’s not new to theater, having appeared off-Broadway in Orgasms The Play and regionally in Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular. His film and TV credits include the movie Revolutionary Road and the CBS series The Good Wife. But if he had to list his preferred perfor-

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OPENING: Smoke on the Mountain: An encore production of Connie Ray’s gospel-fueled bluegrass musical about a family of singers who hit the road in post-Depression America. Directed by Kerry Meads, it opens Jan. 11 at Lamb’s Players Theatre in Coronado. lambsplayers.org As Bees in Honey Drown: Douglas Carter Beane’s witty satire about a young writer who gets tricked by a con-woman promising fame and fortune. Directed by Bryant Hernandez, it opens Jan. 12 at the OnStage Playhouse in Chula Vista. onstageplayhouse.org Les Misérables: The musical story of an ex-convict trying to outrun his past against the backdrop of 19th century France. Presented by the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, it opens Jan. 12 at the Garfield Theatre in La Jolla. sdcjc.org The Mousetrap: Set in Monkswell Manor, this long-running Agatha Christie murder mystery is known for its shocking twist at the end. Directed by Keith Anderson, it opens Jan. 12 at Lamplighters Community Theatre in La Mesa. lamplighterslamesa.com

Will Vought (second from left) in Around the World in 80 Days mance venues in order, Vought says standup would be number one, with theater second and television (“because I love money”) number three.

“Standup and theater are pure,” said Vought, making a comparison between the top two on his list. “They’re in the moment. They’re live experiences and you never know what can happen.”

Around the World in 80 Days runs through Feb. 4 at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. $46$53; northcoastrep.org

Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

—David L. Coddon

Powers New Voice Festival: The fifth annual fest features readings of new works by professional playwrights including Laurel Ollstein’s They Promised Her the Moon, Jiréh Breon Holder’s Too Heavy for Your Pocket, and more. It happens Jan. 12 through Jan. 14 at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre at the Old Globe. theoldglobe.org P.S. Your Cat is Dead: James Kirkwood’s comedy follows a downon-his-luck actor who ends up taking a burglar hostage. Directed by Robyn Smith, it opens Jan. 12 at the PowPAC Community Theatre in Poway. powpac.org The Last Wife: The West Coast premiere of Kate Hennig’s contemporary reimagining of the relationship between Henry VIII and his last wife Katherine Parr. Presented by Cygnet Theatre, it opens Jan. 17 at the Old Town Theatre. cygnettheatre.com

For full listings, visit “Theater” under Culture at sdcitybeat.com

JANUARY 10, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15

TORREY BAILEY

CULTURE | ART

n the ’70s, Wick Alexander bought a two-volume color atlas called Syst-O-Color by Paul Schuitema at a garage sale for $20. He lugged the book around for years, from studio to studio.

“At the time there was no internet so I thought it was a German book, and I personally bought it because I thought it was a good tool for an artist to have,” says Alexander.

Recently, as the pages started to deteriorate, he sought out its backstory and saw an original copy now selling online for $7,000.

He found that Schuitema was a prolific Dutch photographer and furniture designer who had been hired by the printing industry in the ‘60s to develop the modern four-color printing system.

“It opened up this whole color spectrum for the printing industry, and I had no idea,” Alexander says. “At the same time, I was really interested in images that were on money around the world.”

Influenced by both realizations, he took on the idea of creating a collage that used the Syst-O-Color pages—color gradients calculated by a mathematical formula—as canvases and painted images from currency

“I was drawing a comparison to the triangle shapes, but also ultra wealth next to a mud hut,” he says. “That’s about as sharp of a contrast as you can get.”

He says there are stark differences between how countries convey themselves through their currency. While the U.S. dollar depicts masonic imagery, bills from the Philippines reflect a secret society and giving blood, he found. For others, it’s about civic pride, he says.

“It’s more about boosterism,” he says.

They want to show off their amazing waterfall or mountain or a new stadium that they’re building.”

The series, which is COURTESY OF THE ARTIST called On the Money and opens at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library (ljathenaeum.org) on Jan. 12, consists of 100 paintings. This was a first for Alexander, who broke into the local art scene as a graduate student at UC San Diego in the ’80s. His first postgraduate artistic gig was instructing classes at the San Diego Metropolitan Correctional Center. For three years, he would ride his bike A piece from Wick Alexander’s On The Money series from North Park to the downtown prison, pass on them. Rather, than filling each page with through 11 locking doorways and push his imagery from only one type of money, he art cart into a room of convicts. Among searched for common themes or shapes on his students was the infamous La Jolla the bills. One painting features icons like a financier Jerry Dominelli, pornographic pyramid and a mud hut from a U.S. dollar content publisher Larry Flynt and an art and an African banknote, respectively.

16 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

Wick Alexander forger known for impeccable replications of Matisse and Picasso.

“He actually taught me a lot about how he did it,” says Alexander. “Technical stuff about how to age canvas, how to age paint and how to superimpose color so that it’s a dead-on match and how to mix certain chemicals to make it look like it’s a little bit yellowed.”

While Alexander went on to teach both at San Diego State University and UCSD, he quickly learned the tenure track was not for him. But he also struggled to find satisfaction in tending to a gallery or art dealer’s vision.

“The lack of creativity on that end is contrary to the whole urge to keep creating and keep mining and keep foraging new directions because, frankly, I didn’t get into art to keep doing the same thing over and over again.”

Now, Alexander says he’s at a point in his career where he’s free to create under his own vision. He has also entered the realm of public art after meeting his wife Robin Brailsford. Together, they capitalized on a technique Brailsford invented in 2010 called LithoMosaic, an economical, patented decorative concrete technique that simplifies the creation of large-scale mosaics.

“We had a lot of failures and some successes,” says Alexander. “What we really ended up wanting to do was have a system that was not going to fail on the actual job site. The construction industry is very narrow minded, and if you don’t have any successes then it’s never going to latch on.”

However, it did latch on. Their first, largescale LithoMosaic was installed outside the North Island Credit Union in La Jolla and depicts iconic San Diego landmarks such as the Hotel Del Coronado, Coronado Bridge and

the California Tower. Now dozens of awardwinning LithoMosaics can be found throughout San Diego, Los Angeles and elsewhere.

“All of a sudden, the word that we invented, the LithoMosaic, was being batted around by architects and planners and then being called out on the construction plans,” Alexander says. “We’ve been able to have projects all over the states, and that’s been a real rush.”

Their latest LithoMosaic was installed at the California Center for the Arts Escondido within the past month. Several smaller ones will be shown as part of the Center’s upcoming exhibit Niki de Saint Phalle: Mythical California, which pays tribute to sculpture artist Niki de Saint Phalle who used mosaic in her world-famous work (see this week’s Seen Local section for more info).

Alexander is rare in the fact that he’s been an enduringly successful artist in a city where most creators barely tread water. His works have been awarded by prestigious organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council and the Ford Foundation. However, he’s quick to point out that it wasn’t without struggle.

“It’s a hard toll because so much of art is ego and a projection of yourself to the world with people biting away at it,” he says.

He admits that sales from his paintings alone could not yield a sustainable income.

Rather, it was the side gigs and balance of projects that kept him afloat.

“One income stream makes you very unstable,” he says. “Artists and people who are resourceful, they find a way. That’s always been my strategy, just to find a way… Everything worked out exactly like my dream so, really, I feel all the hard work paid off.”

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CULTURE | ART

SEEN LOCAL

the image of this super strong warrior queen of California who’s covered in gold, who has this race of Amazonian women that rule the island.”

Niki de Saint Phalle: Magical California piggybacks off the 15-year anniversary of the completion of “Queen Califia’s Magical Circle.” Aside from honoring the sculpture park, the exhibit includes models, blueprints and maranco-American artist Niki de Saint quette sketches by Saint Phalle.

Phalle first made headlines by fir“People have never seen some of these ing rifles at her paintings in the streets items so this will be very interesting for people of Los Angeles in the ‘60s. Such performance art who want to know more about Niki and her stunts helped her break into the male-dominated process,” Wilson says.

French New Realist movement, and she eventually There’s also a portion dedicated to Saint became one of few women internationally recogPhalle’s diary. nized for large-scale sculptures.

“She talks about immigration, she talks But by 1993, Saint Phalle was living in Paris and about order and chaos and moving,” says Wilsuffering from emphysema and asthma. Her son. “She talks about all this different subject doctor instructed her to move somewhere she matter, which are all really personal thoughts. could breathe. She chose La Jolla.

People can really see the inner workings of her “She had what she called a resurrection in mind, what she felt and her really raw feelings La Jolla,” says Wendy Wilson, who is curatA piece from ing the upcoming show Niki de Saint Phalle: “Queen Califia’s and her fascinations with California.”

The exhibit opens Sunday, Jan. 14 at CaliMagical California. “She could leave her oxy- Magical Circle” fornia Center for the Arts (340 N Escondido gen bottle behind, she could breathe, and she

by Niki de felt like creating.”

Saint Phalle Blvd.) and includes mosaics by other local artists, such as Wick Alexander (read more on Saint Phalle spent the rest of her life in La Jolla, completing her final major work “Queen Califia’s Alexander in our cover story). On Sunday, Jan. 28, there Magical Circle,” a brightly-hued, surrealist sculpture will be a screening of Who is the Monster—You or Me?, park that’s located within Kit Carson Park (3333 Bear a film by Peter Schamoni that chronicles Saint Phalle’s Valley Parkway) in Escondido. In the time she lived in life from her performance art and early work to footage La Jolla, she also completed works at the Museum of of her paragliding in La Jolla in her 70s.

“Niki is always relevant because she loves females, Contemporary Art La Jolla, the San Diego Convention she loves strength, she loves the female form,” says WilCenter and Balboa Park, among others.

“She was fascinated with the animals and with the son. “She’s all about your vision, just following through Indian culture,” says Wilson. “Queen Califia, the 16th on your vision no matter what the obstacles are.” century Spanish legend, was her inspiration. She loved

—Torrey Bailey

MAGIC TOUCH

F

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JANUARY 10, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17

CULTURE | FILM

Lead by example

The Post

Steven Spielberg’s Pentagon Papers drama is hokey, but relevant

by Glenn Heath Jr.

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As an allegory for our era of Trumpian absurdity and y god, the fun.”

During one pivotal scene midway through “Fake News,” The Post is by no means subtle. Bradlee The Post, a new lead breaks in the Pentagon and Graham are fully developed characters with subtext Papers story that has captivated the nation for days and conflict, whereas Nixon and his cronies are only in 1971. This lead prompts the gleeful response above seen from afar and heard via menacing phone converfrom Washington Post editor-in-chief Ben Bradlee (Tom sations. Spielberg’s speechifying can get cumbersome, Hanks). With so much on the line for both American but the film’s defense of the First Amendment is purdemocracy and the newspaper itself—government posefully streamlined for mass consumption.

The film’s major complexities reside elsewhere. transparency, freedom of speech, financial solvency, and national reputation—Steven Spielberg’s rousing Spielberg almost fetishizes the mechanical, ideological and spirited portrait of integrity as resistance still finds and intellectual mechanisms that motor a daily newspaper. Wide angle shots provide a panorama of gears time to revel in the excitement of history unfolding.

At its core, The Post (opening Friday, Jan. 12) is working, both on the elaborate production line with about bearing witness and taking action. In the open- angular conveyor belts crisscrossing the frame, and on the determined faces of reporters ing sequence, Rand Corporation Ben Bagdikian (Bob Odenkirk), strategic analyst Daniel Ellsberg Meg Greenfield (Carrie Coon) and (Matthew Rhys) observes first Howard Simons (David Cross). hand the growing quagmire of THE POST While most cinematic depicAmerica’s military involvement Directed by Steven Spielberg tions of journalism fixate on the in Vietnam. He decides to steal Starring Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, story, interviews and sources, a copy of the damning DepartBob Odenkirk and Matthew Rhys The Post revolves almost entirely ment of Defense study on the Rated PG-13 around ethical and ideological war. Five years later, highly clasnegotiations, and the very consified documents begin showing struction of the paper itself. Fasup on the front page of The New York Times, sending political shockwaves through D.C. cinated by creating a space for transparency to thrive, Hardnosed journalists like Bradlee jump at the Spielberg takes aim at Nixon’s vindictive pettiness opportunity to pursue this powder keg story further. (inferring every negative Trump tweet), those seeking Furious and increasingly paranoid, President Richard to dismantle our free press and replacing it with their Nixon commands the Department of Justice to take own disingenuous narrative. Sometimes the emotional legal action, stifling the New York Times with an in- ripples that stem from this process are too obvious, junction. Meanwhile, Post publisher Katharine Gra- yielding sappy results.

Small pockets of resistance, of which journalists ham (Meryl Streep)—a reputable D.C. socialite with ties to beltway powerbrokers like Robert McNamara are part and parcel, are the key to The Post’s thematic (Bruce Greenwood) directly implicated in the Penta- intent. Much of the film’s second half concerns itself gon Papers—finds herself caught squarely in the mid- with arguments for and against publishing the Pentagon Papers despite threats of legal and financial dle of a constitutional crisis.

Spielberg employs a ravenously curious camera to retribution. In a brilliantly cumulative performance, depict the furious pace, gliding through newsrooms, Streep’s Graham becomes a central figure, surviving restaurants and parlors with curious resolve. This be- swells of anxiety and self-doubt to find her voice. She comes visually symbolic of Bradlee’s own tenacious- ultimately comes to feel the same way as Bagdikian, ness and old school stubbornness. Quieter scenes are who best sums up the adrenaline and joy powering more traditionally Spielbergian, with cinematographer the Washington Post’s collective willpower: “I always Janusz Kaminski splashing warm light on Graham (sur- wanted to be part of a small rebellion.” What fun. rounded by period setting textures) as she contemplates the business and political repercussions of pub- Film reviews run weekly. lishing the papers and defying Nixon’s White House.

Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com

18 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

@SDCITYBEAT

CULTURE | FILM is obsessed with halting the freedoms of outsiders.

These men may be lost causes, but Paddington devoutly believes that Britain itself is not.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

OPENING Paddington 2

Kindness first

U

ltranationalist right wing groups like Britain First believe that immigration will wreak economic and social havoc on the lives of U.K. citizens. Paddington, the animated Peruvian bear of Michael Bond’s famous novels and Paul King’s lovely 2015 film, confronts such close-minded opinions by proving a little charming chaos can bring kindness back into fashion.

Voiced by the great young actor Ben Whishaw, Paddington’s hapless clumsiness is endearing rather than annoying, at least for those like the Brown family, who are liberal enough to welcome him with open arms. In Paddington 2 (opening Friday, Jan. 12), each member of the family is at a crossroads, much like Britain itself.

Mary (Sally Hawkins) has been training to swim across the English Channel, while her insurance analyst husband, Henry (Hugh Bonneville), dabbles in yoga to stave off a midlife crisis. Their children— Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) and Judy (Madeleine Harris)—are themselves experiencing shifts in personal identity. Paddington remains their emotional rock, but when he’s accused of stealing an antique pop-up book and sent to prison, the Browns and their diverse community begin to unravel.

Remove diversity and things fall apart; in this post-Brexit age, is there a more relevant theme for British filmmakers to consider? Paddington 2 does so effortlessly by instilling all of its political and social subtext within the simple assertion that sacrifice and friendship trump isolationism.

Multiple examples abound. During his stint in lock-up, Paddington befriends a gang of toughs led

by Brendan Gleeson’s angry prison chef. Instead of emboldening their aggression by being fearful, Paddington attempts to make their lives (and the institution itself) more joyous.

The two villains in Paddington 2—Hugh Grant’s split personality thespian and Peter Capaldi’s neighborhood racist—represent flipsides of the isolationist dogma. One is obsessed with himself, while the other

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Birdboy: The Forgotten Children: In this animated Goya Award winner, a group of friends set out to escape the dangerous post-apocalyptic world they live in. Opens Friday, Jan. 12, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Happy End: Taking aim at the modern elite’s entitlement and hypocrisy, director Michael Haneke tells the story of a family drama set against the backdrop of Europe’s refugee crisis. Opens Friday, Jan. 12, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas.

Paddington 2: Paul King’s sequel finds Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw), the animated bear from Peru now living in London with the Brown Family, trying to clear his name after he’s sent to jail for stealing a priceless pop-up book.

Proud Mary: A professional assassin (Taraji P. Henson) decides to sacrifice her reputation and safety to save a young boy after one job goes sideways in this gritty action film.

The Commuter: Liam Neeson and director Jaume Collet-Serra team up for another stylistically complex genre thriller, this time set aboard a fast moving New York City light rail train.

The Other Side of Hope: Aki Kaurismäki’s response to the current refugee crisis follows a poker-playing restaurateur who befriends a group of refugees from Finland. Opens Friday, Jan. 12, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

The Post: In 1971, Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) and editor-in-chief Ben Brandlee (Tom Hanks) must decide whether to publish the Pentagon Papers and risk legal action from the Nixon administration.

ONE TIME ONLY This is the End: Meta goes biblical in this comedy where Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel play themselves trying to survive the apocalypse, and James Franco’s ego. Screens at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 10, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

American Made: Tom Cruise plays ex-pilot Barry Seal, an American who worked for both the C.I.A. and the Colombian drug cartel running guns in the 1980s. Screens at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12 and Saturday, Jan. 13, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

Pitch Perfect: Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow star in this 2012 comedy about a group of misfit college students who join a once renowned all-girls singing group and shakes things up.

Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

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

JANUARY 10, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 19

CHERYL ILIRIA

MUSIC

hen Isaiah Nery started up local shoegaze band Quali, he didn’t have a specific idea for what he wanted that band to be. Nery, who had started playing music as a drummer—and often provides drums for local electronic project fivepaw—began to delve into experimenting with guitar effects when he briefly moved to Los Angeles back in 2012. He researched different pedals, looking into finding different sonic treatments that he liked as he increasingly spent more time with guitar than drums.

Eventually, Nery had an epiphany. He didn’t have a style of music he wanted to pursue, necessarily. But he did have a specific sound he was trying to capture.

“I wanted my guitar to sound like a black, metal spaceship with chainsaws on it, ripping through space,” Nery says on a Saturday afternoon at the South Park bar Whistle Stop. “That was the idea in my head. So I just got obsessed with fuzzes and finding the right thing to make that sound. I don’t know if I ever did, but my fuzz is pretty badass.”

That sound, and the many stylistic tentacles that have extended from it, is what forms the core of Quali’s music. The band’s fall-released album Awaken the Quietus is a concise, yet sonically expansive distillation of their approach. It’s nine tracks are heavy on effects, layering on heavy doses of distortion at times while allowing plenty of space in other songs. While the noisy haze of guitars on the song “Projections” might not necessarily immediately evoke the image of a spaceship outfitted with chainsaws, it’s an impressively powerful thing to hear, all the same.

As intent as Nery was on honing in on that concept of what his music was meant to sound like, however, the band itself took some time to fully get off the ground. Quali began while he was living in Los Angeles, though at the time it was

20 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

From left: Isaiah Nery, Sean Aletsiram, Dima Zadorozhny and Glendon Romett mostly an outlet for songwriting and recording rather than a live entity. The lineup changed several times, with a handful of members coming and going before settling on what it is now: Nery on guitar and vocals, guitarist Dima Zadorozhny, bassist Sean Aletsiram and drummer Glendon Romett.

In fact, what was initially supposed to be the band’s first show in L.A. ended up never happening.

“We had a failed show at a warehouse,” Zadorozhny says.

“It was supposed to be our first show. But then it didn’t happen. The show wasn’t really getting started until 11, and then we ended up not playing because the other band couldn’t play.”

Relocating to San Diego ended up helping to give the band some more momentum. Romett, Nery’s longtime friend, joined the band and soon enough they began to line up more shows. They released their debut album, The Familiar and the Other, in early 2015, at which point they had written enough music for two full-length albums. And while San Diego’s scene is considerably smaller than Los Angeles’, that’s part of what motivated the band to push even harder.

“When I got back in San Diego, I got this idea of really working hard on this project and playing around San Diego and meet all these musicians that are hustling,” Nery says.

“The way the scene is, San Diego kind of gets a bad rep. But I want to be a part of making a change. There’s tight shit here and you should come out. People do spill their hearts on stage in front of people.”

Capturing a mesmerizing sound is just one element of Quali’s approach. It’s an important part of what they do,

but beneath all of the noise, feedback and fuzz are some catchy, tightly constructed pop songs. The onslaught of sound at times recalls early My Bloody Valentine or U.S. cult shoegaze act, Swirlies—a favorite of Nery’s—but there are subtleties to be heard on closer listening, as well as some strong melodies. Quali are expert noisemakers, but they take great care to offer something with nuances that reveal themselves in time.

“You need to have a wall, you need to have undertones, you need to have overtones,” Aletsiram says. “I feel like bands just turn up their equipment really loud, and don’t find ways to tune that wall. But I feel like, for whatever reason, we found the puzzle pieces that fit.”

“All the subconscious things, way deep when you have your headphones, you can hear these outside tones and you don’t even know if they were done on purpose,” Nery adds.

“I love that—to find whatever droney things are happening in the background.”

As much as Quali has grown in the last five years, and as much as they’ve accomplished, they continue to exist for one simple reason: to realize a sound in Nery’s head. He says he makes music for himself more than anyone else, but if people like it, it’s all the more reason to keep channeling those concepts into real music.

“A lot of the time, I can get driven from wanting to write music because I just want to hear cool things,” Nery says. “It can be really selfish. It’s great that there’s a scene developing here and people like it. But I just want to hear really cool shit. To me that’s all that really matters.”

Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com. Follow him on Twitter @1000TimesJeff

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january 10, 2018 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

MUSIC

BY RYAN BRADFORD THE

NOTES FROM THE SMOKING PATIO

SPOTLIGHT

LOCALS ONLY

ALBUM REVIEW Heat Heat (Deranged)

I

’m always impressed with a band that can say all of what they need to say in less than a minute’s time. It’s definitely admirable when a group writes a song that stretches well beyond the accepted lengths of a pop song, or even into the sidelong epics of a band like Godspeed You! Black Emperor. But there’s something about keeping songs so concise that you can fit several of them on a single side of a 7-inch, 45 RPM single. It might not be enough to satiate voracious listeners in need of a marathon, but for a quick dose of adrenaline, it does just nicely.

Heat’s self-titled EP, recorded by Griever’s Alex Jacobelli, is six tracks and five minutes of blistering, uncompromising hardcore. The band basically has one setting: fast, loud and belligerent. These brutes don’t care much for nuance, nor would it make much sense in the context of their other

22 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

tive of the band’s beginnings, which mostly saw them working on loose jams.

“If we rushed it, it just wouldn’t be ready,” says Arndt.

“So we took another year.”

“It’s a lot different than how we started it,” adds Messer.

Volcano are highly influenced by JT RHOADES the Afrobeat style of music, made famous by the likes of Fela Kuti. There are other world psychedelic sounds at work as well, and their upcoming LP, which will be released via Tee Pee, will reflect their diverse influences. They say that the album’s 40 minutes of music will be stretched to 60 minutes once they bring their sound to a live stage later this year.

“We’re all big fans of the music comVolcano ing out of Nigeria in the ‘70s,” says Arndt.

“We coined our own genre: ‘tropadelic’,” adds Messer. “We’re not trying to emulate so much of the ‘70s guitar solo bands. We’re trying more to have a natural ebb and flow of rhythms. It’s going to be a fun fucking band.”

—Jeff Terich

songs. They rush in at top speed, make as much menacing punk rock noise as they can and then get the fuck out before anyone knows what hit ‘em.

Of the six tracks on Heat, only one is longer than a minute. Appropriately enough, it’s titled “The Beast,” and that’s exactly what it is. It’s ferocious and snarling, opening with a dirty-as-fuck bassline before it erupts into a powerhouse hardcore anthem with fury to spare. The remainder all blur together at length of 50 seconds each, which isn’t to say that there’s no substance to them. In fact, these are impressively developed slices of destructive power, from the badass groove of “Hollow” to the d-beat crust punk gallop of “Poison.” And while the differences are admittedly subtle, there’s enough variation here to keep the EP interesting throughout—all five minutes of it.

There’s no rule that says punk songs need to be short, though releases by Wire, OFF! and G.L.O.S.S. prove that sometimes less is more when it comes to power chord anarchy. Still, Heat’s intensity is so concentrated, there are few pits that could sustain this level of energy for very long.

—Jeff Terich

SHANE MCCAULEY

M

embers of some heavyweight bands in the local psychedelic scene have come together with a new project called Volcano. The band features Harsh Toke’s Gabe Messer on keyboards and vocals, JOY’S Zachary Oakley on guitar, his brother Matt on drums, Loom’s Billy Ellsworth on bass and Operation Mindblow’s Ake Arndt on percussion.

They’re all friends who have known each other for a long time, and the project’s been something they’ve been talking about for a while, even if it only recently launched.

“It started out when a few of us were just hanging out, drinking beers in Venice Beach,” says Messer. “We thought it’d be cool to bring more of a Fela Kuti vibe to San Diego. But it took about three years to get off the ground.”

The band’s first recorded music, the song “10,000 Screaming Souls,” has just been released on Bandcamp. It’s a teaser of the upcoming full-length debut that the band plans to release this spring, though Arndt and Messer say that its funky, psychedelic grooves aren’t necessarily reflec-

I

Wolf Parade

ndie rock from the aughts has not aged well. I mean, it’s certainly not as cringe-worthy as what came before it (we can all agree that the bleachtipped, soul patch’d “rock” that ravaged alternative radio after grunge was the worst era of music, right?), but listening to hyped-up blog bands now just feels empty: The production is too lo-fi, the drums sound weak and the hipster coolness prevents anyone from sounding too excited.

But unlike Clap Your Hands Say Yeah or Animal Collective, I’ll still listen to Wolf Parade. The Canadian four-piece won my heart in 2005 with their debut, Apologies to the Queen Mary—a record that felt like a thinking person’s alternative to Modest Mouse.

It was a distinctive and bright record, anchored by the two frontmen’s recognizable quirks—Spencer Krug’s eccentric yodeling and Dan Boeckner’s removed coolness. “I’ll Believe in Anything” is still one of my favorite songs of the decade.

I loved them even more when they released their darker follow-up, At Mount Zoomer because it was a difficult record that seemed strengthened by the vocal and lyrical tension between the two singers. The 12-minute closing track “Kissing the Beehive”—which features Krug and Boeckner trading off vocal duties—is the highlight of Wolf Parade’s catalog, in my opinion.

2010’s Expo ‘86 was a fine—nay, good!—album, but by then, we all felt burned by the precariousness of blog bands, and the eccentricities of Wolf Parade and its ilk began to feel gimmicky. And it still does, to an extent.

Cry Cry Cry, the album Wolf Parade put out this year, has yet to plant its flag in my ears, and I’ve given that album many chances. Still, when the chorus to “I’ll Believe in Anything” hits, it’s easy to get caught up wondering why bands don’t sound like this anymore.

Wolf Parade plays Tuesday, January 23 at The Observatory North Park

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MUSIC

JEFF TERICH

IF I WERE U A music insider’s weekly agenda

BECKY DIGIGLIO

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10

PLAN A: Veronica May, Bomb Squad, Sarah Rogo @ Soda Bar. Make sure to read my cover story from last week on singer/songwriter Veronica May. She recently released new album Awakened, which pairs her own experiences with mental health struggles with bluesy rock songs. Her story is an inspiring one. PLAN B: The Oxen, Pockethole, Sweet Myths @ The Casbah. The Oxen’s fuzzy, melodic indie rock is way too easy to love. They’re one of the best bands in town right now, so make sure to get in on the ground floor.

THURSDAY, JAN. 11

PLAN A: Black Marble, Girl Pusher, Ruby Haunt @ SPACE. Black Marble makes hazy synth-pop with a touch of post-punk sexiness. Those who exclusively wear black will want to do their moody goth dancing here.

PLAN B: White Wizzard, Sergulath, Desert Suns @ Brick by Brick. White Wizzard play ‘80s-style heavy metal with harmonized guitar leads and wailing vocals. It’s heroic stuff for epic nights of dragon slaying and/ or crushing beer cans on foreheads. BACKUP PLAN: TV Girl, Ethics, Bruin @ Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, JAN. 12

PLAN A: Silent, Possible Man with a Possible Gun, Leah Bowden, 321 Andromeda @ Bread & Salt. Mexicali noise rock group Silent are always a must-see, and this show features the debut performance of Possible Man With a Possible Gun, a collaboration between members of Hours and Cryptic Languages. That debut will include them playing one 30-minute long track, so this is likely to be epic. PLAN B: Gary Wilson, Beehive and the Barracudas, Doc Hammer, Westside Inflection @ Black Cat Bar. This show is a benefit for drummer Anders Larsson, a member of Gary Wilson’s band, who recently had open-heart surgery. It’s worth going to based on the bands alone, but the cause is definitely a worthy one. BACKUP PLAN: Sights and Sages, The Filthy Violets, J. Hofstee @ Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, JAN. 13

PLAN A: Red Aunts, The Goldettes @ The Casbah. Long Beach punk band Red Aunts are one of the most underrated bands ever to release an album on Epitaph Records. They’re not as famous as Pennywise or NOFX, but the all-woman band makes better, more concise punk with no fucking around. PLAN B: Glass Spells, Ethics, Of Ennui @ SPACE. Anyone who desperately needs to get down should plan on seeing

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Silent Glass Spells immediately. Their brand of disco (or “disco goth” as they’ve coined it) is super fun and reminiscent of groups such as Glass Candy and Chromatics. Make it there early for the shoegazing doom of Of Ennui.

BACKUP PLAN: Fates Warning, Symbolic, Alchemy @ Brick by Brick.

SUNDAY, JAN. 14

PLAN A: Luna, Eleanor Friedberger @ The Casbah. Speaking of underrated bands, Dean Wareham’s Luna has seemingly long existed in the shadow of his earlier band, Galaxie 500. I’ve always preferred Luna, however, as their dream-pop songs are catchier, and occasionally rock. PLAN B: Cowgirl Clue, Twin Temple, Belladon @ Blonde. Cowgirl Clue is dreamy, lo-fi synth funk with lots of weird effects and a bad attitude. That’s only one aspect of their enjoyable absurdity, but trust me, it’ll be fun.

BACKUP PLAN: Pkew Pkew Pkew, Daydream, Se Vende @ Soda Bar.

MONDAY, JAN. 15

PLAN A: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Night Beats @ House of Blues. After more than 15 years, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s kinda-goth, kinda-psychedelic debut album still holds up. They’ve taken a few stylistic turns since then, but hearing “Love Burns” alone is worth going out on a Monday.

TUESDAY, JAN. 16

PLAN A: Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band, Nicki Bluhm @ Belly Up Tavern.

Singer/songwriter Josh Ritter has been consistently putting out excellent folk and Americana records for nearly two decades.

His 2017 release Gathering is likewise wonderful, so now’s a good time to get caught up. PLAN B: Naivete, Battery Point, O/X, Heir Gloom @ Soda Bar. This is the second night of Naivete’s Soda Bar residency, in which they’ll be delivering a set of atmospheric pop music with lots of sexy synth sounds. Oh, and it’s free.

JANUARY 10, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 23

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

The Green (Observatory, 2/10), Valley Queen (Soda Bar, 2/13), Sweet and Tender Hooligans (Observatory, 2/16), All Pigs Must Die (Soda Bar, 2/23), Soft Kill (SPACE, 3/1), Hot Snakes (Casbah, 3/7), Taylor Bennett (HOB, 3/17), Lido Pimienta (SPACE, 3/31), Titus Andronicus (Soda Bar, 4/2), The Dickies, Queers (Casbah, 4/3), Andrew McMahon and the Wilderness (Humphreys, 5/13).

CANCELED Slothrust (SPACE, 3/31).

GET YER TICKETS K. Flay (Observatory, 1/13), Luna (Casbah, 1/14), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (HOB, 1/15), Kris Kristofferson (BUT, 1/15), Josh Ritter (BUT, 1/16), Burt Bacharach (BUT, 1/17), Big Boi (Observatory, 1/18), Beat Farmers Hootenanny (BUT, 1/20), Wolf Parade (Observatory, 1/23), Ty Segall (BUT, 1/24), DVSN (Observatory, 1/29), Passion Pit (Observatory, 2/1), Fetty Wap (HOB, 2/3), Phoebe Bridgers (Soda Bar, 2/5), Allah-Las (BUT, 2/8), Ja Rule and Ashanti (Observatory, 2/9), Dua Lipa (HOB, 2/10), Miranda Lambert (Viejas Arena, 2/15), Mary Timony plays Helium (Casbah, 2/15), Dan Auerbach (Observatory, 2/19), Superchunk (Casbah, 2/21), Missing Persons (Casbah, 2/23), Demi Lovato, DJ Khaled (Viejas Arena, 2/26),

Margo Price (BUT, 3/2), Gogol Bordello (Observatory, 3/3), 311 (HOB, 3/5), Antibalas (BUT, 3/8), American Nightmare (Brick

by Brick, 3/9), Talib Kweli (Music Box, 3/9), Wolves in the Throne Room (Brick by Brick, 3/11), Flogging Molly (Observatory, 3/14), Lucy Dacus (Casbah, 3/21), George Clinton (HOB, 3/28), Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (HOB, 3/31), Ty Dolla$ign (HOB, 4/5), The Soft Moon (Casbah, 4/14), Dashboard Confessional (HOB 4/18), Big K.R.I.T. (Music Box, 4/20), Los Lonely Boys (BUT, 4/22), ‘Welcome to Night Vale’ (Observatory, 4/25), Art Garfunkel (Balboa Theatre, 4/27), Bunbury (HOB, 4/29), Baths (BUT, 5/3), Keb’ Mo’ (BUT, 5/6-7), Weird Al Yankovic (Humphreys, 5/12), Franz Ferdinand (Observatory, 5/13), Nada Surf (BUT, 5/14), Earth, Wind and Fire (Harrah’s SoCal, 5/18), Madeleine Peyroux (BUT, 5/28), Kesha, Macklemore (Mattress Firm, 6/12), Weezer, The Pixies (Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, 8/11), Charlie Puth (Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, 8/20).

JANUARY WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10 Veronica May at Soda Bar. The Oxen at The Casbah.

THURSDAY, JAN. 11 Capitol Steps at Spreckels Theatre. TV Girl at Soda Bar. Black Marble at SPACE. White Wizzard at Brick by Brick. Egyptian Acid Rock at The Casbah. Steel Panther at House of Blues.

FRIDAY, JAN. 12 Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at Belly Up Tavern. Dirty Sweet at The Casbah.

Sights and Sages at Soda Bar.

24 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

SATURDAY, JAN. 13 K. Flay at Observatory North Park. Red Aunts at The Casbah. The Generators at Soda Bar. Glass Spells at SPACE. Tommy Castro and the Painkillers at Belly Up Tavern. Fates Warning at Brick

by Brick.

SUNDAY, JAN. 14 Luna at The Casbah. Pkew Pkew Pkew at Soda Bar. Demun Jones at Brick by Brick.

MONDAY, JAN. 15 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at House of Blues. Kris Kristofferson at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). The Naked I at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, JAN. 16 Josh Ritter at Belly Up Tavern. Buck-ONine at The Casbah. Naivete at Soda Bar.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17 Yung Lean at SOMA. The Flesh Eaters at The Casbah. Burt Bacharach at Belly Up Tavern.

THURSDAY, JAN. 18 Big Boi at Observatory North Park. Surfer Blood at The Casbah. Cold Showers at SPACE. Al Stewart at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Slow Hollows at House of Blues.

FRIDAY, JAN. 19 The White Buffalo at Observatory North Park. The Magnificent at The Casbah.

Monte Pittman at Brick by Brick. Eukaryst at Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, JAN. 20 Pulley at Soda Bar. Beat Farmers Hootenanny at Belly Up Tavern. G3: Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Phil Collen at Balboa Theatre. Ill Nicky at Music Box. Esham at Brick by Brick. Gods of Thunder at House of Blues. Get Back Loretta at The Casbah.

SUNDAY, JAN. 21 Judas Priestess at Soda Bar. Body/Head at The Casbah. Jo Koy at Copley Symphony Hall. Glaare at Blonde.

MONDAY, JAN. 22 Willy Tea Taylor at Soda Bar. Quel Bordel at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, JAN. 23 Wolf Parade, Charly Bliss at Observatory North Park. The Toasters at Soda Bar. Pond at The Casbah. John Hiatt and the Goners at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24 Ty Segall at Belly Up Tavern. Jessica Lea Mayfield at The Casbah. August Burns Red at House of Blues. Spirit Award at Soda Bar.

THURSDAY, JAN. 25 Grace Mitchell at Soda Bar. The Deep Dark Woods at The Casbah. Skinlab at Brick by Brick. Part Time at Blonde. Hippo Campus at House of Blues.

FRIDAY, JAN. 26 Hammerfall at Brick by Brick. Demetri Martin at Balboa Theatre. Rob Bell at Observatory North Park. Taken by Canadians at The Casbah. Zeros at Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, JAN. 27 Eric Johnson at House of Blues. Converge at Brick by Brick (sold out). St. Vincent at Observatory North Park (sold out). Dariush at Balboa Theatre. Twin Ritual at Soda Bar. Sights and Sages at The Casbah.

SUNDAY, JAN. 28 Reverend Horton Heat at Observatory North Park. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry at Music Box. Flamingosis at The Casbah. Piebald at Soda Bar.

MONDAY, JAN. 29 John Maus at Belly Up Tavern. DVSN at Observatory North Park. Pinback at The Casbah. The Lillingtons at Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, JAN. 30 Anti-Flag at SOMA. Pinback at The Casbah. The Killers at Valley View Casino Center.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31 Tower of Power at Belly Up Tavern. Gilberto Santa Rosa at Music Box. Pinback at The Casbah. Prawn at Soda Bar.

FEBRUARY THURSDAY, FEB. 1 Steven Wright at Balboa Theatre. Passion Pit at Observatory North Park. Ladysmith Black Mambazo at Belly Up Tavern. The Stone Foxes at The Casbah.

Bad History Month at Soda Bar.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

@SDCITYBEAT

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 FRIDAY, FEB. 2 STRFKR at Observatory North Park. Wild Child at Belly Up Tavern. Exmag at The Casbah. Birdy Bardot at Soda Bar. Kristin Chenoweth at Music Box. Core 10 at Brick by Brick.

SATURDAY, FEB. 3 Fetty Wap at House of Blues. Lewis Black at Balboa Theatre. ALO at Belly Up Tavern. Belle Game at Soda Bar. Joe Lynn at Brick by Brick.

MONDAY, FEB. 5 Howard Jones at Belly Up Tavern. Phoebe Bridgers at Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, FEB. 6 Majid Jordan at Observatory North Park.

Kathryn Cloward at Belly Up Tavern.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 7 Lights at Observatory North Park. The Wind and the Wave at The Casbah. Joey Cape at Soda Bar.

THURSDAY, FEB. 8 tobyMAC at Viejas Arena. Walk the Moon at House of Blues. Allah-Las at Belly Up Tavern. The Eiffels at Soda Bar. Zebra at Brick by Brick.

FRIDAY, FEB. 9 Ja Rule and Ashanti at Observatory North Park.

@SDCITYBEAT

SATURDAY, FEB. 10 Dua Lipa at House of Blues. Fu Manchu at The Casbah. Stelouse at Soda Bar. Typhoon at Music Box. Tim Ripper Owens at Brick by Brick. The Green at Observatory North Park.

SUNDAY, FEB. 11 Caifanes at Observatory (sold out). David Dondero at Soda Bar. Andres Lopez at House of Blues. The Phenomenauts at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, FEB. 13 Killswitch Engage, Anthrax at House of Blues. Valley Queen at Soda Bar.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14 Lettuce at Observatory North Park. Chuck Ragan at The Casbah.

THURSDAY, FEB. 15 Lana Del Rey at Valley View Casino Center. Miranda Lambert at Viejas Arena. Mary Timony plays Helium at The Casbah.

FRIDAY, FEB. 16 ‘Awesome Fest 11’ at various venues.

Ghostemane at House of Blues. Gameface at The Casbah. Sweet and Tender Hooligans at Observatory North Park.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Fri: Hard Fall Hearts, Cat Chasers.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: Andy Gross. Fri: Bill Bellamy. Sat: Bill Bellamy.

The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Thu: Karaoke. Fri: Ol’ Fashion Depot, Reverie Noise, The In-itself, Fountain of Youth. Sat: Shredder 1984, FaceXHugger, Street Cleaner. Tue: Karaoke.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. Wed: DJ Old Man Johnson. Thu: ‘Chyurch’ w/ Strawberry Moons, DJ Mike Turi. Fri: Gone Baby Gone, Cochinas Locas, Class Project DJs. Sat: Comedy Kumite. Sun: Stephen Rey Sextet. Mon: ‘Motown Monday’ w/ DJ Morosi. Tue: Alvino and the Dwells.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown.

Fri: Wongo. Sat: Codes.

Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Thu: Nate Donnis. Fri: Scratch. Sat: Emotional Rescue.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: The Simpkin Project, New Leaf, Shocks of Mighty. Thu: Easy Wind, Back to the Garden. Fri: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Organ Freeman. Sat: Tommy Castro and the Painkillers. Mon: Kris Kristofferson (sold out). Tue: Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band, Nicki Bluhm.

Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Thu: Uptown Rhythm Makers.

Fri: ‘Benefit for Anders’ w/ Gary Wilson, Beehive and the Barracudas, Doc Hammer, Westside Inflection. Sat: Red Wizard, Mezzoa, The Rare Breed.

Blonde, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Wed: ‘Dance Klassique’ w/ DJs Joe Pea, Ryan Bauer, Gomez. Thu: ‘Club Hemlock’ w/ A Night Of Death Rock, Robin Roth, Javi Nunez. Fri: ‘Dance Punk/Indie Blog Haus Dance Party’. Sat: ‘Another Night’ w/ Adam Salter, Eric Medina. Sun: Cowgirl Clue, Twin Temple, Belladon.

Mon: ‘Blue Monday’. Tue: ‘T is 4 Techno’.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad. Thu: Dread Hawk, INWI. Fri: ‘Club Musae’.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. Thu: White Wizzard, Sergulath, Desert Suns. Sat: Fates Warning, Symbolic, Alchemy. Sun: Demun Jones.

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Wed: The Oxen, Pockethole, Sweet Myths. Thu: Egyptian Acid Rock, Stone Horse, XIV. Fri: Dirty Sweet, Hammered Satin, DJ Mario Rubalcaba. Sat: Red Aunts, The Goldettes. Sun: Luna, Eleanor Friedberger. Mon: The Naked I, Jesse Nova and The Second Line, Sante Prince. Tue: Buck-O-Nine, Mustard Plug, The Lexicons.

Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. Fri: Nemesis. Sat: Melody Makers.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Bay Park. Sat: Masters of the Vibes.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown. Sat: DJ Wavy.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Fri: DJ Heartattack. Sat: DJ Bamboozle.

Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave., Downtown.

Thu: DJ Yodah. Fri: ‘Good Times’. Sat: ‘Rock Star Saturday’.

SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights.

Thu: Black Marble, Girl Pusher, Ruby Haunt. Sat: Glass Spells, Of Ennui, Ethics.

Sun: ‘Pocari Sweat’ w/ DJs Rees Withrow, Umenos.

Hooley’s, 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa. Fri: Coverdale, Blinn. Sat: Sam Bybee.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

JANUARY 10, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 25

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Thu: Steel Panther, The Montell Jordans. Mon: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Night Beats.

Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: Cadillac Wreckers. Thu: Ray Bell and the Feel Good Band. Fri: Full Strength Funk Band, Michele Lundeen. Sat: Funk’s Most Wanted, The Reflectors. Sun: Arnessa Ricketts, Stellita. Mon: Missy Anderson. Tue: Taryn Donath Trio.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Wed: ‘Galactic Alignment’ w/ Spaceship Earth, Synchronometry, Equanimous. Thu: ‘FUNKeDELiC’. Fri: ‘SPACE OC’ w/ Jason Blakemore, Michael Vegh, EASports, Emilio Jon. Sat: ‘Midnight Wave’ w/ Sam Wild, Syntax, Zemers, DJ Edd, Jag J. Sun: ‘Purps N Turqs’.

Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Fri: Love Past Blue, Damian Sage, Ray Goren. Sun: Fashion Jackson, Jacksonville Kid. Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla.

Thu: Berhana.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Wed: Harmony Road. Thu: JG Trio. Fri: Alternatives. Tue: Glen Smith.

Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: Andy and Nathan.

Thu: ‘Things Are Swingin’ w/ Mark Winkler, Cheryl Bentyne. Fri: Janice and Nathan. Sat: Anthony Fedorov, Shelley Segal. Sun: Ria Carey and Don L. Tue: Jaleesa Johnson.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: Sundrop Electric, Be Mine

26 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · JANUARY 10, 2018

Phantom Valentine, Bloomcaster. Fri: ‘Passion Latina’. Sat: ‘Club Sabbat’. Tue: The Kathryn Cloward Band, Cherry Moon, Danni Amon.

Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas. Fri: Black Cherry Lightnin’. Sat: Mickie Arnett Band.

Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy.

Fri: Desert Dwellers, Kaminanda, Liquid Bloom, Treavor Moontribe, Dela Moontribe. Sat: ‘Funk Soul Social’ w/ Queens of Soul Revue, The Routine, Elektric Voodoo.

Sun: Tom Gun Live.

The Office, 3936 30th St., North Park.

Wed: ‘1,2,3’ w/ DJ EdRoc. Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King. Fri: ‘After Hours’ w/ DJs Kid Wonder, Adam Salter. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’ w/ DJs Kanye Asada, Gabe Vega. Sun: ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ w/ Tribe of Kings. Mon: Veronica May Band, Sarah Rogo.

OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Fri: DVBBS. Sat: Eric Dlux. Sun: Griffin.

Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park.

Wed: Gilbert Castellanos. Thu: Lorraine Castellanos. Sat: Steph Johnson. Sun: Zzymzzy Quartet.

Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: T.I. Sat: Konflikt.

Plaza Bar at Westgate Hotel, 1055 2nd Ave., Downtown. Fri: Gilbert Castellanos.

Sat: Allison Adams Tucker. Mon: Julio de la Huerta.

Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, Kearny Mesa. Wed: Victor Marquez. Thu: Tomcat Courtney. Fri: The Stoney B Blues Band. Sat: Billy Watson.

The Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. Fri: ‘Hip Hop Fridayz’. Sat: ‘Sabados en

Fuego’ w/ DJs XP, KA, K-Swift. Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJ Junior the Disco Punk.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., Hillcrest.

Wed: DJs John Joseph, Kinky Loops.

Thu: DJs K-Swift, Kayden. Fri: DJs Kiki, Moody Rudy. Sat: DJs K-Swift, Taj. Sun: ‘Stripper Circus’ w/ Brookle Lynn Heights, Jaidynn Diore Fierce, Evah Destruction, DJ Cros, DJ Kitty Glitter.

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’ w/ Jason Hanna. Thu: Chloe Lou & Davies. Fri: Orchid x Mantis. Sat: The Joyelles.

Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Karaoke. Fri: The Bedbreakers. Sat: Puente. Mon: ‘Jazz Jam’ w/ Louis Valenzuela.

Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave., North Park. Wed: Ed Kornhauser Organ Trio. Thu: Jimmy Ruelas. Fri: The Addictions. Sat: Grim Jim. Mon: ‘Makossa Monday’ w/ DJ Tah Rei. Tue: Trio Gadjo.

Side Bar, 536 Market St., Downtown. Fri: ‘Fridays Are For the Girls’. Sat: ‘Bitchin’ Saturday’.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights.

Wed: Veronica May, Bomb Squad, Sarah Rogo. Thu: TV Girl, Ethics, Bruin. Fri: Sights and Sages, The Filthy Violets, J. Hofstee.

Sat: The Generators, Rat City Riot, Dead on the Wire. Sun: Pkew Pkew Pkew, Daydream, Se Vende. Mon: Fashion Jackson, Flower Animals, The Brain Ghosts. Tue: Naïvetè, Battery Point, O/X, Heir Gloom.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway.

Sat: Shawshank Redeemed, End of Flesh, Paroxysmal Butchering, Vanguard, Dead End Collective, Legions.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Midtown. Fri: Tantrum Desire. Sat: Lee Reynolds, Tara Brooks.

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Thu: Dude Cervantes, Jesse Lee Hofbauer. Sun: Adeumazel.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: The Schizophonics, The Wooly Bushmen. Thu: Shit Metaphor, Palomino, Sixes. Fri: Scolex, Impure Consecration, Cave Bastard, Temblad. Sat: All Souls, Sorxe, Future Uses. Sun: Pants Karaoke.

Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Wed: The Void Nation. Thu: ‘Paging the 90s’. Sat: Kenny and Deez, Coriander. Sun: Allegra Duchaine. Mon: Lauren Leigh and Sam. Tue: Kyle Castellani.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., Bay Park. Wed: Leonard Spins Vinyl. Thu: Gino and the Lone Gunmen. Fri: The Siers Brothers.

Sat: Alastair Greene Band.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Wed: The Volcanics, Black Flamingos. Thu: Defectives, Loose Wires, Karbonite. Fri: Herbert, Electric Carlos, Orphan Goggles. Sat: Surface Report, All Weather, Build Them To Break, Worth Taking. Sun: Jerk, Hardly Human, Ninja Night Race.

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

Wed: ‘Yes Lawd’. Thu: ‘Boom Boxx Thursday’. Fri: DJs Freeman, Artform. Sat: DJ Bacon. Mon: ‘All That’.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park.

Fri: ‘Death by Dancing’ w/ DJ Jon Blaj.

Sat: ‘Booty Basement’ w/ DJs Dimitri, Rob Moran. Tue: ‘Videodrome’.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach.

Wed: Azul Qutzal, DJ Non Profit. Thu: ‘OB Hip-Hop Social’ w/ Atlantis Rizing.

Fri: Tatanka, Dubbest. Sat: Revival. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: Sometimes Julie, Day Breaker.

@SDCITYBEAT

LAST WORDS

CHRISTIN BAILEY

ASTROLOGICALLY

UNSOUND

Semi-weekly forecasts from the so-called universe ARIES (March 21 - April 19): The stars have aligned this week and next week and the week after that to tell you that you must spend every last dollar in your bank account. I mean, why not? You were going to do it anyway.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): While researching the orientation of celestial bodies, I was distracted by videos of owls sneezing.

On account of this, I do not have a horoscope for you this week. I suggest you look into the owl videos.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): There is no use in trying to deny immutable facts.

@SDCITYBEAT

Gravity does not cease to be true simply because you choose to not believe in it.

It was fake way before that.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Like an old timey taxidermist stuffing a lion without ever having seen one, no matter how brilliant you believe your conjecture to be, it’s pretty ridiculous to literally everybody else.

LEO (July 23 - August 22): Take a couple days this week to ascend to the top of the ranks of a syndicated crime group only to realize too late that the gilded pleasures of criminal enterprise are hollow.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Existence is absolute chaos and things don’t need to make any sense at all to be perfectly understood. This is why you know exactly what “blue” is going to taste like.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): For your horoscope this week read all the other horoscope columns and whenever you feel a pang of envy in your heart for another sign, just go ahead and decide I got it wrong this week and that the other horoscope applies to you instead.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Imagining giving your award show acceptance speech is kind of fun, but have you ever visited the Medieval torture device exhibit and pictured yourself in the iron maiden?

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21): You know how they say you catch more flies with honey? Boy, doesn’t that

seem to be true. I mean just look around: flies as far as the eye can see!

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19): Open your heart to change.

Your challenge this week is to humble yourself in the face of the thousands of websites that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Bigfoot is real.

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): This week you will feel perfectly in tune with every vibration of the universe, picking up everything exactly as a hideous mole creature does while hiding its horrible face in the disgusting mud.

PISCES (February 19 - March 20): The best way to keep your New Years’ resolutions is to be held accountable. For a simple monthly fee of $19.99, paid in concealed cash to my personal address, I just might think about helping you out.

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

JANUARY 10, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 27