San Diego CityBeat • Feb 10, 2016 by San Diego CityBeat

2 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

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February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

Up Front | From the editor

“New” homeless plans require accountability

he “new” ideas are sound. The followto landlords who rent to one veteran and $250 for through is what will be crucial to bettering each subsequent vet; assistance with security deand possibly saving the lives of our region’s posits and utility bills; and a one-million-dollar homeless populations of veterans and those with contingency fund for landlords to cover certain exsevere mental illnesses. penses, such as move-out repairs. Those are the target sectors named by two sepaThe mayor’s press conference was held on the rate and independent initiatives formally announced driveway by the side of a residential property owned last week by the city and the county of San Diego. by former Navy Commander Chris Blatt. His SherStanding in front of the County Administration man Heights apartment building has 18 of 20 units Building with a coterie of politicians and service occupied by veterans who utilize a variety of federal providers, County Supervisor Ron Roberts oversaw rent vouchers and wrap-around services. He says a press conference announcing Project One For All. about 90 percent of the 60 units he owns around The County says it will bump up efforts to shelter town are home to vets. and treat, per best-case practices, the 18 percent of “A whole bunch of case workers have my phone local homeless individuals who have severe mental number,” Blatt says. As a former service member illnesses. That group could number he’s motivated to help his brethron donoho 1,500 or more, according to the 2015 ren. Blatt prices his rental units count by the Regional Task Force to be aligned with federal voucher on the Homeless. The 2016 count is limits, he says, and he’s usually uncurrently being tabulated. Specific der the local rental market. goals for Project One For All are as On the incentives being offered of yet unclear. under Housing Our Heroes, Blatt The city’s veteran-focused says every little bit helps. “I’m initiative is called Housing Our glad to see the city getting serious Heroes. Mayor Kevin Faulconer about this,” he says. “Some landhosted a slightly-different-butlords will jump at it. Others won’t somewhat-overlapping collection want to deal with the paperwork. of concerned leaders at his presser. I hope if all things are equal some The mayor’s stated goal is to get [landlords] will decide to be pa1,000 vets housed and supported by triotic.” services by the end of 2016. His personal message to other Given the misfiring of previous Landlord Chris Blatt landlords: “Just free up one [unit]. attempts to eradicate homelessness Try it. It might be a nice change from San Diego’s streets it should now be highly and you might find it rewarding.” obvious that achieving meaningful success will reThat Blatt is involved in the city’s “new” attempt quire benchmarking both these initiatives. Rememto solve its homelessness problem is inspirational, ber that San Diego has climbed the U.S. rankings but also frustrating. Upon a quick Google check, to the number-four city with the largest homeless Blatt was found to be a spokesman for the cause population. back in 2009, when federal Section 8 housing was a “We’ll certainly have metrics,” promises City rising trend. He’s also featured as a shining example Councilmember Todd Gloria, who also chairs the in the 2012 San Diego Housing Commission annual San Diego Regional Continuum of Care Council. report. Is he the only poster boy? “One of the big parts of what we’re trying to do as Blatt says the question is valid, but opines that a region is be more data driven…This is about pinother landlords may not be as accessible, or as ning down a measurable approach. I would ask that hands-on. Meanwhile, let’s take Gloria up on his people would hold us accountable.” request for accountability—from both the city and Gloria notes that the city currently has money in the county. place and already has federal vouchers in the hands For information about the city’s Housing Our Heof veterans who can’t find landlords who will rent roes program call 619-578-7768 or go to sdhc.org. to them. Gloria also announced subsidized incentives for landlords to rent to veterans, including: $500

—Ron Donoho

Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com

This issue of CityBeat is dedicated to NFL quarterbacks kissing pizza-chain moguls. Michael Sam, you were ahead of your time!

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4 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

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Up Front | Letters

On the

ADDING IT ALL UP It is possible to construct a new stadium in San Diego with no new costs to the city [“Deano Spanos’ lameduck Chargers,” Feb. 3]. It must be built downtown adjacent to Petco Park. Building it downtown is advantageous for two reasons. First, it must have a roof that allows it to become an “event center.” Second, it must be downtown to utilize Gaslamp and other restaurants and bars before and after events, as well as downtown hotels. This event center can be used over 200 days a year like the center in Indianapolis. Placing it downtown allows the selling and redevelopment of the Qualcomm site and building it with a roof allows the selling of the sports arena site. This plan puts both sites back in the private sector. Selling both sites should provide about $250 million for the new center. The next move is to use the old redevelopment concept of having local agencies agree to defer the new property taxes from this new private property for 10 years. The city can zone these properties to make them very attractive. The deferment of taxes is better for the local agencies than the deal not going through and getting nothing. The deferred property taxes should net another $250 million over the 10year period. After the 10-year deferral, this additional income would be a windfall for the city, county and public schools. The NFL/Spanos have already said they will contribute $300 million. The new naming rights should be worth $250 million over the 30-year bonding period. The events in the new “event center” should contribute over 200 events a year, in addition to the Chargers, that will make substantial money. Thus, the center itself should contribute minimally $300

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Cover

February connotes love, and why not a little sexiness? The delicious cover illustration created by art director Carolyn Ramos fits perfectly, and also has a backstory. “Donuts and hotdogs were supposed to be the theme of a collaboration poster with my boyfriend from five years years ago, who is also a designer and artist,” she reveals. “But five years ago, we couldn’t get our shit together and get it done. We’re much better designers and artists now, but we broke up. I’d still be up for the collaboration.” To see more of her work go to somaramos.com. million over the 30-year bonding period. The combination of the various revenues adds up to sufficient financing to build a quality center without new cash from the city or county. This public/private ownership of a new “event center” in downtown San Diego would benefit San Diegans who might wish to go to basketball games, hockey games, concerts, NCAA events, national political party conventions as well as the Chargers and Aztec football games and Super Bowls. The coordination with the convention center is obvious. Let us not forget that tourism is our number-one private business in San Diego. This “event center” can create thousands of jobs in the center, restaurants and hotels.

James C. Wilson, San Diego

February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

6 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

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Up Front | news ken stone

Fotios “Frank” Tsimboukakis

Mike Kersey

Keith Mikas

Kersey faces carpetbagger claim in District 5 Incumbent city councilmember now has two Democratic opponents by Ken Stone

ark Kersey attended Northwestern University in the 1990s along with future Late Night host Seth Meyers. Kersey is no TV funnyman but did win his seat on the San Diego City Council in a laugher. The video-tech researcher ran unopposed in 2012—the first time a non-incumbent did that since World War II, he’ll tell you. Now Kersey, 39, seeks re-election in District 5, which is anchored by Rancho Bernardo and stretches from San Pasqual to Scripps Ranch. This time he hopes to emulate the winning ways of former classmate Luke Donald, once the world’s number-one golfer. But can he avoid the sand traps? For months, Republican Kersey had only one longshot challenger—Rancho Bernardo’s Keith Mikas, 46, who raised $2,500 last year (compared with Kersey’s $125,000). But now comes a second Democrat—Fotios “Frank” Tsimboukakis, 56, of Scripps Ranch. He won’t spend more than $2,000, but will walk the district and said, “I have the two best volunteers—my left leg and my right leg.” Tsimboukakis, who filed last week, has done some serious opposition research. He thinks Kersey didn’t live in District 5 when he entered his first race in May 2011. The Greek immigrant believes Kersey made his home in Solana Beach, where he lost a 2004 city council race. When Kersey cut campaign contribution checks to the GOP and other candidates in early 2012, he listed a Solana Beach address. And a March 2012 document shows Kersey directing a real-estate record to be mailed to his ex-wife, Brittainy, in Black Mountain Ranch (in D5). After filing for divorce in 2008, she remarried in 2013 and moved to Del Mar. Kersey now lives in that Black Mountain Ranch home. “I don’t know any couples that live together after a divorce, especially one initiated four years earlier and completed long before 2012,” Tsimboukakis said. Brittainy and Mark have a young son, and they share “50-50 custody,” Brittainy said. She also told CityBeat to trust her ex on where he was living in 2011: “I’m sure he’s telling 100 percent the truth. He’s always been a very upstanding person. I’m sure whatever he tells you is accurate.” In a seven-minute phone chat, Brittainy used the word “accurate” six times. And Kersey says: “The ridiculous assertions from my opponent about my residency are fabricated and baseless,” and says his D5 residency was verified by the City Clerk’s Office when he ran in 2011.

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The City Clerk’s Office relies on Registrar of Voters re- nity’s side on issues like water meter rates and the 66-year cords, and the ROV relies on the Department of Motor Ve- land-lease deal that will raze the Innovations Academy hicles’ database, which is not verified for home residency charter school (and build 264 apartments instead). He by the DMV. said the district needs a bulldog in office. Kersey got just cursory inspection during the 2012 Tsimboukakis has been saying—to Kersey’s great anelection—when he ran to succeed Carl DeMaio in the noyance—that Kersey backed the developer in a letter to GOP-leaning district. No red flags were raised over his San Diego Unified School Board President Mike McQuary, residency. but took the letter back. McQuary told CityBeat: “When I Stacey Fulhorst, head of the city Ethics Commission, receive an email and then receive a request to withdraw it, says Kersey has never been the subject of a complaint. I delete it and the request. I have no records of emails that The ethics panel did a random audit of Kersey’s campaign were withdrawn.” When Tsimboukakis says D5 needs a bulldog in office committee for May 2011 to June 2013 and found he “subhe suggests Mikas isn’t tough enough, either. stantially complied” with local campaign laws. Mikas is dogged on Kersey’s Rebuild San Diego plan—a But Tsimboukakis raises another issue—a Form 700 ficharter amendment to guarantee funding for infrastrucnancial statement filed in April 2014. Kersey failed to disclose an undeveloped lot in Black ture and maintenance headed for the June ballot. Mikas Mountain Ranch that he bought in 2013 for $695,000, dismissed the long-evolving plan, calling it a dusted off Tsimboukakis said. It’s within the district, reportable and version of DeMaio’s “Save Our Streets” lock-box effort. “We can’t give anyone raises” under the Kersey plan notable, he contended, “especially given the fact that more (except for police), Mikas said. than 80 percent of Kersey 2012 cam“You’re telling union workers paign contributions came from outThe 2016 they’re not going to get raises for 20 of-district developers.” to 30 years?” Tsimboukakis said he’s filed a Mikas is a Nissan Leaf-driving complaint with the California Fair political novice with no TV (his sons Political Practices Commission. He broke two) who works at Trader also says he’s contacted the District When is it?: Joe’s in Scripps Ranch. Mikas has Attorney’s Office. Tuesday, June 7 an encyclopedic knowledge of the A Kersey spokesperson denied district (don’t ask him about egress any impropriety with the Form 700 Register at: issue. registertovote.ca.gov issues involving the incoming Palomar College campus), and said he San Diego County Democratic Deadline: took “basic training” in electioneerParty chair Francine Busby said: May 23 ing from a labor union. He said he at“When Frank told me about his retended three classes. search, it wasn’t really a big surprise More info: Kersey said he’s never met Mikas. that there could have been an issue sdvote.com “The fact is, Carl DeMaio moved with this [residency]. If [the claims] into the territory and ran,” Mikas can be verified, I’m sure that there said. “I happened to see [Kersey] would be legal ramifications because candidates attest to the information that they submit un- was running and saw that he was the only one, again. I was like: ‘I’ll hate myself if I don’t do something about this.’… der penalty of perjury.” She said Tsimboukakis is generally “very thorough” in [Kersey] rented a place in Bernardo Heights when he ran his research. (He served as president of the East County for office.” Kersey answers the carpetbagger slam by saying: “VotDemocratic Club when he lived in Santee and ran, losing badly, to Joel Anderson for state Senate in 2014.) “I expect ers are less interested in the length of time that someone’s lived in a particular place—especially in a place like San him to run a vigorous [council] race,” Busby added. Tsimboukakis, who moved back to Scripps Ranch af- Diego, where everyone is from somewhere else anyway— ter his two grown sons left home, said he “agonized” over and more interested in what you’re going to accomplish running, but was upset over Kersey not taking the commu- and ‘What have you accomplished?’”

Primary Election

February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

Up Front | opinion

spin

cycle

john r. lamb

Lori Saldaña vs. the PR machine Let common sense and common honesty have fair play, and they will soon set things to rights.. —Thomas Jefferson

s folks filed out of the first “friend-raiser” on Saturday in support of her uphill battle to unseat incumbent San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, former state Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña paused momentarily from shaking grateful hands. “I want this mayor to have a fight,” she told Spin Cycle, “and that’s exactly what I’m looking for.” The usual pundits will no doubt have a field day dissecting the chances of a former Democrat now aligned with no party against the polished, smiling Republican Faulconer whose campaign coffers overfloweth. But with the local Democratic Party so far field-

ing no legitimate contender, it should also not surprise anyone that Saldaña decided to seize the moment. The decision came while returning from her annual trek down to the lagoons of Baja California to visit gray whales, a species whose predecessors date back 30 million years, she told a gathering of about 60 people at a home nestled in Maple Canyon. “There’s something about being in these very isolated areas far from development, far from the high-rises, that gives me perspective,” she said. “If you want a sense of how limited our time is on this planet to make a difference and be committed to what we believe in, go pet a baby whale and think about how long they’ve been doing this migration.” She said she’d been urged to run for “many months,” but the death of her father last year—a

8 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

larger-than-life retired journalist Spin Cycle had the pleasure to work beside back in the halcyon days of the San Diego Evening Tribune—occupied her psyche. “It takes time to adjust to a big change like that and your circumstances,” she told the gathering. But when the names of potential known challengers emerged and subsequently fell by the wayside, Saldaña said she couldn’t just sit idly by and watch Faulconer’s anticipated re-election coronation. “The current mayor is clearly not representing the broader community, and you can see that by how much money he’s raised and how few people he’s raised it from,” she said. “There’s just a few industries that are filling his campaign coffers, and those are those special interests that want to turn San Diego into a high-rise, high-cost city with people paying the lowest wages that they can get away with.” Faulconer’s opposition to a local minimum-wage hike last year—now set for the same June ballot—and his successful efforts to crush Barrio Logan’s first community plan made Saldaña wonder, “Who’s next?” “First you start with the lowest-wage workers who can’t fight back, then you take the same

michael jacobs

Mayoral challenger Lori Saldaña at a “friend-raiser” Saturday money and strategies against some of our lowest-income neighborhoods that just want a chance to plan for the future so their children aren’t growing up next to polluting industries...But this mayor is not concerned about that kind of ground-up approach to planning.” Communities need a bigger say in how their neighborhoods develop, she said, but “not just grow like a cancer cell. Unlimited growth and high-rises and more people—that’s the philosophy of a cancer cell. Eventually the host dies from those cancer cells.” While Faulconer relies on ribbon-cuttings and scripted press events, Saldaña plans to visit with as many community groups, planning boards and town councils as she can cram into her schedule. She also intends to reprise an event she held while chairing the state Assembly’s Housing and Community Development Committee: a gathering of the leaders of all of the city’s town councils. “We’ll talk about things they have in common, from some of the oldest, most established areas like Clairemont [where she grew up] that have been around for 50 years to some of the newest neighborhoods that are just getting started,” she said. “If we don’t work together, our right as a neighborhood to define where we want to go, what we want to save, what we want to develop, our rights will be ignored and overturned by the planning commission and the mayor’s office and City Hall.” Perhaps to demonstrate her ability to work across partisan lines, Saldaña praised Republican Councilmember Mark Kersey’s proposed infrastructure funding plan that some Democrats have criticized as “ballot-box” budgeting. But she also landed hard on the conservative-led pensionreform efforts, which she said in talking to city officials “is actually

costing us more over time than saving money.” Not only are those reforms creating rifts among young and closer-to-retirement employees, it has hurt San Diego’s ability to retain skilled workers. And Kersey’s plan “likely won’t have funds available” because while “employment costs are going down…for the people who are retiring, they’re going up for the people who have come in.” Meanwhile, Saldaña said, the current mayor seems focused on big-ticket items, like a new NFL stadium. “The high-profile things he wants to talk about—the Chargers, hey they’re coming back! Yeah, for a year—that’s all we get to hear about and read about. I’m not going to throw good money after bad,” she said. “I will invest it in a public stadium that we all own, but I’m not going to throw money after the Chargers. They’re a big company and part of the biggest monopoly in the country.” Saldaña has generated some buzz by signing a pledge to serve a full four-year term as mayor. Faulconer’s campaign strategist, Jason Roe, told the Union-Tribune the mayor “never signs pledges and he’s not going to start today.” Saldaña said she’s heard state Republican leaders believe Faulconer is the “Great White Hope for California,” a suggestion that the mayor is pondering a run for governor in 2018. “He’s the accidental mayor,” she said, explaining that Faulconer has benefited from low-voterturnout special elections. “This city deserves somebody who is focused and whose eyes are on San Diego. Not like Dean Spanos looking at the next media market. We need somebody who is… working for San Diego, not for the people who want to move him to the governor’s office.” Spin Cycle appears every week. Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com.

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Up Front | Food

by michael a. gardiner

the world

they ought to be: Short ribs are an incredibly flavorful cut that benefits from a long, slow cook. Harris’ smoking technique—aided only by a salt/ pepper rub (heavy on the latter)—concentrates the meat’s flavor where braising doesn’t. Tender, with intense, savory, beefy flavor and a layer of soft The poetry of smoke smoke there may be no better way to cook the cut. Smoke played a different, more assertive, role ubtlety” is not the first word that comes to in the Texas turkey; a star turn rather than a supmind when it comes to barbecue. Whatever porting part. Turkey is not the most inherently region it is from, barbecue is about big flaflavorful of meats, and smoked turkey brings to vors, not tweezers. At Grand Ole BBQ y Asado mind bad-deli, low-fat sandwiches. Here, though, (3302 32nd St.) though, it is the poetry Andy Harthe smoke brought out the glorious essence of the ris finds in the smoke it uses to coax those big flabird: its savory character and meaty textures, all vors into being. elevated by the smoke. If barbecue doesn’t qualify as America’s naThen there’s Grand Ole BBQ’s pork spareribs. tional cuisine it’s certainly our national dish. Not the most classic of Texas BBQ meats—that Nothing says more about us, who we are and would be brisket (available evenings until sold where we’re from. There’s the sweet, sauceout)—the ribs are, frankly, perfect. The meat is tender but toothsome, retaining just Michael A. Gardiner a bit of structural integrity, meat but not mush. While the sparerib rub is more elaborate than the beef’s, the focus of the ribs is the flavor of the meat itself. While Grand Ole BBQ has four sauces available (as well as pickles and a selection of hot sauces) none were necessary, though the vinegar-based sauce played nicely with the pork. On Sundays, Texas barbecue gives way to Harris’ family roots in the form of an updated Argentine grill. Harris cooks skirt steak, whole chicken, lamb and morcilla (blood sausage) with the same precision he brings to the barbecue and pairs it with a great chimichurri sauce. Try, Andy Harris’ pork ribs in particular, the morcilla sausage over polenta. forward Kansas City style. There’s Memphis’ It is that precision, the poetry of the cooking and pork ribs (dry or wet with a less-sweet sauce). use of smoke that makes Grand Ole BBQ exceptionThere’s “Carolina Gold” mustard-based sauce. al. Often with Texas barbecue it seems you’re eatThen there’s Texas barbecue where beef joins ing some meat with your smoke. Not so here. The the party, smoke is the spice, and sauce is strictly smoke is calibrated perfectly to enhance the meat, optional. not dominate it. The result is meat that tastes more That’s the core of what Grand Ole BBQ oflike what it is. The smoke may be the catalyst, but fers: central Texas barbecue cooked low and slow it’s all about the meat. It’s all about those big meaty (200-250 degrees) over local live and white oak for flavors and, yes, subtlety. many, many hours. Take, for example, Harris’ barThe World Fare appears weekly. becued beef short ribs. While not a classic canvas Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com. for the pitmaster’s art, they show why, perhaps,

fare

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February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

Up Front | Drink

the

by andrew dyer

beerdist 10 Barrel Brewing Co. isn’t craft

ig Beer’s encroachment into the craft segment is a well-documented, much discussed issue and casual beer drinkers are tired of it. As big as the backlash may have been in response to last year’s deals with Saint Archer and Ballast Point, there was an almost bigger backlash in the other direction. “Who cares?” was one common response, along with the cliché “just drink what you like.”

meeting the definition of craft. By virtue of its geography and planned brewing operation, however, there would be nothing to stop 10 Barrel from claiming to also be “crafted in San Diego.” That, according to San Diego Brewer’s Guild president emeritus Kevin Hopkins, is problematic. “We don’t want folks to spend time needlessly thinking they’re supporting a local craft brand when they’re not,” he said. The Brewer’s Guild has not yet taken andrew dyer a public position, but Hopkins was clear that nothing is off the table. “We’ll look to make sure that we clarify our position,” he said, “and, if necessary, contest their position.” The time may have come for both the Brewer’s Guild and the city to work together to protect what makes San Diego beer “San Diego Beer.” “I think there should definitely be some conversations,” Hopkins said. “That way the city as well as the craft community has a clearly defined expectation of what is ‘San Diego Craft.’” The 10 Barrel plan is a threat to the beer culture of San Diego. It may be the The proposed 10 Barrel brew house at 15th and E streets first, but if successful, it will not be the last to attempt to co-opt that culture. Parent A market this cynical and jaded is exactly what company Anheuser-Busch consistently relies on Anheuser-Busch was betting on when it filed a Civ- sexism and stereotypes to sell its products, and has ic San Diego neighborhood use permit request to never demonstrated any concern for the neighborrenovate a building in East Village into a brewpub. hoods where they are sold. Is welcoming a compaNot under the Budweiser or Shock Top brands, of ny like that really in the city’s best interest? course. Instead, it plans to operate under the name Anyone interested can contact Civic San Diego of 10 Barrel Brewing Co., an Oregon brewery pur- and the Downtown Community Planning Counchased by Anheuser-Busch in 2014. cil to voice their concerns. Big Beer is betting that Cynics may want to paint opposition to 10 jaded consumers no longer care about supporting Barrel as nothing more than anti-corporate beer local businesses, or in whose pockets their money snobbery, but there is more at stake. Anheuser- ends up. It is up to us to prove them wrong. And Busch plans on infiltrating the San Diego market while it will be difficult to stop them, we can at under the cover of “craft” and planting its flag in least send a strong message that not only do we the heart of America’s Craft Beer Capital. It is not not need them here, we do not want them. going to hang a huge Anheuser-Busch sign above its door. Its website proudly proclaims “craft beer The Beerdist appears every other week. brewed in Oregon” despite the brewery no longer Write to andrewd@sdcitybeat.com

10 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

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February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

Up Front | books

The floating

by jim ruland

library A pair of love stories where time and distance are no object

peak is not a traditional love story. It’s not a traditional anything. It’s a fractured novel by Louisa Hall told from multiple points of view by a host of interconnected characters across great distances and long stretches of time. Although the spoken word plays an enormous role in linking these characters, their stories are told through a series of unconventional texts: the diary of a 17th century English girl named Mary who is forced into a marriage she doesn’t want and a journey across the ocean she isn’t ready for; the letters between a computer scientist and his estranged wife who differ over the moral implications of artificial intelligence; the prison memoirs of Stephen R. Chinn who was incarcerated for creating smart dolls called babybots that were too lifelike; the transcripts of a young girl whose only link to the outside world is the software program removed from the illegal smart dolls; and letters from Alan Turing, the celebrated World War II codebreaker and godfather of modern computing. That’s a lot to take in, but like David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, another ambitious novel with an unusual structure that reaches back into the past and anticipates the future, Speak is a mesmerizing tour de force. Connecting these disparate voices is the computer program that Turing anticipates and Chinn develops that captures the lives and experiences of those who interact with it. “These are my voices. Which of them has the right words for this movement into the desert? I sift through their sentences. They are my people, the family that raised me. I opened on them, then closed. Open, shut. I swallowed them whole. They are in me now, in every word that I speak, as long as I am still speaking.” This is the heartbreaking voice of the last remaining babybot as it is being driven into the desert with the rest of the confiscated smart dolls to be locked away from human contact. Many love stories abound but few work out favorably: Mary’s love for her dog, whom she must leave behind in England, which is felt all the more intensely because her feverish adoration serves as a renunciation of the man she does not wish to marry. Her prose style is as endearing as

12 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

it is arresting, prompting the wife of a computer scientist to program an early experiment in artificial intelligence with Mary’s diaries simply so that the girl’s voice would live on, which it does, in Chin’s babybots. These smart dolls were so irresistible that Chinn’s own daughter fell in love with her doll. “All too well, I remember passing the door to Ramona’s bedroom and overhearing the gentle, melodic conversations she exchanged with her bot…The two of them never fought. They were perfect for each other.” On and on it goes, one voice speaking to another and in so doing keeping their memory alive. *** Valeria Luiselli’s Faces in the Crowd embarks on a similar project in her fragmented story of overlapping texts that worms its way into the subconscious and takes possession of the reader. A young translator embarks on a project to publish a collection by the forgotten Mexican poet Gilberto Owen who moved from Mexico City to live in New York City where he brushed shoulders with the great artists of the Harlem Renaissance. In her zeal to publish her books, she begins to fantasize about seeing Owen in a subway car on a passing train: “When there was once again darkness outside the window, I saw my own blurred image on the glass. But it wasn’t my face; it was my face superimposed on his—as if his reflection had been stamped onto the glass and now I was reflected inside that double trapped on my carriage window.” The translator’s fantasies, however, may be couched inside the narrative of a young mother in Mexico City who suspects her husband is having an affair. To lure her husband back, she leaves teasing clues of her suspicions in the form of erotic tales from her life as a young woman working as a translator in New York. The storylines work as strands in a double helix, endlessly coiling around each other and leaving the reader guessing what is truth and what is fantasy. Faces in the Crowd, Luiselli’s fictional novelist tells us, is “A horizontal novel, told vertically. A novel that has to be told from the outside in order to be read from within.” Write to jimr@sdcitybeat.com.

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EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

FROM THE HEART

For a holiday with a history that involves executions, crazy Roman emperors and a bizarre fertility festival involving naked men swatting women with dog-skin whips (for real, look it up), Valentine’s Day has come a long way. Sure, you could join the crowded throngs at the movies or at a restaurant, but here are a few alternatives we think would make for a unique and much more romantic day. First up, on Friday, Feb. 12, at St. Paul’s Cathedral (2728 6th Ave.) in Hillcrest and Saturday, Feb. 13, at the La Jolla Library (7555 Draper Ave.), local choral group SACRA/PROFANA (sacraprofana.org) will perform “Romance Isn’t Dead,” a program consisting of new and classic songs with love and romance themes. Bonus: The $20-$25 ticket price includes complimentary champagne and chocolate. There are a couple Balboa Park events that would also make for excellent V-Day options. Starting Thursday, Feb. 11, the San Diego Museum of Art (sdmart.org) will showcase sculptural works from its permanent collection all over the Plaza de Panama (corner of El Prado and Pan American Way). Titled Art of the Open Air, the free exhibition features works from legends like Joan Miró, Auguste Rodin, and Tony Rosenthal. Around the corner, the Free Weekend of Poetry at the Old Globe (1363 Old Globe Way, theoldglobe.org) features a poetry discussion on Saturday, Feb. 13, at

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COURTESY OF SAN DIEGO OPERA

HArt of the Open Air at Plaza de Panama, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. SDMA will showcase sculptural works from its permanent collection and features works from Joan Miró, Auguste Rodin, Tony Rosenthal, and more. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. Free. 619-2390512, sdmart.org HChor Boogie: The Ultimate Sacrifice at Mesa College Art Gallery, 7250 Mesa College Drive, Clairemont. Six paintings from graffiti artist Chor Boogie’s politically-charged collection, The Divided State of America, will be on display addressing the nation’s economic, social and foreign tensions. Opening from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. Free. 619-388-2829, sdmesa.edu/art-gallery

Tosca 4 p.m. that includes prominent locals Jim Moreno, Karla Cordero and more. Then, on Sunday, Feb. 14, at 4 p.m., Moreno and Cordero are joined by fellow poets Lizz Huerta and Joe Limer for a onehour showcase in the Old Globe Plaza. And what Valentine’s Day would be complete without a little blood-soaked, jealousy-fueled drama? We’re referring to San Diego Opera’s seasonopening performance of Puccini’s Tosca. Opening Saturday, Feb. 13, at the San Diego Civic Theatre (1100 3rd Ave.) for four performances through Sunday, Feb. 21, the opera deals in themes of murder, betrayal and even police brutality, but the incomparable singing still makes it worth you putting on your romance pants. Tickets start at $45. sdopera.com

2 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3 WRITE OFF

Gun violence, poverty, immigration, environment, race…it’s a long laundry list for politicians this election. In his series Divided State of America, graffiti guru and San Francisco native Chor Boogie paints a not-so-pretty picture of these issues while questioning the candidates’ dedication to the nation’s founding morals. StartCOURTESY OF THE ARTIST ing Thursday, Feb. 11, six largescale paintings from the series’ subcollection, In God We Trust, will be on display at the Mesa Community Ultimate Sacrifice College Art by Chor Boogie Gallery (7250 Mesa College Drive). An opening reception will be held in the Art Gallery (Room D101) from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and will be immediately followed by a lecture by Boogie in Room G101. Be sure to check out the mural in the gallery’s courtyard as well. Entry is free. sdmesa.edu

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SETH COMBS

After Hours at UCSD Visual Arts Facility Gallery, Russell Dr. and Lyman Ave., La Jolla. UCSD undergraduate student Christian Duarte presents a solo photography exhibition that explores the way spaces are changed by artificial and ambient lighting. Opening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. Free. visarts. ucsd.edu

From Ray Bradbury to Joyce Carol Oates, the annual Writer’s Symposium by the Sea has brought some distinguished voices to San Diego. This year, participants coming to Point Loma Nazarene University (3900 Lomaland Drive) include the great sportscaster Dick COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR Enberg; children’s author Robin Jones Gunn; and Christian feminist blogger Sarah Bessey. But our favorite has to be civil rights activist and author Nikki Giovanni. A poet, professor and spoken-word artist, Giovanni is at the top of the list and we’re excited Nikki Giovanni for her relevant insights on race and peace. Tickets are going pretty fast, so make space in your calendar from Tuesday, Feb. 16 to Friday, Feb. 19. All events start at 7 p.m. See pointloma.edu/writers for full schedule and campus locations.

HIP.HOP.SHOP: An Underground Affair at Bluefoot Bar & Lounge, 3404 30th St., North Park. A showcase of local artists and crafters curated by Junk & Po. Includes works and wares from Inverness and Crane, Vemps Town, Lottie Hop, Carrie Anne Hudson and more. From 8 p.m. to midnight. Thursday, Feb. 11. Free. 619-756-7891, facebook.com/ events/793146084144315 A Song From My Hero Collection at New Americans Museum, 2825 Dewey Road Suite 102, Liberty Station. Artist Jay Lizo’s personal look at “hero selection” includes work from high school students in a variety of media, as well as Lizo’s series of 40 paintings of famous and iconic heroes. Opening from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12. Free. 619-756-7707, newamericansmuseum.org HChildren of Immigrants at New Americans Museum, 2825 Dewey Road Suite 102, Liberty Station. Quetzal Maucci’s photo-portraits series depicts teenage millennial subjects as they struggle with adapting or claiming an American identity amidst negotiating between two worlds and two identities. Opening from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12. Free. 619-756-7707, newamericansmuseum.org HAn Intersection of Muralists at Gallery D, 1878 Main St., Barrio Logan. Local mural artists will be painting an 8 x 12 foot space of an interior gallery wall reflecting on the neighborhood of Barrio Logan. Artists include Manu Faves, Esther Gamez Rubio, George Garcia and more. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. $5 suggested donation. facebook.com/ events/148865532156784/ Art from the Heart at La Jolla Community Center, 6811 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. New work from Beverly Brock (photography) and Gladys Jimenez (paintings) with a portion of all artwork sales benefiting the La Jolla Community Center. Opening from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free. 858-459-0831, ljcommunitycenter.org HBarrio Art Crawl at Barrio Logan Arts District, 1878 Main St., Barrio Logan. A self guided tour consisting of the open studios, galleries and local businesses of the Barrio Logan Arts District. Spaces include include Bread & Salt,The Glashaus, Chicano Art Gallery and over a dozen more. From 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free. 619-366-9006, facebook.com/ barrioartcrawl HBest in Show at San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado , Balboa Park. A multimedia exhibition devoted to the feline (and ca-

H = CityBeat picks

nine) purr-suasions. The exhibition is juried by Jason Eppink and features work from Ali Silverstein, Dan Adams, Pamela Jaeger, and many more. Opening also features a performance from local band Lion Cut. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free-$5. sandiego-art.org California Open Wildlife Art Festival at Corky McMillin Event Center, 2875 Dewey Road, Point Loma. More than 100 artists and carvers from will showcase a variety of wildlife art at this 43rd annual festival. From 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13 and Sunday, Feb. 14. $5. 619-573-9260, pswa.net Darling River at Low Gallery, 1878 Main St., Barrio Logan. This traveling show will feature prints made by young artists at St. Therese’s School of Wilcannia in New South Wales, Australia, which is made up primarily of students of aboriginal descent. Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free. 619-348-5517, lowgallerysd.com HNature / Nurture at Distinction Gallery and Artist Studios, 317 E. Grand Ave., Escondido. A solo show from Tennesseebased Michael Aaron Williams consisting of paintings created with coffee and ink and applied to joined ledger paper from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free. 760-781-5779, distinctionart.com Off Track Gallery Reception at Off Track Gallery, 687 S. Coast Highway 101, Encinitas. Meet featured artists Karen Fidel (pottery) and Lynn Ely (fiber arts). Ten percent off all artwork during gallery hours the day of the reception. From 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free. 760-942-3636, sandieguitoartguild.com Ray at Night at North Park along 30th St., Between 3700 and 3900 block, North Park. North Park’s monthly art walk returns with open art galleries, food trucks and live music performances by local bands. Takes place in the heart of North Park along 30th St., University Ave., Ray St., and more. From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free. rayatnight.com HSalomeya Sobko, Dom Jones and Famo Musa at Helmuth Projects, 1827 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill. New collaborative and individual works from the emerging female artists. The second of four in the new IUD: A Place You Think About series. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free. 619-265-6842, sayingtheleastandsayingitloud.com Small Images Exhibition at Escondido Municipal Gallery, 262 E. Grand Ave., Escondido. The annual exhibition will feature 90 works of art no bigger than 12 inches by over 40 San Diego artists. Opening from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free. 760-480-4101, escondidoarts.org Small Wonders at Thumbprint Gallery, 920 Kline St., #104, La Jolla. Small works from dozens of local artists in a variety of mediums. Artists include Ethos One, Jon Molina, Rachel Kim and more. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free. thumbprintgallerysd.com HPuppy Zone at San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado , Balboa Park. Get your paws on some treats and toys while you and your four-legged friend enjoy SDAI’s cat and dog themed exhibition, Best in Show. Takes place every weekday from 3 to 5 p.m. through March 16. From 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16. Free-$5. sandiego-art.org Undergraduate Studio Honors Open Studios at UCSD, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. A showcase of the artists in the UCSD Studio Honors Program with work in a variety of disciplines. Includes work from Jenna McCloskey, Alice Musher, Brooke Kesinger, and many more. Takes

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February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 place on the second floor of the Mandeville Center. From 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17. 858-534-2230, visarts.ucsd.edu

BOOKS Michelle Adelman at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The writer and Time Out New York journalist will discuss and sign her debut novel, Piece of Mind, about a young woman dealing with the everyday struggles of a traumatic brain injury. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com John Connell, Lisa Brackmann and Matt Coyle at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The thriller authors will be promoting their respective new books, Spoils of Victory (Connell), Dragon Day (Brackmann), and Night Tremors (Coyle). At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12. Free. 858268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Jill G. Hall at Women’s Museum of California, 2730 Historic Decatur Road, Barracks 16, Point Loma. Part of the Second Sunday Author Series, Hall will be reading excerpts from her novel, The Black Velvet Coat, which follows the story of a young San Franciscan artist who finds inspiration in a vintage jacket. From 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. $5. 619-2337963, womensmuseumca.org HAshley Warlick at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The award-winning author will discuss and sign her newest novel, The Arrangement, about a food writer and her romantic entanglements. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com

Sally McKenney at Eclipse Bar & Bistro, 2145 Fern St., South Park. The renowned food blogger will be promoting her latest book, Sally’s Candy Addiction, at this tasting event that includes toffee, paired wines and a book discussion. At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16. $42. 619-5782984, adventuresbythebook.com Hattie Bryant at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The television producer and author will discuss and sign I’ll Have It My Way: Taking Control of End-Of-Life Decisions. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17. Free. 858-4540347, warwicks.com

COMEDY HSan Diego Improv Festival at Finest City Improv, 4250 Louisiana St., North Park. FCM hosts some of the country’s best improv performers for a weekend of comedy, workshops and improvised theater. See website for full details and schedule. From 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, 3 p.m. to midnight Friday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday, Feb. 13, and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. $15-$95. 619-3066047, sdimprovfestival.com

DANCE Moscow Festival Ballet: Romeo and Juliet at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. Moscow Festival Ballet takes classical talents from both the Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet companies to present Shakespeare’s timeless teenage tragedy. From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. $20-$80. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org

14 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

FOOD & DRINK HBrewbies Fest at Bagby Beer Co., 601 South Coast Hwy., Oceanside. Enjoy handcrafted beer from 40 of the best breweries to benefit the Keep A Breast Foundation. Includes specialty pink beers made from local and regional breweries. From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. $45. 760-840-9036, brewbies.org San Diego On Tap at Town & Country Hotel, 500 Hotel Circle N., Mission Valley. Sample over 100 releases from some of America’s best craft breweries while enjoying live music, food and vendors. From 1 to 4 p.m. and 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. $45-$60. 619-291-7131, americaontap.com

MUSIC Aaron Neville Quintet at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. La Jolla Music Society continues its Jazz Series with the New Orleans R&B ambassador who is probably best known for his smooth and unmistakable falsetto. At 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. $25-$75. 619570-1100, ljms.org HL’Amour Benefit Concert at La Jolla Community Center, 6811 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Singers, guitarists and a pianist from the San Diego Opera will join special guests Pepe Romero and Kristina Cobarrubia for a night of opera, musical theater and Spanish love songs to benefit local music. From 6:30 to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12. $30. 858-459-0831, ljcommunitycenter.org HRomance Isn’t Dead at St. Paul’s Cathedral, 2728 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Local choral group SACRA/PROFANA will perform a program consisting of new and classic songs with love and romance themes. Ticket price includes complimen-

tary champagne and chocolate. At 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 13. $20-$25. 619-298-7261, sacraprofana.org

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HGary Peacock Trio at The Auditorium at TSRI, 10640 John Jay Hopkins Dr., La Jolla. A rare West Coast appearance by the jazz trio led by bassist Gary Peacock, whose six-decade career has included notable stints with Bill Evans, Albert Ayler, Paul Bley and Miles Davis. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. $30-$35. 858-7842666, ljathenaeum.org San Diego youth Symphony Winter Ovation Concert at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. This concert features SDYS’s most advanced orchestras and wind ensembles led by Music Director Jeff Edmons. Includes a concerto performance by Concerto Competition Winner Sofia Hashemi-Asasi. From 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. $10-$35. 619235-0804, sdys.org Valentines Super Love Jam at Valley View Casino Center, 3500 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway. A night of love jams featuring an assortment of old-school R&B talent such as Art Laboe, Zapp, Atlantic Starr, Freddie Jackson and more. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. $34.50-$57.50. valleyviewcasinocenter.com Around Dvořák at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. The quartet from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will play an inspired program anchored by Antonín Dvořák’s magisterial Piano Quartet No. 2. At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. $40-$50. 858454-5872, ljathenaeum.org/

PERFORMANCE Ain’t Misbehavin’ at 98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, Little Italy. Drop

“Nurture” by Michael Aaron Williams is on view at Nature / Nurture, a solo exhibition opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at Distinction Gallery and Artist Studios (317 East Grand Ave., Escondido). Dead Dames Burlesque Revue presents their fourth annual night of champagne, burlesque, games and more. From 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12. $20-$40. 619255-7885, m.bpt.me/event/2485271

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THEATER brownsville song plays a sad refrain

DAREN SCOTT

he agony of loss pervades Kimber Lee’s brownsville song (b-side for tray), the story of a fractured Brooklyn family that loses an 18-year-old son to gang violence. It’s at its most raw and piercing, however, when grandmother Lena (Sylvia M’Lafi Thompson) cradles the murdered Tray’s souvenir football in her arms and sinks onto his bed in tears. Though she opens the one-act drama in a monologue assuring us that the tale about to be told is not about her, the Lena character is the prism through which we absorb brownsville song’s heartache and its subtextual lessons about reconciliation and survival. The Moxie Theatre production features the estimable Thompson as Lena, and the intuitive Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, who directed brownsville song as a staged reading in last year’s New Voices Festival at the Old Globe, is at the helm once again. Lee’s play weathers slow spots (most in the flashbacks with Tray and his stepmother), though the interchanging depictions of past and present don’t consistently allow the impact of a scene to sink in. But Cortez L. Johnson is a Tray to root for (and grieve for), and the affections between him, his grandmother and little sister (Zoe Sonnenberg) make knowing his fate all the more chilling. brownsville song (b-side for tray) runs through Feb. 28 at Moxie Theatre in Rolando. $30; moxietheatre.com * * * You’d be hard pressed to keep a straight face during the Old Globe’s The Metromaniacs, David Ives’ sumptuous farce based on Alexis Piron’s 18th-century La Metromanie. Unless you’re averse to verse. Like Ives’ The School for Lies, produced two years ago at the North Coast Rep,

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The Metromaniacs runs through March 6 at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. $29 and up; oldglobe.org

—David L. Coddon

Theater reviews run weekly. Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING: Now or Later: The West Coast premiere of Christopher Shinn’s provocative play about a presidential election that turns all too personal when controversial photos surface of the Democratic candidate’s son. It opens in previews Feb. 11 at the Diversionary Theatre in Hillcrest. diversionary.org Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: Edward Albee’s classic drama about two married couples who meet for drinks and leave forever changed. Presented by the Intrepid Theatre Company, it opens Feb. 11 at the Horton Grand Theatre in the Gaslamp. intrepidtheatre.org

Cortez L. Johnson (left) and Sylvia M’Lafi Thompson in brownsville song (b-side for tray) The Metromaniacs rides the rocky, raucous waves of rhyming couplets. If you can relax, enjoy and stop yourself from waiting for the completion of a rhyme, you’ll likely bond with this silly tale of poetry lovers (the socalled metromaniacs), mistaken identity and unfettered infatuation. Director Michael Kahn keeps the goings-on in high gear with high style. Among the engaging cast, Amelia Pedlow stands out as a pampered daughter and sucker for poetry who can also pucker her lips like her life depended on it.

Emilie: La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight: The San Diego premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s fascinating play about the brilliant Enlightenment physicist and mathematician who never got her due because of her sex. It opens Feb. 13 at the New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad. newvillagearts.org The Last Match: As the drama of a tennis match between a Russian and an American plays out on the court, the behind-the-scenes drama is just as fast-paced. Written by Anna Zeigler, it opens Feb. 13 at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. theoldglobe.org Movers + Shakers: A new musical play that explores virtual mating habits via the story of a congressman who’s having to do damage control over a leaked dick pic. Conceived by Stein | Holum Projects, it opens for five performances Feb. 13 at the UCSD Mandell Weiss Forum Theatre in La Jolla. theatre.ucsd.edu

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February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 HTosca at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. San Diego Opera’s season-opening performance of Puccini’s classic opera deals in themes of murder, betrayal and even police brutality. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, Tuesday, Feb. 16, Friday, Feb. 19, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21. $45-$235. sdopera.org/ The Big Friendly Giant at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. Both puppets and people will embrace the imaginative world of towering giants when Roald Dahl’s The Big Friendly Giant is brought to life on stage. At noon and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. $12-$18. 760-839-4190, artcenter.org

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD HFree Weekend of Poetry at The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park. A poetry discussion on Saturday includes prominent locals Jim Moreno, Karla Cordero and more. Then, on Sunday, Moreno and Cordero are joined by fellow poets Lizz Huerta and Joe Limer for a one-hour showcase in the Old Globe Plaza. At 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13 and Sunday, Feb. 14. Free. (619) 231-1941, theoldglobe.org HOrpheus Speaks: Love Notes at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. Mark Christopher Lawrence is one of several actors who will recite stories by Vladimir Nabokov, Charles

Chesnutt, Kate Chopin and other writers who have a unique take on matters of the heart. From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. $25-$30. 858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org/orpheus-speaks

SPECIAL EVENTS Tower After Hours: Ireland at San Diego Museum of Man, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park. Celebrate the cultural heritage of Ireland with classic Irish pub foods, traditional Irish music and dance, Guinness pours, and other after-hours festivities. From 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. $15$30. 619-239-2001, museumofman.org HKuumba Fest at Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, Downtown. San Diego’s longest running celebration of African-

American expression, culture, and heritage. Includes traditional African art, educational workshops, an African marketplace, a health fair, guest speakers and much more. From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, and 1 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. $10-$100. 619-544-1000, kuumbafest.com HSan Diego Comic Fest at Town & Country Hotel, 500 Hotel Circle N., Mission Valley. The annual fest includes guest speakers, workshops, vendors, live art demos and more. See website for full details and schedule. From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 13 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14 and Monday, Feb. 15. $25-$50. 619-291-7131, sdcomicfest.org

Going Big at California Surf Museum, 312 Pier View Way, Oceanside. This new exhibition celebrates big big wave surfing and includes surfboards, photos, videos, and more. Opening from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. $10. surfmuseum.org HBark in Balboa Park at Spreckels Organ Pavilion, 1549 El Prado, Balboa Park. This 10th annual event benefitting the San Diego Humane Society allows pets to roam on leashes while music plays throughout the afternoon, leading into a parade that crosses the Spreckels Organ Pavilion Stage. At 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. Free. 619-702-8138, spreckelsorgan.org/ HWriter’s Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University, 3900 Lomaland Drive, Point Loma, Point Loma. Four days of workshops, seminars and lectures from names like Dick Enberg, Robin Jones Gunn, Nikki Giovanni and more. See website for full schedule and times. Various times. Tuesday, Feb. 16 to Friday, Feb. 19. $5-$15. 619-849-2200, pointloma.edu/writers

SPORTS Harlem Globetrotters at Valley View Casino Center, 3500 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway. The iconic basketball team stops by on their current world tour to show off their trick plays and ridiculous ball skills. Spoiler alert: they win the game. At 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 and Friday, Feb. 19. $16-$140. valleyviewcasinocenter.com

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS HImage X Community: Melly Barragan at The AjA Project, 4089 Fairmount Ave., City Heights. The second in the new AjA Project dialogue series explores the intersection of “Image and Community” with Tijuana-based artist, Mely Barragan, who is known for her works in sculptures, installations, collages, and paintings. From 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12. Free. 619223-7001, facebook.com/ajaproject The Expanding Gallery Artist Talk at Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave., North Park. Artists from SDSU’s furniture design and woodworking program will discuss their portable exhibition of wood pieces. From 7 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. Free. 619-584-4448, artproduce.org

VALENTINE’S DAY Ghost Night at Ceramic Heights, 4105 El Cajon Blvd, Couples are invited to recreate the classic pottery scene from the movie Ghost via a tandem wheel-throwing experience that includes finishing, firing and glazing of your handmade pieces. From 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. $50. 619488-7219, ceramicheights.com Valentine’s Day at SDMA at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. A love-themed art tour will be offered every half hour in this after-hours event. A picnic basket for two will be available in the May S. Marcy Sculpture Court and Garden at Panama 66. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. $80-$90. 619-2327931, sdmart.org HValentine’s Day Pop-Up at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. Join the Library Shop for their annual Valentine’s Day celebration featuring deals on merch, a mobile coffee bike, yoga on the patio, card making workshops, and floral arrangements by The Dainty Lion. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. Free. 619-236-5800, libraryshopsd.org

16 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

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KONDOR IMAGING

LOT OF PEOPLE MAKE IMPORTANT LIFE decisions for love. Schahrzad Morgan made hers for sex. A few years ago, Morgan, a 53-year-old living in Vista, chose to give up her 25-year marriage and a successful career as a consultant and realtor to focus on getting the most out of her sexual life. To that end, she became a stripper at local strip bars like Cheetah’s and Deja Vu, engaged in many sexual affairs with both men and women, and turned the whole sexperience into a book called The F-ck List. The book is sort of an Eat, Pray, Love-type memoir for people who aren’t hungry or religious but definitely into the love. “My book is meant to inspire people to love their sexuality,” she says. “I am driven by freedom and self expression and pleasure and being a contribution [to the world]. I want to get people to ask themselves what they are driven by, what is important to them. Most people never consider this.” But Morgan says her journey isn’t just about the sex (though that’s a big, big part), it’s also about giving herself permission to want a more fulfilling sex life than she was getting from her husband. “I started looking for more sex after taking a vacation with my husband in the summer of 2010. We fell in love again,” Morgan tells CityBeat. “At the same time, I got over a 10-year Vicodin addiction and it was like a rebirth.” Conventional wisdom suggests that sexual desire decreases with age, but Morgan says sex became more enjoyable as she got older for a variety of reasons, some physical, some mental. “I really didn’t enjoy intercourse until my mid-40s,” she says. “It was often painful, plus my response was gauged off men. I didn’t feel comfortable with myself.” Morgan’s increased desire for, well, desire, was a progression from her youth. When she was in her 20s, she worked briefly as a call girl, earning $180 for 20 minutes of work. She also had a few short-lived affairs with women when her kids were toddlers, but was otherwise monogamous for 25 years. When she and her husband realized his libido didn’t match hers, they attempted to try open marriage. But at some point, Morgan made the decision to follow

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her heart, and lower parts. “I numbed my heart for 10 years with Vicodin. When I stopped, I wanted to be fully human,” Morgan says. “I like to question rules and society and I gave myself permission to do so.” Part of that permission meant finally taking advantage of the romance cornucopia offered by the Internet. However, the hardcore reality of modern romance took some adjustments. “Men sent me penis pictures and I felt bad for not reciprocating,” she says. “I needed to get over my body shame.” To do that, Morgan quit an unfulfilling office job and became a nude dancer at Cheetah’s and Deja Vu. “I enjoy dancing and I wanted to get comfortable with my genitals,” she says matter-of-factly. “I loved the girls. I became Facebook friends with a few and some even bought my book. But I didn’t like the hustle. I don’t like talking men into getting a lap dance. Plus, I didn’t like the rules or lack of sexual freedom. I couldn’t touch the men.” Ah, the men. There have been a number of them since the divorce, sometimes as many as 10 a week. There were times early on after her divorce when she felt she got too emotionally attached to her sex partners, especially Marines. That has changed as she’s learned to enjoy sex as sex and not to assume it’s anything more. “The sex is good,” she says. “That’s what’s interesting. Sometimes, people I wouldn’t necessarily find attractive at first turn out to be really good in bed. And the men want to please me. I don’t feel the same emotionally, but it’s passionate and I get lost in the moment.” Morgan’s life choices might be shocking to some, but she believes the path she’s chosen have led to renewed appreciation for herself. “I decided to fall in love with myself,” she says. “Having all the men gives me freedom.” That doesn’t mean she’s not open to love if it happens— on her terms. “It’s hard to find someone,” she says. “I need a man with good energy, full of life and fills a room when he walks in. But I don’t know if I want a relationship. There’s so much heartache.” Morgan originally hoped The F-ck List would strike a chord with other females, but discovered that many wom-

Schahrzad Morgan en found the title off-putting. “I had a friend who refused to take a bookmarker because she said her husband wouldn’t understand why she had a book with that title,” Morgan says. Morgan is now writing a second book, tentatively titled Permission, that she says will cover the same themes, but less graphically. “I’m softening it, and adding a lot about my childhood,” she says. “People want to see a reason for my behavior. There is none, they will see. I had a great childhood. I’m taking out some of the random sex stories and replacing them with a list to give a sense of the number of men without repeating the same sex stories over and over. There’s also a new ending about how I fell in love with myself.” Morgan hopes telling her story about why she chose to go after a sex life that was satisfying on her terms inspires others to pursue their own desires, be they sexual or not. “I want you to give yourself permission to be you, whatever that is,” she says. “Be real. Discover yourself, and don’t be constrained by rules imposed by others, expectations of society or pretending to be happy if you are not. Be real.” Scharhrzad Morgan will do a Talkback and Book Signing on Thursday, Feb. 11, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Vision Pulse Creative (7310 Miramar Rd.).

February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

JACK SHELTON

Small Hands on… The weirdest thing he’s seen on set: “Every single thing you can think of, I have now seen. But really, the craziest thing was an outdoor threesome scene. We were out in the desert and literally over one of the guys feet in the scene, a tarantula and a scorpion started fighting on his naked foot. I’ve heard some loud screams, but never heard someone scream like that.” Sex on camera vs. the real thing: “Porn is the same thing as a regular movie. It’s acting, man. There can be chemistry between two performers and that might make for a better scene, but it’s still acting. There’s still a camera in your face and five other people in the room.”

THE PORN IDENTITY

How a local bartender went from slinging drinks to become a rising porn star by Seth Combs

HE STORY OF AARON Thompson’s career in pornographic films is actually quite a romantic one. It’s the kind of story that might make for an excellent rom-com one day, albeit a decidedly R-rated one. While working as a part-time bartender and musician in San Diego, he also began a screen-printing business called Let It Ride Design. He started to land adult entertainment clients and one of them was Burning Angel, a porn company specializing in performers with piercings, tattoos and decidedly less plastic surgery. The owner of the company, Joanna Angel, had not only established herself as one of the industry’s top performers, but as one of the first female execs in an otherwise male-run industry. Thompson remembers getting business emails from her that were a little too friendly. “It was pretty cute. About a month before we actually met, her messages started to get more flirty,” Thompson says. “I asked my buddy, ‘Is Joanna Angel flirting

with me or am I just full of myself?’ He was like, ‘Dude, I think she’s flirting with you.’ I had no idea what to do, but he just told me to flirt back so I did.” The two eventually met, immediately hit it off and quickly fell in love. Thompson split his time between San Diego and Angel’s place in L.A. He says he’s always been cool with Angel’s day job, but admits to having those initial feelings of tentativeness once he realized things were getting serious. “It wasn’t so much like I was against what she did. Obviously I met her as a fan, but it was more that it was a world I didn’t know anything about, and I didn’t know how to act in it,” says Thompson, who was born and raised in San Diego by a minister father. “I didn’t know what the protocol was, and there was a learning curve. I had to learn to have this new element in a relationship that most people don’t have to deal with. There were tough days.” It wasn’t until almost a year into their

18 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

On government regulation: “The regulations on the porn industry are not making it easier for us and, more importantly, it’s not making it safer for us. It’s that same

relationship that Thompson became more active in Angel’s line of work. Just like his career in bartending, when it came to porn he says he “accidentally fell into it.” “Joanna and I were traveling in San Francisco when her editor called her freaking out, because whatever scene that was supposed to go up on the website the next day, the file was corrupt or something,” he says. “She just looked at me and said, ‘Alright, Aaron, you’re on deck. We just have to make a movie in our hotel room tonight.’ I was so scared. I never had any aspirations to do porn. It was never on my agenda.” Since then, he’s acted in dozens of scenes for Burning Angel under the name Small Hands (there’s no real joke here other than the fact that he has small hands). He also works behind the scenes on the production and business side of the com-

On how to last: “No bullshit, you have to train for it. It’s a sport man. I had to cut out a lot of drinking. I had to eat better. I work out all the time and for a punk rock guy like me, that was bullshit, but the healthier you are, the longer you’ll last and the better you’ll be at it.” On sexual adventurousness: “Your openness to doing weird shit makes you better at sex. If you’re a girl and you’ve never done anal, then maybe you should try it. How do you know you don’t like it? Even if you don’t like it, it’s still going to make you learn a lot more about your own body.” JOANNA ANGEL

Aaron Thompson and Joanna Angel

On whether porn desensitizes people: “If your definition of intimacy is just sex, then yes, you’ll probably get desensitized and not feel the same level of intimacy that you did prior to watching a bunch of porn. If you watch baseball every day for the entire season, then you might get desensitized to baseball. The logic isn’t something that applies just to porn. It can be anything in excess. If you drink a lot, you might get addicted. So yeah, if you watch porn for four hours a day, you might get a little desensitized.”

mentality that these poor porn performers need to be saved and that these corporations are taking advantage of people, but that’s just not true. Things like the condom laws are written by people who don’t really care about health and safety. They just don’t like us and want to make it harder for us.”

Aaron “Small Hands” Thompson pany, and has made enough of a name for himself at this point that more established companies such as Wicked and Penthouse want to hire him for their movies. Still, just as the last three years for Thompson has been a story of shooting seedy sex scenes, it’s also a story of love— one that bucks the more conventional and traditional mores of what is expected in a relationship. Thompson says that in more ways than not, he and Angel are just like any other couple. “This is the healthiest, most classic relationship I’ve ever been in. It just has one element that most people don’t understand,” Thompson says. “It took work and it took her and I being committed to honesty to get to that point. And hey, if we want to get a little weird, all we have to do is send a text and someone will come over.”

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SET UP YOUR FRIENDS WITH SPRITZR

by Torrey Bailey

n unwillingness to meet people face-to-face and flirtations conducted by taps on an iPhone screen are not going to lead me to my “other half.” I realize this and am fed up with robotic romanticism. And so is North Parker Manshu Agarwal. He wants to humanize the online dating world with his new app Spritzr, which is branded as a matchmaking app and not necessarily as a dating app. Spritzr connects to Facebook so friends can suggest matches for others, allowing a personalized touch that also feeds into the life-meddling, stalker-like online tendencies of which we’re all guilty. Even though I’m mortified to recognize anyone on a dating app, Agarwal’s theory is that your friends know you better than a computer algorithm. “Most couples meet through their social circles, and there’s a reason for that,” he says. “Our social circle applies a filter to the world, the master universe of potential mates.” Those friends making suggestions for you don’t have to be single. Actually, 30 percent of Spritzr’s users are taken. Agarwal realizes this could be a slippery slope to an Ashley Madison-style misconception of the app. “People need to understand that by seeing Spritzr on your spouse’s app, he’s not cheating on you, and that’s going to take some time,” he says. I went ahead and downloaded the app (currently only available on iPhones), hoping an outside perspective from my inner circle could help find me a partner. However,

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I had just three friends on the app. Three. Maybe it’s be- taining, and this aspect made up for me having few friends cause, at age 22, I’m just missing the mark for Spritzr’s tar- on the app. I found myself analyzing the vibes of one girl’s get age range of mid-20s and 30s. Another factor: The app photos and aligning them with a guy with comparable inlaunched in August, and the number of users is in the low terests and attractiveness. Agarwal is fueling the competithousands—considerably low in comparitive nature in this arena. He plans to add son to hook-up culture apps such as Tinscoreboards that display the matchmakder and Bumble. ers with the highest success rates and reAgarwal says Spritzr is making slow, warding those users with date deals, such steady progress, and he made me rethink as free movie tickets. deleting it. Since its launch, Spritzr’s user For me, aside from a density dearth in base has climbed 5 percent per week, not the dating pool, Spritzr needs some work. to mention boasting the only fifty-fifty It’s less than intuitive at times, even from male-to-female ratio in the business. Plus, a millennial standpoint. Without a tutoSpriztr’s mutual match rate is 20 times rial, users are left to guess the purpose of higher than the industry average, meanthe app’s “karma points,” which are actuing more quality contact and less reckless ally awarded for successful matchmakrejection. ing. And, the amount of karma points you There’s one more twist. The app alearn correlates to the number of matches lows users to step away from their friends’ Spritzr will suggest for you and how oflove lives and dive into the “community,” ten you show up as a potential match for where only strangers roam and where a other users. In a nutshell, the app is clever shocking 80 percent of the app’s matchbut convoluted. es are made. Just like with my Facebook As Agarwal continues to troubleshoot, friends, I could drag and drop matches, he’s also rolling out the app’s first sizeable but this time my decisions were purely marketing push, including advertising on hinging on old-fashioned superficial YouTube and other Google platforms, as judgment. well as hosting matchmaking events. It “Couples, typically, are similar levels hosted a New Year’s Eve party where atof attractiveness, and a computer algotendees were matched using the app, and rithm can’t tell that level of attractive- Spritzr applies a drag-and-drop a similar plan is set for a Valentine’s Day approach to matchmaking. party, called the LA Love Ball. ness,” Agarwal says. “So you can see a guy who is like a six on the scale, and a girl is For now, it seems my world-traveling, kind of close, and maybe they have the same kind of look gourmet-cooking, feet-rubbing perfect match is not yet on and movement and some interests that might be overlap- the app. But while I wait for my options to increase, I can ping, and you’ll think they might be a good match.” still use Spritzr to meddle in other people’s personal lives I found this third-party matchmaking downright enter- from the safety of the sidelines.

February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

SORDID

TALES

Why breakups are harder on men than women

was encouraged to write a Valentine’s-related column to reflect the Love & Sex theme of this issue and replied, “Absolutely! I am all about Valentine’s Day.” Valentine’s Day has a special meaning for me. It means I get to agonize alone in my apartment over my recently busted marriage and simultaneously seethe with contempt for all those pretty, giddy lovebirds out there—flitting about the town as if they are in the middle of their own, personal movie love montages. Well guess what people: Sordid Tales don’t do love montages. Sordid Tales rejects Love. It detests Love. Sordid Tales thinks Love is for people who don’t have Xbox. Sordid Tales wouldn’t give Love the time of day if Sordid Tales owned a clock factory. That’s why, for this Valentine’s issue, the author of Sordid Tales is going to shit all over Love and write about divorce—specifically, the worst moment of mine. It was August of 2015, several months after our separation, and I was sitting at Winston’s Beach Club enjoying a beer when X (The Woman Formerly Known as W.) strolled in. It was the first time I had seen her in months and to suddenly be in the same room was enough to make my heart hit the eject button. But when I saw that she was with a date, well, words can not adequately de-

20 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

scribe what I was feeling. It was more like a: ...kind of feeling. Now, let me just mention here that I have nothing against this fellow. I don’t know him, don’t hate him and certainly don’t blame him for our breakup. He seemed like a nice enough fellow, if you overlook the shreds of human flesh between his black, jagged teeth or the faces of the damned sprouting from his torso, or the veiny, kited wings he periodically flapped to provide a breeze for my fucking wife on this hot, July afternoon. I have long suspected that women get over breakups faster than men. It’s certainly not a scientific conclusion, but it really does seem to me that after a breakup, the section of a woman’s heart where her love for you once resided becomes like a closed-off wing of an asylum—deserted, cobwebbed and padlocked because of something terrible that happened—ne’er to be entered or mentioned again. Men are quite different. There’s not enough whiskey in Waxahachie gonna help a man cope with the idea that his ex might be tra-la-laing around with the first financially solvent cocksman that crossed her path. I spent many desperate nights after the Winston’s encounter trying to wrap my head around that. Why does our breakup seem so effortless to her? How could she have replaced me already? Could it be that women actually do recover from heartbreak more easily? So, I looked it up. And it turns out to be more than a hunch. At least according to the book, The Chemistry Between Us, by journalist Brian Alexander and Dr. Larry J. Young, chief of Emory University Division of Behavioral Neuroscience. According to their research, humans in crisis release a hormone called vasopressin. In women, vasopressin tends to make them more social—encourages them to meet people, or hang with their girlfriends who, of course, will reinforce how smart and pretty and wonderful they are. Vasopressin in

men, however, makes men less social—which is why we navigate the crisis alone, on the couch, accompanied only by our Xboxes, whiskey and the voices in our heads telling us how stupid and ugly we are. Well whaddya know? All this time it was vasopressin that made me recede into my cave after a breakup. It was vasopressin that made me unable to talk about it with anyone. And I believe it was vasopressin that made me go to the computer again last night— steering clear of the porn and silly kitten videos (for even kittens and pornography seem humdrum now)—to gaze at X’s Facebook page and see how she is reacting to the flood of vasopressin. And, sure enough, it was a textbook response: There were all kinds of posts with photos of her going out and having fun with captions that read, “Here’s one of Sandy and I dancing on the blackjack table.” And, “Here’s a picture of me and Jessica backstage at the Bruno Mars concert,” and, “Here’s me and the girls enjoying margaritas at _______ (fill in exotic resort here) with these boys we met from _______ (fill in exotic country where all the males are dark, mysterious and suave, here).”

“

Sordid Tales thinks Love is for people who don’t have Xbox.

“

EDWIN DECKER

Now compare that to my Facebook page: “Here’s a photo of a dead squirrel I saw on the side of the road.” “Here’s a photo of me with a shotgun in my mouth.” O’ vasopressin—must thou torment me? I mean, where’s the testosterone when you need it? Testosterone would never put up with this wallowing. Testosterone would be all, “You pathetic worm! Get out there right now and nut some bitches!” At which point the vasopressin would interrupt, “But Ed, the new Call of Duty map pack comes out tonight.” And testosterone would go, “Shut up vasopressin! What kind of name is that anyway? You should be called Vaj-opressin’ because your vagina is oppressin’ our boy here!” Then they’d bicker, and vasopressin would shove testosterone and testosterone would pull out a shiv, there’d be a struggle and, well—that’s the other thing that happens to men during breakups— they go a bit insane.

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CAN WE LEARN ANYTHING FROM PICK-UP ARTISTS? by Nathan Young

n a drunk, lonely Saturday night in 2011, I found myself staring at my laptop, logged onto Amazon.com and debating whether or not to purchase The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists. Eventually, resignation won out and I clicked “Buy Now.” It was the dating book every guy knew about, whether they admitted to it publicly or not. Dating was something I had never been good at. I felt lost and clueless in my relationships with women and at this point I was willing to give just about anything a shot. I read the book in secret over the next two weeks. I was surprised to learn it was a story—and not a how-to—about a group of geeky guys that developed a set of techniques for impressing women. The book had its douche-y moments, but it wasn’t difficult to separate the good ideas from the sleazy ones. The basic concept was to initiate conversation with routines that involved asking for a “female opinion” on a scenario. I

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felt ridiculous even considering trying the lines, but I was also curious and felt like I had nothing to lose. Building up my nerve, I walked up to two women in the Gaslamp Quarter and explained the scenario of a “friend” whose girlfriend still hung out with her ex all the time. What did they think? Their eyes lit up in unison. “We were just talking about this with another friend,” they confessed and proceeded to tell me the whole story. I asked another woman standing behind me in the beer line at a Padres game what I should say to a different “friend” whose girlfriend tried to kiss me. “Looks like you’ve got quite a pickle there, buddy,” she said with a smirk and playfully punched me on the arm. Every time I tried these lines, the women answered genuinely, even excitedly. I got the impression that I was the first guy in weeks to initiate conversation with a better line than “what up?” Each woman’s reaction was illuminating—seeing if she squared her shoulders at

me, maintained eye contact or reinitiated conversation if I backed off a bit. These were the classic “Indicators of Interest” I was supposed to be on the lookout for. It was the first time I had ever thought to examine how I might come across to women, to imagine the interactions from her point of view. Was she having fun? Did she seem comfortable talking to me? When did she perk up and when did she lose interest? The problem was that everything I had tried from the book was essentially a lie. The techniques were all ruses, designed to create the impression of a fun, interesting, confident and emotionally intelligent person. The characters in the book had no compunction against faking such qualities,

but if my goal was to develop genuine relationships I knew I would have to do better than that. Despite the less-than-wholesome source, I felt like I had gotten a peek into the world from the perspective of a more confident and emotionally intelligent version of myself. Even just the initial improvements in my attitude were having positive effects on all the relationships in my life, not just with women. Learning confidence would prove to be a much longer road, but in the meantime, just getting the insight to start conversations with something better than “what up?” was the kind of small revelation that helped pave the path.

February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

THERE SHE

ALEX ZARAGOZA

GOZ

Why you should love your vagina

ere you embarrassed about your vagina showing?” a friend asked in our long-running Facebook group chat. It’s a fair question. Vaginas are our “private parts” after all, and I was letting mine out like a hot pie on a windowsill. I recently posed for Strangers in a Fire, a photographic art project created by two talented and, may I add, incredibly sexy friends Brandy Bell and Mitch Wilson. For the project, willing subjects pose in all their naked glory with patterns designed by Brandy or images from found slides projected on their bodies. The resulting shots are sensuous, modern and, as many of the models have exalted, empowering. Oh, and they’re also on the Internet. When Brandy and Mitch started this project, I volunteered to serve as a their first model. I chose to do it to push myself outside my comfort zone, though I had done some nude modeling before as a means of confronting my body shame. Even so, it took a bottle of wine and two vodka-sodas for me to feel comfortable contorting myself with my butthole in the wind for the camera. If I ever want to do porn, I’ve figured out the alcohol threshold to get me there. A year or so later, I was posing confidently and strutting around their apartment in a untied kimono, fully frontal and with absolutely no fucks to give. This is how I imagine Matthew McConaughey saunters through his mansion— stopping to high five his kids and kiss his gorgeous model wife on his way to his prized set of bongos, dick swinging like a palm tree during a windstorm. I had gone full alright, alright, alright McConaughey. What changed in that time? I learned to love my vagina. While I know this will leave me flirting dangerously close to inspirational-quote-on-Facebook territory, sex and love vastly improved for me when I started to love myself and my body as it is, particularly when it came to my vagina—my beautiful slit muffin of a vagina. Women tend to have a lot of shyness, embarrassment and/or shame about their vaginas, mostly revolving around aesthetics. For years I was so embarrassed about my vagina because I thought it was too chubby. For many women I know, there’s something that is a source of embarrassment—larger labia minora, elongated labia majora, childbirth scars, a torturous propensity for in-growns. They are often too shy to even talk about it out of fear that the reaction they get will only solidify their anxieties. The shame is so pervasive, in fact, that Microsoft Word is spellchecking “minora” and “majora” but not “dick.” It’s hard not to think there might be something wrong with your vagina. We’re subjected to a life-

time of jerk men degrading vaginas for anything from smell to look to its tightness. Really dudes? You wanna talk weird genitalia? Your dicks literally look like Gonzo from The Muppet Show and we still put them in our mouths. The vaginas deemed perfect are mostly found in nudie mags and porn. They’re flat, perfectly manicured, softly lit slabs of the most tender beef on Earth. Never an ingrown hair, no stretch marks, no faded nautical star tattoos from your most involved pop punk years. These Barbie-like vaginas are very often surgically altered to look untouched by nature. This is not the norm, ladies. There’s nothing wrong with any vagina’s look, nipped and tucked or not. Remember, these expectations are unfairly placed on us not to benefit us, but to benefit those who want to sexualize us for profit or their own pleasure. Own your imperfect pussy. It’s yours and it’s incredible. You don’t need to pose nude to accept your vagina. That was just how I challenged myself to show pride in my pleasure dome. Though I’ve asked my partner what he thinks about my vagina, his response isn’t what’s led to that love, either. I just wanted to make sure he’s grateful. For me, it was just accepting that it doesn’t need to look any certain way to bring me happiness. My sex life rules so hard right now, and it has nothing to do with having a pristine vag. It’s because the focus is nowhere near aesthetics. When my partner’s face is buried up in those juicy lady curtains, I couldn’t give two shits about whether or not my vagina is chubby. I’m too busy waking up my neighbors. You know that scene in Love Actually (of course you do!) where Andrew Lincoln holds up the sign that reads, “To me, you are perfect” to Keira Knightley? Well, my dear lady readers, do me a favor. Place this page up to your vagina. I have a message for that glorious puss. Hey vagina. Just want to say you are perfect. You are perfect if you’re as bald as Stanley Tucci and leaned up against a random farmyard fence in the pages of Playboy, and you’re perfect if your owner is too tired to shave you and your labia majora is swinging like a rapper’s chain. If anyone tries to give you grief about you or any of your pussy sistren, remind them that vaginas are powerful, majestic caves of wonder with the ability to bring life and pleasure to those who wander its folds and know what the hell they’re doing. If they have a problem with it, give them a goodbye wave and take that pussy to more appreciative pastures.

“

I was so embarrassed about my vagina because I thought it was too chubby.

“

22 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

There She Goz appears every third week. Write to alexz@sdcitybeat.com.

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Culture | Art Courtesy of the artist

Seen LocaL nature boy

first glance at Carlitos Galvan’s work might give the impression of being created by several different photographers. For the nine years he’s been taking pictures, the 25-year-old Galvan (carlitosgalvan.tumblr.com) has mastered quite a number of styles. Whether it’s fashion, street life, self-portraits or even his shots of the outdoors, there’s a simple elegance in his approach that even he has trouble explaining. “Just whatever’s in front of me,” says Galvan, who says he got his start after watching an Annie Leibovitz documentary while growing up in Spring Valley. “Life is great and whatnot, but I want to make the ordinary, everyday things look more interesting. I like to shoot everyday life.” In Galvan’s work it’s easy to see the influences of iconic shutterbugs like Leibovitz, Stephen Shore’s images of everyday American life and Irving Penn’s fashion photography. But it’s Galvan’s nudes and self-portraits that are most compelling. Many of the nudes are of his boyfriend Octavio. Within them the viewer gets a striking sense of the intimacy of their life together. There’s nothing overtly sexual about them, but as with any compelling nude photograph, it’s both best and hard not to stare. “The nudes are a much more conceptual thing,” says Galvan, who chose the title, Gay Stuff, for a new showcase of his work at the Little Dame art boutique in University Heights, which opens Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. “I try not to make it too much for people. Sometimes it’s simple and they’re just intimate moments.”

Carlitos Galvan And it’s these intimate moments, whether of his boyfriend laying in bed or a family waiting on the corner of a Baja street, that are Galvan’s bread and butter. Not still-life photography, but just life photography. “I’d say I seek out the moments, but most of the time what you see is just my life,” Galvan says.

—Seth Combs

craft shoot: mexicons In this semi-regular column, we profile local crafters whose wares we love.

aydee Yanez is well aware that most people discovering Mexicons (instagram.com/mexiconsart) automatically think they’re inspired by emojis. To be fair, her line of crafty items that feature cartoony caricatures of Mexican icons do bear a striking resemblance to the ideograms. Yanez is quick to point out the similarity is coincidental, but doesn’t complain when people see a connection. “Almost everybody nowadays think they’re Mexican emojis,” says Yanez, who came up with the cutesy characters more than 13 years ago as part of a college thesis that aimed to teach children about Mexico’s own cultural heroes and pop-culture idols. “I wanted to take these icons and present them in a much more graphic, minimalist way for kids so they’d understand that while Michael Jackson and Madonna are amazing, we also have really cool Mexican icons.” What started out as a simple coloring book for kids has since turned into a part-time craft business for Yanez. She still sells coloring books with her signature portraits of Frida Kahlo, María Félix (aka La Dona), Chilindrina and, of course, lucha libre wrestlers like Blue Demon. Now she has since expanded the Mexi-

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cons line to include postcards, stickers and wrapping paper. She admits that she didn’t know just how popular they would be until she was featured in a Frida-themed art show at Little Italy art space Casa Artelexia. “At first, it was just for children, but I learned that it could be something for everyone,” Yanez says. “I definitely have an older clientele now, because a lot of the icons are from the ’50s and ’60s.” Before moving to North stacey barnes Park more than a decade ago, Yanez spent most of her life in Tijuana. She had a modest upbringing and the fact that her family didn’t have luxuries, like cable, meant she was exposed to a lot of classic Mexican cinema, or whatever they could pick up on the TV antenna. She always had a knack for art and soon those cinematic and television personaliHaydee Yanez ties made their way into her work. She now works fulltime as a graphic designer, but says she’d one day like to devote herself completely to Mexicons and have her own brick-and-mortar space. “I want a clothing line. I would just love that,” says Yanez, who is now getting requests from people to do custom portraits or even portraits of their entire family in the Mexicons signature style. “I just wanted to do something that makes people feel good and I like that these do that.” —Seth Combs

February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

Culture | Film

Southbound

Highway to hell

Quality of life

Where To Invade Next

Michael Moore goes abroad to solve America’s problems by Glenn Heath Jr.

y titling his latest political documentary Where land of Utøya. Despite the horrific tragedy, the man To Invade Next, Michael Moore overtly mocks believes his country’s system works. the United States’ historical need to spread deWomen’s rights and economic oversight are unmocracy around the world. Taking this destructive derlining themes during time spent in Iceland. Segand cyclical foreign policy as a finite reality, the film- ments in Germany, France and Italy that highlight maker then reverses the equation by crafting a plan shortened workweeks and paid vacation for emto “invade” countries in Europe and Africa with the ployees feel less urgent by comparison to the later hopes of adopting some institutional best practices chapters. from their social services sectors. Of course, upon These moments are carefully constructed to esfinding a good idea like universal health care in France tablish Europe as a place respectful of its citizens’ or free higher education in Slovenia, Moore “claims” personal time and wellness. Moore consistently it in the name of America. acts as the shocked American inDuring a flippant prologue, terloper who can’t believe how the scraggly looking filmmaker green the grass is on the other where to meets with the Joint Chiefs of side of the pond. Even worse, invade next Staff (represented here by paper Moore whitewashes his gaze by Directed by Michael Moore cutouts of their faces) to dictate only interviewing one person of the strategy of his operation. It’s Starring Michael Moore, color, confirming that his film an undeniably sloppy entry point only represents one very specific Krista Kiuru and Tim Walker for a film that continues to feel perspective on issues that deserve Rated R messy as Moore travels the globe a more nuanced approach. interviewing citizens of Italy, This is even more apparent durGermany, Tunisia and Iceland reing the film’s finale, which finds garding workers rights, education, finance reform Moore and an old colleague reminiscing about their and quality of life. time spent participating in the collapse of the Berlin While well intentioned, Moore’s shtick feels Wall. “I’ve turned into a crazy optimist,” he says. But stale now more than 10 years removed from Fahr- it’s this very frazzled sense of possibility that comenheit 9/11 and Bowling For Columbine. His flow- promises Moore’s skills as an astute purveyor of conery voice-over, leading interview questions and tradiction. There’s so much to each and every one of stylized graphics work best when the filmmaker these stories, but it’s easier for him to cram them all himself seems enraged. But Where to Invade Next into the same easily digestible Cliff’s Notes. finds Moore at his most clownish, hamming it up The core problem of Where to Invade Next, for the camera in an attempt to be subversive. Also, which opens Friday, Feb. 12, is its self-aggrandizing the flimsy nature of his pursuit suggests the film is structure that ends up suffocating many of Moore’s more of a doodle than a strong indictment of our finer points under the pressure to entertain the auown social services failures in the 21st century. dience. Which is unfortunate, because the film’s A few segments crackle with the kind of com- theme—“The American Dream was alive and well, plexity needed when juxtaposing the inner work- everywhere but America”—is crucial to underings of different nations. Moore’s visit to Norway standing how we can get back to living in a society touches upon its seemingly lax penitentiary sys- that respects and supports all of its citizenry. tem and capped prison sentences, something that comes up during a tough interview with the father Film reviews run weekly. of a boy killed in the 2011 mass shooting on the is- Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com.

24 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

ike a snake eating its tail, this collection of five horror stories set in a desert purgatory seamlessly transition from one to the next before ultimately wrapping back around to the beginning again. A suspenseful story of two bloodied men trying to escape hovering grim reapers opens the film before cutting to the trio of bandmates with a traumatic past that hitch a ride with the wrong couple. From here, we get a grisly moral tale of a distracted driver who hits a pedestrian and tries to mend her broken body. In the same supernaturally spooky town, a shotgun-toting drifter attempts to rescue his kidnapped sister. Finally, masked home invaders hound a seemingly innocent family. Overall, directors Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, Patrick Horvath and filmmaking collective Radio Silence do a serviceable job of linking these disparate parts and creating tension. Yet Southbound, which opens at the Digital Gym Cinema on Friday, Feb. 12, feels like an incomplete exercise in Twilight Zone pastiche. If you’re down for 90 minutes of blood soaked comeuppance, satanic cults and alternate realties, then the film might be of interest. Otherwise, non-genre aficionados beware. *** Speaking of the Digital Gym Cinema, as of Friday, Feb. 5 the exhibition space that has been programming excellent films for the last year or so will be projecting new releases with a brand new DCP system. When asked about why the upgrade was so important, Programming Manager Moisés Esparza said, “This will ensure that our theater continues to champion and be an exhibition platform for unique and visionary cinematic content.” Founder Ethan van Thillo concurs: “It’s really our way to express our gratitude to those who have been fans of our space since the very beginning.” This is great news for San Diego filmgoers.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

Opening Deadpool: In this bad boy superhero film Ryan Reynolds plays a former special forces operative who is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers. Ingrid Bergman in Her How Words: This behind-the-scenes documentary looks at the life of the famous actress through rare photographs and interviews. Mojave: A suicidal artist meets a homicidal drifter in the desert and the two become embroiled in a cat and mouse game. Screens through Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. Southbound: Five interconnected horror stories about comeuppance and revenge unfold in the desert. Screens through Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. Tumbledown: A young woman (Rebecca Hall) must come to grips with the death of her husband after meeting a brash writer (Jason Sudeikis) who challenges her notion of grieving. Screens through Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. Where to Invade Next: Michael Moore’s latest documentary examines the social services of European and African countries in order to address some of America’s pervasive institutional problems. Zoolander 2: Two dimwit fashion models must work together to fend off another agency that wants them destroyed.

One Time Only Brokeback Mountain: Two cowboys played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger form a relationship while out on the range. Screens at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Arclight Cinemas La Jolla. Zoolander: Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson play clueless fashion models that must thwart the evil plans of a diabolical villain trying to orchestrate an assassination. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma. Spectre: Daniel Craig’s James Bond finally comes face to face with the nefarious international terrorist agency that has plagued his efforts for years. Screens at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 12 and 13, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills. The Room: Dubbed the worst film ever made by anyone with eyes, this misguided melodrama looks at the pitfalls of a San Francisco love triangle. Screens at 11:55 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Ken Cinema. The Notebook: Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams make doe eyes at each other in this romantic adaption of the famous Nicholas Sparks novel. Screens at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, at the Arclight La Jolla Cinemas. Dirty Dancing: Nobody puts Baby in a corner. Not even The Swayze. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

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MUSIC

MEAT WAVE FINDS FREEDOM IN PUNK Delusion Moon offers loud—but not mindless—emotive music

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tends beyond the earnestness or politics that so often defines punk. Sutter does occasionally veer into the realm of politics, critiquing right-wing talking points in “NRA” and “The Gay Contempt.” But Sutter often uses strange news stories or peculiar real-life happenings as inspiration for lyrical narratives. One song in particular, “Witchcraft,” seems to literally be about occult rituals: “Now inhale the fume/ dazed and deranged/ blaze up my pain/ I see visions/ I envision something different.” The story behind it, as it turns, is even weirder than that. “Usually it begins with a weird story or experience that I have,” Sutter says. “A song like ‘Witchcraft’ is based on real things that happened. My dad was going through a divorce with my mom and was seeing a therapist. And the therapist was practicing witchcraft on him and the other clients she had. So they all took her to court and sued her.” Delusion Moon, as a whole, is tied together by the common thread of people behaving in strange ways, and it can be tied back to the album’s title, which Sutter explains is founded on the superstitious belief in the lunar effect, or moon sickness. “There’s the old adage of moon sickness—it’s like a medieval kind of concept,” Sutter says. “When the moon is fully exposed people will behave wildly or their deepest kind of delusions or desires will come out. It’s that in kind of a modern concept.” On many levels, Meat Wave are an unconventional kind of punk band. And yet, at the core of their music is the same kind of time-tested and universal intensity and brevity that stretches from The Ramones to Fugazi. It’s not hard to imagine a kid today hearing Meat Wave for the first time and feeling the same way that Sutter did back at

that Illinois skatepark. But when that happens, he says, he just hopes that the music resonates beyond that first, aggressive impact. “I hope it hits people a little deeper than just mindless punk. It’s not mindless,” Sutter says. “There’s some emotive qualities to our music, I think. We’re really loud, but we don’t just want it to be loud. I hope people can actually feel something.” Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com or follow him on Twitter at @1000TimesJeff

MEAT WAVE

FEBRUARY 13 • SODA BAR meatwavechicago.tumblr.com

From left: Joe Gac, Ryan Wizniak and Chris Sutter KATIE HOVLAND

UNK ROCK IS A HELL OF A DRUG. Countless young minds have been altered, opened and liberated by the sounds of power chords and political unrest. Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong once said “My education was punk rock,” and director Mike Mills noted that when he heard punk for the first time, it was “freedom.” New Jersey punk outfit The Gaslight Anthem even wrote a song—“I’da Called You Woody, Joe”— about hearing The Clash for the first time. The members of Chicago’s Meat Wave had their collective minds blown by the rebellious sounds of punk at a young age. In a phone interview, guitarist and vocalist Chris Sutter remembers the time and place where punk rock left its biggest impression on him. “When I was in seventh grade—I was probably 12 or 13 years old—I was taken to a skatepark in Elgin, Illinois, and I saw this band The Breakdown,” Sutter says. “It kind of changed my world around. It was super raw and they were super funny, and it was a great community, and I just wanted to be a part of that.” Meat Wave, whose name was inspired by a story in The Onion (“Dozens dead in Chicago-area meat wave”), are still a relatively young band, but it’s easy to see how they, in turn, could leave an ass-kicking impression on youthful ears in search of liberation through noise and rhythm. The band’s second album, Delusion Moon, is 38 minutes of scrappy, driving garage punk with taut rhythms and a unique take on melody. From the opening pound of the two-minute title track, their most immediate quality is sheer force. It’s pretty obvious in just a few notes that this is a band intent on making some formidable noise. It’s not all about power or volume for Meat Wave, however. The songwriting on Delusion Moon frequently avoids a straightforward approach to two-minute, threechord structures. The band sometimes stretches out into slow-burning, tension-building verses as they do in “Sunlight,” and they showcase a more complex interplay between guitar and bass on tracks such as “Cosmic Zoo” and “Witchcraft.” Since they’re a trio— comprising Sutter, bass player Joe Gac and drummer Ryan Wizniak— Meat Wave has built-in limitations as a band. But instead of relying on overdubs, they use those limitations to their advantage. “We’re a three-piece band so we can really only do so much,” says Gac. “We write around the fact that we are a three piece. There are certain limitations that we need to overcome. But that’s half the fun of it. I think that’s the essence of the band…just trying to capture that more or less.” “We’re kind of on the spot since we’re the only people playing instruments,” adds Wizniak. “We kind of have to think very specifically of doing everything we can to support the song and make it sound as good as possible.” In the same way that Meat Wave doesn’t follow convention when it comes to songwriting, they also explore a vast array of lyrical territory that ex-

by Jeff Terich

February 10, 2016· San Diego CityBeat · 25

Music

notes from the smoking patio J

oy has announced a new album. The psychedelic rockers are set to release third album Ride Along on April 29, via Tee Pee. It features 10 tracks, including a cover of ZZ Top’s “Certified Blues,” and was recorded to analog tape at Audio Design Studios. In a phone interview, frontman Zachary Oakley says the record came together in pieces as they were still playing shows in support of their last album. “We kind of wrote this one in the van,” he says, noting that the band had spent most of the last year touring behind their 2014 album, Under the Spell of Joy. “We just got the songs down, mixed it and sent it in.” Oakley says that Ride Along is more concise in its execution than how the songs end up when performed live. Under the Spell, likewise, featured some extended instrumental freakouts, but this album is limited to three- and four-minute songs for the most part. “When we play live, we play the jams as long as we need to,” he says. “On the record, we kept it fairly short.” Another characteristic that separates Ride Along from its predecessor is that the album isn’t as heavy on guest appearances. Under the Spell featured some

Joy prominent performances by Nik Turner of Hawkwind, Brian Ellis of Astra and Parker Griggs of Radio Moscow, and while Griggs reappears here, along with bandmate Brenden Dellar and Earthless’ Mario Rubalcaba, Ride Along is primarily the sound of JOY’s core lineup playing in a room. “There’s way less people involved in this one,” Oakley says. “This one was kind of just us, recorded live—drums, bass, guitar and vocals. Playing the songs in an analog studio makes that more fun.”

—Jeff Terich

Mrs. Henry Otay (Self-released)

aniel Cervantes is singer, songwriter and frontman for blues rockers Mrs. Henry, and like other San Diego music scene MVPs, his name shows up on various projects. He’s also a member of Creature and the Woods, and he was one of the songwriters who helped make Birdy Bardot’s debut the best local record of 2015. Cervantes also performs with Bay Area psych-rockers Howlin Rain, so it’s not just San Diego where you’ll find his music. It’s perhaps because of such a diverse set of projects that Cervantes’ main project, Mrs. Henry, ends being so eclectic. On a basic level, it’s a rock ‘n’ roll band, and one that doesn’t get too bogged down in trends or of-the-moment subgenre tourism. It’s rootsy, earnest music made with guitars, and though there’s nothing groundbreaking or all that forward thinking about it, it’s extraordinarily easy to like. That being said, the band’s new album Otay gets off on a remarkably silly note. Leadoff track “Retro Speakers” is a bar-band blues rock number whose

26 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

lyrics I can’t imagine being sung with a straight face: “I’ve got my blue jeans on baby/ Blue jeans never go out of style/ Now those blues I got baby/ They won’t be around for a while.” It’s not that I don’t enjoy the song on some level, but Mrs. Henry are unapologetically schlocky on “Retro Speakers.” Getting some of the dad-rock cliches out of the way early, Mrs. Henry clears plenty of room to start making considerably more interesting sounds throughout the rest of the album, from the psychedelic fuzz-funk on the outstanding “I’m in Love” to the Dylan- and Young-style folk rock of “Taste of Honey,” and from the instrumental freakout “Looking for Madge” to the glam-rock stomp of “In My Head.” Otay, taken as a whole, feels a lot like a celebration of rock ‘n’ roll throughout the ages, be it campy, noisy, rustic or just plain weird. And though many of the styles here recall those of the ’70s and earlier, a great rock ‘n’ roll song, much like a pair of blue jeans, never go out of style.

—Jeff Terich #SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

Music

Jeff Terich Saturday, February 13

Iceberg Ferg @ The Casbah. Alternately, you can take your sweetheart to see indie rock guitar heroes Built to Spill, who are now approaching classic rock status. Bring your lighters. BACKUP PLAN: Nylon Apartments,Hexa, All Your Sisters, DJs Mario Orduno, Jon Blaj @ Whistle Stop.

PLAN A: Meat Wave, Teen Death, Takahashi @ Soda Bar. Read my feature this week on Chicago’s Meat Wave, a trio with a dynamic punk rock sound that sounds a little like local heroes Hot Snakes. They’re one of my favorite new bands, and they’ll be one of yours, too. PLAN B: Drag The River, John Meeks, Ypsitucky @ The A music insider’s weekly agenda Casbah. I had a bunch of friends in col- Monday, February 15 lege that were super into Drag the River, PLAN A: Built to Spill, The Hand, Iceberg delic indie rock for quite a few years, so and it’s easy to see why. They’re a heartfelt, Ferg @ The Casbah. Or, you could wait Wednesday, February 10 it’s no wonder they’ve made some waves alt-country outfit with some punk cred, until Monday to see Built to Spill, because PLAN A: Idiot Glee @ Whistle Stop. nationally. BACKUP PLAN: The New and it’s grown-folks music with a lot of they’re playing twice. That could very well Kentucky’s Idiot Glee does pop with synth- Kinetics, The Slashes, Gloomsday, DJ grit and soul. BACKUP PLAN: Giant Sur- mean two entirely different set lists, so you driven ambiance, artful textures and an Mike Delgado @ The Casbah. prise, Fictitious Dishes, Blood Ponies @ could also consider going both nights. And easy-to-like weirdness. Groove with them Tower Bar. (Full disclosure: Blood Ponies if I know Built to Spill fans, you’re probably up close and personal in an intimate setting is my band, but don’t let that get in the way already planning on doing that. Friday, February 12 in South Park. PLAN B: Red Baraat, Euof supporting two other great local bands.) PLAN A: Thee Oh Sees, POW! @ Belly phoria Brass Band @ Soda Bar. Red BaUp Tavern. Thee Oh Sees’ performance raat is a hard band to describe, somewhere between a rock outfit and a marching band, at SXSW a few years ago was one of the Sunday, February 14 Tuesday, February 16 with a lot of brass and a penchant for spon- most nuts things I’ve ever seen—the PLAN A: Pusha T, DJ E PLAN A: The Growlers, Jonathan taneous party-starting. You won’t be bored. stage was literally swaying. They put on Rock @ Parq. When hipRichman @ Observatory BACKUP PLAN: Taurus Authority @ a loud, fiery rock ‘n’ roll show, and you’d hop artists drop into downNorth Park. The Growlbe making a mistake to miss out on that. town clubs, they typically Bar Pink. ers are pretty good, but it’s PLAN B: Mrs. Magician, Dead Heav- do shorter sets, but Jonathan Richman that gets this ens, Jimmy Ruelas @ Soda Bar. Dead a half-hour is all show to Plan A. Richman fronted Heavens, not to be confused with Deaf- Pusha T needs Thursday, February 11 The Modern Lovers in the ’70s, and PLAN A: The Donkeys, The Palace heaven, is the new band featuring former to knock out since then he’s been releasing great Ballroom, Oh Spirit @ Soda Bar. The Quicksand frontman Walter Schreifels, all of his excelrock records with classic, melodic Donkeys are preparing to release a new and just like everything else he’s done, lent new mixsongwriting. The man’s a legend. BACKmini-album on Friday, so this is essen- it’s great. Less punk, more rock ‘n’ roll, tape, Darkest Before UP PLAN: Emily Wells, Lorna Dune, DJ tially their record release show. They’ve and a whole lot of fun. Dawn. PLAN B: Built Keith Sweaty @ The Casbah. been delivering tuneful, lightly psycheto Spill, The Hand, Jonathan Richman

If I were u

28 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

#SDCityBeat

Music

Concerts HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Battalion of Saints (Til-Two Club, 3/2), XXYYXX (Observatory, 3/11), Brian Ellis Group (Til-Two Club, 3/11), Mystic Braves (Casbah, 3/11), Young Thug (Observatory, 3/13), Systems Officer (Casbah, 3/17), The Schizophonics (TilTwo Club, 3/18), The Schizophonics, New Kinetics (Til-Two Club, 4/9), Diarrhea Planet (Soda Bar, 4/12), L.A. Witch (Casbah, 4/16), The Front Bottoms (Observatory, 4/18), Immortal Technique (Observatory, 4/29), Beach Slang (Casbah, 5/6), Beyonce (Qualcomm Stadium, 5/12), Lumineers (Open Air Theatre, 5/27), Refused (BUT, 5/30), Anvil (Brick by Brick, 6/3), American Head Charge (Soda Bar, 6/10), Rogue Wave (BUT, 6/18), Phish (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 7/23), Dave Matthews Band (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/26), Mana (Viejas Arena, 9/9), Ray Lamontagne (Open Air Theatre, 9/13), Leon Bridges (Humphreys, 9/21),

GET YER TICKETS Metric (HOB, 2/24-25), Rihanna (Viejas Arena, 2/26), Joyce Manor, Andrew Jackson Jihad (Observatory, 2/27), Julien Baker (The Irenic, 2/27), Waxahatchee (The Irenic, 3/3), Wavves, Best Coast (Observatory, 3/4), John Hiatt (BUT, 3/7-8), Magma (Brick by Brick, 3/15), The String Cheese Incident

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(Observatory, 3/15-16), Intronaut (Brick by Brick, 3/16), Junior Boys (Casbah, 3/18), Dwarves, Queers (Soda Bar, 3/20), Reverend Horton Heat (BUT, 3/23), Glassjaw (Observatory, 3/24), Napalm Death (Casbah, 3/25), Black Tusk, Holy Grail (Brick by Brick, 3/25), Abbath, High on Fire, Skeletonwitch, Tribulation (Observatory, 3/26), Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place (Casbah, 3/27), Santigold (HOB, 3/29), White Denim (BUT, 4/2), Into It. Over It., The World Is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die (The Irenic, 4/3), Tinashe (HOB, 4/4), Amon Amarth (HOB, 4/7), Third Eye Blind (Observatory, 4/8), Operators (Soda Bar, 4/10), Lord Huron (BUT, 4/13), Chvrches (Observatory, 4/13), Steve Miller Band (Humphreys, 4/14), NOFX (HOB, 4/14), Beach House (Observatory, 4/15), Foals (Observatory, 4/17), The Damned (BUT, 4/19), Prong (Brick by Brick, 4/22), Deerhunter (Observatory, 4/22), Thao & the Get Down Stay Down (BUT, 4/28), Puscifer (Copley Symphony Hall, 5/1), Tortoise (BUT, 5/3), Explosions in the Sky (Observatory, 5/3-4), Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires (Observatory, 5/12), Modern English (The Hideout, 5/17), Filter (HOB, 5/19), Jewel (Humphreys, 5/21), The Cure (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 5/30), Leon Russell (BUT, 5/31), Brian Jonestown Massacre (BUT, 6/2), Thrice (HOB, 6/4), Eric Bachmann (Soda Bar, 6/5), Twentyonepilots (Viejas Arena, 7/24), Weezer, Panic! At the Disco (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/3), Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/14), Ben Harper (Humphreys, 8/23), Journey, The Doobie Brothers (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/30), 5 Seconds of Summer (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 9/9), Peter Hook and the Light (HOB, 11/8).

February Wednesday, Feb. 10 Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Supersuckers at The Casbah. Jess Glynne at House of Blues.

Thursday, Feb. 11 Tiger Army at Observatory North Park. The Donkeys at Soda Bar. Aaron Neville at Balboa Theatre.

Friday, Feb. 12 STRFKR at Observatory North Park. Thee Oh Sees at Belly Up Tavern.

Saturday, Feb. 13 Meat Wave at Soda Bar.

Sunday, Feb. 14 Beats Antique at Observatory North Park. Built to Spill at The Casbah.

Monday, Feb. 15 Built to Spill at The Casbah.

Tuesday, Feb. 16 The Growlers, Jonathan Richman at Observatory North Park.

Wednesday, Feb. 17 The Growlers, Jonathan Richman at Observatory North Park.

Thursday, Feb. 18 The Toasters at The Casbah. Cradle of Filth at House of Blues.

Friday, Feb. 19 At the Gates at House of Blues. Radiation City at The Casbah.

March Tuesday, March 1 Joe Satriani at Balboa Theatre.

Saturday, Feb. 20 Dr. Dog at Observatory North Park. Steve Poltz at Belly Up Tavern.

Sunday, Feb. 21 Big Business at The Casbah.

Wednesday, March 2 Protomartyr at Soda Bar. Basia Bulat at The Casbah. Mutemath at House of Blues. Battalion of Saints at Til-Two Club.

Thursday, March 3

Monday, Feb. 22 Lee Ann Womack at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, Feb. 24 Lake Street Drive at Observatory North Park. Reagan Youth at Brick by Brick. Metric at House of Blues.

Thursday, Feb. 25 Ani DiFranco at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Anti-Flag at Observatory North Park. Metric at House of Blues. Drive Like Jehu at The Irenic (sold out).

Friday, Feb. 26 Rihanna at Viejas Arena. The Infamous Stringduster at Belly Up Tavern. Mono/ Poly at The Hideout. English Beat at The Casbah.

Saturday, Feb. 27

Liza Anne at The Casbah. Galactic at Belly Up Tavern. Lewis Black at Balboa Theatre. Waxahatchee at The Irenic.

Friday, March 4 Wavves, Best Coast at Observatory North Park. Keb’ Mo’ at Balboa Theatre (sold out). Hunter Valentine at The Hideout. Agent Orange at The Casbah. The Mother Hips at Belly Up Tavern.

Saturday, March 5 Atreyu at Observatory North Park. From Indian Lakes at House of Blues. Eliot Sumner at Soda Bar.

Sunday, March 6 311 at House of Blues.

Monday, March 7

Diane Coffee at The Hideout. Julien Baker at The Irenic. Joyce Manor, Andrew Jackson Jihad at Observatory North Park.

Monday, Feb. 29 Fetty Wap at House of Blues (sold out). Vance Joy at Balboa Theatre. Coeur de Pirate at Belly Up Tavern.

John Hiatt at Belly Up Tavern.

Tuesday, March 8 John Hiatt at Belly Up Tavern. St. Lucia at Observatory North Park.

music CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

Music music continued from PAGE 29 Thursday, March 10 Pearl Charles at The Hideout.

Friday, March 11 Bongzilla at Brick by Brick. Gary Clark Jr. at House of Blues (sold out). Eleanor Friedberger at The Hideout. Astronauts Etc. at The Merrow. XXYYXX at Observatory North Park. Brian Ellis Group at Til-Two Club. Mystic Braves at The Casbah.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., San Diego. Pacific Beach. Wed: Hoot & Holler. Thu: Karaoke. Fri: The Salty Dukes, Brave Native, Poppy’s Field. Sat: Sonic Moonshine, The Fooz Fighters. Sun: Karaoke. Tue: Rabbit Fever, The Wind Playing Tricks. 98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, San Diego. Little Italy. Fri: Ain’t Misbehavin’. Sun: The Matt Smith Neu Jazz Trio. Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., San Diego. Normal Heights. Wed: ‘Electric Martini’ w/ DJs Jeneration Y, Electric Honey. Thu: ‘My 80s Vice’ w/ DJ Girth. Sat: ‘JUICY’ w/ DJ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Chvrch’ w/ DJ Karma. American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Thu: Joe Machi. Fri: Joe Machi. Sat: Joe Machi. Sun: Joe Machi. Bang Bang, 526 Market St., San Diego. Downtown. Thu: Tycho DJ set (sold out). Fri: Jack Beats and HotFire. Sat: Just Kiddin’.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., San Diego. North Park. Wed: Taurus Authority. Thu: The Husky Boy All-Stars. Sat: The Milkcrates DJs. Sun: ‘Rat Sabbath’. Mon: ‘Motown on Monday’. Tue: ‘Tiki Tuesday’ w/ Alvino and the Dwells. Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Thu: Adam Block Duo. Fri: Scratch. Sat: Rare Form. Sun: Kayla Hope. Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Solana Beach. Wed: Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra (sold out). Thu: Glen Phillips, Sean Watkins. Fri: Thee Oh Sees, POW!. Sat: ALO, Baskery. Sun: Dead Man’s Party, Inspired and the Sleep. Mon: Eve Selis Band. Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad. Carlsbad. Thu: Pink Eye, Badabing. Fri: ‘Club Musae’. Brass Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Wed: Karaoke. Sat: ‘Sabado en Fuego’ w/ DJs XP, KA, K-Swift. Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJ Junior the Disco Punk. Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., San Diego. Bay Park. Sat: ‘Hell on Hells Burlesque’. Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: Aro Di Santi. Thu: Malamana. Fri: Joef & Co. Sat: Aire. Mon: Perla Negra. Tue: Perla Negra. Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, San Diego. Mission Bay. Fri: Bert Turetzky. Sun: ‘Tribute to Pops & Ella’. F6ix, 526 F St., San Diego. Downtown. Thu: Tory Lanez, DJ Carisma. Fri: DJ Dynamiq. Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Fri: Chris Kennedy. Sat: Chachi. Sun: Trippy Turtle.

30 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

Gallagher’s, 5040 Newport Ave., San Diego. Ocean Beach. Thu: The Dubbest. Fri: Sunny Rude. Sat: California Celts. Mon: 2Mex.

The Palace Ballroom, Oh Spirit. Fri: Mrs. Magician, Dead Heavens, Jimmy Ruelas. Sat: Meat Wave, Teen Death, Takahashi. Sun: The Roaring 420s, Lucid Season.

The Office, 3936 30th St., San Diego. North Park. Wed: ‘Wild Planet’ w/ DJs Jon Blaj, Comic Sans. Mon: ‘Tribute to Lemmy Kilmister’. Tue: ‘Trapped’.

Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: AOK Music. Fri: ‘Good Times’. Sun: Karaoke. Tue: Big City Dawgs.

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., San Diego. Normal Heights. Thu: Jesse Lamonaca and the Dime Novels, Michael McGraw. Sun: ‘Natalie Cole Tribute’.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: Jess Glynne, Conrad Sewell. Thu: Hoodie Allen, Superduperkyle, Blackbear. Sat: Hawthorne Heights, The Ataris, Mest, Handguns. Sun: P.O.D., 10 Years, Dead Letter Circus. Mon: Pepper.

The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Rd., Spring Valley. Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Fri: Cowgirls from Hell. Sat: Temblad, Mortuus Terror, Woundvac, Cave Bastard. Tue: Karaoke.

The Tin Roof, 401 G Street, San Diego. Gaslamp. Wed: J. Liberio. Thu: Midnight Ride. Fri: Diana Ferror Band, From the Cold, Dannie Marie. Sat: Cassie B. Band, Chad Lada Trio. Sun: Chad and Rosie Duo, Bump City Brass. Mon: Josh Ferreira, Lucky Devils. Tue: From the Cold.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Wed: ‘Family Matters’. Thu: ‘Progress’. Tue: ‘Tribe Night’ Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., San Diego. Kensington. Sat: Zombie Barbie, Fistfights with Wolves, Murder by Techno. Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Coronado. Wed: Harmony Road. Thu: Ron’s Trio. Fri: Pat Ellis & Blue Frog Band. Sat: Mystique. Tue: Steve Brewer Music Box, 1337 India St., San Diego. Little Italy. Fri: Shwayze, Felly. Sat: Frankie J. Sun: Citizen Cope. Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Wed: DJ Kiki. Fri: DJs Dirty Kurty, Moody Rudy. Sun: DJ Cros. Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’ w/ Jason Hanna. Thu: Chloe Louise. Fri: Black Market III. Sat: Finegan Blu. Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: Red Baraat, Euphoria Brass Band. Thu: The Donkeys,

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Wed: Supersuckers, The Yawpers, Charlie Overbey and the Broken Arrows. Thu: The New Kinetics, The Slashes, Gloomsday, DJ Mike Delgado. Fri: The Knocks, Cardiknox, Sofi Tukker. Sat: Drag The River, John Meeks, Ypsitucky. Sun: Built to Spill, The Hand, Iceberg Ferg. Mon: Built to Spill, The Hand, Iceberg Ferg. Tue: Emily Wells, Lorna Dune. The Che Cafe, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla. Sat: World Be Free, Give, Cold Stare, Meth Breath. The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Fri: Peach Kelli Pop, Gone Baby Gone, DJ Clinebell Express. The Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. Wed: Waters, Max and the Moon. Fri: Panic is Perfect, Anya Marina. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Fri: Blue Halas, Three Chamber Heart, Terrans. Sat: RDG, Taz Taylor Band, Pet Shark, Ronny North. Sun: Mariel, Giant Surprise, Post Attraction, Joe St. Thomas. Tue: Kid Wilderness, Troubadour Parade, MRKTS.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Fri: Mother, Clean Room. Sat: Space Wax, Red Wizard, Christ Killer, Nebula Drag. Sun: Open Mic Comedy. Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., San Diego. Bay Park. Thu: Nathan James and the Rhythm Scratchers. Fri: Wild Nights Band. Sat: Detroit Underground. Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., San Diego. City Heights. Thu: Karaoke. Fri: Kids in Heat, The Fink Bombs, Bat Lords, The Fuzzy Junkies. Sat: Fictitious Dishes, Giant Surprise, Blood Ponies. Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, San Diego. South Park. Wed: Idiot Glee. Thu: ‘Recommended Dosage’ w/ DJs Mark Garcia, Mike Turi. Fri: ‘Death by Dancing’ w/ DJ Jon Blaj. Sat: ‘Booty Bassment’. Sun: Hexa, All Your Sisters, Nylon Apartments, DJs Mario Orduno, Jon Blaj. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., San Diego. Ocean Beach. Wed: Piracy Conspiracy, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: Luckyiam & Lana Shea, Atlantis Rizing, Herbavore, Emcee Overtime. Fri: Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen. Sat: ‘Ocean Boogie’. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band.

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Last Words

Brendan Emmett Quigley

Accent walls Across 1. Curly hair or colorblindness, e.g. 6. Finland’s neighbor: Abbr. 9. Spoiled, with “on” 14. Gut feeling 15. Actor Vigoda who finally made good on that Internet meme this year 16. Egg producer 17. Maze word 18. Author who coined the words “multicolor” and “normality” 19. Really tiny 20. Evil twin 23. Go back 26. Maze path 27. Hurricane aficionado 28. Russian czar nicknamed “The Great” 30. Banish forever 31. “___: Miami” 34. Like close baseball victories 35. Rural address abbr. 36. Pipe down? 37. Embassy official 40. Chugs on all cylinders 41. Short drink 42. Model railroad scale 43. Big voting bloc: Abbr. 44. Bursitis joint 45. Kind of potato 46. Put on a face 47. French courtesy title, briefly 48. Goes overboard at a party, briefly 49. Bill Clinton’s secretary of transportation 54. Maker of the TLX, RDX, and ILX Last week’s answers

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55. Have red ink 56. Dublin theater 60. Derailleur part 61. Place to take a stand at a frat party 62. Get rid of 63. E-ZPass charges 64. Funny pair? 65. Mail drop off, for the lazy postman

Down 1. Nice hot drink? 2. Hose problem 3. Crumb attacker 4. Not neat 5. It can really fill out a room 6. Dover diaper 7. Pit reed 8. Recites effortlessly 9. Buck passer? 10. Lowe’s purchases 11. Strong bite 12. Lake that the Detroit River flows to 13. Zep’s “___ Maker” 21. Dull feeling 22. “I win!” 23. Earth science chapters? 24. First film to win 11 Oscars 25. Reserve squads 29. Goes wrong 30. Hang around a window? 31. David of 31-Across 32. Set up a blockade 33. Pictures of Hawaii, perhaps? 36. Remembered Marines, briefly 38. Soft drink with the “It’s Mine” ad campaign 39. Chills, maybe 44. Books with suras 46. Risk exposure 47. Digital video formats 49. Often-checked thing 50. Bounce back? 51. Two-way 52. Western writer Wister 53. Share a side with 57. “U mad ___?” 58. Swelled head 59. “I heard ya”

February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

32 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

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February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

34 · San Diego CityBeat · February 10, 2016

#SDCityBeat

February 10, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 35