San Diego CityBeat • Mar 5, 2014

ENGINEERING

beaut27Y Paper artist Bhavna Mehta carves out cultural stories

by Kinsee Morlan

SHELTER P.7 BOTS P.13 DUM P.32

BURGER WEEK advertising section

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2 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

An open-government test Like all the candidates for San Diego mayor, Kevin Faulconer vowed to be a champion of open government. In his first week as the city’s new mayor, he had a chance to put his policy where is mouth was.

On Feb. 27, outgoing interim Mayor Todd Gloria infuriated open-government advocates and journalists by issuing a policy memo that said, starting on March 28, all city-employee emails older than one year would be deleted. Count us among the unhappy. And Gloria was doing so well, too. It’s a shame he left the Mayor’s office on such a sour note.

Gloria’s memo explained that the city’s information-technology system had run out of storage space, and the city would have to buy new hardware in order to save emails for a longer period of time. Gloria’s spokesperson, Katie Keach, followed up by telling reporters that it would cost $400,000 to $500,000 to solve the problem, and money hadn’t been allocated.

Keach told KPBS’s Claire Trageser that Gloria had known about the dilemma since early in his tenure as temporary mayor, which began last August. Trageser reported that the problem is that Hewlett Packard is pulling the plug on NearPoint, the archive system the city uses. The city researched a few alternatives and concluded that it would cost up to half a million dollars.

Ben Katz and Jed Sundwall of the group Open San Diego fired off an open letter to Faulconer, encouraging him to revoke Gloria’s order, claiming that the city could use a cloud system that would keep emails for 10 years, and they estimated that cost at $96,000.

The same day, Terry Francke of the statewide group Californians Aware, sent a letter to Gloria arguing that his policy is illegal under state law, because emails sent to and from city employees are public records and public records are required to be kept for two years. Francke said his group would take the matter to court unless he heard back from the Mayor’s office by Tuesday, March 11. Cory Briggs of the group San Diegans for Open Government said on KPBS Midday Edition radio show on Tuesday that he would also sue if Faulconer doesn’t

revoke the order.

As Briggs said Tuesday, email is one of the primary ways in which government officials communicate with one another about the business of government—the public’s business. And having access to these emails is how members of the public and the press can monitor how the government is going about shaping public policy. One year isn’t very long. Sometimes, a policy takes time to become controversial. Sometimes, new information comes to light and folks want to go back into the public record to learn more about the history of a given policy. To whom were elected officials and their staffs talking about the policy? What were they saying?

What did they know, and when did they know it?

David Rolland That history is memos, documents and emails.

On Tuesday afternoon, as CityBeat was going to press, Faulconer spokesperson Matt Awbrey tweeted this: “Mayor Faulconer is placing new email retention policy on hold pending further review. All City emails will continue to be stored.”

That’s excellent news. Of course, “on hold” isn’t the same as “permanently scrapped.”

After he’s talked to the smartest IT folks he knows— be they inside or outside City Hall—Faulconer should request a hearing before the City Kevin Faulconer Council’s Budget and Government Efficiency Committee, so that people like Katz and Sundwall, and other members of the public, can share their knowledge and ideas.

An acceptable outcome here is the city finding and funding a new storage system that allows the city to comply with the letter and spirit of state law.

A better outcome is to go above and beyond the minimum requirements of state law.

Keach said that some cities retain emails for less than a year. But we shouldn’t strive to simply avoid being the worst—we should strive to be among the best. When it comes to open government, the best is the one who retains government documents the longest and makes them the easiest to get.

What do you think? Write to editor@sdcitybeat.com.

This tissue of KittyBake is doodicated to John Travolta.

Volume 12 • Issue 30 Editor David Rolland Associate Editor Kelly Davis Music Editor Jeff Terich Arts Editor Kinsee Morlan Staff Writer Joshua Emerson Smith Web Editor Ryan Bradford Art director Lindsey Voltoline Columnists Aaryn Belfer, Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb, Alex Zaragoza

Contributors Ian Cheesman, David L. Coddon, Seth Combs, Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Nina Sachdev Hoffmann, Peter Holslin, Dave Maass, Scott McDonald, Jennifer McEntee, Jenny Montgomery, Susan Myrland, Mina Riazi, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Jen Van Tieghem, Quan Vu

Circulation / Office Assistant Giovanna Tricoli

Production Manager Tristan Whitehouse

Vice President of Finance Michael Nagami

Production artist Rees Withrow

Vice President of Operations David Comden

MultiMedia Advertising Director Paulina Porter-Tapia

Publisher Kevin Hellman

Senior account executive Jason Noble Account Executives F. Scott Berman, Beau Odom

Accounting Alysia Chavez, Linda Lam, Monica MacCree Human Resources Andrea Baker

Advertising inquiries Interested in advertising?

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Editorial and Advertising Office 3047 University Ave., Suite 202 San Diego, CA 92104 Phone: 619-281-7526 Fax: 619-281-5273 www.sdcitybeat.com

San Diego CityBeat is published and distributed every Wednesday by Southland Publishing Inc., free of charge but limited to one per reader. Reproduction of any material in this or any other issue is prohibited without written permission from the publisher and the author. Contents copyright 2014.

4 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

It’s about location Regarding the affordable-housing offset that was mentioned in the Jan. 15 editorial and previous articles: Location, location, location!

This real-estate mantra is a large driver for real-estate development costs, not governmental fees. That is partially why we had a huge real-estate economic crisis of recent past, and many other circumstances, too, but the mantra shows that fees or taxes do not drive businesses away. This is false straw-man theory; it looks plausible but is not the true fact.

Customer base, material and resource supply and good financing are what brings businesses to an area. If you don’t have customers, you won’t develop the business. If you can’t retain good employees (need for affordable housing), then you won’t be able to grow your business. It’s time for business to pony up! Instead of just getting high profits for the business owners and stockholders, it will be wise to have longevity: great workers, reliable government (not one with never-ending budget deficits and which all can trust) and great service (from businesses and government). Then we get trusted, long-term, forward progress for all. Not just for profit, but for a total community. A strong constituent base.

Personally, I didn’t drive to Walmart (across Interstate 805) the other day because the four cents per item I’d have saved would’ve cost me much more in gas, auto wear and tear, insurance, etc. and polluted my neighborhood more, and I know that my neighbors—from my (affordable) housing

complex—work right across the street! So, location, location, location works! Now let us let it work for us all!

Daniel Beeman, Clairemont

Flatulent and stupid Regarding your endorsement of David Alvarez for mayor [“Editorial,” Feb. 5]: Explain to me how an anti-business mayor “grows the middle class.” Only private-sector productive activities sustain an economy. The government is necessary but, like red wine, should be done in moderation. The unions are parasites, so what would a union puppet do but create another Detroit?

Explain how a union puppet mayor would “grow the middle class” and “lift people out of poverty.” This is just left-wing, non-thinking flatulence on your part. You can’t explain how he would do it, because he couldn’t. In the words of Gavin Newsom, “You can’t be anti-business and pro-jobs”—something very simple that you are too stupid to understand.

Craig Thompson, North Park

Political instability This letter is in response to your Jan. 29 editorial, “Susumo Azano is a symptom.” I agree that we must do something about large donations to political candidates at all levels.

While some may refer to these exchanges of money as donations, I think of them as bribes. They are payments to people for the purpose of influencing current and future policies for the betterment of a few. We need to find a way to even out the playing field, so that we elect candidates whose focus is to improve life for the majority of our citizens, as opposed to putting money in the pockets of a few.

I can relate these bribes to our recent recession, which was caused by unscrupulous lending and irrational investment schemes.

Just as regulatory oversight became lax, political oversight has become lax. If we allow these political bribes to continue, our political stability will eventually become a problem, just as our economic stability was impacted in 2008.

Ronald Harris, Scripps Ranch

Alex and her vagina I just finished Alex Zaragoza’s awesome article about “knocking one off the wrist” [“There She Goz,” Feb. 12], and I can’t say I’ve ever read anything like it. Way to push the boundaries with an honest and candid take on a taboo subject, baring the most personal part of your life to any stranger who endeavors to read. Best wishes for a long happy and healthy relationship between you and your vagina.

Josh O’Rourke, South Park

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

6 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

Kelly Davis

How the $1.9 million breaks down $800,000: Covers four months of shelter operations, plus additional case-management services $400,000: Helps fund a countywide coordinated intake and assessment system, as required by federal law, that would track people as they move off the street and through programs $120,000: Restores a funding cut to the San Diego Police Department’s Serial Inebriate Program $80,000: Pays for additional services at the Neil Good Day Center in East Village $40,000: Helps fund the San Diego Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Team $150,000: Covers operating costs for the Homeless Transitional Storage Facility, where people can store their belongings $300,000: Closes a funding gap for Connections Housing Pam Cooks, who’s been in the city’s homeless shelter since February 2013, is being treated for recurring ovarian cancer.

One person’s tent Shelters get a reprieve, but debate continues on how to get people off the street

by Kelly Davis An outreach team with the Alpha Project found Roger Ramirez on a corner in East Village last Wednesday. In a wheelchair, wearing surgical scrubs for pants and with a thick cast on his right leg, Ramirez, who’s homeless, had been discharged from UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest the day before. He’d fractured his leg jumping out of a dumpster while searching for recyclables and spent five days in the hospital. He was discharged with a bus pass and headed back to 14th and G streets, where he hoped to find a friend who had his belongings.

“He never came,” Ramirez says, “so I stayed the night, right there by the [Smart & Final].”

An elderly couple gave him water and a blanket. In the morning, the Alpha Project van pulled up and asked if he wanted a bed in the city’s homeless shelter.

When CityBeat talked to Ramirez last week, the shelter was scheduled to close March 31; meanwhile, he needs help getting to follow-up doctors appointments and is facing possible surgery on his leg in April.

But, late Monday afternoon, San Diego City Councilmember Marti Emerald proposed reallocating half of $2 million that had been earmarked for police body-worn cameras—the full amount’s not needed this

year, new Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman told the City Council—to keep the city’s two homeless shelters open through June 30. It’ll be a week before that proposed extension is finalized, and it came with an admonishment from City Council President Todd Gloria: “It is very clear that on June 30, 2014, we will not have another council meeting where folks are coming here and telling us they didn’t know [the shelters were closing], or they need more time.”

The reprieve is good news for shelter residents like Ramirez, and Pam Cooks, who’s undergoing chemotherapy for recurring ovarian cancer, and 23-year-old Sinead, whose baby’s due in April. Camille Christensen is staying in the shelter while her husband Larry goes through a detox program. “He wouldn’t get any help because he wouldn’t leave me on the street. If I didn’t have this,” she says of her bed in the shelter, “he wouldn’t be doing that.”

The decision by former Mayor Bob Filner to keep both the 220-bed adult shelter, located on the border of Barrio Logan and East Village, and a 150-bed tent for veterans on Sports Arena Boulevard, open year-round has highlighted the city’s shortage of emergency shelter beds—most year-round beds are targeted to special populations, like women with children or homeless teens. And it’s fueled debate about the role the shelters play in the city’s overall goal to end homelessness.

“We have a built-in problem here,” says Dolores Diaz, executive director of the San Diego County Regional Task Force on the Homeless. “We don’t have a permanent emergency-shelter facility. The city and the

Housing Commission, they do their best to, at the peak time when it’s the coldest, get folks off the street. But the problem is, we don’t have a permanent facility and we don’t have enough permanent housing.”

Filner allocated roughly $1.9 million in last year’s budget to keep the shelters open, despite warnings from the San Diego Housing Commission—which administers contracts to run the tents with the Alpha Project and Veterans Village of San Diego—that Filner didn’t take into account the full cost of utilities and maintenance. The Housing Commission estimated it would take an additional $933,267— or roughly $3.5 million total, including federal dollars that fund the veterans tent—to keep the shelters operating year-round.

Both shelters are sprung-structure tents, able to be collapsed and stored when not in operation.

“We expect housing people in tents is not a best practice,” Gloria said Monday, “and the communities across the country where they are ending homelessness, they are not doing it in tents, they are putting them in supportive housing. And the million dollars would go very, very far to support that.”

In February, in his capacity as interim mayor, Gloria announced that the shelters would revert to their normal four-month schedule, closing March 31 and reopening in late November. But he proposed that the $1.9 million Filner carved out in the budget continue to be spent on homelessness programs. The spending plan, which will need to be approved by the City Council in June, was developed with the input of folks involved in homeless services, from nonprofits to the police to Downtown business leaders. Jessica Lawrence, a Gloria staffer who worked for Jennifer LeSar on the Campaign to End Homelessness Down-

town, helped spearhead the effort.

At a media briefing last month, Gloria emphasized that the proposal was drawn up with the goal of creating a more coordinated system of services and funding programs that had been proven to work, like the San Diego Police Department’s Serial Inebriate Program (SIP), which gets chronically homeless alcoholics into treatment and housing. SIP’s budget had been cut by a third in 2007, and Gloria’s plan restores that funding.

The largest portion of the money, $800,000, will go to operate the shelter during winter months and includes funding to boost case-management services with the goal of moving people out of the shelter and into permanent supportive housing—housing that comes with services and is considered the best way to get people, especially the chronically homeless, off the street.

That’s the goal, too, with a one-time allocation of $400,000 to help the Regional Task Force and the Regional Continuum of Care Council implement a coordinated assessment, intake and information-management system that, as Diaz puts it, will give service-providers the ability to follow a homeless person “from the very beginning all the way through the system to the exit to permanent housing.”

Having such a system in place is a federal mandate, required in order for the county to receive money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for homeless services.

“This recommendation is a sound one; it’s a good recommendation,” Diaz says of Gloria’s proposal. “It’s a one-time investment… that desperately needs to be done.”

Bob McElroy, CEO of the Alpha Project,

Shelter CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

David Rolland

john r.

spin cycle

lamb Same as the old era “The kernel, the soul—let us go further and say the substance, the bulk, the actual and valuable material of all human utterances—is plagiarism.”

—Mark Twain Former San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders—sitting front row next to scandal-ensnared District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis—must have been pinching himself. Before him stood a beaming Kevin Faulconer, freshly initiated into the San Diego Republican Club for Mayors, speaking forcefully about many things vague. Little meat for local pundits to gum.

No doubt Sanders despised certain media folks during his mayoral tenure. Spin Cycle still fondly remembers the night, post-State-of-the-City-speech, when Capt. F-Bomb shared a handshake while simultaneously observing, “Oh, you’re the one I hate!”

Ah, good times!

Well, here we are again, San Diego, a Republican claiming moderate inclinations back in the political driver’s seat. But for how long will the road remain smooth? Spin suspects not long.

Sure, local politicians are saying the right things now: that the bipartisan spirit nurtured steadily after the Bob Filner meltdown by the city’s selfproclaimed interim mayor, Council President Todd Gloria, will continue.

But issues like a local minimum-wage hike and the push by Sanders and his Chamber of Commerce pals to crush both a community plan in Barrio Logan and a City Council-approved development-fee increase to help subsidize affordable housing bode ill for future camaraderie.

Spin reached out to the Faulconer folks to get an idea how the new mayor plans to govern in the short term, particularly in the 30-day window afforded the City Council to pick his District 2 replacement.

The council will almost certainly choose a Democrat, giving the legislative body a powerful, vetoready six votes to combat any efforts by Faulconer to steer too far right. Unfortunately, communications chief Matt Awbrey declined to respond to several inquiries, including whether Faulconer has a personal preference for his replacement.

Granted, the Faulconer Era is just days old, but this new administration is already giving hints how it expects to operate. On Monday, veteran U-T San Diego City Hall reporter Craig Gustafson announced on Twitter that he was joining Team Faulconer as press secretary.

Publicly, there was fawning praise for the selection (particularly media types clearly hoping for friendly access). Gustafson is a personable guy, much like Awbrey, his new boss.

But, privately, some smart folks expressed shock at the choice, given Gustafson’s frequent election coverage and recent assessments of Faulconer’s political road ahead.

“I didn’t see it coming,” one City Hall veteran told Spin. “He’ll do really well, but he’ll struggle with suspension of intellectual honesty.”

8 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

Kevin Faulconer “Either way,” added another longtime political observer, “he’s still working for Doug.”

That, of course, is a reference to Doug Manchester, mega-developer and U-T publisher who once dreamed of a Carl DeMaio mayorship but seems prepared to use his pulpit to pump up Faulconer’s campaign of sticky-issue avoidance and smiling platitudes as the California Republican Party’s answer to electoral irrelevance.

But, as they say, campaigning is one thing; governing is another. And, so far, Faulconer’s hires seem more insular than his campaign rhetoric of inclusion suggested: His campaign manager, Stephen Puetz, becomes chief of staff, and tapped as deputy chiefs are Felipe Monroig, former DeMaio aide and brief head of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association; Jaymie Bradford, also a former DeMaio aide and a Sanders aide; and longtime Faulconer staffer Awbrey.

This is naturally the tip of the Faulconer-hiring iceberg, and he still must decide who stays and who goes as city department heads. Those decisions will further indicate how Faulconer intends to govern.

Banners and buttons prepared for Faulconer’s inauguration proclaimed, “1 San Diego, Uniting Our City.” Meanwhile, an inaugural party was held Monday night at the Broadway Pier, once envisioned as a gleaming park but now home to a frequently vacant cruise-ship terminal.

Faulconer has frequently invoked the “neighborhoods first” theme he plucked from Filner’s dead political corpse. He made much of his choice for Monday’s swearing-in ceremony, the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation in District 4’s Lincoln Park, a first, he declared, for the traditionally underserved community.

“As your mayor, my policies will be guided with that philosophy in mind, to create a unified city in which all residents have equal access to economic prosperity, quality city services and safe neighborhoods,” Faulconer told a standing-room-only crowd Monday.

But Spin couldn’t help but wonder how such words play in a place like Barrio Logan, where, in Faulconer’s rhetorical world, only shipbuilding jobs count, not health-concerned residents. How the new mayor straddles that fine line will be something to watch.

Also up in the air is Faulconer’s true commitment to government transparency. Oh, on the campaign

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

trail he was all for it. But he now faces his first true test of that commitment. Late last week, Gloria announced that beginning March 28, all city emails beyond a year old will be deleted from city servers because, he said, there is no money to store them any longer.

On Tuesday, Voice of San Diego reported that Faulconer would have a response to the new policy “within 48 hours.” This should not be a difficult decision, if transparency is to be a cornerstone of this new administration.

Even the U-T, in an editorial, suggested that the idea, not the emails, should be scrapped.

People unify when they feel others have their backs. Sanders preferred the ol’ potty-mouth response and backstab to get what he wanted. That doesn’t appear to be Faulconer’s preferred method of persuasion, but the Sanders influence is undeniable.

Spin can only hope that Faulconer is sincere in his promise to listen—and not just to his wellheeled cheerleaders. Otherwise, San Diego will find itself back to a speech-reading leader likely pining for a European vacation and a job at the chamber.

Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

Shelter CONTINUED from PAGE 7 still believes a year-round shelter, even if it’s a sprung-structure tent, is worth funding.

“You’ve got to have a place where you can come and detox from survival mode,” he says, referring to the criticism that people aren’t moving through the shelter and into permanent housing quickly enough. “These folks just need time.”

Back out on the street, they’re going to drive up costs, he says.

“They’re going to go to the hospital. Everybody in San Diego pays for that. These folks get sick, the cops come, the paramedics come, the fire department comes.

And who picks up that tab?”

And as for the tent’s suitability, “I don’t think you’re going to have a complaint from anybody who’s inside today,” McElroy says.

Pam Cooks has been at the shelter for a little more than a year.

Medical costs from her nearly 14year battle with cancer forced her and her husband to sell their cars and give up the house they’d been renting. Her goal was to get disability benefits that, coupled with her husband’s income from a part-time job—he was laid off

from full-time work—would provide them with enough money to afford rent. But her medical costs are eating up most of that income; she applied for Medi-Cal, but was denied in error. A case manager at the shelter is helping her sort that out and also trying to get Cooks and her husband into housing.

Sgt. Rick Schnell, who heads the police department’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT), says he doesn’t think that finding beds for the most vulnerable people will be tough once the shelter closes—“if it’s gotta be done, it’s gonna happen,” he says—though HOT will be losing the shelter’s two-dozen triage beds where people in need of more intensive services can stay until an appropriate bed is found.

Gloria said Monday that he’s been fundraising private donations to replace those beds.

But, Schnell says, being at the shelter and seeing all who are there makes him wonder what’ll happen when it closes.

“I discuss this with people outside of the tent, and you come up with these ideas,” he says.

“You’ve got to be there and see the clients to really get a grasp on what you’re talking about.”

Write to kellyd@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

edwin

sordid tales

decker Shit I was wrong about I was thumbing through some of my old CDs the I remember the night before the law was to other day and came across a little hip-hop emertake effect. It was New Year’s Eve 1997. The shift ald from 1991 called We Can’t be Stopped by Geto was over and I was wiping down a stack of ashtrays Boys—a Texas gangster-rap trio that was so violent, with a rag—getting the nasty, black dreck all over sexist, racist and indignant that NWA paid them for my fingers—and thinking, Well, I may be out of work tips on how to be hard. soon, but at least I won’t get the hand cancer.

As I was gazing upon the CD cover—which was Well, the bars didn’t skip a beat. People went a genuine photo of rapper Bushwick Bill sitting on outside to smoke, and they rather enjoyed it. a hospital gurney bleeding out of the eyeball from a Turned out it was a nice break from the cacophony bullet he caught while tussling over a pistol with his inside. And even smokers admitted to preferring girlfriend—my glance fell upon my old pal PAL. the smoke-free environment. What a difference PAL, which stands for Parental Advisory Label, it made. I didn’t realize I was working in a smog is the warning stamped on album covers to alert chamber until the smog had lifted. I didn’t realize I parents to overtly violent or sexual content. Oh was breathing gallons of soot every night. The resiyes, I remember quite well when Tipper Gore (Al’s due coated my skin, clothes and hair. I used to wake wife) and her brood of sexually repressed Washup in the morning with my sheets smelling like I ington wives founded the Parental Music Resource had a three-way with the Marlboro Man and his Center (PMRC) to impose these warning labels on horse. Nope. Don’t miss those days a bit. the music industry.

I was wrong about Jim Morrison. Back in the And you darn well know I watched those hearday, I thought he was a masterful poet who tapped ings intently. It was as fascinating as it was frustratinto the mysteries of the cosmos. In hindsight, his ing. On one side, you had Frank Zappa, Dee Snider poetry reads like a quasi-depressed high-school and John Denver testifying against loner who stages suicide attempts the proposal, which is like having for attention, and his infamous I used to wake up in Albert Einstein, Jesus Christ and onstage antics were not so much Henry VIII on the same Over the anti-establishment as they were the morning with my Line team. On the other side was petulant tantrums. sheets smelling like I Tipper and her committee of vagiI was wrong about John Lennally welded Washington biddies non. Peace, love and respect, my had a three-way with wincing and fidgeting whenever ass. The list of rotten things he the Marlboro Man Denver’s lyrics were quoted. did is long and serrated, but, in a When the biddies spoke, it was nutshell, he was a raging asshole: and his horse. all I could do to keep from putting Lennon ignored his first wife and a foot through the TV. They were their son Julian and dropped them going to be the death of free expression in the muboth for Yoko. He never made an effort to get Jusic industry. I mean, really? We’re just going to start lian back into his life, and in a move that can only be stamping scarlet letters on albums based on the opindescribed as “Reaching new heights of assholery,” ion of a small group of Washington wives who are so he released “Beautiful Boy” for baby Sean, leaving prudish that even their orgasms wear burqas? then-teenage Julian to wonder why his father not Well, as it turned out—not so much. As I looked only never wrote a song for him, but didn’t even inupon the Geto Boys advisory label, it occurred to vite him over for Thanksgiving. me that I was wrong. As much as I still despise the To top it off, Lennon was physically and verbally PMRC and its real agenda, the labels themselves abusive to women, friends and family. He threw didn’t have any measurable effect on free exprestantrums and had a bit of a homophobic and antision. They certainly didn’t hurt W.A.S.P.’s sales Semitic streak in him. I’m not saying he deserved none, and they didn’t slow down sex and violence to get shot, but Chapman was right: Lennon was a in music. All the labels did was inform parents. And narcissistic crybaby scumbag poser who doesn’t deserve our idolatry. looking at Bushwick Bill’s bleeding eye socket only Lastly, I was wrong about marriage. I’d always cemented my flip-flop. If I had pre-teen kids, ain’t sworn to never go down that road. I just wasn’t big no way they’d be getting this CD for Christmas. on the whole one-woman-for-the-rest-of-my-life The whole trip down memory lane got me thinkthing, not to mention that I didn’t think any woming: What other issues have arisen over the years an would stick around too long if I wasn’t going to about which I have been embarrassingly wrong? And marry her. Then I met W. and told her she was great the first that came to mind was the prohibition of but I didn’t want to get married, and she said, “I cigarettes in nightclubs. don’t want to get married, either!” and I said, “Hey I was a bartender when that initiative was being we’re perfect for each other—let’s get married!” and debated, and all of us in the biz believed it was goshe said yes, so we did. ing to destroy the industry. If smokers couldn’t have their beloved butts while enjoying an adult beverWrite to edwin@sdcitybeat.com age, they were more likely to stay home or patronand editor@sd citybeat.com. Listen to ize bars with smoking patios. The measure scared “Sordid Tales: The Podcast!” at sdcitybeat.com. the shit out of us. It was our Y2K.

10 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

by michael a. gardiner Michael A. Gardiner

fish. Shino’s sushi rice has the perfect seasoning with hints of sweetness and acid. Each grain maintains its independent integrity as the entire block holds together as a whole. This, first and foremost, is what sushi is about.

Clearly, one of the things Nakamura picked up from Ota is the selection of quality fish. His salmon is some of the best I’ve ever tasted, and his albacore (served raw rather than the more common tataki-style) is not far behind. The garnishes on the albacore—two variations on minced daikon The sushi combo lunch special radish (one with ponzu and garlic, one with chile paste) and wispy strips of scallion greens—highlight the fish’s natural flavor. Another standout at Shino is the saba—mackerel that’s lightly pickled with a brilliant, filament-like garnish of pickled kelp that makes the assertively flavored fish so much more approachable.

Ota protégé shines at Shino Make no mistake, an omakase trip to Shino won’t be cheap. It’s not difficult to appreciate the San Diego has a lot of sushi: high-end stuff, like reasons one might want to pay less for a sushi fix, Sushi Dokoro Shirahama or Sushi Ota, as good but the compromises inherent in the notion are as anyone’s; see-and-be-seen bars, like those at both obvious and extremely unappealing. One Nobu or RA; and that strangest of concepts, “budtoo many meals at Sushi Deli proved that point to get sushi.” Then there’s Shino Sushi + Kappo, on me far beyond my gut’s content. the southern fringe of Little Italy (838 W. Ash And that’s one of the things that makes Shino St.), which isn’t exactly any of those. Shino dedifferent: It’s possible to try Nakamura’s superb livers the perfection of high-end sushi but does sushi on a budget. The Sushi Combo lunch speso without being austere or annoyingly hipstercial—miso soup and six pieces of nigiri (maguro, nightclub cool. hamachi, albacore, white fish, salmon, spicy tuna) That Robert Nakamura would serve sushi of with four pieces of a California roll for $12— the highest quality should not surprise. Like his hardly constitutes expensive sushi. These are the brother Roger, Nakamura trained under Yukita very things that “budget sushi” almost invariably Ota at Pacific Beach’s Sushi Ota. Roger co-owns is not: outstanding, high-end sushi at extremely Hane Sushi in Bankers Hill with Ota. Most of the reasonable prices. chefs at Shino worked at either Ota or Hane. The Shino’s sushi is sushi-lovers’ sushi. It’s sushi bloodlines are good. for those who know sushi, appreciate its nuances Nakamura’s sushi shines when he’s working and traditions but don’t necessarily want to have to deal with all that seems to come with it. close to classic Edomai-style, yet with perhaps a bit of a modern touch: a non-traditional fish Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com here or a slightly different garnish there. It all and editor@sdcitybeat.com. starts, of course, with the rice rather than the

the world

fare

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

BY IAN CHEESMAN

cocktail

tales

Ballast Point’s harder side

Just because I’m best known as a beer writer doesn’t mean that’s all I have to offer. With my expansive literary pedigree, I’m capable of delivering witty and biting commentary on virtually any fluid. That’s why I was the logical understudy to cover Ballast Point’s new speakeasy in Scripps Ranch (10051 Old Grove Road, ballastpoint.com) when Cocktail Tales columnist Kelly Davis discovered that the brake lines on her car had somehow all spontaneously severed.

With the passing of Assembly Bill 933, California distillers are now allowed to serve tastes of their wares. That legislative hurdle, while just an extension of the same courtesy extended to beer, realizes a dream more than seven years in the making for Ballast Point. Craft spirits can now be explored with (nearly) the same accessibility as their brews, giving them a new foothold in San Diego and us a new way to get a smidge drunker. Win-win.

It should be mentioned that brewing skills don’t immediately translate into distilling prowess. While the magic of fermentation is common to both, the techniques and ingredients available to distilled spirits is comparatively limiting. That said, Ballast Point co-founder Yuseff Cherney is able to put his stamp on dis-

tilled spirits in part by leveraging his brewing past. For example, his recipe for Devil’s Share bourbon whiskey not only uses the same house yeast as many of Ballast Point’s beers; it also favors barley in a large percentage of the mash (where corn would typically reside) to elicit different flavors.

“We’re not confined by tradition. We’re stepping out and doing different stuff that the big guys haven’t or don’t want to,” he shares.

Referring to the spirits tasting room as a “speakeasy” isn’t entirely a gimmick. While Ballast Point was able to situate it in its existing Old Grove Road facility, it was legally required to sequester it from the beer-tasting area (likely in an effort to keep tensions from flaring up between rival gangs of drink snobs).

However, the demand to keep them distinct really only heightens the allure, making the snug, apothecary-style room feel worlds apart from the casual revelry of beer enjoyment just around the corner. The jars and beakers lining the walls remind you that this is no soda shop; it’s home to potent concoctions that demand your full attention.

Visits to the speakeasy are coordinated as public tours every couple of hours at a cost of $10. That fee includes a walk-through of the distilling facilities and six quarter-ounce samples of various spirits. You can drink less if you so choose, but the law mandates you will not have more. The sampling menu is fixed but will vary throughout the year to highlight different products from the continually growing stable of award-winning spirits.

Ian Cheesman Those distinctions are important to bear in mind before heading over, as the experience is hardly akin to the casual beer sampling available just outside the tasting room’s doors. This is more like a Disneyland ride that whisks you away to a different world with new spectacles to behold but is unmistakably on rails. Think of it as a fun diversion or a chance to get more intimate with the San Diego craftspirits scene at minimal expense, and you won’t be disappointed.

Pharmacies used to be so much cooler.

12 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

Write to ianc@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

[T echnology ] no life

offline

by dave maass

Trolling on autopilot

Last October, Fox 5 San Diego began covering the “Twitter War,” as they dubbed the slapstick backand-forth between supporters of the various candidates for mayor. In one piece, reporter Kristy Wolski profiled San Diego County Republican Party chair Tony Krvaric, who complained about the “cowards” who were targeting him with a platoon of parody Twitter accounts, many of which were tweeting phrases too dirty for TV. What Wolski missed is that these profiles weren’t actually real people but simple pieces of computer software set in motion by an anonymous troll who took issue with Krvaric for bitching about bots when Krvaric himself had gotten busted for registering fake accounts for his Democratic rivals.

Since CityBeat is infinitely more awesome than Fox 5, I was able to convince the botmaster to do an instant-message interview, on the condition of anonymity.

CityBeat: Are you the coward who’s trolling Tony Krvaric?

Botmaster: Yes, I’m the gutless coward.

What accounts do you have trolling him now?

Hmm. I’d have to go back and look at which ones are actually active. I took down a few of them for maintenance after the election. But in the past, accounts such as @faketonykrvaric (the first) @toadykrvaric, @crappykrvaric, @cowardkrvaric and @teapartytony have been used. They are all bots. I’ve also created bots such as @dulldarrellissa, @fakeronnehring and @faketjzane. There are too many to count, really.

I can create a new bot in about five minutes, so often times, I come up with a handle that amuses me and then find a way to make it annoying.

When you say “bots,” that means you’re not actually writing the tweets?

I don’t actually write the tweets. They are entirely generated by the hive.

What do you mean? What are these bots tweeting?

Mostly they tweet garbage, which is entirely intentional. It takes people’s exact tweets from Twitter and automatically tweets them out under the guise of the bot. It’s plagiarism, really.

My favorite is @crappykrvaric, which searches Twitter for people who’ve said “I just pooped,” “I just took a huge dump,” etc. and attaches the hashtag #plotting, which is one of Tony’s favorite hashtags. He thinks he’s a gangster, but really he’s just a giant turd. Tons of people are saying “I just pooped” every day.

How often are these bots tweeting at Krvaric?

Twitter rules prohibit accounts from overusing the mention (@) function, so they don’t actually tweet at Krvaric. I’ve designed them to get noticed by using hashtags that Krvaric and other members of the GOP use. #sdgop, #cagop. I have also been using congressional district numbers, so @ dulldarrellissa trolls #ca49. One thing I like to do is spam hashtags for conservative conferences. If I see people using a new hashtag, I’ll try to adjust the bots quickly so that they blow it up with gross or stupid tweets.

Is anyone paying you to do this?

Nobody is paying me. I just enjoy being annoying.

I still don’t get why you do it.

The main reason I created the bots was that I didn’t have time to do all this trolling myself. So I thought, why not put Twitter to work? Anyway, I realized I could create bots fairly quickly, so I just started doing it. I thought it would be funny to have 10 or 15 bots saying insipid things in Tony’s favorite hashtags, just like he does. Most of the time they don’t make sense, but neither does he.

I know a lot of reasonable people think that these bots only serve to emphasize San Diego’s already stinky gutter politics.

Have you ever thought of packing it in?

I actually turned off most of the bots before the election because I felt bad. I wanted to see what the #sdmayor hashtag would look like without my bots clogging it up. It was nice. I think a lot of the usual douchebags had given up on it because it was so annoying to look at. The people who were still using it seemed relatively pure-hearted and honest.

So, what’s on the horizon for you?

Now that the election’s over, I have some things to do. I intend to make the existing bots funnier and more relevant. For @faketonykrvaric, which goes by the profile name “Terrified Tony,” I plan to make him repeatedly say, “I’m terrified of positive social change” and things like that. Previously, Terrified Tony just said “I’m scared of X.” Usually it was whatever scary movie was out at the time.

Now that Ron Nehring is hilariously running for Lt. Governor, I have to adjust his bot—the profile name of Ron Nehring’s bot was “Ragin’ Ron Nehring” and it said “I have a Raging Boehner” repeatedly. I need to create a new bot for Ryan Clumpner, since he’s the new head of the racist Lincoln Club.

I also need to do a better job of flooding the #ca52 and #ca49 hashtags. Not sure what I’ll do.

Write to davem@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

the

SHORTlist

1

COORDINATED BY KINSEE MORLAN

CRAZY CRISPIN

Go ahead and re-watch the infamous clip of Crispin Glover’s 1987 appearance on Late Night with David Letterman. Now, ask yourself if you want to sit in a small theater with this strange man.

If your answer is “Yes!” then keep reading.

Glover (George McFly in Back to the Future) was kind enough to grant CityBeat an email interview. And, just like he did recently for his epic Reddit “Ask Me Anything” Q&A and countless other supposedly exclusive interviews, he copied and pasted answers to our questions from a handy 1,700-page document he culled from past interviews. Despite the lame snub, we’re (cautiously) recommending you check out the Crispin Hellion Glover Live Performance, Film Screening and Big Slide Show, which stops at La Paloma Theatre (471 S. Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas) at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8.

Glover will show his self-produced-and-directed film It is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE, a “psycho-sexual tale about a man with severe cerebral palsy and a fetish for girls with long hair” on Friday and, on Saturday, What Is It?, which is described on IMDB. com as “a bewildering, unnerving, surreal, blackly comic film… that tells the inner and outer struggles of a young man facing villains and demons on multiple planes.” The screenings will be followed by Glover’s slideshow performance, which he describes as a “onehour dramatic narration” of eight different illustrated art books he’s made throughout the years. The evening will end with a Q&A, during which, Glover says, he’s totally willing to answer the many questions people still have regarding his shtick with Letterman.

Both of Glover’s films, and the performance, are pretty surreal and bizarre and not for folks who are easily offended. He’s said his goal with the films— which have been panned for being overly exploit-

2

ART

LAUGH IT OUT

Spoken nonfiction hits an audience in its primal gut. As storytelling animals, we’ve evolved around campfires to share our most intimate experiences. Projects such as The Moth and, here locally, So Say We All, speak to an atDAVE DIETZ avistic desire to explore the human condition. The new standup show Risk! carries on the tradition, using humor to boldly confront some of life’s most painful and jarring situations. Kevin Allison—previously of MTV’s The State and Flight of the Conchords—brings his storytelling project to Finest City Improv (4250 Louisiana St. in North Park) at 10 p.m.

Kevin Allison Saturday, March 8. The show will include performances by the veteran comedian, as well as some San Diegans. To check out a podcast of the show, go to risk-show.com. Admission is $20. finestcityimprov

14 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

HBoombox, Boots & Femmes at El Dorado Bar, 1030 Broadway, Downtown.

Artists like Claudia Maestre, Travis Crosby and Mandy Eglseder will display work centered around National Women’s History Month at this art show ad auction.

Opening from 8 p.m. to midnight. Thursday, March 6. eldoradobar.com HImprints and Trajectories and Imago at Palomar College, 1140 W. Mission Road, San Marcos. Two shows open on the same night. Imago is a new collection of pieces by sculptor Chris Warr, while Imprints collects photographer Tara Smith’s recent shots. Opening from 1 to 3 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 6. palomar.edu/art/boehmgallery.html Romance of the Ages at Exclusive Collections Galleries Seaport Village, 835 West Harbor Drive, Downtown. Looking to bring out the romantic in us all, Steven Quartly showcases new oil paintings capturing a sense of remembrance and quiet reflection. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 7, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 9. 800-599-7111, ecgallery.com HDani Dodge and John Brodie at San Diego Art Institute-Museum of the Living Artist, Balboa Park. Dodge’s work focuses on the readjustment period for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans after they come home from the war, while Brodie works in abstract paintings. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m.

Friday, March 7. $3. sandiego-art.org

Crispin Glover ative by some and praised for their strangeness by others—was to provoke viewers by putting social taboos front-and-center. Basically, if you dig really weird shit or are a huge Glover fan, this is for you.

“I am please [sic] that this sort of interactive vaudeville distribution has worked for the films and shows and the audience,” Glover wrote in what was likely the only original sentence in his email.

Tickets are $22 per night. brownpapertickets.com/ event/557835

3

CULT(URAL) FILMS

After the hangover from the red-carpet glamor and showbiz spectacle of the Academy Awards is out of your system, you might crave some cinematic sustenance, in the same way your body might seek hydration or nutrients. The Sundance Institute is providing just such a form of nourishment with the traveling Film Forward: Advancing Cultural Dialogue, which will bring a series of screenings and panels to San Diego.

The program focuses on films about ethnicity, religion, tolerance and other discussion-worthy themes, like Oscar-winner 20 Feet from Stardom, which shines a light on overlooked yet culturally significant backup singers from pop-music history. Film Forward will be held Thursday, March 6, through Sunday, March 9, at various venues. Get all the details at sundance.org/filmforward.

SUNDANCE INSTITUTE

Friday Night Liberty at NTC at Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma. This monthly art event will feature two free performances from Malashock Dance, hands-on art-making with local printmaker Laurie Kmen and more. From 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 7. 6195739300, ntclibertystation.com HTests of Time at La Valencia Hotel, 1132 Prospect St., La Jolla. The historic hotel will host its first art exhibit by featuring noted photojournalist Brian Hamill, who’s covered topics from rock ’n’ roll to politics to sports for the past 45 years.

Opening from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 7. 858-454-771, lavalencia.com HSanctuary: Dia de la Mujer Exhibition at The Front, 147 W. San Ysidro Blvd., San Ysidro. The annual juried exhibition will feature dozens of female artists in a variety of mediums as well as handson activities, dance performances and live music. Opening from 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, March 7. facebook.com/thefront147 Mujeres de Ayer, Hoy y Siempre at Centro Cultural de la Raza, Balboa Park.

The annual exhibit features live music, body painting, a room devoted to works inspired by Frida Kahol and art by almost a hundred artists. Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, March 7. 619-235-6135, centroculturaldelaraza.com #U Can’t Cage Color at Escondido Municipal Gallery, 262 E. Grand Ave., Escondido. Enjoy food and beverages while checking out new works from Diane Hattula and Barbara Preston, who both specialize in paintings with vibrant colors. Opening from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 8. 760-480-4101, escondidoarts.org HUCSD Graduate Open Studios at Visual Arts Facility, Structural Materials and Engineering Building, UCSD campus, La Jolla. Dozens of visual arts MFA and PhD students open up their studios. From 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 8. 858-5342230, ucsdopenstudios.com/2014

20 Feet from Stardom

HAesthetics & Authenticity at New Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. A two-day symposium featuring international visual artists, civic leaders and culture enthusiasts speaking on the authenticity of place and how art, design

and culture play an important role. From 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8, and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 9. $65. 619-955-5285 HGlamour at the End of Time at Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave., North Park. Artist Alexia Markarian creates an art boutique to consider and explore the expressive power inherent in everyday objects. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 8. 619-584-4448, artproduce.org HI’m Gorgeous Inside at Not an Exit Gallery, Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights. Lisa Hutton unveils 20 graphite drawings of everything from canyon views to formal dining rooms . Opening from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 8. facebook.com/pages/Bread-Salt Escondido smART Festival at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. Students and local artists will display over 2,500 new pieces of art. Other attractions include art projects, a DJ, live music, dancing and more. From noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 8. 760839-4190, artsed411.org/Escondido HKelly Vivanco at ArtHatch, 317 E. Grande Ave., Escondido. The artist will show her pop-surrealist scenes of children and woodland creatures. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 8. 760-7815779, arthatch.org HTrash Metropolis at Thumbprint Gallery, 920 Kline St., #104, La Jolla. A collection of new lowbrow pieces from local artist GMONIK focused on the parallels between the rich and the poor. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 8. thumbprintgallerysd.com HCosmosis at Visual Shop, 3776 30th St., North Park. A psychedelic trip through outer space and beyond with new surrealist works from locals Jetter Green and Teddy Pancake. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 8. 619-501-5585, visualshopsd.com HNoumena at Basic, 410 10th Ave., Downtown. Artists Nick McPherson, Vanessa Martinez and Dan Allen will display new work. Opening from 7 p.m. to midnight. Tuesday, March 11. 619-8656210, facebook.com/viz.cult HHeavy Dreamer at Tin Can Ale House, 1863 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill. Children of Creation (artist Sarah Jane) will display new works, which are a cross between pop-surrealism and vintage rock posters. Opening from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Tuesday, March 11. 619-793-9245, ins tagram.com/childrenofcreation Transformations at Gotthelf Gallery, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. Dozens of San Diego artists explore the theme of transformation and the mystery of the butterfly in honor of the The Butterfly Project, which was created in 2006 to memorialize the 1.5 million children killed in the Holocaust and to honor the survivors. Opening from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12. lfjcc.org

BOOKS HMohsin Hamid at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The bestselling author will sign and discuss How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, about a young man trying to make his way in the world. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6.

858-454-0347, warwicks.indiebound.com HJessica Smith at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. Smith will discuss and sign A Bird Lost in Paradise, a children’s story about a bird of prey who’s lost in the Amazon rain forest. At noon. Sunday, March 9. 858-454-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

0347, warwicks.indiebound.com Rebecca Sive at Women’s Museum of California, 2730 Historic Decatur Road, Barracks 16, Point Loma. The author will discuss and sign Every Day is Election Day: A Woman’s Guide to Running, a guide for any woman interested in running for political office. From 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 9. $15. 619-2337963, womensmuseumca.org Daniel Beaty at La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla. The motivational speaker does a presentation based on his new book, Transforming Pain to Power, followed by a book signing and meet-and-greet. Attendees must RSVP online. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 10.

858-550-1010, tptplajolla.rsvpify.com Laurel Corona at Warwick’s Bookstore,

7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The acclaimed local author will discuss and sign her new novel, The Mapmaker’s Daughter, about a 13th Century Jewish woman in Spain who must decide whether to convert to Christianity or flee her home. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11. 858-454-0347, warwicks. indiebound.com

B Sixth Ave., Downtown. One of Entertainment Weekly’s “Next Big Things in Comedy,” he’s appeared in multiple specials as well as films like Extract, Idiot Brother and How to Train Your Dragon. At 8 p.m. Thursday, March 6, and 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, March 7-8. $20.

619-795-3858, americancomedyco.com

Michelle Richmond at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The author will discuss and sign her novel Golden State, about a woman who finds herself at the epicenter of a violent standoff. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12.

858-454-0347, warwicks.indiebound.com

Laugh It’s Good for the Heart at Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St., La Jolla. Local comics perform to raise funds for a baby born with a rare form of heart disease. At 8 p.m.

Thursday, March 6. $20. 858-454-9176, lajolla.thecomedystore.com

COMEDY HT.J. Miller at American Comedy Co., 818

Theo Von at Mad House Comedy Club, 502 Horton Plaza, Downtown. Once known as the guy from Road Rules, Von now competes on shows like Last Comic Standing and gets Comedy Central stand-up gigs on

the reg. At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 7-8. $20. 619-702-6666, madhousecomedyclub.com Ian Edwards at Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St., La Jolla. Once a cast member of the celeb prank show Punk’d, he’s also performed stand-up on Conan and Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham. At 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 7-8. $20. 858-4549176, lajolla.thecomedystore.com Jonny Loquasto at Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont.

The comedian has hosted shows for CBS Sports, Gameshow Network, The Hub, and in 2014 he’ll be the voice of “Paper Champions” on Nerdist. At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, March 7-8. $20.

858-573-967, thecomedypalace.com HRisk! True Tales Boldly Told at Finest

City Improv, 75 16th St., Downtown. Hosted by Kevin Allison (The State, Reno 911!, Flight of the Conchords, etc.), it’s a show where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share. From 10 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8. $20. 619366-047, finestcityimprov.com GLSEN San Diego Comedy Fundraiser at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights. Local comedians perform with proceeds supporting area high schools’ Gay Straight Alliance. At 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 9. $20. 619-804-5453, donate-sandiego.glsen.org HBilly Connolly: The Man Live at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown.

The Scottish comedian, musician and actor is a living legend and if the reviews for his new one-man show are any indication, he hasn’t lost a step. At 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 11. $32.50-$52.50. 619-570-1100, sandiegotheatres.org

DANCE Balanchine Masterworks at Spreckels Theater, 121 Broadway, Downtown. The City Ballet will present a full program of ballets by the legendary George Balanchine with accompaniment by the City Ballet Orchestra. At 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 7-8, and 2 p.m. Sunday March 9. $29-$69. 858-272-8663, cityballet.org HSweet Synergy Suite at Saville Theater @ San Diego City College, 1313 Park Blvd., Downtown. An original jazz ballet composed and performed by renowned local saxophonist and jazz great Charles McPherson, and performed by San Diego Ballet. At 8 p.m. Saturday, March 8. $20.

619-388-3037, jazz88.org

FASHION Princess Project RUNWAY at La Jolla Brewing Company, 7536 Fay Ave., La Jolla. The annual event to raise money to provide free prom dresses and accessories to local San Diego high school girls who can’t afford them. The event features a dress draping competition, live entertainment, local craft beers, a silent auction and more. From 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, March 6. $25-$30. 858-246-6759, princessprojectsd.org HFashion Redux! 2014 at San Diego History Center, Balboa Park. Local fashiondesign students present their reinterpreted designs inspired by some of the History Center’s Depression-era clothing. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 7. $10.

619-232-6203, sandiegohistory.org

FOOD & DRINK Masters of Food and Wine: ¡Celebrate Baja! at Vivace, 7100 Aviara Resort Drive, Carlsbad. A five-course, hands-on and interactive culinary and beverage experience featuring celebrity Chef Javier Plascencia and new Vivace chef, Jason Seibert. At 7 p.m. Friday, March 7. $125.

760-448-1234, parkaviara.hyatt.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS Learn About Obamacare at New Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village.

Presented by the Family Health Centers, this program will provide an overview of the Affordable Care Act, including information about enrollment in health insurance programs. In English (first hour) and Spanish (second hour). From 10 a.m. to noon. Saturday, March 8. 619-2365800, sandiegolibrary.org

16 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

Christopher Dean at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. The California-based guitarist performs Celtic and American folk music with his internationally recognized mix of fingerstyle and flat picking traditions performed on six- and 12-string guitars. At 4 and 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5. 800988-4253, artcenter.org/performances Jews and Jazz at Smith Recital Hall, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area. Hear the sounds of the ‘20s to the ‘50s, when jazz and klezmer happily intermarried. Local and national jazz musicians like Gilbert Castellanos and Norbert Stachel will perform tunes and songs from Irving Berlin, Cab Calloway, Slim and Slam and Dave Tarras with a tasty dose of improvisation on the side. From 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 5. jewishstudies.sdsu.edu Richard Elliot at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. A live performance by the world-renowned jazz sax-man benefiting the High Tech High North County Foundation. At 8 p.m. Friday, March 7. $20-$50. 760-8394190, artcenter.org Nightingale Music at New Children’s Museum, 200 W. Island Ave., Downtown. The band visits NCM to introduce children to a variety of music from traditional nursery songs to rock-n-roll with percussion instruments. From 10:30 a.m. to noon. Friday, March 7. Free with museum admission.

619-233-8792, thinkplaycreate.org Venice at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, Balboa Park. Part of the Fleet’s Rock in the Park concert series, enjoy the four-part harmonies of Venice while enjoying food, beer or taking in the new Guitar exhibit. At

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

DAREN SCOTT

THEATER

MUSIC

Mismatched neighbors cook up trouble in Detroit You think things got out of control when Nick and Honey came to visit George and Martha in Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Try Lisa D’Amour’s Detroit on for size. When Ben and Mary make the acquaintance of Kenny and Sharon, the roof gets razed—actually, burned to a crisp, if you’ll pardon a spoiler.

D’Amour’s hectic play about the effects of economic desperation on a big city’s suburbs (Detroit’s never specified despite the play’s title) makes the case that while there’s a lot to be said for neighbors, there’s also a lot to be said against them.

Out-of-work Ben (Steve Gunderson) and alcoholic-intraining Mary (Lisel Gorell-Getz) admit that they’re friendless. So, when they notice that the house next door, previously believed vacant, seems to have life stirring within it, they invite the new neighbors over for a cookout.

(Grilling is a motif in this production, right up until the granddaddy of all grill jobs at the end.)

Kenny (Jeffrey Jones) and Sharon (Summer Spiro) are—how to put this delicately?—oh, what the hell: white trash. They’re recovering addicts, too, but they’re affable, and Sharon has the kind of wild abandon about her that repressed Ben and Mary crave.

Not surprisingly, the next-door friendship soon goes haywire.

This San Diego Repertory Theatre production directed by Sam Woodhouse is played largely for laughs. There are a couple of bloody accidents, one vomiting sequence, many moments of Sharon running amok and an overlong Act 2 backyard rap with each character indulging his or her trashiest instincts. A slow, reflective denouement in which old man Frank (Robert Benedetti) walks around with a cane and tries to fill in all the unplugged metaphors feels contrived.

The actors are tireless, especially live-wire Spiro, who fills the Lyceum Space with manic energy. Gunderson is almost as winning as Ben, but in a quietly

comical turn. The fire at the end of the show, however, is Detroit’s emotional high point.

More extended sketch comedy than wholly realized dramedy, Detroit is, in backyard-barbecue parlance, a might overcooked. Pass the beer.

It runs through March 16 at the Lyceum Theatre, at Horton Plaza, Downtown. $31-$47. sdrep.org

—David L. Coddon Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING Once Upon a Mattress: A no-good queen bars everyone in the kingdom from getting married until a seemingly impossible test is passed. Presented

by Pickwick Players, it runs March 6 through 16 at Moxie Theatre in Rolando. pickwickplayers.net Spring Awakening: That awakening is a sexual one, experienced by young adults in a small German town, set to music by Duncan Sheik. Presented by Cygnet Theatre, it opens in previews

Summer Spiro on March 6 at The Old Town Theatre. cygnettheatre.com Timon of Athens: North Coast Rep hosts a staged reading of a rarely performed Shakespeare play about an aristocrat who loves to spend money and gets in hot water with creditors. Staged at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 10, at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org The Underground New Play Festival: Five world-premiere works created and produced by UCSD undergrads, presented in two showcases. Runs March 6 through 16 at UCSD’s Arthur Wagner Theatre. theatre.ucsd.edu

For full listings,

please visit “T heater ” at sdcit ybeat.com

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

7 p.m. Friday, March 7. $22-$25. 619238-1233, rhfleet.org A Night in London at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4190 Front St., Hillcrest. The 40-member New City Sinfonia, conducted by Daniel Ratelle, presents a program of music by composers with a London connection such as Franz Joseph Haydn, Edward German, Ralph Vaughan Williams and more. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 7. 619-298-9978, newcitysinfonia.com HNicole Mitchell with Sun Dial Ensemble at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 108 Wall St., La Jolla. Part of the ongoing Fresh Sound series, Mitchell’s flute music celebrates African American culture while reaching across genres and integrating new ideas with the legacy of jazz, gospel, experimentalism, pop and African percussion. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 7. $10-$15. 858-454-5872, fresh soundmusic.com HBart Mendoza at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 108 Wall St., La Jolla.

The local singer-songwriter performs an acoustic set of his signature power-pop with Patric Petrie and Normandie Wilson.

At 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 7. $12-$17.

858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org Terry and the Zydeco Bad Boys at War Memorial Building, 3325 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park. The leader in the Los Angeles zydeco scene has been around almost two decades. Show up before 6:20 p.m. for dance lessons. At 6 p.m. Saturday, March 8. $10. icajunzydeco.com AudioFest at World Beat Cultural Center, 2100 Park Blvd., Balboa Park. Five hours of both local and national talent of various genres including hip-hop (Eliquate, People of Earth), alternative (Super Groupie, Jerry Olea & the 85) and acoustic (Us,

Ivan Cheong). From 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 8. $15-$20. 619-230-1190, audiocultureevents.com

group that plays gypsy swing music. From 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 12. 858581-9934, pblibraryfriends.org

POLITICS & COMMUNITY

SDSU Spring Choral Concert at College Avenue Baptist Church, 4747 College Ave., College Area. SDSU’s Chamber Choir and Aztec Choir, under the direction of Patrick Walders, and three local high school choirs, come together for a concert. From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8. $10-$15. 619-594-1692, music.sdsu.edu

Neave Trio at Smith Recital Hall, SDSU, College Area. The up-and-coming chamber music trio continues its SDSU residency. At noon. Wednesday, March 12. music.sdsu.edu

Global Social Hour at San Diego Diplomacy Council, 3604 30th St., North Park.

A unique opportunity for globally minded San Diegans to engage in conversation with international visitors in a casual setting. Meet 17 U.S. Department of State sponsored visitors from Angola, Armenia, Croatia, Denmark, Iceland and dozens of other countries. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 12. $15. 619-291815, sandiegodiplomacy.org

Annie Moses Band at La Jolla Presbyterian Church, 7715 Draper Ave., La Jolla. A rare West Coast appearance from the chamber-pop string band that specializes in classical, jazz and folk with a touch of Celtic. At 4 p.m. Sunday, March 9. 858-729-5511, ljpres.org HSIRO-A at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Described as “Japan’s answer to the Blue Man Group,” see this six-member performance group from Sendai, who combine interactive entertainment with electronic music and visual illusions. At 6 p.m. Sunday, March 9. $27-$67. 619-570-1100, ljms.org Ben Power and Friends at Smith Recital Hall, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area.

Part of SDSU’s World Music Series, Powers and his band will play traditional and contemporary Irish music. At 6 p.m. Monday, March 10. $12-$15. music.sdsu.edu HKronos Quartet at Mandeville Auditorium, UCSD campus, La Jolla. The Grammy-winning string quartet has been together for more than 40 years and is continually reimagining the string quartet experience. At 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 11. $12-$46. 858-534-8497, artpwr.com Zzymzzy Quartet at Taylor Branch Library, 4275 Cass St., Pacific Beach. A spirited

PERFORMANCE HA Streetkid Named Desire at Victory Theater, 2558 Imperial St., Logan Heights.

Set in New Orleans one week before Mardi Gras, this “original street opera” is the sordid tale of a haunted New Orleans brothel, a hunchback, and the magic hobo who promises to make his dreams come true.

At 8 p.m. Saturday, March 8. $10. 619236-1971, technomaniacircus.com

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD Gillian Conoley and Julie Carr at UCSD SME Performance Space Room, La Jolla. The two poets will do a double reading. Conoley is the editor and founder of Volt magazine and is the author of seven collections of poetry. Carr is the author of six books and is the co-director of Counterpath Press. From 4:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 5. 858-5342230, literature.ucsd.edu Darius Degher at Ducky Waddle’s Emporium, 414 N. Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas. The local poet will read from and sign his new collection, To See the Sound.

There’ll also be a folk concert from Degher and his daughter Cleopatra. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8. 760-632-0488, ruthlesshippies.org

SPECIAL EVENTS HSan Diego Film Awards at Horton Grand Theatre, 444 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The Film Consortium San Diego is holding the first-ever San Diego Film Awards to honor the work of the top local actors, writers, directors and producers.

From 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, March 6. $20-$30. 619-437-6000 HThe Nite Owls at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 108 Wall St., La Jolla. Celebrate the cocktail party launch of the new young art and music lovers group (previously called The A List) with local bites, a full bar and music. And be sure to check out the Robert Irwin’s art on the wall. From 7:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday, March 6. $12.

858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org/alist.html HCrispin Hellion Glover at La Paloma Theater, 471 S. Coast Hwy. 101, Escondido. The actor and filmmaker will be on hand for two evenings of film and performance. After the screenings (It Is Fine!

EVERYTHING IS FINE! on Friday and What Is It? on Saturday), Glover will perform a one-hour dramatic narration of his illustrated books as well as do an audience Q&A and book signings. At 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 7-8. $22. 760436-7469, shipinthewoods.com HUndy 5000 at Mission Bay Park, 3000 E. Mission Drive, Mission Bay. Leave your pants at home at this annual 5K and fun run to raise money and awareness for colon cancer. From 7 to 10 a.m.

Saturday, March 8. $20-$40. 202-6280123, ccalliance.org HSpring Forward MusicFest at Grape Day Park, 321 N. Broadway, Escondido.

Music festival featuring dozens of acts, food, motivational speakers, a hot-dogeating contest and kid-friendly activities.

At 10 a.m. Saturday, March 8. 866-9913747, springforwardfestival.com HMakerPlace Two-Year Anniversary Open House at MakerPlace, 1022 W. Morena Blvd., Suite H, Bay Park. The free all-day event will include instructor demonstrations, meet-and-greets with members, tours of the facilities, special membership pricing and lunch. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 8. 619225-7288, makerplace.com San Diego Bridal Show at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. This one-day wedding show brings together representatives from across the bridal industry including planners, cake bakers, dressmakers and everything in between. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 8. Free-$15. 760839-4190, thesandiegobridalshow.com International Women’s Day at Women’s Museum of California, 2730 Historic Decatur Road, Barracks 16, Point Loma.

Anne Hoiberg will moderate a discussion on the Israeli-Palestinian situation from a woman’s perspective. Two women speakers will address the current situation. At 4 p.m. Saturday, March 8. 619-233-7963, womensmuseumca.org San Diego Half Marathon at Omni

18 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

Hotel, 675 L St., Downtown. The third annual race, relay and fundraising event has gives all proceeds to local charities.

The run is followed by a festival with bands and activities in various locations throughout the Gaslamp. From 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, March 9. 619-333-6786, sdhalfmarathon.com

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS Will San Diego Hit Olympic Gold in 2024? at Qualcomm Stadium, Endzone Club 12, 9449 Friars Road, Mission Valley. Hear from San Diego 2024 Exploratory Committee President (and LEAD board member) Bill Earley and Chairman Vincent Mudd on why they think the region has a great shot at being one of the top picks to host the Olympics. From 8 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday, March 6.

HFilming Place and Culture at The San Diego Foundation, 258 Historic Decatur Road, Ste. 200, Point Loma. Part of The San Diego Foundation’s “Meet the Artists” series moderated by Robert Pincus, filmographers Cy Cuckenbaker, Neil Kendricks and Andrew Bracken discuss the work of emerging comic artists, the rhythms and movements of city life in San Diego and the idea that San Diego and Tijuana are cities largely with their backs to the border, looking north. At 5 p.m.

Thursday, March 6. sdfoundation.org Francesco Lipari and Mark Muckenheim at Woodbury School of Architecture, 2212 Main St., Barrio Logan. As part of Woodbury’s intimate Library South Series of discussions, Lipari will join Muckenheim to address “The Architectural Future of Mankind: How People and Technology are Shaping Cities.” From 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 7. 619-235-2900, architecture.woodbury.edu HGreene & Greene and the Aesthetics of Craft at Mingei International Museum, Balboa Park. Edward R. Bosley, the James N. Gamble Director at the Gamble House in Pasadena, will speak on the evolution of Charles and Henry Greene’s architecture and decorative arts. From 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 7. Free with museum admission. 619-239-0003, mingei.org HSiri, Will You Marry Me? at Callahan’s Pub & Brewery, 8111 Mira Mesa Blvd., Mira Mesa. Part of the Fleet’s Suds & Science Series, explore the reality of the movie Her with UCSD professor Rajesh Gupta while enjoying a frosty beverage.

From 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, March 10.

858-578-7892, rhfleet.org/suds-science Art and Music of the Renaissance at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 108 Wall St., La Jolla. Art historian Victoria Martino will illuminate the complex interrelationships between the arts of the Renaissance in Europe from 1400 to 1600. She’ll be accompanied by Musica Pro Arte Ensemble.

At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11. $25$90. 858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org HListening Anew: The Music of John Cage at New Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. Through lecture and live performance, artist Matthew Taylor introduces the work and ideas of 20th Century artist/composer John Cage and discusses his influence then and now. From 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12. 619-236-5800, sandiegolibrary.org

For full listings,

please visit “E vents” at sdcit yb eat.com

At Participating Restaurants

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#SDBurgerW

BURGER WEEK

Look inside for more info!

March 7–16 presented by: TAKE

TO BURGER WEEK

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www.SanDiegoBurgerWeek.com

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2014 San Diego Burger Week

2014 San Diego Burger Week

Produced by the CityBeat Advertising Department

Produced by the CityBeat Advertising Department

2014 San Diego Burger Week

CityBeat brings you the 1st annual San Diego Burger Week.

Each restaurateur and chef will prepare their unique take on the burger.

Take advantage of $5 burgers and $10 combos at participating restaurants.

Go to www.sandiegoburgerweek.com for a description of each burger and a list of all combos!

710 Beach Club & Grill • 710 SoCal Burger 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach, CA, 92109

Bootlegger • 3 Sliders

804 Market St., East Village, CA, 92101

Brody Burgers & Beer • Fresh Turkey Burger 12930 Campo Rd., Ste E. Jamul, CA, 91935

Bubs Dive Bar • Regular Hamburger

1030 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach, CA, 92109

Bunz • Hang Ten

475 Hotel Circle South, Mission Valley, CA, 92108

Burger Lounge • 1/4lb Bacon Lounge Burger 1101 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA, 92037 4116 Adams Ave., Kensington, CA, 92116 922 Orange Ave., Coronado, CA, 92118 1608 India Street., Little Italy, CA, 92101 406 University Ave., Hillcrest, CA, 92103 528 5th Ave., Gaslamp, CA, 92101 2720 Via de la Valle, Del Mar, CA, 92014 961 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad, CA, 92011

Carnita’s Snack Shack • Shack Pork Burger 2632 University Ave., North Park, CA, 92104

Crazee Burger • Texas Burger

4201 30th St., North Park, CA, 92104

Dood’s Food • Dood Burger

1863 5th Ave., Banker’s Hill, CA 92101

Duck Dive • Certified Angus Beef Burger 4650 Mission Blvd., Pacific Beach, CA, 92109

Eddie’s Philly • 1/4lb Black & Bleu 3501 30th St., North Park, CA, 92104

2014 San Diego Burger Week

Produced by the CityBeat Advertising Department

Elbow Room • The Elbow Room Special 5225 Kearny Villa Rd., Kearny Mesa, CA, 92123

End Zone • Chicken Cordon Bleu Burger 2859 University Ave., North Park, CA, 92104

Hamiltons Tavern • Hamilton Burger 1521 30th St., South Park, CA, 92102

Henry’s Pub • The Cluckmoo Burger & The Burger 618 5th Ave., Gaslamp, CA, 92101

High Dive • The Smokehouse Burger 1801 Morena Blvd., San Diego, CA, 92110

Hooleys Irish Pub • Hooleys Half and Half Burger 2955 Jamacha Road, El Cajon, CA, 92019 5500 Grossmont Center Dr., #277, La Mesa, CA, 91942

Lefty’s • 3 Sliders

3448 30th St., North Park, CA, 92104 4030 Goldfinch St., Mission Hills, CA, 92103

Lucky Bastard Saloon • The Mouth Waterer 840 5th Ave., Gaslamp, CA, 92101

Marie’s Cafe • The North Parker

3016 University Ave., North Park, CA, 92104

McGregors • 1/4lb Cheeseburger

10475 San Diego Mission Rd., San Diego, CA, 92108

Mitch’s Seafood • Blue Cheese Bacon Burger 1403 Scott St., Point Loma, CA, 92106

PB Shore Club • All American Burger 4343 Ocean Blvd. Pacific Beach, CA, 92109

Pt. Loma Beach Cafe • 50/50 Burger

1424 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, CA, 92107

Salt & Cleaver • Sausage Burger 1047 5th Ave., Hillcrest, CA, 92101

Saltbox Dining & Drinking • Ground Lamb Burger 1047 5th Ave., Gaslamp, CA, 92101

Produced by the CityBeat Advertising Department

2014 San Diego Burger Week

San Diego Brewing Company • Classic Cheeseburger 10450 Friars Rd., San Diego, CA, 92120

Slater’s 50/50 • Peanut Butter & Jeallousy 2750 Dewey Rd. #193, Liberty Station, CA, 92106

Small Bar • Blue Boy Burger

4628 Park Blvd., University Heights, CA, 92116

South Park Abbey • Prime Meyer Ranch Angus 1946 Fern St., South Park, CA, 92102

Station Tavern • Spicy Black Bean Burger 2204 Fern St., South Park, CA, 92104

Studio Diner • The Grip Burger

4701 Ruffin Rd., Kearny Mesa, CA, 92123

Terra American Bistro • The Smokey Pig 7091 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA, 92115

The Broken Yolk Cafe • Good Morning Burger 1851 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach, CA, 92109 884 Eastlake Parkway, Chula Vista, CA, 91914 7670 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA, 92009 355 6th Ave., Gaslamp, CA, 92101 101 S. Las Posas Rd., San Marcos, CA, 92078 2434 Vista Way, Oceanside, CA, 92054 3577 Midway Drive, Point Loma, CA, 92110 11630 Carmel Mountain Rd., San Diego, CA, 92128 1760 Camino Del Rio North, Mission Valley, CA, 92108

2014 San Diego Burger Week

The Glass Door @ Porto Vista Hotel • Sin Sunday Burger 1835 Columbia St., Little Italy, CA, 92101

Tiny’s Tavern • Bleu Cheese Burger

4745 Voltaire St., Ocean Beach, CA 92107

Toronado • Miguels Mango Burger 4026 30th St., North Park, CA, 92104

Twist • Certified Angus Chuck

2041 University Ave., North Park, CA, 92104

U31 • All American Classic Burger

3112 University Ave., North Park, CA, 92104

Uptown Tavern • Border Burger

1236 University Ave., Hillcrest, CA, 92103

Veg-N-Out • Vegetarian Western Burger 3442 30th St., North Park, CA, 92104

West Coast Tavern • American Classic Griddle Burger 2895 University Ave., North Park, CA, 92104

Wonderland • Wonderland’s Gyoza Burger 5083 Santa Monica Ave., Ocean Beach, CA, 92107

#SDBurgerWeek

Produced by the CityBeat Advertising Department

Produced by the CityBeat Advertising Department

2014 San Diego Burger Week

2014 San Diego Burger Week

Produced by the CityBeat Advertising Department

that I really took for granted when I was growing up in India. I wanted to connect back to that.”

Mehta’s distinct style emerged and she began building bodies of work focused on different subjects, like Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani girl who was shot by a Taliban member for attending school and survived to become an activist for education for young women around the world.

In 2012, Mehta entered a piece from her “Modern Woman Stories” into the annual Dia de la Mujer juried exhibition at The Front gallery in San Ysidro. The series pictures women as Hindu gods that use extra arms to juggle their many responsibilities.

She was shocked when she showed up to the opening and discovered her piece had won first prize. One of the jurors, Larry Baza, an arts advocate and one of the two gallerists behind Noel-Baza Fine Art in Little Italy, was so moved by her work that he ended up representing her and giving her a solo exhibition.

“I was like, Whoa,” Mehta says. “I really was very surprised. Yes, very surprised and very happy. I felt accepted, you know?”

The experience pushed her to continue entering juried exhibitions and showing her work. She’s since become well-known in the local art world, and her switch from engineer to artist can be labeled a success.

She was recently nominated in the “emerging” category for the 2014 San Diego Art Prize, and her work was accepted into the 10th Annual Drawing Invitational exhibi-

28 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

tion opening at the Art Gallery at the New Central Library in mid-April.

And at The Front a few weeks ago, this year’s jurors for the annual Dia de la Mujer exhibition were noticeably impressed by Mehta’s submission, a circular red paper-cut piece depicting a woman in her garden.

Jurors April Game, Susan Myrland, Alessandra Moctezuma and Illya Haro agreed that Mehta’s work was one of the most compelling in the emerging category of the show, which, this year is themed around the concept of sanctuary. While the piece reminded Game, executive director of Art Pulse, of a contemporary take on a traditional Hindu mandala, Haro, exhibition manager at Centro Cultural Tijuana, couldn’t shake her associations with the folksy papel picado flags commonly found hanging at Mexican celebrations.

Moctezuma, meanwhile, was reminded of the circular rosette windows found in Catholic churches, and Myrland, an independent curator and occasional contributor to San Diego CityBeat, immediately saw connections to Mehta’s background in engineering.

“What I like about it is the meticulousness and precision needed to do a piece like this and how that feels like sanctuary for her—she can just get into that meditative state and take the time needed to do this,” Myrland said as the jurors stood around Mehta’s piece. “I also like the fact that it represents moving forward of where

she is in her life.

She’s had this precision being in software and having to work in that very binary world, and now she’s taking that into a world where almost anything can go, and, yet, she’s still able to keep that precision—which is safe for her— and bring that into her new world.”

In her garden One of Bhavna Mehta’s pieces is on view in Dia de la Mujer, opening from 4 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, March 7, at The Front (147 W. San Ysidro Blvd. in San Ysidro). The show’s on view through April 24. Write to kinseem@sdcity beat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

Monica Nouwens

Seen Local Ernest Silva’s many marks Ernest Silva’s Facebook page has been transformed into an emotional online memorial. The artist died last week, and the page has since been filling up with comments posted by students, colleagues, fans and others who’ve been touched by the internationally known painter and sculptor.

“Ernie was a celebrated and distinctive artist, to be sure, but he was also a warm, generous man,” writes John Menier, a friend and colleague. “He had that admirable quality of taking his work seriously but not himself, as evidenced by his sly sense of humor and lack of pretension. Ernie’s passing is a profound loss….”

Silva, 65, was found dead in his home on Feb. 24. According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office, suicide was the cause. Several friends say Silva was struggling with Parkinson’s disease, which made his hands tremble visibly.

One of Silva’s greatest legacies is “The Rain House,” the immersive permanent installation at the New Children’s Museum that invites families to climb inside the artistic playhouse and enjoy vivid imagery and a larger-than-life floor puzzle while rain from a sprinkler patters down onto the corrugated roof. The original version of the piece was on view in the first iteration of the Children’s Museum and was brought back by popular demand. It has since achieved local-art-icon status. “‘The Rain House’ is really accessible,” says longtime local art critic Robert Pincus, who describes Silva’s artwork as “visual poetry” in an online tribute on Culture Buzz. “I think his ability was to see the different ways in which he could evoke his feelings as a visual metaphor. The house is like a walk-in metaphor…. It’s so unrealistic, and yet it’s so real.”

Kinsee Morlan

Chris Warr

The ghosts of Chris Warr

Ernest Silva A professor emeritus in the UCSD Department of Visual Arts, Silva joined the school in 1979 and retired in July 2013. While he enjoyed many notable worldwide exhibitions and was one of the original creators of inSITE, a binational arts exhibition in San Diego and Tijuana, one of his most lasting impacts has been on his students.

“If anyone was more suited to guide young artists back out into the real world, I haven’t met him or her yet,” says former student Louis M. Schmidt.

Another former student, Jewel Castro, says Silva was extraordinarily generous with his time and always willing to talk to his students at length and in person.

“I loved that he was approachable, accessible and generous with perspectives about the process of art-making,” Castro says. “He had an edgy quietness about him but also was quick to laugh.”

—Kinsee Morlan

from glued-together blocks of upholstery foam, looks like it’s been torn from an impressionistic painting.

Using a razor blade, he cut away large bits of the foam, leaving behind chunky indentions reminiscent of thick, quick brushstrokes.

Warr, one of the founders of Space 4 Art, stepped down from his administrative duties there about a year ago to focus on his art. His work is featured in Imago, a solo exhibition at Boehm Gallery at Palomar College in San Marcos. The show will open with a reception from 1 to 3 p.m. and again from 6 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, March 6.

Outside in the vast parking lot and event area surrounding Space 4 Art, Warr’s been attracting small crowds by using a chainsaw on his newer wood pieces for the show. One sculpture, carved from a huge stack of glued-together salvaged plywood, is an elegant, long-necked gentleman with an intriguing face.

The newer wood pieces are patch-worked together, a result of Warr responding to knots and other imperfections that come with transforming constructiongrade, reused wood into delicate human forms.

“It sort of becomes a collaboration between myself and the material,” he says. “I love the surprises and things that happen that make me change my approach or strategy.”

Sitting in his studio at Space 4 Art, artist Chris Warr is surrounded by his sculptures—all male faces made mostly of odd materials, some slightly distorted or completely grotesque, others anguished, bold or stoic. The steel showing through the toes of his boots, Warr—a carpenter by trade—explains his compulsion toward recreating the human head.

“I kind of look at these things as ghosts,” he says.

He admits that a lot of them look like him but dismisses the notion that they’re self-portraits. “They’re more like icons or archetypes, and it’s not exactly clear what they’re symbolizing.... But I call them ghosts because they leave something for the viewer to project onto them.”

—Kinsee Morlan Warr’s sculptures are directly influenced by the found or reused materials that go into them. One of Write to kinseem@sdcitybeat.com his most stunning pieces, a large-scale head carved and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

Forever young Broadway legend Elaine Stritch is still kicking hard

by Glenn Heath Jr. Broadway legend and strident New Yorker Elaine Stritch is a force of nature, a human hurricane of energy and tenacity that could turn in a different direction at any moment. Mixed with a rare brazen honesty, this volatility makes her a fitting subject for a documentary. Chiemi Karasawa’s Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me may begin as a whirlwind behind-the-scenes portrait of the 87-year-old actress’ attempt Elaine Stritch, force of nature to mount a one-woman show based on Stephen Sondheim ditties, but it quickly evolves into nated by men. something more: a profound examination of creative Such frustration can be seen in a later scene when reinvention and longevity.

Stritch attempts to direct one of Karasawa’s cinemaTo be successful, artists often go a little mad tographers, yelling at him to film her opening up a case finding their aesthetic singularity. Stritch seems to of English muffins from a particular angle. I’d wager power through this process every day, challenging that realism isn’t something Stritch has ever been inher music director and confidant Rob Bowan during terested in, and this sense of outlandish manipulation rehearsals and lighting up the set of 30 Rock (where often contradicts the traditional conventions of the she had a recurring role) with machine-gun-fire non-fiction genre. But if you’ve studied documentary wisecracking. Stritch even calls her assistant’s cute cinema at all, you know that reality is never attainable little bunny rabbit a “twit,” as if the creature were a when filtered through the lens of a camera. Stritch unshowbiz lackey who had just failed to deliver her a derstands this perfectly well, so why not try to create proper coffee. the most indomitable biography Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me—which made up of her most cherished Elaine opens Friday, March 14, at La Jolla daily performances?

Stritch: Village Cinemas—is so interestIt’s a valid question that Karasaing partly because it juxtaposes its wa patiently considers throughout Shoot Me central subject’s wrecking-ball atthe film, which melds stagy moDirected by Chiemi Karasawa titude with her nostalgic memories ments such as the muffins scene Starring Elaine Stritch, Rob of the past. Some of these are fleetwith tender confessionals that find Bowman, Alec Baldwin and ing if not wonderfully seedy. She Stritch at her most powerless. Take James Gandolfini left Ben Gazzara after falling for for instance a shockingly frank inRated R Rock Hudson and scuttled around terview late in the film when the Kirk Douglas’ rigorous romantic ailing actress sits in a hospital bed. advances on set. More important are her reflections She talks about retiring and leaving New York, nearly on famous Broadway collaborations with Noel Cow- beaten down by her failing body. There’s anguish in ard (Sail Away) and the great Sondheim, which avoid her words, but not defeat. Maybe the curlers in her hero worship and focus on process and craft. hair are an indicator that this is just another pre-show “I like the courage of age,” Stritch says early in the therapy session necessary for one last reinvention. film, but this statement is continuously tested as she Sequences like these prove Stritch to be a walkstruggles with health problems, alcoholism and the ing, talking, singing contradiction, like many an reality of growing older. Diabetes is the main culprit acting genius. Her vulnerability is apparent, but it throughout; Stritch’s low blood sugar nearly turns seems concocted to make the audience feel a spemore than one scene disastrous. This is a scary re- cific emotion. Stritch is so good at it that one tends ality facing many people with the disease, and you not to care if her tears are real. That we believe they rarely see it so frankly addressed on screen. The lack are means everything. of control over her body seems to irritate Stritch more than anything, especially since she’s fought for Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com so long to retain artistic integrity in a business domi- and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

Alien nation

Visitors

30 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

It’s not clear if Godfrey Reggio’s (Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi) striking Visitors is an ambitious science-fiction parable or merely a formalist documentary. Considering the film’s title and its barrage of confrontational images— mostly those of faces staring into the camera as if caught in a trance (or perhaps an extraterrestrial

interrogation)—the former hypothesis sounds more reasonable.

Beginning with an opening shot of a digitized gorilla looking back intensely at the viewer, Reggio’s black-and-white oddity focuses intensely on the details of surfaces and contours. A string of human portraits follow, intercut with slow-motion time-lapse photography of rotting old amusement parks and decaying parlors

of chance. It’s all framed by composer Philip Glass’ latest requiem.

These sounds and images cascade together, but their juxtaposition only creates more questions.

Is this some anthropological study of mankind by aliens, or perhaps an intergalactic processing center on the edge of the universe, a sort of Ellis Island between us and another dimension? As Visitors progresses, the images only become more fragmented. There’s a triptych of floating heads attempting to hold their breath, but without a body, what’s the point?

The posing and performing continues with a young girl communicating in sign language and a crowd reacting to an off-screen sporting event or climactic film scene. We don’t know what’s happening, but the act of watching is more important than the context.

Eventually, the film’s rhythm takes over and you begin to make your own assumptions based on the reference points being presented.

Fittingly, it’s certain that Visitors—which opens Friday, March 7, at Hillcrest Cinemas—will mean something very different to each person, a truly subjective and immersive experience that feeds off our own past memories to fill in the blanks. For me, it foreshadows a time when none of us will be able to tell if we’re looking at a digital screen or the physical world itself.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

Opening 300: Rise of an Empire: More Spartan chest thumping and skewering, this time in retaliation for the fallen soldiers featured in Zach Snyder’s 2006 gore-fest.

Bethlehem: An Israeli secret-service agent attempts to get a Palestinian informant to incriminate a high-ranking terrorist who’s about to carry out an attack.

The Face You Love: Ed Harris and Annette Bening star in a drama about a woman who falls in love with a man who bears a striking resemblance to her late husband.

Screens at Reading Gaslamp Cinemas.

If You Build It: Two designers and a group of students embark on a radical woodshop project in a Midwest town desperately in need of rebuilding.

The Jewish Cardinal: Jean-Marie Lustiger grew up in a Jewish household and converted to Catholicism at a young age.

This documentary explores how one man maintained his cultural identity even after he shifted religious beliefs. Screens through March 12, and again from March 24 through 27, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman: Animated adventure about a father and son who invent a time machine, travel back to witness famous historical events and then find themselves racing to repair the past and save the future.

Visitors: Godfrey Reggio’s (Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi) experimental black-andwhite documentary explores human-

300: Rise of an Empire ity’s growing alienation from the physical world. See our review on Page 30.

One Time Only Tommy Boy: The genius of Chris Farley is apparent in this, his feature-film debut about a man-child who must save his father’s auto-parts store by going on a Midwest sales trip with a nebbish associate (David Spade). Screens at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, March 5, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Rushmore: Jason Schwartzman’s Max Fisher roams the hallways of Rushmore preparatory school, looking for distractions from life’s painful realities. Wes Anderson’s sophomore feature is a hilarious and resonant portrait of misguided brilliance.

Screens at 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Circles: A single tragedy affects five people in different ways, leading them each down a road of self-discovery. Screens at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at the USD Peace and Justice Theater.

It Is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE: The first night of director Crispin Glover’s weekend series of films and live performance art features his psychosexual autobiography of actor and writer Steven Stewart. Screens at 7 p.m. Friday, March 7, at La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas. See Page 14 for details.

12 Years a Slave: This year’s Best Picture winner tells the story of Solomon Northrup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free man who was kidnapped by slave traders and forced into harsh servitude for a dozen years. Screens at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

The Music Room: An Indian aristocrat slowly goes insane as his country’s feudal system falls apart in Satyajit Ray’s masterpiece. Lecture at 7 p.m., film at 8 p.m. Friday, March 7, at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park.

What Is It?: The second night of Crispin Glover’s weekend series of films and live performance features this surreal, nightmarish art film that contains a cast of actors with down syndrome. Screens at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas. See Page 14 for details.

About Time: On his 21st birthday, a young man discovers that all the men in his family can travel back in time, thus changing his life forever. Screens at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at the Point Loma Public Library.

Best of SDSU Short Films: Former San Diego Film Commissioner Wally Schlotter selects the best in student films produced at SDSU. Screens at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas at Hazard Center.

South of Lampedusa and Va, Pensi-

ero: Two documentaries dealing with stories of immigration, work and tragedy in Italy and abroad. Screens at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at the UCSD Faculty Club.

American Freethought: Documentary about the history of secularism and censorship in America, with a focus on the development of the American Freethought movement. Screens at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 10, at the San Diego Public Library in East Village.

Closed Circuit: Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall play English barristers caught up in a political conspiracy that could ravage the government in London from the inside out. Screens at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, at the Hervey Branch Library in Point Loma.

Animal House: Go back to the glory days of college with this raunchy classic that inspired fraternity brothers everywhere to act like fools. Screens at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, March 12, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Now Playing Oscar-Nominated Short Documentaries: See all five of the films nominated in the Short Documentary category before the Academy Awards airs on Sunday, March 2. Screens at the Ken Cinema.

Hidden Moon: In this romantic comedy from Mexico, a beautiful woman (Ana Serradilla) makes a dramatic appearance at the funeral of a wealthy Southern California patriarch, forcing his son (Wes Bentley) to travel south of the border to investigate. Ends March 6 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Jimmy P: Benicio del Toro stars as Jimmy Picard, a Native American Blackfoot who’s diagnosed as a schizophrenic by his military doctors. When a French anthropologist (Mathieu Amalric) is called in to begin psychotherapy sessions with Jimmy, the two men forge a bond that allows them both to heal. Ends March 6 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Non-Stop: Liam Neeson’s seasoned air marshal deals with a series of mysterious threats aboard a transatlantic flight.

Son of God: Jesus, another biopic.

In Secret: Set in 1860s Paris, this intense melodrama stars Elizabeth Olson as a sexually repressed young woman trapped in a loveless marriage who finds hope in an illicit affair with a family friend. Ends March 6 at La Jolla Village Cinemas.

For a complete listing of movies, please see “F ilm S creenings” at sdcit yb eat.com under the “E vents” tab.

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

SOLITUDE IS

BL I SS

“I

had felt this drive building up in me over a few months,” says Dee Dee Penny, frontwoman and songwriter for New York City-based indierock outfit Dum Dum Girls, describing the intense, concentrated period spent writing the band’s new album Too True.

Between several rounds of tour dates supporting the thennew EP End of Daze, Dee Dee found herself harboring a growing creative energy in need of an outlet. So, she holed herself up in her apartment for eight days with nothing but her guitar and “a gallon of coffee” and worked non-stop, cranking out music at a pace of about a song a day. By the end of the week, she’d nearly finished writing what eventually became her new album.

The bolt of inspiration is a far cry from the more piecemeal approach that led up to the creation of 2011’s Only in Dreams.

As Dee Dee explained in a 2011 interview with Self-Titled magazine, that record came about two or three songs at a time between tours, sometimes resulting in unanticipated stylistic gaps between the songs. To complicate matters, Dee Dee’s mother had been growing increasingly ill during the year between the release of Dum Dum Girls’ debut, I Will Be, and Only in Dreams, eventually succumbing to can-

32 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

cer in late 2010. For more than a year, Dee Dee’s bereavement colored the tone of the music she released.

Dee Dee—a pseudonym for one-time San Diegan Kristin Gundred—tells CityBeat that the most important thing for her, creatively, was to be able to overcome that grief.

“The last two things I did, they were very specifically influenced by one thing: a traumatic personal experience that I could not get out of,” she says. “I could not unwrap my head from that. And, finally in the last year, I got out of that. And I felt like I had arrived at a clean slate.

“It kinda felt like a new beginning, in that sense.”

Too True, released on Sub Pop Records in January, still carries an air of darkness, but not in the same way that Only in Dreams or End of Daze did.

It’s more of an aesthetic or dramatic darkness, rather than melancholy. And there’s a much bigger, dreamier sound to it, which often recalls the likes of Siouxsie and the Banshees or The Cure.

Dee Dee, along with producers Sune Rose Wagner of The Raveonettes and Richard Gottehrer (Blondie, Richard Hell), creates a more immersive sensory experience on Too True, from the reverb-laden post-

punk of “Rimbaud Eyes” to the über-catchy, dream-pop hooks of “Too True to Be Good.” It’s an album that nods to a lot of British bands from the 1980s, yet Dee Dee says that one of the most prominent, if subliminal, influences on the album is her current home.

“New York City kind of feels like, to me, a more urgent, bigger, darker version of anywhere I’ve lived before,” she says. “When I started [Dum Dum Girls], I was in a studio apartment on Robinson Avenue in San Diego, but it could have been a bedroom anywhere. The way that I feel now, when I’m outside walking, looking around and surrounded by so much stuff, is how I’m feeling right now when I’m writing these songs.

“It’s not that [New York is] my muse or anything,” she continues. “But I feel like I tap into that environment, whether it’s in my head or it’s not.”

In addition to writing all of the material on Too True, Dee Dee performed almost all of it, too, with Wagner adding a little bit of extra instrumentation in a few places. When Dum Dum Girls released Only in Dreams in 2011, Dee Dee enlisted her live band to flesh out the songs, which gave the album more physical imme-

The private world of Dum Dum Girls

by Jeff Terich

diacy. Too True doesn’t at all sound like the work of just one or two musicians—it’s a very full, alive-sounding record. But the recording of the album, much like the process of writing it, was done with minimal contact or input from anyone on the outside.

While Dum Dum Girls— who’ll play at The Casbah on Friday, March 7—remains a live band, making music is still something Dee Dee’s most comfortable doing on her own.

“The writing and recording process is really entangled for me, and really a personal thing,” she says. “I get total tunnel vision, and I’m obsessed by it, and I can’t let go of certain things. I’m comfortable bringing my relatively complete vision to my producers in the studio and getting their ideas, and they help me kind of articulate things in the best way, but it’s just too much a personal thing for me at this point to really expand into any kind of typical band dynamic—at least in the writing and recording process.

I didn’t anticipate that it would still be like that, but it is.

“The way that I work—at least with Dum Dum Girls—is a really private thing for me.”

Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

notes from the smoking patio Locals Only Jamuel Saxon are returning to San Diego for one encore performance. The band, which began as a solo project by Keith Milgaten in 2005 and ended last year when he moved to Brooklyn, has scheduled a surprise reunion show at Soda Bar on March 17.

The show is only a one-off—Milgaten says he doesn’t have any further plans to bring back Jamuel Saxon, since he’s busy with his Keith Sweaty project, as well as a variety of jobs doing sound in clubs in New York City. However, a chance opportunity touring with synth-pop group Small Black led to the opportunity to bring back his old band—as a duo—for a single show.

“I realized I had four days off of a tour doing sound for Small Black,” Milgaten tells CityBeat. “And during that middle break in the tour, we’re in San Diego, so I wanted to figure out some ways to be more musical to occupy my time.

“The show will just be me and Jayson [Ehm, drummer],” he continues. “It’ll be cool to just take a time warp and play all of our songs that people loved.”

Milgaten moved to New York last April, but despite seeking out new opportunities on the other side of the country, he still expresses his fondness for San Diego. He says the show—Mirror Pop, The Spark Three, Office Twins and Third Twin DJs will also perform—is intended to be an offering of gratitude to fans who supported the band while it was active.

“I feel like a lot of people leave San Diego and say, ‘Fuck San Diego.’ But I don’t feel that way,” he says. “I have friends and family in San Diego, and I’m very thankful” for the experience.

“Doing this show is a way to say thank you, and hopefully bring people together.”

—Jeff Terich

Music review Hills Like Elephants Bedroom Colonies Vol. 1 (Self-released) In late 2013, Hills Like Elephants announced plans to release a new album, Bedroom Colonies. However, plans changed a little bit. By the end of 2014, all of those songs will be released, but in shorter EP installments rather than as one full-length.

This isn’t the first time a band has taken such a route; in 2010, Swedish pop artist Robyn split up her Body Talk series into a trio of EPs, which seemed to heighten anticipation for each new addition in the series. Hills Like Elephants are operating on a smaller scale, of course, but based on the four songs featured on Vol. 1, it seems likely to have a similar effect.

The elements on Bedroom Colonies Vol. 1 are familiar: indie-rock hooks, Sean Davenport’s soulful croon and lots and lots of synthesizers. In fact, the synths on this EP play a more prominent role than ever—beefed up, streamlined and with the volume cranked until the knob breaks off. It’s not often that a band creates a record so indebted to ’80s pop without overstuffing it

Keith Milgaten

with irony, but Hills Like Elephants pull it off with a straight face, embracing their Hall & Oates influence without apology.

That could be a coincidence of course; I can’t say with certainty that the group grooves to Private Eyes in their personal time, but they conjure up a similarly infectious sound. “Non-Fictionalism” seems like a hit to me—and one that could sound as at home on the charts now as it might have in 1984. Though, “4 Legged Comrades” has a synth warble that sounds so much like the one on Wings’ “Band on the Run,” and it’s a little distracting. Still, it’s a minor issue.

When the group steps out of a more direct pop realm, they create something equally interesting.

“Acid Gel” is reminiscent of The Police’s “Invisible Sun” dubbed over with samples of dialogue. But extra-smooth pop numbers like “Fall Thru” are their bread and butter, nifty experiments aside. And in a matter of months, Hills Like Elephants will deliver four more songs. Bedroom Colonies is the gift that keeps on giving.

—Jeff Terich Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

if i were u

BY Jeff Terich

Wednesday, March 5 PLAN A: Gary Numan, Big Black Delta, Roman Remains @ Belly Up Tavern. Gary Numan is a new-wave legend. I’d guess anyone reading this right now already has his hit “Cars” memorized, and a fair amount are likely familiar with some of his even better songs, like, “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” and “Down in the Park.” I don’t know about you, but with a catalog like that, there’s no way I’d miss this show. PLAN B: Social Studies, AAN, Idyll Wild @ Soda Bar. San Francisco’s Social Studies blend a little bit of dreamy synth-pop with some reverb-laden indie rock, resulting in something surprisingly fresh, no matter how familiar the separate components. If you prefer a more richly layered indie-pop sound, then this is the band for you. BACKUP PLAN: Painted Palms, Holychild, Kidtrails @ The Griffin.

my review on Page 33), and for their release show, they’re headlining a pretty damn solid lineup of local bands. Don’t show up late!

PLAN B: San Fermin, Son Lux @ The Loft at UCSD. San Fermin’s art-pop is at times atmospheric and abstract, other times melancholy and dramatic. And while it’s very cool, Son Lux’s Steve Reich-ian electronic soundscapes are even better. One way or another, you’re going to get a great show. BACKUP PLAN: Mystic Braves, Amerikan Bear, Muscle Beech @ Soda Bar.

Sunday, March 9

PLAN A: Russian Circles, Helms Alee, KEN Mode @ The Casbah. There are several competing metal shows tonight, which means that Satan is surely smiling upon San Diego. The best of the bunch finds three non-traditional (and awesome) Thursday, March 6 heavy acts sharing the stage. Winnipeg’s PLAN A: Warm Soda, Peach Kelli Pop, KEN Mode is my favorite among them, but Big Tits @ The Hideout. Warm Soda is one you can’t go wrong with Russian Circles or of the less-appealing band Helms Alee, either. PLAN names of late (though it’s defB: Mirah, Ages and Ages @ initely no Diarrhea Planet), The Loft at UCSD. Washbut the old-school melodic ington singer / songwriter punk they create is excelMirah is releasing her first lent indeed. There’s a little T. solo album in five years, and Rex here, some Saints there, in support, she’s bringing her and the whole Stiff Records intricate indie folk our way. catalog in between. BACKUP She writes a mean song— PLAN: JD Samson and Men, and she’ll prove it in person.

Mystery Cave @ Bar Pink.

BACKUP PLAN: Scale the Summit, The Ocean, The Atlas Moth, Silver Snakes Friday, March 7 @ Soda Bar. PLAN A: The Pizza Underground, Toby Shank, Monday, March 10 DJ Mike Turi, DJ Kid PLAN A: Tacocat, Teenage Wonder @ U-31. The Pizza Gary Numan Burritos, Heartwarmer, Underground is a pizzathemed Velvet Underground cover band, DJ Robbie Butler @ Soda Bar. Not to and Macaulay Culkin is their lead singer. keep talking about band names here, but All of this is true, which should be all the Tacocat really lends itself to adorable viinformation you need to be convinced to suals. And it’s a palindrome, to boot! The see it firsthand. PLAN B: Typhoon, Phox, band itself is hard not to like, all warm Line and Circle @ The Irenic. I’ve been and fuzzy power-pop hooks and more voover the umpteen-person indie-rock-or- cal harmonies than you can shake a taco chestra thing for a long time (it happened at. BACKUP PLAN: Ghetto Blaster, Ape somewhere between Edward Sharpe and Machine, Lord Howler, Young RapscalOf Monsters of Men, I can assure you). lions @ The Casbah.

And, yet, the idea of seeing Portland’s 11piece Typhoon at The Irenic sounds like it would be awesome. It helps that they Tuesday, March 11 write songs good enough to match their PLAN A: Kronos Quartet @ Mandeville grandeur. BACKUP PLAN: The Casket Auditorium, UCSD. It’s kind of amazGirls, The Stargazer Lillies, Dott, Drea- ing that the Kronos Quartet have been performing for more than 40 years—even mend @ The Hideout. with several lineup changes—but they’re a respected musical institution for a reaSaturday, March 8 son. The group’s eclectic chamber music PLAN A: Hills Like Elephants, Wild Wild is innovative and frequently mesmerizing, Wets, Boy King, Jimmy Rueles @ The not to mention the long list of collaboraCasbah. Hills Like Elephants are releas- tors they’ve worked with, which includes ing the first of three new EPs this year (see Philip Glass and Nine Inch Nails.

34 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 35

36 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

HOT! NEW! FRESH! Too $hort (Porter’s Pub, 3/28), Rome (BUT, 4/6), Leopold and His Fiction (Casbah, 4/20), Michael Nesmith (BUT, 4/30), Goblin (HOB, 5/2), Manic Hispanic (Casbah, 5/4), Survival Knife (Soda Bar, 5/10), NYPC (Soda Bar, 5/13), Band of Skulls (HOB, 5/19), Lower (Soda Bar, 5/19), Angelic Upstarts (Soda Bar, 5/25), Jeremy Jay (Soda Bar, 5/26), Wanda Jackson (Casbah, 6/7), Little Hurricane (HOB, 6/7), Dave and Phil Alvin (BUT, 6/11), Reigning Sound (Soda Bar, 7/2), Don Carlos (BUT, 7/9), Dierks Bentley (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 7/27), Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks (BUT, 9/9).

GET YER TICKETS Tool (Valley View Casino Center, 3/16), St. Vincent (HOB, 3/19), Kool Keith (Casbah, 3/24), Cypress Hill (HOB, 4/17), Bryan Ferry (Humphreys, 4/17), Ghost B.C. (HOB, 4/26), The Dillinger Escape Plan (Porter’s Pub, 4/26), O.A.R. (BUT, 4/28-29), Danny Brown (Porter’s Pub, 5/2), Tokyo Police Club (BUT, 5/2), The Bad Plus (The Loft at UCSD, 5/4), Manchester Orchestra (HOB, 5/6), Old 97s (BUT, 5/8), Wayne “The Train” Hancock (Casbah, 5/21), Suzanne Vega (BUT, 5/25), Lady Gaga (Viejas Arena, 6/2), EMA (Casbah, 6/29), World Party (BUT, 6/29).

March Wednesday, March 5 Walk Off The Earth at House of Blues.

Gary Numan at Belly Up Tavern. Painted Palms at The Griffin.

Thursday, March 6 Warm Soda at The Hideout. Nicole Atkins at Soda Bar. JD Samson and Men at Bar Pink.

Friday, March 7 The Ataris at House of Blues. Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at Belly Up Tavern.

The Casket Girls at The Hideout. Semi Precious Weapons at The Griffin.

Saturday, March 8 San Fermin, Son Lux at The Loft.

Sunday, March 9 Solids at The Hideout. Mirah at The Loft.

Scale The Summit at Soda Bar. Cattle Decapitation at Porter’s Pub.

Monday, March 10 Tacocat at Soda Bar.

Tuesday, March 11 Billy Connolly at Balboa Theatre. Oliver Trolley at Belly Up Tavern.

Thursday, March 13 El Ten Eleven at Belly Up Tavern. Purling Hiss at Soda Bar.

Friday, March 14 Umphrey’s McGee at House of Blues.

Saturday, March 15 The Mary Onettes at Soda Bar.

Sunday, March 16 Tool at Valley View Casino Center.

Monday, March 17 Jamuel Saxon at Soda Bar.

Tuesday, March 18 Perfect Pussy at The Che Café.

Wednesday, March 19 St. Vincent at House of Blues. Wakey!

Wakey! At The Casbah. Galactic at Belly Up Tavern.

Thursday, March 20 Weekend at The Casbah. Bayside at House of Blues. The Toadies at Belly Up Tavern

Friday, March 21 Small Black at The Casbah. The Orwells at The Casbah. G. Love and Special Sauce at House of Blues. Total Chaos at Soda Bar. Nobunny at The Casbah.

Saturday, March 22 Kings of Leon at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings at House of Blues. Jeremy Messersmith at House of Blues.

Sunday, March 23 London Grammar at House of Blues.

John Legend at Balboa Theatre. Ana Tijoux at The Casbah. Lady Antebellum at Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

Monday, March 24 Kool Keith at The Casbah. Fanfarlo at House of Blues. The Sounds at House of Blues.

Tuesday, March 25 The Reverend Horton Heat at The Casbah. Delta Rae at Belly Up Tavern. The Sounds at House of Blues.

Wednesday, March 26 The Reverend Horton Heat at The Casbah.

Thursday, March 27 The Reverend Horton Heat at The Casbah.

Friday, March 28 Too $hort at Porter’s Pub.

Saturday, March 29 Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks at The Casbah. San Diego Experimental Guitar Show 2014 at Soda Bar.

Monday, March 31 The Appleseed Cast at The Casbah.

William Tyler at Soda Bar. Celtic Woman at Copley Symphony Hall. Cut Copy at House of Blues.

April Tuesday, April 1 The Mavericks at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, April 2 Il Divo at Copley Symphony Hall. VNV Nation at Belly Up Tavern. Ume at Soda Bar.

Thursday, April 3 Cheetah Chrome at Soda Bar. The Grouch and Eligh at Porter’s Pub. Big Head Todd and The Monsters at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, April 4 Big Head Todd and The Monsters at Belly Up Tavern. Willie Nelson at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Mustard Plug at The Casbah.

Saturday, April 5 The New Kinetics at The Casbah. The Black Lips at Belly Up Tavern.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach. 710bc.com. Wed: Open mic, open jam. Thu: ‘Rock Out Karaoke’. Fri: Daniel Cooper (5 p.m.); Dazed and Confused (9 p.m.). Sat: Irie Fuse, Ras Indio, Aloha Radio. Sun: Gripin, Twenty7.

98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, Little Italy. 98bottlessd.com. Fri: Lee Koch Trio. Sat: Trio De Janeiro w/ Allison Adams Tucker. Sun: Steph Johnson.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St, Normal Heights. airconditionedbar. com. Wed: DJs Shermz, Volz, Just Sven, JoshthebeaR, Giann, Viking. Thu: DJs ALA, Mikeytown. Fri: DJ Junior the DiscoPunk. Sat: ‘Juicy’ w/ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Sunday Sonic Chill’ w/ DJ Shermz.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave, Downtown. americancomedyco.com.

Wed: Dallas McLaughlin. Thu-Sat: Sun: ‘Full Throttle Comedy’. Tue: Open mic.

AMSDconcerts, 1370 Euclid Ave, City Heights. amsdconcerts.com. Sun: Willy Porter.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St, Downtown. facebook.com/BangBangSanDiego.

Fri: Kittens, Erick Diaz. Sat: Tone of Arc, Crowdkillers. Tue: Rufus du Sol, Colourvision.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St, North Park. barpink.com. Wed: DJ Grand Masta Rats.

Thu: JD Samson and MEN, Mystery Cave.

Fri: DJ Artistic, NosuckerDJs. Sat: The Milkcrates DJs. Sun: Rare Monk. Mon: Mary Ocher, DJ @Large.

Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave, Downtown. bassmntsd.com. Thu: Bro Safari. Fri: Vice. Sat: Ferry Corsten.

Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla. brocktonvilla.com/beaumonts.html. Wed: Kayla Hope. Thu: Mike Myrdal Duo. Fri: Scratch. Sat: Honey Rock. Sun: Kayla Hope.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach. bellyup.com. Wed: Gary Numan, Big Black Delta, Roman Remains.

Thu: Pine Mountain Logs, Austin Burns.

Fri: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Jungle Fire. Sat: Greensky Bluegrass, Tumbleweed Wanderers. Sun: Vaud and the Villains. Tue: Oliver Trolley, Tyson Motsenbocker, Rodello’s Machine.

Bluefoot Bar & Lounge, 3404 30th St, North Park. bluefootsd.com. Wed: Records with Roger. Fri: ‘North Park Social Club’ w/ Definition. Sat: DJ Peso. Sun: VJ JK. Tue: DJ Mike Face.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave, Carlsbad. boarcrossn.net. Thu: Freako Suave. Fri: ‘Club Musae’. Sat: Sterling Sylver.

Bourbon Street, 4612 Park Blvd, University Heights. bourbonstreetsd.com. Wed: ‘Total Request Wednesday’. Thu: ‘Wet’.

Sun: ‘Soiree’. Tue: Karaoke.

Brass Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave, Hillcrest. thebrassrailsd.com. Thu: ‘Opium’ w/ DJ Simon Taylor. Fri: ‘Deeply Rooted’. Sat: DJs XP, KA. Sun: ‘Noche Romantica’ w/ Daisy Salinas. Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJs Ju-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 March 5, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 37

nior the Disco Punk, XP. Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, Clairemont. thecomedypalace.com.

Fri-Sat: Jonny Loquasto.

Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St, La Jolla. lajolla.thecomedystore.com. Thu: Laugh It’s Good for the Heart. Fri-Sat: Ian Edwards.

Croce’s Park West, 2760 Fifth Ave., #100, Bankers Hill. croces.com. Wed: Scott Roberts. Thu: Gilbert Castellanos and The Park West Ensemble. Fri: Sue Palmer. Sun: Sene Africa.

Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. dirksniteclub.com. Fri: Nemesis. Sat: Sneaker Kings.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. dizzyssandiego.com. Fri: Joe Marillo. Sat: Sinne Eeg with The Peter Sprague Trio.

El Dorado Bar, 1030 Broadway, Downtown. eldoradobar.com. Wed: ‘The Tighten Up!’. Thu: ‘Happy Little Trees’. Fri: ‘Hickies and Dryhumps’. Sat: ‘Bump and Hustle’.

Epicentre, 8450 Mira Mesa Blvd, Mira Mesa. epicentreconcerts.org. Thu: Ghost Town. Fri: Second to Last, Short Stories, Tonight we Fight, Guidelines. Sat: Buddha Trixie, Ladys Love Outlaws, Oh Dear Lord, The Indy’s.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave, Downtown. fluxxsd.com. Thu: ‘IDGAF’ w/ DJ Snake. Thu: Dread Daze, trc sounds. Fri: DJ Fingaz.

Sat: DJ Brett Bodley.

Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave, Downtown. hardrockhotelsd.com. Fri: KRSOne. Sat: Ayah Marar. Sun: ‘Sunday School’ w/ Sid Vicious, DJ Kurch.

Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave, Downtown.

henryspub.com. Wed: Johnny Tarr, DJ Christopher London. Thu: Mark Fisher, DJ Yodah. Fri: ‘Good Times’. Mon: ‘Kinetic Soul’. Tue: The Big City Dawgs.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave, Downtown. houseofblues.com/sandiego. Wed: Walk off the Earth, Parachute, Camera2.

Thu: Railroad Earth, Rose’s Pawn Shop.

Fri: The Ataris. Sat: Shpongle. Tue: Neck Deep w/ Knuckle Puck, Light Years, Cut Your Losses.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. kavalounge.com. Wed: ‘Future Wednesdays’. Thu: ‘Liquid Geometry’.

Fri: ‘Toombao’. Sat: The Reverend Bleep Bloop. Sun: ‘For the Love of Hip-Hop’.

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave, Kensington. 619-284-2848. Thu: Diatribe, Mala Salud, Social Spit, Records With Roger. Fri: Squirrelly Arts, Syn:Server.

Onyx Room / Thin, 852 Fifth Ave, Downtown. onyxroom.com. Fri: ‘Rumba Lounge’. Sat: ‘Play Saturday’. Tue: ‘Philly Neo Soul Tribute’.

Porter’s Pub, 9500 Gilman Dr., UCSD campus, La Jolla. porterspub.net. Fri: Iamsu. Sat: Cattle Decapitation, King Parrot, Thanatology, Eukaryst.

Queen Bee’s, 3925 Ohio St, North Park. queenbeessd.com. Sat: Lisa Sanders.

Tue: ‘Lyrical Exchange’.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave, Hillcrest. richssandiego.com. Wed: DJ Marcel.

Thu: DJ Moody Rudy. Fri: DJs Dirty Kurty, Will Z. Sat: DJs Taj, John Joseph.

Sun: DJ Cros.

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave, La Mesa. rivierasupperclub.com.

Wed: Westside Inflection. Thu: Bomb Squad. Fri: The Palominos. Sat: Chick-

38 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

enbone Slim. Tue: Karaoke.

Shakedown Bar, 3048 Midway Drive, Point Loma. theshakedownsd.com. Fri: Lazy Cobra, The Night Crawlers, Throw the Goat, The Bastard Sons.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. sodabarmusic.com. Wed: Social Studies, AAN, Idyll Wild. Thu: Nicole Atkins, Arc Iris, Davey Horne. Fri: The Donkeys, New Bums, Awahnichi. Sat: Mystic Braves, Amerikan Bear, Muscle Beech.

Sun: Scale The Summit, The Ocean, The Atlas Moth, Silver Snakes. Mon: Tacocat, Teenage Burritos, Heatwarmer, DJ Robbie Butler. Tue: Boondock Brothers, Setback City, Brothers at Large.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd, Midway. somasandiego.com. Thu: We Butter The Bread With Butter, Lions Lions, Honour Crest, Roar Like Me, The Sinner Among Us. Sat: Aer. Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., San Diego, Normal Heights. sycamoreden. com. Thu: Gary Hankins, Jimmy Ruelas.

Sun: The Black Sands, Trent Handcock.

The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Rd, Spring Valley. 619-469-2337. Wed: Karaoke.

Thu: ‘Stratus Soundwave’. Fri: Pentagrams and Daisies. Sat: Action Andy and the Hightones, Plastic Parade, The Phantoms, Burnt . Sun: I-90 (4 p.m.); Habits, Prayers, Hot Nerds (DJ set), Batwings, Late Nite Howl, Rancho Shampoo (9 p.m.).

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. casbahmusic.com. Wed: PAPA, Avid Dancer, Champ. Thu: PigPen Theatre Co., The Tragic Thrills. Fri: Dum Dum Girls, Blouse, Lube. Sat: Hills Like Elephants, Wild Wild Wets, Boy King, Jimmy Rueles. Sun: Russian Circles, Helms

Alee, Ken Mode. Mon: Ghetto Blaster, Ape Machine, Lord Howler, Young Rapscallions. Tue: East of Sweden, Strange Creature, Demons Over Easy, Parade of Horribles.

The Che Cafe, UCSD campus, La Jolla. thechecafe.blogspot.com. Tue: Windmill of Corpses, Tabor Mountain.

The Griffin, 1310 Morena Blvd, Bay Park. thegriffinsd.com. Wed: Painted Palms, Holychild, Kidtrails. Fri: Semi Precious Weapons.

The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. http://thehideoutsd.com. Thu: Warm Soda, Peach Kelli Pop, Big Tits, DJ Bad Andy. Fri: The Casket Girls, The Stargazer Lillies, Dott, Dreamend. Sun: Solids, Creative Adult, Pup. The Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. theloft.ucsd.edu. Fri: Tritones. Sat: San Fermin, Son Lux. Sun: Mirah, Ages and Ages.

The Office, 3936 30th St, North Park. officebarinc.com. Wed: DJ Uncle Junie.

Thu: ‘Tropicoso’. Fri: ‘Nitemoves’ w/ DJs Beatnick, As-Is. Sun: ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ w/ Tribe of Kings. Mon: ‘Dub Dynamite’ w/ DJs Rashi, Eddie Turbo.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. tiltwoclub.com. Wed: ‘A Brief History of Rhyme’ w/ DJ Heather Hardcore. Thu: Stomper 98, The Old Firm Casuals, Control, Rat City Riot. Fri: Radio Moscow, Golden Void, The Freeks, The Risin’ Sun. Sat: ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll for Miley benefit show’ w/ Okay!Okay!, Cobra Las, Neighbors to the North, Western Settings. Sun: Comedy open mic. Mon: Karaoke.

Tin Can Ale House, 1863 Fifth Ave, Bankers Hill. thetincan1.wordpress.com.

Wed: Nice World, Pale, Zombie Barbie.

Thu: Crooked Ruler, Bearcubbin, Machines Learning. Fri: Manuok, Callow, Kalashnikov My Wife. Sat: Artifact, Midday Veil, Loom. Mon: ‘Tin Can Country Club’ w/ Mike Pope. Tue: Heavy Dreamer.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave, City Heights. thetowerbar.com. Wed: Ratt’s Revenge. Fri: ‘Hip Hop vs. Punk Rock’.

Sat: Sayaka, Dead on the Wire, Pissed Regardless, The Jive Bombers, DJs Mongo Style and Chango Rey. Sun: The Lumps, Useless Eater, Scraper. Mon: Saint Shameless.

Turquoise, 873 Turquoise St, Pacific Beach. theturquoise.com/wordpress.

Wed: Tomcat Courtney (7 p.m.). Thu: The Jade Visions Jazz Trio (7 p.m.). Fri: Gabriela Aparicio (4 p.m.); Tomcat Courtney (7 p.m.); Afro Jazziacs (9 p.m.). Sat: Zak Lipton Trio (4 p.m.); Tomcat Courtney (6:30 p.m.); Son Pa Ti (9 p.m.). Sun: Sounds Like Four (4 p.m.); Blue 44 (7 p.m.). Mon: Brazil Jam (7 p.m.). Tue: Grupo Globo (7 p.m.).

Ux31, 3112 University Ave, North Park. u31bar.com. Wed: Buddy Banter, Kiven, Sound Lupus, DJ Jonny Rios. Thu: ‘Revive 619’. Fri: The Pizza Underground, Toby Shank, Mike Turi, Kid Wonder. Sat: DJs Smiles, 1979.

West Coast Tavern, 2895 University Ave, North Park. westcoatstavern.com.

Wed: DJ Qenoe. Thu: DJ Clean Cut. Fri: DJ Slowhand. Sat: DJ Schoeny. Tue: DJ Chris G. Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, South Park. whistlestopbar.com. Fri: The Amandas.

Sat: ‘Booty Bassment’ w/ DJs Dimitri, Rob. Tue: ‘Nothing Listening Party’ w/ DJ Mario Orduno.

Proud sponsor: Pacific Nature Tours

Ink Well Xwords by Ben Tausig

Across 1. Fuel for some prop planes 6. Fuel for some trips?

9. King’s orders, e.g.

14. Actress Jovovich in a whole lot of “Resident Evil” movies 15. Prince William’s head 16. Behind 17. Commerce on the World Wide Web 18. Treat for a solstice party with an image of Gaia drawn in icing?

20. Sports org. headquartered in Daytona Beach 22. Chest muscle, casually 23. GOP electoral map color 24. ___ Valley (Reagan Library city) 25. Trig function 28. Live video of the 2008 presidential runner-up going about his daily life?

32. Rhythm guitarist James on “Siamese Dream” 33. Tragic supermodel Carangi 34. “Taps” instrument 38. The pairs of letters inserted into each of this puzzle’s theme answers, for example 43. Random, as an occurrence 44. Continental state where Sarah Palin was born: Abbr.

45. “What ___ gonna wear to this thing?

46. One at the wheel of a gherkinmobile?

51. “The Da Vinci Code” group 54. Top-shelf 55. Oversaw 56. Org. in which “everybody played with a gay teammate,” per Charles Barkley 58. Uncaged 61. “All right, y’all, let’s get in the oldfashioned horse-drawn carriage!”

Last week’s answers

65. Snarky 66. “The L Word” creator Chaiken 67. “Hey-oh, keep the urologic details to yourself” 68. Saturn’s largest moon 69. Rain delay sheets 70. Superman villain General ___ 71. Derives (from)

Down 1. “Preach on” 2. CV part 3. Collectible holder 4. Keys of Jay Z’s “Empire State of Mind” 5. Chorizo relative 6. Letters for some accounting firms 7. Bar in the shower 8. Folded corner, as it were 9. Last word of a French film 10. Forbes alternative 11. Company that created Paperboy 12. Like some black guys on TV 13. King Carl XVI Gustaf, e.g.

19. Yard size, say 21. One of two living Fab Four members 26. Baja spring break destination, for short 27. Pleased with oneself 28. Peeve 29. Blacken 30. Go against one’s god 31. Language from which “mongoose” and “patchouli” come 35. Elvis’s is at Graceland 36. Wack 37. Islamic prince 39. “They was watchin ‘Yo! MTV Raps’ / What’s the ___ on the craps?”: Ice Cube 40. “Just playin’” 41. Gushing poem 42. Rival of Federer and Djokovic 47. Copper coin value 48. Chew the fat 49. Coop units?

50. Part of the plot 51. Path in space 52. Deen of wince-inducing language 53. Felix of “The Odd Couple” 57. Clip contents 59. Coated cheese, or the town from which it comes 60. Man caves, perhaps 62. Fast-rising fig. in China 63. Genesis contemporary 64. The end of Ramadan (October 4th, this year)

A pair of tickets for a 4.5 or 8 hour Pacific Nature Tour will be awarded weekly. Email a picture of your answers to crossword@sdcitybeat.com or fax it to 619-325-1393. Limit one win per person per 30 days.

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40 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

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42 · San Diego CityBeat · March 5, 2014

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