San Diego CityBeat • Mar 23, 2016

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January 6, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 1

2 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

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March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

Up Front | From the editor

Still feeling The Bern

O

ver the weekend I was out of town, soaking up March Madness in Las Vegas.

When I got back on Monday my millennial daughter called to make sure I knew about the big Bernie Sanders rally scheduled for Tuesday night at the San Diego Convention Center.

Space was filling up quickly in Halls D and E. And like many a panel at Comic-Con, interest in the free Sanders event was outpacing the number of seats available (10,000).

My daughter registered to attend. I was proud and pleasantly surprised that this 19-year-old showed as much interest in securing admission to a Sanders political rally as she did in getting tickets to the Leon Bridges show at Observatory North Park.

I’d always brought my daughter along to my polling places over the years. Now, this is her first year being eligible to vote. She plans to cast a ballot for the crotchety, gray-haired senator from Vermont. He may look like comedian Larry David, but curbed enthusiasm is not the issue here—just the opposite.

It’s a plus that the latein-the-game California primary election (June 7) will include some drama, even if more focus will be on the circus tent housing the Republicans and the delegate race for the Orange Yapper. Reserving judgment on whether The Bern can still overtake Hillary Clinton’s delegate lead in the Democratic race (superdelegate issue notwithstanding) I’m satisfied that Sanders’ candidacy has spurred political awakenings in millennials all over the country. His positions on income inequality, free college and universal health care have resonated with youth—as well as with older demographics, though not to such a dramatic degree.

I’m glad Sanders’ substance matches the style I’d want young people to think could be the norm for political discourse. Time and again during Democratic political debates, Bernie Sanders refused to take the low road. He talked about issues, not about personalities or half-baked rumors. He didn’t call any opponents or voter blocs derogatory names, didn’t try to lead by alienation and didn’t attempt to gain leverage through fear.

He wasn’t supported by big money. Recall Larry David’s spot-on spoof of Sanders on Saturday Night Live: “I don’t have a Super PAC, I don’t even have a backpack. I carry my stuff around loose in my arms, like a professor…I own one pair of underwear, that’s it. Some of these billionaires they got three, four pairs…”

There are Clinton supporters in the Senate, including Barbara Boxer, who are calling on Sanders to “do the right thing” for the party and drop out of the race. “The writing is on the wall,” Boxer said, according to Politico. That writing on the wall Crush Rush / Shutterstock is contrary to the cash still coming in the door, though.

Politico also reported that in February Sanders raised more money than Clinton ($43 million to $30 million).

In the end, even if The Bern falls short, Sanders will still have made his points and his advocacy will not have been for naught. His time on the national stage allowed his progressive voice to be heard. And he most certainly forced Clinton to lean to the left.

Hopefully that will Bernie Sanders translate into a more liberal Clinton presidency. Once in the White House, Clinton will most assuredly have to maintain a relationship with the Berner base.

And those young people, like my daughter, who Sanders brought into his campaign? They may be disappointed, and some might stay home rather than vote for Clinton. But they’ve been initiated into the process and are now engaged by politics.

The Sanders campaign has been the formative experience of their coming of age in the political arena. It could influence how they think about politics over the course of their voting life.

Sanders despises the trivialization of politics.

Still, I give the last word to Larry David doing Sanders on SNL: “So who do you want as president? One of these Washington insiders or a guy who has one pair of clean underwear that he dries on a radiator?”

The latter.

—Ron Donoho

Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com

This issue of CityBeat has its Maple Leaf at half mast for late Toronto mayor Rob Ford.

Volume 14 • Issue 33 Editor Ron Donoho Music Editor Jeff Terich Arts Editor Seth Combs Web Editor Ryan Bradford Art director Carolyn Ramos editorial assistant Torrey Bailey Columnists Aaryn Belfer, Edwin Decker John R. Lamb, Alex Zaragoza

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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 2016.

4 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

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Up Front | Letters

OFF THE HOOK

“Restorative justice” is just a “dog whistle” signal for encouraging mischievous and criminal behavior [“Restorative justice at Lincoln High,” March 16].

It mocks the legal system. It encourages disrespect for those in authority and/or police officer(s) and completely overlooks knowing the home environment in which the accused is immersed when not at school. It lets parent(s) off the hook when maybe they should be held equally liable for the conduct of their juvenile offspring.

Lou Cumming, La Jolla

NO TO RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Restorative justice cannot be the sole cure for oncampus conflicts [“Restorative justice at Lincoln High,” March 16]. In this case I disagree with this solution. The juveniles in this melee need firm consequences. The taxpayer should be reimbursed if the video shows student culpability.

The kids’ father obviously is not a role model and should attend the so-called dialogue hearings, too.

What planet do progressives come from?

TASED AND CONFUSED

Sam Ballante, Serra Mesa

Regarding Lincoln High School vs. the San Diego Police Department, I believe the SDPD were the aggressors [“Restorative justice at Lincoln High,” March 16].

The kids were defending themselves against Tasers.

#SDCityBeat

On the

Cover This week's cover photo of Santigold was taken by Christelle de Castro, a music and fashion photographer and filmmaker based in New York City. Her work has appeared in Crack and the New York Times, and her subjects have included Lauryn Hill, Brian Eno and Pusha T. De Castro was previously photo director of Opening Ceremony before going freelance. In an interview with the Master & Dynamic blog, she describes her hustle: "This business is very unpredictable. The only thing you can rely on is your hard work, consistency and offering up your best self." Santigold's new album is 99 Cents.

Read Scott McDonald's feature on page 22.

Please do not blame the kids. The police attack people, and then blame them for self-defending.

SDPD needs to make amends to those kids. They are supposed to be peace officers, they should have made peace, not Taser attacks. Tasers can kill, probably kids have permanent disability. SDPD should be paying them damages.

Thank you.

Valerie Sanfilippo, San Diego

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

Up Front | News joseph sohm / shutterstock

Hillary Clinton

crush rush / shutterstock

joseph sohm / shutterstock

wiki commons

joseph sohm / shutterstock

Bernie Sanders

Ted Cruz

John Kasich

Donald Trump

Local pols mum on presidential candidates Hillary Clinton gets some nods, most not willing to commit

by Ken Stone

P

ity the poor local pol. With no popular incumbent president in 2016, whose coattails do you cling to? And all five White House hopefuls left in the running have some type of baggage or image issue that others running for elected office aren’t anxious to embrace.

So says our unscientific survey. CityBeat reached out to nearly 60 elected San Diego County officials on their presidential picks (including all 18 mayors). Responses came from a total of 20.

Most were like that of San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis: “Thanks for reaching out,” said spokeswoman Tanya Sierra. “Bonnie will take a pass.”

So did county Supervisor Greg Cox (“neither committed nor commenting on the presidential election”) and San Diego Democratic Councilmembers (running for Assembly) Todd Gloria (“no comment on your request”), Myrtle Cole (“unavailable to answer your questions”) and David Alvarez (“no comment at this time”).

Lifeguard union leader Ed Harris, the prime Democratic San Diego mayoral challenger, didn’t respond to a request for comment. But he might be waiting for a cue from Gloria. Last April, two days after Gloria joined the race for the 78th State Assembly District, Harris dropped out of the same race and endorsed his former council colleague.

Casey Tanaka, a Democrat, was elected mayor of Coronado in 2008 and easily won re-election (with 70 percent of the vote) in 2012—despite the Crown City having almost twice as many Republicans as Democrats. But he’s uneasy when asked who he wants for president. “As my office is by law a nonpartisan office, I have no comment on this nationally partisan race,” Tanaka said.

No member of the San Diego Unified School District board answered this seemingly innocuous email request.

And an aide in Oceanside said: “Mayor [Jim] Wood is unavailable to participate in this interview.”

Other no-shows: county Supervisors Bill Horn, Dianne Jacob, Dave Roberts and Ron Roberts; Assemblymembers Rocky Chavez (R), Brian Jones (R), Marie Waldron (R) and Shirley Weber (D); state Senators Joel Anderson (R), Marty Block (D) and Ben Hueso (D); and U.S. Representatives Darrell Issa (R) and Juan Vargas (D).

Why all the hesitation?

“You might not want to make a choice now because you risk offending voter blocs later,” said Professor Carl Luna,

6 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

the veteran politics watcher out of San Diego Mesa Col- “Not totally excited about anyone in particular at this lege. “Your endorsement doesn’t really gain you much at point,” but GOP colleague Mark Kersey backed Marco Ruthis point. Once you have a party nominee, you can get be- bio before he dropped out, telling me in February: “I like [Ohio Gov. John] Kasich as well—known him for 15 years. hind them and simply look like you’re a good soldier.”

Nonetheless, several female San Diego pols said they Between those two guys, that’s a pretty attractive ticket, are in Hillary Clinton’s corner. whichever way it goes.”

“If elections were coming this week, I would vote for Assemblymember Brian Maienschein hasn’t officially Hillary Clinton,” said Del Mar Mayor Sherryl Parks. “She endorsed anyone, but said before Rubio dropped out: has run the White House, the State De“Gov. Kasich and Sen. Rubio would The 2016 bring people together, finding compartment, a Senate office, as well as a mon ground, rather than dividing political life that spans over 35 years of rough media attention. It’s funny. the electorate.”

Eight years ago, we wondered if a County assessor/recorder/clerk woman could lead the country. No one Ernest Dronenburg Jr., a Rubio backWhen is it?: now even talks about that issue!” er since last summer, now says: “KaTuesday, June 7 San Diego City Councilmember sich is my second choice.” But down Marti Emerald likes Hillary Clinton. the hall, county treasurer-tax collecRegister at: Also backing the First Lady Emeritus registertovote.ca.gov tor Dan McAllister, a fellow Repubis Assembly Speaker Emeritus Toni Atlican, said he’s “underwhelmed” by Deadline: kins, who said America “is way overthe field and would vote for “none of May 23 due for a woman’s perspective in the the above.”

Oval Office…Public service is about “Right now, I want to make my More info: getting things done. That’s what Hildecision on people I believe in,” said sdvote.com lary Clinton’s always been about. She’s McAllister, who didn’t believe anyan artist of the possible.” one suited the bill.

Likewise Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas, who On Feb. 24, Rep. Duncan D. Hunter made news by besaid she would vote for Clinton as the first woman presi- ing among the first in Congress to endorse Trump. The dent, and Rep. Susan Davis, who endorsed Clinton: “Her Alpine Republican later wrote: “In the national game of work for children and families all her adult life convinces politics, he’s got a winning message and the backbone to see it through. It’s exactly what Americans want in their me she is focused on the future.”

Rep. Scott Peters also endorsed Clinton. president.”

Independent San Diego mayoral candidate Lori SaldaMayor Kevin Faulconer—a state co-chair for Rubio— ña, the former Democratic Assemblymember, hasn’t taken didn’t respond to requests for comment on his Plan B guy. a formal stance, “but I tell people that I like the positions In Faulconer’s case, it’s the June primary, stupid. that Bernie Sanders is discussing—forcing Clinton to dis“Could have interesting implications for the mayor’s cuss. Happy that both of them are in the race,” she said. race, particularly now that Rubio, his choice, has dropped “Definitely leaning toward Bernie Sanders at this point.” out,” Luna said. “Does he go populist Trump, conservative On the GOP side, those willing to name names found it Cruz or staid Kasich? The mayor is good at avoiding tight hard to settle on just one. places, but maybe not this time.”

“I am a staunch Republican conservative who would vote Citing a possible 2018 run for governor, Luna noted that for Ted Cruz if the election was today,” said Santee Mayor if Faulconer “wants to go statewide as a ‘kinder, gentler’ Randy Voepel. “Cruz has officeholder experience and is the Republican, he might need to put some distance between closest to conservatism. My second choice would be Don- himself and the hard Trump right.” ald Trump because I’m fed up with Republican presidential “Unless you’re hoping for a spot in a future presidential choices between Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.” administration, picking a candidate when you don’t have San Diego City Councilmember Scott Sherman said: to has limited upsides,” Luna said.

Primary Election

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Up Front | opinion

spin

cycle

john r. lamb

john r. lamb

Bruce Lightner, city council party crasher An ounce of loyalty is worth a two-person War of the Wealthy, adds the unpredictable ingredipound of cleverness.

—Elbert Hubbard ents of family loyalty and personal disdain, almost guaranteeing a t’s an overcast Saturday morn- place in San Diego political lore.

An inventor, tinkerer and coming at La Jolla Shores as Spin puter nerd by trade, Lightner Cycle begins a three-hour trek down memory lane with the af- makes no bones about his dislike fable, story-filled, playful boy of for fellow Republican Ray Ellis, a man who has stirred a hornet’s for which terms such as “charlanest in the District 1 San Diego tan” and “spammer back before they had email” roll easily off the City Council race.

Bruce Lightner, the 67-year- tongue. About the Democrat in old husband of 43 years to the the race, entrepreneur Barbara termed-out San Diego City Coun- Bry, Lightner’s criticism is significil President Sherri Lightner, pulls cantly less harsh.

Lightner invited Spin Cycle out a tiny, folded-up sticky note to join him on his morning conand takes a quick glance at it. No talking about the current council stitutional typically reserved for members, the note decrees. His his canine pal, Hodgy. “I’m fall“child bride,” as he affectionately ing into the normal route that my dog likes to go,” Lightner said as calls her, has spoken.

Lightner’s late entry into the he meandered the walking trails— June primary race, which ap- some blocked by signs he marches peared headed toward a snoozy, past—of his old graduate-school

I

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haunts at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography just up the road from the Lightner home.

Asked why he despises Ellis so much, Lightner’s face tightened as he recalled elections past. While his wife abhorred negative campaigning, Lightner said, her opponent in 2012 stepped over the line when his campaign included a picture of their house in a mailer and claimed she’d used her influence to have her street repaved.

The street paving had been scheduled eight years prior as part of a water-main replacement project, he said. The house picture still “really frosts her,” Lightner added. “There were some very good reasons why I called him an unprincipled charlatan.”

Ellis, a resident of the highpriced enclave of Torrey Hills who made his millions in the direct-mail trade, might be interested to know that Lightner says he has a “picture of the giant crystal chandelier hanging over his bathtub”—an allusion to the notion that while he may be considered a “1-percenter,” Ellis belongs to the “.1-percenters.”

“Now, can .1-percenters represent the other 99.9 percent of the population?” Lightner asked. “I think the short answer is no. They don’t care.”

Bruce Lightner (shirt translation: DAD) hopes to replace his wife on the San Diego City Council He shares a story he claims is true from the 2012 election battle, as people were heading to a candidates forum at La Jolla’s Sherwood Auditorium. Lightner’s daughter, en route, called to report that Ellis was behind her—driving a Maserati. She followed him, Lightner recounted, until he parked a short distance from the forum venue.

“He gets out and gets into his wife’s SUV, and then they drive to the thing,” Lightner said with a hearty laugh. “I’m not making this up!”

Ellis campaign spokesman Tony Manolatos did not respond to a question about Ellis driving a Maserati.

“My fancy sports car is a vintage Volkswagen dune buggy,” Lightner said mockingly. “Believe me, you can have plenty of fun with that!”

In many ways, Bruce is the antithesis of Sherri—outspoken to the point of acknowledging his “Twitter leash” to her near-total avoidance of media inquiry and harsh words. Republican to her Democrat, both share love-hate relationships with party politics.

“I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of respect for…” Lightner paused before Spin suggested the word “groups,” to which he replied, “Well, I probably shouldn’t talk about the Republican Party or Democratic Party. I just wonder who is drawn to that kind of stuff sometimes.”

But they share not only a loving bond, but a passionate scorn for overdevelopment. While his life partner would avoid such hyperbole, he considers the One Paseo project and its ilk of masterplanned communities so “completely out of scale”–even now as it gets downsized–“it ain’t nice, and I would venture to say it’s criminal.

“I mean the fact they went back to the drawing board is good, but what I’m seeing coming out of that, well let’s just say it worries me that Bry is drinking the KoolAid on this thing,” he continues,

“It’s still going to be way out of scale. Somehow we’re supposed to bail out this L.A. developer who made a bone-headed move.”

In between tales of his teen years on the island of Guam (where among other things he caddied on a golf course that doubled as an airstrip), his love of books, his lengthy UC San Diego college career that included meeting his future wife as they washed dishes in the school cafeteria, or one of his many goals in life to “figure out how to make coffee as quickly as possible,” Lightner exudes curiosity.

Asked why he wants to enter the political fishbowl, Lightner proclaims, “I want to be a technological evangelist and a technological watchdog. My wife has been doing it. I think I can be more effective.”

Might the woman who has collected every petal from all the roses he has given her each anniversary for each year (“It’s getting expensive!” he joked) prefer not to read this boast? “In terms of evangelism, I think I can speak to it,” he said. “She consults me about this kind of stuff.”

He’s not a fan of expanding the Convention Center (he’s “attended” three online conventions, which he considers the future), deemed “questionable” Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s veto of a city minimum-wage hike now on the June ballot, compares investing in a new Chargers stadium to buying a motor home (“a 30-year mortgage” on something “completely useless after 10 years”) and laments infrastructure thinking that dates back to Roman days (“Do we really need to dig up the streets?”)

But frankly, his sights seem aimed squarely at denying Ellis victory. While his wife “doesn’t need to be defended, I have a right to be pissed off,” he said. “I’m told this is the way the game is played and shouldn’t take it personally.

To which I say, ‘Bullshit!’”

Spin Cycle appears every week.

Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com.

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

Up Front | Opinion

Sordid

Edwin Decker

Tales

The vindication of a lesbian pornography connoisseur

A

s they have done every year since 2012, PornHub.com released a study of its users’ trends in 2015 and it turns out, the single most searched term was “lesbian.”

Now that’s progress! Only two years ago it was all the way down at number nine, behind “teen,” “MILF,” “anal,” and, um, “cartoon” so good on you lesbian porn category! It is your commitment to excellence that made you one of the most beloved pornography searches in the world.

So how does this vindicate me? Well it proves that I was a visionary, a pioneer—an Einstein, da Vinci, Galileo and Copernicus all rolled into one filthy, little, smut-loving adolescent because I was admiring lesbians long before it was acceptable.

It should be noted that the term “lesbian” is likely a misnomer. Who can say the true sexual preferences of the women depicted in these scenes so it’s probably more accurate to call the category, Woman on Woman Sex Acts, or WOWSA for short.

And yowza was I gaga for WOWSA! When all the other kids were fawning over their fathers’ Playboys, I had graduated to Penthouse, Cheri and Club. And unlike Playboy, which only showed naked women posing alone (usually in a pair of daisy dukes beside a bale of hay), these magazines showed them doing things. You know, touching themselves. Touching others. Having sex, pictorially, across five or sixpages! Typically, the sex was with men, but every once in a while—when the moon was in the seventh house, the maples formed a union and the highways jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive—they would show women having sex with (will somebody please pass the oxygen tank?) women!

Hormonally, I was having a field day. Intellectually, however, it felt wrong. It was a dark, deep secret so securely locked in my vault of shame that it felt like I was living a double life. By day I was an innocent lad whittling sticks and trolling crayfish; by night, a shadowy figure drooling over images of degenerate trollops doing unspeakable things to each other.

Keep in mind in the ’70s there was good reason to keep it secret. Pretty much everything that wasn’t the missionary position was considered aberrant and I have no doubt, if the Internet existed back then, the most common search would have been, “Wife agrees to intercourse on husband’s birthday.”

Then the ’80s came and with it, a movie called Personal Best, which I saw with three friends.

Now, anyone who has seen this teary, trudging, triumph-of-the-will-ian crabwalk through a quagmire of emotion (without a single car chase to offset the melodrama) must be wondering why five teenaged boys would go see such a film. Two words: Mariel. Hemingway. Alas, even she could not salvage this plot.

Personal Best is about a group of women trying to qualifc2342’’)DFvvvv=0-vvvvvvvbcvvvvv1431sa1dar—oops, sorry, fell asleep on my keyboard just then. Personal Best is about a group of women trying to qualify for the 1980 Olympic track-and-field team.

Hemingway, then 21, plays a newcomer who is taken under the wing of an older, more experienced—more lesbian—teammate. One things leads to another and, well—the plot is boring but the sex is smokin’!

I mean Mariel Hemingway? With all that girlish allure? Seduced by a full-on lesbian? It was the scene that put this movie on the map because WOWSAs had never been shown in a big-budget movie before. More importantly, it was the first time my secret perversion was portrayed in the mainstream.

“Well maybe I’m not such a degenerate after all,” I thought.

It was on the walk home when I came out of the closet. “What about that sex scene?” I blurted.

“Was that hot or what?” The comment was met with a chorus of “Ewws” and “ughs” and “That’s gross, man.” My friend Lonnie Z.—a 50-year-old, right-wing, Christian conservative stuck in a teenager’s body—told me that I was “sick in the head.”

Needless to say my unconventional predilection was not met with approval. And news of this depravity spread quickly—until it got to the point that no recess break, no sandlot ballgame, no barefoot strolls to the fishing pond, no youthful moments on the stoop jib-jabbing about sports and girls would expire without someone blurting, “Decker likes to look at magazines with girls kissing, bwaa-ha-ha-ha!”

I was embarrassed, but also confounded. Have they even seen this stuff? What’s not to love about two exquisite females caressing each other softly beside a bale of hay after a hard day tending to the livestock? And best of all, no penises! Not a single, revolting boner in sight. Because, well, if pornography is fantasy, why would I want some X-rated gladiator—nothing but chest and chin, and a phallus that’s measured in horse-lengths—getting all the action in my fantasy?

Anyway, my friends remained unconvinced. But all these years later, after reading how prevalent the lesbian search term is, I can’t help but think that most of them see the truth now. That lesbianism is a gift to men and women, and I was ahead of my time.

Although that wanker Lonnie Z. probably doesn’t agree. His favorite search term today is most likely, “Wife on bottom praying for it to be over quick.”

As for the rest of them—well, vindication is mine.

WOWSA porn is not a perversion; it’s pretty much the norm. We just didn’t know it back then.

“

Needless to say my unconventional predilection was not met with approval.

“

8 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

Sordid Tales appears every other week.

Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com.

#SDCityBeat

Up Front | Food

by michael a. gardiner

the world

fare

San Diego’s takes on “red sauce Italian”

A

merica, it’s often forgotten, is a region of Italy…at least culinarily. Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Sicily feature unique, identifiable regional Italian cuisines. “Italian-American” may be even more distinct. It’s with that in mind I went in search of San Diego’s take on what some call “red sauce Italian.”

Eggplant parmesan, garlic bread and spaghetti with meatballs may be what Americans think of as “Italian” but you won’t find them in Italy. ItalianAmerican cuisine is a hybrid of Southern (mostly) Italy’s culinary traditions with American ingredients, wealth and urban reality. A food of poverty in which pasta was the star evolved into a plate showing off relative wealth in which the protein was the star. “A little sauce with your pasta” became “a little pasta with your sauce.” Hence the term—oft uttered derisively—red sauce Italian.

Given the rich history of San Diego’s Italian immigrant community, it should not come as a surprise we have many old-style ItalianAmerican joints in town. In truth, none of San Diego’s red sauce Italian spots come close to the heights of New York’s Carbone Restaurant, but you can certainly get a sense of red sauce Italian food at The Venetian Restaurant (3663 Voltaire St.) in Point Loma. The Venetian is one of San Diego’s oldest ItalianAmerican places, dating to 1965.

There may be no better Italian-American dish in town then the Venetian’s lemon butter scallops with fresh basil and tomatoes. The Parmesan (and it’s “Parmesan,” not “ParmigianoReggiano”) breadcrumb crust on the scallops gave the dish a textural contrast, and the lemonbutter-tomato sauce was surprisingly light. The baked manicotti tasted distinctly better than it looked, well-cooked pasta and a very competent marinara sauce being let down by a form that was neither completely functional nor attractive. It was, however, tasty.

One classic dish with which San Diego strug-

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gles is linguine with clam sauce (linguine con le vongole). One look at the vongole at downtown’s Caps Pizza & Bar (1428 1st Ave.) shows why: canned clams. While a lot of places use that product it’s a huge hurdle to overcome. Even the Venetian’s version—which added more scallops and fresh clams to the mix—was ultimately undone by the can opener. A better bet at Caps is its excellent eggplant parm sub.

The most common problem in San Diego’s red-sauce Italian restaurants is, ironically, the red sauce. Most are, plainly and simply, technically deficient. At Volare Italian Restaurant (3528 Barnett Ave., Loma Portal), for example, there was still discernible crunch in the onions in the sauce: It needed a longer simmer. At Etna Pizza & Italian Grill (4427 El Cajon Blvd.) the issue was acidsugar balance; a little of the latter would certainly have helped. It’s hard to have good red sauce Italian pasta without good red sauce.

Michael A. Gardiner

Caps’ vongole There is, however, one bit of classic old-style Italian-American fare that seems glorious wherever you go in San Diego: the garlic bread. From Etna’s barely-griddled version to Caps’ toasty style there is nothing that quite says “ItalianAmerican” like the rich, pungent and incredibly comforting aroma of buttery garlic and a slice of toasted baguette as the delivery vehicle.

Maybe they should be called “garlic bread Italian” restaurants.

The World Fare appears weekly.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

Up Front | Drink

the

by andrew dyer

beerdist

andrew dyer

Community activism on tap at Border X

S

ince opening its tasting room a little more than a year ago, Border X Brewing (2181 Logan Ave.) has led a wave of excitement and redevelopment in Barrio Logan. Owner David Favela has consistently offered up his tasting room and gallery as a place for artists to sell their work, and for charities and schools to fundraise.

The tasting room opens art shows every two weeks and does not charge commission for artwork sold.

Favela said they also support other issues important to the neighborhood, like helping the families of the 43 missing Ayotzinapa students in Mexico.

“We held multiple events here in support and in honor of the families, as well as the activists who are trying to put money together,” he said.

Recently, the tasting room hosted a fundraising event with Veterans for Peace and Border Angels in support of the Deported Veterans House in Tijuana. Master Chef winner Claudia Sandoval donated her time, leading a team of local chefs in preparing food for the event.

“It (was) a perfect opportunity for me to give back in a way that I’m very passionate about, and in a way that continues to help raise money and raise awareness,” she said.

In June the tasting room is hosting a gala for Kipp: Adelante Preparatory Academy. “(The kids) are mostly from Barrio Logan or Logan Heights,” he said. “We just see it as an important part of our mission.”

Favela said he has been in talks with San Diego Comic-Con and hopes to have con-connected events in the barrio this summer. He sees comics as a great way to help get kids to read.

“I was sent to a special education school for bilingual education, and I had a terrible time,” Favela said. “The one thing that saved me was a love for comic books. (They) can be an entry point for kids in the barrio, to not only acquire language but also different ideas and culture.”

With property values up and breweries moving in, talk of gentrification of the barrio has followed.

Favela said he is not worried.

10 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

Deported veteran art at Border X “To me, gentrification doesn’t have to be a bad word,” he said.

Favela believes it is the intentions of the developers that affect growth.

“Is it building on the community’s culture and enriching the lives of the people who live here, or is it trying to attract a whole new community?” he asked. “We’ve all made this a really good, fun place to live so people want to live here. Unfortunately, some landlords can be greedy and abuse it.”

There is still a lot of unused square footage in the neighborhood.

“It’d be wonderful to see some more barrio entrepreneurs stepping up,” he said. “Or, we can get lost, and not figure out how to fill these empty storefronts with those kind of businesses, and guess what? We’ll get the other kind. The checkcashing places and big-brand cafes, and all of that will begin to deteriorate the fabric of the community.”

Barrio Logan is not the first neighborhood whose revitalization has been helped along by the region’s robust brewing culture. But will that success continue to benefit the community, or will increased property values begin to affect the character of the barrio? Whatever comes, Border X looks to be a major player, and Favela a voice for those who have long called the barrio home.

The Beerdist appears every other week.

Write to andrewd@sdcitybeat.com

#SDCityBeat

Up Front | drink

bottle

By Jen Van Tieghem

Rocket Catching the buzz on Baja wines

I

f you’ve heard rumblings about Mexican wine or want to know more about the region’s appeal and offerings, there’s one name you should know in San Diego: Fernando Gaxiola.

The proprietor of Baja Wine + Food, along with other local tastemakers, works diligently to make wines from across the border familiar to San Diegans.

Having grown up in the region, Gaxiola says he feels a connection with the land, its people and the cuisine. He exudes enthusiasm when discussing the wines, the small boutique and family-owned vineyards he works with intimately, and even the various challenges he faces in bringing them stateside.

“The biggest challenges are brand recognition, price and the region/country of origin,” Gaxiola explained via email. “Although I have done hundreds of events... There is still a lot to do to reach our target market.”

One way Gaxiola serves as an ambassador for wines from Mexico—and specifically Valle de Guadalupe—is through tasting events. At a recent Baja wine-and-food-pairing at The Wine Pub in Point Loma, I got to taste several wines he represents, and learn about the deep passion he has for them.

The sold-out event featured five wines—ranging in price from $17 per bottle up to around $40—paired with appetizers. Gaxiola showcased the region’s variety including a refreshing Chenin Blanc-Columbard blend, a fullbodied Grenache and a fruit-forward, yet smooth red blend. As he noted, the wines tend to go well with food so this tasting allowed them to shine.

Gaxiola also hosts a “Weekly Wine Wednesdays” series at Planet Wine in Bankers Hill with many Valle wines represented in different ways.

And getting people to try the wines is what it’s all about for Gaxiola: “I would like people to try them with open palate, mind and heart,” Gaxiola said. “I would like people to know the stories be-

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hind the wines, the land, the plants and the people. I would like people not to judge them because they are different, but appreciate them because of that same reason.”

When he’s not bringing wine to the masses, Gaxiola also brings the masses to the wine. He and The Wine Pub owner Sandy Hanshaw organized, and have nearly sold out, a wine-tasting trek to the Valle de Guadalupe in April with more planned for May and July.

Hanshaw, another Valle enthusiast noted the things that make the area special to her: “It’s breathtaking, filled with character and the winemakers and growers are just as passionate about their wine as I am about what they create. How jen van tieghem

“Weekly Wine Wednesdays” at Planet Wine often do you get to witness this evolution of a wine region? On top of that, it is right in our backyard.”

While these are just a couple opinions on Baja wines, the word-of-mouth seems to be growing.

Gaxiola recently partnered with local importing/ distributing company Truly Fine Wine to bring some of that portfolio to their retail and distribution efforts. TFW partners Damon Goldstein and Brian Donegan expressed their excitement about the partnership. Both point to Gaxiola’s fervent passion and refer to him as the hardest-working man they know in the wine business.

Write to jenv@sdcitybeat.com

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

Up Front | technology But things started to get really strange campaign, they were not worth investigatat the first primary in New Hampshire. ing. I reached out to the DNC about the dis“At one point, I was listed in third place crepancies and nobody got back to me.

You barely have to Google “Electronic with 851 votes,” De La Fuente said. “Twenty-six minutes later, my tally was 54 votes. voting hacks” to start really freaking yourA loss of 797 votes.” The campaign caught self out. frame grabs of the tally via Politico.

As recently as last April, a state of VirOn Super Tuesday it got worse. In Texas, ginia report on the touchscreen voting where De La Fuente campaigned heavily in machines used in numerous elections beHispanic communities, “We were delighted tween 2002 and 2014 gave the machines to have 8,080 votes in Travis County. About an “F-minus.” According to The Guardian— 20 minutes later, we had only 108 votes.” and why wasn’t this widely reported in Again, frame grabs from Politico’s county- American media?—the Virginia Informarazy election season so far, right? But more than Martin O’Malley—but received by-county tally, provided by the campaign, tion Technology Agency and outside conwhat if I told you that maybe, just zero attention from the Democratic Na- back up De La Fuente’s claim. tractor Pro V&V found numerous flaws in maybe, in this age of computerized tional Committee. It refused to include him Almost all of New Hampshire uses Ac- the system. voting, your vote might not even count? Or in the polls to determine who qualifies for cuvote Electronic Voting Machines. Travis For example: Virginia found that maget counted? Or get counted for the rock de la fuente campaign chines were set up with passwords as wrong person? simple as “abcde” and “admin,” and That’s the creeping concern I got could easily have been hacked from the after talking and looking at documents parking lot outside the polling place. from Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente, the These same kinds of machines were fringe Democratic candidate who’d also used in Mississippi and Pennsylbeen running for president. vania.

De La Fuente has been best known Princeton University computer as a self-made millionaire who owned geeks released a study showing how nearly 30 car dealerships throughout easy it is to unlock the machines and Southern California; the guy who flies replace their memory card with anoththe biggest American flag in the world er that has malicious code.

(3,000 square feet, over one of the deal“Malicious software running on a erships); and the plaintiff in a land-use single voting machine can steal votes lawsuit that turned into the city of San with very little risk of detection,” the Diego’s longest running court case Princeton report stated. “The mali(mostly settled in De La Fuente’s favor cious software can modify all of the last November, after 20 years). records, audit logs and counter kept De La Fuente could have been the by the voting machine so that even Democrats’ Donald Trump, not so careful forensic examination...will find much in the sense of a loose cannon, nothing amiss.” scorched-earth candidate, but as a In Kansas, a mathematician sued non-politician businessman outsider, the state to get access to voting records one with a potentially natural appeal to after discovering a series of voting the Hispanic community. anomalies in urban areas. She lost.

It was a quixotic quest to be sure, Private companies make most of but hey, this is America and anybody the electronic voting machines, each can grow up to be president right?

Screen captures appear to indicate De La Fuente “lost” votes. with a proprietary, secret software and Well, as it turns out, of course not. hardware platform. Recounts are done While trying to get on the ballot in all the debates, so that pretty much left it game County voters filed a lawsuit in 2006 alleg- by the company itself, under the auspices 50 states, “We lost petitions at an alarming over for building national awareness. ing that electronic voting machines lacked of protecting its business information. No In Iowa, and every subsequent caucus, reliability and security. The Texas Supreme paper trail. rate,” De La Fuente laments. “Two boxes of signature petitions ‘disappeared’ in Virgin- the party refused to list his name on sign- Court dismissed the case in 2011 and the This is the type of stuff that drives me ia, which left us short of the filing require- in sheets, even though he qualified to be machines remained. mad, one of the things that seemingly ment in that state. Wisconsin also denied there. His campaign was denied signage at I reached out to Verified Voting about should be a huge story hard-boiled journalus ballot access after it ‘lost’ 145 of the peti- the caucuses while other candidates’ were De La Fuente’s complaints, but was told ists should be chasing but aren’t. It seems tions we filed, without explanation.” permitted. State parties even refused to that if the frame grabs of Politico’s chang- like you couldn’t implement electronic votEven with the setbacks, De La Fuente provide his campaign with a list of where ing results throughout the night didn’t ing to a population this badly unless you ended up getting on the ballot in 40 states— caucuses were being held. come from a source unaffiliated with the tried. And that worries me.

all things

by tom siebert

tech

The rocky road toward accurate vote counts

C

12 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

#SDCityBeat

EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

1

HEAR THEM ROAR

We’d like to think our readers have been celebrating Women’s History Month with complete abandon. Surely they’ve attended some of the great book signings, film screenings and events happening around town, right? RIGHT? OK, well, don’t fret, because March isn’t over yet and there’s still some cool female-focused ways to show your support. First up, the eighth annual Women in Jazz concert will be held on Friday, March 25, the eve of SWAN (Support Women Artists Now) Day. Starting at 8 p.m. at Dizzy’s (4275 Mission Bay Drive), the concert features a local allstar cast, as well as a “Future of Jazz Women” performance from rookie vocalists Jenna Stevens, Serena Geroe and more. Tickets range from $15 to $20 at dizzysjazz.com.

That same night at 8 p.m., as well as on Saturday, March 26, local modern dance provocateurs Duck&Snaith (Katie Duck and Yolande Snaith) will present their acclaimed collaborative performances Women for the Sake of It and Girls at Work at the RAW Space Off Broadway (923 First Ave.) in

2

BREWS CRUISE

For bicycle enthusiasts, keeping San Diego city streets safe is a top priority, and what better way to motivate SD bike hipsters than beer? Bikes and Beers San Diego is putting on its third annual 22-mile ride, starting at the Quartyard (1102 Market St.) in East Village and whizzing through Balboa Park, Sunset Cliffs and all over the city before ending up back at Quartyard for a post-race festival. Once there, riders will receive a two-drink voucher good for a couple craft beers and there will also be music by DJ Tooth, catered food from four local restaurants, and bike-themed vendors. The registration fee if $50, which goes to BikeSD, a local nonprofit dedicated to making San Diego a more bike-friendly city. So rise and shine on Saturday, March 26 at 8:30 a.m., but register first at bikesandbeers.org.

BETH PERALTA-REED

Bikes and Beers

#SDCityBeat

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

the Gaslamp Quarter. Coming off a successful European tour, both performances include a diverse cast, as well as elements of voice, text, music and interaction. Tickets start at $10 at yolandesnaith.com.

Finally, documentary buffs should check out The Same Difference and Kitchenistas of National City. The first film examines inter-discrimination and gender roles within the black lesbian community and features familiar faces like Snoop Pearson (The Wire) and Lea Delaria (Orange is the New Black). Tix for the screening on Saturday, March 26, at MOPA (1649 El Prado, mopa.org) in Balboa Park range from $20 to Women in Jazz $30 and include an after-party with director Nneka Onuorah. Mary Ann Beyster’s Kitchenistas has already won several festival awards and centers on local women attempting to change their diets in a city that the USDA has labeled a “food desert.” There will be a screening Tuesday, March 29, at the UC Sa Diego Faculty Club (9500 Gilman Drive #0121 in La Jolla) at 5:30 p.m. that includes a postscreening Q&A with Beyster. It’s free, but registration is encouraged at kitchenistas.eventbrite.com.

Go ladies!

3

POPPING OFF

We already love Cake&Whiskey, a small business-focused organization that throws quarterly “HobNobs” for entrepreneurial women (men are welcome too). Still, the Talk Shop Pop Shop on Thursday, March 24, might be their best one yet. Cake&Whiskey has teamed up with the Tradesmen Pourhouse to throw a charitable pop-up COURTESY OF LA BELLE BLOOM shop that will showcase over a dozen local and independent crafters, artists and businesses. To name a few, there will be baked goods from Copper Box, flower creations from La Belle Bloom and leather goods from BlackWolff Leather.

What’s more, 10 percent of sales will go La Belle Bloom to Music & Memory, a nonprofit combating memory loss in seniors via music. It all goes down from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Tradesman (21 16th St.) and the $10 ticket includes a complimentary drink and, naturally, a slice of cake. hobnob.brownpapertickets.com

HMemory Revisionism at Teros Gallery, 3888 Swift Ave., City Heights. A solo exhibition showcasing new works from Oakland-based artist Madeleine Tonzi, who specializes in moody surrealist scenes of nature. Opening from 5 to 11 p.m. Thursday, March 24. Free. facebook.com/ Teros-Magazine-163020453812436 HBYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer) at Westfield Horton Plaza, 324 Horton Plaza, Downtown. An international series of onenight exhibitions inviting artists, armed with films, video art, video games, animated gifs and projectors, to convene and explore the art of projection in an immersive environment. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m.

Friday, March 25. Free. 619-239-8180, sandiego-art.org HIntersections 2016 at City Gallery, 1313 Park Blvd., Downtown. A dual exhibition with Luxe Gallery including more than 130 works of art that attempts to illuminate contemporary art in digital media. Includes work from Ron Belanger, Pasha Turley, Pamela York and many more. Opening from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 25. Free. 619-3883400, sdcity.edu/citygallery HLittle Dame Pop Up Gallery at Little Dame Shop, 2942 Adams Avenue, University Heights. New art works from Kristen Lui Wong and Wild Home Girl, as well as an open mic and music performances from Nothingful, Danny Ellis, Brandon Walter and more. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, March 25. Free. 925-4571020, littledameshop.com/ 30 on 30 at Art on 30th, 4434 30th St., North Park. An exhibit showcasing the new work of 30 select artists from Ashton Gallery and Art on 30th studios. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 26.

Free. 619-894-9009, arton30th.com HFerocious Bronze: The Animal Sculptures of Arthur Putnam at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. Hailed as the “American Rodin,” this exhibition showcases 28 of Putnam’s vibrant animal bronzes to celebrate the centennial of Balboa Park neighbor, the San Diego Zoo. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, March 26. Free-$12. 619-2327931, sdmart.org HGradient at 2277 National Ave. #C, Barrio Logan. A pop up art show featuring new works and tattoos from Sergio Hernandez and pics and cuts by Stevie Ortega. There will also be music by Digi. gurl and more. Opening from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 26. Free. eventbrite. com/e/gradient-tickets-23761969691 HHeroic Procession at Monarch | Arredon Contemporary, 7629 Girard Avenue Suite C2, A collaborative exploration of migration and movement through visual art, dance and sound that includes Tijuana visual artist Hugo Crosthwaite, violinist Marilu Salinas and Japanese Butoh dancer Theresa Magario. Opening from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 26. Free. 858454-1231, monarchfineart.com HLatest Report at HB Punto Experimental, 2151 Logan Ave. Section B, Barrio Logan. Exhibiting both early and recent works, Walter Zimmerman’s solo show is the “latest report” of his immense body of artworks. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 26. Free. 909-706-1036, facebook.com/HBPuntoExperimental/ Margaret Griffith at Lux Art Institute, 1550 S. El Camino Real, Encinitas. Lux’s newest artist-in-residence will present new metal works which reinterpret our urban and residential landscape by re-imagining its most tangible structure, the residential gate, as a metaphor for impermanence.

From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 26.

Free-$5. 760-436-6611, luxartinstitute.org

H = CityBeat picks

Sweet Gongs Vibrating at San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park.

A multimedia, multi-sensory exhibition from SDAI curator-in-residence Amanda Cachia that embraces different modes of perception other than vision. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 26. $5. sandiego-art.org Word Of Mouth Art Night at Bar Dynamite, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Local artists can display and sell their works of art while getting the opportunity to network with other artists and taste-makers in the industry. From 8 p.m. to midnight. Monday, March 28. Free.

619-295-8743, bardynamite.com

BOOKS Lisa Yee at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The novelist will be promoting her latest DC Super Hero Girls young adult hardcover, Wonder Woman at Super Hero High. At 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 23.

Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HMichael Tennesen at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The science writer and author will discuss and sign his book The Next Species: The Future of Evolution in the Aftermath of Man. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23.

Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com/event/ michael-tennesen-2016 Ravi Nathwani at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The poet and teacher of the Bhagavad Gita will discuss and sign his new collection of poetry, Mala of Love: 108 Luminous Poems and the sequel to Mala of the Heart: 108 Sacred Poems. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24.

Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com T. Jefferson Parker at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The bestselling author of Storm Runners and The Fallen will discuss and sign his new novel, Crazy Blood, a murder mystery set at a ski resort. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24. Free. 858268-4747, mystgalaxy.com David Brin at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The scientist, tech-futurist, and author will sign and discuss Insistence of Vision, his third collection of stories that explore humanity’s role in an ever-changing world. At 2 p.m. Saturday, March 26.

Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HBill Walton at Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla. The NBA MVP, Hall of Famer, and award-winning broadcaster will be discussing and signing his memoir, Back From the Dead. Price includes a copy of the book. At 7 p.m. Monday, March 28. $29.16. 858-454-3541, warwicks.com/event/bill-walton-2016 Brian Staveley at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The fantasy author will be promoting the last book in his Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne trilogy, The Last Mortal Bond. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 28. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HKaran Mahajan at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The author of Family Planning celebrates the launch of his newest novel, The Association of Small Bombs, about two boys and the effects of terrorism on victims and perpetrators. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 28. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com Sam Sykes at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The fantasy author will be promoting The Mortal Tally, his latest book featuring adventurer Lenk. At 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 29. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 HChristopher Scotton at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla.

The debut novelist will discuss and sign The Secret Wisdom of the Earth, about a teenage boy who witnesses a terrible act of violence in a small Appalachian town.

At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30.

Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com Penguin Teen on Tour at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. Five YA authors will sign and discuss their latest books including Alison Goodman, Alwyn Hamilton, Rachel Hawkins and more. At 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 30. Free. 858-2684747, mystgalaxy.com

COMEDY Comedy Grit IV at Maxwell’s Boxing, 7090 Miramar Rd, Suite 103, Miramar. A night of comedic standup performances from Deric Poston, Ehsan Ahmad, Dangerous Dick, and more. At 7 p.m. Saturday, March 26. $10-$15. 858-761-8006, brownpapertickets.com/event/2524073

DANCE HWomen for the Sake of It and Girls at Work at RAW Space Off Broadway, 931 1st St., Downtown. Local modern dance provocateurs Duck&Snaith (Katie Duck and Yolande Snaith) will present their acclaimed collaborative performances that include a diverse cast, as well as elements of voice, text, music and interaction. At 8 p.m. Friday, March 25 and Saturday, March 26. $10-$20. yolandesnaith.com

FILM Night of 1000 Burritos: A San Diego Independent Film Showcase at Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park. Indie Apocalypse, a talk show where professional and amateur filmmakers discuss the trials and tribulations of film production in Southern California, will be showcasing the films they have been working on for the past year. From 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, March 25. $13-$15. 619-238-8777, bzpmedia. podbean.com

FOOD & DRINK

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN FITZSIMMONS

Chef Celebration Dinner Series at Pamplemousse Grille, 514 Via De La Valle,

Solana Beach. The locally based non-profit “by chefs, for chefs,” kicks off their annual Spring Dinner Series with a five-course meal. Benefits the organization’s culinary scholarship program that sends ambitious lower and mid-level cooks to the Culinary Institute of America Greystone. From 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 29. $85. 858-7929090, chefcelebration.org

MUSIC David Crosby at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The iconic singersongwriter from The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash will perform an intimate solo acoustic set with only his voice and guitar.

At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23. $40$75. 619-570-1100, sandiegotheatres.org Montreal Symphony Orchestra at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. Music Director Kent Nagano conducts an evening of orchestral works by Debussy, Stravinsky and renowned Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 23. $30-$105.

619-235-0804, ljms.org HA Vintage Evening with The Gregory Page Trio at La Jolla Community Center, 6811 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Part of the Fourth Friday Jazz Series, Page and company perform music from bygone musical eras of the early 20th century. Valet and hors d’oeuvres included. From 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, March 25. $18-$25.

858-459-0831, ljcommunitycenter.org HWomen in Jazz at Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. The eighth annual Women in Jazz concert features a local all-star cast, as well as a “Future of Jazz Women” performance from rookie vocalists Jenna Stevens, Serena Geroe and more. At 8 p.m. Friday, March 25. $15-$20. 858-270-7467, dizzysjazz.com Formosa Quartet at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. The chamber music foursome premieres Lei Liang’s “Song Recollections,” as well as “Hungarian Folk Songs” by American composer Dana Wilson and “Threnodies I and II” by Aaron Copland. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 29. $40-$50. 619-232-7931, artofelan.org Il Volo at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. The Italian popopera trio consisting of Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto, and Gianluca Ginoble will release their fifth studio album Grande Amore at the end of September. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30. $42.50$97. sandiegotheatres.org

COURTESY THE ARTIST AND LEHMANN MAUPIN, NEW YORK AND HONG KONG

HThe Amazing Acro-cats at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights. The traveling one-hour show features over a dozen felines (all former orphans, rescues and strays) walking tightropes, pushing carts, skateboarding, jumping through hoops and more.

Runs from Thursday, March 24 through Sunday, April 3. Various times. Thursday, March 24. $25-$30. 619-220-0097, brownpapertickets.com/event/2465152 HShen Yun at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. Performances of traditional Chinese dance accompanied by animated backdrops, hand-made costumes, acrobatics, and live orchestra music. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 25, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 26, and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 27. Friday, March 25. $60-$200. sandiegotheatres. org/shen-yunexperience-a-divine-culture/ HFail Better at Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, Downtown. A one-man show from award-winning actor, educator, martial artist and Cirque du Soleil clown Ron Campbell that’s described as “part Ted Talk, part performance, part martial arts class, part party and all fun.” At 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 29. $20-$25. 619-544-1000, sdrep.org RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown.

A multi-media musical journey through the life and times of the world’s most celebrated band. Featuring new songs and high definition imagery, it plays from Tuesday, March 29 through Sunday, April 3. Various times. $27.50-$87.50.

619-570-1100, broadwaysd.com

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD HVAMP: Sports at Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park. So Say We All’s monthly live storytelling show presents stories about athletics going well for us and, of course, the times when our feats of supposed strength didn’t go so well. From 8:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday, March 24. $5 suggested donation. 619284-6784, sosayweallonline.com

SPECIAL EVENTS HTalk Shop Pop Shop at Tradesmen, 21 16th St., Barrio Logan. A quarterly pop-up shop showcasing over a dozen local and independent crafters, artists and businesses including Copper Box, La Belle Bloom, BlackWolff Leather and more. Benefits Music & Memory, a nonprofit combating memory loss in seniors via music. From 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 24. $10. 619-940-7318, hobnob. brownpapertickets.com HToasted SD at Brick SD, 2863 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma. A new and hip spin on wedding expos that focuses on small, local businesses and highlights a more modern, progressive approach to wedding planning. Meet florists, caterers, bakers, and more while enjoying libations, live music, and giveaways. From 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 24. $15-$18. 619399-7822, toastedweddingevent.com HBikes and Beers at Quartyard, 1102 G. St., East Village. The third annual ride includes a 21-mile course throughout the city and a post-ride festival with craft beers, bands and food truck grub. From 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 26. $50. 714-392-8565, bikesandbeers.org

“Apartment A, Unit 2, Corridor and Staircase, 348 West 22nd Street, New York, NY 10011, USA” by Do Ho Suh is on view through July 4 in a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art (1001 Kettner Blvd., Downtown).

14 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

PERFORMANCE

Meals-On-Wheels Wiggin’ Out 1 Mile/5K Walk and Run at Crown Point Park, 3750 Corona Oriente Road, Walk or run to raise money forMeals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego, Inc., who provide regular nutrition and daily contact for lo-

“Sheltered Moon” by Madeleine Tonzi will be on view at Memory Revisionism, a solo exhibition opening from 5 to 11 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at Teros Gallery (3888 Swift Ave., North Park).

cal seniors. At 8 a.m. Saturday, March 26. $25-$35. 619-525-8213, excelarace. com/wiggin-out-5k.html

day, March 26. $30. 619-222-4653, thelomaclub.com

Electric Run Recharged San Diego at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. Party and run your way through a vibrant atmosphere.

Includes an after party with a live DJ, dance floor, food and drink. Benefits Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence. From 6:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 26. $30-$50. 858-755-1161, electricrun.com

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS

HFacing Artifacts: Casting And Collecting Profiles Of San Diegans at San Diego Museum of Man, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park. Part of the Parkeology series, the public is invited to donate their faces to the anthropological collections of the Museum of Man. Visitors will have their face cast in plaster which will be documented and exhibited in the Museum of Man as a temporary loan. RSVP recommended. From noon to 5 p.m.

Sunday, March 27. Free. 619-239-2001, parkeology.org Fearless Voices: Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest’s 53rd Anniversary Dinner at Hilton Bayfront, One Park Blvd., Downtown. Join others at this annual dinner and gala where every very dollar raised benefits thousands of women, men and families living in San Diego who depend on Planned Parenthood health centers. From 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 30. $175-$1,750. planned.org/dinner

SPORTS Glow in the Dark Golf at The Loma Club, 2960 Truxtun Road, Point Loma.

Play a round of golf on a lit up course or challenge each other to a board game, ping pong or Tiger Woods Golf Tournament on Xbox while enjoying drink specials. Includes live music by the Electric Waste Band. From 6 to 9 p.m. Satur-

The GENI Initiative: Bucky Fuller’s Premier Global Energy Solution at World Resources Simulation Center, 1088 3rd Ave., Downtown. Learn about the premier global strategy that provides decreased pollution, reduced hunger and poverty in developing nations, increased trade and cooperation, access to clean water, and stabilized population growth.

From 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 23. Free-$10. 619-865-5904, wrsc.org

WORKSHOPS Full Moon Manifestation at The Ink Spot @ Art Center Lofts, 710 13th St., Ste. 210, Downtown. Join Lydia Lea Real in guided meditation, various activities and exercises designed to identify your vision and keep your attention on your intentions. From 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23. $45-$54. sandiegowriters.org FAB Authority Workshop at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, 350 10th Ave., Downtown. Join Knobbe Martens for a workshop on Intellectual Property (IP) law issues. Learn how to use IP legal tools to help protect your brand including copyrights and how to best protect your designs and ideas.

From 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 24.

Free. fashionweeksd.com Beekeeping 101 at City Farmers Nursery, 4832 Home Ave., City Heights. Learn everything you need from hive setup and location selection, to queen management, safety and cleaning tips to ensure a healthy, happy hive. From 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, March 26. Free. 619- 2846358, cityfarmersnursery.com

#SDCityBeat

THEATER Getting physical at Lamb’s Players

JOHN HOWARD

R

onda Rousey and Holly Holm may have expended less energy in the ring than Kelsey Venter and Lucia Vecchio do on stage in Lamb’s Players Theatre’s production of William Gibson’s The Miracle Worker. Venter, as indefatigable teacher Anne Sullivan, and Vecchio, as the deaf, dumb and blind Helen Keller, take physicality to incredible heights in this chilling 95 minutes directed

by Robert Smyth.

The characters on the periphery of Anne’s struggle to extricate Helen from her shell—James Keller (Jason Heil), his wife Kate (Cynthia Gerber), his son James (Charles Evans Jr.) and the housekeeper Viney (Yolanda Franklin) represent the purely emotional (in other words, caring but also enabling) side of Helen’s life, leaving the heavy lifting to the indomitable Anne. These supporting performances are fine, but Venter and Vecchio could carry this often unnerving drama completely by themselves. The fight choreography of Jordan Miller must be acknowledged along with the actresses’ impressive stamina. The Miracle Worker works hard to demonstrate the resolve of human beings in extraordinary circumstances.

The Miracle Worker runs through April 10 at Lamb’s Players Theatre in Coronado. $24-$72; lambsplayers.org *** In college did you ever have that eccentric but brilLucia Vecchio (left) and Kelsey Venter liant professor whose energy and borderline wackiness in The Miracle Worker made even the densest of lectures entertaining and educational? If so, expect a sense of déjà vu if you’re in the actly 16 years ago. In the interim, it’s been staged all over audience for the San Diego Rep’s return of D.W. Jacobs’ the country and as far away as Poland.

R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the While the show is way longer than it needs to be and Universe. This prodigious one-man show starring Ron tries to answer far too many questions, it’s a formidaCampbell had its world premiere at the Rep almost ex-

#SDCityBeat

ble turn for Campbell as the quirky but brilliant Fuller, whose vision of “Spaceship Earth” and the universe beyond is pop legend. With its high concepts and Utopian sensibilities, this is a thinking-person’s antidote for the dumbed-down Donald Trump era.

R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe runs through April 3 on the San Diego Repertory Theatre’s Lyceum Stage, downtown. $33 and up. sdrep.org

—David L. Coddon Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING: Rope: A new Western musical about a legendary hangman who retires from public executions much to the chagrin of his promoter wife. Written by local playwright Mark Sickman, it is playing now through April 3 at the Tenth Avenue Theatre in the Gaslamp. ropethemusical.com Rain: This new musical based on a short story by Somerset Maugham centers on a missionary, a doctor and their wives who meet a lovable prostitute in ’20s Western Samoa. Directed by Barry Edelstein, it opens March 24 at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. theoldglobe.org Seussical: A family-friendly musical where all of the characters of Dr. Seuss share the stage at the same time. Presented by Star Repertory Theatre, it opens for five performances March 24 at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. starrepertorytheatre.com

For full theater listings, please visit “T heater ” at sdcitybeat.com

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

16 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

#SDCityBeat

We’ve seen enough documentaries by filmmakers who go off in search of a family member’s real story. In HBO’s The Diplomat we get more of that, with David Holbrooke as the onscreen narrator delving into the legacy of missing dad/United States Ambassador extraordinaire Richard Holbrooke. This narrative is intensely wonky, but the son does an adept job laying out the 50 years of American foreign policy shaped by the dad. Richard Holbrooke was just out of college when he landed a foreign affairs position in Vietnam. Up to the day he died of a heart attack, Holbrooke COURTESY OF HBO DOCUMENTARY FILMS

was trying to broker peace in Afghanistan. Sadly he didn’t get to replicate his crowning achievement—ending the war in Bosnia. An all-star cast of Democratic politicos gets face time in The Diplomat. It’s interesting to hear Bill Clinton express jealousy over Hillary’s fondness for Holbrooke (he dated Diane Sawyer, didjaknow?); and to hear Hillary and journo supreme Bob Woodward confirm Hollbrooke’s disdain for the policies of President Obama.

—Seth Combs

#SDCityBeat

I’ve interviewed a lot of musicians over the years, and in that time I’ve heard a lot of unusual methods for songwriting rough drafts, including palmcorders, texting lyric ideas and leaving voice mail messages of sketches of melodies.

If you have a cellphone, however, you can very easily record demos quickly with RecForge Pro ($3.24; play.google.com), an Android app that records, edits, formats and uploads music to the cloud with minimal effort. It’s a pretty simple app; you don’t get all of the features that ProTools would afford you, but what you do get is a one-click demo recording device that allows you to edit or loop what you’ve recorded. Once you’ve got the audio you want, you can upload instantly to Soundcloud, Google Drive or Dropbox, and in .wav or .mp3 file formats. For a really good quality recording, you’ll probably need an external mic, but for a quick and dirty demo, this is a great tool.

—Jeff Terich

@NETFLIX

—Ron Donoho

Former local musician Matthew Binder (Hotel St. George) has crafted quite the anti-hero in Lou Brown, the decidedly despicable if not entirely loveable chap at the center of High in the Streets, Binder’s first novel. Set over a week in the vapid fantasyland of L.A., Brown is trying desperately to pen the follow-up to his bestselling debut. He’s got the money, the hottie girlfriend and the posh house, but inspiration just doesn’t come. He spends most of his time getting drunk with washed-up baseball players and legless homeless men before scribbling random catharses like, “It’s nearly impossible to live the life one has intended for here in America” on COURTESY OF ROUNDFIRE BOOKS the back of junk mail. Will inspiration come? Or will Brown just end up finishing the job of killing himself? The drunken novelist looking for inspiration isn’t the most novel of novel ideas, but Binder does spin a nice yarn. “I’m not certain I have any answers, but I believe there is value in my meaningfully fumbling with it,” says Binder’s protagonist at one point.

And indeed he does.

Everybody’s angry. I’m angry, you’re angry, your dog’s angry—angry, angry, angry. The media pundits cite this rage for the popularity of both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, two politicians who appeal to emotions with lofty, idealistic promises. Don’t get me wrong, there are many reasons to be mad, but believing that an elected official can suddenly assuage our fears, EXPLODING IN SOUND RECORDS close the wealth gap or stop people from being racist is shortsighted. Simply, I miss the days when Angry Young Men started punk bands instead of electing our next president. However, there’s still hope for the youth, as evidenced by the band Big Ups and their new album, Before A Million Universes. Big Ups’ music alternates between the jangly, Fugazi-like grooves and caustic explosions of punk rage. Not overtly political, the lyrics speak to social unrest nonetheless: “IS IT US AGAINST THEM? OR US AGAINST US?” singer Joe Galarraga asks/screams in the slow-burner “Meet Where We Are.” Given the quality of punk released during the George W. Bush years, maybe we can expect more of this kind of stuff if Trump gets elected. Silver linings, people.

—Ryan Bradford

Will Arnett is really good at being a mildly despicable yet entertaining dirtbag. With the exception of the short-lived and, in my opinion, underappreciated NBC sitcom Up All Night, where his character is a genuinely lovely new dad navigating parenthood, marriage and growing older, he’s made a television career of this type of character. Who doesn’t love him as Gob on Arrested Development? No one I want to be friends with, that’s for sure. Gob was hilarious, weird and stunted, but it played well in that madcap sitcom. In Flaked (streaming on Netflix), however, you don’t get the cozy sense of it all being part of a big joke.

Arnett plays Chip, a recovering alcoholic in Santa Monica who goes after all the women his friends are into and lies as he’s doing it. It makes your skin anxiously crawl with embarrassment as you watch it. This show, while often funny but not HAHA funny, has a way of making you think about your own dirtbagginess, while also being entertaining. Definitely worth a watch.

—Alex Zaragoza

There are tour guides like Rick Steves, and then there are travel gurus like the team behind Jungles in Paris ( junglesinparis.com), a website that doesn’t stoop down to clickbait listicles or restaurant recommendations. Instead, this image-heavy site banks on telescopic glances into lesserknown regions and their obscure traditions. The videos are minutes-long looks into seemingly otherworldly lifestyles, peeking into the days of a Peruvian ceviche fisherman, a Thai swordsman, a group of Haitian pilgrims and a Spanish couple who are the only ones left in their abandoned town. Jungles in Paris’ photo galleries cover oddities such as Hong Kong escalator manners and the protective masks worn by welders in Eritrea. The video and photo galleries are accompanied by contextual articles and maps that pinpoint locations. If you have too many responsibilities to jet set, this website will take you out of your armchair without having to hop on an airplane.

—Torrey Bailey

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

Culture | Art gan to develop, Ross asked his mother to help him with the editing process.

“When I wrote the character of Monny Bunny, the bunny mom that takes BunnyKitty in and sews her bunny suit, I pulled from the most warm and loving person I knew: my mom,” Ross says. “When my mom read it for the first time she realized that the character was her. She was touched.” he art of Dave “Persue” Ross (davepersue.com) Ross says his mom contributed to the story in so can be seen all over San Diego. From North and alli bautista many ways, from general encourSouth Park to the alleyways agement to contributing the recipe and walls of Barrio Logan and the for the magic spell that plays a part East Village, the local native’s most in the story. Just after she helped iconic street art character, BunRoss finish the edits, Satenstein nyKitty (a cat with a bunny suit), was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s became his calling card after first Disease and eventually passed he first painted her in the mid-’90s. away in November of 2015. While At the time he knew that the charRoss admits to being sad that his acter would be seen as “different” mom will never get to hold the and “girly,” but wanted to present finished book, he knows she’d something more positive into the be happy that he’s finally getting graffiti scene. it out there. The self-published A little more than a decade ago, book, which is available via crowdRoss began to work on a book that sourcing website IndieGoGo (link explained the origins of the charcan be found at bunnykitty.com), acter. Keeping with the positive also comes with special bonus theme, he wanted to present it as items like plush dolls, limited edia children’s book and The Origins tion prints and BunnyKitty caps, of BunnyKitty: A Tale for All Ages depending on the contributed was born. amount. A portion of the proceeds Dave “Persue” Ross “It helps that there’s a lot and BunnyKitty will benefit Alzheimer’s charities. more acceptance of the kind of “My mom would tell me people art that I do,” Ross says. “People are going to love this story,” Ross says. “That was can look at this and read it to their kids and appreover 10 years ago. It has taken me that long to finally ciate it as art.” paint the illustrations and offer it to the public. At Much of the origin story was inspired by Ross’ some point I will organize viewings of all the paintmother, Diane Satenstein, who Ross says had her ings. I plan to do one of the viewings in San Diego so own dreams of becoming a children’s book illustrastay tuned.” tor. As the story and illustrations for BunnyKitty be- —Seth Combs

Seen LocaL

bunny guy

T

ship out of water

J

onathan Allen is still learning as he goes when it comes to woodworking. Since starting his company Brave Aesthetics (braveaesthetics.com) in 2014, he’s been specializing in installation art and furniture with an emphasis on retail design. His past clients include boutiques like Lone Flag, Van De Vort and even a gig creating displays for Urban Outfitters. Still, he’s the first to admit that while his woodwork has become increasingly more skilled, he’s not sure he was fully prepared for his latest project.

“The complexity of building a boat is beyond physical,” says Allen, describing the 30foot whaleboat he’s been working on for a public art installation behind the recently opened Liberty Public Market inside Liberty Station. “I found that experience and doing is the best teacher. I still don’t know everything when it comes to fine woodworking, but it’s art so it doesn’t have to be perfect.”

Allen got into woodworking after finishing a stint in the Marines in 2005. He began making art as soon as he was a civilian again and, in 2010, helped open the Moniker Warehouse office space for fellow creatives in 2010. Since starting Brave Aesthetics, he claims that 90 percent of his commissions are from

18 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

word-of-mouth referrals and was approached by Liberty Station in early 2015.

“They gave me free rein to go a little abstract with it and go other ways,” says Allen, who hopes the boat will be installed by the end of March. “I wanted it to look like a boat on sand, but once inside, people would feel like they were on the water.” seth combs The boat itself has a five-foot gap in the middle for people to walk in and take a seat on the white oak benches. He has has lovingly named the boat U.S.S. Brave, though he’s quick to add that the name isn’t a reference to Brave Aesthetics, but rather a tribute to the military and the heritage of Liberty Station.

The inside of the boat will be lined with quotes Jonathan Allen about bravery from various military heroes and a few that Allen couldn’t help but include.

“I think there’ll be one in there from the Ultimate Warrior,” says Allen, referring to the popular professional wrestler whose heyday was in the late ’80s and early ’90s. “But for the most part, it’s giving credit to the brave people in the military that have to sacrifice and be brave to keep us free.”

—Seth Combs #SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

Culture | Film

Los Angeles eats itself

City of Gold

Food critic Jonathan Gold champions culinary and community diversity

by Glenn Heath Jr.

T

he blank page is every writer’s nightmare. But The film argues that Gold’s influence has led to a for Jonathan Gold, Pulitzer Prize-winning au- democratization of the food world, demystifying highthor and food critic for the Los Angeles Times, brow French cuisine while elevating the local gems it’s just another part of a procrastination-heavy writ- found in a strip mall. This has allowed a number of ing process. young new food artists to express themselves beyond Director Laura Gabbert’s documentary City of the boundaries of their ZIP Code. Kogi BBQ creator Gold opens on the image of her subject sitting in front Ray Choi sees Gold as the conduit between chef and of a computer waiting for inspiration to strike. He taps patron, able and willing to communicate the passion his fingers on the keyboard, the cursor blinking inces- behind the cooking. santly. Without warning, a marvelous review of a local While it faithfully portrays Los Angeles as a colortaco truck pours out. His words are spoken in voice ful, sprawling, and dynamic place, City of Gold sucover, providing an entry point for the reader to under- ceeds less so at getting to know Gold himself. While stand the feeling behind the food.

Gabbert gains access to his imServing a dual purpose as permediate family and siblings, these sonal portrait and urban symphointerviews are often trifling and ny, City of Gold further explores the inconsequential to the greater arCity of gold tricky subject of a critic’s role in togument. Maybe that’s how Gold Directed by Laura Gabbert day’s society. For the diverse crop wanted it, to focus on the food Starring Jonathan Gold of small restaurateurs that Gold rather than the nuances of his own Rated R has championed over the years, his upbringing. endorsement meant instant crossA greater opportunity might over appeal and added success. have been missed, though, to dig The writer’s curiosity, deep wealth deeper into why this critic found of knowledge and love for Los Angeles continuously it so necessary to explore the fringes of his art form. drives him to experiment with new places, thus ex- His father’s love for classical music and literature are panding the reader’s boundaries of taste. mentioned as influences, but the origins of curiosity The documentary rightfully honors Gold’s pas- are still left somewhat ambiguous. There is a strange sion by transcending Los Angeles’ vast reaches to reveal late in the film that Gold, who once covered hip highlight some of his favorite neighborhoods and hop, sat in with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg while they eating establishments. Gabbert follows Gold as he were recording The Chronic in the early 1990s. So revisits Mariscos Jaliscos in Boyle Heights, Jitalda many stories left untold.

Restaurant in Hollywood and Meals by Genet in LitIt seems knowing the man is less important that tle Ethiopia, interviewing the owners whose lives knowing the work itself, and City of Gold, while often were altered forever by his positive reviews. Each poorly shot, joyously tracks Gold’s way with words has a unique story to tell that challenges the danger- and the food he chooses to describe so eloquently. To ous anti-immigration rhetoric of Donald Trump and paraphrase the man himself, people in Los Angeles are his followers. used to having their city explained to them by outsidCity of Gold takes a stand in support of America’s ers with no frame of reference. His reviews confront evolving and lasting diversity, which can be directly these assumptions by cherishing the possibilities of attributed to the various culinary traditions brought diversity hidden within the Los Angeles food scene, to this country by immigrants. Through his writing reclaiming it as a dynamic, real space instead of some at LA Weekly and now the Times, Gold has inspired movie-star laden wasteland with no substance. a generation of readers to be inquisitive rather than dismissive of other cultures, to seek out different per- Film reviews run weekly. spectives rather than shy away from them.

Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com.

20 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

#SDCityBeat

Culture | Film

Batman v. Superman: The Dawn of Justice (The nadir of superhero movies?)

Krisha

Batman (1989)

Krisha, which opens Friday, March 25, injects everyday interactions and casual dialogue with a heightened level of toxicity. Making his debut as a feature filmmaker after working for years under the tutelage of Terrence Malick, Shults can’t quite help himself from over-directing every moment. He’s seemingly lived this subject matter, even casting himself as Krisha’s long tormented son. But being this close to the material has swayed his film into the realm of misery porn.

Blazing Saddles: Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder star in this subversive Western spoof by the great Mel Brooks. Cook up a pot of beans! Screens at 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 29, at the Arclight La Jolla Cinemas.

Superman (1978)

Black sheep

A

woman under the influence of pain, regret and a ton of prescription medication, 60-something Krisha (Krisha Fairchild) enters the home of her estranged family in a mental haze. She’s a recovering alcoholic who’s been invited to Thanksgiving dinner hoping to make amends for countless decades of disappointment. For some reason the turkey is hers alone to prepare.

Krisha likes to dramatize the process of mounting pressure, both through small narrative knife twists and flashy aesthetics. The jarring score and creepily slow zooms surround the lead character with oppressive style, ogling every moment of discomfort produced by her black sheep status. Nearly every other character is simply a reminder of breathing trauma.

Director Trey Edward Shults’ dizzying psychodrama immediately establishes its brutal tone. A glaringly artificial long take meticulously stalks Krisha for nearly five minutes as she maneuvers the tricky terrain of the family gathering. Dogs bark, teenagers rough house, and men yell at the television. It’s just another day in suburban hell.

This rigorous approach purposefully turns the viewer’s perspective into just another numb bystander watching a slow motion car wreck of antipathy and judgment. Shults is obviously trying to evoke the work of John Cassavetes, but the film has none of his humanity or brute honesty.

Fairchild does her best Gena Rowlands impression, and her performance is often a stunning mish mash of anxiety and rage.

#SDCityBeat

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: A snarky teen (Matthew Broderick) plays hooky and convinces a few friends to do the same, much to the chagrin of his authoritarian principal.

Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

For a complete listing of movies, please see “Film Screenings” at sdcitybeat.com.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

Opening Batman v. Superman: The Dawn of Justice: The nadir of superhero movies?

I certainly hope so.

City of Gold: Food critic Jonathan Gold waxes eloquently about his favorite Los Angeles eateries and the city he has spent decades exploring.

Krisha: An estranged woman returns home to Thanksgiving with her family only to fall prey to the demons of the past.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2: Really?

No way this exists.

One Time Only Batman (1989) vs. Superman (1978): Jack Nicholson in face paint or Christopher Reeves in spandex? Luckily on this night, you don’t have to choose. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Brooklyn: A young Irish immigrant (Saoirse Ronan) travels to New York City against her mother’s wishes only to get pulled back home by familial expectation.

Screens at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 25 and 26, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

Ghostbusters: Bill Murray and the boys kick Slimer’s butt and save New York City from an army of ghouls. Screens at 11:55 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at the Ken Cinema.

March 23, 2016 • San Diego CityBeat · 21

CHRISTELLE DE CASTRO

ANTI WHITE IS NEARING THE END of her proverbial rope. She’s overworked, bone-tired and making a concerted effort not to burn out. But mostly, the artist known as Santigold is wondering just how long she can continue the energy and acuity needed to promote her third LP, 99 Cents, released in February via Atlantic Records.

“It’s really intense. Honestly, it’s hard to be a human being and sustain this pace,” White says with a laugh from Austin, Texas, where she’s holed up between multiple SXSW appearances. “And it’s especially hard with me because I’m so hands-on with everything and approach it all as art. It’d be a lot easier if I were one of those corporation artists that had millions of dollars, still actually sold records and had crazy teams behind me. But because I’m the type of artist I am, it is so all-consuming.”

The performer/producer is undoubtedly stretched thin, but it’s not like she didn’t know what she was getting into.

A former big-label A&R rep, she had written songs for the likes of GZA, Lily Allen and Ashlee Simpson before releasing her own 2008 self-titled debut album as Santogold— later changed to Santigold after a legal challenge from a filmmaker and owner of a mail-order jewelry business.

Earmarked by significant contributions from Switch, Diplo and producer John Hill, her first record was a genrebending mixture of pop, new wave, punk and dub. She followed a similarly eclectic blueprint on 2012’s Master of My Make-Believe, an album that made it to number one on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums chart. But it isn’t the music or the process of making it that is throwing White for a loop this time around.

“It’s all the new technology,” she says. “Everybody is

22 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

trying to utilize it, but for the actual human trying to move through it, I just don’t know how it can be sustainable. The quantity of content you’re expected to be doing now is too much. Luckily, I’ve been trying to create content daily. The creation is what I love. It’s the pace and the budget that are really fucking difficult.”

White is well aware that a lot of the pressure she’s feeling is self-imposed. No one is forcing her to promote 99 Cents with mini infomercials on Tumblr, art installations, parties at actual 99-cent stores and a seemingly never-ending laundry list of press commitments. This is all on top of directing videos, choreographing live-show dancing, making costumes and producing social content.

But when big-name artists backed by production crews and creative teams are setting the standards, regular artists are forced to keep up.

“It’s almost as if the music is a side note at this point,” says White. “And that’s what I think is the real danger. You just can’t spend as much time on the music. Everybody is at their max. There are no budgets. There is no help. And there is a lot of expectation.”

Despite the inequalities, pressure and increased workload, the 39-year-old singer is anything but deterred. Instead, she’s taken on the new challenges of technologybased self-promotion with a spirited tenacity. And she’s done it all while raising her nearly two-year-old son.

While she doesn’t hesitate to criticize the state of the

pop music machine or its non-musical burdens, White is bolstered by the thought that good music will always survive passing trends.

“I think the fact that people are buying vinyl again is telling,” she says. “But it all comes down to values. Do people value talent? Do they value hard work? Immediacy?

Disposability? Empty celebrity? Culture is moving without thought or direction for where we’re headed, and is letting us be guided by the wave of new technology, rather than driving the ship. I just really hope it swings back to valuing something more someday.”

Until that day comes, expect Santigold to keep producing her unique musical stew and designing the entire experience around it. Whether Brian Ellis she continues to keep stride with the system she routinely calls out remains to be seen. But just because she’s got all of her chips on the table doesn’t mean there still aren’t a few tricks up her sleeve.

“I do have in the back of my mind where I’d like to go,” says White. “But I also feel like it’s really important to be in the moment. It’s hard work right now and it’s all I can do to barely hang on. I’m just trying to see this thing through.

“I’m an artist, I love creating, and I want to participate,” she adds. “I want to be part of the pop world. I like pop music. And I love making pop music. But I want to keep the integrity. Honestly, I just want to keep the art of what it is that I’m doing.”

#SDCityBeat

MUSIC

NOTES FROM THE SMOKING PATIO M

embers of The New Kinetics have formed a new band, The Hiroshima Mockingbirds. The band comprises Kinetics members Brian Reilly on guitar/vocals and Jon Bonser on guitar, along with drummer Si Leader and bassist Trips Jurado. The band’s Facebook page went up late last year, after Reilly and Bonser

wanted,” he says in a phone interview. “There’s always pressure for us to worry about whether people like it. The point of making music is artistic expression, so worrying about what people think is kind of like—I can’t paint for shit but, that’s like standing behind a painter and giving approval of every brushstroke.”

The band’s first show is lined up for April 9 at the Til-Two Club.

Reilly says that so far the band hasn’t rehearsed much, though their debut album is almost finished. He compares their sound to heavier Rolling Stones or Van Morrison’s early rock band Them, though Reilly says there’s no clear objective to the band, which makes it both exciting and a little nerve-wracking.

“Admittedly, I’m kind of nervous—you have to be,” he says.

“I’m feeling way more confident than I was, though. We’ve only had about three rehearsals. I’m not a great musician, and I nevTrips Jurado, Brian Reilly, Jon Bonser and Si Leader er will be, but I don’t really give a shit. I like music, and I like to settled on the name, though Reilly says when The play it.”

New Kinetics started slowing down as a result of The Hiroshima Mockingbirds is an open ended various members’ involvement with other projects, project for now, especially since they haven’t played the two of them entertained the idea of starting up any shows just yet. But one thing Reilly does want to something new. do is leave an impact.

“Jon and myself were talking about maybe do“People, when they come to a show, they should ing a band. And we decided we wanted to do a either hate us or love us,” he says. band where we could do whatever the hell we

—Jeff Terich

SINGER VS. SONG This is a recurring feature in which we ask musicians Bob Dylan and Kenny G. It’s tough to tell if Feldto name a song they never want to hear again. man is serious, but it’s hard to care whether or not he is. The feeling behind ‘Former Child Actor’ is Generik, LeftInCompany/Tall Can and Generik: like a hangover that still hasn’t gone away as Sun“Hey Ya” by Outkast. “As much day afternoon turns to evening. as I love everything Andre 3000 Make it go away!” does, the magic of this song began to take a more sinister Bradley Coy, Two Moons shape. It’s like a trigger goes Merging: “Sometimes Always” off in my head any time I hear

by The Jesus and Mary Chain. it and I feel this unruly obliga“Its melody is forgettable and my tion to sing, rap and derp out to friend Connor plays it constantly it. The song possesses me and I in his car. It’s a dilution of the enhave no control of it. It’s torturergy from Psychocandy, and it’s ous. Oh, and anything by Drake overly saccharine.” makes me wanna make out with Mónica Mendoza, Le Ra: “How a shotgun.”

Soon is Now” by the Smiths. “I’m Tonya Pugh, PRGRM: “Forsuch a Smiths lover, but whenevCorey Feldman er I hear this song I forget who mer Child Actor” by Corey Feldman. “‘Former Child Acthey are and immediately skip tor’ is largely unlistenable. Feldman sounds like it. I once had to play it live for my friend’s niece’s a muppet impersonating Anthony Kiedis against quinceañera; we learned a whole bunch of covers a rhythm track provided by 311. Dr. Noah Drake and she really wanted us to play that Smiths song himself, Rick Springfield, co-wrote the track! But and of course I was the one on guitar playing the shit co-writing with the guy who wrote ‘Jessie’s Girl’ out of the tremolo. I still have flashbacks.” does not guarantee a good album. With Feldman’s touch it sounds like a duet between present day —Jeff Terich

#SDCityBeat

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

Music

Jeff Terich

If I were u A music insider’s weekly agenda Wednesday, March 23 PLAN A: Polica, Clara-Nova @ The Irenic. Polica plays a synth-based sound that’s sophisticated with a jagged edge.

Their new single “Wedding” is a jam, and its Sesame Street-inspired video juxtaposes some fucked-up looking muppets with themes of racial injustice. PLAN B: Reverend Horton Heat, Unknown Hinson, Cadillac Tramps, Viernes 13 @ Belly Up Tavern. I haven’t kept up with Reverend Horton Heat that closely over the years, but the man’s released enough great psychobilly records to earn my endorsement. BACKUP PLAN: Bayonne @ The Hideout.

Thursday, March 24 PLAN A: Weedeater, Author & Punisher, Today is the Day, Lord Dying @ Brick by Brick. Your best bet on Thursday is this lineup of heavy bands. And it’s pretty diverse, too, featuring industrial metal architect Author & Punisher and noisecore heroes Today is the Day. PLAN B: Eerie Wanda, Las Piñas, Abjects @ Soda Bar. For a more laid back evening, seek out Eerie Wanda, whose sound blends ethereal dream pop and folky textures, with more than a touch of ‘60s French ye-ye influence.

Friday, March 25 PLAN A: Napalm Death, Melt Banana, Victims, Netherlands @ The Casbah. UK grindcore legends Napalm Death have an incredible track record of high-speed, hyper-intense metal and hardcore. Do some calisthenics, limber up and get in the pit.

PLAN B: Freddie Gibbs, Chaz French @ Observatory North Park. Indiana emcee Freddie Gibbs has released two excellent hip-hop records in the last two years, his 2014 album Piñata being one of the best rap albums of the half-decade.

The dude’s one of the best in the game.

BACKUP PLAN: TEEN, Hills Like Elephants @ Whistle Stop.

ish dark metal masters Tribulation in one show, there’s just no topping that. PLAN B: Murder by Death, Tim Barry @ The Casbah. Murder by Death’s dark, twangy gothic Americana tunes are the perfect alternative to the crimes being committed in the name of roots music. BACKUP PLAN: The Foreign Resort, PRGRM, The Slashes, Blood Ponies @ Ken Club.

Sunday, March 27 PLAN A: Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place, Vertical Scratchers @ The Casbah. If you didn’t catch Seth Combs’ interview with Rob Crow last week, go back and give it a read before hearing the Pinback frontman’s new band.

Monday, March 28 PLAN A: Dreadnought, Nio, Old Man Wizard, Garth Algar, Nic Nassuet @ The Merrow. Colorado’s Dreadnought make ethereal, yet heavy progressive rock with mystical and psychedelic elements. Monday night has never felt so epic.

Tuesday, March 29 PLAN A: Santigold @ House of Blues.

Read Scott McDonald’s cover story this week about Santi White, better known as Santigold. Her new album 99 Cents is another solid collection of eclectic pop jams, sure to translate to a fun live show. PLAN B: Night Beats, San Pedro El Cortez, Dream Joints @ Soda Bar. The name Night Beats suggests the kind of thing you’d hear at a chic discotheque.

That’s not the case at all, as it turns out.

This is trippy, garagey rock ‘n’ roll by scruffy dudes with guitars.

Saturday, March 26 PLAN A: Abbath, High on Fire, Skeletonwitch, Tribulation @ Observatory North Park. Yes, you’re seeing that right—three metal Plan A picks in a row. I admit it’s a lot of metal, but when you have sludge titans High on Fire, black metal legend AbFreddie Gibbs bath and Swed-

24 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

#SDCityBeat

Music

Concerts HOT! NEW! FRESH!

The Shrine (Music Box, 4/8), Seth Bogart Show (The Hideout, 4/8), DMX (Observatory, 4/11), Jay Electronica (Music Box, 4/13), Wild Wild Wets (Casbah, 4/15), Kool Keith (Casbah, 5/4), Wreckless Eric (The Hideout, 5/19), Pentagram (Brick by Brick, 5/25), Gary Wilson (Brick by Brick, 5/27), Upsilon Acrux (The Hideout, 5/28), Voivod (Brick by Brick, 6/1), The Sadies, Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet (The Hideout, 6/11), The Wailers (BUT, 7/29-30), Animal Collective (Observatory, 9/20), Three Dog Night (BUT, 11/3).

GET YER TICKETS

Peter Murphy (Irenic, 4/1), White Denim (BUT, 4/2), Into It. Over It., The World Is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die (The Irenic, 4/3), Tinashe (HOB, 4/4), Amon Amarth (HOB, 4/7), The Darkness (HOB, 4/10), Steve Miller Band (Humphreys, 4/14), Silversun Pickups (Observatory, 4/19), The Damned (BUT, 4/19), Deafheaven (Casbah, 4/21), Deerhunter (Observatory, 4/22), Thao & the Get Down Stay Down (BUT, 4/28), Immortal Technique (Observatory, 4/29), Puscifer (Copley Symphony Hall, 5/1), Tortoise (BUT, 5/3), Beach Slang (Casbah, 5/6), Explosions in the Sky (Observatory, 5/3-4), Fear Factory (Brick

by Brick, 5/5), So Hideous, Bosse-de-

#SDCityBeat

Nage (The Merrow, 5/7), Torche (The Hideout, 5/7), Four Tet (Music Box, 5/8), X, Los Lobos, Blasters (Observatory, 5/8), The Residents Present Shadowlands (BUT, 5/8), Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires (Observatory, 5/12), Andrew Bird (Music Box, 5/13), Beyonce (Qualcomm Stadium, 5/12), Joseph Arthur (Music Box, 5/17), Titus Andronicus, La Sera (Che Café, 5/20), The Thermals (Soda Bar, 5/20), Frightened Rabbit (BUT, 5/21), Jewel (Humphreys, 5/21), Big Black Delta (Casbah, 5/29), Refused (BUT, 5/30), The Cure (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 5/30), Leon Russell (BUT, 5/31), Modern Baseball, Joyce Manor (HOB, 6/1), Yeasayer (Observatory North Park, 6/2), Brian Jonestown Massacre (BUT, 6/2), ‘X-Fest’ w/ Offspring, Cheap Trick (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 6/5), Eric Bachmann (Soda Bar, 6/5), PUP (Soda Bar, 6/11), Case/Lang/Veirs (Humphreys, 6/22), Brian Wilson (Del Mar Fairgrounds, 6/30), Lady Antebellum (Del Mar Fairgrounds, 7/5), Chicago (Harrah’s Resort, 7/8), Rascal Flatts (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 7/8), Slightly Stoopid (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 7/9), Widespread Panic (Civic Theatre, 7/12), Phish (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 7/23), Brand New, Modest Mouse (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 7/26), Julieta Venegas (HOB, 7/30), Sublime with Rome (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 7/30), Weezer, Panic! At the Disco (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/3), Burt Bacharach (BUT, 8/21), Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Melissa Etheridge (Open Air Theatre, 8/23), Ben Harper (Humphreys, 8/23), Dave Matthews Band (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/26), Jackson Browne (Humphreys, 8/29), Journey, The Doobie Brothers (Sleep

Train Amphitheatre, 8/30), Mana (Viejas Arena, 9/9), Ray Lamontagne (Open Air Theatre, 9/13), Jethro Tull (Balboa Theatre, 10/17), Peter Hook and the Light (HOB, 11/8).

Shrine at Music Box. Seth Bogart Show at The Hideout.

Wednesday, March 30 Quantic at Music Box.

Saturday, April 9

Thursday, March 31 Head Wound City at The Casbah.

March Wednesday, March 23 Yuck at Soda Bar. Wolfmother at House of Blues. Reverend Horton Heat at Belly Up Tavern. Bayonne at The Hideout.

Thursday, March 24 Glassjaw at Observatory North Park.

Daughter at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

Black Tusk, Holy Grail at Brick by Brick.

Little Hurricane at Music Box.

Friday, March 25 Black Tusk, Holy Grail at Brick by Brick.

TEEN at Whistle Stop. Napalm Death at The Casbah. Prince Rama at Soda Bar.

Saturday, March 26 Hey Marseilles at Soda Bar. High on Fire, Skeletonwitch, Tribulation at Observatory North Park. Alex Calder at The Hideout. Brian Fallon and the Crowes at House of Blues. Murder by Death at The Casbah.

Sunday, March 27 Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place at The Casbah.

Tuesday, March 29 Foxing at The Irenic. Santigold at House of Blues.

April

The Schizophonics, New Kinetics at Til-Two Club.

Sunday, April 10

Friday, April 1 Alex G at Che Café. Redwoods Revue at Music Box. TV Girl at The Hideout.

Tyler the Creator at Observatory North Park. Peter Murphy at The Irenic.

Saturday, April 2 Dan Padilla at The Casbah. Geographer at The Irenic. Absu at Brick by Brick. White Denim at Belly Up Tavern.

The Killers at Harrah’s Resort.

Sunday, April 3 Into It. Over It., The World Is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die at The Irenic.

Operators at Soda Bar. The Darkness at House of Blues. Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde at Humphreys by the Bay.

Monday, April 11 DMX at Observatory North Park.

Tuesday, April 12 Diarrhea Planet at Soda Bar.

Wednesday, April 13 Lord Huron at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Chvrches at Observatory North Park (sold out). Spencer Moody at The Casbah. Jay Electronica at Music Box.

Thursday, April 14

Monday, April 4

NOFX at House of Blues (sold out). Steve Miller Band at Humphreys by the Bay. Bone Thugs N Harmony at Observatory North Park. Dwele at Music Box.

Tinashe at House of Blues.

Wednesday, April 6 Basement at Lamppost Warehouse.

Spencer Moody at The Casbah.

Thursday, April 7 Elvis Costello at Balboa Theatre (sold out). Amon Amarth at House of Blues.

Friday, April 15 Beach House at Observatory North Park (sold out). Wild Wild Wets at The Casbah.

Saturday, April 16 L.A. Witch at The Casbah.

Friday, April 8 Third Eye Blind at Observatory North Park. Cullen Omori at The Casbah. The

clubs CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

Music clubs CONTINUED from PAGE 25 Sunday, April 17 Acid Mothers Temple at Soda Bar. James Bay at Humphreys by the Bay (sold out). Foals at Observatory North Park.

Monday, April 18

Friday, April 29 Immortal Technique at Observatory North Park. Body of Light, High Functioning Flesh at The Hideout.

Saturday, April 30 Flatbush Zombies at Observatory North Park. 36 Crazyfists at Brick by Brick.

Joe Mande at The Casbah.

The Front Bottoms at Observatory North Park. Protoje at Belly Up Tavern.

Tuesday, April 19 The Damned at Belly Up Tavern. Silversun Pickups at Observatory North Park.

Wednesday, April 20 The Big Pink at Soda Bar. The Arcs at Observatory North Park.

Thursday, April 21 Deafheaven at The Casbah.

Friday, April 22 Deerhunter at Observatory North Park.

Mac Sabbath at Music Box. Prong at Brick by Brick.

Saturday, April 23 Ellie Goulding at Viejas Arena.

Wednesday, April 27 Har Mar Superstar at The Casbah.

Thursday, April 28 Thao & the Get Down Stay Down at Belly Up Tavern.

May Sunday, May 1 Chris Stapleton at Humphreys (sold out). Puscifer at Copley Symphony Hall.

sPOTLiGHT

Tuesday, May 3 Tortoise at Belly Up Tavern. Kid Congo Powers and the Pink Monkey Birds at Soda Bar. Explosions in the Sky at Observatory North Park.

Wednesday, May 4 Crystal Bowersox at House of Blues.

Explosions in the Sky at Observatory North Park. Kool Keith at The Casbah.

Thursday, May 5 Mariachi El Bronx at Belly Up Tavern.

Fear Factory at Brick by Brick. Givers at The Casbah.

Friday, May 6 Violent Femmes at Humphreys by the Bay (sold out). Beach Slang at The Casbah. Jim Bruer at Observatory North Park. Voodoo Glow Skulls at Soda Bar.

Saturday, May 7 So Hideous, Bosse-de-Nage at The

26 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

There may be no more infectious hook in recent hip-hop memory than that of Migos’ “Versace”: “Versace/Versace/Versace/Versace/Versace/Versace/Versace/Versace.” Indeed, it’s a sticky earworm, though the Atlanta rap trio has released a few more bangers since that single dropped in 2013.They’re bringing their trap jams to Observatory North Park on Wednesday, March 23. Tickets are $30. Doors open at 6 p.m. All ages are welcome.

Merrow. Torche at The Hideout. The Slackers at Music Box. Lily and Madeleine at The Loft at UCSD.

Friday, May 13

Sunday, May 8 Four Tet at Music Box. The Residents Present Shadowlands at Belly Up Tavern. X, Los Lobos, Blasters at Observatory North Park.

Tuesday, May 10

Qualcomm

Saturday, May 14 Kris Allen at Music Box.

Tech N9ne at Observatory North Park.

Joseph Arthur at Music Box.

Thursday, May 12 at

Steel Panther at House of Blues. Andrew Bird at Music Box.

Tuesday, May 17

Bear Mountain at The Casbah.

Beyonce

Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires at Observatory North Park.

Stadium.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., San Diego. Pacific Beach. Wed: Mostly Platonic. Thu: Karaoke. Fri: Project Out of Bounds, Ital Vibes, Dub Siders. Sat: Wes Williams Band, The UpShots. Sun: Karaoke. Tue: The Wind Playing Tricks, The Honey Spelunkers.

98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, San Diego. Little Italy. Fri: The Benedetti and Svoboda Guitar Duo. Sat: Dee Lucas. Sun: The Matt Smith Neu Jazz Trio.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., San Diego. Normal Heights. Wed: DJ

#SDCityBeat

Music Jaydean. Thu: ‘My 80s Vice’ w/ DJ Girth.

Sat: ‘JUICY’ w/ DJ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Chvrch’ w/ DJ Karma.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Thu: Theo Von. Fri: Theo Von. Sat: Theo Von. Bang Bang, 526 Market St., San Diego.

Downtown. Fri: Kidnap Kid. Sat: Cut Snake. Sun: Breakbot.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., San Diego. North Park. Wed: DJ L. Thu: ‘45s Forever’ w/ DJ Junior the DiscoPunk. Fri: ‘80s vs. 90s’.

Sat: Schizophonics, Mittens, Touchies.

Sun: ‘Rat Sabbath’. Mon: ‘Soultry Monday’ w/ Tori Roze and the Hot Mess.

Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Thu: Brent Hollingworth. Fri: Cougar Canyon Band, Scratch. Sat: Bumpasonic, Modern Day Moonshine.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Reverend Horton Heat, Unknown Hinson, Cadillac Tramps, Viernes 13. Thu: Daughter, Wilsen (sold out). Fri: Elephant Revival, Mandolin Orange. Sat: Yonder Mountain String Band, Polecat. Sun: They Might Be Giants (sold out). Tue: Rita Wilson.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad. Fri: ‘Club Musae’.

Brass Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., San Diego.

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

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., San Diego. Bay Park. Thu: Weedeater, Author & Punisher, Today is the Day, Lord Dying. Fri: Black Tusk, The Well, Monolith, Aberrance.

Cat Eye Club, 370 7th Ave, San Diego.

Downtown. Fri: Modern Day Moonshine .

Sat: Jason Hanna.

Dirk’s

Nightclub,

#SDCityBeat

7662

Broadway,

Lemon Grove. Lemon Grove. Fri: Serious Guise. Sat: DJ Joey.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, San Diego. Mission Bay. Fri: ‘Women in Jazz’.

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’ w/ Jason Hanna. Thu: Betty Rose. Fri: Flophouse Playboys. Sat: The Sickstring Outlaws.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave. , San Diego.

Downtown. Fri: J Espinosa. Sat: Jordan V. Sun: Party Favor & Valentino Khan.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: Yuck, Big Thief, Junk. Thu: Eerie Wanda, Las Piñas, Abjects. Fri: Prince Rama, Dinner. Sat: Hey Marseilles, Hibou. Mon: Kawehi. Tue: Night Beats.

Gallagher’s, 5040 Newport Ave., San Diego. Ocean Beach. Thu: Synyrgy. Fri: Santana Brothers. Sat: Wild Side.

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., San Diego. Normal Heights. Thu: Erin Bower, Billy. Sun: Tim Mudd, Peacock.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: Wolfmother, Deap Vally. Thu: GNASH, Goody Grace, Julius.

Fri: The Aquadolls. Sat: Brian Fallon & the Crowes, Austin Plaine, Jared Hart.

Tue: Santigold.

The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Rd., Spring Valley. Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke.

Thu: Let’s Face It, Remain In Vain, Darlington. Fri: Kitty Plague, Neurotic Mirage, Stealing Your Kill. Sat: Habitual Defilement, Gortuary, Mortus Terror. Sun: It Is Written, Dona Nova, Embers Fall, Hunt the Elite.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown., San Diego.

Downtown. Fri: Rell. Sat: Draws.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Wed: ‘Family Beatdown’.

Fri: ‘Liquid’. Sat: ‘Purps and Turqs’. Sun: ‘Underrated’ w/ David G. Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., San Diego. Kensington. Fri: The Bollweevils, White Kaps, Western Settings, Tiltwheel. Sat: PRGRM, The Foreign Resort, The Slashes, Blood Ponies.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave. , Coronado. Wed: JG Duo. Thu: Sophisticats. Fri: Manic Bros. Sat: Flipside Burners. Sun: Ron’s Garage. Tue: 3 Guys Will Move U. Music Box, 1337 India St., San Diego.

Little Italy. Wed: Keith Harkin. Thu: Little Hurricane, Grizzly Business. Fri: ‘Subculture’ w/ Strangelove. Sat: SWIMM, The Verigolds, The Gloomies, Pearl Charles.

Patricks Gaslamp, 428 F St., San Diego.

Downtown. Wed: The Upshots. Sat: RedWave. Sun: Rosy Dawn. Mon: The Groove Squad. Tue: Paddy’s Chicken Jam.

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Wed: French Horn Rebellion, Mystery Skulls. Thu: Melvins, The Side Eagles (sold out). Fri: Napalm Death, Melt Banana, Victims. Sat: Murder by Death, Tim Barry. Sun: Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place, Vertical Scratchers. Mon: My Body Sings Electric, Good Graeff.

The Che Cafe, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla.

Fri: Sunflower Bean, Weaves, Buddha Trixie.

The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: Bayonne.

The Irenic, 3090 Polk Ave., San Diego. North Park. Wed: Polica, Clara Nova. Sun: Julien Baker. Tue: Foxing, O’Brother, Tancred, ADJY. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Wed: Crunk Witch, Girlboy, Pueblo. Thu: Johnzo West & The

Wayward Sons, Mario Esteban & The Blessed Hellhounds, Boxcar Chief. Fri: Hard Fall Hearts. Sat: Ruines Ov Abaddon, Under the Stone, Infinite Death, Fadrait. Sun: ‘Revelation of Sound’ w/ DJs Wild Boar Moon, Windand C, Hart.

Mon: Dreadnought, Nio, Old Man Wizard, Garth Algar, Nic Nassuet, Nio. Tue: Marujah, The Bulbs, The Fresh Brunettes.

The Office, 3936 30th St., San Diego.

North Park. Wed: ‘Through Being Cool’.

Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King, The Bill Magee Blues Band. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’ w/ DJs Kanye Asada, Gabe Vega. Sun: ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ w/ Tribe of Kings. Mon: ‘Depeche Mode Under Cover’. Tue: ‘Trapped’.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Thu: Glitter Wizard, Death Hymn Number 9, Desert Suns.

Sat: ‘Sleepwalking’.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., San Diego.

Bay Park. Wed: Gino & The Lone Gunmen. Thu: Sue Palmer. Fri: Red Elvises.

Sat: Full Strength Funk Band.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: Wild Powwers.

Thu: Karaoke. Fri: ‘Shred Til Yer Dead Fest’.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, San Diego.

South Park. Wed: ‘Open Oscillator’. Fri: TEEN, Hills Like Elephants. Sat: ‘Booty Bassment’ w/ DJs Dimitri, Rob. Sun: ‘Not Happy’ w/ Jon Blaj. Tue: ‘LA Modular’ w/ Rodent, Bana Haffar, Head dress, Mike Dobler, John Noble.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., San Diego.

Ocean Beach. Wed: Raggabond, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: AJ Froman, Broken Stems. Fri: Afrolucious, Taurus Authority, Israel Maldonado Band. Sat: The Revival, Trans-Conduit.

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

last words | Advice

amy alkon

advice

goddess Papa’s got a brand new hag My boyfriend travels a lot, and when he’s away, he wants to video call over FaceTime. Well, I look absolutely hideous on FaceTime, and I don’t want to do it. And really, who doesn’t look scary on FaceTime? Megan Fox? Scarlett Johansson? I get that he loves me and knows what I really look like, but I always feel depressed and self-conscious after I get off our video calls.

—FaceTime Hater Of course it’s what’s on the inside that really counts, which is why men’s magazines so often run glossy spreads of stout, good-hearted older women crocheting afghans for nursing home patients.

FaceTime should be renamed UglyfaceTime for what it does to a person’s features, and especially to a woman’s (in lumps, jowls and eye baggery not apparent in photos). While the camera is said to add 10 pounds, FaceTime adds 10 miles of bad road. The good news: You look just like a movie star! The bad news: It’s the zombie Orson Welles.

Friends will remind you that your boyfriend loves you and tell you you’re being silly (read: shallow). Some will offer helpful suggestions, like “It’s all about the lighting!” They aren’t wrong. I suggest avoiding light entirely, like by FaceTiming from a dark closet. Another popular chant: “Wear concealer!” My recommendation: Le Burlap Bag Over Le Head.

Right now, countless readers are getting ready to email me to tell me I’m an idiot. (Hold your fire!) First, male sexuality is highly visual— in a way female sexuality is not. And then there’s what psychologists call “the contrast effect”—how the attractiveness of someone or something changes, depending on the “neighborhood”: how attractive or unattractive the nearby alternatives are. So, you could be an easy 8.5 in Smalltownville and come to Hollywood—aka Mecca for every high school’s goldenblondiest cheerleader—an find yourself struggling to hang on to an 5.8.

The contrast effect even holds true for somebody we love. In research by evolutionary psychologists Douglas Kenrick and Steven Neuberg, when men in relationships were exposed to pictures of very attractive women, they perceived their partner as less attractive—and (eek) felt less satisfied with and less committed to her.

Obviously, looks aren’t all that matter. But sexual attraction naturally wanes over time. Best not to help it along with a “just keep your chins up!” attitude about FaceTiming. This isn’t to say you should leave your boyfriend visually starved. You can keep him well supplied with images of you that you can control: selfies.

These selfies could even be used for a “foreign correspondent” approach to FaceTime—keeping the camera on a still photo of yourself (like when a CNN reporter is on an audio-only connection from a tent outside of Jalalabad). This will allow you to focus on your boyfriend instead of on another man—one with the medical training to make your cavernous nasolabial folds look less like the place they’ll find Jimmy Hoffa, your dad’s coin collection and three hikers who disappeared in 1976.

“

FaceTime should be renamed UglyfaceTime for what it does to a person’s features.

“

(c)2016, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol. com (advicegoddess.com). Weekly radio show: blogtalkradio.com/amyalkon Order Amy Alkon’s book, “Good Manners For Nice People Who Sometimes Say The F-Word” (St. Martin’s Press, June 3, 2014).

28 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

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#SDCityBeat

March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

30 · San Diego CityBeat · March 23, 2016

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March 23, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 31