San Diego CityBeat • Apr 3, 2019

2 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

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APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 3

UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR

He’s from a different time

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And yet, many Democrats fell over them’m of the opinion that the only acceptable time to use the “he’s from a differ- selves to defend the former Vice President. ent time” excuse is when you legitimately There’s sound reasoning for this, as Biden meet someone who has travelled through has a long track record of defending women’s time. So unless readers have an ongoing re- rights and voting for progressive legislation.

But here’s a news flash: Men can be both. lationship with someone with a rare genetic disorder that allows them to bend space Yes, they can be progressive, even feminist, and time (see: The Time Traveler’s Wife) or in most of their actions, but they can also they’ve recently modified their flux capaci- be highly toxic in their personal behavior. tor so that it’ll run on garbage beer (had to And while some have felt compelled to point keep with the theme of the issue), then I out Biden’s troubles in the past (his Cathodon’t want to hear this excuse or any deriva- lic views on abortion rights, for example), tion of it (“a different generation,” “a differ- and rightly so, it’s much more likely that he has evolved on progressive issues while not ent era,” etc.) anymore.

My dad is one of those “he’s” in question. evolving when it comes to problematic and toxic male behavior.

He’s a helluva guy; charmWhen we work under ing, affable and popular excuses such as “he’s from with just about anybody a different time,” we’re bawho meets him. But he has sically saying two things, this habit of being inadverboth of which as repugtently offensive especially nant and problematic. First, when it comes to women. we’re shortchanging the He calls strangers “darlin’” man in question, while also and “sweetie,” and is often Joe Biden, Stephanie Carter excusing his behavior simvery touchy when interactand Ashton Carter ply because it’s easier to ing with people he’s only just met. Most of these people are women. I’ve do that than to explain to him why it’s inapseen him make women servers at restaurants propriate. It’s resigning ourselves to the idea visibly uncomfortable with these types of in- that these men, many of whom we genuinely teractions, which, in his mind, he considers love, aren’t capable of changing for the betsimply to be his affable, Southern boy nature. ter. That they’re too set in their ways so why It was around my 20s that I found my- should we bother?

Secondly, and this is most important, self repeating these same types of behaviors when it came to interacting with people. when we excuse this type of behavior, it’s esIf I can give myself any credit, I was overly sentially saying that we’re OK with it or, at friendly and inappropriate with both gen- the least, that it was OK back “in their time.” ders, but there did come a time when I had This, of course, is extremely problematic for to recognize that there’s a difference be- what should be obvious reasons. We’re estween having a friendly disposition and be- sentially saying that it was OK back then, which is a complete fallacy. No one looks ing, well, creepy.

And that’s just what Joe Biden is. He’s back at the Civil Rights era or the anti-Semicreepy. And yes, he’s also affable, charming tism of the Great Depression and thinks that and downright likeable, but the recent al- kind of behavior was appropriate back then. legations made against him by Lucy Flores Why should it be any different when it comes and Amy Lappos are emblematic of a larger to inappropriate behavior toward women?

Biden’s dismissive non-apologies about issue in which we excuse inappropriate behavior when the accused is “from a differ- his touchy-feely behavior makes it clear that ent time.” Moreover, Biden’s behavior is all he still has a long way to go. And at a ripe 76 the more inappropriate precisely because it years old and running for the highest office stems from a position of power. That’s not in the land, I’m not sure he’ll ever get there. to imply that he’s insincere in his affections. I can only hope that his colleagues care It’s that he’s been in a position of power for enough about him to explain that time’s up so long, it’s unlikely anyone has ever felt when it comes to “a different time.” comfortable calling him out.

—Seth Combs This issue of CityBeat is hiding the coffee pods.

Volume 17 • Issue 33 EDITOR Seth Combs WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Ramos STAFF WRITER Andrea Lopez-Villafaña COLUMNISTS Aaryn Belfer, Ryan Bradford, Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb, Rhonda “Ro” Moore CONTRIBUTORS Christin Bailey, Torrey Bailey, Jackie Bryant, David L. Coddon, Beth Demmon, Ombretta Di Dio, Julia Dixon Evans, Michael A. Gardiner,

Sara Harmatz, Glenn Heath Jr., Peter Holslin, Alfred Howard, Lizz Huerta, Tigist Layne, Jonathan Mandel, Lara McCaffrey, Scott McDonald, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Ian Ward EDITORIAL INTERNS Steven Buriek, Marlee Drake, Gabi Levitt PRODUCTION MANAGER Tristan Whitehouse

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4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

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UP FRONT | LETTERS

WHERE IS THE PASSION?

I totally agree with Bill [Letters, March 27, in response to Michael Gardiner’s article on the Michelin Guide coming to San Diego]. Most San Diego restaurants are overpriced, mediocre, or both, with a few exceptions—A.R. Valentien is expensive, but yes they can cook and pair wine well. Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver are all way ahead of San Diego on the West Coast. And to Bill’s Wichita, Kansas, let me add Salt Lake City, Utah, also ahead of us and far more dynamic.

Is it an attitude problem? Great restaurants start with passion, though some never master the business side and crater accordingly. San Diego restaurants always seem to be about the business first, the food just good enough that you might come back when you are too tired to make your own meal. If minimally successful on this model, a small chain sprouts. Hardly inspiring. Bring in the passion.

Matthew Kidd Carmel Valley

TURN ON THE BS DETECTOR

The suggestion that relatives, friends, acquaintances, and others be called out for inappropriate comments or behavior is spot-on [“Call out white supremacy,” From the Editor, March 20]. And it brings to mind a couple of sayings; silence means consent; and, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. In addi-

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tion to people we know, we need to contact and call out those in positions of authority and influence who peddle hate and violence, and also call out those who are silent when their counterparts are the peddlers. Unfortunately there are far too many who buy into what is being peddled, to them I say, TOYBSD (Turn On Your Bullshit Detector).

GRETA IS GARBAGE

Dan Jacobs Mira Mesa

After reading CityBeat’s positive review of the film Greta (“On the prowl,” Film, Feb. 27), I have lost all faith in Glenn Heath Jr.’s judgment. No rational human being could enjoy this steaming pile of celluloid.

Greta is more than the worst movie I have seen this decade—it is laughably awful. We’re talking The Room levels of terrible. The dialogue feels like it was written by someone who does not speak English as his first language, or even his fourth or fifth. Although director and writer Neil Jordan is from Ireland—and from this planet—his script has all the disjointed logic one would expect from a space alien, and an incompetent one at that.

While this is certainly not the first movie where characters behave irrationally, it is a remarkable display of irrational screenwriting. Characters jump when a beat of music plays—although nothing has happened in their frame—as if startled by the orchestral music itself. A European who has been speak-

ing perfect English for the entire film suddenly has doubts about the word “cookie.”

The dialogue is nonsensical to the point of feeling Dadaist, like a bit of performance art where nothing is meant to make sense.

Want to know how lazy the writing is?

They couldn’t even be bothered to stick with one consistent spelling of “Greta.” In a mindboggling display of phoning-it-in, the name is spelled alternately with one “t,” then two, then one again. On top of this, we get not one, but two cheap “it was all a dream” fake-outs. Greta is more than just bad—it is absurdist. Has Tommy Wiseau been ghostwriting in secret?

I feel it only fair that Glenn Heath Jr. reimburse me the cost of my ticket. Sure, I saw it at the cheap theater in Chula Vista for a mere five bucks—still, that is five dollars too many.

David Schmidt La Mesa

WE WANT FEEDBACK Email letters to editor Seth Combs at seth.combs@sdcitybeat.com, or mail to 3047 University Ave., Suite 202, San Diego, CA 92104. For letters to be considered for publication, you must include your first and last name and the part of town where you reside.

Note: All comments left on stories at sdcitybeat.com will also be considered for publication.

TABLE OF CONTENTS UP FRONT From the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A Side-Eye of Sanity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sordid Tales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 5 6 7 8

FOOD & DRINK World Fare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Final Draught. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

THINGS TO DO The Short List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13

ARTS & CULTURE Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Feature: The Beer Issue . . . . . . . . . . 15-22 Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-24

MUSIC Feature: Flipper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Notes from the Smoking Patio . . . . . . . 26 The Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 If I Were U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Concerts & Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-30

IN THE BACK Astrologically Unsound . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 CannaBeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5

ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

UP FRONT | NEWS

Training daze City audit finds community planning groups suffer when volunteers are not properly trained

By Andrea Lopez-Villafaña

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his first year has been a learning experience for Philomena Marino. She’s a member of one of the city’s many planning groups that provide community input on land use decisions.

“I’m one of three new members and I think it’s time for us to take action and make some improvements,” says Marino, who was elected as a member of Barrio Logan’s planning group in April of 2018.

“We’ve been listening, absorbing, grasping and trying to teach ourselves as much as we can so we can make a difference besides being seat warmers.”

Community planning groups, whose members are generally elected or appointed by the public, allow residents the opportunity to provide the city’s Planning Department, the City Council and the Planning Commission with recommendations on development projects and land use matters.

This recommendation process gives residents a say in the growth of their community and sometimes helps prevent fights between developers and residents. There are currently 42 active planning groups with elected and appointed volunteer members.

Although the planning groups have no formal authority, they have a significant amount of influence when it comes to shaping their community. Their recommendations can influence developers to make small changes to projects.

They also play a larger role in providing input to community plan updates.

Marino is what they call “a resident representative” of the Barrio Logan Planning Group and, like many other volunteers, she relies on training opportunities to get a better grasp complicated land use and development project topics.

However, a city audit report found that planning group members are not currently receiving

6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

sufficient training to fulfill their role. That can lead to groups making recommendations that are not legally viable or that their efforts are being ignored by city staff.

In December of last year, the Office of the City Auditor released a report on community planning groups and found a range of issues including a lack of transparency, record keeping and oversight. It also found that current training for members is not sufficient.

Newly elected members are only required to take a mandatory introduction workshop or an online version of it, known as the Community Orientation Workshop (COW). Any other workshops offered by the Planning Department are optional.

Land use consultant Marcela Escobar-Eck says that giving planning group members advanced training is absolutely critical. Escobar-Eck is a former development services director with the city and recalls that the city’s Planning Department used to offer monthly training opportunities on basic topics that could help volunteers. She speculates that they went away because of budget and attendance issues.

Vicki Granowitz, planning commissioner with the San Diego Planning Commission and former chair of North Park’s planning group, says she believes the city provides

Philomena Marino (right) with her neighbor in Barrio Logan the basic training members need and sees staffing as an obstacle.

“The city can offer more things.

Often the problem is the Planning Department is woefully understaffed. It’s been a problem for a long time. The planners are great, they do wonderful work but they are only human they can only do so much,” says Granowitz.

The impact of having members that don’t have a grasp on how the planning process works is that Escobar-Eck says groups can go “rogue” and make recommendations that are not legally tenable or even allowed. In such cases, recommendations by planning groups are taken as symbolic statements rather than have the potential to influence a project to represent the needs of the community.

Maya Rosas, director of policy with transportation advocacy group Circulate San Diego, recalls an instance in 2016 where the lack of training became problematic.

The city was legally mandated by the state to pass a parking requirements reduction for affordable housing built near public transit.

However, the elected members of the city’s community planning groups opposed the reduction. As a result, their recommendations had no impact and the City Council approved the parking reducations anyway.

She says planning members deserve to have the resources, whether that be training or help from staff, so they can make recommendations that actually influence city decisions.

“Everyone who is on their planning group is there for the right reasons and I think they need the resources to be able to do their volunteer job properly,” says Rosas.

CityBeat reached out to dozens of community planning group chairs and the majority expressed that better training would be helpful when it comes to making informed recommendations.

Members like Marino often take it upon themselves to seek training and education opportunities outside of the ones the city offers.

“I know it’s voluntary, I know I’m taking the time but I want to do

it right,” Marino says. She suggests that workshops be mandatory or that they be spread out so topics aren’t crammed into one session.

She adds that if city staff knows volunteers are taking the time to become knowledgeable about subjects, their recommendations will be worth more.

According to a city spokesperson, the city’s Planning Department will be adding more training sessions to the annual training schedule and the department is evaluating recording the trainings for people who are unable to attend in person. Still, because the members on these groups are volunteers and play an advisory role, some question how much the city should invest in training as opposed to providing other resources.

“The city provides adequate training for board members. I am hesitant to spend city money on and advisory board, but if it were available, it would be better spent in helping to organize and advertise committee actions,” wrote John Mooney, chair of Skyline Paradise Hills Community Planning Committee.

Within the last two years, planning groups have been under greater scrutiny after the county’s Grand Jury and Circulate San Diego both released separate reports looking at the lack of diverse voices and the lack of oversight. They both recommended that the City Council consider reforms to community planning groups.

On Jan. 30, the City Council’s Audit Committee unanimously accepted the report and it will go before the Land Use and Housing Committee on April 10 before it goes to council.

Rosas is hopeful that the more progressive city council will be open to the idea of reform. She believes the city knows the status quo isn’t working and now is the time for change.

“Our planning group members deserve that type of investment if we are going to continue to go to them as our community experts and I don’t think that should or will change, we are still going to go to them.”

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CULTURE | VOICES

RHONDA “RO” MOORE

A SIDE-EYE OF

SANITY

We don’t need no education! Well, actually, some people do

I

’ve been thinking about ambition and dreams a lot lately.

I know that doesn’t sound very interesting, but the second act of my professional life has involved a significant amount of time considering people’s behavior… and watching documentaries.

The Hulu and Netflix Fyre Festival documentaries (Fyre and Fyre Fraud) and the HBO documentary on Elizabeth Holmes (The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley) were eye-opening and downright disturbing. Beyond being nauseating examples of white privilege in action, I felt like I was watching flip sides of a seriously sociopathic coin.

Billy McFarland perpetrated an escalating series of cons that culminated in the unholy clusterfuck known as the Fyre Festival. Elizabeth Holmes used her now defunct company, Theranos, which promised to revolutionize blood testing, to steal millions and gaslight the entire business world. Both dropped out of college. Both had legitimately innovative ideas, and both went about securing funding by charming the influential and wealthy. Both made grandiose promises, and both ended up being exposed as epic fraudsters and rightly had to face criminal charges. McFarland and Holmes are apparently what passes for entrepreneurs these days.

For those not familiar with these con artists and their work, I strongly suggest hitting up Hulu, Netflix and HBO to get up to speed. Trust me, it’ll make readers’ heads spin.

As I learned more about these so-called business personalities, I was really confused why so many people opened their wallets and jumped on board. What I realized is that McFarland and Holmes are bright-line examples of what happens when having the appearance of a leader is more important than being able to lead (or simply knowing one’s ass from a hole in the ground).

We, as a society, perpetually romanticize “success” stories. The easier it is to wrap a backstory in rainbows and glittery unicorn farts, the bigger the payoff when the public buys into it with adulation and/or money (read: great big stinking piles of money). The news media loves a story that reinforces its own narrative on what the successful “journey” is supposed to look like. McFarland and Holmes played it picture perfect. They were young, coddled, personable and charming—armed with a good business idea, a compelling pitch and the confidence to keep throwing up smoke screens when it was time to show their work.

It’s a trend. One that frequently makes me want to stab all the folks content to complain, “How was I supposed to know?” when Google is open 24-7. I don’t date on potential and no one should expect the business world to keep hand-holding in the hopes that one day, before the sun burns out, that potential turns into real productivity.

If I were to toss out an elaborate but empty response, rather than a detailed action plan, it never

would have been accepted at my previous big-kid jobs. Never happens. Hell, I usually couldn’t get through reviewing a meeting agenda without being questioned within an inch of my damn life.

I believe, however, there’s always a bigger lesson to be had when shit escalates. We should be horrified at how easy it was for these sociopaths to drag so many people into their scams. People willingly jumped down the rabbit hole without bothering to even look first.

But folks would rather examine the “psychology” of these perps than admit this shit was possible on this scale because McFarland and Holmes are white. Both stepped forward seemingly ready to lead without need of guidance or assistance. They were “self-made” wunderkinds certain to lead the way to the great utopian future many claim as their destiny.

It’s a pretty image. It’s also one that reinforces many white people’s implicit belief in the superiority of their own kind.

That’s right, I said it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I know plenty of talented, savvy people who either never went to college or didn’t finish.

But in each case, they damn sure gathered the skills and knowledge to turn their dream into a viable business that, in some cases, made them obscenely wealthy.

Every single one can point to a mentor, a teaching situation, a training session or even a colossal (but educational) fuck up that ultimately laid the groundwork for their business knowledge. There’s nothing fake in how they made it.

When I was coming up, I knew—as a person of color—that if I wanted to be able to apply for most jobs, I’d need a college degree, a specialized license or a certification of some kind. I understood higher education of some kind would be part of the plan. Now, instead of being a key building block to a career, higher learning is touted as an elitist luxury. People act like innovating and education are mutually exclusive in almost every situation.

Why did this happen? Because somewhere along the line, college stopped being considered a good path for learning how to turn a dream into a plan and then pushing through until it was a successful business. I really need someone to tell me what the hell is wrong with actually being qualified. Someone can’t spurn an education (of all kinds) and always expect to be cut slack. Sorry, but the learning curve turns out to be insanely steep without it.

Hell, even P.T. Barnum’s gimmicks were built on more than just talking a good game. He bent the law and exploited weaknesses, but he still delivered on promises even while he slipped his hand into a wallet and stole all of someone’s shit.

Go learn things. I promise it won’t kill us, and it just might keep some people out of jail.

McFarland and Holmes are brightline examples of what happens when having the appearance of a leader is more important than being able to lead.

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A Side-Eye of Sanity appears every other week.

Follow Ro Moore on Twitter at @BookBlerd.

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7

UP FRONT | OPINION

EDWIN DECKER

SORDID

TALES

Barbra Streisand and the neverending Neverland story

I

was surprised to read Barbra Streisand’s remarks about Michael Jackson’s alleged molestation victims,Wade Robson and James Safechuck, both of whom were featured prominently in the HBO documentary, Leaving Neverland.

Unfortunately, I can’t fit all her quotes and context in this space, but if you haven’t read them, just Google “Barb” and it will do the rest. It’s as if the search engine is screaming, “You won’t believe what that crazy witch said!”

For one thing, she basically absolved Jackson of wrongdoing saying, “His sexual needs were his sexual needs.” Also, she suggested Robson and Safechuck enjoyed their abuse because it was Neverland and—wait for it—they were “thrilled to be there.” She also said the victims had grown up to have families of their own so clearly the molestations, “didn’t kill them.”

Fer crissake, Barbra! If they were thrilled to be there, it was only until the point when Jacko made them play with the Smooth Criminal between his legs. And while Michael did not “kill” their physical bodies, I’d bet my “Starry Night” against your “Dogs Playing Poker” that he thrust a dagger into the hearts of their childhoods.

I could go on. But these statements are so obtuse, there’s no sport in mocking them. I mean, normally, during exasperated rants like this, I would reference someone’s inane quote, followed by an analogy that begins with, “That’s like saying…,” and then follow that with a list of examples to demonstrate the absurdity of the quote. It would all be capped with two exclamation points to signal outrage (one of which my editor would delete) [Edit note: This is true. You only need one, Edwin.], and then I’d lean back in my chair and marvel at another well-executed takedown. But making fun of Streisand’s statements is like forming an REO Speedwagon cover band. Just, why?

So instead of mocking her comments, I will mock her judgment. Because as astonishing as her remarks are, what’s more astonishing is that she didn’t predict the backlash. Especially these days, in the current climate of zero #MeToo tolerance, she somehow thought everybody would be cool with this. Did she say these things because she is dense? Perhaps, but she’s not that dense. Was she taken out of context? Nah. I read the whole article and the context aligns with the insinuations. Or perhaps she is in a bubble? Hmm. I think that might be it. It’s a bubble issue!

How is that you ask? Well forgive me while I take the roundabout route to explain.

For decades now, there has been much murmuring about a systemic pedophilia problem in Hollywood. I used to dismiss this notion as being a little too conspiracy-minded for my sensibilities. However, lately, I’m beginning to wonder.

In 2013, Corey Feldman (another of Jackson’s al-

leged conquests) told Barbara Walters that he and Corey Haim were abused by “some of the richest and most powerful people [in Hollywood].” Elijah Wood, another former child actor, told The Sunday Times in 2016 that pedophilia in the entertainment industry is “organized” and that underage actors are regularly “preyed upon.” There was also An Open Secret, the 2014 documentary that might have blown doors off the problem had it not had such a limited release (read: been suppressed). There are many more examples, but it wasn’t until 2009, the time of the infamous Roman Polanski petition, when I began to take notice.

Yes, as I said, I’m taking the roundabout route.

In 1977, director, Roman Polanski was charged with “rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy and a lewd and lascivious act” upon a 13-year-old girl. Polanski pleaded guilty to lesser charges but fled to France to avoid prison. He was arrested in 2009 in Zurich, and held while the U.S. applied for his extradition. It was then, while still in custody, that a group of Hollywood A-listers rallied around him via petition and demanded his release. The petition was signed by the likes of Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, Harvey Weinstein, Wes Anderson (et tu, Wes Anderson?), Guillermo Del Toro, Natalie Portman and over 100 other Hollywood A-listers including (perhaps unsurprisingly) Woodyfreaking-Allen—my erstwhile hero of stage and film. Not only did he sign the petition but he made public statements urging the U.S. to absolve Polanski of all charges.

I remember thinking, Woody, Woody—what are you doing? After all of his scandals—after his daughter, Dylan Farrow, accused him of raping her when she was seven; after the outrage over the despicable thing he did with Soon Yi, Mia Farrow’s daughter—how on Earth did he not know to shut his stutter-hole about Roman Polanski? How did he not know how bad it would look that a credibly-accused child rapist came to the defense of a convicted child rapist? It just made no sense. Same thing with Streisand. How is it possible she did not know her inexplicable support of Michael Jackson would ignite a wildfire?

If I were a conspiracy-minded person, I would wonder if pedophilia in Hollywood isn’t so ubiquitous, that they all aren’t inside a giant, oozing abomination of a bubble. I would wonder if those inside that bubble do not know how taboo molestation is to those of us on the outside. Kind of like how rich people often don’t know the price of milk, Hollywood doesn’t seem to know the price of child rape. Certainly Barbra Streisand doesn’t. I mean, “his sexual needs were his sexual needs”? Wow. If only society had been this permissive when that poor, misunderstood Dahmer guy was alive and looking for love.

Kind of like how rich people often don’t know the price of milk, Hollywood doesn’t seem to know the price of child rape.

8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

Sordid Tales appears every other week.

Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com.

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UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

THE WORLD

FARE

It’s the food, not the TV chef

T

he greatest impediment to understanding some people—and even some restaurants— is figuring out which storyline to follow.

Sometimes there are so many varying angles and storylines, one’s spoiled for choice. Pull on one string, one picture presents itself; pull on another, and an entirely different story emerges. That seems to be the case with chef Claudette ZepedaWilkins and her El Jardín (2885 Perry Road, eljardinrestaurantbar.com) restaurant in Liberty Station.

There’s the story of Zepeda-Wilkins’ TV career: from darling of Top Chef Mexico (Season 2) to bad girl of Top Chef (Season 15) in America. She was also a total badass on Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen. There’s her personal story: kicked out of the house at 15 and a single mother within three years.

There’s the story arc of her career: working for Rancho La Puerta’s Denise Roa, then two-time James Beard Award winner Gavin Kaysen, before taking the helm under Javier Plascencia at the short-lived, but late-lamented, Bracero Cocina de Raiz.

And there’s no shortage of story threads to choose from with El Jardín itself. Is it about the role of women in the building and assembling of Mexican cuisine? Is it about the richness, variety and depth of Mexico’s regional cuisines? Is it a politico-social statement or one that’s more sociohistorical?

Based on multiple visits, I’d say it’s simply a culinary story, but with the other streams feeding into that. Take, for example, the fava tlacoyo. It’s a pre-Hispanic dish based on heirloom masa with a cheese fondue, hoja santa and green garlic bean sauce, all stuffed with tender fava beans. Each of those elements are good, but Zepeda-Wilkins “garnishes” the dish with some real stars: kale and nasturtium leaves and a perfectly cooked broccoli floret. It’s a dish in which the deep cultural roots are evident but the freshness of those vegetables gives it a wonderfully contemporary feel.

The Mayan octopus is a reference to the classic Meso-American tikin xic preparation in which whole fish is marinated in sour orange and achiote,

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then steamed in banana leaves beneath a wood fire.

Zepeda-Wilkins gently cooks the octopus (with, believe-it-or-not, kombu) giving it a hard sear on the grill afterwards. The result is a heartbreakingly tender octopus with wonderful, crispy charred bits on the outside. This is then paired with a sour orange glaze, root vegetable puree, chorizo and an herb salad.

As good as the dinners are, brunches are equally good. Take the chilaquiles divorciados. As a kid who grew up eating Mexican food, this dish brought me back to my childhood: yesterday’s tortillas brought back to life, moistened both by the frying and saucing. The two sauces—one red, one green—give it the name. The entire thing is elevated by the addition of slightly sweet, beautifully braised beef cheeks (didn’t have the latter as a kid).

It’s easy to see a picture of Zepeda-Wilkins or El Jardín through the lens of any of all those different storylines. They all work, as innumerable stories MICHAEL A. GARDINER

Chilaquiles divorciados or TV bits have shown. But the picture painted by the food at El Jardín is deeper than that. It’s rooted in centuries of culinary history and in generations of Mexican women. It’s rooted in Claudette-thecharmer and, yes, a bit of the edge that might have contributed to her looking like a Top Chef villain as well.

But mostly, it just tastes really good.

The World Fare appears weekly.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9

10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

@SDCITYBEAT

UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

FINAL DRAUGHT Ketch-ing up in Kearny Mesa

W

hen fate presents me with an unexpectedly child-free afternoon, there’s really only one thing to do: day drink. I’m often forced to drag my kid to breweries with me (thanks to the United States’ overall lack of affordable childcare options), so there’s just something about a solo excursion that makes beer taste that much better.

On one recent Friday, with a few hours to spare and a stomach full of bao from Steamy Piggy, I found myself in a thirsty conundrum. Do I stick to a Kearny Mesa favorite like O’Brien’s or Common Theory, or do I go the responsible journalist route and check out a place I haven’t yet tried? Curiosity won, and I headed to Ketch Brewing (7889 Ostrow St.) .

During my visit, Ketch only had a total of six house beers on draft. Four ounce tasters of each is roughly the equivalent of a little less than two pints, which (to me) is a perfectly acceptable amount to drink alone in the middle of the day. I especially appreciated the glass partition separating the brewhouse from the tiny tasting room; it’s fun to see the inner workings of a brewery, but, all too often, things like whistling valves, spraying hoses and jangling alarms prove disruptive to what should be a relaxing experience.

Ketch is the brewing arm of the Brigantine Restaurant Corporation, a chain of local seafoodcentric restaurants. With this in mind, I started my flight with the Ketch Kolsch, the style I personally consider to be the ideal beverage for a fishing excursion. I didn’t order any food (they have a smaller version of the Brigantine menu available in the taproom), but I imagine this would be a great pint to pair with some fish tacos.

Ketch’s Day Cruise XPA (Extra Pale Ale) proved to be a solid follow-up. Its resinous and fruit-forward aroma was complex with a crisp and refreshing hop-forward finish. It got flat over a relatively short period of time, but the solution is simple: drink it quickly. And 5 percent ABV, that’s pretty easy to do.

@SDCITYBEAT

BY BETH DEMMON

Vienna lagers are sometimes called “the brewer’s beer” because they’re so popular with beer professionals. However, they lack the same demand from casual consumers, making them a comparatively underserved style. Ketch’s lager is pretty spot-on with a biscuity malt balance and super clean finish, putting it neck-and-neck with the kolsch for top honors.

No local brewery flight would be complete without a San Diego-style IPA, and Ketch’s Celestial Navigation was good. It’s not breathtaking, but it’s far from bad. It takes a lot to craft a standout IPA here, but I imagine this would be a hit literally anywhere else.

BETH DEMMON

Flight at Ketch Brewing Similarly, the Midwatch milk stout on nitro proved to be more than adequate, if not less than amazing. It was simple and smooth with a creamy sweetness from the lactose. It was a perfectly enjoyable, if not somewhat lackluster, way to wind things down. The coffee version, featuring beans from Cafe Moto, was a little flat on the carbonation, but aged wonderfully with rich roastiness and medium body.

Overall, nothing at Ketch is a challenge to the palate. But for those who seek unassuming, wellcrafted and fresh brews, Ketch gets it done.

Write to bethd@sdcitybeat.com or check her out on Instagram at @thedelightedbite.

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11

EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

SAN DIEGO

DANCING INTO SPRING

Spring isn’t just about chocolate bunnies and seasonal allergies. It also means that a variety of new dance productions are opening.

Over the next few weeks, a host of local and national companies will be debuting new performances.

First, there’s Live Arts Fest, a multi-faceted, multidisciplinary dance festival held over nine evenings from Wednesday, April 3 through Sunday, April 14. The annual fest, produced by San Diego Dance Theatre (sandiegodancetheater.org), features a who’s who of local and international choreographers including Maria Naidu from Sweden and Nemian Danza Escenica from Mexico City. Tickets range from $20 for single performances to $150 for a festival pass, and all performances take place at 7:30 p.m. at the White Box Live Arts Space (2590 Truxtun Road, Ste. 205) inside Liberty Station.

Next, there’s Visionary Dance Theatre’s By Design, a new production from artistic director Spencer John Powell that will includes a restaging of “Arctic Nights” (originally produced for the popular Hot Guys Dancing production), as well as a new performance titled “Graves,” based on Powell’s experiences living with Graves’ disease. It happens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6 at the City Heights Performance Annex (3795 Fairmount Ave.). Tickets range from $15 to $19 at visionarydancetheatre.org.

Up in La Jolla, UC San Diego is kicking off its an-

SAN DIEGO

COURTESY CALIFORNIA BALLET COMPANY

The Great Release at The Studio Door, 3867 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest. A selection of contemporary artists will be opening their vaults to showcase a variety of artworks for attendees to purchase. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 6. Free. 619-2552867, thestudiodoor.com

Cinderella

nual Springfest (springfestmusic.org), a series of free concerts exploring experimental music and performance. However, it’s the BlueRail performance on Sunday, April 7 that caught our attention. Taking place throughout the Conrad Prebys Music Center, over 40 musicians, dancers and artists will create an improvised “audio-visual world” by tagging each other like in a relay. It happens from 2 to 4 p.m. inside the building before moving to the Music Center courtyard at 4 p.m.

Finally, save room for the California Ballet Company’s production of Jared Nelson’s reimagined take on Cinderella. Nelson combines original choreography with Sergei Prokofiev’s iconic score, which should be impressive to both adults and kids. It opens for four performances Friday, April 12 at the San Diego Civic Theatre (1100 Third Ave.) in the Gaslamp. Tickets range from $21 to $91 at sandiegotheatres.org.

NORTH PARK

FOR THE LOVE OF TACOS Remember that outtake from Anchorman when Ron Burgandy threatens to fight someone if they don’t think “Afternoon Delight” is the best song ever? Well, that’s how we feel when someone challenges San Diego’s taco supremacy. And that’s the spirit behind our annual Taco Mania event where we invite readers to try signature and specialty tacos at over a dozen local eateries including City Tacos, El Comal, Señor Grubby’s and more. Best of all, we keep the prices low, offering street tacos at $2 each, $4 for gourmet tacos and $6 for combos. If readers are feeling thirsty, they can order an $8 combo which comes with a New Belgium Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza at select locations. It all happens Wednesday, April 10 through Wednesday, April 17. Check sdcitybeat.com for locations.

HConvergence: A Binational Art Exhibition at California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. A new exhibition of modern artists from San Diego and Tijuana that highlights the multiple ways of seeing and interpreting perspectives by fostering dialogue through the shared medium of art. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 6 through Sunday, May 12. Free-$8. 800-988-425, artcenter.org

BEER BONDING Germany might have Oktoberfest, but North Park has the North Park Festival of Beers. Formerly known as the CityBeat Festival of Beers (we don’t have a big head or anything), this year’s fest celebrates our annual beer issue with over 50 beers from dozens of local breweries including Alpine Beer Company, Mike Hess, SouthNorte Beer Co. and many more. Festivalgoers get unlimited one-ounce tasters of their favorite malts, ales, ciders and more, while bands such as Aviator Stash, The Petty Saints and The Frets perform. Bonus: a portion of the proceeds from tickets (which range from $20-$55 at eventbrite. com) benefits the San Diego Music Foundation. It all happens from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 6 in front of the Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club and Bungalows (2223 El Cajon Blvd.).

Memento Mori at Adam D. Kamil Gallery, 9500 Gilman Drive, UC San Diego, La Jolla. Artist Justin McHugh presents a new series of collage, installation and appropriation works aimed at deconstructing the myth of the Marlboro Man. From 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 through Thursday, April 11. Free. visarts.ucsd.edu

BOOKS HLisa See at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The bestselling author of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan will discuss and sign her new book, The Island of Sea Women. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4. Free. warwicks.com

North Park Festival of Beers

FOOD & DRINK Taste of Leucadia at various locations, North Coast Highway 101, Leucadia.

Check out the culinary offerings of downtown Leucadia along with a variety of local retailers, breweries and wine offerings.

From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4. $20-$45. leucadia101.com

B. Brown, Becca Karpinski, Patrick McMahon and Dan McGeorge at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. The four contributing authors of A Year in Ink will each read excerpts from the anthology including short stories, flash fiction and a micro memoir. From 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6.

Free. 619-236-5800, sdfocl.org

HNorth Park Festival of Beers at Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., North Park.

Come out for the 12th annual festival and sample more than 50 different beers from dozens of local breweries. Proceeds from the event will go to San Diego Music Foundation. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 6. $20-$50. northparkbeerfest.com

Chad Stroup at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The SDSU MFA graduate will sign and discuss his new novel, Sexy Leper. At 2 p.m. Saturday, April 6. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com

HBoochcraft Third Anniversary Party Weekend at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Barrio Logan. Celebrate the anniversary of this alcoholic kombucha with a night of games, vegan tacos, and kombucha cocktails. From 6:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 6. $20. boochcraft.com

HK Chess at The Book Catapult, 3010B Juniper St., South Park. The acclaimed new writer will sign and discuss her debut novel, Famous Men Who Never Lived. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 9. Free. thebookcatapult.com

COMEDY HDave Chappelle at Harrah’s Resort Southern California, 777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. The Emmy and Grammy Award-winning comedian comes to Harrah’s resort for a night of edgy laughs.

At 8 p.m. Sunday, April 7. $99-$259. harrahssocal.com

HBy Design at the City Heights Performance Annex, 3795 Fairmount Ave., City Heights. Visionary Dance Theatre presents a new production from artistic direc-

H = CityBeat picks 12 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

FILM HArab Film Festival at Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park.

The annual event presents feature narratives, documentaries and short films that focus on promoting the understanding of issues involving the Arab and Islamic world.

Various times. Friday, April 5 through Sunday, April 14. $7-$100. sandiegoaff.org

HPeanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Classic at Balboa Park Club, 2150 Pan American Road W., Balboa Park. Teams of amateur and professional chefs will put together their most creative and tasty versions of the classic childhood sandwich.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 6. $5. pbjclassic.com

HLive Arts Fest at San Diego Dance Theater, 2650 Truxtun Road Ste. 108, Liberty Station, Point Loma. San Diego Dance Theatre’s multi-faceted, multidisciplinary dance festival is held over nine evenings and featuring a who’s-who of local and international choreographers.

At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 3 through Sunday, April 14. $20-$150. 619-2251803, sandiegodancetheater.org

Taco Mania

Cinderella at Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road, Poway.

The Southern California Ballet company will bring to life a newly choreographed and designed Cinderella with music from Sergei Prokofiev and featuring professional guest artists. At 7 p.m. Saturday, April 6 and 1 p.m. Sunday, April 7. $13-$46. southerncaliforniaballet.org

HNathan Englander at David & Dorothea Garfield Center, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. Join the Pulitzer finalist for Shabbat dinner and conversation with Barry Edelstein about his new book, Kaddish.com: A Novel. From 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Friday, April 5. $40-$45. lfjcc.org

DANCE

COURTESY OF CITY TACOS

tor Spencer John Powell that will includes a restaging of “Arctic Nights,” as well as a new performance titled “Graves.” At 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6. $15-$19. visionarydancetheatre.org

HThe Brewster Pink Boots Society IPA Release Party at Societe Brewing Company, 8262 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Kearny Mesa. To celebrate the tapping of their The Brewster IPA, the Societe Brewing Company are hosting a party featuring Peruvian street food and a market of female-owned businesses. From noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 6. Free. societebrewing.com HTaco Mania at various locations. Over a dozen restaurants and bars from all over the county will offer up $2 and $4 tacos, as well as $6 and $8 combos. See website for full list of participants. Various times.

Wednesday, April 10 through Wednesday, April 17. sdcitybeat.com

MUSIC HBlack Lives Matter at UCSD Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Program directed composer, pianist and improviser Anthony Davis—along with bassist Kevin Short, baritone Carl DuPont and pianist Alan Johnson—will perform a program of selections from his operas examining Black lives. From 7 to 9 p.m.

Wednesday, April 3. Free-$15.50. 858534-3448, musicweb.ucsd.edu HSpringfest at various locations. The annual showcase of the UCSD Department of

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 @SDCITYBEAT

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 Music’s graduate program includes an array of diverse musical performances. See website for schedule and details. Various times. Sunday, April 7 through Sunday, April 14. Free. springfestmusic.org HSan Diego Children’s Choir and Voices of Our City Choir at St. Joseph Cathedral, 1535 Third Ave., Cortez Hill.

The two choral groups join forces for a program that includes a variety of selections. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, April 7. Free. sdcchoir.org HXX at Conrad Prebys Music Center, Experimental Theater, 9500 Gilman Drive, UC San Diego, La Jolla. A celebration of music created by women with music from Caroline Miller, Sammy Jo Stone, Nasim Khorassami and more. Part of the SpringFest music festival. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 9. Free. springfestmusic.org

PERFORMANCE HCarmen at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Gaslamp. The San Diego Opera production of Georges Bizet’s classic tale of a nomadic woman who seduces a naïve soldier and then a macho bullfighter. At 7 p.m. Friday, April 5 and 2 p.m.

Sunday, April 7. $25-$251. sdopera.org HCirque du Soleil VOLTA at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. Cirque du Soleil’s first local Big Top production in seven years includes daring gymnastic feats gymnastic feats, BMX tricks and hip-hop inspired “shape diving.” Various times. Wednesday, April 3 through Sunday, May 5. $65-$235. cirquedusoleil.com/volta HNEA Big Read Symphony at The Book

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Catapult, 3010-B Juniper St., South Park.

San Diego’s Write Out Loud teams up with the Grossmont College Theater Department to perform a selection from Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel right on the street in front of the store. At noon. Saturday, April 6. Free. thebookcatapult.com HBlueRail at Conrad Prebys Music Center, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Part of the annual Springfest, this ultidisciplinary, international, site-specific and improvised series of performance will move through the halls, patio, stairs and secret little corners of the venue. From 2 to 6 p.m.

Sunday, April 7. Free. musicweb.ucsd.edu

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS HContemporary Art and Social Responsibility Athenaeum Music and Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. Artist Liza Lou discusses her journey to have a studio that had a long-term social impact around the world. From 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 4. Free. ljathenaeum.org HIntersections: Art and Law at the Border Symposium at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, 701 B St., Downtown.

Panelists will examine the art and legal issues within the border region. There will also be drop-in legal clinics available.

From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 6. $15-$35. calawyersforthearts.org HThinking Shakespeare Live! at Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park. Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and three professional classical actors will explore a performer’s approach to Shakespearean language so that audiences may easily understand the Bard. At 11 a.m. Saturday, April 6. $10-$25. 619231-1941, oldglobe.org

BOOKS: THE FLOATING LIBRARY His savage city

T

he Spirit of Science Fiction, the latest novel from the estate of the late Chilean poet and novelist Roberto Bolaño, isn’t an early work of science fiction, but its fantastic prose and unusual conceits contain the kernels of a much larger and more beguiling book, The Savage Detectives. That book, released in 1998, established Bolaño’s reputation as one of the great writers of the late 20th century, The Spirit of Science Fiction belongs in that category of novel that documents first contact between a great writer and a great city. Bolaño took to Mexico City the way Raymond Chandler fell in love with Los Angeles, or Gertrude Stein meshed with Paris, or William S. Burroughs exploited Tangier. The novel, originally written in 1984, contains three threads concerning a pair of Chilean writers—the poet Remo Morán and the science fiction writer Jan Schrella—fleeing Pinochet’s fascist regime just as Bolaño had reportedly done in 1977.

The first strand is structured as an interview between a writer and a journalist who has just won a prestigious literary prize. This was one of Bolaño’s fixations: the power and prestige—who has it and who doesn’t—of authors, magazines, and publishers.

He was obsessed with tearing down writers with overinflated reputations while lifting up those who had not received the recognition he felt they were due.

The second thread describes Remo’s adventures

in Mexico City. In this exploration of bars, cafes, poetry workshops and parties (held in honor of literary figures of dubious merit), we see early glimpses of scenes that later energized The Savage Detectives and bring Mexico City to life in thrilling fashion.

“It was the ideal scene on which to pin images or desires, I thought—a young man, five foot eight, in jeans and a blue T-shirt, standing in the sun on the curb of the longest street in the Americas. This meant we were in Mexico at last and that the sun shining down on me between buildings was the sun of the Mexico City I’d dreamed of for so long.”

The final strand consists of a series of letters from Jan to prominent American science fiction writers such as Forrest J. Ackerman and Ursula K. Le Guin. The letters reveal both a familiarity and fascination with a genre that Jan seeks to elevate by encouraging these authors to support lesserknown Latin American writers.

Although these various situations and scenarios seldom cohere, they light the way for Bolaño’s chief project: to make high art out of the low-brow material of Mexico City’s bars, bookstores and bathhouses. The Spirit of Science Fiction, translated by Natasha Wimmer, isn’t for everyone, nor is it the best place to start in Bolaño’s oeuvre. It is, however, a beguiling introduction to the Mexico City he’d dreamed of for so long, both on and off the page.

—Jim Ruland

The Floating Library appears every other week.

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 13

THEATER DAREN SCOTT

Married with gossip

B

ackyard Renaissance’s Mr. and Mrs. Fitch is a show-off for its playwright, Douglas Carter, while also serving as a showcase for its actors, Andrew Oswald and Sandy Campbell. As the married co-authors of a snarky gossip column, Oswald and Campbell have as much fun on a stage for two hours as seems humanly possible. They trade quips and affectionate barbs, a duet on Cole Porter (the play’s title comes from a Porter tune from the musical Gay Divorce) and, in Campbell’s case, rock beautiful evening gowns.

The fly in the champagne, however, is Beane’s overindulged script, which works too damned hard to be cultured and sophisticated. As a result, the more Mr. and Mrs. Fitch ooze high-society bon mots and conspicuous literary references—to Blake, to Yeats, to Donne, to Hemingway, and so forth—the less believable they become.

This does not detract from the joyful performances by Oswald and Campbell, whose chemistry and timing are impeccable. Director Francis Gercke appreciates the lively pace called for in this play, and his experienced actors never miss a beat.

Each character has one extended monologue that interrupts the flow, but again, that’s courtesy of the playwright. Carter’s 1997 play, As Bees in Honey Drown, is just

14 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

14 at the Moxie Theatre in Rolando. $18$35; backyardrenaissance.com

—David L. Coddon

Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING: Church: Young Jean Lee’s play explores her lifelong struggles with Christianity and is presented like a church service. Presented by InnerMission Productions and Dramatists Play Service, it opens in previews April 4 at the Diversionary Black Box Theatre in University Heights. innermissionproductions.org Servant of Two Masters: The world premiere of a new adaptation of Carlo Goldoni‘s classic comedy about a trickster who attempts to serve two masters at the same time. Written by Samantha Ginn and AJ Knox, it opens in previews April 5 at the New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad. newvillagearts.org

Mr. and Mrs. Fitch as clever but has much more cohesion than 2010’s Mr. and Mrs. Fitch.

As for the Fitches, in this tale they’re trapped (if living in a swank Manhattan duplex can be classified as being trapped) between the wicked fun of churning out celebrity gossip, and their growing contempt for the infotainment-saturated new media (blogs, Twitter, etc.). When they invent a celebrity named Jamie Glenn, more out of situational desperation than of guile, the made-up VIP becomes a tabloid sensation, with other scribes even coopting his biography. This undoubtedly is

Beane’s jaundiced and justifiable take on what constitutes news, but in Mr. and Mrs. Fitch,��������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� the crisis never seems all that serious. Moreover, there is never any doubt that, in the end, the Fitches, in spite of not being on the same page sexually (also played strictly for laughs), will carry on, martinis in hand.

Still, Oswald and Campbell rise giddily above the deficiencies of the play itself and practically ensure a good time for anyone with a soft spot for Cole Porter, high style and verbal hijinks.

Mr. and Mrs. Fitch runs through April

They Promised Her the Moon: The West Coast premiere of Laurel Ollstein’s drama about Jerrie Cobb, who trained in NASA’s “Mercury Seven” program in the ’60s, but wasn’t chosen to go to space despite outperforming her male counterparts. Directed by Giovanna Sardelli, it opens April 6 at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. theoldglobe.org All in the Timing: David Ives’ Off-Broadway hit is a series of one-act comedies exploring relationships, communication and intimacy. Directed by David Ellenstein, it opens April 10 at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org

For complete theater listings, visit

sdcitybeat.com

@SDCITYBEAT

hen I sat down to write this introduction to our annual issue devoted to all-things beer, I couldn’t help but think to myself, What could I possibly say about the beer scene in San Diego that hasn’t been said a thousand times before?

Don’t get me wrong, we do our best to bring readers timely and informative news on the local brewing scene (our studious beer writer Beth Demmon does a fantastic job in her weekly Final Draught column). Rather, just as the scene itself, it does sometimes seem like there’s an oversaturation of beer news, beer writing and beer tweets these days.

So I’ll just say this: When I first moved here nearly 20 years ago, the craft beer scene was just starting to really take off and garner national attention. Still, when I would travel to visit friends in places like Portland and Atlanta, San Diego was still primarily known for the more cliché destinations (the beaches, the zoo, SeaWorld, etc.).

Nowadays, however, when I visit these places, one of the first things people mention when I tell them I’m from San Diego is the beer scene. I’m not huge into beer, but when strangers from other cities mention how they’ve heard about what a great beer scene we have here, it does make me feel proud. In the end, I love that I’m from a city known more for killer IPAs than killer whales.

For me, that’s what this issue is all about. Celebrating a scene that, even if we don’t regularly participate it in it, we can all still be proud that it’s ours.

—Seth Combs

Hiya! Cappy the Bottlecap here, reporting for duty! Last year, Cappy maybe got a little wild, but that’s all in the past. I’m cap enough to admit that I perhaps had a little too much to drink—I’ve made my apologies, and paid the fines. It’s all about fresh starts! So join me as I guide you through CityBeat’s 2019 Beer Issue!

@SDCITYBEAT

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15

Whoa! Fake beers? Coulda fooled me! Not that I’m easy to fool. I mean, I’m a very smart bottle cap. If there are any potential employers out there looking for help, just know that I’m very smart and not easy to fool! Really, I need a job!

Cereal beers are the new trend, and this seemingly never-ending brown ale actually expands after you open the can. It will even turn into a healthy, solid loaf if you don’t drink it fast enough. A trip down nostalgia lane for those who miss foods that have the consistency of kitty litter.

Made with cerveza and a special blend of lime, tomato and chile juice, this refreshing can of spiciness is only available at Petco Park. Plus, it only costs $20 for a 13-ounce can! Drink enough of them and it might make you forget the Padres are paying a player $30 million a year to finish third instead of fifth in the division.

16 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

Oh no! Another brewery moved into your neighborhood and is ruining everything?

Beer bros taking up all the parking spots?

All those used hops making it smell like a wet dog? Well, this is the beer for you! A light, crisp, decidedly non-hoppy yellow fizz that’s so corporate, craft beer enthusiasts will be too busy angrily tweeting about it to actually go to the brewery in your hood.

The perfect beer for people who LIKE BEER. Like, really LIKE BEER! Crack open a can with Squee and Moose and forget all your troubles. Hell, forget everything!

Whatever vile things you’ve done in the past will be erased when this ultra pale and underwhelming lager hits your lips.

With an ultra-low alcohol content, this is the beer for the most chill seshes. There’s really nothing remarkable about it, but undiscerning drinkers will be down (DOWN!) with the good vibes of this inoffensive beer. Amber is the color of this sweet bevvie!

This isn’t your dad’s corn syrup-laced beer! It’s literally just fermented corn.

Don’t settle for a yellowy cheap beer, with its negligible amount of corn syrup. Jimmy cracks open a corn beer and we care! With a syrupy texture and a sweet aftertaste, it doesn’t taste any worse than a Bud Light or, at worst, a Bud Light Orange.

@SDCITYBEAT

@SDCITYBEAT

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17

COURTESY OF JUDITH DOWNIE / CSUSM

Oh hell yeah!

These are some tried-and-true originals. Cappy loves sitting back and drinking a couple or six or 10 of these at a time.

Never gets *hic* old.

Steve Wagner and Greg Koch at Stone Brewing Company in 1996

O

ver the past three decades, the San Diego craft beer industry has evolved from its modest origins into a monolithic titan of the international craft brewing marketplace.

After Prohibition’s repeal in 1933, only three breweries operated in San Diego. But when a law passed in 1982 that relaxed restrictions on brewpubs, it sparked the city’s first real brewery boom. In the next 20 years, over two dozen independent brewhouses opened their doors. Some of these early adopters, such as Stone Brewing, Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Green Flash Brewing Company and Ballast Point still dominate the marketplace, Today, there are 200-plus operational breweries, satellite tasting rooms and planned brewhouses in San Diego county alone—a vastly different landscape from even a few years ago.

Now in its 23rd year, Stone Brewing has hundreds of beers in its past and present portfolio. Some have fared better than others, but one has managed to remain a mainstay: COURTESY OF JUDITH DOWNIE / CSUSM

Karl Strauss 18 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

Stone IPA. Originally released in 1997 for the brewery’s first anniversary, Stone calls it “the IPA that launched generations of hop fanatics.” Although the original recipe was slightly tweaked in 2016 by adding additional dry hops, it remains a crucial piece of the modern local beer movement’s foundation. Other definitive brews include Karl Strauss’ Red Trolley Ale (released in 1989), Alpine Beer Company’s Nelson IPA (released in 2005), Ballast Point’s Sculpin (released in 2005), and Pizza Port’s Swami’s IPA (released in 1992).

In the mid-’90s (considered to be the second wave of San Diego craft brewing) consumer demand dictated consistency and familiarity. It’s true to a much smaller degree today; back then, flagship beers were breweries’ bread and butter versus a continuously rotating portfolio of fresh releases. Another veteran of the industry, AleSmith Brewing Company’s Peter Zien, reflects on the sea change.

“I don’t know when I first noticed, but it just seemed like people wanted the new bright, shiny toys and the breweries that could flex and give them new offerings frequently seemed to be doing the best,” he recalls. “We took note of that.”

When Zien assumed ownership of AleSmith in 2002, the brewery’s lineup consisted solely of 10 year-round beers, five seasonals, and a handful of special releases. Their Decadence line launched in 2005 in order to brew one new recipe every year—and that was it.

But as the paradigm of craft beer drinkers continued to shift and the number of breweries in operation increased, Zien realized that AleSmith would have to adjust their output in order to remain relevant. They recently added a 10-barrel system specifically to meet demand for more trend-driven brews (like their first year-round hazy IPA, released in February).

Despite what some may consider to be caving into the haze craze, Zien remains adamant that AleSmith remains a “classic brewery with world-class beers” at heart.

“I’m never going to chase a fad,” Zien claims. “[But] it’s fun. I mean, geez, I could have never predicted some of these new trends. But I welcome them, and I welcome the challenge… we’re changing with the times.”

While AleSmith tiptoes gingerly into the future and everso-slightly away from relying so heavily on their flagships, other long-established breweries that helped shape the

modern craft beer scene are also tasked with the seemingly impossible burden of staying true to their roots while also appealing to trend-driven consumer demands. Green Flash came under fire over its botched acquisition of Alpine in 2014 and subsequent foreclosure in 2018, but recently attempted to tap into nostalgia with a fresh rebrand for its iconic West Coast IPA. Some newer breweries are going yet another route, eschewing flagships entirely and opting to brew new beers as often as possible—sometimes every single batch. In 2017, Mikkeller San Diego released a different beer every week in restricted quantities and leveraged social media to drive up demand.

Social media has proven to be a key factor in how breweries engage with customers and how those interactions shape what beers get made. Limiting quantity creates a sense of urgency, or FOMO (fear of missing out).

The millennial generation is often blamed for the cultural surge of FOMO. It’s no coincidence that millennials also happen to make up over half of the entire craft beer demographic (according to a Brewers Association survey).

Another BA survey cites that 62 percent of millennials are more likely to become loyal customers of a beer company if a brand engages with them on social media. With statistics like these, it’s no wonder that traditional marketing methods are falling by the wayside in favor of social media, while presenting breweries (and restaurants) in San Diego and beyond with fresh obstacles.

“It will be interesting to gauge the next few years,” says Jeremy Moynier, Stone’s Senior Manager of Brewing & Innovation. “The landscape is definitely changing… it’s both an exciting and a challenging time in craft beer.”

Movements like #FlagshipFebruary celebrate the beers that paved the way for today’s craft beer industry, but have yet to make a significant dent in the mindset of the modern consumer. According to a 2015 Nielsen report, millennials try 5.1 different beer brands per month and 15 percent of that group try 10 or more. Variety is key to survival, or so it seems.

But as for the future, Zien thinks that there’s room for tried-and-true brews as well as one-off releases.

“I would like to think that the classics never die out,” says Zien. “I think there’s always a place for these beers.”

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I stand in solidarity with the guild! They’re they only group that has had Cappy’s back since day one—unlike my parents, my kids who won’t talk to me, or even my P.O.!

M

atthew Zirpolo is an outrageously cheerful guy. As the president and co-founder of Burgeon Beer Company in Carlsbad and the current president of the San Diego Brewers Guild, he has reason to be. According to California State University San Marcos’ 2018 economic report, the $1.1 billion local craft beer industry provides over 6,000 jobs across the county.

Our Guild is the largest regional guild in the country and has been going strong since 1997. All good, right?

Not exactly.

“It is kind of a tough time in craft beer,” admits Zirpolo. “There are some closures happening, closures of breweries that I think make fantastic beer. So it’s really tough to see that, especially from [the Guild’s] standpoint.”

As the new head of the Guild whose mission is “to promote San Diego breweries and create an open line of communication between brewers—connecting a strong and vibrant community,” Zirpolo inherited some unique challenges from his predecessors. The

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past decade has been a heyday for San Diego beer, but recent controversies and closures have rattled the community, begging the question: Has San Diego beer peaked?

“You can’t just make good beer anymore.

You also have to be able to run a business; PARADEIGM

Matthew Zirpolo you also have to be able to market yourselves and sell the beer,” explains Zirpolo. That’s why he’s chosen to focus on educational ini-

tiatives during his one-year tenure as Guild president. This, he says, will ensure that independently-owned breweries have all the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly crowded field.

Some of these initiatives include expanding the 2019 economic summit with more breakout sessions specifically geared toward different segments of the industry (brewery owners, taproom managers, and so on). He also plans to improve the Guild’s “Tap Into Knowledge” sessions, collaborative panels aimed at sharing industry knowledge with brewery and bar employees that he hopes will eventually “trickle down” to consumers.

According to Zirpolo, promoting this type of communal knowledge among breweries is key to what makes the San Diego beer community special.

“This industry was founded with a beautiful, cohesive nature and with more and more breweries coming onto the scene, I think it’s more important now than ever to make sure that we all work together as a

team. What we can accomplish if we work together is going to go up exponentially.”

But for all the positive collaboration within the indie beer scene, Zirpolo explains that it’s still a threatened industry.

“The Guild is focused on supporting independent breweries in San Diego… because we’re stronger as a whole and we can actually compete against these big beer conglomerates that have lobbyists at the capitol all day long trying to push bills that could potentially put us out of business,” he says.

Part of his duties as Guild president is to represent San Diego with the California Craft Brewers Association in Sacramento, where he plans to meet with legislators to discuss laws that affect small breweries’ ability to compete with mega-corporations like MillerCoors (which owns Saint Archer) and Constellation Brands (which own Ballast Point). Zirpolo is optimistic about the opportunity.

“I’m going to make sure that we still always have a fighting chance in San Diego.”

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 19

Jesus! Who *hic* doesn’t like beer?? It’s, like, really good and stuff. Cappy’s feeling bummed about this. Cappy wants everyone to like beer.

Cappy feels the whole *hic* weight of the world on his shoulders now.

I

don’t like beer. I don’t like the smell, the taste or the way it suddenly makes my pants shrink. But no matter the day, event or occasion I seem to find myself constantly surrounded by it.

Now before the rabid craft supporters are tempted to troll me, please hear me out. Just because I don’t like chugging beer doesn’t mean I don’t admire the craft, passion and dedication that goes into making the local beer scene the best in the U.S., if not the world.

For those very reasons, I took it upon myself to find beers I found enjoyable despite the fact that I haven’t historically liked beer.

I know I’m not alone in this. So the idea was to write something for those people who may find themselves at a brewery (whether it’s for a special occasion, a date or drinks with friends) and can comfortably order something they might find enjoyable. No guarantees on the pant shrinkage.

Now, the old me would have simply asked the boyfriend to pick something “tolerable,”

20 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

but instead, I summoned the help of my beer-loving gal pals.

“I’m working on a story about beer for people who don’t like beer... do any breweries come to mind?” my text reads.

ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

Blood Saison at Border X Brewing They all come back with various options but I take my friend Marissa up on her offer to visit one of her favorite breweries, Kilowatt (1875 Cable St., kilowatt.beer) in Ocean

Beach. If I were to describe the kind of place my friend Marissa would be attracted to, Kilowatt—with its psychedelic prints and color changing tables—would be it.

Rather than bother the busy bartender on a Friday afternoon, I ask Marissa what she thinks a person who doesn’t like beer might appreciate. From her recommendations, I find two beers I enjoy: the S3 cucumber sour and the S3 strawberry sour. Both are 3.3 percent ABV Berliner Weisse beers with hints of fruity flavor. They are surprisingly refreshing and I don’t find myself cringing after every sip. They both go down smooth and I get a good buzz.

None of my friends recommend Border X Brewing (2181 Logan Ave., borderxbrewing.com) in Barrio Logan, but it’s down the block from my apartment so I’ve tried their Blood Saison, a tart beer with hibiscus and agave syrup. In the past, I’ve made the mistake of getting a full glass and then spent the night “babysitting” my warm beer. On a recent visit, however, I make the wise decision

to order a taster instead, which is enough to enjoy the flavor and leave room for a quesadilla from the taco cart in the patio. The $2 taster is also kind on my wallet.

Finally, CityBeat web editor Ryan Bradford suggested that I try Modern Times’ (moderntimesbeer.com) Sula, a Berliner Weisse-style beer. In my ignorance, however, I accidentally purchase a four pack of Modern Times’ Fruitlands instead, but it’s a sour and my past experiences with sours have been good.

Fruitlands is exactly what it sounds like: a burst of fruit in my mouth with strong hints of passion fruit and guava. It’s definitely sour, but the sweet guava gives it a good balance. I wouldn’t mind drinking these at a BBQ. Of course, if drinking beer still seems impossible, most breweries have different options and some are experimenting with hard cider, seltzer and kombucha (see the next page for more on that). Even for those averse to beer, it’s worth taking the time to appreciate the passion that goes into all these creations.

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APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 21

RYAN BRADFORD

What is this, dawg? Cappy doesn’t understand, but if it gots booze in it... bottoms up! You have this round, right? Cappy’s a little tight on cashy, if you know what I mean. No, YOU’RE drunk!

L

et’s get one thing straight: I know that kombucha is not beer. As I type these words, I’m bracing to be well, actually’d to death by a craft beer

mob.

However, the two beverages have a lot in common. For the uninformed, kombucha is fermented tea that boasts health benefits, such as probiotics to aid digestion and antioxidants that help cells combat free radicals (toxic byproducts of metabolism, not the bucket hat-wearing band that wrote “You Get What You Give”). The similarity with beer stems from its fermentation process, which involves yeast. Hell, if I were looking at a family tree of bevvies, I’d say beer has more similarities to kombucha than it does with cider.

For that reason, it makes sense that high-alcohol kombucha has gently elbowed its way into craft breweries and beer shops. In fact, the advent of the beverage seems so sudden that I found the whole movement bewildering.

But that’s not to say I wasn’t excited! And I’m sure I’m not the only one who saw this as an opportunity to dive headfirst into a new, boozy movement.

JuneShine (3052 El Cajon Blvd., juneshine.co) feels like it was tailor-made for North Park. Nestled in the CRAFT by Brewery Igniter space on El Cajon Boulevard, the trendy space is well-lit with white walls and hanging plants. The clientele seemed like a healthy mix of college students, young mothers, yoga people and social media influencer types. Yes, it’s overwhelmingly twee, but I found that to be a refreshing change from the starkness of most brewery tasting rooms.

I ordered a flight, which came with four tastings for $11. Even the flavors I picked were trendier than I could ever aspire to be: blood-orange mint, “Painkiller Midnight” (a tropical concoction of pineapple and activated charcoal), cucumber mojito and “The

22 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

Flight at Juneshine

Greens” (green health juice, but in kombucha form).

My first sip from the blood-orange mint confused me. Why does this work? I thought. My wise friend remarked that the beverage was guilty of the faux pas of mixing citrus and a flavor most associated with toothpaste. Yet, I was down. Perhaps the novelty of drinking kombucha instead of beer skewed my experience, but I was even more forgiving of the flavors I liked less, like The Greens (why do I ever think that I like the taste of celery?)

However, after going ham on four healthy pours of 6 percent ABV kombucha, they all began to taste the same, and I actually yearned for a beer to cleanse my palate.

A few days later, I found a very fine selection of kombuchas at Baron’s Market. Being a dude who’s easily distracted by bright colors, I picked up a can of Nova Easy Kombucha, which is an offshoot of Chula Vista brewery Novo Brazil (novobrazilbrewing. com). I might have gone too far into hippie territory by choosing the lavender hibiscus flavor, as it was a little too floral for my taste. But halfway through, it began to taste like a gin cocktail, which goes to show that the magical powers of kombucha are strong and varied.

Finally, I picked up a 22-ouncer of Boochcraft’s (boochcraft.com) grapefruit-flavored kombucha from Bottlecraft. With a 7 percent ABV, San Diego’s original kombucha is definitely a party. Everybody in da club getting probiotic! Out of all the brands I tried, this one felt the most like an introductory booch, which was good for this noob. It tasted medicinal and comforting—a little like an Emergen-C. By the end of the bottle, I was feeling pretty, pretty, pret-tay good. Must be all those antioxidants and fighting free radicals, right?

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CULTURE | FILM

Dawn of the dead

Sunset

László Nemes anticipates the horrors of WWI with a riveting tale of family trauma

by Glenn Heath Jr.

Í

risz Leiter (Juli Jakab), the stoic central charac- surprising that Budapest seems on the precipice of ter occupying nearly every single frame of László outright civil war.

Sunset follows Írisz closely as she tries to become Nemes’ Sunset, joins a short list of cinematic disruptors whose very presence upends the lives of each an active participant in her own destiny. She often fails person they encounter. Not a shit-stirrer in the vein to do so, instead getting caught up in the currents of of Jack Nicholson’s foul-mouthed P.I. Jake Gittes in unrest that eventually stain the cobblestones red.

With this epic, deep dive into local politics, corrupChinatown, Jakab’s Leiter is nevertheless a tenacious force trying to uncover information regarding her tion and dissolving social institutions, Nemes foreshadows the dynamic shifts in socio-political hierarfamily’s mysterious past traumas.

On the streets of Budapest in 1913, the Leiter chies that would eventually be exposed in World War I. family name evokes distinction and scandal, a motif These seismic ripples would be felt throughout the 20th repeated throughout multiple conversations taking century, but even before the assassination of Archduke place at various decibels around town. Before their Franz Ferdinand and his pregnant wife Sophie in Saratragic death in a house fire when Írisz was just 2 years jevo, Europe’s tinderbox had long been ready to blow. old, her parents were the proprietors of a world-re- Írisz functions as the match that lights the fuse.

Having now directed two features, Nemes has resnowned hat store that had since fallen under the control of an enterprising capitalist named Brill (Vlad urrected a rigorous, close-contact formalism that positions the viewer side-by-side Ivanov). with the protagonist. With this, In the film’s tight opening they are able to bear witness shot, a literal veil is lifted to reto the onscreen horrors in one veal Írisz’s stoic visage as she SUNSET shared perspective. 2015’s Son poses as a customer while one Directed by László Nemes of Saul takes place inside a Nazi of the store’s many attractive Starring Juli Jakab, Vlad Ivanov concentration camp, depicting in female milliners fits her for a and Evelin Dobos great detail the personal atrociheadpiece. Moments later, she Not Rated ties that history prefers to genreveals her true identity to one of eralize under the umbrella of the the retail managers Zelma (EvHolocaust. elin Dobos), causing a surprising While Sunset isn’t as grueling, it still demands commotion during the company’s pivotal anniversary that each corner of the frame be examined with the week celebration.

Cinematographer Mátyás Erdély employs a long attention of an investigator. Sometimes the image tracking shot to follow Írisz through the store’s wind- will capture only a glimpse of what Írisz sees, while at ing catacombs. Fluid camera movements like this one other times, the soundtrack provides only clues to the give Nemes the opportunity to juxtapose the fragile violence and mayhem heard off-screen. This creates spatial distance between foreground and background, long stretches of confusion and menace; the film is even repeatedly racking focus between the two in a sometimes far too obtuse in its narrative acrobatics.

Still, with Sunset (opening Friday, April 5, at the single shot. It also fixes the camera’s gaze to a character who is constantly trying to get her bearings Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas) Nemes has created an effectively brutal allegory about the local origins of straight in a volatile and unfriendly locale.

As Írisz tries to piece together the alliances, ven- national destruction. The relentless death that would dettas and deceptions that make up this sandbox of come just one year later is prefaced by Írisz’s numbEastern European rot, class division becomes a central ingly brutal quest to illuminate her identity in a world and disorienting theme. Ornate artifices of the Leiter’s that teeters on self-destruction. By the end, she feels hat store, and the elite clientele it serves, are monu- most at home when caught up in the fray of chaos, ments to an ever-expanding opulence that encases ready for a battle that hasn’t yet started. the royalty of the time in a bubble separated from reality. Contrast this with the experiences of coachmen Film reviews run weekly. and servants who occupy barren domiciles and it’s not Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com

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APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 23

CULTURE | FILM

Diane

Selfless agony

T

ime passes with such a merciless and unflinching disregard for human emotion that sometimes even the most selfless souls can feel overwhelmed by it.

Such a scenario unfolds in Diane, the restrained new drama from writer and director Kent Jones. Its central character spends so much energy caring and worrying about others, she never thinks of the cost it may be taking on her own mind.

Before Diane (Mary Kay Place) appears onscreen, her exhaustion can be heard in labored breaths playing over a black screen. She’s accidentally fallen asleep at the hospital bedside of her cancerstricken cousin, and is promptly embarrassed upon waking up, thinking she’s shown weakness at a time and place where strength is needed most.

Sickness and grief seem to be everywhere in the upstate New York community Diane calls home.

Her addict son Brian (Jake Lacy) has experienced one relapse after another, causing irreparable emotional damage that has become a redundant talking point for family and friends. Other older female characters like Bobbie (Andrea Martin), a sage confidant to Diane, are already anticipating their own demise.

If Diane were just another small town exploration of grief and guilt, it wouldn’t resonate nearly as much. Jones’ film is interested more in the suffocating weariness that stems from trying to remain hopeful against all odds, and the great moments that become compromised as a result.

“You need some peace,” one character tells Diane after discovering that Brian has up and disappeared. Eventually, she does decide to untether herself from all of the baggage other people bring to her life. In the film’s second half, Jones inserts more experimental elements in the narrative, giving Diane’s perspective a jarring com-

24 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

plexity and danger that was hidden.

The avant-garde flourishes are clearly reflections of Jones’ massive film knowledge (he’s a longtime programmer and film critic), but Diane ultimately belongs to Place, whose portrait of a woman in gradual decline deals frankly with raw nerves caused by life’s many tragedies.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

OPENING Diane: In Kent Jones’ new drama, a woman (Mary Kay Place) struggles to overcome her son’s debilitating drug addiction and the sicknesses of close friends and family. Opens Friday, April 5, at the Ken Cinema.

Pet Sematary: Stephen King’s horror novel about a mysterious graveyard that brings back the dead gets a modern retelling starring Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz. Opens in wide release Friday, April 5.

Shazam!: A 14-year-old foster child is possessed by mystical force that changes him into a muscular adult superhero.

Opens in wide release Friday, April 5.

Sunset: In 1913 Budapest, a young woman whose family once owned a hat store returns to find the city divided by warring factions. Opens Friday, April 5, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas.

The Best of Enemies: Taraji P. Henson stars as a civil rights activist who squares off against a KKK leader (Sam Rockwell) over school integration measures in 1971 North Carolina. Opens in wide release Friday, April 5.

The Public: Homeless citizens take over a public library in an act of disobedience causing a standoff with police. Starring Emilio Estevez, Jena Malone and Taylor Schilling. Opens Friday, April 5, at Angelika Film Centers Carmel Mountain.

Wrestle: Documentary that follows four high school wrestlers who are all impacted by different life experiences. Friday, April 5, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

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

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COURTESY OF FLIPPER

MUSIC

or those who need advice on how to keep a band together, Steve DePace is just the guy to talk to. As the original drummer of Flipper—one of the most enduring punk bands on the West Coast—he knows firsthand what it takes to survive a gauntlet of setbacks and secure one’s place in the rock canon. Gut instinct and determination are important qualities.

It also helps to not be a dick.

“I can get people to pick up the phone, answer the call or answer an email probably easier than a completely unknown band,” DePace says from his home in New York on a recent Friday afternoon. “But I approach everything like nothing’s easy and you have to really work at it. You have to know what you’re doing and figure it out as you go, and try not to piss anybody off. Once you start pissing people off, then fewer and fewer calls get answered and fewer emails get returned. You’ve got to kind of know how to treat people.”

DePace has been extra reflective about stuff like this lately, as Flipper has been busy lining up tour dates and collaborations in commemoration of their 40th anniversary this year.

“Really I have this attitude of like, ‘Let’s just get out and do it all.’ There’s no point anymore in waiting for things. Let’s just get started and roll it out and do it all. Play across the U.S.—play Europe, [the] UK. Get down to Australia, New Zealand. Try to get into Japan. Try to get into Russia. Try to get

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Clockwise from top left: Rachel Thoele, Ted Falconi, David Yow and Stephen DePace into Norway and Finland—places we haven’t played before. Why not? Let’s go for it.”

Flipper is one of those bands that every fan of punk seems to know about, even if they’ve never listened to them before. They haven’t made big bucks or charted on Billboard, but influential figures like Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and producer Rick Rubin have been avowed fans. Their name and hand-scrawled dolphin logo alone is a brand all its own: Like the Coca-Cola logo or the Playboy Bunny, it seems to show up in the least expected places.

“A friend of mine just sent me a picture of his girlfriend. She had ‘Flipper’ tattooed on her inner bottom lip,” DePace says.

With a closer look, it makes sense why Flipper commands such a devoted cult following. Formed in 1979 in San Francisco, they distinguished themselves by slowing down punk’s formulaic tempo at a time when most of their peers were trying to play as fast as possible. On their 1982 debut, Album — Generic Flipper, they adopt a caveman-like

simplicity with repetitive bass riffs, distorted guitars, discordant saxophone and wisecracking lyrics. Songs like “Sex Bomb” soon became hugely popular in part because they

were so easy for other bands to cover.

Still, there was something powerful, hypnotic, even life-affirming about Flipper’s approach, which helped lay the template for future genres like stoner rock and grunge.

“That was just the sound that came out

when we got together and cranked up the amps and kicked out some beats and sang some words,” DePace says. “We just kind of fell into that style, but it was cool and it was different. And it was easier, for the most part. We didn’t have to really remember any changes. [It] allowed me to kind of lay into a cool groove, and mess around with things a little bit, and then come back to the same beat.”

Any band is bound to experience some setbacks over 40 years, but Flipper’s ups and downs were particularly grueling. Founding member Will Shatter, who traded off on bass and vocals with fellow frontman Bruce Loose, died of a drug overdose in 1987. Flipper caught a second wind in the early 1990s, when Cobain performed with Nirvana on Saturday Night Live in a handmade Flipper T-shirt. Shortly after, they released an album on Rick Rubin’s Def American imprint, but the band’s short-lived renaissance soon came to an end when Shatter’s replacement, John Dougherty, also died. Around that same time, Loose suffered a back injury in a car accident.

The band was dormant for another 10 years before they finally reunited in 2005 to play a benefit show for New York punk club CBGB. Thankfully, by then, their legacy was solidified. Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic stepped in to join the group for a UK tour, and he later played on their 2009 comeback album, Love.

“I never would have imagined that Flipper would have gone as far as it did and have the kind of influence that we’ve had on countless bands around the world, from kids in their garage to bands that grew up to be pretty huge,” DePace says.

These days, Flipper consists of DePace, original guitarist Ted Falconi, bassist Rachel Thoele and David Yow, the singer of The Jesus Lizard. As part of their 40-year anniversary, DePace hopes to get in touch with some other old friends as well. He and Falconi recently went into the studio with Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover of Melvins to record some material for a possible vinyl release later this year. They’ve even reached out to Novoselic with hopes of setting up a couple shows. They’ve come this far, so they’ve really got nothing to lose.

“We’ve been at it 40 years, so we’re not at the beginning of our career. We’re more sort of at the end of it,” DePace says. “Hopefully we can get a lot done before we call it quits for good.”

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 25

MUSIC

BY SETH COMBS

NOTES FROM THE SMOKING PATIO

THE

LOCALS ONLY

shop will also sell a zine about record collecting, made in collaboration with Teros Gallery. A Mexican breakfast truck will od bless Record Store Day. At a time when many re- be set up for record hunters waiting in line before the 9 a.m. tail shops are struggling due to online shopping, this opening, and customers can also peruse a tent stocked with annual event—now in its 12th year—keeps customers 7-inch singles. Quirky rockers Oatmeal will play at 6:30 p.m. interested in local, brick-and-mortar record shops. at Folk Arts’ sister shop, Jupiter Records & Tapes (3610 UniFor this year’s Record Store Day (RSD), which goes down versity Ave.) in City Heights. on Saturday, April 13, music sellers across San Diego will M-Theory Music (827 W. Washington St., mtheorymusic. be opening early to sell exclusive, RSD-branded vinyl and com) in Mission Hills opens at 10 a.m. and will host live perCD releases while also offering up live music, free formances by Nate Legend, Coral Bells, The Petty food and other goodies. Here’s a rundown of the Saints and Ignant Benches, along with RSD vinyl day’s festivities: exclusives and a dollar bin. Down the road a bit, Vinyl Junkies Record Shack (2235 Fern St., viRecord City (3757 Sixth Ave., Hillcrest) will be ofnyljunkies.net) in South Park will open early at 9 fering a massive selection of RSD exclusives as well a.m. and has a day’s worth of live music and DJs as free food. Cow Records (5040 Newport Ave.) in planned, including a live performance by Pinback Ocean Beach will bring in Oceanside label Lux Reside-project Systems Officer and a DJ set from cords for a live showcase featuring members of The “Lol” Tolhurst, the former drummer of The Cure.

Tighten Ups, The Paladins, The Chimpos and The Creature and the Woods will celebrate the release Honkys. Folk singer Mike Pope will also play. of their new J Tree EP, and local label Blind Owl Finally, the Redwoods Music collective and will host a reading from Saturday Night Sage, a Ohio soul label Colemine will co-release “High Saturday Night new book of poetry and narrative prose by local Costa Living,” a 7-inch by drummer Jake Najor Sage Noah Lekas. and his band The Moment of Truth. The single Folk Arts Rare Records (3072 El Cajon Blvd., features members of The Sure Fire Soul Ensemfolkartsrarerecords.com) in North Park will be releasing a ble and West Coast funk legend Mixmaster Wolf on vocals. limited-edition, cassette reissue of a long-lost “homemade The record will be available at all stores. synthwave” record by the artist All Roads Lead to Me. The

G

ALBUM REVIEW Pharlee Pharlee (Tee Pee Records)

26 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

familiar, jam-filled style of music. The album is filled with riffs that even casual music fans will find familiar. The opening seconds of “Sunward” sounds like a band trying to put their own unique stamp on the iconic opening chords of the Allman Brothers’ “Whipping Post.” The group also channels Zeppelin’s “Battle of Evermore” for an extended intro before launching into some gracefully paced jamming on “Warning.” Most of the tracks, however, verge on the more speedmetal side of psych-rock, but with plenty of guitar solos from Justin “Figgy” Figueroa and keyboard interludes from Garrett Lekas.

This all might sound as if I found Pharlee to be entirely derivative, but I don’t get the sense that the band is trying to reinvent the wheel here. In the end, there’s something comfortable and well trodden about the six tracks on the album.

It’s like listening to an unearthed gem from some Nuggetsera band that never got their due. The instrumentation is tight, the vocals are soaring and the solos are epic. I mean, when it comes to psychedelic-rock, what more can someone ask for other than that?

—Seth Combs

t seems unbelievably trite to think that Auto-Tune used to be one of the most polarizing controversies in music. The audio processing program— which measures and alters vocal pitches for a more tuned, albeit robotic sound—became something of a staple in late ’00s hip-hop and R&B. Younger artists embraced the program, while old-school traditionalists bemoaned its use as something that helped otherwise untalented singers sound like they had pipes. The most glaring examples of this dispute was Jay-Z’s 2009 song “D.O.A. (Death of Autotune),” released while his once-protégé Kanye West embraced Auto-Tune on the classic 808s & Heartbreak.

Nowadays, people are over it. Artists such as Future, Travis Scott and any number of Soundcloud rappers use Auto-Tune so much that it’s hardly noticeable. This makes me feel bad for artists like T-Pain.

No musician became more synonymous with AutoTune than the Florida rapper and singer. And while he banged out countless hits in his heyday (“Bartender,” “A Million Times” and “Buy U a Drank,” to name a few), he was often looked at as something of a farcical character, representing the cheapening of the hip-hop genre (also see: The Black Eyes Peas, LMFAO, etc.). And yeah, that silly top hat he used to wear didn’t really help.

The problem was that T-Pain could actually sing. In 2014, he blew everyone away with an Auto-Tune-less Tiny Desk Concert that went viral. And who can forget how fun he was on The Lonely Island’s video for “I’m On a Boat”? And I’d argue that he was writing some female empowering, body-positive hits (have you listened to “I’m N Luv [Wit a Stripper] lately?) at a time when Jay-Z was probably still in Becky’s hoetation. So yeah, T-Pain was something of a pioneer and deserves any career renaissance he has coming to him.

HANNIBAL MATTHEWS

W

hether someone thinks it started with Iron Butterfly or Earthless, there’s little doubt at this point that psychedelic rock is one genre that San Diego does very well. That scene has been as prolific as ever lately, with bands such as JOY, Sacri Monti, Harsh Toke and Wild Wild Wets ushering in a new scene ripe for national attention.

Newcomers Pharlee will undoubtedly be a natural fit among this scene and not just because the band includes members of three of the bands mentioned above. What will definitely make them stand out, however, is frontwoman Macarena Rivera, a fierce banshee of a singer who stalks the stage with the fierceness of a leopard.

And much like their San Diego contemporaries, Pharlee also takes a more sped-up approach to what is an otherwise

—Peter Holslin

I

SPOTLIGHT

T-Pain plays Tuesday, April 9 at The Observatory North Park.

T-Pain

@SDCITYBEAT

MUSIC

IF I WERE U

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

Our picks for the week’s top shows

GINA CANAVAN

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3

PLAN A: Low Cut Connie, Space Force, Parker Meridien @ The Casbah. Philly rockers Low Cut Connie take their musical cues from the Rolling Stones and even Jerry Lee Lewis, with frontman Adam Weiner banging on the piano like a man possessed.

Their live shows are truly an experience.

BACKUP PLAN: Gunna, Shy Glizzy, Lil Keed @ House of Blues.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4

PLAN A: Murs, Locksmith, Cojo, DJ Artistic @ The Casbah. L.A. rapper Murs broke out in the late ’90s and, perhaps unfairly, was lumped into that decade’s wave of “conscious rappers.” He’s continued to put out bangers and is something of a legend now.

His new album, A Strange Journey Into the Unimaginable, is a reflective musical statement on friends, family and mortality. PLAN B: Anvil, Don Jamieson, Archer Nation @ Brick by Brick. For those who haven’t seen the utterly charming documentary on Canadian heavy metal band Anvil, please seek it out (it’s cheekily titled Anvil! The Story of Anvil). Then go see them live, because it’s still easy to see how these guys influenced bands like Metallica and other ’80s metal giants. BACKUP PLAN: The Shakes, The Frets, Fever Joy @ Che Café.

FRIDAY, APRIL 5

PLAN A: Girlpool, Hatchie, Kitten @ The Casbah. It was love at first listen when we first heard L.A. duo Girlpool back in 2015. The indie rockers have come a long way since then, transitioning from straight-ahead indie rock to a more nuanced, fuller and harmonic sound on this year’s What Chaos is Imaginary. Beautiful lyrics, beautiful songs. PLAN B: Ignant Benches, Bad Kids, Lefties, Leon Canoe, Splendid Noises @ Che Café. Chula Vista natives Ignant Benches sound like The Strokes on stale Quaaludes (but, like, in a good way), and have stolen our hearts with their brilliant cover of Rednex’s “Cotton Eye Joe.” They turn the goofy ’90s song (which itself was a reworked version of a pre-Civil War folk song) into some kind of sad-eyed hipster ballad just waiting to be used in a rom-com. BACKUP PLAN: Dead Feather Moon, Shane Hall, Taken By Canadians @ Belly Up Tavern.

SATURDAY, APRIL 6

PLAN A: Tulengua, The Huge Class, A.II.Z, Red Eye Clan @ Moustache Bar, Tijuana. Regular CityBeat readers might recognize the name of bi-national, bilingual hip-hop group Tulengua. The trio brings a lot of energy to their live show so cross the border, grab an Uber and check them out at this intimate, outdoor venue known for their bizarre tequila shot concoctions. PLAN B:

@SDCITYBEAT

Girlpool Darius, Zimmer, KARTELL @ Quartyard.

Darius is one of those rare DJs that brings a little something extra to what is an otherwise derivative genre. The Frenchman adds elements of disco and funk to infectious house beats, resulting in a smooth, danceable pastiche of styles that’s easy to get lost in. BACKUP PLAN: Tender, Jane Holiday @ The Casbah.

SUNDAY, APRIL 7

PLAN A: The Foreign Resort, Hexa, Blood Ponies @ Whistle Stop. Sundays are a tough sell when it comes to getting out to live shows, but local goths and other pale folk need to come out for this one. Danish trio The Foreign Resort mix Pornography-era Cure with some synthy beats that sound like they were lifted from a late ’90s industrial compilation. Bonus: Two of San Diego’s best dark-wave bands open. BACKUP PLAN: Ten Fé, Creature Canyon @ The Casbah.

MONDAY, APRIL 8

PLAN A: Dream Burglar, The Prids, Sick Wish @ Bar Pink. Dream Burglar are one of the best garage-rock groups in San Diego, but we’ll be going to this show primarily for The Prids. Sounding like a moodier, darker version of The New Pornographers, the Portland quartet has been busting out bass-driven indie rock for almost 20 years and their latest LP, Do I Look Like I’m in Love, might be their best yet. BACKUP PLAN: Those Darn Gnomes, Nathan Hubbard, Delta-Sine, Vaginals @ The Casbah.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9

PLAN A: T-Pain, Abby Jasmine @ The Observatory North Park. Truth be told, this is a bit of a slow night, but we can think of worse ways to spend an evening than listening to “Buy U a Drank” while buying someone a drank. BACKUP PLAN: The Mondegreens, Underhill Family Orchestra, J. Hofstee @ Soda Bar.

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 27

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Skeletal Remains (Brick By Brick, 4/25), Rivals (Brick By Brick, 4/27), Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin (Casbah, 4/29), Texas Hippie Coalition (Brick By Brick, 4/30), Flaural (Soda Bar, 5/2), Auz Fontaine (Soda Bar, 5/3), The Expanders (BUT, 5/3), MorMor (Soda Bar, 5/8), Stephen El Rey (Casbah, 5/13), Ape Machine (SPACE, 5/15), Dead Meadow (Casbah, 5/15), Howe Gelb (Casbah, 5/28), Field Medic (Ché Café Collective, 5/30), Red Not Chili Peppers (BUT, 5/31), SonReal (HOB, 6/2), Patty Griffin (BUT, 6/8), John Paul White (BUT, 6/12), Mustache Harbor (BUT, 6/15), Slingshot Dakota (Soda Bar, 6/19), Bailen (Casbah, 6/20), Khalid (Pechanga Arena, 6/23), Amyl and the Sniffers (Soda Bar, 7/8), The Chats (Soda Bar, 7/9), The Loons (Soda Bar, 7/13), Dressy Bessy (Soda Bar, 7/18), Chris Cohen (Soda Bar, 7/28), The Psychedelic Furs (Observatory, 8/6), The Original Wailers (BUT, 8/7), The Surfrajettes (Casbah, 8/8), Vaud and the Villains (BUT, 8/31), Hocico (Brick By Brick, 9/26).

ALL SOLD OUT Al Stewart (BUT, 4/3), San Holo (Observatory, 4/5), The Dip (Soda Bar, 4/5), Taking Back Sunday (Observatory, 4/6-7), Meat Puppets (Soda Bar, 4/7), T-Pain (Observatory, 4/9), Matisyahu (BUT, 4/10-11), Dermot Kennedy (Observatory, 4/16), Kero Kero Bonito (Casbah, 4/18), Los Lobos (BUT, 4/19), The Interrupters (Observatory, 4/19), Steel Pulse (BUT, 5/2), El Vez

(Casbah, 5/3), Omar Apollo The Irenic, 5/4), Gone West (BUT, 5/8), The Japanese House (HOB, 5/14), IDLES (BUT, 5/21), The Lemonheads (Casbah, 5/25), John Hiatt (BUT, 5/25), Death Cab For Cutie (Observatory, 8/9-10).

GET YER TICKETS Anvil (Brick By Brick, 4/4), Taking Back Sunday (Observatory, 4/7), David Archuleta (California Center for the Arts, 4/17), Playboi Carti (SOMA, 4/18), Julia Michaels (HOB, 4/20), Earl Sweatshirt (SOMA, 4/27), Passion Pit (Observatory, 5/1), Seth Meyers (Balboa Theater, 5/3), Chromatics (Observatory, 5/4), The Spazmatics (Music Box, 5/10), Dead Boys (Casbah, 5/22), New Kids On The Block (Viejas Arena at SDSU, 5/23), Justin Moore (Del Mar Fairgrounds, 5/31), Bryce Vine (Pechanga Arena, 5/31), Brad Paisley (North Island Credit Union Ampitheatre, 6/1), Jennifer Lopez (Pechanga Arena, 6/10), Toby Keith (Del Mar Fairgrounds, 6/14), Rebelution (North County Credit Union Amphitheatre, 6/15), Local Natives (Observatory, 6/19), Rob Thomas (Humphrey’s, 6/20), Khalid (Pechanga Arena, 6/23), Aly & AJ (Observatory, 6/25), Priests (Soda Bar, 6/26), Billie Eilish (Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 7/13), Carrie Underwood (Pechanga Arena, 10/10), The Who (Viejas Arena, 10/16), Judah & The Lion (Observatory, 10/17), Hozier (Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 10/26).

APRIL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 Missio at Music Box. Bad Suns at Observatory North Park. Cassie B at Soda

28 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

Bar. Gunna at House of Blues. Low Cut Connie at The Casbah.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4 Anvil at Brick By Brick. Easy Wind at Belly Up Tavern. Trevor Hall at Observatory North Park. Reaction Phase at Brick By Brick. Classless Act at Soda Bar. Kansas at Balboa Theatre. Brothers Osborne at House of Blues. Murs at The Casbah. The Shakes at Ché Café Collective. Asere at Music Box.

FRIDAY, APRIL 5 Dead Feather Moon at Belly Up Tavern.

Strangelove at Music Box. Anthem at Brick By Brick. Girlpool at The Casbah.

The Motels at House of Blues. Ignant Benches at Ché Café Collective.

SATURDAY, APRIL 6 Sweet Spirit at Soda Bar. This Wild Life at House of Blues. Yonder Mountain String Band at Belly Up Tavern. DAB at Brick By Brick. Tender at The Casbah.

Crowder at Viejas Arena at SDSU. Morat at Balboa Theatre. Audio Push at SOMA. Frank Iero at Observatory North Park.

The Tracks at Ché Café Collective.

SUNDAY, APRIL 7 Mt. Joy at Music Box. Ten Fé at The Casbah. Ashes of Acres at Brick By Brick.

Buddy Guy at Belly Up Tavern. Lea Salonga at Copley Symphony Hall.

MONDAY, APRIL 8 Max Frost at House of Blues. Combichrist at Brick By Brick. The 131ers at Soda Bar. Those Darn Gnomes at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9 Jimmy Vaughan at Belly Up Tavern. The Mondegreens at Soda Bar. Camilo Septimo at House of Blues. Lincoln Durham at The Casbah.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 J.S. Ondara at The Casbah. Turnover at Observatory North Park. Matisyahu at Belly Up Tavern. AJ Froman at Music Box. Dead Soft at Soda Bar.

THURSDAY, APRIL 11 The Messthetics at The Casbah. Space Jesus at Music Box. Little People at Soda Bar. Inon Barnatan at Copley Symphony Hall. Chioke Dmachi at House of Blues.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12 Kenny Wayne Shepherd at Humphrey’s.

Las Cafeteras at Music Box. The Highwayman Show at Belly Up Tavern. Sacri Monti at The Casbah. Nothington at Soda Bar. Mac Powell at House of Blues.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13 Common Sense at Belly Up Tavern.

Dabin at Music Box. Josh Abbott Band at House of Blues. Ramon Ayala at Del Mar Fairgrounds. John Vanderslice at Soda Bar. Lefties at Soma.

SUNDAY, APRIL 14 Flipper at The Casbah. Pink Froyd at Music Box. Young Wants at Soda Bar. Dvsn at Humphrey’s. Los Angeles Azules at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU. Joshua Bell at Copley Symphony Hall. John 5 at Brick

By Brick. Mariachi Festival at California

Center for the Arts. The Como La Flor Band at House Of Blues.

MONDAY, APRIL 15 Summer Cannibals at Soda Bar. FKJ at Humphrey’s. Kero Kero Bonito at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16 Iceage at The Casbah. Sebastian Maniscalco at Humphreys. The Hillbilly Moon Explosion at Soda Bar. The Primaveras at Belly Up Tavern. Hyukoh at Music Box.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 Sebastian Maniscalco at Humphrey’s.

David Archuleta at California Center for the Arts. Joey Harris and the Mentals at Belly Up Tavern. Bone Thugs-nHarmony at House of Blues. Ages and Ages at Soda Bar. Manwolves at Ché Café Collective. The Lil Smokies at The Casbah.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18 Integrity at Brick By Brick. Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash at Soda Bar. The Floozies at Belly Up Tavern. Playboi Carti at SOMA. Smino at Observatory North Park.

CloZee at Music Box.

FRIDAY, APRIL 19 The Interrupters at Observatory North Park. Monolord at Brick By Brick.

Metalachi at Music Box. Kirin J. Callinan at Soda Bar. Emo Nite at The Casbah. DMX at House of Blues. +Plus at SOMA.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

@SDCITYBEAT

BY CHRISTIN BAILEY

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 SATURDAY, APRIL 20 Julia Michaels at House of Blues. Michael McDonald at Belly Up Tavern.

Night Beats at The Casbah. Imagery Machine at Soda Bar. Pinback at Music Box. Big Thief at The Irenic. The Plot In You at SOMA. Deixion at Brick By Brick.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21 Ufomommut at Brick By Brick. Brent Cowles at Soda Bar. Puddle of Mudd at House of Blues. Pg.99 at Ché Café Collective. Mdou Moctar at The Casbah. Fanclub at SPACE.

MONDAY, APRIL 22 Wayne Hancock at Soda Bar. Ben Kweller at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23 Superorganism at Music Box. Epik High at Observatory North Park. Vandoliers at Soda Bar. The Strawberry Moons at Belly Up Tavern. Lebanon Hanover at The Casbah.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24 Party Nails at The Casbah. Sully at Belly Up Tavern. Biskwiq at Soda Bar. Jon Anderson at Humphrey’s.

THURSDAY, APRIL 25 Los Straitjackets at The Casbah. The Reverend Horton Heat at Belly Up Tavern. Epic Beard Men at Soda Bar. Love Angels at Music Box. Aterciopelados at Observatory North Park. Reverend Horton Heat at Belly Up Tavern. Laun-

@SDCITYBEAT

dry Day at House of Blues. Skeletal Remains at Brick By Brick.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26 Psycroptic at Brick By Brick. Rebecca Jade and the Cold Fact at The Casbah.

Weatherbox at Ché Café Collective. Secrets at SOMA. Run River North at Soda Bar. The Main Squeeze at Belly Up Tavern. Vokab Kompany at Music Box. Yung Baby Tate at The Irenic. Groove Internation at House of Blues.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27 Com Truise at Music Box. Livin’ On A Prayer at Belly Up Tavern. Earl Sweatshirt at SOMA. Telekinesis at The Casbah.

Kiefer at Soda Bar. Rivals at Brick By Brick.

SUNDAY, APRIL 28 The Kingston Trio at Balboa Theatre.

White Denim at Belly Up Tavern. Perturbator at Music Box. Show Me The Body at Ché Café Collective. Knocked Loose at SOMA. Anomalie at House of Blues.

MONDAY, APRIL 29 Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30 Tech N9ne at House of Blues. Texas Hippie Coalition at Brick By Brick.

MAY WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 Passion Pit at Observatory North Park.

Young Jesus at Ché Café Collective.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

ASTROLOGICALLY UNSOUND Weekly forecasts from the so-called universe ARIES (March 21 - April 19): Where do you even begin with this week? Oh, that’s right, at the beginning. Well I guess that was easy enough to figure out.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but by transforming your brain into your own enemy, you may have taken that directive a little too literally.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Surround yourself with people who love and cherish you and who would know it was you if a wicked witch transformed you into a woodland animal.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): The changing of the seasons brings you new opportunities, all of which will be unbearable to participate in due to the high pollen count in the air.

LEO (July 23 - August 22): It is a delicate balance. That is, you always have to take into account that the table you’re seated at is wobbly, but you’re not going to let that get in the way of your dinner.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): This entire week will resemble that feeling you have when you’re at the ATM and can’t enter your PIN correctly since you’re thinking about it too much and can’t remember it.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): This week will feel like walking in a dreamworld. Well, actually, it’s going to be like one of the dreams where everything is exactly the same as your waking life except more things will go wrong than usual.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Every moment in your life is the culmination of every choice you’ve previously made.

This means you have a lot of options when it comes to what to blame.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 December 21): Sometimes it feels like people only notice the bad things you’re doing and not the good. Like, nobody even talks about how incredibly flame retardant asbestos is anymore.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19):This week nobody understands you quite like the targeted ads for products you thought about only five minutes ago.

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Every creature on the planet serves a purpose. What is yours? To dump microplastics down the drain and into the waterways? No? Well you’re acting like it.

PISCES (February 19 - March 20): You don’t have to be happy about it, but you can’t really blame a tiger shark for using its teeth to figure out what you are. I mean, that’s one of the only tools they have available.

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

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 29

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 Cattle Decapitation at Brick By Brick.

Polyrhythmics at Belly Up Tavern.

THURSDAY, MAY 2 The 69 Eyes at Brick By Brick. Kid Trunks at House of Blues. Freddie Gibbs at SOMA. Hante at SPACE. Flaural at Soda Bar. AJ Mitchell at The Irenic.

FRIDAY, MAY 3 SoMo at Music Box. Party Like Gatsby at Observatory North Park. Colin Hay at Humphrey’s. Seth Meyers at Balboa Theater. The Grinns at SOMA. Bumpin Uglies at House of Blues. Auz Fontaine at Soda Bar. The Expanders at Belly Up Tavern.

SATURDAY, MAY 4 Wayward Sons at Belly Up Tavern.

Chromatics at Observatory North Park.

Yngwie Malmsteen at House of Blues.

Lauren Ruth Ward at The Casbah. Reaction Phase at Brick By Brick.

SUNDAY, MAY 5 The Faint at Observatory North Park. Cocoa Tea at Belly Up Tavern. Peter Bjorn & John at The Irenic. Violent Femmes at Humphrey’s.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: ‘Brining Back Rock ‘N’ Roll’. Fri: Boostive, Lavender Fields. Sat: Buyepongo, Quitapenas, Melapelus. Sun: Karaoke. Tue: Indica Roots, The Tones.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., Normal Heights. Wed: ‘#HipHopWeds’.

Thu: Jonathon Lestat. Fri: ‘House Music Fridays’. Sat: ‘JUICY’. Sun: ‘Possession’.

Mon: ‘Organized Grime’. Tue: DJ Staci.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: Kris Tinkle. Fri: Kountry Wayne. Sat: Kountry Wayne. Sun: Kountry Wayne. Tue: Open Mic. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Fri: Layers of Pink, Evan Diamond & The Library. Sat: Rhinoceros III, Old Nick and the Skulls. Sun: Gut Punch, Skullcrack, PSO, Dying For It, COD. Mon: Trivia. Tue: Karaoke.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown.

Fri: Gardens of God. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. Mon: The Prids, Sick Wish, Dream Burglar.

Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Thu: Dude Cervantes. Fri: Slower. Sat: Stone Horse.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Al Stewart, The Empty Pockets (sold out). Thu: Easy Wind. Fri: Dead Feather Moon, Shane Hall, Taken

by Canadians. Sat: Yonder Mountain String Band, Dangermuffin. Tue: Jimmie Vaughan, Sarah Rogo.

Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Fri: Moontrax, Nathan Raney Band, The Traveling Salesmen.

Blonde, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Wed: Matt Pernicano. Thu: One From The Heart. Fri: ‘WE ARE YR FRIENDS’. Sat: ‘Make Out Club’. Sun: Birdee. Mon: ‘La Escalera Fest Ocho’.

Tue: ‘Techit EASY’.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad.

Sat: Big Dude.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. Thu: Anvil. Fri: Anthem. Sat: DAB. Sun: Ashes of Ares. Mon: Combichrist.

30 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 3, 2019

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Wed: Low Cut Connie, Space Force, Parker Meridien. Thu: Murs, Locksmith, Cojo, DJ Artistic. Fri: Girlpool, Hatchie, Kitten. Sat: Tender, Jane Holiday.

Sun: Ten Fé, Creature Canyon. Mon: Those Darn Gnomes, Nathan Hubbard, Delta-Sine, Vaginals. Tue: Lincoln Durham, Toothless George.

Che Cafe, 1000 Scholars Drive S, La Jolla. Thu: The Shakes, Fever Joy, Lucid Dream, The Frets. Fri: Ignant Benches, Bad Kids, Lefties, Leon Canoe, Splendid Noises. Sat: The Tracks, Former, Battery Point, Not from England, X-Ray Eyes.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Bay Park. Wed: The Mesa College Jazz Big Band. Fri: The John Reynolds Quintet.

Sat: Charlie Arbelaez’s NY/SD Quartet.

Sun: High Society Jazz Band.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown. Thu: ‘TakeOver Thursdays: Girl’s Night Out’. Fri: DJ Scooter. Sat: Birdie Bird. Sun: ‘Reggae Sundays’.

Montablan Quintet. Sun: Uptown Rhythm Makers.

Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: Fetty Wap. Sat: Vicetone.

Pour House, 1903 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: Ecstatic Union. Fri: Spice Pistols. Sat: That’s Right. Sun: Anna Zinova, Pinkeye. Mon: Trivia. Tue: DJ Lexicon Devil.

Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, Kearny Mesa. Wed: Taryn Donath Duo. Thu: Tomcat Courtney. Fri: Missy Anderson. Sat: Michele Lundeen.

The Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: ‘Country Dance’. Fri: ‘Bad Behavior’. Sat: City Royals.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., Hillcrest.

Wed: ‘Mischief with Bianca’. Thu: ‘#LEZ + Techniche’. Fri: ‘Electro-POP!’. Sat: ‘Voltage’. Sun: ‘Discoteka’.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Sat: DJ Isaac B.

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’. Thu: ‘Swing Thing’. Fri: Taryn Donath Duo. Sat: Baja Bugs. Tue: ‘Everything & Anything Jam’.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Wed: Gunna. Thu: Brothers Osborne. Fri: The Motels. Sat: This Wild Life, Sleep On It, Crooked Teeth. Mon: Max Frost. Tue: Parmalee.

Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Thu: DJ Ratty. Fri: Ian Patrick Cler Trio. Sat: Imagery Machine.

Mon: ‘Jazz Jam’. Tue: Chloe Lou & Davies.

Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: Tradewinds. Thu: DJ Chuck. Fri: Wildside.

Sat: Conscious Rebels. Sun: Psydecar.

Mon: Sue Palmer. Tue: Mercedes Moore.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: Cassie B, Sol Orchid, The Night Howls. Thu: Classless Act, Stray Monroe. Fri: The Dip, Laura Jean Anderson (sold out). Sat: Sweet Spirit, Aviator Stash. Sun: Meat Puppets, All Souls (sold out). Mon: The 131ers, Splavender, JARA. Tue: The Mondergreens, Underhill Family Orchestra, J. Hofstee.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Thu: Ignant Benches, Lefties, TWIG, Mint Hole. Fri: ‘That’s SO ‘90s’. Sat: ‘Ascension’. Sun: Secret Fun Club, SOOT, Rust Worship, Burial Wreaths, Monochromacy.

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., Kensington. Fri: Idiot Bombs, Hans Gruber & the Die Hards, Good Time Girl, Kids N’ Propane. Sat: The A-Bortz, Fishing for Chips, Batlords, GentrOside.

Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Fri: Lucier, Nikola, Travis Mason. Sun: Tajlyn. Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Comedy Night.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Wed: Goodal Boys. Thu: JG Duo. Fri: Pat Ellis & Blue Frog Band. Sat: Miss Demeanor. Sun: Gonzology. Tue: Glen Smith.

Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: Valentina Ranalli.

Thu: Sherry Vine, Joey Arias. Sat: BariToned. Sun: Keep It on the DL. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: Roger!, Rebekkah Darling, Semisweet. Thu: Approaching Fiction, Nights Like Thieves, The Undertaking.

Fri: FFWW, Ruby Throated, Fresh Veggies. Sat: ‘Bear Night’. Sun: ‘Showstoppers Talent Contest’. Tue: Machine Politik, Hello Existence, The Tale.

Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas. Thu: The Sickstring Outlaws. Fri: Custard Pie. Sat: Cadillac Fringe. Sun: ‘Tony Ortega Jazz Jam’. Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Karaoke.

Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy.

Wed: Missio, Blackillac, Swells. Thu: Asere. Fri: Strangelove, Shadowplay, Belladon, DJ FN1. Sat: ‘Dance Yourself Clean’. Sun: Mt. Joy, Wilderado.

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

Wed: ‘Instant Crush’. Thu: ‘No Limits’.

Fri: ‘All-Vinyl Happy Hour’. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’. Sun: Tribe of Kings. Tue: ‘Night Shift’.

OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Deorro. Sat: Party Favor.

Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park.

Wed: ‘The Wednesday Jam Session’. Sat:

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway.

Sat: Audio Push, Teefli, Torae, Dax, DJ Ease.

SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights.

Fri: ‘Rituals’. Tue: Karaoke.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Midtown. Fri: ‘Lost in Space’. Sat: ‘Let’s Get Weird’.

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Paul Gregg. Tue: Trivia.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: ‘Taste the Breaks’. Sat: F I N K E L, Oak Palace, 8IM, Post Tropic. Sun: ‘PANTS Karaoke!’.

Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Wed: Hull & Deez. Thu: ‘Nashville Hot Country Nights’. Fri: Coriander. Sat: Coriander.

Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Andrew Barrack.

Tue: Keep Your Soul Duo. Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., Bay Park.

Wed: ‘Leonard’s Vinyl Wednesdays’.

Thu: Tommy Price & The Stilettos. Fri: Full Strength Funk Band. Sat: Detroit Underground. Mon: ‘Sexy Salsa & Sensual Bachata’. Tue: Big Time Operator Orchestra.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Wed: Lambs to Lions, Kids N’ Propane, Cardboard Boxer, Bitter Kiddos.

Fri: ‘Hip Hop vs. Punk’. Sat: Get Dead, DFL, Dead On The Wire, Ground Score, RAAG. U-31, 3112 University Ave., North Park.

Wed: Trivia. Thu: ‘BoomBox Thursdays’.

Sun: Prime Livity, Introspective Culture.

Mon: ‘#31 Flavors’.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park.

Wed: ‘Open Oscillator’. Fri: ‘Death by Dancing’. Sat: Sun: The Foreign Resort, Hexa, Blood Ponies.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach.

Wed: Open Mic. Thu: Open Jam. Fri: Melvin Seals & JGB. Sat: Rebirth Brass Band, Euphoria Brass Band. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: The Blonde Brothers.

@SDCITYBEAT

BY LARA MCCAFFREY

IN THE BACK

CannaBeat Equity programs coming soon?

D

istrict 3 councilmember, Chris Ward, plans to propose San Diego’s own cannabis equity program. If initiated, the program could look similar to those already in action in other California cities like Los Angeles and Oakland. These programs give government assistance to cannabis entrepreneurs who’ve been disproportionately affected by the war on drugs in the past.

Additionally, some local community leaders think such a program would also serve to help individuals who don’t necessarily want to work in the cannabis industry. Ward thinks a cannabis equity program is a way to help San Diego communities that were disproportionately affected by the criminalization of cannabis.

“Whether that is through business opportunity, community development, youth programming, there’s a lot of ways equity programs can be designed,” says Ward. “We are at the beginning stages of figuring out what works best for the city of San Diego.”

Even while cannabis equity programs cannot be race-based, studies such as the

@SDCITYBEAT

ACLU’s “Report: The War on Marijuana in Black and White,” show a staggering racial bias in cannabis possession arrests. (The 2013 report notes Blacks were 3.73 times more likely than whites to be arrested for possession.) Equity programs already in effect require applicants to meet criteria like having a prior cannabis conviction or living in an area where there are a high numbers of cannabis-related arrests.

San Diego’s program could look similar.

Ward hopes San Diego can have a cannabis equity program that benefits communities affected by the war on drugs, but who don’t necessarily want to enter the cannabis industry. This is something Laila Aziz, program director at Pillars of the Community (POTC), says is important. The local community organization, based in Southeast San Diego, commonly works with people who have prior cannabis convictions. Aziz says those individuals are often prevented from succeeding.

“They want a business, period, and they want an occupational license,” Aziz says.

“Not just for a cannabis business, for any business... There needs to be some really comprehensive thought about repairing the damages that have been done. I think that’s where true equity is going to come

COURTESY OF TERRIE BEST

Terrie Best in—not just who’s going to get in front of the line to get a cannabis business.”

Terrie Best, San Diego chapter chair of Americans for Safe Access (which works to ensure safe and legal access to cannabis), notes there aren’t any legal dispensaries in communities where residents have been most affected by the war on drugs. This includes District 4, the area encompassing Rolando Park to Paradise Hills and Lincoln Park to Greater Skyline Hills.

“These people can’t even get safe access in their own neighborhoods,” says Best.

“As far as funneling money into neighborhoods, and equity and education programs,

for folks who have suffered from drug war harm, I would say that’s warranted and will only make us a stronger and a better community and city.”

Besides working with District 4 councilmember Monica Montgomery’s staff, Ward says he welcomes input on equity programs from community members. He adds that interested parties can contact his office.

“We need them to tell the city what we need to work on, whether it’s through mentoring or relationships with all the permitting processes.”

CannaBeat appears every other week.

APRIL 3, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 31