San Diego CityBeat • Apr 24, 2019

2 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

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APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 3

UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR

The intolerant progressive

W

hen I was at my favorite bar this past weekend, I listened (rather, eavesdropped) as two Bernie bros waxed philosophical about how all the Democratic primary candidates for president were so disappointing. One of the bros wobbled drunkenly, spouting conspiracies about how the Democratic deep state was, once again, out to get his beloved Bernie.

Then he began loudly slurring all the things he disliked about the other candidates.

Pete Buttigieg’s stances aren’t specific enough!

Elizabeth Warren is an ardent capitalist!

Amy Klobuchar is mean to her staff!

Kamala Harris supported those truancy laws!

Cory Booker is trying too hard!

Beto O’Rourke has too many Republican friends!

Joe Biden is a centrist!

This went on for a while before I just couldn’t take it anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for heated political debates, even if they happen to be disturbing everyone else within earshot. What’s more, it’s nice to see this brand of spirited passion for a preferred candidate.

What truly triggers me, however, is when someone proclaims they’d rather not vote at all than support someone who doesn’t live up to every little nitpicky progressive standard they have in place.

Could it be, I thought, that we’ve actually reached a point where Trump supporters are more tolerant and forgiving than progressives and Democrats?

That kind of statement might seem nonsensical on the surface to many. After all, we like to wear our tolerance on our chests like some sort of progressive merit badge sash.

Here’s my pin for having more than one gay friend. And here’s my badge for walking in the Women’s March. Oh, what’s this one? I got that for the time I went to the Occupy Wall Street protests. It’s super rare.

But we’re actually not as tolerant as we think we are. We get so bogged down in our own self-righteousness that we forget that candidates don’t have to check off every single box. Just because they aren’t fully on board with every single progressive policy, that doesn’t mean voters should throw some sort of electoral temper tantrum and vote

for the Jill Stein or Ralph Nader du jour.

Do we honestly think that Trump supporters really care about where he stands on every single issue? Do we honestly think they sit at bars and bitch about how he once rode in a car with a Democrat or how he was mean to his staff? Of course they don’t!

Trump supporters are tolerant of his repugnant behavior and even his crimes precisely because he believes and fights for just enough of the issues they care about.

And sure, one could (and should) point out the fact that many of those issues are rooted in disturbing intolerance. But there’s a difference between tolerance and acceptance. It’s simply naïve to think that every single Trump supporter stands behind him solely for his stance on those issues. And while studies have confirmed that many of these supporters lean politically toward the dreaded A-word (shhhh… it’s authoritarianism), it’s worth pointing out that the president’s core supporters, as well as Republican party leaders, will overlook his xenophobic, nationalistic, fascist, racist, sexist, demagogic, ethnocentric, homophobic anti-Semitic, anti-democratic (*stops to catch breath*) and, yes, authoritarian behavior if it means he will fight for the other issues they care about. Simply put, while they won’t accept him on everything, they will tolerate him if it means they get some of what they want.

Yes, that’s all really scary to me. I had similar concerns when, way back in the summer of 2016, I began to get the sense that progressives were so busy tearing each other apart over all the things that Hilary Clinton wasn’t, they didn’t spend enough time focusing on all the important things she already was. And now, as we begin the same squabbling process all over again, I fear it’s only a matter of time before I hear the same refrain: “I just can’t vote for [insert Democratic primary winner name here] because…”

Be passionate now, but we should not be so unwavering that we become blind to the real dangers that lay ahead. Progressives need to accept the fact that their preferred candidate might not win and they’ll need to tolerate the primary winner. If they don’t, they’ll have to tolerate another four years of Trump as president.

—Seth Combs

Write to seth.combs@sdcitybeat.com

This issue of CityBeat will continue to chalk the tires of your car just to mess with you.

Volume 17 • Issue 36 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, Julia Dixon Evans, Michael A. Gardiner, Sara Harmatz,

Glenn Heath Jr., Peter Holslin, Alfred Howard, Lizz Huerta, Lara McCaffrey, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Ian Ward EDITORIAL INTERNS Steven Buriek, Marlee Drake PRODUCTION MANAGER Tristan Whitehouse MULTIMEDIA ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Paulina Porter-Tapia SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jason Noble ACCOUNTING Perla Castillo, Linda Lam HUMAN RESOURCES Andrea Baker

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4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

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UP FRONT | LETTERS

CATS ARE VULNERABLE TOO I really like the new column “Black Gold” by Alfred Howard. It’s interesting, insightful and funny.

I’m mostly writing about another column, Aaryn Belfer’s about hating cats and all the annoying cat people [“Save me from the cat people,” Backwards & in High Heels, April 10]. Why would she think anyone cares about her hates, or loves for that matter?

What an egomaniac. Cat lovers are a “rabid cult”? I know plenty of cat people who don’t care whether others like them or not. I like both cats and dogs a lot, but don’t care if others do, as long as they don’t hurt them.

I’ve long found her columns annoying for their superiority and self-absorption. It seems less important to her what Trump does to others than how it makes her feel.

What comes through isn’t an understanding and concern for oppressed people but a desire to depict herself as so much more radical and enlightened than other white people. Her disdain for women pops up in use of the demeaning term “chicks”: “this chick at a party” who had the nerve to talk about her cat. Women are not chicks.

Cats “don’t care who they have to hurt to maintain their power and lifestyle?” Is she crazy? Domestic animals are an extremely vulnerable group.

There has been an enormous rise in hate crimes of people of color since Trump has been spitting out his racist hate. Even if it is “just” a cat, her spewing such viciousness

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toward such a vulnerable group makes her just like Trump.

Barbara Connely Chula Vista

YES, DOWN WITH CAT LOVERS! Dear Ms. Belfer, I nearly wept when I read the enlarged quote, “I fucking hate cats...” [“Save me from the cat people,” Backwards & in High Heels, April 10]. That is exactly what I want to write every time I see another lame Facebook video or have to sit through a lengthy description of someone giving a cat her insulin shot. And it has to have the qualifier, “fucking” or it simply doesn’t capture the depth of the sentiment.

Love your writing and always look forward to reading B&IHH, but you are now elevated to the stature of Goddess for giving a voice to your readers who live in terror of Cat-Lover Wrath. I savored Every Single Word of “Save me from cat people.” I just wish I were as courageous as you.

Thom Yarnal La Mesa

WHERE IS THE BEER? After eagerly awaiting your recent Beer Issue, I was completely disappointed with the articles. It seems like CityBeat put more

effort into promoting this issue, than in providing any new interesting story content. The writers contributed old, rehashed content that really does not portray San Diego’s current beer scene. You even have one writer that admits she doesn’t like beer! The impression that comes across to me is the writers “phoned it in,” and put very little effort into crafting their articles. I hope next year’s Beer Issue contains a little more relevant news, and a lot more effort.

Ken Drew Spring Valley

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

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

Spin Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Backwards & In High Heels . . . . . . . . . .

Well, That Was Awkward . . . . . . . . . . .

4 5 6 7 8

FOOD & DRINK World Fare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Anatomy of a Cocktail Scene. . . . . . . . 10 Final Draught. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

THINGS TO DO

The Short List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13

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.

ARTS & CULTURE Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Feature: Swish Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-19

MUSIC Feature: Aterciopelados. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Black Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 If I Were U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Concerts & Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-26

IN THE BACK Astrologically Unsound . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 CannaBitch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5

UP FRONT | OPINION

SPIN

CYCLE

JOHN R. LAMB

Fewer voters, sketchier decisions In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.

—Thomas Jefferson

B

oy, if local leaders had sold Measure L in 2016 like they did last week, who knows what the outcome would have been for the overwhelmingly approved, tectonic-shifting initiative that moved citizen-generated ballot measures to November general elections?

At a rally just weeks before the November 2016 election, thencouncilmember Todd Gloria likened the promise of Measure L to the participatory boom experienced when voters embraced a shift from at-large to district-only City Council elections. Supporters stood beside him holding signs that proclaimed, “More Voters/ Better Decisions.”

“That was extremely controversial, [but] the end result has been

that we have gotten better voter participation, more representation… more diversity—people of color, LGBT, women—being able to serve in public office,” Gloria told rally-goers.

Fast forward to last week, and now-Assemblymember Gloria’s “more representation” mantra conveniently vanished.

“Some of us were deeply involved in Measure L,” he told the City Council last Monday. “This was an opportunity to put the council in the driver’s seat, and that’s where you find yourself today.”

Michael Zucchet, top honcho with the politically influential Municipal Employees Association and a San Diego Port Commissioner, noted that his union “spent a lot of money” supporting the passage of Measure L. But last week, he focused his remarks on the simplicity of the 2016 measure that garnered nearly two-thirds of the citywide vote.

6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

“There are no emergency clauses, no need to make findings to do something other than a November ballot,” he said. “There’s no direction. There’s no will. There’s no spirit.”

Why the sudden parsing of a popular ballot measure into a tool for political expediency? You can thank San Diego’s never-ending version of PTSD (Put Tourists Somewhere Damnit!) over expanding the San Diego Convention Center.

To put it more simply, Mayor Kevin Faulconer sees the clock ticking down on his mad search for a legacy other than Hepatitis A, the Bolts bolting and potholes the size of moon craters. He’s banking on a citizens’ initiative that has stumbled its way on to the November 2020 ballot. The proposed measure, dubbed “Yes! For a Better San Diego,” would boost the city’s hotel tax to pay, it is said, for the center expansion, as well as muchneeded road repairs and improved homeless services and programs.

There’s just one problem: the November 2020 ballot appears ripe for its own traffic jam of tax-boosting ballot measures including bond measures for affordable housing and transit. So it’s not surprising that conventioneers fear an antitax voter backlash.

To avoid that, a coalition of powerful city forces up and down the political food chain—past

JOHN R. LAMB

When it comes to 2016’s popular Measure L, legacy-hunting Mayor Kevin Faulconer and wannabe successor Todd Gloria are playing with voter-intent fire. backers of Measure L included—decided that the March 2020 primary ballot seemed more hospitable to its hotel-tax ballot measure. Most everyone agrees that Measure L gives the City Council discretion in the placement of ballot measures, but that still doesn’t make it right.

These forces won out—at least temporarily—last week when the City Council voted 5-4 to begin the process to put the hotel-tax ballot measure on the March 2020 primary ballot.

Andrea Guerrero, executive director of the Alliance San Diego Mobilization Fund, a key participant in Measure L’s success, said that even the City Attorney’s Office acknowledged that “voters very clearly stated their preference for a November general election for a citizens’ initiative.”

“The reason this is a betrayal of voters is that the members of council who voted to resolve to hold an early election did so ignoring this preference,” Guerrero told Spin. “That is the issue here.

They ignored it in their comments. All they saw was the exception, not the rule. They saw the exception, which is the discretion [of the Council], but they didn’t see the rule, which is the stated preference of voters for November elections.”

She questioned why the need to rush to pass the resolution with so many unknowns, including whether the measure will require a twothirds vote to pass, which Guerrero believes is certain because the measure calls for bonds.

There is also the lingering question on the status of the land coveted for the convention-center expansion. The leaseholders of that land, known as Fifth Avenue Landing, are scheduled to seek approval from the Port Commission in May for a proposed hotel there.

She may have answered her own question. Rumors are flying

that the vote last week was needed to improve the city’s negotiating position with the leaseholders for the land, which has slipped in and out of the city’s hands in almost Keystone Kop fashion.

Cory Briggs, the activist attorney running for mayor, has hinted of a legal battle should the council majority vote similarly sometime in the fall when an ordinance is presented to them. He also suggested the council could remedy the situation by initiating its own March ballot measure that would simply raise the hotel tax for general-fund purposes, a prospect that would require only a majority of voters to pass rather than twothirds.

Guerrero shakes her head when told of this. Doubling down against the wishes of voters does seem counter-productive, despite the needed revenues.

Councilmember Chris Ward, who joined colleagues Monica Montgomery, Barbara Bry and Vivian Moreno in opposing the March move, wondered how a ballot measure requiring a two-thirds vote would fare “when we’re being asked to start off that process by flatly disrespecting the voters.”

Added Ward: “The voters said make the most important decisions when the most people vote.

If we go down this path, Measure L effectively ceases to function at all, and I’m not comfortable with my vote today by taking us there.”

This sort of political manipulation was surely not on the minds of Measure L voters back in 2016.

Is this the kind of precedent this city wants to set? To wage this type of battle over an eight-month time difference? To think voters won’t be able to distinguish the gems from the clunkers is the ultimate insult.

Spin Cycle appears every other week.

Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com.

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UP FRONT | OPINION

AARYN BELFER

BACKWARDS & IN

HIGH HEELS

Let’s impeach this motherfucker

I

t has become abundantly clear REDACTIONS HERE that the REDACTIONS HERE time for impeachment is REDACTIONS HERE upon us REDACTIONS HERE. REDACTIONS HERE Attorney General (aka REDACT THIS) Bill Barr wants you and your Aunt Marge in Boise and your cousin Brett in Park Ridge to believe him and not your lyin’ eyes. Such a fucking bunch of bullshit. But even the redacted report REDACTIONS HERE from Special Counsel Robert Mueller REDACTIONS HERE proves Donald Trump tried and tried like the Little Engine That Could to do all kinds of manner of devious things in order to steal money and power and obstruct justice and influence trials. This was, of course, not his fault since his underlings refused to do his bidding, but the attempts were there.

Which is to say nothing of the thousands of migrant babies and children who have been separated from their parents torn from the arms of people who love them a and who are being held in cages in Texas and elsewhere. Among them are young girls between the ages of 11 and 17 who are being raped and sexually abused by the staffers in these facilities (aka concentration camps). The Office of Refugee Resettlement, under the direction of Nazi Scott Lloyd, has been working to deny their access to abortion should they need one, and after enduring months of abuse and trauma, subsequently making those babies available for adoption to American (read: white) families.

The act of incarcerating children should by itself be enough REDACTIONS HERE reason to rid ourselves of this cretin, but we are a land of due process. Or something.

So, barring his airplane flying into a mountaintop, our only recourse at this juncture is impeachment.

It is time, We The People, demand congress begin impeachment proceedings. We must not wait to use our collective power to vote him out. Sure, Nancy Pelosi has said Trump “isn’t worth it,” and Steny Hoyer has said impeachment “is not worthwhile.” But Pelosi and Hoyer are often imbecilic and have their fingers in the wind wrong. Impeachment is the only motherfucking way to hold this sociopathic monster accountable and every day they wait, is another day Donald J. Trump consolidates power. Furthermore, if the House does not use their lawful right to impeach—even if only symbolically—Trump will always use this lack of action as twisted “proof” of his “innocence.”

And lest, like Nance and Steny, anyone should shrug and say it’s pointless to impeach because the Senate will never follow suit, just keep in mind the number of times the House has passed bills knowing they will be killed in the Senate. REDACTIONS HERE

The critical thing is that impeachment hearings will bring facts and truth and information into the public square. It’s facts and truth and information that lead to an empowered and bold as fuck public. It’s facts and truth and information brought forth during impeachment hearings that led the American public to flip against that skeevy, no-good, punk-ass criminal Richard Nixon.

It’s facts and truth and information that make Donald Trump afraid enough REDACTIONS HERE of Mueller’s appointment that he once uttered, “Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency.

I’m fucked.” So let’s make him say it again, only louder this time for the people in the back.

Look here, my beautiful fellow humans who believe in all that is right and good and kind and loving. The institutionalists are not going to save us; there is no cavalry of Betos or Bernie or Bidens thank fucking God riding across the plains of Trump country to save us. We are the cavalry; only we can save us. REDACTIONS HERE So let’s get to work.

Obstruction of justice is but one of a number of impeachable offenses Trump has committed and Mueller didn’t do shit about it. He instead kicked the can left the decision of what to do about of obstruction over to Congress. So let’s call our representatives today—right now—and demand they launch impeachment hearings immediately.

Call the switchboard at 202225-3121 and follow the prompts for your representative. Don’t know what to say? Well! Thanks to the good Samaritans at needtoimpeach. com, we don’t need to find the words because they’ve done that already.

Get on the horn and say: “I am calling to demand Representative [Representative’s name] act on impeaching Donald Trump immediately. The Mueller report provides damning evidence that Trump obstructed justice and tried to influence trials. Even before the Mueller report, Trump had committed 10 impeachable offenses, was implicated in multiple felonies, and cruelly and unconstitutionally imprisoned immigrant children and their families. He is compromised and has failed in his duty as Commander in Chief to protect our country.

The American people are demanding action.”

Then stick ‘em with the pointy end and get a commitment.

“Will Representative [Representative’s name] defend democracy and vote to begin impeachment hearings?”

Let’s do this, folks. Let’s impeach the motherfucker.

Impeachment is the only motherfucking way to hold this sociopathic monster accountable and everyday they wait, is another day Donald J. Trump consolidates power.

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Backwards & In High Heels appears every other week.

Write to aarynb@sdcitybeat.com.

APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7

UP FRONT | VOICES

RYAN BRADFORD

WELL THAT WAS

AWKWARD

Condiments are trash

T

here’s a scene in Sam Raimi’s 1981 horror classic, The Evil Dead in which our hero, Ash, is fighting his reanimated friend (called “deadites” in the Evil Dead universe), and places his thumbs against the monster’s eyes and pushes inwards. We watch from Ash’s point of view as his thumbs disappear into its eye sockets. The deadite screams as thick blood pours from its new orifices.

That scene scared the shit out of me when I first saw it at the way-too-young age of 12. I have seen my share of horror movies since, but we horror fans always remember our first ocular destruction.

The violence of the scene messed me up, but what got to me even more was the consistency of the blood that oozed from the eye sockets. It looked like ketchup. Fucking all-American, Heinz ketchup.

It makes sense, though, because what else would emit from a walking corpse’s skull besides one of the three most evil substances on earth?

Yes, ketchup, mayo and mustard are staples of the American dining experience, and just like the deadites in The Evil Dead, they are nearly impossible to kill. The Big Three— as I like to call them—will never die.

And I, for one, am tired of it.

I’ve mentioned my hatred for condiments before in these pages, but a couple months ago Heinz announced that they’re unleashing two substances known as “Mayocue” and “Mayomust” onto the unsuspecting public. In case it wasn’t clear from the names, it’s essentially mayo mixed with barbecue sauce and mustard, respectively. It seems like an egregious act of hubris—a move so unsavory that only a megalomaniacal entity could pursue it. We’re Heinz, motherfuckers, and we are condiment law.

But these two monstrosities couldn’t have existed without the groundwork laid before them, so let’s take a look at The Big Three to see why everything about the condiment lineage is garbage.

There have been anti-ketchup takes before. After our stupid President admitted that he preferred his steaks well-done and slathered in the stuff, he became a laughing stock, as his need to drown an expensive cut of meat in a sweet, tangy sauce was widely perceived as gauche.

But Trump’s preference for ketchup highlights the condiment’s fundamental flaw: its sweetness. Ketchup is obscene; it’s the culinary equivalent to a witch that lives in a candy house. The practical reason behind the flavor is Heinz using shitloads of sugar to counterbalance the vinegar, which prevents spoilage before it hits someone’s dinosaur chicken nuggets or whatever.

Mmmm, the taste of borderline rot! It blows my mind that people are so gaga for a sugary-sweet perversion

when there are so many better tomato products in the world (salsa, pico de gallo, marinara, etc.).

Next up comes yellow mustard. Mustard is by far the most evil of the condiments. It’s the Dick Cheney of the Big Three: happy to take backseat to ketchup’s fame, but when it’s mustard’s turn to strike, it does so loudly, ruthlessly and violently.

I guess I sort of understand the appeal of loud and brazen things. I also understand how some people would like that in food—like how eating becomes not so much an act of enjoyment, but a dare. When I was 10, my friend had a toy called Dr. Dreadful’s Freaky Food Lab, which was a kit that allowed kids to make edible gummy spiders, fizzy brain drinks and spookyooky stuff you don’t find in a Betty Crocker cookbook.

Everything we made from that kit tasted awful, but it was fun to eat because it was so gross. Yellow mustard is basically one of those science experiments, a food product for people who never grew out of eating zany things. Mustard is fun to eat because it’s so vile. If those suicide drinks that kids get at the gas station were a condiment, it’d be yellow mustard. It’s hard to describe the flavor because it’s every flavor—simultaneously vinegary, tangy, sour, sweet and spicy.

Truly an abomination.

And mayo? I assume the only reason people like mayonnaise is because they prefer their food to have that past-its-expiration-date taste. I’m not entirely sure why people prefer to lather their sandwiches with unnerving tang, but I can only imagine it’s largely for practical reasons such as making the food easier to swallow. People harp on me for eating sandwiches “dry,” but I have no problem with it. I’m not some baby bird that needs its food figuratively chewed up for it to slide down my throat.

Sure, taste is subjective. Everybody should eat what they want. Hell, people can take a bath in Mayomust if they, er... must. However, there’s no denying that the The Big Three objectively bulldoze over subtle flavors and nuances. These condiments are basically the culinary equivalent of a summer blockbuster.

I can’t think of a bigger insult to a chef than throwing one of these trash condiments on an otherwise thoughtful dish. Plus, we live in an increasingly foodie-friendly world, where superior condiments exist. I mean, why use anything when we can use hot sauce?

But if people want to keep ruining decent food with mass-produced, corporate slop, be my guest. One of the best things about being an adult is the ability to eat whatever we want, even if looks like something that just oozed out of a walking corpse.

I assume the only reason people like mayonnaise is because they prefer their food to have that past-itsexpirationdate taste.

8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

Well, That Was Awkward appears every other week.

Write to ryanb@sdcitybeat.com

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UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

THE WORLD

FARE An omakase OMG

T

MICHAEL A. GARDINER

he dish started with the familiar: a comforting crunch and a flavor not entirely unlike that of French fries. But that didn’t last long.

As my teeth sank into the interior, I became lost.

Was it meaty or crunchy? It wasn’t either, but rather somewhere in between.

I couldn’t quite pinpoint either the flavor or the texture. Then I recognized the bits of green powder on the plate: that was the rich, aromatic, earthy and ethereal flavor of matcha. Then, with one hit of salt it suddenly all made sense. The world was back in balance.

That lotus root tempura with matcha and salt at Kokoro Restaurant (3298 Greyling Drive Ste. B, kokoro-restaurant.net) in Serra Mesa was just a single dish in the middle of Chef “Taisho” Akio Ishito’s omakase menu. It was neither the meal’s first delicious bite nor its fantastic sushi finale. It was, rather, just one dish somewhere in the middle. And yet it captured the omakase’s essence: simple, surprising and subtly seductive precision and perfection.

Omakase, at least in the eyes of most Americans who have any understanding of the term, is often a sushi thing. But the Japanese word is much broad-

Miso-cured amaebi

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er, translating literally as “respectfully leaving another to decide what is best.” Omakase dining, then, is much more expansive than simply sushi.

It’s somewhat similar to kaiseke—both are elaborate, multi-course, tasting menu-style meals built around seasonality, quality ingredients and simple preparations—but without the ritualized structure and ceremony.

At Kokoro, the omakase includes raw and cured fish dishes, but it doesn’t exclusively feature those items. It’s not even mostly that. In fact, our omakase opened with a supremely simple dish of marinated spinach and enoki mushroom that was both understated and elegant. A miso-cured amaebi took that up a notch, with the miso marinade underlining the inherent sweetness of the shrimp.

Another understated, surprising offering was a clear soup that seemed to feature a fish cake. But it wasn’t the fish cake that made the dish: it was the strip of yuzu, a Japanese citrus, sitting at the bottom of the bowl that really starred. That yuzu’s ever-soslightly sweet acidity balanced and actually highlighted the deep umami of the soup and the fish cake.

Fried monkfish in lobster broth with snow pea and daikon was a bit more forward. The dish played on the parallels between the monkfish and the actual lobster broth. After all, monkfish is often called “poor man’s lobster.” Two big chunks of daikon balanced the richness of the seafood and the two little slices of snow pea offered a welcome hit of freshness.

The sashimi and sushi courses were, predictably, excellent. Taisho’s knife skills are second to none and his sourcing is impeccable. My favorite fish dish at Kokoro came at a lunch visit: mackerel battera sushi. Battera is Osaka-style sushi made by stacking translucent, paper-thin konbu over vinegar-pickled mackerel (Kokoro also offers it with salmon) and served on sushi rice.

The entire package is compressed in an impressive wooden contraption resulting in a dish that is as dramatic and attractive as it is delicious.

Even with all that, I keep coming back to that fried lotus root tempura.

Unexpected, subtle and surprising, that dish summed up what makes Kokoro stand out. There’s really nothing in San Diego quite like it.

The World Fare appears weekly.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9

UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

ANATOMY OF A COCKTAIL SCENE

BY IAN WARD

#56: Road tripping at Campfire

thisiscampfire.com) in Carlsbad. “I was so amused that I thought we should do a gas station or 7-Eleven menu. A little more have always loved the idea of themed thought and a lot more refinement led me cocktail menus. That being said, I have to consider the values that Campfire sits not always loved the thematic menus upon… community and shared experiencI’ve come across. The same can be said for es. What is more shared than time spent chef’s tasting menus, as they both incorpo- in a vehicle on a road trip? Every moment rate similar philosophies. While the theme is shared, and, so is the mobile sustenance of the cocktail menu might not be immedi- that is snacks.”

Still, as cool as Lacap’s thematic menu ately evident in the progression of flavors, those flavors do paint a bigger picture. And is, I couldn’t help but wonder how he came up with a drink inspired much like a chef’s tasting menu, IAN WARD by… wait for it… Cool Ranch they showcase the imaginaDoritos? tion and skills of the talented “A very famous and respectindividual who designed them. ed cocktail bar in Los Angeles These menus act as a windid a salt and vinegar chip martidow into the mind of their creni, I thought the idea was brilliant. ator. They hold more to the tenBut after some dirty martinis at Turf ants of a symphony or opera rather Club, Jayne’s [Gastropub] and Starlite, I than a collection of random compothought I wanted to try my hand at nents, which, let’s be honest, is what something strong and savory one constitutes most cocktail menus. of these days. The first thing I “I’m fueled by an embarrassing amount of candy and for a previ- Cool Ranch could think of was my affinity for all things ranch and that electric ous Negroni Week, I did an orange blue bag of Doritos. I thought the brine elStarburst-infused White Negroni with a citric acid salt rim,” says Leigh Lacap when ements would be the most important so I I ask him about and his thematic “Road spent a long time researching how to recTrip” menu at Campfire (2725 State St., reate the ranch flavor without having to construct a creamy, goopy element. Then I wanted to ensure there was an addictive COOL RANCH quality… who can eat one fucking chip?” as prepared at Campfire The Cool Ranch cocktail is as designed—an Umami bomb that’s great for 3/4 oz. Chanterelle 1 1/2 oz Fugu vodka those who appreciate high savory tones. It mushroom-infused 1/2 oz. Gin is salty, earthy, nutty and raisinated, tastManzanilla sherry 1/4 oz. Cool Ranch pickle brine ing like someone stirred together tapenade and sauce gribiche. The vodka used (Fugu) To make the “Cool Ranch” brine, combine in a is made from corn, an obvious choice for large pot two quarts of water, 16 oz. sugar, 8 oz. a Doritos-inspired cocktail. It’s certainly salt, 1 quart champagne vinegar, 100 g. fresh dill, 40 g. dried chives, 100 g. dried parsley, 8 tsp. designed for those who possess a sense of whole coriander, 40 g. black pepper, 95 g. onion adventure. Then again, most people headpowder, and 50 g. fresh garlic. Bring to a boil, ing out on a road trip, be it to Carlsbad or allow to cool and fine strain. beyond, likely have a sense of adventure To make the Chanterelle mushroom-infused already.

Manzanilla sherry, use 14 g. dried mushrooms

I

per 750 ml. Sherry... sous vide for four hours at 130 degrees. Strain.

Gently stir all ingredients over ice, strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with dill sprig.

10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

Anatomy of a Cocktail Scene appears every other week. Write to ianw@sdcitybeat.com.

BY BETH DEMMON

FINAL DRAUGHT New brews in the House

I

“

am a subtlety kind of guy,” explains Dan Enjem, head brewer at Pacific Beach AleHouse (721 Grand Ave., pbalehouse.com). “I don’t put a bunch of stuff in my beers.”

This isn’t the first thing I expected to hear about a craft beer program in the heart of Pacific Beach’s boisterous bar scene. But sipping on Enjem’s 3.7 percent ABV Japanese-style lager, it’s easy to see what he means. The delicate lager is by far the lightest of the house draft options, but Enjem’s entire portfolio is an homage to simplicity. As I work through a flight of his brews (a blonde ale, Irish red, IPA, raspberry Berliner weisse and American stout), his tendency toward minimalism is striking.

Overall, the beers finished clean with good head retention. The Berliner weisse poured a little flat and the rye in his IPA was heavy-handed, but the 858 Blonde and Soledad Stout were markedly improved from my last visit under the previous brewer.

Enjem took over brewing operations at PB AleHouse in November 2018 after stints at Thorn Brewing and Ballast Point Scripps Ranch. Thorn was his first professional brewhouse experience after homebrewing for years, but Ballast Point is where he says he learned “how to jam.”

“That’s what I call it,” Enjem chuckles. “[How to] make a lot of beers fast, basically.”

Still, he’s quick to point out that moving at high speeds doesn’t mean cutting corners and he praises the team at Ballast Point for avoiding such scenarios. Now, as the sole full-time brewer on PB AleHouse’s seven barrel system, it’s a skill he anticipates needing even more once the summer boom hits.

Inheriting a brewing program at one of the original taprooms in San Diego (PB AleHouse has been around since 2007) can leave a brewer saddled with expectations from long-time patrons. But AleHouse’s tourist-centric location means that Enjem is likely to avoid some of those preconcep-

tions, allowing him the freedom to make changes as he sees fit.

One of those changes was to immediately install a water filtration system for the building. Enjem is nothing if not a humongous water nerd, happily explaining (in great detail) how he reviews the city water report in order to dial in his salt additions to concoct the best profile for the beers.

But Enjem didn’t come to turn PB AleHouse’s brewhouse upside-down by releasing new and different beers constantly.

Their sheer size and number of employBETH DEMMON

Dan Enjem ees prohibits too much change too often.

Instead, he’s opting to put his own twist on PB AleHouse’s most popular offerings; for instance, its topselling beer, “Rockfish Red” ale, is now “Rockfish Rojo” with some minor recipe upgrades. His “Down to Hop” IPA will employ a rotating hop profile.

He doesn’t plan to get too wild with beer styles, but is hoping to slowly introduce a variety of unexpected offerings in the future (like a Belgian golden strong ale for AleHouse’s 11th anniversary at the end of the month).

“PB is not known as a beer community,” says Enjem. “[But] depending on the feedback on that will really determine what some of my next beers are.”

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

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APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11

EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

SAN DIEGO

ON THE SAME PAGE

One of the more heartwarming local stories was when, earlier this year, a group of independent bookstore employees and owners stepped up to oversee The Book Catapult in South Park when co-owner Seth Marko needed immediate open-heart surgery. It was a beautiful example of folks who would otherwise be competitors coming together to help a fellow business owner.

We’d like to think that same spirit drives the annual San Diego Book Crawl. Part of the national Independent Bookstore Day, the Crawl is a communal shopping event where shoppers can not only support indie businesses, but have fun while they’re doing it. Held from 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 through 9 p.m. Monday, April 29, the Crawl includes nine bookstore locations throughout the county.

Patrons can pick up a passport at any one of these stores—such as CityBeat faves like Warwick’s, The Book Catapult and Verbatim Books—and get it stamped after a purchase at the other stores. The more stamps on the passport collected, the better

SAN DIEGO

the chances the booklover will win raffle prices swag bags and gift certificates. There will be a number of limited Independent Bookstore Day items for sale, and anyone who visits four or more stores will receive a super-cute San Diego Book Crawl tote bag designed by local author and illustrator Susie Ghahremani (visit seven and there’s a super-sweet pin to win as well).

JULIA DIXON EVANS “It’s kind of shocking sometimes, because the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Verbatim owner Justine Epstein. “It’s so inspiring to hear that this is what people want and to have all the bookstores working together and making this event enjoyable… People are just happy to be out and supporting local bookstores.”

In addition to the prizes, a lot of stores will have other programming as well. Mysterious Galaxy in Clairemont will have author Verbatim Books appearances from Marie Andreas and Daniel Suarez, while Warwick’s in La Jolla will have a St. Jordi’s Day celebration on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. that includes readings, live music and paella. For full list of San Diego Book Crawl participaints, check out libraryshopsd.org.

LITTLE ITALY

BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED Stretching all the way from University Heights to Kensington, the eighth annual Adams Avenue Unplugged has to be one of the best ways to see some of the top local bands. More than 80 acts will be playing including headliners David Lindley and singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno, as well as tons of locals such as the Sara Petite Band, Marie Haddad and Baja Blues Boys. The musicians will be spread out over 24 stages inside local bars, coffee shops and galleries, spanning two miles of Adams Avenue. It all happens Saturday, April 27 from noon to 10 p.m. The event is free, but tickets for the Lindley and Moreno performances are $20 and $15 respectively. See adamsavenueunplugged.com for full lineup and venues.

ARTWALK THIS WAY For 35 years, the Mission Federal ArtWalk (artwalksandiego.org) has brought in more than 120,000 festivalgoers to view and buy art in every medium, including photography, jewelry, painting and sculpture. And sure, the art is one thing, but folks can also enjoy live music, dance performances and food. To keep things fresh, the festival is introducing a number of new elements including an auction of more than 25 surfboards repurposed into unique artwork. And for the younger art lovers, a number of interactive experiences, such as arts education groups, a nature-themed craft station or a percussion experience, will be offered. Still, the core appeal is the 350 local, national and international artists that will be showing off their latest works. The festival is free and runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 in between Ash and Grape Streets.

COURTESY MISSION FEDERAL ARTWALK

HJihad of Bitter Petals at UCSD Visual Arts Facility, 252 Russell Lane, La Jolla.

New works from mixed-media artist Yasmine Kasem, who explores living in the intersection of queer and Islamic identities.

Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 26. Free. visarts.ucsd.edu HBetween Two Worlds: Untold Stories of Refugees from Laos at New Americans Museum, Liberty Station, 2825 Dewey Road, Point Loma. Explore the lives of refugees represented through four homes, allowing visitors to contemplate what home means to those between two worlds.

Opening from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 26.

Free. newamericansmuseum.org HMission Federal ArtWalk at Ash Street and Grape Street, Little Italy. Browse and purchase one-of-a kind art and enjoy live music, dance performances, interactive art experiences, street food, family-friendly art projects and more. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28. Free. artwalksandiego.org Stan Lee: An Art Exhibition at Chuck Jones Gallery, 232 Fifth Ave., Downtown.

The artwork of local artist Randy Martinez, as well as that of 12 other artists will interpret the Marvel Universe. From 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 27. Free. chuckjonescatalog.com HHow Do You See Me? at Weird Hues, 2252 Main St. #14, Chula Vista. The local cartoonist and painter will showcase new and collected works, which includes selections from her highly personal zines.

Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 27. Free. instagram.com/weirdhues HChula Vista Zine Fest at Art on Third Gallery, 269 Third Ave., Chula Vista. Local artists and students will present homemade comics and art at this annual showcase.

From noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 27. facebook.com/events/2071390296242274 HOMA Artist Alliance: Creative License at Sparks Gallery, 530 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Exhibition of around 30 artworks from the Oceanside Museum of Art Artist Alliance, curated by Sonya Sparks.

From 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 27.

Free. 619-696-1416, sparksgallery.com HKatie Howard at Teros Gallery, 3888 Swift Ave., Normal Heights. The co-founder of Little Dame will be showing works from a number of mediums, including watercolor paintings and painted wood panels. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 27. $3 suggested donation. facebook.com/ Teros-Magazine-163020453812436

BOOKS HJohn Gibler at Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Drive, La Mesa.

The journalist, poet and author will read from his latest book, Torn from the World, followed by a Q&A discussion and book signing. From 2 to 3:15 and 7 to 8:15 p.m.

Wednesday, April 24. Free. 619-6681743, grossmont.edu HSan Diego Book Crawl at various locations. A three-day event to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day where local stores will feature author signings and other fun stuff. There are also exclusive books and patrons can collect stamps for prizes and raffles. See website for participating stores, times and details. Saturday, April 27 through Monday, April 29. Free. libraryshopsd.org HBrian Selznick at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., Downtown. The New York Times bestselling author and illustrator will discuss his illustrations in the newly released book of Walt Whitman poems, Live Oak, With Moss. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 30. $37.31. warwicks.com

Gaby Moreno 12 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

Mission Federal ArtWalk

H = CityBeat picks

HIan Doescher at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The bestselling author of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars will sign and discuss his latest reimaginings,William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Mean Girls and William Shakespeare’s Get Thee Back to the Future. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 30. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HLaila Lalami at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The American Book Award Winner, Arab American Book Award Winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist will discuss and sign her new book, The Other Americans. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 1. Free. warwicks.com

COMEDY Jojo Jorge Falcon at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The Mexican comedian, also known as “El Comediante de las Mil Caras” will perform a family-friendly stand-up show. At 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 26. $35-$80. sandiegotheatres.org

DANCE HRomance: En Pointe at California Center for the Arts, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. A classical ballet with selections inspired by excerpts from Romeo et Juliet, Don Quixote, Giselle and more.

From 8 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 27. $40$50. sandiegoballet.org

FILM HSeany Movie Night: Avengers Endgame at Ultrastar Cinemas Mission Valley, 7510 Hazard Center Drive, Mission Valley.

A family-friendly, costume-encouraged matinee screening of the new Marvel movie with proceeds benefitting The Seany Foundation’s programs to support kids with cancer and their families. At 11 a.m.

Saturday, April 27. theseanyfoundation. org HDonna Hathaway: Storytelling for Earthly Survival at SME 149, UC San Diego Structural Materials Engineering Bldg., 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. A screening of the doc about Hathaway, who is best-known for her ground-breaking work on gender, cyborgs, animals, and post-colonialism. A teleconferenced Q&A with Hathaway will follow the screening. At 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 30. Free. earthlysurvival.org

FOOD & DRINK HThe Quintessential Craft Beer & Wine Festival at Nobel Athletic Fields and Recreation Center, 8810 Judicial Drive, La Jolla. The La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club celebrates its anniversary with tastings from more than 30 local breweries, wineries and craft distilleries plus live music and more. From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 27. $30. lajollagtrotary.org HMission Valley Craft Beer & Food Fest at SDCCU Stadium Practice Field, 9449 Friars Road, Mission Valley. Enjoy unlimited tasters of dozens of craft beer and spirits, along with live music and food at this annual event. From noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 27. $60-$80. mvcbf.com HTequila & Taco Festival at Embarcadero Marina Park South, 200 Marina Park Way, Downtown. Sample dozens of tequila brands, margaritas and tacos while enjoying live music from Tone Loc on Sunday. Benefits the Gen Giammanco Foundation’s financial assistance programs for college-bound athletes. At 11 a.m. Saturday, April 27 and 11:30 a.m.

Sunday, April 28. $10-$40. tequilaandtacomusicfestival.com

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 @SDCITYBEAT

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

MUSIC NWEAMO Electronic Music Festival at SDSU Smith Recital Hall, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area. International new music festival featuring a variety of musical genres and styles from different cultures with dance, visual art, and innovative technology. Various times.

Wednesday, April 24 through Sunday, April 28. $10-$20. nweamo.org St. Lawrence String Quartet at Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. The award-winning quartet, renowned for the intensity of its performances, will perform works by Robert Schumann, Joseph Haydn and Stephen Prutsman. From 8 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 26. $23-$59. 858534-8497, musicweb.ucsd.edu Joshua White Trio at La Jolla Community Center, 6811 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla.

The Joshua White Trio performs the music of Rodgers and Hart as part of the Community Center’s Fourth Friday Jazz Series. From 8 to 9:15 p.m. Friday, April 26. $18-$25. ljcommunitycenter.org Raffi at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The kids’ singer, songwriter, author and lecturer will perform songs from his newest album, Dog on the Floor, to inspire fun, imagination and learning in children. At 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27. $33-$43. sandiegotheatres.org HIn Your Neighborhood Block Party at Pour House, 1903 S Coast Hwy, Oceanside. The annual day of music is meant to showcase local businesses and will feature performances from The Paragraphs, Western Settings, Montalban Quintet, Mistress 77, Parker Me-

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ridien and more. From noon to 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 27. Free. facebook.com/ events/2283497608586103 HAdams Avenue Unplugged at Adams Avenue and Hawley Boulevard, Normal Heights. Musical walkabout with 80 artists performing on 24 stages along a two-mile stretch including headliners David Lindley and Gaby Moreno. From 12 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, April 27. Free-$15. 619-2827329, adamsavenueunplugged.com Linda Vista Multicultural Fair at 6900 Linda Vista Road. The annual multicultural fair and parade features food vendors, multicultural performances, carnival rides, a kid’s zone, rock climbing wall and more.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 27. Free. 619-746-8223, lindavistafair.org HBanding Survivors Benefit Concert at Quartyard, 1301 Market St., Downtown.

Benefit concert supporting local survivors of human trafficking with proceeds benefitting STARS of San Diego Youth Services. From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 27. $20-$75. 540-354-1611, bandingsurvivors.eventbrite.com Sibelius and John Williams at Copley Symphony, 750 B St., Downtown. Discussion on the composers and repertoire by commentator Nuvi Mehta followed by a concerted conducted by David Danzmayr. At 8 p.m. Saturday, April 27. $20-$100. sandiegosymphony.org HMulticultural Earth Day Celebration at World Beat Cultural Center, Balboa Park. The 29th annual Earth Day celebration featuring food and craft vendors, African drum and dance, kids activities and a live concert featuring Earl Zero, Quinto Sol and more. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 28. Free. 619-2301190, events.worldbeatcenter.org

The Kingston Trio at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The multigenerational folk music group will perform songs such as “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” “Tom Dooley” and “MTA.” At 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28. $26.50-$51.50. sandiegotheatres.org WEDS@7: Takae Ohnishi at Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Performance of the Musical Offering, a collection of keyboard canons and fugues and other pieces of music by J.S.Bach. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 1. Free-$15.50. 858-534-3448, musicweb.ucsd.edu

PERFORMANCE 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, BMX tricks and hip-hop inspired “shape diving.” Various times. Through Sunday, May 5. $65$235. cirquedusoleil.com/volta

POETRY AND SPOKEN WORD HPalabra at La Bodega Gallery, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. Featured reader Ben Johnson will read poetry and prose.

After, there will be an open mic session for other poets, short stories writers and lyricists. At 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25.

Suggested donation. 619-255-7036, labodegagallery.com HVAMP: Bullshit Artists at Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park. So Say We All’s monthly storytelling night features stories about hucksters and con-

artists. From 8:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday, April 25. $5 suggested donation. 619284-6784, sosayweallonline.com HThe End of the World Project at D.G. Wills Books, 7461 Girard Ave., La Jolla.

Poets Tom Marshall, John BloombergRissman, Paul Dresman, Donald Wesling and others will read from The End of the World Project, their new anthology of poetry and prose addressing ecological trauma. At 7 p.m. Saturday, April 27.

Free. 858-456-1800, dgwillsbooks.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS HLiterary Arts Fest at Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Drive, La Mesa. The annual festival featuring author panels, live readings, discussions, student writing awards, a poetry slam and more. Various times. Through Thursday, April 25. Free. grossmont.edu HQueen Bee Spring Market at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. The urban-style handmade market will host vendors showcasing an array of artisanal home décor, accessories, clothing, paper arts, vintage items, furniture and more. From 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 26 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 27. Free-$3. thequeenbeemarket. com HArts & Craft at Spanish Village Art Center, 1770 Village Place, Balboa Park.

Check out the work of the Village’s more than 200 resident artists as well as craft brew tastings, bites from the Prado, music and more. From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Friday, April 26. $35. spanishvillageart. com Encinitas Spring Street Fair at South Coast Hwy. 101 and Encinitas Boulevard, Encinitas. Over 450 food and arts and

crafts vendors plus four entertainment stages, children’s rides, bike valets and a beer garden. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 27 through Sunday April 28. Free. encinitas101.com MDA Firefighter Chili Cook-off and Seals Tailgate at San Diego Sports Arena, 3500 Sports Arena Blvd., Point Loma.

Taste chili cooked by local firefighters with local celebrity chili judges, along with local brews, bratwursts, hot dogs, burgers, music and dancing. From 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 27. $20-$50. 858-492-9792, sealslax.com/mda San Diego EarthFair at Balboa Park.

The annual environmental event features over 300 exhibitors, special themed areas, a food pavilion, a children’s activity area, four entertainment venues, the eARTh Gallery arts and crafts show and more.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 28.

Free. 858-272-7370, earthdayweb.org

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS HMichael P. Shawver at UCSD Atkinson Hall, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. The editor of Creed and the hit Black Panther will be giving a lecture as part of the Adam D. Kamil lecture series.

From 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 25.

Free. visarts.ucsd.edu

WORKSHOPS HElectronic Music Workshop at MTheory Music, 827 West Washington St., Hillcrest. Ramón Amezcua, Bostich from Nortec Collective, will be running this workshop and giving an in-store performance. From 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 25. Free. mtheorymusic.com

APRIL 24, 2019· SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 13

THEATER DAREN SCOTT

The Servant of Two Masters runs through May 5 at New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad. $25-$36; newvillagearts. org

Serving it all up

F

rom the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink department comes New Village Arts Theatre’s The Servant of Two Masters. An adaptation of Carlo Goldoni’s 1746 commedia dell’arte piece, it clocks in at two-and-a-half unbridled hours, and features slapstick, actors in drag, one-liners of the “And Don’t Call Me Shirley” variety, fart jokes, sight gags, a chase to the Benny Hill theme song, contemporary references to pop culture and icons, puns, pratfalls, double entendres and more. Much, much more.

This adaptation must have been a blast to write for coauthors AJ Knox—who also directs—and Samantha Ginn, who stars as the eponymous servant doing double duty.

I’d imagine the initial sessions had to have been something like, “Let’s try this!” and “Yeah! Then let’s do that!” and finally, “And then how ‘bout this?!”

Fact is, not everything works in a show this long and rambling. How could it? There’s enough material for two Naked Gun movies and a Monty Python sketch or three thrown in for good measure.

What does work is Ginn’s ����������������������������� performance. Her ferocious energy, lightning-fast wit and breathless physicality make The Servant of Two Masters, even in its excess, watchable every second she’s onstage. Robin Williams would be proud of a performance as frantically creative as Ginn’s take on the servant.

Never mind the original Goldoni story of disguise, romance and the machinations of Truffaldino, ��������������������� the servant on which this adaptation is based. That narrative, deconstructed for modern-day relevance and hipness, is just a pretext for the many characters to frolic and have

14 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

—David L. Coddon

Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING: Disney’s Aladdin, Jr.: A youth production of the Broadway musical about a young man who enlists the help of a magic genie in order to fight an evil Sultan. Presented by Pickwick Players, it opens April 26 at the Carlton Oaks School in Santee. pickwickplayers.net James and the Giant Peach: The fantastical musical about a young orphan hanging out with a bunch of bugs inside a big piece of fruit.

Based on the Roald Dahl book and presented by the SDSU Theatre Department, it opens April 26 at the Don Powell Theatre in the College Area. ttf.sdsu.edu

The Servant of Two Masters fun, often at each other’s expense. Besides Ginn, there are worthy performances from fellow cast members Tony Houck (like Ginn and Knox, an NVA artistic associate) as a spurned bridegroom with a pink bicycle. There’s also the gruff-voiced Max Macke, who’s dressed up as the unlikeliest woman in creation as Truffaldino’s love interest Smeraldina.

Cast members repeatedly remind the audience in winkwink fashion that this is a play and certainly not one to be taken very seriously. Going into The Servant of Two Masters expecting a courtly costume comedy would be a grave mistake indeed. This is escapist entertainment of the wackiest kind.

Sister Act: The musical based on the film about a singer who witnesses a crime and has to hide out in a convent. Presented by San Diego Musical Theatre, it opens April 26 at the Horton Grand Theatre in the Gaslamp. sdmt.org In a Word: A staged reading of Lauren Yee’s dramedy about a woman searching for answers about her son’s disappearance. Presented by Carlsbad Playreaders, it happens April 29 at the Carlsbad Dove Library. carlsbadplayreaders.org Taken by Midnight: A staged reading of Mark Mayhurst’s drama about a mother who resists the rising Nazi party in order to free her son from imprisonment. It happens April 29 at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org

For complete theater listings, visit sdcitybeat.com

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APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15

PHOTOS BY ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

CULTURE | ART

John Itiola, a stand-in for Edwin Negado and Julien Klincewicz ulian Klincewicz is only 23 years old, but he’s already achieved huge success as an artist and videographer. Known for his dreamlike, lo-fi shooting style, he’s traveled to iconic locales like New York, Moscow, Paris and Tokyo and worked with major names in fashion, art and music—from Kanye West and Louis Vuitton artistic director Virgil Abloh to Beyoncé on her new Netflix film, Homecoming.

Now, for his latest project, Klincewicz is giving something back to his hometown. He and his friends, Edwin Negado and John Itiola, unveiled Swish Projects in North Park (instagram.com/swishprojects), a mixed-use gallery space designed to offer opportunities for promising talent in a city where that can be hard to come by.

“A lot of the artists that I would be excited to see just don’t have a venue to show at in San Diego,” Klincewicz tells CityBeat. “You have some really big galleries up in La Jolla, but even in terms of a practical price bracket, they’re kind of higher-end galleries. You basically need to actually have money money to buy anything.”

Klincewicz and company are aiming to do something more accessible, along the lines of spaces they’ve been to in other cities. Swish Projects’ style was on full display at its soft opening party on a recent Saturday night. In the humble gallery on 2903 El Cajon Blvd. near 30th Street, funk records played on a pink portable turntable while teenagers and 20-somethings in savvy streetwear gear sipped cans of yerba mate and popped ollies on skateboards outside. From now until May 9, the space will be showing I’ll Follow You, a solo exhibition of portraits by artist and barber Sergio Hernandez. With their pink-and-black color schemes and spraypaint simplicity, Hernandez’s pieces evoke the flash prints of barbershops and tattoo parlors.

The three artists behind Swish Projects all have roots in San Diego: Negado is the founder of the tastemaking shop Gym Standard, the space that preceded Swish Projects. Itiola is a rapper, actor and comedian who performs under the name Wordsplayed. Over 10 days in March, fans of the shop and of the three artists’ work banded together to raise over

16 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

dia Version)” into the trailer and final cut of the film.

“A lot of times when I’m editing, I’ll just use some of my music as placeholder music,” he says, explaining that he’ll add in his own song just to help convey the vibe of a film project as he’s working on it, before finally picking a song for the finished version. “In the past couple months, when they were finalizing the film, they just reached out and were like, ‘Hey! We found one of your songs and we really like it. Can we use it?’ I was like, ‘Yeah... Are you kidding me? Yeah, of course.’”

It’s opportunities like these that Klincewicz wants to afford other San Diego artists. The city is sorely lacking in DIY and all-ages spaces and many artists, wishing to pursue big dreams in a creative field, end up having to move away to bigger cities like Los Angeles or New York. But Klincewicz learned a lot being in San Diego, and he thinks the scene will benefit if it can keep some of those people around.

“We would love for there to be five other Swish Projects started by other people, so that we can really just put an electric shock into San Diego and inspire people,” Klincewicz says. “I got really lucky early on in that I had Edwin to kind of mentor me. He exposed me to so many cool artists and designers. There’s this whole world out there pertaining to creative fields—like fashion, like film, any of that stuff. I think so much of what allowed me to continue in my path, I’ll Follow You by Sergio Hernandez at Swish Projects not limit myself and work really hard to get these opportunities, is just the exposure that I had—of going into his store in fashion and fine art, and soon started getting noticed for and seeing a cool artist... That’s a great starting point.”

As for Swish Projects’ plans for the rest of the year, not a video style honed using a VHS camcorder rescued from his all of the details are hammered out yet. There is a show from grandma’s attic.

This month, his distinct video work and music appeared zien artist Adam Villacin scheduled for June and Klincewicz in Homecoming, a concert film documenting Beyoncé’s 2018 says they’re also aiming to set up a collaboration with Morperformance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. tis Studio, a local animation/video/graphic design agency Klincewicz got connected to Queen Bey through her media run by Taylor Johnson and Dustyn Peterman. Klincewicz will company Parkwood Entertainment, with whom he worked also have an exhibition of his own work at Swish in October.

“We just want to create an environment that is approachwith on Jay Z’s 4:44 tour. Last year he directed live visuals for Jay Z’s show, and then he spent five or six months work- able and a little bit challenging on the art level,” Klincewicz ing with Bey’s team as a cinematographer and video editor says. “So that if you were to walk in you would be like, ‘Oh, on Homecoming. He also managed to fit an introspective gui- this isn’t something I don’t normally see in San Diego, but tar instrumental he wrote called “Aww Blue Sky (Misericor- I’m really glad that I’m seeing it. What is it about?’” $10,000 in a GoFundMe campaign to provide funding for this new venture.

“The community took care of us, which was awesome,” says Itiola. “With that we were able to buy the supplies needed and scrape together the man-power needed to build the space up. But a lot of it was just our own sweat equity.”

Klincewicz—who these days lives in Costa Mesa, a nice halfway point between San Diego and Los Angeles—embodies the kind of work that Swish Projects is all about. A video artist, musician and skateboarder, he got his start in the San Diego scene back in 2012 through 2014, playing in the indie rock bands such as Christy and Lube. He was also interested

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CULTURE | FILM

Strumming her pain

Her Smell

Elisabeth Moss’ hard rocker is caught in a downward spiral

by Glenn Heath Jr.

N

ew York-based filmmaker Alex Ross Perry has serving performances meant to distract from the real spent the last decade making slow-moving issues at play. Moss delivers these payloads of spite and tragedies about characters in complete denial venom in nasty diatribes that make Perry’s previous and suffering from crippling psychological neuroses. cinematic arguments look like bush league bickering.

It would be natural to expect Her Smell to end the In order to avoid confronting personal failure, these characters verbally attack those who question their way so many pop culture downward spirals do, with warped perspective of the world, creating an environ- overdose or suicide. Yet, Moss and Perry don’t perpetment where words and ideas are weaponized to inflict uate that mythical narrative either, choosing instead to show how Becky’s psychological demons continue maximum damage.

The scathing literary ensembles Listen Up Philip on through sobriety and potential redemption.

The narrative dexterity elevates the impact of Her and Golden Exits both feature Jason Schwartzman, an actor who symbolizes the fragile male ego imploding Smell even further. Working once again with longtime in real time. On the flipside, Elisabeth Moss has come cinematographer Sean Price Williams, Perry transito embody the tormented women of Perry’s work, tions from the drugged out lunacy of its first parts into most notably as the frazzled painter Catherine who a quiet Bergman-style chamber piece. Now in selfexperiences a brutal mental breakdown in Queen of imposed isolation, Becky begins to honestly assess the long-term damage she’s caused to her young daughter Earth.

Her Smell finds Perry once again leaning on the and bandmates. During these eerily silent moments of reflection she finally realizes the exestimable Moss to deliver a perfortent of her scorched earth lifestyle. mance of unbridled mania and enPerry has never been one for durance. This time it’s as a crumhopeful endings. If anything, his bling rock ‘n’ roll icon named Becky HER SMELL track record suggests the deepest Something, whose creative and Directed by Alex Ross Perry cynicism for reconciliation and emotional self-destruction is told Starring Elisabeth Moss, changed habits. “I’ve never seen in five single-location segments.

Agyness Deyn, Dan Stevens this room sober,” Becky says upon After the latest live perforand Eric Stoltz entering her old dressing space for mance of Becky’s girl band SomeRated R the first time in years, foreshadowthing She, drummer Dottie O.Z. ing a potential gut punch to come.

(Dylan Gelula) and bassist Marielle While Her Smell doesn’t provide Hell (Agyness Deyn) try to dodge their volatile lead singer’s extreme mood swings and anything definitive regarding the future, it certainly faux-spiritual ramblings. The cramped backstage affords her the opportunity to experience the heightcatacombs, comprised of poorly lit green rooms and ened rush of performing without intoxicants clouding dank hallways, make the bandmembers’ escape nearly her memory.

In a final sequence beautifully reminiscent of the impossible. When Becky’s ex-husband (Dan Stevens) appears with his new girlfriend, it only throws more conclusion to Jonathan Demme’s Ricki and the Flash, Becky and the creative women who helped prop her up gasoline on an already combustible situation.

Becky clearly has an alcohol and drug problem, but for so many years, share the stage as equals in a stirthose addictions pale in comparison to her rampant ring musical performance. Amazingly, the moment is self-mythologizing. Like many musical geniuses, she redemptive without feeling sentimental or therapeutic. constructs a success narrative where her own talents None of the anger that fueled Becky’s downfall gets diand creative decisions erase the contributions of other minished. Moss’ transfixing shifts between agonizing collaborators. Marielle and Dottie reach their break- doubt and gleeful elation prove that to be true. ing points at different moments in the film, while oth- Her Smell (opening Friday, April 26, at Digital Gym ers in Becky’s orbit, including mother Ania (Virginia Cinema in North Park) recognizes that the root causes Madsen) and manager Howard (Eric Stoltz), justify of pain never really go away. But staring them down in their continued association despite maelstroms of the spotlight helps ease their stranglehold. abusive behavior.

Dottie refers to these extended tantrums as “The Film reviews run weekly.

Becky Show,” and in multiple respects they are self- Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com

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APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17

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CULTURE | FILM

Little Woods

Tight spot

L

ittle Woods, the debut feature from writer/director Nia DaCosta, takes place in a small North Dakota border town where citizens suffer from myriad hardships. The community’s economic infrastructure is stitched together by working class men and women who can’t make enough to live comfortably. Desperation runs rampant, and so does the Oxycodone.

Ollie (Tessa Thompson), the adopted black daughter of a poor white family, is only one week away from breaking free of these cyclical constraints. After getting caught running drugs in from Canada for a local dealer, her probation is almost completed and a fresh start finally seems possible.

But old habits die hard, and the lure of quick money becomes very appealing after her sister Deb (Lily James), who is already a single mother of a sickly son, finds out she’s pregnant again from a deadbeat absent partner, Ian (James Badge Dale).

Drawing inspiration from other rural neo-westerns like A Simple Plan and One False Move, DaCosta’s character-driven thriller creates narrative tension from the looming pressures of financial stress. Every illegal move Ollie makes twists the gears of fate a little bit tighter.

Aesthetically, Little Woods helps communicate this building menace through exterior zoom shots filmed with telephoto lenses. These moments make it appear as if the environment is collapsing in on itself, the visual equivalent to what Ollie and Deb are feeling internally.

DaCosta’s film likes to weave references to certain topical issues (the opioid epidemic, recessionera anxiety) into critical dialogue sequences. What saves Little Woods from becoming just another social realist downer are the performances (Thompson’s is especially nuanced) and DaCosta’s sharp attention to emotional detail. One subtest-heavy conversation between Deb and Ian is about so much more than a woman’s right to choose.

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Little Woods (opening Friday, April 26, at Angelika Film Centers Carmel Mountain and Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas) works best when the characters (not the politics) are at the forefront.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

OPENING Avengers: Endgame: Reeling from the devastation caused by Thanos (Josh Brolin), the remaining Marvel superheroes band together to change the course of history and to save Earth. Opens in wide release, Friday, April 26.

Family: A self-absorbed workaholic’s professional and personal life become increasingly complicated after she is asked to watch her brother’s son. Opens Friday, April 26, at AMC Mission Valley Cinemas and Angelika Film Centers Carmel Mountain.

Her Smell: Director Alex Ross Perry’s latest character study follows a rock ‘n’ roll icon that’s started to isolate and alienate all of her loved ones after years of drug and alcohol abuse. Opens Friday, April 26, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Little Woods: Tessa Thompson and Lily James play sisters who resort to illegal activities in order to make ends meet in modern North Dakota. Opens Friday, April 26, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas and Angelika Film Center Carmel Mountain.

Stockholm: Based on true events, this thriller looks at the 1973 bank heist that turned into a hostage crisis, and which eventually helped coin the psychological phenomenon known as “Stockholm Syndrome.” Opens Friday, April 26, at AMC Fashion Valley Cinemas.

Wild Nights with Emily: In this new biopic, Molly Shannon takes on the role of poet Emily Dickinson, who tries to get her work published despite gender inequality for female writers in the mid19th century. Opens Friday, April 26, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas and Angelika Film Center Carmel Mountain.

ONE TIME ONLY Rome: Open City: Roberto Rossellini’s towering anti-war achievement, set in Rome during the Nazi occupation, helped launch Italian Neorealism. Screens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.

For complete movie listings, visit

sdcitybeat.com.

APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 19

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COURTESY OF HIGH ROAD TOURING

MUSIC

Héctor Buitrago and Andrea Echeverri

ack in the day, when I was baby and basic bruja, I cast half-assed and dangerous spells. I flung and splattered my energy about, my ego convincing me that the powers I was getting to know came from within me instead of working through me.

Prices were paid. Lessons were learned.

Often, those lessons still ache their way up into my being. I was a kid, wildly dancing my heart out to Florecita Rockera from the Bogotá, Colombia band, Aterciopelados. They were my favorite band back then and remain one of my favorites as I enter my 40th year. The sacred

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duo of Héctor Buitrago and Andrea Echeverri, Aterciopelados seemed to grow up alongside me, providing a soundtrack to this life’s journey. The seeds they planted became flowering fields, and now, more than 20 years on, they are lush forests of learned grace and decolonized wisdoms.

In the band’s early albums, I found my rage and aches embodied and danceable. I was a chica difícil, just like their song of the same title; difficult to those interacting with me, but always attempting to inhabit my evolving, often-radical value system. Aterciopelados songs were touchstones on my

path, for who else could sing with joy about anti-capitalist possibilities? Who else wrote empowering ballads on interpersonal violence? Who else was penning lyrics on the rampant first-world exploitations of developing and colonized landscapes?

Their lyrics dared me to imagine the Americas, my ancestral homeland, preEuropean contact, and so I did. They sang to me in Spanish, the language in which I learned to love. Their lyrics mirrored my own discomfort with the oppressive systems I was trying to cast off. And they gave voice to my personal jealousies and insecurities.

Because nothing was sacred, everything became sacred. And I danced along.

Their most recent album, Claroscura, has entered my life like the shattering tenderness of a long-awaited lover’s touch.

Again, the songs mirror our latest, collective phases of life, artists and appreciator moving in alignment. Singer Andrea Echeverri has embodied maiden and mother (with her solo albums) and now she begins to explore aspects of becoming a crone.

“Vieja” is a bittersweet lamentation on living in an aging body: “Shit, I’m becoming old / These hands that have written spells / Drawing candles in the dark / These hands that have touched you / Now want to still.”

She sings of fatal youth, and how we are all skeletons descending time’s staircase.

Héctor Buitrago’s funk-infused bass on “Manifesto Colibri” celebrates a metaphysical garden of delights. The song echoes “Florecita Rockera,” the band’s ’90s queer girl anthem, in which the singer is the hummingbird seeking nectar. In “Manifesto Colibri,” we are the nectar.

The album is pure Aterciopelados—irreverent, holy and wise. There are songs celebrating body acceptance and self-love (“Cuerpo” and “Piernas”). “Ay Ombe” is a catchy goodbye song to a relationship tainted by toxic masculinity, yet even in the firm goodbye there is a call for hope and empathy. “Despierta Mujer” is a call for listeners to awaken to their sacred womanhood, deconstruct accepted archetypes and to embrace their wildness.

Like most Aterciopelados’ albums, Claroscura is a sacred call to arms, even while being playful and utterly danceable.

The first song on the album, “Play,” invites the listener to do just that. In “Duo,” they celebrate themselves, from their beginnings to life’s wounds and to love—a reminder to celebrate the imperfect and glorious self.

The albums of Aterciopelados are an

emotional roadmap to moments that have changed me: my first road trip with a lover, singing songs from Gozo Poderoso up and down the California coast. My anti-colonial awakenings were reflected back to me in the music, something I could always turn on and listen to when I need reminding that the work I have chosen to do is sacred and necessary. I grin, singing along to older songs that remind my now-aging body of that gorgeous, fatal youth I rode hard and into the ground. When depression moves in, there are songs I play that sing to me, as if goddess-invoked, of the healing I am experiencing for wounds that are generations old.

Growth is a funny thing to witness in one’s life. The self I inhabited when I first became enamored of Aterciopelados is one I look back on with hard-earned knowledge.

I remember seeing the band in my early 20s, one of the first fake-woke Brown men I knew called me a hoe for refusing to dance with him. With a little shock and a shrug, I danced away alone. It has since been a lifetime of dancing away from more than simply performative solidarity.

As I’ve grown older. I’ve grown inward; consistently trying to question this worldphase I was born into and attempting to decolonize not just my training, but everything. Self. Love. Spirituality. When I was younger, I was interested in how I could use power to my benefit, not considering that the power dynamics I had been taught all my life were of the type meant to have power over other things, not power within.

What I thought was my siren’s song was really a wail to be seen.

It has been a messy process and I’m still in it, and I probably always will be in some way.

I write the old wounds into stories, a creative autobiography dressed up in fiction and curiosity. Almost every story I write had it’s start in a song. When I look back through what I’ve written, I can hear the music rising off the pages. And beyond that, in the creative loam, I see where Aterciopelados planted seeds in me that took root. I can see the flowering that has come and is coming.

APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 21

BY RYAN BRADFORD

MUSIC

BLACK

ALFRED HOWARD

GOLD

Mistakes are made at 5 a.m.

I

don’t want to give away all the tricks of my trade.

The last thing I need are a bunch more of me out there looking for records in the dark dawn. The dig is already more competitive than I care to admit. There’s a guy at the swap meet who would bulldoze an elderly woman for a Dylan record—and not just an original pressing of Freewheelin’, but one of Dylan’s born-again Christian records from the era when he looked like a Miami Vice coke villain.

It’s a cold world and colder at 5 a.m. before the sun gently caresses the horizon.

Five in the morning is the time my alarm goes off on Saturday, causing me a fleeting moment of Tourette’s and a more sustained moment of self-loathing. I used to casually go to the swap meet whenever I’d wake up—maybe 7 or 7:30 a.m., which is earlier than most other musicians, but nowhere near the predawn hours occupied only by senior citizens in search of an angry discount pancake fix.

But the 5 a.m. morning ritual started a couple years ago when I had to drive my friend, Natassia, to the airport at 5 a.m.

Since I couldn’t go back to sleep, I went to the swap meet to lumber around like a zombie. It was at this early hour I found the best gems I’ve ever discovered out there. I also realized that by arriving later, other insane people who set their alarms at ungodly hours had long claimed all the gems.

Sometimes all I want is the flavor of one reward to fuel the hard drive to the next.

What I’m after is a win—some forced fodder for a story, some fresh sounds for my turntable, some black gold that I mined just before the person who woke up one minute

22 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

after me. I live to catch the cast of their envious gaze.

On a recent Wednesday morning, I went to the Coronado Swap Meet to sift through piles of unnecessary junk. I don’t go to this particular swap meet often. It’s usually just a chance to watch the sun come up over a pile of discarded toys, cell phone chargers, stained secondhand clothes and power tools. It’s beautiful in a way; the colored

“Stylez Of Uh Razzer” by Halrazzers fragments of our dusty yesterdays occupy some poetic space.

On this visit, I found nothing but a lead on some records someone would be selling Sunday morning at Kobey’s Swap Meet. So when Sunday morning came, I woke up not long after I went to sleep. I was at the swap by 5:15, in a cloud of fatigue, moving at the limp pace of a tortoise on pain killers, and yet with a sense of determination. I had to find my contact from Coronado, and I had

to do it in the dark of morning, my path to him illuminated by the weak flashlight of my cellphone.

When I found him, he was worried. He had a 45-minute window to unload a massive trailer filled with furniture, antique sewing machines, boxes of records, bicycles, etc. It was like an episode of Sanford and Son had vomited into the trailer until it nearly burst at the seams. What’s more, his helpers had flaked.

“Let’s do it,” I said, without thinking at all. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m what you’d call “weak.” I’m the character at the beginning of a training montage struggling to get into shape. I’m skinny enough to literally garner food and spare change offerings from strangers by simply standing on the street. I’ve had chronic Lyme disease for 25 years and I have no business doing manual labor in the dark of morning in a not-so-veiled attempt to call shotgun on a few boxes of records.

But there I was, lifting dressers and stools and boxes with a stranger as the sun begin to rise. Other collectors would approach the boxes of records as we worked and I’d hiss a cautionary warning like a feral cat, fangs bared.

After about an hour of labor, it was time to dig through the hard-earned records.

This was when I realized that about 90 percent of the sleeves were empty. And there were an equal number of boxes of demolished records to match up.

I was demoralized. But in that pile of garbage were two copies of an obscure, 1994 rap 12-inch worth my time: Halrazzers’ “Stylez Of Uh Razzer.” This record is rare as hell and as for the song itself, it lives somewhere between the canons of Gravediggaz and M.O.P.—something to get you hyped up while trying to forget that you’re driving to work. I became so excited to find it that I managed to leave one copy behind.

This stressed me out for days, until I went back to the Coronado Swap Meet and dug through 800 records to find it again.

Like I said, mistakes are made at 5 a.m.

Don’t make the same as me.

Black Gold appears every other week.

Alfred Howard is always looking for vinyl and stories, and can be contacted at blackgoldsandiego@gmail.com.

THE

SPOTLIGHT

N

Chilli and T-Boz of TLC

early 13 years ago, I was working at a sledding resort in Park City, Utah. This was one of those fancy places where tourists didn’t have to do any hiking. Instead, they were pulled up the mountain by a rope tow while they sat on inner tubes. It was my job to connect their tubes to a rope tow.

One day, TLC’s Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas visited the resort with a couple of friends.

Because we had two parallel rope tows that ran simultaneously, we often had guests who would try to synchronize their ascent with a buddy on the corresponding tow. This way, they could chat or throw snowballs at each other on the way up. When Chilli got to the front of the line, she asked me to wait for her friend on the other tow so they could ride up at the same time.

One middle-aged gentleman a few people down the line did not like this.

He hated that these women were briefly preventing his sledding fun.

“You’re holding up the line!” he yelled.

It was classic, uppity white guy behavior.

Chilli didn’t seem bothered. She actually kind of laughed at it and then I hooked her on the tow and she was off.

However, only a second later, I realized that this dude was the epitome of a scrub—a guy described in TLC’s “No Scrubs” who will “get no love” from me.

Get a load of that scrub, I thought. I regret every day I didn’t actually say it. It was life serving me an ally-oop and I fumbled.

Anyway, don’t be a scrub. Go see TLC. TLC play at the Pechanga Theatre at Pechange Resort & Casino in Temucula on Saturday, April 27.

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MUSIC

IF I WERE U

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

Our picks for the week’s top shows

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24

PLAN A: Mokoomba @ UC San Diego Price Center. This Zimbabwean group combines Afro-fusion jamming with traditional Tonga beats for a sound that will make even the most rhythmically disinclined want to move their feet and butts. PLAN B: Party Nails, Cannons, Somme @ The Casbah.

Elana Belle Carroll (aka Party Nails) crafts catchy electro-pop that has the potential to go viral. Still, we’re much more excited about the smooth, chillwave sounds of fellow Angelenos Cannons. BACKUP PLAN: La Armada, One Square Mile, Skipjack, Ash Williams @ Kensington Club.

THURSDAY, APRIL 25

PLAN A: Aterciopelados, Los Amigos Invisibles @ The Observatory North Park.

Check out writer Lizz Huerta’s loving tribute to the music of this beloved Columbian band on page 21. PLAN B: Lorelle Meets The Obsolete, Hawk Auburn, Hidhawk @ Mous Tache Bar, Tijuana. Guadalajarabased duo Lorelle Meets the Obsolete specialize in a seductive, slowly paced brand of psych-rock that’s one-part sexy, one-part menacing. And show up early for Tijuana’s Hawk Auburn, who play epic, shoegazey psych-rock similar to bands like The Black Angels and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. BACKUP PLAN: Epic Beard Men, DJ Zole, Vockah Redu @ Soda Bar.

but Earl was always the more cerebral of the two. His new album, Some Rap Songs, is proof of his understated genius. And be sure to check out MIKE, a teenage Brooklyn MC who is destined to hit the mainstream soon.

BACKUP PLAN: Com Truise, Jack Grace, ginla @ Music Box.

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

PLAN A: Perturbator, GosT, Street Cleaner @ Music Box. Fans of HEALTH, Pictureplane or even those dudes who scored Stranger Things owe it to themselves to check out the dark, industrial EDM of Paris’ James Kent (aka Perturbator). It’s dystopian synth lines and grinding beats seem like they’re straight out of the next Blade Runner sequel. PLAN B: Show Me The Body, ENEMY, Sustivity, OhCult @ Che Café Collective. New York’s Show Me the Body are often referred to as a hardcore band, but their music is more minor chords than Minor Threat. Snotty, disaffected lyrics over gnarly, bass-heavy riffage is what these guys are all about and they do it well. BACKUP PLAN: White Denim, @ Belly Up Tavern.

ERIC VAN NIEUWLAND

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

PLAN A: Psycroptic, Cannabis Corpse, Gorod, MICAWBER @ Brick By Brick. Australia’s Psycroptic are proof that a band can play super-technical math-metal and also shred like nobody’s business. So, yeah, it’ll melt your face. PLAN B: Run River North, Common Souls @ Soda Bar. Los Angeles band Run River North should be way bigger than they are. They perform a poppy, sing-along brand of folk music that is empowering and anthemic. BACKUP PLAN: Exasperation, Downers, American___Slang @ Whistle Stop.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

PLAN A, Part 1: Adams Avenue Unplugged @ various locations. So many good bands to see. Please see this week’s Short List on page 12 for more info. Plus, since it’s a daytime event, there’s plenty of time to check out… PLAN A, Part 2: Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE @ Soma. Rapper Earl Sweatshirt always seemed to take a backseat to Tyler the Creator’s shenanigans when the two broke out in Odd Future together,

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Mokoomba

MONDAY, APRIL 29

PLAN A: Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin, Desert Suns, Magical Animals @ The Casbah.

Locals Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin combine ’70sera garage rock and psychedelia that’s never short of epic guitar solos and earnest lyricism. BACKUP PLAN: FairPlay, Lunar Garden, Sweet Myths @ Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30

PLAN A: Mint Field, Gold Cage, Language Of Flowers @ Whistle Stop. Mint Field are one of the best Tijuana bands to emerge in a while. The songs on their latest release, Mientas Esperas, are a dreamy blend of psych-rock, post-punk and shoegaze that revolve perfectly around singer Estrella Sanchez’s somnolent voice. BACKUP PLAN: DJ Artistic’s Hip Hop Battle Bot @ The Casbah.

APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 23

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Body Salt (Casbah, 5/1), Evan Diamond (Casbah, 5/2), Malison (Soda Bar, 5/14), Brushed (Soda Bar, 5/20), John Errol (Casbah, 5/20), Negative Gemini (Ché Café Collective, 5/24), Mad Sin (Soda Bar, 5/24), Jaz Coleman (Vinyl Junkies Record Shack, 5/25), Briana Marela (Soda Bar, 5/27), gnash (The Irenic, 5/31), Slow Caves (Soda Bar, 6/2), Pleasure Fix (Soda Bar, 6/6), New Years Day (Brick By Brick, 6/16), Ginger Root (Soda Bar, 6/29), Cold Showers (Whistle Stop, 7/12), Spice Pistols (Casbah, 7/13), Dead Horses (Soda Bar, 8/3), Bad Books (The Irenic, 8/19), Lost Dog Street Band (Casbah, 8/10), Kacey Musgraves (Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 8/22), Jinjer (Brick

by Brick, 9/11), The Paper Kites (HOB, 9/23), Lizzo (Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 10/24), Gesaffelstein (Petco Park, 11/10).

ALL SOLD OUT Steel Pulse (BUT, 5/2), El Vez (Casbah, 5/3), Omar Apollo (The Irenic, 5/4), Phantom Planet (Casbah, 5/7), 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), PUP (The Irenic, 6/19), Local Natives (Observatory, 6/19), The Struts (Observatory, 7/12), Billie Eilish (Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 7/13), Death Cab For Cutie (Observatory, 8/9-10).

GET YER TICKETS Earl Sweatshirt (SOMA, 4/27), Passion Pit (Observatory, 5/1), Seth Meyers (Balboa Theater, 5/3), Chromatics, Desire (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), FIDLAR (Observatory, 5/30), gnash (The Irenic, 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), Rob Thomas (Humphrey’s, 6/20), Khalid (Pechanga Arena, 6/23), Aly & AJ (Observatory, 6/25), Priests (Soda Bar, 6/26), 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 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. Laundry Day at House of Blues. Skeletal Remains at Brick By Brick. Sugar Candy Mountain at The Merrow. Tommy Tuton at Humphrey’s.

24 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

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. Raffi at Balboa Theatre.

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.

Electric Mud at The Casbah.

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

Oliver Tree at Music Box. Chefs Bands 9 at Belly Up Tavern. FairPlay at Soda Bar.

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

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 Passion Pit at Observatory North Park.

Young Jesus at Ché Café Collective.

Cattle Decapitation at Brick By Brick.

Polyrhythmics at Belly Up Tavern. SIXES at Soda Bar. Body Salt at The Casbah.

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.

Brownies & Lemonade at Music Box. Evan Diamond at The Casbah.

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. Los Hurricanes at Ché Café Collective.

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. The Bassics at Soda Bar. Frankie Quinones at Balboa Theatre. Canelo vs. Jacobs at Music Box.

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. Sekta Core at Soda Bar. Cumbia Machin at The Casbah. DJ Esco at Music Box.

MONDAY, MAY 6 Part Time at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, MAY 7 The Church at Belly Up Tavern. Wargirl at Soda Bar. Apocalyptica at Balboa Theatre.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8 Liz Cooper & The Stampede at The Casbah. Leggy at SPACE. Alec Benjamin at House of Blues. Rising Appalachia at Music Box. MorMor at Soda Bar. Vouna at SPACE.

THURSDAY, MAY 9 Lady Lamb at Soda Bar. White Lies at Music Box. Amanda Seales at Observatory North Park. Camp Cope at Ché Café Collective. Slushii at House of Blues.

Bayonne at The Casbah. Lui$ too Thrill at Brick By Brick. Darell at SOMA.

FRIDAY, MAY 10 Jefferson Starship at Belly Up Tavern. The Bronx at Observatory North Park. Black Marble at The Casbah. Deaf Havana at Soda Bar. The Spazmatics at Music Box. Phil X & the Drills at Brick By Brick. Hot Mulligan at House of Blues. Runaway Jane at California Center for the Arts.

SATURDAY, MAY 11 Ignite at Soda Bar. SRSQ at The Casbah.

Ozzmania at Brick By Brick. Eels at Observatory North Park. Lila Downs at California Center for the Arts. Lolo Zouai at House of Blues. Cowgirl Clue at Ché Café Collective. Buck-O-Nine at Music Box. Jefferson Starship at Belly Up Tavern.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: ‘Bringing Back Rock ‘N’ Roll.’ Fri: Fayuca, Audic

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

@SDCITYBEAT

BY CHRISTIN BAILEY

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

N’ Roses. Sun: White Denim. Mon: Chef Bands 9.

Empire, Vana Liya, Mango Habanero. Sat: Safety Orange, Black Salt Tone, Getaway 95. Sun: Karaoke. Tue: Kathryn Cloward & the Royals, Rascal Martinez.

Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Fri: The Gay Agenda, Los Pinche Pinches, DR3AmBr05. Sat: Bruin, Manorlady, Nowhereland.

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

Thu: ‘SUBdrip.’ Fri: ‘House Music Fridays.’ Sat: ‘Hand & Knees.’ Mon: ‘Organized Grime.’ Tue: ‘The Game Show.’

Blonde, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Wed: ‘Dance Klassique.’ Thu: ‘Hype Beatz Party.’ Fri: ‘WE ARE UR FRIENDS.’ Sun: ‘Chvrch.’ Mon: ‘Vice City Themed ‘80s New Wave Party.’

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Wed: Right Now Live.

Thu: Janeane Garofalo. Fri: Janeane Garofalo. Sat: Janeane Garofalo. Sun: London Brown. Tue: Open Mic.

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

Sat: Big Dude.

The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: Emerald Graves. Fri: Glamourbomb Burlesque Show. Sat: Le Saboteur, Jesus & the Dinosaurs, Delma, Roadside Coyotes. Sun: Underground Lounge, Whole Milk, Plum, Subspecies. Mon: Trivia.

Tue: Karaoke.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown.

Fri: Technasia, Sleepy & Boo. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. Wed: Santa Ana Knights, Fever Few, VHS Club.

Thu: Hip Priest. Fri: ‘DJ Rocket Rio’s Pop Dance Party.’ Sat: ‘Milky Wayne’s Birthday Get Down.’ Sun: ‘Rat Sabbath.’

Mon: Luna Bee, Shayna Zeigan. Tue: ‘Tiki Tuesday.’

Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Fri: Born Fighters. Sat: Bonneville 7.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Sully, Helena Holleran. Thu: The Reverend Horton Heat, The Creepy Creeps. Fri: The Main Squeeze, Aviator Stash. Sat: Livin’ On A Prayer, Lies

@SDCITYBEAT

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. Thu: Skeletal Remains. Fri: Psycropt. Sat: Rivals. Sun: Perturbator. Tue: Texas Hippie Coalition.

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Wed: Party Nails, Cannons. Thu: Los Straightjackets, The Sleepwalkers.

Fri: Surefire Soul Ensemble, Rebecca Jade & the Cold Fact, Moans. Sat: Telekinesis, Sontalk. Sun: Electric Mud, Shane Hall, Casual Yak. Mon: Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin, Desert Suns, Magical Animals.

Tue: DJ Artistic’s Hip Hip Battle.

Che Cafe, 1000 Scholars Drive S, La Jolla. Thu: Open Mic. Fri: Weatherbox, King of Heck, Dark Black, Per Spett. Sat: Infest, Heat, Violencia, Adult Crash, Drug Control. Sun: Show Me The Body, Enemy, Sustivity, OhCult.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Bay Park. Mon: Mellotones.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown. Thu: ‘TakeOver Thursdays.’ Fri: Bar1ne. Sat: Bootleg Kev. Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Thu: DJ Scooter.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

ASTROLOGICALLY UNSOUND Weekly forecasts from the so-called universe ARIES (March 21 - April 19): It is true that every mistake offers an opportunity for learning. It’s just that, well, sometimes the only ones left to get the lesson are the witnesses.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): You will so thoroughly mull over what to spend your lottery lump sum winnings on that you will forget to buy a ticket in the first place.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): This week, when looking to the stars for guidance, look first to one of the greatest stars of all, Nicole Kidman, who said, “I don’t celebrate fame because I get enough attention.”

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): A handy tip to help you remember your cardinal directions this week: When you are being dragged out to sea by a riptide, you are probably heading west.

LEO (July 23 - August 22): The idea that life becomes easier once you accept your “self” is not static, but flexible—always falling right back into place like displaced dried beans when you take your hand out of the bulk bin.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): There’s something to be said for cultivating a little mystery, but not so much mystery that you become the adult equivalent of a Frank Sinatra middle-schooler who wears a fedora and doesn’t talk to anyone at the dance.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): What’s “right” and what’s “wrong” can bleed into each other. It’s often like whether it’s Sunday night or Monday morning when you haven’t slept; rarely does anything good come from these transition phases.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): It really is the thought that counts in every scenario except for the one where you’re having to direct a stranger attempting to parallel park. Don’t get involved unless you are battle-ready.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 December 21): You are never closer to your future than you are today. Yeah, sure, maybe it means nothing, but doesn’t that sound like something you would read in a horoscope?

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19): True joy appears like a hummingbird: floating in thin air, sometimes too briefly to even remark on it, and then bye-bye! But, I mean, what are you going to do? Trap it?

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Now is a great time to incorporate new, healthy habits into your routine. For example, you should accept that the mailman is not trying to rob your house and stop barking at him like a dog.

PISCES (February 19 - March 20): You have the appeal of a frozen waterfall: it’s usually interesting because it’s doing something, but right now you’re just sitting there not doing anything at all.

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

APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 25

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Wed: Patrick “BlueFrog” Ellis. Thu: Andre Reyes. Fri: Fast Times, Paradise City. Sun: Anomalie. Tue: Tech N9ne.

Misc Ailments, Wine, Color Til Monday.

Sat: ‘Disco Goth Nite.’ Mon: ‘Playground Monday Night Dance Party.’ Tue: Wanted Noise, The Hunt, The Rough.

Mother’s Saloon, 2228 Bacon St., Ocean Beach. Tue: Trivia.

Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: Clapton Hook. Thu: DJ Chuck. Fri: Republic of Music. Sat: Viva Santana. Sun: Face.

Mon: Casey Hensley. Tue: ‘Get Groovin.’

Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas. Thu: Jonathan Lee Band. Fri: Bonneville 7. Sat: Celeste Barbier. Sun: ‘Tony Ortega Jazz Jam.’ Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Karaoke.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Thu: ‘Fuego.’ Fri: ‘Synthwave Sonic - Audiovisual Experience.’ Sat: ‘BollyHood: Bollywood & Hip-Hop Party.’

Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy.

Thu: O-Town, Chandler Bay, Trevor Penick, Finn McCool, Dane Amar, Love Angeles. Fri: Vokab Kompany, iLL Nicky.

Sat: Com Truise, Jack Grace. Sun: Perturbator, Gost, Street Cleaner. Mon: Oliver Tree, Fashion Jackson.

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., Kensington. Sat: ‘Unplugged After Party’ w/ Coral Bells, Clint Westwood, Jonny Wagon & The Tennessee Sons.

Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Fri: Carlos Olmeda, TGT, Sky Noblezada. Sat: ‘Unplugged Music Festival.’ Sun: Gregory Page. Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Comedy Night.

Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla.

Thu: ‘Lo-fi Study Jam.’ Tue: Tommy Pico.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Wed: Jerry Gontang. Thu: North Star. Fri: Mystique. Sat: Misty & The Moby. Sun: Ron’s Garage. Tue: 3 Guys Will Move U. Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: Jimmy James in “Fashionista & Legendary Voices”. Thu: David Hernandez, Effie Passero. Tue: Allison Adams Tucker.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: Jehlad, TGTG. Thu: Sugar Candy Mountain, Well Well Well, DJ Andrew McGranahan. Fri: Planewrecks,

26 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · APRIL 24, 2019

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

Wed: DJ Ikah Love. Fri: ‘After Hours.’ Sat: ‘Strictly Business.’ Sun: Tribe of Kings.

Mon: ‘Motown on Mondays.’ Tue: ‘Night Shift in The Office.’

Tomcat Courtney. Fri: The Derringers.

Sat: Adrianna Marie.

The Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: ‘Country Dance.’ Sat: ‘Sabados en Fuego.’ Tue: Trivia.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., Hillcrest.

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

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz.’ Thu: The Walter Brothers. Fri: Good Vibes.

Sat: Reapers Review. Tue: ‘Everything & Anything Jam.’ Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: DJ Ratty. Thu: DJ Dougie Frosh. Fri: Wild Heart. Sat: Alvino & the Dwells. Mon: ‘Jazz Jam.’

OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: ‘Undone on Thursday.’ Fri: Illenium. Sat: Lil Jon.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: Biskwiq, Atwood, Peter Kuli, Mike Holmes. Thu: Epic Beard Men, DJ Zole, Vockah Redu. Fri: Run River North, Common Souls. Sat: Kiefer, Swarvy. Mon: FairPlay, Lunar Garden, Sweet Myths. Tue: OrchidxMantis, Star Jungle, Jonny Tarr.

Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park.

Wed: ‘The Wednesday Jam Session.’ Fri: Dave Gleason. Sat: Quinteto Aleatorio.

Sun: ‘Funk Jam.’

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway.

Fri: SECRETS, Awaken I Am, Redeem Revive, 33 North, Lost Dakota. Sat: Earl Sweatshirt. Sun: Knocked Loose.

Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: Kyle Flesch. Sat: Jermaine Dupri.

SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights.

Wed: ‘We Like to Party!.’ Sat: ‘Transmission - ‘80s New Wave Dance Night.’ Mon: Riistetyt, Therapy, Gritos, Hell March. Tue: Karaoke.

Pour House, 1903 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: Jesse Lee & His Apologies. Fri: Sabbath Buddy Sabbath. Sat: NuVintage. Sun: Anna Zinova, Pinkeye. Mon: Trivia. Tue: DJ Lexicon Devil.

Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, Kearny Mesa. Wed: The Derringers. Thu:

Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Midtown. Fri: Calyx & Teebee. Sat: ‘Road to Dusk.’

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Paul Gregg. Thu: ‘Burlesque Boogie Monthly.’ Fri: ‘Unplugged

After Party’ w/ High Tratas, Julia Sage & The Bad Hombres, The Liquorsmiths.

Sun: Angel & The Charlies. Tue: Trivia.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: ‘Up All Night Thursdaze.’ Sat: ‘UTK Party.’ Sun: ‘PANTS Karaoke!.’

Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Wed: ‘The Corner.’ Thu: Chad & Rosie. Fri: DJ Jwin. Sat: Keep Your Soul Duo. Sun: Karaoke. Tue: Tony P. Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., Bay Park. Wed: ‘Pre Gator Party 2019.’ Thu: Liz Grace & the Swing Things. Fri: Band Overboard.

Sat: Rick Holmstrom, Blue Largo. Mon: ‘Sexy Salsa & Sensual Bachata.’ Tue: The Tourmaliners.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Wed: All Beat Up, D.Wrex, New Crimes, Gritos. Fri: Batlords, CFA, Revolutionary Guard, Vertigoat, Kids N’ Propane.

Sat: Starving Wolves, Flaunt, Artowar, Gay Agenda, Missing Limbs.

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

Wed: Trivia. Thu: BoomBox Thursdays.

Fri: Kid Wonder. Sat: JuniorTheDiscoPunk.

Sun: Sammy Roots. Mon: ‘#31 Flavors.’

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park.

Wed: Adam Ray, Ron Taylor. Thu: ‘Vamp.’

Fri: Exasperation, Downers, American Slang. Sat: ‘Booty Bassment.’ Sun: Whigsville 29 BC w/ Richard Whig, DJ Girlgroupgirl. Tue: Mint Field, Gold Cage, Language of Flowers.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach.

Wed: ‘Club Kingston.’ Thu: RDGLDGRN. Fri: Prince Jamo, Sammy Roots and the Equal Rights Band. Sat: Dub Best, Ocean Natives, Kyle Rising. Sun: The Cedar Shakers. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin, Weasel Dust.

@SDCITYBEAT

BY JACKIE BRYANT

IN THE BACK

CANNABITCH Grow fonder

I

have been trying to get myself to a cannabis grow operation for a while now, but plans have always fallen through. I wasn’t able to make it up to Humboldt at a certain time or I was ghosted in a text chain with Fallbrook growers. Barring my boyfriend replanting a few plants in his own backyard, I had run into a dead end.

That changed on a recent weekend when I attended a new tour offered by West Coast Cannabis Tours (westcoastcannabistours.com). I’ve previously covered cannabis experience tours that included dispensaries, breweries and glass-blowing facilities, but this tour was a whole other ballgame.

First, West Coast’s Ultimate Cannabis Grow Tour (which debuted, naturally, on 4/20) is the only tour in the U.S. that visits a grow operation of such a large size. As with other tours, guests are free to blaze on the limousine bus, but it’s BYOC. When I went, details were kept mum until the actual tour began, but once the bus was moving, it was revealed that the destination was the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel reservation, where the Kumeyaay tribe allows sale and cultivation on its land.

@SDCITYBEAT

The exact operation we visited is called Palomar Craft Cannabis, run by Oceanside native Kyle Castanon. He founded the “grow” (short for “grow operation”) 10 years ago during the medical cannabis days and currently runs his entire operation on the reservation.

For those who’ve never been to a cannabis grow, pictures don’t do the experience justice. I know a lot about the cannabis plant, including what it looks like, and as a food writer with an interest in farming, I’m certainly no stranger to a greenhouse. But seeing such a critical mass of cannabis plants—whose images were burned into my childhood mind as something illicit and harmful—is impactful. Growers refer to the particular method Castanon uses as the “sea of green,” a process that keeps all of the plants uniformly sized and level. It’s also an entirely accurate description of the view looking across one of his five greenhouses.

Then there’s the smell. In the past, I haven’t romanticized the flavor or smell of bud. Quite the opposite, actually. For me, the smell was associated with shame and something to be covered up. But walking into Palomar Craft Cannabis’ facility and being hit with that aromatic, green smell

JACKIE BRYANT

Palomar Craft Cannabis was fresh and uplifting rather than heavy and overpowering. It was one of the more exciting cannabis experiences I can remember.

It was a true treat, inside the greenhouse, to be able to grab the buds and

feel the sticky resin coat my hands. I took a deep whiff and instantly felt a little buzzed. Whether it was real or psychosomatic hardly matters—I couldn’t tell the difference, anyway.

I wish anyone with any interest in cannabis, no matter how simple, to experience this connection. As it is with food and drink, cannabis consumers are far removed from the fact that they are ingesting an agricultural product. Communing with the plant can result in a greater interest in all aspects of production, which promotes healthy industry growth for both producers and consumers.

After visiting the grow, we visited Mountain Source, the tribe’s own dispensary, where its products are sold without state excise tax. The dispensary is open to the public but visiting Palomar Craft Cannabis, or any other grow for that matter, is not possible outside of this tour. So that leaves only one recommendation for those curious about cannabis cultivation: the West Coast Cannabis Tour. It’s worth it.

CannaBitch appears every other week.

Follow Jackie Bryant on Twitter at @jacqbryant.

APRIL 24, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 27