San Diego CityBeat • Apr 29, 2015

Music

Lightning Bolt: Still busting ear drums after two decades

News

Civic San Diego’s role questioned as leaders jump ship

GOOD SAMARITAN Acupuncturist Drew Pollack uses his skills to help the homeless in Mexico • by Tiffany Fox

2 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

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April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

Up Front | From the editor

Call the Chargers’ bluff Football is a game. Mindful of the faithful who paint their faces and wave foam fingers while watching NFL action, you shouldn’t say football is just a game. But stick with the simple premise that football is a game. A money-making, addictive, omnipresent, culturally entrenched game.

This particular game is a collection of moving pieces. There are myriad alignments. An offense surges forward. The defense offers resistance. On any given Sunday, the game is won or lost by how the moving parts perform and interact. As in most sports, the outcome can turn on caprice and whimsy. A quarterback can call the perfect play—only to have a penalty negate a touchdown. Then again, a running back may fumble—only to see the ball flip into the hands of a teammate, who runs for a score. This notion— of outcome based on unpredictable circumstance— brings us to the assemblage of moving parts that is the San Diego Chargers’ stadium saga.

If this sounds like a broken record, well, it is. The above could have been said, or written, at any time during the past decade-plus about the gamesmanship being waged between Chargers spokesman Mark Fabiani and the city of San Diego.

What was important at the beginning of this political game of football remains constant and crucial today: The taxpaying citizens of San Diego should not pay for a new stadium.

Construction costs should be footed by and large by team ownership and the deep-pocketed NFL, and through other creative means (naming rights, personal seat licenses, etc.) that don’t tap the city’s general fund.

It’s being speculated that the Chargers are done cutting the cards with San Diego. And it’s being reasoned that the team is poised to accept the sleek, mega-promposal offered in Carson, a $1.7-billion joint-use stadium, with its electronic Chargers lightning bolt shows, and burning cauldron that would honor former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis. It’s a nauseating idea.

Now, however, is not the time for the city to panic.

After choosing Mission Valley as the site for a new local stadium, The Citizens’ Stadium Advisory Group, the mayor’s special task force, is still due to present a financing plan in May. The Chargers and the NFL have indicated they would each pony up $200 million for a $1 billion-plus stadium in San Diego.

That’s not enough.

When the CSAG puts the final touches on a financing plan, the initial offer to the Chargers should be a zero investment by the people of San Diego. In other words, call the team’s bluff, and be prepared to lose.

With Carson as a chip, Fabiani can be a bully at the poker table. His actions of late are regarded as being dismissive of the Mission Valley site and generally negative about anything related to San Diego.

We all can see a special election on the stadium in 2015, a notion floated by an NFL representative, is ridiculous and impossible. But if the team and the league are going to push all their chips into the middle of the table, San Diego has to be stoic.

If the Chargers are serious about moving north to share digs with the Raider Nation, then they’ll have to start preparing for life as the second-favorite football team in the SD Dirk / flickr house. Are the Chargers really going to kiss San Diego goodbye this year, hang a cloud over the 2015-16 season and play for the next five years at the Pasadena Rose Bowl while the Carson monstrosity is completed?

The city’s stadium task force needs to stay resolved, Qualcomm Stadium and not blink. If the posturing and poker table talk coming from Fabiani are to be believed, the team is already gone. So what’s left to lose by a show of force?

If the task force recommends a weak financial deal for the city, and the mayor approves it, if and when it’s put to the voters they’ll turn it down. And the team will have justification for leaving.

But what if the task force’s financial proposal to the Chargers is hardline, and the mayor approves a pact more voters are likely to approve? There’s a public display for all, including the NFL, demonstrating San Diego wants the Bolts here and worked diligently to keep the team.

Ask 10 people how this is all going to turn out and you’ll get 11 different versions of the endgame.

The expert analysis may point to the Chargers leaving town. But as diehard fans know, the outcome can always turn on the last play of the game.

—Ron Donoho Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com.

This issue of CityBeat has your haterade right here.

Volume 13 • Issue 38 Editor Ron Donoho Music Editor Jeff Terich Arts Editor Kinsee Morlan Staff Writer Joshua Emerson Smith Web Editor Ryan Bradford Art director Lindsey Voltoline Columnists Aaryn Belfer, Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb, Alex Zaragoza

Contributors Ian Cheesman, David L. Coddon, Seth Combs, Tiffany Fox, Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Peter Holslin, Dave Maass, Scott McDonald, Jenny Montgomery, Susan Myrland, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Jen Van Tieghem, Amy Wallen Production Manager Tristan Whitehouse Production artist Rees Withrow MultiMedia Advertising Director Paulina Porter-Tapia

Senior account executive Jason Noble Account Executives Beau Odom, Christina MacNeal, Kimberly Wallace Marketing Intern Drake Rinks Accounting Kacie Cobian, Sharon Huie, Linda Lam Human Resources Andrea Baker

Advertising inquiries Interested in advertising?

Call 619-281-7526 or e-mail advertising@sdcitybeat.com. The advertising deadline is 5 p.m. every Friday for the following week’s issue.

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

Vice President of Finance Michael Nagami Vice President of Operations David Comden Publisher Kevin Hellman

San Diego CityBeat is published and distributed every Wednesday by Southland Publishing Inc., free of charge but limited to one per reader. Reproduction of any material in this or any other issue is prohibited without written permission from the publisher and the author. Contents copyright 2015.

4 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

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Up Front | Letters

A PRECIPITOUS DROP The opening of the [April 22] San Diego CityBeat “From the Editor,” declares “...the alarming rise in the popularity of promposals is the latest sign that the apocalypse is upon us.” It then degenerates from there into a fist-shaking, unfunny, get-off-my-lawn screed against the spending habits of prom-centric youth culture.

Pardon my language, but just what in sweet fuckery is this malarkey?

Wait, never mind, I’ll tell you what it is: The kind of content mill-generated clickbait garbage one sees on those annoying pay-for-placement ads scattered around the web. What that doesn’t answer is what in the world it is doing littering the pages of this newspaper.

I moved back to San Diego in 2005 and have made a habit of reading CityBeat cover-to-cover every week since.

Under David Rolland, the editor’s column was a venue for truth-to-power commentary on myriad progressive social issues, always intelligent, passionate and at times deeply personal; while I may not have always agreed with Mr. Rolland’s take on things, I always admired his journalistic acumen and willingness to have the paper stand on declared principle. It was this editorial focus and direction that has kept me coming back as a reader for the last decade.

I expected a certain amount of flux once Mr. Rolland stepped down, as will happen until equilibrium is reached between the new management and existing staff. What I did not expect was the precipitous drop in editorial quality we have experienced since Ron Donoho took over. The last few weeks’ worth of issues have been directionless messes barely held together by whatever the particular theme is, and buoyed only by the reliably quality work of CityBeat’s existing staff of writers and department editors. Whereas Mr. Rolland would regularly provide insightful commentary and perspective on important local and national issues

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such as transit, gay rights and environmental efforts, Mr. Donoho’s bent seems towards nothing more substantive than forced scatological metaphors and curmudgeonly rants declaring war on the prom industry (Newsflash: the paper already has a resident crank in Edwin Decker, who is far wittier, more insightful, and crucially understands that at heart a cynic is just a disappointed romantic). If I want to read a vapid, pointless harangue I’ll pick up the SD-UT’s editorial page, thank you very much.

This drop in quality is not a downward arc, it’s a plateau. It’s enough to make me wonder if Mr. Donoho has any grasp of the paper’s reader demographic, or even bothered to read a single issue before taking the job.

This is to say nothing of the recent deplorable treatment of former assistant editor Kelly Davis. If David Rolland was the captain of CityBeat’s respective ship, Ms. Davis has been the bosun, keeping things running while the voyage is underway. Her reportage in these pages on local homeless, mental health and penal issues puts to shame that of not only our local daily paper but any number of vaunted national publications, much of that recent work done while undergoing medical procedures that would have rendered a lesser reporter housebound and out of commission. She deserves far, far better than this week’s brusque dismissal and to have to fight for her accumulated back pay. I hope that CityBeat’s current publishing and editorial powers-that-be don’t similarly fail to recognize the assets they have in the paper’s remaining staff and freelance contributors.

CityBeat can do better than this; it HAS done better than this, and with luck will do so again. San Diego deserves it. I’ll continue to pick up the paper every week, if only to support the writers I value, but it’s clear that under Mr. Donoho this ship is adrift on the tides.

Matt Baldwin, Bay Park

On the

Cover

The cover photograph of Good Samaritan acupuncturist Drew Pollack was shot by University of San Diego grad Jamie Dickerson (left). She’s a veteran of nightlife photography, and for four years her work could be found on the pages of Riviera San Diego. Dickerson (jdixx.com) recently opened her own studio in La Jolla, and keeps busy shooting weddings, babies, food and local venues.

Dickerson’s cover photo was illustrated by CityBeat art director Lindsey Voltoline (right). This is a bittersweet issue for us, as it marks the departure from the masthead for Voltoline, who is leaving San Diego to find fame and fortune in New York City. Give our regards to 42nd Street.

Thanks, and good luck!

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

Up Front | News Lindsey Voltoline

Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez face off over Civic San Diego.

Land, Doh! Amid growing legal storm, Civic San Diego officials jump ship

by Joshua Emerson Smith With limited government oversight, it’s one of a kind in California. Its president is a long-time local developer. Its board of directors includes lawyers that represent developers. It decides what gets developed Downtown. And it controls millions in public money.

It’s the city-funded nonprofit Civic San Diego, and it wants to expand its unique, land-use authority into two of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods, Encanto and City Heights. With plans for a $100million investment fund to spur growth, the agency could significantly alter the face of several communities.

However, amid mounting allegations the nonprofit operates without proper government oversight, top officials abruptly announced they would abandon the land-use agency at the end of the month. According to recently submitted resignation letters, Chief Operating Officer Andrew Phillips and Board Director Cynthia Morgan-Reed will step down as of Friday, May 1.

A land-use attorney with Higgs Fletcher and Mack, Morgan-Reed will likely continue to work as registered lobbyist for the law firm. As former board chair, she strongly advocated for maintaining Civic San Diego’s autonomy, including unsuccessfully proposing a gag rule last year that would have prevented board directors from talk-

6 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

ing to members of the City Council.

Joining former Civic San Diego President Jeff Graham, who left in early 2014 after the controversy first started, Phillips has planned to take a local position at realestate company Jones Lang LaSalle’s western division.

Phillips was the understudy of Graham—the technical mastermind behind the agency’s expansion plan—and as such Phillips departure could be significant. In the short term, it’ll likely mean President Reese Jarrett, less than a year into his tenure, will face a dramatic increase in responsibility.

Jarrett, Phillips and Morgan-Reed all declined to be interviewed for this story.

At the same time, a fiery state lawmaker for the region and a lawsuit filed by one of Civic San Diego’s own board directors have simultaneously accused the land-use agency operating without proper government oversight, flouting state law.

“It’s so important that the city wake up, slow down and ensure that we have a process that is lawful and makes sense,” said Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, who’s started pushing legislation that would force a reluctant City Council to approve all decisions made by the nonprofit.

The autonomy of Civic San Diego allows city leaders to “distance themselves from a fight between developers and the community, a fight that has been decades long,” Gonzalez added. “That’s unfortunate, and I think the Mayor [Kevin Faulconer] has a responsibility to step up and do the right thing.”

In response, Faulconer’s office has dug in its heels, insisting that nothing’s wrong with how the agency’s set up. Then the

compliance with state law.

However, the conclusion of the City Attorney’s memo suggested that oversight of the land-use agency could improve: “Based on our analysis, we recommend that the city revisit the existing agreements to clarify [Civic San Diego’s] activities, build in transparency and financial oversight, provide for delegation of permitting authority by separate agency agreement, and include appropriate termination provisions.”

The building trades council’s lawsuit seeks a judge’s discretion on how best to bring the land-use agency into compliance with state law, Coopersmith said.

“If you look at what Civic San Diego is actually doing, the reality of the decisions they’re actually making, it’s clearly right now a delegation and abnegation of power,” he said. “But there are probably safeguards that could be put in place, and that’s what we’re asking the court to rule on.”

For example, a binding community-benefits policy could constitute one of those safeguards, according to the lawsuit. Over recent months, residents and advocacy groups have pressured Civic San Diego to adopt a policy that would create requirements on development projects, such as wage controls for construction workers, as well as benchmarks for local hiring and affordable housing.

As far back as November 2013, the idea of adopting such a community-benefits policy to guide the agency’s mission first sparked conflict when a few Civic San Diego board directors suggested the idea. However, under efforts led by then-board chair MorganReed, the idea was quickly buried.

Last year, City Councilmember Marti Emerald resurrected the call for such a policy. However, facing little pressure from council for reform, Civic San Diego officials drafted a loose document with no binding requirements.

That frustrated community advocates who had been organizing for months to engage leadership at Civic San Diego on developing the policy. After a series of public meetings held by the land-use agency, many community groups expressed dissatisfaction.

“The proposed Community Benefits Policy presented by Civic San Diego is not a true policy because it does not have clear targets and is not enforceable,” said Samer Naji, an organizer with the Center on Policy Initiatives think tank. “A real community benefits policy sets measurable targets to ensure the delivery of badly needed affordable housing, good-paying jobs, infrastructure, and other community needs that are lacking in many San Diego neighborhoods.”

However, Councilmember Myrtle Cole and neighborhood leaders in Encanto backed Civic San Diego’s looser approach, doing their best to fend off attempts to impose strict regulations on the nonprofit.

With both sides deeply entrenched in their views, the fate of Civic San Diego is far from determined. If the mayor and the building trades council’s legal representatives can’t come to an agreement, the issue will likely play out in a bitter court battle.

flames of controversy were fanned last week by several legal memos, including a letter responding to Gonzalez’s concerns from the nonpartisan Legislative Counsel Bureau.

While not directly addressing Civic San Diego, the memo found a nonprofit cannot permit and plan development if it constitutes a “surrender or abnegation” of a city’s land-use authority. The City Attorney issued a memo shortly after echoing the sentiment: “Ultimately, the city is responsible for carrying out these governmental functions, and the city must ensure that it has the oversight it needs to know that these function are properly handled.”

All sides interpreted the documents as favorable to their position, including Faulconer, whose office declined to comment for this story beyond issuing a short written statement.

“Based on the City Attorney’s recent opinion, which is consistent with the State Legislative Counsel Bureau’s analysis, the city of San Diego provides the appropriate safeguards for Civic San Diego to serve our communities,” wrote Charles Chamberlayne, a spokesperson for the mayor, in an email.

That’s not how lawyer Steven Coopersmith reads the recent legal documents.

On behalf of the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council and Civic San Diego Board Director Murtaza Baxamusa, he filed a lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court calling for increased oversight of the agency.

“That is not a proper reading of the City Attorney’s memo,” Coopersmith said, referring to the mayor’s office. “The City Attorney’s memo is complex, and it’s fairly forthright about what it says. It is not saying everything is A-OK. That’s just dead wrong.”

The City Attorney’s office declined to comment on whether Civic San Diego is in Write to joshuas@sdcitybeat.com.

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Up Front | opinion

Spin

John R. Lamb

Cycle Political May daze ego; the ah-heck-let’s-give-this-aThe basis of optimism is sheer terror. try San Diego. Yes, much more in —Oscar Wilde teresting than the over-analyzed, over-hyped, begging-for-attentionThe following is NOT a paid pro- gah!-it’s-a-competitive-world San gram brought to you by the San Diego—the ever-present inferioriDiego Tourism Authority. ty-complex San Diego.

Establishing shot: A pictureNext, Spin imagines being kidpostcard day in the cultural heart napped, blindfolded and whisked of the city, Balboa Park. (Take that, to an undisclosed, oceanfront hoRob Quigley!) The new “living tel conference room. When the room,” to be precise, in the ever- blindfold is removed, Spin is seatevolving Plaza de Panama. Bright- ed in a barren, darkened room in colored chairs and umbrellas ring a dentist’s chair, arms and ankles a large Astroturf mat scattered secured with straps. A massive with puffy lounge pillows. Desert- projection screen mere feet away themed planter boxes surround the dominates the field of vision. whole affair, adding a sense of secuA public-address system rity and separation from the park’s screeches, then a tinny voice anotherwise scurrying throngs. nounces: “You are about to see the This, Spin Cycle reflects, rep- greatest documentary in the hisresents what’s smart about San tory of documentaries. A tour de Diego. The little things. Simple farce of statuesque perfection. A things. No-brainer things that nev- riveting hour of incessant smiling. ertheless seem to take eons to get You have been warned…” done. The experimental San DiA child’s scream of delight, as

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the kid beats the snot out of a turquoise lounge pillow, snaps Spin out of this daydream. Relieved, Spin’s focus returns to the plaza, nearly jumping out of his seat when he notices a familiar winged apparition has joined his table.

Spin: “Magic Budget Fairy!

It’s been awhile. I had a feeling you had a hand—or, should I say, a wand—in creating this magical space.” Spin is laying on the sugar.

“Always with the jokes. Yeah, I came up with this over an afternoon when I just had to get out of City Hall. That place reeks of Axe body spray,” Magic Budget Fairy replies, as her antennae briefly shudder.

“Well, kids will be…”

“Enough small talk! I only have a few minutes on my own here before—yeesh!—my Magic Budget Fairy Godmother tracks me down.”

“I was not aware you had a godmother.”

“Ugh, I speak of her as infrequently as possible. We only let her out of the Forest of Municipal Saviors when business gets too brisk. Like now, in San Diego.

She’s nuts with the money. Can’t give away enough! Shaky bookkeeper, though…”

Just then, something bangs into the turquoise umbrella above, followed by a giggle and a crash to the ground. A dazed Magic Budget Fairy

John R. Lamb

And yes, it’s Magic Budget Fairy time again.

Godmother flaps weakly to a perch developer behind it, would foot the on another chair nearby, a bag of bill for a special election later this cash clutched in one chubby foot. year, not 2016. And as long as San “Always with the grand en- Diego voters are mulling that projtrances, eh ’Mother?” Magic Bud- ect, why not toss minimum wage get Fairy snarks. and a stadium plan on the same “I don’t know what you mean, ballot? Hard decisions cleared, dear. These umbrellas are new. pathway to coronation set!”

You could have warned me. Who is Spin pushes back, explaining this young man? You aren’t talking that Kilroy had issued a statement about The Big Worry, now are you, expressing its disappointment in dear? You really aren’t authorized the successful signature campaign to discuss The Big Worry. You “paid for by an Orange Countydon’t have Big Worry clearance.” based corporation bent on smothMagic Budget Fairy waves her ering competition,” but vowing hand, and Godmother suddenly to “work hard over the next year freezes in place. to educate voters on the merits of “Sometimes it’s the only way what will be San Diego’s most envito shut her up,” Fairy winks. ronmentally sustainable project.”

“Anyway, The Big Worry Theo“Kilroy said ‘over the next year?’ ry. “You’re familiar with Mayor That doesn’t sound like they’re Kevin Faulconer? Well, he would interested in paying for a special love nothing more than to take a election this year,” Fairy mutters. breezy, smiling victory lap from Spin adds that the idea of a prihere to June 2016, when he hopes vately financed special election to be overwhelmingly re-elected. was met with blank stares from He does not want this thing to go city officials. Unprecedented, they into extra innings, say a Novem- all said. Municipal Code and City ber presidential election when Charter? Mum on the topic. And Democrats finally emerge from NFL officials have not outright retheir sleepy caves and vote. jected a June 2016 stadium vote.

“Well, to get there, it would “That so…” Fairy trembles. behoove him if certain, um, messy The shuddering accidentally issues magically resolved them- triggers Fairy Godmother to wake selves prior to June 2016. Things from her trance. “So you really like the minimum-wage hike, the shouldn’t speak of The Big WorOne Paseo development in Car- ry,” Godmother says, unaware mel Valley, heck maybe even the she’d been frozen.

Chargers stadium debacle from “Worry, worry, worry! Didn’t hell. Geesh, you humans and your you see the NatGeo documenNFL football.” tary?” Fairy shouts, uncharacterSpin: “What can I say? It’s a istically. “No worries! No worries! nonsensical emotional reaction to San Diego is fun and vibrant! Built the notion that a city without pro- upon conscious urban planning! fessional football is somehow less Poised to move in a SMART diworthy than its NFL-anointed rection! Do not question this!” counterparts. You said your time With that, Fairy vanished in a was short. We’ll know more May puff of gold glitter.

20. Let’s not go there.”

“She gets emotional sometimes,” “Very well. So, the folks who Godmother says. “She worked hard gathered enough signatures to on that film. Kevin has her working force the San Diego City Council overtime, poor dear.” either to reverse its approval of One Paseo or stick it on a future Spin Cycle appears every other week. ballot keep saying Kilroy, the mega- Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com.

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

Up Front | Opinion

Aaryn Belfer

Backwards & in

high heels

Resistance to mandated school tests grows I prepped my fourth-grader this past Sunday for her return to school following a month of unencumbered childhood, more widely known as spring break. The girl’s on a year-round schedule—the kind that research has shown reduces summer slide and is better for children in lower-socioeconomic classes. In other words, it makes sense so San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) is going to move all schools to a traditional calendar, natch. Go forth, Calendar Committee, and be awesome!

On my mind—as my little crackerjack resumes afternoons filled not with learning, curiosity and inspiration, but with practice tests like the ones she’ll not be taking for real at the end of May— is news from around the country that makes me nearly levitate with glee.

In New York, an estimated 184,000 students opted out of their federally mandated English exams two weeks ago, compared to 49,000 who sat on their hands last spring. (Math test opt-out numbers are not yet known.)

The agitators are a small fraction of the 1.1 million eligible test takers, but their ranks more than tripled in a single year. That is noteworthy.

Rocky Killion, the Indiana 2015 School Superintendent of the Year, has urged parents to homeschool their children during the week of testing. Sends chills up my spine, I tell you.

And at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, high-stakes test resistance escalated when teachers, administrators, parents and students voted unanimously against the standardized assessments. The result? Not a single 11th grader showed up for the tests. Not one. That is the same difference as all of them minus all of them. Put another way, 100 percent of the enrolled juniors engaged in civil disobedience.

I feel like there is a potential test question in there somewhere.

Maybe these kids spent their free time planning elaborate promposals, a rite of passage CityBeat’s new editor thinks is stupid. To which I say, of course it’s stupid! The frontal lobe of a human isn’t fully developed until he’s in his mid-20s. I remember my bedroom being toilet papered beyond recognition when I was asked to prom, and that was totally stupid. But the promposal is a fun, innocent stupid. One might say it’s a necessary, stress-relieving, see-how-creative-you-canbe stupid. Unlike standardized testing, which is a prolonged, abusive, unhealthy, not-meaningfulbut-pretending-to-be stupid. And people are waking up to this fact.

Opting out is in. It’s a movement being further validated by the growing numbers of balking admins. Even as SDUSD is wrong on the calendar is-

sue, it was right to press Congress to eliminate the testing mandate in No Child Left Behind. And in early April, school Superintendent Cindy Marten penned a letter to parents and it went a little like this: Look, I think this blows, but my hands are tied.

Just remember that your child is more than a sucky test score.

Marten’s missive read like a nod’s-as-good-asa-wink-to-a-blind-bat notice of the coming shit storm. Really interesting, though, was the inclusion of a single sentence about opting out. It was no Rocky Killion bravery; it wasn’t like she explicitly stated that Californians can legally opt out (we can), or provided links to helpful websites (there are several), or directly pointed to opt-out forms (templates are available). But that lone sentence was remarkable. Nudge, nudge.

As someone who has opted her child out of tests, it’s an understatement to say all this news has made me happy. But if my heart has soared, the reaction from the Imperial Wizard of Standardized Testing has provided an unequalled sky-rockets-inflight euphoria.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is apoplectic that growing swaths of people are outwardly rebuking his horrible ed policy. And like a high school jock with an underdeveloped brain, he’s going to compensate by flexing his muscle. According to the website ChalkBeat, BaDunc-a-Dunc is threatening to call in the feds.

Now, I’m not sure what this means, exactly, but I find it tauntingly hilarious, even as I’m forced to confront the reality that I’m one Ford F-650 with a “Don’t tread on me!” bumper sticker and a set of Truck Nutz™ away from marching with the Libertarian crowd. (Their racist leanings will prevent me from becoming a card-carrying member.)

Duncan is talking “sanctions,” and may “withhold funding” from states which, note to Department of Ed, you’ve already been doing that. What else Angry Arne has in mind we do not know— maybe he’ll arrange to throw more teachers in jail seeing as how they seem to be the real criminals among us. Perhaps he’ll start disappearing administrators. Maybe Duncan will make like Texas and throw the test-skipping truants behind bars. Maybe he’ll cuff us parents, too. That would really put a feather in the cap of the American education system.

Or maybe the feds will come to our houses, put guns to all of our heads and march us into the testing rooms. To quote George W. Bush (Jesus Christ, am I really gonna do it?): Bring ’em on.

“

Not a single 11th grader showed up for the tests.

Not one.

”

8 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

Backwards & In High Heels appears every other week.

Write to aaryn@sdcitybeat.com.

#SDCityBeat

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April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

Up Front | Food

by michael a. gardiner Michael A. Gardiner

side grit tossed into the mix.

At first blush, quail might seem an unlikely candidate for Mexican street food treatment. Wrong. California quail is quite plentiful in Baja, and appears frequently on Baja menus. The small birds have a big flavor with a profile more like duck than chicken, more like dark meat than light, with only the slightest hint of gaminess.

Padilla marinates the locally sourced birds (I detected pineapple and a soy flavor) and grills them. It’s simplicity itself, and hard to imagine anything could make the birds taste better.

What comes off the grill has the makings of an enjoyable carnivorous fest. There Las Gueritas’ codorniz is plastic silverware at Las Gueritas, but honestly, why would you want it? There’s no better way to eat the quail than with your hands. You need to get into that bird, pulling the morsels of meat off the little bones. If the price of doing so is dirty hands, so be it.

Many eaters who are not particularly squeaHighly unique street food mish find rabbit a bit of a task. It’s not hard to see why. You don’t have to be very imaginaStreet food stands, stalls and trucks are everytive to see the thing on your plate was once a where in Mexico. It’s fast food of a very differsmall, fuzzy animal. Then, you taste it. Rabbit ent sort. Unlike their stateside counterparts, both puts the lie and the truth to the old “tastes with corporate design and homogenized menus, like chicken” saw. It does taste like chicken, in Mexico you find a place like Las Gueritas. but a particularly meaty, savory chicken, with (It’s at kilometer marker 77 just southeast of a dose of game. Treated much as Padilla treats where Highway 3, the road from Ensenada to the quail, the grill does very well by the rabbit.

Tecate, hits Ejido Francisco Zarco in the Valle Where stews emphasize the gaminess of the de Guadalupe.) meat, the grill highlights its meatiness.

Las Gueritas does not offer the stuff of the The meats are definitely what Las Gueritas garden-variety Mexican street food stalls—no is about. They’re served with rice, beans and fish tacos, tortas, birria, mariscos or carne asada. an iceberg lettuce salad (with bottled, pour-itLucia Villaseno Padilla, assisted by her husband yourself dressing). The proteins deserve better. and two light-skinned daughters for whom the But, at the end of the day, those grilled meats place is named, grills fresh codorniz (quail), are so good and the view through the nursery so pleasant that it really doesn’t matter. conejo (rabbit) and sometimes cochinita (pork) to order over a wood fire. The setting is partly The World Fare appears weekly. idyllic (abutting the family’s nursery in the cenWrite to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com. ter of the Guadalupe Valley) with a bit of road-

the world

fare

10 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

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Up Front | Drink

beer &

chees North County confessions When Lost Abbey announced the opening of a new tasting room called The Confessional (2007 San Elijo Ave, facebook.com/theconfess ionalcardiff ), I was pretty excited. Lost Abbey was overdue to extend its geographic reach.

And as a long-lapsed Catholic, I’d been hoarding a multitude of references to religious doctrines. At the risk of blasphemy, let me just get this out of my system: Forgive me, Father, for I have sipped. It has been one day since my last quaff session.

Given the recent explosion of satellite tasting rooms for San Diego breweries, Lost Abbey’s continued relegation to the edges of San Marcos seemed a bit strange. It’s not as if there were insufficient fans and patrons to justify a second location.

This was not for lack of motivation.

“We never really found a spot that fit us,” says Adam Martinez, director of media and marketing for Lost Abbey and Port Brewing.

That changed when a slot opened up in Cardiffby-the-Sea. The region was not only a favorite for the many surfers masquerading as Lost Abbey brewery employees, it also happens to be a weirdly

by ian cheesman desolate section of the San Diego brewery map. It didn’t extend the reach of the brewery as much as some more far-flung expansion sites for North County breweries, but it felt like home.

Unfortunately, the discovery of Lost Abbey’s ideal expansion real estate in September 2014 was the last blessing they would receive for a bit. The projected opening for later that year was stymied by the bountiful bureaucracy of architecture reviews, and a shift in the application timeline for liquor licensing. As of April 22, blessedly, The Confessional tasting room is open to serve fresh beer and silently condemn your sinful ways.

The 1,400-square-foot facility is not radically different from its San Marcos counterpart.

Despite the specificity of the branding, its 24 taps will likewise be serving selections from Port Brewing as well as Hop Concept. Growler fills and carry-out bottle sales are likewise offered. It does mercifully offer the seating that San Marcos sorely lacks, but that may not be a differentiator in the long run.

There is no denying the benefits of the shift in geography, though. The neighboring Seaside Market offers countless options for sustenance that will be welcomed into the tasting room.

This stands in stark contrast to their San Marcos location, where the best local food option is the heavily wilted Kudos bar you left in your car’s center console.

There is one additional, albeit only Studio Schulz potential, differentiator. There is a tentative plan to offer a Cardiff-specific beer at the site, presuming all that beachfront living doesn’t sap the motivation out of employees.

If you loved Lost Abbey before, you now have a new cathedral in which to hold mass and sing praise. The facility won’t overhaul your expectations of the breweries it houses, but the opportunity to enjoy Judgment Day in the company of a soothing ocean breeze may be all the sweet salvation you need.

The Confessional

#SDCityBeat

Beer & Chees appears every third week. Write to ianc@ sdcitybeat.com.

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

Up Front | Food

by jenny montgomery Jenny montgomery

north

fork

Brews and bites at Plan 9 Even though I’m not the hop-happiest of food writers (sacrilege, I know), it’s hard to resist an eatery with a passion for craft beer that also turns out tasty grub with more thought than just “this soaks up suds.” Plan 9 Alehouse has a great balance of food and brews that’ll please lager lovers as well as those who just want root beer.

My new favorite street corner (you have one, right?) might just be Grand and Kalmia right along the main drag in Escondido. Plan 9 Alehouse (155 E. Grand Ave, plan9alehouse.com) is worth a visit in its own right, but the fact that it’s around the corner from a gelato shop and next door to a used bookstore makes it my kind of hangout.

I’ll leave the beer discussion to the beer writers, although I did dig the house-made root beer (but I wouldn’t have argued with a bit more carbonation).

Our society apparently lives in mortal fear that we haven’t covered enough things in sriracha. I suppose there are worse bandwagons for us to collectively jump on, so to that end, I hap-

12 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

pily plowed through a plate of Bourbon sriracha duck wings. The duck was darker and greasier than your typical plate of chicken, but that just meant a meatier wing to bite into. You can opt for “sissy-medium” sauce or “stupid-hot,” but either way, you’ll get a spicy and sweet plate of messy goodness.

Find your way to the bacon jam grilled cheese. They don’t skimp on the house made bacon jam (the bacon trend is exhausting, but this use never gets old), swiped between sourdough bread and gooey cheddar cheese.

Slices of tart and sweet green Plan 9 Alehouse apple lend crunch, but my favorite part of this sandwich is the totally delightful, absolutely unnecessary, gluten-free-mocking extra slice of bread sandwiched in between the outer two slices of bread.

The Steak & Caesar is a really well done deconstruction of a steak salad. Crunchy spears of romaine are grilled to a nice, warm char, then drizzled with a creamy IPA-based Caesar dressing. Chunks of a salty, aged cheddar echo traditional parmesan, and the steak itself has a tangerine-and-maple glaze that brings an unexpected sweetness that blends well with the other flavors.

If bacon is the trend that will never die, poutine is the food trend that might make you die. Thank you, Canada, for your gravy-covered French fries, garnished with cheese. Plan 9’s frites come with gravy made from a Ballast Point Porter, and if you’re feeling peckish, you can add either housecured bacon or sausage and apples for just a few bucks more.

Plan 9 Alehouse has a straightforward industrial feel, with a fun and welcoming vibe. Goofy black-and-white B-movies like Mothra or the namesake Plan 9 From Outer Space run on a loop on a big screen above the dining room.

Bring your Godzilla appetite and make Plan 9 your favorite corner hangout.

North Fork appears every other week.

Write to jennym@sdcitybeat.com.

#SDCityBeat

EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

Books About Books Boxed Set

1

TURN THE PAGE

Many of us have long since transitioned to reading books via Kindle or other tablet formats, but there’s still nothing quite so satisfying as cracking open the spine of a book and flipping through the pages of a good story. If that feeling is familiar, even warm and fuzzy, then earmark the calendar page for Independent Bookstore Day. The event takes place in bookstores across California on Saturday, May 2, and, similar to last week’s Record Store Day, Bookstore

2

MARKET VALUE

Given the choice between the massmarketed merchandise at a mall or unchained goods handmade by local artisans, we’ll always go with the latter. In Bloom Market isn’t just a shopping opp, it’s a free, two-day cultural event held in UNION, a 1940s-era industrial warehouse in Barrio Logan. The market is presented

by San Diego Made, an artist collective that supports and promotes the Shop Local, Buy Local philosophy. More than 40 local artists and craftsmen will show off their stuff on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3. There’ll be a garden lounge decorated

by Pow Wow and an interactive Teepee from Fornature Designs, among other highlights. Food trucks will be there to serve, and spring-inspired craft cocktails will help make the atmosphere festive. The doors open at 10 a.m. each day, important to note because the first 75 people to arrive get a free grab bag of items donated by vendors. Live music will come from Adam Townsend, Rachel Aldous, the Road Home Band and other acts. Enjoy but don’t dawdle.

You’ll have to finalize your purchases by 5 p.m. on Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. sandiegomade.org

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

COURTESY: INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY

the

Three you have to see

Stripey Guess How Christopher Moore FHck Much I Love to Throx Socks Read “Bunsie” Day offers readers a chance to celebrate their local independent bookseller by offering items that are only available for this special event. Exclusive items include limited-edition books, prints, posters, totes and other goodies. There’s even a three-pack of socks based on the fantasy writings of Christopher Moore. Participating bookstores include Warwick’s in La Jolla (7812 Girard Ave.), the UC San Diego Bookstore (9500 Gilman Drive), and The Grove in South Park (3010 Juniper Street), but check out the website for a full list of stores and individual store schedules. cabookstoreday.com

3

LET’S DANCE!

If you read the “From the Editor” piece in our last issue, you know we’re all about proms, but think the “promposal” should go the way of hair crimping and slap bracelets. That being said, if you still have your hair crimper or any slap bracelets laying around, you might want to break them out for the first annual ’80s Prom Night at Belly Up Tavern (143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach). Happening at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, revelers should expect some gnarly fashion choices that extend way beyond the typical tux and gown (think acid-wash; lots of neon).

Decked out in spandex, cover band The Young Guns will play a highly danceable and decidedly nostalgic set of ’80s hits. Bonus: It’s a 21+ event so you don’t have to worry about the principal finding out you spiked the punch bowl (read: it’s already spiked). Tickets are $16, so it’s way more affordable than an actual high school prom. Still, don’t get too crazy with the promposal. There’s something to be said for just simply asking. bellyup.com ALEX ZARAGOZA

DANA NUGENT

Pay What You Wish at Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park. In celebration of the Balboa Park Centennial, the Museum of Photographic Arts lets visitors decide how much they wish to pay for admission on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays through Aug. 28. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday, April 29. Free. 619-2388777, mopa.org Untold Narratives at Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Pkwy., Mission Valley.

A group exhibition that explores hidden stories and elicits an uncanny reflection of reality. Curated by the San Diego Mesa College Museum Studies class, artists include Larry Caveney, Randall Christopher, Daphne Hill, and more. Opening from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29. Free.

858-573-5007, sdmesa.edu/art-gallery Spring 2015 Student Art Show at Mesa College Art Gallery, 7250 Mesa College Drive, Clairemont. The annual exhibit showcases a collection of class projects in various media from Mesa College students. Opening from 4 to 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 30. Free. (619-3882829, sdmesa.edu/art-gallery Oceanside Art Walk at 330 North Coast Highway. Held the first Friday of the month, multiple venues in Oceanside will host art shows, performances, music, poetry, activities, food, and more. From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 1. Free. 805-7047482, oceansideartwalk.org In Bloom: Art Honoring Mothers and Nature at Promising Futures Art Studio, 145 E. Lexington Ave., El Cajon. New work by Promising Future studio artists focusing on gardens, nature and Mother’s Day. Opening from 2 to 6 p.m.

Friday, May 1. Free. 619-312-0695, promisingfutures.net Lightning Bolts, Fireworks and Shooting Stars at NTC at Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma. A pop-up gallery show featuring the work of abstract and figure artist Michael Richard Rosenblatt. Opening from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 1. Free. 858-4833918, rosenblattstudios.com Friday Night Liberty at NTC at Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma. The first Friday gallery and studio walk features open artist studios, galleries, live performances, shopping and entertainment throughout NTC’s Arts & Culture District. From 5 to 9 p.m.

Friday, May 1. Free. 619-573-9300, ntclibertystation.com/what.php HNew Contemporaries VIII at Casa Valencia Galeria Baja, Barracks 16, Ste. 101, 2730 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma.

The annual exhibition showcasing the artists nominated for the S.D. Art Prize. Features work from Andrea Chung, Collective Magpie, Tom Demello and more. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 1. Free. 619223-1533, valenciagallery.com H43 Artistas Por 43 Estudiantes II at Border X Brewing Tasting Room, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. Fortythree artists from all over the U.S. and Mexico create 43 visual statements of solidarity for the missing students of Ayotzinapa Normal School in Mexico.

Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Free. 619-787-6176, facebook. com/events/619802194817250/ I Know What I Saw at Helmuth Projects, 1827 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill. New work from Matt Bradley, whose most recent body of work features largely obscured, dripping landscapes of both urban and rural scenes. Opening from 7 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, May 2. Free. 619-265-6842, helmuth-projects.com

In Bloom Market

#SDCityBeat

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

HUn Amour du Noir at Sparks Gallery, 530 6th Ave., Gaslamp. A group show emphasizing rich monochromatic (read: black) tones and featuring works from Jill Joy, Hill & Stump, Steven Florman and more. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, May 2. Free. 619-696-1416, sparksgallery.com Along The Shores of Living Water at Waldorf School, 3547 Altadena Ave., City Heights. A collection of recent pieces by Anja Hovland, lifelong artist and San Diego resident. Opening from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 3. Free. waldorf sandiego.org Revenge of the 5th at Basic, 410 10th Ave., Downtown. A Star Wars fan art show featuring dozens of local artists. Opening from 7 p.m. to midnight.

Tuesday, May 5. Free. 858-354-6294, thumbprintgallerysd.com Subdued Sentiments at TPG2, 1475 University Ave., Hillcrest. A black-andwhite group art exhibition featuring local artists Bryan Tipton, E.VIL, Rachel Kim and dozens more. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, May 6. Free. 858-3546294, tpg2.net

BOOKS Andrew Roe at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The Oceanside-based writer will sign and discuss his debut novel, The Miracle Girl, about a young girl who suddenly wakes up from a coma. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks. indiebound.com HDavid Brin at UCSD Literature Building de Certeau Room, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla. A reading from the scientist, tech speaker/consultant, and author of Existence, a new novel about humanity’s survival in the near future. At 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 29. Free. 858-5342230, literature.ucsd.edu HLiterary Arts Festival at Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Dr., La Mesa. This 19th annual fest features a diverse range of readings, workshops, signings, panel discussions and more from established and respected authors from around the country. From Monday, April 27 to Thursday, April 30. Various times. Wednesday, April 29. Free. 619644-7000, grossmont.edu/academics/ programs-departments/english/literaryarts-festival/ Richard Reeves at BICE, 425 Island Ave., Downtown. The former chief political correspondent of The New York Times will speak on his new book, Infamy, the story of the imprisonment of American citizens of Japanese ancestry during WWII. At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29. $60.

239-2423, cityclubofsandiego.com Brian Turner at Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Dr., La Mesa.

Iraq war veteran, poet, and memoirist Brian Turner will read and sign books at Grossmont College’s Griffin Gate as part of the school’s annual Literary Arts Festival. From 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 30. Free. 619-644-7000, gross mont.edu/laf Eric Blehm at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The bestselling author will present his new book, Legend, an account of a Special Forces operation during the Vietnam War. At 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 30. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.indiebound.com HFIELD First Issue Launch at UCSD SME Building, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla.

Release reception for the “Journal of Socially-Engaged Art Criticism” from Grant

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

H = CityBeat picks

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

EVENTS

“Girl on Bed” by Bil Zelman is on view at Un Amour Du Noir, a group show opening Saturday, May 2, at Sparks Gallery (530 6th Ave., Downtown).

Kester. From 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, May 1.

Free. field-journal.com HIndependent Bookstore Day Celebrate your local independent bookseller with exclusive readings, author appearances, limited edition goodies, and more.

See website for list of participating stores.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 2.

Free. cabookstoreday.com HExpressions of Pride Literary and Cultural Festival at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights.

The nation’s largest literary festival dedicated to LGBT authors and artists of color will feature readings, signings and over 400 books for sale. See website for full lineup and details. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 2. 619-220-0097, sdliteraryfoundation.org Barbara Summers and Carey Blakely at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The local authors will sign and discuss their book, Next!: A Matchmaker’s Guide to Finding Mr. Right, Ditching Mr. Wrong, and Everything in Between. At noon. Sunday, May 3. Free. 858-4540347, warwicks.indiebound.com Annie Lawless at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The co-founder of Suja Juice will discuss The Suja Juice Solution: 7 Days to Lose Fat, Beat Cravings, and Boost Your Energy. At 7:30 p.m.

Monday, May 4. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.indiebound.com Barbara Stark-Nemon at Astor Judaica Library, 4126 Executive Drive La Jolla, CA, La Jolla. The author will speak about her new novel, Evening in Darkness, a historical novel about a Jewish woman in pre- and post-WWII Germany. At 7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 5. $10. 858-457-3030, sdcjc.org HMatthew Pearl at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The bestselling author will present his newest novel, The Last Bookaneer, a historical novel set inside the early 20th Century literary underground. At 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 6. Free. 858-4540347, warwicks.indiebound.com Mary Robinette Kowal and Marie Brennan at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The two fantasy authors will

14 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

sign and discuss their latest offerings, Of Noble Family (Kowal) and Voyage of the Basilisk (Brennan). At 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 6. Free. 858-2684747, mystgalaxy.com Sarah Dessen at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. The bestselling young adult author will discuss and sign her newest novel, Saint Anything. At 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 6. Free. 619-2365802, libraryshop.org

DANCE University Dance Company at SDSU Dance Studio Theatre, 5500 Campanile Dr., College Area. Members of SDSU’s dance company perform contemporary dance works by faculty and guest artists.

At 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3. $10. 619-594-6031, music.sdsu.edu/ index.php/dance/company HRomeo et Juliette at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. Malandain Ballet Biarritz’s contemporary reimagining of the Shakespeare tale is set to a dramatic score and uses 22 classically trained dancers. At 8 p.m. Sunday, May 3. $20-$75. 858-459-3728, ljms.org

FASHION The VIPink Brunch at Westfield Mission Valley, 1640 Camino Del Rio N., Mission Valley. Enjoy craft cocktails, brunch bites, and live music alongside exclusive discounts and shopping perks. Benefits Bright Pink’s fight against breast cancer.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3. $10. 619-296-6300, brightpink.org

FOOD & DRINK HDining Out for Life Visit one of the 100 participating restaurants, bars, coffeehouses and nightclubs in town on this night and 25 to 100 percent of sales will go to local HIV/AIDS services and prevention programs. Various times. Thursday, April 30. thecentersd.org Family Dinner Night at Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center, 2505 N. Ave., National City. Take a tour of the property,

harvest vegetables from the garden, work together to prepare a healthy, seasonal meal, eat together, and share conversation in the historic Noyes House. From 3 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30. $25.

619-434-4281, olivewoodgardens.org Junior League Food and Wine Festival at La Jolla Cove, 1100 Coast Blvd., La Jolla. The largest benefit for the Junior League of San Diego hosts fifty restaurants who will offer bites, wines, micro brews and exotic cocktail tastings. From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 2. $85. 619234-2253, jlsdfoodandwine.com Latin Food and Wine Festival at Harrah’s Resort Southern California, 777 Harrah’s Resort Southern California Way, Valley Center. Receive unlimited food tastings from local and celeb chefs, plus unlimited sips of Latin influenced wines. From 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2. $30-$150.

760-751-3100, harrahssocal.com Hopstown Craft Beer Fest at Downtown Escondido. This two-day fest features craft beer from over 40 local breweries, grub from local restaurants, food trucks and live entertainment. Takes place at 800 W. Washington Ave. in Escondido.

From noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3. $30. hopstown.net Chef Celebration Beer Master Pairing at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, 2816 Historic Decatur Rd. #116, Point Loma. Enjoy live entertainment while trying 14 small dishes created by local chefs alongside 14 brews paired by Stone Brewing Co. From noon to 3 p.m.

Sunday, May 3. $49. 619-269-2100, www.chefscelebration.org Mezcal Pairing Dinner at Urban Solace, 3823 30th St., North Park. Chef Matt Gordon joins forces with four other local chefs for a six-course menu that’ll be paired with varieties of Pierde Almas Mezcal. At 6 p.m. Monday, May 4. $85. 619-2956464, urbansolace.net Culinary Couture at Roppongi, 875 Prospect St., La Jolla. Guests will enjoy hand crafted cuisine and cocktails from each of the fashion capitals of the world, while learning exactly why these cities have become “so haute” in the fashion industry.

From 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, May 5. $20$50. 858-270-9466, fashionweeksd.com

#SDCityBeat

EVENTS | THEATER MUSIC Carmina Burana at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. The San Diego Symphony play Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana,” one of the best known (and most borrowed from) choral works in the classical repertoire. At 8 p.m. Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3. $20-$96. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.com HKjell Nordeson at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights. The Swedish percussionist presents “Walking with Mirabeau,” a solo concert oscillating between composed music and improvisation. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1. $10-$15. freshsoundmusic.com Coyote Music Festival at Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy, El Cajon. The seventh annual music fest will feature six local bands, with genres ranging from acoustic, jazz, rock, pop, folk and R&B. See website for full lineup and schedule. From noon to 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 2. Free. 619-660-4627, coyotemusicfest.com The Rolling Stones from A to Z at Brooks Theater, 217 North Coast Hwy., Oceanside. One hour instrumental guitar symphony of Rolling Stones titles performed by guitarist Wayne Riker. At 7 p.m. Saturday, May 02. $10. 760-4338900, oceansidetheatre.org HIn-Ko-Pah 2 at Desert View Tower, In-Ko-Pah Rd., Anza-Borrego Desert.

An evening of music under the desert sky featuring an eclectic lineup of bands and artists including The Mission Creeps, The Schitzophonics, The Long and Short of It and more. At 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 2. $35-$45. 858-5341551, inkopah.org … on the Nature of the Space Between Us All at Mandeville Auditorium, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Special guest conductor Christopher Rountree leads an adventurous chamber group that blends new music, classical repertoire, performance art and pop. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2 and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3. $15-$36. 858-534-TIXS, lajollasymphony.com Han Bin Yoon at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. The chamber music cello player performs an intimate concert as part of the La Jolla Music Society’s Intimate Classics Series. At 3 p.m. Sunday, May 3. $21$30. 800-988-4253, artcenter.org Classics 4 Kids: Once Upon a Tiempo at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Join the Classics Philharmonic Orchestra for a mariachi-infused program that explores the world of classic fairy tales through the lens of different cultures. At 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3. $10-$20.

619-231-2311, classics4kids.org

Golden Harp at Rancho San Diego Library, 11555 Via Rancho San Diego, El Cajon. Violinist Khaleel Iqab leads an ensemble performing traditional music from Iraq. At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5.

Free. 619-660-5370, sdcl.org/locations _RD.html SDSU Wind Symphony and Orchestra at Don Powell Theatre, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area. Concert will feature the winner of the SDSU Concerto Competition and a premiere from double bass soloist Barry Green. At 7 p.m.

Wednesday, May 6. $5-$10. 619-5946884, music.sdsu.edu Box Canyon Band at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. The North County bluegrass veterans play a show that combines bluegrass, country, swing, jazz, and rock ’n’ roll. At 4 and 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 6.

Free-$12. 8009884253, artcenter.org

NAMI Walk at NTC at Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma.

Join others for the 11th annual 5K/walk and fair benefitting the lives of persons impacted by mental illness in San Diego.

From 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Free. 760-452-6652, namiwalks.org/ sandiegocounty

H’80s Prom Night at Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. The first annual event will feature ‘80s cover band, The Young Guns, and plenty of kitschy fashion choices. At 9 p.m. Saturday, May 2. $16-$18. 8582018525, gnarlywoodevents.com Uncorked Wine Walk and Concert at Westfield UTC, 4545 La Jolla Village Drive, University City. Enjoy four wine

gardens, live music and unlimited chefcrafted bites from Westfield UTC dining establishments. From 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2. $20-$30. 619-905-8889, facebook.com/westfieldutc/events Fiesta Old Town Cinco De Mayo at Old Town San Diego, 2474 San Diego Ave, 4S Ranch. The 32nd annual fest features a Ballet Folklorico competition, 20-plus bands, live entertainment, a children’s area, over 100 retail and food booths, two cantina beer gardens, and much more.

From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 2 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 3.

Free. cincodemayooldtown.com HFilmatic Festival at UCSD Qualcomm Institute, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla.

The second annual festival will feature

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

PERFORMANCE

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD HJerome Rothenberg at D.G. Wills Books, 7461 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The poet and UCSD Professor Emeritus will read from his new book, Barbaric Vast & Wild: An Assemblage of Outside & Subterranean Poetry from Origins to Present. At 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Free. 858-4561800, dgwillsbooks.com

SPECIAL EVENTS Dreams of Diamonds at GIA World Headquarters, 5345 Armada Drive, Carlsbad. Seven of the world’s finest diamond houses will showcase 25 rare diamonds and elaborate jewelry to coincide with the debut of Dreams of Diamonds, the largest book ever published on these gems.

From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 29. Free. 760-603-4116, gia.edu HThursday Night Market at Quartyard, 1102 G. St., East Village. The first of Quartyard’s monthly markets. Features local vendors selling a variety of items, as well as live music, beer and food trucks.

From 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 30.

Free. 714-392-8565, quartyardsd.com Future Standard at Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave., Downtown. An alternative art and music event featuring music from Soulection’s SoSuperSam, as well as art by a dozen local artists. From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday, April 30. $10.

619-764-6924, brownpapertickets.com/ event/1475029

Anglo Tango at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 6628 Santa Isabel St., Carlsbad. The San Diego North Coast Singers new women’s chamber chorus, Sorelle, performs music of the British Isles and Latin America. At 4 p.m. Sunday, May 3. $8-$15. northcoastsingers.com

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at Bottles & Wood, 5039 Shawline St., Kearny Mesa.

Guests can enjoy food trucks, mexican food, tequila, beverages, and peruse handcrafted upcycled items in the Bottles & Wood showroom. At 6 p.m.

Thursday, April 30. Free. 858-3846114, bottlesandwood.com

#SDCityBeat

LA/LA: Place and Practice at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. A two-day symposium dedicated to considering the relationships between local Latino arts communities and Latin America. See website for list of speakers and events. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Free. Reservations required. 619-232-7931, sdmart.org

HIn Bloom Market at Union, 2191 Main Street, Barrio Logan. A unique shopping and culture event featuring local artists and craftsman, food trucks, live music, spring-inspired craft cocktails and large scale floral installations. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 2 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, May 3. Free. 909-2136757, sandiegomade.org

HThe Threepenny Opera at Conrad Prebys Music Center, UCSD campus, La Jolla. Grammy-winning soprano Susan Narucki leads the cast in this contemporary adaptation of John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9. At 2 p.m. Sunday, May 10. $10.50-$15.50. 858-534-3448, music. ucsd.edu/concerts

Jukebox Radio at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. The local duo will present a family-friendly show using shadow puppets, projections, and music within the Young Art 2015: Visualizing Music exhibition galleries. From noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 3. Free-$12. 619232-7931, sdmart.org

Kiwanis Cinco de Mayo Concert at Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park. The Kiwanis Club and the SDSU School of Music and Dance present a free concert in celebration of Cinco de Mayo featuring the top SDSU musical ensembles. At 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 5.

Free. kiwanisclubsandiego.org

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, May 1. $14.95$17.95. 619-238-1233, rhfleet.org

CIRCUS! Science Under the Big Top at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park. The family-friendly exhibition features 20 interactive exhibits that delve into everything from clown makeup to animal communication. From

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

EVENTS

THEATER Anxieties, insights reside in Uncanny Valley If thinking about artificial intelligence or the idea of downloading human consciousness freaks you out, or, if you’re prone to free-floating anxiety, Uncanny Valley probably isn’t for you. The questions Thomas Gibbons’ play raises about science, immortality and playing God are ominous ones.

But you really shouldn’t be unnerved by this futuristic one-act play, directed by Jessica Bird at the San Diego Repertory Theatre. (The Rep is one of four theaters nationwide that are simultaneously giving Uncanny Valley its world premiere.)

For all its seemingly incomprehensible explorations into the furthest possibilities

of cybernetic life extension, Gibbons’ play is clever, affecting and human at its core.

The consistently superb Rosina Reynolds portrays a veteran neuroscientist named Claire, who is shepherding the transition of a non-biological being called Julian from manmade robot into the “resurrected” existence of a dying millionaire. The first half of Uncanny Valley, which co-stars Nick Cagle as Julian, finds Claire teaching the aforementioned non-biological being how to move, speak and react like a 34-year-old man. Julian already seems capable of thinking for himself, and it doesn’t even feel as if Claire is talking to a robot.

DAREN SCOTT In the second half of the play, after the dead millionaire’s human consciousness has been downloaded into Julian, Uncanny Valley takes a sharp left turn and becomes a cautionary tale that’s as much about greed, ungrateful children and looming conscience as it is about the far reaches of neuroscience.

It’s the evolution of Claire’s and Julian’s relationship, fraught with all of these consequences, that makes Uncanny Valley engrossing theater. Claire’s “What have I done?”

Nick Cagle and Rosina Reynolds moment may be predictable,

16 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

but it still packs a wallop when it comes.

In case you’re wondering, the concept of the “uncanny valley” (coined by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori) refers to the queasiness, even fear, we experience in the presence of almost-humanlike robots or computer animations.

We’re amused or even charmed by C3PO or Wall-E, but Uncanny Valley’s Julian, transformed from machine into man with all his calculations and imperfections, is too close to real for comfort.

Uncanny Valley runs through May 10 at the San Diego Repertory Theatre, downtown. $31-$75. Sdrep.org

—David L. Coddon Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING Twelve Angry Women: Essentially the female version of Reginald Rose’s classic, 12 Angry Men, a dozen jurors find themselves conflicted on whether to sentence a man to death for murder. Adapted by Sherman Sergel, it opens on Thursday, April 30, at the Vassiliadis Family Black Box Theatre at USD in Linda Vista. sandiego.edu Bingo: Hijinks ensue in this musical about three friends trying to make it to an annual celebration honoring the creator of the card-and-numbers game. Presented by PowPAC Community Theatre, it opens Friday, May 1,

at the PowPAC Theatre in Poway. powpac.org Rent: Based on Puccini’s famous opera, La Bohème, this highly successful musical is about young folks struggling to get by in New York City. Opens Thursday, May 1, at OnStage Playhouse in Chula Vista. onstageplayhouse.org You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown: A comedic musical featuring the beloved Peanuts comic strip characters. It opens for six performances on Saturday, May 2, at Patio Playhouse Community Theatre in Escondido. patioplayhouse.com Unbroken Blossoms: A staged reading of Philip Chung’s play about the two Chinese men who were hired as consultants during the making of D.W. Griffith’s 1919 film, Broken Blossoms. Presented by San Diego REPertory Theatre, it happens at 7 p.m.

Monday, May 4 at Lyceum’s Underground Stage in the Gaslamp Quarter. sdrep.org.

Occupy the Rice Fields: A one-woman comedic monologue from Aimee Greenberg about her travels in Bali. Takes place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella: The lavish Broadway musical about a young woman, evil stepsisters and some glass slippers that just won’t fit anyone else in town. Presented by Broadway San Diego, it opens Tuesday, May 5, at the Civic Theatre in Downtown. broadwaysd.com

For full listings,

please visit “T heater ” at sdcit ybeat.com

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EVENTS digital films, sonic and 3D events, gaming exhibitions, interactive performances, workshops, and much more. From Thursday, April 30 to Sunday, May 3.

Various times. $12-$125. 858-246-1199, filmaticfestival.com Bridal Bazaar at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. Nearly 200 wedding professionals will be on hand, providing thousands of ideas and offering everything you need to make your wedding complete. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday, May 3. $12. 760-334-5500, bridalbazaar.com Spring Festival at NUA Sparrow Charter School, 4207 Spring Gardens Rd., La Mesa. This fourth annual fest includes music, kid crafts, face painting, food trucks, cupcake walks, puppet shows, local vendors, and more. Proceeds benefit the NUA Sparrow Charter School. From 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, May 3. Free. 619-2861840, nuasparrow.org

tions of art, cinema, technology and physical space. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30. Free. 858-534-2230, visarts.ucsd.edu Reflections of an Arts Advocate at Grossmont Health Care District Auditorium, 9001 Wakarusa St., La Mesa. Larry Baza will speak on his 30 years of experience as an arts advocate as well as the joys and challenges for the arts in San Diego. At 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 4. Free.

619-232-7931, sdmart.org HBlack Masculinity and the Cinema of Policing at UCSD SME Presentation Lab, Voigt Drive and Matthews Lane, La Jolla. A presentation by and discussion with Professor Jared Sexton, Director of African-American Studies, UC Irvine, in conjunction with a screening of Training Day. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5. Free. visarts.ucsd.edu

Why What You Know About Protecting Privacy Might Be Wrong at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park. Staal Vinterbo will discuss some important issues regarding privacy protection and misconceptions. From 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 6. Free.

619-238-1233, ethicscenter.net

WORKSHOPS HUpper East Village Community Workshop at NewSchool of Architecture & Design, 1249 F St., Downtown.

This free workshop will bring together educators, artists, entrepreneurs, developers, city leaders and more to explore the development opportunities of the Upper East Village. From 9:30 a.m. to noon. Saturday, May 2.

Free. 619-232-1385, sdaf.wildapricot. org/event-1896240 Women’s Opportunity Conference at San Diego City College, 1313 Park Blvd., Downtown. Women can participate in workshops, seminars, panel discussions, resource tables, and other activities to help them make positive changes in their lives. Held at the new Corporate Education Center at San Diego City College. From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2. $5. 619282-8860, silamesa.org/WOC2015 The Science of Beermaking at The Homebrewer, 2911 El Cajon Blvd., North Park. Learn the science behind the brewing process while enjoying delicious homebrewed beers and appetizers .

From noon to 2 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 2. $27. 619-450-6165, lovestemsd.org/content/think-drink-science

HDare to Reuse: Rachael Erwin at San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. The local artist will lead this class where participants create their own sea creatures from recycled materials. From noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Free.

619-236-0011, sandiego-art.org Intro to Bread at Bake Sale, 815 F St., Downtown. Students will learn the basics of home bread baking including mixing, proofing techniques and popular baking techniques. From 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 6. $75. 619-515-2224, bakesalesd.com

For full listings,

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

Escondido Renaissance Faire at Felicita Park, 742 Clarence Lane, Escondido.

The 16th annual festival will offer three stages of entertainment, period music, battle pageants, 50 different vendors and an assortment of themed food and drink.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3. $8-$18. 760-7454379, goldcoastfestivals.com Golden Triangle Arts and Craft Beer Festival at Nobel Park, 8810 Judicial Dr., University City. A family-friendly event featuring arts and crafts areas, vendors and a beer and wine garden with more than a dozen local wineries and craft brewers.

From noon to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2.

Free-$30. rotarycheersforcharity.org Miracle Babies 5K at Embarcadero Marina Park South, 111 W. Harbor Drive, Downtown. The seventh annual 5K benefits Miracle Babies, a non-profit organization structured to provide support and financial assistance to families with critically ill newborns. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sunday, May 3. $20-$25. 858-453-9600, miraclebabies5k.com HVinyl Junkies Record Swap at Epicentre, 8450 Mira Mesa Blvd., Mira Mesa.

A new all-ages edition of the swap meetstyle event that features thousands of records for sale, free DJing Lessons, skateboard giveaways and guest DJs. From noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 3. $3. 858684-3080, vinyljunkiesswap.com Sun God Festival at UCSD, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. The daylong festival will feature student performances, vendor booths, a beer garden and live performances from Snoop Dogg, OK Go, Jhene Aiko and more. From 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday, May 3. $46. 858-534-2230, sgf.ucsd.edu HCincoteca at Puesto at The Headquarters, 789 W Harbor Dr. #155, Downtown.

A Cinco de Mayo party featuring $2 tacos, cocktails and Latin bands like La Santa Cecilia, Los Master Plus and Buyepongo. From 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, May 5. Free. 619-233-8880, facebook.com/ events/1110682355615928/

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS NewSchool Lecture Series: Richard Jackson at New School of Architecture & Design, 1249 F St., Downtown. The renowned environmental health expert will speak on the impact of the built environment, urban design and architecture on health and well-being. From 6 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, April 29. Free. RSVP requested. 951-858-1560, eventbrite.com/e/ newschool-lecture-series-richard-jacksontickets-16720050120 HGareth Walsh at UCSD Center Hall, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla. A talk from the UK-based artist who works at the intersec-

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April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

Culture

Point of service

Acupuncturist donates time for the sick and injured in Mexico

by Tiffany Fox

U

J.Dixx Photography

nder a bridge near the Tijuana River, Carlos lay in a puddle of his own piss and shit. He was emaciated, too weak to sit up, and his friends said he’d been severely jaundiced in the days prior. Carlos was young, maybe in his mid-20s. As with many of the men living under the bridges and ramps near the river, he’d likely been deported from the U.S., and, lacking money or the proper Mexican paperwork, couldn’t find a doctor who would treat him. He was a man adrift, a man without a country, lying in his own filth.

Carlos’ prognosis was anyone’s guess. Many of the men in the river camp near Tijuana’s Plaza Rio are addicts, some with failing livers from alcoholism, others suffering from the needle and the damage done—hepatitis, maybe even full-blown AIDS. But what if a needle—another kind of needle—could provide some small measure of relief?

Drew Pollack had, after all, seen it work for cancer patients. Pollack, 30, had spent the prior several months treating patients at the San Diego Cancer Research Institute (SDCRI) in Encinitas, as part of the final semester of his four-year acupuncture training at the Pacific College

Drew Pollack with the tools of his trade.

18 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

of Oriental Medicine (Full disclosure: this reporter was one of those patients).

Rigorous clinical studies have shown that acupuncture can relieve nausea, chronic pain and other maladies, and physicians are increasingly recommending needling not just for cancer but for everything from arthritis to migraines.

Pollack had been fascinated by acupuncture since his mother, a librarian, had brought a book on Chinese medicine to their New Jersey home when he was 13 years old. A devotee of the Self Realization Fellowship since the age of 17 (he was the cook in the SRF kitchen in Encinitas for 10 years prior to his acupuncture training), Pollack says he’s also drawn to the “spiritual element” of acupuncture.

“I really feel so fulfilled when I’m working on someone,” says Pollack, a North Park resident who also treats patients at a clinic in the Otay Centenario neighborhood of Tijuana.

“To give someone that feeling of peace and bliss, that’s the greatest form of service. It puts me in a very devotional state to know I can make somebody feel more peaceful inside somehow, just by the application of some needles.”

It turns out that a few needles were all it took to make Carlos, the man under the bridge, feel well enough to sit up “for the first time in days,” his friends told Pollack (who is conversant in Spanish). Carlos is one of about 30 men that Pollack has voluntarily treated over the past few months, asking them to lie down on a blanket right on the dirt and needling them to relieve complaints that range from shoulder aches to abdominal pain so severe, Pollack suspected in one case, that it might have been esophageal cancer.

Pollack says there is little risk he could be infected with blood-borne illness despite the presence of needles; still, he protects himself by sanitizing his hands with alcohol and oregano essential oil, which has antimicrobial properties. Typically he begins the treatment by asking each man if he’s in pain, how old he is, what kinds of drugs he’s using, if he tends to feel hot or cold.

“I don’t know if it’s denial, but I really have to dig to get at what they’re experiencing sometimes,” he says.

Other times, not so much. “One guy said, ‘I have this thing on my penis, can I show you?’

It looked like he had syphilis,” says Pollack.

“He said his girlfriend also has it all over her legs, and asked if I could treat him. I told him I couldn’t and that he needed to see a doctor.”

Another man, Miguel, had already been to see a doctor. He was lying under the bridge with the hospital tag still around his wrist, his legs wrapped in bandages. Miguel, who looked to be in his 30s or 40s, had been struck by several cars and was badly injured, but the hospital wouldn’t treat him any further since he had no insurance and no money.

“He was in agony and incoherent,” says Pollack. “His eyes were swollen, he had dried blood in his ears, he said it hurt everywhere. Any time I touched him anywhere he would moan.” Pollack says that despite the fact that acupuncture needles typically cause very little pain, “every time I’d put in a needle he’d scream. I finally found a few spots on his feet where I could put in needles.

“While I was treating him everyone surrounded him and they were all crying and praying. I told them, ‘This is more serious than what I’m used to seeing. He really needs to be in the hospital.’ I sat with them and prayed with them and told them to keep him clean and do what they could, and when I removed needles, he fell asleep.

Everyone was relieved he was able to relax. They said, ‘‘Thank you for taking care of our people. Thank you for helping the Mexicans.’”

The following week, Drew went back to the river to check on Carlos and Miguel and offer treatment to others, some of whom had gotten over their initial skepticism or nervousness about acupuncture after witnessing how effective it was for their friends. But when Pollack arrived, “it was like a ghost town,” he says. “Everybody was gone. I finally found a guy and asked him where everyone was and he said the police had come through and kicked everybody out and taken them to ‘rehabilitation centers.’ He said the rehabilitation centers were really places where they force them to work without pay. Who knows what really happened.”

Pollack continues to treat the homeless at a park near Tijuana’s City Hall, sometimes needling patients right on the curb. Lately, the park has grown more crowded with people protesting the city’s plans to bulldoze the park and make room for a shopping mall. Pollack says he doesn’t get involved with the protests, and tries to not to absorb the emotional suffering of his patients.

He also has a firm policy that he never gives money, only service.

“I don’t have the means to give money at this point,” says Pollack, who just graduated from the expensive PCOM Masters program (which costs upwards of $60,000) and drives a Honda Civic that has seen better days. Despite not having the means to provide charity, however, Pollack uses his own funds to buy the needles and other supplies he uses to perform treatments (although he has created a GoFundMe campaign for those who would like to donate money toward supplies).

To hear him describe it, it sounds like Pollack is the one who benefits most from his curbside encounters with the homeless men of Tijuana.

“I think people are fascinating and I like that my profession allows me to listen to people and hear their stories,” he says. “Some of them are heart-wrenching and some are inspiring. I think just by being with them and listening to them and caring for them, that really does more than the needles ever could.”

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April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

Culture | Art

Seen Local DESERT BLOOM When the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation announced this year’s fellowship grants, three San Diego artists were on the list. Since 1925, the prestigious grants have been awarded annually to midcareer artists who have, according to the foundation, “already demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts.”

University of San Diego professor and visual artist Victoria Fu was one of the 175 new fellows awarded a grant (roughly $43,000) and plans to work on a new video series focusing on touchscreen technology. UC San Diego professor and composer Rand Steiger will begin working on new musical compositions.

But while both Steiger and Fu plan to keep their day jobs, photographer and fellow “fellow” Kim Stringfellow (kimstringfellow.com) plans to take a leave of absence from her position as an associate professor at San Diego State University’s School of Art and Design to work on her Mojave Project (mojaveproject.org), a multi-format, transmedia art undertaking that’s almost as vast as the desert it’s named after.

“There’s nine installments on a variety of sights and topics,” says Stringfellow. “I’m jumping around, too, to keep it really fresh.”

These “installments” consist of photography, documentary video and journalistic essays on the Mojave Desert, the high-desert area shared by four states, but the majority of which is in Southern California. Surficially, it’s rather barren, but just as with Stringfellow’s previous projects on places like the Salton Sea and the Morongo Basin, she hopes that people will see the beauty and historical importance of the place.

“Angel’s Ladies Brothel, Beatty, NV 2014

by Kim Stringfellow “In the end, I hope people will see these connections that may not be apparent right away. That’s what I think I’m good at,” says Stringfellow, who grew up in Washington State, but traveled extensively through the desert as a child. “It’s about sharing the information so people can have a more complex understanding of these kinds of places… One of the installments has to do with sacrifices and exploitation. I’m going to get into topics dealing with climate change and how bad it affects the desert.”

Ultimately, Stringfellow sees the completed project as sort of a “natural-history-type art installation” that she hopes will culminate in a traveling exhibition with multiple media components. She says this is at least two years down the road, but museums and galleries are already showing interest. Along with the Guggenheim Fellowship, she’s also received funding from the Cal Humanities Documentary Fund. Some of the installments are already appearing on the Mojave Project website, and Stringfellow is ready to get out and document more.

“It’s a little slow right now because I’m working at school,” she says. “As soon as I finish the semester, I have a full-year sabbatical and I’m just really going to delve into it.”

—Seth Combs

Seth Combs

Andrew McNamara

DRAWING INSPIRATION As almost any artist can attest, inspiration can strike at the most unexpected time. To hear La Mesa artist Andrew McNamara tell it, there was a time where he wasn’t sure if he wanted to pursue a career in drawing. Back in 2012, he’d been working on what would eventually become his Laden series, but felt that he’d hit a wall creatively. Then it happened.

“I had done two drawings, and then I found out that my father had unexpectedly passed away,” says McNamara, a New Jersey native who moved to San Diego in 2011. “I found out when I was struggling with one of the drawings. Before I left for the funeral, I forced myself to finish it and that triggered

20 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

me to finish the series. To really push, and put that emotion out there and into that.”

He hasn’t stopped since. This moment of losing his father is telling when it comes to McNamara’s drawings, which could best be described as a combination of pop-surrealism, fantastical portraiture and comic book-inspired wonderment. That’s not to imply they’re in any way morbid (in fact, quite the opposite), but rather, they deal in the emotions beyond what we see on the surface. Just as he strives to make his works vibrant and aesthetically pleasing, he also wants the viewer to wonder just what might be going on inside the minds of the characters he creates. This rationale applies to his Soul Manifest drawings, a series that took a closer look at the dualities within us all. Where someone might just see a homeless man, McNamara sees a proud man with the soul of a giant king. In “She Just Can’t Even,” an angst-ridden teen girl manifests herself as a laughing Kabuki-style phantom.

“I’m very interested in the subtlety of people,” says McNamara, describing his new Between All Things series, which he’ll debut at a solo show on Saturday, May 9, at Thumbprint Gallery in La Jolla. “The work turned into me trying to represent moments of indecision and uncertainty. I wanted to tackle those moments that we all go through, but never talk about with each other.” andrewmcnamaraart.com

—Seth Combs #SDCityBeat

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April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

Culture | Film

Super straw men The Avengers assemble…again

by Glenn Heath Jr. In the middle of a tense battle sequence late in Avengers: Age of Ultron, smooth-talking archer Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) senses that new recruit Scarlett Avengers: Age of Ultron Witch (Elizabeth Olson) is having second thoughts about joining the mega-super skills, Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Olhero team. “None of this makes sense,” he says laugh- son’s Scarlet Witch give Age of Ultron a jolt of uningly, attempting to assuage her fears by playing up the predictability. A traumatic back-story provides these absurdity of their current situation. One could imagine siblings with more compex subtext, allowing these a subtitle at the bottom of the screen that reads: “Hey talented young actors to break free of the cheap comgirl. Don’t worry about logic. Just go with it.” edy and banter inhabiting many a scene.

Many audience members around the world will be When the famous archetypes aren’t arguing, content to do just that. The latest entry in a seemingly gravity-defying camera movement lulls you into never-ending line of Marvel mosaics is too big to fail. submission, creating the same numbing effect as the But that doesn’t mean it’s worth a damn artistically. deadly deep sea anglerfish hilariously referenced With Age of Ultron, Joss Whedon has created the kind by one babbling bad guy as the source of his worst of non-descript throwaway genre film many feared its nightmares. This throwaway scene has more depth predecessor would be. It lacks stylistic and thematic than any of the groan-inducing romance between identity from the beginning, guilelessly pandering to Ruffalo’s not-so-jolly green giant and Johansson’s the lowest common denominator in order to progress tormented assassin. overarching storylines toward future installments.

Even more damning, Age of Ultron is snake-bit The first Avengers film used cinematic space to ex- at times by truly awful dialogue. During a supposplore the tension between competing egos and super- edly dramatic goodbye sequence one character tells powers. Age of Ultron’s opening sequence indicates her badass husband that she “totally supports his just how banal this outing will be. The Avengers team avenging.” Olsen and Johnson’s characters remain made up of the Hawkeye, Black unscathed mostly because they Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hulk refuse to engage in lengthy con(Mark Ruffalo), Iron Man (Robversations with anyone, instead Avengers: ert Downey, Jr.), Captain America speaking volumes through sly Age of Ultron (Chris Evans), and Thor (Chris action. Spader’s Ultron ends up Directed by Joss Whedon Hemsworth) storm the gates of being the only character with Starring Robert Downey Jr., Hydra’s mountainous fortress anything worthy to say.

Elizabeth Olson, James Spader, housing a key research lab. WheThis is Whedon’s greatest and Chris Evans don tries to impress immediately failing with Age of Ultron, which Rated PG-13 by stringing together a single long opens Friday, May 1, in probably take that gives each superhero an ever theater known to man. His equal shot at mayhem. Despite the film’s villains are far more inshot’s lack of cutting it’s more incoherent and unnec- teresting than the heroes because they are stricken essary than anything in a Michael Bay movie. with doubt and aren’t afraid to feel it through perforPlot-wise, Age of Ultron revolves around the rise of mance. The Avengers themselves simply won’t stop a computer program-turned-monster that bears the blabbering about how much doubt they are feeling. film’s title. Initially produced by Tony Stark to protect The difference is staggering. the world, Ultron (voiced by James Spader) morphs There’s a running gag in Avengers: Age of Ultron into a destructive force by embracing its creator’s dark- about Captain America’s choirboy attitude toward est tendencies, giving the Avengers a dangerous foe for bad language. He gets a lot of shit for it, but the film the Internet 2.0 age. As voiced by the great Spader, Ul- itself is equally prudish toward style and conflict. If tron often represents the only character of true inner only this super-sized clunker had a little more weird conflict, constantly grappling with the inconsistency coursing through its veins. of its tech origins and apocalyptic endgame.

Two other new characters are thrown into the mix Film reviews run weekly. as well. Eastern European twins with equally potent Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com.

The citrus war

Tangerines

22 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

The dark-horse nominee for Best Foreign Language film at this past year’s Academy Awards, Tangerines takes place in 1992 deep within the disputed Caucasus mountain territory of Abkhazia where war rages between the Georgian military and Russian-backed locals. Caught in the middle are the diaspora of Estonians who’ve mostly abandoned

the war-torn land and returned home to Northern Europe.

Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak) and Margus (Elmo Nüganen) are two tangerine farmers who’ve decided to stay behind, hoping to export a large crop of product. The fighting is killing their opportunity for profit. Life really gets complicated when a micro skirmish unfolds on the grassy lane outside their homes, leaving a lone wounded soldier from each side.

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Culture | Film Ivo takes it upon himself to nurse each man back to health.

Niko (Misha Meskhi), a Georgian conscript, and Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze), a Chechen mercenary, spend much of the film threatening each other inside Ivo’s peaceful home, using words to pick up exactly where they left off on the battle field. But director Zaza Urushadze uses the set up to initiate a conversation about blind hatred and being confronted with contradictions of your own design.

Ivo makes each man promise not to harm the other while under his care, and the two soldiers begrudgingly agree. But conversations between Nico and Ahmed continuously flirt with violence.

It’s one of many instances where Tangerines addresses the thematic concept of keeping one’s word.

Pivotal dramatic sequences hinge on whether this tenuous agreement will stand, or be shredded by rage.

Tangerines, which opens Friday, May 1, at the Ken Cinema, feels like a throwback in the sense that it’s both a quaint and potent drama that uses small moments to reflect grand themes involving war and peace. Without trying to do too much, it reaches a quietly reflective end.

—Glenn Heath, Jr.

A Most Violent Year: Oscar Isaac plays the owner of a New York fuel company who’s business is threatened by clandestine forces. Screens at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 4, at the San Diego Central Library in East Village.

The Rewrite: Hugh Grant plays an Oscar-winning writer in a slump who decides to teach at an East Coast college to find inspiration. There he meets a single mom (Marisa Tomei) who challenges his conceived notions of love. Screens at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, at the Point Loma / Hervey Branch Library.

Nacho Libre: The sweet but dim-witted Nacho (Jack Black) begins wrestling on the Lucha Libre circuit to make money for his destitute church. Screens at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, May 6, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

now playing Adult Beginners: When his new business crashes and burns on the eve of its launch, a young entrepreneur is forced to move in with his estranged pregnant sister and his brother-in-law. Runs through Thursday, April 30, at the Reading Cinemas Gaslamp.

Clouds of Sils Maria: A middle-aged actress decides to star in a reboot of the play that made her famous 20 years before. Starring Juliette Binoche, Kristin Stewart and Chloë Grace-Moretz.

Dior and I: Documentary that takes you behind the scenes of the storied world of the Christian Dior fashion house.

Ex Machina: Set in the near future, Alex Garland’s sci-fi film tells the story of an Internet mogul who convinces one of his employees to conduct a Turing test on his newest A.I. creation.

Little Boy: With his father away in WW II, a young boy goes to great lengths to restore stability to his family.

Opening Any Day: Sean Bean plays an ex-fighter who attempts to find redemption from his troubled past. Co-starring Eva Longoria and Kate Walsh. Screens through Thursday, May 7, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Avengers: Age of Ultron: The brood of Marvel superheroes are back to battle the nefarious Ultron, who has plans to take over the world.

Tangerines: A citrus farmer attempts to save soldiers from the opposite sides of an ongoing civil war in the Caucasus Mountains. Screens through Thursday, May 7, at the Ken Cinema.

One Time Only Animal House: A fraternity of outcasts wreaks havoc after being harassed by the dean of their university. Screens at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, April 29, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

North By Northwest: Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint star in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller bout an innocent New York advertising executive who gets caught up in a conspiracy involving foreign spies and assassination attempts. Screens at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, April 30 through May 2, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

Akira (Japanese version): Set in a dystopic version of Tokyo, this classic anime follows the journey of two kids who try and stop a rampaging biker psychopath who threatens to destroy the city. Screens at 11:155 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Ken Cinema.

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Man From Reno: A Japanese novelist known for a series of crime novels gets wrapped up in a mystery of her own while visiting San Francisco. Runs through Thursday, April 30, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Spring: A young American on a backpacking trip in Italy meets a beautiful woman at an idyllic village and instantly falls in love.

Runs through Thursday, April 30, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

The Age of Adaline: Rendered ageless after a fateful accident, a young woman born at the turn of the 20th century lives a lonely life of immortality until she finally meets a stranger who may be worth dying for.

The Road to Juarez: An ex-con recruits his friends to pull off a daring heist against a powerful Mexican drug cartel. Opens Friday, April 24, at AMC Mission Valley 20 and AMC Palm Promenade 24.

The Water Diviner: After the battle of Gallipoli, an Australian man travels to Turkey hoping to locate his three missing sons.

Fifth Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival Spring Showcase: Sixteen new Asian films from nine countries will make their San Diego premieres during this amazing cinema showcase, beginning with an opening night tailgate party from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, at Ultrastar Mission Valley Cinemas.

The fest continues through April 23 before moving to Hoover High School April 24 and 25 in honor of the showcase’s Cinema Little Saigon retrospective.

Desert Dancer: An ambitious young man risks everything to start a new dance company despite the politically volatile climate of his home country of Iran.

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter: A young Japanese woman travels to America searching for a briefcase full of cash that was hidden in the snow during 1996’s Fargo.

Lambert and Stamp: This documentary looks at the unlikely partnership between two aspiring filmmakers who ended up producing one of the greatest rock bands in history: The Who. Monkey Kingdom: A documentary about one newborn monkey and its mother attempting to survive the social hierarchy of the Temple Troop, a group of monkeys who live in a series of ruins deep in the jungles of South Asia.

True Story: James Franco stars as a murder suspect who has stolen the identity of a disgraced New York Times reporter played by Jonah Hill. Weird casting.

Unfriended: The Facebook horror film you knew was coming but didn’t think would be here quite this soon.

Havana Curveball: A young and enthusiastic teenager decides to create a grand plan of supplying Cuba with baseballs after being inspired by the holy words associated with his Bar Mitzvah.

Kill Me Three Times: After a botched assignment, a professional hitman played by Simon Pegg gets wrapped up in three different tales of murder, blackmail and revenge.

Mr. Kaplan: An older Uruguayan man of Jewish descent suspects a fellow community member of being a runaway Nazi, and enlists the help of a retired police officer to investigate.

Ned Rifle: The final leg of Hal Hartley’s trilogy that includes 1997’s Henry Fool and 2006’s Fay Grim, this drama/absurdist comedy tells the story of a young man who sets out to take revenge on his criminal father.

The Longest Ride: An older man reflects back on his life while he’s trapped in a crashed car.

The Salt of the Earth: Wim Wenders and Julian Ribeiro Salgado’s documentary examines the life and work of famed photographer and activist Sebastião Salgado.

White God: An army of dogs wreaks havoc all across a European city after one particular canine is cast out by the father of its owner, a young girl named Lili.

An Honest Liar: This documentary explores the worldview and life of James Randi, renowned stage magician and skeptic of the paranormal.

Danny Collins: Al Pacino plays an aging rock star who discovers a 40-year-old letter written to him by John Lennon, the contents of which force him to reassess his life.

Furious 7: The criminal pit crew led by Vin Diesel and Paul Walker is back and ready to battle with Jason Statham’s villain in this globetrotting action film that is sure to have some out-of-this-world stunts.

While We’re Young: Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts play insecure and bored 40-somethings whose life together gets a boost after meeting a young hipster couple (Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried).

Woman in Gold: Helen Mirren plays an elderly Jewish woman who, with the help of a young lawyer (Ryan Reynolds), attempts to reclaim the possessions stolen from her by the Nazis during WWII.

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

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

Music Natalja Kent

by Jeff Terich LIGHTNING BOLT are busting eardrums for the long haul From left: Brian Chippendale and Brian Gibson taying fresh as a band for 20 years is difficult, no matter what you sound like. But when you’re a band like Providence, Rhode Island duo Lightning Bolt—with all their frenetic, high-energy sounds coming from just bass, drums and vocals—the challenge grows all the more daunting.

After five full-length records of blistering, adrenalinesurging noise rock, drummer/vocalist Brian Chippendale and bassist Brian Gibson found themselves pushing a boulder uphill in their attempts to write and record album number six, Fantasy Empire. On past albums, like Hypermagic Mountain and Earthly Delights, the two Brians mostly recorded everything live in a bare-bones, homestudio environment in Providence, with engineer Dave Auchenbach. But when it came time to tackle this one, the duo found their tried-and-true method of making an album was becoming a hindrance to their creative process.

“It took about five years” to make Fantasy Empire, says Chippendale, on a phone call between tour dates. “We were slowly starting to realize that maybe we were never going to finish it.

“We were doing it the same way we recorded the last two records,” he continues. “And it worked then, but... we started to realize maybe we had exhausted that way of making a record. It was a little daunting and slowed us down a lot—not feeling like sonically things were happening in a way that felt fresh and new. So after banging our head against that wall for a while, we switched directions.

It’s a hard shift… but once we worked with the new studio, it felt really exciting, really fast. And, four-and-a-half years had gone by and it was weird to realize, ‘Oh my god,’ we were going to actually finish the record.”

Chippendale and Gibson put Fantasy Empire to tape

24 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

in a professional studio (Machines with Magnets) for the first time in their career, and the end result is considerably different. On one level, it still very much sounds like the hyperactive noise makers of classic records like 2001’s Ride the Skies or 2003’s Wonderful Rainbow. The onetwo punch of “The Metal East” and “Over the River and Through the Woods” still bash and sear with a relentless intensity, not to mention the kind of giddy fun that inevitably results from songs that hit with such an impact, or boom with deafening distortion.

But Fantasy Empire sounds a lot different than their earlier records in that the chaos has been ever so slightly reined in. The songs are still loud, still manic, but cleaned up in a way that puts a more defined accent on each individual element. It’s by no means a kinder, gentler Lightning Bolt—just one that strikes with greater clarity and efficiency.

“What we wanted was more control,” Chippendale says of tackling the new album. “Like a new setting and a new process, and we’ll see what we can do with that.

I think a lot of it is just having the separation of elements, not having one microphone pick up every sound at the same time—which is usually how we do stuff. It’s a little more polished… We’re pretty satisfied with how it came out.”

For how much thought went into the creation of the new album, Lightning Bolt still spent a lot of their last five years performing live, both in clubs and on the festival circuit. Their music is designed for the live stage, simply because of how visceral it is. You almost feel it more than you hear it. And though Lightning Bolt changed their M.O. in the studio, they’re still quite at home in front of an audience.

“We do see ourselves as a live band first,” says Chippendale. “There’s a kind of freedom that a studio recording gives us. But the album is still, for the most part, a document of our live show. There’s something about our relationship that’s based on walking into a room and playing together, whether it be a show or at practice. Our relationship is just kind of built that way. It’s not always interesting for us to work in other ways. That door is open to us now, so we’ll see where it leads. But Lightning Bolt will always be based on the energy of a live creation.”

Lightning Bolt is aging gracefully—or at least whatever their own definition of “graceful” is—though they haven’t lost their edge or energy. And while Chippendale concedes that some things have to change in order for Lightning Bolt to stay vital, that frenetic and furious core will always be a part of who they are.

“We get along better than we ever have, really,” he says. “We’re very much on the same page. As the band ages… the challenge is to find new territory within our setup. And we don’t stray too far from our setup. We just like finding new ways to translate energy into our music. It’s been 20 years. So we’ve physically changed. But Lightning Bolt remains a constant in all that.

“It’s not nostalgic—I don’t feel like it’s 1993 and I’m in college still,” he adds. “But this is a system we set up early on that remains integral to who we are.”

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

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#SDCityBeat

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

Music

notes from the smoking patio Locals Only A local composer and UC San Diego professor was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Lei Liang, composer of Xiaoxiang, a concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra, was named a finalist for the prestigious prize, which was awarded last week to Julia Wolfe, for her folk-classical piece Anthracite Fields.

Liang says in an email to CityBeat that simply being nominated for the prize is an honor.

“I was completely surprised” about being named a finalist, he says. “In fact, one of my Ph.D. students found out about the prize before I did.

“At first when I received congratulatory email messages and Facebook postings, I felt rather confused and puzzled,” he continues. “It is a prize that is more like a lifetime achievement award. I really feel very fortunate and humbled to receive this nomination now.”

Xiaoxiang is a concerto based on the killing of a woman’s husband by a local official during the Chinese cultural revolution. The piece is based on the woman, who sought revenge against the official by wailing like a ghost in the woods outside of his house, and eventually they both went insane.

Liang describes Xiaoxiang as an “anti-concerto,” because the soloist’s music is marked by silences and the use of a detached mouthpiece. The work also uses electronically transformed sounds to create the effect of the woman’s ghostly wails.

“Out of the works I composed last year, this piece was especially ambitious and personally meaningful for me, so I thought

Album review Mystery Cave Natural Mind EP (Psychic Fortitude) John Christopher Harris II has become a prolific and innovative fixture in the San Diego beatmaker scene over the past five years, and has proven to be reliably compelling as his career progresses. Under his Mystery Cave moniker, he’s logged an impressive number of shows, and he’s released a long list of various EPs and cassettes, and just last year dropped his best release to date: DEEP_FIELD. Judging by the gorgeously warm and organic sounding compositions of his newly released Natural Mind EP, it’s tempting to say Harris has taken his beautifully layered sample-based psychedelia to a higher level. In the past, Mystery Cave took cues from producers from just up the road in Los Angeles, like glitch hip-hop hero Flying Lotus. But where FlyLo has a tendency to take his beat-driven compositions into a heady realm of funk and jazz fusion, Mystery Cave tends to surf a more ethereal plane—and it results in some truly dazzling sounds on Natural Mind.

Just as the crystals adorning the cover art would

26 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

it represents very well my latest efforts,” Liang says.

Lei Liang is presenting a one-hour musical performance at 2:30 p.m. on May 2, as part of the Filmatic Film Festival at the Calit Atkinson Hall Theater at UCSD. It’s called “Hearing Landscapes,” and will feature a multimedia performance inspired by Chinese landscape painter Huang Binhong.

—Jeff Terich

UCSD professor and composer Lei Liang

suggest, Natural Mind is partially rooted in New Age music, and its gossamer sheets of synthesizer lend it a relaxing quality that might lose its hold on the listener without the proper counterpoint. But on a track like “Sun Chime,” Harris lets that meditative synthesizer stick around just long enough before incorporating some polyrhythmic beats and a subtle, but deep layer of bass. Opening track “T.I.M.E.” takes the opposite approach, starting off with a lazy shuffle of drums before the trippy whoosh of samples sweeps in and takes over. It’s simultaneously soothing and overwhelming.

The catchiest number on Natural Mind is its closing track, “Water Sign,” which has more of a concrete hook than any other track here. And though every sound that Mystery Cave makes is entirely produced by synthesizers and samplers, there’s a lot here that could be mistaken for actual acoustic instruments: bells, voices, strings and whistles. With every new release, Mystery Cave seems to take his sound just a little bit further, and continues to refine and perfect it. Natural Mind comes and goes quickly, but it’s a thrilling ride, no matter how serene and blissed out it may seem on first listen.

Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com.

—Jeff Terich #SDCityBeat

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April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

Music

Jeff Terich Saturday, May 2

If I were u A music insider’s weekly agenda Wednesday, April 29

metal and maybe sludge as well. You can hear elements of all of these sounds and more in their thick, powerful metal sound, and it’s all amazing. I saw them at SXSW in 2103 and they destroyed, so I expect they’ll do the same in our fair city. PLAN B: Juice Box @ Seven Grand. Instrumental funk and soul group Juice Box was a highlight from this year’s Great Demo Review, and I just can’t stop listening to the grooves they cook up. Settle in with a whiskey cocktail and let them carry you into the weekend.

BACKUP PLAN: THEESatisfaction @ Porter’s Pub.

PLAN A: Helmet @ Belly Up Tavern.

Helmet’s Betty was the first CD I ever bought. So I can’t help but feel a certain nostalgia trip knowing that the band will be playing the album in its entirety at this show. It’s technically not even the same band anymore, but Page Hamilton is still the guy in charge, and “Wilma’s Rainbow” most certainly still kicks ass. PLAN B: Doldrums, Moon King, Soft Lions @ Soda Bar. Canada’s Doldrums aren’t at all as dull and lifeless as their name would suggest. Nope—they’re a highly danceable and lively group, with big synthesizers and bigger melodies. Dance away the Friday, May 1 PLAN A: The Soft Moon, Skull Katalog bad vibes at this show. @ The Casbah. If you were actually me, you’d be in Los Angeles watching SleaterThursday, April 30 Kinney. But don’t let that stop you from PLAN A: Inter Arma, Yautja, KATA seeing industrial coldwave act The Soft @ Soda Bar. Richmond, Virginia’s Inter Moon, who conjures up an amazingly dark Arma is maybe doom metal, maybe black atmosphere via a synth-heavy sound.

28 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

PLAN A: Neil Hagerty, Octagrape, The Cardielles @ The Hideout. Neil Hagerty has recorded several solo albums, as well as with Howling Hex, and written his share of prose and other various projects. But he’s probably best known for being the mastermind behind twisted noise-blues band Royal Trux. No matter what, he’s got a lot of great material, which will make this show one not to miss. PLAN B: ‘In Ko Pah 2’ w/ The Loons, Schitzophonics, Playboy Manbaby @ Desert View Tower. This show is a unique one, and to get there, you’ve got to drive out to the desert. But because In Ko Pah is an outdoor desert festival where you can camp and chill in the middle of nowhere, it’s not an experience you’ll get anywhere else.

Plus there’s some good bands playing, which is a plus. Backup Plan: Kodak to Graph, Obseon, Mystery Cave @ The Casbah.

Sunday, May 3 PLAN A: They Might Be Giants @ Belly Up Tavern. I can’t say I’ve kept up with They Might Be Giants’ career that well since the ’90s, but their catalog has so many highlights that it almost doesn’t matter. This is one of those “An eve-

ning with” shows, which means there’s no opener. Sit back and sing along.

Monday, May 4 PLAN A: Taurus Authority, Podunk Nowhere, Rosewood and Rye @ Soda Bar. Mondays always tend to be a little bit slower than the rest of the week, but I always look at it as an opportunity to go see some local bands. Here’s a pair of quieter, more folk-sounding groups in town, along with a soulful and funky headliner, which is a great option when you’re not quite ready to face the week at full volume.

Tuesday, May 5

PLAN A: Lightning Bolt, Liturgy, Hot Nerds @ The Casbah. Read my feature this week on noise rock duo Lightning Bolt, who keep making interesting and powerful sounds after 20 years together. Their new album Fantasy Empire is a beast, and they absolutely kill live. PLAN B: Mariachi El Bronx, Tijuana Panthers, Pounded By the Surf @ Belly Up Tavern. If you want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, you could do worse than seeing Mariachi El Bronx, who are basically California’s top punk mariachi band. There might be others, but you can’t reThey Might Be Giants ally beat ‘em.

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Music

Concerts HOT! NEW! FRESH!

L.A. Witch (Hideout, 5/25), Unwritten Law (HOB, 6/6), Motopony (Casbah, 6/15), Surfer Blood (Casbah, 6/20), Joseph Arthur (Casbah, 6/24), Porcelain Raft (Soda Bar, 7/11), Dick Diver (Soda Bar, 7/16), Built to Spill (BUT, 7/17), Charli XCX, Bleachers (Observatory North Park, 7/21), Soul Asylum, Meat Puppets (HOB, 7/23), Iration (Open Air Theatre, 7/25), Spank Rock (Soda Bar, 7/31), Hurray For the Riff Raff (BUT, 8/5), Toadies, Fuel (HOB, 8/14), B-Side Players (BUT, 8/15), Rocky Votolato (Casbah, 8/20), The Blasters (Casbah, 8/27), The Australian Pink Floyd Show (Open Air Theatre, 9/5), Death Cab for Cutie (Open Air Theatre, 9/25).

GET YER TICKETS Dwight Yoakam (Observatory, 5/8), David Guetta, Pitbull (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 5/8), The Growlers (Observatory North Park, 5/9), The Sonics (BUT, 5/10), Dipset (Observatory North Park, 5/11), NKOTB, TLC, Nelly (Viejas Arena, 5/11), Timber Timbre, Xiu Xiu (Irenic, 5/12), The Waterboys (Humphreys, 5/15), Little Dragon (Observatory North Park, 5/18), Speedy Ortiz (Soda Bar, 5/19), Bryan Adams (Open Air Theatre, 5/20), X (Observatory, 5/22-23), Main Attrakionz (Soda Bar, 5/26), Ciara (HOB, 5/27), The Rentals (Irenic, 6/4), Unwritten Law (HOB, 6/6), Common Sense (BUT, 6/6), ‘X-Fest’ w/ Pennywise, Cold War

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Kids, Public Enemy (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 6/7), King Sunny Ade (BUT, 6/12), Slayer, King Diamond (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 6/26), Best Coast (Observatory North Park, 6/26), Mono (Casbah, 6/28), John Mayall (BUT, 7/2), Brian Posehn (HOB, 7/8), Sublime with Rome (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 7/16), Between the Buried and Me (Observatory, 7/22), Melt Banana, Torche (Casbah, 7/28-29), Say Anything (HOB, 7/29), Bill Maher (Humphreys, 8/2), Milky Chance (Soma, 8/3), Echo and the Bunnymen (Humphreys, 8/6), Buddy Guy (BUT, 8/12), Nicki Minaj (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/13), The B-52s (Humphreys, 8/15), Ariana Grande (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 9/9), The Who (Valley View Casino Center, 9/14), Future Islands (Observatory, 9/22-23), Foo Fighters (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 9/24), Florida Georgia Line (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 10/3), Luke Bryan (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 10/16), John Waters (Observatory, 11/30).

April Wednesday, April 29 Dan Deacon at The Casbah (sold out).

Doldrums at Soda Bar.

Thursday, April 30 Inter Arma at Soda Bar. The Decemberists at Observatory North Park (sold out). THEESatisfaction at Porter’s Pub.

May Friday, May 1 OK Go at House of Blues. Manic Hispanic at Soda Bar.

Saturday, May 2 Neil Hagerty at The Hideout. Kinky at Observatory North Park. ‘In Ko Pah 2’ w/ Playboy Manbaby, Mission Creeps, The Loons, Schitzophonics, The Long and Short of It, New Kinetics at Desert View Tower in Desert Hot Springs. Pictureplane at Soda Bar.

Sunday, May 3 They Might Be Giants at Belly Up Tavern.

Monday, May 4 Ms Mr at The Casbah (sold out). E-40 at Observatory North Park.

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

Wednesday, May 6 Moody Blues at Humphreys by the Bay.

Thursday, May 7 Herb Alpert and Lani Hall at Belly Up Tavern. The Mowgli’s at The Casbah.

Friday, May 8 Metalachi at The Casbah. Dwight Yoakam at Observatory North Park.

Saturday, May 9 The Bangles at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). The Growlers at Observatory North Park.

Sunday, May 10 The Sonics at Belly Up Tavern. The

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

Music Deftones at House of Blues (sold out).

Dead Meadow at Brick by Brick.

Belly Up Tavern. Wolf Alice at Soda Bar. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds at Humphreys by the Bay (sold out).

Sunday, May 17 Hutch and Kathy at Soda Bar. Passion Pit at Observatory North Park (sold out).

Nothing at The Hideout. Nellie McKay at Belly Up Tavern.

Monday, May 18

NKOTB Monday, May 11 NKOTB, TLC, Nelly at Viejas Arena. Dipset at Observatory North Park.

Tuesday, May 12 Timber Timbre, Xiu Xiu at The Irenic.

Wednesday, May 13 The Wombats at House of Blues.

Thursday, May 14 Lord Huron at Observatory North Park.

Ava Luna at Soda Bar.

Friday, May 15 Young Dubliners at Belly Up Tavern.

The Palace Ballroom at The Casbah.

Two Gallants at Soda Bar. The Relationship at House of Blues. The Waterboys at Humphreys by the Bay.

Saturday, May 16 Ex Hex at The Casbah. Lana Del Rey at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. James Bay at

30 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

Little Dragon at Observatory North Park (sold out). San Fermin, Natalie Prass at The Casbah. Acid Mothers Temple at Soda Bar. Shakey Graves at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

Tuesday, May 19 Speedy Ortiz at Soda Bar. Robby Krieger’s Jam Kitchen at Belly Up Tavern.

The Atlas Moth at Brick by Brick. Glass Animals at Observatory North Park.

Wednesday, May 20 Quintron and Ms. Pussycat at Soda Bar. Bryan Adams at Open Air Theatre.

Thursday, May 21 The Rezillos at The Casbah.

Friday, May 22 Hiatus Kaiyote at House of Blues (sold out). Pinback at Belly Up Tavern. Little River Band at Casino Pauma. Paramore at Open Air Theatre (sold out). X at Observatory North Park.

Saturday, May 23 X at Observatory North Park. KATA at The Hideout.

Sunday, May 24 Negative Approach at Soda Bar. Train at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Slick Rick at Porter’s Pub.

Monday, May 25 Lo-Fang at Soda Bar. L.A. Witch at The Hideout.

Tuesday, May 26 Main Attrakionz at Soda Bar. Jeremy Loops at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, May 27 Mae at The Irenic. Ciara at House of Blues. Xavier Rudd at Belly Up Tavern.

Dead Heavens at Soda Bar.

Thursday, May 28 Xavier Rudd at Belly Up Tavern. Saxon at Brick by Brick. Neutral Milk Hotel at Observatory North Park (sold out). Transfer at The Casbah.

Friday, May 29 Chris Robinson Brotherhood at Observatory North Park. Pinata Protest at The Hideout.

Saturday, May 30 Strung Out at House of Blues. PigPen Theatre Company at Soda Bar. Everlast at Belly Up Tavern.

June Sunday, June 1 Spoon at Observatory North Park (sold out).

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Music Monday, June 2 Todd Rundgren at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Superheaven at House of Blues.

Spoon at Observatory North Park. Sufjan Stevens at Copley Symphony Hall (sold out).

Tuesday, June 3 Walk Off the Earth at Observatory North Park. Ghoul at Soda Bar. Kids in the Hall at Balboa Theatre. Awolnation at House of Blues. Ron Sexsmith at The Casbah. Stranger at Belly Up Tavern.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach. www.710bc.com. Wed: Open mic. Thu: Live band karaoke. Fri: Miles Ahead. Sat: Monomaniac, Chill Clinton.

Sun: Karaoke. Mon: DJ Royale.

98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, Little Italy. www.98bottlessd.com. Thu: David Lucky. Fri: The Moves. Sat: ‘Tribute to Tito Puente’ w/ Gilbert Castellanos.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St, Normal Heights. www.airconditionedbar. com. Wed: DJs Squarewave, Memo.

Thu: ‘Dive’. Fri: DJ Junior the Disco Punk. Sat: ‘Juicy’ w/ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Church’ w/ DJs John Reynolds, Karma.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave, Downtown. www.americancomedyco.com. Wed: Open mic. Thu: Big Jay Oakerson. Fri: Big Jay Oakerson. Sat: Big Jay Oakerson. Sun: Tig Notaro.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St, Downtown. www.facebook.com/BangBangSanDiego. Fri: Jesse Rose. Sat: SNBRN. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St, North Park. www.barpink.com. Thu: The Cardielles, The End. Basic, 410 10th Ave, Downtown. barbasic.com. Tue: Revenge of the 5th.

Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave, Downtown. bassmntsd.com. Thu: Ookay. Sat: Slander. Sun: Pendulum (DJ set). Tue: Tommy Trash, Kill the Noise.

Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla. http://www.brocktonvilla.com/beaumonts.html. Thu: Adam Block Duo. Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach. www.bellyup.com. Wed: Helmet. Sat: ‘80s Prom Night’ w/ Young Guns, Hugh Janus. Sun: They Might Be Giants. Tue: Mariachi El Bronx, Tijuana Panthers, Pounded By the Surf.

Peter Sprague Quartet. Fri: Kevyn Lettau.

Sat: Teagan Taylor. Sun: Besos de Coco.

Mon: Matt Hall and Pat Coil. Tue: Lori Bell and Ron Satterfield.

Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. www.dirksniteclub.com. Fri: Rob Whitlock and The Four.

Epicentre, 8450 Mira Mesa Blvd, Mira Mesa. epicentreconcerts.org.

Thu: Sounds of Satellites, Red Sweater Lullaby, Mainsail, Fighting Friction, Coastbound.

Sun: ‘Vinyl Junkies Record Swap’.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown, Downtown. f6ixsd.com. Fri: DJ Rags. Sat: DJ Beatnick. Sun: DJ Shadowman.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave, Downtown. fluxxsd.com. Fri: Craig Smoove. Sat: Reflex.

Gallagher’s, 5040 Newport Ave, Ocean Beach. 619-222-5303. Wed: Pali Roots.

Thu: Strictly Skunk, TRC Soundsystem.

Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave, Downtown. www.hardrockhotelsd.com. Thu: ‘Future Standard’.

Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave, Downtown. www.henryspub.com. Wed: The Fooks.

Thu: DJ Junior the Disco Punk, Johnny Tarr. Fri: ‘Good Times’. Sat: DJs E, Yodah. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: DJ Antonio Aguilera, Keokoa. Tue: Big City Dawgs.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave, Downtown. houseofblues.com/sandiego. Wed: From Indian Lakes. Thu: Max and the Moon, Beginners, Nicky Venus. Fri: OK Go, Kitten. Sat: Tainted Love.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. kavalounge.com. Wed: ‘Jungle and DnB Wednesdays’. Thu: ‘Beatness Room’. Fri: Dara, Jo-S. Sat: Govinda, Divinity, Ahee, Adia Breaks. Sun: ‘Fully Patched’. Tue: ‘High Tech Tuesday’.

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave, Kensington. 619-284-2848. Fri: ‘Shred Til Yer Dead Fest’ w/ Policias y Ladrones, Bat Lords, Syrup, The Natives.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave, Coronado. www.mcpspub.com. Wed: Kova. Thu: North Star.

North County Tavern & Bowl, 200 East Via Rancho Pkwy, Escondido. tavernbowl. com/north-county-bowling-restaurantescondido/. Thu: Paint Nite FUNraiser.

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

Patricks Gaslamp, 428 F St, Downtown. www.patricksii.com. Wed: The Upshots.

Thu: The Bill Magee Blues Band.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave, Carlsbad. boarcrossn.net. Thu: The Oceanside Sound System. Fri: ‘Club Musae’. Sat: Brewfish.

Porter’s Pub, 9500 Gilman Dr., UCSD campus, La Jolla. porterspub.net. Thu: THEESatisfaction. Fri: MC Jin. Sat: People Under the Stairs.

Border X Brewing Tasting Room, 2196 Logan Ave, Barrio Logan. www.borderxbrewing.com. Sat: 43 Artistas Por 43 Estudiantes II.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave, Hillcrest. www.richssandiego.com. Wed: DJ John Joseph. Thu: DJ Kiki. Fri: DJs Dirty Kurty, Will Z. Sat: DJs Taj, K-Swift. Sun: DJ Cros.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave, Bay Park. brickbybrick.com. Wed: Violet, Hocus, C0DE. Thu: The Night Owl Massacre, The Chili Banditos, Blue Halas.

Fri: Wicked Tongues, Permacrush, Cold Craft, The Union Trade. Sat: Children of the Grave. Mon: Pissed Regardless.

Tue: Korpiklaani, Trollfest, Hellsott, Gunslinger’s Gambit.

Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave, Downtown. http://www.cafesevilla.com. Thu: Malamana. Sun: Oscar Aragon and Bruno Serrano.

Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, Clairemont. www.thecomedypalace.com. Wed: Ibo Brewer.

Croce’s Park West, 2760 Fifth Ave., #100, Bankers Hill. www.crocesparkwest.com. Wed: Julian Esparza. Thu:

#SDCityBeat

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

Wed: Westside Inflection. Thu: Second Cousins. Fri: Big Jon. Sat: Baja Bugs.

Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave, North Park. sevengrandbars.com/sd.

Wed: Gilbert Castellanos jazz jam. Fri: The Soulside Players. Sun: Euphoria Brass Band. Mon: ‘Makossa Mondays’ w/ DJ Tah Rei. Side Bar, 536 Market St, Downtown. www.sidebarsd.com. Wed: Epic Twelve.

Thu: ‘Divino Thursday’ w/ Jay Valdez.

Fri: DJ Slowhand. Sat: DJ Shadowman.

Sun: ‘Five/Ten’.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. www.sodabarmusic.com. Wed: Doldrums, Moon King, Soft Lions. Thu: Inter Arma, Yautja, KATA. Fri: Manic His-

panic, Sculpins, Shady Francos. Sat: Pictureplane, Daimon, Angels Dust, Le Chateau. Mon: Taurus Authority, Podunk Nowhere, Rosewood and Rye. Tue: Kulteir, Sentinel, Beheading the King, Idols Plague.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd, Midway. www.somasandiego.com. Fri: The South, Voltage Control, Mainsail, Triceratropical, Empty Spaces, The Kraycos.

Sun: The Story So Far, Four Year Strong, Terror, Souvenirs.

Somewhere Loud, 3489 Noell St, Midtown. somewhereloud.com. Fri: Singularity.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St, Midtown. www. spinnightclub.com. Fri: Mario.

Stage Bar & Grill, 762 Fifth Ave, Downtown. www.stagesaloon.com. Thu: Superbad. Fri: Disco Pimps, DJ Slynkee.

Sat: Hott Mess, DJ Miss Dust. Mon: Karaoke.

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave, Normal Heights. www.sycamoreden.com.

Thu: Matthew Strachota and Trailduster, Shawn Rohlf and the 7th Day Buskers.

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. casbahmusic.com. Wed: Dan Deacon, Prince Rama, Ben O’Brien.

Thu: East India Youth, Kathryn Calder.

Fri: The Soft Moon, Skull Katalog.

Sat: Kodak to Graph, OBESON, Mystery Cave. Sun: Vic Ruggiero, Jesse Wagner, Kepi Ghoulie. Mon: MS MR (sold out). Tue: Lightning Bolt, Liturgy, Hot Nerds.

The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. http://www.thehideoutsd.com.

Thu: Bright Light Social Hour, Talk in Tongues, Citrus and Katie. Sat: Neil Hagerty, Octagrape, The Cardielles.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave, Hillcrest. theMerrow.com. Wed: The Ace Bandits, Geneva Bedlam, Melanie Taylor.

Thu: Little Red Lung, Spero, Old Tiger.

Fri: Mittens, The Touchies, Bangladesh.

Sun: Golden Coast. Tue: Creature and the Woods, Nite Lapse.

The Office, 3936 30th St, North Park. www.officebarinc.com. Wed: ‘Friends Chill’. Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King.

The Tin Roof, 401 G Street, Gaslamp. h t t p : / / w w w. t i n r o o f b a r s . c o m / H o m e / SanDiego. Wed: Rock Out Karaoke.

Thu: Cassie B Band. Fri: Jonathan Lee Band. Sat: Jonathan Lee Band. Sun: ‘G Street Sessions’ w/ Ilya Shatov, Grayson Erhard. Mon: Pat Hilton. Tue: ‘Cinco De Mayo’ w/ SM Familia.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. www.tiltwoclub.com. Fri: Hazzard’s Cure, Hedersleben. Sat: ‘San Diego City Soul Club’. Tue: Stand Up Comedy.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St, Bay Park. www. tioleos.com. Thu: Flipside Burners. Fri: Karaoke. Sat: Detroit Underground. Tue: The Sleepwalkers.

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

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

Wed: Tomcat Courtney. Thu: The Jade Visions Jazz Quartet.

Ux31, 3112 University Ave, North Park. u31bar.com. Wed: Femme Fatality, PRGRM. Thu: DJ Bacon Bits.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St, Ocean Beach. www.winstonsob.com. Wed: Ital Vibes, Dewey and the People’s, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: Danny and the Tramp.

Fri: ‘Luck N Lana’ w/ DJs Nykon, Sighphur One, Mantis, Product. Sat: Electric Waste Band. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: Sneaky Pete and the Secret Weapons.

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

Last Words

Brendan Emmett Quigley

Across

Alternate endings

1. Collegiate Iowa city 5. Princess in a Baum book 9. Prepare veggies 14. Jack Black’s alma mater 15. ___ court 16. Roger follower 17. Concluding words about David Ortiz’s team?

19. ___ alia 20. José Martí International Airport city 21. Make a mistake 23. Poem of elevation 24. Cheer for Cristiano Ronaldo 25. Distrusting 28. Dictator Lon 29. Contacts company 31. Alternative word 32. World UFO Day mo.

33. Female prophet 36. Conquistador Hernando 39. “What is the deeeeal with Armageddon? Oh, great, here comes my postal worker nemesis”?

41. Like They Might Be Giants 43. Some lab burners 44. Digital camera type 45. “Is this thing on?”, e.g.

47. “Farther Off from Heaven” playwright 51. Words to go on?

52. “Chicago P.D.” actor 55. “I Will Never Let You Down” singer Rita 56. Ancient 57. Lewis Black’s alma mater Last week’s answers

32 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

58. Anyone running for president, e.g.

60. Tease relentlessly 62. 3.785 liters of the universal donor type?

65. Piano piece 66. Sausage 67. Broad sts.

68. Does some emailing 69. Whirlpool 70. Time off

Down 1. Storyteller 2. Rockets coach Kevin 3. Bills number 4. “Water for Elephants” writer Gruen 5. When things go poorly 6. Game parks?

7. Italian PM Aldo 8. Star pitchers 9. Vanilla and chocolate soft serve flavor 10. ___ can 11. Singer born Reginald Dwight 12. Beat but good 13. Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom 18. The check that’s in the mail?: Abbr.

22. Actress Chong 26. R&B singer with the 2006 #1 hit “So Sick” 27. Shingles, e.g.

30. Operator 34. Variety 35. “The Famous Five” writer Enid 37. Humorist Bombeck 38. East German secret police 39. Expert brought into fix a “problem” 40. Feminine ending 41. Measurements of familiarity, as of brand names and celebrities 42. Howl shrilly 46. Convert into cipher 48. Taped 49. Dances 50. Serious 52. Summer vacation times 53. Pooch 54. 59-Down-shaped constellation 59. Ceremonial table 61. Whackdoodle 63. Silent greeting 64. The ___ (appropriately)

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#SDCityBeat

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

34 · San Diego CityBeat · April 29, 2015

#SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

April 29, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 35