San Diego CityBeat • May 6, 2015

News

Hash oil’s hazy legal status

culture

A sort-of Summer Movie Preview

2 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

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May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

Up Front | From the editor

Lights, police, cameras, action We’re not on the same page when it comes to race film. It’ll be something you see and all of a sudden relations in America. Not in the tiny town of Fergurealize, I’m on the wrong page. Or, I’m on the right son, Missouri, or the megalopolis of New York City. page but on the wrong note.”

Any urban environment in this country, including We’re definitely not all looking at the same sheet San Diego, is a tinderbox one spark from ignition. music. The blatant racism of yesteryear has been My beloved hometown of Baltimore was the replaced by implicit and institutionalized racism. proving ground last week. Cable TV news was there Implicit: Scientific studies show that good/mor24/7, capturing all the black, white and Freddie Gray al people who say they don’t judge others by the flashpoints: Incendiary riots. Political hesitation. color of their skin may not think they’re lying, but Peaceful marches. Curfew. Police lines. Indignation they’re wrong. We all do. from black residents, handcuffed by socioeconomic Institutional: Black men go to jail for jaywalkforces that allow few avenues of pushback against ing in Ferguson. Former San Diego Mayor Maureen institutionalized oppression.

O’Connor, a white woman, gets a free pass after getIf race relations have taken two steps forward ting caught misappropriating two million dollars since the Civil Rights Movement of the ’60s, society from a charitable foundation. is in the process of taking one step back.

One person who dares rock the institution is On a literal level, it would seem that any revoluState’s Attorney for Baltimore Marilyn Mosby. Just tion would, contrary to iconic cultural reference, be 35 years old, and from a family steeped in a history televised. And CNN anchor Don Lemon will be amof law enforcement, Mosby charged six cops inped up to hyper-narrate it. volved in the mercurial death Maryland national guard / flickr “The Revolution Will Not of Freddie Gray.

Be Televised.” Brilliant jazz “To the youth of this city: poet Gil Scott-Heron created I will seek justice on your bethat refrain in 1970. He wrote half,” Mosby said late last week. lyrically about frustration with “This is a moment. This is your police brutality. He noticed moment. Let’s ensure that we that while incidents of civil have peaceful and productive unrest were being transmitted rallies that will develop strucon TV, the commercial offertural and systemic changes for ings in between the news were generations to come. You’re at Maryland Army National Guard the forefront of this cause. As from big corporations. He was inspired by the juxtaposition of broadcast images of young people, our time is now.” racial strife and American consumerism.

She offers a glimmer of hope. In the here and The modern-day, reality-TV news reporting in now, however, we have a piece of technology that the streets of Baltimore was a similar garbled mécan take the guesswork out of these questionable nage of mixed messages. Particularly annoying: police stops—body cameras. Baltimore doesn’t have News correspondents whose hands were clenched a policy requiring officers to wear them, but likely in fists of rage at the Baltimore PD for attempting will soon. to restrict their reportorial coverage as the 10 p.m.

San Diego already has a body-cam policy in street curfew went into effect. place. More accountability can be established if “We can’t do our jobs,” one on-the-ground reportofficers hit the record button. That’s what didn’t er groused when ordered by police to step aside. The happen before a recent encounter in the Midway tragic irony: The news media was there to cover the District that resulted in a man being shot and killed boiled-over frustration of a deindustrialized comby an officer. Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman is inmunity where there aren’t any jobs to be had. vestigating. She needs to illuminate the details, and The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. Here’s administer discipline. what Scott-Heron said in the ’90s about his timeless For now, while we struggle to get on the catchphrase and song: “[It’s] about the first change same page, it appears that the revolution must be recorded. that takes place is in your mind. You have to change your mind before you change the way you live and —Ron Donoho move … The thing that is going to change people is Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com. something that will never be able to be caught on This issue of CityBeat will loudly and proudly sing Danzig’s “Mother” this Sunday.

Volume 13 • Issue 39 Editor Ron Donoho Music Editor Jeff Terich Arts Editor Kinsee Morlan Staff Writer Joshua Emerson Smith Web Editor Ryan Bradford Art director Carolyn Ramos 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.

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

4 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

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Up Front | Letters

chargers should pay Thank you, Ron Donoho, for the “Call the Chargers’ bluff” editorial [April 29]. The combination of this editorial, along with publishing Mr. Baldwin’s April 29 (critical) letter has restored my faith in you as an editor.

I too, do NOT want to pay for a new Charger stadium. The Chargers took advantage of San Diego residents when Qualcomm was expanded, and the City of San Diego continues to lose money on the existing stadium.

I suggest that we look at this from another point of view.

San Diego is a delightful place to live, and the Chargers should be paying the residents to build a stadium here.

On the othApril 29 issue er hand, there are many things to do in San Diego—the beaches, Balboa Park, Seaport Village, the Zoo and more. With this many competing activities, it may be a good idea for the Chargers to leave San Diego. We can still watch them on TV. Also note that Qualcomm was built on an aquifer. We could build a reservoir there to accumulate local water, reduce flooding in Mission Valley and provide recreation

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for residents. There will also be room to build apartments and commercial buildings, whose owners will pay property tax.

Lastly, we can include an amphitheater for plays and to watch Charger games via a large screen. In other words, I feel that we have better options than to shell out $600 million for a new stadium that will continue to cost the city of San Diego residents money.

um ad nauseam for nearly 20 years. They need to put up their own money. They reap the rewards after all. The loyal Chargers fans of San Diego will not travel to the Los Angeles area for their games. Only Raider fans will be there, as they come here in droves. No L.A. fan base will be forthcoming to them. We’re all they have but they refuse to realize that.

On the

Cover

Tony Duplessis, Poway

Ron Harris, Scripps Ranch

REAL LIVING WAGES

FOLLOW THE $$$ I just read your “editorial” in the April 29 issue of CityBeat entitled “Call the Chargers’ bluff” and I would like to offer you my personal STANDING OVATION! I couldn’t agree with you more. As I tell people when this issue arises… “Follow the money!” It’s purely profit motivated and I repeat myself here: FOLLOW THE MONEY and you’ll see where the Chargers end up. Thanks for your poignant editorial/observation.

Michael Sheppard, North Park

FANS WON’T GO TO L.A. I totally agree with your assessment [“Call the Chargers’ bluff”]. The Chargers organization has been talking new stadi-

For the past few years I have often wondered why you people who are interested in having wages increased to at least $15 per hour just talk about wages per hour [“The Fight For $15,” April 22].

I believe it has been established that for a small family, $25,000 per year is considered being in poverty. Since if one works 40 hours a week for 50 weeks (assume one has a two-week vacation), then to earn $25,000 per year, he would be making only $12.50 an hour. Put it another way, if one was to earn just $15 per hour, one would earn only $30,000 a year, just about being above the poverty [line]. I hope that the next piece you write you look at the problem per year and not per hour.

Morton A. Fineman, La Jolla Village

Merri Sutton This week’s cover design features a collage of photos of legendary Tacoma garage rock band The Sonics, who formed more than 50 years ago, and just released their first album since the 1960s, This Is the Sonics. Several of the photos featured on the cover were taken back during the band’s early days in the mid’60s. The most recent photo of the band was taken by Merri Sutton in 2013. Sutton is a Gig Harbor, Washington, photographer who specializes in artistic, portrait and live music shots, primarily of bands from the Pacific Northwest. mlsutton.photoshelter.com

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

Up Front | News joshua emerson smith

Michael McShane takes his lunchtime dose of hash oil.

Medicinal Manufacturing For cancer survivor, making hash oil is worth the legal risk

by Joshua Emerson Smith About a month ago, Michael McShane moved to San Diego from Detroit with very little money and a limited supply of hash oil.

“That’s the end of mine right there,” he said pointing to a blunt-tipped syringe filled with less than 10 grams of a brown substance, roughly the consistency of honey.

With little in the way of financial resources, the thought of running out of the cannabis extract makes him feel “scared,” he said. “Fuck yeah, man, that’s my medicine.”

Living with AIDS for the last 30 years, McShane, 55, has endured multiple bouts of squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer.

He’s undergone surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on medical procedures that he now views as unnecessary.

About four years ago, he stopped all conventional treatments for cancer and AIDS. Instead, he now swallows a dose of hash oil with breakfast, lunch and dinner, totaling about a gram a day.

“I’ve taken nothing but these,” he said filling a clear capsule with the brown oil from the syringe. “I’m still alive, and the doctors told me if I didn’t take their pills, in three months, I’d be dead.”

Beyond orally ingesting the hash oil, McShane said he’s used it as a topical balm to heal cancerous lesions on his skin.

“I don’t know what to tell you, man; I

6 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

take the oil, and it replaces my medication,” he said. “This oil is an absolute fountain of youth.”

Wanting to ensure quality control for the large amounts of hash oil he ingests, McShane, like a growing number of people, started extracting the concentrated cannabis himself. However, while hash oil is legal to possess in California with a doctor’s recommendation, making the stuff can get you up to seven years in prison.

In response to deadly explosions caused by using butane to make hash oil—often referred to as BHO—law enforcement has cracked down. To extract the hash oil, the solvent is pressed through a tube of cannabis and into a dish, collecting as a yellowish concentrate that dries into smokable form often referred to as “wax” or “shatter.” Butane is extremely volatile and can be ignited by subtle sparks.

Advocates for medical cannabis have argued there are safe ways to extract hash oil, but without state guidelines, like so many aspects of the state’s medical-cannabis system, local law enforcement has wide prosecutorial discretion on the matter.

“It’s not the resultant product that we’re concerned about; it’s the process of making it,” said San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Steve Walter, with the office’s narcotics division. “If you’re engaging in something that’s going to blow up and endanger people’s lives, you’re going to get our attention.”

Absent state guidelines for how to safely manufacture hash oil, many local patients will continue to face significant legal risks, said Eugene Davidovich, president of the Alliance for Responsible Medical Access.

“I’m hopeful that we can keep our community safe by creating regulations and clarity on the extraction process,” he said.

“Unfortunately, law enforcement hasn’t been very helpful. They’ve taken the strictest interpretation and prosecuted folks for doing it, whether it’s safely or unsafely.”

“We are very much opposed to patients experimenting with butane in their homes,” he added. “It’s unsafe and it’s unnecessary.”

If the District Attorney’s office can charge an individual with illegally manufacturing hash oil, it will, regardless of the method being used, Walters said. “Safe is not the determining factor.”

Extracting hash oil using butane has caused approximately 20 explosions and fires in San Diego County since October 2013, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Last year, statewide, eight children were injured and one killed in such incidents.

The most popular method of smoking BHO doesn’t do its image any favors, either.

Using a glass bong, the hash oil is incinerated, often referred to as “doing a dab,” on a red-hot metal bowl called a “nail,” which is heated up using a blowtorch.

There are the explosions and ominouslooking contraptions. And, according to numerous longtime cannabis users CityBeat talked to for this story, smoking hash oil gets you really, really high. It’s easy to see why many law enforcement officials have compared hash-oil extraction to meth labs.

San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has co-sponsored new legislation from state Senator Patricia Bates, SB 305, which would increase penalties for those manufacturing “concentrated cannabis” in

the presence of children.

At the same time, many of the most severely ill patients using cannabis rely solely on hash oil, Davidovich said. “Many cannot or do not wish to ingest cannabis by smoking and rely on infused foods and beverages. The dosage of cannabis needed to treat serious conditions is often high and consuming it in the form of cannabis oil is a much more effective way to administer the medicine rather than combusting it.”

McShane uses the so-called “Rick Simpson” method of soaking cannabis in highproof alcohol, evaporating the liquid using a rice cooker and extracting the hash oil with a heat gun. While he acknowledges the process can be relatively “dangerous” if done carelessly, he argues, “so is running a space heater.”

Extracting hash oil using alcohol is far safer than using butane, said an extraction specialist, who asked to be identified as Tyler.

“There’s no comparing the two,” he said.

“People don’t walk around with a shot of 151 particularly concerned about the guy who’s smoking a cigarette next to them. Reducing an alcohol solution is basic cooking.”

Done in a responsible manner, extraction is a routine manufacturing process, said Tyler, who works for a business that uses carbon dioxide to commercially extract botanicals from coffee, kava, lavender and, yes, cannabis.

“It is being done in a safe and responsible manner in states like Washington and Colorado, where they’re able to have their facilities set up in a proper manner, but they’re regulated commercial facilities, which we have nothing like here in California,” he said.

The most significant guidelines on making homemade hash oil come from a 2008 court case known as The People v. Bergen.

Before that, making hash oil using butane was legally untested. With explosions making headlines, the court ruled that such a practice was tantamount to running a drug lab to make methamphetamine.

While the ruling found that making traditional hash using ice water wasn’t illegal, it didn’t address other methods of making hash oil, such as using alcohol or pressurized carbon dioxide, said Michael Cindrich, lawyer and executive director of the San Diego County chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

“There definitely needs to be a legislative solution. I think everyone’s sitting and waiting,” he said. “It would be easy to provide guidelines. There’s equipment that can be used to minimize the dangerous environment.

“In my opinion, law enforcement would go after those individuals the same as if they had a BHO lab,” he added. “Time and time again, we see law enforcement and the District Attorney’s office taking a narrow interpretation of the marijuana law.”

That means making homemade hash oil, even with alcohol, could land someone, such as McShane, in a lot of hot water. Still, he doesn’t seem to care.

“I would make oil every day for somebody with cancer,” he said. “I wouldn’t even think about the police when it came to that.

It’s more important for me to help people.”

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Up Front | News

Michael McShane shows off his method of making hash oil.

After being diagnosed four years ago, he quit an $85,000a-year job in Michigan to grow weed and make hash oil. A paintfinishing engineer in the automotive and aerospace industries for 30 years, he said making hash oil is very similar to what he did for a living.

However, growing cannabis didn’t pencil out for McShane, and he didn’t want to go back to a job he believes exposed him to cancerous chemicals. Even-

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tually, he lost his home to foreclosure. Now, without a steady income, his main concern is procuring his medicine, which could run him more than $1,500 a month if purchased at a medical-cannabis storefront.

“It’s not a fucking dab experience,” he said. “If you’re running back and forth like an addict to the dispensary paying for oil, you’re not going to make it.”

Write to joshuas@sdcitybeat.com.

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

Up Front | Opinion

Sordid

Edwin Decker

Tales

Freedom of, and from, religion It truly hurts my gonads to agree with the religious right about anything, but I take their side regarding the Indianapolis gay wedding cake denial debacle, and a spreading piece of legislation known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

The gay wedding cake kerfuffle happened in 2014, when an Indianapolis baker refused to make a cake for a gay couple, so as not to violate her religious beliefs about gay marriage. A national backlash followed and—fearing the government would take legal action— the religious right pushed for, and got, the Indiana RFRA law, which stated “a governmental entity may not substantially burden a [party’s] exercise of religion … unless [for] a compelling governmental interest.”

Though the passing of the Indiana law drew much contempt from the left, it was not the first installation of an RFRA law. Before that, 20 states passed similar versions, protecting a smattering of other Christian wedding industry businesses—florists, photographers, preachers, etc.—who denied service to gay couples.

Before that, there was the infamous Hobby Lobby lawsuit, which cited RFRA in order to avoid providing its employees insurance coverage for the morning-after pill. And while it’s understandable that the LGBT and pro-choice communities fumed over this legislation, it should be noted that in 1993 President Clinton signed the original, federal, version with a ton of support from the left. This is because it wasn’t about LGBT discrimination or a woman’s right to choose, but rather, the right of Native Americans to consume peyote as prescribed by their faith.

Regular readers of Sordid Tales know that I am a separation-ofchurch-and-state loving, shit-talking, agnostic, heathen blasphemer who would rather see a framed Mapplethorpe gay bondage photo series in the lobby of an elementary school than the Ten Commandments. So why would a person who holds such contempt for organized religion be in favor of something called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act? It comes down to the ancient debate over whether the founders wanted us to have freedom “of” or freedom “from” religion. Fundamental Christians say we have freedom of religion. Fundamental atheists say freedom from. The truth is, we have both.

It would be impossible for individuals to follow their faith (aka freedom of religion) if we did not also have the right to opt out of the majority or—God forbid—state-sponsored faith (aka freedom from religion). Agnostic blasphemers like me know our right to abstain derives from the same freedom-of / freedomfrom relationship. This is why—though it pains my gonads to say—if you are someone who believes that an invisible man who lives in the sky thinks it’s immoral for men to treat each other’s anuses like amusement parks, and that condoning such behavior will result in a one-way trip to the place where demons sip martinis

made out of your liquefied organs, I’m not inclined to force you.

And yes, there is little doubt that most of these gay wedding cake refusers are—like Monty Python’s limbless, bloody Black Knight yelling after King Arthur to “Come back and fight,”—the last, desperate deniers of the inevitable mainstreaming of queer.

Nonetheless, there are two critical clauses of the Constitution at odds here: Equal Protection and Free Exercise (of religion). Both of these clauses are equally beloved to me; however, the reason I side with Free Exercise in this case is because I err in favor of less government overreach. And that is exactly what RFRA is designed to do—to keep government from interfering with how people choose to worship their invisible friend in the sky.

That said, I am not in favor of allowing this RFRAprotected LGBT discrimination crap to run amok.

That’s why, when I am king, I will rewrite the law so that it includes two important words: “Condone” and “Participate.”

The new law will be called DECKERFRA (Decker’s Excellent Compromise and Key to Really Fixing the Restoration Act), and the amendment will say that you can only be protected if it can be reasonably determined that, by providing the service, you are either condoning and/or participating in the activity that offends your religion.

Take the wedding cake deniers.

Providing a wedding cake is clearly not condoning or participating in the wedding, and therefore not protected by DECKERFRA. The same goes for a florist. On the other hand, a preacher performing an LGBT wedding ceremony is at least participating and probably condoning to boot. Hobby Lobby would also be protected, because financing birth control is definitely participating and condoning.

I know what you’re thinking. What if a business wanted to use DECKERFRA to deny service to African Americans? Great question. And here again, I favor free exercise. Let’s say a preacher from a racist religion— let’s call it Prejudaism—uses DECKERFRA to deny marrying a black couple. Well, as long as the preacher can prove to the court that Prejudaism is a bona fide religion and that the Book of Prejudaia has some cockamamie racist scripture like, “Lo, did our lord, The Pale Father, look down from his kingdom atop Mt. Crackawood and say to the dark people below, ‘Y’all scare the fucknuts out of me!’” well—gonads be goddamned— DECKERFRA would protect him too.

Of course, none of this means we still can’t boycott, ostracize and just plain-old publicly call bullshit on his horseshit. We should mock all their bigoted buttocks back to the middle ages. Sounds like a plan to me.

“

I am a separation-ofchurch-and-state loving, shit-talking, agnostic, heathen blasphemer…

”

8 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

Sordid Tales appears every other week.

Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com.

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May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

Up Front | Food

by michael a. gardiner Michael A. Gardiner

appetizer. The chicken itself was flavorful. As soon as you realize that, though, the numbing force of Sichuan peppercorns and explosions of spicy heat from the chilis blows your palate open. Unfortunately, salt also came to the party and overwhelmed the dish. The Dan Dan noodles—a member of the Sichuan Top 10 Hit Parade—was another example of the same: great flavor, great ma la, but far too salty.

The dry-cooked green beans was a much better dish. “Drycooked” is, of course, a misnomer, at least unless somehow chili oil is considered dry. And that oil, along with the presence of dried red chilis, was a huge flavoring element of this dish. But the toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns were an equal partner in the affair Szechuan Taste’s dry-cooked string beans and this dish, more than any before it, revealed the genius of ma la. Those Sichuan peppercorns opened up the palate, readying it for the heat.

Beef noodle soup showed a different angle on Sichuan. This wasn’t phở (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) with all of its Frenchy elegance. No, it was phở’s evil twin, a dark and brooding thing in which Authentic, or not, at Szechuan Taste? the ethereal ma la magic is transformed into something far more muscular. It was powerful.

Authentic: It’s a word we think we understand.

One of the best dishes at Szechuan Taste was Take “Chinese food,” for example. We think we one that is not exactly classic Sichuan: wild know “authentic Chinese” right up until we realize chili-shredded pork. Instead of being about the that deep into the ’60s, chop suey was the hallmark, balance of heat and numbness, this dish was though chop suey is hardly a Chinese dish at all. about the balance between the heat of the stirAnd then there is Szechuan Taste (8199 fried jalapeño flesh and the savory qualities of Clairemont Mesa Blvd., szechuantastesd.com) in the pork bits. And sure, the chili pepper brought the Convoy District. Just a decade ago, the only heat, but this dish also highlighted the vegetable requirement for Chinese food to be seen as auqualities of the pepper. thentically Szechuan was the presence of incenSzechuan Taste may not be authentic Sidiary heat. Then something happened. One part chuan. It certainly isn’t perfect. It has a long was branding; particularly the change in transmenu that doesn’t stick to a single theme (dim literation of the Chinese word from “Szechuan” sum dishes alongside “Cantonese favorites,” as to “Sichuan.” The other was the notion of ma la, well as Sichuan). But it is beautifully built-out, which translates as “numbing and spicy,” and is and serves food that’s flavorful. It may, in the the combination of fiery, earthy chili peppers and end, be an authentic example of Chinese food in America today. tingly, flowery Sichuan peppercorns. Suddenly, the notion of authentic Sichuan changed.

The World Fare appears weekly.

What you get is a dish not entirely unlike Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

Szechuan Taste’s thinly sliced marinated chicken

the world

fare

10 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

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Up Front | Drink

bottle

By Jen Van Tieghem

Rocket The story of the three Chardonnays National Chardonnay Day is a thing I never thought I’d give a damn about. I’m typically turned off by California’s golden grape, with buttery versions being too rich and lighter versions too bland. But as the “holiday” approaches (May 21) I decided to give one well-known brand of Chardonnays another a shot.

Self-proclaimed as “California’s first family of Chardonnay,” Wente Vineyards (wentevineyards.com) boasts four Chardonnays in its lineup, a couple of which are available at shops and restaurants around town.

As a spoiled wine writer, though, I was able to try three of Wente’s Chards in the comfort of my home, comparing the 2014 Eric’s Chardonnay, 2013 Morning Fog Chardonnay and the 2013 Riva Ranch Chardonnay.

I was first drawn to Eric’s because it’s an unoaked version. My foremost problem with many California Chardonnays is the overpowering butter flavors and heavy mouth feel that comes with oak aging. This wine delivered an expected light feeling and crisp flavors, but

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was much more interesting than other unoaked Chardonnays. My mom, who absolutely loves a rich, buttery Chard, said this was the best unoaked version she had tried, and I had to agree.

On the other side of the spectrum was the Riva Ranch. This wine was mostly a typical Chard, with creaminess in flavor and texture. The nose held a spicy vanilla component, which matched some of the more subtle notes. I found it more palatable than many heavier Chardonnays I’ve been subjected to, though still a bit too creamy.

Falling in the middle of the others was the Morning Fog. It held a heavenly banana cream pie scent with a slight citrus flavor. As the wine developed in the glass, it took on faint notes of peach and apricot. One of the strangest, yet appealing, scents I found in this wine was candle wax.

And though I expected to like the Eric’s version the best, I found myself Jen Van Tieghem revisiting this wine the most. The halfoak, half-stainless-steel aging created a balanced wine that was neither too tart, nor too creamy. If Goldilocks had been in the habit of pilfering wine instead of porridge, I think she, too, would have found this one “just right.”

Bottle Rocket appears every third week.

Write to jenv@sdcitybeat.com.

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

Up Front | Food

by Ron Donoho Ron Donoho

Urban

Eats Shellfish pleasures It’s pricey at Downtown’s gargantuan, two-story Water Grill (615 J Street; watergrill.com). It’s a place for tourists, or conventioneers with corporate expense accounts. If you’ve got affluent parents who like to swing into town and shower you with the kind of affection that flows from their wallets, though, do suggest this place.

This new seafood eatery occupies the site formerly held by The Palm, at the corner of J Street and Sixth Avenue, where the Gaslamp Quarter borders East Village.

Garage-door-style windows open up to the roof, giving diners and passers-by ample ability to check each other out. We were given the option of taking a window-side table. It wasn’t too chilly a night, but the hostess offered us the “house shawl.” To her surprise, we accepted it. To the perky hostess’ knowledge, nobody else had ever asked to use the blue-orange blankets. This was confirmed when we found a clean-

12 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

ing claim ticket still pinned to the shawl.

We started with a dozen Hama Hama oysters ($2.90 per shell).

These Washington State bivalves were heaping big. Still, there are a few $1-oyster Happy Hours around town that have spoiled me for price.

“The Grand” iced shellfish platter—with oysters, littleneck clams, wild jumbo Mexican brown shrimp, Peruvian bay scallops in a citrus pesto, black musWater Grill’s “The Grand” sels and half a lobster—was a hearty portion and amply sharable by two people.

A waiter baited me with the jumbo lump blue crab cake. He noted that the dish is pan-seared, lightly breaded with Ritz crackers, sprinkled with Old Bay seasoning and a bit of apple. I routinely avoid crab cakes unless I’m in my hometown of Baltimore. There, you’d go out of business in two days if you put any breading into a crab cake and didn’t use lump back-fin meat. Water Grill does not serve a “Maryland-style” crab cake.

If it didn’t require getting a second job, I’d return to the restaurant. I’d know to avoid the crab cake and focus on the platter deals. Water Grill has a massive team of wait staff walking around, all of whom are knowledgeable and will stop in their tracks to service your request for more horseradish flakes, or the like.

The kitchen is run by prominent local chef Fabrice Poigin, whose resume includes a stint at Betrand at Mr. A’s. Water Grill is owned by King’s Seafood, which also owns Lou & Mickey’s, another Gaslamp spot where you’ll want to let mom and pops take you out if you know they’re picking up the bill.

Urban Eats appears every other week.

Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com.

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Up Front | TECHNOLOGY

no life

offline

by dave maass

Is it time to be ashamed for shaming?

Some alt journalists will point to Hunter S. Thompson as inspiration. For me, it’s the neurotic Welsh documentarian and author Jon Ronson, whose first major bestseller in the U.S., Them: My Adventures With Extremists, took the reader on a tour of the global conspiracy theorist community and found the kernels of truth in the depths of their paranoia. Ronson was led on his journalistic odysseys by his sense of humor and curiosity, engaging with his subjects with an affected naivety that evenly humanized and (I know this isn’t a word) buffoonized them.

With his latest book, So, You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, Ronson examines how perpetrators of relatively minor errors of judgment become the victims of immense Internet pile-ons. As always, Ronson follows a bizarre path: a BDSM porn shoot, a women’s detention facility, a New Agey anti-shame workshop. The cast of characters are even more bizarre, ranging from the son of an exNazi caught in a sex orgy to a Congressman who was previously best known as the judge who sentenced drunk drivers to public shaming.

Ronson usually positions himself as a central character in his books, but this time, he’s not just on a quest for information, but setting out to do right by people who have suffered online public shaming. He also seeks to atone for his own role in the shaming culture by convincing people to back off this behavior.

I’ve long felt that shaming people (usually public figures) was a key part of my job description. In fact, in the December 2013 installment of this column, I put one of Ronson’s main subjects, Justine Sacco (a PR professional who tweeted a joke about black people and AIDS to her small group of followers before getting on a flight to Africa, and when she landed found she was both trending and fired) on my list of “Top Internet Fails of 2013.”

I don’t regret what I wrote, since it was undeniably one of the biggest Internet misfires of the year. That’s just news. But Ronson’s book was a gut check. I won’t be joining Twitter mobs any time soon without a rigorous internal debate.

Something else made me uncomfortable about Ronson’s book. Over the last two years, I’ve come to internalize the idea of privilege and how it underpins many of my everyday assumptions.

Ronson’s book keeps talking about how public shaming has ruined the lives of Justine Sacco and Lindsey Stone (she’s the one who posed for a photo while flipping the bird and talking on a

#SDCityBeat

cell phone in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier). They can’t date, and they can’t find jobs because of their Google results.

The reflex thought that kept popping into my head was: Wow, that sucks, but that’s still nothing compared to the thousands of people with drug convictions who also have trouble pursuing careers and romance.

Except, it’s worse, since they also have trouble obtaining housing and public benefits. I imagine it’s a lot easier to regain one’s dignity (or simply wait until you’re forgotten) than it is to get a felony conviction scrubbed from your record. After her shaming, Sacco traveled to Ethiopia to do volunteer work. I think there are a lot of people who would gladly suffer a public shaming in exchange for that kind of adventure.

I had the same thought with Monica Lewinsky’s recent re-emergence. While I sympathize with the trauma of decades of being the butt of late-night TV jokes and rap songs, she’s still privileged. Molestation and rape victims in impoverished communities aren’t usually offered reality shows or start handbag lines or write for Vanity Fair or get nominated for National Magazine Awards. By no definition is that a ruined life.

But here’s the paradox: By discounting their pain by pointing out privilege, I’m indulging my own privilege as a white/cisgender/male columnist for a paper full of similarly privileged writers.

Somehow, I get to decide whose pain is the worst?

Throughout the book, Ronson repeats that his worst fear is to be caught in a public shaming a la Jonah Lehrer, the pop-science writer caught embellishing his research. That, too, is my worst fear, and it is a privileged fear. What if someone dug up the op-ed I wrote for the college paper about tolerance in which, not really knowing what Scientology really was, I defended the cult against the backlash in Europe? Ugh, that would be awful.

At a Q&A in San Francisco, Ronson defended Sacco saying her tweet wasn’t really racist, but a poor attempt at edgy commentary on white privilege. A woman of color in the audience disagreed, saying no, the intent of Sacco’s tweet was deeply offensive. The woman implied that there might be value in making an example of people like Sacco.

Ronson didn’t have a good response. And neither do I. No Life Offline appears every third week.

Write to davem@sdcitybeat.com.

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

Three you have to see

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

MICHAEL RAYMOND

Creative Block

1

BLOCK ARTY

A couple months ago we profiled Cohort Collective, a “Who’s Who” of local artists and curators that includes Spenser Little, Exist 1981, NEKO, Carly Ealey and more. Cohort Collective could be content to simply show off its own works, but they’ve invited nearly 50 other local artists to participate in Creative Block, a semi-regular art party on Friday, May 8, from 6 to 10 p.m. at SILO at Makers Quarter (753 15th St., East Village).

Last year’s open-air event was a huge success, attracting hundreds of culture vultures to the space for a much-needed alternative version of the typical white-wall art exhibition. “It’s a unique venue and a unique event,” says Cohort member Christopher

2

HERE, PIGGIE

Give your diet a day off and roll yourself to the Embarcadero Marina Park South for Bacon & Barrels on Saturday, May 9. Pig out on bacon-inspired foods and wash the pork off your palate at a plethora of libation booths. Celebrity judges will award the Jefe del Porko award to the top chef and mixologist.

Bringin’ the bacon are places like Slater’s 50/50, Salt & Cleaver and other meat-centric eateries. Booze by Stone Brewing Co., Bakon Vodka (natch) and a strong lineup of beer and spirits producers. The porcine party runs from 1 to 5 p.m., but VIP ticket holders get a head start at noon. The event is 21 and up and tickers range from $20 (bacon lovers/designated drivers) to $50 for general admission and $90 for VIP. baconandbarrels.com JEREMY BALL / BOTTLE BRANDING

Konecki, when asked what makes Creative Block stand out from other art shows. “It’s the best parts of being at a gallery show and painting outside with a killer lineup and some of the best artists in San Diego.” That killer lineup includes CityBeat favorites like Sergio Hernandez, Celeste Byers, Joshua Krause and Wendy Teague. There will also be live painting of large-scale murals by CatGods, Mike Maxwell and MR DVICE. Cohort member Carly Ealey will be spinning tunes under her DJ moniker Carly Asada (she promises “fresh” tracks that include “old, new, some soul, some rap and sexy music”). There will also be libations from Old Harbor Distilling, beer from Karl Strauss and tacos from ¡SALUD!. Get there early. Just because there’s no Padres game that night doesn’t mean Downtown won’t still be bustling. cohortcollective.com

3

BOOK SCORE

Generally speaking, when someone is reading a book at a bar, it means they don’t really want to be bothered. On the other hand, a bar that hosts a book release party from two rising figures in the local alt-lit scene is exactly the kind of place where we’d want to hang. On Wednesday, May 13, the Whistle Stop is hosting a double book-release party for Drew Andrews, author of the dystopian The Shepherd’s Journals, and CityBeat web editor Ryan Bradford, author of the extra-spooky Horror Business. Both books will be available to buy, and the authors will be giving readings, answering questions and sharing some insight behind what went into their writings. There’s no cover charge, but the books are $15 each ($25 for both), and the event is open to ages 21 and up. whistlestopbar.com

Subdued Sentiments at TPG2, 1475 University Ave., Hillcrest. A black-and-white 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. 858-354-6294, tpg2.net Adelman Fine Art Grand Opening at Adelman Fine Art, 1980 Kettner Blvd.

Suite 40, Little Italy. The grand opening celebration will consist of activities and highlights spanning from painting demonstrations by artists, live entertainment, auctioned giveaways and much more.

From 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 7. Free.

619-354-5969, adelmanfineart.com Artistic Research: Visual Arts Faculty Exhibition 2015 at UCSD Art Gallery, Mandeville Center, La Jolla. The UCSD art faculty will display new works. Artists include Amy Adler, Sheldon Brown, Lisa Cartwright, Kyong Park and over a dozen more. Opening from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 7. Free. uag.ucsd.edu HCreative Block at SILO in Makers Quarter, 753 15th St., East Village. An artist driven group art show set outdoors that combines traditional white gallery walls with large public murals and installations.

Artists include Exist 1981, Carly Ealey, Christopher Konecki and more. From 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 8. Free. 619-7025655, cohortcollective.com HAmpersand at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. Matt Rich’s new exhibition will feature a set of paintings and sculptures based on the symbol of the ampersand (&). Opening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 8. Free. 858-4545872, ljathenaeum.org 30 Under 30 at Happenstance, Inc., 800 West Ivy St., Little Italy. A group mixed media exhibition featuring 30 local artists all under the age of 30. Artists include Annie Hardy, Carrie Anne Hudson, Rachel Kim and more. Opening from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free. 949-280-8587, artbykami.com HDear Nemesis, Nicole Eisenman 1993-2013 at MCASD, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla. This definitive mid-career survey of the celebrated American artist includes more than 120 works, charting the development of Eisenman’s practice across painting, printmaking, and drawing. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free$10. 858-454-3541, mcasd.org HBetween All Things at Thumbprint Gallery, 920 Kline St., #104, La Jolla. A solo exhibition by local artist Andrew McNamara, who specializes in intricate drawings that attempt to convey the feelings and emotions we often experience, yet rarely talk about. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, May 9. Free. 858-354-6294, thumbprintgallerysd.com Kicked to the Curb II at La Bodega Studios and Gallery, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. The art of skateboarding by skateboarders in a variety of mediums. Participating artists include Ed Dominick, Miki Vuckovich, Ben Horton, Israel Castillo, Peter Whitleyand and over a dozen more.

Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free. facebook.com/Bodega619 Woolgathering at Distinction Gallery and Artist Studios, 317 E. Grand Ave., Escondido. San Diego artist Denise Bledsoe will showcase her playful and whimsical mixed media sculptures and art figures.

Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free. 760-781-5779, distinctionart.com blue in your body, red when it hits the air at MCASD, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla.

Los Angeles-based artist Sarah Cain’s first solo museum project includes her paintings on canvas appearing next to

Bacon & Barrels Festival

14 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

Horror Business

The Shepherd’s Journals

works by other artists all selected by Cain.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 9. $5-$10. 858-454-3541, mcasd.org HHome Affairs at Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave., North Park. Collaborative works from Arzu Ozkal and Nanette Yannuzzi that challenge mainstream representations of motherhood through photo-based screenprints. Opening from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 10. Free. 619584-4448, artproduce.org

BOOKS Pam Munoz Ryan at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The author of Esparanza Rising and The Dreamer will sign and discuss her latest young adult novel, Echo. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7. Free.

858-454-0347, warwicks.indiebound.com April Bloomfield at The Chino Farm, 6123 Calzada del Bosque, Rancho Santa Fe. The chef, restaurateur, and author will sign and discuss her new cookbook, A Girl And Her Greens: Hearty Meals from the Garden.

At 11 a.m. Saturday, May 9. Free. 619889-2271, goodearthgreatchefs.com Mysterious Galaxy 22nd Birthday Bash Celebration at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The annual all-day celebration for one of the city’s best bookstores will feature sweets, refreshments and spotlight authors like Tina Connolly, Kathryn Rose, Dennis Etchison and more. At 1 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free.

858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HRyan Gattis at La Jolla Library, 7555 Draper Ave., La Jolla. The L.A.-based writer will sign and discuss his latest, All Involved, a novel about the 1992 L.A. race riots told from the perspective of 17 different narrators. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12. Free. 858-552-1657, warwicks. indiebound.com Neal Griffin at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The commander of the Criminal Investigations Division of Escondido will sign and discuss his debut thriller, Benefit of the Doubt. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 13. Free. 858-4540347, warwicks.indiebound.com HDrew Andrews and Ryan Bradford at Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, South Park.

Drew Andrews (Bit Maps, The Album Leaf) and Ryan Bradford (San Diego CityBeat) will read from and sign their novels, The Shepherd’s Journals and Horror Business. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 13.

Free. 619-284-6784, www.facebook.com/ events/1586133441668675/

COMEDY HRoseanne Barr at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The legendary comedian, TV star and recent presidential candidate returns to her stand-up roots.

At 8 p.m. Saturday, May 9. $20-$70. 619570-1100, sandiegotheatres.org

DANCE HDon Quixote at Spreckels Theater, 121 Broadway, Downtown. Based on the Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, this City Ballet production follows the adventures of a man out to revive chivalry. At 8 p.m. Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 10. $29-$79. 858-272-8663, cityballet.org

FASHION Golden Scissors Fashion Show: Mother Earth at Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, 1380 Harbor Island Drive, Downtown.

The annual fashion show that showcases

H = CityBeat picks

#SDCityBeat

MUSIC SDSU Wind Symphony and Orchestra TEXTures at Don Powell Theatre, 5500 Campanile Dr., College Area. Concert will feature the winner of the SDSU Concerto Competition along with the SDSU Orchestra, Wind Symphony and Women’s Choir, as well as a premiere from double bass soloist Barry Green. At 7 p.m.

Wednesday, May 6. $5-$10. 619-5946884, artsalive.sdsu.edu Defiant Requiem at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. Traumatic history is brought back to life thanks to a memorial concert in honor of an artistic uprising in the Nazi concentration camp of Terezin.

At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7. $30-$175.

619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org

“AMP 11” by Matt Rich is on view in a solo show opening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Friday, May 8, at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library (1008 Wall St., La Jolla). original student designs and collections.

Includes a silent auction, student exhibits, and a runway show with proceeds going to Mesa College scholarships. At 5:30 p.m.

Friday, May 8. $15-$50. 619-291-2900, sdmesagoldenscissors.eventbrite.com HMayStar’s Fashion Whore at U-31, 3112 University Ave., North Park. The monthly fashion event features locally made crafts and a runway show with designers like Sewcal Socialite, Skates Johnson and the return of MayStar Designs after an eight-year hiatus.

From 8 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May 9.

Free-$8. 619-584-4188, facebook.com/ events/901047463251106/

FOOD & DRINK Taste of Cardiff at Downtown Cardiff-bythe-Sea, Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Sample over 20 unique eateries and 14 sip stops at this sixth annual sampling event. Notable names include Bull Taco, The Chart House and Zenbu. From 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 7. $25-$35. tasteofcardiff.com HChocolate Festival at San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. Enjoy dozens of chocolate tastings, demonstrations, a chocolate fountain and more at this family-friendly event.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9. $8-$14. 760-436-3036, sdbgarden.org World of Good Wine and Dessert Gala at 828 Events, 2863 Historic Decatur Rd., Point Loma. Enjoy art displays and interactive performances while sampling food and beverages. Benefits the Jewish Federation of San Diego County. At 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 9. $50-$120. 858-4129797, nextgensandiego.org/wog HBacon & Barrels Festival at Embarcadero Marina Park South, 111 W. Harbor Drive, Downtown. Visit over 100 food and libation booths to nibble on imaginative bacon recipes from San Diego chefs and sip high-end small batch whiskey, scotch, tequila, gin and rum from local artisan purveyors. From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 9. $50-$90. 805996-0652, baconandbarrels.com HHillcrest Craft Beer Crawl at Hillcrest Brewing Company, 1458 University Ave., Hillcrest. The world’s first gay brewery, Hillcrest Brewing Company, presents the nation’s first LGBT Craft Beer Crawl with tons of goodies and stops at several beer-heavy spots. At 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9. $20-$30. hillcrestcraftbeercrawl.com

Mainly Mozart: Four Piano Spectacular Part of the annual Spotlight Chamber Music Series, the concert will feature four pianists playing a selection of classical works. The Friday concert takes place at the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club in Carlsbad and the Saturday concert will be held at The Auditorium At TSRI in La Jolla. At 6 p.m. Friday, May 8 and 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 9. $55-$70. 619-660-4627, mainlymozart.org

Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. Traditional shadow art executed with live music, special effects and live elements. Combines acrobatics, contemporary dance, live vocals and amusing theatrics. At 8 p.m. Saturday, May 9. $20-$85.

619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org

Museum of California, 2730 Historic Decatur Road, Barracks 16, Point Loma.

An evening of provocative poetry featuring local activist Jeeni Criscenzo and her wise women friends, Lilia Gracia Castro and Silvia Camaron Telafaro. From 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 8. $15. 760-525-1915, womensmuseumca.org

Diego at First Church of the Brethren, 3850 Westgate Pl., City Heights. This forum aims to encourage people to become engaged in work around police abuse issues and provide opportunities with local organizations. At 7 p.m. Monday, May 11.

Free. www.sdcpj.org

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD

HDavid Shaddock at D.G. Wills Books, 7461 Girard Ave., La Jolla. Shaddock’s poems have appeared in such journals as Tikkun and Mother Jones. He will read from his new collection, Vernal Pool. At 7 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free. 858-456-1800, dgwillsbooks.com

SPECIAL EVENTS

Blackburn Virtual Reading at Geisel Library, UCSD campus, La Jolla. A virtual reading from the Library’s Archive for New Poetry, featuring newly digitized recordings from the large archive of poetry readings created by poet and translator Paul Blackburn. From 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 7.

Free. 858-534-0533, library.ucsd.edu When the Purple Arrives at Women’s

POLITICS & COMMUNITY

Throwback Thursday at San Diego History Center, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park. A 21-and-over Centennial Celebration featuring hosted food and cocktails, as well as music and games. From 6 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 7. $25. 619-232-6203, sandiegohistory.org/tbthappyhour

Black and Brown Lives Matter: Abuse of Power and Law Enforcement in San

HGator By The Bay at Spanish Landing Park, North Harbor Drive, Downtown.

HYouth Orchestra of the Californias at Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park. In celebration of Cinco de Mayo and the Balboa Park Centennial, an afternoon concert featuring great classical music from the binational ensemble. At 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free. 619-239-0100, mainlymozart.org HThe Bossa Nova at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights. Part of the MIXX Concert Series, local octet Salt Water Jazz will perform a set of music by Chick Corea, Jobim, Peter Sprague and more. The concert is followed by a pop-up dinner by Water’s Fine Catering. At 6 p.m.

Saturday, May 9. $20-$40. brownpapertickets.com/event/700143 Christian Tetzlaff and Lars Vogt at Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St, La Jolla. La Jolla Music Society closes its Celebrity Recital Series with the violin and piano duo performing selections from Mozart, Brahm, Bartok and Webern. At 8 p.m.

Saturday, May 9. $35-$99. 858-454-3541, ljms.org HGirl Power: Honoring Women in Music at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. On Mother’s Day, the San Diego Symphony pays tribute to women with a program of music that is either written by a woman or depicts a feminine character. At 2 p.m. Sunday, May 10. $10-$25. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org

PERFORMANCE 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 US Air Guitar Championships at The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. San Diego’s finest air guitarists rock through 60 seconds of air guitar fury followed by criticism from a panel of judges. At 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 8. $10. 619-299-7372, facebook.com/events/801016873279580/ HSan Diego Puppetry Festival at Tenth Avenue Arts Center, 930 10th Ave., East Village. This fest includes performances for all ages, workshops, a puppetry exhibit, a store and a number of works-inprogress. See website for full schedule and times. Various times through Friday, May 8. $5-$75. 619-920-8503, sandiegopuppetryfestival.org Le Ombre: Light, Shadow, Wonder at

#SDCityBeat

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

EVENTS The 14th annual Louisiana-themed music and food festival features four days of live music with over 85 acts on six stages, along with 10,000 pounds of crawfish trucked from Louisiana. From 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 7, 3:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, May 8, 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 9, and 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 10. $25$95. 619-234-8612, gatorbythebay.com Mama’s Day at Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 3777 La Jolla Village Dr., La Jolla. Enjoy music and dine on distinctive dishes prepared and served by executive chefs from San Diego’s top restaurants and hotels.

Proceeds benefit Mama’s Kitchen’s food delivery programs. From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 8. $125-$250. 619-2336262, mamaskitchen.org Surfrider Foundation Art Gala at Para-

New play offers lessons in letting go

dise Point Resort, 1404 Vacation Rd., Mission Beach. The 15th annual event benefitting the Surfrider Foundation features live and silent auctions, as well as live art installations, body painting, food, beverages and music from Aja Lee Faasse and the Mattson 2. From 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 8. $60. 858-622-9661, surfridersd.org Floral Show: Our Park - Our Treasure 1915-2015 at Balboa Park Club, 2150 Pan American Rd. West, Balboa Park. This major accredited flower show showcases the best floral designers in our city and also includes horticulture workshops and special exhibits. From 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 8 and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10. Free. sdfloral.org Multicultural World Music and Dance Festival at Market Creek Plaza, 5160 Federal Blvd., Diamond District. Traditional

Ocean Beach Kiwanis Kite Festival and Craft Fair at Dusty Rhodes Park, Sunset Cliffs Blvd. at Nimitz, Ocean Beach. Now in its 67th year, there will be live music, a street fair, carnival rides and, naturally, kite demonstrations, kite making, kite decorating and kite flying. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free. oceanbeachkiwanis.org Asian Cultural Festival at Mira Mesa Community Park, 8575 New Salem St., Mira Mesa. The sixth annual festival celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month features traditional, cultural and contemporary performances, as well as art, food, educa-

THEATER

The evolution of theater in San Diego, and the burnishing of its reputation, depends on theaters—beyond just the Old Globe and La Jolla Playhouse—presenting world-premiere works.

So bravo to Moxie Theatre’s debut staging of playwright Tatiana Suarez-Pico’s Lesson 443.

Directed by Moxie co-founder Jennifer Eve Thorn and starring a four-person cast fronted

by Daniela Millan, a student at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, Lesson 443 is an imperfect but sensitive play in which justifiable teen anger is transformed into understanding and reconciliation.

Millan portrays teenager Cari Gonzalez, who is wise beyond her years. (She sometimes sounds too wise, in terms of dialogue, for any teen). She is royally pissed off about: how her Mexican heritage, and accent, have made her the target of bullying at school; the death, from cancer, of her mother Maggie barely after Cari was born; and her strict and secretive father, who tries to separate her from her stoner boyfriend, and who, Cari discovers, cheated on his wife with Maggie’s twin sister, Lottie. Cari’s flammable feelings are soothed but not extinguished by the apparent ghost of her mother, whom only she can see and who imparts lessons about coping and adjusting to life in Ohio.

Young Millan is most engrossing to watch as her performance grows beyond the one-note petulance of Act 1 into emotions much more nuanced in the second act. Paul Araujo is properly righteous and guilty-seeming as Manny, Cari’s father, though he overdoes his exasperated stammering. Wendy Waddell plays both the ghost of Cari’s mother and the also-guilty aunt, Lottie, with matter-of-factness, while Anthony Mabey looks and acts the part of the well-meaning boyfriend with the hash pipe and the electric guitar.

The contrivance of a mother-confessor ghost to treat all the confusion and anger inside Cari is expedient storytelling to be sure, and the numbered lessons imparted, in spite of the play’s title, seems like a throwaway device. The merits of Lesson 443 reside in Cari’s coming-of-age fragility, as played by the promising Millan, and in the statement Suarez-Pico makes about being who

16 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

music and dance performances of Africa, Asia, and Latin America and workshops with artists will be offered at this annual festival. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free. 619-527-6161, centerforworldmusic.org

J.T. MACMILLAN

Daniela Millan and Paul Araujo in “Lesson 443.” you are and trying to let go, which, we all know, doesn’t always happen.

Lesson 443 runs through May 24 at Moxie Theatre in Rolando. $20-$27; moxietheatre.com

—David L. Coddon Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING The Piano Lesson: The classic play by August Wilson about an African-American family in 1930s Pittsburgh trying to decide whether to sell a family heirloom in order to make a fresh start. It opens on Thursday, May 7, at the Grossmont College Stagehouse Theatre in El Cajon. grossmont.edu West Side Story: Bernstein and Sondheim’s Broadway musical take on Romeo & Juliet, but with street gangs with not-so-scary names like the Sharks and Jets. Presented by J*Company Youth Theatre, it opens on Friday, May 8, at the Garfield Theatre in La Jolla. sdcjc.org Arms and the Man: Often considered George Bernard Shaw’s most romantic comedy, this play centers on a young Bulgarian woman who gets caught up in a love triangle during the Serbo-Bulgarian War. It opens on Saturday, May 9, at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. theoldglobe.org A Civil War Story: Intended for young audiences, this original play follows a runaway slave and a Union soldier hiding out together in Confederate territory. Produced by the Center’s Education Department, it happens at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12, at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. artcenter.org

For full listings,

please visit “T heater ” at sdcit ybeat.com

#SDCityBeat

tional and cultural fun for the whole family.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 9.

Free. asianculturalfestivalsd.com

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS

CacaoFest at WorldBeat Cultural Center, 2100 Park Blvd., Balboa Park. A world music, art and chocolate festival, celebrating the cultures behind the chocolate.

Includes local artisan chocolate makers, crafters, artists, musicians, wellness practitioners and more. From 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 9. $10-$72. 619-2301190, cacaofest.com

Copyright for Media Makers at San Diego City College, 1313 Park Blvd., Downtown. New Media Rights founder Art Neill discusses public interest law in the areas of internet, intellectual property, privacy, and media law. Takes place in the Career Technical Center (V Building). From 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 7. Free. facebook. com/sdcityrtvfdept

Paws in the Park at NTC Park at Liberty Station, 2455 Cushing Road, Point Loma.

A 1.5- or 2.5-mile course dog walk with a variety of festivities afterward including games, food and opportunity drawings.

Proceeds benefit the San Diego Humane Society. From 7 a.m. to noon. Saturday, May 9. 619-573-9260, sdhumane.org

Richard Lederer at Coronado Playhouse, 1835 Strand Way, Coronado. The founding co-host of A Way with Words on KPBS radio, author, speaker and “verbivore” will present a program entitled “The Lighter Side of Language.” At 7 p.m. Saturday, May 9 and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 10. $20. coronadoplayhouse.com

HBummerfest at The Irenic, 3090 Polk Ave., North Park. An all-day music and art festival designed to create awareness for childhood abuse and bone marrow donation. Bands include Rob Crow, Mr. Tube, Bit Maps and more. There will also be live art, food, massages and more. At 2 p.m.

Saturday, May 9. $8. brownpapertickets. com/event/1391695

A Curator’s Perspective: Dear Nemesis, Nicole Eisenman 1993-2013 at MCASD, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla. Celebrate the opening of MCASD’s newest exhibition and take part in a gallery walkthrough led

by Assistant Curator Elizabeth Rooklidge.

At 2 p.m. Monday, May 11. Free-$10.

858-454-3541, mcasd.org

Bogota, Colombia discusses public programs that address pressing bio-regional and global socio-economic, urban and environmental issues. At noon. Tuesday, May 12. Free. visarts.ucsd.edu

Death Cafe Marathon Week at Greenwood Memorial Park, 4300 Imperial Ave., Lincoln Park. In celebration of the growing international movement known as Death Cafe, San Diegans are invited to attend one or more lively conversations about death to be held throughout the County. From 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 11. Free. 619-264-3131, deathcafe. com/deathcafe/1949/

Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School at San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. A post-apocalyptic life drawing class that will imagine a future where trash and detritus dominate the landscape. From 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 7. sandiego-art.org

HThe Civic Imagination Series: Antanas Mockus at UCSD SME Building, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla. The former Mayor of

WORKSHOPS

Urban Craft Camp Craft Cocktail Workshop at Geographie, 2879 University Ave., North Park. Learn how to make three unique craft cocktails, the history of each drink, the basics of drink making, and proper construction of a well-balanced

cocktail. From 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 8. $85. 619-888-5783, urbancraftcamp.com ARTS: A Reason To Survive and Peace Paper Project Papermaking Workshop at ARTS A Reason to Survive, 200 East 12 St., National City.

The general public is welcome to explore and tour the Peace Paper Project’s process and join the workshop at 10 a.m. to decorate their hand-made cloth paper with photos, poetry, paintings and more. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 9. Free. 619-308-6896, areasontosurvive.org

For full listings,

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

Butterfly Festival at Water Conservation Garden, 12122 Cuyamaca College Dr. West, El Cajon. Interact with butterflies, learn about their life cycle, and find out how to create a home butterfly garden. Includes kids crafts, fun activities, performances and vendors. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free-$5. thegarden.org Midwives, Mamas and More Family Festival at Waterfront Park, 1600 Pacific Hwy., Little Italy. A new fest celebrating Mother’s Day and International Day of the Midwife that features live entertainment, kids’ zone, pampering stations, food and unique vendors for families of all types. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Free. 858-6943030, midwivesmamasandmore.com Empty Bowls San Diego 2015 at La Jolla United Methodist Church, 6063 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. San Diego area potters and local students make and donate hundreds of ceramic bowls to raise money for local homeless charity, the Third Avenue Charitable Organization. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday, May 9. $20 suggested donation. 858-454-7108, tacosd.org HGarden Party of the Century at Balboa Park. The Centennial-inspired event will feature a flower show, Master Gardener demonstrations, garden tours, special horticulture discussions and a wide variety of music, art and activities for the whole family. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 9.

Free. celebratebalboapark.org Mother Lovin’ Shopping Spree at Bazaar del Mundo, 4133 Taylor St., Old Town. Peruse unique accessories, collectibles, artisan jewelry, arts and crafts, and creative women’s fashion for Mother’s Day. From 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 9. 619296-3161, bazaardelmundo.com Sunset Rotary’s Mother’s Day Run at DeAnza Cove, 3000 N Mission Bay Dr., Mission Bay. The third annual run and walk benefits the San Diego Rescue Mission, serving the needs of the poor, addicted, abused and homeless. From 7 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 10. $25-$45. 858-3447570, sdmothersdayrun.com

SPORTS Turista Libre: Lucha Libre Ringside in Tijuana at San Ysidro Port of Entry, south of the pedestrian border crossing in Tijuana, Colonia Federal. Masked men in stretchy pants throwing down body slams and trash talk en Español. Tickets include transport from the border to Tijuana’s Auditorio Municipal, gelatinous en-route libations and a lucha libre souvenir. At 7 p.m.

Friday, May 8. $35-$50. turistalibre.com

#SDCityBeat

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

Culture

Headcrammers Tune in to these attention-worthy staff picks, including page-turners, web wonders and TV tomfoolery

WEB MAGAZINE

APP

BOOKS

For voracious readers: It’s been a turbulent time in the journalism business. Newspapers closing, or slashing staff, has been the norm for the last decade or so. At the heart of the upheaval is the Internet. Ubiquitous, and for the most part free, online content has turned advertising models upside down. However, while folks have been quick to eulogize the newspaper and demonize web content as shallow, online journalism has been evolving. And the folks at The Atavist Magazine have helped to lead the way.

A web-only publication, it features immersive storytelling complete with tons of gorgeous photography, videos, interactive links and audio versions of each story. The content is riveting.

Featuring one narrative-nonfiction story every month, the magazine has gained prestige since kicking off in 2011. And the app, available for Android and Apple, offers an experience that’s just about perfect. Print may be dying, but what’s taking its place is downright inspiring. magazine.atavist.com

I love comic books, but in the late ’90s I just had to give it up. It was just too expensive.

So when I recently found myself wanting to catch up, I was pleased to learn that Marvel had an app called Marvel Unlimited that gives me access to almost the entire library.

It’s archived back to the ’60s Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment and goes all the way up to the present. Not only did I get to reread the entire Infinity Gauntlet saga (reportedly the basis for the next Avengers movie), but I also caught up on cool new titles like Jason Aaron’s excellent run on Thor, the God of Thunder and the highly hilarious The Superior Foes of SpiderMan (it’s actually about a group of reject villains with lame powers). Like the new Daredevil show on Netflix?

Check out Frank Miller’s brilliant five-issue Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. Already seen Age of Ultron twice? Director Joss Whedon wrote 24 excellent issues of Astonishing X-Men from 2004 to 2007. It’s $9.99 a month (or $99 for a year), but there’s no limit to the amount you can read. Now, if only DC Comics would do the same. marvel.com/comics/unlimited

It’s not always easy to explain the difference between death metal and black metal (or for that matter, doom metal or grindcore) to a non-metal head.

It’s easy to confuse the more organic, DIY history of the global death metal underground with the more sensational churchburnings-and-murders rap sheet of the early ’90s Norwegian black-metal scene.

Albert Mudrian’s Choosing Death, a history of death metal from the mid-’80s to the present day, tells the story of how extreme metal grew from teenagers trading tapes and setting up shows in rec centers to becoming a global phenomenon. There are some hard lessons learned, some brief moments of triumph, and—now with added chapters in its latest edition— the slow and delayed payoff that bands like Carcass and At the Gates achieved via reunion tours and recordings. It’s a story about young people creating a community, and the surprising innocence of those ideals. The hardcover book features amazing illustrations from artist Dan Seagrave, plus photos and handmade flyers. Choosingdeath.com

—Joshua Emerson Smith

—Seth Combs

—Jeff Terich

CABLE ‘NEWS’ SHOW

BOOKS

APP

The titular host of VH1’s Best Week Ever with Paul F. Tompkins, has moved his shtick to the Fusion Network for a news parody show called No, You Shut Up! Playing a sincere-yet-dim-witted, Ron Burgundy-esque host, Tompkins leads a panel discussion of timely news topics with guests like Jack Black, Tig Notaro, Patton Oswalt and a slew of other comedians. The regular panelists are (literally) puppets. Created by Henson Alternative (part of The Jim Henson Company), the puppet pontificators include: Republican screecher Red Crab; Libertarian hermit Bigfoot; flying squirrel/gay rights activist Barry; kangaroo rat/ film critic Armond Mite; and a vapid actor/model/hot dog named Hot Dog, who also does a celebrity interview segment called “Frankly Speaking.” At the end of each episode of NYSU, panelists call out a person in the public eye who they believe should “shut up!” fusion.net/show/no-you-shut-up —Ron Donoho

Back in 2013, authors Gabe Durham and Ken Baumann had the so-brilliant-whydidn’t-I-think-of-it idea to create a series of books about old-school video games, and Boss Fight Books was born. Much like the popular music-book series 33 1/3, authors of a Boss Fight title are given creative license to explore their title in ways that go beyond mere criticism and history. For example, the first book of the series, Baumann’s Earthbound serves as a memoir for Baumann’s past as a child actor, and he presents Earthbound as a thematic vehicle with which he used to reconnect with family members as his acting career was ending. Simply, it’s as entertaining as it is profound. Now into its second “season,” Boss Fight recently released Durham’s Bible Adventures, the game I’m sure every parent hated because it finally offered kids the righteous opportunity to justify their Nintendo playing. bossfightbooks.com —Ryan Bradford

As a professional lady with her toes dipped into various career pools, I often have to make presentations, business cards, imagedriven social media posts and all kinds of other bits of media. And, no big deal, but my stuff always looks rad! Like it was created by a design pro, or an intern at some über-hip, ambiguous firm with a name like JoySpace or ENGLOW. I’m not a designer.

I use Microsoft Paint to crop photos. That’s super lame. But with Canva, I can create image-based media that looks awesome. There are templates all set up for you so you can have the world’s most hipster party invite, presentation, Facebook cover photo and much more. The interface is easy to use and you can customize all designs to your liking or build your own from scratch. It’s seriously one of the best weapons in my professional arsenal. And it’s free! I’m no designer but Canva helps me fake it in a believable way. canva.com —Alex Zaragoza

18 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

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#SDCityBeat

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

Culture | Art Seth Combs

Seen Local DESERT BLOOM Arzu Ozkal’s journey thus far has been one of artistic defiance. Most of her video work, graphic design and performance pieces have been decisive statements against male-centric totalitarianism and patriarchal value systems.

Born in Turkey, Ozkal is an assistant professor of graphic design at San Diego State University. Since 2011, she’s been working on Home Affairs with fellow artist Nanette Yannuzzi. Comprising poster-sized screen prints that blend text, photography and graphic design, the series intends to honor, as Ozkal puts it, “creative, successful women who are also raising children.”

From her workspace and studio at SDSU, Ozkal says, “It’s bullshit to believe that women can’t have both a career and a family. When I had my baby, I never questioned my capabilities to be a good mother, artist, professional and educator, but the perception out there is that once you get pregnant you have to settle down.

Dealing with that is very tiring.”

One print from the series, titled “Allison,” shows a black-and-white image of a mother with a massive cloak, and her daughter emerging from the bottom of the cloak. The image appears to be one of playfulness, but the overlying text reads: “The princess. The princess. The frog.

Live in a patriarchal society.” It was inspired by an interaction where the mother explained to the daughter what, exactly, the word “patriarchy” meant.

“Allison” Another, titled, “Arzu,” shows Ozkal herself (disguised in a fox mask) breastfeeding her newborn son with the caption, “Does your Gallery, Museum Conference Center or Festival provide Child Care?”

“It was the first one I created,” says Ozkal, who says the work was inspired by an incident where she was essentially kicked out of an exhibition in New Jersey for being pregnant. “There was a lot of discussion at that time about whether women have to choose having a baby or choose to have a career. I also saw this article where this female artist said she wasn’t going to have kids, because if she did she couldn’t be a ‘perfect artist.’

That pissed me off.”

Ozkal says the fox mask is an alter-ego of hers, but in a way, she had to wear a lot of masks growing up in

20 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

Arzu Ozkal Ankara, Turkey. It’s a bustling and modern city, but she says the capital of the heavily Muslim country is still repressive when it comes to women’s rights. While she points out that her family was comparatively progressive, she still felt unhappy and repressed.

After studying at Bilkent University in Ankara, she moved to—of all places—Buffalo, New York, to get her MFA. She was hired by Oberlin College to teach new media practices, and in 2011, moved to San Diego to teach at SDSU. Throughout the moves, she was creating art, publishing DIY book projects and exhibiting all over the world. In a lot of ways, Home Affairs—which opens at Art Produce Gallery (artproduce.org) on, naturally, Mother’s Day, May 10, from 1 to 4 p.m.—can be seen as a culmination of not only Ozkal’s artistic career, but of the issues she’s attempted to address throughout her artistic journey.

Through the prism of motherhood, Home Affairs shines a light on the larger issues facing all women.

“All of my work is related, but part of a broader framework,” says Ozkal. “Most of it is about inclusion and exclusion dynamics. This one just happened to deal with why we are excluding mothers.”

Ozkal plans to have photographic equipment set up at the show opening to take pictures of mothers that she’ll ultimately use in the exhibition catalog.

“We really wanted to open it on Mother’s Day so we could meet other mothers and take their pictures and celebrate motherhood,” she says. contrary.info

—Seth Combs

#SDCityBeat

Culture

ryan bradford

well that was

awkward

The mall at the end of the line The hangover should’ve been an omen. Or, perhaps it was the fact that the couple in the neighboring room was rehearsing a play at 9 a.m.—both seemed to be shouting their lines in a Mr. DNA-from-Jurassic Park dialect right into the wall next to my head. Or, maybe it was just that I had woken up next to my friend Justin Hudnall in our shared, king-size bed one too many times. Not that I don’t think Justin is a decent bedfellow, but his ability to sleep through the dramatic agony going on next door was illogically rage-inducing.

Whatever the case, it was probably not the ideal morning to decide to visit the Mall of America.

I was in Minneapolis for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference. We’d been there since Wednesday. The previous four days had been spent navigating panels on pedagogy alongside a sea of indiscernible beards and glasses, and the past three nights were spent forgetting what we learned.

The night before my visit to the MoA, our group found our way to a warehouse reading that offered free bourbon, which always sounds good in theory but usually ends with you apologizing to someone. It also seemed like a decent time to try Adderall for the first time, which would probably explain why I ended up eating nearly 60 percent of a pizza meant for the readers while telling someone I was absolutely certain I could get him a teaching job in San Diego.

Outside, the remaining guests huddled around a fire pit. Justin and my other friend, Jennifer, had befriended two tough-looking girls who had wandered into the reading randomly, and I heard the tail end of a story in which one of them had been punched in the face earlier in the evening (I never found out the circumstances). One of these girls suggested we come with them to Gay 90s, a club not far from our hotel, and at the moment, nothing could have made more sense.

Walking through Gay 90s felt similar to navigating a fun house or spook alley. Each garishly lit room held a different surprise: a red hip-hop room, an icy-blue techno room, and upstairs, a drag show.

Through some deus ex machina or consolidation of plot (did anyone call for a writer?), the authors from the earlier event were also at Gay 90s. Lindsay Hunter (whose book Ugly Girls is an absolute mustread) told me to give a dollar to a performer who had a strong resemblance to Ursula from The Little Mermaid, and it seemed like a ridiculous moment in my night to start saying “no.”

I will never forget the look that drag queen gave me when she accepted my dollar, judging the stupid little shoulder dance I made in an effort to appear cool. It was the look of unmistakable pity.

The last memory of the night was of Justin, Jennifer and me straddling a massive, bronzed, grotesquely veiny statue of a penis. There’s

photographic evidence, too: In the picture, my arms are outstretched high above my head in a victorious V. Nobody has ever been so happy to have their picture taken on a giant dick.

So you can see why I was a tad hungover the next morning. **** I’m certain no one goes to the Mall of America on purpose. Rather, people are sucked into it, pulled in by some insidious force or amorphous desire that lines your dreams at the moment before turning into nightmares.

The train ride from downtown Minneapolis to the smelliest corporate orifice in America is an hour long, and on that Sunday, all the passengers had the forlorn look of cattle. Only the lucky few en route to the airport—two stops before the mall—seemed to possess any hope. A children’s dance conference had quickly pushed the writers out of the conference center area, so even the option of hanging around downtown posed the risk of dealing with red-faced, Midwestern fathers and their sparkle-magic daughters.

The train stopped. “End of the line,” the automated voice said. The literal and figurative implications were not lost on me.

An escalator dumped me face-to-face with a bronzed, 10-foot statue of SpongeBob SquarePants—the guardian of the amusement park located within the mall. Between that and the giant genitalia I had ridden 12 hours prior, the SpongeBob was, by far, more terrifying.

I knew that there would be rollercoasters, but an entire goddamn amusement park? The sounds of children reverberated through the oversized terrarium. I wondered at what age children learned to differentiate their screams of terror and joy.

I stood next to a wife berating a husband for drinking their child’s water.

A Peeps store stood amidst it all, offering a pastelcolored refuge. A woman offered me jellybeans, which I accepted like a desert-island survivor who’s been offered water. I dropped one, but still ate it after she turned around.

I visited the Hot Topic, which was, disappointingly, nothing special. Just a regular Hot Topic.

I searched for a Sbarro, and settled for a Villa Italian Kitchen (at the moment, the name of the restaurant seemed so important to remember that it was the only note I took during the entire weekend).

I called it at 45 minutes. I’d had enough. On my way out, I passed by an aquarium and stood above a pool. I stared at rays circling endlessly in the soothing, blue water.

It made me sad to know they’d never be able to leave.

“

I’m certain no one goes to the Mall of America on purpose.

”

#SDCityBeat

Well That Was Awkward appears every other week.

Write to ryanb@sdcitybeat.com.

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

Culture | Film

The few, the proud, the good summer movies Highlighting a small collection of releases worth a damn

by Glenn Heath Jr. It’s common practice for film critics to write an annual Summer Movie Preview to survey the onslaught of big budget sequels, prequels, tent-poles and remakes to come. With the Internet at our disposal, one might ask why such an article would be necessary?

The answer is simple: to perpetuate the Hollywood marketing machine. Many critics are fine with this reality. I’ve written such articles myself. Clearly such previews are akin to a factory worker punching the clock, or Joss Whedon making Avengers: Age of Ultron.

But instead of going all militant and trashing the Summer Movie Preview as a capitalist reality of our times, I think there’s wiggle room to be had­—an opportunity to highlight the kind of old-school classical Hollywood essence that still inhabits a few products released in the sweltering months. Call me an optimist.

Every year a few mainstream summer movies stand out for this reason. Sometimes they succeed at the box office, but mostly they fail, probably because of their idiosyncratic tendencies. In 2014 there was Edge of Tomorrow and How to Train Your Dragon 2, and in 2013 This is the End and The Lone Ranger.

Also, the summer months often see entries from Sundance, Berlin and South by Southwest finally hitting the big screen. With this in mind, consider the following piece less a complete picture of the film-release schedule to come and more a showcase for the few films (both mainstream and independent) that could be worth a damn as subversive termite art (look up Manny Farber), pop fantasia, low-budget ingenuity and possibly all three.

Mad Max: Fury Road (May 15): George Miller’s original trilogy introduced the world to Mel Gibson’s rage and an iconic desert dystopia that often mirrored the real world in its themes of desperation and economic collapse. Now, more than 30 years after Beyond Thuderdome, Miller returns with Fury Road, this time starring Tom Hardy as the wildly stoic ex-police officer attempting to survive in a barren, water-stricken world full of maniacs.

If you’ve seen the trailers promoting the film, then you have some idea of the absurd, surreal, and nightmarish spectacle coming our way. Early reports indicate the film lives up to the insanity of its marketing, but also offers very little dialogue. From The Road Warrior to Happy Feet, Miller has often experimented with lengthy wordless sequences that highlight the small scope of mankind in the face of awe-inspiring nature. It sounds like Fury Road could be the perfect flash point for an underrated filmmaker to deliver one of the summer’s few R-rated spectacles while also splintering the line between mainstream and avant garde.

22 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

Mad Max: Fury Road Tomorrowland (May 22): At first glance this may seem like a cash-grab for Disney, but Brad Bird’s hybrid of sci-fi, action, family and comedy could be an oldschool charmer. The man behind similarly themed The Iron Giant and The Incredibles is capable of instilling a sense of wonder into products that could potentially be soulless and trite. Starring Casey Newton as a curious teenage girl who finds a lapel pin that takes her to an alternate universe, Tomorrowland also finds George Clooney in the role of a fast-talking, cranky and spry genius with secrets of his own. Bird seems to be embracing the 1950s nostalgia of retrofuturism, something that made the original incarnation of Disneyland such a marvel.

Inside Out (June 19): Talk about high concept.

The latest Pixar film goes inside the mind of a young girl controlled by a series of sassy programmers dealing with their own issues. Mom and Dad also have their own set of little voices.

Deemed “a major emotion picture,” Inside Out will surely grapple with gender, angst and most importantly, the pitfalls of communication.

Co-directed by Pete Doctor, whose last film Up brought audiences to tears back in 2009. I’m sure there will be more waterworks here.

The Wolfpack (June 19): Inside Out Hot off its premiere at Sundance, where it won the award for Best Documentary, Crystal Moselle’s striking new film gains incredible access to the lives of the Angulo brothers, who have spent almost their entire lives in an apartment with only a massive VHS collection as a window into the outside world. They make elaborate homemade props and costumes to emulate their favorite movies, most notably Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs.

Tangerine (July 17): Not to be confused with the Georgian film just nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, Sean Baker’s indie follows two transgender prostitutes as they traverse Los Angeles over the course of one night. Featuring great performances by newcomers Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Tylor, the film was shot entirely on an iPhone 5. And it’s got James Ransone as a pimp. Done deal.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (July 31): I haven’t been a huge fan of the last few entries (give me De Palma and Woo any day), but the fifth installment featuring Tom Cruise as super spy Ethan Hunt

#SDCityBeat

Culture | Film has Christopher McQuarrie in the director’s chair. He made the underrated Jack Reacher with Cruise.

It’s the kind of bullish, Fuller-esque procedural you never see anymore.

There’s hope.

The Diary of a Teenage Girl (August 14): In what’s looking like a landmark year for Sundance, here’s another award-winning entry set in the 1970s about teen artist Minnie (Bel Powley), who strikes up an affair with her mother’s boyfriend (Alexander Skarsgård). Directed

by Marielle Heller, this comingof-age film has been lauded for its unflinching honesty and dedication to character. With that in mind, it’s sure to be one of the few bright spots in an already slim pickings month of August.

Film reviews run weekly.

Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com.

Opening About Elly: While on a picnic in the north of Iran, a kindergarten teacher disappears, leaving her friends distraught with panic. From director Asghar Farhadi (A Separation).

Black Souls: Based on Gioacchini Criaco’s novel of the same name, this gripping mafia tale explores the tension and conflict between three brothers fighting for control of an Italian crime family.

Far From the Madding Crowd: Carey Mulligan and Matthias Schoenaerts star in Thomas Vinterberg’s adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s sweeping romance about a fiercely independent woman who struggles to choose between three suitors.

Hot Pursuit: An uptight cop played by Reese Witherspoon tries to protect the vivacious widow of a Mexican drug boss while being pursued through Texas by a collective of bad guys.

Misery Loves Comedy: Featuring interviews with Jimmy Fallon, Tom Hanks and Jim Gaffigan, this documentary looks at the profession of stand-up comedians from the inside out. Screens through Thursday, May 14, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Noble: A feature film based on the true story of Christina Noble, an Irish children’s rights campaigner who traveled to Vietnam to make a difference.

Reality: Another surreal oddity from director Quentin Dupiex (Rubber) about a cameraman who dreams of making his own horror film. Screens through Thursday, May 14, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

The D Train: Jack Black and James Marsden are quite a pair in this dark comedy about the head of a high school reunion committee who travels to Los Angeles hoping to convince the most popular guy from his graduating class to attend the event.

Welcome to Me: A psychotic woman (Kristen Wiig) wins the lottery and decides to stop taking her meds and creates her own talk show. Opens Friday, May 8, at the Reading Gaslamp Cinemas.

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One Time Only 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.

The Room: The worst movie ever made has to be seen to be believed. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, and Tuesday, May 12, at various local theaters. Go to fathomevents.com for more information.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s: The dazzling film that made Audrey Hepburn a star takes place in New York City during the swinging ‘60s. Screens at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 8 and 9, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

Backcountry: A couple goes camping in the Canadian wilderness and gets lost, only to stumble upon the territory of a predatory black bear. Screens at 10 p.m. Friday May 8 and Saturday May 9 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Roar: A cult classic rarely seen on the big screen, this film directed by Noel Marshall is notorious for the high amount of injuries experienced on set thanks to the use of wild animals. Screens at 11:55 p.m.

Saturday, May 9, at the Ken Cinema.

Wild: Reese Witherspoon decides to go into the wild and find herself in this bigscreen adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s best-selling memoir. Screens at 2 p.m.

Sunday, May 10, at the Point Loma / Hervey Branch Library.

You’re Not You: Starring two-time Oscar winner Hillary Swank, this complex comedy/drama is about a woman with ALS who develops a sensual connection with her female care-giver. Screens at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 11, at the San Diego Central Library in East Village.

Big Eyes: Amy Adams stars as artist Margaret Keane, whose conniving husband makes a living off her work by claiming it’s his creation. Screens at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, at the Point Loma / Hervey Branch Library.

Pitch Perfect: Anna Kendrick and her Bellas compete in a singing competition for the ages. Just in time for the sequel.

Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Now Playing 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.

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.

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.

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

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

merri sutton

Music

THE

SONICS ARE STILL BOOMING Pioneering garage punks back after crazy hiatus

by SCOTT McDONALD

E

Clockwise from top left: Rob Lind , Larry Parypa, Gerry Roslie, Freddie Dennis and Dusty Watson

ven on the phone, Larry Parypa’s natural cool is That is, until Land Rover decided to use their version unmistakable. The guitarist and founder of ’60s of Richard Berry’s “Have Love Will Travel” in a 2004 garage rock pioneers The Sonics is direct, devoid commercial. of pretense and unfazed by his band’s astonishing resurAs interest grew in the band, so did the original memgence in recent years. bers’ desire to give it another go. And by 2007, that’s ex“I honestly thought most people wouldn’t give a shit,” he actly what they did at Brooklyn’s Cavestomp Festival. tells CityBeat from his home in the Seattle suburb of Belle“Over the years, there were all kinds of offers to get us vue. “But reactions have been great. I look out and see guys back together,” Parypa says. “We always said ‘No, thanks.’ in their 20s and 30s singing the lyrics to our songs. I mean, But in 2007, we decided to try—just to see if we could I don’t even know all the lyrics to our even do it anymore. And we had to songs—not a single one. So I guess you re-learn all of our own songs. We could say we’re pleasantly surprised.” needed to make sure we could play While “shaking off the dust and them with the same feeling. None getting the band back together” is a of us played with bands during common theme these days, The Sonthat intervening time.” ics have taken it to an extreme.

Instead, The Sonics’ three In March, Parypa and his band original members—Parypa, vocalmates released This Is The Sonics, ist Gerry Roslie, and saxophonist their first LP in 48 years.

Rob Lind were entrenched in reguThe quintet from Tacoma, Washlar lives with regular jobs. Parypa ington, first came to prominence with worked in insurance, Roslie ran a the release of their influential 1965 depaving company and Lind earned but, Here Are The Sonics!!! Often cited his living as an airline pilot. as the first punk/garage rock band, But it wasn’t long before other The Sonics had all but broken up by countries started showing interest, the time their third album, Introductoo, and it quickly became apparing The Sonics, was released in 1967. ent to Parypa that major decisions Different line-ups unsuccessfully tried had to be made. to capitalize on the original band’s vi“We didn’t have a clue,” he says. sion, but by the early ’80s, The Son“Then we started hearing rumors ics seemed relegated to being known out of Europe and South America as an obscure influence on artists like that people wanted to hear The Bruce Springsteen, The White Stripes Sonics play again. It’s still kind of and Nirvana. hard to believe, especially after The Sonics guitarist and founder Larry Parypa in the 1960s

24 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

all this time. But it’s also been hard to make it work these last several years. It was nearly impossible to maintain my regular job and do this on the side. Finally, I retired. In the end, better to ditch the corporate job.”

What’s even more impressive than The Sonics’ path to recording a follow-up album nearly a half-century in the making is how fluidly the record fits into their canon.

Under the guidance of White Stripes producer/exDirtbombs bassist Jim Diamond, This Is the Sonics was recorded in mono, live in studio and follows the band’s original recipe to the letter.

“We kept it simple,” Parypa says. “Jim asked me to ‘play like a 16-year-old.’ He said, ‘Don’t even use vibrato. Don’t bend notes. You didn’t do it then, so don’t do it now.’ There was very little overdubbing and we didn’t do re-takes. We played like we did 45 years ago—sloppy. We’re not great musicians. But we are full of energy.”

They’re going to need it. After their U.S. tour— which includes dates in cities the band has never played before— wraps up in July, the band heads overseas for an extensive run in Europe. And lately, in their thesonicsboom.com downtime they’ve been joined by members of Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam for tribute shows.

They even hung out with Dave Grohl for an episode of HBO’s Sonic Highways.

Not bad for a bunch of guys who are well beyond qualifying for the senior discount.

“I think more than anything, what surprises us is that

THE SONICS

May 10 Belly Up Tavern

#SDCityBeat

The Sonics performing in the 1960s we’re 70-year-olds and stil have the energy that this music needs,” Parypa says. “When we all got together in the ’60s, we gravitated to this sound. Back then, great sound systems didn’t exist. If you wanted loud drums, you hit them harder. Our drummer played so loud, I had to play the same way just to hear myself. It just so happens that all five of us approached it that way. No plan. No discussion.

And it really hasn’t changed all that much.”

Regardless of what happens next, The Sonics are happy to be capitalizing on the mo-

#SDCityBeat

ment—even if that moment took nearly five decades to present itself.

“I’m curious to see how long we can do this,” Parypa says. “Can we do it at 75? Can we do it longer than that? It should be really interesting to see how it goes. For now, we’re just taking it as it comes. But we’re not going to stop until the wheels fall off.”

Write to editor@sdcitybeat.com.

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

Music

notes from the smoking patio Locals Only

book,” he says. “I’ve always been fascinated with story tellers, and the only thing I listen to on the radio is Members of The Heavy Guilt and Transfer have NPR. So, it just made sense to do a podcast, and we’d just launched a new record label. Matt Molarius of tell stories and play some of our songs.”

Transfer, and Al Howard and Josh Rice of The Heavy The first Redwoods podcast and label sampler are Guilt just announced the creation of their new imavailable at Theredwoodsmusic.com. print, The Redwoods Music, which will be the new home for each musician’s various musical projects.

—Jeff Terich The label’s first release was a 7-inch single of The Midnight Pine’s “Caution,” which came out on Record Store Day (April 18). And the next release will be the debut album by Birdy Bardot, which will coincide with a record-release show on July 3 at The Casbah. And in the future, the label will issue what Howard describes in a phone interview as “limited edition, creatively artistic stuff” from the founders’ other projects.

“We just realized, between the three of us, we have all these projects,” Howard says. “There are so many overlapping members, and anyway, we just wanted to give it all a home.”

Howard says that The Redwoods plans to issue at least four releases a year. The label also just released a sampler that should give listeners some indication of what to expect, including songs from Creature and the Woods, Rebecca Jade and the Cold Fact, Erik Canzona and Lion and the Lady.

In addition to music, Redwoods will also host a regular podcast featuring music and stories from different artists on the label. The idea for the podcast came about from a non-musical project that Howard undertook last year.

“I released a book, The Autobiography of No One, and people were saying that I should do an audio Birdy Bardot

Album review The Palace Ballroom The Palace Ballroom (Self-released) Album sales have been on a steady decline for about a decade now, and the uptick in users of music streaming services like Spotify has all but signaled the end of the physical album as the primary medium for new music. But while Spotify has 60 million users—an impressive number by any measure— it’s still the David to YouTube’s Goliath, which boasts one billion users and an album-stream feature of its own.

The Palace Ballroom must have done their homework before working on their new self-titled album, because each of the songs on the album comes accompanied by a video, each one a different visual interpretation of the music. And they’re pretty entertaining ones at that. I’m particularly partial to “Night Terrors,” which features some Thunderbirds-style marionettes traveling around the world in a cardboard box. Some are simpler, like the portable-cam performance on “Let It Ride,” or the night-driving vibe in “Descender,” but each one is a strong match to the music itself.

Without the visuals, the album doesn’t quite have the same immediate dazzle (puppets have a way of

26 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

making anything more interesting), but it’s nonetheless a solid collection of riff-heavy, indie-rock songs that lean heavier on rock than indie. And the album has its share of highlights. “The Catalyst” is moody and melodic, built on a foundation of whirring organ and jangly guitars. “Let It Ride” explodes with heavy guitars and disco beats, pushing the band’s hard-rock sound into more danceable territory. And the cool, low-key “Descender” has a slow-burning groove not unlike Spoon’s best moments.

Not every track on The Palace Ballroom’s self-titled album is a winner, though I’d be hesitant to call any of them bad. It’s mostly that some of them feel indistinguishable from one another, or for that matter, modern alt-rock radio fodder (“Brass Tacks” could be mistaken for new Death Cab for Cutie, save for the vocals). But a few less immediately inspiring songs can be forgiven, especially when they’re not the norm. And reinventing the wheel isn’t always necessary for making an enjoyable album, which this mostly is.

I might not always buy the sensitive-guy rock that The Palace Ballroom delve into, but when they stick to making loud rock ‘n’ roll, I’m all ears.

—Jeff Terich Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com.

#SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

MUSIC

JEFF TERICH

IF I WERE U A music insider’s weekly agenda WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 PLAN A: Rhiannon Giddens, Bhi Bhiman @ Belly Up Tavern. Singer, multi-instrumentalist and founding member of Carolina Chocolate Drops Rhiannon Giddens is a unique talent. Her vocals are powerful, and her style blends gospel, bluegrass, folk and blues in a way that feels fresh. PLAN B: Local H, Battleme @ The Casbah. To this day, you can still hear “Bound for the Floor” by alt-rock duo Local H pretty regularly on 91X, and that’s not such a bad thing. They did the two-people-rocking-hard thing way before The White Stripes, and for that I tip my hat.

THURSDAY, MAY 7

and prog-rock, and do a decent Arcade Fire cover.

FRIDAY, MAY 8 PLAN A: D.O.A., Channel 3, Oddball, Creeps A.D. @ Soda Bar. Influential Vancouver hardcore punks D.O.A. have been making music longer than I’ve been alive, and I’ve got some gray in my beard.

But just because they’ve logged a few more years than the average punk band doesn’t mean they won’t still kick your ass. PLAN B: Bit Maps, Kalashnikov My Wife @ The Balboa. This is going to be a big year for Drew Andrews, who just released his first novel, and also plans to release his debut Bit Maps album soon.

It’s moody pop music with heavy electronic elements, and it’s damn good.

PLAN A: Headphone, Social Club, The Wild Fires @ Soda Bar. Feel like catching up on some local sounds? Start with SATURDAY, MAY 9 Headphone’s record release show. They Gloomy Place, Sledding with Tigers, play an interesting mix of electronic pop

28 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

Big Bad Buffalo, Octagrape @ The Irenic. Jordan Krimston of Big Bad Buffalo organized this charity all-ages concert for his high school senior project, and it’s far cooler than anything I did in high school.

There’s a great lineup of bands, and it benefits 1BlueString and LoveHopeStrength.

Rock out for a good cause! PLAN B: Brain Dead, Madrost, Gravespell, Christ Killer, Santa Claus @ Brick by Brick. First off, it’s hard for me not to recommend a metal show with a band called Santa Claus. But by all means, stick around to hear headliners Brain Dead, who play some old-school thrash metal that really rips.

SUNDAY, MAY 10 PLAN A: The Sonics, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, Beehive and the Barracudas @ Belly Up Tavern. Read Scott McDonald’s cover story this week on legendary Tacoma garage rockers The Sonics. The 50th anniversary of their debut album just happens to be this year, but they also have a new album of fun, rock ‘n’ roll tunes to play as well. PLAN B: Dead Meadow, Elder, Stoned Jesus, Electric Citizen @ Brick by Brick. Later this month, the Psycho California festival takes place in Orange County, featuring three days of amazing metal, hardcore and psychedelic rock bands. Leading up to that is “The Road to Psycho California” tour, which features several hard-rocking

bruisers like stoner rock veterans Dead Meadow, and epic sludge-slingers Elder.

MONDAY, MAY 11 PLAN A: Elvis Perkins, Vikesh Kapoor @ The Irenic. I first caught wind of Elvis Perkins’ intricate and melancholy indie folk back in 2007, but I’ll admit I Elvis Perkins haven’t really kept up with his output. As it turns out, he’s still putting out great records and writing great songs, and it’ll be a better Monday evening than whatever you had planned. BACKUP PLAN: Dipset @ Observatory North Park. .

TUESDAY, MAY 12

PLAN A: Vaadat Charigim, Froth, Muscle Beech @ The Casbah. Vaadat Charigim is a shoegaze band from Tel Aviv, Israel, and their lyrics are in Hebrew. But whether or not you pick up on what they’re singing, the big melodies and heavy layers of guitar seem pretty universal. PLAN B: Timber Timbre, Xiu Xiu @ The Irenic. Xiu Xiu had a show planned in San Diego about a year ago, but ended up having to cancel. They’ve finally rescheduled, and their dissonant, intense art rock should provide an interesting juxtaposition against the breezy singer/songwriter pop of Timber Timbre.

#SDCityBeat

Music

Concerts HOT! NEW! FRESH!

The New Regime (Casbah, 5/26), Bubba Sparxxx (Brick by Brick, 5/29), ‘June Gloom’ w/ Innerds, Tron, Zsa Zsa Gabor (The Hideout, 6/4), Joey Bada$$ (Observatory, 6/11), 1349 (Brick by Brick, 6/13), Jonathan Richman (BUT, 6/16), Jen Kirkman (Casbah, 6/18), The Slackers (Observatory, 6/18), Sannhet (Soda Bar, 7/2), The Appleseed Cast (Soda Bar, 7/3), Jurassic Five (Humphreys, 7/8), The Helio Sequence (Casbah, 7/17), The Adolescents (BUT, 7/23), Katchafire (BUT, 7/24), Andrea Gibson (BUT, 7/29), Tokio Hotel (HOB, 7/31), Jill Scott (Humphreys, 8/25), Lee “Scratch” Perry (BUT, 9/1), Bob Forrest (Whistle Stop, 10/14), My Morning Jacket (Open Air Theatre, 10/19).

CANCELED/ RESCHEDULED James Bay (BUT, 8/13) from 5/16.

GET YER TICKETS 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 Kids, Public Enemy (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 6/7), King Sunny Ade (BUT, 6/12), Slay-

#SDCityBeat

er, 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), Built to Spill (BUT, 7/17), Charli XCX, Bleachers (Observatory North Park, 7/21), Between the Buried and Me (Observatory, 7/22), Soul Asylum, Meat Puppets (HOB, 7/23), Melt Banana, Torche (Casbah, 7/28-29), Say Anything (HOB, 7/29), Spank Rock (Soda Bar, 7/31), Bill Maher (Humphreys, 8/2), Milky Chance (Soma, 8/3), Hurray For the Riff Raff (BUT, 8/5), Echo and the Bunnymen (Humphreys, 8/6), Buddy Guy (BUT, 8/12), Nicki Minaj (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/13), Toadies, Fuel (HOB, 8/14), The B-52s (Humphreys, 8/15), Ariana Grande (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 9/9), The Who (Valley View Casino Center, 9/14), Future Islands (Observatory, 9/2223), Foo Fighters (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 9/24), Death Cab for Cutie (Open Air Theatre, 9/25), Florida Georgia Line (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 10/3), Luke Bryan (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 10/16), John Waters (Observatory, 11/30).

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

Thursday, May 7 Herb Alpert and Lani Hall at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). 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 Deftones at House of Blues (sold out).

Dead Meadow at Brick by Brick.

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. 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).

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

Music Alyse & remi / flickr

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

Monday, May 18 Little Dragon at Observatory North Park. 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.

30 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

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. The New Regime at The Casbah.

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. Bubba Sparxxx at Brick by Brick.

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).

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.

Wednesday, June 4 Miami Horror at Soda Bar. Crowbar at TilTwo Club. Eddie Izzard at Civic Theatre.

The Rentals at The Irenic. ‘June Gloom’ w/ Innerds, Tron, Zsa Zsa Gabor at The Hideout.

Thursday, June 5 Mrs. Magician, Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects at Soda Bar. July Talk at The Hideout. Dustin Kensrue at The Irenic.

Friday, June 6 Brad Paisley at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Unwritten Law at House of Blues.

Common Sense at Belly Up Tavern.

#SDCityBeat

Music Saturday, June 7 ‘X-Fest’ w/ Pennywise, Cold War Kids, Public Enemy at Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

Tuesday, June 10 The Weepies at Belly Up Tavern.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach. www.710bc.com. Wed: Open mic.

Fri: Way Cool Jr. Sat: The Stache Bash Family Band, The Harry James Conglomerate. Mon: DJ Royale.

98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, Little Italy. www.98bottlessd.com. Fri: The Benedetti Trio. Sat: Curtis Brooks.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St, Normal Heights. www.airconditionedbar. com. Wed: ‘Breezy Bliss’ w/ DJs Cody Cox, Josh Taylor, Volz, Just Sven, Gianna, Viking. Thu: ‘DIVE’ w/ DJs Ivan Gregory, Matthew Brian. Fri: DJ Junior the DiscoPunk. 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: Shawn Wayans. Fri: Shawn Wayans. Sat: Shawn Wayans. Sun: Brandon Wardell and Hampton Yount.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St, Downtown. www.facebook.com/BangBangSanDiego. Fri: Manik, Klatch. Sat: Just Kiddin.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St, North Park. www.barpink.com. Wed: Thee Oh Sees, Pounded by the Surf, DJ Grandmasta Rats (sold out). Fri: The Downs Family.

Sat: The Milkcrates DJs. Sun: ‘Rat Sabbath’. Mon: ‘Wreckord Mania’. Tue: The Fink Bombs.

Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave, Downtown. bassmntsd.com. Thu: Deniz Koyu. Fri: DJ Mustard. Sat: Firebeatz.

Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla. http://www.brocktonvilla.com/beaumonts.html. Thu: Blaise Guld. Fri: Will and the Won’ts. Sat: Slower. Sun: Daryl Johnson.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach. www.bellyup.com. Wed: Rhiannon Giddens, Bhi Bhiman. Thu: Herb Alpert and Lani Hall (sold out). Fri: One Drop, Tunnel Vision, Kainga. Sat: The Bangles (sold out). Sun: The Sonics, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, Beehive and the Barracudas.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave, Carlsbad. boarcrossn.net. Thu: Hocus. Fri: ‘Club Musae’.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave, Bay Park. brickbybrick.com. Fri: Prayers, Sound Lupus, Causers. Sat: Brain Dead, Madrost, Gravespell, Christ Killer, Santa Claus. Sun: Dead Meadow, Elder, Stoned Jesus, Electric Citizen. Mon: Desecrate, Nukem.

Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave, Downtown. http://www.cafesevilla.com. Fri: Joef and Co. Sun: Aire.

Croce’s Park West, 2760 Fifth Ave., #100, Bankers Hill. www.crocesparkwest.com. Thu: Holly Hoffman/Mike Wofford Quartet. Fri: Sue Palmer. Sat: Gilbert Castellanos and the Park West Ensemble. Sun: Todo Mundo. Mon: Gio and Diamond. Tue: Liz Grace and the Swing Thing.

Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. www.dirksniteclub.com. Fri: Serious Guise. Sat: DJ Alex.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. dizzyssandiego.com. Thu: Mesa College Concert Jazz Band. Sat: Martin Luther King Jr. Community Choir.

#SDCityBeat

Sun: Mundell Lowe, Jaime Valle and Bob Boss.

Epicentre, 8450 Mira Mesa Blvd, Mira Mesa. epicentreconcerts.org. Fri: Sly Disciple, MaZhe, .qk., Mani Dollaz, Coastal.

Sat: In Viridian, Odakota, Captain Nomad, Emoticon, Lame Daisies.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown, Downtown. f6ixsd.com. Fri: DJ XP. Sat: DJ Kurch.

Sun: DJ Marty Play.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave, Downtown. fluxxsd.com. Thu: G-Eazy. Fri: Mixed Reactions. Sat: DJ Tay James.

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

Thu: Maka Roots, DJ Reefah, TRC Soundsystem. Fri: Funk’s Most Wanted, DJ Lya. Sat: Temple of the Dads, DJ Chelu. Mon: Abstract Rude.

Ginger’s, 600 5th Ave, Downtown. www. gingersgaslamp.com. Mon: Ace Guillen.

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

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

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave, Downtown. houseofblues.com/sandiego. Fri: For the Win, Cut Your Losses, Scarlett Avenue, The Rebound. Sat: Waking in Sonata.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. kavalounge.com. Wed: ‘Jungle and DnB Wednesday’. Thu: Psilo. Fri: ‘Junglist Friday’. Sat: Luminous Project. Tue: ‘High Tech Tuesday’.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave, Coronado. www.mcpspub.com. Wed: Goodall Boys. Thu: North Star. Fri: The Upshots. Sat: Ron’s Garage. Sun: Ron’s Garage.

Onyx Room / Thin, 852 Fifth Ave, Downtown. www.onyxroom.com. Fri: ‘Rumba Lounge’. Sat: ‘Spring Fling’.

Tue: ‘Neo Soul’.

Patricks Gaslamp, 428 F St, Downtown. www.patricksii.com. Wed: The Rayford Brothers. Thu: The Rebel Celts. Fri: WG and the G-Men. Sat: The Bill Magee Blues Band. Sun: Rosy Dawn. Mon: The Groove Squad. Tue: Paddy’s Chicken Jam. Porter’s Pub, 9500 Gilman Dr., UCSD campus, La Jolla. porterspub.net. Wed: Cartel.

Fri: ‘College Drop’. Mon: He is Legend.

Rebecca’s Coffee House, 3015 Juniper St, South Park. www.rebeccascoffeehouse.com. Wed: Being Who We Are. Rich’s, 1051 University Ave, Hillcrest. www.richssandiego.com. Wed: DJ John Joseph. Thu: DJ Moniq. Fri: DJs Dirty Kurty, Scotty Dynamo. Sat: DJs Taj, KSwift. Sun: DJ Cros.

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

Wed: Westside Inflection. Fri: Rip Carson.

Sat: Kooties. Tue: Karaoke.

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

Wed: Gilbert Castellanos jazz jam. Sat: Stevie and the Hi-Staxx. Mon: ‘Makossa Monday’ w/ DJ Tah Rei. Side Bar, 536 Market St, Downtown. www.sidebarsd.com. Thu: DJ Dynamiq.

Fri: DJ Fingaz. Sat: Epic Twelve. Sun: DJ Marty Party.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. www.sodabarmusic.com. Wed: Brando, Arms Away, Swap Meat. Thu: Headphone, Social Club, The Wild Fires.

Fri: D.O.A., Channel 3, Oddball, Creeps A.D. Sat: Hit Dog Hollar, Michael McGraw and the Butchers, The Heart Beat Trail.

Sun: Dead Men Walking, Barb Wire Dolls, Grids. Mon: Lyon, Nicky Venus, Walla.

Tue: Jakubi, Andy Frasco.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd, Mid-

way. www.somasandiego.com. Fri: Boris The Blade, Abiotic, Alterbeast, Lord Of War, Beheading the King, Treaded. Sat: The Wild Fires, Splavender, Act Natural, Mayfield, Sydney Blake and The Misters, Raelee Nicole.

Somewhere Loud, 3489 Noell St, Midtown. somewhereloud.com. Sat: Mayhem, Ricky Remedy, Haterade.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St, Midtown. www. spinnightclub.com. Sat: Dance Spirit.

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

Thu: Jonathan Fleig, Jackson Price. Sun: The Big Decisions.

The Balboa, 1863 Fifth Ave, Bankers Hill.

619-955-8525. Fri: Bit Maps, Kalashnikov My Wife. Sat: Badabing, Sleep or Shave.

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. casbahmusic.com. Wed: Local H, Battleme. Thu: The Mowgli’s, Night Riots, Hippo Campus. Fri: Metalachi, Mr. Tube and The Flying Objects. Sat: Reason to Rebel, Dead Feather Moon, Mother’s Anger. Sun: Rat Fist, Gloomsday. Mon: The Skints, Oceanside Sound System, San Diego City Soul Club DJs. Tue: Vaadat Charigim, Froth, Muscle Beech.

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

Tue: Ex-Cult.

The Irenic, 3090 Polk Ave, North Park.

Sat: ‘Bummerfest’ feat. Rob Crow, Octagrape, Big Bad Buffalo.

The Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. http://theloft.ucsd.edu. Thu: Slow Magic. Fri: SomeKindaWonderful.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave, Hillcrest. theMerrow.com. Wed: Jelly Bread.

Fri: ‘US Air Guitar qualifier’. Sat: ‘Sinners Music Box’. Sun: Golden Coast, Swim Team, The Verigolds. Tue: Arms Away, Bandalier, No Hope Kids.

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

Sun: ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ w/ Bramma.

The Tin Roof, 401 G Street, Gaslamp. http://www.tinroofbars.com/Home/SanDiego. Wed: Pat Hilton Duo. Thu: Cassie B Band. Fri: Betamaxx. Sat: The Jonathan Lee Band. Sun: ‘G Street Sessions’. Mon: Lucky Devils Band. Tue: AOK. Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. www.tiltwoclub.com. Fri: Lecherous Gaze, Hydromedusa, Wild Honey, Moonshine, DJ Mikey Ratt. Sat: The Dramalamadingdongs, the Shaolin Signal, The Fever. Tue: Comedy night.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St, Bay Park. www. tioleos.com. Thu: Rockin’ Aces. Fri: The Wildside Band. Sat: Serious Guise. Tue: Backwater Blues Band.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave, City Heights. www.thetowerbar.com. Fri: Diatribe, Rom Baro, Dhatura. Sat: Lie. Mon: Unwelcome Guests.

Ux31, 3112 University Ave, North Park. u31bar.com. Wed: DJ Mo Lyon. Thu: ‘Throwback Thursday’. Fri: Lee Churchill.

Sat: DJ R-You. Sun: Gonzo, Beyond I Sight, Maka Roots. Mon: DJ Fishfonics.

Tue: Karaoke.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, South Park. whistlestopbar.com. Wed: ‘Open Oscillator’. Thu: ‘Kiss and Make Up’ w/ DJs Jon Blaj, Kyle Badour. Fri: Rat City Riot, DJ Stackaly. Sat: ‘Booty Bassment’ w/ DJs Dimitri, Rob. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St, Ocean Beach. www.winstonsob.com. Wed: Brewfish, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: Atlantis Rizing, Fort Knocks. Fri: Monophonics, Sure Fire Soul Ensemble. Sat: Tristen Palma, SM Familia. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: Flow Tribe.

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

Last Words

Brendan Emmett Quigley

Across

I NEED A DRINK

1. Peach ___ 6. Actor Stanley in the “Hunger Games” franchise 11. Little pest 14. Larger than large, in poems 15. “Because ___ so!”

16. “The Masque of the Red Death” author 17. Movement of a copter’s landing area?

19. Astronaut’s “Everything’s fine” 20. Wilier 21. Roundup need 23. Clothing store spinoff for the young crowd 26. Parent’s stalling tactic answer 28. Activist/filmmaker James 29. Swedish/Finnish singer Bryant 30. Plain song 31. Footlong Quarter Pound Coney fast food place 32. Security requests 35. Elevator innovator 36. [You pig!]

37. Stomach trouble 38. Keg party rental 39. 1988 Best Supporting Actor 40. Go on a bender 41. Scholarly writings 43. Chromosome blueprint 44. List heading for music snobs 46. Bloods battle 47. Ready to pound someone?

48. Piles up?

49. Sit in the wine cellar 50. Excerpts from a 1966 James Clavell novel?

Last week’s answers

32 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

56. Big D pro 57. Boot out 58. Slate, e.g.

59. “Can I have ___?”

60. Fires up the Nook 61. Meddlesome sort

Down 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

“I’ve felt better” New Haven-to-Boston dir.

Pinterest guffaw Beef cuts Pump up the volume Surfer’s concerns “Back in the ___” Cornfield sound Carrie Mathison’s employer on “Homeland” 10. Without a care in the world 11. “No bet from me, trout”?

12. Large deer 13. “Orange” brewed drink 18. Governmental appointee 22. ___ Grecque (made with olive oil) 23. Classic play that begins “Nothing to be done,” briefly 24. Muscular dog 25. Thing that bothers ballet choreographer Marius?

26. React to something cringeworthy 27. Heat coach Spoelstra 29. Busy sounds?

31. Sign of happiness 33. Set of doctrines 34. Grab the wheel 36. Bohemian or Bulgar, e.g.

37. Ginormous 39. One who spins a yarn?

40. Luxury British wheels 42. Seahawks’ grp.

43. Senator Jake who went into space 44. Manuel’s “I love you” 45. Hockey rink instrument 46. Fundraiser’s targets 48. Did 90 51. Guitar god’s guitar 52. Drink I needed to solve this puzzle, for short 53. “House of Incest” novelist 54. Treebeard of “The Lord of the Rings,” for one 55. Large wet body

#SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

34 · San Diego CityBeat · May 6, 2015

#SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

May 6, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 35