San Diego CityBeat • May 11, 2016

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May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR

Mayor of homelessness: Ward or Bernal?

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he city councilmember for downtown San Both claim to support the emerging concept of Diego is the de facto mayor of homeless- “housing-first” with wraparound services for the ness. The June 7 primary election should homeless. determine if Chris Ward or Anthony Bernal On the rock garden. “This is heartbreaking,” says (both Democrats) will sit in the District 3 seat being Ward. “It’s inhuman. For the $57,000 this cost we vacated by termed-out councilmember Todd Gloria. could have housed six people for a year. As the counThe question is whether Ward (chief of staff to state cilmember I would send the message, ‘Mr. Mayor, Senator Marty Block) or Bernal (community repre- next time you’re going to do something ‘creative’ in sentative for Gloria) is better suited for the daunting my district, I’d like to be consulted.” Gloria’s office challenge. says it wasn’t consulted. Bernal says: “That’s not how Yes, the mayor could and should take the lead I would handle that particular situation.” on regional homelessness. Lacking from that office, A housing czar in the mayor’s office. “The city however, is a strong sign of humanitarian drive, or should create a position to guide efforts to curb or rerecognition of the upside to business owners and resi- duce homeless individuals on our streets,” says Berdents, to firmly tackle the issue.

RON DONOHO nal. Ward concurs. “It should Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s become a funded position,” administration converted a says Ward. It’s the mayor’s 350-bed temporary shelter to administration. Whether he an “interim housing” facility chooses to fund such a position and announced an initiative to is his call, but I want to make it get 1,000 veterans off the street clear from a council standpoint by the end of 2016. Every so ofthat we give him the authority ten, a TV news team rediscovto make it a reality.” ers the homelessness epidemic, The “tiny houses” option. and those are the two sound “Definitely not,” says Bernal. bites. Never mind the city Chris Ward rests on the Imperial Avenue “Introducing inferior and in“rock garden.” humane alternatives like tiny eliminated winter shelters, and numbers for the mayor’s 1,000-veteran “Housing Our houses does not get us any closer to ending homelessHeroes” initiative are way behind pace to make goal. ness.” Ward is for the idea: “Yes, but it’s a short-term Meanwhile, the 2016 “official” count of regional solution.” homeless (8,692) keeps San Diego in the top-four Declaring a Homeless State of Emergency in spot in the country, while the number of “unshel- San Diego. “Yes, we should—it sends a message that tered” homeless in San Diego County rose last year this is a priority,” says Ward. “We declared one in adby 19 percent. vance of El Niño, why can’t we call attention to someThe city’s visible reaction has been to systemati- thing that is more ongoing and present?” Bernal says cally sweep East Village homeless encampments, in a no—the mayor’s housing initiative still needs to be useless effort many believe is leading up to a human built upon. “We’re not there yet,” he says. downtown whitewashing for the July 12 MLB AllWard and Bernal have sought to differentiate Star Game at Petco Park. themselves from each other. Bernal was recently One other recent action on homelessness from broadsided by media focus on donations to his camthe mayor’s office was the creation of a “rock garden” paign by Republican developer Doug Manchester, under a bridge between downtown and Sherman and by other right-leaning individuals.

Heights. The rocks were put in to discourage large Zeroing in on the homelessness issue, Bernal is crowds of disruptive homeless individuals sleeping right about tiny houses being a nonstarter. The backthere. The Sherman Heights residents who traverse ers of tiny houses are well intentioned, but it’s a disthe underpass were pleased by the rock installation— tractive, temporary solution. Solid muscle needs to be until the homeless shifted over to Sherman Heights. flexed for San Diego’s community that has no voice.

After I wrote about the rock garden, a Ward cam- Declaring a state of emergency is a start. Neither canpaign representative emailed me a link to his “work- didate has any proven cred, yet. But in recognizing a ing paper” on homelessness. We agreed to do an in- need for beyond-the-norm actions, the edge on this terview—at the rock garden. I followed up that meet- point goes to Ward. ing with emailed questions to Bernal.

—Ron Donoho This issue of CityBeat is dedicated to San Diego State University’s Outstanding Graduate in Journalism for 2015/16—our editorial assistant Torrey Bailey.

Volume 14 • Issue 40 EDITOR Ron Donoho MUSIC EDITOR Jeff Terich ARTS EDITOR Seth Combs WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Ramos EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Torrey Bailey COLUMNISTS Aaryn Belfer, Edwin Decker John R. Lamb, Alex Zaragoza

CONTRIBUTORS David L. Coddon, Beth Demmon, Andrew Dyer, Tiffany Fox, Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Peter Holslin, Jessica Johnson, Scott McDonald, Jenny Montgomery, Susan Myrland, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Tom Siebert, Jen Van Tieghem, Amy Wallen EDITORIAL INTERN Elizabeth Pode PRODUCTION MANAGER Tristan Whitehouse MULTIMEDIA ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Paulina Porter-Tapia

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San Diego CityBeat is published and distributed every Wednesday by Southland Publishing Inc., free of charge but limited to one per reader. Reproduction of any material in this or any other issue is prohibited without written permission from the publisher and the author. Contents copyright 2016.

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May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

UP FRONT | LETTERS

THE CAT’S MEOW

I loved Ryan Bradford’s “In the meowth of madness at the cat circus,” [April 13]. It hits the nail on the head in describing cat people and cats! His columns never fail to elicit out-loud laughter from me—laughter being such a welcome tonic for countering the stresses of life. Thanks, Ryan, for another great column. Your appreciation of cats came through loud and clear. Harvey Bradford is a lucky cat.

Suzy Perkins, La Mesa

TOT NOT A FREE LUNCH

Regarding “The folly of oversized hotel tax hikes,” editorial on March 30: The proposed hotel tax hike to subsidize a new football stadium is just a variation of a canard used repeatedly over the years. Usually the spin is that a project will result in increased tourism, which will generate more Transient Occupancy Taxes, which will pay for a significant portion of the project. Even if a new attraction brings in additional revenue via TOT—and that’s a big if—the increase will only be marginal since most visitors to the area come because of already existing attractions.

Furthermore, revenue usually declines once the novelty of a new attraction wears off.

Whether the spin is inherently generating more TOT via a new attraction, or increasing the TOT rate, it is just a canard to sell the taxpayers on the notion of a free lunch paid for by soaking outof-towners. There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.

Dan Jacobs,

Mira Mesa

TO BE HOMELESS

As a reader, I want to welcome Michael McConnell to the CityBeat editorial staff, and thank him for inspiring this letter [“The homeless numbers that count,” May 4]. I am also in agreement with many of his basic principles, such as not enough is being done to prevent or solve the problem of homelessness. And, he has other things right, such as the “official Point in Time Count” being inaccurate and meaningless. There are, however, a handful of fundamental flaws in his evaluation of the situation.

A “by-name” list and “coordinated entry system” allows many agencies access to privileged data in an atmosphere where many

6 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

people have been denied employment and/or housing for having been homeless in the past. And, of course, we homeless have no protections from discrimination in housing, education, employment nor hate-crimes.

The Regional Continuum of Care Council (RCCC) is a coalition of Civic San Diego (Downtown Partnership/Clean and Safe) plus churches and other service providers. It follows essentially the same format for dealing with homelessness that was in place since 1980, guaranteeing a new crop of homeless continuously, so service providers will never run out of people to abuse by “helping” them. The main problem I have with RCCC and their awful advice pamphlet is that they treat anyone homeless as being both stupid and mentally ill. Those who are neither get made stupid and mentally ill via some of the “help” provided. Then they can be “treated” (and lots of money made) by the providers of counseling, psychiatry, and many other services. Hey, the government provides money for that, but not for housing, nor jobs that afford rent!

Homelessness is about rent costing more money than the available jobs pay. Is that so complicated? Do we need to twist all this into the concept of the homeless being mentally ill? It is only after the failure of having enough rent-paying jobs and/or low-priced housing that the system falls apart and we get people forced onto the sidewalk. We need to keep that from happening to begin with. Society does not treat the homeless problem until after it has caused a lot of damage to everyone (both the homeless and the nearby residents) and then tries to blame mental illness and substance abuse for society’s problem.

From here, the homeless need political power and a voice, and that is probably not Michael McConnell. He has important things to say, and makes a good spokesperson for the service providers, but not the homeless. No doubt he considers me one of the “hooligans” for daring to challenge the official propaganda. I still maintain that in order to fully understand homelessness, you must be homeless yourself.

John Kitchin, Publisher San Diego Homeless News

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

Letters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

OPINION: Spin Cycle. . . . . . . . . .

Backwards In High Heels. . . . . .

4 6 7 8

FOOD & DRINK The World Fare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Dishing It Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Final Draught . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

ARTS & CULTURE All Things Tech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 THE SHORT LIST: Three you have to see. . . . . . . . 14 Event Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . 14-17 Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 FEATURE: Art Produce. . . . . . . 18 Seen Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 VOICES: Well That Was Awkward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Films . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23

MUSIC FEATURE: John Grant. . . . 24-25 Notes from the Smoking Patio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 If I Were U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Concerts & Clubs . . . . . . . . 28-30

LAST WORDS Advice Goddess . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

ON THE

COVER Michael Berman took the rather concerning portrait of musician John Grant on our cover this week (don’t worry, the blood is fake). The Brooklyn-based photographer is known for his food and travel pictures for Edible and The Guardian, but has known Grant since 2004 after shooting an album cover for Grant’s old band, The Czars.

For Grant’s new album, Grey Tickles, Black Pressure, the two headed to Eclectic Photo Studios in Long Island City, which Berman loves for its “unbelievable in-house prop collection.” Berman recalls Grant wanting pictures that looked like “preppy school yearbook portraits gone wrong or something along those lines, but with blood involved.” Mission accomplished. See more of his work on bermanpictures.com.

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Up Front | opinion

spin

cycle

john r. lamb

Throwing some shade on Horton Plaza Park You’ll find in no park or city, a monument to a committee.

—Victoria Pasternak

he spray from the historic Broadway Fountain in the newly renovated Horton Plaza Park never felt better—particularly after spending an hour in the solar oven of an amphitheater just to the south.

Spin Cycle on Monday decided to stroll down to the reopened urban park to see if the army of workers frantically whizzing about a week earlier had actually completed the work they looked so far removed from completing just two days before its public unveiling last Wednesday. But even by this week, considerable work still remains.

“The core of the park is complete, including the kiosks, am-

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phitheater and splash pad water feature,” said Katie Keach, head of the city’s communications department. “There is stone work on the peripheral walkways that is still being completed.”

That work on Monday was masked by plywood planks covered in beige AstroTurf, including portions of the sidewalk along Third and Fourth avenues. Drain specialists peered down a manhole behind the Starbucks kiosk, which nevertheless saw brisk business. An ice-cream kiosk to the west was equally busy.

The historic portion of the park, with its square red tiles, palm trees and newly rolled lawn, harkened to an earlier time, as young parents walked their children up to the gurgling fountain so they could touch a water stream and giggle.

“They did a nice job restoring the fountain,” said Bruce Coons, executive director of Save Our Heritage Organisation, the local nonprofit that typically has less nice things to say about San Diego’s historic-preservation efforts. “You can even see the red and green veining in the marble columns.

Previously, those were covered with decades of grime.”

A civic embarrassment in downtown’s central core for years, the park’s transformation came about from a “unique” public-private partnership with Westfield Corp., the operators of the adjacent Horton Plaza shopping center, Mayor Kevin Faulconer explained in remarks during a rededication ceremony a week ago.

Westfield sold the site of the former Robinson’s-May department store (later a Sam Goody’s and a Planet Hollywood) to the city and agreed to operate the park for 25 years.

In return, the city bowed out of a profit-sharing parking agreement.

Westfield officials have boasted that this may be the first time in world history that retail commercial space has given way to open public space.

But while the mayor bragged in his opening remarks that San Diegans and tourists alike will flock to

On Monday, no events were scheduled, so the immense granite amphitheater seemed more useful as a cut-through for business types getting to and from work.

Some folks stopped in briefly to take selfies in front of the threestory Kelsey Montague mural dejohn r. lamb picting an inverted skyline, rumored to be a temporary adornment until a giant video screen can be approved and installed.

Some visitors weren’t sold on the notion that this 1.9-acre urban space compares to New York’s grassy Bryant Park or Chicago’s Millennium Park as city leaders would have them believe, but San Diego—its history steeped in an unshakable inferiority complex—can’t seem to do anything without making parallels.

Spin even heard some comments that the plaza comes off as cold, which was hard to sense on a warm May day. The stonework does dominate, but Workers (one below ground) tinker with perhaps the swirling splash the water pressure for the renovated fountain in the amphitheBroadway Fountain. ater will distract from this once it’s up and running. the renovated park “to enjoy the Workers were still tinkering with sunshine,” the crowd on Monday its plumbing on Monday. was doing its best to find shade.

Goodness knows shooting “Where are the trees?” one streams of water will be a necesdowntown resident asked Spin, re- sity once July rolls around, lest questing his name not be used. As anyone pass out from heatstroke. he fed cherries to his dog, Baja, beCity councilmember Todd neath one of the 14 umbrella-cov- Gloria, whose district includes ered tables in the new amphithe- downtown, told attendees at last ater, the longtime San Diegan also week’s re-opening ceremony that wondered how long it would be he looks forward to watching how before the place looks run down. the park gets used, including durA local architect passing through ing Comic-Con, the holiday seaMonday also worried whether the son and even New Year’s Eve. He granite expanse that feeds into the referred to it as “a living room for shopping mall will be sealed to San Diego.” protect against staining. Additional As most speakers noted, events shade opportunities would be ideal like the dedication of a new urban as well, he agreed. park don’t happen too often in San It’s not likely to come from Diego—where city leaders seemadditional trees, though. “The ingly pledge to uphold the stadesign was based on community tus quo rather than risk change, input that was completed prior to where history often takes a back the end of redevelopment,” Keach seat to the whims of greed-driven said. “As it is intended to be an developers out for a quick profit, urban programmable plaza, trees where sunshine masks the dark in the amphitheater wouldn’t be underbelly of city power. complementary to this use.”

Moments like the reintroducWestfield has agreed to work tion of Horton Plaza Park to genits way up to scheduling 200 erations of San Diegans both old events a year in the new plaza, in- and new is indeed worthy of hiscluding 75 this year. Events with torical notation, not only for the 50 or more people will require a changes it can inspire but also as special permit, raising an interest- a reminder that a vibrant city is aling issue with future plans should ways evolving, never static. a large political protest decide to Then again, that could just be occupy the plaza some day—har- the heatstroke talking. kening back to its earlier days as “Argument Park,” where political Spin Cycle appears every week. clashes were not uncommon.

Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com.

May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

Up Front | Opinion

Aaryn Belfer

Backwards & in

high heels

San Diego Unified curtails obsessive testing

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ell, well, well. Or, as my friend Justin says, w-AY-al! I’m not trying to be all vindicated or anything, but I’m feeling sort of vindicated.

Last Thursday morning as my daughter and I headed to Running Club before school, I passed a well-known teacher who was on campus early and handing parents fliers with details about our legal right to opt our kids out of standardized testing. I realize that may seem like the most boring sentence ever written, but it is not. Trust me on this. I’m a copy editor and I know boring. Ask me about mobile video capacity and quality through the use of rate adaptation, and I’ll show you worldwide eradication of insomnia without pharmaceuticals. Don’t get me wrong: It’s important stuff, this being able to watch what we want to watch when we want to watch it (say that fast 10 times). But it isn’t revolutionary anymore.

What is revolutionary, besides transgender folks being able to use a public restroom that suits their gender identity and expression as defined by them and not by Ted Cruz, is that a teacher—a teacher!—was openly promoting information that might have, at another time, gotten him pink slipped. This without any visible worry of professional ramifications. What the hell is this, a political office?

Toto, I don’t think we’re in 2012 anymore…

Information about California parents’ legal right to opt our kids out of current standardized testing has long been taboo. For five of my six years as the parent of a public schooler, neither the district nor school site staff wanted parents to know about the protective law we are so lucky to have here in in this great, big, beautiful Golden State. We don’t have to break the law here in order to skip testing like parents in other states; we simply have to write a letter.

But that act, protected by law, was deemed a radical act that frequently resulted in the kind of peer pressure usually reserved for the teenage set.

For all the pushback I’ve encountered as an optouter, you might as well slap a scarlet “O” on my shirt (granted, I have a lot of other letters there and my space is at a premium). As the Hester Prynne of my kid’s school, I could bring an entire room to a breathless, tense and eye-rolling, not-her-again halt simply by mentioning the California Education Code 60615. Until this year, our school culture was intimidating on this front; informing past principals that we’d be opting our child out was uncomfortable at best and frightening at worst. It ain’t easy to go against the grain, but then, it never is. Good thing I’m wired for it.

To be fair, I know a lot of teachers who think the testing is over the top and want parents to know

about their right to opt out. But until last week, they were resigned to communicating through whispers and coded glances for fear of retribution from their superiors. After all, teachers know that research doesn’t support the kind of relentless testing foisted upon the modern day U.S. student. According to Maureen Magee of The San Diego Union-Tribune, “The average student in U.S. public school is subjected to 112 required tests from pre-kindergarten through high school.” That is absurd. And this is to say nothing of how much test prep and administration disrupt the possibility of a well-rounded, thoughtful, creative and rich education.

So what is different? Why was Mr. M outside with his fliers the other day? W-AY-al.

Hints of change were apparent last school year when, just before the Smarter Balanced Assessments (or what are now referred to as CAASPP assessments), parents across San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) received a letter from Superintendent Cindy Marten that prepped us for the terrible scores the district anticipated. Knowing the tests are crap, Marten included a final paragraph about the right to opt out. She deserves props for skillfully mitigating the pending disaster.

Then, last week happened.

All hail last week, when Marten and the SDUSD announced that excessive testing was going to be pared back. Beginning this fall, the district is doing away with the diagnostic reading assessment (DRA) and the three-times-peryear benchmark exams. “Students come to school to learn, not to take tests,” Marten said. “Testing takes up valuable time that could be used to teach and learn.”

I want to be facetious here and say, “Duh,” and “I told you so” and “You don’t say.” Instead I’ll just say that I’m glad to have not subjected my kid to so much of that nonsense that the district has finally admitted is just that.

This isn’t a mandate, however. SDUSD is leaving it up to individual schools as to whether to continue using these assessments. Ostensibly, parental input could help define where a given school falls on this issue. It would behoove parents to find out where their school lines up. We need meaningful assessments and we should be collectively demanding that.

This is definitely a sea change that favors real pedagogy and leaves the instruction up to the professionals, many of whom were not involved in the design of the CAASPP, which will still be in place. This is why, like last year and the year before that, we’re opting our kid out. But we’re less ostracized and more supported now as we hand in our letter.

“

Knowing the tests are crap, Marten included a final paragraph about the right to opt out.

“

8 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

Backwards & In High Heels appears every other week. Write to aaryn@sdcitybeat.com.

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Up Front | Food

by michael a. gardiner

the world

in a Mediterranean profile. As is often the case in chef-driven restaurants, many of the most interesting dishes on Tidal’s menu are the appetizers.

The Venus clams with salsify puree, purple potato and bacon is one of DiBiase’s signature dishes. It’s a subtle, punny take on clam chowder with the salDiBiase takes Tidal sify taking the place of cream in the broth but also referencing the traditional oyster cracker accomy blood began to boil almost as soon as paniment (salsify is also known as “oyster root”). well-known local chef Flor Franco said Another DiBiase signature—ricotta gnudi it: “Why don’t you write about female with maitake mushroom, asparagus, red pearl chefs, Michael?” My first thought was to couple onion and truffle froth—was less successful. The outright denial with examples. Then it occurred flavor profile of the dish was terrific, and the preto me my long list of examples was a short list insentation dramatic, but the gnudi themselves— deed. My next thought was to ask myself why, exessentially gnocchi with ricotta replacing the actly, I hadn’t been to Tidal (1404 Vacation Road) potato—were technically flawed, the outer coverin Mission Bay to try Chef Amy DiBiase’s food? ing of flour nearly raw. Yellowtail carpaccio with white strawberry, Thai chili, lemon, Michael A. Gardiner avocado mayonnaise and basil was better. Though described as a “carpaccio,” it ate more like a tiradito with the chile spice a welcome addition to the party.

The cook on the Kumquat-chili glazed pork cheeks with spring vegetable ragout, English pea puree and pea tendrils was perfect, even if the glaze tipped too far toward sweet. The vegetables—particularly the peas—were the real stars of the dish. DiBiase’s lamb ragu over fettucine with allspice and preserved lemon-ricotta was better. It would be easy for a lamb pasta dish to tilt to the heavy, but the heady allspice and preserved lemon flavors kept the dish surprisingly light.

My favorite entrée, however, was the duck confit with local shelling beans, apTidal’s duck confit plewood bacon lardon and kale. It was, effectively, cassoulet stripped down to its essentials.

When a chef’s moved around a lot it’s someThe duck was perfectly crisp on the outside and times perceived as a strike against her. Make no wonderfully tender in, but it was ultimately those mistake, DiBiase has been in a lot of kitchens: Robeans my spoon kept going back to the bowl for. seville, the Cosmopolitan Hotel, The Glass Door As a lazy dusk descended on Tidal’s incredibly and Baleen, all before returning to Paradise Point picturesque patio I didn’t care about the overly Resort & Spa’s reimagined fine dining restaurant, “attentive” service and I certainly didn’t care Tidal. But rather than tarnishing DiBiase’s repuabout the gender of the chef. In fact, I didn’t even tation, the result was a perception of a very talcare anymore that Flor Franco had pretty much ented chef who’d just never had the opportunity called me sexist. I was just glad she’d gotten me to to make a place truly her own. go to Tidal.

Tidal, it seems, has become that place. DiBiase’s culinary personality is defined by an omThe World Fare appears weekly. nivorous approach to local ingredients grounded Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

fare M

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May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

Up Front | Food

by james vernette

dishing it

out

When life gives you Lemon Grove

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hink of San Diego’s hippest dining neighborhoods and, chances are, Little Italy, North Park and University Heights come to mind.

Very few people will say Lemon Grove—but maybe they should.

Believe it or not, this working class suburb seven miles from downtown off State Route 94 has some of the area’s best hole-in-the-wall eateries, all a short distance from each other.

Yes, you’re likely to see lots of chain restaurants up the main drag of Broadway, but for every In-NOut or KFC there’s a family owned eatery such as Lido’s Italian Restaurant or Coop’s West Texas BBQ that’s serving up great food for the locals and for people willing to drive the extra distance for home-style cooking.

No, Lemon Grove isn’t the next hipster haven. It’s doubtful Brian Malarkey or Javier Plascencia will open an upscale eatery here.

But what Lemon Grove lacks in upscale posh, it makes up for with a nice small town feel and the types of unpretentious eateries that other cities wish they had. A hungry person could spend a few days just trying places, but here are a few of my favorites: Lido’s Italian Foods (7252 Broadway): This place has been around since 1955. Most Fridays, you can see generations of families ordering classic Italian-American dishes such as spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and pasta

10 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

shells, all served with garlic bread. My favorite dish is the Chicken Alla Florentine, oven-roasted chicken served in a lemon sauce. For $16.95, you’ll get enough for two meals, since it comes with soup and salad, pasta or fries and buttery garlic bread.

Charley’s Famous Hamburgers (8213 Broadway): This simple and cheap drive-thru has been around since the 1970s serving up fantastic bacon cheeseburgers with real, thick pieces of bacon. The fries are hot and crispy and there’s a huge variety of shakes, including cookies and cream and black raspberry. This is the type of place you go on a hot summer night when you don’t feel like cooking. It’s not a place to go when it’s raining, because it only has picnic tables. james vernette

Coop’s West Texas BBQ Coop’s West Texas BBQ (2625 Lemon Grove Ave.): This is probably the one eatery that has made foodies in the center city come out to Lemon Grove. The slow-smoked brisket, ribs and pulled pork get the attention, but I like the sweet spiciness of the jerk chicken.

The red beans and rice and collard greens are my favorite sides, but the mac and cheese is first rate. The restaurant owner recently opened Da Chicken Coop nearby (2605 Lemon Grove Ave.) specializing in chicken.

Dishing It Out appears every other week.

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May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

Up Front | Drink

final

by beth demmon

draught With its existing distribution network, global infrastructure and self-tailored deep pockets (along with an unshakable independent streak), f I had a dollar for every time someone brought Stone is uniquely positioned to spearhead this up the “Craft vs. Big Beer” debate lately, I’d be new path for craft breweries. By creating an able to fund Stone Brewing’s new $100 milalternate financing option for smaller breweries, lion independent investment venture myself. competitors become partners to the benefit of all.

I’m happy to report Stone has taken the initia(Or so they hope.) tive without me and launched a counterattack on Nationwide participation will be open to macro beer that’s shaken the industry to the core: established independent breweries that need True Craft. financing to grow without relinquishing their Historically, there have been two schools of company philosophies or control. It’s also thought when it comes to beer. You either drink noteworthy that True Craft will extend beyond what you like (origins be damned), or you’re the craft beer community into sustainable and dedicated to the craft through and through. authentic food sources as well, allowing the With the massive explosion of craft breweries united band of participants to compete more that have opened since 2008, a gray area has effectively in their respective industries. stone brewing evolved—one where This isn’t the first craft values such as quality, beer alliance alternative, localism and ownership not even in San Diego. stagger differently for Green Flash Brewing and every consumer.

Alpine Beer Company If you’re in the “just banded together in 2014, drink good beer, who and Victory Brewing cares where it comes Company partnered with from” camp, then you Southern Tier Brewing won’t care about what Company earlier this True Craft is poised to year. Still, with an initial accomplish. And if you’re $100 million investment a “craft” brewery that Greg Koch & Steve Wagner just to start, True Craft launched in the boom is poised to strike a and puts profits over passion, congratulations legitimate blow to the encroaching forces of Big on successfully leeching off the hard-earned Beer and the industrialized food-and-beverage reputation of others. Ain’t America grand? conglomerates as a whole.

However, if you’re a devotedly independent Stone (nor its yet-to-be-named partners) craft brewer with any aspiration of self-funded hasn’t released the “minimal” stipulations expansion, the cards are stacked against you. for participating, so it’s impossible to know if The existing system is designed to protect big True Craft will shape up to be the final word money and subdue emerging threats to the in independent beer growth—but at least it’s fragile ecosystem by stifling competition through an alternative. Call them beer elitists, call them backhanded distribution tactics and completely arrogant bastards, even call them opportunistic legal but pretty slimy pay-for-play loopholes. if that’s how you feel. But Stone puts its money That’s where True Craft comes in. where its mouth is. And that makes it true to the “There is a squeeze coming in the craft beer craft. world,” says Stone CEO and co-founder Greg Koch.

“True Craft’s goal is simple: Give craft brewers Write to bethd@sdcitybeat.com. Follow her on another option than selling a majority interest to Instagram at @thedelightedbite or on Twitter at private equity or selling out to big beer.” @iheartcontent.

True Craft wages war on Big Beer

I

12 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

#SDCityBeat

Up Front | technology

all things

by tom siebert

tech

Could you do better than Trump or Clinton?

I

f the 2016 presidential election increasingly looks players and offering a definite narrative beginning, like a bizarre theatrical game to you, well, at least middle and end. one local entrepreneur wants to provide a chance “We don’t intend for anyone to win the first time to play along to see if you can do better. they play,” Connacher says. “One goal is to make this Sean Connacher, a San Diego native who works an eye opener of how hard it is to run for president.” for a local digital marketing company, has created The key, he emphasizes, is “to make failure fun,” “The Road to 1600,” a game for smart devices (both so players want to give it another shot. The storyline Android and iPhone), that challenges you to give seeks to stay entertaining no matter which way your the race a shot yourself virtual campaign goes, if you think you can do so players come back to better. try again.

“Just like every other The game targets American watching the youth—content is geared debates, I was like— toward a high school levwe’ve got 320 million el of comprehension—in Americans, are these hopes of getting them really the best people?” engaged in the political Connacher says. “And process, but intricate the answer is, ‘Of course enough to snag political it’s not.’” junkies as well.

Connacher asserts “People are compulthe problem is that the sively looking at their public sector no longer phones nowadays, I’m attracts ‘the best and the as guilty of it as any“Road to 1600” makes players one,” Connacher says. brightest’ to the politibuild a team of advisors. “It’s what young people cal process. They now gravitate to the public sector, especially banking do, and if you’re going to reach them, that’s where and technology, because those fields are perceived they are.”

He says that the immediate application would as hip, sexy and offer the opportunity to make more money. be for the fall election, but his ultimate hope is that “I wanted to create something that would engage “The Road to 1600” will find traction in the educayoung people, make them think about the electoral tional realm and nonprofit sector, which are similarprocess in a way that’s informative and engaging, but ly aligned for civic engagement and hopes to introalso entertaining and a little funny,” he says. “We want duce the concept that public sector careers can be rewarding and fun.

‘The Road to 1600’ to give If the game gains people a taste of what it’s traction and at least a like to run for the highest cult following, Conoffice in the land.” nacher says there are The game, currently ambitions to broaden in development, will be gameplay that will alin beta-testing mode in low players to create June and hit the market completely unique perLabor Day weekend, two sonas beyond the curfull months before genrent slate of choices, as eral election day. Conwell as a “career play” nacher is trying to raise mode where a player funds on Kickstarter, but can start out running is prepared to self-fund for city council or mayif it doesn’t reach the or, then fight and claw $14,000 goal by Friday.

Political choices throughout their way up the politiIn the game, playthe game influence results cal food chain. He also ers can pick among a multitude of personas, assemble a team of advisors, says that specific elections could be recreated, like develop a position platform, raise money and make 1860’s legendary Lincoln vs. Douglas, or 1960’s JFK strategic calls all along the process. Decisions have vs. Tricky Dick.

“We’ve got to get young people re-engaged with consequences with financial backers, the general population, the media and so on. the political process in a way that’s more than just Unlike many open-ended role-playing games, some kind of reality show,” Connacher says. “The “The Road to 1600” has a definite cycle, a beginning only real political engagement message being comand an end that invites repeated play. Connacher municated to the younger generation is ‘go out and says he took his inspiration from the hoary 1970s vote,’ when we should be telling them ‘go out and computer game “Oregon Trail,” which taught the lead the country.’ What we’ve got now is a few from history of the expansion west while entertaining a certain pedigree. We’ve got to broaden that.”

#SDCityBeat

May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

HILLCREST

1 STREET SMARTS

While the argument could certainly be says he hopes that when people see what is possimade for San Diego being one of the ble that they’ll contact city leaders to turn Normal most pedestrian-friendly cities, it’s not much Street into a pedestrian-only street. known for pedestrian-only streets. Vegas has FreAs for the event itself, a Thursday evening mont, Detroit has Pallister PechaKucha Night will COURTESY OF HILLCREST BUSINESS ASSOCIATION kick things off. Sponsored Park and San Francisco has its famous paseos and the by the San Diego ArchitecMansell Street Corridor, tural Foundation, the eveso why wouldn’t a consisning begins at 6 p.m. and tently weather-friendly will feature city planners city like San Diego try to and creative-types showdo the same? ing off ideas for a Normal That’s the question the Street conversion. On FriHillcrest Business Associaday at 6 p.m., there will tion is asking with its fourbe a bike-in movie night day, multi-event Re-Imagscreening of E.T. On Satine Normal Street. Held urday afternoon from 2 to from Thursday, May 12 6 p.m., there will be a Hillthrough Sunday, May 15, crest Craft Beer Crawl folthe whole idea behind the lowed by a concert at 6 p.m. event is to show the pubsponsored by The Merrow. lic and the powers-thatOn Sunday, things will get Re-Imagine Normal Street back to normal with the be what could be done by transforming Normal Street into a car-free, public Hillcrest Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. space that would only be open to bikes and pedes“This whole endeavor is based on the idea that trians. The street has long been the host of the Hill- city staff and city policy makers will see what crest Farmer’s Market, so for people like Hillcrest we’re trying to communicate to them,” says NichBusiness Association Executive Director Benjamin olls. “If they can come and see it and possibly use Nicholls, the transition wouldn’t be that drastic. their imagination, then we’ll see what happens.”

“We just felt like the best way to show people fabuloushillcrest.com it could be done was to do it,” says Nicholls, who

GASLAMP QUARTER

2 MAKERS MARK

With the world’s digitization, analog art methods are dissipating, but not if the Allied Craftsmen of San Diego have anything to say about it. This 68-year-old organization makes each artist a craftsman in materials such as wood, metal, glass and more. So while their annual Allied Craftsmen of San Diego Annual Juried Exhibition won’t feature any photography, COURTESY OF THE ARTIST paintings or drawings, it will include more than 35 artists such as Charlotte Bird, Alexandra Hart and Jeff Irwin showcasing various works that are set“Circulation” by Jeff Irwin ting the tone in contemporary crafts. The public opening reception is from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 13, and will be held at Sparks Gallery (530 Sixth Ave.) Beer and wine will be available for purchase with all proceeds going to the organization. The event is free but requires RSVP at sparksgallery.com

14 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

CHULA VISTA

3 ELECTRIC AVENUE

Anyone who caught our Beerdist column a few weeks ago already knows some exciting, sudsy things are happening on Third Avenue in Chula Vista. In fact, it’s not just limited to that stretch. The whole Chula Vista craft beer scene is blowing up. So an event like Avenue Amps and Ales makes total sense. It will feature more than 20 craft breweries and an eclectic bunch of bands including The Routine and Grizzly Business. Taking over Memorial Park (373 Park Way) on Saturday, May 14, from noon to 6 p.m., the event will also feature food from local eateries, all-ages crafts and #SouthBayUprising theme to benefit the Chula Vista Police Foundation. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. thirdavenuevillage.com ANDREW DYER

HAllied Craftsmen of San Diego at Sparks Gallery, 530 6th Ave., Gaslamp.

This annual exhibition showcases contemporary craft and art from artists with innovative processes and unconventional designs using materials such as wood, clay, metal, glass, wire, fabric, gold and silver. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m.

Friday, May. 13. Free. 619-696-1416, sparksgallery.com HObject Type at UCSD Visual Arts Facility Gallery, Russell Dr. and Lyman Ave., La Jolla. The first in a series of exhibitions, programs and events celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the UCSD Department of Visual Arts. Includes works from artists past and present. Reception from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, May. 13. Free. visarts.ucsd. edu HTiny. Big Ideas on a Smaller Scale at Subtext, 2479 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy.

The show from local arts group Cohort Collective will show off new works on a microscopic scale. Includes works from Christopher Konecki, Spenser Little, Mike Maxwell, Fintan Magee and more.

Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, May. 13. Free. 619-876-0664, facebook.com/ events/1767681446800605 H8 Rows Back at Helmuth Projects, 1827 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill. New paintings and sculptural works from UCSD MFA candidates Audrey Hope and Morgan Mandalay. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, May. 14. Free. 619-265-6842, facebook.com/events/535797056622370/ As the Universe, So the Soul: Explorations on Growing Inward at Monarch | Arredon Contemporary, 7629 Girard Ave. Suite C2, La Jolla. Painter and sculptor Larry Renzo Lewis will unveil his latest collection of works, in which he pushes his traditional work to begin the exploration of growing inward. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. Free. 858-4541231, monarchfineart.com Contemporary Realism at Escondido Municipal Gallery, 262 E. Grand Ave., Escondido. A juried exhibition of art works by over 30 San Diego regional artists emphasizing realistic subjects, recognizable or not, done in a contemporary way or with contemporary materials. Opening from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. Free. 760-480-4101, escondidoarts.org HExtant at Thumbprint Gallery, 920 Kline St., #104, La Jolla. New works by local artists Andrew McNamara and Ricardo Ales, both of whom are inspired by the intangible nature of the interior life. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May. 14.

Free. thumbprintgallerysd.com HFeminism Now at Gallery D, 1878 Main St., Unit D, Barrio Logan. Dozens of female artists from the U.S. and Sweden will showcase new works in a variety of mediums that center on the meaning of feminism. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. Free. fig-art. blogspot.com HLooking Back/Forward at Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave., North Park.

A retrospective group show of 26 local artists who have previously had solo exhibits at Art Produce. Includes site-specific installations and performance based/ participatory interactive pieces. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. Free.

619-584-4448, artproduce.org HModernistic Volumes at Verbatim Books, 3795 30th St., North Park. A contemporary book art exhibition featuring book cover designs created by students and alumni from Platt College. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. Free.

619-501-7466, platt.edu/blog

Third Avenue

H = CityBeat picks

Ray at Night at various venues in North Park. North Park’s monthly art walk returns with open art galleries, food trucks, and live music performances by local bands. Takes place in the heart of North Park along 30th St., University Ave., Ray St., and more. From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. Free. rayatnight.com Seasons of Change at ArtHatch, 317 E. Grande Ave., Escondido. A new solo exhibition of fine artist and muralist Amandalynn that intends to capture the beauty of nature’s cyclical change. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. Free. 760781-5779, arthatch.org The Aesthetics of Soft Colonies at Space 4 Art, 325 15th St., East Village.

The exhibit features two installations by artist David White whose works look at the changing landscape of city development in the context of the increasing trends of urban economic disparity.

Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. Free. sdspace4art.org

BOOKS Deo Niyizonkiza at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The CEO of Village Health Works and leading advocate for impoverished people will discuss and sign his bestselling book, Strength in What Remains. At 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May. 11. Free. 858-4540347, warwicks.com Elizabeth Marro at West Grove South Park, 3010-B Juniper St., The local writer will sign and discuss her new novel, Casualties. At 6 p.m. Thursday, May. 12. Free.

619-795-3780, westgrovesouthpark.com Joel Dimsdale at Geisel Library, UCSD campus, La Jolla. The UCSD psychiatrist will discuss his new book, Anatomy of Malice: The Enigma of the Nazi War Criminals. At 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May. 12. Free.

David J. Toler Jr. at Rancho Bernardo Museum and Winery, 13330 Paseo del Verano, Rancho Bernardo. Join the author and the Rancho Bernardo Historical Society for a presentation from the recent release Blood of the Band: An Ipai Family Story. At 11 a.m. Saturday, May. 14. Free.

619-871-9333, rbhistoricalsociety.org Dr. Myriam Miedzian at La Jolla Library, 7555 Draper Ave., La Jolla. The author will sign and discuss He Walked Through Walls, the story of how her father managed, against all odds, to live to the age of 94. From 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. Free. 858-552-1657, lajollalibrary.org Shane Mathias at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The local author will discuss The Happiness Tree: Grow Your Happiness by Cultivating a Healthy, Creative and Purposeful Life. At noon. Sunday, May. 15. Free. 858-4540347, warwicks.com Gabriel Mendes at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. The UCSD Professor Gabriel Mendes discusses his book, Under the Strain of Color: Harlem’s Lafargue Clinic and the Promise of AntiRacist Psychiatry. From 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, May. 16. Free. 619-236-5800, sandiego.gov/public-library Greg Rubin and Lucy Warren at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The authors and California gardeners will speak about and sign their book, The Drought-Defying California Garden. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May. 17. Free. 858454-0347, warwicks.com Joan Barnes at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The founder and former CEO of Gymboree will discuss and sign her new memoir, Play it Forward: From Gymboree to the Yoga Mat and Beyond. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May. 18.

858-454-0347, warwicks.com

#SDCityBeat

EVENTS COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

COMEDY HSara Schaefer at The American Comedy Co., 818 6th Ave., Ste. #B, Downtown.

The former co-host of MTV’s Nikki and Sara Live has also made many appearances on such shows as John Oliver’s Stand-Up Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Inside Amy Schumer. From 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, May. 15. $10.

6197953858, americancomedyco.com/ products/sara-schaefer

DANCE HEn Esta Vida...In This Life at White Box Live Arts, 2590 Truxtun Road, Studio 205, Point Loma. An intergenerational dance performance with dancers ages six to 42 that present personal and transparent short stories that speak. At 7 p.m. Saturday, May 14 and 4 p.m.

Sunday, May 15. $5-$10. 619-2251803, danzaimpulseyarte.com

FASHION FWSD16 Spring Showcase at Harrah’s Resort Southern California, 777 Harrah’s Resort Southern California Way, Valley Center. An exclusive first look at the Fashion Week San Diego 2016 collections, as well as live music performances, entertainers, fun prizes and shopping. From 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. $10. 760751-3100, fashionweeksd.com

“Upon the Dawn of Midnight” by Amandalynn can be seen at Seasons of Change, a solo exhibition opening Saturday, May 14, from 6 to 10 p.m. at ArtHatch (370 E. Grande Ave., Escondido).

#SDCityBeat

FILM Picture This: Bikes Vs. Cars Featuring the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. A documentary screening about bicycles as a tool of environmental change, followed by a discussion led by

San Diego County Bicycle Coalition. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, May. 16. Free.

619-236-5800, sandiegolibrary.org HSan Diego Surf Film Festival at Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St, La Jolla. This multi-venue film festival includes 40 international surf films, a VIP party, and will welcome dozens of filmmakers and producers participating in Q&A’s. Various times. Wednesday, May. 18 through Saturday, May 28. $5-$100. 858-4543541, sandiegosurffilmfestival.com

FOOD & DRINK Taste of Mission Beach at Mission Bay, Bay Park. Sample over a dozen area restaurants like Arslan’s Gyros, Café Bahia, Cannonball and more while raising funds for a campaign to upgrade playground equipment at Belmont Park. From 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May. 12. $35. mbwc.org HRhythm & Brews Music and Craft Beer Festival at Historic Downtown Vista, 127 Main St., Vista, Vista. Sample over 100 brews from 60 local breweries while enjoying musical performances.

Proceeds from the event will benefit The Guild, a nonprofit whose mission is to promote locally brewed beer through education and participation in community events. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. $15-$55. 760-726-1122, sdrhythmandbrews.com San Diego County Vintners Association Wine & Food Festival at Bernardo Winery, 13330 Paseo del Verano N., Rancho Bernardo. Taste test and buy at this annual fundraiser that exclusively features San Diego County wineries. From 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May. 15. $50. 858487-1866, sandiegowineries.org

MUSIC HDakhaBrakha at Price Center Ballroom, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla.

The Ukrainian music quartet creates a world of unexpected new music with influences from Ukrainian folk music accompanied by Indian, Arabic, African, Russian and Australian traditional instrumentation.

At 8 p.m. Wednesday, May. 11. $30.

858-246-0809, artpower.ucsd.edu HKallisti Ensemble: Noon at Dusk at UCSD Conrad Prebys Music Center, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla. The ensemble created by UCSD Professor of Music Susan Narucki will present the world premiere of Noon at Dusk, a chamber opera that explores the difficulties many young couples face when juggling career aspirations and love. At 7 p.m. Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14. Friday, May. 13.

Free-$15.50. musicweb.ucsd.edu HLorraine Castellanos: Jazz Singers II at 98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, Little Italy. Part two in the two-part series where the local singer will perform the works of legendary jazz singers like Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and more. From 8 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, May. 13. $20-$25. 619-255-7885, 98bottlessd.com West Coast Weekender at WorldBeat Center, 2100 Park Blvd., Balboa Park.

The three-day music conference and festival that features concerts and talent from across the country participating in daytime panel discussions moderated by DJ Times and Fusicology. From 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday, May 13, 1 p.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday, May 14, and 1 to 11 p.m. Sunday, May 15. $79-$99. 619-2301190, westcoastweekender.net

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

THEATER DAREN SCOTT

Miracle at Moxie Theatre

A

splendid cast telling an incredible and important story. That’s Moxie Theatre’s ambitious production of Katori Hall’s Our Lady of Kibeho, directed

by Jennifer Eve Thorn. Whether or not you believe in divine miracles doesn’t matter. You will be moved, on multiple emotional levels, by the story of three college girls in the Rwandan town of Kibeho in 1981-82 who claimed to have been visited by the Virgin Mary. The reason for this visitation: to empower the girls with a message of universal love and to warn Rwanda—and the world—of a bloody genocide 12 years later that would claim some 800,000 lives.

Cashae Monya, Tyrah Hunter and Mallory Johnson portray the three girls —Alphonsine, Anathalie and MarieClaire—whose transfixions, sobbing and even seizures are dismissed by the tough nun overseeing them (Yolanda Franklin), the shaken local bishop (Antonio T.J. Johnson) and an arrogant emissary from the Vatican (Steve Froelich) sent to Kibeho more to prove a hoax than to confirm a visitation. But the poor villagers want to believe and do, while the head of the college, Father Tuyishime (Vimel Sephus) struggles with his duty to the girls and to God. Our Lady of Kibeho is a variously tender and tenacious drama, with cathartic

16 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

what happened to three young girls in a small town.

—David L. Coddon

Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING: Woody Guthrie’s American Song: An ensemble musical based on the life of the revered American folk singer and songwriter behind classics such as “This Land is Your Land” and “Bound for Glory.” Presented by Intrepid Theatre Company, it opens May 12 at downtown’s Horton Grand Theatre. intrepidtheatre.org Chapter Two: The classic Neil Simon play about a writer and widower attempting, rather hilariously, to find love again. It opens May 13 at the Lamplighters Community Theatre in La Mesa. lamplighterslamesa.com

Cashae Monya (left) and Imahni King-Murillo in Our Lady of Kibeho moments of humor and unsettling special effects (by Angelica Ynfante) that drive home the heart of this devastating true story.

Thorn’s direction of the cast of 16 is keen from the outset, staging scenes from one half of the Moxie stage to the other with seamless continuity and framing important confrontations (some of them in anger or envy, others affectionate or despairing) that constitute so much of Hall’s intricate narrative.

The petite Monya, a veritable Moxie star (The Bluest Eye, Crumbs from the Table of Joy), carries the day, though Sephus’ caring Father Tuyishime is a complex and heartfelt characterization. Franklin, meanwhile, is an imposing presence as Sister Evangelique, disbelieving chiefly out of resentment that the Virgin didn’t choose her.

What happened in Rwanda 20 years ago should be better remembered and never forgotten. That should include

Clybourne Park: The Tony and Pulitzer-winning dramedy is set in the same house in a neighborhood of Chicago over two different time periods, and deals in themes of racism and gentrification.

Written by Bruce Norris, it opens May 13 at the Patio Playhouse in Escondido. patioplayhouse.com

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

#SDCityBeat

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

SPECIAL EVENTS

Holi Festival of Colors at Oceanside Amphitheatre, Mission Ave. West, Oceanside. Rooted in ancient Indian tradition, this fest includes locally-sourced vegetarian cuisine, live music, yoga, dancing, and of course, the opportunity to shower yourself (and total strangers) in vibrant colors. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, May. 14. Free-$6.25. 619291-9797, festivalofcolorsusa.com

HRe-Imagine Normal Street at Normal Street and University Avenue, Hillcrest. Normal Street will transform into a car free public space for four nights of events including a Pechakucha Night, a bike-In movie night, a beer crawl, and more. From 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 12, 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, May 13, 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 14, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 15. Free. fabuloushillcrest.com

Maysa at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido.

The Grammy-nominated jazz and R&B artist Maysa holds a concert to celebrate her 25th year in the music industry and her 50th birthday. From 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. $38-$70. 760839-4190, artcenter.org

HQueen Bee Market at Industrial Warehouse, 1300 Specialty Dr., Linda Vista. Handmade meets modern as more than 80 vendors offer unique handmade products including acces-

sories, clothing, home decor, jewelry, baked goods, art and more. Friday, May. 13. Free-$3. thequeenbeemarket. com

able and fresh, local produce. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15. Free. 760-504-0101, farmstandwest.com

HAvenue Amps and Ales at Third Avenue Chula Vista, Third Ave., Chula Vista. This event will feature more than 20 craft breweries, local bands and eateries, all-ages craft activities and a #SouthBayUprising theme to benefit the Chula Vista Police Foundation. From noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. $25$30. thirdavenuevillage.com

Scripps Ranch Community Fair at Scripps Ranch Community Park, 11454 Blue Cypress Dr., Scripps Ranch. Check out exhibitor booths, environmental education vendors, onstage performances, a wine and beer garden, food and a night concert by Breez’n. From noon to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May. 15. Free. 858538-8085, scrippsranch.org

Spring Fair & Boutique at Fran’s Original Farm Stand, 1980 Summit Dr., Escondido. The second annual fair features local artists, crafts, bakers, jams and jellies, seamstress and more. There will be an afternoon BBQ lunch avail-

Inspired Mind Meditations at Universal Spirit Center, 3858 Front St., Hillcrest. Experience a variety of medita-

WORKSHOPS

tion styles and find one that resonates with you. The event is led by meditation coach and yoga teacher Sarah Forbes.

From 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May. 11. $20 suggested donation. universalspiritcenter.org Novel III: Characterization in Novel with T. Greenwood at Inspirations Gallery, 2730 Historic Decatur Rd. Suite 202, Point Loma. This six week workshop will focus on the development of authentic characters and the challenge of creating and integrating various elements into a cohesive and credible whole. From 10 a.m. to noon. Saturday, May. 14. $180-$216. 619-2559483, sandiegowriters.org

Pacificaires and Cedar Center Chorus 40th Annual Spring Concert at Christ Lutheran Church, 4761 Cass St., Pacific Beach. 100 singers will perform a program of songs of Italian, African and South American descent under this year’s theme “America: The World’s Musical Melting Pot.” From 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, May. 15. Free. pacificaires.org HSACRA/PROFANA: Local Connections at Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. The choral music ensemble, known for blending classic and contemporary styles, will perform a program of music that has local roots. At 7 p.m. Sunday, May. 15. $10$30. 760-435-3720, sacraprofana.org HArt of Élan: By & By at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. The chamber music group presents a program that contemplates the possibility of a common language for the 21st century. Includes pieces by Villa-Lobos, Kevin Puts, and the San Diego premiere of a string quartet piece by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, May. 17. $45-$50.

619-232-7931, artofelan.org Wednesdays@7 Stephanie Richards at Conrad Prebys Music Center, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla. UC San Diego Assistant Professor of Music and trumpeter Stephanie Richards will perform “Arms” with pianists Vicki Ray and Cathlene Pineda. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, May. 18.

Free-$15.50. 858-534-3448, musicweb. ucsd.edu

PERFORMANCE HGreat Scott at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. San Diego Opera presents this modern day opera about a female singer returning to her hometown for the first time since becoming an international star so she can help save her home opera company. At 7 p.m. Friday, May 13 and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 15. $45-$225. sdopera.org HOdophonics at San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. An “olfacto-sound” performance by local artist Brian Goeltzenleuchter and Sean Francis Conway featuring Art of Elan will include both smell and sound. At 4 p.m.

Saturday, May. 14. Free-$5. sandiegoart.org Super Awesome Showdown: Infinite Horizons at Tango Del Rey, 3567 Del Rey St., Mission Bay. Storytelling, super heroes, villains and monsters mix with sentient computer programs, electronic music, and lighting effects in this combat show that also offers beer and Pop-Tarts.

From 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May. 14. $5-$30. 858-689-2422, superawesomeshowdown.com

#SDCityBeat

May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

TORREY BAILEY

CULTURE | ART

Lynn Susholtz YNN SUSHOLTZ PROUDLY LOOKS AROUND the garden and communal area of Art Produce (artproduce.org), an art gallery and multi-use building in North Park. Five years ago, the garden area was an asphalt parking lot populated by homeless people. Nowadays, in addition to the communal picnic tables and potted herbs, there’s a new sign, a new brewery tasting room and workers bustling to install new lights throughout the outside area.

It’d be easy to assume that Art Produce, after 15 years in business, is going through a second phase of growth and expansion, but Susholtz is quick to point out that the building’s new additions and programs have been years in the making.

“This is phase 3.5 or something,” says Susholtz, chuckling. She says there have been monumental changes over the years despite the consistent issue of funding. “I’ve always tried tot stay ahead of the neighborhood. To be flexible and responsive to the neighborhood while retaining an artist-centered cultural venue.”

It’s that last point that makes Art Produce both a neighborhood mainstay and a consistently evolving arts entity— in a part of town that has become increasingly less friendly to galleries and arts spaces. Susholtz recalls one of the first art shows she ever curated being held in the Claire de Lune coffeehouse, which permanently closed a few weeks before after nearly two decades in business. It’s helped that she owns the Art Produce building and has used the rent money from tenants, such as ceviche restaurant Tostadas, to subsidize the arts programing, but she still says it’s been sad to see neighborhood art spaces come and go over the years.

“I like to think of the changes here as making a private space public when everyone else in the neighborhood is in the business of privatizing public spaces,” says Susholtz, who prides herself on being the daughter of a real estate agent father and an artist mother. “What’s happening now has been the concept I had in mind all along—to create a cultural venue and figure out a way to create a cultural development project. I’ve been pushing for something like

18 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

this since I moved into the neighborhood 26 years ago.” artist-in-residency program that will begin in July with This grand culmination into a “cultural development San Antonio-based artist Patty Ortiz, who plans on hirproject” begins on Saturday, May 14, at 6 p.m. when the ing 12 neighborhood non-artists to help her construct a majority of the building will host Looking Back/Forward, large-scale painting. There are also plans to turn what is a retrospective art exhibition that will feature more than being used as a meditation center into a dual exhibition 25 local artists, all of whom have had solo shows at Art space and “community room” studio for performances and Produce. The rotating show will include site-specific in- various classes. The ultimate vision is to have the space be stallations as well as performance-based pieces and marks something for everyone. the beginning of regularly occurring activities within Art “Economies and neighborhoods flourish when there’s Produce. The months of May and June will feature artist diversity,” says Susholtz, who is also a member of the North talks, salons, pop-up dinTORREY BAILEY Park Main Street Associaners and social dances in tion. “I’m continuing to the garden area. try to be a voice in the A notable addition to neighborhood. To keep the garden is a beer tasting the direction heading toroom from ChuckAleck ward arts and culture; toBrewers, who specialize in ward safe and interesting “old-world beers for newthings for families and not school palates.” Named afjust focusing on one deter the founder and head mographic.” brewer’s grandfathers, the Back inside the space tasting room includes a that houses Susholtz’s ofmural of the men by local fice, she shows off a scan artist Janelle Despot. As of a sketch she made in Susholtz sits down at one 2010 that outlines how of the communal picnic she wanted the Art Protables, a woman comes up A ChuckAlek beer and the Art Produce Garden duce space to evolve. She to inquire about reserving says back then she never the space for a party in a few weeks. It’s easy to see how had an “articulated master plan,” but a closer inspection Susholtz is still getting the hang of some of the business of the sketch reveals that most of the dozens of goals listed aspects that come with having beautified the space. are now coming to fruition.

“I wish I had a business background,” Susholtz says.

“I am embedded here. And I have the capacity to stay “I’ve been able to experiment since I own the space, but here in ways that others don’t,” says Susholtz, who shows it’s almost been like, ‘Let’s try this and see if it works,’ and off her own line of “Citizen Artist” t-shirts that use the slogan, “If We Don’t Do It, Who Will?” just tweak the formula from there.”

“It’s just been this dynamic work in progress and I have One aspect that has helped significantly is that Art Produce, as of last year, became a nonprofit. This helped continuously responded to the context of the neighborSusholtz secure a grant from the California Arts Council’s hood, the economy and the needs of those that are particiArtists Activating Communities program. The first round pating,” she adds. “That has evolved over the years, and we of funding just came through and will be used to start an just need to keep being fluid and dynamic.”

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CULTURE | ART

SEEN LOCAL

“What has happened to the word?” asks Kvissberg. “Why is it so offensive, why is it so scary? Do we need it? Should we name it something else? Is it something else? Rather than just saying we are fighting for this, let’s talk about it.”

Stump says she hasn’t witnessed this sentiment to the Swedish extremity, but knows that some peowedish girls think feminism is associated with ple, particularly men, will often shy away from disbeing very confrontational, being aggressive, not cussions because of the movement’s ambiguity. But liking men, not being feminine,” says Åsa Kviss- Kvissberg says that a man’s familial role, at least, is berg, a Swedish artist who has traveled between Stock- changing in Sweden. A new law there requires that holm and San Diego over the past seven years. During men take advantage of 280 days of paternal leave, one of her trips, she met local artist Anna Stump, and citing hope of newfound equality in parental roles.

“When you go to Stockholm you see a lot of dads the two have since swapped opinions on feminism and having lattes with othhow it varies within TORREY BAILEY er dads and their baby their cultures. wagons, which is a very “We consider feminew scene,” Kvissberg nism a very big tent says. since everyone has their Some Swedish piecown understanding of es in the collection, feminism,” Stump says. like one print by Randi To vet these variLeirnes, reflect this ous interpretations, trend, but it stops there. they called on both “Not a single one of American and Swedish the American women women from their resaid that at all,” Stump spective organizations, says. “I think we’ve givthe Feminist Image en up.”

Group and Krogen American artists, Anna Stump and Åsa Kvissberg Amerika, to create such as Daphne Hill works for the new exhibition, Feminism Now, which opens Saturday, and Prudence Horne, instead explored implications May 14, from 6 to 10 p.m. at Gallery D (1878 Main St., of pornography and second-wave feminism, among other topics. Still, both Stump and Kvissberg hope Unit D) in Barrio Logan (fig-art.blogspot.com).

While some are flippant and others are stone the show sparks conversations at home.

“For this project, it has more to do with feminism cold serious, the pieces aim to illustrate the moveand equality,” Kvissberg says. “Being treated equally ment’s effects on the artists’ respective culture—one with an equal chance in a work environment, or in a stark difference being Sweden’s intensely negative relationship or raising children. In just living life.” connotation of feminism.

WOMEN’S WORK

S

“

—Torrey Bailey

TO SEE OR NOT TO SEE: 50 TO WATCH

lot to take in and The Studio Door’s rather quaint space makes it very difficult to truly get a sense of why I should be watching these artists in the first place. The exhibition takes focus and time, but there In this semi-regular department, arts editor Seth are gems to be found.

Combs reviews a notable new art show or exhibition.

I was touched by Ally Benbrook’s moving watercolor portraits of local homeless people and their like a good roundup exhibition of local art as dogs. While the paintings were certainly not as blamuch as the next critic. Whether it’s thematic tant and grandiose as fellow local Neil Shigley’s bril(seen all those tributary Prince and David Bowie liant series of Invisible People portraits, Benbrook has art shows lately?) or simply meant to show off con- a subtlety in her strokes that made me want to know temporary artists who wouldn’t otherwise get to more about her subjects. PhoCOURTESY OF THE ARTIST show their work in a gallery tographers like Jeff Caffarel space, it’s always nice to see so and Lisa Layne Griffiths many new names all at once. both presented impressive While these types of shows representations of their very are never particularly useful different approach to the mefor understanding one particdium, while abstractionist ular artist’s work, they can be Christopher Conroe’s mix of a means to get an artist on our acrylic and ink on paper had respective radars. me attempting to visualize Such is the case with 50 his excellent use of geometto Watch, a biennial exhiric form and vibrant color for bition of new works from, days after. naturally, 50 up-and-coming “Tensity” by Christopher Conroe Since it will happen every regional artists. The show at two years, 50 to Watch has the The Studio Door (thestudiopotential to grow into a respected and authoritative door.com) in North Park (3750 30th St.), which is up showcase of the best artists our city has to offer. For through May 18, was juried by Museum of Contem- the moment, however, 50 to Watch is much more porary Art San Diego Curatorial Manager Jenna Si- like many of the artists in the show itself. Young, deman Jacobs and Mingei Chief Curator Christine Hi- rivative and not fully formed yet, but well on its way etbrink, and includes a smorgasbord of new works to being something unique. in every conceivable medium. Quite honestly, it’s a

—Seth Combs

I

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May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

Culture | Voices

ryan bradford

well that was

awkward

Big blimpin’ with gin and juice “

Y

ou had me at blimp.”

These may not be the exact words I say when my editor Ron Donoho asks if I want to join him on Hendrick’s Gin cucumber-shaped blimp, but I’m certain only people who deliberate over free blimp rides are damn fools.

El Cajon’s Gillespie Field is the first stop in Hendrick’s Gin’s promotional tour across the country.

Loyal gin-drinkers, distributors and the, yes, media are among the people invited to ride on a massive, green blimp. After accepting the invitation, I walk away with a newfound lightness to my step, already referring to it as a “pickle-blimp” in my mind, and further, recognizing that the timeline of my life will be divided into “pre-pickle-blimp” and “postpickle-blimp.”

I wake up early on the day of our scheduled ride.

It’s a bluebird morning—maybe the first time I’ve ever considered a time of day in such anthropomorphic terms. I drive over the hill and into El Cajon.

A dreamy, sun-reflecting layer of haze has settled into the East County valley. I squint against the divine brightness. And then I see it, floating above the shimmering, gold world: pickle blimp. Long, green, phallic. So majestic.

I wait in the airport parking lot and watch the pickle blimp land in the adjacent field. Ron shows up and calls Victoria, our PR hookup. We can see her from where we’re standing, but she still sends a Hendrick’s van to escort us the 100 or so yards to where she is.

When we get to the launch site, I’m even more awed by the pickle blimp. It looms over everything, and the eyeball graphic printed on the side of the balloon only adds to the god-like omnipotence.

I blindly sign the release waiver. Whatever bodily injury/death incurred by pickle blimp: worth it. But walking forward to meet my potential maker, logic begins to break through the euphoria. Why a blimp? I think.

How does that have anything to do with gin?

These are the types of questions that underwrite this column. As much as I want to give my readers a good laugh, I always want to remind them that we live in an insane world, despite daily routines that do a pretty good job of numbing us to it. I’m convinced that the only reason life isn’t devastatingly frightening is because we have to live it every day.

And this is why I will always accept an invitation from a public relations company. There is no other agency that typifies the disconnection between how the world is presented to us and how weird it actually is. I don’t mean this as an insult (some of my best friends work in PR!), but I’m endlessly fascinated by how hysteria is peddled, or how any writer can document this kind of stuff without freaking the fuck out.

Like, I have no clue how giving a lot of well-off people gin and putting them in a blimp can be understood and applied to the Universal Human Condition.

An example of this strangeness is the makeshift bar that Hendrick’s has set up on the airfield, mere feet from the giant floating device that could crush us if a strong gust of wind suddenly blew it over.

People in old-timey outfits (of course they’re old timey) sling gin and cucumber cocktails to a small, impassive crowd on an airfield before 9 a.m. Is it cool? Yes, but is it also hella Lynchian? Yes. The blimp’s gondola is small—apart from the pilot, there’s really only room for me and Ron. The entire aircraft is tethered by seven people holding ropes, and it shifts as we board. The control anyone has over this beast seems sketchy at best. I take a sip from my Hendrick’s gift flask to calm the nerves.

The blimp’s takeoff reminds me of to watching seven grown men launch a giant kite off the ground, but all my nervousness disappears we ascend into the heavens. Cesar, our pilot, controls the blimp from a throne that looks similar to a wheelchair with two foot-pedals.

I poke my head out the window. I’m surprised by the amount of pools in El Cajon. I find myself judging the shape of pools at this height. If you have a regular rectangle pool and we fly over it, you better believe I’m gonna judge you.

We float above San Diego State University. I ask Cesar if we can swoop down and strike fear in the hearts of college students (I’m mostly done with my flask by this point). He gives me a pity laugh and doesn’t answer.

Landing a blimp turns out to be another exercise of crossing fingers and hoping things turn out well. The seven people who launched us wait on the field like bowling pins. Cesar lowers us and we bounce along the ground at 30 mph toward them. The men run at us, grab at ropes and basically drag their feet. One man tumbles to the ground. It looks painful. I swig the last of my promotional gin.

We exit the blimp. The next couple getting ready to fly—an attractive pair from Locale magazine— looks sufficiently buzzed from the Lynchian bar.

They’re throwing dramatic poses and snapping pics in front of the pickle blimp. Ron and I hang around to watch it lift into the sky without us. It’s vaguely sad to imagine that I’ll be now living in a post-pickle-blimp era, and those feelings—booze-fueled sadness mixed with a yearning for what I can’t have—is how I know that the promotion worked.

“

Whatever bodily injury/death incurred by pickle blimp: worth it.

“

20 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

Well That Was Awkward appears every other week.

Write to ryanb@sdcitybeat.com.

#SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

Culture | Film

Power failure

High-Rise

Ben Wheatley’s messy, problematic dystopian class critique

by Glenn Heath Jr.

T

here’s no beauty in the breakdown according blue-collar families below. to Ben Wheatley’s High-Rise. This messy and What follows is a series of vignettes that grow dirtconvoluted adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s 1975 ier and bloodier with each absurd twist. Sometimes novel paints a dystopian future that finally begins Liang gets caught in the middle, while at others he’s to crumble thanks to class warfare between tenants merely a disaffected bystander. This leads to a conof a mega apartment complex. While society may fused sense of perspective. Are we supposed to care seem stable on the surface, collapse is an organic what happens to these people? Or just revel in their inevitability, something perpetrated by the most in- anarchy? Most of them remain faceless participants dulgent impulses of wealthy and poor alike. Their in a grotesque sideshow of humanity run amok. motivations for violence may be different, but the Wheatley, a cult director in the U.K. known for consequences for both are the same. his subversive genre bending in films such as Down Set in what looks like a hazy version of 1970s Terrace, Kill List and Sightseers, quickly loses conBritain, things begin pristine enough. Exterior shots trol of the narrative. High-Rise becomes disconposition the massive living strucnected with any sense of pacing ture on the outskirts of a major or rhythm, doing whatever it city of industry. Inside the opupleases at any given time. The lent high-rise, we see the gleamvisuals are striking, but there’s High-Rise ing façade of clean lines and posh no substance beneath them.

Directed by Ben Wheatley décor through the eyes of Laing Much of this has to do with Starring Tom Hiddleston, (Tom Hiddleston), a tormented the lack of character developphysician still reeling from the ment beyond whatever surface Sienna Miller, Luke Evans death of his sister. He believes traits the screenplay swipes from and Jeremy Irons the move into a sprawling new Ballard’s prose. Even Liang himRated R suite at the futuristic high-rise self is simply a cipher with only will offer a fresh start of sorts. a Cliff’s Notes personality to ofLiang immediately encounfer. The only character with any ters a host of diverse characters dimension is Wilder, played with from various social backgrounds that begin to form insane tenacity by the usually suave Luke Evans. his impressions of the complex. The building’s arHigh-Rise, which opens Friday, May 13, totally chitect (Jeremy Irons) lives in the decadent pent- disregards normal narrative conventions like cause house with his snooty wife. Volatile television pro- and effect and exposition, but it’s not nearly as exducer Wilder (Luke Evans) and his pregnant wife perimental as it wants you to think. At times, the film Helen (Elisabeth Moss) live toward the bottom rung. lazily clashes images together for shock value, only But it’s the beautiful Charlotte (Sienna Miller) that to move on before addressing why it did so in the captures Liang’s gaze and indoctrinates him into the first place. Merely presenting this toxic imagery and contradictory hierarchies of high-rise life. selfish characters without substantial subtext or criPetty disagreements between certain denizens tique isn’t enough. of the building eventually cascade into an all-night As a result, the film is overstuffed with mixed party thrown by the lower classes led by Wilder. The messages about capitalism, class division and selfupper echelon decides to retaliate with their own preservation. For a far superior lesson on a failed arbash, eventually leading to a series of brutal con- chitectural dream, check out Pete Travis’ lean, mean, flicts that turns the entire building into a warzone. fighting machine Dredd, which does these complex High-Rise strips away all rationale and reason from themes far more justice. these decisions, instead focusing on the carnality and greed expressed by the rich demi-gods on the Film reviews run weekly. higher floors and the desperation and rage of the Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com.

22 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

#SDCityBeat

Culture | Film Last Days in the Desert: Rodrigo Garcia’s biblical epic imagines the 40 days Jesus (Ewan McGregor) spent in the desert fasting and praying.

Money Monster: A talk show host (George Clooney) that specializes in finances is taken hostage by an angry investor (Jack O’Connell) during a live television broadcast of his show.

Our Last Tango: This drama tells the story of two Argentine tango dancers who spent nearly 50 years performing together until a painful separation tore them apart.

Screens through Thursday, May 19, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Par The Family Fang: Jason Bateman and Nicole Kidman star as siblings who must confront the childhood trauma caused by their experimental artist parents. Screens

through Thursday, May 19, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

hands. Screens at 8 p.m. Thursday – Saturday, May 12 – 14, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

One Time Only

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Harrison Ford’s dashing archeologist travels into the jungle to investigate the disappearance of multiple young boys from a village. Screens at 11:55 p.m.

Saturday, May 14, and at 11 a.m. Sunday, May 15 at the Ken Cinema.

Love & Mercy: The story of Beach Boy Brian Wilson told during two pivotal points in his tumultuous life. Screens at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 11, at the Chula Vista Civic Center Library.

Chef: Jon Favreau stars as a restaurant chef who grows disillusioned with his profession and decides to invest in his own food truck. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

The Maltese Falcon: A private detective takes on a case surrounding a priceless statue that has fallen into the wrong

For a complete

listing of movies, please see

“Film Screenings” at sdcitybeat.com.

Baskin

Hell’s kitchen

F

ive Turkish police officers act like assholes in a quiet restaurant and earn themselves the ire of a sinister hooded figure that may be a gatekeeper to hell. So goes the clumsy set-up of Baskin, Cam Evrenol’s bloody horror film that sees unchecked masculinity as the ultimate sin.

We never get to know these cops, who range in age and archetype from the young rookie to the veteran roughneck. But it’s clear they are part of a fraternity that frowns upon emotion and vulnerability. A glimmer of sensitivity shines through when the men decide to sing along collectively to a pop song while answering a distress call by other officers from an abandoned building.

In these early moments, when the film refuses to show all of its genre cards, there are moments of intense uncertainty that ring true.

But Baskin turns from scary to silly very quickly as the men encounter untold horrors within the walls of the derelict structure.

Here, the film basks in the gory details of dismemberment and disembowelment, putting its characters through torturously prolonged bouts of pain. Evrenol occasionally cuts away to explore the dream state of the youngest officer, whose memory of a childhood trauma comes raging back to the forefront.

But all pretenses aside, Baskin remains your run-of-the-mill torture porn with very little on the mind other than perpetuating reductive shock and awe. The best horror films allude to political or social subtext underneath the carnage, but that’s entirely lacking here.

Baskin, which opens Friday, May 13, at the Digital Gym Cinema, opportunistically cashes in on the loaded imagery of nightmares, creating a dumbed down vision of hell covered in dirt and blood. If you’re into watching stomachs get ripped open for no

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reason, then this one’s for you. If not, run for the hills.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

Opening Baskin: Five Turkish police officers respond to a distress call in the countryside only to experience untold horrors when they discover a gateway to hell. Screens through Thursday, May 19, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

High-Rise: Tom Hiddleston plays a disaffected doctor who encounters societal collapse when he begins living at a newly constructed high-rise on the outskirts of London.

Adapted from J.G. Ballard’s 1975 novel.

May 11, 2016 • San Diego CityBeat · 23

ARI MAGG

MUSIC

, OHN GRANT is what you might call a late bloomer.

He admits to being in his forties before he finally began to make music he wanted to make. He got his start in the mid’90s playing pretty decent alt-rock in Denver band The Czars.

Despite being signed to reputable indie label Bella Union no one really seemed to care much about them. Grant played in that band for nearly 10 years, but at this point in his career he’s not out on tour playing solo versions of his old band’s hits. Let’s be real here: There just weren’t any hits.

Grant doesn’t look back on that time with reverence or nostalgia. You can’t blame the guy. For most of those 10 years, he was in a self-medicating, self-indulgent and self-denying haze of drugs, booze and casual sex with both men and women.

“God, it’s even worse than that. I was so fucked up,” says Grant, calling from his home in Reykjavik, Iceland. “When I think back on that time, I don’t feel good about it, but that might not necessarily be a bad thing.”

What he means by that last line is that these days the thought of being that “fucked up” often helps Grant stay sober. Somewhere within these troubled times—repressing his own homosexuality, but still acting on it—he also managed to contract HIV. “I put myself in some very scary situations that led to me getting HIV,” Grant says. “I think it will always somehow be intertwined with my stuff, and I need to ask myself questions like, ‘Why were you unable to connect with yourself to such an extent that you didn’t feel like you were worth the effort to take care of yourself and ensure that something like this wouldn’t happen?’”

It’s tempting to call the 47-year-old’s recent succession of acclaimed solo albums a career renaissance. However, Grant sees it more as a grand coming-out party. He says he always had a clear sense of the type of music he wanted to make. His heart was in electronic and dance music, having loved bands such as The Eurythmics, Depeche Mode and early ’90s industrial bands. When The Czars finally broke up in 2004, Grant continued to perform under the name but quickly dropped the moniker to focus on his solo career inasmuch as he could considering he was still indulging in his vices.

He hit rock bottom just after finishing his solo debut, Queen of Denmark, which was recorded in Texas with soft-rockers and Bella Union labelmates Midlake. The record is filled with lush baroque-pop that’s so undeniably catchy that it’s even hard not to sing along to songs such as “Where Dreams Go to Die” and “Jesus Hates Faggots.” Grant has admitted in the past that, around this time, he was waking up in all sorts of sordid situations and regularly smoking crack. Even so, Queen of Denmark became somewhat of a word-of-mouth success to the extent that those things still happen, and sometime just before the album came out, Grant checked himself into a hospital.

In 2012, a freshly sober Grant retreated to Iceland to record Pale Green Ghosts, a beautiful, electro-tinged exercise in narcis-

JOHN GRANT CONTINUED ON PAGE 25 24 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

#SDCityBeat

Music john grant CONTINUED from PAGE 24 sistic pop with Grant proclaiming “I am the greatest motherfucker that you’re ever gonna meet” and “I guess I’m one of those guys who gets better looking as they age.”

Finally, he was making the type of music he wanted to make.

“A lot of people who knew about the Czars and Queen of Denmark were really surprised by that record,” Grant says. “But for people who knew me, they were like, ‘Ahhhh, well, finally.’”

Grant’s third solo album, last year’s Grey Tickles, Black Pressure, deals in similar themes, but dials down the self-aggrandizing for a much more introspective and self-assured artist who finally sounds comfortable in his own skin. He sounds defiantly proud of his gayness on the sexed-up, R&B funk of “Snug Slacks” and the moving ballad, “No More Tangles.” He also sings songs dealing in issues outside of himself whether it’s cheekily combating corporate fascism on “You and Him” (sample lyric: “You and Hitler ought to get together/You oughta learn to knit and wear matching sweaters”) or lamenting over climate change in the farcical “Global Warming.” Still, even in these moments, he finds

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ari magg

a way to make it all about himself.

“I’m almost making fun of myself on that song,” Grant says. “It’s like me saying I really don’t give a shit about global warming, I just don’t want to be inconvenienced by global warming. I wanted to make fun of that feeling of helplessness.”

That’s one of the true appeals of John Grant. He manages to take an issue that seems so large and manages to personalize it almost to the point of triviality. Let’s face it: A lot more people would care about global warming if, like Grant, they were aware of what the sun was doing to their complexion. Sure, that’s narcissism wrapped up in a big blanket of egotism, but at least it’s caring.

It’s as if Grant went through 40 years of hell only to come out the other end realizing just how valuable his own life truly is.

“There’s a lot of shame connected with the past. A lot of guilt and I don’t think, for myself or for anyone else, that we should ever be afraid to talk about those types of things,” says Grant. “I definitely think this album is the best example of my personality so far. I’ve always been introspective on my records so far, but I feel like on this one, it’s a better reflection as a whole of who I am as a human and an artist.”

The Czars-“Roger’s Song” Despite the fact that Grant is dismissive of his first band’s catalogue, this haunting ballad from their fourth album hints at the struggles the singer was going through at the time.

“It’s Easier” This cathartic breakup anthem from Grant’s debut, Queen of Denmark, sounds like Elliott Smith on a steady diet of Paul McCartney and ’70s folk, and is an undeniably relatable torch song about someone who we all know is bad news.

“Pale Green Ghosts” Produced by Biggi Veira of the electropop group Gus Gus, the first track from Grant’s second album is a dark and danceable tribute to his hometown and a menacing reminder of Grant’s love of early industrial music.

“Glacier” One of Pale Green Ghosts’ most starkly vulnerable moments comes on this operatic plea where Grant finally comes to terms with his own homosexuality and addresses those in his audience who might be going through similar struggles.

“You and Him” featuring Amanda Palmer Grant rails against corporate fascism and authoritarianism with help from the macabre former singer of the Dresden Dolls (sample lyric: “You and Hitler ought to get together/You oughta learn to knit and wear matching sweaters”).

“No More Tangles” “No more tangles/No more tears/No more reindeer games with narcissistic queers,” bellows Grant on the chorus of this emotionally scourging track from last year’s Grey Tickles, Black Pressure.

May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

MUSIC

NOTES FROM THE SMOKING PATIO A

piece of San Diego punk history is coming to an end. After 32 years, Wabash Hall is closing its doors. Owner Ron Hall, who bought the venue in 1984 and ran a screenprinting and embroidery service there, is selling the property at 3855 Wabash Ave. in North Park.

“I’m planning on retiring,” he says in a phone interview. “I may be keeping a sales office, but I’m definitely getting rid of the manufacturing.”

Hall didn’t say who the buyer of the property was, but suggested it would likely be used in a different capacity going forward. In the past five years there haven’t been any live shows there. Hall says city regulations prevented it from being legally feasible.

“The city made it hard to do that unless you bought a cabaret license,” he says. “Licensing and liability issues were what brought an end to it.”

Wabash Hall became a legendary venue for punk shows in the 1980s, hosting a number of iconic punk and hardcore bands such as The Descendents, The Circle Jerks, D.R.I. and Samhain. Local promoters like The Casbah’s Tim Mays booked shows there in its early days, and brought a lot of talent to its stage.

“I didn’t know anything about the concert busi-

Wabash Hall ness,” Hall says. “Tim pulled me aside one night after one of his concerts was over and said ‘How did you like that?’ I didn’t understand why people would beat each other up at a show, but he said if you like that style of music, you’d be amazed at the degree of talent that came through here.

“It’s funny to look back—he was right.”

—Jeff Terich

Mrs. Magician Bermuda (Swami)

I

f Bermuda were made by any other band, it probably would have surfaced a couple years ago. Following the 2012 release of Strange Heaven, however, surf-garage outfit Mrs. Magician took a break.

Guitarist Tommy Garcia moved to New York City, and subsequently returned to San Diego, making their hiatus short lived. The band reconvened with a new album, albeit one that took an unusually long time to arrive.

Bermuda, which bears no similarity or connection to Deafheaven’s recently released New Bermuda, pretty much follows the same aesthetic that Strange Heaven did. It’s fuzzy, it’s jangly, it’s fun and just a little bit snotty (“Life sucks!

Tough shit!” goes the opening line of “Tear Drops”). It’s not a repeat of their debut by any means, however.

The production, once again handled by John Reis (Rocket from the Crypt, Drive Like Jehu), sounds crisper and more polished. This is a major plus for a band with their aesthetic. Garage rock should either be fuzzed out beyond recognition or given a proper production job. Middle ground will get you nowhere.

Bermuda starts out strong enough, with “Phantoms” surging with energy and drive, while the four-chord crunch of “Eyes All Over Town” finds

26 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

Mrs. Magician closer to sounding like Nirvana than ever. But the real gems happen about halfway through the album. “Don’t Tell Me What To Do” features one of the band’s best melodies, not to mention an organ hook that lends the song some much-welcome color.

“Jessica Slaughter,” meanwhile, slows down the tempo into a brooding torch song noir. They do slow surprisingly well; it’s almost a shame they don’t spend more time exploring this kind of shimmering darkness.

Two of the best tracks are saved for the end. “Reborn Boys” finds the band putting aside the surf aesthetic a little bit in favor of something that sounds like a hybrid of Born in the USA-era Springsteen and ’90s-era emo.

It’s a hit as far as I’m concerned.

Yet “The Party’s Over” closes the record wonderfully with a dense cascade of glossy guitars and synths. It’s an impressive, sophisticated close to a record that bears a number of interesting surprises. Though they still have a tendency toward the scrappy and snot-nosed, Mrs. Magician seem to be growing as musicians and songwriters.

Mrs. Magician play Soda Bar on May 21.

—Jeff Terich #SDCityBeat

Music

Jeff Terich Saturday, May 14

If I were u A music insider’s weekly agenda Wednesday, May 11

Plan A in my heart, it is definitely an PLAN A: Taurus Authority @ Bar Pink. expensive ticket, so that’s someWith the week half-over, treat yourself to a thing to keep in mind. BACKUP solid groove session from Taurus Authority, PLAN: Bleached, No Parents @ which features some of the best players in The Casbah. town. The show has no cover, so that leaves a little more cash for Sneaky Tikis. BACK- Friday, May 13 UP PLAN: Empty Gods, Morphesia, Or- PLAN A: Andrew Bird, John Grant @ Music Box. Read Seth phic Eye, DJ K-Hole @ Soda Bar. Combs’ cover story this week on John Grant, who turned a troubled Thursday, May 12 past into a story of artistic triumph.

PLAN A: Charles Bradley and His ExOh yeah, and Andrew Bird’s pretty traordinaires, MOTHXR @ Observatory good, too. PLAN B: Aesop Rock with North Park. The best cover song I’ve heard Rob Sonic and DJ Zone, Homeboy this year so far is Charles Bradley’s take on Sandman, Luck and Lana @ Belly Up Black Sabbath ballad “Changes.” He adds Tavern. Aesop Rock is back to doing even more pathos and soul to the original, what he does best: Surrealist hip-hop because of course he does. Everything this of the highest order. He had a brief man touches is classic R&B gold. PLAN B: diversion with The Uncluded, but Beyonce, DJ Khaled @ Qualcomm Stadihe’s a much better emcee than um. Beyonce changes lives. Just ask Minda an indie folkster. BACKUP Honey, who wrote last week’s music feature PLAN: Pall Jenkins, Tom about Queen Bey. Her just-released album Cheshire @ Bar Pink.

Lemonade is fantastic, and though this is a

#SDCityBeat

PLAN A: Tall Can and Generik, Left in Company, Kaus & Emphasize, Mathias Kruse, Terrans, DIZMA, Crrts @ Kava Lounge. Tall Can and Generik’s psychedelic hip-hop recording fungi.PSYCH(e).boots was one of my ExtraSpecialGood picks for this year’s Great Demo Review. The duo organized this special release show, featuring a whole bunch of great local hip-hop acts.

Don’t miss it. PLAN B: Bad & The Ugly, Oh Spirit, The Younger @ Soda Bar. For a slightly mellower and definitely less trippy option, chill out with the folky sounds of local outfit Bad & The Ugly.

Sunday, May 15

PLAN A: Hardcore Matinee w/ Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place, Octagrape, Mrs. Magician, Ale Mania @ Bar Pink. To coincide with the release of the new Hardcore Matinee compilation, a significant chunk of the bands on the album will be performing live for a speCharles Bradley cial, wait for it,

matinee show, including Sultans and Ale Mania, who haven’t played onstage in quite a few years. PLAN B: Booze & Glory, The Warlords, Rat City Riot @ Soda Bar. The great thing about going to a punk matinee is that it’s over early enough for you to go to a punk show at night, too! I recommend UK punks Booze & Glory for some rowdy, politically charged fun.

Monday, May 16

PLAN A: Sole & DJ Pain 1, Egadz, Preacher vs. Choir, These Hands Create, Omni @ Soda Bar. Veteran bearded emcee Sole has a strong live presence—I saw him way back in the early days of the Soda Bar. Ah, memories. He’s still going strong and sticking it to the man via socially aware rhymes and well-honed cynicism. PLAN B: Garth Algar, Beira, Cryptic Languages @ Tower Bar. Beira was another favorite of mine from the Great Demo Review, and they’re joined by two other great local heavy acts.

It’s gonna get loud.

Tuesday, May 17

PLAN A: Modern English, The Victoriana, Underpass @ The Hideout. Postpunk legends Modern English are doing a 35th anniversary tour for their 1981 debut album, Mesh and Lace. (“I Melt With You” isn’t on that album, but I’m sure they’ll still play it.) Relive the vintage sounds of the UK icons at this special show.

May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

GZA/Genius (Observatory, 5/30), Three Mile Pilot (Casbah, 6/4), Eyehategod (Brick by Brick, 6/7), Del the Funky Homosapien (Observatory, 6/12), Al DiMeola (Music Box, 6/15), Buckethead (Music Box, 6/21), Ignite (Brick

by Brick, 7/3), Pitbull (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 7/16), Boris (Casbah, 7/22), Robert Cray Band (BUT, 7/23), Dirty Dozen Brass Band (Music Box, 7/28), Savages (Observatory, 7/29), Parquet Courts (The Irenic, 8/19), Diane Coffee (Hideout, 8/19), O.A.R. (Humphreys, 9/25), Blind Guardian (Observatory, 10/2), Alice Cooper (Harrah’s, 10/28), M83 (SOMA, 10/29).

GET YER TICKETS Frightened Rabbit (BUT, 5/21), Pentagram (Brick by Brick, 5/25), Modern Baseball, Joyce Manor (HOB, 6/1), Voivod (Brick by Brick, 6/1), Budos Band (BUT, 6/3), ‘X-Fest’ w/ Offspring, Cheap Trick (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 6/5), Lee “Scratch” Perry (BUT, 6/20), Case/Lang/Veirs (Humphreys, 6/22), Venom Inc. (Brick by Brick, 6/25), Blue Oyster Cult (BUT, 6/26), Brian Wilson (Del Mar Fairgrounds, 6/30), Lady Antebellum (Del Mar Fairgrounds, 7/5), Toad the Wet Sprocket, Rusted Root (Observatory, 7/9), Joan Jett (Del Mar Fairgrounds, 7/9), White Lung (Casbah, 7/9), M. Ward (BUT, 7/12), Deerhoof

(Casbah, 7/14), Psychedelic Furs, The Church (Humphreys, 7/19), The Joy Formidable (Irenic, 7/20), Nails (Brick by Brick, 7/20), Blink 182 (Viejas Arena, 7/22), Inter Arma (Soda Bar, 7/24), Sublime with Rome (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 7/30), Anderson .Paak (HOB, 8/3), ‘Warped Tour’ w/ Sleeping With Sirens, Sum 41, New Found Glory (Qualcomm Stadium, 8/5), Kurt Vile and the Violators (HOB, 8/9), Guided

by Voices (BUT, 8/17), The Weight: Members of the Band/Levon Helm Band (BUT, 8/18), Guns ‘n’ Roses (Qualcomm Stadium, 8/22), Dave Matthews Band (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/26), Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/27), Deftones (Open Air Theatre, 8/29), Huey Lewis and the News (Humphreys, 9/1), The Kills (Observatory, 9/4), Dierks Bentley (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 9/11), Ray Lamontagne (Open Air Theatre, 9/13), Counting Crows, Rob Thomas (Open Air Theatre, 9/14), Kraftwerk (Balboa Theatre, 9/16), Tegan and Sara (Observatory, 9/25), Glen Hansard (Observatory, 9/28), Ani DiFranco (BUT, 10/2), ZZ Top (Humphreys, 10/4), Kamasi Washington (Humphreys, 10/7), Florida Georgia Line (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 10/9), Jethro Tull (Balboa Theatre, 10/17), Tracy Morgan (Humphreys, 10/20), Peter Hook and the Light (HOB, 11/8).

MAY WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 Wild Belle at The Casbah (sold out).

THURSDAY, MAY 12 Beyonce

28 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

at

Qualcomm

Stadium.

Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires at Observatory North Park.

FRIDAY, MAY 13 Steel Panther at House of Blues. Andrew Bird at Music Box. Aesop Rock at Belly Up Tavern. Pennywise at Observatory North Park.

SATURDAY, MAY 14 Kris Allen at Music Box. Pennywise at Observatory North Park.

SUNDAY, MAY 15 Pennywise at Observatory North Park.

‘Hardcore Matinee’ w/ Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place, Octagrape, Mrs. Magician at Bar Pink.

TUESDAY, MAY 17 Tech N9ne at Observatory North Park.

Joseph Arthur at Music Box.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18 King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard at Soda Bar. Yuna at The Casbah.

THURSDAY, MAY 19 Wreckless Eric at The Hideout.

FRIDAY, MAY 20 Titus Andronicus, La Sera at Che Café.

The Thermals at Soda Bar. The Cure at Sleep Train Amphitheatre (sold out).

SATURDAY, MAY 21 Iron Butterfly at Music Box. Soulfly at Brick by Brick. Jewel at Humphreys by the Bay (sold out). Frightened Rabbit at Belly Up Tavern. Dreams Made Flesh at The Hideout. Father at Observatory

North Park. ‘In-Ko-Pah 3’ w/ Three Mile Pilot, Shady Francos, Madly at Desert View Tower.

SUNDAY, MAY 22 Idlewild at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, MAY 24 Son Little at The Casbah.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 Pentagram at Brick by Brick.

THURSDAY, MAY 26 Anti-Nowhere League at Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, MAY 27 Moderat at Observatory North Park.

Gary Wilson at Brick by Brick. Lumineers at Open Air Theatre (sold out).

Insane Clown Posse at House of Blues.

D.O.A. at The Casbah.

SATURDAY, MAY 28 U.S. Girls at Soda Bar. Upsilon Acrux at The Hideout. Dillinger Four at The Casbah (sold out). Barrington Levy at Observatory North Park.

SUNDAY, MAY 29 Big Black Delta at The Casbah. Brett Dennen at Belly Up Tavern.

MONDAY, MAY 30 Refused at Belly Up Tavern. GZA/Genius at Observatory North Park.

TUESDAY, MAY 31 Leon Russell at Belly Up Tavern. The Hush Sound at The Casbah.

JUNE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 Voivod at Brick by Brick. Modern Baseball, Joyce Manor at House of Blues.

Local H at Belly Up Tavern.

THURSDAY, JUNE 2 Yeasayer at Observatory North Park.

Brian Jonestown Massacre at Belly Up Tavern.

FRIDAY, JUNE 3 Broncho at The Casbah. Anvil at Brick

by Brick. Budos Band at Belly Up Tavern.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4 The Obsessed at Brick by Brick. Thrice at House of Blues (sold out). So So Glos at Soda Bar. Jello Biafra (DJ set) at The Hideout. Three Mile Pilot at The Casbah.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5 Eric Bachmann at Soda Bar. ‘X-Fest’ w/ Offspring, Cheap Trick at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Armored Saint, Metal Church at Brick by Brick. Junior Brown at Belly Up Tavern.

MONDAY, JUNE 6 The Gory Details at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, JUNE 7 Eyehategod at Brick by Brick.

FRIDAY, JUNE 10 Michael McDonald at Del Mar Fairgrounds. Arbor Labor Union at The

#SDCityBeat

MUSIC Hideout. B-Side Players at Belly Up Tavern. American Head Charge at Soda Bar. Islands at The Casbah.

SATURDAY, JUNE 11 The Sadies, Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet at The Hideout. Greys at The Merrow. Too $hort at Observatory North Park. The Mentors at Brick by Brick. PUP at Soda Bar. Mutual Benefit at The Casbah.

SUNDAY, JUNE 12 Del the Funky Homosapien at Observatory North Park. Holy Fuck at The Casbah.

MONDAY, JUNE 13 Creepoid at The Hideout. Bob Dylan at Humphreys (sold out).

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15 Al DiMeola at Music Box. Toots and the Maytals at Observatory North Park.

X Ambassadors at Del Mar Fairgrounds.

THURSDAY, JUNE 16

SPOTLIGHT Canadian pop artist Alessia Cara made her big breakthrough in 2015 with her single “Here,” which set introverted lyrics against a familiar, but nonetheless cool Isaac Hayes sample. The 19-yearold is performing at Sleep Train Amphitheatre on Friday, May 13, as part of Channel 933’s Summer Kickoff, which also includes Ariana Grande, Gwen Stefani and Fifth Harmony.

#SDCityBeat

Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires at The Hideout. Curren$y at Observatory North Park.

FRIDAY, JUNE 17 Metalachi at Music Box. The Muffs at The Casbah.

SATURDAY, JUNE 18 Sarah Jarosz at The Irenic. Day Wave at The Casbah. Rogue Wave at Belly Up Tavern.

SUNDAY, JUNE 19 Total Chaos at Brick by Brick.

MONDAY, JUNE 20 Federico Aubele at The Casbah. Lee “Scratch” Perry at Belly Up Tavern.

TUESDAY, JUNE 21 Ozomatli at Del Mar Fairgrounds. Ceu at Belly Up Tavern. Buckethead at Music Box.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22 David Bromberg at Belly Up Tavern.

Case/Lang/Veirs at Humphreys by the Bay. Kenny Rogers at Del Mar Fairgrounds. Ne-hi at The Hideout. Nothing at Soda Bar.

THURSDAY, JUNE 23 Cherry Glazerr at The Irenic. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

FRIDAY, JUNE 24 Sonny and the Sunsets at Soda Bar. Jacquees at Observatory North Park.

Cee-Lo at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Venom Inc. at Brick by Brick. Pierce the Veil at Observatory North Park. Good Old War at The Casbah.

SUNDAY, JUNE 26 Pity Sex at The Irenic. Blue Oyster Cult at Belly Up Tavern.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29 THURSDAY, JUNE 30 Brian Wilson at Del Mar Fairgrounds.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., San Diego. Pacific Beach. Wed: Carlos Bandana. Fri: Dubbest. Sat: Strange Weather, Blue Jean Simmons, Sonic Moonshine. Tue: Short Stories, Alive and Well.

98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, San Diego. Little Italy. Fri: Lorraine Castellanos: Jazz Singers II, Lorraine Castellanos.

Sat: Feliciano Arango y Amistad Cubana.

Sun: ‘Tribute to Jazz and Blues Legends’.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St., San Diego.

Downtown. Thu: The Martinez Brothers.

Fri: Dennis Ferrer.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., San Diego. North Park. Wed: Taurus Authority. Thu: Taurus Authority. Fri: Pall Jenkins, Tom Cheshire.

Sat: The Milkcrates DJs. Sun: ‘Hardcore Matinee’ w/ Rob Crow’s Gloomy Place, Octagrape, Mrs. Magician, Ale Mania.

Mon: ‘Motown on Monday’. Tue: Alvino and the Dwells.

Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. La Jolla. Thu: Pat Dowling. Fri: Adam Block, 3 Headed Monster. Sat: Mike Myrdal. Sun: Blaise Guld.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Andy McKee, Jimmy Patton. Thu: Phutureprimitive, Kaminanda & Orphic. Fri: Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic, DJ Zone. Sat: Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Insects vs Robots. Sun: The Bird Dogs. Tue: TV Broken 3rd Eye Open, Gene Evaro Jr., Lantz Lazwell.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., San Diego. Bay Park. Wed: Wednesday 13, The Relapse Symphony, Chamber Sixx, Stökka. Thu: No Name Gang, Vanguard, Daemos. Fri: Moonshine Bandits, Demun Jones. Sat: Primal Fear, Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody, Alchemy, Helsott, Sentinel.

Sun: Faster Pussycat, Gunner Gunner, The Dirty Work, DiVad. Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave., San Diego.

Downtown. Sat: Flamenco Dinner Show.

Sun: Buena Vista Sundays.

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

Downtown.Thu: Cool Cat Karaoke F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown., San Diego.

Downtown. Thu: Philthy Rich. Sun: DJ XP. Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., San Diego.

Downtown. Thu: DJ Khaled. Fri: Styles & Compete. Sat: Brett Bodley. Sun: Snoop Dogg.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Fri: Steel Panther. Sat: Motion City Soundtrack, The Spill Canvas, Microwave. Sun: Dangerkids, Avion Roe, From Chaos and Heaven. Tue: Robin Henkel.

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

Thu: ‘Progress’. Fri: ‘Purps & Turqs’.

Sat: Tall Can and Generik, Left in Company, Kaus & Emphasize, Mathias Kruse, Terrans, DIZMA, Crrts.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Wed: Harmony Road. Thu: Ron’s Trio. Fri: Trunk Monkey. Sat: Pat Ellis & Blue Frog Band. Sun: Ron’s Garage.

Tue: Glen Smith.

Moonshine Flats, 344 7th Ave., San Diego. Gaslamp. Fri: Love and Theft. Sat: Jacob Martin Band, Highway Starr.

Music Box, 1337 India St., San Diego.

Little Italy. Wed: Jenny and the Mexicats, Glasmus. Thu: Dumpstaphunk, C-Money and the Players Inc. Fri: Andrew Bird, John Grant. Sat: Kris Allen. Tue: Joseph Arthur, Lee Harvey Osmond.

Numbers, 3811 Park Blvd., San Diego.

Hillcrest. Thu: ‘Wet’. Fri: ‘Uncut’. Sat: ‘Club Sabbat’.

Patricks Gaslamp, 428 F St., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: The Upshots.

Thu: The Bill Magee Blues Band. Fri: WG and the G-Men. Sun: Johnny Vernazza.

Mon: The Groove Squad. Tue: Paddy’s Chicken Jam..

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’ w/ Jason Hanna. Thu: Betty Rose, Betty Rose.

Fri: Modern Day Moonshine, Modern Day Moonshine. Sat: Johnny Deadly Trio..

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: Empty Gods, Morphesia, Orphic Eye, DJ K-Hole.

Thu: JMSN, Snoh Aalegra. Fri: Behind the Wagon, The Downs Family, Ypsitucky. Sat: Bad & The Ugly, Oh Spirit, The Younger. Sun: Booze & Glory, The Warlords, Rat City Riot. Mon: Sole & DJ Pain 1, Egadz, Preacher vs. Choir, These Hands Create, Omni. Tue: The Weeplings, Serenade and Strum.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego. Midway. Fri: A New Challenger Approaches, I Survive, Voidlines, Hollow I Am, Shawshank Redeemed, Ascensions.

Sat: Against The Odds, MOXIE, Nothing Sacred, With Age, Awake Me Daylight.

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., San Diego. Normal Heights. Thu: Tom Cheshire, Davey Quinn. Sun: The Liquorsmiths, Ghost Lit Kingdom.

Tango Del Rey, 3567 Del Rey St., San

Diego. Mission Bay. Sat: Super Awesome Showdown: Infinite Horizons.

The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Rd., Spring Valley. Fri: Another Run, Philosopher’s Ray Gun, Cotton the Machine. Sat: Scar Eater, The Tramplers, The Hathcocks.

Sun: Bob’s Blues Jam. The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Wed: Wild Belle, James Supercave (sold out). Thu: Bleached, No Parents. Fri: Night Moves, The Verigolds.

Sat: The Nashville Ramblers, The Rosalyns, The Diddley Daddies. Sun: Younger Brothers, Grim Slippers, Seeking Alpha.

The Field, 544 Fifth Ave., San Diego.

Downtown. Sat: J Mann Trio.

The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Thu: ‘Beyonce afterparty’. Fri: JR Jarris. Tue: Modern English.

The Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. La Jolla. Thu: Alicia Olatuja. Fri: Sales.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Thu: The Casey Hensley Band, The Shifty-Eyed Dogs, Kill Chord.

Fri: Urizen, Kirby’s Dream Band, Digital Lizards of Doom. Sat: Paper Days, Neighbors to the North, The Paragraphs, Brothers Weiss. Tue: The Midways, Alpenglo, El Consumption.

The Office, 3936 30th St., San Diego. North Park. Wed: Stingwax. Tue: ‘Trapped’.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Fri: Fea, Kristeenyoung, Subtropics, Cochinas Locas. Sat: Barra Brava, The Gritty, Lexicons.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., San Diego. Bay Park. Thu: Rockin’ Aces. Fri: The Reflectors. Sun: Tardeadas with Colour, Colour.

Tue: Blue Rush Blues.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: Dead Frets, Kevin White, Todd Allen, John Giles. Fri: The Hotshot Drifters, RC Edson. Mon: Garth Algar, Beira, Cryptic Languages.

Ux31, 3112 University Ave., San Diego.

North Park. Fri: DJ Bodyrawk. Sat: Ayla Simone. Sun: Devastators, Twisted Relativez, Mykol Orthodox.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, San Diego.

South Park. Thu: ‘Recommended Dosage’ w/ Mild High Club, Minor Gems. Fri: Drab Majesty, DJ Mario Orduno. Sat: ‘Booty Bassment’ w/ DJs Dimitri, Rob. Sun: ‘Weird Dream’ w/ DJ Mario Orduno.

Tue: ‘Not Happy’ w/ DJ Jon Blaj.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., San Diego.

Ocean Beach. Wed: Synergy, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: Matt Andersen & The Bona Fide. Fri: The Steppas, Inna Vision. Sat: Bang Pow, Cumbia Machin. Sun: The Royal Jelly Jive. Mon: Electric Waste Band.

30 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

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#SDCityBeat

May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

last words | Advice

amy alkon

advice

goddess The Bleh Lagoon I’m a guy in my late 20s. Two years ago, I started a friends-with-benefits thing with a woman, which honestly has turned into one of the most relaxed, comfortable relationships I’ve had. Unfortunately, the sex isn’t that great. I’ve tried to get her to work with me on that, but she just isn’t very physical. I also get the sense that she’s holding out for a serious relationship with me (babies/marriage/house). I’m just not in love with her that way. I don’t want to hijack her uterus, but I’m having trouble breaking up with her. The relationship isn’t broken, and I don’t want to hurt her. I’m not sure I have it in me to say, “You’re bad in bed, so I’m out.”

—Shallow

hang on to it until its uterus sends you to the drugstore for a box of mothballs.

Glue In The Dark Last week, I went out with a guy I met on a dating site. He was very attentive and affectionate, and he even texted me the next day. Well, I think I screwed up, messaging him at the same frequency and intensity as before our first date, which was quite a lot, and mentioning seeing him again before he suggested it. His responses were infrequent and short. I haven’t heard from him for five days, and he hasn’t made plans for a second date. Is there any way to remedy this?

Should I message him with some witty banter?

—Faux Pas?

“

Surely, you wouldn’t find the bunny-hugging vegan “shallow” for not being up for the long haul with the guy who electrocutes the cows.

The rational decision is clear. You don’t have what you need; you should move on. The problem is what the late Nobel Prize-winning cognitive scientist Herbert Simon deemed “bounded rationality.” This describes how our ability to make rational decisions is limited— by, for example, incomplete information about our alternatives, how much time we have to decide, or, as in your case, our emotions: dreading hurting somebody and feeling like kind of a pig for dumping a perfectly nice woman just because her sexual spirit animal is the paperweight.

Simon didn’t just point out the decision-making problem; he came up with a solution—his concept of “satisficing.” This combo of “satisfy” and “suffice” means making a “good enough” choice—as opposed to incurring the costs of endlessly searching for the best choice. (Think of somebody who spends an hour looking for the primo parking space by the store entrance—in order to save time walking to and from the car.)

To decide what’s “good enough,” figure out the minimum stuff (good sex, etc.) that you absolutely must have to be satisfied in a relationship, and keep searching until you find somebody who has it. Forget about what you “should” need. If your life is not complete unless a woman will, say, wear a doorbell on each nipple, well, ring on, bro.

As for breaking up, this means telling somebody it’s over, not that their sexual technique is a ringer for hibernation. Give her only as much info as she needs to make her way to the door, like “I love you, but I’m not in love with you, and I need that.”

Though she won’t be happy to hear it, what’s cruel isn’t telling her; it’s waiting to tell her. As that mildewed saying goes, “if you love something...” don’t

Sadly, our genes have not been introduced to Gloria Steinem.

As I frequently explain, there’s a problem with a woman overtly pursuing a man, and it goes back millions of years. It comes out of how sex leaves a man with about a teaspoon less sperm but can leave a woman “with child” (an adorable term that makes pregnancy sound like a quick trip to the drugstore with someone under 10).

From these rather vastly differing costs, explain evolutionary psychologists David Buss and David Schmitt, come differing sexual strategies. Women evolved to be the choosier sex—looking for men to show signs they’re willing and able to commit themselves and their resources—and men coevolved to expect to work to persuade them. So, when women turn the tables and act like the, well, chase-ier sex, it sends a message—of the “FREE!!!

Please take me” variety you’d see taped to a toaster somebody’s put out on the curb.

In other words, no, do not contact him. Not even with “witty banter.” Seeming amusingly desperate is not any more of a selling point. The way you “remedy” this is by turning it into a learning experience. In the future, sure, go ahead and be flirtatious—just not with the, um, eagerness of that guy in the hockey mask chasing people through the woods with a machete.

The rational decision is clear.

You don’t have what you need; you should move on.

“

32 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

(c)2016, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved.

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

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May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

34 · San Diego CityBeat · May 11, 2016

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May 11, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 35