2 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 16, 2018
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UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR
Geneviéve Jones-Wright for District Attorney
I
t may not come as a surprise to regular already, she still impressed the crowd with CityBeat readers that we are endorsing her knowledge and grasp of the law enforceGeneviéve Jones-Wright for District At- ment issues that San Diego is dealing with. She entered the room casually, without setorney of San Diego. She has been appearing pretty regularly in some pieces from our curity or pomp. She spoke plainly and insightmore opinionated columnists. And while fully about the need to end the cradle-towe’ll have our full list of endorsements for prison pipeline that unfairly affects commuthe June primary election in next week’s is- nities of color. Her demeanor was steady when sue, we felt it was as good a time as any to let pointing out that while the Black community readers know, in light of recent events, how only makes up six percent of the county population, they make up nearly we came to officially back JONESWRIGHT4DA / FLICKR a quarter of the county’s jail Jones-Wright population. She spoke candidly On Monday, both Joneson broad ideas about working Wright and District Attorto reform the money-for-bail ney Summer Stephan were system, which unfairly affects set to appear at a candilow-income communities. date’s forum at the City of “Get rid of the cash bail Hope International Church system, and this is something in Lincoln Park, a commuthat we do not have to wait for nity with a significant Black Geneviéve Jones-Wright lawmakers to do,” said Jonespopulation and one that has a particular interest in the DA race. Stephan Wright. “As the district attorney, I would cancelled the day before stating she’d be implement policies that would prevent poor “out of town.” A spokesperson later revealed people from sitting in jail, pre-trial without to reporter Kelly Davis that Stephan had having been convicted of anything simply security concerns and characterized one of because you can’t afford the bail. If you’re the organizers (the faith-based, nonpartisan rich and you’re dangerous, you can buy your San Diego Organizing Project) as a bunch of way out jail and that does not make our communities safer.” “leftists.” She went on to speak about how prosJones-Wright showed up anyway and while it was plain to see that many of the ecuting “quality of life crimes” floods jails people who packed inside the church were with non-dangerous people. “You should not be in jail because you likely voting for the veteran public defender
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have a mental health episode or because you’re homeless… We will reduce our incarceration rates and reduce crime. Homeless people are not dangerous because they have a need to sleep somewhere.” One of the night’s biggest ovations came when she spoke about the DA’s cooperation with federal immigration agents. “We have to respect state law, which is not happening right now. We cannot have ICE in our jails. ICE should not be in our courthouses… It is important for community members, whether they’re documented or undocumented, to understand the district attorney is here to provide justice and safety for everyone despite immigration status.” The fact of the matter is that we do not have the same reservations about Summer Stephan that we did when it came to her predecessor Bonnie Dumanis. The latter was cruel, often bias and, yes, corrupt as well. Stephan was handpicked to replace Dumanis and approved by the all-Republican Board of Supervisors, which means she was not properly elected by the people and now has the distinct advantage of being able to run as an incumbent. In the little less than a year that she’s served as DA, Stephan has yet to separate herself from her predecessor. We live in a time and age where women, communities of color and our homeless neighbors need someone who has bold ideas on how to better serve them. By not showing up to these forums—as well as her unfair attacks on Jones-Wright—speaks volumes about the people Stephan is choosing to represent. When the DA stands up in court and represents “the people,” those same people need
to feel good about what it is that’s being prosecuted. Is it someone who is representing some of the people and facilitating a system that everyone can agree needs reform? Or do we want someone who knows that when you represent the people, you also represent the people who are often caught up in that very system? Someone who will look at those who appear before her not just as case numbers, but as people who may not belong in jail with real criminals. And while some could look at such a scenario and be concerned, it’s important that we don’t make such decisions based on hypothetical fears. A lot has been made from the Stephan camp about how Jones-Wright is “unprepared” and “dangerous.” That she’s backed by leftist billionaires with fringe ideas. We remember when they said the same thing about Barack Obama. On the same day of the forum, Senator and former California Attorney General Kamala Harris endorsed Jones-Wright. This isn’t a huge surprise considering Harris’ politics, but it is a big deal in that Harris didn’t have to officially endorse anyone. “I took a smart on crime approach that saves taxpayers’ money, kept communities safe, and made our justice system more equal and effective,” said Sen. Harris in a statement. “I support Geneviéve JonesWright because she will do the same thing for San Diego County.” We’re proud to second her endorsement. —Seth Combs Write to seth.combs@sdcitybeat.com
MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 3
UP FRONT | LETTERS
I WANNA KNOW WHAT ART IS Your comments on the brouhaha over Chula Vista’s mural [“Community standards,” May 9] mentioned the ongoing problem of defining “art,” and I feel the need to resolve this problem once and for all. I know what art is, so here is the official definition from one who knows. “Art” is anything made specifically for the purpose of being looked at; not just seen, or noticed, but looked at, and has no utilitarian purpose. Music is specifically for the purpose of being listened to; not just heard, but listened to. Background sounds are not music, just sound “overheard.” The facade of a building is architectural art only if it is designed to attract attention; a government building is usually not art, but a covering for the superstructure. So, the mural, regardless of its tastefulness or effects on people of all stripes is a work of art; one may not like it, but “art” is art, and in America, if you don’t like it, lump it! Saul Harmon Gritz Hillcrest
TEENAGE WASTELAND I just wanted to thank Aaryn Belfer for her recent article in CityBeat [“Giving up on family dinners,” May 9]. It was a breath of fresh air and a somewhat tiny bit of relief for me that I semididn’t fail at being a parent. I have a 17-year-old man-boy. I feel guilty that not only do we not sit at the table for dinner but that the majority of the time it’s Roberto’s a la carte that we are having (sad face). I also feel guilty that he’s on his phone too much; I could have prevented this (I
think?). He also doesn’t brush his hair, doesn’t like family functions (I blame the phone for being anti-social) and I’m pretty sure he’s not brushing his teeth nearly as much as he needs to... and so on and so on. Don’t get me wrong, when he was little we were in every sport, every camp, museums, SeaWorld, Lego Land, cute clothes, music lessons, ribs for dinner, etc. It was around 8th to 9th grade that I gave up. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know if it’s that we get more tired as we get older (I’m 37, should I really be that tired?) or that I don’t have the energy to deal with the whining and attitude of a teenager when you ask them to do a simple task like taking out the trash. Or... could it be my Netflix binging session??!! Is it this generation or the resentment I have that I was not able to be a stay at home mom. Now that my son is 17, my only advice to parents is how important these teen years are. Their personalities and habits are being shaped during this time and at one point it’s too late, when they are 18 for example, to go back and force them to comb their hair/change their ways/behavior. I used to dread baseball practice and be too tired to even leave the house to go do something as a family but now I sort of miss it and regret it since soon he’ll be moved out and won’t have any time to hang with his “un-cool mom.” Oh wait, hold on...I take it back about the whole not feeling guilty anymore. I just reminded myself that there are 16 year-olds in the Olympics and on American idol. Yup I failed. Natasha Chula Vista
UP FRONT From the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . 4 CityWeek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 There She Goz. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Sordid Tales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
FOOD & DRINK World Fare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Final Draught. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
THINGS TO DO The Short List . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Calendar of Events. . . . . 10-13
ARTS & CULTURE Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 FEATURE: Bodies in Trouble . . . . . . . . . 15 Thank You For Staring. . . . . 16 Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-18
MUSIC FEATURE: Here Lies Man. . . 19 Notes From The Smoking Patio. . . . . . . . . . . . 20 The Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 If I Were U. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Concerts & Clubs . . . . . . 24-26
IN THE BACK Astrologically Unsound. . . . 26 CannaBeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Bioluminescence? This issue of CityBeat is still getting over Evanescence.
Volume 16 • Issue 39
WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford
CONTRIBUTORS Christin Bailey, David L. Coddon, Beth Demmon, Rachel Michelle Fernandes, Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Lizz Huerta, Lara McCaffrey, Scott McDonald, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Jen Van Tieghem, Amy Wallen, Ian Ward
ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Ramos
EDITORIAL INTERNS Alex Noble
EDITOR Seth Combs MUSIC EDITOR Jeff Terich
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Torrey Bailey COLUMNISTS Aaryn Belfer Edwin Decker John R. Lamb Rhonda “Ro” Moore Alex Zaragoza
PRODUCTION MANAGER Tristan Whitehouse MULTIMEDIA ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Paulina Porter-Tapia SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jason Noble
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES RIchard Diaz, Beau Odom CONTROLLER Kacie Cobian ACCOUNTING Perla Castillo, David Garcia Linda Lam, Yiyang Wang HUMAN RESOURCES Andrea Baker VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS David Comden PUBLISHER Kevin Hellman
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Interested in advertising? Call 619-281-7526 or e-mail advertising@sdcitybeat.com. The advertising deadline is 5 p.m. every Friday for the following week’s issue.
EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICE 3047 University Ave. Suite 202 San Diego, CA 92104 Phone: 619-281-7526 Fax: 619-281-5273 www.sdcitybeat.com
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 2018.
4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 16, 2018
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NEWS | OPINION By Torrey Bailey and Seth Combs
THE ISSUE: On Thursday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors released a report analyz-
ing its response to the hepatitis A outbreak that unfurled last year and largely affected the homeless population. The report was commissioned to identify shortcomings that led to hundreds of people who were infected and the 20 who died. The County noted that there was a need for improved communication and a regional incident management structure, but overall considered its response to the outbreak a success. Recently, the city of San Diego announced it will be conducting its own report, and Assemblymember Todd Gloria requested a state audit of the county and city’s handlings of the outbreak.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING: “We owe it to the 20 people who died and the more than 500 who contracted hepatitis A to learn exactly what went wrong and what could have been done better. It is my hope this audit will help us better understand how the city and county managed the hepatitis A outbreak and ultimately make certain our region is sufficiently prepared to handle any future public health crises that may arise.” —State Assemblymember Todd Gloria, via press release “20 people die and the county writes a report to talk about all their successes and the few tweaks needed to improve.” —Homelessness advocate Michael McConnell, via Twitter
“The Hepatitis A epidemic occurred because homelessness is a problem. This report makes it clear that the County still doesn’t get it. At the same time homelessness exploded in San Diego, the County sat on millions of dollars in reserves that were supposed to be used for mental health. Until the county takes its health and human services responsibility seriously, it will be impossible to reduce homelessness in San Diego.” —City Councilmember David Alvarez
NEWSY BITS 5/9
5/10
5/11
5/12
5/13
San Diego tourism numbers reveal record number of people visited in first three months of 2018.
Tijuana Xolos rule, Padres drool.
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration reveals cannabis tax revenue totaled $60.9 million since January 1.
undeserved self-congratulatory pat on the back for the County Board of Supervisors. The report massively sugar coats the county officials’ efforts, who were largely uncooperative when the city looked to them for health during the crisis. Yes, street teams were dispatched to vaccinate, but not until after the U-T had reported that three people had already died. A grand jury report warned the county back in 2010 that public toilets needed to be installed and streets needed to be cleaned of human waste to minimize the risk of such an outbreak. The county was not blindsided by the outbreak, and neither was the city, yet there’s plenty of evidence they dragged their feet to react. For the county to call its response a success, despite 500-plus infections and 20 deaths, is beyond troubling.
All the seriousness, silliness and stupidity of the past week
Obama spotted golfing at Torrey Pines. Takes break to talk to scientists at Scripps Translational Science Institute.
BEST DAY EVER!
OUR TAKE: This report, meant to be a reflective analysis, became an
Four small earthquakes felt in East County.
City Attorney Mara Elliott requests Superior Court review legality of SoccerCity and SDSU West ballot initiatives.
Moka the smuggled Bengal tiger cub finds a home at local wild animal sanctuary in Alpine.
5/14
City Council proclaims week of May 14 as “Infrastructure Week” where all major infrastructure projects will be finished by end of week. JK. Those potholes and bike lanes will have to wait.
5/15 In response to ongoing Tijuana sewage problem, Surfrider Foundation and San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board announce separate plans for lawsuits against the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission for violations of the Clean Water Act.
STD cases in Californians jumped 45 percent in 2017, a record number, according to state Department of Public Health numbers.
This headline:
FML
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Public memorial for Dave “Water Man” Ross at Balboa Park
Three San Diego residents identified in wreckage of plane that crashed in Volcan Mountain canyon, which sparked a 12-acre wildfire.
County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar and Escondido Mayor Sam Abed accept invitation from President Trump to come to the White House to discuss how much they hate immigran… eh, how much they hate sanctuary laws.
MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5
UP FRONT | VOICES
THERE SHE
ALEX ZARAGOZA
GOZ
The weaponizing of “see something, say something”
Y
ears back, directly after September 11, posters began to pop up all over airports, train stations, bus stations and other public spaces: “If you see something, say something,” they read. Created by a fancy Manhattan ad agency days after the planes hit the World Trade Center, Pentagon and an empty Pennsylvania field, the “say something” campaign’s main aim was to ensure nothing that horrific happened again by making us all soldiers fighting for the safety of America and its people. If we saw something suspicious, we needed to speak up. That “something” we saw could save lives. In one of my freshman psych classes, I learned about the case of Kitty Genovese, a 28-year-old bar manager who was stabbed outside her apartment in Queens, New York. She screamed for help, and while some neighbors looked out the window to see what the commotion was, no one came down. One of them shouted at her attacker to leave her alone, which scared them off. For a bit, at least. They returned a short time later to finish the job, which was easy since Kitty was still on the street bleeding. No one had come down to help her even after he’d left. He continued stabbing her and raped her, before stealing $49 from her purse and fleeing the scene. Psychologists would later use this incident to explain the bystander effect: a phenomenon of social psychology that finds that a group of bystanders watching an incident are less likely to intervene. That people in a group will basically assume someone else will help, or are uncertain or scared, so they just don’t. After learning about this, I saw it everywhere. Perhaps this general apathy toward stepping in, coupled with seeing the televised deaths of 2,977 people, led the brains behind the “See something, say something” campaign to do something. As well intentioned as they were, that campaign has had a violent impact on communities of color that still rings today. It rings every time a white person decides to call the police on Black and Brown people attempting to live their lives. The Islamophobia that stemmed from this campaign is well documented and still rampant. It was applauded and rationalized as a necessary step to protect us from terrorists then and now. It even turned into funny sitcom storylines. Still, all those white terrorists shooting up schools, movie theaters and churches never got tackled to the ground by police because a neighbor was concerned about the look of them. Every day we wake up to multiple stories—multiple!—of Black and Brown people having the police called on them by white folks for literally just living their lives. Black people can’t eat at Waffle House,
can’t play golf, can’t nap, can’t pack their bags into the car after leaving an Airbnb, can’t have a BBQ at the park, can’t walk down the street, can’t move into an apartment, can’t live. And those calls too often end violently, with teens being slammed to the ground by 200-pound policemen. They end with bullets taking their lives. They end with the humiliation that comes with the reminder that their mere presence is so unwanted that it raises fear, alarm and people’s vehement need to have them removed. And Brown people have to worry that a nosy neighbor, questioning their status in this country, will call ICE or 911 out of concern for their… I don’t know… safety? Meanwhile, these Brown people can’t seek medical help, can’t report an assault, can’t walk their children to school, can’t pick them up from daycare, can’t work, can’t seek an education and can’t live without fear of being brutally and inhumanely separated from their families. They have to worry that their landlord will report them to ICE just so they can get new tenants to whom they can charge five times the amount of rent. Their presence is so undesirable that people would prefer to see them completely erased from existence in this country. White people are way too keen on weaponizing “say something” when that something involves seeing Black and Brown people. They are far too ready and willing to take their discomfort—as well as their racially biased fears, their belief that they’re just trying to do the right thing, their fucking phones—and gamble with lives. And sometimes they just want to remove a nuisance. I once listened to a man complain about the Mexican families cooking and playing soccer at the park across the street from his house. “Look at all them,” he said. “I bet if I called the Border Patrol they’d all be gone.” That’s how easy it is. That’s how so many think. Whiteness weaponizes its fears, discomfort and tears. Centuries of examples have told them that it works, and to use it because it has power. That power has to be stopped. White people who are appalled by this (and there’s a lot of them out there) need to help with fighting against the bystander effect and say something, do something, when one of their own pulls this shit. They need to put their bodies and their voice on the line, because we are forced to by our mere presence when out in public. 911 shouldn’t continue to be the number associated with more tragedy and injustice.
All those white terrorists shooting up schools, movie theaters and churches never got tackled to the ground by police because a neighbor was concerned about the look of them.
6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 16, 2018
There She Goz appears every third week. Write to alexz@sdcitybeat.com.
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UP FRONT | OPINION
EDWIN DECKER
SORDID
TALES
My birthday horoscope was amazingly accurate!
I
was waiting on friends for a breakfast meeting that happened to fall on my birthday. Having arrived early, I grabbed the L.A. Times and did something I had not done since my teens. I consulted my horoscope. “The fiery Sagittarius Moon is interacting harmoniously with Mercury, inspiring us to discuss future plans with friends,” said the Taurus entry. Well holy Christ in a lighthouse, I thought. I really am about to discuss plans with friends. We’re meeting to discuss a seriously epic, life-transformative business opportunity which, well, wow is this horoscope ever so applicable, so predictive, so, so . . . so obviously full of bunk! The fiery Sagittarius Moon ain’t inspiring anyone to do anything because the fiery Sagittarius moon is just the moon. It is not fiery. It is not interactive. The Sagittarius moon is a lifeless ball of gravel moving through an arbitrary cluster of stars called Sagittarius, so named because it resembled a half-man, half-horse to some Babylonian stoners with an affinity for smoking wild myrrh and desiccated oxen dung. And what’s troubling is that the belief in this type of astromancy, according to the National Science Foundation, is rising! And it’s rising especially among millennials, over half of which believe astrology is science. Half! How is this even possible when astrology has proven to be the fourth most ridiculous belief system ever invented—after Scientology, Alien Lizard Overlord Theory and AbstinenceOnly Contraception? It has been methodically debunked about as many times as there are people who got bunked by it, but here are three solid arguments that should disabuse any reasonable person from subscribing to it. 1.) Scientific Research: There are many fields of astrology, all quite bunk-o-riffic, but we’ll stick with Natal. Natal astrology—which is based on the time, date and place of our birth—is the kind we typically see in the newspapers. There have been hundreds of astrology-crushing studies on Natal astrology while not a single, credible, peer-reviewed report ever legitimized it. Such as the London “time twins” study that tracked over 2,000 babies born within a few minutes of each other. Over a period of several decades, researchers collected the data of over 100 different characteristic types, such as the subjects’ intelligence, personality, physical strength, abilities, career and relationship choices and pretty much every possible trait that astrologers claim are predictive by natal data. And yet, decades later, no compelling character commonalities were found. There was also the famous, two-part, double-blind study by physicist and UC Berkeley professor Shawn Carlson. The study observed the success ratios of 28 professional astrologists who were handpicked by the leading astromancy consortium of the time: The National Council for [wait for it] Geocosmic Research. In the first study, the astrologists worked up natal data charts for 116 volunteers. The volunteers were then shown two bogus control charts, and one real chart
based on their data. Only 1 in 3 people—the exact expected ratio informed by probability—chose correctly. In the second, companion study, 116 volunteers completed a personality survey that was provided to the astrologers, along with two bogus personality surveys for control. The astrologers were asked to choose the personality survey associated with the volunteer’s natal data and [you guessed it!] the astrologers—eh, I mean the geocosmic practitioners—only identified 1 in 3 correctly, as prescribed by probability. 2.) Astrophysics: People occasionally confuse them, but the difference between astronomy and astrology is the difference Shark Week and Sharknado. Just as Sharknado ignores the laws of ichthyology, astrologists ignore the laws of physics which dictates that every known force or energy, such as gravity and electromagnetism, dissipates at distance. Therefore, if we really are affected by the energy of celestial bodies, it would be from the sun which is so relatively close, it would overpower any stellar energy from beyond our galaxy. “Not only that,” says astronomer Phil Plait, “but the Earth wobbles slowly… over centuries, and that changes the dates the sun is in a given constellation. If you were born in late March in ancient Greece, you would’ve been an Aries. Today, you’d be a Pisces.” 3.) Common Sense: Doesn’t it seem counterintuitive that one’s destiny be determined at birth and not conception? Doesn’t it seem as though the time of conception is more likely to tap into the geocosmic soul of the universe because conception is, itself, a sort of intra-uterine big bang? I mean, what’s the thinking here—that a child still inside the womb does not receive the astrological values of whatever stellar force dictates their horoscope? That this immensely powerful, resilient energy travels billions of light years—surging through radioactive fields, defying the tyrannical suction of black holes, withstanding sub-zero temperatures and a 3,000-degree entry into the Earth’s atmosphere— only to be deterred by the few inches of flesh surrounding the womb? That this almighty force has to wait until the baby is born before gaining access and assigning a destiny? C’mon people, wise up! If people want to read a paragraph that helps them get through each day then here, cut this out and hang it on the door: “Plan to travel soon. Avoid sugar. Invest wisely. Your spouse is not cheating with your best friend (they are planning your surprise party). As long as the roots are not severed, all is well in the garden. Change motor oil frequently. Read Sordid Tales. And for the love of Jesus, don’t let any geocosmic hocus pocus inform your existence.”
People occasionally confuse them, but the difference between astronomy and astrology is the difference Shark Week and Sharknado.
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Sordid Tales appears every other week. Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com.
MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7
UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK
BY BETH DEMMON
BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER
FINAL DRAUGHT
THE WORLD
was the pork belly; ordinarily it’s a cut I relish, but at Taste of Denmark it was cooked too crisp and beyond where its luxurious fattiness could come into play. That herring, though, was the perfect foil to the bread. The acidity of the fish’s Dane course marinade cut the earthy, savory feel of that wondrous bread. pon taking a table at Taste of Danish cuisine is, by its nature, meatDenmark (142 University Ave., heavy. The Grillbar burger may be the truetasteofdenmark.com) in Hill- messiest burger in town thanks to a douscrest each diner receives a plate of food ing in a saline, roux-thickened, dark brown featuring small slices of bread, pickled red and gravy-like sauce that features deep cabbage and two spreads, all gratis. The onion flavors. Pickles and fresh red cabbad news is that the dense, nut and grain- bage play a wonderful foil to the richness flecked Danish rye that is served is prob- of the sauce. That same sauce is shown to ably the best thing at the restaurant. The its best effect atop Taste of Denmark’s good news—and it really is very take on frikadeller (aka Danish good news—is that bread is meatballs). Unlike the more absolutely glorious. familiar Swedish meatTaste of Denmark balls, frikadeller feature has taken over one of pork, but don’t contain the hole-in-the-wall breadcrumbs as filler. spots on a Hillcrest The result is a fluffier, block known for its airier meatball. It’s revolving door resserved with a sour taurant scene. Nothcream-based potato ing seems to stay salad. very long, and quality Normally, I’ll trade doesn’t seem to count. two desserts for one saGood restaurants have vory dish. Taste of Dencome and gone; so have bad mark’s aebleskivers, however, restaurants. Perhaps the couple Aebleskivers are a must. Aebleskivers are, bathat owns the place, Bjerke Frandsically, pancake puffs with cardasen and Tina Fabrin (he’s back-ofmom in all its evocative, spicy, herbal and the-house, she’s front), did not know that citrusy glory. They’re topped with powabout the block. Or maybe the couple from dered sugar and served with raspberries the western reaches of Denmark simply that are barely sweetened beyond the way thought, “no one’s tried Danish, yah?” they’re picked. This was the perfect way to And after that first plate, it’s tough not end the meal: sweet, but not overly so, and to agree with them. The pickled cabbage with just enough interest and surprise. is excellent and customers could pretty Honestly, Taste of Denmark may not much spread anything on that bread and manage to make a go of it in a location it wouldn’t suck. Frandsen and Fabrin where so many have failed before them. seem to know that. The core of the lunch Frandsen and Fabrin may have left Denmenu is classic Danish, open-faced sand- mark only to find the block of doom. But wiches featuring slabs of that wonderful with that bread and those aebleskivers, bread as their base. it definitely will not be because the food The toppings for the sandwiches isn’t good enough. It is. change daily. My favorite was the herring, with the salmon vinaigrette not The World Fare appears weekly. far behind. Perhaps my least favorite Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.
FARE U
8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 16, 2018
Old World beer styles deftly done
straight from the tap, so I can confidently echo the endorsement of my learned colleagues. Deft’s Rein Sonnenschien kölscheer growlers are going extinct, and style ale (5-percent ABV) and Deft and for good reason. There’s ample op- Witty Belgian witbier (5-percent ABV) portunity for the beer within to be were both solid, if not just a tad sweet. But tainted with oxygen, grime or a million the DeftHop Golden English IPA (6.5-perother elements that stand to destroy an cent ABV) was far and away the most interotherwise tasty beer’s integrity. This is esting and delightful brew of the quartet. I why despite a less-than-stellar experi- can’t explain how refreshing it is to get an ence with a growler of Deft Brewing’s IPA that’s actually balanced and doesn’t (5328 Banks St., deftbrewing.com) tripel— rely on absurdly gratuitous amounts of hops for bragging rights. a beer spoken of highly BETH DEMMON I was tickled to see a by several of my trusted sticke altbier available as beer friends—I decided to well, a German lager rarely check out the source for a seen even in hardcore chance at redemption. craft beer circles. Deft’s Deft’s location is a DoubleDeft Secret is danlittle wonky. It’s halfway gerous at 8.2-percent ABV, down a dead-end street and is medium-bodied in the the Bay Park/Morewith a malt sweetness that na area, nestled among masks the alcohol warmth. welding workshops and I could have easily enjoyed storage facilities. Its shiny Beer flight at Deft Brewing several if I hadn’t already metal siding and large been seduced by the selecfront windows fit the tions. I washed it all down nearby industrial aesthetic, but somehow manage to come across as both inviting with the 3.7-percent ABV SauerRoggen (a and chill. Inside, the ambiance is a little sour roggenbier) that I can only describe nondescript, but lots of indoor and out- as unusual and pleasant. It’s one of those door seating makes up for it. Plus, Deft is beers that needs to be experienced to really kid-friendly, so I instantly add a bajillion wrap your mind around. Deft’s co-founder and head brewer Mo points in its favor. Nuspl has only been brewing for around Old World styles dominate the beer board here, and the amount being served four years, so it’s pretty ballsy to open countinues to rise. This resurgance of Old a brewery whose name literally means World Styles is a most welcome trend. Oth- “demonstrating skill and cleverness.” But er local breweries, such as ChuckAlek Inde- I back the notion. They’ve only been in pendent Brewers, Eppig Brewing and So- business since October 2017, and there’s ciete Brewing Company, have also pushed already talk of an expansion. Plus, Deft’s traditional brews back into the forefront. current space would allow it to grow from At Deft, unusual options such as a sour its two-barrel system to a 10-barrel sysroggenbier (a historical German rye beer) tem fairly easily. If and when that hapand an English IPA are sprinkled among pens, it won’t be the brewery vibe that Irish reds and English porters, so I settled gets me back. It’ll be the beers. Good on a flight to experience the full spectrum enough for me.
B
of brews. The Bruxelles Trip tripel (8-percent ABV) was happily untainted when poured
Write to bethd@sdcitybeat.com or check her out on Instagram at @thedelightedbite.
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MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9
EVENTS
SHORTlist
ART
the
THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE
COORDINATED BY
SETH COMBS
SAN DIEGO
HArt + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-athon at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 1100 Kettner Blvd., Downtown. Join an all-day communal updating of Wikipedia entries on subjects related to gender, art and feminism. Followed by a discussion about gender, representation and contemporary arts resources available to women of color. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Free. 858-454-3541, mcasd.org/ events/artfeminism-wikipedia-edit-thon
BEST OF THE FESTS
Is it summer already? Well, not technically, but some of the main colleges are out for the summer and that means festival season is about to be in full swing. And the third weekend of May always seems to be packed full of options for all-day events. First, foodies will want to hit up the San Diego Taco Fest on Saturday, May 19 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Downtown’s Waterfront Park (1600 Pacific Hwy.). The 21-and-up event will feature a restaurant row of dozens of the best taco-makers in San Diego, including City Tacos, Señor Grubby’s and Fuego. There will also be live music (including headliners Salt-N-Pepa), lucha libre wrestling, Chihuahua races and fashion shows. Tickets range from $30 to $35 at sdtacofest.com. For beer lovers, we’d recommend either Modern Times’ Festival of Funk or Karl Strauss’ Arts & Amps (both are on Saturday). The former, held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Golden Hall (202 C St.) is a festival completely devoted to, well, funky beers such as sours and saisons and the list of participating breweries is extensive to say the least. It also benefits local nonprofit BikeSD, who will have a bike valet at the fest. Tickets are $50 at moderntimesbeer.com. The free Arts & Amps will also be
BALBOA PARK
GET LIT Foodies, altruists and bookworms will find they have much in common at Eat. Drink. Read. A Culinary Event for Literacy. The ninth annual event features more than 20 breweries and restaurants, including local favorites such as Civico 1845, Waypoint Public, Galaxy Taco and many more. Chefs and mixologists will create food and drinks inspired by classic books and literary characters. The event will also feature live music and a head-to-head chef battle with celebrity judges and prizes. Funds from the event will support the San Diego Council on Literacy’s 27 affiliated literacy programs that annually serve more than 179,000 San Diego residents of all ages. It all happens Thursday, May 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the San Diego Air & Space Museum (2001 Pan American Plaza). Tickets range from $75 to $125 at literacysandiego.org. Eat. Drink. Read.
10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 16, 2018
HBodies in Trouble at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 1100 & 1001 Kettner Blvd., Downtown. An exhibition displaying the works of 10 artists graduating from the Visual Arts MFA program at UC San Diego, including Andrew Sturm, Corey Dunlap and more. Opening from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 17. Free. 858454-3541, mcasd.org
Fiesta del Sol beer-heavy, but includes live music from Boostive and Elektric Voodoo, as well as a gallery art show from Creative Souls on the West Coast. It happens from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Karl Strauss Tasting Room & Beer Garden in Pacific Beach (5985 Santa Fe St., karlstrauss.com). For music, there’s also the Fiesta del Sol on Fletcher Cove in Solana Beach (111 South Sierra Ave.). Now in its 39th year, the two-day, familyfriendly fest includes dozens of bands (Common Sense and The Routine, to name a few), as well as vendors, a food court and a kids zone area. It happens from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Full info is at fiestadelsol.net.
DOWNTOWN
WOMAN OF GOD Watching a silent film from the 1920s might seem like an antiquated idea reserved for geeky cinephiles in this day and age, but there’s still something to be said for experiencing Carl Theodor Dreyer’s The Passion of Joan of Arc, in all of its big-screen glory. Recently called a “transcendent masterpiece” by the New York Times, the 1928 film was filmed entirely in close-up and medium shots and stars the majestic Renée Jeanne Falconetti as the iconic 15th century French soldier who talks to God. Screening at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 19 at Copley Symphony Hall (750 B St.), the film will also be accompanied by a John Luther Adams score from local art/music collective Luscious Noise. Tickets range from $20 to $30 at sandiegosymphony.org.
The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection 20th Anniversary at Chuck Jones Gallery, 232 Fifth Ave., Downtown. The exhibition, which covers the entire breadth of the artist and author’s career, celebrates its anniversary with new, rare works on view. Plus refreshments and hors d’oeuvres. Opening from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19. 619-2949880, facebook.com/ChuckJonesGallery HExhibition: Minis 2018 at Sparks Gallery, 530 Sixth Ave., East Village. The third annual exhibition of small works, all sized 10x10 inches or smaller and all priced at $200 or less. It will showcase works by 28 Southern California artists. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Free. 619696-1416, sparksgallery.com Smugglers and Bounty Hunters at Subterranean Coffee Hillcrest, 412 University Ave., Hillcrest. After Dark Creations presents a Star Wars-themed group art exhibit. Cosplay is encouraged at the opening reception. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Free. facebook.com/ events/379142175824793
BOOKS HEat.Drink.Read. at San Diego Air & Space Museum, 2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park. The San Diego Council on Literacy’s annual event features food and drinks inspired by literary works from restaurants, breweries and wineries from all over the country. Funds from the event will support the council’s 27 affiliated literacy programs. From 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17. $75-$125. 619-574-1641, literacysandiego.org/eatdrinkread HSloan De Forest at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The writer and classic film buff will discuss her new book, Turner Classic Movies: Must-See Sci-fi: 50 Movies That Are Out of This World, with KPBS reporter Beth Accomando. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 18. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Anne Hoiberg Anne at Women’s Museum of California, 2730 Historic Decatur Road #103, Point Loma. The local author will sign and discuss The Women of the Gaslamp Quarter, which recounts the stories of some of the notable women who have left a lasting mark on one of San Diego’s most notorious neighborhoods. At 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19. $10. womensmuseumca.org Sebastian Slovin at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. As part of Warwick’s ongoing Weekend with Locals program, Slovin will sign and discuss his nonfiction book, Ashes in the Ocean. From noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 20. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com Allegra Huston at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The journalist and writer will sign and discuss her new
The Passion of Joan of Arc
H = CityBeat picks
novel, Say My Name. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 21. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com HAmy E. Wallen at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The local writer will sign and discuss her new book, When We Were Ghouls. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 21. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com HJulia Dixon Evans at The Book Catapult, 3010-B Juniper St., South Park. Local author Julia Dixon Evans will sign and discuss her debut novel, How to Set Yourself on Fire, in which a woman uncovers a family mystery through lost love letters. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 22. 619-795-3780, thebookcatapult.com
COMEDY HNeil Hamburger Dinner Show at Kafe Sobaka Restoran Pomegranate, 2469 Broadway, Golden Hill. The comedian presents his first-ever local dinner show. The event will also feature a live magic act by Simone. Tickets include a full gourmet meal. From 7 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17. $55. facebook.com/ events/194316034691569
DANCE The National Ballet of Ukraine: Don Quixote at Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. The National Ballet of Ukraine and special guest soloist Leonid Sarafanov perform a classical interpretation of Miguel de Cervantes’ novel of 17th century Spain. At 7 p.m. Sunday, May 20. $20-$140. 619570-1100, sandiegotheatres.org
FILM HReel Science Film Series at San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park. The first in a series of Sci-fi film screenings, audiences will watch the thriller Memento and then participate in a scientific discussion with UC San Diego neuroscientist Dr. Bradley Voytek. At 7 p.m. Friday, May 18. $12. sdnhm.org iVIE Awards & Student Film Festival at Lincoln High School, 4777 Imperial Ave., Lincoln Park. The Media Arts Center San Diego’s 17th annual fest will feature short films, documentaries and PSAs produced and directed by students from grades K-12. From 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19. $3-$9. ivieawards.org
FOOD & DRINK H San Diego Taco Fest at Waterfront Park, 1600 Pacific Hwy., Downtown. The 21-plus event will feature a restaurant row of dozens of taco-makers, as well as live music including headliners Salt-N-Pepa. From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 19. $30-$35. sdtacofest.com HFestival of Funk at Golden Hall Arena, 202 C St., Downtown. Modern Times’ third annual festival celebrating sours and saisons will include a full brewery lineup, food vendors and funk music from DJ Peso. Proceeds benefit BikeSD. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19. $50. Moderntimesbeer.com/festival-of-funk Backyard BBQ Event at Quartyard, 1301 Market St., East Village. Indulge in ribs, wings, desserts, craft beers and more at this special backyard-themed BBQ. This dog-friendly event will also feature music, games and vendors. From noon to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19. $15-$60. 619-432-5303, quartyardsd. com HStone Liberty Station Five Year Anniversary Celebration at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, 2816 Historic Decatur Road #116, Liberty Station. Stone Brewing, along with local vendors from Liberty Station and Liberty Public Mar-
EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 @SDCITYBEAT
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MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11
EVENTS
BOOKS: THE FLOATING LIBRARY
EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 ket, will celebrate its fifth anniversary with food, live music and a variety of Stone’s specialty beer. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19. $15-$35. 619-269-2100, stonebrewing.com Coast of Pacific Beach Restaurant Walk at various venues, Pacific Beach. The annual foodie event offers a variety of food samples from local restaurants, as well as special deals from retailers as you stroll past the shops. From 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 22. $25. pacificbeach.org
MUSIC Celtic Woman at Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. The classicallytrained, all-female recording ensemble and performing collective celebrate Ireland’s musical and cultural heritage. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 18. $35-$99. 619570-1100, sandiegotheatres.org HBuilding Bridges Spanning Water SACRA/PROFANA will be performing music with themes of water and bridges by some of the most important composers of the last 100 years. Joining them will be several of the exceptional student participants of our 2017 Summer Choral Intensive. At 7 p.m. Saturday, May 19 at Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. At 7 p.m. Sunday, May 20 at Christ Lutheran Church, 4761 Cass St., Pacific Beach. 619566-6584, sacraprofana.org HHorizon Music Festival at Embarcadero Marina Park North, 500 Kettner Blvd., Downtown. The music series returns for its third year to host the electronic music band Thievery Corporation, which
EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
12 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 16, 2018
Shining Starr
Y
ou think you know oppression? You think you understand bias, discrimination and prejudice? Growing up in the mostly white suburbs of Washington D.C., I know I didn’t. But that changed when I enlisted in the Navy and was stationed on a ship here in San Diego with a crew of 300. Close quarters foster fast friendships, and it was an education in what it was like to be Black, Brown or an immigrant in America. That may have opened my eyes to inequality, but I didn’t grasp the limits of this experience until I listened to the audio book of Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give. Starr Carter is a bright, affable teenager who lives in two worlds. In Garden Heights she’s “Big Mav’s daughter who works at the store” that her father bought when he got out of jail. At Williamson, the school she attends in the suburbs, she’s one of the only Black students. Starr’s passion for Air Jordans, Lebron James and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air help her bridge the gap between home and school. But the harmony she strives to maintain by not seeming too white to her Black friends or too Black to her white friends is shattered one night at a party.
While talking with an old family friend named Khalil a fight breaks out. They leave, but on the way home Khalil is pulled over and a tragic scene that is all too familiar in American life unfolds. Khalil is shot and killed by the officer in front of Starr’s eyes. Every decision Starr faces in the aftermath of Khalil’s murder threatens to disrupt one of her worlds. Thomas presents Starr’s struggle in a way that is intense and immensely relatable. One of the things I love about The Hate U Give is Starr’s family life, which is messy and complicated. Her dad’s a former gang member. Her uncle’s a cop. She has two brothers who have different mothers. Her boyfriend is both wealthy and white. There are no easy solutions or quick fixes for Starr. It’s one thing to say that doing the right thing is seldom easy, but Thomas shows us why someone would choose not to and then rewards us with a character whose integrity shines like her namesake.
—Jim Ruland
The Floating Library appears every other week.
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EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 mixes elements of dub, acid jazz, reggae, bossa nova and more. Plus full bars and food. From 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 19. $44.28-$123.47. intothehorizon.com HLocal Bands, Local Beer, Local Election at ChuckAlek Biergarten, 3139 University Ave. Suite B, North Park. Enjoy food, local beer and live music from local bands grampadrew, SONGS for PEOPLE, and Crooked to help spread the word about the June election. Funds from this event will go toward Get Out the Vote San Diego. From 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 19. $10 suggested donation. facebook. com/events/243854276175416
PERFORMANCE
from Creative Souls on the West Coast. From 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Free. karlstrauss.com Star Wars at the Library at San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. The fifth annual event welcomes Star Wars fans of all ages to join their favorite characters for games and crafts, a photo booth, lightsaber sparring, cosplay and more. From 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Free. 619-236-5800, facebook.com/events/280888109107416 Empire Bikes Back at Morse High School, 6905 Skyline Drive, Skyline. The San Diego County Bike Coalition will lead a Star Wars-themed bike safety training for young kids. Bicycle sharing company Ofo will donate 10 bikes to the event. From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Free. Sdbikecoalition.org/events
HOld House Fair at Rose Wine Bar, 2219 30th St., South Park. The 20th annual Old House Fair features five historic homes in the South Park neighborhood. Ticket includes the tour with docent-lead education and history. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19. $5-$48. oldhousefairsd.com VanGo! STEAM Festival at State St., Little Italy and Amici Park, 1660 Union St., Little Italy. The fourth annual VanGo! STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) event will include refreshments, live music, an art exhibit and soapbox racing. All profits from the event will benefit the students of Washington Elementary School. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Free. wesfoundation.net HFiesta del Sol at Fletcher Cove, 111 S. Sierra Ave., Solana Beach. A free, two-day
music and arts festival features dozens of beach-friendly bands, plus vendors, food and a kids’ area. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20. Free. fiestadelsol.net Pirate Days at Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 N Harbor Drive, Downtown. A two-day celebration featuring kids costume contests, cannon firings, sword fights, a scavenger hunt and more. Also enjoy the add-on show “BOARDED! A New Pirate Adventure!.” From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20. Free-$18. 619-234-9153 Ext. 101, sdmaritime.org
TALKS AND DISCUSSIONS HMiddle Eastern Studies Lecture Se-
ries: Sreemati Mitter at UCSD Social Science Bldg., Rm. 101, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. The assistant professor of Middle Eastern History at Brown University, will lead a lecture titled: “The Case of the Missing Check and Other Tales from 1948: The Financial History of the Unraveling of the British Mandate over Palestine and the Nakba.” From 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 17. Free. ucsd.edu HSurvival Stories: Artists of Color in the Face of Institutional Racism at House of Charm, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. The Michelada Think Tank, in partnership with the San Diego Art Institute, will lead a workshop addressing institutional and structural racism by bringing together people of color and allies interested in creative change. From 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Free. sandiego-art.org
The FUN Show with Cat & Nat at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The Toronto-based Facebook duo known for dismantling the unrealistic portrayals of motherhood take to the road to share their #momtruths, answer questions and more. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17. $36-$46. 619-570-1100, sandiegotheatres.org The Little Sweep at Performing Arts Annex, City Heights Library, 3795 Fairmount Ave., City Heights. Bodhi Tree Concert presents a children’s opera by Benjamin Britten. An hour of free family-friendly activities precedes the concert. At 7 p.m. Saturday, May 19 and 4 p.m. Sunday, May 20. $15$25. 619-546-7660, bodhitreeconcerts.org
POETRY & SPOKEN WORD Long Story Short: Them’s Fighting Words at The Ink Spot, 2730 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 202, Point Loma. So Say We All’s monthly improv storytelling night features five-minute stories with no notes where anyone can share stories about arguments and verbal battles. From 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 19. $5 suggested donation. 619-696-0363, sosayweallonline.com HStory Share: Relationships at ChuckAlek Biergarten, 3139 University Ave. Suite B, North Park. The New Narrative is hosting the first of a monthly storytelling event series with a space for people to share stories on the theme of relationships. From 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 22. $5 suggested donation. facebook.com/TheNewNarrative
POLITICS & COMMUNITY HSips & Civility: June Ballot Propositions at San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. The League of Women Voters of San Diego wants to get voters ready for the June Primary. Learn about the ballot measures as League members review each issue and answer audience questions. From 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 22. Free. facebook.com/events/1859125400816140
SPECIAL EVENTS HBike to Work Day Join more than 10,000 San Diegans who will bike to work on this day. Thursday, May 17. Free. icommutesd.com Encinitas Cruise Nights at South Coast Highway 101, Encinitas. The opening day of the 19th annual street festival, featuring Little Guys Street Rods, the Shelby Club, North County Cruisers and more, as well as music from LAE and Friends, Linda Berry and John January, and the UpShots. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17. Free. 760-943-1950, visitencinitas.org HArts & Amps at Karl Strauss Tasting Room & Beer Garden, 5985 Santa Fe St., Pacific Beach. The beer-heavy event includes live music from Boostive and Elektric Voodoo, as well as a gallery art show
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MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 13
THEATER
KEN JACQUES
Red
The art of genius and ego
A
rtistic temperament, thy name is Rothko. That’s Mark Rothko, the fiery abstract expressionist who is the alpha dog in John Logan’s brilliant, Tony Award-winning play Red. Subject to all his pontifications, tantrums, insecurities and verbal abuse is a new young assistant named Ken, an aspiring artist eager to learn from the downright ornery and dismissive master who has no intention of playing mentor. The tension of this relationship and what each man ultimately learns from the other coalesces in a cerebral but urgent 90 minutes. Four years after Red was last seen locally, in a dynamic production at the San Diego Repertory Theatre, a worthy staging of its own is happening at the Brooks Theater in downtown Oceanside. Directing for the Oceanside Theatre Company is Kevin Hafso-Koppman. His actors are Robert May as Rothko and Luke Monday as Ken. Both are more than up to the challenge of Logan’s biting and articulate script. The action takes place in Rothko’s studio, circa the 1950s, in New York’s Bowery. Rothko works in a converted gymnasium where no natural light is admitted, because the great artist can’t control such light. He soon discovers that he can’t control his assistant either, who challenges Rothko’s arrogance and pretentiousness with the simple question “Do you have to keep telling people what art is?” before really unloading on the egoist later (of course, to little avail). The quietly intense Monday credibly conveys Ken’s transformation. May’s Rothko is less unhinged than that of John Vickery in the San Diego Rep’s Red, but he’s just as domineering and dismissive. However, his character’s evolution is less transparent than Monday’s, just as the play prescribes. At the Brooks Theater, Carol Naegele’s ��������������� scenic design is suitably bohemian, and the artwork painting by Zachary Elliott is a shadowy blood red. The acoustics in the theater are problematic, however. The actors can be heard all right, but when Rothko’s phonograph isn’t playing one of his favorite classical pieces, a distracting humming is audible beneath the exchanges between May and Monday. At least it was during a recent matinee performance. So rich with both cultural and psychological expression is Logan’s script that no unwarranted noise should intrude.
14 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 16, 2018
Red runs through May 20 at the Brooks Theater in Oceanside. $15-$19; oceansidetheatre.org
—David L. Coddon
Theater reviews run weekly. Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.
OPENING: The Wind and the Breeze: A young hip-hop MC is challenged to a battle by his closest mentees in this world premiere play from Nathan Alan Davis. Presented by Cygnet Theatre, it opens in previews May 16 at the Old Town Theatre. cygnettheatre.com The Secret Garden: Based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic book, this play tells the story of a lonely orphan who discovers an abandoned garden filled with magic and mystery. Presented by North Coast Repertory Theatre, it opens May 17 at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. northcoastreptheatreschool.org Avenue Q: A musical comedy about a recent college grad who moves to New York City and is surrounded by foulmouthed puppets. Presented by New Village Arts, it opens in previews May 18 at the New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad. newvillagearts.org The Little Mermaid: The musical based on the Disney film about a mermaid who, for whatever reason, just wants to be part of our world. Presented by Pickwick Players, it opens May 18 at Off Broadway Live in Santee. pickwickplayers.net
NOW PLAYING: The Kitchen Witches: Two archenemies begin hosting a cable-access cooking show and quickly find their insulting banter is a hit with audiences. Written by Caroline Smith, it runs through May 20 at the Broadway Theatre in Vista. broadwayvista.biz Noises Off: Michael Frayn’s classic play-within-a-play that exposes the inner workings of a theatre troupe as they hilariously attempt to perform a production of Nothing On. It runs through May 20 at Lamb’s Players Theatre in Coronado. lambsplayers.org Red: John Logan’s drama about abstract expressionist Mark Rothko as he prepares a new piece commissioned for the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City. Presented by Oceanside Theatre Company, it runs through May 20 at the Brooks Theatre in Oceanside. oceansidetheatre.com
For complete theater listings, visit sdcitybeat.com
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COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
CULTURE | ART
The New Somebodies
A new exhibition at MCASD offers a glimpse into the future of local ar t By SETH COMBS
O
ver the years, I’ve been a particular champion of the UC San Diego visual arts department. That’s not a self-congratulatory pat-on-the-back, but rather a testament to how many talented local individuals are products of the school. That’s also not to imply that these artists’ work or aesthetic is a direct result of that program, but without fail, I always find myself heading up north every year to attend the department’s Open Studios event where I get a firsthand look at the artists whose work will soon be displayed in exhibitions in San Diego and beyond. Some of these artists will eventually move on to other cities, while others will stay and become respected local innovators. Either way, UCSD has the unique distinction of having produced some of my favorite contemporary artists (Morgan Mandalay, Stefani Byrd and Ash Eliza Smith, to name a few) of the last decade. Bodies in Trouble—a new exhibition opening at the Downtown location of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego on May 17 and up through June 17—is an opportunity to see some of these emerging artists in a museum setting. While seeing their work within the confines of their small college studios offers the viewer a rare and raw glimpse into the creative process, seeing the finished pieces at MCASD is something else altogether. A few years ago, a similar showcase took place at MCASD, and one artist’s piece ended up being purchased by the museum, indicative of the promising talent that can be found in this type of exhibition. Here are a few I particularly like.
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“Free Fish”es’” by HeeJung Shin
Corey Dunlap
Corey Dunlap’s work has been a particular highlight for me at the last two Open Studios events. Using digital modeling software, his work is bright and guttural, transfixing and perplexing. The resulting prints reveal a mind absorbed with the infinitesimal lines that result in shapes. Human innards is the most convenient point of reference when looking at a piece like “Relief,” COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
“Relief” by Corey Dunlap and Dunlap has told me that the body is his main inspiration. Still, he seems primarily concerned with the ways in which bodies interact with their surroundings. Looking at the works he’s produced while at UC San Diego, one gets a pronounced sense of inertia. There’s a sense of misplacement among
the intestinal subjects in his works, but look closer and the viewer will see bodies at rest, as if finally at peace with what they’re supposed to be.
work often seems anti-aesthetical and, to hear her tell it, explores “queer desire” by taking sexual poses and making them decidedly asexual. The point attempting to be COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
HeeJung Shin
HeeJung Shin’s video and photographic work deals in provocative themes of feminism and countering the sexist and heteronormative culture of not only her home country of South Korea, but of America’s as well. This isn’t work that will leave the viewer particularly invigorated or ready to throw on a pussy hat and throw down with the patriarchy. It’s bleak and often disturbing, but it is a sublime look at how we still have so far to go when it comes to the rights of women. According to HeeJung’s artist statement, she shouldn’t even exist considering the prevalence of anti-girl abortions in South Korea in the ’80s and ’90s, and her work is a bold statement on how even something as fundamental as a woman’s reproductive rights can often be warped and manipulated to propagate a misogynist agenda. Her recently debuted video piece, “Free Fish”es”, will be showing at the MCASD exhibition and sees HeeJung tackling the “hierarchy of languages and bodies” within hip-hop videos. It’s strange, enlightening and leaves the viewer both shaken and moved.
Jessica Buie
On the surface, Jessica Buie’s conceptual portraits seem stark and cold. There are often no faces and the androgynous bodies are posed in a way that seems to slowly funnel out any notion of romantic reverence. Her
“Glance Gaze Look II” by Jessica Buie made within her beautiful photos seems to be one of exploring the erotic nature of what is not immediately or readily revealed. Is there excitement and desire in hands simply folded over a crotch? Hands in pockets? Why are these poses exciting and what does it say about the viewer if, indeed, that eroticism is revealed to them? As Buie states in one of her handwritten text pieces, “You can really provoke and invite and kinda sit back and let it all come to you.”
MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15
CULTURE | VOICES
RACHEL MICHELLE FERNANDES
THANK YOU FOR
STARING
Single white feminism, part 2: Let the right one in
I
n “An Exploratory Study of Demographic Diversity in the Arts Management Workforce” (published in the Grantmakers in the Arts Reader in the Fall of 2015), Antonio Culyer, assistant professor of arts administration at Florida State University, makes the compelling case for urgency when it comes to fair representation in arts administration. After all, it’s the managers and curators who determine most of the opportunities given to artists in a community. “Given demographic trends, a lack of diversity remains one of the most important issues for the cultural sector to address in the twenty-first century,” contends Culyer, whose survey goes on to show striking disparities in a variety of institutions. According to the survey of arts managers from across the U.S., 78 percent identified as white and 77 percent were female. An even more staggering statistic was that 92 percent of executive directors identified as white. In my last column, I took a moment to call out the proverbial elephant in the room when it comes to equity in the arts: white women. To briefly recap, it’s my assertion that white women—or rather those not actively making ample room at the table for a diverse representation of a spectrum of bodies—are a major obstacle to breaking cycles of marginalization. According to Culyer’s study, it seems a pretty massive game of musical chairs is in order. In the next two columns, I’ll take a look at two high level arts administration positions (formerly held by affluent white women) that have recently opened up in San Diego and urge those with the power to fill them to consider this as a potential watershed moment in our cultural landscape. First up, there’s the vacant seat of executive director for the San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture left by Dana Springs, who stepped down at the beginning of the year. There has been a lot of speculation and not much confirmation as to why she decided to leave, but a variety of sources have assured me that Springs was not very well liked. A speculative look at the amount of vacancies under her watch also casts some suspicions. High staff turnover doesn’t bode well for upper management skills. While getting anyone on record proved challenging due to the political nature of the art world, I was able to find someone who has been able to strike enough distance from the situation to comment. “Dana just made working conditions intolerable,” claims Gary Margolis, former grants program manager for the commission for over seven years. Now safely out of retaliation range in Aurora, Colorado and serving as the cultural services division manager, Margolis recently gave me an account of some of his final
days with the commission, as well as his take on how it could serve to improve. “From my experience, and I have worked in many government agencies, San Diego is the most screwed up,” he recalls. “I went to management with two pages of grievances and they said basically, well, this doesn’t look good, but supervisors have a lot of leeway to do whatever they want to do. When I compare it to where I’m working now, they investigate everything here. It’s completely the opposite.” While Margolis says his complaints did not directly have to do with race, gender or sexual orientation, his story speaks to abuses of power, as well as a workplace and managerial culture that, in my opinion, is all too easily adopted by upper class white women. “A big part of becoming more open to diverse populations is how comfortable the leader is sitting down at a table with those people,” notes Margolis. “It’s one thing to know in your heart that it’s the right thing to do. It’s something else to be able to follow your heart.” Meanwhile questions have also surfaced in recent public budget hearings about how funds are being potentially misallocated, not just on an algorithm that heavily favors larger, better funded organizations, but on an ineffectively run staff as well. For example, at the hearing on May 8, City Councilmember Georgette Gomez asked Acting Executive Director Christine Jones when the last time the staff of eight was fully filled and functioning. Jones could not give an answer, replying, “I’ll have to get back to you on that.” Gomez then went on to suggest that perhaps less money could go to a staff that is hardly ever fully filled and into arts education instead. “As the former budget analyst, I can say that the commission can run off less and can allocate vacant staff positions to community-based organizations providing critical neighborhood services through the arts,” says Anjanette Maraya-Ramey, newly appointed director of the AjA Project, one of the smaller organizations receiving low funds, but doing a lot of heavy lifting in the community. Perhaps by scaling down staff and appointing an executive director with grassroots organizing skills and more direct ties to local communities, the San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture will be able to take some steps towards creating a more equitable culture in public arts funding here in San Diego. “The model most organizations have for arts funding is feed your teenagers and starve your babies,” says Margolis. “Certainly San Diego falls into that category.”
’From my experience, and I have worked in many government agencies, San Diego is the most screwed up.’
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Thank You For Staring appears every other week.
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CULTURE | FILM
Heartbreak every day
Let the Sunshine In
Claire Denis and Juliette Binoche upend the romantic comedy by Glenn Heath Jr.
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he complete picture rarely materializes in ing night with a troubled actor (Nicolas Duvauchelle). Claire Denis’ films; searching for it only leads After hours of verbal warfare, the two finally kiss, to frustration. Fractured and non-linear, her prompting fateful words from Isabelle: “It feels so diverse filmography calls attention to the mysteri- good to stop all that talking.” Don’t be fooled though, ous and menacing gaps of narrative cinema. Classic because Let the Sunshine In doesn’t revel in the aftergenres merely act as entry points for larger emotional glow. One second Etta James’ “At Last” provides the and societal excavations in which characters are less perfect soundtrack for an exciting slow dance, and the people than symbolic vessels brushing up against an next Isabelle finds herself even more depressed, asking rhetorically, “Is this my life?” ambiguity of their own making. Denis typically equates self-destructive behavior Since her feature debut (1988’s Chocolat), Denis has infiltrated the vampire saga (Trouble Every Day), with the jarring aesthetic choices that make her style unique. Here, Isabelle’s insecurevenge film (Bastards), and rity is caused by the whirlpool colonialist tragedy (White of passive aggressive slander, Material) among others, stripLET THE abrasive arrogance and selfping each down to their most SUNSHINE IN pity that the men in her life elemental parts to expose the Directed by Claire Denis present on a regular basis. Let social rot underneath. For Dethe Sunshine In doesn’t exude nis, mankind has never met a Starring Juliette Binoche, the same stylistic rigor of Debad situation they couldn’t Xavier Beauvois, Nicolas Duvauchelle nis’ previous work, but it illumake worse. and Alex Descas minates the pull of potentially With this in mind, some Rated R destructive momentum in othmight be surprised she has fier ways. Vincent personifies nally found her way to the romantic comedy. Nevertheless, Let the Sunshine In feels these worst impulses, as does Fabrice (Bruno Podalyright at home in her dense oeuvre. Initially resembling dès), another jealous suitor who purposefully undera series of disjointed romantic (and often unromantic) mines Isabelle’s relationships with other men. Only in the film’s transcendent final sequence does interludes, it quickly transforms into a sublime appreDenis finally halt this pattern of patriarchal interferciation of emotional resilience and transparency. Naked and deathly bored, Isabelle (Juliette ence. While visiting a kindred spirit/psychic (played by Binoche) spends the opening moments of Let the none other than Gérard Depardieu!), Isabelle finally Sunshine In trying to figure out exactly why she has gets some good advice regarding her outlook not just fallen for the married banker currently sharing her on men, but the world itself. Sometimes the right conbed. Vincent’s (Xavier Beauvois) sweaty body engulfs text is all it takes to break debilitating cycles of doubt. Let the Sunshine In (opening Friday, May 18, at the the frame as Denis’ camera captures it all from above, a dance between vantage points that will repeat Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas) not only complicates throughout the film. This is Denis’ way of establishing the potentially easy meaning of its title, but also rean uneven emotional hierarchy, something Vincent inforces the inverse: keep the shade at bay. Denis and Binoche—working together for the first time—manmanipulates at ever turn. A painter of great reputation and standing, Isabelle age to effortlessly suggest that taking risks in love and can’t seem to find the same success in her love life. being open to the world are not mutually exclusive Chronic disappointment fuels every wordy encounter. acts. Drenched in the luminescence of seeing anew, Flirtations run hot, then very cold. When these mo- it solidifies the notion that settling for bastards is a ments simmer, Denis magnifies the attraction and sucker’s game. excitement of falling into seduction’s trap, and how things can sour with equally alarming speed. Film reviews run weekly. This tension best exemplifies Isabelle’s bewilder- Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com
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MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17
CULTURE | FILM
Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami
Mover and shaker
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race Jones: Bloodlight and Bami inhabits spaces so kinetically visceral and weird they feel synonymous with David Lynch’s films. In fact, a club sequence shot on low-fi video evokes the raw nightmarish energy of Twin Peaks: The Return and Inland Empire, two masterpieces that, like Jones herself, antagonize and challenge the status quo through ethereal imagery and rampaging sound design. These aesthetic associations, accidental or not, subvert traditional conventions associated with the non-fiction portrait. Grace Jones’ combustible personality
18 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 16, 2018
wouldn’t fit inside that particular box anyway, nor would a simplistic appraisal of her many professional and familial designations, including but not limited to performer; actor; businesswoman; superstar; mother; daughter. And so, editor/ director Sophie Fiennes constructs an enigmatic film worthy of Jones’ persona. More personal diary than history lesson, this woozy doc oscillates between scenes of public performances and private conversations, offering greater insight into Jones’ work ethic and family history. Sleek concert footage finds
the performer donning ornate tribal masks, charting her every move without ever cutting to the audience. The late Jonathan Demme would have been proud. Intimate scenes with friends and family are far grainier, as if Fiennes was shooting home movies for Jones as she travels to performances, records new music and visits family in her native Jamaica. This juxtaposition gives the film its humanist structure, aligning Jones’ creative expression, identity and personality as all part of one malleable life experience. That Fiennes doesn’t try to artificially construct some grand emotional epiphany makes Bloodlight and Bami (opening Friday, May 18 at the Ken Cinema) all the more resonant. Simply spending time with her is interesting enough. One final note: Rarely does Jones as a subject acknowledge the camera, maybe because she’s too busy being herself to care.
—Glenn Heath Jr.
OPENING Book Club: Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen and Jane Fonda play bored women who decide to spice up their lives by reading Fifty Shades of Grey. What a world.
Deadpool 2: Ryan Reynolds reprises his role as the foul-mouthed, disfigured assassin who must battle a brute from the future named Cable (Josh Brolin) in this self aware Marvel sequel. Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami: Sophie Fiennes directed and edited this enigmatic documentary about superstar performer Grace Jones, which goes behind the scenes of her personal and professional life. Opens Friday, May 18, at the Ken Cinema. Let the Sunshine In: Juliette Binoche stars as a Parisian divorcee looking for love in Clarie Denis’ romantic comedy. Opens Friday, May 18, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas. Pope Francis: A Man of His Word: German director Wim Wenders follows Pope Francis around the world on a speaking tour in this documentary. Show Dogs: What happens when a Rottweiler goes undercover at a prestigious dog show? Hilarity, of course! The Desert Bride: Paulina García stars in this relationship drama about a livein maid who meets a traveling salesman and, in the process, ignites an unsuspecting romance. Opens Friday, May 18, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. The Escape: A woman sets out to reclaim her life in this stirring, emotionally rich look at what it means to start over. Stars Gemma Arterton and Dominic Cooper. Opens Friday, May 18, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.
For complete movie listings, visit Film at sdcitybeat.com.
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REZA BAHRAMI
MUSIC
Here Lies Man or nearly a dozen years, Here Lies Man existed only as a concept. In the mid-’00s, Marcos Garcia (aka Chico Mann) had been playing guitar with Brooklyn-based Afrobeat collective Antibalas, a group that rose to prominence by updating the rhythmic, political funk of Nigerian legend Fela Kuti. Yet between takes in a lengthy studio recording session, Garcia was struck by the idea of translating Afrobeat sounds into more of a heavy rock ‘n’ roll context. However, the demands of his full-time gig kept him from doing anything about it for more than a decade. It wasn’t until 2016 when Garcia moved to Los Angeles that he got the opportunity to transform Here Lies Man into a fully-fledged band, and released their self-titled debut album in 2017. “I had the light bulb moment in 2005,” Garcia says. “I was recording an album with Antibalas in Chicago. And I don’t remember at what point the light bulb went off. I was in the studio, and there were not too many dis-
tractions happening. We didn’t have smartphones, and... when there’s not a lot of distractions, you just are kind of free to enter into this world. That’s kind of how I see the whole thing. It’s a whole musical landscape. It’s a whole musical universe. And as soon as I start arriving at one point, or summit, or valley, I see this other feature and I go off and get fully immersed in the world of it.”
Once Here Lies Man took shape, the band built up momentum quickly. Just one year after the release of their debut album, they’re already getting ready to release the followup, You Will Know Nothing, in June via Riding Easy Records. Throughout the album’s
11 tracks, Garcia and company (keyboardist Will Rast, drummer Geoff Mann, bassist JP Maramba and percussionist Rich Pantafind) find a fluid cohesion between the African inspirations in Garcia’s past work, but with a heavier emphasis on rock textures. “Summon Fire” balances heavy psychedelic guitar riffs with ethereal keyboard melodies, and “Hell (Wooly Tail)” has a creeping groove with dense fuzz and woozy effects. There are even occasional moments of space and openness, such as on “Voices at the Window” in which Garcia’s guitar plays a more subdued role against a wash of atmospheric organ. Because of the time spent sitting on the project, Garcia felt a sense of urgency in throwing himself fully into Here Lies Man, and there’s even more material they’ve recorded that hasn’t yet been released. For Garcia, the band is a culmination of a lifetime spent playing music and learning how to build a bridge between two disparate sounds that he loves.
“When I was a kid, I grew up loving rock ‘n’ roll,” he says. “And when I fell in love with Afrobeat, that was a revelation. I found my musical voice through that style of music mostly because it incorporates so many other styles. It has its own vocabulary. It is its own universe as well. Being able to speak the language of Afrobeat, but with this rock inflection, for me is like a perfectly natural reflection of who I am as an artist.” Considering how eclectic Garcia’s tastes are, it would seem only natural that he’s also a record collector. But while Here Lies Man’s music certainly encompasses a wide range of stylistic approaches, it’s a result of a firsthand education in playing music rather than listening to it. In fact, Garcia is an entirely different kind of collector. “I get asked to do DJ gigs, and I’m like, ‘I think you got the wrong person,’” he says. “I’m not a record collector. My DJ friends who are diggers, they’re like archaeologists and custodians of this vast pool of recorded music knowledge. I’m still learning every day. I never collected vinyl. I don’t collect music. I collect amps, guitars, keyboards, pedals. I’m a gearhead.” To hear Garcia discuss his own music, he seems to think about it in more than just musical terms. He describes each Here Lies Man album as being like “scenes in an imaginary movie,” and on some level, there is a sense that it’s like a fuzzy, funky score to a film. It does require a bit of imagination to hear it that way, however, since it’s a very specific vision he’s pursuing. Not that it matters to Here Lies Man how people perceive their music. They acknowledge it’s probably not for everyone, and that listeners will come away from it with different reactions. Given the amount of time that Garcia has spent planning and mapping out the project, he says he’ll be happy as long as it affects people on some level, positively or negatively. “The worst insult to me, personally, is that it would be background music,” he says. “It’s designed to have an emotional and sonic impact, and that’s really the most that I can hope for. When we did the first record, I didn’t care if people loved it or hated it. I just wanted them to feel it. That to me is the highest that I will have achieved my aim. I obviously don’t want people to be repelled by it. But if it happens, that’s fine. I just want people to feel something.” Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com. Follow him on Twitter @1000TimesJeff
MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 19
MUSIC
NOTES FROM THE SMOKING PATIO
BY RYAN BRADFORD THE
SPOTLIGHT
LOCALS ONLY
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he Spice Pistols are making their debut on primetime TV later this month. The Sex Pistols/Spice Girls-themed drag concept band—which plays covers as well as originals revolving around that theme—made their way through a series of auditions on NBC reality talent show America’s Got Talent and will be making their debut performance on the show. The band’s bassist Mike Muellenberg said they were partially inspired to audition because they knew that The Spice Girls’ own Mel B was a judge on the show. But it didn’t take long for them to get a callback once they sent in their submission. “I sent in a couple of performances of ours, and sent in a short description,” Muellenberg says. “Within a month of that first email, they got in touch and said they wanted us to come in.” Since the band doesn’t just play covers, The Spice Pistols aren’t a cover band per se, and the concept is more elaborate than it might look on the surface. In fact, Muellenberg
ALBUM REVIEW fivepaw Lost Transmission from a Maritime Ghost (Self-released)
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he nature of electronic music doesn’t always lend itself to creating a dynamic live show. To get around that, plenty of artists create elaborate visuals or backdrops that give audiences a much bigger production. That being said, not every artist who works with samples or software is always that interesting to watch on stage, though that’s never been a problem with local producer Jamie Pawloski, aka fivepaw. Whether he’s performing alone and focused on the array of modular synth components in front of him, or drummer Isaiah Nery joins him in building the music up into synth-driven chaos, it’s always a mesmerizing performance. That creates another interesting dilemma, however: how to translate an intense live show of electronic music into a comparably interesting recording. On Lost Transmission from a Maritime Ghost, Pawloski has that figured out, and it turns out the key is to make a record that sounds like it
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describes it in different terms than most people talk about their own bands, and that unusual approach might have ultimately helped their chances. BLAKE DEAN “Everybody in the band has 20-plus years playing music in the scene,” he says. “So we went in and killed it. We view this as a play. When you come to a Spice Pistols show, you see something different every time.” While Muellenberg says they’ve been impressed by how far they got, he’s not necessarily surprised that NBC took interest. The band puts a lot of time and effort into cultivating a spectacle, and that’s what they gave the show’s producers. “The reaction to the band has been The Spice Pistols phenomenal,” he says. “You usually have to fight to build up a following. I’ve been blown away, to be honest.” Spice Pistols will appear on NBC’s America’s Got Talent on Tuesday, May 29 at 8 p.m.
—Jeff Terich
was made by a live band. Or, for that matter, numerous live bands. Lost Transmission is a much more diverse set of songs than fivepaw’s debut EP, making connections between ambient and progressive electronic sounds with Krautrock, darkwave and pop. There’s a textural consistency to everything here, but stylistically, it never stays in one place for long. A track like “Skittle Jumper” is built around a melodic array of synthesizers that nod to the joyous textures of Cluster or Brian Eno’s Another Green World. And there’s a similarly rich, warm sound to “Caught in the Edge,” which also features Pawloski’s vocals and is becoming an increasingly more common characteristic in his music. Yet some of the best moments are the ones where Pawloski runs wild, creating some dense, noisy and eerie layers on tracks like “Space Dust,” which is set against an intense rush of drums. And “Cosmic Newsletter” is essentially goth-rock, which works unsurprisingly well with fivepaw’s unique synth explosion. There’s a lot to process on Lost Transmission, a lot of which might come across as a surprise to those who heard Pawloski’s earlier recordings. But it’s a worthwhile step in several directions at once, making good on a whole lot of raw potential.
—Jeff Terich
KMERON / FLICKR
I
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
t’s funny how you can connect specific moments in your life to the music that was released during that time. As I get older, it becomes more difficult to remember exact details of life events unless I can remember what I was listening to in that same era. For example, 2004 was a year of huge changes for me: I moved from Park City, Utah to Santa Cruz for my first year of college. I made new friends. My mind expanded intellectually and chemically (I mean, it was Santa Cruz). Despite those major shifts, however, I can best remember them in relation to what I was listening to at the time. Music is the keystone to unlock those memories. Now, that’s not to say I really listened to Godspeed You! Black Emperor in 2004, but they are a band that is intrinsically linked to that magical year. That band was everywhere. Everyone in the dorms listened to them. I’d walk through the halls and Godspeed’s cinematic instrumentals blasted from open doors, creating a soundtrack to the college experience. My new, radical friends would talk at length about Godspeed’s anarchism and politics. The band’s general mystique and Adbuster-esque adherence to non commercialism—especially during a time when internet buzz bands were starting to become a thing— only added to their coolness. I actually didn’t become a true fan of the band until 10 years later, but looking back, I wish I had back in my college days. Godspeed was/is the perfect band for a budding college student. Luckily, their music has aged incredibly well, and it’s as epic, sublime and aweinspiring as ever. Godspeed You! Black Emperor plays Tuesday, May 22 at Observatory North Park
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MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 21
MUSIC
JEFF TERICH
IF I WERE U A music insider’s weekly agenda WEDNESDAY, MAY 16
PLAN A: Midnight Track, Roman Watchdogs, Crucial Blend, Privileged @ TilTwo Club. Wednesday is kind of sleepy this week, but you can never really go wrong with a batch of local punk bands. At the very least it’ll be loud and rowdy, which are often two characteristics of a memorable show.
THURSDAY, MAY 17
PLAN A: Pedro the Lion, David Dondero @ Belly Up Tavern. Pedro the Lion sort of evaded me in my younger, sad-bastard-music days, but I’m not sure why. David Bazan has resurrected Pedro the Lion for a reunion tour, and they’re sure to provide an evening of top-notch melancholy. PLAN B: La Escalera Fest w/ Pears, High, Pissed Regardless, Ash Williams, Sculpins @ Soda Bar. The bi-national La Escalera Fest is happening this week throughout venues in San Diego and Tijuana. From the emotional punk of Ash Regardless to the crossover thrash of Pissed Regardless, this particular showcase is worth checking out. BACKUP PLAN: Tricky, Young Magic @ Music Box RAFAEL OJEA PEREZ
straightforward, with themes covering the spectrum from Satan to sex to sexual Satanism. BACKUP PLAN: Cults, Reptaliens @ Soda Bar.
SATURDAY, MAY 19
PLAN A: Peter Hook and the Light, El Ten Eleven @ House of Blues. Since hearing Joy Division play their own music hasn’t been an option for 38 years, the next best thing is Peter Hook and the Light. Hook was an original member of the band, and he’s been playing their catalog on tour, as well as some New Order classics for good measure. PLAN B: La Escalera Fest w/ Western Settings, Success, Mercy Music, Pity Party @ Bar Pink/The Office. Another La Escalera showcase to check out, this one is split between two venues and starts early in the afternoon. It’ll be a whole day’s worth of punk rock.
SUNDAY, MAY 20
PLAN A: Chow Chow Mandy, HEAD, V/L/F @ SPACE. Close out the weekend with Chow Chow Mandy, a duo that specializes in funky, synth-driven pop with some massive hooks.
MONDAY, MAY 21
PLAN A: Death Eyes, Constant Lovers, Wild Powwers, Qui @ The Casbah. Death Eyes are one of the most fun bands in San Diego, in that they play intense, concise and often gnarly punk rock. Their songs are all super short, but they can do a lot of damage in just 55 seconds. PLAN B: Hurry Up, The Slashes, Mostly Sunny @ Soda Bar. Pacific Northwestern trio Hurry Up feature exmembers of Bangs and The Thermals, and their garage-punk follows those bands’ legacies of catchy, fuzzbox mayhem. BACKUP PLAN: Tyr, Orphaned Land, Ghost Ship Octavius, Aeternam, Helsott, Warpath @ Brick by Brick.
TUESDAY, MAY 22
Mdou Moctar
FRIDAY, MAY 18
PLAN A: Mdou Moctar, Sun Araw @ The Loft at UCSD. In 2015, Niger-based Mdou Moctar created his own Tuareg adaptation of Purple Rain, which makes this show automatically worth checking out. But his guitar playing is a stunning sound of its own, whether it’s connected to Prince’s legacy or not. PLAN B: Midnight, Bat, Wormwitch, Impure Consecration @ Brick by Brick. Midnight is the kind of metal band that suburban parents would have really hated in the ’80s. Their songs are loud, fast and fairly
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PLAN A: Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Marisa Anderson @ Observatory North Park. Seeing Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a little different than a typical rock show, in that their performances involve lengthy compositions and dark visual effects. And nobody says a word. It’s pretty powerful, actually. PLAN B: Here Lies Man, Ecstatic Vision, Monarch @ Soda Bar. Read my feature this week on the heavy psych rock group Here Lies Man, which includes members of Afrobeat collective Antibalas. It’s a pretty badass mixture of funky grooves and heavy riffs, and unlike much else out there. BACKUP PLAN: The Wonder Years, Tigers Jaw, Tiny Moving Parts, Worriers @ House of Blues.
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MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 23
MUSIC
CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!
Long Beach Dub All Stars (Observatory, 6/23), Forth Wanderers (Soda Bar, 7/6), The Donkeys (Casbah, 7/6-7), Rhye (Observatory, 7/19), Car Seat Headrest (SOMA, 7/21), SALES (Casbah, 8/15), Mystic Braves (Casbah, 8/22), Phillip Phillips (Humphreys, 8/22), Rodrigo y Gabriela (BUT, 8/28-29), Murder by Death (BUT, 9/11), YOB (Brick by Brick, 9/14), The Distillers (Observatory, 9/18), Eleanor Friedberger (Casbah, 9/23), SYML (Casbah, 10/16), The Joy Formidable (Casbah, 10/17), The Selecter, The English Beat (Casbah, 11/2).
GET YER TICKETS Madeleine Peyroux (BUT, 5/28), Ray Lamontagne, Neko Case (Open Air Theatre, 6/2), Iceage (Casbah, 6/5), Sunflower Bean (Che Café, 6/13), ‘A Ship In the Woods Fest’ w/ Built to Spill, Shabazz Palaces, Bill Callahan, No Age (Felicita Park, 6/16-17), Donavon Frankenreiter (BUT, 6/20), Janelle Monae (Open Air Theater, 6/20), Warped Tour (SDCCU Stadium, 6/22), Seu Jorge (BUT, 6/24), Fear (Observatory, 6/28), Quiet Slang (Soda Bar, 6/29), Cold Cave (Music Box, 6/29), Counting Crows (Mattress Firm, 7/10), Neurosis, Converge (Observatory, 7/14), Chris Isaak (Humphreys, 7/17), Toad the Wet Sprocket (BUT, 7/17-18), Paramore (Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, 7/19), Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
(Casbah, 7/20), Wye Oak (Soda Bar, 7/20), Logic (Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, 7/24), Joe Bonamassa (Humphreys, 7/26-27), The Decemberists (Humphreys, 7/30), American Football, Phoebe Bridgers (Observatory, 8/3), Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Dwight Yoakam (Open Air Theatre, 8/3), Hop Along (Irenic, 8/5), Willie Nelson (Humphreys, 8/10), ‘X-Fest’ w/ Beck, Death Cab for Cutie (SDCCU Stadium, 8/11), Chris Stapleton (Mattress Firm, 8/16), Deafheaven (Brick by Brick, 8/17), Red Fang, Elder (Brick by Brick, 8/20), J. Cole (Viejas Arena, 8/22), The Alarm (BUT, 8/23), Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson (Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, 8/24), Smashing Pumpkins (Viejas Arena, 9/1), Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (Copley Symphony Hall, 9/1), Leon Bridges (Open Air Theatre, 9/5), The Original Wailers (BUT, 9/6), Ms. Lauryn Hill (Open Air Theatre, 9/9), Jason Aldean (Mattress Firm, 9/20), The Eagles (Petco Park, 9/22), First Aid Kit (Observatory, 9/25), Deep Purple, Judas Priest (Mattress Firm, 9/26), Loudon Wainwright III (BUT, 9/27), Ringo Starr and His AllStarr Band (Humphreys, 9/27), Natalie Prass (Casbah, 9/30), Courtney Barnett, Waxahatchee (Observatory, 10/3), Roky Erickson (Casbah, 10/5), The B-52’s (Humphreys, 10/6), Ozzy Osbourne (Mattress Firm, 10/9), Mew (Observatory, 10/9), D.R.I. (Brick by Brick, 10/20), Simple Minds (Humphreys, 10/22), Fleetwood Mac (Viejas Arena, 12/8).
MAY WEDNESDAY, MAY 16 Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Mushroomhead at Brick by Brick. Trash Can Sinatras at The Casbah.
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THURSDAY, MAY 17 Con Brio at The Casbah. Tricky at Music Box. Pedro the Lion at Belly Up Tavern. Danko Jones at Brick by Brick. ‘La Escalera Fest’ at various venues.
FRIDAY, MAY 18 Dirty Heads at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre. Horse Feathers at The Casbah. Celtic Woman at Civic Theatre. Midnight at Brick by Brick. Tim Allen at Copley Symphony Hall. Vaud and the Villains at Belly Up Tavern. Cults at Soda Bar. Earth, Wind and Fire at Harrah’s SoCal. A Perfect Tool at Music Box. Mdou Moctar at Loft @ UCSD.
SATURDAY, MAY 19 Peter Hook and the Light at House of Blues. The Brothers Comatose at Belly Up Tavern. Mating Ritual at Soda Bar. Smokepurrp at SOMA. Bar1ne at Music Box.
SUNDAY, MAY 20 Pond at The Casbah (sold out). The Lighthouse and the Wailer at Soda Bar.
MONDAY, MAY 21 Death Eyes at The Casbah. The Slashes at Soda Bar.
TUESDAY, MAY 22 Godspeed You! Black Emperor at Observatory North Park. The Head and the Heart at Open Air Theatre. Life of Agony at Brick by Brick. The Wonder Years at House of Blues. Geographer at The Casbah. Here Lies Man at Soda Bar.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23 Angelic Upstarts at The Casbah. Ocean Alley at Soda Bar. The James Hunter Six at Belly Up Tavern.
THURSDAY, MAY 24 Phantogram at Open Air Theatre. Rufus Wainwright at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). GBH at Observatory North Park. Colouring at Soda Bar.
FRIDAY, MAY 25 Primitive Man at Soda Bar. Cash’d Out at Belly Up Tavern. Jesse Dayton at The Casbah. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic at Music Box.
SATURDAY, MAY 26 The Posies at Soda Bar. Palberta at SPACE. The Glitch Mob at Observatory North Park. Kimbra, Son Lux at Belly Up Tavern. The Winehouse Experience at Music Box.
SUNDAY, MAY 27 J Boog at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Sofi Tukker at Observatory North Park. MC Chris at Soda Bar. Through the Roots at Harrah’s SoCal.
MONDAY, MAY 28 Subhumans at The Casbah. Tory Lanez at Observatory North Park. Madeleine Peyroux at Belly Up Tavern. Todd Albright at Soda Bar.
TUESDAY, MAY 29 Lauren Ruth Ward at Soda Bar. Xavier Rudd at Belly Up Tavern. SUR at The Casbah.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 30 Xavier Rudd at Belly Up Tavern. Cloud Catcher at Brick by Brick. John Mayall at Music Box.
THURSDAY, MAY 31 Lord Huron at House of Blues (sold out). D.O.A. at Brick by Brick. Dead Milkmen at Belly Up Tavern. WAND at The Casbah. Lead Pony at Soda Bar. Eli Young Band at Harrah’s SoCal.
JUNE FRIDAY, JUNE 1 Anvil at Brick by Brick. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard at Observatory North Park (sold out). Mark Farina at Music Box. Greg Laswell at Belly Up Tavern. The Paladins at The Casbah. Noah Cyrus at Del Mar Fairgrounds. Lord Huron at House of Blues. Beekeeper at The Merrow.
SATURDAY, JUNE 2 Ray Lamontagne, Neko Case at Open Air Theatre. Curtis Harding at The Casbah. Dr. Dog at Observatory North Park. Betamaxx at Music Box. Alex Lahey at Soda Bar. Sugarland at Del Mar Fairgrounds.
SUNDAY, JUNE 3 Calexico at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). U.S. Bombs at Soda Bar. Josh Rouse at The Casbah. Power Trip, Sheer Mag at SOMA. Tomorrows Bad Seeds at Music Box. Authority Zero at Brick by Brick. The Monkees present The Mike and Mickey Show at Humphreys by the Bay. Kabaka Pyramid at Harrah’s SoCal.
MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 25
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MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 MONDAY, JUNE 4 Stephen Stills and Judy Collins at Humphreys by the Bay. Fistfights With Wolves at Soda Bar.
TUESDAY, JUNE 5 Rodrigo Amarante at Soda Bar. Iceage at The Casbah. Nicki Bluhm at Belly Up Tavern.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6 Speedy Ortiz at Soda Bar. The Kooks at Observatory North Park (sold out). The Yardbirds at Belly Up Tavern. Emery at Brick by Brick. Howlin Rain at The Casbah. Capital Cities at Del Mar Fairgrounds.
THURSDAY, JUNE 7 Insomnium at Brick by Brick. Sick of It All at Soda Bar. Blackbird Blackbird at SPACE. Michael Franti and Spearhead at Humphreys by the Bay. James Supercave at Blonde.
FRIDAY, JUNE 8 B-Side Players at Belly Up Tavern. She Wants Revenge at Music Box. Minus the Bear at House of Blues. Uli John Roth at Belly Up Tavern. Maps & Atlases at The Casbah. Cozz at SOMA. Yanni at Civic Theatre.
SATURDAY, JUNE 9 The Sword at Belly Up Tavern. Aterciopelados at Music Box. Behold the Arctopus at Brick by Brick. ‘Kate Bush Dance Party’ w/ Baby Bushka at The Casbah. The Hillbilly Moon Explosion at Soda Bar.
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SUNDAY, JUNE 10 Jeremy Enigk at Soda Bar. Justin Townes Earle at The Casbah. Turnpike Troubadours at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Blue October at House of Blues. Yeek at Che Café. Lorena Isabell at Music Box.
TUESDAY, JUNE 12 JD McPherson at Belly Up Tavern. Shy Boys at Whistle Stop. Kesha, Macklemore at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 Black Milk at Soda Bar. Sunflower Bean at Che Café. Flatbush Zombies at SOMA. Reptaliens at The Casbah. The Calling at Belly Up Tavern. The Cult at Del Mar Fairgrounds.
THURSDAY, JUNE 14 Har Mar Superstar at The Casbah. Chad Valley at Soda Bar. Barenaked Ladies at Del Mar Fairgrounds.
FRIDAY, JUNE 15 Brownout at The Casbah. The Highwayman at Belly Up Tavern. The Skull at Soda Bar. Eric Burdon and the Animals at Humphreys by the Bay.
SATURDAY, JUNE 16 Veronica May at The Casbah. The Viceroys at Music Box. The Wild Fires at Soda Bar. ‘A Ship In the Woods Fest’ w/ Built to Spill, Shabazz Palaces, Bill Callahan, No Age at Felicita Park.
SUNDAY, JUNE 17 Post Animal at Soda Bar. Burna Boy at The Casbah. Day26 at Music Box. ‘A
Ship In the Woods Fest’ w/ Built to Spill, Shabazz Palaces, Bill Callahan, No Age at Felicita Park.
MONDAY, JUNE 18 This Will Destroy You at Belly Up Tavern. Demerit at Soda Bar.
TUESDAY, JUNE 19 Get Up Kids at The Casbah (sold out). Stars at Belly Up Tavern.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20 Janelle Monae at Open Air Theater. Men I Trust at The Casbah. Shelter at Soda Bar. Donavon Frankenreiter at Belly Up Tavern.
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710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Wed: Open mic. Thu: Karaoke. Fri: Avenue Army, North by North, Alive & Well. Sat: Sofa King Bueno, Hall Pass, The Openers. Tue: The Utility Players. Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., Normal Heights. Wed: ‘Hip Hop House’. Thu: ‘Centerpiece’ w/ DJ Eliasar Gordillo. Sat: ‘Juicy’ w/ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Chvrch’ w/ DJs Karma, Alice. American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: Jay Chandrasekhar. Fri: Jay Chandrasekhar. Sat: Jay Chandrasekhar. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: Autumn Ridge. Sat: Howling Roosters, Divided Heaven, Bradley Palermo, Blind Mountain Holler. Sun: Blues jam. Tue: Karaoke.
Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown. Fri: Mele. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. Wed: Shay and the Hustle. Thu: Lord Howler, Rhinoceros III. Fri: Stephen El Rey. Sat: La Escalera Fest w/ Western Settings, Success, Mercy Music, Pity Party. Sun: Horsefly, Cherry Road. Mon: ‘Motown On Monday’. Tue: ‘The Garners’. Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Fri: PK. Sat: Emotional Rescue. Sun: Joanna Gerolaga. Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite (sold out). Thu: Pedro the Lion. Fri: Vaud and the Villains, Stripes and Lines. Sat: The Brothers Comatose, Coby Lee Brooks, Lindsay Perry. Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Fri: Julia Sage and the Bad Hombres. Sat: Madly, Chaos and Order. Blonde, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Wed: ‘Dance Klassique’ w/ Alan B. Thu: ‘Chocolate’. Sat: Jacques Renault, Ray Mang. Sun: ‘Catechism’. Mon: Tennis System, Hours, Warsaw. Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. Wed: Mushroomhead, VYCES, Gabriel and the Apocalypse, Ventana, Align the Tide. Thu: Danko Jones, BOSSFIGHT, The Focke Wolves. Fri: Midnight, Bat, Wormwitch, I mpure Consecration. Sat: Meltdown, Mortar, Die in Days, We Had a Name. Sun: So Cal Jack, Daydreams, Veltrek. Mon: Tyr, Orphaned Land, Ghost Ship Octavius, Aeternam, Helsott, Warpath. Tue: Life of Agony, Powerflo, Take Offense. The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Wed: Trashcan Sinatras (sold out). Thu: Con Brio, The Sextones. Fri: Horse Feathers, Dead Horses. Sat: Quel Bordel, Coral Bells, Clint Westwood. Sun: Pond,
Fascinator (sold out). Mon: Death Eyes, Constant Lovers, Wild Powwers, Qui. Tue: Geographer, So Much Light. Che Cafe, UCSD campus, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Thu: Closet Goth, Spirited Away, WAS. Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. Fri: Teaser. Sat: Cover Conspiracy. Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Bay Park. Thu: Chirgilchin. Fri: Orquesta BiNacional Mambo. F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown. Sat: Kamaiyah. Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Fri: DJ Amen. Sat: Shabazz. Hooley’s, 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa. Fri: Disappointing Joseph. Sat: Kevin Begin. House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Emo Night Brooklyn. Sat: Peter Hook and the Light. Tue: The Wonder Years, Tigers Jaw, Tiny Moving Parts, Worriers. Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: Emergency Exit Band. Thu: Bumpasonic. Fri: Rising Star, Fabulous Ultratones. Sat: Gruvmatic, Tradewinds. Sun: Hitmen of San Diego, Stellita. Mon: Whitney Shay. Tue: Michele Lundeen. Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Wed: For the Yohs. Thu: ‘Archetype X’. Fri: ‘Bass & Lace’. Sat: ‘Techno Sabbath’. Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., Kensington. Fri: Fallen Monuments, Punch Card, The A-Bortz, Midnight Block. Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. Fri: Mdou Moctar, Sun Araw.
MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 25
BY CHRISTIN BAILEY
ASTROLOGICALLY UNSOUND Weekly forecasts from the so-called universe ARIES (March 21 - April 19): All the time you spent clicking “remind me later” on the software upgrade popup box has finally bypassed how much time it would have taken to just update it.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22):
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): There are
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): This week take a lesson from the sprightly lizard. If someone has got you by the tail—then let em keep it!!!
really only two types of problems, and the kind you’re going to have this week will all be the ones that can be remedied with super glue.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): This week
instead of “you,” I’m going to refer to you as “u” since u always want to come around interrogating everybody with all those Qs.
Anything I say you will deftly manipulate into justification for what you were already planning to do. I’m kind of impressed, like watching an old master at the canvas.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 December 21): Telling cashiers that you’re having a bad day doesn’t massively disrupt the Polite Manners Machine with how “real” you are. Really, they’re just waiting to go on break.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22): There is
a way to save face and still tell everyone that you like to eat ink and that you chewed that pen until it exploded on purpose.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19): If you feel that you are flying too close to the sun, well, that really sounds like something you ought to bring up with the pilot.
LEO (July 23 - August 22): You don’t even know what I am writing in this horoscope because the entire time you’ve been reading this you are—as is normally the case—just waiting to talk.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Perhaps spectral figures really are all around you and you can sense them guiding you, but it’s just as likely it’s a raccoon watching you from the vents.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22):
PISCES (February 19 - March 20): You will be greatly soothed by the restorative properties of water this week. No, not in nature but in the form of a 20 oz. energy drink that you drank way too fast.
First, you must imagine a very powerful magnet. No, more than that… And even more than that. Like three times what you’re thinking. I really feel like you’re just not listening to me.
Astrologically Unsound appears every week. Follow Christin Bailey on Twitter at @hexprax.
MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Wed: Harmony Road. Thu: Ron’s Trio. Fri: Ron’s Garage. Sat: Manic Bros. Sun: JG Solo. Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: Lady Bunny. Thu: Lady Bunny. Fri: Janice & Nathan. Sat: Tori Roze and the Hot Mess. Mon: Andy Anderson and Nathan Fry. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: Karina Frost & The Banduvloons, Jordan Collins, Q Ortiz. Sat: Thanatology, Temblad, Necrochamber. Sun: ‘The Playground’ w/ DJ Heather Hardcore. Tue: The Voice of Addiction, Punchcard, War Fever. Mother’s Saloon, 2228 Bacon St., Ocean Beach. Fri: Kayla Hope Gellerman. Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas. Thu: Steelhorse Country. Fri: The Nineteen 90s. Sat: Jessica Lerner, Adrienne Nims. Sun: Tony Ortega jazz jam. Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy. Thu: Tricky, Young Magic. Fri: A Perfect Tool, Johnny Distortion, Radio Thieves, Xanadoodz. Sat: Bar1ne. The Office, 3936 30th St., North Park. Wed: ‘1,2,3’ w/ DJ EdRoc. Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King. Fri: ‘After Hours’ w/ DJs EdRoc, Ramsey. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’ w/ DJs EdRoc, Kanye Asada. Tue: ‘Trapped’ w/ DJ Ramsey. OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Coast Club. Sat: Blackbear. Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. Wed: Gilbert Castellanos. Thu: Robert Dove. Fri: Stephen El Rey, Crew d’etat Brass Band.
26 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 16, 2018
Kearny Mesa. Wed: Jocko Marcellino. Thu: Tomcat Courtney. Fri: Southland Soul. Sat: Robin Henkel Band.
Answer Code Request, Black Asteroid, Proxy, Klatch. Sat: ‘Overdrive’. Sun: ‘A Club Called Rhonda meets Pacific Rhythm’.
The Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. Fri: ‘Hip Hop Fridayz’. Sat: ‘Sabado en Fuego’ w/ DJs XP, KA, K-swift. Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJ Junior the Disco Punk.
Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Paul Gregg.
Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: ‘LEZ’ w/ DJ Kiki. Fri: ‘Dirty Pop’ w/ DJs Drew G, Will Z. Sat: ‘Fuel’ w/ DJs Luke Allen, Moody Rudy. Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’ w/ Jason Hanna. Thu: The Atta Boys. Fri: Mimi Zulu. Sat: Donna Larson and the Messengers. Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Karaoke. Fri: Nathan Hubbard Quartet. Sat: DJ Mark Quark, Matthew Bryan, A Guy Called Victor. Mon: Jazz jam. Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave., North Park. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: Jimmy Ruelas. Fri: Waylon Hicks Project. Sat: JD Makes 3. Mon: ‘Makossa Monday’ w/ DJ Tah Rei. Tue: Waylon Hicks Project. Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Thu: La Escalera Fest w/ PEARS, High, Pissed Regardless, Ash Williams, Sculpins, Fat By The Gallon, Brain Waves. Fri: Cults, Reptalien. Sat: Mating Ritual, Tim Atlas, Sun Sic. Sun: The Lighthouse And The Whaler, Vita And The Woolf. Mon: Hurry Up, The Slashes, Mostly Sunny. Tue: Here Lies Man, Ecstatic Vision, Monarch. SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway. Fri: The Aquadolls, FREAKS!, Honeypot, PVKE, Rain on Fridays, Strawberry Army, This Way Through. Sat: Smokepurpp, Larry June, Lil Mosey.
Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: Sid Vicious. Sat: Konflikt.
SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: ‘Wet’. Sun: ‘Astro Jump’ w/ Chow Chow Mandy, HEAD, H/LF.
Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road,
Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Middletown. Fri:
Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: Midnight Track, Roman Watchdogs, Crucial Blend, Privileged. Fri: ‘La Escalera Fest’ w/ Allweather, Sic Waiting, Despero, The Dodges, New Way On, Gentlemen Prefer Blood, Nights Like Thieves, Lightweight. Sun: Pants Karaoke. Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Wed: Evan Diamond Goldberg. Thu: Jake and Corey. Fri: Coriander, Chad and Rosie. Sat: Coriander, Jake and Corey. Sun: Keep Your Soul Trio. Mon: Jake and Corey. Tue: Jake and Corey. Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., Bay Park. Thu: The Surfaris. Fri: Funk’s Most Wanted. Sat: Bump City Brass. Tue: Whitney Shay and Danny Franchi. Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Thu: Karaoke. Sat: La Escalera Fest Karaoke Party. U-31, 3112 University Ave., North Park. Wed: ‘Hump Wednesday’. Thu: ‘Boom Boxx Thursday’. Fri: DJ Kid Wonder. Sat: DJ Senema. Sun: Ital Vibes. Mon: ‘31 Flavors’. Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park. Wed: ‘Synthetic Vision’. Thu: Takahashi, Mostly Sunny, Los Mysteriosos. Fri: ‘F-ing in the Bushes’. Sat: ‘80s vs 90s’ w/ DJs Gabe Vega, Saul Q. Sun: Dream Burglar, Actionesse, Good Time Girl. Mon: ‘Electric Relaxation’. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach. Wed: KL Noize Makers, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: Yak Attack, TV Broken 3rd Eye Open. Fri: Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Finnegan Blue. Sat: Psydecar, Cityside, Mango Habanero. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: Star Jungle, Grease Monkey.
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IN THE BACK
CannaBeat California company offers jobs to consumers with pardoned cannabis convictions
V
arious cities are making decisions to pardon or expunge cannabis consumers, for there is a new and positive trend in the industry right now. Those who have permanent marks on their record due to a cannabis-related offense are finally able to clear their name of such judgments. Lowell Herb Co. recognizes that the next steps for these individuals in finding a job might be difficult, and it has taken action to help those in need. Lowell Herb Co., which is well-known in California for its pre-rolls, has established a Social Equity and Reparative Justice Program to help give some unjustly convicted residents the chance to get a job. The program gives special consideration to non-violent cannabis offenders who were recently pardoned. The company’s CEO, David Elias, is certain that many of these newly pardoned individuals would make the perfect team member if they are motivated. “We value hard work and dedication and we’re putting a strong emphasis on employing people negatively impacted by can-
nabis incarceration and those whose lives have been affected by cannabis convictions on their records,” Elias said. Lowell Herb Co. didn’t just put up an ad on local job sites—it has paid for a billboard that will be located in Los Angeles, between the Men’s Central Jail and Twin Tower Correctional Facility. A Lowell Herb Co. press release also stated that job information is being advertised on TV, radio and online as well. The list of jobs available includes package design, sales, marketing, distribution, shipping and customer service. Although most of the jobs are limited to Los Angeles, a few are located in the Bay Area, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and San Diego as well. It’s always pleasant to see cannabis companies reaching out and being willing to help fellow advocates and consumers. Elias is excited to see who might apply now that cannabis expungement is becoming much more common. “It’s our priority to establish programs such as these to give motivated, bright individuals a second chance, and allow them to participate in this thriving industry,” Elias said. —Nicole Potter
FDA approves PTSD cannabis study The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a study that will examine how cannabis consumption can impact post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to medical news site Healio, the study, which is led by famed cannabis researcher Dr. Sue Sisley and research group Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), received $2.15 million in funding from the University of Colorado. This particular study is said to be the world’s first controlled clinical trial that will analyze how smokable cannabis can impact PTSD. It’s important to note that Sisley is ready to conclude the first phase of the study, but phase two can now begin thanks to the FDA’s grant. “I was dismissive and judgmental; then I started losing a lot of vets in my practice to suicide, and it became a big wake-up call,” Sisley told Healio. “The veteran community has a higher rate of prescription drug overdose, and many vets discovered they can substitute cannabis for the more addictive medications they’ve been prescribed, which is how we started to examine this.” Sisley struggled for seven years to be taken seriously and get funding for her research before finally receiving her grant. Her study will include 60 veterans who are
randomly assigned to either use high-THC cannabis, high-CBD cannabis, one-to-one ratio cannabis that contains equal parts THC and CBD or a placebo. Trial users will first undergo a familiarization stage, where they will self-administer in a safe setting. After that, they can take the cannabis or placebo home and use it on their own. PTSD is a medical condition that many veterans suffer from, and have found cannabis to be a useful tool in treatment. Recently, New York officials added PTSD to their list of qualifying medical conditions and Minnesota lawmakers decided to allow cannabis for medical use to treat PTSD as well. However, it is still a contentious treatment option. The Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Phoenix recently blocked participation in such a PTSD study and called the concept of looking into the treatment option “worthless.” Although this is a major milestone, it is clear that advocates still have a long way to go. Those interested in participating in the study are encouraged to get in touch with those conducting it via the MAPS website. —Addison Herron-Wheeler For the latest cannabis news and lifestyle trends, please pick up our sister magazine CULTURE every month or visit culturemagazine.com.
MAY 16, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 27