San Diego CityBeat • July 1, 2015

NEWS

Road bumps in Route 94 expansion

MUSIC

The emotional blueprint of Sannhet

2 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

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July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR

How to beat Donald Trump

A

bring drugs, crime and rape into our country,” said Univision CEO Randy Falco.

Man, what a historic run of political progress we’d been on. Same-sex marriage became the law of the land. Racism got taken down a peg as the hoary threads of the Confederate flag now fray and snap. Only a xenophobic billionaire who delights in firing people on TV could’ve competed for air time with those milestones.

There is something surreal about the TV host of Celebrity Apprentice running for residency in the White House. When is Ashton Kutcher going to jump out and giggle to the world that we’ve been punk’d?

Hillary Clinton called Trump’s comments about Mexicans “unacceptable.” To date, however, no Republican presidential candidate has taken Trump to task. He’s not backing down, and his poll numbers aren’t exactly slipping.

Trump’s candidacy seemes suited to the plot of The Campaign, a 2012 comedy in which Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakas vie for a seat in Congress.

When the incumbent, played

by Ferrell, punches a baby and a dog, he dips in the polls behind Galifianakas, the rube challenger.

Ferrell then seduces Galifianakis’ wife and releases the encounter as a sex tape, which causes Ferrell’s poll numbers to rise. How does Galifianakis gain back the upper hand? He shoots Ferrell in the leg, and his public opinion status climbs six points.

Reel art, real life. It all intersects now in an artist’s studio in Reynosa, Mexico, across the border from Hidalgo, Texas. Dalton Avalos Ramirez makes papier-mâché caricatures of celebrity chumps, and Trump is currently the most popular offering. Mexicans are delighting in whacking pinata Trump.

Yes, that was indeed a plot point in a sleeper comedy from 2004. In that movie, a Latino character named Pedro is admonished by the school principal for publicly beating a piñata designed to look like his opponent in the student council election; but in the end the student body decides to “Vote for Pedro.”

So if you’re looking for the definitive indicator on Trump’s run for president, look no further than the script of Napoleon Dynamite.

P I Ñ AT E R I A R A M I R E Z

n individual with nine billion dollars in selfproclaimed net worth could, theoretically, make the Greek government’s outstanding loan payment. That kind of capital, however, can’t buy you class, common sense or the ability to keep your own foot out of your mouth. When Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was in the process of tossing his comb-over into the ring he bullyingly denigrated Mexican immigrants—calling them rapists, criminals and drug dealers.

Maybe Trump considers that foreplay. But he’s not getting any love now from the Hispanic community, which would rather beat him with a stick (more on that later).

San Diegan Oscar Munoz took The Donald’s gross mischaracterization personally. Munoz, who served as an American Marine in the Vietnam War, posted an open letter to Trump on Facebook. In the post, which went viral, Munoz wrote with pride about his Mexican-born father who toiled in the fields of Arizona.

“There are millions just like me,” Munoz wrote. “Off springs of Grand- Fathers- FathersUncles-Brothers-Sisters-Aunts-Mothers who came from Mexico and served this great Nation with Honor.”

Active service in the military left Munoz with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and he self-published a book titled Hidden Enemy—PTSD: A Puzzle Piece That Does Not Fit. Each Memorial Day, reported by La Prensa San Diego, Munoz honors soldiers that didn’t come back from war at the Logan Heights Veterans Memorial at Chicano Park. It’s one of two days out of the year, the paper notes, that Munoz downs a shot of tequila, and salutes his brothers in arms at Barrio Logan’s Don Diego VFW Post 7420.

“Maybe someday you and me can sit down and compare combat medals,” Munoz wrote to Trump.

“Oh! Whats that? You never put on uniform of the United States of America. What a shame!”

Other U.S. institutions were also shamed by being associated with Trump, who Bill Maher now calls “The White Kanye.” Univision cancelled the Miss USA and Miss Universe telecasts and broke its contract with the Trump Organization, joint owner of those anachronistic events. NBCUniversal also backed out of the partnership.

“We cannot be associated with insulting and intolerant speech that brands an entire community of Mexican immigrants in the U.S. as people who

—Ron Donoho Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com

This issue of CityBeat is dedicated to staying on the good side of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Volume 13 • Issue 47 EDITOR Ron Donoho MUSIC EDITOR Jeff Terich ARTS EDITOR Kinsee Morlan STAFF WRITER Joshua Emerson Smith WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Ramos COLUMNISTS Aaryn Belfer, Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb, Alex Zaragoza

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

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

4 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

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Up Front | Letters

SEINFELD VS. THE PC KID I think what is wrong with San Diego State University student Anthony Berteaux’s statement is that he made it a righteous demand, when he should have said it was his opinion [What’s the deal with Seinfeld bashing?” June 24). Insult-comedy shticks are something we could do very well with-

ALL shook up Congratulations to the winners of CityBeat’s annual Chefs & Shakers Mash Up, held June 25 at Palomar Hotel: BEST BITE Winner: Stella Public House, chef Giovanni Novella Runner Up: S&M Sausage & Meat, chef Mark Younggren Honorable Mention: Table No. 10, chef Jason Gethin BEST cocktail Winner: S&M Sausage & Meat, beermonger Mark Schultz Runner Up: JSix, head bartender Chris Burkett Honorable Mention: Table No. 10, head bartender Josh Carlos BEST overall pairing Winner: S&M Sausage & Meat, chef Mark Younggren and beermonger Mark Schultz Runner Up: Salt & Cleaver, chef Carlos Anthony and beverage director Damion Connor Honorable Mention: Table No. 10, chef Jason Gethin and head bartender Josh Carlos

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out. The problem is that they are funny when good talent tells it. But the brand of comedy is not essential to the health of our society, or entertainment.

By the way, this thing about free speech is way out of hand: we are free of government control over speech, but not from each other; we have laws, and should have more.

As we all know, we are free to change our behavior, and Bill Maher, who I enjoy to a limit, has the right to call Tony a “Shit,” but should he, even if government can do nothing about it, and we can, if we want to, throw a pie in his face? (at least Berteaux is a little shit.) Should the word “shit” itself be in the public arena?

As for Maher chewing out a man who speaks his mind, just how right is Maher to make absolute statements of his own opinions?

Let’s get rid of the idea that free speech among us is constitutional. It’s not; I don’t see the Bill of Rights as applying to us, but to government.

I agree with Anthony Berteaux’s judgment. Liberals will destroy America with their liberal progressiveness; we should have progress in quality, not permissiveness.

In my opinion.

Saul Harmon Gritz,

Hillcrest

RUNNING THE GAMUT A quick letter regarding CityBeat’s Volume 13, Issue 46 [June 24]. First, on the letter to the editor “Project 25 First,” everyone in California pays taxes some way, some

how. When you flip a dollar to your homeless friend sleeping in front of your house, Uncle Sam gets a percentage through sales tax almost everywhere he can spend it.

Second, on the news story “Flush With Contradictions” [by Joshua Emerson Smith], even San Diego City College had a problem with their free and unlocked men’s bathrooms a few years back. The San Diego Police Department vice squad ran a sting, the story was reported in the media and married dudes still in the closet stopped frequenting the campus for that reason. Relocating a public bathroom because of crime is a surrender to criminal element.

Last, but not least, I’m happy that [“There She Goz” columnist] Alex Zaragoza is alive, well and still writing for you. She’s my favorite!

Benny A. McFadden,

Downtown San Diego

send us your thoughts Read a story in San Diego CityBeat that inspired you to add your two cents? We welcome letters to the editor that respond to, or follow up on, news stories, columns or opinion pieces that have run in these pages.

Send an email to editor Ron Donoho at rond@sdcitybeat.com. For your letters to be considered, you must include your first and last name, and the part of town where you reside.

On the

Cover

CityBeat arts editor Kinsee Morlan balanced dangerously close to a ledge to get the cover photo of Kathleen Mitchell for this week’s arts feature. The two were upstairs in Mitchell’s mezzanine gallery and Morlan wanted to capture as much of the small space as possible.

She climbed up and sat on a ledge that overlooks the artist’s working studio below. Mitchell, who just had a major accident in the space, was understandably wary. “As soon as her worry for me wore off,” says Morlan, “she got this stoic look on her face and just stared so confidently into the lens and looked exactly like the bad-ass survivor she is.”

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

UP FRONT | NEWS

Political U-turn Pressure builds to shift plan for State Route 94 expansion

by Joshua Emerson Smith Alternatives proposed by Caltrans for the State Route 94 expansion.

S

herman Heights resident Chelsea Klaseus reluctantly commutes by car to her job in Kearny Mesa. So when regional transportation officials announced plans to expand State Route 94 to accommodate a rapid-bus service, she wanted to find out more.

“I would absolutely love to be able to take transit to work,” said the 31-year-old city employee. “But [right now] it would take probably two hours.”

After attending several public meetings, Klaseus learned planners had no intention of including a bus stop in her neighborhood or in nearby Golden Hill. Instead, the meetings, she said, focused on roughly $12 million available for other improvements, such as bike lanes and green space.

“Before [recently,] when people would talk about [Route] 94 in the neighborhood, people would say, ‘Oh, yeah, you’re talking about the project to make a park here,” she said. “Everyone was like, ‘We love the idea.’”

Over the last few months that sentiment in the community has abruptly shifted, culminating in a recent flood of letters from elected officials asking the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and Caltrans to not only explore putting a bus stop in the neighborhood, but to potentially scale back the freeway expansion.

“We actually have a community who wants and needs access to the transit system, and right now we’re ignoring them, literally bypassing them,” said City Councilmember David Alvarez, whose district includes Sherman Heights, in an email.

“Freeway projects…bring air quality impacts to adjacent communities. If the community bears that burden, it has to share in the benefits.”

In May, at Alvarez’s request, planning officials gave a public presentation on the freeway expansion at the City Council’s Environment Committee. Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez submitted a letter to officials the day of the meeting, with Coun-

6 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

cilmembers Marti Emerald, Myrtle Cole and Todd Gloria following up last week.

“The changes for which I’m advocating would make our transit system more robust and better ensure neighborhoods I represent are served with a stop,” said Gloria, whose District 3 includes Golden Hill.

Elected officials are responding to the community’s growing dissatisfaction, said Monique Lopez, policy advocate with the Environmental Health Coalition, which has collected hundreds of signatures calling for officials to add a bus stop and scale back the freeway expansion.

“There’s been this ask, saying, ‘This is where we stand; will you stand with us?’” she said. “And, they’ve responded, and I think many community members are very appreciative of that.”

SANDAG Executive Director Gary Gallegos told CityBeat he’s discussing with Caltrans the possibility of adding a bus stop in the area—which would require first building a transit and carpool ramp connecting Interstate 15 and Route 94, a project originally slated for 2035.

“There’s a little bit of a jigsaw puzzle because you’re trying to figure out how much money do I have, and how do you put all this together,” he said.

As it currently stands, the project would add an elevated ramp for buses and carpooling between Interstate 805 and Route 94, which could stretch all the way to 30th Street, connecting to two new express lanes going into and out of Downtown.

The $600-million project would link to a network of rapid transit along I-805 to the south and I-15 to the north.

While the project is only a small part of SANDAG’s multi-billion-dollar regional transportation plan, the fight over the freeway expansion has become a�������� microcosm������������������������������������� for one of the region’s most contentious planning debates—cars versus public transportation.

While advocates argue freeway congestion encourages a shift towards public

transportation, planning officials are relying on a different set of assumptions.

“I think in this region, we’ve always looked at providing choices for travelers, and doing projects that benefit everyone, and not necessarily penalize a certain type of user over another one,” said Gustavo Dallarda, Caltrans corridor director on the project.

However, that type of thinking has landed the regional transportation plan in the state Supreme Court, after several lower courts agreed the document didn’t prop-

As an alternative, advocates have asked officials to scale back the ramp and rather than have it lead to a new express lane, convert existing lanes into use for buses and carpooling. Caltrans planners have said they will consider including this option in an environmental impact review (EIR), which was expected in spring but has since been delayed.

“This is the time to push,” said Joe LaCava, chair of the Community Planners Committee, which represents local community planning groups on citywide JOSHUA EMERSON SMITH issues. “If we can’t even get an alternative in an EIR, then why are we bothering with anything at all? That’s the lowest threshold to try to think differently or act differently.”

Congested freeways are a “good motivator” for people to take transit, he added. “So it’s, like, ‘Why don’t you do the transit first, and if the congestion gets too bad and intolerable, then you can do the freeway fix?’”

So far, efforts have Chelsea Klaseus and Monique Lopez stand on mainly focused on just the 25th Street bridge over proposed site of getting regional planState Route 94 expansion (H on the map above). ners to consider alternaerly address state-mandated standards for tives. Moving forward with a project that reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, large- squeezes the region’s commuters, 75 perly caused by pollution from vehicles. cent of whom are solo drivers, would likely The Route 94 expansion represents require a broader philosophical shift. outdated thinking, said Colin Parent, poli“If we go out there today and close a cy counsel for Circulate San Diego, a trans- lane, traffic is not going to get better, and if portation think tank. it’s already bad, it’s just going to get worse,” “Cities all across the country are tak- Dallarda said. “Maybe what we need is a ing down urban freeways, and, yet, San Di- study to show that—and that’s the kind of ego is working to expand them,” he said in stuff that we’re looking at.” an email. “Freeway expansions are looking more and more like an anachronism as more Write to joshuas@sdcitybeat.com or follow millennials and boomers are choosing to live him on Twitter @jemersmith. in walkable compact communities.”

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UP FRONT | OPINION

AMERICA

Political parties block your fundamental right to vote

T

he average voter turnout in New Jersey’s primary elections is just 8 percent, and it costs taxpayers $12 million to administer each election cycle. Despite these facts, Governor Chris Christie’s administration defends its taxpayer-funded, exclusive and private, closed-primary election process against a legal challenge asserting the right of all voters to be treated equally.

In its brief, the Christie administration argued: “…a voter who feels disenfranchised because of a regulation that conditions participation in primary elections on party membership should simply join the party…[No courts] have recognized that unaffiliated voters have a fundamental right to participate in primary elections even when those elections are an integral part of the electoral process.”

(Full disclosure: The columnist is an attorney for a plaintiff

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in the case challenging the constitutionality of New Jersey’s closed primary system.)

Primary elections in New Jersey serve an explicitly private purpose; namely, to elect candidates for the Republican and Democratic parties. This gives two private corporations an exclusive advantage over the election process.

Conversely, in California, our toptwo primary serves a nonpartisan purpose; namely to select candidates for the public at-large. All candidates and voters participate on a single primary ballot, giving the advantage to voters rather than political parties.

Recently, Hillary Clinton made voting rights a key issue in her campaign. In doing so, she challenged voter suppression laws supported by Christie.

Clinton is right on two counts: (1) Chris Christie supports laws that make it harder for voters not

likely to support him to vote, and (2) Voting rights should be at the forefront of the national debate.

Legally, there is nothing more fundamental to our democratic form of government than the right to vote. It is the right that determines who is represented by our government.

In Arizona, for example, the Republican Party controls every branch of the legislature. With this control, Republican legislators have drawn [read: gerrymandered] legislative district lines to insulate themselves from the competitive election process over the last several decades, thus insulating themselves from competition in the election process.

As a consequence, Democrats have had little chance in recent memory to influence public policy in Arizona, despite the fact that less than 35 percent of voters in the state are Republicans.

To resolve this, Arizona voters passed Proposition 106 in 2000, creating an independent redistricting commission. California voters adopted a similar commission in 2008.

On Monday, the Supreme Court decided on a constitutional challenge to the redistricting commission by, you guessed it, the Republican controlled Arizona legislature.

The legislature argued that under the United States Constitution, only the “state legislature” has the power to draw district boundaries. Therefore, “the People” cannot enact a law that takes away that authority from the legislature itself.

Importantly, it was uncontested that Arizona’s Constitution allows for “the People” to enact or disapprove of laws by way of popular initiative or referendum.

In other words, the same Republican Party that often speaks to the importance of “state rights,” and has derided the recent Supreme Court decision on gay marriage as federal overreach, asked the federal courts to invalidate a law that was enacted by its voters under their rights guaranteed by the Arizona Constitution.

Fortunately, the Supreme Court refused to strike down Arizona’s independent redistricting commission law. But what does this have to do with Chris Christie?

In defending New Jersey’s closed-primary election system, Governor Christie has put the rights of his political party ahead of his state’s citizens. Rather than treat all voters equally, he argues that nonpartisan voters should “do the hard work” it takes to compete with the political parties, without further explanation.

In other words, at a time when the President of the United States has suggested that increasingly disaffected voters be forced to vote, Governor Christie suggests that his administration has a legitimate interest in making democracy more difficult.

But we shouldn’t just pick on Governor Christie simply because he is the one being put on the stand.

If you asked any presidential candidate whether every voter, regardless of political party affiliation, should have equal opportunity to express their preference for presidential candidates at every stage of the election process, they are likely to avoid the answer.

The political parties control the nominating process and, in turn, decide who the “viable” candidates are. That’s why “credible” candidates are not inclined to buck the party establishment. In short, parties want you to vote—but only

MICHAEL VADON / WIKI COMMONS

DIVIDED STATE OF

CHAD PEACE

Chris Christie if they have your allegiance.

Clinton should be applauded for recognizing that voter apathy, voter suppression and voter participation are of significant national importance.

The problem is, however, that there is no attempt by anyone on the national stage to connect the duopolistic nature of our election laws as the reason WHY voters are participating in record low numbers.

Voters of all races, genders, ages, economic statuses and religions are leaving the political parties because they don’t feel like either party adequately represents them. By self-identification, these voters now outnumber Republicans and Democrats.

As a lifelong independent, maybe Bernie Sanders should join Clinton’s call for a discussion on voting rights from this perspective.

But he won’t. For the same reason he had to join the Democratic Party to be considered a “viable” presidential candidate.

It is a little-known fact that the purpose of the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries is, by law, to select a nominee that represents the party on the general election ballot.

The interests of political parties are so embedded in our laws and our national discourse that we don’t ever ask the simple, but fundamental question: should elections serve the parties, or the people?

Chris Christie had an opportunity to choose the people. Instead, he chose his political party.

Perhaps this position will serve him well in his pursuit for the Republican nomination, but it won’t help him in the November election when nonpartisan voters matter.

Chad Peace is managing editor of the San Diego-based news website Independent Voter Network (IVN.us).

Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com.

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

Up Front | Opinion

Aaryn Belfer

Backwards & in

high heels

Joy mixed with pain

L

ike so many other commuters last Friday morning, I navigated my way toward work barely able to see the road through the rush of my tears. I am getting ever more accustomed to my morning cry-drive, what with the dispatches from North Charleston and Baltimore. McKinney and Fairfield. Spokane and Charleston, again. Good God, Charleston. Have you seen the pictures of the little girls who lost their father to the vilest kind of hate? The grief on their faces will break you.

The heaviness of the last few weeks has been overwhelming for me, so it was a relief to let the mascara run, not because of injustice but because of its opposite. I steered my car down Montezuma Road to the news that gay marriage would be the law of all the great states of our nation, and even the less great ones, too. I cruised through nothing but green lights, to the cheers on the radio of thousands of revelers gathered outside of the Supreme Court.

The jubilant sounds were not unlike those of Valentine’s weekend 2004, when my husband and I flew to San Francisco on a whim. News that then-mayor Gavin Newsom had gone rogue (Sarah Palin was still parsing out the syllables in the word) and opened City Hall for gay-wedding business, had inspired our closest friends to get married.

It was a Sunday and given the national attention to the ceremonies taking place all weekend, the crowds were huge. The line of thousands wound all the way around City Hall and if you’ve ever been to San Francisco’s City Hall, you know this is a huge swath of land. There was an A-line for people who had tickets to be married that day; a B-line for those who might get in before closing time; and a C-line—or the “hopeful overflow line” as they were calling it—for those late arrivals who didn’t have tickets and had terrible odds for getting them. We were in that line.

As it happened, our friends had a hook up in the district attorney’s office. That hook up had begun quiet negotiations for our little group to be spirited through a side door and into a shorter line where marriage licenses were being dispensed. The women in front of us, though, a couple in their midsixties, weren’t as connected.

They had arrived that morning from Florida and stood despondent, their suitcases at their feet, as a man with a bullhorn paced the length of the line and dashed the hopes of the hopefuls. He announced with great regret that nobody from the C-line would be getting married that day. “You’re welcome to come back in the morning and take your chances then,” he said.

“But what about us?” one of the women asked him. “We just flew in this morning. We’ve waited for this day for 32 years.”

“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I don’t know what to tell you except that maybe someone in the A-line might be willing to give you their ticket.”

So the shorter of the two women kissed her partner good-bye, leveraged herself over a retaining wall onto the sprawling green lawn and made her way toward those lucky A-liners in possession of tickets.

Forty minutes later, as we were still waiting, the woman came running across the lawn, her hand raised high above her head. In it, was a little piece of paper and she was waving it in the air.

“We’re getting married! We’re getting married!”

She said, weeping. The hopeful overflow-ers erupted into cheers and applause. Strangers were hugging each other. Several line-waiters helped the women heave their suitcases up and over the wall and we watched them disappear across the grass from the C-Line to the A-Line, their hearts buoyant and full. Love was winning.

Later, we stood on a balcony in the rotunda and witnessed our friends exchange marriage vows along with dozens of other couples. All throughout the giant foyer, echos of laughter, clapping and cheers rose up each time a ceremony was completed. It was the happiest day of my life.

I was contemplating the purity of that moment as I drove along Mission Gorge Road, listening to President Obama address the nation in the first of two epic speeches that day, this one of joy juxtaposed with the latter one of pain. I wondered how it’s possible that we hold both things at once, how we exist in the world with such discord and still function, when I came up behind a car with the vanity plate to end all vanity plates: SAVE 8, it read.

This really happened. Of all the cars on the road, I found myself in that moment behind the guy who was probably considering driving into a concrete median over the very same news that gave me a sliver of hope for humanity. Yes. I thought. Save 8, why don’t you? What an excellent use of your time here on Earth.

I offered the driver a smile and thumbs-up as I passed, reveling in the glorious victory for the LGBTQAI community, when the radio reporter moved onto the funeral for Rev. Clementa Pinckney.

My tears turned again to grief.

“

I am getting ever more accustomed to my morning cry-drive...

“

8 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

Backwards & In High Heels appears every other week.

Write to aaryn@sdcitybeat.com.

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Up Front | Food

by michael a. gardiner

the world

fare

A different kind of Chinese

Y

ou know it’s a different kind of Chinese restaurant when there’s no rice on the menu. And Xian Kitchen (4690 Convoy St.) in the Convoy District is definitely that: a very different kind of Chinese restaurant. Thick and wide hand-pulled noodles? Absolutely. Rice?

Not a grain.

There are 1.3 billion people in China spread over 3.7 million square miles. In contrast, there are less than 60 million people in Italy in just over 116,000 square miles. We are, however, quite comfortable with the idea of distinct, regional Italian cuisines. Any self-respecting foodie has a decent idea how Tuscan cuisine differs from Sicilian, how a Bologna bistro differs from a Neapolitan pizza place. How far down that road could the same foodie go about China? Other than some vague idea about Sichuan or Cantonese food, not far at all. But there probably wouldn’t be cumin in the dishes and there would surely be rice on the table.

The food at Xian is the cuisine of China’s Shaanxi province in northwestern China (Xi’an is its capital), best known for the tomb of China’s first Emperor, Qin Shihuang, and its vast army of terracotta warriors. Shaanxi cuisine tends to be somewhat heavy, strongly flavored and spicy, with big, wide hand-pulled noodles on nearly every table. For most, the first taste of Shaanxi cuisine is cumin lamb, a fixture on American Sichuan restaurant menus, though it is not Sichuan at all. The mutton (think older, stronger lamb) version at Xian is excellent, with savory, earthy flavors of the cumin (underlining the earthiness of the mutton) marrying the fresh, spicy chilies. It is an excellent introduction to Shaanxi food.

Hand-pulled noodles are a Shaanxi specialty and Xian’s are good. Biang biang noodles—named

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for the sound of noodle dough being “thwacked” on a chopping block—are fresh noodles served with ground chili oil, and they’re addictive. Xian offers the same noodles paired with braised mutton and baby bok choy in a broth, too. But, perhaps their best preparation is with braised beef brisket in an angry-looking ma la broth featuring the numbing and spicy combination of fiery, earthy chili peppers and tingly, flowery Sichuan peppercorns. They’re not dishes to share; separating these noodles is challenging.

One of the most surprising dishes was a plate of sautéed cabbage. Garnished with only a few dried chili peppers, the vinegar gave the dish a pleasing brightness. It was simple and perfect: nothing there that didn’t need to be, everything that did.

Not everything at Xian was that good. Unless you are an adventure eater, avoid the “Haggis Soup.” I’m an offal fan, but this was every part of Michael A. Gardiner

Xian Kitchen’s local flavored pork the sheep you might question in a strong mutton broth. It was absolutely no better than it sounds.

Xian’s service is uneven at best and disdainful at worse and, on more than one occasion, menu items were unavailable.

But avoid that “Haggis” soup and those are small prices to pay for the opportunity to try a regional Chinese cuisine that you probably never knew existed. And you will not miss the rice.

The World Fare appears weekly.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

Up Front | Food

by Ron Donoho Ron Donoho

Urban

Eats Alex Thao’s Asian invasion

F

or a decade, Rama has been an elegant Thai staple in downtown’s dining scene. Owner Alex Thao has run other eateries in Hillcrest, but his Asian invasion now centers on Fourth and Fifth avenues near the base of the Gaslamp Quarter. Thao recently opened Saja Korean Kitchen and Lucky Liu’s (Chinese) not far from each other on Fourth.

On July 1 he’s set to swing open the doors for Vietnamese-influenced, dinneronly service at Sovereign Kitchen + Bar (467 Fifth Ave.), formerly the site of Royal Thai. The main attraction will be chef Michael Bao Huynh, of Iron Chef fame.

For more than a month, though, Sovereign’s next-door Food Shop storefront has been open for lunch, dinner and take-out. “Grab-and-go” menu items range from $6 (bahn mi sandwiches) to $13 (a noodle bowl with shrimp). Not to miss: the pork spring rolls, which are wrapped in puffy, fried, rice paper.

Thao, whose parents are Thai and Chinese, is a fixture as a downtown restaurateur, and he laughs upon being asked when he’s going to open a Japanese eatery.

“We’ve got almost all of Asia covered, right?” he says. “No, that wasn’t the plan. But we looked at downtown, and there are so many steakhouses and Italian restaurants and sushi joints. But more people are making Asian food their comfort food, rather than burgers. All the kids eat California rolls and shrimp tempura and fried rice. Right?

Noodles. We grew up in a generation where Asian food was introduced to us. Now we’re trying to make it more refined. Hence putting this concept together with Michael.”

Along with the TV chef work, Huynh keeps busy as Vietnam’s food ambassador, and has had his hand in several other restaurants around the world. Thao has known the Iron Chef for 10 years, and says it’s taken that long for the stars to align and for them to finally work on a project together.

10 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

Banh mi and pork spring rolls “On the restaurant side, it’ll be a more elevated menu,” says Thao. “Appetizers will be $9-$14; entrees will be $16-$30. There’ll be seafoodoriented entrees, classic items and some modern Vietnamese options. Chefs are like artists and like to shock people. I had to control him a little… but we’ve come up with a menu that I think will be approachable for San Diegans.”

After Sovereign opens for dinners (along with an elevated wine list and cocktail menu), the Food Shop—also Huynh’s menu—will still be open for daytime pop-ins. The space is tiny, and there’s no official signage right now; you have to look for the faded Island Hotel sign near the corner of Fifth and Island Avenue.

I’m glad to have the lunchtime option. There are a half dozen traditional phos on the menu, along with vegetable and meat dishes from the wok. I wasn’t a huge fan of the chicken bahn mi sandwich, with pickled veggies and cilantro.

This is probably sacrilege, since Hunyh’s sammies have received national acclaim. But the drunken noodles and garlic noodles bowls are hearty and delicious.

Not on the menu but also a treat: The people watching. The Food Shop only has a couple tables out front, but you can order at the counter and grab a spot inside Sovereign’s gated patio area.

Next week, the spectacle that is Comic-Con will be pouring past.

Urban Eats appears every other week.

Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com.

#SDCityBeat

Up Front | Drink

final

draughT

by beth demmon

amazingly elusive feeling of ultimate craft beer dorkery meets complete comfort without any Alpine’s wonderful, gigantic BS. Plus, I can personally attest that their new new location air-conditioning unit is running at full speed, which I’m guessing will be warmly embraced throughout the summer. Expect the same great t’s not like it’s difficult to find great craft BBQ as before, although here’s hoping their beer around San Diego. With more than 100 famous poutine will become more than just a craft breweries and counting, at this point Sunday special. it’s probably harder to find macro-brewed swill As always, Alpine’s robust tap list boasts all than a pint made with love in between Oceanside the standby favorites like Nelson, Pure Hoppiand Otay Mesa. ness, and Willy Vanilly, but now a rotating guest That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all good tap list provides even more options (although beer—there are some pretty obvious standouts why you’d drink something other than an Althat are worth traveling for, and Alpine Brewpine beer at Alpine Beer ing Company’s new locabeth demmon Company, I’ll never know). tion (1347 Tavern Rd.) is With four of the 14 guest definitely one of them. taps pouring Green Flash, I’ll admit that as a North I’d wager at least 30th Parkian, I don’t tend to stray Street and West Coast to be too far from my front door regularly available. for beer. Why drive when I I’ll admit when I first can enjoy what’s arguably heard about Green Flash’s the best array of breweracquisition of Alpine, my ies, taverns and bars in the immediate reaction was entire county only minutes pure selfishness. How dare away from my couch? Howthey try to introduce their ever, Alpine has always been beautiful collection of the far-and-away exception brews to beer enthusiasts to my pretty staunch antiother than myself? Howevdriving lifestyle. er, my second reaction was…

As the “Home of Pure still selfish. I realized that Hoppiness” (I’m a die-hard more output means more Duet fan, personally), it’s Duets, Nelsons and Hoppy always been worth the 60Birthdays for me as much mile round trip for monuAlpine Brewing Company as the next craft fanatic. mentally amazing BBQ and This enormous expansion that’s now open sevtheir mind-blowing collection of some of the en days a week, plus doubling their output via best IPAs in the country, and now even more so.

Green Flash, means that Alpine is only becomMore tables means less waiting, and if there’s ing more available to the thirsty masses. anything I hate as much as driving, it’s waiting Between the 3,000 yearly barrels (and countin line. ing) plus potential nationwide reach via Green Alpine’s tenfold expansion is just down the Flash’s distribution and East Coast location, I’m road from their original Alpine Boulevard localling it now: Alpine in cans is next. You heard cation, even closer to the Highway 8 on-ramp it here first. than before. The new bar seats 14 drinkers and the inside seating holds at least 100, but the real gem is the sprawling outdoor patio Final Draught appears every other week. that’s nestled among shady trees to give it that Write to bethd@sdcitybeat.com.

I

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July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

Up Front | places

by jessica johnson

hidden

san diego

Buddha’s secret on Van Dam Peak

T

he quest to find enlightenment and/or awakening, as taught by Buddha, has compelled people to travel all over the earth. So while one particular hike to a hidden spot in San Diego County is not guaranteed to provide an extreme meditative experience, it will offer an unusual view of the representative symbol of Buddhism.

It’s a modest trek of about 1,110 feet up to the top of The Van Dam Peak. But be warned, there area a few areas where the incline slopes up quite steeply, and you may have to stop every now and then to take a breather. This hike starts in Sabre Springs at the Middle Ridge Terrace trailhead and works its way into the easternmost part of the city of Poway.

You’ll be greeted with a stunning panoramic view when you make it to the top. Keep your eyes peeled, though, because you’re not alone.

At the top of this peak is a special secret: a solidstone Buddha (weighing at least a couple hundred pounds), silently overlooking the land.

You’ll also notice a concrete pad at the summit that once supported a communication tower. It now has a couple of lawn chairs that offer a comfortable view, and support, after a mildly strenuous hike.

The Buddha is large, though not enormous.

I noticed beautiful details etched into his robe.

Sadly, his face seems to have been assaulted. I met a local on his daily hike who offered up the little information he had. Apparently, Buddha used to have a better view. Fate, or perhaps drunken fools, landed him in a ditch. That ditch became his resting place for several months, until unexpectedly, he victoriously re-emerged at the top of the peak.

The turbulent experience left some permanent scars on Buddha’s face.

There are unanswered questions surrounding the statue. First, how did something weighing half a ton make it up a mountain? One guess is he was brought up in the middle of the night on a Toyota 4Runner; there’s no way anyone could

12 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

jessica johnson

Buddha statue at Van Dam Peak drag him up by hand. But who brought him up in the first place? Who defaced him, and who later tried to make things right?

Despite having lost part of his nose and mouth, Buddha’s face still show a joyful expression. That’s the enlightened takeaway: Keep on smiling, despite your misfortunes.

To see more off-the-beaten-path places in San Diego, go to hiddensandiego.net.

Buddha’s Peak Open Space Trail Poway

#SDCityBeat

EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

Three you have to see

COORDINATED BY

KINSEE MORLAN

STACY KECK

the library staffers at the event and bug them to give you the tour).

“Almost every time people come to this, a lot of them have never been down to the new library before,” says Erin Zlotnik of The Library Shop, the cute store at the entrance to the library and the event’s organizing entity. “So, it’s a great excuse for people to come explore.”

The $30 tickets buy one cocktail and plenty of appetizers from The Vetted Table, the catering company run by the MIHO Gastrotruck founders. There’ll also be The killer view from the ninth floor of the live music by DJ Man Cat, one of San Diego Central Library the regulars at the new University Heights hotspot, Park and Rec, plus free rein of the recently opened “The Art of Comic-Con” exhibiFourth of July might be the event high- tion at the library’s Art Gallery. The show features est on everyone’s minds this week, but work by more than 60 comic artists, and traces 45 rather than hit you with a silly list of all-too-obvi- years of Comic-Con’s history.

Adding to the Comic-Con theme will be an inous places to watch the fireworks, we’ll just ignore all the red, white and blue in favor of an under-the- teractive comic-art project led by Alonso Nunez of Little Fish Comic Book Studio and fresh comicradar soiree.

The Library Shop is putting together the third inspired floral arrangements by Native Poppy. Be Booked for the Evening event from 7 to 10 p.m. on sure not to overlook the rare-book room on the Thursday, July 2. Happening on the ninth floor of ninth floor, which has a collection of the world’s the San Diego Central Library (330 Park Blvd.) in smallest books and other cool finds. the East Village, the night includes food, cocktails, “There’s also a collection of fore-edge books in art and secret tours of the awe-inspiring library there,” Zlotnik says. “Books where artists painted building (seriously, you have to search out one of on the edges of the pages.” libraryshopsd.org

1

BOOKS NOT BOMBS

HBatteries Not Included at TPG2, 1475 University Ave., Hillcrest. Guest curator Victor Villa organized an exhibition of designer toys made from custom urban vinyl, resin and plush. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, July 1.

619-203-6030, TPG2.net 64 Oz. of Creativity at Culture Brewing Co, 111 S Cedros Ave, Ste. 200, Solana Beach. Dozens of local artists showcase painted beer growlers. From 5 to 11 p.m.

Wednesday, July 1. 858-345-1144, sdbeerartfest.com HLate Night Thursdays: Project PAINT at Museum of Photographic Arts, Balboa Park. Project PAINT teaches art to prisoners at Donovan state prison.

See works by Project PAINT students and photographs of the program in action. From 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 2.

Free-$8. 619-238-8777, mopa.org HStrip: Caricatures, Satire and the Funnies at The Studio Door, 3750 30th St., North Park. An exhibition of original comic strips presenting new and independent voices in visual arts. Artists include Eric Garcia, Gary Aagaard, Sallie Whistler Marcucci and more. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 3. 619-2554920, thestudiodoor.com Oceanside Art Walk at Downtown Oceanside. Over 20 businesses throughout downtown transform into galleries to showcase local art. This month’s theme: “Graffs, Tats and Toons.” From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 3. 805-704-7482, oceansideartwalk.org HChicano-Con at Border X Brewing Tasting Room, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. This art show aims to recreate Latino and Latina superheroes from the past, present and future. This event will include kid-friendly movie showings, comic book giveaways, raffles and food.

Opening from 2 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 3. 619-431-0771, borderxbrewing.com Support San Diego Artists, Part 3 at Dolphin and Hawk Fine Art Gallery, 7742 Herschel Ave., La Jolla. The last of three exhibits showcasing new works from San Diego-based artists. From 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 3. 858-401-9549, dolphinandhawk.com Both Sides of the Pacific at Exclusive Collections Galleries Seaport Village, 835 West Harbor Drive, Ste. AB, Downtown. Artist Walfrido Garcia shows off new paintings of ocean views and sunsets. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 3. 800-599-7111, ecgallery.com

“Untitled” by Gmonik

2

COLORING CON

There’s a serious lack of color—skin color that is—in mainstream comic books, including the characters and the artists who create them. From 2 to 11 p.m. on Friday, July 3, Barrio Logan’s Border X Brewing (2181 Logan Ave.) will tip the diversity scales a tiny bit with “Chicano-Con,” a comic-art exhibition featuring Latino and Latina superheroes. More than a dozen artists including Mario Chacon, Rosemary Hernandez and Gmonik will unveil depictions of their favorite comic heroes, as well as a few of their own making. Patrons can test out their Comic-Con wares by dressing in cosplay attire each day of the event, which continues on Saturday, July 4, Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11. Flash your Comic-Con badge to get a free taster, and bring the kids. borderxbrewing.com

#SDCityBeat

Brad Williams

3

YUK IT UP

Comedian Brad Williams recently released Fun Size on Showtime, which is his first hour-long cable comedy special, though he’s been in the business for a dozen years. He’s made appearances on late night shows, along with Mind of Mencia and Animal Planet’s Pit Boss. He also hosts the “About Last Night” podcast, but regardless of his resume, his standup material speaks for itself. And as you might have guessed from the title Fun Size, a lot of his comedy deals with being a little person.

(There’s also a routine about a sex video game.)

It’s definitely not all PC, but it passes a more important test: It’s funny. Brad Williams performs Thursday, July 2, at The Observatory North Park (2891 University Ave.). Tickets start at $20.

Ages 18 and up. Observatorysd.com

The Art of Mortal Kombat IX&X / Star Wars Art at Chuck Jones Gallery, 232 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Artworks inspired by video games by Rodel Gonzalez, Rob Kaz and more. RSVP required. Opening from 7 to 9 p.m.

Wednesday, July 8. facebook.com/ events/996344897065079/ HComic Art Now at Hess Brewing, 3812 Grim Ave., North Park. More than 40 local artists will display new comicbook-inspired art in the fields of animation, anime, cartoons, comic strips, editorial cartoons, graphic novels and more.

Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. artbykami.com

HRaina Telgemeier at Neil Morgan Auditorium, Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. The best-selling author of Smile, Sisters and Drama will talk with fans about her work in this pre-ComicCon event. At 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 7.

619-236-5800, sandiegolibrary.org James Patrick Kelly at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The sci-fi writer will sign and discuss, The Secret History of Science Fiction, an anthology he helped co-edit. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 7.

858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HChristina Lauren at Eclipse Bar & Bistro, 2145 Fern St., South Park. The bestselling authors Christina and Lauren (writing together as Christina Lauren) will discuss their new novel, Beautiful Secret.

Includes a three-flight tasting of chocolate truffles, artisan cheeses, and wines.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. $40-$56.

619-578-2984, adventuresbythebook. com Michael Hiltzik at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author will sign and discuss his latest book, Big Science: Ernest Lawrence and the Invention That Launched the Military-Industrial Complex. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. 858-454-0347, warwicks. indiebound.com

COMEDY HBrad Williams at Observatory North Park, 2891 University Avenue, North Park. The high-energy comic whom Robin Williams once called “Prozac with a head” has appeared on Mind of Mencia, Live at Gotham, The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live and more. At 7 p.m.

Thursday, July 2. $20-$50. 619-2398836, observatorynp.com HDana Carvey at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. The comedian, SNL vet and one-half of the Wayne’s World and Hans and Franz duos performs on the Heineken Grandstand Stage. At 9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4. $15-$42. 858-755-1161, sdfair.com Brian Posehn at House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. The comedian, actor and writer known for his hilarious “nerd rage” has been a series regular on shows like Mission Hill and The Sarah Silverman Program. At 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 8. $10-$30. 619-299BLUE, houseofblues.com/sandiego Doug Loves Movies at American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Join a live recording of Doug Benson’s weekly comedy podcast, where the comic discusses new film releases (and often makes fun of them) with help from celebrity guests. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. $18. 619795-3858, americancomedyco.com

FOOD AND DRINK

BOOKS Brian S. Leon at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The local author will sign and discuss his debut novel, Havoc Rising, the first in a series that casts mythological heroes in a modern-day setting. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 3. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com

H = CityBeat picks

Rebecca Makkai and Andi Teran at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. Makkai will present her short story collection, Music for Wartime, and Teran will present her debut novel and contemporary retelling of Anne of Green Gables, Ana of California. At 7:30 p.m.

Monday, July 6. 858-454-0347, warwicks.indiebound.com

Bro-Am Restaurant Week From July Monday, July 6, through Sunday, July 12, participating restaurants across Encinitas will offer specials dishes, discounts and promotions with proceeds supporting the Switchfoot Bro-Am Foundation’s music, surfing and youth development programs. switchfoot.com/bro-am

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

THEATER

EVENTS HThe Red Door Anniversary Dinner at The Red Door, 741 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. The restaurant celebrates six years by offering a three-course dinner made entirely from locally sourced ingredients. Reservations recommended. From 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. $40. 619-295-6000, thereddoorsd.com

FOURTH OF JULY HStar Spangled Pops at Embarcadero Marina Park South, 111 W. Harbor Drive, Downtown. Celebrate Independence Day as principal pops conductor Bill Conti leads a patriotic extravaganza featuring all-American hits, a fireworks display and an appearance from American Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5. $27-$84. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org Big Bay Boom Fireworks will be discharged simultaneously from barges placed strategically around San Diego Bay off Shelter Island, Harbor Island, Embarcadero North, Seaport Village and more. See website for exact locations. At 9 p.m. Saturday, July 4. 619-686-6200, bigbayboom.com Sea to Shining Sea 4th of July Fireworks at Sea World, 500 Sea World Drive, Mission Bay. SeaWorld’s annual firework extravaganza. At 10:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 4. $50-$84. 800-2574268, seaworldparks.com Spain Celebrates July 4th at House of Spain, Balboa Park. The House of Spain, one of the international cottages in Balboa Park, celebrates Spain’s strategic, military and financial support of the colonies enabling eventual independence from England. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 4. 619-615-3188, casadeespanasd.com HOld Town 4th of July at Old Town Historic Park, 2454 Heritage Park Row. An old-fashioned Independence Day celebration featuring a parade, arts and crafts fair, wagon rides, food specials and more.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 4. 619-491-0099, oldtownsandiegoguide. com San Diego County Fair 4th of July Celebration at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. An all-day celebration featuring a patriotic opening ceremony, a Hometown Heroes Parade, concerts and a fireworks display. From 9:30 a.m. to midnight. Saturday, July 4.

Free-$14. 858-755-1161, sdfair.com

JIM COX

HFourth of July at University City Celebration at Standley Park, 3585 Governor Drive, University City. A neighborhood Independence Day festival with concerts, games, attractions, a 5K, food and more. From 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 4. universitycitynews.org/ uc-4th-of-july/ San Diego Bay BBQ and Fireworks at Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 N. Harbor Drive, Downtown. Gather on the observation deck of one of the museum’s historic vessels for a spectacular view of the fireworks show over San Diego Bay. There will also be BBQ dinner option provided at two seatings. From 5 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4. $18-$35.

619-234-9153, sdmaritime.org Independence Day Festival at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. Live music, food, games and activities for children.

Camp Pendleton’s 1st Marine Division Band will conclude the evening. From 4 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4. 760-8394190, artcenter.org HImperial Beach Boom at SEA180 Coastal Tavern, 800 Seacoast Dr., Imperial Beach. Attendees can sample items from the barbecue menu on SEA180’s Pier View Terrace and watch fireworks shows visible from the restaurant throughout the night. From 6:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4. $50$70. 619-631-4949, cohnrestaurants. com/sea180 Red, White and Brew Pub Crawl at Taste & Thirst, 715 4th Ave., Gaslamp.

Over a dozen venues along the Gaslamp District will participate and offer specials in honor of the holiday. From 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, July 4. $20. 619-9555995, sandiegonightlife.com HAbove the Fireworks at Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma. Patrons can watch firework shows while enjoying the sunset and nighttime views at the Cabrillo monument. A photo contest will be held with prizes offered to the best entries. From 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 4. $50. 619-786-2743, friendsofcabrillo.com BBQ Block Party at Kitchen 4140, 4140 Morena Blvd., Clairemont. Bitter Brothers Brewing Company will team up with Kitchen 4140 to match barbecue recipes with local craft beer. After dinner, patrons can watch fireworks. From 6 to 9 p.m.

Saturday, July 4. $65. 858-483-4140, kitchen4140.com

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

“Tlaloc” (left) and “Nebula III” by Jorge Gutierrez are showing in “Batteries Not Included,” a group designer-toy exhibition opening from 5 to 10 p.m.

Wednesday, July 1, at TPG2 (1475 University Ave.) in Hillcrest.

14 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

Rutina Wesley (left) and Sara Topham in Twelfth Night.

Twelfth Night like you’ve never seen it

Y

ou’ll be hard-pressed to find a production of Twelfth Night as beautifully conceived as the one that just opened the Old Globe Theatre’s Summer Shakespeare Festival. Every choice of color, from the azure blue scenic backdrop to scatterings of blood-red roses to Olivia’s ever-changing gowns, is meticulous and exquisite.

Each of Feste the fool’s underplayed musical interludes, whether accompanying himself on fiddle or ukulele, intersects the play’s masquerading lovers’ moods or subtly counteracts the mischief of its pranksters. This Twelfth Night is awash in visual and theatrical surprises, all the more impressive for a Shakespearean comedy so frequently staged.

Much of the praise must go to director Rebecca Taichman, who Globe-goers may remember was at the helm of last year’s lovely and emotive Time and the Conways. Taichman’s intuition about what will touch an audience while propelling the story is very much on view with Twelfth Night. This production is a triumph of unfettered romance (as big as the wheelbarrows full of roses at the start of Act 2) that complements the play’s thinly veiled mistaken identities and broad comic antics (courtesy of Sir Toby Belch, Andrew Aguecheek, Malvolio and company).

Taichman also has an exceptional cast with which to work, including its dipsomaniacal Sir Toby Belch (Tom McGowan), hapless Andrew Aguecheek (Patrick Kerr) and insufferable Malvolio (Robert Joy), as well as a priceless Olivia (Sara Topham) and a crowd-winning Feste the clown (Manoel Felciano). Rutina Wesley’s Viola is plucky and deft with double takes, and in this roses-happy staging she probably sees more red than she did while co-starring on HBO’s True Blood.

Riccardo Hernandez’s scenic design and Christopher Akerlind’s lighting combine to en-

sure that this Twelfth Night, with director Taichman’s vision at the fore, will carry you away, perhaps to a place where love and laughter are as sublime as a soothing summer rain. Which, incidentally, arrived at the very end of the Globe’s opening night performance. Sang Feste, alone on stage at the time: “With hey, ho, the wind and the rain.” And it did.

This enchanting show’s got some magic going for it.

Twelfth Night runs through July 26 at the Old Globe Theatre. $29 and up; oldglobe.org

—David L. Coddon

Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING: James and the Giant Peach: The family-friendly musical about a young orphan hanging out with a bunch of bugs inside a big piece of fruit. Based on the Roald Dahl book and presented by Star Repertory Theatre, it opens July 3 at the AVO Playhouse in Vista. starrepertorytheatre.com The Quality of Life: The San Diego premiere of a new play from Emmy Award-winning writer Jane Anderson (Mad Men) about two couples who form an unlikely bond in the face of tragedy despite their political differences. Presented by Intrepid Theatre Company, it opens July 3 at the Carlsbad Village Theatre. intrepidtheatre.org The Pianist of Willesden Lane: The musical true story of Lisa Jura, a young Jewish musician whose dreams are put on hold during World War II. Directed by Hershey Felder and starring Jura’s daughter, it opens July 8 at the Lyceum Stage in the Gaslamp. sdrep.org

For full listings, please visit “Theater” at sdcitybeat.com

#SDCityBeat

EVENTS POETRY AND SPOKEN WORD

SPECIAL EVENTS

HWhat’s Your Superpower? at Rebecca’s Coffee House, 3015 Juniper St, South Park. Members of Storytellers of San Diego share stories of the superpowers of everyday heroes and ordinary folks. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 1. 619284-3663, storytellersofsandiego.org

HSan Diego County Fair at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.

It’s time again to ride some rides, play some games and, best of all, stuff your face with a bizarre variety of deep-fried food. Through July 5. Free-$15. 858755-1161, sdfair.com

Shakespeare Open Reading at Upstart Crow, 835 West Harbor Drive, Seaport Village. This month’s open reading will feature an acting workshop for those interested in studying works by the Bard. From 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 7. 619-232-4855, sandiegoshakespearesociety.org

HBooked for the Evening at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. Enjoy the “The Art of Comic-Con” exhibition, as well as food from The Vetted Table, cocktails, live music, interactive art projects and secret tours of the library.

From 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, July 2. $30. 619-236-5800, libraryshop.org

F1rst Thursday at Downtown Encinitas, South Coast Hwy 101 and Encinitas Blvd. Encinitas businesses stay open on the first Thursday of every month. Features unique events, activities and freebies at dozens of shops and restaurants.

From 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 2. 760943-1950, encinitas101.com Live the Journey at Tabletop Commons, 1263 University Ave., Hillcrest.

This evening benefiting the Hillcrest Youth Center will provide board and card games like Sorry! and Cards Against Humanity for patrons to play as they sip craft cocktails. From 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 2. 619-487-1382, tabletopcommons.com

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

“Hey Puddin!” by Aaron Summers is showing in “Comic Art,” a group exhibition opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, at Mike Hess Brewing Company (3812 Grim Ave.) in North Park.

4th of July Celebration in Coronado.

The annual Independence Day celebration features the Crown City Classic races, a parade at 10 a.m., concerts at Spreckels Park at 4 p.m. and, finally, fireworks over Glorietta Bay. From 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4. ecoronado.com/4th An Old Fashioned Fourth of July and Fireworks at Old Poway Park, Midland & Temple. The turn-of-the-century-style festival includes a steam train, patriotic arts and crafts, Civil War reenactments and a fireworks show. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4. Free-$5. poway.org Above the Fireworks at Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma Peninsula. Patrons will have a one-of-akind view of more than six different firework displays at this third annual, picnic-friendly event. From 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4. $50. friendsofcabrillo.com City of San Marcos 4th of July Fireworks Celebration at Bradley Park, Santa Fe Road & Linda Vista Drive, San Marcos. The annual event features music from The Polyester Express, children’s activities, face painting, food concessions and a fireworks show.

From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4. ci.san-marcos.ca.us/index.aspx HMorning After Mess Cleanup Volunteers can help clean up Mission Beach the morning after July 4th festivities before the excess litter reaches the ocean. Volunteers will meet at Belmont Park in Mission Beach. From 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday, July 5. 619-7042782, ilacsd.org

#SDCityBeat

MUSIC The 4 Girls Phenomenon at Moonlight Amphitheatre, 1200 Vale Terrace Dr., Vista. Andrea McArdle, Maureen McGovern, Randy Graff and Faith Prince, award-winning musical stars from Broadway, television, film and official recordings, will present a night of song, dance and laughter. At 8 p.m.

Friday, July 3. $35-$150. moonlightfoundation.com Quinn Deveaux & The Blues Beat Review at Stagecoach Park, 3420 Camino de los Coches, Carlsbad. The R&B and soul band will play an outdoor concert as part of the TGIF Concerts in the Parks series. At 6 p.m. Friday, July 3. 760602-4690, carlsbadca.gov HAthenaeum Summer Festival at Scripps Research Institute Auditorium, 10640 John Jay Hopkins Drive, La Jolla.

The annual festival will feature celebrated pianist Gustavo Romero playing the works of Franz Schubert. Takes place every Thursday throughout July. Kicks off at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 5. $132-$192.

858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org HChristian Elliott at Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park. The prominent concert organist known for scoring and accompanying silent films performs on the Spreckels Organ as part of the Centennial International Summer Organ Festival. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 6. spreckelsorgan.org The San Diego Winds at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The professional wind ensemble, under the direction of Gregg I. Hanson, performs.

At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. $15.

619-570-1100, sandiegotheatres.org

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

EVENTS HFriday Night Liberty at NTC at Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma. The first Friday gallery and studio walk featuring open artist studios, galleries, live performances, shopping and entertainment throughout NTC’s Arts & Culture District. From 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 3. 619-573-9300, ntclibertystation.com

Blvd., East Village. Throughout the month of July, children and their families can hunt for Waldo around East Village businesses. This hunt launches with a craft and photo event, and the month concludes with a free pizza party for participants on August 5. From 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, July 5. 619-236-5800, libraryshopsd.org

Wags for Warriors and Sizzling Senior Adoption Event at Helen Woodward Animal Center, 6461 El Apajo Road, Rancho Santa Fe. Enjoy kids crafts, shaved ice and raffles at this event designed to encourage military families and seniors to find their furry new family member. From 10 a.m. to noon. Saturday, July 4. animalcenter.org

HPAWmicon Convention at Stone Company Store, 1202 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy. This annual event designed to raise awareness for orphan pets features beer specials and a costume contests for people and pets. There will also be animals from the Helen Woodward Animal Center available to adopt. From 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. 619450-4518, animalcenter.org

Where’s Waldo East Village Scavenger Hunt at Central Library, 330 Park

16 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

TALKS AND DISCUSSIONS Central Library Architecture Tour at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. Learn about architect Rob Wellington Quigley’s vision, the materials and interior design used to make the Central Library an iconic civic building. Held the first Friday of every month. From 2 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 3. 619-236-5800, sandiegolibrary.org HBil Zelman: My Creative Process at Sparks Gallery, 530 6th Ave., Gaslamp. The acclaimed photographer will discuss his current show, “Isolated Gesture,” as well as share tips and trade secrets on how to be a better photographer. At 1 p.m. Friday, July 3. 619-696-1416, sparksgallery.com

Ron Bell at Observatory North Park, 2891 University Avenue, North Park. The pastor and The New York Times bestselling author stops by on his “Everything Is Spiritual Tour” to discuss the ways in which science and spirituality intersect.

At 8:30 p.m. Monday, July 6. $30-$100.

619-239-8836, observatorynp.com Climbing First Ascents in Zion at REI, 5556 Copley Drive, Kearny Mesa. A slideshow presentation of rock climbers who completed their quests in ascending the last unclimbed mountains in Zion National Park. From 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 7. 858-279-4400, rei.com Sharks in the Desert: Adventures in Marine Biology at La Jolla Library, 7555 Draper Ave., La Jolla. Scripps shark expert Daniel Cartamil will explore the ecol-

ogy and behaviors of sharks. From 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 7. 858-552-1657, sandiegolibrary.org Shakespeare in the Garden at The Old Globe, Balboa Park. Short lectures presented by members of the Globe’s artistic team that reveal insights about the current production of Twelfth Night and Kiss Me, Kate. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 8.

619-231-1941, theoldglobe.org HWilliam Stout from A to Z at San Diego Natural History Museum, Balboa Park. Stout will be giving a special NATtalk about his impressive career, which includes striking imagery and inspiring Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park with his accurate prehistoric art. At 7 p.m.

Wednesday, July 8. $9-$12. 619-2323821, sdnhm.org

#SDCityBeat

kinsee morlan

Culture

Kathleen Mitchell is ready to get back to work after a serious accident landed her in the hospital (right) and nearly took her life.

A PAINFUL PASSION Scalped in a freak accident, artist Kathleen Mitchell isn’t letting fear crush her creativity

BY KINSEE MORLAN

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#SDCityBeat

(art-hell.com). And then there’s the more striking, conceptual fine-art assemblages that beautifully blend her blown glass with found objects and other interesting items she collects.

“Golden Child,” an eerie, large-scale assemblage that sits in the gallery space above her studio, depicts a kid in a straightjacket locked inside a birdcage with white glass eggs—both whole and shattered—strewed across the bottom. It’s part of Mitchell’s series of works using cages, which is inspired by her experience teaching art to prisoners at Richard J. Donovan state prison.

As the lead art instructor for Project Write to kinseem@sdcitybeat.com Paint, a state-funded program that was launched more than a year ago, Mitchell A busy month goes inside the prison two nights a week to teach art to incarcerated men, many of for Mitchell whom are convicted murderAn assemblage piece by Mitchell ers with life imprisonment. will be on view in The Frida Kahlo Though challenging, she Group Art Show opening from puts the experience 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July on the same plane 18, at La Bodega (2196 Logan as blowing glass, Ave.) in Barrio Logan. Art in terms of where made by Mitchell’s Project her passion lies.

Paint students are on view She says her injury in Art Transports Us Out of helped her realize Bounds, an exhibition openjust how much the ing from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturprogram means. day, July 11, at the Oceanside Museum of Art (704 Pier View * * * Way), and some of the Project Mitchell still stutPaint works will also be on view ters or has a hard time during a pop-up event happenfinding the right words ing from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday sometimes. That’s just July 2, at the Museum of Photoone of the side effects of graphic Arts in Balboa Park. having her hair and bits of skull ripped from the nape of her neck to just over the “Golden Child” crown of her head. rt ou

K

athleen Mitchell didn’t ing on as fellow Glashaus artists Spenser even drop the glass vase when Little and Michael Ross rushed in to help.

She knew she had to stay conscious so she the accident happened.

A standard glass-art studio is could walk Ross through the steps of disseparated into two parts: the “hot shop,” assembling the spindle while Little called where the burning-hot kiln is located and 911. Excruciating pain shot through her the work is formed; and the “cold shop,” body, but she somehow managed to mewhich is where the work is finished. Tired thodically coach Ross on how to separate after blowing glass all day in her hot shop her flesh from the metal. that sits just inside the entrance of The “I took his hand and said, ‘OK, Michael, Glashaus in Barrio Logan, Mitchell wanted we’re going to undo this nut and now we’re to go home, but at the last minute she de- going to sliiiiiide my head this way,’” she cided to head into her cold shop instead. says, reenacting the gruesome moment.

“It all comes back to that one moment “Those guys saved my life.” of, I guess I’ll go ahead and finish things up * * * today,” says the well-known glass artist and In Mitchell’s artist statement, she meninstructor. tions how she enjoys the fact that her creMitchell pinned up her long hair, put ative techniques are fraught with danger. on goggles and other protective gear and The irony is that she’s referring to the hunstepped up to her lathe, a beastly vintage dreds of pounds of molten glass and sharp German-made machine used for polish- shards she works with every day. She never ing, engraving and texturing. She leaned once considered the possibility of being in slightly to inspect the wounded while polishing glass vase she was shina vase. ing and, in an instance, “I always think about her hair fell from the the sharp things, the hot “Best of clips and twisted into things,” she says. “It realLuck” the machine’s spindle. ly didn’t occur to me that series by “It immediately Kathleen it was going to be someflipped me around and Mitchell thing in the cold-working just scalped me,” Mitchstudio that did me in.” ell says, standing in Mitchell’s work (kathfront of the machine that leenmitchellglass.com) can nearly killed her on that be divided into three main late afternoon in April. “I categories. She’s got one-off started screaming at the top of vases, bowls and other, more my lungs. I’m just so fortunate I e n commercial work that’s sold in co u le r t e sy o f k at h work in a collective and there were local galleries and stores like Teeother people around to hear me.” ter in Ocean Beach. She works with her husOut of habit, Mitchell clung to the black- band, artist Rich Stewart, on custom-made and-white cylinder vase she was work- doors and gates made of metal and glass

After the initial hospitalization, Mitchell was readmitted for a staph infection picked up in surgery. Her scalp and the chunks of hair that’d been stapled back on had to come off again. For the next operation, doctors took a huge swath of skin from her left thigh and grafted it onto the back of her head.

“Fortunately, the skin graft has taken so I’m super happy about that,” Mitchell says, gesturing to her bangs and the tufts of hair framing her face. “But this is all the hair I have left. At least it’s in the front.”

Mitchell had 88 staples stuck in her head at one point. She kept all of them along with chunks of her hair and has plans to include the macabre materials in future artwork.

“It’ll be an important part of processing the accident,” she says. “The work will be about addressing it—confronting it head-on.”

Mitchell laughs at the head-on pun. But then very seriously explains that she has no intention of letting fear keep her out of the studio. She runs one of the last hot shops in San Diego, and has no plans to shut it down anytime soon. In fact, she was back in the studio just days after being released from the hospital the first time, but she says it was too soon.

She’s since gone into the studio to give a few personal instructions, but last week was the first time she tried doing her own hands-on work again. Her doctor asked if she thought her heart would pound or she might otherwise feel anxious when she stepped up to the lathe.

“Obviously, I think anytime you get injured by something you love, you have to love it a whole lot to face it and go back,” she says. “Yes, there’s a lot of fear, but more determination. It’s what I do. I know how to do it. I’m confident in my skills and when I get to the cold shop....”

Mitchell pauses and thinks hard about how she’ll approach it.

“You know what? I know this stuff. I’ll just be confident and I’ll wear three hair clips instead of one.”

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

Culture | Art

Seen Local SAN DIEGO ART PRIZE REVAMP

M

18 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

—Kinsee Morlan

Maurice Hewitt

ost people who pay attention to the local art scene know about the San Diego Art Prize, but few truly understand it. The confusion and some ongoing complaints are driving organizers to propose major changes to what’s become an important and mostly lauded institution over its nineyear history.

“You know, it’s always good to have something morph and become something else—nothing should stay exactly the same forever,” says Patricia Frischer, coordinator of San Diego Visual Arts Network, the volunteer-run nonprofit organization behind the prize.

The Art Prize is an award given every year to two established artists and two emerging artists. The four artists win modest grants, exhibitions, educational materials, a write-up in the Art Prize catalog and a decent amount of press. Each year, a special committee convenes to select the two established artists, and each of those artists is then asked to handpick an emerging artist to share the prize.

And here’s where things start to get wonky—the established artists are given a list of names of emerging artists chosen by a nominating committee made up of past Art Prize winners and arts professionals. The list is called the “New Contemporaries,” and the artists on it are included in an annual exhibition. The established artists are encouraged to go to the exhibition and they can either pick someone from the show or completely ignore the list and award the Art Prize to any local artist they want. Over the years, this piece of the Art Prize puzzle has led to some grumblings, especially from the nominated emerging artists who feel like they’ve been ignored in exchange for favoritism and even nepotism, as was the case in 2013 when established artist James Hubbell picked his own son, Brennan Hubbell.

“I didn’t see the point of having nominations only to [have the established artists] not select any of the emerging artists nominated,” says Andrea Chung, one of the dozen emerging artists

named this year. “[The San Diego Art Prize] is wellintentioned, but I didn’t care for the format.”

Another common criticism of the Art Prize is the categorization of artists. In many cases, the artists nominated as emerging are just as accomplished as the established artists. That was certainly an issue in 2009, when longtime artist Richard Allen Morris picked his buddy, Tom Driscoll, to share the prize.

Driscoll’s been making great art almost as long as Morris.

“You know what emerging is,” says Dave Ghilarducci, an artist nominated in the emerging category last year even though his credentials clearly indicate that he’s better described as established. “It’s young up-and-comers or someone just starting out.

If there’s a question, then the artist probably isn’t really emerging.”

Frischer is currently addressing these concerns.

She gave CityBeat a first look at a draft of proposed changes, which includes eliminating the established and emerging categories and instead just awarding four artists the Art Prize. Past winners and arts professionals would nominate the artists—similar to how nominations for emerging artists work now.

Frischer is also considering letting the public vote alongside the Art Prize committee to select the four winners.

Other changes are proposed, but nothing will go into effect until next year.

A total of almost $50,000 has ended up in the hands of area artists thanks to the Art Prize. Interesting collaborations between the established and emerging artists have taken place, too, and that’s the one aspect Frischer says she’ll miss most if the proposed changes take place.

“But you always have to sacrifice something,” she says. “There’s no such thing as a perfect situation.”

Patricia Frischer

#SDCityBeat

Culture | Voices

ryan bradford

well that was

awkward

Boldly into the cougars’ lair

B

odies glisten with sweat. They writhe together. You feel dirty looking, yet you can’t look away. Nobody looks comfortable, but they’re not not enjoying it—it’s the giddy sensation that comes from being simultaneously repulsed and attracted, and the cumulative effect makes you feel distinctly unclean.

This is the line of people waiting to get into the advance screening of Magic Mike XXL on a hot Wednesday evening at the AMC in Mission Valley. I walk the length of the line, looking for Glenn Heath Jr., CityBeat’s film reviewer, but only see women.

I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen so many women together in one place. Most look to be in their 40s. They watch me with barely-veiled disdain; this is their night, and I am intruding.

Cougars, I think, but the word sounds threatening in my mind. Better keep a distance.

I remember Glenn’s email, the one innocuously titled “Magic Mike XXL,” which prompted this foray.

“You can accompany me to the press-screening,” it read. “[d]o your column about the experience. Let’s make it happen.”

I stared at the email, not really knowing how to react. Magic Mike?

The male stripper movie? Uhhh…

Before I could even reply, another email from Glenn showed up: “There will be so many screaming cougars there you’ll think you’re in the jungle, or high mountain range, or wherever cougars hang out in real life.”

I scan the line again. Here there be cougars.

No sign of Glenn, so I retreat to the end of the line. Another man stands behind me and asks, “Is this the line for the uh…radio promotion?” He doesn’t want to say “Magic Mike.”

“I think so?” I say it like a question. We both neither want to deny or affirm that we’re standing in line to see a movie about male strippers, so as far as we’re concerned, we’re just two cool dudes standing in a line for some unnamed, generic radio promotion, no big deal. NBD. I see Glenn walking toward the theater entrance and say “Oh there’s my—” and trail off because I almost say “date.”

I catch up to Glenn, who’s trying to take an inconspicuous picture of the line. He sends the image to his girlfriend, and captions it with lyrics from Kool and the Gang’s “Ladies Night.” It’s endearing because their relationship is fairly new and Glenn has the carefree, confident glow of someone smitten. He’s essentially cougar-proof.

I’m excited that Glenn invited me because, well, I’m a fan of his stuff. For my money, his film writing is the best in the game. He calls out bullshit (his unabashed hatred of the movie Whiplash is one of my favorite things), and he awards ambition. When he talks, he has the animated voice of a radio DJ, which makes his sophisticated analyses of films understandable to even a dumb-dumb like me. I don’t

know if it’s the situation, his new girlfriend or the fact that he just really wants to see Magic Mike XXL, but he is stoked. His excitement is contagious.

We bypass the line and sit in the press seats for 30 minutes before the radio promotion winners are allowed in. There is a noted absence of air-conditioning in the theater. “It’s like they’re doing it on purpose,” Glenn says. “Trying to make it steamy.”

And yes, after some time, it feels, swampy. I don’t know if this is a turn-on or turn-off, but I’m often confused in most sexy situations so I just squint my eyes and err on the side of sexy.

The radio promotion-winning cougars filter in.

The theater lights dim, and remain low long before the movie begins. Mood-lighting, I think. Small “whoos” begin to punctuate the nervous laughter of the crowd. “Here come the giggles,” Glenn says. A trailer for a found-footage horror movie appears on the screen and a woman screams “take it off!” So it begins.

The following is list of stray thoughts and observations I had while watching/experiencing Magic Mike XXL. Potential, greased-up spoilers ahead.

1. I have not seen the first Magic Mike, so when Glenn talks about the character “Big Dick Richie,” from the first one, I have no idea who he’s talking about. During the first few minutes, I refrain from leaning over and asking if each character is Big Dick Richie. I eventually discern who Big Dick Richie is.

2. Magic Mike XXL is a unlike anything I expected. For a piece of titillating cinema, it’s actually weird as fuck. There are long stretches of dialogue, mostly improvised, between dance sequences.

When the guys aren’t dancing, there’s an overbearing tone of sadness toward their failed careers. The characters seem unrehearsed and speak in cliché phrases without timing or tact, which, I consider, is actually the most realistic cinematic representation of being a dude.

3. The movie’s essentially a road trip movie, which—in addition to the somber undertones— gives the movie an episodic, disjointed feel. Actions follow the logic of a dream/nightmare. Subtle surrealism bleeds through: A bikini-clad, motorcycle helmet-wearing woman whose face is never revealed; a conversation that takes place entirely in shadow; a soundtrack that never feels loud enough.

4. Every time a dancer rubs their jock in a woman’s face, the women in the audience erupt in big whoos.

5. Moderate whoos for when a character pantomimes 69 on a very large woman.

6. There’s so much whooing by the end that I can’t tell if it’s coming from the screen or the audience. It kind of screws up my equilibrium.

7. Channing Tatum. I get it now.

“

Magic Mike?

The male stripper movie?

Uhhh…

“

#SDCityBeat

Well That Was Awkward appears every other week.

Write to ryanb@sdcitybeat.com.

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

CULTURE | FILM

Ladies’ Night

Magic Mike XXL

ping is no longer a way to make ends meet, but a joyous form of artistic expression that can be specifically in tune with what a woman wants.

Directed by Gregory Jacobs (a protégé of SoderChanning Tatum’s magical abs bergh’s), Magic Mike XXL has the spirit of a film freed by the open air. Elaborate dance sequences take place return for one last show in different locations, essentially turning every corner of the world into a potential stage. Richie’s (Joe

by Glenn Heath Jr. Manganiello) orgasmic sway of seduction in a gas station food mart establishes the trend that continvery week a few emails flood my inbox updat- ues on in the confines of a Savannah Gentlewoman’s ing local press about the time and place for ad- club and the living room of a Southern belle (Andie vanced screenings. Most of these events figure MacDowell). to be run-of-the-mill promotional junkets; very few Setting matters very little. It’s all about perfectattain event-level status. When the screening for ing the art of listening and interpreting through Magic Mike XXL was announced, I naturally thought physicality. The varied public performances in Magof inviting my CityBeat colleague, Ryan Bradford. ic Mike XXL are all about commitment, understandThis was going to be a special one. Why? “Well, That ing the way a person’s wants and needs change in Was Awkward” (see page 19). the heat of a given moment. Even more importantly, In 2012, Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike struck Jacobs has made the rare Hollywood movie that embox office gold by attracting a mostly female audi- braces women as collaborators in their own visceral ence with its pulsating pelvic experience instead of painting thrusts and gyrating rumps. them merely as submissive obThe sweaty press screening for jects or empty vessels along for MAGIC MIKE it was bananas. A small section the ride. of mostly male film writers were Whereas the first Magic Mike XXL surrounded by hundreds of imwas drolly infatuated with male Directed by Gregory Jacobs passioned women screaming at doubt and ego (a very typical Starring Channing Tatum, the screen as if they were actutheme this day and age), its intoxJoe Manganiello, ally at a strip club. Some didn’t icating and joyous sequel is about Jada Pinkett Smith, care for their seats at all, opting the symbiotic relationship beand Andie MacDowell to dance in the aisles every time tween self-esteem and happiness.

Rated R Channing Tatum strutted his That Magic Mike XXL, which stuff. It was as if the dude’s abs opens Wednesday, July 1, incould cure cancer. spired impassioned discussion In anticipation of an insane within my group after the film encore for Magic Mike XXL, I invited Bradford to should be a testament to the night’s success. “That the press screening hoping the experience would was a weird movie,” Bradford said almost surprised provide inspiration for his latest column of discom- at his own feelings. I think his uncertainty stemmed fort. Always a sucker for a nervous new experience, from the fact that mainstream cinema rarely exudes he agreed with gleeful excitement. such confidence in the ways female sexuality and Cards on the table, I loathed the first Magic Mike artistic expression overlap. The experience can feel not because of its theatrics or cash-grab sexuality, but foreign, challenging, and strange for us Neanderfor its strained self-seriousness, lazy characteriza- thals. tions and flimsy politics. I went in to the sequel exAs for the press screening itself, the mostly female pecting more of the same, and was willing to sacrifice crowd went wild, again. But this time, instead of feelmy sanity for Bradford’s art (and enjoyment). Never ing alienated by the public display of pleasure, I felt judge a stripper by his banana hammock. closer to understanding what all the hooting and holMagic Mike XXL hardly resembles its predecessor lering really meant. It wasn’t just about that bass. Not in tone. Replacing the somber “great recession” sub- by a long shot. text is a classical and expressive spin on the road film.

The wafer-thin plot follows Mike and his buff brothFilm reviews run weekly. ers on a trip to Myrtle Beach for one last performance Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com. at an industry convention. Within this context, strip-

E

20 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

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July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

CULTURE | FILM OPENING Classic Films at the Ken Cinema: Come experience a week of classic cinema with screenings of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, From Here to Eternity, Grey Gardens, Jaws, Some Like it Hot, La Dolce Vita, and The Tales of Hoffman.

Opens Friday, July 3, and screens through Thursday, July 8. For more information on this series go to landmarktheatres.com.

Güeros: A misbehaving teenager is sent to stay with his college-age brother during a university strike, giving the duo time to search for the legendary folk singer their father loved so much.

Terminator: Genisys

Apocalypse now

A

nd just when sequels seemed enjoyable again.

Fresh off of the pure joy and exhilaration that is Magic Mike XXL, now we must endure Terminator: Genisys. With a running time of 126 minutes, your patience for rote action banality will be tested. Calling this cinematic cow patty a sequel might be generous, as it quite literally mashes up the timelines of every other Terminator movie to create something new? Nah, something borrowed.

The plot is fatty; bloat like this doesn’t exist unless you’re fishing a body out of the river. Mankind’s super savior John Connor (Jason Clarke) sends Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to save his mother Sarah Conner (Emilia Clarke) from a muscle bound killer robot (Arnie!). Things get messy and catchphrases blow like apocalyptic hell fire. Sound familiar?

Just when you think director Alan Taylor might have the balls to literally do a shot-for-shot remake of James Cameron’s original The Terminator, he throws a timetraveling wrinkle into the mix.

Like all of these films, there’s very little room for logic. Plot threads from Terminator 2: Judgment Day randomly intertwine, because, why not? The blasé monochromatic visuals look like they’ve been taken directly from the cutting room floor of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

Poor Schwarzenegger is propped up as the buffoon and aged mentor, the one who does all the heavy lifting and heavy feeling. The “humans” simply react to things that go boom and robots that go boo. Action scenes are cut together within an inch of their life, while the special effects do little to enhance the scope and scale.

Fans of the series thus far might get a kick out of how haphazardly meta the entire film seems, but this isn’t smart or enjoyable filmmaking. The innovation in Terminator Genisys stops after its creative spelling mistake.

—Glenn Heath, Jr. 22 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

Magic Mike XXL: The pelvic-thrusting gang of strippers is back for a rowdier sequel to the 2012 breakout hit.

Terminator: Genisys: Arnie always makes good on his promises. He’s back.

The Nightmare: An immersive documentary by Rodney Ascher on the crippling phenomenon of sleep paralysis.

Screens through Thursday, July 8, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

ONE TIME ONLY Top Gun: Take me to bed or lose me forever. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Roman Holiday: Audrey Hepburn plays a touring European princess who takes a night off in Rome and meets a handsome American. Screens at 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, July 2 – 5, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

The Overnighters: A pastor in a North Dakota town opens his church up to homeless people looking to find work at nearby oil fields. Screens at 6:30 p.m.

Monday, July 6, at the San Diego Central Library in East Village.

For a Woman: A young filmmaker and her sister discover a box of old photos that lead them on a journey of self-discovery regarding their family’s past. Screens at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, at the Point Loma / Hervey Branch Library.

The Empire Strikes Back: Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) moves closer to finding out the truth about his dark family history while Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his crew attempt to outrun Darth Vader’s military forces. Epsisode V of the Stars Wars series is considered by most to be the best. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

NOW PLAYING A Little Chaos: During the reign of King Louis XIV, two landscape artists fall in love while designing portions of Versailles.

Starring Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Stanley Tucci and Matthias Schoenaerts.

Escobar: Paradise Lost: Benicio del Toro stars as drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, whose young niece becomes romantically entangled with an American surfer played

by Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games).

Fresh Dressed: Hip-hop and fashion collide in this pop-culture documentary that celebrates the merging of art forms and culture. Screens through Thursday, July 2, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park Infinitely Polar Bear: Mark Ruffalo plays a manic-depressive father who finally decides to get his act together and begin raising his two spirited daughters.

Manglehorn: Al Pacino plays an elderly locksmith who roams around his rural Texas town reminiscing about the love of his life who left him decades before. Screens through Thursday, July 2, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Max: After helping U.S. Marines in Afghanistan, a dog returns to his handler’s family after suffering a traumatic experience.

Ted 2: The thunder buddies return for another dose of vulgarity, boozing and hilarity.

The Connection: Jean Dujardin stars as a French police officer who spends years trying to track and arrest one of the country’s most notorious drug traffickers.

The Overnight: A family new to Los Angeles gets a wild introduction during a “play date” with another family.

Dope: Malcolm escapes his tough neighborhood by attending an underground party that leads him and his friends on a Los Angeles adventure.

Inside Out: Pixar goes inside the mind of a twelve-year-old girl and finds something ethereal, resonant and powerful.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl: The title really says it all. Get ready for some precious cinephile self-reflection.

The Wolfpack: Sequestered in an expansive and dank apartment, the Angulo children learn about the world from their massive movie collection in Crystal Moselle’s documentary.

Jurassic World: Velociraptors in mirror are closer than they appear.

Results: Andrew Bujalski’s sweetly offbeat romantic comedy features Guy Pearce and Cobie Smulders as personal trainers whose relationship gets complicated after a new client (Kevin Corrigan) comes into the picture.

Entourage: The popular HBO show about a movie star and his childhood friends making it big in Hollywood gets the big-screen treatment.

Testament of Youth: Vera Brittain’s WWI memoir is told from the perspective of a woman seeing the futility of war for the first time.

Insidious: Chapter 3: Round three in the ongoing battle between white suburbia and the supernatural hereafter. Go! Love & Mercy: Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys gets the biopic treatment in a story that covers pivotal moments in the 1960s and 1980s. Starring Paul Dano and John Cusack.

Spy: Melissa McCarthy steps out from behind the desk and into the field in this spy comedy from director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids).

Aloha: Cameron Crowe tries to resuscitate his career with this long-delayed (not a good sign) drama about a military man based in Hawaii trying to rediscover love.

San Andreas: “What a disaster.”

—Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Tomorrowland: George Clooney and Britt Robertson star in Brad Bird’s space adventure about a young girl who finds a ring that opens up an alternate universe.

Mad Max: Fury Road: George Miller’s infamous policeman-turned-road-warrior returns to the big screen in what looks like one long bonkers chase through a dystopic desert. Tom Hardy reprises the role made famous by Mel Gibson.

For a complete listing of movies, please see “Film Screenings” at sdcitybeat.com under the “E vents” tab.

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July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

Music

The emotional blueprint of

Brooklyn instrumental trio’s music is open-ended by design

by JEFF TERICH

N

othing Sannhet does is accidental. which take the listener through a cycle of intense, emoFor bands that play noisy music with guitars, this tional sounds, textures, build-ups and climaxes. might go against logic or conventional wisdom.

The title track opens the album with a mighty roar, all Great things happen when a group of musicians three musicians working in harmony to craft an epic, mawith a certain chemistry gather together in a room and jestic sound, rising up into a triumphant post-metal anthem. Meanwhile, “Lost Crown” is three minutes of atmostart hammering out a groove. The jam session is a timespheric, densely layered shoegaze with the slightest touch honored tradition in music—an institution, a failsafe of black metal just around the edges. And on some of the method. slower moments, like “Sinking Forward,” But that’s not how it works for Brookthere’s a beautiful, if mournful dirge-aslyn instrumental post-rock trio Sannhet. pect to their music that might come across In a phone interview conducted while the like a film score, were it not for Christoband was driving between tour dates, bass player A.J. Annunziata explained just how july 2, soda bar pher Todd’s thunderous drums.

For as much ground as Annunziata, carefully composed Sannhet’s music is. sannhet.bandcamp.com “Everything we do is insanely methodiTodd and guitarist John Refano cover, cal,” he says of writing new album Revisionhowever, they keep their songs relatively ist. “We...put together the songs in order. It short, with only one of them crossing was one to the next to the next, figuring out how to get the the six-minute mark, and most of them hovering around syntax for that put together. If you look on the ProTools three or four minutes. Where bands like Deafheaven or Godspeed You! Black Emperor craft compositions of epic files for these songs, there are zillions of guitar tracks.” proportions, Sannhet’s mission is to deliver the goods as Zillions of tracks is probably an exaggeration, but directly as possible.

Revisionist—released in March via Flenser Records—is “We don’t like to linger on these pieces and just jerk certainly a dense and complex album. It comprises nine off,” he says. “It’s not so much about progression. You songs of dramatic and diverse instrumental soundscapes,

sannhet

24 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

have an idea, you put it down, and it’s yours to take away from it. Nobody is dancing to this music, so we don’t want to wallow in one place. We don’t necessarily want you to pick up on everything right away. Maybe you’ll catch something new each time.”

Perhaps Sannhet isn’t writing music that follows the American Bandstand standard of excellence, namely that it’s catchy and you can dance to it. But whether or not anyone actually is dancing to the powerful instrumentals on Revisionist, it is music that’s meant to be experienced live.

The trio puts a lot of energy and effort into putting on a memorable live show—not just in terms of the music they play, but in the visual aspects of their performance.

Sannhet use visual projections, but not a screen, so the images become obscured by the musicians’ bodies. And Annunziata triggers floodlights in key moments that offer an unexpected, explosive element, which can catch members of the audience off guard.

“It’s disorienting. It’s almost too bright,” he says. “During the loudest part of the song, you’re just kind of overwhelmed by this ‘God moment’.

“When you see us live, because we don’t have a singer, we dress it up and make it a theatrical experience,” he adds.

“All of the pieces are meant to tell different stories.”

Part of the challenge of being an instrumental band is being able to create something that resonates with listeners on a deeper, more emotional level, without relying on lyrical content. And that emotional connection is something the members of Sannhet place a lot of importance on.

Annunziata describes the progression of the songs on Revisionist as having a particular storyline, though he hesitates to explain what that storyline is, exactly. Still, when heard in a sequence, the album unfolds with a dramatic introduction, exposition, conflict, climax and eventual resolution.

Whether or not the plot of the story is clear, the dramatic activity of the album is definitely there.

Presenting their music as open-ended, instrumental pieces is a challenge but not a handicap for Sannhet. Remember, everything that they do is that way by design, and by leaving their music open to interpretation, it allows more people to make that intimate, personal connection.

“It is a very emotive soundscape being created. And it’s definitely meant to evolve,” Annunziata says. “People can envision things that connect with them. The reason we don’t use lyrics is that you feel the emotion, but it’s supposed to be personal. When you put in lyrics, all of a sudden it has a specific storyline. Leaving it instrumental, it leaves it open to interpretation.

“Depending on where you are in your life,” he continues, “you can take different things away from it.”

Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com To hear a track, go to sdcitybeat.com and search for “Sannhet”

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Music

notes from the smoking patio Dana Trippe

Locals Only

S

acri Monti has signed to Tee Pee Records.

The psychedelic rock outfit, who previously released a four-song EP on cassette via Under the Gun Records, are joining their peers in Earthless and Joy, who have also released albums via New York-based Tee Pee, which specializes in psych- and stoner-rock music. Guitarist Brendan Dellar says the label deal came about as a result of being “at the right place at the right time” and having friends that put them on Tee Pee’s radar. He also says the talent that has come through the label in the past is what makes it exciting.

“Its a real honor being on this label,” Dellar says, in an email interview. “I think it will push us to write better music because the bar has been set so high by all of the other great bands.”

On July 24, Tee Pee will release the band’s self-titled debut album. One of the benefits of releasing the album through a proper label is that it afforded the band more freedom in the studio, and assistance in financing it. The band recorded with engineer Jordan Andreen at Audio Design, and being able to have the benefits of a professional studio environment allowed them to do the album the way they wanted to.

“It was incredible to be able to take our time and really dial in the sounds that we wanted,” he says. “It was a first for most of us in the band to be able to play

Sacri Monti with all the amazing analog equipment and hear the amazing tone of tape! I can’t thank ‘em enough for providing us with that experience.”

Those who have heard Sacri Monti’s music might have some idea of what to expect from the album: Loud guitars, lots of effects, elements of Krautrock and prog. But Dellar says that the album is even more of a sensory listening experience than their early recordings suggested.

“I think we really wanted it to be a really crazy stereo adventure; lots of panning guitar solos, echoplexes oscillating, Hammond organ, leslie speakers on vocals,” he says. “We pretty much got super excited when we saw all the toys in the studio and tried to use everything. I guess you could call it psychedelic or heavy or whatever you want.”

—Jeff Terich

SINGER VS. SONG This is a recurring feature in which we ask musicians to name a song they never want to hear again.

Santino Romeri, The Most Hi/Illuminauts: “All I Need” by Radiohead. “I’m such a huge Radiohead fan that I’ve slept outside (more than once) to see them play, but ‘All I Need’ makes me feel terrible every time I hear it. It seems to have become a fan favorite but despite the beauty of the melody and relatability of the lyrics, the end result is just too damn heavy for my little heart to handle.”

Laura Levenhagen, Le Chateau: “The Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga. “It’s just so fucking terrible. It’s a Top 40 Song, and I get it— it’s a human psychological thing. There’s an equation that we all catch onto and love. But that song just makes me want to punch through a wall. I’m sure there’s much worse songs, but that one is on my mind as the last song I’d want to hear.”

#SDCityBeat

Brennan Gervasi, Ultragash: “Hey There Delilah”

by Plain White T’s. “It screams ‘2005’ and of course that’s when the track was released. Somehow Plain White T’s managed to attract the stoner crowd, as I have seen a number of times the same people who just won’t let Sublime go love the shit out of this song.

I don’t understand it. Kill this soft anthem of sadness. I hope Delilah found a new dude.”

Esteban Flores, Monochromacy: “Santeria” by Sublime. “‘Santeria’ makes me physically ill. I begin to shudder just when I hear the opening riff and soft humming. And it seems this song plays EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME.” Sublime

Nathan Wettstead, Amerikan Bear: Any song by Eagles.

“Anything but the Eagles, man. I don’t care, I just hate them and I hope you hate me for hating them.”

—Jeff Terich

Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

Music

Jeff Terich

If I were u A music insider’s weekly agenda

Wednesday, July 1 PLAN A: Jacco Gardner, Calvin Love, The Slashes @ The Casbah. Go to sdcitybeat. com and read last week’s feature by Scott McDonald on Dutch singer/songwriter Jacco Gardner. His music is psychedelic, but accessible, with lots of interesting nuances.

Great to get lost in. PLAN B: Crime Desire, VHS, Keepers, Age of Collapse @ Soda Bar. If you need something a bit sweatier, more aggressive and a hell of a lot louder, head to Soda Bar for a night of hardcore and metal. Crime Desire specialize in 90-second blasts of crossover thrash and d-beat hardcore. I guarantee there’s going to be a pit at this show; your participation is optional.

and emotional set of instrumentals. Get to the show early enough to see King Woman, whose shoegazing doom is also a thing to behold. PLAN B: Sundrop Electric, Say Vinyl, Flames of Durga @ The Casbah. It says a lot that there are so many psychedelic rock bands in town, and they’re all pretty good. Maybe this is where the good stash is hidden? Anyhow, Sundrop Electric have been making psychedelic rock with elements of post-punk and electronics for a few years, and they’re well worth checking out. BACKUP PLAN: Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Decent Criminal, Caskitt, Castoff @ The Hideout.

Friday, July 3

PLAN A: The Appleseed Cast, Adjy, Coaster @ Soda Bar. Post-rock/emo outfit PLAN A: Sannhet, King Woman, Planning The Appleseed Cast have a long history of for Burial @ Soda Bar. Read my feature stunning (and underrated) pop songs with (page 24) on heavy post-rock trio Sannhet, intricate instrumentation and dreamy texwhose new album Revisionist is a powerful tures. Start with pretty much any of their

Thursday, July 2

26 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

albums and you’ll find something to love.

Then come to the show, of course. PLAN B: Rebecca Jade and the Cold Fact, Birdy Bardot, The Midnight Pine, Erik Canzona and the Narrows, Creature and the Woods @ The Casbah. The newly launched Redwoods Music is hosting a label showcase of sorts this evening, which also happens to be the release show for Birdy Bardot’s new album. Come early and settle in for a night of great music. BACKUP PLAN: Mac Sabbath, Fooz Fighters @ Brick by Brick.

Monday, July 6 PLAN A: Church Night, The Gorgeous Boyscouts @ Soda Bar. Church Night on a Monday? Indeed, only it’s a band we’re talking about, and not the actual act of religious worship. They’re a local garage rock group worth keeping an eye on.

Don’t let your case of the Mondays win.

Tuesday, July 7

PLAN A: Bleak, Colombian Necktie, Deep Sea Thunder Beast, Man vs. Man @ Saturday, July 4 Soda Bar. Bleak live up to their name, with slow, menacing sludge metal PLAN A: Beers, BBQ, Blowin’ shit that brutalizes, and in no particuup @ Your House. On the 4th of lar hurry! But there are other July, your live music options great bands worth checking are limited—there are probaout, like L.A.’s Colombian bly a few house parties where Necktie and local favorites you can see a live band, if you Deep Sea Thunder Beast. have your ear to the ground.

Gonna be gnar. PLAN So I recommend taking the B: Juan Wauters, day off, having a cold one, Walter TV, Bloom watching fireworks and @ The Hideout. just chillin’.

Uruguayan singer/ songwriter Juan Sunday, July 5 Wauters knows Birdy Bardot PLAN A: The Picturehis way around books, Space Wax @ Soda Bar. The Pic- a melody, and the proof is in the handful turebooks are a rowdy, hard-rocking Ger- of full-length albums he’s released, which man duo with a lot of reverence for Ameri- are chock full of lo-fi, super-catchy tunes. can blues. If you wished that the Black Keys If you’re in the mood for some jangle, he were a bit more stark, and with an industrial won’t disappoint you. stomp, it might sound something like this.

#SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

Music

Concerts HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Tame Impala (Observatory, 8/4), La Luz (Soda Bar, 8/12), Heaters (The Hideout, 8/15), The Drums (Irenic, 8/20), Dam-Funk (Casbah, 9/4), The Get Up Kids (Observatory, 9/10), Joywave (Casbah, 9/23), King Dude (The Hideout, 10/3), Xavier Rudd and the United Nations (Observatory, 10/8), The Black Lips, Ariel Pink (Observatory, 10/18), Lianne La Havas (Observatory, 10/20), The Neighbourhood (HOB, 10/27), The Fall of Troy, Kylesa (Irenic, 11/10), Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox (HOB, 12/9).

GET YER TICKETS Built to Spill (BUT, 7/17), Blackalicious (BUT, 7/22), The Adolescents (BUT, 7/23), Heems (Casbah, 7/26), High on Fire, Pallbearer (Casbah, 7/30), Stiff Little Fingers (BUT, 7/30), Lucy’s Fur Coat (Casbah, 7/31-8/1), Echo and the Bunnymen (Humphreys, 8/6), !!! (Casbah, 8/10), The Alabama Shakes (Open Air Theatre, 8/12), Nicki Minaj (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/13), Raekwon and Ghostface Killah (HOB, 8/16), Metz (Casbah, 8/19), Savages (Casbah, 8/23), Melvins (Casbah, 8/27), Miguel (Observatory, 9/1), Man Man (Casbah, 9/6), The Psychedelic Furs, The Church (Observatory, 9/9), Ariana Grande (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 9/9), The Get Up Kids (Observatory, 9/10), Johnette Napolitano (Casbah, 9/10), ZZ Top (Humphreys, 9/13), Wavves (Observatory, 9/15), Hum, Mineral (BUT, 9/16), Mew (Observatory, 9/17), KEN Mode (Soda Bar, 9/20), Glass Animals (SOMA, 9/21), A Place to Bury Strangers (Soda Bar, 9/22), Future Islands (Observatory, 9/22-23), Titus Andronicus (The Irenic, 9/24), Foo Fighters (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 9/24), Royal Blood (HOB, 9/25), Death Cab for Cutie (Open Air Theatre, 9/25), Duran Duran (Open Air Theatre, 9/27), Swervedriver (Casbah, 9/28), Tove Lo (Observatory, 9/28), Peaches (BUT, 10/1), Beirut (Open Air Theater, 10/6), Garbage (Humphreys, 10/6), Hot Chip (Soma, 8/12), alt-j (Open Air Theatre, 10/13), Twin Shadow (BUT, 10/14), Florence and the Machine (Viejas Arena, 10/14), Of Monsters and Men (Open Air Theater, 10/17), Janet Jackson (Viejas Arena, 10/17), FIDLAR (Observatory, 10/17), ZZ Ward (HOB, 10/18), My Morning Jacket (Open Air Theatre, 10/19),

28 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

Eagles of Death Metal (BUT, 10/21), Mudhoney (Casbah, 10/24), Natalie Prass (Soda Bar, 10/24), Gerard Way (HOB, 10/24), Shakey Graves (Observatory, 10/28), Tobias Jesso Jr. (BUT, 10/28), Madonna (Valley View Casino Center, 10/29), Ghost (Observatory, 10/30), Of Montreal (The Irenic, 11/5), Leon Bridges (Observatory, 11/6), Desaparecidos (BUT, 11/11), Yo La Tengo (Observatory, 11/12), Squeeze (HOB, 11/15), John Waters (Observatory, 11/30), The 1975 (Observatory, 12/15).

July Wednesday, July 1 Jacco Gardner at The Casbah. Don Most at Belly Up Tavern.

Thursday, July 2 John Mayall at Belly Up Tavern. Sannhet at Soda Bar.

Friday, July 3 Mac Sabbath at Brick by Brick. The Appleseed Cast at Soda Bar.

Tuesday, July 7 Bleak at Soda Bar. Emily Drew at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, July 8 Veruca Salt at Soda Bar. Jurassic Five at Humphreys by the Bay. Brian Posehn at House of Blues.

Thursday, July 9 One Direction at Qualcomm Stadium.

The Aquabats at House of Blues.

Friday, July 10 Lady Antebellum at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Open Mike Eagle at TilTwo Club. Wovenwar at Brick by Brick.

Prayers at The Hideout.

Saturday, July 11 Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman at House of Blues. Cattle Decapitation at Brick by Brick. Porcelain Raft at Soda Bar. Cherry Glazerr at The Irenic.

Needtobreathe at Humphreys by the Bay.

Sunday, July 12 Anjelah Johnson at House of Blues. Go Betty Go at Soda Bar. Keb’Mo’ at Belly Up Tavern.

Monday, July 13 Keb’Mo’ at Belly Up Tavern. Memory Tapes at Soda Bar. Chrome at The Casbah.

#SDCityBeat

Music Tuesday, July 14 Kevin Fowler at Belly Up Tavern. Barrington Levy at Observatory North Park.

Wednesday, July 15 Abigail Williams at Brick by Brick. Inspired and the Sleep at Belly Up Tavern.

Thursday, July 16 Sublime with Rome at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Dick Diver at Soda Bar. The Drowning Men at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, July 17 The Helio Sequence at The Casbah.

Chappo at Soda Bar. George Lopez at Harrah’s Resort. J. Cole at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Built to Spill at Belly Up Tavern.

Saturday, July 18 Third Eye Blind, Dashboard Confessional at Harrah’s Resort. The Casualties at Observatory North Park.

Tuesday, July 21 Imagine Dragons at Viejas Arena.

Charli XCX, Bleachers at Observatory North Park. Mavis Staples at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay.

Wednesday, July 22 Between the Buried and Me at Observatory North Park. Blackalicious at Belly Up Tavern.

Thursday, July 23 The Adolescents at Belly Up Tavern.

Soul Asylum, Meat Puppets at House of Blues.

#SDCityBeat

Friday, July 24 Katchafire at Belly Up Tavern. Eukaryst at Soda Bar. Bongripper at Brick by Brick.

Saturday, July 25 The Lonely Biscuits at Soda Bar. Iration at Open Air Theatre. Pokey Lafarge at The Casbah.

Sunday, July 26 The Ataris at House of Blues. Bruce Cockburn at Belly Up Tavern. Jim Gaffigan at Humphreys by the Bay. Heems at The Casbah.

Monday, July 27 Ky-Mani Marley at Belly Up Tavern.

Tuesday, July 28 Melt Banana, Torche at The Casbah.

Wednesday, July 29 Melt Banana, Torche at The Casbah.

Andrea Gibson at Belly Up Tavern. Say Anything at House of Blues. Rasputina at Soda Bar.

Thursday, July 30 Tokio Hotel at House of Blues. The Aggrolites at Belly Up Tavern. Spank Rock at Soda Bar. High on Fire, Pallbearer at The Casbah. Stiff Little Fingers at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, July 31 Lucy’s Fur Coat at The Casbah.

August

Saturday, Aug. 1

Lucy’s Fur Coat at The Casbah. Ed

Ghost Tucker at Soda Bar. Stephen Stills at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

Sunday, Aug. 2 Stephen Stills at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Coliseum at Soda Bar. Darius Rucker at Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

Bill Maher at Humphreys by the Bay. Juanes at Civic Theatre.

Monday, Aug. 3 Milky Chance at Soma. Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo at Belly Up Tavern.

Tuesday, Aug. 4 Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo at Belly Up Tavern. Tame Impala at Observatory North Park.

Wednesday, Aug. 5 Hurray For the Riff Raff at Belly Up Tavern.

Thursday, Aug. 6 Anthony Raneri at House of Blues Voodoo Room. Echo and the Bunnymen at Humphreys by the Bay. Mike Pinto at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, Aug. 7 Super Diamond at Belly Up Tavern.

Saturday, Aug. 8 Fall Out Boy, Wiz Khalifa at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Ilya at The Casbah. Idina Menzel at Open Air Theatre. Weekend at The Hideout.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

Music Sunday, Aug. 9 Jake Miller at House of Blues. Big Ups at Soda Bar.

Monday, Aug. 10 Langhorne Slim and the Law at Belly Up Tavern. !!! at The Casbah.

Tuesday, Aug. 11 Kevin Costner and Modern West at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, Aug. 12 The Alabama Shakes at Open Air Theatre. Buddy Guy at Belly Up Tavern. Hot Chip at Soma. La Luz at Soda Bar.

Thursday, Aug. 13 Nicki Minaj at Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

Friday, Aug. 14 Toadies, Fuel at House of Blues. Whitey Morgan and the 78s at Belly Up Tavern.

Saturday, Aug. 15 Jeff Rosenstock at House of Blues.

B-Side Players at Belly Up Tavern. Fu Manchu at The Casbah. The B-52s at Humphreys by the Bay. Trapt at Soda Bar. Heaters at The Hideout.

Sunday, Aug. 16 Dierks Bentley at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Kelly Clarkson at Viejas Arena.

Raekwon and Ghostface Killah at House of Blues.

Monday, Aug. 17 Screaming Females at Soda Bar. Inner Circle at Belly Up Tavern.

30 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

Tuesday, Aug. 18 Marc Cohn at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, Aug. 19 George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic at House of Blues. Metz at The Casbah.

rCLUBSr 710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach. 710bc.com. Wed: Open mic. Fri: Smells Like Nirvana, Core, Punkture.

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

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave, Downtown. americancomedyco. com. Wed: Open mic. Thu: Tony Rock.

Fri: Tony Rock.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St, Downtown. facebook.com/BangBangSanDiego. Fri: Anna Lunoe.

Basic, 410 10th Ave, Downtown. barbasic.com. Tue: Shellshocked.

Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave, Downtown. bassmntsd.com. Thu: Snails. Fri: Party Favor. Sat: Ftampa.

Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla. brocktonvilla.com/beaumonts.html. Thu: Crackers. Fri: Neveready, Pumphouse.

Sun: Daryl Johnson.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach. bellyup.com. Wed: Bangladesh, Oliver Trolley, Shady Francos. Thu: John Mayall, Brigitte DeMeyer. Fri: 80s Heat. Sat: 40 Oz To Freedom, Geezer.

Sun: Six String Society. Tue: Emily Drew, Nate Donnis, Big Boss Bubeleh.

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

Border X Brewing Tasting Room, 2196 Logan Ave, Barrio Logan. borderxbrewing.com. Fri: Chicano-Con. Sat: Chicano-Con. Brass Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave, Hillcrest. thebrassrailsd.com. Fri: ‘Hip Hop Fridayz’.

Sat: ‘Sabado en Fuego’ w/ DJs XP, KA. Sun: ‘Soiree’. Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJs Junior the Disco Punk, XP. Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave, Bay Park. brickbybrick.com. Wed: Straight Line Stitch, Killing The Messenger, Spades and Blades, Death For Breakfast, Always the Understudy. Thu: The Saline Solutions, Pistachio, Trans-Conduit, The Undesirables. Fri: Mac Sabbath, Fooz Fighters. Sun: Garkow, The Savage Young, Cloudside, The Tones. Tue: Bay Park Blues.

Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave, Downtown. cafesevilla.com. Wed: Aro Di Santi. Thu: Malamana. Fri: Joef and Co. Sat: Malamana. Sun: Aire. Mon: Malamana. Tue: Gio Trio.

Croce’s Park West, 2760 Fifth Ave., #100, Bankers Hill. crocesparkwest. com. Wed: Patrick Dowling. Thu: Steph Johnson Trio. Fri: Allison Adams Tucker. Sat: Charlie Arbelaez Quartet. Sun: Gio Trio. Mon: Charlie Imes. Tue: Liz Grace.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. dizzyssandiego.com. Fri: Bert Turetsky.

Sun: Marco Renteria Jazz Quartet.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave, Downtown. fluxxsd.com. Thu: DJ Snoopadelic. Fri: Too Short. Sat: DJ Karma.

Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave, Downtown. henryspub.com. Wed: AOK Musik. Thu: DJ Junior the Disco Punk. Fri: ‘Good

#SDCityBeat

Times’. Mon: DJ Antonio Aguilera. Tue: Big City Dawgs.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave, Downtown. houseofblues.com/sandiego. Thu: Machine Gun Kelly. Fri: Aaron Gillespie.

Mon: ‘Rewind Monday’.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. kavalounge.com. Thu: Psilo. Fri: Deya Dova, Imagika Om, Dela Moontribe.

Sat: ‘Ascension’. Sun: Cumbia Machin.

Numbers, 3811 Park Blvd, Hillcrest. numberssd.com/. Thu: ‘Wet’. Fri: ‘Uncut’.

Sat: Bear night. Sun: ‘R&B Divas’. Tue: Karaoke Latino.

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

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave, Hillcrest. richssandiego.com. Wed: ‘Mischief with Bianca’. Thu: DJ Will Z. Fri: DJs Dirty Kurty, Will Z. Sat: DJs Taj, K-Swift. Sun: ‘Stripper Circus’.

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

Wed: Westside Inflection. Thu: Comedy night. Fri: Kooties. Sat: Baja Bugs. Tue: Karaoke.

Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave, North Park. sevengrandbars.com/sd. Wed: Gilbert Castellanos jazz jam. Fri: Cale Tyson, The Whiskey Circle.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. sodabarmusic.com.

Wed: Crime Desire, VHS, Keepers, Age of Collapse. Thu: Sannhet, King Woman, Planning for Burial. Fri: The Appleseed Cast, Adjy, Coaster. Sun: The Picturebooks, Space Wax. Mon: Church Night, The Gorgeous Boyscouts. Tue: Bleak, Colombian Necktie, Deep Sea Thunder Beast, Man vs. Man.

#SDCityBeat

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd, Midway. somasandiego.com. Fri: Heavyweight, Pariah, Seconds Ago, Echoes, FUNERALS, Geneva.

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

Spin, 2028 Hancock St, Midtown. spinnightclub.com. Fri: T Wayne.

Stage Bar & Grill, 762 Fifth Ave, Downtown. stagesaloon.com. Thu: Superbad.

Fri: Disco Pimps, DJ Slynkee. Sat: Hott Mess, DJ Miss Dust.

The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Rd, Spring Valley. 619-469-2337. Wed: Karaoke.

Thu: ‘Darkwave Garden’. Fri: The Bombs, Bud Bronson and the Good Timers, Sculpins, Revoluchix. Tue: Eskimo Brothers DJs. The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. casbahmusic.com. Wed: Jacco Gardner, Calvin Love, The Slashes.

Thu: Say Vinyl, Flames of Durga, Sundrop Electric. Fri: Rebecca Jade and the Cold Fact, Birdy Bardot, The Midnight Pine, Erik Canzona and the Narrows, Creature and the Woods. Sat: Ziggy Shuffledust and the Spiders from Mars. Sun: Deryck Whibley and the Happiness Machines.

The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. thehideoutsd.com. Thu: Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Decent Criminal, Caskitt, Castoff. Tue: Juan Waters, Walter TV, Bloom.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave, Hillcrest. theMerrow.com. Wed: Geneva Bedlam, RDG, The Trunk Slammers. Thu: Comic relief. Fri: AJ Froman, The CobraLas, The Other Band On Earth. Sun: Sever the Century, Wild Fires, Aura and Ovation, Tape Heads. Tue: The Wind Playing Tricks, Zombie Barbie, Chaos And Order.

The Office, 3936 30th St, North Park. officebarinc.com. Wed: ‘Friends Chill’. Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King. Fri: ‘Nite Moves’ w/ DJs Beatnick, Definition. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’ w/ DJs EdRoc, Kanye Asada. Sun: ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ w/ Tribe of Kings. Mon: Social Club, Kooties, DJs Jeremiah BZ, Mike Delgado.

The Tin Roof, 401 G Street, Gaslamp. tinroofbars.com/Home/SanDiego. Wed: Pat Hilton and the Mann. Thu: Who Is BC. Fri: Who Is BC. Sat: Who Is BC. Sun: ‘Jazz Brunch’ w/ Normandie Wilson. Tue: Roots Covenant.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. tiltwoclub.com. Thu: Sammy Kay, Mochilero All Stars. Fri: Medusa, Joy, Glitter Wizard, Slow Season. Sat: The Bellfuries, Pat James and the No Names, Los Apaches.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St, Bay Park. tioleos.com. Thu: Rockin’ Aces. Fri: Karaoke.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave, City Heights. thetowerbar.com. Wed: ‘The Ratt’s Revenge’ w/ DJs Mikey Ratt, Tiki Thomas. Fri: ‘Hip Hop vs. Punk Rock’.

Sat: Midnight Eagle, Hammer Kill, Poontang Clam. Mon: Six to Midnight, Blow Me Down, Fairy Bones, Omega Three.

Tue: Matt Woods, Adam Lee, Matthew Strachota.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, South Park. whistlestopbar.com. Wed: ‘St Vitus Dance Party’ w/ DJ Handsome Skeleton.

Thu: ‘Kiss and Make Up’ w/ DJs Jon Blaj, Kyle Badour.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St, Ocean Beach. winstonsob.com. Wed: Open mic. Thu: Open jam. Fri: The Routine, The Earful. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band.

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

Last Words

Brendan Emmett Quigley

MIC DROP Across

Down

1. Simplicity 5. Fish market’s pickup?

10. Appleton’s st.

13. Poison’s singer Michaels 14. Flatfish owned by comedian Bill?

15. eHarmony datum 16. Tiny organism in the tub?

18. Neighbor of Ger. 19. Fruity dessert 20. Just decent 21. “You’re bothering me!”

22. Like some ties for those who can’t tie ties 24. “Let It Go” singer 27. They’re just not done 29. Indie actor Michael’s weed?

33. Irritate 34. Stance of a controversial argument?

36. Aztec god of rains 37. King at the end of “Lord of the Rings” 38. “Later, hombre” 39. Corvette roof style 40. Weight lifter’s lift 42. Thailand, yesterday 46. Copied 47. Crucial part of the Earth’s layers?

51. Line of clothing 52. Mining areas that are a real laugh?

54. In the fashion of 55. Equal to, with “with” 56. Gray subj.

57. Journalist Nellie 58. Religious dogma 59. Website for reviews

1.

2.

3.

4.

Last week’s answers

32 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

Gradually weaken Prized horses Attacked Prefix with cultural and pharmacology 5. Caribbean music 6. Abbr. on a new car sticker 7. Beethoven’s homage to Napoleon 8. Matador or Merge, e.g.

9. Cleaning soap 10. Experience euphoria 11. Dinosaur with spiked thumbs 12. Capital-H Hot 14. Reds, in chyrons 17. It can show you the neighborhood 20. Portugal’s second-largest city 23. With much at stake 24. Impressively good 25. Rapper Tone ___ 26. Snake driver, for short 28. Joni Ernst, e.g.: Abbr.

29. Stretch in winter 30. “Ishtar” director 31. Put in another clip 32. “___ Wanted Man” 33. “Why are you doing other jobs?” letters 34. Class-conscious org.?

35. “___ y Plata” 39. One running things 41. Fragrant competitor of Tommy 42. “Target Lady” show, briefly 43. “What does ___?” (“How much is the salary?”)

44. Roomy dress 45. Meshuggah’s music 46. Pequod captain 48. [gulp!]

49. Urologist-to-be’s exam 50. Berne’s river 52. Fold-out sleeper 53. Popular oil additiveching you” 56. “I blew it” 57. Manhattan blocks?

61. Glamour rival 62. Pants problem 63. Fails to be 65. “Cake Boss” channel 66. Steinbrenner who co-owns the Yankees 67. “The Phantom Menace” kid

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July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

34 · San Diego CityBeat · July 1, 2015

#SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

July 1, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 35