2 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
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July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 3
UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR
May the enforcement be with you
C
omic-Con needs to get more proactive in will explore the objectification of women. The oneits stance on deterring acts of sexual hahour panel is aimed at creating dialog about which rassment. The annual convention celecomics-related, pop-culture topics journalists should brates the universe of vintage Batman combe covering, including the gender-divided absurdity ics, zombie-themed TV shows and the next round of Gamergate and the tragic murders of Charlie Hebdo of Star Wars sequels. The Con attracts 130,000 men staff. (Note: Veteran observers don’t think enough and women, including an ever-growing number of time has been programmed to discuss all these topcosplayers, who attend dressed up as superheroes ics.) and other fantasy-based, fictional characters. The On dealing with sexual harassment, Trexler says overwhelming majority of attendees are conscienit’s a growing concern, especially for female cotious and well-intentioned people, respectful of splayers. From a legal perspective, he says San Diego each other, and of race, religion, nationality and organizers are at a difficult crossroad. gender. The comics/science-fiction/fantasy indus“Sexual harassment within a workplace can be try, however, has long orbited in a in a galaxy where very specific,” he says. “With Comic-Con, though, women have been objectified and deDULUOZ CATS / FLICKR the discussion becomes about the meaned. broader concept of street harassment, The classic good-versus-evil storyand encompasses ‘sexually charged’ line is playing out here in real life. acts and beyond.” Comic-Con is a confluence of sweet, Due in part to limited space inside the geeky innocence and commercialized San Diego Convention Center, the activisexual pandering. It’s a Hollywoodties literally expand onto the surrounding imbued tinderbox potentially fueled by streets of downtown, for related parties drooling trolls who forget their manners and events in hotels, bars and restaurants. around colorfully dressed females. Outside the convention center confines, More women are speaking up about a female dressed in a Wonder Woman verbal harassment, unwanted touching costume runs a higher risk of not being and drone-headed males who grab them treated with Con-centric familial respect. for photographs and use photo-ops as That’s something the city of San Dian excuse to grope and fondle. Last year, ego ought to remember when counting model Alicia Marie was in the Gaslamp up the reported $135 million in ComicCon-related visitor spending. Quarter dressed as a character called Alicia Marie as Tigra Overall, the convention’s approach Tigra when a guy stuck his hand down toward policing behavior has been communal, rathher pants, then tried to pull her costume bottom er than contractual. It’s discouraging for long-time down by yanking her tail. conventioneers to envision a move from the former Rather than wait for other lunkheads to become to the latter. But unlike cartoon characters like Bart even more emboldened, preventive action is necessary now. Simpson, The Con has to grow up. Comic-Con has a fairly new “general principle” Organizers need to come out of the bunker and in place regarding sexual harassment. An advocacy show they value the welfare of their community. group called Geeks for CONsent, however, is pres“Comic-Con’s lawyers are surely telling them suring the nonprofit organizers of San Diego’s meto be careful, so they don’t set themselves up for a ga-event to adopt a stronger, more legalistic code. class-action lawsuit,” says Trexler. “The first legal They want better training of convention volunteers strategy is ‘Don’t say too much.’ But eventually that and onsite security staff, and more instructional sigcan be counterproductive. Maybe there’s a way to nage geared at awareness of harassment and ways to engage this beyond a PR statement every year.” report offenders. The Philadelphia-based advocates Yes. It’s time for a bold step. Put more teeth in point to clearer legal policies put in place by the prevention. Convene a panel of elders to draft an New York Comic Con (a for-profit entity), which inawareness campaign. Organizers need to get their cluded the creation of a smartphone app where inheads out of the Tatooine sand before the actions of some rogue Wookie bites them on the ass. cidents can be reported and dealt with immediately. Attorney, ethics professor and comics blogger Jeff —Ron Donoho Trexler will moderate a July 9 Comic-Con panel that Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com This issue of CityBeat is already standing in the Hall H line at the convention center.
Volume 13 • Issue 48 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
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jason Noble ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Beau Odom, Kimberly Wallace MARKETING INTERN Drake Rinks ACCOUNTING Kacie Cobian, Sharon Huie, Linda Lam HUMAN RESOURCES Andrea Baker
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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 8, 2015
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July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 5
Up Front | Letters
join the party While I laud Chad Peace’s goal that elections serve the people rather than the political parties [Political parties block your fundamental right to vote, July 1], I disagree with his thesis and method. Peace wrote: “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.” This is absolutely correct. Primary elections were established by political parties as an internal process to choose candidates for those general elections. Voting in actual general elections, as established in our Constitution, is an absolute right that should be available to everyone of voting age. They are NOT the same and should not by equated, as Mr. Peace’s article wrongly does. To vote in a primary election one does not even need to join the party, only to register with that party for the purpose of voting in the party’s primary. I did exactly that for many years, registering as Democrat before the June primary, then simply re-registering as Green. And, while gerrymandering is a genuine and serious problem, the real fix for voter apathy is to recognize the shift away from the two-party system by changing our winner-takes-all representation to a more democratic proportional structure used by European nations. The major political parties have become huge bureaucracies and, as we know, the first task of any bureaucracy is to perpetuate itself. Michael-Leonard Creditor, Clairemont
6 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
On the
Cover
Art director Carolyn Ramos designed this week’s cover as a Comic-Con bingo card. As CityBeat’s first-ever interactive cover, we’re running an experiment and asking readers who either attend the Con, or find themselves somehow surrounded by the costumed hoards, to snap photos of any or all of the elements illustrated on the bingo card. Upload the photos to either Instagram or Twitter with the #sdccbingo hashtag and you’ll be entered to win a $100 gift card from Karl Strauss Brewing Company. The more photos you upload, the more times your name will appear in the proverbial hat, so the steadfast shutterbugs who do manage to complete a row, column, diagonal or even the elusive blackout will be more likely to win. Here’s a more detailed description of what’s pictured on the cover: 1. Getting busted with a selfie stick: Selfie sticks were officially banned by Comic-Con organizers, but we’re confident you can find someone waving their vanity wand inside those crowded halls. 2. Superheroes donating blood: There’s an annual blood drive at Comic-Con. Pro
tip: it happens Thursday through Sunday at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in the Grand C Ballroom. 3. Celeb Selfie: Snap a selfie with an A, B, C or even D-list celebrity. Photo-bomb selfies with unknowing celebs in the background are also acceptable. 4. Imperator Furiosa with a convincing robot arm: Bonus points if the Mad Max cosplayer’s electronic appendage actually works. 5. Star Wars baby: Any character counts, and by “baby” we mean a small child still in diapers. 6. Christian Protestors: There are probably more religious picketers holding signs outside of the Convention Center than there are actual independent comic-book artists inside. 7. Zombie eating human food: Find a walker enjoying a hamburger, hotdog or any human food that isn’t actually a human. 8. Best badge flair: We’re looking for fans who aren’t afraid to let their enthusiasm-flag fly. Keep an eye out for shirts filled with pins, wrist bands worn as badges of honor or someone who’s done something creative with their official Comic-Con badge.
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Up Front | News
A budtender rehashes his job selling medical marijuana
I
’m a budtender in San Diego. Which is basically like a bartender except I’m selling medical marijuana. I got into this line of work five years ago when I responded to an ad on Craigslist. It’s easier for women to get these jobs, especially hot women. You’ll see ads all the time on Craigslist for “female budtender,” then they’ll want you to send them a photo of yourself. You witness some interesting encounters working in a dispensary. One time one of my female customers, a high school teacher, came face-to-face with one of her students, who also happened to be shopping in the store. She froze, then made an immediate U-turn out of the room, trying to hide her face. The student said to me, “I think that was one of my teachers right there.” I’m assuming he was 18. Someone checked his ID at the door. The teacher came back later and started lecturing me about raising the age limit for the customers. She was not happy about it. The same people you pass on the street, every one of those people is a customer at the place I work, whether it’s the guy spinning the signs on the corner, whether it’s the mom, the dad, the lawyer or the hoodlum. One of my customers is a sushi chef. Most are grateful. They’ll say, “Thank you for having this place open. Thank you for giving me access to my medicine.” I’d worked a variety of other jobs before doing this. I sold cars for a bit. For a time I worked at a group home for severely disabled kids. Some of the kids were violent and chemically imbalanced. You’ve got a kid holding a rock this big (holds up glass
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of water) and he wants to throw it at your face. Sometimes I had to physically restrain them on the floor or lock them inside a padded room the size of a closet. I hated all those jobs. So I figured I might as well do something I enjoy. I’m 39 now and I’ve been smoking weed since I was 14 and selling it almost as long. I take pride in my knowledge and customer service. If you’re in my line, I’m giving you the same thing I’d give to myself. I’m very meticulous. I’ll be sure to avoid selling you the bud at the bottom of the tree, which gets less light and probably isn’t as good. I’ll try to sell you one bigger bud rather than several smaller ones, because the crystals inside the big bud haven’t been compromised. You’ll have brand new crystals every time you break it open. I’m a good judge of quality because I have such a high tolerance. I’m snobby about my weed. I don’t want to smoke it all day and barely be high. I want to take two bong hits and be done. There are plenty of downsides to doing what I do. At the place I work, we don’t know if we’re going to be there tomorrow. One weekend, the cops shut down three dispensaries. As a result, my boss started freaking out and we stopped taking new patients. I have no job security. Plus there’s no real room for advancement. Above me is the manager and above him the owner, and neither one of them wants to relinquish their position anytime soon. I make $10 an hour. I have no health insurance. The owner just cut back my hours because we’re not getting enough customers—maybe 15 a day. That’s because
As told to ALEX ROTH
we want to stay under the radar. We’ll stick some fliers in the head shops or at a medical-marijuana doctor’s office but that’s the extent of our public outreach. If California legalizes marijuana, it would be great for me. Our stores could advertise, get more customers and they’d have the money to increase my hours. Trying to shut down dispensaries is an exercise in futility. It’s like playing Whack-AMole. You shut this motherfucker down over here and it pops up over there. That’s sort of what happened with the first place I worked. It was an East County storefront at first. Then the cops shut us down. So we started up a few weeks later as a delivery-only service, without the storefront. I became a delivery driver for a while, which wasn’t a particularly enjoyable occupation. I was driving 1,000 miles a week, getting paid $4 per delivery plus an hourly wage, averaging 20 deliveries a day. You’re alone all day, with nothing but the thoughts inside your head, dealing with road rage, lights that turn red on you, the boss texting you every few minutes with a new order that makes you have to recalculate your entire route. Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure. My coverage area was huge—Chula Vista to Mira Mesa, Alpine to the beach. I’d cherish those two minutes I could interact with an actual human being, a customer. You always meet interesting people. One female customer had a stripper pole in the middle of her living room. My boss hired a lawyer to give us a tutorial on some of the do’s and don’ts. The lawyer’s two main points of emphasis: 1)
Don’t smoke and drive; 2) Never consent to a police search of your car. I always kept the weed in ziplock plastic bags in a cooler in the trunk. So I left that job and eventually landed at the place I work now. There’s lots of down time at my current dispensary. My co-worker and I spend a lot of time playing FIFA 2013 on PlayStation. We’re currently making our way through Boardwalk Empire on Netflix. I smoke a lot of weed on the job. There’s usually a lot of house stuff just sitting around waiting to be consumed. Stuff reserved for company use. Vendors come by the store all the time. Sometimes they call ahead of time; sometimes they drop by unannounced, looking to sell us stuff in bulk. The edible products are getting more and more creative. There’s even medicated beef jerky on the market right now. One of the cushiest jobs in this business is security guard. We had an armed guard at my former workplace, a dispensary on El Cajon Boulevard in La Mesa. He would get paid $25 or $30 an hour just to sit there hour after hour. He seemed to have plenty of friends in the gang world. He probably wasn’t banging at the moment—he worked for a professional security firm—but he had some tattoos suggesting a connection to that life. His homies would come in and he’d sit back talking to them. He’d hit on the female customers. He was an attractive male. He would see the chicks as they came in and he’d see them as they went out. He was tagging shit left and right out of that place, dude. The owners of that place made money hand-over-fist but kept things very low key. They stayed way under the radar. One of them drove some hunk-of-shit car. Every once in a while they’d go blow it up in Vegas. They were always vague about their backgrounds. You’d ask them, “What did you do before this?” “Went to school.” “What did you do before that?” “Little of this, little of that.” I’m pretty up front about my occupation. Unless you’re a cop, I’m usually completely honest if you ask me what I do for a living. My mom would probably prefer I did something else but at this point we’re adults and she just wants me to be happy. She’s as cool with it as you can be without being cool with it. My goal—my dream—is to own my own dispensary so I can pay off my student loans and take a vacation every once in awhile. It would be much simpler for me if weed were legal in California. Which will happen eventually, probably sooner rather than later. Look at all the money Colorado is collecting in taxes. And California’s way bigger than Colorado. Money talks. Money fucking talks.
July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 7
Up Front | opinion
Spin
John R. Lamb
Cycle If Mayor Faulconer were Superman…
F
antasy, abandoned by reason, produces impossible monsters; united with it, she is the mother of the arts and the origin of marvels. —Goya
[We take you to the waterfront, to a patch of grass in the shadow of the space-age Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Between two Tele-Prompter screens, a portable lectern emblazoned with the city seal overflows with microphones. An international throng of reporters huddles nearby. But wait! What’s that in the sky? A speeding comet? A banner plane in distress? No, it’s Mayor Kevin “Superman” Faulconer heading this way!] “Hey everybody! How’s that for an entrance? Beats the leotard off last year’s zip-line arrival, eh? Yeah, that harness left a few marks, if you know what I mean. Plus I had to share the spotlight with then-City Council President Todd Gloria.
Don’t get me wrong, he was a great sidekick. But this town is only big enough for one superhero, so five months later we orchestrated his return to regular-councilmember status. And now he’s running for state office and not against me, so here we are! “Flying in here today at supersonic speed made me realize a couple things. First, you all look like ants from way up there. And second, flying through the cold, damp marine layer feels the same as eating ice cream too fast—hello, brain freeze! But now that I can see the Tele-Prompters, I can tell you that I wouldn’t be anywhere else than right here, welcoming the world to Comic-Con 2015, or as I like to call it, my ‘re-election trump card.’ Here’s looking at you, Donald Trump cosplay character there in the back! Awesome. “I call it my trump card because, as you might have heard,
8 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
I was able to secure this iconic convention for San Diego at least through 2018, which just happens to be the year when Californians will be shopping for a new governor. But I’m getting ahead of myself. “Why is Comic-Con so important to me, you ask? Well, for a few summer days, San Diego becomes the international mecca of pop-culture marketing. Before I became Superman, I dabbled a bit in marketing. I don’t like to brag, but I was pretty awesome at it. I worked hard at getting voters in 1998 to approve the expansion of the Convention Center you see behind me. “In recent years, we’ve repeated the mantra incessantly that, without yet another center expansion, Comic-Con would seek wider pastures elsewhere, like Los Angeles or Anaheim. We put together a financing plan that we
were certain would stand up to legal scrutiny, but a dastardly attorney in town smacked that plan down with a hunk of Kryptonite, aka ‘the law.’ Geez, what a nitpicker. “Of course, that was the plan all along. Because, as it turns out, Comic-Con officials have actually warmed to the idea of a more campus-like experience with events scattered throughout Downtown, rather than packing everything in sardine-can-like at the Convention Center. “Turns out the bigger concern for Comic-Con was securing sufficient discounted hotel-room blocks for the estimated 130,000 attendees who will descend on our humble city. This, of course, surprised Superman, who figured most visitors came equipped with their own Fortresses of Solitude, but whatever. “So what’s new this year? Well, just this week I stood on a road in Mission Valley as a mile of new asphalt was applied as part of my plan to pave 1,000 miles of streets by 2020, which corresponds either to my final year as mayor or second year as governor. But again, getting ahead of myself. “So make an adventure of it! Head out and see if you can find the handful of smooth streets in San Diego. I guarantee you’ll experience your own “Game of Groans” trying! “Also, although I hesitate to mention it, we’re deep in a drought. Some restaurants won’t even ask if you’d like water, instead leaving it up to you to request it. I understand the burden this puts on you—with putting down your mobile device and communicating face-to-face with a fellow human being—but sometimes a few simple spoken words, repeated frequently, get the best results. “Speaking of results, my friends over at the Lincoln Club tell me my approval rating right now hovers around 62 percent, so clearly 38 percent of San Diegans have yet to embrace my agenda of positivity, smiles and photo ops.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s fantasy Even Superman can’t please all the people all of the time. “There are Lex Luthors out there, my friends. Oh, they’ll cloak themselves as agents of change and claim that I am the benefactor of a growing economy, surrounded by yes-men of yesteryear undaunted by the shifting sands of time and demographic desires. “But, as the kids say, I’m hip to the jive. Airbnb? We’ve got a tax for that! Bike sharing? Got those— in some places. Bike lanes? Those, too, although—spoiler alert!— some business folks and drivers find them a nuisance. To that I’d simply suggest, pick up the pace or out of the way, two wheels! “I’m even fighting a minimum-wage hike that’ll be voted on next June when I’m running for re-election. Why? For you, dear weird Comic-Con visitor. There are indeed a lot of you, but frankly you don’t spend like those who attend the medical conventions. While many of you prefer to brown-bag it on a street corner rather than drop a Benjamin at the Grant Grill, I don’t feel we should burden you with our costof-living issues here in San Diego. So what if Jimmy Olsen has to commute from Riverside. I can fly that in 4.3 seconds! “Oh, and for those of you who become so enamored with San Diego that you think about staying, keep in mind residents here pay some the highest housing prices, utility rates and transportation costs in the nation. “Which is why I’m thinking that Sacramento might look pretty good come 2018. Oh, and good luck finding a public restroom that isn’t a porta-potty. Hey, look at the time. Superman, away!” Spin Cycle appears every other week. Write to johnl@sdcitybeat. com.
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Up Front | Food
by michael a. gardiner
the world
central issue, Hellboy’s last meal would almost have to be sweet and sour pork. In Spiderman 3, Peter Parker—the world’s first teenage superhero—pretty much turned emo. As such maybe his last meal would have been the tears of Superheroes’ last meals children, or a bag of chips. Frankly, eating is probably just too damned much work for an emo teen who just wants to go in the corner and ne of the quaint rituals of our criminal juscut himself. tice system is that we generally give prisV from V for Vendetta. V also stands for “vegoners facing death the right to choose their an,” or at least “vegetarian,” and might well order last meal. With roots in superstition (symbolized a Portobello mushroom mousse, one like Amanda forgiveness that would prevent the condemned Cohen’s from Dirt Candy in New York. Of course man’s ghost returning), religion (an echo of the given V’s Guy Fawkes visage—and heritage— Last Supper) and guilt, the tradition has a peculiar wouldn’t there have to be an explosive element to hold on our imaginations. his last meal? Perhaps Last meals can Michael A. Gardiner the fennel compote range from the ordiCohen pairs with her nary (Virginia murder mushroom mousse Teresa Lewis’ fried could be done pop chicken, buttered rocks-style with the peas, apple pie and Dr. help of a little molecuPepper) to the symlar gastronomy magic. bolic (Iowa kidnap/ Considering Tank murderer Victor FeGirl’s punk nature, gurer requested a sinthe fact she frequently gle olive with pit in the finds herself in trouble hope it would grow for random acts of sex, into an olive tree), to and the fact her boythe downright silly friend is a mutant kan(Velma Barfield’s bag garoo, it would stand of Cheez Doodles and This would definitely not be Aquaman’s last meal. to reason her last meal Coca-Cola). One last would combine all of meal entered culinary these: kangaroo meat Thai’d down in a blazing history: the Hangtown fry. A condemned man hot green curry sauce. is said to have requested this omelet as his last The darkness of Caped Crusader Batman, meal in the hopes of holding on to a few more the Dark Knight, is as inseparable from his days of life because eggs and oysters—exceedsecret identity as billionaire magnate Bruce ingly rare in Gold Rush-era California—had to be Wayne. His last meal would surely reflect that shipped 150 miles from San Francisco to Hangduality. It would have to be something rich, town (Placerville). dark and not unlike Mario Batali’s signature With the onset of Comic-Con I wondered beef cheek ravioli dish at Babbo. But maybe what certain superheroes, if captured by villians, Batman would want it taken another step with would ask for as their last meal? Here are some the ravioli made of squid ink pasta—what could speculations: be darker—and the black truffles replaced by Aquaman would definitely not ask for fish tarighteous white ones. cos. And ceviche would be out. I’m no superhero, but I’d be happy with that Demon-spawn half-blood Hellboy explores as my last meal on this planet. the nurture-nature debate. Is his true character
fare O
good, sweet and mild (as he was raised by adopted father Trevor Bruttenholm) or is it that of his blood (half demon and half witch)? Befitting this
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The World Fare appears weekly. Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.
July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 9
Up Front | Food
by jenny montgomery jenny montgomery
cessed wonders: Hawaiian rolls. A swipe of warm, nutty peanut butter graced the top bun and a thin glaze of hot pepper jelly soaked into the bottom, with a tangle of crispy leeks adding a delicate crunch. Light eaters could devour these three sammies with a cold beer and call it a meal. But why deny yourself more goodness? The Belgian style frites are not the thin and crispy frites you may be used to at a typical French bistro; rather, they’re thick cut, meaty and twicefried. Although my personal preference runs to thin and crispy, these potatoes were quite yummy dipped in Bagby’s Bagby’s house burger addictive beer cheese. The house burger was just plain terrific. The meat was tender, juicy and cooked to a pink medium—no overdone dryness that plagues many a restaurant burger. A dollop of tomato-bacon jam was sharper than I expected, tangy and sweet without moving into the sugary zone. HorseradIn the Bagby ish mayonnaise added heat and the pretzel bun, although chewy, was a nice way to keep all the juicy, wet components from turning into meaty he Bagby Beer Company is massive. It mush. They grind the meat in-house (your choice takes up nearly half a city block, which is of beef or turkey) and although the toppings impressive considering it’s situated smack make for a great version of a classic, they could in the middle of the congested stretch of the serve this burger bare bones and it would still be Coast Highway that runs through the heart of good. Oceanside. Owners Jeff and Dande Bagby (Jeff My only disappointment came from the fish is the former brewmaster at Pizza Port) should tacos. The grilled tacos tasted fresh but bland, be applauded for their scale of vision: two stories which is surprising considering how much fun of drinking and dining, including multiple patios the rest of the menu is having. The beer batter on and bars, a mellow upstairs dining space filled the fried fish gave a much needed flavor kick, but with cozy booths and sea breezes, not to mention these tacos felt like they were thrown on as a San the snug tasting room and actual brewery space. Diego menu requirement. Dive into the beer listings, dominated by BagDo try the fried peanut butter and jelly sandby’s delicious house beers, complete with cheeky wich for dessert—it comes blazing hot to your names. The Dork Squad is a rich and bitter IPA table and is worth the burned fingertips. named for the, ahem, intense and serious passion The Bagbys should be proud, because they local beer fans have for the hoppy brew. There’s have built a jewel of a drinking and dining loalso one called Grief Counselor, brewed to soothe cale for the Oceanside community and for all of the sad drinkers who apparently lost their minds North County. when Dork Squad was briefly out of stock. But I was there for the food, and I couldn’t North Fork appears every other week. pass up the pork belly sliders. Fatty slices of jiggly Write to jennym@sdcitybeat.com. belly were sandwiched in one of my favorite pro-
north
fork T
10 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
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July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 11
Up Front | Drink
the
beerdist Super Suds: Craft Beer and Comic-Con
S
ummer in San Diego is a festive time. As the County Fair ends, Downtown gears up for an influx of more than 130,000 convention goers. San Diego Comic-Con turns the Gaslamp Quarter into a four-day costume party. And when they’re not in hours-long lines for panels or shuffling among the hundreds of exhibitors, our heroes and heroines are looking to quench their thirst with the world-class beer for which San Diego is famous. Kicking off con-related beer events is Stone Brewing Company’s third annual Hop-Con, a star-studded party celebrating the release of Wootstout 3.0, a barrelaged stout packing a whopping 13.5 percent ABV. This year’s collaboration again features Stone founder Greg Koch, actor Wil Wheaton and Fark.com founder/ Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Drew Curtis. Interestingly, Stone aged last year’s Wootstout 2.0 in bourbon barrels and blended it into this year’s batch. Archer’s Aisha Tyler and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles creator Kevin Eastman will also be on hand with their own collaborative brews. Hop-Con kicks off Comic-Con festivities at Stone Liberty Station (2816 Historic Decatur Rd.) on Wednesday, July 8. Another Liberty Station beer festival, Heroes Brew Fest, is on Saturday, July 11, with proceeds benefiting The Warrior FoundationFreedom Station. With 46 breweries on hand, this costumed event will have everything a thirsty crime-fighter could want after a few days fighting the notorious SDCC crowd. Un-
12 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
by andrew dyer
like Stone’s Hop-Con, Heroes Brew Fest is an unlimited-pour event, so plan accordingly. Apart from the festivals, there are a number of options in the Gaslamp Quarter. Here’s where Comic-Con’s best people-watching takes place, but these venues tend to be crowded, and not all are equal when it comes to good craft beer. At Stone Brewing’s tap room (795 J St.) you will find many of the beers that helped put San Diego on the craft beer map. Half Door Brewing (903 Island Ave.) offers plenty of outdoor seating and a full menu. Mission Brewery (1441 L St.) is located in an old Wonder Bread factory, michael li / flickr steps from the convention center. It will have retro video game art on display throughout Comic Con, and will host its 2nd annual Super Video Game Land party on Friday, July 10. A long walk (or short Uber ride) north, in Little Italy, is Ballast Point’s excellent tasting room and restaurant (2215 India St.). Stop in at Bottlecraft (2252 India St.) across Homer stays loyal to Duff. from Ballast Point for a pint off its rotating tap list or to pick up some bottles to go. Alternatively, just south of the convention center in Barrio Logan, you will find one of the newest fixtures in the San Diego brewing community, Border X brewing (2181 Logan Ave.). This is only a small sampling of the great beer to be found in San Diego. Between panels of your favorite shows, navigating the congested convention center floor, and snapping selfies with dedicated cosplayers, be sure to make time for some of the finest craft beer in the country. The Beerdist appears every other week. Write to andrewd@sdcitybeat.com.
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UP FRONT | PLACES
BY TOM SIEBERT
ALL THINGS
TECH
You can’t manage disruptive technology
O
ne of the most hallowed but overused and misapplied words in the world of technology is “disruption.” Everybody says they’re looking to embrace the latest “disruptive” technology to change their business. But the bigger the organization, the less that’s true. Most of The Establishment doesn’t really want disruption, because when true disruption occurs, it upsets the balance of economic power and control. If you’re on top, disruption is very scary. That’s because a disruptive innovation or technology, by definition (or Wikipedia’s definition, at least), creates a new market or value network that challenges and often replaces an established market or value network. That’s not very popular when you’re the established market or value network. Or, as one San Diego politician admitted to me in a moment of candor, “We want disruption we can manage.” Of course, “managed disruption” is an oxymoron. When you manage something, you control it. When you control something, it’s not actually being disruptive. Probably the biggest disruptive technology has been the iPod, which nearly single-handedly destroyed the music industry’s stranglehold on consumer consumption of music. Netflix is another, and has done it twice—first destroying rental chains like Blockbuster and its ilk, now taking on the broadcast model of television itself. You don’t have to look far acoss San Diego to find frustrating examples of this. Because, even as the San Diego Padres are now at least available across a much wider variety of cable and satellite television choices, you still can’t stream games if you’re a cord cutter (eschew cable service). It’s no secret that the only thing stemming a mass exodus from the traditional television model is live sports, and the Padres’ MLB agreement with Fox Sports South is just absurd (in a fan-friendly sense) in its draconian limits for 21st century viewership. It’s not fair to single out the Padres and FSS, though. No matter what city you live in, if you cut your cable or satellite service, there is literally no way legally to watch your home baseball team. Unlike the NFL, which requires home games be broadcast on an over-theair channel like CBS or FOX, baseball strikes individual contracts with regional sports networks, which then sign separate contracts with the cable and satellite providers, where the most brutal of blackout rules apply. That means even if you subscribe to MLB.tv, the streaming app that promises you access to every baseball game being played daily, the reality
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is that you’re getting every game but one: The Padres game. There is not even an option to pay extra to see local games. “I don’t know how you can be a Padres fan in San Diego—or a Dodgers fan in L.A., or a Yankees or Mets fan in New York— and cut the cord,” laments Dexter Bustarde, cofounder and editor of Padres blog Gaslamp Ball. Ironically, he notes, “It’s probably harder and more costly to block the game with firewalls and ISP checks,” than it would be if the games were made more widely available. Everybody knows the blackout rule is ridiculous, so nobody likes to talk about it. No one from the Padres would talk to me on the record, and the best I got from MLB.tv was a “We continue to have regular conversations and are hopeful to have a resoANDREW WISEMAN / FLICKR lution soon,” from an affable spokesperson. Don’t count on it. As Bustarde points out, “The sports leagues know who butters their bread, and right now it’s still the cable companies.” The thing is, of course, genuinely disruptive technology doesn’t wait around for the “dinosaur deals,” as Bustarde called them, to either expire or get with the program. There are numerous pieces of cheap or free clandestine software that will mask your location to MLB.tv and allow you to stream Padres games. We don’t necessarily recommend doing that— it’s against the law—but it’s worth mentioning as an emblematic example of truly disruptive technology, and an unsettling harbinger for those legacy businesses that try to harness or control it: You can’t. So it’s gratifying to see an organization like the San Diego International Airport admit that. When I was originally putting this column together, the centerpiece of the article was the absurd situation at our airport, where genuinely disruptive ride-sharing companies Lyft and Uber were still not welcome for arriving fliers. But on July 1, the airport announced it had reached agreeable terms with the two popular mobile application transportation companies, just in time for Comic-Con, when you would think there would be no shortage of connectedgeneration riders looking for a cheaper trip than the confiscatory cabal of taxis that until now maintained a near-monopoly. So two cheers for the San Diego International Airport and an embrace of disruption! Even if it meant I had to disrupt my Fourth of July holiday to make sure I got the facts right. But maybe there’s something appropriately patriotic about that.
July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 13
EVENTS
SHORTlist
ART
the
Three you have to see
COORDINATED BY
KINSEE MORLAN
bring together the different film festivals for a great community event,” says Brian Hu, artistic director of Pacific Arts Movement (Pac-Arts), which organizes the San Diego Asian Film Festival and other film happenings. “And from the very beginning we knew we wanted various film festivals to have a turn to pick a film. All we told them was it needs to be something appropriate to play outdoors in a public park and it should be a film they’re proud of.” Hu and his team (CityBeat film ediBollywood: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told tor Glenn Heath Jr. works for Pac-Arts) asked the Latino Film Festival and the Italian Film Festival to pitch in. Each independently ended up selecting documentaries. Pac-Arts’ pick, Bollywood: The Greatest Love StoThree of San Diego’s film festivals have curated ry Ever Told, a compilation of clips from decades of a collection of international movies, which’ll be Indian cinema, will screen Thursday, July 9. The screened at the outdoor Organ Pavilion in Balboa Latino Film Festival’s contribution, Messi, about one of the world’s best soccer players, will screen Park at 8 p.m. every Thursday through July. The International Film Series is yet another Thursday, July 16. And the Italian festival’s look cool event organized by local artists and arts or- into the history of the world-famous Italian Organizations for Balboa Park’s centennial. As the chestra, The Italian Character, shows Thursday, now-familiar narrative goes, these grassroots ef- July 23. A collection of short films curated by the forts have managed to save the celebration despite three festivals will screen Thursday July 30. “And these aren’t just leftover films we’ve the lack of funding from the city, which burned through millions of dollars on consultants who shown at past festivals,” Hu says. “These are films we specifically chose for this—films that will work came up empty-handed. “Through all the controversies and the whole best at this historic outdoor site. They really are process, we’ve been around as someone who could perfect pairings.”
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WORLDWIDE FILM AL FRESCO
PHOTO BY JOSHUA NEFSY / COURTESY OF HIRSCHL & ADLER
HMeet The Artist: Duke Windsor at Noel Baza Fine Art, 2165 India St., Little Italy. Known for his paintings of urban San Diego’s streets and alleyways, Windsor will showcase and discuss the work he created for Balboa Park’s 100th anniversary. From 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9. 619-876-4160, noel-bazafineart.com HWhat Remains: Debris and Detritus in Fine Art at San Diego Art Institute, Balboa Park. The group exhibition combines the work of both youth and professional artists created during SDAI’s “Dare to Reuse” workshops. Closing reception, artist talks and guided tours from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 10. $5. sandiego-art.org Faith Fleury and Dorothy Wetzler at Graffiti Beach, 2220 Fern St., South Park. The two San Diego-based artists will present their latest texture-rich art pieces and colorful paintings. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 10. 925-285-6261, shopgraffitibeach.com California Hardwoods Gallery Grand Opening at California Hardwoods, 2690 Historic Decatur Rd., Barracks 19, Ste. 101, Point Loma. This new furniture and gallery space will feature woodwork by gallery owner Derick Wyman and nature photography by Dave Ness. Opening from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 10. 530-526-7716 HOMA Exhibition Reception at Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way. The opening reception for all of the museum’s exhibitions including “Art Transports Us Out of Bounds: Prison Arts in San Diego,” “Artist Alliance at the Museum,” “Some Assembly Required” and others. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. $10. 760-435-3720, oma-online.org Full Fusion at Sophie’s Kensington Gallery, 4186 Adams Ave., Kensington. Fused glass artists Debbie Solan, Rick Knight and others will display their latest works. Opening from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 619-593-2205, stmsc.org HWriting with Pictures at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. This multimedia exhibit tells the story of the creation of the picture book with a collection of original work created by local illustrators and writers. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 11. $5$8. 800-988-4253, artcenter.org HOf/About at Thumbprint Gallery, 920 Kline St., #104, La Jolla. The first solo exhibition from local artist Ricardo Ales. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 11. thumbprintgallerysd.com
Kimm Rogers
“Astroland” by Frederick Brosen
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AMERICA AT PLAY
Coney Island gets the highbrow treatment with “Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, 18612008,” opening at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park Saturday, July 11. Locals can see the famous theme park through the eyes of painter Reginald Marsh, photographer Walker Evans, multimedia artist Red Grooms and several others who’ve documented Coney Island from its early-1900s heyday through the twists and turns that kept it culturally significant. In addition to more than 100 pieces on display, a handful of film and sound samples representative of the Coney Island experience will also be playing. Keep your eyes peeled for tons of summer programming focused on this quirky show, including the “Painting on Tap” event at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 30, at Panama 66. $12 general admission.
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CITY SOUNDS
You can argue our city’s standing in the world of music, or just relax and enjoy an evening of “Sounds Like San Diego VII” at the Museum of Making Music (5790 Armada Dr.) in Carlsbad. The artists on tap, all with local connections, include guitarist Greg Douglass (Steve Miller Band, Greg Kihn Band), Lester Abrams (Doobie Brothers co-writer of “Minute by Minute”) and Roni Lee (Runaways co-writer of “I Wanna Be Where The Boys Are”). The lineup, with more artists on tap and some more to be announced, is presented in partnership with Blindspot Records and curated by journalist/musician Bart Mendoza. The concert starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 11. Tickets range from $20-$25; museum members get a 10 percent discount.
HThe Messages Show at Said Space, 766 South Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas. Local action sports and design collective ourCaste presents a show of experimental typography pieces created using an old inkjet printer. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 11. saidspace. com Ray at Night Art Walk along Ray Street. North Park’s monthly art walk returns with open art galleries, food trucks and live music performances by local bands. From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 619-840-1802, rayatnight.com Fearless Four Artists at Dolphin and Hawk Fine Art Gallery, 7742 Herschel Ave., La Jolla. See works by Andrew Edwards, Shawn King, Jan Chobolits and Clayton Ehman. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 858-401-9549, dolphinandhawk.com HGeorge Yepes: A Retropective at Monarch Gallery, 1205 Prospect St., La Jolla. A new solo show from the L.A.-based artist featuring several figurative works including portraits of Frida Kahlo and the Catholic Madonna. RSVP for the reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 11
H = CityBeat picks
by calling 858-454-1231 or emailing info@ monarchfineart.com. Local Color: All Creatures Big and Small at Escondido Municipal Gallery, 262 E. Grand Ave. An annual show where artists show what inhabits their local world. Opening from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 760-480-4101, escondidoarts.org Viva Frida at Chicano Art Gallery, 2117 Logan Ave. #1, Logan Heights. A group exhibition of Frida Kahlo-inspired artwork. Opening from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 619-792-2815, facebook.com/ChicanoArtGallery HVETART Art Show at Helmuth Projects, 1827 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill. The Veterans Art Project showcases multimedia works created by military veterans. Artists include Duane Mathews, Scott Hickey, Michael Brenner Aschen and more. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 619-265-6842, vetart.org Mental Meteorites at jdc Fine Art, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Suite 208, Little Italy. New photography and collage works from Francebased artists Constanza Piaggio and Romain Sein. From noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 619-985-2322, jdcfineart.com HCarnival at Joseph Bellows Gallery, 7661 Girard Ave., La Jolla. New pictures from Sacramento-based photographer Roger Vail, who’s been taking large-scale photographs of carnival rides in full motion since 1970. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 858-456-5620, josephbellows.com HSilver Deposit at R.B. Stevenson Gallery, 7661 Girard Ave., Ste. 201, La Jolla. The third solo exhibition of new work by Los Angeles artist Jimi Gleason, who specializes in alchemical paintings with rigid geometric forms. Opening from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 858-459-3917, rbstevensongallery.com HConey Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, 1861 - 2008 at San Diego Museum of Art, Balboa Park. The first major museum exhibition to explore the lure of this legendary playground. Opening Saturday, July 11, and on view through Oct. 13. Free-$12. 619-232-7931, sdmart.org Circus Art Show at Queen Bee’s, 3925 Ohio St., North Park. This pop-up exhibition will feature circus-inspired works from Mark Bryan, Juan Manuel, Luz Lopez and nearly a dozen others. Opening from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 12. queenbeessd.com Common Ground at Gallery 21, 1770 Village Place, Balboa Park. Works in a wide range of media from 21 Allied Craftsmen artists. Opening from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 12. 619-233-9050, alliedcraftsmen.org Lung Hsiang Exhibit and Sale at San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. Over 40 original Chinese brush paintings. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, July 13. Free-$14. 760436-3036, sdbgarden.org
BOOKS Ladies Literary Tea Adventure: Gina B. Nahai at Westgate Hotel, 1055 Second Ave., Downtown. The bestselling author and Orange Prize finalist will discuss her novel, The Luminous Heart of Jonah S., over tea, sandwiches, sweet pastries, scones and seasonal berries. At 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 11. $40-$57. 619-2381818, adventuresbythebook.com HFreeman Dyson at D.G. Wills Books, 7461 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The Princeton physics professor will sign and discuss Birds and Frogs, a collection of unpublished lectures and papers on many top-
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July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 15
EVENTS ics in science, mathematics, history and politics. At 3 p.m. Sunday, July 12. 858456-1800, dgwillsbooks.com Jerry Swain at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. As part of Warwick’s ongoing Weekend with Locals Program, Swain will sign and discuss Tell Me Something Sweet, a collection of over 150 quotes about chocolate. At noon Sunday, July 12. 858-454-0347, warwicks.indiebound.com
COMIC-CON Gam3rCon at 10th Avenue Theater, 930 10th Ave., Downtown. The annual convention features four floors of gaming entertainment, including a video game arena, tabletop gaming lounge, gaming industry panels, live theater, gaming-
themed artwork and rooftop parties. From 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Wednesday, July 8 through Sunday, July 12. $10-$60. 619920-8503 gam3rcon.com Forbidden Panels Annual Comic-Con Dinner at Gaslamp Strip Club, 340 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Meet the writers, artists and staff of the independent comics publisher while enjoying dinner and conversation. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. 619-231-3140 Gabe Eltaueb’s Second Annual Comic Kickoff Fundraiser at Basic, 410 10th Ave., Downtown. Eltaeb, Todd Nauck, Eddie Nunez, Doug Wheatley and others will be on hand to meet guests while raising funds for the Hero Initiative, a charity dedicated to helping comic book creators in need. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Wednes-
day, July 8. Suggested donation. 619531-8869 Skeletor’s Lair Pop-Up Shop at Super7, 701 8th Ave., Gaslamp. The downtown shop specializing in vinyl toys and apparel will be transformed for ComicCon to display exclusive He-Man and Masters of the Universe items. From 9 p.m. to midnight. Wednesday, July 8. super7store.com Hw00tstock 7.0: A Night of Geeks Music at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Adam Savage, Wil Wheaton and music-comedy duo Paul and Storm celebrate geekdom with music acts, readings, comedy, short films and more. At 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9. $42.50. 619-5701100, sandiegotheatres.org HGreat Royal Marshmallow at Some-
where Loud, 3489 Noell St., Midtown. A Wizard of Oz themed Comic-Con after party featuring DJs, Hell on Heels Burlesque dancing, live art, a PBR-themed art show and a raffle benefitting A.R.T.S. (A Reason To Survive). From 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday, July 9. $22. 619-746-8223, ozparty.us Impractical Jokers Museum of Impractical History at Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts, 363 Fifth Ave., Downtown. This exhibition will feature fan-generated artwork and show artifacts from some of the most legendary moments from the popular TruTV show. From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9 through Saturday, July 11, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, July 12. 619-702-5388, trutv.com/shows/ impractical-jokers Assassin’s Creed Experience at Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade, Harbor Drive, Downtown. Inspired by the video game, attendees can test their assassin skills in a full-size parkour course with obstacles like the “Leap of Faith” from Big Ben, running across a moving train and more. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9 through Sunday, July 12. blog.ubi.com/ san-diego-comic-con-2015/ FX Fearless Arena at Hilton Bayfront, One Park Blvd., Downtown. An interactive “arena” inspired by FX shows like The Strain, American Horror Story and more. The arena will be located on the lawn between Hall H and the Hilton Bayfront hotel. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9 through Saturday, July 11, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 12. fxnetworks.com HSuicideGirls Blackheart Burlesque at House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. The SuicideGirls holds their annual Comic-Con show which features semi-dude ladies stripping off their requisite comic book or pop culture costume. At 11 p.m. Thursday, July 9. $25-$135. 619-299-2583, houseofblues.com/sandiego Geeks Go Glam at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. A nerdy blacktie event featuring live music, a tea party, snacks, a photo booth, dancing and raffles with prizes from your favorite geekchic retailers. From 8 to 11 p.m. Thursday, July 9. $15. 619-236-5800, geeksgoglam.brownpapertickets.com Star Girls at Sevilla Nightclub, 353 5th Ave., Gaslamp. Devils Playground Burlesque performs a Star Wars-themed strip show with a portion of proceeds benefitting local breast cancer charities. At 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9 and Friday, July 10. $60-$75. 619-233-5979, shrsl.com Marked Men 6 Party at Star of India, 1492 North Harbor Drive, Downtown. The pirate-themed party aboard the Star of India features music, belly dancers, fire dance shows and more. From 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, July 10. $75-$125. HChicano-Con at Border X Brewing Tasting Room, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. This art show aims to recreate Latino and Latina super heroes from the past, present and future. This event will include kid-friendly movie showings, comic book giveaways, raffles and food. From 2 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 10. 619-431-0771, borderxbrewing.com Cosplay Circus at Queen Bee’s, 3925 Ohio St., North Park. A cosplay concert featuring a costume contest, circus-type performances and music from The Velveteen Band, Lolita Dark and Adam West the Bat. From 6 p.m. to midnight. Friday, July 10. $10-$15. queenbeessd.com Super Video Game Land at Mission Brewery, 1441 L St., East Village. Local artist Anthony Bulcao celebrates the video games of our past with over 50 works of art. The event will also include video game
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“Implement Series No. 1” by Michael Aschenbrenner is on view in the Veterans Art Program exhibition opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at Helmuth Projects (1827 Fifth Ave.) in Bankers Hill. consoles available for play and classic arcade music. Opening from 6 p.m. to midnight. Friday, July 10. 619-544-0555, missionbrewery.com Superhero Sideshow 2 at O’Reilly Tattoo, 519 Broadway, Gaslamp. This second annual Comic-Con-inspired art show will feature music, drinks and original artwork created by over 40 local tattoo artists, including Todd Smithson, Fip Buchanan and more. Opening from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 10. 619-236-1094, sd-too.com Eddie Nunez at Exclusive Collections Gallery, 568 5th Ave., Downtown. The WildStorm/DC Comics artist stops by for a meet-and-greet and signing. From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 10 and Saturday, July 11. 619-232-1930 Walker Stalker Fan Fest at Petco Park, Park & Imperial, Downtown. A fan festival for all things related to The Walking Dead. Includes panels with cast members, art shows, interactive exhibits, concerts, and more. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, July 10 and Saturday, July 11. $10-$55. walkerstalkerfanfest.com DC Cosplayer Photoshoot at San Diego Convention Center, 111 W Harbor Drive, Downtown. Anyone dressed as a DC universe character is invited to the semi-circle stairs located outside the Convention Center to take a group
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EVENTS photo. From 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 619-525-5000, facebook.com/ events/296122617244425/
mopolitan Hotel and more. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 11. $10-$15. 619491-0099
Super-Heroes, Graphic Novels and Pop Culture at Distinction Gallery and Artist Studios, 317 E. Grand Ave., Escondido. Over 30 ArtHatch studio artists present multi-media works inspired by superheroes and pop culture. Artists include Margaret Chiaro, Robert Barry, Jennifer Anichowski and more. There will also be a costume contest. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 11. 760-7815779, distinctionart.com
HHeroes Brew Fest at The Loma Club, 2960 Truxtun Rd., Point Loma. The annual craft brew fest will feature costume contests, raffles, live music and over 40 breweries pouring samples. Benefits the Warrior Foundation Freedom Station. From 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 11. $20$64. 619-222-4653, heroesbrewfest.com
HMarvel vs. DC at La Bodega Studios and Gallery, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. Nearly 100 artist tributes to iconic comic book characters including Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and more. Also includes live body painting. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 11. facebook. com/bodega619 For more Comic-Con events, turn to page 22.
FOOD AND DRINK HModern Times Second Anniversary at Lomaland Fermentorium, 3725 Greenwood St., Point Loma. Enjoy a crazy lineup of new beers and a few archive gems, plus cold brew coffee. From noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12. $40. moderntimesistwo.bpt.me HTaste of the Past at Old Town Historic Park, 2454 Heritage Park Row, Old Town. This self-guided tour will provide tastings of local dishes that were popular during the mid-1800s. Samples will be provided by Casa De Reyes, Barra Barra, The Cos-
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Bastille Day Dinner at BO-beau Kitchen and Bar, 4996 W. Point Loma Blvd., Ocean Beach. A special threecourse menu featuring French-inspired dishes. From 4:30 to 11 p.m. Sunday, July 12. $39.95. 619-224-2884, cohnrestaurants.com It’s Myne Chocolate Pairing at URBN Street Brewing, 110 S Magnolia Ave., El Cajon. Chef Alex Carballo and chocolatier Lora ‘Lu’ Davis will walk patrons through a tasting of hand-selected craft beer and chocolates. At 1 p.m. Sunday, July 12. $20. 619-328-6922 IPA Week at AleSmith Brewing Company, 9366 Cabot Dr., Miramar. AleSmith celebrates IPA Day (July 14th) with a whole week of specialty IPAs, educational seminars and more. Monday, July 13, through Friday, July 17. Tickets vary. 858-549-9888, alesmith.com
MUSIC Spiros Exaras and Elio Villafranca at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. The guitar and piano duo will present a live jazz performance for the Farrell Family Jazz concert series’ final show. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9. $21-$26. 858-4545872, ljathenaeum.org
HSounds Like San Diego VII at Museum Of Making Music, 5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad. Greg Douglass, Gayle Skidmore, Diana Death and dozens of other performers perform songs written by San Diego hitmakers at this intimate concert. At 7 p.m. Saturday, July 11. $20-$25. 760438-5996, museumofmakingmusic.org Natalie Cressman at Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. Singer, songwriter, and trombonist Natalie Cressman will perform a show with her Brooklyn-based band. At 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. $10-$20. 858-270-7467, dizzysjazz.com Bon Temps Social Club at War Memorial Building, 3325 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park. Attendees can dance along to live zydeco music with Andre Thierry and Zydeco Magic after learning the steps at the start of the event. From 6 to 10:15 p.m. Saturday, July 11. $10. icajunzydeco.com Jazz at the Creek at Market Creek Plaza Amphitheater, 310 Euclid Ave., Lincoln Park. The L.A. Collective AllStar Band, saxophonist J. Boykins, and headliner Chante Moore perform. A portion of ticket proceeds go the San Diego Food Bank’s Food for Kids Backpack Program. From 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. $35-$45. 858-480-1314, jazzatthecreeksd.com Bonita Jazz Band at Temple Beth Shalom of Chula Vista, 208 Madrona St., Chula Vista. Classical jazz and down-toearth folk tunes. From 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, July 12. $15. 858-344-5632, bethshalomtemple.com HGustavo Romero at The Auditorium at TSRI, 10640 John Jay Hopkins Dr., La
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July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 17
EVENTS Jolla. The acclaimed pianist will perform works by Franz Schubert as part of the 17th annual Athenaeum Summer Festival. At 4 p.m. Sunday, July 12. $45$192. 858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org/ summer-festival
Ticket includes admission to the aquarium. From 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 15. $34.95-$38.95. 858-534-FISH, aquarium.ucsd.edu
HAaron David Miller at Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park. The renowned organist and composer plays a concert as part of the Centennial International Summer Organ Festival. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 13. spreckelsorgan.org
SPECIAL EVENTS
Bad Suns and Zella Day at Birch Aquarium, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla. The L.A.-based alt-rock band (Bad Suns) and the singer-songwriter from Arizona play an intimate concert as part of the Green Flash Concert Series.
HChristmas in July Fair at Old Montessori School, 4070 Mission Ave., Oceanside. Over 150 artisan booths will display handcrafted works of art at the 38th annual fair. Includes a food court, beer garden, farmer’s market, rummage sale, carnival rides and more. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12. 760576-4161, christmasinjulyartisans.com
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HVillage Nights Businesses throughout the La Jolla Village area will be open late and offering specials. Participants include Thumbprint Gallery, Jose’s Courtroom, Ease Art of Healing and more. From 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. facebook.com/VillageNightsLaJolla World Championship Over-TheLine-Tournament at Fiesta Island, E. Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. The annual beach game tournament that combines elements of beach baseball, softball and cricket is celebrating its 62nd birthday with more teams, more matches and special permits so fans can BYOB. From 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 11, Sunday, July 12, Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19. ombac.org
North Park Dryden District Walking Tour A 90-minute walking tour of the North Park Dryden Historic District of homes designed by recognized master builders in Craftsman and Spanish Revival styles. Starts at Upas and 28th Street. From 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, July 11. $10. 619231-0131, northparkhistory.org HPluto Fly-by Astronomy Event at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, Balboa Park. Be the first to check out live images beamed back from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, which is scheduled to arrive at Pluto after a nine-and-a-half year journey. From 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 14. $10.95-$16.95. 619-238-1233, rhfleet.org
TALKS AND DISCUSSIONS HCoffee with Kafka at Pan’s Garden, 506 21st St., Sherman Heights. This lecture and discussion on European culture will focus on the language Kafka used in discussing art, religion and culture at large. Includes dramatic readings and a sampling of the culture, cuisine and wines of Bulgaria. From 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 12. $10 suggested donation. 858-2788610, coffeewithkafka.org
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EVENTS DAREN SCOTT
THEATER Intrepid’s Life is a quality production
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*** Just a few months after San Diego Musical Theatre staged the perennial Broadway fave about the Jets and the Sharks and Tony and Maria, Lamb’s Players Theatre is presenting its own West Side Story, and it’s still irresistible. Even if Lamb’s Players’ Tony (Kevin HafsoKoppman) seems too mild for a gang member—perhaps he’s too lovestruck?—this West Side Story contains all the requisite ingredients: top-shelf choreography (by Colleen Kollar Smith); exciting fight scenes (choreographed by Jordan Miller), a crowd-wowing Anita (Michele Alves) and, of course, Leonard Bernstein’s music and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics, which together ensure that this is a show with perpetual staying power. West Side Story runs through July 26 at Lamb’s Players Theatre in Coronado. $32-$82. lambsplayers.org
n D.H. Lawrence’s eloquent Odour of Chrysanthemums, he referred to life as his protagonist’s “immediate master” and death her “ultimate master.” It is so for all of us. Playwright Jane Anderson’s The Quality of Life addresses life and death as well in a contemplative and gripping production from Intrepid Theatre Co. directed by Christy Yael-Cox. Bill and Dinah (Tom Stephenson and Maggie Carney) are a reserved, conservative couple from the Midwest grieving the loss of their beloved daughter to a savage murderer. Still, at brave Maggie’s urging, they travel west on a mission of comfort to visit her free-spirit cousin Jeanette (DeAnna Driscoll) and her husband Neil (Jeffrey Jones), who live in a portable tent because a fire destroyed their home. Worse, Neil is dying of cancer and, to Maggie’s —David L. Coddon and (mostly) Bill’s shock, has decided to end his life on his own terms. Jeanette has a reveal of her own that deeply Theater reviews run weekly. pains Dinah and shakes the religious and self-righteous Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com. Bill to the core. Yet, The Quality of Life dwells less in moral OPENING: polemics and more in exploring love and commitment in the here and now, a proposition so terribly difficult when Many Mansions: A play by Brooke McEldowney about a young athesomething precious is gone…or is about to be. It’s a tender ist in New York finding religion in the least likely of places. Presented by Snark Ascending Productions, it opens July 9 for five performances at piece about sacrifice, with affecting performances, espe- the Blackbox Stage at Ion Theatre in Hillcrest. manymansions.browncially from Jones and Carney. Even its “little” moments, papertickets.com as when Bill discovers the remains of their friends’ family All in the Timing: This collection of four one-act comedies is argupet lost in the fire, can be devastating. ably playwright David Ives’ most famous work. It opens July 10 at Patio The Quality of Life runs through Aug. 2 at the Carlsbad Playhouse in Escondido. patioplayhouse.com Village Theatre. $25-$40. intrepidtheatre.org Sometimes it Snows in Atlanta: The West Coast premiere of Laurinda D. Brown’s drama about three African-American couples ad-
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DeAnna Driscoll and Jeffrey Jones in The Quality of Life. dressing taboo topics within the LGBT community. Presented by Bent Not Broken Inspired, it happens on July 10 and 11 at Diversionary Theatre in Hillcrest. diversionary.org The Music Man: The classic musical about a con-man who charms the townsfolk of River City into starting up a kids’ marching band so he can steal their money. Then things get complicated. Presented by Moonlight Stage Productions, it opens July 15 at the AVO Playhouse in Vista. moonlightstage.com Side By Side By Sondheim: A collection of some of musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim’s greatest hits. Includes songs from Gypsy, West Side Story, Follies and more. It opens in previews July 15 at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org
For full listings, please visit “Theater” at sdcitybeat.com
July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 19
PATRICK YURICK ON MAKINGCOMICS.COM, “HIPSTER PICNIC” AND THE CURSE OF HIS COMIC-STRIP ARM TATTOO BY KINSEE MORLAN
Making Comics Worldwide illustration by Patrick Yurick
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ike most creatives, Yurick has a harsh inner critic that kept him from making his own comic book for years. So what finally gave him the guts to go for it? His experience teaching art to students at High Tech High Chula Vista. “I realized I was teaching kids not to listen to their inner critic, but there I was—I hadn’t actually made a comic because I had been so down on myself,” he says. Yurick launched Hipster Picnic in 2010. The dubbed “zombie dramedy based in post-apocalyptic San Diego” has gone through many iterations, but its current home is as a web comic at hipster-picnic. com. Next, he’ll publish it as a trade paperback. Hipster Picnic focuses on Hawk and Steve, two dudes who also happen to be zombies. The pair faces mundane hipster quandaries juxtaposed with the more surreal issues that come with needing to eat human flesh and inhabiting dead bodies with rotting limbs that fall off without warning. Yurick keeps the blood and gore to a minimum, though, instead focusing on the relationship between the characters and using his real life as inspiration for much of the text (Hawk actually looks a
COMIC-ART EDUCATION FOR ALL!
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veryone should be able to pick up comic-book making by tomorrow. So says Patrick Yurick, the San Diego artist and educator behind MakingComics.com, a project that provides free comicbook-making materials to the masses. “We’re trying to solve big problems with comic-book education,” says Yurick, a former teacher at High Tech High Chula Vista and an idealistic reformer who believes access to art literacy is a basic human right. “We feel a responsibility because our URL gets a lot of hits every day from people searching Google for ‘How do I make comics?’” Still in its infancy, the site is a library of curated links to free, high-quality educational materials. It’s also the home of the Making Comics Gutter Talk podcast. Hosted by South Park resident Adam Greenfield, Gutter Talk features interviews with both big-time and independent comic-book artists who share their real-life stories of how they made it in an industry that seems nearly impossible to break into. “If you can hustle you can make it work,” says Rachel Dukes on the most recent episode of the podcast. Dukes is an independent
HIPSTER ZOMBIES HAVE IT HARD
lot like Yurick and Yurick’s wife consistently complains that the storyline often hits a little too close to home). San Diegans will appreciate Hipster Picnic’s local setting. Early in the comic, Mission Valley, the “evil epicenter of consumerism,” gets demolished. The Hillcrest Farmers Market also makes an appearance when someone from “Sue Zombie’s Farm” pitches Hawk on the benefits of a zombitarian diet and an undead Dr. Seuss makes a quick cameo. Artistically, there are nods to pop painter Roy Lichtenstein and Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson throughout Hipster Picnic’s pages, but especially in recent panels Yurick’s aesthetic seems much more distinctive. “This water-color layout I’ve been working on feels good—it feels interesting to me, consistent and prettier,” Yurick says. “I finally feel like I’ve found a voice and an art style in the last 20 pages—like, it’s me and that’s good.”
PLEASE, DON’T MENTION MY ARM
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Hawk (top) from Hipster Picnic, is an autobiographical characterization of Patrick Yurick, whose comic-arm tattoo is pictured.
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comic-book artist who grew up in San Diego and recently moved to Los Angeles to support her career. The upbeat episode is a good example of how the podcast works to motivate young and up-and-coming artists to keep at the craft. Yurick’s future plans for Making Comics Worldwide, the organization behind the website and podcast, is to get nonprofit status and become a leader in providing free comic-book-making resources in the form of grant-funded workshops, classes, panels and other online and real-world projects. In part, his motivation for launching Making Comics Worldwide came from his experience opening Little Fish Comic Book Studio with Alonso Nuñez in 2012. While Yurick still supports the concept behind the fee-driven Ocean Beach learning center, he was more interested in figuring out how to provide comicart education to those who can’t afford it. Members of the Making Comics crew will be leading an educational “Storytelling in Comics” panel at Comic-Con this year at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at the Convention Center’s Room 8. Yurick says he hopes to gain exposure for the project and hook up with other comic artists who share his goal of lifting the curtain on the comic craft. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” he says.
ou don’t need to mention my arm,” Yurick says. “Seriously, you really don’t have to.” In 2013, the artist purchased a Groupon for a tattoo. He agonized over what to get and ultimately settled on a simple, blank four-panel comic strip. The plan was to draw a new comic on his arm every day and document it on his website, myarmthecomic.com. Yurick’s creative tattoo project caught the attention of another blog, Noah Scalin’s Make Something 365. Once posted there, the story went viral. “I was on the radio in South Africa, they published an article about me in the Netherlands and
A page from Hipster Picnic in which character Steve McGuin joins the Zombie Army
all this stuff,” Yurick says of the resulting wave of media attention that included stories in CNET Magazine and The Huffington Post. “But it just started to have this tone of ‘the freak of the week,’ and it got to be—on an artistic level—like, I don’t want this to be the thing I’m known for, so I eventually just stopped doing it.” Now Yurick has a tattoo that most people assume is unfinished. His wife makes fun of him every time he has to explain the story to a stranger who asks. “Now I’m stuck trying to get my less famous artwork and projects to be more famous than my stupid tattoo,” he says with a sigh. “But I do see it as a cool token of past creativity.”
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July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 21
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A mural by Hugo Crosthwaite on view at “Word Balloons” at SDSU Downtown Gallery.
omic-Con is certainly great, but getting a badge for the annual nerd mecca has become somewhat of a “promise us your first born”-type undertaking. One thing that’s been great about Con becoming such a coveted destination is there are now plenty of geeky destinations and events that don’t require patrons to show their passes. True fanboys should have already bought tickets to Nerd HQ ’15 (thenerdmachine.com) at the New Children’s
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Museum (200 W Island Ave.) which features geeky activities and “Conversations With a Cause” with celebs like Joss Whedon, Guillermo Del Toro and “The Dude” himself, Jeff Bridges. The National Geographic Channel is also hosting Nerd Nite on Friday from 7 to 10:30 p.m. at SILO in Makers Quarter (753 15th St.) in East Village. This event has free food, drinks, trivia and, more importantly, actual nerdy things like lectures on topics ranging from “The Science of Jurassic World” to “Making a Living in Taxidermy.”
If you want to get a glimpse of some homegrown comic talent, the “Word Balloons” exhibition is opening on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the San Diego State University Downtown Gallery (725 W Broadway) and features comic book-inspired illustrations from SDSU faculty, alumni and students. Same with “Randall Christopher: The Modern World” at Chrome Digital (2345 Kettner Blvd.) in Little Italy. Opening on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., it features new works from the local comic artist behind titles like Kleenan and Mike and Bear and Fox. O’Reilly Tattoo (519 Broadway) is hosting Superhero Sideshow 2 from 6 to 11 p.m. on Friday and showcases dozens of local tattoo artists’ comic-inspired art (sd-too.com). Mike Hess Brewing in North Park (3812 Grim Ave.) will have a ComicArt show up throughout the weekend that features comic and cartoon art from dozens of local artists. It opens on Wednesday night from 6 to 10 p.m. (artbykami.com). “Comic Conga” at the Centro Cultural de la Raza (2004 Park Blvd.) in Balboa Park on Friday from 6 to midnight includes art from both sides of the border, as well as live music, food, poetry and interactive activities (centroculturaldelaraza.com). And, be sure to stop by the Central Library (330 Park Blvd.) for its first gallery exhibition, “The Art of Comic-Con” (sandiego.gov/publiclibrary). Chuck Jones Gallery (232 5th Ave.) always has a full docket of events during Con week. There will be art shows throughout the week and weekend that feature Loony Tunes, Mortal Kombat and Star Wars works. But save the date work by Randall Christopher
stinkin’ badges CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
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July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 23
stinkin’ badges CONTINUED from PAGE 22 for Saturday at 7 p.m. when William Shatner stops by to promote his new graphic novel, Man O’War. Hold out hope he’ll yell, “Connnn!” at some point in the evening. facebook.com/ChuckJonesGallery Those into music may want to check out the San Diego Symphony Summer Pops offerings at Embarcadero Marina Park South (200 Marina Park Way). While it’s hard to imagine the target demographic that’ll show up for the Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions concert on Thursday, it could be cool to see the Symphony provide the score to classic Pikachu battles. Still, we’re holding out for the Star Trek: Into Darkness screening on Saturday with, again, the symphony providing the score to the film. Trekkies are divided on Into Darkness so it’ll be entertaining to see if there’s any popcorn throwing or Vulcan ear pulling (sandiegosymphony.org). Another music option is the annual w00tstock: A Night of Geeks + Music concert on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre (868 4th Ave.), but it certainly isn’t limited to music. Celebs like Adam Savage, Wil Wheaton, Alton Brown and the duo Paul & Storm perform a concert that also incorporates short films, comedy and tons of audience participation. You don’t have to actually attend Con to drool over pretty women cosplaying characters we suspect they know nothing about. On Thursday, SuicideGirls holds their annual Blackheart Burlesque show at the House of Blues (1055 5th Ave.) which features semi-nude ladies stripping off their requisite comic book or pop culture costume (blackheartburlesque.com). The American Comedy Co. (818 6th Ave.) will be holding a more low-key burlesque event the same night at 8 p.m. called Comic Strip that’ll feature cosplay ladies in between sets from local comics. americancomedyco.com
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Speaking of comedy, don’t be too sad if you didn’t score tix to the Conan show tapings. There are other stand-up options (pun intended) if tickets haven’t already sold out by the time you read this. Pete Holmes will be doing a live recording of his podcast, You Made it Weird, on Thursday at American Comedy Co. Fellow podcaster Chris Hardwick (The Nerdist) will have a solo show on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre (868 4th Ave.), and there are live tapings of The Nerdist on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. that will see Hardwick interviewing Ben Kingsley, Peter Capaldi of Dr. Who and Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams. Also on Friday at the Balboa Theatre, geek favorite Bo Burnham will do a set at 10:30 p.m. (sandiegotheatres.org). The Nerdist will also be holding their annual Nerdist Conival on July 9-12 at Petco Park (100 Park Blvd.). There’s laser tag tourneys, gaming stations and Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls will provide the arts & crafts booths. There will also be on-stage interviews from dozens of celebs including Michael Ian Black, Daniel Radcliffe and the casts of Workaholics and Orphan Black. Bonus: it’s all free. nerdist.com Those into haunted-house-type events have a couple options this year. At Petco Park on Friday and Saturday, The Walking Dead Escape (thewalkingdeadescape.com) provides fans of the AMC show the opportunity to walk (or run) through a zombie-filled gauntlet. There’s also a $75
SuicideGirls Blackheart Burlesque “Walker” package that includes a zombie makeup makeover. The Great Room Escape (424 Market St.) will be open the entire week. It also has a zombie theme, but centers more on problem-solving and working with a team to escape a haunted laboratory (greatroomescapesandiego.com). Oh, and if come Sunday, at the end of all this madness, you’re leaving Con with a bunch of unwanted freebie comics or you just want to get rid of Chuck Austen’s entire run on Uncanny X-Men, you can donate them at the True Hero Comic Book Drive at the Hard Rock Cafe (801 4th Ave.) where the chain restaurant will be shipping all donated books to Marines fighting overseas. hardrock.com And if this list isn’t enough for you, there are literally hundreds of other options on sdccblog.com, sanfis.org and outsidecomiccon.com.
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Culture | Art
Seen Local
com/sdcagallery) took up a quarter of the space and included a lending library and a retail space. The first exhibition, which is on view through the end of the year, is devoted to the art of Kevin Eastman, one of the co-creators of the Teenage Mutant from page to wall Ninja Turtles. It includes original art and paned Adams didn’t sweat it when he was inels from TMNT’s beginnings as a comic in the ’80s, formed that, in order to move his comic book company into a large office inside NTC at Lib- as well as a permanent replica of Eastman’s studio erty Station’s art district, the company would have to adorned with Ninja Turtle paraphernalia from floor to ceiling. include an art component open to the public. For Adams, the Eastman show is just phase one of “We could have accomplished that just by having the new space. He’s hired former Library of Congress our art up on the walls and letting people walk through curator Harry Katz as the gallery’s curator and wants the offices,” says to get started on an Alyssa Lucca / Prizma Media Adams, CEO and artist-in-residence publisher at Idea program where inand Design Works ternational comic (IDW) Publishing. artists would use “It certainly could part of the gallery have been accomas their studio. plished that way, Adams says he but we really did isn’t sure what the start thinking about next exhibition it from a ‘Well, this will be, but IDW is our chance to give has a wide range back to the commuThe grand opening of San Diego Comic Art Gallery of characters to nity’ perspective and it felt like a good opportunity to show the public choose from since they have ongoing partnerships with everyone from the Cartoon Network and Haswhat comics are all about and how they’re made.” Co-founded by Adams in 1999 in a small office bro to Disney and Archie books. “For us, we’re never going to try to do a show to in Pacific Beach, IDW has since become the fourthtry to sell books,” says Adams. “It’s very much about largest comic book publisher in the U.S. At first, Adams says the gallery was only going to take up a small what will look cool and get people excited about to come to look at the art.” area of IDW’s new facility, but when it opened in wanting June, the San Diego Comic Art Gallery (facebook. —Seth Combs
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one man’s trash
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atthew Mahoney’s been putting in long hours as the San Diego Art Institute’s a r t i s t- i n - re s i dence. The exotic fruits of his labor can be seen in two otherworldly sculptural installations on view in “What Remains: Debris and Detritus in Fine Art,” a group exhibition showing through Sunday, July 12. Mahoney masterfully creates strange, somewhat mischievous scenes with his surrealistic sculptures. Made from cardboard, bits of Fun Noodle, plastic wrap, crepe paper and other unexpected, mostly upcycled materials, Mahoney uses things that remind him of the Southern California landscape. Those items aren’t as pliable or wellbehaved as more traditional sculptural mediums, but look close and you’ll see the impressive detail he achieves—specifically, the twisting thread in his mystical creatures’ hands and feet. The 26-year-old artist recently graduated with his master of fine arts from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Those familiar with his work from his undergraduate time at Point Loma Nazarene University—a collection of his crude, duct-tape-andcardboard fish sculptures, for example, hung from the ceiling of the now-closed Sea Rocket Bistro for years—will notice a substantial evolution of his style.
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“Going to RISD, I sort of tapped into this practice of fly-tying I’d grown up doing and started working smaller,” the artist says, squatting down to point out three gorgeous ghost orchids he made with tissue paper, thread and epoxy resin. “Then the smaller works influenced the larger works.” The larger sculptures kinsee morlan aren’t quite as refined as the smaller work, but the way Mahoney exposes the hodgepodge of raw materials he’s using is part of the point. “I didn’t want to hide anything here,” Mahoney says. “I want the processes to be transparent and really evident.” Mahoney and other artists featured in “What Remains” will talk about their Matthew Mahoney work in the show from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 10, at the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park. Other exhibition highlights include the melted VHS tapes reformed into sculptures by Jason Sherry, the hanging used-clothing sculpture by Dia Bassett and the striking 30-by-14-foot installation made of repurposed books by Joshua Krause. “When making this work, I imagined myself a future caveman who discovered a highly abundant and possibly valuable resource in old books,” Krause writes in an email. “As the information inside held no meaning, the colors and texture of the covers and paper tapped into the primal desire to express, create and communicate.” —Kinsee Morlan
July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 25
CULTURE | FILM
Citizen soldiers New documentary looks at political vigilantism in the modern age Cartel Land
by Glenn Heath Jr.
tion, locals attempt to help, wielding machetes and clubs. Hollywood couldn’t make this shit up. Loved by both his followers and the townspeople ityBeat’s film section doubles down on documentary this week, so naturally there won’t he seeks to liberate, Mireles wears a cowboy hat and be much in the way of sunshine and rainbows. a bulletproof vest while speaking to crowds—a Latino The blinding effervescent glow of Magic Mike XXL John Wayne of his own making. His charisma and presence lends Autodefensa a type of righteousness despite could only last so long. A lot of nonfiction films are downers, and right- their brutal military tactics. As Cartel Land progresses, fully so. They address important subject matter out factions within the group prove themselves to be just of a sense of urgency and activism, pummeling the as power hungry and corrupt as the drug lords they viewer with facts, reenactments, talking heads in- are fighting to eradicate. This dynamic produces a palterviews and voice-over narration to incite a reac- pable and fascinating tension that Heineman doesn’t tion. Simply labeling them “relevant” doesn’t really always know how to coherently harness. By juxtaposing both the American and Mexican address their worth. Cinematic style, structure and equivalents of citizen soldiers, Cartel Land explores pacing separate the wheat from the chaff. Cartel Land, the latest in a long line of recent films to how the brutalized can become the aggressors after address the impact of narco violence, has an eye for vi- being subjugated to longstanding oppression. It’s not just the occupation of land but sual drama yet suffers from narraalso the psychological framework tive imbalance. It tries to illuminate CARTEL LAND of a community that has caused layers of injustice, corruption and such desperation. We see the iminstitutional decay on both sides of Directed by Matthew Heineman pact of this scenario throughout the U.S.- Mexico border, but obviStarring Tim “Nailer” Foley the time Heineman spends with ously favors one of these narratives and Dr. Jose Mireles the soldiers and leaders of Autoover the other. This eventually bedefensa. Rated R comes a damning flaw. It’s clear why Heineman Filmmaker Matthew Heinegravitates toward the complex man first introduces Tim “Nailer” Foley as he traverses the desert stalking “scouts” and potentially damning story of Mireles and his that work for the Mexican cartels. A recovering ad- men over the whiny ramblings of Foley, whose pain dict who lost his construction job to migrants, Foley and anguish never feels more than a performance. leads a small militia group named Arizona Border The former turns out to be far less noble than origiRecon who has now vowed to fight back against the nally thought, and the latter hints at being far more infringing presence of organized crime in the region. complex than his screen time suggests. But since He waxes not so eloquently about the dangers of im- the scales are tipped so drastically in Mireles’ favor, migration and the failures of border security, trying Cartel Land fails to convey the thematic duality it so to explain why his particular brand of rhetoric differs desperately wants to achieve. We are left with a mishmash of intriguing threads. from any other right-wing gun enthusiast. The depth of his story doesn’t go much further beyond streotype. Mexico is once again painted as nation let down by Heineman quickly cuts south to the rural Mexi- the fallibility of its leaders. America, on the other can state of Michoacán, where another vigilante hand, is represented by a reactionary group of selfgroup called Autodefensa led by a local surgeon described rebels with very little on their minds. For named Dr. Jose Manuel Mireles has begun a grass- all its visceral cinematography and intense sound deroots offensive against cartel strongholds in the sur- sign, Cartel Land, which opens Friday, July 10, can’t rounding region. Unlike Nailor’s pseudo-infantry, overcome this messy and uneven structure. these men are seen engaging in firefights with their Film reviews run weekly. opponents on the streets with the camera embedded Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com. for maximum dramatic impact. Inspired by the ac-
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Justice upside down
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ocumentaries don’t come more straightforward than A Murder in the Park. It’s so stylistically rote one might confuse it for an extended episode of Nightline. In a paint-by-numbers opening montage, directors Christopher S. Rech and Brandon A Murder in the Park Kimber provide archival footage
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documenting the release of convicted killer and death row inmate Anthony Porter, who spent nearly two decades behind bars. In 1999, Porter’s conviction for double homicide was overturned thanks to the investigative work of a Northwestern professor named David Protess and his journalism students. Another man named Alstory Simon was quickly convicted of the crime.
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CULTURE | FILM A Murder in the Park breaks down this seemingly simple narrative to reveal a more sinister and corrupt one just beneath the surface. Through interviews with the police detectives responsible for the initial investigation, lawyers for Simon, and Chicago area journalists, the filmmakers begin to expose Protess and his cohorts for evidence tampering, obstruction of justice and coercion. Much of the material is ripe for consideration, yet the filmmakers display little belief in the art of subtlety. Every moment is suffocated by the drama of revelation. The innocence of Simon and guilt of Porter are essentially confirmed early on, leaving little room for nuance in a story that contains multiple perspectives worthy of consideration. What’s lost in this convoluted procedural are the families of the two victims, Marilyn Green and Jerry Hillard, both young black teenagers gunned down in the shadowy confines of the Washington Park swimming pool in 1982. Also of little interest to the filmmakers is the pervasive and destructive nature of black-onblack violence in Chicago. Examining both could have made the film revelatory. Instead, A Murder in the Park, which opens Friday, July 10, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park, is unforgivably onedimensional.
—Glenn Heath, Jr.
OPENING 10.000 Km: A couple living in Barcelona decide to separate for a year so that one can pursue an artist’s residency in Los Angeles, not fully understanding the power of physical separation in our technological age. Screens through Thursday, July 16, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. A Murder in the Park: A death row inmate convicted of a double murder in 1982 is released thanks to the efforts of a journalism teacher and his students, but their efforts are quickly called into question once inconsistencies arise. Screens through Thursday, July 16, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. Amy: This behind-the-scenes documentary explores the tragic fall of singer Amy Winehouse, who died in September of 2011 of alcohol poisoning. Cartel Land: Vigilante groups on both sides of the Mexico/US border attempt to fend off the advancing menace of the cartel. Felt: A woman suffering from the aftermath of a sexual trauma begins creating costumed alter egos that allow her to reclaim power in a male-dominated society. Screens through Thursday, July 16, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. Jimmy’s Hall: An exiled Irishman returns home during the Great Depression and re-opens the music hall that got him deported a decade before. Opens on Friday, July 10 at Arclight La Jolla.
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Minions: Those cute, yellow what’s-its from Despicable Me get their own movies, because why not. Self/Less: Ben Kingley plays an extremely wealthy man dying of cancer who undergoes an experimental procedure so that he can live again as a younger man (in the body of Ryan Reynolds). The Gallows: Teenagers go trespassing where they shouldn’t and become the victims of a ghost who haunts their local school gymnasium. Just another found footage horror film, people. Nothing to see here.
ONE TIME ONLY: 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 Star 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. The Princess Bride: Come get your meta on with the self-reflexive story of a beautiful princess in need of some serious saving. Screens at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, at The Headquarters in Seaport Village. Pulp Fiction: Quentin Tarantino’s brazen and ballsy collection of intertwining stories set the stage for countless rip-offs and references. Screens at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 9 and 10, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills. Bollywood: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told: An epic collection of Bollywood’s greatest songs and dancing sequences, presented by Pacific Arts Movement and San Diego Asian Film Festival. This free event screens at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at the Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. In the Realms of the Unreal: A documentary look at the art of Henry Darger, who was also a janitor and novelist. Screens at 6 p.m. Friday, July 10, at the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park. Jaws: I think we’re going to need a bigger boat. Screens at 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 10, at Harbor Island Drive Park. The Night of the Shooting Stars: A group of Italian townsfolk flee their small town during the end of WWII as they anticipate a clash between the Nazis and Allied forces. Screens at 7 p.m. Friday, July 10, at the Hotel Lafayette in North Park. American Graffiti: George Lucas’ great debut follows a couple of high school grads that spend one last night cruising around town in their hot rods. Screens at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12 at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills. Two Faces of January: An American couple (Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst) meet a sexy stranger (Oscar Isaac) while traveling in Greece. Screens at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at the Point Loma / Hervey Branch Public Library. Marilyn Monroe: Declassified: The famous film actress who died tragically at a young age is portrayed as the key in a series of conspiracy theories involving the Kennedys and more luminaries of the 1960s in this revealing documentary presented by the San Diego Jewish Film Festival. Screens at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at the David and Dorothea Garfield Theater in La Jolla. Sherlock Holmes: John Barrymore plays the iconic sleuth in this 1922 silent mystery about a young prince who is wrongly accused of a vicious crime. Screens at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at the Adobe Chapel Museum in Old Town.
Chimes at Midnight: Orson Welles as Falstaff. The end. Screens at 7 p.m. Monday, July 13, at The Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. Web Junkie: In China, addiction to the web is considered a clinical disorder. This documentary explores the ways in which it is treated. Screens at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 12, at the San Diego Central Library in East Village. Pipe Dream: When you’re a lonely plumber, it’s never a good idea to pose as a film director to meet women. Screens at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, at The Point Loma / Hervey Branch Public Library. Notorious: Cary Grant convinces Ingrid Bergman to spy on her Nazi friends while in South America in Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece of espionage and intrigue. Screens at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, at the Scripps Ranch Public Library. The 40-Year-Old Virgin: Steve Carell finally gets laid. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.
NOW PLAYING 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. 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. 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). 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. 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.
For a complete listing of movies, please see
“Film Screenings” at
sdcitybeat.com under the “E vents” tab.
July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 27
Katy Johnson
U
pon entering Soft Lions’ stuffy Mission Valley rehearsal space, it’s hard not to notice the Dollar Tree kitten calendar on the wall. Sure, there are tons of musical equipment, including a vintage electric Wurlitzer piano that drummer Jon Bonser restored and that keyboardist Lex Pratt plays in the band. There’s symmetry between the three members of the band, and one could argue that it’s the cat calendar that’s the most telling. “We always wanted the name of the band to be about cats,” says Pratt. “First we wanted the name to be Indoor Kids or Indoor Cats. We looked it up and there was a band called Indoor Kids with an album called Indoor Cats. It was insane.” “It was so rude of them,” jokes singer and guitarist Megan Liscomb. “I felt personally attacked.” It’s refreshing to meet a band that’s unpretentious enough to admit that they all just really love cats. Fortunately, this predilection hasn’t extended into their music. OK, well, they did end up naming the band after a line from one of Liscomb’s lyrics about being “soft as lions,” but really, the obsession stops there. The music they have made over three EPs in two years—harmonized psychrock with a touch of indie-soul and blues—has made them one of the bands to watch in the local scene. “I feel like everything we’ve done in this band has happened very fast,” says Bonser. “We’ve only been together two years and so much has happened in just the last year and a half.” Bonser is correct in that the band’s trajectory does seem sped up compared to most local bands that slog away for years before getting noticed or perfecting their sound. While Soft Lions’ music does seem stylistically scattered at times (more on that later), there’s a chemistry—both onstage and off—that makes the songs both catchy and nuanced. It wasn’t always this way. Liscomb was playing in blues-rock project Boy King when she said she started
28 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
From left: Megan Liscomb, Jon Bonser and Lex Pratt. “lurking” Bonser on Facebook after seeing him play a few shows with his band The New Kinetics. Bonser admits that the initial rehearsals with Liscomb were a little awkward and that they mostly “just stared at each other,” but they knew that there was something there. Enter Pratt, who Liscomb knew from modeling shows they’d done together and had been the singer and synth player in Marco Polo. “There’s no bass player so having another piece of rhythm other than the drums was good for everybody,” says Pratt. “For Megan and I, our voices complemented each other’s so naturally.” The band found that chemistry and their first EP, No Peace, was a stripped-down, lo-fi outing that certainly has the hallmarks of a band trying to find their sound. Released a year ago, Earth Energy, was a much more bluesy affair, with Liscomb’s voice resembling singers such as Erika Wennerstrom of the Heartless Bastards or Patti Smith backed by the Black Keys. Spellbreaker, their latest EP, is a much more varied set of songs, although much of its sound is rooted in the ’60s and ’70s. “Waitress” is a paisley-coated rave-up with a punk-rock heart. “Thx 4 the Sanctuary” takes the ubiquitous “Be My Baby” drum intro and combines it with a surf-rock guitar lick and keyboards straight out of a Centurions song. “Someone asked me what was one of our biggest struggles in the music scene and I said fitting into a particular category or genre,” says Pratt. “We just started describing it as ‘post-riot grrrl.’” What’s most striking about the songs on Spellbreaker, and what makes the “post-riot grrrl” description so apt, is Liscomb’s development as a frontwoman. Her singing is much clearer and more nuanced, and her maturity as a songwriter shines particularly bright on “Waitress” and
album closer “Phantom.” There’s a stark vulnerability in the EP’s four songs, with Liscomb recounting failed relationships and a troubled past more directly than she had in previous songs. “A lot of the material is about stuff that I was going through 10 years ago that started bubbling up again,” says Liscomb. “When I was a lot younger, I was in a weird and destructive relationship and I was trying to come to terms with that head on, which I hadn’t really done before.” The new EP will also be the band’s first for tastemaking indie label Velvet Blue Music, which, it could be argued, launched the careers of bands such as Menomena, Birds & Batteries and Viva Voce. The label has also been successful in getting its artists’ music on dozens of TV shows over the years, including American Horror Story, Degrassi, Homeland and even American Idol. “It’s probably one of the biggest reasons we wanted to get involved with a label is that kind of stuff,” says Bonser, noticing Liscomb whispering something to Pratt. “I whispered Pretty Little Liars,” admits Liscomb, laughing and confessing that the ABC Family drama series would be the preferred show for their music. Even if their music never makes it on Pretty Little Liars, Liscomb says she has found two fellow cat lovers that she’d like to play music with for as long as possible. “Even at our first show, a ton of people showed up, but I wasn’t scared or nervous like I had been with other bands,” says Liscomb, who looks at Bonser and then to Pratt. “I don’t know. I just feel really confident with these guys. I always have.” To hear a track, go to sdcitybeat.com and search for “Soft Lions”
#SDCityBeat
Music
notes from the smoking patio Locals Only
E
d Ghost Tucker is now The Lulls. The local group, formerly a quartet, was faced with a dilemma earlier this year when keyboardist Michaela Wilson moved to San Luis Obispo. While bass player Cameron Wilson, guitarist Rutger Rosenborg and drummer Ryan Miller planned to continue playing music together, they had to ask themselves whether they wanted to continue using the Ed Ghost Tucker name. “From an artistic standpoint, when does a name stop defining what it once defined?” Rosenborg asks, in a phone interview from Portland, in between tour dates (their first shows as The Lulls). “We had to decide if we were going to continue with Ed Ghost Tucker or if ... this is an opportunity to start new, start fresh.” Ultimately the trio decided not just to stop using the name, but to make a completely fresh start. Ed Ghost Tucker’s songs, which prominently featured Michaela Wilson’s keyboards and vocals, are being phased out, and after the second and final Ed Ghost Tucker EP is released later this year, will no longer be a part of the band’s live show. “We’re done with those songs,” Cameron Wilson says. “The new sound is much more open. Ed Ghost Tucker had a lot of focus on different parts. There
Michaela Wilson, second from left, left Ed Ghost Tucker earlier this year. were a lot of things going on—it was like putting puzzle pieces together.” On Aug. 1, The Lulls will play their first show in San Diego at Soda Bar, and the band also plans to release their first music as The Lulls that day. And while one chapter of the band is coming to an end, Rosenborg emphasizes that there are no plans for the three of them to stop making music together. “Just because Ed Ghost Tucker is done, doesn’t mean we’ve stopped making music, or will stop,” he says. “We’ll just keep remaking ourselves into whatever is best for everyone.” —Jeff Terich
A GUIDE TO LIVE MUSIC DURING COMIC-CON
T
he week of Comic-Con brings all kinds of festivities throughout the city that cater to fans of comics, scifi, fantasy and horror, and these themed events also spill over into live music. From nerdy happenings in bars and clubs on up to blockbuster symphony performances, with some comedy in between, there’s lots happening for those seeking out a Comic-Con serenade. On July 9, masked ska superheroes The Aquabats will perform their annual show at House of Blues, which is also hosting Suicide Girls Blackheart Burlesque the same night, should the positive poppunk of The Aquabats prove a little too wholesome. The San Diego Symphony is orchestrating more sounds of video game scores this year, with a performance of The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses on July 11 at Copley Symphony Hall. And the same night, at Embarcadero Marina Park South, the symphony’s summer pops will perform the score to Star Trek Into Darkness, with a costume contest for those who show up early. What’s the rock ‘n’ roll equivalent of cosplay?
#SDCityBeat
Cover bands, of course. And on Wednesday, July 8, Hey! Ho! Let’s Go! will don their leather jackets and take on the celebrated punk rock catalog of The Ramones. But if there’s one genre that seems to be synonymous with fantasy and horror, it’s metal, and Brick by Brick is hosting a record release show from death metal goregrind icons Cattle Decapitation, who share the stage with Author & Punisher, whose own drone machines look like something straight out of a sci-fi flick. If you prefer stand-up comics to those with colored inkand-paint panels, then camp out at The Observatory North Park, which will host Comedy Bang! Bang! on Thursday, July 9, Tim Heidecker and Neil Hamburger on Friday, July 10, and Hannibal Burress and Eric Andre on SatThe Aquabats urday, July 11. But if you’re simply looking for a special series of shows not too far from downtown, then head up to The Hideout in City Heights for a sure-to-be-packed show by cholo-goth duo Prayers on Friday, July 10, and a DJ set by Los Angeles funkster Dam-Funk on Saturday, July 11.
—Jeff Terich
Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com
July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 29
Music
Jeff Terich
If I were u A music insider’s weekly agenda
Wednesday, July 8
fuzz-pop sound close to TV on the Radio’s. Even on paper that looks like a formula PLAN A: Monarch, Detonated, Raise for great music, but trust me, it’ll be better the Guns, Red Wizard @ Brick by Brick. when you hear it. I don’t know how San Diego County produced not one but two bands named Monarch, but this is the thrash metal band from Friday, July 10 Vista, not the more psychedelic one from PLAN A: Open Mike Eagle, Preacher vs. Encinitas. Confusing, I know, but come on Choir, Nikki and the Mongoloid, LNC down and bang your head, and you’ll forget Generik & Anek, Kaus & Emphasize, Sighphur One @ Til-Two Club. If you all about it. slept on Open Mike Eagle’s 2014 album Dark Comedy, go back and listen to the L.A. Thursday, July 9 rapper’s surreal and often hilarious hipPLAN A: TV Girl, Novelty Daughter @ hop jams (“Doug Stamper,” featuring HanLegend Records. Sample-heavy indie pop nibal Burress, is incredible). He’ll be joined duo TV Girl ditched San Diego for Los An- by a grip of local rappers, so this looks like geles a while ago, but at least they’re mak- it’ll be the hip-hop happening of the week. ing it up to us by coming back every now PLAN B: Son Lux, Olga Bell @ The Casand then for a live show. And it’s an all-ages bah. Last year, Son Lux scored the film The show, so you can bring your niece or little Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, but most brother. PLAN B: Landlady, Longclaws, of the time Ryan Lott focuses his efforts Island Boy @ The Casbah. Landlady’s on making intricate, electronic pop with Adam Schatz has a throaty voice not unlike hypnotic, minimalist-inspired elements. Future Islands’ Sam Herring, and a dreamy
30 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
It’s wonderful stuff. BACKUP PLAN: Octagrape, Danny and the Darleans, The Kabbs @ Tower Bar.
wave and experimental realms on various releases. They’ve got a deep catalog, so this should be a fun one.
Saturday, July 11
Monday, July 13
PLAN A: Cattle Decapitation, Author & Punisher, Noctuary, Mortuus Terror @ Brick by Brick. Cattle Decapitation have been holding it down for death metal in San Diego for a long time, and this release show for new album The Anthropocene Extinction should be a bruiser. Get there early for Author & Punisher, whose album Melk en Honing is one of my favorites of the year. PLAN B: Dam-Funk (DJ set), Cookie Crew @ The Hideout. L.A. synth-funk maestro Dam-Funk is returning later this year to do a live set at The Casbah, but before that happens, he’s making a trip down to San Diego for Comic-Con week to spin some jams at The Hideout. And I’d bet it’ll still be adequately funky. BACKUP PLAN: Cherry Glazerr, No Parents, The Buttertones @ The Irenic.
PLAN A: Chrome, Homeless Sexuals @ The Casbah. San Francisco’s Chrome were one of the weirdest, noisiest bands of the post-punk era. And by that, I mean they were awesome. Their 1979 record Half Machine Lip Moves is a good starting point for those who want to dive into their discordant, proto-industrial punk. PLAN B: Memory Tapes, Computer Magic, School Dance @ Soda Bar. Memory Tapes’ catalog isn’t necessarily all that consistent, but when they’re on, they’re on—like on 2009 debut Seek Magic. They make catchy, irresistible synth-pop with big melodies, and that’s a formula for success in my book.
PLAN A: Cayucas, Hibou @ The Casbah. Cayucas’ music is summery by design, and considering how hot and gross it’s been, you’ll need something this refreshing.
Sunday, July 12 PLAN A: Trans Am, Sleeping People, Life Coach, CBot and the Paperwork @ The Casbah. Trans Am started out as a post-rock band, but since their debut, they’ve spread out into electronic, new
Tuesday, July 14
Open Mike Eagle
#SDCityBeat
#SDCityBeat
July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 31
Music
Concerts HOT! NEW! FRESH!
Circuit des Yeux (Seven Grand, 8/15), Marshall Tucker Band (BUT, 9/3), ‘Awesome Fest’ (Soda Bar, 9/4-6), Mobb Deep (Observatory, 9/16), Kevin Hart (Viejas Arena, 9/19), Legendary Shack Shakers (Casbah, 9/22), Aterciopelados (HOB, 10/1), Parkway Drive (HOB, 10/29), Fortunate Youth (BUT, 11/7).
GET YER TICKETS Built to Spill (BUT, 7/17), 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), Nicki Minaj (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 8/13), Raekwon and Ghostface Killah (HOB, 8/16), Metz (Casbah, 8/19), The Drums (Irenic, 8/20), Savages (Casbah, 8/23), Melvins (Casbah, 8/27), Miguel (Observatory, 9/1), Dam-Funk (Casbah, 9/4), 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), 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), Xavier Rudd and the United Nations (Observatory, 10/8), 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), The Black Lips, Ariel Pink (Observatory, 10/18), My Morning Jacket (Open Air Theatre, 10/19), Eagles of Death Metal (BUT, 10/21), Mudhoney (Casbah, 10/24), Natalie Prass (Soda Bar, 10/24), Gerard Way (HOB, 10/24), The Neighbourhood (HOB, 10/27), 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), The Fall of Troy, Kylesa (Irenic, 11/10), Desaparecidos (BUT, 11/11), Yo La Tengo (Observatory, 11/12), Squeeze (HOB, 11/15), John Waters (Observatory, 11/30).
July Wednesday, July 8 Veruca Salt at Soda Bar (sold out). 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 (sold out).
Monday, July 13 Keb’Mo’ at Belly Up Tavern. Memory Tapes at Soda Bar. Chrome at The Casbah.
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. The Wallflowers at Del Mar Racetrack.
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.
32 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
Thursday, July 23 The Adolescents at Belly Up Tavern. Soul Asylum, Meat Puppets at House of Blues.
Friday, July 24 Katchafire at Belly Up Tavern. Eukaryst at Soda Bar. Bongripper at Brick by Brick. The Wailers at Del Mar Racetrack.
Saturday, July 25 The Lonely Biscuits at Soda Bar. Iration at Open Air Theatre. Pokey Lafarge at The Casbah. The Offspring at Del Mar Racetrack.
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. Crystal Method at Del Mar Racetrack.
rCLUBSr
710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach. 710bc.com. Wed: Open mic. Thu: Karaoke. Fri: Twisted Relatives, Psydecar, Kng Mkr. Sat: The Broken Stems, KI, Belmont Lights. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: DJ Royale. 98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, Little Italy. 98bottlessd.com. Sat: Gilbert Castellanos. American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave, Downtown. americancomedyco.com. Wed: Doug Loves Movies. Thu: Comic Strip: Comedy & Burlesque. Thu: You Made it Weird Podcast. Sun: Full Throttle Comedy.
#SDCityBeat
Music Bang Bang, 526 Market St, Downtown. facebook.com/BangBangSanDiego. Wed: Wooden Wisdom. Thu: DJ Uncle Blazer. Fri: Jody Wisternoff. Sat: Kittens. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St, North Park. barpink.com. Wed: Taurus Authority. Thu: The Husky Boy All-Stars. Fri: Little Dove, Gloomsday, Foreign Bodies. Sat: The Milkcrates DJs. Sun: The Rosalyns, Cochinas Locas. Mon: ‘Wreckord Mania’ w/ DJ @Large. Tue: The Fink Bombs. Basic, 410 10th Ave, Downtown. barbasic.com. Wed: Gabe Eltaueb’s Second Annual Comic Kickoff Fundraiser. Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave, Downtown. bassmntsd.com. Fri: Rain Man. Sat: Thomas Gold. Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla. brocktonvilla.com/beaumonts.html. Thu: Daryl Johnson. Fri: The John Stanley King Band. Sat: Slower. Sun: Kayla Hope. Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach. bellyup.com. Wed: The Rough Riders. Thu: Michael Tiernan, Lee Coulter, Dawn Mitschele. Fri: Pato Banton, So Cal Vibes, DJ Carlos Culture. Sat: Pine Mountain Logs. Sun: Keb’ Mo (sold out). Mon: Keb’ Mo. 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
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Park. brickbybrick.com. Wed: Monarch, Detonated, Raise the Guns, Red Wizard. Thu: Tiger/Swan, Condor, Cold Craft. Fri: Wovenwar, Secrets, Heartist, Hell or Highwater, A New Challenger Approaches. Sat: Cattle Decapitation, Author and Punisher, Noctuary, Mortuus Terror. Sun: Repaid In Blood, In Death, Vile Creations. Tue: Wednesday 13, Holy Grail, Death Division, Chamber Sixx. Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave, Downtown. cafesevilla.com. Wed: Aro Di Santi. Thu: Malamana. Fri: Joef and Co. Sat: Malamana. Sun: Aire. Mon: Bruno and Friends. Tue: Gio Trio. Croce’s Park West, 2760 Fifth Ave., #100, Bankers Hill. crocesparkwest.com. Wed: Nina Francis and Leonard Patton. Thu: Steph Johnson Trio. Fri: Big Time Operator. Sat: Eve Selis. Sun: Afrojazziacs. Mon: Mark Fisher. Tue: Charlie Arbelaez. Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. dirksniteclub.com. Fri: Nemesis. Sat: DJ Kool T. Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. dizzyssandiego.com. Sat: Natalie Cressman. F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown, Downtown. f6ixsd.com. Thu: DJ Carisma. Fri: Rell. Sat: DJ Rebel. Sun: DJ Kurch. Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave, Downtown. fluxxsd.com. Thu: ‘Comic Con After Party’ w/ Ron English. Fri: ‘Cinephile Party’ w/ Adam Savage. Sat: Sid Vicious. Sun: Trey Songz. Gallagher’s, 5040 Newport Ave, Ocean Beach. 619-222-5303. Wed: Ciarrai. Thu: Revival, TRC Soundsystem. Fri: The Wild Side Band. Sat: Vibes Up Strong. Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave, Downtown. henryspub.com. Wed: AOK Musik. Thu: DJ Junior the Disco Punk. Fri: ‘Good
Times’. Mon: DJ Antonio Aguilera. Tue: Big City Dawgs. House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave, Downtown. houseofblues.com/sandiego. Wed: Brian Posehn. Wed: Brian Posehn. Thu: SuicideGirls Blackheart Burlesque. Thu: The Aquabats. Fri: Maldita Vecindad. Sat: ‘Hollywood Babble-On’ w/ Kevin Smith, Ralph Garman. Sun: Bon Qui Qui. Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. kavalounge.com. Wed: ‘Massive’. Thu: ‘Progress’. Fri: DH Crew. Sat: ‘Simpler Times’. Sun: ‘Fully Patched’. Tue: ‘High Tech Tuesday’. Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave, Coronado. mcpspub.com. Wed: Goodall Boys. Thu: The Sophisticats. Fri: The Manic Bros. Sat: Ron’s Garage. Sun: Gonzology. Mon: Gene Warren. Tue: Tone Cooking. Numbers, 3811 Park Blvd, Hillcrest. numberssd.com/. Thu: ‘Wet’. Fri: ‘Uncut’. Sat: ‘Club Sabbat’. Onyx Room / Thin, 852 Fifth Ave, Downtown. onyxroom.com. Thu: ‘Tea Party Thursday’. Fri: ‘Rumba Lounge’. Sat: ‘Onyx Saturday’. Patricks Gaslamp, 428 F St, Downtown. patricksii.com. Wed: The Upshots. Thu: Walter Gentry. Fri: Rosy Dawn. Sat: RedWave. Sun: Walter Gentry. Mon: Rosy Dawn. Tue: Paddy’s Chicken Jam. Queen Bee’s, 3925 Ohio St, North Park. queenbeessd.com. Fri: Cosplay Circus. Sat: North Park Town Hall Meeting. Sun: Circus Art Show. Rich’s, 1051 University Ave, Hillcrest. richssandiego.com. Wed: DJ Kiki. Thu: DJ Moniq. Fri: DJs Dirty Kurty, Moody Rudy. Sat: DJs Taj, K-Swift. Sun: DJ Hektik.
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July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 33
Music Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave, La Mesa. rivierasupperclub.com. Wed: Westside Inflection. Thu: Daniel Schraer. Fri: The Narrows. Sat: Flipside Burners. Tue: Karaoke. Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave, North Park. sevengrandbars.com/sd. Wed: Gilbert Castellanos jazz jam. Fri: Astronauts Etc., Island Boy. Mon: ‘Makossa Monday’ w/ DJ Tah Rei. Sevilla Nightclub, 353 5th Ave, Gaslamp. sandiego.sevillanightclub.com. Thu: Star Girls. Fri: Star Girls. Side Bar, 536 Market St, Downtown. sidebarsd.com. Wed: Epic Twelve. Thu: Vince Delano. Fri: DJ Fingaz. Sat: DJ Kaos. Sun: DJ Kurch. Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. sodabarmusic.com. Wed: Veruca Salt, Talk in Tongues (sold out). Thu: Spirit Family Reunion, Wild Reeds. Fri: Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas, Kera and the Lesbians, The New Kinetics. Sat: Porcelain Raft, Swim Team, Sundrop Electric. Sun: Go Betty Go, The Touchies, Plane Without a Pilot. Mon: Memory Tapes, Computer Magic, School Dance. Tue: Ice Hockey, In Viridian. SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd, Midway. somasandiego.com. Sat: Sacred Cow, Dona Nova, No Rest Till Green, Essex Class, Electromagnetic. Somewhere Loud, 3489 Noell St, Midtown. somewhereloud.com. Thu: Great Royal Marshmallow. Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave, Normal Heights. sycamoreden.com. Thu: Scott Mathiasen and the Shifty Eyed Dogs, AK. Sun: The Big Decisions. The Balboa, 1863 Fifth Ave, Bankers Hill. 619-955-8525. Fri: South Dakota Dump-
34 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
ster Puppies, OK At Best. Sat: Mothlight, Technicolor Hearts. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Rd, Spring Valley. 619-469-2337. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: ‘Club 80s’. Fri: Never Pass Go, Cuarto Menguante, Strangely Strange, Reckless Disregard. Sat: Corpse Medicine, Encryptions in Black, Scarry Garry and The Diety Girls. Sun: Comedy night. Tue: Peace Be Still, ArtMonk. The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. casbahmusic.com. Wed: Dopapod, Vokab Kompany. Thu: Landlady, Longclaws, Island Boy. Fri: Son Lux, Olga Bell. Sat: Mr. Tube and The Flying Objects, Schitzophonics, Madly, Badabing. Sun: Trans Am, Sleeping People, Life Coach, CBOT And The Paperwork. Mon: CHROME, Homeless Sexuals. Tue: Cayucas, Hibou. The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. thehideoutsd.com. Thu: Nite Lapse, Adeumazel, Eskimo Brothers DJs. Fri: Prayers, MXMS, Mystery Cave. Sat: Dam-Funk, Cookie Crew. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave, Hillcrest. theMerrow.com. Wed: Hey Ho Let’s Go!, Wild Omen, Whiterward. Thu: Porter and Los Hollywood. Fri: Dead Feather Moon, Jeremiah Red, Spero. Tue: The Lexicons, Niantic, Honeybee Jackson, Johnny Deadly Trio. The Office, 3936 30th St, North Park. officebarinc.com. Wed: ‘Friends Chill’. Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King. Fri: ‘After Hours’ w/ DJs Kid Wonder, Saul Q. Sun: ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ w/ Tribe of Kings. Mon: Cosmonauts, Subtropics, Shark Blood, DJ Mike Delgado. The Tin Roof, 401 G Street, Gaslamp. tinroofbars.com/Home/SanDiego. Wed: Pat Hilton and The Mann. Thu: The Chris Gethard Show Live. Thu: Still Ill, Old Or-
der. Fri: Betamaxx Band. Sat: The Jonathan Lee Band. Sun: ‘Jazz Brunch’ w/ Normandie Wilson Duo. Mon: Comeback Kings. Tue: Bossa Lounge Project, John Hull Band. Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. tiltwoclub.com. Fri: Open Mike Eagle, Preacher vs. Choir, Nikki and the Mongoloid, LNC Generik and Anek, Kaus and Emphasize, Sighphur One. Sat: Spindrift, Amerikan Bear. Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St, Bay Park. tioleos.com. Wed: Cantina Renegades. Thu: Blue Largo. Fri: Sully Sullivan Band. Sat: Detroit Underground. Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave, City Heights. thetowerbar.com. Wed: ‘The Ratt’s Revenge’ w/ DJs Mikey Ratt, Tiki Thomas. Thu: The Bertos, Robot (Re) Pair. Fri: Octagrape, Danny and the Darleans, The Kabbs. Sat: Strangely Strange, Twitching Fingers, Rotten Scoundrels, Sculpins, Wet Brain. Sun: Leggy, Beach Goons. Tue: Rum Rebellion. Ux31, 3112 University Ave, North Park. u31bar.com. Wed: DJ Mo Lyon. Thu: ‘Throwback Thursday’. Fri: Lee Churchill. Sat: Kid Wonder. Sun: Devastators. Mon: Kid Wonder. Tue: Karaoke. Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, South Park. whistlestopbar.com. Wed: Luscious Noise. Thu: ‘Recommended Dosage’. Fri: Billy Midnight. Sat: ‘Booty Bassment’. Sun: ‘Pearls Before Swine Time’ w/ DJ Sasha. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St, Ocean Beach. winstonsob.com. Wed: SM Familia, Aflora, KNG MKR, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: The Higgs. Fri: Stranger, Bad Neighborz. Sat: Rasun and The Struggle, Big Mountain (Unplugged), Ocelot, Reeform, Piracy Conspiracy, SOWFLO. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Wasteband.
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#SDCityBeat
July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 35
Last Words
Brendan Emmett Quigley
ONE STEP FORWARD Across 1. Hurl oath after oath 5. Fill with disgust 11. Org. with wands 14. Huge in scope, cast, and CGI expenses, likely 15. British singer-songwriter McKay 16. Inept sort 17. MMA playlist? 19. Barn bird 20. Totally smitten 21. Body part shown off in a thong 22. Store whose products sound either like death metal bands or Tolkein elvish words 23. Basic idea 24. Zen riddle about a curving trajectory? 26. High card 28. In shape 29. Sport played in a monk’s garb? 34. Holiday Inn rival 37. Unaccounted for on base 38. Flash flood 40. Jump on the ice 41. Universal ___ 43. Untimely accident from a 180-degree turn? 45. Sailor’s reply 46. Just make (out) 47. Grizzly at a press conference? 52. Horned mountain dweller 56. ___ track (rap track intended to insult) 57. World Series of Poker star Elezra 58. Lunatic ex, say 60. Approved 61. Clogs things up with Friskies? Last week’s answers
36 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
63. “___ pal and help me here” 64. Tiger’s cousin 65. “One more thing ...” 66. “Just pick one” 67. Beat out, as grain 68. Tuchus
Down 1. Get a better deal on the mortgage 2. Making a mockery of 3. Romcom that won seven Razzies 4. Old Toyota compacts 5. Stake for a hand 6. Pricing word 7. “Theaetetus” philosopher 8. Metal-processing biggie 9. Make a comparison (to) 10. “___ Fleurs du Mal” (Baudelaire poetry collection) 11. Stiffed Lyft, say 12. Lumberjack, often 13. OneDayPay insurance company 18. Recess classic that requires an extensive knowledge of shows 22. Polite interruption 24. Outfielder Matt of the Padres 25. Obama’s community building grp. 27. Attorney’s job 29. RelayRides rental 30. Have a lot of interest? 31. Redbook rival 32. Insurer of London 33. Seine makeup 34. Stink to high heaven 35. Room with a beer cooler and an HDTV 36. “Solve for x” subj. 39. Piece of cake? 42. Drink served in pouches 44. Religious rationalist 47. Big name in burritos 48. Singer whose fans are called “Claymates” 49. Summer destination 50. Big name in glue 51. Seat selection if you want legroom 53. Overwhelmingly 54. Paris school 55. Native South Africans 58. Way to go? 59. Renuzit target 61. Scribble (down) 62. NYSE listings
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July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 37
38 · San Diego CityBeat · July 8, 2015
#SDCityBeat
#SDCityBeat
July 8, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 39