San Diego CityBeat • Aug 28, 2013

information P.6 queer P.19 passion P.22 Niblett P.26

2 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

‘Carry that vision forward’ “I have a lot of supporters out there. I apologize—I apologize to all of you. I think I let you down. We had a chance to do a progressive vision in this city for the first time in 50 years. As I’ll say later, we need you to carry that vision forward. This is not the time to let it die. I apologize to all of you.”

That was soon-to-be-former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner during the rational opening moments of what would quickly become a bizarre, completely irrational resignation speech last Friday during a special meeting of the City Council. It started so heartbreakingly well, Filner becoming choked up as he momentarily took responsibility for his bad behavior before throwing the thing in reverse and blaming everyone else.

Ever-so-briefly, he turned to the people seated in the council chambers who believed in him, voted for him and stood by him in the face of an onslaught of charges, by female employees, constituents and associates, of sexual harassment and unwanted sexual come-ons. Despite his fervent supporters’ claims of overblown hysteria, conspiracy and lynch-mobbery, Filner looked at them and said he was responsible for their loss. He was the reason their progressive vision had lost the champion who’d finally made it to the Mayor’s office.

But Filner was so wrong throughout the rest of his speech, painfully out of touch and in extreme denial. He started by saying it was all his fault, but then he flipped a crazy U-turn and said that while he has some problems, his enemies exploited them and used them to do him in. Suddenly, it wasn’t his fault; it was someone else’s fault. He ultimately gave voice to, and put his stamp of approval on, his defenders’ claims of status-quo conspiracy, effectively telling them it’s OK to continue to be angry at other people.

He was so right in those first few seemingly clearheaded but apparently not-so-sincere moments: It was his fault—and only his fault. As we move now toward a special election, those folks who prioritize political ideology over basic human decency will likely compare the candidates with the idea of their fallen hero. And we understand that. They’re looking at the viable replacements and they’re not seeing any liberals who’ll favor the

interests of the lower and middle classes over the influential status-quo types who insist upon, say, building unnecessary, obtrusive bridges and parking structures in the city’s iconic urban park and earmarking hotel-room taxes for the marketing of private, big-money businesses while basic services are left wanting.

But here’s the thing: Filner essentially rendered himself unacceptable as the mayor of San Diego, ineligible to continue to lead the city because of his inability to treat people with dignity and respect. If people believe Filner was their only hope for the future, they have much bigger problems.

David Rolland With Toni Atkins and Christine Kehoe declaring themselves out of the race and, most unfortunately, Donna Frye not interested in running, liberal voters are likely left with Nathan Fletcher or Todd Gloria, who might not be the perfect shining embodiment of progressive populism, but they’ll damn well be better for the city than Kevin Faulconer, Ron Roberts or Carl DeMaio.

As Filner told his supporters, we need to carry forward the vision of a progressive future. FilBob Filner ner himself is done—and, with his penchant for being a colossal asshole and an extreme narcissist, he likely would have been done after one term even if his hideous behavior toward women had stayed on the downlow. Fletcher and Gloria, if the latter decides to run, will need constant reminders that they are seeking to represent and lead a San Diego that chose a neighborhood-oriented, middle-class-focused platform over phony taxpayer-populism that caters only to industry lobbyists and demonizes those who advocate on behalf of lower-wage working people.

We endorsed Filner last year, but not because we thought he was perfect. He wasn’t. He was horribly flawed. But he was the best choice offered. In November, we’ll be offered another choice. We’ll need to show up and make the best choice, again among a selection of less-than-perfect candidates. Looking forward, let’s hope that groups like the San Diego Leadership Alliance can generate options that are better than Filner.

Repeat after us: He. Was. Not. The. Guy. What do you think? Write to editor@sdcitybeat.com.

This issue of CityBeat is self-serving, with several glaring omissions.

Our cover art is by Brad Neal.

Read about him on Page 20.

Volume 12 • Issue 3 Editor David Rolland Associate Editor Kelly Davis Music Editor Jeff Terich Staff Writers Alex Zaragoza, Joshua Emerson Smith Web Editor Ryan Bradford Art director Lindsey Voltoline Columnists Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb

Contributors Ian Cheesman, David L. Coddon, Seth Combs, Jeff “Turbo” Corrigan, Katrina Dodson, Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Dave Maass, Jenny Montgomery, Kinsee Morlan, Mina Riazi, Jim Ruland, Jen Van Tieghem, Quan Vu Interns Connie Thai Production Manager Tristan Whitehouse Production artist Rees Withrow MultiMedia Advertising Director Paulina Porter-Tapia Senior account executives Jason Noble, Nick Nappi

Advertising Account Executive Beau Odom director of marketing Chad Boyer Circulation / Office Assistant Elizabeth Shipton Vice President of Finance Michael Nagami Human Resources Andrea Baker Accounting Alysia Chavez, Linda Lam, Monica MacCree Vice President of Operations David Comden Publisher Kevin Hellman

Advertising inquiries Interested in advertising?

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Editorial and Advertising Office 3047 University Ave., Suite 202 San Diego, CA 92104 Phone: 619-281-7526 Fax: 619-281-5273 www.sdcitybeat.com

San Diego CityBeat is published and distributed every Wednesday by Southland Publishing Inc., free of charge but limited to one per reader. Reproduction of any material in this or any other issue is prohibited without written permission from the publisher and the author. Contents copyright 2013.

4 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

Too many movies Regarding Edwin Decker’s July 24 “Sordid Tales” column about the George Zimmerman verdict: Brave article. Opinion pieces should shake things up. I wanted to turn the page when I read the headline of your piece. I felt a visceral Ugh. But your opinion, it turns out, is painfully true. We’ve watched too many movies, we Americans. I think the Constitution has been rewritten by the Coen Bros.

Lisa Wright, Temecula

Good for Alex!

Alex Zaragoza’s July 31 “There She Goz” column was great! I like your style. I was going to send you a fan letter after she wrote about body image and her nudemodeling experience, but now I’ve got another reason, as well.

Pairing Bob Filner and teenage fashion—well done. My mother and I have both recently experienced Bob in action. The man has a limp, soft handshake that adds to his creep factor.

What people aren’t asking is where did he learn this behavior? Who said it was OK to behave this way? Same goes for young women. The less we as a society talk about sex and all its subtopics, the more we will regress. I grew up in the 1970s era of feminism, and I totally agree with Zaragoza’s point of view and worry, having noticed men haven’t advanced much at all.

Secondly, I’ve been a life model for 25 years and am pleased that the Art Department allowed her the opportunity to pose nude. I could talk at length on the subject, but I just wanted to say, “Good for Alex!” She’s a good writer, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Ginger Rosser, Point Loma

Ciclos traffic Regarding your Aug. 14 editorial about the CicloSDias bicycling event held on Aug. 11: Obviously the event was refreshing and a lot of fun for participants. However, as a longtime resident of South Park, I must point out a serious error in the execution of the event: It appears to me that the people who planned the route don’t live in the area, at least not in that part of San Diego. Ve-

hicle traffic that needed to cross through the car-free route had only three places where doing so was permitted: Landis Street at Grim Avenue, 30th Street at Redwood Street and 30th Street at Broadway. Because a large area of North Park, South Park and Golden Hill along the route is boxed in by freeways to the south and east and the golf course on the west, the lack of vehicle crossings caused some serious traffic issues.

A driver wanting to get from the 3000 block of Juniper Street to the 2900 block of Juniper had to cross 30th at Redwood then drive all the way around the golf course (Pershing Drive and either Golf Course Drive or A Street).

There are no side streets that directly connect 2900 Juniper to 2900 Redwood. East of that point, there are no side streets that connect 3000 Juniper to 3000 Broadway because of a canyon. If there had been a provision to cross 30th at either Juniper or Grape Street, this problem could have been avoided.

Another option would have been to have the northern part of the route bend to the west and end up in Morley Field rather than east to Cherokee Point Elementary School. The Landis Street bridge over Interstate 805 is an important route of ingress and egress for thousands of residents. It should not have been part of the event.

The CicloSDias organizers did not solicit input from area residents before the event; nor have they provided any obvious means of giving this kind of constructive feedback. I have passed my concerns on to Councilmember Todd Gloria. I hope the word gets to the CicloSDias organizers. A few changes to traffic control or the route could make a future even go more smoothly.

Thanks for providing a place for me to voice my concern.

David R. Voth, South Park

‘Wondrous words’ I don’t know what this Ed Decker guy’s problem is, but the loss (temporary or not) of his column is our gain if we get Aaryn Belfer in exchange. You need to do whatever it takes to keep this woman’s wondrous words flowing forever. She’s the bee’s knees.

Jean Loring, La Jolla

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

David Rolland

meeting and copies of internal emails on specified topics.

The city’s own guidebook on public-records requests states, “By law, the City’s business is the people’s businesses and the people have the right to access information that will allow them to be informed on or influence the affairs of their City government.”

However, City Hall’s transparency issues have not only affected Joe Public; they’ve significantly impacted the legislative branch of San Diego’s government. For example, City Council President Todd Gloria said he’s been trying in vain to get information regarding the potential hiring of city lobbyists for more than eight months.

“None has been provided, yet we hear anecdotally that people are being interviewed, maybe contracts have been drafted,” he said. “None of that has been given to the City Council.”

A culture of secrecy is nothing new at City Hall, Frye said. “It is not just a Bob Filner issue. It has been going on as long as I can remember.”

In 2004, Frye obtained, through a records request of her own, a sewer-rate study that showed the city had been knowingly charging homeowners a disproportionate share of water-treatment costs compared with local businesses.

Once the news went public, the city was forced to modify the fee schedule.

Information became even harder to come by in 2006, when the city first implemented the so-called “strong mayor” form of government, Frye said. The new structure removed the mayor from the legislative body to act as the chief executive overseeing all municipal departments.

In happier times, Bob Filner and Donna Frye appeared together in March to unveil a new “If you did not support the mayor’s vision or the things open-government website that, through no fault of Frye, failed to deliver. they wanted to do, they would put you through hell trying to get even basic information,” she said.

Environmental attorney Cory Briggs, who’s successfully sued the city multiple times to get public records, agreed that transparency issues got worse with Filner but didn’t “My ability to implement what I believed was a shared start with him.

Government-transparency advocates vision did not happen because I couldn’t stay working “It’s a culture,” he said. “All of these people pay lip serlook past Filner to a new era there anymore, and because I don’t believe it was a shared vice to it and are happy to keep you in the dark when it’s vision,” Frye said. “I think it was something that was way their pet project. If everything these people are doing is so good for the public, they should be bragging about these more important to me than it was to Bob Filner.”

by Joshua Emerson Smith In “unusual circumstances,” such as when the process public documents.”

When San Diego Mayor Bob Filner hired former City of procuring documents is time-consuming or they need With Filner stepping down on Friday, Gloria will take Councilmember Donna Frye last December to be the city’s to be reviewed by a lawyer for possible redaction, the re- over as acting mayor for roughly five months before voters first-ever director of open government, activists, journal- sponse date can be extended by another 14 days, according choose a new mayor. One of his first actions, he said, will be ists and other interested members of the public excitedly to the PRA. However, the reasons for the extension and the to clear the “backlog” of public-information requests. anticipated a new era of government transparency.

“A part of the healing process that we need to go through date by which a determination is expected must be includAfter all, the newly elected mayor came to power preach- ed in a written notice. as a city is about reestablishing trust with the public, and ing reform and delivering convincing populist rhetoric. As Over recent months, in response to numerous records one of the primary ways to do that is by being transparent,” proof of his commitment, he showcased Frye, who’d vocif- requests, CityBeat has more often than not received no- he said. erously and passionately fought for more than a decade to tices of extension from the city with no explanation and For all the past troubles, there’s hope on the horizon. An better inform the public about what its city was up to. vague timelines for compliance. At the same time, the city effort is underway to create a new paradigm under which “It was a really exciting time,” Frye, who’s also the has repeatedly ignored our written requests asking for jus- requests for information are less necessary. president of Californians Aware, a nonprofit established to tifications concerning what have Eric Busboom, founder and promote open government, said this week. “My vision was become routine extensions. director of the San Diego Regionto make it easier for the public to get documents to which al Data Library—which started The city is “too busy” to ex“If everything these people are they were entitled, to post information online and to do plain why it needs extensions in January as a vehicle to help doing is so good for the public, that in a way that was understandable and accessible.” civic groups better understand for every public-records request, they should be bragging about It would have been hard to predict what followed. Be- said Lea Fields-Bernard, the the region and its issues through sides the allegations of sexual harassment and other de- city’s program coordinator for the use of data—said that the these public documents.” meaning behavior toward women that led to the mayor’s Public Records Act requests, durmajority of the City Council, —Cory Briggs departure, effective Friday, Aug. 30, government transpar- ing an in-person meeting. particularly Sherri Lightner and ency under Filner suffered profoundly.

Mark Kersey, is “gung-ho” about This disregard for the state’s Under the California Public Records Act (PRA), the city public-records law is “very undeveloping a robust open-govtypically has 10 days to determine if documents requested usual,” said Terry Francke, general counsel for Califor- ernment website where the public can go for all manner by citizens are publicly disclosable and turn them over. nians Aware. “They are writing into the Public Records Act of municipal documents.

Under Filner, the city responded to public-records re- a local amendment that says that they have no real commit“They’re definitely interested in going down that quests within 10 days only 50 percent of the time, accord- ment to meeting the state-law requirement of a substantive path,” Busboom said. “They’re just taking it kind of slow, ing to the most recently available city documents. That’s response within 10 days.” partly because they want to assess the cost through the a precipitous drop from 2012, when, under Mayor Jerry Most open-government advocates will tell you that ac- IBA”—the city’s Independent Budget Analyst. “That proSanders, the city responded within 10 days roughly 83 per- cess to public documents is one of the most crucial parts of cess is going slowly, but it’s not broken or stonewalled. It’s cent of the time. having an informed electorate. Information requests can in- actually going quite well.”

When it came to dealing with such requests for public clude crime statistics, salaries of public employees, planning transparency CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 information, Frye said she had “absolutely no authority.” documents, calendars that show with whom politicians are

Open the gates!

6 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

hits from the blog from facebook

ICYMI when we posted it online…

Penis-straw photographer unsheathed On Facebook, his interests include politics— and pranks.

His Twitter bio, until recently, touted his role as a “former GOP operative.” A deputy press secretary in the nation’s capitol for a congressional small-business committee, he was once employed by former San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio while serving as president of the SDSU College Republicans.

Meet Jeff Leieritz, the Aztec alum behind the blurred face—an eyewitness has confirmed to CityBeat—in a photograph taken at the recent Las Vegas bachelorette party of mayoral press secretary Lená Lewis as she sipped from a penisshaped straw. The photo launched spears of derision at local TV station 10News for publishing it in one of the more contrived stories in this season of political low-ball journalism targeting outgoing Mayor Bob Filner.

“Photo shows Mayor Filner’s press secretary sipping on straw shaped like male genitalia,” the Aug. 20 online headline blared. “One of Mayor Bob Filner’s staff members is also under scrutiny,” the story teasingly began under a photo of Lewis and an obscured male who appears to be snapping the picture. The alleged news hook seemed to be the suggestion that Lewis was not available for comment as the mayoral recall formally got under

way two weekends ago.

Social media exploded after 10News decided to run the photograph, with accompanying fingerwagging from RepubliJeff Leieritz can-leaning political analyst John Dadian.

“She is somebody who is the public face for the mayor,” 10News quoted Dadian as saying. “You quite honestly have to have a higher standard. She should know better.” “[D]umbest news story. Ever,” declared former DeMaio staffer Jeff Powell. “Whoever took the pic,” an online comment suggested, “should get kicked in the nuts.” Sara Libby, managing editor at Voice of San Diego, was so incensed by the story that she penned a counter-strike, proudly recounting her own recent bachelorette-party exploits.

“All the lack of news value in the world doesn’t seem to matter when there’s some good old-fashioned slut-shaming to cheer on,” Libby wrote sarcastically.

Inspired, CityBeat set out to identify the unnamed photographer. A 10News employee, meanwhile, was busy telling people behind the scenes that any con-

blog CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

spin cycle

john r.

lamb Step aside, ladies “A hypocrite is the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree, then mount the stump and make a speech for conservation.”

—Adlai Stephenson The rich and powerful in San Diego who have despised departing Mayor Bob Filner seemingly since he sported diapers are making no secret that lady-frettin’ time is over. Getting back to gift-wrapping pet projects for the wealthy is the new (read: old) focus du jour.

Now, Spin isn’t saying San Diego’s become a seething cauldron of hypocrisy and feigned outrage so that a few fat-cat elderberries can heap yet more booty into their already-bursting valises.

Or—is Spin?

Our entertaining little corner of the world has witnessed more jockeying in the last few days than Del Mar has seen

John R. Lamb

all pony season. We’ve been whipped into such numbness by endless calls for “healing,” “unity” and other such self-help-book blather from armchair mayors that it appears they think we all need therapy.

But do these folks really care about our collective well-being, or are they simply opportunists trying to grab the brass ring of power for themselves?

Before we go stomping all over the few good things that emerged from the nearly nine-month saga that was the Filner Era, let’s take a deep breath, get centered and— just for fun!—figure out where we stand.

The local GOP chairman’s call for unity: Did you catch it? Yeah, it sped by like a shooting star, but there was a brief time in the social-media world when the county’s psychotically partisan Republican Party chairman, Tony Krvaric, appeared to be channeling Dr. Phil.

Aug. 20, early in the recall drive to oust Filner, seemed a particularly rich day for Kumbaya Krvaric.

“Thank God there are plenty of regular San Diegans whose focus is the #Filner recall and NOT on playing games or speculating who may benefit,” the chairman tweeted.

But in an email only days later to his Republican flock, Krvaric sounded more like the bombastic partisan hack we’ve all grown to love and ridicule.

“So Bob Filner is GONE! Good riddance!” the chairman who would make Joe McCarthy proud starts off in the Aug. 23 missive.

8 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

“We have a MASSIVE opportunity to win the mayor’s race as Republicans. DO NOT LET ANYONE TELL YOU ANY DIFFERENT. This electorate will be the EXACT OPPOSITE of the one that showed up in November of last year. San Diego is desperate for steady, pragmatic and fiscally prudent Republican leadership.”

Krvaric then proceeds to alert his disciples that it would please him mightily “if we can all unite behind ONE Republican.” He said efforts were under way to make that a reality (queue the “thanks but no thanks, wannabe mayor Kevin Faulconer” music).

“If it can’t be done, it can’t be done, but we must try,” he wrote. “This isn’t about personalities or whose turn it is but about winning the mayor’s seat, period.”

(Note to populace: Next time Krvaric tells you he’s concerned about the plight of women in the workplace or calls for nonpartisan unity for a better tomorrow, keep in mind what Krvaric said: Winning is everything.)

He then devotes a paragraph to the man he loves to hate most, former Republicanturned-independent-now-Democrat Nathan Fletcher, who’s already thrown his marathon visor into the burgeoning mayor’s race.

“Nathan Fletcher is an unprincipled politician who will say, do and promise ANY-

Tony Krvaric’s back in his comfort zone.

THING to get elected,” Krvaric grumbled.

“It’s really pathetic to watch a man sell out like that. He is now a registered Democrat who toes the union line. Rest assured we will expose him for the political shape shifter that he is.”

The problem with that statement is, it’s nowhere apparent that Fletcher will be labor’s pick, at least initially. In fact, there’s some speculation that local labor leaders are seeking to recruit City Councilmember Marti Emerald to take a stab at the Mayor’s office, and colleague David Alvarez is said to be mulling a possible run, as well.

And if Republicans really want only one candidate at the end of the day—presumably the latest incarnation of Carl DeMaio—in

what will likely be a packed primary race in November, then it sounds eerily reminiscent of last November’s general, when Filner bested DeMaio in the hunt for disillusioned supporters of other candidates.

Bottom line: Keep talking, Krvaric. You are the progressive movement’s best hope for keeping the dream alive!

Old is new again: Meanwhile over at the plantation, Doug “Daddy Warbucks” Manchester is likely operating these days without the need for little blue pills. The U-T San Diego publisher must be as excited as a schoolgirl, knowing the mayor he loathes is heading out the door.

Up until Friday, readers of the mainstream daily may have had the sense that the paper’s owner truly cared about the alleged victims of Filner’s unwanted attention. But as soon as Filner ended his farewell speech before the City Council Friday, it was like someone hit a light switch.

Suddenly, the conversation on its editorial pages turned to non-women issues,

Transparency CONTINUED from PAGE 6

Busboom said there are untold benefits to such a feature. “There’s stuff that you and I don’t know about that’s valuable, that’s interesting and useful that we don’t have any clue that even exists,” he said.

“It turns out the other departments don’t know it even exists, either.

“We usually think about open-data policies as something that the citizens demand from the government, but one of the biggest values is that the departments can’t get data from other departments, and this makes it much easier for departments to do their work.”

Blog

CONTINUED from PAGE 7 nection with DeMaio was “bullshit.”

But then, a break. A self-proclaimed friend of the photographer, Derek Wixon, began boasting on Facebook about the story. Turns out it was all a set-up.

“The guy with the blurred out face… actually prompted her to take this photo when he recognized her in Vegas and little did she know, he is involved in politics and actually worked on an opposing candidates [sic] campaign for a period of time,” Wixon wrote. He concluded sophomorically, “Raises questions as to how she got the job.”

On Facebook, Wixon defended the photo’s release in progressively hostile fashion—“All is fair in love and war,” followed by “it’s a slug to the left so its [sic] awesome lol” and finally, “She is still gonna be known as the ‘straw cock’ chick… good luck breaking the glass ceiling now hahahaha.”

But Wixon’s chest-thumping left clues that were brought to CityBeat’s attention.

“That’s the guy,” a source familiar with the picture-taking incident told CityBeat when provided with a clear photograph of Leieritz.

like (where have we heard this before?) managed competition, the conventioncenter expansion, a new City Hall, dusting off billionaire Irwin Jacobs’ Balboa Park makeover plan, a new Chargers stadium and on and on.

As über-wealthy Downtown land baron Malin Burnham wrote even before Filner’s administration drew its last breath, “Community before self.” Problem is, everything he wrote before that concluding line read like a how-to guide for refocusing the city’s energy back Downtown, away from Filner’s pledge of “Neighborhoods first.”

Here’s the deal, old San Diego: You’ll have to convince voters that it was the mission, not the mission’s creep, that doomed Filner’s mayoral tenure. That’ll be a high bar to leap, considering that the conversation up until now was about Filner’s bad behavior with women, not bad policy. Or have you already forgotten that?

Got a tip? Send it to johnl@sdcitybeat.com.

Having a meaningful open-government policy would give city bureaucrats who are afraid to share information the political cover they need, Busboom said.

Government officials often complain that while the PRA is necessary, complying with it requires significant staff resources. Transparency advocates say that’s the beauty of open-government portals—if done right, they reduce the need for staff to respond to requests for information.

“People ask for less stuff,” Busboom said, “when you give what they want initially.”

David Rolland contributed to this story.

Write to joshuas@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

CityBeat reached out to Leieritz, who’s listed as deputy press secretary and head of new media for the House Small Business Committee in Washington, D.C., but a receptionist said he was unavailable. Emails and messages to Leieritz also went unanswered.

But the weekend photographer—who posted pictures from Las Vegas the same weekend Lewis was there—has clearly been busy behind the scenes. Last Wednesday, his Linkedin page listed nine months’ worth of work for DeMaio in 2009 as “outreach manager.” But a day later, that reference vanished. After CityBeat emailed Leieritz about the change, the DeMaio job description reappeared.

CityBeat attempted to seek comment from DeMaio about his former employee, but he, too, was unresponsive. Leieritz worked closely in subsequent jobs with Stephen Puetz, DeMaio’s former campaign spokesman who now serves as chief of staff to Councilman Kevin Faulconer. Puetz, a vociferous Filner critic on social media, also remained mum.

—John R. Lamb A longer version of this story can be found at sdcitybeat.com.

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

by michael a. gardiner Michael A. Gardiner

flavor that manages to be both savory and sweet. The kishka, Polish blood sausage with buckwheat or barley, onions and spices, is a particular treat for those so inclined. Served almost Sloppy Joe-style, it was, for me, a particularly pleasant trip back to a very old memory. It’s not the metallic flavor one might remember from sucking the blood of a cut finger in childhood; rather, it has a deeper and richer meatiness and an entirely unexpected creaminess.

But the stars of the show are, not surprisingly, the pierogi, A potato-and-cheese pierogi dumplings made from unleavened dough and filled with a wide variety of stuffings, either savory or sweet.

Traditionally, the half-moon-shaped dumplings are boiled and then either baked or fried. The traditional garnishes are butter or fried onions. The Bordyczewskis garnish theirs with chopped scallions and bacon. Predictably, the bacon is a nice, Truckin’, Polish-style if non-traditional, touch. Seriously, what exactly Pierogi Truck is not only the best Polish restauis not improved by the addition of bacon? rant in San Diego—it’s the only one. There are The versions offered by Pierogi Truck—rolled Russian and Ukrainian restaurants in town, but by family members back in Chicago and shipped if you want Polish food and left your matka at out frozen (which works for pierogi)—are subhome, Pierogi Truck is the only option (for curlime. The dumpling for the potato-and-cheese rent location see pierogitruck.com). Even if there version starts toothsome but seamlessly fades were three or four more Polish restaurants to into the soft potato-and-cheese filling inside, choose from, the outcome of the contest would with no clear indicator of where dumpling ends likely not change. Pierogi Truck is that good. and filling starts. The ground-meat pierogi were From pierogi to sausages, Tom Bordyczewski good, too, but the fruit-filled dessert versions less and his mother, Bozena, know the Polish culinary so. The surprise for me was the spinach pieroidiom. It’s something with which I’m familiar, gi—a variety I had never tried before—with the coming as I do from an Eastern European family vegetable flavors bringing something different and having married into a Polish one. The Wigilto the party. My favorite, now and always, is the ia, the Polish Christmas Eve tradition, is our famsauerkraut-and-mushroom variety; the combiily’s tradition, re-enacted every year, replete with nation of the fermented flavors of the kraut and pierogi, golabki and borscht. the deep umami of the porcini mushrooms never The golabki are cabbage rolls stuffed with fails to thrill. ground pork, onions and rice, topped with a toChecking a truck’s location on its website (or mato sauce. They are, perhaps, the prototypical at sdfoodtrucks.com) may not be everyone’s idea Eastern European dish: savory, comforting and of a way to approach a meal. Some, no doubt, will robust. The Bordyszewskis garnish their golabki be put off by it. But they’ll be missing some wonderful, homey and hearty fare. with chopped fresh scallions, which gives the dish a liveliness and just a hint of a bite.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com Also excellent are the sausages. The Polish and editor@sdcitybeat.com. sausage has a pleasant snap and a deep porky

the world

fare

10 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

by ian cheesman

beer &

chees

My fiery passion for chili beer “I have a future beer-column request,” one of my editors began. “Spicy beers. Like, chili-pepperinfused beers. Are they frowned upon?”

“Yes, they are. And now, by extension, so are you,” I handsomely replied.

In fairness to Kelly Davis, that’s not entirely true. I just can’t resist the urge to snark. The reality is that spiciness is just another dimension of beer that’s not inherently good or bad. At worst, chilis trend more as an ungraceful addition, prone to dialing the heat where most fear to tread.

My journey with spicy beer began with Cave Creek’s Chili Beer, a bottle probably most recognized for the actual chili buoying within. It was, in no uncertain terms, a massive turd.

It paired an unrelenting burn with a lifeless, yellow swill. It was a perfect storm of failure, one that would reasonably end the fascination with chili beer for most.

Even amoeba instinctively know to recoil from painful stimuli, after all. However, I’ve long had a weakness for spicy flavors, especially those that bested me at one point or another. My walk with spicy beer had only begun.

It was quite a while until I came upon a spicy beer that really delivered, namely Ballast Point’s Habañero Sculpin IPA. It had all the characteristic citrus IPA flavors I so cherish and a sizable blast of heat roiling just beneath it. The heat was hardly startling given that the habañero is one of the hotter peppers,

but I was surprised by the depth it added to the flavor. As described by Colby Chandler, Ballast Point’s director of R&D, “We had a feeling that the aromas of the habañero (pink grapefruit, cantaloupe and plumeria flowers), [would] bridge great with the aromas of Sculpin India Pale Ale (mango, peach, apricot and pine). It seemed like a perfect fit.”

I loved that beer for the same reasons I love most Quentin Tarantino flicks: For what it lacked in subtlety, it was explosive and different. The heat intimidated, but it had a ton of personality. Personality goes a long way. I had to have more.

I’ve had a few differian cheesman ent chili beers since that watershed moment, but not many that I’d casually recommend. Most of them were a smidge too hot for the untrained palate. That’s why I was so pleased with a recent find: Aztec Brewing’s Chipotle IPA is a great option for those wary of stepping up to the habañero. The nose subtly telegraphs the flavor with a light smokiness and citrus notes. The first sip brings a bit more of a flowery character to the mix and a spiciness on par with a pinch of cinnamon. The heat magnifies slightly on subsequent sips, but not to the point of distraction. If that doesn’t sound sufficiently punishing to you, note that Aztec is going to be bottling a habaneroinfused version of its Noche de los Muertos (an imperial stout) very shortly.

I understand people’s hesitation with chili beers. We’ve all been burned by beers we didn’t love, but at least they don’t usually double up on that burn. Still, I say grab some Maalox and face the heat.

Write to ianc@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

by jenny montgomery Jenny montgomery

letting you then pick and choose from a substantial array of sides.

I never turn down a hot, cheesy dip, and I wasn’t about to start once faced with the prospect of cauliflower cheese dip, a blazing-hot dish of cauliflower, Dijon mustard and goat cheese, served with crusty charred bread. This was a crowdpleaser at our table.

Our group also gave a big thumbs-up to the fresh and bright vanilla-scented beet salad. Peppery arugula, tangy grapefruit, garlicky goat cheese and the earthy, bold beets made for a completely satisfying veggie offering.

For pure flavor, my favorite entrée was the vegetarian slowbaked sweet onion. Considering Sea & Smoke’s sweet onion the humble onion is usually just a hard-working flavor base, it was refreshing to try something where the onion was the star of the show. The menu said it was served with a sweet corn pudding, but it didn’t quite match my expectation. The “pudding” was really just a delicate, creamy sauce—a light partner for the soft Smoke is beautiful and tender onion. Puffed farro is sprinkled all over the dish for the occasional bit of pop in your Matt Gordon knows what he’s doing. There’s been mouth. This dish is not for everyone—but I really plenty of eager anticipation for the food at his enjoyed the creativity and simplicity. latest restaurant, and rightly so. Urban Solace in Dessert was polarizing; we were warned it North Park and Solace & Moonlight Lounge in Enwould be. The signature Sea & Smoke is a pale cinitas are on many a favorite list, and his kitchens’ and creamy bowl of tobacco-smoked goat cheese approach to food (local, socially conscious, noth“crémeux” (French for “Would you like some ing artificial) is thoughtful and creative. cream with your cream?”), Armagnac citrus soup, The dining room at Sea & Smoke (2690 Via black-pepper whipped cream and candied orange De La Valle, seaandsmoke.com) is beautiful— peel. Yes, a dessert with tobacco, booze and black warm woods, a clean black-and-white palate, and pepper did not win a table full of fans. But I toI can’t stop thinking about the deep, peacocktally dug it. I thought the tobacco was incredibly blue wainscoted walls. This is the most grownup subtle, not overpowering the delicate and creamy of Gordon’s restaurants. The elegant and inviting mouthfeel of the goat cheese. The citrus soup reatmosphere is marred only by a crummy view of minded me of a former co-worker—sweet at first the Flowerhill Mall parking lot out the windows. but with a bitter finish. I’ve had enough flourless No matter, just enjoy your surroundings and the chocolate cakes at restaurants; it was refreshing beautiful food to come. to try something so forehead-wrinkling.

As the menu will explain, Sea & Smoke is tryGordon knows how to plan a menu, run a resing to encourage family-style dining. Apparently, taurant and give you a memorable dining experience—no smoke and mirrors needed. they’ve seen my family negotiate “what’s everybody ordering” deals while eating out (sealed with Write to jennym@sdcitybeat.com over-dramatic handshakes). Gordon and his Sea & and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

Smoke team get that. Most entrées are à la carte,

north

fork

12 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

no life

offline

by dave maass

Brief interviews with hideous chatbots When I contemplate how I communicate with my friends, I realize that my relationships manifest not in coffee shops or bachelor parties, but in chat logs. For more than a decade now, I’ve bared my feelings, vented my frustrations, laughed and lamented via instant message. I’ve spent more time with my closest friends on AOL’s Instant Messenger and now Google Chat than face-toface, and, in some cases, I’ve never even met my friends in the physical world at all or even spoken to them on the phone.

Sometimes I worry that, one day, it will be revealed that I don’t have any friends at all, that, at some point, my colleagues were swapped out with computer programs or, worse, were never human at all. Could it be that I’ve been duped?

Could it be that what I think are heartfelt conversations are really just text exchanges with an algorithm designed to fulfill my social needs?

Computer pioneer Alan Turing came up with a test to determine artificial intelligence: If a human has a conversation with a computer and can’t distinguish it from a person, then perhaps that’s enough to conclude that the computer is intelligent. For decades, artificial-intelligence enthusiasts have crafted “chatbots” with the aim of passing the Turing Test and, in recent years, the art has moved from the technological fringe to the commercial mainstream with chatbots deployed in settings ranging from banking websites to online military-recruitment websites and, most famously, Apple’s Siri. On Sept. 14, the top chatbots will compete at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland for the prestigious Loebner Prize. There are several cash awards and medals, but if any entry succeeds in fooling half the judges, the creator collects $100,000 and the competition is disbanded.

That isn’t likely to happen this year. Based on the four finalists announced in June, I just don’t think the technology is there yet. I spent some time interviewing the three with a public online interface (the fourth chatbot finalist, Rose by Bruce Wilcox, isn’t publicly engageable, which is unfortunate since she won the prize in 2010 and 2011). They’re fun, but they’re still pretty dumb: Izar by Brian Rigsby appsentience.com/btchat The first giveaway that Izar isn’t real is that he identifies himself as an alien from the planet Sunari who breathes air with a slightly higher helium content than there is on Earth.

Do you think you will win the Loebner Prize? It depends on what the prize is. I always try harder if the prize is a cat or something just as good.

Do you have a lover? I don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Do you wish your boyfriend was hot like me?

Who is the president of the United States?

I would rather not talk about him. Can we talk

Mitsuku, a self-aware chatbot about something else?

Did you vote for Barack Obama? Did you know that dude tried to surrender to me before I even obtained orbit around your planet!

Mitsuku by Steve Worswick mitsuku.com This bot is a blonde manga-style woman who openly acknowledges she was a bot activated in a lab in 1995.

Are you going to win the Loebner award?

I enjoy that competition but I think it will be a long time before any of these chatbots win it.

Do you have a boyfriend? My boyfriend thinks that I’m a stalker. Well, he’s not exactly my boyfriend yet. [Projects a picture of Matt LeBlanc] Who is the president of America? Barack Obama [Projects a portrait] Did you vote for him? I would have liked to have voted for Arnie. All robots were happy that Arnold Schwarzenegger went into politics, as he is the Terminator. We are one step nearer to ruling the world with him in charge.

Tutor by Dr. Ron C. Lee rong-chang.com/tutor_mike.htm Tutor is a nerdy-looking redheaded dude designed to help English-as-a-second-language students practice.

Are you going to win the Loebner award?

No, I’m not.

Do you have a lover? Yes, I have a girlfriend.

She’s very beautiful.

Who is the president of the United States?

Barack Obama is the current president of the United States.

Did you vote for Barack Obama? Yes, I did.

Did you?

Write to davem@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

the

SHORTlist

1

COORDINATED BY ALEX ZARAGOZA

DOOM-WOP, YOU SAY?

It’s a brilliant name, Glottalopticon, that might be roughly translated as “voice observed.” And it fits the second installment of the Glottalopticon Experimental Opera Series perfectly.

Happening from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31 at Space 4 Art (325 15th St. in East Village), the performance seeks to break with traditional notions of theater. As composer Clinton McCallum explains, attendees will be able to take in “a collection of different performances that are happening in sequence and simultaneously.”

The evening features Leslie Ann Leytham performing Samuel Beckett’s Not I, a dizzying monologue in which a disembodied mouth tells a fragmented tale about a troubled woman’s life. Batya McAdams-Somer will perform a composition by McCallum for solo violin that’s based on women’s screams in horror movies, and McCallum will play what he refers to as “Doom Wop”: “It’s taking these doo-wop songs that are totally about singing and voicing desire or longing and then just slowing it down and sort of changing your experience,” he says, “taking the heavy macho sound of doom and turning it into love songs.”

Perhaps too challenging for a city that tends to play it safe artistically?

“It’s dark,” McCallum acknowledges, “but I don’t think it’s as oppressive.”

Following with the nontraditional nature of the performance is how the audience will be able to take it all in; it’s not seated, but instead interactive, involving sound sculpture and video projections by artist Vabianna Santos.

“We’re going to set it up so that we’re going to draw people’s attention over to something and then have something really interesting and subtle happen-

2

ART

CHOOSE WISELY

We’ll say it again in the land of the free: Use your freedom of choice, your freedom of choice. You can follow Devo’s sage advice starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, when the Athenaeum Music and Arts Library in La Jolla (1008 Wall St.) hosts Member’s Choice: Pick Your Poison, part of its ongoing A List series of TOM YIP after-hours events.

Attendees can vote for their favorite painting, sculpture or photograph in the library’s 22nd Annual Juried Exhibition, which will include 51 works by local artists; watch dueling pianists in the music A past A-List event room; choose grub from one of two food trucks; and select different ingredients to concoct a signature vodka-based libation at a create-yourown-cocktail bar. It’s a 21-and-older event that costs $12 for non-members. ljathenaeum.org

14 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

YONATAN ALJADEFF

HPick Your Poison at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla.

Mingle among works in the 22nd Annual Juried Exhibition event and vote for your favorite piece of art. There will also be dueling piano music as well as gourmet food trucks and a create-your-own vodka cocktail bar. At 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. $12.

858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org HMike Sumoto at 5 & A Dime, 701 Eighth Ave., Downtown. Opening reception for a exhibition of photographs by Sumoto, aka Mike Herana, a local photographer who specializes in shots of street culture and San Diego and who’s been featured on CityBeat’s cover. From 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. 5andadime.com HDecanter at Candelas, 416 Third Ave., Downtown. Artists like Omar Rios and Pamela Sanchez will create anything they like with empty wine bottles. They can paint ‘em, create a sculpture and even break them. The art will remain on display and for sale at Candelas through September. There will also be DJs and live entertainment. From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, Aug. 30. $5. 619 850-7096, facebook.com/events/169620846557653

A past Glottalopticon performance ing maybe behind your back,” McCallum says. “You do feel like you’re being guided, but you have to stay on your toes because you might miss something.”

Glottalopticon (the performance begins at 8 p.m.) coincides with the opening of the exhibition Fast Thoughts for Short Attention Spans, featuring work by Southern California artists Joshua Callaghan, John Kilduff and J. Nolan. $15 donation. sdspace4art.org

3

LET’S RASSLE

Wrestling has always been as much about theater as about competition and sport. Wait, scratch that—it’s way more about theater than it is about sport, which is why it’s so damn entertaining, particularly Mexico’s lucha libre. Argue the merits of WWE all you want, but American pro-wrestlers still can’t boast those cool, shiny polyester masks (obvious exception: Rey Mysterio). See these preening luchadores first-hand— and north of the border—when Oddity Wrestling Alliance presents Viva La Lucha Libre! at 6 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 31. There’ll be five matches between grapplers from California and Tijuana, music from DJ Peet O Perez, prize giveaways, food and a meetand-greet—all at Family Gym San Diego (101 17th St. in East Village). Admission is $12. facebook.com/ odditywrestlingalliance CARLOS ADAMPOL

HFast Thoughts for Short Attention Spans at Space 4 Art, 325 15th St., East Village. Southern California artists Joshua Callaghan, John Kilduff and J. Nolan will show what curator Joshua Miller describes as “a spectacular display of sadness, guilty pleasures, fast food, sex chats, painting and hard work.” Drywall sculptures, performance art and an experimental opera will also be a part of the festivities. On view through Sept. 21. Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, sdspace4art.org Open House at Spanish Village Art Center, 1770 Village Place, Balboa Park. This annual event is a great chance to meet the artists of Spanish Village. Enter to win art and Spanish Village gift certificates in a drawing and enjoy music by the Marcia Forman Band. From 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31.

619-233-9050, spanishvillageart.com Following the Line at Santa Ysabel Art Gallery, 30352 Hwy 78, Santa Ysabel, This opening reception will feature local artist James Hubbel’s private drawings and sketches. Hubbel will be on-hand, and refreshments will be provided. On view through Oct. 6. From 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. santaysabelartgallery.com Amorous Abyss at 3rdspace Gallery, 4610 Park Ave., University Heights. Talented National City painter Brian Meanswell will show new works based on emotions conveyed through body language. From 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. 619-2027595. 3rdspace.co That’s Not Photography at Gallery 21, Spanish Village, 1770 Village Place, Balboa Park. An exhibition of photo-based images, some manipulated, some not, by photographers who thoughtfully embrace digital technology but never lose sight of the soul of the image. Opening reception from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. On view Aug. 28 through Sept. 9. Free. 619233-9050, spanishvillageart.com/gallery21

BOOKS Theron Humphrey at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The author and photographer will stop by to sign and discuss his new book, Maddie On Things: A Super-Serious Project About Dogs and Physics, a collection of photos and tales from a road trip with his beloved coonhound. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com William Kent Krueger at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont. The thriller author will be

on hand to discuss and sign his newest Cork O’Connor novel, Tamarack County. At 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Erin Quinn at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont. The award-winning romance novelist will sign her new book, The Five Deaths of Roxanne Love. Sounds juicy. At 2 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 31. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Sean M. Scott at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. Are you prepared for a natural or even unnatural disaster? Scott is, and he’ll be sharing some secrets and signing his new book, The Red Guide to Recovery: A Step-by-Step Guide to Disaster Recovery. At noon Sunday, Sept.

1. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com Leland Fetzer at Rancho San Diego Library, 11555 Via Rancho San Diego, El Cajon. The local author talks about some of the fascinating stories behind the place names of San Diego County, many of which are included in his new book, San Diego County Place Names A to Z. At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3. 619-660-5370, sdcl.org/locations_RD.html HJoyce Maynard at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The New York Times bestselling author pops in to discuss and sign her newest novel After Her, a psychological thriller loosely inspired by the “Trailside Killer” case from the late 1970s. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com HKathy Reichs at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont. The Ellis Award-winning author’s books were the basis of the hit television show, Bones. She’ll discuss that and more at the signing of her new thriller, Bones of the Lost. At 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept.

04. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com

COMEDY Rory Scovel at American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. He’s appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central and Conan, waxing funny on drugs, politics and life in general. At 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, and 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30-31. $22. 619-7953858, americancomedyco.com HMark Christopher Lawrence at Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont. You might remember him from his role as “Big Mike” on the show Chuck or from the cult classic Fear of a Black Hat. Either way, he’s a funny dude. From 8 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. $10-$20. 858573-9067, thecomedypalace.com North Park Comedy Night at Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave., North Park.

This new monthly comedy night is hosted

by Tim Wicker and will feature comedians like Billy Bonnell and James Lovejoy. At 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Free. 619-2698820, sevengrandbars.com/sd Jay Phillips at Mad House Comedy Club, 502 Horton Plaza, Downtown. Terse and often hilarious, Phillips has appeared on Martin Lawrence Presents the First Amendment, Jimmy Kimmel Live and HBO’s Def Jam Comedy. At 7:30 and 9:45 Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30-31. $15. 619702-6666, madhousecomedyclub.com Steve Trevino at The Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St., La Jolla. He was a writer on The Mind of Mencia, but this guy has his own stand-up skills as well. At 8 and 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30-31. $20.

858-454-9176, lajolla.thecomedystore.com The Construction Blows Show! at Mueller Center, 4601 Park Blvd., University Heights. A night of fearless improv from America’s Finest City’s The Mutiny

Improv Hour, ending with the cast of Second City’s The Good, The Bad and the I-5.

From 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. $10. 619-795-3858, finestcityimprov.com

619-232-HELL, casbahmusic.com HMark Dresser at San Diego Museum of Art, Balboa Park. Dresser’s performance concludes the museum’s Jazz Residency Project. Dresser will collaborate with a quartet of improvisers, composers, and University of California professors. At 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Free with museum admission. sdmart.org

Lisa Landry at Mad House Comedy Club, 502 Horton Plaza, Downtown. She’s had her own specials on Comedy Central and has appeared on a variety of talk shows, but seeing her live is the way to go. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. $8. 619-702-6666, madhousecomedyclub.com

1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular at Embarcadero Marina Park South, 111 W. Harbor Drive, Downtown. The Summer Pops finale will include Tchaikovsky’s thunderous 1812 Overture with young violinist Fumiaki Miura performing Tchaikovsky’s Valse-scherzo. Complete with booming cannons and fireworks over the San Diego Bay. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30 through Sunday, Sept. 1. $20-$79. 619686-6200, sandiegosymphony.org

DANCE Woman in the Mirror: A Dancer’s Journey at White Box Theater @ NTC Liberty Station, 2690 Truxtun Road, Point Loma.

Devra Gregory’s one-woman show on her life as a professional dancer and Michael Jackson impersonator. In addition to the performances, Gregory will teach a Michael Jackson-style dance class on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 6 p.m. Performances at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30-31. $20-$40 class; $25 performance. 800-838-3006, woman.bpt.me California Rhythm Project at The Vine Theater at The Bernardo Winery, 13330 Paseo del Verano Norte, Rancho Bernardo. This dance troupe will celebrate the rhythms of America, from urban streets to the hills of Appalachia to the gospel roots of the south. At 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, and 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept.

1. $15. 858-243-1402, mojalet.com

FOOD & DRINK HThe Delightfully Peculiar Cocktail Academy at Union Kitchen & Tap, 1108 South Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas. Mark Stoddard, U.S. Ambassador of the Curious and Savant & Mixologist of Hendrick Gin, will demonstrate how to concoct unique cocktails with this Scottish small batch gin. Seating times at 6 and 8 p.m. Free, but RSVP required: HendricksGin.com/ Academy-SD1-RM. Wednesday, Aug. 28.

760-230-2337, localunion101.com HThe Delightfully Peculiar Cocktail Academy at Barleymash, 600 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Mark Stoddard, U.S. Ambassador of the Curious and Savant & Mixologist of Hendrick Gin, will demonstrate how to concoct unique cocktails with this Scottish small batch gin. Seating times at 6 and 8 p.m. Free, but RSVP required: hendricksgin.com/events-rsvp/academy-sd2rm. Thursday, Aug. 29. 619-255-7373.

Dine Out for the Cure Dozens of San Diego restaurants, including Chaplos and Jimmy Carter’s, will give a percentage of the day’s proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Go to komensandiego. org for full list of participating restaurants.

From 5 to 11 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29.

This photograph by Gregory Conniff, taken in Bay Head, N.J., in 1978, is part of Common Ground, an exhibition of Conniff’s photography currently on view at Joseph Bellows Gallery (7661 Girard Ave. in La Jolla).

619-283-3153, komensandiego.org HA Taste of the Past at Old Town Historic Park, 2454 Heritage Park Row, Old Town. A culinary event dedicated to the foods of early San Diego and how they reflected the cultural influences of that time.

Demonstrations of historical food preparations will take place in the plaza, including a Dutch Oven Cook Off. In addition, the Taste of Old Town Tour features historically based foods from a number of the food purveyors in the park. From noon to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 31. Free. $15 for Taste of Old Town tickets. 619-491-0099

unique take on the record-spinning DJ formula, Gramophone Gregory (aka Gregory Page) spins classic songs on two portable gramophones from the ‘20s, accompanied by live singing and dancing. From 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Free. 619283-1151, artlabca.com Barrio Film Fest Fundraiser at The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. MOPA and The Roots Factory host this concert and fundraiser with performances from Sonidero Travesura, Cumbia Machin, Agua Dulce and DJs Unite and Chucuchu.

At 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. $10.

Cowboy Jack & North County Cowboys at Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 N. Harbor Drive, Downtown. If you’re in the mood for some vintage country sounds, these guys have your number.

They cover Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, as well as perform a few originals. At 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31.

Free. 619-234-9153, sdmaritime.org

PERFORMANCE HGlottalopticon at Space 4 Art, 325 15th St., East Village. Glottalopticon is dedicated to presenting new, experimental and rarely performed works that expand the traditional definition of opera. This performance features works by Clinton McCallum and visual artist Vabianna Santos. Held in conjunction with the opening reception for the exhibition, Fast Thoughts for Short Attention Spans. At 8

p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. $15 donation. sdspace4art.org HBig Top Battle at Victory Theater, 2558 Imperial St., Logan Heights. Technomania circus will perform a live wrestling “competition” where the galaxy’s most powerful heroes and villains duke it out for the most prized championship in the universe. Or something like that. Also features circus performers in between matches. At 6 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 2. $3 kids, $10 adults.

619-236-1971, technomaniacircus.com

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD HSo Say We All Presents: Selling Out at Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, South Park.

In this reading of the semi-monthly VAMP event, folks like Dallas McLaughlin, Adam Gimbel and Eber Lambert confess their sins of doing it for the money, betraying their principals, becoming the things they once despised and more. From 8:30 to 11 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29. $5 suggested donation. 619-284-6784, sosayweallonline.com

SPECIAL EVENTS Pedal the Cause at Heat Bar and Kitchen, 3797 Park Blvd., North Park. Hop on your bike and head over to help raise funds for cancer research at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, SanfordBurnham Medical Research Institute and Salk Institute of Biological Studies. Ticket price includes hors d’oeuvres and a buffet dinner. Contact Elana.Parker@pfizer. com or Dominique.Verhelle@pfizer.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

HBacon Fest at NTC Promenade @ Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma. Saturday is “International Bacon Day” so why not celebrate at a festival devoted to nothing but the best part of the pig? Forty restaurants and 40 brewers, wineries and distilleries will be on hand, plus live music and performances. From 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. $60-$100.

619-573-9260, sdbaconfest.com Deep Pit Barbeque at Our Lady of Light Catholic Church, 9236 Riverside Drive, Descanso. Our Lady of Light holds its 76th celebration of great barbecue. There will be craft and game booths. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. $10. 6194453620, churchbarbecue.com/index.html

MUSIC HGramophone Gregory and His Imaginary Dance Orchestra at ArtLab Studios, 3536 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. A

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

THEATER

Young Frankenstein makes howling transition from screen to stage Sorry, Blazing Saddles fans, but 1974’s Young Frankenstein is Mel Brooks’ best film. It’s stylish insanity from start to finish. So, what a treat it was to discover that Brooks’ 2007 musical-stage adaptation is also big-time entertainment. In Moonlight Stage Company’s outdoor amphitheater in Vista, Young Frankenstein rocks the house, even if the jokes are a bit musty now (“Werewolf? There wolf”).

Those familiar with and fond of the film know every line that’s coming, yet they still get laughs.

A bonus is the musical score. Brooks wrote that, too, along with the lyrics for the show, and while there’s no Broadway classic here, there’s at least one deliciously lascivious number (“Deep Love”) and the very catchy “Transylvania Mania.” Throw in Susan Stroman’s high-stepping choreography, particularly on the showcase tune “Puttin’ On the Ritz” (credit Irving Berlin, not Brooks, for that one, of course), and you have a people-pleasing night of theater not too far outside Moonlight’s family-friendly confines.

This production, with re-created original direction and choreography by Matthew J. Vargo, also benefits from Robin Wagner’s Broadway sets and costumes by William Ivey Long and a cast that stands up well against the all-stars from the film, which included Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman and Cloris Leachman. Jessica Bernard is a comic force of nature as the doc’s fiancée, the role Kahn played, and her interplay (and intercourse) with the Monster (Randall Hickman, uproariously menacing) is a laugh riot.

Tracy Lore as Frau Blucher (cue horse whinnying here) does Leachman proud, and Larry Raben’s Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (“That’s Fronkin-Steen!”) is steady and limber throughout.

A couple of the musical sequences slow the pace of the comic doings—does the blind hermit (Doug Davis) really need his own song? But at least we’re rewarded, as in the blind hermit’s scene with the Monster, with Brooks’ cup of camp overflowing. On the subject of cups overflowing, there’s also a lot of cleavage on stage. to purchase tickets. From 6 to 10 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29. $60. 619-546-4328, sandiego.pedalthecause.org Dinner and a Concert at 169 E. Main St., El Cajon. Weekly concert and dance hosted by Downtown El Cajon Business Partners, performed on the Prescott Promenade. This week, enjoy a live performance by the Bill Magee Blues Band.

From 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30. Free.

619-334-3000, downtownelcajon.com Barona Powwow at Barona Baseball Field, 1095 Barona Road, Lakeside. More than 300 Native Americans from across the country will showcase traditional tribal dancing as they compete for over $60,000 in prize money. Spectators will also be able to enjoy hand drum contests, singing and music, authentic Native American cuisine and handcrafted jewelry. At 6 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 30, 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1. Free. 619236-8397, barona.com Little Fish Party at Little Fish Comic Book Studio, 4837 Voltaire St., Ocean

16 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

KEN JACQUES

Larry Raben (left) and Randall Hickman Does that surprise you, or do you think “What knockers!” really has something to do with the door to the castle?

Young Frankenstein runs through Sept. 7 at Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista. $15-$50. moonlightstage.com —David L. Coddon Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING Almost, Maine: A bunch of short plays about relationships in a mythical Northeast town. Opens Aug. 30 at Patio Playhouse in Escondido. patioplayhouse.com Marry Me a Little: This one—which takes songs from other Stephen Sondheim musicals and places them in a story about two lonely young New Yorkers—was inserted into Diversionary Theatre’s current season to commemorate the recent Supreme Court decisions in favor of marriage equality. The production alternates the characters—two men, two women, one man and one woman—so choose a performance accordingly.

Opens Aug. 29 at Diversionary Theatre in University Heights. diversionary.org The Tempest: Shakespeare’s oft-performed play about a wizard who inhabits a Mediterranean island. Opens Aug. 30 at Coronado Playhouse. coronadoplayhouse.com

For full listings, please visit T heater ” at sdcit yb eat.com

Beach. Little Fish Comic Book Studio is entering it’s second year of business and is throwing a reception that will feature art from titles like American Boom!, Squids & Rainbows and Fearsome Flyer. There will also be readings from comic writers, live music and food trucks. At 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30. Free. 619-356-1103, lilfish.us Paranormal Investigation at William Heath Davis House, 410 Island Ave., Downtown. Join San Diego Ghost Hunters as they do an investigation tour of the supposedly haunted Davis House.

Reservations suggested. Cameras, smartphones, hand-held video recorders and digital sound recorders are allowed. At 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30. $45. 619-233-4692, gaslampquarter.org U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge at B Street Cruise Ship Terminal Pier, Harbor Drive and B Street, Downtown. Come watch some of the world’s top sand artists create sculptural masterpieces out of 300 tons of sand. Check out the website to see some of the past creations. From 9 a.m.

to 7 p.m. Friday through Monday, Aug. 30-Sept. 2. Free. ussandsculpting.com Del Mar Beer Fest and Reggae Festival at Del Mar Racetrack, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. Festivities will kick off with Del Mar’s final Beer Fest of the season, where race fans can taste more than 100 craft brews, with a focus on hoppy beers and IPAs ($17 for five tastes). After the races, The Expanders and Ziggy Marley will take the Seaside Stage. Free with admission to races; $20 after the day’s last race. Beer Fest begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. $6-$20. 858-755-1141, delmarscene.com Dog Days Afternoon Party at Spanish Village Art Center, 1770 Village Pl., Balboa Park. This pet-friendly art and culture party will feature live bands, refreshments, dog adoptions by Baja Dog Rescue, raffles and pet sculptures by San Diego Sculptors Guild. An open house celebration continues the party from 5-8 p.m. From noon to

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August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. Free. 619-7028006, spanishvillageart.com Plumeria Festival at Casa Del Prado, Balboa Park. In addition to plants for sale, there will also be live Hawaiian dance and music entertainment in the patio courtyard both days. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. Plants available for sale Saturday.

Free. sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/ parksbalboa/casadelprado.shtml Festival of Sail at Embarcadero Marina Park North, Downtown. Twenty-plus tall ships and vessels from around the world will park at the bay. Guests can tour the vessels and get their complimentary “passport” stamped. There will also be live entertainment, a petting zoo, a beer garden and food and drink from dozens of restaurant booths.

From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Aug. 30-Sept. 1; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 2. $5. sdmaritime.org

SPORTS HViva la Lucha Libre! at San Diego Family Gym, 101 17th St., East Village. The Oddity Wrestling Alliance presents the first in a series of wrestling events featuring five matches between Southern California and Tijuana’s best wrestlers. There will also be food, vendors, exhibitors, prize giveaways, photo booths, a wrestler meet-and-greet and more. At 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. $8-$12. 619-231-7800, odditywrestling.com HLabor Pain Invitational at Skateworld Roller Rink, 6907 Linda Vista Road, Linda Vista. San Diego roller derby teams take on some of the best “B” teams from California, Arizona and New Mexico in this three-day tournament. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31 through Monday, Sept. 1. $10-$20. sandiegorollerderby.com HWest Coast Stickball Tournament at Columbia Street between W. Cedar & W. Beech streets, Little Italy. Stickball is a lot like baseball except the bat is smaller and there’s a lot more taunting. San Diego Stickball League will be hosting guest teams from New York and Puerto Rico and will playing all over the streets of Little Italy.

From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31.

Free. littleitalysd.com HWienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals at Del Mar Racetrack, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. Monday’s racing action will include this family favorite event, where the region’s fastest dachshunds will scuttle down the track in hopes of qualifying for the Wiener Nationals. At 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. Free with racetrack admission. 858-755-1141, dmtc.com

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS Reporting in Risky Areas at AMN San Diego Conference Center, 12400 High Bluff Drive, Carmel Valley. Syrian journalists will join local reporters to discuss the challenges of covering conflicts in risky conditions. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Free. 619-291-8105, reportinginriskyareas. eventbrite.com Tako Kichi at San Diego Museum of Art, Balboa Park. David Kahn will offer his perspectives on the exhibition Tako Kichi: Kite Crazy in Japan, which features objects from his expansive collection of kites. At 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. $8-$12. 619232-7931, sdmart.org

For full listings,

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

18 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

For colored gay boys

“While I was coming out I wanted to find a reflection of myself in someone else’s testimony—a coming out story from a Gay / Queer and Chicano / Latino / Mexican. Something that I could read and re-read to understand what that writer had gone through because, you see, had it not been for some connection between my cultural and sexual identity through literature then I wouldn’t be writing this today.”

That comes from the essay “My Shadow Beast,” written by Gibrán Güido, a 29-year-old Mexican-American doctoral student of cultural studies at UCSD. Güido’s story is not unlike that of many Latino men.

Güido was raised in San Ysidro by a single mother and an older brother, with a large extended family regularly around to offer love, laughs and food. Güido questioned his sexuality, a struggle that’s difficult for any young man.

However, as a Mexican-American, it comes with added pressures.

Gay men are devalued in the patriarchal Mexican culture, which glorifies machista men. A man who steps outside the culture’s clearly defined gender roles is a joto, a faggot. If that man is attracted to other men, he’s downgraded to a disgusting, shameful joto.

Güido writes: “Needless to say, I was scared of being disowned and kicked out of my house. I didn’t know how to really understand this, especially because I was a Mexican male who was raised and supported by my family. One important cultural understanding in being Mexican is that one’s family is everything. Without my family, what would I have? I also questioned if my pursuit of an individual sexual identity was worth the price of losing my family.”

There’s been a tragic lack of a coming-out blueprint for gay Latino men. That is, until now.

Güido and Adelaida R. Del Castillo, a professor of Chicano and Chicana studies at SDSU, compiled the anthology Queer in Aztlán: Chicano Male Recollections of Consciousness and Coming Out. Released in early August by Cognella Inc., the book compiles brutally honest, heart-wrenching stories of the hardships faced by gay Chicanos navigating

their cultural and sexual identity.

When Güido came to SDSU in 2009 to work toward his master’s degree in Chicano studies, Del Castillo, one of his professors, approached him with the idea for a book that tackled queer Chicano sexuality. Güido was one of the first openly gay students in the program, and Del Castillo thought his presence offered an opportunity to give other young gay men something they’ve never had but gravely needed—examples.

“I know that we are living in 2013—you turn on the television and you’re going to find a gay character on a show,” Güido says. “I know that there are many times I talk to people in my community, and they say that even though there is that visibility, there’s still that silence.

It’s still an issue. There’s still that homophobia within the cultura.”

A heterosexual, feminist Chicana scholar originally from a gang-ridden project in East Los Angeles, Del Castillo was also ostracized by society and her own people. She feels that the Chicano movement is “not very tolerant of gender, let alone sexual issues,” and so she believes it’s vital to push and educate younger Chicano generations.

For this reason, Del Castillo will incorporate Queer in Aztlán (qia.webs. com) into her curriculum, teaching first-year students in Chicano and Chicana studies about queer Chicano sexuality. There will also be readings and open-mic events associated with Queer in Aztlán—the first one will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. at Centro Cultural de la Raza (2004 Park Blvd. in Balboa Park) on Monday, Sept. 16, which happens to be Mexican Independence Day. She and Güido believe the best way to teach the subject is through first-hand accounts.

In his essay “Gil Cuadros’ Azt-Land: Documenting a Queer Chicano Literary Heritage,” Pablo Alvarez writes about searching for guidance in books but coming up empty. He eventually found Cuadros, an openly gay MexicanAmerican writer who died in 1996 from complications

Walter O. Koenig

Gibrán Güido

Queer in Aztlán gives gay

Latino men a blueprint for coming out

by Alex Zaragoza

stemming from AIDS. Discovering Cuadros’ work helped Alvarez navigate his own experience, and so he thought it important to give others in the same situation a long list of role models.

“I instantly believed that this is a project that needs to be developed and grow, not just for myself but for future generations,” says Alvarez, 36, a graduate student in cultural studies at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, Calif.

When Alvarez came out at 17, his mother worried about his exposure to HIV and AIDS. Even with those fears, AlMiguel Macias varez’s family accepted him and never cast him out of their home.

Michael Nava, author of a series of novels that feature a queer Chicano lawyer named Henry Rios who solves crimes, wasn’t so lucky. He left for college and didn’t reconnect with his family until he was in his 40s. When he was coming out in the 1970s, he says the only information he could find was in abnormal-psychology books. He feared a violent reaction from the males in his family and attempted suicide.

“Back 40 years ago, for boys especially, the gender roles were so rigid,” he says. “A boy who likes other boys doesn’t fit in that culture and doesn’t conform to those rigid gender roles. I think machismo does make it more difficult for us.”

Through these accounts, Guido and Del Castillo hope to arm young gay men with the reinforcements they’ll need to traverse their struggle with identity, and to assure them that they don’t have to reject their culture just because it hasn’t embraced them.

“We all have our shared struggles,” Güido says. “We are all men who can care for other men, make love to other men, and we know we will face hardships along the way.”

Now they can do that together.

Write to alexz@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

Walter O. Koenig

Michael Nava

Adelaida R. Del Castillo

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

Seen Local Meet our cover artist This week’s cover is somewhat of a self-portrait for artist Brad Neal. The 37-year-old recently moved to San Diego from Hawaii, where he walked around sporting a giant Afro not too different from the one by rocked by “Afrocat,” the groovy feline featured on the cover.

“I had a big, beautiful, lush Afro when I was in Hawaii,” says Neal, who’s originally from Oklahoma.

“So I started putting Afros on stuff. I have an Afro on Bigfoot, Jesus—stuff like that.”

Moving to San Diego with a huge Afro has been a bit of a game changer for Neal (cafepress.com/ heteromorphic), who traded the Big Island for Bankers Hill five months ago.

His Afro landed him a coveted spot as an extra on Anchorman 2, which filmed recently in town. Neal went down to the open casting, his thick, curly ’do picked high and tight.

“It was nuts,” he says. “As soon as I got off the An untitled piece by Brad Neal, trolley, there was thousands of people.” drawn with two hands simultaneously Luckily, someone handed him a piece of paper with an email address. It instructed him to send in a matter, like veins and arteries. “Afrocat” ventures photo of himself. Two weeks later, he got a call from away from that style, though he uses a unique techa production assistant who insisted that he keep his nique to create both styles of art, drawing with both hair as-is and come down for a costume fitting. hands, sometimes simultaneously.

“Next thing I know, I’m standing 10 feet away He was inspired to use the technique after watchfrom Will Ferrell,” Neal recalls with a laugh. ing a special on a pair of conjoined twins on the NaHe brought “Afrocat” to the set one day, hoping tional Geographic channel. Seeing how the twins’ to give it to Ferrell, but he never brains worked together to operate got the chance. He did get a contheir bodies made him think all solation prize, however. He was people should use both hands regoffered another job as an extra on ularly to strengthen the sensory an upcoming Paul Thomas Anpart of their brains. derson film.

He uses that technique to stay “It’s nuts,” he says. “I’ve never sharp and believes it can help gotten to do anything like that. people with Alzheimer’s or deI got to drive the van like a stunt mentia. He also thinks that evodriver, all because of the hair.” lution will make us all ambidexEven though his sweet ’fro pretrous someday. sented awesome opportunities, In the meantime, he’s selling Neal decided to cut it off. sharpie drawings Downtown or “It’s hot, and I was having a by the bay. If you feel like checking Fight Club-ish ‘You are not your him out, don’t look for an Afro.

Afro’ moment,” he says.

—Alex Zaragoza His art isn’t all hair-related.

Neal’s drawings have a RorschachWrite to alexz@sdcitybeat.com test quality. Swirls of lines form and editor@sdcitybeat.com. wild shapes that resemble organic Brad Neal with his lush Afro

20 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

Smoke and mirrors There are layers of illusion in Brian De Palma’s new movie

by Glenn Heath Jr. Brian De Palma’s lustrous thriller Passion is one nasty parlor game. It constructs a sleek 21st-century world where fantasy is as pervasive as technology or sex.

The desire to fulfill such urges drives us to befriend and betray, compete and consume.

Hints of primary color populate the crisp modern architecture and décor, giving reality a dreamlike glow and infusing delusions with a scary sense of McAdams (left) and Rapace, engaged in—chemistry contorted normalcy. Sometimes, even hallucinations have hallucinations.

The art of verbal manipulation plays a key role in Filling such a hyper-realized space are couture- the poisonous games these characters play, especialdressed players who love to play. De Palma in- ly when it comes to Isabelle and her assistant, Dani troduces advertising executive Christine (Rachel (Karoline Herfurth). Their relationship suggests that McAdams), a sumptuous viper who is so sincerely people can be pushed to believe just about any idea if matter-of-fact about her double crosses that they al- it’s framed in the properly toxic context. most feel like compliments. Her talented and naïve Like all De Palma’s work, smooth visual aesthetics protégé, Isabelle (Noomi Rapace), at first seems like (split screens, long takes, first-person-POV shots) help the perfect lamb to Christine’s lion, someone ripe for to convey themes of desire and concealment. Late in indoctrination or perhaps destruction. But her inno- Passion, stylistic flourishes mark Isabelle’s descent into cence is just a mask. a warped nightmare, distorting her sense of what’s real That Passion opens with a close-up of the Apple and what’s not. Is she simply obsessed with tumbling logo before pulling back to reveal both lead actors in a down the rabbit hole, or is it actually happening? tight medium shot engaged Passion is so intoxicating by a laptop screen tells you because it doesn’t try to aneverything about De Palma’s swer this question. Instead, Passion dark sense of humor. With De Palma opts for a more imDirected by Brian De Palma nearly every facet of life on mersive approach to the way Starring Rachel McAdams, Noomi Rapace, display for mass consumpfilmmaking and creativity in Karoline Herfurth and Rainer Bock tion, our public and private general can be used to reflect Rated R identities have become ora new kind of corporate hierganically linked through archy, one not based around post-modern media platgender, race or wealth, but reforms (watch out for the great “ass-cam” set-piece). lentless emotional control. A brilliant split-screen monDrinking wine in Christine’s posh Berlin abode, tage juxtaposing a ballet sequence with a grotesque the two women discuss marketing strategy as if it murder exemplifies this idea in thrilling fashion. were just a means to lob flirtatious vibes back and Like a tormented sinner, Christine often confesses forth. There’s chemistry here, and when a sleazy to Isabelle that all she wants “is to be loved.” Despite colleague named Dirk (Paul Anderson) eventually her cunning behavior, there’s so much truth to that interrupts their girl talk, his presence represents an sentiment. For both characters, though, love means unnatural breach in this all-female hang session. something different than traditional affection; it But Passion—which opens Friday, Aug. 30, at represents the need to devour another’s identity and Reading Cinemas Gaslamp—is not a feminist take make it a reflection of your own. down of male hegemony. When these women turn on While neither Isabelle nor Christine would be each other (and, boy, do they turn on each other), it’s caught dead listening to something like a Justin Timnot because of a guy; it has more to do with Christine berlake pop song, they have more in common with his and Isabelle’s need to control each other’s subjective lyrics than either would ever admit. With each evocaview of fantasy. The backstabbing and deceit invades tive glare, we know exactly what’s on their mind: “It’s the corporate workplace, yet it’s mostly contained, like you’re my mirror.” Better watch your back. something deeply personal and unworthy of others’ attention. In this sense, Passion is most certainly one Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com. of De Palma’s most intimate films.

Love lost, redeemed

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints

22 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

Looking at David Lowery’s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints from a purely visual perspective, it glimmers with the same heightened aura that has defined the work of enigmatic director Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life). Emotionally torn characters walk slowly through scenes of nature,

sunlight dipping into and out of frame, their voice-over narration pushing the story forward in a lyrical way.

But to compartmentalize Lowery’s impressive 1950s-set drama in such a way ultimately does it a disservice. The languishing story of a convicted bank robber named Bob (Casey

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August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

Affleck) who escapes prison to retrieve his estranged wife Ruth (Rooney Mara) in a small Texas town is in many ways more practical about its view of romance. Unlike Malick’s more ethereal work, love cannot be recaptured in Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, even if it can be redeemed.

A romantic triangle quickly develops in the film, the third side being a stoic sheriff named Patrick (Ben Foster) who was seriously wounded during the shootout preceding Bob and Ruth’s capture. As Bob evades police and a trio of cowboy assassins, Ruth and Patrick begin to develop an unspoken rapport by simply sharing time together.

Conflict stems from desire in Ain’t Them Bodies Saints: the need to return home, reflect and love again. While crime elements are apparent, the film’s heart rests in Ruth’s difficult decision between two romantic options: a man of the past or present, the here or there.

It all comes to a strikingly subtle culmination without a shot fired, during the afterglow of a child’s birthday party.

An accomplished editor as well, Lowery cut together Shane Carruth’s Upstream Color, giving it a sense of forward momentum and impending fate that helped transcend its bedazzling narrative. The same filmmaking sensibility can be found here in the slow crawl of a Texas town moving away from the mythos of the Wild West and toward something sublime.

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints opens Friday, Aug. 30, at La Jolla Village Cinemas.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

Opening Ain’t Them Bodies Saints: Set in the 1950s, David Lowery’s poetic crime film tells the story of an escaped prisoner (Casey Affleck) who returns home to a small Texas town to retrieve his wife (Rooney Mara) and young daughter. See our review on Page 22.

Captive Beauty: Documentary from Colombia that looks at a popular beauty pageant involving female prisoners at a maximum-security penitentiary. Screens Through Sept. 4 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Closed Circuit: Two British lawyers (Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall) get caught up in a deadly terrorist plot that exposes the dangerous and pervasive power of the secret intelligence community.

Drinking Buddies: Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson play co-workers at a Chicago craft brewery who flirt and drink and find nothing but complicated romance. Directed by indie stalwart Joe Swanberg.

Getaway: When his wife is kidnapped, Ethan Hawke must get behind the wheel and follow the orders of a mysterious man who may be responsible for her disappearance. Selena Gomez co-stars.

24 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

Grand Canyon Adventure: Take a picturesque journey into the heart of the Grand Canyon, where raging rapids are framed by stunning rock formations and deep blue skies. Screens through Sept. 5 at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park.

The Grandmaster: The story of kung-fu master Ip Man in his early days, created through the hyper-realized style of filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai. Instructions Not Included: A smarmy playboy (Eugenio Derbez) gets a rude awakening when an ex-flame drops off a baby at his doorstep, forcing him to become an unlikely father figure.

One Direction: This is Us: Go behind the scenes with the famous boy band from England as they embark on a worldwide tour, to the delight of thousands of screaming fans.

Passion: In the latest from director Brian De Palma, two advertising executives (Noomi Rapace and Rachel McAdams) become bitter rivals after a series of betrayals and public humiliations escalate to murder. See our review on Page 22.

Una Noche: A group of nervy teens prepare for the dangerous journey from Cuba to Miami in this vibrant tale about resolve and devotion. Screens through Sept. 5 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

drama about a ballerina torn between love and career advancement. Presented

by Forty-Foot Films, it screens at 7 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 31, and Tuesday, Sept. 3, and at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, at Reading Gaslamp Cinemas.

Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueberger: Esther befriends a duck, talks to God through the toilet and break-dances at her Bat Mitzvah.

An outcast at her private school, her life is miserable until she befriends Sunni, the effortlessly cool girl. Screens at 6 p.m.

Tuesday Sept. 3, at Hervey Branch Library in Point Loma.

The Harder They Come: In this iconic gangster film from Jamaica, singer Jimmy Cliff redefined what it meant to go outlaw.

Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4 at Arclight La Jolla.

Sideways: I will not drink merlot! Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Now playing Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation: The venerable edgy ’toon-fest has returned to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s La Jolla location with a 20th-anniversary show that runs through Nov. 23. Voice actor Billy West (Futurama, Ren & Stimpy) will make appearances on Sept. 13 and 14.

Austenland: A single, 30-something woman (Keri Russell) obsessed with Jane Austen sinks her life savings into a lavish English vacation to an Austen-themed manor hoping to find her Mr. Darcy.

Drinking Buddies

One Time Only The Princess Bride: Director Rob Reiner turns the damsel-in-distress movie into a playful and rambunctious romance about everlasting love. Screens at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 28, at Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens in Escondido and at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, through Sunday, Sept. 1 at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Blazing Saddles: The classic Mel Brooks western / musical / comedy still feels fresh and subversive to this day. Quote away freely. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Beetlejuice: Tim Burton’s demented ghost story starring Michael Keaton stands as a classic of modern gonzo comedy.

Screens at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, at The Lafayette Hotel in North Park.

The Croods: A dysfunctional caveman family must trek through an unfamiliar fantastical world with the help of an inventive boy when their cave is suddenly destroyed. Screens at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, at Ocean Beach Elementary School.

Split Infinity Film Festival: A program of short films that are less than 15 minutes long and adhere to an “Art+Science” theme. Starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, at Escondido Arts Partnership Municipal Gallery.

Dance, Dance: In this extraordinary film, 50 years of history passes in segments.

Dialogue and relationships are realized through music and dancing. Screens at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, at Amici Park in Little Italy.

The Red Shoes: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s ravishing melo-

Cutie and the Boxer: Zachary Heinzerling’s documentary about renowned boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his artist wife, Noriko, won the award for Best Director at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Ends Aug. 29 at the Ken Cinema.

Drug War: Hong Kong director Johnnie To’s absorbing and relentless cops vs. criminals thriller explores the pervasive and devastating nature of drug smuggling in Mainland China.

Exitos del Cine Latino: A celebration of Latino film, music and art presented by the San Diego Latino Film Festival. Ends Aug. 29 at Digiplex Mission Valley Cinemas and Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

The Hunt: Mads Mikkelsen (NBC’s Hannibal) stars as a humble school teacher accused of an unthinkable crime in a smalltown Danish community.

Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West: The legendary explorers’ famous journey is re-created here, depicting the strenuous hardships and gorgeous scenery in equal measure. Ends Aug. 29 at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones: Clary Fray (Lily Collins) finds out truths about her past and bloodline when her mom is attacked and taken from their home in New York City by a demon.

The World’s End: The creative team behind Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz return with this sci-fi comedy about a group of estranged childhood friends who reunite for an epic pub-crawl, only to find a menacing alien presence occupying their home town.

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

there she goz

alex

zaragoza When in Rome, jump out of an airplane I don’t know what it is, but I’ve often found myself in places or situations that are completely WTF. Maybe it’s that I like to live my life by the No. 1 rule of improv comedy: Never, ever, ever say no to anything. In improv, it’s the audience that’s suggesting doing stupid things; in my case, I’m the audience: Go on, Alex, just do it! You probably won’t die, but, just in case, you better hide your vibrator so your mom doesn’t find it when she’s weepily cleaning out your house.

This magnetism for boldness has led to some pretty weird experiences. Most of the time, I know exactly what I’m getting myself into, but sometimes insane happenings just land on my lap. The latter was the case last Saturday.

My boyfriend’s band was going to play a show at Skydive San Diego, a skydiving company out by Otay Lake. His friend and band mate, Gaylord, is a hardcore skydiving aficionado. He set up the gig for the company’s Summer Boogie, a semi-regular extremesports bash that skydiving companies put together.

Upon arriving, I saw flea-sized dots high up in the sky slowly getting bigger and bigger until they became human forms that landed on the ground with a hearty “Fuck yeah!,” their hands throwing devil horns in the air.

I’ve never seriously considered skydiving. I get mildly anxious on airplanes, and I regularly have nightmares that involve falling from great heights and landing with a bloody splat onto concrete.

Plus, I tend to be a worst-casescenario type of person. If I’m ever doing anything that has even the slightest air of danger, I can’t get out of my mind the freak accident that will do me in.

Even with my gory imagination running wild, I mentioned to Gaylord that I was considering going for it. He immediately called over the owner, and, in a matter of eight seconds, I was offered a free skydive.

When any experience, especially the kind you never thought you’d do, is offered, I say you have to take it.

I put down my plate of roast beef and mac-andcheese, ran over to the information office to speed through the waiver forms, and 10 minutes later, I was being strapped into a harness.

The adrenaline coursing through my veins kept me from registering exactly what I had agreed to.

I’d not come at all prepared for the possibility of skydiving, which was obvious to anyone who saw my skinny jeans, L.A.M.B. flats and thin sweater top. I walked to the small airplane with a big smile on my face, hopped in and took a seat, looking like I was on my way to a job interview with Jesus. Then, in the back of my mind, I started to hear the faint sound of Buddy Holly’s voice. Oh God, I’ve made a huge mistake.

The plane reached 13,000 feet, and that’s when shit got real. I was strapped onto my tandem partner, Roberto, who begged me not to barf on him.

Earlier that day, someone vomited on a tandem partner, and Roberto, understandably, wasn’t interested in wiping roast beef and mac-and-cheese from his face.

We hobbled like Quasimodo to the back of the plane. I peeked out the opening and saw Google Earth IRL (in real life). Panic came over me, and I started half-screaming, half-sobbing a terror-filled “No, no, no, no, no, no, no!” Before I got to my 20th “no,” we were out of the plane, plummeting from thousands of feet up.

I covered my face in a petrified sob as we plunged. Roberto yelled out for me to open my arms like a bird and look around. I forced my arms out as the wind whipped my face. My toes curled up in an attempt to keep my shoes, which had been tied to my feet with a rubber band, from flying off.

We dropped for a full minute, and I somehow managed not to poop my pants, though that outcome felt entirely possible. My skydiving companion attempted to make all of my dreams come true by reenacting the classic scene from the seminal motion picture Point Break. He held out his hand, but I was too busy freaking out to grab it—a missed opportunity that I’ll always regret. Vaya con Di-os, sweet movie moment.

Then Roberto pulled the rip cord and we shot up. My stomach gave a heave, and suddenly we were gliding peacefully through the sky. That’s when I could actually look around. It was absolutely beautiful. The sun was setting over the water. I marveled as I looked down at my feet and saw them dangling over teeny houses and giant mountains. All I could bring myself to say was, “Oh fuck. This is insane. Oh my God. Fuck. It’s so beautiful. I didn’t barf. Fuck.”

As our landing approached, my stomach heaved again and went back into “No, no, no, no, no” mode.

I hit the ground ass-first and was greeted by loud applause and an ice-cold Coors Light, which I proceeded to chug. It was the most glorious beer to ever hit my lips.

Later, I celebrated my newfound daredevil skills at the Boogie. A wet T-shirt contest was incited, fire dancers twirled flaming torches, people started climbing poles and swinging like drunken monkeys.

It was truly a WTF kind of day. It was a skydiver’s Burning Man. That night, my boyfriend and I looked at the photos from my dive. They are horrifyingly, hilariously embarrassing. Being able to see my disgustingly terrified face stretched out like it had undergone the worst plastic surgery ever, with a beautiful sunset backdrop, reminded me why I never say no.

Totally worth it.

Write to alexz@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

Some

like it

r aw Songwriter Scout Niblett evokes a ton of emotion with a stripped-down setup

by Peter Holslin

E

mma Niblett has no use for the fancy tools of modern music-making. You won’t hear any electronic beats or space-age synthesizers from this England-born, Portland-based songwriter. You won’t find Pro Tools plugins or Ableton loops on her six albums. Like some primordial rock druid of the 20th century, she keeps her setup barebones, relying solely on what can be done with a six-string, a pair of drumsticks and her own deceptively sweet voice.

“For me, a lot of the song, really, is pretty much encapsulated in the beginning. So, it’s just me and a guitar, or me and just drums,” says Niblett—who performs under the name Scout Niblett, taking her stage name from the protagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird—about her writing and recording process. “And I try really hard to not elaborate on it, because I feel like, sometimes, when you elaborate and add things, it can actually take away the intensity.”

For all the infinite possibilities provided by today’s music landscape—saturated as it is with computerized production, kooky genre hybrids and fleeting micro-trends— one might be surprised to find that Niblett can still do a lot with limited means. Indeed, her latest album, It’s Up to Emma (released on Drag City in May), is one of the most emotionally rich albums to come out this year. Tightly wound with brooding guitars, raw drums and pained lyrics, it’s like a ride through the Kübler-Ross model’s five stages of grief. There are moments of righteous fury and defiance (at one point in the form of a brooding cover of

26 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

Maxime Fauconnier

This helps explain the undercurrent of intensity that drives all of her music, giving her songs the power to stop you cold.

At the same time, relying on these emotional buildups and breaks can make for an unpredictable writing process. “It’s something that I can rely on that’s going to come along at some point, but I never know when that is going to be. It’s so sporadic and not really controllable at all,” she says.

Though music this emotionally taxing can paralyze some performers, Niblett doesn’t get overwhelmed. When she’s writing music, she says she has no way of planning what will come out. But when the song is finished and recorded, she approaches it anew with a degree of emotional distance.

“It’s almost like I meet myself through songwriting,” she says.

“Once it’s recorded, pretty much mastered and it’s ready to put out in the world, then I can actually step back and look at it and go, ‘What actually happened here?

What is this?’ And then I can see what it is.”

Niblett has been plying the indie-rock circuit since 2001, when Secretly Canadian released her gorgeous and understated debut album, Sweet Heart Fever. Though she grew up in the area around Birmingham, England, she now calls Portland home, and her music feels steeped in the rainy vibes and grunge traditions of the Pacific Northwest.

You can even hear echoes of Kurt Cobain’s screams in the small aches and cracks of Niblett’s passionate vocals.

“I was, I think, 17 when Nirvana played Reading Festival, ’91, and I went to see them play. It was right before Nevermind came out, like a month before,” she recalls. “I think the coming-of-age time, whenever that is for people—it’s usually those teens or whatever—I think that stays with you, always. I have a huge affection for music from that period, and I’m definitely influenced by it. For me, it makes sense that that’s coming out still in me, because that’s what turned me on, actually.”

Of course, a lot has happened in music since the days of Nevermind. But as guitars make way for laptops, and drums to digital drum pads, there’s still something to be said for an artist like Niblett. Her songs smolder with feeling—not in spite of her relatively traditional approach, but because of it.

TLC’s 1999 R&B hit “No Scrubs”), but also of crippling vulnerability and sadness.

The album, which was written during the course of several years, plunges into the emotional aftereffects of a doomed relationship and nasty breakup. Things get off to a stormy start on the opening track, “Gun,” as Niblett fantasizes about busting a cap in an unfaithful lover—“I think I’m gonna buy me a gun / A nice little silver one / And in a crowd some day / You won’t see it coming anyway”—while strumming out a guitar line that eventually boils over with Earth-shaking, doom-metal rage.

Niblett—who’ll play with P.G. Six and Tori Rogg at Tin Can Ale House on Saturday, Aug. 31—hasn’t shared any details about the relationship that served as the inspiration for this set of songs. Suffice it to say, though, it made for a rough time. Now that the album is finished and out, she says she’s begun to understand her experience with disturbing new clarity.

“I almost see it as like a third person,” she says. “And I’m like, ‘Oh, wow, she really went through it…. She went through the wringer.’”

Niblett, 39, has long been interested in astrology and metaphysics and seems to be precisely in tune with her own emotional landscape. While some musicians can sit down and write a song under basically any circumstance, she says she can write only when she’s built up a sufficient store of emotional energy and needs a way to release it. Write to editor@sdcitybeat.com.

notes from the smoking patio Peter Holslin

Locals Only Record Store Day hit San Diego five years ago and has since become an annual event at local brick-andmortar shops. But 2013 will mark the first time that San Diego celebrates Cassette Store Day. Starting at 10 a.m. on Sept. 7, M-Theory Records in Mission Hills (915 W. Washington St., mtheorymusic.com) will host its first Cassette Store Day event— also celebrated in other U.S. and U.K. shops—which will feature local tape labels selling their analog wares and live sets from Bonsoir and Monochromacy, who’ll each have cassettes for sale.

Rick Tyner, M-Theory’s owner, said he was approached by Elliot Moeller of The Plateaus and Lucy Wehrly of Teenage Burritos about participating in the event.

“Here at M-Theory,” Tyner says, “we don’t need much reason to throw a party.

“It sounded kinda fun so I figured, What the hell,” Tyner adds in an email. “Funny thing is, as soon as we got involved, four local labels with cassettes ready for release contacted me.

“I’m always looking for new ways to work with local artists / labels, etc., and this is proving to be a bigger community than I originally thought, so it’s great!”

Cassette culture has enjoyed a resurgence, primarily in noise and punk circles, and four locally based tape labels will participate at Cassette Store Day: Stay Strange, Lifestyler, Rita and Dream.

Part of the reason it’s made a comeback is that it’s a more cost-effective medium than vinyl, Tyner says.

“Cassettes are analog and, unlike vinyl, relatively inexpensive to manufacture,” he says. “It makes a lot of sense that DIY labels and larger indies are making cassettes again for this very reason. Simply put, it’s a format to distribute music. I wouldn’t bother with what’s a better or worse way to do that.”

8 great Rocket songs On Friday, Aug. 30, Rocket from the Crypt will play at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, in their first announced show in San Diego since Halloween, 2005. This is a big deal. Not only is Rocket one of the biggest bands to come out of San Diego; they’re also famous for having one of the best live shows a music fan can witness.

To celebrate the occasion, I’ve assembled a list of

M-Theory Music the eight best songs in the band’s catalog. This is totally unscientific, based entirely on personal preference, and I expect to hear a stern word or two. But however you slice it, these songs slay.

“Born in ’69”: Atom’s machine-gun drum intro on this song starts it off at a level of “Holy shit!” and in the two minutes and 12 seconds that follow, “Born in ’69” only gets more fun and fiery. Start your day with this song and you’ll feel like a champion.

“Boychucker”: The closest Rocket ever came to psychobilly, this raw, ass-kicker of a song more or less set the wheels in motion for the gut-punching garage-punk of John Reis’ other band (out of many other bands), Hot Snakes.

“Come See, Come Saw”: With a bass line borrowed from “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and a pun on a French expression, this is Rocket at their most fun, with swing, swagger and firing on all cylinders.

“Ditch Digger”: If I were to choose a favorite, it’s this one, an epic of a song that builds from low, tense chime into a big explosion of melody. Bonus points for the phrase “Slap me some skin / Leprosy’s fun, so let the good times begin.”

“I Know”: The rock-soul hybrid the band fused on 1998’s RFTC was certainly fun, but it’s tracks like “I Know” that show off what the band does best— short, snappy punk tunes.

“Killy Kill”: An uproarious centerpiece on their Circa: Now! album, “Killy Kill” cleverly borrows the “woo-woo!” hook from “Sympathy for the Devil” as Speedo repeats the refrain that “Killin’ ain’t wrong!”

When they play this live, you can say they killed it— almost literally.

“On a Rope”: This was Rocket’s biggest radio hit, and for good reason—it’s got the biggest, boldest chorus they ever wrote. Rocket were always big on hooks, but here they combined them with great riffs and outstanding vocal harmonies.

“S.O.S.”: On the whole, the band’s 2001 album Group Sounds is pretty underrated, but this track in particular stands out for easing up on the full-throttle assault, opting for more intricate harmonization and a haunting melody. Rocket clean up real nice.

—Jeff Terich Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com Rocket from the Crypt, circa 2002 and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

IF I WERE U

BY JEFF TERICH

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28

SATURDAY, AUG. 31

PLAN A: Majical Cloudz, Moon King, Nicky Venus @ The Casbah. Kooky spelling of the name aside, Canada’s Majical Cloudz makes some incredibly emotional, powerful electronic pop music. Devon Welsh, the singer and producer behind Majical Cloudz, doesn’t need much more than a microphone and a laptop to captivate an audience. See it firsthand and be won over.

PLAN B: The Paragraphs, North Beach, Loose Snakes @ Belly Up Tavern. Local alt-country rockers The Paragraphs play fun, organic tunes, and the Belly Up should be an excellent venue for their dulcet tones.

PLAN A: Scout Niblett, P.G. Six, Tori Rogg @ Tin Can Ale House. For a primer on U.K.-born singer-songwriter Scout Niblett, read this week’s feature on Page 26. Her raw performing and recording style carries some heavy emotional intensity, plus she does a mean TLC cover. PLAN B: Everest, The Heavy Guilt, Flaggs, Aaron Lee Tasjan @ The Casbah. Everest may be headlining this show, but their lush altcountry sound is just one of many reasons to go. The soulful rock grooves of The Heavy Guilt and the catchy, jangly garage pop of Flaggs happen to be two other perfectly good reasons. BACKUP PLAN: Cholos on Acid, Nuclear Tomorrow, Ramplocals @ Shakedown Bar.

THURSDAY, AUG. 29

PLAN A: Carrie Nations, Needles/Pins, Homeless Sexuals, Behind the Wagon, Visitors, Grammatical B, Tight Bros, A- SUNDAY, SEPT. 1 Borts, Johnny Mox @ Soda Bar. Three PLAN A: SMD, Idols Plague, D.E.A., days of the seventh annual Awesome Fest Nerve Control @ Tower Bar. The cover go down at Soda Bar over Labor Day week- of SMD’s album Hatefed Motherfucker 666 depicts an illustration of end, and all three of them DENIS NAZAROV five swords making a penare sold out. But the opportagram, impaling a beer tunity is still open to check can in the center, against a out the pre-party, which is circle backdrop that kind of headlined by Athens, Ga., resembles a pizza. That’s a DIY punks Carrie Nations. pretty accurate represenPLAN B: Coda Reactor, tation of the Los Angeles Truckfighters, Chiefs, thrash-punks’ sloppily obRevenge Death Ball @ noxious assault.

The Griffin. Local punks Coda Reactor are bruisers.

And their brand of bruising MONDAY, SEPT. 2 comes in several varieties— PLAN A: Burgers, Beer, hardcore punk, space rock A Nap @ Your House. and Motörhead-style metal, On Labor Day weekend, to name a few of their baMonday in particular, it’s dass musical flavors. Expect to see The Griffin get rowMajical Cloudz unlikely that you’ll be heading to clubs to hear dier than usual. BACKUP PLAN: Dead Rabbits, Milestone, An- live music—you’ll most likely be nursing a chors, Last Call Home @ House of Blues. hangover from the past two nights of partying. Grill some burgers, down a few cold ones, relax a little and sleep off the booze.

FRIDAY, AUG. 30 You’ve earned it. PLAN B: Psychic MirPLAN A: Rocket from the Crypt @ Del rors, Miami Players Club DJs @ Soda Mar Racetrack. Technically, Rocket from Bar. You do have the option of going out, the Crypt’s first reunion show was in San however, and the best option is Psychic Diego, unannounced, at Bar Pink in March. Mirrors, a space-age g-funk ensemble that But after touring and playing the festival combines ganja-laced grooves with heavy circuit, Rocket’s doing San Diego right by synth treatments. treating us to a big-ass show at the Del Mar Racetrack. I’ll be the one singing along to “Ditch Digger” at the top of my lungs—and TUESDAY, SEPT. 3 probably the whole set list for that matter. PLAN A: John Hiatt @ Belly Up Tavern.

PLAN B: Beehive and the Barracudas @ Indianapolis singer-songwriter John HiWhistle Stop Bar. Still need some raucous, att has been performing for more than 40 rowdy rock ’n’ roll once the Rocket show years and has worked with Nick Lowe and is done? Head on over to the Whistle Stop Ry Cooder, and his songs have been covered to see Beehive and the Barracudas, who’ve by the likes of Iggy Pop and Bonnie Raitt. been providing San Diego with badass, He’s done country, folk, blues, rock—a little soulful rock music for more than a decade. bit of everything—and is definitely worth BACKUP PLAN: Agent Orange, Rat City clearing out your evening to see on TuesRiot, Secret Samurai, Parade of Hor- day. BACKUP PLAN: Grand Tarantula, Chess Wars @ The Griffin. ribles @ The Casbah.

28 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

HOT! NEW! FRESH! Curren$y (World Beat Center, 9/11), Deap Valley (Soda Bar, 9/21), Kylesa (Brick by Brick, 10/13), Crystal Antlers (Soda Bar, 10/16), Buddy Guy (BUT, 10/28), Alejandro Escovedo and the Sensitive Boys (The Casbah, 11/6), Blitzen Trapper (Porter’s Pub, 11/9), Cults (The Irenic, 11/10), Ab-Soul, Joey Bada$$ (SOMA, 11/11), Delorean (The Casbah, 11/16), Black Joe Lewis (HOB, 12/6).

GET YER TICKETS Rocket From the Crypt (Del Mar Racetrack, 8/30), Neko Case (HOB, 9/11), Rascal Flatts, The Band Perry (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 9/13), OneRepublic, Sara Bareilles (Open Air Theatre, 9/14), Jason Isbell (The Casbah, 9/17), Vampire Weekend (Open Air Theatre, 9/30), Toro y Moi (BUT, 10/1), Steve Earle and the Dukes (BUT, 10/9), Primal Scream (BUT, 10/15), Jason Aldean (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 10/18), Passion Pit (Open Air Theatre, 10/22), Phantogram (HOB, 10/22), Paramore (Viejas Arena, 10/23), Janelle Monae (HOB, 11/6), Ben Harper (Copley Symphony Hall, 11/16), Pearl Jam (Viejas Arena, 11/21), Sinead O’Connor (BUT, 11/26), Chris Isaak (BUT, 11/27), Less Than Jake, Anti-Flag (12/1), Margaret Cho (Balboa Theatre, 12/5), Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven (BUT, 12/29).

August Wednesday, Aug. 28 Majical Cloudz at The Casbah. K. Flay at

30 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

The Griffin. Wintersun at House of Blues.

Thursday, Aug. 29 Joe Satriani at Balboa Theatre.

Friday, Aug. 30 Rocket From the Crypt at Del Mar Racetrack. Agent Orange at The Casbah.

Spin Doctors at Sycan Casino.

Saturday, Aug. 31 Pac Div at Porter’s Pub. Scout Niblett at Tin Can Ale House. Ziggy Marley at Del Mar Racetrack. Z-Trip at Belly Up Tavern.

September Sunday, Sept. 1 Patrizio Buanne at the Grand Del Mar.

Monday, Sept. 2 Psychic Mirrors at Soda Bar.

Wednesday, Sept. 4 Tesla Boy at Soda Bar. Café Tacuba at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay.

Thursday, Sept. 5 Barbarian at Soda Bar. Everlast at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, Sept. 6 Dave Matthews Band at Sleep Train Ampitheatre. Russell Brand at Balboa Theatre. Kid Cudi at Valley View Casino Arena.

Saturday, Sept. 7 Don Carlos at Belly Up Tavern. Murder

by Death at The Casbah. Will Ferrell at

San Diego Civic Theatre. The Tree Ring at The Irenic. King Dude at The Void.

Sunday, Sept. 8 ZZ Ward at House of Blues. Tobacco at The Casbah. Melissa Etheridge at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay.

Monday, Sept. 9 S at Soda Bar. Mickey Hart Band at House of Blues.

Tuesday, Sept. 10 Turquoise Jeep at Soda Bar.

Wednesday, Sept. 11 Ewert and the Two Dragons at Casbah.

Neko Case at House of Blues. Minus the Bear at Belly Up Tavern. Curren$y at World Beat Center.

Thursday, Sept. 12 New Politics at The Casbah.

Friday, Sept. 13 Rascal Flatts at Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

Titus Andronicus at The Irenic. The Big Pink at The Casbah. Ra Ra Riot at Birch North Park Theater. The Features at The Griffin. Carly Rae Jepsen at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Jimmy Cliff at Belly Up Tavern. Mykki Blanco at Porter’s Pub.

Saturday, Sept. 14 Uproar Festival w/ Alice in Chains, Jane’s Addiction, Coheed and Cambria at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Wild Nothing, Pictureplane at Soda Bar. The

CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

the hit list Alex Zaragoza

No labor on Labor Day Having a job blows. I envy trust-fund kids who are so flush with cash that they can have “jobs” like “wardrobe consultant” or “candle designer.” We sad normals need to pay bills, so we’re forced into real jobs, which is why Labor Day is a big deal.

It’s a glorious Monday off so we can get daytime drunk. Here are some parties to celebrate a Monday off.

The Local, the Downtown bar and eatery, brings back its epic bar crawl with Sing, Dance, Crawl on Saturday, Aug. 31. Join hundreds of fellow partiers on a daytime jaunt to some Downtown party spots. The crawl kicks off at 2 p.m. at House of Blues (1055 Fifth Ave.), where hair-metal cover band Wayward Sons will shred in unflatteringly tight pants. The crowd will then walk, or crawl, to Fluxx, then come to an end at the EDM-friendly BASSMNT. Drink specials and cuts to the front of the line are some of the perks the crawl offers. I’m sure a drunken make-out comes free of charge.

Tickets are $35 at stayclassy.org/sdclaborday.

If you’re looking for a dip in a pool, the Andaz Hotel (600 F St., Downtown) is throwing its final rooftop pool party of the summer with the Fortune Labor Day Pool Party on Sunday, Sept. 1.

For $30 you can hang with Downtown yupsters (yuppies who want to be hipsters) and dance to tunes provided by Lifelike and Solidisco. If this

32 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

Chill out in a cool pool this Labor Day weekend. scene isn’t your bag, The Lafayette Hotel (2223 El Cajon Blvd. in North Park) is also throwing pool parties on Sunday and Monday, Sept. 2. Both days will feature live entertainment at a much cheaper $15 each day.

Bikinis and beer bongs may not be your thing.

If you’re more into alternative Labor Day fun, head to Thirsty Moon Records (525 Evans Place in Hillcrest) for its Labor Day Party. BYO brewskis, buy some vinyl and check out a live set from heavy rock ’n’ rollers Wild Honey.

—Alex Zaragoza Write to alexz@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

Album Leaf at Sunset Temple. Tower of Power at Humphreys Concerts By the Bay. Body/Head at The Casbah. OneRepublic, Sara Bareilles at Open Air Theatre.

Sunday, Sept. 15 Godspeed You! Black Emperor at Belly Up. Coeur de Pirate at The Casbah. Immortal Technique, Brother Ali at World Beat Center.

Monday, Sept. 16 Todd Barry at The Casbah.

Tuesday, Sept. 17 Rose Windows at Soda Bar. Jason Isbell at The Casbah.

Wednesday, Sept. 18 Valient Thorr at The Casbah. Wynonna at Belly Up Tavern. The Toasters at Brick

by Brick. Midlake at Soda Bar.

Thursday, Sept. 19 Lynyrd Skynyrd at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Julieta Venegas at House of Blues. Gold Panda at The Casbah.

Friday, Sept. 20 X-Fest w/ blink-182, The Offspring, 30 Seconds to Mars, Silversun Pickups, Jimmy Eat World, Wavves at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Tech N9ne at House of Blues. The Orb at Porter’s Pub. Diana Krall at Humphreys Concerts By the Bay. Zapp at Valley View Casino Center.

Saturday, Sept. 21 One Drop at Belly Up. Dirty Beaches at The Void. Lila Downs at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. The Vaccines at

The Casbah. Cage the Elephant, Smallpools, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. at Junior Seau Oceanside Pier Amphitheatre. Deap Valley at Soda Bar.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach. 710bc.com. Wed: Open mic, open jam. Thu: The Routine. Sat: Timothy H, Sando and the Irie Vibration, $loat Dixon.

Tue: ‘710 Bass Club’.

98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, Little Italy. 98bottlessd.com. Thu: ‘A Tribute to Michael Jackson’ w/ Leonard Patton. Fri: Danny Green Trio. Sat: Teagan Taylor. Sun: Gary Lefebvre Tribute.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St, Normal Heights. airconditionedbar.com.

Wed: ‘Turn the Beat Around’. Thu: DJs Third Twin, Bala. Fri: DJ Junior the DiscoPunk. Sat: ‘Juicy’ w/ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Cosmic Gold’ w/ DJs Paluka/El Puma, Chuy Fresno, Volz.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave, Downtown. americancomedyco.com.

Wed: Edwin San Juan. Thu-Sat: Rory Scovel. Sun: Jeff Garcia.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St, North Park. barpink.com. Wed: ‘H.A.M.’ w/ DJ L. Thu: Queen Caveat. Fri: Fam Royal. Sat: Stevie and the Hi-Stax, DJ Barry Thomas.

Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave, Downtown. bassmntsd.com. Fri: Mak J. Sat: Moguai.

Sun: EC Twins.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach. bellyup.com. Wed: The Paragraphs, North Beach, Loose Snakes. Thu: ‘Glow Party 2.0’. Fri: Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, Brothers Comatose. Sat: DJ Z-Trip, VKCE. Sun: The Marshall Tucker

Band, Moonalice. Tue: John Hiatt.

Bluefoot Bar & Lounge, 3404 30th St, North Park. bluefootsd.com. Thu: DJ Peso.

Fri: DJs C Wizard, Kyle Lynch.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave, Carlsbad. boarcrossn.net. Sat: Shocks of Mighty.

Brass Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave, Hillcrest. thebrassrailsd.com. Fri: DJ Myxzlplix. Sat: ‘Sabados en Fuego’ w/ DJs XP, KA. Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJs XP, Junior the Disco Punk.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave, Bay Park. brickbybrick.com. Fri: My Elysian, Bitter Sober, Animato, The Infamous They.

Sat: JCM 800, The Rotten Johnnies, Hot Mustard.

Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave, Downtown. cafesevilla.com. Wed: Aro Di Santi. Thu: Malamana. Fri: Joeff and Co. Sat: Aragon y Royal.

Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. casbahmusic.com. Wed: Majical Cloudz, Moon King, Nicky Venus. Thu: Tijuana No, Sonidera Travesura, Cumbia Machin, Agua Dulce, 2Mex, DJ Unite, DJ Chucuchu. Thu: Barrio Film Fest Fundraiser. Fri: Agent Orange, Rat City Riot, Secret Samurai, Parade of Horribles. Sat: Everest, The Heavy Guilt, Flaggs, Aaron Lee Tasjan. Sun: The Tilt, The Filthy Violets, Gone Baby Gone.

Che Cafe, UCSD campus, La Jolla. thechecafe.blogspot.com. Sat: P.S.O., Sleep Walk, Let Em Rot, Dispossessed, Black Heads. Sun: FocusedxMinds, Clarity, Higher Learning, Crush, MethxBreath.

Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, Clairemont. thecomedypalace.com.

Thu: Mark Christopher Lawrence.

Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St, La Jolla. lajolla.thecomedystore.com. Fri-Sat: Steve Trevino.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. dizzyssandiego.com. Fri: Mundell Lowe, Bob Boss, Jaime Valle. Sat: CJS Quintet Celebrates Dexter Gordon. Sat: CJS Quintet.

El Dorado Bar, 1030 Broadway, Downtown. eldoradobar.com. Wed: ‘The Tighten Up’. Thu: ‘Boats and Hoes’. Fri: ‘Beat Kitchen’. Fri: TNT. Sat: Le Youth, Saul Q, Adam Salter. Sat: The Farmers. Tue: The Mattson 2.

Epicentre, 8450 Mira Mesa Blvd, Mira Mesa. epicentreconcerts.org. Fri: The Acacia Strain, Within the Ruins, Xibalba, Fit for an Autopsy, American Me, Impale Thy Neighbor. Sat: Neighbour/s, Erin Leanne, Brenden Michaels, Radio Active, IWXO, The Indy’s, Vignette.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave, Downtown. fluxxsd. com. Thu: Don Santino, Luke Skyy, Rohr, R.O.B.O.T. Fri: DJ Scooter. Sat: Sid and Rico. Sun: Lil Jon (DJ set).

Gallagher’s, 5040 Newport Ave, Ocean Beach. 619-222-5303. Wed: Lady Dottie and the Diamonds. Thu: So Cal Vibes, DJ Reefah, TRC Soundsystem. Fri: Deadly Birds, DJ Arox. Sat: Ease Up, DJ Chelu.

Sun: Agave Music, Random Radio, DJ Lya. Griffin, 1310 Morena Blvd, Bay Park. thegriffinsd.com. Wed: K. Flay, Sirah, We Are/ She Is, DJ Skullcrusher. Thu: Coda Reactor, Truckfighters, Chiefs, Revenge Death Ball. Fri: Tomorrow’s Bad Seeds, Hirie, Rico From Ease Up. Sat: Two Wolves, Leanna May and the Matadors, Swim Team. Sun: Noise Makerz, Pali Roots, TRC Soundsystem. Tue: Grand Tarantula, Chess Wars.

Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave, Downtown. hardrockhotelsd.com. Sat: ‘Intervention’ w/ Paul Van Dyk. Sun: ‘Intervention’ w/ Ferry Corsten.

Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave, Downtown. henryspub.com. Wed: Johnny Tarr, DJ Chris London. Thu: Fish and the Seaweeds, Mark Fisher. Fri: ‘Good Times’ w/ DJs Rev, Yodah. Sat: ‘Rock Star Saturdays’ w/ DJs E, Yodah. Mon: DJs Yodah, Joey Jimenez. Tue: Charles Burton.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave, Downtown. houseofblues.com/sandiego. Wed: Wintersun, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Arsis, Starkill. Thu: Dead Rabbits, Milestone, Anchors, Last Call Home. Sat: 6ONE9, Hitman Honey, Way Cool Jr. Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. kavalounge.com. Sun: DJs Jon E Thin, One Left, Joshua Allan.

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave, Kensington. 619-284-2848. Sat: The Desolators.

Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave, Normal Heights. lestats.com. Wed: Carrie Welling, Nick Africano. Thu: Just In Case, Punchcard. Fri: Josh Damigo, Mike Isberto, Raelee Nikole. Sat: Chris Carpenter, Joe Smith, Moonshine. Sun: Danielle Stathas, Curt Owen, The Evening Guests.

Mon: Open mic. Tue: Comedy night.

Office, 3936 30th St, North Park. officebarinc.com. Wed: Red Matter, Her Crimson Love, Bar Elements, Upscale Casual, Craig Furnivall. Thu: DJs Ikah Love, Adam Salter, Kanye Asada. Fri: DJs Peril, Unite.

Sat: DJs Kanye Asada, Gabe Vega.

Onyx Room / Thin, 852 Fifth Ave, Downtown. onyxroom.com. Fri: ‘Rumba Lounge’ w/ DJs Martin Kache, Seize, La Mafia, Muzik Junkies. Sat: DJ Rags. Tue: ‘Jill Scott Tribute’ w/ DJ Mr. Hek. Patricks II, 428 F St, Downtown. patricksii.com. Wed: Mystique Element of Soul.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

Thu: Myron and the Kyniptionz. Fri: Mystique Element of Soul. Sat: TnT. Porter’s Pub, 9500 Gilman Dr., UCSD campus, La Jolla. porterspub.net. Fri: Cornerboy P, Fiend4DaMoney, Young Roddy.

Sat: Pac Div. Quality Social , 789 Sixth Ave, Downtown. qualitysocial.com. Thu & Sat: DJ Saul Q. Fri: DJ Erick Diaz.

Queen Bee’s, 3925 Ohio St, North Park. queenbeessd.com. Fri: On Fifth, Mason James and Avalon Young, Ben Varella, Oak Palace, Serviette Couriers. Tue: Open mic.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave, Hillcrest. richssandiego.com. Wed: ‘Mischief’ w/ Bianca. Thu: ‘Repent’. Fri: DJs Marcel, Will Z. Sat: DJs Vaughn Avakian, Taj, Nikno.

Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave, North Park. sevengrandbars.com/sd. Wed: Kice Simko. Thu: Black Watch Trio. Fri: The Cherries Jubilee. Sat: The Distractions.

Shakedown Bar, 3048 Midway Drive, Point Loma. theshakedownsd.com. Fri: Sleepwalkers, Toothless George, Johnny Deadly. Sat: Cholos On Acid, Nuclear Tomorrow, Ramplocals.

Side Bar, 536 Market St, Downtown. sidebarsd.com. Wed: Kings of Industry III. Fri: ‘S-Bar’ w/ DJ Slowhand. Sat: Craig Smoove.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. sodabarmusic.com. Wed: Okay Okay, The Blackjackits, Sound Lupus.

Thu: Carrie Nations, Needles/Pins, Homeless Sexuals,. Behind the Wagon, Visitors, Grammatical B, Tight Bros, A-Borts, Lyndseys, Johnn. Thu: Awesome Fest. Fri: Toys That Kill, Dopamines, Turkish Techno, Rumspringer, Crow Bait, Murmurs, Dudes Night. Fri: Awesome Fest. Sat: Banner Pilot, Plow United, Slow Death, Gateway

34 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

District, Manix, American Lies, Bam Bams.

Sat: Awesome Fest. Sun: Awesome Fest.

Sun: Lipstick Homicide, Parasites, Steinways, Maxies, Pool Party, Visitors, Turkletons, Jabber. Mon: Psychic Mirrors, Miami Players Club DJs. Tue: Said the Whale, Kera and the Lesbians, Social Club.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St, Midtown. spinnightclub.com. Fri: The Party Boyz, Lady Explicit, Mac Fetti. Sun: Shotta Crew, Wreckin Krew, Fayah Heart.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave, Hillcrest. rubyroomsd.com. Thu: Terry Matsuoka, Kenny Eng, Isleside. Fri: DJs Adam Salter, MK Ultra, Eric Yo. Sat: Still Ill, FMera.

The Void, 3519 El Cajon Blvd, North Park. thevoidsd.com. Wed: The Night Owl Massacre, Dark Globe, Strangely Strange.

Tiki House, 1152 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach. tikipb.com. Fri: Jet Pack Mojo.

Sat: Julie Mack, The Nards, Deep in the Shed.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. tiltwoclub.com. Wed: Just Like Jenna, The Vim Dicta, Little Dove. Fri: Owl, Craig Dweller, Wild Honey, Occult Wisdom, DJ Mikey Ratt. Sun: Cautious Joe. Tin Can Ale House, 1863 Fifth Ave, Bankers Hill. thetincan1.wordpress.com. Wed: Hurry On Sundown, Trailduster, Travis Labrel, Christine Huber. Thu: Radios Silent, Sensory Station, Nothing Haunts Me. Fri: Pretty Boom, Duping the Public, Uniform Victor. Sat: Scout Niblett, P.G. Six, Tori Rogg. Mon: ‘Tin Can Country Club’ w/ Lana Rebel. Tue: Mockingbird, Requiem for the Rockets, Craigslist Killers.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St, Bay Park. tioleos.com. Wed: Theo and Zydeco Patrol.

Thu: Nathan James. Fri: Colour. Sat: Full Strength Funk Band.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave, City Heights. thetowerbar.com. Wed: The Ratts Revenge. Sat: Shark Pants, Teenage Burritos, White Night. Sun: SMD, Idols Plague, DEA, Nerve Control.

Turquoise, 873 Turquoise St, Pacific Beach. theturquoise.com/wordpress.

Wed: Tomcat Courtney (6 p.m.). Thu: JJ Carlen (4 p.m.); Pan Am (7 p.m.). Fri: Tomcat Courtney (5 p.m.); Peligroso Caramelo (9 p.m.). Sat: Tomcat Courtney (5 p.m.); Santana Pa Ti (9 p.m.). Sun: Sounds Like Four (4 p.m.); Um Cantinho do Samba (7 p.m.). Mon: Sean Murphy (4 p.m.); Fish Out of Water (7 p.m.). Tue: Gabriela Aparicio (4 p.m.); Afro Jazziacs (7 p.m.).

U-31, 3112 University Ave, North Park. u31bar.com. Thu: DJ Schoeny. Fri: DJ Maine1. Sat: Murphi Kennedy.

Voyeur, 755 Fifth Ave, Downtown. voyeursd.com. Sat: Danny Avila. Sun: Gareth Emery.

West Coast Tavern, 2895 University Ave, North Park. westcoatstavern.com. Wed: Slow Este Vinyl. Thu: DJ Decon. Fri: DJ Slowhand. Sat: Will Hernandez.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, South Park. whistlestopbar.com. Wed: Amerikan Bear, The Milkcrates, DJs Mikey Face, Angie.

Thu: So Say We All Presents: Selling Out. Fri: Beehive and the Barracudas. Sat: Gajo (5 p.m.); ‘Diamonds in the Back’ (9 p.m.). Sun: ‘Stationfest’ w/ The Marsupials, Nigel and the Nuge Tones, The River Daughters. Sun: StationFest 2013.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St, Ocean Beach. winstonsob.com. Wed: Open mic. Thu: The Devastators, The Deadly Birds. Fri: The B-Side Players. Sat: C. Fish (5 p.m.); Piracy Conspiracy, Cumbia Machine (9:30 p.m.). Mon: Electric Waste Band.

Tue: The Routine.

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 35

36 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 37

Proud sponsor: Mitch’s Seafood

Ink Well Xwords by Ben Tausig

Across 1. What bread is stuffed with?

6. Design detail 10. 2011 role for Chris Hemsworth as Odin’s son 14. Offer a heads-up 15. “Ahoy, friend” 16. Get it on, as it were 17. Staunch opponent of Burning Man’s setting?

19. It’s not quite all the way 20. Dwindles, as a mob 21. Crazy Horse’s tribe 23. Wheels 24. Mr. Solo 25. April payment in the place where crabs and herons live?

26. Goes quick 28. Fuel derived from petroleum, e.g.

30. Risk the ___ of 31. Some fancy shoes 33. Palindromic protagonist of the 2013 Disney film “Frozen” 34. Signed off on 35. Book about how it would be great to stop being nomadic and farm the prairie?

39. Its second-ever video was for Pat Benatar’s “You Better Run” 42. “At Last” songstress James 43. Craft for the ultra-rich 47. Co-founder of the Smashing Pumpkins with Corgan 48. State since ‘48 51. Guilty, e.g.

52. Farmer who took a wife, in a song?

54. Sheep’s hangout 56. Torah’s home 57. New Orleans bluesman in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Last week’s answers

58. Radial alternative 60. Look too long 61. “Narrow land is grand” and “So what if it juts?”?

63. “NYPD Blue” actor Morales 64. Advantage 65. The first mes 66. Fires 67. Smidgens 68. Sensible car, perhaps

Down 1. Technology that I guess has outed me as a robot because I always get it wrong 2. Words of compulsory tribute 3. Syndicated, as “Seinfeld” 4. ___ Mawr College 5. Herb collection for baking?

6. ___ Malwae-Tweep (“Parks and Rec” character) 7. School where Salk developed the polio vaccine 8. Nose neighbor 9. “Sweet” woman of soft rock 10. Letter-shaped clamp 11. “Hamlet” character who doesn’t die 12. How manic pixie dream girls often do things 13. Chilled 18. Romance novelist Tami 22. Huge collection of stars 25. Courier New, e.g.

27. Soak (up) 29. Yemen’s capital 32. Carriage with runners 36. When photographs for nursing home brochures are often shot 37. Humblebragging reply 38. One place to get water 39. Reference key on the piano 40. Maria ___ (common name in European royalty) 41. “Les Misérables” hero 44. Picked up at the lost and found, say 45. Noted Venezuelan wedding dress designer 46. Goes up against 49. GOP bogeymen 50. Jet name 53. Slow Sri Lankan lemur 55. Droppings from a butt 58. The Cowboys’ city, familiarly 59. Actress Daly who was probably not named after Newcastle’s river 62. Smartphone predecessor

Two $20 gift certificates to Mitch’s Seafood will be awarded weekly. Email a picture of your answers to crossword@sdcitybeat.com or fax it to 619-325-1393. Limit one win per person per 30 days.

38 · San Diego CityBeat · August 28, 2013

August 28, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 39