San Diego CityBeat • Sept 9, 2015

2 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

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September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

Up Front | From the editor

Earth still in the balance

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ill there ever be a convenient administration take those regulations and apply it nationally, I wonder why are we doing this when it time to re-introduce the subject of won’t have any impact?” climate change into mainstream discourse? Post-Labor Day? Maybe Such shortsightedness. on a Wednesday three weeks from today? Can we It’s true that China hasn’t lifted a finger to curtail fossil fuel emissions. But the “Everybody Else squeeze it in before the holidays? Or are things so Is Doing It” excuse rings hollow. The United States crazy we have to take a deep breath and put it on needs to work on both a national reduction solution the agenda for just after the new year? as well as lead and participate in a worldwide call People like Derek and Nancy Casady are tired of the delays. The couple (she’s general manager to action. of the Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Market; Folks like the Casadys know you don’t change he’s president of the La Jolla Democratic Club) is the world’s temperature overnight, but their coalipart of a national volunteer organization that betion believes time is running out to transition the lieves the world is on a collision course with a cataUnited States off of fossil fuels and onto clean, safe strophic climate disruption. and renewable solar, wind and water energy.

The Casadys are local leaders of The Climate The organization’s “Pledge to Mobilize” can be Mobilization. This advocacy found at theclimatemobilizatheclimatemobilization.org group is calling for a World tion.org. Their call to action War II-scale mobilization (an is that the U.S. government emergency restructuring of commences a “heroic” social the industrial economy) to reand economic mobilization store a safe climate. to restore a safe climate that “We no longer have time supports human civilizato get America off of fossil fution; reduce the country’s net els one individual, household, greenhouse gas emissions 100 city or state at a time,” said percent by 2025; and enlist Nancy Casady, who is also a tens of millions of Americans Gov. Jerry Brown appointee to in an effort to expand carbonthe California Food and Agrineutral energy and agriculture culture Board. “We must now systems. make a home front commitIf you sign The Climate Moment as a nation to implement bilization’s pledge, you vow to 100 percent Clean Energy at vote for and donate time and wartime speed.” money to political candidates It’s better to do something, Nancy and Derek Casady on the local, state and national rather than the status quo— level who also believe the clock nothing—about this huge problem. But the arguis ticking. The Casadys are targeting Rep. Scott Pement for inaction from the political right is twoters for his signature later this month. fold: The science behind global warming is not con“The Obama administration calls climate change a global threat on the scale of World War II, clusive; and, if the science is correct, then the Unitso why are we not responding with a World War IIed States alone can’t fix a problem that other world scale emergency mobilization?” asks The Climate powers have shown no inclination of addressing.

That’s the rationalization you get from people like Mobilization founder Margaret Klein Salamon.

Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina.

“It’s time to treat climate change like the existen“Every one of the scientists who tell us climate tial threat it is.” change is real and being caused by man-made acIt stands to reason that saving the planet would come in handy, if only so all the social-justice progtivity also tell us that a single nation acting alone ress borne in 2015 gets a chance to breathe for at can make no difference,” Fiorina said in a recent interview with Katie Couric. “When I see a state least the next few decades. like California destroy lives and livelihoods with

—Ron Donoho environmental regulations that will make no difference at all to climate change; when I see the Obama Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com This issue of CityBeat can finally focus on its haunted amusement park now that all the meddling kids are back in school.

Volume 14 • Issue 5 Editor Ron Donoho Music Editor Jeff Terich Arts Editor Seth Combs Associate editor Joshua Emerson Smith Web Editor Ryan Bradford Art director Carolyn Ramos Columnists Aaryn Belfer, Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb, Alex Zaragoza

Contributors David L. Coddon, Beth Demmon, Andrew Dyer, Tiffany Fox, Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Peter Holslin, Jessica Johnson, Scott McDonald, Jenny Montgomery, Susan Myrland, Chad Peace Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Tom Siebert, Jen Van Tieghem, Amy Wallen Production Manager Tristan Whitehouse

Senior account executive Jason Noble Account Executives Beau Odom, Kimberly Wallace, Isaac Aycox Accounting Kacie Cobian, Sharon Huie, Linda Lam Human Resources Andrea Baker Vice President of Finance Michael Nagami

Production artist Rees Withrow

Vice President of Operations David Comden

MultiMedia Advertising Director Paulina Porter-Tapia

Publisher Kevin Hellman

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

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September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

Up Front | Letters

JUDGING JUDGES Regarding San Diego Ethics Commission appointments [“Reform the Ethics Commission,” Sept. 2], I would not trust San Diego retired judges.

All 100 percent of judges in San Diego are Republican.

I saw them appoint people to the Redistricting Commission, and what they did was, they made equal parts Democrat, Republican and Independent, but Independents tend to be small business people who lean Republican, so there was not an equal portion of Greens. Similar to the skew that C-Span gets when it divvies up its callers like that.

Plus, members of the Redistricting Commission, who refused to listen to the citizens and tore the heart out of Clairemont-Linda Vista-Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa (Donna Frye’s former city council district), are now seen on the Planning Commission, which approves every project, no matter how harmful.

There is nobody nonpartisan today, because the Republicans have become corporatist fascists, and Democrats need to vigorously defend the people from this severe aggressive oppression.

If you want to change the political leaning of judges, vote no on every single judge the next time they are on the ballot, and get some liberalleaning Democratic judges on there who won’t put the mentally ill in solitary torture and allow the police to get away with murder.

Meanwhile, how about letting the Ethics Commission be composed of some young

6 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

legal interns—the younger generation still knows right from wrong. Short of that, I would tend to stick with Democrats appointing their share of the board, and have it be equal, and no Independents to skew the board to two-thirds Republican, unless there is equal representation by Green party. Thank you.

Valerie Sanfilippo,

San Diego

On the

Cover

BLACK & WHITE It’s encouraging that Aaryn Belfer has received a lot of press for her insightful opinions about racial bigotry [“A white person’s guide to activism,” July 22], as this may encourage solutions to an ominous, pervasive cultural reality. Whites make up just 30 percent of the global population and 39 percent of the California population. In the nation as a whole, whites still comprise about 73 percent of the population due to the initial high number of immigrants from Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East. Over the next few decades, non-whites are expected to outnumber whites around the country. However, this number change may not resolve the issue of white cultural domination, as even after decades of mandatory government workplace hiring guidelines and ill-attempts at Affirmative Action and school busing to equalize educations, we still have essentially segregated neighborhoods. Until all races live side-by-side, get to know each other as equals and share/resolve common problems together, we will continue to harbor a basic misunderstanding of one another that breeds racism (them vs. us). I’m

As the longer days of summer dwindle, one bright light worth looking forward to is the annual Fall Arts Preview issue. It’s a series of snapshots of entertaining events in the worlds of dance, film literature, music, theater and visual arts. Art director Carolyn Ramos (pronounced: Rah-mōs; no relation to Trump-baiting activist/ journalist Jorge Ramos), raked together the leafy cover treatment, then set her color wheel on “stun” by picking an electric yellow for the background. Look for more of her work at somaramos.com. not sure how to put an end to racial bigotry in San Diego or around the country other than through education (anthropology, genetics, etc.), using the gay rights equality success model and/or community-building with mandatory integration of neighborhoods— but good luck with the latter.

Donna Shanske,

Bankers Hill

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Up Front | News

Potrepreneurs face de-facto bans Applicants battle for limited pot-shop locations

by Joshua Emerson Smith

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hen Cary Weaver took over a lease on an industrial building seemingly perfect for a medical cannabis dispensary, he knew there would be risks.

However, the opportunity proved too appealing to pass up. Having worked in real estate most his life, he started, several years ago, growing medical cannabis for a local dispensary.

“I think there’s a perception that people who are in this business are bad people, and there are some, but most of the people are business people,” said the 43-year-old San Diego native.

While owning a dispensary can be lucrative, opening one can be costly, especially in San Diego where laws have created a dog-eat-dog competition for a limited number of viable locations. Over the last 18 months, Weaver estimates he’s spent around $250,000 on the process, including costs for surveyors, architects and lawyers.

“It’s extremely hard and stressful,” he said. “It’s a huge, life-changing decision. If I fail, it’s bankruptcy for me.”

Weaver is one of 53 original applicants, 10 of which have been approved since April 2014 when officials started the first-comefirst-serve process. Because the City Council capped the number of permits at 36, four per council district, many knew they were taking a chance.

However, under the restrictions of a hot-

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ly debated city ordinance, officials now anticipate permitting only 14 medical-cannabis dispensaries in total, with de-facto bans in four of the nine City Council districts.

The rules have proven so strict in practice that advocates for patient access who initially supported the ordinance have started questioning the process.

“I don’t think that having limited access in the outskirts of town and not in every district is acceptable,” said Eugene Davidovich, president of the Alliance for Responsible Medicinal Access. “I think the intention of City Council was to have limited, regulated, safe access in every district.”

The Planning Commission, which reviews appealed applications, requested the city hold a workshop to take public testimony and consider refining the ordinance, which has led to intense legal wrangling among applicants.

Under the city’s rules, dispensaries cannot be within 1,000 feet of each other or sensitive sites, including public parks, churches, playgrounds or schools. Applications are limited to specific industrial and commercial zones.

In the run up to approving the ordinance for permitting dispensaries in February 2014, councilmembers, led by Marti Emerald, whose District 9 is expected to face a de-facto ban, beefed up the list of sensitive sites to include broad terms, such as “minor-oriented facility.”

“There are a huge number of people who are engaged in psychotic acts, these serial shooters that have no real reason for it,” added the 63-year-old construction contractor. “There doesn’t seem to be any motive, and you find out they’re marijuana users.”

Reaching out to the mayor’s office, as well as members of the City Council with fewer than two dispensaries slated for their district, CityBeat received one response.

Gina Jacobs, spokesperson for Mark Kersey, whose District 5 faces a de-facto ban, told CityBeat the councilmember was “fine with that.”

That’s not good news for Weaver, whose project was recommended by city staff last winter for approval, only to find out recently that he’s too close to a “public park.”

Located in Councilmember Scott Sherman’s District 7, which faces a de-facto ban, the warehouse Weaver has rented is located south of Friars Road in an industrial area east of Interstate 15. Unfortunately for him, it came to the city’s attention that a section of the San Diego River, technically a “public park,” runs by the area within the prohibited distance.

Weaver, who leads the way in the district’s first-come-first-serve application process has faced appeals and challenges to his project from applicants looking to establish dispensaries within 1,000 feet of him. However, this particular challenge he blames on Chipman and San Diegans for Safe Neighborhoods.

“I don’t think he’s a bad guy,” Weaver said. “I don’t know what to think about Scott Chipman.”

Arguing the law was intended to shield children, Weaver and his lawyers have argued the ordinance should be amended to read “active public park.” If he can’t convince the city to accept his application, he said, he’d likely file a lawsuit.

“It’s really just one word they have to add in the ordinance in my case… which is the whole intent, a public park were kids play,” he said.

Chipman admits that his group will use any legal means to oppose the opening of dispensaries, whether or not a particular project follows the intent of the ordinance.

“This is an illegal activity,” he said. “The people who are engaged in it are essentially all lawbreakers.”

Cannabis advocates, such as Davidovich, argue that such tactics will backfire, creating conditions that threaten safety, such as long lines at dispensaries that could attract criminals.

“It’s not enough access for the thousands of patients that live in our communities,” he said. “Some of the challenges that we could face are the challenges [City Council] wanted to avoid, like people having to drive long distances or creating a small monopoly where the price could be affected.”

Officials expect to finish the permitting process by the end of the year. The city has two permitted dispensaries currently operating—A Green Alternative in Otay Mesa and Point Loma Patients Cooperative in Midway.

As a result, the number of viable locations where an applicant could open a dispensary shrank considerably. At the same time, lawyers from competing dispensaries looked for any excuse to disqualify those ahead of their clients in the first-comefirst-serve queue.

“The zones are very, very limited, so when they did find a zone that allowed it, we had multiple applications that were literally next to each other,” said Edith Gutierrez, development project manager for the city. “It was definitely a race to be first to a hearing.”

In nearly eight years on the Planning Commission, chairman Timothy Golba said, this process has been the “wildest” he’d ever seen. “To a certain degree it was sort of like taking the ordinance and covering it in raw meat and putting it out in the desert and just waiting for the buzzards to come picking at it.”

However, the City Council has refused to revisit the issue, which has come to be seen as political kryptonite. Opposition from a small but vocal group of anti-cannabis activists, San Diegans for Safe Neighborhoods, has proven extremely effective.

“I.Q., depression, schizophrenia, they’re all negatively impacted by marijuana use,” said the group’s cofounder Scott Chipman, “and it’s very, very serious the younger the Write to joshua@sdcitybeat.com or follow him on Twitter at @jemersmith user.

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

Up Front | opinion

divided state of

jay reed / flickr

chad peace

america South Park eyes the Target on its back

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he preservation of community values is, by definition, adversarial to change.

In Rancho Santa Fe, for example, the general community places a significant value on the “rural”�������������������������� nature ������������������������� of their neighborhood. This is why, despite the rapid modernization of America, you can still find horse trails and farms in the upscale Covenant of Rancho Santa Fe. So any attempt to modernize the community in a way that does not preserve its rural nature is always met with fierce opposition.

In South Park, the general community places a significant value on art and local heritage.

This is why, despite having a Starbucks on every corner and houses that all look the same in America, you can’t find a chain store or even a supermarket in one of the city’s coolest and most culturally conscious communities.

This type of conservatism is rational.

We tend to locate ourselves in places where we feel comfortable.

And change is, to human nature, uncomfortable. It’s no wonder that the residents of South Park are resistant to welcoming Target into their community.

Community pride is so embedded into South Park that the residents there will still remind you that it is called “Golden Hill,” before the business owners invite you in for a glass of wine.

At the Big Kitchen, you’ll be met with pictures of Whoopi and a hug from Judy.

At the Station, you can feed your dog some French fries from a park bench.

And at the Whistle Stop, you can listen to goth, to soul and sing karaoke to ’90s music, all in one week.

But today, TargetExpress, a small-format version of its bigger brother, is moving into South Park.

8 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

This marks a significant change in the neighborhood’s character.

As a natural consequence, generations of people from Golden Hill, who define themselves by the unique-ness and originality of their community, are unhappy that they have to share their community with this big red bullseye.

South Park residents learned about the construction of the new TargetExpress, which will open in the old Gala Foods building at Fern and Grape Street, in September 2014. Since that time, the community’s largest parking lot has been the subject of protests, opposition strikes and outrage.

Several members of the community argue that the installation of a big chain like Target will not only upset the local charm of the community, but threaten the small businesses who sell clothes and crafts made, literally, down the street from the stores that sell them.

South Park is a small, tightknit community of friendly residents and independent businesses that attracts visitors from across the county. And groups like Care About South Park say the new Target not only threatens commerce, but the community itself.

That is why many residents feel like San Diego City Councilmember Todd Gloria has failed to protect their community from the onslaught of Corporate America.

Gloria, however, says that he has been in active discussions with members of the community, local business owners, city staff and Target representatives.

It is important, for context, to recognize that publicly traded companies like Target do not usually make these accommodations.

This is because, in large part, its primary objective is to make money for its investors. So when one of America’s supermarket goliaths forfeits potential profits for some peace with the residents, it is more than a small success for the war against Corporate America.

That Target will not expand its square footage, has agreed to allow the coffee shop to operate in its parking lot and has committed to not put a Starbucks inside, is perhaps evidence of the strength of the community’s commitment to its traditional character. Target representatives even agreed to preserve the integrity of the current architecture, including its mid-century aesthetics and Gala Foods’ lettering-style.

Another important consideration is that many local residents, even if they oppose the new Target, would welcome other, smaller su-

permarket chains. Some community spokespeople have suggested that a “less corporate” company like Sprouts, Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, would be a better fit for the community than the bigbox behemoth.

The problem is that none of these “less corporate” companies expressed an interest in opening their doors in South Park.

This does not mean that members of the community, however, are unreasonably concerned about the potential long-term impact of Target.

Realistically, once Target is done securing the permits required to open its doors, the residents will have little leverage over the manner in which Target pursues its profits.

So a sale on kid’s toys at Target will put a strain on the sales of the So Childish store owned by a local San Diegan just one block away.

The Make Good store a few blocks north, which sells crafts made by local artists, will have to compete with the prices of items manufactured overseas. And more than a few folks will choose the convenience of one-stop shopping over stopping in for milk at the Fern Street Market.

So whether or not Target disguises itself as a native, it will inevitably strip the community of part of its culture.

It is the conservative position to resist this change.

And it is a rational perspective.

Write to chadp@sdcitybeat.com.

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

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Up Front | Opinion

Sordid

Edwin Decker

Tales

The difference between “ignorant” and “ignant”

A

lmost everything we know was told to run on sentences. But, Mom, just because the auto us by someone else. If you don’t know mechanic down the street uses the word “irregardthis simple truth, then you are ignorant. less” doesn’t make him stupid. Dude knows how to Now don’t get your bunions all in a bunch. I rebuild an engine while you are still trying to figure don’t mean ignorant as in stupid. I mean it in its out how to work the trip odometer. non-derogatory sense, which is that you simply Neither of them is stupid. They both just know did not know something. And because nobody some things and don’t know other things. This is knows everything, we are all, by definition, “ignowhy I am proposing a tweak in the dictionary. I rant.” I see this as a fatal problem with the word. want to defang the meaning of “ignorant” so that I got to thinking about this when, on a slow Tuesday it only means “not knowing” in the benign sense, afternoon drinking beer and yapping with the barsuch as, Mary was ignorant of the fact that her tender— let’s call him Sir Mix-a-Lot (of-Drinks)—he cleavage was causing car accidents. Then I want to used the I-word on me. And the reason was because add ignant, which is currently not in the dictionI didn’t know the meaning of “ineffable.” ary, to be officially defined as someone who is, Of course, I have heard that word before. But it you know, hopelessly, utterly—ineffably—ignant. occurred to me, when he said it, that I didn’t know What’s that you say? Never use the word to be dewhat it meant. So I asked Sir Mix-o-Logist and he refined within the definition? Fine. How’s this then? acted as if I had asked what goes in a gin and tonic.

“Ignant: [ig-nant] Adjective. Someone who displays “You don’t know what it means?” he blubhigh levels of fatuousness—a buffoon, a twit, a ninbered. “The writer? The jourcompoop, ignoramus, muttonhead, nalist? The guy who makes his brick-brain—a dumbshit, assfaced, living with words doesn’t even turd clown; a dog breathed, wormIgnant is continuing brained, half-boob—a dumbass is know the meaning of ‘ineffable’?”

“Now hold on a second!” I replied. to not know even after what we’re saying; a person who “Just because I’m a writer doesn’t remains ignorant even after learnyou’ve been told... ing the contradicting facts.” That’s mean I should know every word in the language, just as bartenders the difference right there! Ignorant is not knowing because you haven’t do not know every drink recipe. I been told yet. Ignant is continuing to not know even mean, do you know how to make a Purple Alaskan after you’ve been told.

Thunderfuck? No? Well I do.”

For example, ignant means still believing the Admittedly, the reason I know how to make Earth is only 6,000 years old after reading about the a Purple Alaskan Thunderfuck is because, while fossilized skeletal remains of Lucy, a 3 million-yearSir Snob-a-Lot was ranting about my ignorance, I old hominin.

Googled “obscure cocktails” to underscore his.

Ignant is pinching your secretary’s ass and callEverything we know, we know because someone ing her “hot cakes” even after you sat through told us. five hours of Harassment Prevention training.

Whether by our peers, teachers, preachers, books, Ignant is continuing to deny climate change even TV or Google—there’s very little information we have after learning that the Earth’s surface temperatures formulated on our own. What this means is, for the are increasing, sea levels are rising and Eskimos no most part, what we know is nothing to be proud of. I longer live in igloos; they live in puddle-gloos. mean, sure, many folk seek knowledge, and to Stir-andIgnant is spouting that “Merika is the best counMix-a-Lot’s credit, he does study his thesaurus. Howtry in the world,” even after learning how poorly ever he forgets that other people study other things.

Merika ranks in education, income equality, unemAnd that’s what’s irritating. People like Mixxy— ployment, life expectancy and the number of game Knowledge Snobs let’s call them—act all highshows on which people eat bugs for money. and-mighty about all the crap they know, as if Ignant is having an affair with a married person what they know should be known by everyone then being surprised when he or she cheats on you and anyone who doesn’t know what they know as well. must be an idiot. Conversely, all the knowledge Ignant is believing in white supremacy even the Knowledge Snobs don’t know that other peothough you know Sarah Palin is Caucasian. ple do know is—stay with me now—considered And ignant is believing that President Barrack to be less important knowledge than the knowlHussein Obama is a Muslim, terrorist, anti-Semitic, edge that is known by the Knowledge Snobs. despotic, gay, racist, communist puppet of George The Mother and I often argue about people who Soros who is trying to destroy America from within have bad grammar and/or writing skills. She’s a rewhen everybody knows that Obama is an ineffable tired English teacher and often associates it with inMuslim, terrorist, anti-Semitic, despotic, gay, racist, telligence. I do not. Sure, I know how to spel good, communist puppet of George Soros who is trying to and how to use: punctuation correctly, and how destroy America from within—dumbass! important, crucial, essential—nay imperative—it is to avoid redundancies, and naturally I do whatever possible—even if it means hacking out entire pasSordid Tales appears every other week. sages of this manuscript with a machete—to avoid Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com.

“

“

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September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

Up Front | Food

by michael a. gardiner

the world

fare

Time travel on a plate

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he fried clams and lobster rolls at Bite of Boston (3292 Governor Dr.) in University City are poor reflections of the dishes I remember from my New England college years.

Flawed? Yes. But they send me back to a place I had not been in a while—a place I miss.

And that sent me back to a debate in my junior year Literary Criticism class (second floor, Chapin Hall, Amherst College) regarding Matthew Arnold’s assertion that the role of criticism was “to see the object as in itself it really is.” David Foster Wallace (the late, noted author and subject of biopic The End of the Tour) defended Arnold’s objective approach, saying psychological, historical and sociological background are irrelevant. I argued that excluding subjective resonance was both impossible and undesirable.

Tasting Bite of Boston’s fried clams, I felt sure Wallace would have seen them as poor representations of the thing itself. Ipswich-style clams are soft-shell clams dipped in evaporated milk, coated with a combination of regular, corn and/or pastry flour, deep fried in oil or lard. While Bite of Boston uses both the neck and belly of what it claims are Ipswich clams (I have my doubts), the poor adherence of breading to the clams yielded a greasy product with bellies slightly underdone. But they were still fried clams, still tasty and with every clam I was transported back to Woodman’s of Essex, a good place to be.

The story was much the same with the lobster roll: classically big chunks of juicy lobster meat bound together by just enough mayonnaise and just enough celery, lettuce and/or peppers to pull the entire thing together. Wallace would have noted the classic upright buns but also observed

10 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

the lobster was as stringy as it is chunky, and the meat-to-mayo ratio tilted decidedly in favor of Hellman’s. Still, I’ve always enjoyed a lobster roll and could not help but fondly remember my last time at Belle Isle Seafood in Winthrop.

New England-style clam chowder is traditionally milk or cream based, flavored with a hit of pork and with potatoes, onions and clams but definitely not tomatoes (that would be Manhattan style). Wallace would probably have liked this “chowdah” but noted it was a long drink of cream light on that clam-pork brothy goodness and, frankly, on the clams themselves. Not bad for west of the Berkshires though.

Objectively, Bite of Boston’s best objective representations were its submarine sandwiches, especially the Northender and Boston Big-Timer.

Michael A. Gardiner

Boston Big Timer The latter was particularly well-executed: turkey, ham, roast beef and cheese with lettuce, diced onions, pickles, tomatoes, hot peppers, seasonings and oil. It was a great representation of exactly what it purported to be. Wallace would have lauded it and I respected it. But I didn’t love it.

Seeing a work—or a dish—clearly and objectively is no doubt important. But ignoring its context and impact on the subconscious, on sentiment (so much the subject of David Foster Wallace’s books) is to ignore fully half the work.

Arnold might have panned Bite of Boston and for reasons with which I wouldn’t argue. But I loved it anyway.

The World Fare appears weekly.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

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Up Front | Food

bottle

By Jen Van Tieghem

Rocket Add Wine Folly to your rack

T

hroughout the upcoming book Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine, Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack succeed at making the familiar seem new and the new seem familiar. Set to be released Sept. 22, the book takes stylish infographics and articles from the authors’ website, WineFolly.com, and organizes them into a 240-page guide divided into sections on fundamentals, styles of wine and regions.

In the opening pages, the book notes that the vastness of the wine world can be daunting, but that fact shouldn’t turn anyone off. As the first section plainly lays out basics for buying, serving and tasting wine, it leaves out any air of snobbery. It’s all about encouraging exploration and helping to decipher some convoluted concepts.

Puckette’s background in design lends itself to the colorful pages. Customary ideas, such as serving temperature or food pairing, are presented with simple graphics and concise notes.

The “Styles of Wine” section is organized starting with sparkling wines, leading into types of

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whites, then onto reds and finishing with dessert wines—just as you would taste these styles. A flavor wheel for each is a great tool to use in order to identify the subtleties of what’s on your palate.

Looking over the pages for my favorite varietal—Sauvignon Blanc—I was greeted with familiar flavor notes; but also found a helpful item about flavors that come from particular climates. For example, the lime essence I enjoy so much can be found in versions from cooler climates. White peach notes are indicative of a warm climate. And as I sipped a slightly creamy but still refreshing Fumé Blanc (Cairdean Vineyards, 2012) I read about the typicity of this style and its origin.

For anyone studying wine, the section on wine regions proves a handy study companion. Colorful maps of 12 regions and their accompanying pages identify various growing areas and what grapes grow where.

With such a broad spectrum covered in simple, easy-to-read layouts, Wine Folly (you can pre-order the book at the website) is a fun and informative read for wine lovers old and new; it’s the kind of material one will reference regularly.

Write to jenv@sdcitybeat.com

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

Up Front | Drink

by beth demmon

final

draught Now Pouring in Point Loma: Bay City Brewing

I

t’s a tale as old as 2009—a homebrew hobbyist gets a taste of professional brewing and decides to take advantage of the explosive local craft beer growth to open his very own brewery.

Enter Bay City Brewing Company (3760 Hancock St., Suite A), the latest addition to San Diego’s craft beer directory.

After co-brewing at Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery for a stint, former homebrewer and now Bay City head brewer Chris West has succeeded where many have attempted but few have excelled: parlaying his bartending and brewing experience into what’s shaping up to be a drinking destination behind Valley View Casino Center. Despite the fact that Bay City’s current beer catalog numbers in the single digits and its industrial location isn’t exactly a common pedestrian route, after sampling its wares I feel confident that it’ll become a regular on San Diego’s rosters of damn decent draughts.

Flights start with what I consider to be its best beer so far—a Session IPA with Chinook and Equinox hops (4.2 percent ABV) that’s surprisingly grassy and bright with a hefty emphasis on aromatics. Next is the American Stout (6.66 percent ABV), a respectable, yet fairly straightforward stout that seems a tad more carbonated than I’d normally expect, but on a sticky summer day the refreshing effervescence is an enjoyable lapse.

The Experimental Pale Ale with Nelson Sauvin & Columbus hops comes in at 5.5 percent ABV, and while I applaud Bay City’s valiant attempt to conquer the tricky Nelson, the result is a solidly good, but not great, pale ale. How-

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ever, the alternate San Diego Pale Ale weighs in at 7.7 percent ABV and gives off nose-wrinkling whiffs of spiced hop essence with just a hint of candied bananas that I can only attribute to the complex Mosaic, Simcoe and Chinook combination or warmer fermentation. This will surely become a solid contender beth demmon in the illustrious lineup of San Diego pale ales, which is no easy feat. Finally, the Nitro Porter (5.50 percent ABV) provides a decent finale; maintaining a mild aroma after getting warmed up, it keeps its creaminess throughout but overall offers a somewhat lackluster flavor.

I’m curious to see how experimental (if at all) West will decide to push things once it really gets rolling, but in the meantime Bay City’s dedication to clean minimalism in both its branding and beers will likely chart a course to success. It’s clear that the brewers pay atBay City Brewing tention to details here: the ABVs on the lusciously sticky Session IPA and darkly enveloping stout demonstrate a lighthearted approach that I always appreciate when it comes to the “extremely serious” business of brewing.

Overall, Bay City Brewing won’t surprise or shock you. Expect solid beers that would probably be standouts anywhere else in the country, but in San Diego’s uber-competitive landscape, they aren’t going to rock the boat. Should you give them a shot? Yes. They’re here to stay, and I look forward to seeing where the tide takes them.

Final Draught appears every other week.

Write to bethd@sdcitybeat.com or follow her on Instagram at @thedelightedbite.

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Up Front | technology

by tom siebert

all things

tech

The Uber-ization of booking bands

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ne of the most fascinating aspects of evolving technology is the way it continually forces change upon the world, welcome or not, and how humanity and business adapt. The digital revolution taketh away, but for those who see the new opportunities brought about by change, it also can quickly give back.

It’s arguable no public-facing industry has seen as much change, or had as much change forced upon it, as the music business. After years of making billions of dollars and controlling the flow of talent forever, record labels saw their profits crater, first due to illegal downloading and then via Apple and others’ piecemeal selling of formerly far more lucrative albums.

As the labels made less money, the vast majority of artists made less money, and we’re now at a place where most bands you hear on the radio can’t earn enough to make a decent buck on the back of new recorded music. The money is made by playing live gigs and by touring. It’s more important than ever for bands to be able to connect with fans and—perhaps more importantly— potential fans.

That’s the opportunity seized by GigTown, a new live music connection application for fans, bands and venues, focused on the local market, specifically San Diego for starters, launched earlier this year.

“We started as a way to simplify finding a professional musician to come over to your place and play some music; why shouldn’t that be easier?” says Andy Altman, Grand Poobah of GigTown (all the current employees have taken ridiculous titles — Master Builder, Renegade of Funk, The Guy In A Tie, etc.). “But now it’s much more about connecting people to live local music, as opposed to actually booking music.”

Altman started the company with his influential father, Steve (title: El Jefe), a deep-pocketed, 20-year Qualcomm veteran and co-founder of the popular Rock the Cure diabetes fundraiser.

The pair spent years tossing business ideas out to each other, some music-centric and some not. These conversations gradually narrowed to where the pair kept asking each other: “What else can be Uber-ized?”

“I got back from Coachella last year, where I kept hearing about how hard it was to find good local music,” Andy says. “I called my dad as soon as I got home and told him this was it.”

After downloading GigTown, the first thing you’ll see is a list of musicians and where they’re playing, by vicinity to your location. You can lis-

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ten to the band (or bands if the show has a lineup), read artist profiles, watch YouTube videos and decide whether to buy tickets or not (you can even book an Uber ride to get you there via GigTown).

This is the more popular function for the GigTown user base, but the original purpose for the app remains: If you want to book an artist, you can see their hourly rate, contact them and make an offer—actually put together a show yourself. If you’re a musician, you are more easily connected with potential clients and venues.

GigTown’s primary purpose is a local version of the most popular live music information application, BandsInTown, which has been around for nearly a decade and calls itself “the biggest concert discovery app in the world,” with 19 million users.

BandsIntown’s admirable goal is to “support artists who make their living through touring,” says Leah Taylor, the app’s communications director, who says the company’s surveys indicate people go to eight more shows per year after they’ve downloaded the application.

Ironically, Todd Cronin, co-founder of the original BandsInTown app, actually lives in San Diego (he GigTown sold BandsInTown in 2010, but it ultimately consumed the company that bought it). Cronin runs the parent company BandsInTown Group office, and serves as Vice President of Product, overseeing a team that conceives and builds the BandsInTown product, the iOS and Android design applications.

Though the app was created in Boston, by 2010 “there was money on the West Coast, the weather was amazing, the atmosphere is professional but laid back,” Cronin says. “Plus the record labels are all in L.A., an hour away. We were able to get a great office, burn rate on employees is low because what we do is cool, but the talent pool here is pretty high.”

GigTown Grand Poobah Andy Altman doesn’t see BandsInTown as a competitor, really. He says that local bands are underserved and there is an opportunity. He sees GigTown branching out from San Diego to Seattle and San Francisco soon, because the application offers something for everyone.

“This is better than a win-win. This is a winwin-win,” Altman says. “Venues getting more customers, Musicians get more gigs and fans, and you get to make music a larger part of your life.”

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

THIS YEAR WE SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON: VISUAL ARTS page 14 San Diego Collects is a public art show that lets you look behind closed doors.

LITERATURE page 16 The Non-Standard Lit Reading Series helps connect to San Diego’s bigger literary picture.

FILM page 17 The Horrible Imaginings Film Festival is moving in an exciting (and scary) direction

MUSIC page 20 Immersion Lab is a collaborative music-andart project that defies classification.

THEATER page 22 The biennial Without Walls Festival returns with an ambitious lineup.

DANCE page 24 UC San Diego’s Huang Li choreographs a show starring a graceful robot.

FALL ARTS

PRIVATE ART MADE PUBLIC

San Diego Collects looks behind closed doors

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BY KINSEE MORLAN

here’s a general sense among those in the visual art scene that very few serious art collectors exist in San Diego. The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) is preparing to open a show that’ll put that assumption to rest.

San Diego Collects features 52 pieces of artwork from the private collections of 20 local families.

Opening at the museum’s La Jolla location (700 Prospect St.) Saturday, Sept. 26 and on view through Jan. 10, the show includes works by big-name artists like David Hockney, Robert Motherwell, Gerhard Richter and more. Two pieces in the show—a photo by Cindy Sherman and a sculpture

by Pedro Reyes—are from the home of La Jolla couple Michael and Melissa Garfield Bartell.

“I’m personally really excited to see the show because we don’t always get the opportunity to go to everyone’s houses and see their collections,” Melissa says.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what pieces people have in San Diego. Maybe it gives us a little window into their personalities.”

MCASD’s deputy director of arts and programs, Kathryn Kanjo, got the rare chance to visit the private homes of the collectors and hand pick the works for the show. She says she was impressed by the quality and diversity.

“It’s really a rock-star looking show,” she says. “These are institutional-quality pieces. People are really collecting high-caliber works here and there’s a lot of different sensibilities.”

Kanjo ended up including everything from painterly abstractions to bold figurative political pieces. Local, national and international artists are featured in the show, which, when viewed as a whole, she says will present an art-history lesson while also demonstrating the varied emotional states artwork can inspire.

“Some rooms will have more

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confrontational, bold strong artwork and then there will be moments of reflection and contemplation, sort of slowing you down,” Kanjo says. “I think the show has all of these different emotional rhythms, which is good.”

Melissa says she and her husband often describe their collection as “dark whimsy.” They gravitate toward art by both established and emerging artists that contains loose narratives, which viewers can interpret in their own ways.

“We collect pieces that we want to think about and look at for a long time,” she says.

Both Melissa and Kanjo say they hope the show inspires other San Diegans to consider starting art collections. Melissa’s advice is to get educated about artists and the art market, but ultimately acquire works you personally love on an emotional or intellectual level.

“We only buy art to enjoy and if it goes up in value it’s exciting, but no matter how high the value goes it’ll still be hanging on our wall,” she says. “It’s just such a joy being surrounded by all our art everyday.”

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FALL ARTS COLLECTION OF JAY AND JENNIFER LEVITT

Kehinde Wiley, “Portrait of Anthony Wheatley”

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September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

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GET LIT

terest folks who aren’t already steeped in the literary scene and perhaps view anything related to poetry as too hoity-toity.

“My biggest concern is that the series doesn’t come across as pretentious,” Stutz says. “Hopefully, it comes across as approachable and inviting. It sounds cheesy, but we hope people come and then keep coming and discover something new every time.”

The Non-Standard Lit Reading Series is an open invitation

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BY KINSEE MORLAN

here’s a literary scene in San Diego if you know where to look. For the last few years, bibliophiles have been congregating inside the pristine footwear and design shop Gym Standard (2903 El Cajon Blvd.) in North Park. The Non-Standard Lit Reading Series attracts bookish types on the first Sunday of the month throughout the fall and spring, often packing the place and entertaining the crowd with author readings by local and visiting scribes, many who defy genres and push the boundaries of contemporary literature.

“Part of the reason we call it Non-Standard is this series in particular is open to people who are heading in new directions,” says author Mark Wallace, who runs the series with poet Adam Stutz. “Our emphasis is on people who are trying to do new and innovating things.”

Wallace and Stutz have booked folks as well known as

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Rae Armantrout alongside up-andcomers like Adam Deutsch and Lynn Xu. They feature fiction authors, but there’s a notable emphasis on poets. Stutz says that’s because they want to help breathe new life into the often overlooked and misunderstood literary field.

“The problem is that a lot of people’s associations with poetry stops at the experience they had with it in high school—that was the thing that was the nail in the coffin for them,” Stutz says. “We want to invite people back in and show them that poetry is thriving. It’s alive and being created in multiple ways through multiple mediums and it’s a very interesting time to be creating poetry and reading poetry.”

The series often pairs up local authors and poets with outof-towners. Wallace says that’s so the Non-Standard Lit Reading Series can help connect San

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MORE LITERATURE

Ben and Sandra Doller performing at the Non-Standard Lit Series Diego’s scribes with the bigger literary picture.

“We’re trying to encourage the local scene of people interested in writing to get involved with the larger national conversation of what literature is,” Wallace says.

“Plus, it gives the San Diego scene more exposure to people who aren’t from here. We think of ourselves as creating a community conversation as much as we think of the series as an event we’re putting on stage. It’s about conversations and interactions more than it is about inviting someone

to show up, perform and then just walk away.”

Non-Standard Lit Reading Series’ fall season kicks off at 5 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 4, at Gym Standard.

This year, Stutz and Wallace are focusing on connecting with Tijuana writers and other MexicanAmerican authors with a fresh perspective. For the fall season opener, they’ve booked Marco Antonio Huerta and Román Luján, two poets and translators who’ll read from their published works.

Wallace and Stutz hope their lineup this year will start to in-

Get in on it: The Narrators is a true-storytelling event and podcast that started in Denver, Colo., and launched locally on Sept. 8. Happening henceforth at 8 p.m. every second Tuesday of the month at Tiger!Tiger! (3025 El Cajon Blvd.) in North Park, The Narrators San Diego is so fresh, you can get in on the ground floor and become a performer by visiting thenarrators.org. Free.

Still at it: Award-winning author and essayist Salman Rushdie will read from his newest novel, Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the University of San Diego’s Institute for Peace and Justice Theater (5998 Alcala Park) in Linda Vista. Rushdie, of course, is the provocateur whose The Satanic Verses novel once earned him a fatwa from the leader of Iran. His new book is decidedly less controversial, but just as juicy. $30.24 includes a copy of the book. warwicks.com

LIT CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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FEAR FACTOR

are obsessed with horror, but for people who want to expand their horizons and really look at the nature of fear.”

Horrible Imaginings Film Festival is moving in new, exciting directions

MORE FILM

BY GLENN HEATH JR.

I

f you love movies and live in San Diego then odds are you’ve had an impassioned conversation with Miguel Rodriguez. The Renaissance man behind the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival can be seen at basically every local film event, expressing his love for the moving picture art form.

Ambitious, smart and opinionated, Rodriguez has made it his mission to improve the film culture in our fair city one inventive programming choice at a time, and we’re all the better for it.

Educator by day and curator by night, Rodriguez has an infectious laugh and innate ability to wax eloquently about subjects ranging from Bollywood to classic Universal horror films. Horrible Imaginings, the three-day celebration of genre cinema he began six years ago, seeks to challenge misconceptions regarding stigmatized films, horror in particular.

“Our festival’s mission is to explore the darker aspects of the

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human condition through narrative and documentary film,” Rodriguez says as we sit outside at Stone Brewing in Point Loma. “I’m more interested in the way a filmmaker expresses a certain emotion than in your typical jump scares or other horror conventions.”

This 2015 festival is somewhat different from year’s past. It will run from Friday, Sept. 11 through Sunday, Sept. 13, at the Museum of Photographic Arts, the first time Rodriguez will hold the festival at Balboa Park’s prestigious museum. Needless to say, he’s ecstatic about the new digs. “Aside from the increase in seats, there’s the great quality of picture and sound. For me that’s crucial to the audience experience.”

Screening at MOPA allows a festival to showcase 35mm prints, something Rodriguez plans to do with presentations of two rarities: Michele Soavi’s 1994 art house horror film Cemetery Man (9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12)

Mexico Barbaro and Edgar Ulmer’s 1944 noir/ horror film Bluebeard (7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13). The former stars Rupert Everett as a gravedigger and the latter John Carradine as a serial killer.

Rodriguez is proud of the panel featuring Ulmer’s daughter, Arianné Ulmer Cipes, and also the scheduled chat regarding the rise of Mexican Horror with prominent local filmmakers from both sides of the border. “I’m really interested in spotlighting these films because I believe San Diego’s sister city is Tijuana.”

He goes on to discuss the cultural ties between Latin America and horror: “The telling of scary stories at night is a very cultural thing for Mexico, and I think that

experience is starting to lend itself to cinema in a unique way.

This has created a uniquely Mexican voice in these films.”

For a city with so many film festivals, Rodriguez’s curatorial choices stand out in the best possible sense. As does his appreciation for the patrons who attend his events. “To me the most important conversation is between the film itself and the audience. I tend to pack the program tightly with a significant amount of time for conversation before and after.”

As Horrible Imaginings continues to evolve, so will its maestro. “I see film as a way to communicate with each other,” Rodriguez says. “I don’t want to just be a film festival for those who

Under the moon: Cinema Under the Stars is an outdoor movie theater in Mission Hills where you can lay back on recliners and order popcorn, candy and beverages from the concession stand for $2 a pop. Admission is $15 at the box office which opens at 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. The Princess Bride screens at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10 through Saturday Sept. 12; The Godfather, Part III will be shown at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17 through Saturday, Sept. 19. toppresents.com Stars on screen: The 14th San Diego Film Festival starts a five-day run on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at downtown’s Reading Theater and ArcLight Cinemas in La Jolla. Feature films will include luminous Hollywood names like Anthony Hopkins, Michael Caine, Luke Wilson, Mickey Rourke, Sarah Silverman, Danny Glover and more. Most films are followed by Q&As, and the nights are filled with parties. Go to sdfilmfest.com for information about VIP memberships or day passes.

A rambling wreck: The insightful documentary The Wrecking Crew looks at the musicians who were the backing players for all the big singing stars of the ’60s and the ’70s. Filmmaker Denny Tedesco will do a Q&A after a viewing of the movie.

Monday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the San Diego Central Library Auditorium. Free. (two hours free parking with validation)

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September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 Brave the angst: Grossmont College’s Fall Reading and Author Series is worth navigating the travails of campus parking. They’ve got a Celebration of Banned Books reading scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, the annual Lester Bangs Memorial Reading with Jaan Uhelszki at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, and more. Free. creativewriting-gc.org Before the sun: The hour of 4 a.m. is interesting because weird and grim stuff tends to happen just before dawn.

The terrifying trope is something local literary nonprofit So Say We All is tapping into for their annual VAMP: 4AM event happening from 8:30 to 10 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 29, at Whistle Stop Bar (2236 Fern St.) in South Park. Organized by CityBeat’s Ryan Bradford and Gary Gould, we’re told the night will be “darkly fun.” $5 suggested donation. sosayweallonline.com

John Baldessari, ”Person with Guitar (Red)”

FILM

and educational events abound. Look out for the Timeline Project, a visual installation of a century of art, architecture and design in San Diego. $10-$75. art-sandiego.com

Feather in your cap: The 3rd annual San Diego American Indian Film Festival offers exclusive viewings as well as interactive dialogues about issues that involve American Indians and the film industry. It takes place Thursday, Nov. 19 and Friday, Nov. 20 at Cal State San Marcos and Saturday, Nov. 21 at Pechanga Resort & Casino. Get more information on films and programming at sdaiff.com.

Timely topic: Charles Hatfield was a “rainmaker” hired by the San Diego City Council in 1915 to fill Morena Dam Reservoir. His quirky history, the region’s current drought and an imagined future with water are the inspiration for 12 artists featured in Rainmaker, an exhibition opening from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at the San Diego Center Library (330 Park Blvd.) downtown. On view through Nov. 29, the show features work by Adam Belt, Roman de Salvo, Margaret Noble, Eva Struble and others, plus some of Hatfield’s actual tools and ephemera. Free. silvergate.us

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Cemetery Man

VISUAL

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MORE VISUAL ART Eclectic array: The Lux Art Institute’s upcoming season includes everything from high-end embroidery to three-dimensional paintings made from cake decorator’s tools. Max Greis kicks things off with his residency from Saturday, Sept. 12, through Oct. 3. Drop in to see the artist’s unique method of combining recorded footage with painted panels. $5. luxartinsitute.org A formidable affair: Ambitious things are being planned for this year’s Art San Diego contemporary art fair, happening from Thursday, Nov. 5, through Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Balboa Park Activity Center (2145 Park Blvd.) More than 60 artists and galleries will be exhibiting, parties are planned

18 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

Music as muse: The San Diego Museum of Art opens The Art of Music on Saturday, Sept. 26. On view through Feb. 7, the exhibition explores musicians as subject matter, the social aspect of music and abstracted representations of sound. Plenty of music-related programming will help activate the show. $12. sdmart.org Fifty found: Two years ago, Mingei International Museum’s director Rob Sidner wondered if he could find well-designed functional objects that worked as symbols of craft traditions from each of the 50 states in America. The answer to his question eventually became MADE IN AMERICA — Craft Icons of the 50 States, an exhibition opening at the Balboa Park Museum Saturday, Sept. 19. The show features iconic objects like Dale Chihuly glass for Washington State and Sam Maloof’s signature Rocking Chair for California. mingei.org

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September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

FALL ARTS

IN THE LAB

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JAN SCHACHER & DANIEL BISIG / ZURICH UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS

UCSD’s collaborative music-and-art project defies classification

BY SETH COMBS

T

he idea behind UC San Diego’s Initiative for Digital Exploration of Arts and Sciences (IDEAS) Performance Series seems simple enough: To encourage artists, musicians, engineers and even scientists to use the university’s state-of-theart Qualcomm Institute space to stage experimental and avantgarde performances. The series takes place throughout the school year, but for one particularly interesting presentation, even one of the main players isn’t sure she can fully explain it.

“I’d probably say that it’s audiovisual art,” says musician and UCSD music composition professor Katharina Rosenberger, describing Immersion Lab (immersivelab.zhdk.ch), which will debut at UCSD on Oct. 9. “There’s an audio sound component combined with visual aspects. Both are equally important and influence each other in the creation of the work as well as the perception of it.”

As simply put as possible, but still not fully doing it justice: The Immersion Lab is a collaborative project between multiple creators working in a variety of fields. There’s a visual element in the form of an enveloping, panoramic room that projects startling digital art all around the viewer. There is the music component, coming in the form of Rosenberger’s ethereal and experimental compositions. There’s even a cognitive science element to the piece from fellow UCSD professor David Kirsh.

Just as Immersion Lab is a collaborative project, it’s the interactivity that’s the key to it functioning the way its creators intended.

Yes, there are layers upon layers of collaborative elements that go into the piece (there is also a dozen or so UCSD students developing art projects around the Lab), but what truly separates it from being just another music-and-art installation piece is that it’s just

20 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

FALL ARTS

as important for the viewer to be involved. When visiting Immersion Lab, four or so people are let into the room and are encouraged to interact with it. The panels that make up the panoramic projection screen are all touch-screen and the music and digital video aspects will react when viewers touch the screens. That is, you’re not just immersed in the Immersion Lab, you’re reacting, responding and, most importantly, participating in it. Just don’t call it virtual reality.

“It’s clear that the Immersive Lab does not present a virtual reality-type of immersion,” says

tal elements, it’s the human and collective elements of the Lab that make it so unique.

“Virtual reality is something very isolating. We are often alone and the sharing of experiences is kind of limited, but with this, the experience is interactive and it takes into account group interaction. You start to be aware that what you do affects other people too,” says Rosenberger. “It’s like you want to understand what’s going on with this digital being, but you also want to understand the real humans next to you and how they interact with it. That’s a really great Immersive Lab part of it.” ideas.calit2.net Jan Schacher, who created the ImMORE MUSIC mersion Lab in 2009 with partner Daniel Bisig at the Institute for Cathode ray: Télévision, the new album Computer Music and Sound Tech- by Bang on a Can alumnus and bass nology at Zurich University of the player Florent Ghys, is a highly conceptual, yet highly accessible work of avant Arts in Switzerland. “Rather, it garde music. Each song is inspired by, and embraces the visitor in a sensorial based around, clips of dialogue from televiand physical space that immedi- sion. The French-born, New Jersey-based ately acts on the senses. It enables composer uses the cadence and melody of people to create his compositions, the direct engagement with the instal- sound of the voices synchronizing and harlation, but also fosters the social monizing with the music in a fluid whole. interaction and explorations with- This is just one example of the innovation in Ghys’ work, and he’ll be bringing that forin a group in the space.” ward-thinking approach to his performance Schacher and Bisig created Im- on 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28, at Bread & mersive Lab to always be a collab- Salt. $10-15 freshsoundmusic.com orative project, and Rosenberger agrees that even with all the digi-

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September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

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WOW FACTOR Biennial Without Walls Festival returns with an ambitious lineup

MORE THEATER In Your Arms: The Old Globe is calling this ambitious world premiere a romantic dance-theater musical. Seems apropos for a production that features 10 stories by such playwriting heavyweights as Christopher Durang, Lynn Nottage and Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime), and the choreography of Christopher Gattelli, who conceived the show along with Jennifer Manocherian. Opening at Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24. $36 and up. theoldglobe.org

BY DAVID CODDON

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hen a festival only happens every two years, the wait can make expectations high. Even so, the only appropriate response to the lineup for this year’s La Jolla Playhouse’s Without Walls, or WoW, Festival is, well…“Wow.” The second Without Walls fest, happening Oct. 9-11 in and around the Playhouse-UC San Diego Theatre District on the UCSD campus, will offer 21 sitebased, immersive works, stretching the boundaries of theater, performance art and media, and incorporating collaborations with arts groups both local and international. Christopher Ashley, Playhouse artistic director, calls the festival “an explosion of work.”

Playwright Liz Lerman’s powerful play Healing Wars, about the devastating and complex effects of combat on mind and body, is part of that explosion. (Healing Wars will have an ongoing run continuing after the festival.) So is the “epically scaled visual work,” as

Ashley calls it, The Spheres, by the Australian arts company Strange Fruit that integrates dance, theater and a circus. Among the local collaborators familiar to San Diegans are ion theatre, the recently reborn Sledgehammer Theatre, choreographers Jean Isaacs (San Diego Dance Theater) and Patricia Rincon (Patricia Rincon Dance Collective), UCSD’s ArtPower and the Fern Street Circus. The popular Car Plays produced by Los Angeles’s Moving Arts will be back, and multiple projects from UCSD’s Department of Theatre and Dance will be part of the second WoW Festival.

“It’s been really exciting to partner and feel the energy that is coming out of the small theater groups and the museums and the dance groups and the universities and the young artists,” Ashley says. “We’re kind of surfing the wave of that energy.”

The success of and positive response to the first WoW Festival

22 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

it that people keep telling me after the 2013 festival about friends they’d made. It’s really social.”

Strange Fruit’s “The Spheres” integrates elements of theater, dance and circus. (tickets range from free to $29 at lajollaplayhouse.org), as well as the anticipation of the second, testifies to the ever-growing interest in sitespecific, alternative theater that intimately involves audiences.

“It’s challenging the form of what theater is and how to watch it,” Ashley says, “and often activating audiences in new and unexpected ways. They’re very much acknowledged as one of the things that’s going on.” The WoW Festival, he added, “is the kind of event you might post on Facebook or tweet about. I feel like many of the

people in the audience watch the work with an open, excited, adventurous frame of mind. Unlike a play, where you’re looking at one art experience and you ask yourself ‘did I like that, did it work’, you end up having this free associative, optimistic engagement with the art in a way that I love.”

The festival village will include food trucks, live music and even a beer garden, and on Family Day (Oct. 10), hands-on programs will be hosted by San Diego museums.

“It works like a party as well as a theater event,” Ashley says. “I love

Cell: Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company launches its new season with a production of Cassandra Medley’s play, initially inspired, Medley has said, by one particular immigration detention center scene in the acclaimed 2008 film “The Visitor.” Mo’olelo Executive Artistic Director Lydia Fort will direct Cell. Opening at Downtown’s 10th Avenue Theatre at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept.

26. $35. moolelo.net Orange Julius: In this world-premiere by Basil Kreimendahl that was workshopped in La Jolla Playhouse’s DNA Series, orange is Agent Orange, the herbicidal warfare product used by the U.S. in Vietnam, and Julius (Jeffrey Jones) is a father who served and is dying from cancer because of the poison.

Trying to bond with him is his gay daughter, Nut (Rae K. Hendersen). Opening at Rolando’s Moxie Theatre at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26. $30. moxietheatre.com

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September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

FALL ARTS

DANCE ROBOT

Huang Li brings his graceful bot to the stage

BY KINSEE MORLAN

A

good chunk of the reviews of choreographer Huang Yi’s performances aren’t even close to raving, but anytime anyone innovates in their field it opens them up to both huge hits and major misses.

Huang dances onstage with a robot named KUKA, an articulated arm-style bot most commonly found performing assembly-line duties in manufacturing plants.

It takes the famed Taiwanese choreographer about 10 hours to program just one short minute of KUKA’s movement. That’s a lot of labor when you consider that the show is an hour long. But Jordan Peimer, the relatively new executive director at ArtPower!, UC San Diego’s purveyor of arts and culture, says Huang’s efforts pay off in the live performance.

“When I think robots, I think animatronics or Abe Lincoln at Disneyland or Yul Brynner in Westworld,” says Peimer, who’s seen a preview of Huang and

KUKA’s performance and decided to bring the duo to San Diego on Oct. 14 at UCSD’s Mandeville Auditorium. “You don’t think of these kind of gorgeous fluid movements…When you see Huang and KUKA, it’s very hard to remember that everything the robot is doing has been painstakingly preprogrammed because it seems just so full of life.”

Peimer describes the performance as very minimalistic in terms of the setting and lighting— the stage is mostly black and dark, a fog machine is going and there’s often just one spotlight on Huang and KUKA. There are duets between Huang and KUKA, plus performances with other dancers and experimentations with lasers and video. Peimer says the most striking thing about the piece is just how human KUKA seems.

“I could see the robot before the show started, and as I sat down to see the show I was thinking to myself, I am not going

24 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

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DANCE

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to anthropomorphize this robot; I’m just not going to do that,” he says. “But it turns out it’s just impossible not to do. The robot is a product of a human talent, so the robot never ceases to be human because everything the robot is doing is what the choreographer has made the robot do.”

One critique that’s popped up in reviews of the innovative performance is that KUKA can sometimes upstage its human counterparts and the actual dance aspect of the show can appear relegated secondary to the spectacle of such a gracefully moving bot. Peimer, though, says Huang and his dancers hold their own.

“Personally, I never thought the robot was outshining the dancers,” he says.

Thematically, the performance explores more than simply man’s ever-evolving relationship with technology. Huang delves deeper into less expected territory.

“He tends to look into a much more spiritual place,” Peimer says.

“Without wanting to give anything away, the performance really is more about mortality and the difference between the finite life of man and the infinite life of objects.”

FALL ARTS JACOB BLICKENSTAFF

Huang Yi’s KUKA

MORE DANCE Newness: The PGK Dance Project will be debuting new works by nine choreographers from across the country—including San Diego’s own Blythe Barton and Nicole Lee—in a performance titled The First Time at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 19, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, at the Lyceum Theatre (79 Horton Plaza) downtown. $10-$20. thepgkdanceproject.org Get into it: Malashock Dance continues The Engagement Ring series at 8 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. The series increases audience inclusion through interesting strategies, such as incorporating audience karaoke (Nov. 14) and performing interactive secretive rituals

(Dec. 5). The intimate performances take place at Malashock Dance at Dance Place San Diego (2650 Truxtun Road at NTC at Liberty Station) in Point Loma. $10-$15. malashockdance.org City-inspired: In celebration of Balboa Park’s Centennial this year, the annual Trolley Dances event will travel from the iconic new County Waterfront Park to Balboa Park and other special locations on and off the trolley line. Trolley Dances founder Jean Isaacs and other choreographers will create site-specific pieces directly inspired by San Diego’s urban core over two weekends, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26-27, and Oct. 3-4. $15-$35. sandiegodancetheater.org

DANCE CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

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Florent Ghys

Saxophone serenade: Memphis-born saxophonist and flautist Charles Lloyd made his breakthrough in 1966 with the release of Forest Flower, a live jazz recording at Monterey Jazz Festival in New York, anchored by two adventurous takes on the title track. Yet Lloyd’s career spans more than 50 years and seemingly as many different directions, from his avant garde jazz recordings of the ‘60s to his fusion recordings of the 1970s, and more subdued, third-stream-influenced records of recent years. He’s collaborated with everyone from jazz pioneers like Cannonball Adderley to contemporary musicians

FALL ARTS such as Brad Mehldau. He’s one of the greats, and he’ll be performing at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at The Auditorium at the Scripps Research Institute. $3035 ljathenaeum.org/jazz-at-tsri

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The Oldest Boy: One of the theater’s most provocative playwrights, Sarah Ruhl (Clean House, Dead Man’s Cell Phone) penned this story about two parents torn between the love of their 3-yearold son (“portrayed” by a puppet) and his spiritual destiny. Opening at Downtown’s San Diego Repertory Theatre at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18. $18-$75. sdrep.org

DAREN SCOTT

Spanish magic: Galician violinist Manuel Quiroga likely isn’t a name familiar to many, but the early 20th century musician’s playing is the stuff of legend. Madrid chamber quartet Cuarteto Quiroga adopted his name upon their formation in 2004, and are keeping Spain’s legacy of breathtaking string performances alive with their own unique take on the chamber string ensemble. While they’re in San Diego, they’ll be hosting a talk at UCSD venue The Loft before their headlining performance. Cuarteto Quiroga will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13 at Conrad Prebys Hall at UCSD. $12-54 artpower.ucsd.edu

Opening at Old Town’s Cygnet Theatre at 3 p.m. (Hay Fever) and 8 p.m. (The Vortex) Saturday, Oct. 3. $34 and up. cygnettheatre.com

The right mix: Mixing together ballet with hip-hop and giant puppets, the San Diego Ballet’s upcoming Carnival of the Animals performance sounds like a jaw-dropper. The animal-inspired piece is set to the music of Camille SaintSaens and other folk music from across the globe. At 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Old Town Temecula Theater (42051 Main St.). sandiegoballetdancecompany.org Dance magic: MOMIX calls themselves dance-illusionists. The group uses multimedia to create an other-worldly experience in which dance is transformed into a trippy kaleidoscope of onstage imagery that might just melt your mind. MOMIX performs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at the California Center for the Arts Escondido (340 N. Escondido Blvd.). $25-$65. artcenter.org

THEATER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 Hay Fever and The Vortex: The inimitable Noel Coward is celebrated in Cygnet Theatre’s annual twoshows-in-repertory project. Rosina Reynolds stars both in The Vortex from 1924 and in Hay Fever, which followed a year later during Coward’s prolific 1920s. These comedies should have laughter ringing.

26 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

Rosina Reynolds will star in both “Hay Fever” and “The Vortex” at Cygnet Theatre

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EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

CHULA VISTA

1 BAY DAY

To hear Dae Elliot tell it, it wasn’t so much that she felt San Diego wanted another LGBT Pride event. She just beleved it needed one.

“The big part was the passage of Proposition 22,” says Elliot, speaking of the 2000 California law that defined marriage between a man and a woman. “A group of us went to our state representatives and they told us that was a Hillcrest problem. That there was no LGBT community in the South Bay. We were like, ‘no, no, no, you’ve got that all wrong.’”

Thus, the South Bay Pride Art & Music Festival (southbaypride.org) was born. Co-founded

by Elliot and a group of friends in 2006, she sees the annual festival as a more “neighborly” alternative to the festivities that happen every July in Hillcrest. Happening this year on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Bayside Park in Chula Vista (adjacent to the J St. Marina) from noon to 10 p.m., the day will include local artisans, food vendors, a beauty pageant and family activities like kayak tours and bounce houses. There will also be DJs and bands on two stages throughout the day including local acts like Vokab Kompany, Rhythm & the Method, and Ivy Levan, among others.

“We wanted the music to be as diverse as the community,” says Elliot. She says the festival will always be free of charge.

If you can’t make it this weekend, you can still MIRAMAR

2 IT’S HOW YOU LOOK

Back in his SNL days, Billy Crystal used to sit in the Fernando’s Hideaway restaurant booth and deliver the catchphrase “You look mah-velous.” You could seriously apply that gag line to an upcoming tour called Taste of Design. Sponsored by the Design Institute of San Diego, the Tuesday, Sept. 15 tour runs from 3 to 7 p.m. and combines good-looking restaurant interior design with samples of signature menu items. All three eateries are in Little Italy: Queenstown Public (designed with a Kiwi bent

by Michael Soriano), newbie Kettner Exchange (Bluemotif Architecture), and Mauricio Couturier’s funky Mexican food hangout El Camino.

What’s more, designer Tina Marie Koch will give a special presentation entitled, “The Front and Back of the House— What to Look For in Restaurant Design.” Tickets are $20 ($10 for students) and there will be round-trip transportation from the Design Institute (8555 Commerce Ave., Miramar). disd.edu Kettner Exchange

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South Bay Pride Art & Music Festival show your support for South Bay Pride at the Queer Queens of Qomedy show on Sunday, Sept. 13 at the MG Space (3090 Polk Ave.) in North Park. Hosted by famed queer comic Poppy Nick & Mel Champlin, the national touring show features almost half a dozen comics including Vickie Shaw, Karen Williams, Nick & Mel and more. Proceeds from the bar will be donated to South Bay Pride and Out With It. It happens at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 or $40 for a VIP cocktail reception with the performers. q3all-stars.bpt.me

HILLCREST

3 FIGHT NIGHT

We wouldn’t usually go out of our way to promote a women’s Jell-O wrestling event, but when it comes to Throw Down for a Cause, we’ll definitely make an exception. Now in its sixth year, the delightfully unconventional fundraiser includes ladies rumbling in a gelatinfilled kiddie pool to help raise funds for homeless youth charities like Project LOL (Love Out Loud) and the San Diego LGBT Center’s Sunburst Youth Housing Project. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. with two hours of open hosted bar and there’s something called a VIP Splash Zone for those who don’t mind getting a little messy. What’s more, CityBeat columnist Alex Zaragoza will be one of the night’s wrestlers. Go Gozer! The filthy fun goes down at Rich’s Nightclub (1051 University Ave., Hillcrest) on Saturday, Sept. 12. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, with VIP Splash Zone tickets for $50. td4acause.com

HMacro Views, Micro Wonders at Mesa College Art Gallery, 7250 Mesa College Dr., Clairemont. New works from Cathy Breslaw, who creates fantasy landscapes out of industrial mesh, paint, plaster and vinyl fabric. Opening from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sep. 10. Free. 619388-2829, sdmesa.edu/art-gallery HMax Greis at Lux Art Institute, 1550 S. El Camino Real, Encinitas. Reception for Lux’s newest artist-in-residence. The New York-based Greis will showcase some of his newer works, which are rooted within the artistic traditions of photo collage and landscape painting. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sep. 11. $5. 760-436-6611, luxartinstitute.org HLive Art Show at La Bodega Studios and Gallery, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. A mix of visual and performance art and sometimes a combination of the two. Includes live wire art from Spenser Little, live painting by Mike Maxwell, live leather work from Joe Hernandez, and much more. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, Sep. 12. Free. facebook.com/ labodegasandiego HResponse at Space 4 Art, 325 15th St., East Village. This biennial exhibition features 16 recognized local artists showing off site-specific works that respond to the building. Includes installations, sonic works, interactive pieces, dance and musical performances. Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. Free. sdspace4art.org HSan Diego Landscapes at Sparks Gallery, 530 6th Ave., Gaslamp. Local contemporary artists showcase works featuring San Diego landscapes. Artists include Gail Schneider, Duke Windsor, and dozens more. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. Free. 619-6961416, sparksgallery.com Werkaholic 2: Overtime at Thumbprint Gallery, 920 Kline St., #104, La Jolla.

Keemowerks presents a solo exhibition of paintings created with intricate multilayered stencils and spray paint. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12.

Free. thumbprintgallerysd.com Janine Free at Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Pkwy., Mission Valley. The French artist will showcase her street photography focusing on how mannequins in store windows in major American and European cities represent women. From 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sep. 13.

Free 858-573-5007, janinefree.com HBarrio Art Crawl at Barrio Logan Arts District, 1878 Main St., Barrio Logan. A self guided tour consisting of the open studios, galleries, and local businesses of the Barrio Logan Arts District. Spaces include includeBread & Salt, The Glashaus, Chicano Art Gallery and over a dozen more. From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. Free. 619-3669006, facebook.com/barrioartcrawl

BOOKS HAlephonsion and Benson Deng with Judy Bernstein at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The three authors will be on hand to promote the special 10th anniversary edition of their eye-opening memoir, They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sep. 9.

Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com/ Daniel James Brown at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The New York Times bestselling author stops by to present the young readers edition of his nonfiction book, The Boys in the Boat, about the 1936 Olympic U.S. rowing team.

At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sep. 10. Free 858-454-0347, warwicks.com

Throw Down for a Cause

H = CityBeat picks

HStephanie Diaz at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The local sci-fi/fantasy writer will sign and discuss the third book in dystopian trilogy, Evolution. At 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Sep. 11. Free 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Jim Downs at Barnes & Noble Oceanside, 2615 Vista Way, Oceanside. The local author will discuss the history of Mission San Luis Rey and sign his new book, The Real World of Mission San Luis Rey. At 2 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12.

Free store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/ event/9780061720410-0 HSalman Rushdie at Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace, 5998 Alcala Park, USD, Linda Vista. The highly acclaimed and outspoken novelist will discuss his latest piece of fiction, Two Years Eight Months and TwentyEight Nights. Ticket price includes a copy of the book. At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. $30.24 619-260-7509, warwicks.com/ HSecond Sunday Author Series: Women’s Voices, Women’s Stories with Marivi Soliven at Women’s Museum of California, 2730 Historic Decatur Road, Barracks 16, Point Loma. The author of The Mango Bride and 17 other books will read from or perform her work and engage in dialogues with audience members. At 4 p.m. Sunday, Sep. 13. Free 619-2337963, womensmuseumca.org/ Catriona McPherson at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The mystery and thriller writer will be promoting her new book, The Child Garden, the story of a woman who suddenly finds herself terrorized by her childhood friend. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sep. 15.

Free 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com

COMEDY HBrian Regan at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 5800 Aztec Walk, College Area. The popular comic recently appeared on Jerry Seinfeld’’s web series, Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee and has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman 26 times. At 8 p.m. Friday, Sep. 11. $42.50-$52.50. 619-5940234, livenation.com/events/450067-sep11-2015-brian-regan HQueer Queens of Qomedy at MG Space, 3090 Polk Ave., North Park. The national touring show features almost half a dozen comics including Vickie Shaw, Karen Williams, Nick & Mel, and more.

Proceeds from the bar will be donated to South Bay Pride and Out With It. At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sep. 13. $25-$40. 619624-9335, q3all-stars.bpt.me

DANCE H40 North Fest Selects at Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave., North Park.

A curated program of selections from the inaugural 2015 Dance Film Festival. There will be an hour’s worth of short films, as well as craft beer tastings provided by ChuckAlek, Suja cold-pressed juices, and food from Tostadas. From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Sep. 11. $10-$12. 619-584-4448, 40northfest.com

FASHION Pinupgal Fashion Show at The Headquarters at Seaport District, 789 West Harbor Dr., Downtown. This inaugural event features a #wonderdolls fashion show, vintage styling by Karen Eve, and fashions provided by Kitson and Urban Beach House. From 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sep. 13.

Free. eventbrite.com/e/pinupgal-fashionshow-special-event-tickets-18441683572

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

FOOD & DRINK HTaste of Downtown at Gaslamp Quarter, Downtown. Take a self-guided walking tour of Downtown or use the free shuttle service provided to hop around and sample culinary selections from over 50 participating eateries. From 5 to 9 p.m.

Thursday, Sep. 10. $30-$35. 619-2335227, downtownsandiego.org HTaste of Old Town at Old Town San Diego, 2474 San Diego Ave, Old Town. Sample selections of great culinary specialities from over a dozen restaurants and pair the dishes with samples of beer and/or tequila. Benefits Meals-on-Wheels. From 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sep. 10. $25-$40 tasteofoldtown.com

HKeg for a Cause at Bottlecraft Little Italy, 2252 India Street, Hairy & Merry Pet Spa host this afternoon of local craft beers, non-alcoholic dog beer, treats, and special offers benefiting the San Diego Humane Society. From 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. Free. hairyandmerry.com/2015/08/27/ keg-for-a-cause-is-september-12/ HCarlsbad Brewfest at Holiday Park, Chestnut & Pio Pico, Carlsbad. One of San Diego’s longest running and most successful Oktoberfests will feature more than 30 craft brewers, as well as live music, games and local restaurants offering up pair-worthy dishes. From noon to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. $10-$45 760602-7513, carlsbadbrewfest.org San Diego Restaurant Week Launch Party at Go Green Agriculture, 495 Saxony

Rd., Encinitas. Sample cuisine from 19 of the restaurants participating in this year’s Restaurant Week including The Patio, Blind Burro, Solare and more. There will also be wine and beer samples to try. From noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. $75. 760-6342506, sandiegorestaurantweek.com HTaste of Design at Design Institute of San Diego, 8555 Commerce Ave., Miramar.

Tour and learn about the interior design of three Little Italy restaurants while sampling signature menu items. Restaurants include Queenstown Public, Kettner Exchange and El Camino. Includes round-trip transportation. From 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sep. 15. $10-$20. 858-566-1200, disd.edu

HEALTH &

WELLNESS Daileyfest at Embarcadero Marina Park North, 1 Marine Way, Downtown. A familyfriendly fitness festival benefitting Heartlight San Diego’s school fitness programming for youth. Check out barre classes, aerial yoga performances, a laser maze, an obstacle course, a live DJ and health and wellness vendors. From 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Sep. 13. $40 eventbrite.com/e/san-diegodaileyfest-2015-tickets-17787174919

MUSIC HGigtown Lovin’ Local Showcase at Quartyard, 1102 G. St., East Village. Sample craft beer and cocktails while listening to over half a dozen local musicians and bands. Lineup includes Kevin Begin, Dawn Mitschele, Cerissa & Luneaux and more. From noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. $5 714-392-8565, gigtown.com Bollywood & Beyond at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. Indian film songs as performed by Ernie Watts, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Kavitha Krishnamurthy and an ensemble of Bollywood musicians. From 6 to 8:45 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. $25$250. 760-839-4190, indianfinearts.org Joshua White Trio at Museum Of Making Music, 5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad. The San Diego-based jazz pianist will perform with bassist Dave Robaire and drummer Mark Ferber. At 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sep. 12. $15 760-438-5996, museumofmakingmusic.org HThe Oh Hellos and Josh Damigo at Birch Aquarium, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla. The two acts perform a concert at Birch’s outdoor Tide-Pool Plaza as part of the aquarium’s Green Flash concerts series. Ticket includes aquarium admission. At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sep. 16. $34.95. 858-534-FISH, aquarium.ucsd.edu/

SPECIAL EVENTS Fiestas Patrias at Old Town Historic Park, 2454 Heritage Park Row, Old Town. An annual Mexican Independence day festival that includes music, dancing, games, and activities for the entire family. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. Free. 619-4910099, oldtownsandiegoguide.com HSaltDog Classic at Torrey Pines State Park, 12600 North Torrey Pines Road, Torrey Pines, Torrey Pines. The inaugural festival will feature local bands, beach games, food, and an amateur kayak surfing contest. Proceeds benefits WILDCOAST, the local charity dedicated to coastal conservation. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. Free-$20 saltdogclassic.com HFACE Foundation’s Doggie Dash at Road Runner Sports, 5553 Copley Dr., Kearny Mesa. People and dogs take the lead in this 5K fun run benefitting injured or abandoned animals. Also includes a vendor village, dog agility course, and opportunity drawings. From 8 a.m. to noon.

Sunday, Sep. 13. $30. 858-974-4455, face4pets.org/NewsEvent/502/2015-5kdoggie-dash-this-september.aspx Stand Up For Giraffes at Carlsbad Lagoon, 4215 Harrison St., Carlsbad. A fundraiser benefitting giraffe conservation at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Event registration includes use of water sport equipment, special drawings, carnival games, and dance and costume contests. From 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sep. 13. $15-$35 760-434-3089, eventbrite.com/e/stand-up-for-giraffestickets-16917807618 HSurf Dog Surf-a-Thon at Del Mar Dog Beach, 3006 Sandy Ln., Del Mar. Come watch some water-happy dogs catch some waves (along with their owners) at this annual competition. Includes ven-

28 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

“Time Stands Still For Us”

by Minghua Nie is on view in San Diego Landscapes, a group show opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at Sparks Gallery (530 6th Ave.) in the Gaslamp. dors, food, and costume contests. Proceeds benefit Helen Woodward Animal Center. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Sep. 13. Free. 858-755-1556, animalcenter.org HSouth Bay Pride Art and Music Festival at Bayfront Park, Marina Pkwy and Marina Way, Chula Vista. This annual LGBT community event features live entertainment, dancing, art pieces, tasty eats, a wine and beer garden, children’s area and much more. From noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. Free. southbaypride.org HThrow Down for a Cause at Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., Hillcrest. Join others at this annual event to watch ladies wrestle around in kiddie pools filled with JellO to benefit Project LOL and the LGBT Center’s Sunburst Youth Housing Project.

From 4:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. $20-$65. 619-295-2195, td4acause.com

SPORTS HArtist vs. Curator Softball Match at Cabrillo Heights Neighborhood Park, 8333 Hurlbut St., A host of local artists battle local curators in a softball match for the ages. Benefits SDAI’s exhibition programming. Ticket price includes beer and brats. From 2 to 5 p.m.

Sunday, Sep. 13. $15. 619-525-8213, sandiego-art.org/

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS HSuds and Science: Genetic Engineering at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens-Point Loma, 2816 Historic Decatur Rd #116, Point Loma. Join Curt Becker as he discusses the future of genetic engineering, its benefits and its challenges. From 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sep. 14. 619-269-2100, rhfleet. org/events/suds-science

WORKSHOPS Piñata Making at Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave., North Park. Learn to make your own piñatas from recycled materials. Hosted by Chicanista Boutique. From 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sep. 10. $5 suggested donation. 619584-4448, artproduce.org Craft Beer Homebrewing Workshop: B.I.Y. Brew-It-Yourself at Helm’s Brewing Company, 5640 Kearny Mesa Rd., Kearny Mesa. A hands-on, instructional homebrewing workshop where patrons will be coached through the brewing process from start to finish. At 1 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 12. $65-$75. 858-384-2772, brewyourselfsd.com

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THEATER

WELK RESORT THEATRE

Hello, Dolly!—once again

D

olly Levi, matchmaker and selfproclaimed circumventer of any obstacle in the way of a potential love match, is a BIG personality. So big that none of the “matchees” in her sphere of influence is even remotely as interesting. When Dolly’s not on stage, the void is a Broadway-sized one. Her name’s in the title of the show, for crying out loud.

But you knew all that. Hello, Dolly! has been entertaining theater audiences since 1964, and if the current production at Welk Resort Theatre directed by Ray Limon is any indication, Dolly shows no signs of slowing down. Hell, the famous title song, which goes “Dolly’ll never go away again,” seems misguided. She’s never been away.

The Welk’s Dolly, bursting with life thanks to Cynthia Ferrer, reigns over this production, bestowing all the requisite heart and laughter in Michael Stewart’s book (based on Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker) and Jerry Herman’s songs.

She and the rest of the sizable cast also radiate from the stage in gaily colored period costumes designed by Janet Pitcher.

While the Welk stage is small for a show of this scale and its Hello, Dolly! sets are just adequate, the actors—from Dolly on down to the high-stepping waiters at the Harmonia Gardens, look simply mahvelous.

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what you’re left with is “Dolly’ll never go away.”

Hello, Dolly! runs through Nov. 15 at the Welk Resort Theatre in Escondido. $48 and up. welkresorts.com

—David L. Coddon

Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING: Sleuth: A mystery writer lures his wife’s young lover to his home for a devious game of cat and mouse.

Presented by Scripps Ranch Theatre, it opens Sept. 11 at the Legler Benbough Theatre in Scripps Ranch. scrippsranchtheatre.org Thoroughly Modern Millie: A young girl fresh off a Kansas farm taps and flaps her way through ’20s New York City in this highly popular Broadway musical. It opens Sept. 11 at the Coronado Playhouse. coronadoplayhouse.com

Cynthia Ferrer, front and center, in “Hello, Dolly!”

Even if you’ve never seen Hello, Dolly! you won’t be in great suspense about what will happen in the story, in particular whether Dolly will end up with the “halfmillionaire” Horace Vandergelder (Randy Doney) she aims to match herself with.

Even less in doubt is what fate awaits the other sets of sweethearts, which include the fabulous Charlene Koepf in the role of hat shop owner Irene Molloy. But the spirit of this unfailingly agreeable show, in-

herent in not only those 1890s threads but in the oft-eye-popping choreography, prevails. “Quaint” only begins to describe the feeling of this grand dame musical, which by the standards of 2015 theater could be regarded as a relic. But that would be doing a disservice to the classic character of Dolly herself, who’ll probably be around if there’s theater to go to in 3015.

So, returning to that line from the signature title tune, subtract the “again” and

Race: Two lawyers have to defend a wealthy white executive accused of sexually assaulting a black woman in David Mamet’s biting drama. Presented

by Different Stages, it opens Sept. 13 at Swedenborg Hall in Hillcrest. differentstages.biz In Your Arms: A world premiere “dance-theatre musical” created by a who’s who of Tony and Pulitzer-winning Broadway vets. Directed by Christopher Gattelli, it opens Sept. 16 at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. theoldglobe.org

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

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

Culture | Art

Seen Local

friends Spenser Little and Carly Ealey. The big project, however, is the massive cityscape on the structure’s rotunda that wraps around the entire facade.

On it, a bridge modeled after the Coronado Bridge interconnects two cities.

Cory Ring “It’s bridging technology with the arts and humanistreet level ties,” says Neko, who had t’s six o’clock, baby! Union moved to Florida more than a hours,” yells Christopher year ago, but came back after Konecki from atop a giant Konecki asked him to assist cherry picker crane as he navion the murals. “Chris degates the giant basket down to signed the mural. I’m really the ground. He’s mostly jokjust assisting and adding eling, but for almost four weeks, ements of graffiti-style stuff, he and fellow artist Neko have but we’re both painting the been out on that crane, the whole thing.” summer sun beating down The real estate company on both of them, with spray that commissioned the piece, paint flying in their faces. The Emmes Realty, hired Konecki respirator masks they wear and plans to have the two artwhile they work help with ists paint an elevator control the fumes. Not so much with room on top of the parking the heat. So even if Konecki is structure, too. Emmes even being slightly flippant about hired local street artist Exist the hour they stop working 1981 to paint one of the comevery evening, no one would pany’s break rooms. Konecki begrudge him if he was ready and Neko expect to be done to call it a day. with the entire mural project “You come off that thing by the end of the month, at after being up there all day Christopher Konecki and Neko which point Neko will head and it feels like you’ve been back to Florida. Still, he hopes on a boat,” says Neko, exaggeratingly swaying back and forth. “It’s like you have sea the new mural will do more than turn heads.

“I hope that we get more work out of it, but I’m legs or something. I’d probably fail a DUI test.” really hoping that it inspires other companies to hire Near the corner of Eighth and Broadway (707 Broadway, to be exact), Konecki and Neko have been local artists to do jobs like this,” says Neko, who adds working on several murals on a seven-story parking that he’ll be back from time to time to work on new structure. They’ve already finished two portraits on projects. “I gotta come back every now and then. I the sides of the structure (one on Eighth Ave. and just love the people I work with too much.”

I

the other on Seventh) that are modeled after artist

—Seth Combs

life works

T

he statement on Aren Skalman’s bio on his web page says: “Art is made from the stuff of life.”

It’s a broad statement, indeed, and one that could easily be applied to just about any artist’s conceptualization of what he or she does, but for Skalman (arenskalman.com), well, let’s just say he takes that sentiment a little more literally.

“The audience is free to explore and see how these sounds get triggered in the room,” says Skalman, when asked about the new sculptural piece he’s working on for Response, a biennial group show at Space 4 Art in the East Village opening Sept. 12 from 7 to 10 p.m. “I’m also placing speakers and amps in parts of the room so they activate the architecture as speakers.”

Wait, architecture as speakers?

“The sculptures themselves will trigger the sound,” he adds, referring to one of the works that appears to be fashioned from everyday objects. “The speakers will vibrate a beam or a metal railing or places in a brick so it creates a sound chamber.” He laughs then adds, “It’s an experiment. I’m crossing my finger it works.”

So far, they’ve worked for him. Skalman’s site-

30 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

specific, often sound-based sculptures have been popping up a lot more these days from group shows at the SDSU Downtown Gallery to Art Produce in North Park. For Response, Skalman is one of 15 artists who were tasked to “re-contextualize” their work to the Space 4 Art space.

Ruby Cougler “I’ve always wanted to show in this building,” Skalman says. “We all have our own space, but it’s certainly going to overlap somewhat.”

After Response, Skalman has a solo show in January of sitespecific sound pieces at the Athenaeum Arts & Music Library in La Jolla. He says it may also include some kind of performance aspect.

“Even as someone who’s always been a musician, I never felt comfortable as a performer,” says Skalman, who posts his own music and the sounds his art produces to his Soundcloud page Aren Skalman (soundcloud.com/aren-skalman).

“I’m interested in composition and music, but I’m also very interested in sound in a more fundamental way—the relationship between physical objects and sound. That place between music and noise.”

—Seth Combs #SDCityBeat

Culture | Film

Skeleton twins

Fort Tilden

lessly annoying to reprehensible, they certainty take them to task. The seemingly endless day foreshadows a lifetime of similar temporal purgatories, a fact that New dark comedy punches turns disturbingly clear as the film progresses.

If Fort Tilden weren’t so sunny and bloodless it millennials in the mouth might be mistaken for a horror film. Still, it’s questionable whether any of these characters (and pets) actually survive. Moments of aching discomfort and

by Glenn Heath Jr. anxiety abound, specifically in a beachside phone was so sad when Satyajit Ray died.” Harper conversation Allie has with her aggressive Peace (Bridey Elliot) talks a lot of shit in Fort Tilden, Corps placement officer, and the aforementioned but this casually racist and clueless statement interaction between Harper and the cab driver that spoken to an Indian cab driver might be her pièce takes a combustible turn.

When Harper and Allie finally make it to their desde résistance. She’s one of two obnoxious 25-yearold Brooklyn hipsters at the center of Sarah-Violet tination, meandering through forested broken ruins Bliss and Charles Rodgers’ hilariously bleak com- and desolate beaches, they find only emptiness. The edy of bad judgment. The other is a faux do-gooder filmmakers let these moments linger to profound efnamed Allie (Clare McNulty) who’s set to join the fect, with the characters’ rambling resentment providing the only aural chatter to Peace Corps and be stationed in break up the deafening silence. It Liberia, coined “the worst place feels like the ending to a modern in the world” by more than one Michelangelo Antonioni art film, douchey conversationalist. fort tilden except the Italian master might Fort Tilden follows these two Directed by Sarah-Violet Bliss have found more hope in such a gossip girls as they spend a lazy and Charles Rodgers despairing landscape. summer day trekking from the Starring Bridey Elliot, The millennials aren’t just safe confines of Williamsburg Clare McNulty, Neil Casey “fucked,” as one grumpy passout to the Rockaways to meet erby says; these girls are slowly and Peter Vack two men for a beach rendezvous. disappearing, the greatest and Rated R With no car or money, Harper most common sin in the seeand Allie decide to ride their first Internet age. Even worse, bikes. This erroneous decision their delusion is revealed to be allows for a leisurely tour of variall encompassing.

“I don’t know what teenagers ous diverse neighborhoods and ample time to watch these young women self-destruct under the pressure look like anymore,” says Harper, after realizing her man-crush hasn’t yet graduated from high school. of uncertainty.

The narrative wants to go in a single direction, but How many other judgments have been this miscalHarper’s short attention span and Allie’s thunder- culated?

Fort Tilden, which opens Friday, Sept. 11, at the ous whining won’t let it. Interruptions and mishaps propel the characters down one tangential path after Digital Gym Cinema in North Park, seamlessly tranthe next, each defined by an overwhelming feeling sitions from dark comedy to tragedy in the final moof stagnation. A dip into a convenience store to buy ments, proving itself an ambitious and daring film iced coffee is hilariously self-defeating. Later, while of the moment. Harper and Allie are thematically shopping at a boutique to buy clothes they don’t conjoined twins who can’t escape each other’s disneed, the two statically watch a teenage boy steal dain for risk-taking and honest expression. Watching their unlocked bike without moving an inch. Consid- and bickering from the sidelines has always been an ering their suffocating lethargy, playwright Samuel easy escape route for the unmotivated youth. Except nowadays this “phase” is becoming more of a life Beckett would have loved these girls.

“Experts at exit strategies,” as one wise and hand- choice, metastasizing into adulthood and permasome drug dealer coins them, Harper and Allie are nently warping what it means to grow up. grotesque emblems for their generation of hard bodies and soft discipline. While the filmmakers don’t judge Film reviews run weekly. their characters, whose actions range from harm- Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com.

I

#SDCityBeat

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

Culture | Film

Rosenwald

The great man

phases of his life are indicative of the classic immigrant story, and viva Kempner’s new film many of the talking head interRosenwald makes your loviews Kempner exploits confirm cal PBS special look stylish the old adage that anyone can by comparison. It unapologetipull themselves up by their bootcally abides by the “Great Man straps.

Theory” while telling the story of The second half of Rosenwald its Jewish businessman/philanexpands upon his work raising thropist subject who orchestrated money for schools in underserved the dominant rise of Sears-Roeblack communities riddled by ilbuck while also donating millions literacy and poverty, combatting to poor African-American causes the Jim Crow laws of the time and and movements at the turn of the the failed “separate but equal” 20th century. doctrine of the U.S. government.

Unfolding in chronological or- Rosenwald’s genius lay in his abilder, the film uses outdated graph- ity to motivate both white and ics and reenactments to discuss black communities to invest in the rise of Julius Rosenwald from their own future by matching the peddler’s son to capitalist mogul funds he would provide. to civil rights activist. The early As a history lesson, the film pro-

A

32 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

vides a shapely overview of Rosenwald’s philanthropic contributions to various African American communities and artists, including his work with Booker T. Washington and Tuskeege University.

But as a film Rosenwald, which opens Friday, Sept. 11 at the Ken Cinema, is unadventurous and toothless. One could imagine this playing on loop at the Julius Rosenwald Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

Maybe the biggest missed opportunity comes later on when Kempner glosses over the impressive array of artists, singers and engineers granted monies by the Rosenwald Fund, which included Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison and Marian Anderson. The film merely rehashes your typical textbook “facts” instead of viewing history through a more complex lens.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

Opening 6th annual Horrible Imaginings Film Festival: Three days of genre bliss will unfold at this singular film event that showcases the best in horror, noir, and the supernatural. Includes short film programs, features, and documentaries. Screens from Friday Sept. 11 through Sunday Sept. 13, at Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.

Court: Taking place inside an Indian courtroom, Chaitanya Tamhan’s drama addresses injustice and corruption through the trial of an elderly folk singer that has been arrested on trumped-up charges.

Screens through Thursday, Sept. 17, at The Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Fort Tilden: Awful Brooklyn hipsters Allie (Clare McNulty) and Harper (Bridey Elliot) set out to the eponymous beach in the Rockaways hoping to meet up with a love interest only to be constantly distracted and interrupted by life’s little daggers.

Screens through Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Listening: A psychological thriller about penniless grad students who invent a mind-bending technology that could destroy their lives. Screens at 9:15 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, and at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept.

15, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Rosenwald: A wide-ranging documentary about philanthropist and businessman Julius Rosenwald who advocated for African-American rights, education and art up until his death in 1932. Screens through Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Ken Cinema.

The Perfect Guy: Michael Ealy tempts Sanaa Lathan with some sweet loving, but are his perfect abs masking a mean streak?

The Visit: M. Night Shyamalan’s latest ventures into horror territory in telling the story of two young siblings who are sent to stay with their possibly crazy grandparents.

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

#SDCityBeat

Music

O

n “u,” the sixth track on Kendrick Lamar’s genre-blurring hip-hop opus To Pimp a Butterfly, the sound of a tenor saxophone floats beneath the Compton emcee’s intense, almost free-associative lyrics. It’s improvisational in approach, but the tenor saxophone sound is ultimately a much gentler and more harmonious one than many of the other chaotic, almost free-jazz like elements happening on the track.

The man playing that saxophone, Kamasi Washington, was a crucial supporting player in the making of that album, having also arranged all of the strings that appear on To Pimp a Butterfly. Washington has played an important role in performances by other major artists as well, having performed with jazz greats such as Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, as well as hip-hop icons such as Snoop Dogg, Lauryn Hill and Nas. Washington is a versatile performer, tackling many different styles, and in a phone interview, the Los Angeles jazz bandleader says every collaboration he’s involved with leaves an impact on how he approaches music.

“I look at it almost like, when I’m making my music, I’m kind of teaching. And when I’m playing someone else’s music, I’m learning,” he says. “I try to immerse myself in their processes. Everyone has a unique experience, but at the same time, all of our experiences connect. So, in immersing myself in someone else’s music...it gives my music more depth every time I do it. Every time I play with someone and dig into what they’re doing, when I go back and play my own music, it’s not like it changes what I do, but it gives me a deeper understanding of what I do.”

After performing alongside an impressive list of other musicians, and issuing several selfreleased limited-press recordings, Kamasi Washington released his triple-disc debut, The Epic, in May via Brainfeeder. True to its name, The Epic is a

#SDCityBeat

nearly 180-minute opus of cosmic, spiritual jazz with massive arrangements and an eclectic sonic makeup. Both as a saxophone player and a visionary, he’s been compared to greats such as John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, though the sound he crafts on the triple-album is uniquely his own.

He leads his band against an otherworldly choir in “Change of the Guard,” eases into a lush Latin funk groove on “Re Run Home,” and guides a soulful, yet melancholy ballad on “Clair de Lune.”

There’s a lot of music to digest, most of it without any actual lyrics, so it’s easy to overlook that The Epic is—like a literal epic—really a long story told through 17 powerful avant garde jazz tracks. As described on the Brainfeeder website, the tale involves an old man perched on a mountain summit, surveying a dojo where he observes young students that will one day become his challengers—if he lives long enough for them to do so.

If you missed all that in the course of the album, that’s OK—The Epic is just an abstract representation of that narrative, after all. But it was so essential to the creation of the record, Washington says, that he couldn’t allow himself to release these songs in a more digestible package.

“The concept was kind of ever-changing,” he says.

“These 17 songs stood out as being tied together as an interesting way. I was kind of having this recurring dream that interweaves all the songs together in a story. In the end, what made me keep the album one thing—and not editing it down to a single disc, or putting out three different albums at three different times—is the story. If I broke up the album, I’d break up the story. That’s kind of why I titled it The Epic—the story is what made it what it is.”

Juxtaposing The Epic—a sprawling journey into lushly arranged avant garde jazz—against some of the work that Washington has done with R&B and hip-hop artists, there are some glaring, obvious differences between the two.

But Washington is quick to note that the gap between hip-

hop and jazz is not as vast as it might seem on the surface, and more adventurous records like To Pimp a Butterfly paint a clearer picture of the relationship between the two genres.

“They’re different branches from the same tree,” he says. “If you look at hip-hop with freestyling and all that, there’s a definite improvisational element. The repurposing of music that hip-hop has with sampling, jazz was doing it with playing standards, like Broadway show tunes, and changing it up. There’s a big connection, and it’s always been there. It’s been there throughout the history of hip-hop.”

The ability to use music to help bolster these connections is part of why Washington does what he does. He plays jazz; this much isn’t in dispute. But jazz doesn’t have to be on an island of its own, separate from pop music, and vice versa. Music isn’t just entertainment—or a job—for Washington. It’s an opportunity for learning and growth.

“People nowadays are so aware of so many different things. But not everyone’s taking advantage of that,” he says. “It’s like the world has been in a dark room throughout history, but now the lights are on, but everyone’s eyes are closed. The world is more at your fingertips than it’s ever been—ignorance should be at an all time low, because it’s so easy to learn. I want people to just wake up, open their eyes, and become aware.”

Kamasi Washington recently released The Epic, a 180-minute jazz triple-album.

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

Music

notes from the smoking patio Locals Only

G

ilbert Castellanos’ jazz jam is making a move. For the past three years, the trumpet player has housed his weekly Wednesday night jam at Seven Grand in North Park.

However, some changes in programming at the whiskey bar led to the need to find a new home for the event.

Starting this fall, the jazz jam will take place at Panama 66 in Balboa Park.

For Castellanos, who has been part of San Diego’s jazz scene for two decades, and has kept his weekly jam session running for almost as long, it’s not the first time he’s had to come up with a backup plan.

“As long as I’ve been doing this, I’ve taken nothing for granted,” he says in a phone interview. “You have be prepared, and have a backup plan. But I’ve always been able to find a home for it.”

Gilbert Castellanos launched his jazz jam in San Diego in the ’90s, and it’s moved around to a variety of different venues, including tapas bar Ole Madrid, Little Italy restaurant El Camino, and downtown nightclub Onyx Room, which was the longest-running home (10 years) for the jazz jam.

He had already been performing at Panama 66 when owner Jeff Motch approached Castellanos

Gilbert Castellanos about moving the jazz jam to the venue. Castellanos had already moved his Young Lions program—where he gives young musicians the opportunity to perform on local stages—from Croce’s Park West to the Balboa Park restaurant stage. The two events will actually take place on the same evening now, and Castellanos is enthusiastic about this next phase.

“I think it’s going to be an amazing thing,” he says.

“For the first time in history, the jam session will be all ages. It’s a full restaurant—they serve food—and it’s outdoors. That’s also a first.”

The first of Castellanos’ new weekly jam sessions will take place on Oct. 7 at Panama 66, immediately after the Young Lions performance.

—Jeff Terich

ALBUM REVIEW Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects No Wrong, No Rights

M

r. Tube and the Flying Objects is a conceptual art project as much as it is a proper band. The story goes that bandleader Pall Jenkins met a TV repairman who used to perform under the name Freddie Feelgood and the Real Good Feelings. Mr. Tube is simply a modern tribute and reinterpretation of those lost recordings from the ’50s and ’60s—if you believe the myth.

But Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects is also a real band, and it’s not an exaggeration to call them a supergroup, featuring a large number of San Diego scene vets from bands such as Black Heart Procession and The Album Leaf. And whether or not it takes a convoluted back story for the band to compose their eclectic pop songs, the end result is a vibrant and groove-heavy sound that speaks to the various members’ diverse backgrounds and talents. And after a lengthy eight-year wait, the arrival of second album No Wrong, No Rights finds those talents sounding even bigger and more richly arranged than ever.

Right off the bat, the album eases right into a garage-rock groove inspired in equal part by noise

34 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

rock and Afrobeat. There’s a screech of feedbackladen guitar permeating the groove, but what stands out tallest on this dense and powerful track are the horns, which frequently end up being the album’s secret weapon. They add a thrilling bit of color to the dark pulse of “Know Brainz,” and lend a subtle touch to the psychedelic soundscape of “Widow City.”

No Wrong, No Rights is a highly danceable set of songs—not necessarily by EDM nightclub standards, but by a much more oldschool measure. It’s downright funky in parts—most parts, come to think of it—and the big arrangements rife with synths, Rhodes piano and horns take those hip-swinging rhythms and turn them into much more celebratory sounds. Those who have followed Jenkins’ career in The Black Heart Procession won’t necessarily be overly surprised to discover this, but it’s still remarkable that No Wrong, No Rights is the catchiest album to bear his name. Excuse me, make that Freddie Freeloader’s name.

—Jeff Terich #SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 35

Music

Jeff Terich

If I were u A music insider’s weekly Wednesday, Sept. 9 PLAN A: The Psychedelic Furs, The Church @ Observatory North Park. The Psychedelic Furs have endured for years, not simply because of “Pretty in Pink,” but because they have dozens of classic post-punk songs that are just as good. And they’re sharing the stage with Australian neo-psych legends The Church.

You can’t go wrong with a bill like that. PLAN B: Ariana Grande, Prince Royce @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre. As donut-licking, America-hating pop stars go, Ariana Grande’s at the top of the list.

Her take on pop leans heavy on ’90s R&B influence, and you probably already love “Problem,” because, let’s be real, who doesn’t?

BACKUP PLAN: Bit Maps, Hexa @ Whistle Stop.

36 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

Thursday, Sept. 10

Garden, The Aquadolls, The Soaks, Toothpick @ The Irenic.

Sunday, September 13

PLAN A: Kamasi Washington, Sure Fire Soul Ensemble @ Soda Bar. Read my feature this week on L.A. saxophonist Kamasi Washington (page 33), who has performed with Kendrick Lamar and just reagenda leased his own triple-disc debut row. I’ve always been a fan of bands album, The Epic. The dude’s amazthat can be super heavy while main- ing, and even if you’re not into taining a stunning sense of majesty jazz, you’ll probably be converted. in their work, and that’s just what PLAN B: Willis Earl Beal, Like you’ll find here. North will destroy a Villain, Tori Roze and the Hot you in an elegant way. PLAN B: Mess @ The Casbah. Willis Earl Seahaven, Sledding With Tigers, Beal is somewhere between Tom Paper Days @ House of Blues. Waits and Howlin’ Wolf, with a loSeahaven have an understated take fi, primal blues sound that’s simple, on emotional indie rock, not un- but powerful. BACKUP PLAN: like that of The Appleseed Cast or King Parrot, Nukem, Thanatolslower Sunny Day Real Estate songs. ogy, Xantam @ Brick by Brick.

Their songs are as cathartic as they are pretty.

Monday, September 14

PLAN A: The Get Up Kids @ Observatory North Park. The Get Up Kids are emo heroes. If you grew up in the ’90s, had feelings and loved the sound of loud guitars, you probably listened to the Get Up Kids. If you’re in your thirties and still have feelings, you probably still listen, and with good reason— they’re excellent pop songwriters.

PLAN B: Jimmy Edgar @ Bang Bang. Jimmy Edgar’s career has taken him from glitchy IDM to a smoother synth-funk sound, but no matter what he’s playing, you’ll Saturday, September 12 PLAN A: Mr. Tube and the Flydefinitely be dancing. ing Objects, The Creepy Creeps, Tropical Popsicle, DJs Claire Friday, Sept. 11 PLAN A: North, Deep Sea Thun- and Mr. Mazee @ The Casbah. der Beast, Cryptic Languages, Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects Weight of the Sun @ The Mer- are sort of a local supergroup, featuring lots of scene veterans and their own interesting mythology. They’re finally releasing their new album, and the release show is loaded with great bands.

PLAN B: Destruction Unit, Die Mißbildungen Des Menschen, DJs Craig Oliver, Handsome Skeleton @ The Hideout. In the interest of full disclosure, I’m doing a DJ set at this show. But here’s the thing: I would have recommended it even if I weren’t. Destruction Unit plays dense, noisy punk that will knock you on your ass. Highly recommended.

B A C K U P PLAN: The

PLAN A: Erik Canzona and the Narrows, AJ Froman, The Krimson Blues @ The Office.

Erik Canzona’s best known as the frontman for The Heavy Guilt, but his debut solo album last year proved that he’s just as strong when performing on his own. Your Monday will be improved considerably by attending this show.

Tuesday, September 15 PLAN A: MOTHXR @ The Hideout. My instincts tell me it’s pronounced “Mother,” but however MOTHXR’s name falls out of your mouth, the Brooklyn artist’s synth-driven R&B is chill, funky good times. BACKUP PLAN: Low Points, Teenage Exorcists, Electric Healing Sound @ The Merrow.

Willis Earl Beal

#SDCityBeat

Music

Concerts HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Lil Dicky (Observatory, 10/7), Redd Kross (Soda Bar, 10/10), Trivium (Observatory, 10/12), Prayers (The Irenic, 10/29), Failure, …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (Music Box, 10/29), Soulside (Casbah, 11/12), Born Ruffians (Soda Bar, 11/13), The Album Leaf (Casbah, 11/13), In the Valley Below (Casbah, 11/14).

CANCELED Ringworm (Soda Bar, 11/15).

GET YER TICKETS Hum, Mineral (BUT, 9/16), Mobb Deep (Observatory, 9/16), Shamir (Irenic, 9/22), Titus Andronicus (The Irenic, 9/24), Patton Oswalt (Balboa Theatre, 9/26), Duran Duran (Open Air Theatre, 9/27), Ratatat (BUT, 10/2), Gaslamp Killer (Observatory, 10/3), Beirut (Open Air Theater, 10/6), Garbage (Humphreys, 10/6), Ash (Music Box, 10/10), ‘CRSSD Festival’ w/ Flaming Lips, TV on the Radio, Giorgio Moroder, Jamie xx (Waterfront Park, 10/10-11), Neil Young (RIMAC Arena, 10/13), Twin Shadow (BUT, 10/14), Young Thug (HOB, 10/14), Florence and the Machine (Viejas Arena, 10/14), Deafheaven, Tribulation (Casbah, 10/15), Ginuwine (Music Box, 10/16), Janet Jackson (Viejas Arena, 10/17), The Black Lips, Ariel Pink (Observatory, 10/18), My Morning Jacket (Open Air Theatre, 10/19), YOB (Brick by Brick, 11/19), Skinny Puppy (Observatory, 11/20), The Sword (BUT, 10/22), Insane Clown Posse (Observatory, 10/22), Mac DeMarco (Observatory, 10/23), Mudhoney (Casbah, 10/24), Natalie Prass (Soda Bar, 10/24), Shakey Graves (Observatory, 10/28), Madonna (Valley View Casino Center, 10/29), Coheed and Cambria (Observatory, 10/29), Ghost (Observatory, 10/30), No Knife (Casbah, 10/31), Kris Kristofferson, John Prine (Civic Theatre, 10/31), ‘Night of the Shred’ w/ Rwake, Torche, Windhand (Quartyard, 10/31), Trey Anastasio (HOB, 11/1), HEALTH (Casbah, 11/10), The Menzingers, meWithoutYou (Observatory, 11/10), The Fall of Troy, Kylesa (Irenic, 11/10), Yo La Tengo (Observatory, 11/12), Godsmack (Open Air Theatre, 11/12), Mayhem, Watain (Observatory, 11/13), Youth Lagoon (BUT, 11/14), The Cult, Primal Scream (HOB, 11/19), Big K.R.I.T. (Observatory, 11/19), Minus the Bear (Observatory, 11/21), Everclear (Music Box, 11/21), Sturgill Simpson (Observatory, 11/22), Rise Against (Soma, 11/22), New Found Glory, Yellowcard (HOB, 11/22), Chance the Rapper (SOMA, 11/23), X, Mike Watt (Casbah, 11/27-28), The White Buffalo (HOB, 12/10), Reverend Horton Heat (Observatory, 12/13), Ladysmith Black Mambazo (BUT, 1/19).

September Wednesday, Sept. 9 The Psychedelic Furs, The Church at Observatory North Park. Ariana Grande at Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

Thursday, Sept. 10 Johnette Napolitano at The Casbah.

The Get Up Kids at The Observatory.

Friday, Sept. 11 Dead Feather Moon at Belly Up Tavern.

#SDCityBeat

Sunday, Sept. 13 Chayanne at Viejas Arena. ZZ Top at Humphreys by the Bay. Kamasi Washington at Soda Bar. King Parrot at Brick by Brick.

Monday, Sept. 14 The Who at Valley View Casino Center.

Tuesday, Sept. 15 Wavves at Observatory North Park. Krisiun, Origin at Brick by Brick.

Wednesday, Sept. 16 Mobb Deep at Observatory North Park.

Hum, Mineral at Belly Up Tavern. Joakim at Soda Bar.

Thursday, Sept. 17 Mew at Observatory North Park. Unearth at Brick by Brick.

Friday, Sept. 18 Negura Bunget at The Merrow. Chris Cornell at Balboa Theatre (sold out).

Iggy Azalea at Valley View Casino Center. Julieta Venegas at Music Box.

Saturday, Sept. 19 Goatsnake at Brick by Brick. Radkey at Soda Bar. Kevin Hart at Viejas Arena.

Julieta Venegas at Music Box. Circa Waves, Oberhofer at The Loft.

Sunday, Sept. 20 Ricky Martin at Viejas Arena. KEN Mode at Soda Bar.

Monday, Sept. 21 Glass Animals at SOMA. The Ann Wilson Thing at Belly Up Tavern. Mark Knopfler at Humphreys by the Bay (sold out). Systems Officer at The Casbah.

Tuesday, Sept. 22 A Place to Bury Strangers at Soda Bar. Def Leppard at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Legendary Shack Shakers at The Casbah. Shamir at The Irenic. Future Islands at Observatory North Park.

Wednesday, Sept. 23 The Skull at The Hideout. Future Islands at Observatory North Park. Joywave at The Casbah. Snarky Puppy at Belly Up Tavern.

Thursday, Sept. 24 Titus Andronicus at The Irenic. Foo Fighters at Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

Oh Land at House of Blues. The Lemonheads at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, Sept. 25 Royal Blood at House of Blues (sold out). Death Cab for Cutie at Open Air Theatre. Dave Koz at Humphreys by the Bay.

Saturday, Sept. 26 Luluc at The Loft. Catfish and the Bottlemen at House of Blues. Air Supply at Humphreys by the Bay. Shannon and the Clams at The Casbah. Patton Oswalt at Balboa Theatre.

Sunday, Sept. 27 Duran Duran at Open Air Theatre. Dead Kennedys at Observatory North Park.

Monday, Sept. 28 Tove Lo at Observatory North Park.

Swervedriver at The Casbah.

at House of Blues (sold out). Murs at The Casbah.

October Thursday, Oct. 1 Toxic Holocaust at Til-Two Club. Vintage Trouble at The Irenic. Empress Of at Soda Bar. Aterciopelados at House of Blues. Peaches at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, Oct. 2 Ratatat at Observatory North Park.

Kaskade at Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at Belly Up Tavern. Agent Orange at Soda Bar.

Saturday, Oct. 3 King Dude at The Hideout. Thievery Corporation at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Florida Georgia Line at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Gaslamp Killer at Observatory North Park. Musiq Soulchild at Music Box.

Sunday, Oct. 4 Citizen Cope at Observatory North Park.

DJ Krush at Belly Up Tavern. Holly Miranda at The Merrow.

Monday, Oct. 5 The Word at Belly Up Tavern.

Tuesday, Oct. 6 The Fratellis at House of Blues. Paul Weller at Observatory North Park. Beirut at Open Air Theater. Garbage at Humphreys.

Wednesday, Oct. 7 Lil Dicky at Observatory North Park.

Thursday, Oct. 8 Xavier Rudd and the United Nations at Observatory North Park. Riverboat Gamblers at The Hideout. Braids at Soda Bar.

Friday, Oct. 9 Caspian at The Hideout. Cannibal Ox at Soda Bar. Jamey Johnson at House of Blues. Them Are Us Too at Whistle Stop. Conflict at Til-Two Club. Ash at Music Box.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., San Diego. Pacific Beach. Wed: The Soulside Players. Thu: Karaoke. Fri: The Broken Stems, Red Wizard, Desert Suns. Sat: Splitfinger, Samuel Sankoh and the Rockaway Kings. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: DJ Royale.

98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, San Diego. Little Italy. Fri: Triple Deez Band American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: Open mic. Thu: Fortune Feimster. Fri: Fortune Feimster. Sat: Fortune Feimster.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St., San Diego.

Downtown. Thu: Jimmy Edgar. Fri: Jai Wolf.

Sat: Coyote Kisses. Sun: Trippy Turtle.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., San Diego.

North Park. Wed: Taurus Authority. Thu: The Husky Boy All-Stars. Fri: DJ L. Sat: The Milkcrates DJs. Sun: ‘Rat Sabbath’.

Mon: ‘Wreckord Mania’. Tue: Alvino and the Dwells.

Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave., San Diego.

Downtown. Fri: Goshfather and Jinco.

Sat: BRKLYN Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla.

La Jolla. Thu: Mike Myrdal. Fri: Mrs. Henry.

Sat: Lost Profits. Sun: Kayla Hope.

Wednesday, Sept. 30 Ultimate Painting at Soda Bar. Halsey

clubs CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 37

Music Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Solana Beach. Wed: Tab Benoit, Blitz Brothers. Fri: Dead Feather Moon, Trouble in the Wind, Inspired and the Sleep. Sat: Wade Bowen, Nancarrow, Jake Loban. Sun: Earl Thomas. Tue: Gaelic Storm.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad. Carlsbad. Thu: Art Dealers, Noble War. Fri: ‘Club Musae’.

Brass Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., San Diego.

Hillcrest. Fri: ‘Hip Hop Fridayz’. Sat: ‘Sabado en Fuego’ w/ DJs XP, KA. Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJs Junior the Disco Punk, XP. Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., San Diego. Bay Park. Wed: Burn Halo, Heartist, Courage My Love, Run 2 Cover, A Friend, A Foe. Fri: The Darlings, Hard Fall Hearts, Dice For Lights, The Triggers. Sat: Gruesome, Gravespell, Infernal Conjuration, ?Impure Consecration. Sun: King Parrot, Nukem, Thanatology, Xantam. Mon: Threatpoint, D-Railed, Enslaved By Fear, Voxyn. Tue: Krisiun, Origin, Aeon, Soreption, Alterbeast, Ingested, Mortuus Terror.

Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave., San Diego.

Downtown. Wed: Aro Di Santi. Thu: Malamana. Fri: Joef & Co. Sat: Aire. Sun: Aire.

Mon: Bruno and Dusty. Tue: Gio Trio.

Croce’s Park West, 2760 Fifth Ave., #100, San Diego. Bankers Hill. Wed: Louis Valenzuela Duo. Thu: Gilbert Castellanos and the Park West Ensemble.

Fri: Allison Adams Tucker. Sat: Eve Selis.

Sun: Todo Mundo. Tue: Steph Johnson and Rob Thorsen.

Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. Lemon Grove. Fri: Nemesis.

Sat: DJ Alex.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, San Diego. Mission Bay. Sat: ‘The music of

Eydie Gormé & Trio Los Panchos’. Sun: Pentivento.

Hillcrest. Thu: ‘Wet’. Fri: ‘Uncut’. Sat: ‘Club Sabbat’. Sun: ‘R&B Divas’.

Hookers . Tue: Four Year Strong, Defeater, Expire, My Iron Lung, Leave The Universe.

Canzona and the Narrows, AJ Froman, The Krimson Blues. Tue: ‘Trapped’.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown., San Diego.

Downtown. Fri: Deejay Al. Sat: DJ Vision.

Onyx Room / Thin, 852 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Thu: ‘Tea Party Thursday’. Fri: ‘Rumba Lounge’. Sat: ‘Onyx Saturday’. Tue: ‘Neo Soul’.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St., San Diego. Midtown. Sat: Mario Aureo.

The T Lounge, 1475 University Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Thu: Stanza.

The Balboa, 1863 Fifth Ave., San Diego.

Bankers Hill. Fri: Big Bloom, Garden Echo. Sat: The Wang Dang Daddies, The Burdens.

The Tin Roof, 401 G Street, San Diego.

Gaslamp. Wed: Pat Hilton and the Mann.

Thu: Abstrack the Band. Fri: Cassie B Project. Sat: Coriander. Sun: ‘G Street Sessions’. Mon: Lucky Devils Band. Tue: Jenny O’Henny Duo.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., San Diego.

Downtown. Fri: Kyle Flesch. Sat: Tantrum. Sun: ‘Mad Decent Block Party After Party’ w/ Diplo.

Gallagher’s, 5040 Newport Ave., San Diego. Ocean Beach. Fri: Pali Roots.

Sat: Nemesis Band. Mon: ‘Mic Check Monday’.

Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Fri: Cassie B, Skyler Lutes. Sat: DJ Slowhand.

Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave., San Diego.

Downtown. Wed: AOK Musik. Thu: DJ Junior the Disco Punk. Fri: ‘Good Times’.

Sun: Karaoke. Mon: DJ Antonio Aguilera.

Tue: Big City Dawgs.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Fri: Seahaven, Sledding With Tigers, Paper Days.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Thu: ‘Progress’. Fri: ‘Junglist Friday’. Sun: XXXY. Tue: ‘High Tech Tuesday’.

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., San Diego. Kensington. Fri: Kitty Plague, Hot Mustard, Murder by Techno, Badabing.

LOUNGEsix, 616 J St., San Diego. Downtown. Sat: Solarium Saturdays.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave. , Coronado. Coronado. Wed: Jackson & Jesus. Thu: North Star. Fri: Ron’s Garage. Sat: Pat Ellis and Blue Frog Band.

Sun: Joey Harris and Friends. Tue: JG Solo.

Numbers, 3811 Park Blvd., San Diego.

38 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

Patricks Gaslamp, 428 F St., San Diego.

Downtown. Wed: The Upshots. Thu: The Bill Magee Blues Band. Sat: RedWave.

Sun: Rosy Dawn. Mon: The Groove Squad. Tue: Paddy’s Chicken Jam. Queen Bee’s, 3925 Ohio St., San Diego.

North Park. Sat: Exotica, Exotica, A Drop Dead Dames’ Production.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., San Diego.

Hillcrest. Wed: DJ John Joseph. Fri: DJ Moody Rudy. Sat: DJs Dirty Kurty, K-Swift.

Sun: DJ Hektik.

Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave., San Diego. North Park. Fri: Machael Stasis, Mooncrier. Sat: Folk Family Revival, The Cerny Brothers. Mon: ‘Makossa Monday’ w/ DJ Tah Rei. Side Bar, 536 Market St., San Diego.

Downtown. Thu: ‘Divino Thursday’. Fri: DJ Brett Bodley and Jason Whitmore.

Sat: DJ Kurch. Sun: DJ Heartthrob Rob. Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: Fruit Juice, The Colour Monday, The Dead Blue.

Thu: The Steepwater Band, Jayke Orvis, Three Chamber Heart. Sat: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, The Blue Rider (sold out). Sun: Kamasi Washington, Sure Fire Soul Ensemble. Mon: Tumbleweed Wanderers, Old Tiger. Tue: Jaymay, Alec Lytle.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego. Midway. Sat: Against The Odds, Beneath Her Depths, Riboflavin, ASCENSIONS, Awake Me Daylight, Hitmen and

The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Rd., Spring Valley. Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Fri: Batlords, Dead on the wire, Natives, Coretracks. Sat: Zombie Barbie, Chica Diabla, The Seks . Mon: Light Thieves. Tue: Eskimo Brothers.

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Wed: Man Man, Shilpa Ray. Thu: Johnette Napolitano, Laurie Sargent. Fri: Mystic Braves, Muscle Beech, The Creation Factory, Amerikan Bear. Sat: Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects, The Creepy Creeps, Tropical Popsicle, DJs Claire and Mr. Mazee. Sun: Willis Earl Beal, Like a Villain, Tori Roze and the Hot Mess. Mon: Sound Lupus, Causers, Los Shadows. Tue: Carbon Leaf.

The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Fri: Hours, Arms Away. Sat: Destruction Unit, Die Mißbildungen Des Menschen, DJs Craig Oliver, Handsome Skeleton. Tue: MOTHXR. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Wed: Connor Corell, OPEIA, Electric Church. Thu: Hocus, The Bloodflowers, Processor. Fri: North, Deep Sea Thunder Beast, Cryptic Languages, Weight of the Sun. Sat: Social Club, MRCH, Le Chateau. Tue: Low Points, Teenage Exorcists, Electric Healing Sound.

The Office, 3936 30th St., San Diego.

North Park. Wed: bMUSE, DeadMau5 (Not Exactly). Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King. Sun: Tribe of Kings. Mon: Erik

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Thu: The New Kinetics, The Mission Creeps, The Fink Bombs, The Flytraps. Fri: No Martyr.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., San Diego.

Bay Park. Wed: Cantina Renegades. Thu: Blue Largo. Fri: Detroit Underground.

Sat: Los Fabulocos & Sleepwalkers.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., San Diego. City Heights. Fri: Space Wax, The Bum Deals, Style Like Revelators, Se Vende. Sat: Lucky Keith, Clean Room.

Ux31, 3112 University Ave., San Diego.

North Park. Wed: DJ Mo Lyon. Thu: ‘Throwback Thursday’. Fri: Lee Churchill.

Sat: Saul Q. Mon: DJ Artistic. Tue: Karaoke.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, San Diego.

South Park. Wed: Bit Maps, Hexa. Thu: ‘Kiss and Make Up’ w/ DJs Jon Blaj, Kyle Badour. Fri: ‘Fantasy’ w/ DJ Mario Orduno. Sat: ‘Booty Bassment’ w/ DJs Dimitri, Rob. Tue: ‘Videodrome’.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., San Diego.

Ocean Beach. Wed: Raiz Muzik, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: The Coffis Brothers, The Highway Poets. Fri: Johnny Love, SM Famila, DJ Carlos Culture. Sat: Todo Mundo, Simple Life. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: High Tide, Crucial Blend.

#SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 39

Last Words

Brendan Emmett Quigley

Party fouls Across 1. Key with three sharps: Abbr.

5. Tackle 9. Room with tons of old shit and cobwebs 14. Cosmonaut Gherman 16. “Back in the day” 17. Teenage doll toy line 18. The host who tapped the keg before everyone got there was called for a ...

20. Car battery brand 21. Actor Morales 22. Beigish hue 24. Actor Penn 25. The guy who took all the LSD was called for ...

29. The guy with all the weed was called for 31. Actress Phylicia 32. “D’oh, ___ idiot!”

34. Guatemalan president Molina 35. Planks work them 36. Bad spot 38. Applies paint sloppily 39. Former Enron advisor turned Nobel Prize winner Krugman 41. The guy who rolled onto his back after passing out was called for being ...

44. Head candy 45. Word after home or bed 47. Acid-base indicator 48. Overplaying guitar guy Steve 50. Sierra ___ 51. Brain wave register: Abbr.

54. The cockblocker was called for ...

59. Fig. that says when the inflight entertainment is shut off 60. Man’s nickname that is a letter run 61. Excited state Last week’s answers

40 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

62. Guy who took too long to make a move was called ...

68. Coloring stuff 69. Gaucho’s rope 70. Moves toward the gate 71. Big name in modeling?

72. Like movies borrowed from the library 73. Breadmaker’s wheat 74. Back end

Down 1. Grp. that oversees guns and rosés 2. Soccer announcer Hamm 3. Falcons on chyrons 4. “Catfish: The TV Show” host Max 5. Arrived 6. Strand in a lab 7. Plot of land 8. “You ___!” (“Darn tooin’”) 9. “Straight Up” singer 10. Uno + due 11. Do some hyping 12. “That’s impossible!”

13. McKinley’s assassin 15. Hipster’s scooters 19. Rejected 23. Panthers coach Rivera 25. Animal catchers 26. Morocco’s capital 27. Bit of Money 28. LOLcat picture, likely 30. ER pronouncement 33. Summon up 37. Org. in the first four Super Bowls 38. Vast hot wasteland 40. Pub heads 42. “___ the opinion that ...”

43. Frank Herbert classic 46. LBJ spot that ended with a mushroom cloud 49. Word in division 51. Biochemical catalyst 52. Itching condition 53. Hot spring 54. Director Almodóvar 55. Stayed home for lunch 56. Leaves for lunch 57. University in Medford 58. Down material 63. Off-roader with big tires: briefly 64. Missing piece?

65. Stump creator 66. 1000 G’s 67. Superlative ending

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#SDCityBeat

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 41

42 · San Diego CityBeat · September 9, 2015

#SDCityBeat

#SDCityBeat

September 9, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 43