2 · San Diego CityBeat · September 13, 2017
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september 13, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 3
UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR
Ever watch a City Council meeting… On WEED!
I
don’t smoke weed, but there was a point that were being debated at the Monday seson Monday afternoon where I thought to sion, Zimmerman was arguing in favor of Option 1, which would not allow for local myself that I should really start. In fact, there were many moments during cultivation and distribution of marijuana and the special City Council session on Monday essentially only allow for testing facilities to where I wished I had been high. And it wasn’t check the safety of imported marijuana. “If you don’t vote for option number one, just because it was a session to essentially decide what a lot of the new rules would be the continued negative consequences and secondary effects of an expanded marijuana for legalized marijuana. It was just an exhausting experience. I industry will be detrimental to the public realize that it was a very important decision safety of our neighborhoods,” Zimmerman said to the Council. and I don’t envy the City CounNow, had I been high, I would cil for having to make it, but have been more empathetic after over four hours and literwith the chief. Her assessment ally dozens of public speakers, I of what’s happening in Denver found myself so annoyed that I is contradicted by more reliable began tweeting about the merits studies from the University of of the smooth jazz that plays on Colorado Denver and the Cato CityTV during council recesses. Institute, but hey, we’re talking There was a moment during Face-palm dude is me about a police chief overseethe meeting where a guy who looked like Jerry from Parks and Recreation ing what seems to be a never-ending police just leaned over and face-palmed himself shortage so it’s tempting to spark one up and while another guy blathered on and on about be all like, “Shelley, I feel your pain.” The same kind of empathy was not extendhow legal weed was essentially going to lead to some kind of grand, Rome-is-burning- ed to councilmember Lorie Zapf, who went off type scenario for San Diego. That face-palm on some tangential speech about a friend of hers who lived in Denver and told Zapf that dude was me. That dude was all of us. There were times where I wish I’d been the city’s downtown is now filled “with young high while having to listen to police chief kids just hanging out and getting high and doShelley Zimmerman rattle off one-sided sta- ing nothing.” Um, the last time I was in Denver tistics about what legalized marijuana has was 12 years ago and it was like that then! Hell, done to cities like Denver. Of the two options I could go to P.B. right now (Zapf’s district) and
4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
find her dozens of kids who fit that description. Had I been high, she would have totally harshed my mellow with her car crash statistics (which, while true that there has been an increase in car crashes in weed-legal states, the ones caused by alcohol still massively outnumber the ones caused by marijuana. But hey, we’re not calling for prohibition yet). Oh, and there was the anti-weed guy with signs of dabbing emojis and who plopped down a one-pound bag of weed like he was dropping a mic (uh, no word on where that weed ended up). There were speakers who claimed that marijuana odor causes death. There were the gee-whiz, Tiny Tim-looking high schoolers who bemoaned the idea that
marijuana business expansion would surely lead to more teens like them smoking marijuana. Um, OK kid, but if you’re in high school, then not only are you not allowed to vote but why the hell aren’t you in school right now? In the end, the council rightly voted 6-to3 to have a fully legal and well-regulated industry that includes local cultivation and distribution. Yeah, the council punted on the issue of what to do about delivery services, but I can’t say I blame them after a long day. For now, I have a big indica-induced smile on my face that the council decided, to paraphrase councilmember Chris Ward finally nip this issue in the bud. Well, not really, but it’s a smile nonetheless.
—Seth Combs
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september 13, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 5
UP FRONT | LETTERS
GOLDEN EYE Thank you for introducing us to the fabulous eye and style that Alana Airitam brings to the art of photography [“Golden Years,” Aug. 30]. I can’t wait for the announcement of her show at a gallery, coffee shop or frame shop; there are many venues possible. I am pleased she is in the multifaceted San Diego art community and wish her the very best of success. Yvonne Perez-Collins Clairemont
UP FRONT From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Spin Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Backwards & In High Heels. . . . . . 8 Well, That Was Awkward. . . . . . . 9
FOOD & DRINK World Fare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
DROPPING BOMBS I have been checking out CityBeat for over a year now and have always gravitated toward the great food articles. However, when I saw this article [“The Audacity of Nope,” Sept. 6] I was taken aback by the many fbombs dropped in the first couple of sentences. I know as a journalist for the Vista Press that using profanity in a public type of newspaper is not proper. This is for the general public, and you never know who is going to pick it up. I suggest next time at least abbreviating the actual word rather than shouting out expletives. Thank you. Carl Hughes Vista
Anatomy of a Cocktail Scene. . . 12 Final Draught. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
THINGS TO DO The Short List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . 14-15
ARTS & CULTURE Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 FEATURE: Fall Arts. . . . . . . . . . 17-27 Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-29
MUSIC
HOW TO SECEDE WITHOUT REALLY TRYING I submit this issue is not just black and white [“Burn it Down,” Aug. 23]. There’s grey in here with historical and current value. Slavery was the transcendent issue, but there were two unjust causes in the war, the defense of slavery and forced union. 300,000 Confederates died in their fight for the right of secession. Condemn their defense of slavery, but not their defense of secession. ������������������������������������������������������������������� Today the world places too much value on the sovereign right of nations and insufficient value on the will of the people—the right of the people to self-determination. America’s militarist leaders refuse to recognize the right of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to secede from Georgia and the right of Crimea to secede from Ukraine. Instead of demanding UN supervised plebiscites to settle these issues, they rattle their sabers. See a related article on the battle flag and the black liberation flag. I support the battle flag, but given its racist taint, I would only fly it together with the black liberation flag. Mr. Combs: The war was tragic because both sides had just causes and corollary unjust causes. I visited the Antietam battlefield. Near the visitors center is a memorial built by the state of Maryland to commemorate the dead on both sides. One side of the room listed the Federals, the other, the Confederates—all Americans, all from Maryland. I could feel the melancholy tragedy of this conflict. John F. Scanlon Rancho Peñasquitos
6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
FEATURE: Zola Jesus . . . . . . . . . . 30 Notes from the Smoking Patio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 If I Were U. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 About Last Night. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Concerts & Clubs. . . . . . . . . . . 25-37
LAST WORDS Advice Goddess. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
WE WANT FEEDBACK Email letters to editor Seth Combs at seth.combs@ sdcitybeat.com, or mail to 3047 University Ave., Suite 202, San Diego, CA 92104. For letters to be considered for publication you must include your first and last name and the part of town where you reside. Note: All comments left on stories at sdcitybeat. com will also be considered for publication.
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UP FRONT | OPINION
SPIN
CYCLE
JOHN R. LAMB
No time for shuttering There is nothing which persevering effort and unceasing and diligent care cannot accomplish. —Seneca
G
abriel Muñoz’s eyes darted away from me for a brief second. He had been in the middle of a sentence, but a distressed gentleman, clearly in need of a sympathetic ear, had appeared at his office doorway. Muñoz was in his element. He spoke softly but assuredly as the 52-year-old man recounted his arduous struggle with homelessness that began in Florida and led to the streets of San Diego. “Last year, my mom and dad died,” he said. “Same year. I hadn’t seen them in 20 years, and that bugged me out. Then living on the streets, dealing with all these crazy people. It just really got to me.” It is a variant of a tragic story
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Muñoz has heard countless times in the two months since he became the one-man staff of the Homeless & Mental Health Outreach office at the San Diego Central Library. A substance-abuse counselor with the San Diego-based non-profit Mental Health Systems the last four years, Muñoz gladly accepted the library post, which, prior to his arrival, had only operated three days a week. Now a Monday through Friday oasis of assistance and empathy for San Diego’s downtrodden, the office faces an uncertain future. Grant funding for the office—a converted study room on the Central Library’s third floor—runs out at the end of the month. While library officials are scrambling to find a new funding source, Muñoz admits he’s worried his time in this position may be short lived. Given the exploding homeless
population surrounding the Central Library’s East Village neighborhood and a deadly Hepatitis A outbreak that has county and city officials on high alert, the loss of the tiny outreach location would be a sizable step backward in San Diego’s efforts to stem the growing tide of misery. Those officials, when pressed by Spin Cycle, are beginning to say the right things about retaining this vital link for people in need. A San Diego Library Foundation spokesperson called the outreach office “an important resource” it wants to see continue. A city spokesperson referred to Muñoz as “fabulous” and said it’s “everybody’s expectation” that the office will continue operating beyond this month. But Muñoz still has unpacked cardboard boxes in one corner, illustrating his uncertainty about the job. “My last day was supposed to be at the end of August, but it got extended for another month,” he explained when Spin visited last week. A soft-spoken, humble man of 54 who has overcome his own demons, Muñoz said he knows librarians “would like to see me stay.” Privately, librarians recount the many times Muñoz has interceded with homeless patrons before incidents have risen to the level of re-
COURTESY OF THE SAN DIEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY
Future funding is uncertain for a valued Central Library homeless outpost at a critical time. quiring security or police intervention. “He has a calming quality,” one told Spin. “He sees them as the human beings they are. Gabriel, even though he’s only one man, has made a big difference here.” Even though it’s not part of his job description, Muñoz regularly ventures outside the Central Library to interact with the homeless. When Spin visited Thursday, he was already making plans to hand out flyers in the neighborhood for the upcoming Sept. 19 vaccination clinic that will be held at the main library. To run from 2 to 5 p.m. in Room 222 on the second floor, it will be the first widely promoted clinic of four scheduled there every third Tuesday of the month through December. Hygiene kits will also be made available for free. A spokesman for the county’s Health and Human Service Agency, which administers the vaccinations, said three clinics in or near the Central Library since July had provided a total of 21 vaccinations. Mayoral communications director Matt Awbrey said three additional clinics at city library branches— two in Mission Valley and one in Otay Mesa—were held in August, and he said the county informed the mayor’s office on Monday that more clinics are being planned for other branch locations. It is a signal that the city finally recognizes the catastrophe it faces, particularly in light of a Hepatitis A outbreak that some librarians say they saw coming as early as last November, when reports of cases of the potential deadly disease began surfacing. This week, city workers began washing East Village sidewalks with bleach in an effort to stem the spread of the contagion under mounting pressure from the county to get aggressive combating the outbreak, which has killed 16 people in San
Diego so far. Muñoz hasn’t hesitated being a front-line soldier in that battle. He has seen the concern among patrons whom he has observed wiping down computer keyboards more regularly or library workers who keep disinfectants close at hand. He pointed to his own supply of Lysol cans in the unpacked boxes and hand sanitizer next to his desk. “I know people are thinking about it,” the Chula Vista native said about the outbreak. “I see people using their elbows to open doors or push elevator buttons. It’s good they’re aware of it now.” A former construction worker, Muñoz said he too had his low points. A divorce left him questioning his purpose in life, and it wasn’t until he was entering his 40s that he discovered his true passion for helping others. “I was still struggling,” he recalled, “and somebody looked me in the eye and said, ‘I still see a spark.’ I never did anything where I felt I was really helping somebody. Suddenly, I decided it was time for me to give back.” Now he seeks to nurture those “a-ha!” moments in others. Every person is different in dealing with life’s challenges, Muñoz acknowledges, so each case requires a custom response. He remembers one young man who’d come to San Diego for a construction job. He and his girlfriend had a falling out, so he found himself on the street for a week. “He walked by the office and said, ‘What can I do?” Muñoz recalled. In short order, he hooked him up with a program that helps people return home. “He came by and thanked me. It was awesome.” Spin Cycle appears every other week. Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7
UP FRONT | OPINION
AARYN BELFER
BACKWARDS & IN
HIGH HEELS
The Upside-Down World
“If you’re feeling worn down, remember that that’s the plan. They are TRYING to wear you down. Drink a can of Fuck Those Guys and keep going.” —Ali Davis via Twitter (@ali_davis)
M
oving our daughter to a new school this year has meant a significant lifestyle change for my husband and me. We were spoiled these last seven years, living a block away from what we had planned would be Ruby’s school for another two. Like Sarah Palin and Russia (doesn’t that time seem terrifically quaint now?), I could see the school from my porch. I could run down there to deliver a forgotten lunch box or a math book. My child’s school day began at 8:50ish, allowing her to get the sleep her magnificent brain requires. Now, though, I’ve joined the ranks of parents who will drive to Yuma and back twice a day just to get our kids an education that best meets their needs. All that morning hustle in the dark, that begging for five extra minutes of sleep, that mileage on my car just for the promise of sending my darling, my heart, off
to a good college. Colleges where she hopefully won’t be raped and, while doubtful, still enjoy some of the civil rights protections Obama provided women under Title IX. Lo, the halcyon days, as a good friend said, “I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that President Grab-Em-By-The-Pussy wants to roll back help for sexual assault survivors.” That my child’s new school begins at the barbaric hour of 7-fucking-15 every goddamned Drumpf-era shitass day. No really, that’s the butts-in-seats-ready-to-learn hour. It’s a kind of fuckery only bureaucrats disinterested in child development can think up. Make no mistake; if research shows something is detrimental to children, then parents can count on administrators to institutionalize it, much like Republicans institutionalize hate. Wait. Where was I? Oh, yes, The Commute. My day now includes a one-plus hour round-trip commute beginning each morning at 6:40 a.m. Upshot: I have discovered the audiobook, a creature that before now was as baffling to me as the Obama-turnedTrump voter. “I’m not going to make it the whole year
8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
doing this, Mama,” my 7th grader moaned on the eighth day of our new routine. She was rubbing her sleepy eyes as we cruised along toward the rising sun. “The whole year?” I said. “Try the next six.” Okay, so I’m struggling to stay positive in nearly every area of my life. “Not helpful, Mama” she said. “Not. Helpful.” After navigating my way through the school parking lot among dozens of parent drivers, all of us vying for the safest drop-off spot so our not-so-littles can avoid playing real-life Frogger, I centimeter my way back to the freeway. And it is there that I sit in stopped traffic, until it’s my turn to creep forward at single-digit-speeds, before coming to a full stop again. Then creep. Then stop. It’s an awful lot like the 405, if I do say. This� is �������������������������������� my personal ����������������� new normal, a depressed little Matryoshka doll inside of the collective new normal, inside an upside down world. At my lowest moments, I am certain a nuclear bomb would be preferable to tiki-torch-carrying white supremacists, wildfires and hurricanes. It was the day after Jeff Sessions and his ears gleefully announced the end of DACA like a plantation owner orchestrating another lynching—while listening to the audiobook of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, a stunning and epic novel centered around slavery—that I looked out at the expanse of road and my fellow citizens doing what humble humans do every day. How many DACA Dreamers, I wondered,
were in these cars, headed to their internships, their science labs, their college classes, their jobs? How many were driving their own children to school at that very moment? How many Dreamers had just walked through the school gates alongside my daughter? “There are Dreamers at my old school,” Ruby had told me the day before on our ride home. The drive time together is turning out to be precious, as it is when my internal girl opens her mouth to speak her truths. “What is going to happen to them?” she asked, reminding me again how much of this she understands and doesn’t. My inability to answer to any satisfying degree reminds me again of how much of this I understand and how much I do not. The car becomes thick with our worry. I do not want my 12-year-old to worry. I don’t want anyone’s 12-year-old to worry. I don’t want any Dreamers—or immigrants, or people of color, or gay people or trans people or differentlyabled people, or vets or the elderly or anyone, no matter how old—to worry. But this is where we are. Stuck in traffic. Inching forward to make ends meet, struggling to live our best lives, to stay positive, to follow the rules and pay our taxes and maybe see the doctor once in awhile and help our kids do better than we have done. Inch-by-inch we go, trying to contribute something positive to the world; to create more love than hate. All of that while smiling white men and plenty of smiling white women, too, are actively, purposefully dismembering us piece by spiritual piece.
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UP FRONT | OPINION VOICES
RYAN BRADFORD
WELL THAT WAS
AWKWARD
Beware The Veganing
T
he day after my wife Jessica decides to go vegan, film director Tobe Hooper dies. In Hooper’s film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a group of kids fall victim to a family of desperate cannibals during a roadtrip through deep cattle country. Although it’s far less violent than the title implies, the depiction of slaughterhouses and taxidermy make it viscerally upsetting: stink-lines practically waver out from the screen, and close-ups of cows primed for slaughter foreshadow the characters’ impending deaths. Ostensibly, it’s one of the strongest cases for a plant-based diet ever put on film. I briefly consider following both my wife’s and Mr. Hooper’s directives into the land of humane and cruelty-free eating. But I don’t. Instead, I mope around because we’ll no longer have Lasagna night. ••• Jessica’s been vegetarian for most of her life, so it really wasn’t that big of her jump into veganism—a transition that she deems “The Veganing.” It’s something that she’s
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been contemplating for a while, but it was one of those things that I assumed would always happen later. It’s how I navigate life: float through until something slaps me in the face. It’s how I treat things like taking out the trash, scheduling dentist appointments and clipping my toenails (just in case you had any doubts that I am a gross garbage human). And Jessica’s veganism is assuredly a slap in the face, but not in a way that offends— because there’s seemingly few things more offensive to an All-American meat-eater than a vegan—but in a way that forces me to into the dreaded realm of self-reflection. Subjectively, there’s no good reason for me (or anyone) to eat animal products, and yet, I feel a general aversion that comes from stubborn righteousness, even if it goes against my best self-interest. I assume it’s the same sort of loathing that comes from drivers who shit-talk bicyclists, or people who make fun of protesters from the safety of their computers. I know my health would get better if I gave up animal products. I’m not even going to try espousing on the importance of
protein because I have no idea what protein actually does in the human body. And according to the last time I looked at my BMI, protein hasn’t been my best ally. Simply, I’m just pizza (<--- actually a typo. I meant to say “lazy” but I’m going to keep in as ultimate proof of my motives, or lack thereof). ••• “Have you heard of the Venn diagram?” my friend Tommy asks when we tell him about The Veganing. “There’s a circle for cross-fitters, a circle for people who’ve been to Burning Man, and a circle for vegans. Where they all intersect is labeled ‘People Who Don’t Shut the Fuck Up.” I’ve heard variations of this joke before (“How can you tell if someone’s a vegan?” “Oh, they’ll tell you”), and, yeah, they’re funny, and Jessica’s early enough into her new lifestyle that she can still laugh at them. But I think there will be a time when she’ll no longer find these jokes funny. Convictions become tied into our self-identities, so I understand the vehement defensiveness of vegans. But still, there’s an insufferableness to a belief system as strong as veganism. Jessica’s already given me an eye-roll when I asked if I could buy meat burgers (she immediately apologized), and I threw an internal tantrum when she asked if we could buy only soy milk from now on, which—despite my belief that only serial killers drink milk straight—felt like she was forcing her plant-based agenda down my throat. Sure, you can take my milk... I thought. From my cold, strong, calcium-infused hands! There will be changes, for sure. I get that.
Just as long as she doesn’t turn into Moby, we can work through the obstacles. A couple weeks prior, Moby had posted on Instagram from a Denny’s with a caption that read: When a vegan goes to Denny’s and realizes: 1-he can order water. 2-our ancestors fought and died so that their offspring could eat bacon and play candy crush and talk about kardashians. 3-our species is doomed. The photo is Moby’s fucking vegan face looking out at his audience with a permafrown earned from a life of being disappointed. I would normally laugh about this—good job, Moby, you sure stuck it to Denny’s!—but now I just pray. I don’t even believe in God. Please, Lord. Just don’t let Jessica be like Moby. This isn’t the first time I’ve made this request for a loved one, by the way. Nobody should ever be like Moby. ••• Like all good horror movies, there’s subtext in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The film, set in the early ‘70s, showcases a society undergoing change and a gas crisis. The Texas meat industry is becoming mechanized, and it’s implied that the deranged family of cannibals—former slaughterhouse workers—have been driven to cannibalism through lack of work and desperation. It’s an extreme reading, sure, but I can relate. However, I can’t tell who’s becoming a worse monster when the meat disappears: me or her.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9
UP FRONT | FOOD
BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER MICHAEL GARDINER
for chicken and not pork. McAfee uses it in a smoked, pulled chicken sandwich with a Peppadew relish that echoes and enhances the sauce’s flavor profile. Another regionally-inspired dish is the Carolina Pulled Pork sandwich. The Carolinas have a number of barbecue styles. In the North, it’s a tomato-based sauce, while coastal Carolina favors a thin vinegar sauce. But it’s the yellow mustard-based sauce that inspired McAfee: French’s-style Day-Glo yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, some Worcestershire and a bit of hot sauce (Texas Pete’s, please). McAfee’s is a bit darker and less sweet than some, but that arguably makes it work better with the savory, rich goodness of the pulled pork. Alabama chicken sandwich I can’t say I was shocked to see Alabama or Carolina barbecue on the menu at Smok’d Hog, but pit beef is another story. Baltimore’s answer to barbecue, pit beef is only barely that. Classically top round beef grilled over a large pit of charcoal—not smoked low and slow—sliced thin and piled on a Kaiser roll and doused in a horseradish sauce. McAfee’s version, The barbecue roads less travelled using the inside round, may not be entirely true to the original’s technique but captures the flavor t takes balls to open a barbecue joint making profile and, perhaps, the essence of the style. styles of meat most people don’t even know Ribs and rib tips are usually only available on exist. Chris McAfee has such balls. In a town the weekend, but if they are, grab them. The rib tip with an emerging barbecue scene—something sandwich, in particular, is a joy: the coriander and that pretty much didn’t exist a few years ago—in sweet spices (think allspice and clove) in McAfee’s which Texas barbecue is King and Kansas City’s dry rub underline the ethereal, aromatic qualities fighting to be Queen, McAfee’s Smok’d Hog (3749 of the smoke. The rib tips also make appearances Park Blvd.) serves up Alabama and Carolina barbein two sides: the beans and the profoundly savory cue, along with Pit Beef and other regional styles. collard greens. There’s pretty much no one else in town walking There aren’t a lot of spots anywhere that offer McAfee’s road so it’s no surprise that there’s no such a vast tour of barbecue styles the way Smok’d one in town doing barbecue better. Hog does. And if diners don’t like its offerings Start with Smok’d Hog’s Alabama White BBQ now, wait a couple months: Half the menu rotates Chicken with Peppadew pepper relish. Alabama every four months. It takes a special kind of courbarbecue is defined by its sauce, a concoction age to do one thing, do only that thing and also do created by Robert Gibson in 1925 and composed it well. It takes a different kind of courage to take of mayonnaise, vinegar, apple juice and cayenne on so much and then rotate it out for a new menu. pepper. The sauce is cooling from the mayo and McAfee has that kind of courage. tangy from the vinegar, with a bit of sweetness and just a hint of heat. Unlike other styles of southern The World Fare appears weekly. barbecue, Gibson’s sauce was originally intended Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.
THE WORLD
FARE I
10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
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september 13, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 11
UP FRONT | DRINK
ANATOMY OF A
BY IAN WARD
COCKTAIL SCENE adise cocktail, which is the most celebrated cocktail off of his new menu, Andrews incorporated both his cherry apple bitters and the Old Harbor f all the bars in San Diego, Prohibition BarrelFlag Navy rum. th (548 5 Ave.) undoubtedly holds the most “My original intent was to work the Rumhavprecious place in my heart. I have had the en into a daiquiri riff with Old Harbor BarrelFlag, privilege of knowing it since its infancy and have which is distilled from molasses and champagne proudly watched it grow up to be the adult it has yeast,” said Andrews. “It shows a lot become. There was once even a IAN WARD of fruit esters, so I decided to add time where I managed it, although R&D cherry apple bitters to comI’m not sure “manage” is the right pliment that.” word for it. I sort of acted like an irAndrews’ latest menu uses responsible surrogate father, occaherbs as a focal point. Every cocksionally playing a wholesome game tail on the list has an herbaceous of catch with it, but mostly teachaspect to it. In the case of the Ganging it how to smoke cigarettes and ster’s Paradise, basil is included to encouraging it to drink underage. I give depth and serve as an herbal was a total negligent parent, and as bridge between the lime and the a result the bar suffered. coconut. Typically, I am cautious Luckily for the bar, Ryan Anwhen ordering cocktails with basil. drews entered its life to offer it I find it to be a wildly unpredictsound advice and a steady hand. able ingredient, often domineering He is the current overseer of all and off putting. However, the basil things beverage for Prohibition Gangster’s Paradise in the Gangster’s Paradise hides and its counterparts, El Chingon, nicely among the other ingrediand the soon-to-open Havana ents in a Sean Spicer-in-the-bushes-of-the-White1920. The latter bar will be a nod to all things that House sort of way. But, unlike Spicey (R.I.P.), the might pop into someone’s head when they think basil offers support and a backbone. Cuban romance: dark sweet rum, burnt tobacco
#14: Rum and romance at Prohibition
O
and slow roasted pork with pickles and melted cheese. It was through the process of getting ready to open Havana 1920, wherein Andrews was forced to taste a mountain of rum and somewhere along the way, the cocktail Gangster’s Paradise at Prohibition came to be. “We’ve been in the process of opening upstairs for a little while, and so people kept bringing by rum to taste. Of course, they kept bringing by a bunch of coconut rum, which I’ve always hated because it tastes like fake coconut bullshit, but when I tasted Rumhaven coconut liqueur, I knew I wanted to do something with it,” Andrews told me, before adding, “It’s made with coconut water, and actually taste like something from nature.” Along with being the bar manager at Prohibition, Andrews is also a partner in R&D Bitters, which shares a production space with local distillery Old Harbor. When creating the Gangster’s Par-
12 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
Anatomy of a Cocktail Scene appears every other week. Write to ianw@sdcitybeat.com
GANGSTER’S PARADISE As prepared at Prohibition
1 oz. Fresh lime juice 1 oz. Old Harbor BarrelFlag Navy Rum 1 oz. Rumhaven ¾ oz. Demerara syrup Basil 4 Dashes R&D Cherry Apple Bitters
Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake the piss out of it. Strain into a coupe glass. No garnish.
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UP FRONT | DRINK
FINAL
BY BETH DEMMON
DRAUGHT Modern Times heads north
the doors one month after getting the keys to the space formerly occupied by The Commons Brewery. Mike Wright, owner of The Commons, olores Umbridge, a deliciously diabolical approached McKean earlier this year to gauge his witch from Harry Potter, makes her first interest in leasing the 10,000-square-foot space speech to the students of Hogwarts School and 15-barrel system due to “lagging sales and of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a thinly veiled battling cash flow,” according to his statement to warning from the Ministry of Magic that “progress Brewbound. for the sake of progress must be discouraged.” It’s a bittersweet trade-off for beer fans. The Even non-Potterheads can see the parallels Commons has been an industry favorite for years, between her words and the craft brewing industry. winning awards for its Urban Farmhouse Ale and In the past 18 months alone, nationwide craft several other beers even after abruptly losing its beer growth has shrunk to single digits while head brewer Sean Burke in July. To the relief of its several local breweries have closed. This is due in part to a bloated scene MODERN TIMES / FACEBOOK passionate clientele, Wright will retain the Commons where sometimes chasing a brand and aspires to find bigger market share results a more cost-effective in complete failure. “pathway forward” in That’s not to say that another location. progress itself is inherently However, it’s a win for negative—far from it. The San Diego. We lose nothing most successful breweries except personnel. Modern seize strategic opportunities Times Cellar Manager Mat as they arise and build beer Sandoval will make the empires stretching coast-totrek north to spearhead the coast and beyond. Modern brewing program, along Times is arguably the most shining recent example San Diego’s Modern Times heads to with Operations Manager of homegrown progress, Portland early 2018 Michael Christy. “We plan to start off with expansion projects brewing our core and seasonal beers… and then underway in Los Angeles, Anaheim, Encinitas and quickly begin to produce new and exciting one-off now Beervana itself: Portland, Oregon. releases for the local markets,” explains Sandoval. “On January 1st, 2018, we will be the new Modern Times already distributes in PDX, but can tenants of 630 SE Belmont St., which we’ve now expand to Washington, Idaho and possibly dubbed The Belmont Fermentorium,” explains Canada. Jacob McKean, owner/founder of Modern Times in With an estimated first-year output of 7,000 the official announcement. barrels, Modern Times anticipates a future For years, San Diego and Portland have both capacity of 20,000 barrels after renovating a laid claim to the title of Best Beer City in America, neighboring building, which will also include a so it’s no surprise that Modern Times has long packaging hall, tank farm, coffee roaster and cafe. eyed Oregon’s largest city as a potential site for Says Sandoval: “We are very excited to get another “production brewery and neighborhood up there and start making awesome beer for the hangout.” In fact, McKean even gave “serious Pacific Northwest area.” consideration” to opening Modern Times in Portland, but ultimately decided to launch his Write to bethd@sdcitybeat.com, check her out on now-ubiquitous brand in Point Loma. Instagram at @thedelightedbite, or via Twitter at Very little construction is needed to get the @iheartcontent. new spot up and running; McKean plans to open
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SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 13
SHORTlist
EVENTS
ART
the
THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE
COORDINATED BY
SETH COMBS
PACIFIC BEACH
FIGHT NIGHT
Galacticadia 4, happening this year on SaturAmerica’s relationship with professional wrestling is certainly an interesting one. While day, Sept. 16 at Tango del Rey (3567 Del Rey St.), the, eh, sport is filled with captivating storylines is SAS’s biggest show of the year and will include and amazing athletic feats, a good chunk of the five matches. The final bout will determine the Gapublic still looks down on it for being “fake.” And lactic Champion and wielder of the Quasar Codex. sure, pro-wrestling is choreographed, but so is syn- Owen wouldn’t reveal whether or not Captain Ultra chronized swimming and figure skating and both of Fist will retain the championship, but she did reLAURIE MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY LLC veal that a new characthose are Olympic sports. ter would be unveiled But when wrestling and that a villainous is done well, it can be as character would come captivating and engrossout of Galacticadia as ing as any work of fiction. a hero. For nearly five years, San “In the first show Diego-based wrestling I did, I went out there outfit Super Awesome and had kids booing Showdown (SAS) has me and telling me I provided local wrestling suck. It was the most fans with a thoroughly amazing thing I’d ever entertaining and familydone,” says Owen, friendly story that Super Awesome Showdown whose character startcenters on an intergalactic combat league who duel for space suprem- ed out as a heel (wrestling terminology for a vilacy. Think WWE meets Guardians of the Galaxy lain). “For the majority of the people in the show, they’re not doing it to get paid or become famous. meets lucha libre. “Our show is different in a lot of ways in that We do it because it’s fun… we have a passion and we it’s much more than a wrestling show,” says Man- find a way to make it work somehow.” Galacticadia 4 happens at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are da Owen, who performs in SAS as the wrestler Hilda. “It’s a multimedia show. It’s almost like a $20 for general admission ($5 for kids) and $35 for VIP tickets at superawesomeshowdown.com. rock concert.”
MIDDLETOWN
RISE TO THE CHALLENGE It’s no secret that CityBeat regularly hangs at the Casbah (2501 Kettner Blvd.). It’s also no surprise that this rag is open about its political leanings and feelings. Here’s a summary: We don’t like Trump. So when the Casbah hosts an event to protest the the Corrupterin-Chief and support progressive candidates, we’re sure as hell going to promote it. That event is Rise Up Get Down 2 and it benefits 2018 election efforts through Raise Progress, a local organization that supports liberal candidates. There will be spoken word by Ted Washington and Al Howard, as well as music by DJs Vaughn Avakian, Heather Hardcore and more. There will also be food from Local Kebab. It goes down at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. Tickets are $25 at the door or online at casbahmusic.com.
POINT LOMA
WHEN WE’RE FUSING TOGETHER Traditional culture meets modern influence at the fifth annual SDAPI Culinary Fusion Festival. The festival celebrates traditional Asian and Pacific Islander culture while adding some contemporary ideas. The centerpiece will be the cuisine from local restaurants including Manila Sunset, SNOICE desserts, Homestyle Hawaiian and Pho Ha Noi. The chefs will be presenting a healthier take on traditional Asian and Pacific Islander fare. In addition to food, guests will also enjoy live music and dance performances. The event is put on by STRIVE San Diego, an organization that works with restaurants, farmers markets and grocery stores to improve nutrition and promote healthy living. The festival will be held at Luce Court and Legacy Plaza (2641 Truxtun Road) within Liberty Station. It runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, and is free to attend. strivesandiego.org COURTESY OF OPERATION SAMAHAN
HB-Low on the Border at The FRONT Arte Cultura,147 W San Ysidro Blvd., San Ysidro. A group exhibition examining the history of San Ysidro’s lowrider culture. Particiating artists include Julio Romero, Omar Pimienta, Rigo Reyes and more. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14. facebook.com/TheFrontArteCultura/ HAlley Cat Art Walk at Downtown El Cajon, El Cajon. Several galleries will participate in this cat-centric art walk that’s back for its 10th anniversary following a seven-year hiatus. There’s also food, beer and wine. From 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15. Free. 619-593-2205, downtownelcajon.com HBC to BC at San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. A group show featuring ceramic sculptures by more than 30 artists who live up and down the West Coast, from British Columbia to Baja California. Plus a pottery workshop and other opening activities. Opening from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. $5-$8. 619236-0011, sandiego-art.org HArt of the Americas at Mingei International Museum, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. Part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/ LA, this exhibition features the most comprehensive presentation of the Museum’s significant holdings of objects used by people from the ancient cultures of Mexico, Central and South America. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. Free$10. 619-239-0003, mingei.org HLight on Black at Madison Gallery, 1055 Wall St., La Jolla. New York-based artist James Austin Murray debuts new works of his trademark large, monochromatic ebony oil paintings. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. Free. 858459-0836, madisongalleries.com HTestigo/Witness: Popular Fiction and the Dismembered Object at Quint Gallery, 5171 Santa Fe St., Bay Park. A multi-faceted exhibition featuring new work by Mexico City-based sculpture artist Thomas Glassford. Plus pieces from his personal collection. Opening from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. Free. 858-454-3409, quintgallery.com HRemember the Mountain Bed at Helmuth Projects, 1827 5th Ave., Bankers Hill. New pieces by Joe Yorty, who uses everyday objects to mock American culture, as well as new works by performance artist Claudia Cano and Los Angelesbased artist Milan Aguirre. Opening from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Sept. 16. Free. sayingtheleastandsayingitloud.com H14) Nevine Mahmoud, Chantal Wnuk, John Zane Zappas at Torrey Pines State Beach. N. Jetty Road, La Jolla. A new pop-up SPF15 exhibition featuring site-specific works ranging from sculpture to paintings. Opening from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. Free. spf15.info
BOOKS HSebastian Barry at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The bestselling author will sign and discuss his seventh novel, Days Without End. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com HChicana Tributes: Stories for the New Generation at SDSU Library, Room 430, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area. A reading and panel discussion by Rita Sanchez, Sonia Lopez, Maria Ibarra, and several other Chicana women who contributed to the publication. They will share their stories about women fighting for equal opportunity and social justice. From 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13. Free. 619-594-6728, library.sdsu.edu
DJ Heather Hardcore 14 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
SDAPI Culinary Fusion Festival
H = CityBeat picks
HTod Goldberg at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The bestselling crime novelist will sign and discuss his latest, Gangster Nation, the long-awaited sequel to Gangsterland. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HBen Loory at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The acclaimed writer will sign and discuss his new short story collection, Tales of Falling and Flying (see this week’s Fall Arts feature for more). At 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HIgor Goldkind at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. As part of Warwick’s ongoing Weekend with Locals program, Goldkind will sign and discuss his book, Is She Available, a graphic novel and poetry book. At noon. Sunday, Sept. 17. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com HZoë Quinn at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The video game developer and writer will sign and discuss, Crash Override: How Gamergate (Nearly) Destroyed My Life, and How We Can Win the Fight Against Online Hate. At 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Jamie Ford at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The bestselling author will sign and discuss his new novel, Love and Other Consolation Prizes. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com HJoyce Maynard at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The bestselling author and essayist will sign and discuss her new memoir, The Best of Us. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19. Free. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com Gretchen Rubin at USD Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, 5998 Alcala Park. Linda Vista. The bestselling self-help author will sign and discuss her latest, The Four Tendencies: The Surprising Truth About the Hidden Personality Types That Drive Everything We Do. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20. $25.86. 858-454-0347, warwicks.com
DANCE San Diego Dance Theater 45th Season Kick-Off Party at White Box Live Arts, 2590 Truxtun Road #205, Point Loma. An evening of food, drinks, live music and dancing to celebrate the season. Patrons can also learn more about upcoming programs and performances at the event. From 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. Free. 619-225-1803, sandiegodancetheater.org
FOOD & DRINK The Heart of Pacific Beach Restaurant Walk at various locations., A selfguided food tour of Pacific Beach restaurants located between Dawes and Lamont Streets. Vegetarian options available. From 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13. $25. pacificbeach.org HLove Thy Neighbor at various locations. Restaurants and clubs will donate a percentage of all sales to the Houston Food Bank. Participating venues include The Casbah, Station Tavern, Whistle Stop, Hamilton’s Tavern, Bluefoot, Alibi, Tower Bar, The Big Kitchen and Salud. Various times. Thursday, Sept. 14. HMexican Craft Beer Independence Day at Blind Lady Ale House, 3416 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Celebrating Mexican Independence Day (no, for the hundredth time, that’s not Cinco de Mayo) with flights of Wendlandt beers, food specials and the release of the Automatic/Wendlandt collab brew. From 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. Free. 619-255-2491, facebook.com/ events/2037792026468901
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EVENTS HTaste of South Park at South Park. The tasting event will feature samples of food and drink from some of South Park’s premiere brick-and-mortar eateries. Participants include The Rose, Kindred, The Big Kitchen and more. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. $35. southparkscene.com HSDAPI Culinary Fusion Festival at Luce Court and Legacy Plaza, 2641 Truxtun Road, Point Loma. The fifth annual festival celebrates traditional Asian and Pacific Islander culture with regional cuisine, as well as live music and dance performances. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. Free. strivesandiego.org
MUSIC HKAABOO Music Festival at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. The inaugural, three-day music fest features dozens of national acts including Red Hot Chili Peppers, P!nk, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and more. From noon to 1:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 15, noon to 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. $129-$899. 858-755-1161, kaaboodelmar.com HYoung Artists in Harmony Artist Spotlight at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights. Art of Élan and A Reason to Survive present Diego Rodriguez, who will perform compositions he’s created during his three-year Young Artists in Harmony residency. From 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15. $10. 619-692-2081, artofelan.org
PERFORMANCE HGalacticadia 4 at Tango del Rey, 3567 Del Rey St., Pacific Beach. Professional wrestling troupe Super Awesome Showdown’s biggest match of the year. Features more than five fights, new characters
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and a match for the Galactic Championship. at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. $5$20. superawesomeshowdown.com
POETRY & SPOKEN WORD HPalabra at La Bodega Gallery, 2196 Logan Avenue, Barrio Logan. Poet Gill Sotu will read poetry and prose. After, there will be an open mic session for other poets, short stories writers and lyricists. At 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14. Suggested donation. 619-255-7036, labodegagallery.com Long Story Short: Nightmares at San Diego Writers, Ink, 2730 Historic Decatur Road Ste. 202, Point Loma. The monthly improv event where anyone can sign up to tell a five-minute story, this time under the theme of nightmares. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. $5 suggested donation. 619696-0363, sosayweallonline.com
POLITICS & COMMUNITY HPro Bono Fair at San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. The inaugural festival partners with the San Diego Paralegal Association to create a networking event for citizens and nonprofits. Registration recommended. From 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. Free. 619-236-5800, sandiego.librarymarket.com/pro-bono-fair International Coastal Cleanup Day at Ocean Beach Fishing Pier, 1850 Ocean Front, Ocean Beach. San Diego’s largest beach cleanup, hosted by I Love A Clean San Diego and the Surfrider Foundation, will clean more than 100 beaches, canyons and neighborhoods. Participants are asked to bring their own bucket, work gloves or a
reusable water bottle to cut down on waste. From 9 a.m. to noon. Saturday, Sept. 16. Free. 619-291-0103, cleanupday.org HDACA/Immigration Organizing for Self Defense at Centro Aztlán Marco Anguiano, 2078 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. In response to the cancellation of DACA, Union del Barrio hosts a community forum with educational speakers, including immigration lawyers. At 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20. Free. 619-819-2011, facebook.com/ events/1458114014275585
SPECIAL EVENTS HHurricane Harvey Fundraiser at Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. A benefit show to raise money for Hurricane Harvey Aid and the Houston Humane Society. DJs Carrie Gillespie Feller, Brandy Bell and Mitch Wilson will play new wave, punk and more. At 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14. Free. 619-564-7194, barpink.com HThe BLVD Market at El Cajon Blvd and Utah Street. A special “Barrios Hermanos” edition of the monthly event that highlights the enclave of shops, services and eateries on El Cajon Boulevard between Utah and 28th streets. Incudes bilingual rock bands Karina Frost and her Banduvians and art expositions by Tijuana Zine Fest artists. From 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15. 619-283-3608, theboulevard.org HomeStreet Bank San Diego Bayfair at Ski Beach Mission Bay, 1600 Vacation Rd., Mission Bay. Some of the world’s fastest boats will speed through Mission Bay as part of this event, which also features live entertainment, a craft beer festival, and RV camping, and a fireworks show. Various times. Friday, Sept. 15 through Sunday, Sept. 17. $20-$250. 858-578-7454, sandiegobayfair.org
30 Years of Preserving the Pearls of our History at Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., North Park. Lambda Archives turns 30 and celebrates with a dinner and program featuring special guest speaker Hida Viloria, an activist and author of Born Both: An Intersex Life. At 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. $125-$1,250. 619-260-1522, lambdaarchives.org Dempsey Holder Ocean Festival and Surf Contest at North Imperial Beach Pier, 920 Ocean Lane, Imperial Beach. One of the largest surf contests in California, this event honors Imperial Beach surfer and lifeguard Dempsey Holder. Proceeds benefit the Wildcoast Foundation, which focuses on environmental issues near the coast. From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. $45 to enter the contest, free for spectators. wildcoast.net H25th Year “On The Hill” at Birch Aquarium, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla. To celebrate 25 years in their current location, the Aquarium is hosting an event featuring live music, crafts, a scavenger hunt, face painting and special exhibits. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. $14-$18.50. 858-534-3474, aquarium.ucsd.edu HGay Bowl Bingo Fundraiser at Urban Mo’s Bar and Grill, 308 University Ave., Hillcrest. Attendees of this event will enjoy an extra-special afternoon with drag host Landa Plenty and other queens. The event, hosted by the San Diego American Flag Football League, is a fundraiser to send three Gay Bowl teams to Boston this fall. From 12:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. Free. sdaffl.com HRise Up Get Down 2 at The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Raise Progress is hosting this event, which features spoken word by Ted Washington and Al Howard, music by DJs Vaughn Avakian and Heather Hardcore, and food from Local Kebab. Funds raised at the event go
towards the Raise Progress PAC for 2018 election efforts. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. $25. casbahmusic.com HBi-National Friendship Park Run/ Walk at Border Field State Park, 1500 Monument Road., San Ysidro. Border Angels, a nonprofit that works to promote cross-border relationships and protect vulnerable individuals, is hosting this athletic event. Participants can run or walk around the three kilometer path to support the organization. RSVP at dulce@borderangels.org. From 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. $25. 619-487-0249, borderangels.org Fiestas Patrias at West of H St., between Bay Blvd. and Marina Parkway, Chula Vista. This festival will feature more than 20 musical and cultural dance performances, along with delicious food, great views, kidfriendly activities and much more. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. Free. 619-916-4663, chulavista.com HHere Comes a Regular at Small Bar, 4628 Park Blvd., University Heights. Small Bar is offering patrons complimentary food and discounted drinks as part of their 8th annual celebration to thank their loyal customers. From 10 p.m. to close. Wednesday, Sept. 20. Free. 619-7957998, smallbarsd.com
THEATRE Women’s History Theater Festival at Women’s Museum of California, 2730 Historic Decatur Road #206, Point Loma. Three weekends of plays celebrating extraordinary women in politics and entertainment. Plays include Golda’s Balcony, Tea with Mrs. Roosevelt and Female Voices of Hollywood: The Golden Age of Musicals. Various times. From Saturday, Sept. 16 through Sunday Oct. 1. $12$14. womensmuseumca.org
SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15
THEATER JIM CARMODY
Yunjin Kim and James Kyson in Wild Goose Dreams
Body and Seoul
F
or a one-act play, even a long-winded oneact play, La Jolla Playhouse’s Wild Goose Dreams is stuffed with enough commentary and would-be cleverness for two acts. Maybe three. Playwright Hansol Jung’s overly ambitious script weaves in and out of a political drama about the divided Korean Peninsula and an uneasy love story nearly swallowed up by the omnipresence of the internet. The latter story is personified onstage by an ensemble of young actors voicing the peculiar but well-worn language of emojis, text-speak and pop-ups. It’s a stagey, labored device that quickly loses its novelty. In this world-premiere production directed by Leigh Silverman, the focal characters are Minsung, a “goose father” in Seoul (James Kyson) who has sent his family to the U.S. where his daughter can be educated, and Nanhee (Yunjin Kim), a North Korean who has defected to the South. Mutual loneliness brings them together via the web, beginning a relationship that is troubled by his separation from his child and her separation from her father (Francis Jue) in the North. Clear enough. But Wild Goose Dreams sinks under the weight of its allusions to mythology and metaphor, and straining as it does for both laughter and tears, it’s tonally all over the map. Kyson and Kim are engaging enough (and Jue even more so), but that walking, talking, beeping, singing “internet” is just begging to be shut down. Wild Goose Dreams runs through Oct. 1 at La Jolla Playhouse. $30-$65; lajollaplayhouse.org ••• eil Simon’s 1969 Last of the Red Hot Lovers possesses more depth than an old episode of Love American Style, but it’s just as silly in its infatuation with the “with-it” topics of the time such as the sexual revolution and smoking pot. Not that this affable comedy about a restaurateur’s middle-aged gotta-get-laid crisis isn’t funny. After all, it can’t not be with the exasperated Phil Johnson starring as the beleaguered Barney Cashman. And North Coast Rep’s produc-
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16 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
tion, directed by Christopher Williams, co-stars three delightful and highly entertaining actresses as Barney’s very different but equally elusive “conquests”: Katie Karel, Noelle Marion and Sandy Campbell. Last of the Red Hot Lovers runs through Oct. 8 at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. $44-$53; northcoastrep.org
—David L. Coddon
Theater reviews run weekly. Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.
OPENING: In the Heights: A fun and funny musical set in the New York neighborhood of Washington Heights. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), it opens Sept. 13 at the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista. moonlightstage.com Homos, or Everyone in America: A young New York couple tries to navigate the complexities of being in a relationship in Jordan Seavey’s creative play. Directed by Matt M. Morrow, it opens Sept. 14 at the Diversionary Theatre in University Heights. American Hero: A comedy about three subway sandwich makers who become unlikely blue-collar heroes at the mall where they work. Written by Bess Wohl, it opens Sept. 23 at the New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad. A Piece of My Heart: The story of six women dealing with coming home after experiencing the horrors of the Vietnam War. Based on the book by Keith Walker, it opens Sept. 15 at the OnStage Playhouse in Chula Vista. onstageplayhouse.org Ironbound: A Polish immigrant and factory worker struggles to find love and acceptance in Martyna Mayok’s poignant comedy. Directed by Jennifer Eve Thorn, it opens Sept. 17 at the MOXIE Theatre in El Cajon. moxietheatre.com The Little Mermaid: Disney’s Broadway production of the classic film about a mermaid who wants more than her life under the sea. Presented by Broadway San Diego, it opens Sept. 19 at the Civic Theatre in Downtown. broadwaysd.com
For full listings, visit
“Theater” under Culture at sdcitybeat.com
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ALEXANDRE ESTEBAN
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T H E A T E R
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Here and WOW
La Jolla Playhouse’s Without Walls Festival heads downtown By David L. Coddon
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he return of the site-specific Without Walls (WOW) Festival this fall is exciting enough for theatergoers who’ve come to anticipate La Jolla Playhouse’s (lajollaplayhouse.org) biennial extravaganza of immersive theater. This fall there’s an added twist: The four-day festival, which begins Thursday, Oct. 19, will be staged not in the Playhouse’s UC San Diego-based theater district but in locations in and near Downtown San Diego. The partner venues include the Central Library, the New Children’s Museum and Horton Plaza Park, as well as Border X Brewing in Barrio Logan and Bread & Salt in Logan Heights. As always with the festival, which is being staged for the third time—artists local, national and from abroad—will offer performances across multiple disciplines, all of them designed to expand the boundaries of traditionally presented theater. The notion of taking the WOW Festival downtown has been there from the event’s beginnings. “As we were programming the first two, we kept coming across pieces that really needed an urban environment,” says Christopher Ashley, artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse. “We’ve been stacking up projects that needed an urban vibe.”
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Among them is the Gob Squad Art Collective’s Super Night Shot, in which members of the Berlin-based group will, as Ashley describes it, “film a live movie every night where San Diegans are the stars.” “They create a story through the people whom the camera meets along the way,” Ashley adds. Then, at the library, audience members will watch the Gob Squad team mix and edit the film before screening it. In Horton Plaza Park, meanwhile, will be Model Home, a piece being created and designed by Tony winner Mimi Lien. “There’s a crane with a house dangling from it and on the ground level six small homes, each of which has a performance inside,” Ashley says. “The show is a kind of exploration/intervention about urban environments, what’s happening in the world right now and what we call home.” Ashley says the idea of using Horton Plaza Park for the performance was particularly appealing. “When they did the renovation on that whole Horton Plaza area, one of my goals was to activate that space. It’s one of the real pleasures of doing a festival like this: You can be entrepreneurial and grab these spaces as they come into being.” Tickets for WOW range from free to $29
Lux Boreal Dance Company’s “4X4 TJ Night” and this year’s iteration will be overseen by Meiyin Wang, a veteran of both the Under the Radar Festival and the Devised Theater Initiative, both at The Public Theater in New York. “I admire her adventurousness,” says Ashley. “She is a high-level thinker about contemporary performance, and she happens to be moving to the West Coast at exactly the right time.” Ashley emphasizes that this is also the
right time for ever-braver and immersive theater. “This is a moment of explosive growth of this concept in America and in the world, and I’m excited to be on the leading edge of that growth,” Ashley says. “I hope as time goes on this can become a citywide festival. We deserve to have a national spotlight on San Diego.”
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SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17
18 · San Diego CityBeat · September 13, 2017
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september 13, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 19
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M U S I C
SAM ZAUSCHER
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Motorways and tramlines The Hausmann Quartet opens In:Transit series
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By Jeff Terich
iving in Southern California means spending a lot of time on roads, freeways or just in cars in general. Driving is a necessity, but commuting to work or being stuck in traffic isn’t necessarily all that inspirational. San Diego New Music aims to turn that around, however, with a music series titled In:Transit, which explores the nature of travel, transportation and movement, and how these modes of travel connect us to our surroundings. The first concert of the In:Transit series will be by The Hausmann Quartet on Thursday, Oct. 26, at the La Jolla Athenaeum. The group will be performing a series of pieces that all tie in to the idea of transit and transportation, some with more of a literal interpretation than others. It will be followed by different interpretive concerts in January, March and April by different performers with their own interpretation of the topic. Alex Greenbaum, cellist for The Hausmann Quartet, says that’s part of what makes the series unique. “San Diego New Music puts a lot of faith and trust in their collaborators,” he says.
“Each will have a different character, and I’m sure each will take it in a different direction. It’s a cool opportunity to do what we want with the concept.” Among the other selected pieces from the quartet—which also includes violist Angela Choong and violinists Bram Goldstein and Isaac Allen—are “Canta de Ida y Vuelta” by Belgian composer Linde Timmermans, which roughly translates to “roundtrip songs,” as well as minimalist composer Steve Reich’s “Different Trains,” which is literally a composition that uses the sounds of three different trains. Yet there are other, less obvious pieces in the program that will have more of an abstract connection to the theme, including pieces by Caroline Shaw, Missy Mazzoli and Bela Bartok. “The first and last pieces are the most literal interpretations of the theme,” Greenbaum says. “But all of them are very compelling. Bartok wrote a whole series of violin duos, and it’s a really cool thing how he was literally in transit between these musical worlds, the indigenous music of the area (Hungary) and his own background in clas-
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The Hausmann Quartet sical music—the Western canon.” None of the pieces in the first In:Transit concert are older than the 20th century, Bartok’s 1930s-era violin duos being the earliest of the bunch. And Timmermans’ piece debuted in 2015, which brings it much closer to the present day. For the quartet, it’s crucial to keep their performances from being trapped in a bygone era. “This is a living art,” Greenbaum says. “The trap that a lot of classical organizations fall into is that it becomes a museum piece. Central to what we do is focus on how
there are a lot of amazing living composers. Part of our mission is keeping music living and relevant. It also informs how we approach older music.” That said, Greenbaum also doesn’t necessarily expect every piece in the performance to immediately resonate with everyone in the audience. “We’re not looking for the audience to love every single piece,” he says. “But I’m sure that at least everyone will love at least one.”
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september 13, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 21
JAMIE BALLARD
Jason Rivers and Karma LaDonna
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Roll on
The surprising elegance of the Wheelchair Dancers By Jamie Ballard
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hen Karma LaDonna found herself in a wheelchair after spending 17 years as a ballroom dancer, she was devastated. “I really felt like I had nothing,” she says. “But then I found out about wheelchair dancing.” She was living in Long Beach at the time, but heard about the Wheelchair Dancers Organization in San Diego and decided to give it a try. Before long, she was driving down for classes every week, and last October, she officially moved from Long Beach to San Diego. She’s now the dance instructor coordinator for the organization. “When I came down here, I was embraced like you could not believe,” she says. “The people were so loving and wonderful.” The Wheelchair Dancers Organization offers adaptive dance classes for people in wheelchairs, including a ballroom and Latin class, which teaches people to dance in pairs. One person (the “walker”) stands, and their partner (the “roller”) is in a wheelchair. Lead Adaptive Dance Instructor Jason Rivers said one of the things he enjoys about the classes is modifying different moves depending on a person’s ability. For example, some of the rollers have full use of their arms, while others may have limited use. “It’s been a really interesting challenge, because almost every other week there’s someone that I have to think a little differently for,” he explains. Even when people can’t do the dances exactly as he’s instructing, he says a large part of it is just the fact that they’re getting out and moving around. “At a basic level, it just gives them more social interaction that they might not otherwise have,” he
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says. “Ballroom dancing with a partner, it’s very oneon-one socialization. For a lot of people that’s the biggest part about it.” This was also one of the ideas behind the creation of the organization in 2008. Beverly Weurding started the Wheelchair Dancers Organization when she, like LaDonna, found herself in a wheelchair and unable to continue traditionally pursuing her lifelong love of dance. With help from her former employer Sharp HeathCare, she was able to begin organizing classes centered on wheelchair dance. Since the organization began, it has served more than 1,400 people. Another significant aspect to what the Wheelchair Dancers Organization does is community showcases that serve to raise money and awareness about the group. The fifth Annual “Everyone Can Dance” Wheelchair Dance Showcase is happening Saturday, Sept. 30 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Balboa Park Club (2144 Pan American Road W). The event is free to attend and will also feature a silent auction, food and drink, music and more. The organization hopes to raise $25,000 at the event, to continue providing free dance classes to physically challenged individuals using motorized or manual wheelchairs. LaDonna says she encourages people to attend just to learn about what wheelchair dance can be. “When I got involved, I didn’t know anything, I just wanted to see what it was about. And I came in and it was like, it was my family. It was so cool. I get real misty-eyed thinking about it... It was the best experience I think I’ve had.”
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september 13, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 23
COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
“Lady Libertad VI” by Omar Pimienta
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Good timing
Undocumenta stands out among the PST: LA/LA lineup By Torrey Bailey
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n 2011, Los Angeles’ Getty Foundation introduced Pacific Standard Time, a collaborative project that aimed to solidify Los Angeles as one of the nation’s top arts destinations. Venues throughout Southern California submitted proposals to the Getty that centered on a central theme: Los Angeles’ post-war arts evolution. The resulting collaboration of 60 institutions was unprecedented for the region at the time. Now Pacific Standard Time returns this September with more than 70 participating art spaces. Bearing the name PST: LA/LA, the sole purpose is to highlight Latin American and Latino art throughout Los Angeles’ history. The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Museum of Photographic Arts, University of San Diego and San Diego Museum of Art each received hundreds of thousands in funding to explore the arts of Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Mexico and more. The Mingei Museum did not request funding, but will present ancient objects of Latin origins from its own collection. The Getty asked the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) to contribute even after grants were dried up, causing local curator and artist Alessandra Moctezuma to assemble an exhibit without the foundation’s financial aid. But by joining late, Moctezuma was able to survey the lineup of topics and noticed that not much of the programming focused on the Baja border. So, she took on the region for OMA’s PST:LA/LA exhibit Undocumenta. While Moctezuma acknowledges that border issues are not novel, she says the participating artists are taking an innovative approach to the topic. “There’s emerging artists that are dealing with it using technology, making the projects accessible to an audience now through the internet,” Moctezuma says. One such example is Teresita De La Torre’s Todos Los Dias. It’s a collection of photographs she shared
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on her Instagram account every day for a year, featuring a flannel she found at the border. “She took it with her and decided to wear it every day to kind of pay homage to the person who crossed,” says Moctezuma. “Whatever she was wearing that day and whatever activity she was involved in, she would incorporate that into her work. So if she was going to a wedding, she would find a way to put it around her.” Five of the six artists within Undocumenta incorporate performance art. “I like that aspect of social practice, the idea of some of the artists being kind of loud in the public sphere and creating these pieces,” says Moctezuma. There’s also a video and artistic rendering by Ana Teresa Fernandez, who dressed up in a black dress and stilettos to paint the Tijuana border wall a powder blue, producing an optical illusion of its removal. Undocumenta also features photos of artist Claudia Cano as her false persona: Rosa Hernandez, a cleaning lady who sweeps in public spaces and speaks only in Spanish. “She draws attention to the aspect of the invisible labor,” says Moctezuma. “She wants to make people aware of this difficulty of coming to a different country and not being able to communicate, and yet at the same time, being a participant in the economy and trying to survive.” Moctezuma selected the participating artists two years ago and says Undocumenta was just as relevant then as it will be come the opening of the exhibition on Saturday, Sept. 23. “I don’t think that [the show] is different from what I envisioned,” she says. “It will have more meaning for other people who experience it. It could either enrage them or make them more upset or it will validate some of their ideals.”
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RYAN KURATOMI COURTESY SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
My Friend Dahmer at the San Diego International Film Festival
MORE FILM Going global: The San Diego International Film Festival only recently added the “international” distinction to its name, but given how much the fest has expanded over the years, the new moniker makes sense. The fiveday event will include screenings of dozens of films and docs from all over the world. Opening night (Wednesday, Oct. 4) will include a screening (the film hadn’t yet been announced as this issue went to press) at the Balboa Theatre in Downtown, followed by a Q&A session and an after-party at the Westgate Hotel. There will also be a VARIETY Night of the Stars Tribute (Oct. 5), a Friday Night Party with a Purpose (Oct. 6) and a Culinary Cinema event for foodies (Oct. 8). And of course, these events are in addition to the screenings, panels and premieres happening at various theatres throughout the city. Tickets and passes come in a variety of options, from $15 for individual screenings to $600 for an all-inclusive VIP pass with a ton of perks. sdfilmfest.com
Moisés Esparza
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Programmed to receive Previewing Digital Gym Cinema’s seasonal slate By Glenn Heath Jr.
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an Diego has been often been labeled a wasteland for film culture due to the absence of repertory houses and museum retrospectives on par with Los Angeles and New York City. However, this shallow opinion shows a limited understanding of the scope and breadth of film programming that our fair city has to offer. Not only have longstanding film festivals focusing on Latino, Jewish and Asian content offered audiences rare opportunities to see works by masters such as Arturo Ripstein and Hou Hsiao-hsien, local universities have done their own mini programming profiles, like UCSD’s appreciation on Chantal Akerman. In the four years since its inception, Digital Gym Cinema (DGC) has tried to carry on this same level of engagement. Under the guidance of Programming Director Moisés Esparza, the North Park microcinema has become a hub for cinephiles and socially conscious moviegoers alike. In serving such a diverse community, DGC has tried to expand its programming to fit the growing interest expressed by local audiences. “I look for films that might interest niche community groups in San Diego, whether it’s Latino patrons or individuals looking for documentaries that are about social issues,” Esparza says. For the upcoming fall season, DGC will be programming two films by documentarian Frederick Wiseman. His 1967 film Titicut Follies (Sept. 24), which goes inside the machinations of a hospital for the criminally insane, will be screened in honor of its 50th anniversary. Following the screening, there will be a special pre-recorded conversation between Wiseman and director Wes Anderson. Fresh off its
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world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, Wiseman’s newest effort Ex Libris: The New York Public Library, will play from Sept. 29 through Oct. 5. What also distinguishes DGC is its penchant for collaborating with outside film organizations looking for a hospitable and like-minded venue. Esparza notes partnerships with Horrible Imaginings Film Festival, San Diego Asian Film Festival, and the Los Femmes Underground Film Festival as strong indicators of growth. In October, the DGC’s ongoing alliance with The Film Geeks, a grassroots film program run by Beth Accomando and Miguel Rodriguez, will offer up a fourfilm Italian Giallo showcase featuring classic horror films from the 1970s and ‘80s. Titles include What Have You Done to Solange (Oct. 8 and 9), Your Vice (Oct. 15 and 16), Never Torture a Duckling (Oct. 22 and 23), and Death Laid an Egg (Oct. 29 and 30). By taking risks and widening its reach, DGC has quickly become an influential haven for cinephiles in San Diego. “We are moving towards a more diverse programming slate where it’s not just first run indie films,” Esparza says. “We’ve done more retrospectives and tributes. I think we’ve taken chances on more mainstream features that nevertheless fit in with the independent spirit that we are trying to capture here.” Also coming this fall is Kogonada’s Sundance Film Festival entry Columbus (Oct. 6) starring John Cho, and the Hola Mexico Film Festival with dates to be announced soon for November. All local film-lovers should take note. With the DGC growing stronger by the week, the argument that San Diego lacks film culture no longer holds water.
Best of the fest: Fall is certainly prime time for film festivals. Both the San Diego Asian Film Festival and the San Diego Italian Film Festivale kick off soon, and both look to be excellent showcases. The Pacific Arts Movement has done an excellent job making the Asian Film Fest, which begins Thursday, Nov. 9 and runs through Saturday, Nov. 18, one of the premiere showcases of Asian cinema with parties, panels and 140 screenings of films from all over the world. Most of the screenings will take place at UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas, but patrons should visit pacarts.org for schedules, times and prices. The 11th annual Italian Film Festivale will begin Saturday, Sept. 30 with a “Galleria Italia” launch party at The Gallery and then move to Museum of Photographic Arts on Wednesday, Oct. 4 for over a dozen screenings through Oct. 15. See sandiegoitalianfilmfestival.com for full schedule and prices. Minute by minute: We don’t really like to promote our own events but given the amount of time we spent trying to pick the best submissions for this year’s 5 Minute Film Fest, we feel it’s only fair that we try to get our readers to come check out the winners. Dozens of mini films—which range from goofy to serious, scary to silly—will be screened at Sunset Temple on Thursday, Sept. 21. Tickets are $17.50 at sdcitybeat.com On scary ground: We were intrigued when Edreace Purmul won the “Best Feature” award at the 2016 San Diego Film Awards for The Playground. The supernatural thriller, which was locally produced and shot, tells the tale of five strangers who get caught up in some kind of devilish plan orchestrated by an ancient evil. Based on a primitive folktale, the Halloween-friendly film will finally get a big-screen premiere on Thursday, Oct. 12 at Reading Cinemas Town Square in Clairemont and tickets are only $12 at facebook. com/PlaygroundMovie. COURTESY SAN DIEGO ITALIAN FILM FESTIVALE
Femminismo! at the San Diego Italian Film Festivale SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 25
JENNIE HETRICK
David Sedaris
MORE LITERATURE Banned in Grossmont: Grossmont College usually kills it when it comes to literary events, but this year’s Fall Reading Series is going to slay. Resurrecting last year’s Banned Books/Banned Lives program—which features performances celebrating freedom of expression—this year’s programming will focus on the theme of #Rise. The free Banned Books/Banned Lives: #Rise reading goes down on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m., Grossmont alumnus Douglas Payne, winner of Grossmont’s “First Book” award, will read from his prize-winning poetry collection Salted Rook as part of the ninth annual Lester Bangs Memorial Reading. grossmont.edu
Ben Loory
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Thinking about things that aren’t there Ben Loory brings his short, surreal stories to San Diego
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By Jim Ruland
here are an infinite number of stories in the universe, but there is only one Ben Loory. With the publication of his second collection of short stories, Tales of Falling and Flying (Penguin), which comprises 40 stories in just under 200 pages, Loory announces himself as a master of the form. In reading Loory’s tales, one gets a sense that the barriers have been taken down. People converse with animals. Children commune with the monsters in their closet. And the distinction between flying and falling is fluid. That said, there’s no such thing as a quintessential Loory story. Aliens interrogate ostriches. A frog makes a pact with a bird. A man misses work when his limbs start falling off. What makes these stories unique, however, isn’t their subject matter but the way Loory tells them. The author, who will be appearing at Mysterious Galaxy on Saturday, Sept. 18, tells me in an email that he was jotting down ideas for a new screenplay when he stumbled upon his method. “I was just writing them all down, so I wouldn’t forget any,” says Loory. “Just hastily scribbling out these one-to-two page outlines or treatments or whatever, and it was only after I’d written maybe 15 or 20 that I started looking at them and thinking that I actually really liked them as they were, just as these strange, highly concentrated, but complete little stories.” In addition to being very brief, the stories are told in a straightforward manner. Loory feels that in social situations, everyone knows how to tell an interesting
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anecdote, but in contemporary fiction the rules that govern good storytelling go out the window. “People start writing stories in styles that nobody in their right mind would ever sit still for, adding in all this extraneous stuff,” Loory says. “Talking about the way the light shines off buildings in the background and whatnot.” One of the themes running through Loory’s book is the notion of forgetting. In more than one story, a character wakes up with no memory of who they are. The story “The Fall” opens with this nightmare scenario: When the man comes to, he’s at the top of a cliff, and the woman is falling down. He reaches out instinctively, but it’s too late for that now. Who is she? How did he get there? What is he going to do? Loory’s characters are in a constant state of befuddlement about the world. One doesn’t read these stories to find out what happens, but to see how the characters negotiate the strange reality they’ve been thrust into. Fans of his previous collection Stories for the Nighttime and Some for the Day will note the new collection isn’t quite as dark. “I was really at a low point,” says Loory, reflecting on Stories for the Nighttime. “I mean everything in my life had pretty much collapsed.” After several devastating losses, he ended up in the hospital. While that sounds like the set up for one of his stories—How did I get here? What am I going to do?—this collection strikes a more hopeful tone.
A little light reading: San Diego’s premier independent bookstore Warwick’s never fails to bring in some top-tier authors. On Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m., a little-known author (wink, wink) named Dan Brown is going to drop in for a visit to promote his new book Origin. This should be a low-key event, since hardly anyone read his book, The Da Vinci Code (nudge, nudge). Tickets for this one are $38.50, but include a copy of the new book. Then, on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m., everyone’s favorite observational humorist David Sedaris will read from his new books Theft by Finding: Diaries and David Sedaris Diaries: A Visual Compendium (both released this year). As always, Sedaris will share stories about his life and family. Tickets for Sedaris are $55 and both author appearances take place at the Balboa Theatre in Downtown. warwicks.com A little dark reading: Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in Clairemont has, hands-down, the best selection of genre literature (including: horror, sci-fi, YA, crime, etc.) in the area, and because of that pedigree, it always manages to attract the dark and strange rockstars of the underground literary world. On Friday, Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. crime novelist Tod Goldberg will read from his newest book, Gangster Nation—the sequel to his fast-paced, addicting novel, Gangsterland. Just like his characters, Goldberg is quick on his feet and foul-mouthed, which makes any public appearance by him an absolute delight (CityBeat book columnist Jim Ruland will co-host this event). mystgalaxy.com Beyond the pale: Pull out any book at random, look at the author photo and good chance it’s written by some pale, bearded mofo wearing a turtleneck. This is why events like San Diego Beyond the PALE: Stories by Writers of Color are so vital. For the event, six local writers of color—CityBeat contributor Lizz Huerta, Stacy Dyson, Anisha Bhatia, Marivi Soliven and Kirsten Imani Kasai, among others—will read from stories drawn from their lives as immigrants and people of color living in San Diego. It’s not a reach to assume this will be a powerful evening, full of patriarchy-smashing storytelling. It goes down at the Central Library on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. sandiego.librarymarket.com/ stories-beyond-pale Attack of the drone: Fall is by far the most goth season, so it’d be remiss of us not to mention any spooky events, and Something Strange This Way Comes! at Helmuth Projects on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. looks absolutely dreadful (in the best way). A bony-handful of local writers (including our music editor Jeff Terich and CityBeat contributor Julia Dixon Evans) will read original scary stories, ghoulish haikus and (gasp!) Trump tweets—all of which will be live-scored to noise rock. Blood-curdling tales mixed paired with droning, ambient dread? Hell yes.
Tod Goldberg @SDCITYBEAT
BRAD MATTHEWS
Swan Lake
MORE DANCE Seeing red: The 19th annual Trolley Dances returns to San Diego, with six site-specific performances at various trolley stops. The adventure begins at the E Street Trolley Station in Chula Vista and continues through National City and downtown San Diego. This year’s choreographers include Jean Isaacs, Debi TothWard and Dave Massey, who have crafted performances inspired by the people and places of San Diego. The two-hour tours will take place four times Saturday, Sept. 30 through Sunday, Oct. 8 at 10 a.m., 10:45, 11:30, 12:15 and 1 p.m. $15-$40. sandiegodancetheater.org. Swan song: San Diego will be privy to not one but two iterations of Swan Lake this fall. First up is the Russian Grand Ballet performance at the California Center for the Arts. This will be a one-time-only show featuring the rarely-seen Waltz of the Black Swans. It all takes place Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35-$85 at artcenter.org. If readers miss that show, they can still catch the California Ballet Company’s performance at the Civic Theatre. The full-length show, choreographed by Thor Sutowski, takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, and at 1 and 5:30 p.m on Sunday, Oct. 29. $25-$125, sandiegotheatres.org. Curtain call: So You Think You Can Dance alum Travis Wall and Shaping Sound come together for this production of “After The Curtain.” Shaping Sound is a collective of visual musicians, whose previous show “Dance Reimagined” received much critical acclaim. “After The Curtain” follows the story of a man struggling to re-discover his creative identity after the death of his lover. The performance takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21 at the California Center for the Arts. $35-$70. 800-988-4253, artcenter.org. A picture’s worth: The La Jolla Music Society will bring dancers Wendy Wheelan and Brian Brooks along with string quartet Brooklyn Rider to San Diego for “Some of a Thousand Words.” Wheelan, a former New York City Ballet principal dancer, and
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Brooks, an award-winning choreographer, have performed together in San Diego before, though this performance promises new dances full of elegance and electricity. The show happens Saturday, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre. $18-$73, sandiegotheatres.org. Motion pictures: Dancers and film enthusiasts will come together at the third annual 40 North Dance Film Festival, held at various locations throughout San Diego. The festival aims to explore the questions of “what makes dance?” and “what constitutes dance-film?” by showcasing a variety of short films. The festival will also feature a VIP dinner, a panel on women effecting change through media and performance arts, and a series of immersive art installations at Art Produce. The festival begins with a kickoff party at Whistle Stop on Monday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m., and continues through Saturday, Sept. 30. Times and locations for screenings vary, but more information is available at 40northfest.com.
MORE MUSIC Route down: Much of the music that’s popular in the U.S. can be traced back to a handful of uniquely American art forms, in particular folk, country, bluegrass and blues. This exploration of the history of American roots music, and how it’s being interpreted through contemporary artists, is the focus of the American Routes series at UC San Diego, which carries over into early 2018. The series includes performances from soul singer Liz Vice, the funky New Breed Brass Band and South Carolina jazz group Ranky Tanky, who will be performing at various venues on the UCSD campus. The next concert is from Louisiana’s Feufollet at The Loft on Saturday, Dec. 9. Tickets start at $9 for students, $18 for general admission. All concerts are all ages. artpower.ucsd.edu Roaring twenty: Bonnie Wright’s exploratory, experimental music series Fresh Sound series is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, having also recently hit the milestone of 200 concerts since its beginning in 1997. And for its 20th fall season, Wright has lined up another series of contemporary artists who are helping to change how listeners think about music. This year’s lineup includes pianist Vicky Chow and jazz ensemble Michael Dressen Trio. The season kicks off with solo bagpipe player Matt Welch on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Bread & Salt in Barrio Logan. Tickets are $20, or $10 for students. All concerts are all ages. freshsoundmusic.com Transitions: The San Diego Opera 20172018 season is taking a handful of tem-
porary diversions from its more traditional opera productions for its Detour Series, which puts more of a contemporary, experimental spin on opera. On Friday, Nov. 10 at the Joan B. Kroc Theatre in Rolando, the Opera will debut As One, written by Laura Kaminsky, which features a narrative about a transgender protagonist who goes through the process of gender dysphoria and discovery, with two voices—a baritone and a mezzo-soprano—sharing the role of the protagonist. Follow-up performances will take place on Saturday, Nov. 11 and a matinee on Sunday, Nov. 12. Tickets start at $35. sdopera.org Electric Avenue: Chicago pianist Ramsey Lewis has been performing for six decades, having made his way through countless movements of jazz, from soul-jazz to bossa nova, and from lounge to funk. The Grammy-winning performer and composer continues to evolve, even in his eighties, and he’ll be performing with his Electric Band at The Balboa Theatre on Thursday, Oct. 5. Having recently hit the 50th anniversary of his hit album The In-Crowd, Lewis is likely to revisit much of his celebrated catalog. But with one as deep as his, there are bound to be some surprises. Tickets start at $47. sandiegotheatres.org
MORE THEATER Shining bright: In a season that has been filled with world premieres and fresh takes on vintage classics, there hasn’t been much buzz about the Old Globe’s production of The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey. Opening Saturday, Sept. 30 and running through Sunday, Oct. 29, the one-man play written and performed by stage veteran James Lecesne tells the story of a New Jersey detective who must find a missing teenage boy. Productions where one actor plays all the parts can sometimes come across as overreaching, but Lecesne is a versatile master so we’re more than confident that this one will be worth the price of admission. theoldglobe.org Amerxico, the beautiful: The description for Claudio Raygoza’s Este had us scratching our heads, but here’s what we know: It’s a dystopian fantasy about a young man who return to his home country of Amerxico after fighting in something called the Trumpan War. So yeah, it sounds right up our alley. Presented by ion Theatre, the world premiere production opens in previews Saturday, Oct. 7 and runs through Saturday, Oct. 28 at the BLKBOX Theatre (3704 Sixth Ave.) in Hillcrest. iontheatre.com
Good God: There are certainly plenty of demented options come Halloween, but not much in the way of theatre productions especially ones that include some totally fucked-up puppets. When it comes to Hand to God, the easiest reference is the raunchy Broadway hit Avenue Q, but Hand is decisively darker. San Diego Repertory Theatre’s production tells the story of a nice Christian boy whose hand is taken hostage by a demonic sock puppet. The New Yorker described it as “Sesame Street meets The Exorcist.” Cool. It opens Thursday, Oct. 19 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 12 at the Lyceum Stage in Downtown. Tickets range from $20 to $52 at sdrep.org. Chuckles and chills: Macabre thrills are always in short supply post-Halloween, but the Diversionary Theatre’s production of The Moors will be perfect for those who like to be a little goth all-year round. A comedy with dark undertones, the play centers on two spinster sisters who share a dank, 19th century mansion with their brother and other sorted characters. Opening in previews Thursday, Nov. 9 and running through Saturday, Dec. 10, it’s a sinister, contemporary spin on 1800s romantic novels, with touches of the Brontë sisters and Victorian Gothic sensibilities. Tickets range from $15 to $50 at diversionary.org. If the slipper fits: Broadway San Diego is well into its current season and judging by the shows we’ve caught so far (An American in Paris, The Book of Mormon, etc.), the rest of the season should be stellar as well. First, there’s the Tonywinning musical Cinderella, which runs from Friday, Dec. 1 through Sunday, Dec. 3. This isn’t some Disney show, by the way. This is the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein production that includes hits like “In My Own Little Corner” and “Impossible/It’s Possible.” Tickets range from $22 to $112. Oh, and readers will want to be refreshing broadwaysd.com on the reg for on-sale dates for a little production called Hamilton. It doesn’t open until January, but we hear it’s quite good.
MORE VISUAL ART Left coast: Thirty-four ceramicists from up and down the West Coast will share their contemporary take on the medium in BC to BC: A Survey of Contemporary Ceramics from Baja California to British Columbia. Debuting Saturday, Sept. 16 at the San Diego Art Institute, there will be pieces from Allison Schulnik, Peter Shire, Kristen Morgin and more.
Participating and renowned Mexican artist Daria Mariscal will lead a pottery-making workshop using techniques more than 1,000 years old. Free coffee will be served in cups made by another participating artist, Maggie Boyd, who crafted the cups from clay deposits found in Balboa Park. One catch: Boyd asks that the cups be smashed after the last drop so she can gather the pieces and return them to the park. sandiego-art.org Black magic: Earlier this year, Madison Gallery chose New York-based artist James Austin Murray to be the first participant of its inaugural artist-in-residence program. The result is Murray’s premiere solo exhibit on the West Coast, Light on Black. The collection features new artworks of his trademark large, monochromatic ebony oil paintings, which match the fluidity of water with the dimensionality of etched steel. His strokes, this time, are inspired by time spent along the West Coast and specifically in La Jolla, where the gallery is located. Light on Black opens Saturday, Sept. 16 with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. and closes Nov. 5. madisongalleries.com Two for one: Joyce Cutler-Shaw was the first to graduate from UC San Diego’s MFA program in 1969. She was also the first and only artist-in-residence of the university’s medical school. Starting Saturday, Sept. 23, UCSD will again honor the artist by participating in the two-location exhibit Joyce Cutler-Shaw: Library Duet. In addition to the permanent display of her calligraphy Alphabet of Bones, the Geisel Library will show her latest work Brain Project. This collection documents her recent diagnosis of the progressive neurological disease Corticobasal Syndrome with brain scans, tunnel books with movies and more. Meanwhile, The Athenaeum will host Cutler-Shaw’s artist’s books, which are a part of the venue’s permanent collection. ljathenaeum.org Patchwork: Throughout the Indian subcontinent, decorative, hand-stitched quilts are called kantha. While typically composed of recycled saris or dhotis, the specific design and purpose of kantha vary. In the West Indian region of Bengal, kanthas may be used for warmth, as a wedding gift or congratulatory present for a newborn child. Their versatility extended to encompass book covers and ceremonial mats as well. And traditionally, they are passed between generations as family heirlooms. Forty such Bengali textiles from the Mingei Museum’s permanent collection will be on display during Kantha: Recycled and Embroidered Textiles of Bengal. The exhibit has been curated by Christine Hietbrink and opens Saturday, Oct. 28. mingei.org
SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 27
CULTURE | FILM
Lonely island
Beach Rats
Eliza Hittman’s Brooklyn-set indie is an affecting, sublime character study by Glenn Heath Jr.
B
each Rats embraces the fragmentation of con- fail to fix a run in her stocking after attending the fused youth through a collage of incomplete funeral service for their recently departed patriarch. images. During an elliptical opening sequence, The film’s major set piece revolves around a seismic a shirtless and disaffected young man named Frankie collision between two different realities that Frankie (Harris Dickinson) takes alluring selfies in the mirror. wants to keep separate: while attending a booze Each flash of the camera further abstracts what would cruise with Simone, he runs into one of the nameless normally be a simple portrait. There’s a partially vis- men he has encountered on a webcam site. Dickinson’s slurred anxiety during this sequence ible bicep, the ripples of perfectly formed abs, and then a split image of his face looking longingly back speaks to the volatile power of his performance, as does the inevitable terror of being found out that at the camera. Caught between a disintegrating home life and comes during the next morning’s hangover. From confusion surrounding his burgeoning sexual iden- here, Frankie’s reactive and reckless behavior enters tity, Frankie doesn’t truly know himself at this point unknown territory. The bad decisions he makes during in life. He often turns to prescription drugs and mari- the film’s third act are not surprising, but they leave a juana to escape coming to grips with reality. Fittingly, lasting mark. Oscillating between sensitive and brutish, Frankie enters a new stage director Eliza Hittman’s sublime of panicked self-awareness. character study refuses to deal in Some of Hittman’s symbolic absolutes or conventional wisBEACH RATS motifs (e.g. mirrors, glass, redom, opting instead to track her Directed by Eliza Hittman flections) tend to blur together, character’s every move with a Starring Harris Dickinson, creating a simplistic visual innon-judgmental hypnotic gaze. terpretation of modern angst. Set on the fringes of BrookMadeline Weinstein, Kate Hodge But Beach Rats is nonetheless lyn and under the bright lights and Harrison Sheehan an affecting portrait of an anof Coney Island, Beach Rats exRated R gry young man with nowhere plores Frankie’s delicate balancto place his rage. “I don’t really ing act between macho hetero know what I like,” says Frankie. stud and closeted gay man. He embodies the former persona to please his gang of The aimless loneliness of this online confession to an sunburnt friends, who prowl the boardwalk for women older man sums up the existential millennial crisis at like a pack of prideful lions. During one such expedi- the heart of the film. Over and over again Beach Rats, now playing at tion, Frankie meets Simone (Madeline Weinstein), a doe-eyed young pixie that ends up providing him the Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas, returns to the crackle of fireworks. Exploding presentations in the night’s sky perfect cover in the form of perceived romance. Even though Frankie and Simone’s relationship is flank Coney Island’s neon landscape. Even Frankie’s founded on quicksand, it’s depicted with quiet sensitiv- screen saver defaults to a collection of graphically enity by cinematographer Hélène Louvart, whose grainy hanced pyrotechnics. But at this point it’s no longer celluloid visuals lend an aged quality to a story popu- clear if he or his friends appreciate the visceral excitelated with pristine young bodies. This juxtaposition is ment these displays once provided. Maybe they never most noticeable during interior night scenes, where did. As someone mired in a rut of constant internal Hittman shows an obsession with lengthy, quiet pauses. scrutiny and disappointment, Frankie has now beHere, repressed lonely characters hide an ocean of sad- come outside of all things secure, watching and waiting for someone to help him take the necessary first ness that constantly threatens to reach the surface. Then again Beach Rats is all about the cracks step forward. in our façades, the subtle details that say so much about someone’s psychological state. Small examples Film reviews run weekly. abound. Frankie notices his mother (Kate Hodge) Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com
28 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
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CULTURE | FILM port Hardcore Henry, a film that disavows traditional character development and fully commits to the insanity of its tormented first person subjectivity. Jung’s film, which opens Friday, Sept. 15 at the Arclight La Jolla, ends up being just as fragmented as Sook-hee’s mind, filling in the gaps of her broken memory with wild motorcycle sword fights and pinball games of death inside a careening bus. Nevertheless, while often enthralling, The Villainess is also a frustrating example of excess run amok.
—Glenn Heath Jr.
OPENING
Knives out
T
The Villainess
he bravura first person slaughter that opens Jung Byung-gil’s The Villainess instills an aesthetic connection between rage and violence. As vengeful Sook-hee (Kim Ok-bin) explodes through an army of gangland thugs inside a dank warehouse, the frenzied carnage unspools sloppily calling attention to the scene’s chaotic and random qualities. But every move is obviously choreographed to a T, with warring characters moving in lock step to a pre-ordained rhythm and outcome. These dance moves just involve long knives instead of tap shoes. It won’t be the last time The Villainess presents single player sensory overdrive to maximize style and emotional impact. Mainstream Korean films have a reputation for this kind of transference, submerging narrative logic in order to mash together multiple genres. In this case, action and melodrama are the key ingredients to telling Sook-hee’s story. Post-bloodbath, she is forcefully recruited by a covert government agency that specializes in training women to become sleeper cell assassins. During this process, Sook-hee’s traumatic back-story begins to infringe on the plot, creating a dual timeline inexplicably linked by both past and present betrayal. Jung moves clumsily between tones, spending ample stretches of time fostering the strange relationship between Sook-hee and her nebbish male equivalent. Still, these melancholic scenes come to evoke the lost innocence of a woman who has been abused and manipulated by men and the institutions they control. This social subtext distinguishes The Villainess from Ilya Naishuller’s far more bananas Russian im-
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American Assassin: After losing his fiancé in a terrorist attack, a young man (Dylan O’Brien) becomes a government black ops assassin hoping to take down the cell that has caused him so much pain. Beach Rats: Set in modern Brooklyn, this character study from Eliza Hittman examines the life of a confused young man who’s hiding his true sexual identity from both friends and family. Now playing at Ken Cinema and Angelika Film Centers – Carmel Mountain. California Typewriter: A documentary that looks at people whose lives have been connected and shaped by the typewriter. It features interviews with Tom Hanks, Sam Shepard, and John Mayer. Opens Friday, Sept. 15, at the Ken Cinema. Mother!: Jennifer Lawrence plays a woman who becomes increasingly tormented by uninvited guests that keep arriving to visit her husband (Javier Bardem). Paulina: Dolores Fonzi and Oscar Martinez star in this unflinching drama that examines privilege, class, and the power of the judicial system when a young teacher and activist is sexually assaulted by a gang but refuses to give up her ideals in the aftermath. Opens Friday, Sept. 15, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. Rebel in the Rye: Nicholas Hoult plays iconic writer J.D. Salinger in this biopic that looks at the timeframe in which he wrote The Catcher in the Rye. The Villainess: After dispatching an entire gang singlehandedly, a violent young woman is recruited to be a sleeper assassin for a covert government agency. Opens Friday, Sept. 15, at Arclight La Jolla Cinemas. The Wound: In this controversial and celebrated South African drama, a coming-of-age ritual that serves as a rite of passage into manhood within the Xhosa culture forces three men to grapple with their sexuality. Opens Friday, Sept. 15, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.
For complete movie listings, visit Film at sdcitybeat.com.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 29
TIM SACCENTI
MUSIC
xperimentation can be a tricky thing. For many artists, there comes a time when the musical box that one has built just no longer fits. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. In the case of Nika Roza Danilova, who performs under the moniker Zola Jesus, that sense of experimentation had always been there. However, over the course of three albums for indie label Sacred Bones, she perfected a gothic, classical-meets-electro sound that was anchored by stark lyrics and her angelic, opera-trained voice. Her 2010 release, Stridulum II, was critically acclaimed and 2011’s Conatus further solidified her icy, synth-driven sound. Her 2013 release, Versions, featured her performing previously released songs with a chamber music orchestra. While the album hinted at the idea that she might be ready to expand her sound, she still seemed settled into the role of an artist whose music and lyrics would remain moody and foreboding. Then came 2014’s Taiga, the fourth Zola Jesus album and her first for major label Mute Records. The music ratcheted up the BPM and had noticeably more pop-friendly hooks and choruses. The backlash to the record was noticeable. With a few exceptions, the album received lukewarm reviews, if not outright negative with one major music publication proclaiming in its headline: “Goth queen goes pop, with anonymous-sounding results.” “Looking back on it, I did feel like it was definitely a natural evolution,” Danilova recently told CityBeat. “I felt like at that point, all my records before then were compromised in some way. Things like how they were considered lo-fi because of the equipment I was using or because of my lack of technical proficiency. It was like I was so distracted by my own insecurities or anxieties as a musician that I felt like I couldn’t make something that I felt like could stand on its own… I wanted to do something a little more extroverted, because so much of my process up until then was so tense and embroiled in anxiety and fear that I just wanted to let go of that.” It makes sense in hindsight. As music fans, if we become accustomed to an artist’s sound as being sad, we often want them to sound sad forever. But when it came to the sound of Zola Jesus, Taiga was too much of a 180-degree turn. For Danilova, it seemed like a “natural evolution,” but for fans, the musical change seemed too drastic and missing a step. “I needed to make that record. I’m very proud of it and
30 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
Zola Jesus it taught me a lot,” Danilova says. “In hindsight, did I need to record at a recording studio that Rihanna works at? No, I didn’t.” That’s what makes the recently released Okovi so impressive. On the album, she has found a way to merge her earlier, crestfallen sound with the pop treatments she used on Taiga. In a way, it sounds like the album that she’s always had in her but was afraid to realize out of fear of being pigeonholed. “So many of the songs on the record were not only about my own struggles but the struggles of those around me,” says Danilova, who took on the nickname Zola Jesus as a way to freak out bullies who used to tease her. “On a personal level, I feel like my mind is my greatest detriment because it never stops. I just felt like my whole life, I’ve been a prisoner to my own anxieties.” Danilova grew up in rural Wisconsin listening to pop radio, but later gravitated toward the new wave and classic rock her parents played around the house. In her teens, she says she found thematic parallels in the classical and opera music she studied with the post-punk, hardcore and industrial music that she eventually gravitated toward. “I really started to figure out what I loved about music and what I loved about art, and that was very formative for me,” she says. “I think that part of my journey as a musician
is trying to figure out how to channel this sound in my head that’s maybe a distillation of all the musical things that make me who I am. All the hardcore bits, the industrial, pop, opera. It’s just a fine balance, because if you try to combine hardcore with opera, it’s going to sound pretty dorky.” She conceived much of the new album after moving back to Wisconsin after a sojourn in L.A., but Okovi not only marks a homecoming for Danilova in a literal sense, but a musical one as well. It also marks her return to Sacred Bones, the label she started out on. Named after the Slavic word for shackles, Okovi is filled with direct and highly personal statements that deal in major mental health issues. She cites two songs in particular, “Witness” and “Siphon,” as being particularly “precious” to her because they were written for others. In many ways, that has always been her modus operandi. That is, by laying out her own anxieties and insecurities in the way she does, it helps others feel less alone. Sure, Okovi might seem like a return to grand, sad statements, but for the woman behind the statement, it’s an empowered message. “Every record of mine, there’s a thread there, but I keep trying different angles and fine tune that balance,” Danilova says. “So much of what this record is about, and much of my life the last couple of years, was about realizing who and what is truly important to me and to dig deep into that.”
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september 13, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 31
MUSIC
NOTES FROM THE SMOKING PATIO LOCALS ONLY
H
istory repeated itself over the weekend when the side of the Tower Bar was hit by a car. On early Sunday morning, during a performance by punk band Idiot Bombs just after 1 a.m., a car sideswiped a police SUV. That SUV ended up plowing into the side of the club. The collision ended up damaging the stage, and drummer Davey Tiltwheel ended up being knocked over during the accident. “Davey Tiltwheel, he got pushed,” says Tower Bar owner Mick Rossler. “But thankfully there were no serious injuries.” This isn’t the first time Tower Bar has been hit by a vehicle. In 1964, a car plowed through the building, killing one person in the process. The scene of the crash has become an infamous piece of San Diego lore. The club actually features a picture of the incident on its website, right above its calendar lineup. So it’s an interesting coincidence that, 53 years
later, the same thing happened—albeit with much less dire consequences—almost in the same spot. “In 1964, a drunk driver ran into JEFF TERICH another car and ended up spinning over into the wall,” Rossler says. “That was just two feet from where this collision happened.” This latest crash, while a bit of a setback for the Tower Bar, turned out to be far less serious than it could have been. That being said, the club’s wall is covered in plywood right now, and there are some repairs to be done to get it back to the condition it was in before. In fact, Rossler says that the club won’t have to reschedule more than one of its upcoming planned shows. “Luckily, the area that was hit wasn’t structural,” Rossler says. “The city sent out an engineer that Tower Bar night who determined that the damage was pretty minor. There was a window on that spot once upon a time, so we lucked out—no structural damage.”
—Jeff Terich
SINGER VS. SONG TRAVIS SHINN
A recurring feature in which we ask musicians to name a song they never want to hear again. Ariel Levine: “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes. “The worst song by my absolute least favorite band fronted by a man I think is a complete hack who puts out nothing but garbage that offends my aural senses. As Marc Maron put it, it’s not just boredom, it’s aggravated boredom. What’s worse, this song, their biggest hit, is written around a bassline. It’s a band that doesn’t even have bass! I get so mad. I get so mad when people try to convince me Jack White makes good music. He does not. It’s fact.” Jack King, Parker and the Numberman/Parker Meridian: Anything by A Tribe Called Quest. “Just plain old tired of it. There should be a rule that if 80 percent of the people in the room already have the record at home there’s no reason for the DJ to play it. You don’t go to a restaurant for stuff you already got in your fridge, right?”
Rostam Zafar, Hours/Bleak Skies: “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey. “Can we please as a society throw out ‘Don’t Stop Believing’? Journey is already the band I hate more than any other, but when that song comes on, every person within earshot has to sing it or draw everyone else’s attention to it. It’s the worst.”
Esteban Rene, The Slashes: “Wish I Knew You” by The Revivalists. “I would love for that song to be banished from human consciousness. A five-yearold could have come up with that predictable little ditty.”
Patrick Erhard, Ash Williams: “Through Glass” by Stone Sour. “I used to think this was just a runof-the-mill ‘meh, it’s not good, but I won’t let it affect my life’ kinda song. Then, my buttface bandmate/ ex-roommate Scout decided that it was their favorite song about two years ago. Now all of my friends are constantly singing/playing this song around me and I am spiralling towards the abyss. Dang you, Corey Taylor. Dang you to heck.”
Xavier Vasquez, Die Missbildungen Die Menschen/Shadowlight: “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC. “‘Highway to Hell’ needs to go to hell. Sick and tired of that stadium rock shit. Sorry rockers.”
32 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
The Revivalists
—Jeff Terich @SDCITYBEAT
MUSIC
JEFF TERICH
IF I WERE U A music insider’s weekly agenda WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13
PLAN A: Manchester Orchestra, Tigers Jaw, Foxing @ Observatory North Park. Go back and read my feature on Manchester Orchestra from last week’s issue. Their new album A Black Mile to the Surface is a gorgeously emotional high for indie rock this year. PLAN B: Asgeir, Ethan Gruska @ Belly Up Tavern. Icelandic musician Asgeir’s music is gentle, sometimes steeped in synthesizers and sometimes stripped-down and delicate. Whatever approach he takes, it’s a feast for the senses. BACKUP PLAN: MC Lars, Big O, Digital Lizards of Doom @ Soda Bar.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 14
PLAN A: James Supercave, The Seshen, The Palms @ The Casbah. James Supercave sounds more like a videogame than a musician. And the synth-driven robot-soul he makes certainly has the feeling of artificial intelligence learning to love. Plus, it’s
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easy to dance to. BACKUP PLAN: Together PANGEA, Tall Juan, Daddy Issues @ The Irenic.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 15
PLAN A: Perturbator, Dance with the Dead, Author & Punisher @ Brick by Brick. Perturbator makes synth-driven music for stylish dystopias. That’s basically where we are right now, so his sound couldn’t be more relevant even if it is mere escapism. Get there early to be crushed by Author & Punisher. PLAN B: Hanni El Khatib, Easy, Pinky Pinky @ The Casbah. As weary as I am of garage rock, it’s good to hear some loud guitars now and then, and Hanni El Khatib’s are turned to 11. There are plenty of yelped, hedonistic lyrics to match.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 16
PLAN A: Against Me!, Bleached, Dirty Nil @ Observatory North Park. Against Me! is one of the most important punk bands making music right now. Their 2014 album
Transgender Dysphoria Blues is 28 minutes of some of the most earnest and sociallycharged music of the decade, and it rocks hard. PLAN B: Prince Paul, Norm Rocwell @ Space. Prince Paul has a hell of a resume. He produced music for Gravediggaz and De La Soul, and formed Handsome Boy Modeling School with Dan the Automator. Not to mention his concept album, A Prince Among Thieves. He’s a hip-hop legend. BACKUP PLAN: The Church, The Helio Sequence @ Music Box.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 17
Against Me!
PLAN A: Future Islands, Explosions in the Sky, FR/BLCK/PR @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre. Future Islands put on one of the best live shows you’ll ever see. Granted, they’re playing much bigger venues now, but don’t think for a second that frontman Sam Herring won’t sing the hell out of the band’s synth-pop anthems. PLAN B: KANGA, Hexa, Le Chateau, Strangers in a Fire DJs @ Blonde. KANGA is a little bit like FKA Twigs meets Nine Inch Nails. In fact her song “Something Dangerous” even borrows from Nine Inch Nails’ “Somewhat Damaged,” but with an ethereal pop touch. Whether you’re looking to dance or just be among goth friends, this is the show for you. BACKUP PLAN: Black Mass, Cave Bastard, Temblad, Stolen Souls @ Soda Bar.
MONDAY, SEPT. 18
PLAN A: The Heavy Guilt, Elise Truow, Aviator Stash @ The Casbah. The Heavy Guilt took a few years off from playing music and they’re pretty much back to being full-time again. I would advise against taking them for granted again and to go see them live immediately.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 19
PLAN A: This Will Destroy You, Glassing @ The Casbah. I’ve always assumed that This Will Destroy You’s name is intended in an emotional or psychological sense. The post-rock band isn’t very literally destructive, instead favoring slow builds and lush atmospheres. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t leave an impact.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2017· SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 33
MUSIC
AFTER HOURS: ABOUT LAST NIGHT Pitch black
O
n Aug. 23, the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News published that the long-standing Hillcrest club NUMB3RS (3811 Park Blvd.) would permanently shutter its doors Saturday, Sept. 10. The news was largely met with dismay from the community, which had supported NUMB3RS for more than 20 years. But there was also shock, especially on behalf of those who ran the venue’s popular goth night, Club Sabbat. NUMB3RS’ Owner Nicholas Moede had notified Club Sabbat creator Linda Estet and DJ/Promoter Robin Roth only days before the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News’ announcement. “This all happened pretty quick,” says Roth. “We found out NUMB3RS was closing, and we’re thankful that we have a venue and that we can continue Sabbat.” After Roth and Estet scrambled to find another venue, they were relieved that The Merrow (1271 University Ave.) took them in. Club Sabbat will have its first night at The Merrow on Saturday, Sept. 23 and then it will be held on the second Saturday of every month starting in October. Previously, Sabbat took place on the second, fourth and fifth Saturday of each month at NUMB3RS. “The Merrow is something to keep the club alive and going,” says Estet. “It’s not a
34 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
“I don’t think they’d come,” Estet says. “It’s too expensive, the parking and the clubs aren’t really set up for gothic industrial… There are some wild outfits that come into Sabbat. It just wouldn’t work downtown.” At The Merrow, there will still be an emJAVI NUNEZ phasis on fashion, as well as dancers and, of course, the music. The venue’s stage makes it possible to bring in bands for a change. Otherwise, the venues’ floor plans will be the most noticeable difference. The Merrow is a singular room, whereas NUMB3RS had two separate rooms. “There are two different styles going on. One room, you have newer music, newer industrial music, newer goth music,” says Club Sabbat DJ Vaughn Avakian. “What I always play is just the classic music. I’m in there with the ‘80s versions like Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, Depeche Mode.” The ability to hop between rooms and styles will be lost, but Avakian is confident that the crowd will follow the music wherever Club Sabbat Estet and Roth take it. “They’re not there to be seen,” says Avabe Club Sabbat’s fifth home, following residen- kian. “They’re not there because it’s cool or cy at Shooters, The Flame, Rich’s and NUM- trendy. They actually love the music, and I B3RS. Continuing Club Sabbat at a Hillcrest think that’s unlike any other scene.” venue was a natural choice, whereas the downtown scene wouldn’t fit the crowd, she says. —Torrey Bailey nightclub that should die... The Merrow, has opened its doors graciously to us, and we’ll go in there and make the best of it.” It surely isn’t the first time she’s moved the event since its debut in 1988. The Merrow will
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MUSIC
CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!
Marujah (Casbah, 10/11), Jason Mraz (Spreckels Theatre, 10/14), Eddie Izzard (Balboa Theatre, 10/18), The Strypes (Casbah, 10/18), Black Heart Procession (Casbah, 11/3), Iron Chic (Soda Bar, 11/15), Blitzen Trapper (Casbah, 12/2), Murs (Casbah, 12/5), Pere Ubu (Soda Bar, 12/8), Cake (Observatory North Park, 12/15), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (HOB, 1/15), Pulley (Soda Bar, 1/20).
GET YER TICKETS Zola Jesus (Casbah, 9/21), U2 (Qualcomm Stadium, 9/22), Ben Folds (HOB, 9/23), Rakim (HOB, 9/24), Bonobo (Observatory, 9/24), Perfume Genius (HOB, 9/28), Black Star (Observatory, 9/28), The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Loft, 9/30), The Shins, Spoon (Open Air Theatre, 10/1), Algiers (Soda Bar, 10/1), Chelsea Wolfe (BUT, 10/2), Ms. Lauryn Hill, Nas (OAT, 10/3), Irma Thomas, Blind Boys of Alabama (BUT, 10/5), Depeche Mode (Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, 10/6), Pinegrove (Irenic, 10/6), Coldplay (Qualcomm Stadium, 10/8), Obituary, Exodus (Observatory, 10/8), Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile (HOB, 10/11), The National (Open Air Theatre, 10/12), Bob Dylan (Harrah’s Resort, 10/13), Torres (Casbah, 10/17), Mason Jennings (BUT, 10/17), Café Tacuba (Observatory, 10/1718), Arcade Fire (Viejas Arena, 10/18), The Bronx (Casbah, 10/19), Gojira (Observatory, 10/19), Mastodon (HOB,
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10/19), City of Caterpillar, Thou (Soda Bar, 10/19), Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie (Humphreys, 10/19), KMFDM (HOB, 10/20), Tegan and Sara (Balboa Theatre, 10/20), Carla Morrison (Humphreys, 10/22), Red Fang (Casbah, 10/23), M. Ward (BUT, 10/24), Real Estate (Music Box, 10/24), Thievery Corporation (BUT, 10/26), Turnover (Irenic, 10/27), Flying Lotus in 3-D (Observatory, 10/27), Roky Erickson (Casbah, 10/27), Iron and Wine (Balboa Theatre, 10/28), The Drums (Observatory, 11/1), Black Heart Procession (Casbah, 11/4), ‘Live Wire 25th Anniversary’ w/ Rocket from the Crypt (Observatory, 11/4), Cults (Irenic, 11/5), Hamilton Leithauser (BUT, 11/9), Fall Out Boy (Viejas Arena, 11/15), Gary Numan (Observatory, 11/15), Tera Melos, Speedy Ortiz (Casbah, 11/16), Mayhem (Observatory, 11/17), Boris, Torche (Casbah, 11/17), Mogwai (Observatory, 11/20), New Found Glory (HOB, 11/25), Syd (Observatory, 12/2), The Slackers (Casbah, 12/12), METZ (Casbah, 12/13), Julien Baker (Irenic, 12/15), Jay-Z (Viejas Arena, 12/19), Ozomatli (Music Box, 12/22-23), The English Beat (BUT, 12/22-23), Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven (BUT, 12/27), Donavon Frankenreiter (BUT, 12/28), Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue (BUT, 12/2930), Josh Ritter (BUT, 1/16), Wolf Parade (Observatory, 1/23).
SEPTEMBER WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13 MC Lars at Soda Bar. Indigo Girls at Humphreys by the Bay. Green Day at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre. Manchester Orchestra at Observatory North Park. Asgeir at Belly Up Tavern.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 14 Greensky Bluegrass at Observatory North Park. Steve Winwood at Humphreys by the Bay. Leo Kottke at Belly Up Tavern. Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers at Music Box. James Supercave at The Casbah. Together Pangea at Soda Bar.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 15 Perturbator at Brick by Brick. Cigarettes After Sex at The Irenic (sold out). Black Uhuru at Belly Up Tavern. Hanni el Khatib at The Casbah. Scott H. Biram at Soda Bar. Prince Paul at SPACE. Kaaboo Festival w/ Red Hot Chili Peppers at Del Mar Fairgrounds.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 16 Against Me! at Observatory North Park. The Church at Music Box. Punk Rock Karaoke at Soda Bar. Kaaboo Festival w/ Muse, Pink at Del Mar Fairgrounds.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 17 Future Islands at Open Air Theatre. Little Dove at Belly Up Tavern. Face To Face, Reverend Horton Heat at House of Blues. Jesika von Rabit at The Casbah. Black Mass at Soda Bar. Kaaboo Festival w/ Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at Del Mar Fairgrounds.
MONDAY, SEPT. 18 Lil Yachty at Observatory North Park. Underground Lounge at Soda Bar.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 19 Glass Animals at Humphreys by the Bay (sold out). Sean Paul at Observatory North Park. Samantha Fish at SPACE. This Will Destroy You at The Casbah.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20
TUESDAY, SEPT. 26
Z Etc. at Belly Up Tavern. My Foolish Idealism at Soda Bar. Easy Wind at Music Box. Venom Inc. at Brick by Brick. Twin Ritual at The Casbah.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 21 Zola Jesus at The Casbah. Fleet Foxes at Observatory North Park (sold out). The Wailers at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Andrew Belle at SPACE. INVSN at Soda Bar. RAC at Music Box.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 22 Tycho at Observatory North Park. Atlas Genius at House of Blues. Swervedriver at The Casbah. Los Amigos Invisibles at Music Box. U2 at Qualcomm Stadium. Sloppy Seconds at Soda Bar. Al DiMeola at Balboa Theatre.
Public Service Broadcasting at Soda Bar. Love Theme at SPACE. Sublime With Rome, The Offspring at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre. Alison Moyet at Music Box. Morgan Heritage at Belly Up Tavern.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27 Bleachers at Observatory North Park. Draco Rosa at Music Box.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 28 Lauren Ruth Ward at The Casbah. Perfume Genius at House of Blues. Imagine Dragons at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre. Moon Taxi at Belly Up Tavern. Foxygen at Music Box. Superjoint at Brick by Brick. Black Star at Observatory North Park. Tennyson at The Irenic.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 29
SATURDAY, SEPT. 23 Hundred Waters at The Casbah. The xx at Observatory North Park (sold out). Frankie Rose at Soda Bar. The Toadies, Local H at Belly Up Tavern. The Beach Boys at Humphreys by the Bay. Ben Folds at House of Blues. Natalia Lafourcade at SOMA.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 24
Josh Abbott Band at House of Blues. Hellogoodbye at The Irenic. Tower of Power, Average White Band at Humphreys by the Bay. Benjamin Booker at Belly Up Tavern. Superjoint at Brick by Brick. Black Kids at The Casbah. Slaves at SOMA. Apocalyptica at Copley Symphony Hall.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 30
Rakim at House of Blues. Bonobo at Observatory North Park. Bill Maher at Humphreys by the Bay. WAND at Soda Bar. Dan Croll at The Irenic. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra at SOMA.
MONDAY, SEPT. 25 Cameron Esposito, Rhea Butcher at Observatory North Park. Gov’t Mule at Humphreys by the Bay. Moon Honey at The Casbah.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart at The Loft @ UCSD. J Roddy Walston and the Business at Belly Up Tavern. Corey Henry and the Funk Apostles at The Casbah. Kali Uchis at Observatory North Park (sold out). Jay Som at Soda Bar. ‘Adams Avenue Street Fair’ w/ The Creepy Creeps, Dead Feather Moon at Adams Ave.
MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 36
SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 35
MUSIC ZACKERY MICHAEL
Spoon plays at Open Air Theatre Sunday, Oct. 1
MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35
OCTOBER SUNDAY, OCT. 1 Citizen Cope at Belly Up Tavern. Algiers at Soda Bar. The Shins, Spoon at Open Air Theatre. ‘Adams Avenue Street Fair’ w/ The Donkeys, The Routine at Adams Ave.
MONDAY, OCT. 2 Chelsea Wolfe at Belly Up Tavern. Sheer Mag at Soda Bar. Middle Kids at The Casbah.
TUESDAY, OCT. 3 Dark Tranquility at Brick by Brick. The Blow at Soda Bar. Ms. Lauryn Hill, Nas at Open Air Theatre. Gavin DeGraw at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Trinidad Cardona at House of Blues. Gillian Welch at Balboa Theatre. Robert Earl Keen at Music Box.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4 Archons at The Casbah. Jonwayne at Soda Bar. Post Malone at Observatory North Park.
THURSDAY, OCT. 5 Elliott Brood at The Casbah. Father John Misty at Observatory North Park. Arkells at SPACE. Irma Thomas, Blind Boys of Alabama at Belly Up Tavern.
FRIDAY, OCT. 6 Rosetta at Soda Bar. Pinegrove at The Irenic. Depeche Mode at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre. Father John Misty at Observatory North Park (sold out). Insane Clown Posse at House of Blues.
SATURDAY, OCT. 7 Jason Aldean at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre. 6Lack at Observatory North Park (sold out). The Woggles at The Casbah. Patrick Sweany at Soda Bar. Janet Jackson at Valley View Casino Center.
SUNDAY, OCT. 8 Coldplay at Qualcomm Stadium. Shooter Jennings at Belly Up Tavern. Obituary, Exodus at Observatory North Park. The Garden at The Irenic. Ratboys at Soda Bar.
MONDAY, OCT. 9 Cauldron at Soda Bar. Between the Buried and Me at SOMA. Lil Peep at House of Blues.
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TUESDAY, OCT. 10 Fat Tony, FLACO at The Casbah. Sound of Ceres at SPACE. Demerit at Soda Bar. Walter TV at Blonde.
rCLUBS r
710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Fri: Jet West, Split Finger, Hazmatt. Tue: Aveona. Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., Normal Heights. Thu: ‘Libertine’ w/ DJ Jon Wesley. Sat: ‘Juicy’ w/ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Chvrch’ w/ DJs Karma, Alice. American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: Andrew Schulz. Fri: Andrew Schulz. Sat: Andrew Schulz. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Sat: Cry Venom, Til Death. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. Wed: ‘Shock! 80s New Wave’. Thu: ‘Hurricane Harvey Fundraiser’ w/ Strangers in a Fire DJs. Fri: ‘Class Project’ w/ DJs Grimm, Old Man Johnson. Sat: ‘Neon Beat’. Sun: ‘Rat Sabbath’. Mon: ‘Motown on Monday’. Tue: Alvino and the Dwells. Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown. Sat: Eli & Fur. Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Thu: Adam Block Duo. Fri: Scratch. Sat: It’s Never 2L8. Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Asgeir, Ethan Gruska. Thu: Leo Kottke. Fri: Black Uhuru, Layne Tadesse. Sat: DSBA Journey Tribute, Best Shot. Sun: Little Dove, Shane Hall and Belladon. Tue: Les Nubians, Steph Johnson Band. Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Thu: Uptown Rhythm Makers. Fri: Dirty Pennies, Sending Signals. Sat: Trailduster, Goldettes, Paulo Zappoli and the Break. Blonde, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Wed: ‘Dance Klassique’. Fri: ‘Prince vs. Michael Jackson Dance Party’. Sat: Sandra Collins. Sun: Kanga, HEXA, Le Chateau, Strangers in a Fire DJs. Mon: Tashaki Miyaki, Shine a Light. Tue: ’99 Red Balloons’. Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad. Thu: Electric Elms, Aviator Stash. Fri: ‘Club Musae’. Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. Fri: Perturbator, Dance with the Dead, Author & Punisher. Sat: 9Electric, Quor, Ancient Spell, Killing Tyranny, Lethal Injektion.
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MUSIC The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Wed: Lovemakers, Hi Scores, Pretty Handsome. Thu: James Supercave, The Seshen, The Palms. Fri: Hanni El Khatib, EASY, Pinky Pinky. Sat: ‘Rise Up Get Down’ w/ DJs Vaughn Avakian, Heather Hardcore, Greyboy, Rob Moran, Lazer Lizeth, Mr Mazee. Sun: Jesika Von Rabit, Gary Wilson and The Blind Dates, Dani Bell and The Tarantist. Mon: The Heavy Guilt, Elise Truow, Aviator Stash. Tue: This Will Destroy You, Glassing. Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. Fri: Harley and the Pirates. Sat: Pleazure. Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Downtown. Fri: Christopher Hollyday Quintet. Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Deejay Al. Sat: Ginuwine.
Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Fri: League of Liars. Sat: Black Market III.
Lariat, The Thieves About. Tue: Prophets and Outlaws, Lowland Drifters, Wish & The Well.
Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Thu: Dude Cervantes, Jesse Lee Hofbauer. Sun: Adeumazel.
Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave., San Diego. Wed: Clinton Davis Duo. Thu: Jimmy Ruelas. Fri: Cedrice and the Addictions. Sat: Lyrical Groove. Mon: ‘Makossa Monday’ w/ DJ Tah Rei. Tue: Trio Gadjo.
SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway. Fri: Dayshell, Icarus The Owl, Belle Noire, Our Second Home, In The Night.
Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Fri: ‘Trojan Reggae meets Hometown Oldies’. Sun: Pants Karaoke.
Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: MC Lars, Big O, Digital Lizards of Doom. Thu: Miklo, Sweet Tooth, Jacob Adam. Fri: Scott H. Biram, Creature and the Woods, Hard Fall Hearts. Sat: Punk Rock Karaoke, Authentic Sellout, Midnight Eagle. Sun: Black Mass, Cave Bastard, Temblad, Stolen Souls. Mon: Underground Lounge, Thread the
SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Thu: AJ Froman, Splavender, Moon Ensemble. Fri: ‘Other Voices’. Sat: Prince Paul. Sun: ‘Make Yourself at Home’. Mon: ‘Left Hand Path’ w/ DJs Handsome Skeleton, David Martin. Tue: Samantha Fish, Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels. Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Midtown. Fri: Waze & Odyssey. Sun: ‘Sundown in the Jungle’.
Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Wed: Noah Rickertson. Fri: Coriander, Michael Warren. Sat: Coriander, Michael Warren. Sun: Michael Warren. Mon: Lauren Leigh and Sam. Tue: Chad & Rosie. Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Fri: Robot (Re)Pair, Gentlemen Prefer Blood, Chagrin. Sat: Modern Kicks, Nico Bones, Thunder Roads. Sun: Ron and the Reapers. Mon: Tue:
U-31, 3112 University Ave., North Park. Thu: ‘Boom Boxx Thursday’. Fri: DJ Kid Wonder. Sat: DJ XP. Sun: Inna Vision. Tue: ’31 Flavors’. Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park. Wed: ‘Tabled: Men in Black’. Fri: ‘F-ing in the Bushes’. Sat: ‘80s vs 90s’ w/ DJs Saul Q, Gabe Vega. Sun: ‘Not Dead Yet’. Mon: ‘Electric Relaxation’. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach. Wed: Ras I Jah, Eternal Fyah, Levi Myaz, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: Southern Avenue with Earl Thomas. Fri: Hot Buttered Rum, Homesick Hitchers. Sat: Up the Irons, Mondo Men, Angel Shade. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: The Devil’s Due.
House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Thu: Jerry “Hot Rod” Demink. Fri: Fayuca, Mouse Powell, Jackson Price, Irieality. Sat: Leroy Sanchez, Mario Jose. Sun: Face To Face, Reverend Horton Heat, Agent Orange. Tue: Robin Henkel. Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: 52nd St. Thu: B-3 Four. Fri: Viva Santana. Sat: Detroit Underground. Sun: B.I.G. Mon: Stellita. Tue: Mercedes Moore. The Irenic, 3090 Polk Ave., North Park. Thu: Together Pangea, Tall Juan, Daddy Issues. Fri: Cigarettes After Sex (sold out). Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Wed: Youandme. Thu: ‘Ectopiia’. Fri: ‘Digital Cocoon’ w/ Andy Gomez. Sat: Thomas Wood. Sun: Lanzlo. Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., Kensington. Fri: Nick Bone and the Big Scene. Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Carrie Welling, Kate Mills, Kacey Williams. Fri: Harakiri, Condor & Jaybird. Sat: Ali Handal, Jesus Gonzalez. Sun: Alexander Zimmerman. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: Mariel, Post Attraction, Z Etc.. Thu: Super Buffet, Mittens, The Kathryn Cloward Band, The Peripherals. Fri: Tzimani, Sociocide, Solar Haze, Call of the Wild. Sat: Hot Mustard, The Dirty Pennies, Kitty Plague. Sun: ‘The Playground’ w/ DJ Heather Hardcore. Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy. Thu: Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Andrew McKeag Band. Fri: The Winehouse Experience, Jason Hanna and the Bullfighters. Sat: The Church, Helio Sequence. The Office, 3936 30th St., North Park. Wed: ‘One Two Three’ w/ DJ EdRoc. Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King. Fri: ‘After Hours’. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’. Sun: ‘Uptown Top Ranking’. OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: Kyle Flesch. Fri: Felix Cartal. Sat: Eric Dlux. Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. Wed: Gilbert Castellanos. Fri: Euphoria Brass Band. Sat: Whitney Shay and the Hustle. Sun: The Moves. Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: Scene. Sat: Direct. Plaza Bar at Westgate Hotel, 1055 2nd Ave., Downtown. Fri: Gilbert Castellanos. Sat: Allison Adams Tucker. Mon: Julio de la Huerta. Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: DJs John Joseph, Kinky Loops. Thu: DJ Kinky Loops. Fri: DJs K Swift, Moody Rudy. Sat: DJs Hektik, Luke Allen. Sun: DJs Hektik, Morningstar. Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’ w/ Jason Hanna. Thu: Chloe Lou and Davies. Fri: Rip Carson. Sat: Rosa’s Cantina.
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SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 37
LAST WORDS | ADVICE
AMY ALKON
ADVICE
GODDESS
The Gym Reaper
This annoying guy at my gym keeps asking me out. I’m always polite, saying, “Would love to, but sorry, I’m really busy.” And then I move to another part of the gym. I’d go at a different time, but unfortunately, he’s always there in the hours I can work out. What should I say so he gets the hint and leaves me alone?
—Go Away Already!
There are people—some of them men—who won’t take no for an answer. But you haven’t tried no—or any of the variations: “Nuh-uh,” “Are you crazy?” or “The only way you’re ever getting into my pants is if you’re trying on ladies clothing at Goodwill.” Women have a tendency to be hint-ish and otherwise indirect in telling a guy they aren’t interested. As personal security expert Gavin de Becker puts it in “The Gift of Fear”: “Rejecting women often say less than they mean,” and “men often hear less than what is said.” Men’s poor, um, hearing actu-
ally seems to be an evolutionary design feature. Research by evolutionary psychologists Martie Haselton and David Buss suggests that men evolved to be poor guessers about women’s sexual interest in them—erring on the side of assuming a woman’s interested when they have no definitive sign that she isn’t (as in adult variations on “off my case, toilet face!”). As Buss explains the likely benefit from this “sexual overperception bias,” it leads men “to believe that a woman is sexually interested in them in response to ambiguous cues such as a smile or going to a bar alone,” and thus functions to keep men from “missing sexual opportunities.” (Or—in somewhat less scientific terms—it gives a man a chance at passing his genetic material on to the next generation instead of into an old tube sock.) You don’t have to be cruel, but something a little more hope-crushing than “I’d love to” would be a start. Saying you’re “busy” doesn’t cut it, as it suggests that all that’s keeping the guy from getting into your ladybusiness are scheduling conflicts. The most
38 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
effective rejection is a direct one: “Thanks so much. I’m really flattered, but I’m sorry to say that I’m just not interested.” Though “I’m flattered” might seem condescending, it softens the blow—without being misleading. It suggests that you believe the person you’re rejecting has some merits, as opposed to what may actually be the truth: “I would rather be pecked to death by angry hens than have sex with you.”
Ladies Who Hunch This hot guy I met online lied about his height. We got together, and I’m like three inches taller than he is. That doesn’t bother me, but I’m worried that his height is a source of insecurity for him (since he lied about it on his profile). —Skyscraper You can’t always find your one and only, but you can sometimes find your three-quarters and only. It isn’t a surprise that this guy, in calculating his height, added in the vintage ottoman he was standing on when he took the photo. While there are breast men, leg men, butt men, and even toe men, in female preferences for men’s appearance, across cultures, there’s one thing that really, really matters, and it’s height. (Guilty: I’ve joked about getting one of those amusement park signs to post over my bed, “Must be this tall to ride this ride.”) Research by evolutionary social psy-
chologist Gert Stulp suggests that women, in general, find it “unacceptable” to be taller than the man they’re with and prefer to be substantially shorter (ideally a whole eight inches shorter; so, say, five feet, six inches to a man’s six feet, two inches). As for why women evolved to prefer taller men, though being tall doesn’t always mean being stronger (and thus better able to protect a woman), tallness points to physical health. (If a man’s body is riddled with parasites, his metabolic resources get invested in battling the little buggers instead of upward growth.) In modern times, some men try to cheat their way taller, with dating profile fudgery, shoes with built-in “lifts,” and strong hair gel (the essential ingredient in a towering pompadour). However, a short man isn’t necessarily short on self-worth. According to Stulp and his colleagues, shorter men’s dissatisfaction with their height seems linked to the general preference by women for taller men. This makes sense, considering how bad it feels to know your partner doesn’t find you all that attractive. But since that isn’t a problem here, let him know. And you might also keep in mind that good things do, as they say, “come in small packages”: gum, Shetland ponies and, hey, Ron Jeremy is a short dude. (Uh, not all over.) (c)2017, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com (advicegoddess.com).
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september 13, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 39