San Diego CityBeat • Sept 30, 2015 by San Diego CityBeat

2 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

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Up Front | From the editor

A champion for the homeless

an Diego’s homeless community most often get picked up by police or ambulances needs a lot of things, but what it could desand most frequently are taken to jail or emergency perately use right now is a champion. A rooms. The group was intended to include 25 peopower player. He or she doesn’t need to be ple but grew to 36. A two-year study showed that a superhero but should have some special powers: a housing and counseling these chronic homeless will of steel, a unifying omnipresence and the permen and women reduced public resource costs by 67 percent. Savings amounted to $3.5 million over suasive ability to convince a skeptical public that two years. real solutions actually exist. Our region isn’t lacking in numbers of governProject 25’s $1.5 million in seed money from the United Way was well spent. But earlier this mental, nonprofit or faith-based organizational stakeholders. Nonetheless, the number of homeyear when it looked like funding was drying up, St. Vincent de Paul director of tenant services Marc less people, including veterans, continues to grow. A count earlier this year by the Regional Task Force Stevenson went into crisis mode. The United Way for the Homeless found that the pitched in an additional $100,000. michael mcconnell / linkedin number of people living on downA grant has since been secured, and hospitals and managed-care town streets grew 26 percent this providers are beginning to see how year over last and that numbers for Project 25 can save them money, the region are up nearly 3 percent. To halt the endless cycle of according to Ruth Bruland, divistreet living to services and back to sion director at St. Vincent de Paul Village. the streets, we could use a leader “Project 25 proves you can solve who owns the issue and possesses this for everybody, but the proban ability to harness disparate lem is that it takes years of engagegroups and enable them to work ment and some people want faster together as one energized unit. How about a Homeless Czar, results,” says homeless advocate a position that could be created Michael McConnell. “Project 25 Michael McConnell within the office of Mayor Kevin should be Project 250. Or more. It Faulconer? Someone with political teeth could makes zero sense we’re not doing more of it. It’s not demand cooperation and build interdepartmental easy or cheap. But it’s cheaper than the way we do things now. And we know that if we don’t do this communication. Mayoral spokesperson Matt Awbrey says, people will die on the streets.” “Homelessness is a regional issue that requires sigMcConnell is the regional coordinator of 25 Cities San Diego, Setting a Path to Zero. It’s a national nificant coordination that spans between many realliance of federal agencies aimed at ending veteran gional leaders.” But there’s no indication a czar is in and chronic homelessness. the near future. The mayor did hold a meeting with downtown Coordination of effort is the key for 25 Cities leaders on Sept. 11, reportedly to discuss ways to (which is active in the 25 cities where 39 percent of eliminate homelessness from East Village in time the nation’s homeless veterans are; that it uses the for TV cameras that will come for the 2016 MLB same numeral as Project 25 is a coincidence). The All-Star Game at Petco Park. Awbrey confirms the goal is to gather and share information on clients meeting took place and says it was an effort to proso individual needs can be met, rather than push vide permanent solutions and “provide the best serpeople into inefficient, one-size-fits-all programs. It’s a different way to approach a problem where vice possible to residents and visitors, but the issue new solutions are sorely needed. A lack of coordiof homelessness transcends any specific event.” Someone like a Homeless Czar, though, could nation of effort in the past was not breaking the cychampion a program like Project 25. That it doesn’t cle of homelessness. Full results remain to be seen, have full awareness in the business community is but a better process can only help. And a champion/ a travesty. Project 25 grew out of the United Way czar/leader with political clout would definitely aid and is a public-private partnership now in the the crusade. hands of St. Vincent de Paul Village. It’s a housing —Ron Donoho first concept that focuses on the street people who Write to rond@sdcitybeat.com This issue of CityBeat is dedicated to the Christian radio group that bought KPRI and fired everyone. It’s what Jesus would have done.

Volume 14 • Issue 8 Editor Ron Donoho Music Editor Jeff Terich Arts Editor Seth Combs Associate editor Joshua Emerson Smith Web Editor Ryan Bradford Art director Carolyn Ramos Columnists Aaryn Belfer, Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb, Alex Zaragoza

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September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

Up Front | Letters

On the

RACK ATTACK I noticed some of the newspaper boxes had been removed as well, but with a much different reaction [“Missing in the Gaslamp Quarter,” Sept. 23]. While you do pay a whopping $20 per year, the sheer amount and mismatched conglomeration of boxes has become a visual blight all over San Diego. Maybe you could spearhead a uniform rack system such as the ones in other nice cities, including Monterey and Carmel. Personally, I prefer racks INSIDE of coffee shops, restaurants, etc. Following in the news rack footsteps, now Decobikes have their obnoxious racks bolted to our public sidewalks all over the city as well. This sets a poor precedent and makes me wonder “ WHAT NEXT?” Chris Cott, La Jolla

FREEDOM OF SPEECH It’s bad enough that the Downtown Partnership orders newspaper racks be removed [“Missing in the Gaslamp Quarter,” Sept. 23], and up to the second to last paragraph I agreed with your points, but when you say, “We especially don’t want to see any action taken against someone doing a job they were probably told to do so” it sounds like: “I was just following orders.” You have a clear violation of “Freedom of Speech,” “Freedom of the Press,” and you reintroduce the pleas of Nazi Death Camp Soldiers. “Just following orders” does not indemnify anyone from breaking constitutional guarantees. The person[s] who “ORDERED” this action and the person[s] that carried out this action should be fired and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

4 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

Cover

This week’s cover photo of The Burning of Rome at the 2009 San Diego Music Awards was shot by John Hancock. He’s been published in Surfer and Premier Guitar, and has shot musicians such as Eric Clapton and Willie Nelson. “I have been a music fan my whole life and have been taking photos almost as long,” Hancock says. “I finally decided to go ahead and combine my two passions and started reaching out to local musicians and photographing shows at small venues around San Diego.” johnhancockphotos.com Freedoms of speech and press are being eroded on a daily basis, allowing this to slide just accelerates loss of those ideals [laws]. San Diego CityBeat needs to and is required to respond when decisions are made restricting their [and others’] distribution of newspapers. You are wrong on this in many ways and I am disappointed in how you have (not) reacted.

Will Dawson, San Diego

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Up Front | News ilirjan rrumbullaku and steve rhodes / flickr

By Oct. 18, Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to either sign or veto AB 504.

Bill to regulate Civic San Diego faces 11th-hour opposition Influential lobbyists hired by business community to push for governor’s veto by Joshua Emerson Smith

he nearly two-year battle over the fate of Civic San Diego has landed on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk in the form of AB 504. Authored by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, the bill would allow nearly all projects approved by the land-use nonprofit to be appealed to the City Council. Having fought unsuccessfully for months to kill the legislation, the local business community has launched a vigorous last-ditch effort, including a widespread letter-writing campaign and hiring a long-time friend of the governor to lobby for a veto. “We are not fighting against oversight,” said Kris Michell, CEO of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. “We are fighting for certainty in the process.” Arguing the proposed appeals process could stifle real estate investment, the Downtown San Diego Partnership and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce have, over the last five months, spent tens of thousands of dollars lobbying against the bill. While previous efforts have fallen short, the Downtown San Diego Partnership has refused to give up. It hired the Crane Group in September, according to a disclosure report. The president of the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm, Lucie Gikovich,

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is widely known as Brown’s close friend, having served as his confidential secretary during his first terms as governor, as well as a staff member during his time as mayor of Oakland. Stopping the bill is “very important,” said Michell, acknowledging the hiring of Gikovich. “If investors get spooked, they’ll take their money elsewhere.” The legislation seems, in large part, a backlash to longstanding resistance by Civic San Diego officials to imposing labor agreements on large development projects downtown, especially for hotels. A former CEO and Secretary-Treasurer for the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, Gonzalez has repeatedly attacked the nonprofit for favoring developers over workers. “There are tens of thousands of lowwage tourism workers downtown that don’t have the means to hire well-connected, expensive Washington lobbyists to plead their case,” she said. “Gov. Brown knows that signing this bill would put San Diego back on track with every other city when it comes to local decision-making over development.” The city of San Diego is the only government agency in California to outsource its permitting and planning authority to an

bill,” said Baxamusa, who also works for the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council Family Housing Corporation. “I’m thinking that they have something to hide in terms of the sweet deal that they have with the current system.” Under its former name, Center City Development Corporation, the land-use nonprofit doled out redevelopment funds. After Gov. Brown dismantled redevelopment in 2011, the agency was rebranded as Civic San Diego and tasked with winding down the tax-increment financing program. Civic San Diego officials, the mayor’s office and the downtown business community didn’t want to see the nonprofit get phased out with the end of redevelopment. In an effort to provide additional funding streams for the nonprofit, officials applied for millions in federal New Market Tax Credits to subsidize development projects in low-income neighborhoods. However, compared to redevelopment funding, these federal tax credits had looser requirements, such as for affordable housing. In response, a minority coalition on the Civic San Diego board, community organizers and labor organizations launched an unsuccessful campaign to impose a socalled community-benefits policy on the nonprofit that would’ve outlined specific project requirements. “It’s pretty simple, local hire, quality jobs, public accountability—these are things that ought to be a no-brainer with respect to publicly funded projects, but really we’ve just been stonewalled at every step,” said Dale Bankhead, political and legislative director for the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council. Civic San Diego, the mayor’s office and the business community were unshakably opposed to anything that created binding requirements, arguing again that it would scare off real estate investors. In the end, the nonprofit adopted a community-benefits policy with broad intentions but no specific requirements. “Civic San Diego fully engaged all stakeholders, including labor, and arrived at a community benefits agreement that took diverse interests into account,” said Jeff Gattas, chair of the Civic San Diego Board of Directors. “That labor failed to get complete agreement on all their demands does not constitute a lack of engagement or consideration.” Feeling shut out, labor and community organizers quickly rallied around the idea that Civic San Diego needed reform, creating the political conditions for Gonzalez to move her bill. As a result, not only publicly financed projects, but nearly all downtown development could face increased pressure for labor and wage agreements, especially if the City Council is amenable to the idea. The governor has until mid-October to sign or veto the bill. Depending on his decision, blocking labor’s initial push for a binding community-benefits policy could end up looking like a rare strategic blunder for the downtown business community.

outside agency. Rather than city staff, Civic San Diego, a city-formed nonprofit, approves development projects downtown. Appointed by Mayor Kevin Faulconer, the president of Civic San Diego is a longtime local developer. The nonprofit’s nineperson board of directors, also appointed by the mayor, includes land-use attorneys that work for developers. Fees collected from developers largely sustain the roughly 30-person agency. Some view this experiment as positive, including Pat Stark, chair of the Downtown Community Planning Council. Stark staunchly backs Civic San Diego’s track record of downtown development and opposes the bill. “I’d be really disappointed if it passed,” he said. “I’ve worked with Civic now for 20 years, and I think that they have been an asset to the community.” From others’ point of view, the nonprofit’s structure creates a conflict of interest. Earlier this year, Civic San Diego board director Murtaza Baxamusa filed a lawsuit alleging the nonprofit was acting without proper government oversight. The lawsuit is on hold pending the outcome of the bill. “It’s not very clear to me why they’re Write to joshua@sdcitybeat.com or follow launching an all-in campaign against the him on Twitter at @jemersmith

September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

john r. lamb

Up Front | opinion

Spin

Cycle

John R. Lamb

“They’re raping our city blind!” The secret of my influence has al- and big-ticket projects since 2005. Mullen, in an interview at his ways been that it remained secret. —Salvador Dali studio just days after the website launched, acknowledged that he he old walls of George Mul- first considered publishing anonylen’s Market Street work- mously. “I don’t need to have peospace—dubbed StudioRev- ple shooting at me,” he said with olution—are filled with paintings a smile, “but I realized if you’re (nudes and landscapes, inter- going to say something, you’ve got spersed with his “City of Life” to stand up and put your name berenderings) that might belie the hind it. And so I did.” button-down appearance of their Culled from years of research creator. But it’s Mullen’s latest and observations, the website venture that will surely brand him posits that when San Diego hit among San Diego’s ruling elite as a the “Enron by the Sea” financial radical crazier than Van Gogh. skids a decade ago, these hoteliers Three weeks ago, the invest- “seized upon this golden opportument manager launched the web- nity born of our civic crisis.” site hoteliercabal.com. Described With campaign donations in as “a community-inspired effort hand, Mullen said, these hotel to eradicate the hotelier cabal magnates gained the attention of from San Diego’s civic landscape,” politicians of every stripe and have the website makes the case that a been running the show ever since. handful of powerful hotel opera“They act like hotels are the tors in town have been “proudly drivers of everything in this carpet-bombing” this city’s image town,” Mullen said. “I’ve done

6 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

a lot of traveling, but I’ve never gone anywhere based on a hotel. People come to San Diego because it’s a great place. All they’re trying to do is fill rooms short term.” On his website, the Valhalla High graduate makes the case that these hoteliers have screwed the civic pooch with impunity on a variety of levels. The way Mullen sees it, the residents of San Diego have witnessed a series of civic failures— from the impasse with the Chargers and downtown development, a botched Balboa Park centennial planning effort, legal woes with a convention-center expansion, and even the loss of the 2017 America’s Cup to the Bahamas and The San Diego Union-Tribune to Los Angeles interests—that can be laid at the feet of the all-powerful hoteliers who control the city’s branding, message and political leadership. Cory Briggs, the activist attor-

George Mullen, Hotelier Cabal slayer ney City Hall loves to hate, met Mullen when he was invited to speak before the downtown Rotary recently. “It’s pretty sad,” Briggs told Spin Cycle, “that George had to do the media’s job of putting that information out there for public education. Yes, he’s using some rhetoric that the media might avoid. But factually he has the hoteliers dead to rights. He’s doing a great public service.” The targets of Mullen’s ire are the hotel magnates that dominate Mission Valley, Point Loma and Mission Bay: C. Terry Brown, head of Atlas Hotels; Richard Bartell of Bartell Hotels; and William Evans of Evans Hotels, respectively. All three, Mullen notes, inherited their sizable holdings but act like “they’re the greatest business impresarios ever.” Of the trio, only Evans, chairman of the hotel-dominated Tourism Marketing District board, would comment on Mullen’s theory, calling it “junk” and “total nutter.” “You will note there is no meat to his claims that we are some secret society that controls the city,” Evans said via email. “We have one goal and that is to increase TOT [transient-occupancy tax] for the city. If that is someway harmful to the citizens of San Diego, then I guess we are guilty. TOT is the second largest contributor to the general fund, over $170 million last year, and it is used to fill potholes, pay cops and improve the city in thousands of ways, all at a zero cost to the citizens of San Diego.” Evans added that over the years, “an increasingly small percentage of the TOT was used to promote the city. The TMD has attempted to correct that and uses 100 percent of our funds to promote San Diego.” Asked if he and his hotel brethren share any blame for the city’s recent failures, Evans snarked back, “No, we did not shoot JFK,” before conceding, “We haven’t had 100 percent success rate but at least we are trying to move the flag forward for the benefit of the

city…The city needs more people engaged, not fewer.” Evans suggested that Mullen is simply mad because his proposal for a new city slogan—“City of Life”—“was spurned by us.” In response, Mullen asked, “Who put Bill Evans in charge of our city marketing? Happy Happens? Shit Happens? Well, I guess we all can see that Bill is in charge after all. Our city is sadly reaping what it has sown. The Cabal must be eradicated. They’re raping our city blind!” These types of battles for the soul of San Diego are not new. In the mid-’60s, Brown’s father, Charles Brown—who kicked off the building boom in bucolic Mission Valley with his Town & Country Hotel (now part of Atlas Hotels)—opposed a 4-percent “visitor tax” enacted by the City Council on the grounds it was “immoral legislation, on the assumption that the Marxist theory of socialism is immoral,” San Diego Magazine quoted him as saying. “The overriding thing for me with this website—and I welcome anyone to challenge me—is why in the world would anyone want these old white guys running our affairs?” Mullen said. “What have any of them done for this community, for humanity? They control the Tourism Authority, the message, the money—that’s $30 million a year. “They don’t own the land for a Chargers stadium downtown or Mission Valley, and they don’t own the convention center. But they own the politicians, and it’s pretty extraordinary. Check my spreadsheets. This hotelier cabal is holding our city back in a big way, and what do we get in return? High-school-cheerleading slogans and a mayor who’s a straight-out puppet.” Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Spin Cycle appears every other week. Write to johnl@sdcitybeat. com.

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September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

Up Front | Opinion

Aaryn Belfer

Backwards & in

high heels

Correcting the record

’�� m turning into a one-trick pony in this here pre� cious space, but somebody’s got to do it. And as soon as white people quit being dicks and we solve racism, then I promise, I�� ’�� ll shift gears for� �� ever. On that blessed day, I�� ’�� ll go back to telling hi� larious stories, the first-person kind that make Se� rious Journalists pooh-pooh Internet writing and, if I’m being honest, sometimes make me cringe, too. When all things and people are equal, I’ll once again use this page to tell you myriad tales, like the one about my current personal wipeout in which I Boehner-ed (before John Boehner Boehner-ed, as it happens). Yes, I made like a JetBlue employee, grabbed two beers and yanked the pull-to-inflate cord on the evacuation slide. But sadly for all of us, lighthearted reimaginings of this entitled white lady�� ’�� s fairly serious midlife cri� sis will have to find another venue. For this is not that blessed day; we are nowhere near the Promised Land. We remain mired together in the aftermath of our Original Sin, as Barack Obama called it in his eulogy to the Charleston nine, rest their souls. We remain hypno� tized by carefully concocted nar� ratives as mainstream media fa� cilitates the large-scale dismissal of people of color. I turn your attention to The San Diego Union-Tribune bit, “Lo� cal NAACP march, rally: All lives matter,” a lazily researched, ir� responsibly written, negligently headlined, insubstantial fluff piece that “covered” a local action done in support of the Journey for Jus� tice. And with this preposterously superficial story, those with the largest platform shamelessly shifted the conversa� tion—aaaagain—so white people feel comfortable. Let me guess: You haven�� ’�� t heard about the Jour� ney for Justice. Have you heard about the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure? Yeah. I thought so. I could unpack the many layers of why that is, but aiming for low-hanging fruit: It�� ’�� s because the over� whelmingly white editors and journalists around the country don’t find equal rights for black and brown people as urgent as a cure for breast cancer. This perpetual white lens must be shattered. The Journey for Justice, held this past summer, was a massive march through five Southern states organized by the National Association for the Ad� vancement of Colored People. It’s sort of important to write it all out like that, especially in this context, because while the NAACP is about equality for all people, the words “advancement of colored people” is part of the name. We all know that it’s people of color who are not beneficiaries of equality. Apply� ing the transitive property, this is about equal rights for people of color—something worth noting for those who wish to conflate messages, Union-�� Tribune. Ahem.

This 1,000-mile walk echoed the struggles of the 1960s civil rights movement. Thousands of multigenerational activists—Christians, Jews, Muslims, atheists—took their first steps in Selma, Alabama, and their last six weeks later in Washington, D.C. One 68-year-old flag-carrying veteran named Mid� dle Passage (ghatdambit, that’s deep right there) died on the journey. That’s right: He died. Senators and congress members joined the rally at its close on the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, which was disemboweled nearly two years ago by the Su� preme Court. And, yet, nothing above the fold in any national newspaper. This, the effort to suppress certain voters, and the accompanying blisters sting way more than a toenail lost to a three-day walk for a cause celebrat� ed as every football team adorns itself in pink come October. But it’s not until an athlete wears an “I Can’t Breathe” T-shirt on the field that the media comes out in force to question the appropriateness of such activism. But I digress. The purpose of the Journey was to shine a light on “a national policy agenda that protects the right of every American to a fair criminal justice system, uncor� rupted and unfettered access to the ballot box, sustainable jobs with a living wage and equitable public education,” according to the NAACP national website. “Our Lives, Our Votes, Our Jobs, Our Schools Matter,” was the slogan. And I’m guessing this is where U-T writer Susan Shroder and her editors got a bit confused about messaging, why they phoned it in, and why it’s highly problematic that the majority of journalists and editors are white. (And male, but that’s another column.) In the white gaze, a claim that “our” anything matters is automatically inclusive of us; our kneejerk reaction is to centralize whiteness. Had Ms. Shroder or her editors cared to pay attention to the local march and the issues central to it, they would have noticed there was not a single sign or chant of support for “all lives matter” messaging. Not one. Nowhere. It shouldn’t have been in a headline. The NAACP Journey for Justice and the rally in San Diego were actions taken as part of the new civil rights movement known widely as Black Lives Matter. They are clearly and unapologetically fight� ing for equal rights for people of color. This is not going away, and it’s time for Serious Journalists to dig into what the movement is about, to begin tak� ing some responsibility for their reporting and to stop perpetuating false equivalencies.

“

White editors and journalists around the country don’t find equal rights for black and brown people as urgent as a cure for breast cancer.

“

8 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

Backwards & In High Heels appears every other week. Write to aaryn@sdcitybeat.com.

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Up Front | Food

by michael a. gardiner Michael A. Gardiner

Com chien bo luc lac

the world

fare It’s not the pho

n my first trip to any restaurant with the word “pho” in the name, I order the special mixed phṍ. Makes sense, right? If they call themselves “pho” and they can’t get the pho right then what’s the point? But for every food writer’s rule-of-thumb there exists an exception. Enter Pho Point Loma & Grill Restaurant (2788 Midway Drive). The pho at Pho Point Loma is underwhelming. The broad outlines of pho are there, including “beef” broth flavored with charred onions, roasted ginger and exotic spices, rice noodles and miscellaneous cuts of lean and fatty beef and tripe. But the broth seems long on MSG soup cubes and short on oxtails. While tender, the meat itself skimps on flavor. It’s not a pho to write home about or, as it turns out, upon which to base a review. On the advice of Jack Monaco, executive chef of the late-lamented San Diego culinary landmark, Piret’s, I decided to give Pho Point Loma another chance and try its bo kho. It offers the stew either as pho bo kho with rice noodles or banh mi bo kho with a French baguette perfect for sopping up the stew. Go with the latter. It’s sometimes easy to forget France ruled Vietnam for nearly a century. Easy, that is, until you

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taste the bo kho with its carrots, onions, and deep beefy flavor and mouth feel. The melding of this French influence with Southeast Asian spices, such as lemongrass, ginger, star anise, hints of curry and Chinese 5-spice, brings the dish to heady levels. It’s a cross between pho and classic oxtail Bourguignonne. Thrilled by the bo kho I went looking deeper into the menu. Com chien bo luc lac is Pho Point Loma’s version of shaken beef, served on a sizzling cast iron platter along with a plate of fried rice and vegetables. I found the lightly pickled cabbage a refreshing counterpoint to the rich and pungent flavors of the beef and its marinade, which is made from sugar, garlic, soy and fish sauce. Many of the same flavors feature in Pho Point Loma’s classic BBQ pork banh mi sandwich. Hardly groundbreaking but very tasty, it’s everything you want in a banh mi, including richness, a hit of acid and a good loaf of bread to soak up the flavors. Pho Point Loma also excels with spring roll starters. It has the classic fresh (goi cuon) and fried (cha gio) spring rolls. But it also has an array of tightly rolled and perfectly grilled beef, pork and chicken spring rolls (thit cuon nuong). The pork version is especially good. It is easy to dismiss a place based on a single dish, especially when it’s the restaurant’s supposed specialty. It makes sense. It just might be wrong. Go to Pho Point Loma—just not for the pho. The World Fare appears weekly. Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

Up Front | Food

by jenny montgomery

north

fork Comfort perfected

arely has my enthusiasm for a restaurant started with just a humble cup of tea. I wasn’t planning on having a hot drink, in Escondido no less, on a day when the mercury planted itself firmly in the mid-90s. But there I was, hacking and sniffling with a summer cold after a few days of damp beach camping. The relaxed and professional staff at The Wooden Spoon (805 East Valley Parkway) kindly tucked me into a window seat and made me pine just a bit less for my couch and some NyQuil. I was there for the food, but my achy lungs were immediately cheered by the attention paid to the tea service, a hassle for most restaurant servers to put together. It included a modern and elegant teapot, my own little dish of honey and a brown speckled cup that fit my hands. The care that goes into these small, precious details is usually a clue that a restaurant cares about the guest experience. There’s joy in these details, and they evoke a feeling of being hosted in someone’s home. It’s what you’d hope to feel in a restaurant where the intention is to redefine comfort food. After floating on a dreamy haze of hot tea, I quickly came back to earth by barreling through a dish of pork rinds. There’s no irony or quirk to this dish. It’s a big bowl filled with puffy, deafeningly crunchy pork skin, fried until pale gold and doused in a wonderful amount of salt and tangy malt vinegar. A good 10 to 15 minutes into my meal the cooling pork rinds were still popping like the noisiest bowl of Rice Krispies, salty and chattering and demanding to be eaten.

10 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

Do say “yes please” to the compressed melon salad. What’s not to love about fresh melon made extra juicy and glistening through some sort of magical voodoo where the juice is extracted and then put back into the fruit? And then they add beer doughnuts that are hot, chewy and savory. Drag them through a delicate ricotta cream, hop syrup or the very subtle olive oil powder. Now let’s talk chicken. There were fancier, more advanced sounding entrees on the menu, but the incredibly simple-sounding Mary’s Chicken intrigued me. A braised leg, some steamed rice and grilled corn is a perfect example of how comfort food isn’t about yet another version of mac ’n’ cheese or about how much bacon can be stuffed into another food. This dish was one of the best I’ve had in years anywhere in San Diego County. jenny montgomery Crispy-skinned white parts and a pile of deconstructed dark parts swam together in a rich, chestnut gravy that tasted sublimely of nothing more than chicken fond. Sweet, charred corn added color and crunch, and everything soaked into a simple base of perfectly steamed white rice. Topped with a quivering, barely cooked egg, the simMary’s Chicken plicity and richness of this meal was divine. Thankfully there was a low din of chatter and sizzle masking my groans of delight. Tradition lured me at dessert time. Three piping-hot chocolate chip cookies were baked to order and delivered with a personal bottle of cold, organic milk. Keep your fancy tortes and elaborate confections. There is no better dessert than milk and cookies. Countless restaurants declare their reinvention of, or twists on, comfort food. The Wooden Spoon does more than redefine and reinvent the idea of comfort food. It delivers on what that food is to all of us: memory, quality, intention and love. North Fork appears every other week. Write to jennym@sdcitybeat.com

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Up Front | Drink

the

by andrew dyer

beerdist Wet hop wanderer

not a wet-hop beer, it is a limited release, so stop slew of seasonal beers appear when the in soon to get it. calendar shifts from summer to fall. DomMy thirst for freshness next took me to Mike inant are Oktoberfest Märzens and an Hess Brewing in North Park (3812 Grim Ave.). ever-expanding glut of pumpkin-flavored monHess boasts one of San Diego’s standout tasting strosities. I’m sure these malty flavors accomrooms, with plenty of elbow room, a long list of pany crisp autumn evenings well, but they’re not board games and a pair of dartboards. On tap what makes my mouth water when the winds was the wet-hopped 40 Acre IPA. Brewing with shift and the temperature drops. To me, fall is whole fresh hops is not without risk, and this thin, all about the annual hop harvest and fresh, wetandrew dyer bitter offering was a little hopped beer. short on flavor. Citrus North American hops notes were there, if a bit are harvested in the final subdued. It’s a drinkable, weeks of summer. Most quality beer but not the are dried and turned homerun I was swinging into pellets, prolongfor. Luckily, I knew exing their shelf life and actly where to turn. keeping us drowning in Port Brewing’s agIPA year-round. A select gressive, hop-forward few, however, are rushed IPA varieties exemplify from vine to brewery. the West Coast style, and These hops are only usevery fall it brews what able for a day or two, so might be the best wetyou can be confident hop IPAs in town. Pizza the wet-hop (sometimes Port Ocean Beach (1956 called fresh hop) beer in Bacon St.) was pouring your hand was brewed a wet-hopped version of with hops from the latest the always outstanding harvest. Burning of Rome IPA. The first leg of my The first sip presented hop hunt was in Ramona a green and grassy flaat ChuckAlek Indepenvor bursting with hoppy dent Brewers (2330 Pizza Port wet hop Burning of Rome dankness. A lingering Main St.). It had just piney bitterness demandtapped two wet-hopped ed another swallow, and the easy drinkability led beers, a 6.5-percent ABV rye pale ale and a 5.2too quickly to an empty glass. percent ABV amber. The rye pale poured a light For the next few weeks, leave Oktoberfest to straw color, with rye taking center stage on the the Germans and the pumpkin spice to Starbucks. palate. It was a little flat, but given my previous Those bottles will be collecting dust on shelves for experience with ChuckAlek beer, I think this weeks to come. Instead, visit a local brewery and try was an aberration. The amber was hoppy yet something unique and seasonal. Harvest happens balanced and the better of the two. The showonce a year, and the clock is already ticking. stopper here, though, was a coffee double bock, brewed with coffee from local roaster Moestra. The Beerdist appears every other week. This distinct lager was drenched in roasted-cofWrite to andrewd@sdcitybeat.com fee flavor and set me completely off-task. While

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September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

Up Front | technology

all things

tech

by tom siebert

No such thing as off-the-grid

hese are tough times for the tech columnist As much as I wanted to get away, once conwhen he’s holed up in Hawaii and trying to fronted by the reality of technological withdrawdo the exact opposite: detach from Matrix, al, it immediately reboots any over-idealized go a bit native, slow down, let go of the wire and luddite perspective, demanding to at least make wireless to embrace a slower pace, a simpler and some kind of compromise on your own terms: easier lifestyle, absent the hustle and bustle and You could use folded paper maps to find your way tweets and IMs and DMs and snaps and chats around the island’s back roads, but why would and all the things that gradually, then suddenly, you when there is Google Maps? took over our lives. Thus it’s that patient, inextricably logical pull I spent September half-off-the-grid on the Big of technological advancement, of course, that Island of Hawaii, wanting very much to get away makes the paper maps grow dust and mold in the from an increasingly oppressive sense of not only car trunk until you reach any part of the world having to be always on, but also not knowing how where the cell towers’ reach run out. google many entities are always on me. Both Google and my Android device track everywhere I go, as well as a couple of downloaded apps. I am a target. I don’t like it. Of course, the only time I’m actually off the grid is three miles deep in the rainforest at the place I’m housesitting. One mile from there— zing!—Facebook at the fingertips, as well as the dual-edged sword of notsecret-at-all surveillance. This weird “thanksGoogle knows where you are cares about your safety. yet-you’re-creeping-meThere’s also the forgotten (or perhaps ignored) out” dichotomy struck like a rogue wave on Sept. truth that these devices upset the natural rhythm 16 when I was working at the Hilo library—best of life through constant interruption. When I’m free wireless around—and my phone started blinkin San Diego, the first thing I habitually do when ing a white dot in the screen’s center with a series of rippling concentric circles expanding outward. I wake up is check my phone—what are the baseWhat the hell was this? Trusty constant comball scores? What’s the latest in social media? Did anybody call/text/IM? panion Google was sending me a “Tsunami warnIt’s this state of constant distraction—the aling!” following the magnitude-8.2 earthquake in ways-on mentality, rarely a chance to slow down, Chile. It would hit Hawaii in roughly 12 hours, focus and think—that troubles me. I never beand of course Google (and many of its friends lieved anything like the dystopian future presentand competitors) knows exactly where I am at all ed in Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron, where times. people are kept distracted by loud noises and othSo…thanks? I’m glad there’s some benevolent er interruptions that are wirelessly transmitted to corporate entity always peering over my shoultheir brain every 30 seconds or so to keep them der and looking out for my continuing existence constantly off-balance and unable to concentrate. so I remain an alive and functioning consumer But once you filter it through the far more prefodder unit in our current technology-centric scient prism of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, cultural paradigm? where people choose to be drugged, distracted I guess so. Because my initial reaction, even and otherwise luxuriously entertained by the latbefore “uh-oh, tsunami,” or “I don’t like being est technological toys, while a closely intertwined spied on,” was “Cool!” I experienced something leadership of corporate and government interests I could have seen in a sci-fi TV show when I was does whatever it wants, strikes far closer to home. a kid: Hero gets distress alert via advanced comBecause this has always been the definition munication technology—there’s been an earthof the best kind of servant, the best kind of slave: quake off the coast of South America and a tidal wave is surging toward home! One who doesn’t know s/he’s a slave, one who There’s the sense we’re all living in our own welcomes oppression, sees it in fact as a kind of science-fiction-becomes-fact adventure story salvation, a protection, a buffer against the fears of the unknown world. that’s inextricably intertwined with the alwaysThen again, who doesn’t like being saved from on culture, for better and worse, even as we increasingly take all of it for granted. a tsunami by their heroic piece of technology?

12 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

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EVENTS

SHORTlist

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

BALBOA PARK

so, that I have a love for any type of embroidery regardless of its gaudiness,” says Mexican-born, Fresno-based artist Blanca Amezcua, who will be Fabric and fiber arts often get a bad rap showcasing some of her delightfully crass servilfor being too fringe. Too stuffy. Too, letas, or napkins at the exhibition. well, boring. She says they were inspired by depictions of That’s not the case with Women’s Work: women in Mexican comic books. “Where I’m COURTESY OF THE ARTIST from, the servilletas are usually Masculinity and Gender in Contemporary Fiber Art, a embroidered and crocheted by bold and provocative new exwomen. I began to sense power hibition opening Friday, Oct. in them. The closer I came to 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. and runs understand what they could through Nov. 15 at the San Direpresent, the more I wanted ego Art Institute (1439 El Prato push the envelope and have do). The exhibition takes its them speak a different lanname from the ideas presented guage, without losing their fein the 1984 book by art histomale technical integrity.” rian Rozsika Parker, The SubThe title, Women’s Work, versive Stitch: Embroidery and is decidedly tongue-in-cheek, the Making of the Feminine, and features work from more which examined women’s than a dozen local and internarelationship to the medium. tional male and female artists. Not many people are aware of Highlights include Kris Grey’s the fact that fiber arts played “Gender/Power,” an embroia huge role in the Industrial dered work that conveys his “Inked Chicas” by Blanca Amezcua transition from female to male, Revolution, the women’s Suffrage Movement and the Feminism movement of and Denmark-based Rose Eken’s images of rock ‘n’ the ’70s. Moreover, third-wave feminism and the roll culture. Riot grrrl punk-rock movement all have connec“Artistic techniques and styles are not as gentions to modern fiber arts and what came to be der specific as they used to be,” says Amezcua. called “craftivism.” “These types of shows can continue to teach us “I love embroidery as a technique, so much this.” sandiego-art.org

1 HANGING BY A THREAD

BALBOA PARK

2 MAKER’S MARK

Like an elite show-and-tell, Southern California’s first full-scale Maker Faire aims to bring out the science geek in everyone. This family-friendly event gives engineers, hobbyists, artists and inventors of all kinds an avenue to showcase their works in an environment that encourages innovation and exploration. Some of this year’s participants include a fire-breathing robot made almost entirely from recycled material and an electronic, self-playing piano with an LED screen that correlates moving patterns and colors to the music. Patrons can also play with a giant bubble wand, make their own homemade slime or just peruse the fair’s many other hands-on exhibits and creations. It all goes down Saturday, Oct. 3 and Sunday, Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 10 Balboa Park museums, as well as the Plaza de Panama. Tickets are $12.50 to $30. sdmakerfaire.org

OAK PARK

3 BRASS AND STRINGS

Listening to some live jazz with a drink in hand already sounds like a satisfying start to the weekend. Add some puppets and have it all go down on a farm and, well, that’s unique. Puppets and Jazz on Friday, Oct. 2, features puppeteer duo Animal Cracker Conspiracy debuting their handmade outdoor stage for an adult puppet cabaret show, which unfolds to the saxophonefilled sounds of musicians like Trio Gadjo and DJ Tah Rei. From 7 to 10 p.m., patrons can build puppets using supplied materials, sip a cocktail or take a seat on a hay bale while the performances play out. Pam Severn, Nick Slavicek and Strings & Things are a few of the experienced puppeteers performing. What’s more, all of this plays out on ACC’s beautiful 2.3-acre Hearth Farm (2323 Euclid Ave.). Tickets are $15 at the door and cash is encouraged. adultpuppetcabaret.com IAIN GUNN

San Diego Maker Faire

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Adult Puppet Cabaret Stage

September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

14 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

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September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

EVENTS ART HMacro Views, Micro Wonders at Mesa College Art Gallery, 7250 Mesa College Drive, Clairemont. Last chance to see new works from Cathy Breslaw, who creates fantasy landscapes out of industrial mesh, paint, plaster and vinyl fabric. The artist will also be giving a talk at 11 a.m. From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sep. 30. Free. 619-388-2829, sdmesa.edu/art-gallery Gadgets & Gizmos at Hess Brewing North Park, 3812 Grim Ave., North Park. A techie group art show featuring mobile phone cases, iPad covers, iPod covers and much more designed by more than 30 local artists. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Sep. 30. Free. artbykami.com 35th International Exhibition at The San Diego Watercolor Society, 2825 Dewey Road, #105, Point Loma. The San Diego Watercolor Society presents its annual exhibition featuring the very best of water-based media art by award-winning artists from around the world. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. Free. 619-876-4550, sdws.org Open Studios San Diego at The Studio Door, 3750 30th St., North Park. This reception showcases the work of artists who are sharing their studios with the public as part of the Open Studios San Diego event. Participating artists include Ally Benbrook, Dennis Dizon, Nancy Plank and more. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. Free. openstudiossandiego.com Resurrections at Low Gallery, 1878 Main St., Barrio Logan. Part one of a multi-part show featuring new works from Jovon Miller. The first part is entitled “What to do When Expecting God’s: The Arrival of Original Thought.” Open-

H = CityBeat picks

ing from 8 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. Free. 619-348-5517, lowgallerysd.com HDavid Wing: A San Diego Retrospective at Sparks Gallery, 530 6th Ave., Gaslamp. A collection of vintage photographs, mostly shot in the ‘70s and ‘80s, that showcase San Diego’s everchanging cityscape. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. Free. 619-696-1416, sparksgallery.com HWomen’s Work: Masculinity and Gender in Contemporary Fiber Art at San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. An international exhibition that calls for a reexamination of traditional gender stereotypes via works from fiber artists like Blanka Amezkua, Kris Grey, Jacob Rhodes and over a dozen more. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. Free. sandiego-art.org ‘Til Death Do Us Part at TPG2, 1475 University Ave., Hillcrest. New works from Kristen Palumbo, who specializes in stencil and spray paint art that reminds viewers that death is all around us. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Free. 619-203-6030, thumbprintgallerysd.com HPan de Todos los Dias at Disclosed unLocation, 1925 30th Ave., San Diego, South Park. In the last Disclosed unLocation exhibition, metal artist Becky Guttin will display art pieces that deal with the subject of corn. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Free. 619-933-5480, unlocation.com HSelf/Reflection: 10th Annual Juried Youth Exhibition at Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park. A juried selection of artwork that showcases the creativity of San Diego’s youth while offering visitors the unique opportunity to view the world from their perspective. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. $6-$8. 619-238-8777, mopa.org

16 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

BOOKS HBanned Books Week Read-aloud Read-a-thon at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd, East Village. Librarians, volunteers and literary enthusiasts gather and read aloud to celebrate Banned Books Week, with guests from the San Diego Costume Guild who will dress as characters from various banned books. From 12 to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. Free. 619-236-5800, sandiegolibrary.org HSan Diego Zine Fest at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights. An annual event where you can peruse handmade printed collections of art, poetry, fiction, cultural critiques and even buy a few. There will also be live screen printing and DJs throughout the day. From noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Free. sdzinefest.tumblr.com Susan Carol McCarthy at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The award-winning author will talk about her new novel, A Place We Knew Well, about a husband and wife dealing with the stresses of the Cuban Missile Crisis. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. Free. 858454-0347, warwicks.com Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The basketball legend will sign and discuss his adult fiction debut, Mycroft Holmes, an action yarn that fills in the backstory of Sherlock Holmes’ older and smarter brother. At 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Free. 858-2684747, mystgalaxy.com Jim Butcher at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The fantasy author will be promoting the latest in his The Cinder Spires series, The Aeronaut’s Windlass. At 6 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 5. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Kate Defrise at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The author will sign and discuss her debut novel, Christmas Chocolat, a family-driven story also includes five original Belgian recipes. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5. Free. 858454-0347, warwicks.com HSophia Amoruso at Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St, La Jolla. The bestselling author and founder of the fashion retailer Nasty Gal will discuss and sign her snarky memoir, #GIRLBOSS. At 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5. $17.28. 858-4540347, warwicks.com Karin Slaughter at Fallbrook Library, 124 S. Mission Rd., Fallbrook. The novelist will sign and discuss her latest thriller, Pretty Girls, about two estranged sisters who must reconcile in order to solve a mysterious tragedy. At 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Jojo Moyes at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The bestselling novelist will be promoting her new book, After You, the sequel to her highly successful Me Before You. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7. Free. 858-4540347, warwicks.com

HTrolley Dances at San Diego County Administration Building, 1600 Pacific Highway, Downtown. This 17th annual site-specific dance project features dancers performing six debut pieces and will venture to Balboa Park for the first time to celebrate its centennial. At various times from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4. $15-$35. sandiegodancetheater.org

FOOD & DRINK The Science of Cheese at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park. Venissimo Cheese offers a variety of cheeses for tasting while fermentation expert and microbiologist, Dr. Rachel Dutton, explains the science behind the spread. Includes cheese tasting and two glasses of wine. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sep. 30. $50. 619-238-1233, rhfleet.org/events/ say-cheese

DANCE

HJoyride: Sip + Cycle Brewery Tour at Bash! Event Boutique, 3821 32nd St., North Park. A casually guided brewery tour benefitting the Surfrider Foundation with stops at Thorn Street Brewery, Mike Hess Brewing Co., and Belching Beaver Brewery. From 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. $25-$30. 619363-1336, facebook.com/Bash-EventCo-6875776079882

Free Night of Dance Theater at Casa del Prado Theatre, 1650 El Prado, This nationwide event is hosted by San Diego Civic Dance Association and will showcase various dance styles such as tap, jazz, hip hop and lyrical, along with imaginative costumes and sets. From 8 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. Free. 6192398355, sdcdafnot2015.eventbrite.com/

HDine Out For the Cure at San Diego Restaurants, San Diego County, Downtown. Dozens of San Diego restaurants will give a percentage of the day’s proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. See website for full list of participating restaurants. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7. Prices vary. 619233-5008, komensandiego.org/dineout/

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EVENTS Youth Symphony’s Community Opus Project, an after-school instrumental orchestra and band program, presents a series of special performances in conjunction with the exhibition, The Art of Music. From 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. Free-$12. 619-232-7931, sdmart.org HSan Diego Music Awards at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay, Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. The best musical acts will be honored at the 25th annual awards show which includes live performances from Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Big Mountain, Louis XIV and more. Proceeds go to the San Diego Music Foundation. From 7 to 10 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5. $35. 619-220-8497, sandiegomusicawards.com HSomalia Quartet at Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, Downtown. Creative Catalyst Grantee Yale Strom and the Hausman Quartet present a new classical piece exploring the authentic folk music of the Somalian community. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6. Free. 619-544-1000, sdrep.org

“Persona Shift” by Angel Magaña will be on view in Self/Reflection: 10th Annual Juried Youth Exhibition, a group exhibition opening from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Museum of Photographic Arts (1649 El Prado) in Balboa Park.

MUSIC An Evening of Jazz with Michelle Coltrane at Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, 404 Euclid Ave., Lincoln Park. The daughter of legendary jazz musician John Coltrane will perform alongside acclaimed guitarist Shea Walsh, with an opening set by Besos de Coco. Cocktails and tapas will be available. From 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. $35-$250. 619-5276161, jacobscenter.org School Of Rock: Power Trios at The Irenic, 3090 Polk Ave., North Park. Music students will perform songs by bands like The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream and Moorhead. Alcohol is available for those of age. Benefits the local School of Rock’s music programs. At 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. $10. locations.schoolofrock.com/sandiego HSongs: Old and New at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights. Part of the San Diego New Music concert series, this performance explores the concept of song and spoken word from the Renaissance to the present day. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. $10-$25. ljathenaeum.org/new-music San Diego Youth Symphony at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. Members of the San Diego

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HArt of Élan: Crossing the Divide at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. Art of Élan’s ninth season at the Museum begins with a provocative program of works by female composers, including Israeli composer Shulamit Ran, Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina, and more. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6. $40-$50. 619-232-7931, sdmart.org

PERFORMANCE HPuppets and Jazz at Hearth Farm, 2323 Euclid Ave., Oak Park. This new event features puppeteer duo Animal Cracker Conspiracy debuting their handmade outdoor stage for an adult puppet cabaret show. Includes cocktails and music from Trio Gadjo and DJ Tah Rei. From 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. $15. 619-8871451, adultpuppetcabaret.com Megan Hilty Under the Stars at Moonlight Amphitheatre, 1200 Vale Terrace Dr., Vista. A night of cabaret-style performances from the singer best known her Broadway performance as Glinda in Wicked and Ivy Lynn on the musical-drama TV series, Smash. At 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. $35-$75. moonlightfoundation.com

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD HNon-Standard Lit Reading Series at Gym Standard, 2903 El Cajon Blvd. #2, North Park. Non-Standard Lit kicks off Fall with Marco Antonio Huerta, author of Hay un Jardin and Román Luján, author of Drâstel. From 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. Free. 619-501-4996, facebook.com/ nonstandardlit

SPECIAL EVENTS HSan Diego Film Festival at various locations. The 14th annual event features award-winning independent films, filmmakers, actors, panels and parties. The fest runs Wednesday, Sept. 30 through Sunday, Oct. 4. Films, showtimes and party, panel and pass info can be found at the website. $14-$500. sdff.org HTower After Hours: Turkey at San Diego Museum of Man, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park. Celebrate the cultural heritage of Turkey with Turkish-style tapas, performances of music and belly dancing, and other after-hours festivities. From 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. $15-$30. 619239-2001, museumofman.org/turkey HArchtoberfest at various locations. It’s San Diego Architecture and Design Month and throughout October there will be a wide-range of public-accessible events and activities focusing on architecture, design, planning and sustainability. See website for full details and listings. Prices and times vary. Begins Thursday, Oct. 1. archtoberfest.com HOrchids & Onions Awards Ceremony at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. The San Diego Architectural Foundation presents this year’s crop of design awards acknowledging the best and the “could be better” of San Diego’s built environment. From 6 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. $80-$145.. 619-232-7931, orchidsandonions.org HLa Mesa Oktoberfest in La Mesa. The two-day 42nd annual fest will feature over 250 vendors, lots of children’s activities, entertainment and, of course, German brats and cold beer. Takes place in Downtown La Mesa on La Mesa Blvd. between Acacia and 4th Ave. From 12 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3. Free. lmvma.com/SeasonalEvents/Oktoberfest.aspx Prom Night! Discover the Glow Fundraiser at Marina Village Conference Center, 1936 Quivira Way, Mission Beach. This philanthropic event will mimic a high school prom with the addition of an open bar and silent auctions. Benefits Discover the Glow, an organization providing support to women who have experienced prenatal and postpartum complications. From 7 to 11:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. $78. 619-222-1620, discovertheglow.org HSan Diego Underground Film Festival at UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas, 7510 Hazard Center Dr., Mission Valley. A unique showcase of experimental video, film and audio based mediums with screenings of dozens of films including Michael Trigilio’s Growing Up Death Star, Vashti Harrison’s Field Notes, and more. At 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. $5. 619-6852841, sdundergroundfilm.com

HField Trip: Campo to Tecate at MCASD - Downtown, 1001 Kettner Blvd., Downtown. Learn more about Suzanne Hellmuth and Jock Reynolds’ rumination of the region’s “Impossible Railroad” with a day trip on the Golden State locomotive and visits to Campo and Tecate for a studio visit with artist Alvaro Blancarte. At 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. $115-$135. 858-454-3541, mcasd.org HInside Scoop Tour: Innovative Cultural Spaces of Tijuana in Tijuana. This tour offers a closer look at the distinct, innovative cultural and educational spaces in Tijuana. Route includes stops at Escuela Libre de Arquitectura, Centro Ventures, Pasaje Revolucion and more. Patrons will be sent detailed instructions upon registration. From 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. $40-$60. fiftijuana.com/en Vista Fiber Arts Fiesta at Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, 2030 N. Santa Fe Ave., Vista. Fiber artists offer handmade creations like hand-dyed yarns, tools and ethnic textiles at this fifth annual event, which will also feature the annual guest appearance of baby llamas. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4. Free. 760-941-1791, vistafiberartsfiesta.com HMaker Faire at Balboa Park, Balboa Park. This family-friendly event features engineers, hobbyists, artists and inventors showcasing their works. This year’s participants include a fire-breathing robot, a self-playing piano with an LED screen and more. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 and Sunday, Oct. 4. Saturday, Oct. 3. $12.50-$30. sdmakerfaire.org Pacific Beachfest at Grand Ave. and Mission Blvd., Pacific Beach. This familyfriendly festival includes volleyball tournaments, live music across three stages, arts and craft vendors, a beer garden, a fish taco competition and more. Takes place on the beach off Grand. From 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Free. 858-273-3303, pacificbeachfest.org HSouth Park Fall Walkabout at South Park, 30th & Juniper, South Park. A seasonal, fun-filled evening festival to introduce you to South Park’s unique and independent boutiques, cafes and taverns. See website for list of events and specials. From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Free. southparkscene.com/ walkabout.html Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals at Qualcomm Stadium, 9449 Friars Road, Mission Valley. San Diego’s most skilled and talented dachshunds will compete in races, runway costume contests and other creative competitions at this 19th annual event. From 8 a.m. to noon. Saturday, Oct. 3. $10. HolidayBowl.com HBalboa Park: Hidden in Plain Sight at Balboa Park. As part of the annual Arch-

toberfest, this tour takes an inside look at some of the under-the-radar architectural designs around Balboa Park. Tour begins at the west side of Cabrillo Bridge in Sefton Plaza. At 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. $15. sohosandiego.org Same Love, Same Rights LGBT Wedding Expo at The Declan Suites San Diego, 701 A St., downtown. The third annual expo features dozens of gay-friendly exhibitors and vendors including photographers, DJs, officiants, wedding planners, venues, jewelers and more. From 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. Free. 619-696-9800, samelovesamerights.com 52 Weeks of Science Kick Off Party at Logan Heights Branch Library, 567 S 28th St., Logan Heights. A community kick-off party that highlights the importance of bringing informal STEM education and awareness. Includes free food, music, hands-on activities and interactive science demonstrations. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6. Free. rhfleet.org/

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS An Outside Perspective: Imagining the Impossible Railroad at MCASD Downtown, 1001 Kettner Blvd., Downtown. Three local experts will discuss the history of the rail industry in San Diego and its relationship to the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. At 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. Free-$10. 858-454-3541, mcasd.org HLooking at and Talking About Art at San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. A workshop and dialogue between artists, audiences, and arts administrators exploring the function and limits of aesthetic discourse. Presenters include Jennifer de Carlo, Larry Baza, Patricia Frischer, and more. From 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5. Free-$5. sandiego-art.org Baja’s Wild Side: A Photographic Journey Through Northern Baja California’s Imperiled Pacific Coast Region at Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park. Scripps shark expert Dr. Daniel Cartamil explores the ecology and behaviors of these fascinating animals and discusses the issues relevant to the sustainability of our local shark populations. At 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5. $8-$17.95 619-238-1233, rhfleet.org/events/senior-mondays HNotes on Pop, 1910-1990: A Short History of a Long Cultural Phenomenon at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. Presented by Derrick Cartwright, this lecture series will present Pop-art as something more than just an American art movement of the 1960s. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7. $14$70. 858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org

September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

THEATER CAROL ROSEGG

Footloose In Your Arms celebrates amour

hough not all of its choreographed, wordless love stories have a happy ending, the Old Globe’s world-premiere In Your Arms is a joyous experience for the theatergoer and a triumph of artistic collaboration. Major playwrights, such as Christopher Durang, Terrence McNally and David Henry Hwang, wrote the show’s 10 vignettes. Tony winner Christopher Gattelli is responsible for the direction and for the athletic, frequently sublime choreography. The original music is by Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime), with lyrics by his collaborator Lynn Ahrens. The overarching theme of the vignettes, most of which tell stories completely in dance (performed by an impressive ensemble), is romance. While we get the cutesy (Alfred Uhry’s “Love with the Top Down”) and the overly sentimental (Marsha Norman’s “Life Long Love”), we also get Nilo Cruz’s sensual “The Lover’s Jacket,” Lynn Nottage’s heart-stopping “A Wedding Dance,” Carrie Fisher’s hilarious “Lowdown Messy Shame” and, best of all, Hwang’s hip, cinematic “White Snake.” The fabled George Chakiris even appears in the show-closing “Sand Dancing,” written by Ahrens. There’s something for every taste and every lover.

scenic design in Mo’olelo’s limited theater space, it’s a big-time downer. Cell runs through Oct. 18 at 10th Avenue Theatre, downtown. $35. moolelo.net

—David L. Coddon

Theater reviews run weekly. Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING: My Mañana Comes: The bond between four busboys at a swanky New York restaurant is tested after a shocking incident. Presented by San Diego Repertory Theatre, it opens Oct. 1 at the Lyceum Theatre in the Gaslamp. sdrep.org

Erica Wong and Alex Michael Stoll in “White Snake” from In Your Arms In Your Arms runs through Oct. 25 at the Old Globe Theatre. $36 and up. theoldglobe.org * * * Cassandra Medley’s Cell kicks off Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company’s new season, the first under new artistic director Lydia Fort. This intense worldpremiere play starring Sylvia M’Lafi Thompson, Monique Gaffney, Vimel Sephus and Andrea Agosto is engrossing but overstuffed. It’s a family drama (two sisters and a daughter haunted by the past

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and by circumstances). It’s a hard-hitting commentary (Cell is set in an immigration detention center, where desperation and exploitation collide). It’s a crime story (a detention center higher-up is sexually assaulting detainees, and there’s a cover-up). There’s even a romantic subplot involving Sephus and Agosto. Cell is a despairing play, with characters seen and unseen crying out for hope in an unjust, uncompromising world. While beautifully acted and enhanced by inventive rotation of David F. Weiner’s

The Weir: Set in a pub in Ireland, Conor McPherson’s acclaimed play centers on the arrival of a woman to the typically male-heavy bar and the spooky stories the patrons try to tell her. It opens in previews Oct. 2 at the New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad. newvillagearts.org The Phantom of the Opera: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical about a masked, disfigured and caped stalker is more lavish than ever thanks to new staging and choreography from Cameron Mackintosh. Presented by Broadway San Diego, it opens Oct. 7 at the Civic Theatre in the Gaslamp. broadwaysd.com

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

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OFFICIAL PROGRAM

2015 SAN DIEGO MUSIC AWARDS

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PRODUCERS’S LETTER

On behalf of the San Diego Music Foundation, I’d like to welcome you back to Humphreys by the Bay for the 25th annual San Diego Music Awards. The San Diego Music Awards (SDMA) was created not only to recognize San Diego musicians, but also to give back to the community. Since 1991, proceeds from SDMA have been used to donate guitars to elementary schools in and around San Diego County. And to date, more than 55,000 students have been a part of our Guitars for Schools program. And we are proud to continue our longtime partnership with El Cajon’s Taylor Guitars, as well as our most recent partnership—with Deering Banjos, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The overall mission of the San Diego Music Foundation continues to be a focus on musician assistance, music education, professional development and live performances. The primary goals are to advance artistic growth, understanding, appreciation, enjoyment and interest in music and its ability to enhance and enrich the city and county of San Diego. One of the primary annual events the SDMF produces is the upcoming eighth annual San Diego Music Thing (SDMT), to be held November 12-14. This year, SDMT is moving back to its original home, the Lafayette Hotel & Swim Club in North Park, and will feature a series of workshops and educational panels for musicians, followed by a music festival of up-and-coming artists that hail from across the United States. The event will include speakers and panelists, who are coming to San Diego specifically for SDMT, which has become a signature event for San Diego musicians and music fans alike, and will continue to grow in the foreseeable future. As many of you are aware, at the conclusion of this years show, I’ll be retiring from active participation on the SDMF board. It’s been a wild and crazy 25 year ride, but as I embark upon my final SDMAs, I need to say thank O F F I C I A L

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you to everyone who has helped in any way, from our many interns over the years, to our Executive Director Marjy Taylor, to our board members, and to those who donated time, money or both to help our cause. A special thanks goes to Brian Cook, who got me started in this business 34 years ago, helping him to produce the old Entertainer Music Awards at the La Paloma Theater in Encinitas; to Gerrit Greve, the man who created our bronze award and who also donated his paintings for our first three awards posters; and to Al Guerra, who helped me to get SDMF off the ground and make it a real charitable organization. To our host venue, Humphreys by the Bay, I once again say thank you so very much for making everyone associated with this event feel very much at home. And finally, I’d also like to thank the 2015 SDMA presenting sponsors: Blue Moon Brewing Company and San Diego CityBeat. Thanks also go out to the Museum of Making Music, Bandzoogle, Skyy Vodka, Elite Staff Services, BMI, Taylor Guitars, MyPrinters. com, Deering Banjos, Vavi, SIR and Sound Image. And to our media partners: SoundDiego, Yelp, The Troubadour, Discover SD, Fox 5, 91X, KPRI, FM 94/9, Jazz 88, Rock 105.3 and 101 KGB. On behalf of our board of directors, volunteer staff and music fans from all over San Diego County, congratulations to each one of the 2015 nominees—your music continues to help make this city come alive. And a big thanks to everyone who continues to listen to, support and purchase music created by San Diegans. Enjoy the show!

Kevin Hellman, Producer, San Diego Music Awards

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BENEFICIARY: MUSIC IN SCHOOLS

Ever since the San Diego Music Foundation was chartered more than 25 years ago, the lives of, at last count, some 55,000 K-12 grade students throughout San Diego County have been changed forever by the gift of music. This, in an era in which public school budgets have been slashed by lawmakers in Sacramento—to the extent in some cases where the music classes once considered part of a balanced curriculum have been eliminated. “Without this program,” says Travis Sevilla, a music teacher at High Tech High North County, “our school would have no music whatsoever.” The mission of the foundation has moved forward with the support of two of San Diego’s premier instrument manufacturers. One of them is Deering Banjos. “The Deering family are native San Diegans and started into the business of building banjos here in 1975,” says Patricia Deering. “To be able to give support to the San Diego Music Foundation and so help music programs in our local schools continues to mean everything to us.” The other foundation sponsor is El Cajon’s Taylor Guitars. Over the years, critics have questioned the choice of banjos and guitars as classroom aids, but teachers like Anne Fennell from Mission Vista High School have found that the guitars gifted to MVHS music programs have opened an entirely new musical world to O F F I C I A L

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more than 300 of her students in the past years. “Students who have always wanted to study music, but who were not in the traditional music tracks through middle school, have now connected to music and love it at the high school level,” she says. “They are now musicians.” But the mission of the San Diego Music Foundation extends beyond the elementary and middle-school classrooms of San Diego at large, to include classrooms (of a kind) for professional musicians, too. Consider the broader music industry education offered to all San Diego musicians through foundation-sponsored educational forums such as the San Diego Music Thing. Now in its eighth year, the San Diego Music Thing is a twoday music and media conference. The event includes 150 local, regional and national bands performing at venues all around San Diego. There’s also a trade show, roundtable sessions and lots more music-related activities, and all proceeds go to the foundation and it’s experiential music programs that benefit 75 schools around the county. The longest-running event that helps build funds for the foundation, however, is the San Diego Music Awards, which, for 25 years have honored the achievements of San Diego’s professional music community in a professionally staged awards ceremony. -Dave Good

2015 SAN DIEGO MUSIC AWARDS

LIFETIME AWARD: PETER SPRAGUE

Surfing and guitar both arrived at the same time in Peter Sprague’s life—at the age of 12. Born in Ohio in 1955, by 1961 the Sprague family had settled in Del Mar, not far from some of the best surfing in the world. So there was that, and a household filled with music. Sprague’s parents were both musicians with huge appetites for jazz. Sprague got so deep into surfing that he began to shape his own boards, and by all accounts, he got good enough at crafting surfboards to have gone pro. At the same time, he was also getting good at playing the guitar, on an acoustic model from Mexico, a cheaply made instrument with high action that required Sprague to work at it. He did, and in time, surfing didn’t go away but the music took over. Sprague’s parents eventually gifted him with an electric guitar, a Fender Jaguar which lent itself perfectly to the pop music of the day: instrumental surf rock. Today, Sprague is best known as a jazz guitarist. His credits are extraordinary and include three years of recording and touring with jazz pianist David Benoit, and stints with Chick Corea and Hubert Laws and Dianne Reeves, among others. No stranger to Jazz at Lincoln Center, Sprague studied with jazz guitar great Pat Metheny. He has appeared on at least 200 recordings and engineered or produced 100 more. When he got serious about music back in his teens, he slipped out of San Dieguito High School and spent a year in Michigan at the Interlochen Arts Academy. Sprague’s trademark crown of wiry hair began making the rounds in San Diego clubs in the Minor Jazz Quartet, a band he launched with his brother, saxist Tripp Sprague. “College” was a rental house a few blocks away from the Sprague family residence, known as

2015 SAN DIEGO MUSIC AWARDS

the Band House. For the next couple of years, Sprague lived there and worked on his craft with a random cast of other musicians. In 1978, he and Tripp formed the Dance of the Universe Orchestra, and that’s where he became a household word to a generation of hometown jazz fans. A four-record deal with the label Xanadu ended the Orchestra, and after, Sprague was off to greener pastures. “I lived in New York for a while, and I lived in Los Angeles for about a year too,” he says, and believes both cities were great for his career. “But on the human being vibe, they’re not anywhere near San Diego.” He lives by choice in Leucadia with his wife and their daughter, just a short distance from the waves that continue to call him. He surf almost daily, he says. He also owns and operates Spragueland, a home recording studio. Sprague thinks the pace and the natural beauty of San Diego played a part in shaping his music, but there was something else here, too—the hometown club scene. “When we first started, we had these long-running gigs at venues like Chuck’s Steak House and at Elario’s, both in La Jolla,” he says. “We would play each place five nights a week for a month. That really helped us develop our music and a connection with the audience. That kind of doesn’t happen anymore here.” When Sprague first got the news that he’d been selected to win the Lifetime Achievement Award his first reaction was surprise. “Then, it occurred to me that they give this award to old musicians. I don’t feel old,” he says, “but I am old. I’ll turn 60 before the event. And that’s a wakeup call to me that I’ve been doing this for a long, long time.” -Dave Good O F F I C I A L

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PERFORMERS

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe

B-Side Players

Big Mountain

Gregory Page & His Accompanists

As if being founder of legendary group the Greyboy All-Stars and fronting his own Tiny Universe wasn’t enough, Karl Denson’s career took a major shift last year when music icons the Rolling Stones added him to their touring band. Denson is currently touring behind his latest album, New Ammo, and the Stones tours are the cherry on the cake of an already illustrious career—which has seen him play with everyone from Lenny Kravitz to Steve Winwood, while also establishing himself as one of the leading musicians in modern jazz.

Since their 1994 inception, the B-Side Players, led by frontman Karlos “Solrak” Paez, have been an explosion of rhythm. Their new album, Dos Generaciones, expands on their classic mix of Latin sounds, adding in hip-hop elements as well as touches of funk and rock for a sound that’s custom made for the outdoor stage of Southern California. Though the line-up has changed throughout the years, the B-Side Players remain as driven as ever, touring constantly and remaining one of the most socially conscious bands to ever emerge from San Diego.

Reggae hitmakers Big Mountain first came to prominence in 1991, and scored a major hit in 1994 with their version of “Baby, I Love Your Way.” While the chart hits were short lived, their power as live performers never diminished, their sunny vibe making them the perfect headliner for the summer festival circuit. Currently touring behind a new album, Perfect Summer, the band is still fronted by charismatic frontman Joaquin “Quino” McWhinney, ensuring Big Mountain’s mix of music and message remains undiminished.

Prolific acoustic troubadour Gregory Page’s music is one of San Diego’s most under-rated treasures. Page has worked with everyone from Jewel to John C. Reilly, but it’s as a songwriter that he’s made his greatest impact, penning a slew of moving songs that show him to be a master of both hooks and melody. Now well on his way to being a household name in Europe and headlining such prestigious venues as Amsterdam’s Paradiso Theatre, it won’t be long before stateside music fans beyond San Diego’s border’s also consider his music essential listening.

Louis XIV

Berkley, Hart, Selis, Twang

Cody Lovaas

Peter Sprague

They made friends, they made enemies, no doubt about it, indie rockers Louis XIV made an impact. During their 2003–2008 run, the quartet, led by guitarists Jason Hill and Brian Karsig, courted controversy with racy record sleeves and songs about hedonistic pursuits, and scored a United Kingdom Top 30 hit with their very first single, “Finding Out True Love is Blind.” Perhaps one of the last major label groups to be truly considered “dangerous” (they were even banned in Alabama) what got lost in the shuffle is what a solid rock ‘n’ roll band they are.

A true supergroup in the tradition of CSN&Y, Berkley, Hart, Selis, Twang, brings together four of the top names in San Diego Americana, singer-songwriters Jeff Berkley and Calman Hart, vocalist Eve Selis and guitarist Marc “Twang” Intravaia. Multiple award winners in their own right, the quartet has a sound that’s harmony driven, extremely melodic and performed with virtuoso skill. Their recent self-titled disc captures their music well, but it’s live where they truly excel, and where, topped by Intravaia’s tasteful fretwork, their intricate vocals impress the most.

Still in his teens, singer-songwriter Cody Lovaas is the youngest musician ever nominated for Best New Artist at the San Diego Music Awards. While Lovaas has yet to release an album, his music has allowed him to sell out theaters in the San Diego to a young, boisterous fan following that’s second to none. Now managed by legendary music man Bill Silva, and mentored by Jason Mraz, Lovaas hopes to have his debut album out in 2016. In the meantime he’s building his following the old fashioned way, through relentless gigging and by working on his songcraft.

Born in Cleveland in 1955, guitarist Peter Sprague arrived in San Diego in 1961, soon driven by the twin pursuits of music and surfing. This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award honoree formed the Dance of the Universe Orchestra in 1978. It was the beginning of a career that saw him tour with such jazz heavyweights as Chick Corea, Diane Reeves and David Benoit. One of the most important musicians to call San Diego home in the last century, Sprague has been an incredibly prolific artist, making his name not only through his own music, but also as a member of such acclaimed bands as Road Work Ahead, as well as producer, mentor and instructor of hundreds of artists at his Spragueland studios.

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ALBUM OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

B-Side Players

Berkley Hart Selis Twang

Danny Green Trio

Gregory Page

Jack Tempchin

Prayers

Slightly Stoopid

Tristan Prettyman

Dos Generaciones Paying tribute to a lifetime of influences, The B-Side Players eighth album, Dos Generaciones, refers to two generations of musicians, frontman Karlos Paez and his father Ezequiel Paez, who arranged the 11 tracks here. The album features an impressively broad range of Latin music styles, from cumbia to banda, kicking off with the band’s own “Calavera Negra,” before turning in terrific versions of such Spanish language classics as Flor Silvestre’s “El Mar y La Esperanza” or Perez Prado’s “Mambo de Lupita.” Bringing the whole thing full circle, the band covers the elder Paez’s “Vamonos de Fiesta” originally a hit for his father with Banda del Recodo.

Room to Run You’d think after writing such genuine classics as “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” “(Slow Dancin’) Swaying to the Music,” and “Already Gone,” Jack Tempchin would be ready to rest on his laurels, at least a bit. However, one look at his gig calendar and you can tell he’s just as enthusiastic as ever about making music. Tempchin’s latest recorded effort, Room to Run, finds him in Americana mode with yet another batch of strong tunes, particularly the title track, which shows off Tempchin’s deft skills at songcraft, with a strong chorus that tugs at the heart.

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BHST A true supergroup in every sense of the word, BHST is more than the sum of their parts, which are pretty impressive individually, featuring as it does award winning performers, Eve Selis, Jeff Berkley, Calman Hart and Mark “Twang” Intravaia. A mix of folk and country rock, the quartet’s debut album showcases all their strengths, none stronger than their amazing four part harmony vocals. With four top songwriters in the band, the album is full of potential AOR radio hits, topped by “Long Road Back to Love” with some harder rock numbers, such as “Delilah,” amongst the sunnier strummed tunes.

Young Gods Cholo goth duo Prayers, aka the duo of Rafael Reyes and Dave Parley, mix up dark tinged electronic music with mysticism, hip hop and other elements. Their latest album, produced by Blink-182’s Travis Barker, is as much art as music, Prayers music is hard hitting, with impassioned vocals from Reyes and topped by visual elements from his life as a gang member, as seen in the duo’s award winning videos, notably the album’s title track. Prayers is poised to be one of the biggest bands to emerge from San Diego in a decade, with national press such as the Huffington Post, already on the story.

After The Calm Pianist Danny Green accompanied by his compatriots, bassist Justin Grinell and drummer Julien Cantelm delivers ten great jazz tunes. This is no mere frontman with backing situation here, the three work as one, driving the songs, moving together as they enhance the composition. Ever see a flock of birds fly and swirl through the air in unison? Like that. Green’s playing is brilliant, both lyrical and expressive, but all three band members are virtuoso players, you could really pick any song as a showcase for their talents it’s the mix of performances for all three players that makes this album such a wonderful listen.

Meanwhile...Back at the Lab Is there a bigger party band in Southern California then Ocean Beach based, reggae influenced combo, Slightly Stoopid? Formed in 1994, the band has outlasted most of its contemporaries, by simply doing what they do best – providing the soundtrack to a good time. Like the bands four previous albums, Meanwhile...Back at the Lab, hit the US Album Charts, reaching #37. It’s a testament to the bands growing popularity across the country, particularly as a live festival act.

One Way Journey Home The very definition of a “troubadour,” Gregory Page is one of San Diego’s most beloved musical treasures. Inspired by 1920’s crooner Al Bowly, Page has been casting a wider net in the past few years, making major inroads in Europe, resulting in this album being released in the Netherlands before being making it to worldwide audiences. Long time listeners will find everything in place, heartfelt tunes topped by Page’s plaintive voice. Meanwhile anyone jaded by the explosion of singer-songwriters over the last decade, is advised to check out Pages latest, a breath of fresh air, both lyrically and musically.

Back to Home Tristan Prettyman’s first new release in two years finds the songstresses melodic gifts fully intact. Prettyman is a singer-songwriter in the best sense of the phrase – think Carole King but on guitar – with a slew of songs that are cast between folk sing-a-longs and sweet pop rock tunes. The seven songs on Back to Home, are all radio friendly, but the clear singles are the upbeat, “Casualty” and especially, “Waves,” which really hit the ear.

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NOMINEES Best Cover Band

Best Hip Hop

Beta Maxx Cash’d Out Detroit Underground Electric Waste Band Lady Dottie and the Diamonds Rising Star The Baja Bugs Y3K

Black Resume The Lyrical Groove Mr. Ridley Odessa Kane Orko Eloheim Parker and the Numberman The Gaslamp Killer Vokab Kompany

Best Jazz

Best Pop

Áfrojazziacs Danny Green Gilbert Castellanos Joshua White Krass Bros Montalban Quintet Nathan Hubbard Steph Johnson

Calamity Dr. Seahorse Gayle Skidmore Nicky Venus Paul Cannon Band The Lulls The Rosalyns The Silent Comedy

Bangladesh - Certain Illusions Barbarian - Night Blooms Cult Vegas - By Any Means Diamond Lakes - Modern Horrors Neighbors to the North - All Southern View The Loons - Inside Out Your Mind The Soaks - s/t Weatherbox - Flies in All Directions

Best Singer-Songwriter

Best Alternative

Christopher Dale Cody Lovaas Dave Humphries Dawn Mitschele Natalie Emmons Raelee Nikole Sierra West Tolan Shaw

Flaggs Grizzly Business Octagrape Prayers Shake Before Us The Bassics The Burning of Rome Wild Wild Wets

Best Alternative Album

Best Blues

Best Rock

Bill Magee Chet & the Committee Euphoria Brass Band Rebecca Jade & the Cold Fact Robin Henkel Tomcat Courtney Whitney Shay Mercedes Moore Band

Amerikan Bear The Routine Barbarian Blackout Party Neighbors To The North The Donkeys The Farmers The Nervous Wreckords

Best World Music

Best Hard Rock

Cumbia Machin Jet West Patric Petrie Stranger B-Side Players The Devastators Todo Mundo Tribal Theory

Author & Punisher Cattle Decapitation Deep Sea Thunder Beast Head Wound City Retox Roni Lee Schizophonics Wovenwar

Best Americana

Best Club DJ

Action Andy & The Hi-tones Behind the Wagon Berkley Hart Selis Twang Jesse LaMonaca & The Dime Novels Nena Anderson Sara Petite The Midnight Pine The Moves

Adam Salter DJ Artistic DJ Claire DJ Kurch DJ Scooter DJ Slowhand Gabe Vega Mike Czech

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Best Pop Album

Gregory Page - One Way Journey Home Hills Like Elephants - Tell Tales Josh Damigo - I Will Be There Kimm Rogers - Where The Pavement Grows Michael Inzunza - Michael & Marie Normandie Wilson - Normandie Wilson is Tired of Being Nice Steven Ybarra - What I Really Want to Say Tolan Shaw - Chin Up

Best Rock Album

Hideout - Rookie Sledding With Tigers - Come on and Slam Soft Lions - Spellbreaker The New Regime - Exhibit B The Palace Ballroom - s/t Triumph of the Wild - We Come With the Dust Weatherbox - Flies in All Directions Wild Wild Wets - 14th Floor

Best Hard Rock Album

Author and Punisher - Melk en Honing Death Eyes - Death Eyes Desert Suns - Desert Suns Gletscher - Die Einöde Griever - Our Love is Different Joy - Under the Spell of Joy The Long and Short of It - Burl Wovenwar - s/t

Best Hip Hop Album

1019 and J. Treel - Treel Tales of Number Running Dre Cat - What’s a Dre Cat? Buhay Cali – Blessings Dre Trev & 18Sense - CALiens Generik & Audible Junkie - Organic Anti-D.O.T.E. Kaus and DJ Inform - Welcome to the World Of... Left in Company - Artifacts

Best Blues Album

Black Market III - Vanarchy Live Bayou Brothers - High Roller Zydeco Jocko Marcellino - Make It Simple Melly Frances & The Distilled Spirit - The Album Missy Andersen - In The Moment Reverend Stickman - More Than Blues Shifty Eyed Dogs - The Shifty Eyed Dogs EP Sure Fire Soul Ensemble - s/t

Best Jazz Album

Song of the Year

Archie Thompson & The Archtones Allstars Jazz Vespers, Vol. 1 Charles McPherson - The Journey Danny Green Trio - After the Calm Juice Box - s/t Miss Erika Davies - In Love With Someone Peter Sprague & Leonard Patton - Dream Walkin’ Sue Palmer - Bricktop Wayne Riker - Ten Shades of Green

9 Theory - At Home in the Dark Blackout Party - Float On Towards Our Doom Jon Foreman - Caroline Little Hurricane - Heart Skips a Beat P.O.D. - This Goes Out To You Prayers - Young Gods Slightly Stoopid - The Prophet WAVVES - Leave

Best Americana Album Berkley Hart - Fleur de Lis Joel Rafael - Baladista Alaina Blair - Love it or Leave It John Meeks - Que Viva EP Nancarrow - Simple Things The Tree Ring - Ten Rivers The Western Collective - Hearts and Dreams Three Chord Justice - One Four Five

Best World Music Album B-Side Players - Dos Generaciones Big Mountain - Perfect Summer Dornob - Segah E.N. Young - Live Love Stay Up Gonzo - Red Marujah - Gringolandia Quel Bordel - Caravan Treasures Revival - Guidance

Best Live Band Burning of Rome Dead Feather Moon Flaggs Little Hurricane Retox Schizophonics Shady Francos The Creepy Creeps

Best Music Video by a San Diego band Berkley Hart - My Name is Sam Burning Of Rome - Better Than He Dare to Be Dreamers - Still Young Hideout - Where You’ve Been Hills Like Elephants - Misquote Jon Foreman - Caroline Prayers - Young Gods Slightly Stoopid - The Prophet

Best New Artist Birdy Bardot KI Le Chateau Saint Shameless Shady Francos Taurus Authority The Bassics Ypsitucky

Artist of the Year Karl Denson Little Hurricane Prayers Steve Poltz Slightly Stoopid Switchfoot Tribal Seeds Unwritten Law

Best Local Recording Astra Kelly - Back to Ten Le Chateau - s/t Cleopatra Degher - Pacific Mystery Cave - Natural Mind G Burns Jug Band - The Southern Pacific & The Santa Fe Little White Teeth - Songs the Attic Sings Rob Bondurant - Hurricane L.A. Edwards - Secrets We’ll Never Know

Album of the Year B-Side Players - Dos Generaciones Berkley Hart Selis Twang - BHST Danny Green Trio - After The Calm Gregory Page - One Way Journey Home Jack Tempchin - Room to Run Prayers - Young Gods Slightly Stoopid - Meanwhile...Back at the Lab Tristan Prettyman - Back to Home O F F I C I A L

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SAN DIEGO MUSIC AWARDS STAFF Producer

Event Program Design San Diego CityBeat Tristan Whitehouse

Kevin Hellman

Production Staff Louie Procaccino Bart Mendoza Jennifer Douillard

Sponsorship Sales

Live Announcer

Poster Art

Kevin Hellman Marjy Taylor Scrojo Marjy Taylor

Rick Laurence

Video Production

Humphreys Production Manager

Greg Smith Greg on Camera

Video Pre-Production

Tim Mercer

Marjy Taylor Kristen Cusato

Sound on Stage

Program Sales

Stage Lighting

Jason Noble Paulina Porter Kimberly Wallace Isaac Aycox

Program Editorial Bart Mendoza Dave Good

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Sound Image

San Diego Event Pros Don Brennan

Equipment On Stage SIR

Staff Photographers Jeff Wiant John Hancock Dan Chusid Steve Covault

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Award Design Gerrit Greve

Extra Special Thanks

Becky Leon Blue Moon Brewing Brad Bohensky Cathryn Edwards Dan McClain Darla Mercer Dawn Sullivan Deering Banjos DiscoverSD.com Gaglione Brothers Humphreys by the Bay Kebba Manjang Museum of Making Music MyPrinter.com San Diego CityBeat Sandi Bannister Scott Heath Shad Mazepa Skyy Vodka SoundDiego Steven Woods Taylor Guitars Vavi Sport & Social Yelp

San Diego Music Foundation Executive Director Marjy Taylor

Board of Directors Scott Richison Kevin Hellman David Lizerbram Benton Moore Dang Nguyen David Branfman Kristen Cusato Perette Godwin

Development Coordinator Mark Laturno

Marketing Coordinator

Adriana Roda-Stuart

Interns

Azzul Akemi Cassi Marie Sonoda Shayna Zeigen

2015 SAN DIEGO MUSIC AWARDS

SAN DIEGO MUSIC AWARDS SPONSORS The San Diego Music Foundation would like to thank all of our 2015 Sponsors, Partners and Supporters! Presenting Sponsors

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CULTURE | BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

JOHN P. SWANSON

TATTOO PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHANE WALLIN

Patty Carr

Breast assured

Shane Wallin opens San Diego’s first shop devoted to mastectomy tattoos by Seth Combs

T’S FAIR TO SAY SHANE WALLIN is a breast man. In the past, he’s also been an everythingelse man. Arms. Legs. Faces. Backs. Yeah, he’s been a butt guy, too. At 41 years old and with more than 20 years in the tattoo business, there isn’t a part of the body he hasn’t stuck with a needle full of ink. According to his wife, he’s garnered a bit of a reputation. “Shane’s the guy!,” Toni Wallin says. “When we lived in Minneapolis he was the guy other tattoo artists would recommend.” She smiles confidently at Shane inside their new tattoo shop, Garnet Tattoo (garnettattoo.com), in Pacific Beach. “If you didn’t want to tattoo a dick, you sent him to Shane. If you didn’t want to tattoo a butthole, you sent him to Shane. Whatever they were uncomfortable doing, Shane would do it. Not because of money, but because he wouldn’t judge them.” This open-mindedness has made for some satisfied customers over the years. Looking over his portfolio, it’s hard not to be impressed with Wallin’s intricacy and attention to detail. He puts pride in his work, and it’s easy to see. But everything changed in 2012. He was approached by a woman named Shari about doing a tattoo of a lace bra on her entire chest. She’d had a double mastectomy after a lengthy battle with breast cancer and had no nipples. “She had some pretty bad scarring and was embarrassed,” Wallin says. “She loved to wear evening dresses and the scars would almost hang out of the sides of the dress. You talk to a lot of women who’ve had mastectomies and they all talk about doing drive-bys at the mirror—running by the mirror real quick so they don’t see. For her, I think it was about gaining some of that sexiness back.” Wallin says Shari loved her tattoo, but it’s only toward the end of the story that you realize that he’s referring to her in the past tense. Her cancer ultimately returned, this

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Shane Wallin time in her throat, and she passed away two weeks after Shane had finished the bra tattoo. “She was gone after a couple of months,” Wallin says. “Going into that, I really didn’t have any idea how much I’d be affected by it. How much it would affect her and, in turn, affect me. I’ve done a lot of tattooing, but I’ve never experienced that kind of impact with how a tattoo made someone feel about [herself ]. It was really powerful.” Thus, Mastectomy Tattoo (mastectomy. ink) was born. Started by the Wallins in 2014, the organization’s mission statement says it all: “A tattoo studio built for breast cancer survivors to reclaim what cancer has taken from them.” Garnet Tattoo is an extension of Twilight Tattoo, the shop he opened in Minneapolis in the ’90s. Along with their three daughters, Shane and Toni moved to San Diego earlier this year to open up Garnet. Unlike Twilight, Garnet will have a direct focus on custom design for people who’ve had mastectomies, as well as areola pigmentations and 3-D nipple tattoos. To give a better sense of what tattoo artists like Wallin do, it’s best to point out that nipple tattooing has become more and more of an acceptable option for women who’ve survived breast cancer by having a mastectomy. Even if a woman gets breast implants after the mastectomy, the surgical options for nipple replacement aren’t quite as advanced and are limited. Tattooing has become a much more preferable and less invasive option for women, and the results are often impressive. But for many women, the scars that come with the mastectomy and even those from the implants are hard to live with. Getting a nipple tattoo is one thing, but mas-

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Shari’s bra tattoo tectomies leave awful scarring and disfigurations. That’s why over the past decade or so, custom designed breast tattooing for people with breast cancer has become increasingly popular. Because of organizations like P.ink (p-ink.org), which helps women find artists who might be able to help them, there’s less stigma attached to getting breasts tattooed. It can give women a newfound sense of confidence. “I love it, I really do,” Patty Carr says. “I’m flashing people all over the place. I mean, in private, not in public.” Carr had a preventive double mastectomy after losing her sister and father to breast cancer. After seeing his work on the P.ink website, Carr hired Wallin in April to create a custom tattoo that features a feather design all across her chest. “I was happy with the decision I made to get the mastectomy, but because of the scars there wasn’t a day that went by when I wasn’t reminded of it,” Carr says. “A lot of people say be proud of the scars, but for me I just wanted to make the scars something like a piece of art that I like to look at. Anyone who’s thinking about it should just go for it.” Back at Garnet Tattoo, Toni and Shane are planning San Diego’s first-ever P.ink Day, an annual day where tattoo artists all over the country volunteer their time to create custom tattoos. Scheduled for Oct. 10, women can sign up through the P.ink website. While Garnet Tattoo is rather quaint, the Wallins hope the event brings attention not just to their business, but to mastectomy tattooing in general. “It’s still very new to a lot of people, and they can’t wrap their head around it,” Toni Wallin says. “But isn’t that what art is? Creating something to make people feel good? I think so.”

For her, I think it was about gaining some of that sexiness back.

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September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 35

Culture | Art seth combs

Seen Local if by land

he title of a new Sparks Gallery exhibition, David Wing: A San Diego Retrospective, implies the work of Wing is the subject of the retrospective. Wing has been photographing the city and its people for more than 40 years. During a visit to his beautiful Ocean Beach home and studio, however, the photographer is quick to point out it’s the city that’s being surveyed. “I have so many photos that I keep finding these themes whenever I’m looking through them,” Wing says, when asked why cityscape and architecture photographs make up roughly half the exhibition. “I’m not trying to make San Diego look like any other city. It’s really simpler than that. I’m saying these buildings have character.” It’s tempting to call Wing a landscape photographer, even if none of the pictures on display would be typically categorized as such. He’s certainly done his fair share of landscape photography. Back in 2006, he showcased some of his more scenic work in a solo show at the David Zapf Gallery called Travelers’ Advisories and Unlikely Stories. A few years before that, he published a book of stunning desert shots titled Death Valley: The Ambiguous Landscape. The pictures soon to be on the walls of the Sparks Gallery show—which opens Friday, Oct. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. and runs through Dec. 6—were shot in the late ’70s and early ’80s. They are not of striking vistas or alien terrains but could still be considered landscape photography. They reveal the fluctuating nature of San Diego. From the skyline and the buildings, to the beaches and the people, Wing’s photos demonstrate how San Diego’s landscape has always been mercurial.

seth combs

Jfre Coad

unlocation undone

ityBeat broke the story in 2010 of a quirky and quaint new art space that had just opened in South Park. Headed up by Jfre Coad and Jason Soares, Disclosed unLocation (unlocation.com) quickly became, as Coad promised it would, a place that regularly showcased the “up and comers, esoterics, unknowns and the ultra wily.” Now, after five years and dozens of shows, Coad says it’s time to move on. “This wasn’t like a special blow out like, ‘Hey, this is the last show ever blah, blah, blah,’” Coad says. He confirms that the show Pan de Todos los Dias by artist Becky Guttin will be the last under the Disclosed un-

36 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

David Wing “The show leaps from architecture to inhabitive architecture to open spaces,” says Wing, who has lived in San Diego since the mid-’60s and has been shooting on the same Leica 35mm camera for much of that time. Much of the “open spaces” pictures are of San Diego beaches in the ’70s. When asked what he hopes people will see when looking at these pictures from the past, his response is delightfully reasoned. “I hope they pay attention to the time now,” Wing says. “I would hope they see these moments and think, ‘this change is happening all the time.’ You don’t need a camera to be sensitized to these moments.” davidwing.com

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Location moniker. “It just sort of happened circumstantially by people’s positions and what people are doing with their lives.” Coad says he and Soares have been relatively hands-off lately anyway and that the duo’s friend, Genevieve Zzyzyx, has taken over managing the gallery space. Zzyzyx confirmed via email that she and her husband will continue to curate occasional art shows after the Guttin show, which opens on Oct. 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. She also says the space will serve mostly as a storefront for their friend Heather Rae Morton’s business, Black Phoebe Ceramics. Still, both Zzyzyx and Coad emphasize that art shows will continue in the space in some capacity. “It’s still important to have that type of place in town where it’s like a stepping stone for artists,” Coad says. “The type of place where you can do whatever you want. Our community needs this, but ego wise, I don’t need to be involved.” Coad wants to focus on a new Aspects of Physics record that he and Soares started five years ago. He’s open to doing occasional shows under the Disclosed unLocation brand, but he’s much more excited about doing new group art projects. “I could use the Disclosed name for group projects in the future and that’s what I think I’ll be doing,” Coad says. “I just want to do other things besides sitting in a storefront showing other people’s art. I want to be out there and with the people making the art and trying to bring the community together. I’m excited about doing that again.”

—Seth Combs #SDCityBeat

Culture | Voices

ryan bradford

well that was

awkward

A midnight screening of The Room gets ugly

line of people spans the entire block. It’s One guy asks, “Why so many belts?” the most people I’ve ever seen in the quiet Cut to me: excited. neighborhood of Kensington. It’s nearly Wiseau: “I’ll whisper the answer in your ear.” He midnight and I’m still trying to shake the residual does and the guy laughs. sleepiness of my pregame nap, but it was a restless Cut to me: disappointed. sleep and I feel twitchy. Finally, the The Room starts. The audience We’re all here to see The Room, a 2003 film that erupts at Wiseau’s credit, but the applause quickly has quickly earned cult status, partly due to its ramturns to booing at lead actress Juliette Danielle’s pant ineptness and partly due to the intrigue that name. Perhaps she’s the antogonist, I think. It’s not surrounds its director/producer/star, Tommy Withe first time that night my thoughts resemble the seau. He is here tonight to sell merchandise, take ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ emoji. Danielle shows up in the opening scene. The aupictures with fans and provide a Q&A. The crowd is dience begins to shout. going bonkers. A person walks past, wearing a black FUCKING SLUT! wig and a tuxedo to look like Wiseau’s character in DIE, BITCH! the movie, who, if you can imagine, looks like what Dudes are shouting themselves hoarse. It sounds would result if a wax figure of The Cult’s lead singlike battle cries. It’s so loud I can’t even hear any er, Ian Astbury, melted together with a wax figure sounds from the movie. of Brandon Lee from The Crow. Three uncomfortably long sex “This is insane,” my friend Julia scenes occur at the beginning of the says. We’re both trying not to feel outmovie (well, two if you consider one of-place in the young crowd. Based is just repeated footage). More dudes on the general schlubby appearance, We’re both make fun of Danielle’s weight: the prevalence of practice facial hair, trying not to CAREFUL, SHE’LL CRUSH YOU! and a youthful energy not yet smothI look over at Julia. She pulls a mini ered by the burden of life, I’d put the feel out-of-place bottle of bourbon out of her purse and average age of the crowd at just over in the young hands it over. Fuck it, if we’re gonna be 21. We, on the other hand, are over the only grown-ups here, we should at 30. I doubt anyone else in this crowd crowd. least act like it. I chug. needed a nap to stay up past midnight. From what I can understand amid Neither of us has ever seen The Room. all the yelling, the plot (I use the term We don’t know what to expect. loosely) concerns Wiseau’s character, whose “future In line, a dude in an orange shirt tries to make wife” (or “WIFE, OF THE FUTURE” the audience conversation with Julia. He doesn’t look at me. The yells) cheats on him with his best friend. Wiseau crowd skews overwhelmingly male, and more than eventually finds out. Future wife shows no remorse a couple give off the impression that their mom still and Wiseau (SPOILER ALERT) kills himself. pays for their Wi-Fi. Complaining about the misogyny of The Room At the front of the line, people taking photos seems like a moot point. Wiseau doesn’t seem like with Wiseau ask him to reenact his famous, melosome underrated master. He just seems like a simdramatic line, “You’re tearing me apart, Lisa!” Wiplistic dude and accidental filmmaker who made a seau is more than happy to oblige. For some reason, sometimes-funny trainwreck. The hatred his film he wears an absurd amount of belts. Like, four belts! evokes from the young audience, however, is gross. I make a mental note of it. At one point, I lean over to Julia and whisper, “Does “Did you see how many belts he was wearing?” I every dude learn how to be on the Internet from ask when we sit down. Julia had not. watching this movie?” She says, “Yes.” The couple Finally, at 12:30 (a.m.!) an employee of Ken Cinema sitting next to me leaves. steps out in front of the screen, holding a microphone. People toss a football around in the aisle, mirror“All you guys got your spoons?” she asks. The clinking an out-of-place sports scene. Two guys—kids, ing of plastic spoons fills the theater. Traditionally, really—take the seats next to me that the couple audience members interact with The Room, and the just vacated. One of the kid’s voices breaks when he reason behind the spoons, as we soon learn, is due to yells, “Cuz she’s a fucking woman!” the prevalence of spoon-art in the movie. Whenever The movie ends. Spoons litter the theater. The disa painting of a spoon appears onscreen, audience persing audience has the general camaraderie of peomembers throw their spoons at the screen. ple exiting a stadium after watching their team win—a “Try not to hit the screen,” the employee says. “we made it together”-type of feeling that occurs after It’s a futile request. watching something vaguely violent or emotional. Wiseau takes the mic. He rewards everyone who “Was it everything you hoped for?” I ask Julia. bought his signature underwear (ew) by bringing “I don’t know,” she says. Neither do I. Maybe them up front to ask a question. He flies down the “hope” was the wrong word. line, dismissing many people’s questions by calling them “retarded” (“I’m going to say ‘retarded’ a Well That Was Awkward appears every other week. lot tonight,” he says) then shoe-horns derogatory Write to ryanb@sdcitybeat.com. Obamacare references into his answers.

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September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 37

Culture | Film

Left behind

The Martian

Matt Damon and Ridley Scott team up for a good-natured space opera by Glenn Heath Jr.

idley Scott’s never been known to have a light- gie Howser” his injuries and “MacGyver” the only hearted touch. The British-born auteur of such salvageable living space into a functioning farm. dark classics as Alien and Blade Runner usually Much of the film’s first half highlights Watney’s infavors characters on the brink of extinction. Their novative techniques. He uses his own feces to start a plight is no laughing matter. If you’ve seen the excel- mini potato farm and various other items to create a lent and depraved American horror story The Coun- water source. This portion rides heavily on the characselor, for instance, you know just how bleak things ter’s mix of irony and resilience. Recording his experican get for a Scott “hero.” ences on a camera allows him an audience, not quite Considering this track record, The Martian stands the same as Tom Hanks using a volleyball to unload his alone as a surprising tonal outlier in the director’s thoughts in Castaway but therapeutic nonetheless. varied filmography. It’s a visuThe Martian’s personality ally spectacular space opera evolves after Watney and his that doesn’t just use comedy superiors on Earth find a way to soften the blow of a tragic to communicate. Strangely The martian event, in this case a failed timed jokes and disco tracks Directed by Ridley Scott NASA mission that strands help ease the ongoing process Starring Matt Damon, marooned botanist Mark Watof rational problem solving, ney (Matt Damon) on Mars. spearheaded by a collection Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, The film genuinely cherishes of scientists and bureaucrats and Michael Peña the replenishing qualities of played by the likes of Chiwetel Rated PG-13 laughter as part and parcel to Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Kristin survival. Wiig, Sean Bean and Donald Cynics might find this Glover, just to name a few. theme naïve, but The Martian unabashedly believes There’s an ABBA musical cue that kills, giving life to and asks the audience to do the same. Based on Andy a particularly brazen gamble of innovation. Weir’s 2011 bestselling novel, the film begins on the Watching the best and brightest of NASA attempt red planet’s epic surface where weather can change to formulate a legitimate rescue plan reminds us that from peaceful to raging in a single moment. This is this isn’t the first time a film has spent its entirety trywhat happens when an American crew of astronauts ing to save a character played by Damon. But unlike is collecting samples; a massive storm overtakes their Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, The Martian refuses position, leaving Watney presumed dead and his col- to label its story a weighty tragedy. No matter how leagues ravaged by guilt for leaving his body behind. bad things get for Watney (and they definitely do), it Commander Lewis (Jessica Chastain) makes the explores the bizarre and enjoyable nature of human decision to retreat unceremoniously, and the shame innovation, even when experienced under stress. weighs heavily on her throughout. Maybe that’s why Rationality doesn’t just win the day, it prolongs life she’s the one character who never appears to be hav- for everyone involved. Even the Chinese government ing any fun. Watney, on the other hand, embraces seems energized after its space program provides a key the awfulness of his situation through sarcasm. He piece of technology to aid in the rescue efforts. Aside awakens covered in sand and impaled by an errant from its quirky view of mental and physical elasticity radio antenna, but he instantly takes action to “Doo- and international politicking, Scott’s film revels in the

38 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

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Culture | Film widescreen vistas of its red setting. Watney’s base camp resides at the center of an intergalactic Monument Valley, beguiling in scope and depth. If these weird cinematic traits are any indication, The Martian, which opens Friday, Oct. 2, remains a fantasy of best possible scenarios emanating from the worst reality can throw at us. Keeping a sense of humor goes a long way. In space, no one can hear you laugh, but that doesn’t mean you should ever stop Betschart and Nakawatase seem cracking jokes. downright positive about their radical objective: “We want to exFilm reviews run weekly. plore what media is now, what Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com. media is becoming and to facilitate experimentation in deciding what media can be.” Renegades Ambition runs deep with these yan Betschart and Rachel two, and it shows in their proNakawatase are on a mis- gramming. Brian Smee’s animated sion. The dynamic duo be- short Sports surmises that every hind San Diego Underground human is a slab of meat pre-orFilm Festival’s inaugural program dained to break down. screening on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the On the other hand, Karissa Ultrastar Mission Valley Cinemas, Hahn’s Effigy in Emulsion examis hoping “to bring the world’s best ines one of life’s defining moin avant-garde and experimental ments—a couple walking down the cinema to San Diego.” That’s music aisle on their wedding day—and to my ears. obscures the filmstrip with saturaIn a middlebrow city like ours, tion and blurring imagery. It seems such an event challenges the soft a memory is only 24 frames away and conventional programming from disappearing forever. that has become the status quo. Yet Grace Rhee’s Unicorn is a torrid

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Opening San Diego Film Festival: If you enjoy glitz and glam this event, now in its 14th year, features a collection of star-studded galas and parties, along with five days of film screenings, including shorts programs, documentaries and narrative features. Runs from Wednesday, Sept. 30 through Sunday, Oct. 4 at the Reading Gaslamp Cinemas and Arclight La Jolla Cinemas.

Growing Up Deathstar gut-punch of iconography and fantasy gone astray, while Shambhavi Kaul’s Night Noon goes on a desolate walk into the desert with a dog and parakeet. Its glorious rock formations are superseded only by the glistening oceans that appear later on, creating a vivid juxtaposition of diverging 16mm shadow play. Then there’s UC San Diego visual arts professor Michael Trigilio’s short Growing Up Deathstar, which takes a baseball bat to Star Wars fanboy nostalgia in a way that didn’t seem possible. These are just a few of the festival’s brazen programming choices. So much more remains on the horizon for this outlaw outfit. “San Diego has no other festival like us,” the duo correctly surmise. “We have big plans.” —Glenn Heath Jr.

San Diego Underground Film Festival: In its inaugural year, this one-day film festival brings a collection of DIY and avantgarde cinema to San Diego. Screenings begin at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Ultrastar Mission Valley Cinemas at Hazard Center. Saving Mr. Wu: Six volatile criminals kidnap a movie star while posing as policemen in this true-crime adaptation of a real-life even that occurred in 2004. Opens Friday, Oct. 2 at the AMC La Jolla. The Cut: Fatih Akin’s epic drama is set in 1915 after the Armenian genocide and follows a broken man attempting to find his twin daughters he first believed to be dead but still might be alive. The Martian: Left behind by his colleagues after being nearly killed in an accident, a botanist (Matt Damon) must try to survive on Mars with very few supplies.

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

September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 39

40 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOHN HANCOCK

MUSIC

he votes have been cast, the social media campaigns have run their course and soon we’ll find out who will take home trophies at the 25th anniversary San Diego Music Awards ceremony. If the event is true to form, the night’s unscripted moments—stage stormings, acceptance shoutouts—will be just as exciting as the awards program and performances. It’s not all mischief, of course. The San Diego Music Awards benefits the San Diego Music Foundation, which has helped support elementary school music programs for more than 25 years, and has served more than 55,000 students with programs such as Guitars for Schools, which provides the instruments to San Diego schools. The awards show may be a wild party, but it’s for a good cause. So with the silver anniversary San Diego Music Awards ahead of us (Monday, Oct. 5) at Humphreys By the Bay, here’s a look back at some of the show’s most incredible moments. The Burning of Rome go hog wild The Burning of Rome took the stage in dramatic fashion in 2009, flanked by a series of actual pig heads on poles. The group gave an intense performance, which would have been memorable enough as it was, but their porcine companions made the it impossible to forget. Singer Adam Traub says the idea came from an iconic piece of literature. “The piece itself was supposed to be an homage to William Golding,” he says. “When we came out it was to an audio sample of Golding reading from Lord of the Flies, when the wayward children go into the forest with the boar, as an offering to the wilderness. “That was kind of our offering to San Diego,” he continues. “We didn’t win that year, so I guess it didn’t work.” The band purchased the heads at a Barrio Logan butcher shop, and while they were easily obtained, they realized the employees at the shop had trouble digesting the concept. “They seemed really confused,” Traub says. Geezer pulls a Kanye In 2009, Kanye West made headlines by interrupting Taylor Swift’s VMA acceptance speech. But that sort of thing has also been known to happen at our own hometown music awards, like in 2010 when geriatric Weezer cover band Geezer stepped up to the podium before the actual Best Cover

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Geezer , Josh Damigo, Joe Aguilar of The Burning of Rome

Band winner, 40 Oz. to Freedom, could claim their prize. “I’d just like to call shenanigans!” shouted Geezer singer Adam Gimbel Sr., before 40 Oz. to Freedom could get a word in edgewise. “Get off our lawn!” Gimbel attributes the interruption to a senior moment. “We’d never been to any of these things before,” says Gimbel. “We heard our name and we didn’t know any better. Little did we know that we hadn’t won, and it was too late.” Punk rock chase Much like Geezer’s interruption of the Best Cover Band award in 2010—albeit without the in-character silliness— Unwritten Law drummer Wade Youman beat Little Hurricane to the podium in 2011 when they won for Album of the Year. But his encore performance came during his exit from the stage, which included knocking down a whole section of chairs like a row of dominoes. Josh Damigo zings a CityBeat staffer Yes, even CityBeat has been part of the onstage antics— unexpectedly. In 2009, Josh Damigo won the award for Best Local Recording. Then-music-editor Seth Combs wasn’t impressed, and had remarked on Twitter that, “Josh Damigo sucks balls.” Damigo, who didn’t know Combs at the time, didn’t think much of it, but after a brief war of words on social media, the two ended up meeting in person and burying the hatchet—if not their musical disagreement. A year later, Damigo won the award for Best Acoustic, and got a spark of inspiration from his friend and fellow musician Rob Deez, who suggested he return the barbs at Combs. “When I won, I needed to go up and say something,” Damigo says. “I walk on stage, and I had been going through a lot of stuff with my brother, so I mentioned that. And a lot of people seemed to be listening, and it just kind of came out: ‘Seth Combs, you can suck my balls.’” The two hugged it out and had a laugh afterward. “We were just having fun,” Damigo says. Stone Temple Protest When Stone Temple Pilots won Album of the Year in 1993 for their debut, Core, it didn’t sit right with everyone, particularly Uncle Joe’s Big Ol’ Driver frontman David Jass, who insisted STP were not a San Diego band. They did have connections to San Diego—Robert and Dean DeLeo grew up here—but were mostly active in Los Angeles.

So Jass, feeling a little bold after the announcement, decided to share his own feelings about the award. “We had gotten some plush jackets for the occasion, and some libations—maybe a little too much,” he says in a phone interview from his new home in Minnesota. “It just kind of escalated. “[Stone Temple Pilots] weren’t a San Diego band. They just weren’t,” he continues. The protest ended up in a scuffle between Jass and members of Asphalt Ballet, which Danse Macabre’s Gino Maraventano helped break up. Jass doesn’t regret vocalizing his disagreement with the outcome. “I’m not sure exactly what I said, but I stand by it,” he says. The Locust There really isn’t a band in San Diego whose entire existence is more of a spectacle than The Locust. They’re noisy, chaotic and intense—so much so that it’s hard to process everything that’s happening. The San Diego Music Awards has had a lot of performers over the years, but none whose six minutes of stage time was as much of a head-fuck as The Locust’s in 2004. Feedback, electronic noise, grindcore blasts and unsettling costumes ensured no act could follow them. Retox’s drummer bangs out a solo Hardcore outfit Retox has been nominated for Best Hard Rock (band) a few times—including this year—though to date they hadn’t won. They did claim the Best Hard Rock Album in 2012 for Ugly Animals. But the following year, when The Schitzophonics were announced as the winner of Best Hard Rock, Retox drummer Brian Evans used the opportunity to play a drum solo. His intention, he says, was to “go up there and smash the fuck out of it.” “In the past, there have been some antics at the San Diego Music Awards,” he continues. “I just wanted to take part in the tradition.” The drums belonged to The Palace Ballroom’s Danny King, but Evans says King didn’t mind having them hijacked for half a minute. “He had a good chuckle,” Evans says. “He’s one of my old friends.” Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com or follow him on Twitter at @1000TimesJeff

September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 41

Music

notes from the smoking patio alicia rose

san diego music awards: my picks

or the last two years, I’ve assembled both my predictions and picks for winners at the San Diego Music Awards. And in that time, I’ve learned a couple things about the awards. First of all, my favorites actually do end up winning more often than I expect—always a nice surprise. Second, my ability to predict winners is terrible. My all time best is one out of five, which is 20 percent. In other words, I get an F. But that’s alright; I’m not psychic—I’m fine admitting I don’t have such powers. Instead of offering my predictions for the winners at the awards, which take place on Monday, October 5 at Humphreys by the Bay, I’m just going to offer my endorsements for many of the categories. So here’s who gets my vote at this year’s awards. Best Hard Rock Album: I’m a pretty big metal fan, so the Best Hard Rock Album category is always a great source for what’s happening in the state of heavy music in San Diego. It’s also the one category that I’ve predicted a winner in before, so I feel at least a little better in tune with the pulse of the judges. (Full disclosure: I’m one of them.) But I won’t go into that now. I’ll just say that the album that deserves to win is the devastating and massive new industrial metal monolith from Author & Punisher, Melk En Honing.

Karl Denson makes sense to a certain point, but it also means that this category ends up being a mish-mash of different styles and sounds, many of which are not actually blues. I’m not a purist, though, and I really think Sure Fire Soul Ensemble deserves an award for their self-titled album. This is the only place it’s nominated, so I say hand them the award for their funky, soulful, high-energy debut. Best Alternative Album: This is genuinely one of the hardest decisions for me, because there are a lot of outstanding bands nominated for Best Alternative Album, and I’d be happy with most of them taking home the award. So here’s the deal: I’m giving my endorsement to Wild Wild Wets for their outstanding new psychedelic pop record 14th Floor. It’s been on repeat in my headphones for a good portion of the year. But I’d also be perfectly happy to see Hideout, Sledding With Tigers or Weatherbox win.

Left in Company Best Hip Hop Album: During this year’s Great Demo Review in CityBeat’s local music issue, Ben Salmon lent his ExtraSpecialGood endorsement to ARTiFACTS, by Left in Company, the duo comprising Generik and Aneken. It was hands down one of the strongest recordings in any genre we received this year, and I won’t hesitate to say that Left in Company should get the trophy. Their innovative, fiery performance and massive production deserve all the acclaim headed their way. Best Blues Album: Because there’s no “Best R&B” category at the San Diego Music Awards, anything resembling funk, soul, gospel or otherwise pretty much gets lumped into the Best Blues category. It

42 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

Best New Artist: It must have been a good year for new bands, because here we have another crowded field of strong candidates. A lot of them are actually new bands by musicians who have already been active in the scene. In fact, almost all of them are. My nod goes to Birdy Bardot, whose debut solo album is maybe my favorite local album this year. But I’d also be happy to see Le Chateau win, because their debut EP is also up there for me. Best Local Recording: Since I had to pick from a couple favorites on that last category, I’m going to go ahead and say Le Chateau should win Best Local Recording, since it’d be a damn shame if they walked away without a trophy. Artist of the Year: The Artist of the Year award tends to round up a lot of familiar faces, and this year’s no different. Switchfoot, Slightly Stoopid and Steve Poltz have all won more than once. Prayers is a new name, but their relative newness makes me hesitate a little. So because he put in the work, and he’s shared stages with giants like The Rolling Stones, I tip my hat to Karl Denson.

—Jeff Terich

#SDCityBeat

September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 43

Music

Jeff Terich

If I were u A music insider’s weekly agenda Wednesday, September 30 PLAN A: Ultimate Painting, Dream Boys, The Lulls @ Soda Bar. UK group Ultimate Painting know their way around a gorgeously jangly guitar riff. Their new album Green Lanes is a must-listen for anyone with a jones for ’90s-era indie rock, late ’80s college rock—basically anything Ben Wyatt from Parks & Recreation would listen to. BACKUP PLAN: Murs, Red Pill, King Fantastic, Noa James @ The Casbah

Thursday, October 1 PLAN A: Empress Of, Abra, Lipherma @ Soda Bar. I just recently discovered Me, the debut album by Lorely Rodriguez, aka, Empress Of. It’s a beautiful set of ethereal, electronic pop songs and it’s a rare set of music that immediately endears itself to you. PLAN B: Peaches, US Girls @ Belly Up Tavern. Make sure to read Scott McDonald’s guide to Peaches’ discography on sdcitybeat.com. She’s a one-of-a-kind artist, blending performance art with pop music to make something bawdy and unforgettable. BACKUP PLAN: Toxic Holocaust, Lord Dying, Christ Killer, Pissed Regardless @ Til-Two Club.

things have changed; he’s a big name now, and his Gaslamp Killer Experience is a spectacle featuring live musicians and visual elements. PLAN B: King Dude, Foie Gras, Crime Desire @ The Hideout. King Dude makes dark, gothic folk music that’s somewhere between Nick Cave and Johnny Cash. It may be early on in the Halloween season, but he’ll cast a nice pall over your weekend. BACKUP PLAN: Musiq Soulchild @ Music Box.

Sunday, October 4 PLAN A: DJ Krush, OpenOptics @ Belly Up Tavern. Japan’s DJ Krush first made a name for himself in the ’90s with a series of jazz-influenced albums of innovative turntablism. He’s still at it, still has grooves and the chill vibes will be in abundance. PLAN B: Holly Miranda, Gracie and Rachel @ The Merrow. Detroit singer/songwriter Holly Miranda makes a cool mix of dreamy pop music and soulful torch songs, and has even worked with some local San Diego talent, including drumEmpress of mer Jake Najor.

Monday, October 5

PLAN A: San Diego Music Awards @ Humphreys by the Bay. Read my cover story this week on the most memorable moFriday, October 2 PLAN A: Ratatat, Hot Sugar @ Observa- ments from the San Diego Music Awards. tory North Park. Ratatat came to San Di- This year is the 25th anniversary of the ego earlier this year, and now they return awards show, and it’s always like a school for another night of unstoppable electro reunion, complete with live performances jams. They’ve been getting asses moving (from Louis XIV, Gregory Page and more) since their 2004 debut album, and I don’t and unpredictable antics. expect anyone will be standing still this time. PLAN B: JEL, Mystery Cave, Ghost- Tuesday, October 6 traps, DJ Psychopop @ The Hideout. It’s PLAN A: Beirut, Julia Holter @ Open Air been a while since I’ve listened to Jel, but Theatre. Beirut’s Zach Condon has been the Anticon-affiliated emcee has a uniquely gradually moving away from Balkan-influabstract hip-hop sound that’s worth a re- enced folk with each album, and the group’s fresher course. BACKUP PLAN: Agent latest, No No No, is more soulful than ever. Orange, The Embalmers, Oddball, PSO I’m even more excited about Julia Holter, whose music is a dreamy universe unto it@ Soda Bar self. PLAN B: Paul Weller @ Observatory North Park. I’ll admit that I don’t know the Paul Weller solo catalog from front to back, Saturday, October 3 PLAN A: The Gaslamp Killer Experience but he was the frontman for The Jam and @ Observatory North Park. L.A. beat- The Style Council, and the man’s got more maker The Gaslamp Killer got his start in good songs than anyone would know what San Diego—his name is a reference to his to do with. BACKUP PLAN: PRGRM, Forability to turn Gaslamp crowds away. But eign Suns, Hexa @ The Merrow.

44 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

#SDCityBeat

Music

Concerts HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Adult Films (BUT, 10/20), Antemasque (Observatory, 11/3), Havok (Soda Bar, 11/20), Maruta, Vattnet Viskar (TilTwo Club, 11/27), Girl Band (Soda Bar, 11/28), Robert Cray Band (BUT, 12/4), Okilly Dokilly (Soda Bar, 12/5), Three Mile Pilot (Casbah, 12/10), Agnostic Front (Til-Two Club, 12/12), Pity Sex (Che Café, 12/17), Josh Ritter (Observatory, 1/18), Bullet for My Valentine (HOB, 2/2), The English Beat (BUT, 2/5-6), Aaron Neville (Balboa Theatre, 2/11), Vance Joy (Balboa Theatre, 2/29), Galactic (BUT, 3/3), Keb’ Mo’ (Balboa Theatre, 3/4).

GET YER TICKETS Ash (Music Box, 10/10), Redd Kross (Soda Bar, 10/10), ‘CRSSD Festival’ w/ Flaming Lips, TV on the Radio, Giorgio Moroder, Jamie xx (Waterfront Park, 10/10-11), Neil Young (RIMAC Arena, 10/13), Twin Shadow (BUT, 10/14), Young Thug (HOB, 10/14), Florence and the Machine (Viejas Arena, 10/14), Deafheaven, Tribulation (Casbah, 10/15), Ginuwine (Music Box, 10/16), Janet Jackson (Viejas Arena, 10/17), My Morning Jacket (Open Air Theatre, 10/19), The Sword (BUT, 10/22), Insane Clown Posse (Observatory, 10/22), Failure, …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (Music Box, 10/29), Madonna (Valley View Casino Center, 10/29), Fear Factory (Brick

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by Brick, 10/29), Coheed and Cambria (Observatory, 10/29), Ghost (Observatory, 10/30), No Knife (Casbah, 10/31), Kris Kristofferson, John Prine (Civic Theatre, 10/31), ‘Night of the Shred’ w/ Rwake, Torche, Windhand (Quartyard, 10/31), HEALTH (Casbah, 11/10), The Menzingers, meWithoutYou (Observatory, 11/10), The Fall of Troy, Kylesa (Irenic, 11/10), Yo La Tengo (Observatory, 11/12), Soulside (Casbah, 11/12), Mayhem, Watain (Observatory, 11/13), The Album Leaf (Casbah, 11/13), Born Ruffians (Soda Bar, 11/13), Youth Lagoon (BUT, 11/14), Atmosphere (Observatory, 11/16), The Cult, Primal Scream (HOB, 11/19), YOB (Brick by Brick, 11/19), Big K.R.I.T. (Observatory, 11/19), Skinny Puppy (Observatory, 11/20), Minus the Bear (Observatory, 11/21), Everclear (Music Box, 11/21), Lucero (BUT, 11/22), Sturgill Simpson (Observatory, 11/22), New Found Glory, Yellowcard (HOB, 11/22), Chance the Rapper (SOMA, 11/23), Nashville Pussy (Hideout, 11/27), X, Mike Watt (Casbah, 11/27-28), Nikki Lane (The Irenic, 12/1), The White Buffalo (HOB, 12/10), Reverend Horton Heat (Observatory, 12/13), Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven (BUT, 12/27), Chet Faker (Observatory, 12/29), Donavon Frankenreiter (BUT, 12/29-30), The Academy Is… (Observatory, 12/30), Los Lobos (BUT, 12/31), Jerry Seinfeld (Civic Theatre, 1/15), Ladysmith Black Mambazo (BUT, 1/19), Joe Satriani (Balboa Theatre, 3/1).

September Wednesday, Sept. 30 Ultimate Painting at Soda Bar. Halsey at House of Blues (sold out). Murs at The Casbah.

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

Friday, Oct. 2 Ratatat at Observatory North Park. Kaskade at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at Belly Up Tavern. Agent Orange at Soda Bar. ‘91X Homecoming Show’ w/ Pepper, Rocket from the Crypt at Oceanside Pier.

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

Sunday, Oct. 4 Citizen Cope at Observatory North Park. DJ Krush at Belly Up Tavern. Holly Miranda at The Merrow.

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, Oct. 10 ‘CRSSD Festival’ w/ Flaming Lips, TV on the Radio, Giorgio Moroder, Jamie xx at Waterfront Park. Ash at Music Box. Redd Kross at Soda Bar.

Sunday, Oct. 11 Dar Williams at Belly Up Tavern. ‘CRSSD Festival’ w/ Flaming Lips, TV on the Radio, Giorgio Moroder, Jamie xx at Waterfront Park. ‘Back to Basics’ w/ Jedi Mind Tricks, Hieroglyphics, Brother Ali at Observatory North Park.

Monday, Oct. 12 Trivium at Observatory North Park. Kodaline at House of Blues. Nick Diamonds at The Casbah.

Tuesday, Oct. 13 Neil Young at RIMAC Arena. alt-j at Open Air Theatre. Bolzer at The Merrow. Other Lives at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, Oct. 14 Twin Shadow at Belly Up Tavern. Young Thug at House of Blues. Florence and

the Machine at Viejas Arena. Bob Forrest at Whistle Stop. Joey Cape at Brick by Brick.

Thursday, Oct. 15 The Goddamn Gallows at Soda Bar. Jose Gonzalez at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Deafheaven, Tribulation at The Casbah. Hozier at Open Air Theatre.

Friday, Oct. 16 Misterwives at Observatory North Park. Joe Rogan at Balboa Theatre. Luke Bryan at Sleep Train Amphitheatre. Voodoo Glow Skulls at Soda Bar. Ginuwine at Music Box. Acid King at Brick by Brick. Rosetta at The Hideout.

Saturday, Oct. 17 Janet Jackson at Viejas Arena. Horse Feathers at Soda Bar. FIDLAR at Observatory North Park. Of Monsters and Men at Open Air Theater. El Ten Eleven at The Casbah.

Sunday, Oct. 18 El Ten Eleven at The Casbah. ZZ Ward at House of Blues. The Black Lips, Ariel Pink at Observatory North Park.

Monday, Oct. 19 Heartless Bastards at Belly Up Tavern. My Morning Jacket at Open Air Theatre.

Tuesday, Oct. 20 Lianne La Havas at Observatory North Park. Ought at The Hideout. Strange Talk at Soda Bar. Adult Films at Belly Up Tavern.

music CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 45

Music Tuesday, Oct. 27 The Neighbourhood at House of Blues. Diiv at The Casbah.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., San Diego. Pacific Beach. Wed: Open mic. Fri: Inna Vision, Bachaco. Sat: Sunny Rude, So*Cal Vibes, Ocean Natives. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: DJ Royale. 98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, San Diego. Little Italy. Fri: Socal7.

SPOTLIGHT AC/DC might have just filled Dodger Stadium, but San Diego’s about to get a taste of another titan of arena rock. Van Halen, complete with original frontman David Lee Roth (or Diamond Dave if you prefer), are runnin’ with the devil right in our own backyard. Hoist your Zippo for hits like “Panama,” “Jump,” “Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love” and “Hot For Teacher.” Van Halen play Sleep Train Amphitheatre on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Wednesday, Oct. 21 Eagles of Death Metal at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Colony House at The Loft.

Thursday, Oct. 22 Insane Clown Posse at Observatory North Park. D.R.I. at Brick by Brick. The Sword at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, Oct. 23 Red Fang at The Casbah. Frank Turner at House of Blues. Bully at The Hideout. Mac DeMarco at The Observatory North Park (sold out). Skylar Spence at Soda Bar. Z-Trip at Belly Up Tavern.

46 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

Saturday, Oct. 24 Natalie Prass at Soda Bar. Elefante at Music Box. Gerard Way at House of Blues (sold out), Mudhoney at The Casbah.

Sunday, Oct. 25 Owl City at Observatory North Park.

Monday, Oct. 26 Marilyn Manson at House of Blues (sold out). The Vibrators at Soda Bar. Madeleine Peyroux at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., San Diego. Normal Heights. Wed: ‘Electronic Underground’ w/ DJs Dirty Disciple, Squarewave, Raul ‘Irok’ Rios. Thu: ‘Good Times’, Karaoke. Fri: ‘Soul Worx’ w/ DJs The Cool Cats, Caliparis, Memo & Rex, Bass Exotic. Sat: ‘JUICY’ w/ DJ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Church’ w/ DJs Bass Exotic, Vinnassi. American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: Open mic. Thu: Jamie Kennedy. Fri: Jamie Kennedy. Sat: Jamie Kennedy. Bang Bang, 526 Market St., San Diego. Downtown. Fri: Danny Daze, Lee K. Sat: Cyril Hahn. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., San Diego. North Park. Wed: ‘Commune’. Fri: DJ Artistic. Sat: Dirty Ghosts, DJ Mike Delgado. Sun: ‘Rat Sabbath’. Mon: ‘Motown on Monday’. Tue: ‘Tiki Tuesday’ w/ Adrian Demain’s Exotica-tronica. Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Sat: ‘Awakening Saturday’. Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. La Jolla. Thu: Mike Myrdal. Fri: Slower. Sat: The Jones Revival. Sun: Daryl Johnson.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Solana Beach. Wed: Secret show. Thu: Peaches, US Girls. Fri: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Rebecca Jade & The Cold Fact. Sat: Thievery Corporation. Sun: DJ Krush. Mon: The Word - Robert Randolph, John Medeski & North Mississippi Allstars. Tue: Gregg Allman (sold out). Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad. Carlsbad. Thu: Sadistik, Sapient & Ceschi. Fri: ‘Club Musae’. Sat: High Tide. Brass Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Hillcrest. Wed: Karaoke. Fri: ‘Hip Hop Fridayz’. Sat: ‘Sabado en Fuego’ w/ DJs XP, KA. Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJs Junior the Disco Punk, XP. Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., San Diego. Bay Park. Fri: Gamblers Mark, Doug C and the Blacklisted, Johnny Deadly Trio, Seatbelt. Sat: Time Machine, Way Cool Jr., Arena. Sun: Heavyweight, RUMOR HAS IT, Hideouts, Hannibal. Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: Aro Di Santi. Thu: Malamana. Fri: Gio Trio. Sat: Malamana. Sun: Aire. Tue: Gio Trio. Croce’s Park West, 2760 Fifth Ave., #100, San Diego. Bankers Hill. Wed: Ruby Duo. Thu: Matt Hall Duo. Fri: Blue Largo. Sat: Eve Selis. Sun: Louis Valenzuela Trio. Mon: Peter Hall. Tue: Liz Grace Duo. Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. Lemon Grove. Fri: Snake Oil Gypsies. Sat: DJ Raymond. Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, San Diego. Mission Bay. Sun: ‘Classic Spanish Songs’. F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown., San Diego. Downtown. Thu: Nef the Pharaoh. Fri: Dom King.

#SDCityBeat

Music Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave. , San Diego. Downtown. Thu: DJ Franzen. Sat: DJ Karma. Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: AOK Musik. Thu: DJ Junior the Disco Punk. Fri: ‘Good Times’. Sat: DJs E, Yodah. Mon: DJ Antonio Aguilera. Tue: Big City Dawgs. House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: Halsey (sold out). Thu: Aterciopelados, Los Hollywood, Asi Fri: Hiatus Kaiyote. Sat: The Red Not Chili Peppers. Sun: Queensryche, Queensryche. Tue: The Fratellis, Grizfolk. Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Fri: Monarch. Sat: ‘Ascension’. Sun: J. Lately. Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., San Diego. Kensington. Sat: Goma, The Sleepwalkers, Gabriela y La Buena Onda!. Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave. , Coronado. Coronado. Wed: Glen Smith. Fri: Mystique. Sat: The Manic Bros. Tue: Gene Warren. Numbers, 3811 Park Blvd., San Diego. Hillcrest. Thu: ‘Wet’. Fri: ‘Uncut’. Tue: Karaoke Latino. Patricks Gaslamp, 428 F St., San Diego. Downtown. Wed: The Upshots. Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’ w/ Jason Hanna. Fri: Flophouse Playboys. Sat: Baja Bugs. Tue: Karaoke. Side Bar, 536 Market St., San Diego. Downtown. Fri: Chris Cutz. Sat: DJ Kaos. Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: Ultimate Painting, Dream Boys, The Lulls. Thu: Empress Of, Abra, Lipherma. Fri: Agent Orange, The Embalmers, Oddball, PSO.

#SDCityBeat

Sat: The Lonely Wild, Jim & Sam. Sun: Hollis Brown, Jake Loban & The Friendly Fire, Boaz Roberts. Mon: The Independents, Black Cat Attack, They Feed At Night, The Independents, Black Cat Attack, They Feed At Night. Tue: A Wilhelm Scream, Versus The World, Somatic, Caskitt. SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego. Midway. Sat: New Years Day, Get Scared, Eyes Set to Kill, Relapse Symphony, DJ Darksiderz, After The Fall. Sun: Stray From The Path, Comeback Kid, Being As An Ocean, Major League, Deez Nuts. Spin, 2028 Hancock St., San Diego. Midtown. Fri: ‘Webbie’. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Rd., Spring Valley. Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: ‘Darkwave Garden’. Fri: Padre Nuestro, Antebellum. Sat: Lazy Cobra, Whores of Tijuana. The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Midtown. Thu: Crooks on Tape, The Verigolds, AJ Froman. Fri: Vacationer, Great Good Fine OK. Sat: Metalachi, The Fink Bombs. Mon: Toothless George and his One Man Band, Boondock Brothers, Of Ennui. Tue: Gayle Skidmore, The Magnettes, Normandie Wilson. The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Fri: JEL, Kynan, Mystery Cave, Ghosttraps, DJ Psychopop. Sat: King Dude, Foie Gras, Crime Desire. The Irenic, 3090 Polk Ave., San Diego. North Park. Fri: School Of Rock: Power Trios. The Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. La Jolla. Wed: Lucian Ban & Mat Maneri, Mark Dresser & Anthony Davis. Sat: Parade of Lights, Stefan Pruett. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., San

Diego. Hillcrest. Fri: Offshore Impact, Three Chamber Heart, Look Up Here, 5nSlime. Sat: Theosis, Raise the Guns, Malison, Blood Dancer. Sun: Holly Miranda, Gracie and Rachel. Tue: PRGRM, Foreign Suns, Hexa. The Office, 3936 30th St., San Diego. North Park. Wed: ‘Grand Ole Office’. Mon: Garden Echo, Chill Pill, DJ Mike Delgado. Tue: ‘Trapped’. The Tin Roof, 401 G Street, San Diego. Gaslamp. Wed: Pat Hilton & Mann. Thu: Cassie B Project. Fri: Kemeline. Sat: Quel Bordel. Mon: Lucky Devils Band. Tue: Todo Mundo. Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. City Heights. Thu: Toxic Holocaust, Lord Dying, Christ Killer, Pissed Regardless. Fri: Lurid Memory, Unicorn Death, Temblad, Mythraeum. Sat: Ruby the Hatchet, Loom, Wild Honey. Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., San Diego. Bay Park. Wed: Rip Carson and the Valiants. Thu: Rockin’ Aces. Fri: The Distractions. Sat: Charles Burton Band. Tue: Sue Palmer Quintet. Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., San Diego. City Heights. Wed: Water Rats, Roman Watchdogs, Midnight Track. Thu: The Sun Machine, La Ayahuasca, Creatures Choir, Some Kind of Lizard. Fri: ‘Hip Hop vs. Punk Rock’. Sat: Red Wizard, Condor. Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, San Diego. South Park. Wed: Botanica Chango. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., San Diego. Ocean Beach. Wed: Heritage, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: The New Mastersounds, The Earful. Fri: Neighbors to the North, Creature and the Woods, Bedroom Talk, Little Dove. Sat: No Kings. Sun: Karaoke.

September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 47

Last Words

Brendan Emmett Quigley

Yuge puzzle Across 1. Comic Ansari 5. ___ off the handle 9. “The Hunger Games,” e.g. 13. Kyocera ___ (imaging systems company) 14. Tank gunk 15. Unit for light bulbs 16. Labs on a luxury cruiser? 18. Old Treasury offering 19. Backup singer on “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill” 20. Peers deliberating the case of the missing cookies? 22. BEQ fan, likely 24. Rural mail letters 26. Stew veggie 27. Comprehend 28. Go against 30. Swear up and down 32. Scared mariner? 36. Apartment on the ground floor 37. “___ Man Yells At Cloud” (meme) 38. All-Star who was banned for the entire 2014 season 42. Really tiny mystic? 47. Somewhat uncommon 50. Try to get a lot of gigs, say 51. Anger 52. NFC East team 54. Tip of Europe? 55. “___ The Greatest Dancer” (Sister Sledge) 56. Contributor to Sherpa Monthly? 59. Bike tire meas. 61. The Donald’s replacement on “The Apprentice” Last week’s answers

48 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

62. Epic tents? 66. Flower in a chain 67. Calla lily, e.g. 68. High-speed ___ 69. Web letters 70. Dodgers manager Ned 71. Award Tiger Woods won a record 21 times

Down 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Comic Schumer ‘70s-’80s Pakistani leader Targets of some paparazzi Actor Steve on “Modern Family” Selfie stick, e.g. (one can hope) Soccer star Carli Brand that is almost 3/4ths of the frozen waffle market 8. Couldn’t sleep 9. Email heading: Abbr. 10. “Eek!” 11. Dad rock and J-Pop, e.g. 12. “Having said that ...” 15. Smooth and connected 17. Chest 21. Actress Diane of “Law and Order: SVU” 22. Duncan product 23. Not taken 25. A handful 29. 11th-century king of Denmark 31. Dinner’s on them 33. Stewbum 34. “___ About That Bass” 35. “Damn right!” 39. Green vehicles? 40. Undress with the eyes 41. Runs out of juice 43. Fish-eating hawk 44. “How long have you been standing there?” 45. Wild grp. 46. Popular tropical fish 47. Largest Saudi city 48. Point of Genesis? 49. Repair the sweater 53. “That’s a possibility” 54. Jason’s shipbuilder 57. Bit of smoke 58. Designer Saarinen 60. “Why not?” 63. Invoice no. 64. Wait for it! 65. Done with a wink

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September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 49

50 · San Diego CityBeat · September 30, 2015

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September 30, 2015 · San Diego CityBeat · 51