San Diego CityBeat • Nov 7, 2018

2 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

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UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR

So, you didn’t vote.

R

ock the Vote. Vote or Die. Choose or Lose.

I’ve lived through many silly-named registration campaigns aimed at getting young people out to vote. Most of them didn’t work and if I was to speculate, I’m guessing Tuesday’s election wasn’t all that different (this note was finished at 5 p.m. on Tueday). According to some of the early reporting and returns, there was a slight uptick in youth voting, but not enough. There are likely some races that were decided by a slim margin and pundits are likely onto the old, tired suppositions that it’s the apathetic youth who are to blame.

On the off chance that there’s someone between the age of 18 and 30 reading this, I’d like to say this to you: I get it. Really, I do. You guys get blamed for a lot.

Everyday, our social media and news feeds are filled with speculative opinion pieces about how you guys (Millennials and Generation Z) are ruining everything, from avocados and golf, to sex(?) and face-to-face interactions.

I work in an industry that you’re killing! LOL. JK. (Bur really, tho, pick up a newspaper. It’s, like, super vintage or something) And look, I’ll spare you the whole “I used to be like you” and “one day you’ll understand” platitudes. The truth is that you’re likely just as politically engaged as the average voter and even more fearful when it comes to the future. Everything doesn’t make sense and nothing you do seems to make a difference. Voting seems like an exercise in futility. Yet another thing that will only lead to disappointment.

A lot of us felt the same way when we were young. We were much more interested in burning it all down and starting something new that we missed important primary and midterm elections. In the process, we managed to fuck things up so much—be it environmentally, financially or electorally—that you’ve inherited a world so polarized and polluted that it’s no wonder you feel hopeless. You will literally (I hear you like to use that word) inherit a world where you’ll likely have to work two jobs the rest of your life and, if you’re lucky, retire or die at age 89 with no savings and living in an apartment in one of the few places left on the planet that can still sustain human life.

And you know what? It’s not your fault. It’s our

fault. We didn’t fight hard enough. The times we did vote, we elected charlatans who wrecked and ruined everything. We were shortsighted when it came to fighting to preserve unions and workers’ rights. We let them start unnecessary and costly wars. We let them chip away at the rights of people of color and women.

We let our two main political parties set the agendas for us rather than the other way around. They told us what to care about and we swallowed it.

“Blame the educational system that fails to empower children and young adults to feel that their voice and vote matters. Always has and always will… It’s a self-perpetuating and vicious cycle of failed political efficacy—when you feel apathetic because your vote seemingly doesn’t matter or won’t enact any change, you just check out, leaving the same people in power. It’s depressing as hell and absolutely unacceptable, but understandable nonetheless.”

As much as I’d like to site the above quote as having come from some seasoned political expert, it actually comes from my 26-year-old baby brother. It was left as a comment on Facebook in response to an article from New York Magazine where they interviewed “12 Young People on Why They Probably Won’t Vote.” Naturally, I was defensive when it came to his comment. For myself, someone on the verge of entering his 40th year, a comment like that instinctively sounds like just another young person making excuses and lacking personal accountability.

But he’s right. We failed you. We’re the ones who need to be held accountable. And as much as we try to shift the blame back to you, telling you to get your head out of your phones and avocado toasts, it is our past actions that have managed to convince you that everything is rigged or pointless or that none of it matters. Our own bitterness and lack of backbone has been passed down to you.

But it’s up to you now to break the cycle. And if you have to keep your head in your phone and eat a lot of avocado toast in order to do that, I’m all for it.

I get it. Really, I do. Avocados are delicious.

—Seth Combs

Write to seth.combs@sdcitybeat.com

This issue of CityBeat is working at The Pyramid tonight.

Volume 17 • Issue 12 EDITOR Seth Combs WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Ramos STAFF WRITER Andrea Lopez-Villafaña COLUMNISTS Aaryn Belfer, Ryan Bradford, Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb, Rhonda “Ro” Moore CONTRIBUTORS Christin Bailey, Torrey Bailey, Jackie Bryant, David L. Coddon, Beth Demmon, Ombretta Di Dio, Julia Dixon Evans

HUMAN RESOURCES Andrea Baker

CONTRIBUTORS (CONT’D) Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Lizz Huerta, Tigist Layne, Jonathan Mandel, Lara McCaffrey, Scott McDonald, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Ian Ward

VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS David Comden

EDITORIAL INTERNS Sara Harmatz

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Steven Persitza

PRODUCTION MANAGER Tristan Whitehouse MULTIMEDIA ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Paulina Porter-Tapia SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jason Noble ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Richard Diaz ACCOUNTING Perla Castillo, Linda Lam, Yiyang Wang

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NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 3

UP FRONT | LETTERS

NO PLACE FOR GENTLEMEN

I love CityBeat and looked forward to your Best Of issue [Oct. 17]. I enjoyed it except for one thing. On page 78, you had the category of “Best Gentleman’s Club.” If a true gentleman is someone who respects women, then he doesn’t frequent a strip club. And, particularly in this day and age, I was very disappointed that CityBeat would support that type of establishment, where women are encouraged to objectify and demean themselves and men are encouraged to support that. For you men and women who may have voted in this category, how would you feel if your own daughter worked at one of these places? Best Gentleman’s Club? Really? I thought CityBeat was progressive.

Make progress and move forward, OK? Is it somehow important to you to promote strip clubs by including them in your categories of “Best Of”? CityBeat will truly be the “best” when you stop doing that.

Sincerely, Sarah

last name and neighborhood withheld

UNHAPPY PRINCE

UP FRONT From the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Spin Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Backwards & In High Heels. . . . . . . . . 7 Well, That Was Awkward . . . . . . . . . . 8

FOOD & DRINK World Fare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Anatomy of a Cocktail Scene. . . . . . . . 11 Final Draught. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

THINGS TO DO The Short List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13

ARTS & CULTURE Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Feature: Bicycle Art. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-19

Your film listing for The Happy Prince [Oct. 17] reads in part, “The tragic last days of Oscar Wilde’s life are depicted in this period comedy....” We saw the film last night with author, director and lead actor Rupert Everett. The film is not a “period comedy” by any standard. Realizing this brief listing is not a review of the film, it should at least rise to the minimum standard of being factually accurate. It is not. Your listing however was the great source of considerable laughter for several who read the listing after actually viewing the film. A viewing experience apparently not yet shared by the author of the listing text.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

David Lundin Pacific Beach

[Editor’s response: Humblebrag much?]

MUSIC Feature: Illuminati Hotties. . . . . . . . . 20 Notes From The Smoking Patio. . . . 22 About Last Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 If I Were U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Concerts & Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-26

IN THE BACK Astrologically Unsound . . . . . . . . . . 25 Cannabitch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

ON THE

COVER SHAUN GLADWELL STUDIO / WIKICOMMONS

WE WANT FEEDBACK Email letters to editor Seth Combs at seth.combs@sdcitybeat.com, or mail to 3047 University Ave., Suite 202, San Diego, CA 92104.

For letters to be considered for publication you must include your first and last name and the part of town where you reside.

Note: All comments left on stories at sdcitybeat.com will also be considered for publication.

4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

Shaun Gladwell This week’s cover is a still from Australian multimedia artist Shaun Gladwell, who is one of 13 artists participating in I Love to Ride My Bicycle, a new exhibition opening Nov. 15 at the SDSU Downtown Gallery (see page 16 for more). Gladwell’s video piece features a BMX rider performing tricks and stunts on the coast of England. “I’m obsessed with bicycles,” says Gladwell. “I see many things through the ‘cycle lens,’ historically, culturally and artistically.”

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NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5

JOHN R. LAMB

UP FRONT | OPINION

SPIN

CYCLE

JOHN R. LAMB

Homing in on the ballot box Talking much is a sign of vanity, for the one who is lavish with words is cheap in deeds.

—Sir Walter Raleigh

I

f you’ve followed the region’s spotty progress in addressing homelessness, Michael McConnell is likely a familiar name.

For years, he has taken to social media to document the on-thestreet interactions between San Diego’s homeless citizens and local law enforcement, sometimes with the threat of incarceration hanging in the early-morning air.

“That’s happened several times now,” McConnell told Spin on Monday. “Sometimes I’ll be filming and it will be, ‘Get back, get back!’ Or police will throw out arbitrary numbers like, ‘You need to be 50 feet away!’ There’s no rule like that. In fact, sometimes when I get threatened with arrest, police let other

people walk right through. Obviously they’re just targeting me because they’re not happy I’m there.”

Fortunately, most officers just ignore him. “They do their job, and I do mine,” he said. He’s even had some “great conversations” with some police officers “who really just want to understand more” about homelessness.

While those days can feel rewarding, McConnell said the thanks he gets from those on the street is the greatest reward.

“If I know I’m making their life a little bit better because they know that somebody actually gives a shit; [someone] that’s willing to come out at 5:30 in the morning and document what they go through and listen to their stories, then I don’t need any more. Good enough reason for me.”

A self-described peaceful man by nature, McConnell is apprecia-

6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

tive of the attention his work has received. At this point, however, he’s come to the conclusion that those efforts, as well as his time spent serving with electeds, to bring about change have done little to break the cycle of despair.

“You just realize that you’re beating your head against the wall,” he said.

So in late September, the 52-year-old numismatist by trade sold his coin and precious metals business that he’d owned since the mid-’90s and announced a new chapter in his life.

“While I have become deeply involved in homelessness issues over the years, I have now decided to fully dedicate my time and resources to this journey of helping improve the city that I love and call home,” he wrote on social media.

While proud of his work as a former vice chairman of the Regional Task Force on the Homeless (as well as his leadership roles in the 25 Cities Initiative to end veteran homelessness and Funders Together to End Homelessness San Diego), McConnell added that “it has become apparent that more aggressive efforts are needed to drive progress on this issue.”

To that end, he’s decided to put his money into the political arena in hopes of holding elected officials’ feet to the fire.

Feckless leadership on solving San Diego’s homeless crisis, particularly from Mayor Kevin Faulconer, has pushed Michael McConnell into the political boxing ring.

“They need to focus on real, proven solutions to this unabated crisis, utilize our resources wisely, and make data-driven decisions,” he wrote on social media. “Despite our elected officials’ so-called ‘best efforts,’ San Diego still has the fourth highest homeless population in the nation. This is an unacceptable outcome for San Diegans and America’s Finest City.”

McConnell has already dipped his toe into political waters, having created an independent-expenditure campaign in support of District 4 City Council candidate Monica Montgomery in her effort to unseat incumbent Myrtle Cole, who currently serves as council president.

“This is the first time I’ve ever spent money on an active campaign,” he said. “I’ve always stayed out of spending money on politics.

But as I kept analyzing the homelessness issue from different perspectives, what kept coming back over and over again is a lack of leadership. You can help people, but you’re not going to make any long-term, systemic changes until you have the right leaders in place who are willing to make the tough decisions and who aren’t afraid of pissing people off.”

As for Cole, McConnell thinks she’s spent too much time appeasing the downtown echo chamber and too little time tending to the needs of her constituents. Montgomery, in contrast, “would be a breath of fresh air,” he argued.

However that tight race turns out, McConnell said he’s committed to having an impact on future elections as well.

“I’m not going to keep beating my head against the wall,” he said.

“I’m going to do things differently.

I don’t believe in doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result.”

He’s already established a political action committee, San Diegans for the Common Good, with $100,000 to fight Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s plan for a special elec-

tion in April to determine the fate of the convention-center expansion ballot measure that supporters claim will also provide hotel tax funds for homelessness and road repairs.

But McConnell also has an eye toward the 2020 election, when San Diego will choose a new mayor.

Recently, he tweeted, “Can’t wait for November 7th. Ready to start getting info out about potential candidates for 2020. Some of them have a lot of baggage that needs exposing.”

When asked about whom he was talking about, McConnell declined to offer names just yet, but added, “I think there are plenty of people on the county Board of Supervisors and City Council who have significant baggage when it comes to the Hep A crisis. Let’s talk about $18,000-a-day empty buildings [a reference to the city’s struggles to rehab the former Sempra headquarters downtown]. Let’s talk about $7 million skydiving places.”

That last jab refers to the East Village building the city bought to convert into a homeless intake center, a project that continues to languish.

When talking about these things with McConnell, one might get the sense that he may well run for office some day, a notion he won’t completely reject.

“I’m going to do whatever I think is going to have the most impact with my time and money.

I’m not sure that means supporting people or doing something myself,” he said. “At the moment, it’s about supporting good people. And fighting the convention-center measure.”

And what if Mayor Faulconer decides to run for something like Congress?

“You can be pretty confident that whatever he’s running for,” he added, “I’ll be on the other side.”

Spin Cycle appears every other week.

Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com.

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UP FRONT | OPINION

AARYN BELFER

BACKWARDS & IN

HIGH HEELS

There’s work to do

M

ost readers will catch this column well after Tuesday, but it’s important to point out that this was written and filed four days before the most important election of our lifetime. So goes the nature of this glorious little print platform that allows me to highlight whatever I want—except when what I want to highlight is what happens on Tuesday.

Nonetheless (and I hope I am wrong about this), I’m guessing the election didn’t deliver the blue wave necessary to curb the horror of fascism. Our real chance to stop it was in the early weeks and months after the 2016 election and boy did we miss that train.

Unsecured voting machines and overt voter suppression aside, the Trump Crime Syndicate has (or, had?) all three branches of government and controls the narrative on quite a lot of the media (one wonders what threats were made during the meeting with media heavy hitters on Nov. 21, 2016). How twee and naive are the congress-will-stophim and the-courts-will-block-this and the-journalists-will-uncover-it platitudes. And don’t get me started with the Mueller Time enthusiasts (note: Bobby Three Sticks will not save us).

Whatever the outcome, the man who calls himself president has rationalized letting our military shoot anyone who would throw a rock.

Even with a Democrat-controlled House, it’s tough to bounce back from Nazi shit.

Yet, whether Beto, Abrams or Gillum emerge victorious, we cannot do nothing.

“We have to keep fighting,” said my favorite authoritarian expert, Sarah Kendzior, on the Halloween episode of Gaslit Nation, her outstanding podcast on what the hell is happening to us. “There is no choice.

The fight is not just about winning for the sake of winning. It’s about being able to live with yourself whether you win or lose. It’s about values and clarity of conscience that goes above just simple gains.”

Indeed. We need to throw some metaphorical rocks. Some boulders. We need some catapults.

Whether my prediction is right, We the People have to combat the ugliness that is America. We may not be able to make a dent in what happens way up there at the top, where our elected officials enjoy single-payer health care and six-week summer vacations. And we may not be able to do a damn thing about lying sexual assaulters on a Supreme Court poised to impose draconian laws onto women’s bodies and undo decades civil rights. But we have to try.

I’ve struggled to figure out how to exist in this new world order. My mental, physical and spiritual health have taken a huge hit. I cry. A lot. Some days I stay in bed with the curtains drawn. But how I get up and over it is by doing what I wish every single person with any amount of privilege—be it white or male or class or

education—would do: To be a helper. To make a difference in the life of someone worse off than ourselves.

We live in paradise and all around us is so much suffering that we can choose to see or not.

According to the Regional Task Force on the Homeless (RTFH), there were 8,576 homeless people in San Diego County as of January 26, 2018. And yet our downtown skyline is spotted with cranes and high rises. Drive west along Commercial Street and we pass hundreds of people with no place to sleep. Around the perimeters of the city center, people hunker into alcoves of buildings with empty luxury apartments.

The sun in our region shines bright on us all, including the children separated from their parents and held in our county’s detention facilities, while their parents are jailed just miles from where we enjoy dinners at the latest Noun + Noun eatery. We San Diegans surf and play at ground zero.

Our jails overflow. Poor people— predominantly Black and Brown— are disproportionately targeted by our police and so-called justice system. They languish in jail awaiting trial, even when they pose no threat to public safety. Statistics prove these people overwhelmingly show up for their hearings when released on their own recognizance. Instead, we criminalize poverty and, as a result, people lose their jobs, their kids, their cars and their homes all because they can’t afford bail.

How would things look different if we all picked an issue and volunteered time toward making it go away?

This year has been a collective trauma; a bludgeoning. This is why so many people— myself included—engaged in this election. We called, texted and knocked on doors because we couldn’t stand by and do nothing. But that is over and something must take its place. The task now is to stay engaged, to not let up, to keep moving forward. The task is to fight.

“I believe our power, our instruments, our wisdom, our capacity to change the world, is waiting for us if we get proximate to the poor and excluded.” This is what the Founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevenson, said recently during a presentation at Brigham Young University.

Get proximate to the poor and excluded.

This column is my plea to anyone who’s listening: Whatever the outcome was on Tuesday, there’s work to do. Let’s get involved with something that matters to our hearts. Let’s meet someone we might not otherwise meet. Help someone who needs it; give of ourselves when we think we can’t possibly give anymore.

Get proximate. I’ll bet the stars and moon we end up feeling like we get more than we give.

Even with a Democratcontrolled House, it’s tough to bounce back from Nazi shit.

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Backwards & In High Heels appears every other week.

Write to aarynb@sdcitybeat.com.

NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7

UP FRONT | VOICES

RYAN BRADFORD

WELL THAT WAS

AWKWARD

Drunk ghosts, spooky bars and bro-ing down in the G-G-Gaslamp

R

yan Andrews, beverage director of GBOD Hospitality Group, offers to give me a ghost tour of the Gaslamp bar, Prohibition. It’s the weekend before Halloween, and while I’m not a man with a lot of hard-and-fast rules, “never pass up an opportunity to do ghost-y shit” is one of them.

I’m excited, but, honestly, I don’t expect to see ghosts. I want to believe in them. I like the idea of believing, but gun to my head: Nah. I ain’t afraid of no g-g-g-ghost.

That said, I’m always eager to hear a good ghost story, and I’ve heard a couple that have made my hair stand on end. I also don’t want to dismiss anyone else’s beliefs. I think we’re at our most vulnerable when we expose our fears, and ghost stories are a way to share anxieties with another person—a social lubrication that’s faster and stronger than booze. Essentially, I believe ghost stories can bring us together.

But, if ghosts do exist, I have no doubt they’re hanging out in Prohibition.

It’s late afternoon when a hostess leads me down the stairs and into the speakeasy-style bar. It’s hours before Prohibition is open to the general public, and this is my first time here because the Gaslamp scares me for reasons other than ghosts. Still, Prohibition is the type of place I imagine gets insane on the weekends. The room is composed of exposed brick, ornate tile and leather ottomans—the type of decor that attracts a craft-cocktail crowd like a mustachioed moth to a handcrafted flame.

Now, however, in the cool darkness, there’s something I can only describe as an eerie mutedness to the room. An energy, maybe. Perhaps it’s just the haunting quality of seeing a usually-active space empty, but it reminds me of the scenes in The Shining where Jack Nicholson sits in an empty bar, just before the ghosts show up.

I find Andrews sitting at the bar, alone, working on a laptop. Andrews is stoked to jump right into the lore of Prohibition.

“So some quick history,” Andrews says. “I believe the building was built in 1836. I have no idea what it was originally. I know during the 1860s it served as the San Diego morgue. This tile is actually the original tile from that time period, and from what I’ve been told by local historians, that tile was used because it was easier to clean up the blood from the bodies.”

“Nice!” I say, probably a little too enthusiastically.

“The first thing that really jumped out at us is when we were building El Chingon [another GBOD property, located next door to Prohibition], we were doing construction on the plumbing. We had radios and we also had a security guard and I kept getting calls from him

like, ‘Hey, quit messing with the water. Turn the water back on. Why’d you turn the water off?’ I’m like, ‘I don’t even know where the water main is!’”

Andrews leads me back into a storage closet, shows me where the plumber eventually found the water valve hidden behind a panel in the ceiling. “[The plumber] was like, ‘Someone had to have done this.’ I’m the longest tenured employee at the bar, before GBOD took over, and I didn’t even know it was there!”

According to the story, GBOD’s CEO ended up finding a psychic medium, who—without being prompted or given any prior information—located the haunted valve. “[The psychic] starts communicating with this supposed spirit,” Andrews says. “She goes on to tell us that [the ghost] is a sailor, who died on a submarine. He’s trapped here, but he thinks he’s still on a submarine and he’s in charge of the water mains on the boat.”

At this point, I’m biting my tongue, but then I quickly remember the time when my mom hired a pet psychic to communicate with our dogs, and it’s one of my favorite stories to tell people (by the way: the pet psychic said my little white dog Sophie wanted her own hot tub).

And hey, given the fact that Prohibition hasn’t had any further water main hauntings suggests that the psychic worked.

We exit the storage closet. As we walk back toward the bar, Andrews points to a seat and says, “There’s been multiple reports in my time of women’s hair being pulled right there.” I make a mental note not to sit where he’s pointing.

Undoubtedly, Andrews is a good storyteller, but I still have to ask: Does he actually believe in these stories?

“I grew up with a very religious background,” he says. “So [they teach you] there’s an afterlife.” He pauses. “But I don’t believe in that stuff personally. I think when you’re dead, you’re dead. Carbon and dust at that point.”

“But,” he adds. “If people ask if this place is haunted, I say it sure is.’”

It doesn’t take a sales pitch to get me to believe in Prohibition’s ghosts; I think the two seemingly contradictory statements can exist together. Just because Andrews and I—two strangers—don’t believe in things like the afterlife, doesn’t discount the fact that we’ve just spent the past 30 minutes geekingthe-fuck-out about ghosts, and we haven’t even had a drop to drink. Whether they’re real or not, ghosts bring us together.

‘This tile is actually the original tile from that time period, and from what I’ve been told by local historians, that tile was used because it was easier to clean up the blood from the bodies.’

8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

Well, That Was Awkward appears every other week.

Write to ryanb@sdcitybeat.com

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NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9

UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

THE WORLD

FARE

Modular Middle Eastern

H

it a shawarma stand in the Middle East and two things will happen: First, the customer will always end up happy and, second, the most important choice is which protein will fill the pita. The options tend to include some or all of lamb, chicken, turkey or beef (and sometimes falafel, though that’s usually to be found elsewhere). We don’t have shawarma stands on every corner in San Diego. What we do have is Tahini (9119 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Suite G, tahinistreetfood.com) in Kearny Mesa.

Shawarma, like Greek gyros, is a derivative of a Turkish döner kebap. Mexican al pastor (and Northern adobada) are, in turn, a derivative of shawarma.

All have in common thin slices of seasoned meat cut off a continuously rotating vertical spit.

The central concept at Tahini is redirecting the themes of Middle Eastern shawarma in a more modular direction. Instead of pretty much anything going into pita pockets, Tahini takes three proteins—chicken shawarma, steak shawarma and falafel—and offers them either in a pita pocket, a rice bowl or a salad.

The best of those delivery system options is the traditional pita. After all, that’s what shawarma is.

Put the meat (or falafel) in a rice bowl and it’s protein and rice. Put it on a salad and, well, it’s still a salad. Go with the steak shawarma. The tahini and the beef marry beautifully, while the pita and the turnip pickles complete the picture. Simple and perfect. Rice? Salad? Surplus to requirements.

There’s nothing wrong with rice bowls or salads, they’re just not shawarma. They have their place— that place just isn’t my mouth when it’s shawarma I’m after.

Tahini may take the modularity of shawarma to a new level. In the end, though, the experience isn’t all that different from the many shawarma spots

10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

I’ve hit in Israel. It’s always a modular experience.

In addition to the choice of meats, there are sauce options, choices of pickles and other garnishes. It’s just at Tahini, there’s the added choice of delivery system.

The sauce and add-on options at Tahini echo those in the Middle East. The sauces are tahini (there are traditional, BBQ, cilantro and sriracha versions), a garlic sauce (think toum) and cucumber (think tzatziki). The latter two are must-haves. The add-ons include various fresh, salad-like ingredients: pickled cucumber and classic beet-turnip, peppers, pepperoncinis and olives, as well as cheeses and almonds. I say stick to the pickles.

MICHAEL A. GARDINER

Falafel in pita with pickled turnips All three of the proteins are good choices. The chicken, perhaps the most classic, was my favorite.

The steak was heavier and was incredibly flavorful without being tough. Tahini’s falafel was a competent take on the classic, if less-than-extraordinary.

Then again, I’m not sure I’ve tasted extraordinary falafel outside of the Middle East.

In a very important sense it’s meaningless to try to compare Tahini to Middle Eastern shawarma spots. We’re not in the Middle East. We can’t just pop in to Yaksha Shawarma in Tel Aviv, Shawerma Al-Faris in Amman or Joseph in Beirut. Conveniently located in Kearny Mesa, Tahini offers a healthy and delicious taste of the food and the experience done up for San Diegans. It certainly made me happy.

The World Fare appears weekly.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

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UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

ANATOMY OF A

BY IAN WARD

COCKTAIL SCENE #44: Revaluating and pre-batching at Puesto

A

week or so ago, I was at a party and introduced to a mutual friend of several people I know and respect.

This gentleman was friendly, nice and gracious, but somewhere in the midst of our conversation he said to me, “I read your col-

MEZCALITO as prepared at Puesto Mezcalito Base Prep Ingredients: 397 gm. tamarind pulp 2 qt. water (room temp) 1 Kaffir lime leaf 6 gm. whole star anise 5 each whole clove 794 gm. granulated white sugar

Place the tamarind, water, lime leaf, star anise, and clove in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Use a whisk to break up the tamarind block. Reduce the stove heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the reduced mixture through a fine metal mesh strainer, tapping the side of the strainer vigorously with a wooden spoon.

Do not force the pulp through the mesh as this will produce an overly thick and gritty texture. Add the sugar and whisk vigorously until dissolved. Place the finished product into quart size containers and cover. Label and refrigerate.

Cocktail Recipe: 2 oz. Mezcalito base 1 oz. fresh lime juice 1.5 oz. Vida mezcal 1 oz. Huana Guanabana liqueur 1 charred orange slice 1 Kaffir lime leaf

Combine Mezcalito base, lime juice, mezcal and Huana in a shaker tin filled with ice. Shake and pour directly into Collins glass. Do not strain over new ice. Garnish with charred orange and kaffir lime leaf, and serve.

@SDCITYBEAT

umn. You know, the cocktail column that doesn’t talk about cocktails.”

The rest of the evening progressed and while the comment did not offend me, it kept revolving around my tiny brain. Had I been taking this opportunity to highlight local talented bartenders and simply used it as a way for me to hash out my issues?

Have I been some shitty, exploitative incubus of a local cocktail writer? Am I doing it again right now? Fuck, I am.

So this article is going to be fully dedicated to the prep of one cocktail, which is the Mezcalito at Puesto (La Jolla and Downtown locations, eatpuesto.com).

As far as my overvalued opinion goes, the Mezcalito is a great representation of where craft and expedition intersect. At times, it can be very hard to put out qualitydriven and focused cocktails for a lot of people (Puesto is very popular).

In doing so, bartenders tend to lean toward a system of what we call “pre-batching,” which is the process of combining multiple ingredients together beforehand so when it comes time to make the cocktail there are less steps to take. Most prebatching involves multiple spirits mixed together in one bottle and multiple mixers bottled together in another.

At Puesto however, the Mezcalito base prep is intricate, thoughtful and time consuming. It’s very similar to the process of making a great sauce. The cocktail itself is herbaceous, smoky and tart with big notes of fall spice. It manages the hard task of being both refreshing, bold and high-toned.

But enough of my talking. This column is about the cocktail and here is the full recipe. I might use it to prepare a lot of drinks for a party where a stranger might make me revaluate my entire column.

Anatomy of a Cocktail Scene appears every other week. Write to ianw@sdcitybeat.com.

BY BETH DEMMON

FINAL

DRAUGHT Beer salvation

W

ith a gray-streaked beard, shaggy hair and a look best described as middle-aged bohemian, Greg Koch has more than a passing resemblance to a whitewashed portrait of Jesus. While he doesn’t claim to be the savior of men (or beer, for that matter), there are definitely parallels between Koch of San Diego and Jesus of Nazareth.

Koch co-founded Stone Brewing Co. in 1996 with Steve Wagner, helping to resurrect the American craft brewing scene. Since then, he’s spread its gospel throughout the world. A tongue-in-cheek “Der Bier Jesus aus Amerika” (translated to “The Beer Jesus from America”) moniker was bestowed upon him in 2014 by The Berliner Kurier, a German tabloid.

“I don’t promote [the name ‘Beer Jesus’],” remarked Koch to me during a conversation at the California Craft Beer Summit in Sacramento earlier this year.

“I feel slightly uncomfortable with it.” He shrugs in acceptance.

As the first independent American craft brewery to build and operate a brewery in Europe—in the heart of beer country, no less—Germans were understandably skeptical at the boldness of the venture. But Koch is adamant that Stone balances respect for tradition and understands the importance of integrating into the existing community while still preserving Stone’s authenticity.

“As artists, our job is to bring our best selves. Our real selves is our best selves.

Whether we’re in San Diego or Berlin or Napa or Shanghai, China, not everyone is going to like what we do. And that’s perfectly fine,” says Koch.

Despite Germany’s historical significance and influence in the brewing industry, Koch explains there are vast cultural differences between beer drinkers here and there. “What we’re doing [in Berlin] really tends to cause a lot of people to cock their head a bit to the side. Beer’s

just not part of the conversation. Berliners wouldn’t know why you want to have a conversation about beer.”

Not only has that conversation started, it’s not showing any signs of slowing down. On Nov. 4, the California Center for the Arts in Escondido screened the first advance showing of The Beer Jesus From America. Filmmaker Matt Sweetwood, an American expat living in Germany and a San Diego State University film school graduate, is behind the indie documentary that followed Koch and the Stone team as they worked to open their Berlin brewing facility two years ago. The film is slated to officially premiere in 2019.

STONE BREWING

Greg Koch in The Beer Jesus From America After 20-plus years in the beer industry, and as the Beer Jesus, I asked Koch what he envisions as craft beer’s salvation? He chuckled and considered the question.

“Beer’s salvation will always lie with the beer drinker, 110 percent. If the beer drinker wants to pay a little bit more attention, beer’s chances of salvation increase.

If a beer drinker wants to share their notes and their insights with somebody else, the chance of beer’s salvation increases. If the beer drinker says, ‘I am going to make a conscious decision about which beers I drink— what the ownership is, what the philosophies of the companies are, do the people behind the company or within the company participate in the community’—if they pay attention to those things, then the chances of beer salvation increases.”

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

NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11

EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

NORTH PARK

TEAM WORK Look, we get it; another week, another beer festival. But we can’t stress enough just how different and special the annual Collabapalooza (karlstrauss.com/events/collabapalooza) is from the rest of the beer fest pack. First of all, it’s arguably the biggest event of San Diego Beer Week, the annual event that brings people from around the world to see what all the buzz is about when it comes to our local craft scene. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it’s an event where beer lovers will truly get to try something that’s not only unique, but also one-of-a-kind.

“The event had great energy [last year] and the beer list was phenomenal, so we’re looking forward to seeing what our brewing friends have up their sleeves this year,” says Paul Segura, the brewmaster at Karl Strauss Brewing Company, who is the main sponsor of the event.

Yes, collaboration is the name of the game at Collabapalooza where patrons will be able to try unlimited samples of unique beers, many of which will only be available that day. Karl Strauss alone teamed up with nine different breweries for the event including Pizza Port, Stone, Lost Abbey and more. There will also be dozens more beers at the event. Some of the collaboratory crafts we’re interested in trying include Duck Foot Brewing Co.’s alliance with Mike Hess Brewing Co. and South-

LOGAN HEIGHTS

WHAT’S IN A NAME? For four years, the local chapter of the American Photographic Artists organization has put on the annual Untitled exhibition. Submitted by professional and up-andcoming photographers, the showcased photographs vary in subject and tone, but one thing they all have in common is just how amazing they are to look at. Untitled 2018—which opens from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10 at Bread & Salt (1955 Julian Ave.)—features the best 20 photographs submitted this year. The free event will also have beer from Coronado Beer Co. and prizes for the top three photos. Plus, all the images will be up for auction with proceeds benefitting the Museum of Photographic Arts. Those interested can check out some of the entries at untitledshow.org.

COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

COURTESY OF KARL STRAUSS

HC-NOTE Pop-Up Art Sale at San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. A curated collection for entry-level art collectors to discover and purchase work from emerging San Diego and Tijuana contemporary artists. Everything is priced between $100-$300. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 8 and noon to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 10 and Sunday, Nov. 11.

Free-$5. 619-236-0011, sandiego-art.org Open Show San Diego #10 at the Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park. A curated selection of five local visual storytellers, who will share their work in an interactive, supportive and dynamic format. Opening rom 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8. Free to $10. openshow.org/sandiego HArtOASIS Showcase at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Downtown, 1001 Kettner Blvd., Downtown. With a means of coping with the effects of combatrelated stress, this exhibit showcases work of more than 100 active duty armed forces members. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9. Free. 858-454-3541, mcasd.org

Collabapalooza Norte Brewing’s partnership with Cerveceria Insurgente.

“It’s really something to see so many independent brewers join together and collaborate with one another,” Segura says. “It’s what our community is all about.”

Collabapalooza happens Saturday, Nov. 10 from 2 to 5 p.m. in the parking lot behind The Observatory North Park (2891 University Ave.).

There’s also a VIP session from 1 to 2 p.m. Tickets range from $45 to $60 and include a commemorative taster glass to take home. Proceeds from the event will benefit both the San Diego Brewers Guild and the North Park Main Street Association.

LA JOLLA

LOVELY DAY It will be a lovely day, indeed, when NYC-based soul vocalist José James rolls into town. And while we love James’ original songs, his recently released album, Lean on Me, was impressive for different reasons. For Lean on Me: José James Celebrates Bill Withers, he will be singing contemporary covers of the legendary, three-time Grammy-Award winning singer Bill Withers. Even if readers don’t know him by name, everyone knows Withers’ music (“Lovely Day,” “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lean On Me,” just to name a few). The show begins at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 at the David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center (4126 Executive Drive). The concert is $28 for JCC members and $33 for non-members, and are available at sdcjc.org.

CHERRY CHILL WILL

HUntitled 2018 at Bread & Salt, 1955 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. A one-night only auction and exhibition curated by Thomas Werner of the top 20 photographic prints from APA’s “Untitled 2018” contest. Proceeds from auctioned works benefit MOPA. Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Free. 619-993-4811, untitledshow.org HHidden Gems at San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park. The NAT and the Gemological Institute of America team up to show more than 100 of the best, brightest and most spectacular selections from their gem and mineral collections. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Opens Saturday, Nov. 10. Free-$19.95.

619-232-3821, sdnhm.org Gatekeeper: World Of Folly at Madison Gallery, 320 S. Cedros Ave., Ste. 200, Solana Beach. Neo-expressionist Hunt Slonem presents new paintings that feature vividly colored animals. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Free. RSVP encouraged. madisongalleries.com Two: New Works at Thumbprint Gallery, 920 Kline St., La Jolla. This exhibit features work by Armando Gonzalez, who intends to uncover conflicts, balances and division within partnerships. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Free. 858-3546294, thumbprintgallery.com Mermaid Art Show at La Bodega Gallery, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. This family-friendly group exhibition will feature varying artistic takes on the sirens of the sea. Includes live “mermaids” from the OB Merpod and treats from M Squared Baked Goods. Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Free. 619-255-7036, labodegagallery.com HLife and Death at Border X Brewing, 2181 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. Art Unites and Border X Brewing present this exhibit featuring select paintings by local artist Anna Zappoli. Includes a “Meet the Artist” segment followed by “Business Strategies for Artists Workshop” led by Art Unites’ CEO Blanca Bergman. From 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 10. Free. 619-501-0503, borderxbrewing.com Art Form Swap Meet 5 at Space, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., Normal Heights. Buy, sell and trade artwork during this night of music and art. From 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. $3. 619-501-6540, spacebarsd.com

BOOKS Ann Collins at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The award-winning photographer will discuss and sign

“Desert Car Wash” by Markku Lahdesmaki 12 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

José James

H = CityBeat picks

her new book, La Jolla: Jewel by the Sea. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8.

Free. warwicks.com HMona Hanna-Attisha at Warren Hall, University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, Linda Vista. The physician, scientist, activist and PEN America Freedom of Expression Courage Award Winner will discuss and sign her new book, What the Eyes Don’t See, an account of the Flint, Michigan water crisis. From 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov 10. Free. warwicks.com Jason Williams and Derek McCaw at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. Williams will sign and discuss his memoir, I Was Flesh Gordon: Fighting the Sex Ray and Other Adventures of an Accidental Porn Pioneer, along with co-author McCaw. At 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Free. 858-2684747, mystgalaxy.com HT. Greenwood at Women’s Museum of California, 273 Historic Decatur Road, Liberty Station, Point Loma. The awardwinning author will discuss her book, Rust and Stardust, based on the experiences of real-life kidnapping victim Sally Horner.

From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. $5. womensmuseumca.org Kathleen Kaufman at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The author will sign and discuss her new novel, Hag. At 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com Anne Lamott at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp. The bestselling author and humorist will discuss topics ranging from alcoholism to Christianity, as well as sign copies of her new book, Almost Everything: Notes on Hope. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13. $35. sandiegotheatres.org HHuda Al-Marashi at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The Encinitas-based writer will sign and discuss her new memoir, First Comes Marriage: My NotSo-Typical American Love Story. At 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 14. Free. warwicks.com

DANCE HNoche Latina at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Program includes the performance of three ballets, “Carmen,” “Bolero,” and “Juanita y Alicia,” and a live Cuban band. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9 and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. $30-$65. 858-560-6741, californiaballet.org Immerse at Balboa Park Club, 2144 Pan American Road, Balboa Park. The PGK Project’s award-winning founding director, Peter G. Salivas, will direct this modern dance performance with several dance and music groups including Wheel Chair Dancers San Diego, The Westwind Brass Ensemble, pianist Rayme Sciaroni and more. From 7:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. $15-$25.

619-886-7924, thepgkdanceproject.org HShadowland at Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway, Downtown. Famed modern dance company Pilobolus’ new show that combines acrobatic choreography with projected images to create a narrative with the fluid logic of a dream. At 2 and 8 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 10. $20-$75. ljms.org

FILM HHorror San Diego Preview Screening at Landmark’s Hillcrest Cinemas, 3965 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. A night of original horror films produced as part of the “Horror San Diego” competition. Includes a Q&A with the filmmakers. From 7 to 9 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 13. $20. 619-512-2403, filmconsortiumsd.com HLust in the Dust at Hillcrest Landmark Cinema, 3965 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. FilmOut San Diego presents a screening of the 1985 cult Western about a gunfighter,

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 @SDCITYBEAT

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 a singer and a saloon owner who band together against a common enemy. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14. $10. filmoutsandiego.com

FOOD & DRINK HSan Diego Beer Week at various locations. Celebrate San Diego’s thriving craft beer culture with a ten-day, countywide festival that features tastings, pairing dinners, workshops, beer garden events and more.

See website for full list of events, locations and schedule. Various times. Through Sunday, Nov. 11. $45-$100. sdbw.org HCollabapalooza at The Observatory, 2891 University Ave., North Park. Karl Strauss’ annual beer fest includes oneof-a-kind and super-rare brews with collaborations with Fall Brewing, AleSmith, Nickel Beer Co. and more. Proceeds benefiit the San Diego Brewers Guild and the North Park Main Street Association.

From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. $45-$60. karlstrauss.com Taste of University Heights at various locations, University Heights. A self-guided restaurant walking tour showcasing restaurants in University Heights including Madison on Park, Big Front Door, Park & Rec and more. $20-$25. From noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. uhcdc.org HSan Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival at Marina Park, 500 Kettner Blvd., Downtown. Join over 150 wineries, breweries and spirit purveyors, along with 60 of San Diego’s best restaurants for the annual wine and food celebration. Various prices and times. See website for full schedule.

From Sunday, Nov. 11 through Sunday, Nov. 18. sandiegowineclassic.com

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Ocean Beach Restaurant Walk 2018 at Newport Ave. and Abbott St., Ocean Beach. Enjoy bites from over 50 restaurants on this self-guided tour while enjoying live music, face painting and more to support the OB Food and Toy Drive. From 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13. $25. obrestaurantwalk.eventbrite.com

MUSIC José James Celebrates Bill Withers at David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. The international jazz singer—who takes influences from R&B, Moroccan Gnawa music, hip-hop, and gospel—will perform Bill Withers classics. From 8 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8. $33-$38. lfjcc.org Rickie Lee Jones and Anders Osborne at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. The “cool pop” icon of the ’80s, Rickie Lee Jones, will be joined onstage by the New Orleans singer and guitarist, Anders Osborne. From 8 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9. $20-$80. sandiegosymphony.org Charpentier & the French Baroque Concert at St. James By The Sea Episcopal Church, 743 Prospect St., La Jolla.

San Diego Baroque Soloists and San Diego Master Chorale will perform works by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Jean-Baptiste Barrière and more. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 9. $10-$40. sdbaroque.com Pepper at the Del Mar Racetrack, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. Reggaerock trio Pepper performs after the final race of the day. Saturday, Nov. 10. $6$30. 858-755-1141, dmtc.com Journeys on the Voyager at Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 N. Harbor Drive, Downtown. The Hausmann Quartet and Maritime Museum of San Diego

will perform a concert aboard the historic 1898 steam ferryboat “Berkeley.” Part of the Haydn Voyages: Music at the Maritime series. At 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. $10$50. 619-432-2314, sdmaritime.org

Friday, Nov. 9. $9-$46. artpower.ucsd.edu

David Crosby & Friends at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp. The iconic singer-songwriter and one-fourth of Crosby, Still, Nash and Young will perform hits as well as new songs off his latest album, Here If You Listen. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12. $55. sandiegotheatres.org

Gelato Poetry: Anna Zappoli at Gelato Vero Caffe, 3753 India St., Mission Hills.

The Italian poet and artist will perform works that explore humans’ tendency toward creation and connection. Reading followed by an open-mic. From 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9. Free.

HMaria de Barros at The Loft at UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. The Dakar, Senegal native will perform songs influenced by her multi-cultural upbringing, including musical elements from Africa, Portugal and more. From 8 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14. $9-$25. artpower.ucsd.edu

Storytelling: Tellabration at Bethany Lutheran Church, 2051 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Ocean Beach. Storytellers of San Diego will celebrate the practice of storytelling and share stories focused on the theme of “The Sea Less Traveled.” From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Free. 619850-2130, storytellersofsandiego.org

red fish blue fish at Conrad Prebys Music Center, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla.

The group performs Luciano Berio’s masterwork “Circles,” a symphony which musically develops three poems by E.E. Cummings. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14. Free-$15.50. musicweb.ucsd.edu Celtic Thunder X at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The popular Irish music ensemble performs an eclectic collection of the group’s best-loved and most popular songs. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14. $52.50. 619-570-1100, sandiegotheatres.org

PERFORMANCE HDavid Roussève/REALITY at ArtPower at UC San Diego at Mandeville Auditorium, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. A performance of “Halfway to Dawn,” a work weaving dance, music, sound, video and text to explore the life of an African-American gay jazz composer. From 8 to 10 p.m.

POETRY AND SPOKEN WORD

SPECIAL EVENTS Opening Day at the Del Mar Racetrack, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. The 2018 Fall Racing season begins with thoroughbred racing, food and drinks all day.

At 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 9. $6. 858-7551141, dmtc.com HSuds & Science: The Prehistoric History of San Diego and Ethical Archaeology at Mangia Italiano, 243 Third Ave., Chula Vista. Archeologist Dr. Robert Bolger paves a way through San Diego’s history and explains how excavation sites work and how to ethically practice archeology. From 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12. $5. 619-238-1233, fleetscience.org

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS H Voices of TransAndean Indigenous

Resistance at San Diego City College, MS Building 462, 1550 Broadway, East Village. A conversation with members of indigenous communities from Chile and Argentina who are fighting for water and cultural survival in the Andean Highlands.

From 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7.

Free. 619-388-3400 HMade by X > Roman de Salvo at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 1100 Kettner Blvd., Downtown.

Learn about artist Roman de Salvo’s process at this hands-on, art-making event that includes conversation and cocktails.

From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7. $25-$35. 858-454-3541, mcasd. org Inside Netflix’s Fauda: An Evening with Moshe Zonder at David & Dorothea Garfield, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla.

Hear from Moshe Zonder, head writer and director of the first season of Fauda, the first Israeli television series to be released as a Netflix Original. From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13. $15-$18. 858362-1351, my.lfjcc.org HZackary Drucker at the UCSD Price Center Theater at UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Known for her large-scale photographs, LA-based multimedia artist Zackary Drucker will be featured as part of the annual Russell Lecture program. From 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14. Free-$15. 858-454-3541, mcasd.org 2018 Food Tank Summit: The Food Movement at The Alexandria, 10996 Torreyana Road, Torrey Pines. This summit features over 30 speakers from the food and agricultural field participating in interactive panels, fireside chats and farmer spotlights. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14. $299. foodtank.com

NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 13

THEATER AARON RUMLEY

Will the real Holmes please stand up?

I

n North Coast Repertory Theatre’s Holmes & Watson, Sherlock Holmes’ faithful partner, Dr. John Watson, is summoned to an island asylum off Scotland. Once there, he is challenged to identify which of three imprisoned men is the real Holmes, who has been presumed dead. In this production of Jeffrey Hatcher’s one-act puzzler, there’s no predicting where the story will go. In a mystery, this is a definite asset, and Holmes & Watson is decidedly a mystery. Trying to keep up with the false leads and red herrings is one thing, but the play’s tendency to explain and re-explain, often in a talky manner, makes the action, such as it is, drag.

Director David Ellenstein employs enough active devices to move the 85 minutes along. These include gunshots, physical confrontations and flashbacks to the fated Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland, where Holmes allegedly escaped death at the hands of his diabolical foe, Professor Moriarty. Holmes & Watson also benefits from the cool, magnetic presence of Richard Baird as Watson, who really is the play’s principal character. Baird projects the kind of Dr. Watson—composed, reasoned and fearless— Doyle intended, but who was often portrayed in film or TV adaptations as a sputtering satellite orbiting Holmes’ genius.

Without giving away the goods, however, be forewarned that nothing and no one in Holmes & Watson is necessarily what they seem to be, and that’s the plum for mystery fans. Theatergoers who are neither particularly well versed in the Holmes world nor enamored with twisting, turning plots may find this play wearisome. Still, given the explicit title of the play, it’s hard to imagine anyone wandering into the show unaware.

14 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

OPENING: Women at War: Rebecca Johannsen’s four character piece about women in combat and based on real-life interviews she conducted with members of the Army’s Female Engagement Team Unit in Afghanistan. It opens Nov. 7 for four performances at the California State University San Marcos Performance Hall. womenatwartheplay. com This Beautiful City: The San Diego premiere of Michael Friedman’s musical about the Colorado Springs Evangelical movement’s fight against gay rights. Based on actual citizen interviews, it opens in previews Nov. 8 at the Diversionary Theatre in Hillcrest. diversionary.org Melancholy Play: The San Diego premiere of Sarah Ruhl’s farcical play about a sad woman who suddenly turns happy, but with disastrous results for those who are attracted to her. Presented by Innermission Productions, it opens Nov. 9 at the Diversionary Black Box Theatre in Hillcrest. innermissionproductions.org

Holmes & Watson Sherlock Holmes devotees should absolutely enjoy this smartly written take on a Doyle adventure, and the production’s costumes (designed by Kim DeShazo) and dingy asylum set (by Marty Burnett) are right in line with the period in all its trappings. It’s a little early to qualify as Holiday Season fare (and Holmes & Watson closes on Nov. 18), but this North Coast Repertory Theatre offering is a good one for family or those out-of-town relatives… especially if they love a good mystery.

Holmes & Watson runs through Nov. 18 at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. $42-$53; northcoastrep. org

Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

—David L. Coddon

The Mystery of Edwin Drood: Based on Charles Dickens’ incomplete final novel, this comedic musical murder mystery lets audiences vote on who the killer is at the end of the performance. Written by Rupert Holmes, it opens Nov. 9 at the OnStage Playhouse in Chula Vista. onstageplayhouse.org She Loves Me: In this comedic musical, two shop clerks who don’t get along end up answering the same romantic personal ad. Presented by Scripps Ranch Theatre, it opens Nov. 9 at Legler Benbough Theatre at Alliant International University in Scripps Ranch. scrippsranchtheatre.org Clint Black’s Looking for Christmas: The holiday-themed world premiere musical about an Afghanistan war veteran who returns home during the holidays. Featuring music from country singer Clint Black, it opens Nov. 11 at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. theoldglobe.org

For complete theater listings, visit sdcitybeat.com

@SDCITYBEAT

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NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15

COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

CULTURE | ART

“Irreconcilable Differences” by leonardogillesfleur he bicycle’s influence on artists has always been something more behind the scenes than something that’s overly stated.

Sure, Picasso incorporated bicycles into his work and impressionist LeRoy Neiman gave the world vivid paintings of cyclists in motion. But for the most part, bicycles have served more as a catalyst for inspiration, rather than a direct subject. Put more simply, the inspiration comes from what the artist sees and how they feel while riding a bicycle, rather than the bike itself.

Over 200 years after its invention, the bicycle—despite having been replaced by automotive sources as the primary source of transportation—continues to inspire artists far more than anything with a combustion engine.

“Besides the clear historical importance of the bicycle, it’s an activity that inspires creativity. Cycling is too much fun or exercise to not be obsessed with it,” says Australian artist Shaun Gladwell. “Also, much like waking, eating and breathing, I can’t remember, or even imagine, life before riding a bicycle.”

“I am more interested in the cultural relevance that bikes represent,” adds artist Lana Z Caplan. “The physical object is less important to me than the way the physical device reveals a cultural system and its social significance, which varies so much from place to place.”

“My best bike rides are always sublime experiences; whether that’s a long bicycle tour or taking a different route to work early in the morning,” says former local artist Peter Scheidt. “It can be challenging, absorbing, fun, utterly exhausting, and feel like flying all at the same time. Bicycling is freedom.”

Gladwell, Caplan and Scheidt are just three of the 13 artists participating in I

Love to Ride My Bicycle, a new group exhibition opening Thursday, Nov. 15 at the SDSU Downtown Gallery (725 West Broadway, art. sdsu.edu/sdsu-downtown-gallery). On the surface, the participating artists may seem to not have much in common. Almost all of them work in different mediums and are from places as varied as Vietnam and Argentina. San Diego State University professor and Gallery Senior Curator Tina Yapelli wanted to take the themes of I Love to Ride My Bicycle to another level. To display works by contemporary artists who are not only inspired by bikes, but are also working with bikes be it materially or figuratively.

“There are so many artists across the globe who are working with bicycle imagery or bicycles themselves as objects. Or using bicycle parts. Really, my challenge was not finding artists, but trying to narrow my choices,” says Yapelli, herself an avid mountain biker. “That’s when I realized the saliency of this idea in terms of not only my interest in the location of the gallery as a transportation hub, but also the role of bicycles in solving the problems of livable cities, as well as my own interest in cycling, and realizing that this is something that has excited artists since bicycles were invented in 1817.

Artists have been using bicycle imagery for two centuries and they continue to do so.”

One of the more famous contemporary artists using the bicycle—not only as a motivating force, but also as a source for materials—is Ai Weiwei. Since 2003, the Chinese conceptualist has been using bicycles and bicycle parts to sculpt otherworldly installations such as the “Forever Bicycles” series.

For Shaun Gladwell—who has worked primarily in film, photography and virtual reality art—using a bicycle as a medium goes back much further than Ai. “For me, the bicycle is part of the technological and artistic revolution that helped usher in modernism,” says Gladwell.

16 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

“From Orville and Wilbur Wright in 1904 and 1905, who famously used their knowledge of bicycle design and manufacturing, amongst many other things, to invent controlled, powered flight, right through to Marcel Duchamp, 10-years later, attaching a bicycle wheel to the top of a stool for his first readymade sculpture. That was a move that would greatly influence the course of art. It is the bicycle that represents modernism.”

COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

“Madonna with Tricycle”

by Kristen Morgin Gladwell will be showcasing “BMX Channel” at I Love to Ride My Bicycle. The 2013 large-scale video piece was shot at Britain’s Southeast Coast and features Welsh BMX rider Matti Hemmings performing what’s come to be known as the “flatland”-style of BMX riding. As Hemmings executes his bike stunts among a foreboding backdrop, Gladwell uses cinematic devices such as slow motion and long pans to give the video an almost choreographed feel. Action sports as performance art.

Lana Z Caplan will also have a video installation, albeit one that’s decidedly interactive. “Welcome to Suzhou” is a looping video installation (what she calls a “moving

landscape”) where viewers enter a dark gallery and have to climb onto a bike and begin pedaling for the video projection to start.

Shot on the streets of Suzhou, China, the video will speed up as the rider pedals faster; when they stop, the video stops as well. Caplan, who is currently a professor at Cal Poly, says the piece began in 2005 as a “metaphor for U.S.-China relations,” but its themes extend beyond the two countries.

“In the end, after riding for a while, looking into the faces passing during a busy rush hour, more than seeing the other, we can see our everyday selves,” says Caplan, who lived in Suzhou when she began the piece. “Young men, mothers and teenagers—tired and rushing to get home at the end of a busy day.”

Local artist Jason Sherry will also has an interactive piece in I Love to Ride My Bicycle titled “The Timespace Trials.”

“It’s a bicycle that has a vinyl record attached to the front wheel,” says Sherry. “The record is played by an attached needle and amplifier when the bike is ridden. There is a corresponding video of several riders riding on different albums.”

While Sherry and Caplan’s respective pieces are dependent on interaction, I Love to Ride My Bicycle also features plenty of works that are not. Yapelli says she wanted to curate a “very activated space” that includes both figurative and literal works such as paintings from Christopher Brown, sculptural works from Kristen Morgin and Roman de Salvo, and photography from leonardogillesfleur. Still, Yapelli finds a common theme within all the works.

“If you look at the title of the exhibition, it was very intentional to talk about the joy,” Yapelli says. “The intrinsic joy and elation in riding bicycles through the natural or urban landscape. That, I think, is something that unites all the artists in the exhibition.

Whatever their medium, they want to share a sense of passion about bicycles.”

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NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17

CULTURE | FILM

Vanishing act

Burning

Lee Chang-dong’s smoldering drama features a viperous Steven Yeun performance

by Glenn Heath Jr.

A

fter surviving seven years on AMC’s zombie ally heading down the road of Hitchcockian thriller. apocalypse epic The Walking Dead, Steven Jong-su’s jealousy and career aspirations give the plot Yeun’s beloved character Glenn was violently a highly subjective feel, calling into doubt what is real dispatched by a Louisville slugger lined with barbed or imagined.

Burning causes an uncompromising sense of unwire. His notorious on-screen death caused instant uproar with fans and critics alike, both for the scene’s certainty in the viewer. Stories that Hae-mi tells about traveling in Africa are unreliable and romanticized. length and unmatched brutality.

Odds are that Ben—the affluent and emotionless Ben brings her around his snobby friends for this very cipher Yeun plays in Lee Chang-dong’s new stunner reason, displaying her naiveté as a way to show off his Burning—would hardly bat an eye upon viewing such own power.

Most of the memories and past events are defined violence. Instead, he might quietly yawn and smile.

He does this often in this deceptive film whenever by their narrative inconsistencies. As a burgeoning the fast life begins to lose its luster. Every moment writer trying to find his place in the world, Jong-su exists as an opportunity to play for the smooth young perceives these clashing truths in melodramatic terms that remain mostly internalized. playboy, who’s described rather asIt’s only in the final act that his agtutely by the film’s impressionable gression and rage (inherited from protagonist Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in) as an absent patriarch) explodes into Korea’s new brand of Gatsby.

BURNING the forefront. But even then, the Excess is somewhat of a new Directed by Lee Chang-dong viewer cannot reconcile the drastic theme for Lee. His previous films, Starring Yoo Ah-In, tonal shift without admitting it’s such as Secret Sunshine and Poetry, Jeon Jong-seo possible it’s all been conjured up densely examined the toll of emoand Steven Yeun

by Jong-su, whose only chance at tional repression rooted in strict Not Rated revenge could be literary. social and religious institutions.

Based on the short story “Barn Still, one can connect the dots beBurning” by renowned Japanese tween Ben’s nightly frivolities and the oppressive cultural forces inhabiting those other writer Haruki Murakami, Lee’s film relocates the narfilms. Burning positions him as the malevolent future rative to a nation where he believes brazen class diviof capitalism in South Korea, while Jong-su comes to sions produce more danger than any threat of North embody the ongoing struggles of rural communities Korean aggression. This is casually represented by the distant propaganda recordings Jong-su hears from his trying to break free of cyclical poverty.

Jong-su aimlessly wanders the streets early on, family’s farm.

Metaphorically speaking (or maybe not?), the eager to begin his career as a writer but unsure of exactly how to go about it. One day he reconnects with bodies in this film are always buried close to home, Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo), another refugee from the or as Ben likes to say with a smirk, “very near.” And countryside trying to eek out a living in the big city. yet characters and memories often vanish without a Their quaint relationship carries very little stakes un- trace. In Burning (opening Friday, Nov. 9 at Angelika til Ben glides into the film like a stalking tiger circling Film Center—Carmel Mountain), the invisible things his prey, sending shockwaves of nervous energy with tell us even more than the palatable: Hae-mi’s pantomimed tangerine meal, Ben’s mysterious backstory, every line.

Up to this point, Jong-su has interacted with the and Jong-su’s gestating unwritten novel. Like a great world as a passive observer, but spending time with magic trick, the film remains elusive and mysterious Ben and Hae-mi thrusts him into uncomfortable so- even after the grand reveal. cial situations that begin to reveal the world as more sinister. Still, despite mounting evidence to the con- Film reviews run weekly. trary, we’re never quite sure if the film’s plot is actu- Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com

18 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

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CULTURE | FILM

Wildlife

Family affairs

E

arly on in Wildlife, actor Paul Dano’s directorial debut, 14-year-old Joe (Ed Oxenbould) sees his parents Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Jeanette (Carey Mulligan) playfully embrace while doing dishes in the kitchen. Looking on from a distance, the young man smiles briefly before going back to his math homework. For a single moment, his family seems in balance.

Not long after, however, that harmony is permanently ruptured by bad luck, pride and resentment.

Or perhaps the unhappiness was always present and just buried underneath the veneer of contentment.

After Jerry loses his job as a golf course attendant, Jeannette decides to go back to work upending the family’s traditional gender dynamics. Instead of rising to the occasion, Jerry runs away to help fight a far away forest fire claiming it’s the only work he can find. His absence does not make her heart grow fonder.

Set in small town Montana circa 1960, the film sticks with Joe watching on helplessly as the adult world that controls his fate grows increasingly unstable. He gets caught in the swirling currents of Jerry and Jeanette’s slowly dissolving marriage, bearing witness to every indiscretion and betrayal from that same passive position.

Wildlife (opening Friday, Nov. 9 at Angelika Film Center—Carmel Mountain, ArcLight La Jolla and AMC Fashion Valley) does not pity Joe and, more importantly, Joe does not pity himself. All three leads are superb, expertly navigating the tricky insecurities hindering their characters from speaking up at the right time.

Most certainly an actor’s movie, Wildlife’s power nevertheless hinges on Dano and co-writer Zoe Kazan’s script based on Richard Ford’s novel, a pristine example of economic storytelling that enables each performance to intensify naturally over time.

None may be more impressive than Oxenbould’s, whose boyish face and calmly mature voice signify the tortured between-andbetwixt position children of divorce often find themselves in. Without a

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hint of false sentiment, his persona fuses Jerry and Jeanette together whether they like it not.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

OPENING San Diego Asian Film Festival: Over 150 feature films, shorts, and VR experiences will be presented at the 19th annual, 10-day celebration of Asian and Asian American cinema. Opens Thursday, Nov. 8 and runs through Saturday, Nov. 17.

Venues include the Ultrastar Mission Valley Cinemas, the Natural History Museum, Museum of Photographic Arts, Digital Gym Cinema, and Edwards Cinema Mira Mesa.

Boy Erased: Based on the memoir by Garrard Conley, Joel Edgerton’s drama follows the teenage son (Lucas Hedges) of a pastor who is forced to enter conversion therapy after admitting to having homosexual urges. Opens Friday, Nov. 9, at Angelika Film Centers—Carmel Mountain and Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas.

Burning: An aspiring young writer reconnects with a young woman from his rural hometown and gets drawn into a series of tense interactions with her wealthy new boyfriend. Opens Friday, Nov. 9, at Angelika Film Centers, Carmel Mountain.

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch: Yet another iteration of the famous story about a grumpy beast who decides to ruin Christmas for a town whose identity revolves around the holiday. Opens in wide release Friday, Nov. 9.

Ken Classics: The single screen cinema in Kensington will feature a new weeklong lineup of cult and classic films including Casablanca, Andrei Rublev and An American in Paris. Opens Friday, Nov. 9 and screenings through Thursday, Nov. 15 at the Ken Cinema.

On Her Shoulders: A documentary about Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad, the 23-year-old Yazidi genocide and ISIS sexual slavery survivor-turned-advocate.

Opens Friday, Nov. 9, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

The Girl in the Spider’s Web: Claire Foy takes over the role of Lisbeth Salander, the notorious computer hacker from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Opens in wide release Friday, Nov. 9.

Wildlife: During the summer of 1960, a teenager watches as his parents’ marriage slowly dissolves in this debut feature from Paul Dano. Opens Friday, Nov. 9, at Angelika Film Centers, Carmel Mountain and Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas.

For complete movie listings, visit Film at sdcitybeat.com.

NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 19

KRISTY BENJAMIN

MUSIC

Sarah Tudzin arah Tudzin’s first album under the name Illuminati Hotties—Kiss Yr Frenemies, released earlier this year on the Tiny Engines record label—is filled to the brim with the visceral vibes of a twenty-something’s existence.

Written when Tudzin was 23 and 24 years old, the LP’s 11 songs document the tricky time between college and “real” life, and all the love, loss, friendships, freedom, debt and confusion that comes with it. Sonically, the album is a wonderful bit of whiplash, with whisper-quiet headphone hymns sitting alongside fuzzed-out indie-pop-rock jams.

Taken as a whole, it’s an ideal soundtrack for pondering the next step of life’s journey.

It’s also ideal for skateboarding at top speed in the opposite direction.

For Tudzin, now 26, Kiss Yr Frenemies is all of the above and more. But it’s also simpler than that.

“Really, it’s a good way to say things to people that I was too afraid to just tell them face-to-face. Because if you put it in a song, then all of a sudden it (becomes) less personal. It’s a way to get away with sort of

saying whatever you want,” Tudzin says.

“These thoughts and feelings that were all simmering in the back of my mind, it feels really good to yell them at an audience.”

These days, more and more people are yelling those words back at Tudzin. In the past couple of years, Illuminati Hotties has evolved from the unknown bedroom project of a busy producer/engineer to a buzzy band racking up critical acclaim (“power pop with a cool dose of realism,” says Rolling Stone).

She's also landed sweet opening gigs for big indie acts like Los Campesinos. Though she has been playing music for most of her life (piano lessons at an early age, drums right after that), Tudzin spent many years choosing behind-the-scenes studio work over writing and performing.

“I never really thought of myself as a songwriter. I think I was always a collector of little songs,” Tudzin says. “And I went to college to play drums, but then got involved in the school’s production program and found that I loved that a lot more than I loved practicing my instruments.”

Her schooling, at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, led to her current

20 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

day job as an assistant to indie superproducer Chris Coady, where she has worked on records like Amen Dunes’ Freedom and Slowdive’s self-titled 2017 release, among others. In her spare time, she produces smaller L.A. bands and works on Illuminati Hotties. Kiss Yr Frenemies, in fact, started

out as a “calling card” designed to not only get Tudzin’s songs out into the world, but also to showcase her production chops and drum up studio work.

That’s when Illuminati Hotties began to snowball. First, she started playing those songs live and found she liked it. Then she started treating the demo more like a real album, making more deliberate aesthetic

choices to tie the songs together. And then she and a friend started shopping Kiss Yr Frenemies to labels. Tudzin reached out to Tiny Engines because she liked their roster and because, well, they had an email address on their website—as good a reason as any for an artist who has reached her current level of success without ever striving for it.

And it’s hard to deny the talent heard on the album. Throughout Kiss Yr Frenemies, Tudzin bounces around from crunchy altrock (“(You’re Better) Than Ever”) and warmly glowing dream-pop (“The Rules”) to sturdy, sparkling post-punk (“Paying Off The Happiness”) and beyond. On the playful “Pressed 2 Death,” she crams a dozen ideas into 135 seconds, including a soulful “ooh ooh ooh” vocal interlude just for fun. And on “Cuff,” she dutifully explores the kind of quiet-loud-quiet dynamic that makes rock bands into rock stars. Every second of the record sounds pristine and alive.

The thread that runs through all of the songs is Tudzin’s highly relatable take on the ups-and-downs and ins-and-outs of navigating early adulthood. The album highlight “Shape Of My Hands” is a hyperhooky pop-rock number fitted with a final verse that perfectly captures the hope and uncertainty of an unsteady relationship: "Kissed me on the temple when you thought I was sleeping And said, 'You are so...'

I never quite caught the last word But I'm sure it's the sweetest thing that I've ever not heard."

As is Tudzin’s style, that 30-second section is sung quietly and delicately after nearly three minutes of noisy feedback, buzzsaw guitars and soaring melodies.

That’s not a songwriting device or a studio trick so much as it is a natural expression of an artist who has found her voice… or voices, as the case may be.

“I think if you just walk the middle, that’s not really exciting to me. But if you can be really quiet and get everybody to lean in, that’s really special, just like when you’re yelling and it’s loud and everybody’s partying, that’s really special, too,” says Tudzin.

“Just like myself, as a person, has a very shy side and a very outwardly extroverted side, I’ve seen that happen in my art and my life over and over again,” she continues.

“When I feel like I’m stuck in the middle, I just choose to do both instead of being sandwiched in between.”

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NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 21

MUSIC

AFTER HOURS: ABOUT LAST NIGHT

NOTES FROM THE SMOKING PATIO LOCALS ONLY

F

or most queens, coronations are once-in-a-lifetime with a court that promises to be higher than ever and funcelebrations, but local hip-hop artist MC Flow (mc- nier than before. That MC Flow would dedicate an entire flowmusic.com) wants to keep her special, cannabis- event to her passion for cannabis should not come as a infused party going for as long as she can. The rapper was complete surprise. The rapper has been involved in cannabis activism for a while now, and her first crowned “Her Highness” at a show on SHARISSE COULTER most recent songs mirror her commitment April 20, 2017. The date choice was anything to weed. Three years ago, the video for one but coincidental, of course. For the occasion, of her tracks, “Pot in My Latkes,” collected she invited other performers and entertainhalf-a-million views on YouTube, catching ers to her High Court. That is, they would dethe attention of pot and potato-pancake liver cannabis-infused music, fun and comlovers alike. edy while she looked on. Looking back, she While the show is a mix of comedy and says the show was a blast and the response music, Flow says fun is not the only goal, from the crowd was “absolutely great.”

MC Flow although that certainly helps in getting her In April, she dived deeper into weedthemed rhymes with Her Highness—an EP completely dedi- message across. Ultimately, she’s trying to educate people cated to the green stuff. With the Her Highness’ High Court about cannabis, while reducing the stigma around it.

“I’m trying to do it in a funny and clever way,” she says. show, she simply found a perfect accessory to her record.

British-American comedic duo We Are Thomasse and “When I came up with the idea for my EP, I started thinking of ways I could bring that to life,” Flow says. comedian Malie Mason will join in the festivities this year “The best way to do that was to actually have a high court with their own pot-flavored jokes and experiences. As where I sit as queen, and people come and perform for me she did last time, MC Flow personally chose the acts that will surround and entertain her. Eventually, she says she because, of course, every court needs jesters.”

Riding on the success of that first edition, Flow (real hopes to make Her Highness’ High Court a regular occurname: Abby Dorsey) is doing it all over again on Saturday, rence, “maybe even a quarterly event.”

Nov. 17 at The Backdrop in Old Town (2611 Congress St.),

ALBUM REVIEW Night Lapse Ride With You EP

E

(Self-released)

lectroclash was a subgenre within a subgenre that has gone strangely overlooked when it comes to the early ’00s nostalgia that’s been all the rage these days. I could spend 800 words or so writing about how electroclash—a mix of ’80s influenced electro, new wave and other genres—may have been an incubator, even a catalyst, for the saturation of EDM that we’re now experiencing, but I’ll save that rant for another day.

Still, electroclash seems like a genre ripe for resurrection. And while I wouldn’t count ’00s groups like Ladytron and Fischerspooner as direct influences on local electro-rockers Nite Lapse, the quartet’s music is layered in nostalgia. If electroclash borrowed liberally from disco’s stimulant-fueled sense of theatricality, so do the six songs on Nite Lapse’s debut EP. Nowhere is this more evident than on songs like “3:35” and “Take

22 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

—Ombretta Di Dio

Me Away,” the latter of which would not have sounded out of place at Studio 54 or First Avenue/7th St. Entry back in the day.

Still, while Nite Lapse’s music is certainly rooted in the past, there’s a futuristic or, at the least, a present-day approach to the songs. There’s Robert Martinez’s smooth vocals and there is live instrumentation throughout, most noticeably the thumping, Chic-style bass from Fernando Fajardo and guitar solos from Nick Camacho. The bi-national group (made up of members from Chula Vista and Tijuana) aren’t exactly breaking new ground with Ride With You, but it is 22 minutes that is perfect for, as the group puts it, “driving up the west coast and falling in love.” Even the album cover invokes a Blade Runnertype scene of a couple embracing in front of a car. Where will their ride end? Are they riding into a better future or toward the end of the world? Who knows. But at least the soundtrack will be good.

Nite Lapse play Sunday, Nov. 11 at The Casbah.

Patched up

Y

“

ou think of electronic music in dance music terms these days, and I love doing that sort of stuff,” says John Noble. “But there’s this whole other world, and there aren’t a whole lot of places where you can find it alive.”

Five years ago, in October 2013, Noble began Fully Patched (facebook.com/fullypatchedmusic), a monthly series at Kava Lounge where this other world of non-beat-driven electronic music could come alive. Fully Patched grew for two years as an outlet for experimental JOHN NOBLE musicians, unconventional instruments and niche genre tastes. But in November 2015, Fully Patched parted ways with the Kava Lounge as Noble took the brand to festivals and searched for a new venue he felt would be a better match.

“I always wanted to Fully Patched do it in a somewhat different way,” says Noble. “Kava Lounge is a great underground electronic club, but it’s more oriented toward house and techno and dark, beat-ridden stuff. It was more of a lighter world that I wanted to address. I had been looking all along for somewhere else where we could do ambient, experimental stuff.”

He finally found what he was looking for in The Backdrop (2611 Congress St.), an open-air venue and the former location of Java Joe’s. Fully Patched will start up again with Fully Patched: Intergalactic Radio, a special collaboration happening from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9 at The Backdrop.

“I’m encouraging everybody to show up with a synthesizer, the more analog and primitive, the better,” Noble says. “And we’re going to connect all of them, or as many as we can, all at the same time to make a big collaborative drone chord to communicate with the outer space beings if they are listening.”

Noble is expecting to connect 10 to 15 synthesizers at once to create a unique and palate-cleansing listening experience. Moving forward, Fully Patched will take place the second Friday of every month at The Backdrop with set lineups rather than collaborative efforts. Nonetheless, Noble says it will be contrary to many people’s preconceived notions of what electronic music is supposed to sound like.

“A lot of this kind of music can induce an altered state, meditative states, and some people put a supernatural spin on it, and I won’t tell them they’re wrong,” he says. “It’s not necessarily music you sit at attention and face forward to or feel like you should be dancing to, but it is something that is there and is an undercurrent to what else you’re doing and influences you in some way.

—Torrey Bailey

About Last Night appears every other week.

—Seth Combs

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MUSIC

IF I WERE U

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

Our picks for the week’s top shows

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7

PLAN A: Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin @ The Irenic. Hopefully readers caught last week’s feature on Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, best known for scoring Dario Argento’s classic horror film, Suspiria. The band will be performing the score while the movie screens behind them, making this show all the more creepy and enticing. PLAN B: Lucero, Strand of Oaks @ The Observatory North Park.

Also in last week’s issue, Ryan Bradford gushed about Lucero’s brand of “sad-bastard alt-country.” Opener Timothy Showalter (aka Strand of Oaks) is a little less country, but just as much of a sad bastard, so show up on time for this one. BACKUP PLAN: The Midnight Pine, Juanita Stein @ Soda Bar. JASON QUIGLEY

FRIDAY, NOV. 9

PLAN A: Molly Nilsson, Underpass @ Whistle Stop. For over a decade, the Stockholm-raised, Berlin-based Nilsson has specialized in that brand of synth-pop ideal for dancing around alone in an all-too-small apartment in your underwear. That being said, please put your clothes back on and enjoy her in person. She’s amazing. PLAN B: Kyle Craft @ Soda Bar. If you’re having a bad day, Craft’s new album, Full Circle Nightmare, is a nice dose of T. Rex-style rock.

Check out the dangerously sexy single, “The Rager,” for a nice taste.

SATURDAY, NOV. 10

All Them Witches, Handsome Jack @ The Casbah. We profiled All Them Witches back in 2016 on the strength of their third album, Dying Surfer Meets His Maker. Since then, they just seem to get better and better. Their new LP, ATW, is a slow-building blast of psychedelic sorcery filled with heavy riffs and brooding lyrics. PLAN B: Morrissey, Starcrawler @ Copley Symphony Hall. This show is surprisingly not sold out. Are people finally fed up with Morrissey’s perpetual pompousness?

Nonetheless, have you listened to “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore” lately?

SUNDAY, NOV. 11

PLAN A: Sugar Candy Mountain, The Gift Machine @ Soda Bar. Fans of fun indiepsych bands such as Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Tame Impala may want to look into Sugar Candy Mountain, whose new record, Do Right, is filled with spacey, fuzzy pop gems perfect for good trips. BACKUP PLAN: Digital Lizards of Doom, Nite Lapse, 10-19, Of Ennui @ The Casbah.

Black Belt Eagle Scout

THURSDAY, NOV. 8

PLAN A: Vundabar, Illuminati Hotties, Los Shadows @ House of Blues. Read all about the self-described “tenderpunk” sounds of Illuminati Hotties on page 20, but stick around for headliner Vundabar. Despite the silly name, their mix of Mission of Burma-style punk and early 2000s blog-rock (think The Strokes, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) gets us all nostalgic for simpler times. PLAN B: José James @ Garfield Theatre. See this week’s Short List on page 12 for more info on this show. PLAN C: Film School, The Color Forty Nine, DJ Ian Utero @ Whistle Stop. Speaking of early 2000s bands, San Francisco’s Film School made quite the buzz around then, but have been relatively quiet lately. That is, until the recent release of Bright to Death, their first album in eight years and quite the return to form. Show up early to this show for the excellent local band The Color Forty Nine.

BACKUP PLAN: Dani Bell and the Tarantist, Kuinka, Jesse Lamonaca and the Dime Novels @ The Casbah.

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MONDAY, NOV. 12

Tacocat, Black Belt Eagle Scout, Giveaway @ The Casbah. Tacocat is fun, spirited punk, but it’s Black Belt Eagle Scout that we’re most interested in seeing on this night. She’s American Indian, queer and her debut album, Mother of my Children, is filled with heartbreaking songs dealing in a range of issues (check out the beautiful video for “Indians Never Die”). BACKUP PLAN: Ghost @ Spreckels Theater.

TUESDAY, NOV. 13

PLAN A: Ural Thomas & The Pain, Tori Roze & The Hot Mess @ The Casbah.

Portland’s Ural Thomas & The Pain are all about that old-school, big-band R&B sound that comes complete with an organ and a horn section. Still, it’s the pipes on Thomas, who is well into his 70s, that’s the star of the show. PLAN B: Black Lips, Iceage, Surfbort @ House of Blues. The Black Lips are trash, but Iceage is rad AF and worth the price of admission alone.

NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 23

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Big Business (Whistle Stop, 12/5), Lumerians, JJUUJJUU (Casbah, 12/20), Hideout (Soda Bar, 12/28), Amen Dunes (BUT, 1/12), Mother Mother (Soda Bar, 1/14), Mozes and the Firstborn (Soda Bar, 1/23), Tijuana Panthers (Soda Bar, 2/8-9), Albert Hammond Jr. (BUT 2/24), The Bellrays, The Atom Age (Casbah, 3/7), Cursive, Mineral (Casbah, 2/1), IDLES (BUT, 5/21).

CANCELED DEVAULT (Soda Bar, 11/10), Starcrawler (Copley Symphony Hall, 11/10) .

GET YER TICKETS Ghost (Spreckels Theatre, 11/12), Blitzen Trapper (BUT, 11/12), Black Lips, Iceage (HOB, 11/13), J Mascis (Soda Bar, 11/15), Joywave, Sir Sly (Observatory, 11/18), Every Time I Die (Observatory, 11/20), Eyehategod (Brick

by Brick, 11/20), Cat Power (Observatory, 11/24), Municipal Waste (Brick

by Brick, 11/25), How to Dress Well (Casbah, 11/27), Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus (Observatory, 11/29), Godflesh (Brick by Brick, 12/1), Old 97s (BUT, 12/2), Fucked Up (Soda Bar, 12/5), Squirrel Nut Zippers (BUT, 12/6), Pale Waves (Irenic, 12/7), Neko Case, Destroyer (Observatory, 12/8), Fleetwood Mac (Viejas Arena, 12/8), Kurt Vile (Observatory, 12/9),

AFI (Observatory, 12/10), Amine (Observatory, 12/11), Middle Kids (Soda Bar, 12/13), Thou (Che Café, 12/13), Earthless (BUT, 12/16), The Soft Moon (BUT, 12/17), Ministry (HOB, 12/18), No Knife (Casbah, 1/27), Donavon Frankenreiter (BUT, 12/28-29), Jefferson Starship (BUT, 1/9-10), Adolescents (Casbah, 1/19), Bananarama (Observatory, 1/27). MØ (Observatory, 2/5), Sharon Van Etten (Observatory, 2/28), Queensrÿche (Casbah, 3/27).

NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7 Paper Kites at House of Blues. Lucero at Observatory North Park. Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin at The Irenic. Vundabar at House of Blues. Musiq Soulchild at Music Box. The Offspring (acoustic) at Belly Up Tavern.

THURSDAY, NOV. 8 Film School at Whistle Stop. Goo Goo Dolls at House of Blues. Kuinka at The Casbah. Goatwhore at Brick by Brick.

Three Dog Night at Belly Up Tavern.

Little Dragon at Observatory North Park. Milo at SPACE. Birdtalker at Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, NOV. 9 Greensky Bluegrass at Observatory.

Kyle Craft at Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, NOV. 10 The Crystal Method at Music Box. All Them Witches at The Casbah. Khruangbin at Observatory North Park (sold out). Pepper at Del Mar Fairgrounds.

Morrissey at Copley Symphony Hall.

24 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

CHRISTIAN FRIEDLANDER

SUNDAY, NOV. 11 Digital Lizards of Doom at The Casbah.

MONDAY, NOV. 12 Ghost at Spreckels Theatre. Tacocat at Casbah. Blitzen Trapper at Belly Up Tavern. Jesse Dayton at Soda Bar. Rex Orange County at Observatory (sold out).

TUESDAY, NOV. 13 Rex Orange County at Observatory (sold out). Paula Abdul at Copley Symphony Hall. Black Lips, Iceage at House of Blues.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 14 Todd Rundgren at Belly Up Tavern. Mutual Benefit at Soda Bar. The Selecter at the Casbah.

THURSDAY, NOV. 15 Billy Gibbons at Belly Up Tavern.

J Mascis at Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, NOV. 16 Tokyo Police Club at Casbah. Lil Xan at House of Blues. Bongzilla at Brick by Brick. English Beat at Belly Up Tavern.

SATURDAY, NOV. 17 English Beat at Belly Up Tavern. Gallant at Observatory. Billie Eilish at SOMA (sold out). The Helio Sequence at The Casbah. This Will Destroy You at Brick

by Brick. P.O.D. at Music Box.

SUNDAY, NOV. 18 98 Degrees at Balboa Theatre. Joywave, Sir Sly at Observatory North Park.

Iceage play House of Blues Nov. 13 Yndi Halda at Soda Bar. Southern Culture on the Skids at The Casbah.

MONDAY, NOV. 19 Steady Holiday at The Casbah. Battery Point at Soda Bar. Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow at Brick By Brick.

TUESDAY, NOV. 20 Ian Sweet at Soda Bar. Every Time I Die at Observatory North Park. Eyehategod at Brick by Brick.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 21 Mike Pinto at Belly Up Tavern. Machine Head at House of Blues.

FRIDAY, NOV. 23 Biz Markie at House of Blues. Beekeeper at Soda Bar. Schitzophonics at The

Casbah.

SATURDAY, NOV. 24 Cat Power at Observatory North Park.

Doe Paoro at Soda Bar. Hirie at Music Box. Shabazz at FLUXX.

SUNDAY, NOV. 25 Ghostemane at the Irenic. Municipal Waste at Brick by Brick. Steven Page Trio at Belly Up Tavern.

MONDAY, NOV. 26 The Natives at Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, NOV. 27 How to Dress Well at The Casbah. The Skatalites at Winston’s Beach Club.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

@SDCITYBEAT

BY CHRISTIN BAILEY

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 THURSDAY, NOV. 29 Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus at Observatory North Park. Andre Nickatina at House of Blues. Bret Michaels at Belly Up Tavern.

FRIDAY, NOV. 30 Mark Farina at Music Box. Wheeler Walker Jr. at Observatory North Park (sold out). Kottonmouth Kings at Brick

by Brick. Lemaitre at The Irenic.

DECEMBER SATURDAY, DEC. 1 Godflesh at Brick by Brick. Tribal Seeds at Observatory North Park.

SUNDAY, DEC. 2 Old 97s at Belly Up Tavern. Justin Courtney Pierre at The Casbah. The Black Dahlia Murder at Brick by Brick.

TUESDAY, DEC. 4 Hoobastank at Observatory North Park.

Mac DeMarco at Music Box. The Charlie Daniels Band at the California Center for the Arts.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: Karaoke.

Fri: ‘Manic ’80s Party’. Sat: A-Mac & The Height, Strictly Skunk, Ocean Natives.

Sun: Karaoke. Tue: Soundwave, Monuments & Melodies.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., Normal Heights. Wed: ‘#HipHopWednesday’. Thu: ‘Cool Like Dat’. Fri: ‘House Music Friday’. Sat: DJ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Church’. Mon: ‘Organized Grime’. Tue: Neil Santos.

Park. Wed: Psychostick, Downtown Brown, Kirby’s Dream Band. Thu: Goatwhore, Casualties, Black Tusk, Great American Ghost, Morthereon. Sat: Gravespell, Infinite Death, Temblad, Theosis, Sergulath.

Sun: Noisem, Blame God, Manic, Benoit.

ASTROLOGICALLY UNSOUND Weekly forecasts from the so-called universe

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Wed: Gary Wilson and the Blind Dates, Steven on the First Floor, Bueno Hearts. Thu: Dani Bell and the Tarantist, Kuinka, Jesse Lamonaca and The Dime Devils. Fri: The Mowgli’s, Arms Akimbo, Elijah Noll. Sat: All Them Witches, Handsome Jack. Sun: Nite Lapse, Digital Lizards of Doom, 10-19, Of Ennui. Mon: Tacocat, Black Belt Eagle Scout, Giveaway. Tue: Ural Thomas & The Pain, Tori Roze.

ARIES (March 21 - April 19): Skunks spray because they’re scared but this doesn’t mean that you can be certain you will never be sprayed. Yes, you’re intentions were nice, but skunks have a different vocabulary.

Che Cafe, UCSD campus, La Jolla.

Wed: Look Vibrant, Battery Point, The Rightovers, Butch Bastard. Fri: Frontside, Jawstruck, World Tension, Final Path, Templed Dogs. Sat: Kicked off the Streets, Midnight Block, Neurotic Mirage, Twelve Foot Shadow. Sun: ‘Bands Against Bigotry’.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): In each of us there exists a great duality: the Tom and the Jerry. Both are equally menacing and menaced, but there’s a third thing: the Viewer. And it loves eating cereal.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Bay Park. Fri: Matt Hall & His BeBop Explosion. Sat: Brasil In Trio. Sun: ‘Celebrating Joni with Robin Adler, Dave Blackburn, Barnaby Finch’.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Awall. Sat: BAD. House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Wed: The Paper Kites. Thu: Illuminati Hotties. Fri: The Brevet with The Jacks. Sat: Daley. Sun: 3Oh!3, Emo Nite.

Tue: Black Lips, Iceage, Surfbort.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): If you think a doll is haunted or alive then you should not try to hide it away in a box. That’s just going to make it mad. You should just say, “Goodnight little dolly,” and make other plans.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): You will almost accidentally drink the old coffee from yesterday instead of the new one from today, and it will leave you rattled for hours.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Most things make more sense looking backward. Except through your back window. That thing seemed so much further away in the rearview mirror.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 December 21): I don’t have a horoscope for you this week. And you know what? In a few decades there won’t be horoscopes for anyone anymore if we don’t reduce carbon emissions.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Anybody can steal anything. All you have to do is pick it up and walk away. After that, it does become trickier, but this is where you rely on the incompetence of law enforcement.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19): Just because you’ve invested a lot of time in something doesn’t mean that you can’t change your mind about it. Actually, if you’re free-climbing a rock wall, you’ll have to change your mind a l’il later.

LEO (July 23 - August 22): Sticking up for yourself sometimes means looking like the bad guy, but sometimes it means looking like the innocent butler who was shocked to see harm befall the evil family of the manor.

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): You have the unique ability of seeing the same situation from multiple perspectives. What I mean is that you repeatedly step on that thumbtack and keep thinking you’ll remember to pick up.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): An effort isn’t made worthwhile just because it’s difficult. Like trying to remember the rules to a game you played in your childhood, do you really care what happened in Jacks?

PISCES (February 19 - March 20): You will see a shadow while swimming in the ocean that’s too big to discern. I don’t know what it is either. The best you can hope for is that it’s not curious.

Astrologically Unsound appears every week. Follow Christin Bailey on Twitter at @hexprax.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: Daniel Van Kirk.

Fri: Heather McDonald. Sat: Heather McDonald. Sun: ‘Juicy Scoop Podcast with Heather McDonald’. Tue: Open Mic. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: Sting On Stacy, Paradise Drive. Fri: Fountain of Youth, Patio Furniture, Long Lost Suns, The InItself. Sat: Corners of Sanctuary, Pavang, Sideshow. Sun: the Gravitys. Tue: Karaoke.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown.

Fri: Yung Bae. Sat: Kora.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park.

Wed: DJ Dunekat & RT. Thu: DJP-Star.

Fri: Husky Boy All-Stars. Sat: The Mexican Standoff, Los Hollywood. Sun: Katie Kuffel, Nephews and A Niece. Mon: DJGirlGroupGirl. Tue: ‘Tiki Tuesday’.

Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Thu: Joanna Gerolaga. Fri: Balto. Sat: Chicken Wire.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Offspring (acoustic). Thu: Three Dog Night. Fri: Spafford.

Sun: The Chairman and the Board. Mon: Blitzen Trapper. Tue: John Craigie.

Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Thu: Uptown Rhythm Makers.

Fri: Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin, Reyah.

Blonde, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Wed: ‘Dance Klassique’. Thu: Closeness, HEXA, Lana Del Rabies. Fri: ‘We Are Your Friends’. Sat: ‘Mirage’. Sun: Lead Pony, The Loons, North by North, The Whiskey Circle. Mon: ‘Blue Monday’.

Tue: ‘Techno Tuesdays’.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay

@SDCITYBEAT

NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 25

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: Casey Hensley. Thu: Groove Squad. Fri: GruvMatic. Sat: Wildside. Sun: Major Interval.

Mon: January Berry Band.

The Irenic, 3090 Polk Ave., North Park.

Wed: Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin performing Suspiria.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Fri: ‘Purps ‘N Turqs’. Tue: Dotson, Smokey Emery, Fivepaw, Azuresands, MegaHercZ. Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., Kensington. Fri: Hyper Active Slackers, Delma, Punk Yacht Club, Sameland.

Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Fri: Foxtide, Kahlil Nash, Alex Lievanos. Sat: Jessica Lerner and the Rogue Pilots. Sun: Megan Slankard, Alex Wong, King Taylor Project.

Mon: Open Mic. Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. Fri: Moonchild, Kiefer.

Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: ‘Alec Mapa’s Holiday Cocktail’. Thu: ‘The Cher Show’. Sat: ‘Linda Lavin Sings!’. Mon: ‘The Wizard and I’. Tue: ‘Back to Barbara- the Streisand Tribute’.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: Thread the Lariat, The Tale, Divad. Fri: ‘Instinct’. Sat: ‘Club Sabbat’.

Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Blvd.,

Encinitas. Thu: James Allen. Fri: Black Cherry Lightin’. Sat: Bonneville7. Sun: Anthony Ortega Jazz Quartet. Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Karaoke.

Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy.

Wed: Musiq Soulchild, DJ Bar1ne. Fri: Big Mountain, Lane and the New Nation, Maka Roots. Sat: The Crystal Method, Z E E, Britton. Mon: Dermot Kennedy, Grace Carter.

The Office, 3936 30th St., North Park.

Thu: ‘No Limits’. Fri: ‘After Hours’. Sat: ‘Strictly Scary’. Sun: Mon: ‘Motown on Monday’. Tue: ‘Trapped in The Office’.

OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Deorro.

Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park.

Wed: Young Lions, ‘Wednesday Jam

Session’. Sat: Dani Bell and the Tarantist.

Sun: The Moves.

‘Rich’s 27 Year Anniversary’ with BRIGHT LIGHTS. Sun: ‘Stripper Circus’.

Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: Rich the Kid.

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’ w/ Jason Hanna & Friends. Thu: Chloe Lou & Davies. Fri: Dave Gleason Trio. Sat: True Stories. Sun: ‘Acoustic’. Tue: ‘Everything and Anything Jam’.

Pour House, 1903 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: Belladon, KnightressM1, Bosswitch. Fri: Ritual Potion, Warcloud, Red Wizard. Sun: The Night Howls. Tue: DJ Lexicon Devil.

Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, Kearny Mesa. Wed: Lady Star. Thu: Tomcat Courtney. Fri: Cadillac Wreckers. Sat: The Hastings Band.

The Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. Sat: ‘Sábados en Fuego’.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., Hillcrest.

Wed: ‘Mischief with Bianca’. Thu: ‘#LEZ + House Music’. Fri: ‘Electro-POP!’. Sat:

Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Fri: Nathan Hubbard Quartet. Sat: Thump Juice. Tue: ‘Acoustic Night’ with Isreal Maldonado.

Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave., North Park. Wed: Suntory Japanese Whisky with Johnnie “TheScot” Mundell.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights.

Wed: The Midnight Pine, Juanita Stein. Thu: Birdtalker, Braison Cyrus. Fri: Kyle Craft, Downers. Sat: Ethics, Imagery Machine, Retra. Sun: Sugar Candy Mountain, The Gift Machine. Mon: Jesse Dayton, Action Andy & The Hi-Tones. Tue: The Shed, The Tubulars, Half Eaten, Mean Friends.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway.

Sat: The Grinns, HeyRocco, Tina Fake, Mikey, Suburban Park.

SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights.

Wed: ‘Local Band Showcase’ with Downers, Slay Dean, Hug. Thu: Milo, Kenny Segal. Fri: ‘Marilyn Manson Tribute Night’.

Sat: ‘Hide and Go Freak’. Sun: ‘Night Terrors’ with The Tissues, The Gay Agenda, Skrapez. Mon: Above Borders, Nebula Drag, Red Mesa. Tue: ‘Karaoke!’.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Midtown. Fri: SD Union w/ DC Breaks, Makoto, Mob Tactics Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Paul Gregg.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Thu: ‘Original Stylin’. Sun: ‘PANTS Karaoke’.

Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Wed: ‘The Corner’. Thu: Evan Diamond and The Library. Fri: ‘Phoenix Rising’. Sat: ‘Phoenix Rising’. Sun: Mitch Clark. Mon: Mitch Clark. Tue: Keep Your Soul.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., Bay Park. Wed: ‘Jazz at Tios’ with Leonard Patton and Matt DiBiase. Thu: ‘The Joint is Jumpin Thursdays’ with Gino and the Lone Gunmen. Fri: The Siers Brothers. Sat: Full Strength Funk Band. Mon: ‘Sexy Salsa and Sensual Bachata’. Tue: Big Time Operator Orchestra.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Thu: The Fountain of Youth, Nashoba Fireboard, Subspecies. Fri: Dethsurf, King Flamingo, Greasy Gills, The Rock & Rollies. Sat: ‘Manny’s 30th Birthday’ with Sixes and Karaoke. Sun: Dream Haze, Dearheart, Nights Like Thieves. Mon: Corey Dawson, Davey and the Midnights. Tue: Stonecutters, Monarch, Call of the Wild.

U-31, 3112 University Ave., North Park.

Thu: ‘Boom Box Thursdays’. Sun: ‘Live Reggae’ ft. CitySide, The Gentle Giants, DJ Non-Profit. Mon: ‘#31 Flavors’. Tue: ‘Tuesday Night Beer Pong’.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park. Wed: Takahasi, Sea Base, Nephews, The In-Itself, Aminiature, Deadbolt, Funeral March. Thu: LIVE! Film School, Le Chateau, DJ Ian Utero. Fri: Molly Nilsson, Underpass, DJ Jon Blaj. Sat: ‘Booty Bassment’. Sun: ‘Dream Night’. Mon: ‘Electric Relaxation’. Tue: ‘Sketch Party’.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach.

Wed: Club Kingston with Better Chemistry, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: Shakedown String Band with The Maykers. Fri: Electic Waste Band. Sat: FreQ Nasty, David Starfire, Dub Kirtan All Star. Sun: ‘Jose Sinatra hosts O.B.o-ke - San Diego’s Best Karaoke’. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: ‘OB Hip Hop Social’.

26 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 7, 2018

@SDCITYBEAT

BY JACKIE BRYANT

IN THE BACK

CANNABITCH Magic bus

I

t’s not every day I find myself staring down the barrel of a four-foot-long bong. So, when I came face-to-face with a glass beast at the Sour Glass warehouse in National City, I knew that, as the CannaBitch, I was going to have to test it out.

I was there thanks to West Coast Cannabis Tours (westcoastcannabistours.com), a local company that has been running tours to various dispensaries and cannabis-oriented businesses for over a year now (before Jan. 1, for medical patients).

The giant bong was one thing, but the company provides guests with much more than just a good time.

“We really do try to focus on education,” said Todd Green, who co-owns the company with his wife, Amanda, as we were riding in one of the company’s limousine buses.

Between each of the stops, the enthusiastic-but-not-corny tour guides were on the mic, informing guests of the differences between Indica and Sativa. They explained how THC binds to cannabinoid receptors in our bodies, and described the science behind terpenes, trichomes and other things many smokers have no clue about.

@SDCITYBEAT

This particular tour, called the “Complete Cannabis Experience,” makes four stops: the March and Ash dispensary in Mission Valley (2835 Camino del Rio S. #100), Sour Glass’ warehouse in National City, the MedMen dispensary in Kearny Mesa (5125 Convoy St. #211) and a live growing demonstration by Green Carpet Growing back at the tour’s home base, which is an industrial park in Scripps Ranch.

A cool $99 will get patrons on the bus.

An extra $20 will get them a goodie bag that includes a nice, chode-esque glass pipe, a vape battery and charger, some coupons, stickers, a lighter and a glass mouthpiece used for blunts and joints.

Though there are no freebies and riders pay for any desired cannabis products along the way, each stop comes with discounts embedded.

Normally, I hate tours. I don’t like forced socialization nor do I like the feeling of being trapped. Add weed to that equation, a substance that often makes me get weird and go silent, and I should have expected disaster. I was wrong. I got way too stoned, but that was my own fault, and despite that, I found this to be a genuinely fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon, as I learned more than I expected to. For example, if one

JACKIE BRYANT

On the West Coast Cannabis Tours bus wants to pacify a group of stoned adults for upwards of 30 minutes, one should plop them in front of a live glass blowing demo at Sour Glass wherein an entire bong is created. I was so mesmerized I even bought a

bong, something I have never felt I needed before.

I also discovered that smoking out of the aforementioned four-foot-long bong, no matter how small of a hit I tried to take, rendered me exceptionally, albeit unsurprisingly, stoned. I’m talking sunglasses-on, mute-for-an-hour, highas-fuck status. Since I forgot my lunch, I shamefully dug into the junk food box, inhaling Pringles and Reeses at light speed. I also bought THC lube, re-upped my favorite vape cartridge (Select’s Pineapple Jack oil) and bought flower at both dispensaries.

This tour really is one-size-fits-all. It’s perfect for enthusiasts, as one gets insider access to high-quality cannabis businesses.

It’s also ideal for tourists—like the groups on my tour from South Africa, New York and Arkansas—for whom the novelty of legally purchasing cannabis is exciting. It’s also good for the casual user curious about what the hell has been going on in this county since Jan. 1.

My only suggestion? Pack a sandwich.

Or three.

Cannabitch appears every other week. Follow Jackie Bryant on Twitter at @jacqbryant.

NOVEMBER 7, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 27