San Diego CityBeat • Dec 3, 2014

Red meat

for vegans T he

philosophy and tactics of animal - rights activist B ryan P ease

by Joshua Emerson Smith • P.

7

Coup P.5 Myths P.29 Springs P.18 Allah-Las P.25

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December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

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Stand down, Sherri Lightner Wendy Fry of NBC 7 reported Monday that the their decision to place a vote on the wage on the Republicans on the San Diego City Council are orsame ballot with Gloria’s candidacy for mayor—if chestrating a coup to oust Todd Gloria as council the wage increase passes, Gloria will appear that president. Their strategy, Fry reported, citing Demmuch stronger going into a November 2016 runoff ocratic and Republican sources, is to back Counelection against Faulconer. This coup to oust Gloria cilmember Sherri Lightner for the job. as council president could be a way for RepubliWe’ll cut to the chase: This is not good news. cans to minimize the damage by removing “Council There are nine members of the City Council.

President” from his job title while he’s running.

Each December, they vote on a new president, Besides holding on to the Mayor’s office, the Rewhose power comes from being able to set the publicans’ big prize is Lightner’s open District 1 seat council’s legislative agenda, choose what issues in 2016. If they get that, they’ll have a 5-4 majority get to be discussed and voted on at meetings and on the council and will be able to choose their presassign members to committees, where the comident. (How does “Council President Lorie Zapf” mittee chairs wield considerable influence. It takes grab you?) Lightner would be the best option for five members to choose a winning candidate for them as a bridge to outright Republican control. president. Next Monday, the council will comprise The lure of leadership is enticing. If Lightner’s five Democrats and four Republicans. So, while the considering this, we can understand why. (She Republicans don’t have enough votes to pick one of didn’t respond to Fry’s request for comment or their own, they have enough to pick the least objecours.) Like most politicians who have thoughts in tionable Democrat, provided that Democrat agrees their heads, she probably has her own ideas about David Rolland to vote for himself or herself. how to move the city forward, and as For the Republicans, Lightner makes president, she’d have two years (assumsense. David Alvarez, Marti Emerald ing the council gives her a second year) and Myrtle Cole are strident liberals. to pursue an agenda and leave a larger Although Lightner was all-in on the legacy. We don’t know what Lightner’s big progressive policy initiatives in next move is, but if she’s considering a 2014, she’s comparatively independent run for another office, a stint as council and has voted with conservatives on president would raise her profile. We occasion, drawing serious grief in the haven’t heard her name attached to any past from environmentalists and labor higher-office talk, which, again, makes leaders. She’s also termed out of office her ideal for the GOP. They likely bein 2016 and isn’t a likely candidate for lieve that any benefit she could provide mayor, so Republicans don’t have to for the Democratic District 1 candidate Sherri Lightner would be negligible. worry about boosting her clout.

By ousting Gloria in favor of Lightner, the ReAssuming Fry’s reporting is accurate and Lightpublicans would be getting a leader who’s at least ner’s considering this, we urge her to stand down. slightly more likely to entertain their policy initiaIf she’s truly on board for a more progressive San tives, and, more importantly, they’d be significantly Diego, she needs to realize that Gloria continuing reducing Gloria’s power heading into the June 2016 as council president is the best outcome. While he primary election. Gloria is currently the Demohasn’t always been successful, losing battles over crats’ best—and possibly only—hope for unseating affordable-housing funding and planning for Barrio Republican Mayor Kevin Faulconer.

Logan, we don’t think it was because of him.

If Gloria runs, he’ll be running alongside the refGloria is charasmatic and popular, the rare polierendum on the minimum-wage increase—a vote tician who knows how to connect with people. He’s the Republicans forced with a successful petition hardly polarizing; in fact, some observers believe he’s drive this year. In light of minimum-wage increases too accomodating to would-be opponents, although around the country, we’re betting that by the time many others might see that as a virtue. Gloria followed June 2016 comes around, an increase to $11.50 by through on a truly progressive policy agenda in 2014 2017 will be quite popular. It might even seem modand is San Diego’s undisputed Democratic leader. We hope Lightner figures that out before it’s too late. est. Gloria was the unquestioned leader in the push to raise the wage, and he would certainly use it as What do you think? Write to editor@sdcitybeat.com. his running mate. Republicans might be regretting This issue of CityBeat cannot be used as a flotation device in the event of a flash flood.

Volume 13 • Issue 17

Cover photo illustration by Lindsey Voltoline

Arts Editor Kinsee Morlan

Contributors Ian Cheesman, David L. Coddon, Seth Combs, Michael A. Gardiner, Glenn Heath Jr., Peter Holslin, Dave Maass, Scott McDonald, Jenny Montgomery, Susan Myrland, Mina Riazi, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Jen Van Tieghem

Staff Writer Joshua Emerson Smith

Production Manager Tristan Whitehouse

Web Editor Ryan Bradford

Production artist Rees Withrow

Art director Lindsey Voltoline

Intern Narine Petrosyan

Columnists Aaryn Belfer, Edwin Decker, John R. Lamb, Alex Zaragoza

Vice President of Operations David Comden

MultiMedia Advertising Director Paulina Porter-Tapia

Publisher Kevin Hellman

Editor David Rolland Associate Editor Kelly Davis Music Editor Jeff Terich

Senior account executive Jason Noble Account Executives Beau Odom, Kimberly Wallace Circulation manager Beau Odom Accounting Alysia Chavez, Linda Lam, Monica MacCree Human Resources Andrea Baker

Advertising inquiries Interested in advertising?

Call 619-281-7526 or e-mail advertising@sdcitybeat.com. The advertising deadline is 5 p.m. every Friday for the following week’s issue.

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

Vice President of Finance Michael Nagami

San Diego CityBeat is published and distributed every Wednesday by Southland Publishing Inc., free of charge but limited to one per reader. Reproduction of any material in this or any other issue is prohibited without written permission from the publisher and the author. Contents copyright 2014.

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

We rock at election time Thank you for your awesome coverage of elections and endorsements [“Editorial,” Oct. 8] that I couldn’t vote without! Other groups I love fail to give endorsements on every ballot item, but dear CityBeat never fails me. I always try to pass it on to friends. You guys rock.

Alegra Loewenstein, Mira Mesa

the hands of these less-competent and awful doctors are merely thrown a few shekels and told to beat it so the doctor can attend to the next potential victim.

No, you were very wrong in your endorsement of a “no” vote on Prop. 46. Given your cred with the liberal community, I regard your endorsement to be irresponsible. A victims group of people who’ve had hacked limbs or family members who’ve had lost love ones can explain what this proposition means to them.

Very wrong on Prop. 46 I enjoyed reading your political endorsements [“Editorial,” Oct. 8]. I thought the commentary was insightful, and I am on the same page with left-to-centrist-leaning orientation. However, there was one exception: I was blown away when I read “no” on Prop. 46.

You claim Prop. 46 is lawyer-driven and requires doctors to be drug-tested as the (unsightly) hook. I agree that that provision adds an unsavory tactic to the sales pitch. But let’s not throw out the baby with the bathwater.

The $250,000 limit on damages has not increased since the statute was enacted, which, due to the inflation and the principles of timevalue of money (aka purchasing-power parity), is now only about $58,000 in 1972 dollars.

So, why are doctors insulated from liability? They’re a powerful lobbying group. Most doctors are terrific professionals, but like all professions, there are the less-competent and the awful, too. It is a travesty of justice that consumers who suffer tragic injuries at

6 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

Ronald A. Marron, Hillcrest

Cut the crap Gosh, good of you to endorse Scott Peters [“Editorial,” Oct. 8] and then mention that you predicted Filner would disgrace the city, even as you endorsed him! It’s not enough to just lay out why DeMaio would be a disaster?

That Filner reference was gratuitous crap that only makes a bad election day worse.

Just remember back to the mayoral election in 2012, against Bob Filner. If you looked around Hillcrest at the time, there were no campaign signs for DeMaio, only Filner (even though DeMaio is openly gay). Why? Probably because DeMaio benefited from contributions from Papa Doug Manchester, one of the big supporters of Prop 8—against marriage equality in California. Oh, how people forget!

John Plough, Hillcrest

Holman’s beliefs Thanks for the update on that clown, Jim Holman [“Editorial,” Nov. 5]. I agree your article is self-serving, but I also agree that it is timely (in a bad kinda way). The bigger picture for me is that I really had no idea my picking up the Reader each week supported this man and his beliefs. I may have to take another look at CityBeat.

Todd Floyd, Vista

Frances Zimmerman, La Jolla

DeMaio and Hillcrest In your recent editorials on Carl DeMaio [Oct. 15 and 22], you hit the nail on the head!

The only person Carl DeMaio really cares about is Carl DeMaio! He would sell his soul (if he has one) to the Devil to get elected.

Expose the vermin Keep up the exposés on the likes of the Jim Holmans [“Editorial,” Nov. 5]! Light is an antidote to vermin.

Teddy Rodosovich, La Jolla

Pease activist

Joshua Emerson Smith

T he philosophy and tactics of animal - rights activist B ryan P ease

by Joshua Emerson Smith

W

hen attorney and animal-rights activist Bryan Pease found out in early November that a local organic vegetable farm was scheduled to host an event called Death for Food, he wasn’t happy about it.

Using a graphic image from the website of the unconventional supper club, which showed a man killing a small pig with a knife and blood pouring from the animal’s throat, Pease created a change.org petition calling on the farm to cancel.

“People can make their own decisions about how they should feel about it, but I just wanted to start a conversation,” said the handsome and charismatic 36-year-old vegan. Pease gave up meat at age 16 and is cofounder and executive director of the nonprofit Animal Protection and Rescue League, which campaigns against factory farming.

While the images on the Death for Food website are somewhat disturbing, it’s not an obvious target for Pease, as the event encourages participants to challenge their casual attitudes toward meat consumption.

However, the event does so in the most dramatic way possible—by having guests look their meal in the eye before slaughtering and eating it.

Within a few days, the petition attracted more than 2,400 signatures, and the host of the event, Suzie’s Farm, acquiesced to Pease’s demand. Nobody from the farm would talk to CityBeat for this story, but in comments to the media immediately following the decision, owner Robin Taylor suggested the farm could’ve been sued because the meat used for the event—as is the case with many supper clubs—hadn’t been federally inspected.

Of course, there was also the torrent of

Bryan Pease, outside of his Animal Protection and Rescue League Fund Thrift Store in Clairemont Mesa harsh and threatening comments from vegetarians and vegans directed at Suzie’s Farm.

“This is a sick and twisted event and I will boycott products from your farm from now on,” wrote Joy Zakarian, one of many angry commenters on the petition’s website.

The petition doesn’t even come close to making the list of Pease’s top victories, which include leading the decade-long fight to ban foie gras in California. But because of Death for Food’s nuanced philosophy, Pease’s reaction has opened him up to attacks that he’s as dogmatic as he is formidable.

“It was an uninformed, reckless campaign that generated hate mail, hate phone calls and financial and reputational harm to good people,” San Diego Magazine food writer Troy Johnson, who was scheduled to speak at the event, wrote in an email. “It was a gross misuse of power.”

Citing Pease’s reputation for volatility, numerous people lambasted the vegan activist to CityBeat but refused to be quoted. While others were braver, almost all insisted on first having attorneys review their statements.

Local food activist, lawyer and vegan Michelle Lerach stopped just short of criticizing Pease: “I choose not to eat meat, but I’m not standing in judgment of those people who do, but Bryan is more of an absolutist that thinks that no one should eat meat.”

Having honed his activism for nearly two decades, Pease has largely remained ideologically unchanged since he was a teenager—eating meat, he believes, is simply wrong. Combine that with an understanding of power tactics that would impress even Saul Alinsky, and Pease does start to embody the portrait drawn by his critics.

However, while detractors see Pease’s reaction to Death for Food as petty and

arrogant, it may actually be an astute response to an event with implications more profound than apparent.

“I’m not saying that ‘Killing animals for food is OK; deal with it,’” said event creator Jaime Fritsch. “I don’t know how I feel about killing animals for food, and that’s why I do this, because I eat meat.”

Unlike others around him, Fritsch refrained from blasting Pease. “I bet why I’m not mad is because Death for Food is a question,” he said. “How can I get mad about somebody that asks another question about my question?”

The animals used at Death for Food are locally and humanely raised with standards that go beyond what the government stamps as organic, Fritsch said. Also, the event is built on the assumption that Western society would be healthier if it consumed less meat, and almost everyone involved shares an opposition to the abuses of industrial agriculture.

So, why wouldn’t Pease sympathize with that, at least partially?

“I’m against killing animals for food, but that’s the least worst thing that’s going on,” he conceded of the event after dodging the question several times.

Over the years, most of Pease’s opponents have been more easily demonized, such as factory farms and research faculties that use animals to test cosmetic products. And he has the rap sheet to prove it.

In his early 20s, Pease was arrested during a sit-in at an investment firm in Arkansas called Stephens Inc., which was involved with animal testing. As a result, he went on trial in front of a jury for felony burglary and faced up to seven years in prison. Luckily for him, a video of the

protest contradicted claims that Pease had acted violently. In the end, he sat in an Arkansas jail for roughly 30 days.

“I felt, especially at that age, that what was happening was so extreme, so horrible, that whatever could happen to me, it would pale in comparison to what they were doing to the animals,” he said.

Since those early years, Pease’s tactics have evolved. In retrospect, he sees that protest as a mistake and said if he had children, he’d discourage them from similar behavior.

“Yeah, you don’t want to mess around with the criminal-justice system,” he said.

“It is broken.”

In 2003, he and his wife, Kath Rogers, started the Animal Protection and Rescue League and were routinely breaking into factory farms to film the conditions.

The couple met several months prior at a crow-killing contest in Auburn, New York, where they both were arrested for protesting. A year later, they were married.

Around that time, Pease started getting interested in foie gras, the French delicacy made from the enlarged livers of ducks force-fed with a metal tube.

“It’s fucking weird, like jamming a pipe down a duck’s throat to bloat their livers to 12 times their normal size,” he said. “I mean, people hear about that and, ‘What the fuck? Why you doing that?’ Talk about a visceral reaction to something.”

Some in the restaurant industry have criticized Pease for spending so much time on the campaign when other animal abuses are more widespread and egregious. Even fellow vegan activist Lerach questioned his motives.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

“I felt like foie gras was reaching for the low-hanging fruit,” she said. “I did my research on it. I wasn’t persuaded that this was extraordinary. If you want to impress me, go after the factory that’s clipping the beaks off chickens—not some fat ducks.”

However, by picking such a visually disturbing practice, Pease zeroed in on a winnable campaign that could also garner him support for his larger cause. In other words, it was tactical.

“With foie gras, it’s just so extreme, so that gets people really thinking about food issues in general,” he said.

In 2004, Pease got his first major victory when the state banned the force-feeding of ducks, giving producers seven-and-a-half years to comply. In large part, the legislation resulted from Pease breaking into Sonoma-Artisan Foie Gras, the state’s lone producer, recording the conditions and suing the farm for animal cruelty.

Out-matched, the farm dropped civil charges of trespass against Pease after the Legislature granted the farm legal immunity and the phase-in period.

A mix of legal maneuvering, lobbying and just the right amount of civil disobedience had resulted in a historic and impressive win for the animal-rights activist.

“The point of civil disobedience is to draw attention to what’s happening and create more traction, but you have to have a message that resonates,” he said. “So, if you’re out there getting arrested for something stupid that nobody cares about, then that’s not going to matter.”

In the run-up to July 2012, when the ban on foie gras went into effect, Pease kept the heat on. Earning the enmity of restaurateurs around the state, he organized protest actions outside and inside of establishments that persisted in serving the fattened duck liver.

Johnson said that after he spoke out publically against Pease, several chefs called to warn him about attracting the attention of “frightening” animal-rights activists. While he doesn’t think Pease is directly responsible for the hate mail some have claimed to receive, Johnson said the highprofile vegan could do more to discourage such behavior.

“Pease is able to rouse a very extreme, dangerous faction of American society—hardcore animal-rights activists—and then step away and watch the melée that ensues from a distance,” he wrote in an email.

In recent years, Pease has also made friends and enemies by taking up local issues, includ-

8 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

ing campaigning for the colony of seals that more than a decade ago made a La Jolla beach their home. Some, including City Councilmember Sherri Lightner, wanted the seals gone and the beach restored for use by people.

In November 2005, Pease was arrested for using a stun gun on Dennis Bianchi, a vocal supporter of people’s access to the beach. The incident resulted after the two got into a fight at the beach and Biachi threw seaweed in Pease’s face.

Pease was arrested and sentenced to 20 days of work service and put on probation for three years.

However, Pease would have the last laugh. In 2009, a state law gave the city broad discretion over dealing with the seals, which had been the subject of numerous state and federal lawsuits. As of today, city officials have sided with animal-rights activists who think the seals should have exclusive access to the beach.

In 2011, in the wake the seal issue, Pease ran a failed campaign for City Council against Lightner.

He proposed banning the Ringling Bros. Circus from performing in town, as well as prohibiting pet shops from selling non-rescue pets—an idea that later became a city ordinance.

Today, he’s working on numerous lawsuits against shopping

A picture from Death for Food that Bryan Pease took from the event’s website and used in his change.com petition malls that have prevented protestors from gathering outside of stores. He also represents students at UCSD who run the Che Café, a performance space that serves vegan meals. The university has been trying to rid itself of the progressive clubhouse, which badly needs hundreds of thousands of dollars in repair. In October, a Superior Court judge said the school had the right to evict, but Pease said the battle isn’t over.

Against this impressive career, the recent controversy around Death for Food is distinct because it focuses not only on Pease’s tactical prowess but his core ideology.

“I want to make clear that there is a line to be drawn,” he said. “There are activists that purely want animal welfare, but then there’s also folks like me, who think that animals are unique individuals with unique personalities.”

Pease said he doesn’t plan to wage any future campaigns against Death for Food. What bothered him most was that a vegetarian ally, Suzie’s Farm, agreed to host the event, essentially sanctioning the consumption of meat.

“I thought people should know, since a lot of vegetarians and vegans support Suzie’s Farm, that they’re also sponsoring this event, and if people have a problem with that, they should let Suzie’s know,” he said.

By shutting down the event, Pease seemingly prevented any chance that the farm could be ideologically annexed by meat eaters—that is, sympathetic, progressive meat eaters who might offer a palatable option for those on the philosophical fence.

“Once you go local with everything, all the environmental considerations that typically people argue against meat consumption, they’re all gone,” Fritsch said.

“With the local system, it’s actually better for the environment

than if you have this plants-only agriculture system.”

Whether this is true or not, it’s a message that resonates with many people. A quick stroll through any local upscale market reveals hordes of shoppers looking to wash away their liberal guilt with organic, free-range chickens and locally sourced beef.

However, somewhat ironically, Pease’s petition seems to have increased attention on not only the event but also the question of ethical meat consumption. And that’s something that may not play out in his favor.

“It was a rallying call for his people, for his movement,” Lerach said. “It’s successful in throwing red meat, or maybe I should say an eggplant, to the believers.

It’s not successful to bringing in new ones.”

Lerach has called for a public debate on the topic, and she’s in the midst of organizing it. Both Fritsch and Pease have been invited, as well as a professor specializing in conflict resolution.

While critics have claimed Pease has avoided open dialogue on the issue, he recently agreed to be part of the event, if somewhat reluctantly.

“Yeah, I’ll participate in that,” he said. “If the perception has been that I have been not engaged that much or not been responsive, it’s because I’ve got a lot of other shit going on. There’s bigger things to worry about.”

It could be that the idea bores Pease. Granted, he made up his mind on the issue long ago. But perhaps, at least subconsciously, the question of ethical meat consumption is scary for many vegetarians and vegans, especially for those who’ve built identities and even careers based on their belief that eating animals is bad.

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

edwin

sordid tales

decker The myths surrounding the McDonald’s hot-coffee case I heard it again. It was during that show The Talk, jected two more times that she filed suit. when one of the guests—some actor I’d never heard The last myth of the story—that McDonald’s only of—was talking about frivolous lawsuits and mencrime was to serve its coffee piping-hot, the way tioned the famous 1994 McDonald’s hot-coffee case. customers like it—is perhaps the biggest lie of all.

“What’s wrong with America,” the actor said, “is Fact: According to the employee manual, McDonthat you can drive your car with a coffee on your ald’s was intentionally holding its coffee at 180 to 190 lap, spill it all over yourself and sue the company degrees (most coffee is served at 135 to 140 degrees). who sold it to you for millions of dollars.”

It did this despite knowing it was dangerous.

It makes me crazy whenever I hear this case Fact: In the 10 years prior to the Liebeck suit, mentioned, because whoever’s mentioning it invariMcDonald’s received 700 burn claims and paid out ably gets it wrong. I’m willing to bet that even you, $500,000 in settlements. dear reader, have an entirely inaccurate impression Fact: McDonald’s quality assurance manager, about this lawsuit and its plaintiff, then-80-year-old Christopher Appleton, testified that the company Stella Liebeck, who became a national punch line knew burn hazards increase exponentially after 140 ever so unfairly. What happened to this woman was degrees. a travesty. Every talk-show host blasted her, Seinfeld Fact: McDonald’s coffee cups were made from re-scalded her in an episode, Toby Keith and Weird Styrofoam, which degrades at those temperatures, Al mocked her in verse, news anchors smirked possibly explaining why the cup collapsed. while reporting it incorrectly and at dinner tables Fact: The reason McDonald’s wanted the java to be across America, folks tore her apart with the shiny, so hot, according to Appleton’s testimony, was to exsharp silverware of ignorance. tend its shelf life. In other words: Speculation: When Now, I don’t blame all it’s that scalding, you can’t tell these people for getting it how old and crappy it is.

The case became the wrong. I certainly don’t blame So, what happened? How you, dear reader, because you did this story get so horriperfect poster bitch for and I were lied to; we were bly misreported? Why was tort reform because, well, manipulated by awful, rotten Liebeck scapegoated? Two people with awful, rotten inwords: tort reform.

“Suing for hot coffee? What’s tentions. And while I realize Tort reform is a political next, suing for cold ice?” this little niche column, in movement by large corporathis little niche market, isn’t tions, insurance companies going to change the mind of and pro-business conservaAmerica, I would at least like to add my readers to tives to restrict the ability of injured people to file the small group of people who know what’s what. a civil lawsuit. It also seeks caps on punitive damSo, where to begin? How about with the facts? ages. Shortly after the time that coffee excorticated For starters, Liebeck was not driving. This was vast swaths of Stella Liebeck’s pelvis, a man named something that most people familiar with the case Karl Rove—then a lobbyist for the tobacco indusbelieved. It’s an important correction because it try (which had a special interest in capping punihelped vilify her even more: “You mean she was tive damages)—his boy-toy, George W. Bush, and a driving with a coffee on her lap? What an idiot!” But, bunch of tort-reform lobbyists poured millions of no, actually, her grandson was driving. He pulled propaganda dollars into the public brain-set, basiinto a parking space so she could add the fixin’s. cally whipping us into an unfounded whirlwind of Having no cup holders, Liebeck placed the coffee loathing for our civil-court system. between her knees and peeled off the lid. The cup And the case most prominently held up as the collapsed and poured into her lap. worst example of lawsuit frivolity? Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants. The case became the perfect Also widely and incorrectly reported was that poster bitch for tort reform because, well, “Suing for her injuries were minor. Um, yeah. No. The poor old hot coffee? What’s next, suing for cold ice?” gal suffered third-degree burns. She was hospitalAnd the amazing thing is that it worked! The ized for eight days, and her survival was questionlobbyists managed to convince the public—the regable. She needed several skin grafts and spent the ular Joes and Jolenes who are protected by their unnext two years recovering. If you Google the burn restricted access to the courts—that the legal rights pictures, your jaw will drop to the fucking floor. of injured persons should be limited.

Another fact that has no basis in fact was the deAnd this, dear reader, is how and why the public piction of Liebeck as a money-grubbing old biddy was duped to believe that Stella Liebeck was a monhell-bent on gaming the system. But this was clearly ey-hungry, system-gaming injury faker who sued not true. All she wanted was $20,000 for the medithe poor old beleaguered McDonald’s corporation cal expenses. Twenty-thousand! That’s less money because she spilled a not-all-that-hot cup of coffee than McDonald’s spends on the rubber bands it while driving like a demon with a cup in her lap. uses to bundle its other money.

McDonald’s counter-offered $800, which is like Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com an airline offering you free peanuts after its plane and editor@sdcitybeat.com. crashed onto your testicles. It wasn’t until being re-

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

by michael a. gardiner Michael A. Gardiner

shrimp and mussel stock with white wine, and strained before the addition of five boatloads of cream, the signature of this signature dish is the puff-pastry crust, cracked tableside to allow a glug of sherry. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this dish that a personal trainer can’t put right.

The prevailing winds on Dobson’s menu blow decidedly French—duck a l’orange, salmon in puff pastry, sea bass with a caper beurre blanc Roast swordfish over mashed potatoes with sautéed cucumbers and San Roman’s filet mignon with escargot, tomatoes and garlic sauce. Roast swordfish over mashed potatoes with sautéed cucumbers and orange beurre blanc was superb, the sauce lending richness to the meaty swordfish, the surprising texture of cucumbers showing the sautéed vegetable in a different light.

A tale of two men Dobson’s is at its best when San Roman’s Mexican roots meld with French tradition. A spinach The moment you cross the threshold at Dobson’s soup with jalapeño and crab puff is a more modBar & Restaurant the first thing you see is Paul ern—and Mexfrench—take on the same basic idea Dobson. So it was in 1984 and so it seems it alat the core of the mussel bisque. It has the same ways will be. Part maître’ d and part schmoozerrichness as the original but with a light, vibrant in-chief, it’s been said (particularly by the restauspinach flavor replacing the heavy seafood stock. rant’s website) that he “works a room better than Jalapeño infuses the puff-pastry biscuit with a Sinatra.” Perhaps, though, he works it the way a rich crab filling inside. matador (his prior avocation) works a bullring.

Maybe the most complete statement of the While Dobson’s (956 Broadway Circle, Downrestaurant’s intentions is the Roasted Breast of town, dobsonsrestaurant.com) was once at the Chicken Mexfrench. The dish looks and plays top of a very short list of best restaurants in town, overtly French, the rich sauce and sinful mashed by the mid-’90s it was better known as the powpotatoes echoing the richness of the chicken er-lunch spot. Hit particularly hard by the 2008 breast’s gruyere stuffing, contrasted by the stilleconomic downturn, Dobson sold his ownership crisp vegetables. But what makes the dish is the stake earlier this year but maintained his old role. texture of the chicharrónes, sandwiched with the In walked Chef Martin San Roman, best cheese inside the chicken breast. It forces a reknown for his eight-year run as a celebrity chef consideration of a dish that would otherwise be on Mexico’s Televisa Network, as well as his straight-ahead French. stints at Candela’s in the Gaslamp Quarter and The dish may not exactly be Martin San Rohis two highly rated Tijuana restaurants, Tour man on a plate—for that, one might go to his de France and Rincon San Roman. San Roman— Valle de Guadalupe restaurant, La Terrasse San who was BajaMed before there was a BajaMed— Roman—but it’s definitely Martin San Roman and Paul Dobson on a plate. brought to Dobson’s a new energy and hints of a new direction.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com Dobson’s most famous dish is the superlative and editor@sdcitybeat.com. mussel bisque en croute. Made from a lobster,

the world

fare

10 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

by ian cheesman Ian Cheesman

beer &

chees A taste for science

I’ll admit that I set my expectations pretty high when first entering Kearny Mesa’s Quantum Brewing (5375 Kearny Villa Road, quantumbeer.com). The name inspired fantastical visions in me of brewing taken to its most futuristic ends. Perhaps there would be a beerparticle accelerator, smashing IPA ions to model bitterness on the nanoscopic scale. At the very least, there had to be lots of Tesla coils scattered about. Can’t make science without Tesla coils, right?

The reality was not as ornate as hoped, but not without its charms. The interior is relatively bare, save for a massive chalkboard bearing everything from random scribbles by patrons to equations representing drunken stabs at Grand Unified Theory. The remainder is appointed with sufficient counter space and stools to fill the place without cramping it, making for a very serviceable tasting room.

The room is bereft of visible brewing equipment, making it feel more akin to a retail storefront. All the production happens behind drawn curtains adjacent to the bar. That was disappointing to me, until I realized that that essentially rendered the brewery a secret lab. No lowrent science ever came out of a secret lab, which bodes well for the drinking experience.

Side bonus: Quantum possesses the only tasting room I’ve visited where one can experience urinating while Einstein watches. Just remember: He’s probably too busy pondering the mysteries of the universe to even notice you.

Despite only having its soft opening in late June, Quantum Brewing is already offering up to nine different beers. The selection is diverse and representative of most staple styles. It generally favors moderate alcohol content, which enables sampling most, if not all, of the wares in one sitting and identifying a favorite without drunkenly declaring each of them to be your best friend.

It’s not too often I’ll say this, but, in general,

Solve for X(PA) I favored the maltier and less-bitter options on the menu. The Hadron Wheat Collider had a nose of applesauce and offered flavors reminiscent of banana-nut bread and the lightest hints of pear. It was somewhat sweet in the finish but maintained a high level of drinkability. The Uncertainty Red was a little more full-bodied and produced slightly more assertive floral and toffee flavors, but it was still suitably mild overall.

The bitter beers were a bit more of a mixed bag. The Pale’s Constant pale ale had a pleasant balance of citrus and floral flavors, even if they weren’t particularly boisterous ones. However, the Project 919 Double IPA (a recent release from the test lab) and Chain Reaction session IPA both seemed to overshoot their intended profiles. The boozy cherry and herbal notes of the DIPA reminded me of an oddball Swiss cough drop, and the session IPA, despite its tantalizing tropical-fruit aroma, produced only the merest citrus and seltzer flavors.

Quantum Brewing, like all worthy scientific endeavors, doesn’t concern itself with extraneous variables. It delivers classic, easydrinking beer styles in a streamlined yet welcoming environment. It’s easy to find, the service is thoughtful and prompt, the beers are fairly priced and it’s kid- and dog-friendly. I’d like to see a couple of the beers revisit the lab, but know that this place has real potential for breakthrough discoveries.

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

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

by Mina Riazi mina riazi

cooked up a devoted fandom: Fried-food aficionados swarmed the restaurant on its opening day, satiated with menu samplings while waiting in a long line. On a recent Sunday afternoon, the fry emporium was filled with a few other indulgent eaters.

Boghosian’s multiple TV appearances have earned him quasi-celebrity status, so when I spotted him behind the counter talking to a few servers, I felt star-struck.

Fortunately, the feeling dissipated after a few seconds; I regained my composure and surveyed the menu with a clear mind.

Chicken Charlie’s FryBQ snubs the most audacious county-fair offerings, Fried-chicken-and-ribs combo including the beloved zucchini nachos and fried Twinkies. Fans of the infamous Krispy Kreme triple cheeseburger won’t find it at the brick-and-mortar, where the menu sticks to the familiar: Ribs, shrimp, grilled cheese and several iterations of chicken fill its pages.

I get it. The slightly pedestrian menu suits the suburban, shopping-center setting. Plus, BoghoThe fry guy sian probably wants to ensure that people continue visiting his county-fair stand during its annual Charlie Boghosian is the king of deep-fried food. appearances. By limiting the restaurant menu’s It’s a well-deserved title, considering the everscope, he can better achieve that. growing list of foods Boghosian has dunked in a Still, I was slightly shaken when the server deep fryer throughout his decades-long career. asked if I wanted my chicken “roasted.” Why would Twinkies, Klondike bars, avocados and Oreos beI visit a “fryBQ” for roasted chicken? Minutes later, gin the high-calorie lineup, followed by Doritos, my combo of fried chicken and ribs arrived with a chicken skins and cookie dough. side of roasted potatoes and coleslaw. Two HawaiBoghosian’s eponymous county-fair stand ofian sweet rolls complete the $13.95 dish. fers countless heart-stopping eats, including the I realize I might invite a barrage of dissent ad“broasted” chicken, accomplished by pressuremitting to this, but for a place that touts its food-fryfrying the bird. But if you want a side of huming abilities, the chicken was rather unremarkable. mus with your “totally fried” artichoke hearts, Though tender and juicy, the meat was hugged by you can get that, too. Or better yet: tabouli salad. a bland, lackadaisical coating. The roasted potaYes—perhaps as a joke, or perhaps in an effort toes, boasting sticky skins and warm, creamy-soft to quiet the parsley-preaching crowd—Chicken innards, were delicious, though. As were the baby Charlie’s serves up the vegetarian Lebanese dish. back ribs—which made up for the fried chicken’s And, no, it isn’t deep-fried. lack of seasoning with their robust flavor.

Boghosian’s greasy county-fair beginnings reThe chicken sandwich is another menu standcently morphed into a Clairemont restaurant openout. A crisply fried chicken cutlet meets a chubby ing. The roomy, light-filled joint is fitted with red bread roll, slathered in mayonnaise and topped booths, high-octane-yellow walls and several flat with a fat tomato wedge. But it’s not all chicken screens. Appropriately called Chicken Charlie’s ’n’ ribs: Dessert awaits the most ambitious eatFryBQ, the eatery is located in a sprawling shopers. And in true Charlie fashion, the offerings are anything but ordinary. ping center (5407 Balboa Ave., chickencharlies frybq.com), just doors down from the newly Write to minar@sdcitybeat.com opened 85 Degrees Bakery. and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

Throughout the years, Chicken Charlie’s has

One Lucky

Spoon

12 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

[T echnology ] no life

offline

by dave maass

The year in San Diego cybercrime, part 2 Back in the day, newsrooms were filled with the in which Ghanaian fraudsters bought stolen IDs staticky chatter from second-hand police scanfrom Singapore black marketers. They then used ners. That tradition is fading, in part because those cards to buy cars from dealerships, includnewsrooms can’t afford dedicated beat reporters, ing a KIA seller in El Cajon. The case was prosbut also because with the advent of cell phones, ecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in San Diego, encrypted radios and Internet-linked patrol-car which said it connected the fraud scheme to Sakacomputers, police radios are becoming obsolete. wa, “a Ghanaian practice that combines modern One other factor: There’s a whole class of invisinternet-based fraud practices targeting foreignible, digital crimes that aren’t going out over the ers with traditional African religious rituals.” emergency airwaves. No one’s dialing 911 for data Oct. 10: A military judge sentenced Navy techbreaches, and patrol officers aren’t calling for nician Ryan Garbisch to seven years in prison, a backup on scam emails. $10,000 fine and a dishonorable discharge for To fill in the gaps, here’s your digital-age popossessing child pornography. lice blotter for the second half of 2014: Oct. 13: Aaron’s Inc., a rent-to-own franchise, July 24-ish: According to a Polygon article in reached a $28.4-million settlement with the CaliSeptember, the head of the International Game fornia Department of Justice for unfair business Developers Association met with FBI officials practices and renting computers loaded with during San Diego Comic-Con to discuss online spyware to customers. “A feature in the spyware harassment, bullying and threats. program called ‘Detective Mode,’ which was inJuly 30: Escondido police arrested 25-yearstalled without consumers’ consent or knowlold Sami Ahmed Saeed for allegedly running a edge, allowed the Aaron’s franchisees to remotefraudulent website that purported to raise funds ly monitor keystrokes, capture screenshots, track for a fallen police officer’s 4-year-old daughter. the physical location of consumers and even acAug. 24: The Lizard Squad hacker group allegtivate the rented computer’s webcam,” the Attoredly issued a bomb threat via Twitter that groundney General’s office said. Aaron’s has four stores ed an American Airlines flight to San Diego carryin San Diego County. ing Sony Online Entertainment Oct. 20: NBC San Diego reCrimestoppers President John Smedley. ported the FBI was investigating email threats received by a Aug. 26: Michael Lutts, a 50former Carl DeMaio campaign year-old nurse and foster parworker. The station also reent in San Diego, was arrested ported that the worker, who’d on child-porn charges. In addiaccused DeMaio of sexual hation to having hundreds of illerassment, claimed his email acgal images on his computer, the count had been hacked.

FBI found images on his phone Oct. 21: According to news of Lutts allegedly molesting a reports, FBI agents arrested 2-month-old child in his care.

Sept. 8: Bartell Hotels anThe pizza-eating suspects a Skyline man after he was caught allegedly sharing child nounced that as many as 53,000 pornography on Internet chat rooms. Jonathan customers at five of its San Diego hotels may have Gastelum’s wife was also arrested. been victims of a massive data hack that occurred Oct. 23: A military judge sentenced Seaman earlier in the year.

Ian Else to two years in prison and a “bad conduct Sept 8: A man who’d been investigated on discharge” for possessing child pornography. child-sexual-abuse charges by San Diego County Nov. 1: Tijuana police arrested John Baden, a 38authorities in 2009 was sentenced to a 23-year year-old “cyber-fugitive” who, along with accomprison sentence in Washington. According to the plices, allegedly hacked into a mortgage applicaSeattle Times, the conviction was the culmination database, stole 40,000 identities and used that tion of a child-porn investigation conducted by to buy themselves “expensive electronic items.” He the FBI and law enforcement agencies in Denwas turned over to the FBI two days later. mark and Australia.

Nov. 21: Two teenagers were arrested for makSept. 10: San Diego Crimestoppers released ing a mass-shooting threat against Torrey Pines images and video footage of two pizza-eating High School via a social-media app. suspects whom the Sheriff’s Department beNov. 25: In San Diego Superior Court, forlieves were using stolen credit-card details to mer “Mother of the Year” Kathy Rowe pleaded book hotel rooms at Hotels.com and buy items guilty to charges related to online harassment of from Sears.com. a couple who outbid her on her dream house. AcSept 16: Ara Keshishyan was sentenced to cording to City News Service, the woman posted 57 months in prison for orchestrating a massive online ads in the name of one woman, inviting fraud scheme exploiting a bug in Citibank ATMs men to come over to her house to rape her. inside casinos across Southern California.

Sept. 17: Edmund Seshie and Abdul Rezak Write to davem@sdcitybeat.com Shaib pleaded guilty for their roles in an internaand editor@sdcitybeat.com. tional identity-theft ring based out of West Africa

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

the

SHORTlist

ART

COORDINATED BY KINSEE MORLAN

(screenings at 8 and 10 p.m.) or $7 to see one film.

Klowden says Aventurera is considered “one of the best Mexican films across any genre.” As for Sensualidad, he thinks this might be its first public screening—or, at least, its first public screening with subtitles. He subtitled the film himself with the help of Final Cut Pro and some bilingual friends.

Both films are directed by Alberto Gout and star Cuban-born actor and dancer Ninón Sevilla, who recently celebrated her 93rd birthday. Klowden says he’s become kind of obsessed with Sevilla’s work. Recently, he was at Caffe A scene from Adventurera Calabria in North Park working on subtitling Sensualidad when another customer glanced at his computer screen.

“I know her,” she told him. She explained that her David Klowden thought he’d seen just parents are artists in Mexico and would have Sevilla about all the noir films there were to over for dinner. Klowden took the coincidence as a sign. see. For the last five years, he’s hosted “OK, this was a calling,” he remembers thinkscreenings at his house of rare and hard-to-find noir ing. “Not only am I going to share this movie with flicks, but then a trip to Mexico made him realize my friends, but if I get a chance, I’m going to share it there was a whole new subgenre to explore. with a wider audience.”

On Saturday, Dec. 6, Klowden’s showing two of Klowden says he has plans for future screenings his favorite Mexican noir films—Aventurera (1950) at Digital Gym with hopes of bolstering San Diego’s and Sensualidad (1951) at Mexican Film Noir at film-noir scene.

Digital Gym Cinema (2921 El Cajon Blvd. in North “These films are enduring, and people still rePark). Tickets are $17 for both films and a 7 p.m. pre- spond to them,” he says. “And I think part of the reashow party—with beer, wine, margaritas, the Famoso son is they just stand the test of time.” digitalgym.org taco truck and live music—or $12 for the films only

1

2

NOIR DEL SUR

FULL WEEKEND

Two big annual events packed into one short blurb! Woot! First, December Nights kicks off from 3 to 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, and continues from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, in Balboa Park. It’s a holiday-themed orgy of people, food from around the world, cultural performances and free museum entry (from 5 to 9 p.m.)

And what’s this? A 200-foot “December Flights” zipline? Yep. Then, the SoNo Fest and Chili CookOff will occupy your time from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at 32nd and Thorn Streets in North Park.

Local eateries compete for your chili-lovin’ affection (five tastes and a take-home ceramic bowl for $20).

Also, local craft beer, at least nine live bands on two stages and gift shopping. balboapark.org/december nights, sonofestchilicookoff.com ARLENE PHOTOS

3

GOODS OF YORE

There’s nothing like a little rust, dust and wear when it comes to inspiring creativity; at least that’s the opinion of the sisters-in-law behind Stitched, a mobile vintage market. The treasure-hunting duo will sell their refurbished decor, antiques and other handmade goods at Stitched.MARKET from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Ramona Town Hall (729 Main St.). They’ve also invited a handful of other local, vintage-oriented vendors to share their stuff, turning the event into a one-stop-shop for charming and cutesy things like upcycled jewelry, paper arts, bath and body products and more. Sure, Ramona is a bit of a drive, but the small-town setting is perfect for the retro-obsessed crowd looking for a little homey nostalgia this holiday season. stichedmarket.com

HR.O.B.O.T.S. at Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream, 3077 University Ave., North Park. Thumbprint Gallery presents a robot-themed group art show featuring work by local artists. Opening from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4. 619-220-0231, facebook.com/events/789703284406129 HUrban Art Holiday Bash at Disconnected Salon, 3830 30th St., North Park.

Disconnected’s annual celebration features curated art by Thumbprint Gallery, music and complimentary food and drinks. From 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4. facebook.com/disconnectedsalon Annual Student Exhibition at Athenaeum School of the Arts Studio, 4441 Park Blvd. University Heights. View and purchase work created by Athenaeum students. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4. 858-454-5872, ljathenaeum.org Bookends at SME Building, UCSD campus, La Jolla. Two works by Los Angelesbased artist and alumnus Tim Schwartz, who attempts to convey what’s lost and what might be gained as books and libraries become digital. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4. visarts.ucsd.edu Sunny Winter at Brokers Building, 402 Market St., Downtown. A holiday-themed art show with a preferred black-andwhite dress code, featuring works from Adeyemi, Chobolits, Sanchez and more.

Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. 858-222-9367 HFirst Friday Oceanside Art Walk at Downtown Oceanside, Pier View Way and Tremont Street, Oceanside. Enjoy live performances, music, food and fun for all ages during this monthly walk that highlights the Oceanside Arts and Culture District. From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5.

760-435-3721, oceansideartwalk.org Friday Night Liberty at NTC at Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma. A special holiday edition of the first Friday gallery and studio walk, featuring art openings and entertainment, throughout NTC’s Arts & Culture District. From 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. ntclibertystation.com HMega Exhibition Reception at Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. OMA celebrates the opening of five exhibitions: California Dreaming: An International Portrait of Southern California, NAKED: 20th Century Nudes from the Dijkstra Collection, My Sister’s Voice, Neil Shigley: Invisible People and Omar Lopex: RELÃMPAGO. From 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. $10. 760-435-3721, oma-online.org HBarrio Art Crawl at Barrio Logan Arts District, 1878 Main St., Barrio Logan. A holiday edition of the self-guided tour consisting of open studios, galleries and local businesses in the growing Barrio Logan Arts District. From 6 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6. barrioartsdistrict.com Lina Abi-Samra at Dolphin and Hawk Fine Art Gallery, 7742 Herschel Ave., La Jolla. The neo-Fauvist decorative artist will be showing her newest colorful paintings.

Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. 858-401-9549, dolphinandhawk.com Wings & Snow at Sophie’s Kensington Gallery, 4186 Adams Ave., Kensington. Collection of mosaic birdhouses, felt bird art and bird paintings by Jeannie Emmit. Reception includes live music, wine and hors d’oeuvres. Opening from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. 619-534-8120, stmsc.org HWide Awake at La Bodega Studios and Gallery, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan.

The inaugural Dream Machine artist collective show features new work from Pamela Jaeger, Jacki Geary, John Purlia and more.

From 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.

14 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

Riding to Amarillo at Space 4 Art, 325 15th St., East Village. The final part of an exchange between a group of UCSD graduates who showed work in Bilbao, Spain, the show features art by Julen Agirre, Lorea Alfaro, Iranzu Antona and more. Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. sdspace4art.org HCombat Arts Veteran Mural Project Unveiling at 4010 Goldfinch St., Mission Hills. Join the Mission Hills Town Council and Combat Arts San Diego for the unveiling of their first mural. From 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 7. combatartssd.org HDouble Vision at Guru Tattoo Little Italy, 2504 State St., Little Italy. View art by the Guru Tattoo family and participate in a raffle and silent auction with all proceeds going to Julia’s Journey and Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation. From 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. gurutattoo.com HPup Art at Hairy and Merry, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Suite 105, Little Italy. A petfriendly art reception featuring works by Dan Adams, Marilyn Rose Ortega, Jorge Gutierrez and over a dozen more. Opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, December 10. 619-238-0868

BOOKS HFarel Dalrymple at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont. The cartoonist will sign and discuss The Wrenchies, a 304-page watercolor graphic novel about a gang of powerful children fighting evil in a dystopian future. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HMatthew Ward at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. Launch party for Ward’s new book, War of the World Records, the sequel to The Fantastic Family Whipple. At 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. warwicks.indiebound.com HAl Howard at The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. The local musician and writer’s official release for his new book, The Autobiography of No One. The Heavy Guilt, The Cold Fact, The Midnight Pine and many more will perform. At 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. $8. 619-299-7372, themerrow.com HCary Elwes at David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. The actor will discuss his memoir, As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride. Ticket price includes a copy of the book. At 3 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 7. $28.08-$38.08. 858-3621348, warwicks.indiebound.com Francine Netter at UCSD Bookstore, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. The author will be discussing her biography of her father, Medicine’s Michelangelo: The Life & Art of Frank H. Netter, MD, about the illustrious figure revered by generations of students of medicine. At 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9.

858-534-5778, ucsandiegobookstore.com Chris Van Gorder at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The CEO of Scripps Health will discuss and sign his new book, The Front-Line Leader: Building a High-Performance Organization from the Ground Up. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9. warwicks.indiebound.com

COMEDY Toys 4 Tots Comedy Show at Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St., La Jolla. Bring a new unwrapped toy or $8 cash donation for the U.S. Marine’s Toys for Tots foundation and receive free admission to a show featuring Mike Vinn, Albert Linton, Jesse Egan and more funny folks. At 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4. $8. lajolla.thecomedystore.com HMike Birbiglia at Balboa Theatre,

868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The awardwinning comedian, actor and filmmaker returns to the stage with more painfully awkward stories in his all-new show about jokes and how they can get you in trouble.

At 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. $42.60. 619570-1100, sandiegotheatres.org HFinest City Improv Anniversary Party at the Lafayette Hotel, 4250 Louisiana St., North Park. FCI celebrates the anniversary of its theatre in North Park with food and drink specials as well as improv performances. At 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. $10.

619-306-6047, finestcityimprov.com

DANCE Shapes & Reflections 2014 at MiraCosta College, 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside.

The MiraCosta College Dance Arts Ensemble presents a performance of modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, ballroom and world dance forms choreographed by students and faculty. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, and Saturday, Dec. 6, and 2 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 7. $10-$15. 760-435-3065, miracosta.edu/theatre HGift of Dance II at The Dancehouse, 1466 F St., East Village. Dancehouse’s annual Christmas show and fundraiser features performances from MindBodyMusic, Kruciaal Element Dance Company, Kik Dance and more. There’ll also be a lip-sync battle, vendors and live art. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. $10-$15. 619322-1015, giftofdanceii.eventbee.com

HOLIDAY EVENTS HHoliday Wonderland at Petco Park, Park & Imperial, Downtown. This inaugural event will feature light displays, Polar Express trains, a Candyland area, live reindeer, real snow and photo opportunities with Santa near a 40-foot-tall Christmas tree. Fridays, Saturday and Sundays through Dec. 24. $10-$15. sandiego. padres.mlb.com/sd/ticketing/holiday.jsp HThe Nutcracker at Casa Del Prado, Balboa Park. The holiday classic about Clara and the Nutcracker Prince as performed by the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet. Various times through Sunday, Dec. 21. $10-$18. sdcyb.org HDecember Nights at Balboa Park. The 37th annual event features international foods, music and dance performances, carolers, bell-ringers, choirs and bands.

The park is decorated with festive lights and almost all he museums are open. From 3 to 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. balboapark.org Mariachi Sol de Mexico: A Merri-Achi Christmas at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. This platinum-selling, Grammynominated mariachi ensemble presents a colorful celebration of Mexico’s Christmas traditions. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. $21-$40. 800-988-4253, artcenter.org HHoliday in the Village at Third Avenue, Chula Vista. The annual holiday event features entertainment, children’s activities and retail, dining and service specials from the shops that make up this quaint business district. From noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. thirdavenuevillage.com Garden of Lights at San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. The San Diego Botanic Garden transforms into a winter wonderland Saturday, Dec. 6, through Dec. 30, with over 100,000 lights illuminating the Garden. $6-$14. 760-436-3036, SDBGarden.org A Choral Yuletide at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. Songs of the holiday season sung by The Center Chorale and Center Children’s

Chorus. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. $10-$20. 800-988-4253, artcenter.org North Park Toyland Parade & Festival The annual event is back for its 51st year.

The parade starts at University Avenue and Utah Street at 11 a.m. while a festival happens from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, in the heart of North Park. toylandparade.com OB Holiday Parade at Newport Avenue & Abbott Street, Ocean Beach. The annual parade and street fest includes floats, marching bands, community characters and, of course, Santa Claus. At 5 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6. obtowncouncil.org HSouth Park Holiday Walkabout at South Park, 30th & Juniper, South Park.

The quarterly evening festival takes on a holiday theme. Enjoy complimentary treats, live entertainment, special offers and discounts, roaming carolers and more. From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. 619-208-7484, southparkscene.com

nadovisitorcenter.com

nation. 760-432-8318, sdrp.org

Jingle Paws Walk at Cuyamaca Water Conservation Gardens, 12122 Cuyamaca College Drive West, El Cajon. The ACES Foundation hosts this fifth annual walk (1K and 5K) and fair featuring vendors with pet related items, animal rescues, food, a silent auction and Santa photos.

From 9 a.m. to noon. Saturday, Dec. 6.

619-660-0614, acesfoundation.org

Family Day at Cygnet Theatre at Cygnet Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., Old Town. Enjoy cookie decorating, hot chocolate and holiday family photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Afterward, take in Cygnet’s take on the Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol. At 1 and 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. $29-$41.

619-337-1525, cygnettheatre.com

HFestive Farmhouse at Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead, 12655 Sunset Drive, Escondido. Experience Christmas like the San Pasqual Valley pioneers. Make traditional holiday decorations, enjoy cookies and hot drinks, sing Christmas songs around the 1884 organette, relax in the Victorian parlor and tour the farmhouse. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. $3-$5 suggested do-

Cardiff Kringle Mingle at Cardiff Town Center, 2087 San Elijo Ave., Cardiff-bythe-Sea. Enjoy a variety of musical performances, holiday crafts for kids, photo ops with Santa and treats. From 1 to 5 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 7. cardiff101.com La Jolla Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival The annual event in downtown La Jolla along Prospect Street includes

marching bands, floats, equestrian units, vintage automobiles and an appearance

by Santa Claus. From 1:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. ljparade.com Holidays in the Heart of Del Mar at Del Mar Village, Camino Del Mar and 15th Street. Take holiday pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, listen to Dickens carolers, enjoy hot cocoa and cookies, or just hit up the tree lighting ceremony at 5 p.m.

From 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. 858735-3650, delmarmainstreet.com

MUSIC HAurelio at Price Center Ballroom, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. The guitarist

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

HSan Diego Made Holiday Market at Union Kitchen and Tap, 1108 South Coast Hwy., Encinitas. A two-day marketplace featuring handmade goods by local artists and craftsman, food, music and holiday drinks. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6-7. umetinfo.com Teddy Bear Teas at Westgate Hotel, 1055 Second Ave., Downtown. Westgate’s famous afternoon tea with assorted finger foods followed by a visit with Santa in the hotel’s Grand Lobby where St. Nick himself will perform a reading of a classic Christmas story. From 2:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. $30-$45. 619-236-8397, westgatehotel.tix.com Holiday Tree Lighting & Winter Wonderland Festival at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. Children will have the chance to frolic in real snow, decorate Christmas cookies, visit with Santa, and create handmade gifts. From 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. 800-988-4253, artcenter.org Weekend With Santa at Flower Hill Promenade, 2720 Via De La Valle, Del Mar. Children can enjoy breakfast hosted

by Sea & Smoke, followed by special holiday activities including DIY crafts, holiday treats and photos with St. Nick.

From 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6-7. flowerhill.com Little Italy Christmas Tree Lighting The 14th annual event features festive decorations, entertainment, a visit from Santa, cookies, cider, coffee and, of course, the lighting of a 25-foot tree. From 4 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6. littleitalysd.com HA Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown at Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road, Poway.

Featuring classic holiday tunes from the Peanuts Gang performed by classical jazz pianist David Benoit, plus a special appearance by the youth choir of Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church. At 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. $14$104. 858-748-0505, powayarts.org Santa’s Magical Village at San Marcos Civic Center, 3 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos. This annual event features an indoor holiday boutique as well as free activities for children including letters to Santa, cookie decorating, sand art, carnival games and more. From 3 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 7. $4-$5. san-marcos.net Coronado Christmas Parade & Open House at Third and Orange avenues, Coronado. The 39th annual Christmas parade includes Santa’s arrival by ferry, snow mountain, a tree lighting ceremony and a concert by the community band.

From 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. coro

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

Tru offers a real alternative to holiday fare Cole Porter’s glib “At Long Last Love” will never sound the same to you after seeing Jay Presson Allen’s Tru, a one-man show about a 51-year-old Truman Capote tormented by booze, the passing of time and loneliness. The Porter tune occupies signature moments in the two-act play, on stage at Diversionary Theatre in University Heights.

A seemingly insouciant Capote, artfully portrayed by Todd Blakesley, embraces the song only to have it haunt him by play’s end. It’s Christmas time in 1975; the tree is lit, and so is Capote. “Is it a cocktail, this feeling of joy? / Or is what I feel the real McCoy?” goes the eventually bittersweet lyric.

Allen’s 1989 play, directed here by Derek Charles Livingston, is adapted from Capote’s own words and writing. Set in a Manhattan apartment smartly designed by Matt Scott, Tru is built upon an anecdotal narrative that’s catty and fun in Act 1 before turning philosophical and fearsome after intermission. If your mind wanders during the name-dropping and one-sided phone calls in the first act, the decidedly heavier second act will bring it home with a vengeance. It turns out that the debaucheryloving Capote is living in a nightmare at Christmas, and he knows he won’t wake up

THEATER

with it all having been a dream.

Blakesley, who’s also the coordinator of the adventurous San Diego International Fringe Festival, has the formidable challenge of stepping into shoes so recently filled on the big screen by Philip Seymour Hoffman (in Capote) and Toby Jones (in Infamous). Blakesley’s Capote, like that of those notable predecessors, transcends simple caricature. His Capote is a tortured literary genius misunderstood by both the unwashed masses and the society-page elite with whom he cavorts; he’s teetering, as he explains, between a precipice and the abyss.

Livingston’s astute direction keeps the proceedings from becoming overwrought, as they nearly do in a second-act “drowning” sequence. At its best, Tru is a theater audience’s living-room encounter with a singular pop-culture enigma that no mere Christmas tree can illuminate. With all the holiday fare on stage this month, Tru is a welcome alternative.

The play runs through Dec. 21. $15-$51. diversionary.org

—David L. Coddon Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

OPENING A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Peanuts gang discovers the true meaning of Christmas. Presented

by Pickwick Players, it opens Dec. 5 at Off Broadway Live in Santee. pickwickplayers.net A Tuna Christmas: Intrigue is afoot amid the annual Christmas Yard Display Contest in Tuna, Texas. Presented by Point Loma Actors Theatre, it opens Dec. 5 at Point Loma Playhouse. pointlomaactors.com All Circuits are Busy: A staged reading of a play described by Ion Theatre as “a world premiere techfantasy” by Ion company member Hannah Logan. It happens on Dec. 8 at BLKBOX Theatre in Hillcrest.

Reservations are required. iontheatre.com Do Not Go Gentle: A staged reading of a play about an elderly woman who’s died but can’t journey to the ever-after until things are settled with her son and granddaughter. Presented by Carlsbad Playreaders, it happens on Dec. 8 at the Carlsbad City Library. carlsbadplayreaders.org Golden Boy: A boxer and aspiring violinist must decide whether to risk injuring his hands by competing in a prizefight. Presented by the UCSD Department of Theatre & Dance, it opens Dec. 3 in the Sheila & Hughes Potiker Theatre on campus. theatre.ucsd.edu Gypsy: The story of stage mother Rose and her two Vaudeville-performing daughters, set to music. Presented by Visionary Musical Theatre, it opens Dec. 4 at the Visionary Performance Space in Rolando. visionarydancetheatre.org

Todd Blakesley in Tru Jewish Community Center in La Jolla. sdcjc.org Naughty or Nice: Circle Circle dot dot presents two collections of holiday-themed plays by local playwrights. One is for folks of all ages; one is for the adults. They open Dec. 4 at the 10th Avenue Arts Center in East Village. circle2dot2.com Seminar: A staged reading of a play about four young writers who clash with each other and their celebrity teacher during a 10-week writing class.

Presented by San Diego Actors Theatre, it happens on Dec. 8 at the Crivello Theatre in Linda Vista. sd actorstheatre.net Woman in the Mirror, A Dancer’s Journey: A one-woman, autobiographical show starring Michael Jackson impersonator Devra Gregory. Opens Dec. 4 at the Horton Grand Theatre, Downtown. devasmj.com

J’oy Vey: A workshopped production of a new holiday comedy about a couple of dueling grandmas.

Presented by the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture, it runs Dec. 4 and 6 at the Lawrence Family

and singer has become the new voice of Parranda music, a breezy, percussive mix of Caribbean, Central American and West African elements. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3. $12-$30. artpwr.com

nity chorus of 100 singers, plus ensembles and soloists, will perform an eclectic mix of seasonal selections with a seven-piece orchestra. At 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. 858455-1464, facebook.com/pacificaires

The Acoustic Alliance 10 Year Anniversary at Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. Cathryn Beeks and Listen Local SD present this concert featuring Christopher Dale, Podunk Nowhere, Josh Damigo and more. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4. $10. 619-276-3990

Claudia Villela at Athenaeum’s School of the Arts Studio, 4441 Park Blvd., University Heights. The Athenaeum’s jazz program returns with a performance from the Brazilian jazz vocalist. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. $21-$26. ljathenaeum.org/jazz.html

HBach Collegium San Diego BCSD’s annual show is the only performances of the complete Messiah and the only one performed with period instruments. Various locations at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, 5 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6, and 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8. Get details at bachcollegiumsd.org Pacificaires & Cedar Center Concert at College Avenue Baptist Church, 4747 College Ave., College Area. The commu-

16 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

DAREN SCOTT

San Diego Women’s Chorus at St. Andrews by the Sea, 1050 Thomas Ave., Pacific Beach. SDWC presents its annual winter concert, “Home is Where the Heart Is,” a diverse, multi-cultural program of traditional choral pieces, holiday carols and contemporary selections. At 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, and 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. $15-$20. sdwc.org Young Artists in Harmony at ARTS A Reason to Survive, 200 East 12 St., Na-

For full listings,

please visit “T heater ” at sdcit ybeat.com

tional City. ARTS’s annual open house will feature a marketplace with students’ arts and crafts, jewelry making and a special musical presentation in collaboration with chamber music organization, Art of Elan.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. 619-2972787, areasontosurvive.org HPink Martini at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. The band’s globally-inspired repertoire is diverse, crossing genres of classical, Latin, jazz and old-fashioned pop.

At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. $30-$85.

800-988-4253, artcenter.org HViva Vivaldi! at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights. Camarada, celebrating 20 years, performs a festive Baroque concert that will combine music, artful space, a pre-concert Prosecco welcome and a post-concert coffee and chocolate finale. At 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. $25-$30. camarada.org

Messiah Sing-Along at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 6628 Santa Isabel St., Carlsbad. Choral Director David Chase leads the La Jolla Symphony Chorus, chamber orchestra, guest soloists, and audience members in this annual sing-along of Handel’s Messiah. At 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. $8-$15. lajollasymphony.com Perla Batalla at Carlsbad City Library, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad. The charismatic Mexican-American singer-songwriter gained attention as a backup singer for Leonard Cohen before beginning her solo career. At 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. 760602-2049, sandiegolibrary.org HBesos de Coco at University Community Library, 4155 Governor Drive, La Jolla. This eclectic chamber trio performs romantic music of the old-world Mediterranean, Latin American, and jazz. At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9. sandiegolibrary.org

SPECIAL EVENTS Etsy Guild Market at The Headquarters at Seaport District, 789 West Harbor Drive, Downtown. Shop for one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts by artisans and crafters working in jewelry, clothes, accessories and more. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. theheadquarters.com HSTEAM Maker Festival at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. This fest features kids’ projects, over 40 maker showcase booths, music, vendors, workshops, interactive learning areas and more. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. $6$8. 858-755-1161, steammaker.org HSan Diego Pottery Tour A self-guided

tour featuring nine studio locations around San Diego with more than 30 potters presenting new work during the weekend.

See website for a list of locations. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6-7. sdpotterytour.com HSoNo Fest & Chili Cook-Off at San Diego Ceramic Connection, 3216 Thorn St., South Park. The fifth annual fest features 40 local restaurants competing in a chili cook-off. There’ll also be local artisans, craft beer, a kids zone and live music on two stages. Proceeds benefit McKinley Elementary. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. sonofestchilicookoff.com PEACEFund Paintball Tournament at Camp Pendleton Paintball Park, 2522T Maxam Ave., Oceanside. Celebs, pros and amateurs will square off at this inau-

gural paintball tournament. Money will be donated to charity on behalf of the winners. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6-7. $15-$399. 866985-4932, thepeacefundgames.org HSan Diego Tweed Ride Gather at Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama for a leisurely bicycle ride past some of San Diego’s historic structures and markers.

Participants are encouraged to dress in classic tweed or any smart-looking outfit.

At 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 7.

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS HStudio Series: Ann Weber at Lux Art Institute, 1550 S. El Camino Real, Encini-

tas. A wine reception in the Artist Pavilion followed by a discussion with artist-in-residence Ann Weber, who makes “biomorphic sculptures” from cardboard. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9. $10.

760-436-6611, luxartinstitute.org HSurf Craft: Richard Kenvin at Atkinson Hall, UCSD campus, La Jolla. Part of the Design@Large series, the surf historian and curator of Mingei’s Surf Craft exhibition will discuss the history of board design. From 4 to 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, December 10. 858-822-4998, d.ucsd.edu

For full listings,

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

Celtic Woman: Home For Christmas at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. The multi-platinum, all-female music ensemble performs their Irish takes on holiday favorites. At 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, December 10. $31.85$100.40. sandiegotheatres.org

PERFORMANCE HBlind Date at MCASD Downtown, 1001 Kettner Blvd., Downtown. The Tijuanabased group of vocalists, known for “flash mob”-type performances of high-quality opera music, will play inside Rita McBride’s “Arena” theatre installation. At noon Friday, Dec. 5. Free-$10. mcasd.org Ritmos de Mi Tierra at Lincoln High School, 4777 Imperial Ave., Lincoln Park.

From flamenco to ballet folklorico, performers will fill the stage with the authentic song, dance and costumes of Spain and Mexico. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. $15$25. danzarts.org HSuicideGirls: Blackheart Burlesque Tour at House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. After a six-year hiatus, SuicideGirls returns with their popular burlesque tour complete with tongue-in-cheek humor and raw sexuality. At 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. $25-$50. blackheartburlesque.com Rachel Kudo & Karen Joy Davis with Tom Albright at Salk Institute, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla. Piano duo Kudo and Joy will play part of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, while Albright will discuss his work at Salk’s Vision Center Lab, as part of the Salk Science and Music Series, which brings together virtuosos from music and science. At 4 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 7. $30. music.salk.edu

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD HDavid Tomas Martinez at SDSU Library, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area, College Area. Part of the Hugh C. Hyde Living Writers Series, SDSU MFA alum Martinez will read from his debut poetry collection, Hustle. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3. 619-594-6054 HFrom Point A to Point PB at Java Earth, 4978 Cass St., Pacific Beach. Presented

by CirculateSD, the first of two storytelling events led by Arielle Conversi that will focus on storytelling themed on how people get around Pacific Beach. From 7 to 9 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 4. circulatesd.org HVeteran Writers: Homecoming at Oceanside Public Library, Oceanside.

Hear the homecoming-themed stories of veterans like Adam Stone, Gill Sotu, Kelli Hewlett and others. At 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. sosayweallonline.com

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

Dana John Durant

Springs

18 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

is

listening

New Commission for Arts and Culture director says she’s ready to hear what San Diegans have to say • by Kinsee Morlan

D

ana Springs is power-networking, leaping from one conversation to the next as she makes her way through a crowd gathered around a food truck at Makers Quarter. She’s excited for people to see the premiere of the nine videos that the San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture and the San Diego Tourism Authority created to promote each of the city’s districts as arts-and-culture hotspots.

As the rest of the crowd sits down to watch the first video on the outdoor screen, Springs leaps up and checks to see if the sound can be adjusted.

It’s one of her first big public events as the new executive director of the Commission for Arts and Culture, and she wants everything to be just right.

“I really want this to be fun,” Springs said earlier in her office, a few hours before the screening. “It felt too confined to roll these out in an administrative space.... I wanted it to be cool and outdoors, and Makers Quarter’s cool, and we love what they’re doing. They’re actually the perfect example of what we’re trying to feature in the videos.”

The hipper-thanaverage, city-sanctioned event is just one recent outgrowth of the new blood at the commission, and local arts leaders are hopeful that important transformations are inevitable.

Springs, who twice in the past few years stepped out of her 12-

wondering whether the commission could help grassroots groups with that kind of basic-but-expensive need.

Expanding the commission’s programming is an obvious avenue for change. Currently, the commission’s funding programs comprise the core of what it does: $7 million of its $10-million budget is granted to nonprofits, which then assist the commission in its goal of bringing arts and culture to the masses. The commission also runs the city’s public-art program and manages the public-art collection.

Other similarly sized city arts councils, though, offer more, like working with schools on arts education, offering continuing-education resources for artists and arts leaders and implementing innovative grant programs that target creative businesses and entrepreneurs (recognizing that culture is also produced by people outside of nonprofit organizations). A few city or county arts councils even survey their local arts landscapes and fill in the gaps by producing their own big, cultural events.

Another clear area the commission could improve upon is marketing. Its online presence is currently restricted to the city’s often tough-to-navigate website, and its uses of social-media and even email communication are virtually nonexistent.

If you’re an artist looking for the latest public-art opportunities, for example, you’re directed to follow Springs on Twitter, yet her last tweet was in November of 2013. On the other hand, Springs is the founder of a popular Facebook group that provides resources for San Diego artists, so she’s savvy when it comes to social media, but she says she simply doesn’t have time these days.

“We have beautiful stories to tell, and that’s one thing I really regret and I miss is my participation in social media,” she says. “But I had to make a choice about how to manage my time and attention when I started serving as the interim director, and I decided it made sense to cold-turkey it rather than limp along in this lame way.”

Yet another easy area to critique is the city’s overall reputation when it comes to public art. “Vanilla” is often the term used to describe it, and the San Diego’s notoriously conservative climate is often blamed.

“I’m not prepared to say that San Diego isn’t a great public-art city,” Springs counters. “Do we have opportunity for different approaches? Absolutely. And that’s super exciting, and I hope this office can pursue every single one of those different avenues.”

While Springs isn’t ready to lay out any specific plans for the commission’s future and, when conversations turn toward change, is careful not to make any promises or commitments, her colleagues are quicker to tout her potential.

“I’m hoping to see big changes,” says Vernon Franck, another recently appointed commissioner. “And I think Dana’s capable and willing to take on big change—I really do.”

year role as manager of the commission’s public-art program to serve as the commission’s interim director, was officially named the executive director in August. A few months later, Mayor Kevin Faulconer appointed longtime arts professional Larry Baza as chair of the commission.

Baza’s known for pushing for diversity in the arts and is expected to help shake things up at the commission. And while Springs might not have the credentials and managerial experience one might expect in an executive director, she seems willing to listen, learn and eventually nudge the commission toward at least gradual, measured change.

“She can only shake things up so much,” says Mark-Elliot Lugo, a former art critic and independent curator who founded the public library system’s visual-arts program and worked closely with Springs before he retired from the library.

“She knows how to walk that line between what’s best for the arts and what’s permissible within the culture of the city and its bureaucracy. I think she knows the best way to get accomplished what needs to be accomplished and can do so while ruffling the least feathers.”

What changes Springs intends to make, though, is unknown. She’s currently in research and information-gathering mode and is already looking into more methods of data collection so she can better measure how well the commission’s already serving the community. One of her first tasks since taking the post has been embarking on what she’s calling her “listening tour,” talking to the heads of the roughly 120 arts-andculture organizations to which the commission grants money through two annual programs funded by a portion of the city’s transient-occupancy tax, or hotel tax.

“I knew it would take me about a year, and I’m only through about 20,” she says of the tour. “But it’s been incredible so far.”

Springs says she’s getting useful feedback and already has a few ideas, like having the commission play a larger role in connecting organizations and helping them match and share resources, especially venues. She also recently went to an evening arts-and-craft fair and noticed that the Write to kinseem@sdcitybeat.com event could’ve used better lighting. She’s and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

Kinsee Morlan

Seen Local Another face in the crowd In 2009, soon after Kickstarter first launched, artist Emily Grenader wanted to find out if the crowd-funding website could help artists. Back then, it had yet to become a bastion for creative types that it is today.

“Kickstarter was working really well for industrial designers and people who make products,” says Grenader, a teaching assistant at UCSD, from which she recently graduated with her master’s degree in fine arts. “So, I thought, well, what if I just painted this crowd of strangers from the Internet?”

Grenader’s first campaign enrolled 53 people. She painted their life-size portraits in oil on canvas, picturing the dozens of strangers next to one another in a large-scale painting of a crowd, giving more of a face and personality to the mostly invisible virtual community. Participants received prints of the original.

“It became this interesting patron painting of Kickstarter people,” says Grenader, who’s in the middle of another Kickstarter campaign (kck. st/10YMphB). One hundred people have already filled up the slots available for having their portraits painted, but she recently opened up another option for others who want to be drawn and included in a digital-art piece instead.

The concept behind what the artist calls her Crowd Painting series actually began before she launched her first Kickstarter campaign. Grenader was living in New York City and started noticing the same strangers’ faces again and again as she made her way through her daily routine.

“It was this idea of just seeing so many people who pass by the same spot and kind of imagining what it would be like if they were all there at the same time,” she explains. “You see all these strangers that you never interact with, and I thought if I physically put them together, it would be kind of like they

Keepin’ at it A few years ago, when CityBeat wrote about Neil Shigley and his Invisible People series of largescale prints and drawings of local homeless folks, the artist and professor told us that the sevenyear-long project would continue. He wasn’t kidding.

“I’m just so compelled to keep doing it,” he says, standing in his modest Golden Hill studio, which is packed with stark, black-andwhite images of the hardened faces of people living on the streets.

“I can’t stop. I do all kinds of other art, but this one keeps continuing, and this is the one that gets the most traction. And there’s certainly no lack of subjects.”

This year’s been a good one for Shigley and his series. Galleries and exhibitions across the country have shown the work, and homeless-services providers like PATH and the United Way have expressed interest in collaborating with the artist, enlisting his help putting faces on the persistent problem.

20 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

Emily Grenader were connecting.”

She photographed dozens of people in prominent places in New York and then painted them next to one another on canvases. In a way, the portraits of people who inhabit specific spaces became indicative of the places themselves.

“That is something I was looking at,” Grenader explains. “Is this a portrait of the place, too? And, yes, the people in Times Square did have a different vibe than the people in Union Square.”

Grenader’s crowd paintings have recently gone digital. In collaboration with other students and a professor at UCSD, she helped develop VideoMob, software that takes video portraits, instantly removes the backgrounds and then adds the images to a screen filled with other people who’ve recorded their video portraits, creating a real-time composition that looks like a living version of Grenader’s paintings. The software was used during opening night at the Art San Diego Contemporary Art Fair.

“It’s fun because you can instantly be in the art,” she says, adding that they’re looking into applications outside of art, such as using the software on activist sites like change.org. “Wouldn’t it be awesome to actually see this huge crowd of people who feel strongly about these ideas?”

—Kinsee Morlan

More than a dozen of Shigley’s “Invisible People” works are on view at the Oceanside Museum of Art. His show, which opened Nov. 1 and will run Mark Miller through Feb. 15, will be celebrated in a “Mega Exhibition Reception” from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, along with four other recently opened exhibitions: California Dreaming, Naked, My Sister’s Voice and Omar Lopex: Relámpago.

Shigley says that what began as an art project has since become more of a social practice.

“I know that by continuing to present this work big and often, it can focus attention on this,” he says. “And who knows what can happen? Maybe some good things…. My hope is that someone a lot smarter than me will eventually see the work and mayNeil Shigley be figure some things out.”

—Kinsee Morlan Write to kinseem@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

Words of war Acting titans square off in Volker Schlöndorff’s World War II drama

by Glenn Heath Jr. The public record often masks a far murkier reality of compromise, desperation and half-truths. Throw the volatility of war into the mix and it’s hard to imagine any one event actually lining up with its respective chapter in your high-school history book. Diplomacy— both the play written by Cyril Gely and its film adaptation directed by Volker Niels Arestrup (left) and André Dussollier Schlöndorff—attempts to reconcile this idea by going behind the scenes of a major transi“At some point, obedience ceases to be a duty,” he tional moment in World War II to reveal the human tells von Choltitz, requesting that he look far into the element and emotion that forms decision-making future and realize the magnitude of this moment. under duress.

Much of Diplomacy tensely traverses the slippery On the night of Aug. 24, 1944, the Allied forces slope dividing rationality and manipulation. With cawere making tracks for Nazi-occupied Paris after tastrophe right around the bend, Nordling attempts successfully landing at various points along Nor- any angle he can to make von Choltitz see things from mandy and the French coastline. Facing multiple a grander perspective. What’s most relevant is that divisions of American and British troops primed for the Swede (and, by turn, the audience) doesn’t realize urban combat, the German army initiated plans to the German has already been second-guessing Hitdestroy the City of Lights by detonating key monu- ler for weeks. A late reveal explains why von Choltitz ments (goodbye, Eiffel Tower) and strategic bridges, hasn’t acted on his conscience, connecting his charflooding the city and creating chaos. Gen. Dietrich acter with the aforementioned French engineer. von Choltitz (Niels Arestrup) was in charge of carMen of power experience helplessness throughrying out the orders, mandated through a maniacal out Diplomacy, a theme that confronts the traditiondecree written by an increasingly al understanding of history as a insane Adolf Hitler. clearly defined and linear process.

The early portion of Diplomacy Schlöndorff, whose inflammatory Diplomacy sets the stage for Paris’ downfall.

The Tin Drum made him a houseDirected by Volker Schlöndorff Von Choltitz paces back and forth hold name for cinephiles in 1979, Starring André Dussollier in a posh hotel room, discussing has long been interested in the and Niels Arestrup the mass demolition with his comway human conflict both defines Not Rated manders and a French engineer and subverts the Cliff’s Notes of who’s being forced by his German important moments in time like captors to annihilate his own city.

WWII. He’s working on a much Here we see the art of Nazi strong-arm tactics used to smaller scale with this film, but the end result carsecure loyalty and fear, a motif that will eventually be ries similar weight. reversed later in the film. Occasionally, Schlöndorff This heft has everything to do with the actors. A cuts away to a pair of eyes watching the action from staple of Alain Resnais’ mythical cinema, Dussollier behind a secret passageway, adding a layer of intrigue. embodies suave misdirection, and Arestrup counOnce von Choltitz is left alone, the voyeur reveals ters with an intense directness that hides a far more himself. Those expecting an assassin will be disap- doubt-riddled presence. Together, they make Diplopointed; Swedish Consul Raoul Nordling (André macy—which screens for one week starting Friday, Dussollier) has come to reason with the German Dec. 5, at the Ken Cinema—a worthy and sharply general, hoping sanity will prevail over blind fury. observed drama interested in the way two desperate One of the key points of contention for the two men souls play a game of historical chicken, each hoping is the hierarchy of military command, the unques- the other will blink first. tioned purpose of an officer to follow through on the orders of his superiors. Nordling pokes holes in this Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com. mentality one heightened argument at a time.

Home front

Amigo

22 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

As the ongoing violence in Afghanistan and Iraq evolves in complexity, it’s important to remember how the consequences of war ripple beyond the front lines and define the personal legacies of those involved. A new film series, War Goes Home to the Movies, curated by the San Diego Public Library, addresses

such issues and how they are represented on screen. The films screen at the Central Library in East Village (330 Park Blvd., sandiego.gov/public-library).

The first entry in the series, 2002’s Daughter from Danang (which screened on Dec. 1), explores the story of an “Americanized” woman and her Vietnamese mother. Directed by Gail Dolgin and Vincente Franco, this har-

rowing documentary examines how the trauma of war impacts identity and family.

Indigènes (Days of Glory), from 2006, screening at 6:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 8, contains a number of violent war scenes depicting the heinous brutality of the North African conflict during World War II, but it’s ultimately a film about recognizing humanity in the “other.” A group of local rebels enlists a French platoon to stop the advancing Nazi tide, and throughout their struggle, each obtains a better sense of why they are so determined to reclaim their respective country’s freedom.

The winner of the Best Foreign Language Oscar in 1986, Luis Puenzo’s The Official Story screens at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15. Grappling with Argentina’s “dirty war” and, in turn, many of the oppressive South American regimes of the 1970s, the film examines the impact of state terrorism against its own people, specifically important in light of the information leaked by Edward Snowden and the Ferguson protests.

Finally, John Sayles’ little-seen but worthy Amigo, a lyrical yet haunting look at the American occupation of a Filipino village during the Philippine-American War (1899-1902), screens at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22.

Each of these films challenges the notion that war is easily definable, noting instead the human costs that accrue along the way.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

Opening Amapola: This romantic musical from Argentina stars Camilla Belle as a young girl who experiences a magical new realm with a handsome stranger.

Balboa Park: The Jewel of San Diego: An engaging time capsule, this 30-minute documentary takes viewers through the long and fascinating history of the local landmark. Runs Wednesday, Dec. 10, through Dec. 31 at the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park.

Diplomacy: On the eve of Germany’s planned destruction of Paris in the face of Allied advancements, a Swedish consul attempts to sway the Nazi general in charge against bombing the city. Screens through Dec. 11 at the Ken Cinema. See our review on Page 22.

The Dark Valley: This Austrian-German western tells the story of a stranger who arrives in a mountain village to take revenge. Screens through Dec. 11 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

One Time Only Shaun of the Dead: Two underachieving Londoners try to survive the zombie apocalypse in Edgar Wright’s riotous horror film. Screens at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Atkinson Hall at UCSD. Bad Santa: Billy Bob Thornton’s vulgar Santa impersonator does not want you

to sit on his lap, unless you’re a lady.

Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma and 6:45 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at Arclight La Jolla.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Jim Carrey stars as the famous destroyer of all things happy in this adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ timeless classic. Screens at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, at Arclight La Jolla.

The Hundred-Foot Journey: A family who emigrates from India to France opens a restaurant across from a snooty eatery whose owner takes umbrage with her new neighbors. Screens at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, through Saturday, Dec. 6, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

Mexican Noir Double Feature: You’ll find plenty of dark shadows, femme fatales and shady criminals in Sensualidad (1951) and Aventurera (1950), two classic Mexican films rarely seen in the United States. Sensualidad screens at 8 p.m. and Aventurera screens at 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. See Page 22 for details.

goofy penguins must join forces with a secret underground organization to defeat a villain trying to destroy the world.

Point and Shoot: Filmmaker Matthew VanDyke sets out on a journey to find his own masculinity and instead gets involved as a revolutionary in the Libyan civil war.

Ends Dec. 4 at the Ken Cinema.

Foxcatcher: Bennett Miller’s dark sports film tells the tragic true story of the Schultz brothers (Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum), wrestlers who became forever entwined with the wealthy heir to the du Pont fortune (Steve Carell).

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay— Part 1: Having just destroyed the Hunger Games infrastructure, Katnis returns home to lead the rebellion against the

corrupt forces of the capital.

Beyond the Lights: On the brink of superstardom, a talented young musician struggles with the pressure of the public limelight.

Dumb and Dumber To: In this sequel to the 1994 hit comedy, walking morons Lloyd (Jim Carrey) and Harry (Jeff Daniels) return to the big screen to grace us with their idiocy.

Rosewater: Gael Garcia Bernal stars as a journalist who becomes imprisoned after filming the aftermath of the 2009 elections in Iran. It’s directed by Jon Stewart of The Daily Show.

The Theory of Everything: Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) is diagnosed with motor-neuron disease just as he’s

graduating with a doctorate degree in physics from Cambridge and starting a new life with his wife (Felicity Jones).

Awake: The Life of Yogananda: This documentary covers the life and influence of the famous spiritualist who brought Hindi practices to the west in the 1920s.

Big Hero 6: An inflatable robot develops a bond with a prodigy named Hiro, and the two become high-tech heroes.

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

Days of Glory: A group of North African men enlists French soldiers to help defeat the Nazi army. Screens at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8, at the Point Loma / Hervey Branch Library.

Die Hard: Welcome to the party, pal!

Screens at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8, at Arclight La Jolla.

The Giver: Based on Lois Lowery’s famous young-adult novel, this film envisions a future where a seemingly perfect community strips all feeling away from its citizens. That is, until a young boy sets out to learn about true pain and pleasure.

Screens at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, at the Point Loma / Hervey Branch Library.

It’s a Wonderful Life: George Bailey (James Stewart) gets a second chance at making the right Christmas decisions.

Screens at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Arclight La Jolla.

What If: A young man (Daniel Radcliffe) burnt out from a string of bad relationships meets a charming new girl and has his faith in love restored. Screens at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the Mission Valley Library.

Mona Lisa is Missing: The life of Vincenzo Peruggia, the man who stole the “Mona Lisa” from the Louvre in 1911, is the subject of this award-winning documentary presented by the San Diego Italian Film Festival. Screens at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 10, at UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas.

Elf: If you’ve always wanted to see Will Ferrell run around like a child while wearing tights, this is your chance. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Now Playing Food Chains: Through their Fair Food program, Florida farm workers battle a powerful collective of supermarket chains.

Director Sanjay Rawal (Nov. 28) and food activist Ellen Gustafson (Nov. 30) will be on hand for post-screening discussions.

Ends Dec. 4 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. Get details at digitalgym.org.

The Homesman: A lonely farmer (Hilary Swank) living in the old west agrees to transport three women who’ve gone insane across state lines with the help of an ornery old louse (Tommy Lee Jones).

Horrible Bosses 2: Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day get another chance to turn the tables on their selfserving bosses and exact revenge.

Penguins of Madagascar: A trio of

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

alex

there she goz

zaragoza Tijuana’s Mini City wants your kids to buy, buy, buy You know that movie They Live, in which former laying on a couch with his shoes off, using an iPad WWF wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper discovers a pair while his child was out making pretend minimum of magic sunglasses that allow him to see the subwage at a pretend thankless job. I hated him immeliminal messages all around him urging him to condiately. This place makes no effort to hide its intenform and consume? Well, that place exists in real tion of turning tykes into conformist drones, or relife, and it wants to recruit your children. sponsible adults, depending on how much Kool-Aid It’s called Mini City, and it’s a children’s play is swishing in your tummy. place in Tijuana that encourages kids to play in a We found the small HSBC bank, where an adult pretend city with a little grocery store, post office teller was seated behind a counter. “Hi! Can I see the and other places for make-believe amusement. little ones’ wristbands?” I pulled over Sebastian and Sounds adorable, right? held up his soft, chubby arm. The worker swiped My sister Gaby and nephews Sebastian and his wristband. “Hi, Sebastian! Can I have your payAdrian visited from Los Angeles, and we headed to check?” He handed it to her, eyes wide and unsure.

Mini City. We paid the admission charge and went “Thank you!” she says. “You have 100 points. As to the registration desk, where we were strapped you take part in activities, you will earn more points. with wristbands. The kids’ wristbands each had a You earn more points if you work than if you just play, large, red, bulb-looking device attached to it. The though. Remember that. When you finish your acteenage desk worker activated our wristbands, and tivities, someone will scan your wristband, and then I asked if they were in case the kids wandered off. you’ll come back here, and we’ll cash your points. You “It’s so we can keep track of the money they’ve can use your points to buy toys. Have fun!” I wonearned,” he squeaked, then handed us laminated dered if she’d short circuit if I threw water at her. checks. “Make sure to stop at the HSBC bank upstairs That was a lot of information for a 30-year-old, to the left so they can cash their first paychecks.” let alone a 5-year-old. Sebastian looked up at me Wait. What? with his big brown eyes and said, We made our way up the es“Can I go pway now, nina Alej?”

No, Juanito, calator that had a giant tube Poor kid. All he wants is to play, slide running alongside it. When and here he’s being given a crash you pump the gas we reached the top, it looked as course in capitalism. for Carlitos because though we entered a mall. PerThe rules of “play” were rigid. plexed, I held Sebastian’s hand, The kids get a set amount of minhe could afford to and we all made a loop around utes to partake in “activities,” i.e. buy the new Nissan.

Mini City. work. When he attempted to go There was storefront after down the slide a third time, the storefront of real-life businesses. girl manning it said no, he only There wasn’t a cutesy little pretend market with gets two times. “But, why?” Sebastian asked tearcartoonish plastic fruit, but there was a Calimax, a fully. “Those are the rules,” said the heartless bitch. national Mexican grocery-store chain. A little girl Mini City? More like mini North Korea. joylessly bagged packages of pasta as another stared This place isn’t teaching responsibility. It’s blankly. We passed a child-sized Nissan dealership, teaching conformity. Why is Sebastian already bewhere a little girl was handing paperwork to a small ing told which brands and companies he’s to give boy who was signing for a silver Nissan go-cart. Anhis hard-earned pretend money to? My nephew other child was waiting to pump the car buyer’s gas can’t just make pizza? He has to make Mama Mia at a small Pemex, the Shell of Mexico. (another Mexican chain) pizza in a Mama Mia uniA group of 3-foot-tall police officers ran by, folform and make Mama Mia money in order to be relowed by a 4-year-old wearing a smock imprinted warded? He can’t go down a slide more than twice? with Frontera, the local newspaper, ready to cover What kind of sick place is this? the news of an apparent break-in at the miniature Already, these kids are separated according to plastic surgeon’s office. That surgeon’s office, by the their station in life and taught to abide by conventions way, had a kiddie hyperbaric chamber in case one of that seek to affirm that they belong in one box and the little ones needed to reverse the signs of aging. will never attain more unless they sell their souls.

No, Juanito, you pump the gas for Carlitos beI mean, what 6-year-old wouldn’t want the taught cause he could afford to buy the new Nissan. Good skin of an unborn fetus? job, Carlitos! Get back to work, Juanito.

“This place is fucking weird,” Gaby said. Uh, yeah.

As Sebastian attempted to play in this wonderThe whole ethos of Mini City is to show children land that celebrates consumerism and mediocrity, the type of responsibilities they’ll have when they I could picture him turning gray as his little fingers reach adulthood, to teach them that they have to signed for a high-interest loan. Nope. We left, and I earn the things they want by working hard. I’m not promised to take him to a free park with unlimited a parent, but I imagine that’s something any mom slide play. or dad would want to instill in their child.

There’s even an “adult area” where parents Write to alexz@sdcitybeat.com can lounge as their kids are taught how to be good and editor@sdcitybeat.com. consumers of name-brand products. One dad was

24 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

Nolan Hall

ak ed in th e su n B L.A. L.A. psych-rockers psych-rockers Allah-Las Allah-Las navigate navigate the the eternal eternal summer summer by

by S Scott cott M MccD Donald onald

From left: Pedrum Siadatian, Miles Michaud, Matthew Correia and Spencer Dunham

A

band like Allah-Las couldn’t come from Brooklyn. They couldn’t be from Austin or Portland or any other hipster-band enclave across the country. They’re just too California. And while the Los Angeles quartet draws on a unique mixture of psych-rock, folk, surf, garage and a dusting of the Bakersfield sound, it’s unmistakably SoCal—a Byrds / Surfaris bastard child birthed onto a bed of Afghan Kush in Topanga Canyon.

The band’s latest, Worship the Sun, picks up exactly where their 2012 selftitled debut left off. The guitars are still clean and jangly. The laid-back beats again induce plenty of head nodding. Healthy doses of cinematic instrumentals and lush harmonies are still front and center, while the continued inspiration of women, waves and weed keep the vibe loose and in complete accord with the music.

It’s the kind of record perfectly suited for watching the sunset melt into the Pacific during a drive up the coast. Just don’t mention that to guitarist Pedrum Siadatian. He hates that shit.

“I’m sick of hearing ‘chill beach music’ constantly,” he tells CityBeat from a recent tour stop in Texas. “That one is especially annoying to me. I think it can’t be helped when people are saying the same thing about you over and over. But I’m sure ev-

eryone in the band has his own unique gripes. It just makes me not want to sound like that at all.”

It’s doubtful that Allah-Las will drop a black-metal or mariachi record anytime soon, but there is a direct line to his exasperation. Siadatian, bassist Spencer Dunham and drummer Matthew Correia formed the band when all three were employees at Amoeba Records on Sunset Boulevard (vocalist Miles Michaud joined later).

Especially for a music-store worker, having your art constantly reduced to the equivalent of a category placard has to be frustrating. But it’s also something that’s served the band tremendously well. In just two quick albums, Allah-Las have etched out a distinct sound that’s directly tied to their own geography. And they’ve done it through the unlikely paradox of being an act that’s both forward-thinking and vintage. There’s a palpable air of timeless California chic to the group and their songs, and it doesn’t stop with the music.

From their gorgeously minimalist marketing campaigns to their weekly Reverberation Radio podcast, the band oozes West Coast cool—even if they aren’t trying very hard.

“I think we’re kind of weak on promoting ourselves,” Siadatian says. “We don’t

really bombard people with that stuff. But played a million times. It’s great to have I guess we’re attempting to make a collec- someone else on stage adding their own tive consciousness with our fans. It’s more touches. It just invigorates the songs for us. about imagery and things like the Rever- It helps to fill it out.” beration we do. We want to bring people Things come full circle as the current into this world of appreciation for great five-piece closes out its 2014 tour with a things in the past. But we’re just promot- run of dates on the West Coast. It’ll be a ing the things we like, both aesthetically welcome change for a band that Siadatian and through our music.” says “has been freezing our bones off in the Part of the credit, at least for the music, sun” in recent weeks. can go to Nick Waterhouse. No stranger The new year is bound to have plenty to vintage cool himself, the L.A. artist and of additional tour dates, but it will include producer is a college friend of Michaud’s work on new music, too. For fans accuswho took interest in Allah-Las after seeing tomed to being transported to a 72-degree them play live. He ended up producing the day in the City of Angels when Allah-Las hit their earphones, this is welband’s debut and co-producing come news.

Worship the Sun. llah as “We write songs in all kinds Dan Horne picked up the of ways,” Siadatian says. “It’s slack on the latter, producing Dec. 12 good when whoever is writmuch of the album in his Echo The Casbah ing can fully realize what they Park garage / studio over a peallahlas.com want to say and present it withriod of a few months. Horne out making it into a full sound. and other friends, like percussionist Jeff Ferruzzo, have been rounding We actually come up with a lot of ideas during sound check. We figure out quite a lot of out the live shows.

Although the extra players help to rep- things when we’re just riffing and messing licate Worship’s expanded sound, Siadatian around. They’re all there. And we’ll defihas found that it injects new energy into nitely be working on the ideas we feel are good enough when we get home.” the old songs, as well.

“It really helps,” he says, “especially with stuff from the first album that we’ve Write to editor@sdcitybeat.com.

A

-L

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

Jason Bang

Joe and Jaye MacAskill of Pony Death Ride

notes from the smoking patio Locals Only Musical-comedy duo Pony Death Ride are celebrating Christmas this year by embarking on a West Coast, holiday-themed tour. This will be the first tour for the duo, married couple Joe and Jaye MacAskill. The six-date tour will feature shows in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Pacifica. They’ll close the run by taking part in a big Christmas Eve show at The Casbah.

The idea for the tour started last year, when Pony Death Ride played a well-received holiday show in San Diego. This year, they’re expanding it, and they tell CityBeat that the shows will feature “unknown and weird” Christmas songs, as Joe puts it, citing local hero El Vez as inspiration.

“If people feel like celebrating, but not in a totally traditional way, these are some special opportunities to go out and do that,” Jaye says.

Joe adds that performing a holiday show was also one of the only realistic ways of doing a tour in Decem-

Music review Don Forla Off the Job (self-released) San Diegans—or at least those with slightly more esoteric record collections than average—like to claim musicians like Frank Zappa and Tom Waits as products of our city. Those are half-truths at best.

Sure, these hall-of-famers spent a little time here, but not really enough to be called San Diego musicians. And that’s fine—in the 1970s, going to Los Angeles or New York was almost a necessity if you wanted to start a career with a record label.

But it’s not like San Diego hasn’t produced its share of musical weirdos, like singer / songwriter Don Forla, whose new album, Off the Job, is an embarrassment of lo-fi riches.

Forla is a scruffy boho blues artist in the vein of Waits or, in his more peculiar moments, Captain Beefheart. But there aren’t many mathematically befuddling moments à la Trout Mask Replica here. Forla’s oddball fuzzbox stomps are consistently catchy and accessible slabs of riffs and howls. His melodies often find a happy middle between jaunty

26 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

ber. “In some sense, it’s harder to book a show in winter,” he says. “A lot of venues do slow down, but the fact that we have such a specific show makes it easier.”

The six shows will feature Pony Death Ride’s signature vaudeville-style performances, with set lists comprising a mix of old and new holiday tunes, including their recently released “Hobby Lobby Christmas.” But Joe notes that finding good material to play presented a challenge.

“We’re playing some covers—some really, kind of obscure songs,” he says. “And we’ll also do a few of our own. A lot of the Christmas stuff by [artists] we like is actually pretty bad.”

“We’ll probably even be making up some stuff on the spot,” Jaye adds.

The Pony Death Ride holiday tour kicks off on Dec. 13 with a hometown show at Queen Bee’s in North Park, as part of Hanukkah Hannah’s Holiday Burlesque Show.

—Jeff Terich

and eerie, like the highlight “Give Up Yer Dog.” Elsewhere, he delivers a western ballad fit for a campfire sing-along with “Where the West isn’t Tainted.”

Of the 12 songs on Off the Job, half of them never make it to the two-minute mark. But the album’s brevity doesn’t necessarily reflect the breadth of Forla’s ideas. In fact, some of the shortest tracks are some of the best. The instrumental opener, “CadmiFrom Facebook um Blues,” is only 66 seconds long, but it’s also the rare time when Forla lets the space in his music do much of the talking.

By contrast, the quick gallop of “Sleep S’more” is essentially a punk song without a drum kit.

I first heard Forla’s music during CityBeat’s Great Demo Review earlier this year, and at the time, I could hear the promise of great things to come. Off the Job builds on that promise with an even stronger set of songs, which breezes by in less than 30 minutes. It’s an impresDon Forla sive debut—and a reminder that San Diego has plenty of talented, homegrown weirdos to call its own.

Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com or editor@sdcitybeat.com.

—Jeff Terich

if i were u Wednesday, Dec. 3 PLAN A: Author & Punisher, Archons, Red Wizard @ The Casbah. Author & Punisher just spent a few weeks in New Orleans, recording a new set of music with Pantera’s Phil Anselmo, and by Tristan Shone’s account, it’s going to be harder, faster and more intense than before. I’m already sold, but if you want to hear some of the new material firsthand, this is likely to be a good opportunity. PLAN B: Tall Tales and the Silver Lining, Spero, Gary Hankins and the Summer Knowledge @ Soda Bar. Tall Tales and the Silver Lining’s “So Stranded” sounds a little like Bread’s “Baby I’m a Want You”—hey, where are you going?

Come back! No, really, it’s breezy and folky and laid-back, but it’s also kind of beautiful in a way pop music isn’t much these days.

Feel the vibes. BACKUP PLAN: The Whiskey Circle, Pearl Charles, Creature and the Woods @ The Hideout.

BY Jeff Terich They have an epic yet melodic sound that sets them apart from many of the genre’s Sabbath clones. PLAN B: Moving Units, All Leather, Qui, Secret Fun Club @ Brick by Brick. This show looks like it’s going to be a good time—and an eclectic one. Between the dance punk of Moving Units, the noise rock of Qui (featuring David Yow of Jesus Lizard) and the weirdo synth sound of All Leather (featuring Justin Pearson of The Locust / Retox), it’ll be a perfect night for the freaks to come out. BACKUP PLAN: Horse Feathers, The Midnight Pine, Sara-Jackson Holman @ The Casbah.

Sunday, Dec. 7

PLAN A: The Grouch and Eligh, Cunninlynguists, DJ Abilities, DJ Fresh @ Porter’s Pub. The Grouch and Eligh are a laid-back West Coast hip-hop duo with some chill beats and socially conscious rhymes. But I’m a little more drawn to this show because of Cunninlynguists, a KenThursday, Dec. 4 tucky group who—despite the stupid pun PLAN A: The Wild Wild, FMLYBND @ in their name—blend Dirty South hip-hop Soda Bar. I won’t mince words here: The with lush, psychedelic production.

Wild Wild are basically a chillwave group, and it’s generally against my religion to recommend a chillwave show. But I’ll break Monday, Dec. 8 my own rule just this once. The Santa Cruz PLAN A: Molotov @ Porter’s Pub. Mexico outfit has some catchy, dreamy, synth-heavy City’s Molotov have made a name for themsongs that draw from ’80s pop, and they’re selves as the pranksters of Latin alternative music, mixing the humor pretty charming when you get and influence of groups like down to it.

Beastie Boys with funk, calypso and a heavy dose of polFriday, Dec. 5 itics. They’re approaching 20 PLAN A: Black Sands, Birdy years as a band, so it’s worth Bardot, The Midnight Pine, checking out what’s made the The Heavy Guilt, Rebecca group an enduring presence Jade and the Cold Fact @ in Latin pop music. PLAN B: The Merrow. As a special Underpass, Prayers, Subtle show to celebrate the release Control @ The Hideout. of his new book, An AutobiogOlympia post-punk group Unraphy of No One, percussionist Bebel Gilberto derpass have an ominous, surand songwriter Al Howard has real sound that recalls a time lined up just about every band he’s in! Sounds when the U.K.’s most prominent export was exhausting for him, but a whole lotta fun for skinny dudes with a chip on their shoulder everyone else. PLAN B: The Burning of and an array of effects pedals. Their new AsRome, The Gods of Science, Shady Fran- similation EP is impressively vintage enough cos @ Soda Bar. It’s not like we’re short on to sound like it was released in 1981 but inopportunities to see The Burning of Rome in teresting enough not to sound like a tribute San Diego, but in the several times I’ve caught act. BACKUP PLAN: The Routine, Taurus them live, they’ve never half-assed it once. Authority, Mimi Zulu @ The Casbah.

They’re easily near the top of the list of the city’s best live bands, and now is a fine time to see it for yourself. BACKUP PLAN: Memo- Tuesday, Dec. 9 ry, Sentinel, Dark Measure, Gravespell, PLAN A: Bebel Gilberto @ Belly Up Tavern. Bebel Gilberto, daughter of bossa Seraphic Disgust @ Til-Two Club. nova songwriter Joao Gilberto, isn’t just part of a Brazilian legacy; she’s a stunning Saturday, Dec. 6 artist in her own right. I’ve been enchantPLAN A: Pallbearer, Solstafir, Mortals ed with her lounge-sound ballads since @ Soda Bar. Make sure to go back to last she released 2000’s Tanto Tempo, and her week’s issue and read Peter Holslin’s feature new album, Tudo, is another fine set of on Arkansas doom-metal band Pallbearer. laid-back gems.

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

HOT! NEW! FRESH! The Burning of Rome (Maker’s Quarter, 12/21), The Darlings (Soda Bar, 1/11), Eric Church (Valley View Casino Center, 1/18), The Mast (Soda Bar, 1/22), Russian Circles (Soda Bar, 1/25), Todd Snider (BUT, 2/2), You Blew It! (HOB Voodoo Room, 2/5), The Dodos (Casbah, 2/14), Ozomatli (BUT, 2/1415), Rebel Souljahz (HOB, 3/13), Ani DiFranco (HOB, 3/16), Jake Shimabukuro (BUT, 3/23), George Benson (Balboa Theatre, 3/26), Lana Del Rey (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 5/16), Foo Fighters (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 9/24).

GET YER TICKETS Dick Dale (BUT, 12/21), The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (HOB, 12/21), Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven (BUT, 12/30), Donavon Frankenreiter (BUT, 12/31), Pato Banton (BUT, 1/2), Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue (BUT, 1/6), Little Hurricane (North Park Theatre, 1/17), Tower of Power (BUT, 1/17), G. Love and Special Sauce (HOB, 1/18), Guster (HOB, 1/21), Big Head Todd and the Monsters (1/23-24), The Coup (Casbah, 1/25), The Wailers (BUT, 1/27), Wale (North Park Theatre, 1/31), Patti Smith (Balboa Theatre, 1/31), Kenny Wayne Shepherd (BUT, 2/5), Juan Gabriel (Viejas Arena, 2/6), Motion City Soundtrack (HOB, 2/11), Hundred Waters (Casbah, 2/11), The Dodos (Casbah, 2/14), Alan Jackson (Valley View Casino Center, 2/20), Cursive (Casbah, 2/22), Cold War Kids (North Park Theatre, 2/25), Taking Back Sunday (HOB, 2/26), The Church (Casbah, 2/28), Swervedriver (Casbah,

3/4), Walk the Moon (HOB, 3/10), A Place to Bury Strangers (Casbah, 3/11), Twin Shadow (BUT, 3/13), Buddy Guy (Balboa Theatre, 4/11), Bruce Hornsby (Balboa Theatre, 4/16), OK Go (HOB, 5/1), Nickelback (Sleep Train Amphitheatre, 6/27), One Direction (Qualcomm Stadium, 7/9), Idina Menzel (Open Air Theatre, 8/8).

December Thursday, Dec. 4 The Robert Cray Band at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, Dec. 5 Supersuckers at The Casbah. Mike Birbiglia at Balboa Theatre.

Saturday, Dec. 6 Moving Units at Brick by Brick. O.A.R., Matt Nathanson at California Center for the Arts. Horse Feathers at The Casbah.

Pallbearer at Soda Bar.

Sunday, Dec. 7 Cannabis Corpse at Soda Bar. The Ataris at The Casbah. Grouch and Eligh at Porter’s Pub. 2 Chainz at Fluxx.

Monday, Dec. 8 Molotov at Porter’s Pub.

Tuesday, Dec. 9 Bebel Gilberto at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, Dec. 10 Celtic Woman at Civic Theatre. Black Cobra at Brick by Brick. Tears for Fears at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

28 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

Thursday, Dec. 11 X at The Casbah. The Soft White Sixties at The Loft. Frankie Ballard at House of Blues. Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas at Soda Bar. Too Short at Til-Two Club.

Friday, Dec. 12 ‘Wrex The Halls’ w/ Cage The Elephant, alt-J, Interpol, Spoon, Billy Idol, Banks at Valley View Casino Center. The Icarus Line at Soda Bar. Pepper at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

Saturday, Dec. 13 Strung Out at Brick by Brick. My Brightest Diamond at The Casbah. Fenix TX at Soda Bar. H2O at Brick by Brick.

Sunday, Dec. 14 College at The Casbah. Sean and Sara Watkins at Belly Up Tavern. Yung Lean at Porter’s Pub.

Monday, Dec. 15 Ryan Adams at Copley Symphony Hall.

Tuesday, Dec. 16 Mystic Braves at The Casbah. Brian Setzer Orchestra at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

Thursday, Dec. 18 Corrections House at Soda Bar. Johnny Marr at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

H.I.M. at House of Blues.

Saturday, Dec. 20 Big Sandy and the Flyrite Boys at The Casbah.

Sunday, Dec. 21 Dick Dale at Belly Up Tavern. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones at House of Blues. Youth Code at Soda Bar. The Burning of Rome at Maker’s Quarter.

Tuesday, Dec. 23 Dave Koz at Balboa Theatre.

Saturday, Dec. 27 Hideout at Soda Bar. The Greyboy Allstars at Belly Up Tavern.

Sunday, Dec. 28 The Aggrolites at Belly Up Tavern. Mannheim Steamroller at Civic Theatre.

Monday, Dec. 29 Jonah Matranga at The Hideout.

Tuesday, Dec. 30 Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, Dec. 31 Donavon Frankenreiter at Belly Up Tavern. Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers at The North Park Theater.

rCLUBSr

Matt Smith Neu Jazz Trio.

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

Wed: DJs Chuy Frezno, Volz. Thu: DJs Ivan Gregory, Mathew Brian. Sat: Mike Czech. Sun: DJs John Reynolds, Karma, Tripsy.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave, Downtown. americancomedyco. com. Wed: Brandt Tobler. Thu-Sat: Bobby Lee. Sun: Stephen Kramer Glickman.

Tue: Open mic.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St, Downtown. facebook.com/BangBangSanDiego. Thu: Goldroom, Boys Don’t Disco. Sat: Zen Freeman. Mon: Kristian Nairn, Lee K. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St, North Park. barpink.com. Wed: DJ Grandmasta Rats.

Fri: DJ Artistic, NosuckerDJs. Sat: The Montalban Quintet. Sun: ‘Cool Yule Holiday Promenade’. Mon: ‘Wreckord Mania’ w/ DJ @Large.

Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave, Downtown. bassmntsd.com. Thu: Manufactured Superstars. Fri: The Chainsmokers, Erick Diaz. Sat: Gladiator and Julian Jordan.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach. bellyup.com. Wed: Chris Isaak (sold out). Thu: The Robert Cray Band. Sun: Judy Collins. Tue: Bebel Gilberto.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave, Carlsbad. boarcrossn.net. Thu: Brando, Hula Guns. Fri: ‘Club Musae’. Sat: Piracy Conspiracy.

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach. 710bc.com. Wed: Open mic, open jam. Thu: Live band karaoke. Fri: Core, Hey! Ho! Lets Go!, Township Rebellion. Sat: Back 2 Black, Meytal Cohen.

Sun: Karaoke.

Bourbon Street, 4612 Park Blvd, University Heights. bourbonstreetsd.com. Wed: ‘TRW’ w/ VJ K Swift. Thu: ‘Wet’. Sun: ‘Soiree’. Tue: Karaoke.

98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, Little Italy. 98bottlessd.com. Sun: The

Brass Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave, Hillcrest. thebrassrailsd.com. Thu: ‘Muscle’. Fri: ‘Hip

Hop Fridayz’. Sat: ‘Sabado en Fuego’ w/ DJs XP, KA. Sun: ‘Noche Romantica’ w/ Daisy Salinas, DJ Sebastian La Madrid.

Mon: ‘Manic Monday’ w/ DJs Junior the DiscoPunk, XP.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave, Downtown. fluxxsd.com. Thu: JLSD Jingle Bell Bachelor Bash. Thu: Quintino. Fri: Sage the Gemini. Sat: ‘Crystal Kingdom’ w/ Sid Vicious.

Sun: 2 Chainz. Mon: Industry Boxing III.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave, Bay Park. brickbybrick.com. Thu: The Acoustic Alliance 10 Year Anniversary. Thu: Steph Johnson, Nena Anderson, Lindsay White, Suzanne Harper, Jeffrey Joe, Podunk Nowhere. Fri: Hard Fall Hearts, Showcash, Taken By Tomorrow, Riboflavin. Sat: Moving Units, Qui, All Leather, Secret Fun Club. Mon: ‘Metal Monday’.

Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave, Downtown. henryspub.com. Wed: The Fooks. Thu: DJ Antonio Aguilera. Fri: ‘Good Times’.

Sat: DJs E, Yodah. Mon: Johnny Tarr.

Tue: Big City Dawgs.

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

Thu: Peter Bandyk.

Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St, La Jolla. lajolla.thecomedystore.com. Thu: Toys 4 Tots Comedy Show. Fri-Sat: John Reep.

Croce’s Park West, 2760 Fifth Ave., #100, Bankers Hill. crocesparkwest. com. Wed: Jarien James, Manul Jaman.

Thu: Allison Adams Tucker. Fri: Dave Scott Duo. Sat: Gilbert Castellanos and the Park West Ensemble. Sun: Besos De Coco. Mon: Mark Fisher.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave, Downtown. houseofblues.com/sandiego. Sun: SuicideGirls: Blackheart Burlesque Tour.

Sun: Tristan Prettyman, Eric Hutchinson, Nick Howard. Mon: Augustana, Scars on 45.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. kavalounge.com. Wed: ‘Fully Patched’. Thu: ‘Acid Varsity’. Fri: ‘SHAFT’. Sat: ‘Ascension’. Sun: ‘Pass the Mic’. Tue: ‘High Tech Tuesday’.

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave, Kensington. 619-284-2848. Fri: Sound Lupus, Foreign Suns, Causers.

Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. dirksniteclub.com. Fri: Will Ramey and Firewater. Sat: DJ Alex.

Patricks Gaslamp, 428 F St, Downtown. patricksii.com. Wed: Jo Hell. Thu: Myron and the Kyniptionz. Fri: WG and the G-Men. Sat: Mystique Element of Soul.

Sun: Rosy Dawn. Mon: The Groove Squad. Tue: Walter’s Chicken Jam.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. dizzyssandiego.com. Wed: Jackie Gage. Thu: Mesa College Jazz Ensemble.

Fri: Rob Thorsen. Sat: Charlie Arbelaez.

Mon: The Palomar College Big Band.

Porter’s Pub, 9500 Gilman Dr., UCSD campus, La Jolla. porterspub.net. Wed: Mikael Hedne. Thu: Nipsey Hussle. Fri: Tony Ferrari. Sun: The Grouch and Eligh.

Mon: Molotov.

Epicentre, 8450 Mira Mesa Blvd, Mira Mesa. epicentreconcerts.org. Fri: Buttons, Julia Stine, Gilbert Ortiz, Ana Aguilar. Sat: The Savage Young, The Feds, Stained Glass Windows, Family Thief, Nightstands.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave, Hillcrest. richssandiego.com. Wed: DJ Kiki. Thu: DJ Moody Rudy. Fri: DJs Dirty Kurty, Will Z. Sat: DJ Taj. Sun: ‘Stripper Circus’.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave, North Park. sevengrandbars.com/sd. Wed: Gilbert Castellanos jazz jam. Thu: The Johnny Stachela Band. Mon: ‘Makossa Mondays’ w/ DJ Tah Rei. Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. sodabarmusic.com. Wed: Tall Tales and the Silver Lining, Spero, Gary Hankins and the Summer Knowledge.

Thu: FMLYBND, The Wild Wild. Fri: The Burning of Rome, The Gods of Science, Shady Francos. Sat: Pallbearer, Solstafir, Mortals. Sun: Cannabis Corpse, Mammoth Grinder, Inanimate Existence, Witchaven. Mon: Smoke Season, Yoya, Citrus. Tue: Alive and Well, Subsurfer.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd, Midway. somasandiego.com. Wed: Dance Gavin Dance, Secrets, Alive Like Me, Defeat the Low, Focus In Frame. Fri: Abadeer, The Snykes, Voltage Control, Glass Daggers, Ink, Empty Spaces. Sat: Emmure, The Acacia Strain, Fit For A King, Kublai Khan, Sylar, World Of Pain.

Somewhere Loud, 3489 Noell St, Midtown. somewhereloud.com. Fri: ‘Winter Wonderland’. Sat: Koyote, Lavelle Dupree.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St, Midtown. spinnightclub.com. Thu: Christian Martin. Fri: DJs Fresh, Legend.

Stage Bar & Grill, 762 Fifth Ave, Downtown. stagesaloon.com. Thu: Superbad.

Fri: Disco Pimps, DJ Slynkee. Sat: Hott Mess, DJ Miss Dust. Mon: Karaoke.

The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Rd, Spring Valley. 619-469-2337. Wed: Karaoke. Sat: Chinese Rocks. Mon: NTNT, Bakkuda.

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. casbahmusic.com. Wed: Author and Punisher, Archons, Red Wizard. Fri:

30 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

Supersuckers, Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Screamin’ Yeehaws. Sat: Vinyl Junkies Record Swap. Sat: Horse Feathers, The Midnight Pine, Sara-Jackson Holman. Sun: The Ataris, Floodlove. Mon: The Routine, Taurus Authority, Mimi Zulu. Tue: marujah, Speaker In Reverse, Zombie Barbie.

The Che Cafe, UCSD campus, La Jolla. thechecafe.blogspot.com. Sat: Joey Earnest, The Living Strange, Top Notch.

The Hideout, 3519 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. thehideoutsd.com. Wed: The Whiskey Circle, Pearl Charles, Creature and the Woods. Mon: Underpass, Prayers, Subtle Control.

The Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla. theloft.ucsd.edu. Thu: Step Rockets, Paper Days. Sat: Awkwafina, Junoflo.

Sun: Peter Evans Quartet.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave, Hillcrest. theMerrow.com. Wed: Jason and Dirk, Plook, Mango Melody. Thu: Jonnae, Peach, Dauzat St. Marie, Corina Rose.

Fri: Al Howard. Fri: Black Sands, Birdy Bardot, The Midnight Pine, The Heavy Guilt, Rebecca Jade and The Cold Fact.

Sat: Lenzman. Tue: The Lower 48, Plane Without a Pilot.

The Office, 3936 30th St, North Park. officebarinc.com. Wed: ‘Dub Dynamite’ w/ DJs Rashi, Eddie Turbo. Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King. Fri: ‘Nite Moves’ w/ DJ Beatnick. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’ w/ DJs Kanye Asada, Gabe Vega. Sun: ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ w/ Tribe of Kings. Tue: ‘Trapped in the Office’ w/ DJ Ramsey.

The Tin Roof, 401 G Street, Gaslamp. tinroofbars.com/Home/SanDiego. Wed: ‘Rock Out Karaoke’. Thu: American Young, Jackson Michaelson, Caylie Gregorio. Fri: Master Splinter and the Shredders, Cassie B Trio. Sat: New Jam

City. Sun: ‘G Street Sessions’. Mon: The Kracker Jax. Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. tiltwoclub.com. Fri: Memory, Sentinel, Dark Measure, Gravespell.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St, Bay Park. tioleos.com. Thu: Rockin’ Aces. Fri: Karaoke. Sat: Cheapest Trick, Dangerous Types. Tue: Bayou Brothers.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave, City Heights. thetowerbar.com. Wed: ‘The Ratts Revenge’ w/ DJs Mikey Ratt, Tiki Thomas. Fri: ‘Hip Hop vs. Punk Rock’.

Sat: Billy Bones, Dead on the Wire, Kids in Heat, The Sold.

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

Wed: Afro Jazziacs (9 p.m.). Thu: Patrick Dowling (5 p.m.); The Jade Visions Jazz Trio (7 p.m.). Fri: Gabriela Aparicio (5 p.m.); Afro Jazziacs (9 p.m.). Sat: Vera Cruz Blues (5 p.m.); Tomcat Courtney (7 p.m.); Salsa Veracruzana (9 p.m.). Sun: Sounds Like Four (5 p.m.); Big Boss Bubale (7 p.m.). Tue: The Trio (5 p.m.); Grupo Global (7 p.m.).

Ux31, 3112 University Ave, North Park. u31bar.com. Wed: Slow Children Ahead, 18Sense, L-Tec, Kamzilla. Thu: DJ Bacon Bits. Fri: DJ Kid Wonder. Sat: Lee Churchill.

Mon: Kid Wonder. Tue: Karaoke.

West Coast Tavern, 2895 University Ave, North Park. westcoatstavern.com.

Thu: DJ Shadow Man. Fri: DJ Stick D. Sat: Billy the Kid. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St, Ocean Beach. winstonsob.com. Wed: SoCal Reggae All-Stars. Thu: Slower. Fri: Martin and the Big Nativity Scene, Richie and His Flying Guitar, Breaker. Sat: ‘Ocean Boogie’. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band.

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

Brendan Emmett Quigley

Is there a doctor in the house?

Across

1. Look badly?

5. “Mad Men” star Jon 9. With 31-Across, title for the Doctor on “Doctor Who” 13. Alternative medicine doctor Andrew 14. Butter alternative 15. Extremely hokey 16. With 60-Across, forget about those aliens who go “Exterminate! Exterminate!”?

18. Additional 19. Aerial coverage provider 20. Slippery creature 22. “Oysters ___ Season” 23. With 38-Across, police box-looking device alongside a rabbit?

27. Singer’s skill, colloquially 30. Player who turns out to have mad skills 31. See 9-Across 32. “The Fault in ___ Stars” 33. Kicks out to the street 37. Green card game?

38. See 23-Across 40. Car dealership 41. Breast-feeder 43. Has a little too much molly 44. Agcy. that oversaw 45-Across 45. ‘60s exploration mission 47. Beef and broccoli request 48. What’s needed to understand a telepathic race?

52. “What do you know!?”

53. Approved 54. “In spite of” 58. Oblong fruit 60. See 16-Across Last week’s answers

32 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

63. Kind of golf tournament 64. Wang of fashion 65. Slinky’s shape 66. Purple Kush 67. Ballerina’s bird 68. Burst ___ the scene

Down 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Fesses (up to) “Doctor Who” superfan, likely Roman historian Put into office Queens of the Stone Age leader Josh, or man in the Marseilles 6. Baba who stole from 40 thieves 7. Cialis takers 8. Present-day 9. Boston Tea Party catalyst 10. The “I” of IUD 11. Cheech of pot humor 12. African antelope that makes clicking noises with its knees 15. Accept as true 17. Corny cheers 21. Tools for topiary 24. “You’re right” 25. Opening on a box with a teddy bear, likely 26. ___ Lanka 27. Clue suspect 28. School in New Rochelle, N.Y. 29. Night to rent a limo 32. Phrase said while pointing 34. Chowder morsel 35. Company softball pitch 36. Like bachelor parties 38. Place to get a pint 39. States of commotion 42. “You are here” image 44. Razor brand 46. Sports bar entertainers 47. Fish for breakfast 48. Extra somethin’ somethin’ 49. Airport whose code is ORD 50. Liver giver 51. Four-door vehicle 55. Gas in a bar sign 56. Funny or Die clip 57. Norway’s most-populous city 59. Gossip, perhaps 61. Cut with an axe 62. Presidential term, to historians

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

34 · San Diego CityBeat · December 3, 2014

December 3, 2014 · San Diego CityBeat · 35