San Diego CityBeat • Dec 27, 2017 by San Diego CityBeat

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December 21, 2016 · San Diego CityBeat · 1

2 · San Diego CityBeat · december 27, 2017

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december 27, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR

The shame of 2017

ne year ago, I used this space to lament the dire situation unfolding on the streets of San Diego. How our local leaders had ignored the homeless community for far too long and that real leadership was needed to address the situation in the streets, specifically in the East Village area. I also suggested that we begin to call that area what it is: San Diego’s skid row. Controversies and tragedies were a dime a dozen in 2016, from the brutal murders of three men by a serial killer targeting the homeless, to the controversy surrounding the installation of jagged rocks underneath a bridge in the lead up to the MLB All-Star Game. The city scrambled to find the killer and later made an arrest. Later, it was revealed that the rocks had been installed as part of an effort to dissuade homeless encampments, lest tourists attending the baseball game see them. For myself, I had seen these two events, tragic as they were, as the types of wake-up calls the city needed in order to fully comprehend the severity of the situation and to finally address the epidemic levels of homeless people in San Diego. I also hoped that, despite my pessimism, the mayor’s hiring of Stacie Spector might yield some tangible policy changes. I also hoped that the mayor would finally shift his focus away from trying to keep the Chargers in San Diego. The Chargers left a few weeks later. Spector shortly after. And while not having to deal with Dean Spanos anymore certainly helped the mayor and the city shift to more pressing issues, homelessness still took a backseat to things such as a soccer stadium and a convention center expansion. For months, the City Council, mayor and Board of Supervisors played games of hot potato when it came to the homeless issue. Some tried to introduce proposals, legislation and, in the case of the mayor, a special election to help address the issue and almost always, someone else in power was there to say not so fast. I ended that 2016 editorial with this: I just hope that another tragic incident doesn’t happen between now and then, as if the overall situation wasn’t tragic enough.

Sadly, such an incident did, indeed, tragically unfold when, in September of this year, the city declared a state of emergency in response to a large outbreak of Hepatitis A, a highly contagious liver infection. The virus is spread easily among those who live in poor or unsanitary conditions, and thus was highly concentrated among the city’s homeless community since many do not have access to bathrooms or hand washing stations. In the end, there were 574 cases of Hepatitis A, 392 hospitalizations and 20 deaths. I’m not here to point fingers. I think I did enough of that this year. I will end by saying this: In 2016, Voice of San Diego rightly chose the downtown homeless population as their “Voice of the Year.” This year, they chose City Attorney Mara ElDUNCAN MOORE liott and while I agree with Voice’s assessment that Elliott played a pivotal role in shaping the debate on important issues, I can’t help but feel that the 20 people who are no longer with us due to years of bureaucratic inaction deserve to be recognized. Twenty people whose voices will never be heard again. People who didn’t have a place to sleep without being harassed by the police, some of whom later would be arrested for failing to appear in court to answer for “encroachment” tickets, a law meant to apply to garbage dumpsters. People who likely had friends and family who loved hearing their voices. People who for so many years didn’t have a place to wash their hands or go to the bathroom, because the city was too worried about appearances. Twenty people who died of a disease that had pretty much been eradicated. Twenty people who didn’t have to die. Some people are truly doing what they can. If they read that last line and thought to themselves, “yeah, I’m one of those people,” then good on them. But if there are any out there who are reading this and found themselves hesitating, I’d ask them to dwell on that for a moment. I know I didn’t do all that I could to help in 2017, but the whole idea of a New Year is to commit to doing better moving forward.

—Seth Combs

Write to seth.combs@sdcitybeat.com

This issue of CityBeat is dedicated to always dedicating at least one dedication to Lil Wayne’s Dedication mixtapes.

Volume 16 • Issue 19 EDITOR Seth Combs MUSIC EDITOR Jeff Terich WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Ramos ASSOCIATE EDITOR Torrey Bailey COLUMNISTS Aaryn Belfer Edwin Decker Minda Honey John R. Lamb Alex Zaragoza

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4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

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UP FRONT | LETTERS

CONGRESS CHAMELEON

Congressman Peters is a true chameleon [“Will the real Scott Peters please stand up?,” Dec. 20]... and not a fiscal friend of us taxpayers per the Committee Against Government Waste who rates his lifetime voting score through the 2016 year as a 24 out of 100 and that equates to an overall rating of “unfriendly.” He was our City Council President in 2002 when his vote on the City Pension issue created the huge underfunding disaster, which continues to this day. He blames City staff for the advice which led to his fiscally unsound vote… but if he was/is as smart as he pretends to be why didn’t he do his own homework on this major issue?… and that would have led to a “no” vote and saved our City the ongoing pension agony. Why does he vote for CRs when such a vote seriously penalizes our armed forces in terms of keeping our military on the cutting edge equipment-wise and training-wise. The lack of funding for adequate training caused all four of the U.S. Navy mishaps in the Far East this year alone. His first responsibility as a member of Congress is the nation’s defense and on this matter he’s sorely deficient. He’s BIG on little matters and absent on the BIG national matters! He needs to be retired.

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Lou Cumming La Jolla

HE DOESN’T SPEAK FOR ME

Regarding Gary Smith of Downtown Residents Group [“CityWeek,” Nov. 15]: I have lived downtown for the last 27 years. Gary Smith lives in the same gated condos as I do. While I appreciate some of the things that Gary Smith has done as president of the Downtown Residents Group, I also appreciate the efforts of activists including Steph Johnson, Nina Leilani Deering, John Brady and Martha Sullivan on behalf of the unsheltered community in East Village and throughout our area. Smith may be president of the Downtown Residents group, but he doesn’t speak for me. Susan Snyder Downtown

A DECENT LETTER

Thank you, Aaryn Belfer, for your “We the Decent People” article [Dec. 20]. It’s unsurprising to say that I, amongst many of us, have had an awful 2017. But after reading your insightful and heartfelt article on how to be a decent person I now have some goals for 2018. I’ll do my best to make my 2018 a year to be kind, take risks, and don’t forget the weed! Richie Estrada Encanto

UP FRONT

WE WANT FEEDBACK Did you read a story in San Diego CityBeat that made your blood boil, or caused you to laugh so hard you pulled a stomach muscle? If something inspires you to send us your two cents we welcome all letters that respond to news stories, opinion pieces or reviews that have run in these pages. We don’t accept unsolicited op-ed letters. Email letters to editor Seth Combs at seth.combs@sdcitybeat. com, or mail to 3047 University Ave., Suite 202, San Diego, CA 92104. For letters to be considered for publication you must include your first and last name and the part of town where you reside. Note: All comments left on stories at sdcitybeat.com will also be considered for publication.

From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 News / CityWeek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Sordid Tales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 There She Goz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

FOOD & DRINK World Fare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Beerdist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

THINGS TO DO The Short List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-14

ARTS & CULTURE The Floating Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 FEATURE: The Year in Art. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19

MUSIC FEATURE: Best Albums of 2017 . . . . . . . . 20 Notes from the Smoking Patio . . . . . . . . . 22 Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 If I Were U. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Concerts & Clubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-26

LAST WORDS Astrologically Unsound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

DECEMBER 27, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5

NEWS | OPINION By Torrey Bailey and Seth Combs STACY KECK

There was that rescued tiger cub confiscated at the border. There were also the horses and the rescued bunny that survived the Lilac fire. But nothing stole our heart and reaffirmed our existence more than the little girls who showed up for the Women’s March back in January. Nearly a year later, we can still look at pics like the one on the right and feel equal parts inspired and overjoyed.

HAM OF THE YEAR Chris Cate’s unapologetic leaking? Darrel Issa’s nefarious actions in Congress? Mayor Faulconer’s ineffectual leadership? Duncan Hunter’s… well… everything? All of them came a close second to local labor leader Mickey Kasparian, who closed out 2017 with a fourth lawsuit against him for gender discrimination, sexual harassment and assault, and more. He was removed from his role as president of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council in May, and finally stepped down this month from the San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee. Kasparian’s heading into 2018 seeking a gag order on the cases so that they cannot be discussed with third parties, aka the media. In a time when labor, Dems and progressives should be coming together to fight for local issues and candidates, Kasparian is making everyone look bad.

NEWSY BITS Jan.

Feb.

All the seriousness, silliness and stupidity of 2017

Mar.

Apr.

BEST DAY EVER!

After a rather damning SDSU study of racial profiling during local traffic stops, City Council revives Citizens Advisory Board on Police/ Community Relations.

After 56 years in San Diego, owner Dean Spanos announces Chargers moving to L.A.

City Council holds special hearing to address homelessness situation three and a half years after holding last one.

Results from San Diego homeless Pointin-Time census in January sees five percent increase in homeless population, with huge spikes all over the county. Mayor Faulconer rolls out November ballot measure to raise the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) to fund a convention center expansion and homeless programs.

FML

6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

May

After abrupt resignation of mayoral appointee Stacie Spector, City Council creates Select Committee on Homelessness to address situation. Councilmember Chris Ward selected as chairman.

Local man Peter Selis opens fire at a La Jolla apartment complex, shooting seven people total, one fatally.

June City Council votes 8-1 to reject mayor’s budget that called for a $5 million special election for hotel tax increase to fund SoccerCity proposal and convention center expansion.

July

Aug.

Bonnie Dumanis retires after 15 years as San Diego District Attorney.

$$ Mayor releases budget for fiscal year 2018 with $14 million increase, but with cuts to arts funding and inadequate funds to address homelessness and police retention.

Voice of San Diego breaks story that San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) misled voters about amount of funds that would be generated by Measure A. Executive Director Gary Gallegos later resigns.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

City Council votes 8-1 to fund “Temporary Bridge Shelter Programs” for homeless population. Sept. 22: After local deaths, city declares state of emergency for the nation’s secondlargest outbreak of hepatitis A in decades. Mayor Faulconer implements citywide “Vaccination, Sanitation, Education” plan and increased homeless sweeps to combat outbreak.

Lilac Fire spreads to North County. Final toll: 4,100 acres, 157 structures burned and one local firefighter killed in the line of duty.

City Councilmember Chris Cate admits to leaking confidential SoccerCity memo to developers.

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UP FRONT | OPINION

EDWIN DECKER

SORDID

TALES

How The Muslim, Socialist, Terrorist Grinch Stole Merry Christmas began warming the planet again, built a net around Hawaii (walls are expensive!) and not only removed the —Donald J. Trump at Celebrate Freedom Rally ‘Merry Christmas ban, but made saying it mandatory! (July 3, 2017) Oh yes, young’uns, It was a glorious occasion—with everyone constantly announcing ‘Merry Christmas’ to t was a frigid Christmas Eve in our cabin at the footeveryone, everywher—including department stores.” hills of Mt. Wintercicle. Granny was fixin’ a pot of Merry Christmas, welcome to Target, merry her famous ham hock and tater stew while I sat by Christmas.” the fire stroking our beloved Persian mix, Banjo, and “Merry Christmas, do you have Menorahs merry watching the grandchildren play Jenga on the floor. Christmas?” As if the moment wasn’t perfect enough, “It’s OK “Merry Christmas, they’re in Aisle 12—merry to Say Christmas Again” by Rich DiMare, came on the Christmas—in the merry Christmas section, merry radio. Christmas.” “Sing it loud / Sing it proud / You’ll stand out in the “Not only that,” I told them. “But there were all crowd / It’s OK to say Christmas again.” these great songs and poems that were written.” “Hey Grampa?” asked Dimwit, the second eldest of “Like the one we heard on the radio, Grampa?” the young’uns, “Was there a time that it wasn’t OK to chimed little Stu Pidito, son of my youngest daughter.” say Christmas?” “Yuppers, Stu, that’s a great one! But my all-time “Indeed there was.” I said. “Gather up your cousins favorite poem is ‘The Muslim Terrorist Socialist Grinand I’ll tell you all about them olden days.” ch Who Stole Merry Christmas.’” “Now Poppy,” Granny called from the kitchen. “Read it to us Grampa! Pleeeease?” “Don’t be tellin’ no scary, ‘War on I pulled the old book from a Christmas’ stories to the children.” His name was The Orange shelf, blew the dust off the faded, “Calm your titties, Granny. It crumbling cover and read all the way Man and unlike the king, has a happy ending. . . through to its thrilling conclusion. he was wise and fair to “Once upon a time, The King“...And the Orange Man was dom of ‘Merca was ruled by an evil people of all ethnicities grinning like never before / ‘Merry king named Barack the Black who (that originated from Christmas,’ he snickered, will be said governed from a white palace. Bein the store / It will be said in the Europe) and all income ing that the king had come from a homes and will be said on the streets brackets (in the upper faraway continent called Hawaii, / It will be said on the Facebooks, will he hated everything about ‘Merca. one percent). be said in the tweets / It will be said He hated the military. He hated flag in the schoolrooms, on blackboards pins. He hated country music. He hated white folk. He with chalk / It will be said in the synagogues, temples and even hated kittycats!” mosques / They will say, ‘Merry Christmas,’ as a matter This revelation caused Banjo to nervously dig his of law / Be gone ‘Happy Holidays,’ once and for all.” claws into my lap. I gently closed the book as the young’uns cheered. “But what the king hated most was the Baby Jesus. Except, of course, for little Terry Rist, the ‘Merca-hatHe hated Baby Jesus so much that he banned people ing son of my Marxist, eldest daughter. from saying ‘Merry Christmas.’ During his eight long “But Grampa,” said the suspected Islamist. “My years of tyranny, Barack the Black perpetrated all kinds mommy said there was never actually a ban on ‘Merry of unspeakable acts against the commonwealth, such Christmas.’ In fact, Barack himself said it dozens of as steering it out of recession, making healthcare aftimes in public.” fordable to the peasantry and curbing global warming!” “Hornswoggle!” I spat. “But it’s so cold outside!” exclaimed Dumbalina, “It’s true. The Orange Man and his disciples got all the second eldest, “Why would the black man want butt-hurt because some people voluntarily said ‘Happeople to be cold?” py Holidays’ to include their non-Christian friends, “Because he was a Muslim, socialist, terrorist who and some department stores voluntarily said ‘Happy was trying to destroy ‘Merca from within!” I said, as the Holidays’ to include their non-Christian customers.” young’uns shuddered in terror. “But don’t you worry “But, but. . . but we can say ‘Merry Christmas’ none. Because not far away, in a giant, golden tower, a again!” I stammered. hero was in the making. His name was The Orange Man “Oh, Grampa, you senile old cat lady. You were aland unlike the king, he was wise and fair to people of ways allowed to say Merry Christmas. You just can’t all ethnicities (that originated from Europe) and all inforce anyone to say it.” come brackets (in the upper one percent). And he loved “Did you hear that young’uns?” I declared. “Your cats! So much so that if he saw one on the street, he cousin hates ‘Merca! Attack!” would just grab that kittycat without asking because he And I have to say, those patriotic little jackals realways knew when a pussy needed petting. ally done their kinfolk proud. Because, as Banjo sat on “In order to gain support, The Orange Man prommy lap purring with approval, they tore into the little ised to lift the ban on ‘Merry Christmas’ and have a traitor like a hollow, chocolate Santa. wall built around Hawaii to keep Muslims from escaping. It worked! The Orange Man ousted The Black King Sordid Tales appears every other week. from the white palace and went straight to work! He Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com. “We’re all going to say, ‘Merry Christmas’ again”

8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

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UP FRONT | VOICES

THERE SHE

ALEX ZARAGOZA

GOZ

2017: The year IDGAF

very day that I log into Facebook, I’m hit with some Facebook Memories notification, sharing some moment from the past 12 years or so that I’ve been on the platform. Twelve years of questionable haircuts, all collected there to taunt me every day. This week, one memory popped up from not too long ago. One that didn’t include evidence of that phase where I slightly resembled early-aughts Ashlee Simpson. It was a meme I posted around this time last year. The meme is three photos of Sigourney Weaver as her character Lt. Ripley from the 1986 movie Aliens. In the first image she’s holding a chubby, ginger cat and smiling with the caption “Me at the beginning of 2016.” The second image shows her covered in slime with the alien creature leaning in close to her cheek. Her eyes are closed tightly, anticipating something terrible. The caption reads “Me at the end of 2016.” The final image in this meme is actually a gif. Weaver, still in character, is holding up some rugged, futuristic machine gun and aiming it up seemingly in preparation to battle some evil force as she propels downward in a freight elevator. She looks exhausted, but ready to fuck shit up. The caption: “Me in 2017.” I posted the meme at the tail end of a year that seemed hellbent on breaking our hearts and spirits, and which ended in the kind of gut punch that could knock even the toughest person down. Seeing those election results roll in that night in November confirmed we’d have a bigot, sexual predator and all-around skin tag of ignorance for a president. It formed a raincloud of anxiety over us non-MAGA folks, and it poured down hard. It was hard not to feel like Sigourney Weaver feeling that evil breathe on her neck, waiting for something terrible to happen. But after a period of floating in fear of what’s to come, I grabbed my machine gun, which bears a strong resemblance to a laptop, and I. Went. Off. This meme turned out to be something like tarot cards, laid out before me, bringing clarity about my current state and the direction I’d be heading in the coming year. Perhaps it was mostly a self-fulfilling prophecy. The meme told me to arm for battle, but even then I don’t think I really knew what was to come. When did memes get so deep? Damn. This year I’ve fought harder than I ever have, in small ways and big. It meant making some major changes and challenging myself creatively, in my work and, most importantly, in my comfort. I pushed hard to do better and be better, and challenge others to do the same. I challenge others because we’re in some dark times and I’m done working to alleviate the discomfort of those who don’t think twice about their

power or the discomfort they bring onto others. And seeing such a huge wave of people doing the same for a number of important causes over the course of the year has been immensely moving and impactful. It’s not easy, especially because challenging others is often met with a wave of criticism of not just my work, but my body, my beliefs, my fuckability, my feminism, my intelligence and countless other things about me. Also, doing so is just not what I was taught growing up. My lovely mom who had, and still has, mom-like qualities, raised me to be a people pleaser. She taught me that saying “no” is a sign of poor manners and disrespect, and it’s hugely problematic. It’s something I’ve worked to unlearn little by little while maintaining a level of kindness and compassion for those who deserve it. Much of it is cultural, and partly based on my mother’s awareness of what it would take to survive in this world as a woman and especially as a woman of color. Success, as she taught me, is predicated on likeability. It enables social mobility when other factors are working against you. Likeability is a tricky bitch to exude and maintain, especially if you start liking yourself too much. You can be liked, but liking yourself is wholly unlikeable. So we become very calculated in crafting the version of ourselves that will get the most likes. This year seems to be the year where I said “fuck likeability.” I can tell I’ve done a bang-up job by the number of people I’ve pissed off. I don’t feel bad about it, mainly because I’ve cleared some dead weight from my life, and it sparked or became part of some vital conversations. The ones I’ve angered have some learning to do, and I hope that I, in some way, have ignited something within them and others to think about their social responsibility and their actions. I’m still learning too, because the learning’s never done. A friend once said I’m too willing to throw myself in the line of fire for some warped idea of the greater good, and how masochistic this is. I can’t disagree there. That shit hurts. But I believe that my words and actions should align with the world I want to see. It starts with me. It starts with all of us just being better, listening and recognizing shit about ourselves that might not be so great, then doing something about it. That in and of itself is a Sigourney Weaver machine gun into the face of evil that I hope to see more of in 2018. Load ‘em up.

This year seems to be the year where I said ‘fuck likeability.’ I can tell I’ve done a pretty bang up job by the number of people I’ve pissed off.

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There She Goz appears every third week. Write to alexz@sdcitybeat.com. DECEMBER 27, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9

UP FRONT | FOOD

BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

THE

THE WORLD

endorsement and widespread plaudits. Remarkably, it lived up to the hype. In a category (ramen) that’s already filled to the brim in town, it made most of the others look like wannabes. Dish of the Year: 1500 Ocean’s day boat 2017: The San Diego Year in Food scallops with parsnip-truffle purée, braised est Restaurant of the Year (North baby turnip, salsify and truffle caviar sauce of the Border): The Hotel Del Coro- perfectly highlights Patrick Ponsaty’s innado has had “high end” restaurants telligent but indulgent style. A perfectly as long as anyone can remember, and for seared, gorgeous scallop sandwiched years the biggest name has been 1500 around slices of truffle that are echoed in a Ocean (1500 Ocean Ave., Coronado). But parsnip purée and visually repeated in thin when Chef Patrick Ponsaty took the helm slices of black salsify. It makes sense all the earlier this year, it was a game changer. more when you taste it. Dish of the Year (Ethnic): The kursi Ponsaty’s food is French, yes, but without chaat appetizer at Masala Street (915 all the butter and cream Pearl St., La Jolla) is MICHAEL GARDINER sauces. It’s impossibly everything so many aslight and yet feels prosume Indian food is foundly luxurious. And not: gorgeous, delicate it always maintains the and playful along with capacity to surprise. the deep cultural resoBest Restaurant of nance one might expect. the Year (South of the It’s remarkable for its Border): Drew Deckpresentation—potato, man is one of the few tamarind chutney and true Michelin-starred yogurt over flatbread chefs in our region. The crisps sitting on chairs food he puts out at his Menya Ultra’s tonkotsu with mango leather diaValle de Guadalupe resajitama ramen monds as their backs— taurant, Deckman’s en el Mogor (Km. 85.5 Highway 3 Tecate- but the whimsy in the presentation Ensenada, San Antonio De Las Minas, quickly gives way to flavor: bright, creamy B.C.), is all the more amazing because of with touches of earthiness, sweetness and the setting: outdoors, bucolic to the ex- spice. Most Disappointing Closing: When treme, and with wood as the only heatsource. And the restaurant is only getting Javier Plascencia’s Bracero opened in Little Italy it felt like a game changer. It better. Newcomer Restaurant of the Year: looked like it was trying to do to for MexiWhat does three years and $6.5 million buy can food what Masala Street is trying to you? In the case of Born & Raised (1709 do for Indian food: help us forget how we India St., Little Italy), it bought the hottest “know” it must be cheap eats. Now that high-end restaurant opening of the year. it has closed, questions have to be asked. 2018 Sneak Peak: As Bracero exits, El Whether terms like “retro” and “swanky” (and “high-end”) give the place the staying Jardin Restaurant—helmed by Bracero’s power that some other high profile, high- former Chef-de-Cuisine, Claudette Zepedaend openings in town have lacked is a story Wilkins—is about to open in Liberty Station. Did Bracero pave the way? Or did its closing for next year’s wrap up. poison the well? Watch this space. Newcomer Restaurant of the Year (Ethnic): When Menya Ultra (8199 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Suite M) walked The World Fare appears weekly. in the door it was greeted with celebrity Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

FARE B

10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

BY ANDREW DYER

BEERDIST

Five San Diego breweries that owned 2017

COURTESY SOCIETE BREWING CO.

or as much as I complained about last year, 2017 turned out to be pretty good for San Diego beer. My city, Chula Vista, saw two breweries, a beer bar and a tasting room open, all on the same block. And, best of all, we witnessed the end of the abominable fruited IPA trend and the ascension of the even trendier New England IPA—a development I am 100 percent OK with. There’s too much good beer in town for a rundown of the best individual beers of the year, but I’d like to acknowledge five local breweries that made 2017 tasty. Burgeon Beer (6350 Yarrow Drive, Carlsbad): Burgeon is the baby of the bunch, having only opened in January, but this North County newbie made an impact from day one. Its cans have filtered down to San Diego bottle shops, but for the best experience, a visit to the tasting room is a must. The IPAs—both west coast and NE styles—are top notch, as is the rest of its lineup. Mikkeller San Diego (9366 Cabot Drive, Miramar): Mikkeller San Diego released at least one new beer a week in 2017, including lots of hazy IPAs and barrel-aged beers. It is also the first San Diego brewery to successfully put a New England-style IPA (Windy Hill) into wide retail distribution. I especially appreciate the thoughtful stamp on the bottom of the cans that says which hops went into the batch. It’s the little things. Pure Project (9030 Kenamar Drive, Miramar): Another young brewery making waves in 2017 was Pure Project. Barrel-aged beers as well as canned NE IPAs kept fans lined up most of the year. This month’s return of Keep Amurka Dank—a hazy IPA I first tried at last year’s Guildfest—is a nice way to put a bow on a good year.

Societe Societe (8262 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Kearny Mesa): Societe doesn’t embrace trends such as online releases or hazy IPAs, but 2017 was a step forward for the five-year-old brewery. Its long awaited sour program matured and all year, beers in Societe’s “Feral” series have been available in the tasting room. That’s a big change for a brewery where things don’t change much. Modern Times (3725 Greenwood St., Midway): I don’t think I’m going out on much of a limb by saying Modern Times absolutely owned 2017. It’s quite an accomplishment for a brewery of its size to mass produce a core line-up of beers for retail distribution and, at the same time, satisfy the wants and needs of its most hardcore fans. Its barrel-aging program is one of the most productive in town and the company moved this summer to become partially employee-owned. With this and with its expansion into L.A., Modern Times has not only proven itself to be nimble in the face of fickle beer trends, but also an industry leader when it comes to the way it does business. The Beerdist appears every other week. Write to andrewd@sdcitybeat.com

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EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

NORTH PARK

Desaturated at Basic, 410 10th Ave., Downtown. A black and white group art show featuring Astha Saini, Catherine Paolillo, Jessica Washington, Mike Walrond and more. Opening from 7 p.m. to midnight Tuesday, Jan. 2. Free. facebook.com/events/328910774256186

MUSIC FEEDS

In many ways, Rosina Guerra and Danny Ortega, the duo behind local music website and promotions company Rocktoc (rocktoc.com), are all about altruism. The website itself is dedicated to promoting local bands, shows and venues, but Guerra says there’s much more to Rocktoc than that. “What it’s turned out to be is a really awesome way of networking for these artists,” says Guerra. “This is one level of giving back to a music community and supporting it. We’re native San Diegans, and we love our community.” The fact that the company celebrates its anniversary between Christmas and New Year’s (read: not exactly the best time to have an event) didn’t dissuade Guerra and Ortega from organizing a cool lineup of local bands to play their Rockin’ the City concert on Saturday, Dec. 30. Held at the Queen Bee’s Art and Cultural Center (3925 Ohio St.) from 5 p.m. to midnight, the event features performances from nearly a dozen bands including garage-rockers Creature Canyon, alt-rockers Private Lives and pop-punk revivalists Nights Like Thieves. That love of community also extends to the duo wanting to give back in other ways as well. Proceeds

GASLAMP

COMEDY Stand-up Comedy at Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park. Jono Zalay will be headlining with support from Zoltan Kaszas, Keith Johnson, Jeffrey Berner, Peter Bandyk and more. From 8:30 to 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27. $5. 619-2846784, whistlestopbar.com

HOLIDAY EVENTS Nights Like Thieves from the $12 ticket to Rockin’ the City will go to Feeding San Diego, a local non-profit dedicated to hunger-relief for those dealing with food insecurity, nutrition and poverty. “Danny and I both have full time jobs and Rocktoc is definitely our passion project,” says Guerra. “I teach in schools where there are children in need that Feeding sends home with nutritious things to eat on the weekends. Danny and I have children, and the thought of having hungry children in San Diego doesn’t make us very happy.” Tickets for Rockin’ the City can be purchased on the Rocktoc website.

SOUTH PARK

BRANCH OUT

IN THE D It’s hard to name a record label more celebrated in American history than Detroit’s Motown. Its catalog features countless soul and R&B superstars, from Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye to Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. And those songs are the perfect backdrop to the story of label head Berry Gordy’s rise to success in Motown the Musical, which is being staged for the holidays at San Diego Civic Theatre in downtown (1100 Third Ave.). The show will have the Broadway cast and feature songs from all the above-mentioned artists and more. Tickets range from $22 to $107. Showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 28, 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 29, 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31. COURTESY OF BROADWAY SAN DIEGO

As we close out this year, it’s easy to think of the immortal(ly dumb) words of Billy Corgan: “the world is a vampire.” Yes, we’ve spent 2017 having our collective asses kicked by politicians, the news and the weather, but no matter how hard we get pummeled by the world, we’ll always have family (for better or worse). The live storytelling night VAMP: Roots will showcase writers that explore the themes of home and family, and the way these shape us into the lovely, messed-up individuals we are today. What’s more, all of the night’s featured readers are women. Names include Markéta Hančová, Maureen Abugan Ellen Wright and more. This show happens Thursday, Dec. 28 at 8:30 p.m. at The Whistle Stop and there’s a $5 donation at the door. sosayweallonline.com

MATTHEW BALDWIN

HGarden of Lights at San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. The San Diego Botanic Garden will be a winter wonderland through Dec. 30, with snow, carolers and over 100,000 sparkling lights illuminating the Garden for a unique holiday experience. From 5 to 9 p.m. Through Saturday, Dec. 30. $5-$20. 760-436-3036, sdbgarden.org HSkating by the Sea at Hotel Del Coronado, 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado. Now in its 13th year, the outdoor ice rink on the Windsor Lawn features views of Coronado beach. Skating sessions will be offered daily and a portion of the proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Price includes skate rental. From 3:30 to 10 p.m. Through Monday, Jan. 1. $30. 800-468-3533, hoteldel.com HRady Children’s Ice Rink at Arts District Liberty Station, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma. Skate on this outdoor, seasonal ice rink with proceeds benefiting Rady Children’s Hospital’s Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Through Sunday, Jan. 7. $10-$50. libertystation.com

MUSIC HHoliday Bowl Marching Band Showcase at Horton Plaza Park, 900 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp. Marching bands and spirit squads from the bowl game’s participating universities will perform and meet for a battle of the bands and pep rally. At 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27. Free. sandiegobowlgames.com HRockin’ the City at Queen Bee’s Art and Cultural Center, 3925 Ohio St., North Park. This anniversary concert for local website and promotions company Rocktoc will feature over half a dozen local bands including Creature Canyon, Private Lives, Cloudside and more. Proceeds benefit Feeding San Diego. From 5 p.m. to midnight. Saturday, Dec. 30. $12. rocktoc.com Santana Pa Ti at Border X Brewing, 2181 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. A celebration of music by Carlos Santana, plus craft beers and street tacos. From 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30. facebook.com/ events/148004322505850

Motown the Musical @SDCITYBEAT

VAMP

H = CityBeat picks

HDescarga at La Bodega Gallery, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. A night of Afro-Cuban Rumba led by Jimmy Peña, Mark Lamson, Charlie Chavez, Paul M Lopez, Louie Valenzuela, Ignacio Arango and more. From 7:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2. Free. labodegagallery.com

NEW YEAR’S EVE HPajama Jam at New Children’s Museum, 200 W. Island Ave., Downtown. An early, kids-friendly event with NYEthemed art activities, a dance party, photo booths and a catered dinner. At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30. $15-$35. 619-233-8792, thinkplaycreate.org Banker’s Hill Bar + Restaurant NYE Dinner at Banker’s Hill Bar + Restaurant, 2202 Fourth Ave., Banker’s Hill. A fair-priced dining option that offers three courses and beverage pairings. CityBeat food critic Michael Gardiner recommends ordering the duck confit pappardelle. From 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. 619-231-0222, bankershillsd.com 1500 Ocean NYE Dinner at 1500 Ocean, 1500 Ocean Ave., Coronado. CityBeat food critic Michael Gardiner’s top pick for a NYE dinner. There will be two seatings, offering four or five courses and ocean views. From 5 to 6:45 p.m. and 8 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $160-$195. 619-522-8490, hoteldel.com Bleu Bohème NYE Dinner at Blue Bohème, 4090 Adams Ave., Kensington. An economical version of a French New Year’s Eve celebration dinner with a three-course prix fixe menu and specialty cocktail. From 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $69. 619-255-4167, bleuboheme.com HVintage New Year’s Eve at The Pearl Hotel, 1410 Rosecrans St., Point Loma. A three-course prix fixe dinner with two seatings that include Foie Gras torchon and diver scallops. Followed by a poolside after-party with DJ Jon Wesley spinning and the Dive-In movie screen broadcasting the ball drop in Times Square. At 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $59.95-$69.95. 619-226-6100, thepearlsd.com The Marine Room NYE Dinner at The Marine Room, 2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla. French Master Chef Bernard Guillas offers an earlier three-course seating and a later five-course option. Both serve Maine lobster tail and more. At various times Sunday, Dec. 31. $105-$175. 858-459-7222, marineroom.com Jessimae Peluso at American Comedy Co., 818 Sixth Ave., Gaslamp. This comedian caught the audience’s attention on MTV’s Girl Code and went on to be featured on various comedy programs on TBS, NBC, E!, Comedy Central and more. At 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $9. americancomedyco.com HNew Year’s Eve Family Party at Living Coast Discovery Center, 1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista. A family-friendly event offering wildlife animal encounters, cookie decorating, photo booths and two bars—one for drinks, the other for hot chocolate. From 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $20-$25. 619-4095900, thelivingcoast.org

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

DECEMBER 27, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11

EVENTS

BOOKS: THE FLOATING LIBRARY Best books of 2017, maybe

don’t like “best of” lists. In advertising, you can’t claim that a product or service is the best without being able to prove it. So why do those of us who write about the arts get to declare what’s best without some kind of criteria? Why are the people selling beer and auto insurance held to a higher standard than cultural critics? It’s no secret that what makes a book great is entirely subjective. The whipsmart thriller that keeps one reader up at night might bore the next reader silly. And the same goes for the historically accurate character drama or near-future dystopian epic and so on. So here’s a shortlist of works published in 2017 that are beyond a shadow of a doubt the absolute best in their respective categories. in the middle of their careers. And recovery memoirs are all too common. However, Joshua Mohr does something different in Sirens. Shortly after the birth of his daughter, he had a stroke that revealed a hole in his heart that was like a superhighway for blood clots. Mohr blends inspired stories from his past with anxiety about his future in radical ways. Recommended for tenderhearted hooligans and the people who love them.

Most Disturbing Collection of Stories about Irish Ghosts and Kinky Sex Gone Awry: Room Little Darker by June Caldwell Carmen Maria Machado rightly received a lot of press for her breakout book Her Body and Other Parties, but one of the most mesmerizingly transgressive books I read in 2017 was Caldwell’s searing collection of stories. “In a cage in a kitchen in a farmhouse in Leitrim. Master pacing the ground with hairy belly hanging. Bog all room. Caught for days on end. Hours fleecing hours.” Very Irish and very dark. Best Memoir about an Addict with a Heart Defect: Sirens by Joshua Mohr I’m generally not a fan of memoirs by writers, particularly those who are

12 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

Best Mash-up of Science Fiction and Sports in Digital Media: 17776 by John Bois One of the most daring and outlandish works of fiction in 2017 didn’t appear in a book and was published on a sports website, SB Nation. The speculative story is also known by its unofficial subtitle “What Football Will Look Like in the Future.” When you click on the link, the words “Something is terribly wrong” appear and propagate in virus-like fashion, seemingly hijacking your device. Then a pair of satellites start talking to each other about… Frank Gifford. Though the story is long, it’s artful, engaging and endlessly inventive, and will take your imagination to places it would never arrive at on its own. Don’t freak out. Just go with it, which is basically how I survived 2017. Thank you for reading The Floating Library in 2017. I look forward to sharing my favorite reads with you throughout 2018.

—Jim Ruland The Floating Library appears every other week.

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EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 Alkaline Trio at Observatory North Park, 2891 University Ave., North Park. Finish the year with this angsty band, who will be joined by local groups such as Rocket from the Crypt. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $45. 619-239-8836, observatorysd.com The Bond Ball at Hotel Republic San Diego, 421 West B St., Downtown. This all-inclusive event includes five Bondthemed rooms, more than 10 local DJs ranging in styles from open format and EDM to hits from the ‘80s. Black tie attire. From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $110-$180. facebook.com/ events/214872825719580 HEnchanted Carnivàle at Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., North Park. This event unfolds across three stages at the hotel. The lineup of live music acts include Low Volts, Euphoria Brass Band, The Strawberry Moons, The Paragraphs and more. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $45. 619-296-2101, lafayettehotelsd.com HGatsby New Year’s Eve Cruise at Hornblower Cruises, 1800 N. Harbor Drive, Downtown. A four-hour cruise around San Diego Bay that includes themed cocktails and music from The Gatsby Gang Jazz Quartet. Plus unlimited champagne, a reserved table and a four-course dinner. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $229. hornblower.com HHenry’s New Year’s Eve Party at Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp. This celebration offers dinner pack-

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ages, bottle service and table reservations. The night is hosted by DJ Yodah and Jimmy BoyKin. From 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. facebook.com/ events/1623193704405134 HMillhaüs Volume III at Helmuth Projects, 1827 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill. An intimate 18-and-over show featuring live sets by Spooky Cigarette, Los Shadow, Fashion Jackson and more. Plus art curated by Weird Hues. From 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $5. facebook. com/events/137700223603513 New Year’s Eve Beach Party at Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, 3999 Mission Blvd., Pacific Beach. An all-inclusive bayfront bash with open bars, hors d’oeuvres and access to four ballrooms with DJs. Plus the option to cruise the bay on a three-story boat. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $124-$179. nyebeachparty.com Prohibition NYE at Prohibition, 548 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp. This speakeasy celebrates the new year with local blues instrumentalist and Grammy award winner Fuzzy Rankins, plus a six-piece band. Tickets include a complimentary cocktail and midnight toast. From 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $50. 619- 501-1919, prohibitionsd.com HPicture Perfect New Year’s Eve at Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp. The hotel puts on its annual monster-sized party. There will be eight “glitzy, grammable” rooms, 25 bars, 15 DJs and headlined by trap duo Slander. From 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $70-$110. 619702-3000, hardrockhotelsd.com

HLittle Hurricane at The Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy. The San Diegoborn band headlines the show, with supporting acts by The Midnight Pine, Birdy Bardot and Dani Bell and the Tarantist, as well as DJ Mike Turi of Wild Wild Wets. At 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $37-$42. 619-795-1337, musicboxsd.com Flagship NYE Cruise at Flagship Cruises & Events, 990 N Harbor Drive, Downtown. This harbor cruise includes a four-course dinner, live music and drinks. Plus free champagne when boarding the ship and at midnight. From 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $199.50. 619-234-4111, flagshipsd.com Havana Grill NYE at Havana Grill, 5450 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Ste. G, Clairemont. A Cuban celebration with live music, party favors and raffles. Plus complimentary champagne at midnight and a buffet dinner. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $85-$110. 858-430-6878, havanagrillrestaurants.com Moonlight NYE Cruise at California Spirit Yacht, 990 N Harbor Drive Dock 3, Downtown. The sixth annual cruise around the San Diego Bay takes place on a multi-level yacht with two dance floors playing house music and top 40 hip hop. Plus complimentary bites and an open bar. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $175-$189. clubzone.com New Year’s Eve Block Party at House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp. This indoor event spans three sections of the venue. DJ Craze, who’s been Kanye West’s tour DJ, headlines the event. At

9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $30. 619-2992583, hobblockparty.com Top of the Hyatt NYE Celebration at Top of the Hyatt, 1 Market Place, Downtown. This all-inclusive event features unlimited alcohol, a themed dinner buffet and live music. Plus, there are hotel packages that include next-day breakfast and rooms with a view. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. manchester. grand.hyatt.com HBig Night San Diego at San Diego Hilton Bayfront Hotel, 1 Park Blvd., Downtown. The fifteenth annual celebration is all-inclusive. There will be open bars, a buffet, eight dance floors and 10 party zones. From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $94.99-$250. bignightsandiego.com Waypoint Public NYE Beer-Paired Dinner at Waypoint Public, 3794 30th St., North Park. The restaurant teams up with Pure Project Brewing for a fourcourse beer and food pairing. There will be live music and a special NYE menu. Email for reservations. From 5 to 7 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. 619-255-8778, facebook.com/ events/171167366815317 West Coast Tavern New Year’s Eve 2018 at West Coast Tavern, 2895 University Ave., North Park. Drink cocktails and get down to DJ CWiTCH all night. There are also VIP bottle service options that include a champagne toast and party favors. Tickets available at the door. From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $10 and up. 619-295-1688, westcoasttavern.com

Tamarindo NYE Pre-Party at Tamarindo North Park, 2906 University Ave., North Park. Start the night early at this pre-party where there will be food and drink specials, or stay until midnight for free champagne. From 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. 619-955-8770, tamarindonp.com Shakespeare Pub New Years Eve Celebration at Shakespeare Pub, 3701 India St., Mission Hills. Celebrate New Year’s Eve on British time. Begin partying in the morning and join the countdown happening across the pond at 4 p.m., which is when the clock strikes midnight in the United Kingdom. From 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. Free. 619-299-0230, shakespearepub.com HThe Creepy Creeps at Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., Normal Heights. This garage-surf punk band will headline the night with their funky antics, which include costumes, a dancing coffin keyboard and more. There will also be a live performance by the punk group Cruz Radical. From 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $20. 619-255-7224, sodabarmusic.com HStarlite NYE Dinner Party at Starlite, 3175 India St., Mission Hills. The restaurant-bar combo offers a three-course prix fixe dinner with entry to an after party that features DJs and drinks. After party admission is also available with the option to buy drink tokens. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $55-$60. 619-358-9766, starlitesandiego.com

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

DECEMBER 27, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 13

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 New Years Eve Black Party at Brick Bar, 1475 University Ave., Hillcrest. Guests are encouraged to wear black and gold at this celebration, which includes party favors, free champagne at midnight and complimentary appetizers throughout the night. From 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. Free. 619-2918221, brickbarhillcrest.com New Year’s Eve in Spain at Cafe Sevilla Restaurant and Tapas Bar, 353 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp. There will be a fourcourse prix fixe menu, Flamenco dinner show performances, DJs, dancing and free party favors. From 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $69.50. 619-2335979, cafesevilla.com Florent NYE 2018 at Florent, 672 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp. There will be music by electronic and open format DJs Kid Funk and Taylor Michael, plus a free champagne toast at midnight. Dinner packages are available and include entry to the after-party. Tickets available at the door. From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $20 and up. 619-595-0123, florentsd.com Great Gatsby New Years Eve at Garage Kitchen + Bar, 655 4th Ave., Gaslamp. This themed celebration features music by DJ Pretty Slick. The fourcourse prix fixe dinner option includes a champagne toast, souvenir glass and party favors. From 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. Free-$45. 619-231-6700, garagekitchenbar.com The Schizophonics at Riviera Sup-

per Club and Turquoise Room, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. The local rock ‘n’ roll band, who channels influences such as The Jimi Hendrix Experience, James Brown and more, will ring in the New Year. Plus performances by Mittens and The Hiroshima Mockingbirds. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. Free. 619-713-6777, facebook.com/ events/129985717640459= New Years Eve Salsa and Bachata Party at Queen Bee’s Art & Cultural Center, 3925 Ohio St., North Park. Jazz 88.3 FM’s DJ Chris hosts the night, which includes music by Cuban salsa band Sexteto Sonero Del Caribe and resident DJs Mambo and Ukeim. Cover includes champagne toast and appetizer buffet. From 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $35-$50. 619-255-5147, queenbeessd.com HThe Donkeys at The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. This San Diego-based, four-piece indie band is a local favorite. Dollie Barnes and Madly will perform as the night’s supporting acts. At 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. 619-232-4355, casbahmusic.com Fast Heart Mart at Nates Garden Grill, 3120 Euclid Ave., City Heights. A family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration features music by this up-tempo banjo player, whose style ranges from country and bluegrass to punk rock. Plus food and drinks. From 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. Free. 619-546-7700, facebook. com/events/2195079383851543 Big Night La Jolla New Year’s Eve Gala at Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines,

14 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

10950 N Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla. This Great Gatsby-themed event is allinclusive, featuring an open bar, food, a champagne toast and entertainment in both the grand ballroom and foyer. VIP options available. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $50-$285. bignightlajolla.com NYE Purple Rain Party at The Smoking Gun, 555 Market St., Gaslamp. Purple attire is encouraged at this Prince and The Revolution-themed dance party. Admission includes a champagne toast and a voucher for Spill the Beans Coffee and Bagels to help the hangover. From 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $40. 619-233-3836, facebook.com/ events/161277081147442 Welcome to the Jungle at El Dorado, 1030 Broadway, Downtown. This themed party combines a formal dance and jungle safari into one. Guests are encouraged to wear cocktail attire with a bit of wild flair, whether it be lion face paint or a leopard print suit. There will be music by Adam Salter, Kid Wonder and Brian Rose. From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. 619-237-0550, facebook.com/events/509771636073277 Black and Gold New Year’s Eve Party at Berkeley Steam Ferry Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 N Harbor Drive, Downtown. The historic steam ferry will be decorated as a classy lounge with music from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Plus a 30s-style candy and dessert bar, photo booth, party favors, complimentary champagne and more. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $50$60. 619-234-9153, sdmaritime.org

Old Town Get Down at 5355 Grant St., Old Town. There will be two rooms of house music featuring DJs from Sundown, Dance Klassique, Music is 4 Lovers and other local collectives. Plus a special guest from Los Angeles that’s yet to be released. At 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $20-$30. venno.com/event/ oldtowngetdown2018 New Year’s Eve Island Ball at Four Points Sheraton, 8110 Aero Drive, Kearny Mesa. A dinner and afterparty inspired by Tahitian culture. There will be cocktails, photo ops, six local DJs, a dessert bar and more. From 5:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. $40-$150. 858863-7008, eventbrite.com/e/new-yearseve-island-ball-tickets-38789875562

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD HVAMP: Roots at Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park. So Say We All’s monthly storytelling showcase will feature tales about family and all the drama that comes with it. Readers include Markéta Hancová, Maureen Abugan Ellen Wright and more. From 8:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28. $5 suggested donation. 619-284-6784, sosayweallonline.com

SPECIAL EVENTS

23rd annual Holiday Bowl charity 5K will take place along the harbor and parade route. At 9:45 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 28. $40-$45. holidaybowl.com HPort of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade at Downtown San Diego, North Harbor Drive, Downtown. In conjunction with the Holiday Bowl, “America’s Largest Balloon Parade” is presented annually in the bayside streets of Downtown San Diego. The parade features marching bands, floats, drill teams and balloons. At 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 28. Free. holidaybowl.com

SPORTS San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl at SDCCU Stadium, 9449 Friars Road, Mission Valley. The Washington State Cougars take on the Michigan State Spartans at the 40th annual college football bowl game. At 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28. $20-$170. holidaybowl.com

WORKSHOPS Book Publishing 1-2-3 at Twiggs Coffeehouse, 4590 Park Blvd., University Heights. Learn about traditional, electronic, self-publishing and other tips from editor Laurie Gibson. From 2 to 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29. $20. sandiegowriters.org

HSolar Turbines 5K Run/Walk at Harbor Drive and Ash St., Downtown. The

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THEATER

COURTESY OF ION THEATRE

What a show

owerful commentaries on race, two worldpremiere dramas and a couple of exciting musical revivals distinguished what was a memorable year in San Diego theater. Here’s my 10 best: Honorable Mention: North Coast Repertory Theatre’s Of Mice and Men, New Village Arts’ Awake and Sing, Moxie Theatre’s Ironbound, Lamb’s Players Theatre’s Shadowlands, Diversionary Theatre’s 2.5 Minute Ride.

Falling, InnerMission Productions: This play’s candid portrayal of the challenges of raising a severely autistic teenager was hard to watch at times, but Falling was a profoundly rewarding hour and a half. Much credit went to Robert Malave �� for a fearless performance as 18-year-old Josh, and to D. Candis Paule and Steve Schmitz as the parents whose faith, love and endurance are mightily tested. Inside InnerMission’s tiny blackbox performance space, there was no escaping the emotional free falls.

Skeleton Crew, Old Globe Theatre: This intense play was first presented by Dominique Morisseau three years ago at the The Old Globe’s Powers New Voices Festival. Its return, this time as a co-production between the Globe and Moxie Theatre, was an opportunity to watch a dedicated cast (Tonye Patano, Brian Marable, Amari Cheatom and Rachel Nicks) transform the break room of a soon-to-be-shuttered Detroit auto plant into a frank and sometimes painful series of encounters about life’s hardships.

Father Comes Home from the Wars, Intrepid Theatre Company: Count on Christy and Sean Yael-Cox’s Intrepid Theatre Co. for at least one Top 10 show every year, and this was it: a lyrical staging of a three-act drama by Suzan-Lori Parks. The storytelling takes place during the Civil War and focuses on a slave-turned-soldier (Wrekless Watson) in search of freedom and understanding of self. Among the many outstanding performances, one stood tallest: Tom Stephenson as a merciless slave owner.

The Ballad of Emmett Till 1978 musical by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, with music by Cy Coleman, all of them Broadway royalty. Set on the Twentieth Century Limited train to New York, the musical included a stellar cast led by Eileen Bowman, cleverly choreography by David Bannen and a nostalgic set by Sean Fanning, all of whom made this a trip well worth taking.

Ballast, Diversionary Theatre: In this worldpremiere play by Georgette Kelly, a wife (Jacque Wilke) struggles to come to terms with the gender transition of her spouse (Dana Aliya Levinson) who also happens to be a church pastor. Incredibly, that was only one layer to this complex and deeply personal narrative that Diversionary Theatre presented with grace and honesty. While Kelly’s script leaned heavily on metaphor right down to its title, Ballast told a story whose underpinnings are both significant and timely.

Blue Door, Moxie Theatre: Cortez L. Johnson, who portrayed Emmett Till at ion Theatre in July, earlier co-starred (with Vimel Sephus) in Moxie Theatre’s staging of Tanya Barfield’s one-act about the racial divide and personal conscience. Here, Johnson inhabited the spirits of multiple black men who were tormented and/or killed, with Sephus playing a college professor wracked with doubt after having declined to participate in the Million Man March. Delicia Turner Sonnenberg directed the cerebral and evocative production.

Margin of Error, Roustabouts Theatre Co.: A new theater company, the Roustabouts, debuted impressively in Horton Plaza’s Lyceum Theatre with this smart, but caustic world-premiere play by Will Cooper. Roustabouts co-founder Ruff Yeager (with Cooper and actor-director Phil Johnson) starred as a narcissistic physicist with issues in the ethics department. Tense and effective dramatic support came from Joel Miller, Roxane Carrasco and notably Rose Reynolds, daughter of this taut production’s director, Rosina Reynolds.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses, New Fortune Theatre Co.: San Diego Repertory Theatre’s Lyceum Space hosted this lush and tres sexy realization of Christopher Hampton’s 1985 play. New Fortune Theatre Co. artistic director Richard Baird codirected (with Kaitlin O’Neal) and starred as the rapacious Vicomte de Valmont, with Jessica John Gercke deliciously in league with him as the Marquise de Merteuil. With its lush period costumes (by Howard Schmitt) and its lyrical scene changes, Les Liaisons Dangereuses was dangerously enticing.

In the Heights, Moonlight Stage Productions: For a few memorable weeks, the Vista night air was filled with the sounds of salsa-meringue and hip-hop. Those under the spell of Hamilton may regard In the Heights as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “other show,” but Moonlight showed why this high-energy musical, which opened on Broadway in 2008, still rocks. Everything�� about this summertime staging seemed to click, from James Vasquez’s direction and the choreography of Carlos Mendoza, to the passion of the ensemble cast.

On the Twentieth Century, Cygnet Theatre: Cygnet Theatre revved up a delightful revival of the

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The Ballad of Emmett Till, ion theatre: The lynching in 1955 of a 14-year-old African-American boy named Emmett Till stunned the country and added fuel to the early Civil Rights movement. Ion Theatre’s production of Ifa Bayeza’s play was a wrenching re-creation of the events that led up to the murder of the boy known as “Bobo,” and at the same time a reminder of the unwavering spirit of the family left behind who made sure his story, in all of its tragic horridness, was told. An indelible theater experience.

—David L. Coddon

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

DECEMBER 27, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15

CULTURE | ART

The year’s best artistic statements went well beyond individuals and exhibitions // By Seth Combs f there was one word that best encapsulated the year in art, it would be “group.” Individualism isn’t something that is exclusive to the San Diego scene, but it has remained a staple of the arts community for a variety of reasons that are too long to list here. Whether it was the result of the political climate or something else that has been brewing for years, I will remember 2017 as a major step toward collectivism. The list below isn’t intended to be some definitive best-of list or achievement award for the people discussed. Rather, it is intended to highlight and encourage a scene that made national headlines this year. And it’s one that did so not on the coattails of one individual, but as part of a larger, communal whole. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

border became something of a cause célèbre in the region thanks in large part to the local Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA programming, as well as, well, Trump’s immigration policies. Some received a lot of national attention (street artist JR’s large portrait of a boy peeking over the border wall, as well as the border wall prototype projections), while others, brilliant as they were, flew under the radar (Aldo Martínez Muňoz’s Yo Tlaolli: Corn as Body, Territory and Ideology at Southwestern College). Some were more playful in their message (graphic novelist Charles Glaubitz’s Darkstar show at the Athenaeum Art Center), while others tried too hard to be taken seriously (the La Frontera Unites photography show in Playas de Tijuana). The best one though was unDocumenta (up through Jan. 28 at the Oceanside Museum of Art), a lovingly curated showcase of artists (Marcos Ramírez ERRE and Omar Pimienta, for example) whose practice, nay, their lives is shaped daily by the border. COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

Mayor Faulconer called for a $4.8 million cut in the city’s art budget for 2018, locals banded together to force city councilmembers to fight to keep most of the arts budget intact.

SETH COMBS

RANDALL CHRISTOPHER

The Driver Is Red

Local filmmakers thoroughly impressed me this year especially in the case of documentarians. Dennis Stein lovingly tackled the city’s homeless community in Tony, while prolific artist Shinpei Takeda screened his surreal Tijuana noise-punk doc Ghost Magnet Roach Motel. UCSD’s Open Studios showcase provided me the opportunity to see some of Paolo Zuñiga’s There’s Only One Me, which centers on a U.S. military vet who was deported and now lives in Tijuana. And the year ended on a brilliant note with Randall Christopher’s animated, true crime doc, The Driver is Red, being accepted into the Sundance Film Festival.

“Shopping List” by Mauricio Muñoz and identity, while also serving to introduce patrons to promising young artists such as Carlitos Galvan, Mauricio Muñoz and Vabianna Santos. What’s more, the exhibition also served as a finale of sorts, marking the end of an era at SDAI that began with the hiring of Ginger Schulick Porcella and ending with the departures and dismissals of most of the SDAI staff that made shows like this happen. TORREY BAILEY

ANDREW ALCASID

“Lady Libertad VI” by Omar Pimienta from unDocumenta

“The Queen” by Alanna Airitam

It’s probably implicit but worth pointing out that the new artists that impressed me the most this year weren’t newcomers per se. Rather, the work they produced in 2017 could be seen as a culmination of years of hard work that resulted in solo exhibitions, local prominence, etc. That being said, Bread & Salt artist-in residence Andrew Alcasid impressed me with his solo installations at the Logan Heights warehouse space and Ice Gallery. Fellow resident Melissa Walter— a former NASA employee who specializes in highly detailed and geometrical pattern pieces that attempt to explain the universe— wowed me with shows both at Bread & Salt and 1805 Gallery. But it was photographer Alanna Airitam’s The Golden Age series of photographs—as well as her participation in paper artist Bhavna Mehta’s Once Upon a Body exhibition at Art Produce—that left me floored. I hope to be hearing her name a lot more in 2018.

While a lot of arts programming focused on issues of immigration and the border, protest itself provided plenty of artful and lasting statements. In Barrio Logan, there was the “no gracias” graffiti that appeared on a storefront in reaction to the planned opening of a “modern fruteria,” as well as the rallies that sprung up in support of a new mural in Chicano Park and against the white supremacists that opposed the murals. There were the clever and poignant signs that popped up at January’s Women’s March and the art shows that accompanied it. And the year ended nicely with photographer Chris Travers’ anti-Del Mar racetrack 27 Horses. But it was the solidarity seen during the city budget negotiations in April that I truly saw the power of artists coming together. When

For those on the outside looking in, the

16 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

KINSEE MORLAN / VOICE OF SAN DIEGO

Protestors outside the City Administration building

Thomas DeMello

It’s tempting to choose a large-scale show such as the San Diego Museum of Art’s exquisitely exhibited Richard Deacon showcase or the more understated May-ling Martinez show at Ice Gallery, but it was Thomas DeMello’s first solo show at Quint Projects that I can’t stop thinking about. Piggybacking off the success of a 2016 exhibition of abstract drawings at Bread & Salt, DeMello expanded on the idea while also incorporating sculpture and installation pieces. I can’t wait to see what he does next. Spoiler alert: It’s not Wonderspaces. And while I loved the immersive Wake show at the always-entertaining A SHIP IN THE WOODS space in Escondido, it was the haunting Millennial Pink exhibition at the San Diego Art Institute that will stick out to me when remembering 2017. The group show was filled with profoundly touching statements on queer aesthetics, gender fluidity

Andrea Chung The fact that mixed-media artist Andrea Chung was the first Black woman ever to have a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is reason enough to proclaim her the most important artist of the year. The fact that she’s local or that the show itself—You Broke the Ocean in Half to Be Here—lived up to the hype, only serves to further her case. The exhibition was impressive enough, but one could also make the case that her work—which deals in meticulously researched themes of race, colonialism and migration—is the most important work being produced on a local level.

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december 27, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

CULTURE | FILM

Personal Shopper

It’s Complicated

2017’s best films depict human vulnerability in a year of relentless negativity by Glenn Heath Jr.

hen historians look back on the last calendar year, let’s hope they question how anyone of sound mind could have survived such a relentless onslaught of cynicism, negativity, noise, anger and misinformation. If they don’t, that would mean the current climate of enraged division and pompous outrage has since become normalized. While it may be preferable to envision the future in less dire terms, lethargy and avoidance cannot become commonplace. White supremacy, social disenfranchisement, governmental corruption and economic inequality are just some of the 21st century threats that need to be further confronted in 2018. The best films of 2017 actively resisted the viciousness and intellectual apathy fueling such trends. Instead, they met close-mindedness and hate with nuanced depictions of human vulnerability. Each exhibits daring aesthetic freedom alongside openness to the mysteries of love, sadness, yearning, uncertainty and joy. They tether themselves to the singular, hopeful momentum that only cinematic works can conjure. Before getting to the list proper, here are some worthy honorable mentions framed as calls to action: Cherish the wit and intelligence of Terence Davies’ A Quiet Passion, a formidable and dense biopic that sees steadfast poet Emily Dickinson (a brilliant Cynthia Nixon) combatting conformity and gender discrimination with beguiling prose. Revel in the grand intimacy of Dee Rees’ Mudbound and James Gray’s The Lost City of Z, historical epics about restless searchers reimagining their own notions of family. Marvel at the ambitious insanity of Gore Verbinski’s A Cure For Wellness and Josh and Benny Safdie’s Good Time, both warped genre films that bend to the volatile contours of their respective environments. Contemplate the timely radical wisdom imbedded in Raoul Peck and James Baldwin’s I Am Not Your Negro, and the brazen and problematic historiography of Kathryn Bigelow’s incendiary Detroit. Explore the necessary humanism of Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardennes’ The Unknown Girl and Robin Campillo’s BPM (Beats Per Minute), and the confounding psychological rigor of Alain Guiraudie’s Staying Vertical. Linger on the unspoken elegance of Luca Guadagnino’s hazy Call Me By Your Name, John Carroll Lynch’s desert eulogy Lucky, and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s turbulent reckoning After the Storm.

18 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

And now, ten favorites that helped reimagine a grueling year in more hopeful terms.

Faces Places: Picture this: Acclaimed filmmaker Agnès Varda and street artist JR playfully bicker and banter while traveling around the French countryside, interviewing everyday people before plastering giant portraits on buildings. Stuffy travelogue tropes get replaced with improvisation, directional changes, competing memories and a fusion of cohesive artistic perspectives. If only all documentaries were this ready for the open road.

Dawson City: Frozen Time: Bill Morrison’s nonfiction effort uses the miraculous re-discovery of nitrate film reels—found underneath an ice rink in the titular Alaskan mining town—to trace the crisscrossing DNA of cinematic exhibition and capitalism over the last century. It’s a serpentine epic that presents stories of American history as thawing artifacts.

Logan Lucky: In a year of endless turmoil, this rousingly giddy Southern-fried heist film offered a necessary respite. Blue-collar bros (Channing Tatum and Adam Driver) rip off NASCAR’s busiest racetrack after suffering one too many personal economic downturns, causing a carousel of plot twists and joyful interludes. Director Steven Soderbergh begins a promising new outcast franchise by subverting all the toothless tropes that have maligned so many other tent-pole films.

Personal Shopper: Kristen Stewart’s Parisian-style maven experiences an emotional fracturing after trying to communicate with her brother’s ghost. Olivier Assayas’ elegant collision of genres and tones is itself an amorphous beast, wiggling in and out of tense standoffs to arrive at the year’s most beautifully personal reunion.

Ex Libris: The New York Public Library: Over the course of three-plus hours, Frederick Wiseman’s expansive documentary travels the corridors, class-

FILM CONTINUED ON PAGE 19 @SDCITYBEAT

CULTURE | FILM

Song to Song

FILM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 rooms, ballrooms and stages of an elaborate public institution that’s persistently trying to evolve in the social media age. It bears witness to acts of service small and large, personal and collective.

Phantom Thread: Secrets, lies and stitching. In reportedly his final film role, Daniel Day-Lewis plays a prickly English dressmaker whose new muse (an equally great Vicky Krieps) refuses to become just another throwaway model. Paul Thomas Anderson’s pristine artifice hides a menacing psychological battle of supremacy between two lovebirds willing and able to clip each other’s wings.

The Work: In a year of great documentaries, this harrowing account of a four-day inmate/citizen workshop inside Folsom Prison might be the best. Jairus McLeary and Gethin Aldous’ ultra-personal film is the cinematic equivalent of an exorcism that rips out the guts of traditional masculinity to uncover the repression and sadness underneath.

Nocturama: French teenagers embark on an ambitious reign of terror around Paris only to invite the unfeeling wrath of police state shock troops. Bertrand Bonello’s stylish, sobering gut punch makes mincemeat out of angry young people doing anything they can to make a difference. One could imagine Donald Trump cheering at the end.

Wonderstruck: Curious and elegiac, Todd Haynes’ effortlessly experimental adaption of Brian Selznick’s novel follows the pursuits of two determined children who search for answers about family and identity in

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separate time periods. Music, architecture, dioramas and literature infuse their whimsical journeys with supplemental artistry, ultimately painting a more hopeful view of looming adulthood.

Song to Song: Terrence Malick’s elusive, Austinset romance finds Rooney Mara and Ryan Gosling circling each other in a vortex of feeling. Their raw and uncompromising relationship evokes life experience that’s culminating in real time. Emmanuel Lubezki’s camera spins and sprints and drops, living in the moment instead of trying to catch some notion of closure. Friendships and betrayals are broken open, laid bare in a messy configuration of personal confession. It dares to be incomplete, and stubbornly off trend. Film reviews run weekly. Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com

OPENING Bleeding Steel: Action legend Jackie Chan stars in this nonstop thrill ride as a hardened Special Forces agent who fights to protect a young woman from a sinister criminal gang. Opens Friday, Dec. 29, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. Jane: This documentary offers an unprecedented and intimate portrayal of the life of Jane Goodall, who defied the odds to become one of the world’s most admired conservationists. Opens Friday, Dec. 29, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. Novitiate: Oscar winner Melissa Leo gives a tour de force performance in this film about a young woman training to become a nun during a radical societal transition in the 1960s. Opens Friday, Dec. 29, at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

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

DECEMBER 27, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 19

MUSIC The great paradox of the music industry is that there’s less profit to be made out of music, and yet more people are making music than ever. That makes it harder and harder to keep up with everything that’s being released. I listened to 200 albums or more this year, and a lot of them were fantastic. I whittled my favorites down to a handy top 10, which comprises hip-hop, metal, art pop, post-punk and various sounds in between.

10 Take Me Apart It took a few years for Kelela to release her debut album, but the arrival of Take Me Apart showed the fulfillment of the L.A. R&B singer’s early promise. Here, she builds on the atmospheric sounds of her previous singles while swirling in the aesthetics of vintage R&B from the likes of Janet Jackson. Take Me Apart is a hypnotic, richly produced collection of soulful pop that sounds like the future.

9 Nothing Feels Natural Washington, D.C.’s Priests have an admirable DIY ethic, which, when coupled with their low LP prices, makes them seem like the natural heirs to Fugazi. Sonically, however, they’re more akin to classic postpunk in the vein of The Fall and Gang of Four. Nothing Feels Natural never stays in one place too long, veering from dreamy introspection one moment (“Nothing Feels Natural”) to intense abrasion the next (“No Big Bang”). Youthful agitation should always be this fun.

8 Big Fish Theory Even if I didn’t like Vince Staples’

music, I’d still admire the dude— he doesn’t suffer fools on Twitter, his Sprite commercials are genius and he doesn’t mince words. But he’s also one of the best hip-hop artists of the moment, and on Big Fish Theory, he speaks truth to power while backing his dynamic lyricism with innovative electronic production. It’s pretty much nothing but bangers.

and even delivering emo-like anthems. In the end though, Time Well is all about dense layers of guitar effects. The Indiana group’s second album is massive, but within its cosmic scope there’s intricate, subtle beauty to be found.

Nightmare Logic Power Trip’s second album isn’t exactly a concept album, but within the LP is a common theme: Our present moment is like living in a horror movie, and the only way to fight our way out of it is to think like the monsters. Yet the intensity of the Dallas band’s thrash-metal is enough to take down any monster, whether mythical or presidential. It’s a furious sprint of an album that’s short, but exhausting, and bookended—fittingly—by the sound of explosions.

No Shape Perfume Genius is by no means a new artist, but I still can’t help but feel like Mike Hadreas’ ornate, anthemic pop is underrated. “Slip Away,” the affecting first single from No Shape, might very well be my favorite song of the year simply for how ambitious and emotionally charged it is. The rest of the album is no slouch either, balancing Kate Bush-like art-pop arrangements with intimate, sincere lyrical narratives.

6 Time Well Cloakroom is ostensibly a shoegaze band, but create a novel sound by skirting the edges of various styles. They’re capable of pulling off ‘90sera alt-rock hooks, descending into the murky depths of sludge metal,

20 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

4 DAMN. Kendrick Lamar made everyone else’s year-end list, and mine is no exception. It’s not like he hasn’t earned it—KungFu Kenny’s been on a winning streak for half a decade now, and the unstoppable flow of

DAMN. (which is maybe meant to be played in reverse?) shows that he’s not done one-upping himself. “DNA.” and “HUMBLE.” are two of his best singles to date, though that’s only scratching the surface. While it’s not as experimental as the jazz-influenced To Pimp a Butterfly, Lamar makes up for it with intricately woven narratives and sheer replayability. It lives up to its name.

3 The Dusk In Us Converge have been performing together for 27 years, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. The continuing evolution of the band has seen them change the shape of heavy music several times over, and on their ninth album The Dusk In Us, they’ve delivered another set of songs that challenges the conventions of metal. It’s an earnest, deeply personal effort that touches upon fatherhood (“A Single Tear”) to farther-reaching concepts of human nature (“Reptilian”). All the while, they reveal new facets of their intense, yet versatile sound, becoming more psychedelic while retaining a crushing ferocity.

2 Relatives in Descent Protomartyr’s fourth album isn’t easily digested on a first listen. When held against the imme-

diacy of 2015’s The Agent Intellect or 2014’s Under Color of Official Right, it comes across as a darker, slower set of music. Yet the challenging nature of it is what makes it all the more interesting. The Detroit post-punk group embraces a more atmospheric sensibility, while singer Joe Casey takes on a more philosophical role, questioning the nature of truth and how easily it’s manipulated.

1 The Underside of Power When Algiers released their selftitled debut in 2015, there was nothing else out there that sounded like it. Now that they’ve followed it up with an even stronger LP. The Underside of Power is a call to arms against injustice, white supremacy and unchecked power in the form of shape-shifting post-punk that incorporates everything from Northern soul and gospel to electro-industrial and even trap. Popular music has grown increasingly more political in the past year, and it’s easy to see why. But no release captures that frustration with as much spirit, innovation and intensity as this. Write to jefft@sdcitybeat.com and follow him on Twitter at @1000TimesJeff.

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december 27, 2017 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

MUSIC

BY RYAN BRADFORD

NOTES FROM THE SMOKING PATIO

THE

SPOTLIGHT

THE SEVEN BEST SAN DIEGO ALBUMS OF 2017

espite my complaints last week that cover bands are taking over San Diego, there was a lot of good original music that came from local bands in 2017. Here are my seven favorite San Diego albums of the year, in alphabetical order.

guished backstories (Zola Jesus, Mount Eerie), though Hideout used that personal darkness to make a surprisingly upbeat and accessible set of indie pop. It’s a dark, honest and affecting album, but it also holds up over repeated listens. That’s a difficult thing to accomplish.

Author & Punisher - Pressure Mine One-man industrial metal machine Tristan Shone announced earlier this year that he had signed to long-running metal label Relapse, which should bring some promising material soon (made with new machines!). In the meantime, he released this five-track EP, which features some of his most melodic material yet. It’s still dark, heavy and weird, but more in a goth way than a metal way, which is just fine by me. For a between-album teaser, it’s pretty damn spectacular.

Manuok - The Gift Horse Scott Mercado’s Manuok has been one of the most consistently enjoyable San Diego bands since first debuting in the early ‘00s, but they’d gone half a decade without releasing a new album. The Gift Horse ends that drought with some gorgeously spacey indie rock that’s intricately written, immaculately produced and impressively ambitious. The thing that always catches me off guard is how brief these songs are. The massiveJARED LENAHAN sounding “Jacob’s Ladder” is only three minutes but feels like it could extend for twice as long. And “Etalia” undergoes so much build and transformation that it almost doesn’t feel like enough time, but somehow these compact, albeit richly layered songs feel just right.

Die Mißbildungen Des Menschen - DMDM.1 This full-length release by experimental electronic outfit Die Mißbildungen Des Menschen captures the scope of their expansive, exploratory sound. It’s just two tracks, each one 21 minutes long, and in those compositions they span from ambient soundscapes to beat-driven pulses and noisy drones. It’s best to just clear out 42 minutes on your schedule, hit play and see where it goes. It’s a hell of a ride. DJ Pnutz - 16 Psyche DJ Pnutz released a significant amount of music this year, including a mix that we dubbed “Extraspecialgood” in our Great Demo Review back in March. The best this year, 16 Psyche, is an excellent flow of instrumental hip-hop loaded with clever samples and boom-bap beats that display Pnutz’s knack for blending a variety of disparate parts into one funky whole. There’s a good amount of jokes woven between tracks, from an Eastbound and Down clip to some dialogue about vinyl nerds, but the reason to return to it is the crackly jazz and funk breaks. Hideout - So Many Hoops/So Little Time With the knowledge that Hideout’s second album was written following frontman Gabriel Rodriguez’s brother’s death, I didn’t expect it to be so delightful to listen to. Several of my favorite records this year had similarly an-

22 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

DJ Pnutz

Parker Meridien - Fists Like Gotti Emcee Jack King and drummer Nathan Hubbard were already well established in their respective musical fields. So while it might not seem obvious that they’d form a band together, it’s a natural collaboration in hindsight. Parker Meridien—a trio that also features bassist John Rieder—backs abstract hip-hop flows and spoken word passages with psychedelic funk arrangements. It’s a fresh take on a hip-hop band, and their debut album is loaded with grooves.

Quali - Awaken the Quietus Quali’s new album is notable for being the first release on the just-launched Sensitive Records. It also happens to be an excellent shoegaze record steeped in the tradition of UK bands such as Ride and Slowdive, with a good amount of noise piercing its dreamy aesthetics. The songs are catchy, loud and loaded with effects, as any good shoegaze should be. Where a lot of bands get away on effects alone, Quali writes great songs that would be just as compelling without the layers of fuzz and shimmer.

Alkaline Trio

ast week, our music editor Jeff Terich recommended Alkaline Trio as a show to see this New Year's Eve. And while it was a kind write-up, I’m afraid Jeff is just not pop-punk enough to truly realize how squee-inducing this show is. At many times throughout my life, I’ve considered Alkaline Trio to be my favorite band. That fervor has varied over the years, but it’s never gone away. I discovered Alkaline Trio as a freshman in high school, when I blindly attended one of their shows at Kilby Court, a small, all-ages venue in Salt Lake City. They definitely satisfied my hunger for pop-punk, but there was an underlying sadness and darkness to their music. Their songs hit hard during that bittersweet age when everything is simultaneously joyful and heartbreaking. I was hooked. Their CDs were the first Internet purchases I ever made, and the music became the soundtrack to many break-ups with the same high school girlfriend. I got to the point where I was able to recognize subtle songwriting styles of the two singers: Matt Skiba’s caustic cleverness versus Dan Andriano’s sad-sack lovesickness (Skiba in the streets, Andriano in the sheets, I say). Discovering their music also opened me up to all the other great pop-punk bands of Chicago (Lawrence Arms, Honor System, Smoking Popes), whose blue-collar approaches and aesthetics made the bands on Fat Wreck and Epitaph look kind of silly. Alkaline Trio haven’t put out an album in four years, so here’s hoping that this show is an indicator of new material. AK3 4eva. Alkaline Trio play Sunday, Dec. 31 at Observatory North Park.

—Jeff Terich

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MUSIC

JEFF TERICH

IF I WERE U A music insider’s weekly agenda WEDNESDAY, DEC. 27

PLAN A: Cherry Glazerr, Vagabon @ Observatory North Park. Cherry Glazerr’s catchy, snotty and super fun Apocalipstick is one of the better albums released at the beginning of 2017. And what better way to close out the year than to revisit the group’s taut, tuneful indie rock anthems. PLAN B: Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven @ Belly Up Tavern. David Lowery’s two influential alternative rock bands play together in San Diego just about every year around this time, and given their collective potential setlists, this sounds like a really fun night. BACKUP PLAN: Sundrop Electric, Bloomcaster, Nite Lapse @ The Casbah.

THURSDAY, DEC. 28

DARIA KOBAYASHI

PLAN A: Electric Mud, J.G. Bitter, Charlie Moses, Mersky, Ben Limpic @ Soda Bar. Any band that shares the name of a classic Muddy Waters album is bound to be a little bluesy. They also happen to be a tad psychedelic, but most of all they’re rock ‘n’ roll. BACKUP PLAN: The Dinettes, Manual Scan, Alvino and the Dwells @ The Casbah.

synth-pop and well worth checking out. BACKUP PLAN: Behind the Wagon, The Downs Family, Ypsitucky @ Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, DEC. 30

PLAN A: Chicano Batman, Hanni El Khatib, Thee Commons @ Observatory North Park. Chicano Batman has been one of my favorite band names since I first heard about them, but their soulful psych grooves are even better than the name. They’re starting to blow up and it’s easy to see why when they write such great tunes. PLAN B: The Mattson 2, Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Krass Bros. @ The Casbah. Miss the first night of The Mattson 2? Here’s a second chance to soak in their glorious sounds. BACKUP PLAN: E-40, Czar, Huey P, DJ BAR1NE @ Music Box.

SUNDAY, DEC. 31

PLAN A: Alkaline Trio, Rocket from the Crypt, Sharp Shock @ Observatory North Park. I can’t help but be won over by the idea of a punk rock New Year’s Eve, and when that celebration includes a live set by Rocket from the Crypt, then it seals the deal. It’s essentially a San Diego tradition. PLAN B: Spooky Cigarette, Los Shadows, Fashion Jackson, Honey Pot, New Me @ Helmuth Projects. A low-key DIY New Year’s Eve is also a great idea, like this show featuring local synthpop favorites Spooky Cigarette and their guitarist’s new project, New Me. Plus there’s an art show curated by Weird Hues. BACKUP PLAN: Little Hurricane, The Midnight Pine, Birdy Bardot, Dani Bell and the Tarantist @ Music Box.

Cherry Glazerr

FRIDAY, DEC. 29

PLAN A: The Mattson 2, Systems Officer, The Red Fox Tails @ The Casbah. The Mattson 2 are a local pair of brothers who combine jazz, surf and post-rock sounds into one stunning instrumental sound. They recently collaborated with Toro y Moi, but their own compositions are more than enough reason to check them out. PLAN B: Soft Lions, Twin Ritual, Mannequin, DJ Bidi Cobra @ SPACE. The recurring Disco Goth series (launched by Glass Spells) has a special winter installment featuring Twin Ritual, which is fronted by Laura Levenhagen of Le Chateau. The music is super fun

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MONDAY, JAN. 1

PLAN A: Third Eye Blind @ Observatory North Park. I’m just as surprised as anyone that I’m suggesting a Third Eye Blind concert on the night of New Year’s Day. But I have a newfound respect for the band after they trolled the Republican National Convention.

TUESDAY, JAN. 2

PLAN A: Bed, Aspirin, Water @ Your House. This is as good a day as any to stay in, catch up on Netflix and replenish bodily fluids. While live music tends to go quiet on New Year’s Day, the day after is even quieter, so go ahead and take the night off.

DECEMBER 27, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 23

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Burt Bacharach (BUT, 1/17), Hippo Campus (HOB, 1/25), Piebald (Soda Bar, 1/28), G Perico (HOB, 2/17), 1000Mods (SPACE, 2/22), Ex-Cult (Soda Bar, 3/4), Antibalas (BUT, 3/8), Dashboard Confessional (HOB 4/18), Phantogram (Open Air Theatre, 5/24).

GET YER TICKETS T.S.O.L. (Casbah, 1/4), DJ Quik, Warren G (HOB, 1/5), Willie Nelson (Harrah’s Resort, 1/6), Milky Chance (HOB, 1/8), K. Flay (Observatory, 1/13), Luna (Casbah, 1/14), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (HOB, 1/15), Kris Kristofferson (BUT, 1/15), Josh Ritter (BUT, 1/16), Big Boi (Observatory, 1/18), Beat Farmers Hootenanny (BUT, 1/20), Wolf Parade (Observatory, 1/23), Ty Segall (BUT, 1/24), DVSN (Observatory, 1/29), Passion Pit (Observatory, 2/1), Fetty Wap (HOB, 2/3), Phoebe Bridgers (Soda Bar, 2/5), Allah-Las (BUT, 2/8), Ja Rule and Ashanti (Observatory, 2/9), Miranda Lambert (Viejas Arena, 2/15), Mary Timony plays Helium (Casbah, 2/15), Dan Auerbach (Observatory, 2/19), Superchunk (Casbah, 2/21), Missing Persons (Casbah, 2/23), Demi Lovato, DJ Khaled (Viejas Arena, 2/26), Margo Price (BUT, 3/2), Gogol Bordello (Observatory, 3/3), 311 (HOB, 3/5), Ameri-

can Nightmare (Brick by Brick, 3/9), Talib Kweli (Music Box, 3/9), Wolves in the Throne Room (Brick by Brick, 3/11), Flogging Molly (Observatory, 3/14), Lucy Dacus (Casbah, 3/21), George Clinton (HOB, 3/28), Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (HOB, 3/31), The Soft Moon (Casbah, 4/14), Los Lonely Boys (BUT, 4/22), ‘Welcome to Night Vale’ (Observatory, 4/25), Art Garfunkel (Balboa Theatre, 4/27), Baths (BUT, 5/3), Keb’ Mo’ (BUT, 5/6-7), Weird Al Yankovic (Humphreys, 5/12), Franz Ferdinand (Observatory, 5/13), Nada Surf (BUT, 5/14), Earth, Wind and Fire (Harrah’s SoCal, 5/18), Madeleine Peyroux (BUT, 5/28), Kesha, Macklemore (Mattress Firm, 6/12), Weezer, The Pixies (Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, 8/11), Charlie Puth (Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, 8/20).

sic Box. Chris D’Elia at House of Blues. Behind the Wagon at Soda Bar. ‘Disco Goth’ w/ Soft Lions at SPACE.

DECEMBER

JANUARY

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 27 Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven at Belly Up Tavern. Cherry Glazerr at Observatory North Park. A Shattered Hope at Soda Bar. Snoop Dogg at Music Box.

THURSDAY, DEC. 28 The Dinettes at The Casbah. Donavon Frankenreiter at Belly Up Tavern. Electric Mud at Soda Bar. Malaa at Observatory North Park.

FRIDAY, DEC. 29 Zhu at Observatory North Park. The Mattson 2 at The Casbah. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). The Steely Damned at Mu-

24 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

SATURDAY, DEC. 30 Mac Sabbath, Dwarves at Brick by Brick. Chicano Batman at Observatory North Park. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). The Mattson 2 at The Casbah. E-40 at Music Box. Chris D’Elia at House of Blues. Downspell at Soda Bar.

SUNDAY, DEC. 31 The Creepy Creeps at Soda Bar. The Donkeys at The Casbah. Little Hurricane at Music Box. Big Head Todd and the Monsters at Belly Up Tavern (sold out). Alkaline Trio, Rocket from the Crypt at Observatory North Park.

MONDAY, JAN. 1 Third Eye Blind at Observatory North Park.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3 Monarch at The Casbah. A.J. Croce at Belly Up Tavern. Coco Columbia at Soda Bar.

THURSDAY, JAN. 4 T.S.O.L. at The Casbah. Alika at Belly Up Tavern. Major Threat at Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, JAN. 5 DJ Quik, Warren G at House of Blues. Alice Unchained at Music Box. Black

Sabbitch at Soda Bar. Deadbolt at The Casbah.

SATURDAY, JAN. 6 Willie Nelson at Harrah’s Resort. Sweet and Tender Hooligans at Observatory North Park. Petty – A Tribute to Tom Petty at The Casbah. The Winehouse Experience at Music Box. The Stranger at Belly Up Tavern. Damage Inc. at House of Blues. Mrs. Magician at Soda Bar.

SUNDAY, JAN. 7 The Paladins at Belly Up Tavern. WENS at Soda Bar. AJ Froman at The Casbah.

MONDAY, JAN. 8 Milky Chance at House of Blues.

TUESDAY, JAN. 9 Suzanne Santo at The Casbah. David Lindley at Belly Up Tavern. Naivete at Soda Bar.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10 Veronica May at Soda Bar. The Oxen at The Casbah.

THURSDAY, JAN. 11 Capitol Steps at Spreckels Theatre. TV Girl at Soda Bar. Black Marble at SPACE. White Wizzard at Brick by Brick. Egyptian Acid Rock at The Casbah. Steel Panther at House of Blues.

FRIDAY, JAN. 12 Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at Belly Up Tavern. Dirty Sweet at The Casbah. Sights and Sages at Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, JAN. 13 K. Flay at Observatory North Park. Red Aunts at The Casbah. The Generators at Soda Bar. Glass Spells at SPACE. Tommy Castro and the Painkillers at Belly Up Tavern. Fates Warning at Brick by Brick.

SUNDAY, JAN. 14 Luna at The Casbah. Pkew Pkew Pkew at Soda Bar. Demun Jones at Brick by Brick.

MONDAY, JAN. 15 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at House of Blues. Kris Kristofferson at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

TUESDAY, JAN. 16 Josh Ritter at Belly Up Tavern. Buck-ONine at The Casbah. Naivete at Soda Bar.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17 Yung Lean at Observatory North Park. The Flesh Eaters at The Casbah.

THURSDAY, JAN. 18 Big Boi at Observatory North Park. Surfer Blood at The Casbah. Cold Showers at SPACE. Al Stewart at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

FRIDAY, JAN. 19 The White Buffalo at Observatory North Park. The Magnificent at The Casbah. Monte Pittman at Brick by Brick. Eukaryst at Soda Bar.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

@SDCITYBEAT

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 SATURDAY, JAN. 20 Pulley at Soda Bar. Beat Farmers Hootenanny at Belly Up Tavern. G3: Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Phil Collen at Balboa Theatre. Ill Nicky at Music Box. Esham at Brick by Brick.

SUNDAY, JAN. 21 Judas Priestess at Soda Bar. Body/ Head at The Casbah. Jo Koy at Copley Symphony Hall.

MONDAY, JAN. 22 Willy Tea Taylor at Soda Bar. Quel Bordel at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, JAN. 23 Wolf Parade, Charly Bliss at Observatory North Park. The Toasters at Soda Bar. Pond at The Casbah. John Hiatt and the Goners at Belly Up Tavern (sold out).

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24 Ty Segall at Belly Up Tavern. Jessica Lea Mayfield at The Casbah. August Burns Red at House of Blues. Spirit Award at Soda Bar.

THURSDAY, JAN. 25 Grace Mitchell at Soda Bar. The Deep Dark Woods at The Casbah. Skinlab at Brick by Brick. Part Time at Blonde.

FRIDAY, JAN. 26 Hammerfall at Brick by Brick. Demetri Martin at Balboa Theatre. Rob Bell at

@SDCITYBEAT

Observatory North Park. Taken by Canadians at The Casbah. Zeros at Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, JAN. 27 Eric Johnson at House of Blues. Converge at Brick by Brick (sold out). St. Vincent at Observatory North Park (sold out). Dariush at Balboa Theatre. Twin Ritual at Soda Bar.

SUNDAY, JAN. 28 Reverend Horton Heat at Observatory North Park. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry at Music Box. Flamingosis at The Casbah.

MONDAY, JAN. 29 John Maus at Belly Up Tavern. DVSN at Observatory North Park. Pinback at The Casbah. The Lillingtons at Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, JAN. 30 Anti-Flag at SOMA. Pinback at The Casbah. The Killers at Valley View Casino Center.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31 Tower of Power at Belly Up Tavern. Gilberto Santa Rosa at Music Box. Pinback at The Casbah. Prawn at Soda Bar.

FEBRUARY THURSDAY, FEB. 1 Steven Wright at Balboa Theatre. Passion Pit at Observatory North Park. Ladysmith Black Mambazo at Belly Up Tavern. The Stone Foxes at The Casbah. Bad History Month at Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, FEB. 2 STRFKR at Observatory North Park. Wild Child at Belly Up Tavern. Exmag at The Casbah.

SATURDAY, FEB. 3 Fetty Wap at House of Blues. Lewis Black at Balboa Theatre. ALO at Belly Up Tavern. Belle Game at Soda Bar.

MONDAY, FEB. 5 Howard Jones at Belly Up Tavern. Phoebe Bridgers at Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, FEB. 6 Majid Jordan at Observatory North Park. Kathryn Cloward at Belly Up Tavern.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Thu: Liquid Courage Karaoke. Fri: The Amalgamated, Full Strength Funk Band. Sun: Timothy H, Split Finger. Mon: Tue: American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Jessimae Peluso. Sat: Jessimae Peluso. Sun: Jessimae Peluso. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Fri: Alpine Circuitry, Dark Globe. Mon: The Macks, The Roy Rockers. Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown. Fri: Kidnap Kid. Sat: Mr. Carmack. Sun: Ghastly. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. Wed: Hey Ho! Let’s Go! Ramones tribute. Thu:

DJs Angie, Claire, Heather Hardcore. Fri: DJ Vaughn Avakian. Sat: DJ Saul Q. Sun: DJs Junior, Vaughn. Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Thu: Frank Cope. Fri: Scratch. Sat: Part Time Model. Sun: Sofa King Bueno. Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven. Thu: Donavon Frankenreiter, Joey Radio. Fri: Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, New Breed Brass Band (sold out). Sat: Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, New Breed Brass Band (sold out). Sun: Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Mon: Tue: Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Sun: ‘Black Cat Wax’. Blonde, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Wed: ‘Dance Klassique’ w/ DJs Joe Pea, Ryan Bauer, Gomez. Fri: ‘Dance Punk Party’. Sat: ‘Soul Works Dance Party’. Sun: ‘Tron New Year’s Eve Party’. Mon: Weezer tribute. Tue: ‘T is 4 Techno’. Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad. Thu: Mellow Apocalypse. Fri: ‘Club Musae’. Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. Fri: Bullet Boys, Frank Hannon, Sledd, Stonebreed. Sat: Mac Sabbath, Dwarves, Tiltwheel. The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Wed: Sundrop Electric, Bloomcaster, Nite Lapse. Thu: The Dinettes, Manual Scan, Alvino and the Dwells. Fri: The Mattson 2, Systems Officer, Red Fox Tails. Sat: The Mattson 2, Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Krass Bros. Sun: The Donkeys, Range of Light Wilderness, John Meeks.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

DECEMBER 27, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 25

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. Fri: Harley and the Pirates. Sat: Elvis Karaoke. Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Downtown. Sat: Brian Levy and Mikan Zlatkovich. F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown. Fri: DJ Bozak. Sat: DJ Kaos. Sun: ‘Casino Royale’ w/ DJ Bootleg Kev. Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Fri: DJ Bar1ne. Sat: Shabazz. Sun: DJ Esco. Mon: ‘Dawn of the New Year’. Hooley’s, 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa. Fri: Disappointing Joseph. Sat: Mark Fantasia. Sun: The Farmers. House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Wed: DJ Mike White. Thu: Aro DiSanti. Fri: Chris D’Elia. Sat: Chris D’Elia. Sun: ‘NYE Block Party’ w/ DJ Craze. Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: Tradewinds. Thu: Kim Jackson. Fri: Pop Vinyl, Michele Lundeen. Sat: R:Tyme, The Reflectors. Sun: Beta Maxx, Stellita. Mon: Missy Andersen. Tue: Blue Largo. Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Thu: The Highly Esteemed and Ethical Gentlemen, CYKA, My Revenge. Fri: ‘TechNewYear’. Sat: ‘Midnight Wave’ w/ Mark Pledger. Sun: Arkon, Austin Speed, MDMK, Stoik, Daniel Gold. Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Sat: Sahara Grim, Dave Dersham. Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Wed: JG Duo. Thu: Jackson

26 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · DECEMBER 27, 2017

and Billy. Fri: Street Heart. Sat: Andy & Friends. Sun: Stilettos. Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: ‘Sinatra and Me’ w/ Richard Shelton. Thu: Alec Mapa. Fri: Janice & Nathan. Sat: Tori Roze and the Hot Mess. Sun: Emile Welman’s NYE Spectacular. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: RDG, Fusebox, Amigo. Sun: ‘NYE Party’ w/ DJs Robin Roth, Heather Hardcore, Heabnasty. Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas. Thu: Rick Elliott & Second Hand Smoke Band. Fri: Custard Pie. Sat: Stoney B. Blues. Sun: Tower 7. Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy. Wed: Snoop Dogg. Fri: The Steely Damned. Sat: E-40, Czar, Huey P, DJ Bar1ne. Sun: Little Hurricane, Birdy Bardot, The Midnight Pine, Dani Bell and the Tarantist. The Office, 3936 30th St., North Park. Wed: ‘One, Two, Three’ w/ DJ EdRoc. Thu: ‘No Limits’ w/ DJ Myson King. Fri: ‘Cool Party Bro’ w/ DJs Heminguey, Ikah Love. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’ w/ DJs EdRoc, Kanye Asada. Sun: ‘New Year’s Eve’ w/ DJs EdRoc, Kanye Asada. OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Fri: G-Eazy. Sat: Deorro. Sun: Savi. Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: Kyle Flesch. Sat: Romeo Reyes. Sun: ‘The Ball on Broadway’. Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, Kearny Mesa. Wed: Steve Pandis. Thu: Tomcat Courtney. Fri: Aubrey Fay. Sat: Casey Hensley.

The Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. Fri: ‘Hip Hop Fridayz’. Sat: ‘Sabados en Fuego’.

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Thu: Burlesque Boogie Nights.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: DJs Kiki, Kinky Loops. Thu: Casa Nuova, DJ K-Swift. Fri: DJs John Joseph, Will Z. Sat: DJs K-Swift, Taj. Sun: DJs Cros, Hektik, Dirty Kurty.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Fri: We Had a Name, Good Time Girls, Polux, Hyper Active Slackers. Sat: Pants Karaoke. Sun: Western Settings, Problem Daughter, Gentlemen Prefer Blood, Se Vende, Ash Williams, Rayner, International Dipshit, The Dodges, Heartless Folk.

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’ w/ Jason Hanna. Thu: Coastal Eddies. Fri: Three Chord Justice. Sat: Alvino and the Dwells. Rosie O’gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Fri: ‘Acoustic Revolt’. Sat: OrchidxMantis. Sun: Black Market III. Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave., San Diego. Wed: Boomtown Stingers. Thu: Jimmy Ruelas. Fri: Shane Hall. Sat: Jimmy Ruelas. Sun: Sol Orchid. Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: A Shattered Hope, Drop the Gloves, Shawshank Redeemed. Thu: Electric Mud, J.G. Bitter, Charlie Moses, Mersky, Ben Limpic. Fri: Behind the Wagon, The Downs Family, Ypsitucky. Sat: Downspell, Godhammered, Squirrely Arts, Monarch. Sun: The Creepy Creeps, Cruz Radical. SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Thu: ‘Cemetery Lipstick’ w/ Shadowhouse, Bell Tower Bats, Trip Advisor, DJs Camilla Robina, Mitch Wilson. Fri: Soft Lions, Twin Ritual, Mannequin, DJ Bidi Cobra. Sat: ‘Meaning of Love’. Sun: ‘Rollin Wit Tha Funk’ w/ DJs Boogieman, Tec, Gdfunkster, Flashback. Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Midtown. Sat: Dillon Francis. Sun: Lane 8. Mon: DJ Tennis.

Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Wed: Keep Your Soul. Thu: Keep Your Soul. Fri: Keep Your Soul, Chad and Rosie. Sat: Coriander, Keep Your Soul. Sun: Coriander, Evan Diamond Goldberg. Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., Bay Park. Thu: Nathan James and the Rhythm Shakers. Fri: Lies ‘N Roses. Sun: The Reflectors. Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Fri: Madrost, Gravespell, Nowhere Safe. Sat: Christ Killer, Pissed Regardless, Short Temper, Slaughter Boys. U-31, 3112 University Ave., North Park. Wed: ‘Yes Lawd’. Thu: ‘Boom Boxx Thursday’. Fri: DJ Junior the Disco Punk. Sat: DJ Joemama. Sun: ‘New Year’s Eve’ w/ DJ Bacon Bits. Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park. Wed: Riff City Comedy. Sat: ‘Fantasy’ w/ DJs Ryan Solomon, Mario Orduno, Chad Valasek. Sun: ‘Booty Bassment New Year’s Eve’. Tue: ‘Videodrome’. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach. Wed: Kush, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: ‘OB Hip-Hop Social’ w/ Atlantis Rizing. Fri: Psydecar, Cityside. Sat: R.I.P., Brett Ellis Band, The Los Santos Band. Sun: Electric Waste Band.

@SDCITYBEAT

LAST WORDS

CHRISTIN BAILEY

ASTROLOGICALLY

UNSOUND

Semi-weekly forecasts from the so-called universe ARIES (March 21 - April 19): I gotta be honest, this week is going to be hard for you. Not for any astrological reasons, but just because of your poor choices and personality in general. This is true for most weeks. TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): It’s true that aliens are everywhere. I’ll let you in on a secret: The trick to seeing a UFO is to see something else and tell yourself that it’s a UFO so many times that you believe it. GEMINI

(May 21 - June 20): At first you are scared of the impact, but then at least reaching the bottom would be a reso-

@SDCITYBEAT

lution, and that’s better than nothing. No, that’s wrong. Nothing is definitely better. CANCER (June 21 - July 22): (I just want to be upfront that my dog is a Cancer and that every horoscope I have written for Cancers has been tailored specially for my dog). This week: stop stealing my socks. LEO (July 23 - August 22): This week tell someone something you have never told anyone before. Something like: “Please help me, I have absolutely no idea what I am doing and desperately require the assistance of others. Immediately!”

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Sure, in a way I understand how wearing a coat in the winter is “logical,” but maybe you should listen to the irrational December detractors. For example: the weatherman saying it’s 85 degrees outside. LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): This month it is important to guard yourself physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually, psychically, morally, socially, mentally, sexually, and—finally—totally and unequivocally against all of the year-end Best Of lists. SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): Imagining giving your award show acceptance speech is kind of fun, but have you ever visited the Medieval torture device exhibit and pictured yourself in the iron maiden? SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21): You’re right: horoscopes are fake. And writing is just putting a

bunch of lines in a weird design for no reason. Everything means nothing. The only important thing is to wear your seatbelt. CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19): The difference between poisonous and venomous is biologically significant but practically irrelevant when it comes to distinguishing whether or not your frog-borne paralysis was from a bite or something else. AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): I have written your horoscope and placed it in a sealed and tamperproof envelope. I then securely stored it in a safe-deposit box. And since you’re such a know-it-all, you can email me and tell me what it says. PISCES (February 19 - March 20): What goes around comes around and goes around and comes around and goes around and comes around and… would you look at that? Now you’re all wrapped up by the boa constrictor. Astrologically Unsound appears every other week. Follow Christin Bailey on Twitter at @hexprax.

DECEMBER 27, 2017 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 27