Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208 www.cvindependent.com
Editor/Publisher
Jimmy Boegle
staff writerS
Haleemon Anderson
Kevin Fitzgerald
coveR and feature design
Dennis Wodzisz
Contributors
Melissa Daniels, Charles Drabkin, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Terry Huber, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Clay Jones, Matt Jones, Matt King, Keith Knight, Cat Makino, Brett Newton, Greg Niemann, Dan Perkins, Theresa Sama, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor, Eleanor Whitney
The Independent is a proud member and/ or supporter of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, CalMatters, DAP Health, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, and the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
I was fortunate enough to spend the better part of a July week in Madison, Wis., for the annual AAN Publishers (Association of Alternative Newsmedia) Conference, hosted by Isthmus, Madison’s 49-year-old alternative newspaper.
Here are a few takeaways from the AAN Conference:
• The dedication to truth and resistance among independent, local news publishers remains strong. In various sessions, and during both keynotes—by Katie Drummond, the global editorial director of Wired magazine, and Dan Perkins (aka Tom Tomorrow), the brains behind longtime cartoon This Modern World (which you can read every month on our comics page, and every Thursday at CVIndependent.com)—the capitulations by Jeff Bezos, ABC News and Paramount to the demands of the Trump administration were discussed and soundly condemned.
By the way, if you’re not reading Wired, you really should be. The publication’s political coverage has been second to none in recent months.
• It’s harder than ever to get information from the government—even records that should unquestionably be made public. There are public-records and freedom-of-information laws at both state and national levels, but they have no teeth—meaning government officials who ignore records requests are rarely punished.
Since Donald Trump returned to the presidency, he’s been making it even harder for journalists and members of the public to get information. From laying off public-records teams, to telling government employees they can’t speak to the media, to fighting public-information efforts in court, to even firing public-records employees for doing their jobs, the Trump administration has made it clear that it wants to control all means of information dissemination, authoritarianism-style.
Yeah, journalists and members of the public can go to court to force the government to reveal information—but that’s time-consuming and expensive.
• While some local news outlets are doing well, others face significant challenges. While we were in Madison, we all learned that the 32-year-old Boulder Weekly, in Colorado, had been shut down—perhaps for good—after a dispute between the owner and the editorial staff.
During uncertain economic times, one of the first things businesses cut is advertising budgets—and some local news publications are feeling pinched.
• It will be a tad warmer at next year’s AAN Conference. The weather in Madison was lovely, outside of a brief rain storm, with highs in the 80s.
In Madison, AAN announced the site of the 2026 conference. It will take place July 8-10, 2026 … right here in Palm Saprings, hosted by athe Coachella Valley Independent.
Shameless Self Promotion
The results of the national 2025 AAN Awards, for work done last year, were announced in Madison—and the Independent won two awards!
I won first place in the News Story—Shorter Form category, for “Legal but Unethical: Rep. Ken Calvert Has a History of Sending Taxpayer-Funded Campaign Pieces in the Days Leading up to Elections, Using a Congressional-Rules Loophole” (CVIndependent.com on Aug. 18. 2024, September 2024 in print). The judge noted: “Even though FOIA couldn’t help you on this one, you did lots of great digging to illustrate this franking loophole. It’s one of those stories that makes you shake your head in disbelief — both at the action itself and the public officials’ ambivalence toward it. Makes me wonder which congresspeople from my state do the same thing.”
We won second place in the Online Story Presentation for “True Stories: The American Documentary and Animation Film Festival Is Bringing an International Slate of Movies to the Palm Springs Cultural Center” (CVIndependent.com on March 7, 2024)
If you have the means to support this national-award-winning publication, please visit cvindependent.com/support-our-publication, or check out the mail-in details on Page 3. Welcome to our August 2025 print edition. As always, thanks for reading.
—Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com
Community Is Our Priority.
For more than 12 years, the Independent has been telling the Coachella Valley’s stories. Our mission is to inform readers like you—and to help you build stronger connections with your community. Help the Independent meet this moment!
Please consider becoming a sustaining Supporter of the Independent, or make a one-time donation, by visiting CVIndependent.com/support-our-publication, or by sending us a check using the coupon to the right.
You can support the Independent directly (non-tax-deductible)—and now can make a tax-deductible donation via our fiscal sponsor, the Alternative Newsweekly Foundation (ANF). Via ANF, we can accept cash, grants and donations from donor-advised funds. We can even accept stock or crypto! Questions? Email jboegle@ cvindependent.com, or call 760-904-4208.
Thank you for supporting the Independent!
NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE AND/OR EMAIL
AMOUNT OF CHECK
Want your donation to be tax-deductible? Make your check out to the Alternative Newsweekly Foundation. Don’t need a tax deduction? Make your check out to the Coachella Valley Independent. Please mail to:
Coachella Valley Independent 31855 Date Palm Drive #3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234
HIKING WITH T
BY THERESA SAMA
Located in the Los Angeles Basin, just a 90-minute drive from the Coachella Valley, Chino Hills State Park offers a unique outdoor experience for everyone to enjoy.
Sitting in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, and covering parts of three counties (San Bernardino, Orange and Riverside), the park offers more than 90 miles of trails and more than 14,000 acres of beautiful and serene rolling hills with a diverse array of flora and fauna. With camping, hiking, mountain biking (there’s even a bike repair station), horseback riding and the beauty of nature, Chino Hills State Park has something for everyone.
You can see remnants of the area’s ranching history at the historic barn at the Rolling M Ranch campground. There are 20 campsites located in this open-space facility that has potable
water, flush toilets and showers onsite. Each campsite offers paved parking for up to two cars or RVs up to 30 feet in length, with a picnic table, a fire ring (restrictions may be in place during high fire-danger periods) and a lantern post. There are no electrical, water or sewer hookups. Dogs are allowed at the campgrounds, the day-use areas, picnic areas and parking lots, as well as on Bane Canyon Road, but must be kept on a leash at all times. Camping fees are $30 per night. You can book your stay at www.reservecalifornia. com, or by calling 800-444-7275 (PARK). I haven’t camped here yet, but I’ve checked out the area, and I liked it. I hope to go back and camp soon!
Chino Hills State Park is significantly cooler than the Coachella Valley—often by 15 to 20 degrees. In August, it’s usually warm and dry—high temperatures typically range from the mid-70s to mid-90s—with cooler nights. There can be occasional thunderstorms, especially in late August. The transition to fall in September can bring increased humidity with a higher chance of thunderstorms, particularly in the early part of the month. September is slightly cooler than August, with temperatures averaging in the 70s to low 80s. The park tends to get more visitors in August, while it’s quieter after Labor Day.
The park is known for its biodiversity, and that’s a major highlight, especially for nature lovers and photographers. The diverse habitats such as grasslands, woodlands and chaparral bring a variety of wildlife to the park. It’s possible to encounter mule deer, coyotes, bobcats, gray foxes, raccoons, rabbits, snakes (I’ve seen rattlesnakes here, so be cautious), tarantulas and more. Many different birds can be seen as well—mainly California quail, red-tailed hawks, Western bluebirds, crows/ ravens, owls and woodpeckers. It’s a birder’s paradise!
There’s not usually a lot of rainfall during the summer months, but isolated storms can lead to sudden downpours. Be aware of potential flash flooding in low-lying areas
during storms. The most rainfall occurs from December to February, with December typically being the wettest month. Always check weather forecasts before visiting, as conditions can change rapidly. I once experienced one of these sudden downpours as a rolling thunderstorm popped up on me. Fortunately, it rolled right through, dumping only minimal rainfall, so there was no flash flooding that day. My clothes dried quickly, and I continued my trek through the park. It was an awesome experience!
After the winter rains, the rolling hills become lush and green, filled with vibrant blooms. You’ll enjoy a blanket of California poppies and lupines in the spring. I once visited in March, and it was a bit early for the blooms; the hills did have some color, but the blooms are more vibrant during the month of May.
Trails are usually dry and accessible May through October, making for good hiking conditions—but be prepared for potential heat during the day; early morning hikes are best. Stay hydrated (always bring more water than you will need), and wear proper shoes, clothing, a hat and sun protection.
Here are five of the most popular trails within the park, according to AllTrails:
• Bane Canyon Loop Trail is a moderate hike, just less than six miles, with an elevation gain of 787 feet. It can take around 2 1/2 hours to complete. You can access the trail off Bane Canyon Road; in fact, the first half of the trail parallels the road. The second half of the loop is along the Bane Ridge Trail, and this is where you’ll see nice views of the foothills; it is most scenic during the spring when wildflowers are in bloom.
• Bane Canyon Short Loop Trail is a moderate and shorter version of the Bane Canyon Loop. It’s only 2.5 miles with less than 400 feet of elevation gain, and takes around an hour to complete. This trail has great views of the rolling hills and is perfect for a quick hike—but be prepared for some rocky terrain and steep inclines with full sun. Go early; bring sun protection and lots of water.
Chino Hills State Park, just 90 minutes away, offers cooler weather and natural beauty
• Telegraph Canyon Overlook is an easy to moderate 5.6-mile trail with an elevation gain of just less than 600 feet, and takes a little more than two hours to complete. Most of this trail is along Bane Canyon Road, and it’s recommended to stay on the dirt road when you get there. This one is a favorite, a relatively easy trail with pretty views of rolling hills and wildflowers when in season.
• Bane Ridge Trail to Pomona Trail Loop is a moderate, 4.3-mile loop, with an elevation gain of 810 feet; it takes about two hours to complete. It starts with a gradual uphill climb and circles Bane Canyon, with scenic views of Chino Hills and the surrounding mountains.
• Little Canyon Loop is a moderate hike, just over two miles, with an elevation gain of 406 feet; it takes about an hour to complete. Starting at South Ridge Trail, go east (uphill) for just more than a mile, to the first trail to the left. There will be a sign for Little Canyon Trail. It’s a narrow trail with a mix of steep inclines and scenic views. Trails are subject to closure due to weather
conditions. The park is closed during extreme winds and for 48 hours when the park gets a quarter-inch of rain. The park is also closed during times of extreme fire danger, when the National Weather Service announces a red flag warning. During a park closure, signs are posted at all entrances. Check for any fire restrictions or park alerts before your visit by going to the park’s webpage at www.parks. ca.gov/?page_id=648.
The official park entrance is at 4721 Sapphire Road, in Chino Hills. Vehicle entrances are $10 ($9 for seniors age 62-plus) per day. Admission is free to all walkers, but you must park legally outside the park boundaries. It is not recommended to park along Sapphire Road near the park entrance, and unauthorized parking along residential streets or near the entrance may result in tickets or towing. Gate hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from April through Sept. 30, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from October until the first Sunday in April. Find more detailed information at chinohills. org/284/Chino-Hills-State-Park.
The beautiful rolling hills and grasslands just before a rainstorm within Chino Hills State Park. Theresa Sama
KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS
BY BONNIE GILGALLON
The performing bug bit Gary Powers early. Born in Pottsville, Pa., in 1957, the fourth of six children, Powers wrote a musical at the age of 8, and told people he wanted to be a movie star when he grew up.
His older brothers were all athletic, and were scouted by Major League Baseball. Powers sat in the stands every summer, cheering them on; he’s still a big baseball fan—but Powers had other talents. Calling Powers his “special son,” his dad took him to singing contests all over the state, which he usually won.
Tragedy struck when Powers was 12: His father suddenly died at the age of 48. Powers said his dad was the center of the family unit, which was basically destroyed when he passed away.
“I’m one of those people who comes across a hurdle or a problem, and I kind of get stuck for a little bit,” Powers said. “Then I ask myself, ‘How do we figure this out?’ So my solution, as a 12-year-old kid, was to find myself another family.”
It was a couple with no children who lived up the street in a brand-new house. They’d been to Europe and taught Powers how to set a table, how to say please and thank you, and so on—things he would not have learned from his own family, he said.
Powers was told, as a kid, “If you’re a good boy, good things will happen to you.”
“So when my father died when I was 12, somehow in my mind, I thought God was punishing me,” he said. “For years, I thought I had killed my father.”
Powers began self-medicating with food. By the time he was 14, he weighed 250 pounds. Then at the age of 17, he added drugs and alcohol to the mix.
Powers made his acting debut in high school in a production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. He played a porter and had only one line—but he was hooked. The school’s drama department recognized his talent and cast him in a number of subsequent productions. At the end of his senior year, he was named Best Actor at the Secondary School Drama Festival in Bucks County, Pa.
Intrigued by the Watergate scandal, Powers studied journalism for two years at Penn State University. He also started a drama club there, organizing tours of shows at local schools, and arranging trips to New York for the club’s members. After receiving a brochure from Emerson College in Boston following his sophomore year, Powers auditioned for the school’s drama department, and received a full scholarship.
“Boston was a great thing for a 19-year-old rural Pennsylvania kid,” he said. “It was at a time when a lot of shows would come through town on their way to Broadway, so I got to see a lot of theater.”
In 1979, Powers graduated with a degree in
directing. “I started working at the Colonial Theatre, which is a union house,” he said.
In 1981, John Kander came to the theater with the show Woman of the Year, starring Lauren Bacall.
“I told Kander I was a big fan, and had the chutzpah to ask him how a show changes as it’s going through out-of-town tryouts,” he said. “Kander said, ‘Meet me for breakfast tomorrow at the Park Plaza Hotel, and I’ll tell you.’” They met over the next six weeks.
In 1990, Powers moved to New York—where there would be 5,000 people at auditions rather than the 50 or so he’d compete against in Boston, he said. To pay his bills, Powers began working in box offices, eventually moving up to Broadway theatres. He got to meet and work with folks like Bob Fosse, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn and the Redgrave sisters.
After battling addiction for decades, Powers got sober at 29. He calls it the best thing he’s ever done.
“It’s tough when most of your friends drink. You have to learn how to live life a different way,” he said. “Alcoholism isn’t about alcohol; it’s about all those things you’re trying to obliterate with the booze. When I first went to counseling, the therapist asked me what I was feeling, and I had no idea.”
Though he had great success in New York, Powers began to feel burned out. “The day a homeless woman spit in my face on the subway, I decided it was time to go,” he said.
In 2014, he and his husband, Miguel, a contractor, sold their seven-bedroom Victorian house in Brooklyn and moved to Palm Springs. Miguel has built such a stellar reputation as a home renovator here in the valley that he has a five-year waiting list, Powers said.
Powers joined a writers’ group and got cast in several local shows. He later met the person who would become his business partner, James Owens, and the two took over the space which formerly housed the Desert Rose Playhouse. In the fall of 2023, Revolution Stage Company was born.
Meet Gary Powers, a driving force behind Revolution Stage Company— and a huge fan of roller derby
They completely renovated the space, added a second dressing room and bought a new sound system. “We’re about breaking the rules and thinking outside the box, including doing performances on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, which most theaters here don’t do,” he said. “We’ve really tried to create an off-Broadway type of experience.”
During Revolution’s first season, the theater hosted more than 225 performances, sometimes with 12 or 13 shows per week.
Powers said he and Owens like to try new things and see what works. “As a playwright, I didn’t feel there were a lot of opportunities here to get my work onstage, and I knew that other playwrights felt the same,” he said. “So we created a Ten-Minute Play Festival, which was a huge success.”
Revolution also offers “Piano Riot” on Saturdays, in which local pianists play while audience members sing along, and a competition for local cabaret performers called “Cabaret Riot.” Next season, they’re adding “Comedy Riot” with standup comedians.
Powers is pleased that the people who warned them that they wouldn’t be successful within their first five years were wrong. That said, he does concede that running a successful theater is difficult—especially the fundraising aspect. Thankfully, he can lean on his years of experience, especially in New York, and his attitude.
One thing folks might not know about Powers: He’s a huge roller derby fan—and owns the largest collection of roller derby memorabilia in the world. Seriously.
His philosophy of life? “I believe that when you make a mistake, just admit it and move on,” he said. “Let things go. It’s true that living well is the best revenge. I have such gratitude, and I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”
Learn more at www.revolutionstagecompamy.com. Bonnie Gilgallon has written theater reviews for the Independent since 2013. She hosts a digital interview show, The Desert Scene, which can be heard on www.thedesertscene.com and viewed on Mutual Broadcasting’s YouTube channel. Learn more at bonnie-g.com.
Gary Powers, on leaving New York for Palm Springs: “The day a homeless woman spit in my face on the subway, I decided it was time to go.”
OPINION
PROFIT OVER COMMUNITY
Thermal Ranch is the latest example of leaders disregarding community concerns over big development
by Allyson Jeffredo
In the backdrop of the immigration raids across the Coachella Valley, the Thermal community has experienced another betrayal.
On Monday, June 16, the Thermal Community Council turned their backs on the Thermal community during a special listening session about the Thermal Ranch project, a 619-acre luxury housing and equestrian development in the heart of Thermal. The project will further gentrify the small, rural, unincorporated community that has been fighting for years for basic rights like access to clean water and safe housing.
More than 50 community members showed up to urge the council not to sign a letter of
support for the development. That’s 2 percent of the 2,676 Thermal residents—a significant turnout by any means.
The community made 1 1/2 hours of poignant and passionate public comments opposing the project, making it clear: We want change. We want growth, but not like this—not based on the unaccountable charity of a luxury developer whose main priority is business and profit.
One community member said, “The horses will have air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. That’s more than some of us who work in the fields have.” Among other luxuries, the plan outlines space for up to 2,700 horses onsite.
Yet the council members voted 4-1 with one abstention to approve the letter of support. This act proved the listening session was a performative gesture instead of an actual attempt to listen and represent the
community’s wishes.
Most of the council members were convinced that they need this luxury development. A councilmember argued the revenue from the project will somehow thwart the threat of the cities of La Quinta and Coachella from annexing Thermal. The rest of the council agreed. They were more concerned with the size of city boundaries than the community’s health and well-being. Because of this, the developer walked away with the victory, while the community experienced yet another betrayal.
This kind of governmental betrayal is nothing new for the Coachella Valley. For years, the Coachella Valley community has opposed luxury developments. See the litigation around Disney’s Cotino community. Yet the cities continue to approve these developments. It is a part of a larger trend of cities siding with developers instead of the communities they represent.
The cities, supported by organizations like Visit Greater Palm Springs, approve these projects based on the promise of jobs and tourism revenue. Yet residents rarely see the benefits in their day-to-day life. Instead, residents face mostly dead-end hospitality and service jobs, with stagnant wages. All this is set against the stark rise in the cost of living that tourism brings to the valley, making it challenging for residents to survive.
Thankfully, for the Thermal community, the fight is not over yet. The next phase is for the Thermal Ranch project to go to the Riverside County Planning Commission for approval. The county has said the meeting will be scheduled this summer.
Follow the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability (www.instagram.com/ leadership_counsel) to stay up to date with this project. Join the cause to put a stop to this valley-wide gentrification.
Allyson Jeffredo is a poet, writer, and educator from the Coachella Valley. Read more of her work or connect with her at www.allysonjeffredo.com.
Allyson Jeffredo.
PET HELP
by KEVIN FITZGERALD
SThe Coachella Valley again has a 24-hour animal hospital with the opening of VEG ER for Pets
tep outside anywhere in the Coachella Valley, and the odds are pretty good that you’ll bump into a pet and their owner walking, shopping or enjoying a meal at a pet-friendly restaurant—yet the area had been without a 24-hour animal hospital in recent months. Fortunately, that gap in emergency care for pets was filled in May, with the opening of VEG
ER for Pets in Palm Desert.
The state-of-the-art facility, at 73495 Highway 111, features an unusually large and reliable staff, given current veterinarian shortages throughout the country.
“We currently have eight highly trained emergency doctors working in our facility, including myself,” said Dr. Keith Mihansky, the medical director of the clinic, in a recent interview. “We have a leadership team, and somewhere between 20 and 30 nurses, assistants and customer experience coordinators, all helping to provide the best patient care and experience that we can for the community. Of course, given our high (patient) volume so far, we’re looking to expand our team.”
According to Mihansky, the clinic has seen a lot of drop-in patients since opening on May 14.
“We kind of knew that the (Coachella Valley) had an extremely high need, but oftentimes, it does take some time for the community to know about us, for us to build up our (visibility) in the community,” said Mihansky, who has overseen the opening of two other new VEG ER for Pets facilities in recent years. “But it’s happened extremely quickly here. We saw over 20 cases on the first day that we opened, and we were only open from noon on, and we saw upwards of 60 cases over the (Memorial Day) weekend. We’ve been quite busy, which is great, because all of these people and their pets would have been driving really far distances otherwise. We’ve had a large number of patients hospitalized as well, (and) we’ve done some surgeries and endoscopies, too.”
One differentiating aspect of the VEG ER for Pets business model is that the clinics are designed to allow, and even promote, a human’s ability to be with their pet at all points during the visit.
“We do try to practice ER medicine differently,” Mihansky said. “We keep people with their pets the entire time, beginning with the initial assessment of their pet’s (condition), during testing and treatment, hospitalization, and we even let our pet owners be a part of watching a procedure, if they’re comfortable with that. … We strive for making the experience great, not just for the pet, but also for the people who bring them in.”
The Palm Desert clinic offers an extensive
portfolio of medical services, all of which are performed from start to finish on the spot, including diagnostics and tests, urgent care, emergency surgery, sedation procedures, endoscopies, ultrasounds and X-rays. Mihansky said his medical training included a rotating internship in emergency-room treatment with critical-care specialists, internal medicine, neurology, ophthalmology and radiology, which prepared him to manage a clinic with a very diverse animal patient base.
“We joke that we’ll see (and treat) anything that fits through the door,” Mihansky said with a laugh. “We definitely have training in stabilizing exotic species. In this (valley), we’ve commonly seen birds, and we’ve seen a number of different reptile species. Bearded dragons are becoming pretty popular. We’ve also seen some snakes and tortoises. … Pets like rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets, we’ve seen all of those, too. As long as it’s not something that’s venomous or a primate, we’re open to seeing them.
“When it comes to larger animals, we’ve actually treated a goat and a pig at our facility since we opened. We definitely want to provide the best possible options. Sometimes (we need) to follow up with an exotic specialist or a large animal vet after initial stabilization, if necessary. Recently, we worked with a local rescue organization, closer to Big Bear, and performed a blood transfusion on a baby coyote that had a high parasite burden and became severely anemic—so we’ve helped in some wildlife situations as well.”
Of course, all this sophisticated veterinary expertise, and its associated equipment and infrastructure, is expensive. Many professionals recommend that pet owners either purchase a pet health-insurance plan, or create a savings account to cover an almost inevitable medical emergency at some point in a pet’s life.
“Emergency care for pets, just like with people, can get quite expensive, especially if a pet needs more intensive treatment, like hospitalization or a procedure under anesthesia,” Mihansky said. “The good thing about VEG ER is that we do try to have some flexibility when it comes to cost. I would not say by any means that we are a low-cost facility; keeping the hospital open and operating, 24-7, 365, definitely is expensive. I will say that the
feedback I’ve gotten from our pet owners so far has been pretty good in regards to our pricing, and we do try to be as flexible as possible to help people when needed. Sometimes it requires coming up with a Plan B or C, or working with some of the other vets in the area that might be able to do certain treatments at a lower cost, but we do try to help where we can, and we do have a charitable organization called VEG Cares, which allows us to subsidize treatment for qualifying individuals. There are some really specific requirements that go along with that, but we do try to do what we can to help people in all situations.”
Mihansky mentioned a variety of potential threats to pets during these warm summer months.
“We see a lot of heat-related illness over the summer,” Mihansky said. “… If you have a breed of dog like a pug, or a French bulldog, or an English bulldog with a shorter muzzle, they’re really susceptible to heat stroke. Even a short period of time spent in our extreme heat outside can be an issue for them. Also,
we can see burns from the hot ground surfaces, especially to the paw pads of dogs. We’ve seen quite a few rattlesnake bites since we opened, and coyote attacks, so being aware of wildlife in the area as the months get warmer is important, too. And we’ve seen a number of pool-related injuries, like older dogs falling into the pool and developing pneumonia or drowning.”
Mihansky said that if anyone is suddenly confronted with an emergency involving their treasured pet, they’re encouraged to call the clinic at 760-249-2279.
“We actually forward (each call) to one of our emergency doctors,” Mihansky said. “So if your readers ever have concerns about something going on with their pet—if they are worried in the middle of the night and want to know if something constitutes an emergency—we always recommend giving us a call. By speaking to one of our doctors, we can help walk you through the situation. We’ll see if there are some things you can do to manage at home, or we’ll recommend that you bring your pet in for us to look at them.”
The staff holds a meeting at VEG ER for Pets in Palm Desert. Photo courtesy of VEG ER for Pets
‘UNCHECKED CONDUCT’
by Kevin Fitzgerald
In December 2021, Dr. Richard Loftus, the former assistant program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Eisenhower Medical Center, filed a lawsuit against EMC, an associated primary care provider group called the Eisenhower Medical Associates (EMA), and a number of individual Eisenhower employees.
The case revolved around certain EMC executives’ resistance to COVID-19-related safety recommendations championed by Loftus in 2020 as the pandemic took hold—and the alleged retaliatory actions taken against Loftus by those executives in attempts to silence his calls for mandatory masking and other measures to protect the safety of both patients and medical staff.
The lawsuit also claimed that Loftus’ supervisor, Dr. Mehrdad Abbasi, harassed and intimidated female residents under his and Loftus’ supervision.
On June 30, 2025, a retired judge appointed to act as the referee/arbitrator on the case found in favor of Loftus, awarding him $1.6 million for a loss of earnings ($600,000) and emotional distress ($1 million). A trial to determine the dollar amount of any punitive damages is scheduled to take place in August.
“This case wasn’t just about me,” Loftus said during a recent interview with the Independent. “It was about so many dozens of us working in Eisenhower who complained about concerns of worker and patient safety during the early COVID outbreak, as well as concerns about a pervasive toxic culture that tolerated sexual harassment and sexist bullying of women, both in the residency program and in the hospital at large.
“The judicial referee, (retired Judge Michael) Latin, agreed with all nine of our points in the case. The hospital … broke multiple laws,
not to mention the hospital’s own policies and bylaws. … There was a clear pattern of singling me out for speaking up about the COVID conditions, but also retaliating against me for speaking up about issues of worker and patient safety, and about the issues of discrimination against all the women residents and staff.”
‘A Respected Mentor’ Who Fought for COVID Precautions
In his 52-page decision, Latin goes to great lengths to recount the dynamics at play at EMC during that high-stress moment in history, and explain how he came to side with the plaintiff’s contentions over those of the defendants at EMC.
“Dr. Loftus was, by all accounts, a revered doctor and a beloved and respected mentor,” Latin wrote. “Every testifying physician who worked with him or under him testified about the profound impact he had on their career. He was described by those witnesses as ‘tireless,’ ‘caring,’ ‘brilliant’ and ‘selfless.’ He gave everybody his undivided attention. Several witnesses cried or became tearful when describing the impact Dr. Loftus had on their career choices and trajectories. Prior to the COVID pandemic, Dr. Loftus enjoyed an exemplary employment history with nothing but positive feedback in his personnel file over his 10-year history with EMA.
“There is little dispute that Dr. Loftus, as the pandemic spread, felt that EMC was not being sufficiently proactive. Leadership was not, in his view, doing everything it could to assure the safety of the residents, hospital staff and physicians, or the public at large. It is also beyond dispute that Dr. Loftus made public statements that, in the eyes of the administration, embarrassed and reflected poorly upon the medical center. … While this was occurring, others at the hospital were busy trying to control the flow of information to prevent hysteria, managing the supply of PPE to protect staff and the public, and trying to stay ahead of the ever-changing news on the virus’ spread. Concurrently, others were focused on denying the virus’ seriousness, or the need for protection, and ridiculing and belittling those who were genuinely fearful and aggressive about taking precautions.”
A former Eisenhower Medical Center doctor wins a $1.6 million judgement against the hospital for disregarding COVID-19 safety pleas and harassment complaints
Latin said Eisenhower Health President and CEO Martin Massiello admitted frustration “with Loftus and ‘all of his COVID emails.’ Mr. Massiello formed this attitude toward Dr. Loftus at the very beginning of March (2020), at the start of the pandemic. At trial, Mr. Massiello expressed no sincere acknowledgement, even in retrospect, that Loftus was simply ahead of the curve or legitimately concerned. Looking back, most of what Dr. Loftus warned about was correct. Massiello’s attitude toward Dr. Loftus and ‘all of his COVID emails,’ as well as other expressions of exasperation with Loftus in other emails during the early days of COVID, clearly reflect his bias and treatment of Dr. Loftus in the ensuing months, as Dr. (Abbasi’s) conflict with Loftus eventually came to a head.”
Latin found that Loftus’ complaints about Dr. Abbasi had merit.
“Around the time of the pandemic,” the decision reads, “tension grew in the Residency Program between the residency director, Dr. Abbasi, and other less senior staff, physicians and residents. Many, if not all, of the women who worked under Dr. Abbasi complained that he was sexist; that he would berate and demean others—particularly women; that he treated his position of authority ‘like a dictatorship’; that he belittled staff and doctors who wore masks; and that he prohibited the residents from wearing masks, among other complaints; that he was dishonest and ‘lied all the time’; and that he created a ‘toxic work environment’ for all the residents. … These issues were not new. They had plagued the Residency Program for some time. But they reached a boiling point when Dr. Abbasi revealed himself to many as a ‘COVID denier’ who, in addition to all the other offenses, belittled those who took COVID seriously or tried to take precautions against it. Against
this backdrop, Loftus was being criticized by the administration for his proactive advocacy—if not for the positions he took, then certainly for his approach. Several physicians ultimately resigned from EMC because of the toxic work environment Dr. Abbasi created. Many felt, correctly, that EMC ignored their complaints and did nothing to protect them or create a safe work environment.”
Latin’s decision discusses several female residents who testified during the trial phase regarding abuse they experienced from Abbasi.
“Morale in the residency program was abysmal due to Dr. Abbasi’s unchecked conduct,” Latin wrote. “When the COVID pandemic hit, the problem worsened. He was a COVID denier who dismissed their safety concerns and belittled those who took precautions against COVID. A common refrain was that he would let residents know that he was the one who decides whether the residents have successfully completed their residency to graduate. As a result, residents lived in constant fear for their futures if they stood up to him.
“These complaints were so universally known and long ignored that even a high-ranking physician who sat on the Medical Examination Committee … herself submitted a gender discrimination complaint about Dr. Abbasi to Human Resources. And even then, nothing was done.”
A Sense of Vindication
The Independent reached out Lee Rice, EMC’s media coordinator and public relations specialist, to talk to Eisenhower representatives regarding the suit. Rice responded, “The trial process is not yet complete; therefore, Eisenhower Health will not be providing comment or participating in interviews at this time.”
Dr. Richard Loftus.
Loftus, and his attorney, Jeffrey Rager, said Latin’s decision brought a long-awaited sense of vindication.
“It was apparent to me, even at the time, that this probably was really illegal and unfair, and I also was aware that there were many people who supported me,” Loftus told the Independent “While there was this story that I was some kind of disruptor to the hospital, there were so many people who were relieved that somebody was speaking up. … One of the concerns the resident doctors had expressed was that they found this culture to be one of toxic tolerance of discrimination. … They were worried that they were no longer free to speak up and give feedback to the program, because instead of being taken as ways for us to evolve and improve, (their comments) were seen as meaningless criticisms and grounds to browbeat people. What’s ironic is the very culture of retaliation that the residents were worried about was demonstrated by the hospital in how they treated me. I spoke up on behalf of the residents, and I was personally retaliated against. I couldn’t ask for a better confirmation that our concerns about the hospital’s culture were spot-on.”
Rager said he has never encountered a case with “such an uncontroverted version of events.”
“From our perspective, like the referee said, there were 30 people who talked in support of Dr. Loftus, as well as to the abuse by Dr. Abbasi … EMC’s policies say, ‘If you have concerns about patient safety or resident safety, come to us. We’ll protect you. If you have concerns about someone being gender abusive, come to us. We’ll protect you.’ (Yet) they retaliated against Dr. Loftus for doing that. So, it’s important because, as the judicial referee noted, all these (defendants) are still in place. Nothing has changed, and there was no acceptance of responsibility at all during trial. It was complete defiance.”
Rager said this defiance was evident in how Eisenhower responded to attempts to settle the case.
“We did try and settle this, and the settlement attempts were not even close,” Rager said. “So EMC brought us to this forum. We were originally in court, and they filed a motion to compel this case into a judicial referee system. The judge was an agreed-upon judge … and so, this is the end result of a continuing pattern of failing to accept any responsibility, (which) I think is highlighted by this decision.”
Loftus said he has no regrets about speaking out about the problems at Eisenhower Medical Center.
“I feel that (the referee’s decision) demonstrates that everything that I stood up for was right, and it’s nice to be vindicated,” Loftus said. “I paid a huge personal price for what they did to me, and I would do it again. I would take a bullet for those residents.”
NEWS
‘BERKELEY BIG SISTER’
By Tallulah Rector
Coachella Valley High School graduate and UC Berkeley student Julissa Felix is only a swipe, scroll and click away.
On TikTok and Instagram, @jewels.felix smiles and dances in pink outfits and full glam for the 300,000-plus cumulative followers of her fashion and shopping content—but her glittering online persona is just one aspect of Julissa Felix. She’s a driven, 19-year-old student with a passion for politics, and in late March, Julissa was invited to the National Young Feminist Leader-
ship Conference in Washington, D.C.
After graduating, Julissa has stayed involved in the Coachella Valley High School Young Women’s Empowerment Club, in which she held a leadership position during her senior year. Through the chapter, she was able to attend the conference, which included workshops and speakers on topics such as campus leadership, feminism, period poverty and higher education. Julissa had the chance to speak to members of Congress, telling them about the need for education reform in Coachella in wake of the Trump administration’s budget cuts.
“I literally would get emotional every single day (of the conference) being in these spaces, because our voices actually mattered,” she said.
For Julissa, the conference was a space where she felt like she could finally be
heard—although political advocacy was not new to her. During Julissa’s senior year of high school, she worked with the club to make the school district enact Assembly Bill 367, a law that went into effect in 2022 mandating that all sixth- through 12th-grade schools provide period products in restrooms. Julissa said the administration was not very receptive to the club’s call for change; nonetheless, Julissa and her peers persistently advocated for the law and gave presentations to the board until the law was finally implemented.
Julissa grew up in Coachella, born to an immigrant family who wanted to give her the opportunities they never had. Now entering her sophomore year at UC Berkeley, Julissa is the first member of her family to attend college. However, she was reluctant to go to Berkeley.
“There is such a small Latino population at
Meet Julissa Felix, a 19-year-old influencer who is always fighting for women’s empowerment
Berkeley,” she said. “My first semester, I felt like a complete outsider and felt like I didn’t belong.”
Despite her concerns, Julissa dove into college life head-first. She is part of the Raíces Center, Cal Democrats, Hermanas Unidas, student government and even the campus coffee club. She said she always strives to make other students feel welcome, because she understands feeling out of place.
Even at the conference in Washington, D.C., Julissa noticed that there weren’t many girls who looked like her. In fact, there was only one Latina panelist throughout the entire weekend, she said—and she was another Coachella Valley High School attendee.
“Here in the Coachella Valley, you’re used to seeing Latinas (in governmental roles), and a lot of our representatives are Latinas, so it was a crazy difference,” she said.
Current Coachella Valley High School students have taken to calling her their “Berkeley Big Sister.” She said she’s more than happy to answer any email, text or Instagram message she receives asking questions about college life and admissions. A student at Desert Mirage High School even messaged her for advice on starting her own Women’s Empowerment Club, she said.
Julissa dreams of serving in Congress, so she can tackle systemic issues in education access.
“Because I come from a Mexican household, machismo and sexism are a huge thing and something I grew up in,” she said. “… I’m also the oldest girl, so that comes with a lot of responsibilities and this idea of being this ‘perfect golden child.’”
While some family members have called her “too loud” or scoffed at her political comments because of her gender, Julissa has already accomplished more than they could have imagined.
“Because I’m so feminine-presenting, people kind of dismiss me, or they’re just like, ‘She’s too girly,’ or, ‘She’s too this,’” she said. “And then I start talking, and they’re like, ‘What?’ Not only am I a feminist; I am an educated feminist.”
One moment, Julissa is making a TikTok about her outfit; in the next, she is advocating for the Coachella Valley at a conference in the nation’s capital. Julissa loves surprising people—and she doesn’t plan on stopping the surprises anytime soon.
“I’ll keep on pushing,” she said. “There’s more education. Like I said, I want to be feminine, but disgustingly educated. I just want to be in these spaces.”
Julissa Felix attended the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., in March. “I literally would get emotional every single day (of the conference) being in these spaces, because our voices actually mattered,” she said.
THE TRIBE’S SIDE
Section 14: The Untold Story, the newest exhibit at the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, explores the complicated history of a tract of land in the heart of downtown Palm Springs. The square-mile location, and the people who have lived on Section 14, have been the subject of headlines since President Ulysses S. Grant signed the origin documents, making the by HALEEMON ANDERSON
land part of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation in 1876.
In 1968, the Riverside Press-Enterprise won a Pulitzer Prize for reporting on the effects of the federal government’s guardianship of the tribe. A local group, Section 14 Survivors, made national news when it successfully sued the city of Palm Springs for reparations, due to the city’s part in forced evictions from the land in the 1950s and ‘60s.
With this new exhibit, the Agua Caliente are telling their side of story.
Section 14: The Untold Story features archival photographs, recordings, letters and government directives. While these artifacts lack a certain dynamism, the exhibit is essential viewing—you must stop and read to digest the racism, discrimination and, in some cases, rank cruelty found in these seemingly innocuous documents.
A new 16-minute film featuring testimony from tribal elders is the emotional heart and soul of the exhibit. In first-hand accounts, they tell of a Palm Springs before it became a vacation destination, when it was still a vast space where children skated by day, and walked in their pajamas to bathe at the tribe’s hot springs at night.
The hot springs, located in Section 14, were an early tourist destination—the unofficial center of the city. When the U.S. government established the transcontinental railroad line, it allowed the land to be divided and eventually developed. As the region grew, and “civilization” came to the doorstep, one elder remembers, the city wanted the valuable tribe-owned plots on Section 14. Tribal leaders made the decision to fight back and assert sovereignty over the land.
Reid Milanovich, chairman of the Cahuilla Band of Agua Caliente Indians Tribal Council, helped open the exhibit, in the museum’s Changing Gallery, in June. The Independent recently interviewed Milanovich regarding the impact of the exhibit.
Why was it important to bring the story of Section 14 forward now?
The issues surrounding Section 14 are wellknown amongst our tribal members. The previous Agua Caliente Cultural Museum had a Section 14 exhibit that was actually displayed (in
2019) at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian came out; they liked what they saw, and they brought it out to D.C. It was important at that time that the story be told, because it was such an important part of our history.
We’re very focused on presenting the facts of what happened and what was leading up to it. There’s so much to Section 14; it was important to us now to put some factual documents out there. As you saw, (the current exhibit) talks about the allotment process, and it talks about the conservatorship program. When guests come through, they get a better idea of the full picture of the events surrounding what went on during that time.
How did it happen that Section 14 had this confluence of people, as opposed to the other squares on the checkerboard?
Was it the proximity to what was developing as downtown Palm Springs?
Section 14 was the original reservation established in 1876 by President Grant, just that one location. That was the original square mile. It wasn’t until one year later, by President (Rutherford B.) Hayes, that it was expanded into what it is today. I do think proximity had a factor in it, just because it is so central and such a major part of the downtown area. (As for) the reason why there was such a collection of people (living there), I can’t speak on behalf of the city, but to my understanding, it was that other non-whites were not welcomed, or they just didn’t have the means to afford to live on other sections within the city itself. On Section 14, they were welcomed onto the land.
In the exhibit, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is shown making decisions that were not favorable to the native Indian community. The BIA falls under the Department of the Interior, and was developed to aid and assist Native Americans. Unfortunately, there were laws that were written during that time that were unfavorable toward tribal members, and a prime example of that was a conservatorship program where it was legal for non-Indians to be assigned to tribal members to manage their affairs. What is talked about in the exhibit was essentially a legal robbery of tribal members. It wasn’t until 1972 that Congress actually pulled
The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum’s ‘Section 14: The Untold Story’ exhibit explains what happened on Palm Springs’ most storied section of land
that back and determined that was no longer needed. But that was after years and years and years of deliberation and tribal members fighting against the program.
Some of the historic documents included in the exhibit were very emotional to take in. One of the things that was most affecting was a picture of a young child in the arms of a conservator; the notes said that the child was picking their allotment. What did that mean?
It was exactly what the picture was showing: a child picking out their allotment, but the conservator had the legal authority to actually move forward with it and to see that it was completed. So much of the issue is that what was going on was not right. You were seeing so many conservators taking advantage of tribal members … including young children, as you saw in the photo. It was very important that that photo was shown. You’re saying it affected you. We’re not trying to stir up drama; we’re showing this is what happened. So whether it’s dark or bright, it’s history. It needs to be shown.
The allotment process means that an individual tribal member has ownership over that piece of reservation. It’s still in trust status, meaning that it’s part of the reservation, but that individual member has an ownership in that piece. … That allotment (process) was designed to essentially terminate tribes, because the thought process was, “Well, these individual tribal members are going to sell off all of the land,” eventually meaning that there’s going to be no more reservation—therefore, no tribe and no tribal government.
As the museum approaches its two-year anniversary in November, why was now the time to bring this story forward? It fills in the gaps to a story that is so wellknown by our tribe and our tribal members, but not generally known to the general public. This gets out historical documents, and historical facts about events leading up to tribal members regaining control over their own affairs. It completes that overall message: (Although) the tribe and the tribal members were being taken advantage of, through decades, out of resilience and determination by tribal members, they were able to work their way out of it.
That story needs to be told, because it was a decades-long effort by so many tribal leaders and tribal members who at that time really didn’t have (the resources) to be able to do what they were doing. … Now, the tribe now is much more successful, and we do have more resources in order to put up such efforts. But at that time, when the tribe essentially had close to nothing, for them to do what they did is really extraordinary.
You saw monumental laws being changed, and that was because tribal members were standing up and saying, “This is not OK. We’re a sovereign government; we should have the ability, and we do have the ability and the authority to oversee our own lands.”
Section 14: The Untold Story will be on display at the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, at 140 N. Indian Canyon Drive, through May 31, 2026. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $10, with discounts. For more information, visit accmuseum.org.
The federal government’s conservatorship program amounted to “legal robbery of tribal members,” according to Chairman Reid Milanovich. The program remained in place until 1972. Courtesy of the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
because where you donate furniture matters.
CV HISTORY
IThe Parker Palm Springs got its start as California’s first Holiday Inn
The Holiday Inn/Melody Ranch/Gene Autry Hotel/Givenchy Spa/Merv Griffin’s Resort Hotel by greg niemann
t’s still going strong, but the Parker Palm Springs has changed hands and names so often that many people don’t know that this storied place has a fascinating history—and has been owned by two different showbiz icons.
and Givenchy Spa/Le Parker Meridien, at 4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive, was California’s first Holiday Inn, initially a small cinderblock and concrete building built in 1959 on what was then the far edge of Palm Springs. Local builder Milt Hicks and partners were the contractors of the hotel that reportedly initially cost $1.5 million.
After the Holiday Inn decided to move its Palm Springs presence to a larger hotel uptown, singing cowboy Gene Autry bought the hotel in 1961. Autry owned the brand-new California Angels baseball team, and wanted the hotel, in part, to house the new Major League Baseball team for spring training. The team was training in Palm Springs at the newly named Angel Stadium, originally called the Polo Grounds (today’s Palm Springs Stadium) when built in 1949.
Autry changed the name of the Holiday Inn to Melody Ranch and increased the number of rooms, while adding tennis courts, a second swimming pool, first-class suites, bars and restaurants. The name that stuck over the next 30 years, however, was the Gene Autry Hotel.
In 1994, Autry sold the hotel to Rose Narva, his hotel general manager. Narva then worked out an arrangement with French designer Hubert de Givenchy, who lent the resort its name.
Before Autry died in 1998, he and his wife, Jackie, owned a home in Old Las Palmas that was eventually sold by his widow in 2023. The Autrys have given much to the community. In 1983, they donated $5 million for an expan-
sion, now called the Autry Tower, at Eisenhower Medical Center.
In 1998, television personality and businessman Merv Griffin bought the Givenchy and renamed it Merv Griffin’s Resort Hotel and Givenchy Spa. By this time, the hotel included 14 beautifully manicured gardens and orchards, boasted 107 rooms and villas, and had become a favorite respite for Hollywood celebrities. The Versailles-inspired white colonnaded resort featured a top restaurant called GiGi’s, a full-service spa, six tennis courts, 10,500 square feet of indoor meeting space, and outdoor event space as well. The world-class spa was ranked No. 4 by readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine.
Griffin sold it in late 2002 to Epix Hotels and Resorts, who only owned it for a short time. It closed for a while and was purchased in 2003 by the parent company of Le Parker Meridien. The Parker group made significant renovations, and it reopened in 2004, immediately becoming the desert’s first five-star resort.
Today, there are 144 luxurious rooms, suites and villas. The upscale spa is now called the Palm Springs Yacht Club, and the Parker is home to three restaurants, recreational amenities such as a health club, and both indoor and outdoor pools.
Fans of the singing cowboy, and/or those wanting the utmost in hedonistic luxury, can rent Autry’s two-bedroom, two-bath residence at the Parker, a mid-century jewel set behind a private gate, with a fully equipped kitchen, a sauna and a private saline pool. Then there is Mrs. Parker’s, “the world’s smallest restau-
rant” according to the hotel. It is for that “very special occasion” like a marriage proposal or romantic anniversary. It is a poolside private table for two by the Gene Autry pool that includes a personal chef.
The Parker Palm Springs may be the place in the valley where you’re most likely to run into celebrities. When it was known as Merv Griffin’s Resort Hotel and Givenchy Spa, it was frequented by Barbra Streisand, Heather Locklear and Kelsey Grammer. A visit to the resort by Robert Downey Jr. made international news. In November 2000, the Academy Award-nominated Chaplin star was arrested at the hotel, and the police confiscated cocaine and valium from his room. (Fortunately, Downey has maintained his sobriety since 2003.)
More recently, numerous celebrities have visited the Parker, including Adrien Brody, Drew Barrymore, Lindsay Lohan, Eva Mendes, Charlize Theron, Kevin Spacey, Liam Neeson, Teri Hatcher and Ozzy Osbourne.
In 2024, travel writer Lucy Broadbent summed up the Parker experience by penning
in The Carousel: “Finicky Hollywood stars have been demanding luxury in Palm Springs since the first movie was ever made. But there’s luxury, and then there’s a world beyond luxury. … In all my years of travel (and I was lucky enough to once be a travel editor for Hello! magazine), I have never stayed anywhere quite like Parker Palm Springs. It is like walking into a Salvador Dali painting, except more inviting and altogether prettier. Jonathan Adler, the famous designer responsible, calls the style ‘hippie chic.’ I’d call it inspired.”
Sources for this article include “Parker Palm Springs. The Unique Celebrity Hideaway In California’s Desert” by Lucy Broadbent, The Carousel, Sept. 4, 2024; Palm Springs Legends by Greg Niemann (Sunbelt Publications, 2006); Palm Springs Confidential by Howard Johns (Barricade Books, 2004); and The Desert Sun, several articles by Tracy Conrad.
Greg Niemann’s new book, Beyond Baja Legends, is out now. Learn more at sunbeltpublications.com.
Gene Autry bought what was California’s first Holiday Inn in 1961. He owned it until 1994. Photo courtesy of the Palm Springs Historical Society.
AUGUST ASTRONOMY
Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight
For August, 2025
This sky chart is drawn for latitude 34 degrees north, but may be used in southern U.S. and northern Mexico.
Set your alarm to get up and enjoy cooler early mornings—and a lot of beautiful celestial events
IBy Robert Victor
n August, the most beautiful scenery and impressive celestial events are to be enjoyed before dawn—along with much more comfortable temperatures for sky watching.
At least three of the five bright planets, plus at least nine stars of first-magnitude or brighter, are all simultaneously visible before dawn. By Aug. 14, the Dog Star Sirius, the brightest star—ranking next in brilliance after Venus and Jupiter—rises in twilight in the east-southeast. Rising left of Sirius, a few degrees north of due east and for the Coachella Valley, about 6 minutes earlier, is Procyon, the ”before the Dog” star, announcing the imminent rising of Sirius. The planet Mercury, to the lower left of Venus, appears above the eastern horizon, bringing the total to four bright planets and 11 bright stars.
Here are additional rewards for early risers:
On Tuesday, Aug. 12, a close pairing of the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, just 0.9° apart, is the most impressive planetary conjunction of this year, with the 88 percent waning gibbous moon appearing close to Saturn that same morning. Also on Aug. 12, and on the 13th, in predawn darkness hours, the Perseid meteor shower is near its peak.
On Aug. 16, the moon, 47 percent lit, is nearly half-full and just past last quarter phase, near the Pleiades star cluster, making a wonderful field for binoculars. On Aug. 17, a 36 percent crescent moon is widely north of Aldebaran and the Hyades star cluster. The “V” formation of Aldebaran and the Hyades makes up the head of Taurus, and fits nicely into the field of view of binoculars.
On Aug. 19, a 16 percent crescent moon appears near Jupiter. On Aug. 20, a thinner 9 percent moon appears near Venus and the Twin stars Pollux and Castor. And on Aug. 21, a thin 4 percent crescent moon appears near Mercury. Deep in bright twilight at first, Mercury attains first magnitude by Aug. 14, when it can be spotted very low in the east-northeast an hour before sunrise, 18° to the lower left of Venus. It gets better! Mercury brightens to magnitude zero by Aug. 18, when it’s 16° to Venus’ lower left. Mercury climbs highest in twilight and approaches closest to the lower left of Venus, by 15°, on Aug. 20-21. Continuing to brighten as it heads toward the far side of the sun, Mercury reaches magnitude 1.0 on Aug. 27, while dropping lower, to 17° to the lower left of Venus. By Aug. 31, Mercury shines at magnitude -1.2.
The faint distant ice giant planets, 5.7-magnitude Uranus and 7.8-magnitude Neptune, can be viewed with optical aid before morning twilight begins. Uranus is easy for binoculars, within 4.4° to the south of third-magnitude Alcyone, the Pleiades’ brightest star. Neptune is 1.1° north to 1.7° north-northeast of Saturn this month, so a small shift in the aim of the telescope after you inspect Saturn’s rings will
bring the faint planet into view. That makes a total of six planets visible in the August morning sky, after Mercury has become easy to see around mid-month. The six planets, in order from east to west, are Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, faint Uranus, faint Neptune and Saturn. They span 124° on Aug. 15; 130°on Aug. 21; 135° on Aug. 25; and 146°on Aug. 31. Over a span of 10 mornings, August 12-21, the waning moon passes eastward along the planetary lineup, from Saturn to Mercury. In the evening sky about an hour after sunset on Aug. 1, golden Arcturus, high in the west-southwest, and blue-white Vega, high in the east-northeast, are the brightest stars visible. Altair and Deneb complete the Summer Triangle with Vega. The moon, 56 percent full and just past first quarter phase, is in Libra, midway between blue-white Spica in the southwest, and reddish Antares in south, 23° from each. Mars, dim at magnitude +1.6, is low in the western sky, 27° to the lower right of Spica. Watch the moon shift position eastward. On the evening of Aug. 2, the 65 percent moon is 11° to the west of Antares. On Aug. 3, the 74 percent moon appears 1°-2° to the lower left of Antares one hour after sunset. On Aug. 4, the southernmost, 82 percent moon appears in Ophiuchus, the Serpent-bearer, 13° to the lower left of Antares. Notice how unusually low the moon is as it passes directly south that night, only 27° up for the Coachella Valley, 1.6 hours after sunset, nearly 6° lower than the Dec. 21 winter solstice midday sun. Later that night, watch the moon set unusually far south of west, 4.8 hours after reaching its high point here.
On the evening of Aug. 5, the 89 percent moon appears within the Teapot, an eight-star asterism within the constellation Sagittarius, the Archer. On the next evening, the 95 percent moon is east of the Teapot.
The moon is full on the night of Aug. 8-9, rising around sunset and setting shortly after sunrise. Thereafter, watch the waning gibbous moon rise farther north and not much later each successive evening, but still before the
Evening mid-twilight occurs when the Sun is 9° below the horizon. Aug.1: 43 minutes after sunset. 15: 42 " " " 31: 41 " " "
end of twilight. On the evening of Aug. 11, about two hours after sunset, watch for Saturn rising within 5° to the lower left of the 90 percent moon. The 88 percent moon and Saturn appear closest the next morning, Aug. 12, about 3° apart, high in the southern sky, 1 1/2 hours before sunrise.
The moon returns to the evening sky on Aug. 24, as a 4 percent crescent, very low in the west in bright twilight, a half-hour after sunset.
On Aug. 25, 40 minutes after sunset, the 8 percent crescent is very low, south of west.
On Aug. 26, the 16 percent crescent is low in the west-southwest, with Mars within 7° to its right, and Spica 6° to the moon’s upper left.
On Aug. 27, one hour after sunset, the 22 percent crescent is low in the west-southwest, with Spica within 7° to the right, and Mars 11° to the lower right of Spica.
One hour after sunset on Aug. 28, the 30 percent crescent moon in the southwest has Spica
18° to its lower right, and Antares 28° to its upper left. At the same stage of twilight on Aug. 29, the 39 percent moon is 17° to the lower right of Antares. On Aug. 30, one hour after sunset, the 49% moon is in the south-southwest, 4° to the lower right of Antares.
On Aug. 31, one hour after sunset, the 58 percent moon is in the south to south-southwest, 8° to the lower left of Antares. Mars ends August to the 8.5° lower right of Spica.
The Astronomical Society of the Desert will host a star party on Saturday, Aug. 23, at Sawmill Trailhead, a site in the Santa Rosa Mountains at elevation 4,000 feet; and on Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center. For more information, visit astrorx.org.
Robert Victor originated the Abrams Planetarium monthly Sky Calendar in October 1968 and still helps produce an occasional issue.
Stereographic Projection Map by Robert D. Miller
The University of California, Riverside’s College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) learned back in April that state funding for the California Digital Newspaper Collection (CDNC) online archive, approved by the Legislature last year for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, would not be coming to the CDNC after all.
The 20-year veteran director of the college’s Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research (CBSR), Brian Geiger, determined that the funds had likely been used elsewhere by the State Library. At the time, Geiger estimated that the CBSR would be about $300,000 in debt as a result of this state-funding failure. He launched a public fundraising campaign to try to bridge the gap, which was somewhat successful, netting about $110,000. He later learned that the state had funded the CDNC archive moving forward—and that federal funding to help the project had been restored as well.
Despite all of this good news, however, the future of the California Digital Newspaper Collection (cdnc.ucr.edu) remains unclear— and Geiger is now unemployed, along with the rest of his CBSR team.
The CDNC includes content from hundreds of newspapers that have been published throughout the state, going back as far as 1846. The archives include articles from defunct area publications like the Palm Springs News (from 1934-1951), the Palm Desert Post (1963-1999) and Palm Desert’s short-lived Post Script (1980-81). Thanks to an investment of nearly $300,000 by the city of Palm Springs, it also includes The Desert Sun archives from 1934 to 1993. As of this writing, there 23,449,221 pages in the CDNC archive, which had always been free to search and view.
“That’s sad. That is really sad, because he’s the heart of this project,” she said. “He is the lifeblood. … He was my only point of contact, the only person I ever dealt with, for our Desert Sun archive. He knew everything about it. He negotiated the deals for the scanning, helped us with our grants and provided us with a hard-drive backup of our archive.”
Geiger said that he and his team worked in their last weeks on the job to stabilize the site’s operations, wrap up content acquisitions, and assure physical asset security, among other chores. Still, he expressed concerns about what the future would hold for the archive’s users around the world.
“My main priority was trying to organize what we have in such a way that someone could come in and manage it well, find new homes for the microfilm that we have, and figure out what to do with the newsprint (which had been obtained, but not yet digitized),” Geiger said. “And then, in the last week, I provided as much detail about the digital collection (as I could), so that it could keep running and potentially find a new home after we left.
ing, and that makes me sad, (because the Palm Springs Library) spent about $300,000 for this. We’ve been working on this since 2013.”
(A search using the archive, done just before this story went to press, encountered similar issues. While the search function worked, the actual newspaper pages were inaccessible. A message at the top of the website said: “We are aware that images are currently not being displayed, and are working on fixing the problem.”)
Kays said that when she last spoke to Geiger prior to his departure, “He just said, ‘We have to wrap up this project by the end of (June).’ And then he asked a question: ‘Do you have your backups?’ And I responded, ‘I have most of my backups, but there’s some information that’s missing.’ And then darkness, nothing.”
FUNDED BUT UNSTAFFED
Given that the California Digital Newspaper Collection was inaccessible as of this story’s publication, it’s clear that the termination of CBSR team is causing problems.
As Geiger started the fundraising campaign in the spring, he did not reveal that he and his three CBSR staff members were all given 60-day termination notices in late April. June 27 was their final day of employment.
“The center (had) four full time employees at that point, and we were all let go. So, the center is essentially closed now,” Geiger recently told the Independent
The homepage of the archive now includes a statement, dated July 11, from Daryle Williams, dean of the UCR College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. “UCR is actively working on a sustainable model for the CDNC to continue to be available to the public. Effective July 1, 2025, the Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research functions under the direct oversight of the Office of the Dean within the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS),” it says, in part.
Geiger expressed confusion at this statement. “There’s really no CBSR there anymore,” he said.
LOCAL CONCERNS
Jeannie Kays is the director of library services for the city of Palm Springs. The Independent spoke to her back in May about the California Digital Newspaper Collection’s funding problems. She and Randy Lovely, the president of the Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation, had just written in an opinion piece for The Desert Sun: “The CDNC is not a luxury—it is a foundational public good. Preserving local journalism isn’t about nostalgia; it’s about continuity. Without access to our past, we are unmoored in the present and blind to the future.”
In a recent follow-up interview, Kays expressed dismay when told that Geiger had been terminated from UCR.
“Right before the center closed, we had done some work in the data center, and the site was responding very slowly. I wouldn’t be surprised if it still is. But I think it’s more or less stable, and the vendor that we’ve worked with for years, who maintains the hosting software, is really great to work with. I imagine UCR will lean on them for the next while, and get their help keeping the collection accessible.”
If that was indeed the thinking, the plan may be faltering, at least temporarily. During our interview, Kays decided to go on the archive website and try to use it as she normally does when performing research.
“The OCR (optical character recognition) on the side is readable, but when I click to download the PDF, it just says, ‘PDF file cannot be read,’” Kays said. “So it’s essentially not work-
The city of Palm Springs spent nearly $300,000 to digitize archives of The Desert Sun from 1934 to 1993. Jeannie Kays, the director of library services for the city of Palm Springs, is worried about the future of the California Digital Newspaper Collection. “I’m not the only small archive that joined in on this project,” Kays said. “That’s how we all were able to make this work. We worked as a team to bring this bigger picture to life.”
Photo courtesy of the Palm Springs Library
The decision to fire Geiger and his team is particularly hard to understand in light of the fact that state and federal funding, which was intended to support both the CDNC and CBSR operations through fiscal 2025-2026, was reinstated shortly before the end of June. One of the CBSR’s efforts was the California Newspaper Project, “a multi-year effort by the CBSR to identify, describe and preserve California newspapers.” The California Digital Newspaper Collection was part of that larger effort.
“The state funding, which was officially restored, was for the California Newspaper Project, and not solely the California Digital Newspaper Collection,” Geiger said. “So, that (July 11 statement on the CDNC website) really says nothing about continued preservation or digitization of California newspapers. If the
“ “
“The justification given (for terminating all four employees) was lack of funds. Not only was the state funding fully restored, but we raised somewhere over $110,000 through donations to help support us.”
—Brian Geiger
former director of UCR's Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
dean plans to manage the CBSR, then traditionally one of the roles of the center was to be the sole place in California working to preserve and digitize California newspapers. So, it seems like (the status of) that work should be addressed too, and not just the digital archive.”
Ironically, on June 27, his last day on the job, Geiger received an email from the federal government’s National Endowment for the Humanities informing him that the CBSR funding as part of the National Daily Newspaper Program had been restored.
“That (funding) was terminated in April,” Geiger explained, “and that’s kind of what started this downward spiral for CBSR. … That’s not my problem now, but I’m not quite sure how UCR is going to meet the demands of that grant. It’s pretty technical, and we spent many years coming up to speed on the grant requirements.”
The Independent requested an interview with Daryle Williams to discuss the future of the California Newspaper Project and the California Digital Newspaper Collection. In response, we received an email from John Warren, UCR’s senior director of news and content, which read: “The dean will not be available for an interview. However, the college has placed a statement on the CDNC web page related to the archive’s status. This is all the information we have now. We expect to have further information in the coming months. Thanks for your interest.”
Since Williams would not answer our questions, we asked Geiger why he thought he and his colleagues were terminated, despite the restored funding.
“The justification given was lack of funds,” Geiger said. “Not only was the state funding fully restored, but we raised somewhere over $110,000 through donations to help support us. At the beginning of every fiscal year, I would do budget projections for the fall to make sure we have enough funds to cover (our expenses). I didn’t do it this year, because the center was closing, but the other
day, I sat down, and just for kicks, I said, ‘OK, what would our expenses have been?’ I did a budget projection based on the restoration of the funding and the approximately $110,000 that we raised in donations, and it looked to me like we would have been short, at the most, about $50,000 to $60,000 in fiscal year 2025. … I never actually saw a budget from the dean’s office. I don’t know what their budget projections are, and what they thought expenses would be. I can’t imagine that the restored funding will not actually cover the rising costs of personnel, technology and cybersecurity. I’ve been doing budgets for this for two decades, and I have a pretty good sense of what would have been covered.
“Of course, part of our funding did come from the college, and if they’re not willing to support (the CBSR and CNDC) anymore, then, of course, there won’t be sufficient funds to cover the work.”
WORRIES ABOUT THE CONTENT
Jeannie Kays expressed frustration that The Desert Sun content her team had worked to preserve and make accessible—with financial support from the city of Palm Springs—could be in jeopardy.
“I’m not the only small archive that joined in on this project,” Kays said. “That’s how we all were able to make this work. We worked as a team to bring this bigger picture to life. The Desert Sun archive isn’t just for Coachella Valley residents. It’s for people who are researching the Coachella Valley, who used to live here, or maybe might want to live here. It’s global. It’s not just a local issue, and the unfortunate (potential) loss of this database has a ripple effect.”
Geiger summed up his two-decade CDNC work by saying: “I hope that the project, the CDNC as it exists, can continue. I’m sorry that work on preserving newspapers might be at least interrupted, if not stopped.
“Also, I would like to empha-
size my thanks to the hundreds and probably thousands of Californians who responded to my email requests to contact the (Legislature’s) budget subcommittee members and ask them to renew the California Newspaper Project’s funding. Without their efforts, the governor and Legislature might not have approved it. Because I lost access to the CDNC email list, I wasn’t able to follow up with the roughly 30,000 subscribers. But I would like them to know how much I appreciate their efforts and their concern for the work we did.”
Kays said she’s worried not just about the digital archive; she’s worried about the current and future status of the physical content, both microfilm and print-copy assets, in the possession of the California Newspaper Project.
“Who will be the steward of that?” she asked. “The University of California system … is where this content lives, the physical items. How do they digitize this content? They either get it off of a negative, or they’re pulling out the newspapers, and they’re taking pictures of them on their scanners. So who’s
going to be the steward, and who’s going to preserve that content and make sure that it doesn’t get thrown in the trash?”
Geiger said he, too, is worried about the security of physical assets.
“There was a large collection of rare newsprint from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County that I had just picked up, in probably March,” Geiger said. “I’m estimating thousands of pages of newsprint that had never been microfilmed or preserved. … Someone in the early 20th century had collected a lot of rare newsprints. Someone knew what (archives) had survived and what hadn’t, and made a point of collecting stuff that was really unique. We assumed that collection with the intent to preserve it. Also, we’ve been working on another collection up in the Big Bear area, a long run of a title—about 50 years that had never been preserved. … It was the Crestline Courier, and I hope that collection has been returned to its owner.
“Unfortunately, that’s how history gets lost, right? In these moments of disruption, stuff falls through the cracks and isn’t recovered.”
A note from Daryle Williams, UCR’s dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, on the California Digital Newspaper Collection homepage, says, in part: “We are grateful that most of the state and federal funding was restored at the start of the current fiscal year. … We nonetheless recognize that the restored funding will not adequately cover the rising costs of personnel, technology and cybersecurity.” He declined to answer questions from the Independent.
Brian Geiger was director of the Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research (CBSR) at UC-Riverside, which oversees the California Digital Newspaper Collection. He and the rest of the CBSR employees were laid off on June 27.
ARTS & CULTURE
LISTEN AND FEEL FREE TO FAIL
By Matt King
Improv is most commonly associated with acting—but it’s not just actors who turn to improv to face fears and grow confidence.
Darren Held understands the potential of improv. As an actor, he knows how the artform can apply to drama skills—but as a teacher, Held has seen how the approach to performing benefits not just thespians, but people in general. On Friday through Sunday, Aug 15-17, Held is bringing an Improv Comedy Intensive to CVRep, filling a weekend with improv games and
sessions where attendees can improve adaptability, cooperation and listening skills.
During a recent phone interview, Held explained how his theatrical background led him to create his improv comedy school in Long Beach.
“I was an actor for a long time, and I went to The Groundlings improv comedy school, and went through their whole program,” Held said. “I was living in Long Beach, and I started realizing that it wasn’t helping just my acting skills—but in my life all around. I was becoming more confident, able to try new things, and it was really helping me with relationship stuff, saying ‘yes’ to things and being more present in the moment. I started my own group in Long Beach about 15 years ago called Held2gether. I’ve continued to apply those aspects of agreement and saying ‘yes’ to things in life with all kinds of different groups of people, all different ages, for the past 15 years.”
The Improv Comedy Intensive at CVRep will turn rookies into performers in just three short days—and give attendees useful skills for their daily lives.
“It’s going to be an intensive learning situation for anybody, all levels, to learn the benefits of improv, and then learn how to do scene work, and … perform on the last day,” Held said.
A majority of the people who Held has worked with in improv classes are not actors or performers.
“I think people see improv comedy, and they think, ‘Oh, you have to be so smart and clever and funny to do that,’ but really, anybody can do it,” he said. “There are some rules to follow, and as long as you do that, you can be really successful. One of my biggest surprises is that I’ve had so many people who are engineers or accountants, or lots of left-brain people who come and try this out and find their creative side and be successful.
“There are also other people who thought, ‘Oh, I could never do that; I’m my 70s or 80s,’ and they come in, and they totally get invested and blow it out of the water. It crosses all barriers, and you meet people you wouldn’t normally have in your sphere. You see older
people hanging out with younger people, and people from all different backgrounds getting to know each other. It’s a great way to build a unique, diverse community.”
The Improv Comedy Intensive at CVRep will pull from various aspects of Held’s experience.
“This will be the first of its kind,” Held said. “I have done some one-day intensive workshops, some four-hour workshops, and I’ve worked with a lot of different corporations where they’ve had me come in and use improv skills for the company over weeks at a time or days at a time, learning different skills. This is the first time where it’s purely for the love of the craft, over an extended period of time, and with the opportunity to perform at the end of it.”
The workshop will focus on three key aspects of improv.
“Those are agreement, which is saying yes, so learning to accept things,” he said. “Then there’s collaboration—adding information— and then … your emotional commitment in it. We play games that focus on those individual foundations, and then we start to put them together, and that’s when scene work comes in. You start to create these things and see, ‘Wow, I can actually completely do an unscripted scene by just listening and applying these foundations.’ It’ll definitely be step by step to get people confident in that arena. There are different kinds of games that you can play and be successful at, too. Sometimes, it’s an unscripted poetry jam; other times, it could be an Oscar-winning movie monologue that you’re doing, and other times, it’s just two people having a scene, coming together, and realizing something about their lives. There are lots of different ways to find where people’s strengths lie, and it’s fun.”
One of the most famous and notable improvisers is Colin Mochrie, of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, the show that helped popularize improv in the modern era. I interviewed Mochrie last year, and he discussed the importance of failure in improv, saying, “Failure is such a dirty word to everyone—and improv is kind of built on failure.” Held, as an
The goal of CVRep’s Improv Comedy Intensive: teaching participants skills to use in their everyday lives
improv teacher, often emphasizes this fact to his students.
“It’s a natural human tendency to want to be good at everything right away, and one of the great things about improv in general is it teaches that you always fail forward, and that there’s no one answer,” Held said. “Anything you do, anything you say, even if you feel like you make a mistake, you have someone right there to make you look good and say ‘yes’ to it, and that’s the direction. Creating an encouraging environment to support that is really important. Every time you go up, it’s terrifying and exciting, and you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I doing?’ … Then you realize, ‘Wow, I didn’t die, and it was actually pretty fun.’ I think it actually makes you want to take risks in other things in your life.”
Held said he’s often inspired by the people come to his improv classes.
“We stand in a circle and say, ‘What brought you here?’” he said. “So many of the times, people are saying, ‘I have a fear that I want to overcome’—a fear of public speaking, or of socializing, or feeling really introverted all the time. The first step is having the courage to say, ‘Hey, this is something I want to meet
head on,’ and showing up. That’s the most inspiring thing for me. … It’s really cool.”
Speaking of Whose Line, Held said he uses the show in his improv courses to stress the importance of listening.
“Thank goodness for Whose Line Is It Anyway?, because now people know what we do,” he said. “The reason (the Whose Line performers) are so good and so funny is because they’re listening so closely. It’s 90% about listening. Listening is probably the greatest skill that comes out of it, and that’s something that’s so valuable these days, because there’s so much overstimulation and such short attention spans. When you become an active listener, people really feel it and recognize it, even if they can’t put their finger on it. It’s a special trait to have, so I’m a big believer in improv being really important today, with everything else going on.”
The Improv Comedy Intensive will run from Friday, Aug. 15, through Sunday, Aug. 17, at the CVRep Playhouse, at 68510 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Cathedral City. Tickets are $195 for the three-day course. To register or learn more, visit www.cvrep.org.
Darren Held (center): “It’s a natural human tendency to want to be good at everything right away, and one of the great things about improv in general is it teaches that you always fail forward, and that there’s no one answer.”
CAESAR CERVISIA
By brett newton
Saison is a word I’ve thrown around in this column for years—often while lamenting its absence from the craft-beer landscape. Fifteen or so years ago, it seemed like every brewery had at least one in the rotation, and more as special releases. Since then, they’ve all but disappeared—or so it would seem, if you don’t know where to look. Yes, they do indeed exist, and while they’re nowhere near as prominent as they once were here (or in Belgium, their country of origin), they can be found if one knows where to look. But first, some history. It’s been said that saisons were traditionally made with whatever ingredients that were at hand during any given season (“saison” in French), for the benefit of
farmworkers as refreshment and hydration, before safe drinking water was as easy as the turn of a spigot.
What a nice, idyllic origin story. Alas, there’s no evidence the story is accurate.
Enter historian Roel Mulder. In a 2018 blog post, he took a hard look at American brewer Phil Markowski’s influential book, Farmhouse Ales, specifically the chapter about the saison style, written by Belgian brewer Yvan De Baets. What Mulder found was a lack of sources for the claim that saison was a farmhouse ale—made in the Belgian province of Hainaut by farmers for farmworkers—or sources that were misrepresented. Mulder notes that “the oldest mention of saison that I found dates from 1823, where it is described as ‘Advent or March beer, excellent beer that is brewed in Liège and that can be kept.’”
The city of Liège, even in the 19th century, was an industrial city with coal mines
and metalworking factories, according to Mulder—with hardly a farmhouse operation in sight, and located more than a stone’s throw from Hainaut.
What’s more, the sources from Liège describe saison as a different beer than the one we have come to know. As the Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines state, saison is “most commonly a pale, refreshing, highly attenuated, moderately bitter, moderate-strength Belgian ale with a very dry finish.” According to Mulder’s sources, the saisons of Liège “contained mainly malted spelt and unmalted wheat, and because of its low attenuation, it was relatively sweet.”
One of the biggest contributors to this confusion: Belgium saw some hard times in the first half of the 20th century, to say the least, and a lot of brewing tradition was all but wiped out. Thankfully, Belgian beer made a big recovery in the latter half of the century,
A look at saisons, their history, why they’re hard to find—and why they should make a comeback
and some the styles that weren’t fully re-popularized there found a home here in the United States, thanks to brewers and drinkers who were dying for anything that wasn’t uniform in taste, mass-produced, light and yellow.
But enough nerdistry; it’s time to drink— and there’s no better place to begin than Saison Dupont. It is the standard-bearer of the style, and rightfully so. In 1920, Alfred Dupont purchased a brewery in Hainaut with the idea of reviving the saison style—and he did, to the point where the Dupont yeast strain is the go-to strain for fermenting saisons. The beer itself (available in 16-ounce cans at Total Wine, as well as the more traditional bottles) is dry and fruity (think citrus and apple), with a touch of clove and white pepper, and a little bit of baking spice from the hops. It’s as good as ever, and readily available, so there’s no reason not to at least try it, if you’ve never done so.
As for local examples, there’s luckily a brewery I’ve mentioned many times here, especially for their saison, named Fifty Four: Las Palmas Brewing in downtown Palm Springs. If you want a fresh saison, and you are a fan of the American style that has more prominent bubblegum esters and less phenolic, spice-like or peppery notes, Fifty Four is for you. While I tend to like the drier, more “traditional” versions, Las Palmas’ saison is a wonderful drinking experience and a great reason to visit the brewery. When craft beer people say, “Support local beer,” I think of Las Palmas as the most deserving beneficiary of this sentiment.
El Segundo Brewing in Los Angeles recently made a version, which I also found at Total Wine, called Break of Dawn. Similarly, this American version has much louder flavors than its Belgian counterparts. Like Fifty Four, it boasts bubblegum notes alongside some clove flavor. It’s not quite as dry as a Belgian saison, instead being a bit juicier, but it’s a fine beverage that also scratches that itch of, “I miss the saisons that every craft brewery seemed to be required to make in 2010.”
Some other notable examples that may be difficult, but not impossible, to find are Lost Abbey’s Carnevale and, though I haven’t seen it locally in ages, Boulevard Brewing’s Saison Brett. Both of these are fermented with Brettanomyces yeast, which makes a beer bonedry, funky, maybe a little tart and sometimes fruity—with the resulting beers more reminiscent of the way the style was more likely to have been before the 20th century. These are my personal favorites.
Saison is not dead; it has just been lying mostly dormant for more than a decade—and if this column helps re-spark anyone’s interest in saisons, I have done my job.
Brett Newton is a certified cicerone (like a sommelier for beer) and homebrewer who has mostly lived in the Coachella Valley since 1988. He can be reached at caesarcervisia@gmail.com.
VINE SOCIAL
By Katie finn
We all have our go-to summer wine. Some of us are firmly in the “rosé all day” camp, while others can be found reaching for a chilled bottle of sauvignon blanc.
But this year, it’s time to open your mind and embrace a wine that is considered the finest white wine in the world: riesling. Often misunderstood as too sweet or too “old fashioned,” this noble grape is making a comeback.
Before you roll your eyes and think of the sugary Blue Nun riesling your aunt used to pour at family gatherings, let’s set the record straight: I’m talking dry, refreshing and so crisp, it practically does
a happy dance on your tongue. In fact, most dry rieslings have less residual sugar than a New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Honest!
So, why all the hype about riesling? Well, riesling is not just a grape; it’s an experience. Often referred to as one of the noble grapes— right up there with pinot noir, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon—riesling offers a combination of purity, balance and versatility that few other wines can match. Quite simply, riesling is the most expressive grape out there. It takes on the unique qualities of where it’s grown, and there’s a riesling for practically every palate. From the steely, mineral-driven
styles from Germany’s Mosel region to the fruit-forward, floral notes from Australia’s Eden Valley, riesling is versatile; it’s fun; and it pairs beautifully with so many foods. That’s why sommeliers like Paul Grieco (who started the whole “Summer of Riesling” movement back in 2008) have been shouting about riesling from the rooftops. He recognized that while the world was obsessed with heavier, oaky wines, riesling was quietly doing its thing— being the perfect pairing partner for everything from sushi to spicy Thai to barbecue, thanks to its crisp acidity, low alcohol, fruity undertones and occasional mineral qualities.
If you think all rieslings are too sweet or ‘old fashioned’ … think again!
Don’t get me wrong. Sauvignon blanc is a great wine, but it can sometimes come off as too aggressive—those sharp grassy and herbal notes can overwhelm more delicate dishes. As for rosé, while it’s undeniably refreshing, it can sometimes lack the complexity and depth that a wine like riesling brings to the table. Plus, let’s be real: Not all rosés are created equal. A good dry riesling is like the Goldilocks of summer wines—not too light, not too heavy, not too bold and not too boring. It’s just right. If you’re looking to experience some of the producers that are making waves, here are a few of my favorite rieslings to try.
Pewsey Vale Dry Riesling (Eden Valley, Australia): Australia may not be the first place you think of for riesling, but the Pewsey Vale Dry Riesling from Eden Valley is a game-changer. Pewsey Vale has been crafting riesling since the 1960s, and the current winemaker, Louisa Rose, is a recognized expert in the field of riesling production. She was previously the chief winemaker at Yalumba, another legendary Australian winery, but her role at Pewsey Vale gives her the opportunity to focus on producing some of the most distinctive and exceptional rieslings in Australia. Known for its zesty acidity and flavors of green apple, lime and a touch of tropical fruit, this is knockyour-socks-off crisp.
Hubert Meyer Riesling (Alsace, France): While Australia may be home to some excellent rieslings, Alsace, France, is the original playground for this noble grape. Alsace is to riesling what Bordeaux is to cabernet sauvignon, and Hubert Meyer is one of the standout producers in this region. Unlike some regions where winemakers have to fight with the elements, Alsace offers a perfect combination of cool nights and sunny days during the growing season, which allows riesling grapes to ripen slowly. The granite and limestone soils of the area contribute to the fresh acidity and mineral backbone that makes Alsatian riesling so celebrated. The Hubert Meyer Riesling offers classic Alsace characteristics: bright acidity, fresh citrus flavors (lemon, lime, green apple) and a signature mineral quality that gives it depth and character.
Philipp Bassler Grosses Gewächs (Pfalz, Germany): If you’re a fan of fine wines (or just feel like sounding like a wine expert at your next dinner party), you should know the term “grosses gewächs.” It’s a German classification used to designate the highest quality rieslings from the country’s most prestigious vineyards. Think of it as the “Reserve” or “Grand Cru” label, except it applies exclusively to riesling.
can be a perfect pairing partner for everything from fish to spicy Thai to barbecue.
This means the wine comes from some of the best terroirs, where the vines are carefully tended to, and the grapes are picked with an almost obsessive level of care. Germany is, of course, riesling’s home turf, and the Philipp Bassler Grosses Gewächs is a perfect example of what the region can do. Coming from the Pfalz area, this wine is dry with notes of ripe peach, citrus and a touch of slate-like minerality. It’s elegant and has great aging potential, but it’s also super-drinkable in its youth.
Trefethen Dry Riesling (Napa Valley): It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when Napa Valley’s vineyards were almost entirely planted with riesling. Yep, back in the 1950s and ’60s, Napa was practically the riesling capital of California. But along the way, as consumers preferences and palates shifted, Napa began to focus on other grapes like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. While these varieties now dominate the valley, riesling still holds a special place in the region’s history—and with good reason. Napa’s cooler microclimates and diverse terroir make it a perfect home for the grape, producing wines with a vibrant profile that’s balanced and fresh. So if you’re ever in the mood to get nostalgic, consider opening a Trefethen Dry Riesling from the Oak Knoll district in Napa. It’s a nod to the past, with crisp notes of green apple and lime, and just a hint of floral aromas, making it the ideal drink for when you need to cool off in the desert heat.
You can see why riesling is the ideal summer wine, with its versatility, low alcohol content and ability to pair with a variety of foods. So crack open a bottle, and join the Summer of Riesling.
Katie Finn is a certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine with two decades in the wine industry. She can be reached at katiefinnwine@ gmail.com.
Riesling
the
FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT
We’re Doing Business with PRIDE in the Coachella Valley.
After a simple yet delicious breakfast sandwich, we savor a fantastic fruit tart
WHAT Lost Property Breakfast Smash
By Jimmy Boegle
WHAT Three-berry tart
Our 250 members support equality–and they support you!
WHERE Lost Property at the Skylark Hotel, 1466 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs HOW MUCH $18
CONTACT www.theskylark.com/eat-drink; 760322-2267
WHY Delicious simplicity.
Some of the best food in Palm Springs can be found at restaurants inside small hotels. The Holiday House is revered for its fried chicken; Melvyn’s at the Ingleside Inn has been serving up old-school class for years.
Now we can add Lost Property at the Skylark Hotel to that list.
The charming restaurant opened about a year ago, as a (very different) sister property to the Vine Street bar formerly known as Lost Property (now known as LP Vinyl Bar) in Hollywood. The restaurant’s website promises: “With a menu curated by the talented L.A.-based chef Brandon Kida, you’ll savor every bite of locally sourced, flavor-packed ingredients.” I’ve heard great things about Lost Property’s dinner menu and cocktail program, but my recent visit took place just before noon on a Friday, when I met my friend/colleague Mark to talk shop over lunch.
Mark ordered the crispy chicken sandwich ($22), which he liked. I debated ordering one of the “tin cups”—with a choice of “a selection of artisanal tin seafood served with house onion dip, chimichurri, pickled onion and toasted bread” ($23)—because where else around here would you find such a thing? But when the charming server recommended the Lost Property breakfast smash, Lost Property’s version of a breakfast sandwich, I was sold; it’s nearly impossible for me to say no to a good breakfast sandwich.
As the Lost Property menu states, the breakfast smash consists of fennel sausage, a sunny-side-up egg, cheddar cheese and a Martin’s-brand potato bun. That’s it. Because the four ingredients were all top-notch, especially the two patties of fantastic sausage, it was nearly perfect. It didn’t need anything else. Considering how well Lost Property did with our sandwiches, I’ll definitely go back—and next time, I look forward to sampling a cocktail. Or maybe two.
WHERE La Provence Patisserie and Café, 72785 Highway 111, Palm Desert HOW MUCH $7.95
CONTACT laprovencecafe.com; 760-797-7557
WHY Pastry cream.
Lost Property is not the only Los Angeles-area joint to open a sister restaurant in the Coachella Valley. About a year ago, La Provence Patisserie and Café—with locations in Beverly Hills and the Los Angeles International Airport— opened in the former Bouchee space in Palm Desert.
While La Provence’s Palm Desert location offers a full menu of breakfast and lunch fare (plus dinner during the non-summer months), as well as a lovely café vibe, I was there for the pastries, and I was getting them to go. My selections: an individual caramel apple pie ($9.50), an apricot tart ($7.50), a three-berry tart ($7.95) and a “crack stick,” a creation with croissant dough wrapped around pastry cream (although I could not detect any) and dark chocolate ($4.95), according to the menu.
It was unanimous: All of the pastries were endorsement-worthy—but it was the three-berry tart that won my heart (and stomach). Why?
Two words: Pastry. Cream.
The thin layer of custard-like filling gave the dessert texture and the perfect amount of sweetness, enhancing the pastry and the fruit. I used a fork to taste a bit of the pastry cream on its own, and it’s a good thing La Provence doesn’t sell containers of it, because I am afraid I’d grab a spoon and go crazy.
There’s one more thing I love about this “three-berry tart.” When I ordered it, the server noted that it’s actually a four-berry tart. Sure enough, the top featured two colorful strawberries, three blackberries, three raspberries and 11 blueberries. You could make the case for calling it a 19-berry tart, but not three.
As far as I’m concerned, you can call this berry tart whatever you want. Personally, I’m calling it one of my new favorite desserts.
2 Restaurants Unlimited Flavors
Proudly Supporting and Serving Our Community
eight4nine.com 760-325-8490
williesrm.com
760-202-4499
Restaurant NEWS BITES
By charles drabkin
SUMMER DEALS MAKE ME FEEL FINE
Now more than ever, it’s important for locals to support our Coachella Valley restaurants—and during the toasty summer months, there are great deals to be had!
First: You can use the Summer Eats Pass via the Visit Greater Palm Springs app. Download it to your device, and every time you check in to one of the participating restaurants through Sept. 1, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a gift card. Additionally, for every check-in, $1 is donated to Find Food Bank. Learn more a visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/summer-eats-GPS.
Second: Numerous restaurants—including Si Bon (40101 Monterey Ave., Suite E5, Rancho Mirage; sibon-sogood.com), Freddie’s Kitchen (2323 N. Palm Canyon Drive, at the Cole Hotel, in Palm Springs; www.facebook.com/FreddiesKitchenattheCole), Manhattan in the Desert (2665 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; manhattans.delivery) and Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge (849 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; www.eight4nine.com), to name just a few—offer discounts and/or special menus through the summer months.
Third: The city of Palm Springs is continuing its popular lovelocalps.com program! When you purchase a gift card with a value of up to $300 to use at participating Palm Springs businesses, the city will add a 50% bonus. Your original gift card never expires, but the bonus amount must be used by the end of October. Get the details and shop local at lovelocalps.com.
IN BRIEF
Carmela, at 750 N. Palm Canyon Drive, inside the Flannery Exchange in Palm Springs, had been closed since the Eaton Fire in January, because the company’s main manufacturing facility, located in Pasadena, had been closed. Good news: The Palm Springs location re-opened in June. Frequent readers of this paper may recall that their Mint Cacao Nib Ice Cream earned a Best of Coachella Valley staff pick from me late last year; learn more at carmelaicecream.com. … On the Mark, at 111 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 155, has launched a new private label caviar in conjunction with Tsar Nicoulai, a caviar brand known not only for its high-quality products, but also for its sustainability practices. In recent months, On the Mark has also added the “Oyster CARTel” service (www.instagram.com/theoystercartel), bringing fresh-shucked oysters to your party. Learn more at onthemarkpalmsprings.com. … A new smoothie and juice bar is opening in the Smoke Tree Commons, at 2465 E. Palm Canyon Drive, between Chipotle and Jersey Mike’s in Palm Springs: Makka Living Foods. Watch their Instagram to learn more: instagram.com/ makka.livingfoods. … Looking for a unique dining experience this summer? Maleza, at 284 S. Indian Canyon Drive, at the Drift Hotel in Palm Springs, is launching the $55 “The Sunday Table” featuring a rotating prix fixe menu for two, every Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. The inaugural menu included shrimp ceviche and a DIY carne plate, with onions, cilantro, salsa, pickled vegetables, crema and tortillas. Learn more at malezapalmsprings.co. … Sonny’s Bar and Grill, at 214 E. Arenas Road, has either closed or is having difficulties. I have heard rumors of a reorganization, but calls are not being returned; social media accounts have not been updated for months as of this writing; and the restaurant has been closed every time I’ve passed by. Watch this space for updates … There is an application for an off-sale beer and wine (specialty wine and beer store) license at 121 E. Amado Road, in Palm Springs. Keep your eye on this space for more information as it becomes available.
Do you have any hot tips or news to share? Reach out: foodnews@cvindependent.com.
MUSIC
GOODBYE, LITTLE STREET
By matt king
Alittle more than two years ago, Little Street Music Hall opened its doors—and it quickly became the most consistent live music venue in the Coachella Valley, hosting a wide variety of bands, especially on weekends.
But on July 14, Josiah, Sam and Vince Gonzalez, the brothers who own Little Street, at 82707 Miles Ave., in Indio, shocked local music fans by announcing, in an Instagram video, that the
venue was closing, citing a “competing set of values with the city.”
The Gonzalez brothers declined to comment further, so I reached out to artists, bookers and music fans who will be affected by the closure. (I performed numerous times at the venue, and booked many shows there as well.) Some of their remarks were sent via text or instant message.
The Gonzalez brothers, musicians who perform as Avenida Music, aimed to make Little Street Music Hall a venue where creatives were comfortable. They learned from bad experiences they endured as performers, and made sure that every show featured a professional backline, with top-notch sound and lights.
“We played our best show yet at Little Street,” said Jose Antonio Martinez, aka Toño, lead singer and guitarist for the Divines. “It was the night of the It Came From the Desert Vol.2 release show. We played our songs with the best energy we could, and for a moment, I could see everyone in the room admiring what we did. I had never felt so special until I heard people singing my songs back to me. It was that room that was filled with those people.”
Dylan Hendrix, of Daytime Moon and Warsaw Poland Bros, said Little Street had “big heart.”
“It was an inspiration to us all—so sad to see it go, but so happy for the memories,” Hendrix said. We played when they first opened, and (then) a few months ago, and saw how much it grew. There was a lot of love in that hall.”
Anthony Ferrer—one of my bandmates— who has been playing guitar for Empty Seat for more than 20 years, loved Little Street as a venue with “a greater purpose other than sales.” Little Street bridged communities “through its musical showcases and events that exposed many patrons and locals to their local bands and much more,” he said. “Sadly, it will be missed but never forgotten.”
While Little Street primarily hosted bands, it also welcomed rappers, DJs and other electronic acts.
“Little Street Music Hall was a communal space that brought so many people together,” said Sebass, a local DJ who has performed at Coachella, pool parties and other nightclubs.
“It gave opportunities for artists to express themselves in a community that thrives on art during festival season. I’m forever grateful for a space that looked out for local artists.”
Rapper Mike Lavish feels similarly.
“It was a pleasure to host my EP release show at Little Street Music Hall,” he said. “It was bittersweet, because it was my first and last performance there. … I had a great time performing, and all the staff are great people. I’m happy and thankful I got to be a part of their history.”
Some bands ended up playing the venue regularly, like the grunge-rockers Whitewater.
“There’s not a venue out here that has meant as much to my band and I as Little Street has,” said frontman/guitarist Jason Zembo. “It will always have a special place in our hearts. For the past few years, it’s been a haven for musicians and artists to express themselves and to share their passion with others. The community that has been built there is second to none in the valley. … It’s a huge loss to the valley’s music scene, but I’m certain that the Avenida Music bros will continue helping out the scene any way they can, and no matter what, I am thankful for the times we shared together.”
Local booking agents are reeling from the loss of a consistent space to host live music.
“I’ve had the privilege to experience Little Street Music Hall as both a performer and a promoter,” said Billy Gargan, who runs Kickass Booking with Kyle Helm. “The closure of the venue is heartbreaking to me, because it is a space where opportunities arise for musicians and artists who just want a chance to express themselves. I, too, was one of those who wanted said opportunities, and Little Street did just that for me. The venue shutting down is going to create a great void for our community, and it’s a shame we are losing a safe space for all ages, which is a difficult thing to come by.”
Added Helm: “As a musician, Little Street felt like home, with the nicest staff, the best green room couch ever, and a stage that somehow made every band sound louder and better. … It wasn’t just a venue; it was a beating pulse in the desert, a true safe space, and I’m forever grateful to have been part of it.”
The music community bids farewell to one of the few consistent all-ages venues in the Coachella Valley
Xavier Dougherty, a booker and photographer under the name Noisepile, felt similarly about the professionalism of Little Street.
“Little Street Music Hall brought a sense of professionalism into the scene, being the only official-style music venue that facilitated nothing short of safe, multi-genre shows for all ages,” Dougherty said. “This space has opened the door for our music scene to expand.”
While the vast majority of comments regarding Little Street were positive, not all of them were. A contentious hardcore show hosted at the venue by Hot Stuff Booking caused a rift between some members of the local hardcore community and Little Street. Face Facts, a local hardcore band featuring Sage Jackson and Michael Jones, who also run Hot Stuff Booking, were billed on that show—and ended up not being able to perform. Jones commented on Little Street’s video: “Thank God.”
Jackson said, in a message to me: “They parade around behind the walls of a building trying to preach community and then turned their backs on the same community. Glad they’re gone. Worst venue and owners I’ve ever worked with.”
Little Street did host other hardcore bands since the incident. Hardcore band Built to Break performed at Little Street a few times.
“Josiah, who I went to high school with, along with Sam, Vince and the rest of the crew, have built something really special,” said Built to Break drummer Marcus Velarde. “The setup is super-convenient, with a back room for gear, and the sound has been on point every time. Everyone we’ve worked with there has been
respectful and easy to work with. Big thanks to Little Street for giving us a space to play and grow as a band.”
Jayce Levi, owner of the “World Famous” Repairland in Indio, credited Little Street for helping him make the transition from Palm Springs to Indio.
“These guys really helped me get going in Indio, and I will forever be grateful for them giving me a place to do pop-up repair shops while I was waiting to move into my shop,” he said.
Ken Larmon, a local photographer and College of the Desert professor, has been to hundreds of concerts. To him, Little Street was a shining example of what a music venue should be.
“Josiah, Sam, Vince and Sean (Poe) created something magical with Little Street Music Hall/Encore Coffee,” Larmon said. “An all-ages music venue was something that was desperately needed in the valley, and Little Street provided it at the highest level. They provided a venue for local bands to perform in a legitimate space—not a bar, not somewhere where their under-21 friends and family couldn’t go, and not a place they would have to leave right after performing. … The guys at Little Street Music Hall/Encore Coffee helped me organize the first Mid-Autumn Festival benefit show for Desert Cancer Foundation in honor of my late wife, Malinda. They helped me out so much with that, and I’ll always be grateful to them and the community they created at Little Street. It was more than just a music venue/ coffee shop.”
The Divines perform at Little Street Music Hall on Aug. 30, 2024. Ken Larmon
MUSIC
MUSIC AS RELIGION
By MATT KING
As music venues across the desert and beyond struggle, a unique spot in Idyllwild is doing anything possible to stay alive … including becoming a church.
Audiowild Studios is no stranger to struggle. Opening during the height of the pandemic, the recording space and venue has hosted rock, metal, punk, experimental, funk, jazz and more. When many other businesses close at sundown, Audiowild Studios opens for late-
night concerts, attracting music lovers from Idyllwild, the Coachella Valley and beyond.
Audiowild has faced issues with attendance and the ability to attract bands, as well as factors beyond the venue’s control, such as issues with permits and building repairs. Despite it all, owner/musician Brian “Puke” Parnell has continued to push on.
Throughout the summer, Audiowild is hosting a series of fundraiser events to keep the lights on and pay for venue repairs. The Rockovation Benefest continues with People of the Sun headlining on Friday, Aug. 8; the Endorphinz on Friday, Aug. 22; and Mushroom People on Saturday, Aug. 30. (Full disclosure: I will be performing at the Aug. 8 event.) Tickets are $10, and attendees are encouraged donate more.
“Before I was a professional musician, the first experience that I had with the music industry was as a guitar tech, stage hand, roadie, and I got to travel around and experience every different kind of venue, from a hole-in-the-wall dive bar to the Hammerstein Ballroom (in New York) and the Warfield in San Francisco,” Parnell said during a recent phone interview. “The first big tour that I did, we got to play those spots. So over the years, you figure out what works, what doesn’t, what you like and what you don’t like. … It’s always been a dream to have my own spot where I can do the things right that other people get wrong, and also try to innovate in certain ways and maybe do things a little differently.”
All other “music venues” in the immediate area sell coffee, pizza or beer, with live music coming second.
“If our only income is going to be music (during shows), there’s really no way to do it other than charging at the door, and that was something that nobody had ever really done in Idyllwild before,” Parnell said. “I had local bands that were telling me I was crazy. They’re like, ‘Nobody’s going to pay a door cover in Idyllwild; this isn’t L.A.’ … It was this big unknown, and I didn’t want to get shut down right away. In Idyllwild, there are a certain amount of liberties that you can take, because you don’t have a city breathing down
your neck. It’s not like Mayor Max (the town’s unofficial mayor—a dog) is going to scratch at the door and be like, ‘Knock it off.’”
Audiowild quickly began winning over the skeptics.
“There were people who were naysayers, but as soon as they actually came to a show, or saw footage from a show, or heard somebody telling them what an awesome time they had, they realized that this is something that the town has been missing.”
The Struggles of Venues
While Audiowild Studios has succeeded in hosting some well-attended, engaging shows, Parnell has often taken to Facebook to share the painful yet truthful experiences of being a venue owner in California. Parnell credited his stubbornness for Audiowild’s continuing existence.
“I think that there’s a certain amount of pig-headedness that can be applied to one’s benefit, especially if you’re able to mix that with a certain amount of confidence, or even over-confidence—that’s when things really work for you,” he said. “The confidence side, I’ve been lacking in. I’m working on all of that, but the stubbornness is definitely ever-present. … When it comes to the studio, there have been multiple times in the last four months where I’ve considered, ‘Am I doing the right thing? Should I just try to sell the idea to somebody else?’ I feel like the folks who do this, who do it for the right reasons, would totally understand and agree with me that there’s this feeling that you can’t stop, that it’s bigger than yourself.”
Parnell said he’s proud of the diverse range of performances Audiowild has hosted.
“No one else in town is going to be hosting an experimental music festival, or if the former guitarist for Smashing Pumpkins wants a spot to do some ambient guitar stuff, there’s nowhere else to do that,” he said. “… We’ve made that name for ourselves now where people expect to come here and see something that they wouldn’t experience in other ways, and they trust us to be curators of new musical experiences.”
Parnell said words of encouragement and
Idyllwild’s Audiowild Studios hosts concerts to raise much-needed money— and prepares to become a church
relentless support have kept him focused and determined.
“Anytime I think about giving up, there’s somebody who comes up, and they’re like, ‘Man, this place is so important to me,’” Parnell said. “I’m so thankful. We started doing jam nights again on Thursdays, and people are just so overjoyed, and tell me how much they missed it, and how, even though we’re not done (with renovations) yet, they love the place. … For so long, I was focusing a lot on the negative and on the struggles, but it’s a lot easier to keep going when you can focus on how much it means not just to yourself, but to everybody else.”
Parnell said a majority of the support for Audiowild comes from the Coachella Valley.
“If it wasn’t for all the support that we get from the Coachella Valley, we definitely would not still be here,” Parnell said. “Whenever we’ve done fundraisers and stuff like that, we have gotten saved because somebody from the desert swoops in, and they’re like, ‘Here you go; just thank me later.’”
Funds from the Rockovation Benefest will go toward the major renovations needed for Audiowild Studios to survive, such as a new HVAC system, soundproofing and an electrical overhaul.
“With the construction and with the remodel … we keep discovering fun new
things,” Parnell said. “This building was constructed in 1985 in the unincorporated town of Idyllwild, where building inspectors and code enforcement and stuff like that was not really too much of a thing. There have been a lot of interesting discoveries. Stuff that I thought was going to be very simple ended up being quite elaborate.”
Becoming a Church
Audiowild Studios is awaiting IRS approval to become a religious nonprofit, with music being the religion. The Church of Divine Vibes is the name.
As Parnell explained in a Facebook post: “In this religion, the Creator is a musician, and all the vibration of life results from a cosmic song. The sacred tones of music are a divine gift, and our frequencies collaborate with this song to shape our entire existence. We need to rid ourselves of our internal Dissonance to become in Tune with our world and live in Harmony with one another.”
Parnell explained that all the money coming through the studio will become donations.
“Paying for studio time, paying for any of that stuff—it all becomes a tax-deductible donation,” he said. “There are people who are lucky enough to be in certain tax brackets where it really behooves them to give certain amounts to charities and nonprofits and that
Audiowild Studios’ Brian Parnell: “It is a very spiritual feeling being at a concert—feeling that transcendence and feeling the connection with the other people in the room.”
MUSIC
sort of stuff. There are a lot of people who have approached us and are like, ‘Hey, man, we’re just waiting for you to get your approval, and then we can start helping.’”
Parnell said he’s serious about the mission of the Church of Divine Vibes, and he hopes to create a paradigm that other music venues could use.
“The mission statement is to universally celebrate and harness the divine and healing power of music through cultivation, exploration and community,” Parnell said. “Cultivation: That’s helping people with songwriting; that’s helping people with recording and cultivating their musical abilities. Exploration: There are not enough outlets out there helping bands to figure out the difference between mechanical royalties and physical royalties, in the same way they don’t teach you how to write a check in high school or whatever. There’s all this stuff that people don’t know about their intellectual property rights and stuff as musicians and as creators, and most of the people who want to teach you this stuff—there’s a fee involved. The community part is super, super important, too, because as musicians, as music fans, as people in the music community, this is how we feel connected to each other. It is a very spiritual feeling being at a concert—feeling that tran-
scendence and feeling the connection with the other people in the room.”
Parnell described music as “a gift for everyone.”
“It’s just these frequencies, these notes that existed,” he said. “None of us invented it; we just kind of stumbled across it. … The songs come from wherever they come from, and we’re the ones who are tasked with writing them down and performing them and teaching them and all that other stuff. … We’re really heavily going in that direction. We’re not going to start knocking on people’s doors and being like, ‘Have you accepted music as your Savior?’ But it’s how we’re going to get music to get the respect that it deserves, instead of just being a disposable commodity that makes wealthy CEOs wealthier to invest in a robot army or something. … When you’re all at the concert together, nobody’s really checking to see who’s red or blue or whatever; we’re all just enjoying the same shit.”
The Rockovation Benefest continues with People of the Sun headlining on Friday, Aug. 8; The Endorphinz on Friday, Aug. 22; and Mushroom People on Saturday, Aug. 30. All events are hosted at Audiowild Studios, 54240 Ridgeview Drive, in Idyllwild. Tickets are $10, but you can donate more. Visit audiowild.studio.
Clinton Meyer
MUSIC
ADVICE COVERED
By matt king
Gianmarco “Johnny” Fiacconi, drummer of the local ’50s/’60s cover band The Dreamboats, started a new Instagram account on Jan. 7. Every day since, Fiacconi has uploaded a video of himself, sitting in his car and giving advice—about the music scene, performing, marketing a band and countless other topics.
These simple videos—urging musicians to practice more, do research, find a niche, or market
themselves better—have resulted in a total of 24,600 followers (as of this writing) at instagram.com/johnnyfiacconi.
During a recent phone interview, Fiacconi said he started the videos in an effort to share his knowledge.
“I feel like I’ve taken so much from other people sharing things like that online—whether it’s about music or just life in general—and I felt like I’ve been doing this for so long, and I’ve gained so much experience, I wanted to give back,” Fiacconi said. “These are the kinds of things that I wish people would have shared with me, or that I would have had access to when I was coming up in music.”
Fiacconi has played a big role in the rise of The Dreamboats. The band brings high-energy performances, tasteful musical additions, and suit-and-tie perfection to classic-rock jams—feeling like a ’60s act untouched by time rather than a tribute act. Fiacconi not only assists behind the kit, but also spends time helping with social media, marketing and managing the group.
“I wanted to give people as much value as possible from all of the things I’ve learned over the past 15 years of managing stuff with The Dreamboats, and 20 years of doing music in general,” Fiacconi said. “I just felt like I owed it to the world to share that knowledge with the next generation.”
Other social-media accounts offer advice to musicians in an effort to sell lessons, a service or a product. That’s not the case with Fiacconi.
“There’s no sale; there’s no pitch,” he said. “I just want to connect and create a community of people. The whole idea is just giving back and providing value to people.”
Another difference: Most musical-advice accounts cater to those in the original-music realm.
“The position I’m in is interesting, because I’m doing covers and making a career out of that,” Fiacconi said. “I don’t know if anyone is really talking about what I’m doing with The Dreamboats—cover/tribute music … which is a world that I think sometimes gets a bad rap. I’m trying to tell people that you can have a very successful career doing music that you love by playing covers. There are a lot of bands
making great money, six figures a year, doing music like this. You don’t always have to be grinding it out and making original music. … I feel like I’ve cut into some kind of niche online with people who are doing covers and doing the tribute stuff. It’s been cool to see people come out of the woodwork and be like, ‘I get this,’ or. like, ‘I’ve been in that situation.’”
Fiacconi said he’s always been the type to offer help to fellow musicians and friends.
“People have called me or have wanted to chat, and they’re like, ‘I see what you’re doing with The Dreamboats; what do you think about what we’re doing?’” he said. “These have always been friends of mine who are in bands, and they’ve reached out, being like, ‘Well, how did you get this contractor? How did you guys start playing at the casinos?’ … It feels good to tell people what you’ve learned and give them the little secrets. I feel like there’s room for everyone in the music business. It’s not a cutthroat thing; there’s room for everyone to grow and to make money. I genuinely love sharing the things I’ve learned, and there’ve been a lot of hard lessons.”
Fiacconi’s videos cover a variety of topics, but there are some overarching themes—like, for example, urging musicians to stop making excuses.
“People are like, ‘Oh, well, we’re not making it because we don’t have a manager; we’re not making it because we don’t have a booking agent,’” he said. “I’m all about taking the ownership upon yourself. In this modern day and age, you don’t need the ‘team’ until a certain level. You can do so much on your own. I’m trying to show people that they can do it, and to not blame other people. You can take matters into your own hands.”
Fiacconi’s simple videos are a prime example of this point.
“A lot of people are like, ‘I need the likes. I need the lighting. I need this,’” he said. “I’m doing it in my car, and I’m just talking and editing. You get better at it as you go, and consistency is king in all of this. It’s about just saying you’re going to do something, and actually just getting it done, and making it a part of your routine. That’s so key in accomplishing anything. That’s what I’ve learned
Johnny Fiacconi, drummer for classic-rock cover band The Dreamboats, earned an Instagram audience by sharing his knowledge
from this process. … I was prepared to have no one watch these videos, and I was still going to do it every day, but it’s nice to see that it’s connected with people, and it’s really helped people. I get messages daily, and for me, that makes it worthwhile.”
On occasion, Fiacconi will skip the car chat for interviews with other music professionals.
“It’s really cool to hear things from the horse’s mouth,” Fiacconi said. “‘Here’s a corporate event planner,’ and I want people to hear how much they spend on their bands, because a lot of people think a corporate event is maybe a $2,500 event, but I know corporate people who are telling me they’re booking bands for $20,000— and these are tribute cover acts. It’s important for people to hear those numbers … and just know that some bands are getting paid that. That’s something to strive toward. There’s such a ceiling there in a lot of people’s minds, and I’m trying to get people to hear things from people in the industry. … I’m talking about the people who are out there performing on a weekly basis, doing theaters, doing private events, getting flown in. It’s a whole world, and I feel like no one’s really talking about that online.”
Fiacconi’s videos don’t always cater directly to cover and tribute bands, but he hopes his series will validate the profession in the eyes of other musicians.
“Not everyone is creative, or feels that urge to write original songs,” Fiacconi said. “Sometimes people feel the pressure to write music, and then they write it, and maybe it’s not good, because it’s not what they’re great at, and then they live this life of trying to push the original music, and it’s just not clicking. Maybe some people are built to just be performers. I think there’s a stigma around that right now. … You can be a killer performer and do life-changing performances for people, and connect with them with music that you and the crowd both love. People are afraid to dive into that world. I was afraid in my 20s, but now I’m having fun playing ’50s and ’60s tunes. I love this music.”
Fiacconi said that if he can find the time to grab a coffee, sit in his car, make a video and upload it every day, musicians all around the world can find the time to implement some of the great advice he’s giving.
“It all gets all done in an hour,” Fiacconi said about his videos. “… The whole reason I’m in the car is that we all live together, The Dreamboats, since moving down here 3 1/2 years ago. I’m all about ‘no excuses.’ I’ve got to get it done every day.”
Watch Johnny Fiacconi’s videos at instagram.com/ johnnyfiacconi.
Johnny Fiacconi: ““There’s no sale; there’s no pitch. I just want to connect and create a community of people.”
MUSIC
PERFORMING IN THE OASIS
By matt king
Heavy rockers Tarah Who? have been bitten by the desert music bug.
From France to Los Angeles and now the desert, Tarah Carpenter and her band Tarah Who? have been crafting a mix of punk, grunge, metal and hard rock, for more than a decade. Carpenter’s powerful lead vocals soar and scream over loud, headbang-inducing jams that explore moments of desert rock doom (“Never Say Never”), soft grunge (“Sell It to the World”),
alternative punk (“Manners”) and more.
The band has taken the stage all over Europe and the United Kingdom—and is now gearing up for a short U.S. run, including a special stop at Pappy and Harriet’s on Thursday, Aug. 14.
During a recent phone interview, Carpenter discussed why she relocated to the desert.
“We had been coming here for a while, my wife and I, and we have really good friends who live out here,” Carpenter said. “Outside of that, we just really enjoy the desert. When we were looking for a place to buy, we were looking around here—and we (eventually became) the neighbors of our really good friends. It’s kind of crazy, because I meet a lot of people who I know from L.A., and there are a lot of musicians here. It’s a big community, and I really like it. It’s very different from living in the big city.”
Carpenter said she appreciates the peace that comes with the vast landscape.
“Every time we cross the mountains, I’m like, ‘We’re leaving the oasis,’” Carpenter said. “I do love the city. I was born and raised in a big city, so sometimes I do crave the big-city life and the excitement and the rush and all of that. As I’m getting older, and since I’m pretty loud, I just don’t want to deal with neighbors, to be honest.”
The musical power of the desert has been discussed to death, but its effect remains true.
“I finally found the people who I can work with, and I don’t have to explain what to do, or the sound that I’m looking for, because it almost feels like it just makes sense here,” Carpenter said. “I don’t know what it is, but I just started a new band. I’m playing bass in that band, and it was so funny, because we were just jamming, and then we were listening back, and we’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re like one of those desert bands.’ We actually met thinking, ‘Let’s do a punk rock band.’ It just sounds super-heavy, and it sounds very desert.”
Carpenter enlisted the help of local legend Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures) to produce her latest album, The Last Chase
“After a few albums, I wanted to work with someone new,” Carpenter said. “As I was writing, all those sounds and all the ideas that came into my mind, the demos just sounded
like the desert. I must have listened to Them Crooked Vultures or something, and then it just hit me: I was like, ‘Someone who will understand is Alain Johannes.’ I reached out to him, and luckily he really liked the demos and the other songs that I did before.”
Ironically, the two desert musicians ended up making the album on the other side of the world.
“(Alain) was like, ‘OK, let’s do this,’” Carpenter said. “‘The only thing,’ he said, ‘is I’m going to be touring Europe, so it won’t be until I come back to the States.’ I’m like, ‘Well, I’m actually going to be touring Europe,’ and then we ended up meeting in Europe in two separate places in between tours. We recorded, in Europe, the whole album. Since then, we’ve become really good friends.”
Although Carpenter resides in the desert, Tarah Who? rarely performs locally, instead embarking on European and United Kingdom tours, and making appearances at high-level festivals like Hellfest in France. Many musicians have remarked that overseas audiences are better than American crowds in terms of engagement and energy—but Carpenter said the real difference is not the audience, but the treatment of the artists.
“I hope you’re not hungry, because when you tour the U.S., you’re not getting a thing unless you’re the headliner, whereas in Europe, they feed you, even if you’re, quote unquote, ‘just the opener,’” she said. “We like to play Europe more, because it’s not only better pay, but there is pay, and there’s food. Audience-wise, I think people are people, and if you give a good performance, you can get Americans or Europeans dancing and mosh-pitting. I’d say that maybe Europeans don’t really mind being so touchy with each other and mosh-pitting. Touring with The Exploited, we’ve seen a lot of people who were close to each other, and bumping each other. … It was so packed that we could not even move. I couldn’t even go to the merch table to sell my merch. That’s how crazy it was.”
On the band’s website and social media, Tarah Who? has been teasing an upcoming documentary. Carpenter said a chance meeting with photographer/musician Brian Downie led
Desert-based rockers Tarah Who? get ready for a rare local show at Pappy and Harriet’s
to the movie about the band.
“We were doing a photoshoot, and I was telling him that I’d love to have someone follow us on tour, because there’s just so much to say about what it is to be a musician on tour, especially as a woman, as a band in rock music,” she said. “When it was just Coco (Herve) and I, two ladies, like, going on tour, there were certain things that we just couldn’t do, because we didn’t feel safe playing that kind of music, because most of our fans are men. Nothing against men, but you’re just two women onstage. There were some nights I just didn’t feel comfortable getting shit-faced, because I wanted to make sure that I’m safe.”
Downie went from simply following the band on tour, to putting together a full-fledged documentary about Carpenter’s journey as a musician.
“It became a film that he wanted to make, because he discovered a lot of things, and I think he was also intrigued by the band,” Carpenter said. “… He wanted to talk more about all
of this, and this story is becoming a documentary about the band, but it touches all of those aspects of the music industry and what it is to be in the band and getting to know who I am.”
As of this writing, there is not yet a release date for the film.
“It’s in the making, and I think he’s really close to being done,” Carpenter said. “As much as I’m an independent musician, he’s an independent artist, and so it’s taking more time, because there’s no budget. It’s going to be very transparent, like, ‘Hey, this is what it is.’ That’s the essence of Tarah Who? I’m not making anything pretty to hide things. … We’re doing our best. We want it to be out, and I’m dying for people to watch it, you know, because I find it interesting.”
Tarah Who? is set to open for Meanstreak at 9 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 14, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, at 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Tickets are $13.73. For tickets and more information, visit pappyandharriets.com.
Alain Johannes and Tarah Carpenter. Brian Downie
MUSIC
HARDCORE ON THE MOVE
By Matt King
Since their debut/demo EP, 760 DEMONSTRATION, proclaimed their Coachella Valley love from the hardcore rooftops, KILLFLOOR has been on a tear.
The band’s hard-hitting punk stylings, raucous live performances, and brutal, slamming vocals have resulted in some of the most attended and hyped local-band shows in the Coachella Valley throughout the past year. The group has started expanding their reach, branching out to
the Inland Empire, Las Vegas and other nearby locales, hoping to spread their heavy jams.
KILLFLOOR released a new single, “DRIVEN BY PAIN,” on July 25, and the band is kicking off its longest tour yet on Sunday, Aug. 10, at the CV Collective.
“I feel like it’s the first example of us getting a little more serious lyrically, and also drifting toward more of what we want to sound like,” said frontman Jack Harris about “DRIVEN BY PAIN” during a recent phone interview.
The band went through some lineup changes over the last year, and now features Miguel Arballo on guitar and Xavier Ocegueda on drums, joining original members Harris and bassist Christian Romero. I spoke with Harris and Arballo via phone about the band’s new musical direction, as signified by their nuanced new single.
“We’re trying to incorporate more things instrumentally,” Harris said. “… For ‘DRIVEN BY PAIN,’ I remember Miguel had added those panic chords into it, and I was really hyped on that. That was just one of the things we haven’t done yet. It takes a little inspiration from old metalcore and stuff that I know Miguel likes, like Poison the Well.”
Arballo said the band members are emphasizing collaboration in the songwriting process.
“Another thing that’s helped us find our sound has been communicating with each other—sharing different music that we’re currently listening to—and that is inspiring us with each other,” Arballo said. “That way, we know what headspace we are in when we’re writing. I feel like that makes things so much easier, because we’re all on the same page.”
Hardcore music is alive and well in 2025, and while the members of KILLFLOOR take inspiration from many of the genre’s greats, they’re also picking up things from artists well beyond the genre.
“I’ve listened to a lot of Anthony Green, Saosin, Thursday and stuff lately,” Harris said. “I’m taking inspiration from that in some weird way, even though you probably wouldn’t hear it in the songs.”
Arballo is newer to hardcore than his bandmates, and he’s absorbing all he can to craft the best and most brutal guitar parts imaginable.
“Jack has definitely given me some more hardcore bands to listen to that I don’t regularly listen to, and that, in itself, has been influencing more of what we’ve been writing,” Arballo said. “I’ve been able to kind of understand what Jack’s hearing. I’ve been hearing what he wants to put on there, or how he wants to express that part.”
KILLFLOOR listeners will hear a more polished and methodical approach to hardcore in their new material.
“We’re taking more time with certain parts, instead of just rushing something,” Harris said. “We all will revisit a part a few times, trying it with an accent or something. We’re adding those newer parts and things we haven’t done yet.”
KILLFLOOR’s new tour is taking them to Northern California and into Oregon, but it’s starting at home, and the Aug. 10 show will include great heavy bands from across the nation, including Out4Blood (Minnesota), God Awful (Inland Empire), Harsh Reality (Inland Empire), Darasuum (Inland Empire) and F.A.C.A (New York).
“When you have bands coming from (Minnesota), coming from New York, it makes it kind of real,” Arballo said. “… It really lets you know that if you want to go play for people, and you want to go do it far away, or wherever it is, you can do it—it’s there.”
Arballo and Harris said they’ve enjoyed the company of other local bands, many of which have roots at Coachella Valley High School.
“Seeing your friends around you and having them around you is definitely a huge inspiration,” Arballo said. “… We’ve been hanging out a lot with Fatal Wounds and with Face Facts. It’s super cool.”
The popularity of the hardcore genre has meant that some of KILLFLOOR’s friends have played at big shows and festivals all over the world. Harris recalled watching Inland Empire band Smoked909 perform at a pre-show for the hardcore festival Sound and Fury.
“Seeing that was inspiring, because (they) are basically equals,” Harris said. “They’re just our friends; they’re just people—but then you see them do something like that, that’s so attainable. You’re stoked for them, and it’s just a motivation to get to that point.”
KILLFLOOR kicks off a West Coast tour with a show at the CV Collective
Harris said he’s hyper-focused on two things: writing music, and touring.
“That’s basically all I care about right now, because I feel like we all have a good time on the tours that we have done so far—but this one coming up is longer, and the farthest we have ever played from home,” Harris said. “I feel like trying to get out into the world more and more. I want to hit the East Coast; I want to hit Texas; I want to hit different places in the Midwest. I just want to tour all over. Getting our name out there and grinding as much as possible can get us that much closer to doing bigger things—which we already are, in just a short amount of time.”
That said, Coachella Valley music fans have a great deal of love for KILLFLOOR.
“When I get down or whatever, I remember that we do get a lot of love here, and people still care, thankfully,” Harris said. “Hopefully they like the new stuff, too, because it is different from the demo.”
KILLFLOOR will perform with Out4Blood, God Awful, Harsh Reality, Darasuum and F.A.C.A at 5:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 10, at the CV Collective, 1030 Sixth St., Unit No. 8, in Coachella. Tickets are $15, cash only at the door. For more information, visit instagram.com/killfloorhxc.
By matt king
Happy August! Summer is still going strong— but cooler temperatures, and more great shows, are around the corner. The Purple Room is reopening at the end of the month, and the McCallum is kicking off its new season on Sept. 14. In the meantime, our local entertainment scene still has much offer.
Acrisure Arena will host rock and pop stars this month. At 8 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 7, ’90s rockers Creed wonder, “Can you take them higher?” Sing along to the anthemic rock sounds of Creed, as well as openers Daughtry and Mammoth, on this epic night of loud guitar and screams. Tickets start at $94.85. Coachella returns to the desert for one night as former festival performers Kali Uchis, and opener Thee Sacred Souls, share their beautiful pop soul stylings at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 23. Tickets started at $146.37 as of our press deadline. Acrisure Arena, 75702 Varner Road, Palm Desert; 888-695-8778; www. acrisurearena.com.
Fantasy Springs offers a double dose of Mexican music. At 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 1, corridos, bandas and romanticos outfit Los Dos Carnales will bring their regional Mexican sound to Indio. Tickets start at $92.50. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 23, experience a magical night of Latin sounds led by powerhouse vocalist and Mexican icon Alicia Villarreal Tickets start at $62.50. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.
Spotlight 29 features comedy galore! Honest Goodness Comedy Fridays roll on with appearances by MC Raider (Aug. 1), Narcizo Gonzalez (Aug. 8), The Smash Brothers Chad and Cory (Aug. 15), Irma Ruiz (Aug. 22) and Ace Guillen (Aug. 29). Tickets start at $12.51 KILLFLOOR.
The Venue REPORT
continued from page 28
and up, and shows take place inside the Chairman’s Lounge. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 16, comedy icon George Lopez brings jokes and stories from his legendary career in standup, film and television to Coachella. Tickets start at $69.70. You must be 18+ to attend. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www.spotlight29.com.
August is a busy month at Morongo. At 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8, experience banda badassery from Los Nuevos Rebeldes. Tickets started at $195.57 as of this writing. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 9, get ready to funk and soul it up with Dazz Band and the Delfonics. Tickets start at $46.75. At 8 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 14, country star Chayce Beckham brings the twangy tunes and yee-haw jams to Cabazon. Tickets are $26. At 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 15, get risqué with the all-male revue Australia’s Thunder From Down Under. Tickets start at $59.50. At 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22, synth-pop stars Berlin head to the desert for a special appearance. Tickets start at $57.50. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 23, vocal soul legends the Pointer Sisters are set to perform. Tickets start at $57.50. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www.morongocasinoresort.com.
Here are some highlights from a busy month at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 2, rapper Yelawolf celebrates his 20-year career with a special stop in the desert. Tickets start at $37.94. Rock icons Heart return to the Coachella Valley at 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 15, bringing with them a lifetime of hit songs and iconic musical moments. Tickets start at $120.97. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 16, Texas comedian and musician Rodney Carrington will perform a hilarious set of jokes and funny songs. Tickets start at $65.51. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 30, Motown funk band The Commodores celebrate their iconic soul sound in Rancho Mirage. Tickets start at $38.41. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-
1995; www.aguacalientecasinos.com.
Agua Caliente Palm Springs hosts more residency shows in August. Desert Blues Revival Wednesdays feature alt-country from Wyman and the Wolves (Aug. 6), blues-guitar wizardry from the Jonny Ransom Blues Band (Aug. 13), Americana twang from Johnny Marfa and the Lights (Aug. 20) and soul-shaking blues from Black Sugar (Aug. 27). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start from $21.05, available at eventspalmsprings.com. Carousel Thursdays showcase swingin’ sounds from Melancholy Babies (Aug. 7), a musical performance and conversation about the jazz genre from West Coast Jazz Hour (Aug. 14), jazz-guitar mastery from Will Brahm (Aug. 21) and beloved vocalist Lia Booth (Aug. 28). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start from $17.85, available at eventspalmsprings. com. Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 888-999-1995; www.aguacalientecasinos.com.
Here are some notable shows on the Pappy and Harriet’s calendar. At 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 2, legendary desert rockers Fatso Jetson headline the iconic venue, featuring opening performances from local acts Hammer of the Ozz and Crowbar Salvation. Tickets are $20.21. Americana outfit Mick Rhodes and the Hard Eight will perform an entertaining live set at 9 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 10. The show is free for local residents! It’s $13.73 for nonlocals. At 8 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 21, psychedelic pop princess Japanese Breakfast will perform an intimate set in the high desert. Tickets are $70.20. At 8 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 26, legendary ’80s act The English Beat are set to show off their two-tone ska sounds. Tickets are $42.74. Heavy rockers The Sword will explode the Pioneertown Palace with nonstop riffs at 9 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 28. Tickets are $42.74. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-228-2222; www.pappyandharriets.com.
MUSIC
LUCKY 13
Get to know some musical facts about two fantastic local drummers
by matt king
NAME Daniel Duardo, aka D-NASTY GROUP Whitewater
MORE INFO The band Whitewater has been on one hell of a tear. While the local group still hasn’t released any studio recordings, hype is growing for the young alternative grunge-rockers, as the band recently opened for desert legend John Garcia, and has regularly packed local shows. Drummer Daniel Duardo, nicknamed “D-NASTY,” is a machine behind the kit, complementing the tasty guitar solos and intense vocal performances with thunderous percussive moments. For more information, visit instagram.com/whitewater.official.
What was the first concert you attended?
Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. I went with my dad when I was about 7.
What was the first album you owned?
Slipknot’s self-titled debut album. That one has a special place in my heart and really allowed me to unlock my playing.
What bands are you listening to right now?
Currently, I am bumping a lot of Ozzy. His final show really ignited my love for him again. I loved “No More Tears” when I was very young, and it was a big reason why I love music so much.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
I could never get into rave and loud phonk music. I can imagine it’s better at an actual rave, but I just can’t listen and enjoy.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
This is so tough for me, because I like so many different types of music, but prime Nirvana is something that would be amazing to see. They were the biggest band in the world at one point, and videos I see make me so jealous that I never got to experience it. Specifically, I’d want to see them play at the Paramount in ’91.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
This has to be music like what French Police puts out. I don’t even know how to describe it. It feels like some sort of indie or alt music that’s very spacey. I could be completely butchering it and sound like I have no idea what I’m talking about, but that music on a late night makes me float through space.
What’s your favorite music venue?
Has to be the Whisky a Go Go. Playing there was a special night for us, because my dad got to watch me on a stage that our heroes had played on. I’ve never had such intense butterflies for any other show.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“Shed a tear ’cause I’m missin’ you,” Guns N’ Roses, “Patience.” I lost a close friend this year, and I always think of him when I hear this lyric.
What band or artist changed your life?
Guns N’ Roses. My dad introduced me to them when I was about 4, and I fell in love. The loud vocals, crazy guitar solos and harmonies turned me into a rocker at such a young age, and I haven’t stopped. They are the reason I wanted to learn the drums, and I haven’t looked back since. Because of them, I get to play drums with my three brothers in Whitewater.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
I’m asking Jerry Cantrell if Whitewater can go on tour with Alice in Chains.
What song would you like played at your funeral?
This is a tough one. I’d maybe say “No More Tears” by Ozzy Osbourne. I know it’s impossible
to be at a funeral and not feel some sort of sadness, but I wouldn’t want people to cry at mine. I’d want them to have a big party and just have a good time.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? If I had to just say one to save my life, it would be lowa by Slipknot. I probably have every single second of the album engraved in my brain because of how much I’ve listened to it.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
Everybody should go bump “I Don’t Know” by Ozzy Osbourne, off the live tribute to Randy Rhoads, to celebrate what that man did for music.
NAME Jeronimo Arellano Contreras, aka “Moe”
GROUP The Royal Chicano Underground
MORE INFO Jeronimo Arellano Contreras is one of the valley’s most creative drummers. Contreras, after starting the band the Royal Chicano Underground, modified his drum set to include timbales instead of toms; unique percussion elements like a cowbell and tambourine; and stacks of cymbals with jingles on top of them. The result: an undeniably funky yet rockin’ drum sound that hammers home the desert rock and Latin flair within the sounds of the Royal Chicano Underground. The band just released Red Waves, their latest EP; listen to Contreras’ dominating drum performance on “The Star Spangled Tanner.” For more information, visit instagram.com/ theroyalchicanounderground.
What was the first concert you attended?
The Scorpions. I saw them at Fantasy Springs with my dad.
What was the first album you owned?
The first album that was given to me was Eminem, Encore, but the first album I purchased was Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium. I skipped school to buy that.
What bands are you listening to right now?
I’m on a random kick: lots of Death From Above 1979; some Los Pirañas; the new EP from Ca7riel y Paco Amoroso; and I’ve been vibing to the new Ginger Root album.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
I’m such a fan of music in general; I don’t really dislike anything. I think my biggest pet peeve is inactive stage presence in a band. If you look like you don’t want to be there, it makes me want to leave, too.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
Honestly, it’s kind of corny, but I would like to see the rock powerhouses perform once in their prime: Led Zeppelin, The Who, Black Sabbath (RIP Ozzy), Queen, etc.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
I like a good pop album every so often. Give me Teenage Dream from Katy Perry; give me … Baby One More Time, Britney Spears. Dawg, give me “Barbie Girl,” Aqua.
What’s your favorite music venue?
Pappy and Harriet’s for suuuure. It reminds me of my grandparents’ ranch with how secluded it is.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“Pará, pará, pará, pará, pará, pará / ¿Tatuaje en el cuello? Sí / ¿El pelo negro? Sí / ¿De silicona? Sí / ¿Se vieron anoche? Sí / Fuck!” “EL ÚNICO,” CA7RIEL y Paco Amoroso.
What band or artist changed your life?
Prince. I saw him at Coachella and was enamored with how someone his size and stature was able to control the stage and have so much energy and presence. I have been trying to emulate that in my playing ever since.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
I would probably ask Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers how he retains so much energy when he plays.
What song would you like played at your funeral?
“Working Man,” Rush.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
It’s gonna have to be Silent Alarm, Bloc Party. A lot of that album really inspired my drumming, and I still listen back to it with wonder.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
“Sister Cheryl,” Tony Williams. The vibraphone solo is amazing!
OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD
By Matt Jones
41. Domesticated
42. To have, in Le Havre
44. Neared, with “to”
46. Former Portuguese colony in India
47. It only has 60 feet between bases
50. Part of RSVP
51. Winnipeg-toMemphis dir.
52. How additional items are described in toy ads (and a hint to the circled letters)
60. ___ gobi (Indian potato dish)
“Boy king” of
Info that often gets
61. Lady Bird actress Saoirse
62. Still-life fruit
64. Tabby noise
65. Bar mixer
66. Pie crust ingredient
67. X Games airer
68. Refuge from the sun
69. Where the Sidewalk (Shel Silverstein book) Down
