Coachella Valley Independent May 2023

2 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

MAY 2023

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208 www.cvindependent.com

Editor/Publisher Jimmy Boegle staff writer Kevin Fitzgerald coveR and feature design Dennis Wodzisz Contributors Max Cannon, Kevin Carlow, Charles Drabkin, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Clay Jones, Matt Jones, Matt King, Keith Knight, Kay Kudukis, Cat Makino, Brett Newton, Greg Niemann, Dan Perkins, Theresa Sama, Maria Sestito, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month.

All content is ©2023 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The Independent is available free of charge throughout the Coachella Valley, limited to one copy per reader.

Additional copies may be purchased for $5 by calling (760) 904-4208. The Independent may be distributed only by the Independent’s authorized distributors.

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.

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On Page 6, you’ll find a story, by Kevin Fitzgerald, explaining why the Coachella Valley will not be getting a full four-year university anytime soon. This is not a surprise. But it is disappointment.

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary year here at the Independent, I’ve been reflecting back on what it was like when we started up in 2013. To say we faced challenges would be an understatement; however, I anticipated most of those challenges.

The one massive challenge I didn’t fully anticipate was the extreme difficulty we’d face in finding good, eager freelancers. Before coming to the Coachella Valley, I worked for newspapers in Reno, Las Vegas and Tucson. In each of those places, it was relatively easy to find capable writers, photographers and designers. In each of those places, I also managed (or helped manage) robust internship programs.

Then I came here.

While I was able to eventually assemble a solid group of freelancers, it took far longer and was much more difficult than I expected.

As for developing an internship program, after trying for at least two years to make headway, I finally gave up. Even now, I have a possible grant for a paid intern, and I can’t find any solid candidates for the position.

(Know of someone? Drop me a line!)

What’s different about the Coachella Valley compared to my previous locations?

Reno, Las Vegas and Tucson are all, to varying degrees, college towns. The Coachella Valley is not; as great as the College of the Desert is in some respects, it’s still a community college, not a four-yeardegree institution.

Universities add so much to a community.

They bring in talented and smart experts, who then pass their expertise along to their students. The result is the development of a “creative class” of individuals—artists, writers, musicians and the like—as well as entrepreneurs, all of whom help the community become a better place to live.

This is not to say the Coachella Valley doesn’t have talented artists, writers, musicians and entrepreneurs—of course we do—but we don’t have as many of them as we would if California State University, Palm Desert, were a real thing.

As Kevin explains in his story, any hopes we had of getting a four-year university here in the foreseeable future have been dashed by the pandemic and the current state budget deficit. But there is hope: A recent state study indicated that of all the possible locations for a new CSU campus, Palm Desert is, in many ways, the spot with the most potential.

I really hope that CSU-Palm Desert becomes a reality in the not-too-distant future. It would truly be a positive gamechanger for the entire Coachella Valley.

Welcome to the May 2023 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent. As always, thanks for reading.

—Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 3

MAY 2023

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MAY 2023

OPINION OPINION

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION MAKE THE EASY CHOICE

THE GIRL CLUB

Meet Claire Rogers, a model-turned-executiveTHE #1 CHOICE turned professional speaker—who now runs a cat café COMFORT AIR

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BY KAY KUDUKIS

hen the world turned upside down in 2020, Claire Rogers was 46, living in England with her husband of 17 years, and five years into her third career, this one as a professional speaker. She’d already been a successful model; had climbed the corporate ladder at an elite banking corporation in the travel industry; rubbed elbows with celebrities; and made some big bank. She was crushing it.

Life didn’t start out that way. Rogers’ parents emigrated from England to Canada in their late teens with 3-month-old Claire. Barely six months later, it was over. Her father was able to afford a better lawyer, so she spent the first 15 years of her life with him.

“I wasn’t one of those kids who were gifted,” Rogers says about her studies. There were, she Instead of telling on herself, Rogers went says, three things she was interested in: full assault with self-help books (300 over animals of any kind; books, particularly the 18 months), learning how to recognize mysteries, adventures and fantasy worlds of triggers and mitigate their damage. It became Enid Blyton; and the faraway places on the abundantly clear that her brain was wildly postcards she collected. unhappy with her career choices, so she quit.

Dad remarried; her stepmother lived up She took some courses, earned certificates to the fairy-tale hype and kicked Rogers out. and started coaching. One day, she ran into a She spent her high school years with Mom; just weeks away from graduation, she hadn’t a particularly prickly client from her corporate clue what she was going to do next. Mom told days. He insisted on knowing why she’d left the her she could be a model and travel the world, company. So, she told him. He replied: “I don’t know how many times I have locked myself but Rogers thought every mum says that about in my office and had a panic attack before a their kid. meeting.” He followed up with: “Can you come “I thought modeling was dumb,” Rogers speak at my company retreat?” admits. “It was never going to be my passion.”

Over the next five years, Rogers was a But … “If you were going to be dumb enough keynote/motivational speaker for Fortune 500 to pay me 10 grand to just sit in a bathtub in a bikini for eight hours, I’m gonna sit.”

The next five years were spent in Japan doing ad campaigns, runway modeling and visiting the places on those postcards she’d collected not so long ago.

By 23, Rogers was bored. She went home, earned an honors diploma in advanced travel and tourism, got recruited by a Fortune 500 company, moved to England, then started moving up, with higher titles, more responsibility and bigger payoffs.

She married an equally ambitious man, and they could have been the poster couple for “having it all”—until the day Rogers had her first panic attack.

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Claire Rogers. Cassia Lawrence Photography

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companies aimed at minimizing stress in the workplace.

Now we’re back to where we started. The shutdown meant no speaking engagements, so Rogers started podcasting, with her guests telling their own healing stories. And this is when, depending on who you are in this tale, everything dramatically fell into place, or dramatically blew up.

On a recommendation, she booked ex-felon and motivational speaker Sonny Von Cleveland. Something clicked. They spent hours on FaceTime for months after the show, until they both had to admit this was much more than friendship.

Her divorce didn’t go well, “but I’m not going to tarnish 17 years (of marriage) by three months of a shitty divorce,” she says.

“I’m not gonna say, ‘You’re a fundamentally bad person.’ You’re not.”

Her beloved British Blue cats were, for her, a casualty of the divorce, and the incredibly dreary winters made her miss them even more.

She thought of one cheery place where she’d vacationed as a kid. Didn’t she have all the postcards?

When her plane landed at Palm Springs International Airport, Sonny was waiting. It

was 2021, and she had one more dream to realize before she could relax into her new life.

Frisky Business Palm Springs Cat Cafe opened in December 2022 at 4781 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite F, with a room full of adoptable kitties, and a separate cafe serving coffees, teas and delicious local bites. Photos of her “Baby Blues” are on the wall when you walk in. She still misses them a lot.

Rogers uses her voice to smash the narrative that mental illness is weakness. In actuality, it is just something that can happen to a brain, like anemia happens to blood, arthritis to joints, IBS to stomachs.

One in five Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year. —CDC.gov If that’s you, reach out. You might be surprised by how many people in your circle have firsthand experience.

I will leave you with a great quote that made me think of Rogers. It that has no solid attribution, so I took the liberty of giving it one: A strong woman knows she has strength enough for the journey, but a woman of strength knows it is in the journey where she will become strong.

—Likely a badass girl who fought a battle but wasn’t allowed to put her name on her own damn quote

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 5

MAY 2023

OPINION OPINION

HIKING WITH T I

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

The winter precipitation has led to gorgeous, flowing waterfalls

BY THERESA SAMA

f you’re getting out onto local trails, you’re seeing spectacular beauty everywhere you turn.

There are so many amazing wildflowers thanks to all the rain this year. We may see the beauty of blooms well into May! All of the precipitation has brought more than just wildflowers: Thanks to the huge mountain snowpack surrounding us that has started to melt, Palm Springs-area canyons are thriving with amazing waterfalls.

There are a couple of close-to-town waterfall hikes that are good for all ages. First: Tahquitz Canyon is a short, easy hike, less than an hour and 1 mile (2 miles round trip, with an elevation gain of 350 feet) that ends at a 60-foot waterfall, Tahquitz Falls, that is absolutely gushing as of the trail are beyond breathtaking. This is this writing. certainly a must-do hike (before it gets too I was recently on the Tahquitz Canyon Trail, and I haven’t seen so much water flowing there hot, usually by the end of May)—and it’s in more than a decade. It’s definitely worth the right in our backyard, just off of downtown Palm Springs. To get to the Tahquitz Canyon $15 (or $7 for children; free for military with Trail from downtown Palm Springs, drive ID), and that’s not all: Along the way, you will south on Highway 111/South Palm Canyon see several mini waterfalls before reaching the Drive, and turn right (toward the mountain) big one. Be careful not to get into the rushing onto Mesquite Avenue. Drive to the end, and water, as it can be very dangerous; much like park in the Tahquitz Canyon Visitors’ Center wildlife, view it from a distance. parking lot. The Visitors’ Center features The wildflowers and the views from

Tahquitz Canyon is a short, easy hike that ends at a gorgeous 60 foot waterfall. Theresa Sama

educational and cultural exhibits, as well as a display of artifacts. Ranger-led interpretive 2.5-hour hikes are offered daily and are free with paid admission, departing this time of year (October through June) at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.

Whether you take a guided tour or go on your own, you may want to first check out the theater room and view the video about the Legend of Tahquitz; it’s interesting and well worth the time. For more information, visit www.tahquitzcanyon.com/canyon.

Murray Canyon, one of the Indian Canyons, is located five miles south of the Tahquitz Canyon Visitors’ Center and is another mustdo hiking trip this time of year, for those of you who love the water and wildflowers. It’s an easy-to-moderate hike, less than 5 miles out and back, that meanders along a flowing stream. The water is high and fast as of this writing, so be careful, and be prepared to get wet in the numerous water crossings

as you navigate your way along the stream, underneath the cool tree canopy, to the base of the Seven Sisters Waterfall—a three-tiered waterfall named after seven streams of water that flow one into the other.

Murray Canyon is less-traveled and known for its isolated beauty. The base of the falls is a perfect place for a picnic before heading back to civilization. If you’re lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the endangered peninsular bighorn sheep or other wild animals that roam the high ground above the canyon. The endangered least Bell’s vireo bird is known to nest here.

To reach Indian Canyons, drive south on Highway 111/South Palm Canyon Drive and keep heading south (to the right) at the split with East Palm Canyon Drive. The address is 38520 S. Palm Canyon Drive. The area is open for day visits from Oct. 1 to July 4 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last vehicle in at 4 p.m.

Ranger-led interpretive hikes are offered from October through June, which are free with paid admission: $12; $7 for seniors (62-plus) and students; $6 for children (6-12); and free for military with ID). Learn more at www.indiancanyons.com/indian_canyons.

I was also lucky enough to catch several waterfalls at Whitewater Preserve, a hidden gem of the desert, after a recent rainstorm came through. I counted at least seven or eight waterfalls along the canyon walls along the drive back to the preserve. Those waterfalls lasted for two to three days. It was breathtaking and majestic to see while they lasted.

Please keep your eyes open for snakes and other wildlife on the trails—especially rattlesnakes; they are out and about during the extreme heat and at dusk. Snakes like to hang out underneath creosote bushes and other plants that often grow alongside the trail. They also hang out in the crevices of big rocks and boulders, so be cautious, and don’t get too close.

Always stay in the middle of the trail when you can, and check the area before taking a rest on a boulder. Check again before getting up, as most snakebites occur on the hands, feet and ankles.

As more people get out on the trails, please remember to be cautious and courteous. Watch out for each other, and be mindful not to trample the beautiful plants and wildflowers if you need to step aside to let others pass.

When you meet people along the trail, know that uphill hikers have the right of way. As a general rule, bicyclists yield to all trail users, while hikers yield to horseback riders. The National Park Service has an excellent article on hiking etiquette at www.nps.gov/articles/ hikingetiquette.htm.

CVIndependent.com

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MAY 2023

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

NO CSU-PD I

Palm Desert is a leading candidate for a new four-year state university—but it’s not happening anytime soon

by Kevin Fitzgerald

f you’ve been hoping that a four-year state university would soon be established in the Coachella Valley, we have bad news: No such project has been approved, nor is one being seriously considered at this time.

In 2020, a detailed study commissioned by the California State University Board of Trustees and the CSU Office of the Chancellor evaluated and compared five potential sites for a new CSU campus: Chula Vista, Concord, San Joaquin County, San Mateo County and Palm Desert. The study—officially “The California State University Enrollment Demand, Capacity Assessment, and Cost Analysis for Campus Sites”—was done with a 2019 appropriation of $4 million to study positive move,” Hileman said. “We’re working the potential need for an additional CSU with the staff from CSUSB to build a student campus in any of those five locations, as services center (in Palm Desert). That’s in the well as the anticipated benefits and impacts. design phase right now. Also, we’re adding Upon completion, the CSU Board of Trustees some additional classroom space. … Obviously, delivered it to the state Legislature—along the hope is that with more students attracted with their recommendation that none of the to the campus, more of an argument can be five locations be approved as a site for a new campus, due to insufficient enrollment demand. made that (the campus) should stand alone. So this is kind of step one in a very long process.”

As a result, Coachella Valley high school When the report was initially requested students wanting to attend a full four-year by the Legislature, members of the Coachella college close to home are out of luck, as are Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP), in the businesses, public-service leaders and conjunction with the valley’s cities, proactively politicians who have dreamed of a diversified launched their own research and marketing and strengthened local economy resulting effort to support the bid for a four-year from a university. university, “The Coachella Valley Is Ready to But that doesn’t mean anyone is giving up Rise: The Case for a California State University on the dream.

Palm Desert.” The introduction to the “The making of a four-year university is 16-page document, in part, states: “This case certainly the goal,” said Palm Desert City study demonstrates the desert community’s Manager Todd Hileman during a recent collective need, commitment and enthusiasm interview. “We were hearing that COVID for establishing the 24th California State put things on pause: With so many students University in the Coachella Valley. It details learning at home, (the CSU administration) how the necessity for affordable higher didn’t know what that was going to do to education is greater in the desert region than ongoing behavior. Were students going to in any other location in the state of California, take more classes over the internet versus as well as how the community is aligned and being on campus?” prepared to swiftly shepherd the development The short-term local goal, Hileman said, has of CSU Palm Desert.” shifted to growing the Cal State UniversityMichael Uhlenkamp, the senior director of San Bernardino and University of Riverside strategic communications and public affairs satellite campuses in Palm Desert. for the CSU Office of the Chancellor, explained “For the last year or two, the emphasis during a recent email exchange with the has really been on trying to get some Independent why no new CSU campus will be additional state funding to expand the built anytime soon. campus to better serve our students here,” “When the study was initiated and Hileman said. “The hope is that one day, it completed, there were much different would be a stand-alone campus, for sure. situations related to both the enrollment of But that really has not been the focus. the CSU and the state’s economic picture,” he The focus is much more on continuing to wrote. “The two biggest drivers of a potential enhance the student experience there.” new campus, lack of enrollment capacity and Hileman spoke enthusiastically about a available state funding, are very different recent earmark for a big improvement to the today. In 2020, the CSU was experiencing CSU-San Bernardino satellite campus in Palm an all-time high enrollment of more than Desert.

485,000 students. Since then, and largely “There’s been a $79 million budgetary attributable to the pandemic-related drop commitment (made by the California in enrollment at the California community Legislature) to the campus right now, and colleges and the subsequent decrease in we view the investment by the state as a real CVIndependent.com

Students walk in front of the Indian Wells Center on the CSU-San Bernardino Palm Desert campus.

Kevin Fitzgerald

transfer applications, CSU enrollment has dropped to 457,992. Additionally, the state, which would need to dedicate substantial resources to the establishment of a new campus, is projecting a budget deficit of more than $20 billion this year.”

The good news is the study revealed, in many ways, that Palm Desert is the most attractive option for a new CSU campus. Most notably, according to the CSU study, the total cost to develop a four-year campus in Palm Desert was roughly $4.56 billion, while the Chula Vista option came in next at $4.74 billion, and the Stockton option came in at $5.38 billion. Also, Palm Desert ranked high in seven of the study’s 14 specific areas of review, more than any of its competitors. The areas in which Palm Desert was deemed most desirable included the ability to serve first-generation students, the ability to serve lower-income populations, alignment with local industry, land availability and housing availability.

Hileman said the work to eventually bring a full four-year university to the Coachella Valley continues.

“The Palm Desert City Council actually put $150,000 in seed money into the city budget three years ago to advocate for additional

funding to come to this campus,” he said.

“Most, if not all, of the campus buildings have been built through private donations. So this ($79 million commitment) is the first time that we’ve seen the state of California come in with a sizeable investment.

“We view the campus being awarded $79 million, with the help of … former representative Chad Mayes and current District 36 Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia … for campus improvements as a very positive sign that (the state) is willing to keep investing in this area. And we’ve put together a coalition that obviously sees the need for it, and we’ve got programs that we’d like to see expanded. The student center is the first step in continuing to enhance the student experience on campus, and continuing to make the argument for a stand-alone campus with more classrooms and programs.”

We wanted to discuss the matter with District 47 Assemblymember Greg Wallis, who took over for Mayes and sits on both the Assembly’s Committee on Higher Education and the Select Committee on Master Plan for Higher Education in California, but he did not return multiple emails and phone calls from the Independent.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 7

MAY 2023

Events 2023

I love this town.

Thomas Gleeson Ins Agcy Inc Thomas Gleeson CLU ChFC, Agent Insurance Lic#: 0K08021 225 S. Civic Drive, Suite 1-1 Palm Springs, CA 92262 Se habla Español

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Thanks, CV Independent.

I love being here to help in a community where people are making a difference every day.

Thank you for all you do.

DATE

EVENT

May 4–7

Palm Springs Hot Rodeo

May 9

Palm Springs Speaks Presents Dave Barry

May 11

Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast

May 12–14

White Party Global

May 18–21

Joshua Tree Music Festival

June 2

Lizzo The Special 2our

June 2–4

Outloud Festival / West Hollywood Pride

June 2–11

Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week

June 3

Ross Mathews - I Gotchu Gurl

June 9–11

Splash House June

June 9–11

LA Pride

June 20–26

ShortFest 2023

June 24

Big Gay BBQ on Arenas

June 24–25

San Francisco Pride

July 14-16

Out in the Vineyard - Gay Wine Weekend

Sept 20–24

Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend

Nov 3–5

Palm Springs Pride

Subscribe to the Oasis Insiders Newsletter or visit our Day-By Day Events Calendar

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8 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

MAY 2023

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

RESTRICTION ROLLBACK T

by Kevin Fitzgerald

he state of California has gotten 30.23 inches of precipitation since the current water year started on Oct. 1, 2022, putting the state at 145% of the historical average, according to the state’s California Water Watch website, as of April 18.

Major reservoir levels across the state are at 105% of their average historic levels, and the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada stands at 228% of its historic average peak. Because of all this water, most of the state has emerged from a record-breaking drought.

All this good water news has spurred Gov. Gavin Newsom, the State Water Resources Control Board and Coachella Valley water agencies to roll back most drought-related water usage We asked Garcia what penalties would restrictions—which had grown more onerous be imposed on CVWD customers who did over the last two years. The governor’s March not abide by the reduced restrictions. “They 24 announcement that he was rescinding the wouldn’t get a fine,” she said, adding that the 15% voluntary water-usage reduction target most important thing is that the penalty for for every household and business in the state exceeding each CVWD user’s monthly water prompted many of the state’s water agencies budget, as set by the agency, is no longer in to discontinue most Level 2 usage restrictions. effect.

The state continues to prohibit the use of In Desert Hot Springs, the Mission Springs potable water to irrigate ornamental (or nonWater District will move away from the Level functional) turf on street medians and other 2 water-use restrictions soon, according to places that aren’t used for human or animal Marion Champion, the government and public recreational needs. affairs manager. “When the governor made Here in the Coachella Valley, the Desert his declaration asking everybody to move Water Agency, which serves customers in into Level 2, it was the State Water Resources Palm Springs and Cathedral City, rescinded Control Board who actually put the emergency its Level 2 restrictions at its April 18 board regulations into place that required water of directors meeting. As a result, only the agencies to move to Level 2. Those emergency following types of water usage remain regulations expire on June 10, so our board restricted: Watering so much that it runs adopted a resolution on April 17 that will onto the sidewalk, driveway or other nonallow us to move back to Level 1 immediately landscape areas; applying water to driveways, following the expiration. … The biggest impact sidewalks, concrete or asphalt (unless it’s in moving from Stage 2 to Stage 1 is that done to address immediate health and safety needs, or done via reasonable pressure washer daylight irrigation will be allowed again for our customers. or water broom use); watering during rain “Our MSWD customers are already pretty and 48 hours after; and running water to efficient in their water use. They have the wash vehicles. Escalating monetary fines lowest per-capita water use in the valley. We remain in place for DWA customers who do live in a desert where we really do have to not obey these remaining restrictions. practice conservation as a way of life.”

At the Coachella Valley Water District, The MSWD Level 1 restrictions will be in which serves customers in most of the rest of line with the continuing DWA and CVWD the valley, public information officer Lorraine restrictions.

Garcia told the Independent that the agency One reason why the state’s water agencies has also rescinded the Level 2 restrictions that feel confident in relaxing their usage were originally implemented in May 2022. restrictions is that allocations of imported All of the DWA’s restrictions are in effect for CVWD customers, too, as is a requirement that water to them by the State Water Project have been set at 75% of the established annual broken sprinkler heads get fixed within five allocation per agency—a much higher figure business days. than in recent years. Champion said that the “These are all common-sense actions that state’s snowpack and reservoir levels have a we should be doing at all times, and they are direct impact on the Coachella Valley. always in effect,” Garcia said. “Level 2 had a “Here in the Coachella Valley, we import restriction about not watering outdoors during water in two ways: We import water from daylight hours, and (even though it is now the Colorado River system, and we import rescinded), when we think about that for this coming summer heat, we still encourage people it from the State Water Project. This year’s (SWP) allocation is currently up to 75%. If to water in the evening so that they avoid the you compare that to years past, in 2020, the quick evaporation of the water.”

CVIndependent.com

Coachella Valley’s water agencies are dropping rules regarding water use—but the Colorado River remains a problem

The Desert Water Agency’s aquifer-recharge facility. Courtesy of the DWA

allocation was 20%. In 2021, it dropped to 5%, and in 2022, it was 5%. We use that water from the State Water Project to replenish our aquifer. On the Colorado River side, we are not out of the woods. We’re still in drought conditions on the Colorado River side. … We’re watching it very closely.”

Garcia agreed. “CVWD is the only agency in the valley who has rights to the Colorado River and the State Water Project, but those are two different sources. The State Water Project is where we’re getting 75% of our allocation this year, which is a great thing, but the Colorado River doesn’t actually get filled up by the Sierras, which is what feeds the State Water Project. Its water comes from the Rockies, and while the Rockies have gotten some snow, I don’t think it’s having the same impact as the Sierras. Still, it does help.”

The Colorado River system remains a hot-

button issue; it is being fought over by seven Western states that rely on the river for both drinking water and agriculture. The tug-ofwar between the states reached an impasse at the end of 2022, which has forced the United States Department of Interior (DOI) to consider imposing some form of sharing agreement upon the threatened states.

Two potential plans were unveiled on April 11 by the DOI. While both include reductions in water allotments for all states, one calls for the continued recognition of established legacy water rights that have long dictated tiered annual allocations to the states in question.

The other would basically put all seven states on an equal-footing.

“There are a lot of negotiations happening,” Garcia said. “All I can really say is that the CVWD is supporting a seven-state consensus plan, and we’ll continue to work toward that end.”

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 9

MAY 2023

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

CIVIC SOLUTIONS W

Residents of three Coachella Valley cities don’t have to pay for ambulance services at home; could the other cities set up similar programs?

by Maria sestito

hen someone doesn’t have health insurance or can’t afford their deductible, it often results in fewer doctor visits and later diagnoses of severe conditions. It’s easy to assume, however, that in a medical emergency, the same person would call 911 despite the cost.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Calling the ambulance can indeed cost you. In the Coachella Valley, a ride to the hospital via ambulance starts at about $1,200—and that’s before additional costs like mileage, oxygen use and other surcharges are added in.

In the “Cove Communities” of Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert and Indian Wells—three of the base rate, additional charges might include Coachella Valley’s wealthier communities— a $28 per-mile fee, and $132 for the use of residents don’t have to worry about these oxygen. If no one is transported, but medical costs: Getting to the hospital or receiving care is provided, there may be a $425 “dry run” on-the-spot life-saving care won’t cost them. fee. But residents don’t have to ever worry Thanks to the Emergency Medical Services about paying any of these fees.

Insurance Billing Program, which went Residents in the valley’s other six cities into effect in 2017, residents aren’t held aren’t as fortunate. The Indio Fire Department responsible for any amount left unpaid by is also staffed by CAL FIRE/Riverside County insurance companies for emergency paramedic Fire, and emergency rates there are less—with or ambulance transportation services. That a $1,200 base rate, $22 per-mile fees, a $115 means that residents don’t have to worry surcharge for night calls, and $120 for dryabout paying out of pocket, even if they’re run calls—but uninsured or underinsured uninsured or have large deductibles. residents are expected to pay.

I live in Palm Desert, and my household Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, La recently benefited from this program.

Quinta, Coachella and unincorporated areas Following the hospital visit, my household of the Coachella Valley get emergency medical member received a letter from the city services through American Medical Response informing him of the program—although he (AMR). Riverside County’s contract with already knew about it through me. I knew AMR is in effect until June 30, 2026. AMR about it because, when I lived in nearby is a private, for-profit company; according to Rancho Mirage, my apartment manager told its website, it’s the nation’s largest private me about it. provider of medical transportation services.

All this made me wonder if my neighbors A 2019 analysis by The Desert Sun found base knew about this—and if other parts of the rates for AMR response throughout Riverside Coachella Valley were doing anything similar.

County were about $1,798. In fiscal year 2021Indian Wells, Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage formed the Cove Communities Services 2022, those emergency rates had increased to $2,028.71. AMR’s per-mile rate in the county Commission in order to provide coordinated is $49.33; oxygen is $211; night calls have a and effective responses to public-safety $230.72 surcharge; and dry runs are $315.32, incidents while also being cost-conscious. according to the Riverside County EMS Agency’s “What happens is, we contract with a third 2021-2022 ambulance rate sheet. party for the billing, so when info gets out, Rates charged by AMR for emergency we try to recover what we can from insurance. transportation are regulated by the county Whatever we can’t recover, we just write-off,” said Jacob De La Cruz, financial analyst for the and increase yearly based on changes to the consumer price index, according to Nicole city of Rancho Mirage. “We don’t collect on it.

Michel, director of public relations for Global We don’t pass it on to residents.”

Medical Response, AMR’s parent company.

All three cities have services provided by When asked if there was an average rate CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, charged to users in the Coachella Valley, which is paid for through the fire-tax fund, Michel wrote via email: “It is misleading to De La Cruz said. Third-party billing services discuss the average charge for a particular for the Emergency Medical Services Insurance area, as the amounts we receive for patient Billing Program, on average, cost Rancho transports vary by payor. For example, the Mirage between $6,000 and $8,000 per base reimbursement for an (emergency) month; this is also paid for through the fireambulance transport for a patient on Meditax fund, he said.

Cal, which represents more than 40 percent The base rate for emergency services in the of our patients, is approximately $115. That Cove Communities is $1,464.11. Beyond the

CAL FIRE/Riverside County firefighter/paramedic Juan Gonzalez cleans a vehicle at Palm Desert Fire Station No. 33 (44400 Town Center Way) during some down time. Maria Sestito

rate has not increased at all since 1999. This reimbursement is far below our cost to provide the services.”

Michel pointed out that the pandemic had a negative impact on the industry, leading to staffing shortages across the U.S., including at AMR. Additionally, EMT and paramedictraining programs were put on hold during the pandemic.

“There are now fewer qualified EMTs and paramedics entering the industry because of those impacts,” Michel said.

Cathedral City provides its own fire and EMS services. The fire department’s base rate for both basic and advanced life-support services is $1,225, plus $28 per-mile, $60 for oxygen, a $119 surcharge for night calls, and $25 for miscellaneous supplies. The Cathedral City Fire Department provided 3,745 ambulance transports in 2021, according to the department’s annual report.

In 2016, The Desert Sun reported that the Cathedral City Fire Department had sued residents for thousands of dollars in unpaid ambulance bills. Then-Fire Chief Paul Wilson said the department operated the service at a loss: Each year between 2015 and 2018, the department reported total losses between $1.09 million to $1.5 million.

These lawsuits made an impression across the county. During a Palm Desert Public Safety Commission meeting the following year, the

city’s administrative services director at the time, Lori Carney, said that one of the goals of the Emergency Medical Services Insurance Billing Program was to prevent the city from getting into the business of pursuing ambulance-service collections from residents.

Exactly who is covered by this benefit can be confusing, especially with all the visitors, guests snowbirds and second-home owners.

According to De La Cruz, the patient needs to be considered a “resident.” The information is typically passed along based on the residential address given when the firefighters and paramedics arrive. This means that if you live in one of these three cities during the winter, but consider your other home your primary address, you need to give the paramedics your local address; it may make things easier down the line. Homeowners and long-term renters, of course, are covered.

Should other cities consider this model?

The Cove Communities may be in a unique situation, because they’re wealthier cities where high-earners probably have pretty good health insurance, with many older residents who qualify for Medicare. The percentage of the population without health insurance and, thus, the amount that goes unpaid is likely lower than in other Coachella Valley cities.

But if there’s a way to affordably ensure that all residents have access to emergency medical care, each city should be working toward that.

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CV HISTORY A

The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies helped revitalize the Plaza Theatre and brought crowds downtown for 22 years

by Greg Niemann

variety show that featured seasoned performers who were all at least 55 years of age was destined to be a hit in a nostalgic town like Palm Springs. The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies packed ’em in for 22-plus years (1991-2014) and helped catalyze the resurgence of Palm Springs as a resort destination.

The Follies restored the glamor of the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre, which opened in 1936 when it hosted the premiere of Greta Garbo’s now-classic film Camille. In its heyday, the Plaza Theatre was also the site of national broadcasts by Bob Hope, Jack Benny and other stars.

The first time I attended the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies at the Plaza Theatre, I was 59 dramatic series The Hitchhiker for HBO. years old. Looking at the white-haired crowd, Upon his first visit, he realized the I felt like one of the youngest attendees in the theater’s charm. Markowitz recalled: “Well place. That’s something Palm Springs can do this was just the ultimate sandbox for for you. someone whose dream had always been to The show’s producer, director and master perform upon an authentic vaudeville stage.” of ceremonies was Riff Markowitz. During First, he had to convince the city to let him each show, he worked the crowd—many of move into the Plaza Theatre, which he did whom were in their 70s and 80s—and singled via a 3-2 vote. In addition to assuaging the out those over 90 and 100 for recognition. concerns of neighboring businesses, he and Move over, Branson. his partner, Mary Jardin, had to sink about Most were not disappointed in the show; in $900,000 into renovating the old place. The fact, more than 98 percent vowed to return. Age show opened with slow sales during the first vanished once the curtain opened. You knew week. Then word of mouth took over—and the long-legged lovelies onstage were between Markowitz never looked back.

55 and 87 years old—but it was hard to believe.

The show’s 165 employees commanded Flashing as much leg and torso as was prudent, a large payroll, but more important to the they danced, sang and even did the splits. They community were the approximately 180,000 wore elaborate costumes and headdresses, some attendees each year. More than 40 percent of weighing 15 pounds or more. attendees reportedly came to Palm Springs Beverly Allen, at the age of 87, in 2005 was just for the show. Only about 20 percent listed as “The World’s Oldest Still-Performing spent the night, but more than 75 percent Showgirl,” according to the Guinness Book of grabbed a bite to eat, and 50 percent bought Records. Like most of the seasoned Follies something locally. The concerns of the showgirls, her credits were dazzling, going neighboring businesses turned to raves as back to dancing with Eddy Duchin and group organizers bussed in attendees in all Tommy Dorsey, and entertaining troops for season long. the USO in Europe during World War II. Not only were the townspeople won over; The Follies lasted 22 seasons, constantly so was the media. The Washington Post said, playing to sell-out crowds filling the “The regular standing ovations suggest that restored theater’s 809 seats. The season this is the right stuff in the right place at the ran from November through March, mostly right time.” The Today Show reported, “Great Wednesdays through Sundays, with two legs, great stamina, great sense of humor! daunting shows four days a week, and one Dazzling.” Doing them one better was ABC’s show on Sunday. The shows were long, too, Day One with Diane Sawyer and Forrest with two intermissions.

Sawyer, which gushed, “The sexiest, most stunning showgirls in the business.”

Right time, right place Everything about the show was first rate, The timing was perfect for an enterprise including the costumes. Markowitz hired like the Fabulous Follies. The city wanted designer Paul McAvene, whose his costumes a tenant for the historic Plaza Theatre, for Les Miserables and Cats helped ensure abandoned in 1989 by the Metropolitan their success. Each of the costumes was Theatre Company. Meanwhile, former designed for each showgirl’s individual body.

Hollywood producer Riff Markowitz was Along with the popular song and dance bored with his retirement to La Quinta, after numbers, each show featured various variety spending 30 years producing, writing and acts and a headliner. The most endearing directing award-winning television series variety acts were pure vaudeville. With straw and variety specials for a host of famous hats and banjos, the Mercer Brothers, Jim talents. He also co-created and produced the CVIndependent.com

Dorothy Kloss, 81 years old. courtesy of the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies

and Bud, 85 and 88 years old, sang, tapdanced and just plain had fun—until Jim passed away in 2003.

Early on, one big name was hired as the headliner for the entire season, but sometimes illnesses forced Markowitz to scramble to find replacements. The late Donald O’Connor was the headliner for my first visit, but he got ill shortly after that show, and replacements filled the remainder of the season.

Markowitz later signed up four headliners to cover a season, with each doing about 50 shows. During my second visit, my friends and I were impressed by Carol Lawrence.

Other headliners included Howard Keel, Frankie Laine, Anna Maria Alberghetti, The Modernaires, Peter Marshall, The Four Aces, Barbara McNair, Buddy Greco and Kaye Ballard.

Honoring the attendees

Markowitz loved interacting with the audience. He usually recognized various groups who came to town. If one group was seated in the back, he might make a comment like, “Boy, I hope you didn’t pay your leader for the expensive seats.”

After each show, the cast adjourned to the lobby to greet visitors departing the historic theater. In 2003, we met the lovely dance

manager Leila Burgess, who could pass for 20 years younger than her admitted 69 years.

The show was even more of a “fountain of youth” for the cast than it was for the audience. Former Radio City Rockette and runway model Glenda Guilfoyle, at 71—also a mother of seven and grandmother of eight—said succinctly, “The Follies keeps me young.” Dorothy Kloss, 81 while in her ninth Follies season, simply added, “I no longer think about getting old.”

Of course, all good things must come to an end. The $1 million required to produce each new edition would eventually become too much, and the Follies’ last show was in May 2014.

The Plaza Theatre has gone virtually unused since, but it soon could come back to life, thanks to the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation, which is raising funds to restore it to its original splendor. Learn more at savetheplazatheatreps.org.

Lily Tomlin recently summed up the restoration effort thusly: “The city of Palm Springs needs to restore one of its most iconic buildings—the Plaza Theatre. It’s been the heartbeat of downtown Palm Springs.”

Sources for this article include Follies promotional materials and various editions of The Desert Sun.

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MAY ASTRONOMY V

By Robert Victor

Venusand rules the evening sky, Mid-Twilight Planets Bright Stars in Evening For May, while Saturn offers great2023 views This sky chart is drawn for latitude 34 degrees north, via telescope ininthe mornings but may be used southern U.S. and northern Mexico.

N May's evening sky chart.

ROBERT D. MILLER

enus, the brilliant planet in the west at dusk, ascends to its highest position in the evening sky this month— while the stars temporarily surrounding it steadily drop away.

Deneb Use monthly evening twilight sky chart to track Venus, Mars and bright stars. During `` May, watch Rigel, the Pleiades, Aldebaran, Sirius and Betelgeuse, in order, exit the western sky, Vega leaving the “Spring Arch” of Procyon, Pollux, Castor and Capella to remain at month’s end.

The May 2023 Sky Calendar, illustrating many of the events described in this column, together with a constellation map for the month’s evening sky, are available for free at www. abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar.

Venus, at magnitude -4.1 to -4.4, rules the evening sky! Throughout May, Venus remains above the unobstructed horizon for more than three 9° to the moon’s upper left. On May 24, the hours after sunset. If observed at sunset or in 27% moon is nearly 5° above Mars.

Capella twilight in early May, Venus attains its greatest On May 26, the 46% moon, almost at first altitude for this entire evening apparition: In quarter (half full) phase, is within 4° to the May’s second week, Venus is nearly 41° up at upper right of Regulus, heart of Leo. On May Aldebaran 1 1529 Venus sunset and 32° up at mid-twilight (when the 28 and 29, Venus passes 4° south of Pollux.

Arcturus Castor 22 29 sun is 9° below the horizon). Even at nightfall, On May 30, the moon (now gibbous, at 82%) E W Pollux 1 8 15 Mars when twilight ends with the sun 18° down, appears 5° to the upper right of Spica, while Betelgeuse Venus is still 22° up on May 1, and 18° up on Mars passes aphelion, the point in its orbit Regulus May 31. This month, Venus can be spotted most distant from sun. On May 31, the Venusin daylight, 43° to 45° to the upper left of the Mars gap has closed to 11°, while Mars has Procyon Rigel setting sun. Near the time of sunset or not faded to magnitude +1.6. On June 1, VenusSpica long after is best for using a telescope to follow Pollux-Castor are arranged in a straight line; Sirius Venus’ changing appearance. In May, the disk Mars appears in the Beehive Cluster that night grows from 17 to 23 arcseconds across, while its and next. Use binoculars or a telescope after Antares phase decreases from about two-thirds to just nightfall to see the cluster’s brightest stars. over half illuminated (66% to 52%). In June, the Morning events: Saturn, in Aquarius, glows crescent Venus will become large enough to be at magnitude +0.9 in the east-southeast to resolved even through binoculars! southeast as dawn brightens. A telescope shows Evening events: As the sky darkens on May the rings tipped only 8.0° to 7.4° from edgewise.

1, Venus appears between Beta and Zeta On May 7, the red star Antares, heart of Tauri, tips of the Bull’s horns. Find faint Mars, the Scorpion, appears just 1.5° east (to the of magnitude +1.4, nearly 26° to Venus’ upper left) of the 96% moon. Earlier that morning, left, in Gemini, 6° below Pollux. As Venus the moon will occult Sigma in Scorpius, the shifts 1.1° to 1°, and Mars shifts nearly 0.6° third-magnitude star just west-northwest (to S occurs when Stereographic Projection daily against stars this month, watch for these the right) of Antares, and one of the “outworks 12 percentEvening waningmid-twilight crescent moon.

On May 17, southeast at dusk, highest in the south in the Sun is 9° below the horizon.

by Robert D. Miller events: On May 8, Mars is 5° south of Pollux. of the heart.” Seen from the Coachella Valley, a 6 percent moon occults Jupiter. From most middle of night, and low Map in the southwest at May 1: 43 minutes after sunset.

On May 10-12, Venus passes 3.6° north of the star’s disappearance behind the moon’s of California and Western Jupiter is dawn. Its positions at dusk and dawn are shown 15: 44 " "Nevada, " third-magnitude stars Eta and Mu in the foot leading sunlit edge occurs at 3:04 a.m., with the already hidden31:at46 moonrise.

Palm Springs, on our two twilight charts. " " From " of Castor in Gemini. On May 16, Mars-Polluxreappearance at the moon’s trailing dark edge at Jupiter reappears at the moon’s upper dark edge The Astronomical Society of the Desert will Castor are in a straight line, and Venus is 0.7° 3:49 a.m. A telescope will be required to observe at 5:13 a.m. Since the event occurs in bright host a star party on Saturday, May 13, at the north of third-magnitude Epsilon Gem. disappearance and reappearance. twilight, the use of a telescope is recommended.

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National On May 20, the young moon, a 2% crescent, In the brightening dawns in May, the Summer Mercury, to the lower left of Jupiter, brightMonument Visitor Center; and on Saturday, appears very low in the west-northwest at dusk, Triangle of Vega, Altair and Deneb passes ens from a too-faint magnitude +1.6, when 6° May 20, at Sawmill Trailhead, a site in the Santa 28° to the lower right of Venus. On May 21, the overhead; Arcturus sinks low in the west to from Jupiter (hidden by the moon) on May 17, Rosa Mountains at elevation 4,000 feet. For 7% crescent moon is 16° to the lower right of west-northwest; and Antares sinks low in the to +1.0 when 7° from Jupiter on May 22; and to dates and times of these and other star parties Venus. The brilliant planet forms an isosceles southwest. Fomalhaut, mouth of the Southern magnitude +0.4 when 12° from Jupiter on May in 2023, and maps and directions to the two triangle with Pollux and Castor, within 9° of Fish, appears far to the lower right of Saturn.

31. On May 28, Saturn appears at quadrature, sites, visit astrorx.org. each. From May 22-24, watch the moon pass Jupiter rises into prominence in the eastern 90° west of the sun. Spaceship Earth is then Venus, Pollux, Castor and Mars. On May 22, sky later in the month. See our morning twilight heading directly toward Saturn. Use a telescope Robert C. Victor originated the Abrams the 12% moon appears 5° to the lower right of chart with the online version of this article. so see Saturn’s shadow cast upon the rings, at Planetarium monthly Sky Calendar in October Venus. By May 23, the moon has leapt to nearly On May 13, a fat 41 percent crescent moon the west-northwest limb of the planet.

1968 and still produces issues occasionally, 7° to Venus’ upper left while waxing to 19%. appears near Saturn. On May 16, locate recently Visible all night: On May 31, Antares, red including May 2023. He enjoys being outdoors Pollux appears an exceptionally close 2° to the emerged Jupiter (magnitude -2.1) very low, supergiant heart of the Scorpion, appears at sharing the beauty of the night sky and other moon’s upper right, while Mars appears within north of east, 14°-15° to the lower left of the opposition to the sun. Look for it low in the wonders of nature.

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he iconic Plaza Theatre

opened in 1936 when it hosted the premiere of Greta Garbo’s film Camille. It was long used as a movie theater, and got a new life as the home of The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies from 1991 until 2014. (See our CV History piece on the Follies on Page 10.)

Since the Follies shut down, the Plaza has been mostly vacant, and its condition has deteriorated. Its continued existence was in question—until the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation was founded, with aspirations of revitalizing the theater.

Today, the theater’s existence is no longer in question. In fact, it’s about to become a masterpiece.

Before renovations begin in earnest this summer, the Plaza is open every Tuesday evening from 7 to 8 p.m., through Tuesday, June 6, for a series of open houses that Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation board president J.R. Roberts is calling “Next Act.” “‘Next Act’ was born out of a desire to get the community more involved,” CVIndependent.com

MAY 2023

Louise's Pantry once occupied the restaurant space adjacent to the Plaza.

Photo courtesy of PSL archives of November’s big rock concert, dubbed Rock the Plaza, which featured a list of stand-out musicians with desert ties such as Spike Edney (tour musical director and keyboardist for Queen), Brian Ray (guitarist with Paul McCartney), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Matt Sorum (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, The Cult), Alice Cooper, Josh Homme (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age) and Paul Rodgers (Bad Company, Free). The event sold out and helped the foundation get closer to its $16 million fundraising goal.

The ”Next Act” series started in March, and Roberts said the response has been “fantastic.”

“I think we had something like 65 people in the theater last Tuesday,” he said. “It’s going really, really well, and the community is hugely enthusiastic about what we’re doing, and very supportive of the project. As somebody who’s been involved in municipal governance and public service and been elected, it is such a pleasure to be part of a project that is universally loved. That’s a rarity.

For myself, and for An artist's rendering of the renovated Plaza Theatre's exterior.

Roberts said during a recent phone interview.

“We’ve been working away, and we’ve been getting good coverage in the process, but we really wanted the community to come in, see the plans, see what it was going to be, offer their input, and hopefully help us finish up the fundraising, and help us with other things.

We thought that anybody who’s interested can come in and talk to us, see a presentation, and also get a chance to see the theater before we start the work. They can sort of say farewell to the old shell, so that they have the before-andafter experience.”

The open house series comes on the heels

my amazing board of directors, it’s so much fun, because we’ve had such success, and the community is turning out and helping financially. It’s important to them, apparently, that this theater gets done, and that it’s kept preserved.”

While the foundation is working with renowned preservation-architecture firm Architectural Resources Group, and already has plans and artist renderings for the renovation, Roberts said they’re taking suggestions for what people would like to see in the new era of the theater.

“What makes these open houses so much fun and so interesting is meeting like-minded people who are community-oriented and excited,” Roberts said. “They always bring us new questions, and they always bring us comments. We’re so thrilled that they challenge us, and they remind us of certain things—and we’ve taken a few of the ideas that we’ve heard, and we’ve incorporated them.

“We literally have an army of professionals working on this project with the architects and consultants, and we count on them and challenge them a lot, but the community comes in with other ideas, and reminds us about different groups that might be there, or different types of entertainment. They’ve asked us if we’ve considered the hearing impaired, or this or that, and it really helps.”

Roberts said Rock the Plaza was a vital part of building excitement around the Plaza Theatre’s future.

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“Rock the Plaza was very important for two reasons: It showed us that the theater could be used and was desired for musical events, and it also brought so much press and so much community involvement,” Roberts said. “Today I was in the grocery store, and a man stopped me just to tell me how much he loved that event, and how excited he is about the theater. That particular event resonated with the community. Palm Springs is an older community, by and large, but that demographic could be changing, and I think by having a fun musical rock ’n’ roll event, it showed that the Plaza can do things that cater to younger people and families.

“Because of its size, it offers a real opportunity for people to participate.

It’s 700 seats, and that’s a lot for a town of our size, so it becomes a meaningful venue in the scheme of things. … The Plaza always was really an important venue.”

When the renovated Plaza opens, it will feature diverse entertainment offerings—and honor its history by showing films.

“The Plaza was built as a movie theater; it was never designed for anything else,” Roberts said. “As tastes change, as lifestyles change and demographics change, so, too, does the theater. The theater will always honor the past, of course, with films, but the most exciting part is the growth for live theater, for live music. The theater has done that to a small degree in the past, but now it can be more of an ongoing, regular venue for live music and live performances, as well as lecture

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GET 25 TO 50 PERCENT OFF GIFT CERTIFICATES TO SOME OF THE VALLEY'S TOP RESTAURANTS! Rock legends Alice Cooper (top) and Matt Sorum (left) showed off the Plaza's music-venue potential during the Rock the Plaza benefit last November.

Photo by Daniel Gray/ courtesy of the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation

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series. We’ll honor the history simply by expanding the programming that was always there and that people loved.”

Roberts said he’s excited about the Plaza’s future, after years of other people having doubts.

“This is not a dream anymore. This is happening,” Roberts said. “The Plaza Theatre will be fully restored to its original Hollywood glamor and splendor. We have $13.5 million towards our $16 million goal. We’re starting work this summer. This is real.”

The “Next Act” series of open houses takes place at 7 p.m., every Tuesday, through June 6, at the Plaza Theatre, 128 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. For more information, visit savetheplazatheatreps.com.

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An artist's rendering of the renovated Plaza Theatre's interior.

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DO-GOODER

The Nonprofit SCENE

RECIPROCAL RESCUE

of Riverside County has been providing free music education to all three Coachella Valley school districts since 2002, serving some 30,000 children.

For more information and to donate, visit steinwayriverside.org, or call 760-341-4130.

The Coachella Valley Horse Rescue helps horses—and those horses help people in need

E

By Cat makino

ven when someone is at rock bottom, there may still be hope.

Daryn LaVoie came back from Iraq suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“I was haunted by what I saw and fell into a depression and started drinking,” he said.

“Then when my father died, it got much worse.”

He realized he missed the camaraderie he had in the military. “Veterans need to find other people like them (who know) what they’ve helps people, too. It offers rehabilitation been through,” he said. “I really missed the programs for veterans and children, and brings kinship I had with my fellow soldiers.” miniature horses into schools and senior-living One night after drinking too much, he facilities. The nonprofit also works with the went to bed with a loaded .38 handgun— Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and 4-H, offers lessons which went off. The bullet passed through to people who want to learn how to ride, and his temple, hitting his optic nerves; surgeons puts on a camp for kids. had to remove both eyes. Four months in For veterans, the Coachella Valley Horse an induced coma were followed by two years Rescue runs the free “Horsinalities” Veterans of rehabilitation at Loma Linda University Bootcamp; the organization is accepting Medical Center. applications for the program in May. The camaraderie was still missing—but “When we rescue horses, we find out what LaVoie found it at the Coachella Valley Horse their best purpose is, such as working with Rescue, a nonprofit that rescues horses veterans, children, horseback-riding lessons, which have been abused or neglected, or were or our Horse Tails (reading and painting) destined for slaughter. program,” Garcia said.

“It transformed my life,” LaVoie says. “I Because of health issues, some horses just go meet other vets every Wednesday for two on long walks, or go to the spa where they get hours, play guitar, talk and then help with the bathed and groomed. horses. I groom (the horses) and gently rub “It’s the same with veterans when they come them so they can rest and relax. We formed a back into society,” Garcia said. “Many of them special bond, and I felt a calmness while work- are lost and don’t have a purpose. They find ing with the horses. There’s a special one; he their purpose when working with horses. Our knows my voice.” veterans come in shy and may have difficulty Coachella Valley Horse Rescue was founded even making eye contact with us. But after they in 2008 by Annette Garcia. “When the start working with our horses, the transformaeconomy took a big dive, some people couldn’t tions are miraculous. They start to smile and afford their horses,” she said. “They tied them laugh and have conversations with us and their to trees, or didn’t feed them, so we decided to horse. The bonds that are created between the start a nonprofit to rescue horses.” vets and the horses is a wonderful thing to see.

Of course, the Coachella Valley Horse Rescue For LaVoie, the chance to heal through his interactions with horses has been a lifeline.

“It was my dream to get back on a horse since I used to work with them,” he said.

According to a Columbia University Irving Medical Center study, horse therapy—such as that offered by the Coachella Valley Horse Rescue—has been found to significantly reduce PTSD and depressive symptoms. The U.S. Census Bureau says there are about 19 million veterans, and according to Retreat Behavioral Health, between 11 and 20 percent of veterans will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder—meaning there are a lot of veterans like LaVoie who need help.

“We are here to heal the horses,” Garcia said.

“But at the Coachella Valley Horse Rescue, we often say, ‘Who rescued whom?’”

Sean Harrington, the veteran mentor program director, and a horse show each other some love.

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For more information, visit www.cvhorserescue.org.

Isabelle Ragsac plays the prelude to Kapustin’s Concert Etude No. 1. Pamela Bieri The Steinway Society of Riverside County’s Awards Festival winners will perform for a live audience at the Rancho Mirage Library at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 2. The event is free and open to the public.

“We look forward to our Awards Festival piano competition to hear nearly a dozen young pianists in both junior and senior levels play in their master classes and recitals,” said Jim McCormick, director of the Awards Festival program. “Some youngsters are debuting while most are returning to the festival year after year.

It’s a great pleasure to watch them grow in confidence and skill. Having a larger live audience for the winners’ concert is an important learning component, and the Rancho Mirage Library is a wonderful venue to see and hear these young musicians.”

The top junior and senior level winners were selected during the competition held at Xavier College Preparatory High School in March, where the young pianists performed their musical pieces and worked with master teachers Antoinette Perry, Craig Richey, Catherine Kautsky and Anthony Padilla. The purpose is to award talented students and give them an opportunity to perform.

Winners in the Junior competition (ages 7-14) are Queenie Chen, 11, of Menifee, playing Chopin’s Waltz in C Sharp Minor, Op. 64. No. 2; Yuan Yin, 11, of Temecula, performing Muczynski’s Desperate Measures, Theme and Vars. 7 and 12; Melody Liu, 10, of Rancho Cucamonga, playing Liszt’s La Leggierezza; and Edina Zhang, 9, of Highland, performing Poulenc’s Toccata.

Senior level winners (ages 14-18) are Demi Jiaqi, 15, from Rancho Cucamonga, playing French Overture in B Minor by Bach; Emma Erickson, 17, of Murrieta, performing Chopin’s Scherzo in B Flat Minor, Op. 31; Jadon Wu, 16, of Mission Viejo, playing Danse Macabre by SaintSaens/Liszt; and Isabelle Ragsac, 17, of Corona, performing Prokofiev’s Toccata Op. 11.

“The challenging work that these students have put into their music is a credit to them and their parents,” said Steinway Society founder and CEO Ruth Moir. “Mastering a musical instrument is a gift they will have for a lifetime.”

McCormick has directed SSRC’s Awards Festival since its inception in 2005. Celebrating its 21st anniversary, the Steinway Society

The Young Artists Exhibition, funded by the La Quinta Arts Foundation, engages young artists in a transformational art experience. Students participate in a juried exhibition, which is an important learning opportunity, and see their artworks matted, framed, lit and displayed in a museum-quality setting.

Experiencing their art installed in a museum can be a life-changing experience for a young artist—and that is what will be happening at the Artists Center at the Galen through Sunday, May 21.

The Artists Council, in collaboration with local art educators, selected the theme TRUTH. Students created works of art in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, drawing and photography, exploring their ideas about the theme. Katherine Hough, curator, and Emily Culhan, art educator, juried the submitted works looking at creativity, originality and craftsmanship.

“Students created thoughtful and provocative works that explored their idea and understanding of TRUTH,” Culhan said. “The courage of young artists is impressive and inspiring.”

A total of 83 selected works from 14 high schools will be professionally displayed at the Artists Center. Admission is free, and the Artists Center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.

All exhibiting students will receive a certificate of recognition. Select students will be recognized for additional awards, and all participating teachers will receive a complimentary one-year membership to the Artists Council.

The Artists Council is proud to be a supporter of these early artistic endeavors. The Artists Center at the Galen is located at 72567 Highway 111, in Palm Desert. For more information, call 760-565-6130, or visit artistscouncil.com.

—Submitted on behalf of the nonprofits by Pamela Bieri and Suzanne Fromkin.

“Time Is Running Out,” collage, by David Ceja and Jessica Gomez, of Desert Hot Springs High School.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 15

MAY 2023

ARTS & CULTURE LEGENDS AND PREMIERES M

By JIMMY BOEGLE

itch Gershenfeld did not plan on being here. Yet here he is, sitting in his office at the McCallum Theatre, back as president and CEO after short-lived retirements in 2019 and 2020. He’s talking about the upcoming 2023-2024 season, and the fact that he’s decided to stick around for a while—for three more seasons, through the 2025-2026 season.

“I love what I do here,” he said when asked why he postponed his retirement. (He’s also agreed to stay on as artistic director for an additional two years, through the 2027-2028 season.) “My wife tells me that she thinks I’m happiest when I’m working here. So we both agree that this would be an OK thing to do.”

Gershenfeld admitted he’d never seen the Tina The season will kick off on Sunday, Nov. 5, Fey-penned film before he saw the musical. with the Stunt Dog Experience, part of the City “I’m hearing terms like, ‘It’s so fetch,’ and of Rancho Mirage’s Family Fun Series, and is I’m like, ‘I don’t know what that means,’” slated to conclude with the Ukulele Orchestra Gershenfeld said. “But I saw it on Broadway, of Great Britain on Sunday, April 14, 2024. and I loved it.”

The schedule is full of returning McCallum Late 2023 highlights include a performance favorites like Kristen Chenoweth (Jan. 26-27), The Ten Tenors (Feb. 13-17), Michael Feinstein by American Idol stars Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken (Nov. 18) and a stop by The Manhattan (Feb. 24) and Patti Lupone (April 12)— Transfer on what’s being billed as the group’s something for which Gershenfeld makes no final world tour (Dec. 9). The holidays apologies.

“Some people want to come and see an artist will bring McCallum favorites Merri-Achi Christmas (Dec. 8) and Dave Koz and Friends every year. … Every time we bring them in, the (Dec. 18)—but the most anticipated December audience is there for them,” Gershenfeld said. offering is Barry Manilow’s A Gift of Love VI. “So if some people say, ‘Well, I’ve seen them He’s returning with five shows between Dec. before,’ that’s fine, but a lot of people want to 12 and Dec. 17, with the proceeds benefiting see them again. I always try to bring in some 20 local nonprofits. new things, too.”

“We always love to have Barry here at The first show on the Broadway schedule Christmas, benefiting local charities. We’re just is indeed new: The Cher Show, arriving Nov. very lucky to have Barry here,” Gershenfeld said.

24-26. The jukebox musical ran on Broadway In the new year, the McCallum will kick off for nine months in 2018-2019. its new Adventure Speaker Series, starting on “I thought, what better market to have The Jan. 22 with Climb Your Own Everest by Peter Cher Show than in Palm Springs?” Gershenfeld Hillary, “from one of the great families of said. “Three actresses play Cher—young, middle, older—so it’s really the story of her life.” mountaineering.” The new series replaces the National Geographic speaker series, which the Next up is a show that’s returning to the McCallum featured in recent years.

McCallum—for the first time in three decades: “National Geographic got bought by the Les Misérables (Nov. 28-Dec. 3).

Walt Disney Company, and in their wisdom, “I’ve been trying to get this show for a long they decided that the speaker series was not time,” Gershenfeld. “It’s a huge production— something they wanted to continue in all it’s an 11-trunk show. It’s a very expensive show, but it’s one of the most popular shows in of the 40 or so markets that they were in,” the history of Broadway. I think we’ll definitely Gershenfeld said. “So they kept six cities, and they dropped the rest. We were one of the ones sell out.” that got dropped.”

Pretty Woman is up next (Jan. 19-21), Gershenfeld’s “Mitch’s Picks” series features followed by Chicago (March 1-3)—a show with four new-to-the-McCallum shows for which which Gershenfeld, a professional tuba-player he personally vouches. Up first, on Jan. 15, before he joined the McCallum as artistic is a show by America’s Got Talent star Jimmie director in 2000, has a personal history.

Herrod.

“Back in the ‘70s, when the first national “He is such an extraordinary young tour came to Philadelphia, right after singer,” Gershenfeld said. “This is a guy I first Broadway—with Jerry Orbach, Gwen Verdon heard here, with Pink Martini, and he sang and Chita Rivera—I played in the orchestra,” ‘Tomorrow’ from Annie. I was like, ‘Oh, no.’ But he said. when he opened his mouth, he was amazing.”

The season’s Broadway offerings will Next up is the public radio show/podcast conclude with Mean Girls (March 29-31).

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The McCallum’s 2023-2024 season features old favorites, debuts—and a McCallumproduced show about industrial musicals

Selected Shorts, featuring celebrities reading short stories, on Feb. 4.

“We asked them to make sure that all of the short stories were based on, or had themes of, Palm Springs or the Coachella Valley,” Gershenfeld said. “That will be fun.”

Gershenfeld gushed about the Mitch’s Picks show on Feb. 22 featuring Carrie St. Louis, a Coachella Valley native who went on to star on Broadway in Wicked, Kinky Boots and more.

“She was in Open Call,” Gershenfeld said, referring to the McCallum’s annual local talent contest. “She won in 2004 as a teenager. I was at that show … and I said to somebody, ‘This kid is going to be something.’”

The fourth pick by Mitch is a brand-new, McCallum-produced original called Industrial Strength Broadway. Gershenfeld explained how the show, premiering Feb. 8, came to be.

“We are a roadhouse, so most of the things we do here, we buy from the road and we put on our stage,” Gershenfeld said. “When I have a relationship with an artist, or have some sort of wild idea that I want to try to make happen, to the extent that we have the time and facilities to make it happen, I like to do that.”

The wild idea came as Gershenfeld watched Bathtubs Over Broadway, a 2018 documentary on Netflix about “industrials”: In the 1950s and ’60s, corporations flush with cash would produce full-fledged musicals—often performed just once—for their employees.

“They used the top people,” Gershenfeld said. “They would have composers like Kander and Ebb, who wrote the musical Chicago.

They did industrials. Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, who wrote Fiddler on the Roof, they did industrials. Susan Stroman, one of the great choreographers, she choreographed these things.”

As Gershenfeld watched Bathtubs Over Broadway, he saw a familiar face. “I’m watching one of the scenes, and one of the actors … I said, ‘That’s one of (the McCallum’s) founders.

That’s Dean Stolber.’”

Gershenfeld reached out to Stolber, who told Gershenfeld that industrials allowed him to make a living in between Broadway roles. The experience spurred Gershenfeld to reach out to Steve Young, the star of Bathtubs Over Broadway, who discovered (and became obsessed with) industrials while he was looking for strange records as a writer for David Letterman—and Industrial Strength Broadway will be the result.

“It’ll be like a cabaret-type show, where we’ll have singers and dancers and musicians,

Coachella Valley native Carrie St. Louis won the Open Call talent contest in 2004. She went on to be a Broadway star—and she's performing at the McCallum Theatre on Feb. 22, 2024.

and we’ll re-create some of these things,” Gershenfeld said.

Fun fact: Gershenfeld said that in the late’80s, shortly after the McCallum opened, Mercedes-Benz rented the theater for an industrial.

“Mercedes-Benz rented the theater for three weeks, and they actually flew a car onto the stage. Some of the folks still remember who were around back then,” he said.

Gershenfeld said the concluding 20222023 season was the second-most successful season ever in terms of ticket sales, despite a vaccination mandate that rankled some customers. He said the vaccination requirement will no longer be in place next season.

“I’m hoping next year, we have even more attendance,” he said.

Tickets for the McCallum Theatre’s 2023-2024 season are available at the box office (73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert), by phone (760-3402787) and online at www.mccallumtheatre.org.

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MAY 2023

FOOD & DRINK

ON COCKTAILS R

BY kevin carlow

emember “molecular gastronomy”? For a while, it was all the rage—until it became ubiquitous, and then it became a bit of a joke in some circles. It turns out most people don’t want to eat air that tastes like olives, nor do they want deconstructed-reconstructed eggs for dinner (at $500 bucks a head). The techniques that came along with the trend are still with us, though, and that’s a good thing, because more tools beats fewer tools any day.

You may or may not remember that bartending went through a similar trajectory about a decade ago. The magnum opus for this trend was Dave Arnold’s Liquid Intelligence. This James Beard Award-winning book didn’t just show silicone tray for $80: Just freeze tap water in people how to make obsessively-nerdy drinks; an insulated mug. That’s it. Once it is halfit changed the game. I’ve been digging through frozen, the impurities will be in the liquid part, it lately, working on my latest secret project— and the ice should be crystal clear. Use a petite and wondering why we all threw the proverbial cooler for larger and squarer ice. You want it baby out with the bathwater. to freeze like a pond, top-down—and, actually, I suppose the answer is the same as it was “pond ice” was the standard for a century of for the chefs: It was all too precious, too timecolonial cocktail drinkers! consuming, too much of a “meme.” Why make You can clarify at home, too! This was one of a milk punch that takes days, when you can my first “big hits” when I brought it to the bar come up with a punny name for something all those years ago. This is my basic variation with four off-the-shelf ingredients? Why on Dave Arnold’s drink Tea Time, which uses clarify juices when you can charge up to $20 Darjeeling tea, honey syrup and citric acid to for a margarita variation with jugged juice? clarify. I call it the “Dave Arnold” Palmer.

This stuff went the way of curly mustaches, lab 1 1/2 ounces of milk-washed, tea-infused coats behind the bar and the word “mixology.” vodka I hated all of that nonsense—so why the 1 ounce of lemon juice heck am I considering bringing back these 1 ounce of simple syrup techniques?

1 ounce of water (or use crushed ice) Because it wasn’t actually all that bad!

Shake; dump into a Collins glass; garnish with a Beyond the obnoxious trappings that went lemon wheel. with it, bartenders putting science in your To make the vodka, infuse several bags of glass was kind of awesome. Watch any Dave the tea of your choice into a liter of vodka Arnold presentation, and you’ll see that until it’s tea-colored; then remove the bags. he is the complete opposite of what his Pour the vodka into 250 milliliters of whole acolytes became: He’s down to earth, funny milk (not the other way around), and let sit. and relatable. He deserved better than to be You want to start the curdling process by lumped in with pretentious hipsters. adding an ounce of lemon juice (30 milliliters) Maybe we just got lazy. Blame COVID, and letting it, well, curdle. The curdled labor shortages, “the supply chain” or some proteins will be bound to the tea molecules combination of all that—but our standards and remove the color from the mixture. I used of service, food and drink have plummeted. to leave it overnight to settle and then strain And the industry knows you stopped caring. In it through a coffee filter to recover most of it. reality, most of us stopped doing molecular You will lose a ton of product the first couple bartending as a backlash to “man buns” long of times you do this; it’s a bit of a skill and before the pandemic: Nobody was interested requires patience. anymore. Like the swing revival, it had a Yes, you can use this same technique to moment and was gone, back to subcultures make a clarified milk punch. I’m not sure and boutique bars. At the time, it was “good why nobody does those anymore. Follow the riddance,” but as much as I reviled all of classic rhyme: “One of sour, two of sweet, them, the truth is that “foodies,” “hipsters” three of strong and four of weak.” Basically and “Yelpers” kept us honest. It was better make four parts tea, then add three parts for the food and beverage scene than the of your alcohol(s) of choice (a mix of rum, influencer culture of today—100 times over. bourbon, mezcal and/or high-proof liqueurs) OK, the rant is finished. Let’s get down to and two parts sugar. Account for any sugar the educational part of the program, because in the liqueurs as well! When the mix is room you can do a lot of this stuff at home. temperature, add it to milk as above, in the Want to make clear ice? Here’s a trick same 4:1 proportions. Add one part lemon or I learned, and, no, it doesn’t take a fancy lime juice, and let it settle; strain over a coffee CVIndependent.com

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It’s time for bartenders to revive excellence and creativity—perhaps with some help from science filter, then chill and serve in a punch cup or on a large cube. Garnish with pretty flowers or whatever adds some color back to the glass.

You can also clarify some juices at home; you just need to plan ahead. Watermelon and grapefruit are two of the better choices. Just juice and leave in bottles stored upright for a day or so. It really is that easy! The tricky part is getting the clear juice out without disturbing the sediment. A siphon works well; we can’t use a tube and our mouths at work, but it’s

A boozy clarified milk punch.

your party. You can use the sediment-heavy stuff for popsicles or cordials or something.

Get creative.

I hope I have made myself clear: It’s time to get back to excellence. I don’t need any salmonextract-foam beet daiquiris, but let’s demand fresh and well-crafted drinks, at least. We sure are paying for it these days.

Kevin Carlow can be reached at inahotdryplace@gmail.com.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 17

MAY 2023

FOOD & DRINK

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CAESAR CERVISIA JASON DAVID HAIR STUDIO

A

By brett newton

LOVE YOUR HAIR

s the weather heats up, you might be thinking of getting out of town. If you’re like me, that trip will almost certainly include a stop at a taproom or two.

What follows are some places within a two-hour drive that offer great beers. Some of them have been mentioned in this space before, but I’m mentioning them again, because I’m regularly surprised when I mention a brewery and am met with blank stares. Let’s start close Country Club and Cook Street and radiate further outward as we go.

Palmgetaway De sertthat is typically Craft Lounge in Beaumont is an excellent choice for a quick less than two hours of driving, round trip. It’s the closest craft-beer bar I can think of that 760-340-5959 genuinely cares about what’s on tap and in Cellars at the Ace Hotel a few years back at stock. They generally concentrate on beer one of their inexplicably timed summer beer www.jasondavidhairstudio.net (and occasionally mead and cider) made in festivals. Owner/brewer/blender Bryan Doty Southern California, giving you a chance was there serving two of his barrel-aged sour to try stuff you might not want to drive ales. The best of the two was a collaboration further for simply based on hearsay. Last with Mikkeller Brewing (the one in Europe, time I was there, I enjoyed my Lightest One not the one in San Diego … it’s confusing) from Enegren Brewing on a warm day on that was world-class. I was floored and have the makeshift patio out back while eating tried to seek out his beers ever since. Doty quesadillas from the food vendor posted there has focused on the relatively lost art of the that day. Even if you are incredibly diligent lambic (although you’re not supposed to call it about visiting every taproom you come that outside of the Zenne Valley in Belgium; across, at least half of the tap list on a given it’s “Belgian-style sour ale” or “lambic-style day will likely contain beers you haven’t heard ale” to you, sir or madam), and his pursuit of, from breweries you might never have is our gain. Two beers worth noting, as heard of. They also do fun things like trivia copied from the website: One is Pyrotechnic nights and the like. Go, enjoy, and hope that Pleasantries, a 5.9% alcohol by volume one day, the desert can once again support a blend of 54 months barrel-aged brown ale, craft-beer location like this.

26 months barrel-aged golden sour ale, 19 Outward we go to Rancho Cucamonga and months barrel-aged saison, and six months Sour Cellars. I was first exposed to Sour barrel-aged spontaneous fermentation golden

A look at a few places offering great beers within a two-hour drive

sour ale, re-fermented with strawberries— and conditioned since May 2021. Another is the Whisker Splitter, a 7.1% ABV collaboration with Honey Pot Meadery that’s a spontaneous fermentation golden sour ale brewed in February 2020, aged in oak wine barrels for one year, and double-aged in mead rye whiskey barrels for another 17 months— and conditioned since July 2022.

Sour Cellars is just a little more than an hour drive from here, people. Go and try anything that piques your curiosity. The fact that beer like this is possible in the Inland Empire is truly incredible to me, and I wish Sour Cellars nothing but continued success and support.

Onward to Orange County, where new breweries just keep opening. It would almost be cheating to mention Green Cheek Brewing Co. here, because I have mentioned them many times before and will continue to mention them to anyone who cares. They just make incredible beer, no matter the style. I am lucky enough to have, in my fridge right now, cans of a Czech pils, an Englishstyle bitter on nitro, and a New Zealand IPA (which is kind of a cousin to the California IPA; it’s essentially a light malt bill that gets out of the way of the incredible flavors in hops from New Zealand). The latter contains huge aromas and flavors of passion fruit, papaya and guava—without any fruit coming anywhere near the beer.

A newer brewery in the area, Radiant Brewing Co. in Anaheim, was brought to my attention by a friend, and I’ve been very pleased to try a number of very well-made, tasty beers. From bright, crisp IPAs to German-style lagers to a “golden bitter” on nitro, Radiant’s beers have made my taste buds sing, and I look forward to my next visit. Similarly, Everywhere Beer in Orange is another impressive brewery. I’ve tried a handful of their beers so far and have been very impressed. I recommend them without having had a chance to visit the brewery myself, because I am that confident you’ll enjoy it. Both Radiant and Everywhere share similar roots in that their owners worked at The Bruery in Placentia. The Bruery has had an incredible track record of former brewers moving on to open incredible breweries of their own—and these two are no different.

Here we are, at the end of my allotted space, and we haven’t even reached a coastline. This leaves San Diego and Los Angeles out of the picture. I’ve also left out Temecula, which itself is worth a whole

Sour Cellars’ Whisker Splitter is a 7.1% ABV collaboration with Honey Pot Meadery. Sour Cellars Facebook page

column, because it really is its own beer scene, and it has been for many years. If there is a brewery I missed that you think deserves some attention, let me know.

Until that time, give as many of these places as you can a visit—and keep them alive and thriving.

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.

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MAY 2023

FOOD & DRINK

VINE SOCIAL JASON DAVID

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Does a wine’s vintage matter? It could … but it probably doesn’t

HAIR STUDIO

I

By KatieLOVE finn YOUR HAIR

n addition to being a sommelier/wine-shop owner/wine educator, I fancy myself a bit of a historian.

My first love, before that glorious fermented grape juice forever changed my path, was political science. This was my major in university, and I was all in. My grand plan was to go to law Country Club and Cook Street school, become a lobbyist for the AARP, make tons of money and live in Washington D.C. Palm De sert for the unintended Well, needless to say, that didn’t happen—and I couldn’t be more grateful career switch. Looking back, I was able to happily make the transition not just because it involved a 23-year-old getting paid to drink (definitely a to us?760-340-5959 Not to be obtuse, but maybe it’s only nice perk!), but also because so much of what I important where it’s important. was learning about the wine world was directly www.jasondavidhairstudio.net Wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy and related to what I was learning in my political Tuscany top the list of vintage significance, science and history classes. not necessarily because they experience wilder The fact that I could tie the Franco regime weather than, say, Mendoza, Argentina, but and White Terror of Spain in the 1930s to because of the limitations on what they can do the destruction of countless vineyards and about it. the near-obliteration of white wine grapes In 2000, famed winemaker Michel Rolland from places like Rueda fascinated me. I loved put plastic tarps over the vineyards at learning how countries like South Africa were Chateau Fontenil in Fronsac, Bordeaux, to able to rebuild their reputation and export protect them from the rains. This was a big wine after Apartheid, and how Argentina no-no with the French government, and they and Chile became wine powerhouses due to charged him with violating the rules of the the influx of French and Italian immigration AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, the after phylloxera (an insect pest that targets wine governing body in France), and he was grapevines). Wine became so much more than not allowed to put the region on the label. just a beverage with dinner: It was an everWhile this would seem silly to any other evolving time capsule that told a story. agricultural department (I mean, who wouldn’t However, I’ve always struggled with wines do anything they could to protect their crop?!), from a historical standpoint in one way: in France, this was seen as manipulation and vintages. Good years, bad years, average years adulteration. The vintage gives you what it … I just couldn’t keep up. Anyone who really gives you. knows me understands that I’m not exactly Mendoza experiences hailstorms so often a numbers gal. I can have an encyclopedic that growers have covering the vineyards memory when it comes to storytelling, but with protective netting down to an art form. you put a number in there somewhere, and it No fines. No rule violations. No government vaporizes right out of my mind. punishment.

So … this got me thinking about the importance of vintages. Does it really matter?

Yes. And no.

It’s been said that a great winemaker can make a good wine in a bad vintage. I have no doubt this is true; however, this would suggest that the person making the wine is more important than what happens in the vineyard. This contradicts the ever-popular winemaker mantra du jour that “wine is made in the vineyard.” I have no doubt, however, that this mantra is also correct. As long as the wine produced is an agricultural product and not a commercial one, what happens during the growing season will (or should?) determine what the wine’s outcome is.

So, if we can have it both ways, where the winemaker can trump the vintage, why is the year (and more importantly, the climactic events that happened that year) so concerning CVIndependent.com

We also see the importance of vintages in other wine regions like Champagne and Douro, Portugal, where there is a collective group that decides if a year is of high enough quality to produce a “single vintage” wine from those grapes; historically, it happens only a few times per decade. Having a consortium of “experts” tell us that this is the year for their wine to be released is genius. There’s nothing like creating a little hype to get the consumer dollars flowing.

But what about places like California, Australia or Spain? Here’s where the conversation changes. You’ll find wine enthusiasts that say the vintage will always be important, no matter where the grapes come from. I disagree.

There might be less-than-ideal conditions in certain areas—like the frosts that happened in New Zealand in 2021. But the frost didn’t diminish the quality of the wine, just the amount of wine produced. Your palate won’t notice a difference in the way your favorite Kiwi sauvignon blanc tastes, but your wallet will notice: A smaller harvest means less wine, and supply-and-demand dictates higher prices.

That same frost in 2021 destroyed a massive number of vineyards in France, from Champagne all the way down to Provence, and even over to the vineyards in central and northern Italy, resulting in not only in a smaller harvest, but a vintage that was deemed poor.

California has always struggled with determining a vintage’s worth. The year 1997 was the first time we heard the term El Niño, and it was hailed by wine critics as a perfect

year: Big, juicy and ripe, the wines were scoring off the charts with Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. In 1998, we learned that we were now in the La Niña year, and that meant bad newsot: Green, tight and tannic, the wines were initially declared a disaster by those same critics.

Ironically, while the ’97s were great right out of the gate and didn’t need any time in the cellar, they were short lived and became lackluster in the glass if you sat on them for a while. Wines from 1998, the year that was universally panned, ended up the clear marathon winners and showed their beauty after a few years cellared.

Even with more than 100 appellations, the Golden State remains fairly weatherconsistent, a place where the topic of good versus bad vintages doesn’t seem to be very important. Spain, Chile, Argentina and Australia also offer up little variation from year to year and provide consumers with a delightful sense of security when grabbing a bottle off the shelf.

If you’re like me and find fun diving into wine books, jumping down the rabbit hole of vintage reports might be your thing. If you’d rather just open a bottle of wine and not fret about atmospheric rivers, look for countries that are a little more weather consistent—or head on over to your favorite little wine shop and ask the resident nerd. They live for this stuff.

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.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 19

MAY 2023

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the

FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT We brunch in Cathedral City, and have dinner at an unbelievably popular Palm Springs place

By Jimmy Boegle

Opens May 12!

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WHAT Biscuits and gravy sliders WHERE Brunch 101, 68718 E. Palm Canyon Drive, No. 101, Cathedral City HOW MUCH $15 CONTACT 760-507-8464; brunch101.com WHY It’s a great twist on a classic.

We’ve been doing Indy Endorsements for more than a decade now—but this is the first time we’ve ever endorsed a dish at the third different restaurant to occupy the same space.

In 2019, I endorsed the enchiladas de mole at Los Arcos Mexican Restaurant … then the restaurant closed (though a location lives on in La Quinta). A little more than a year ago, I endorsed the West African peanut stew at Salt Flats … and it closed.

Now comes Brunch 101.

This concept seems to have staying power, so I have a feeling we won’t be endorsing dishes from any other places in this restaurant space for quite some time.

Brunch 101 offers exactly what one would expect: breakfast, brunch and lunch fare like omelets, Benedicts, sandwiches, salads and even a couple taco options. However, a lot of the dishes have a unique twist.

You can get buttermilk pancakes … or pancakes made with almond milk. There’s hash and eggs, but that hash is actually pork belly. And if you love biscuits and gravy, you’ll be happy to see them on the menu—but they’re presented as “sliders.” The buttermilk biscuits are the buns, and the sausage gravy is in between, along with eggs and peppered bacon. On the side is some delicious bourbon bacon jam and your choice of a side.

It was, in a word, delicious. The biscuits were fantastic, as was the peppered bacon.

I loved the gravy, even if it was on the surprisingly sweet side—and don’t let that bourbon bacon jam go unused, as it’s arguably the tastiest thing on the plate.

Here’s to a long tenure at 68718 E. Palm Canyon Drive for Brunch 101!

WHAT Caramelized onion tart WHERE Bar Cecil, 1555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, No. H-104, Palm Springs HOW MUCH $14 CONTACT 442-332-3800; barcecil.com WHY It’s like French onion soup, but better.

Bar Cecil has been open for two years now— but my recent visit there was my first.

Why? Bar Cecil is the most difficult reservation to get in the valley. If you go to Open Table right now and try to get a reservation, you’ll almost certainly find no availability, like, ever—unless you’re looking at Open Table in the wee hours of the morning.

Bar Cecil only offers reservations 30 days in advance, and Open Table releases reservations each day around midnight. By the time most of us wake up, Bar Cecil’s justreleased openings 30 days away are snapped up. I just so happened to be awake around 2 a.m. one morning, and that’s how I got a 6:15 p.m. reservation 30 days away.

So … does Bar Cecil live up to the buzz and the exclusivity? Is executive chef Gabriel Woo’s food all that?

I’ll leave those questions for others to answer and simply say we really enjoyed our dinner. The service was fantastic, and the vibe, much of which pays homage to British artist/fashion designer Cecil Beaton (19041980), was fun.

As for the food, everything we had ranged from decent to the reason why we’ll definitely return to Bar Cecil: the caramelized onion tart. It’s like the best French onion soup you’ve ever had—with the caramelized onions, the pastry and the comté cheese— converted into a sharable, gorgeous appetizer.

At $14, in 2023, the price is downright reasonable, too.

If you don’t want to be stalking Open Table at ungodly hours of the morning, and/or you don’t want to wait 30 days to visit Bar Cecil, you can show up (preferably a little before the restaurant opens) and pray for a last-minute cancellation or an open bar seat. Whatever you do, if you get in, be sure to order the caramelized onion tart.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 21

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CVINDEPENDENT.COM/FOOD-DRINK

Restaurant NEWS BITES By charles drabkin BAR CECIL’S GABRIEL WOO TO TAKE OVER PS ART MUSEUM SPACE Last month, we reported that the Palm Springs Art Museum had launched a pop-up food program while they searched for a new permanent restauranteur.

That search is over: The museum has announced that Gabriel Woo, the executive chef at Bar Cecil who also designed menus at Holiday House and Sparrows Lodge, will take over the space, with an anticipated fall opening. The pop-ups will continue for now, filling the void created when the museum declined to renew the lease of Persimmon Bistro and Wine Bar. Woo helms what’s arguably the most popular restaurant in the valley, and he was known for the multi-course family-styles meals he created pre-pandemic. I can’t wait to see what he will do with what, by necessity, must be much more accessible food.

IT’S TIME FOR THE FARMERS’ MARKETS SHUFFLE As happens every year, the Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Market will be closed on the first Saturday of June so it can transition from being outside at the Palm Springs Cultural Center into its usual indoor summer home at the Palm Springs Pavilion (401 S. Pavilion Way) starting on June 10 … because the fresh eggs on sale would cook in their shells if left outside in our summer heat. The final outdoor market of the season will be on May 27.

In related news, April 30 was the last Palm Desert Certified Farmers’ Market of the season.

It will return with the cooler weather in August.

Learn more at certifiedfarmersmarkets.org.

IN BRIEF Farmer in the Dale Produce Market has sadly had to close its Desert Hot Springs brickand-mortar location. The good news is that Farmer in the Dale lives on with pop-up events.

Watch facebook.com/farmerinthedalemarket for dates and locations. … New to La Quinta, at 79305 Highway 111: La Casa Del Mariachi, offering Mexican fare and live mariachi music on the weekends. Online reviews on the mariachis are mixed, although most people agree that the service is very attentive. Call 760-564-0613. … Mr. B’s Subs, at 74600 Highway 111, Suite F, in Palm Desert, is under new management with new recipes. With a selection of breakfast burritos, paninis, smoothies and, of course, sub sandwiches, you are sure to find something to satisfy. Learn more at mrbssubs.com. … The T&T Innovation Kitchen has returned to the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa, at 74855 Country Club Drive, in Palm Desert—but it’s only open for private group events, with a capacity of up to 35 for a sit-down dinner and 60 for receptions. The plan is for the space to soon reopen to the public; watch www.desertspringsresort.com. … The Weenee Roadhouse has opened at 35400 Date Palm Drive, in Cathedral City; this hot dog and chili restaurant moved into the space formerly occupied by the Southern Belle Café. Details at weeneeroadhouse.com. … Bar Chingona, the bar operating out of a vintage Airstream trailer at the Flannery Exchange (750 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs), has expanded its service to include food in addition to craft cocktails and spirits. Initially operated in partnership with the Hoja Blanca pop-up restaurant, Bar Chingona continues to offer contemporary Latin cuisine like yuzu shrimp aguachile and cauliflower esquite. Learn more and peruse the menu at barchingona.com. … The new Spa at Séc-he, at 200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, in Palm Springs, has two new dining options to enjoy: Pál Bar and Málmal Café offer healthy Mediterranean-inspired cuisine like grain salads, wild mushroom wraps and hummus and olive tapenade plates. Learn more at thespaatseche. com/cuisine. … Morongo Casino Resort and Spa, at 49500 Seminole Drive, in Cabazon, has a new chicken sandwich spot. Ruffled Feathers features hot and “mello” chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, fries and shakes; visit www.morongocasinoresort.com/dining/ ruffled-feathers to find out more.

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Got a hot food news tip? Let us know! foodnews@cvindependent.com CVIndependent.com

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MAY 2023

Avenida Music wants to help local artists thrive via downtown Indio’s Little Street Music Hall Punk-band Sticky Doll organizes the ‘A Cause for Paws’ benefit concert in Twentynine Palms 27 THE Venue Report: Rauw Alejandro, Lady A, Rob Schneider, Emo Nite—and Much More!

28 The band Frankie and the Witch Fingers brings intense music and performance to Pappy and Harriet’s

24

26

www.cvindependent.com/music

Hardcore band Hollow Crown combines positive energy with heavy riffs on debut single “Spineless”

25 CVIndependent.com

LAYING A FOUNDATION

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 23

MAY 2023

May 2023 RANDY ROBERTS

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Jazz legend sings the music of Holiday, Vaughn, Ellington.

WED NESDAYS

CHARLES HERRERA, DARCI DANIELS & MICHAEL HOLMES Swinging to the music of the Rat Pack Era – Special Date Night Menu

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1900 E. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, CA (Inside Club Trinidad Resort) CVIndependent.com

24 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

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BIZ SIDE OF MUSIC

Avenida Music wants to help local artists thrive via downtown Indio’s Little Street Music Hall

By matt king

T

he Coachella Valley is in an era of revitalization and change regarding entertainment venues. The Acrisure Arena is bringing sports and music megastars to Palm Desert, and new restaurant venues are attracting local and touring bands in the low and high desert.

But there’s still a relative dearth of venues for up-and-coming local musicians—especially venues that truly support artists and their creativity.

Enter Avenida Music. The beloved band of building that’s falling apart, and toilets that brothers (Josiah Gonzalez, Samuel Gonzalez don’t work.’ … We kind of lucked out with the and Vince Gonzalez), plus drummer Sean Poe, partnership that we have with the city. They was voted Best Local Band by our readers wanted this to happen, and they put a lot of during our Best of Coachella Valley 2018-2019 effort and time into this.” poll. After their plans for a live music venue in Avenida’s Little Street Studio was in 2019 were upended by the pandemic, Avenida operation for a few short months before is returning with the Little Street Music Hall, the pandemic, offering rehearsal space and at 82707 Miles Ave., in downtown Indio. featuring live bands. This experience helped The space will feature live music and events, the group learn some valuable lessons they’re and offer rehearsal space, while being open taking into this new project. during the day selling coffee, tea and beer as “Initially, that space was just for rehearsal Encore Coffee. During a recent interview with and for storage,” Gonzalez said. “We had a Josiah Gonzalez, Avenida’s keyboard player, he very different vision, and when we had people explained why a space like this has yet to exist. ask us, ‘Hey, can we use this for a show?’ we “It takes an insane amount of patience,” didn’t realize it was something that people Gonzalez said. “You have to dig through an even wanted. We said, ‘Bring some of your incredible amount of bureaucracy. There’s a ton friends out,’ and then the giant crowd piled of paperwork, and I think the biggest thing is out of the door, and we’re like, ‘Oh, people there’s a disconnect between what musicians need this.’ First was the realization that there want to do and experience, and what the city was actually a need, and the second piece was municipality and infrastructure are set up to that we were woefully underprepared to meet help you build. The city of Indio is very forward- that need.” thinking. This is something that they know that Gonzalez walked me through the Little they want, and we keep hitting roadblocks, and Street Music Hall and showed me areas that they help us get over those roadblocks. … As caused them a lot of trouble, such as the artists, you’ve got these giant plans: ‘Wouldn’t bathrooms and the sprinkler system. it be cool if we could do all this?’ And then “Musicians, typically the DIY crowd, don’t you hit the red tape. It’s not hard; it’s just like run in circles where someone’s got a friend a marathon: You can go really slow and get it who’s going to loan me $150,000,” Gonzalez done, but it’s still, like, 30 miles.” said. “If you don’t have those people who can Gonzalez said he and his team have had to dump tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars learn—and be patient at the same time. into your project just because they know you “We’re musicians. We don’t have the and like you, then you have to go to typical developer money that some of these other institutions like banks or lending houses, businesses do, so you just have to do it and a lot of them don’t understand music, yourself,” he said. “You have to learn it or musicians as a whole. We don’t have good yourself. It’s a whole different skill set that we, models for monetizing our art.” as musicians, didn’t have. We’re getting there, Thankfully, Avenida Music is familiar with but we still don’t have it. Artists are generally both captivating an audience and running not geared for this kind of work, so if you’re a business. The members have grown from not willing to learn it, and if you’re not willing days of weekend gigs and working for free to to pay somebody for it, then it’s not going to offering various music-related services, and get done. … When people see old buildings, now every member of the group works fullthey think, ‘That’s badass; you could throw a time for Avenida’s LLC. cool show there. It’s old; it’s dilapidated; slap “We built this business so that it could some paint on it, and it’ll be sick.’ Then you survive without making $1 off of music, ticket get in there, and you realize, ‘Oh, in order to sales, beer sales or coffee,” Gonzalez said. put 150 bodies into this building, I have to “This business could survive just from our live deal with asbestos, and building codes, and a gigging. We have four different avenues that CVIndependent.com

An artist’s rendering of the completed Little Street Music Hall, by Cioffi Architect.

we built out so far: live-music gigging, booking, music education and music-affiliate stuff like consulting and AV jobs. The food and bev will be that fifth revenue stream, and it’s going to eventually be the biggest if it goes right, but even if everything sank, the goal was that we can make $0, or just break even, and this could still be a phenomenal place that’s just a passion project, and we could still float, we could pay employees and cover all of our bills.”

Gonzalez said he and his bandmates/ partners will always be musicians first, and businessmen second.

“Part of our philosophy is that we do not identify as businessmen, per se. Our primary identification always needs to be as a musician,” Gonzalez said. “No matter how big we get, we always have to resonate with the struggle of the local musician. The thought process behind that is: If musicians feel like this is the place where they want to play, because it’s for them, that’s the place where the people who follow them are going to want to see them. (Musicians) are going to say, ‘If there’s one place that you have to come and see me, it’s here, and please support them outside of this so that I can keep playing here.’ We’re

going mandate, no matter how many coffee shops and music venues and other branches, we always have to play at least one gig a month back in the trenches. … We want to stay connected to the community. It’s all about the community, and a big part of that is to be part of the music community.

Gonzalez said they want to help “develop a really viable economic ecosystem for musicians in the Coachella Valley to be able to take their passion for their art, and turn that into something that they can actually live off of,” so the valley can be a place capable of growing artists to their full potential.

“You see a lot of people in the Coachella Valley leaving, and I want to reverse the trend of people saying, ‘I have to go to San Diego or L.A. in order to play bigger venues,’” Gonzalez said. “We want people from other areas to say, ‘I have to go to that space in Indio, because it is the best, most musician-friendly, most crowd-pumping location for my original music.’

We want to drag people to this scene, and that lifts the whole scene, that lifts the quality of musicians, and that lifts the quality of audiences. It makes every other venue step up their game.”

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 25

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CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC

LAYING A FOUNDATION By matt king

T

he Coachella Valley hardcore-music scene is packed with heavy riffs and speaker-popping vocals—and one of the newest bands to enter the fray is the ferocious Hollow Crown.

Hollow Crown features Alex Peralez (vocals), Cameron Parkinson (lead guitarist), Darin Camorre (rhythm guitarist), Mikayla Fazzone (bass) and Shayne Winchester (drums). Debut single “Spineless” was released on March 31, and it is nearly 2 1/2 minutes of down-tuned metal, with emphatic screams and growls— in the future. It lays a good foundation.” and some creative breakdown sections.

The lyrics of “Spineless” are also visceral.

During a recent Zoom interview, the band After starting with a vivacious proclamation members explained how Hollow Crown came of “Fuck it!” the first lyrics are, “You’re a to be. parasite, a waste of life.”

“This band actually formed from a band “It definitely is the song that had the most that me, Darin and Alex were in,” Parkinson energy and the most feeling,” Peralez said. said. “We had a bunch of songs, and schedules “That being said, to record it vocally, some weren’t working out, so we ended up forming part of me didn’t want to write lyrics to it, our own project.” because I needed to be in a certain vibe.

Added Peralez: “We kept showing up to …. I tried writing it probably three times, practice—that’s what dedicated members and I just didn’t feel like it fit. Darin laid do—and other members just kept canceling. out lyrics for me, and I tried screaming to We said, ‘Well, we’ve got to write new them, and it started working. He technically material.’ Cam wrote some stuff; we liked it wrote the lyrics, and I tweaked it a little bit, and tweaked it a little bit. It sounded good, but it definitely gives that energy to the and when those members who didn’t show up started showing up, it wasn’t what they were into or wanted to do.”

The trio recruited Winchester—Camorre’s longtime friend—and Winchester’s partner Fazzone, who were releasing their own metalcore music under the name WISEMANSAY. Winchester and Camorre were elated to finally share a stage.

“I was doing a little internship across the street, and Darin goes, ‘Hey, dude, why don’t you just come over and hear us play?’”

Winchester said. “After hearing these guys play, I thought, ‘I want to get a part of this; this looks like fun.’ It was a feeling that was touching my soul. He kept bugging me a bunch of times about needing a drummer and a bass player, and just would not stop writing my ass. I thought, ‘What’s going to hurt?

Let’s just go for it.’ We dove into it—and we haven’t looked back.”

Debut single “Spineless” is visceral and straight-up nasty; most listeners will find them head-banging along. It is also currently the opening song of Hollow Crown’s set.

“It’s one of those ones that just hits you in the dick and doesn’t stop,” Camorre said.

Added Winchester: “It’s a great opener to be like, ‘Hey, check this shit out. We’re in your face; get along for the ride.’”

Added Fazzone: “It gives a good introduction to who we are and what we’re about, and also it gives us a lot of breathing Hollow Crown. Mack Goth room for the songs that we’re going to release

Hardcore band Hollow Crown combines positive energy with heavy riffs on debut single “Spineless”

instrumental.”

The band has performed three shows so far, with the most recent one being a set at Anaheim’s Chain Reaction in mid-April.

“Not to toot our own horn, but we blew the headliner off the stage at Chain Reaction,” Parkinson said. “We played to a crowd five times bigger than the headliner. A lot of people kept telling us that we had some of the highest energy out of the whole group of bands that were playing that day.”

Added Fazzone: “It was really cool to just see people walking in the door. As we were finishing up a little line check, we’re like, ‘Wait, these people are coming in here, and they’re interested.’ By the time we played, the room had a good amount of people in it.

We just kind of went and gave it our all, and everyone really, really vibed with it.”

It can often take more than three shows for band members to get comfortable with each other onstage. Winchester shared some wisdom that Camorre passed along that

helped him.

“You’re just playing to a bunch of homies,” said Winchester. “Everyone is your homie.

Everyone’s a dear friend who’s having a good time. Don’t think of it like, ‘Oh, this person’s probably thinking I suck.’ Think of it as you’re playing with your homies. You’re practicing.”

Fazzone said the band has a dedicated practice schedule so Hollow Crown can get tighter and tighter.

“We’ve been practicing to try to hit several different parts where we all move in the same way, or a couple of times during the set where we all bounce at the same time, or we all throw down at the same time,” Fazzone said.

“We try to appear as a unit, but at the same time, it can vary from show to show.

“Playing live is probably one of my favorite things, because it’s a gamble. You’re going to get what you’re going to get. Sometimes it’s good; sometimes it’s not going to be good, but every show, you’ve got to play it like it’s your last. That’s why we’re here.”

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MUSIC TO HELP PETS

Punk-band Sticky Doll organizes the ‘A Cause for Paws’ benefit concert in Twentynine Palms

Terry Gilliam

By matt king

12 Monkeys 4.6 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 4.20

I

f you enjoy live music and want to help animals in need, you really need to go to the A Cause for Paws benefit show in Wonder Valley.

Six local music acts are coming together at 6 p.m., Saturday, May 13, to benefit two local nonprofits that help animals, the Animal Authority Rescue Team (AART) and the Animal Action League (AAL); all of the profits will be evenly split between the two agencies. The event at the Palms Restaurant is being organized by punkshows—but I did realize the power of music. band Sticky Doll (Greg Gendron and Cynna People rally when there’s something that a lot Luchia). of people believe in. (Beyond) all the negative This is not the first event Gendron and shit I said about what I’ve seen about animals Luchia have put together to help animals. up here, I’ve seen the positive community “I’ve had rescues my whole life; I have a real toward the animals. Recently, the no-kill soft spot for animals,” Gendron said during shelter did their big Woof Walk. Everybody a phone interview. “I come from a farm in a comes out for them, and tons of money is small town in Washington state, so I grew donated.” up with animals, and I’ve always had rescues Awareness is the main goal of the benefit, myself as an adult living out on my own. When especially since Gendron considers both the we moved out to the desert, I saw what went Animal Authority Rescue Team and the Animal on up here—and people dumping dogs. The Action League to be “underground.” Both animals-in-need thing was just so in my face.” organizations will have informational booths In 2019, Gendron organized his first animal at the event. benefit—solely for Champion, a dog that was “The no-kill shelter (Morongo Basin shot in the face and abandoned in the desert.

Humane Society) is always in the limelight,” “That was so insane and just angered me he said. “Everybody knows all about them to no end,” he said. “Being on Facebook, I and wants to do the right thing and feel good belong to all the pet groups, and I’d already and donate to them, but meanwhile, these seen so much bullshit up here, and when that two organizations … they’re not necessarily happened, I was just like, ‘Oh my God.’ Doing known about.” that (benefit) was so awesome, and it was Gendron hopes the event will draw a huge, fun, and we raised a lot of money to really supportive crowd to the high desert. help this dog.”

“This year is the first time we’re doing it The event, hosted at Gadi’s Bar (which at the Palms, and the potential challenge is became AWE Bar before closing), featured … people who haven’t been out there go, ‘Oh, eight bands. The event flier featured a brutal my God, it’s way out there,’” Gendron said. image of Champion’s wounds.

“It’s a community event; it’s not necessarily a “I used that really graphic picture of him, punk-rock, heavy-metal show. With the band and I think that really made people go, Sticky Doll, we always fall into that category, ‘Whoa,’” Gendron said. “It really made people but we really want to put on community-type want to help. As opposed to going, ‘Oh, this things that draw all ages and all types of fans is an event for the Morongo Basin Humane of music.”

Society … this one was like, ‘Oh my God, this A Cause for Paws is part of Sticky Doll’s plan dog was shot in the face; he needs help.’ I think to make music-focused animal-organization it really tugged on everybody’s strings a lot benefits a regular thing. more than the other ones. That one raised a lot “I’m trying to put together a plan, looking of money, around $1,500.” into connecting with promoters around In addition to Sticky Doll, A Cause for different cities in SoCal,” Gendron said. “… It’s Paws will feature Van Graceland (an Elvis a whole different world these days. It’s hard to impersonator), Hot Patooties, The Sibleys, The get people to come out, and for us local bands, Hawk Messengers and The Yes-Go’s. Every we’re often just playing to the other bands. We artist is donating their time and talents. want to do smart shows … that can be well“In a perfect world, I could donate tons of attended, and shows that have a good cause. money, and my girlfriend is always saying how Moving forward, if we get offers to play here she’d love to have a big sanctuary,” Gendron and there, sure, but as far as shows that we said. “Well, we live paycheck to paycheck like want to pursue, we really want to just focus on most do, and I’m not making any money SoCal, and connect with the most in-need local playing in a band. It costs us money to play rescue (organizations).”

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Cynna Luchia and Greg Gendron are the organizers of A Cause for Paws.

Gendron said that when giving at these benefits, a little goes a long way.

“Whether it’s $100, or it winds up being $1,000, or $10, in the big scheme of it, it’s all good for (the beneficiaries), because they run on donations,” he said. “In a perfect world, I hope these can be big things, but I tend to get really grandiose, so I’ve got to reel myself in and go, ‘This is just local. Let’s do the best we can and get a buzz going about some things, and just let it grow naturally.’”

Pet-related raffles and healthy food options will be available at the event.

“Both of them (AART and AAL) are going to be able to put together some baskets of services—like spay, neuter, chipping and shots—for raffles, as well as some T-shirts and some pet items,” Gendron said. “There will be an engraving machine for custom-made dog

tags. There’s also going to be a vegan option on the menu with Laura’s Compassionate Kitchen.

Kevin (Bone) and Laura (Sibley are) the owners of The Palms, and that’s kind of a new thing she’s been doing now for the last year.

“I want to say the majority of people love animals. There are some really fucking evil people in the world, but I think the larger population does want to do the right thing and support animals in need.”

A Cause for Paws will take place at 6 p.m., Saturday, May 13, at the Palms Restaurant, 83131 Amboy Road, in Twentynine Palms. A $10 donation is suggested. For more information, visit facebook. com/stickydoll. For more on the Animal Authority Rescue Team, visit.animalauthorityrescueteam. org. For more on the Animal Action League, visit animalactionleague.net.

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MAY 2023

The Venue REPORT May 2023 By matt king

Aaron Lewis

It’s May in the Coachella Valley, and things are heating up! Make sure to stay safe and hydrated if you’re heading to any of these great events.

Acrisure Arena continues to deliver a wide variety of entertainment. At 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 2, check out Latin Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican singer/ songwriter Rauw Alejandro, with special guests Jabbawockeez. Tickets start at $59.95.

Mexican rock legends Caifanes bring their big sound to the big arena at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 20. Tickets start at $49. Can’t get enough of the Acrisure ice? Check out Stars on Ice, featuring some of the greatest ice skaters of today, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 26. Tickets start at $36. At 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 31, enjoy a chance to see one of country music’s crown jewels, Shania Twain. Tickets start at $100.95. Acrisure Arena, 75702 Varner Road, Palm Desert; 888-695-8778; www. acrisurearena.com.

Fantasy Springs has a few May offerings of note. Catch ’90s Mexican-American group Intocable at 8 p.m., Thursday, May 4. Tickets start at $49. At 8 p.m., Friday, May 12, recently rebranded Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum) brings country jams to town. Tickets start at $79. Rap icon Ice Cube will perform an evening of hits at 8 p.m., Friday, May 19. Tickets start at $59. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Spotlight 29 is hosting two great May nights of music. At 8 p.m., Thursday, May 18, Aaron Lewis (formerly of the band Staind) is performing a night of solo country material.

Tickets start at $55. Catch some live magic before it disappears at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 20, when the Masters of Illusion head to the city of Coachella. Tickets start at $20, and you must be 21+ to attend. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www.spotlight29.com.

Morongo is featuring music, comedy—

and a hypnotist! At 9 p.m., Friday, May 5, experience Mexican vocalist Luis Angel “El Flaco” live! Available tickets start at $130.

Grammy Award-winning soul singer Peabo Bryson will perform at 9 p.m., Saturday, May 6. Tickets start at $39. At 9 p.m., Friday, May 12, enjoy an intimate performance from ’80s rockers Skid Row. Tickets start at $18.

Comedian/actor Rob Schneider will help you laugh the night away at 9 p.m., Friday, May 26. Tickets start at $39. Trying to reach the other side? Spend an evening with Cindy Kaza, a medium/psychic/hypnotist, making a special trip to Morongo at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 27. Tickets start at $39. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www.morongocasinoresort.com.

Agua Caliente in Rancho Mirage features a diverse variety of May shows. Described as “the best Beatles tribute ever,” The Fab Four will perform a special night of Beatles tunes at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 13. Tickets range from $25 to $60. Returning to The Show stage once again at 8 p.m., Friday, May 19, is Australia’s Thunder From Down Under, the No. 1 male revue in the world! Tickets are $15 to $55. At 8 p.m., Saturday, May 20, enjoy a visit from the infectious Regional Mexican band La Adictiva.

Tickets are $45 to $80. Now is your chance to see one of Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Comics of All Time, as Russell Peters heads to Agua at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 27. Tickets are $65 to $135. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.hotwatercasino.com.

Residency shows roll on into summer at Agua Caliente Palm Springs. Desert Blues Revival Wednesdays feature the Independent’s Best of Coachella Valley readers’ poll champs the Gand Band (May 3), the eclectic Mystic Chiefs (May 10), the multi-instrumentalist-led Jessica Kaczmarek Band (May 17), the high energy rockin’ blues of the Laurie Morvan Band (May 24) and the country blues of Emily Rose and the Rounders (May 31). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $10, available at eventspalmsprings.com/blues. Jazzville Thursdays offer the classic jazz and Latin/bossa nova sounds of the Tony Guerrero Quintet with Lia Booth (May 4), the singing and trombone styles of the Aubrey Logan Quartet (May 11), the singer/composer/producer/actorled Patrick Barnitt and Quartet (May 18) and the return of the Hollywood Film Noirchestra, with a tribute to Henry Mancini (May 25).

Shows take place at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $15, available at jazzvillepalmsprings.com. continued on page 29

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MUSIC

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LIVE ENERGY

The band Frankie and the Witch Fingers brings intense music and performance to Pappy and Harriet’s

By matt king

I

f wildly energetic psychedelic rock is your thing, you really should be listening to Frankie and the Witch Fingers.

Riffs attack with phasers and wah; vocals scream out about mythical creatures; and the backing instrumentation offers a dance-filled, mosh-worthy vibe. Check out songs like “Brain Telephone” and “Electricide.”

Frankie and the Witch Fingers consists of their visceral sound works well in a close-knit, Dylan Sizemore (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), underground show, those kinds of sets are in Josh Menashe (lead guitar, backing vocals, synthe past. thesizer, sax, flute, engineering), Nicole “Nikki “We started playing basement shows in Pickle” Smith (bass) and Nick Aguilar (drums).

Indiana with no stage, no monitors and one The band members tour a bunch and bring a outlet where we plugged everything in,” said raucous night of music with them wherever Menashe. “We tried not to catch the house on they go. They’ll be performing at Pappy and fire. It’s nice to make a show out of nothing Harriet’s at 10 p.m., Saturday, May 13. sometimes.”

During a recent Zoom interview with As audiences grow, the group’s intense the band, we discussed how the group is no sound has helped establish a connection stranger to the desert. between the members and their big crowds.

“We all love Pappy’s,” Sizemore said. “It’s a “Part of the energy comes from the sound, special place and always a good scene there.” so when you play a big room like that, you get Said Aguilar: “I’ve never played there, but the advantage of the biggest sound—but then I saw the Meat Puppets play there in 2019. I the challenge is the connection physically from would go there more often. It’s a wonderful body to body,” Sizemore said. “You’re pushing room inside and out.” yourself harder onstage in order to make that Added Menashe: “I’m just excited to share a connection. You get to hear things better, and stage that Paul McCartney played on.” you get to be tighter, which kind of allows you Frankie and the Witch Fingers performed to be more in the flow—but it’s also fun to at Pappy and Harriet’s in 2016 as part of the play a small room where you’re just on top of Desert Stars Festival, a memorable event that someone, and it doesn’t matter how well you allowed the band to watch headliner Dinoplay, because someone’s going to feel it anyway, saur Jr. because they’re on top of your guitar.”

“We played outside pretty early in the day,” Some standout festival sets came up Menashe said. “It was dusty. We saw Dinosaur during our conversation, including a recent Jr., and we were peeking right behind (J performance at Desert Daze.

Mascis’) amps backstage. I could hear his “I kind of like playing in a smaller room guitar clearer from the back of the amps than where the relationship between the crowd and the front, if that makes any sense.” the band is a lot more intimate,” Aguilar said.

The band most recently played in the desert “Luckily, I’m in the back, so I’m not really going in 2019, performing at the SoCal Psycheout to get anyone necessarily falling on my shit, festival, hosted at Garth’s Boulder Gardens but for these guys, sometimes it’s annoying Sanctuary in Pioneertown. This time, Frankie when someone might step on their pedal or and the Witch Fingers were the headliner. something mid-song or fuck with them. I’ve “That was so sick, and it was really fun,” seen that, but I don’t know; those are kind of Sizemore said. “That’s probably the most the best shows. I feel like those are the ones remote location we’ve ever played a show at. that people go home and remember and talk … We were totally in the middle of the desert about the most—but then again, some of the getting out there. It was a generator show. festivals that we’ve played, people say it’s the There were so many awesome visual artists best show they’ve ever seen. When we played that night, which made it even more surreal at Desert Daze last year, that was a very big to be out in the middle of the desert with stage, and it was during the day, and we were projections on these giant rocks. It was pretty, all very far from the audience, but something pretty spectacular.” about it was very eclectic. We definitely felt The band grew from festival opener to the connection with the crowd and the energy headliner in the span of three years, and now there that day.” the members are working their way even Aguilar talked about the challenge of further up the figurative ladder. Even though winning over an audience. Even if you think CVIndependent.com

Frankie and the Witch Fingers.

you’ve lost the crowd, they still might be having a great time, he said.

“Most of the time, it’s in our heads,” Aguilar said. “There have been shows where we’re giving it our all, and the crowd is just straight-faced the whole time—but then they come up to us after and buy a bunch of merch and are super-stoked on the show. I guess people just have different ways of expressing how they feel about a band. … If somebody else just wants to chill and watch one of their favorite bands and buy a shirt and go home and go to sleep, that’s cool, but it does make it harder for me to do my job.”

What was a pretty consistent release schedule was halted when COVID-19 shutdowns were in full effect. Frankie and the Witch Fingers’ last LP was released in October 2020. In 2023, band members have their sights set on a new release schedule.

“We’ve recorded a record, and it’s turned into the press plant,” Sizemore said. “We’ve got all the art and stuff, but we’ve just been trying to time it to when we’re touring and everything. That’s coming out this year, at the end of the summer. Right now, we’re in our rehearsal space writing another record.

We had some downtime as far as writing and

recording, but now we’re caught up, so we’ll have at least a record out every year.”

The pandemic did provide the opportunity for the band to document their live energy, as Frankie and the Witch Fingers released not one, but two live albums.

“It’s not too much different than our studio albums, but you can definitely feel the energy more just having it all live, and hearing how we played together in a room,” Sizemore said. “I like to think that translates, and I hope other people do, too.”

Added Aguilar: “I think if a band has a good live show, they should always put out at least one good live record, A lot of my favorite records from a lot of my favorite bands are live records, like The Who, Live at Leeds; Thin Lizzy, Live and Dangerous; and Rush, Exit … Stage Left.

Everything’s a little bit faster; you hear the audience, and it feels like you’re there.”

Frankie and the Witch Fingers will perform at 10 p.m., Saturday, May 13, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Tickets are $20. For more information, call 760-228-2222, or visit pappyandharriets.com.

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MAY 2023

The Venue REPORT continued from page 27 Laugh your Friday night away with Caliente Comedy acts Peter Loaiza (May 5), Jeff Leach (May 12), Ali Macofsky (May 19) and Jerry Garcia (May 26). Shows are at 8 p.m., and tickets start at $7.99, available at www. eventspalmsprings.com/caliente-comedy.

Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 888-999-1995; www. sparesortcasino.com.

The McCallum Theatre is hosting two more events before closing for the summer. College of the Desert is presenting one of the world’s most popular musicals, Man of La Mancha, for four different performances. Catch talented student actors at 8 p.m., Friday, May 5; 2 and 8 p.m., Saturday, May 6, and 2 p.m., Sunday, May 7. Tickets start at $28. At 6:30 p.m., Friday, May 19, celebrate Mexican dance with the Pacifico Dance Company.

Tickets are $10. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www. mccallumtheatre.com.

Pappy and Harriet’s offers another month of heavy hitters. Here are a few shows that aren’t sold out yet as of this writing. L.A. punk band The Bronx’s frequent mariachi side project, Mariachi El Bronx, is set to perform at 9 p.m., Sunday, May 7. Advance tickets are $25. At 10 p.m., Thursday, May 18, experience an intimate set from ’90s rockers Sponge. Tickets start at $20. Actor Billy Bob Thornton and his band The Boxmasters will bring country rock to the desert at 9:30 p.m., Friday, May 19. Tickets are $45. At 9 p.m., Sunday, May 28, Pioneertown emo fans can sing their heart out to the songs of the ’90s/’00s they know and love with the help of recent Coachella performers Emo Nite. Remaining tickets start at $31. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-2282222; www.pappyandharriets.com.

The Purple Room is prominently featuring

both music and drag events before its summer closure. At 8 p.m., Friday, May 5, Randy Roberts (of America’s Got Talent) brings a classic drag show with a modern twist. Tickets start at $40. Pay tribute to Tina Turner with the help of Debby Holiday at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 6. Tickets are $35. At 8 p.m., Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13, John Lloyd Young is set to perform classic Broadway hits. Tickets start at $55. Enjoy a jazz-centric evening with stellar vocalist Jane Monheit at 8 p.m., Friday, May 19. Tickets start at $55. Tony Award-nominated sisters Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway will entertain with “Broadway the Calla-way!”, a night of musical classics, at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 26 and 27; and 7 p.m., Sunday, May 28. Tickets start at $60. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-4422; www. purpleroompalmsprings.com.

Oscar’s in Palm Springs is hosting some unique shows beyond the usual residencies.

At 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 16, hear an intimate performance by former members of the Four Seasons, The Modern Gentlemen.

Tickets start at $45. Talented jazz vocalist Jack Donahue will perform a Palm Springs set at 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 17. Tickets start at $35. Nine drag stars will join forces for an all-star show titled Legends of Drag, happening at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 18.

Tickets start at $25. Oscar’s will host one of California’s longest-running drag shows, Dreamgirls Revue, at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 25. Tickets are $15. At 6 and 9 p.m., Friday, May 26, catch a drag-tinged musical version of ’80s TV show with Who’s Da Boss? Live!

Tickets start at $34.95. Most Oscar’s shows include a dinner reservation with a food/ drink minimum. Oscar’s Palm Springs, 125 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760-3251188; oscarspalmsprings.com/events.

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MUSIC

the

LUCKY 13

Get to better know Pappy’s performer Shana Cleveland, and local Jose Zavala, aka Nocontinues Nocontinues, has made me a fan. He’s released three albums of instrumental material that stretches from sample-heavy head-bopping hip-hop beats, to beautifully bright and creative original synth-led compositions.

The vibes range from chill summer day on “Hewwo,” to funky groove on “Karen Took the Kids,” to demented video game soundtrack on “Powreaide.” His latest album, Newport Seasoning, released in March, is a re-release/ re-master of some older beats.

by matt king

KRISTIN COFER

NAME Shana Cleveland GROUP La Luz MORE INFO We’ve covered reverb-soaked surf rockers La Luz in the Independent before; we spoke to frontwoman Shana Cleveland about the power of music. She’s returning to the desert, this time performing solo at Pappy and Harriet’s, opening for Shannon and the Clams, at 4 p.m., Saturday, May 13. Her new album, Manzanita, is a superb indie-folk mix of great storytelling and infectious guitar lines. I hope to hear her perform “Sheriff of the Salton Sea.” What was the first concert you attended?

My parents are musicians, and I grew up going to their shows, but the first big one was Smashing Pumpkins at an arena somewhere in Michigan.

What was the first album you owned?

Possibly Paula Abdul’s Forever Your Girl.

What bands are you listening to right now?

Mort Garson, Alice Coltrane, early ’70s Stevie Wonder, the Incredible String Band, Kendrick Lamar, and Glenn Gould.

What’s your favorite music venue?

Anytime I can play outside, I’m happy— especially on a farm.

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

“Sha la la, dooby wah, dum dum dum, yeah yeah,” “Blue Angel,” Roy Orbison.

What band or artist changed your life?

So many, but one who comes to mind first is Cat Power. I was really blown away by a show I saw her play in Chicago when I was in college.

The way she was able to captivate a big room with very quiet music was magic.

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?

I’d ask my mom if she wanted to come over for dinner.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

“Feeling Good” by Nina Simone.

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?

Big-budget radio pop.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

Glenn Gould’s 1956 recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

Billie Holiday.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

“Perfect Day” by Lou Reed.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

The jazzy hold music when I call the bank.

NAME Jose Zavala, aka Nocontinues MORE INFO Jose Zavala is a close friend— but his music, released under the name

CVIndependent.com

What was the first concert you attended?

It was definitely a free concert at the Indio Fair, but my memories of seeing War and seeing KC and the Sunshine Band blur together, so it’s difficult to remember which one came first. The first concert I paid for and went out of my way for was SALES at the Glass House. That I remember fondly and clearly.

What was the first album you owned?

Gravitas by Talib Kweli. I don’t remember how or where I got it, but I remember putting it in the CD player my mom had in the corner of the kitchen all the time … then I realized I could just burn it onto my computer and listen to it from there, to my mom’s relief.

What bands are you listening to right now?

First I was on a Justin Timberlake kick; then I was on a Doechii kick; now I’m on a Chaz Bear (Toro y Moi) kick. I think I’ve listened to “Grind” at least once a day since I remembered that song existed.

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?

Midwest emo, and/or whatever genre PUP and Mom Jeans are. There’s a certain voice/ instrument dynamic that just doesn’t click for me. I mean, I want to like it. A lot of my friends like it, and I’d love to enjoy it with them, but I just can’t vibe with it.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

I’ll give you three, because it’s easier for me.

(Hee hee, I rhymed.) Baby Keem is one. He’s such a fun artist, and it seems like that fun translates very well into a live performance.

Another artist I’d kill to see live is Death Grips, because … well, it’s Death Grips. Finally, I don’t believe they’re active anymore, but I would’ve

loved to have seen Conquering Dystopia. I’ve never been to a metal concert, but I just know I’d love it, and I can see every one of their songs only getting better with a crowd.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

Whatever radio bait was on the air when I was in middle school. Guilty, because it’s all so cheesy, and pleasure, just out of nostalgia.

Don’t even get me started on the Minecraft parodies of all of them.

What’s your favorite music venue?

The Cahuilla Desert Academy’s center amphitheater. I really like that it’s small, very personal, yet very open. I haven’t seen it in, like, 10 years, so I don’t know how my mind pulled that so easily.

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

“But it’s the loudest sound you’ve ever heard,” from Radiohead’s “Decks Dark.” I don’t think a single lyric has conveyed the idea of ‘there are things you can’t ignore’ in a way that stuck with me as much as that one.

What band or artist changed your life?

I’ll let out my inner edgy virgin and say Radiohead. They are one of the first artists I emotionally resonated with. Like, damn, this song feels exactly how I feel right now. It sounds exactly how I’d imagine this feeling would sound.

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?

Mndsgn: “What am I missing?”

What song would you like played at your funeral?

“Lamb’s Wool” by Foster the People.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

Boo Boo by Toro y Moi. I can’t even explain why. It just … sounds good?

What song should everyone listen to right now?

“Man on a Mission” by WonderBoi. He’s a cool dude, and I’m working on some stuff for him right now. I don’t even know for sure if it’ll drop, but if it does, listen to that, too.

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OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

“Running Free—more words, words, words.

By Matt Jones

Ulster and Dublin style accents 3. Levels 35. Lasso handler?

4. Director with a 37. They come to a memeworthy Mark Across point near your field 5. “You Can’t Stop the 1. Gemini star of vision Reign” rapper 7. Tour guide 38. Etonic rival 6. Santoni who played 14. “Is Anybody Goin’ 39. Corrupt Poppie on Seinfeld to San ___?” (1970 40. Undisputed 7. Abbr. on bottles of No. 1 country hit) 44. Subject of some beer 15. Like 18K or 22K, terraforming 8. Times associated relatively proposals with availability 17. It’s sung in French 46. Actor Sheridan who 9. Those, in Toledo and set in Spain plays Cyclops 10. Black listing 18. Fenced 47. Word after rap or 11. Gym instructor’s 19. Language spoken flow deg. in The Passion of the 48. Tarzan actor Ron 12. Musical character Christ 49. Role, figuratively who sings “I swear 21. Suffix with Senegal 51. Silence, in a way on all my spores” or Sudan 53. Costal enclosures 13. One of Chaucer’s 22. Hardware acronym 56. Rabbit creator Canterbury pilgrims 23. C8H17 radical 57. Mars option 16. Involve 24. Uracil carrier 58. Decreasing figure? 20. Some strength26. “___ good you let 59. Hohe ___ (Cologne training enthusiasts him know” (Hamlet shopping locale) 25. “Whenever” quote) 60. Devices that 27. Throws a sleeper 28. Lindsey of Pretty displayed numbers then touches the Little Liars ground, essentially 29. Alaska natives Down 29. Went for the silver, 31. Hill affirmations 1. Tropical beans perhaps 32. It branches into 2. Revolting type, old- 30. Ganon, to Link

33. Family surname in current TV 34. “... the giftie ___ us”: Burns 35. Field items that follow an arc 36. Barely 37. Underground experts 41. Add new padding to 42. Mr. Belvedere co-star Bob 43. They’re real knockouts 45. Zulu warrior king 47. Toyota model rebooted in 2019 50. Forever and a day 52. Laugh line 54. “Proud Mary” band, briefly 55. Dir. from Iceland to Ireland © 2023 Matt Jones Find the answers in the “About” section at CVIndependent. com!

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