San Diego CityBeat • Nov 13, 2019

OCTOBER 23,13, NOVEMBER 2019 2019 • SDCITYBEAT.COM • SDCITYBEAT.COM • FREE • FREE

it’s getting ugly

Antonio Jaramillo is secretive about ‘Mayans M.C.’

Undeniable Chemistry The Black Keys talk reunion and new album

BIANCA DEL RIO (P. 11) | RUFUS WAINWRIGHT (P. 12) | ARIEL LEVINE (P. 14)

2 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 13, 2019

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EDITOR Christina Fuoco-Karasinski ART DIRECTOR Christy Byerly CONTRIBUTORS Karen Barnett Jackie Bryant David L. Coddon Edwin Decker Michael A. Gardiner Glenn Heath Jr. Carson Mlnarik Taylor O’Connor EDITORIAL INTERN Mary Pat Abruzzo PRODUCTION MANAGER Tristan Whitehouse ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Steven Persitza SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jason Noble PRESIDENT Steve Strickbine

FEATURE

Volume 18 • Issue 6

12

THE BLACK KEYS

FOOD & DRINK

MUSIC

6

VICE PRESIDENT Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Interested in advertising?

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14 THE WORLD FARE

Allesandro Cortini

Ed Decker__________________ 4 Wort Mentioning ������������6 Calendar of Events ����������8 World Fare_________________ 5 Top 15 ��������������������7 Theater ��������������������9

ARTS & CULTURE

IN THE BACK

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San Diego CityBeat is published and distributed every Wednesday by Times Media Group, free of charge but limited to one per reader. Reproduction of any material in this or any other issue is prohibited without written permission from the publisher and the author. Contents copyright 2019.

Wort Mentioning

FILM

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CannaBitch

theater

Film ��������������������������������� 10 Performance �������������������������� 11

ON THE COVER:

Rufus Wainwright ���������������������� 12 Concerts & Clubs ������� 15-17 Allesandro Cortini, Ariel Levine ������������ 14 Cannabitch ��������������� 18

The Black Keys, photo by Alysse Gafjken

Twitter: @SDCityBeat | Instagram: @sdcitybeat | sdcitybeat.com

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NOVEMBER 13, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 3

UP FRONT | VOICES

Straight Up With a Twist When is time to give up on a friend?

By Edwin Decker

H

eya Ed: So I’ve got a question. How do you know when to give up on people? I get it, we’re all busy, but how do you know when to push and work to maintain those friendships and when to let people off the hook and just stop bugging them? I used to have a three “no” policy. If they cancel or say “no” three times, [I] hit pause on the invites. But recently I was told [this policy] is mean and, honestly, I’m losing people. Help me Ed. I’m willing to work a little to have friends. Any thoughts?

Sincerely, Your Old Friend

[Note to the reader: I received this question from an old acquaintance. The reason she signed off anonymously as “Your Old Friend” was for fear that her other friends would think she was referring to them.

Naturally I was happy to oblige her anonymity].

Dear Carolyn Thompson of Narragansett Avenue with the mole on the left cheek who bartends at Humphrey’s: There is a lot to unpack here so let’s get to work. For starters, I think your “Three No Policy” (3NP) is entirely reasonable.

I have a similar, though less stringent, approach regarding how many nos I receive before discontinuing invitations. It

4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 13, 2019

typically turns out to be about three or four, but I don’t enforce a specific number.

Rather, I consider on a case-bycase basis.

After all, what if the first two rejections came from a friend recovering from a frontal lobotomy and the third was after inviting them to do Trivia Night? A little slack would be in order, yes? So, while I think you are on the right track with a 3NP, I would focus less on the amount of nos and a more on the context of them.

As for the friend who said your 3NP is “mean,” pardon the indecorum but you need brighter friends. I mean, does he or she expect you to keep getting shot down endlessly through eternity, self-respect be damned? Should you ignore the rejections that are piling up faster than the Dallas Cowboys’ waterboy cruising Cowgirls on the sidelines? Oh please.

“Mean” is sneaking in to sleepy, little town dressed as Santa to steal everyone’s toys and decorations. “Mean” is inviting the school outcast to prom so his friends can dump a bucket of pig’s blood on her. “Mean” is summoning a squadron of flying monkeys to kidnap a farm girl and steal her magic slippers. Mean is a lot of things but taking a hint is definitely not one of them.

Look Carolyn, er, I mean “Old Friend”—who definitely

does not live on Narragansett, does not have a mole and doesn’t work at Humphrey’s—I know you’re worried about “losing friends,” but honestly, how many unrequited invitations can a person extend before it’s considered stalking? I talked about this in my last column but the key here is acceptance. You may be hemorrhaging relationships, but the remedy isn’t to nag the all-but-dead ones. I’d rather be entirely friendless than have 100 who don’t reciprocate.

Not that receiving three-ish rejections necessarily means person doesn’t love and care about you. There could be extenuating circumstances.

Maybe they dislike going out. Perhaps they are dealing with anxiety or depression.

Or maybe they recently discovered “Breaking Bad” and are bingeing the crap out of it. That’s why I don’t think it’s a good idea to “give up on people” entirely. Sure, give up inviting them. But don’t shut the door of friendship permanently because, who knows, they may surprise you.

I know I could receive twenty

abstentions in a row and still blurt, “Absolutely!” if a chum finally called one day and said, “Let’s grab a beer.”

I have a buddy I’ve known since high school. He’s not a No-Sayer, per se, but he never initiates, which I think is a similar issue. If I don’t call him or otherwise reach out, we would never see each other.

This used to bug me. I couldn’t fathom why. Does he not like me? I wondered. Could it be a power play? Then one day, a revelation. Initiation just wasn’t something he did. It wasn’t who he was.

So, again, acceptance is the way to go here. Because the real, true truth is, people don’t always behave the way we want them to behave. Nor can we expect someone to like or love us as much as we do them.

Or maybe they do but—for reasons unknown to us—still decline our invites. It’s not always easy to tell, so the best we can do is work with what we know. So yeah, Old Friend, go ahead and stick to your 3NP policy (with flexibility for circumstances). Just be sure a couple of those invites are to do things they like to do.

Are they a homebody? Offer to bring over some take-out and watch a few episodes of “Breaking Bad” together. Are they overwhelmed by family responsibilities? Suggest a matinee with the kids. Maybe they’re recovering from a lobotomy, in which case, invite them to the playground and do see-saw all day. If you’re still getting the brush-off, well at least you can be confident that they’re, you know, just not that into you.

Edwin Decker is not a licensed therapist. Frankly you’d have to be nuts to take his advice. If you chose to do so, don’t come running to us. We warned you. @SDCITYBEAT

UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

Hotpot for Cold Nights at Mada-Sao Malatang broth and skewered ingredients star at Convoy spot

By Michael A. Gardiner

A

s the calendar turns and fire season wanes, San Diegans are forced to reckon with the reality our weather can actually be cooler than “70 degrees and sunny.” That’s when the idea of tucking into a steaming pot of spicy broth begins to sound like a really good idea. Mada-Sao (4681 Convoy Street, Suite D) is a great place to do just that.

Mada-Sao is all about “chuan chuan xiang” (“fragrant skewers”) style hotpot. Instead of the more common styles involving a broth-filled communal pot into which each diner drops ingredients, one after another, at MadaSao diners select skewers of ingredients that arrive at the table in their own metal bowl of broth with either rice, cellophane or ramen noodles.

It’s a classic Chinese street food brought into a Convoy District restaurant.

Picking skewers is the start of the fun. They’re

arrayed in two deli cases preloaded with ingredients including meats, fish (or gluten) balls, offal, tofu, quail eggs, mushrooms, root vegetables as well as handfuls of various green vegetables.

The proteins range from cuts of pork or chicken to tripe, livers, gizzards and duck tongues. I’m a huge fan of the tripe, which takes on the broth’s flavor along with their naturally toothsome texture. The duck tongues? Not so much.

But it is the malatang (spicynumbing soup) broth that is the unambiguous star of MadaSao’s hotpot. At its essence are the flavors of Sichuan peppercorns and chilies along with a rich broth. It comes in various levels of spice from mild to nuclear. Frankly, though, if you get anything less than medium there’s probably no point in bothering

At Mada-Sao the fun starts with picking your skewers.

(Photo by Michael A. Gardiner)

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Rich lamb and sour pickled vegetables offer a taste of Western China. (Photo

by Michael A. Gardiner)

Chuan chuan xiang (“fragrant skewers”) style hotpot is what Mada-Sao’s all about.

(Photo by Michael A. Gardiner)

getting any at all. It would be kind of like going to an amusement park and not getting on a single

“Husband-and-wife” beef is a Sichuan classic and Mada-Sao’s particularly good. (Photo by Michael A. Gardiner)

rollercoaster.

One of the distinct pleasures of the chuan chuan xiang style of hotpot is the way the flavors of the malatang broth permeate the skewered ingredients differentially as they sit in the broth simultaneously and from the beginning. Heavier, thicker ingredients like the meats absorb less of the flavor.

The tofu and vegetables, though, take on those flavors intensely. Amongst my favorite

skewers are the soy knots and yuba sheets, both of which get better the longer they sit in the malatang.

There’s more than hotpot at Mada-Sao. There are semiregular “specials” like the dan dan noodles and a number of cold appetizers. Perhaps the best is the “husbandand-wife” beef featuring various beef parts, classically including tripe and lung, doused in Sichuan peppercorns and chili oil. On three trips it was the best version I’ve had in town (though on the fourth it was overly salty).

This isn’t the first go ‘round for the Mada-Sao team.

From 2017 to 2018 they ran a restaurant on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard west of the 805 called Sister Ma’s Kitchen and sometimes Private Kitchen (the staff occasionally referred to it as “Ma Da-Sao,” the Chinese translation of “Sister Ma’s Kitchen”) before disappearing.

Hopefully this version stays around a little longer given its far better location.

NOVEMBER 13, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5

UP FRONT | BEER

WORT MENTIONING

Esco Brew, Thought You Knew

Escondido Brewing company produces big flavors from small system

By Karen Barnett

M

ost kids share the sentiment when I say the town you grew up in is anything but cool. In fact, I moved as far away as I could afford to when I was 19. Fast forward 20 years and I find myself pretty pleased sitting on the patio of Escondido Brewing Company located next to the feed store where I used to buy food for a pig I once raised in high school.

Pepe le Pig is a whole other story though.

I honestly thought Escondido Brewing Company was going to suck. The apprehensive teenager in my head was sure it couldn’t be cool. I was wrong.

Disclaimer, my brother had brought cans of their Hopcondido IPA for my birthday a few months back and I was surprised that it was actually pretty decent. I’ve been meaning to visit their location for a couple years now and when a friend suggested a stop there one night, I was all for it.

Tasting room seating is entirely outside at this one-barrel brewery, but it was surprisingly cozy for being less than 300 square feet. Warm lighting, AstroTurf, lots of wood and even a Street Fighter arcade, which had a group of four friends huddled around in competition.

6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 13, 2019

They had 10 beers on tap, and I sampled them all. My favorite was the Ups N Downs IPA. With a bit more malt than your average San Diego IPA, it drank like a Pale Ale and that’s not a diss.

I took a growler home, which is pretty rare for me. The name holds nostalgia as well as Ups N Downs (1952-2014) was a beloved roller rink in Escondido and arguably the only cool thing to do as a kid.

The Jose con Cafe, a tasty brown ale with coffee, had a rich character that I swear had the taste of warm chiles, though I was assured was just my

imagination. It’s a wonderful beer to sip on a chilly Escondido evening.

As previously mentioned, I’ve had their Hopcondido IPA before from a can and it was consistently delicious and just as fresh and bright on tap. Hazy bois should line up for their Highland Haze, which did not disappoint in that category either.

If you are an Oktoberfest or Marzen fan, don’t pass up EBC’s Elfin Forest. With a traditional Bavarian, biscuit-like aroma, this 5% brew is on the lighter side in body, but the flavor is full-on caramel

malt—the way it should be. One may even need to drink a couple of these to consider entering its namesake, the Elfin Forest where legend of the White Witch lingers. A place one may even say an Escondidan teenager or five has smoked a little pot in, hoping to catch a glimpse of the ghost (sorry, Mom, I’m pretty sure Ups N Downs was closed that day).

So, I guess Escondido is, in fact, cool after all.

Especially with a great brewery like Escondido Brewing Company producing these fantastic small batch beers. Plan your visit ahead of time

though, as their tasting room is open Fridays and Saturdays only.

Escondido Brewing Company

649 Rock Springs Road, Escondido 858-531-4444, escobrewco.com Hours: 4 to 8 p.m.

Fridays; 2 to 8 p.m. Saturdays

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TOP15

6 Best Salsa Fest

NOVEMBER 16

Taste buds are about to be set on fire for this spicy festival that brings top salsa vendors from all around San Diego. The $12 to $55 admission includes OUR PICKS FOR COOL THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK salsa samplings and a bag of tortilla chips. Beer from Thorn

By Taylor O’Connor Brewing Company and tacos will be available for purchase.

Quartet is the musical group.

Amplified Ale Works Kitchen Dolorosa and Los Ingratos will perform cumbias, Spanish rock + Beer Garden, 1429 Island Avenue, East Village, 858-270- and ’80s and ’90s hits. Local art 5222, amplifiedales.com, $28. vendors will be on site and part of the proceeds go to Our Lady NOVEMBER 13 of Guadalupe Church.

Thorn Brewing Co., 1733 The Jewish Community National Avenue, Barrio Foundation, Congregation Beth Logan, 619-255-9679, thorn.

Israel, Interfaith Community beer, 1 to 5 p.m., $12 to $55.

Services and Alliance for NOVEMBER 14 p.m., $45.

Regional Solutions bring a Slurp, swirl and struggle poverty simulation designed to with chopsticks at this year’s give participants an interactive ramen festival. Dedicated experience to better understand to this delicious soup made what it means to live as a lowwith crafted noodles, this is a income family. The goal is to festival not to miss. The San NOVEMBER 16 open people’s minds to new Diego Ramen Festival features Sip cocktails and talk to lifestyles and bring a deeper renowned chefs, ramen-eating hundreds of connoisseurs to sense of understanding. All contests, ramen-inspired art, experience the flavors of 20 proceeds will be donated live entertainment and a beer local craft distilleries. Along to organizations serving garden. with cocktails, guests can enjoy low-income families and Port Pavilion on Broadway a wide variety of appetizers communities.

Pier, 1000 N. Harbor Drive, from San Diego restaurants, Congregation Beth Israel, San Diego, sdramenfest.com, a jazz ensemble and—with 9001 Towne Centre Drive, San info@silkroadproductions.us, VIP purchase—a speakeasy/ Diego, $10, 9 a.m. to noon, 6 to 9 p.m., $22 to $106. custom cocktail experience.

858-279-2740, jcfsandiego.org.

Parking at the Liberty Station is complimentary and stay tuned for special rideshare opportunities to and from the festival.

Building 177, 2875 Dewey NOVEMBER 15 TO Road, Liberty Station, NOVEMBER 17 sddistillers.com, 6 to 10 p.m.

Future Freaks Music Festival $63 to $105. showcases the best in house music. Acts include King Kooba, Jhon Hogg, Dj Dan, Mathew Brian, Vanyo and Marco Belli x KiKi LeDeux.

Venues vary per night.

NOVEMBER 16 Various venues, eventbrite. com, 9:30 a.m. Friday to 5 This family-friendly event has p.m. Sunday, $6 to $37. shopping via local vendors as well as food and a DJ. Roll up your sleeves and get the icing glue ready for the gingerbread house-building contest.

604 Marina Parkway, Chula Vista, 619-423-9200, NOVEMBER 15 TO eventbrite.com, 10 a.m. to 4 NOVEMBER 17 p.m., free registration.

Check out a juried exhibition of original works priced $100 to $300.

NOVEMBER 13 San Diego Art Institute, Drink beer, snack on goodies 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park, and listen to jazz at Amplified sandiego-art.org, 8 a.m. to 3 Ale Works’ night of jazz and p.m. Friday (public preview), NOVEMBER 16 stand-up comedy. Stand-up and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday Nothing hits the spot like a comedians include Zoltan and Sunday (public sale), nice margarita, paired with two Kaszas, Jimmy Callaway and free admission. nice-looking tacos with salsa Jesse Egan, and The Louis V

1 Understanding Through Experience: A Poverty Simulation

3 San Diego Ramen Festival

7 Distiller’s Guild Festival

4 Future Freaks Music Festival

8 Island Blue Holiday Fest

5 C-NOTE Pop-Up Art Sale

2 A Night of Jazz and Comedy

9 Margarita Fiesta, Latin Sunset Cruise

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dripping off the tortilla. Enjoy this beautiful combination aboard the Chere Amere and sail into the sunset. Along with tacos there will be nachos and churros and other traditional Mexican dishes. The bar will serve classic, mango and grapefruit margaritas along with a variety of cervezas and tequila. The boat features two decks with a dance floor and lounge areas with a live DJ. Chere Amie Yacht, 1901 N. Harbor Drive, 1-888-749-6559, cruisesdbay.com, 4 to 7 p.m., $38.70 to $500.

10 Cold Brew City Fest

NOVEMBER 16

Coffee addicts can celebrate their love for the caffeinated beverage. The Cold Brew City Fest has become San Diego’s largest coffee festival, with more than 20 vendors, live music, art booths, bakers and food vendors. Guests can try several cold brews and vote on the best cold brew.

Parq West, 2557 Third Avenue, Banker’s Hill, coldbrewcityfest.com, 1 to 5 p.m., $17.

11 THE BLACK KEYS

NOVEMBER 17

The Black Keys emerge from their hiatus with a new tour in support of the aptly named “Let’s Rock.” The group began its work in the early 2000s and have released nine albums throughout the decade. The collection “Brothers” charged its momentum and brought The Black Keys into the rock ‘n’ roll spotlight. The shows will offer a retrospective of The Black Keys’ career. It’s a show not to miss.

Pechanga Arena San Diego, 3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway, 619-224-4171, pechangaarenasd.com, 7 p.m., tickets start at $70.

12 Inside Jokes at Thorn Brewing Company

NOVEMBER 18

Think you’re funny? Head over to Thorn Brewing Company for drinks and enjoy a night of stand-up comedy. Open mic sets are 3 minutes, but “comedians” get 2 extra minutes if they buy something at the bar.

Thorn Brewing Co., 1745 National Avenue, Barrio Logan, 619-255-9679, 6 to 9 p.m., thorn.beer.

13 Taco Tuesdays

NOVEMBER 19

Nothing, absolutely nothing can beat a Taco Tuesday— especially those at The Owl. Still not convinced? It’s half-off drink night and DJs will spin reggaeton, Latin and hip-hop hits. This event is said to sell out, and guests are advised to get bottle service and register as soon as possible.

The Owl Drug Co. Social Eating House, 602 Broadway Avenue, Gaslamp District, 619-501-0123, owldrugco.com, 6 to 10 p.m., free registration.

14 The T.E.A. Awards Drag and Art Show NOVEMBER 20

Celebrate Transgender Awareness Day at the T.E.A. Awards and Trans After Party.

The night will feature a silent auction and vendors, sales of which support the nonprofit Trans Family Support Services and North County LGBTQ Resource Center. After the awards ceremony, everyone is invited to the after party full of art, music and performances.

The amateur hour comes with prizes, too.

Gossip Grill, 1220 University Avenue, Hillcrest, 619-2608023, gosspigrill.com, 7 p.m. to midnight, free to $40.

15 Astana Ballet Presents “Masterpieces”

NOVEMBER 20

For the first time on the West Coast, Astana Ballet of Kazakhstan, visits to perform several pieces from its famed company. The Astana Ballet Theater has performed in Paris, Beijing, Vienna, Budapest, Tokyo, Brussels and New York City’s Lincoln Center. The four pieces this evening will tell a story and leave audiences speechless.

Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway Avenue, Downtown, 619-235-9500, spreckels.net, 7:30 to 10 p.m., $75 to $97.

NOVEMBER 13, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7

EVENTS ART Art After Hours at The San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado. Peruse the museum’s 20 galleries and exhibitions, and enjoy live music playing in the May S. Marcy Sculpture Court. 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, November 15. $5; free for members, youth 17 and younger, and college students with ID. 619-232-7931. sdmart.org.

Arts in the Park at Lopez Ridge Recreation Center, 7245 Calle Cristobal. Guests of all ages can create weekly arts and craft projects while developing artistic skills such as painting and beading. Follow the Lopez Ridge instructors as they help create some works of art. 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Friday, November 15. Free. 858-538-8171. sandiego.gov.

“Lowriders: The Art of Low and Slow” at the San Diego Auto Museum, 2080 Pan American Plaza. Elements of lowriders and the lowrider lifestyle have appealed to cultures worldwide. Universal traits such as the sense of community, the rebellion of the mainstream, the reverence of cars, artistic expression and family appeal to the deep needs of belonging, social connection and sense of identity.

The exhibit runs through February 1. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $6-$12. sdautomuseum.org.

The Dinner Detective Interactive Murder Mystery Show at DoubleTree Hilton San Diego, 1515 Hotel Circle. Take control and tackle a challenging crime while enjoying a fourcourse meal at the Dinner Detective Show. Keep a look out for the murderer or you may find yourself as the prime suspect. This dinner event is rated PG-13 and is geared toward adults. Children ages 15 or older are permitted with adult supervision. 6 p.m. Saturday, November 16. $59.95. 866-496-0535. thedinnerdetective. com

BOOKS

FOOD & DRINK

“An Enchanted Evening Under the Dome with Erin Morgenstern” at Neil Morgan Auditorium at The San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Boulevard. Celebrate beloved author Erin Morgenstern, author of the upcoming new novel, “The Starless Sea.” Tickets include a hardcover first edition version of the book, a seat for the event, and a ticket for the signing line. 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 13. $35. libraryshopsd.org.

SommCon San Diego at Sommcon Intercontinental San Diego, 901 Bayfront Court, Downtown. brings together industry professionals of all levels to discuss, develop and lead the conversation about wine. Its education is built by sommeliers for trade professionals and serious enthusiasts who love wine and spirits. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 13. Price varies. 619-312-1212. sommconusa. com

COMEDY Open Mic Night at The Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. Guests can take to the stage and prove they have to chops to make people laugh. 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 19. $10-$15. 858-573-9067. thecomedypalace. com.

Intro to Belly Dance and Wine with Amal at La Fleur’s Winery, 215 S. Pacific Street, Suite 106, San Marcos.

This is the class for folks who are complete beginners or those who would like to freshen up their skills. Guests will learn by observing the instructor and feeling the moves.

Get there early and enjoy a glass of wine. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 14. $5. 760-315-8053. bit. ly/2Q2H1qc.

8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 13, 2019

Ramen Festival 2019 at Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier, 1000 N. Harbor Drive. Taste artistic dishes created with ramen from around San Diego. Down a sake bomber while you’re at it. General admission tickets include two 12-ounce servings; afterward, 12-ounce servings will be $5. 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, November 14. $20. 858-467-1727. eventbrite.com.

November 17. $20. 858-847-2740. amicisristobar.com.

2019 San Diego Distillers Guild Festival at Liberty Station, Building 177, 2875 Dewey Road. Celebrate the local distilleries by tasting spirits, and brews. Discuss different ways to distill and create extraordinary drinks with cocktail connoisseurs and people who love to drink. 6 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, November 16. $60. sddistillers.com.

Everything that Sparkles at Ranch 45, 512 Via De La Valle Suite 102, Solana Beach. Taste and learn about the sparkling wines from around the world. Light appetizers will be available from the culinary team at Ranch 45. 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 19. $49. 650-250-1983. bit. ly/2NXJu2p.

Cold Brew City Fest at Parq West, 2557 Third Avenue.

Bring a coffee lover or someone who simply loves a cafe scene vibe to the Cold Brew City Fest. Taste different types of cold brew, listen to live music, and munch on delicious food from local vendors. Art will be available for purchase.

Tickets include a custom souvenir glass, cold brew tastings and cold brew-making demos. 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 16. $15. coldbrewcityfest.com.

Pumpkulents at Charlie and Echo, 8680 Miralani Drive, Suite 113, Miramar. Decorate a small pumpkin with succulents and dried florals to make the perfect pumpkulent for Thanksgiving. The ticket includes pumpkin, materials and wine. 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, November 16. $34. 877-592-9095. bit.ly/36IrRMG. Harvest Celebration Wine Dinner at Gianni Buonomo Vintners Winery and Tasting Room, 4836 Newport Avenue, Ocean Beach. It’s time to celebrate with the release of the 2015 Sangiovese. In addition, Chef Max Farina of Zafferano Catering will prepare a traditional three-course Tuscan-style dinner for the party. 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, November 16. $55. 562-458-9477. gbvintners.com.

Amici’s Neighborhood Wine Night at Amici’s Ristobar, 5980 Village Way, Suite B106, Pacific Highlands Ranch. For all wine lovers, this is a great way to spend the night. The event will feature wine flights and light food for $20. The event is hosted the third Sunday of each month. 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday,

Fall Bubbles Brunch at Charlie and Echo, 8680 Miralani Drive, Suite 113, Miramar. The ticket price includes four brunch courses paired with sparkling wines. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, November 17. $49. 1-877-592-9095. charlieandecho.com.

PERFORMANCE “Art of Flamenco” Dinner Show at Cafe Sevilla of San Diego, 353 Fifth Avenue. Dine on a three-course traditional Spanish dinner and watch performances by trained Flamenco dancers. 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, November 16. $65. 619-233-5979. cafesevilla.com.

“Jesus Christ Superstar” at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Avenue. The show is about Jesus’ final days on Earth, as seen through Judas’ perspective. 8 p.m. Saturday, November 16, and Sunday, 17. $75. 619-570-1100. civictheatresandiego.com.

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS Seaport Sessions at Seaport Village, 849 W Harbor Drive, San Diego. Attend a lecture series and round table with meaningful discussions on art, current affairs, history and innovation. 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, November 14. Free. 619530-0704. seaportvillage.com.

WORKSHOPS Make-It Workshop at Studio X, 1875 El Prado, San Diego.

Make slime and learn the science behind why it’s so gooey and stretchy. All ages are welcome, and the materials are included in the workshop price. 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 16. $5. 619-238-1233. rhfleet.org.

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CULTURE | THEATER

Learning to Flee and Fly Ann Noble’s new play isn’t flighty at all

By David L. Coddon

M

etaphor alert!

Metaphor alert!

Whenever the title of a play, or any narrative work for that matter, includes the word “fly,” it’s a safe bet that the ensuing story will have something to do with a person at the outset tethered by fate or circumstances being uplifted.

In playwright Ann Noble’s “And Neither Have I Wings To Fly,” that person is Eveline Donnelly, a young Irish woman living a dutiful but mostly joyless life tending to her widowed father and her younger, impetuous sister, Kathleen. What will it take to get Eveline’s dreams off the ground? Why a ghost, of course.

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But Noble’s 1995 play isn’t flighty at all. On the contrary, it’s grimly serious on the subjects of death and duty.

Without complaint and with nary a smile, Eveline does what she believes she must do in a depressing, dysfunctional household—until the spirit of her mother appears (only to her), causing her to doubt everything, including her own sanity.

“And Neither Have I Wings To Fly” is, then, a plum opportunity for a talented actress, and Scripps Ranch Theatre’s production has one in Kate Rose Reynolds. Her Eveline’s subtle transformation is accomplished with an aching, yearning grace.

Reynolds previously appeared in SRT’s “Move Over, Mrs. Markham” and

“Communicating Doors.”

The play’s buttressing subplot involves sister Kathleen (Katee Drysdale, brimming with youthful impulsiveness), her engagement to earnest but bland Leo Doyle (Hayden Emmerson), her infatuation with a swaggering actor (Zackary Bonin) and her deepseated issues with her and Eveline’s father, Peter (Walter Ruskin). Throw in Leo’s “bad boy” brother Charlie (Paul Eddy) falling immediately for Eveline and you have an extended Irish family drama at its juiciest.

While the affected Irish accents are thick and the emotions turned up high most of the time, the staging under the direction of Jacquelyn Ritz retains enough introspection

Zackary Bonin (Freddy Malone), Katee Drysdale (Kathleen) and Kate Rose Reynolds (Eveline) star in “And Neither Have I Wings To Fly” at Lenbough Legler Theatre at Alliant University. (Photo by Ken Jacques)

and humbled awareness of life’s temporality that its dignity and messages are not undone. The title of the play, incidentally, is taken from a Scottish folk song, one heard more than once, and chillingly, during the production.

“And Neither Have I Wings to Fly” runs through December 8 at the Lenbough Legler Theatre at Alliant

University, Scripps Ranch. $37; scrippsranchtheatre.org

Opening this week “American Buffalo” “Around the World in 80 Days” “Cambodian Rock Band” “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

NOVEMBER 13, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9

CULTURE | FILM

Working Stiffs ‘The Irishman’ is a melancholic gangster epic based on the ground level of history

By Glenn Heath Jr.

T

ime waits for no gangster. At the beginning of Martin Scorsese’s colossal new film “The Irishman,” aged mob hitman Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) has already learned this lesson.

But that doesn’t stop him from reminiscing about a life that went from being a blue-collar ex-G.I. to one of the most feared killers in the Italian mob.

Past experiences, both violent and melancholic, have an inevitable pull on the present in this sobering 3.5hour epic. Wheelchair-bound and languishing in the corner of a nursing home, Sheeran almost seems inspired by some unspoken responsibility to confess through flashback.

Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci as contemplative gangsters in Martin Scorsese’s latest. (Photo courtesy Netflix)

And confess he does.

Based on Charles Brandt’s book “I Heard You Paint Houses,” Scorsese’s newest examines how Sheeran became an integral figure in the Philadelphia-based Italian

crime syndicate run by Russell Bufalino (a disturbingly reserved Joe Pesci) during the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s. Despite being an outsider, he was welcomed into a select club that no one escapes unless it’s

in a body bag.

Memories overlap and unspool seamlessly sometimes out of order, but Frank’s role as a silent but deadly witness to history remains constant.

Like with so much of Scorsese’s filmography, loyalty and betrayal are flipsides to the same coin. When flamboyant Teamsters Union boss Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) enters Frank’s orbit, the tension between these impulses grows untenable.

Scorsese has been in the news lately for his (correct) assessment of Marvel’s death grip on cinematic artistry, but people should be focusing equally on this latest masterpiece that lays bare so many of the raw emotion and reflective nature that typically define his non-crime pictures (“Age of Innocence,” “Silence,”

“Kundun”).

“The Irishman” (opening Friday, November 15) has plenty of assassinations, long tracking shots, and pop music cues one would normally associate with vintage Scorsese, but its most wrenching moments are the ones of silence, like when one character stands over the body of his murdered best friend before rushing out the door.

OpenIng “By the Grace of God:” In this French drama, a man realizes by chance that the priest who abused him as a child is still working with the church decades later. Opens Friday, November 15, at the Landmark Ken Cinema.

“Charlie’s Angels:” In this reboot of the popular television show, three female super agents team up to battle the corporate overlords wielding dangerous new technology. Opens Friday, November 15, in wide release.

“Ford v Ferrari:” American car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) try to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Co. to challenge the Ferrari juggernaut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. Opens Friday, November 15, in wide release.

“The Good Liar:” Ian McKellen plays an aged con artist who falls for his latest mark, a wealthy woman (Helen Mirren) who invites him to live with her. Opens Friday, November 15, in wide release.

See more Movies online SDCityBeat.com

10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 13, 2019

@SDCITYBEAT

CULTURE| PERFORMANCE

Laugh While You Can

Bianca Del Rio brings her “It’s Jester Joke” tour to the Balboa Theatre on Thursday, November 14. Fans should prepare to be roasted.

Bianca Del Rio is biting back with ‘It’s Jester Joke’

By Carson Mlnarik

B

ianca Del Rio will be the first to tell you she’s not one of “those zen people.”

The season six “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” winner is known for toeing the line — then crossing and burning it — with her irreverent standup comedy. Her “It’s Jester Joke” tour rolls through the Balboa Theatre on Thursday, November 14, and it’s just one stop on what’s been a global year-long tour.

Since nabbing the crown nearly six years ago, the New Orleans-born drag queen has found a niche for herself with audiences who want to laugh.

“There are no rose petals coming from under my wig.

There are no death drops,” she says.

@SDCITYBEAT

“I’m a stand-up comedian who happens to be in a dress.”

Her show is a no-frills set of a table, drink and spotlight, as she talks stories of traveling the world, politics, life, and reads her audience for filth— she’s first and foremost an insult comic.

Just ask her about Instagram and the sharp wit jumps out.

“I lived a very long life before social media,” she says.

“I’ll be goddamned if some 13-year-old from Texas is going to tell me I can’t say or do what I want because she’s offended.”

That’s not to say she’s not incredibly appreciative of her fans, especially going on her fourth tour, which sold out Carnegie Hall in New York, as well as London’s Wembley Arena where a “surreal” 10,000 people showed up.

The stage may be where she’s most comfortable, but her uniquely offensive humor can be found in books and feature films like “Hurricane Bianca” and “From Russia With Love.”

Her current jaunt finds her crossing North America by bus. The tour has already hit Australia, Asia, South Africa and Europe, and wraps in Canada at the end of November.

“If I complain about any aspect of it, I would sound like the biggest (jerk),” she says.

As for her fellow “Drag Race” alumni, Del Rio admits watching the show isn’t quite the same after her appearance.

Her busy schedule doesn’t allow time for it anyway.

“I’m really bad with

television in general just because I’m afraid of how addicted I would be,” she says with a laugh.

She credits the power of TV and streaming to the massive amounts of fans who show up to get roasted. Still, the queen of mean welcomes all.

The tour’s name itself points at Del Rio’s distaste for censorship and cancel culture.

For 90 minutes, whoever shows up gets to pick up

where they left off, and laugh with Del Rio about the ridiculousness of the world we live in.

“I think it’s very important to find humor in everything,” she says. “To be fair, things don’t get better.

In the end, we’re all going to die, so you might as well laugh while you can.”

Bianca Del Rio

8 p.m. Thursday, November 14 Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Avenue, San Diego $42.50 619-570-1100, sandiegotheatres.org

NOVEMBER 13, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11

COVER STORY

Undeniable Chemistry

The Black Keys reunite to create a guitar album

By Christina FuocoKarasinski

W

hen The Black Keys went on hiatus, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney worked on their own projects. Drummer Carney collaborated with his wife, Michelle Branch, while Auerbach saw his dreams come true.

He produced music by a slew of artists but, to him, the most notable musical partner was fellow Ohioan Glenn Schwartz, the James Gang’s original guitar player in the mid-1960s.

“When I was 16 to 17, I saw him play religiously at a small club in Cleveland,” says Auerbach, an Akron, Ohio, native. “He was this wild guitar player who built his own guitar. He was a big influence while we were making the first Black Keys record.”

The Black Keys’ guitarist/ vocalist, Auerbach invited Schwartz to travel to Auerbach’s Nashville studio, Easy Eye Sound, to record.

But he also asked someone to join them—the legendary Joe Walsh.

“He was Joe Walsh’s guitar hero,” Auerbach says. “Me, Joe and Glenn were all playing these loud, electric guitar sounds. It was incredible.”

Walsh recalled seeing Schwartz perform in Bowling Green atop a fan’s shoulders, wearing no shirt and purple

bell bottoms.

“The same way that Joe saw Glenn and got inspired to make music, I did exactly the same,” Auerbach says.

Auerbach was not only starry-eyed; he was motivated to do something else.

“It made me want to make a Black Keys record,” he says. “As soon as I finished, I called Pat and we put the session on the books.”

The result of the CarneyAuerbach session is “Let’s Rock,” an album they call an ode to the electric guitar.

Released on June 28, The Black Keys’ ninth studio album was its first album since 2014’s “Turn Blue.” The duo eschewed keyboards and armed themselves with guitar, drums and vocals.

“Making music for Pat and I is always easy,” Auerbach says.

“The chemistry we have is just undeniable. We hadn’t been in the studio together for five years. As soon as we sat down together, we were working on our very first idea, which was

‘Breaking Down.’”

Once again, the duo produced its own record.

“It’s our favorite hobby and pastime,” Auerbach says. “We learned how to do it together. It’s always fun. Pat and I will always have this special thing no matter what.”

Through Easy Eye Sound, Auerbach has also produced records

by Cage the Elephant, Dr. John, Lana Del Rey, Ray LaMontagne, Jake Bugg, and the Pretenders. In addition to winning several Grammy Awards as a member of The Black Keys, Auerbach collected the 2013 Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, NonClassical.

Last year was the ideal time for The Black Keys to reunite. Auerbach says he’s a “completely different musician from four years ago.”

“All I’ve done in the last four years is work in the studio with some of the most incredible musicians who have ever lived,” Auerbach says.

“I feel like I went to graduate school or something.

I spent time with John Prine writing songs. I worked with other amazing singers and bands—all writing with these incredible people. I got to feed my brain for a good long time.”

For the tour, to bolster the heavy guitar sound of

The Black Keys’ guitarist/singer Dan Auerbach says he and drummer Patrick Carney have undeniable chemistry. (Photo by Alysse Gafjken)

“Let’s Rock,” The Black Keys recruited longtime friends Thee Shams, who were later members of Buffalo Killers.

“They (Thee Shams) played on our first CD release show,” he says. “Now they’re playing with us on stage. It’s like an Ohio reunion. It’s been really fun.

“We have two guitar players and a bass player. That’s a first for us. That’s a lot of guitars.

For me, it feels more like The Black Keys than it ever has on stage. It sounds like our records. I always would layer up the guitars on every record.

To hear those guitars layered up on stage is really satisfying.”

Auerbach cherishes the memories with Schwartz and their common Midwestern work ethic.

“This Ohio rock ‘n’ roll connection is hard to define,” Auerbach says. “It was cool to finally meet him. But being from the Midwest, I know every single Tom Petty song and I’ve never owned a Tom Petty record. Growing up in the Midwest is like that. It’s in the air.”

The Black Keys w/ Modest Mouse and Shannon and the Clams 7 p.m. Sunday, November 17 Pechanga Arena San Diego, 3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway Tickets start at $70 619-224-4171, pechangaarenasd.com

Return to Form

Rufus Wainwright finds his way back to pop music

By Christina FuocoKarasinski

R

ufus Wainwright has transformed since his last pop album, 2012’s “Out of the Game.”

He married Jorn

Weisbrodt and the two now have a daughter. He’s asleep by 10:30 and living a different life than his time in New York.

“I took a hiatus from the pop world to work on my Shakespeare album,”

12 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 13, 2019

says Wainwright about 2015’s “Prima Donna” and 2016’s “Take All My Loves: 9 Shakespeare Sonnets.” “It feels great to be back. One of the reasons I went away for a bit was to fall back in love with my job. It’s important in

everybody’s lives to take some time to focus on other things to realize you were doing the right thing all along.”

With the new single “Trouble in Paradise” under his belt, Wainwright will return to San Diego on

Saturday, November 16, to perform with the San Diego Symphony.

“I’m really looking forward to this,” he says. “I haven’t done orchestra shows in See

RUFUS on page 13

@SDCITYBEAT

MUSIC

RUFUS

from page 12

a while. I’m very much excited to get back on that bandwagon.”

The gigs, he explains, are “easier and a lot harder.”

“It’s a lot easier because I’m working with such consummate professionals and real scholars in their field,” he says. “If I make a mistake, though, it’s a true train wreck.”

Wainwright is confident in his ability, though. He knows the songs well, so he doesn’t have to rehearse too much.

“The main thing is I just have to follow the conductor and be willing to compromise with them on musical choices, key, tempo and volume. You have to be very diplomatic.”

He admits he may one day return to opera.

“I adore the opera world,” he says. “I continue to flirt

Rufus Wainwright is in his element as a Los Angeles resident. He recently returned to pop music with the single “Trouble in Paradise.” (Photo by Tony Hauser)

with that fire. I think, when I started off, I had some misconceptions about the way it worked. I thought they were all incredibly warm and welcoming and musically interesting.

“It dawned on me the classical world is very, very tough, brutal and demanding.”

Wainwright is back in the pop world with “Trouble in Paradise,” which meshes the

fashion world with the state of the planet. Wainwright’s gem is intricate and vocally cinematic. The song will be included in a Mitchell Froom-produced album set for release in the spring.

“He’s an amazing pop producer of old,” says Wainwright, who will spend the holidays abroad performing Christmas shows with his family. “In a lot of ways, it’s my return to California, to my roots in the pop world, which are really based in L.A. “I was first signed out there. All my early albums were recorded out there. I very much consider this new album a bookend to my first album, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.”

Wainwright says there are distinct differences between Los Angeles and New

York. He feels grounded in California.

“New York is more about the scene—who’s hip and cool,” he says. “I knew how to play that game, too. With California, it’s more about the material and the work you do in the studio and who you perform with. I’m happy to come back to that—even though I’m still the sexiest guy in the room.”

Rufus Wainwright w/San Diego Symphony Orchestra

8 p.m. Saturday, November 16 Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B Street, Downtown $20-$79 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org

MUSIC

Turn Up the ‘Volume’ Alessandro Cortini has found life outside of Nine Inch Nails

By Christina FuocoKarasinski

A

lessandro Cortini answers a quick call in

between soundcheck and his gig in Eastern Europe.

The Nine Inch Nails keyboardist feels fortunate to debut his solo material in front of fans this fall and winter.

“I’ve spent years touring with Nine Inch Nails,” he says. “Now that I’m based in Berlin, I can leave for the weekend, play gigs around Europe and then catch a plane back to Berlin.

“I feel super lucky to go out and play my new work in front of fans without getting tomatoes thrown at me.”

Cortini—who also performs with How to Destroy Angels—is bringing his audiovisual show to The Loft at UCSD on Sunday, November 17. The gig will feature Cortini performing his new record, “Volume

on Mute on September 27,” says Cortini, who is friends with UCSD professor Tom Erbe.

“My idea was to marry the music from the record that I perform live with a visual element. I want to bring the spectator down a specific path sonically and visually. The music is just as important as the visuals.”

The visuals are courtesy Keyboardist Alessandro Cortini is up for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Nine Inch Nails. (Photo by Emilie Elizabeth Photography) his wife, Emilie soundscapes that pairs Massimo,” in its entirety Elizabeth perfectly with the cinematic accompanied by bespoke Harris, who photographs performance format. visuals. “Volume Massimo” under Emilie Elizabeth “The show is basically an has been described as Photography. audiovisual representation an affecting compilation “Emilie is a photographer of churning synthetic of the record that came out and fashion photographer,”

he says. “We’ve never worked on something together. We wanted to expand the art of the album and bring that mood and vibe to the live show.”

He’s hoping to soon reunite with Nine Inch Nails, who is nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“They’re my family,” Cortini says. “We all have our own things going on. We’ve been together for so long. I miss my goth family. I see them quite often. Ilan’s (Rubin, multiinstrumentalist for NIN) family is from San Diego, so the show will be fun.”

Alessandro Cortini

8 p.m. Sunday, November 17 The Loft at UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, San Diego Free for UCSD students with ID; $8 UCSD facility and staff; $15 general admission eventbrite.com

Ariel Levine Returns

The Middletown singer-songwriter kickstarts new project

By Christina FuocoKarasinski

A

riel Levine’s voice fills with emotion when

he recounts the year filled with trauma and personal problems.

The Middletown resident describes a broken engagement and how he needed a break to “retool” his routine so he “wouldn’t die.”

“I had to focus on getting healthy and getting my mental health in order,” Levine says. “A lot of people don’t think about being able

to make music. When it comes to being a musician, you have to be a smooth talker and schmoozer and a smart business person. You have to stick to that persona and participate in the scene and be a human being.

“When you’re able to detach from that and just be an artist, that’s very freeing.”

Levine is still staying away from the stage, but he’s releasing singles every two months. The first, “If This Isn’t Me,” hit streaming platforms on October 22, and is accompanied by a

14 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 13, 2019

music video directed by local filmmaker Grant Reinero.

The next song will release December 22.

Levine has been active in the San Diego music scene since 2012, when he moved here from New York City. He performs with tribute acts and special events, but as a solo artist, he released a fulllength album in 2017 called “Let the Machine Get It.” The collection was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2018 San Diego Music Awards.

See

Ariel Levine fought through depression and anxiety to write his new single, “If This Isn’t Me.” (Photo courtesy Ariel Levine)

LEVINE on page 19 @SDCITYBEAT

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Bob Moses (Music Box, 11/23), Booty Bassment (Casbah, 11/27), The Bandulus (Soda Bar, 11/29), Jonah Matranga (Brick by Brick, 12/14), Easy Wind (Music Box, 12/15), Elektric Voodoo (Soda Bar, 12/31), Run River North (Casbah, 1/15), Stepping Feet (Music Box, 1/25), The Marcus King Band (BUT, 1/27), Begonia (Soda Bar, 2/9), Part Time (Casbah, 2/13), The Delta Bombers (Soda Bar, 2/29), Beach Bunny (Ché Café Collective, 3/5), The Stone Foxes (Soda Bar, 3/6), Dillinger Four (Soda Bar, 3/7), Moe. (Observatory, 3/7), Tiger Army (Observatory, 3/20), Mayhem (Observatory, 3/22), Squirrel Nut Zippers (Music Box, 3/27), Best Coast (Observatory, 4/1), Allen Stone (Observatory, 4/5), Journey (North Island Credit Union Amphitheater, 5/24), David Gray (Cal Coast Credit Union, 8/2), Amaranthe (Brick by Brick, 9/15).

ALL SOLD OUT

Nahko (Observatory, 11/14), Built To Spill (Casbah, 11/12-14), Cold War Kids (Observatory, 11/15), The Surrealistics (Casbah, 11/17), Adam Carolla (BUT, 12/1), Thievery Corporation (BUT, 12/12), Bayside at The Casbah, 12/12, Silversun Pickups (Observatory, 12/17), Chris Isaak (BUT, 12/17), Stick Figure (BUT, 12/2728), Trey Anastasio

@SDCITYBEAT

Band (Observatory, 1/16), Dashboard Confessional (Observatory, 2/11-12).

CANCELED

Killy (SOMA, 11/13), MyKey (Soda Bar, 11/16), Dick Dale’s Misirlou (BUT, 12/19), Christian Death (Soda Bar, 11/6), Jacky Vincent (Brick by Brick, 11/12), Goblin (Brick by Brick, 11/14).

GET YER TICKETS

Cold War Kids (Observatory, 11/15), The Maine (Observatory, 11/29), Aly & AJ (BUT, 12/8), El Vez (Casbah, 12/22), King Princess (Observatory, 1/28), Joyce Manor (Music Box, 1/10), Blake Shelton (Pechanga, 3/7), Marc E. Bassy (Music Box, 3/17), Best Coast (Observatory, 4/1), James Arthur (Observatory, 5/19), Wednesday, November 13 Frankie Cosmos at Ché Café Collective.

Cave In at Soda Bar. TAUK at Belly Up Tavern. Miami Horror at Music Box. Thursday, November 14 Strung Out SOMA. Hovvdy at SPACE. Jonathan Bree at Soda Bar. Art Alexakis at Music Box. The Good Pour at Belly Up Tavern. Ed Maverick at House Of Blues.

Friday, November 15 Nekromantix at Brick By Brick. Mating Ritual at Soda Bar. Max Bemis at The Irenic. The Babe Rainbow at The Casbah.

Black Belt Eagle Scout at Ché Café Collective. Los Amigos Invisibles at Music Box. Max Bemis at SOMA. Saturday, November 16 Twin Peaks at Belly Up Tavern.

Moonchild at Music Box. Dizzy Reed’s Hookers at Brick by Brick. The Ocean Blue at The Casbah. Rufus Wainwright

at Copley Symphony Hall. Jungle Fire at Soda Bar. Sunday, November 17 Reckless Kelly at Belly Up Tavern. The Black Keys at Pechanga Arena. The Midnight Hour at Soda Bar. SuicideGirls at Music Box. Youth of Today at Ché Café Collective. Young Thug at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU. Fister at SPACE. Monday, November 18 Pip Blom at Soda Bar. Leonid & Friends at Belly Up Tavern.

Tuesday, November 19 ScaryPoolParty at House of Blues. Puma Blue at The Casbah. Stoop Kids at Soda Bar. Wednesday, November 20 Mason Ramsey at House Of Blues.

Meg Myers at Music Box. Ghostland Observatory at Belly Up Tavern. The World/Inferno Friendship Society at The Casbah.

Thursday, November 21 Tyrone Wells at Music Box. Big Freedia at Belly Up Tavern. Charlotte Lawrence at House of Blues. Enterprise Earth at Brick

by Brick. Our Girl at Soda Bar. Deep Sea Thunderbeast at The Casbah.

Friday, November 22 The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies at Belly Up Tavern. Cautious Clay at House Of Blues.

Vetiver at Soda Bar. Whitey Morgan at Observatory North Park. Bad Bunny at Pechanga. Wonderfront Festival at Waterfront Park. The Expendables at Music Box. Emo Nite at The Casbah.

Saturday, November 23 Hirie at Observatory North Park. Pinback at Belly Up Tavern. Shred for Dime Tribute at Brick by Brick. The Get Up Kids at Soda Bar. Wonderfront Festival at Waterfront Park. Simple Plan at SOMA. Spendtime Palace at Ché Café Collective.

Johnny Distortion at Music Box. Sunday, November 24 The Chainsmokers at Viejas Arena.

Crocodiles at The Casbah. Turnover at Observatory North Park. Wild at Soda Bar. Kottonmouth Kings at Brick by Brick.

Wonderfront Festival at Waterfront Park.

John Craigie at Belly Up Tavern.

Monday, November 25 Emily Afton at Belly Up Tavern.

Tuesday, November 26 The Dead South at House of Blues. Eddie Spaghetti at The Casbah. Widowmade at Soda Bar. Wednesday, November 27 Nile at Brick By Brick. Yachtley Crew at Music Box. Jim Breuer at Observatory North Park. Fortunate Youth at Belly Up Tavern. Cryptic Wisdom at Soda Bar. Booty Bassment at The Casbah.

Friday, November 29 Buku at Music Box. Morbid Angel at Brick by Brick. The Maine at Observatory North Park. The Greyboy Allstars. The Rosalyns at The Casbah. The Bandulus at Soda Bar. Saturday, November 30 Wayward Sons at Belly Up Tavern. Ten Bulls at Soda Bar. Ensiferum at Brick by Brick. Lane 8 at Petco Park.

NOVEMBER 13, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15

MUSIC

CLUBS 710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Avenue, Pacific Beach. Wednesday: Open Mic. Thursday: Club Zed. Friday: Authentic Sellout, Los Pinche Pinches, Dead End Pacific. Saturday: The Amalgamated, EPIC XVIII, The Brass Cats.

Tuesday: Hyper Active Slackers, The Abbey Martins.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th Street, Normal Heights. Wednesday: #HipHopWeds.

Thursday: SUBdrip. Friday: House Music.

Saturday: Juicy. Sunday: The Shadow People.

Monday: Organized Grime.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Avenue, Downtown. Thursday: Dov Davidoff. Friday: Dov Davidoff. Saturday: Dov Davidoff. Sunday: Langston Kerman. Tuesday: Open Mic. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Wednesday: Karaoke. Thursday: Love Ghost, Hoity-Toity, Rags & Riches. Friday: One Shoe, Left on Everest. Saturday: North Space, Kinky Velvets, Splendid Noises, The Industry.

Sunday: The Cedar Shakers, Hollywood Values, Tigros. Monday: Trivia. Tuesday: MDC, Elected Officials.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th Street, North Park.

Wednesday: Rock Lotto. Thursday: Film Fan Trivia. Friday: Infinite Signals, The Midnight Block. Saturday: Neon Beat. Sunday: Rat Sabbath. Monday: DJ Chief Sweat, DJ Admiral Atlas. Tuesday: Tiki Tuesday.

Solana Beach. Wednesday: TAUK, Jazz is Phsh. Thursday: The Good Pour, Amerikan Bear, Justin Froese. Friday: Beatles vs. Stones.

Saturday: Twin Peaks, Post Animal, OHMME. Sunday: Reckless Kelly, Shane Shipley.

Monday: Leonid & Friends. Tuesday: Bill Walton, Electric Waste Band.

Sunday: 4th Annual Vocal Summit.

Sunday: Alessandro Cortini.

F6ix, 526 F Street, Downtown. Friday: Birdie Bird. Saturday: DJ Here. Sunday: Reggae Sundays.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Avenue, Downtown. Friday: DJ Rell.

Mc P›s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Avenue, Coronado. Wednesday: Jerry Gontang.

Thursday: Josie Day Band. Friday: Ron’s Garage. Saturday: Bonneville 7. Sunday: Wild Heart. Tuesday: 3 Guys Will Move U.

Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Avenue, City Heights. Friday: Social Spit, NEKO NEKO NEKO, CYKA. Saturday: Mayor Taco Ghost, OrchidxMantis, 3spds, Afrosurf Shack.

The Holding Company, 5046 Newport Avenue.

Wednesday: Ryan Chris & the Rough Cuts, Farm Truck, The Lonesome Lowdowns.

Thursday: Maximo Burko, David Burkow, Save As, Dahl x Scott. Friday: Buriloop Invasion, ANOTR. Saturday: Quel Bordel!, Carlo. Sunday: Psychadelic Sundays. Monday: Karaoke. Tuesday: Reggae Tuesdaze.

Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Avenue, Hillcrest. Wednesday: Todd Murray. Thursday: Graeme James, Joshua Hyslop. Friday: Cendrice. Saturday: Coco Peru. Sunday: Coco Peru.

Blonde, 1808 W. Washington Street, Mission Hills. Thursday: Closeness, Warsaw, Glass Spells. Friday: Todd Fink of the Faint, Shark Attack. Sunday: Spectrum: Diverse Dance Party. Monday: Blue Monday Dark ‘80s Night.

Tuesday: Chocolate: Afro House & Forward Thinking Music.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Avenue, Bay Park. Friday: Nekromantix, Stellar Corpses, The Strikers. Saturday: Dizzy Reed’s Hookers, Blow, Revelation 69, Max Cady, K Prouty.

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Boulevard, Midtown. Wednesday: Built to Spill, Slam Dunk, The Hand (sold out). Thursday: Built to Spill, Slam Dunk, Sunbathe (sold out). Friday: The Babe Rainbow, Claude Fontaine. Saturday: The Ocean Blue, Fine China. Sunday: The Surrealistics, Shades McCool, The Hiroshima Mockingbirds. Monday: The Ataris, Nights like Thieves. Tuesday: Puma Blue, Lucy Lu.

Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Boulevard, La Jolla. Thursday: Ellis Bryant. Friday: Rolling Heartbreakers. Saturday: Dave Booda & the Left Overs.

Che Cafe, 1000 Scholars Drive S, La Jolla.

Wednesday: Frankie Cosmos, Dear Nora, Stephen Steinbrink. Thursday: Closet Goth, Golden Boy, Kankan, Minthole. Friday: Black Belt Eagle Scout, Hikes. Sunday: Youth of Today, Take Offense, Tap and Die. Monday: Street Fight Radio.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Avenue,

Dizzy›s, Arias Hall, 1717 Morena Boulevard.

16 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 13, 2019

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Avenue, Downtown. Wednesday: Keuning. Thursday: Jidenna. Friday: Issues. Saturday: The Aquabats. Sunday: Graham Gillot. Tuesday: Alejandro Aranda.

Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wednesday: Whiskey Ridge. Thursday: Roni Lee. Friday: The Dudes of San Diego. Saturday: Full Strength Funk Band. Sunday: DJ John Phillips. Monday: January Berry Band. Tuesday: Mercedes Moore.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Boulevard, Midtown. Saturday: Seria Star.

The Merrow, 1271 University Avenue, Hillcrest. Wednesday: Night Bloomers: Turkduckinlesque. Friday: Slaytanic Domination, Woke up Dead. Saturday: Trick.

Mother’s Saloon, 2228 Bacon Street, Ocean Beach. Tuesday: Trivia.

Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Boulevard, Encinitas. Thursday: James Allen Band. Friday: She Says So. Saturday: Equinox. Sunday: Jazz Jam. Monday: Open Mic. Tuesday: Karaoke.

Music Box, 1337 India Street, Little Italy.

Wednesday: Miami Horror, Argonaut, Wasp.

Thursday: Art Alexakis, Dude Cervantes.

Friday: Los Amigos Invisibles, Monsieur Turbeau. Saturday: Moonchild Kiefer. Sunday: SuicideGirls: Blackheart Burlesque.

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Avenue, Kensington. Saturday: Slum Summer, Batlords, Your Friendly Bartender.

The Office, 3936 30th Street, North Park.

Thursday: Dig Deeper. Friday: Factory.

Monday: Motown on Mondays.

Lestat›s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights. Wednesday: Chris Trapper.

Friday: Day Trip. Saturday: Gregory Page.

Sunday: Erick Tyler & the Vibe. Monday: Open Mic. Tuesday: Comedy Night.

OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Avenue, Downtown. Thursday: Undone on Thursday.

Friday: Two Friends. Saturday: DJ E-Rock.

Loft @ UCSD, Price Center East, La Jolla.

Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park.

Wednesday: The Wednesday Jam Session.

Friday: The Garners. Saturday: Erika Davies.

Sunday: Uptown Rhythm Makers. Tuesday: Trio Gadjo.

Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Friday: DJ Direct. Saturday: Pauly D. Pour House, 1903 South Coast Highway, Oceanside. Wednesday: Open Mic. Monday: Trivia. Tuesday: DJ Lexicon Devil.

Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, Kearny Mesa. Wednesday: Michele Lundeen.

Thursday: Tomcat Courtney. Friday: Shine Delphi. Saturday: 4th Annual Blues Fundraiser.

The Rail, 3796 Fifth Avenue, Hillcrest.

Saturday: Sabados en Fuego.

Rich›s, 1051 University Avenue, Hillcrest.

Wednesday: Mischief. Thursday: #LEZ. Friday: Dirty-Pop. Saturday: Fuel. Sunday: Stripper Circus.

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Avenue, La Mesa. Wednesday: Boss Jazz. Thursday: The Walter Brothers. Friday: True Stories.

Saturday: Joey Harris & the Mentals. Tuesday: The Works Jam. Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights. Wednesday: Hammond Organ Party.

Monday: Jazz Jam. Tuesday: Adams Gone Funky.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Boulevard, City Heights. Wednesday: Cave In, Helms Alee, The Primals. Thursday: Jonathan Bree.

Friday: Mating Ritual, Superet, Creature Canyon. Saturday: Jungle Fire. Sunday: The Midnight Hour, Loren Oden, Angela Muñoz, Jack Waterson, DJ RSI. Monday: Pip Blom.

Tuesday: Stoop Kids, Carter Reeves.

See

CLUBS on page 17

@SDCITYBEAT

CLUB

from page 16

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway.

Thursday: Strung Out, The Casualties. Friday: Max Bemis, Perma, Museum Mouth. Saturday: The Grinns, Buddha Trixie, Carpool Tunnel, Cardboard Boxer.

SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Boulevard, City Heights.

Thursday: Hovvdy, Nick Dorian, Caroline Says.

Friday: Bestial Mouths, Sashcloth, Axes, Aaimon. Sunday: Fister. Monday: El Shirota, Parque de Cometas, Fistfights with Wolves.

Tuesday: Atomic Ape, INUS, Poor, Los Pinche Pinches.

Spin, 2028 Hancock Street, Midtown. Friday: Jeremy Olander, Tim Engelhardt, Brian Cid. Saturday: Park Hye Jin. Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights. Wednesday: Paul Gregg. Sunday: Clinton Davis, Mara Kaye. Tuesday: Trivia.

Tin Roof, 401 G Street Downtown. Wednesday: DJ Stack Aly. Thursday: The Industry, Raised on TV, Give In, The Miles, Randy. Friday: The Screamin’ YeeHaws, Social Conflict, Revolt Chix, The Waste Aways. Saturday: Jumped In, Gravity Grave, The Homeless Sexuals, Robotic Humans. Sunday: Pants Karaoke. Monday: Rock, Shimmy and Shake Burlesque. Tuesday: Dave Gleason Night.

Tio Leo›s, 5302 Napa Street, Bay Park.

Wednesday: The Jazz Pocket Swing. Thursday: Gino and the Lone Gunmen. Friday: Funks Most Wanted. Saturday: The Sleepwalkers, Action Andy, The Hi-Tones. Monday: Sexy Salsa & Sensual Bachata.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Avenue, City Heights. Thursday: CYKA, La Paloma Loca.

Saturday: The Gay Agenda, Flying Brains.

Sunday: The Big Skandal, Beta 7, Los Cadejos.

Tuesday: Mariel, Wild Powwers, Prism Tats, Carter Falco.

U-31, 3112 University Avenue, North Park.

Wednesday: DJ Mo Lyon. Thursday: BoomBox Thursdays. Friday: DJ Kid Wonder. Saturday: DJ Senema. Sunday: Live Reggae. Monday: #31 Flavors.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern Street, South Park.

Wednesday: Hours, D. Wrex, Dr3am Bro5.

Thursday: Le Chateau, Le Ra. Winstons, 1921 Bacon Street, Ocean Beach.

Wednesday: Open Mic. Thursday: Tim Reynolds, TR3, Lost Monarchs. Friday: Electric Waste Band. Saturday: Proxima Parada, Dan & Drum. Sunday: Karaoke. Monday: Electric Waste Band. Tuesday: Joey Harkum Band, Shanin Blake.

@SDCITYBEAT

NOVEMBER 13, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17

IN THE BACK

CANNABITCH

Inside Barcelona’s Cannabis Clubs Personal use is decriminalized so moderation is tolerated

By Jackie Bryant

W

iz Khalifa wafts through speakers directly over

where I’m melted into a velvet couch, smoking a very large joint of Purple Kush that I rolled with terpene-infused rolling papers. I’m sitting in Circulo, a private cannabis club that I’m a member of in Barcelona, Spain. I’m here at the tail end of a work trip visiting friends I know from when I lived in the city years ago.

In recent years, Barcelona

has become known as a cannabis destination, thanks to its cult-favorite private club culture. The best part of Barcelona’s cannabis culture is that, even though tourists can access some clubs, the system is intended to benefit residents, ensuring quality, longevity, community and comfort. Though cannabis is illegal in Spain, provisions in the law allow for semi-legal cannabis clubs to operate, though most jurisdictions choose not to allow this.

In Barcelona, the deal is as follows: cannabis is illegal to traffic, sell or carry—

18 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 13, 2019

including for medical uses.

Smoking in public can land an offender significant fines as well as product seizure.

Personal use, however, has been decriminalized to the point where smoking a moderate amount is tolerated in private spaces, like residences or exclusive clubs.

Barcelona’s clubs are nonprofit operations that offer annual memberships (20 Euros, in my club’s case) in exchange for access to privately cultivated cannabis, extracts and other products, as well as a physical place, like a lounge, to smoke it in.

Memberships are accessed by club members’ referrals and are required to be attached to a local address. In my case, a friend referred me and I use her Barcelona address for my membership. There are companies that can provide this information to tourists who are just visiting for a few days.

Each product has a suggested value, not a price, and it is strongly recommended (cough cough) that one chooses to reimburse the club for dispensation of said product.

According to Russ Hudson, who operates the popular cannabis website Marijuana Games (marijuanagames.org), most clubs have set a purchase limit, at 5 grams per day per person, with a maximum between 80 to 200 grams per month in total. The clubs are also notoriously discreet.

They are not required to share information with any policing or other government entity and do not do so.

My club, in particular, is a very comfortable and See

CANNABIS on page 19

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CANNABIS

from page 18

welcoming environment.

All of the employees speak English, though most of the members are locals.

The space is filled with thoughtfully arranged, comfortable furniture, a selection of glassware and other smoking paraphernalia, a bud bar and a small refreshment station, with empanadas, beers and Espresso. One large television, often playing

LEVINE

from page 14

The same year, the first single, “On My Color TV” won Song of the Year. Ariel Levine and Mechanical Royalty received a nod for Best Indie/Alternative in 2019. Its last gig before its hiatus was in March.

“As an artist, I seem to have to shed my skin every few years as most people do and start fresh,” Levine says.

“As somebody who’s still a nobody, I’m starting from scratch every few years.

“This time around, it’s a little more personal.

I’ve always suffered from anxiety and depression, and everything came to a screeching halt this year.

After the engagement ended, I had to take stock of my life and it was at a time when the band I was working with and the album I was trying to push was coming to the point where I was hating it more than I was loving it.”

While he was on hiatus, “If This Isn’t Me” came about organically.

“Not having a band allowed me to explore the recorded world and to write the song as a recorded piece of music without worrying how to reproduce this live. I don’t care about these things with these songs. It’s not a concern right now.

“Normally, in the past when I was writing songs and I was in a funk or a @SDCITYBEAT

music videos or sports, takes up a far wall. Usually, the population skews heavily male, but there are always a few women sprinkled in.

I have never failed to have a great conversation or make a new acquaintance while visiting Circulo. The people I meet there, whether locals or not, are all friendly and usually are happy to meet a Californian in the flesh.

“Wow! I am so jealous you are from California,” said a tall, skinny French man, who looked to be in his

mid-forties, while wide-eyed and grinning. He had small eyes, grey hair, a very angular face and bad, spirally tribaltype tattoos on his neck. He was also wearing a cream and black Roca Wear sweat suit. It was so totally weird, I couldn’t help but be amused.

“Maybe you could marry me?

I would love to smoke there forever,” he added, to which I politely declined.

Quality cannabis is usually much more expensive in Europe, so they cut the weed with tobacco. I also think

it’s a nod to many European cultures’ tendency to err towards moderation, in stark contrast with American culture.

When I asked one of the staff members if they had any pre-rolled joints without tobacco, he opened a small drawer and handed me twogram joints filled with just Purple Kush.

“We keep these for the Americans who ask,” he said to me with a smile.

As much as I love my Barcelona cannabis club

and wish we had similar establishments in the United States, I also have to remember that the clubs in Barcelona are not just places to hang and smoke weed, but the only place where they can really access cannabis at all without breaking the law. What is fun for me is a necessity for them. And, so, I return to California with a renewed perspective and appreciation for the fact that, when it comes to cannabis culture, we are truly spoiled for riches.

depression, I couldn’t do it. I had to wait until I got out of it. I feel like my past songs have had a little bit of a detachment to myself.

Something changed and I was able to wallow in my pain and use the pain to get very personal.”

Levine has been into music since he was 5, when he watched Michael Jackson’s “Moonwalker” movie and a

Pink Floyd concert on VHS with his father.

At age 9, he started playing sax and guitar, both of which he still plays. He founded his first rock band in the seventh grade; they played three original songs and Nirvana covers. From then on, Levine was in and out of bands.

By 20, he was fronting his own band.

“I wanted to be a rock star,”

Levine says with a laugh.

“I just kept at it. I made the move to San Diego in 2012.

“At that time, I did not intend on being a front person anymore,” he says. “I stopped writing songs for a few years and just focused on being a working musician. It was a very stress-free time of my life.

“I played guitar for tribute bands for a few years. It was

easy money.”

Levine also worked as a producer and studio engineer, while he honored The B-52’s, Elvis Costello, The Cars, AC/ DC and Foo Fighters.

“Every time I tried to quit music or change my life, it always comes back to haunt me,” he says. “I can’t quit no matter what.”

Info: ariellevine.com

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20 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · NOVEMBER 13, 2019

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