CoViD-19: Depends On Who You Ask | Another Egregious Alito SCOTUS Leak | World Cup Goes On Under Despicable Regime & Corrupt FIFA |

Vus'musi, 18 year old bull, is back at San Diego Zoo Safari Park

I guess I started this post sometime after the last data post which was November 15, but I'd rather just post it than scrap it. Plus there's been so much to rage about that I have to post and put it out in the world or I just internalize and stew on it and that does me no good at all.

What's especially top of mind is World Cup. It's easy enough for me to just skip watching and not actively pay attention in my own little personal boycott, but that does nothing to change the fact that FIFA is a fucked up organization and the tournament is happening under a fucked up regime and we knew it was bad when they got the deal in the first place and it still happened and it's mind-boggling. John Oliver did a great segment on it, ICYMI.  

Besides all that, the past couple weeks have been fraught with horrifying gun incidents in the US, the ridiculousness of politics and Republicans refusing to concede elections they lost, and the media continuing to both-sides issues that have no justifiable other side. All of this while I was trying to enjoy my family during the holidays as best I could and my little zoo escapes when I desperately needed them. We did our big family gathering on Friday but I had to cut it short since I worked for Tijuana Panthers that night. On Saturday, we met my sister in Old Town who was towing all my nieces and nephews around but that was kinda chaotic, so I escaped for the final hour of zoo time. 

I'm feeling all wintry and cozy, so I'm hoping that I can keep things mellow throughout the holidays. I'm going to work with Darren on Tuesday because he won a safari in a staff raffle so we get to see the cheetah run, which has been off view of the public since the beginning of the pandemic shutdowns. I bought myself a Chromebook for this very reason, so I can work while I sit around at the park for the day while he continues his tram training. Then I'll be at the Casbah for our annual staff holiday photo. I think we're going to see Lucius on Thursday, though I'm bummed to miss The Lemonheads on the same night. Besides that, we're rolling right into December and I keep finding things to add to my big giant holiday post which makes it a more daunting task than ever. I will try to get it done. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Friday, November 25-Wednesday, November 30 2022: Shane Hall | Social D Postponed | Uncle Roger | Tijuana Panthers | The 1975 | Talib Kweli | Jade Jackson | Magic Sword & El Ten Eleven |

Lucy Dacus (11.19.22 at Observatory North Park)

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Darren actually cooked our turkey and a full feast for his first time ever, but we did it on Tuesday because he had the week off and to be honest, when I bought our turkey, we didn't have freezer space for it so we had to cook it once it was fully thawed. On top of that, my sister was camping all week, and my brother and sister-in-law and the kids are driving in from New Mexico, so we had preplanned that we'd do the big family gathering on Friday. 

Over the past week, I went to Sea World's holiday kickoff on Friday, we went to see Lucy Dacus on Saturday which was probably my favorite show I've seen all year, then I sold merch for Blu DeTiger at SOMA on Monday. I've pretty much been going to the Zoo everyday, except for on Thanksgiving because we went up to Safari Park instead. Their Wild Holidays kicks off on Friday but we just wanted a quick zip up to the kangaroos, where we saw Clementine and her joey, and then did the last tram of the afternoon and got to see baby rhino Neville running around his momma, Olivia. We ended up eating an Indian dinner at Paradise Biryani in Mira Mesa on the way home. It was crazy busy but super delicious. 

When I got home, I went into a food coma nap, but I knew I had to do listings or they wouldn't get done. I skipped COVID data last week, we'll see if I can get around to it this week. To be honest, the news of so many mass shootings just made me kinda hide from the internet as much as I could. I'll be working for Tijuana Panthers on Friday night and we've got our Casbah staff holiday photo next week, but I have no other real plans, and that is just fine for me. You know where I'll be. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, November 16-Thursday, November 24, 2022: Wonderfront Festival | Blitzkid | Lucy Dacus | La Luz | Noah Kahan | Blu DeTiger | Supersuckers | + The Biggest Party Night of the Year!!

Lucy Dacus Plays A Sold Out Show At Observatory on Saturday Night (Taken 11.29.2018)

On Wednesday night, we went to Henry V, which was part of the Globe For All program by the Old Globe and it was so great. If you're free on Saturday, RSVP immediately for the last available show they're doing. The other ones are already sold out. It's totally free and totally worth it. 

Obviously this is a big week with Wonderfront happening at the Waterfront, a ton of sold out shows everywhere, and next Wednesday, which I included, because it's typically the biggest party night of the year. It also gives me a day off, and I guess I'll do listings next week for Friday through Tuesday or Wednesday. We'll see. I've also been trying to put together a new holiday guide, but obviously lots of stuff like tree lightings, holiday markets, The Grinch, and lots of ballet presentations have already started.

Casbah had a ton of show announcements this week, and Ticketmaster had a ton of backlash, but I'll leave all of that for your Googly fingers to find and read if you're so inclined. I STILL haven't made it to a morning zoo in over a week and I'm jonesing, but for now, I've got lots of family stuff and work stuff and show stuff that I'm a little too occupied to carve out the time. Soon. And before I know it, Jungle Bells will be back with extended Zoo hours. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. It's possible I get a post or two in before then, but with the family all with time off, don't hold your breath. But do wear a mask. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, November 16, 2022: Patriarchy | John Craigie | Machine Politik | The Guest Room | Hamilton | Globe Four All: Henry V |

I was really, REALLY, trying to get listings done on Tuesday, but then a work thing came up and omg, I forgot what a nightmare social media can be. For new businesses, it's no big deal, you just set up your pages and you're done. But for a 34 year old business, you've gone through every phase of new things, new platforms, and different employees, so trying to figure out who has access and who has a login and whose email was used to open an account is a real pain in the ass. Like Facebook wants to verify an account with a *text message* to a *landline* that doesn't exist, or an email that is long defunct. Like that literally *does not exist*. So very annoying. So by the time I was at a complete dead end, at least for now, it feels way too late to do all the listings. So, once again, you get Wednesday and Wednesday only and I'll get around to the rest when I can. I was planning on some morning zoo and we're going to Globe For All at Lincoln High on Wednesday night, so who knows when I'll get to dig in, but I'll at least get started tonight while everyone else in my house is asleep. Lots of good stuff this weekend. I no longer think I'm going to Wonderfront so I'm gonna probably have major FOMO, but Lucy Dacus at the Observatory will more than satiate my need for music this weekend. More listings to come. I promise. 

Stay safe out there. 

COVID-19: "Tripledemic" Is Here? Flu Outpacing *Known* COVID Cases | California Identified By CDC As High Influenza State | Election Relief | Biden Has All The Sick Burns |

One of the cheetah brothers at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Taken 11.13.22)

What a week. Good god! Since the nail-biting election and the trickling in of news and results, like everyone, I did my best to get through it by trying to limit how much news I watched, enjoying the comic relief of the late night comedians, all the while dodging pundits and the grating election predictions. We had Darren's big SDZWA party on Monday at Sea World, and I was able to make zoo time every day the remainder of the week. I only had one merch gig this week, when I worked on Friday for Alice Phoebe Lou at Music Box. On Saturday I decided to drive up to San Diego Zoo Safari Park while Darren was working and Nova was off doing her thing. The Park is going to be doing a huge project building a new restaurant and viewing areas for the elephants in Elephant Valley so I wanted to get some time in. It was a little more crowded than I expected so I really ended up spending more time with the rhinos and not having enough time to do the tram, but I had Darren's schedule wrong, so he was actually off before the park closed. Since the kid was staying with a friend, we left one of the cars at the park and went to a nice (freezing on a patio) dinner before going to Chula Vista and helping out my parents. 

Come Sunday, I went back to the park with him, and while he worked got lots of elephant and rhino and giraffe time, and when he had a break, we did the last tram of the day and when the park closed I did some shopping before heading back home while he stayed on the clock for a wedding. On Monday I had a general wellness checkup and got a tetanus shot, and I went to the zoo for the closing hour. Work is super busy but I was still able to carve out some zoo time today. Last week, I bought myself a Chromebook so I've been getting all my nonsense logged in and stuff, too. All this to say, I don't think I'm doing listings tonight. There's just too much and it's almost 10pm already. IThis weekend is Wonderfront, after all. My plan is to take the new Chromebook to the Zoo and get my work done there on Wednesday. We'll see how well that pans out.  

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, November 9-Tuesday, November 15, 2022: Man Man | Say She She | Melt | Trever Keith | Alice Phoebe Lou | Ryan Adams | Joy Formidable | Tegan & Sara | Frenship | MAITA | Morrissey |

Doing the listings this week hurts my heart a little bit because once upon a time, I was a massive Ryan Adams fan. My very first show ever at the Casbah was a Whiskeytown show, and I think I've only seen him on a solo tour one or two other times. The first time I went to SXSW, I drove my carmates insane with a playlist on my iPod that lasted for several hours. When all the shit blew up about him and Phoebe Bridgers, I was on the "believe all women" team and I just couldn't ever listen to him again without feeling creeped out. I still pay attention to his socials and am happy for him that he's sober, but it still never felt like he apologized to her or his fans for being a huge dick, or really acknowledging why he should. When I heard he was playing The Magnolia, I was indifferent, but I've been seeing his set lists and he's playing everything a fan could want to hear him play...but he still seems like a huge ass, so I guess I'm happy to be working elsewhere on the night he plays and will just have to write him off as someone I used to love. And all that goes for Morrissey, too. It was a different kind of fandom to be sure, but I guess the three times I've seen him in my life were enough for me to move on, but obviously he is still beloved and his shows are sold out, so that's the way it goes. Some people can separate art from artists. I'm not one of those people I guess. 

There are plenty of other amazing shows worth catching this week. Like fans who got Man Man tickets at the Casbah are in for a helluva show as is true for Melt Banana. Hamilton is in town, I get to work for Alice Phoebe Lou again, and maybe if I'm feeling motivated enough, I'll walk over to Soda Bar on Saturday for The Joy Formidable. 

Stay safe out there. 

COVID-19: Boost Up, Baby | Avian Flu Continues Spread | County Pledges San Diego River Funding | Devi, Asian Elephant, Euthanized at San Diego Zoo |

RIP Devi the Asian Elephant (Taken February 2022)

I had this fantasy that my weekend was going to be super chill and I'd just hide in the red tent, so to speak, but the reality didn't work out that way. I already mentioned that I worked for Babe Rainbow on Halloween, went to Snail Mail on Tuesday, worked for Son Little on Wednesday, Darren worked late so Nova and I had to help my dad without him  on Thursday, and then Friday and Saturday I worked at the Balboa Theatre, doing one Friday night show and running to Chula Vista after and then Saturday, Darren worked with me and we did two shows, so by the time we were done and helped my Dad, it was already well past midnight. All that was on top of going to the Zoo in the morning while Darren worked a partial shift at Safari Park. I mean, I went every day besides Halloween, so no shocker there. It felt like after it was announced that Devi was euthanized that I had to be there to pay respects. Tonight finds me back at Music Box working for Duckwrth, which is a sold out show but they are maybe at the end of tour because I sold out of almost everything I had in the first 12 minutes of doors being open. So now I'm being paid to sit at my laptop with precisely 9 small hoodies left to sell. 

Maybe this week will be more chill. On Monday we're going to the SDZWA Staff Day at Sea World, and we postponed jury duty until February, so unless I get asked to sling for Alice Phoebe Lou again, I'll be laying low. Tegan & Sara is next weekend, but I think I've already waited too long to submit for that one. Zoo hours are now back to closing at 5 so I'm basically going to have to find new ways to spend my time. Maybe I'll actually organize photos or do something productive. Maybe just start nesting for winter. I'd gladly take San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival Grand Tasting tickets if they fell in my lap, but maybe I should just enjoy the downtime, catch the season finale of The Handmaid's Tale, reorganize the studio. Hopefully I can continue to dodge getting sick again because the closer to "normal" life has been feeling makes you realize just how many people are sick and out and about just passing that shit along. 

Election Day is Tuesday. I'm going to go through my ballot and I'll share my picks in another post because this one is a very big deal. 

Stay safe out there. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, November 2 - Tuesday, November 8, 2022: Bob Schneider | Craig Finn | Guster | The Briefs | Letters To Cleo | John Reis | Cafe Tacvba | Alicia Keys | Deftones | Aesthetic Perfection | Illiterate Light | Bleached | illuminati hotties | Måneskin |

What a day. What a week. I spent the day at the zoo and thought I was keeping on top of my work until it was pointed out to me that it was Wednesday and not Thursday and I had fucked up some posts. Whoopsie. It's just been that kinda week. Like Saturday I was asked to do merch, carved the time out of my day, then it turned out I wasn't needed. Then Sunday we went to Alvvays, Monday I worked the sold out and very drunk crowd at Music Box for Babe Rainbow on Halloween, then went to Snail Mail on Tuesday, and at the moment I'm selling merch for Son Little which sold out, too, but at least it gave me the time to get these listings done. I would love to say Thursday will be a pajama day in bed, but I'm sure I'll be cleaning up the mess I made with my errant posts today and then Friday and Saturday I'm working at the Balboa Theatre. I try and remind myself that there are no emergencies in this business, but other people don't necessarily hold that perspective when their money is on the line. So I'll suck it up, I've apologized, and hopefully some great shows for the rest of the week will make it disappear. After all, my one post is not the reason a show did not sell out. Harrumph. 

Stay safe out there. Try not to lose your mind over the next week with elections and all, but DO make sure you vote like it's the most important election of your lifetime, because it kinda is. Vote first, then you can #SDBW all you want. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, November 2, 2022: St. Lucia | Blood Red Shoes | Son Little | Bob Schneider | Mother Mother |

I forgot that we had plans for Tuesday night, so I didn't get around to doing listings. Snail Mail was awesome at Music Box, but I didn't want to stay up all night, so I'm just posting Wednesday and I'll try to get around to the rest of the week later Wednesday or by Thursday morning. It's a busy week, though. I'll be slinging merch for Son Little on Wednesday night, and then working at the Balboa Theatre for a few shows this weekend. I didn't get enough zoo time today...really we only got the last hour of the day on Tuesday, but Denny was being extra cute and the family was all lounging by the glass in the afternoon until they went in for the night. I'm still trying to get to a morning session this week, but sometimes it's just not in the cards. This is the final week the Zoo is open until 6pm. Starting next week, they'll close at 5 until Jungle Bells, which runs December 9th through January 1st, 2023. I can't believe we're already approaching 2023. 

Also, this has nothing to do with events, but I got my California "Middle Class Tax Refund" on a debit card in the mail. Keep an eye out for yours because I'm sure a lot of them will get trashed because the envelope looks shady and gets lost in all the stupid election flyers  and credit card offers filling our mailboxes at the moment. I was expecting direct deposit, so it was kind of a shock to get the card, and I'm sure others might question the validity, too. Don't throw it away because it will be hard to get a new one issued. 

Stay safe out there.  

Wednesday, November 2, 2022:

• Dia de Los Muertos @ Barrio Logan & Border X Brewing
• Dia De Muertos @ Fiesta De Reyes, Old Town (11am-9pm)
• St. Lucia, Bayonne @ Belly Up (SOLD OUT)
• Blood Red Shoes, MZ NEON, Jinx! @ Casbah
• Son Little, Moorea Masa & the Mood @ Soda Bar
• Mother Mother: 2022 Fall Tour USA, Vundabar, Transviolet @ SOMA 
• Gilbert Castellanos Young Lions Series & Jazz Jam @ Copley Auditorium, Panama 66
• Hawthorne Heights & Armor for Sleep, Action Adventure @ House of Blues
• Kid Bloom, WizTheMC, Kevin Holliday, All Things Blue  @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
• Dancing Queen: A Tribute to ABBA with Rajaton @ The Shell 
• IYP presents UGHH, Island of Thieves, Solancy @ Tower Bar
• Duck Duck Roar presents: Day Dreams ft. Auxana, NIIV, MadMaxime, DAD @ The Holding Company
• Exciter, Night Cobra, Manic @ Brick By Brick
• Wardruna @ The Magnolia 
• Jason Hanna and the Swingin' Bananas @ Riviera Supper Club
• Postponed: Steve Lacy, Foushee @ The Observatory North Park
• Daniel J Parc & The Tio's Trio @ Tio Leo's
• Electric Louie Land @ Seven Grand 
• Jazz Jam @ Black Cat Bar
• Rick Lyon @ Sycamore Den
  
• Maria Christina @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
• Kingston 619 Presents - Maka Roots (Coronation Day) Album Release Party, DJ Richie$ @ Winston's 
• Taxilandia @ La Jolla Playhouse 
• Globe For All: Henry V @ Roberto Alvarez Auditorium (at Lemon Grove Academy, 6pm, Free, Reservations Required)
• Karaoke @ Rosie O'Grady's 
• Big Blues Jam @ Navajo Live
• Open Mic with Whit @ Pour House
• Tiki Night @ Park & Rec
• Karaoke @ Bancroft Bar
• Trivia @ Quartyard
• Worship Event @ Pechanga Arena
• Open Mic @ 710 Beach Club

COVID-19: Still Here, Nobody Cares | Lawbreaking Churches Act With Impunity | Seaport Village Developer Wants You To Pay For Their Project | Chicken Collusion |

Alvvays at Observatory (Taken 10.30.22)

I keep thinking that I'm going to quit doing these COVID posts. The CDC has pretty much given up. The County's COVID committee just had their final meeting, and the data that is still provided is almost assuredly unreliable. Without free tests out there ---we were promised they'd cost a couple bucks once the demand died down and yet they're still about $15 a pop at most pharmacies and grocery stores -- people don't even seem to be testing anymore, writing off illness to anything but COVID. I'm not any different. I had a cough last night, assumed it was from overdoing it on Saturday night, took and allergy pill, and was fine today. And you know I'm at the San Diego Zoo nearly every day and the number of kids who are outright sick but still there in their strollers coughing all over everyone is truly alarming. 

So here I am at my second sold out show of the weekend...we attended Alvvays on Sunday and now I'm working for Babe Rainbow...and I'm masked and just doing the best we can, I guess. Nova and Darren both got their flu shots and COVID boosters last week and didn't really feel any obvious side effects, though Darren went to bed super early that night and probably got 12 hours total. That could just be time catching up with him, though. The park has been super busy and he recently got a promotion so that's all very exciting. 

As for me, I'm still trying to hit the Zoo everyday, and I jones for it when I don't. I went on Saturday night but am hoping to get some solid sleep tonight and do a morning sess with the orangs. I'm working a lot, and trying to disconnect from the internet more and more as the election gets closer and closer. Everything is pretty terrible. The campaign ads are fucking ridiculous. But I would NEVER not vote. 

Stay safe out there.  Your mental health is just as critical as your physical health. 

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, October 26 - Tuesday, November 1, 2022: Halloween & Dia de Los Muertos | Pearl & The Oysters | T.S.O.L. | Jacob Turnbloom | Creepy Creeps | Foals | RFTC | Alvvays | Langhorne Slim | Black Lips | Babe Rainbow | Snail Mail | PPC |

Lindsey Jordan, aka Snail Mail (Taken 8.21.2019)

It really is crazy how many tours are rolling through San Diego. It's great for rebuilding what we lost from the emergency of the pandemic, but it also makes for a very cutthroat concert scene in a way, too. All of these artists and venues and service fees and awesome events and fancy drinks and amazing restaurants are fighting for your money while you're trying to live in the fifth most expensive big city in the country and it is still amazing how many shows can sell out on the same night or in the same week. You can make up for it with some free Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos stuff, and then still get out by night to spend that cash money on a show. I don't have insight at all the venues, but I can tell you that The Creepy Creeps at the Casbah is super close to selling out on Saturday, as is Alvvays on Sunday at the Observatory. There were several more tour announcements over the past week...Blink-182 added a second night and Unknown Mortal Orchestra announced a date, and Otoboke Beaver are already planning on coming back with a bigger show, but digging all the info is still a little too much for me if I hope to get any work done or sleep at non-vampire hours. 

Get a booster & flu shot, study your ballot, and stay safe out there.