Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Tuesday, December 26, 2017-Monday, January 1, 2018


I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had a great one, and those of you who don't celebrate, enjoyed the time off, whether spent alone or with family and freinds. After Darren's mom was in town last week, we reluctantly shipped Nova off to St. Louis and I had an overindulgent night seeing LA Witch and going to the Ken Club. Over the weekend, we had our Casbah holiday brunch which was awesome, but then the little tickle I'd been feeling had become more intense and I found myself reaching for the 'Tussin and spending as much time in bed as I could handle. Fortunately I was feeling somewhat better on Sunday...not well enough to go out to Exile, but well enough to finish my Christmas shopping. On Christmas, Darren woke up with the cold so I went to have breakfast with my family to let him rest up, picked him up for dinner, then let him off the hook when my sister drove him home and I stated to watch TV with my dad. Three years ago, my dad was in the hospital for Christmas, and he was in for some time this year, too, so I feel especially lucky this time of year to have my family so close. Anyhoo, I did listings through January 1, but I'm going to have to update throughout the week because obviously not everyone is ready for 2018. I decided not to waste the time adding NYE ticket links, but just know you should definitely lock in your plans sooner rather than later. All the listings are after the jump.

Monday, December 18, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, December 18-Monday, December 25, 2017


 I am completely freaking out. After we went to the Safari Park and had such a good time with the lions last week, I was remembering them when they were little pups. So I decided to look at my old pictures, only to realize I have no idea where my hard drive is. I transferred the last four or 5 years of photos from my old laptop and here I was looking for it and not only was it not where I thought it should be, I can't really remember the last time I saw it or accessed it, so I have no idea where it could be. I'm crushed about it, but still have hope it will turn up in our house somewhere. Other than that, it was a pretty good week. We did the Zoo and Safari Park, I went to see Veronica May & Van HØF at the Casbah, I worked for Metz, and worked for the Julien Baker show, the last show the Casbah will be doing at the venue. She was amazing, but it was kinda sad that the church board can't what an asset it is to the community. Saturday I worked for Us The Duo at Westfield UTC, which turned out to be a pretty fun gig, and then Sunday Darren's family arrived so we'll be doing a lot this week. These listings go through Christmas, and you can find them all after the jump.

Friday, December 15, 2017

San Diego Humane Society Free Adoptions

If you have room in your home and your heart this holiday season, what better gift than being a forever home to a new pet? The San Diego Humane Society, with a sponsorship by generous donors, are offering FREE adoptions from now until Christmas Eve. Ficus was a Humane Society adoption and she has been an amazing addition to our family, and to be honest, filled the massive void left when Pascha died. We recently took advantage of a similar offer at the San Diego County Animal Shelter and came home with Strawberry, who is the sweetest little jerk you could ever hope for.

Get down to any of the three campuses of the San Diego Humane Society and find your new love in a cat, a dog, a guinea pig, chicken, or rabbit.





Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Must Do San Diego: San Diego Zoo & Safari Park

It's no secret I've always been a fan of the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park, but after spending Monday evening at the Zoo and Tuesday afternoon at Safari Park, I have to tell you there's no time like the present to go.


For one, it's Jungle Bells at the Zoo, which started over the weekend and lasts through January 1st. That means extended hours (open until 8pm nightly), plus lights all over the zoo, and carolers and  dancing for kids, and I think the trampoline people even do a special Christmas show.

But an even better reason is that Africa Rocks is FINALLY open!! It was set to open over the summer, but last year's rains set the construction schedule back so it was only being opened incrementally. Now the whole thing is finally open, so you can enter from the bottom by the penguins or from the top by the Kopje Rocks. I think there's a path in from Outback section, too.

From the Zoo:
The 8-acre Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks exhibit is designed to allow guests to stroll along a gently winding pathway through six distinct biodiverse zones of Africa, with state-of-the-art animal habitats and garden spaces. All six Africa Rocks habitats are now open: Cape Fynbos, featuring African penguins and leopard sharks; West African Forest, featuring West African dwarf crocodiles and turtle species; the Kopje, featuring dwarf mongooses, rock hyrax and meerkats; Madagascar Forest, featuring lemurs and fossas; Acacia Woodland, featuring vervet monkeys, leopards, honey badgers and a wide variety of birds; and Ethiopian Highlands. The African Garden, near the Ethiopian Highlands area, displays eye-catching and unusual plants—including many never seen before at the Zoo, and some that are highly endangered.
Of course, at night, several of the animals are off exhibit or sleeping but it's still a pretty walk and the weather this week has been perfect. We grabbed a couple poke bowls in North Park and took them in to eat by the Elephant Odyssey while sipping on Karl Strauss African Penguin Pale Ale. We didn't get to see the baboons, but I know we'll be back again soon.
The San Diego Zoo’s newest residents—hamadryas baboons—actively explored their new home at the recently opened Ethiopian Highlands habitat in the Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks exhibit ...
“We are thrilled to have the hamadryas on exhibit for our Zoo guests,” said Dustin Black, primate keeper, San Diego Zoo. “They are doing very well and enjoying their expansive habitat here in Africa Rocks. They spend much of their day doing exactly what hamadryas baboons do—eating, climbing, chasing each other, grooming each other and vocalizing. They have an incredible social dynamic; and it is not only fun, but very fascinating to observe them.”
The Zoo’s hamadryas baboon group is made up of 12 females and eight males, ranging in ages from 23 years to 3 months...
The current “leader” of the Zoo’s hamadryas group is 19-year-old Elvis, recognizable as the largest male. He can often be seen strutting around the exhibit, as well as spending time protecting one of his favorite females, 6-year-old Kurzbein, and her 3-month-old baby girl.



The new bridge as seen from Skyfari

Africa Rocks walkway

After having such a good night on Monday, we decided to get up to the Safari Park and it will definitely go down as one of our most magical visits. We got there at 4:15 (they close at 5 but you can kinda get away with lingering past that). We more or less had the park to ourselves. Starting with the gorillas who were in the cave but came out to show off the baby  



From there, we were heading to the cheetahs, but got sidetracked at the balloon. Apparently, a new third party vendor has taken over (Aerophile) the balloon and dropped the prices. During the 'slow season' weekdays, it was only $12! So since we're more or less skipping gift-giving this year we decided this was a great gift to ourselves. We had the balloon to ourselves and the view is spectacular.

From there, we went to the lions, where Nova had made friends as they chased her side to side. We stayed there for quite some time as they played with us. By that point, the park was closed and everyone cleared out, but we did the slow meander to the exit by walking around the campground, passing the Safari Outlook and two massive rhinos happened to be sleeping just under Kilima Point so besides the fence between us, we were about 3 feet away from these magnificent creatures.

From there, it's a short walk around the Tembo Stadium and elephants toward the entrance. The Safari Park was completely empty, we were the last car in the lot to leave. We'll probably head up at least a couple more times before the new year to find whatever other magical surprises await.

Year after year, the annual membership proves to be our most worthwhile yearly expense.

More pictures from recent trips to the parks after the jump.

Monday, December 11, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, December 11-Sunday, December 17, 2017



I've been with Darren for six Christmases and while I guess I knew he loved Phoenix, it wasn't until I was granted one ticket to the show on Saturday night that he expressed just how much he loved them. "They're my favorite band, EVER," he kept saying (but so is St. Vincent, Tune-Yards, Little Dragon, Deerhoof, and on and on). Still, I was feeling pretty guilty for being there without him on Saturday night, but amazingly I mentioned this to fellow photog Kaitlyn right before we went into the pit and she magically produced a spare. Within 10 minutes he was at the venue and got to see the show...a true Christmas Miracle (just kidding). But it was an amazing show in the same week we got to see newcomer Alex Lahey who was also fantastic. The rest of the week was pretty standard...Nova had all star practices and then just like last year, our league got slaughtered in the All Star tournament. The girls were good sports and didn't seem too broken up about it, but it was a little painful to watch and not be coaching. I worked at the Irenic for AJJ and Sales, too, which leaves us with just one more Irenic show this year. This week is kind of the last week before full blown Christmas chaos kicks in...Darren's family will be visiting next week and the week after that Nova will go back to St Louis until after the new year, so it was about time we decorated our tree and got the lights up around the house. If you're in the spirit, the Hipster Holidays channel on Pandora is pretty great and I'm working my way through just about every Christmas movie on Netflix. Tuesday through Sunday listings are after the jump.

Monday, December 04, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, December 4-Sunday, December 10, 2017



 So it's December. Our soccer season is over but Nova made all-stars, so we're still busy running up to PB for soccer and downtown for derby and South Park for piano, but we've been able to carve a bit more time out for going out and I did something I haven't done in awhile...I went to the Casbah four nights in a row. I haven't been lugging my camera because my shoulder has been acting up, but we caught some great shows. Pack AD was Wednesday, then Creepseed on Thursday, and after a family night braving December Nights, I went to see The Shelters and The Tracks, and then after watching the Juvenile Dollinquents derby on Saturday (Nova didn't roster), we went to Blitzen Trapper. This week is going to be busy...I'll be selling merch for Jake Clemons on Monday, shooting Angus & Julia Stone on Tuesday, checking out Alex Lahey on Wednesday, and working at the Irenic on Thursday and Friday. I'm still hoping some tickets comme through for Phoenix, but I'm not holding my breath. We got our tree on Sunday and heard that places actually are selling out (Costco was 100% sold out, for example) so if you are buying a live tree this year, don't wait. Whether or not the news stories were exaggerating, there were practically riots in the Home Depot parking lot.  Monday through Sunday archives are after the jump.

Monday, November 27, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, November 27-Sunday, November 3, 2017

You get another kitten picture this week. Nova was gone last week, and it was sad for her to be gone, but I took advantage of the time to clean and have some nights out with Darren, and to get organized. Winter nesting, if you will. We loved Jenny & The Mexicats on Monday, and I had a pretty good time at Booty Bassment on Wednesday, too. We spent Thanksgiving with my family in Chula Vista, then had my nieces spend the night so they would be here when Nova got home. Friday the girls had a blast just catching up and hanging out. On Saturday we attempted to go to the Paradise Hills Night Market but parking was insane so instead dropped into the Vinyl Junkies Record Shack for a bit. The store looks amazing and we saw a dozen or so friends while we were there. I've been struggling with normal sleep lately, perhaps because of the new kitty who wants to play from midnight to 4am, but I have been exploring all of our streaming subscriptions. If you haven't watched the second season of One Mississippi yet, you must get on that. Don't forget about my Holiday Guide (use the tabs at the top of the page), and normal weekly listings are after the jump.

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Friday & Saturday: Vinyl Junkies Record Shack Grand Opening!

In case you hadn't heard, the Vinyl Junkies Record Shack is opening this weekend! After you've recovered from your holiday hangover on Friday and Saturday, get to South Park to join in on the festivities and pick up so new/old vinyl while you're there!! They'll be open from 10am-10pm both days. The shop is located at 2235 Fern, directly across the street from the Whistle Stop.

Monday, November 20, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, November 20-Sunday, November 26, 2017


Fall is in the air despite the fact that it's supposed to be like 87 degrees this Thanksgiving. Things are definitely slowing down around here. Last week, we hit the zoo, I shot at the Gary Numan show, and we got to see Speedy Ortiz and Tera Melos at the Casbah on Thursday. We closed out our soccer season with a tough loss, but Nova made All-Stars again, so she'll be doing that when she returns from her Thanksgiving trip to St Louis. If you've followed my social media posts, you also know we took advantage of waived adoption fees at the Animal Shelter last week and adopted a new kitteh this weekend. Little Strawberry to go with our Kiwi (who is none too thrilled about her presence so far). We're trying to get them all acclimated to each other, and hopefully they'll make some progress by the time Nova is back on Friday but it took awhile for Kiwi and Ficus, too. This week includes pre-Thanksgiving, the.biggest.drinking.day.of.the.year. so be careful out there and hopefully all of you get to enjoy some quality time with people in your lives whom you love. Monday through Sunday listings are after the jump.

Monday, November 13, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, November 13-Sunday, November 19, 2017


I'm definitely enjoying my homebody lifestyle lately. Ever since I had pneumonia, I've been laying low. Our soccer season is coming to an end, and it gets so dark so early that I've been thinking a lot about the holidays. In fact, it might seem like I've been a slacker, but I put together a pretty extensive Holiday Event Guide, which I haven't done in a couple years but was feeling in the spirit this year. I'll keep updating as more events roll in. I got to go to the Safari Park on Friday with my family and even my mom got out of the house for a few hours. We're hoping to take advantage of the week before Nova flies out to St Louis on Sunday. I'm still not really going to many shows, but The Heavy Guilt record release was pretty fun on Friday. Not sure if I'll be able to escape the asylum this week, but it would be pretty great to see Frank Lee Drennen on Wednesday at Java Joe's and I'll be trying to catch Speedy Ortiz on Thursday at Casbah, and maybe Diarrhea Planet on Friday at Soda Bar. I would love to get out to Pappy & Harriet's on Saturday, but with Nova leaving Sunday morning, it's just not in the cards for us. Monday through Sunday listings are after the jump.

Monday, November 06, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, November 6-Sunday, November 12, 2017

I'm still taking it easy, but Saturday night at the Livewire Anniversary Party was pretty amazing. I was selling merch for Livewire, so it was a lot of work, too, but it was pretty sweet because Nova had a derby sleepover in Murrieta, so Darren was able to cover my shift at the Irenic then come to the Observatory to help me when he was done. The bands were amazing and it was great to see so many people who have made the San Diego music scene so vibrant for the last two decades and beyond. After we counted our stuff out, we went to Livewire where it was nuts to butts but super fun. The Amplified Ale Livewire IPA is pretty darn good, too, and it was nice to have my first beers in over two weeks. I'm still kinda taking it easy, but hopefully I'll be getting out a little more little by little. There are some awesome Beer Week events and for most working people, we have a three day weekend with Veterans Day observed this Friday, so enjoy the week. I included a San Diego Derby Doll link for a bout this weekend that Nova rostered for if anyone is interested in checking it out. I'm posting an older pic from the Safari Park because I'm hoping to get up there on Friday. Monday through Sunday archives are after the jump.


Thursday, November 02, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, November 2-Sunday, November 5, 2017


Hanging with some friends at Balboa Park
 Holy shit. I cannot believe it is already November. Yet here we are and there are so many rad shows this weekend I can't believe I'm still in isolation for the most part. I'll definitely be slinging merch at the Livewire shindig on Saturday, though, so come by and pickup your Livewire swag. I wish I could hit this year's Brewers Guild events, but the way I feel, it looks like I'm sitting out this San Diego Beer Week 2017. But there's also tons of exciting news, like the Casbah 25th Anniversary Hoodies are now available in a zip hood and Tim + Eric are opening a record shop in South Park! I wonder if I can pick up some shifts there? Anyway, it's a big weekend, so I thought I'd clean these up a little and repost. Thursday through Sunday archives are after the jump.

Tim Mays + Vinyl Junkies Partner to open Vinyl Junkies Record Shack in South Park



I've been sick with pneumonia and haven't been out or had a drink in nearly two weeks, so just about any news is good news, but this is perhaps the best news I've heard all year. I've always wanted the Casbah to have a ticket outlet, and when I was hired at the North Park Theatre, we tried to work out a deal, then it was bought by the Observatory and they used a different ticketing company, so we could never quite work out a ticket outlet. So anyway, a new record store, a new place to pick up Casbah tickets, and I can only imagine, a great new spot for in-stores or listening parties or acoustic performances. We shall see. In the meantime, here's the big news:

Vinyl Junkies Announces South Park Retail Location & Casbah Partnership

Eric Howarth of Vinyl Junkies is proud to announce a new partnership with Tim Mays of The Casbah in the Vinyl Junkies venture.  The mobile record shop and bi-monthly record swap (held at the Casbah) has been in existence for over 4 years, and will now add a brick and mortar location to its repertoire called the Vinyl Junkies Record Shack!

Located in the heart of South Park at 2235 Fern Street, directly across the street from the Whistle Stop Bar, the Vinyl Junkies Record Shack will bring music retail back to the neighborhood.  After lease issues forced Howarth’s former shop, M-Theory Music, to leave South Park, it is with excitement that we come full circle back to this unique and vibrant, independent community.

The focus of the record store will be on used records and cassettes, with a selection of new reissues on vinyl across all genres.  From Funk to Punk, Soul to Garage, Jazz to Heavy Metal, and everywhere in between, the Vinyl Junkies Record Shack prides itself on having a knowledgable, friendly staff who can turn the most discerning collectors or those new to the vinyl world, on to their latest favorite album.

The “Record Shack” will also be the exclusive ticket retailer for Casbah shows, with minimum service charges, and will carry other useful items for the neighborhood like guitar strings, turntables, vinyl cleaning/collecting supplies, and related items.

The store will celebrate its Grand Opening on Record Store Day, Friday November 24th, with festivities going on through Saturday the 25th. Special guest DJs and bands will be performing, drinks and food will be had, and thousands of records will be for sale.  Further details will be announced soon.

Vinyl Junkies is also actively buying record collections for the store.  Those interested with records to sell can email records@vinyljunkies.net or call 619-816-1830.

We look forward to talking further about the Vinyl Junkies Record Shack and know your readers/listeners/viewers will take interest in not only the store, but the recent resurgence in the vinyl record format!

UPDATE: Check out this more in depth article on SoundDiego about the partnership.

BACKGROUND:

-Tim Mays has been a pillar of the San Diego music scene for decades.  Having started promoting punk rock shows back in 1980, that passion has continued with 29 years of owning and operating the city’s most beloved venue, The Casbah, and putting on larger shows at various venues by Casbah Presents.  Mays has also added “Restauranteur” to his resume, as co-owner of awarding winning Mission Hills restaurant Starlite and Golden Hill cafe Krakatoa.  

-Eric Howarth’s involvement in the music world has been extensive as Founder of Vinyl Junkies & M-Theory Music, Record Label Owner (Hi-Speed Soul), Band Manager, Tour Manager, Concert Promoter, and DJ.  In the past few years, Howarth has followed a new passion in the film industry as Cinematographer for the Records Collecting Dust II documentary (to be released early 2018), filming music videos, shooting live bands for SoundDiego on NBC, and taking on roles in various short films. Howarth’s current project focus is a documentary based TV show he co-created and hosts that will soon be pitched to the networks, along with his involvement in the feature length film Fanboy.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

groove pigs share tracks...finally! This Is Halloween & Throne Games

You might recall that Darren and I visited his mom this summer. It was our first time going without Nova (she was in St. Louis) and so it was a true vacation in that we'd spend days with his mom and nephews and then had the nights to run around the East Bay/Oakland/SF area. One of the things he really wanted to do was meet up with his old band.

So the really quick history is that Darren was in a band called groove pigs back 20 plus years ago. Darren and Joe Heavey went to high school together and played music for years, and then had rehearsal space adjacent Dan Jewett, with whom Darren went to SFSU, and eventually they formed groove pigs as a fun side project from all their other endeavors. I'm not exactly telling this right, but they all moved a lot, had different bands, blah blah, but they were a party band and played house shows and bars and clubs and art spaces and basically anywhere they could at the time. But then life happened and they all moved on.

Darren resurfaced in San Diego and then little by little they reconnected over the magic of Facebook (though Dan and Joe live just a short distance from one another), thought they should start tooling around with music again, and became an internet project, each recording parts and sending them to the others to record. They have a whole record of original songs. (By the way, you should check out Dan's other project, My Little Hum.) I don't know what will become of it or if they'll release it or whatever, but while we were in the area, the guys all played together in the same room at the same time for the first time in at least a couple decades and many craft beers and shots of tequila were consumed and it was awesome. One day they'll let me release those videos.

In the meantime, Darren has a Halloween tradition, playing the very complicated "This Is Halloween" with Nova, and so this year, the band decided to give it a whirl, and the mix came in after midnight, but we wanted to share it (you can even hear Nova singing in parts). The b track, Throne Games, is their twist on the opening them of the show (duh). I promise I'll be sharing more as they let me, but it's just a fun project for them, and I'll let them dictate how they want it shared with the world.






Monday, October 30, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, October 30-Wednesday, November 1, 2017


Ug. So I have been in bed a whole lot lately. The whole of last week, I didn't even step out onto my balcony until Thursday and didn't leave my house until Friday and that was for a doctor's appointment. Fortunately, I still have OBAMACARE and got to see a doctor and get an x-ray and an antibiotic for whatever lung infection I have and an inhaler so I can breathe again. On top of all that, because Kaiser kinda works like a health care buffet, my stuff was so speedy that it was done before the actual appointment time...I'd checked in on the kiosk 25 minutes in advance of my actual appointment time, was immediately called in, met with the nurse for weight, blood pressure, health screening, taken to a room, and checked by the doctor all before my actual appointment time. And in that time, made two more appointments for my annual lady parts checkup and for a mole I want removed. So yeah. The good news is by Saturday I was finally turning a corner and we coached our morning soccer game, hung around the house for a bit, and spent some time at Balboa Park and the Zoo before having dinner at Mona Lisa. So yay. I'm getting out of the house again. But it will definitely be a low key week for me until maybe the Livewire Anniversary party on Saturday.
I will try to get around to updating Bar Pink, Black Cat Bar, El Dorado, FLUXX, Sycamore Den, and Whistle Stop before the weekend but no guarantees. Monday through Wednesday archives are after the jump.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Tuesday, October 24-Sunday, October 29, 2017

I haven't been out with my camera this past week at all and I'm sick again and I feel like hell so I'll keep it short and use one of my old pics from The National. Last week was a good week, we were able to do Six Flags and soccer practices and went to Arcade Fire and Said The Whale and I worked at Cody Simpson and The Bronx and we had a soccer game and then I wasn't feeling great so I skipped Scallywag, but then I was feeling better so I caught Tei Shi and went to Park n Rec and Whistle Stop and then I went swimming on Sunday and all the sudden came down with a fever that I couldn't shake for 36 hours. So I don't know if it's just that I went way too hard last week or that this stupid weather change is making me ill but I feel like shit and I'm going to take it super easy this week. I'll be locked in my air conditioned room, if ya don't mind. Tuesday through Sunday archives are after the jump.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, October 23, 2017


I'm burning up. I don't want to make a habit of just giving you Monday listings, but out of nowhere I've been blindsided with a fever. It's super weird because I was feeling mostly great all weekend. I'll tell you about my week when I get the listings up but for now, here's the clearest shot I could get of Win Butler from my seat at the amazing Arcade Fire show. I'll get the rest of the listings up by Tuesday morning. .

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Tuesday, October 17-Sunday, October 22, 2017


Ok, so I told you I would get these done, and thankfully after a full day at Magic Mountain with Darrren, Nova, and Jo, Darren drove home so we could sleep and I could get my work done upon our return. Six Flags was fun, but I realized I'm in a new demographic: moms who hold stuff. I didn't go on a single roller coaster because I just couldn't psych myself up for that dizzy, spinny, nauseous feeling. So I held stuff while everyone else did the rides and I was totally okay with that. It was fun just to be there and see the kids faces light up before and after each ride. This week is pretty busy, too. I might still try to weasel a ticket for Cafe Tacvba, and we're going to Arcade Fire, and I'm working at the Cody Simpson show and The Bronx in the same night, and then working at JR JR on Friday, and maybe going to Ye Scallywag on Saturday if I can score a photo pass, and then Saturday night we'll check out Tei Shi at Soda Bar. So much good stuff. Tuesday through Sunday archives are after the jump.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, October 16


Things have been really great, but really, really busy. On top of work and soccer coaching, last week I got to see Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, The National, worked at Nothing But Thieves, did Taste of North Park, shot Jason Mraz, went to Dirty Sweet & John Meeks, and sold merch for Oh Wonder where I worked a six hour shift (I think we sold over $15k in merch!!) and we're going to Magic Mountain for the day, so I hate to break it that I only have it in me to do Monday listings at the moment. I'll try to get the rest of the week up as soon as I have the time. Archives after the jump.

Friday, October 13, 2017

Photos: The National at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 10.12.2017


The past few weeks I've had a ton of photo passes which means I'm backlogged with gigs and gigs of photos. In three songs at The National, I shot 405 photos. And I've been a little shy about posting because I'm slightly intimidated by the far more talented photographers in this town and their amazing gear that isn't filled with scratched mirrors and spotty sensors and image dust bunnies, but Darren gave me a pep talk, and I get some incredible access to shows that not a lot of people get, so I promise as things start to slow down as we get deeper into fall, I'll get around to posting more photos. I'm on such a high from Thursday night that I wanted to get these pics of The National up right away.


Thursday nights are tough because we have soccer practice in PB until 6, which means by the time we pack up and leave the area, it's 6:30 and the 5 south is in rush hour. Jeff and I made arrangements to meet at Tribute before the show. I should've studied the menu and pre-planned my order, because that place is busy. It was delicious, but not somewhere to go if you're in a rush. As it was, we had to take my pizza to go when it was finally ready, dropped it at my house, then made our way to SDSU. I had a photo pass, but arrived during the fourth song from Daughter, so this was the best I could get from my point and shoot from my seat. They sounded fantastic and were a solid choice as an opener.

Oh. This is a funny little side note about the photo pit. I haven't shot at OAT in several years but I have a pretty great relationship with Casey from LiveNation. I'd texted her that I wouldn't make it for the opener because at the venue, everyone has to meet at the top and get escorted into the pit. Except when we got to the pit, the band had dead cases piled and taped to the part where we get in. So imagine a dozen photographers, climbing up the cases and jumping the four feet down into the pit. One girl was seven months pregnant and wearing a dress! It was pretty funny and I was super glad that I always opt for comfy and sensible clothing choices. Getting out was even more hilarious because there was no step up, so you had to be an acrobat climbing out, unless you're flexible yoga girl Kaitlyn from 91X who basically vaulted over in one beautiful, graceful motion, making all the rest of us look like assholes.

I don't know what to say about The National. All told, I've seen them live about half a dozen times, they're always amazing, and I have nothing but love for Matt Berninger. We've been dealing with Nova being sick, girls from our soccer team being sick, and hearing that hacking cough everywhere you go, so when I saw him coughing during the first song, even at times into the mic, I couldn't help but feel sad for him, but also what a superhero to power through when you feel like shit. The setlist was a beautiful mix of new stuff and favorites. Matt had his bottle of wine to help him get through it, but his throat and voice were definitely strained where you'd expect them to be. You can see eight videos here

Still, raspy voice and all, it was a beautiful night in San Diego. Matt was charming and funny at moments, and had a few "Fuck Trump" moments, as well as attributing "Walk It Back" to Karl Rove, "but he keeps refusing the royalties." On my way out of the pit, while waiting for everyone to climb out, I got a lingering high five/handshake from Matt and I felt like a girl whose junior high crush finally said hi to her. Toward the end of the night, Matt joked about playing Eminem, so the band finished the show and walked off stage, the stadium lights came up, and the snarky soundguys played "Lose Yourself" which brought Matt back out onto the stage as stagehands all around him worked, and he pantomimed Em while shaking hands of fans and giving out setlists. Matt Berninger. He's just like us. A man of the people. Swoon. Tons more photos after the jump.


#SaySomething Week: October 16-20

Next week is national Say Something week, so let's start off with some video of James from 2012 at the House of Blues. I wanted to share Say Something Week with my readers because hopefully you're as sick of senseless gun violence as I am. I wish we'd go the way of Australia to be honest, but until the day the NRA's deathgrip on the balls of the rich white men who run this country ends, sometimes just doing something is better than doing nothing. So below is a message from Sandy Hook Promise. Nova is only in fifth grade, so perhaps too young for the campaign, but if yours are old enough, you should reach out to their schools and administrators to spread the word.



SAY SOMETHING WEEK

During the week of October 16 - 20, 2017, thousands of schools and youth organizations from across the United States will participate in Say Something Week. Say Something Week raises awareness and educates students and the community through training, advertising, public proclamations, media events, contests and school awards. Say Something Week reinforces the power young people have to prevent tragedies and save lives when they Say Something to a trusted adult.

What is Say Something?

Did you know that when it comes to threats of violence or suicide, most are known by at least one other person BEFORE the incident takes place? Imagine how much tragedy could be averted if these individuals said something?

Say Something teaches students, grades 6-12, how to look for warning signs, signals and threats, especially in social media, from a peer who might be planning to hurt themselves or someone else and to say something to a trusted adult to get help and save a life.

How does Say Something work?

Say Something is a no cost, easy-to-implement, life-saving program that can be delivered digitally, in the classroom or through assemblies. The initial presentation takes 50 minutes or less and the program offers a wide range of activities to ensure sustainability and integration into the school culture year-round through SAVE Promise Clubs. To sign up or recommend a school's participation, check out this link.

Monday, October 09, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, October 9-Sunday, October 15, 2017


As I mentioned in my weekend update, I've been on a serious music streak with very few nights off in between, so I thought I'd stick in this pic from last Monday when Middle Kids played the Casbah. The show was attended enough to be awesome, but after hearing the band's set at Austin City Limits over the weekend, I gotta say, you really missed out if you weren't there. It was kind of that last push of summer into fall but I gotta warn you, touring shows seriously start slowing down, so don't miss out when you have a chance to see a good one.  That gnarly cough and cold is back in our house so we're trying to take it easy. Our girls tied their soccer game 0-0 which for us was an accomplishment against a La Jolla squad. I worked at the Irenic on Saturday night for Léon, and Sunday we spent the afternoon at Santa Clara Rec for my niece's 8th birthday. Nova is on fall break, so assuming we can knock out the cold, we hope to catch some museum month stuff, get at least one trip in to Magic Mountain, and enjoy a little less rushing in our lives, even if for just two weeks. Monday through Sunday archives are after the jump.

Saturday, October 07, 2017

Things To Do in San Diego: Saturday, October 7-Sunday, October 8, 2017


Yikes. This week has been crazy. Sunday was The Shins, Spoon, and Day Wave, Monday was Middle Kids, Tuesday was Gillian Welch then Low Volts at Casbah, Wednesday was Archons, Thursday was Father John Misty, and Friday was Pinegrove. Among that is soccer and work and sleep and my cough coming back. Someday I'll post more of the photos of my adventures. The weekend is going to be amazing if I can get enough sleep. I decided to repost the listings because there's so much going on. Saturday and Sunday archives are after the jump.

Monday, October 02, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, October 2-Friday, October 6, 2017



I didn't expect when I went to the Office for Guns n Roses Undercover and Bar Pink on Monday that I'd end up sick. And not like hangover sick, but sleep all day in jammies, my eyes are too hot to stare at a computer screen, pass the tissues and please bring me soup kinda sick. Darren was a champ and got me zinc lozenges and I was able to take it easy so by my actual birthday on Thursday I was able to make it to work at the Irenic then went to Rabbit Hole/Sycamore Den/Ken Club for birthday drinks. I worked at the Irenic again on Friday and aid low after so we could be ready for our Saturday morning soccer game. The girls lost, but it was a perfect San Diego day, so I enjoyed walking to Adams Avenue Street Fair after the game and then going to Oktoberfest at the German-American Societies and then closing down the Ken Club with a hang with Jake. I ended the weekend by going to OAT for The Shins, Spoon, and Day Wave. The 2nd row ticket was a birthday gift from Jeff and it was an excellent show. These listings took extra effort this week but I'm so glad they're done. I'll try to catch up on some posts this week. We'll see how that goes...Monday through Friday archives are after the jump. 

Monday, September 25, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, September 25-Sunday, October 1, 2017


I don't know about you, but I had a crazy busy week. I went to the Casbah with Pyles on Monday to catch The Heavy Guilt, on Tuesday I shot Glass Animals at Humphrey's while Darren and Nova canoed to the show. On Wednesday I spent the day catching up with tons of work to be ready for the rest of the week. On Thursday I got to shoot Fleet Foxes at the Observatory, then went to see Zola Jesus at the Casbah after, Friday I went to U2, Saturday our girls won their soccer game in the morning then Nova went to a slumber party while Darren and I went to see The xx at the Observatory and then Hundred Waters at the Casbah afterward, and Sunday I worked at the Irenic for Dan Croll. Needless to say it was a good week, but super exhausting, too. I'll try and catch up with some photo posts and whatnot, but in the meantime, archives are after the jump.

Monday, September 18, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, September 18-Sunday, September, 24, 2017

It was a pretty great weekend for sure. On Friday night, I stayed close to home and went to the Ken Club for The Downs Family album release party. On Saturday, we coached our second soccer game and the Blue Dragons won! We got our first win which felt especially great because one of the reasons we decided to coach was because Nova's team was shutout every game last season. Winning isn't everything and all that, but always losing hurts a lot, so we felt a little vindication. After the game, the Juvenile Dollinquents roller derby team had a game versus Southwest (a team of LA and Arizona players) and though Nova is a rostered player, she's still the smallest and youngest on her team and doesn't get a lot of time on the track, but she pulled through in a few jams at the end and the girls held their lead and won. My cousin was down for the weekend, so we all went to my parents' house and just hung out for the night. On Sunday, we went to San Diego Zoo and finally got to check out the awesome new bridge from the treehouse to Elephant Odyssey, and also checked out Africa Rocks, which is open from the bottom with the enclosures open for the African penguins, the fossa, the lemurs, and the honey badger. It's pretty amazing and if you haven't been in awhile, you should definitely check it out. This week has a ton of great shows. Not sure what I'll be at, but The Heavy Guilt, Fleet Foxes, Zola Jesus, and The xx are all in my sights. I'll also be working at Swervedriver and Dan Croll. Plus soccer practices, family visits, and whatever wrenches get thrown at me this week. Archives are after the jump.

Friday, September 15, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Friday, September 15-Sunday, September 17, 2017


Some weeks just don't go according to plan. At the beginning of the week I had plans for Quicksand, Ottmar Liebert, and Manchester Orchestra. I went to none of these. Monday I was at home buried in work. On Tuesday I got invited to see Benny & Joon The Musical with Tim Pyles and I try to never pass on shows at the Globe when they're offered to me. On Wednesday, I was on my way to the Observatory and started feeling dizzy and nauseous and couldn't imagine pulling off a three band show so I had to call that one off, too. Then I thought I'd make up for my lack of music with a show on Thursday and we got a desperate call from my mom that my dad wasn't doing well and wanted all of the kids and grandkids to come over to visit, just in case it was time. Fortunately, we all made it (except my brother who is out to sea with the Navy) and even more fortunate, he made it through an is feeling much better today. So I'm getting ready to work the very insane and sold out Cigarettes After Sex show at The Irenic, and tomorrow is stacked with derby practice then coaching a soccer game then a derby bout, so I'm not sure what shows I'll be hitting if any, but I couldn't be more glad that the weekend is finally here. To everyone at KAABOO, have a great time. Maybe one day I'll make it up there. Friday through Sunday archives are after the jump.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

San Diego Symphony Releases Fall Season 2017-2018

OCTOBER CONCERTS:
JACOBS MASTERWORKS 2017-2018 SEASON

FRI OCT 6 | SAT OCT 7
THE HERO’S LIFE
Edo de Waart, conductor
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
WAGNER: Prelude to Die Meistersinger
LISZT: Piano Concerto No. 2
R. STRAUSS: Ein Heldenleben
2017-2018 CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES

SUN OCT 8
JEAN-YVES THIDBAUDET
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
POULENC: Sonata for Oboe and Piano
SCHUBERT: Trio for Strings in B Flat Major, D. 471
FAURÉ: Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 15
2017-2018 FAMILY CONCERTS

SUN | OCT 15 | 2pm
1001 SYMPHONIC TALES
Sameer Patel, conductor
Every story is better with music! Come dive into the wonder of Rimsky-Korsakov’s adventure-filled masterpiece Scheherazade and discover how a composer can conjure exotic worlds using just a few magical musical seeds.

JACOBS MASTERWORKS 2017-2018 SEASON

FRI OCT 27 | SUN OCT 29
ROMANCE, MYSTERY, MARSALIS
Cristian Măcelaru, conductor
Nicola Benedetti, violin
BIZET: Carmen Suite No. 1
WYNTON MARSALIS: Violin Concerto
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Scheherazade

2017-2018 FOX THEATRE FILM SERIES
SAT | OCT 28
RATATOUILLE
For the first time ever, Disney and Pixar release their Academy Award winning film Ratatouille in high-definition on the big screen while the beloved score by composer Michael Giacchino is performed live by symphony orchestra.
NOVEMBER CONCERTS:

2017-2018 CITY LIGHTS
FRI | NOV 3 | 8pm
PATTI AUSTIN
The City Lights series returns in style with one of the most entertaining pop music voices of the last 50 years, Patti Austin! After bringing the house down at last season’s OPUS Gala opening at the Jacobs Music Center, Patti cruises back to our stage with another program of well-chosen soul, pop and jazz classics of the last several decades through today. You won’t want to miss this vital American artist who is well into an exciting career renaissance.

SAT | NOV 4 | 8pm (SPECIAL)
DAY OF THE DEAD CONCERT WITH EUGENIA LEÓN*
The Day of the Dead, an important touchstone of Mexican culture, is one of our most beloved regional celebrations. Mexican singing icon Eugenia León, first known for her victory for her country in an international singing competition just two days after the devastating 1985 Mexico City earthquake, has maintained a high profile ever since, collaborating with the likes of Lola Beltrán, Willie Colón, José José and Mercedes Sosa. She is our special guest for this day honoring family connection and remembrance.

JACOBS MASTERWORKS 2017-2018 SEASON
SAT NOV 11 | SUN NOV 12
FABULOUS FRANCE
Johannes Debus, conductor
Louis Lortie, piano
RAMEAU: Selections from Les Indes Galantes
RAVEL: Piano Concerto in G Major
FAURÉ: Suite from Pelléas et Mélisande
DEBUSSY: Iberia

FRI NOV 17 | SAT NOV 18 | SUN NOV 19
MOZART’S REQUIEM
Markus Stenz, conductor
HAYDN: Symphony No. 103: Drum Roll
MOZART: Requiem
Jessica Rivera, soprano
Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano
Colin Balzer, tenor
Adam Lau, bass

JAZZ @ THE JACOBS 2017-2018 SEASON
SAT | NOV 25 | 8pm
THE FIRST LADY OF SONG: AN ELLA FITZGERALD TRIBUTE
The Great American Songbook had few interpreters with more grace, style and vocal excellence than the wonderful Ella Fitzgerald. The Jazz @ The Jacobs season opens with a tribute to the First Lady of Song in her Centennial year and features her favorite accompanist in her later years, pianist Mike Wofford.

2017-2018 CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES
TUE | NOV 28 | 7:30pm – TSRI
CHRISTOPHER O’RILEY: SHUFFLE. PLAY. LISTEN.
Christopher O’Riley, piano
As the longtime host of NPR’s hugely popular From the Top series, Christopher O’Riley has stayed close to the freshest ideas and performances of today’s classical music world. His highly acclaimed recordings have featured works by everyone from Stravinsky and Piazzolla to Radiohead and Elliot Smith.

Monday, September 11, 2017

SDPD Crashes Through Tower Bar

On Saturday night, Tower Bar had a show including Whining Pussys, Idiot Bombs!, Ghost Town Gamblers, and Hyperactive Slackers. While mid-set and with Davey Quinn (aka Davey Tiltwheel) guesting on drums at approximately 1:20am, an SDPD cruiser was allegedly hit-and-run by a drunk driver who side-swiped the police car, launching it through the wall.


Davey posted to Facebook, "I keep feeling the impact on my back-- like an upright body slam," while Antonio Talamantes posted, "Didn't really sleep at all last night. It was a really close call. I keep thinking about the string of events that happened all week which ultimately put Davey in that location on stage at that time. But he's ok. We're all ok." Later, Davey posted that he did eventually go to a doctor for X-rays and evaluation and while in pain, he is okay.
(Images used are from Davey and Antonio's Facebook pages)





As most people know, a car famously crashed into the Tower Bar in 1964, killing a patron and injuring 7 others. Owners Mick Rossler and Dannielle Cobb were not present at the time of the crash but commented, "Bummer. Cuz we don't have enough going on right now.....Fu**!!," and in explainging the incident,"Someone sideswiped the cop. Pushed him to crash through the bar. Luckily nobody was hurt but our friend was playing drums with his back to that wall when it happened. Luckily he's ok. It's fucked!!"

Like most people in this music community, I love Davey and wish him the best and a speedy recovery. Obviously this could have been far worse and I don't know what we'd do without him around as much for contributions to the scene, but for his sense of humor, and his tech skills that has saved my ass a dozen times. Apparently there will be a gofundme set up to help him cover expenses and lost wages while he heals and recovers. I will post the link as soon as it is made available.

From the San Diego Union Tribune, April 26th, 1964

Things To Do In San Diego: Monday, September 11-Thursday, September 14, 2017


It was a pretty intense week of news with Harvey in Houston, Irma off the Atlantic, and 45 continuing his Reign of Horror, but it was pretty great in San Diego. My weeks are occupied with soccer because our two hour practices take nearly four with the commute, setting up, hanging around waiting for all the girls to be picked up but it's been super fun. On Wednesday, Darren and I were able to escape to catch Springtime Carnivore at the Casbah, but I was beat on Thursday after soccer and didn't make it to see Kolars at Blonde. Friday we were running errands all over town to clear for Saturday with derby and our first soccer game (our girls lost 0-3 but played amazingly with only one sub). We had a nice afternoon at the beach after the game with my sister and nieces, and on Saturday night, we caught VÉRITÉ at Soda Bar and Vallis Alps at Space, and then had a nice afternoon on Sunday exploiting the Balboa Park drinking loophole with friends. This week is crazy busy, even without KAABOO in the equations. Monday is Quicksand at Belly Up, Tuesday is Ottmar Liebert at Music Box , Wednesday is Manchester Orchestra, Thursday is James Supercave, and Friday I'll be working at the Irenic for Cigarettes After Sex (and sadly missing Patton Oswalt at KAABOO), and Saturday is Against Me! Yikes. I'm not sure I'll make 'em all but I'm gonna try. Monday through Thursday archives are after the jump.

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

91X Announces Wrex The Halls 2017


91X Presents
WREX The Halls 2017
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Valley View Casino Center

Featuring:
The Lumineers
Vance Joy
Dreamcar
The War on Drugs
Arkells

Ticket and Pre-Sale Information
Pre-Sale: Wednesday, September 6 at 10am- Thursday September 7 at 10pm

General Onsale: Friday, September 8 at 11am

Tuesday, September 05, 2017

Things To Do In San Diego: Tuesday, September 5-Sunday, September 10, 2017


Did I mention we cancelled our cable last week? I've never in my life not had cable so it's a bit of an adjustment for me, but I'm working through old series' on streaming services and looking for new ebooks from the library to read. This week has some really great shows. If you haven't heard Springtime Carnivore, check her music out and don't miss her show at the Casbah on Wednesday. Aside from that, we've got Minus The Bear, Kolars, Indie Jam and more. Archives are after the jump.