Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, June 29-Tuesday, July 5, 2022: The Havnauts | Miniaturized | Three Dog Night | Drug Hunt | Digable Planets | 411 | T.S.O.L. | Jason Mraz | The Cramp'd | Kraftwerk | 4th Of July | CAAMP |


It's a holiday weekend which means things are kinda nutso around here, so once again I'm gonna skip all the digging for photos and new show announcements and just get to the listings. Between Darren having a crazy work schedule this week, Nova wrapping up her "commuter week" at City College for Upward Bound, and having to run down to help my dad every night for the rest of the week, I'm stoked that I get to work for 411 on Saturday night at the Casbah but the rest of my week will mostly be me trying to get my work done and clock in zoo time when I can. I've decided I will also renew my Sea World pass, in case anyone was dying to know, because they're on sale through July 4th for $120 and I figure my visits warrant what comes out to $10 a month. Maybe later if Nova and Darren decide they want to join me, they can just get fun passes or whatever. If I'm being honest, if I didn't have to help my dad out, I would probably just camp at the Casbah this week, because with The Havnauts on Wednesday, the debut of Miniaturized on Thursday, and Drug Hunt & Well Well Well on Friday, there is some good, cheap fun still to be had in this city, but 411 was a big deal to me in high school and I'm stoked Mario asked me to work for them.  

I used to take the time to do an extensive 4th of July rundown, but I'm ready for fireworks to just be retired from our region entirely, and I appreciate IB's efforts to do a drone show as an alternative to explosives...as I explained to Nova, of course I think fireworks can be beautiful, but for the pollution, harm to people with PTSD, the sheer agony they cause pets, local wildlife, and animals in captivity, and the fact that our country has far too many guns and shootings to know the difference between the pop-pop-pops, I just think they're something we can and should retire forever. Doesn't mean I don't oooh and aaahh and look up when they're there, but I definitely wouldn't miss them should they just cease to exist forever. So CBS8 seemed to have a pretty comprehensive list, which I've linked, and I'll link other lists if I find other good ones without a paywall, but I'm not gonna take the time to round them up on this page. And let's be honest, recent SCOTUS decisions and piss-poor political will makes this Independence Day a whole lot more dim anyway. 

However you choose to spend your week and holiday weekend, be smart, try and keep it outdoors, and mask up when you're indoors. County case numbers AND hospitalizations are on the rise, and if you're like me and took your booster a while ago, you're just not nearly as protected as is ideal and spoiler alert, past infection doesn't necessarily create hybrid immunity as old variants get outpaced by new ones.

Stay safe out there. 

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

COVID-19 Still All Around | SCOTUS Monumentally Sucks; Affirms Guns Have More Rights Than Women | Sapporo To Acquire Stone Brewing |

Toucan at San Diego Zoo (Taken 6.27.22)

It was a really rough week for news. So much so that every time I've tried to post I kind of end up just slamming my laptop shut and walk away from it. But we live in California which for all its faults, still means something. I can't even delve into minority rule and how our state population of like 23 states combined or some nonsense, so I'm just going to focus on what I can, put this post into the world, and find joy where I can, which as you know means almost daily visits at the San Diego Zoo. 

Depending on what time I can get there and how long I can stay, I have a lot of little routines. Lately, if I can get there before 6, I try and visit the golden lion tamarins in the Parker Aviary, and this funny thing has happened; I've kinda made friends with a toucan. Where they used to kinda hide up in the treetops, this particular toucan is loving all the new attention in its aviary and when it hears the camera snapping, will come down from the top of the aviary, flying down and landing sometimes inches from my camera. Not claiming this is just a me thing, but it is pretty special when it comes right down just inches from you. Last week I missed a couple days and was jonesing, but then more than made up for it with near-daily trips except for Friday when I went to work with Darren at the Safari Park. That morning he bought me a safari, Behind-the-Scenes: Saving Giants, that took us to the Nikita Khan Rhino Rescue Center, where we got to spend time with Olivia, a pregnant rhino who is due in the next couple months, we got to see Future, one of the young rhinos conceived by IVF, and then we got to spend some time between the two elephant yards while they snacked on some treats. It was a nice day, though hot AF, but it was a great distraction from politics and the embarrassing onslought of fundraising emails by every politician and PAC and progressive group. 

And so I guess that's where I am. I'm a Californian who feels pretty powerless. All I can do now is find little bits of joy where and when I can. I recommend that you do the same. 

Stay safe out there.  

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, June 22-Tuesday, June 28, 2022: The Black Angels | Indigo Girls | Calexico | Howard Jones | Bright Eyes | Chris Gethard | She & Him |OB Street Fair | Norah Jones | Femi Kuti |

I am so glad I started these listings on Monday because I have been low-mo this week. The change in weather has my allergies crushing my soul. Tonight I'll be working at the Casbah for The Mars Junction and I worked on Monday for Orgone so my work/sleep schedule is all out of whack. As a consequence, I haven't been to the San Diego Zoo since Monday which bums me out. Maybe I'll pack up and spend the whole day tomorrow. 

In the meantime, there are a ton of great shows this week. Calexico does two nights at Belly Up, Bright Eyes, Howard Jones, Tenacious D, Norah Jones, and  Femi Kuti are all in town this week. I might try to sneak over to Soda Bar for comedian Chris Gethard, too. We'll see. 

Have a great week. 

Monday, June 20, 2022

COVID-19: Cases Still Rising, FDA,CDC Approve Vaccines For 6mo-5yo | Father's Day | Juneteenth | New Sidewalk Vendor Rules Kick In on June 22 |

 

Superdad Darren (Taken 3.5.22)

I have been building this post for a week, but it was just a dumb week. On Monday, I worked at Broncho and subsequently lost my camera battery charger, which basically cost half of what I made that night to replace. Darren had a few days off so time management is a little trickier when he's around. We went to the Zoo together on Tuesday, and of course that night I happened to eat shit when I fell in the Cool Critters house at the Zoo, so I was in agony that night. I did spend some time this week organizing my photography on my laptop, which was at least 6 months of photos just in one folder that I had to clean up. I worked for Cass McCombs on Wednesday but maybe ate something bad and was super nauseous the whole time I was there. A friend ended up covering for me, but I basically had to forego the pay for the 3 hours I was there since he was the one who had to deal with the end of show wrap up. All that and then there was recently some internet "upgrades" in my neighborhood that have left my wi-fi slow and busted all week and I just didn't feel hypermotivated to post. Thus the listings being so late last week, and this post barely coming out now.  

The week did get better; I got my zoo time in, Darren's Golden State Warriors won the NBA championship, I worked for Modern English on Saturday night with no problems in what was a pretty easy shift. It was nice seeing so many friends who told me they love my Zoo pics or still read this site every post, so thank you to you all for keeping me motivated when it feels like I'm just barking into the ether. On Sunday, Nova came to the Zoo with me for a couple hours and afterward we spent Father's Day with my family once Darren got home from work. Today, being the superdad he is, he took Nova and a friend to work and paid for them to do the ZIpline and I'm sure is spoiling them with extra treats around the park. I'm just trying to wrap up this post so I can go to the Zoo before I work for Orgone tonight at the Casbah. I am definitely appreciating that today is a holiday because work is a little calmer than most Mondays, and I'm going to go take advantage of that. 

Stay safe out there.

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Things To Do In San Diego: Thursday, June 16-Tuesday, June 21, 2022: Southern Culture on the Skids | Bob Dylan | Modern English | Joe Purdy |


I know, I know. I'm two days behind on listings. I'm kinda over this week. Sorry. I may update new shows and stuff, but not right now. I have stuff to do, a Zoo that hasn't seen me in two days, a shower that needs to be taken. Listings after the jump. 

Friday, June 10, 2022

COVID-19: Up, Up, Up | January 6 Hearings | Excessive Heat Warnings | San Diego's New Water Restrictions |

 

Golden Lion or Lion-Maned Tamarin at San Diego Zoo (Taken 6.9.22)

I don't know about your households, but mine feels so haywire these days. In March 2020, when everything came to a screeching halt, there was all of this ambiguity with what was going to happen. I don't need to recap how the past two years went, and it certainly wasn't the same for everyone, but for us, we went from so much time together, almost every meal cooked at home and eaten together, and learning how to orbit near and around each other while also trying to give each other personal space to like...woah. What even happened? I know it was a slow ramp up, but now it's full throttle - Nova went back to school, joined lacrosse, picked back up with derby, piano went back to in-person lessons instead of Zoom, and all of the sudden she's 15 and enjoys her free bus pass and spends almost every day after school at a youth center when she doesn't have some other obligation. Meanwhile, Darren went full throttle when hired at his job, with kinda crazy hours and a long commute, and is generally exhausted when he gets home after a full day in the sun. And then me, I'm doing what I've been doing for more than a decade, but trying to give myself more pockets of time, trying to stay in the routine of getting out of the house for some time every day, whereas the summer of 2020, I could literally stay within the confines of my yard without leaving for days or weeks on end, sitting on my laptop for 10, 12, 16 hours in a day. When we didn't know when or how it would end, we lived super cautiously. In retrospect, there are so many ways that we could've better spent that time. So many projects still left to do. 

All this to say, one would think with all this posting that I've done about COVID that I would know when the kid is too sick to go to school, yet on Thursday she was sent home by the school nurse for having a fever and a runny nose. Embarrassing. As I mentioned before, we were both sick last week, and both tested negative several times. We've now both tested this week, too, and are still negative, and she felt fine after being home, popping some cold medicine, eating, and drinking water, but she's not allowed back at school until symptoms completely resolve and she verifies again with another test. Problem is after today, they only have half days Monday and Tuesday and the year is over. So I guess we can say, she survived 9th grade, though not entirely unscathed. 

Meanwhile, we do actually try to have family time when we can, but the opportunities are fewer and farther between. I guess this is life with a teenager. We're gonna probably have to sit and make meal plans though, because this eating out all the time thing is not sustainable.      

This weekend there's an excessive heat warning and new water restrictions kick in for San Diego. My recent habit has been to go to the San Diego Zoo every weekday and find other stuff to do on weekends, but now that they're open until 9, maybe that is actually the coolest place to be. 

Stay safe out there. 

Thursday, June 09, 2022

More COVID-19 Cases, Variants, Reinfections |: Summit of The Americas | January 6 Hearings Go Prime Time | Election Results |

 

Animal Ambassador Anika the Caracal at San Diego Zoo Basecamp (Taken 6.8.22)

It feels like the more haywire the world is getting, the more I need to escape. And of course, often my escape is the San Diego Zoo. I've been trying to pinpoint what has turned me into the crazy zoo lady but I actually don't feel bad about it. I mean, during the prime of the pandemic, I was online for hours a day trying to keep up with the news and information, trying to find some control over the uncontrollable. Now that we're all pretty much on our own, falling into 24-hour news or being online all the time is just not at all how I want to spend my days. I'm lucky that in general, the actual job that I have that provides me a paycheck can be done from anywhere with a laptop or mobile device. So while I sit and have lunch waiting to see gorillas or mandrills or bonobos or orangutans, I'm also checking email. I'm doing social posts. I'm being outside. I'm practicing photography. I'm sometimes even engaging with strangers. With San Diego Zoo now open until 9pm daily for most of the summer, I have life responsibilities so I know I can't be there every day, or all night, or whatever, but I appreciate the flexibility it offers, the calm it offers, and the mental freedom it offers. The animals don't talk back, they can't ruin your day. For the most part, I can set my backpack down and not be worried that someone is going to jack it. I can walk alone, even when it's dark, without having to watch my back. The ills of the outside world barely permeate the fortressed gates of the zoo. For me it truly is a safe space. Or, it was until that fractured this week. 

I was visiting with the gorillas on Monday afternoon. They are used to going in around 5, but because of the later hours, they're being kept out later, until 6:30. 6:45, 7pm. It's never the same, but they are used to their routine, so whenever the bells of Balboa Park chime  every 15 minutes, they want to know...is it time to go in now? Because of this, they interact a lot. Denny comes up to me and waits for me to share whatever new photos or videos I have on my phone. Sometimes people ask what I'm showing, so I'll tell them he likes to look at pictures of himself and his family. And it's not only me, there are a handful of people he knows and recognizes and visits with, I just haven't seen any of them this week and that's not really the point anyway. 

On this particular day, this old white dude was near me. He saw and heard me and so I see him searching his phone and set it against the glass in an attempt to get Denny's attention and pull him away from me. The gorilla ignored him, but I saw his phone and what he was showing. His friends asked what he was showing and he said, "just pictures of his family" at which point I told him he was a disgusting fucking racist and he should be ashamed of himself, that he needed to get the fuck out of there. I was shaking. I was livid. I was disgusted. I was yelling. I didn't stop cursing at him until he left. He had been holding up a picture of Buckwheat from The Little Rascals. The crazy thing is he didn't respond at all. Did he think he was being funny or clever? That nobody would see? Did he slither off because he didn't want his friends to know what he had actually done? Or was it something they, too, would find funny and relate to them later on? I have no idea. But I'm glad I didn't go with my first impulse to deck him across the face. 

With elections this week, and fake talks about gun legislation that will go nowhere and do nothing besides spur more gun sales before any restrictions could kick in (even though none will), and the January 6 hearings kicking off Thursday, which will also likely lead to absolutely nothing so long as we have this Senate and SCOTUS, the self-fulfilling prophecy of non-stop talking about inflation, corporations and investors decimating critical sectors like housing and energy and manufacturing and health care and all the many, many problems we confront every day, I think you know where you can find me. But I'll probably go back to taking the bus to save on gas and the headache of parking among the summer crowds. 

Stay safe out there. 

Wednesday, June 08, 2022

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, June 8-Tuesday, June 14, 2022: Holy Fuck | Neko Case | Daniel Rossen (Grizzly Bear) | Born Ruffians | The Slashes | Transfer | Tori Amos | Kishi Bashi | Margo Cilker | Elefante | Broncho | Melvins | -

Broncho (Taken 11.21.2015)

Last week I wasn't feeling great so I skipped new show announcements and photos and stuff, so this week's show announcements also include some that were announced over the past couple of weeks. As it is, Casbah has four shows announcing today but I'm not allowed to post them until later, so hopefully I'll remember to update. 

Today is the first day of the San Diego County Fair, which will run through July 4 (closed Mondays & Tuesdays) and with gas prices what they are, you might really want to look into catching the Coaster, or carpooling at the very least. You can also buy discount ticket and ride bundles at Costco or discount admission at Vons. 

Darren and I went to Hovvdy last night at the Casbah and pretty much nobody is masking out in the world so I don't know how many shows I'll be going to in the immediate future but there are definitely some great ones. While looking through some of my hard drives for photos, I couldn't find any of Transfer, and then it got me thinking that whenever I was at a Transfer show I was pretty much chatting and drinking and not spending so much time shooting. To be fair, I'm not going into all the hard drives and I have a half terabyte drive that was stolen that had a couple years of photos, but I don't really wanna think about that. Who knows where my photos of Elefante and Inspector exist...

Point is, Transfer is playing a sold out show on Saturday and since I'll be helping my dad I don't think I can make it, but I know it will be an amazing time for everyone. I just recommend you all wear your goddamn masks when you're not drinking. No band or show is worth being sick and being forced to miss a week of work over. 

Stay safe out there.  


Music News:
  • Wild Seeds Ranch is a "co-living work/art/music/venue space" where a bunch of the coolest local musicians, writers, and artists moved during the pandemic. They're having a "Summer Social" on June 18th at the Ranch in Dulzura and you can get early bird tickets now for $5 off through June 11th. Get tickets here

  • New Show Announcements:
    • July 3 - The Cramp’d @ Casbah
    • July 16 - Light Asylum @ Casbah
    • July 20 PRAYERS @ Music Box
    • July 26 - Red Shahan @ Casbah
    • July 27 - Wheeler Walker Jr. @ Belly Up
    • July 29 - Chest Fever @ Casbah
    • July 30 - Mrs Henry @ Casbah
    • July 31 - Hotel Mira @ Casbah
    • August 11 - She Wants Revenge @ Music Box
    • August 12 - The Regrettes @ Observatory 
    • August 16 - Black Pistol Fire @ Belly Up 
    • August 17 - Little Bird @ Casbah
    • September 3 - The Fabulous Thunderbirds @ Belly Up
    • September 7 - OWTH ft. Seth Anderson @ Soda Bar
    • September 10 - iDKHOW & Joywave @ Observatory
    • September 16 - Fontaines DC @ Observatory
    • September 22 - The Avengers @ Casbah
    • October 3 - The Luka State @ Casbah
    • October 6 - Dehd @ Observatory
    • October 7 - OM, Zombi @ Belly Up 
    • October 20 - Walk The Moon @ Observatory
    • October 21 - Flor de Toloache @ Music Box
    • October 22 - Alex G @ Observatory
    • October 26 - Candlebox @ Belly Up
    • October 26 - Car Seat Headrest @ Observatory
    • October 31 - King Buffalo, Spirit Mother @ Soda Bar
    • November 4 - Dead Boys, The Briefs @ Casbah
    • November 11 - Matt Maeson @ Observatory
    • November 11 - Alice Phoebe Lou @ Music Box
    • December 15 - Courtney Marie Andrews @ Casbah
  • San Diego Symphony Masterworks Announced for 22-23 Season

Wednesday, June 8, 2022:
  • Holy Fuck, LINQUA FRANQA @ Casbah
  • Neko Case, Leyla McCalla @ Belly Up (Moved From Humphrey's)
  • Poised In The Darkness, Runsdeep, Dave Dramedy, Flaw Lust @ Soda Bar
  • Ottto Bastardane, A Red Sun @ Music Box
  • Opening Day! @ San Diego County Fair
    • Jason Derulo @ Toyota Summer Concert Series, Grandstand
    • The Highwaymen Show @ Chevrolet Paddock Stage
    • Various @ Coors Light Avenue Stage - See Daily Schedule For Details
  • Gilbert Castellanos Young Lions Series & Jazz Jam @ Copley Auditorium, Panama 66
  • Midday Classics: Julie Smith Phillips @ The Wu Tsai QRT.yrd, The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center (12:30pm)
  • Mala @ The Old Globe
  • The Taming of the Shrew @ The Old Globe
  • Padres vs New York Mets @ Petco Park 
  • Whores, Deaf Club, Bummer, Capra @ Brick by Brick
  • An Intimate Evening with Daniel J Parc @ Tio Leo's
  • Open Mic with Whit @ Pour House
  • Wanted The Band Known As Conk Creet, THe Fazes, Blue Hour @ Queen Bee's
  • The Lonesome Lowdowns & Farm Truck @ Winston's 
  • Karaoke @ Rosie O'Grady's 
  • Blues Jam @ Navajo Live
  • Trivia Wednesday @ Quartyard
  • Open Blues Jam @ Bancroft Bar
  • JG – James Gossett @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
  • Open Mic @ 710 Beach Club
Thursday, June 9, 2022:

The Paranoyds (Taken 9.5.2019)
  • An Evening w/ Daniel Rossen @ Casbah
  • Sonny and the Sunsets, Earth Girl Helen Brown @ Soda Bar
  • The Paranoyds, Oatmeal, Fusion Babies, DJ Heather Hardcore @ Whistle Stop
  • Chris Stapleton's All-American Road Show with guests Dwight Yoakam, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
  • Bobby Oroza, Marinero @ Belly Up
  • Los Pericos, Matamoska, Marujah @ Music Box
  • San Diego Regional Bike Summit @ Museum of Photographic Arts & The San Diego History Center
  • San Diego County Fair
    • Prince Royce @ Toyota Summer Concert Series, Grandstand
    • Symphonic Sinatra @ Chevrolet Paddock Stage
    • Various @ Coors Light Avenue Stage - See Daily Schedule For Details
  • Tony Jaw Karaoke @ Ken Club
  • Roger!, Bedlam Rebels, The LSG's @ Pour House 
  • 4S Dance Academy presents 2022 Spring Performance Presentation @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
  • Victoria Robertson @ Plaza Bar, Westgate Hotel
  • Leonard Patton's Tribute to Songs and Songwriters: 100 Years of Great Songs @ The Jazz Lounge
  • Mala @ The Old Globe
  • The Taming of the Shrew @ The Old Globe
  • Shayna @ The Rabbit Hole 
  • Zach Brosi @ Salvation Stage, House of Blues (FREE)
  • Golden Rule Hip Hop hosted by Ric Scales & DUNEKAT @ Winston's 
  • Gaslamp Quarter Live Thursdays 
    • The Shout! House - 655 Fourth Ave.
    • Garage Kitchen+Bar - 655 Fourth Ave.
    • Tin Roof - 401 G St.
    • Vin De Syrah - 901 Fifth Ave.
    • Café Sevilla San Diego - 353 Fifth Ave.
    • IL Sogno Italiano - 314 Fifth Ave.
    • The Westgate Hotel - 1055 2nd Ave.
  • Arnie & Friends @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
  • Six Demon Bag <> DJ Norm Rocwell & Friends @ Park & Rec
  • Aztec Open Mic @ Aztec Brewing Company, Vista
  • Lyrical Exchange Open Mic @ Queen Bee's
  • Infected Rain, Gone In April, Shawshank, Blackcast, Last Of Our Kind @ Brick by Brick
  • daisy chain presents installment_04: Mr. Carmack, Jon Casey, Abjo, Deffie, Episcool @ SPIN
  • Se Vende, Sucio, Mad Cow Disease, Loudmouth @ Til-Two Club
  • Open Mic with Jeff Ousley @ Navajo Live
  • Gino And The Lone Gun Men @ Tio Leo's
  • DJ Tomas & DJ Will Video DJs @ Mr. Peabody's
  • Karaoke @ The Luau Bar
  • Karaoke @ 710 Beach Club
Friday, June 10, 2022:

Scary Pierre (Taken 8.8.2018)

  • Born Ruffians, Sham Family @ Casbah
  • Postponed: The Slashes, Scary Pierre @ Black Cat Bar 
  • Fangirl Fantasy Presents Haylor Night: Taylor Swift vs Harry Styles @ Soda Bar
  • Yachtley Crew, DJ Yacht Rock @ Belly Up (SOLD OUT)
  • Chulita Vinyl Club | LA & SD Special @ Whistle Stop
  • Missing Limbs, Rolex, L.I.C.E., Rival Squad @ Tower Bar
  • San Diego Regional Bike Summit @ Museum of Photographic Arts & The San Diego History Center
  • Alyssa Edwards: Life, Love, & Lashes Tour @ Balboa Theatre
  • Chavorucos Tour: Adrian Uribe & Adal Ramones @ Civic Theatre
  • San Diego County Fair
    • Shaggy @ Toyota Summer Concert Series, Grandstand
    • Appetite For Destruction @ Chevrolet Paddock Stage
    • Various @ Coors Light Avenue Stage - See Daily Schedule For Details
  • Stealing Automatics, Beech City, Elephantricity, The Miles @ Ken Club
  • Benedetti celebrates McCartney @ Dizzy's
  • Erika Davies Jazz @ Panama 66
  • Mareux, Glass Spells, Harsh Symmetry, Mercury Girl, DJ Chehirine @ Music Box
  • Atomic Groove’s Groove & Do Good Happy Hour CAF Benefit @ Belly Up (Happy Hour 5pm)
  • Leonard Patton's Tribute to Songs and Songwriters: 100 Years of Great Songs @ The Jazz Lounge
  • Affinity at the Globe: An Event for BIPOC Theatre Lovers @ The Old Globe (6:30pm) 
  • Mala @ The Old Globe
  • The Taming of the Shrew @ The Old Globe
  • Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella @ The Moonlight
  • Padres BeerFest @ Gallagher Square, Petco Park
  • Padres vs Colorado Rockies @ Petco Park 
  • Kingdom Collapse, Silent Vice, Osmium @ Brick By Brick
  • Sweet Myths, Tsar, Kiss The Scientist, Delfino @ Che Cafe
  • Colonel Doctor Clinton Ross Davis @ Grand Ole BBQ & Asado
  • The Pistol Blonde @ Moonshine Beach 
  • Cassie B Project @ Moonshine Flats 
  • Laugh Outside: Patrick Keane, Jessica Rosas, Ty Shelton @ Quartyard
  • Bedlam's Edge, The Long Haired Greek, PRI @ Aztec Brewing Company, Vista
  • Gilbert Castellanos @ Plaza Bar, Westgate Hotel 
  • OH SNAP! Its A 90s Hip Hop Party! @ House of Blues
  • 4S Dance Academy: Journey to Neverland, A Mini Matilda Musical & More! @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
  • The Seamonks @ Salvation Stage, House of Blues (FREE)
  • Spinnie Cooper @ The Rabbit Hole 
  • The Mockery @ Park & Rec 
  • UAP & Rocker Shocker @ Winston's 
  • Rat Pack Tribute w/ Patrick Greco @ Rosie O'Grady's
  • Lords of the Satellite, Sara Jade, Claire Walding @ Pour House
  • Fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation @ Pour House (5-8pm)  
  • Leather Swap Meat - After Dark @ The Merrow (10pm)
  • Leather Swap Meat @ The Merrow (7pm)
  • T-Dance with DJ Linny @ The Merrow (3pm)
  • The Nards @ Fast Times
  • Sake and Karaoke Fridays @ Mikami
  • Karaoke Night @ 710 Beach Club
  • The Hellflowers, The Howlin’ Roosters, Deathboys, The Tramplers @ Til-Two Club
  • The Siers Brothers @ Tio Leo's
  • Michele Lundeen @ Humphrey's Backstage Live (5pm)
  • 3 CAR GARAGE @ Humphrey's Backstage Live (8pm)
  • Siren, Larry Mitchell @ Navajo Live 
  • Misty & The Mobeys @ Mr. Peabody's
  • West Coast Weekender: Detroit Techno Night Featuring DOC MARTIN | Delano Smith | Bruce Bailey | Silly Girl Carmen | KALE | Dirty Dan | NEXGEN | Tyler Chase @ SPIN
  • Club 80s @ Bancroft
Saturday, June 11, 2022:
  • Transfer, Red Headed Stranger, Julia Sage and the Bad Hombres @ Casbah (SOLD OUT) 
  • Tori Amos: Ocean To Ocean Tour, Companion @ Balboa Theatre
  • Kishi Bashi: 151A 10th Anniversary Tour, Tall Tall Trees @ Music Box
  • 2nd Annual Bad Vibes, Good Friends Music and Art Festival feat Sacri Monti, Drug Hunt, Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Doc Hammer, Mitchum Yacoub, Le Ra, D. Wrex, Brian Ellis Group, The Sleepwalkers, Moxi and Loon @ ReBru Spirits (2-11pm)
  • Dean Lewis: Sad Boi Winter, Forest Black, Camylio @ The Observatory North Park
  • Stephen Marley, Hirie, Skip Marley @ Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay
  • Death Cab For Karaoke - live band karaoke! @ Soda Bar
  • Desperado (Tribute to the Eagles), Greg Douglass and The Pompatus Of Love Band @ Belly Up  
  • Summer Sunset Live Music Series with Rebecca Jade @ Layover Poolside Bar,  InterContinental Hotel San Diego (5-8pm)
  • Booty Bassment w/DJs Dimitri and Rob Moran @ Whistle Stop
  • Jazz pianist Mikan Zlatkovich with his trio @ Dizzy's
  • Cardboard Boxer, The Drearies, Cherrys, Alternative Citizens, Resin Lung, Gabbi Handsaw and the Beautiful Nightmare @ SOMA Sidestage
  • 4th Annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival with Boney James, Jonathan Butler, Najee, Brass Attack BBZ ft. Willie Bradley, Johnny Britt & Rob Zinn, Kings of Groove featuring David P. Stevens and Tony Exum Jr. & more! @ The Shell 
  • San Diego County Fair
    • 311 @ Toyota Summer Concert Series, Grandstand
    • Petty Fever @ Chevrolet Paddock Stage
    • Toast of The Coast Wine Festival 
    • Various @ Coors Light Avenue Stage - See Daily Schedule For Details
  • Defiance, The Drowns, Rival Squad @ Ken Club
  • Ed Kornhauser Trio @ Panama 66 (2-4pm)
  • Club Sabbat with DJ Vaughn Avakian, DJ Robin Roth @ The Merrow (9pm)
  • Puerto @ Panama 66 (6-7:50pm)
  • The San Diego Sound Project: Stacy Antonel @ The Museum of Making Music
  • Michael Rennie, Katie Spencer, Darko Petrovic @ Wynola Pizza & Bistro
  • Mala @ The Old Globe (2pm & 8pm)
  • The Taming of the Shrew @ The Old Globe (8pm)
  • Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella @ The Moonlight
  • Padres vs Colorado Rockies @ Petco Park (1:10pm)
  • Padres vs Colorado Rockies @ Petco Park (7:10pm)
  • 4S Dance Academy presents 2022 Spring Performance Presentation @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido (1pm)
  • 4S Dance Academy: Journey to Neverland, A Mini Matilda Musical & More! @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido (4pm)
  • Teaspoon @ Aztec Brewing Company, Vista
  • Farm Truck @ Grand Ole BBQ & Asado
  • LÉON - Fade Into A Dream Tour, Catie Turner @ House of Blues
  • KAINA @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
  • Leonard Patton's Tribute to Songs and Songwriters: 100 Years of Great Songs @ The Jazz Lounge
  • Blame Betty @ The Rabbit Hole
  • Hickies & Dry Humps @ Park & Rec
  • Dream Burglar, Nowhereland, Rhinoceros III @ Tower Bar
  • Ego Trip Presents: Cirque Surreal feat. DISCOSXXX, AVAA, Datphat, Ravarro, Caligears @ SPIN
  • West Coast Weekender: Matthew Dear (DJ Set), Osunlade feat. Mr. Flip, Cris Herrera, DJ Jamais Vu, Fred Everything, Miguel Rios, Oscar P, Postscript, DJ Honeybun @ Quartyard
  • West Coast Weekender: Dubeats, Hylas, Jimbo James, Matt Egbert, Nik Thrine @ Lafayette Pool 
  • Slack Key Ohana @ The Luau Bar 
  • Cassie B Project @ Moonshine Beach 
  • The Pistol Blonde @ Moonshine Flats 
  • Betamaxx, Parallels, Missing Words, TEEEL @ Til-Two Club
  • Sound Vault @ Mr. Peabody's
  • Jungle Rot, Internal Bleeding, Godhammered, Dread Manifested @ Brick By Brick
  • The San Diego Golden Girls @ The Merrow (5:30pm)
  • Holly Hofman @ Plaza Bar, Westgate Hotel 
  • Paging The 90's @ 710 Beach Club
  • Big Tooth Comb, Los Sicaros De Musica @ Fast Times
  • Bonneville 7 @ Rosie O'Grady's
  • Dylan Keawe with Tlalli Roots backed by Members of Revival Featuring Layne Tadesse @ Winston's (9pm)
  • Manzanita Blues @ Winston's (3pm) 
  • Detroit Underground @ Tio Leo's
  • Third Project @ Humphrey's Backstage Live (8:30pm)
  • 8five8, Copycat Killers @ Navajo Live 
  • DESTRUCTO @ Bloom Nightclub
Sunday, June 12, 2022:
  • Margo Cilker, John Calvin Abney @ Casbah
  • Elefante & Inspector @ House of Blues
  • S.E.Webster, Shelbi Bennett, Ryan Blue, Greg Theilmann, Sarah DiMartine @ Verbatim Books (Free, 7pm)
  • Gareth Reynolds, Elie Rickler @ Soda Bar
  • Intocable: Modus Operandi Tour @ Balboa Theatre
  • Uptown Rhythm Makers @ Panama 66
  • Mike Love & The Full Circle, Dub Inc @ Belly Up 
  • Punk Rock Prom: Forced Edge, Corporate Citizens, Wabash Canons, Hour of Pearl, Tombstones, Manic Monday @ Che Cafe
  • David Rosales & His Band of Scoundrels @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
  • 4th Annual San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival with Eric Darius, Maysa, Jessy J, Brian Simpson, Special EFX Allstars featuring Chieli Minucci, Elliott Yamin, Eric Marienthal, Karen Briggs, Lao Tizer, Anthony Crawford & Joel Rosenblatt, Lin Rountree, Julian Vaughn @ The Shell 
  • San Diego County Fair
    • Postponed to June 19 Los Tigres Del Norte @ Toyota Summer Concert Series, Grandstand
    • Who's That Girl @ Chevrolet Paddock Stage
    • Various @ Coors Light Avenue Stage - See Daily Schedule For Details
  • A.R.T @ Winston's (4pm)
  • Helltones, Electric Vibe (Oakland), TBA @ Tower Bar
  • Gustavo Romero Plays Beethoven Piano Sonatas nos. 6, 17 & 29 @ La Jolla Athenaeum
  • Mala @ The Old Globe (2pm in Spanish & 7pm)
  • The Taming of the Shrew @ The Old Globe (8pm)
  • Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella @ The Moonlight
  • Padres vs Colorado Rockies @ Petco Park 
  • Karaoke "Jose Sinatra hosts O.B.-o-ke - San Diego's Best Karaoke" @ Winston's (8pm)
  • Inspired Movement - "Magic" @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido (11am & 3:30pm)
  • West Coast Weekender: Miles Medina, Four Color Zack, Castillo, Eric Medina, Julz, Kali, Kayper, Pete T, Rich Medina, Sunlightsquare @ Coasterra
  • West Coast Weekender? Eric Groove, Homero Espinosa, Juliet Mendoza @ Lafayette Pool 
  • Line Dancing @ Moonshine Beach  
  • Karaoke @ The Merrow
  • The Nowhere Men @ Fast Times 
  • Jazz Jam @ Aztec Brewing Company, Vista
  • Chris Avetta, Dead Perinnials @ Sycamore Den (6-8pm)
  • Taryn Donath Duo @ Til- Two Club
  • Anna Zinova @ Pour House (4-7pm)  
  • Chloe Lou and The Liddells @ Grand Ole BBQ & Asado
  • Anthony Ortega Jazz Quartet @ Mr. Peabody's
  • DJ Sets & Crafts @ Park & Rec 
  • Jerry 'Hotrod' DeMink @ Salvation Stage, House of Blues (FREE)
  • Salsa Sundays @ Queen Bee's (All Ages)
  • Rob Thorsen @ Veranda Bar, Westgate Hotel (11am-1pm)
  • Trivia and Sake Nights @ Mikami
  • Wookie Garcia, Shark Jones @ Navajo Live 
  • Stellita w/ Special Guests Sunday Night Jazz @ Humphrey's Backstage Live (6pm)
  • Karoake @ 710 Beach Club
Monday, June 13, 2022:

Broncho (Taken 2.13.2019)
  • Broncho, Tchotchke, Giant Waste of Man @ Casbah 
  • URCHN, Hz., ultmt., Glympse @ Soda Bar
  • Electric Waste Band @ Winston's 
  • Blue Monday with DJ Camilla Robina, DJ Heather Hardcore @ The Merrow
  • Trivia Night w/Kyle @ Pour House 
  • Monday Blues Jam @ Aztec Brewery, Vista
  • Skrewball Comedy Night @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
  • Bizarre Bryn's Birthday with Ashley Chimera, Eclectic Ari, Scarlet Checkers @ Tower Bar
  • Writer's Round @ Park & Rec 
  • Solicitor, Soul Grinder, Manic @ Til- Two Club
  • Open Mic with Jay Cain @ Mr. Peabody's
  • Karaoke @ The Holding Company
  • Caliente Mondays Salsa y Bachata @ Tio Leo's
  • Karaoke @ The Holding Company
  • Bancroft Bingo Night @ Bancroft
  • Line Dancing Lessons @ Moonshine Beach 
  • Mic'd Up at Moonshine  @ Moonshine Flats 
  • West County (Classic Rock Covers) @ 710 Beach Club
  • Speed Dating @ The Rabbit Hole 
  • Hocus, Revitalize @ Navajo Live 
Tuesday, June 14, 2022:

Melvins (Taken 9.3.2019)

  • Melvins, Helms Alee, Harsh Mellow @ Casbah (Sold Out)
  • Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kassi Valazza @ The Magnolia
  • Billy Howerdel of ‘A Perfect Circle’ @ Belly Up
  • PROF, Mac Turner, Tae Supreme, Wille Wonka (DJ Set) @ Music Box
  • Big Time Operator @ Tio Leo's
  • Gov't Mule  @ Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay
  • The Strike & Sub-Radio @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
  • Sketch Party: Drink & Draw @ Whistle Stop
  • Big City Blues @ Fast Times 
  • First Series: Playing Henry! @ The Old Globe
  • The Taming of the Shrew @ The Old Globe
  • Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella @ The Moonlight
  • Battle of the AIR Bands @ Til- Two Club
  • Fish & the Seaweeds @ Humphrey's Backstage Live
  • Open Mic Comedy Night @ Rabbit Hole
  • Blues Berry Jam @ Queen Bee's
  • Trivia Night @ 710 Beach Club
  • Karaoke @ The Merrow
  • Karaoke @ Aztec Brewing Company, Vista
  • Boogaloo @ The Tower Bar - Zak Najor (Greyboy Allstars), Alex Ciavarelli & guests @ Tower Bar
  • Emily Angeli Band @ Winston's
  • Karaoke @ Bancroft Bar
  • Terrible Tuesday All Vinyl DJ Night wtih DJ Lexicon Devil @ Pour House 
  • Karaoke @ Peabody's
  • Trivia Night @ Park & Rec
  • Karaoke with Christine @ Navajo Live 

Tuesday, June 07, 2022

COVID-19: It's Okay To Be The Only One Masking | Election Day: Vote On Tuesday! | Balboa Park Disaster And Other Personal Rants |

Squirrel Monkeys at San Diego Zoo Explorers Base Camp (Taken 6.6.22)

I am super exhausted and I thought I was going to spend my night writing a big post about the San Diego Zoo since their hours are finally changing  --on Fridaythey extended hours to be open until 8pm but starting on Wednesday, they'll be open until 9pm, but this post took a little longer than planned, I'm exhausted, and there's construction on El Cajon Boulevard at the moment so it's a little hard to 'think happy thoughts' when the most obnoxious noise is permeating the neighborhood. So instead of a full post at the moment, I will just share this little secret with you: Tuesday, June 7, is going to be the best day to go to the San Diego Zoo until the end of summer. Tuesdays are typically the least busy day of the week, they're open until 8 but acclimating some of the animals to the later 9pm time so animals are staying out a little later, including the primates who I think historically would still go in early despite the later hours. If you have a membership, trust me. Tuesday is the day to go. Today I got to spend 2 hours almost entirely alone with the gorillas, who didn't end up going in until 7. And also, there are new Lion Maned Tamarins in the aviary next to the orangutans. I haven't seen them yet, but I will be stalking them, for sure. Maybe I'll see you there. 

Stay safe out there. 

Monday, June 06, 2022

Photos: Tears For Fears & Garbage @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, June 5, 2022

Tears For Fears at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre (Taken 6.5.22)

It has been a long time. 

I honestly cannot remember the last show I saw at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre (formerly Cricket Amphitheatre, Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, Coors Amphitheatre, et. al). Maybe Modest Mouse? Arcade Fire? I don't really remember, but Jeff bought these tickets ages ago and though I was still trying to lay low after being sick, I mustered up the energy to go. I took a COVID test before I left the house just to be safe, and even though the show was outdoors, I wore my mask as much as I could, except for when I was enjoying the bottomless popcorn ($8) or the "souvenir" soda with free refills (Also $8, I think?). 

We had pretty great seats -- second row of section 204, which was left and behind the main sound board, so that was an excellent feature. I read through all of the LiveNation policies before attending so I was equipped with my empty Nalgene water bottle for their refill stations, a small sealed Crystal Geyser water under 20 ounces, my non-professional Sony Cybershot with no detachable lens, and my clear vinyl backpack, which is apparently over the size limit but the supervisor told the kid, "if it's clear, it's clear. Don't hold up my lines for nonsense."

It was a great show. This was maybe my third time seeing Garbage, who opened the show, and maybe I just appreciate them more now than when I was younger but I thought they were great and it was awesome they got a full one-hour opening set. Unfortunately not only do I suck with the Cybershot's controls after not having used it in a few years, but it runs on regular AA batteries, so I used most of the juice on Garbage and barely got any of Tears for Fears, but all those are below. The video on the Cybershot also made Shirley look like a glowworm, so I decided to just use my phone for video (like everyone else) during TFF. 

I will say that Jeff had looked at setlists from prior shows and they've all been the same, so I kind of liked knowing when to have my camera ready or when I could sneak off to the bathroom. You can watch my videos here. I also, must comment on the food. With inflation the way it is, $14 for a double-cheeseburger and fries didn't seem so outrageous, and over by the West gate there are a ton of underutilized picnic tables on the lawn that used to be the VIP area back in the day, so between bands we enjoyed the flattop burgers until showtime.     

Tears For Fears was phenomenal. Their voices and charm have definitely held up over the years and adding Carina Round as a backup vocalist was a strong move. She's amazing, though they said ours was the last show of the tour that she'd be with them. The visuals on the stage were stunning and engaging, so the band mostly staying in the same spots wasn't boring as it can be otherwise. The weather was perfect, though I was glad to have a beanie when the Otay River Valley coolness picked up at the very end of the night. Leaving is a little bit of a cluster, but that's what happens when 20,000 fans all stay until the very end. It feels a lot worse than it actually is, mostly because everyone feels the need to lay on their horns, but it took about 12 minutes from getting in the car to getting out of the lot, and then we took the back way out via the 905, stopping at my parents' house to move my dad. I was home right around midnight, which is about as late as I can handle these days.  

Kind of a perfect night as I slowly poke my head out of my pandemic shell. 
Photos and setlist after the jump. 

Sunday, June 05, 2022

COVID-19: You Don't Want What Everyone's Got | Pride Month | Election Day June 7!! | More Shootings | 100 Days Of Russian Invasion on Ukraine |

 

Two-Toed Sloth at Sea World San Diego (Taken 6.5.22)

Being sick totally sucks.

You think you can just lay in bed and catch up on work or reading, but your eyes are hot and glazed over and your brain processes nothing. You're hungry but you can't really properly cook for yourself without contaminating your whole house. You want to do the things that bring you joy and fresh air but it would be super careless to be out in public like that. 

So I'll tell you what I did do: I slept. A lot. For the first two days, I was in bed and pajamas were my uniform. Darren was off work, doing his best to nurse both me and Nova while not getting himself sick. He brought me caldo de res and tortillas from Super Cocina and from Pancho Villa. We COVID tested daily but it was quickly obvious this wasn't that, so we still distanced in the house as best we could, ventilated with doors and windows open, and used the air purifier and fans and air conditioners. We loaded ourselves up with vitamins and loads of fluids. And I'm partial to a certain cold medicine by Target's Up&Up that I took as label-instructed every four hours. By Thursday I was so much better and functioning but also overwhelmed trying to catch up on work and email and I'm not gonna lie, I cleared my head with some Zoo time, wearing a secure fitted mask the duration of my visit and avoiding people as best I could. By Friday I was even better and felt mostly caught up with work and went to Safari Park with Darren since he was only working a partial shift. I had my laptop with me for any emergencies, but again, kept my mask on and distanced from people and I think the hot, dry air definitely helped. 

By Saturday it was back to normal life. I'm still snotty and keeping Kleenex on hand, but not sneezing or coughing or wheezing like Monday and Tuesday. I had to take Nova to piano in the morning so I did a quick shopping trip downtown, we came home and she made us brunch, and we started watching the amazing Barack Obama produced Our Great National Parks on Netflix. While we were learning that over 80 invertebrates live in SLOTH FUR, my mom called in a panic because the medical aid had called in sick. That means my dad was still in bed and wouldn't be transferred, so we jumped into action and spent some time in Chula Vista, moving my dad and hanging out with my mom who, no doubt, goes stir crazy spending 24/7 caring for him and his every whim and ache and itch and need. After awhile we left, picking up some Jochi Filipino food on the way. We dropped the dog off at home and had a quick bite of lumpia and pansit, then went to Sea World. Our passes expire on June 7, and either I'm only renewing my own and letting Nova's and Darren's expire, or letting all three expire. I haven't quite decided. I love the animals enough to go frequently by myself, but with summer approaching, I'm not sure how much I want to go in the full thrust of tourism season in a world where everyone is acting like the pandemic is over when it is so far from being so.  

Which brings me to this moment, where I'm writing at 3am because I actually got through all my emails, updated all the stats for the week and just wanted to say while I'm not 100% -- I definitely have lingering sinus congestion -- you don't want to get sick. Whether it's what I had or the flu or COVID-19, the life disruption is intense. I'm masked up everywhere outside of my house and still got knocked down, probably catching from Nova at home, but any illness is disruptive. And even though I technically work from home, it still costs me money when I had to turn down some sweet paying gigs and crushes my soul when I miss shows that I would've loved to attend or shoot. Thankfully it wasn't COVID because isolating five full days + more days until symptoms resolve or testing negative would be excruciating. And the reality is that it IS excruciating, which is why employers are back to making employees work even when they're sick, which is why our cases are again through the roof, and why nobody is really talking about just how bad it is, because if we don't talk about it we can pretend it doesn't exist. The American Way. With COVID. With Guns. With White Supremacy. With destructive politics and economic systems that allowed 583 new billionaires to be made during the pandemic, leaving inflation and fraud and homelessness and out-of-control investors and unaffordable housing and unsustainable corporatism and "C"apitalism to destroy lives on top of the deaths of over 1 million Americans. Believe me, sitting alone in my room for hours on end with just my phone in my hand gave me way too much time to be mad about a lot of shit. But being that it's 3am, I'll just say, make sure you vote on or before Tuesday. It fucking matters.  

Happy Pride. Stay safe out there.   

Wednesday, June 01, 2022

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, June 1- Tuesday, June 7, 2022: Typhoon | Failure | Colleen Green | Slenderbodies. | Amos Lee | Tears For Fears | Hovvdy |

Spice Pistols (Taken 5.22.2017)

I am so sick. I feel like utter shit. My COVID tests are negative, but the kid was sick and I guess it was inevitable in tight quarters, but I pretty much slept all day until I realized I needed to get listings up. I was actually gonna just do them day by day, but that ends up being more work than it's worth, so here's listings but I'm gonna skip all the music news and show announcements and just say that this weekend is the Rock N Roll marathon and last year our van got towed, so pay attention where you park on Saturday night. Also, June 7 is election day, so get your ballots in. 

Stay safe out there. Wear a mask. You don't want to get this cold. I'm through my second box of Kleenex in one day.