Things To Do In San Diego: March 31-April 1, 2012

I don't know what to do to make myself stop with my horrible sleep schedule but I hope that one of these days I'll sync my life back to normal human hours. Hopefully it will be a pretty Saturday and I can enjoy some sunshine before working at the Rollins show.  That said, I should really attempt to get a couple hours of sleep at some point. Saturday and Sunday archives are after the jump.

OTR Movie Recommendation: Detachment

If you pay attention to my site, you know a lot (read: too much) about me. You know that I go to shows almost every night of the week. I love live music and occasionally deviate to go to a play, the opera, or on occasion, sometimes I actually stay in. Film is something different entirely, and though I have expanded cable and HBO, I see fewer movies than most of my peers. In fact, after two years without going to the movies, it was only recently that I started going again. I don't have Netflix and I only recently started renting from Redbox. It isn't that I don't enjoy good movies, it just seems the good ones are so few and far between that I have a hard time devoting two hours with a medium where I am not interactive at all. I can't sit still without wanting to look at my Twitter feed or surf the web or explore Facebook  

I've made a greater effort to keep up with movies of late, and recently I dug The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Young Adult,  and Like Crazy. Still, none of these left me feeling  quite as affected as I did when I watched a screener of Detachment.

Director Tony Kaye’s (AMERICAN HISTORY X) long-awaited film DETACHMENT stars Academy Award® winner Adrien Brody as Henry Barthes, a substitute teacher who conveniently avoids any emotional connections by never staying anywhere long enough to form a bond with either his students or colleagues. A lost soul grappling with a troubled past, Henry finds himself at a public school where an apathetic student body has created a frustrated, burned-out administration. Inadvertently becoming a role model to his students, while also bonding with a runaway teen who is just as lost as he is, Henry finds that he’s not alone in a life and death struggle to find beauty in a seemingly vicious and loveless world.

This is not a film about the underdog school turning things around, nor does it offer a fix for failing educational policies or how to save these really fucked up teens. As Mr. Barthes, Brody (as sexy as ever, even when he's not supposed to be) gives an intense performance of a man with demons of his own while constantly being confronted by the demons of everyone in the world around him. Still there's some feeling of connectedness in realizing that everyone around us is as damaged as we are. Misery loves company.  He finds connection in the least likely of people and though there's certainly not a triumphant feel good moment in the film, the grit of it makes the analytical documentary style interview moments interspersed in the film feel all the more real and authentic. I'll also note that while the film sticks to crisp dialogue, the one song used in the film is "Empty" by Ray LaMontagne which feels like it was made for this film. (see it in the alternate trailer after the jump)

The film is available in limited release in theaters in select cities. In San Diego, the film opened on March 30 at the Reading Cinemas Gaslamp 15 and is also available through video on demand.

Things To Do In San Diego: March 29-30, 2012

I usually have some thoughts to share, but this week has been so up and down that I will just get to the listings. Tonight SoundDiego Live is at the Griffin, White Rabbits are back in town for a sold out show, and my dear friends Rademacher from Fresno are playing at Bar Pink. I guess I'll be working on weekend listings later today and will post those later. Thursday and Friday archives are after the jump.

Things To Do In San Diego: March 29, 2012

I usually have some thoughts to share, but this week has been so up and down that I will just get to the listings. Tonight SoundDiego Live is at the Griffin, White Rabbits are back in town for a sold out show, and my dear friends Rademacher from Fresno are playing at Bar Pink. I guess I'll be working on weekend listings later today and will post those later. Happy Thursday.

The Propagandist Declares #DowntownSucks

 Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of visiting The Propagandist. The bar is downtown, a couple doors away from Analog and is attempting to bring something different to the area in a broad concept they're calling "A Town Hall". Run by Brian Divine and his wife, Jessica, the basement bar hopes to be something fresh in the area. Of course, a lot of spots open with a "no douchebag" goal and sooner or later, the bar is overrun anyway, but The Propagandist appears to be faithful to that spirit with goals of hosting live music and local art and being available as a community  resource, whether that means being a meeting space, a place to network among like-minded people, or just a refuge from the typical downtown scene.

The bar has been operational since Halloween of 2011, but they wanted to get everything in order before an official grand opening. They hired Audio Design to essentially match the soundsystem at the Casbah and in February they hosted a live show to test run the sound.

The bar is long and open, with a DJ booth on the right wall and five large booths along its side. On the left wall is the simple bar, with a craft cocktail menu of tasty muddled fruit and elixirs, though they also have PBRs and other beers and wells starting at $6. The floorspace is filled with movable salvaged church pews and tables made from reused lumber.

Brian invited several people down to check out the digs, so while I was there, it was nice to hang with Mario Escovedo, Tim Pyles, and Mike Halloran. Brian gave us a tour of the full space and I've got to say, that green room is gonna be the site of some good band shenanigans.

This Saturday, you can celebrate the official Grand Opening of the Propagandist. The Donkeys are performing and you can check out the new spot for yourself. More photos after the jump.

San Diego Media News

Some media news I thought I'd share:

According to Radio Insights, Radio Sophie might be in the midst of flipping formats. According to the article, "(CBS radio) has applied for a call letter change to KEGY for the station. Additionally, a protected website at Energy1037.cbslocal.com and a blank Twitter account @Energy1037SD are in place." The article suggests that the "Energy" moniker implies a CHR format (contemporary hit radio in radio speak) that would make Z90 and Channel 933 its direct competitors.

San Diego's favorite Anchorman will return with a sequel.


and since it happened while I was in Texas, I never posted about Chris Cantore's new position at the Union-Tribune. He's the director of Entertainment and Lifestyle for the UT, which has him overseeing Night & Day, Style + Society and DiscoverSD and plans to launch U-T TV.

Butterfly Jungle at San Diego Zoo Safari Park: March 24-April 15

I created this blog post before Texas and I thought I set it to post before the Butterfly Jungle actually opened, but alas, I did not. So, below is the press release for the Butterfly Jungle at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido. Last year we took my nieces and it was a great opportunity for them to learn about butterflies and being gentle with the creatures. If you have a zoo pass, it is worth the trip to the Safari Park. The butterflies tend to be drawn to sweet fragrances (lotions, perfumes, shampoos and conditioners) as well as bright colored clothing.
Butterfly Jungle at San Diego Zoo Safari Park:
Be Charmed by Fragile Winged Wonders

What: Once a year, guests at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are enchanted and spellbound as thousands of butterflies flitter around them in a walk-through aviary. Some may even land on guests' shoulders and heads!



When: March 24 to April 15, 2012.

Who: The 30 species of butterflies highlighted this year hail from Africa, Asia and Central and South America and include the zebra longwing, orange-barred tiger and Grecian shoemaker. Old favorites such as the monarch, giant swallowtail and blue morpho also will be charming guests.Not far from Butterfly Jungle, guests can check out more winged creatures at the Safari Park's new bat exhibit: a cloud of 13 Rodrigues fruit bats.



Extras: Special activities are scheduled throughout the Park during Butterfly Jungle. There will be butterfly-themed foods, such as cupcakes, and a pre-show at the daily Cheetah Run!

Cost: Butterfly Jungle is included with admission to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

SXSW Experience: Italian Japanese

Though Italian Japanese had a short stay in Austin, I ran into the band on Thursday night at the Velveeta Room, where The Silent Comedy played a 1:30 am set. After the show, they were all kind enough to give me a ride back to the house where I was staying, saving me cab money and who knows how much  time just trying to catch one. This is the post SXSW survey as answered by the band's manager.

How long were you in Austin?
Wednesday March 14th through Thursday March 15th.

Did you drive or fly? Any travel stories you'd like to share?
We've been on tour for two weeks, and SXSW was part of the tour.

We randomly ran into Transfer and The Silent Comedy after playing the City Tavern in Dallas, and closed the bar down. Transfer was playing a show a couple blocks away the same night, and The Silent Comedy came out to support. Afterwards they headed to the venue we were playing out to have drinks. We ended up having a blast with our San Diego crew.

Did you play? If so, when and where?
Yes, we played four showcases. Wednesday night we played The Thirsty Nickel at 9:30pm. Thursday we played Cheer Up Charlie's at 3:30pm, Blind Pig at 7pm, and Wahoo's at 11pm.

How were your crowds? The venues?
Wahoo's was a huge surprise for us. Ended up being the most energetic crowd. The Thirsty Nickel and Blind Pig were great. Cheer Up Charlie's had an awesome main stage with amazing sound.

Any memorable or standout moments from your own shows?
Yes, for our Thirsty Nickel show, our friends from the Chain Gang of 1974 came out. For Cheer Up Charlie's it was awesome playing with Saint Motel, Dirty Beaches, and our friends from Mrs. Magician. The Cuckoo Chaos boys came to support us as well.

Did you catch any parties or showcases of note?
We caught our friends Cults at the Carson Daly Last Call showcase, which was sweet.
Writer at Shangri-la was awesome.
The Silent Comedy at The Velveeta Room was off the hook!
Saint Motel, The Chain Gang of 1974, & Paper Route were also an amazing line-up at Peckerheads.
We also caught Snoop Dogg at the Doritos Party.

Will you go back as a band or fan in 2013?
BOTH! Definitely.

Any wrapup thoughts, lessons learned, crazy moments, cool tales to share?
Pack light. Don't speed. Eat your fruits & vegetables. Bring a dolly. Don't forget to sleep... Coffee coffee coffee.

Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay 2012 Calendar Announced

Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay released their 2012 calendar over the weekend.
Tickets for all shows go on sale March 31 at 10 am (except for the ones that were already on sale, in italics), and Ticketmaster fees are waived for tickets purchased at the Humphrey's Box Office, with just a $3 per ticket service charge.
There is a 12 ticket per show/10 show limit on March 31. (Is that supposed to stop scalping?)
Below is the full schedule. Tickets prices vary by show, but range from $28 (James Morrison)-$138 (Ringo Starr). For all show times, specific ticket pricing, and hotel packages, click here.

Mon, Apr 16	Elvis Costello & The Imposters   - The Revolver Tour
Tue, Apr 17	Madness
Sun, Apr 22	Craig Ferguson
Sat, May 05	James Morrison - The Awakening Tour  with special guest honeyhoney
Sat, May 12	Devo
Sun, May 13	Rufus Wainwright  with special guest Krystle Warren
Sun, May 27	Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas
Fri, Jun 01	Chris Botti
Fri, Jun 15	Indigo Girls (with full band)  with special guest The Shadowboxers
Wed, Jun 20	k.d. lang
Sun, Jun 24	The Queen Extravaganza
Mon, Jun 25	The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue 2012  featuring Boz Scaggs, Michael McDonald & Donald Fagen
Mon, Jul 02	Lyle Lovett
Wed, Jul 11	Happy Together Tour 2012  The Turtles, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Grass Roots, Micky Dolenz, The Buckinghams
Fri, Jul 13	Lisa Lampanelli
Fri, Jul 20	Ringo Starr & his All Starr Band  8-ticket limit enforced on first day of ticket sales only.
Sun, Jul 22	An Evening with Yanni Under the Stars
Thu, Jul 26	Sheryl Crow  with special guest honeyhoney
Fri, Jul 27	Sheryl Crow  8-ticket limit enforced on first day of ticket sales only.
Sun, Jul 29	Earth, Wind & Fire
Wed, Aug 01	Los Lonely Boys  with special guest North Mississippi Allstars Duo
Thu, Aug 02	Chris Isaak
Mon, Aug 06	Seal  with special guest Macy Gray
Thu, Aug 09	Buddy Guy  /  Jonny Lang
Fri, Aug 10	Gipsy Kings
Sun, Aug 12	America
Tue, Aug 14	Colbie Caillat  /  Gavin DeGraw
Thu, Aug 16	Joan Rivers
Fri, Aug 17	The Fab Four - The Ultimate Tribute
Sat, Aug 18	Yes  /  Procol Harum
Tue, Aug 21	Esperanza Spalding
Thu, Aug 23	Steve Martin  /  performing with The Steep Canyon Rangers  An Evening of Bluegrass and Banjo
Fri, Aug 24	Air Supply  with special guest John Waite
Thu, Sep 06	Pink Martini
Fri, Sep 07	Jewel (solo acoustic)
Mon, Sep 10	Olivia Newton-John
Tue, Sep 11	Chicago
Thu, Sep 13	Doobie Brothers
Sat, Sep 15	Tower of Power  /  Average White Band
Tue, Sep 18	Roger Hodgson: The Legendary Voice of Supertramp
Sun, Sep 23	Tony Bennett
Tue, Sep 25	Bonnie Raitt
Fri, Sep 28	Bill Maher
Sat, Sep 29	Crosby, Stills & Nash
Fri, Oct 05	Basia

Things To Do In San Diego: March 27-28, 2012

I didn't expect to still be awake at 6am, but I got on a roll as I read through email and 400+ later, I'm down to zero unread...until today's start pouring in, of course. There were some show updates...The Color of Glass was added to tonight's Soda Bar show and I added The Used's in-store on Wednesday. I've still got some videos and photos to share and plenty of starred emails that I will need to reply to, but I think my mental exhaustion means it is time to sleep. Tuesday and Wednesday archives are after the jump.

Ultra Music Festival: MDNA endorses MDMA?

Just as the craziness of South By Southwest was coming to an end, a whole other music phenomenon kicked off in Florida. Ultra Music Festival, one of the world's largest electronic music festivals took place at the end of Miami Music Week. Apparently the headlines for the weekend were mostly hijacked by a squabble between deadmau6 and Madonna. Click the jump for more.

SXSW Saturday: Final Day in Austin

A week has passed since my return from South By Southwest and I feel like I still have so much to talk about, but then last week I saw this snarky post on Facebook that said something like, "Has anything ever happened at SXSW in twenty years that anyone who wasn't there actually cared about?"  Well, Sir, probably not,  but if you think about it in those terms, why bother chronicling anything ever? Why even have a Facebook account if what happens to other people is so boring and inconsequential to your life? I'm not trying to save the world here, just living my little life and writing about it. So here goes. After the jump...

SXSW Experience: Cuckoo Chaos

Last week, I posted a link to Jackson Milgaten's blog recap of his SXSW experience, but he also took some road time to answer my little recap questions. It is unfortunate that I didn't bump into these guys the entire time I was in Texas, but they were certainly busy and quite the buzzed about band, not just at SXSW but among bloggers in general who are catching on to the sounds that we've watched grow and morph throughout their musical careers here in San Diego. Check out a few videos from their set at the Virgin Mobile house at the end of the post. Jackson also wanted me to share this link from BreakThruRadio, featuring a podcast highlighting music from San Diego.  

How long were you in Austin (from when to when)? Did you drive or fly? Any travel stories you'd like to share?
We (Cuckoo Chaos) got into Austin on Tuesday night and left Sunday afternoon. We drove out there and played a few shows on the way down with our friends Treasure Mammal who are from Phoenix. The shows were a lot of fun and served as a great warm up for south by.

Did you play? If so, when and where? How were your crowds? The venues?
We had 12 shows scheduled that completely ran the gamut ranging from an official showcase, to corporate parties, house shows, BBQs, and small clubs. Most of them were great and a couple were kind of weird (we played at the 508 house to the sound and video crew while there was a line of people that wrapped around the venue who weren't being allowed entrance for some unknown reason), but overall we had a blast. 4 of the shows were cancelled and we ended up picking one making for a grand total of 9.

Any memorable or standout moments from your own shows?
My favorite was probably the last one we played which was at a house a few blocks north of downtown. We stole a bottle of vodka from an earlier show we played that day and passed it around the party during our set. Scott stood in the middle of the audience facing the rest of the band. We really let loose at that one.

Did you catch any parties or showcases of note?
We saw/played with some great acts. Of note were Deerhoof (San Francisco),Zulu Winter (London), Thee Oh Sees (San Francisco), Kindness (London), and 100 Flowers (Austin). There were a lot more we wanted to see but we were so busy it just didn't work out.

Will you go back as a band or fan in 2013?
I'm sure we will go back again next year if our schedule permits. It's so much fun to be in the madness of it all and to be able to see our friends from all over the globe. I would highly recommend it to any lover of live music.

Things To Do In San Diego: March 26, 2012

I have to admit, I had a much lazier weekend than expected. I went kinda big on Friday night so Saturday was pretty lazy. Somehow I messed up my computer and half the keyboard doesn't work so now I'm using a USB-keyboard. If anyone has any idea how to fix laptops, please let me know. Anyway, that impeded my blogging over the weekend and while I really did intend to hit the Casbah on Saturday and Sunday, after watching a screening of Detachment, a hang with some old friends that turned into game night was medicine for the soul. It ended up rolling into a heavy movie weekend as the rainy weather kept me home watching Young Adult, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and Country Strong (it was on cable). So yeah, I missed some shows this weekend but I guess SXSW finally caught up with me and I needed some home time. This week has some big shows  to look forward to. Monday archives are after the jump.

R.I.P. Kevin Lau

Over the weekend, musician Kevin Lau passed away while on vacation in New York. Kevin was the bassist of local acts like UV Tigers and Plastic Explosive. He was 32. According to his latest Facebook updates, Kevin was on a cross country trip that was headed to New Orleans, but a change of plans took him to the Bronx where he was amongst friends. On March 20th, Kevin posted, "I'm on a road trip circling the US. Thanks to Jon Ziemba for getting me out of a pinch in Grand Junction. Colorado was breathtaking. I'm heading to Chicago right now. Then New Orleans, Alabama and Pensacola to see some dear friends . I may be heading through Savannah to NYC to visit my best friends of all time. Wish me luck and let's hang out!" On March 21, "Thought I was headed south but plans changed. It was on my list of things this year and I'm excited to see Mike. Any NYC friends but me up I'm jonezing for some rock n roll," and by that night, he had declared,"NYC is insane!!! I dig it!"

Sadly, by Saturday, his mother had posted, "My son Kevin passed away today in a city he had never been to. He is in the Bronx in New York. I have to get him home," with friends and family quickly posting memories and tributes on his facebook wall.  I have been told that Kevin passed away in his sleep and a cause of death is as yet unknown. A local San Diego gathering will take place on Wednesday, March 28th at Downtown Johnny Brown's for friends who would like to get together in his memory. Kevin will be laid to rest in Moab, Utah.

Update: Kevin's services will be on Friday March 30, the viewing will be at 11 AM the service will be at 1 PM.
It will be in Moab Utah at Spanish Valley mortuary the address is 386 N. 100 S., Moab, UT

Radiohead @ Jobbing.com Arena- Glendale, AZ- 03.15.12

On the last stop of the first leg of their North American tour, Radiohead swung through Glendale and put on an epic show.  While focusing mainly on new material, they touched on their entire catalog for a sold-out crowd.  I may have been stuck at the far end of the arena, but at a Radiohead show, it really doesn't matter how far back you are.  Eighth wonder of the world.

Apologies for the shakiness of the video- my hand is trained more for still shots than filming.

The Daily Mail:

Lucky:



Reckoner:



Paranoid Android:

SXSW Delirium: The Silent Comedy

One of the reasons I love going to SXSW is the band van experience. I was a high school and college athlete and it was the road trips that always made the experiences so rich. Not being a musician, there aren't a whole lot of opportunities to get that behind the curtain feeling. I had a great time with The Heavy Guilt, but I dunno if we hit it quite like The Silent Comedy. (Incidentally, Josh's hoodie was free street swag at SXSW. Talk about a score!)


The Silent Comedy - Everyday I'm Hustlin' from Kevin Joelson on Vimeo.

Up All Night Explains Dubstep

SD@140bpm recommends......

Tonight, Friday, March 23, at Winstons in Ocean Beach is going to go off with the sounds of Marty Party.  Marty Party is gaining strength in the EDM scene and has toured with acts like Glitch Mob, Bassnectar, Skrillex and more.  Marty Party also plays with Ooah of Glitch Mob in his side project PANTy RAiD, and with Minnesota in his side project Deathstar.  Marty Party has an original style that crosses dubstep, hip hop, and big bass bangers.  Every show is original and Marty Party calls his shows "Purple Opera"- that is a seamless voyage through an original music collection taking the audience on a roller coaster ride of dance and emotion that hit the audience with intense bass, huge beats and emotional melodies. His music is frequently featured in iTunes, Addictech and Beatport charts and the live performance will have everyone in the crowd going nuts, make sure to be here tonight!

SXSW Experience: The Silent Comedy

It was nearly impossible to go to SXSW and not see The Silent Comedy ruling the streets of Austin and hear people buzzing about their amazing performances. I was lucky enough to bump into drummer Chad Lee after leaving A Scribe Amidst The Lions. He and I had a beer at Bayou and he had a broken All Access wristband from their earlier set at Stubb's. The bartender at Bayou found us some tape and we met up with the rest of The Silent Comedy and Chad ran distraction as we walked into Stubb's and the security guard inspected my wristband, skipping both lines into the venue going in each direction. We saw Saint Motel perform, the guys from Transfer showed up, and eventually we all went to The Silent Comedy's late night set at the Velveeta Room. On Saturday, I just missed the band's set at the Mohawk, but we had fun in the VIP area for a couple hours as I enjoyed what would be my last Lone Star's of my trip. Later, the guys came to the University of Texas where I was with The Heavy Guilt who busked the line waiting to get in. I was invited to join them back on 6th after the show, but it was late and I had to catch the final bus home before setting off the next morning.  



 How long were you in Austin (from when to when)?
We were in Austin from Tuesday the 13th to Sunday the 18th.

Did you drive or fly? Any travel stories you'd like to share?

We drove the entire way with several shows in Arizona and Texas on the way out, and Las Vegas on the way back. The drive got pretty treacherous when a semi-truck carrying pallets in front of us started to lose its cargo. Pallets smashed on the road in front of us, making it necessary to swerve and dodge to avoid popping our tires. We also hit ice, snow, and sand. Fortunately, we were safe through it all, and made it out alive.

Did you play? If so, when and where?
We did play. Too many places to mention them all, but some definite highlights were Stubb's and Mohawk. Our management party at Stubb's had us playing with some amazing bands like Lucero and Alabama Shakes. The MOG party at Mohawk was another highlight with The Roots and Blitzen Trapper. Both were tons of fun!

How were your crowds? The venues?
Every show art SXSW is so unique, which is half the fun. The crowds were great whether they were large or small, and the venues each had their own special charm.

Any memorable or standout moments from your own shows?
The MOG party at Mohawk had to be our favorite. We showed up early to load in and there was a line of 300 people before doors even opened. It stayed that way for most of the day. Our set was a blast, and got super rowdy. After that, we got to hang out and watch Gary Clark Jr., Bob Mould, Blitzen Trapper, and The Roots while sipping cold Lone Star. Pretty good day overall.

Did you catch any parties or showcases of note?
The Warner Bros. party was a ton of fun! We also went to the Mumford and Sons documentary screening, and saw them and Edward Sharpe play. Mostly we were working, rather than having a good time, so we didn't get to too many parties.

Will you go back as a band or fan in 2013?
Next year we will probably be back as a band if we aren't on tour already.

Any wrapup thoughts, lessons learned, crazy moments, cool tales to share?
Probably our best moment was shooting whiskey with an older southern gentleman from Country Music Television at the Warner Bros. party. He had the coolest stories, and drank all of us youngsters under the table.

This is a playlist of some of their set at Velveeta.