Just on the other side of the Anza Borrego, about three hours from San Diego, lies the Salton Sea, a manmade saline lake that was created from Colorado River floodwater back in the good old aqueous days when the Colorado actually flooded. It's basically a giant puddle that's been sitting in the middle of the desert for more than 100 years, slowly cooking into a stagnant vat of sour rot.

Not only is it home to one of the highest concentrated tilapia populations on the planet, whose oxygen-starved carcasses wash ashore in post-apocalyptic proportions, its coastline is littered with townies tackier than your tackiest dreams. A Christian nudist. A Hungarian expositionist (who's actually the mayor). Seniors nesting on the brink of senility. They spend their days hiding from the 120-degree heat in their rusted trailers, eating sashimi made from aforementioned tilapia, loving life as though they were living in Eden on earth.

Director Chris Metzler found the mess to be such a beautiful one that it inspired him to film "Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea," which depicts the place as a Salvador Dali painting come to life. Or a living, breathing John Waters film. The latter's actually quite fitting, as the "pope of trash" himself narrates.

The film screens tonight at MoPA, followed by a Q&A with Metzler. We happened to get to him first:

Sum up the Salton Sea in three sentences.

In the middle of a harsh desert valley in California's southeast corner, lies a glimmering blue jewel, the Salton Sea. Along its desolate shores stand boarded-up motels, dusty rural towns, half-flooded vacation homes and miles of sun-crisped fish carcasses. Amid this surreal and apocalyptic landscape survives a most unusual and unexpected group of eccentrics, who have carved out their own slice of paradise on the shores of this ecological disaster.

What's so funny about "America's worst ecological disaster"?

Forty-ounce beers, beautiful sunsets, flooded towns, palm trees, bombing ranges, amputees, meth addicts, swinging seniors, naked Christians, mooning Hungarians and a bunch of dead sh*t. How can you not find humor in such a weird, contradictory place? You've just got to laugh to survive and that's what the people of the Salton Sea do. It's a wacky world of rotting resorts, where a beer-swilling Hungarian Revolutionary, a geriatric nudist and a religious zealot building a monument to God all find solace and community.

Continue reading "TONIGHT AT MOPA: Stinky pleasures at the Salton Sea" »

by Derrik Chinn at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

An Australian television network has made the whole eco-footprint calculator fad a little more meaningful (and morbid) for kids. Prof. Schpinkee's Greenhouse Calculator, by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, allows you to compare your consumption to the average Australian, and at the end it tells you how long you can live without using up your individual share of the planet's limited resources.

There are other hoity-toity, "more scientific" footprint calculators out there, such as UC Berkeley's, The Nature Conservatory's or WWF's. But none of them compares you to a greedy, consumption machine like a pig as Prof. Schpinkee does.

The title screen (pictured), used to say "Find out when you should die," instead of "Are you a carbon hog?" Apparently some fuddy-duddy wet blankets complained that telling kids they should die by age 10 wasn't exactly constructive.

Most people have smelled the ozone and realize conserving Earth's limited resources is important for our future. Maybe an exploding pig is exactly what we need to finally take proactive measures in our daily lives. While at the site, check out ABC's other environmental games like "Planet Slayer," and "This is Your Lifestyle: See how much you suck," which judges your suckitude by asking questions about your lifestyle choices.

My eco-footprint? Let's just say I'm already a good 10 years past Prof. Schpinkee's suggested death date.

by Tovin Lapan at 02:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Even if both of my parents had not been born and raised in Budapest, I would still happily sing the praises of Muzsikas, which performs here tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the intimate Balboa Park Recital Hall.

Long hailed as Hungary's top traditional music group, Muzsikas might best be compared to Ireland's The Chieftains, albeit with a key difference. Both have been justly hailed for popularizing around the world the music of their respective homelands, and each performs with wit, vigor and a deep reverence for the artistic traditions that came before them.

But the longevity and success of Muzsikas, which was formed in 1973, is doubly impressive. That's because this four-man band managed to thrive both before and after the downfall of the Communist regime that oppressed the Hungarian people and their culture until the regime's long overdue demise in 1990.

Remarkably vibrant, Muzsikas excels whether performing solemn ballads and zesty wedding dances or exploring the links between the earthy peasant folk songs of its homeland and the luminous, folk-inspired work of Béla Bartók, Hungary's greatest classical composer.

Continue reading "LET'S DANCE: Top Hungarian folk group here Saturday" »

by George Varga at 01:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Casbah 20th anniversary celebration that's taking over the entire month of January has just announced more local shows.

And they're big. Really big. Louis XIV big.

The local glam-rockers will be playing a two-night set. The first is on Jan. 21 with The Silent Comedy (pictured). The second show is on Jan. 22 with Apes of Wrath.

* Keep in mind that these shows are right after the Three Mile Pilot reunion, so plan accordingly.

The Album Leaf is also joining the party. The band plays on Jan. 17 with Ilya.

And for any of you old enough to remember Honey Glaze, Garry Shuffler's band will be reuniting on Jan. 15 with Charo.

Tickets for all shows, including Lucy's Fur Coat, 3MP, The Dragons and all the national acts, go on sale at noon Saturday.

To see the full schedule and buy tickets, go to the Casbah site.

by Nina Garin at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Remember when you were a kid and your parents told you to stop playing with your vegetables? Well, what if they had told you to PLAY your vegetables?

That, apparently, is what happened with this enterprising guy, who has made a trumpet out of a cucumber, a carrot and a bell pepper. Our guess is he was inspired by The First Vienna Vegetable Orchestra (Das erste Wiener Gemüseorchester in German), whose 12 members all perform on various vegetables, from leek violins and carrot flutes to -- yes! -- turnip bongos and eggplant slappers.

Unlike our cucumber trumpet-playing friend, however, the members of The First Vienna Vegetable Orchestra use 90 pounds of freshly selected vegetables for each performance -- then, at concert's end, boil all of their "instruments" to make a giant soup for their audience members to consume. ("Dude, the concert sucked, but the soup was killer!")

You can find out more about the Vegetable Orchestra right here. Meanwhile, if anyone can come up with a sound musical purpose for -- ugh! -- those dreaded green peas or creamed spinach, please let us know.

But if you're a fruit lover, don't feel neglected. At least one fruit, the South American guira, has long been used as a key percussion instrument.

Speaking of which, if you want to know how to make a melon drum or a cauliflower conch, the recipes are at your disposal. So download a copy of Frank Zappa's "Call Any Vegetable," and get ready to rock out in your kitchen.

by George Varga at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Magic of Mighty Leaf Tea (2008)
aka "Full Kettle Jacket" (working title)

Directors:
Husband-and-wife team Gary Shinner and Jill Portman (Mighty Leaf Tea's owners)

Writer (WGA):
Keli Dailey (Written by)

Release Date:
21 November 2008 (USA) more

Genre:
Beverage drama

Tagline:
When's the last time you had killer herbal brew? Well, that's oolong.

Plot Summary:
Keli, a writer in San Diego, sets off on a journey of spicy indulgence after a newspaper's dining reporter kicks down some free schwag. At first Keli's all blah about the Mighty Leaf Tea sampler, and her coworker makes some quip about its velvetish red-and-black box looking ancient and Chinese and perfect for keeping your opium junk in. But Keli soon discovers the magic of the Mighty Leaf Tea (and the cost: $85 for a sampler!). The box's compartments seems innocently stacked with aromatic treats: nine varieties of fancy green, black and herbal teas in handcrafted, silken pouches. But when she brews a cup of the Bombai Chai, she's literally transported to an Indian street market ... where she does all of her spice shopping. For real cheap.

Plot Keywords:
Tea | Asian Beverages | Journalism Freebies | Teleporting to India |

by Keli Dailey at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In which we nudge you from your laptop and into the night ...

- Free food for your boombox (i.e. free CD, duh) at Boombox Thursday (info)
- You like Van Gogh? Tulips? Dutch dance music? (info)
- Eleven years after their release, "Molly" and "Plowed" are still their biggest hits (info)
- How can you resist a band called Wet Hair? (info)

MORE: TONIGHT; WEEKEND

by Jennifer Croshaw at 04:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Now two episodes into the fifth season of Top Chef, three people have already been eliminated and it's starting to become more clear which of the kitchen contestants have the best shot at winning the grand prize.

I was rooting for Jill (pictured) simply because she is from my hometown of Baltimore, but she was rightfully eliminated last night after a stupid mistake. Even though it seems like you could avoid a lot of common Top Chef gaffes simply by watching previous seasons, new contestants make the same errors each season. Jill was the first this year, foolishly becoming enamored with an ingredient (ostrich egg) that she had never worked with before. Jill assumed she'd get points for using an uncommon, exotic ingredient, but the judges hated her quiche that tasted "like glue."

As for local boy Richard Sweeney, he has been in the middle of the pack the last two weeks, neither receiving special recognition nor scorn. For the first time he showed some gamesmanship, admitting in an interview that he didn't tell Ariane her dish was too sweet because "this is a competition."

I liked the idea of bringing in chefs who had been rejected for the show to judge the elimination challenge, which lent some nice, tasty sour grapes to the episode. They actually ended up being surprisingly fair, and agreeing with the regular judges on all of the dishes.

Every week from now on I'll give my favorites to win it all, and the most likely to be eliminated next.

Top Three:
Stefan - Sure the Finn is kind of snooty and annoying, but he has won two challenges
Fabio - Won last night's elimination challenge and hasn't made a bad dish yet
Gene - No wins yet, but has been consistently solid.

Bottom Three:
Ariane - Seems to be constantly facing elimination. Padma actually spit out her overly sweet lemon merengue last night. It's a matter of time before she goes home.
Hosea - Hasn't been truly bad, but was on the chopping block last night. He managed to mess up something simple that he had done before, a big no-no.
Leah - Honestly, I can't remember anything she has done so far, which can't be a good sign.

by Tovin Lapan at 03:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

San Diego's Ilan Rubin has two recent events to celebrate -- the Nov. 18 release of his new, one-man-band solo album, Coup, and the fact that he will soon become the new drummer in top industrial-rock band Nine Inch Nails (NIN).

Rubin, 20, was most recently the drummer in the Welsh rock band Lostprophets, which NIN leader Trent Reznor heard Rubin perform with two years ago at several rock festivals in England. Also a classically trained pianist, the young drum phenom will officially join NIN early next year, after the band concludes its ongoing North American tour next month with current drummer Josh Freese.

"With great pride and excitement I announce the addition of Ilan Rubin to the lineup beginning next year," Reznor announced last week on NIN's Web site. "We recently invited him out to rehearse with us and he blew us away ... the perfect guy to pick up the sticks after Josh leaves us at the end of the year."

Rubin is no stranger to San Diego music fans. He got his start, at age 9, as the drummer in F.o.N. (short for Freak of Nature), a local punk-pop band that also featured his older brothers Aaron and Danny on guitar and bass, respectively. The budding drum dynamo was only 11 when F.o.N. performed on the Emerging Artists Stage at the Woodstock '99 festival in New York.

Songs from Ilan Rubin's new solo album, which he recorded under the name The New Regime, can be heard on his MySpace page. He will be interviewed at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 8 on Fill in the Blank, my weekly, one-hour live music interview show on SignOnRadio.com. Listeners can phone in their questions for him at: (866) 818-6384.

by George Varga at 02:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

"Aurora borealis-avant-indiepop" out of the one and only Wasilla, Alaska (surprise! There's more to that town than Sarah Palin and moose burgers!) by Portugal the Man (Derrik and Marc's apologies for referring to the band over and over again as Portugal AND the Man) at SOMA, a public screening of "Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea" (an ode to SoCal's very own living, breathing John Waters film) at MoPA, and Walk the Walk's Sight & Sound. Press play for further instructions.

by Derrik Chinn at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Although the exact time of death is uncertain, punk has indeed passed away. Lost among a barrage of screaming, money-grubbing, fashion-conscious posers, the non-conformist ideals of what was originally the punk scene have been exploited beyond recognition. It's hard to find a decent circle pit at a show anymore, let alone find a crowd that's willing to jump barricades to get to the floor. Today's punks simply lack the courage to stand up for anything, even if they are standing for nothing at all.

For San Diego and the few Fiends left, a heavy dosing of the Misfits was just what the doctor ordered. The Misfits have been a punk rock institution spanning a career of 31 years and directly influencing artists such as AFI and Metallica. And despite the amount of years under Tte Misfits' belt, last night's show was easily more aggressive than many of the live shows from groups half their age.

Longtime front man Jerry Only is still a fierce performer behind the microphone, earning every last rubber spike protruding from his outfit. It's easy to tell that Only has spent a great deal of time on stage. With an energy that picks up every corner of the audience, Only has the uncanny ability to find the one person in each song that seems to be the most excited, and direct his performance specifically to that person.

The Misfits still have their original drummer, Robo, on the kit and have some time ago picked up Dez Cadena, formerly of Black Flag on guitar. With every Misfits show, these two have to put up with an absolutely grueling set. An hour and a half of fast tempos and relentless rhythms is an accomplishment for any musician; to be playing shows of this caliber for so long is truly impressive. During the encore, Cadena dedicated the Black Flag classic, Rise Above to his wife, who was celebrating her birthday (romantic?).

Continue reading "I REMEMBER HALLOWEEN: Misfits make madhouse of HOB" »

by Patrick Meissner at 09:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Billy Shaddox is a San Diego renaissance man, a modern day Leonardo da Vinci. When the civil engineer isn't working on the Lake Hodges foot bridge -- the longest stress-ribbon bridge in the world -- he most likely is writing music, painting, wood carving or participating in the most revered San Diego pastime, brewing beer. Music is his first love, though, as he was raised in a musical family. His band, Billy Midnight, recently won an SDMA for best Americana or Country Album for its 2008 release "Don't Get Your Hopes Up."

Billy Midnight performs tonight at the Casbah.

Name: Billy Shaddox

Age: 31

Explain what you do.

I get an idea, I take it and I put it into music. Something comes to me, whether it's about politics, the environment or a comical idea. If it sticks in my head for awhile, I know it's something I need to put into music. I sit with idea and try and find its sonic characteristics. Then I get with the band and everyone pitches in to make it a whole sound.

Where did the name Midnight come from?

When we started the band (in 1999) we were looking for a medicine show feel, an old rock 'n' roll feel. My brother Bobby, the drummer, he came up with the name. Midnight implies a lot of things. That's usually around the time things start getting wacky at our shows. As it gets later, we start pushing the envelope. For example, at our show at the Ould Sod last week, my brother started singing in Spanish. Then we slid into a reggae version of "Ghostbusters" and finished by instigating a make-out contest.

Assess the San Diego music scene.

San Diego has changed a lot. I started playing in a band when I was 15 or 16, and then we were kind of coming out of the grunge era. I don't feel like there is a specific San Diego style. We have jazz influences, Mexican, hard rock and metal, and of course, indie rock bands. Whenever I pass through a major city like Los Angeles, I realize that San Diego is an imposter of a big city. It's not a go-getter, cutthroat type city. Our bands are like that, too; they are laid back. We are a product of our habitat.

Continue reading "STREET PEOPLE: Billy Shaddox" »

by Tovin Lapan at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In which we nudge you from your laptop and into the night ...

- Will it be McKey? Samantha? Or Analeigh? Find out on the "America's Next Top Model" finale tonight! (info)
- The House of Blues hosts horror-punk (info)
- Calico and cocktails (info)
- Go size up Soda Bar, formerly Chasers (info)
- Start thinking about your holiday calendar (info)

MORE: TONIGHT; TOMORROW; WEEKEND

by Jennifer Croshaw at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This just in: Celine Dion is not coming to town. No singing for Madame Chanteuse after her recent "recurrent naso-pharyngeal infection." Doctor's orders. You're crushed. We know. Thanksgiving just won't be the same.

by Derrik Chinn at 03:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brothers Michael and Kevin Bacon went down separate paths professionally. Michael, nine years older than Kevin, 50, picked up music at an early age and stuck with it, fashioning a successful production and composing career. Kevin went into acting and became a prolific film star. He dabbled in music growing up and even played percussion for Michael's band at one point. In 1997, with both brothers well established in their "first" careers, Kevin and Michael decided to form a band after a limited but successful tour on the East Coast. The Bacon Brothers was born.

"We were both doing a lot of song writing but not playing together on the stage," Michael said about the origins of the band in a recent talk with Street. "A friend of Kevin's asked us to play a club in Philly, and it went better than Kevin expected it to go. ... Then we got a call from a guy in Florida offering to finance an album."

Six albums and 11 years later they are still making music. The Philadelphia-born brothers are quick to point out that this not a case of one musically talented sibling carrying the other. Both of them write lyrics, compose and sing for the bluesy rock band.

"It's an ongoing struggle -- no doubt about it," Kevin said. "People are very resistant to the idea of an actor playing in a band, and I knew that would be part of the deal. I have the same reaction myself when I hear about actors being in a band."

The Bacon Brothers play Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Belly Up Tavern.

Click play below to hear tracks and more of Street's conversation with the Bacon Brothers.

by Tovin Lapan at 03:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)