Reports from the scene

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Locals Only

Music fans checking out the upcoming Kevin Spacey film, Shrink (it opens on July 24), may see a familiar face. “I have a one-liner, and I dyed my hair fuchsia for the role,” says former-local-turned-Angeleno Anya Marina, who makes a cameo in the film. “I play a makeup artist on this TV show that Kevin Spacey has an appearance on in the movie. And on every movie set or TV show I’ve ever worked on, the makeup artist had piercings or tattoos, so I dyed my hair pink. Then the day of the shoot they told me I wouldn’t be appropriate for the role because the show in the movie is like a Charlie Rose-type show. More conservative. So I wore a hat.” Marina also worked on a new television pilot from Shrink director Jonas Pate called Parental Guidance. Marina says she plays the lead’s “bitchy sister.” If the pilot is picked up, expect to see it in the fall.  

The lineup and guests for North Park Music Thing, scheduled for Aug. 7 through 9, are all but set. The three-day music showcase and conference will include a street festival with bands like The Night Marchers and The Presidents of the United States of America and an opening-night debut performance by The Collapse (featuring members of Louis XIV, Lucy’s Fur Coat and Rocket from the Crypt) at The Casbah. Disclaimer: CityBeat is an event sponsor. www.sandiegomusicfoundation.org.

Instrumental rockers Aspects of Physics will celebrate the release of their new album at a show Thursday, July 9, at Whistle Stop Bar. The album, Marginalized Information Forms 3: Other, is the third in the Marginalized trilogy that began in 2004. “This album is decidedly more rock than their past albums,” says imputor? Records owner Jordan Snodgrass, who has released all three albums. “And with Rob Crow on guitars, it hearkens back to the original Physics days before they became Aspects of Physics.”

 

The Enrique Experience

The State Department travel alert for Mexico got you down? Well, head over to El Uno Bar (3412 University Ave.), North Park’s TJ-est of dives for some tequila-shooting, worm-eating and mustache-foaming fun. Sandwiched between Rossy’s Auto Registration and Melissa’s Mini Market, it’s about the closest you can get to some vintage Avenida Revolución shenanigans—no passport required.

Once you get patted down by the friendly security staff, a hint of urine and pine scent—thanks to car air fresheners dangling from the ceiling—fills the air as the on-again-off-again flicker of mismatched light bulbs reflect on the linoleum floor. A sun-worn “Happy Birthday” sign welcomes you with that characteristic south-of-the-border hospitality, and to keep the party going, CD No. 41 of the Spanish-only jukebox is dedicated exclusively to “Las Mañanitas,” Mexico’s own version of “Happy Birthday,” with thrilling renditions by Topo Gigio, Vicente Fernández—a sort of Frank Sinatra on horseback—and even Cepillín, Aztec land’s very own Bozo the Clown knockoff.

The interior is painted in an orange, white and green striped motif, but with its tostilocos and dubious shrimp cocktails offered at the bar, Vella “delicious red” boxed-wine specials and a clandestine taco cart that rests outside the back door, this place is about as far from an Irish pub as you can get. Ranchero music blares all night during a weekly $10 foosball tournament as a steady stream of Mexican infomercials plays on an analog TV. When stateside, ads for Bumpits hair-volumizing inserts and that noisy guy in the question-mark suit who tells you how to get free money stress me out, but there’s something about an 80-year-old woman balancing herself on a vibrating exercise plate called “Bioshakes” that would put a smile even on the late great Billy Mays’ face.  

“I think I’m getting that one for my wife,” a sauced señor told me, pointing at the screen as I stood up from my bar stool. Right after that, he threw up a storm, a display not seen since the mighty Popocatépetl’s last eruption.

Surprisingly, I exited unscathed. Luck of the Irish, I guess.

 

View from a Stool

Maybe it was that new ice-cream cart in front, but The Casbah was an absolute scene on Monday night for The Strange Boys’ show. Seems like all the local bands that people are either buzzing about or slagging off were in the house.

Nathan Williams from Wavves, donning a Chicago Bulls cap and flannel, was in the house, back from his tumultuous European festival trek, where he did too many drugs and had a meltdown onstage in Barcelona. He seemed in good spirits as he slammed back Pabst tall boys while watching his former Fantastic Magic bandmates in Heavy Hawaii play a short three-song set. It was clear from Hawaii’s opening song why they don’t have a MySpace account or any music posted. Their live show was a dreadful display, sounding like a group of special-education students covering Captain Beefheart.

Kristin Gundred of Grand Ole Party was there, although she remained mum about her band’s status since SignOnSanDiego.com’s Street blog reported that the band was as dead as the political party that shares their name, only to have CityBeat come back a few days later (after talking with the band’s manager) and report that they had not split up. No news is good news, I guess.

The boys of Crocodiles were also back for a three-day break before heading out on tour again. Since last they left, the Crocs have been crowned as leaders of the underground San Diego scene by Rolling Stone and Spin, and even though they shit all over the city in their interview with the latter publication (“If you live there, then you slowly die” is how frontman Brandon Welchez described his hometown), they seemed happy to be back home drinking and basking in the glow of the dozens of lit cigarettes on the smoking patio while the bands played virtually unnoticed inside.

Night Moves

Our semi-regular guide to the after-dark events we’re either crazy about or just really looking forward to.

Grown Folk Shit @ El Dorado: As sceney as the El-D is, we give it mad love for pulling in some major talent. DJ Ikah Love’s Grown Folk night has him spinning alongside a top-notch house band playing soul and funk. This week, L.A. producer and bassist Miles Tackett stops by to sit in with the band. Tackett’s been working the boards at L.A.’s weekly The Root Down funk party for 10 years, so the music should sound especially awesome this night. Root Down has become a hotbed and meeting ground for L.A. talent, and we’re hoping Grown Folk becomes the same. Thursday, July 9.

Bar Pink 2 Year Anniversary: My, do our little neighborhood dives grow up fast. And with True North providing some—er, balance in North Park, we are so very thankful that Bar Pink is around to offer us those tasty $2 Tecates and free live shows. Performing at this one will be San Diego’s The Styletones, whose sound offers a mean horn section and the perfect celebratory soundtrack. Monday, July 13.

A-Trak @ Voyeur: Tuesdays aren’t exactly the hottest night Downtown, but you might as well just take Wednesday off. The first DJ to win all three major DJ competitions, we’ve been jamming to Montreal electro-hopper A-Trak’s mixtape for a week straight, and it’s one of the best in the Fabriclive series. Tuesday, July 14.