Coachella Valley Independent March 2023

Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263

Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208

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Editor/Publisher

Jimmy Boegle

staff writer

Kevin Fitzgerald

coveR and feature design

Dennis Wodzisz

Contributors

Max Cannon, Kevin Carlow, Melissa Daniels, Charles Drabkin, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Clay Jones, Matt Jones, Matt King, Keith Knight, Kay Kudukis, Cat Makino, Brett Newton, Greg Niemann, Dan Perkins, Theresa Sama, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor

The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month. All content is ©2023 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The Independent is available free of charge throughout the Coachella Valley, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $5 by calling (760) 904-4208. The Independent may be distributed only by the Independent’s authorized distributors

The Independent is a proud member and/ or supporter of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, CalMatters, DAP Health, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, and the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

As we approached our deadline on this print edition, I reached out to Matt King to compliment him on the insane range of music he covers in this month’s issue.

Check this out: He did features on a stoner-rock festival (coming to Joshua Tree), the Glenn Miller Orchestra (coming to the Palm Springs Cultural Center), Police drummer Stewart Copeland (coming to Fantasy Springs to perform Police music with a full orchestra) and the Masters of Harmony, a championship a cappella/barbershop ensemble (coming to the McCallum). Then he did Lucky 13 Q&As with Yoyoyoshie, the guitarist for Otoboke Beaver, an all-female Japanese punk group (coming to Pappy and Harriet’s), and local drummer/hip-hop artist Sean McCune.

Go ahead and try to find a more diverse range of music coverage in any newspaper, anywhere. I dare ya!

This wide range of Independent coverage extends beyond the music section. In this month’s edition, we cover events ranging from a Make-A-Wish fundraiser that will turn a local art gallery into a speakeasy for a night, to the two-weekend Desert Open Studios tour. We preview a traveling exhibit, coming to Palm Desert, featuring the works of some of the world’s top street artists; we take a look at the exhibit Modernists: The Influence of Midcentury Modern Design on Photography, on display at UC Riverside-Palm Desert Center.

Our hiking columnist offers tips on enjoying the current abundance of desert wildflowers. We have features on Alvin Taylor, who’s both a legendary drummer and one of the founders of the Section 14 Survivors Group; Sandy White, a badass mother and grandmother who has kept her family together through thick and thin; and Kevin Duncliffe, a semi-retired software engineer who took it upon himself to become a trusted source of Coachella Valley COVID-19 stats throughout the pandemic.

In terms of harder news, we take a look at the Desert Water Agency’s increasingly popular grass-removal program; and for our cover story, we detail plans to build bridges over the important Coachella Valley throughfares that are often closed due to flooding or windstorms … that is, if local governments can get the needed funds to do so.

This is all in addition to our usual food and drink coverage, Robert Victor’s monthly astronomy preview, Greg Niemann’s monthly CV History column—and a whole lot more.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that all of this is being given to you, our dear readers, for free. Whether you pick up the Independent in print, or you read all this (and much more) at CVIndependent.com, we don’t charge anything. Therefore, we ask you to do whatever you can to support our efforts. If you own or run a business, advertise with us (and help your business in the process!). If you have the means, head to CVIndependent.com, and become a financial supporter. If you can’t afford to do that, please frequent our advertisers’ businesses or use their services—and tell a friend about us.

Welcome to the March 2023 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent. As always, thanks for reading!

OPINION HIKING WITH T

We’re hiking into wildflower season, and that leads to a question: Will there be a 2023 super bloom?

I saw some small blooms start to pop up in early- to mid-February, in places ranging from the western Coachella Valley floor (elevation 500-1,200 feet) to nearby hills around 3,600 feet in elevation.

Depending on the combination of rainfall, sun and temperatures, desert wildflowers generally begin blooming around mid-February through March in the lower elevations of the Coachella Valley and the desert floor. A few weeks later, we may see more blooms in the western end of the valley, where the elevation is higher, and temperatures are cooler. Mid-to-

late-April is the peak time to visit places like the Whitewater Preserve and Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, where yucca blooms, hedgehog and beavertail blooms can be found.

According to DesertUSA, spring-blooming periods at elevations of 1,000 to 3,000 feet for yuccas are in March and April; annuals, February through April; cacti, March through May. At elevations of 3,000-5,000 feet, Joshua trees and yuccas may bloom in March and April; annuals, March through May; cacti, April through June.

Then there are super blooms, which usually occur every 10-15 years according to DesertUSA, although 2017 and 2019 proved the phenomenon can happen at any time. However, a 2023 super bloom is already under way in Walker Canyon, near Lake Elsinore, with hillsides of stunning bright orange poppies, the state flower of California, about an 80-minute drive away from the Coachella Valley. However, don’t get in your car just yet: Lake Elsinore and Riverside County have closed Walker Canyon to keep residents safe and the land preserved, after

crowds got out of control in 2019. Another popular area for flourishing, beautiful wildflowers is Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, in Borrego Springs. It’s the largest state park in California, and one of the best places in the world to see breathtaking blooming wildflowers—as early as January, if the conditions are right, according to an article by Ashlyn Davis at SecretLosAngeles. com. Such was indeed the case this January, as purple sand verbena, yellow desert sunflowers, white evening primroses and other beautiful plant species had already blanketed the area.

Will it get even better in March to midApril, which is usually the perfect time to see the blooms? Get the latest updates on wildflower blooms, safety and weather conditions before starting your journey by following the local news or by checking the park’s website. There are endless hiking trails in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, as well as camping options. Additionally, there are about 130 metal-sculpture installations to discover while in Borrego Springs!

A couple friends and I recently took a drive out beyond the east valley to see what wildflowers, if any, we would find. We ended up at the Bajada Nature Trail, near Chiriaco Summit; it is a half-mile, flat, easy and wheelchair-accessible trail (dogs are not allowed) located on the east side of Cottonwood Springs Road, just off Interstate 10 near the southern entrance to Joshua Tree

National Park. After passing by hundreds of blooming brittlebushes along Interstate 10, we came upon a beautiful display of purple desert lupine alongside Cottonwood Springs Road. Then, within the Bajada Nature Trail loop, we saw a great mix of purple desert lupine, Mexican yellow poppies, desert dandelion, brown-eyed primrose, chia, phacelia and purple mat. It was an amazing sight to see.

To conclude our trip, as we were admiring the beautiful bloom, right before our eyes, a desert tortoise came strolling through a field of wildflowers!

All the flora and fauna were identified by my good friend Cathy Romero, a desert naturalist and formerly a docent for the Whitewater Preserve. After we spotted the desert tortoise, she paused for a moment, then exclaimed: “I’ve been here in the desert for more than 24 years, and this is the first time I’ve actually seen a desert tortoise out in the wild!” Romero was a most amazing trail guide for the day—and what an amazing day it was!

Several local events celebrate wildflower season—and the highlight is the annual Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, March 4, at the Civic Center Park in Palm Desert. This is a free and fun event for the whole family that celebrates wellness, recreation, safety and the outdoors, hosted by the city of Palm Desert and Friends of the Desert Mountains. For more information, visit www.DesertMountains.org

Thanks to all the rain, desert wildflowers are in full bloom this year

THE GIRL CLUB

Sandy Armstrong was home with a cold. It was October, and the pretty high school junior, 16 years old, was cuddled up on the couch, twirling her long blonde hair and trying to figure out how to tell her parents she wasn’t going to college.

She was a Vikette on her high school drill team in Downey, Calif.; she was student body president twice in junior high; and she was smart. Her parents were going to be really disappointed.

Sandy’s heart rate increased when she heard her mom’s car in the driveway. After a long day working as a beautician, Mom would be making dinner for the seven of them: Dad, an Archie Bunker type; her twin brothers; her younger brother; and her little sister. It was likely a bad time to

break the news, she concluded.

Mom put her keys on the kitchen counter and studied her daughter for a moment, “Sandy, are you pregnant?” she asked. Well, that was easy, Sandy thought. “Is it Mark’s?” Mom asked. They’d been dating since February. Of course it’s Mark’s. It’s only been Mark.

Sandy’s mom told her something she didn’t see coming: Mom was a 17-year-old unmarried high schooler when Sandy was conceived—so her parents were a lot more understanding than she’d anticipated.

The Downey school system set up a phone to connect Sandy to her classes, which was pretty advanced for 1970. When school let out that year, Sandy went in and took her finals— and in July, she gave birth to her son, Doug. That fall, she was back in school—a senior, like everyone else. Except she was a mom.

She became Mrs. Mark White at 18. They had a daughter, Jody, when she was 21.

who were there,” Sandy says. “He would bring meat from work, and my parents would sit down to dinner with them. It just amazed me that my dad, who was always the way he was,” was expressing such empathy.

AIDS took Don by Easter. He was 32. Addiction has woven an insidious thread throughout Sandy’s life. Dad was a drinker who would disappear for days at a time; there was Don and heroin; her husband, Mark, is an alcoholic, as is Doug, who married his high school sweetheart and is currently 26 years sober. Finally, there’s Jody, who suffers from bipolar disorder. Undetected, sufferers often self-medicate; Jody was no exception. At times, she chose homelessness over giving up her “freedom” to use.

Awarded Best AC Repair Company

“City and state, please” became ingrained in her brain during her four years as a 411 operator before she began rising through the ranks.

“(GTE) was one of those companies that when you got bored of what you were doing, you could move on to something else,” Sandy says. “So I went on to clerical; sat in as a secretary; then I became a residential representative, then business, and then went on to special services.” That’s when she ended up working the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Two years later, Sandy noticed that one of her brothers wasn’t looking so good.

“He had been stationed at Subic Bay in the Philippines,” Sandy says. “When they’d get off the ship, there would be kids standing on the docks selling drugs. He tried heroin, loved it and got addicted.”

But that wasn’t what was making Don sick. “We found out on Thanksgiving he had AIDS.”

Don moved into a hospice her parents found in Long Beach. Many men in similar situations were abandoned by their families—but Don was an Armstrong. Everyone visited, and something very unexpected happened.

“My dad got very friendly with the gay men

When Jody made her a grandma, Sandy took her and her grandson in for eight years. “Jody was in the picture, but we basically raised him,” she says. When his dad got clean, he took his son.

In 1991, Sandy had a brush with the seedy side of Hollywood: She was a juror for nine months on the infamous Cotton Club trial, a sordid tale involving murder and the making of the 1984 Richard Gere movie.

In 2002, Mark had two heart attacks. He knew work stress was killing him, so he retired from Los Angeles County at 50. Sandy had already left GTE and taken a job as a secretary in a psych hospital that Jody, who worked there in transportation, helped her get.

“That was a lot of fun,” Sandy says—and she’s not being facetious.

Jody relapsed and found out while in rehab that she was pregnant with twins. By that time, Sandy and Mark had moved to Indian Wells. After the twins’ birth, Jody chose to live in a woman’s shelter. The twins were eventually taken in by their father’s parents.

Sandy took a job with a corporate-event company. When that company folded, she worked retail at The Living Desert for six years.

Her dad died of brain cancer in 2009. Later, Mom got cancer, and she moved in with Sandy and Mark. Mark’s mom got sick shortly there-

after, too, but she had the means to live comfortably in assisted living. Jody moved in with them in 2019, and Sandy’s mom succumbed to cancer in 2022, six months after Mark’s mom died. Sandy was the caretaker for all.

Jody’s twins are 18 now; one is gay, and one found his community in the theater world. They are also Black. Their dad has shown them the harsh realities of the world, but Sandy worries, so Karens everywhere, beware: Family is everything.

Today, almost everyone is sober; Mark is currently practicing moderation after many years of sobriety. Sandy doesn’t seem to mind, “We’re 70 now,” she says with a shrug. Struggle is intrinsic to the human condition; it’s how we handle it that sets the badasses apart from the rest. It takes a strong spirit and the strength of one’s convictions to keep a family together for 51 years. That’s either voodoo or badassery, and I’m going with the latter—because Sandy gave up dolls at 16.

Meet Sandy White, a badass who’s kept her family together through illness and addiction

COVID DATA COMPILER

Three years ago, COVID-19 arrived in California. Since Jan. 25, 2020, when a man in Orange County became the first confirmed case in the state, nearly 100,000 Californians have died, and many lives have been changed forever.

While we now know a fair amount about SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes, in those first terrifying months of 2020, we knew little—and it was often difficult to find accurate, trustworthy information about what was happening.

On April 3—when, according to a Calmatters timeline, 23,846 cases had been reported in California, and 427 people in the state had died of COVID-19—a then 49-year-old, semi-retired

software engineer and Palm Desert resident named Kevin Duncliffe tweeted out this message from his personal Twitter account (twitter.com/kevinduncliffe): “For those with an interest in the Coachella Valley, I am aggregating the stats published by http:// rivcoph.org/coronavirus to show the impact of COVID-19 on this particular region of southern California. #coachellavalley #coronavirus #COVID19.” Later that day, Duncliffe tweeted out the COVID-19 stats thus far for the Coachella Valley: 192 confirmed cases (+37 from the day before), and nine deaths.

With that, the work of Coachella Valley’s volunteer COVID-19 tracker began in earnest. Duncliffe began tweeting three or more times a day to update the number of COVID-19 patients in the three valley hospitals, the number of local ICU patients, and more.

“Mainly (I did it) because nobody else was doing it,” Duncliffe said during a recent interview. “I was seeing all these charts in other publications, particularly The New York Times, and they were breaking it down on the county level across the country, so you could see what was going on in Riverside County—but the Coachella Valley is kind of separate from the rest of Riverside County.”

Duncliffe said he began looking for Coachella Valley-specific data.

“I came across the state (of California) website, where you were able to see the breakdown by community, and you could see the numbers in an individual hospital—and then I realized I could put all that together,” he said. “Then I thought, ‘I might as well share this instead of keeping it to myself.’ I had a long-dormant Twitter account, and I thought, ‘This will be the place to disseminate it.’ And I did.”

During those early days of isolation, for many locals, Duncliffe’s tweeted updates became as much a part of the daily routine as checking the weather report each morning.

“Yeah, other people have said that to me as well,” Duncliffe said with a chuckle. “I’d gotten feedback from other people in the community, and pretty quickly, it became apparent to me that there were people actually reading (my

Twitter data feed).”

Every day, Duncliffe would tweet text blocks with hospitalization and death counts, as well as self-created graphs, tables and charts. In 2021, after COVID-19 vaccines became publicly available, he would periodically display totals of shots administered locally.

On May 25, 2021, Duncliffe began publishing a blog (kevinduncliffe.wordpress.com) in addition to his Twitter reportage. In his first blog post, he wrote about the damage wrought by this unstoppable virus since his first data-tracking tweet on April 3, 2020: “It got worse, and then it got even worse than that. By January (2021), I was reporting as many as 700 new cases in a single day, just in the Coachella Valley. There were days, nine days to be exact, when there were more than 300 COVID patients across our three local hospitals.”

In the same post, he mused on the accuracy of the state- and county-provided data he was compiling, and offered a personal take on his pandemic experience: “If you’re wondering: Yes, I wore a mask to the grocery store! I got vaccinated as soon as I could. It’s fair to question things, but when you’re crossing a busy highway, you don’t stop in the middle of the road and have a debate about whether the oncoming cars are real, or whether they are a figment of someone’s imagination.”

Duncliffe’s COVID-19-tracking efforts continued at this hyper pace until September 2021, when he cut back to one tweet a day. In May 2022, he began sharing the Palm Springs wastewater testing results for SARS-CoV-2 with his audience on a weekly basis. Last August, he cut back his workload more, and is now tweeting local COVID-19 hospitalization statistics once per week.

The Independent asked Duncliffe if he’s ever wondered why no county or regional entity ever took on the responsibility of tracking, aggregating and distributing local COVID-19 stats to the public.

“You know, that’s a good question,” Duncliffe said. “I haven’t really thought about that in terms of the health-care entities or govern-

mental entities. I did wonder about the local news media. … Some of the local outlets asked for my permission to use the charts I was posting in their news broadcasts, which I was happy to (give). Maybe because I was doing it, nobody else thought they had to? I don’t know. … The Desert Sun and other outlets are stretched pretty thin. I don’t know if they had the resources to do something like this. Eventually, though, The Desert Sun did start compiling the same statistics that I did, although they never put it in chart form, or in aggregate form, so I never felt like I wanted to stop what I was doing, because I think the visualization is important.

“You know, not everybody is into data. I’m a software engineer by background, so I’m pretty data-oriented. One of the things I’ve learned over the course of my life is that not everyone else is. This is something that my sort of people like to do.”

After nearly three years of tracking COVID19 in the Coachella Valley, what are Duncliffe’s main takeaways?

“Since the pandemic has just pretty much become part of our lives now, I think that, rightly or wrongly, our society at large has just made the decision to kind of get on with things and not worry so excessively about COVID,” Duncliffe said. “You can argue about whether that’s right or wrong, but collectively, that seems to be what we’re doing. You don’t see people wearing masks anymore. Most of the restrictions have been dropped, and so on. There are debates about it, but in reality, that’s where we are, and we’re not doing a great deal about it.

“A lot of people have complained about the lockdowns, and the way things were handled in the early going, (saying) was it an overreaction. But I think we’ve all forgotten that when this started, we didn’t really know how bad this virus was going to be. We didn’t really know what it was capable of doing. It was a totally new virus that our bodies had no defenses against. So, of course, everyone’s initial reaction wasn’t going to be exactly right. We can always look back and say, ‘They didn’t do enough,’ or, ‘They did too much.’ But we were all trying to deal with a vast unknown. … So I kind of bristle when people say, ‘Oh, you know, we shouldn’t have done all the lockdowns, and we shouldn’t have done this.’ We didn’t know.”

Duncliffe said he’s also amazed that effective COVID-19 vaccines arrived so quickly.

“It’s just incredible that within a year, we had people in our community starting to get vaccines in January 2021. I remember every-

body scrambling and hitting the website over and over again, trying to get appointments, like it was the best thing ever to have a vaccine. I think all the tremendous effort that went into developing the vaccine and the success that we’ve had is tremendously underrated and underappreciated. We’re still quantifying exactly how effective these vaccines have been, but I don’t think there’s any question that they’ve greatly, greatly eased the pandemic. … Now it’s almost like we take it for granted.”

Now that he’s ramping down his COVID-19 tracking, what does Duncliffe envision doing with his increased free time?

“I am wondering when exactly I will stop it,” Duncliffe said. “I don’t know when that will be. I don’t know where the pandemic is going, but it doesn’t seem to be taking off again this winter. Right now, I don’t have a day job. … I just take care of the house. It’s just my husband and me and our cat, Wrigley.”

WORTHY CITIZEN

He’s played with Stevie Wonder, Billy Preston, Cher, Jimi Hendrix and Elton John. He once stayed at George Harrison’s home to record an album. Little Richard heard him play at the age of 14 and purportedly said, “Honey, when I heard you play the drums, my big toe just shot straight up in my boot. It made me want to scream like a white lady!”

This happened when Alvin Taylor was working as a hotel busboy, and he was called upon to sit in with Soul Patrol; the regular drummer was too drunk to play. Also in the audience that night: Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Billy Preston.

In the years since, Alvin Taylor has played on 78 gold records, 48 platinum records and 18

diamond records, yet the Coachella Valley resident is largely unknown.

And then there’s the racism.

“Recently, I pulled up to a car wash in Palm Springs, and told them what kind of wash we wanted,” Taylor said. “I took our stuff out of the car; then I asked my wife, who is Mexican American and light-skinned, if she had any cash on her, so I could give a tip to the person who does the final details at the end. Since she didn’t have any cash, she went to the bank around the corner, came back and handed me $5. The owner, who didn’t know I was a customer, suddenly came out of his office, saw

me standing on the side of the car wash, and said to my wife, ‘I’m sorry ma’am; we don’t suggest you do that.’ I thought it was a joke. The man went on to say, ‘We don’t suggest you do it, because they will always keep coming back.’ He saw me as a poor Black person and singled me out.”

His wife became angry and explained to the owner that he was talking about her husband—a famous rock drummer. “You stereotyped the wrong person,” she told him.

When Taylor went to pay the bill, the man was looking at a page on the internet showing Taylor with Stevie Wonder. “He looked up at

Legendary drummer Alvin Taylor fights for justice for Section 14 survivors

me and said he was very sorry,” Taylor said. Taylor has been dealing with this kind of stuff his entire life. As a replacement drummer on a tour, his pay was a quarter of what the white drummer would have earned. George Harrison, however, gets special praise from Taylor.

“He was the nicest and most loving man I ever met,” Taylor said. “He invited me to stay in his castle, where I met the greatest musicians on the planet. George treated me like a king, and even put me inside his album cover, while many didn’t.”

When he was a child, his family lived in Palm Springs’ Section 14, a one-square-mile plot of land in downtown Palm Springs owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Taylor’s mother worked as a maid for Lucille Ball, and his father was a carpenter; when they were denied a bank loan, they saved enough money to build their house on Section 14.

However, in the 1950s and 60s, hundreds of people lost their homes when they were razed by the city to make way for development. Taylor said his family was evicted with 30 days’ notice.

“I remember coming home when I was 10 years old, and seeing my house and the other houses being destroyed,” Taylor said. “We lost everything—our churches, clubs and community centers. We were thrown out in the cold. We received no compensation, no timely warnings, and no legal proceedings.”

He helped found the Section 14 Survivors Group, which now has 500 members. The group filed a claim with the city of Palm Springs, asking for reparations. An economist working with the group, Julianne Malveaux, estimates the damages could range from $400 million to $2 billion.

Life’s strains and the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle took a toll. For many years, Taylor said, he was addicted to cocaine, but thanks to rehab— including a stint Crossroads Centre Antigua, founded by Eric Clapton—he’s kicked the habit, he said. He also said the process has improved other aspects of his life, and he takes things one day at a time.

“The mask has finally come off. I always felt like something wasn’t right,” he said.

He credits his wife, Delia Ruiz, for keeping him on track. They’ve been married for 11 years, but he’s known her since they were children in Section 14; he said he even had a crush on her back then.

“Without my wife’s support and encouragement, I don’t know what my life would be like,” he said.

Her view on things: “Coming from Section 14, and all he’s been through, Alvin continues to grow and mature. I’m so proud of how far he’s come.”

One of his proudest moments came on Feb. 24, 2018, when he became an inductee on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars. Taylor said that then-Mayor Robert Moon said to him, “Alvin, I’m so sorry about what happened to you as a child growing up here in Palm Springs.”

“He had tears in his eyes,” Taylor said. “It was like a big, bright light, and I felt like a worthy citizen for the first time in my life.” Feb. 24 is now Alvin Taylor Day in Palm Springs.

Taylor, who will turn 70 in March, continues to perform. David Lautrec, a pianist/ keyboardist who played with Taylor in Desert Redux, sang his praises.

“I enjoyed every moment we performed together, as well as each time we met to speak about subjects other than music,” Lautrec said. “He has been a gift to me musically and personally. … He has a rare gift, of which he is well aware. Although cognizant of his greatness, he does not use it as a hammer. It is a quiet confidence and self-acknowledgement of his oncein-a generation, God-given talent.”

NEWS

CIVIC SOLUTIONS

The millions of visitors who fly into Palm Springs each year could be forgiven for thinking the area is not in a multi-year drought: Green lawns blaze bright against the surrounding tans and browns of desert dirt.

But little by little, year-round residents and homeowners are doing their part to add more natural desert landscape—and reduce water consumption.

The Desert Water Agency, which serves approximately 72,000 people in Palm Springs and Cathedral City, operates several programs aimed at helping customers cut down on water use. Critically, that includes a grass-removal program launched in 2014. It pays at least $3 per square

foot to remove grass and replace it with more drought-friendly, natural covers—such as stones, gravel, turf or native plants.

Applicants include single-family homeowners as well as condo associations looking to remove grass throughout their properties. It is the agency ’s most popular incentive program, and while popularity has gone up and down over the years, 2022 saw substantial growth.

“ When drought is in the media and in the news, people do step up and take great action,” said Desert Water Agency spokesperson Ashley Metzger.

In 2022, DWA approved 244 applications to convert more than 518,000 square feet of grass to desertscape—up from 105 projects and about 218,000 square feet the year before. An additional 116 projects are approved but not yet completed. Those will represent another nearly 881,000 square feet of converted land.

The agency has more than quadrupled its

budget for grass removal in recent years, going from $760,000 in 2020-2021 to more than $3.5 million in the current fiscal year. Some portions of that increase have come from state and other grant funding.

Along with an augmented budget, Metzger said the DWA has tweaked the program rules over time to make it easier to participate. It now allows funds to be used toward artificial turf, which wasn’t always the case. And there’s more opportunity: Residents who meet certain income restrictions might get $6 to $8 per square foot to put toward their projects. Residents within the city of Palm Springs may be eligible to receive additional funds due to a city-backed allocation.

The DWA has also changed requirements to make it less onerous to complete the projects— such as eliminating rules around what percentage of the landscape had to be a certain type of plant. The application is more through on the front end, but the projects are easier to complete, Metzger said.

“ We used to have a program where it was really easy to apply, but then there were so many rules,” Metzger said. “So we had people stuck in the middle where they applied, but they never finished the projects.”

There still are restrictions. For example, applicants can’t simply remove the grass and leave dirt in its place. Instead, they must have some sort of ground cover, like gravel or stone. Residential projects have to be completed within 90 days.

Beyond the grass-removal project, DWA also provides other incentive programs, such as rebates for smart controllers that are meant to help monitor the amount and timing of irrigation.

The agency is also on the cusp of finalizing a $150,000 grant to fund a conservation study to obtain recent local data on how much savings, in dollars, can be expected from grass-removal projects. This would help inform the agency’s grass-removal efforts by looking at what savings have been generated over the years.

Currently, estimates come from a Nevadabased study, and Coachella Valley-specific information may offer its own unique lens.

“That study will really inform the amount of investment in water conservation and in grass removal in the Coachella Valley going forward,” she said.

As for the impression the area leaves on visitors, DWA is working on that, too. The agency in 2021 collaborated with the city of Palm Springs and the Palm Springs International Airport to remove a patch of grass and replace it with a desert garden. Metzger said while there is more work to be done, the garden is an example of showing

visitors and travelers the alternatives.

“Now, when you walk out of the terminal, the first thing you see is a big desert landscaping site instead of grass. That has been really important for us, to just shift the image,” Metzger said. “ We do want visitors to the area to know that, even though it seems lush there, we are in a desert, and water conservation is a way of life.”

To learn more, visit programs.dwa.org/rebate/ grass_removal.

The Desert Water Agency increases its budget for grass removal as residents take advantage

CV HISTORY

The Palm Springs Racquet Club became a legendary watering hole of the stars after being founded by a couple of actors in 1934—and it remained there for 80 years, until a devastating fire in 2014.

Charlie Farrell would star in 46 motion pictures and a successful television series; his pal Ralph Bellamy appeared in 103 films, was in more than 400 stage plays, and made a number of TV appearances. The two came together to form the Racquet Club because they needed a place to play tennis.

They both loved the desert and had rented homes in Palm Springs—but the village’s only

tennis courts were those at The Desert Inn and the El Mirador, and they were reserved for hotel guests only. They cut a deal with Warren Pinney, manager of the El Mirador, who allowed them to use the courts, but only if no guests wanted to play. It was better than nothing.

In the winter of 1932, they were out riding horses in a windswept area of the desert, about a mile north of the El Mirador. They saw a “for sale” sign and contacted the owner, Alvah Hicks. He sold them 53 acres at the cost of $3,500, or about $66 an acre.

Meanwhile, they continued to play tennis at the El Mirador—until Pinney was forced to kick them out, because too many paying guests complained that they were hogging the courts. It has even been reported that actress Marlene Dietrich was one of the complainants.

Over a drink, they commiserated and then had an idea: They would build a court on their “worthless” desert acreage, at what became 2743 N. Indian Canyon Drive. They hired the David Company from Los Angeles to come down and build them a court. While it was under construction, the contractor suggested they may want a second court as well; after all, all the equipment was there, and they would just need more concrete. They said OK, also adding a fence and a three-sided spectator shelter. That original shelter later grew into the main clubhouse which faced the No. 1 court.

The courts were ready by Christmas Day 1933, and the pair began charging their friends $1 to play—all day, if they wanted. That first day, they took in $18.

In time, they added two more courts, a restroom, a couple of bungalows and a swimming pool. According to Farrell, “I guess you might say that the Racquet Club started in a haphazard way and grew in the same crazy, mixed-up fashion. Nothing was ever really planned. We just built, added on or changed as we saw the need.”

By spring of 1934, they’d invested $78,000 in their venture—and wanted to share the expense. They sent invitations to 173 of their

Hollywood friends, offering membership for $50 in the new Palm Springs Racquet Club. They only got four replies. Undaunted, they made a fancier batch of invitations, this time raising the offered membership to $75. They sent invitations every two weeks, raising the price of membership each time, until the cost to join was $650. The higher prices worked— and created such a demand that a waiting list had to be formed.

The grand opening was Dec. 14, 1934. By this time, the Racquet Club featured four tennis courts (now sheltered by eucalyptus trees), a swimming pool, a kitchen, a dining room with a dance floor, and the famed Bamboo Bar, which would remain there into the 21st century. (In 2000 and 2001, my wife and I caught the tail end of this legacy, as we enjoyed the Fridaynight seafood dinners there.)

The Bamboo Bar (or Lounge), designed by film director Mitch Leisen, was proclaimed to be the world’s first bar constructed from bamboo. The tables, chairs and trim were also made of bamboo. Some also made a muchdisputed (and probably inaccurate) claim that the Bamboo Lounge is where the Bloody Mary was invented.

In 1936, Farrell and his wife, actress Virginia Valli, left for England, where they spent two years working on movies. They left Bellamy and his wife, Catherine, in charge of the Racquet Club. Ralph’s background was in acting, not business—and it soon became obvious that the club was mysteriously hemorrhaging money. After long-distance consulting with Charlie and getting professional investigative help, he caught a bartender and some waiters in a scam that was ripping off the club.

They hired Western cowboy actor Frank Bogert, who had been working at the El Mirador, to be general manager. According to Bellamy, “One of the smartest things we ever did was hire Frank Bogert as general manager of the club. He was more than a manager. He did everything but count the money and keep the books.” Bogert managed the club from 1938 to 1942. Both Farrell and Bogert would

go on to become mayors of Palm Springs.

Bellamy was so busy at the Racquet Club that he began missing out on acting roles, so when Farrell and his wife returned from Europe in 1938, they bought out Bellamy so he could devote more time to his acting career.

Every year, the Racquet Club grew, with guest cottages added, and additions and improvements constantly made. The spacious and secluded “members only” facility became a haven for the Hollywood elite, and the membership roster was a veritable who’s-who of Tinseltown. The biggest movie stars were there, along with aspiring actors and starlets.

A few months after the Racquet Club opened, a 29-year-old pilot and movie producer flew to Palm Springs and was in the Bamboo Bar talking to Farrell. A 17-year-old English actress under contract at Paramount named Ida Lupino walked past Farrell and his guest, Howard Hughes. Hughes was immediately smitten and asked Farrell for an introduction. Enamored, Hughes spent the next few days buying meals for Lupino and her mother, who accompanied her. He later flew over to Catalina Island to see Lupino, who had gone there with her mother. At Catalina, Hughes and Lupino danced a bit, and then he took her for a plane ride—but according to author Terry Moore and Jerry Rivers in The Passions of Howard Hughes, he then realized she was young enough to be “jailbait,” frustrating his infatuation.

Over the next few decades, almost all of the popular movie stars of the time frequented

the Racquet Club, including Humphrey Bogart, Jack Benny, William Powell, Jane Russell, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Rita Hayworth, Errol Flynn, Gene Autry, Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant, Lana Turner, Betty Davis, Barbara Stanwyck and husband Robert Taylor, and many others. Spencer Tracy lived in Bungalow No. 19 all winter. The stars could be seen swimming in the pool or playing tennis during the daytime, and holding court in the exclusive Bamboo Lounge at night. Many studio photo shoots were done on premises, and Farrell was astute enough to allow younger, undiscovered rising actors and actresses to mingle with the established stars. In fact, it is said that photographer Bruno Bernard “discovered” a starlet named Norma Jean Baker (Marilyn Monroe) poolside at the Racquet Club. Hollywood agent Johnny Hyde met her there at the shoot—and the rest is history.

The Racquet Club was renovated in 1977, and again in 1999. The last portions of the legendary club closed after a fire in 2014.

Sources for this article include The History of the Racquet Club of Palm Springs by Sally Presley Rippingale (US Business Specialties, 1984); Palm Springs: Why I Love You by Tony Burke (Palmesa Inc., 1978); Palm Springs Confidential by Howard Johns (Barricade Books, 2004); Palm Springs: First 100 Years by Mayor Frank Bogert (Palm Springs Heritage Associates, 1987); The Passions of Howard Hughes by Terry Moore and Jerry Rivers (General, 1996).

How windswept vacant land became the Palm Springs Racquet Club, a haven for Hollywood’s biggest stars

MARCH ASTRONOMY

Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight

For March, 2023

This sky chart is drawn for latitude 34 degrees north, but may be used in southern U.S. and northern Mexico.

March opens with a spectacular pairing of the two brightest planets at dusk, Venus and Jupiter.

They appear closest to each other, just a half-degree apart—about the apparent width of the moon’s disk—on Wednesday, March 1. They’re still 11-12° above the western horizon at nightfall, as twilight ends, nearly an hour and a half after sunset. If mountains don’t block your view, you’ll catch the brilliant pair in a dark sky—a truly impressive sight! Their background stars of Pisces, the Fishes, are no brighter than third magnitude, compared to Venus at magnitude -4, and Jupiter at -2, so the planets will really stand out!

Celebrate spring 2023 on your early evening strolls. Enjoy observing the changing positions of

the moon and four evening planets against the background of the zodiac constellations.

The gibbous moon, about three-quarters full on March 1, is in the constellation Gemini, 90 degrees east of the planet pair that evening. Note the “Twin” stars Pollux and Castor, 4.5° apart, about 10-11° east of the moon on March 1. Mars, of magnitude +0.4 in Taurus, is about 22-23° west of the moon, or one-quarter of the way from the moon back toward the Venus-Jupiter pair. Taurus includes some beautiful star fields for binoculars: Aldebaran and the Hyades cluster, making a V-shaped pattern representing the head of the Bull; and the compact Pleiades, or Seven Sisters star cluster. Just 4.5° from Mars on March 1—same as the separation between Pollux and Castor—is the 1.7-magnitude star Elnath, marking the tip of the Bull’s northern horn.

Watch nightly for changes of the moon and planets. The moon is moving at a somewhat leisurely pace of 12° per day, compared to its average rate of 13.2°. But that’s still much faster than the planets! On the evening of Thursday, March 2, the moon will pass within 2° south of Pollux, while the Venus-Jupiter pair will be separated by 1°. On each successive evening, Jupiter appears lower, with Venus a little higher.

By Friday evening, March 3, Venus and Jupiter are 2° apart, and the moon is in Cancer, the Crab, 13-16° below the bright Twin stars of Gemini. Look for the star Regulus, heart of Leo, the Lion, in the eastern sky, 24° below the moon. Do you notice any change in the separation between Mars and the star marking the tip of the horn of Taurus? They’re now within 4° apart, a little closer than the Pollux-Castor pair.

On Saturday, March 4, at dusk, the bright planets are nearly 3° apart, and the moon has moved closer to Regulus. On March 5, Venus-Jupiter are nearly 4° apart, and the moon, now 98 percent full, passes just 4° to the north of Regulus.

On March 6, you can still catch the moon rising a little north of east shortly before sun-

set—but this is the last day you can do so. As the sky darkens, look for Regulus within 13° to the upper right of the moon. Venus and Jupiter are nearly 5° apart in the west. The moon is full overnight, reaching opposition to the sun at 4:40 a.m. on Tuesday, March 7.

On March 7 at dusk, Venus and Jupiter are nearly 6° apart. The moon, technically past full, rises in twilight. You can start following the waning moon in the morning sky. On March 8 at dusk, Venus-Jupiter are nearly 7° apart, and the gap between them continues to widen by nearly an additional degree daily. On this and the next two evenings, Mars and Elnath appear just 3.1° apart, their least separation.

While you’re out watching the evening planets, be sure to check out the collection of bright seasonal stars. Beginning in the southern sky with blue-white Sirius, at magnitude -1.4 the brightest—but not as bright as Venus or Jupiter—go in clockwise order around the large oval, sometimes called the Winter Ellipse: Sirius, Procyon, Pollux and Castor, Capella, Aldebaran, Rigel (Orion’s foot) and back to Sirius. Betelgeuse (Orion’s shoulder) and Mars are inside the oval.

After the switch to daylight saving time on Sunday, March 12, you won’t have to get up so early to see a dark predawn sky. Use the morning twilight chart in the online version of this article about an hour before sunrise to find these six bright stars: the Summer Triangle of Vega, Altair, and Deneb well up in the east; reddish Antares, heart of the Scorpion, in the south; and golden Arcturus, high in the southwest, with blue-white Spica, spike of grain in the hand of Virgo, below. Watch the waning moon pass above Spica on March 10, and hopscotch from west of Antares to east of it on March 13-14. By March 18, Saturn emerges very low in the east-southeast, 17-18° to the lower left of a 14 percent crescent moon. On Sunday, March 19, the old, 7 percent crescent moon appears 2° to the lower right of 0.9-magnitude Saturn.

Evening mid-twilight occurs when the Sun is 9° below the horizon. Mar.1: 40 minutes after sunset.

On Monday, March 20, as the sun passes from south to north of the equator at 2:24 p.m., spring begins in Earth’s northern hemisphere.

15: 40 " " "

31: 39 " " "

By March 22, three weeks have elapsed since the close pairing of Venus and Jupiter on March 1. Look in the west about 30-40 minutes after sunset for the thin, 3 percent crescent moon, within 18° to the lower right of Venus. Jupiter will be 2-3° to the lower right of the moon. Tonight’s crescent moon marks the beginning of the month of Ramadan for followers of Islamx.

Follow the moon daily at dusk, and watch for these events: On March 23, the moon is 5° below Venus; it’s 7° above Venus on March 24. On March 25, the moon is within 2° south of Pleiades. On March 26, the moon is 9° north of Aldebaran and 17-18° west of Mars; Mars has crossed from Taurus into Gemini.

On March 27, Mercury (magnitude -1.4) passes 1.3° north (to the right) of Jupiter. Look

for the pair 25° to the lower right of Venus. Mars is within 6° to the upper left of the moon, now a fat crescent, 41 percent full. On March 28, Mars is within 7° to the lower right of the first quarter moon, which is half full and 90 degrees, or one quarter-circle east of the sun. Jupiter, now 2° to the lower left of Mercury, appears lower each evening and will soon disappear into the sun’s glare. Mercury appears a little higher each night, until April 11, when it reaches its best position in the evening sky for this year.

Illustrations of the events described here appear on the March 2023 Sky Calendar. Subscription info and a sample issue are available at www.abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar.

Robert Victor originated the Abrams Planetarium monthly Sky Calendar in October 1968 and still produces issues occasionally. He enjoys being outdoors sharing the wonders of the night sky.

The month brings spring, Ramadan, daylight saving time—and a fantastic Venus-Jupiter pairing

Rain poured across the Coachella Valley on Jan. 10, causing all-too-familiar road closures. Indian Canyon Drive, Gene Autry Drive and Vista Chino were closed in Palm Springs, as was Dune Palms Road in La Quinta.

The result: traffic gridlock.

Less than a week later, on Jan. 15-16, it happened all over again, leaving residents asking the same question they’ve been asking whenever it rains for years: When will something be done about these road closures?

Tom Kirk is the executive director of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, an organization which has been working to fix these issues, with some successes, such as the Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge project, completed last October on Cathedral Canyon Drive in Cathedral City. Work also just started on the Dune Palms Road bridge in La Quinta. However, as the January storms reminded everyone, more needs to be done.

“When you look at the bridge projects, while they might sit in one city, they are used by residents and tourists and everybody else from throughout the Coachella Valley,” Kirk said during a recent interview. “And when

we look at the Coachella Valley as a market area or a community, we (at CVAG) try to dissolve some of the jurisdictional lines. For CVAG, and much of what we do, it doesn’t matter whether a project is meant for another (community) as long as it’s used by many. The projects in Palm Springs, in particular, will probably be used by more non-Palm Springs residents than they are by Palm Springs residents. It’s important to the region to get people in and out of Palm Springs, or in and out of Cathedral City, or in and out of La Quinta.

“For (people) who come from places where bridges actually span water, our bridges may seem peculiar and, perhaps, expensive, when you think about the fact that there isn’t water underneath them. For those of us who have been around the Coachella Valley awhile, we know that 99.9% of the time, there isn’t any water underneath—but when there is, there tends to be a lot of it. It’s dangerous, and it can really disrupt our economy, and it can disrupt our communities, and potentially create a significant threat to lives. So bridges are important … and making those crossings

strong and able to hold up to all sorts of emergencies is really important.”

Thisflash-flooding

threat has plagued the eight valley cities located south of Interstate 10 for decades. It’s been that way since the Whitewater Wash was formalized by the Coachella Valley Water District back in the 1970s to serve as a conduit for water flows resulting from rainfall on the valley floor— flows often supplemented by runoff from the surrounding mountain ranges. The idea was to develop a natural geographic feature in the valley that would facilitate drainage into a low elevation area, promoting water flow from west to east.

According to the original watermanagement planning, each individual city is responsible for creating their own infrastructure to facilitate this water flow to the Salton Sea. Although officials in the eight cities have known for decades that any roads or structures built within the wash areas would be closed during flash flooding, little has been done to solve that problem.

Back on Valentine’s Day 2019, a major flooding event occurred that many residents thought would spur local governments into action. However, outside of the aforementioned Cathedral City and La Quinta bridge projects, little physical progress has been made since then. The projects in Palm Springs, in particular, have been stymied because of the tremendous costs of proposed bridges—and the inability to attract the massive funding required.

This past January, City Councilmember Lisa Middleton announced she is spearheading an all-out effort to bridge the flooding trouble spots in Palm Springs. She said two bridge projects—a bridge over the wash on Vista Chino, and a widening of the bridge on Ramon Road—are already funded.

During the two January City Council meetings, she detailed revised plans for the two other bridges that are needed—one on Indian Canyon Drive, and one on Gene Autry Drive.

“What we were looking at (in the past) were two bridge projects, both of which follow traditional bridge architecture,”

Middleton said at the Jan. 12 meeting. “And the estimates that we (received) approached $300 million per bridge. … Looking back at previous federal administrations, there was very little hope that we were going to get the funding that we needed. So, CVAG’s executive transportation committee authorized a technical study to identify alternatives we could do to successfully bridge these important arterials. What was reported back to us was a proposed project across Indian Canyon—which is the most critical of the bridges, because that is the primary route used by ambulances coming from anywhere north of the freeway to get to the Desert Regional Medical Center.”

Middleton said the study identified a prefabricated bridge that could work on Indian Canyon. Including upgrades at what she identified as “important pinch points on Varner Road and on Date Palm,” the proposed project could be completed in two years for about $50 million.

“To solve both Indian Canyon and Gene Autry, we’re looking at something closer to $80-$90 million,” Middleton told the council audience. “But that, compared to the $700 million estimates we were looking at for traditional bridges, is an incredible improvement.”

Middleton said at that meeting that Kirk sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a letter last October requesting $5 million for design and environmental work. “That letter is on the governor’s desk, and we’re hopeful that we’ll get the support of the governor,” she said. “We know that because of the catastrophic damage that has occurred throughout California because of the recent storms, the competition for funding is going to be intense, and we’re going to do everything that we can … to make sure we get the funding that we need for these projects here in our community.”

Kirk explained the usual funding formula for projects of this type.

“The federal government tends to pick up about 89% of the cost of the budget,” Kirk told the Independent. (That money is often funneled through the state.) “CVAG picks up 75% of the remainder (or about 8.25% of a

total project budget), and the local city picks up 25% (or about 2.75% of the total project budget). But because the cities end up doing a lot of the legwork and the engineering design, they pay a lot more for a longer period of time, and sometimes up-front the money, which is what La Quinta is doing now with the Dune Palms Bridge, because they can’t get their (Highway Bridge Program) funding just yet.”

How are the CVAG funds committed to these projects generated?

“From you (the taxpayer), in part,” Kirk said. “Every time you buy something, you pay a little sales tax, and a little bit of that sales tax goes to transportation projects in Riverside County. Some of that makes its way to CVAG, and we use that to fund regional priorities—and bridges certainly are one of those.”

During

a recent interview

with Middleton, she explained her plan for obtaining the tens of millions of dollars in funding required to bridge the flood zones.

“I was in the governor’s office (recently) on other issues,” Middleton said. “When the meeting was over, it gave me an opportunity to pull aside the governor’s chief adviser on legislative issues and give her a copy of the same presentation that we gave to Mayor Villaraigosa.”

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is Newsom’s infrastructure adviser.

“Also, that same week, I had introductory conversations with state Sen. Kelly Seyarto, who represents part of Riverside County and who—for the next couple of years, until we have an elected State Senate representative again—will act as a point person for our issues. Also, I met with Assemblymember (Greg) Wallis and State Sen. (Steve) Padilla, who is out of Chula Vista, but his district wraps around to include parts of Desert Hot Springs, right on the border where these (flood-prone) areas are.”

Middleton said she’s also reaching out to both Coachella Valley congressmen, Dr. Raul Ruiz and Ken Calvert. The goal is to make sure these projects are on everyone’s radar—and at the state level, there’s some urgency.

“The Legislature has to approve a budget by June 15, and now is that time when everybody is making sure that we’re getting our issues front and center with the legislators for the big fight that will go on this spring over who’s going to get what,” she said.

Middleton said the bridge projects slated for Ramon Road and Vista Chino are already fully funded.

“The projected budget for the Vista Chino bridge, which is in design work, is about $95 million,” Middleton said. “That money has been allocated, and we have that. Also, we

have the allocation for the money for the Ramon bridge widening. It will take that to a full three lanes in each direction across Ramon. That will significantly decrease the Ramon pinch-points that we have.”

This is all good news—but Coachella Valley residents know all too well that it’s not just rain that can close down some of these roads. Far more often, Vista Chino, Gene Autry Trail and Indian Canyon Drive are closed by windblown sandstorms. We asked Kirk if these proposed bridge products would prevent all of these wind-caused closures as well.

“I doubt it,” he said. “Just to be frank with you, the bridges will solve sand closures to some extent. The bridge locations on Indian Canyon and Gene Autry are in the same location where we get major sand flows. … Where the sand drifts frequently is exactly where the riverbed is, because it gets deposited there relatively frequently, and it moves—so the locations where we get water flow are the same locations where we get a lot of sand movement as well. Having a bridge over those areas is certainly going to make it less likely to have a closure, but it’s not going to eliminate them completely.”

While wind-related closures may be an ongoing issue, Kirk said these bridge projects would solve “99.9% of flooding problems.”

“We do have flooding that occurs on Cook Street, which is a low-water crossing, and on Fred Waring Drive where it crosses the Whitewater River wash. Both of those structures were designed as what they call low-water crossings—the bridge is relatively low over the riverbed, and it will handle most flows. But sometimes, it gets over-topped … so we’ll have a little flooding here and there—but nothing like what has now become a pretty regular occurrence in those Palm Springs and La Quinta areas.”

“ We know that because of the catastrophic damage that has occurred throughout California because of the recent storms, the competition for funding is going to be intense, and we’re going to do everything that we can … to make sure we get the funding that we need for these projects here in our community. ”

—Lisa Middleton, Palm Springs City Council Member

DO-GOODER

FOR THE KIDS

Make-A-Wish’s ‘Desert Underground’ event turns Imago Galleries into a Prohibition-style speakeasy

Much has been made of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in popular media; those of us who came of age in the ’80s can remember television shows highlighting the excellent work the nonprofit does to help critically ill children meet a hero, or go to Disneyland, or even become a marine biologist.

Make-A-Wish’s goal is

to

bring

to

life the wishes of every eligible child in their program. These

wishes brighten children’s lives—and their research shows that youth who have their wishes granted can even sometimes build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illnesses.

Over the last 40 years, Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire (OCIE) has granted almost 8,000 wishes to kids in the area. Part of the beauty of the organization is that the only limit to a child’s wish is their imagination, whether they want to scubadive, or build a treehouse, or become the first (virtual) astronaut on Saturn. Make-A-Wish staff and volunteers work to help a child look past their limitations, overcome anxiety—and bring their community together to experience hope and joy.

With more than 300 critically ill children in Riverside and San Bernardino counties waiting for their wishes to be granted, it is up to us, the community, to help make these dreams a reality. With 73 cents of every dollar raised going directly to granting wishes, Make-AWish helps restore a sense of childhood and normalcy to children and families.

To raise funds, Make-A-Wish OCIE is debuting a new event here in the Coachella Valley: At 5:30 p.m., Saturday, March 11, the community is invited to spend the evening at “The Desert Underground.” Imago Galleries in Palm Desert will be transformed into a Prohibition-style speakeasy—complete with secret entrances and rooftop hideaways.

“We are excited to bring this event to the Coachella Valley and spend the evening with the generous community who makes the magic happen for our wish kids,” said Gloria Jetter Crockett, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire, in a news release. “This is also a special time for our chapter as we celebrate our 40th anniversary, and we are thrilled to share the celebration with the communities we serve.”

Once attendees purchase their tickets, they will receive a password to enter and explore the halls of this exclusive art gallery, experience each of the themed lounges, and sample craft cocktails. The lounges feature interactive experiences, including the Enchanted Tiki Lounge, with fruity drinks; The Lab, featuring molecular mixology (think gels, foams, liquid nitrogen and much more); and El Desierto, with traditional Mexican food and spicy cocktails.

F10 Catering—the same folks who run Mr. Lyons, Birba and Cheeky’s—is paring each cocktail with an innovative tasting menu, so you know the food will be wonderful. VIP guests can head to the rooftop lounge, sample fine Scotch whiskies, and experience the comedy of Kieron Elliott, a native of Scotland who serves as the brand ambassador for The Macallan Single Malt Scotch.

Put on your desert finery, and toast to wishes under the stars while helping renew hope, uplift spirits and change the lives of children with critical illnesses.

“The Desert Underground,” a fundraiser for Make-A-Wish OCIE, takes place from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Saturday, March 11, at Imago Galleries, 45450 Highway 74, in Palm Desert. Tickets start at $250. For tickets or more information, visit DesertSpeakeasy.org. For more information on Make-A-Wish OCIE, visit wish.org/ocie.

The Nonprofit SCENE

experiencing crises while pregnant and/or with an infant or small child, who have no place to go and no means of support.

“Mama’s House has always dreamed of hosting its own annual charity golf classic,” said Jan Lupia, founder and executive director of Mama’s House. “So when our founding board member Dr. Vincent Nola informed me his neighbors, Jeroen Sparreboom and his wife, Yin Tchen, wanted to help us launch it, I was thrilled.”

The Charity Golf Classic and Dinner Show will be held at Indian Wells Country Club on its renowned Cove Course, a par-72 classic designed by the club’s founder, Eddie Susalia, and Ted Robinson Sr.

Bruce Fessier

Bruce Fessier is known for his 40 years as an award-winning writer-editor for The Desert Sun. He also is known as an accomplished event producer.

Fessier will be honored at 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 1, at a special Amy’s Purpose mixer held at Willie’s Modern Fare, at 69830 Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage.

It was shortly after a lunch meeting with Amy’s Purpose President DeAnn Lubell that Fessier’s little dog, Gracie, was killed. Lubell had updated Fessier about an additional mission of Amy’s Purpose, regarding the shortage crisis of veterinarians, vet technicians and vet assistants in the high and low deserts. It was soon after that Fessier joined Amy’s Purpose. They worked to obtain a partnership with the College of the Desert’s PaCE (Partnership and Community Education) Veterinary Assistant Program to set up scholarships for those interested in animal sciences. This led to a rock-concert benefit called Pet Love and Rock & Roll. The success of this event, mostly due to Fessier’s determination and devotion, raised enough funding to provide 18 $3,200 scholarships, five of which were matched by the College of the Desert Foundation.

“Amy’s Purpose, founded in 2020, provides programs in animal safety, including predatory awareness, and grief counseling for pet owners who have suffered a traumatizing loss. Helping to mitigate the veterinary crisis has taken on priority since the peak of the pandemic,” Lubell said.

The price is $35, which includes appetizers, beer and wine. Cocktails may be purchased, and the indoor event is desert casual. Go to www.amyspurpose.net to purchase tickets, or call 760-831-3090.

Mama’s House Ministries has announced plans for its Second Annual Charity Golf Classic and Dinner Show, on Friday, March 24, at the Indian Wells Country Club.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Mama’s House is the only residential home within the Coachella Valley offering a safe, supportive, loving and nurturing environment for women

This year’s dinner show will feature Oh What a Night!, a musical tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

The golf tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. The requested donation is $500 for single players and $1,750 for a golf foursome, which will include breakfast, a box lunch, competition and prizes. Commencing at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails, the dinner will feature a scrumptious Italian-themed menu. Entertainment will start at 7 p.m. The dinner show is $200 per person. For additional information, visit www.iwcharitygolf.com, or call Mama’s House at 844-232-8622.

Fourteen months after its formation, the Palm Springs Sister City Committee welcomed an official delegation from its first “Twinned City,” San Miguel de Allende, to Palm Springs Feb. 6-9.

The colonial-era city in Mexico’s central highlands, with a population of around 60,000, is known for its baroque Spanish architecture, thriving arts scene and cultural festivals.

“This is our first new sister city, but will not be our last,” said Al Jones, chair of the Palm Springs Sister City Committee board of directors. “Our dedicated group of volunteers spent the last year researching potential international partner cities, and San Miguel is an ideal match. Its cultural, culinary, architectural and arts heritage is a perfect match for Palm Springs.”

The genesis for the Palm Springs Sister City Committee came from Destination PSP owner and now City Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein, who first presented his idea at a meeting of the Palm Springs City Council in 2019. Bernstein drew in the participation of other local business and community leaders who have spent the last year as an all-volunteer effort, organizing the group and joining Sister Cities International, the governing body for such civic partnerships.

The Palm Springs Sister City Committee is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity and receives no public funds. Learn more at www. sistercitiesps.org.

ARTS & CULTURE

ART HARMONY

CODA Gallery hosts the works of renowned street artists in ‘Burner: The Exhibition’

The very best of international street art is coming to the Coachella Valley.

CODA Gallery in Palm Desert is hosting Burner: The Exhibition, a touring art show featuring urban artists from all over the world, with works from notable creatives like Banksy, Dalek, KEF! and others; some of the art will be for sale.

After a special opening party on Friday, March 3, Burner will be open and free to attend through Friday, March 24.

German street artist KEF!, aka Simon Rohlen, will be at the opening party and at artist receptions on Saturday and Sunday, March 4 and 5. During a recent interview conducted via email (after sev-

eral attempts at digital interviews failed due to a bad internet connection), Rohlen said he was happy to be a part of Burner.

“There are great artists involved,” Rohlen said. “Since it travels around, I think it’s a great opportunity for many people to enjoy the pieces which are displayed.”

He said he loves being able to interact with audiences who are interacting with his art.

“It’s always very interesting to be in person at openings, and I observe how the visitors react to my work,” Rohlen said. “Since my work is about harmony and balance, it makes me happy to hear that people get these kinds of feelings by looking at it. Sometimes I get asked what the viewer should see, so my answer is always just to let go of any imagination. We automatically try to connect to something that we see in the materialistic world, so for me, it’s important to let go and just feel the work. I also often get asked about my process, how I manage to have so much patience. … (Audience interaction) keeps me going forward in my mission to spread harmony. It motivates me that people receive it in this way, and I can influence life in a positive way.”

Rohlen said he prefers solo shows, so “he

can play around with the space” and invite visitors into his world—but that’s not to say he doesn’t appreciate group shows.

“Group shows are very good to give visitors an insight into my universe,” he said.

The ability to explore expression to the maximum is what drew Rohlen to street art in the first place.

“I started with graffiti, and a short time after, I got in touch with urban art,” Rohlen said. “It was more underground back then. I was fascinated by expressing yourself in the streets through characters and logos instead of just lettering, so I dived more into it and started to spread my work in the streets of many cities. I think the feeling of being free in my expression and (having) no rule of colors really drew me into it.”

KEF! said his messages of harmony and balance are badly needed right now.

“I think the world is in chaos—and we urgently need more harmony,” Rohlen said. “For me, it’s bigger than my artistic approach; I think it’s my mission to (promote) that with my whole being.”

Rohlen has seen how his art can be a positive in people’s lives.

“I got a message from someone telling me that she has trouble with anxiety,” Rohlen said. “To calm down, she sits in front of one of my screen prints she has. Another person told me that she uses my work with her therapist to overcome her problems in life. There are many examples of how people could get more balance, and that’s such a great response.”

Rohlen said he strives to give his art his all.

“The focus was never really a career, money, etc.,” he said. “It was just doing what I love to do.”

Burner: The Exhibition will open with a party at 4 p.m., Friday, March 3, and continue on display through Friday, March 24, at CODA Gallery, 73400 El Paseo, No. B-1, in Palm Desert. KEF! Will also be at receptions at 1 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, March 4 and 5. For more information, call 760-346-4661, or visit www.codagallery.com.

ARTS & CULTURE

DESERT PEARL M

VIBE

More than 200 people attended the opening of a remarkable exhibition of photography on Friday, Feb. 10, at the UC Riverside-Palm Desert Center. The photos feature some of the finest examples of 20th-century architecture, lifestyle, abstracts and designs.

The Modernists: The Influence of Midcentury Modern Design on Photography brings together acclaimed local photographers and two Australian photographers, and will be on display through Friday, April 28.

“It is a stunning representation of both modern architecture and the talent of artists,” said Robert Webster, of MidMod Facade, who attended the opening. “As artists and collectors our-

selves, my wife and I loved the visual texture that the artists presented in the show.”

The photos celebrate the unique aspects of the powerful architectural heritage of Palm Springs and the rest of the Coachella Valley, where celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Lucille Ball, the Marx Brothers, Hoagy Carmichael and Gerald and Betty Ford owned homes. The photos show midcentury houses and other buildings designed by renowned architects including William Krisel, E. Stewart Williams, Hugh Kaptur, William F. Cody, A. Quincy Jones, Wallace Neff, and Edward Durell Stone.

The environment in and around the desert inspired design signatures such as V-shaped butterfly roofs and the brise-soleil.

“The designs needed to protect the houses from the harsh sun, with a large overhang … and long, linear roofs,” says Jim Riche, the exhibition organizer.

His love of modernism began 12 years ago as he photographed the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

produced a book of his work, Mod Mirage, for which his wife, Melissa, wrote the text.

He describes the architecture of the period as modern design rooted in functionality, clean lines and simplicity, which reflected the worldview at that time.

“Homes were more linear, and the furniture design mirrored the environment,” Riche said. “It has open spaces, clean lines and a symmetry of shapes that inspired me to use the elements as a design tool through photography. I captured the whole scene of the desert’s blue skies against the light colored homes, green palm trees, mountains, its pristine air (and) its bright environment.”

The exhibition also features portraits of local architects William Krisel and Donald Wexler, and photos by Riche of the TWA terminal at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, which was designed by Eero Saarinen and opened in 1962.

“The lightbulb moment came when I started shooting its unusual shapes, and walls that fly up like wings,” Riche says. “I then began shooting abstract architecture in Los Angeles, turning my camera to midcentury when my wife and I bought a home in Rancho Mirage.”

His work has been in numerous shows and exhibitions, winning awards and being featured in numerous publications including Palm Springs Life, BLUR Magazine and Dodho. He

c MANUS THEATER in the Palm Springs Woman’s Club

DIRECTED BY MICHAEL SHAW Dezart Performs is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit.

The other photographers celebrating modernism include Nancy Baron, who puts animals into the midcentury environment; and James Schnepf, who includes portraits. For Schnepf, the simplicity of the architecture from the midcentury modern era resonates, because it reflects a simpler world. He said the desert is quite different from the Midwest, where he grew up.

“I landed on another planet upon arrival,” Schnepf said. “When I first arrived, I photographed the landscape, the architecture and then portraits of the passionate people who live here.”

He describes the desert through his photographs as “living with beautiful mountains, palm trees and blue skies—it improves one’s quality of life. Having been raised in Wisconsin, the desert vibe is a welcome change.”

The Modernists: The Influence of Midcentury Modern Design on Photography will be on display through Friday, April 28, at UCR-Palm Desert Center, 75080 Frank Sinatra Drive, in Palm Desert. The exhibit may be viewed weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit www. jimriche.com/the-modernists

ARTS & CULTURE

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

The Desert Open Studios tour is back to showcase, connect and empower local artists—by allowing a peek behind the figurative curtain.

A sampler exhibition runs at the Coachella Valley Art Center from March 17-31, while the free, self-guided tour will feature 150 artists at 60-plus studios over two weekends—Friday and Saturday, March 18-19 and 25-26.

We recently spoke to this year’s two featured artists, David A. Clark and Adriana Lopez-Ospina. “I’ve been a part of the local arts community for 15 years, but I kind of stepped away for some family reasons in the last couple of years, so I missed the first two years of Desert Open Stu-

dios—but I really love the idea,” Clark said during a recent phone interview.

David A. Clark Studio is located in Palm Springs’ Backstreet Art District.

“I love the idea of fostering community between artists, which is something that, as an artist, can sometimes be difficult, because you end up spending a lot of time in your studio working,” he said. “… For me, it’s been a great way of engaging with the community on a more grassroots level. Since my studio is generally open by appointment, I thought that the open studios would be a great way to engage with other artists in the community, and sort of create a sense of community for myself, but also meet people in the community who are interested in art and artists.”

Clark welcomes the conversations he has with visitors.

“People say what they’re going to say,” said Clark. “I’ve been a professional artist my entire life in some form or another. … I wouldn’t say it’s nerve-racking. I’m looking forward to

having my studio open for the Open Studios. The community of people who are interested in art in the Coachella Valley is very sophisticated. They travel; they see a lot of work; they ask interesting questions, so I’m always fascinated by what comes in the door. People often have an interesting take on things and a way of looking at the work that I may not have thought of, which is always good, but it’s always interesting. I always learn something.”

He said he gets a lot out of observing what people like.

“I have two large pieces of sculpture in my studio now, and people immediately walk in the door and go to one or the other, which is fascinating,” Clark said. “Then they look at the paintings that are on the wall. That, for me informationally, is like, ‘Oh, there’s something about that draws people’s eye,’ so I would probably take some inspiration from that in terms of the work that kind of ignites their interest.”

Clark, a United Kingdom native, explained how he wound up in the Coachella Valley.

“About 15 years ago, I decided my interest in Los Angeles kind of expired, and it was sort of the end of a job,” Clark said. “I had been working on the television show Sex and the City, and then when that show went off the air, I decided to change my environment and moved here. At the time, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it, but within a couple of days, I was hooked. It’s so beautiful, and the people are really lovely. It’s a pace of life that allows the creative process to flourish—and I can also have a much larger studio space here, so economically, there are a lot of pluses. I think my work is structurally more ambitious as a result.”

Moving to the Coachella Valley has also provided influential scenery.

“Everything I make is the product of my experience,” Clark said. “The stuff that comes out is all a product of the influence that goes in, so I would definitely say since moving here, my palette has changed and become much more pared down, probably because there is a kind of poetry to the landscape here. There’s more space, which has, I think, added a quality

to the work that is maybe more visually contemplative.

“I go for a walk every morning, so I’m always out when the sun is coming up, and the way the sun hits the horizon and then hits the peaks that lead up to the top of Mount San Jacinto, and the way those sort of intervening hills reflect the light back in different ways—I think there is something really soulful about that.”

Adriana Lopez-Ospina got a first-hand view of the start of the Desert Open Studios tours.

“In their first year, about three years back, Kim (Manfredi) and Anne (Bedrick) approached the studio that I work at, which is Coachella Valley Art Center. Kim was around and asked me if I’d be a part of the tour,” Lopez-Ospina said. “… I don’t actually have a space here; my personal studio is down the block at my home. I really love seeing other artists work, but also meeting other artists, because it’s sometimes difficult in the desert. There are a lot of silos that are hard to get to know, if you kind of hang out in one area. I just thought it was a great way to meet other artists.”

The idea of an open studio was a scary thought at first for Lopez-Ospina.

“It really became a process of trying to see what studio visits are like, because if you’re an artist, you do studio visits—not only with the public on tours like this, but also if you invite curators over and things like that, to possibly get into shows and galleries,” Lopez-Ospina said. “I had never really done that, because I had never had my own space, so it felt really vulnerable, because usually, my process is very private”

Lopez-Ospina dealt with similar frightening feelings when she was asked to be a featured artist this year.

“I was honestly so surprised that they would even ask, because I know that there are 100-plus artists on the tour, and I feel like a newcomer a lot of the time, and one of the younger artists here,” she said. “It was honestly an honor, but also kind of scary, because it is overwhelming if you haven’t been in the network, knowing the people and what the process is for these tours.

Lopez-Ospina draws from her heritage and culture for her art.

“I’m Colombian, but raised in the States, so my work has a lot to do with a research process of what Colombia has and its culture,” Lopez-Ospina said. “It’s really difficult to be raised in your culture outside of your own com-

munity and country, so a lot of the time, it felt like maybe I wasn’t Colombian enough. I think a lot of people who are second-generation of any culture feel that they’re not ‘enough’ from there. To sort of start processing that for myself, it’s been a lot of research, and my current work has a lot to do with the Indigenous communities of Columbia. My woolwork and my fiber pieces (are) specifically of the Wayuu tribe in the desert region of Colombia. It’s been really fun, because it’s a way for me to share where I’m from, but also for me to learn where I’m from.”

Viewers have been able to bring their own personal connections to Lopez-Ospina’s art.

“I think what’s really interesting … is that a lot of the time, what draws them to the woolwork is that it gives them a lot of nostalgia,” Lopez-Ospina said. “It’s textural, so if you see it in person, a lot of people are drawn to touch it, and it feels very comforting, and gives this feeling of childhood. A lot of people tell me their stories like, ‘Oh, this reminds me of just being in a comfortable warm spot,’ or it translates to something in their life, which is nice, because they connect it back to their own history.”

Desert Open Studios will take place on Saturday and Sunday, March 18-19 and 25-26. For more information, visit desertopenstudios.com

The Desert Open Studios tour has returned to brings artists and audiences closer together

ON COCKTAILS

Everyone is getting sober now; you’re gonna love it. It’s the coolest. This is a recent text in a group chat from a friend—someone who has been sober for years, and is one heck of a bartender. They are currently running a bar and said they’re a better bar manager than ever.

Bar prowess aside, is my friend right? Is drinking passé?

I am starting to think that it is. My daily doom-scroll usually has some clickbait article about how “Doctors Say One Drink A Week Causes (insert chronic illness here).” Somebody has to be

clicking on those, or they would stop.

We all know bars aren’t health clubs by now, don’t we? Bars are fun; drinking is fun, right? We accept the risks. But what if there was another way?

It’s pretty well-accepted by those of us in the industry that the generation born after 1996 (call them what you like) is more sober than Millennials, Gen X and the Boomers. I have had many a conversation with my comrades in the industry who mourn that the “kids these days” are prudish people who tribally sit in large groups—with maybe half of them having a drink, and nobody having a second. It’s not just in this country; things are similar throughout developed “Western” nations, according to the BBC.

It’s staggering to think that, according to the article, the largest portion of young Europeans polled (legal drinking age to 39), at 27%, drinks only once a month, while the largest group of their American peers, at 25%, drinks

only once a week. Publications and other news sources, from Vice to The Guardian, have pieces on how sober is cool. Any bar program worth its salt these days has a mocktail section, not just a faux-jito. An alcohol-free “spirit” won Spirit of the Year at the Tales of the Cocktail conference recently. Sober people can show off their teetotaling with brands like “Sober Is Sexy” while doing NamaStay sober yoga and posting it on #SoberTok. Drinking is cultural— and the culture is clearly shifting.

I grew up in the Boston area, and I can’t think of anyone I grew up with who didn’t drink, at least on occasion, and many of my childhood friends are still heavy drinkers. Drinking at my prestigious Catholic alma mater was so prevalent that it wasn’t until my early 20s that I even considered sobriety. One day in my 23rd year, I went cold turkey—high on my own superiority and throwing cash by the handful from my first bartending job into coffee cans and books. About a year later, a

piña colada at a Scottsdale resort was the end of that, and the “party train” became a bullet train for more than a decade. Sure, I would take breaks—a month here, a week there—but I spent most of my 20s and 30s bloated and hungover, or worse. I have to say: Part of me really envies the “kids these days.”

So what changed things with this generation? One easy answer, of course is the pandemic: A lot of people turned 21 while stuck inside and celebrated with a Zoom party. While the Millennials got “vaxxed and waxed” for the short-lived “Roaring 20s,” the younger ones didn’t have the blurry but fond memories to coax them into risky situations. Even, I, your intrepid drinker, went dry for most of a year. I didn’t miss drinking much, to be honest, and the only downside was that I began making really embarrassing TikToks about philosophy or spirituality or something. When I began drinking again, I still avoided bars—except for maybe once a month.

Recently, as I moved on from one job and got ready for another, I decided to use the break to try sobriety again. These are my honest thoughts, now that I am back behind the stick again with more than a couple of dry weeks.

Bartending sober is more fun. Not many jobs tolerate, or even encourage, drinking on the job these days. I’m not sure how those guys in the ’60s and earlier got anything done, to be honest. But bartending is different. You don’t even realize you’re drinking sometimes; it can just become as natural as breathing, if you’re in the right (or wrong) place. This doesn’t mean the bartender is getting “drunk,” but it’s rare at many places to not have a drink or two during the course of a busy (or extra-slow) shift. However, when alcohol is completely out of your system, you don’t need that “shot of courage” as much, ironically.

I have less temptation to drink because

of my job, not more. Some of my favorite bartenders back in Boston are sober—some with decades of sobriety. Having done stretches that way myself over the years, it makes sense. Even one drink makes the buzzed person at the bar seem pretty normal. When you are free from the substance, that person is downright silly, and the drunk guy walking in the door is, frankly, pitiful. The shots you just poured for the bachelorette party look like straight poison, because they are. The sober bartender sees through the glamor of the party and is comfortable in their own skin.

I don’t feel “stuck” bartending. I’ll be real here: Aging as a bartender (or a server, a cook, or anyone in the industry) is tough. You see your friends move on in life to more “stable” careers. You feel the aches and pains more; the hangovers take you out harder; and you realize that many of your “friends” are young enough to be your kids. (Yes, that explains my knowledge of hashtags on TikTok, if you were wondering.) It’s really easy to feel like you’re stuck in the mud sometimes. But in just this short time, I already feel like the sky’s the limit—in the industry or out of it. I have so much more energy.

I didn’t get all of these benefits when I would stop drinking for a week, or a month, when I had a date when I planned to go back to boozing. This time, it is an experiment in living sober, not taking a break. It’s not a “rock bottom” penance; life is great; and I want to actually enjoy it for what it is and not through a shot glass, darkly.

So, yes, my sober bartender friend, I do love it—and maybe the kids are alright after all. Just don’t go getting ideas, the rest of you: A guy’s still gotta make a living!

Our intrepid imbiber is no longer imbibing; he’s giving sobriety a shot

CAESAR CERVISIA

JASON DAVID

HAIR STUDIO

LOVE YOUR HAIR

t is a rare occasion when I get the opportunity to talk about winter seasonals in the desert. Yes, we have our winter, but it’s obviously mild relative to almost anywhere else in the country.

freezing—so why not strike while the iron is cold and dig into the subject of “winter warmers”? (aka Yule) celebrations. For the solstice, they would brew strong ale, feast on meat and make offerings to the gods for the upcoming spring. The English adopted the idea of making a beer for Christmastime. Traditionally in England, the winter ale would often be a very strong, malty, full-bodied

By brett newton There are many other winter beers out there for you to explore. I can only cover so much here when it comes to any topic, but before I leave you to the task of finding these beers, I’ll briefly mention a few other beers that I reach for every year. Fremont Brewing has their Winter Ale, another winter warmer, and everything Fremont does is good. Everything.

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can still find it in many places that carry even a little more beer variety than a gas station. I don’t think I’ve failed to pick up at least one bottle of this classic for the past two decades—

Enough history … it’s time to drink. For my money, the alpha and omega of this genre is Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale. It’s not spiced and has a bunch of wintery adjuncts thrown in; it’s malty luxury with a helping of Golding and Fuggles hops (the latter being a favorite hop name of mine). Reminiscent of English dessert flavors, it’s a liquid version of a lovely fruitcake. It’s made all the better due to its availability locally: You

tradition of adding spices and/or fruits to a dark ale for the Christmas season. Like other Belgian abbey styles, they are dangerously easy to drink, even at an alcohol by volume of 10-12%. St. Bernardus Christmas and Delirium Noel are two prime, readily available examples. I recently saw a marked-down price on fourpacks of the St. Bernardus at Total Wine and More, so there may still time for people like me who leave the tree up just a bit too long. You might be able to find American versions of this style—but good luck to you. Belgian styles seem to have largely gone out of favor, and I couldn’t be sadder about it. Luckily, there is a pipeline of Belgian ales that make it to the shelves, and most keep well due to a bit of refermentation inside the bottle (hence the corks and cages on many of the bottles). If the bottle is corked and caged, in all likelihood, that beer is fine. Sometimes, it’s even better than it would have been fresh.

Now that we’ve covered the Old World, let’s move on to the New and discuss winter seasonals made by American breweries. There are two that come to mind that were around long before I was of drinking age: Anchor Brewing’s Christmas Ale, and Sierra Nevada Brewing’s Bigfoot. The two are not similar; Anchor’s is a spiced winter warmer first made in 1975, and Sierra Nevada’s is what is now classified as an American barleywine. The former is a beer you would sit and have by the fire; the latter is what you’d have before you go to sleep.

Some breweries have beers they brew every year for winter, while many will make different beers as they see fit. Deschutes Brewing has their Jubelale—and this year’s is incredible. It’s a winter warmer with all the rich, malty flavor of an English winter seasonal, but with Pacific Northwest levels of hops. Everything is balanced, and the overall

flavor experience is intense.

Another favorite of this season for me that can still be found on shelves is Santa’s Private Reserve from Rogue Ales. Rogue is another elder in craft brewing, and I must admit that I don’t check in with them as often as I used to. That may be to my detriment, because Santa’s Private Reserve is an excellent stout made with tangerine, chocolate and tahini. Tahini is a Middle Eastern sauce made with ground, toasted sesame seeds; it’s kind of a left-field choice here, but it just works. And thankfully, the stout isn’t some overly sweet behemoth; it’s a well-balanced beer with just the right amount of roast to counter the adjuncts.

Brewery X made a white chocolate and peppermint stout called Bark Griswold that I still see on the shelves at Trader Joe’s in Palm Desert. This was also nicely balanced, so as not to be all about the adjuncts: You can still tell it’s a stout underneath. Both the Rogue and Brewery X beers clock in at 6.5% ABV—enough to warm you up a little, but not enough to put you to bed.

Trader Joe’s has a Vintage Ale that is brewed by Unibroue in Quebec. Unibroue makes some of the most authentic Belgian styles in North America, and the Vintage Ale is no different; it’s a spiced Belgian dark strong ale that drinks very easily for its strength.

Now the only thing left for you to do is find and enjoy these and other beers for the season. Is this homework? Yes—but it’s the best homework assignment you’ve likely ever received. Go forth and discover!

Brett Newton is a certified cicerone (like a sommelier for beer) and homebrewer who has mostly lived in the Coachella Valley since 1988. He can be reached at caesarcervisia@gmail.com.

Before spring arrives, take advantage of the cooler weather—and enjoy some winter seasonals

VINE SOCIAL

JASON DAVID HAIR STUDIO

LOVE

ver the last 15 years or so, wine clubs have been the business model du jour for everything customers and build business loyalty: Just offer up some discounts, and ship out a couple With all the clubs available to choose from, how does someone decide which one is right for There are memberships and subscriptions to satisfy every palate, from the super-geeky natural-

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welcome letter highlighting why I chose these particular wines. I would include a favorite family recipe that could be paired with one or

reps, there are times when my colleague and I just look at each other—both of us with a mouth full of wine and raised eyebrows—and we would know … this is a wine club wine.

own club at my little wine shop in Palm Desert. Because of our limited staff (there’s two of us!), it needed to be simple. I got to work thinking about what our membership would look like, what we would offer, and how we would set ourselves apart from the countless other wine clubs out there.

The outline looked like this: I would select six bottles of wine—a couple of whites, maybe the occasional rose or sparkling wine, and various reds—once a quarter for the members. Included in the box would be an envelope filled with note cards I would write up about each of the wines—telling a little bit of history, or a fun fact about the producer—along with a

Beyond the box, the members would get a discount on their purchases, and the weekly tastings would be complimentary. The coup de gras would be a pickup party, where the members could meet and mingle over hors d’oeuvres and, naturally, wine. All of this would be offered for a set price you could pay for per quarter, or you save a few bucks and join for the year.

Done. It all sounded good, so it was time to get this thing going!

As a sommelier and wine-buyer, I taste hundreds of wines a month. Some are good; a few are great; a lot are terrible; and a handful of them are wow wines. It became my challenge and mission to seek out those wow wines for our club. During tastings with various wine

Not everything we love makes the cut. We don’t just want wines that wow us; they have to be wines that are unique, undiscovered and unusual—nothing well-known, widely available or stocked in a grocery store. I figured the best way we could set ourselves apart is by introducing wine-lovers to something they’ve never heard of: a region they didn’t know made wine, a grape they’ve never tried, or a producer that is super-small and doesn’t distribute.

Beyond what I penciled out for our members, however, there was an even bigger draw toward joining the club that I didn’t expect: The best thing about the club turned out to be the members themselves.

As the club grew, so did the amazing friendships between the members. People who had never crossed paths before were now celebrating birthdays and holidays together.

They have a genuine care and concern for each other when the going gets tough, and show real kindness and hospitality to new faces. It’s amazing to see a wine club evolve into a wine community that turned into a wine family. It turns out that while we were introducing our members to these unique and unexpected wines, they were introducing themselves to each other.

I learned at the end of the day that you can order wine from anyone. You can have your Napa cabs, your esoteric natural wines, or your organic and biodynamic shipments sent right to your door. You can be stocked floor to ceiling with wow wines and note cards and family recipes—but it turns out the best kind of wine club is the kind where you meet your people.

Katie Finn is a certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine with two decades in the wine industry. She can be reached at katiefinnwine@ gmail.com.

When I started putting together a wine club, I had no idea what the best aspect of it would become

the 3 Restaurants Unlimited Flavors

FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT

This month, we devour a tasty burger for lunch, and yummy chicken parm for dinner

WHAT The King Mushroom burger

WHERE Gastro Grind Burgers, 73850 Highway 111, Palm Desert HOW MUCH $17.50 CONTACT 760-404-0300; gastrogrindburgers.com

WHY Delicious toppings.

There are so many burger joints in the Coachella Valley—so how does any burger restaurant stand out from the crowd?

At Gastro Grind Burgers, it’s all about the never-frozen meat. (Well, it’s mostly about the meat; I’ll elaborate in a bit.)

Do you prefer beef, like most folks do? At Gastro Grind, you have three different blends from which to choose. The standard is a “unique blend of chuck, short rib and skirt streak.”

Upgrade to “deluxe,” and you’ll get a blend of chuck, short rib, sirloin and strip loin. Finally, there’s the “fancy pants/hoity toity” option: a mix of short rib, sirloin and ribeye.

If you like beef, but are in the mood for lean, Gastro Grind offers a beef/bison blend. If you’re in the mood for the opposite of lean, you can get pork belly. Other options include turkey, a chicken breast, a Beyond Beef patty and the “wild game” special.

Got all that? Good. So, how does this translate into burger quality?

On my recent visit, I had the King Mushroom burger, and it was quite enjoyable. I got the standard blend, which resulted in a tasty patty. However—and here’s where we get to the “mostly about the meat” part—it was the other ingredients that made me want to go back for more: The wild mushrooms, the goat cheese, and the truffle aioli were all fantastic.

Burgers come with a pickle and a small side (your choice of regular, sweet potato or beerbattered fries; regular or sweet-potato tots; onion rings; or, lord help you, mixed veggies). Gastro Grind also offers a few small plates (duck wings!), salads and sandwiches, and milkshakes.

I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch at Gastro Grind Burgers. In a valley full of burger joints, it’s a standout.

WHAT Chicken parmigiana

WHERE Johnny Costa’s Ristorante, 440 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs HOW MUCH $32 CONTACT 760-325-4556; johnnycostaspalmsprings.com

WHY It’s the best I’ve had in years.

Years ago, the hubby and I went to Johnny Costa’s Ristorante. Our dinner was so-so—I don’t remember what we had—and as a result, we never returned … that is, until we were invited to a large gathering there one recent evening.

Our meals were stellar—so stellar, in fact, that we returned for dinner less than a week later. That dinner was also wonderful.

At that large gathering, I ordered the chicken parmigiana. This Italian-American staple is a favorite of mine, with a caveat: The best version of this dish I’ve ever had is at Mama Louisa’s in Tucson, Ariz., and ever since I moved away from Tucson more than a decade ago, I’ve unsuccessfully tried to find a chicken parm that’s as good. Mama Louisa’s version stands out because of the fantastic sauce and the fact that, somehow, the delicious breading retains some crispiness despite being topped with cheese and sauce.

Johnny Costa’s version may not match Mama Louisa’s … but it comes really close. Everything about it is great: The chicken is juicy and perfectly cooked; the marinara is lovely; the mozzarella is, well, mozzarella; and the light breading retains some texture.

How good was this chicken parm? So good that when we returned less than a week later, I ordered it again—even though Johnny Costa’s menu is packed with all sorts of other delicious things. And delicious, they are: The minestrone soup is top-notch, and the hubby enjoyed both his entrées on our recent visits, the angel hair shrimp pomodori ($39) and the spaghetti and meatballs ($29).

The lesson here? It’s worth giving restaurants—especially places that have been around for a while (Johnny Costa’s opened in 1976)—a second chance.

Restaurant NEWS BITES

ELECTRICAL ISSUE TEMPORARILY CLOSES RIO AZUL, ROOSTER AND THE PIG

Two of my favorite restaurants, both of which take great pride in being part of the Coachella Valley community, were temporarily closed as of this writing due to electrical issues in their building.

In early February, Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill and Rooster and the Pig (350 and 356 S. Indian Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs) had to shut down due to an electrical panel burning out. At the time, they estimated an approximate three-week closure—although both restaurants later said the closures would be indefinite due to worse-than-expected damage.

This has happened during the worst possible time, the height of season, and is devastating to the restaurants’ staff and owners. Please watch their social-media accounts for updates, and do what you can to help—including giving them a ton of business when they reopen.

I can’t wait to get some salsa negra and fish sauce wings once they’re back.

WORLD-CLASS FOOD ARRIVES THANKS TO NOBU, THE PD FOOD AND WINE FEST

When I first visited the Coachella Valley almost 30 years ago, we used to joke (with more than a hint of seriousness) that you didn’t come here for the food. That has been slowly changing, and we now sport restaurants that can stand up to some of the best in the country.

The recent mention of eight Palm Springs eateries in the Michelin Guide is a testament to that fact—as is the year-round opening of Nobu Indian Wells. This outpost of the world-famous Japanese restaurant is located in Stadium 2 of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden (78200 Miles Ave., Indian Wells). It debuted at the 2014 BNP Paribas Open, allowing fans to enjoy exquisitely prepared cuisine from Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. It’s been back for the tennis tournament ever since—and now it’s open year-round. Learn more at noburestaurants.com/indian-wells.

In other world-class food news: The Palm Desert Food and Wine Festival returns from Friday, March 24, through Sunday, March 26, this year featuring luminaries including Michelinstar chef Curtis Stone, Food Network veteran Tyler Florence and Top Chef’s Fabio Viviani.

The three days will feature delicious food, fabulous wines, cooking demonstrations and— something about which I am particularly excited—an amazing opportunity to learn about the art of cheese from Afrim Pristine, the world’s youngest maître fromager (certified cheese master) and the co-owner of Cheese Boutique in Toronto!

Get tickets and a complete schedule at www.palmdesertfoodandwine.com.

IN BRIEF

Cork and Fork has completed its announced move to Indio. The restaurant, which focuses on small plates, has reopened in a larger location at 49890 Jefferson St., Suite 100. I am happy to report that they have maintained the excellent food quality. (Try the crispy Brussels sprouts!) Get details at corkandforkwinebar.com. … New to Indio: Supreme Caffeine has opened at 83233 Indio Blvd. Keep it in mind if you are looking for a place to grab a cup of joe on your way to a festival; find out more at www.facebook.com/KURUPTDCOOKIN. … A new location of the massive Crumbl Cookie chain can now be found at 46480 Washington St., Suite 2, in La Quinta. We mentioned the Palm Desert location in this space last year. What’s not to love about freshly baked cookies? Details at crumblcookies.com. … SottoVoce joins the ever-growing list of new places to check out on El Paseo—specifically, at 73545 El Paseo. With coffee, tea, panini, beer and wine, and a variety of sweets, SottoVoce is a perfect spot for a respite during a day of high-end shopping; find out more at thegardensonelpaseo.com/stores/sottovoce-café. … There’s yet more Mexican food in the valley! Guadalajara Café and Bar (in Palm Desert at 74478 Highway 111) serves traditional Mexican fare all day; learn more at guadalajaracafebar.com. … Meanwhile, in Cathedral City, there’s El Asado Mexican Grill, at 27800 Landau Blvd.; call 760459-3566 if you have questions. … And in downtown Palm Springs, the growing list of Mexican joints will soon include Mickey’s Kitchen Mexican Food, coming to 240 N. Palm Canyon Drive, behind NYPD Pizza; more details to come. … Everyone’s favorite meal of the week now has an entire restaurant named after it: Brunch 101 is located at 68718 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 101, in Cathedral City. You’ll find fun twists on brunch classics like the smashed-avo benny and the donut waffle. Learn more at brunch101.com. … If you need a pick-me-up while shopping at the outlet mall, Reborn Coffee is here to help. The SoCal coffee chain now has a location at 48750 Seminole Drive, in Cabazon; reborncoffee.com. Got a hot tip? Let me know: foodnews@cvindependent.com.

MYTHOLOGICAL VIBE

An appreciation for the desert music scene has been growing outside of the valley for a number of years. Sure, bands like Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal went worldwide and garnered huge fanbases—but a love of the desert specifically has spread across the globe, as our little dust bowl has been a birthing place for a number of different metal and rock subgenres.

Different European countries have hosted the popular stoner-rock festival called DesertFest, for example, and the Heavy Psych Sounds Records label has been showcasing its roster of doom, psych and stoner-rock artists at festivals in various countries. Now the label is now bringing the fest to Joshua Tree. Heavy Psych Sounds Fest California will take place on Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26, in both San Francisco and Joshua Tree. Windhand, Weedeater and Brant Bjork are headlining the Joshua Tree lineup, which will also feature a few local outfits, including Whiskey and Knives.

During a recent phone interview with Gabriele Fiori, Heavy Psych Sounds’ owner

(and a member of Black Rainbows), he discussed the humble beginnings of the label.

“I started by myself, so I did all the jobs, from the press to the logistics—packing, stickering and booking bands by myself,” Fiori said. “When things started to get bigger and bigger, I got the help of a friend, then another one; then we hired a press company. At the end of the story, now we are, like, eight or nine people working for the label.”

It all started with a compilation album that showcased pillars of the scene.

“It was a do-it-yourself thing, and slowly I started releasing vinyls for my band, Black Rainbows,” said Fiori. “I had the chance to work with a lot of bands because of touring

The Heavy Psych Sounds Festival celebrates hard rock and desert-rock history

and organizing shows as well. I started releasing mostly EPs and re-presses for bigger bands, and brand-new albums for smaller bands. I started learning the job, and since then, I’ve always been learning. … It’s fun, and it keeps you really busy.”

The world hasn’t always paid much attention to the stoner-rock scene. As other rock and music genres dominated the ’90s, many stoner bands gained, at best, underground popularity.

“This scene has been really dedicated and supportive since the beginning,” Fiori said. “Since, really, the early days with Kyuss and Monster Magnet, they have always been followed by a niche. Really, just a few people were into the scene; compared to the punk-rock scene, it was so small—but it was constant. I believe the golden era of this genre and this scene is now, and has happened in the last seven, eight years. … I’ve been a fan since the first minute, and we lived in a blackhole audience for, like, two decades. I think the comeback started back in 2014 with the new comeback of vinyl, because this scene is so connected to the vinyl sales—and also the weed thing helps it a lot.

“In this scene, you have so many shades. You start from doom, and heavy doom, (and go) to psychedelic rock. It’s all different shades and really different types of genres—but it’s all together under the same roof.”

Fiori said many of the musicians under that aforementioned roof share the same attitude.

“Something more than nice about this scene is that the audience and the bands … they are the same,” Fiori said. “The bands playing, they’re not divas; they are really in connection with the audience. You don’t feel this distance, because you don’t see bands becoming mainstream. These bands are not doing this thing to become superstars. The best you can achieve is to sign a contract and maybe play good festivals, but it’s not like you become a huge metal band.”

Fiori long admired the desert music scene from afar, but he’s finally been able to see its faces and places.

“I know all the folks who invented and have been the godfathers of this scene, and I understood how it has been shaped similar to many other scenes—except for the fact that it’s in an incredible location,” Fiori said. “You have a big piece of nature involved, the desert, and from the outside, we see this like a myth, a mythology kind of thing. … Kyuss released Blues for the Red Sun when I was 13 or 14, and it blew my mind. It was a game-changer. I was a grungeband fan, but (Kyuss) was more underground, and you could feel something. I remember very, very great feelings listening to that vibe. It’s like a mythological area and scene.”

Fiori’s love for desert rock is coming full circle with the Heavy Psych Sounds Fest—and a little help from Brant Bjork.

“Black Rainbows played, like, 6 or 7 years ago in the desert, when (the festival) Stoned and Dusted was happening,” he said. “Brant Bjork and his manager invited my band, and we played at Pappy’s. I spent a couple of nights in the desert, and it was really amazing. Before the pandemic, we were setting the festival up in Los Angeles, but it became tough to organize shows and work with promoters and venues. It’s not so comfortable to organize shows there, so I was in touch with Brant. … I’m so lucky to be friends with him, and he said, ‘Let’s try to move this to the desert,’ and he was super-right—because that location, with that lineup, looks so incredible.”

Heavy Psych Sounds Fest will take place starting at 1 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26 at the Hi-Desert Cultural Center, 61231 Twentynine Palms Highway, in Joshua Tree. Tickets are $55 for a one-day pass, or $99 for a two-day pass. For more information, visit www. heavypsychsounds.com/fests.htm.

MUSIC

BIG HISTORY

The Glenn Miller Orchestra brings vintage hits to the Palm Springs Cultural Center

Few bands combine history and popularity like the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Miller was a star of the ’30s/’40s, churning out hits like “In the Mood,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo” and “Moonlight Serenade.” He started the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1938—but his life was cut short in 1944 when he went missing in action during World War II. The band continued under the watch of Miller’s estate—and is still going today, touring up to

48 weeks out of the year. The band is headed to the Coachella Valley for a show at the Palm Springs Cultural Center at 7 p.m., Monday, March 13.

“The band has to be, almost without a doubt, one of the busiest bands in the whole world,” said Erik Stabnau, the current music director and bandleader, during a recent interview. “Pre-pandemic, this band was playing well over 200 shows every single calendar year, and that took us around the U.S., and took us around Canada; we do a Japan tour every year as well. Now, since coming back from the pandemic, we’re getting back to that full-time schedule. I think last year, we probably played somewhere between 150 and 160 (shows). It’s one of the busiest touring bands you’ll find anywhere.

“I think that’s one thing that musicians hope to do at some point in their careers—have a chance to tour, play different theaters and see the country or see the world. This band is unique in that it’s the same group of musicians from show to show. We travel by tour bus, stay in a different hotel almost every night, play in a different city almost every night—and the thing just keeps going year after year.”

Stabnau and the orchestra don’t play the exact same setlist every night.

“We’ve got a two-hour concert, and about half the music that you’re going to hear is

Glenn Miller’s big hits—songs like ‘Moonlight Serenade,’ ‘In the Mood’ and ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo,’” he said. “We play those every night. … The other half of the setlist is a variety of songs from the Glenn Miller songbook, which is so extensive. When Glenn Miller was a bandleader, which was for just a couple of years, I think they had, like, 750 songs that they wrote and arranged for the band. In the years and decades following, there have been another 750 or more added, so the numbering system in our libraries is over 1,500. How does the band decide which songs to play?

“It sort of depends on the personnel of the band,” Stabnau said. “We’ll do some vocals. I do the male vocals, and we’ve got a gal named Jenny (Swoish) who sings the female vocals. We have a vocal group as well—that’s me and Jenny and a few guys from the band who sing backup harmonies. We’ll do some different vocals; we’ll do some different instrumentals. It may depend on where the show is. A lot of the music in the songbook is kind of regional music, like ‘Georgia on My Mind’ if we’re in Georgia, and we might play ‘Stars Fell on Alabama’ when we’re down South. It just sort of depends on the performance.”

Stabnau explained how he came to be part of the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

“I grew up playing saxophone through-

out grade school, and I went on to study saxophone in college, at the University of Rochester,” Stabnau said. “I always loved big band music; I always liked music of the ’30s and ’40s, and I knew that the Glenn Miller Orchestra was still around and still touring, but that was about it. In 2017, one of my good friends from Rochester joined the orchestra, and a couple of months later, he told me about a tenor-saxophone spot that was opening. I auditioned, and sure enough, a couple of weeks later, I joined up with the band. … At that point, I just played tenor sax with the group. A while later, I started singing with the vocal group, and over the pandemic, there were some changes in personnel here and there, and that’s when I stepped in front of the group as the music director.”

Today, Stabnau is well-versed in the band’s history.

“In between most songs, I’ll kind of emcee the show, and I’ll introduce the next song we’re playing, and maybe tell a short bit of history about it,” Stabnau said. “You get to hear a good bit of the history of the original band, and at the same time, I’ll introduce the musicians onstage for the current band.”

He said audiences enjoy learning about the classic music.

“It’s now over 80 years later, and we’re still playing the same stuff,” Stabnau said. “… It’s just kind of amazing how popular that group was back then, and how significant they were leading into World War II. This was the music of a generation, so it’s just really cool to know the history.”

Obviously, the band’s audience and personnel have both changed over the years—yet the band and its music remains popular.

“Years ago, the audience was made up mostly of the Greatest Generation,” Stabnau said. “Nowadays, there’s a bit more variety in the audience. We have a lot of children of the Greatest Generation. They may not have grown up with Glenn Miller, but they grew up with a family that played that music in the house, because their parents liked it. I think more recently, in the last couple decades, the swingdance revival has really brought around a new interest in this kind of music. We play a lot of vintage events, which are hugely attended.”

The Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform at 7 p.m., Monday, March 13, at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E. Baristo Road, in Palm Springs. Tickets start at $34. For tickets or more information, visit glennmillerorchestra.com.

March 2023

Happy March! Distract yourself from the upcoming unbearable summer weather with some top-notch entertainment!

Acrisure Arena has a wide range of music offerings. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 4, the passionate Mexican diva Ana Gabriel will perform. Tickets start at $107. Hey, Parrotheads: Take a break from hanging out at Margaritaville Palm Springs, and head to Acrisure to see Jimmy Buffet in the flesh at 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 7. Tickets start at $79. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 18, enjoy Grupo Arriesgado, straight from Sinaloa! Tickets start at $87. In the mood for some throwback artists? Enjoy Freestyle Explosion at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 24, featuring artists like Stevie B, Lisa Lisa and many others. Tickets start at $39.50. Country music icon Reba McEntire is set to perform at 6:30 p.m., Friday, March 31. Tickets start at $49.75. Acrisure Arena, 75702 Varner Road, Palm Desert; 888-695-8778; www.acrisurearena.com

Fantasy Springs offers both music and comedy this month. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 4, the legendary Sheryl Crow will perform. Tickets start at $79. Fresh off her Grammy win, Bonnie Raitt will head to Indio at 8 p.m., Friday, March 10. Tickets start at $59. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 18, enjoy an evening of classic country music with Tanya Tucker. Tickets start at $49. Catch ’90s Mexican-American group Intocable at 8 p.m., Sunday, March 19. Tickets start at $49. Comedian Iliza Shlesinger will bring the laughs at 8 p.m., Friday, March 24. Tickets start at $39. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-3425000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Spotlight 29 is offering a funk-tastic event: At 8 p.m., Friday, March 24, catch a

MUSIC

CLASSICS GONE CRAZY

Drumming legend Stewart Copeland has cemented his place in music history. He was a huge part of The Police, and has crafted a second career arc through soundtrack work on movies and video games—as well as experimental side projects like the jam-band Oysterhead, featuring Les Claypool of Primus and Trey Anastasio of Phish. Now he’s branching out into new territory that combines all of his musical worlds.

Stewart Copeland is bringing his “Police Deranged for Orchestra” show to Fantasy Springs on Saturday, March 25. Police classics like “Roxanne,” “Message in a Bottle,” and “Every Breath You Take” will be performed with the help of a full orchestra—alongside Copeland’s classic and experimental drumming, of course.

“(The songs) were originally ‘deranged’ so I could use Police music to score a film that I made about the Police, which was comprised of all the Super 8 footage that I shot back in the day,” Copeland said during a recent phone interview. “The film went to Sundance and had a career of its own, and the music for it, I got by taking live recordings and studio multi-tracks that I found, because I wanted it to be kind of alternate. For one thing, the Police music didn’t do what a film score is supposed to do, because it was pop music, so I had to change it around a little bit. Also, I was looking for more obscure elements to give a little bit of a twist, and I found lost guitar solos, stage improvisations and other cool stuff that the Police came up with spontaneously. I used these altered versions, which I called ‘derangements,’ to score the film.

“Later on … I’ve been doing orchestra work for decades now, and I had the idea of doing some of the hits that people liked, because songs that people know are always going to have more impact than anything else. I went to these ‘deranged’ versions, and I orchestrated them. These orchestral versions are very different, because it’s an orchestra instead of a rock band—except that I turned the orchestra into a rock band for just one night. … Some of them are more or less normal. ‘Message in a Bottle’ is like a diamond; it cannot be cut off, so it’s orchestral, but it’s the basic form of the song. Others I have ‘deranged’ up good.”

Transforming these classic songs was frightening to Copeland initially.

“I did think that people would come after me with pitchforks—but, in fact, they don’t, because they recognize their favorite parts, even if in a slightly different context,” Copeland said. “You can still sing along to ‘Roxanne’ just like you remember, but there are new twists and turns it takes that are unexpected.”

Copeland has long been experimenting with improvisational music. A few Police B-sides dive into the jam realm like “Masoko Tanga” and “Voices Inside My Head,” and the Oysterhead project has him at his most musically spontaneous. However, working with an orchestra has allowed Copeland to somehow meld improv and set-in-stone musical styles.

“The orchestra, the ‘orcs,’ are absolutely on the page,” he said. “They do not deviate one jot or tittle from the ink on the page; that’s what they do. … I, however—since it’s my name on the ticket—fuck it all up. I will do any damn thing that pleases me in the spontaneity of the moment, and I get the freedom to do that, because the orcs are all following the page. I know where they’re going to be, so I can run circles around it.”

Revisiting Police tracks in this creative way has allowed Copeland to appreciate his former bandmates and their songwriting process even more than before.

“I’ve been playing those songs for years, without really paying much attention to what’s going on in front of the stage,” Copeland said. “I’m just listening to the riff on the bass at the back of the stage, banging shit. I don’t know what he’s singing about up there; all I can see is the back of his head. Since I’ve gotten into ‘deranging’ the songs and getting into it, I’ve really discovered that the guy was a heck of a songwriter.”

Copeland recently announced a soon-to-be released new book, Stewart Copeland’s Police Diaries, a collection of the drummer’s journals from the early days of the band, 1976-1979. The new book has also given Copeland another form of appreciation for Sting and Andy Summers.

“Oddly, what the book reminded me of, was that we bonded as musicians before we knew what music we were going to play,” he said. “For the first two years of the Police, we were playing my songs, which were just crap basslines with the yelling, so that we would fit into the punk scene. Sting had not yet written ‘Roxanne,’ nor ‘Every Breath You Take,’ nor any of the big hits. Andy Summers joined us; he insisted on joining us, leaving his lucrative session career behind to join fake

Stewart Copeland brings reworked Police hits and a full orchestra to Fantasy Springs

punks. I asked him about this the other day: ‘What were you thinking?’ And he says, ‘I don’t fucking know. What was I thinking? I was an idiot.’ But we’re both glad that he insisted.”

Copeland shared an anecdote about Sting’s reaction—or lack thereof—to these new Police arrangements.

“Sting’s very keen, because I’m playing his songs,” Copeland said. “I sent him a giant book, a hardbound book of the scores. It’s an enormous volume with all of the orchestral scores in it, and he was very appreciative of that—but didn’t comment on the contents within. I don’t know how his reading skills are. I did not send him audio, just so that I can imagine him going cross-eyed.”

More Police music has received the deranged treatment than what one will see in the show.

“I only get a couple of hours, 2 1/2 hours, so I can’t just throw more material in there,” said Copeland. “This points to the actual miracle, which is, ‘You’re kidding—2 1/2 hours?’ … I have more arrangements, and I occasionally switch them out. I’ve played the show maybe 20 times, so I’ve been tweaking it slightly, but I’ve got a lot more songs that I have in reserve.”

Copeland has an extensive orchestral history. He worked on the score for the Spyro the Dragon video game, as well as movies like Wall Street and Good Burger. Through 20 years of composing, he learned how to use an orchestra—and, more importantly, how to

interact with the performers.

“I always do something which most rock musicians working with an orchestra do not do, which is consider them to be my fellow musicians,” Copeland said. “I used to be this way when I first started working with orchestras for film. They’re kind of alienating, and a mass group of musicians squinting at you can be intimidating. They, too, are intimidated by musicians who get paid too much money, wear tight pants and can improvise. That fucks them all up, so usually, there’s kind of a wall. I have worked with orchestras enough now to love them and appreciate what they do and how they do it, so I mingle in rehearsal. I’m all over the orchestra. I’ve got my chat-up lines for the viola players; the brass, I ask about their mutes, and I just generally schmooze. It creates a very, very different atmosphere in the rehearsal and even more onstage, because it’s really about the orchestra. It’s not a rock band with an orchestra as set dressing; it’s about the orchestra, and the rich sounds, and exciting, dramatic things that the orchestra can do.”

Stewart Copeland will perform ‘Police Deranged for Orchestra’ at 8 p.m., Saturday, March 25, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, in Indio. Tickets start at $49. For tickets or more information, call 760-3425000, or visit www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

MUSIC

100 SINGING MEN

meant to sing.

Since 1985, the Masters of Harmony have been touring the world, winning competitions and enlightening audiences with their take on barbershop-quartet and choral music. They’ve won the International Chorus Championship nine times—and their award-winning show is headed for the McCallum Theatre for a matinee on Sunday, March 19.

During a recent interview with Craig Hughes, chapter president and member of the bass sec-

tion, he explained that the Masters of Harmony are a melding of Los Angeles-area chapters of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

“The Barbershop Harmony Society is a huge organization of 17 districts across every state and Canada of 700 chapters, and they’ve been around for about 85 years,” said Hughes. “There are six or seven chapters that are very successful in L.A., and members of those chapters decided to get together and put together a competitive chapter that could win international contests every year. They did that 38 years ago, in 1985. Since then, we have won nine international competitions. We have grown to 140 active members, and we have a performing chorus now of about 60 to 70 members. It was a group of like-minded men who wanted to sing at a high level.”

Winning an International Chorus Championship, as you may expect, is not easy.

“There’s a qualification process where you win at a division level, and then a district level,” Hughes said. “We have the far western

district, which is made up of 70 chapters across three states, and we get together and compete to get a representative or a couple of qualifying representatives to go to international. You then go to the international competition; they’ve been held all over the United States and Canada. You compete with 30 to 50 other choruses, singing in front of a panel of judges and a large audience, and at the end, they award a championship. After you win, you have to sit out for two years before you can compete again. In our 30 years, we’ve won nine times.”

These various wins have come at a time when the nature of the competition—and the competitors themselves—have been changing.

“A major change that’s been taking place in the last six, seven years is we now allow all genders to be members singing in our choruses,” Hughes said. “We have mixed choruses; we have male choruses; we have female choruses. Masters of Harmony happens to be a male chorus, but we’re competing against everybody.”

Hughes said he feels that he was always

The Masters of Harmony bring championship a cappella to the McCallum

“I grew up in the Midwest, in Iowa, and I sang all the way through elementary and high school,” shared Hughes. “I went to West Point and sang in the West Point Glee Club—and then left and didn’t sing for 20 years. A friend introduced me to barbershop, and I’ve been doing that for more than 20 years. I was kind of born into it, because I’m from Iowa, and my dad was a friend of Meredith Wilson, who is the guy who wrote The Music Man, the Broadway play. I now sing in three choruses; I sing in a quartet; and I’ve been in a number of volunteer positions in the barbershop world.”

Joining Masters of Harmony wasn’t even a question. “They’re the best in the world,” he said.

The commute can be challenging, however, as members travel from all over Southern California to practice.

“I live in Chula Vista, which is down on the Mexican border, so it’s quite a commute,” Hughes said. “There’s a group of guys from San Diego, and a group of guys from the Palm Springs area. There are carpools, and it’s a three-hour drive up for a three-hour rehearsal, and then a two-hour drive home, so it is quite a commitment—but you’re traveling with all your friends. You leave in the middle of the afternoon to get back at 1 in the morning, but it’s well worth it.”

Hughes said people who come to see their

show will enjoy a broad spectrum of music.

“Audiences will hear American classics, gospel, some patriotic and some contemporary music,” he said. “This year, we’re featuring a set which was our last contest piece, which is a song from Wicked that is mixed with a song from the TV show Smash. We sing all different kinds of songs. We sing a cappella without accompaniment, and we don’t hold music; everything’s memorized. We have some choreography and movement with a number of our songs, and we will feature two quartets, which is the basis of barbershop. One is called Masterpiece; it’s an international champion quartet that came out of our chapter, and the other one is Seventh Variety, a college quartet that sings with us. Our ages range from 20 to 80, and it’s pretty well spread across, so you’ll see all types of guys up there singing.”

The Masters of Harmony has released eight albums—some live, and some recorded in a studio. I mentioned that recording 100 men singing at the same time sounds like a logistical nightmare.

“We’ve recorded albums ever since we started, and it’s an interesting process, because we’ve recorded in studios, and our last few recordings have been in a large church in Newport Beach,” Hughes said. “We set up all the mics, and what you hear on the recording is an edited performance. We don’t multitrack; we don’t record each separately. They’re not all one take. If you hear a recording from a show or performance, that will be one take, but other than that, it’s kind of a mix and maatch, but it’s not manipulated; it’s what we sound like. As you can imagine, getting sometimes up to 100 guys singing and staying still and not making things squeak and breathing at the right time—it’s quite a process, but it’s very fulfilling for the end result. We have been working on a recording for a couple of years that COVID set us back on.”

Going forward, the Masters of Harmony intend to continue pushing the boundaries of what a barbershop group can be.

“We’re lucky to have a lot of fans around the world, but we’re trying to reach out to a larger audience,” Hughes said. “Our vision now is to kind of break out of that barbershop bubble and have the world know who we are.”

The Masters of Harmony will perform at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 19, at the McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, in Palm Desert. Tickets are $15 to $45. For tickets or more information, call 760-340-2787, or visit www.mccallumtheatre.com. For more on Masters of Harmony, visit mastersofharmony.org

performance by Kool and the Gang. Tickets start at $55. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www. spotlight29.com.

Morongo Casino offers a few events worth the trip up the hill. At 9 p.m., Friday, March 3, funk icon George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic will bring the ’70s hits to stage. Tickets start at $39. A double dose of R&B will happen at 9 p.m., Friday, March 10, with performances by Ginuwine and Jon B. Tickets available as of this writing start at $82. At 9 p.m., Saturday, March 11, Latin sensation Banda Maguey is set to perform. Tickets start at $39. Hong Kong singer Jinny Ng heads to Morongo at 5 p.m., Sunday, March 12. Tickets start at $68. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-2524499; www.morongocasinoresort.com.

Agua Caliente in Rancho Mirage features a number of great entertainers this month. At 8 p.m., Friday, March 3, enjoy Norteño act Bronco at The Show. Tickets start at $65. Rock ’n’ roll legend Sammy Hagar and his band The Circle will head to the valley at 8 p.m., Saturday, March 4. Tickets start at $75. Grammy winner and Broadway star Jon Secada will perform a concert with the Desert Symphony at 8 p.m., Wednesday, March 8. Tickets start at $45. At 8 p.m., Friday, March 10, enjoy a night of comedy with Daniel Tosh, of Tosh.0 fame. Tickets start at $80. Agua Caliente will become a dance floor when the Dancing With the Stars live show comes to town at 8 p.m., Saturday, March 11. Tickets start at $45. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 25, former Tonight Show host and comedian Jay Leno will perform. Tickets start at $75. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-9991995; www.hotwatercasino.com.

Agua Caliente in Cathedral City is hosting a popular indie band for a free event! At 7 p.m., Friday, March 3, lovelytheband will play a show for the ALT 101.5 Alti-mate Listener Appreciation Party. You must RSVP to attend.

The Venue REPORT

continued from page 25

Agua Caliente Cathedral City, 68960 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City; 888-999-1995; www.aguacalientecasinos.com/cc.

Agua Caliente in Palm Springs March-es on with residencies! Desert Blues Revival Wednesdays offer the blues rockin’ American Mile (March 1), the punk blues of SugarMill Slim (March 8), a jazz/funk/R&B mix from Len Rainey and the Midnight Players (March 15), a night of musical education with History of Women in Blues (March 22) and the R&B old school group DYVERSITY (March 29). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $10, available at eventspalmsprings.com/blues. Jazzville Thursdays bring the Postmodern Jukebox star Gunhild Carling for Jazzville’s fifth anniversary (March 2), the singing-bassist-led Kristen Korb Trio (March 9), U.K. sextet The Jive Aces (March 16) and the stunning vocals of the Cathy Segal-Garcia Quintet (March 30). Shows take place at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $15, available at jazzvillepalmsprings. com. Caliente Comedy Fridays bring the laughs with Saul Trujillo (March 3), Madison Sinclair (March 10), Sandro Icolano (March 17), JB Ball (March 24) and Jackie Kashian (March 31). Shows are at 8 p.m., and tickets start at $7.99, available at www. eventspalmsprings.com/caliente-comedy.

Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 888-999-1995; www.sparesortcasino.com.

The McCallum Theatre is hosting a number of intriguing events. Here’s a small sampling: At 8 p.m., Friday, March 3, and Saturday, March 4, enjoy a performance from both Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Michael Feinstein Tickets start at $70. The Palm Springs International Piano Competition will present Variations on Three Pianos, Six Hands at 5:30 p.m., Monday, March 20. Tickets start at $45. At 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 21, comedy and classical music will combine via MozART Group. Tickets start at $35. Global sensation The Kingdom Choir will head to the valley at 8 p.m., Friday, March 24. Tickets

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start at $35. At 3 p.m., Sunday, March 26, see McCallum Theatre president and artistic director Mitch Gershenfeld take what’s being billed as his final turn on the podium with the McCallum Theatre Concert Band. Tickets start at $25. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www. mccallumtheatre.com.

Pappy and Harriet’s has it all this March. Jam-band Spafford is spending two nights in the desert, performing at 8:30 p.m., Friday, March 3, and Saturday, March 4. Tickets are $20. Enjoy psychedelic cumbia punk by Tropa Magica at 9:30 p.m., Friday, March 10. Tickets are $20. Catch pop rock duo Aly & AJ as they dance-up the dust bowl at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 17. Tickets are $40. At 8 p.m., Saturday, March 18, experience a unique and intimate set by one of the most influential post-rock bands ever, Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Tickets are $50.25. Ever wanted to see Led Zeppelin at Pappy’s? Well, you can get pretty close with ZoSo, the ultimate Led Zeppelin experience, at 9 p.m., Thursday, March 23. Tickets are $25. At 9:30 p.m., Saturday, March 25, bluesy duo The War and Treaty will visit Pioneertown. Tickets are $21. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-228-2222; www.pappyandharriets.com.

AWE Bar awe-ffers some great concerts this month. At 7 p.m., Friday, March 3, new-wave artist World Destroyers’ Pleasure Club are set to play alongside opener Mirthquake. The show is free. Former Galaxie 500 singer Dean Wareham visits Yucca Valley to perform a set of Galaxie 500 songs at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 4. Tickets are $28.33. Sun Atoms (featuring members of Dandy Warhols) will perform alongside acts Heaven and Luke Sweeney at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 30 The event is free. At 7 p.m., Friday, March 31, catch a tribute act to The Band, Chest Fever, as they perform a high-energy set. Tickets are $22.66. You must be 21+ to attend. AWE Bar, 56193 Twentynine Palms Highway, Yucca

Joe Lewis Valley; 760-853-0090; www.awe-bar.com.

Tickets for shows at the Purple Room are moving fast, so get yours now! Andrea McArdle will perform a Broadway-centric show titled “Confessions of a Broadway Baby” at 8 p.m., Friday, March 17, and Saturday, March 18. Tickets start at $45. At 8 p.m., Friday, March 24, and Saturday, March 25, join Lorna Luft (one of Judy Garland’s daughters) for an evening of stories and songs. The handful of tickets that were left as of this writing are $79. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760322-4422; www.purpleroompalmsprings.com.

Oscar’s has a few additions to their fabulous residency -packed schedule. At 7 p.m., Saturday, March 4, TV star Jai Rodriguez will perform a night of covers and Broadway classics, while telling some stories. Tickets start at $39.95. Janice Dickinson, most notable as a judge on America’s Next Top Model, will visit Oscar’s for an evening of conversation and a Q&A at 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 15. Tickets start at $39.95. At 7 p.m., Monday, March 27, and Tuesday, March 28, jazz vocalist, fashion icon and NYC performance artist Joey Arias will perform his newest concert, “Strange Resume.” Tickets start at $64.95. Most Oscar’s shows include a dinner reservation with a food/ drink minimum. Oscar’s Palm Springs, 125 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760-3251188; oscarspalmsprings.com/events.

2023 EVENTS

DATE EVENT

Mar 2–5 La Quinta Arts Celebration

Mar 3 Cathedral City First Friday Art Walk

Mar 3–5 Cathedral City LGBT Days

Mar 4 World Pride Mardi Gras Fashion Show - PS Art Museum

Mar 4–May 7 Desert X

Mar 6–19 BNP Paribas Open

Mar 12 Hollywood's Biggest Night at Trio

Mar 13 CV Rep Fundraiser - Puttin' On the Glitz

Mar 15-Apr 30 Glow in the Park

Mar 17–23 Fashion Week El Paseo

Mar 18 Red Dress Dress Red Party

Mar 18–19 / 25-26 2023 Desert Open Studios Tour

Mar 19 Rainbow Challenge Golf Tournament

Mar 20 Varations of Three Pianos, Six Hands

Mar 23–26 Palm Springs Int'l Gay Hockey Tournament

Mar 24–26 Palm Desert Food & Wine 2023

Mar 25 The Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards - DAP Health

Mar 25 One PS Community Picnic & Community Expo

Mar 26 Trans Pride 2023 - Empower and Employ

Mar 26–29

Mar 31

Palm Springs Jewish Film Festival

Palm Springs Speaks present Al Franken

Apr 1 Palm Springs Animal Shelter's Faux Fur Ball

Apr14-16 / 21–23

Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival Weekend 1 & 2

Apr 27 Dining Out for Life

Apr 28–30 Stagecoach

Apr 28–30

May 4–7

Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus presents Notorious

Palm Springs Hot Rodeo

May 11 Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast

May 12–14 White Party Global

June 2 Lizzo The Special 2our

June 9–11 Splash House June Weekend

July 14-16 Out in the Vineyard - Gay Wine Weekend

Aug 11-13 / 18-20 Splash House August Weekend 1 & 2

Sept 20–24 Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend

Oct 26–29

Palm Springs Leather Pride

Nov 3–5 Palm Springs Pride

MUSIC

LUCKY 13 the

Get to know the guitarist of Otoboke Beaver, and half of Analog Lab

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Boring and weak J-pop love songs.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Yura Yura Teikoku.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? Intense loud fuzz sounds.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

Otoboke Beaver, “(Dirty Old Fart) Is Waiting for My Reaction.”

NAME Sean McCune

GROUPS AEIOU, Analog Lab

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

“Guilty pleasure” is such a funny concept to me. I’d have to say house music remixes of songs. That’s super specific, but go check out Beeba’s The Bounce Vol. 1. That’s been on repeat for me since I was in ninth grade.

NAME Yoyoyoshie

GROUP Otoboke Beaver

MORE INFO Otoboke Beaver is one of the most unique punk bands on the planet. The all-female group hails from Kyoto, Japan, and has crafted a sound that is heavy, funny, shifting and just plain wild. Songs like “YAKITORI,” “datsu . hikage no onna,” and “Introduce Me to Your Family” feature a mix of what the band does best: screaming punk vocals, heavy guitar by Yoyoyoshie, and intense tempo changes. The band is set to perform a high-energy set inside Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace at 9:30 p.m., Saturday, March. 11.

What was the first concert you attended?

Quruli, Akiko Yano and Rei Harakami live at Osaka Festival Hall. My mom gave me a ticket as a Christmas present for my 13th birthday.

What was the first album you owned?

The first time I bought an album was when I was in college, and it was Yura Yura Teikoku’s last album. I always rented CDs from rental shops until I could buy them myself.

What bands are you listening to right now?

Guitar Wolf. I was listening to a recent live album. The sound is very ferocious and the best! I can forget bad things.

What’s your favorite music venue? Namba Bears (a small live house in Osaka) and Scala in London, England, where we played the most in the United Kingdom. Namba Bears is an 80-capacity live house famed for exciting, raucous performances that opened in 1986. The Scala is an 800-capacity venue in central London. It was a cinema in 1920, then a venue hosting Iggy and The Stooges, Lou Reed and many stars. There are a lot of staircases and ways to walk around the venue and courtyard, with a big stage and powerful PA. Both venues feel great to play.

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

Jun Togawa, “Suki Suki Daisuke,” translated as “I’ll kill you if you don’t say you love me.”

Jun is the singer from Yapoos and an actress.

What band or artist changed your life?

Quruli. After passing the entrance exams for the university they attended, we formed Otoboke Beaver at the school, Ritsumeikan University.

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?

“Can we join your world tour as support?” to Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters. (They are fans, but we haven’t met in L.A. or Japan yet.)

What song would you like played at your funeral?

Yapoos, “Not Dead Luna.”

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

How to Live With a Phantom, by Shintaro Sakamoto.

MORE INFO Sean McCune brings an insane level of skill into each of his projects. When he’s not pursuing his hip-hop solo endeavor AEIOU, he’s playing drums with Miguel Arballo in the genre-explosive duo that is Analog Lab. He also spends time as a backing musician for Krystofer Do’s live band. McCune is a tremendous drummer, rapper and musician.

What was the first concert you attended?

My first concert was a Christian music festival my uncle took me to with his youth group when I was a kid. I think the headliner was, like, TobyMac or somebody. It was at the Angels Stadium, and we had seats literally behind the stage, ha ha, but it was still great hearing the music all loud and crazy.

What was the first album you owned? I had bootleg CDs growing up that were literally my whole world. When I was older and making some money on my own, the first CD I ever bought was Nas’ Illmatic

What bands are you listening to right now?

I listen to a bunch of music, but I’ll name five right now: Faetooth; local artist Primer; Earth, Wind and Fire; another local artist, Amadeus; and The Garden.

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Music is a feeling, so for me, it’s not really hard at all to understand why any type of popular music would be liked. That being said, I don’t very much like country music. I get it, but I don’t like it.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? I want to see Turnstile so bad. I was so close to seeing them at Dia De Los Deftones, but something came up last minute.

What’s your favorite music venue?

Honestly, I haven’t been to many concerts or venues, but the coolest one I’ve been to is probably House of Blues in San Diego. Not to brag, but I saw Tobin Bell there, so boom—suck it. You never saw Tobin Bell in San Diego.

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

“There must’ve been an angel by my side,” from Sade, “Kiss of Life.” That’s it; just that one part.

What band or artist changed your life?

MF DOOM. I discovered DOOM’s music when I was really young, and it really shaped my musical taste and identity. My favorite song by him is “Absolutely.”

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?

It’s been a minute since I talked to Tomas Granillo, my good friend, sensei and local drummer. I’d ask him how he’s been. I’m going to text him right now.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

I honestly have never thought of that. Maybe “Brazilian Rhyme” by Earth, Wind and Fire? That’s lowkey the song I’d want to hear walking into heaven or something, ha ha ha.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

MF DOOM, Operation Doomsday. So many good memories with one of my best friends in the world, Sam, listening to that album.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

I must cheat and give two songs: Faetooth, “Glass,” and Primer, “My Heart.”

OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

“Where Is the Library?”— read-y or not.

By Matt Jones

Across

1. “Will you allow me to demonstrate?”

5. Rainbow fish

10. Comedian Miranda

14. Multivitamin additive

15. “Explain, please?”

16. Latin for “you love”

17. Feat in a two-on-two wrestling match?

19. Traveled by bus or bike

20. What a welcome sight relieves, idiomatically

21. “The old-fashioned way” to make money, per a classic ad

23. Mag. positions

24. Billy Ray or Miley Ray (that is her full name)

25. Long March leader

27. “Air mail” or “63 cents,” for instance?

33. Magnum follower 35. “Ya know?”

36. Little Women character

37. Type of code or

colony

38. News story

42. Repetitive 44. Bird that a “de-extinction” company is trying to bring back 45. Fake info leading to a wrong (but funny) location?

49. ___ Brands (KFC owner)

50. Accumulate 51. What you can’t stand to have?

53. “Big” WWI cannon

55. Short personal stories?

60. Cinderella Man antagonist Max

61. Nickname for a gangster with bags under his eyes?

63. Neighborhood 64. Window features

65. Poker throw-in

66. Highway entrance 67. Lock of hair

68. Word that can follow both words of each long answer

Down

1. Medium range speakers, slangily

2. Buck’s ending

3. Ump’s statement

4. Asleep, usually

5. Pronoun chosen as the American Dialect Society’s latest Word of the Decade

6. Flower in a dozen

7. Nocturnal flyers

8. Stadium chant, sometimes

9. Big volume

10. Senate Majority Leader from 2007 to 2015

11. King of gods, in Egyptian myth

12. The “R” in “pi R squared”

13. Malaria fly

18. Decreased

22. German for “eight”

25. Type of mentality 26. Koko, e.g. 28. Not live, so to speak 29. Make changes to

Secondary course of study 31. Babble on

Lots (of)

34. It helps keep your heel from falling out of your heel

39. Small keyboard 40. Scholastic URL ender 41. Tattoo of the ancient mariner?

43. Still-alive member of CSNY

45. Name after Abdul-

1998 Masters and British Open winner Mark 47. Name before Abdul-

Scheduling spot

Cult classic Britcom with the theme song “This Wheel’s On Fire”

Planner abbr. 55. Dermatology case

Tiny Tim’s strings, for short

___ of the D’Urbervilles

Bi- times four

Hide-and-go-___

Rower’s need

© 2023 Matt Jones

Find the answers in the “About” section at CVIndependent.com!

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