The Hives@ Soma
What can be said about the Hives, for someone who is unfamiliar? They’re a Swedish band that rode the garage rock revival through Europe and smack into the American consciousness. They wear nothing but black and white suits. They have a dry sense of humor that leads them to say things like “We will achieve total domination of the United States. It shouldn’t take more than three weeks." And they will completely blow your doors off live. “Each Hives show inevitably pumps new meaning into the term "high energy," leaving the band members bloody and sore and the audience frantically begging for more. "We want our show to be like a musical punch to the gut. Or a hit and run. You can do pretty much anything onstage and you should!" And lead singer Howlin’ Pell Almqvist uses this philosophy to channel everyone from Iggy to Morrisson during their blazing live sets. Their new album “Tyrannosaurus Hives” is meant to excavate the influences of the last fifty years of modern music: “the ’90s layer was still covered in smelly crap, the first layer to be thoroughly searched contained the bleeps and blops of ’80s new wave. Interesting! They dug further. The metallic kerrang of ’70s punk. Wow! They dug further still. The shaking hair and swinging hips of ’60s rock and soul. Useful! Further… Slapback echo, twangy guitar - this must be the ’50s. Further. The primal force and sheer joy of ’40s R’n’B. Good!” What the Hives have unearthed is a garage sound that has spread the world over like some kind of contagious skin infection…OK, that pun is way too obvious. Sahara Hotnights and Reigning Sound open.

Craze@ L5 Nightclub
“DJ Craze is a mad scientist who slices and dices beats into a breathtaking sonic concoction in his Miami laboratory and at events all over the world. When Craze is behind a set of 1200s and a mixer, he's on stage: sometimes he's shy, sometimes he's cocky, but never anything short of absolutely magnificent. Where some turntablists are content to fill their routines with the same ol' thang, Craze uses his awesome technique to move beyond the crab scratch and has catapulted drum 'n' bass into a realm that nobody has yet to explore. “The Nexxsound” - Craze's first ever mix CD - stands as a testament to his pioneering vision of melding the mentality of a battler with the street smarts and savvy of the jungle elite. Craze's blend of hip-hop, breaks, drum & bass and turntablism is untouchable and mesmerizing.”

"More than just a technical DJ, Craze is a performer, inciting the crowd into a frenzy while titillating the scratch fetishists. Starting with Mobb Deep and winding up with Common - with cut and juggle excursions through Biz Markie, Q-Bert, electro and jungle,” DJ Craze is not only a drum n’ bass legend, but a walking mystic of turntablism. His Djing championship titles are unbelieveable: World ITF Scratch Off Champion '98, World DMC Champion '98, 199, '00, USA DMC Champion '98, ITF Western Hemisphere Scratch Off Champion '98, Winter Music Conference Scratch Off Champion '96, '97, '98, '99, East Coast DMC Champion '97, East Coast Rap Sheet Champion '96, Zulu National Champion '95, '96.

Trainspotters, chinscratchers and junglists unite – Craze is in the house.

Doc Martin@ L5 Nightclub
Doc Martin was one of the major players in laying the foundation of house music in the West Coast rave and club scene, while also carrying on at the world’s most legendary discos. When clubs like Twilo and Cream were at their peak, the Doc was there to devastate the dance floor – yet he still finds time to headline the Southern California massives. He’s been a presence and a force in the EDM world for almost two decades - from the San Francisco loft scene, to Manhattan’s most legendary nightclubs, right down to the smallest Midwest raves. The Doc gets love from the candy kids, the techno snobs, and of course the house headz – expect a similar mix of peeps for his set at L5.

Ozomatli@ 4th and B
Brewing a vital concoction of Latin salsa, urban hip-hop, jazz and funk, Ozomatli formed in Los Angeles in the mid-'90s and released their self-titled debut shortly thereafter. The band started as a West Coast phenomenon, but as the Latino influence in global culture and art continues to expand, the band's mix of socially oriented street rap, rock and Latino grooves - and that is just its foundation - is sounding more and more like the sound of New America. Amazingly, two major personnel changes - the departure of rapper Charlie Tuna and turntable wizard Cut Chemist - fail to alter the band's music. New rapper Jabu delivers social rhymes with power in a voice by turns hard and playful, and DJ Spinobi proves as masterful as his predecessor. Ozomatli's main lure is its ability to borrow and blend musical elements from the Middle East, Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, Africa - even European classical music - into a singular sound. The band is on the road as part of the “Rock Prendido Show,” along with Kinky and Plastilina Mosh.

Luciano@ Canes
Ever since Bob Marley's death in 1981, reggae enthusiasts have hoped for an artist capable of stepping into his rather oversized shoes. Predictably, all contenders have fallen short, and by now it seems clear that contemporary reggae artists ought to be judged on their own merits, not measured against the considerable achievements of a legendary figure from another time. But Jamaican star Luciano, who along with Buju Banton and the late Garnett Silk has been a finalist in the reggae avatar contest, doesn't mind the comparisons. "Some see me as one who comes in the same light of Brother Bob Marley to bring solace to their souls and comfort them in turbulent times," he says. "This should not detract from the power of the message. It ties two into one and makes it stronger. "When I'm compared to Brother Bob Marley, or with anyone who has laid a foundation, to me it is strengthening. It is strengthening to the mission -- to educate and to elevate humanity, and to glorify Jah." These goals are precisely what Luciano strives for in his Rastafarian-informed music. His albums draw from traditional reggae, dancehall, dub and gospel -- all in the service of disseminating his message. Luciano swapped his real name -- Jepther McClamont -- for Luciano, a well known name in classical Opera circles as well as Classical Gangster circles. He used to say it was indeed in honor of one of the singers he most admired, Luciano Pavarotti, but has also been known to playfully bring up vintage gangster "Lucky" Luciano, then going on to explain that "luci" means "bearer of light". Luciano, 34, says that the spiritual nature of his music stems from painful lessons learned as a child. His father died when Luciano was 11. "That was like an initiation for me," he says. "There was a physical body with no spirit to move it. That really sent home a message to my soul. I realized within me that the principle of life, the essence of being, is the greatest gift of all." You pretty much know what to expect when you listen to a Luciano song: pious messages of faith, love, and peace, subtle yet catchy melodies, mellow, soulful vocals, light, laid-back roots or rootsy dancehall music. For any reggae enthusiast in the mood for some classic reggae with an intense spiritual vibe, Luciano is a must see. Dean Fraser, Mikey General, Jah Messenjah Band and Diego Roots open.

Steel Pulse@ Belly Up
Steel Pulse, the internationally acclaimed reggae band who began their career in the back streets of Birmingham, England in the early Seventies, are still very much alive today, some thirty years later. The band is renowned for their commitment to their musical message of fighting injustice, educating the masses and creating positive forces. In a roller coaster career spanning the next two decades and more, Steel Pulse have consistently surprised and delighted the island masses with their innovative and infectious style of conscious reggae music, led from the front by the melodious tones of David Hinds. Nobody else does it better. Rebelling against inequality and prejudice and extolling the virtues of truth, rights and justice, Steel Pulse gave a master class in winning over the impressionable rastas with their raw power, their masterful melodies and harmonies, their energy and their hypnotic stage performance.

Built to Spill@ Epicentre
“The only constant for Northwest legends Built To Spill has been frontman Doug Martsch, who has repeatedly crafted dense, emotionally-tangled indie songs that have run the gamut from three-minute melodic rockers to epic, sprawling psychedelic mantras. Martsch, who uses a rotating cast of musicians for every project, was originally a member of Seattle noiseband Treepeople before he left the city in 1993 to return to his hometown of Boise, Idaho. Almost immediately, Martsch started writing lo-fi songs and inviting friends to help him flesh out the tunes. His first album “Ultimate Alternative Wavers,” released in 1993, captured the spirit and cultural zeitgeist of a nation with the song "Nowhere Nothin' Fuckup," and established Martsch as far more than just another musical outcast with a home studio. Like "Loser," Martsch would use his voice to express the frustration and ennui of the 20-something generation. But unlike Beck, Martsch never flaunts his indie-geek chic. A painfully shy artist who uses the stage as an emotional catharsis, Martsch has avoided doing interviews whenever possible, and when one magazine sent a photographer to shoot Built To Spill, Martsch sent friends of his to pose in his place.”

“Martsch is technically now a major-label artist, but he continues to thwart expectations. Although Built To Spill's latest album “Perfect From Now On” is filled with some of the most glorious guitar solos since Dinosaur Jr's “You're Living All Over Me,” Martsch's recent concerts have been known to be lackluster and pallid, as if Martsch were intentionally and irreverently holding back his full potential. Still, as the songs on “Perfect From Now On” clearly illustrate, Built To Spill is perfectly capable of simultaneously tugging at the heartstrings, instigating mass head-bobbing and bringing a smile to a listener's face. Like fellow shoe-gazing icon Lou Barlow, Martsch continues to vent his musical brilliance in a number of side projects as well, including Caustic Resin and Butterfly Train, proving yet again that innovation and originality go a long way.”

PJ Harvey@ Belly Up
Just how has Polly Jean Harvey grown into an indie diva icon? Well, winning the coveted Mercury Music Prize for her last album “Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea” is a good start. “She's an adept lyricist who, taking cues from Captain Beefheart and Nick Cave (and therefore, by extension, Leonard Cohen) employs Biblical sex and death struggles with blues riffs and carefully resculpted arrangements that emphasize the material's dramatic flair. That she shows no penchant for melodicism has not hindered her powers as a charismatic, if silly, performer.” Harvey’s music is filled with contrasting loud and soft dynamics as well as intense, even uncomfortable power. Her guitar work is based on blues riffs and punk energy; bass and drums are always interesting and well played. Harvey is known for her lyrics, which explore the darker side of the feminine psyche as well as relationships, religion, sex, and love and are filled with sarcasm and wordplay. Later material is much more mature and sophisticated, with only the occasional outburst of a grinding rock song. Harvey is on tour supporting her seventh major label release, “Uh-Huh Her,” which she wrote, produced, arranged, mixed and recorded all by her lonesome. While Liz Phair decided to lose all the respect she earned through the empowered feminine sexuality and admirable songwriting of “Exile in Guyville” by going the Britney route to continue to sell records, the indie scene still embraces PJ Harvey as an influential female artist who’s art still means something.

CultivateLife.org is proud to team up with two exceptional production/promotion companies like MergeEvents and OceanLiner Records to bring the Broadcast Sessions – Merge has been bringing California’s longest running drum n’ bass and breaks monthly, Dragon Lounge, for almost a decade to San Diego, as well as bringing some of the most transcendental artists in both dn’b and breaks, not to mention downtempo, Brazilian, bossa nova and more. MergeEvent’s influence in the local artistic community is indelible and undeniable. And OceanLiner Records are making a name as the most uncompromising local production company in Southern California. Between performing as nominal at their minimal techno monthly mental, and recording more than 5 albums of live material in 2004, the Broadcast Sessions are the next project for this brilliant production team.

Bios for the artists:

-Minimal techno in the Warehouse Area-

Daniel Mnookin (Proton Radio, Chicago)

Daniel Mnookin ( pronounced "Muh-new-kin") is among an elite group of DJ's doing a show for the rapidly growing internet-based Proton Radio (protonradio.com). His monthly show, entitled "Tic Tech Toe", runs from 1-3pm PST on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. It features mixes by both Daniel as well as guest DJ's and live acts, past guests including 112 Crew’s Dennis Rodgers, Bedrock's Gregory Shiff, San Diego live act nominal, and Big Chief's Marky Star.

Daniel has also played outside of his hometown Chicago from cities as remote as Columbia, Missouri, to the glitz and glamour of Miami, Florida – not to mention his international debut in Mexico this past fall, as well as spinning in Aruba on New Year’s Eve. He made his European debut this past spring, with gigs in Frankfurt, Germany and Paris, France. 2003 found Daniel netting nearly 50 non-residency gigs, as well as playing alongside such top notch DJ’s as Danny Howells, Nick Warren, DJ Garth, Mazi, and Green Velvet.

Daniel has an incredible gift for programming seamlessly from his crate of hard-to-find rekkids, finding a way to mesh glitchy German minimal with more slamming tech-house and build a vibe and energy on the floor constantly and patiently. His production work with Proton Radio mate Brian Ffar is finding its way into the crates of the likes of the Dirty Gringos (Dennis Rogers and Hisham of Native Theory) and Bill Patrick, and he’s seeing more and more deck time at Spundae Chicago, as well as making his presence known in small pockets of a minimal scene in Minneapolis and Cleveland. It’s a great treat to have a solid artist from the stateside techno scene and the music-rich city of Chicago making his San Diego debut.

Ejival (Static Discos, Static Radio, Tijuana)

Ever since Murcof played at the first incarnate of the Oceanliner Records minimal/experimental monthly called mental, we knew there were great things happening in the world of minimal techno coming from Tijuana. Static Radio airs in the TJ-SD area every Tuesday from 8pm to 10 pm (PST) on 102.5FM Estereo Frontera. Static Radio is the only electronic music radio program in the area and is hosted by Ejival and Robert Proco (staticradio.org). The program is retransmited every Monday 7pm-9pm through our friends from Radio Global. Ejival helped organize last years Mutek @ Mexico (radioglobal.org/mutek/) events in TJ, Mexico City, and Guadalajara – Mutek being the most forward-thinking music festival on the planet, with its annual event in Montreal and consequential sister events throughout Mexico and South America. We're happy to have Ejival and the Static Discos label (staticdiscos.com) on board with us for this event.

nominal (OCNLNR, LIVE PA)

nominal are a San Diego minimal techno/experimental live PA duo who have been making a significant impression in the San Diego scene for the last couple years. Their monthly at Kadan, called mental, took a hiatus so they could record all the material they created live at each event. The result of this break was a phenomenal run of five consecutive releases in less than six months, and their music made the rounds at this year’s Winter Music Conference and Mutek Music Festival in Montreal. While many artists create their sound through a crate of pre-recorded music and the 1s and 2s, nominal instead uses all live equipment – synthesizers, drum machines, laptops, and even guitars, bass and live drums. rt and ThomasV will be playing a minimal/acid type set that will likely graduate into a mixed-genre journey like the one that left the Reaction crowd at the HoneyBee Hive buzzing for weeks after. And with synced up live visual stimulation from kpiat and delirium, expect a live performance from nominal that is nearly unrivaled anywhere.

+Special Guests just added to the warehouse:

Soul in the Machine ( San Diego, LIVE PA)

This three piece mixed-genre live PA absolutely must be seen to be believed. These guys perform with all custom made live electronic instruments that they built themselves. Their philosophy is that they want to bring the performance aspect of the instrumentalist to the electronic music stage. Their stage setup is truly impressive with a double helix xylophone light structure to a large electronic drum set, to a laser harp(!), this is something you won't soon forget.

-Electronic/Latin/Jazz Fusion in the Ventana's Lounge area-

Soulphonic Soundsystem (transistor lounge, LA/DC)
aka DJ SANTO (Decks) & CHAUNCEY CANFIELD (Loops and Samples) ( Soulphonic Soundsystem, LA/DC)

This bi-coastal production duo has been mixing up jazzy downtempo grooves and broken afro bossa rhythms at their respective weekly residencies at The Transistor Lounge and Gazuza for the past 3 years. They've also established the world-renowned internet radio sites transistorradio.com and groovepalace.com. DJ Santo has held down residencies at Soul Bossa, Sunday Service, & The Standard Hotel in addition to the Transistor Lounge, and has DJ'ed alongside artists such as Truby Trio, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Funky Lowlives, Boozoo Bajou, Cuica, The Thievery Corporation, Nicola Conte, Thunderball, Desmond Williams, St. Germain, Bostich, dZihan & Kamien, and Fila Brazillia amongst others. On the other coast, every Monday finds Chauncey or one of Aubergine 3 compadres at Gazuza in Washington, DC where he spins an eclectic mix, supplemented by his own live improvised beats, keyboards and laptop. When the two perform together as Soulphonic Soundsystem, their hybrid live/DJ/laptop/keyboards on-the-fly remixing takes things to another level, as evidenced on their 2004 5-city West Coast Tour. They've been spotted on the decks in venues such as NYC's APT, DC's Eighteenth Street Lounge, and LA hotspots like the Ivar, The Henry Fonda Theater, The Arsenal, MOCA, and many others. Their DJ talents and parties have been recognized by the LA Times, LA Weekly, LA City Beat, LA Alternative Press, LA Magazine, Meanstreet, and several other publications.

Soulphonic Soundsystem is performing live with el john (Live Percussion, Thievery Corp., DC)

Drummer and percussionist, John "el john" Nelson, has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Canada and Japan with a wide range of artists and musicians - Thievery Corporation, Poi Dog Pondering, James McMurtry, Penelope Houston, Victor Krumenacher, Pi, Federico Aubele, Pat Johnson, Walter Salas Humara, Mike Emerson to name but a few. His trap drumming and conga rhythms can be heard on several of their respective recordings. el john has spent much of 2003 touring as conguerro and percussionist with the acclaimed Washington DC based group Thievery Corporation and as the trap drummer for Chicago based Poi Dog Pondering. Future projects include a recording date with Thievery Corporation, a tour with emerging ESL artist Federico Aubele, and performances with el john's rock trio Captain Bring Down.

The Broadcast Sessions is located at Ventana's, 338 7th Avenue San Diego CA 92101

FULL BAR 21+ $10

Sign up for $5 guest list admission for CultivateLife members, $10 door

Ghostly International has earned a reputation for producing some of the most thought-provoking, genre-swinging sounds in millennium electronica. The label definitely got a high-profile boost from Matthew Dear’s latest string of releases – the Detroit-based minimal tech/microhouse producer’s album “Leave Luck to Heaven” was a subtle, dark journey into the microscopic sounds of ambient techno, and critics, producers and chinscratchers alike declared it a masterpiece. Dear went on to release music on Richie Hawtin’s famed Plus 8 label – rolling with Plastikman’s crew on the Minimize to Maximize tour this year put Ghostly onto the global consciousness, and they used that momentum to embark on a nationwide invasion of the country’s more avante-garde rock venues.

Well, the techno snobs would come out in abundance to support one of Detroit’s up-and-comers (abundance being a relative thing of course – this is techno we’re talking about, and we are in San Diego mind you), and many of them probably left the Ghostly show a bit disappointed – that is, if they expected a Dear set like any before. They also probably hadn’t bought his new album “Backstroke,” cause if they had, they would have known what they were in for, and it certainly wasn’t a live PA of glitchy minimal. Dear’s new album is a journey into a more vocal-based electro – think The Postal Service, if Ben Gibbard forgot to take his Prozak. Dark, haunting, subtle beats layered over Dear’s filtered melodies – not your standard techno fare, not by a long shot. A big chance to take, but today’s music is headed to the blender more and more every day – the fusion of genres, collision of sounds, juxtapositions of styles, is where today’s sonic innovation is gravitating towards. So Ghostly left the clubs, and brought us a rawk show not like any other.

Ann Arbor’s Midwest Product (Dear’s adopted hometown) brought an interesting, eclectic multi-instrumental/electronic set to the table - it is nice to break from the strict 4x4 mold when you have a live drummer, but it was apparent that they didn’t plan on departing from the straight beat, which made the drum Chad Pratt work pretty hard to keep up for most of their set. The filtered dual mics on various tracks brought a depth to their sound that made it sound more accessible to the beer-swilling indie crowd that made their presence known at the Casbah early on. Tadd Mullinix aka Dabrye was technically the highlight of the evening, with intricate programming and interesting beats, but stopping in between each track completely killed any vibe or momentum he created. His songs were not structured enough to justify a complete stop between each. His monitor looked like some cross between a sewing machine and a thirty year old labtop, which had the techies surrounding the stage whispering with delight. And Sam Valenti IV kept the back room in line with the familiar Ghostly sound with some blippy, loopy minimal techno and microhouse, working on a plethora of labtops and random gear.

Then Matthew Dear took the stage and immediately cradled the mic stand – accompanied by a background vocalist who handled one of the two labtops which provided the backdrop for his filtered vocals. Regardless of your thoughts on his output, you’ve got to give Dear some credit for having a big pair - to go from a globally acclaimed minimal/micro producer, to a dark electronic emo artist live, takes some guts. A minimal tech artist going with a vocal set is the millennium equivalent of Dylan going electric at the Newport Folk Festival. He focused exclusively on Backstroke material - dark blippy beats with his melodic, skewed vocals - "I Know Howser" was definitely a highlight, and the fifty or so in attendance seemed to enjoy each track. It was an intimate performance in an equally intimate setting, which allowed for a personal glimpse into the mind and heart of one techno producer who’s willing to take one on the chin to spread his music and take chances. Ghostly shouldn’t judge the success of this tour on the door count – they should take pride in their willingness to push boundaries and spread their sound, one city and one artist at a time.

The case against Paul Oakenfold is mounting. The tired, half-decade old trance. The ponytail. The OakenChristPose. “But he’s done so much to broaden the spectrum of appeal of electronic music!” How? By collaborating with a wanna-be Mark McGrath? I mean think about that – someone who ASPIRES to be like the lead singer of Sugar Ray. Not that Mark McGrath would make Oakey’s case any more credible – but to actually collaborate with someone who considers Sugar Ray’s fashion sense and music to be the standard which to strive for? I smell a JC Chasez remix boyyee!

Alas, trance on the West Coast still lives on – the Judge still packs them in at the Avalon in LA, Ferry’s euphoric symphony of bliss still sends the serotonin-amplified masses to the netherworlds of epic buildups and heavenly synths. (That last sentence really made trance still seem relevant as a genre, didn’t it?) Yet finally, the mighty Oakenfold may be wearing out his welcome even in the safe trance heaven of California. Remember the days when the DJ was tucked away in the corner, providing the vibe, not dominating it? When people faced each other to dance, instead of facing a stage with a narcissistic DJ at front center? Remember when electronic music was about pushing boundaries, not rehashing past glory? Paul Oakenfold does not - and if live acts from the pioneering era of the millennium global electronic movement such as The Crystal Method, The Chemical Brothers and Basement Jaxx want to retain their deserved artistic credibility despite their mainstream appeal, they’d be smart to distance themselves from a man who looks like this onstage. A Cultivating Perspective:

Let me start off by being the first to officially ask Paul Oakenfold NEVER to visit San Diego again. Do not come to this town again, do not rip people's money off again, and do not insult us again. This is a DJ in his last days, milking his name and fame for all it is worth before it is all gone, and I for one am not buying into it, nor will I allow him to get away with it. There are hundreds of globally-renowned DJs that make an effort to push their genre forward with artistic integrity, and there are thousands of lesser-known bedroom jocks with real turntable skills that play for nothing and no one - so why would you give $35 to this guy to prance around on stage for just barely an hour (remember that's playing maybe 10 - 15 records)? Anyways, more on Oakie later.

The show started a little late, but no one seemed to mind as the tunes were already rolling out of the magnified 4th and B sound system, wetting the palates of the thirsty masses - courtesy of the legendary Pauli P, host and promoter of some of the biggest electronic shows in San Diego in recent years. An excellent choice of music, mixed to perfection, implementing modern tracks with classic elements and samples – a perfect warm-up set, which is a skill in and within itself. Build energy and anticipation, without overshadowing the headliner – mission accomplished. The crowd was electric by the time The Crystal Method took the stage.

The house went nuts as Ken and Scott appeared. These guys rock out with their cock out and put on an amazing show every time. Whether it’s for 100 people, 4,000 or 100,000, for every performance they produce maximum output. The music, the presence, the antics, the humor. Keyboards flying in the air, lights pulsing to the beat, even a keyboard solo from down inside the barricades next to the crowd - I thought at one point they were even going to stage dive there was so much energy. And the crowd ate it up for hours on end. Old tracks, new versions, improv remixes - pure power on stage. After driving the sell out crowd to a fervent sweat, the heat in the building was extreme, and the band members reached out and gave away several bottles of water to the fans in the front rows. A class act all around. After The Crystal Method finished their encore, Pauli P came back on to entertain the crowd while they set up Oakenfold's gear and they tore down the Crystal Method's (they had a show Saturday in San Francisco to get to and one in L.A. on Sunday as well).

Then, Paul “Jesus Christ Himself” Oakenfold decided to finally take the stage. He had spent all evening flirting with some beautiful Brazilian women that were entirely out of his league. I guess that is why he decided that (unlike originally scheduled) he was going to have TCM open for him and he was going to DJ last. The thought of having a live act open for a DJ is ludicrous, but that is what you get from an egomaniac like this guy. He should have spent more time preparing his set than flirting because let me tell you, if this is the "most famous DJ" in the world, then global DJ culture is headed for an insidious demise.

Oakencrap played for barely an hour, all the while thinking that making faces and pointing at the crowd would somehow distract the audience from the hideous, recycled trance he spun. I especially enjoyed when his mixer kept dropping the entire right channel into silence - nice touch. The music he played was old and tired, with every track available for sale on any shitbox Ibiza mix CD at Best Buy - no new wax, no white labels, no test pressings, no acetates, no exclusive remixes, nothing to make you go WOW. SAD. To add insult to injury, the only lighting on the stage were some lights that you would expect to see at a 16th birthday party - he just DJed in the dark! Unfortunately the scant lighting did not detract from Oakey’s highlighted, Fabio-like mane or his horrendous gestures onstage – maybe he could call his next tour “Leonard Oakenstein’s Euphoric Trance Symphony From Hell.”

Then barely an hour into it and without notice, he waves Pauli P up on stage. I thought he was going to thank him for warming the crowd up, or even let him play a record during his set to honor Pauli. Instead, without a word Oakie left the stage. Did he go to the bathroom? Doubt it. Was he going to go flirt with the Brazilian girls? No, they were right next to me. Did he crap his pants from plugging that Mitsubishi before his set? Where did he go? Who knows - but when the crowd realized he was gone for good, they were shocked and dismayed. Had it not been for The Crystal Method's amazing and consistent 110% performance, I think many people would have asked for their money back. I know I would have.

Thanks to Steve with wherewasi.com for the insight and images. Full the full gallery and his thoughts here.

A movie to awaken you from hollywoods numbness.

Few and far between are the films in this day that challenges you to think deeply, and dare you to like them too much.

Hollywood has learned to adhere to a formulae that creates winners or so they think. The formula is bland enough to be palatable by the masses, predictable enough so as not to be unsettling, and generic enough to allow you to categorize the film into a specific genre with ease. All this leads those of us with minds that wish to awaken to uncomfortably smile or frown upon the “name brand” films that are sent our way.

Psssst…. open your eyes…

In viewing Garden State, you are confronted with a film that causes a subtle confusion, a feeling of “something here is just not right”, and that in itself is what make the film so very right. I could use phrases like unconventional and groundbreaking, or innovative and fresh, but these words are standards in the vocabulary of the deep throated movie trailer narrators, and have lost their impact.

So what can be said of this film to express it amazing ability to storytell, entertain and enlighten? I am at a loss for a description and so I simplify. “The beauty of this film is that it is almost normal” From the characters who are almost normal, to the situations that are almost normal, to the life that feels so close to your own life…that is almost, but not quite normal. It is in this subtlety, that there is impact. In this whisper that volumes are told. In this film that life is depicted and the viewer entertained beyond all possible expectations.

I had the pleasure of viewing this film in a screening at which Zack Braff, the writer director and star was present to talk about the film and answer questions. He is truly an impressive personality. There is a true sense that he has no desire to listen to, nor work within the confines of “the formulae”, and in fact refuses to do so. His enthusiasm about this film is no doubt a result of his effort to stay true to his vision. Despite significant difficulty in finding support for the initial creation of the film, Braff would not give in to the Hollywood “streamlining” of characters and storyline, and instead takes pride in the numerous unconventional aspects of this truly great film. A film that leaves you with a story that is complete but with a desire to remain in “that world” and learn more about the people, to feel more, to stay in a place that is strangely familiar although you do not recognize any of it.

I realize that this is more of a preview than a review and as previews go it is a teaser, but that is how all of us who saw the screening (thanks to the San Diego Film Festival) entered into the film and I would not dare taint that experience for any of you. To enter into a film with an open space and a question mark and leave with a full mind and a question mark is a rare and precious thing these days. So I urge everyone I can to indulge in this experience. To see this movie with no expectations beyond enjoyment, and see what happens when you are truly told a story, a story of a real life.

Festival Express@ Ken Cinema Rocumentary
Filmed in 1970 and consisting largely of previously unseen footage. Festival Express documents the eponymous "happening" that was conceived as Canada's answer to Woodstock. What made it unique was that it was portable: for five days, the bands and performers including the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, among others lived, slept, rehearsed and did countless unmentionable things aboard a customized train that traveled from Toronto to Winnipeg to Calgary, with each stop culminating in a mega-concert.

+view trailer

Bukowski: Born Into This@ Ken Cinema Documentary
Bukowski was one of those rare writers whose work created a myth of epic proportions around its creator. Over the years, the name "Bukowski" has become synonymous with screwing, drinking and fighting, seedy barrooms and foul-mouthed prostitutes, low-paying jobs and roach-infested hotel rooms. For readers, Bukowski has come to personify the lower depths of human existence; in a direct, powerful and very personal style, he writes about an unthinkable but very real degradationdegradation based on his own life experiences.

Bukowski: Born Into This is the first comprehensive documentary of Charles Bukowski (1920-1994) and while longtime fans will find confirmation of the Bukowski they’d always imagined, there are plenty of surprises in store. The film traces his extraordinary life, from an abusive childhood through decades of poverty and alcoholism; numerous menial jobs and turbulent relationships; through 14 years as a postal employee; and his eventual international celebrity as a poet, novelist and underground cult icon. In his lifetime, Bukowski became most widely known as the screenwriter and real-life model for Barfly, the feature film based on his early life.

Director John Dullaghan spent seven years researching and shooting Bukowski: Born Into This, conducting dozens of interviews with relatives, neighbors, teenage pals, fellow post office workers, girlfriends and other poets as well as better-known friends like Bono, Sean Penn, Harry Dean Stanton, Barbet Schroeder and Taylor Hackford.

Hero@ TBA 8.27.04 Action
The Qin King has long been obsessed with conquering all of China and becoming her first Emperor -- which makes him the target of three legendary assassins. To anyone who defeats the assassins, the King promises great power, mountains of gold and a private audience with the King himself. Jet Li heads the stellar cast of Hero as Nameless, the enigmatic county sheriff who earns his audience with the mighty King. From the Producers of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and director Zhang Yimou.

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TuesStep @ Red C Lounge - Tuesdays (House)
Tues Step has been a consistent, quality source of house in the Gaslamp for quite some time now - Red Sonya and J-Be represent quality SD house and a chilled vibe for a Tuesday session.

TuesStep is at Red C Lounge, 756 5th Ave, Gaslamp, 21+, No Cover

Process @ The Latin Room – Wednesdays - (Techno, Drum n’ Bass)
Process is a bold, solid undertaking of quality techno and drum n’ bass in the Gaslamp during the week – with residents Austin Speed and Tyler Hanel bringing the best from Detroit, Berlin, Stockholm and yes even our own SD, expanding their presence from techno/electro live mixes every Thursday from 7 to 9PM on DirtyRadio (www.dirtyradio.net) and alternating with bi-monthly quality drum n’ bass events. The 4th features local legends Baquai? and Jeff Kolbash from 4486.

Groove Society is at Recognize, 4746 El Cajon Blvd, $3, 21+

My House. Your House. Our House Music. @ Bar Dynamite - Wednesdays (House)
Bar Dynamite Wednesdays proudly presents…A night of deeply minded, soul-fueled House music with resident DJs Duane (alluv/citydeep) and Lil RYAN (natural flavor)

Bar Dynamite is at 1808 W.Washington St , 21+, 9pm-2am, Be Yourself!

OrangeKiss @ Air Conditioned Lounge – Thursdays - (Down-tempo/Lounge)
Remember the Green Circle Bar? The place were the Allstars began, as well as the home to legendary sets from the likes of The Roots, Karen Wheller of Soul to Soul, Brand New Heavies, DJ Food and Kid Koala? Forget the 80s - what about SD in the 90s - Acid Jazz, Stepjazz, and stores like "Behind the Post Office" & Parallel Universe?

Well things in this town always seem to be circular and Paulo, one of the owners of the legendary Green Circle, just recently opened a new venue in North Park, the Air Conditioned Lounge. As downtown is completely saturated with ballpark traffic these days, it is the perfect time for hip urban lounges outside the Gaslamp to step up to the plate. When the city is bought, we are left to make the best out of the peripheral areas. Casbah, Live Wire, Kadan, Aztec Bowl (RIP), Dynamite, Whistle Stop, Local 13, Buster Dailey’s (just reworked) and Airport (forth coming) are just a few of the spots for the more the innovative and interesting music scene - original points of creativity, free of the Gaslamp commercialization. Keep it alive and support the peripheral! Every Thursday satisfy your Kitsch itch with cinematic sexadelic soundscapes and Martini sippin' citrus lips, bound to make your soul do back flips - featuring the sweetest soft player Lounge Music at the new sweet spot in town.

Process is at the Latin Room, 560 4th Ave Downtown SD 21+, Free Techno.

Tribe of Kings – Weeklies – (Reggae)
The Tribe of Kings just don’t QUIT! And the spaces they’re now locking down are a testament to their ethic. Keeping the island riddims steady almost every night of the week, the TOK crew now comes correct in L5’s back room on Friday nights, which have already been representing the best in hip-hop past, present and future. And with Sidebar on Tuesdays and their now-legendary Downtown Top Rankin’ at Shaker Room on Sunday nights, the Tribe of Kings are making sure our souls are irie with the best in dubstyle, conscious dancehall, roots reggae, hip-hop and every damn bit inbetween:

Mondays @ Dub Dynamite @ Bar Dynamite
Tuesdays @ SideBar
Wednesday @ How The West Was One @ Martini Ranch - Encinitas
Thursdays Hi-Grade @ Galoka 
Super Hit Sundays @ Aubergine

Machine Gun in a Clown’s Hand - A Political Art Show
This summer, San Diego will experience its first contemporary political group art show, coalescing local and internationally-acclaimed artists in a visceral juggernaut of political activism. Drawing upon a long tradition of using art as a means of socio-political expression, Machine Gun in the Clown's Hand is an art show like none other, featuring works that are both thought-provoking and timely. Featured artists include: Robbie Conal, Winston Smith, Chuck Sperry, Bill Pierce, Yoni Laos, Mario Torero, Poor Al, Jason Sherry, Josh Eggleton, Xuchi Naungayan, L. Matthew Bowler, Andi Brandenburg, and The Goatskull. The show is being curated by Radioactive Future and Funerals of Distinction creators Bill and Alexandra Pierce and local artist Yoni Laos.

The opening will be held at Limbo Fine Arts, 1432 University Avenue, in Hillcrest, on Saturday, August 7th, beginning at 7:00 pm. The exhibit will run through Sunday, August 29th, with gallery hours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

S/he Collective's 3rd Annual Art and Action Festival
August 7, 2004 at the LGBT Center in Hillcrest.
The S/he Collective presents a day devoted to contesting gender identities and sexuality through the arts. Although we may have been taught otherwise, gender is a dynamic concept. In recognition of this fluidity, the rules that govern gender are constantly being redefined, appropriated, reclaimed, challenge, and placed under social scrutiny.

Forms of women's artistic expression are typically labeled as "craft" or "hobby" art and are barred from the male-dominated realm of "high art." The S/he Collective seeks to challenge this aesthetic bias and to reinterpret gender lines by bringing local, women-identified talent to the forefront of artistic recognition. Our challenge is to think beyond traditional constructs in order to bring about the contrasts, the symbioses, the playfulness, the subtleties and the creativity in San Diego.

The Perseid Meteor Shower
The best known of the many meteor displays that return year after year, will take place under near-optimum conditions this year, with only scant interference by the thin, waning crescent moon. During the hours between midnight and dawn (4:30 a.m.) on the mornings of Thursday, August 12, and Friday, August 13, some 60 meteors or more should be visible to observers situated under clear, dark skies. Hourly rates will be less if you observe during evening hours or on mornings before or after the 12th or 13th.

The Perseid meteors, like other similar annual meteor showers, occur when the Earth plows through a broad stream of tiny dust particles left over from the past disintegration of a comet. The particles burn up as air friction slows them at heights of about 50 miles, resulting in luminous trails visible for a second or two from the ground. Following the passage of a particularly bright meteor a lingering glow, called a train, sometimes remains for a few seconds or more. For best results you must observe from a location far from city lights. Lie in a comfortable position, facing northeast, under an open sky, for best results. Strong coffee is advised.

Towering Thunderheads have been seen hovering over the wall of mountains east of San Diego in recent weeks. Afternoon rainshowers may dampen Palomar, Cuyamaca, and Mount Laguna this month, and there's a chance of major cloudbursts over the Anza-Borrego Desert. Usually this kind of activity ceases by sunset, and clearing skies usher in a cloud-free night. The marked contrast between the sunny but bland weather along the coast and the more lively and unpredictable mountain and desert weather is one illustration of San Diego County's "geography of contrast."

Ooh! Ah! Shangri-La!: Paradise is Very Nice
Just minutes from the convention center and the waterfront and with easy access to the international airport, the Cassius King gallery provides the perfect five-star accommodation for fifteen artists who will stimulate your body and soul with their visions of paradise. In a lavish gallery setting under the endless sunny skies of San Diego, you will experience the wonder of independent comic book art. When you get tired of roaming the spacious gallery, you can relax by the koi pond in the garden behind the gallery and listen to the soothing tunes of DJ Steven Nereo, founder of Slabco Records.

With all the violence and death in the world today, Cassius King thought it'd be nice to revive the old trick, escapism, and imagine what it would look like in 2004. Curator, Chako Suzuki, handpicked seventeen independent comic book artists who are translating their visions of paradise onto canvas and paper just for you. Comic books are enjoying a comeback among young adults in both the theater and in print, and we'd like to show San Diego that comics aren't just for little kids - they bring about the nostalgia, craziness, and imagination that our everyday lives may lack.

Check out the free opening reception on Friday, July 23, 2004, from 6 - 11:00 pm! The gallery is located right next to the convention center, so if you’re there for Comicon, come finish off your day with Cassius King. The show runs until August 23, 2004.

Thursday Night Thing - TNT
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (San Diego) Thursday, August 5th
A blowout 2nd anniversary party for TNT celebrates Cerca Series artist Mark Mulroney and the visual arts in San Diego. Mulroney will be in the galleries for Q&A, and will also create an interactive art project on site. Live musical performances on the plaza with Ultravires, American Ligature, and The Millionaires . Enter to win Bernardo Bertolucci's latest film, The Dreamers.

Every first Thursday of the month, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego hosts TNT (Thursday Night Thing), an ongoing program of intriguing events in MCASD's Downtown galleries. Beginning at 7 pm on these evenings, something different and interesting will be happening downtown— from slide jams, DJ lessons, and poetry readings to live bands, artists' talks, break-dancing classes, and video projections— TNT's eclectic events will be occasions to interact with the arts and artists in the San Diego region.

TNT is designed to keep pace with the rapid turnover of contemporary art in MCASD Downtown's Cerca Series— a fresh, up-to-the-minute view of art that is unfamiliar to Southern California. Like the Cerca Series, TNT will always feature something new, relating to the art on view or the artists present for the event.

Voz Alta
917 F St, Downtown San Diego

Friday, August 6th
Direct from the Source
Anderson/Garrison Duo: Burnett Andersen (trumpet), Joe Garrison (keyboards)
DFtS concentrates energy for the benefit of all who will receive their good. A new music concept, venturing into the known as well as the unknown with the FOCUS of enjoyment and enlightenment for the performer and listener. The DUO agrees with that assessment (kind of). But it is also EL GIGANTE rides again. Attempts have been made to define DFtS as a combination of Ritual Ceremony and Party. Listeners comment that they don't know whether to pray or dance. Well. Why not do both? And don't forget to bring your hopes and dreams and not allowing the fear of fun to direct you. Why not be happier than a fool in love?

Saturdays, August 7th & 21st
Trummerflora presents - Other Ideas at Voz Alta
The Trummerflora collective presents Other Ideas at Voz Alta. The Trummerflora Collective is an independent group of music makers that embraces the pluralistic nature of creative music as an important means of artistic expression for the individual and the community, and provides an atmosphere that nurtures the creative development of its members.

Thursday, August 26th
Brett Sanders Soul/Jazz Project
The Brett Sanders Soul/Jazz Project a Pic-a-Dillio, Funky Jazzio Sound experience...an excerpt from a listener attending one the performances, “ I hear a little bit of Tower of Power, a little of Earth, Wind, and Fire.” From another listener ,” it reminds me of the Dave Clark Five”…. Bringing the sound of soul and jazz.

Useful Origami created during class led by V'Ann Cornelius on Wednesday, August 11, 10 a.m., at North County Mingei Museum (155 West Grand Avenue); $16 fee includes materials. Recommended reservations: 760-735-3355.