Shirts off and glowsticks out, everybody. It's Pride weekend. Promise you'll drink a glass of water between every cocktail, take only as many free condoms as you'll actually use and treat every drag queen no matter how hideous or drunk as if she were your own mother. And don't forget to wear fancy underpants. Fancy underpants are a must.

Here's your official unofficial three-day firecracker itinerary of all that's going on here, there and everywhere.

FRIDAY
Queens of the Jungle VIP pre-party at the Flame (5 p.m.)
Pre-Pride ladies' night at Bamboo Lounge (6 p.m.)
Human Rights Vigil in Balboa Park at Juniper Street and Balboa Drive (6:30 p.m.)
So Sexy! at the Flame (9 p.m.- 2 a.m.)
The Pride Ball with DJ Kimberly S at the Abbey (10 p.m.-2 a.m.)
Pan Dulce San Diego at Bacchus House (9 p.m.-3 a.m.)
Salvation with DJ/producer Alexander at Rich's (9 p.m.-2 a.m.)
Lifeguard Party with DJ Dozia at Bourbon Street (9 p.m.-2 a.m.)

Continue reading "YAY GAYS: Your official unofficial Pride itinerary" »

by Derrik Chinn at 03:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

If Craigslist ads are to be trusted -- and lord knows even fatal scams have befallen the trusting C-list responder -- you might find a way into the sold-out Comic Con affair.

And we quote from a recent C-list ad promising free entry into the Con in exchange for non-adult services (for a change).

"Volunteers/Photographers needed for coverage of the 39th annual San Diego Comic-Con International. (July 24-27 Preview Night July 23). ... For the first time in a decade the Comic-con finds itself short on photographers to cover the various events and panels at this years show. Requirements are: DSLR camera, external flash, and high capacity memory cards. (Pro level cameras are not a must, but point and shoot cameras will not be allowed).

(A good pair of walking shoes are suggested.)"

by Keli Dailey at 03:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Big in Japan is:

1. The name of the opening song on former San Diegan Tom Waits' excellent 1999 album, "The Mule Variations."

2. A short-lived English punk band, whose lineup in the late 1970s included future members of The Teardrop Explodes and The Lightning Seeds.

3. The chart-topping 1984 song by German synth-pop band Alphaville.

4. The hollow claim many mediocre rock bands have long made to try to justify their existence (as in: "No record deal, no gigs, no fans, but - dude! - we're big in Japan").

Jonathan and Jared Mattson, the 22-year-old twin brothers who constitute the San Diego alternative-jazz duo Mattson 2, aren't big in Japan, at least not yet. But they have undertaken four tours there in the past 15 months, with another pending, even though their debut album, "Introducing the Mattson 2," isn't due out for another month.

Continue reading "TIE ONE ON: Mattson 2 performs Sunday at Dizzy's" »

by George Varga at 01:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Now that Grand Ole Party went and got all famous, it's not easy as it once was to get a fix of the local band's nervy rock.

See, in the last year Grand Ole Party released an album, "Humanimals," that was produced by Rilo Kiley's Blake Sennett. GOP toured with Rilo Kiley, too. And Vampire Weekend. And Rogue Wave. Then there were the slots at SXSW, Coachella and Bonaroo. Which led to all sorts of national music magazines saying they found the "next big thing."

But you know you found GOP way back when. You're, like, even sorta friends with Kristen Gundred and Michael Krechnyak and John Paul Labno.

So this is your chance to welcome the trio back from a crazy, busy year. The band performs tonight and tomorrow at the Casbah. And for all the underagers, GOP will be at the Che Cafe on Aug. 1.

Here's the video for "Look Out Young Son:"

But tickets for tonight. Or tomorrow.

by Nina Garin at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When Paramount Pictures announced there would be no panel for the new "Star Trek" film at this year's Comic-Con, Trekkies across San Diego and across the world shook their heads in dismay. Luckily, Sandy Eggo is not only home to the world's largest comic book convention-it's also currently home to Star Trek: The Exhibition. The exhibit opened at the San Diego Air & Space Museum June 21 and is kicking things up a notch for the many Con-goers in town next week.

Things start off Wednesday night, when the museum will stay open until 11 p.m. for the 91X VIP Spocktacular Party. Going from 7 to 11 p.m., the party will feature live bands, a beer garden, and in true Comic-Con fashion costumes are welcome. Tickets are $24 and be purchased through the museum's official website or by calling 1-888-782-8735.

For those missing out on Wednesday night's festivities, the exhibition is doing a couple other things to make the geeks from out of town feel right at home.

Continue reading "BEAM ME TO BALBOA PARK: "Star Trek" exhibition gets wild and crazy" »

by Kate Stanhope at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Expect a more emotional response than usual when young Colorado pop-punk band Tickle Me Pink performs here tonight at SOMA as part of the Alternative Press Tour 2008.

The 6:30 p.m. show finds the Colorado quartet opening for Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Finch and Foxy Shazam. It will be Tickle Me Pink's first performance anywhere since the July 1 of guitarist, bassist and backing singer Johnny Schou (third from right in the photo that appears here). The 22-year-old musician died July 1, just hours before his Fort Collins-based band was to perform a Denver in-store gig to celebrate the release of its Wind-Up Records debut album, "Madeline," which was released that very day.

Schou was discovered in his bedroom, already dead, by his bandmates. While foul play is not suspected, fhe coronoer is investigating the cause of death. Results from a toxicology report are not expected for another few weeks.

"Obviously, everybody who knows Johnny knows that he had a lot of struggles in his life," Tickle me Pink drummer Stefan Runstrom told the Denver Post in an interview earlier this month. "There were various things going on, so it's hard to say, really. I don't want to get into it too much. But he's had a rough life, and let's leave it at that...

"The most obvious question: People are going to assume that, since we play in a rock band, that this was because of an alcohol or drug overdose, but I can vouch for him. It wasn't anything like that at all.

"That said, everybody needs to know that Johnny was a troubled kid in the past, but he was my best friend, and (Monday night, the day before his death) was the happiest I've ever seen the kid."

Continue reading "ROCKING THROUGH TRAGEDY:Tickle Me Pink's show here tonight first since death of guitarist/bassist Johnny Schou" »

by George Varga at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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

- Before the Casbah, they'll give a free show (info)
- Join the hunt for Mr. Gay USA (info)
- Eat Bird Rock (info)
- Moving Picture Show, Wendy Darling, Death on Mars at Beauty Bar (info)

MORE: TONIGHT; WEEKEND

by Jennifer Croshaw at 04:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pretend to be a TJ millionaire with Adapta, join the gays in blowing kisses at Kathy Griffin and speed up the process of turning Hercules and Love Affair into a sold-out show (because it's bound to happen). Just press play already.

by Derrik Chinn at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My, the inspections going on at the Del Mar Racetrack opening day!

We're not talking about the ponies, though they got admiring glances as they kicked their perfect cherry brown haunches or glimmered after a hose down. And yeah, the arts-and-crafts portion of opening day -- aka the Hat Day contest -- earned the attention of many a point-and-shoot, but ... the real oohing and ogling had to do with the pearls, platforms and pupik. No need to alert the censors, a female photographer resting on a bench in one of the Fairground breezeways alerted us to that Yiddish term for "belly button," as women in wisps of dresses pranced by.

As in, "Her legs weren't even good, and she was in her 40s, and her pupik was showing."

Ouch. "Do you think you look your best?" muttered a relaxed, 60-year-old Mission Hills teacher (wearing a tasteful Talbots B&W sundress, size 8).

"It never ceases to amaze me what people will wear." The parade, as she called it, outside the entrance to the elite Turf Club included 60-year-old guys and their "nieces" (her term, too).

There were some very chic, adorable dresses that you'd wear to a daytime wedding. But for every gorgeous Eva Peron white halter in black skin tight pants with matching hat you had daytime sequins. "Inappropriate," the Joan Rivers stand-in told a reporter. The overflowing bosomy bodices? "I'm not a prude, but why do you hang it all out?" The less-than-taut wearing the most curve-hugging synthetic material? "Why do the chunkiest people highlight it with spandex?"

And lest you think the women giving cold appraisals of mini-dresses and tube dresses was over the top ... try posting up beside groups of "I took a vacation day off for this" men. The lusty, crass observations aren't worth the digital ink, except one: "It's better than looking at all the horses."

Photo by David Brooks, SignOnSanDiego

by Keli Dailey at 09:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was a tiny, tiny bit worried about the fifth season of "Project Runway." You know, it's the last season on Bravo. And it was turned around so quickly after Christian Siriano's avante-gard victory.

But for the first time in the show's history, there's a collection of really cool girls. Yeah, before there were one or two in the bunch - Kit Pistol, Kara Saun. But mostly the women on the series were really mean (Wendy Pepper, Zulema) or total whack jobs (Angela, Elisa).

Now, though, we have lots of talented women: Emily and Jennifer and Kenley and Korto and Leanne and last night's winner, Kelli.

This time, the men are the psycho ones.

OK. So. First let's get to Blayne. He's the one who likes to be tan. He called his outfit "girlicious" and thought it was so edgy to use "icious" at the end of words. Uh, Blayne, Girlicious was the name of a TV show. On the CW. About Pussy Cat Dolls. It is not at all edgy. He's also the one who designed a giant diaper and sent it down the runway.

Then there's Suede. Suede's biggest problem is he tries too hard. Like that blue mohawk he has? And the way he refers to himself in the third person? Calm down, buddy.

Continue reading "PROJECT RUNWAY: In which the designers slack" »

by Nina Garin at 09:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Behind every teen filmmaker there's some unsung adult (usually acting as a producer/chauffeur/safety inspector of sorts. How else could a 13-year-old Spielberg safely make an award-winning movie about WWII?).

At Media Arts Center San Diego, the nonprofit that brings us the annual San Diego Latino Film Festival, there's Ahmed Sullivan, a filmmaker showing teens how to get "reel."

Name: Ahmed Sullivan

Age: 29

How'd you get here:
I am originally from Philadelphia. My wife is from Senegal, West Africa. She was only able to live through half a Philly winter and that was it, so we moved here seeking a better climate ...

Describe what you do:
In my creative life, I'm a documentary filmmaker and I'm lucky to have found a job in the same field. I'm an instructor in the Teen Producers Project at the Media Arts Center San Diego. I teach after school programs for disadvantaged youth, where they learn how to make documentary videos.

Artistic motto in two words:
Slow Down.

Care to elaborate on that?
I take pride in the cinematography in my videos. I concentrate on the image more than the edit. I try to construct images that have depth and texture and compositions where movement develops within each shot, rather than having movement be created through editing.

You made music videos in Senegal, where Youssou N'Dour and Baaba Maal come from. Who are some hot Senegalese music acts now?
Youssou N'Dour is an amazing artist and spokesman for Africa. I recommend going to see one of his shows if you get a chance. My wife is big into Ami Colle and Viviane N'Dour (Youssou's daughter-in-law).

Some new acts that I'd recommend are [Djialy Kunda Kouyate], which is based out of Oakland; Aziz Faye, a master Sabar drummer and dancer living in LA; and Hilaire Nakigan, who is an up and coming reggae artist in Dakar, Senegal.

How does the Teen Producer Project fit into your filmmaking interests?
I began my documentary career focusing on my family. My first successful documentary was about my mother's reaction to my sister marrying a Senegalese artist. I followed that film with several films that I produced in Senegal. I began by concentrating on traditional West African dances and moved more into a focus on poverty. These films have all prepared me for the work I am doing with Teen Producer Project ... TPP always focuses on making films that highlight and help local San Diego communities.

Continue reading "STREET PEOPLE: Ahmed Sullivan helps teens get reel" »

by Keli Dailey at 05:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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

- SaaAAAKEEE BOMBt! (info)
- Fall in love with Chris (info)
- Oooh! 'Batman' poolside (info)
- N.C. after-party (info)

MORE: TONIGHT; TOMORROW; WEEKEND

by Jennifer Croshaw at 04:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not only did one of the members of rising band OneRepublic come decked out in a T-shirt resembling the outfit of Batman's longtime sidekick, Robin (Drew Brown), but the five members started their set only 20 minutes after jumping off the bus -- as close to heroes around here as you'll find (other than at Comic-Con).

Playing at Anthology in Little Italy to preview their concert tonight at the House of Blues, the members of OneRepublic were good sports all around.
Lead singer and songwriter-to-the-stars Ryan Tedder was even seen with a cane after tearing his Achilles tendon and enduring subsequent surgery and stitches for the injury.

Continue reading "SUPERHEROES: OneRepublic plays Anthology" »

by Kate Stanhope at 02:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Don't believe everything you read, especially when it comes to Pamela Anderson.

Sure, her new E! TV series, the ingeniously titled "Pam," may be billed as: Sexy. Rowdy. Wild. The Bombshell Is About To Go Off!

Based on the snooze-inducing preview we just watched in a near-stupor, even with a cameo by Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, it's about as wild as watching Paris Hilton reading, like, you know, a book, or something else with those word thing-ies in it.

But don't take our word for it, when you can watch this "Pam" preview for yourself. Geez, where's Borat when we really need him?

by George Varga at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save television and books for another time.

Let's talk about the big screams on the big Con screen ...Because unless you've got big font you probably can't read the official Comic Con site - the schedule is as cramped as a Mystique lookalike pole dance party in Hall H. Dates and times of screenings to come. Oh, and we hear the Con is sold out. But take a look at the movies being screened or discussed in a panel:

Some big shots at the Con
"Pineapple Express" -- the lazy daze action/pot movie -- "Hamlet 2" -- with "the British version of Larry David," Steve Coogan -- "Choke" -- by that psychotic "Fight Club" guy -- "Tropic Thunder" -- Stiller, Black and Downey Jr. in blackface --
"Spirit"
(preview and panel) -- classic Eisner channeled by Frank Miller, with the most vixeny cast possible and Samuel L.-- "The Watchmen" -- for the hardcore geeks (the UT's Jerry McCormick has said) -- "Death Race" -- we've passed the year 2000, but with Jason Statham driving this could still get gnarly.

Time traveling on the USS Midway
"Stargate: Continuum" gets a big gala screening, appropriately, on a ship. See Ba'al travel back in time to kill the Stargate program on Thursday, July 24.

Classics
And for the love of classics, check out...

"Superman," the old school Christopher Reeve vehicle, screens at MOCA on Thursday, July 24.

The Mistress of the Cleavage has a screening of "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark" on Friday, July 25, with none other than Cassandra Peterson in attendance.

In an homage to Ed Wood, comedians accompany screening of the film "Plan 9 from Outer Space" Friday, July 25 at the Balboa Theatre.

by Keli Dailey at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)