PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS WOO
56 San Diego Reader April 20, 2017 the
HERE’S DEAL
Star Bar, 423 E Street, Gaslamp Quarter; 619-234-5575
It’s hard to believe that any dive worth its weight in spilt Schlitz has survived the past few decades of redevelopment in the Gaslamp with any sem- blance of integrity left intact, yet there she is: Star Bar — a vestige of days past, when down- town drank like a sailor and spit like a Cyprian. Unfazed by the disposable concept lounges and Keeping Up with the Jonesford & Sons craft knock-offs that epitomize the area, Star Bar burns as an entity unshakeable. Take a seat on her sullied stools, order a pint of Star IPA (via Anheuser-Busch), and tell me her timeless medi- ocrity doesn’t reek of rapture. The elongated space is split down the
middle: on the left, an altar to hard liquor stacked high with any standard handle you can name; on the right, more booze and 17 taps of mainstream brews plus a few West Coast selects. Indeed, Star bears all the telltale mark- ings of the elusive real dive: beer signs and year-round tinsel as the only ornamentation, ancient patrons avidly enjoying those stupid
Saturday, 7pm — BJ Jezbera. Sunday, 2:30pm — Patrick Dowling. Tuesday, 7pm — Wes Maharas. Wednesday, 7pm — Nate Hancock.
Tower 13: Friday, 8pm — The Tony LaVoz Band.
Saturday, 8pm — Cameltones. Sunday, 1pm — Sando.
Tower Bar: Thursday, 8pm — Toweroke with Goldilox. Friday, 9pm — Walk Proud and Skaal.
Wednesday, 7:30pm — Kontatto and Age Of Collapse.
Trifecta Tavern: Saturday, 6pm — Tolan Shaw.
U-31: Friday, 9pm — DJ Kid Wonder. Saturday, 9pm — Junior the DiscoPunk. Sunday, 8pm — The Love Messengers. Monday, 9pm — Monday Party. Tuesday, 9pm — Electricity.
Union Kitchen & Tap Gaslamp: Friday, 10am — Rock of Ages. Sunday, 11am — Omar Velasco.
University Club Atop Symphony Towers: Wednesday, 5:30pm — Jonny Tarr.
V Lounge: Friday, 8:30pm — Autumn Leilani. Saturday, 9pm — Powerhouse.
bar-top arcade games, a wall-mounted $2 breatha- lyzer, 50-cent erotica dis- pensers in the bathroom, and “Pinball Wizard” on the juke. “We never have specials,”
beer-side bartender David says. “We’re the cheapest bar downtown.” Which is a lie. Star Bar
does have specials. On Thursdays, Star IPA goes for $3 while wells and domestics demand a stellar two bucks a pop. Star Bar recently cel-
ebrated 43 years, and Loni on the liquor side has been here for 34 of them. As the story goes, about 15 years ago, the two ladies behind the bar, one Vietnamese, one Filipina, couldn’t stand each other. Owner Lloyd Thompson didn’t want to fire either, so he built separate bars to keep them happy. Now, Lani, the Vietnamese half of the saga, wears a sequin fishnet
Valley View Casino Center: Monday, 7pm — Chance the Rapper. $29-$69.
Veranda at Rancho Bernardo Inn:
Thursday, 6pm — Kevin James O’Brien. Friday, 6:30pm — Astra Kelly. Saturday, 5:30pm — DevLovv. Sunday, 6pm — Glenn Smith. Monday, 6pm — Jorge Cambreros. Tuesday, 6pm — DeBlois Milledge. Wednesday, 6pm — Clay Colton.
West Coast Tavern: Thursday, 8pm — DJ Slowhand. Friday, 8pm — Dexter Love. Saturday, 8pm — Brett Bodley. Sunday, 8pm — DJ Billy the Kid.
Westfield University Towne Centre: Thursday, noon — Raelee Nikole. Friday, noon — Ben Benavente. Saturday, noon — King Taylor Project. Free. Sunday, noon — The Same Dames.
Wednesday, noon — Mike Officer.
Westgate Hotel: Saturday, 8pm — Allison Adams Tucker: Ella Fitzgerald 100th Anniversary. Free.
Whistle Stop Bar: Thursday, 9pm — Under a Groove. Friday, 9pm — Fking in the Bushes. Saturday, 9pm — Booty Bassment. Wednesday, 9pm — Retrograde.
Take a seat on her sullied stools, order a Star IPA (via Anheuser-Busch).
sweater, pours an entirely average mai tai, and relates her plans to retire next year. In walks Star Thompson, who was just two years old when her late father opened the joint. “Why do you think
people love this bar?” Star flexes rhetoric in jeans and Greek fisherman cap. “You might sit next to a ball
Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyard: Saturday, noon — Peter Torres.
Wine Cave: Friday, 7pm, Saturday, 7pm — David Reynolds. Sunday, 5pm — Les Daniels.
Winstons Beach Club: Thursday, 8pm — Maka Roots and DJ Carlos Culture. Free. Friday, 9pm — Zach Deputy and Scott Addison. $12-$15. Saturday, 9pm — Monophonics. $7.
Monday, 9pm — Electric Waste Band. $5. Tuesday, 9pm — Huggapuppy. Wednesday, 9pm — Raggabond and DJ Carlos Culture. Free.
WorldBeat Cultural Center: Sunday, noon — JAM Kwest and Empress Akua. Free.
Wynola Pizza Express: Friday, 6pm — Lucas Biespiel.
Zel’s Del Mar: Thursday, 7pm — Lee Coulter. Free. Friday, 7pm — John Bennett. Saturday, 7pm — Tim Butler & Dave Gilbert.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Adam Davis Adam Davis performs music by Beethoven and Brahms in the Founders Hall French Parlor, in fulfill- ment of his performance degree. Saturday, April 22, 7:30pm;
University of San Diego, 5998 Alcalà Park.
An Imperfect Storm An Imperfect Storm is a San Diego New Music program curated by trombonist and SDNM Executive Director Eric Starr, with Tina Chong, piano; Jory Herman, bass; John Wilds, trumpet; Rachel Allen, trumpet; Danielle Kuhlmann, horn; and Luke Storm, tuba. The program features Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel, John Cage’s 4’33”, Timothy McCormack’s Heavy Matter, Sofia Gubaidulina’s Lamento, Charles Wuorinen’s Trio for Bass Instruments, and David Sampson’s Morning Music. A pre-concert panel discussion, led by musicolo- gist Charissa Noble, will start at 6:30 PM. The concert will begin at 7:30 PM. Friday, April 21, 7:30pm; $5-$25. Athenaeum Music and Arts Library, 1008 Wall Street.
Ariel Quartet Formed in Israel 16 years ago, when the mem- bers were young students, the quartet was recently awarded the prestigious Cleveland Quartet Award. They currently serve as the faculty quartet-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where they direct the chamber music program and perform their own annual series of con- certs. The program features Ludwig van Beethoven’s Quartet in A Major, Op. 18, No. 5, a new commission from Mahammed Fairouz, and Robert Schumann’s
player or a movie star or a homeless guy. It doesn’t matter. You’re always going to meet someone you don’t expect.” The out-of-town U.S.
Marshal next to me says he’s been coming here for 30 years. It hasn’t changed a bit. — Chad Deal (@chaddeal)
Find more Here’s the Deal columns at
Quartet in A Major, Op. 41, No. 3. Friday, April 21, 8pm; $9-$54. Conrad Prebys Music Center at UCSD, Russell Lane at Gilman Drive.
Camarada: Meet a Musician Enjoy the sounds of Camarada and meet a musician as they take you on a musical journey and share all about their craft. Sunday, April 23, 2:30pm; Mingei International Museum, 1439 El Prado.
Dr. Seuss’ The Sneetches San Diego’s own Dr. Seuss’ droll parable about the folly of dis- crimination gets a unique musi- cal treatment in this “storybook” concert about the power of “once upon a time…,” including music inspired by some of everyone’s favorite fairy tales. Sunday, April 23, 7pm; Jacobs Music Center, 750 B Street.
Dvorák Mass Dvorák’s only surviving mass, his Mass in D, showcases a colorful score filled with beautiful moments that gor- geously demonstrate the Czech composer’s sense of melody and knack for creating dramatic, thrilling chords concurrent with subtle harmony and orchestra- tion. This concert showcases a collaboration of multiple ensem- bles within the School of Music and Dance, resulting in a lively and moving super-performance. Saturday, April 22, 7:30pm; $10-$20. College Avenue Baptist Church, 4747 College Avenue.
Jeremy Kurtz-Harris & Ines Irawati San Diego Symphony
Prices: BEER $3–$7, SHOTS $3+, WELLS $4
Food: CHIPS, NEARBY OPTIONS Hours: 6 TO 2 A.M. DAILY Happy: DEEP DISCOUNTS ALL DAY THURSDAY
Parking: HORTON PLAZA (VALI- DATION NOT AVAILABLE AT STAR BAR) Capacity: ABOUT 125 The Deal: $3 BUSCH PINTS EVERY DAY
Cards: $10 MINIMUM Note: BOUNCERS CAN BE STRICT; MILITARY ID AND PASSPORTS NOT ACCEPTED
principal bassist Jeremy Kurtz- Harris and pianist Ines Irawati perform a recital of music from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centu- ries, ranging from the melodic and singing to the rhythmic and edgy. The program will demon- strate the wide range and tonal possibilities of the double bass. Thursday, April 20, 12:30pm; Howard Brubeck Theatre at Palomar College, 1140 W. Mission Road.
Jordan Morton Jordan Morton is a bassist and vocalist. Though classically trained, she collabo- rates, performs and records in many diverse contexts in the USA and abroad. Come enjoy the concert and take a look at the Back to Basics exhibit. Free admission, drinks and snacks available. Saturday, April 22, 6pm; free. Front, 147 W. San Ysidro Boulevard.
Sunday Organ Concert A rotating selection of performers will play the Spreckels Organ, with weekly musicinas to include Martin Green (organist at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in San Diego), Jared Jacobsen (San Diego Civic Organist 1978-1985), Alison Luedecke (organist at St. James by the Sea Episcopal Church in La Jolla), Russ Peck (House Organist, Symphony Hall & Balboa Theatre), and Robert Plimpton (San Diego Civic Organist Emeritus 1985-2001). Sundays, 2pm; through Friday, September 1, free. Spreckels Organ Pavilion, 1549 El Prado.
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