Baby Anne @ L5
The break beat queen returns to SD, touring in support of her Moonshine Mixed Live series, recorded in Vegas at Club Ra in the Luxor Hotel on February 28, 2003. The Mixed Live series is the only true live mix CD series out there, having recorded legendary sets such as Carl Cox @ Crobar Chicago, Ferry Corsten @ Circus LA, and Donald Glaude @ Buzz DC. L5 has been full of breaks lately, with Icey coming through more than once – Baby Anne is sure to rock the house. “Slick, witty, and to the point, the queen of breaks is quick to drop ground-rattling richter-scale registering electro-infused breakbeats, and judging from the live sounds of the crowd captured within the club, no one is standing still.”

Spiritualized & Soledad Brothers @ 4th & B
The Soledad Brothers just finished up their opening slot on the White Stripes/Yeah Yeah Yeahs tour. The dark blues duo is rooted in the Detroit garage rock scene, recording for Italy Records and playing many shows around the Midwest, opening for offshoots of the legendary MC5. Jack White has been a long time collaborator with them, having known them since their first gig and produced their self-titled debut. Spiritualized is a dark, neo-psychedelic band formed in the wake of the messy break-up of Spacemen 3. Their dreamy, wandering, ambient recordings now often include full brass and string sections, and have netted them a steady following throughout the years. Their new album “Amazing Grace” draws influences from new-era garage rock, as well as falling back on their trademark wistful, slow-tempo arrangements.

tickets $20

The Rapture @ Canes
The Rapture is part of the new wave of punk-disco art rock coming out of NYC – along with bands like the Liars and !!!, the Rapture combine gothic undertones, buzzing guitars, and hypnotic, jagged electronic beats to bring punk and EDM even closer together. The band is on tour supporting their new album “Echoes” which includes the club favorite “House of Jealous Lovers.” Canes has been the site of many a cutting-edge, on-the-brink band these days, and the Rapture is no exception. Out Hud and Beans open.

tickets $12

Chris Robinson & the New Earth Mud @ Canes
Maybe Chris Robinson got in one too many fistfights with his brother, or maybe all that sweet Kate Hudson nookie softened him up, but the former Black Crowes frontman is out on his own now. The Black Crowes championed southern blues rock straight through the hair-metal and grunge eras, never losing their rootsy sound, and paving the way for other blues-based jam bands like Widespread Panic and Dave Matthews. But constant touring and internal squabbles eventually took their toll, as the Crowes fizzled around the turn of the millennium. Robinson continued writing material, and released his solo debut “New Earth Mud” in 2002, leaning more towards a cleaner pop sound, but still focusing on his distinctive bluesy voice and Southern roots.

tickets $16

Barrington Levy @ Belly Up
Kingston’s Barrington Levy has been a master liaison between reggae and other popular music – his collaborations with Guru of Gangstarr, Notorious B.I.G., and Snoop Dogg put rasta vocals into hip-hop beats and brought a soul to rap that was sorely missing. He has also made tracks together with reggae greats like Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, and Sugar Minott, not to mention recording duets with the likes of Whitney Houston and Bono. Barrington has one of the most unforgettable voices in reggae, and remains a dancehall legend to this day. He played 4th & B earlier this year – this event finds Levy in a more intimate venue, the space that has housed more than a handful of global reggae legends this year, the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. Psydecar opens.

tickets $20
 

Fishbone @ Belly Up
Fishbone @ Belly Up, Thursday, 11/20/03 – These funk-metal legends never garnered the commercial success they deserved, despite receiving widespread critical acclaim for their aggressive, high-octane, politically charged punk-funk. Think Chili Peppers meets Living Colour, with a heavy dose of Bad Brains thrown in for good measure. Their live shows are what make this band – every show is packed to the gills, their bassist was stabbed onstage while on tour with the Dead Kennedys, and their sax player often plays their encores in the nude. This is hardcore. OPM opens.

tickets $15

Polyphonic Spree @ The Scene **CANCELED**
The Polyphonic Spree is without question the most interesting experiment in rock music today. Taking the lead from such groundbreaking pop experiments such as Sgt. Peppers and Pet Sounds, Tim DeLaughter created a 24-member orchestra out of the ashes of his former band, Tripping Daisy, one of the most talented and under-appreciated bands of the 90s. He created a band with more than two dozen musicians, playing every wind instrument imaginable, with most also contributing vocals to create a sound that can only be described as psychedelic, symphonic, choral pop music. Their electrifying, spiritually lifting live performances have graced the stages of such esteemed musical events as the South by Southwest Music Conference, Bonnaroo, and the Coachella festival. “The Polyphonic Spree is its own living, breathing entity. This music is best experienced live: 23+ people clothed in white robes singing and dancing their hearts out to give you almost a Broadway revival of sorts. Jaws drop, tears are shed, and smiles are born. Much like life, The Polyphonic Spree represents/mirrors just that. It attempts to play out on stage the fable/parable that is life through music and song. The Polyphonic Spree is a journey, as is life. You never know where it will take you.” The Sleepy Jackson & The Corn Mo open.

Vagrant Tour w/ Alkaline Trio, Reggie & the Full Effect, From Autumn to Ashes, and No Motiv @ Soma
Vagrant Records has officially accepted the torch of cornerstone punk rock indie label of the new millenium – thinking back on labels like Epitaph, Lookout, and Dischord leaves a jaded punk misty eyed with nostalgia, yet at the same time they’re reminded of why they became jaded in the first place. Remember, Green Day used to be on Lookout, and was Orange County’s most revered underground punk band for most of the early 90s, before they signed to a major label and became the poster band for the watered-down MTV punk revolution. Brett Gurewitz’s Epitaph was the launching pad for bands like the Offspring and Rancid. After these bands signed to majors and started getting play on radio and MTV, it was cooler to say you liked John Tesh than to say you owned “Dookie.”

Phantom Planet @ The Scene
First Keanu Reeves in Dogstar, then Russell Crowe in 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, throw in Juliette Lewis and the Licks, and the Bacon Brothers for good measure – who needs real musicians when you can have actors doing their own dramatic interpretations? Sounds like a made-for-TV movie from hell. Phantom Planet may or may not be an exception - they got their break from having Jason Schwartzman of the movie “Rushmore” as their drummer – but he has since left the group, and amazingly, the band did not fizzle with him. Score one theme song to a popular teen drama (The OC) and you’re on your way, right? I mean, c’mon – look at where the Rembrandts and Jaime Walters are today! So, to summarize - a band with an actor as a former member, who’s single is the theme song for a TV show – this band has staying power written all over them! Too bad they really are talented - otherwise a joke about Tina Yothers’ band Jaded would have worked oh-so-good right here. Ben Lee opens – when he’s not out with his fellow Bens – Kweller and Folds – recording and performing as The Bens, Lee likes to do his own thang, and he does it quite proficiently, thank you very much.

tickets $12

John Doe @ The Casbah
John Doe spent the better half of the 80s as the frontman for the legendary LA punk band X. In the 90s, he abandoned his punk roots to pursue a solo career that focused on more acoustic, country-influenced sound. The later X records did begin to reflect a rockabilly influence, but it wasn’t until his solo album “Meet John Doe” that he took on a full, No-Depression-type sound. X reunited, the broke up again in 1996, but John Doe continues to write, record and perform music. This live show should run the gamut of Doe’s recording career. Tom Brosseau and Gregory Page open.

tickets $12

DubCat @ Squid Joes
There was no more tragic and untimely a death in rock history than that of Brad Nowell of Sublime. Right as this monumental band was about to release the album that would launch them into the stratosphere, Nowell took the path of many a wasted talent before him, and OD’ed. The self-titled album went on to become an absolute classic, garnering critical and commercial acclaim like no other – it’s predecessor, 40 Oz. To Freedom, is one of the most eclectic, intricate, and powerful recordings to date, touching heavily on influences from punk, ska, reggae, dub, hip-hop and blues, creating a collage of sun-soaked Orange County party music that is timeless and unforgettable. Listening to either album yields a potent mix of joy and grief – Sublime’s music is absolutely uplifting, so filled with positive energy and charisma - but you can’t help but shed a tear at what a monumental loss it is to know you’ll never be able to hear Nowell sing “Badfish” or “Jailhouse” live. The rest of the band churned on, forming the Long Beach Dub All-Stars, which honored Nowell’s memory by creating more ageless punk-dub magic – they have also since split, and their new project is called DubCat, and is sure to continue in Sublime’s legacy, producing a Southern California fusion of punk and reggae that is all its own.

Eek-a-Mouse @ Belly Up
Eek-a-Mouse is a former Trenchtown and San Diego resident, known the world over for his unique reggae style known as “sing-jay” which is a combination of singing and dee-jaying (or toasting, as the rastas call it) while creating unique vocal sound effects. His live performances are always surprising and distinctive, with plenty of vocal improvisations, warm dancehall beats, and outlandish stage costumes. Eek has been known to come dressed as Robin Hood, a Mexican bandit, a gladiator – he has an incredible sense of humor that is reflected not only in his stage attire, but also through his sarcastic, humorous rhymes and energetic stage presence. Eek-a-Mouse is a San Diego favorite and always provides a great night of island entertainment. Starpool opens.

tickets $20

Stephen Malkmus @ Belly Up
Stephen Malkmus is nothing short of an indy-rock icon. As the former lead singer for Pavement, Malkmus made a career out of creating shoe-gazing, stripped-down guitar rock, and staying slightly off the mainstream map. Pavement has influenced every indy rock band from Dinosaur Jr. to Weezer – “with their fractured songs, unexpected blasts of feedback, laconic vocals, cryptic literate lyrics, and defiant low-fidelity, Pavement was one of the most influential and distinctive bands to emerge from the American underground in the '90s.” In 1999 he started his solo career, collaborating with Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth in a short-lived project called Kim’s Bedroom. Staying signed to Matador Records, home of Liz Phair and others, he went on his own and continues to tour and record music that still leads the low-fi indy rock movement.

tickets $18

Richie Hawtin aka Plastikman @ Spundae @ Circus Disco, Los Angeles, Saturday, 11/8/03
Richie Hawtin is without question the most groundbreaking, influential, and respected producer and DJ in the global electronic community. His sonic explorations have pushed the boundaries of contemporary electronic music in a way that no other single entity has ever even dared. He is the true embodiment of techno – a genre dedicated to constantly evolving, transcending, and using the latest technological equipment to push the limitations of music. His latest release, “Closer,” released under his Plastikman moniker, came with much anticipation, and delivers a minimal, mind-bending exploration of sound. From his 11-hour sets at his legendary Control parties in Detroit, to spinning at underground cave parties on remote Spanish islands, his live DJ sets have been said to raise the collective consciousness of a room full of worshippers lucky enough to take the journey with him. Los Angeles was privileged to be the host of a stop on his Closer tour, and Circus Disco was the venue – the question being, was the West Coast prepared for a journey into the twisted mind of this techno genius? Droves of techno heads from San Diego, San Francisco and beyond came together last Saturday to bear witness to the Detroit legend – and most left shaking their heads in disbelief at the magic they witnessed. For the first time in Cultivate’s short history, the authors venture out of the realm of ambiguity and try to capture the power and insanity of a Plastikman live set from a personal perspective.

First thing I want to say about this show is that I spent alot of time getting mentally prepared for Hawtin’s set. Number one, I didn't go in expecting a Control set. I made the mistake the last time I saw him of wanting him to beat it senseless the entire time, the way he did at Contol 2K2. It kind of ruined it on his Cocoon tour with Sven Vath, because I felt let down by him not bangin' it non-stop, so I wasn't able to really judge the set objectively. I'm sure anyone who went into this one expecting bangin' techno the whole time didn't get what they expected. This time, I went in expecting some minimal, some electro, expecting whatever - I was dead set on just tuning in to what Richie was doing, and letting him take me on a journey into his mind. The places he took me Saturday night, I honestly don’t' think I've ever been before.

I wondered alot what he would choose to do with an LA crowd. There’s been much controversy surrounding Hawtin’s recent live sets. In recent years, he has been known to deliver the most evil, relentless, bruising techno sets on the planet. But Richie’s not one to stay with the crowd. Just as everyone in techno these days thinks bangin’ it out is the key to success, Hawtin decides to go the other way, bringing things very minimal and experimental, much to the dismay of the fans of the skull fuck. And LA ain’t Detroit – techno has a very limited following out here to begin with, and most peeps in LA are still stuck in trance-land or going back to their house roots. So how would Richie bring it?

The answer was - he just plain fucked with our minds, all night. He took us down into the depths of his mind, then smacked us back into reality again, over and over. He did nothing predictable. He distorted our senses, he toyed with our ears, he fucked with our minds. He spun hard techno, minimal, experiental, acid, electro – and he did it all with the versatility he is known for. He showed us why he is the best, without question. Richie used the only Linux-based version of Final Scratch on Earth, his usual Decks/EFX, plus Ctrl-Xone-62, Cycloops, and his endless treasure chest of tracks and loops to create the incredible aural landscapes that sent a packed room at Circus into the mental stratosphere.

From the get-go, Richie was fooling with us. Around 12:45, everyone started making their way into the main room, surrounding the DJ booth, which sits at the front of the club. The place was jammed by 1AM, ready for Plastikman. The place was buzzing. 1:15 came, and the natives were getting very restless. Where is he? The front of the club was jammed. So all of a sudden, you see Kazell cut his last record, and we're standing there, wondering "Where the hell is he?" We spotted him near the booth around quarter til, so we were like what the hell? All of a sudden, this dark, brooding techno track comes on, but still no Richie? What's going on? We turn around, and Richie is playing - in the BACK of Circus! The whole club was turned the wrong way, when Richie just starts exploding from the back of the room - mind fuck number one!! So everyone starts rushing to the back of the club to get situated, and Richie wastes no time in just pummeling the shit out of that place. Dark, nasty, relentless. He flexed his techno muscles big time with his first few tracks and just beat that room. He then went on to put on a show that I've never witnessed before. He showed me why he is a genius. This was a three-hour trip into this man's mind! He allows the crowd to make an aural connection between him, his music, and their minds, in a way that no one else can, which is what makes him so incredible.

He just did things that I've never seen anyone do. He had complete and total control of that crowd. And he wouldn't let the crowd themselves have any control. He would whip everyone into a frenzy with the roughest track you've ever heard, then lead them down into some kind of aural minimal hallucination. He would build a track up with one of his insane effects, louder, faster, building so high, that all you wanted was for the bass to drop and to explode - and right when you thought it was coming, you'd jump and get ready to pump your fist - and it wouldn't come. And you're left standing there, like What? and before you can finish your sentence, you'd just get pummeled a beat or two later with the bass you were waiting for. It was like he sucker punched you with the delayed drop, which made it even more powerful, because you weren't expecting it anymore. Like those scenes in a scary movie where the guy's turning the corner, and you can feel the monster about to jump out, but he doesn't, and you kind of breathe again for a second, then the next second he jumps out and scares the shit out of you - just like that. His control, his mindfuck. And the sound - his songs are so dirty, but they are so crisp. The tracks are filthy and nasty, but the sound, the bass is so crisp and clear, it's amazing. Just incredible sound quality. And he didn't get too experimental - a few of his tracks were way out there, but most of them, even the minimal ones, were so, so funky. You could dance to almost everything. And the hard tracks he played were out of this WORLD. He showed that he can still bang it out with the best of them, but that is only a small part of his arsenal.

He just does things that other DJs don't do, which is what makes him different and special. He doesn't do anything predictable. He'd had two incredible tracks playing together, mixed with all these effects - I thought he could have had 4 or 5 different loops or effects going at once. He’d bring them in, bring them out, rotate them around the wall of sound. I remember this one time, he was messing with these two records, kind of playing between them, then he used some effect to build up to this frenzied level, then right when you think the biggest bombastic bass drop of all time is about to come in, instead he drops both tracks, just bouncing right on top of each other perfectly, simulataneously, and together, they sounded like the most evil mash-up of all time. Like a relentless march of zombies coming to get you. Then he just kept adding sound off those two tracks, adding, building, and building, working the whole crowd into madness. I watched him do that whole arrangement from about 5 feet away, right between the two monitors he had on each side of him, and watching him create just took me into another world. There was no one else around, just me and Richie, in all black, looking and sounding every bit like Detroit is supposed to look and sound to me, and I was just watching his hands, watching his eyes observe the crowd, see where he wanted to take them, then watching their reaction as he completely mind-fucked them. And when he built those two tracks up, and instead of slamming it, he bounced those two dark records together, it was like an epiphany. It showed me why he's different, why he’s special - he doesn't take the obvious route - he goes his own way. He goes up and down - he's not about building anticipation predictably - he brings it up and down, wherever he wants, whenever he wants, and the crowd follows. I think he only lost the crowd once, like somewhere in the 3 oclock hour, with a track that he would normally play at like 10AM in Detroit. But I was dialed in, and he delivered.

The place stayed jammed until 4:15AM. There was still a full main room when the lights came on, which I was so happy about. Everyone was begging for more. It was so awesome to see a West Coast crowd that enthralled with what he did. I was very pleased that the crowd represented LA so well. There was one guy blowing a whistle halfway through the night - like three different people went up to him, including myself, and told him to shut the fuck up. I went up to him and said "This is HAWTIN - show some respect. This isn't Judge Jules." It was great to watch people's faces as they watched him DJ. When he would twist the crowd with one of his effects, the people around the booth would all turn around and grab their heads and kind of keel over, in shock at the power of some of his programming and effects.

He is the best. The best, hands down. And he took us all on a journey that few will forget.

The Station Agent @ Landmark Theaters (drama)
When four-foot-five-inch Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) takes up residence in an abandoned train depot in rural New Jersey, he finds himself reluctantly enmeshed in the lives of his neighbors: a forty-year-old artist (Patricia Clarkson) struggling with the recent death of her young son, and the owner of a hot dog stand (Bobby Cannavale). The mismatched threesome forge an unlikely bond, revealing that their isolation is better shared. Feature debut of writer/director Tom McCarthy.

Winner of three awards at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival: Audience Award, Screenwriting Award and a Special Jury Prize for Clarkson.
+view trailer

Elephant @ Landmark Theaters (drama)
Writer/director Gus Van Sant (Gerry, Good Will Hunting) depicts the lives of several high school teenagers on what appears to be an ordinary school day. Working with actual students to create an electric portrait of teenagers in today's volatile, violent world, Van Sant observes the comings and goings of its characters from a distance, allowing us to see them in all their promise and all their flaws—and allowing us to feel what is at risk.

Winner of the Best Director Award and the Golden Palm at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.
+view trailer

Madame Sata @ Ken Cinemas (drama/true story)
Born to slaves in the arid wasteland of Northern Brazil and sold by his mother at the age of 7, he pursued his freedom on the mean streets of Lapa, Rio de Janeiro. Jet-black, six feet tall, 180 pounds of proud muscle in a silk shirt and tight pants, a cutthroat razor in his back pocket. Karim Aïnouz's extraordinary portrait of the triumphs and tragedy of this explosive and paradoxical personality unfolds against the vibrant, sordid background of Lapa: thronging underworld of pimps and whores, of cut-throats, queers and artists, of dark bars and brothels thick with smoke, drenched in sweat and cheap perfume. A world run through with violence and raw desire, where desperate dreams spring from poverty and squalor.

Chicago International Film Festival – Gold Hugo (Best Film), Havana Film Festival – Best Art Direction – Best First Work (Karim Ainouz), Sao Paolo International Film Festival – Special Jury Award (Lazaro Ramos)
+view trailer

Livin’ w/ Miles Maeda @ Shaker Room - Thursdays (House)
The house master returns from his mini-tour of the Midwest, his former stomping grounds and breeding ground for the sexy, soulful house Miles is known for. Upon his arrival, he brought back some fresh wax, probably from the legendary Gramaphone Records where he used to work, and hey – he brought Bear Who? with him! Maeda’s Traveling Love Show has still been making the rounds, from Chicago to Frankfurt to Amsterdam to London – but Miles calls San Diego home, and we love him for it! The 20th features Miles with LA’s DJ LillyAnne, and on the 27th, they’re closed – even house heads like turkey!

Dragon Lounge @ Brick by Brick – First Friday of Every Month – (Drum & Bass / Breaks)
Bringing you the superior sounds of breaks and drum & bass since 1998 on the first Friday of every month w/ resident B-side - Friday November 7th is the URB Magazine Release party, featuring ELITE FORCE (W9Y, Kingsize UK)- one of the UK's finest dj/producer's out to San Diego for the first time. His tunes and remixes are being rocked by everyone from John Digweed to Adam Freeland to DJ Dan. This month also brings RAIDEN & RAS (Renegade Hardware,Futurisitcfunk, Off Key Recordings UK/SD) - Raiden is making his first appearence at DL to help Ras celebrate his birthday.

Mental @ Kadan – select Friday (Techno)
This all-techno monthly has set the stage for the development of the techno scene in SoCal. Following the lead of LA techno promoters like Droid Behavior and Cued-Up, the live duo nominal has given a home to minimal, experimental, and bangin’ techno acts like Acid Circus, Drumcell, Gaijin, and Murcof. The night starts off with an always jaw-dropping live PA from nominal themselves – to describe their sound, nominal cites influences such as Hardfloor, Stewart Walker, Plastikman, and Chris Leibing - using labtops, Rolands and synths with synchronized visuals from Delirium, a nominal live PA is techno for the eyes and ears – one of a kind. If you’ve never seen a live PA before, come check out nominal, up close and personal.

This month’s mental features some of San Diego’s finest, giving it their techno best – an opening live PA from Lazarus, then Gaijin and Baquai in a tag team, followed by Jon E Thin and DJ Nate in a 2x4 - next month is going the electro/breaks/experimental route with Saria Storm, Cubist, and DJ Jon Baker on the 12th – and upcoming events will feature the techno version of The Wall over the Wizard of Oz - the silent science fiction film Metropolis, with a corresponding musical score interpreted and recorded by the techno “Wizard” Jeff Mills ~ talk about mental…..

Wheel Up @ Thruster’s Lounge – Wednesdays - (Reggae)
Dasheye and Unite of Tribe of Kings moved their now-defunct Lion’s Share night over to PB, to cater more to the weeknight crowd that’s out near the beach. The vibe is nice and cozy, and the beats are second-to-none. Rastas even come through to drop live ragamuffin rhymes over the roots and dancehall riddims. Oh yeah, did we mention no cover?

Downtown Top Rankin’ w/ Tribe of Kings @ Shaker Room – Sundays – (Reggae)
The Tribe of Kings have a lock on local dancehall and reggae in San Diego. The crew – Unite, Jay Dred, Dasheye, Kofi, and Rashy – are all integral in making that rastaman vibration happen around San Diego. They use the energy created at Downtown Top Rankin’ to pursue their own nights around the city - Jay Dred spins neo-soul and dancehall at Red Circle Café on Thursdays, Dasheye and Unite have their Wheel-Up roots and dancehall night at Thruster’s Lounge on Wednesdays, and the whole crew gets in the mix at Shaker Room on Sunday nights. Two rooms of reggae, dancehall, roots, new riddim, and dub style – bringing people of all colors and styles together. They’ve got the hookup on all the hottest wax, courtesy of EBReggae.com – watching rastas spin 45s that come straight from the islands, you can be rest assured you’re hearing all the best mashups and remixes that are probably being rocked at the dancehalls in Kingston. Bless up and take advantage of having the best in island riddims several times a week, courtesy of the Tribe of Kings.

The Global Sound Series @ Onyx Room – (Jazz/Lounge)
This tour-based monthly event features new styles in lounge, down beat, dub, bossa nova, and nu jazz by importing some of the worlds most innovative and acclaimed music producers to the plush confines of the Onyx Room. Wednesday, November 5th features the Kyoto Jazz Massive - Shuya and Yoshihiro Okino began their DJ career the late 80's in Kyoto, Japan. Like so many other Jazz DJs, the Rare Groove movement in London had a great impact on them. The sound of Kyoto Jazz Massive is often associated with Jazz Fusion. Many of their tracks with Bossa and Brazilian flavour are undoubtedly related to Yoshi's taste of music. The duo achieves to deliver the spirit of jazz from Japan travelling across the world. Witnessing jazz fused with soul, funk and other ethnic rhythm during the 70's, Kyoto Jazz Massive tries to cross over jazz with techno, house and broken beats - using its freedom to fuse, collaborate and experiment in order to evolve and create new sounds.

Nuestra Cosa @ Ventanas – (Latin)
Merge Events and Latin Flavor bring you Nuestra Cosa – “Our Thing” - a night of classic salsa & other hard latin rhythms - with resident DJs SK, Sesqui, and featuring a live performance by Pa'lante. Also featuring video clips from the SD Latino Film Fest 2004. Next night is Wednesday night, November 26th , in the Gaslamp.

Mum Festival
Mum’s the word at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, where mariachis and topiary dancers perform among a display of more than 10,000 flowers. The annual event, themed "Fiesta de las Flores," celebrates San Diego’s Mexican influence.

Through November 16. 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido. 760-747-8702.

Gallery on Broadway
Artist Reception: Nathan Horner Saturday November 22, 6-9PM
"As a contemporary artist, I am inspired by my surroundings. Southern California and Mexico offer beautiful subject matter. Each painting is passionately, romantically and energetically executed, each descriptive brush stroke a bold deliberate respected flowing action. I am a unique individual in time and space, documenting my worldview/ existence via creating original oil paintings, each being a, one of a kind, thing of beauty, and value for generations to come."

625 Broadway Ste. 115, San Diego, Ca. 92101

San Diego Museum of Art
Partners of the Soul: African Art of the Baule
45 objects from the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History and private collectors. The Show explores complex ways in which art functioned in Baule culture and society (Ivory Coast of West Africa) through a display of spirit spouse figures, portrait masks, miniature amulet figures, mouse oracles, wooden strikers. Through Sunday, January 4, 2004.

Tradition and Innovation in European Modernist Drawings and Watercolors
35 works rarely on view due to their fragility. Artists include Paul Klee, Franz Marc, Emil Nolde, Paul Signac, Marc Chagall. See this show of works from the museum's collection through Sunday, December 14.

Paintings, sculptures, prints, videos, and photographs inspired by elements in nature are gathered in Of Earth and Sky: Elements in Abstraction, closing Sunday, December 14.

The Later Mughals: Theaters of Power presents more than 20 seldom-seen images telling the story of the waning of India's greatest dynasty. Through Sunday, January 25, 2004.

For further information, call 619-232-7931

Centro Cultural de la Raza
Americanos: Latino Life in the United States
The exhibit includes 114 photographs by 30 photojournalists exploring "the breadth and variety of American Latino experience." 619-235-6135.

Runs through Sunday, November 23, at 2004 Park Boulevard

Museum of Photographic Arts
The Discerning Eye: Southern California Collects
Celebrates 20 photography collectors to commemorate the museum's 20th anniversary; show closes Saturday, January 3, 2004.

Also on view, "Collector's Group Acquisitions," concluding Sunday, December 14.

Find the museum in the Casa de Balboa building, at 1649 El Prado; 619-238-7559.

Mingei International Museum of Folk Art
Origami Masterworks
Innovative Forms of the Art of Paper Folding," on view through Sunday, February 8, 2004, includes more than 150 pieces by 42 artists from across the globe. Most of the objects were created by folding single sheets of paper to make geometrical forms, flowers, trees, people, masks, and a menagerie of animals.

Mingei of Japan -- The Legacy of Its Founders -- Soetsu Yanagi, Shoji Hamada, and Kanjiro Kawai
A an exhibition of objects from the museum's collection by known and unknown craftsmen from throughout Japan continues until January 25, 2004. Included: tansu (Japanese chests), pottery, calligraphy, woodblock prints, stencil work, kimono and other textiles, baskets, toys.

The Mingei is located on the square with the San Diego Museum of Art and the Timken Museum of Art. 619-239-0003. (Balboa Park)

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
Alex Webb: Crossings -- Photographs from the U.S.-Mexico Border
Photographer Alex Webb has spent more than 25 years covering the Mexican border. includes 40 photographs documenting Webb's coverage of border life since the 1970s. Closes Sunday, December 7.

Find the museum at 1001 Kettner Boulevard (at Broadway), directly across from the Santa Fe Railroad Depot, adjacent to the America Plaza trolley transfer station. 619-234-1001. (Downtown)

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla
Manny Farber: About Face
Celebrates the life and work of one of San Diego's most important visual artists, with work from the early 1960s to present. Farber has contributed to American cultural discourse for more than 50 years as both film and art critic and painter. Closes Sunday, January 4, 2004.

Find the museum at 700 Prospect Street. 858-454-3541. (La Jolla)

The Orionid Meteor Shower
One of the year's five best annual showers, peaks on the morning of Tuesday, October 21. The moon, in waning crescent phase, will only marginally interfere with the Orionid display this year. For best results, look during the hour or two before dawn, roughly 4 to 6 a.m. Under ideal conditions (dark skies, unobstructed horizon), you may spot up to 30 meteors per hour. The Orionids "radiate" from the constellation of Orion, and many leave long-lasting trains, or glowing trails. Comet Halley is believed responsible for this shower. Every year at this time, the Earth plows through a stream of icy particles presumably shed by that comet in the past.