Mest @ Soma
Mest can rest easy knowing they're one of the recent-generation punk bands that actually does the genre proud. Formed on the south side of Chicago , the guys stay true to their gritty hardcore roots with a “passion for raw, heart-driven punk rock music.” They staked their claim on the Chicago punk scene by doling out barn-burning sets at the legendary Fireside Bowl – then they hit the road relentlessly with all the right people - Goldfinger, Blink 182, Mxpx, New Found Glory, Good Charlotte, Unwritten Law, the Riddlin Kids. They bravely toe the fine line that many in the punk community have dared but few have survived – playing heartfelt, jagged-yet-bouncy punk without selling out and without sounding emo. Homegrown, Fall Out Boy and Madcap open.

tickets: $13 online or at soma box office

The Shins @ Canes
The Shins' sound is something that just grows on you over time. You wonder what the buzz is at first – is this just a second wave of “The” bands – Thrills, Kills, Shins – that are going to capitalize on the wave of retro minimal rock and dilute the shit out it? You recognize the irony in listening to bubbly 60s pop music regenerated in the millennium – music that at first glance sounds like the crap your dad made you listen to on the oldies station sitting in the back of the station wagon in the middle of some 80-hour cross country family vacation – but after a few listens, the melodies start to grow on you. Then you realize that your dad was actually playing Pet Sounds and Sgt. Peppers, and maybe he was a lot cooler than you thought he was when you were a teenager. Then you also remember that while you were badmouthing the Beatles, you had a Warrant tape in your Walkman, and you realize that the true irony is that your taste as a thirteen year old was a little misguided. (As if your half-spike hairdo and acid-washed jeans french-rolled halfway up your shins weren't already an indication) As you reach that point of clarity, you give the Shins another listen and realize how magical and consistent their music really is. “For The Shins, there comes to pass a monumental distillation of post-punk garage rock, the indie sounds of Chicago and a healthy dose of pure, unadulterated pop from a time when Brian Wilson was at the helm. Melody is key. Hooks are aplenty and then some. Some stars are born. Call it a natural progression.” Magic Magicians and All Night Radio open.

tickets $14 online or on sale at Canes Box Office

The Samples @ Belly Up
The Samples are one of those indie bands that actually benefited from a shunning from the mainstream. They weren't blessed enough to flirt with the 120 Minute Nation like Pavement and Dinosaur Jr did for awhile – they also didn't have a shoe-gazing icon like Lou Barlow or Stephen Malkmus fronting their band either, but that's not here nor there – “The Samples were playing competent post-folk rock reggae in the tradition of The Police and Neil Young,” before they were dropped from their major after their shot in the early 90s. But since Sean Kelly had no other formidable skills outside of playing music and, well, making music, he and co-songwriter Andy Sheldon brought some of their buddies from side projects on board, and discovered melody and minimalism along the way. The result is one of those steadfast indie rock secrets slightly under the radar like R.E.M used to be before Automatic. Kelly has been holed up for the last year writing songs for their upcoming album – he's bringing his new songs and his old boys on a quick cross-country excursion to try out the new material. Expect a dedicated Samples fan base at the Belly Up. Gayle Riet opens.

tickets $17 online

Derrick Carter @ Ole Madrid
"Derrick Carter plays techno that seems to groove underwater, raw disco that whoops and hollers, dirty, quirky house tracks that dance like skeletons. Carter mixes records together for three of four minutes longer than most DJs can dream of, stretching the mix but not to the breaking point. Carter DJs. He knows how to party, and most importantly, why people party, why people go to clubs. He understands perfectly how to lead a dancefloor towards those cosmic disco moments - the juxtaposition of gay abandon and musical spirituality this scene is based upon. How to do so creatively, without resorting to the obvious classics or big tunes, the well-worn routes to euphoria."

Richie Hawtin once said that Derrick Carter is “ America 's last true underground DJ.” Who can argue? DC is revered by DJs, producers, and punters alike. Coast to coast, across the pond, and everywhere inbetween, Derrick Carter's name is royalty, his records are benchmarks, and his sets are always rock solid and jam packed. His name is on the tip of any house DJ or producer's tongue, when talking about their biggest influences. He is a celebrity in the UK , yet “his underground credentials are impeccable…Carter has handled both sides of the story - DJ and producer, funk and machine music, light and shade." The man can go from rocking a UK superclub like the Arches in Glasgow to spinning for a couple hundred headz at Chris Gin's Hard Candy nights at Big Wig in Chicago . From his classic first release “Love Me Right” to his work with Farina as Symbols in Instruments producing the legendary track “Mood,” to his releases on Organico – his productions laid the foundation of the legendary Chicago house community. He and Mark Farina also bridged the gap between Chicago 's rich house roots and Detroit 's then-fledgling techno movement – the relationship between the Belleville Three (Four) and the Chicago house jocks empowered both genres and scenes, and the result catapulted both scenes into the realm of profound global influence. Suddenly the Midwest was the breeding ground for modern electronic music, and Derrick Carter was the mad scientist. His catalog of work, along with his reputation, have not once waned – the true definition of a legend of the underground.

Erykah Badu @ 4th & B
Erykah Badu, Queen of Neo-Soul. From the minute she hit the scene with “Baduizm” in 1997, this queen lifted spirits with her sensual voice and strong sensibility. She came from the rich Memphis R&B scene, where D'Angelo, Badu and the Roots effortlessly mixed soul, jazz, R&B and hip-hop and produced the foundation of the neo-soul movement: “ Signed to Kedar Entertainment, Badu effortlessly repeated the label's blueprint for success that propelled D'Angelo to international stardom.” The productions and sound that came from the mid-nineties Mid-South also gave much-needed depth to the stagnant hip-hop market, post-gangtsa rap – weaving soulful melodies and jazz textures through the ruffneck hip-hop beats brought groups like the Roots and Black Eyed Peas to the forefront of the rap game and brought the now virtuous traits of conscienceness and live instrumentation to the genre – drawing it nearer and dearer to deep history of transcendental black music in this country. Badu has collaboed with jazz legends like Roy Ayers and Roy Hargrove, as well as Busta Buss and the Roots. She exudes spirituality, individuality, and strength, all at the same time – virtues that make her music original and clairvoyant, and her message and influence one of great significance for modern black music. Floetry opens.

tickets $45 online or at 4th and B Box Office

The Roots @ Belly Up
There was a time when hip-hop had trouble gaining credibility as a legitimate genre. In that, words rapped and not sung over synthetic beats or samples fell far short of being considered musicianship. It's a battle for legitimacy currently being felt in the EDM world – is a DJ mixing prerecorded music with no actual input on the sound other than beat matching, really to be considered a musician? The Roots shattered all those misconceptions and fostered a new generation of hip-hop rooted in live instrumentation with conscious lyrical skills. They fuse free-form jazz with freestyle rhymes, and represent their Philly roots as well as other East coast jazz-rap bands like Digable Planets and Gang Starr. Their talent is far-reaching and profound – being able to perform at Lollapalooza, the Montreux International Jazz Festival, and the Area One Festival in the same breath as collaborating with everyone in the hip-hop world, no one can doubt the limitless musical talent that the Roots bring to hip-hop, and the music table as a whole. Come bear witness to the present and future of hip-hop.

tickets $35 online or at Belly Up Box Office

Mark Farina @ L5 presented byCultivatelife (more info)
The electronic community is currently at a crossroads between its history and it's future – technology is evolving and digital innovations in music are creating new and exciting mediums to share and create sounds. Final Scratch is gaining acceptance, allowing all digital formats to be manipulated on wax. The Pioneer CDJ tables allow a DJ to jog, scratch and backspin a disk just like vinyl. On one hand, you have the purists, who romanticize scanning countless crates to find that one choice rekkid that will bring the house down; the feeling of vinyl underneath their fingers as you match BPMs on your platters; the warmth and purity of the analog sound. But is EDM really the genre to embrace nostalgia? Richie Hawtin once said: “ If there's a kind of lifeblood that runs through the music and the scene that I'm involved with, it's that tie between technology and progressiveness. I don't want to stop progressing in my mind, my heart and my music, and I think that's part of the whole techno ethos. ” Isn't pushing the boundaries of music using electronic mediums kind of the whole point of EDM?

A Valentines Party for Everyone
It's time that we brought the Cultivatelife community together for a big ass party full of good people, great atmosphere, and of course top notch music, performances and visuals. We've put in over 2 months of thought and effort into this party to ensure a cultivating experience…and we want to meet and chill with as many of you guys as we can!

The Theme: FLIRT
Don't stay in because you are dateless – don't compromise your night because you are tied down. Drop your guard and meet new faces, minds, and bodies. We give this Hallmark holiday back to the people – come out and feel the pulse of your city, groove with your people, and be part of the experience.

The Fog of War @ La Jolla Village Cinemas (Documentary)
One of the most controversial and influential figures in world politics, former Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, takes us on a journey through the seminal events of the 20th century. Combining extraordinary archival footage, recreations, newly declassified White House recordings, and an original score by composer Philip Glass, director Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line, Mr. Death, Fast, Cheap and Out of Control) composes a disquieting and powerful essay on war, rationality and the nature of history itself.

2004 IFP Independent Spirit Award Nominee for Best Documentary.

+trailer

The Company @ Hillcrest Cinemas (Drama)
A look at the world of ballet as only director Robert Altman could envision. With the complete cooperation of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Altman depicts the rigors of the daily work and performances, the richly textured behaviors of the dancers, and the sheer beauty of dance: exhilarating, kinetic and thrillingly observed. It's a love letter to artists who work in this singularly difficult and universally expressive medium, to the people who make the performance possible, and to dance itself. Neve Campbell, James Franco and Malcolm McDowell star.

+view trailer

San Diego Jewish Film Festival
Runs February 5-15, featuring more than 40 feature films, documentaries, and short subjects. Titles include My Architect (San Diego premiere), Monsieur Batignole, Samy y Yo, God's Sandbox, Secret Passage, Taking Sides, The Soul Keeper. Filmmaker appearances, discussions, family films.

Screenings at AMC La Jolla 12 Theatres in La Jolla Village Square, Madstone Hazard 7 Theatre, Ultrastar's Poway Creekside Plaza 10, and in David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre at Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center. Single tickets: $11; series passes, $110. Reservations: 858-362-1348.

Tribe of Kings – Weeklies – (Reggae)
Who ever said the Island Life has to hibernate for the winter? We aren't suffering through a mind-numbing winter like back East – like the legendary Robert Nesta Marley said: “The sun is shining, the weather is sweet – make you want to move your dancing feet.” The Tribe of Kings continue mashin' in San Diego, almost seven nights a week:

Mondays @ Dub Dynamite @ Bar Dynamite
Tuesdays @ SideBar
Wednesday @ Wheel Up @ Thrusters
Thursdays Hi-Grade @ Galoka
Timeless @ Blue Agave on Fridays
Legendary Downtown Top Rankin' @ Shaker Room on Sunday nights

Big Ups to selectas Unite, Kofi, Dasheye, Jay Dread, and Rashy, and Tes on the mic – these rastas just don't quit!

RedSon @ Hot Monkey Love Café – One-Off – (Rock) – RedSon is an abstract acoustic group of local San Diegans that is about as pure as it comes – acoustic guitar, djembe drums, and tons of natural spirit. Most of their music is free form and all original material, and their sets drift from psychedelic to meandering jams to structured rock-outs. Also performing will be Prolific Funk and Little World. This night is about nothing but the music!

$5 cover – info: 619.582.5908

Butter @ Martini Ranch – Mondays – (Mixed)
This eclectic night is well versed in all types of good music. The music is based on quality and not Clear Channel's playlist, and is never pre-programmed. DJ Mada buying records for Access Music & Beatnick buying records for Siesta Music shows their musical knowlege in each respective genre. Recent requests have included Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jamiroquai, James Brown, Mary J. Blige, Atmosphere & De La Soul. The crates run deep so don't hesitate to ask for what you want to hear. No cover and the DJ's don't bite…unless you want them to.

Dragon Lounge @ Brick by Brick – Monthly Friday - (Drum n' Bass)
CSL and Merge Events continue San Diego 's longest running D'n'B night in SD – six years and running! February 6 th is the “Braindamage” CD Release party – mixed by Abstract and Tangent, this double CD of breaks and drum n' bass is released on Sponge Records and features tracks by PSIDream, Simply Jeff and BassNectar. “We are happy to have these two back as Abstract comes back for his third appearance and Tangent his second. Both on tour in support of their new CD, Abstract will be bringing the D&B pressure while Tangent will bring the Breaks along with resident B-Side. Intelligent Lighting by PDA, plus an appearance by The Urban Geisha's.

Electroluxe presents VICE/VERSA @ Recognize [Every 2nd & 4th Friday]
Every second and fourth Friday of the month. With DJs Barry Weaver and Dr. Indulgent Spinning Electro, Electro-house, punk-funk, Italo Disco, No Wave, Acid House, along with some of your Electroluxe faves.

$5 cover info : 619.521.4747

Sunday Night Shakedown @ Red C Lounge – Sundays – (Hip-hop)
Jersan, Beatnick & Solo have a Sunday night session that's known for quality underground and proper hip hop, downtempo & all things soul. On any given Sunday you could hear Jazzanova, A Tribe Called Quest, Jeru The Damaja, Gangstarr, Roy Ayers, EPMD & Barrington Levy plus more coming out of the speakers. Many have graced the decks at this weekly including L.A. 's Presto, J. Logic, Cocoe & many of S.D.'s own talent. In little over a year this has become a staple in S.D.'s nightlife.

"The Romance of California's Highway 101"
Examined by Peder Norby for "History Alive at Lee" series on Thursday, February 5, for Lemon Grove Historical Society. Program starts at 7 p.m. in H. Lee House (3205 Olive Street). $2. 619-466-8631.

Sunday Feb 15th Fire Tribe Event
Surf N Saddle (123 West Plaza, Solana Beach)
Fire Tribe Entertainment features a Special Fire Performance showcasing the "next generation" of live fire play. Expect a chill environment and lots incredible pyros. Cocktails, pool table, half block from the beach. Fire Tribe Rotating residents all night 8:00pm -2:00am.

21+ no cover

California Surf Museum
"Early California Surfriders, 1900-1940" honors Doc John Heath Ball, the first surf documentarian, telling stories of those pioneering surfers in photographs by Ball and text.     The museum features surfing artifacts and memorabilia -- such as surfboards and clothing -- of local legends Phil Edwards, John "L.J." Richards, and Peter Johnson, and Duke Kahanamoku. The museum is located at 223 North Coast Highway; 760-721-6876.

Gaslamp Museum of Historic San Diego
Glimpse San Diego's colorful past at the museum, where displays highlight Wyatt Earp's San Diego days, the Peg Leg Gold Legend, the first maps and photographs of Old Town and "New Town," early military history, the naval disaster in 1923 at Point Honda, and more. Find the museum at 413 Market Street (between Fourth and Fifth Avenues). 619-237-1492.

Museum of Making Music
The past 100 years of American music and music making are highlighted at the museum, with over 450 vintage instruments, hundreds of audio and video clips, and an interactive stage. Find the museum at 5790 Armada Drive; 760-438-5996.

Serra Museum
"Commemorating 75 Years: The Serra Museum" is said to "remember the events leading up to the dedication of Presidio Park and the Serra Museum" on July 16, 1929. The exhibit includes a "visit back in time to 1929." The museum interprets the Native American, Spanish, and Mexican periods of San Diego's history and contains Spanish Colonial furnishings, art, and artifacts. It's located at the site of the West Coast's first European settlement, 2727 Presidio Drive. 619-297-3258.

Chinese Historical Society and Museum
View artifacts from San Diego's Chinese and Chinese-American history, culture, and art. Current museum artifacts include a 1920s warlord's bed, exhibits on Chinese footbinding and Chinese-American veterans. The museum is in a building originally built in 1927 for the Chinese Mission. Adjacent to the building is an Asian garden with koi pond and waterfall. Find the museum at 404 Third Avenue (at J Street); 619-338-9888.

Hawk Watch
Saturday, 9 am to noon, through February 28
Wildlife Research Institute leads raptor-spotting hikes every Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, through February 28. Walks are led by biologist, along with a trained falconer. The Ramona grasslands are prime raptor territory; 19 species of raptors have been recorded at the spot. Wear hiking or walking boots. Bring binoculars or spotting scopes if you have them. Only heavy rain cancels trips. Wildlife Research Institute headquarters, 18030 Highland Valley Road (near Rangeland). Free. 760-789-3992.

What a Clown
Every Tuesday and Thursday, January 13 through April 1
Annual beginning clown classes covering all facets of clowning offered by San Diego All-Star Clown Club at Congregation Beth El (8660 Gilman Drive). $85. 858-450-1533.

Venus and Mars are clearly visible in the evening sky this month. Brilliant Venus is gradually assuming a more dominant position in the sky, while Mars continues to fade following its spectacular close approach last August. As darkness is falling, look for silvery Venus low in the west and reddish Mars high in the southern sky.


Liquidamber Trees, or sweet gums, the deciduous trees gracing front yards, parks, and campuses throughout the San Diego area, have been putting on an exceptionally colorful show. The leaves of some varieties turn to purple or red; the leaves of other varieties fade to golden yellow. Other varieties hold on to their green leaves until sometime in December. Most liquidambers in our area regain their light green foliage by late February.

Rainbow Season arrives with the first rains of late fall. Scattered showers are best for rainbow watching: sunlight refracting and reflecting through the raindrops causes two bows to appear -- an intense circular arc at 42°, and a bigger but weaker arc at 51° from the antisolar point (the point in the sky diametrically opposed to the sun's position). From November through mid-February, the sun never gets higher than 42° above the horizon as seen from San Diego, so (rain and sunlight permitting) the brighter of the two arcs may appear above the horizon at any time of day. In spring and summer, rainbows are never seen in the sky around midday because the sun is too high -- and the antisolar point is too low.

San Diego Museum of Art


For further information, call 619-232-7931

San Diego Museum of Man
The Turquoise Path/El Camino Turquesa: The Story of Turquoise in the Native American Southwest
O on display through April 2004, focuses on historical, social, cultural, and economic implications of the age-old stone. Turquoise jewelry-making techniques documented, and pieces from the museum's extensive collections exhibited.

Inuit: People of the Midnight Sun
Continuing through April 2004, brings to life the iliqqusiq or "ways and habits" of the Inuit (previously known as Eskimo). Artifacts include tools for hunting and sewing, handmade games, clothing, masks, and kayaks, offering an in-depth look at aspects of modern and ancient Inuit culture.

Efe: Archers of the Congo
Examines one of the most enigmatic and little-known groups on the planet. The Efe are one of about 12 pygmy tribes living in African rainforest. The more than 200 items include bows, arrows, quivers, wrist guards, hunting nets, musical instruments, utensils, and bark cloth paintings. Through summer.

Ongoing exhibits: Inquisition: Torture and Intolerance
Focusing on reality of torture in world today, including an interactive video and stories of modern-day torture survivors. Collection features dozens of macabre devices gathered from throughout Europe, some extremely rare, primarily used from 1400s up to early 1800s. Pieces on display are originals, including an iron maiden, a guillotine, chain flails, a knee splitter, and more.

Permanent anthropology exhibit Footsteps through Time: Four Million Years of Human Evolution
Features "more than a hundred touchable replicas of early humans, primates, and futuristic cyborgs (part human, part machine)." 619-239-2001.

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.

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)