We’ve got a weekend of activities for you that don’t involve football. I’m starting my fun tonight going up to the Critics’ Choice Awards (which you can watch on E! and Peacock). Driving up to L.A. is always a circus, which reminds me – the circus is coming to the North County, with a “Hollywood Dreams” theme. I’m guessing circuses often have themes, now that they can’t have animals. This will be from today until February 24th, at the North County Mall.
If you want to start your weekend early, at 2:00 p.m. Friday afternoon, you can hear all the jazz standards you know and love with the JAZZ CROONERS at The Jazz Lounge on EL CAJON BLVD. That evening it will be a great local singer from my graduating class at Mira Mesa High – LEONARD PATTON, along with AIMEE NOLTE.
Another great vocalist and smooth operator, at the DANCE HOUSE POINT LOMA, it’s the SADE EXPERIENCE. This is a dance and interactive show.
OZOMATLI will be at the Music Box DOWNTOWN. It’s funny that they have a song called “Saturday Night” and a song called “Super Bowl Sundae” but they’re playing Friday night.
The second most popular punk band out of Poway (after Blink 182) – UNWRITTEN LAW, will be at the OBSERVATORY in NORTH PARK on Saturday and Sunday.
In sports, the SAN DIEGO GULLS have a home game at Pechanga Arena against the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
You may not know it but San Diego has a pro volleyball team, The SAN DIEGO MOJO. They will be playing the Vegas Thrill, not on blueberry hill, but at Viejas Arena.
WICKED was the biggest movie of last year, and you can watch it live on the stage at the Civic Theatre DOWNTOWN on Saturday and Sunday.
If you prefer a more old school musical, HELLO DOLLY will be at the SAN DIEGO MUSICAL THEATRE. Catch that Saturday or Sunday.
If you’re looking for laughs at a comedy club and not in a Broadway production – actor, comedian, podcaster MICHAEL RAPAPORT will be at the American Comedy Club right around the corner from Wicked. He’ll be performing Saturday and Sunday.
A few good tribute bands are playing in town – FLEETWOOD MAX at Humphrey’s Backstage on SHELTER ISLAND, and YESTERDAY– Tribute to the Beatles, are at PALA CASINO.
On SATURDAY – if you want to burn off all the calories you’re going to put on during Super Bowl Sunday – Former Padres pitcher and Cy Young winner Randy Jones has the RANDY JONES RUN, WALK & ROLL. That’s at De Anza Cove in MISSION BAY. This is their 15th Annual run, to benefit the nonprofit Home of Guiding Hands, which provides support for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
The 42nd annual CHINESE NEW YEAR FAIR will be at the San Diego Chinese Historical Society and Museum DOWNTOWN on Saturday and Sunday. It’s free, and all ages are welcome, for food, live music, and lots of activities.
At noon, they’ll be a MOJO NIXON CELEBRATION at the Whistle Stop Bar in NORTH PARK. The documentary “The Mojo Manifesto” will screen, and I’m sure lots of local musicians will probably jam on tunes like “Elvis is Everywhere,” “Don Henley Must Die,” and “Debbie Gibson is Pregnant with My Two-Headed Love Child.”
For tribute shows, there’s PRINCE AGAIN, again, at the Belly Up Tavern in SOLANA BEACH.
It’s crazy to think that the band Paramore has a tribute act, as they formed in 2004 and are still around, but “Sad Band” will be at the Holding Company in OCEAN BEACH.
A musical I liked a lot more than Wicked is ONCE. It’s being performed at the Lamb’s Players Theatre in CORONADO. Those shows will be all weekend long.
If you skipped that Randy Jones run, you have another shot to burn some calories before the big game on SUNDAY. The KOOK RUN starts at 7 AM in ENCINITAS. It’s a 5K/10K costume run. Nothing like running along the Pacific Coast.
If you’re going to the movies, here are three to tell you about.
This first movie may be one of the best films you see all year – COMPANION. I initially wasn’t thrilled with the casting of yet another nepo baby, Jack Quaid (who looks a bit more like Randy than Dennis). But he’s great as his character goes through different changes. This is one of those movies that every critic has spoiled in their reviews. All I can say that won’t give things away is that a handful of couples meet up for a weekend getaway at a rich, shady Russian dude’s house and…there’s drinking, arguments, and a few things start going haywire. This can get violent and bloody, so it might not be for everyone. I’ve already seen it twice, and recommended it to 5 different people that have all seen it and loved it. 4 ½ stars out of 5.
HEART EYES. It’s a horror flick, which isn't my thing. I brought a friend who likes horror movies and she loved it. I was pleasantly surprised that it had a few laughs, which made it not so dreadful to sit through [that’s probably a quote that would never make the movie poster]. The story is about a serial killer that goes to different cities each year to kill couples on Valentine’s Day. I did like seeing one of the most underrated comedic actresses (Michaela Watkins) as the mean boss (and they show a hysterical ad campaign for a jewelry line). If you like watching people getting stabbed and murdered in various ways – this is the date night for you. Only 2 stars out of 5 for me.
LOVE HURTS, which could have also been the title for the “Heart Eyes” slasher flick. They didn’t play the song in the movie, but we got to hear “You Sexy Thing” (which was used better in “Boogie Nights”) and “The Things We Do For Love” – which fit perfectly. This story is about a realtor who used to be an enforcer/murderer for his evil crime lord brother, but he left that behind for a normal life. A woman he was supposed to kill returns, and fights and shootings ensue. It was a bit sloppy and is nothing you haven’t seen before, but it had enough laughs (this is the second movie I’ve seen in two months that had a good joke about boba). You’ll like the Ke Huy Quan character enough (he was the child actor from Goonies and Indiana Jones, who made a comeback in “Everything Everywhere All At Once”). Ariana DeBose knocked my socks off with her performance in “West Side Story” and she was great to sit next to at the Critics’ Choice awards last year. She plays who comes back from the ‘dead’. Sean Astin has a good role as a caring boss, and former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch was fun as a thug (but he was better as a teacher in the sadly underseen comedy “Bottoms”). 3 stars out of 5.
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