FRIDAY…the PADRES are back home at Petco Park for their series against the Colorado Rockies. We’ll see how bad these injuries will hurt the team.
At the Del Mar Fairgrounds, it’s the VILLAIN ARTS TATTOO FESTIVAL, from 2 to 11 p.m. I’m guessing more people decide on tattoos later in the evening. This convention will have artists, special guests, and lots of entertainment. It’s going on Saturday, too.
There’s a SANTANA tribute band in PACIFIC BEACH at the Aquarius Bar and Grill.
Another tribute – the EAGLES RONSTADT EXPERIENCE, but you’ll have to fly a bit to TEMECULA at the Thornton Winery.
BEE GEES FEVER is at PALA CASINO. White suits are not required.
In CARLSBAD, the band GONE BLONDE will be at the Coyote Bar and Grill, doing pop, rock, and R&B tunes, the SIERS BROTHERS are at Tio Leo’s, and there will be Latin, Jazz, and World Music at KI’s Restaurant with ADRIENNE NIMS & SPIRIT WIND.
Local music legend SWAMI JOHN REIS & The Bed of Nails will be at the SODA BAR.
Music at some of the bigger halls – JOE LOVANO’S PARAMOUNT QUARTET is in LA JOLLA at the Baker-Baum Concert Hall. The Grammy winning Saxophonist has Living Colour drummer Will Cahoun behind the kit.
PHAT CAT SWINGER will be doing, well, swing tunes of course, with a Hollywood flair. They’ll be at the POWAY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
LAURA JANE GRACE & THE MISSISSIPPI MEDICALS will be at the Music Box DOWNTOWN.
For those who crave intellectual stimulation on the stage, SDSU SCHOOL OF THEATRE will present HAMLET on the Prebys Stage.
For laughs – ADAM CAROLLA will be doing some podcast shows Friday and Saturday night at the American Comedy Company DOWNTOWN. People either love him or hate him, but I’ve enjoyed his TV shows, movies, and books.
SATURDAY…you can start the day off bringing the family to DISNEY ON ICE for “Into the Magic” at Pechanga Arena. Mickey and Minnie Mouse will join characters from Moana, Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Coco, and more.
Everyone likes free events. There’s no charge for the SAN DIEGO UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL happening at the Digital Gym DOWNTOWN. This is their 10th year, and they’ll be playing a lot of the movies you could’ve seen if you went to Cannes and Sundance.
You didn’t realize that has been going on for a decade, and you probably didn’t realize that the CORONADO FLOWER FESTIVAL is in its 103rd year. It’s a two-day festival put on by the Coronado Floral Association. Bring your Zyrtec.
IN SPORTS, the PADRES will have their second game against the Rockies at Petco Park.
For pro volleyball, the SAN DIEGO MOJO take on Omaha Supernovas at Viejas Arena. I’m wondering if they’ll refrain from playing the Liz Phair song “Super Nova.”
SAN DIEGO WAVE FC play Kansas City at Snapdragon Stadium.
DON CARLOS is at the Belly Up Tavern.
If you’re worthy, SPONGE is at the House of Blues.
SNOOPER is at the Casbah.
FELIX CARTAL and AVI SNOW are at the Music Box.
A few interesting tributes hit town. See what’s goin’ on with TROUBLE MAN: A TRIBUTE TO MARVIN GAY at Sycuan Casino.
Or you could fly over to see SPACE ODDITY – A David Bowie tribute, at Balboa Theater DOWNTOWN.
SUNDAY – if you enjoyed the flower show in Coronado, you’ll probably have fun at the SPRING HOME GARDEN SHOW at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
Comedian and actor MATT RIFE is at VIEJAS ARENA.
I’ve only ever seen a ROY ORBISON impersonator at a Vegas show 35 years ago, but one will be at the Belly Up Tavern. I’m sure underneath those sunglasses, he’ll be checking out all the pretty women in the crowd.
And the PADRES will be wrapping up their series with their third win against the Rockies (you gotta be positive).
Lots of MOVIES are coming out this weekend.
THE AMATEUR is your best bet. Rami Malek, who played a good Freddie Mercury, but a bad Bond villain – has a character that’s right in his wheelhouse. He’s a lot like his “Mr. Robot” character, as a computer nerd working for the CIA. His wife is killed in a hotel and he wants his bosses to train him to become a proper assassin to go find and take out these terrorists. Laurence Fishburne is the perfect actor to play the guy training him, and he ends up going all Charles Bronson/Clint Eastwood on the baddies. Since 92% of all movies have vomit scenes, this had one (but it worked well, as the character was trying to talk tough to somebody and was clearly nervous). Julianne Nicholson had a small part but was terrific in her few scenes (see her in “Dream Scenario,” but avoid “Janet Planet” – which was one of the worst films of 2023). My wife and I loved it (despite a few flawed scenes). 4 stars out of 5.
WARFARE has a lot more shooting, as it’s a war movie, based on what happened to a group of soldiers hunting down the Taliban in Iraq. I’ve been burned out on war movies for years, so this wasn’t for me. I did find it interesting that the first 30 or 40 minutes, has the soldiers just sitting in a house watching the bad guys. Some might feel that not enough was happening, but I thought that added to the tension. Once the shooting started, it felt like the same old thing we’ve seen before. Soldiers are bleeding out, some lost limbs, and one keeps screaming. I’m sure the filmmakers (director Alex Garland being one) wanted this, so you feel just how the soldiers had felt. For me though, that just doesn’t make for entertaining viewing (but should make you appreciate the military more than you probably do). 2 stars out of 5.
DROP is one of those movies where the bad guys threaten to kill a woman’s child unless she does things for them. She’s on a first date, and one of those things is killing her date. Many times I rolled my eyes, wondering why she made the various decisions she made (until the 3rd act which was fun in a guilty pleasure kind of way). It’s surprisingly getting rave reviews with many critics comparing it to Hitchcock. Aside from the set design, and the strong performance by Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus); it’s just hard to believe she’s a psychiatrist by the things she says and does. I think my wife may have disliked it more than I did. 2 stars out of 5.
THE FRIEND is a movie that came out and slipped under the radar. It wasn’t screened for the critics in San Diego ahead of time, and it has Bill Murray! Oh, and a cute Great Dane. Naomi Watts plays Murray’s friend. He’s a well-respected author and professor – who has a series of ex-wives (some of whom are former students). He leaves his dog to her when he dies. She has to deal with a few of his ex-wives (it was great to see Carlo Gugino). One ex was played by Constance Wu and she was annoying (I made the mistake of reading her book a few years ago, so she seemed even more annoying to me). More solid supporting work was done by the talented Ann Dowd and Owen Tegue (who was so good in “To Leslie” and one of my favorite movies of 2023 – “You Hurt My Feelings”). The problem this movie has is that there just isn’t enough happening in it. My wife didn’t care for it, but I thought the cast made the weak script enjoyable enough. 3 stars out of 5.