It’s “Dry January” and this weekend will be dry weather-wise. And just because you’re not drinking, doesn’t mean you can’t have fun at some events. Here are your options:
FRIDAY –
In sports, the SAN DIEGO CLIPPERS play Iowa at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside. They’ll have games Friday and Saturday night.
The SAN DIEGO SEALS will be home at Pechanga Arena. Our lacrosse team was the National League West Champs last season, so let’s see them start strong.
Lots of tribute bands in town this weekend. Friday night you’ve got a METALLICA band in North Park, an ABBA at the Belly Up Tavern. They’ll also have a Doors band on Sunday night.
SATURDAY –
The SDSU Aztecs men's basketball team are in first place in the Mountain West and host Fresno State at Viejas Arena starting at 8pm. You can hear the game on San Diego Sports 760 and the iHeart Radio app..
You think horrible thoughts when you hear the word “war” but it’s the opposite when you think of the band by that name. WAR is going to be playing at the Magnolia in El Cajon, so…why can’t you bring your friends, in your low rider, as you slip into the sounds of this funky band.
A family friendly event is happening in Poway. It’s the WINTER FESTIVAL. Bring the family to the Poway Community Park and Auditorium. There’s going to be snow, so you can sled or build snowmen. You can roast marshmallows, put on some ice skates, and a lot of other activities.
With the cold and wet weather we had last week, this is the perfect weekend to do the MAKE-A-WISH-POLAR PLUNGE. This inaugural event will take place at the Catamaran Resort in Pacific Beach. It’s for a great charity, and all ages are welcome to participate. There will be photos, breakfast, warm drinks, and lots of towels.
From family friendly events to fun for the adults – the SAN DIEGO BREW FEST is back, at Liberty Station. There will be food, music, and over 200 brews and local breweries there. So much for that “Dry January.”
I saw this guy play in Vegas 30 years ago and he knocked my socks off. Blues guitar slinger TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS are going to be at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach.
Former Saturday Night Live comedian JAY PHAROAH is bringing his humor and impersonations to Sycuan Casino in El Cajon.
Another SNL alum is bringing the laughs to town – DAVID SPADE is at the Balboa Theatre Downtown.
San Diego’s Major League volleyball team, the MOJO play their home-opener vs. Orlando at Viejas Arena.
The ODDITIES & CURIOSITIES EXPO will be at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday. Lots of bizarre exhibits and items to be found there, and I won’t even begin to try to explain them. If you know, you know.
MONSTER JAM is happening Saturday and Sunday. And by monster, they mean monster trucks smashing everything in their path. That excitement happens at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday and Sunday.
AT THE MOVIES…
IS THIS THING ON?
Bradley Cooper wrote, directed, and starred in another movie. This one, about a comedian, works a lot better than his last effort “Maestro.” Will Arnett plays a man going through a separation from his wife (Laura Dern). She’s a former Olympic volleyball player, who isn’t so happy with her homelife as a mom. He has started doing stand-up comedy, and it becomes a cathartic release for him. My wife and I both enjoyed it (me a bit more than her), although I recommended it to my friend (who is obsessed with comedians), and he thought it was a bit slow-paced. I enjoyed it more upon a second viewing, although I did tell Bradley Cooper when I met him that he shouldn’t have cast Peyton Manning in a small role. Not just because it takes you out of the movie (he’s playing a volleyball coach), but Cooper is an Eagles fan – so why not a Philly QB? But I digress. Another complaint I have is that I saw small clips of comedians I love playing the Comedy Cellar in New York (a venue I love), but we didn’t see enough of them. For example, we see Dave Attel head up to the stage and say hello, but that was about it from him. 3 ½ stars out of 5.
PRIMATE
A horror movie involving a cute ape that turns evil. Which is a nice premise for a movie. But this thing was too gory. Too stupid. Too cliche. And even though this genre isn’t for me, I can like movies like this (I had a blast with “Cocaine Bear”). My wife was smart enough to sit this one out, so I brought my friend that likes horror movies. She liked it, but also said she didn’t need all the gore. The story involves a pet apethat gets rabies and goes all Cujo on the family and friends (you younger folks can Google “Cujo”). The only thing that entertained me was thinking of my own jokes. I wondered if this is how Michael Jackson lost his nose (he had a pet chimp named Bubbles, if you recall). I thought about how fun David Letterman’s “monkey cams” were in his early days. The best thing was seeing deaf actor Troy Kotsur (CODA). They used his deafness for good effect. The house they filmed in was beautiful. The score was good. But right now, this ranks as the worst movie of the year (I know, the year is only a week old, but still). 0 stars.
