Seth Combs has covered the San Diego arts and music scene for over a decade. He's also written for Spin, Zagat, and The Hollywood Reporter. He likes dogs and comic books, but is pretty iffy on your band.
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Seth Combs
Deal or no green deal
Politics are funny. If someone had told me a year ago that Rep. Mike Levin would be the gold standard of progressivism in the House, I would have scoffed. Read more
The Spotlight: '90s-palooza
As someone who grew up in the ’90s, I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like if I had something like Twitter to express myself in those days. Hmmm… Read more
Singled out: Angels & Airwaves, HIRIE and more
A semi-regular feature where we listen to some new songs from notable local bands and report back. Read more
Photo by John Boydston
Local music community pays tribute to Jeff Walls
Jeff Walls wasn’t a local musician, but the guitarist of bands such as Guadalcanal Diary and The Woggles left an indelible mark on the San Diego scene. Read more
Photo by Seth Combs
Sharon Larios is a rebel with a cause
The last 20 years have been game-changers when it comes to politics and the 29-year-old Larios, a first-generation Mexican-American, could be seen as representative of this new era of political authenticity. Read more
Chipping away at choice
If I’m to believe those who know what they’re talking about, it’s not a matter of if the Supreme Court will take up a case that restricts or even bans certain kinds of abortions, it’s a matter of when. Read more
Photo by Seth Combs
San Diego mayor: Round 1
For those of us who remember the days of the high school debate team, we might remember that debates are often judged by three criteria: delivery, structure and argumentation. Read more
Photo by Alberto H.
The Spotlight: Mon Laferte
Along with another recently released song (“Chilango Blues”), I was immediately entranced with Laferte’s sultry and empowered take on a barroom ballad. Read more
Photo courtesy of Martin Brando Villarreal
New music docs screening around town
Two new documentary screenings from local artists are happening in August, both of which deal with music and the international community. Read more
Just desserts
Sugar was that part of the food pyramid our teachers always told us to avoid, which simply made it all the more enticing. Read more
Photo courtesy of Monzù Fresh Pasta
Good carbs
I’ve got good news and bad news: The bad news is that carbs, especially refined carbs, are still not very good for us. The good news is that most carb-heavy foods still taste so damn good. Read more
Photo by Seth Combs
Getting cheesy
Dairy is not a staple in my diet especially when it comes to milk in its original form. Sure, I like the occasional milk shake and some ice cream as much as the next person, but those seem more like dessert items, and we have a section for that. Read more
Photo by Seth Combs
Everybody has their NIMBY moments
It’s been a while since I’ve felt a sense of NIMBYism. In fact, the only time I’ve ever felt it was when the affluent, mostly white homebuyers began to snatch up all the properties in my neighborhood post-recession. Read more
Photo by Tim Ellis / Flickr commons
The Spotlight: "Weird Al" Yankovic
There were other tapes in my stepdad’s Chevy Blazer and I owned other Yankovic albums before and after, but none were as special to me as UHF. Read more
Warsaw’s new EP is black ‘Magick’
The EP is evidence that Warsaw is growing as a band and expanding their sound. Read more
Records & Rhymes showcases local hip-hop scene
Local arts organization Art Unites has teamed up with three other organizations to host Records & Rhymes, a new hip-hop showcase that they hope will become a regular event. Read more
Photo by Seth Combs
To See or Not to See: “Of All Things”
There’s something to be said for the value of simply staring at a piece of art and getting lost. Social media has fundamentally changed the way we view and experience art, with the actual viewing often playing second fiddle to the experience. Read more
Rewriting history
What if… San Diegans got just as upset about seeing homelessness as they did about scooters littering the sidewalks? Read more
Photo courtesy of Comic-Con Museum
One museum to rule them all
We spoke with Comic-Con Museum Executive Director Adam Smith about the pop-up preview, the Batman exhibition and what he hopes the museum will represent even for people who’ve never even been to the Con. Read more
The Spotlight: Natalia Lafourcade
But of all the songs with the word “corazón” (and there are a lot), the one that instinctively came to my mind was Natalia Lafourcade’s “Tú Sí Sabes Quererme.” Read more