Then and Now | The Che Underground

Then and now: Funland

January 1, 2011July 31, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

(Roving correspondent/photographer Kristen Tobiason finds that Funland — downtown arcade that inspired a Wallflowers song of the same name — has been plowed under: “This swarthy beast consumed the whole lower Broadway strip. Another boring-ass hotel. I miss Funland and all its classic wooden pinball machines.” Wallflowers singer Dave Rinck offers a requiem.)

This is not universally recognized, but the decline of arcade games reflects the soul-sucking changes that have taken place in modern life. Back in the day, arcade games had real physical moving parts, like pinball machines and Skee-ball. Then they invented computer games, and people started going to arcades to stare at computer screens.

Nowadays, kids play home video games on their TV sets, and I believe there aren’t really arcades anymore. This happened simultaneously with the computerization of the movie and music industries. Someday kids won’t even know what an arcade or a cinema even is — and as to music, well, we all know how that’s going. …

Then and now: Studio 517

January 1, 2011July 25, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

(Roving correspondent/ photographer Kristen Tobiason revisits and documents the scenes of our youth. Today, Studio 517 sheds its leathers for pinstripes.)

Studio 517 was in full swing during the summers of 1982-’83. Managed by Steve Epeneter — a tall, idiosyncratic fellow nicknamed “Lurch” — its concrete walls housed outstanding performances by the Gravedigger V, The Tell-Tale Hearts, The Wallflowers, Personal Conflict, The Front and many others.

Sean McDaniels (inveterate troll of San Diego hangouts) recalls, “It was only open in the summer, and it was hot. We hung out on the sidewalk out front or in the park more than we did inside where the bands were playing. I remember there was a Chinese lady who used to yell at us from across the street.”

Then and now: La Posta

January 1, 2011July 22, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

(Roving correspondent/ photographer Kristen Tobiason revisits and documents the scenes of our youth. Today, rolling with the tacos at La Posta, 2008!)

Ah! La Posta. Our signature Southern California cuisine. …. Craving carne asada at 3am? No problem. The mighty little taco shop, La Posta, on 3rd and Washington, is still going strong just as it was 25 years ago. (Twenty-five years?! Jeebus!)

Back in the day it was all the nutrition we needed. Next to McDonald’s five-hamburgers-for-$1 deal, (the Morlocks were huge fans of Mickey D’s), it was a cheap feast. Who would have thunk that today we would be eating sushi?

Then and now: El Cajon Blvd. Denny’s

January 1, 2011July 13, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

(In the first installment of a series, roving correspondent/ photographer Kristen Tobiason revisits and documents the scenes of our youth. Today, a daylight visit to “Gay Denny’s,” 2008!)

Denny’s on El Cajon Blvd.: A night-time hang-out spot? I don’t see many hipsters hanging there today. Maybe pimps and their respective employees … but for us it was another after show/party place to kill time and wait for the sun to come up.

I recall sitting in front of a plate of hot French fries with a side bowl of brown gravy, cigarette in hand … Across from me, you might find Tom Ward with his classic shaded spectacles, Chris Negro wearing his black revolutionary coat, a couple of Gravedigger V members, Jerry Cornelius, Denise, Alena … among many others.