San Diego Reader

Rhythm Turner: Drums, Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Vocals | Papa Shawn: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Vocals | Nick Chowda: Harmonica | Lisa Viegas: Drums, Vocals | Laura Payne: Bass guitar, Vocals

Genre: Acoustic, Blues & Soul, Rock

Upcoming Local Shows

No shows scheduled | Post a show | View show history

Related Links

• Rhythm and the Method website

• Blurt: "Family Banding" · June 17, 2009

• MySpace page

Synoposis

Inception: San Diego, 2003

Influences: Dave Matthews Band, Janis Joplin, the Roots, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Ani DiFranco.

Background:

Rhythm and the Method are fronted by singer/percussionist Rhythm Turner. With setlists of popular covers and dynamic originals, they're one of the busiest bands in San Diego.

Turner was attacked in 2009, in what many have characterized as a hate crime lrelated to her assailant's dislike of homosexuals. Mid-May, after a show at Canes, Turner was hugging her girlfriend when she was attacked.

Her dad, Papa Shawn, is a guitarist in Rhythm and the Method. “She was hugging her friend goodbye. Two guys were walking out and one said, ‘Are you two lesbians? Let me see you kiss.’ My daughter told them to get lost and the guy kept making comments. I’m sure at that point my daughter said a few curse words toward them. The guy said he’d slap her, and he did. And then he started punching her before running. My son, Evan, who’s the lead guitarist in the band, caught him and brought him back. He ended up running out of the club again, and he was caught again. This time [it was] security at Canes [who caught him], or maybe it was just security guards outside, I’m not sure. They held on to him until the police showed up.”

Local rapper MC Flow organized fundraisers for Turner. “Rhythm didn’t have health insurance,” said Papa Shawn at the time. “She works as a yoga teacher and is a full-time student. The attack left her with fractures to her nose and eye socket. The guy is going to plead guilty, but the police aren’t going to charge him with a hate crime, which is something we had hoped they would.”

Tunder underwent reconstructive facial surgery. Her assailant, 22 year-old Vincent Williams, pleaded guilty to assault, earning just under a year of jail time.

Turner subsequently filed a $1.5 million lawsuit alleging violation of her civil rights.

Discography