Back Issue
MyWeek in Music March 7th to March 14thby Scott Zensen
This will probaly be the last time you see the blog in this format. Hopefully next week it will be brought into myspace as an RSS feed. And the Shows on the Near Horizon will be a seperate page. Pictures will be on the side and not inline and the Sidebar may be a thing of the past. It depends on how I can implement it.
Well it has been a tough week for me. Trying to get the website launched and get everything to work on the other websites has been a daunting task. One I gladly accepted, but it’s still a lot of work. So I will be found from now on as a full website at http://www.myweekmagazine.com/index.html . There is tons of work to be done so I will be busy for the next couple of weeks. I have so much html code and JavaScript and CSS and RSS and other codes jamming my head that as of this writing I don't remember what I have seen this week. It hasn't been much? Between doing the website and buying a new guitar I have been extremely busy.
No pictures of the first show this week because I was working the merchandise table for all the bands. I got to hear all the great music but I didn't get much of a glance at the show between interruptions. What I did hear was an awesome show!
Wednesday: February 28th at The Belly Up for the Staring at the Sun Vol. V - Concert #3. w/ The Grams, Anna Troy, Scott Wilson, Blizzard, Berkley Hart.
The first band up was Anna Troy and the Paperboys who sounded great tonight. If there is one thing you can say about the Belly Up it has the best sound system in town. Maybe I should say county because if you have never been to the Belly Up it is in Solana Beach, not exactly in town but still San Diego. If you haven't heard Anna Troy or even if you have but you've never seen her with her band then you would have been in for a treat. A lot of the patrons that night actually came to see Berkley Hart and many were pleasantly surprised by Anna Troy and many of the other performers that evening. Anna has a tenor sounding strong and pleasant voice that while not gravely in any way lends itself to the blues very well.Almost sultry but not quite like Kathleen Turner in Body Heat. She writes all her own songs and now does a couple of covers now that she plays mostly with a full band. The band backs her up very well making her style have a rich sound, but a little more electric than acoustic. Doesn't matter though it’s just good! The people in the bar kept coming up to find out about her CD's
Next up was The Grams who were last years San Diego Music Award winners for Americana. The Grams are a very accomplished band that when they go on stage they sound like the CD every time. But they always do! Originally even though they probably had other musicians that worked on the CD, the Grams were basically 3 people: Chuck Schiele, Craig Yerkes and Sweet Elise who plays a mean Violin. Since the win at San Diego Music Awards they have added Bill Coomes (from Deadline Friday and Barbara Nesbitt Band) on drums and Tony (Call Down fire) on bass who have both worked out nicely adding depth the their live performances. But don't get me wrong without chuck and Craig on vocals and Chuck on rhythm and Craig on lead with the wonderful Violin of Sweet Elise then there would be no Grams. A lot of people who came to see Berkley Hart were enamoured by The Grams and it didn't hurt their CD sales.
Now I think the next band up was Blizzard and after them Scott Wilson Electric but it was a busy night and I may have switched the two. Blizzard I have seen before at another Venue and they were one of the best that night. But tonight they were in a different configuration as a larger band. It gave them a fuller sound and they sounded great. The lead singer reminds me of someone famous but I can't place him. But the band sounded great and played many of the songs on their "Root of All Evil CD" which was one of 3 I was selling that night. If you haven't heard them there are some free tickets floating around town to get into the next concert for the Staring At the Sun CD Release on Sunday the 11th of March at the Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park. They will be playing it as well as Citizen Band, Shambles, Christopher Dale and Superdoo, Mark Decerbo and all though it doesn't say so on the tickets (there's only so much room on those things) Anna Troy, THE Coyote Problem and The Grams. But if you don't have a ticket I believe it is $10 dollars at the Door to what sounds like a great day of music starting at 12 noon.
After Blizzard was Scott Wilson Electric and you have undoubtedly heard me speak about this band before if you’re a regular reader of this blog. One of the more professional rock bands in town. You always know if you go see Scott Wilson play? You are going to have a great night of music even if everybody else sucks. When the full band is there with backup singers and the rest of the musicians you are going to rock the house with Scott's clean sound and great vocals. This isn't death metal or punk or country rock but just plain got rock music. Scott played many of the songs off his CD. And if you paid to get in to see this show you got a free Staring at The Sun CD Vol. V a compilation of 18 artist from the San Diego Music Scene and a bonus video by Scott Wilson. Like the Coffeehouse 101 Video that came out early last year. Scott sold many of his CD’s to the crowd last night after they heard what a great band he has!
Now the last band ended up being a disappointment for many because they were there to see Berkley Hart. Calman Hart showed up an hour or so before his set and they had had a gig earlier in the evening. But on the way up to Solana Beach Jeff Berkley got sick and couldn't make it. Later I heard he had been sick all week and still going to shows like the trooper he is but he had gotten worse between the gigs and was having stomach troubles. So Jeff was a no show and Calman went on solo. Now this isn't a bad thing Calman Hart is very talented and has his own songs and sang beautifully but the crowd dissipated early after hearing both wouldn't be present. And disappointed many went home. Too bad because all evening people were in a buying mood and bought multiple CD's and kept asking for Berkley Hart CD's but I didn't have any to sell. Maybe next time! For those of you there who wanted those Berkley Hart CD's remember you can buy them off their website too!
That was the evening of music and even though I was working I still enjoyed the music like I was giving it my undivided attention.
Thursday: I stayed home working on the Website coalescing idea's in my head for what I was trying to do!
Friday: I went to see the next in the series of concerts for the release of the Staring of the Sun Vol. V CD. This one was at O'Connell's. Now sometimes things don't get started right on time at O'Connell's but that doesn't stop anyone from getting a great night of music. Tonight’s bill was Will Edwards, Podunk Nowhere, The Coyote Problem, Barbara Nesbitt Band and Citizen Band. Will started off the night doing many favorites of his, will is a great and prolific writer and he once told me he really likes to move on and not do older songs to death. He likes doing newer stuff he is working on or just put on CD. Regardless you always know that he will give you his best and always sound great doing it.
Next came Podunk Nowhere! I can 't say enough about this duo, they just released their CD and it is my favorite since I got it. I hardly go a day without listening to the whole CD that’s how much I like it. Johnny style of guitar playing really impresses me, he makes it sound so clean and makes it look so easy. Heather's voice is clear and beautiful and the way their styles work together makes a new sound that is hard to describe. I just know I like it. They got on stage and did many of their songs to the crowd’s delight.
Next came The Coyote Problem and I was extremely happy to see my good friend Billy Fritz. As of late his day job (or should I say night job) has been taking all his time for the last several months. There was a time when he and Chelsea were always around and he was in several bands at once. Now Chelsea is working elsewhere although I hear she has a gig at DreamStreet later this month I think. At least Billy still plays with The Coyote Problem and keeps his fingers nimble for playing. It was great seeing him again. I think of Billy as a Soul Brother we are the same age, have the same heritage and the same birthday. Heck we were only born around a hundred miles apart. Weird! There is someone else who shares my birthday in the San Diego Music Scene but she is not as old as I am by a long shot. Brenda Panneton...so I guess that makes her a Soul Sister. [grin] Coyote Problem sounded great Peter Bolland is a great songwriter and the band kind of mixes styles occasionally. One song will be very country-ish and the next very rock n roll. Makes them a very interesting band to listen to and its always a pleasure!
Next up is hands down my favorite band in town and always has been. Barbara Nesbitt came into town and stole all our ears and our hearts with the great songs she write and the beautiful music she writes for those songs. The lyrics are always insightful and you can listen to her songs over and over. I can 't wait for her CD to come out maybe later this year. She went on stage with her band. Marcia Claire from too many bands to mention here (although just these next two for right now) plays base for the band. Mike Spurgat (lead Guitar) and Billy Coomes (Percussion and Drums) all veterans of the San Diego Music Scene from the band Deadline Friday. Deadline Friday is having a new CD release party at the Belly Up on March 22 w/ Marc Ford!" That should be a great night for music as well! Barbara sounded great this night and in fact even though she is not a sound engineer, she had the system sounding the best I have heard for a while. Even Coyote Problem who played before her had a few sound problems. But Barbara sounded clean and as clear as you can get on the PA there! The crowd was happy, I know I was!
After Barbara was done with her set, Mike Spurgat and Marcia Claire stayed because they are in Citizen Band as well. Jeff Berkley had shown up shortly before and looked like he wasn't 100% but probably better than he was the week before due to illness. But you couldn't really tell because he sounded great. Danny Cress is the bands drummer and one of the best in town. Lately I have seen Citizen Band a lot. Citizen Band was one of the first bands I ever saw in San Diego and although I liked them they were a bit too country sounding-ish for me to listen to all the time. But they lost their lead guitarist Dylan James in the middle of last year and acquired Mike and their sound has gone a little more rock as of late. Plus I am sure that my musical sensibilities are changing too! A couple of years ago I would have scoffed if you told me I would listen to anything that sounds even a little country. But that has certainly changed over the past year and a half. All in all it was a great night for music and friends and as usual I had a blast!
The rest of the week was a wash. Between having got my new guitar and wanting to practice and getting the new Webster up and finished I just haven't gotten out to any shows. That should change again soon. It will be getting warmer soon and I won't have to do more than my blog and maintenance for the website. And warmer weather means getting out and walking places and I won't be discouraged to go places if I have to walk home late at night. There was a time when walking home from North Park to Point Loma was a common thing. Mostly I have more friends now who don't want to see me walk that distance. I don't mind walking I am use to it but sometimes walking from that distance is a pain. It can take a couple of hours to get home from there and leaving places late means less sleep. But I don't sleep much anyway. I look forward to hearing more great music to come from San Diego. Once I couldn't wait to leave this place, even after coming back I didn't want to stay but now that San Diego has so much to offer musically that I discovered for myself I can't see leaving!
Ciao
Steve CovaultOne of the premiere photographers around San Diego. Steve has been generously providing photos occasionally that he takes during each week. And sends me a few here at MyWeek In Music to suppplement the photos I take or other's provide me of shows around town.
Check out Steve's Website with his galleries of photos of The Local San Diego Music Scene. Click Here to go to SteveCovault.com
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