Back Issue
MyWeek in Music March 21st to March 28thby Scott Zensen
Photos by: Scott Zensen
Well after a lot of hours on the site things are starting to look better. Many pages are now complete but some pages will never be finished like Venues or Artists because there is always someone or someplace else to add to it. There will be lots of pictures today and some in the gallery eventually from this past week since I have been to a few shows and got carried away with the new camera. You can figure if I have 10 + pictures on the new issue, and dozens more in the gallery from this week. Then you can imagine how many I took considering this is a new camera and I am still feeling out the settings and doing a lot of experimentation.
I think I have taken close to 600 pictures without really trying hard. You can see more photos from this week in the Gallery. When I use to be a photographer back in the days before the digital revolution. I used to be impressed if I took a couple of rolls of 72 B&W pics (I made them myself) and three rolls of slide or regular color film at 36 exp. per roll. That was still the most I ever used in a day but most of the time for a week. Even though I developed it all myself it was just too expensive not to take more care in taking the picture in order not to waste film. But digital cameras allow so much freedom to experiment and take as many as you like because you waste no film or money taking them. Its lots of fun! Well on to MyWeek In Music!
Thursday: I know I usually start off my week with Wednesday but I have been so busy with the site I just didn't make it to Farmers market this week (or any other show that night. I went to Canes on Thursday to see my friends Johnny Different for what was billed as a "Rockin' Johnny White presents Sham-Rock Showcase 07". An early celebration for St. Patrick's day on the 15th. Also playing was Black Market Hearts, Foil and The Crowley's. I have heard Johnny Different before since I made friends with John and Jay through Chuck Schiele. Chuck produced their new CD at Studio 921OB (which is excellent BTW) the first time I heard Jay sing he was getting over a bad cold (I didn't know that at the time) and I remember thinking how awful the singing was. But after listening to them here I realized something was different about Johnny Different! Jay has a nice voice and this is a great band. John Miller cranks on the guitar and also sings and has a good voice too! And these guys kick ass! My favorite songs are Growin' Up or Wine Song but all of them are great. There is a hidden track on the CD that has a growl at the end of blank space just to see if you are paying attention. [Grin] I don't know how many of you ever go to a punk show. I have been to raw punk shows and hard rock shows and def metal (or Death some call it) shows and lots of Metal. But I went through a period towards the end of my marriage and listened to a lot of corporate punk and it is raw and very high energy. High energy is what we had at Canes that night. Not only did Johnny Different get the ball started they were being filmed by San Diego Music Scout. A video production company that filmed the Johnny Different segment in High Definition. You can find that video in a podcast or on iTunes.
The energy continued with a really great punk band called Black Market Hearts. These guys were the epitome of punk. They had all the patented moves. They were young and their bass player had to escorted out after their set because he is underage. Last time they played there he had to be escorted out as well but he also got pissed about it and they kicked him out for mouthing off on stage. Still these guys were hot, their energy was smoking and they belted out one great tune after another. The lead guitarist is phenomenal and the lead vocals were really up there. Personally I don't know why these guys haven't been signed unless that's the way they want it but they have great potential. The next band was called Foil and they did a few more ballad-like songs but still rock-n-rolled. They were similar to but not to the level yet of Disturbed. But they definitely didn't rock as hard as Disturbed, which is a favorite band of mine. But in a lot of respects they reminded me of them. The main vocalist had the look down like a gansta rapper doing hard rock tunes. The bassist totally looked to be a heavy metal beast. (that's a compliment) He had great hair...tons of it, all frizzed out and when he rocked; he flung it around a lot, which looked great. I tried to get a shot of it and freeze it in motion. But wasn't able to get the shot. I have for a year now wanted to get the same shot of Matt Silvia, so I can paint it. But have been unable to catch a picture like that of him. I should probably give up and just break out the paints and close my eyes and just paint it from memory. It's harder but I can do it but I think I will try a few more times to get the shot since I have the new camera.
The lead guitarist for Foil really looks the part of Metal god all decked out like a metal rock star and he was equal to the task. They did some great stuff too but Black Market Hearts and Johnny Different still rocked me a little more. The last band of the night had asked to be a MySpace friend a while ago. So I had not heard them except what's on their page but I had heard good things about them, so I wanted to see them. Which is why I stayed to the end. They came on last and late. They were a really cool band not sure if they fit the punk bill but they rocked just the same. They don't look very punk to me and I am not sure they were but they were a hard rock band and their tunes are very good. One I liked a lot was called "Watch them Run" has a neat guitar hook to it! Live they were definitely better than the recording they have on MySpace but it still had me wanting a little more. Perhaps this is one of those bands that I have to hear more than once in order to really, really like! I have a few corporate bands like that? I didn't really like them at first and now they are a favorite. Still the night was outstanding and for once the sound was totally sounding great. Which is not always the case at Canes.
Friday I went to see Ken Rahn at Kirin Sushi. I had been planning on going anyway. But I had gone over to my brothers to fix a computer problem that ended up with me taking all day. (they were saving up. LOL) So since my brother lives a half a block from Kirin I walked over to listen to the irreverent innuendo songs of Ken Rahn. I was pleasantly pleased I went. I always knew Ken could sing but all I had heard were his songs which were almost more comedy (and good songwriting) than just music. But I found Ken has much more range and a talent that most singers and songwriters would be (and probably are) envious of? Ken can put together a fairly good if not great song on the fly. Give him a couple of topics and he will throw out a song on the spot, as he often does this when he plays somewhere. In this particular instance half the songs he played that night were made on the fly. One in particular that I really liked was when someone yelled out Baseball and someone else yelled Heroin. Right there he made a really good song about being a baseball player who was on heroin. It was really humorous, irreverent and funny, and I think he ought to have remembered that one because it was that good. But most of the time he won't remember the lyrics he made up and I told him he needs to get a video camera and tape what he does s whenever something really good comes out he will have a record of it.
He is also a good guitarist and sings a lot of covers really well. In his own style he will sing Snoop Dog, Eminem, Smashing Pumpkins and quite a few others and not everything he sings is humorous. He is quite good and definitely worth going to see! Barbara Nesbitt unashamedly his girlfriend [grin] show up for his show occasionally and sometimes sits in for a few songs. One of the best (in my opinion) singer songwriter in San Diego, I have only heard her do her own songs, but tonight I heard he do several cover and not one of her own songs. She made those songs her own. They may have been Janis Joplin or a couple other people's songs I don't remember their names but she made them sound great! The picture I took was of the next day when Ken played Kirin for a second day in a row. I didn't have my camera the first day. If you get a chance to se Ken play then you r in for a treat. If you don't know where to find him he plays at least once a month at Kirin but check his MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/kenrahn to find his schedule. While you're there, listen to his best song "Slow Driving Bitch" a fun sing-a-long song that is funny and not as insulting as the title suggests.
Saturday I stopped by Kirin Sushi to take a few pictures of Ken Rahn because I didn't have my camera on Friday. I stayed for an hour and listened to Ken and then I headed off for Lestat's. I was meeting a friend there and it was St. Patrick's day but I didn't end up going to a bar. Don't know why just ended up that way there were dozens of shows going on but I was broke and it seemed like it would be a let down if I couldn't drink on the second biggest drinking holiday of the year. Lestat's had SuperUnloader playing an Acoustic set. Anyone who has been to Lestat's knows it is not a large venue but it still holds a few people. When I first got there it was already standing room only and I watched and listened from outside. Jimmy Lewis was in great form tonight as the guys had to sit in front of the headlining bands set up. Jimmy, Chris and Chad did an outstanding set of their songs and also did a couple of covers. Jimmy's version of "Isis" by Bob Dylan was different and almost better than Bob's himself. I really liked his arrangement of the song. Once SuperUnloader was done people cleared out for the bars to start their St. Patrick's day fest in earnest. But anyone who goes to a SuperUnloader gig knows that people come to see them and when they are done they are gone. Bang, just like that!
The other band whose set up and backline was in back of SuperUnloader was called the "Travis Larson Band". And they are an instrumental rock/fusion band. Travis Larson does the lead guitar and Jennifer Young is the bass player and the drummer is Dale Moon. A lot of their sound is synthesized and sounds like the stylings of Joe Satriani. But they are mostly Travis songs. The only song I recognized was "Georgia On my Mind" Which some friends of mine said they should have left alone. The music was technically good even great sounding but somehow it lacked a little diversity one song seemingly melding into another. A friend said they were good but lacked any movement in the songs. But hands down Jennifer Young is the best Bass player I have ever heard or seen? Male or female! She played it several different ways...normal...slap or Hammer style or like a guitar. She didn't over play or take over in any way but you always heard what she was doing. Her presence on stage [grin] was similar to Gene Simmons in the way she held her self and the classic stances she used including the way Gene and Freely or Gene and Stanley got together and broke apart during a good riff. It was a lot of fun to watch as well as hear. The Drummer had a huge drum kit. If there are any other parts available to a drummer I would be surprised this guy had drum stuff every where and all you could see was his chin. It had synthesizers too as well as every possible symbol and drum size available. He did a classic drum solo that was actually pretty awesome! It made for an interestingly different night for St. Patrick's day! The Travis Larson band is from out of town but plans on showing up here in San Diego more often So keep a look out for them!
Sunday and Monday I stayed home to work on the website some more even though I really wanted to go out to a couple of shows. But things are backing up for me and I still have lots to do to the site.
Tuesday I went to Desi N Friends for the first time. A new Listen Local Event happening in Point Loma which happens to be in my neck of the woods. I went to take a bus down the street but missed it and decided to walk. It was only a couple of miles. When I got there I found out they have the shows in the back up the stairs from the bar proper. Desi N Friends is a full sized bar with a grill area for food that is served nightly. Listen Local set out a buffet style table down below that had chips, Cheeses and veggies to dip with some fruit as well. Upstairs is a small intimate stage area with a small dance floor and some tables and couches. Cathryn Beeks was there to host and to offer CD's and business cards from partners with Listen Local that are interested in branching out to music Lover too! Billed as a mixer this was a great opportunity to talk to local industry professional about a number of different things from Accounting to hairdressing. Each time someone new may be in the mix to meet and greet.
I missed the first mixer, which had a lot of recognizable names in the local San Diego Music Scene who was playing. Tonight there were some of those more recognizable names again like Astra Kelly and Cathryn Beeks and Happy Ron. Jeff Berkley, Anna Troy and Bart Mendoza came by just to listen too! There were a lot of photographers here tonight as well I don't know all of them but I was one and David Matt-Green was one too!
The gig is set up like an open mike where people can show up and sign up for a spot and do two songs apiece depending on how many show up. First Astra sang a couple of her best songs and then she invited Cathryn up to sing a couple songs. the stage is is bigger than some bars. It is much bigger than Auld Sod, The Tiki or some of the other smaller venues. It is brighter than Lestat's although lighting there is atrocious. Maybe if this became a more successful venture for Cathryn and more people come, then maybe Desi N Friends will put in some better lighting for the stage. Sounds like a challenge for Bob (Lights) Wilson? Tall Black Curtains hang from rings on rods in the rafters. It has quite a high ceiling but not as high as Hot Monkey Love Cafe, Canes or House of blues. It has a wide-open comfortable feeling in the whole place.
I missed a couple of the names of the first few open mike performers including the bass guitar player from Eben's Brook's group. After Eben's bass player was a guy who read a long poem in a very nice English accent (natural) Very enjoyable and I didn't think I would go in for that sort of thing. Eben Brook's came up next and did quite a few good songs. And then came the indomitable Happy Ron with a couple of his best songs. Then came the portion of the evening where Cathryn presented three acts that were scheduled to play. Those being Free Air, Fizzgigs and Grin's Edge. Free air was a duo, a couple of young guys who have been traveling around together taking a break from being in a bigger band. A keyboardest and a guitar player both guys had wonderful voices and could get along well without having to play instrument at all but they are quite good playing those as well. I really enjoyed that portion of the evening, The keyboardest vocal qualities reminded me of a lot of punk band vocals. Not that the songs they did were punk songs I just recognized a quality I liked.
The guitarist was equally talented and his vocals are a little rougher and they compliment each other really well. Next up was a new band Cathryn liked called the Fizzgigs. I thought they were good but a little rough, raw and definitely needed some seasoning in my opinion. But still they were good and kept everyone's attention. I think part of the problem was they were having some problems with the sound mix and some of the equipment they brought. The next band asked to be a MySpace friend of mine a while ago but I had yet to see them play anywhere. Just never seemed to get to their gigs since I was usually at another somewhere. So many gigs, so little time, so little transportation. Oh well.
This bands name was Grin's Edge and I actually enjoyed their segment most of the evening. They were playing an acoustical set and it was a bass player and two guitarists but one has a tambourine drum pedal kit with him and he apparently is the drummer for the group. He was sporting a 12 string acoustic guitar and in my opinion the better guitarist not taking anything away from the other guy. He was really good. The other guitarist did the vocals and was excellent. I really liked these guys and I recommend them to everyone! They are playing tonight! -Wednesday the 21st at the 710 Club in Pacific Beach at another Listen Local event. They will do a plugged set (their normal set up) of some or all of the songs they did on Tuesday at Desi N Friends. It was a very enjoyable night of music at Desi N Friends and I highly recommend everyone come out to support the people who show up to play. Take some time to meet some people in the local music scene and maybe use some of those services yourself. Listen Local plan's on doing this event every other Tuesday. So come check it out on next Tuesday (April 3rd?) gig at Desi N Friends. Well that's all I have this week as more things get done on the site it will free up more time to go out and get more info for you out there in San Diego. Help Support the San Diego Music Scene and get out here and listen to the music, buy a CD or just clap for some highly talented people right here in your midst.
Ciao
Come have some Sushi while listening to great music and have a few Sake Bombs. Restaurant for all ages. the Sake isn't!
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