MyWeek in Music March 28th to April 4th
by Scott Zensen
Photos by: Scott Zensen
Well time flies when your working 12 to 18hr days on the computer and it is time for a new issue already! Working so much hasn't left a lot of time to go to shows. But I managed to get to a couple. I 'll be glad when I get mostly finshed withthe site so I can get back to concentrating on the shows and the music!
So first I want to tell you things are coming close to being finshed and a lot of new stuff may be happening in April. Like the new music player. Some of the musicians I have approached have given me verbal permission to play some of their songs on my site. But it will be limited at first to the few I have talked to and gotten permission. Also I can't always afford to buy everyone's CD so it will be limited to the twenty or so CD's I happen to own from local artists. So don't be insulted If I haven't approached you about playing your music on my site. It just means I haven't bought one or been given (not a requirement, but appreciated) your CD yet. (yes some people give me their CD, I won't say who though?) The music being played here is to let people who come to my site know what some of the artists I talk about sound like. Eventually I will have a page dedicated to helping these artists sell their CD's either by selling for them or directing people to where they can buy one. Of course I recommend picking up the CD in person because that usually means you just heard them LIVE! The best way to listen to music!
Also I wanted to remind new readers and old that this site is dedicated to promoting San Diego musicians, not the venues. I point them out cause that is where the music happens. On my Shows on the Near Horizon section I don't always get every artist in town, mostly because there are plenty of ways that out of town musicians have of promoting themselves. So the site is dedicated to San Diego County shows and San Diego singer/songwriters. I don't even show out of town shows for San Diego musicians. Because this site is also about getting San Diegan's out to watch the local shows. I also don't cover every cover band or tribute band. But occasionally I do mention an out of town artist or cover band they aren't completely excluded if they are on the same bill as a local artist. If this seems like a narrow view, I apologise, but I came into the San Diego music scene and noticed that except for a few, nobody promotes themselves enough. Not everybody is on MySpace and its not enough to hope that people will just run across one of the shows! My ultimate wish is to give these artist their due by getting people to get out and see them. Because I have never heard a more talented bunch of musicians!
I am sorry last weeks post claimed that the
Gallery had all of the pictures and more from shows that week. But I had problems with the gallery section and I am working out the kinks. So there will be a gallery this week some time? Because I 75 usuable pics from this week alone although only a few will go up now. Eventually all pictures in the gallery will enlarge to show the original file they were cropped from, once I complete a way from having them downloaded. the pics you see not are in a format that works for this website and efficiently small enough to convey the feeling of the picture but if downloaded cannot be enlarged with sufficient clarity to be of any worth. To any artists that see their picture here, they are available at your request. Just email me, and I will send you a full sized copy. At this point in time I do not and will not be selling the pictures unless if is for a publication, and I am not actively seeking that right now.
Now since I haven't gotten out to as many shows this week, it is probaly apparent that I hardly had a whole week of shows to report on. So I am going say something about two shows (two and a half?) but focus on the one big show I did see!
On Wednesday I went out to Farmers Market in O.B. for the first time in a while. When I decided to go last week It was to see Richard Romero, OB Chuck, Podunk Nowhere! But once in a while a show gets cancelled and people are not notified quickly enough. One of the resons I wanted to put together a website was on MySpace it was impossible to make last minute changes about shows without some kind of electronic disaster. So when I learn of a cancellation I will put it up as quicly as I hear about it. Its one of the reasons why my Showns on the Near Horizon only goes a week ahead. So anyway I had not heard that the Farmer's market gig was changed or cancelled. So when I showed up the only person playing that day was Richard Romero. I know why OB Chuck had to cancel he had personal reasons. But ihaven't heard why Podunk Nowhere couldn't make it, but I am sure thay had a good reason. But interestingly it worked out for Richard Romero, a one man band who had brought with him enough gear to set up a small studio and enough pedal controls on the ground to en-circle himself. there will be a couple of pics eventually in the gallery to show what I am talking about. It worked out for him though because as it gets warmer more people come out to the market. And Farmer's market was fairly packed that day! He kept the crowd interested in his gadgetry and music and told me he was wondering where everyone was but he easily had a couple of hundred songs he could play for the entire alloted time. I didn't stay for the whole time but I did get a couple of pics.
So after I left OB I went to the 710 club for a Listen Local SD presentation. It was gonna be the last time I would get a chance to hear The Grass Gypsys who were leaving town soon, even though they were an out of town group they had endeared themselves within the San Diego music scene. They were going to be doing at least two more shows, but I wasn't going to make those shows, so I made sure I didn't miss them. The show bill was Julia Othmer, Mary Grasso, Citizen Band, The Grass Gypsys and Grin's Edge. It promised to be a good show and I wasn't dissapointed. First off I found out how much I liked a couple of performers I had heard of but had not heard or had not heard them in a long time. Mary Grasso is another one of those women in San Diego that just simply has a beautiful voice and she writes wonderful songs. I coundn't believe I had not gotten to a show where she had sung before? What a waste for me! Because I really really enjoyed her performance. She seems a little unsure of herself at times but she has no reason to doubt herself. She's simply wondeful! (still she can't doubt herself too much? She does get up on the stage) then our favorite folks from out Boston way took stage. The Grass Gypsy's have a very different style all their own. Justin is a very animated guitarist who really just gets into playing the music and Colleen is one of those women who have a killer voice. She can get and hold notes that are so pleasant and melodic that you become mesmerized while listening. they were on tour and stopped off in San Diego and decided to stay a while and hang out with Cathryn Beeks and her crowd and we benefited for it! Next up on stage is the very enigmatic and personable (and sexy) Julia Othmer. Julia plays the keyboard she is very comfortable with playing I would imagine she has been playing her whole life. She has a very strong and beautiful voice as well, another out of towner eho makes regular stops to play in San Diego. This was the first of three shows she did while in town, and unfortunately I didn't make it to any of the others even though I intended to? Well at least one of them there was no way I was going to miss the Deadline Friday show on Thursday. Julia is very athletic looking and has boundless energy, she bounces around on her keyboard bench stool and really gets into her singing and keyboard playing as she basically roll's her shoulders and dances in her seat. Its very provocative and hard to stop watching her while on stage. So far this evening has surpassed what was expected by me...I expected great show and got phenomenal! because next up was Citizen Band whom if you have ever read my blog before you know how much I like and appreciate this band. In hindsight lately everytime I have seen them they have done a song that Mike Spurgat the lead guitarist wrote for and plays with Deadline Friday! The song in question is called Broken Man and its on their new CD that they had on Thursday (which I will talk about next) as I was listening to this song the night before the CD release show and I am still not sure which way I like hearing the song better. Its the same song but done slightly differently a little more bluesy with Deadline and a little more Rock N Roll with Citizen Band. I actaully think I am partial to the Citizen Band version! But I still like the Deadline Friday version too! So Jeff Berkley and the rest of the band rocked the 710 club getting everyone ready for the next band a high energy rock band called Grin's Edge. I had heard the band just the evening before at another Listen Local SD gig at Desi N Friends. That night they were doing an all acoustical set that I really enjoyned a lot. So they didn't dissappoint being plugged in! they cranked out the same songs with more vigor that when they did the acoustical set but it was just as enjoyable. It was a great evening of music.
OnThursday I went to a show I have been waiting for, for some time now! Deadline Friday was supposed to have their CD Release a month earlier at Winston's but for some reason they didn't have the CD release but they did have a killer show where Bill Coomes Dad came up and played sax for most of the set that night. But the Belly up show was even better!!! Deadline pulled no stops and the sound at the Belly Up is always at the top of its game! especially when you have a good sound guy like Jon Edwards. Deadlihne had a keyboardest playing with them giving them a more fleshed out sound. I have only seen Deadline a few times and they didn't have a keyboardest on those times so I don't know if he is a normal part of the band or not. Since the night had lots of extra people playing with the band at one time or another he could have been a guest musician or someone who only plays with them occasionally. Mike Spurgat showed why he is quickly being considereded one of the best guitarist's in town as he cranked out one beautiful lick after another on his guitar. Earl Schreyer one of the best bass player's around did a couple of spots that was really great. The front man Jimmy Diez showed more than just sporting a muscular physique for women to oogle after as he did some mean guitar work himself. I know women in the audience want ed to see more of Bill Coomes but the problem with being a drummer is you get hidden by the drum kit. But what he wasn't showing was made up for by haveing soem of the best vocals in town. You can always hear hime and Mike as well do very melodic vocals when they are playing with The Barbara Nesbitt Band. But Bill is the heart of the band, he keeps the beat sings with the timbre of his soul. I consider Bill to be one of the best drummers in town next to Danny Cress, Rob Garbo and Chad Ferran. I like all these drummers a lot and if they are not the top drummers in town then it is something I am missing? I am after all not a musician, but I know what i like? And please don't pay any attention that all four drummers are from my top favoritee bands! No I am not biased! [grin]
During one point or another in the evening someone from the San Diego Music community showed up to play along with a song or sing back up vocals ojust came up and sang with them. John McBride came up a few times and played a lap harp ( not sure what the name of that instrument is) and both Cathryn Beeks and Barbara Nesbitt were singing back up vocals on a few songs. Both of these beautiful ladies stepped up to do one song of their own with the band that they have done with them before! Jeff Berkley came up and played a couple of songs with them. And finally Marc Ford who was to close the show came up and played on a couple of songs including the one where Barbara sang. In fact is is amazing to think that they weren't the headlining band this evening. They were in fact the opening act, even though it was their CD release show! Taking nothing away from the amazing music Marc did later this was a Deadline Friday show! The lighting was great and was as alway run by Bob (Lights) Wilson. And the entire show was video taped by Idynomite Media. So maybe somewhere we might be able to acquire a DVD of the whole show. But since there was at least two or three stationary video camera's there was alod at least two if not three roaming videographers. The audience during the show was a virtual who's who in the San Diego Community. Not everybody was there but a lot were! It was a great show and worth the wait!
Marc Ford was no slouch either he cranked out one bluesy style song and then a rock style song. His vocals were keeping the crowd mesmorized as his band backed him up. We lost a few people when Deadline was done but a lot of people stuck around to listen to Marc as he played rhythmic tunes and scorching guitar licks. He actullay was very good and I came to the show expecting that part to be a slight let down after watching Dealine Friday but I was pleasantly pleased and felt that the entire show was a great sucess! I almost didn't make the show but as always my musical mentor came through and came all the way down to Point Loma to give me a ride to the show and back again. And if that doesn't sound like going out of your way for a freind then think about how he lives in North County. He even got me in to the show! I am talking about Doktor Dave Sawyer. He may be the Best Backup musician in town but I put him at being one of the best friends I have in town! I hope to get to more shows next week! If your a first time reader of my music blog then I hope this inspires you to go out to a show soon! Tell them MyWeek sent you!
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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