Notes from the smoking patio
Local. Music. Gossip.
By Bart Mendoza , Troy Johnson
Local drum guru Paul Bleifuss died on Sept. 5 after a two-year battle with cancer. Although Bleifuss performed with numerous groups--including Nova, The Screamin' Primas and, most recently, Island Breeze--he was known internationally as an expert custom-drum maker.
Seven months ago, the adjoining music room at Twigg's Coffeehouse was closed due to noise complaints and a "no live music" clause in the lease (which Twigg's had successfully ignored for years). Twigg's owners have announced that they'll be moving from their Park Boulevard location to 2814 Adams Ave. in Kensington. The new location used to be a theater; there's no word yet on whether Twigg's will start hosting live music again. www.twiggs.org.
On Sept. 15, anti-folk queen Cindy Lee Berryhill will release her first studio album in eight years. Beautiful Stranger will be put out by Populuxe Records, the label started by The Truckee Brothers. The album includes guest performances by John Doe (X, The Knitters), Peter Case (The Plimsouls), Dave Alvin (The Blasters) and Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group). Berryhill's recent move to politically charged "anti-country" music has significantly raised her profile. Her "Songs of Protest" series at Largo, the Los Angeles nightclub, has attracted luminaries like Jackson Browne and director John Hughes, with Neil Young sending a three-man film crew to tape a show in May. MS/mscindyleeberryhill.
Anya Marina is the newest San Diego artist to score some commercial green. Her song "You Remind Me" (co-written by Steve Poltz) is featured in Jeep's new "Sandbox" ad campaign. MS/anyamarina.
The collective of Ocean Beach musicians behind Sezio Records will hold its second annual "Art Music Surf Sezio" show at 'Canes on Sept. 15. In addition to performances by Demasiado, The Blackout Party, Lindsey Cook, Jordan Loder, Molly Jenson and Dogcatcher, there will be a display of skate decks and surfboards designed by local artists. All proceeds go to the Muscular Distrophy Association. MS/seziorecords.
Legendary Motown group The Temptations paused during a recent show at Humphrey's so that sole surviving original member Otis Williams could accept an award from David Peck and Phil Galloway of local video production company Reelin' in the Years. The award marked the sale of 100,000 copies of the DVD The Temptations: Get Ready (Definitive Performances 1965-1972). www.reel
inintheyears.com.
The 2007 San Diego Music Awards happen on Sept. 17 at Viejas Concerts in the Park. The ceremony will feature two-song sets by Jason Mraz, Reeve Oliver, Buck-O-Nine, Lady Dottie & The Diamonds, The Truckee Brothers and The Real SeanJon. Also planned is a video tribute to Lifetime Achievement Award winner Nick Reynolds of The Kingston Trio (see our story on Page 22). The after-party will feature sets by MEX (the new project from former Dragons frontman Mario Escovedo) and country-swing outfit The Palominos. www.sandiegomusic awards.com.
On a related note, after a two-year absence, there will once again be a CD compilation to coincide with the awards. Anyone who buys a ticket to the San Diego Acoustic Music Festival on Sept. 14 at Claire de Lune Coffee Lounge gets a copy of the compilation. The show will include performances by 32 acoustic artists, including Mario Escovedo, Sara Petite, Robin Henkel, Steph Johnson, The Grams, Greg Friedman and Candye Kane. Artists featured on the compilation include Henkel, The Prayers, Lady Dottie & The Diamonds, UV Tigers, Transfer, MC Flow, AJ Croce, Fifty On Their Heels, Get Back Loretta, The Truckee Brothers, Anna Troy, Gregory Page, UV Tigers, Victoria Robertson, Matt Curreri and Ex-Friends, Kite Flying Society, The Farmers, Dirty Sweet, Ryan Ferguson and Vinyl Radio. www.sandiegomusicawards.com.
CityBeat is a major sponsor of the San Diego Music Awards.
San Diego's super-tribute band Cover Me Badd will host a 25th-anniversary homage to The Clash classic, "Rock the Casbah." The event will be held at The Casbah, of course, on Sept. 15. The Heartaches, Manganista, Rookie Card, Billy Midnight, Crash Encore and Gadfly will be there doing their best Joe Strummer impersonations. MS/covermebadd.
Published: 09/10/2007
DIGG | del.icio.us | REDDIT