Things that go bump in the night

Locals only

Here are the best local shows not included in “If I Were U” or our compilation of CD-release parties (see “Catch and release” below) for the week of March 5 through 11:

The sultry Saba is claiming dual citizenship these days (San Diego and L.A.), but we’ll forgive her for one night since she’s playing at U31 (3112 University Ave.) on March 5 with like-minded indie folkie Molly Jenson, San Francisco’s Nyles Lannon and local boys The Smart Brothers. Also on March 5, the latest San Diego Songwriters Guild showcase (featuring a reunited Jonni Maxx along with Colin Armstrong and Jeff Berkley & The Citizen Band) bellies up to the Belly Up in Solana Beach.

The meat of the local music week hits March 7 with some CD-release shows and Friday night highlights that include Transfer at the Ken Club and Crash Encore, Say Vinyl and The Drowning Men at The Casbah. That same night, former Rugburn-gone-solo Gregory Page visits Lestat’s while Scarlet Symphony teams up with some lads from Leicester (Pacific Ocean Fire) at the San Diego Sports Club. March 7 also marks the return of Media Lab to SOMA, albeit under the name Aizen. According to the band’s MySpace page, the new moniker “fits the theme of the band’s music better.” Considering that “Aizen” supposedly refers to the Japanese god of love (worshipped by prostitutes, landlords and musicians), we’ll just take their word for it. SOMA also hosts another return of sorts on March 8, when Next Great American Band contenders Light of Doom join a bill headlined by Forever Days Forgotten.

Musicians looking to replace the amplifier they smashed (and the guitar they used to smash it) over the weekend can head down to Kava Lounge at noon Sunday, March 9, for the first “Musicians Swap Meet,” where they can barter for everything from instruments and amps to CDs and vinyl.
—Nathan Dinsdale

Catch and release

On March 7, the Steinbeck simians in Apes of Wrath celebrate the release of Plastic, Fake and Frozen with a bloc(k) party featuring local mates The Modlins and San Francisco’s Music For Animals at Beauty Bar, while up north at the Epicentre, Long Live Logos unveil their EP Little Monster and Me. Logos will get support from The Softlightes (among others) before letting their Little Monster (and the quirky keyboard pop of the title track and songs like “Single Handedly Baby”) loose on unsuspecting villagers.

The following night (March 8), Belly Up is the launching pad for two local acts, Escalera and Stripes and Lines, releasing debut material. Escalera has substantial star power behind it with pro skateboarders Danny Way and Bob Burnquist on guitar and percussion, respectively. Escalera’s new songs—a mix of Jack Johnson fare and atmospheric indie rock—won’t psych you up for jumping over the Great Wall of China on a skateboard (as Way did in 2005), but they can provide a soothing soundtrack for mending your broken bones afterward.
—Nathan Dinsdale

View from a stool

Entering the Ken Club on Saturday night, I resembled somewhat of a normal human being. My vital organs were intact and functioning properly. I was standing up straight, and all of my usual facial expressions were at my disposal. By the time I left, I might as well have been a charred skeleton—I could barely hold myself together, my mind was completely blank, and I couldn’t hear anything. I had just watched local power trio Earthless lay waste to the club and its patronage with more than 45 minutes of non-stop instrumental destruction.  

Without question, Earthless is the best rock group in San Diego. This might seem like too broad a statement, but I implore you to attend one of their shows and then try to argue otherwise. Whatever half-assed position you might take against the band is guaranteed to be futile. You might not want to like them because of their obviousness, but the simple fact is that Earthless play with absolutely zero pretense, as if it were their sole reason for existence. There is no subtlety, no fashion, no bandwagon; there is only Earthless. And from a musical standpoint, they are not of this planet.

It seems difficult to pick one stand-out musician from the other two; Earthless play as a unit, built upon the superhuman rhythm backbone of bassist Mike Eginton and drummer Mario Rubalcaba (formerly of legendary S.D. bands Clikitat Ikatowi, Rocket from the Crypt and Hot Snakes, among others), with guitarist Isaiah Mitchell spewing devastating layers of distorted riffage from his Marshall stack. The ghosts of Hendrix, Hawkwind and Amon Duul II stalk the room when these three are on stage, and for those of us too young to have experienced the majesty of the aforementioned psychedelic kings, Earthless are as good as it could possibly get. But really, it shouldn’t be about playing the comparison game—watching this band is a transcendent experience in and of itself.
—Todd Kroviak

The Kinsee Report

Local fashionista Jon Paul premiered his spring designs for Girl on Top at Thin last Thursday night. Paul describes his line as “sassy, sexy and seductive clothing for empowered women,” but that’s far too many “S” words and a bit too much hyperbole for me. The less extravagant version? Paul’s designs are perfect for the beach gal who digs barely there, purposely shredded cotton dresses, stylized wife beaters and velour jumpsuits. Yes, velour jumpsuits.

Last Friday, the eminent DJ crew Saul Q and Gabe Vega celebrated the two-year anniversary of Feel the Noise (aka “Hell Yeah” before the threat of a lawsuit), their club night featuring both live and spun music, which has gained a loyal crowd of danceophiles who follow them from venue to venue like rats with symmetrical haircuts. Currently running Friday night residencies at North Park’s U31, for the party, Vega and Saul served up the soulful, beat-heavy sounds of chick band Von Iva and the free-flowin’ skills of L.A.’s Kenan Bell, followed by their electrolicious DJ sets.

As usual, the line to get in was long, but the boys didn’t disappoint. Saul took advantage of the night’s success, and with super-sweet breath, thanks to a giant wad of Bubblicious Bubblegum, he whispered in my ear, “Hey, you should put Gabe and me on CityBeat’s cover.” I agreed but said that if it ever happened, they’d both have to pose nude. Let’s just say that one day you might see the duo’s B-side.

Last Saturday night, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego hosted its first-ever MCASD Live fund-raiser at its downtown location. With tickets priced far under their typical fundraising event price, yet a bit over the younger Thursday Night Thing goers’ budgets, the crowd was a mix of older museum members who showed up early for the free champagne and desserts, followed by a surprisingly sparse younger crowd who got into the whole Andy Warhol’s Factory theme by posing for Nathan Gulick’s screen tests and Perry Vasquez’s Fotokation photos. A few drag queens and Warhol look-alikes roamed around and go-go dancers kept the party going in what became known as the Red Room while Tijuana jazz band Madame Ur y Sus Hombres and experimental noise-rockers Autolux kept the main gallery vibrating. San Diego didn’t represent the way it should have. Next time the museum calls itself The Factory and brings in sweet entertainment, shell out the money and go, dammit.
—Kinsee Morlan

Club closed

Club Montage officially closed its doors to the public last Friday. In an e-mail, Montage owner Chris Braga said part of the reason for the closure was Club Ocean, a Wednesday club night marketed toward the black crowd.

“The city is trying to shut us down because we have a black straight night that has had some issues,” Braga wrote.

“We’re sad to say we’ve received no support from [the city] or our community whatsoever. I can’t help but wonder how different things would be if we [were] smack dab in the middle of the gayborhood. As I, Chris Braga, sole owner of Club Montage and my staff fight city hall to keep the doors open, I can’t help but wonder where my community is. The city is trying to make me responsible for every infraction the previous two owners have made while owning the club.”

San Diego Police Department officials, however, say they haven’t responded to any incidents at Club Montage within the last 60 days.

Split Right, promoter and co-owner of Club Ocean, which has been held at Club Montage for the last nine months, says his night had nothing to do with Montage’s closure.

“We had one incident that’s been reported,” Right says. “And that incident took place on Halloween night. There was a big fight outside, and allegedly those people were involved in a gang. We had no other incidents.

“The reason the club was closed,” Right continues, “is because the owners didn’t have any money and they had other issues.”

Braga did not return CityBeat’s phone calls.

One issue may be the fact that Montage’s liquor license expired Friday, Feb. 29.

“It’s been a great two years,” said Braga in another e-mail. “This closure may be temporary. Please know I am doing everything in my power to keep the doors open.”
—Kinsee Morlan