Reports from the scene

Locals only

Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz has broken a decade-long record for the longest-running song on the Billboard “Hot 100” chart. Mraz’s single “I’m Yours” has spent 70 weeks on the chart, beating previous record holder LeAnn Rimes’ “How Do I Live.” “I’m Yours” has also sold more than 4 million copies and is currently the third-best-selling digital single of all time.

Apes of Wrath have lost founding guitarist Andrew Geldmeier. Frontman Robert Kent says the remaining three members (which include bassist Jake Bankhead and drummer Dustin Elliott) were moving in a different direction than Geldmeier and will likely continue on as a three-piece.

Cats From Japan, including members of Demasiado, First Wave Hello and Sex Mannequin, will make their live debut Saturday, Aug. 29, at U-31.

The Gift/Curse will celebrate the release of their debut album, Fear is Automatic, on Sunday, Aug. 30, at The Casbah. Mutantspaceboy and John Meeks will also play.

Indie rockers Via Satellite will release an EP, Lost Track, containing previously unreleased material. The songs were recorded between 2003 and 2005.

 

The Enrique Experience

You don’t know this—thanks to the magic of remote correspondence—but I’ve been gone for most of the summer, participating in the Academy for Alternative Journalism’s fellowship program at Northwestern University. Who knew that writing this smut would ever get me anywhere? (Take that, Grandma!)

Fresh off the plane on Monday—and like a feral cat in need of a good Q-Tipping, I headed over to Fannie’s (9143 Campo Road) in Spring Valley. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, or at least in the land that time forgot, it’s the kind of place that, after typing it into your navigation system, would answer back, “Huh?”

The façade—which up until a couple of years ago included a faux second story depicting a painted trio of old-timey prostitutes peering out windows—can best be described as “outpost chic,” with its red “Saloon” sign, wood-trimming galore and a special entrance for the “Town Marshal.”

Inside, a seizure-inducing flickering glow from mismatched mini Christmas lights help set the mood, along with a sign above the wall clock that boasts “Now set for real time!” and a painted blue rock behind the bar bearing a message that reads “Viagra salt lick.”

The true star of the joint, though, is the Toy Soldier arcade claw machine, with its stuffed Shrek dolls, the de rigueur Ziggy, a seemingly used Dale Earnhardt, Jr. travel coffee cup and an army of teddy bears that appear to have seen better days as part of baby-shower centerpieces in the 1980s. Oh, and there’s also porn.

Yup, the claw machine hosts DVD titles like Super Star Teens 3 and the now-classic Pop-a-Teen 1, alongside a few vibrators and candy-colored anal beads that, for some reason, always end up back in barmaid Julia’s hands.

“Customers win them and they give them to me. Trust me; I could start my own dungeon if I wanted to.”
To top it all off, it was Hip-Hop Night, courtesy of old-school DJ UNDAGROUND, who now hosts three nights at the locale despite its obscure location.

“I don’t sweat the small stuff,” he said. “If you’re a born entrepreneur or hustler, you’re gonna make it no matter what.”

Inspired by his gumption, I gave the claw a go. It took a few bucks, but I’m now the proud owner of the AA-battery-operated Wild Thing Anal Pleaser, in robin’s-egg blue. Cue the salt lick.

Damn, it’s good to be back.

Text confessions

So, what’s a text confession? If Will K. Shilling happens to have your cell number, you’ve likely received a text or 10 from him asking random music-related questions. Shilling has some of San Diego’s biggest names on speed dial, so we thought: Why not print some of their even-more-random answers. This will be the last one ever, and it’s going out with a bang. This week’s subject? What else? The funniest Street Scene moment ever.

Will’s text: Who’s gonna pee their jeans at Street Scene this year?

Responses (unedited):

Adam Jones (singer): Dunno but Fergie should get a sweet Depend endorsement deal
Beau Lamontagne (Dub Dynamite): m.i.a. gonna make all you jeans vibratle like a nokia
Edwin Decker: The security crew for the public enemy stage
Jen Correia (deejay): The drunk girl watching Cage the Elephant
Tim Pyles (deejay): Everybody who’s watching Mastadon
Katie McCreary (CityBeat intern): flavor flav…he has no control over his bladder anymore
Ian Taylor (Furious IV): Wavves of piss in the streets of downtown again…
Dennis Borlek (C.L.A.): I will at the price of shorty beer!
Microphone Mike (rapper): I’m peeing my jeans right now

Night moves

The post-Street Scene, uh, scene will undoubtedly be filled with secret after-parties and unannounced DJ sets from some of the weekend’s big names (we’ll be sure to keep you updated on Lastblogonearth.com and Twitter @SDCityBeat), but in case you want to plan early, here’s what’s on our radar for our pre- and post-S.S. soirées.  

¡Gematria! @ Kava Lounge: From the dudes who brought you Dub Dynamite! and countless hot DJ nights at Kava comes the kickoff to this new monthly night that will include Mexican tropical and ghettotech DJ Toy Selectah, not to mention Brazilian and Mad Decent man Maga Bo. Gonna be hot and sweaty. Friday, Aug. 28.

The Faint (DJ set) @ Voyeur: If their DJ set is anything like their music, we’d expect this to be the place for a steamy make-out session while listening to some obscure Factory Records band or Bowie B-side. Friday, Aug. 28.

DJ Kopcho @ On Broadway: One of our favorite local house / electro DJs is moving to Spain to try his skills out over there, so this’ll be the last time you’ll be able to see him for awhile. Friday, Aug. 28.

No Age, Crocodiles, Wavves, Pens, Graffiti Island @ The Casbah: Miss these bands at the actual festival? The “official Street Scene after party” (whatever that means) will likely be packed to the brim with scenesters and sycophants, but Crocodiles and Wavves should be awesome if they’re: A. sober and B. haven’t melted from the sun. Saturday, Aug. 29.