Reports from the scene

Photo by James Norton.

Hipsters in Santee? Oh yeah. Anyone who’s anyone traveled east Saturday night for the Secret Cedar Studios anniversary party, and those who were lucky enough to be on the list enjoyed a seemingly endless supply of free booze and music from Shark Attack, All Leather and Apes of Wrath. But the highlight of the evening? Watching a swarm of the ironically fashionable stumble out around midnight only to discover—holy shit, we’re in Santee! Which way to El-D? This way? That way?

—Seth Combs

Locals only

Former local rocker and Japanese Sunday founder Eric Kusanagi was a little miffed after reading what former bandmate Justin Jay had to say about him in a Jan. 27 CityBeat story about Jay’s new band, Boyscout. The story reported that, according to Jay, Kusanagi kicked him out of the band while they were on tour in Japan for “going to sing karaoke with a couple of Japanese ladies.” Kusanagi claims it was a little more complicated.

“That’s not true,” says Kusanagi, who now lives in Philadelphia. “There were a whole slew of issues. I don’t want to say the guy’s a raging alcoholic or anything, but there’s been practices where he’d be drunk out of his mind…. There’s always been tension between him and me. The stuff in Japan was just the final straw. I told him when we were there that once we got back, he was out of the band.”

“That’s pretty silly,” Jay countered in an e-mail. “Eric can say whatever he wants, but the idea that I was drunk at practice is absurd. We practiced at noon on Saturdays and Sundays. I never drink during the day.  I drink socially at night. I don’t even drink before I play shows, because I’m a perfectionist when it comes to that shit.”

Some CD-release shows of note this weekend: On Friday, March 12, indie-rockers Lyon Crowns will celebrate the release of their debut EP by playing early (7 p.m.) at Queen Bee’s before heading to Beauty Bar for a headlining gig. El Ten Eleven and Buddy Akai will round out the latter show. Alt-rockers The Crashing Marbles will celebrate the release of their new album, Pocket, by headlining a show on Saturday, March 13, at 710 Beach Club with Warner Drive and Boom Snap supporting. Also on Saturday night, death-metal band Seconds from Disaster will headline at the SOMA side stage in celebration of their debut EP, No Way Out, with fellow metal-heads Hide The Details, Roman Burial and To Build an Empire supporting.

—Seth Combs

The Enrique Experience

A row of chrome-laden hogs waits outside as a grizzly, ponytailed man spits out his Skoal with East County fervor. He’s donning his leathers and missing a fair amount of teeth. The fact that he favors Vanilla Blend snuff, however, gives him an air of sophistication. A mix of Aqua Velva and brake fluid and is in the air, and, in the background, Steely Dan is blaring from the juke. It’s clear I’m not in Kansas anymore—I’m in Lemon Grove.

Strategically located by an Evans Tires and a mortuary, Good Guys Tavern (7340 Broadway) has been serving up the sauce since 1957. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s wet dream, the place is modeled after a NASCAR pit sop, with décor ranging from a hanging Monte Carlo hood and motorcycle exhaust pipes to a Big Wheel wall clock and a diamond-plate-aluminum-topped bar.

A sign reading “Jackass Flats” hangs above the bar, and, flanking it, two flat screens show Overhaulin’ on a loop. It’s wine and beer only, but the staff has developed both wine margaritas and Mojitos that manage to get the job done. For the low-budge drunkard, there’s also a “bargain bin,” which includes Tecate and Keystone Light cans for a mere two bucks (50 cents less during happy hour). Go ahead and live it up—your liver might hate you, but you’ll be one step closer to heaven because pull-tabs are collected to help leukemia-stricken children.

No money? No problem. Owner Dano McCarthy buys scrap gold—so bring Nana’s old earrings and drink up.

“It’s a very mellow bar. There’s no ruckus and no drama,” barmaid Robi said. She was right. The most exciting thing I witnessed was a heated argument about the best brand of steel-toed shoes. A regular then entered in a flurry, shouted “The party starts now” and emptied out a brown paper bag filled with Cialis trial packs.

Cue the checkered flag. I’m done.

—Enrique Limón