From Che Cafe to Billy Midnight

If you haven’t already noticed, the Che Café’s website (checafe.ucsd.edu) has been down for weeks. “Our server is dead,” explains Gregory Prout, a volunteer who helps run the UCSD venue and activist hub. Prout recently started a blog, thechecafe.blogspot.com, that will be the new home for show listings. “There’s only a few shows and some pictures of my cat listed at the moment,” he says. “Hopefully, I’ll have the shows updated as soon as possible.”

Country-rockers Billy Midnight are going on hiatus so frontman Billy Shaddox can take on a year-long job in Salt Lake City, Utah. Meantime, Shaddox’s brother and bandmate, Bobby Shaddox, is starting a Rolling Stones cover band called Rocks Off. “They’re one of my favorite bands, and most of the other Stones cover bands in town are pretty cheesy—catering to an older crowd,” Shaddox says in an e-mail. “Rocks Off will capture the Street Fighting / Honky Tonk sound of the early to mid-’70s. We’re not a tribute band, but we’ll definitely be high energy. I will most likely be wearing a wig and speaking in a posh accent.” Rocks Off will play their debut show with Bobby Fantasy, Shaddox’s other band, at The Stage Bar & Grill on Friday, March 18.

After playing together for eight months, folk-rockers Centerlight Pop are calling it quits, frontman Ryan Blue says. Members have been too busy with their other bands, so Blue thought it best to disband and start something new. He plans to record a CD before they break up for good, and they’ll play their final show at Soda Bar on Friday, March 25, with Ha Ha Tonka and Hoots & Hellmouth.

Alt-rockers Mad Traffic will perform at a benefit for Stealing Love Jones’ Esjay Jones—whose P.A. and gear were stolen recently—at Brick by Brick on Wednesday, March 16. Joalby, Lin-z Hall and Jason Mann will also perform.