Creedle Reunion Show at Casbah w/ Bunky, 12/30/07

I was kinda feeling lazy and was just gonna stay home, but after a few text messages from friends at the Casbah and I couldn't resist the peer pressure (you know, the whole promise of good friends, good drinks and good bands always gets me). Once I arrived, however, I was still kinda lazy and longing for my pajamas, so I sat with my friends at the back bar while the first two bands played until I felt my second wind kick in, and by that time, Bunky hit the stage.

Emily has one of the sweetest voices in San Diego, and the fact that she's always laughing and joking and giggling onstage, makes her so endearing, even when she thinks she's mauling a new song. The horn section separates the band from most others, and with Rafter on guitar, you've got a sure fire crowd pleasin' band with the batch of us in the front all singing and bopping along to the music.








After Bunky is was all fun on the smoking patio and in the Atari Lounge. There was this kinda atmosphere of the changing of the guard...a lot of old school Creedle fans probably back at the Casbah for the first time in a decade and those of us who maybe caught Creedle at some all ages show when we were 17 who are now regulars at the bar. It was quite fun, actually, and not an us vs. them feeling at all. I still have to point out, I was surprised the Casbah wasn't completely sold out.

Creedle killed it onstage, though I can't really say how this show compared to those of the past because I maybe only ever saw them twice before, but they had fun onstage and the crowd was vibing off the energy (and possibly by the overconsumption of booze in the pre-New Years energy in the air.)











The bar didn't kick everyone out immediately after the show, but when it was finally time to leave, my friends and I headed back to my house and stayed up until we couldn't stay up no more.

Tuesday Recap: Castanets, Rafter, Fantastic Magic @ Scolari's

It was a late decision for me to head to Scolari's tonight. I was over TV watching, I was over internet surfing, and with the boost of my neighbor paying me for the cable, I had cash in hand, so I showered and headed to the bar, arriving around 10:30. I was pleased to find out that the first band was still on, despite finding a friend outside who was there hoping for "Fast Tuesday" complaining of the "pseudo luau group" playing inside.

That band was Fantastic Magic and they were just fine by me. I would actually describe what I heard as gypsy-ghoul, with the ghostly vocals and the mandolin rocked like a guitar, and the recorder, African Drum, and an accordian like keyboard? Sorry, I don't know what that instrument was, but I liked it, and it was nice that the old dude at the bar offered me a beer despite his been-drinking-all-day breath. Whatever, I didn't make out with him, I just let him buy me a beer.





It was a little funny for me to be at Scolari's for Fast Tuesday, it's like match the punkboarder with the insults they've hurled my way, but actually there were more people there that I knew than I expected, and if any of them have a problem with me or my blog, it didn't come up on this occasion, so it was a chill vibe.

Rafter played second and it was a little weird for me. I've really only seen Rafter as a 4 to 10 piece band, never as just a two piece. His drummer is also his girlfriend who was the former drummer of Red Pony Clock. Sounds like there was some drama there, but I ain't gonna be the one to write that shit out. Nonetheless, Rafter has cleaned up his look, gotten some more fashionable look, and has no problem making out with his girlfriend immediately after the set was done.





Emily (formerly of Rafter, and currently of Bunky) was there and when I mentioned that Rafter didn't play my favorite song ("Fuck You The Sky"), she sang it to me, so I have to say at that point it was a good night.

But then the Castanets came on and it suddenly became a great night. The Castanets should tour with Two Gallants except maybe they sound too similar, only if Cat Stevens was the singer of Two Gallants.






I mentioned in a past blog that they had their gear stolen this summer, and Ray mentioned it again tonight but they sounded great despite the lack of gear or borrowed gear or whatever they had. Ray mentioned that he's been holed up in a hotel room in Overton, Nevada working on new material and how hard it was to transition from not talking to anyone to suddenly seeing so many familiar faces and trying to converse with anyone, let alone 5 or 20 people.

At the end of the set, they recorded and looped their thanks to the crowd, and Rafter and Emily jumped in adding to the loop before it was eventually filtered out by the Fast Tuesday DJs that segued nicely.



Doesn't Emily look pretty?

Anyway, after the bands finished, we closed our night out at the Pink Elephant who, when last call came, played the whole Pink Elephant Parade sequence from Dumbo and made it not feel like a Tuesday night. I could've gone for hours in that place. Nonetheless, it was time to call it a night and now I'm back on job watch 2007 because I clearly cannot be on this vacation forever. I've decided to start making "to do" lists, something I haven't done in years, just to make myself get up at a normal hour on a daily basis. Gotta get back into real life though this has been thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing. As much as I love doing this blog, it just ain't payin' the bills, ya know? Craig's List, Monster, CalJobs, MegaJobs, et al, here I come. With a vengeance.

Friday Recap: Bunky at House Party

After my afternoon computer buying I chilled out a while and finally decided to head out for the evening. I went to the house party at 29th and Broadway equipped with my mini cooler. I hadn't been to the house before and I was surprised how quiet the party was. I mean people were talking inside and outside, but from the street, it's just a quiet murmur.

The first band was Moodring(? I think?) which was a girl on keys with all kinds of distortion tools and a guy on bass playing kinda growling space rock. It was interesting arty stuff, even if it's way over my head. I decided after they played to go outside. There was a bonfire in the side yard and a couple kegs and though I didn't know hardly anybody there, everyone was nice though somehow I ended up in the corner chatting with Chad and Christian while a string of guys would pass us to piss into the brush just outside the fence.


I guess they were only doing as they were told.



I missed all of the second band, though they sounded good from outside. It was just one of those things that by the time I went in to watch them, they were thanking the crowd for coming. oops.

I wanted to catch Demasiado at the Ken Club, so I was kinda watching the clock, but I stayed for Bunky and am so glad I did. It's funny that I've seen them in bars and with sound guys and all that good stuff, and a tiny space in a tiny living room turns out to be such an amazing set. It helps that they played with 6 members, including Rafter, instead of the sometimes abbreviated version.










After they finished, I zipped off to the Ken Club, but Demasiado had already finished their show and were already unloading their goods. Instead I just chilled at the bar until it was time to call it a night.

Weekend Recap: The Vision Of A Dying World, Red Feathers, Bunky, Kleeman and Mike

If there's one thing I can say this week is I can't adequately express how happy I am that Independence Day is going to break up this week. My weekend was good but maybe I didn't take full advantage of the time.

Friday night I napped too long before heading to the Tower for the cd release show for The Vision of a Dying World. I passed the Beauty Bar on the way and was glad that I wasn't gonna have to wait in the line that was forming outside. The Tower Bar, while no line, was still really crowded which for some reason is more tolerable in a place like the Tower than at the Beauty Bar.


The Vision of A Dying World played first blew me away with how good their new material is. It had been a while since I'd seen them, and the Atari Lounge at the Casbah doesn't quite get the full effect. It seemed to me like they did pretty well moving merch, too, so good for them finally getting the attention they deserve. The harmonies especially set the band apart from a majority of San Diego bands. I guess it was unfortunate that they played first, because I knew about a dozen people who missed their performance thinking that they were playing last. Still, it was nice to see so many other local bands represented in the crowd considering how many good choices there were for the night.








During Red Feathers I got to talking and was in and out of the bar so I didn't watch their full set. It was their EP release and again, the room was packed as people crowded toward the band. I like the Red Feathers a lot but by that point of the night, I was getting a little claustrophobic. Some people who were at the Battles show started filtering in making it that much more crowded.






It seemed a lot of people left before Bunky played. They were great as usual, but Emily's sweet voice had to compete with all the bar noise. They should've definitely played first, when the crowd was a little less chatty and way less liquored up.

I only stayed for a couple Bunky songs, then headed home an walked to the Ken. All the bands were done but I did get to say hi to everyone, though of course, RoL all left before last call so there was no after party action. I did go home and I guess from having napped too long, ended up staying up till 6 in the morning. Part of it was my neighbor brought home a screamer, part of it was that I ended up watchin "You, Me and Dupree" on demand as well as some free music stuff on Concert.tv and catching up on Flight of the Conchords.

Saturday was a bit of a waste in the day, saved for housecleaning and laundry mostly, but the night was fun. My friend Randall writes a comic book and does computer animation, so he screened his new 6 minute animation of his new Kleeman and Mike comic at Cream. A lot of people came out and since Cream put all beers on special for $1.50, we ended up staying til 10. A group of us then headed to Triple Crown in hopes of playing ping pong, but the patio closed shortly after we arrived and the bar was hot as hell, so we wrapped it up after just a beer, with Andrea, Matt, Ethan and Andrew going to Lancer's, Petro, Chris, Eric and Camilla heading home, and me heading to the Ken Club where it was sadly empty compared to the night before. I did watch Mex do a great Whiskeytown cover of "Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart" but otherwise just sat at the bar with a couple friends until it again was time to go home and again, ended up staying up until the sun was rising.

Sunday I spend time with my family at my sister's place in PB, enjoying an early dinner and ooohing and aaahing over all the baby stuff my sister got from her shower. I made sure to get to sleep early so I could get back on track for real life and the dayjob. I'm looking forward to a good week: Pirate Pete's birthday at the Ken Club tonight with The Postals, The Dissimilars, and Rat City Riot, again at the Ken on Tuesday for Transfer and Apes of Wrath after seeing Avenue Q, a day off on Wednesday with a family bbq then the Padres game with Sara. Then for me I'll probably lay low on Thursday, Friday it's Band of Horses at Cane's followed by the Vinyl Radio show at the Ken, then Saturday it's Sophie's big birthday bash at the Beauty Bar with Fifty on Their Heels and The Vultures. Phew. I love summertime in San Diego.

Action Jackson Promotions: And then there were two

In creating the Things to Do list this week, I came across the listings for O'Connell's. "Action Jackson Promotions Presents...PIMP N HO BALL Featuring TWO WORD NAME." Now, for the record, I like Two Word Name and while their approach to the music scene might be a little different than most San Diego bands, they bust their asses. And Dag is a regular at Anti-Monday League. Sadly, the same cannot be said for other local bands, even ones who've been billed on the increasingly popular night.

As far as O'Connell's goes, I've been once, and the ambience isn't exactly appealing to me, but I can see it fills a niche and I was also informed this week that in the past month the venue has grown and they've upgraded their sound system as they took over the adjacent property and expanded, so I have been meaning to check it out.

And last, when I hear Action Jackson Promotions, I think of Jackson of The Vision of A Dying World and the guy behind so many of those great bills at Ché Café, Scolari's, and the Tower Bar.

But I have to be honest... a freaking Pimp n Ho ball? Really???

I'm relieved to say that Jackson saw it, too, and his response was a big WTF? I dug around a little to find out that another guy is using the moniker Action Jackson Promotions...his last name is apparently Jackson, though nobody could remember his first name. Skip? Eric? Not sure. As far as anyone I talked to knew, this second "Action Jackson" is new in the promotions game, having promoted that local show on the Soma mainstage on June 2.

Now legally, I doubt either has a dba or trademark or anything like that, but I'm just putting it out there that Jackson has made a name for himself with his promoting, his own band The Vision of a Dying World, and for supporting the local scene as much as anyone (and he's got the MySpace page which counts for something). Jackson considers himself a feminist and was offended by the Pimp N Ho theme, as well as having specifically declined any promotional activity at O'Connell's. I would like to see Mr. Jackson step back and find a new name for his promotions, as this could definitely create confusion in the marketplace.

Support the REAL Action Jackson Promotions this Friday at the Tower Bar for The Vision of a Dying World's CD Release Party. Joining The Vision of A Dying World will be Bunky and Red Feathers. Additionally, the band is reviewed in this week's CityBeat here.

Bunky, Rafter Band, & Roxy Jones @ Ken Club 11/15/06

I have no idea what happened to this post, but I guess I have to rewrite the whole damn thing.

Sometimes you stumble upon a show that leaves you so glad that you went out and discovered something new rather than sitting at home in your pajamas watching the season finale to Laguna Beach, and for me, Rafter and Bunky did exactly that. I am so glad I did not miss this show.

The Ken Club occasionally has shows on Thursdays, but very rarely on a Wednesday. There was little promotion (posting a MySpace Bulletin at 5 is not promotion!) so I was surprised to see about 40 people in the crowd. Believe me, I've been to shows there with 4 people in the room, so 40 is a great turnout. And nothing on the Ken Club...I mentioned that I was at the Beauty Bar with only 13 people there a couple weeks, and half weren't even there for the bands.

When I arrived, Roxy Jones was onstage. This is a two-piece band...a guitarist/vocalist and a drummer. Like Two Gallants but not at all. I liked this band, and then I didn't, and then I did, and so on...they were kinda all over the place. They'd have a mellow indie pop song and then all the sudden belt out these random emo screams for seemingly no reason at all. A few songs I liked, a few didn't do it for me, but all in all, I think the vocals were decent and these guys have room for growth if they keep playing. I think a fuller sound with more instrumentation might make the screams less shocking, but maybe that's his point.

Next up was Rafter. Oh. My. God. I've seen stuff about Rafter on Pitchfork (and also here) but this was my first time seeing his band live. Just to explore the musicianship, the 5 or 6 musicians performing played, at various times, these instruments: 12 string electric guitar, drums, bass, guitar, xylophone, trumpet, sax, baritone horn, keyboard, flute, tambourine and cowbell. The band opted to play on the floor in front of the stage and invited the crowd to come closer and some did. Emily's backed the vocals of the drummer and Rafter beautifully and every song was good. I particularly liked a song that I'll guess was called "Fuck you the sky" but I'm not sure. There is a reason Rafter is signed to Asthmatic Kitty. If you get a chance, go see Rafter and his band before they leave San Diego for the great big world. I went outside between bands and some guy walked up to random chicks and said, "That was fucking amazing." I would have to agree.

Last up was Bunky. I have seen Bunky before in the Atari lounge at the Casbah, and while I was impressed, at the time it seemed like more of a novelty act...I thought Emily had a special 'in' because, after all, she tends bar there. I would like to formally apologize for thinking that because they are the real deal. Again, playing on the floor in their own amps and PAs, the band rocked. This mutation of the previous band is comprised of Emily on drums, Rafter on guitar, and Gabriel on sax and keys. At times, Emily has this high pitched voice that sounds like a little girl and at times she busts out these sensual tones, like an early jazz singer of the last century. And it all works. They work their butts off, having played 3 shows in the past week. Still, don't take them for granted because things will happen for Rafter/Bunky. They've already toured Spain, and who knows where they will go next.

The Ken Club should definitely get in the habit of having Wednesday shows, by the way. There is no reason that room should sit unoccupied 4-5 nights a week. The hip hop dj was a funny contrast to the bands, but if you package a night right, have some indie kids bring in their iPods on the bar side with indie bands on the band side, you could draw the crowd that would otherwise be at the Casbah, The Beauty Bar, The Whistle Stop, SDSC, et al. And those people are big time drinkers. Trust me on that one, Bodie. It would be a good thing. And don't worry, I'll still be there on Tuesday, December 6, when Tony's karaoke night starts up.

Things to Do: Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Jolie Holland, Vetiver, and Sonny Smith @ The Casbah.

Roxy Jones, The Places, and Bunky @ The Ken Club. (How can I not walk a block to check out Bunky?)

Pussy Galore with Runhoney and Angel Short @ San Diego Sports Club

most important: The 2 hour Finale of Dancing with the Stars. I have never watched this show but hear enough about it. I'll probably watch tonight. Mario Lopez and I go way back. I don't know him, but my mom worked with him mom before I came into this world, he went to high school with my brother and cousin, we used to mock him when we'd go to Mr Crown's in Tijuana when he owned it, and when I was in first grade we performed in the Chula Vista City Schools district-wide talent show. I sang in a trio (the last time I ever publicly sang) and he, of course, danced. You go, Slater. Chula Vista, represent!