Things To Do In San Diego: April 16-19, 2015

I knew this week was going to be busy, but I didn't expect to see and do so much this week. Monday was great working for St. Lucia and that show was pretty awesome- I dug RAC a lot more than I expected. On Tuesday, after an afternoon with Nova and my nieces at La Jolla Cove, I got to shoot the Father John Misty show, then went to Drive Like Jehu after. Huge thanks to Josh Kmak for the lift home when my phone was non functional. On Wednesday, I worked door at the Irenic and it was great catching up with AJ from Saint Motel and Lights had some pretty rabid fans. From there, Darren and I went for a quick bevvie at Seven Grand, caught the end of Toro y Moi at the Observatory, and then went to see Benjamin Booker at the Casbah, finishing up the night at Bar Pink and a 2 am bike ride home. Today looks like an after school pool party with the kids, then an intimate house show with Rocky Votolato. There's so much going on this weekend, including the CityBeat Festival of Beers, so go out and get it this weekend. Thursday through Sunday archives are after the jump.

San Diego Newsy Bits: Ruby Room Shutters, Peter Holslin Splits and other stuff you already read on Facebook

I haven't done newsy bits in some time, and when a friend told me he heard the Ruby Room was closing, I decided I'd just wait to hear from Sean and Brittni, since I've gotten in trouble for prematurely opening my mouth. Today, that announcement came down the pipe:



For Immediate Release

Tuesday June 11, 2013

Thank you, San Diego. Ruby Room Closing Its Doors and Starting New Project

After 5 years, 1500+ shows, 19 parking lot festivals, 3 CityFests, countless art shows, numerous charity events, and several friends and drinks later, The Ruby Room will be closing its doors and changing ownership the week of June 11, 2013. Due to creative and directional differences, operators and half-owners Sean and Brittni Cute are selling their shares of the Hillcrest music venue to their business partner, and taking the name with them. “This isn’t goodbye,” Sean Cute states, “This is reincarnation. The body is still there, but the soul of The Ruby Room is moving on to take new form”.

The Cutes have already starting shopping for new locations for their next project in the San Diego area. “Live music and art is who we are, and you will be sure to find a bigger and better version of this with our new project. The talent in San Diego is vast and we feel so fortunate to be a part of it,” says Brittni.

The Cutes would like to personally thank the community of San Diego, the fabulous neighborhood of Hillcrest, the Hillcrest Business Association, all the artists, musicians, non-profits, promoters, patrons, journalists, friends, neighbors, and staff that have passed through the doors of The Ruby Room. “It takes involvement from everyone to make a creative project of this magnitude happen. This has been an extremely exciting chapter in our life,” adds Sean.

Sean Cute will also be stepping down as Secretary of the Hillcrest Business Association, although he plans to re-join following the opening of the new location. Sean says of Hillcrest: “Giving back to the community that I was a part of even before we opened The Ruby Room is a high priority. Our neighborhood is definitely something special.”

Although owners Sean and Brittni Cute have left, The Ruby Room name will change by mid-July. The new concept will be led by their former business partner, with less of an art and music orientation, and more focus on being a local tavern.

Artists themselves, the Cutes do have a few side projects cooking in the summer months. Sean is currently working on a self-penned book about the experience and exploits of owning a rock venue titled “What The Hell Do I Know”. Brittni will be giving her abstract photography career a resurgence, which has spanned New York, LA, London, and Milan.

In other news, you've all read and heard by now that Peter Holslin has stepped down as music editor of San Diego CityBeat. (In case you missed it, David Rolland wrote a nice bit about it here.) I just wanted to add that San Diego: Dialed In has always appreciated all of the great pieces Peter has written and we have been inspired by San Diego CityBeat through the years, and we look forward to working alongside Jeff Terich covering this great music scene.

In little news, the Black Cat recently got an upgraded license. I believe the new license allows them to have one mic, though I've already seen bands like Trailduster and others in the location. I would venture to guess you might see karaoke or some of the quieter bands on the scene who will really only bring positive traffic to the neighborhood. (Black Cat is in City Heights, at University between 42nd and Van Dyke, just east of the 15.) Keep an eye out in our listings for shows. I'll post them whenever I can find them.

There were other things I meant to tell you...like 4th&B is supposedly going to reopen...but right now the building looks like shit so I'll believe it when I see it. (CityBeat posted the story at the beginning of May). There's other stuff I'm supposed to tell you, like Adams Avenue submissions can be sent in to the Adams Avenue Business Association and that San Diego Music Thing has started to announce acts, but I'll give you full posts on those when I have more time. 

xoxo

Newsy Bits & Bulletins: NPFoA, The Void, Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Che Cafe and more.

There was a time when I'd sit at my desk in my office and just pounce on new news related to San Diego or music or festivals. Perhaps I just figure everyone has the same information at their fingertips or perhaps I've lost my edge or maybe I've just been finger-wagged too many times for posting things prematurely that I just don't feel that urgency to be first or break stories. Maybe I'd rather just link you to other sources so I don't get the backlash of incorrect information. Or maybe I have been having too much fun freelancing and not being confined to a desk or laptop all day that I just figure I'll get to all of it some other time. Whatever it is, there have been some things mulling around my brain that I've been meaning to share, so I'll get to it in one long post. If you don't take the time to read, you can blame yourself for not knowing later. North Park Festival of Arts open for band submissions, Cricket becomes Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Eleven becomes The Void, Che Cafe Cracks down on bigotry, Givit sends you to SXSW, CityBeat Demo Review...read about all of it after the jump.

San Diego Craft Beer & Cocktail Showcase (8.4.2012)

The other night, my friend called me late at night after having a one-on-one date with his six-tap home brewing setup...a drunk-dial if you will. He's pretty involved in the craft beer world, not just here but with national events, and in our conversation when I asked if he was going to one of the beer festivals on Saturday (there was one in Oceanside and one at Liberty Station), he started to rant about the number of beer events and breweries opening up. He thinks the overabundance of events and breweries means the quality is diminishing. His complaints were valid...there are a LOT of beer events in San Diego run by various entities, all hoping to cash in on our lust for hops and sunshine. Somehow binge-drinking 4 ounces at a time, even if we're paying $40 or $50 bucks for it, seems less terrible when it is endorsed by hundreds of other participants, especially when it goes to some sort of charitable foundation. Still, I try and get in on the fun when I can and I think this one is a good one.

His complaint aside, this is an event being held down at El Dorado on August 4 and is super affordable if you buy tickets in advance ($15 for 10 craft cocktail and beer tasters) and benefits the OnLife Suicide Prevention Organization which was founded in San Diego to find at-risk social media users and provide services and intervention for those deemed in need.  Unlike last year's Great American Showcase, which unfortunately had some noise complaints, this year will focus on DJs and some live music by the Euphoria Brass Band. There will be plenty of brewers and bartenders on hand, as well as games, art, food trucks, and local retailers. Click on the flyer for more information and grab your tickets in advance, before they go up to $25.

CityBeat Great Demo Review: Time To Submit

It's already that time of year...hopefully the bruising of your ego has subsided and you've picked your pride off the floor and shaken it out a bit after last year's demo review. The CityBeat Demo Review of 2012 is just around the corner and submissions are now being accepted. Get your demos or albums together. Submissions MUST BE PHYSICAL, even if it's just a burned CD. (You should know the drill- label the disc with project name, tracklist, web link and contact info). For full details, click here. Submissions must be received by February 6 for the Demo Review issue that will hit streets on March 7.

CityBeat Demo Review
3047 University Ave., Suite 202
San Diego, CA. 92104

Tonight at the W! CityBeat Best Of San Diego issue celebration

Tonight is the big CityBeat Best of San Diego shindig down at the W Hotel and I hope to see your pretty faces in attendance. Thanks to everyone who voted for the poll (though I still think these things should be called "favorites" instead of "bests" because seriously...Chase Bank? Need I say more?). I'm proud to get an Honorary Mention for Best Music Blog, and proud that SoundDiego.com took the win. I've been a daily contributor for SoundDiego since it's inception, so it's a win for all of us on the team and we will be in full force for the celebration tonight.

...there will be featured food tastings from more than a dozen San Diego eateries, plus an art show featuring paintings from Gloria Muriel and Christopher Konecki. There will also be live music performances from Steph Johnson, Low Volts, The Heavy Guilt, David Patrone plus a DJ set from DJ Artistic. The party runs until 11pm.....and maybe longer!

There is a $10 suggested donation for the San Diego Music foundation.

CityBeat's Best Of San Diego: Voting Ends Today!

Today is the last day to vote for Citybeat's Best Of San Diego Readers' Choice Poll. This here website is nominated in the "Best Local Music Blog" category with my friends at Owl & Bear. There are too many things and people I love who are nominated to mention them all, but the Casbah is in there a couple times, as are Riviera and Starlite. The Local Pyle is on there, and consider me biased, but I had to write in West Coast Tavern for best brunch and added Chef Eli Freebairn to the best chef category.

It takes a while to get through and you should vote in as many categories as you can (though why the hell would I know about best spray tans?). I always think these things are a little silly, they should be called "favorites" not "best" because few people have experienced all nominees in a specific category, but the announcements are usually made at a really fun party with free food and booze. So yeah. Go vote. (voting ends at midnight, The 2011 Best of San Diego winners will be announced in San Diego CityBeat and on sdcitybeat.com on Wednesday, October 19).

Tonight: Rocky Votolato, Laura Gibson, Jesse LaMonaca at the Casbah

I'm absolutely thrilled about tonight's Casbah lineup with Rocky Votolato, Laura Gibson, and Jesse LaMonaca. In case you're new to this site, Rocky has been one of my favorite songwriters for eons and every performance is nothing short of amazing, whether he's with a full band, or, like tonight, delivering a solo performance. I'm happy that over the years I can call Rocky a friend and glad that he's persevered all of these years. If you haven't picked up True Devotion, I'd recommend bringing some cash to the show because I'm pretty sure he'll have it on vinyl which is obviously the best way to hear it, preferably in a quiet dimly lit room. The show is not only Plan A in CityBeat, but it's the only plan, and for good reason. Be sure to check out the great article about Jesse, also in this week's issue, though contrary to the article, he will just be performing with Brandon Conway on guitar. His birthday is on Sunday, so be sure to wish him well, and get there early to catch his 9pm set.

This is video a playlist I shot of Rocky doing a house show last summer (awkwardly close, I'll admit). Click the right and left arrows to navigate.

San Diego Music Newsy Stuffs

That last post was supposed to be this post, but when you're inspired to write, you just gotta go with it. This is another photo from yesterday, up on a bluff above OB.

I do have some news to share with you, however, so now that all that other stuff is off the brain, here goes.

First, the great CityBeat Demo Review issue is coming up and MONDAY is the final deadline for submissions. That means you have FOUR DAYS to find a friend with protools and get your shit on a CD for Peter Holslin and the CityBeat crew who will either gush and love you or chew you up and spit you out. Both are great PR for your future EPKs, so just do it already! All the details are here, and here's a little writeup I did to remind you how to properly package your goods.

Lately a lot of bands have been dropping new music online, and while I've already told you about d/wolves having free downloads available, more have trickled my way. Make sure you get new stuff from Lesands and Vegetarian Werewolf. I know that more have crossed my path, but I'm kinda spacing right now. If your band has free downloads, let me know and I'll get them posted.

I've been doing a lot of housekeeping and been talking to a lot of people to try and reorganize a bit here. Some things on the site and in my social networks might get upgraded soonish, though it won't be anything too drastic. Sorry, you're still gonna have my little white font on the black background. One thing I'd like to do is update the San Diego band links. Many of the bands in my list no longer exist or have better links than their old rotting MySpace pages, so if your band is listed, check the link and make sure it is accurate. If you're not listed and would like to be, please just leave a comment and I'll sort them all out soon. Please don't send an email as I get hundreds a day and I really can't keep them all straight at the moment, even now that I've got my little Blackberry. Sometimes it's just too much.

I mentioned last week that we have started meeting for the 15th annual North Park Festival of Arts. (For shits and giggles, you can snicker at that URL). I appreciate all of the submissions and EPKs, but at this point I have a pretty good idea of who I'll be booking, though nothing is solidified just yet. I'll be in touch with some of you, and to the others, I have plenty of booking opportunities throughout the year, so having your submissions is very valuable to me.

Last but not least, I've been following the MIDEM conference that took place in Cannes, France this week. Though a lot of twitter is just loud chatter, it can also be a wealth of information if you know how to look for it. I was following the #MIDEM tweets on Tweetdeck, but you should check them out for a lot of news on startups, labels, and emerging technologies, and general music business information. I already found a couple really cool sites, like get-ctrl, which lets bands create free sites to connect to fans or Discovr, which delivers music information to iPads. (There were countless others, but I can't do all the work for you! Pay special attention to the award winners mentioned in countless tweets.)
You should also take the time to read Deloitte's "Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Predictions: 2011" for a wealth of information.

I'm sure I'm forgetting about 20 other things, but that's all for now, kiddos.
Don't forget to leave your band links in the comments.

Time To Submit Demos For CityBeat's Great Demo Review

Peter Holslin at CityBeat asked me to mention the 2011 Great Demo Review. Instead of rewording, here's the info:

Attention musicians: CityBeat’s Great Demo Review, our annual critique of local music, is set to hit the streets on March 2, 2011—that’s right around the corner. Got a demo you’ve been passing around? A new album you’ve been hyping? A bedroom project nobody knows about?

Send us a recording and we’ll review it. We accept CDs, DVDs and LPs. Please include your project’s name, an e-mail address or phone number and your website, Bandcamp or MySpace page. You can mail submissions to CityBeat Demo Review, 3047 University Ave., Suite 202, San Diego, CA, 92104. The submission deadline is Jan. 31, 2010. Good luck!

Note, there are no digital submissions, so burn some CDs (best to provide three copies of whatever you send), and make sure to label everything with your band/project name, your website/facebook/myspace/bandcamp url, and a contact email and phone number directly on the disc as well as the packaging. This is standard for any submission to any site, but this should be especially prominent here. Band bios and press kits can also be included, and keep in mind these submissions might also be helpful when it comes time for SDMA nominations. Also keep in mind, while it's called the "Demo Review", full pressed vinyl, CDs and DVDs are welcome.

Seth Combs Calls it Quits with CityBeat

In an emotional tantrum, San Diego CityBeat music editor Seth Combs stormed out of the CityBeat office declaring he's done with it all, throwing files and CDs, pushing old ladies and stomping on babies on his way out.

Oh...wait. I'm not a gossip writer and that didn't really happen. However, it is true that Seth Combs, credited as the Arts & Culture Editor, but also acting as the Music Editor of San Diego CityBeat has resigned his position(s). While there are several possible candidates to take over as Music Editor, the A&C post has been offered to Kinsee Morlan, who formerly held the position before moving to Colorado. She is rumored to be returning to San Diego to accept the offer.

It's no secret that Seth and I have a love/hate "frenemy" relationship. He's publicly criticized me, my writing, and this site, and I've had my moments of bitchy commentary right back at him, but the truth is that we respect one another and though he harshly told me, "Honey, we ain't friends," he's also driven me home when I didn't have a ride, had my back when people talked shit, and in this case, he chose to talk to me about his resignation.

We met up as his dog decided to take a dump on University, and since I don't interview people, he answered all the questions I didn't ask. He's going to stay at CityBeat for at least a few weeks so he doesn't leave them high and dry, getting "all (his) ducks in a row" before he says goodbye. He's tired and his writing has been shit, he claims. As a person who is inundated with music and e-mail and the business of music, I can easily see how a passion can turn into a "job", and frankly it can get tiring, so when Seth says he wants to love music again, I understand where he's coming from. Eventually, he says, he might come back to CityBeat as a freelancer with guest columns or reviews, but for now he wants to take a step away and once again find his voice as a writer.

We talked for a bit, shooting the shit, switching between on and off the record conversations, and while we might not greet nor part with endearing hugs, it's clear my frenemy will move on to great things, wherever or whatever those might be. In the meantime, it will certainly be interesting to see what happens with the weekly rag he leaves behind.

Local Media Bitchslap

I love when local media wars are waged, especially when I'm not a part of them. This week I wrote about the "North Park Music Thing", formerly known as "North By North Park", after a press release was issued from Kevin Hellman on behalf of the San Diego Music Foundation. Looks like some panties are in a bunch about the whole thing.

First, Kelly Davis calling out Ken Leighton.

And, Ken Leighton's response.

I shall sit back and let the fun ensue.

Update: Kelly responds, again.

Overdue Recap: CityBeat Best Of San Diego & Dead Confederate @ Casbah

The day after my anniversary show, my wi-fi quit on me. I planned on writing, but instead had to catch up with real life...like cleaning my house, doing laundry, running errands, job hunting, and realistically, catching up on my shows, being a hermit, listening to music, sorting through e-mail and trying to figure out how I'm so behind on everything when I have so much time on my hands. Oh, and if you're on Twitter, it is so easy, when the wi-fi comes back, to just lose whole chunks of time reading tweets, following links, and reading online articles that people post.

But then there was Wednesday and I was back, ready to participate in real life. Jake and I had tapas at Cafe Sevilla before the CityBeat party. After the CityBeat party, we saw Dead Confederate at the Casbah. You can read all about it if you click 'keep on reading'.


While I knew there would be food at the party, one can never be sure how much food will be available or how many people you have to fight with for said food. And I love Sevilla. If you have never been, or haven't been lately, I recommend checking it out. Their happy hour is from 5-6:30 and the tapas are great. If you don't know what to order, here's my recommendation: Pan para dos (bread for two). Ask for pure alioli (in english, its aioli, but in Spanish it 'al' for garlic, 'i' for and, and 'oli' for oil.) Make sure to get the kalamata olive loaf. We also ordered the Albondigas al Jerez- meatballs in a brandy sauce, Croquetas de pollo (chicken croquettes), Queso Fundido (melted cheese to top on bread), and tortilla espanola (almost like a frittata but better). The best thing is that Sevilla is trying to get your business...so if you text a comment using their comment card, you get a discount code that knocks $10 off your next visit. I will be back very soon.

Anyway, from there, we walked to the Children's Museum, and it has been a while since I've been in this part of downtown and I was stunned by the beauty of the building. I wish the regular kids exhibits hadn't all been put away, but it was cool. I definitely know I'll be back with my niece. There was a ton of food to be had, and plenty of drinks, too, and Steph Johnson and Lady Dottie entertained the crowd. It was definitely a fun party.

From the party, we made our way to the Casbah. We found out upon arrival that Apollo Sunshine would not be performing because the engine of their converted grease bus had blown up and they were stuck somewhere east of San Diego. We barely caught locals The Northstar Session, but the sold out crowd was in full force for Dead Confederate.

I have to say it was one of the most fun shows I've been to of late, if only because they had their own lights that made taking pictures a total joy...trying to time my snaps on an uncontrollable digital point and shoot with the flashes of their lights made for an experimental night. Not to mention being completely blown away by their music. I was able to squeeze up front with Jeff and go flashless for the night.

Video of 'The Rat' here.

I will say I got this sort of sad nostalgic feeling because Hardy on vocals has this disarming resemblance to Cobain in his posture, and at moments, even matching vocally. I don't think the band sounds like Nirvana, but there was just that something that made me feel something about Nirvana that I never felt before, I suppose making me appreciate Kurt in a whole new way for no specific reason, and in turn making me absorb and feel Dead Confederate's performance all the more wholly.









I should also say for the record that I had the chance to talk to Walker and he was such a cool guy, super friendly, and when we were at the bar he was so polite, like an ambassador why people should visit Athens.

I was completely blown away by the show and it was clear why FM 94/9 chose the band as one of their recommended for the month.

Incidentally, I've talked to the publicist for Apollo Sunshine and the band is fine so hopefully they can get their vehicle functional and make their way here.

I have the sad feeling that the next time Dead Confederate comes around, they'll already have outgrown the Casbah, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that they enjoyed the venue enough to demand it when they come back. And I do hope they come back because they were so good. If anyone there didn't see the magic in their performance they must be dead.

CityBeat's Best Of San Diego Extravaganza is This Wednesday!

Best of San Diego Extravaganza tickets are now on Sale.

Join the staff of San Diego CityBeat as they celebrate the 2008 Best of San Diego issue, on Wednesday, November 12 at the New Childrens Museum, downtown!

The festivities include:

• CityBeat Taste of San Diego & Craft Beer Festival
• Musical guests Steph Johnson, followed by Lady Dottie & the Diamonds
• Live circus performances from Zirk Ubu
• Live art by Shugariver
• Craft show by North Park Craft Mafia
• Drinks from Trumer Pils, U4Rik Vodka, Honest Tea and Red Bull
• All attendees get a free local music compilation CD featuring music from The Night Marchers, As I Lay Dying, Eve Selis, Get Back Loretts, The Silent Comedy & more.

All proceeds will benefit the New Childrens Museum

For tickets, click here. (When ordering tickets, use the promo code: CITYBEATBEST for discounted tickets)

San Diego Music Award Winners

Last night's San Diego Music Awards was a helluva good time and I can only imagine the after parties at the casino and Ayres Inn. Last year was bumping but this time I planned poorly and didn't take the following day off, so there was restricted partying for this girl.

Anyway, I was twittering the winners all night long, but I have the full list after the jump. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. The awards were fun, even though the mosh pit during As I Lay Dying was a bit, um, retarded? Yeah, Dorks, put your stupid shirts back on.

I know there are very mixed opinions about the awards (they rule/are stupid, they're fun/suck, they do/don't help local music, they do/don't help local musicians)but I like them. I think a couple good tweaks would be to limit people to one vote or at least one IP address (so at least if people cheat, they have to use different computers) and limit the IP addresses to the San Diego/Tijuana metro area. Just my opinion. By the way, the after party in The V Lounge was rad and way better than the DreamCatcher, though I kept telling everyone the wrong directions. oops. Thanks to Grandpa Drew and Alex and Eric and whomever else bought me a drink. I really appreciated it.



Album of the Year — Slightly Stoopid – Cronchitis

Artist of the Year — As I Lay Dying

Best Acoustic – Veronica May

Best Alternative – Scarlet Symphony

Best Alternative Album – Grand Ole Party – Humanimals

Best Americana or Country – Eve Selis

Best Americana or Country Album – Billy Midnight – Don’t Get Your Hopes Up

Best Blues – Lady Dottie & the Diamonds

Best Blues Album – Nathan James & Ben Hernandez – Hollerin’!

Best Club DJ – Shark Attack

Best Cover or Tribute Band – Cash'd Out

Best Electronic – The Album Leaf

Best Hard Rock – Thieves & Liars

Best Hard Rock Album – Sirhan Sirhan - Blood

Best Hip Hop – MC Flow

Best Hip Hop Album – MC Flow – Incredible

Best Jazz – Holly Hofmann

Best Jazz Album – Karl Denson Trio – Lunar Orbit

Best Local Recording – Sayvinyl - God Forbid

Best New Artist - The Silent Comedy

Best Pop – Get Back Loretta

Best Pop Album – The Modlins - With Friends Like These

Best Rock – Dirty Sweet

Best Rock Album – The Night Marchers - See You In Magic

Best World – Tribal Seeds

Song of the Year — Slightly Stoopid – 2am

Lifetime Achievement Award — Mundell Lowe

SD Citybeat's Music Issue Out Now!

Get to the nearest red box and pick it up!

Or, check it out online here.

On a side note, despite my brief stint as the sole writer of Local's Only, I did not contribute to this issue at all. While I admire writers and journalists who can act as critics, when it comes down to it, I support local music, as a whole, or dare I say it, a scene. If I don't like a band or a recording, I simply choose not to write about it or post about it here. There are enough haters around, and honestly, who am I to judge? I'm certainly no expert and I certainly have my share of embarassing CDs in my collection, so it's not my style to pitchfork anything. Still, I love reading what everyone else came up with. I'll be there celebrating the issue release tonight at Anthology, so drop by and let's talk smack about who the meanest writers are...

Newsy Bits

I had a whole list of things I'd been meaning to post about, and now that I finally have time to write, I can't think of most of them. Maybe they'll come back to me. I'm sick as a dog and I don't know where it came from, but it killed my weekend. I missed Silent Comedy last night, and today I didn't even get Easter brunch with my family and I'm missing both of Film School's performances today.

• When The North Atlantic played their final shows last year, two of the three members picked up and moved to Chicago. Those two parts, Jason Hendrix and Jason Richards are now back in action with a new project called Big Science. Cullen covered it on his blog here and you can check out the new project on MySpace here.


• Drew Andrews is featured in today's Union Tribune. You can read the full George Varga article here.


• The annual CityBeat demo review issue will be distributed on Wednesday and celebrated with a party at Anthology. Transfer, Get Back Loretta, and Sea of Cortez will be performing. The party is $10, but if you sign up for CityBeat's RedList (or reenter if you're already subscribed), you'll be on the guest list. Click here for entry.

I'll write more when it comes back to me and attempt to get at least some of this week's listings up, but just in case- Don't froget Jose Gonzalez is doing a special show at the San Diego Women's Club in Hillcrest with Mia Doi Todd. It's early (listing says 6:30 pm) so don't miss it. Info available on the Casbah site here.

Some Newsy Bits: CityBeat, The Reader, Former 91X DJs

A few things have come up that I thought I should get to posting:

• First, the big CityBeat local demo review will be coming out soon. Bands interested in submitting their demos must have them postmarked by Monday, February 25th. Send your demos to CityBeat/ 3550 Camino del Rio North Ste. 207/ San Diego, CA 92108. Some personal recommendations- send at least a couple CDs and read my post about the music 101 seminar that has some recommendations about packaging, CD labeling, etc. Also, grow some thick skin.

• I got a little bit more information about the supposed lawsuit against the Reader. While I don't know what instances specifically people are suing for, I was told they're going for a libel suit in small claims claims court, which has a max of $7,500 and doesn't allow lawyers. A person suing for libel has to prove two things. 1. That the libelous article printed was false and caused you embarrassment in the eyes of your peers. 2. That the libelous article written caused you to lose business in some manner. (At least per the e-mail I received. I'm certainly no lawyer and my one time in small claims was a horrible, miserable experience, despite winning my claim.) I think it's gonna be a tough case to win, because journalists have a lot of protections. Ken can write what he wants and protect sources (or make them up, or pretend he tried to get sources but they were unavailable or refused comment, or just twist the shit out of their words which is his usual M.O.). I would just suggest if you're contacted by the Reader because they wanna cover your band, first, ask for Jay Allen or Bart or someone else to do the interview, second, record your own conversation so you can see if, in fact, you were misquoted, and if that doesn't work, just flat out refuse the coverage; sometimes its just not worth it.

• A follow up with the 91X DJ sitch. While Ruggy has taken over as BMOC at Yelp or something like that, I'm told he's still with 91X and helping with production and promotion and other duties. Chris Cantore has been keeping up his blog quite frequently and he's begun some pod-casts for people who miss hearing his voice in the morning (and I know there are thousands of you wondering where he is, judging by how frequently you all are Googling him and finding my site). You can find his podcasts here. He plans on doing 2-3 per week. If you wanna catch him in person, it is highly likely that he'll be at Marco Collins' going away party on Sunday. Also, Marco's working on a podcast of his own with 120 Minutes veteran Matt Pinfield and Rich McLaughlin of Left of Center that will be available soon on iTunes. Last with the 91X crew, Jennifer White has been at Radio Sophie for some time now, but if you wanna meet her, or at least see her in person, head over to the Karma Lounge at the W Hotel this Thursday, when Jen becomes a celebrity bartender.

• Last thing, perhaps you noticed a post I made about a certain summer tour that would be back in San Diego. The information is still accurate but I pulled it down because, let's just say I blew my wad prematurely and the info wasn't ready for release. Anyway, if you're savvy, you can still find the post- because nothing ever leaves the Internet once it's posted, but I'll repost it later when the organizers are ready to spill the beans.

Changes Afoot At San Diego CityBeat

People have been asking me what's going on with the Local's Only/Notes From The Smoking Patio column of late. I'll do my best to explain what I know of the situation, since I have been writing the column since September 2007.

Troy Johnson, who was music editor for CityBeat (and SLAMM before that) for approximately five years, left CityBeat for Riviera magazine in the late summer/early fall. From what he told me, he'd grown tired of the scene, and when the plug was pulled on both of his TV shows (Fox Rox and Outta Left Field) in a span of less than a month, well, Troy needed to be able to pay rent in this town just like the rest of us. He asked me- as a friend and as the outgoing music editor- to take the helm of the Notes From The Smoking Patio. I was both flattered and overwhelmed. Blogging is one thing. Writing for a publication is something different entirely, and I hadn't, at that point, ever considered myself a writer, let alone a journalist. I mean, I really created this site both as a personal outlet and as a way to disseminate information that I thought other local music junkies like myself would want to know but maybe didn't have 4 hours a night to read in MySpace bulletins, Google Alerts, and other blogs.

And so it went; I took over the column, Troy quietly slipped out the back door, and I was left with a lot of freedom. Write 600-1000 words per week, get it in by Monday at noon. It took a few weeks for the paper to hire the new music editor, Nathan Dinsdale, and a few more for him to fully adjust to the paper. In that time, my unemployment came to an end and I was back working a full time day job, sometimes putting in up to 11 hours a day, all the while still trying to maintain my blog, go to shows, and somehow fit in some sleep here and there.

Writing the Locals Only column was really exciting. With bands it gave me a little more credibility than "I'm a blogger" ever did, but it also limited my ability to write about news as I heard it. During November, December and January, band news dries up a bit, and sometimes I'd spend all day Sunday calling and e-mailing bands, scouring MySpace and Google, all to barely hit my 600 word target, emailing it sometime around 4 am and hoping I'd still get enough sleep to be at work by 9 a.m. on Monday. It should be no surprise that I was worn out and beat down, and that my body had a total shutdown last week when I got sick.

Fortunately and unfortunately, the column had been cut a couple times in the last few weeks. While it gave me a break, the absence of the column has stirred rumors, and in some cases downright resentment from people who read the piece regularly. You can see examples by reading A Coat of Red Paint In Hell, Dirtbag's Delight, and now, Catdirtsez. These don't even touch on the number of people who vented to me with a giant "WTF?" when they'd see me out on the smoking patio. My only response and recommendation was that people should express their concern with letters to the editor.

Last week, when I couldn't even pull myself out of bed, I asked if there would be a column this week (1/23/08) since I'd been sick, and was told that there was material to fill the space and I could have a break. I was also told that there were discussions of "the new direction of the column." Until today, I didn't know what that direction was.

As we all know, this is a small town. A couple clicks, a couple e-mails, a couple conversations and news is out there. I received a forwarded e-mail from Scott (CatDirt). Somebody had written a letter to the editor to complain about the lack of the Locals Only (I don't know the person, as they only used their initials) and they received a response from Dave Rolland, the head editor at CityBeat:

We're actually working on a replacement feature that would incorporate some of what Locals Only offers. Beauty, as always, is in the eye of the beholder. Some people like to read about the same local bands every week; others like to read about touring bands coming through town. We've begun to tire of the Locals format. Over the last couple of years, it's come to feel a little too much like public relations for local bands, and we'd like to make better use of the space. Sometimes you have to kill your babies and try something new to keep things fresh. Hopefully, you'll like the new feature.

38 minutes after receiving the forwarded e-mail, I received an e-mail from Nathan Dinsdale, the music editor, who informed me that the editorial staff had come to a consensus about the direction of the column. The column will take a new shape, into something more inclusive, and will be the work of several contributors, to make better use of the space.

So what does that mean for me? Well, I'm not sure exactly. If asked, I would still be honored with contributing to whatever the new column becomes- I cannot speak to how that situation will be handled by CityBeat, the editors, or Kinsee Morlan, who will probably take the reins on the new section.

What I can speak to is this site. I can get back to covering music- the local stuff, the local shows, music news, touring bands coming through town, San Diego related information, random political information, my "things to do" listings, and the occasional post of how cute my niece is, and best of all, I can do it when I hear it and not have to sit on information that I have to 'save' for the column.

Eventually, I'd like to grow this baby (as opposed to killing it). I'm open to contributors (editorials, reviews, photography, and news.) I'm open to a site redesign if somebody has the Internet prowess to make it better. I'm still looking for a logo and have a couple entries but would like to see a few more designs before I make a final decision. But mostly, I'm just gonna keep on doing what I've been doing. If you enjoy this site, spread the word- not just about this site, but all of the blogs that are doing similar things in this town, all linkable on the right side of this page. I guarantee you have friends who want to know what's going on around town and judging by the number of e-mails I get from people who continue to discover my site, I guarantee some of them don't even know what a blog is.

So we're alright. CityBeat is gonna be just fine. I'm gonna be just fine. This site will continue to grow in content and in readership as time goes on. I'm still open to news, press releases, CDs, and if you wanna continue to throw me on your guestlists, that would be cool, too. SD:Dialed In isn't going anywhere. I still chug along with faith in this city that I love.

Random Notes

Ah, yes. My third day of sick. Lovely. Thought I'd post a couple things while I'm back at home. (I went to work today but was sent home because I "look like shit")

A few weeks back I wrote about the passing of Ike Turner in my Notes From The Smoking Patio column. I tried to keep the column as straightforward as possible with regards to Ike's musical legacy, and to focus on the time that he was a resident of San Diego. Tonight, his band will be performing a tribute show in La Jolla. How sad, then, that the toxicology reports came back from his autopsy and attributed his death to a cocaine overdose. To me it's sad, it's pathetic, and the more I think about it, sounds like it might've been deliberate.

In other stuff, I appreciate all the feedback I get from this site as well as the column. I alone control the content, layout, photos, and opinions on this site, and if anyone ever has issues with me, there are certainly plenty of ways to contact me on this site, including my direct e-mail. At the paper, however, I'm but a tiny piece of a big puzzle. Issues there should be directed appropriately. A fellow blogger has weighed in here.

In case you missed it, Kallao was back on KROQ on Wednesday night for round 2. I guess he's being tried out, so if you get a chance to call in when he's on air, I know he'd love the feedback.

And, it's been all over the other blogs and I'll try covering it in the Locals column, but 91X has a new incarnation of Loudspeaker. It will be on late Sundays, and available for streaming 24/7 on 91X.com.

that's all for now...back to my misery.