Wassup 805? Bill Locey here, neither in Studio 805 nor in Camarillo, but still gainfully employed by the Ventura County Star, at least for the next hour or two, kicking at my house, multi-tasking, writing about rock 'n' roll, watching Link TV with the sound off and petting my cat, Nope, who is on my lap and as usual, in the way and doing his fair share as part of the worldwide feline anti-literacy campaign.
If I had a faster car, a richer girlfriend or even one with a job, here's where I'll be lurking in the back this week:
OK, tonight - Friday night, he's can sing better than everybody - it's a Miracle - that would be Smokey Robinson at the Hollywood Bowl and old school punk rock all in purple - that would be the Zeros - they'll be at the Troubadour. Did you know that in darkest antiquity, Arab mathematicians invented the concept of zero? Mitt Romney's personality has improved on that, but that's another story.
Still tonight - Friday night - Urban Dread will play some reggae music at Padri's Martini Bar in Agoura while up here in the 805 where we like it or until the Chamber of Concrete controlled city councils pave it all, super mandolin player Tom Corbett will be the headliner at this month's Camarillo Cafe show, while over in Oxnard where synchronized traffic lights remain an alien concept, Raw Silk will be at Heritage Square at the non-mall old town. Over in Ventura, it's the Corsican Brothers playing some pure power pop at Margarita Villa down in the Ventura Harbor. There's old school punk rock with the Dwarves at Billy O's and Rocket 68 will be at my favorite dive bar, the Red Cove, which rocked last week with Fangboy & the Ghouls - a gig I should've written about but I didn't find out about it until too late - if you have a show, tell me. It might get in the paper.
OK, still tonight - still Friday, those Legalizers will be up all those stairs at the Watermark in Ventura - not far away, La Vonettes and two other bands will be at the Bombay Bar & Grill. Down at Yolie's, it's Mr. Hi Hat's birthday bash - that would be Jerry McWorter, usually the drummer for Hot Roux; and finally on a Friday up in Ojai, it's Julie Christensen at the Ojai Youth Entertainer's Studio.
On Saturday, it's the Kinks' legendary front man Ray Davies - you need "Muswell Hillbillies," a great Kinks album - Davies will be at the Wiltern Theatre in Hell-A. Zoey's favorite Brian Wright will be at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood and if you lover harmonious pop rock, it's the Fountains of Wayne at the Roxy, also in Hollyweird and Ringo Starr and His All Stars will be at the Greek Theatre, while up here in the 805 where we still like it, it's funk punk, what-the heck from Bad Brains at the Golden China in Ventura and We Govern We will play some Greek/American rock at the Sans Souci and Los Dudes will do something fun at Amigo's and Alexandra and those long legs are having a CD release party at the Bombay. A block away, Shaky Feelin' will do their jam band thing down on the pier at Beach House Tacos. And finally on a Saturday up Hwy. 33 to Ojai, Tommy Marsh will play some blues at the Jester and Bob Jones will do the same outside at Los Caporales about a block away...
On Sunday, living up to his name, Matthew Sweet will play some pop rock at McCabe's in Santa Monica, while up here in the 805, it's Charlie's veterans from 20 years ago - Dave Girtsman's Blimp and Joe Hamilton will be at Zoey's and Kyle Hunt and Emy Reynolds will be at the Ojai Art Center while up the coast to S.B, the Swingin' Utters and the Phenomenauts will be at Velvet Jones on State Street - check out my story in this week's Time Out, proof positive that I'm hardly making any of this up.
On Monday, the XX will play some electronic dance music at the Fonda down on Sunset in Hollyweird - a venue named for Henry Fonda who starred in so many great films, including one of my favorites, "Mr. Roberts."
On Wednesday, Reel Big Fish will rock the House of Try to Find a Place to Park in Hollyweird and she'll belt out "Respect," "Think," and "Chain of Fools," who else but Aretha Franklin at the Nokia Theatre? Or you can check out some reggae from Urban Dread at Bogie's in Westlake.
On Thursday, it's pogo-powered pop punk with Teenage Bottlerocket at the Troubadour in Hell-A and Guy Martin will channel Jimi at the cavernous Canyon Club in Agoura, while up here in the 805, it's Alligator Dave at the Sans Souci, and Shawn Jones will play some bluesy rock at the Watermark in Ventura and up Hwy. 33, it's Jonathan McEuen doing something cool at the Big Buddha Lounge in Oak View. OK, that's that for a slow week. Stay tuned...
