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 TCM 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's I'll be lurking in the back this week, sort of a slow week but with some good stuff - see what you think:
OK, tonight, Friday night - he's in Hell-A but worth the drive - it's Americana hero, Alejandro Escovedo - he'll be at the Mint - I was gonna go last Sunday nite to see him in Santa Barbara but I got enthralled by "True Blood" and never made it out the door. It's '80s flashback night at the House of Try to Find a Place to Park with A Flock Of Seagulls and Gene Loves Jezebel while over at the Key Club - it's gnarly punk rock with a couple of veteran bands - the Angry Samoans and the Dickies, who provided the soundtrack for the greatest clown flick ever made, "Killer Klowns From Outer Space." Over in Simi Valley, it's the ubiquitous Preston Smith - he's everywhere and this time, at the Elephant Bar, while up here in western Ventura County, it's pure power pop with those Corsican Brothers at Margarita Villa. Teresa Russell will do her guitar goddess thing at Andy's NY Deli in Ventura and her male counterpart, Alastair Greene, will be at Amigo's and Dona Oxford will be at Yolie's, also in Ventura.
On Saturday, it's a Cajun dance party in Peninsula Park in farmland-hating Oxnard with Acadiana and soul man Chris Pierce will make his debut (I think) at the Four Brix Winery and that two-day Spencer MacKenzie wing ding kicks off in Ventura with just about every local band. I love their carne asada tacos even though I'm a Corrales man and a long time ago, a Johnny's man, but they got too expensive - in any case, there's plenty of business for both Spencer Mackenzie and Corrales but the Mac rocks more. There's a good triple bill at the Bombay with Dr. M, Big Dictator and up from Hell-A, Flavia & the Red. Garrison Star and Jay Nash will do the singer/songwriter thing at Zoey's and Jody Farrell will be at Yolie's, while up Hwy. 33 to Ojai, it's rockin' blues outside at Los Caporales with Bob Jones & Randy Rich, And finally on a Saturday, up in SB, it's Jim Kweskin and Dodger fans, Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan, at the Lobero Theatre where the sound is always just perfect.
On Sunday, it's the Conejo Valley's favorite band - that would be Urban Dread - and they'll be playing some reggae music at the Lab Brewing Company in Agoura, while up here in the 805 where we like it, Frank Barajas will do his one man pop rock thing at Tutti's, which used to be Cafe Voltaire and now is not and up in Oak View, it's acoustic music with the Perry Brothers at the Big Buddha Lounge.
On Tuesday, it's the Preachers playing some rockin' blues at Amigo's in Ventura. On Wednesday - she rages - that would be the Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles. Urban Dread will try it again, this time at Bogie's in Westlake and Dan Grimm and Happens Again will entertain at this week's Green Art People show down on the Ventura Avenue - check out my Grimm wit in this week's Time Out - proof positive that I'm hardly making any of this up.
Finally on a Thursday, it's Forbidden Fruit at Amigo's and Los Lobos will be at a benefit show at the Lobero in S.B. - that'd be a good one. OK, that's all that for this week - choose wisely.
