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 it 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:
October, already? OK, then, tons of stuff this week - really, tons, so let's roll: OK tonight, Friday night - it's in Hell-A - but it's old school punk rock from the Offspring with Neon Trees opening - all happening at the Hollywood Palladium, while over at the Wiltern - maybe the best band at this year's Coachella - that would be the Head & the Heart along with Blitzen Trapper, making a delightful double bill worth the drive. Indie rock heroes on the rise, Helio Sequence will be at the legendary Troubadour and Robyn Hitchcock will dip into his vast repertoire at McCabe's in Santa Monica. While up here in the 805 where we like it or until Oxnard paves everything, which is why you should vote for Tim Flynn for mayor of Oxnard. Anyway, there's more old school punk - this time from D.R.I, at the Ventura Theatre, 8Stop7 and a bunch of other bands will be at the Bombay down on C Street and Lainey Taylor will do her singer/songwriter thing at Zoey's and the bombastic and bitchen Candye Kane will belt out some blues at Yolie's in west Ventura across from Avenue Vons.
Still Friday - lots more stuff - it's the annual Avocado Festival in Carpinteria, "the world's safest beach," and not so much unlike Ventura in the '50s (so I'm told) - every cool Santa Barbara band and a lot more will be playing over the three days - guitar god Alastair Greene, the pop power pop kings, the Tearaways and Deja Blu are a few of the bands Friday night. While up the road a piece to Santa Barbara, it's my second favorite lefty lesbian, the uncommonly mild mannered and out of this world brainiac Rachel Maddow - she'll be at the Arlington - she wasn't doing press this time around - believe me, I tried. If you don't go, you should watch he every evening at 6 on MSNBC - she never lies and she's always right. A few steps north, it's !!! at the SOhO and a new and very cool Americana band, the Lumineers, will be at the Lobero Theatre where the sound is always perfect.
On Saturday, it just might be the best band in the world - one of them anyway - that would be the English Beat - they'll be at the cavernous Canyon Club in Agoura playing songs off one of thee best albums ever - "Just Can't Stop It." And they started everything back in the '50s that we like today - the wonderful Kingston Trio will play some memorable folk music at the Civic Arts Plaza in T.O. And since it's the first Saturday of the month, that means it's time for Steve White & the Barstool Pigeons at Blacdkbeard's BBQ, down at the Ventura Harbor. Irie Army will play some reggae at Golden China who has the ultimate Sunday buffet down on Seaward in Ventura, while downtown, it's Jody Farrell and the Trecoustics at Amigo's, while across the street at the Good Bar, it's jam band nirvana with Shaky Feelin'.
Still Saturday and back to the Avocado Festival, it's the greatest band of all time from Carpinteria, the Upbeat - you need their debut album. Up the road to Santa Barbara, indie rockers, the Wombats, will be at Velvet Jones, and former J. Geils Band frontman, Peter Wolf will be at SOhO. If you don't have it, you need "The Morning After," a killer J. Geils album - they were one of the loudest bands I've ever seen - my liver quivers at the mere mention of their name.
On Sunday, it's mopey techno pop from New Order - they'll be at the Greek Theatre in Hell-A - I like "Age of Consent." It guitar shredding time at the Canyon Club with Teresa Russell opening for Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and quieting things down considerably, Tom Corbett, Phil Salazar and some of their pals will
be at Underwood Farms in Moorpark. It's still Sunday so that means Frank Barajas will be doing his one-man pop rock thing at Tutti's in Ventura. There's another benefit - this time Sunday at the Libbey Bowl in Ojai - David Crosby, Jack Johnson and Todd Hannigan are just a few of the big name performers. The Avocado Festival is ending on Sunday - Rick Reeves will shred on guitar and Spencer the Gardener will have everyone dancing and he has a new album. And where have all the Deadheads gone? Who knows? Who cares - but all the local Jerry's Kids will be at the Bowl for Furthur - the important remaining members of the Dead.
On Monday - he's about as good as it gets for the blues and definitely worth the drive to Hell-A, even on a work nite - that would be Seasick Steve who will be at the Troubadour.
On Tuesday, usually the worst night of the week - not this week. Those retro rockin' Swedes, the Raveonettes will be at the El Rey Theatre in Hell-A and Jeff the Brotherhood will be at the Troubadour, while up here in the 805 where we like it, the Deftones will rock the Ventura Theatre and Rufus Wainwright will be at UCSB.
On Wednesday, Madonna will throw a dance party at the Staples Center and Grizzly Bear will be at the Greek, while up here in the 805 where we'll always love it, and the Hives play
some pop punk at the Ventura Theatre and Starvation Camp will do the honors at this week's Green Art People get together.
On Thursday, welcome back John Sebastian to the Canyon Club and Urban Dread will play some reggae music at the Zin Bistro in WLV. Shawn Jones will be at the Pierpont Inn and David Byrne and St. Vincent will play some quirky funk music at the Arlington Theatre in S.B. That should be enough for one week, or as the Chambers Brothers so astutely noted, "There are things to realize..."
