Author Archives: Vanessa

HALLOWEEN 2013: Rob Zombie event showcasing unsigned music

Rob Zombie at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards. (AP Photo)

Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare is taking over the Fairplex in Pomona this Halloween season and the metal ghoul has teamed up with The Slidebar in Fullerton for a local unsigned band battle.

Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare Battle Of The Bands live local music showcase will happen in September and October and bands will have the chance to play the main stage on one night of Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare.

The attraction will run every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Oct. 10 through Nov. 2.

Bands will compete at The Slidebar Sept. 9, 16, 23 and 25 and four finalists will have one final battle on Oct. 6. One artist will get to perform at the attraction in Pomona.

How to enter: Email slidebarvenuebooking@yahoo.com by Friday, Sept. 13. Each entry should include: Band Name, Genre, Facebook Page, Twitter, Contact Name, and Contact Email.

Each weekly battle will feature five bands. Visit www.SlidebarFullerton.com for more details.

In addition to the winner of the battle, other artists are performing throughout the event, including Zombie, Andrew W.K., Kottonmouth Kings, Reel Big Fish and more.

Visit the Great American Nightmare site for the full lineup.

PHOTOS: D.I.Y. Music and Fashion Festival

One of the biggest events of the weekend was the third annual D.I.Y. Music and Fashion Festival at The Glass House in Pomona on Saturday, Aug. 31.

Photographer David Bauman was on hand to capture some of the area’s brightest hip-hop talent. Take a look at his photo gallery of the D.I.Y. Music and Fashion Festival by clicking here or on the photo of co-founder and performer Noa James below.

Noa James, one of the founders of the D.I.Y. music and Fashion Festival, performs on stage at the Glass House in Pomona on Aug. 31, 2013. (David Bauman/Staff Photographer)

Did you go to the show? Who had the best set?

PE LIVE: 5 artists to listen to Labor Day weekend

New PE Live videos are released with artists every Thursday at PE.com. (Staff Illustration)

PE Live features Inland artists giving exclusive interviews and performances (Staff Illustration)

Need some music while you study for a fantasy football draft? Want to impress friends with the best underground music for your barbecue? We’ve got you covered.

Spend your holiday weekend with PE Live. We have more than 80 videos of performances and interviews with the best in local music.

You can get PE Live in your inbox every week by subscribing to the newsletter. It’s like being in a super secret awesome club with fellow music lovers. Plus, you won’t get spammed. I only send it out once each week.

Below you can see some of the great artists we’ve had on PE Live so far. Let the videos play for more music and interviews.

If you don’t know ColeSlaw, you should. Matt Coleman and Chad Villarreal talk about the project and how ColeSlaw came to be.

Check out the bluesy rock of Redlands’ The Great Late and the track “Hopeless Bitter Ghoul.”

The Paper Crowns bring energy, fun and lots of love to their Americana. Witness it yourself with “Glory Glory” below.

Derrick Sanderlin’s voice will give you goosebumps. I promise.

Science Fiction Theater crafts beautiful songs. They also bring really fun instruments to PE Live shoots.

ROCK THE BELLS: Fest founder shares 10 most memorable moments

Lauryn Hill performs on the Rock the Bells stage during the Rock the Bells hip hop festival at the San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Saturday, August 20, 2011. (File Photo)

Rock the Bells is kicking off its 10th incarnation with two days of hip-hop and more at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Sept. 7 and 8.

Last week I had the chance to talk with Chang Weisberg, the man behind RTB and promoter Guerilla Union, about his most memorable moments over the last 10 editions.

I’ll have more stories about Rock the Bells as we get into next week, but I thought this was a fun way to ease into Labor Day Weekend.

By the way, you can still pick up tickets to the festival. Single-day general admission passes are $99 each, before fees. Single-day VIP passes are $199 each, before fees. Weekend passes are $165 for general admission and $399 for VIP, before fees for both.

View the timeline below and scroll through to see Weisberg’s Top 10 Most Memorable Rock the Bells Moments.

Here are the moments, in chronological order:

1. ODB’s final performance, July 12, 2004
ODB performed with Wu-Tang Clan at the first Rock the Bells in 2004 at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino. It turned out to be his final performance. ODB will give a “virtual performance” on Sunday, Sept. 8.

2. A Tribe Called Quest performs, Nov. 13, 2004
For Weisberg, seeing A Tribe Called Quest at the second edition of Rock the Bells in Anaheim was a dream come true. However, it was bittersweet for Weisberg because it was also the day ODB died.

Nas performs at Rock the Bells at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Saturday, August 20, 2011. (File Photo)

3. Nas makes his Rock the Bells debut, July 30, 2005
Nas makes his Rock the Bells debut at the National Orange show in San Bernardino. Nas and KRS-One, who had been beefing, appeared together at the show.

“They both decided to come on stage and squash everything. That was a true highlight for myself,” Weisberg said.

4.Lauryn Hill’s surprise appearance, Aug. 5, 2006
Lauryn Hill makes a surprise appearance at Rock the Bells at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino in a tribute to ODB. Rage Against the Machine singer Zack De La Rocha was in the audience.

“The fact that he respected Lauryn Hill so much probably is what helped us lock in Rage Against the Machine that following year,” Weisberg said.

Rage Against The Machine performs at the Rock the Bells festival at the Hyundai Pavilion at Glen Helen in Devore. Devore, California. August 11, 2007. (File Photo)

5. Rage Against the Machine, 2007
One of Weisberg’s top highlights over the years?

“Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine,” he said.

The edgy band, which reunited for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival that year, plays Rock the Bells in New York. The band also plays the San Bernardino and San Francisco dates.

6. Pharcyde reunion, 2008
Weisberg is instrumental in getting influential hip-hop collective the Pharcyde to reunite. The Phracyde plays both the U.S. dates in the summer and the international tour in the fall.

7. Nas surprises audience with Jay-Z appearance, Aug. 2, 2008 (WARNING: Explicit language)

Weisberg said being in New York for the first time with Rock the Bells, a West Coast-based festival, was amazing.

It was the festival’s second year in New York when Nas brought Jay-Z out as a surprise guest.

8. MF Doom mishap, Aug. 9, 2008
Not all of the most memorable moments are happy ones. The masked MF Doom had an impostor perform on stage in his place in San Bernardino a week after the real MF Doom performed in New York.

The impostor was booed off stage and Weisberg had to chase him down because he had taken the microphones.

9. Wu-Tang Clan vs. Slaughterhouse, 2009
Members of Wu-Tang Clan and Slaughterhouse had a major falling out that was all too real.

“That was crazy for me. I’m glad we squashed those beefs,” Weisberg said. “That … was so real and so thick you could eat it and taste it,” he said.

Snoop Dogg performs at the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (File Photo).

10. Snoop Dogg performs “Doggystyle,” Aug. 21, 2010
Snoop Dogg performs his seminal album “Doggystyle” at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino.

“It inspired the whole ‘albums in its entirety thing’,” Weisberg said.

NORCO: See the Chase Walker Band at the fair

The Chase Walker Band will perform at the Norco Fair this weekend. (Mike Ingram/Contributed Image)

When you hear Woodcrest resident Chase Walker play the guitar, it’s hard to believe he’s only been playing for less than four years.

It’s even more incredible when you consider that he’s only 15. He’s celebrating his birthday with a show at the Norco Fair today, Aug. 30 and Saturday, Aug. 31.

In today’s edition of The Press-Enterprise, I have an interview with the Chase Walker Band over at the iGuide.

I had such a great time talking with the group that I have a few more fun factoids I can share.

-For a time, Gino Matteo, another blues icon of the Inland Empire, was Walker’s guitar instructor.
-Walker didn’t know it, but when he was playing at Buddy Guy’s blues club Legends in Chicago, Guy was in the audience. Although Walker and his young Fernando Jones Blues Camp mates couldn’t be in the crowd, Guy came backstage to meet them.
-There are only two or three days per year that Walker doesn’t pick up the guitar.

Here are the details on this weekend’s shows:

6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30 and Saturday, Aug. 31, Norco Fair, George Ingalls Equestrian Event Center, 3737 Crestview Ave., Norco.

$10 gets you into the fair all weekend. There is no additional charge for the concert. Parking is $5 per day. Kids 10 and younger get in for free.

Visit www.chasewalkerband.com for more on the band and www.norcofair.org for more on the fair.

RIVERSIDE: Black Bear, Nathan Rivera visit Back to the Grind

Black Bear and the Cheyenne Autumn Band (Contributed Image)

Three up-and-coming acts are headed to Back to the Grind in Riverside on Saturday.

Black Bear and the Cheyenne Autumn Band, a Corona-based group with an Americana sound, will perform. The band has been recording new music.

Here’s “Rollin’ Train” from Black Bear’s PE Live session.

Also, Nathan Rivera, who you might have seen on the promos for the MTV Video Music Awards before Miley Cryus took it to crazy town, will have his accordion and perform his unique blend of songs.

He also stopped by PE Live earlier this year.

I’m sure you’re thinking, “Wow, PE Live sure has some great local music. Where can I sign up to get new videos delivered to my inbox weekly?”

Well, it turns out we have a brand new PE Live newsletter.

As for Saturday’s show, Jessie Andra Smith is also on the bill.

8 p.m. Saturday, Back to the Grind, 3575 University Ave., Riverside, free, all ages.

RIVERSIDE: UCR Barn announces fall 2013 lineup

Suedehead is playing The Barn this fall. (2012/File Photo)

Beloved UC Riverside venue The Barn has announced the lineup for its fall 2013 concert series.

While most of the shows are on Wednesday nights, the series kicks off Thursday, Oct. 3, with Branches & Gypsies and Judges. That show, part of UCR’s “Welcome Week,” is free.

The weekly Wednesday night events kick off Oct. 23 with The Mad Caddies and Suedehead.

I’m happy to see Suedehead on the lineup. I love their music, plus they’ve included members of Riverside’s own ska purveyors The Debonaires in the horn section.

Take a look at the full list of shows:

Oct. 3, Branches & Gypsies, Judges, free.
Oct. 23, Mad Caddies, Suedehead, $12
Oct. 30, Elephant Revival, $12
Nov. 6, John Brown’s Body, Stick Figure, $15
Nov. 13, Chuck Inglish (from Cool Kids), King’s Dead, $20
Nov. 20, KUCR’s Comedy Apocalypse IX, $12

Student prices are $5 and are only available in advance with a valid UCR Student ID. Tickets for the general public will be on sale via Ticketmaster and the UCR Fine Arts ticket office.

Parking is an additional $5 in cash at Lot 6 at UCR.

Visit http://fineartsticketoffice.ucr.edu/ or call 951-827-4403 for more information. All of the shows start at 7:30 p.m.

POMONA: Acts not to miss at D.I.Y. Music and Fashion Fest

Speak will perform at the D.I.Y. Music and Fashion Fest this weekend. (Andrew Quesada/Contributed Image)

Want proof that the Inland Empire is bursting with hip-hop talent? Check out the D.I.Y. Music and Fashion Festival at the Glass House in Pomona on Saturday, Aug. 31.

Celebrating its third year, the festival not only highlights some of the brightest in local music, but also local designers.

Here are some of the artists to keep an eye on. I’ve included some links for your listening pleasure, but beware–most are explicit.

Speak

You might already know Anthony “Speak” Negrete, the man responsible for “Bulletproof Denali.” He’s featured with his weekly column, “Saturdays with Speak,” on MySpace. He also co-wrote Kreayshawn’s smash “Gucci Gucci.” Speak grew up Moreno Valley and was on the Paid Dues lineup this year.

Listen to “Perfect Hair,” a title which also describes Speak’s locks. See above warning about language.

Visit www.applebird.tumblr.com for more.

Noa James (Contributed Image)

Noa James

Noa James is part of Black Cloud Music, the Inland collective that just keeps raising the bar when it comes to hip-hop. He’s also part of the Brick to Ya Face team, which is putting on the festival. See him this year because he will actually get to perform.

Here’s his latest release, “The Adventures of Young Orca.”

Check out more of his music at http://noajames.bandcamp.com.

Stevie Crooks (Contributed Image)

Stevie Crooks

Stevie Crooks led a successful campaign to perform at the 2013 Paid Dues Festival earlier this year. The Moreno Valley rapper recently posted new music produced by Tommy Boy.

Visit https://soundcloud.com/NYCA96.

Pheo

Moreno Valley’s Pheo has been added with Cashius Green on The Smokers Club national tour this fall with headliners Ab-Soul and Joey Bad… (expletive deleted so I can keep my job).

Visit http://soundcloud.com/pheo for more.

What Hands Are For(Contributed Image)

What Hands Are For

San Bernardino’s What Hands Are For are representing the rock and punk factions at the fest. Last week, the band’s song “We Love the Knife Light” was featured on MTV show “The Challenge: Rivals II.” Expect to hear new music from the band.

Visit www.facebook.com/whathandsarefor for more.

Curtiss King

Curtiss King, another shining spot on the Inland hip-hop scene, is also on the bill.

Here’s King’s performances and interview from his PE Live session a couple of months ago.

Other performers include First Dirt, Awukii, Ill Camille, Waju, Slay Squad, D’zyl, Cam Gnarly & DCXDCXDC, Hawdwerk, Yung Miss, Da Flatlynerz and Gypsy Mamba.

The event is all ages. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

5 p.m. Saturday, The Glasshouse, 200 W. Second St. Pomona.

Visit www.Bricktoyaface.com for more information and pick up tickets at Ticketfly.com.

TEMECULA: Bratts celebrates a year of local music

The Infamous They will play at Bratts in Temecula on Saturday, Aug. 31. (Contributed Image)

Local Music Saturdays is celebrating an anniversary at Bratts in Temecula this weekend.

For a year, the night has supported the Southwest Riverside County Music scene.

A number of Inland artists are celebrating with the show, including The Infamous They, Last Anniversary, Indica Roots, Jarvis Brown and Business Boys Never Rest.

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, Bratts, 27648 Ynez Road, Temecula, free, 21 and older only.

Visit www.thevaultcocnerts.com for more information.

RIVERSIDE: Sarah Horn to judge Hollywood Bowl a cappella competition

Riverside native and CBU adjunct voice teacher Sarah Horn, 26, has become a singing sensation since her performance with Kristin Chenoweth at the Hollywood Bowl went viral. (Terry Pierson/Staff Photographer)

The Cal Baptist voice teacher and musical director of Riverside Youth Theatre who became an overnight sensation after singing “For Good” with Kristin Chenoweth at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, Aug. 23 is headed back to the storied venue.

After 2 million views of her performance of “For Good,” Sarah Horn will be back at the Bowl on Sunday, Sept. 8, where she will judge “ABBA-Cappella”, at ABBA tribute ABBA: The Concert.

The competition features three Los Angeles-area collegiate a cappella groups: The Scattertones (UCLA), SoundCheck (Chapman University), and The SoCal VoCals (USC).

There will be a sing-off of ABBA classics including “Take a Chance on Me,” “Money, Money, Money” and “Does Your Mother Know.”

Tickets are available at HollywoodBowl.com or Ticketmaster.com, or via phone at 323-850-2000 or 800-745-3000 and in person at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office.

Watch our interview with Horn below.

And if you haven’t seen it yet, watch her goosebump-inducing performance of “For Good.” And if you have seen it, let’s all watch it again, shall we?