Author Archives: Vanessa

REDLANDS: Voodoo Glow Skulls to play Splash Kingdom

Voodoo Glow Skulls play Splash Kingdom on Sunday, July 21. (Anthony Munoz Photography/Contributed Image)

Splash Kingdom in Redlands has been not only keeping people cool this summer, but providing entertainment.

This weekend, Assuming We Survive will perform a free show at the park on Saturday, July 20.

Then, on Sunday, July 21, Riverside skacore heroes Voodoo Glow Skulls will headline a show that also includes Divide The Day, The StillWinter, Late Night Revival, Wreckin Katz, Lost Cause, Inside Riot and Willie Psycho.

Also, Adema will be performing at the water park on Aug. 3.

8 p.m. Saturday, Assuming We Survive, Splash Kingdom,1101 California St., Redlands, free, all ages,

4 p.m. Sunday, Voodoo Glow Skulls and more, July 21, $10, all ages.

TEMECULA: The Vault hosts Angry Samoans, new open mic night

The Coltranes will open for the Angry Samoans at The Vault in Temecula. (Contributed Image)

The Legends of Punk and Ska Series continues at The Vault in Temecula on Friday, July 19 with The Angry Samoans.

The band will be joined by The Coltranes, Ready Steady Go!, DVT and The Walking Toxins.

The Vault is also kicking off its new open mic night (which will run the last Thursday of every month) on July 25.

You can get in for free with a donation of canned food, a clean pair of shoes or item of clothing. Otherwise, it’s a $2 donation to attend.

Email thevaultbooking@live.com for more information.

Angry Samoans, 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 19, The Vault, 41607 Enterprise Cir. N. Temecula, $12, all ages.

Open Mic Night, 8 p.m. Thursday, $2 or free with donation.

Visit www.thevaultconcerts.com for more information.

MUSIC: Electric Valentine vs. ‘The Stamos’

Electric Valentine just released their new album, “Circuitry.” (Electric Valentine/Facebook)

Electropop act Electric Valentine (which started in Riverside and features former residents Chris Qualls and Lauren Baird, who used to be in A Kiss Could Be Deadly) just released their new album “Circuitry” this week and there’s a song named after a special Greek in all of our lives.

That’s right, before John Stamos fever took over with the big news of the Jesse and the Rippers reunion coming to “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” on Friday, Electric Valentine had “The Stamos.”

The video is amazing. Everywhere you look, there’s Stamos. (FYI, the lyrics aren’t family-friendly).

Also, that video made me want to watch this one, John Stamos singing “Forever.”

Back to EV, you might remember Electric Valentine from dancing to them in “Dance Central 2.”

Visit www.electricvalentine.com for more on the band.

They are having an album release dance party at the Silverlake Lounge on Saturday, July 20. The Silverlake Lounge is located at 2906 Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles.

UPLAND: Say True celebrates ‘Monument’ release at The Wire

Say True is celebrating the release of new EP “Monument” with a show at The Wire in Upland on July 19. (Contributed Image)

Although The Ready Aim Fire! called it quits nearly a year ago, the demise of the group made way for a new project with big promise.

Say True, which celebrates new release “Monument” with a show at The Wire in Upland on Friday, July 19, sees former members of the group rising with a different sound.

The songs started with Donavan Foy, an Ontario resident and co-owner of The Wire, back when he was the drummer for The Ready Aim Fire!

“It wasn’t a big priority,” he said.

After the group dissolved, Foy started developing the songs that would become “Monument,” with The Ready Aim Fire! leader Dave Trautz. The pair worked on the songs and were really happy with the results.

Friend and fellow musician Mike Jimenez, of Science Fiction Theater, heard the songs and offered to play the drums on the tracks.

Trautz, who engineered, mixed and mastered “Monument,” played most of the other instruments.

Although the group features members of The Ready Aim Fire! the sound is very different.

The songs on “Monument” have a similar sonic quality to those of Jimmy Eat World’s finest album, “Clarity.” Foy said the collection of songs became a bit of a concept album about growing up.

“The sound lends itself to nostalgia and reflection,” Foy said.

Listen to the songs off Say True’s “Monument.”

<a href="http://saytrue.bandcamp.com/album/monument">Monument by Say True</a>

And there’s a bit of nostalgia with the live lineup, too, which features members of The Ready Aim Fire! Foy is the frontman, Trautz is playing bass and Gabe Rodriguez and Brandon Lancaster playing guitar.

“It’s fun to be playing with these guys again,” Foy said.

Another friend, Iron Sharpens Iron’s Seattle Gage-Chavez, is playing drums live with the band.

Say True hopes to play more shows around Southern California for the rest of the year, but Foy plans to do some writing as well.

“By the time we’re sick of playing these new songs we’ll have another batch,” he said.

For Friday’s show, Castle Pines, Upstate, The Letdown and Rob the Future are also on the bill.

7 p.m. Friday, The Wire, 247 N. Second Ave., Upland, $10, all ages, www.thewire247.com.

Visit www.saytruemusic.com or http://saytrue.bandcamp.com for more information.

Get the latest in local music news at the Audio File blog at http://blog.pe.com/audio-file and follow Vanessa Franko on Twitter at @vanessafranko.

RIVERSIDE: The Debonaires release new album ‘Movin’

The Debonaires have a new album and they’re celebrating with a release show at the Mission Tobacco Lounge in Riverside on July 20. (Contributed Image)

At long last The Debonaires are releasing their new album.

The band is celebrating with a release show on Saturday, July 20 at Mission Tobacco Lounge in Riverside.

The new album, “Movin’,” features Angelo Moore of Fishbone, Vic Ruggiero of The Slackers, and Chris Murray, the latter of whom is also performing at the show.

Plus, Quita Penas is on the bill, too.

8 p.m. Saturday, July 20, Mission Tobacco Lounge, 3630 University Ave., Riverside, $10, 21 and older only.

Visit www.facebook.com/thedebonaires for more on the show.

Check out some of the band’s music below:

Free EPK from ReverbNation.com

RIVERSIDE: Concert raises funds for pedestrian killed in crash

Tribal Lust and the Horny Natives are playing a benefit in Riverside. ( Eric Amelang/Contributed Image)

A number of Riverside-based bands are getting together to raise money for the family of Michael “Micky” Manuel, a Riverside resident who was killed early in the morning of Saturday, July 13 when a drunken driver struck him.

The concert will be at Jack’s Bar and Grill in Riverside and will raise money for the funeral expenses.

The Logs, Tribal Lust and the Horny Natives, Judas Beefcake, Blackout Experiment and Lost Cause are bands that have already been announced for the event.

8 p.m. Saturday, July 20, Jack’s Bar and Grill, 10323 Cypress Ave., Riverside, donations accepted.

Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

TEMECULA: The 4019’s open for The Fixx at Wiens

The Forty Nineteens will play in Temecula. (Contributed Image)

Temecula-based alt rockers, The 4019’s, (who sometimes spell their name out as The Forty Nineteens) will open for The Fixx at Wiens Family Cellars on Saturday, July 20.

The band is working on a new album for release this year.

6 p.m. Saturday, July 20, Wiens Family Cellars, 35055 Via Del Ponte, Temecula, $45-$95 for individuals. Tables are also available.

Visit www.goldencrownproductions.com for tickets and www.thefortynineteens.com for more on the band.

RIVERSIDE: Inertia celebrates new release at Romano’s

(Contributed Image)

Riverside rock band Inertia is celebrating the release of a new EP with a show at Romano’s Concert Lounge in Riverside on Friday, July 19.

The other bands on the lineup are Echo Echo, Eleventy and Puerto Aereo.

9 p.m. Friday, July 19, Romano’s Concert Lounge, 5225 Canyon Crest Drive, $5, 21 and older only.

Visit www.facebook.com/TheBandInertia for more on the band.

POMONA: Sick Puppies talk about new record, will play Glass House

Sick Puppies will perform at The Glass House on Saturday, July 20. The band’s new album, “Connect,” will be released Tuesday, July 16. (Myriam Santos/Contributed Image)

Sick Puppies return with new album “Connect” on Tuesday, July 16 and the hard rock band is celebrating with an X103.9 FM-sponsored show at The Glass House in Pomona on Saturday, July 20.

The band, which formed in Australia but is now based in Los Angeles, has played a number of shows put on by X103.9, including repeat trips to the Merry Meltdown. The group shot to Internet stardom when the video for song “All the Same” went viral six years ago. Now at nearly 75 million views on YouTube, the video features Juan Mann offering free hugs in a shopping area in Sydney.

While the ballad is the lighter side of Sick Puppies, the band can rock with the best of them, with the single “You’re Going Down,” off the band’s 2009 album “Tri-Polar” going gold. The rocking “Tri-Polar” spawned the “Polar Opposite EP,” which helped inspire “Connect.”

Sick Puppies frontman Shim Moore took the time to talk about the band’s new album, in an email interview.

Q: Shim, you’ve described “Connect” as “more musical” than your previous albums. How is it more musical?
A: A lot of the songs took an older song writing approach in the chord progressions and melodies. More Beatles and beach boy progressions. But played by a punk rock band.

Q: The “Polar Opposite” EP gave a different life to some of your songs. Did that project influence the new album at all?
A: We definitely incorporated as many elements from that as we could.

Sick Puppies performs during the Merry Meltdown concert at Citizens Business Bank Arena Sunday in Ontario, CA. December 16, 2012. (2012/File Photo)

Q: You wrote more than 100 songs in the last year. Were the songs on “Connect” among those or are any of the songs older and finally found a home? Did the writing process change at all for this album?
A: The one song that had an old element was the title track “Connect” . That is one of my oldest riffs.

Q: Did any themes start to emerge when you were writing/recording the new songs?
A: A little more about trying to elevate the music and take risks.

Q:What songs do you think fans will connect to most with “Connect”? Which songs do you connect with the most?
A: I think once people hear the whole record they will find their own songs to love.

Q: What was it like to work with Desmond Child?
A: It was a privilege and an eye opener. I learned how much there is left to learn.

Q: You’ve played a number of shows in the Inland Empire with San Bernardino radio station X103.9, including their annual holiday show. What keeps you coming back to the Inland Empire?
A: I know it sounds cliche but the fans. We have the most fun with them.

Also of note: Reverend Crow, which features Nate Barcalow from Temecula’s Finch, will open the show, as will Sederra.

7 p.m. Saturday, July 20, The Glasshouse, 200 W. Second St. Pomona, $15, all ages. Visit www.sickpuppies.com for more on the band and www.theglasshouse.us for more on the show and tickets.

Here’s the video for the acoustic version of “You’re Going Down.” If you want to hear the band’s new track, “There’s No Going Back,” you can check it out on YouTube (Warning: There is explicit language in the lyrics).

POMONA: D.I.Y. Music and Fashion Festival celebrates third year

What Hands Are For will perform at the DIY Music and Fashion Fest in Pomona on Aug. 31. (Contributed Image)

The D.I.Y. Music and Fashion Festival started three years ago as a new outlet for Inland rapper Noa James and Lesa J., who have helped promote and build the Inland hip-hop scene with events throughout the area, including the long-running Sunday “It’s the Common Ground” night at The Vibe in Riverside.

The event brings independent music and fashion together from local artists at the Glass House in Pomona on Aug. 31.

The lineup boasts a huge slate of well-known Inland performers, including Speak, Noa James, What Hands Are For, Stevie Crooks, Curtiss King, Pheo, Awukii, Ill Camille, First Dirt, 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.

Visit www.Bricktoyaface.com and pick up tickets at Ticketfly.com.

5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, The Glasshouse, 200 W. Second St. Pomona.