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Feast! — Food & drink reviews
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Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives — Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams — Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
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Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated
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SD on the QT — Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats — Places of worship
Special Issues — The best of
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Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater — On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week — Daily event picks
Busted Drums
It needs to be known that Bill Ray is VERY pro-active and not out to bitch and moan. He made the V-drums at Pala Casino very playable this week - the first time in at least a year. He should be paid by the casinos to come out every few months to tweak their kits. It's pretty much a given that cover bands are expendable - caliber of musicianship or the seriousness of the players matters little to management in bars and casinos. Not that good and serious players aren't noticed and appreciated by staff and management - they often are, and it makes playing that much more rewarding. But this is secondary to other priorities that clubs have. This is fine - none of us really expect more. But, spending a lifetime building and mastering a musical vocabulary only to have every third or fourth note snuffed out (which is what happens when a drum pad is not working) can be infuriating. Indeed, imagine having a serious conversation with someone but having every third or fourth word you speak muted. It's aggravating, and at times worrying, especially when your parts aren't translating and you feel the need to explain to the other musicians why certain things came out (or didn't come out) the way they did. In a sense, job security could be on the line, and that sucks. On the funny side, it's hilarious to think what the cameras above casino stages have picked up over the years when drummers get pissed off because their parts aren't translating! Some good footage there!— October 18, 2012 10:32 a.m.
A Skeleton in San Diego’s Closet
For years I've wondered where on Market it was, because that was our rehearsal space (The Rick Elias Band) for a while along with a great place to do gigs. I remember that opening night -- we weren't punk and I'm sure only three people liked us, but it had a giant vibe. There was an old guy who managed the place and whose office was out back, always had a gun sitting on his desk. Downtown rocked back then -- really seedy; not seedy as compared to big cities, but seedy for San Diego. Great memories.— December 8, 2008 9:56 p.m.