Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Crawdaddys & Unknowns Reunion Shows: Casbah Sept. 2 and 3

The Che Underground presents two classic local garage bands reuniting on two consecutive nights at the Casbah: The Crawdaddys (September 2 with off-Beatles tribute the Baja Bugs and the Amandas) and The Unknowns (September 3 with the Sidewalk Scene and the Comeuppance).

The original Crawdaddys lineup formed in 1978, inspired by British rhythm-and-blues groups of the early 1960s, such as the Pretty Things and Rolling Stones. The players included singer Ron Silva, bassist Mark Zadarnowski, guitarist Steve Potterf, and drummer Dan McLain. Potterf and Silva were both in the similar garage band The Hitmakers.

The quartet signed to Voxx records in 1979, releasing an album the following year and a 45 and EP in 1980. They soon fractured with various Silva-fronted lineups taking the band through 1984.

Potterf left the group after recording the first Crawdaddys LP, leaving Silva as head Crawdad. Unfortunately, the group's sound took a slight dive in aggression level as a result. Later lineups included guitarist Peter Miesner, keyboard player Keith Fisher, and drummer Gordon Moss.

McLain, later known as Country “Dick” Montana, passed away in 1995 while on tour with the Beat Farmers. Potterf apparently stopped making music.

Many early Crawdaddys recordings were mastered by Stan Ross, who mastered "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" for Iron Butterfly and worked with Phil Spector.

The band reunited in 2011 for a pair of shows: June 10, headlining the sixth annual “Go Sinner Go” festival in Spain. Then, on September 2 at the Casbah, part of a 1980s weekender where the Unknowns reunite for a performance on September 3.

The 2011 Crawdaddys feature Silva and Zadarnowski alongside members from slightly later lineups — guitarist Peter Miesner, keyboard player Keith Fisher, and drummer Gordon Moss. The band spent last Memorial Day weekend shooting at the Rhino Pop Up Store with filmmaker Eric Rife, in preparation for their reunion show.

The last time Zadarnowski, a South Park resident, and Silva, who currently resides in Los Angeles, performed together was in 1993, at the now-defunct venue Bodie’s downtown.

The Baja Bugs specialize in obscure and FABulous relics from the Beatles. The band includes Hector Penalosa (the Zeros, Squiddo), Xavier Anaya (the Trebles), and members of My Revenge.

The Amandas are a six-piece 1960s-inspired rhythm and blues combo fronted by Amanda Suter. The combo also includes A.J. Croce (son of Jim Croce), Tom Ward (Gravedigger V), David Klowden (Tell-Tale Hearts), Aaron Rossi (Ministry, Prong), and Jon Erickson (the Fairmounts).

“Anyone who had the opportunity to see the Unknowns play had an unforgettable experience,” says San Diego musician and historian Ray Brandes on the http://www.cheunderground.com website.

“Crisp, staccato drumming and the dripping-wet reverberation of Mosrite guitars through Fender amplifiers was punctuated by the yips and howls of the legendary melodramatic lead singer, Bruce Joyner, who sang from a chair or aided by a cane, looking every bit like a down-home Barnabas Collins in search of fresh blood.”

The Unknowns performed a previous reunion gig at the Casbah in January, 2010.

Sidewalk Scene made its live debut July 30, 2011, at Lestat’s, as part of a Sounds of the Sunset Strip bill. The group includes several San Diego garage band legends: Ray Brandes (Tell Tale Hearts, Town Cryers), Eric Bacher (Tell Tale Hearts), Joe Piper (the Crawdaddys), Mark Zadarnowski (the Crawdaddys, the Shambles), and Victor Penalosa (the Melanies, the Shambles).

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

2024’s Best Bitcoin & Crypto Casinos – Play BTC Casino Games Online

Best Bitcoin Casinos (2024): Top 10 Crypto Casino Sites for BIG Payouts
Next Article

2024’s Best Bitcoin & Crypto Casinos – Play BTC Casino Games Online

Best Bitcoin Casinos (2024): Top 10 Crypto Casino Sites for BIG Payouts

The Che Underground presents two classic local garage bands reuniting on two consecutive nights at the Casbah: The Crawdaddys (September 2 with off-Beatles tribute the Baja Bugs and the Amandas) and The Unknowns (September 3 with the Sidewalk Scene and the Comeuppance).

The original Crawdaddys lineup formed in 1978, inspired by British rhythm-and-blues groups of the early 1960s, such as the Pretty Things and Rolling Stones. The players included singer Ron Silva, bassist Mark Zadarnowski, guitarist Steve Potterf, and drummer Dan McLain. Potterf and Silva were both in the similar garage band The Hitmakers.

The quartet signed to Voxx records in 1979, releasing an album the following year and a 45 and EP in 1980. They soon fractured with various Silva-fronted lineups taking the band through 1984.

Potterf left the group after recording the first Crawdaddys LP, leaving Silva as head Crawdad. Unfortunately, the group's sound took a slight dive in aggression level as a result. Later lineups included guitarist Peter Miesner, keyboard player Keith Fisher, and drummer Gordon Moss.

McLain, later known as Country “Dick” Montana, passed away in 1995 while on tour with the Beat Farmers. Potterf apparently stopped making music.

Many early Crawdaddys recordings were mastered by Stan Ross, who mastered "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" for Iron Butterfly and worked with Phil Spector.

The band reunited in 2011 for a pair of shows: June 10, headlining the sixth annual “Go Sinner Go” festival in Spain. Then, on September 2 at the Casbah, part of a 1980s weekender where the Unknowns reunite for a performance on September 3.

The 2011 Crawdaddys feature Silva and Zadarnowski alongside members from slightly later lineups — guitarist Peter Miesner, keyboard player Keith Fisher, and drummer Gordon Moss. The band spent last Memorial Day weekend shooting at the Rhino Pop Up Store with filmmaker Eric Rife, in preparation for their reunion show.

The last time Zadarnowski, a South Park resident, and Silva, who currently resides in Los Angeles, performed together was in 1993, at the now-defunct venue Bodie’s downtown.

The Baja Bugs specialize in obscure and FABulous relics from the Beatles. The band includes Hector Penalosa (the Zeros, Squiddo), Xavier Anaya (the Trebles), and members of My Revenge.

The Amandas are a six-piece 1960s-inspired rhythm and blues combo fronted by Amanda Suter. The combo also includes A.J. Croce (son of Jim Croce), Tom Ward (Gravedigger V), David Klowden (Tell-Tale Hearts), Aaron Rossi (Ministry, Prong), and Jon Erickson (the Fairmounts).

“Anyone who had the opportunity to see the Unknowns play had an unforgettable experience,” says San Diego musician and historian Ray Brandes on the http://www.cheunderground.com website.

“Crisp, staccato drumming and the dripping-wet reverberation of Mosrite guitars through Fender amplifiers was punctuated by the yips and howls of the legendary melodramatic lead singer, Bruce Joyner, who sang from a chair or aided by a cane, looking every bit like a down-home Barnabas Collins in search of fresh blood.”

The Unknowns performed a previous reunion gig at the Casbah in January, 2010.

Sidewalk Scene made its live debut July 30, 2011, at Lestat’s, as part of a Sounds of the Sunset Strip bill. The group includes several San Diego garage band legends: Ray Brandes (Tell Tale Hearts, Town Cryers), Eric Bacher (Tell Tale Hearts), Joe Piper (the Crawdaddys), Mark Zadarnowski (the Crawdaddys, the Shambles), and Victor Penalosa (the Melanies, the Shambles).

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

New Weekly Concerts Debut July 1 at Lafayette Hotel

Next Article

Che Underground web archive gets untangled

Revisit the Secret History of San Diego’s ’80s Music Scene
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories 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 Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style 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
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.