San Diego Audiences Still Suck

North County band Faceles was named Best Hard Rock Band at the 15th annual L.A. Music Awards last Sunday. Vocalist Roger Baca says Faceles plays twice a month in L.A. at either the Roxy, the Whiskey, House of Blues, Dragonfly, and/or the Viper Room.

No Doubt, Everclear, Korn, Sugar Ray, and System of a Down won L.A. Music Awards before achieving major-label success. In spite of their award and the L.A. gigs, Faceles struggle in their hometown.

"We get no love here," says guitarist Mark Reveles. "When we play a new venue, people are withdrawn. It's like they are afraid to applaud because of what others may think. In L.A., if we blast out a set, people immediately respond. Down here, people are stuck either in old-school punk or the old-school metal.... We tried like hell to get into Soma and the Epicentre. But down here it's who you know, not how good you sound."

How is it that a San Diego band can get an L.A. Music Award?

"We accept artists from all over the world," says LAMA founder Al Bowman. "We got a call from the guy at the San Diego Music Awards who wondered why San Diego musicians are allowed [to win awards] at the L.A. Music Awards. It's because we're an international city and we don't shut out music from anywhere."

In January, Faceles performs at the Sundance film festival in Utah followed by a show at the Winter X Games in Aspen.