Rifftide Covers Chula Vista

Rifftide is a Chula Vista–based classic-rock cover band. The members met on Facebook and formed the band in March of 2010. Their day jobs include construction manager and brewmaster. Plus one stay-at-home mom.

Jill Harvey is Rifftide’s singer. Dave Inumerable sings and plays keyboards and guitar. Joe Loera is the drummer, Paul Segura plays lead and rhythm guitar, and the bassist is Blake Scott.

The band has regular engagements at the Brewhouse at Eastlake, the Galley at the Marina in Chula Vista, and Tio Leo’s in Linda Vista (where they perform Friday, April 1). Jill passed along the band’s collective answers to our questions.

Does the dance floor dictate what material a cover band can perform?

“It is really cool when people are up dancing in front of us and singing along to the songs as we’re playing them. We feed off that energy. However, that doesn’t really dictate what we play.”

What is one fail-safe song in your arsenal that gets people dancing every time?

“A few songs meet the criteria: ‘Brown Eyed Girl,’ ‘La Bamba,’ ‘Twist and Shout,’ and ‘Oye Como Va.’”

Any songs that will clear a dance floor?

“There are, and we drop them from our set list accordingly. Sometimes it’s a little sad, because a great song is not always a great dance song. Elvis Costello’s ‘Alison’ is a perfect example.”

Is it frustrating not playing originals?

“We’re having such a good time that it really isn’t an issue. A couple of us write, and we have one or two songs we’ll probably start working on soon to add to the set list. We’ll get there, but it’s not really why people come to party with us.”

Every suburban cover band witnesses its share of craziness. Any stories?

“Let’s just say that some people lose inhibition when they get some drinks in them, and the mood is right. We only ask that people be safe driving home. And that they not hold us responsible for who they might wake up next to in the morning.”

Love is in the air at a Rifftide gig?

“We had a successful marriage proposal during one of our shows.”

Did they ask you to play at their wedding?

“Now that you mention it, no!”

Favorite musical era?

“Although we play some pretty recent stuff like Pink, Garbage, Lady Antebellum, and Amy Winehouse, it’s probably safe to say that our era is the ’80s. But we really don’t let that define us. We play party songs from the ’60s through today.”

Biggest Audience?

“Most of the time, we’re playing to a couple hundred people or so.”

Smallest audience?

“We once had a gig where everyone left early and we were playing to about a dozen people at 1 a.m. It was kind of a bummer. They were closing up and putting the chairs on the tables while we were playing ‘You Shook Me All Night Long.’”

What are the challenges of juggling a job and a family with playing out late in a weekend club band?

“Our first rule is that family always comes first. Fortunately for most of us, our kids are a little older and don’t want to be around us anymore. This affords us the time to be weekend rock stars.”

Five CDs everyone should own?

1) The Beatles 1

2) Santana, Abraxas

3) AC/DC, Back in Black

4) Madonna, Immaculate Collection

5) Eric Clapton, Crossroads ■