Grizzly Business finds alternative venues

The obvious item on the how-to-get-gigs list would be: make good music. That became clear to Grizzly Business when they put out the catchy pop tune “Rich Girls” in February.

“After it came out we noticed that people started contacting us for gigs,” says bassist Brian Vilven. “It sort of legitimized us when we booked tours.”

But the three-year-old band that has been compared to the Shins and the Strokes has discovered three other good gigs.

Hostels: “We were shooting a video for ‘Rich Girls’ on a rooftop in Hillcrest and we met a girl who worked at the youth hostel right next door,” recalls Vilven. “She said a band bailed on her and she asked us to play. There were all these kids from Brazil and Germany who love a good American rock-and-roll party. We decided to hit up other hostels. Since then we’ve played at hostels in San Francisco, Seattle, and Santa Barbara on tour. Hostels are great. They pay you, give you beer, and a place to stay for the night.”

Boats: “We did our first boat show in October,” Vilven explains. “It was called Rock the Boat. It took off near the Bahia on Mission Bay. There were six bands and two DJs who had a captive audience the whole night.” What about seasickness? “There may have been a few people who got sick at the end, but I don’t think it was from seasickness. It was alcohol, not the boat.”

Living rooms: “There is this secluded house in Golden Hill that everyone calls ‘the Tree House,’” says Vilven. “It’s surrounded by trees and it looks like a house in a tree. We played in the living room with two other bands. All the furniture was taken out. You bring your own beer. A $5 donation is expected. Everyone stayed the whole night. When you play in a bar, people don’t always stay for all the bands. A house party has a different feel.”

Grizzly Business appears December 19 at the House of Blues with Spero, the Verigolds, and Oh, Spirit.