June 24, 2009 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

Dear Readers,

I got an email from my dear friend Pat Comerchero who runs the Temecula Children’s Museum on Main Street in Old Town Temecula. Pat does great work there in helping to educate kids in a fun way and for that her facility was nominated for a 2009 Nickelodeon Parents Pick Award. I need your help to make sure the Temecula Children’s Museum wins! Please read on and make sure to vote every day, and spread the word to freinds and family!! The TCM is currently in first place with over 53% of the vote with 20 days to go, please help keep them in the lead!!

Please visit: http://gocitykids.parentsconnect.com/parents-picks/san-diego-ca-usa/best-san-diego-museum and vote for the Temecula Children’s Museum!!

Thanks,

Bill Gould

——————–

GREAT NEWS!!! The Temecula Children’s Museum has been selected as a nominee for Nickelodeon’s 2009 Parents’ Pick Award!

This is the second year for this nationally recognized award and nominations are based on recommendations from Nickelodeon’s local city editors. We were notified today.

BAD NEWS!!!!  We are grouped under San Diego, which means that we are competing with their museums like the Space Theater, everything in Balboa Park, etc.

The winners of the award are based on how many on-line votes each nominee receives.

Parents are encouraged to go to http://www.parentsconnect.com/parentspicks! to vote for their favorite.

SO… We need everyone in Temecula to vote for the Temecula Children’s Museum - not once, but every day until July 15!

If you go to the website, you’ll see that we have 1% of the vote while the big S.D. museums have about 43%. But we can make a difference if lots and lots of Temecula residents vote every day until July 15. It seems like a really difficult task, doesn’t it? But knowing how Temeculans stick together, I think we can at least make a big effort!

Truthfully, I am so excited (please forgive if any of this note is a little incoherent!) that I seriously need help from everyone to plan a marketing campaign, since my head is spinning right now. Can any of you who specialize in that sort of thing please volunteer some of your expert help to get the word out and, more importantly, to get people to vote????

I pasted part of the email below - it has the link so you can vote for us. Choose San Diego as the city, click ‘museums’ and then the Temecula Children’s Museum.

Thank you - we really need your support right now to promote Temecula and our very special children’s museum.

Pat Comerchero and the Friends of the Temecula Children’s Museum

www.pennypickles.org

Posted in Anza, Theater, United States of America, Winchester, Inland Empire, California, Riverside County, Old Town Temecula, San Diego, Schools, Temecula, Our Favorite Things, Family Attractions, Murrieta, Wildomar, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, News | Print | No Comments »

June 15, 2009 by PT Rothschild.

“NO FILLA, ALL KILLA” – DJ CIRCA (DGAF)

Lake Elsinore, CA – It has been a long time since I rolled into the Diamond Club for a free beer and a DJ (DJ Louie Ochoa, Classic Cuts, this time), in fact, it was back when an event called ‘Throttle’ was put on at the Storm Stadium in 2002, pretty much at the start of my music writing career. Now this past weekend, looking out over a ball field so green and even Tiger Woods would putt here if he could, I enjoyed another free beer(s) and revisited another ‘throttle’ style event. The author of this venture wasn’t a cool, rich MX rider named Steve who rode with folks you read about in the industry mags. This time the minds behind the event were one Travis Siflinger, ‘Mr. Dirt Alliance’ and his promoter, Ivan McClain, of Ivan Promotions, who I’ve rolled with on past music adventures, but more on Travis in the companion piece. First bear with me for a little historical background on the demographic found in the ‘dirt’. In the MSM, there is much ado about the stars, the connected, the middle class, and the minorities, rich or poor, honest or dishonest, but there is one group of people who have been ignored and maybe a little misunderstood too. Had there been no racism set into orchestrated living patterns, this group would be the white kids living next door to the black kids that are the first generation in that family to graduate collage. This is the group that falls through the cracks of notice. In a perfect world, if you have an N.A.A.C.P. then you would have an N.A.A.W.P. But this isn’t a perfect world; however, in the midst of the way Satan would spin the world by deceit, God sprinkles the world with His sense of humor that I call ‘paradox’.


Remember that point. This unnoticed demographic, the ‘bottom of the bottom’ segment gravitated toward mechanical things in the past the way other cultural segments used sports or entertainment to gain recognition. Over time and further sifting brought about separation of this demo into a class of boaters, and a class of inlanders with dirt hot rods. Now the sons of this inland demo have branched into a huge underground market with a culture all its own. The ‘Bros’ are the scene kids at the heart of this underground culture, though the ‘bro’ look also extends into the hardcore and straight edge underground markets. In the dirt world, what used to be the world of Glamis (‘desert rats’) has now spread through the neighborhoods of suburbia. Eminem with his edge are the flashpoint and inspiration for the ‘white boy hip-hop’ music culture that bookends one end of this dirt underground while marijuana bookends the other end. In simple terms, this scene is almost a mirror image of the black hip-hop culture (except with different beats and melody flows) but with less reaction to outsiders coming in because this scene also ties in to the motor sports. Like black pride, white pride is high in the hood, but a lot less bitchy than gay pride from the rainbow hood. It is from this ‘hot rod’ stock that the U.S. has drawn steady on for drafts and soldiers for the wars. Now like most sub-groups honed by current events, a strong political vein is present, though the ‘white boy hip-hop’ portion is more into holding on to the home turf, partying, sexing, and fighting rather than shooting. As the most political music rap/hip-hop group that brought heat Saturday night said, “We don’t vote, and we don’t complain,” showing not naiveté but a realistic isolation away from ‘the Establishment’. “You’re either with us, or against us. And if you’re against us, Whaaaa! Fuck U!” (- DGAF.)  When you stir in the natural handsomeness of many of the young people who live in Southern California, add girls who have visual Latino influences to the Viking mix of straw haired platinum pin-up babes showing mid-riffs and being cheeky, happening on a early fall-like weather night (thanks ‘June gloom’), the event becomes like a late summer concert in Iowa, only without the rides, for wholesomeness, and also like a block party back in the days of early Motown (crowd-wise, both in dress and actions). Away from the stages people wandered through the middle two merchant aisles that featured the many logo clothing companies there to sell their wearable artwork. The logo label names say much about the mindset found in this particular youth centered culture. ‘Lost’, ‘Outlaw Industries’, ‘Fatal’, ‘Controversy’, ‘Corrupt’, ‘Sullen’, ‘Hostility’, ‘Pure White Clothing’, ‘Dirt Tour’, and, of course, ‘Skin’,  with only the name brand of Mickey Thompson Performance Tires to show the hot-rod roots of this new side culture that anchors on Tony Hawk, Brian Deegan, Mike Metzger, and Ryan Johnson, among others, with many of these old schoolers also founding a clothing company logo label that paved the way for others to see past traditional vocations for income. Out in the parking lot there was a ramp set up allowing different kids, all teenagers, to practice and pop wheelies on their 250cc FMX motorbikes as fathers looked on. At one end of the vendor area was the main stage, the same Ernie Ball Stage from Warped Tour that I last saw Animo (now Heart ‘n’ Soul Radio) on two years ago. At the other end was the smaller Addicted2Riding stage, presumably for hip-hop artists. Our RV was parked over behind the EB stage so after a look-see for a lay of the land, I rarely ventured back out past the main stage area except to return to see who won the battle of the MC systems between 103.9 FM and the cool dude at the ‘4130 Clothing’ tent. ‘Molly chrome’ won.

The show opened with a couple of MCs and a DJ who did a very short set, ending it with a “Fuck you, if you don’t like it”, showing the ‘line in the sand’ rap attitude, think ‘Gangs of New York’ done ‘So Cali’ 21^st Century urban style. Passing the J King set back stage, I was back for Divide The Day, recently signed to a major label (Universal) record deal. Billy, the band’s bass player had his parents in attendance as did fellow friend and Inverse bass player, Paul. The sound was crisp for Divide The Day and the original straight ahead rock ‘n’ roll outlaw, think Sunset Strip, sound drew in a nice crowd to listen. DTD rocked it and got a small gaggle of girl fans to dance down front. The power ballads really gave the afternoon that Iowawegian feel to it and smoothed out the aggressive hip-hop edge. Besides the record deal, a hit single from DTD, ‘One Night Stand’, is in rotation on X103.9FM and 105.9FM. After this it was time for Inverse and I took photos for Corie who wanted to dance. The crowd gathered in somewhat but decidedly could have been bigger though radio spots and more ad co-ops done in all available markets coupled with some form of discount, like a ‘2-fer’ ticket for these lean economic times. Still, the crowd that was there enjoyed the set and danced because Inverse is always a good rock show live. However, the next group, DGAF, a ‘white boy hippy-hop’ group from Hermosa Beach, part of the famous South Bay area, represents the culture ‘where the dirt meets the sand and took the night back to the hip-hop groove. DGAF provides the paradox I spoke of earlier in that the funky rhythmic melodies that are layered over the aggressive lyrics bring about both a circling mosh pit and young girls gyrating their buns into their boyfriends’ crotch to the beat of the turntable music. Ah, those house parties of long ago, but just like the funky heat in those days, these days the raw funky sound is felt in a group like DGAF, which stands for ‘don’t give a fuck’, on the hottest underground label there is right now, Suburban Noize Records. The group’s philosophy is put out straight from the opening lyrics, ‘if you’re down on your luck, feeling rich with one buck yeah, D-Gaf, D-Gaf, if you don’t give a fuck, staying drunk as fuck, then yeah, D-Gaf, D-Gaf, either ride with us, or collide with us’. The heavy funk bass line booming under the top of the tamping head and hand motions brought in a tight crowd that knew the Suburban Noize Records label group. At first just ChuckyChuck, Gillies (Gil-lees), and SaintDog, with DJ Circa working the ‘tables’, were driving the crowd, but after a few songs and some ‘Burning Man’ style hottie dancers, BigHoss, a rapper in whiteface makeup with black stitch mouth makings, a belt loop bandana, and an ornate blond wood cane from Jamaica, joined the group and the stage show cranked it up another notch. Being down front in a four person deep belt of people with the pit behind us gave me a chance to chat with ‘Crazy’ Angie Martinez, a petite hottie there with her boyfriend Josh. She brought me up to date on the guys being her faves, sang and moved to the words/chorus, and had that left coast ‘Westside Story’ look to her. From the video of ‘Knuckle Up’ I knew this band had a raw pit-bull ‘throw down’ energy that went out unharnessed. I expected the pit and the ‘bro’ stomp. What I didn’t expect was the ‘groovin’ couple-up scene hittin’ it to the funky R&B verve. For me, it shows the music has come full circle. This is the N.A.A.W.P. edition of R&B. Damn well! More on this group in the review of their CD. After a finale of FMX with jumps you could see from the stage area, the headliners, Unwritten Law, hit the stage. UL didn’t disappoint as the largest crowd of the night gathered to listen with a large pit being hollowed out in the midst of it. Though the sound could have been clearer, perhaps DGAF had melted the dials, the band still got both couples dancing to their power ballads at the same time as the bros moshed counterclockwise. At this point even Paul (Inverse) entered the pit for awhile as did several models that stayed dead center as the mayhem in motion circled around them. UL had the wildest drummer of any act, and with his long hair flailing, added that flair to the guitars full sound and stadium band look. When the mosh pit continued to songs like ‘Up All Night’ and ‘My Fault’, you see that it is the culture, not the songs that bring out the mosh pit, which for me was an interesting observation. A highlight of UL’s set for me was the acoustic opening lead-in to the song ‘Sinner’, of which there is a video out. Before the night was over, I had seen my share of ‘rat-tails’ validating an earlier season’s observation (search Faraway, CA in the archives). All in all, it was a good night, a good show, and a good crowd.

Posted in Hemet, Cars, Christianity, Arizona, Fallbrook, Sports, Inland Empire, Motorcycles, California, Corona, Orange County, Riverside County, Perris, Moreno Valley, Our Favorite Things, Temecula, Family Attractions, Food, Music, Murrieta, Wildomar, San Diego, United States of America, San Bernadino, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, News | Print | No Comments »

June 11, 2009 by PT Rothschild.

ANOTHER HUGE SHOW SET FOR LAKE ELSINORE


Lake Elsinore, CA – Once again the city of Lake Elsinore will be the place to be if you like to see hot models, cool trucks, and killer music, as the Dirt Alliance’s Dirt Tour officially gets underway. Spring boarding off last weekend’s Trevi event, (see preceding story and pictures about the VooDoo Glow Skulls show), Ivan Promotions is spearheading the latest stage of the Dirt Tour’s series by presenting Unwritten Law at the Lake Elsinore Storm Baseball Stadium. This show will be the biggest thing to hit the stadium since the Throttle Event back on a late fall Saturday in 2002. Besides lifted trucks at the RBP off-road show, a Skin model shoot, a No Fear lifestyle showcase, there will also be plenty of FMX thrill rides to see put on by Addicted 2 Riding, a mass amount of vendors to get your summer wardrobe tight, bros and bro-bettes, cold beer (21+), all rolled into a fat music joint for your listening pleasure. If you were at the Mickey Avalon Perris Speedway extravaganza, then you know what I’m talking about. If you weren’t, ask your big brother about it or see it here at this link. This show is making only one other stop and that is in Las Vegas on August 15^th, so see it here and skip the drive. The hours are 5PM-10PM, so there is plenty of time for an after party at the pool of someone you know, or time to sleep before church on Sunday (seriously). Besides Unwritten Law, a band that comes from the neighborhood of the KMK (Kottonmouth Kings), the music line-up also features J-King, DGAF, Inverse, and Divide The Day to get your rap and rock on. For more info and videos on the bands, see this link and get ready for five hours for intense, dirty, summer fun.

Posted in Hemet, Christianity, Perris, Cars, Sports, Motorcycles, Riverside County, Inland Empire, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Family Attractions, Food, Music, Our Favorite Things, Temecula, Wildomar, Murrieta, News | Print | No Comments »

June 8, 2009 by PT Rothschild.

UNIT F HONORS BIPSY IN SONG TITLED ‘HEATHER’

Lake Elsinore, CA – In the most ambitious music show effort to date, Ivan Promotions with Dirt Alliance launched the Jeremy Lusk Benefit - VooDoo Glow Skulls all day music event at the Trevi Entertainment Complex Saturday June 6^th. It was two shows under one big top, with an all day music show headlining the VooDoo Glow Skulls and then a club party featuring the model search contest finale for the 2009 Dirt Alliance Babe, live hip-hop, and DJ friend of Jessica Simpson, Joy Basu, along with the dance troupe Booniez. What a night! Though I wound up at an after party a bit shortly after the Skulls ended their set, I can tell you it was a night of fun, meeting new friends, and learning about a new growing sport before being pranked ‘onstage’ by Madlins (coffee shop) alumni, Strike Twelve. To really cover the ‘full value’ of this event, which is the lead-in to this weekend’s DA’s Dirt Tour show headlining Unwritten Law at the Storm Stadium, I am presenting this story in two parts, with the second part being about the purpose of the benefit. But now, back to part one, the music and the mayhem.

It has been awhile since I have been up to the Trevi. The first and last time was when the band Space Man Jack did their ‘finale’ show (see archives), and Saturday I learned the SMJ will be doing another ‘finale’, or maybe reunion show, there again in two weeks. Since I was there last, a real stage and sound board booth have been added. The curved lip stage is at least 30’x 20’ (unofficial), fully carpeted, and has enough mics for a nine piece band, which Defunked was. The sound, though it had its ‘hum’ problems on some sets, did not overpower your eardrums and leave you deaf, even if you were standing front stage center. The room itself, nestled next to a long lounge style bar, had good acoustics with no bounce back, and when you were outside in the bowling alley areas or in one of the arcades, there was no carry-over of music sound. In short, the Trevi Complex is sweeeet; a great, total family experience, and the security makes sure all the patrons keep the front door exits unblocked and smoke free without being Gestapo about it, a definite plus. With the comment, “You don’t expect this in Lake Elsinore” comes the reply, “That’s because outsiders built it”, giving you a glimpse into some of the back story mindset reason for the show’s rescheduling from March 28^th.

As sometimes happens, band line-ups change almost right up to show time, so I checked the latest line-up and found a last minute addition of the ska band, Failed to Victory, which featured the lead singer, Adrian Marquez, from Set For Stun, a band that appeared at the Temecula Music Fest several weeks back. FTV opened the all day

music show. The seven piece blasted out a friendly and funky ska sound for the early crowd. Then it was some old friends from the early shows at Madlins back in the day, A Simple Ending, who are more alternative rock than punk. They confided that they are making more serious music now after taking some time off. Next up it was Kirby and the Hellraisers who played about three songs before raising so much hell, they blew out their drum kit. During this time I made friends with Janet who was there with her ‘first date’ friend, Chuck. This was interesting because Janet is good friends with Mel of Unit F.
Mel had commented on a Bipsy story I wrote and said he was going to do a song in honor of Bipsy and two other people he had known of whom were also killed by stalker men who professed to love them. Janet was originally just there was Unit F and the first date, but I told her she had to stay for the Skulls if she was truly into punk and ska. Defunked, the nine piece I mentioned earlier came out and proved my point, because I saw her and Chuck dancing to the ska beat near the front of the stage. Everyone I talked to who had never seen the Trevi before were impressed by it and that included the musicians playing there for the first time. Trusting my beer cup and story notes with Janet and Chuck, her Pomona, him Fontana, I dashed out to spend some quality time with scene friends Corie and Moriah, who was ‘joyful’ in her own ‘cross-bones’ way. For those of you who don’t know, the ladies are spending time with Ivan (Ivan Promotions) and Paul (Inverse band) respectively. During the break, I missed Seenless, though I have seen more of the band before. Popping back in, the joint was jumping, as Mel put Unit F through their paces, and Janet and Chuck through theirs. Leading into the song ‘Heather’, Mel spoke true heartfelt words about the tragic loss of life due to some screwed up domestic partner and talked about Bipsy by name. Seeing as these guys are from the real OC (yep, Orange County, CA, beeyoches), I thought that was a cool as hell thing to do. The other thing that was cool as hell about this band, er, besides the hard-driving old school punk sound dripping with raw political insight (yeah, real punk, not poser punk), was the T-shirt on the bass player, which said, ‘Homosexuality Prevents Teen Pregnancy’. With all the Prop 8 hysteria going on, it was good to see a positive message about people who are obviously part of God’s plan or they wouldn’t be here now, would they? So I decided this was a band to talk to behind the music (and I was right, which be covered in a side review story). I didn’t get to talk to Janet after the band, but I could see her smile across the room, and I think that Chuck had also worked up a sweat. Around this time someone handed me an ‘Adios Motherfu*ker’, correctly identified by IP’s video man Jamaal (he knows the color of his drinks), and the night began to get its swerve on right. Then it was time for more old friends and a new one, well two, actually. Anyway, Strike Twelve took the stage and the threesome was now a foursome. The boys have added a second guitar to the group and the sound has really expanded because of it, plus it gives Matt a chance to really be a ‘frontman’. Not only that, but the band was serious in their set, well, serious for them anyway. For those who have read my reviews from the days when they played Madlins, you know there were nights when they were serious about playing and having fun with the audience and times when they were just having fun, kind of like an open band practice. When they are serious, well as serious as they can be, they are really fun to watch and be part of the show. Of course I didn’t know just how much a part of the show I was going to be, or a part of Matt’s fantasy (Hah, and no I’m not going to tell you. If you missed the show, well, that’s your fault and your missed opportunity). As they went through a very entertaining set, a somewhat tiny ‘tomboy’ named ‘the Dude’ climbed the stage, snapping pictures everywhere and also from down front, the second new friend after the new guitarist. Later research would reveal ‘the Dude’ to be a Roller Derby girl, hence the nimbleness and fearlessness. It was also around this point in time that Ivan brought out on stage the contestants all vying for 2009 Dirt Alliance Babe title. Then it was time for No Dice, who put on a slicked-back hair, wife-beater wearing, rockabilly show that had the stand-up bass not only being stood-up on atop the stage right EVI stack, but also showed the bass player could play the massive instrument behind his back like the way Jimi Hendrix played his guitar. This was something different and new from the show at the TMFest and another reason why ‘live music is your BEST entertainment value’. The ‘rockingabillies’ whipped the audience to a lather and set them up for the VooDoo Glow Skulls, which are set to set their latest tour in about a week. This time the long running ska band from Riverside not only did their classic quick change variable tempo songs but played a couple of more commercially themed single tempo songs that I really liked. However, whatever they played, the audience (and I) kept up and kept the beat. I was planning to actually talk to the band more after their set, though I did say ‘Hi’ to the lead singer, renewing my acquaintance from the Riverside March 28^th show, but my press professionalism had said ‘Adios …’ So after a couple of quick bites of some really tasty Trevi veggie pizza I yoinked from Corie, I skipped the club show which had started, and was off to the after party back in the Murrieta area, but guess who was there besides a great ‘flip-cup’ competition, Strike Twelve and ‘the Dude’ whose real name is Manda. We partied hardy and she got us, well, three of us anyway, to show our boobs, which in our case, are nips. But then, how can you say ‘no’ to a cute tomboy Roller Derby girl when you’re drunk? The answer is, you just can’t.

(Photos 3, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15 - 20 Manda ‘the Dude’; all others PT Rothschild)

Posted in Riverside, Hemet, Perris, Inland Empire, Ontario, Corona, Riverside County, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Family Attractions, Food, Music, Our Favorite Things, Temecula, Wildomar, Murrieta, News | Print | No Comments »

June 4, 2009 by PT Rothschild.

BENEFIT FOR JEREMY LUSK FAMILY ALL DAY AT TREVI COMPLEX

Lake Elsinore, CA – Ivan Promotions and Travis Siflinger’s Dirt Alliance/Dirt Tour are pulling out all the stops this weekend, Saturday, June 6^th, in putting on the benefit for Jeremy Lusk’s family and the Athlete Recovery Fund, which was originally set for March 28^th. Now all the roadblock dunes have been jumped in Lake Elsinore and the mega show has the green light. Headlining are the Voodoo Glow Skulls (see archive story for VGS info/review from the relocated March 28^th show) atop a pyramid of local talent featuring punk, rockabilly and hardcore rock.

Featured are No Dice with their killer stand- up/stand-on bass (see ‘wonder wall’ pics from ‘Holy Ghost, Batman…’), Lake Elsinore’s Ready For Vegas, T-Town’s Strike Twelve, also Unit F, DeFunKeD, Seenless, The Hellraisers, Skamikaze, and Murr-ville’s A Simple Ending. And it doesn’t stop there for music. The all day (2PM-10PM) extravaganza will also have DJ Joy Basu, Tattoo Junkies doing live Hip-hop, Hi NRG electric mashups with live guitars, along with house, trip-hop, and electro at the Dirt Tour Pre-Party along with Master Splinter and the Shredders and dance troup BOONIEZ.


But wait! There’s more. Dirt Alliance is doing their 2009 Model contest featuring home grown ‘eye candy’ for the sweet tooth of everyone who enjoys So Cali curves like the ones showcased in David Lee Roth’s song video, ‘California Girls’. Show $15, Pre-Party $15. But now the GOOD NEWS. If you already purchased a ticket for the original March 28^th fundraiser show, you have FREE access to the Skulls/music show (2-10PM) AND the Dirt Tour Pre-Party (10PM-2AM, 18+Bar(21+up). That’s right, Sports Fans! All March 28^th tickets will get you in FREE to both events, as long as you meet the age requirements of the pre-party event.

This IS the next BIG event for all you ‘party hounds’ so you better be there, be there, be there. And you can help support a very good cause in honoring one the ‘stars’ from this valley, Jeremy Lusk. Remember, party now, cause 2012 ain’t that far away. Be sure and click twice on right side poster link to expand it full size. You’ll be glad you did.

Posted in Fallbrook, Perris, Moreno Valley, Hemet, Sports, Inland Empire, Winchester, Riverside, San Bernadino, Menifee, Family Attractions, Food, Music, Our Favorite Things, Temecula, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Murrieta, News | Print | No Comments »