Mark Alan Hamilton bought a downtown record store in 2007 (Fiesta Records) and his timing couldn’t have been worse. Now he says vinyl is making a comeback (probably so we’ll publish an article about his record store).
July 24, 2013
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Stories by Ken Leighton
The flip side of vinyl
When Metaphor Café was crazy bananas busy
Shane Culpeper, a studio owner/producer/promoter, talks about his experience in attempting to bring back the Metaphor Café and how it didn’t work out; he’s still looking for a venue.
July 17, 2013
Which Bad Company is your Bad Company?
KGB/101.5 airs commercials for Bad Company with Paul Rodgers featuring the music of Bad Company with Brian Howe. This is a big deal (to some).
July 10, 2013
Garage offerings
Chris Cote, cofounder/drummer/singer with Kut-U-Up, extols the wonderful offerings of the Garage, a music-and-art venue in Encinitas that opened last year.
July 3, 2013
How supply meets demand at the Wave House
The Wave House in Mission Beach will present Barrington Levy July 4. Promoter Eat.Drink.Sleep is charging only $10 for tickets but will raise the price as the date comes closer.
July 3, 2013
Hip-hop shop opens in downtown Vista
Darrell Waterman remembers the names of the local hip-hop artists who drove a healthy local hip-hop scene when he was in high school (Oceanside’s El Camino, class of 2002). “The old-school cats that inspired me …
June 26, 2013
Bats, cats, pigs, and kangaroos
Dallas McLaughlin says his days in Bad Credit (a comedy hip-hop crew that thrived at local clubs from 2002 to 2008) led to his hook-up with the Aquabats TV show and with an upcoming Padres post-game show on Fox Sports San Diego.
June 19, 2013
John Moores: Radio King?
Former Padres owner John Moores reputedly in talks to buy radio stations 91X and FM94/9.
June 5, 2013
The Mar Dels are 30 years strong but still backup-singer-challenged
“December 31, 1982, was the last New Year’s Eve that we didn’t work. Last year we played the Hotel Del. We’re booked to go back again this year.” Mar Dels founder Doug Allen admits he …
May 29, 2013
As I Lay Dying in jail
A recounting of the arrest of As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis, suspected of attempting to hire a hit man to kill his wife.
May 22, 2013
Kona Kai relaunch
Former Humphrey’s talent-buyer Shawna Aguirre hopes to revitalize Kona Kai as the hotel’s entertainment director.
May 15, 2013
What 4th&B will be
John Lyons, one of the owners of the venue who will take over 4th&B, has an unusual challenge. He will be competing for business with the nearby House of Blues, a chain he cofounded with …
May 8, 2013
Cody Lovaas drops in
Carlsbad resident Cody Lovaas, 14, begins his recording career with Hurley and Bill Silva Management.
May 1, 2013
Elephant vanishes in Carlsbad
Carlsbad’s Flying Elephant closes; to reopen as a British-style pub but with no bands.
April 17, 2013
Redefining awesome
The 4th&B concert hall was forced to close in December following the eviction of business owners Vince and Judy Puma. The Pumas were hit by lawsuits from building owner Crown Investments and former owner Ali …
April 17, 2013
No age limit for rock
Jensen Rufe was a 1991 graduate of rock and roll high. “The guys in blink-182 were a little younger than us,” says Rufe about Poway High. “But we were pretty much the same age as …
April 3, 2013
Brandon Van Ekelenburg was a very angry kid
Brandon Van Ekelenburg (aka Van Brando) switched from heavy metal to rapping.
March 13, 2013
Soulless P.B.
The building formerly known as Canes and then SoundWave is coming back as a club, but with less emphasis on big-name concerts.
February 20, 2013
Brother Walrus
Longtime San Diego DJ Rich “Brother” Robbin, back on the air at 105.7/The Walrus.
February 13, 2013
Underground burlesque
Interview with lounge singer David Patrone, who has teamed up with cabaret and burlesque dancers.
February 13, 2013
No changes afoot after arrest of Humphreys’ talent buyer
Talent buyer/manager of Humphreys Backstage Lounge, Jeremiah Smith, was arrested for felony drunk driving. Will that change the Shelter Island venue’s ability to book shows?
February 6, 2013
B Street rave
4th&B nightclub may reopen, this time as a dance club featuring electronic music.
January 16, 2013
Leucadia’s Calypso Cafe closes
The Calypso Cafe, which opened in Leucadia in 1995 and featured music seven nights a week for most of its existence, held its final show this New Year’s Eve. Located in a converted house, the …
January 16, 2013
Pardon our dust
Little Italy venue Anthology to close in 2013 for repairs and renovations
December 12, 2012
4th & beyond
With the court’s recent 4th&B verdict, will Public Enemy still take the stage at the downtown venue on December 12?
December 5, 2012
Death-metal support group
Interview with Ghoulgotha founder/guitarist Wayne Sarantopoulos about death doom metal.
November 28, 2012
Is this mic on?
Are Arbitron’s Portable People Meters fairly measuring the San Diego listenership of FM 94/9?
November 20, 2012
I call it blunk
SDSU student/musician Ariel Schwartz says Associated Students has stopped paying to host bands and only includes DJs for entertainment.
November 20, 2012
It's a raid!
Show Palace gets raided by multiple agencies on night of Alejandra Guzman show. Nothing was found, show proceeded. Insiders suggest state bureau of Alcoholic Beverage Control was exerting pressure.
November 7, 2012
Your Guy Doesn't Spit Fire
Jason Lee of Oceanside started doing Kiss tributes 36 years ago. “I remember being six years old and putting the pillows in a semicircle around the couch like a stage. I would air drum with …
October 24, 2012
Commercials: The New Frontier
Vokab Kompany and other San Diego bands sign on to do jingles for Metropolitan Transit District.
October 17, 2012
Black Moses
Hip-hop promoter Reggie Sinatra to bring Talib Kweli to the Show Palace, a Latin-music venue.
October 10, 2012
Shepard Fairey's Graphic Activities
Shepard Fairey avoids a six-month prison sentence for lying to prosecutors.
October 3, 2012
End of Metaphor
Metaphor Cafe closes its doors after an August 26 show , at which police showed up and found minors drinking alcohol.
September 19, 2012
Punk-Rock High
Premiere of Music High, a film inspired by Tom Voris of the Fabulous Rudies.
August 8, 2012
Rapping Sailors
Matt January, formerly a Navy man, talks about the rap act he honed while aboard on the USS Nimitz.
July 18, 2012
Stiff Drinks, Bad Carpeting
Bar Leucadian gets its music permit revoked due to cocaine sales on the premises.
July 11, 2012
Cantautor Latino Snubs Carlos Olmeda
Singer-songwriter Carlos Olmeda showed up ahead of time to perform at the San Diego County Fair. He was told he was too late.
July 4, 2012
Embrace the Suck
Garret Michaels, FM 94/9 program director since ’02, is escorted to the door.
June 27, 2012
Jesus and Mary and Brad
Brad Davidson’s band the Wipers inspired Kurt Cobain to start Nirvana.
June 13, 2012
They Aren't Promoters
Red Wizard gets booted off the band lineup following an article in the Reader.
June 6, 2012
Dark Cloud
Kelly Formaldehyde Facebooked that Ruby Room personnel were rude rude to her. OMG! There went that relationship.
May 30, 2012
Rock and Roll Is About Money
Oceanside hard-rockers Red Wizard find that "it’s hard for a band to get any exposure now unless they’re paying for it."
May 16, 2012
Mom-and-Pop Radio
Tristan Prettyman and Jason Mraz were going to get married. And then he came up with a righteous reason not to. She’s laughing now, though.
May 2, 2012
Sunny Rude Receives Nuisance Noise Citation
After being cited by party-pooping cops, Sunny Rude may have to pay almost $7000 to play about 35 minutes of music.
April 25, 2012
Big Deals at the San Diego County Fair
When the San Diego County Fair paid $80,000 to Gym Class Heroes to be a Grandstand headliner in 2007, one talent buyer said the New York hip-hop quartet was paid $45,000 more than they would …
April 18, 2012
Hard Rock Gives It Away Now
Since October of last year, the Hard Rock Hotel has hosted a once-a-month concert featuring headliners that would normally play Casbah or Belly Up. And the shows are free. The Soundcheck concert series is held …
April 11, 2012
Fatty Weighs In
Fatty Freelunch has been around the block. “We were the first band to play SOMA, and we were the last band when it closed.” Ms. Freelunch is talking about Len Paul’s original south-of-Market venue downtown. …
March 28, 2012