"Our [Ticketmaster] contract is up, and we haven't renewed." 'Canes owner Eric Leitstein is in the process of deciding whether to continue his involvement with the monolithic ticket company. In the running to replace Ticketmaster …

Last week 4th & B general manager Ray Johnson confirmed rumors that he and owner Ali Nilforshan were likely to turn over the booking of the 1500-seat downtown nightclub to either House of Blues or …

FM-94/9's program director claims that 91X has cut the New York band Interpol from 91X's playlist. The reason? According to Garrett Michaels, it's because 91X was "upset that we were being allowed to simulcast their …

The Morrison Hotel Gallery owes its name to a downtown L.A. hotel where Henry Diltz photographed what became the cover of the 1970 Doors album. Diltz's work anchors this new La Jolla gallery that offers …

Dane Scott, lead singer of Tubby, got a rude surprise when he returned with his band at 5 a.m. on March 11 to the parking lot adjacent to the Mission Beach roller coaster. "There were …

"We are ten guys and a girl, [all] under the age of 21, playing traditional swing," said keyboardist Dave Martina, a member of High Stakes Swing. "The only other band I know that plays swing …

"It was just too hard to keep people from drinking." Nicholas Lynch explains why he had to pull the plug on Hellfire House, the punk venue that he ran out of his Vista carpentry shop. …

The Queens of the Stone Age, Lenny Kravitz, and Gwen Stefani are three headliners who are expected to be in the lineup when the House of Blues San Diego officially announces its first lineup on …

"When 4th & B opened [in 1996], everybody expected the Belly Up to curl up and die, but it didn't," said 4th & B general manager Ray Johnson, who claims he isn't worried about the …

Guitarist Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham joined Social Distortion when cofounder Dennis Danell died five years ago. Before that he played in the Cadillac Tramps. "We used to come down and play Iguanas," he said, referring …

Jaimie Chambers, 25, is the youngest on-air personality at KTLA Channel 5. He's also guitarist in the local band Windsor, which includes three Torrey Pines High graduates. Chambers files news segments and does a daily …

"I was chased down, called [an expletive], and stabbed. I assume they were white supremacists." Rapper/blues guitarist Jae Strawbridge, 25, had just spoken with Johan Acevedo, managing partner of the Longshot bar in San Marcos, …

"I hydroplaned on the road and hit the back of this red truck." Murphy Martin, 16, singer/guitarist with the band Muff, was on the road on a rainy February 19, heading north. "I dented the …

"He's got it if he wants it," said Mike McSweeney, marketing director of Qualcomm Stadium, about Street Scene promoter Rob Hagey. "We have July 29 and 30 on hold." Joe Callahan, spokesman for Hagey, would …

"We all have children, and I think it's a good time to be home with them." Without the knowledge of Rick DeVoe Management, which oversees blink-182's business, drummer Travis Barker called up radio station KROQ, …

"He was the best so far," said one Infinity/CBS employee about the auditions for a Stern replacement. The former Van Halen lead singer recently tried out as a nighttime talk-show host at FM talk station …

Keyboard player Lester Alvarez was detained for 25 days five years ago when he immigrated from Cuba while playing with a 12-piece salsa band. "I said I am a Cuban refugee.... They put me in …

According to Troy Johnson on February 3's Fox Rox, "In March Clear Channel Communications is going to spin off four of its San Diego stations, including 91X. Our inside source says that 91X is being …

Questions about the future of Poway's most successful musical group began to percolate after the trio blew off a well-publicized tsunami benefit concert last Friday at the Pond in Anaheim that featured Linkin Park, No …

"I know atheists who love gospel music." Lord Chris, 56, is now on Tijuana's XRCN (1470 AM) as of February. "We are the only English-speaking show on that station." Heard Sundays from 7 to 8 …

"He's dead in the water," said an insider last week about recent developments concerning Mike Glickenhaus and his attempts to purchase Clear Channel's Mexican stations. "He can't get the money. I heard he paid a …

Jeff Gaulton, a talent buyer who used to book the now-defunct Bacchanal from 1983 to 1990 and has been the talent buyer at 4th & B for the last seven years, has moved into that …

"If moshing begins, the concert ends right there," says Aliah Lieras, recreation program supervisor with the City of Santee. "If the bands aren't supportive of the rule, they won't be asked back. Our staff tech …

David Swift, vice president and general manager of House of Blues Concerts for San Diego, just signed a new multi-year contract to stay in San Diego and oversee his local staff of 12, despite their …

"We were the Numbskulls from 1994 to 2000," said Skillet, lead singer of the Oceanside punk band now called Wanted Dead. "We figured we had the rights [to the name] when we put out the …

"I...build a stage. It takes me all day to set up for a show and all day the next day to put it back the way it was." By day Nicholas Lynch is a carpenter. …

The music for the locally produced Clown Porn DVD was scored entirely by Chris Spoto's five-man band, Little Big Porn. Spoto is the lead singer and plays theremin. Spoto says all of his future Ramco …

Local talking head Bree Walker can be seen on HBO series Carnivale. She plays a circus sideshow character called Sabina the Scorpion Lady, which debuted last season and can be seen in three upcoming shows …

"My band was the first to put on an all-ages show there," said guitarist Brandon Turner of Parkhurst about the Jumping Turtle in San Marcos. "We played there before for a 21-and-up crowd, and we …

"I'm going to replace her." Belly Up Tavern owner Steve Goldberg says he will miss Diana Martinez, who is leaving her position as Belly Up talent buyer after ten years. Not counting owner/founder Dave Hodges, …

The recent Arbitron ratings showed that the three local rock stations -- Rock 105, 91X, FM-94/9 -- each showed a significant decrease in listeners for the October-through-December quarter. Rock 105 lost 41 percent of its …

Mower drummer Dan Harper has been found after being missing for five days. The Oceanside Police Department said Harper has been found and is at Tri City Hospital. Sergeant Rick Favela would not disclose Harper's …

"The only F-word I wanted to say was 'freedom,' " says Mojo Nixon in response to KGB exec Mike Thomas's quote in the San Diego Business Journal January 10 about why KGB lost its afternoon-drive …

Insiders say Joe Flammini, whose Ocean Beach coffeehouse played an integral part in launching the careers of Atlantic recording artists Jason Mraz and Jewel, has sold his latest business, Java Joe's Pub. The California Alcoholic …

Until recently, 4th & B was controlled by Pacific Entertainment LLC, which had 15 owners. Now one of those owners, Ali Nilforshan of Del Mar, is buying out the other 14. Nilforshan was not available …

"Our guitar player, Mason Boogie, borrowed his roommate's pink girl's bike. He went to the store in OB to buy food. He got pulled over by the cops, and they said they had a report …

Veteran 91X DJ Steve West is open about his upcoming prostate cancer surgery. On a recent Resurrection Sunday show, West told his listeners why he would not be on the air in February. He expects …

"We bounced Willie." Hindquarter owner Joe Ellis says he has decided not to invite promoter Willie Carter back after a December 17 show at his restaurant on Miramar Road featuring D.I., American Made, and the …

Concerts by blink-182 grossed more last year than tours by Kiss, the Eagles, Norah Jones, or Bob Dylan. Proving that backyard Poway parties may not be a bad place from which to launch a career, …

"Madonna, Bono, Sting, Cher. None of them are here, but in the great tradition of one-name stars like those, there's a new one about to burst on the music scene, and you're lucky enough to …

"We used to play acoustic delta blues on the corner of Prospect and Herschel. We would put on really nice suits and shine our shoes and look like we didn't need the money. But we'd …

"I just want my money or my CDs back." The owner of a local record label says he was burned by the abrupt closing of a CD store that operated for five months out of …

A new Tijuana music venue called Voodoo House opened three months ago. It is booked by Mario Velasco, a longtime Ensenada promoter who moved up to Tijuana to run the Voodoo House with partner Pedro …

The Planet (103.7 FM) and its sister station, soft-rock KYXY (96.5 FM), are installing the Audio Vault system, where songs and commercials are digitally stored as computer files. Presently the Planet and KYXY depend on …

After putting out No Cover magazine for seven years, Mark Rasmussen suspended publication of his free all-music magazine in July. Now No Cover is back with a new format (all glossy), a price ($2.99), and …

Will Coors Amphitheater, SDSU's Cox Arena, and SDSU's Open Air Theater be swallowed up by Clear Channel? The publisher of a major concert industry publication says that is very likely. "[Clear Channel] would seem like …

"Artists should definitely report to Soundscan." That's a tip from Eli Spector, an executive with 33rd Street Records, about the national tracking service that releases weekly sales figures of barcoded CDs sold through retail outlets. …

Travis Ryan, singer with Cattle Decapitation, says he smuggles band merchandise (shirts, stickers, and more) into shows when he is on tour so that the band doesn't have to pay the traditional 20 percent cut …

"They are taking personal stabs at Roxy because she is white. To say that someone does not have a rightful place in a certain sector of the music business based on race, in the year …

"It always happens the Wednesday before Christmas. Last year Clear Channel fired 20 people. The year before that it was 34. And it was always right before Christmas." That's from a local radio employee. On …