[ Music Index | Metro Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]

Notes From the Underground
By Arwen Curry

Catching an Airwave: KZSC entrepreneurs plan a live compilation of local and touring talent THREE TOURING INDIE ENSEMBLES brought fans to the 320A house on Friday. Project Hate opened up its set in a temperature that, despite the late hour, recalled the thermal core of the sun. It was followed by Shahrazad, a four-piece who backed its screechy, dramatic vocals nicely with two fast guitars. The band's velocity was summarily one-upped by headliners Jenny Piccolo, who startled even the initiated with a pace that would shame a Lear jet and 30-second songs--there was no doubt that the former members of Mohinder did justice to their own precedent. Some showgoers, suffering from elevated blood pressure, went to wind down afterwards at the Muggs' Karaoke fest across town. When the fans aren't enjoying a rare show like Friday's, they can turn to our local airwaves for consolation. Matt Peake, along with SC musician Grimace (Nexus 6, Portraits of Past), DJs the Technophobic Planet show on KZSC and has been planning for over a year to produce a sampler CD for the station comprised of in-house performances by hard-core and indie bands. Many of the out-of-town bands who have played recently at the 320A house and the Basement have made an extra stopover to play on the show--and be recorded for the upcoming CD. The project will not neglect local bands, however. Andy Pittman, who hosts his own Reverend Brady's Rock 'n' Roll Revue, is contributing to the sampler with a focus on local bands, whom he has been recording since last summer. "It is time," he asserts, "for KZSC to prove it is one of the top college radio stations in the country." While Peake intends to stick to the musical style he most firmly believes in, Pittman is more interested in supporting a wider variety of local acts, including, perhaps, hip-hop and other genres. We can expect KZSC to release the eclectic compilation in the fall as a nonprofit endeavor to support the station, the participating bands, and the underground, underrepresented music scene in general. Upcoming On Friday, Royal Crown Revue does Palookaville ($10, 16 and up) and Oppressed Logic, Chemical Imbalance, The Ranters and The Forgotten play in town (all ages, contact NFU for details). Also on Friday at the 320A house, see Static Faction and the Gashers (7pm, donations asked, all ages). On Saturday, Angry Samoans, Oppressed Logic, 25 Ta Life, Lost Cause and The Undecided play at the Vet's Hall (7pm, all ages)--or see 33&1/3 and Meat Pizza Sandwich at The Corner Pocket (30th and Portola, 7pm, free). Naked Aggression, Final Conflict, Oppressed Logic and the Misanthropists rock Sunday at the Skate Station (1855 East Ave., Sand City, all ages). On KZSC, check out live performances by The Huxtables on Saturday (10pm) and Scenic Vermont on Monday (8:30pm). [ Metro Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]