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On a beautiful July weekend, you’re more likely to have too many things to do, like the beach! But if you don’t, OC is hosting great concerts filled with summer jams, old-school dub and ska and local tunes.
Friday:
Definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but reggae rock always seems to be the playlist of summer and Slightly Stoopid with Cypress Hill and Collie Buddz are lighting up the stage at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater tonight. Like to jam? Like to listen to jams? If you have a need for heavy bass to start out your weekend, be sure to swing by.
Door: 6:30 p.m., $15 - $31.25. Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, 8808 Irvine Center Dr., Irvine, All ages. 7/16.
Saturday:
If you have tickets to the Irvine Mud Run tomorrow, you’re in for a treat! The legendary dub group, The Skeletones will be part of the event’s entertainment along with Meet Me At the Pub. After a morning of slipping in mud, there’s no better way to cool down (do you need to cool down after a mud run?), the dancehall grooves of one of the greatest ska bands of the last twenty years are sure to do the trick!
Entertainment: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., free with admission. Irvine Lake. All Ages. 7/17
The 2010 Posse on Broadway: A Downtown Santa Ana Block Party continues its summer series tomorrow with a free outdoor concert featuring Abandoned Pools,Tommy Walter of The Eels and OC locals The Colourist. After the live music from 7-10 p.m. on the 2nd Street Promenade (see above for the Watson Twins performing at the first Posse on Broadway), Proof Bar, Memphis Santora, The Crosby, Gypsy Den and Lola Gaspar are hosting live music with DJ’s and food and drink specials until the last call.
With only one more event remaining in the series (August 21), come visit Downtown Santa Ana on Saturday!
The MLB All-Star game is tonight at 5 p.m. and as riveting as it is to watch a baseball game, non-fans have another reason to watch - the premiere of the new freecreditreport.com bands during the commercials!
Over the past three years, American families and couch potatoes alike have grown to love the quirky freecreditreport.com band in their pirate hats, their crappy cars, and even RenFair garb, but it is time for a new jingle! Experian’s freecreditreport.com, an Orange County-based company, and MTV have sponsored a nationwide search for a new band and have narrowed the field (get it? it’s like baseball!) down to four acts from across the nation: Evolove from Los Angeles, I Love Monsters from New York, The Poets Dance from Chicago, and the online submission by The Victorious Secrets from Sterling Heights, MI.
Each of the four finalists will be featured during the commercials of the FOX broadcast of the MLB All-Star Game to compete for their chance to walk the red carpet at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards and perform on the 2010 VMA Tour. In addition, the winning act will receive a $10,000 check, an exclusive Gibson Guitar prize package, a Pearl Drum kit valued at $12,000 and a studio recording session with music industry veterans.
Voting begins Tuesday, July 13, for America to pick the final winner at www.freecreditscoreband.com. The polls will be open until August 9 and participants can enter a sweepstakes to win one of four Epiphone Casino guitars valued at $1,000 each. One vote per person every 24 hours. Tune in and vote!
Murder By Death seems a bit of a redundant phrase, but yes, its namesake is the 1976 Robert Moore whodunit film. And another misconception about the name Murder by Death: If you’re not familiar, it’d be a logical assumption that the name belonged to some sort of hardcore band (see: Murder City Devils, Kill Your Idols, etc.). But everyone’s always surprised the first time they listen to the four-piece rock band from Bloomington, Indiana—it’s actually more cowboys and rock than death and murder. Though it is true that a tinge of the gothic sound exists within Murder by Death’s music—think the Misfits—especially when paired with singer Adam Turla’s deep, baritone voice oft-compared to Johnny Cash. Murder by Death’s fifth full album release, Good Morning, Magpie, is set for an April 6 release. Murder by Death: Sat., April 10, 9 p.m., $15. Detroit Bar, 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, 949.642.0600. 21+.
Call it the pre-Coachella drain, but sorry to say, there’s not much going on this week. While most of the music world is amping up for three smelly days in the desert, Detroit Bar is still going. Los Angeles’ The Ivy Walls will be performing with Winston and the Telescreen Thursday night. They list their band member as “Ryan, Adam, the Count and Jeff,” and list everyone from the Stone Roses and M83 to jesus and the Mary Chain as their influences—so you can bet that expectedly dreamy sound, with the slightly fuzzy, indiscernible vocals, of course, are definitely there. The Ivy Walls seem to bring a slightly more pop-like element to the droney guitars and shoegaze sound, which make them a band to watch. The Ivy Walls: Thurs., April 8, 9 p.m., $5. Detroit Bar, 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, 949.642.0600. 21+.
Okay, so we know what you’re thinking: These kids look like they’re 14. And, really, the West Palm Beach, Florida band is pretty young in age—having just formed one year ago, Surfer Blood is enjoying the moderate success of being a buzz band right now. John Paul Pitts, TJ Schwarz, Thomas Fekete and Brian Black all range from age 20 through 24, and have already experienced some really, really, really good fortune. After all four members dropped out of college, they embarked on a self-booked North American tour and just so happened to meet all the right movers and shakers that they impressed with their feel good, melodic indie rock that’s a little bit of Weezer, and a little bit of the Flaming Lips—and so it began. After a very successful run at Austin’s South by Southwest (SXSW), Surfer Blood is riding on a wave of hype. Oh, and bonus: Turbo Fruits, which features two members from the now deceased Be Your Own Pet (Jonas stein and John Eatherly), is opening! Surfer Blood: Sun., March 28, 9 p.m., $10. Detroit Bar, 843 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, 949.642.0600. 21+.
