Sounding the 805
Beach Party makes a splash and Hush Lounge is shushed
08/06/2009
Rocking bands, lei necklaces, cocktail umbrellas and a towering palm tree canopy will definitely distract you from the fact that you’re standing in front of a grass-roofed bar in the middle of a parking lot in Ventura. That is what I learned this weekend at Bombay Bar & Grill, which for the 25th year in a row, created the illusion at the annual Indoor/Outdoor Beach Party. The four-day event showcased some of Ventura County’s finest bands on two stages. A clear separation between the newest indie, reggae and alternative rock bands outside, and live funk and R&B covers filling Bombay’s island-themed party interior, kept the steady flow of party people intermingling and testing the limits of maximum capacity.
Friday night guests caught a final performance before a month-long hiatus by Ventura’s extremely hard-working and talented electro-pop/ska outfit We Govern We. Alternative rock quartet Ayn Mor, who offer an impressive and meditative blend of rock structure, ambient effects and energetic vocal performance by lead singer Adam Gonzalez, also performed along with the good-times, crowd-friendly blues and rock sing-along-y-ness of Kyle Hunt and the King Gypsy.
But the tide definitely peaked on Saturday with headlining crowd magnets Rey Fresco and indie scene-stealers Lovebird and Cheetahsaurus — both of which had captivated fans at the Elks Lodge the same day at Zoey’s Productions’ Indiefest. Lovebird is a new band on the Ventura circuit that is not to be missed, and with just a few shows under the belt, its exceptionally well-crafted guitar melodies and the velvety, hypnotic vocals of Nicole Eva Emery create a sound that already has all who listen lovestruck. Pick up Lovebirds’ debut CD on Blackbird Records and watch as this band rises to the ranks of indie stardom.
Also performing were local favorites Franklin For Short, Bye Bye Blackbirds, Arroyo Grande’s Threes and Nines and a revamped version of Ventura’s Land N Sea. Sadly, the enormity of the talent was not matched in attendance at the first-class venue, which offered an art show, spacious dance floor, food and cheap drinks for the adult attendees. Why there is not a bit more appreciation for the local scene outside of the beer-soaked haze of night life when this level of performance is available to all ages is, to me, confounding.
The party’s over — potentially forever — at Hush Lounge, which was dealt a devastating blow to its business by the city’s recent revocation of its entertainment license for a variety of alleged violations. The popular upscale nightclub in Ventura that catered to the DJ and hip-hop crowd is officially shutting its doors while legal issues are sorted out. Saturday was unofficially the last night, and the normally packed venue was comparatively subdued and sober, owing no doubt to the lack of an adequate DJ soundtrack. (Music was instead played unobtrusively through house speakers just above restaurant volume.)
It is unclear why Hush has been targeted while it’s business as usual for similar neighboring venues such as CandleLight and Karma Lounge. What is clear is that this case, unlike the venue itself, is not likely to close soon, and the possibility of increasing controversy regarding downtown Ventura’s night life is well on the horizon. All is not quiet on the western front.
Chris is a rabid local music fan who spends more collective hours sifting thorugh CDs and vinyl at Salzer’s records than he does sleeping. He has played in several local thrash, punk and hardcore bands and enjoys an eclectic mix of auditory stimuli. If you have a tip for him — drop him a line.
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