Tours, Shows, and Awards for Maren Parusel

Since days off for me are very limited or are a week long.  It is hard to pick and choose the show that I want to attend due to work scheduling and my constant procrastination.  Not to mention the insomnia that occurs since all I can think about is work  and the local music scene.  


This Sunday was like no other weekend night.  Maren Parusel just returned from an excruciating two month tour.  The night before they were in Las Vegas playing the Artifice.  Hours, and I mean hours later they made it back to San Diego.  Right off the van and onto the Casbah Stage.


The line up was Noel Jordan, Maren Parusel and Jesse Malin and St. Marks Social.  With a total of maybe 60-75 people in attendance for the show, this was still a highlight of my weekend.  Walking into Noel as he was in the middle of his set took me back to my teen years of hanging out watching The Classified his voice is recognizable compared to all the vocalist in San Diego.  


With a quick hellos and hugs to Maren and the band.  The drinks started quick flowing.  (this was probably bad idea number #1) It has been so long since I have seen and hung out with Kyle McGee.   (the few stories of Austin, TX were enough to bond us for a while.)


The time came and Maren Parusel introduced her self and the band. With in seconds the sound that exploded from those speakers were undescribable. Not seeing the band since maybe SXSW and a Bar Pink show in between.  It was time to take note of a band that once held a place to my heart.  Playing songs from their debut album Artificial Gardens.  Songs such as "Dont Take Your Eyes Away," "Artificial Gardens," and  "Ordinary Day."   


Although the line up has changed since the first time ever seeing Maren Parusel.  The music being played out and written by this band is extraordinary. Maybe a reason why Monday night they won Best Pop Album for Artificial Gardens at the San Diego Music Awards this year.  Only predicting that this band is just beginning to see the good out of of all the hard work is now finally paying off.  

Do not miss Maren Parusel next time around. Their next show is August 18th at The Belly Up Tavern with Kevin Martin.  

As I wish I can do a full review, I was too intoxicated half way between Jesse Malin set to write an honest review, however the pictures I took were great!

Maren Parusel trouble in the East Coast.

Reading updates on Owl & Bear or NBC Sounddiego Blog is awesome when it is about the locals on tour.  A tour diary more or less of the ins and outs of what is going on with the band as they travel city to city.  However, when you read a story such as that of Maren Parusel, it breaks my little heart to read that there are people out there targeting touring bands when their van is left unattended.

A few years back I had a few friends have their studio broken into.  A slew of benefit shows began.  Equipment that is irreplaceable or has some kind of significance to the band.  (Their "baby") A few weeks later another tour van disappeared.  Another studio broken into. So on and so fourth.  What do you do when you are in another part of the country and your van gets broken into.  Do as Maren does.. Keep on trucking and don't give up!

Between the early morning of 3am and 7am on W87th street not to far from Central Park, the white ford E250 was broken into.  Taking guitars, merch box, cash box with money inside, food and clothes and almost all the belongings left in the van.  Below is a laundry list of the items with a  description followed by pictures.  If anyone can help out and keep an eye for these items that would be great. Tragic as it seems, if any one wants to donate to the cause of helping Maren out here is where you can lend your donations:

Donations can be made to: Chase Bank
Account Name: Maren Parusel
Account Number: 444 201 2871
4078 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA
619-280-8872



Items gone missing:

1. Custom built bass guitar, in shape of Fender Precision Bass. Red w/ white pickguard.
Black hardshell case with some damage on corners,

2. 1984 Fender Japanese Stratocaster, white w/ white pickguard, lace sensor pickups.
Brown guitar shaped case w/ "Gorilla Coffee" sticker on case. Also "Fragile" sticker.

3. Fender "Telecaster/Esquire". 80's Japanese Fernandes Telecaster body, brown/black sunburst w/ black pickguard. Fender Esquire neck.
Black "Kases" case. Hardshell with soft surround and zipper, rectangular shape. 2 cables in the pocket.

4. Epiphone Casino, Hollow body. TV Yellow.
Black guitar shaped hard case w/ stencil "Maren Parusel"

5. BOSS Pedal board w/ 5 pedals.
-Boss Chromatic Tuner
-Boss Chorus
-Maxon OD-808 Overdrive
-Ibanez Tubescreamer
-Boss Tremolo
-Boss Digital Delay

6. Yamaha Keyboard. Black 88 Keys, weighted.

7. Alesis Micron synth. In violin case with stencil "Maren Parusel"

8. DW-9000 Kick Pedal, in hard-shell DW case, with stencil "GOLD"

9. 1 Rack-Tom. Porkpie 12", Sparkly Red with stencil "GOLD"



Other items:

-Black Cashbox w/ approx $1,100

-Garmin GPS w/ stand and cable.

-HP Laptop computer, black.

-Camping bag full of clothing and personal items.

-Black chest w/ band's merchandise

-Black windbreaker type jacket

-black and red "Trader Joe's" food bag. 

Hanging with the King...and other debaucherous tales

So what was a weekend full of music like?  Started at the Casbah and ended at the Casbah.  Everything in between was just plain fun. Pictures are worth a million words, right?  Something like that, I got some words about Jul16-18th.  You can blame me not updating the blog for that reason actually.  I decided to take a mini local vacation and pack as much rockn roll into 3 days as one can do.

It started with King Khan and Gris Gris.  Opening for them was The Fink Bombs and a maybe new favorite band Shake Before Us.  Maybe a new favorite band.  I need to go check them out a few more times prior to making that final decision.  Then finally the moment that this sold out venue was waiting for, King Khan and The Gris Gris hit the stage.  The dance party unfolded. Casbah was in full swing of rockers looking for a dance floor to shake what their mother gave them.  A full hour or so of music and the band was done. Drinks with the Guitarist and lead singer of The Gris Gris took place by the merch table. Always a treat to speak to the band afterwards especially if they had a very stellar set.   What to do? What to do? Probably go home and sleep the night away with dreams of the beauty that was a Saturday night filled with music, laughter, jokes, friends and whiskey.

It's Sunday mid-afternoon, only one place to be; Lafayette Hotel Pool for the ultimate KK & GG PP.  Acronyms could really suck if you don't know what this means. Let me break it down for you.  King Khan and The Gris Gris Pool Party. Ten dollars gets you into the pool to hear King Khan DJ a good amount of songs out of his iPod. (Let's just say that American Airlines is not that to good with shipping vinyl).  Few hours into the mixing of the ones and twos on the iPod, the ever so loving staff at Lafayette set up for another hour of King Khan and The Gris Gris pool side.  What more can this little lady ask for pool side in a classic two piece, the sun shining and rockn roll live music from a great band.

The day was not over after the party.  It kept going as a mater of fact. That night Bar Pink was celebrating 4 years since the day they opened their doors with musical guest The Creepy Creepys (who r recently opened for Robert Plant June9th in San Manuel) .  Then the lights went black.  Woke up the next day with the worst hangover in months!

The only thing that would get me out and about again was being kidnapped to lay in the beach.  No such luck, instead, got kidnapped on a boat. That is right.  Not just any boat, however the KPRI boat with Portugal, The Man playing as we cruised the beautiful San Diego Bay.  (Yes you are allowed to be jealous right now).  I can not explain the beauty that is San Diego.  The Sunset, the downtown skyline, the water and all of the above.  This is probably why people pay so much money to live in our beautiful town.

Once that boat ride was over, Casbah here we come.  Behind The Wagon, Screaming YeeHaws, and Coda Reactor.   Still trying to figure out how all these shows were done with in 48 hours baffles me! Honestly it does not. Although, trying to keep the weekend "mellow" was an idea that occurred many times.   For Casbah show, The highlight was no other than local boys Coda Reactor.  It is a mix of Danzig and Jim Morrison. It has been said over and over.  Pretty sure everyone is tired of hearing the mix of what the lead singer sounds like. He jumps jives and wails on vocals like a mad man on speed.  The likes of Davit Buck(Homeless Sexuals) and  Iggy Pop when it comes to his antics on stage.  After this the weekend was over.

Coda Reactor

Get to know them

You might be Seeing Red

Get excited! Many bands are emerging out of our wonderful music scene.  I can laundry list every single one of them.  Seriously, that would be completely boring. If you know me, the word boring only happens when I stay home and watch re-runs of CSI: Special Vitim Units.  So within the weeks to come there will be a posting for each  band recommend for the rest of the year.


If you go to the deepest darker corner of San Diego, you will find a hole in the wall bar.  Between a taco shop and a laundry mat.  The same bar that I constantly call The Bar of Broken Dreams.  Although it has changed from time to time. The drinks are as stiff as half of the bargoers, and ordering a double anything is the worst mistake ever. You do not want to be the jackass with a pint of whiskey not being able to drink what you ordered. (Which I did drink and then ordered a regular afterwards.)


Out of the gloom, the metal, and the empty bottles of Jack Daniels and Jagermister comes the three piece thrash rock band, In The Red.  Rodney on guitar and vocals, J-Sin on drum and vocals, Nichols on bass and vocals.  That is correct all three share the duty of beating the mic with their heavy vocals. I am still trying to pin their exact sound.  They could be considered thrash metal, rockn roll, punk and just good ole' times at a bar. They call themselves Scrap Metal.  The lesser takings of what have been left behind from previous metal bands that havent be explored.  I just call them Punk Metal. Cause that is what they are.  


With their crazy personalities, these three men have been making some noise together.  Their first show was opening up for Red Fang and Ghetto Blaster at Casbah.  They followed up a few more shows with Lord Howler and opening up for The Archons.  Their latest show with got San Diego wound up with an excitment of getting people from all over watching them was at Eleven, with True Widow and Lantvrn.  With the newly media attention those guys are getting, it is no joke that by the end of the year they will have a steady mark on the map with their genre of "scrap metal."


Their up coming show at Bar Pink August 11 with Unruly Bangs and Queen Caveat. Also Sept 17th (a birthday celebration for me!) with Long and Short of It and The Marsupials at Eleven. 


Check them out on Facebook




photos by : Michael Klayman taken @ The Casbah Atari Lounge
Please visit Michaels' webpage here.

Weekday Picks. You should Go to These shows!

Ever have the case of the Mondays?  I sure as hell wont remember what that feels like for a while.  Not working on Mondays and going back to writing from the moment I wake up til it is time for the rockn roll show.  Sounds like a good Monday to me.  Can't forget the sleeping in either.  So as you all Monday mourners are reading this, here are the Weekday Picks from yours truly. 

Monday July 11
Anti-Monday League Presents: Melvins Lite, Toshi Kasai @ Casbah
  (and why would you miss this silly music junkie?)

Tuesday July 12
Drew Grow and The Pastors' Wives, Todd Day Wait and the Golden Hills Blues Band, Brothers and Sisters @ Soda Bar
Tinariwen, Mr. Tube and The Flying Objects @ Belly Up Tavern (I would totally be there)

Wednesday July 13
Avalon Tattoo Anniversary Party w/ Ghetto Blaster, Low Volts, Stephen Rey and The Slicks, The Lumps @ Casbah
H.R. (of Bad Brains), Katastro, Roots Covenant, DJ Peril @ Soda Bar

Thursday July 14
Normandie @ Bar Pink
The Blow, He's My Brother She's My Sister @ Casbah
Avenue Saints, Big Buck Hunter and The Pros, San Deviants @ The Shakedown Bar

See ya kids around the scene!

The Weekend. 3 Days of Shows. Where to GO!

So I have made a weekly writing assignment for myself.  Everyday I will try to come out with two post.  That is right I said it TWO post a day. Starting today I will start with my weekend picks.  I will be doing Weekend and Weekly Picks.  This should make it easy to decided on what is out and about the town.


The question really is how far are you willing to travel for shows? Personally it just really depends on how badly that artist is needed to be seen by yours truly.  As you all know, I am pretty picky of my Rockn Roll.. However, given the right band I would travel to the depths of Hell to see them. Locally I go to the ones that run along El Cajon Blvd and University Ave with of course the constant travels to Casbah.  Also, LIVE MUSIC. I really can't DJ Ones and Twos or "Dance Party Taco Pants off"


So now with out further rambling the weekend Picks starting actually tomorrow. Ill post tonights for those who haven't decided where to go or is home like me and wonders what was playing out tonight.


Friday - July 8th

• Pussy Galore’s 4 year Anniversary feat. Hotel St. George, Grand Tarantula, DJs Robin Roth, Terryn S, and Jaime Ali @ Whistle Stop
• The New Kinetics, Masxs, Clockart, Uniform Victor @ Tin Can Ale House
• Bella Novela @ Soda Bar

Saturday - July 9th

• Short Eyes @ Tower Bar
• The White Buffalo , Ari Shine, Blackout Party @ Casbah
• The Hot Moon (record release), The Donkeys, Foreign Film @ Soda Bar
• The Goomies, The Littlest Viking, Housewives @ Tin Can
• Statue, Sandbox Bullies, Who Rides The Tiger @ Eleven

Sunday - July 10th

• Otro, Hazzard’s Cure, Badr Vogu, Deep Sea Thunder Beast @ Tower Bar
• The Bassturd, Coolzey, Mic E$ @ Bar Pink

SDMA - Lets start the voting.

Quick side note:  I would like to apologize for this not coming out last Monday, when the voting began; but hey, it's out now. So don't fret my readers. Here is my thoughts on SDMA 2011:

It is certainly that time of year.  Seems like the San Diego Music Awards are right around the corner and voting has begun (as of last Monday actually).  Every year its the same old story, with a few morning text messages and emails of:  "Why didn't my band get picked?" or "Why this and what that?"  Really, please stop your bitching for one minute about why your band did not get nominated  for being one of San Diegos' best (insert category here). If you had a time to shine in the past then let others have the spotlight as well.

This year I was actually part of the "Academy" that got the pre-ballots for picking the categories in which people live and die for in San Diego.  After reading and seeing how the SDMF chooses their nominees, for the first time in a while I felt content with the bands that have been chosen in the majority of the categories.   I only say majority due to the fact that I would not be able to choose a "World Music" band in our city.  I may be in the know of music for San Diego however, the rock, metal and indie scene is more my cup of tea.

In the previous years, I volunteered my time in helping my music community in being part what seemed to me the biggest event of the year.  From the first year I ever attended the SDMAs (in 2001), til now, ten years later.  The bands and local talent that we had in the past has now tripled almost quadrupled in size.   What do you do when it actually becomes time for public voting? So many people, artist and groups on the ballot.  Take this years' Best Americana category; It has Blackout Party, Brawley, Bill Cardinal and The Canyon Band. How does one pick just one band when all three are just as great as each other.  This happens with all the categories actually, except hip hop and world.

This year Ben Johnson (heavy front man and wicked drummer) has landed two nomination in different categories. One of Best Hard Rock and the other Best Hip Hop act. The Long and Short of it and Grammatical B.  This is not the first time a band or solo act has been nominated for two different categories.  Also Nena Anderson nominated in the Jazz category and also her band Brawley for best Americana.  Although those are the good things about these awards.

The only real complain I have with the way they are categories is based on the genre of the band and then the genre of the album they are nominated for. Take Hyena for example, nominated for best Electric Group or Act.  However, their album is nominated for Best Alternative.  Does anyone else see a problem in that?  Or, Lady Dottie and The Diamonds as Best Blues act, instead of best Tribute band.  There probably is a method to this madness. I just do not see what this method is.  I am sure they have the same problems when it comes to The Grammy's right or the LAMA's.

I am sure there could be more said about the ups and downs of our music awards.  Although for Best New Artist/Act, some of the new artist I have seen around the greater San Diego area were not nominated.  I wont mention who, however I will keep supporting them.  Last but not least.  If there was to be ONE year and I mean ONE year that Jason Marz and Slightly Stoopid were no longer on the ballot, it would probably make my year.

The SDMA's will be August 8th at Humphrey's By The Bay. With special performances by The Silent Comedy, Cuckoo Chaos, Gilbert Castellanos, The Penetrators, and Candy Kane and Sue Palmer.  Make sure you get your tickets here.  For a list of all the nominees and for voting please visit San Diego Music Awards website.

I'm Back - (A Quick Release before I Start Again)

Hello to all those I have abandoned.  I am so sorry.  You aren't forgotten.  Priorities got mixed up in the whole rockn' roll scene here in (weather has been fucked) San Diego.  I have been doing way to much.  I know at the end of the night when my buddies give me a hug and whisper sweet nothings about how much I do for this music scene I smile. Then  I go home and wonder to myself  how  many people realize that there is so much work behind the scenes.  The stress, the hours of emails, the constant running around, poster making, socially interacting with people you might or might not see again, not to mention a good amount of bands that you must work with and sometimes, just sometimes, said bands don't appreciate what you did just to make that show happen.  Nights like those are when I actually go home and cry in my pillow.

How many people can actually say that rockn roll saved their lives many times?  I realized when I was a young child that music would be my life. Playing bass, booking shows, making posters, taking pictures and just supporting the local musicians.  I tried so many different career choices that included : grip on a few films, make up artist in Hollywood, coffee shop girl, photographer, bartender, cook, chef, personal chef and not to mention I am still working at a restaurant. Some how I go back to music.

 I'm only 27 years old.  Yes, that is right a youngin'.  Many people think that with the amount of connections and knowledge on music, I have to be at least in my early thirties.  (Hopefully it isn't the way I look.)  I have gotten this far with music due to my passion.  I eat, sleep, and dream of music. I BLEED music.   Now I am living my dream, I work for a pretty cool bar, a restaurant (which I will be booking a few nights a month.) I am also managing two bands who will be touring pretty soon.  Please be excited and I got my blog back into order.  Expect new designs, a few fun little gadgets and so many upcoming post.

If you have a new EP, LP or any kind of music that you would like to be reviewed shoot me an email at BULLETMCK (at) GMAIL (dot) COM.   I will make sure to review that shit!

I will also be doing my weekly picks of upcoming shows.  So get ready for an upcoming half year of craziness and wild shows!  A lot of writing that's for sure.

ALSO thanks for reading and the support.