Che Underground Rock-'n'-Roll Weekend

The Answers: “Margaret Flies”/
“Creative Art” at Bar Pink

January 21, 2018December 1, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

More Answers for the 21st century: Videotaped at Bar Pink July 31, 2010, at the Che Underground Rock-‘n’-Roll Weekend, “Margaret Flies” and “Creative Art” represent two eras of this incredibly prolific band.

“Margaret Flies” was a highlight of the band I first encountered in spring 1983; Jerry Cornelius’ lyrics, set to music by Jeff Lucas, still take my breath away after all these years. Meanwhile, guitarist/vocalist Dave Fleminger describes the return of “Creative Art” to the Answers set list:

The Comeuppance: ‘Eyes of Love’/’Elegy’

July 3, 2011November 25, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

A Thanksgiving treat from the Comeuppance, the sublime pairing of Dave Fleminger on guitar and vocals and Heather Vorwerck on cello.

These two songs closed the Comeuppance’s set at the Che Underground Rock-‘n’-Roll Weekend July 30, 2010. The band’s first formal San Diego appearance also closed a circle for Dave nearly 25 years after relocating to San Francisco.

Live at Lestat’s: An underground evening

April 21, 2012November 9, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

(David Rinck offers a performer’s-eye view of a recent night of musical eclecticism in San Diego.)

On the evening of Thurs., Nov. 4, we again converged on the little theater at Lestat’s Coffee House on Adams Ave. in Kensington, which is beginning to feel like home for some of us here.

Lestat’s most recently hosted the first night of the Che Underground Rock and Roll Weekend on July 30 and 31, and the Nov. 4 show was an exciting follow-up to that event. Some of San Diego’s finest underground musicians offered up an eclectic array of sounds from a range of genres. At the same time, the visual arts were represented by terrific graphics, photography and video recording, some of which is available here.

Play “Misty” for me:
BOMBAST rocks out at Bar Pink

December 11, 2017September 25, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

(David Rinck provides his back story of this meeting of musical minds at the Che Underground Rock-‘n’-Roll Weekend. Plus, let’s go to the video, courtesy of Paul Kaufman!)

Now I’m really perplexed by this one. Dave Fleminger calls for the “end of the Age of Irony,” and then he is largely the perpetrator of a band called BOMBAST. This seems like a contradiction.

And then there’s the song-list issue — a couple old San Diego classics like the Wallflowers (“Rubber Room” and “Survive the Jungle”) and Blues Gangsters (“Tigershark Blues”), some Arthur Lee and Love (“Bummer In the Summer”), and even the Stooges (“TV Eye”) and Parliament (“Unfunky UFO”). Seems like a pretty strange brew, more contradictions? “Well, what do we all agree on?” I asked with great trepidation as the project grew. Pretty much one thing — BOMBAST is LOUD! Okay, that’s enough for me. I’m good to go.

DaveFest Four: ‘Richie Dagger’s Crime’
b/w ‘Let’s Lynch the Landlord’

March 30, 2019September 10, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

More highlights from the Che Underground Rock-‘n’-Roll Weekend July 30 and 31, 2010, in San Diego: Che Underground supergroup the DaveFest Four performs the Dead Kennedys’ “Let’s Lynch the Landlord” and “Richie Dagger’s Crime” by the Germs.

The DaveFest Four plays “Richie Dagger’s Crime”: Listen now!

“Dave Rinck came up with the idea to do an all-Dave set of our favorite punk anthems with a semi-acoustic roots sensibility,” writes Dave Fleminger.

Closing party: Doyle/McMullen photo show

February 2, 2011August 15, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

(If you missed the opening festivities July 30 at the Che Underground Rock-‘n’-Roll Weekend, Dave Doyle invites you to join him and fellow photographer Sean McMullen for the closing of their joint show. Event photography by Kymri Wilt.)

As is often said, all good things must come to an end, and art exhibits are no exception. So in celebration of our first exhibition together, Sean and I thought it would be fun to close it with another party.

We will be hosting a simple reception at Lestat’s Coffee House on August 28 around 7:30. Then afterwards any willing adults are welcome to the Ould Sod for drinks, merriment and pontification on all things art, politics or whatnot. Lestat’s is child friendly, so feel free to bring your offspring or someone else’s.

Why don’t we sing this song all together?

February 2, 2011August 12, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

For many of the participants in this blog, our involvement with San Diego music ended with our wholesale departure from San Diego. A large contingent of us decamped first to San Francisco, and we now make our homes in places like Seattle, Oregon, New York, Boston, Wisconsin and Haiti.

That means the string of Che Underground gigs we’ve hosted in San Diego (including May 2009 and January and July 2010) marked the first time in more than two decades that many of our musicians have played in front of a hometown crowd.

The Comeuppance with Graziela Damian:
“Sunday Morning”

February 2, 2011August 5, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

The Che Underground officially entered its second generation Friday, July 30, when Graziela Damian joined the Comeuppance onstage at Lestat’s Coffee House during the Che Underground Rock-‘n’-Roll Weekend.

The daughter of Lou Damian and Charisse Sciuva graced us last year at the post-picnic for Che Games for May with an a capella rendition of Love’s “You Set the Scene.” This year, Graziela returned with this beautiful rendition of the Velvet Underground’s “Sunday Morning.”

DaveFest Four: ‘Prison Walls’ at Lestat’s

February 2, 2011August 1, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

First fruits of the Che Underground Rock-‘n’-Roll Weekend: Days after we posted about a video featuring “Prison Walls” from the Injections’ seminal 1980 single, the DaveFest Four put its own spin on the song at Lestat’s Coffee House on San Diego’s Adams Ave.

Dave Fleminger, who provides vocals and guitar on the track, describes the inspiration for the DaveFest Four’s version of “Prison Walls”:

From Lestat’s: Welcome back, Tom Ward

January 6, 2011July 29, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

(Charisse Sciuva offers another advance view of the Che Underground Rock-‘n’-Roll Weekend July 30 and 31 at Lestat’s Coffee House and Bar Pink, respectively.)

Monday night, Lestat’s-goers were awestruck by the appearance of Thomas E. Ward, who will be kicking off the Che Underground show this weekend. Ward took the stage with his 12-string Guild and pounded out “She’s Not Just Anybody” with vocals to match.

While most sit back casually and drone out their love songs, Ward stood tall over the audience as he sang, a rock-‘n’-roll bassist back from New York City, grounded once again in San Diego. All eyes were glued on this fresh and crisp performer, waiting for what he would deliver next.