Tom Ward | The Che Underground

Mark your calendars for ‘A Che Underground Midwinter Masque’!

February 15, 2022November 12, 2021 by Mmrothenberg

Mark ye well: A neat two years since “A Che Underground Leap Night Showcase,” the tribes will gather again in February 2022 for an effervescent weekend of mirth and music.

“A Che Underground Midwinter Masque,” Feb. 18 and Feb. 19 at The Casbah San Diego, will feature legends of the San Diego scene and beyond.

Fancy dress is highly encouraged but not required. (Stay tuned for costume contest details.)

And check out this boffo lineup (with more names to come)!

Mark your calendars: Jerry Cornelius returns!

September 15, 2020January 22, 2020 by Mmrothenberg

As we prepare our Che Underground family reunion for Leap Night 2020, a highlight of this magnificent evening is a musical set fronted by by none other than Jeremiah Cornelius — back on a San Diego stage for the first time in decades.

Jerry Cornelius was a legendary presence on the scene: writing, illustrating, managing, MCing and otherwise setting the tone of the entire Che Underground. His taste was impeccable, and his influence extended across the bands of the era.

Check out the details of ‘A Che Undeground Leap Night Showcase’!

Vote for the Comeuppance for SDMA

June 21, 2012June 20, 2012 by Mmrothenberg

(Paul Kaufman solicits support for a new project by Che Underground’s own.)

San Diego has embraced its prodigal musicians as they return after decades. Consider the Comeuppance, a “chamber pop” combo led by David Fleminger (guitar, vocals) and Heather Vorwerck (cello).

This ensemble has a distinctive sound influenced by diverse jazz, country and classical traditions, all the while staying true to the high standards of songwriting that Che Underground readers know to expect from all of Dave’s endeavors.

Readers of this blog will recall that the Comeuppance relocated last spring to San Diego. The move marked a homecoming for David after 25 years in San Francisco; it’s a return to the city where he created so many memories as the creative force of bands like the Answers and the Mirrors as well as a founding member of a wide array of musical notables from Social Spit to Manual Scan.

Pink Panther 25th anniversary!

December 11, 2017December 12, 2011 by Mmrothenberg

(Bart Mendoza ushers in this salute to the big cat.)

Saturday, Dec. 17, The Casbah will be the site of the Pink Panther’s 25th anniversary party. Expect many familiar faces in attendance to celebrate the late bar’s brief existence. Founded by future Casbah proprietor Tim Mays, Peter “English” Verbrugge and Bob Bennett, the Pink Panther was the meeting spot for much of San Diego’s music scene during its run and fittingly, the night features an eclectic bill.

Tickets are $15 and available online.

Opening the night will be the soul and rock dance combo The Amandas. Fronted by Amanda Suter, the band includes the ace rhythm section of Tom Ward (bass) and David Klowden (drums), with guitarist Jon Erickson, saxophonist Aaron Rossi and keyboardist A.J. Croce.

The rise of the Gravedigger Five

September 15, 2014October 2, 2011 by Mmrothenberg

(Gravedigger Five co-founder John Hanrattie recounts his side of the renowned San Diego garage band’s short but eventful history.)

I was 17 when I first played guitar for an audience. I was working as a roadie for a San Diego band called N/E One. They were a very good cover band that would occasionally write one of their own songs and include it in their set. They built up a loyal following among San Diego teenagers and started playing high-school dances and at a local “under-21″ night club called Headquarters.

They started inviting me on stage to join them in covering the Rolling Stones’ take on Bobby Troup’s “Route “ I was using a six-string Rickenbacker and playing rhythm guitar with Rob Glickman, the lead guitarist. I had been taking classical guitar lessons, but I really wanted to play rock ‘n’ roll. I switched teachers to someone who could teach me Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly licks. It was a long process, and I learned some chords, but my skills were limited.

During my senior year in high school, the ASB started booking bands to play in the quad during Friday lunch. They eventually got around to inviting N/E One to play, and I joined them on stage for their set. Afterward, several people approached me, asking if I wanted to start a band. I was flattered, but I held out, hoping to find people who wanted to play the same kind of music I loved. I refused to have anything to do with playing Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin covers. I wanted to play British Invasion beat and 1960s garage music.

The Ciros at Lestat’s

December 19, 2011September 9, 2011 by Mmrothenberg

Here’s another dose from the July 30, 2011, event “Che Underground present Sounds of the Sunset Strip”: two songs from 1960s Los Angeles performed with skill and élan by the Ciros, making their debut at Lestat’s Coffee Shop.

Like headliners the Sidewalk Scene, the Ciros feature a formidable list of names from San Diego’s music history, as well as some notable newcomers: Thomas Ward (12-string guitar); Anthony Suarez (rhythm guitar); David Klowden (drums); Dave Fleminger (lead guitar); Dave Doyle (bass); Lou Damian (reeds); Dylan Rogers (vocals); Heather Vorwerck (cello); Graziela Damian (vocals).

The Crawdaddys, Nashville Ramblers
in Spain: A view from Toledo

January 23, 2018August 6, 2011 by Mmrothenberg

In mid-June, the reunited Crawdaddys and Nashville Ramblers were the latest of our San Diego crowd to enjoy the hospitality of Spain. Both bands played the Go Sinner Go! festival in Toledo June 10 and 11, and the Crawdaddys followed up the next day with a surprise appearance at the renowned El Sol club in Madrid.

I’m grateful to Silvia Zadarnowski (spouse of Crawdaddys bassist Mark) for these photos of all three events and to musician and show organizer Eduardo Arriero Hernandez for answering my questions about the show and Spanish fondness for this San Diego scene.

Buy your tickets now for the Crawdaddys and the Unknowns at San Diego’s Casbah, Sept. 2-3!

What is your own involvement with the Spanish music scene? You have a band, and you’re an organizer of the Go Sinner Go! Festival. Can you tell me briefly about those and how long you’ve been part of the music scene over there?

I’ve played in bands since I was 17, and I’m 32… so half of my life!! I’ve played guitar and sung with Hollywood Sinners for 11 years and keyboard with Fumestones for one year. I started organizing concerts in Toledo, my home town, of national bands I liked, and I continued it in Madrid. I can try get my favorite bands from all around the world, spend some days with them and have fun!!

Welcome home, Dave Fleminger!

September 4, 2011June 21, 2011 by Mmrothenberg

(Lou Damian salutes Dave’s relocation to San Diego after a 25-year absence and cuts the ribbon on a groovy summer night in the city.)

Che Underground presents SOUNDS of the SUNSET STRIP: Saturday night 9pm on July 30, 2011, at Lestat’s Coffee Shop.

We always wanted to pay tribute to the bands we dug from this era … And now with the return of Flem to San Diego, the scene is set and we can move forward on this idea … We also decided to call ourselves The CIROS in honor of nightclub where the BYRDS made their debut.

Nashville Ramblers at Til-Two

December 11, 2017January 26, 2011 by Mmrothenberg

Veteran San Diego musician and photographer Dave Doyle was on the scene Jan. 21 when the legendary Nashville Ramblers visited the Til-Two Club on El Cajon Blvd. to celebrate the pending release of their classic “The Trains.” Here’s his report:

“The Nashville Ramblers hit the stage Friday night, last exuding their honest, youthful charm as if I were standing in Bodie’s or Winston’s back in ’86.

“Despite the fact they are all older and live in different parts of the country, they are all consummate musicians and still perform regularly; their consistency should come as no surprise to the observant listener.

Best San Diego record?

September 4, 2011January 8, 2011 by Mmrothenberg

(Ray Brandes puts out a call for swinging singles.)

Later this month, Mike Stax’s Ugly Things Records will release a celebrated local recording, the Nashville Ramblers’ “The Trains.” If one were to rank the best recordings ever to be made by San Diegans, this one would no doubt place in the Top 10.

On any list it would face some tough competition, though, from Rosie and the Originals’ 1961 classic, “Angel Baby,” to my personal favorite, the Crawdaddys’ “5 X 4” EP, released in 1980.

What is your favorite San Diego recording and what is your personal connection to it? (Feel free to consider artists from San Diego who moved or recorded elsewhere.)

— Ray Brandes

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