Support local music

Here's the latest from my friend Sierra Madre Sue:

Halloween may not be until next Wednesday, but there are plenty of related events happening all this weekend. Some of them are listed here, and I'm sure you can find many more "kid-friendly" activities thru your local paper, schools, or Chamber of Commerce.
One of my favorite groups that is playing a Halloween gig this weekend is THE HUBCAPS - a 3-piece rock band that's heavy on the Neil Young covers, but digs much deeper into his catalog than any other band I've seen. KEITH, the bass player, has a day-job at the Bottle Shop in Sierra Madre. I had some friends here from out-of-state last month who went in there twice during their stay, and asked me "Is he always that nice?" YES, HE IS!


10/25 - Every Thursday at the Skyebox in Montrose, Better Than Blue (Felicia, Danny, etc.) continues to host a weekly Jam Night. It runs from 8:30 PM until 12. 3710 N. Verdugo Rd. 818-249-3617. Above the Sun Palace Chinese Restaurant. This is a full-service bar and restaurant with great food & killer drinks! Rumor has it that business has been a bit slow - please get out and show your support before we lose another cool music venue! http://www.betterthanblue.co/openjampage.html

FRI. 10/26 - RANCHO DELUXE, DAVE GLEASON and KEVIN KELLER doing Americana Music @ SW HILL COUNTRY WESTERN CLOTHING STORE IN EAGLE ROCK, 6:30pm. Suggested donation is $5 (all proceeds go to the musicians.) Please bring snacks for the community snack buffet, BYOB and a friend or two. "This is an all ages show and we do plan on two steppin' so bring your dancing shoes!" 30% discount on western wear. For more info, call 323-256-2500. 1412 Colorado Blvd. www.myspace.com\swhillcountry or www.swhillcountry.com.

FRI. 10/26 - "SWING DANCE COSTUME PARTY" with FLAT TOP TOM @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Call for time: 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. www.flattoptom.com

FRI. 10/26 - MERCY & THE MERKETTES @ THE WORLD-FAMOUS DERBY IN ARCADIA, 8:30pm - 1am. 233 W. Huntington Dr. Great food, full bar, dancing, plenty of parking. Last year's HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTY was a big success, so Mercy & the band are back for another one! www.thederbyarcadia.com

FRI. 10/26 - THE IDIOTS @ THE BUCCANEER LOUNGE IN SIERRA MADRE, 9ish. 70 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-355-9045. Full bar, no cover, cheap drinks! Formerly "the Usual Gang of Idiots" without Tim Neblung, apparently. Tim Tutwiler, Peter Burke & Jeff Ingwalson (proud new co-owner of Sierra Madre Books.) I wonder if Tutwiler remembers that his bass & amp are at my house!

FRI. 10/26 & SAT. 10/27 - "THE SUBS" (Better Than Blue's acoustic alter ego) @ the DOCKSIDE in WEST COVINA, 7:30 - 11:30pm. 3057 E. Garvey Ave. North. Joe Velosa, Danny Hesse, Felicia Bright. Acoustic rock, soul & blues. 626-915-3474. http://www.wearethesubs.com/

SAT. 10/27 - BARRY "BIG B" BRENNER @ FIREFLY BISTRO IN SOUTH PASADENA , 11am - 2pm. 1009 El Centro. 626-441-2443. Saturday BLUES Brunch under a big breezy tent. http://www.bigbbrenner.com/

SAT. 10/27 - 2ND ANNUAL SIERRA MADRE WINE & JAZZ WALK, 4 - 7pm. $35 per person - day of, OR $30 advance tickets from Cafe 322, Creative Arts Group, etc. or call for more info: 626-355-0024. More than 35 businesses participating, food & wine samples, live Jazz bands - throughout downtown Sierra Madre. ALL proceeds go to the City of Hope's cancer research programs.

SAT. 10/27 - "DMQ" - DONOVAN MURADIAN QUARTET @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 8ish? 626-836-5414. Full bar, great Italian food. The Wine & Jazz Walk After-party.

SAT. 10/27 - MARK HUMPHREYS @ BEANTOWN IN SIERRA MADRE, 8 - 11pm. 45 N. Baldwin Ave. 626-355-1596. Soups, sandwiches, pastries, desserts, coffee drinks, etc. SINGER-SONGWRITER-GUITAR PLAYER.

SAT. 10/27 - JOHN STEWART @ THE FRET HOUSE IN COVINA, 8pm. $20. 309 N. Citrus Ave. 626-339-7020. Former member of the Kingston Trio & solo folk legend in his own rite. An all-around nice guy with a great sense of humor. 2 years ago, he dressed as Bob Dylan for a Halloween party here in Sierra Madre - it wasn't much of a stretch! (no offense, John!) Mybe he'll make an appearance at the Buc after his show!

SAT. 10/27 - SNOTTY SCOTTY's "HANKIEWEEN COSTUME PARTY" @ THE BUCCANEER LOUNGE IN SIERRA MADRE, 9PM. 70 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-355-9045. Full bar, no cover. Fabulous prizes for best costumes. Can't wait to see what the band will be wearing!!!

SAT. 10/27 - THE HUBCAPS HALLOWEEN PARTY @ GEM CITY GRUEL IN MONROVIA, 9pm. 115 E. Olive Ave., just E. of Myrtle. Full bar, no cover, dance floor, pool tables. Keith from the Bottle Shop, playin' bass, doin' a bunch of my favorite Neil songs, etc.!

SUN. 10/28 - Sierra Madre Woman's Club's Chicken Pie Dinnerfundraiser in support of Foothill Unity Center, 11am - 2pm. Advance tickets are $20 for Adults; $10 for Children under 12. (Walk-Ins are $25 Adult, $15 children.) FULL dinner and dessert! Note: Sierra Madre Woman's Club is not toddler equipped. Info. and tix: 626-355-6225
On a MUSICAL Note: someone recently donated over 2000 cassettes to the Wistaria Thrift Shop (downstairs from the Woman's Clubhouse) that are priced to MOVE! 12 for a buck! Five decades, many genres. Open M, Th, F & 1st Sat. 10am-3pm. SUN. 10/28 - GRANT PARK SOFTBALL - ALL ARE WELCOME! NOT A LEAGUE - JUST FOR FUN & THE LOVE OF THE GAME! CORNER OF CORDOVA & MICHIGAN IN PASADENA, 3 BLOCKS WEST OF PCC. BATTING PRACTICE 12:30, GAME TIME ASAP. BRING YOUR GLOVE, BAT, CHAIR, ICE CHEST, UKULELE, ETC. EVERY SUNDAY.... COSTUMES OPTIONAL...

SUN. 10/28 - the MERCY POWELL QUARTET @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 1:00 - 4:00pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. Mercy, Josh, Marc & Peter Burke doin' some jazzy stuff for your dining & listening pleasure!

SUN. 10/28 - "OPERA TO BROADWAY" VOCAL PERFORMANCES @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 7pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food. Every Sunday evening.

10/30 - "TACO TUESDAY" @ MARY'S MARKET & CAFE IN SIERRA MADRE CANYON, 6 - 9:30pm. 561 Woodland Ave. Limited parking - consider walking or biking. "HALLOW'S SCARY EVE with WITCH JODI & HER MINIONS, Singing scary, creepy, devilish, devious, omnious, cryptic and bloody good songs!"

TUES. 10/30 - NEIL YOUNG @ THE NOKIA THEATRE IN L.A., 8pm. I've got MY ticket, do YOU have yours??? I did meet Neil once, and got his autograph, but sorry - no photo!

10/31 - HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SUE & AL!

WED. 10/31 - THE SUPERSTITIONS @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Call for time: 626-836-5414. Full bar, great Italian food, no cover. Halloween Party and hot rod hang. Costume contest, hot rods, bikes, and swamp blues! Cash prize for best costume!!! Drink specials!!!

WED. 10/31 - TRICK OR TREAT @ THE BUCCANEER IN SIERRA MADRE - ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK! I'm not sure what Tony's cookin' up! I'm scared.

FRI. 11/2 - CHICO'S BAIL BONDS doing a semi-acoustic thing @ THE DOCKSIDE GRILL RESTAURANT IN WEST COVINA, 7:30 - 11:30pm. 3057 E. Garvey Ave. North. 626-915-3474. In the bar area, but you can order dinner there too. Full Bar. BLUES.

SAT. 11/3 - Open Mic Night @ the FRETHOUSE in Covina. 309 N. Citrus Ave. (626) 339-7020. Always on the first Saturday of the month, and just one dollar for performers or audience. Sign-up starts at 7:30. If there aren't enough slots for everybody they'll make a list for the next month, and call you. Each act gets two songs or ten minutes, whichever comes first. The show starts at 8:00. They'll have desserts and coffee ready. Bring your friends and family and join the show! www.covina.com/frethouse/

SAT. 11/3 - JEFF STETSON and THE B.O. TRIO PLAY A "MIXED BAG AND SOME BLUES" @ ZEPHYR COFFEE HOUSE IN PASADENA, 8:30 - 10pm. 2419 E. Colorado Blvd., just E. of Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-793-7330. Soups, sandwiches, coffee, tea, smoothies, etc.

SAT. 11/3 - CHICO'S BAIL BONDS @ HOLLY STREET BAR & GRILL IN OLD TOWNE PASADENA, 8:30pm. Corner of Holly & Marengo. Full bar & "eclectic California cuisine." 626-440-1421 BLUES.

SAT. 11/3 - BETTER THAN BLUE @ THE SKYEBOX IN MONTROSE, 9pm. 3710 N. Verdugo. (818) 249-3674. (Above the Sun Palace Chinese Restaurant.) Rock/Soul/Blues. This is a full-service bar and restaurant with great food & killer drinks! Rumor has it that business has been a bit slow - please get out and show your support before we lose another cool music venue! No cover charge!

SAT. 11/3 - LIGHTNIN' WILLIE & THE POORBOYS AT THE BUCCANEER LOUNGE IN SIERRA MADRE, 9pm. 70 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-355-9045. Full bar, no cover, free parking in back. Lightnin' fast BLUES.

SUN. 11/4 - have lunch with NEW ASTROTURF @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 1:30 - 4:30pm. 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 626-836-5414. Full bar and great Italian food in a comfy setting. Bring the family! Acoustic folk/rock.

WED. 11/7 - MAX BUDA (formerly LOS CHUMPS featuring Chester on electric violin, Jerry on grand piano, Tedroy on bass and Sierra Madre's own Peter Burke on drums) @ CAFE 322 IN SIERRA MADRE, 8:00ish. 626-836-5414. Full bar, great Italian food. Sort of a unique jazzy-rock kinda thing - very entertaining stuff!

Please remember to call and verify all info. before making plans. Everything is subject to change. This is show biz, after all.

Hope to see you out & about,
SierraMadreSue
sierramadresue@yahoo.com

FOR EVEN MORE COOL SHOWS & INFO., CHECK OUT THESE SITES:
http://www.myspace.com/american arootsla
http://www.aliveandpicking.com /calendar.html
http://www.beantowncoffeebar.com/calendar.html
http://www.coffeegallery.com/home.html
http://www.covina.com/frethouse /concerts.html
http:// www.swhillcountry.com http://cafe322.com/ - new and improved, easy to read entertainment calendar!