Like Guitar? Hear Some Moore at McCabe’s; Dread Zeppelin Gets the Ed Out at 14 Below

by Tomm Carroll

Friday, January 26--Thursday, February 1--Austin guitar hero Ian Moore unplugs and hits the road with just an acoustic axe for a solo tour. First stop, of course, is McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, where he performs Saturday night. Moore's latest album, and all the colors... (Koch), found him awash in poetic, bittersweet vignettes, augmenting his music with such exotic instruments as violin, sitar and bazuki. Moore's passionate, soulful vocals, atmospheric arrangements, mysteriously thought-provoking lyrics and, obviously, killer guitar skills will be on display at McCabe's. Opening the show is McCabe's fave Tom Freund, who specializes in a semi-acoustic jazz-influenced pop-folk.

Ian Moore

R&B authority and righteous rocker in his own right, Billy Vera returns to the clubs Saturday night with his band The Beaters for a pair of shows (8 and 10 p.m.) At Rusty's Surf Ranch on the Santa Monica Pier. Every Wednesday at Rusty's, it's blues-rockin'babe Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps gettin' down and dirty for your enjoyment. And speaking of the blues, Santa Monica's own Blues Central, Harvelle's welcomes back the 11-piece extravaganza Blowin' Smoke and His Fabulous Smokettes on Saturday. Blues guitar wiz works his magic at Harvelle's on Wednesday evening.

It's tribute time again at 14 Below, the literally underground club in Santa Monica. Saturday night, the would-be Rolling Stones, aka Sticky Fingers, are back to do their Mick n' Keef n' the boys impression. Sharing the bill are the Sweet and Tender Hooligans, a tribute band specializing in the Smiths and Morrissey covers. And don't forget -- every Sunday at 14 Below is Cubensis, who raise the (Grateful) Dead weekly.

New wave figure Gary Myrick is still around making music, and he'll demonstrate what he's been up to lately Thursday night at Temple Bar in Santa Monica. Also on the bill are Mento Buru and Five Degrees of Soul. On Tuesday, Temple Bar has Slowrider, Mission and Burning Star on tap. The 1980s lives again at the West End in Santa Monica every Saturday night when The M-80's, along with DJ Slim Shaney, resurrect the musical memories of that maligned decade.

Band Name of the Week: Sugar Bitch, who bitter-sweeten a bill which also includes Tilly's Everywhere and Capital Pusher at Santa Monica's Lush Thursday evening. Boulevard Music in Culver City hosts Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founder John McEuen for a solo show on Saturday night.

Jazz fans will note the pairing of Eddie Daniels (clarinet) and Roger Kellaway (piano), both classically trained before they got the jazz bug, at Culver City's Jazz Bakery for a six-night-stand beginning Tuesday. The duo, who have worked together in the past and even won a Grammy (for Daniels' Memo from Paradise in 1988), will be recording their live performances all week long. Over at Century City's Lunaria, Judy Chamberlain performs with her quartet on Friday, while Bob Desena's Latin Jazz Ensemble raises temperatures on Saturday.

PICK OF THE WEEK

DREAD ZEPPELIN

14 BELOW

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26

Dreadhead Alert: The surreal reggae-Led Zep-Elvis band Dread Zeppelin is back again -- and just in time to shake clubland awake from its the January doldrums. Still riding high on the release of their latest CD, last year's De-Jah Voodoo (Cleopatra), Tortelvis, Butt Boy, Carl Jah, Bob Knarley and the rest are returning to their favorite Santa Monica House of the Holies (14 Below) for another amazing show.

Tonight's gig also marks the last local show for member Ed Zeppelin, so it's a must-see for the diehard fans. The longtime member and toastin' Trinidaddio departs the band to return to his home in the Caribbean shortly after an Orange County gig next weekend.

So expect a wild blow-out, as well as a version of AStairway to Heaven@ which might be techno or retro or even gospel -- depending on what kinda mood Tort finds himself in. Also on the bill are Docter and King Con.