Santa Monica Pier Goes Underground; B-52’s Drop In On Museum of Flying

By Tomm Carroll

Friday, July 13-Thursday, July 19—The term World Music encompasses many sub-genres, let alone nationalities, but there are few single bands that can accurately be described by that moniker. Trans-Global Underground, however, is one of them.

Based in the UK, this ever-changing eclectic collective mixes Arabic with avant garde, dub with dance and samples with sambas. In other words, the multi-cultural members, with their myriad tastes, concoct a melting pot of musical styles, yet fuse them into a distinctive style. Theirs, truly, is World Music.

T-GU, whose latest album is the ethnic-meets-electronic, technological-takes-on-traditional Yes Boss Food Corner (Ark 21), which the band will be signing after an in-store performance at Borders on the Santa Monica Promenade Thursday at 6:30 p.m. – with rumors of a special guest appearance. Two hours later, the group headlines the free weekly Twilight Dance Series concert on the Santa Monica Pier, following an opening set by the Southland’s own Common Sense, a multi-ethnic reggae band who are not beyond venturing into rock, soul and hip hop.

Experimental jazz drummer Scott Amendola from the San Francisco area brings his band to McCabe’s guitar Shop in Santa Monica Saturday night for some sonic excursions. Joining him are Nels Cline (guitar), Jenny Scheinman (violin), Eric Crystal (reeds) and Todd Sickafoose (bass). Opening the show is another bay area group, The Noe Venable Trio.

The 13^th be damned; it’s an all-femme Friday at two Santa Monica clubs. The "Some Like It Hot" Revue, an all-female blues band featuring the nasty lady of the blues herself, B.J. Sharp, strut their stuff at Harvelle’s. And over at Rusty’s Surf Ranch on the pier, it’s "Rude Girls Night Out," featuring DJs KMW, Rude Girl Mina and six (count ‘em!) bands: Flowerchild, Where’s Wally, The Legalizers, 2 on 2, GAZZ and (Band Name of the Week) The Female Chauvinist Pigs.

Other live music to consider this week:

John Brown’s Body, Boujoubumbastik and Eric Lynn at Temple Bar in Santa Monica.

The Tremolocos and Trail Mix at Boulevard Music in Culver City.

Metal Shop (aka Danger Kitty) at The West End in Santa Monica.

PICK OF THE WEEK THE B-52’S MUSEUM OF FLYING, SANTA MONICA AIRPORT SATURDAY, JULY 14

Those campy new wave darlings are back! Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson and Keith Strickland blew headliners The Go-Go’s off the stage last summer during both bands’ joint comeback tour, and they’re (party-out-of-) bound(s) to keep the crowd on its feet tonight as well.

The 52’s, you see, never abandoned that party band sprit that got them their start when they played…well, parties in the college town of Athens, GA back in the late ‘70s. All the old hits will be revisited ("Rock Lobster," "Planet Claire," "My Own Private Idaho," etc.), and maybe even some new material.