Mad Caddies @ Velvet Jones

Just before halftime of the Lakers/Magic NBA Finals Game 4 I passed by Velvet Jones on my way to watch the game at SB Brew Co. I cruised in and found out that SB County (Solvang to be exact) locals Mad Caddies would be playing later that night. After beers and dinner at Brew Co., I returned to catch a band I'd heard a lot about but never really heard. The opener was Tommy and the High Pilots, a local Santa Barbara band with a shitload of energy and talent to boot. They played an awesome set of indie pop that, no matter how I tried, I couldn't figure out who to compare them to. In my book, that's a good thing. Killer vocals, great music, and an original sound. Definitely check them out on MySpace, or live if you get the chance. After a long intermission the Mad Caddies took to the stage with a ska number that got everyone psyched. Being a local band, the Caddies have a huge following in SB, and that definitely contributed to the quality of the show. I didn't find their music to be great by any means, but they put on a good show and the crowd was super into it, so it worked. In the end, Mad Caddies are veterans and deserve a listen, but I think there are better options in the realm of ska/punk. Either way, their live show was enjoyable, even to a non-fan. If you are a fan of this genre, I'm sure you've heard/seen the Caddies enough to make your own call. Cheers!

Dr. Diggs' Summertime Synopsis

5.) www.quickcritmusic.com - I gotta agree with Nightrain on this one, this adventure has reinvigorated my interest in new music and kept me laughin' to boot. Kudos to you all!



4.) Punk Rock - A donation to me of an insane collection of punk rock albums, along with my old collection, sparked a few months of steering wheel drumming sing alongs as I piloted the van around Santa Barbara. Good Riddance, Fury 66, Sick of It All, NoFX, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes, H2O, Dropkick Murphys, Refused, I could go on and on...


3.) Karaoke Nights at The James Joyce - What do you get when you give a shameless drunk a job with perks such as free drinks, a stage, and a microphone? Quite possibly the best karaoke night ever. Highlights include berating non-singers/shitty singers, bathroom "sessions", and seeing if I can make it through all twelve tap beers in 4 hours.




2.) The G.G.M.E. - A predecessor to quickcritmusic, this music knowledge venture has kept me in the know about all the best music there is out there. Learning about and listening to new music galore makes driving my piece of shit van enjoyable and the purchase of a stereo that far exceeds the value of the vehicle worth it.

1.) Velvet Jones - My favorite live music venue in Santa Barbara, they book all the hardest rockin' shows in town. Combine that with the fact that they like to get me wasted for free, and you've got a recipe for good times whenever a rad show hits the bill. Good music and good people can't really be beat.