Saturday, December 20, starting at 5pm @ The Date Shed, Indio. Ages 16+, $15 at the door. $30 VIP.
FOR ADVANCED TICKETS CALL760.501.6228
by Lisa Morgan
CV Weekly doesn’t have an office Christmas party. No, here at CV Weekly, our boss throws the epic concert of the year. And it seems that there is no CV Weekly event that doesn’t make contributing to the Coachella Valley’s voiceless and less fortunate a priority. So, true to form, a phenomenal list of this desert’s elite rock and roll musicians will dominate the The Date Shed stage raising money for Find Food Bank and Street Life Project.
FIND Food Bank:
“We are more than a ‘food pantry’, per se,” says Food Bank’s Community Director, Chatel Achuering. “We are the regional food bank serving eastern Riverside and southern San Bernardino Counties. Our distribution network includes more than 100 community partners that serve an average 90,000+ people each month. In 2014, we will distribute 10+ million pounds of food assistance across our very large service area, a feat we could not accomplish without the generosity of so many others.”
FIND is doing what they can to challenge people today, asking them, “Do you know the face of hunger?” It seems many are predisposed in thinking that the only ones hungry in our cities and on our streets look like the homeless gathering under our bridges or pan handling on our busy intersections. According to FIND Food Bank, there are many people just one crisis away from having to choose between paying their rent and buying food, be it an illness, lost income or even an unusually high utility bill. These are the people representing the new face in hunger.
Recently, a woman in her 60’s, looking for food assistance for her brother, called in to FIND: “He was a self-employed man in his 50’s who was a liver-transplant patient and fighting Stage 4 melanoma. He needed nutritious food that they could not afford: fresh fruits and vegetables, and nutrition boosters, like Ensure, to help him fight his illness and get healthy. We were able to get him the food he needed. This is from a thank-you letter he sent: ‘I would like to thank you and your staff for your thoughtfulness. The fresh vegetables, Ensure and other items helped me through my radiation. With our financial situation and my illness, you have helped relieve some of the burden we are facing. We are forever grateful!'”
“It is likely that on any given day, you interact with people struggling with food insecurity. A grocery clerk who assisted with your check-out, a waitress who poured you a cup of coffee, or a mechanic who changed the oil in your car. With more than 90,000 people across Coachella Valley relying on food pantries and other meal- service programs to feed themselves and their families, we know that hunger is a chronic issue in our community and across America. But it is a problem that can be solved! Nutritious food can be made available to those who need it because we rescue and distribute food that would otherwise go to waste. As a member of Feeding America, FIND is part of a nationwide network of food banks that are passionate about solving hunger in their local communities. Together, with your investment and the support from people like you who care, we can solve hunger in Coachella Valley.”
This organization all started 30 years ago in one man’s garage. Now the organization has grown to occupy a Costco-sized warehouse staffed by 20 employees and over 1,000 volunteers. They distribute more than 10 million pounds of food annually to an average 84,000 people per month in the Coachella Valley. FIND Food Bank’s mission is to relieve hunger, the causes of hunger, and the problems associated with hunger through awareness, education, and mobilization of resources and community involvement. FIND’s vision is to create a hunger-free Coachella Valley, so that no one goes to bed hungry. Until this vision becomes reality, FIND will continue to serve anyone in need with dignity and compassion.
Street Life Project
Street Life Project was a vision given to founder Christian Jelmberg several years ago. It was a vision so big, it was a bit unnerving. It was a vision that would start in his own community, and ultimately lay a blueprint for helping get homeless off the streets nationwide. In just one year, that vision is coming to fruition. Not only is Street Life Project distributing food, clothing, toiletries and supplies to between 140 to 180 people a week from Coachella to Palm Springs, others touched by this organization have taken it to Los Angeles and as far as Virginia. Street Life Projects is literally our community’s “boots on the ground” going to the homeless under bridges, in the trees and reaching a real, live hand out to those who live there. They offer more than just things they need to continue a life on the streets, they offer help in recovering from addiction, mentoring, transitional housing, job assistance, transportation, work attire and so much more. Granted, not everybody living on the streets wants to change. The world they know seems safer than the one they see from a distance. But the volunteers at Street Life Project don’t give up. They invest the time and fill it with encouragement. Street Life Project is with them from start to finish. The miracle of it all is that the majority of those who once received assistance have become part of the Street Life Project team, paying it all forward.
The Street Life Project website is full of before and after pictures and updates following those who are working hard to transition from the streets and becoming self-sufficient. Jelmberg spoke of many who have been helped through the Street Life Project, including a man named Michael who once worked on El Paseo before falling into tough times. Jelmberg met him some time back while doing outreach and wanted to know why he wasn’t getting off the street, the answer sparked Jelmberg to help even further. Michael said who would hire him the way that he looked, and how would he put together a resume without resources to do so? Then Jelmberg came back with questions for Michael. “What if you dressed well, what if I gave you a suit to wear, what if we helped you get job interviews and if we helped you find a place to live would you do it?” asked Jelmberg. Michaels answer was a resounding “Yes” as his eyes lit up with hope. “He was so excited that someone cared enough to put the resources there,” said Jelmberg.
Recently, CV Weekly published an article entitled Street Life to Sweet Life. Jelmberg shared, “A lady living out of her car and prostituting herself to make ends meet called me last night after reading the article. We are meeting her and will help her get into a new line of work and back on her feet.” In today’s world, especially at Christmas, it seems there is a lot of despair in wanting all the things that we don’t have. But at Street Life Project, in the midst of helping the helpless, volunteers are discovering just how much they have to give.
To find out more about Street Life Project you can call Christian directly at (760) 702-4944. Donations can be made on their website: www.streetlifeproject.com.
MUSIC LINEUP
This Benefit Show’s musical line-up is sure to send shockwaves around the world – waves of excitement for those who can be in attendance, and agony for those who can’t. Our desert has produced some hugely influential music through some incredibly talented musicians. The Desert Rock genre known around the world, started right here in Palm Desert, with a bunch of kids in Ramones t-shirts who got together to “jam”. From that “jam”, bands known around the world like Kyuss, Vista Chino, Queens of the Stone Age, Mondo Generator and more, came to be. Two of those desert originals will be performing along with local musicians who have long been friends or influenced by their heavy, musical footprints.
JOHN GARCIA
The voice that defined internationally known bands like Kyuss, Vista Chino, Unida, Hermano and Slo Burn, has finally broke out on his own. Garcia’s first ever solo album via Napalm Records is a product of decades of songs waiting patiently to be heard.
In an interview with CV Weekly’s Noe Gutierrez, Garcia shared that the journey to this solo project began right out of high school. “When I was 19 years old living with Nick Oliveri in North Palm Springs off of San Rafael I wrote “Her Bullets Energy” with Nick. I knew that eventually I wanted to do this. Throughout the years ever since that first song was written I’ve kept a collection of songs in what I call a safe deposit box which in reality was a cardboard box I just traveled with and moved with me. These songs that I have are not ‘B’ sides. They are not leftovers. These are songs that were special to me that I had a personal relationship with. As I got older, as I looked at them every single morning I got up, I started feeling exhausted and felt bad for these songs. I’ve always wanted to do it. At some point in time it clicked. I was tired of saying ‘yes’ to everything and everyone else with the exception of these songs that were close to me. I said, ‘No more!'” Featured artists on the album include; Nick Oliveri, Mark Diamond, Tom Brayton, Danko Jones, Chris Hill and Damon Garrison from Slo Burn, Dave Angstrom and Dandy Brown from Hermano and Tom Brayton the percussionist.
In an interview with Blabbermouth.net, Garcia talked about the guest appearance by guitarist Robby Krieger of THE DOORS. “To have Robby Krieger from THE DOORS play on my first-ever solo record was surreal. Not only was it surreal, but to be the first artist ever to record in his brand new studio, Horse Latitudes, in Los Angeles made it even more special. I am honored and humbled by his professionalism and talent and will never forget that experience for the rest of my life… It truly made the song “Her Bullets Energy” better, not to mention the entire record.”
Joining Garcia on tour as his band are Ehren Groban (War Drum) on guitar, Mike Pygmie (You Know Who) on bass and Greg Saenz (You Know Who,
The Dwarves) on drums. “It was really important for me to have all local guys.” (note: Mike Pygmie will be pulling double duty and will switch from bass to guitar for Nick Oliveri’s set)
www.facebook.com/JohnGarciaOfficial
NICK OLIVERI
It’s not a new thing for Oliveri to find himself the center of media attention. The wild rocker, who has played for Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA), Kyuss, The Desert Sessions, Mondo Generator, Dwarves, Moistboyz, Vista Chino among others, found himself once again at the center of a whole lot of media buzz only two months ago. When he announced that he’d be sharing the stage for a night with Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age, years after being dismissed from the band, everybody, including Rolling Stone Magazine was all over it. In the midst of it all, Oliveri gave some time to CV Weekly.
Oliveri, like Garcia, had just produced a solo project entitled, Nick Oliveri’s Uncontrollable – Leave Me Alone, wherein, with the exception of a few stellar featured musicians, he played all the parts himself. When he got the call to perform songs from his new album at the LA Forum with QOTSA, Oliveri reached out to local desert musicians as well. Mike Pygmie (You Know Who), who was featured on one of the album tracks, was an obvious choice for lead guitar. Jeff Bowman (Unsound) was Nick’s first choice for drums having been a huge fan of Unsound and Bowman himself. Flying in from Austin Texas, Stephen Hass (Moistboyz, Butthole Surfers, Melvins) joined the stellar team having played with Oliveri before with Moistboyz. The band, the new music, and Oliveri himself, more than proved themselves at the Forum, as they will again at this benefit show.
I spoke to Oliveri about how he felt about rejoining another childhood bandmate. “I’ve known John since we were kids. I played on a track for his solo album. I definitely look forward to seeing him with the new band. To see Mike Pygmie on bass is going to be amazing. I’m happy John’s broken free to do his own thing. It’s been a long time coming I’m proud of him. Hopefully, I can’t say for sure, we’ll do something together at the show. I’d really look forward to that.”
HOUSE OF BROKEN PROMISES
“House of Broken Promises (HOBP) deliver almost entirely across the board with lock-up-yer-daughters cojones rock bent on leaving tire marks and bruises to remember them by” HP Taskmaster- StonerRock.com
If you find yourself in your comfort zone or your boundaries unchallenged at an HOBP show, you might take a serious look into the possibility that you have no sou. This trio of monster musicians are constantly pressing against their own boundaries to bring you the depths of hard core, classic, rock and roll.
Formed from the ashes of the late, great, and woefully under- appreciated UNIDA (which also featured John Garcia of KYUSS fame), HOUSE OF BROKEN PROMISES, describes themselves as a no-holds-barred double shot of classic hard rock. The guitar riffs produced by Arthur Seay, the bass lines and powerful vocals of Joe Mora, and shake your soul anthems that come from drummer Mike Cancino are the kind you don’t learn in school, nor could you be taught if they tried. This comes from somewhere inside their DNA, and together, they are an absolute spectacle of thundering rock and roll. As they say, when they get together, they “lay waste to the has-beens, wanna-bees, and hipsters, and they say in no uncertain terms, ‘This is how it’s gonna be.'”
According to Small Stone Records who are proud to present HOUSE OF BROKEN PROMISE’s full-length debut, Using the Useless. You’re going to get your rock’s worth. That’s a promise this house won’t break.”
WAXY
Founded by Robbie Waldman, WAXY, a psychedelic, west coast, desert rock original, has been making music since 2006 and has toured with Kyuss Lives, Volbeat, Brant Bjork, Vic du Monte, Colour Haze, Yawning Man, Sorkun, and Airbus. WAXY’s first album entitled, Chainsaw Holiday, was released in the fall of 2008 featuring John Garcia, Jesse Hughes, Alfredo Hernandez, Ed Mundell, Gary Arce and Zac Rae. WAXY’s second album was released in February 2011. Again, WAXY got help from their friends like John Garcia, Mario ‘Boomer’ Lalli, Gary Arce, Alfredo Hernandez, Ed Mundell, JP Houston, Brandon Henderson, Amanda Staples and Sunny McNair. The self-titled sophomore effort was followed by a European tour with WAXY as main support for the Kyuss Lives tour in March of 2011. In 2013, WAXY toured Europe with their desert brothers, War Drum.
Most recently, WAXY has returned from supporting John Garcia on the Australian leg of his tour. Garcia shares why he brought them along for the trip: “I’ve known Robbie (Waldman) since I was 7 years old. My mom used to work for Dr. Waldman. Robbie has always been there for me through anything; recording, friendship and health. I love Robbie…The desert has always been that way. We’ve always looked out for each other. There’s a kinship that goes on with the people who were born and raised here and went to school here.”
WAXY is: Robbie Waldman (vocals, guitar), Damian Lautiero (guitar) Dylan Brown (bass) Jack Kohler (keyboards) and Jeff Bowman (drums).
Robbie Waldman owns and operates the biggest recording studio in Palm Springs, Unit A Recording and Arts. www.unit-a.com
www.facebook.com/WAXYOfficial
WAXY on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/artist/waxy/id128266045
BLASTING ECHO
This band that has been making music since 2008, encompasses a wide spectrum of music from hard to punk rock and everything in between – while lyrically addressing personal, social and political issues with honesty, energy and intensity. Each member approaches music with enjoyment and passion. This is evident in their recordings, but never more so than in the rawness of their live performances. Bottom line, you have got to see this band live to see the depth of their passion.
BLASTING ECHO is Josh Heinz, Mondo Flores, Laramie Eve and Linda Lemke Heinz. Not only is this band known for their music, but also for their work in raising awareness and funds to support families living with Autism. Each band member is directly affected by a loved one affected by this disability.
Josh Heinz began making music as a singer/songwriter/guitarist in Memphis, TN with WYNDOM EARLE in the late 90’s. Upon relocating to the Coachella Valley, he created the band DUFREIGN, which became a staple of the local rock scene, garnering Best Rock Band and Best Song honors at the Coachella Valley Music Awards. Josh’s rock influences are broad, stretching thru classic, alternative and modern rock. Drummer Mondo Flores is known for his bass playing in B Movie Superstars, Seven4, The Pedestrians and Lung Cookie, but he is an absolute monster on drums with BE. Bassist Laramie Eve began playing bass with the local band, Jekkel, when she was 13. Her hard on punk rock influences and her knack for melodic rock bass lines are a critical part of the BE sound. Linda Lemke Heinz plays keyboards. Her extensive music background as a music educator brings a completely different side to the music.
THE HELLIONS
THE HELLIONS- Christian Reyes at vocals, Angel Lua at vocals/guitar, Travis Rockwell on bass, Bob Llamas on drums and Jamie Hargate on guitar – are all “proud to spread rawk’n’roll gospel for those in need of some salvation”. According to this very good looking band of rebels, “The Hellions were initially possessed with the primal, bare-bones, sound of hell raisin’ rockabilly. No other genre of music was as dirty, greasy, sweaty, or evil. As they toured rigorously and performed countless live shows, a sleazy punk and rawk swagger infected the band and made them into what they are today: An excuse to shake your ass and drink some booze. So ladies and gentlemen, take cover for a high-volume, love-greased, sweat-inducing sonic neutron bomb that has been taking the Desert music scene by storm!”
As CV Weekly columnist Jack St. Clair tells it, “The Hellions are Dirty Rock & Roll. The music is Ramone-ish punk rock at its core…Their lyrics spin tales of wild nights, crazy shenanigans and horny devils. Songs like “Cheap Lay”, “Horny Devil” and “Cruisin’” are evidence of how the band embraces its namesake. Llamas reveals that ‘All the devil and sex shit is just us getting hammered, laughing and making up shit.’ ‘No. Those are all true stories of things that happened to me,’ Lua chimes in with a grin. It is this tongue and cheek nature that defines this band. They are not out to offend, but just want to have fun with it. If you don’t get it, then you need to lighten up a bit.”
Perhaps the coolest thing about these guys aside from their obvious talent, badass wardrobe, great songs, and fantastic vibe, is each of these musicians bear the heavy weight of wide spread respect from their peers and musicians and people.
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hellions-Official/141573615919370
BURNING BETTIE
This band has been working hard over the last year to make a name for themselves. In their bio, Burning Bettie describes themselves as “a genre that may be listed as rock, but their unique take on rock music comes out in several ways which can sound familiar, but always new and refreshing. At times, you will hear hints of different eras of rock as far back as Buddy Holly/ Beatles thru classic hard rock thru surf/ punk/ rockabilly thru 80’s indie and metal thru 90’s alternative and even 2000’s nu metal. All of these sounds are tied together and a truly Burning Bettie sound emerges, but in the end, the listener will hear for themselves.”
The band earned CV Weekly Publisher, Tracy Dietlin’s respect at The Hood Bar and Pizza’s 2014 Summer Showdown. While they did not win the battle of the bands, Dietlin had this to say: “Burning Bettie- While I had heard frontman Giorg Tierez perform solo acoustic, I was not prepared for what he was going to bring to the competition with his full band. They started out with a grunge sound then moved to a high energy song with punk undertones. They flowed seamlessly from one song to another and out of all the bands that competed in the 4 weeks they are the band that I still have 3 of their songs stuck in my head. With well written lyrics, catchy choruses and a charismatic frontman with a cohesive band to back him, I see them playing much bigger venues in the near future.”
Burning Bettie is Giorg Tierez: Vocals, Josh Ballard: Drums/Percussion/vocals, Frank Michel: Lead Guitar/Vocals, Shawn “Stretch” Fisher: Bass and James “Hollis” Eaton: Rhythm Guitar.
https://www.facebook.com/burningbettiemusic
