The end of an era...take 4

Java Joe's Pub
featuring The Rugburns
02/15/05

Java Joe's closed it's doors for the 3rd...wait, 4th time in the last 12 years on Tuesday night. From Poway to OB, OB again then the inevitable move (and closure) to the Pub version in College Area. This time, there's no talk of relocating. No talk of all ages versus liquor licenses. No talk of open mic nites and cover charges. This time, the closing is for good. Joe himself is moving to the city a la sin, Las Vegas. And don't expect a Java Joe's to show up on the strip anytime soon. In Joe's words, he's "over it". Understandably, since almost a year ago the plans for Joe's sounded like something out of a San Diego music lovers dreamland. Open Mics, bigger local bands, more stage space, better sound, knocking down walls, an additional all ages Java Joe's to be opening soon! It was all too good to be true it seems. Now, with only a minor facelift over the last year and the patio, no longer aesthetically pleasing, with the fencing knocked out leaving an empty lot showing early signs of a construction site. Joe's hasn't pulled the crowd many expected it to pull. Some blame it on location. Some blame it on the lack of advertising. Some put the blame on the venue itself. "Java Joe's hasn't exactly become the local music venue we dreamed it could be," one music fan said, "Not enough stage space and an awkward audience area. But Joe did all that he could do. He tried to keep it alive, and we love him for all that he's done for local music."

The sudden closing of Java Joe's Pub caught some by surprise. Others seemed no more surprised than they were when some of the stars who got their start at Joe's, started showing up on TV daily. It seemed fitting that local super group, The Rugburns featuring Gregory Page and Steve Poltz would help bid the Pub a fond farewell. Two well known local artists who have played at Joe's various venues too many times to count. Page sang some new songs from his latest album, Sleeping Dogs and Poltz played some of his solo tunes from previous albums. Overall, the mood was upbeat as friends, patrons and lovers of the local music scene took in their last little bit of Java Joe's, reminisced about past Java Joe's and looked forward to new legends in SD music venue history.

A show for all ages, obviously

Modest Mouse
SOMA ~ San Diego Ca
02/05/05

You know your high school friend's younger sister? And that 40-something year old guy in the accounting department of your office? And the mechanic that changed your oil last week? And the lifeguard from Pacific Beach? Yeah, I think I saw them at the Modest Mouse show last Saturday night. The crowd was an interesting blend which could have been brought on by the band or maybe it was the venue. SOMA is well known for it's all ages shows and, until recently, hasn't had much competition in that market. Old school Modest Mouse fans may have been a bit disappointed at this show since there wasn't a lot of older tunes played, but unlike most 10 year+ bands, with 7+ albums, that come out with new, critically acclaimed albums but really the material isn't that great (see: U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb), this group actually has a lot of great new material to play at shows this year. With that, I think it's safe to say that this is one album of 2004 that received critical acclaim, that actually deserved it. But back to the show, all my personal favorites off the new album were played such as "The World at Large", "Black Cadillacs", and "One Chance". The old tune crowd pleaser of the evening seemed to be "paper thin walls" off their 2000 album The Moon & Antarctica. It was a pleasant mood throughout the venue, the lovers, the rockers, the first date-ers, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Which is the point after all right? Modest Mouse is definitely a band I would see again. And just like I say every time I leave a SOMA show... I'd rather not go back, but I will if I have too.