OC Music Magazine

David Sachs

 

Friday night saw the first show of an ongoing series of local music nights at the House of Blues. SoCal Sounds features local bands including Halos, Dianna Gone Wrong, D’strutter, Silent Treatment, the Politicians and Rob Michaels,; all who rocked the Anaheim music hall, each earning their spot through a new audition system.

Surf City Saloon is a family owned music venue and bar in Huntington Beach; now it’s also your one-way pass to playing the House of Blues Music Hall. House of Blues talent buyers and promoters look at the SCS stage—officially now the OCM Stage—to see what bands deserve their chance to rock HOB. In this same respect, SCS buyers will work with bands that may not be ready yet, helping them develop the draw and confidence needed to own the HOB stage. 

One band that knows the system works is our very own Silent Treatment, who opened curtains at 10:15. Having just reviewed their lasted release, “New American Dream”, it was an incredible experience to see live what I had heard and written about only a week before. Silent Treatment owned the stage, opening with tracks from their new album, while throwing in some old favorites such as Some Other Way and Fear; bassist Steve Able gave a witty shout-out to OC Music Magazine, going straight into a newer track, Sins of Yesterday. The band finished out with a strong encore; lead guitarist Jerry Wu felt that “the band’s vibe was relaxed and it translated to the room. I can’t even begin to explain the energy this venue puts out.”

Following Silent Treatment, The Politicians aggressively took the stage. These punk rockers exploded with energy through the duration of the set; singer Andy Wilker bathed in the glory of cheers and applause, saying “I know I know…I don’t know what to do with myself!” The band’s confidence made them a fun act to watch, though they admit “we mess up every song we play everywhere we go.” Things got interesting however, when an unexpected audience member joined guest guitarist Dana Farrell on stage; Wilker spent their final song dodging his drunken fan’s flops and dives, all while singing with intense energy.

Speaking with Director of Operations Kevin Johnson, I asked what he thought of the first ‘SCS Presents’ night: “This will be the first of many…it was a great show and all the bands did a great job.”
To book an audition night at Surf City Saloon, go to www.myspace.com/surfcitysaloon or email surfcitysaloon@hotmail.com

Photo Credits: Samuel Gao