VOLUME 6 | ISSUE 9 | September-October, 2021
STARING AT THE SUN XIII
SEPTEMBER 2021 BY BART MENDOZA © MUSICSCENESD // MUSICSCENESD.COM
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Free Show, Free Local Music Album! San Diego music fans will want to pick up a copy of the local music compilation Staring at the Sun XIII. Produced by Music Scene editor Bart Mendoza, the album is sponsored by publisher Local Umbrella Media and rehearsal studio / music center Rock and Roll San Diego, with support from 91X-FM’s Loudspeaker program and host, Tim Pyles. This edition of Staring at the Sun XIII features 46 of San Diego’s favorite artists in a 2 disc, six panel package, complete with exclusive art by comics legend Scott Shaw! On September 30, The Casbah will host a free album release show, featuring Nathan Raney, Evening’s Empire and Tamar Berk, with The Tourmaliners in the Razzmatazz Room. The night will be hosted by Hairy Scary Spice of the Spice Pistols and Bart Mendoza. The fun starts at 9 p.m. Started in 1992, the Staring at the Sun compilation series has become a highly collectable snapshot of San Diego’s music scene through the decades. “There are so many wonderfully talented
musicians and bands in San Diego it’s a very validating experience to be included in this compilation,” said bassist Spike Mike Muellenberg, aka Hairy Scary Spice of the Spice Pistols, who feature on the album. Nathan Raney concurs. “I love Staring at the Sun,” he said. “Not every city invests in its local music scene, but San Diego has such a rich history in music, it’s awesome to be a part of that history. It’s an honor to walk in the footsteps of all the musician before me and continue this amazing scene.” Meanwhile guitarist Wayne Riker is succinct. “I like the fact that I can hear dozens of local artists on one compilation album that would pique my interest to see live,” he commented. This year’s edition of Staring at the Sun has a wide range of music, with longtime favorites such as The Monroes, The Sleepwalkers, Electric Mud, Mittens and Falling Doves with Pete Best. Yes, that Pete Best. There are plenty of SDMA (and other awards) winners to be found here, including two Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, Wayne
Riker (2018) and Richard Livoni (2020), here with his group, Sons of Edison. Classic artists return as well, including punk pioneers, The Dinettes, with their first song in decades, and Eli Holland as well as Laurie Beebe Lewis (Mamas and Papas / The Buckinghams) contribute a song from their new group, The Original Starfires. Then there’s radio jingles from Mojo Nixon, Manual Scan, Pony Death Ride and Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra. We’re just scratching the surface; Sorry It’s Over, Cambrian Shores, The Naked I, Ariel Levine, Sometimes Julie, Roni Lee, The Spice Pistols, Evan Diamond, The Tourmaliners, Mind Cell, Enter The Blue Sky and many more. Adding to the celebration the night will also showcase the release of Nathan Raney’s latest album, Season of Serenity. Free Staring at the Sun XIII Album and Free Show September 30 at the Casbah – Don’t Miss It! www.casbahmusic.com
Museum of Making Music For fans of music, it’s easy enough to find details on particular artists, but locating info on the history and nuances of the instruments used to create said music is a very different thing. Luckily for anyone interested, The Museum of Making Music (5790 Armada Dr, 92008) is located in Carlsbad, giving aficionados an inside look at how music is made. The museum has been completely remodeled, going from a linear timeline footprint, to a more interactive, immersive facility, featuring in depth displays for adults and plenty of interactive, hands on activities for the younger set. The updated Music of Making Music is a joy to wander through, with computer touch screens and an impressive array of instruments, from basic stringed creations of wood to electronic marvels. “We tell the story of the families, the organizations LOCAL NEWS | LocalUmbrellaNews.com
and the people who make those instruments and what happens to the instruments when they get into the hands of you and I,” said the museums Marketing Manager, BJ Morgan. He’s particularly happy with the museum’s new layout. “We went through a massive renovation in 2020,” he said. “We changed the storyline of the museum from one that was presented chronologically to a thematic approach where we can fit a lot of those stories as I just mentioned and take a look at the drivers of
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change; how makers made instruments, how retailers sold those instruments and then what happened to those instruments when they became popular, when they changed beyond their intended purpose and the emotional connection that people have to their instruments when they make music.” Highlights include a display of Beatles related gear and an immersive video projection room, perfect for a quiet moment of reflection or contemplation. For anyone who
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enjoys making music or is just curious about how far we’ve come in the process, this museum is an essential visit. Looking around the new exhibits, as a music fan himself, Morgan is pleased with both the museums updated look and the additional information on offer to the public. “We hope that visitors learn something about how the music they love is created,” he said. “And we hope to make it a fun experience.” Mission accomplished! www.museumofmakingmusic.org
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