Fairmount Hall’s punk pioneers
While doing research for the blog, I came across this account from Scott McDonald in a 1981 edition of Flipside. This scene report (on Page 3 of the PDF) describes Fairmount Hall’s debut as a punk venue:
“Recently, a very successful show was produced at Fairmount Hall. This was the first gig at this location, and it features San Diego’s four best bands: thing was set up and arranged by Tim, Violent Crimes manager, with monetary help from whoever was willing and could afford it.
“Tim deserves a pat on the back for being the first one to go out and find a new location since the old Lion’s Club closed. Anyway all the bands played good sets, with plenty of energy being expended by both the bands and the people on the dance floor.
“Another good point: security was arranged by Tim and Terry Marine, using people from the scene, so no rockheads got to beat anyone over the head with ‘flashlights.’ There was only minimal harrassment by the Slow Death Police Force as well. It worked out so well that several more shows ar e scheduled for July and August featuring the Chiefs and D.O.A. with Diegobands. Hopefully, this location won’t get shafted because of police harrassment. Everything looks good so far.”
According to the San Diego Concert Archive, the Chiefs show happened July 17, 1981, with the Nutrons, Violent Crime and Anti Trust. And (according to flyers from Jason Seibert’s collection) D.O.A. was August 1 and included Hated, No Age Limit, Moral Majority and the “last show” by a band called V-5.
The article raises lots of questions: Who played that first event, and when? (It looks like the Flipside editors chopped out that line of the story accidentally!) Which Tim managed Violent Crime? How long was the North Park Lions Club closed to punk bands that year? Please chime in!
Tags: Anti Trust, D.O.A., Fairmount Hall, Jason Seibert, Moral Majority, No Age Limit, North Park Lions Club, San Diego Concert Archive, San Diego punk, Scott McDonald, The Chiefs, the Nutrons, V-5, Violent Crime
December 1st, 2009 at 11:52 am
I almost got a broken neck there one night due to an over zealous stage diver . Landed on my head and knocked me out cold . I woke up in the back with a bunch of friends looking down at me wondering if I was alive . I think it was a stretch marks , or gorilla biscuits show , I can’t remember clearly . . .
There were some awfully good shows at Fairmount Hall .
December 1st, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Were the punks the first to stake out the “Halls”? When I look at resources like the San Diego Concert Archive, I don’t see NPLC, Fairmount Hall, Wabash Hall or any of the others being used for gigs before 1979.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:21 pm
The “comeback” show at NPLC, put on by Dead or Alive Presents, was on 3/12/1982.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:27 pm
> Were the punks the first to stake out the “Halls”?
On an ongoing basis, probably. I know that we were the first to book NPLC that way. The difficulty was that you needed to get another permit for each and every show, and it took a dedicated punk like Marc Rude (and, later, real promoters like Gene King and Tim Mays) to put up with the ordeal.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:50 pm
A colleague just went last night to a talk by David Byrne about how different kinds of music were influenced by the architecture in which they were performed.
Having been onstage and in the audience, I’d definitely say playing some of those big, spaces was different from a club. I wonder how much of SoCal hardcore’s volume and assault was influenced by moving into those kind of spaces?
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I have a vivid memory of condensation running down the walls of Farimount Hall – it was so stinkin’ hot in there. Remember seeing Dead Kennedys there, back then it was like seeing – I don’t know – Michael Jackson? Rolling Stones? I was totally starstruck. It was awesome. I have some old fliers, one of these days I’ll dig through them and let you know what i find!
January 26th, 2010 at 2:18 am
I love it when people take credit for work that other people do. Seriously. Nothing like seeing a flyer I made for a show I promoted along with an article that has other people taking credit for it. Swell.
We (Dead or Alive) went to Fairmont after getting the boot from NPLC. V-5 was Violation 5 – it included Chuck Cole. Condensation was just half of it – the day before one show they painted the hall. When it got steamed up the paint started to bubble, and people were peeling off the paint. That cost a few bucks.
569-7417 was the Boy’s Club number – I lived there with Pete V, Jeff, Chuck and George Nutron (at various times.)
Getting a permit was a PITA but Marc and I didn’t do it – that was something that Cheri did for each gig. Marc new the bands, I had the money and negotiated with the hall (and made crappy flyers) and Cheri got permits from the cops and was an adult.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:42 am
>>I love it when people take credit for work that other people do. Seriously. Nothing like seeing a flyer I made for a show I promoted along with an article that has other people taking credit for it. Swell.
Hey, Mickey! Good to have you … I don’t think anybody assigned credit for that flyer, ’cause that info was lost in the mists of time. I’m glad we can give you the nod.
And thanks for shedding light on the early days of the Fairmount Hall shows … Working from 30-year-old fragments tends to be — well, fragmentary! We’d be grateful for any other blanks you can fill in.
Welcome!
March 21st, 2010 at 10:29 pm
it was nice to see that we were remembered , good times at the right time,we were from vista . played san francisco to mexico ,east to phoenix managed to play with alot of well known groups along the way . memories i will never shake
March 22nd, 2010 at 3:53 am
Pete Hernandez- Guitar/ Vocals Simon Cheffins- Drums Dave Hall – Bass Randy Smith -Vocals . . . When Simon left to start Crash Worship we added Dirk Doucette on Drums and added Dave Sharp on bass . Dave Hall married and started a family.Years later another line – up change with Dave and I starting Toothless Grin with Manifest Destiny mix..
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:53 am
Blood Lake … Here’s a CityBeat interview with a young fella named Mario Rubalcaba, who credits the band as an early influence: “I was also into a band from Vista where I grew up called BLOOD LAKE, it had Simon Cheffins (later of Crash Worship) on drums. And that right there was my inspiration when it came to playing drums in Clikatat Ikatowi. Simons’ drumming in Blood Lake had such a manic speed and intensity and he fused these weird tribal drumming fills into the mix using his toms a lot and was one of the most amazing punk drummers I have ever seen play live.”
March 22nd, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Mickey,
Did you date Lori Hall from Point Loma?
March 23rd, 2010 at 4:45 am
Thank You Matthew , I met Mario when he , my brother Frank and Mark Hostettler were just forming Commited , He was skating alot and had just got sponsored . All of them were still in high school at the time , Mario had these medusa looking dreads that turned into rattlesnakes when he played drums , his energy and pounding tempo changes shook the ground like every animal in north county decided to stampede . For years there wasn’t a quiet weekend or a lack of coastal or inland homes prone to a home invasion by at least 3 bands . It was a race it seemed that every band played a set before a visit by the men in blue but we knew we could keep it going back at the palace . The house we had was owned by a construction company completely fenced and gated on 1 acre in an industrial park . We had countless bands and musicians roll through . H.R. stayed a week with us after we opened for them and picked up the mike every time we plugged in. We had a gig with Raw Power and Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers and ran into Mike Ness who was down for the weekend just catching up and catching the show .Through music we all made friendships and memories that connect us .When I pick up my guitar and play loud and fast for a while my kids will say that sounds like that new band (so n so )Im halfway through my music 101 course and how we were doing it 2 decades ago and then in the corner of my eye I see my wife smiling and looking at us with those eyes I fell in love with so many years ago stop and ask my son ” does your dad know you have his Bad Brains cd and its face down on the floor ” then turn to my daughter and say daddys old tour shits are not night shirts and not to leave them on the floor after you shower . I remember the 80s
June 27th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Here’s a glimpse into the musical prehistory of Fairmount Hall from an old Orange County punk discussion forum that mentions some other SD punk staples (e.g., Cliff Cunningham, Wabash Hall) in supporting roles.
This anecdote was written by “Arab,” a member of the band Love Canal: