Where were you 30 years ago? If you were hanging with San Diego’s cool kids, chances are a gig featuring the Crawdaddys and/or the Unknowns was on your social calendar. And since a few decades hardly matter among friends, Che Underground: The Blog is proud to present a Labor Day weekend featuring both these legendary bands at San Diego’s Casbah!
Here are the deets:
What, when: Che Underground presents the Crawdaddys (Friday, Sept. 2) and the Unknowns (Saturday, Sept. 3)
Where: The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101
How much: $20 per night, $35 for a two-night package (on sale soon via the Casbah site)
Here’s what’s cooking with our headliners:
For the first time in three decades, the Unknowns’ classic lineup comes to San Diego: Bruce Joyner (vocals, keyboards); Mark Neill (guitar); Dave Doyle (bass); and Steve Bidrowski (drums). Bruce will be traveling in from Georgia for this once-in-an-era appearance.
Read “Dream Sequence: The history of the Unknowns”!
Dave Doyle shares some thoughts on the reunion from his fellow Unknowns: “In 1979, I was but a wide-eyed teenager with modest hopes of musical endeavors. Things were exploding musically speaking all over the place and I figured I’d join in on the revolution, so I cast my lot with two guys from Georgia. Now here we are 30 years later, and we’ve all changed in that time. So I asked my old bandmates what they thought of getting together after three decades, and here’s what they said:
“Bruce: For me, it’s just like it turned the corner and it’s right there in front of me. Truly, I don’t have a sense of time, and that’s what’s pulled me through the times; good and bad, illness and health. It really seems like it was yesterday that we were all together playing at the Country Club or the Zebra Club …
“Steve: Wow, I can’t wait to play with those guys again! San Diego is still the same. Some things never change!
“Mark: It will be a real pleasure to play with Bruce and Steve again after all these years, and of course seeing the original crowd will be fantastic. And if Tim Mays doesn’t dance, we’re gonna take that photo of Billy Zoom and me out of his office for good! Hope to see you there!”
The Crawdaddys will feature Ron Silva (vocals); Mark Zadarnowski (bass); Peter Miesner (guitar, backing vocals, harmonica); Keith Fisher (keyboards, backing vocals); and Gordan Moss (drums). This classic 1981 lineup made its reunion debut Sunday, May 29, at Rhino Records in preparation for a Sept. June 10 appearance at the Go Sinner Go festival in Toledo, Spain, which will also feature a June 11 performance by San Diego’s Nashville Ramblers.
Read “Let the Good Times Roll: The untold story of the Crawdaddys”!
Like the Unknowns, the Sept. 2 Casbah gig will mark the Crawdaddys’ first San Diego appearance since the early ’80s.
Stay tuned to Che Underground: The Blog as more details become available!
BTW, here’s a couple of shows both bands played on Dec. 20 and May 23, 1980. …
The Crawdaddys and Penetrators played Crawford High together at an evening show. Help me reconstruct my childhood: what year was this???
Sounds fun……..
Wish I could be there.
Matt — Hope all is well.
I attended the show in Los Angeles last Sunday and I’m happy to report they are more than ready for Spain on June 10th (not Sept. 10th) and San Diego in September! Lots of friends came out of the wood work to see them. It was a blast! There were several people videotaping (is that term outdated?) the show so hopefully everyone will be able to see it eventually.
>>I’m happy to report they are more than ready for Spain on June 10th (not Sept. 10th) and San Diego in September!
Dean: Thanks for the catch, which I thought I’d fixed. Obviously, I’m obsessing on this Labor Day event. 🙂
Hey! ANYBODY who has media from the Rhino show, I would be very pleased and happy to link to it from here. This is an exciting season for fans of real-deal San Diego music history!
BIG thanks to whomever created these youtube clips!!!
This sounds fantastic guys!
I should have paid better attention to the blog, and i might have been at the show. The photos of Audrey with her collection of men on Facebook are really cute, and put a big grin on my face. It was great to see her and everyonme else looking so happy & healthy at the show (especially after so much sad news about lost souls this week).
Anyhow, I am super glad you have already annnouncedthe Crawdaddies’ September’s gig! It is already on my calendar-and I am looking forward to seeing old pals then and getting my GO GO on!
Is this for real?
I’m sitting here on my balcony in Tangier right now drinking my morning coffee and looking out over the Straits of Gibraltar at Spain, trying to think about what to do for a few days…
Our old friend Falling James of the Leaving Trains strews roses on the Crawdaddys’ Rhino appearance …
Unbelievable.
When I hear these YouTube clips, there’s a bunch of days that come back, fresh as yesterday.
I can remember packing up Keith’s VW van with all the equipment -- except Gordon, he did his own thing -- and all the band, plus my brother Chris and often Pete Verbrugge and a couple of the girlfriends (Alexis, Carla…) Bumper sticker? GOMANGO.
I can still recognise the sound of a Vox Jaguar or a Wurlitzer electric on cue. Vox AC50 run thru the “Rabbit Box”… 🙂
This went for a couple years in 81-83, after Mike Moran dropped and Peter joined. Stax was around then -- after Mark. Rest of the crew were the same. There was the “Howling Men” period at the end of this, which brought the LA Sojourn, with its Bullwinkle’s residency. Alongside Top Jimmy? Right?
BTW: I still saw Carlos Guitarlos around SF, until a couple years ago
September? I don’t know if I’ll be on the coast -- or even the continent…
Gonna try, ‘tho.
Wouldn’t it be amazing to see Jerry Cornelius announce the band in September? Keeping my fingers crossed!
Audrey Moorehead was no slouch as “emcee” last Sunday! And she looked fabulous as usual!
Flash: Tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime event are on sale now at the Casbah site. Buy early and often!!
yeah id buy tix jus to see jerry
and if pat works shows up ill buy two weekend passes
Sigh… Here we go again, with the whole “beg-my-friends-who-are-middle class-enough-to-have-credit cards-to accept-cash-from-me-and-buy-my-ticket” rigamarole/brouhaha! I’m quite sure it’ll be worth the stress, however…