Spare the Air Music Festival

Raises Environmental Awareness in Fullerton

On August 30, Spare the Air Music Festival will bring a day of awareness and live music to Orange County. This is the current incarnation of the popular Orange County Earth Day Celebration, which began as a small-scale effort in 1994 on the back patio of the Hub Café in Fullerton and quickly grew to become the largest Earth Day festival in the U.S. with crowds of 15,000 to 20,000. After the success of 2005’s Earth Day event, the promoters, Sean Francis, Danny Mihai and Chris Barton took some time off to reflect on their mission and decided to concentrate their efforts on one main environmental cause now that they had developed a platform for large-scale exposure.

They partnered with the Spare the Air campaign to help promote public awareness of public transportation options, alternative fuels, alternative energies and global warming by providing free public transportation. With this incentive, the goal is that attendees will try out that transportation method, realize its facility and convenience and change their routine. What’s more, the festival will take place right there at the Fullerton Transportation Center at 120 East Santa Fe Avenue, where Metrolink, Amtrak and the local 91 line all stop. Scheduled to perform at the fest are local band Longway, who were voted Best Punk Band in Orange County at the 2008 Orange County Music Awards, along with The Used, Lit and Reel Big Fish.

www.sparetheairfestival.com

Venue Profile: The Que Sera

Long Beach's Open-Minded Music Haven

Originally a burlesque house in the 1920s and predominantly a lesbian bar for the later part of the 20th century, Long Beach’s Que Sera has always been an integral part of the alternative local community. It has played an influential role in a number of musicians’ careers, serving as the launching pad for many artists in Long Beach, L.A. and Orange County. Just breaking into the industry, Melissa Etheridge was a house act at The Que Sera in the ‘80s. In the ‘90s, the gothic kids found refuge there as well, and Que Sera still has a monthly gothic night called Release the Bats. Boasting an art deco/cocktail lounge atmosphere and featuring a fireplace, dance floor, pro sound and raised stage, the 21+ venue is comfortable, with a non-pretentious air and a musician-friendly, professional staff. It’s also one of the easier venues for touring bands to get into in the area and still features a local night every Wednesday. Now free from any specific labels or scenes, The Que Sera embraces its past, providing a welcoming home for those not part of the mainstream and bringing a fresh mix to the Long Beach/Orange County area with its weekly nights and forward-thinking approach to booking.

Weekly Nights: Mondays rotate between open mics and drag nights called “Aqua Net,” Tuesdays are “Mannequin” (‘80s night), “Kill-O-Watt” takes place every Wednesday with the occasional Friday and Saturday and features anything indie. Wednesday serves as more of a try-out night for local bands looking for weekend slots. Thursdays are “Call in Sick on Friday,” an electro-clash night. There’s a monthly soul night called The Good Foot, and Strychnine is a monthly psych/garage night. Sucka Free Sundays happens every Sunday and feature indie country, indie rock and indie experimental. Covers are typically $3-$5.

Booking: Incredibly flexible and accommodating to touring bands and last minute shows. The Que Sera is booked by independent promoters, so be sure to check the appropriate contact for the specific night you’re looking to play on their website.

Capacity: 300-350

Address: 1923 East 7th Street @ Cherry,

Long Beach, CA 90813

phone: (562) 599-6170

www.thequesera.com

IN THE NEWS

The popular Orange County rock quartet Eudora will perform at the last date of the Vans Warped Tour on August 17 at the Home Depot Center in Carson. Deemed one of the hardest working bands in Orange County, the unsigned group recently self-released its debut full-length album, The Silent Years, and has become one of the top 10 bands on smartpunk.com.

www.myspace.com/

eudoramusic

Orange County band Sixstep recently headlined a benefit for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraiser at Saddleback Valley College in Mission Viejo. The four-piece rock band filled its two-hour slot with both original and cover songs as well as bringing in a guest horn section and chorus line in the second half. Sixstep also has a new self-released album out, titled Par 5. This is their sophomore effort.

www.sixstep.4t.com

Between a couple dates at the San Diego County Fair, Derrick Oshana, the local singer/song-writer and winner of Best Male at the recent Orange County Music Awards, performed at The United Nations’ World Food Program earlier this summer, along with Oliver Jane. The event was held in Laguna Niguel at the Clubhouse at Monarch Point, and was the United Nations’ first function for the World Food Program in Orange County. The acoustic pop/rock artist will perform at The Gypsy Den in Santa Ana on August 16.

www.derrickoshana.com

Orange County’s I Hate Kate was recently named a MySpace featured artist, in honor of their new Glassnote Records debut, Embrace the Curse. In promotion of the 11-song album, recorded with producer Linus of Hollywood and Mark Trombino (Jimmy Eat World, Sugarcult), the Huntington Beach band made a music video for its first single, “It’s Always Better,” with director Tim Hyten and Mark Johnston at Fat Monster Films. At press time, I Hate Kate was in the midst of confirming a summer U.S. tour.

www.myspace.com/

ihatekate