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Santa Barbara bands rock. That was a band getting massive video and radio airplay. Toad the Wet Sprocket is selling albums, Dishwalla is Bands that people have never heard of face an even big­ all over MTV, Snot and Summercamp just signed with ger challenge.” major labels, and NerfHerder is making people in fara­ That’s not to say that every band feels the city is suffer­ way cities laugh. A news segment on the thriving Santa ing from attendance problems. “It’s totally possible to Barbara live-music scene aired earlier this month on gamer some type of following,” claimed Andrew Pawlek CNN. We are getting some serious national attention. of local band Pollen. “My band is the perfect example.” But just how much local attention is the scene getting? Pawlek said Pollen worked hard to develop a good fan Record labels are noticing our bands, but are UCSB stu­ base over the past couple of years and is pleased with the dents? Are people on State Street? support they get at local shows. “I don’t know what peo­ If you equate a good music scene with the number of ple expect,” he said. "If you want the huge scene, go to bands in the city, the scene here is great. But if what L.A.” you’re talking about includes the number of people who The fact that Santa Barbara is not Los Angeles is part of what makes its scene so attractive. Even those who cri­ ticize it are quick to point out that it has plenty of positive aspects. “The scene is truly eclectic,” said Pawlek. “There’s no one style that makes Santa Barbara’s sound.” Instead of all the local bands sounding alike, as some would argue Seattle’s bands do, Santa Barbara is gaining There are some all-ages clubs in the area, such as the popularity without its bands felling into one category. Living Room on Hollister in Goleta or the Hub on cam­ “Each band is individual,” said NerfHerder’s Steve. “If pus, but sometimes these places alienate those over 21. we’re the next big thing, we’ll definitely have a different “Some people don’t want to be loitering around teeny- sound.” boppers,” noted Antonini. “For some shows, the kids KTYD radio personality London Fields said that cer­ will be there at eight, or buy advance tickets. The older tain acts, such as Spencer the Gardner, have developed crowd comes at 10 and can’t get in.” loyal followings with sounds that “wouldn’t go over na­ Another problem that results from the lack of an tionally.” Rather than changing its sound for a larger au­ adequate venue is that many bands that would have dience, Spencer remains a local fevorite here, he noted. played in Santa Barbara end up playing in Ventura. Fields also pointed out that all three modern rock sta­ Pliner explained how this happens. “I get offered shows tions in town support the scene by offering local music that need the capacity for 600 to 800 people. The band shows. wants all ages and they want to play near a school.” Most Another positive part of the Santa Barbara scene is clubs on State Street can only accommodate between that the bands go out to see each other. The CNN seg­ 200 and 300 people, so “we lose a lot of shows to [Ven­ ment noted the lack of cattiness among the bands vying tura],” she said. for attention. According to Pliner, “Bands support each Although the two cities are not that far apart, there is other. It’s not that there’s a clique of bands, but they’ll go not much overlap between their fan bases. “Ventura has check out other bands with people they know.” tons of clubs that play all kinds of music,” said Antonini. Still, these people can’t be expected to keep the live- “But it’s a weird city.” music scene happening. “If you’re in a band, you’re al­ Pliner agrees. “Santa Barbara is a separate market,” ready in a club one or two nights a week,” sqid Pliner. she said. She also tries to avoid booking the same kind of music on Ironically, the success of some Santa Barbara bands Consecutive nights. “Otherwise, I’m asking the same may also cause problems. When bands get signed, they often go into the studio and become unavailable for local shows. They may become too big to play Santa Barbara clubs or have contractual obligations that prevent them from doing so. However, there are always new bands that are up and coming, and it would seem that the suc­ cesses of earlier bands like Toad the Wet Sprocket would encourage people to go out and support new talent. take an active interest in supporting those bands, there Two people who are committed to making that a real­ are those who feel this scene could be in much better ity are Dennis Dragon and Ian Stewart, who produce the shape. local-access TV show Locals Only, which airs week- You would think that every time a band appeared on nights on channel 8 and weekends on channel 40. Dra­ campus at a “Rock the Vote” rally or played at a Thurs­ gon and Stewart, who are both local musicians, pride day night Hub show or announced a date at a club down­ themselves in taping shows with excellent sound quality town, throngs of people would flock to be part of the ex­ and have created a huge archive of local videos from perience. After all, these are locals — locals who get our which they draw the programming for Locals Only. town on CNN. The reality, however, is that this is not al­ While they agree that Santa Barbara needs a major ways the case. The Santa Barbara live-music scene, in the venue, the pair have another idea for improving the state words of Summercamp’s Tim Cullen, “is in a slump.” of affairs in the Santa Barbara music scene. They would A recent NerfHerder show at the Hub drew only about like to see the local government get involved. “The city a hundred people. That very day, the band had returned council, the small-business owners and the Chamber of from New York, where they were flown by a major re­ Commerce need to get on board,” said Dragon, who used cord label interested in signing them. The people in New to produce action-movie soundtracks and knows just York thought they might have “the next big thing” on about everyone in the local music scene. “The Santa Bar­ their hands. What did the locals at the show think? Of bara economy is focused on hotels, restaurants and the six I spoke to, two were there for a Music 114 assign­ hotels.” ment that required them to go see live music, two were “Like Fiesta Days,” added Stewart. “The city puts peo­ from other bands and two were underage freshmen who ple in charge who know nothing about music." He feels had walked over from their dorm. that community support would bring revenue to the city Jessica Pliner, who books bands at Toes Tavern on and make the scene vibrant for all kinds of music, attract­ State Street, has an insider’s view of how well-supported ing fans of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. live shows are. “It definitely seems like now there’s a bit By airing their video show, releasing live CDs on their of a scene,” she said, noting that big names like Dis­ label, Reset Records, and sponsoring events like the Loc­ hwalla do pack the house. “But if bands come and peo­ als Only Halloween Rage, a three-day live concert at ple don’t know the name or someone in the group, they Victoria Hall this Halloween weekend, Dragon and won’t check it out.” Stewart work hard “promoting the hell out of local Pliner finds UCSB students to be a particularly hard bands. Once they’re signed, great. We’re focused on the group to get in the club. Part of the problem is undoub­ One problem that is mentioned repeatedly by people next batch,” they said. tedly due to the fact that many students are not yet 21. involved with music in Santa Barbara is the lack of a Pliner is another person who would like to see wide­ Among those who are, “the stuff that does best with stu­ club-like venue that could handle big crowds and would spread support for the next generation of bands. “It’s a dents is what they know will be packed,” she said, citing admit all ages. neat experience to know people and like them and come Boogie Nights on Thursdays at the Backstage as an ex­ “We have these shows at the big County Bowl, but we out to see them, and then when they get big and signed, ample. “They play covers. It’s not about original live need to start developing the scene at the club level, to get to be friends with them. Everyone who just buys CDs at music.” the underground crowds going to shows,” said Antonini, the Wherehouse could have that experience if they Attracting crowds to see unknown bands is hard, al­ who said he is familiar with the capacities for most ven­ would go out and support the lesser-known bands.” though Pliner said that Toes has also had problems gar­ ues in the area. “A lot of bands do wantto play Santa Bar­ And, as Pollen’s Pawlek points out, “Bands can use nering audiences for shows by mainstream performers.

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