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El Ray: Kung Fu lightning.

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The Intoxicators

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Ninth Wave: The Strat

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El Ray

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The Madeira

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The Madeira

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The Exotics

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The Exotics

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The Intoxicators (at the Purple Orchid)

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El Ray (at the Pike)

Sorry for the delay!!!
OK, the dust has finally settled a bit--I’ve gotten some overdue sleep, sobered up (mostly), gotten through a birthday, some vacation, out-of-the-country guests, and come out from underneath a pile of catch up at work and feel compelled to share the love! It’s been positively magical and highly emotional reading all of the heartfelt memoirs of the couple SG101 weeks.

Whew! Where to begin!? There’s only ONE place--Bigtikidude!!! Jeff, my brutha, you absolutely outdid yourself this year and deserve all of the accolades and applause you’ve been receiving and then some! Our lives are all richer and filled with more sonic joy because of the blood, sweat and tears that you shed for your passion! THANK YOU!

More HUGE kudos to Kristena, Jeff’s Mom and Dad, the volunteers that helped things run smoothly and of course, to all of the generous sponsors that contributed to making this the most successful convention yet! It was so satisfying to witness so many raffle ticket buyers winning great prizes! And, all three guitars going to not only SG101 members, but just plain great people--Mike Rosado, Scott “Spermy” Peter, and Pappa_Surf Rich!!!! Too awesome!!!

To everyone that I was fortunate enough to share the stage with during the member jam--thank you! It was a total blast and I feel truly privileged to have been a part of the music-making experience that kicked off the whole day! Ran, Tena, Danny, Don, Josh, Juan, Carol, Insect Dave, Lorenzo, Space Fargo, El Firetone, Fady, Jamie, Jeremy, El Fuerte--YOU ROCK!!!!!

On a personal note, extra special thanks to everyone involved with the fringe shows that I was lucky enough to be a part of--Mike Vernon and 3 Balls of Fire, Los Venturas, El Ray, The Exotics, The Intoxicators!, The Disasternauts (I LOVE being a monkey!!!), Tequilla Worms and Slacktone. I know it’s been said a trillion times, but it’s true!!! These guys are some of the nicest, most lovable and talented human beings you’re likely ever to meet!

And, to play the other broken record for a sec...this year’s lineup was beyond spectacular!!! What a mind-blower of a concert experience! 9th WAVE, THE INTOXICATORS!, THE EXOTICS, THE DYNOTONES, LOS VENTURAS, EL RAY, THE MADEIRA, JON & THE NIGHTRIDERS all knocked it out of the park in a way that only their unique band could! And, it was truly a warm n’ fuzzy experience to witness the living legends-The Rumblers, The Nocturnes and Paul Johnson-reliving the good ‘ole days! Again, to BTD’s credit, the variety of styles of instro represented throughout the entire day was juuuuuuust right!

One of the most difficult aspects of the convention is always being unable to have a proper chance to meet and get to know all the SG101ers in attendance. There’s just too much going on! To those I did have a chance to hang with--it really makes the annual experience like summer camp or a family reunion of sorts! You are all the best of the best and I am truly better for knowing you....josheboy, Firetone, eltwang, El_Fuerte_DK, kick_the_reverb, Tikitena, Fez, jp, insectsurfer, MadScientist, Onslow_Beach, Aqualadius, CousinMary, surferjoemusic, IvanP, midwestsurfguy, PolloGuitar, DannySnyder, mom_surfing, bIG_wAvE_Dave, RobbieReverb, CaptainSpringfield, Tuck, SpaceFargo, bodysnatcher1, Tikisurfin, Ruhar, SlacktoneDave, homerhead, BillyBlastOff, WhorehayRFB, kickthetank, CaliforniaMaxx, supertonesurf, Fender_Bender, ColtsSurf, HBKahuna, Johnny-O, remora1, blueeyedlava, and anyone else I forgot to mention!

The SG101 family is the BEST!!!!!

Insect Surfers
The Tikiyaki Orchestra
The Scimitars
Lords Of Atlantis
Fiberglass Jungle - Surf Radio

JONPAUL wrote:

Sorry for the delay!!!
OK, the dust has finally settled a bit--I’ve gotten some overdue sleep, sobered up (mostly), gotten through a birthday, some vacation, out-of-the-country guests, and come out from underneath a pile of catch up at work and feel compelled to share the love! It’s been positively magical and highly emotional reading all of the heartfelt memoirs of the couple SG101 weeks.

you forgot Tiki Oasis,
I think I am still in recovery mode slightly.

Whew! Where to begin!? There’s only ONE place--Bigtikidude!!! Jeff, my brutha, you absolutely outdid yourself this year and deserve all of the accolades and applause you’ve been receiving and then some! Our lives are all richer and filled with more sonic joy because of the blood, sweat and tears that you shed for your passion! THANK YOU!

Oh Pashaw,
It's done out of the love for the music, and for the people that truely enjoy it.
Thanks for the Thanks Brutha...

More HUGE kudos to Kristena, Jeff’s Mom and Dad, the volunteers that helped things run smoothly and of course, to all of the generous sponsors that contributed to making this the most successful convention yet! It was so satisfying to witness so many raffle ticket buyers winning great prizes! And, all three guitars going to not only SG101 members, but just plain great people--Mike Rosado, Scott “Spermy” Peter, and Pappa_Surf Rich!!!! Too awesome!!!

Agreed, forgive me if I forgot to say any of that before.

And, to play the other broken record for a sec...this year’s lineup was beyond spectacular!!! What a mind-blower of a concert experience! 9th WAVE, THE INTOXICATORS!, THE EXOTICS, THE DYNOTONES, LOS VENTURAS, EL RAY, THE MADEIRA, JON & THE NIGHTRIDERS all knocked it out of the park in a way that only their unique band could! And, it was truly a warm n’ fuzzy experience to witness the living legends-The Rumblers, The Nocturnes and Paul Johnson-reliving the good ‘ole days! Again, to BTD’s credit, the variety of styles of instro represented throughout the entire day was juuuuuuust right!

Cool, thanks again,
I really try to mix it up,
and have good bands.

One of the most difficult aspects of the convention is always being unable to have a proper chance to meet and get to know all the SG101ers in attendance. There’s just too much going on! To those I did have a chance to hang with--it really makes the annual experience like summer camp or a family reunion of sorts! You are all the best of the best and I am truly better for knowing you

I keep trying to tell people to come to Ca. Early,
and partake in more of the Pre. and post shows,
and events, and the BBQ at my house on Fri.

The SG101 family is the BEST!!!!!

YUUUUUP!!!

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Last edited: Sep 07, 2012 22:11:37

Here I am, once again, LATE AS HELL getting to my thoughts regarding this predictably incredible weekend. I got home late and immediately had to work around the clock to finish the season of Squidbillies (the show I work on), then a birthday and a party, and then a couple of fun local events, and then went and bought a damn house! (Still in the middle of that one), so I have not had much of a chance to slow down and collect myself. While it’s anything but brief, here is my (mostly stream of consciousness) take on another great convention weekend in Southern California:

I feel like I start my take on things the same way every year: WHAT. A. WEEKEND!!

Before I get into the events, I will say to Jeff: MAJOR CONGRATS AND THANKS!!! You have once again put together a legendarily amazing weekend of not only great music, but great people and lifelong memories. May this continue on for many years! Tiki Tena must also get major kudos for all of the promotion and help, not to mention Jeff’s folks as well the Quilters for the use of all of the great gear. I know that all of your help with this event is invaluable.

This year I traveled with Surf King Bob Walk, and as in the past, we started this great weekend at Jeff’s house for the BBQ. This really is a fantastic way to start things off as it gets me in gear with the “cast of characters” and gets everybody fresh in my mind and gives me a moment or two to catch up with folks and get to know others even that much better. It’s really great that Jeff and the Hansons open their home up like that to everyone. Family indeed.

After a quick (but great) dinner with an old friend, we headed over to the Purple Orchid to catch the first show on our schedule. We were really looking forward to giving some hometown support for our good friends The Intoxicators! I was so happy to see them play the convention, and to see them so well received. Great guys, great band! I was also thrilled that they were on the bill with The Exotics, as I’ve admired them for years! I really love their tight sound and great melodies. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to see them a number of times this weekend. I’ve seen The Insect Surfers a couple of times, and I just adore that band. Their new guitar player is a GREAT addition! I last through MAYBE half of their set, and then the time change, travel and sheer length of waking hours really caught up with us, and we retreated to try to get some rest to give us a fighting chance for the big Saturday onslaught of awesome.

Saturday is a big, long day, but I think I do a pretty good job of keeping my wits about me. Between the member jam and the bands at the Starting Gate, there was just a good tune in my ear all damn day. Not a lull in the bunch. I’ve seen 9th Wave a number of times, so I knew what to expect from them, and they satisfied as they always do! The Dynotones are a band that I am fairly new to. I have one of their CDs, but clearly haven’t given it enough attention. They have a really hot sound! Pure hot rods! The legends jam was incredibly special. I love seeing these bands playing together, and seeing how emotionally moving the response was to these guys was really very touching. The meeting of the new school and the old school is one of the great many things that make this event so very special. Once again the Euro bands come in and shift things a bit and knock everyone out by not only their amazing sets of music, but their wonderful personalities and joyous natures! Something I look forward to every year! Los Venturas is another band that I’m relatively new to. I had their Surfer’s Brew CD, and was looking forward to seeing how they had grown and changed since then. They kinda blew me away. I found them to be an incredible “concept”... like a symphony. Different sounds and vibes coming together to create something immersive and almost haunting. As for El Ray... this is a band that I have been listening to for years, and I was SO excited to get the chance to see them a couple of times this year! They were just what I expected and more. Witnessing their great songs come to life before me was an incredible experience. They are such a blast of energy and fun! Boisterous... funny... tight as a drum... I hope I get a chance to witness it all again! This will have been 3rd and 4th time for me seeing The Madeira this year, and I am NEVER anything but knocked over witnessing this band. I’ve said it about a bajillion times, but they are such an incredible experience of sound, fury and melody, that if you haven’t had the chance to see them, you must make a point to. As for Jon & The Nightriders.... the first full on surf record I ever bought before I got full on into this whole thing was Stampede! I about wore that record out. I’ve since gotten everything else of theirs that I could get my hands on, and really consider them legendary. Witnessing them live, not only was it amazing to see 4 such powerful and influential players all together, I was also reminded of how many great songs they have. Just one after another. I think I forget that sometimes, and seeing them live has made sure that I never will again. After a requisite trip to In N Out for these east coasters, we made our way to the after party at The Doll Hut which is a total blast as expected. The Disasternauts are ALWAYS a fun set to witness, and it was great seeing Jonpaul get to “go gorilla” along with the other guys. Having now had the opportunity to be a Disasternaut myself (last weekend at Atlanta’s Drive-Invasion), I feel a special kinship with all who have donned the mask! I would do it again in a HEARTBEAT. I’m so glad that I got the chance to see The Tequila Worms again. They were one of the surprises for me last year, as I had never had any exposure to them before, and to get to see them again was like revisiting that all over again. I hope to see another recording from them SOON! Rounding the day out was the mighty Slacktone, and by this point I was BEAT!!! It’s a testament to that incredible band that I not only made it through their set, but found myself swept away as I have been in the past when watching them... bleary as it was... haha. I barely remember getting back to the hotel, but I do remember lasting about 3 and half minutes once my head hit the pillow. That is one, full and satisfying day!! WOW.

The pier show on Sunday was, as always, more great music, good vibes, great scenery, and a spirit that really hammers home the magic of the whole event. This year I discovered the joy of beers at Duke’s with a whole slew of folks. I really enjoyed chatting with folks and getting to know people better. This year I really got the opportunity to get to know Jonpaul better, and I as is said by many... that dude is tops. One of those guys you just feel an instant kinship with due to his great nature. Also that day I got to spend a good amount of time with Josheboy and Eric from The Truants, which I really enjoyed! Just so many great people. I could go on and on. The Wave Machine didn’t happen this year, so instead the 9th Wave folks set up a jam session much like they do at Instro Summit in NC (GREAT idea by the way!). Another great time that serves as a wonderful musical wind down for the weekend. There were many drinks consumed, so things got blurring quickly. In fact, Bob, Eric and Sean (Space Fargo) and I ended closing Don’s after more drinks. It was a good way to end the day.

For the first time I didn’t have a plane trip at the crack of dawn, so Bob and I (with Intoxicator Gary happily in tow) made the rounds with Jeff, Tuck, El Firetone, El Fuerte, El Twang, Fady, and Jeremy from The Aqualads. This is something that I am VERY glad I had the chance to do. Having done the Sun Studios tour in Memphis and that being like mecca for the birth of rock n roll, I got much the same vibe here with surf music. Jeff really has this all thought out, and takes us all around with a lean and very comprehensive tour of the birth of surf. GREAT way to end the weekend!

I can’t wait to do it all over again... of course, next year is going to be an even bigger experience for me!

• Jamie
  SSS Agent #181
  Cartoons drenched in reverb!
  The Mystery Men?
  El Capitan & The Reluctant Sadists

Jamie,

thanks for that great review.
thanks for coming,
and looking forward to having the Mystery Men next year.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Hey Jeffe...while we're at it and already getting pumped up for 2013 (can you believe it'll be #6????), are you at liberty to spill the beans on any other bands confirmed for next year?

Insect Surfers
The Tikiyaki Orchestra
The Scimitars
Lords Of Atlantis
Fiberglass Jungle - Surf Radio

sorry guys,
nothing is 100% confirmed

Jeff(bigtikidude)

just being professional.

It was mentioned earlier in the thread that
Aqualads and Mystery Men will Probably be on it.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

A video of us playing Sandstorm at the Convention was just posted on YouTube by Darren Kruger a day or two ago. Things were lively!

Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube

Last edited: Sep 13, 2012 10:27:38

Really enjoyed that 'Sandstorm' take!! Wow, haha. Actually I didn't get to see much of The Madeira (that day) as they were on right after our show. But those Strats got an uber cool clean and raunchy surfin' tone - that's for sure. Love that sound.

El Twitter
El Ray
El Ray on Bandcamp
El Twang on YouTube

Last edited: Sep 14, 2012 13:52:56