Subject: Heading for the West Coast for the SG101 convention

Hey all, Mike and Sandy here from 9th wave.

It’s been 3 + month since the SurfGuitar 101 convention back in early August and 4 days of surf music. I’m finally getting an opportunity to express many thanks and appreciation, for the great experience that Sandy and I discovered while attending the SG 101 convention. Time seems to have slipped away from me, my day job (construction engineer), family life and house duties, evening auto repair business and band practice / shows / recording, have been taking up some time.

First, thank you Big Tiki Dude (B.T.D.) and Big Tiki Dude’s family. The music, bands, events, and entertainment starting on Thursday evening Aug. 5 to Monday Aug. 9 were fantastic. B.T.D. made it so worthwhile, with many things to do before Saturday’s official Convention. In the 4 days that we were in CA, we attend 5 shows, listened to 24 hours worth of surf music sets, were interviewed by Steve & Steve (filming their “Untitled Surf Documentary”), met and spent time with old and new friends, and did some sightseeing as well. Thank you Big Wave Dave (another west coast ambassador - http://www.myspace.com/theaquamarines ), Craig Stang (Atomic Mosquitos’ drummer), Unsteady Freddie (http://www.myspace.com/unsteadyfreddie ), Carol (Mom Surfing) , Midwest Surf Guy, Dave Arnson (Insect Surfers), Tim Sullivan (Supertones - http://www.myspace.com/thesupertonessurf ) - I’m sorry if I’ve forgotten to mention other key people.
This is how we spent our time:

Wednesday Aug 4, 7 pm stuck in Boston MA traffic, running late to catch our flight, got pulled over and ticketed by the police for excessive speed, but made our 9 pm flight. Landed in L.A.X at midnight.

Thursday Aug 5, picked up our rental car and headed to the International Surf Museum at Huntington Beach (http://www.surfingmuseum.org/ ), spent some time checking out the historic Items, while at the museum we met other SG 101 members. The US surf championship competition was being held in Huntington Beach. Walked along the beach for awhile, checked in to our motel and then off to the Big Tiki Dude’s house barbeque party by 4 pm. There we met up with the Space Rangers (German surf band), Big Tiki Dad Craig Dude, Dusty Watson (Slacktone), Lorenzo (Wadadli Riders), Burnin’ Mike Vernon (Three Balls of Fire), new and old friends. Good food, cold beers and warm friends. By 8 pm we were off to see the Space Rangers (http://www.myspace.com/thespacerangers ), Wadadli Riders (http://www.wadadliriders.com/ ) (from Antigua) and local surf band The Tequila Worms (http://www.myspace.com/thetequilaworms ) at a club whose name I forget (venue was moved last minute) Great high energy show, ended around 1am.

Friday Aug 6, met at the B.T.D. house by 8 am, headed south to the Fender guitar factory in Corona CA. Met up with others in the parking lot, then took a tour through the factory. We watched workers cut shape, sand, drill and build guitars & amps; quite the production to create a finished guitar. Dave Wronski (Slacktone) gave us a look at a beautiful Jaguar guitar he was setting up and answered many questions. Headed north to get ready for the Don the Beach Comber’s show. Drinks, dinner and cocktails before the show with friends. Interview with Steve for surf music documentary (http://www.twitvid.com/2KTNW ) before the show started. At 7 pm the bands started – more Space Rangers (yay!), more Wadadli Riders (yay!), local Orange County band Outerwave (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Outerwave-Surf-Band/249241957060#!/pages/Outerwave-Surf-Band/249241957060?v=app_2309869772 ), and our east coast friends the Atomic Mosquitos (http://www.atomicmosquitos.com/ ). The night ended sometime around 2 am.

Saturday Aug 7, we met up with B.T.D. at 7:45 am, to help him set-up for the Convention (including many performances, vendors, and raffles). We had an opportunity to play one tune during the Members’ Jam. Thanks to Carol (for using her Jazzmaster guitar), Sandy brought her flute, Craig Stang (Atomic Mosquitos’ drummer) and Big Wave Dave Becker on bass guitar. The amp I was using was breaking up ½ way through our cover tune “Customized”, still lots of fun. Many surf music legends were there and played very well with plenty of power. We had the opportunity to sit and chat with Paul Johnson, John Blair, Bob Spickard, and many others … Bands performing included:

Space Cossacks (Washington D.C.)
http://www.myspace.com/thespacecossacks
Frankie and the Pool Boys (SF Bay Area, CA)
http://www.myspace.com/frankieandthepoolboys
The Wadadli Riders (Antigua/Italy)
The Insect Surfers (Los Angeles, CA) – with go-go dancers
http://www.myspace.com/insectsurfers
The Space Rangers (Germany)
Atomic Mosquitos, Washington D.C.)
The Surfside IV (Phoenix, AZ)
http://www.myspace.com/thesurfsideiv
Men of Mystery (L.A. County, CA)

The convention was over by 8 pm, we helped B.T.D. load equipment and straighten the place out. We then took off, had a quick dinner and headed over to Don the Beach Comber’s show by 10 pm. The Glasgow Tiki Shaker’s from LA (http://www.myspace.com/glasgowtikishakers ) were playing 3 sets. We sat with Dave Arson (Insect Surfers), lots of mischief and crazy behavior bounced around the room the rest of the night. The music was great, the cocktails tasty and many friends to chat with. The night ended sometime around 1:30 am.

Sunday Aug 8, attended the Suzy’s show by 11:30 am. Had more opportunities to chat with old and new friends. Ate lunch there & saw the following bands:

Wadadli Riders

Space Rangers

The Surf Side IV

The Eliminators (http://www.theeliminators.com/index.php )

Slacktone – last minute substitution band – what a substitution! (www.slacktone.com )

Point Doom (including members of SG 101)

All the bands were awesome! By 7 pm, we had to head back to L.A.X, drop off the rental car and catch a red-eye back to Boston. Landed in Boston by 5:30 am, made it back to our house in CT by 8:30 am, and I was back to work by 10 am.

The Big Tiki Dude has been a gracious host, a strong friend and supporter of surf music and bands. He is truly an ambassador and international host of the surf / instro music . The Big Tiki Dude helped guide us and is one of the many reasons why we attended the convention. I strongly urge and encourage those who were unsure about attending, plan ahead and make it happen in 2011. The trip to southern CA is totally worth it – besides all the great surf music, there is plenty of sightseeing to do, family events can be arranged, and it is amazing to visit the birthplace of surf music. I look forward to returning and attending next year’s events and convention, and hope to see many more of our east coast friends there.

Mike
9thwavesurf.com
NESMASURF.org

it was fun hanging out with you (mike) and sandy. you were just two more reasons i had a great time in ca. for the convention. i'm looking forward to next year.

carol

www.surfintheeye.com

bump, for a reminder of what the convention is like for people that haven't come before.
Or for those on the boarder about coming this year.

Jeff(bigtikidude)