Fresno shoutouts: With Andrew DeYoung, director of A24's 'Friendship'
Plus, Gottschalks' monthly concert calendar and Destructive Warehouse takes a show break
Thanks to Roque Rodriguez (CenCal Cinema/SwedeFest) for dropping this in my lap.
It’s an interview with writer/director Andrew DeYoung, who just released a film with Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd, and who, unbeknownst to me, happens to be from Fresno.
He also spent his youthful days mucking around in Fresno’s hardcore scene, which is why the interview got picked by Lambgoat when it dropped last month.
In it, DeYoung talks with Touché Amoré singer Jeremy Bolm for his “The First Ever Podcast” and “the Fresno of it all” (as Bolm calls it) starts early; like within the first 10 minutes.
There are mentions of Chinatown Youth Center and Strummer’s (which DeYoung probably, though doesn’t directly say, remembers from its days as the Starline). He doesn’t follow things here much anymore but at the time (the early 2000s-ish), “the scene was, like, vibrant.”
For the bandgeeeky types, there’s some gold in this interview.
Like hearing DeYoung reminisce about his musical education and the importance of record labels (and those listening stations they used to have at Tower Records) in discovering new music. And I sing, “those were the good old days,” a la Weird Al.
You can listen to the whole interview below.
Go here to find out more about DeYoung and his work.
Destructive Productions puts shows on hiatus
Destructive Productions is sort of the epitome of “underground.”
For years, Franco Villanueva and his wife have been stalwarts of a punk/hardcore scene that coalesced in downtown, particularly around the warehouse they run as a community space and venue. The work has been done under the radar and outside of the public spotlight. If you knew, you knew.
On Wednesday, the pair announced a hiatus.
“My wife/partner and I are always dedicated to our beautiful family, full time jobs and spread our selves all over helping bands/artist, non-profits, skaters and schools, Boys & Girls clubs and many positive good vibing youth projects,” Villanueva wrote.
“It’s time for us to take a long well deserved BREAK! …
“Our mental/physical health is first for once.”
This means, no more shows at Destructive Warehouse for the foreseeable future, though the building will stay open to the community, “to do what we love, arts, music, skateboarding.” The post also hints at a possible relocation of music events, so there’s probably more on that coming soon.
The loss of a venue, especially one that caters to outsider music, always hurts. But we’ve also seen other places stepping up to fill any potential voids (looking at you Raging Records).
Concert calendar list via Gottschalk Music
Once upon a time, I’d have done a full-on concerts calendar for this week’s newsletter. But these days there’s kind of no need. You can find a really good weekly list over at Valley Echoes and (for the purposed of it being the top of the month) a more comprehensive monthly guide from Gottschalk Music Center.
They do this really awesome slide show via Instagram with separate versions for Fresno/Clovis and Merced/Modesto (where they also have a store).
I’m not exactly sure how the store goes about collecting event info, but it’s probably worth reaching out if you are hosting something and want to get included.
The shops have been hosting some cool in-store events of their own, including last night’s Rock n’ Blues Jam Session up in Merced and an upcoming PRS Day in Fresno. The latter features live demos with Permutations guitarist Trevor Kubose and Carlos Vazquez II of the Stereo Hopeful.
That’s it for this week. Remember you can now hear me on the Homegrown Show Sundays at 8 p.m. on New Rock 104.1 FM. Tonight I’m in studio with a playlist of NEW, LOCAL music. You’ll love it. Follow my other writing at The Fresno Bee. If you have anything you think I need to be looking at or listening to, feel free to let me know: jtehee@gmail.com