Your monthly dump (of area concerts for April 2023)
Plus, RIP Gabriel Meza, of Neon Pineapple Entertainment.
Editor’s note: BANDGEEEK is taking a break next week. It will return April 16.
It’s April, which means April Fool’s Day, which meant I spent the weekend avoiding social media, because bands (and brands) can’t help themselves.
I did manage to put together this month’s semi curated, and somewhat, but not entirely comprehensive Fresno-area concerts list (grouped by week for sake of ease).
Week 1 (April 2-8)
Keep Flying, College Radio, Hyacinth, Jesus H Macey and Shop Dog, 7 p.m. Sunday April 2, Destructive Warehouse. $10, all ages.
Good Riddance, Swingin' Utters, Sweat and the Noids, 7 p.m. Thursday, April 6, Strummer’s. $22, all ages.
Dying Suns, Westing and Fats LaBell, 5 p.m. Thursday April 6, Tioga-Sequoia. Free. All ages.
If you didn’t know (and I certainly did not) Fresno has a nice scene of K-pop fans. Back in 2019, the city was the No. 1 mid-sized market for the genre based on where ticket sales where coming from.
So, it makes sense that Fresno would be one of the few cities Tan would visit on its first-ever U.S. tour. The others being Atlanta (they play tonight) and Sacramento. The band plays the Tower Theater, on Friday April 7.
Showtime is 7 p.m. Tickets are $63-$103 and on sale now.
Week 2 (April 9-15)
Paladin, Exvamon, JNX and Split Lip, 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, Strummer’s. $10-$12, all ages.
Matthew Logan Vasquez, Strange Vine, 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, Cellar Door, Visalia. $15-$20.
Ouija Macc, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, Full Circle Brewery District. $15-$20, all ages.
The Rare Occasions, Hotel Mira, 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, Strummers. $15, all ages.
Moonshine Bandits, Pour Decisions Tour with Good Ol’ Boyz, GOAT, Brandon Hart, 8 p.m, Thursday, April 13, Strummer’s. $22, all ages.
Elton Dan and The Rocket Band, a tribute to Elton Joh, 8 p.m. Thursday, April 13, Tower Theater. $19.50 - $89.50.
XENO and Oaklander, Martial Canterel, Catacombs Goth Night DJs, 9 p.m. Friday, April 14, Strummer’s. $13-$15, all ages.
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, 8 p.m. Friday, April 14, Saroyan Theater. $49-$149.
Vintage Days is Fresno State’s annual open-campus party.
Historically, the weekend has been filled with live music. Back in the day, they always pulled in some big headliners or a battle of the bands or some such. Even now, it tends to have a good lineup of locals playing over its three days.
This year’s event happens April 14-16.
Wig Wam, 8 p.m. Saturday, April 15. Tower Theater, $38- $53.
The Gallows Venue Launch w/ Cinderblock, Bare King, Eternal Bloom, Dear Distance, Dedset, 5:30 p.m. Saturday April 15, 381 N. Blackstone Ave. Free, all ages.
Week 3 (April 16-22)
Unless you lived through ska’s third wave in the 1990s, you might not understand just how pervasive the genre was. And while bands like No Doubt managed to pull above the trend some, plenty of others were there and gone and are now back.
Save Ferris for instance.
The band was no Smash Mouth, but in its heyday, Save Ferris landed in several movie soundtracks and were even featured in “10 Things I Hate About You.”
The band, which has been in revival since 2013 or so, stops at Strummer’s Sunday April 16. Tickets are $20 and all ages. So, go dance.
Vedo, 8 p.m., Saturday, April 16, Fulton 55. $50.
Enuff Z’nuff, Sunday April 16, Fulton 55. $17-$23.
The Hirs Collective, dontcryformeimalread, 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 19, Strummer’s. $12-$15, all ages.
Ramses album release, 7 p.m. Thursday, April 20, Fulton 55. Free.
Denum Jones, Sam Grow, Big Elk, 7 p.m. Friday, April 21, Fulton 55. $20-$25.
Dearly Beloved, Prince Tribute, 8 p.m. Friday April 21, The Howlin Wolf. Free.
Concert for a Cure, with Dave’s Not Here, Stoneshiver, Unlikely and Mindless Society, 6 p.m. Friday, April 21, Tioga Sequoia Brewing Company. $15 donation.
The Fresno Smokeout is the latest from promoter Brad Jaurique and if past performance is any indication, it should be wild (in the best possible way).
The show marks the return of speed-rapper (and Strange Music founder) Tech N9ne, plus E-40, Baby Bash and Paul Wall. The show is 6 p.m. Friday April 21 at the Chuck (aka Chukchansi Park). Tickets are $50-$200 and on sale now.
Boots In The Park, with Cody Johnson, Chris Janson and Ian Munsick, 1 p.m. Saturday April 22, Woodward Park Amphitheater. $99.
Week 4 (April 23-30)
Journey, Freedom tour 2023 Toto, 7:30 p.m., Sunday, April 23, Save Mart Center. $65-$225 plus.
Punk rock ditch party with The Bitter, Having Issues, Vicious Cycle, It’ll Grow Back and the Velisha, 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, the Fulton. $10, all ages.
Little Miss Nasty, Gina and the Eastern Block, Raven Black, Prey 4 Reign, Eye of Aquila, 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 25, Fulton 55. $25, $200 VIP.
Real Friends and Knuckle Puck, Between you and Me, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 26, Tioga-Sequoia. $26, all ages.
L.A. Guns, 8 p.m. Friday, April 28, Tower Theater. $39.50-$49.50.
Hearts of Fire, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 29, Tower Theater. $30.
Teenage Bottle Rocket, Broadway Calls, 9 p.m. Saturday, April 29, Fulton 55. $20-$25.
Giovannie and The Hired Guns, 8 p.m. Sunday April 30, Strummers. $20, all ages.
Tower Porchfest is back and judging from the lineups that have already been announced (and more popping up every day), it should be the one event to log in your mind calendar this month (if you at all care about local music).
Last year’s event had more than 60 porches participating and was an absolute dream for those looking for some real community in its music scene.
Tower Porchfest 2023 happens all day, Saturday, April 29.
RIP, Gabriel Meza of Neon Pineapple Entertainment
My general process for staying in the loop on which bands (brands, whatever) I should be keeping eyes on, is to find someone with taste, someone I can trust to spot the good stuff, and then just piggyback along.
Gabriel Meza was one of those people.
As the founder/runner of Neon Pineapple Entertainment, Meza seemed to have a knack for working with people to whom attention should be paid and turned me on to a lot of new stuff.
Meza died March 29 at the age of 32. Details of what happened haven’t been shared, but remembrances poured in on social media over the weekend from people who knew him much better than I did.
Via Mike Osegueda:
“Gabriel Meza, this is such a loss — for you and your loved ones, for our local music scene and for the bands lives you touched in your too-short time with us.
I first met Gabe when he was working in promotions at New Rock 104.1. He stood out to me for his hustle and his upbeat attitude. He had a certain energy about him that you couldn’t help but love.
I trusted his eye for talent and knew he truly cared about finding opportunities for the bands he worked with.”
A viewing and rosary is being held on Tuesday at Evans Miller Guinn in Exeter, followed by a funeral service mass, 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Sacred Heart Church also in Exeter.
Nolan Davis with RAD Music, said they will be announcing soon an event held in Meza’s honor.
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. If you have anything you think I need to be looking at or listening to, feel free to let me know: jtehee@gmail.com