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Rock ''n'' Reggae

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Last week was a tumult of excitement. Between the Big Sur Jazz Fest and the local scene going on around us (like The Uninvited at the Long Bar, Danny O''Keefe at Morgan''s, and The Unity Festival), it was hard to stay home. The lineup this week is at least enough to keep faith in our music scene. There are some fresh groups dragging themselves up on stage like Dog Loves Girl, Red Light Nightmare, and Lean. These types of fresh acts and a proper spread of performances one day after another is what might keep the musical blood running hot around here--for the time being.

Tonight at the Long Bar you will find Los Cochinos (The Pigs) opening for a local band The Lesser Known Gods, which sports local music "diva" Sean Michael White. It should be a good performance, rich in alternative rock ambiance and flavor. Los Cochinos is currently being produced by the guitar player from Smashmouth, Greg Camp. The Lesser Known Gods and Los Cochinos opened for Lavish Green a few weeks ago and were a pretty phat couple when playing together. So, if anything, you might want to run down to the Long Bar and support our local music before light jazz acts invade and take over the entire Central Coast.

At the Long Bar this Tuesday are the two newest bands made up of Monterey jam-session junkies who must have finally realized potential in the unharnessed-talent category. The first group calls themselves Red Light Nightmare, and all anyone locally needs to know is that it''s a four-piece rock band that Lance Thompson (LT) is singing for. Thompson is a freak, a virtual soul-factory trapped in the body of a skinny white man peering maniacally out at the world through yellow-lenses. LT can sing with all the raw power and intensity of someone like John Fogerty, James Brown, even Al Green. If anything they''ll be a fantastic first that can''t really be called "openers" because they play music that exists on a totally separate plane of existence. Playing with them is another newer band, Dog Loves Girl, which is made up of musicians who have played around town for a while, headed by another acronym, JP, on guitar and vocals, Doug Picard on bass, Kumi Uyeda on keyboards, Mike D on roaring guitar, and drummer Bob Phillop. Both groups are must-see entertainment if only because they need to be supported as new local groups. Anyway it will be a good time to find out whether or not we''ll ever want to see these two play again.

The Lesser Known Gods with opener Los Cochinos, The Long Bar, tonight, 9pm, no cover. Red Light Nightmare and Dog Loves Girl, Tuesday, 9pm, no cover. 372-2244.

Meanwhile back at the Blue Fin on Friday, following a rather impressive opening performance for Dave Wakeling a few weeks ago, is Foamscape. Foamscape has worked diligently over the past few years, playing enough original pop tunes to keep crowds well entertained. Saturday at the Blue Fin is the San Francisco reggae group, The Yardies. The performances of many other reggae bands at the Blue Fin have shown that 9 out of 10 listeners end up dancing themselves silly.

Foamscape, and the Yardies, The Blue Fin Billiards, Friday and Saturday, 9pm, no cover. 375-7000.

Viva is back in the game this weekend with Lean, a San Francisco-based rock ''n'' roll four-piece. They have a new CD to promote called Hot Lava Lucy. Their drummer John Selle and guitarist Mike Whipple are local boys but the rest of the band is from out of town. The "locals" are playing with cofounder Jason Bridges playing guitar and singing, and Chris Stevens on bass doing back up vocals when the rest of the band is harmonizing around some drifty alternative rock lines. Viva, in the nicest sense of the word, is a very intimate bar. Small barroom, nifty soft bean bag chairs near the stage, and good access to the bathroom. The performances on Friday and Saturday should be energetic and thumping. Best of all, it''s free.

Lean, Viva Monterey, Friday and Saturday, 9pm. No cover, 646-1415.

No matter which venue you choose, you''ve got some good choices for most of the weekend.

P.S. It should be noted that Nina Storey has canceled her show at the Long Bar on the 28th of this month.