The first year of the new millennium greeted the Monterey music scene with a diminished-chord. James Findlay--whom many called son, brother or, most of all, friend--was injured in a terrible auto accident between Figueroa and Franklin. Findlay was on the home-stretch home the night prior to New Year''s Eve when fate sent him into the intensive care unit. Pictures of his car after the accident made it look like he had been the victim of an impromptu monster truck rally.

Findlay has been somewhat of a holy messenger for quite some time, earning his credentials with musical groups that have left an indelible impression in local music circles. He was the guy you wanted as your bassist, though he was well-versed on any number of other instruments.

Findlay has a host of rock-world friends who revere him because he would fill in for anyone and do it without missing a beat. When Community Hospital fit him with a medical halo (to hold his broken neck straight), it seemed more like a physical representation for all the people who hadn''t noticed before that James Findlay has sported a spiritual halo for a very long time.

A Life Support Benefit at Viva this Saturday at 8pm to help Findlay financially should demonstrate how many other winged creatures bless us. A wide array of musical groups will gather in support of a fallen comrade in the last tiny bar locals seem to have left for music and fellowship. There is a suggested $5 donation at the door but if you want to see just how close people are within this scene--watch someone try to get in for free.

Red Light Nightmare will ignite the evening with a half-hour set of heavy metal rage. The group has risen on personality, grace and hard rocking ability. Lance Thompson sings, Angelo Tringoli bends wicked strings, the gogo dancer dances, and the rest of the band rocks down that distorted highway.

The Darktown Rounders will illuminate the next half-hour set with some homegrown southern rock. Also climbing the stage will be Pistolera, which shifts between surf punk and rockabilly--sometimes within the same song--like chameleons on acid.

A show surprise will be the Lesser Known Gods, playing at the Findlay benefit as an entry back into the land that the Monterey Pop Festival forgot. Sean Michael White, the Hart Brothers, Little Tony, and returning drummer Donnie Nix promise to kick you in the teeth with alternative hard sounds mixed with pop culturing.

Folk rock divas Linda Arceo and Nancy Jones also are booked for the Findlay show, offering some kick-ass female sound. Arceo recently won a John Lennon songwriters'' contest for her song "Cliché" and was featured on local TV. To finish of the evening, Justin "Juice" Saunders and old blues maestro Johnny Moezzi return from LA to honor their former band mate and eternal friend.

James Findlay will be at this gig, too, watching his friends and selling a mixed CD of his work with different groups. This is the chance to sit around like the tight little group of dysfunctional locals we are and play angels to one of our own. For more info, call 645-9546 or 646-1415.