Fallen Riviera helps usher in new era at Jose’s.

Shore Break: Redondo Beach’s Fallen Riviera brings their “indie beach bum” sound to local shores on their national tour.

Fallen Riviera helps usher in new era at Jose’s.

Christy Khoshaba 

Thursday, February 10, 2011

When restaurant owner Ozzy Maldonado needed a new promoter for his popular basement-turned-rock-venue, Amy Gallego showed immediate interest. The job was hers within two days.

Gallego works full time at Inigo, a Carmel clothing store where she frequently hosts solo musicians.

“I want to get to know the community in a different connection,” she says. “I help bands get to where they want and they do the same for me in my career.”

While the music calendar will continue to feature indie rock, folk rock and punk, Maldonado anticipates music the venue hasn’t featured as regularly, such as reggae, blues and heavy metal.

One of Gallego’s first moves was to create the monthly Jose’s Reggae Nights (the next one is in March). She wants to attract a crowd Jose’s doesn’t normally see, including younger audiences – to that end, Gallego planned an all-age lineup for this Friday featuring the bands Bam! Bam!, Tink, Quincinerate and Candyflip.

“There’s great music here and people should come to Jose’s instead of going to Santa Cruz,” she says.

Saturday headliners Fallen Riviera coalesced in the dorms of Berklee College of Music, found its way to the recording studios of Los Angeles and now hits Monterey as part of a national tour that will visit Denver, Chicago and Las Vegas. Its musical style has been compared to U2, Coldplay and The Doves.

Recording Guitars for "Overnight" by Fallen Riviera

Gallego describes the sound as “indie beach bum,” which makes sense for a group based in Redondo Beach. Will Parry provides the vocals and piano tunes, while Steve Ornest rocks the guitar and Brock Pollack billows the bass. That leaves the sticks to Mike Sutherland.

“White Dress” has been one of the group’s most successful tracks thanks to an easygoing feel that disguises meaningful lyrics: “If hope is empty then forgive me, don’t resent me.”