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rock

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Last Thursday, sipping warm, steamed mead at Morgan''s, I was reminiscing about the old days (like a year ago) at the Long Bar when in the course of a few months I saw bands like Dread Zeppelin, Agent Orange, and Dave Wakeling (numerous maximus times). Then, promoter Matt Heimbold''s wicked flight north to work as a headhunter for corporate executives in The City made the future of live music at the Long Bar look as cold and as grim as I felt last Thursday.

Larry, the soundman for the Long Bar had taken over booking and promotions. It looked horrible--Larry is a bluegrass player, which meant the Long Bar was possibly lost to the dark rich and fetid fertile Americana style music in Thurman''s column. >[Just some suggested changes. Chuck.] What I didn''t know was that Larry''s father was a world-famous genetic engineer, and like his father, it seems that Larry is also good at splicing things together.

There are now schedules for bands booked through November stapled in a display case outside of the Long Bar. Larry, with help from Heimbold and the infamous bartender Cathy who manages the place, have booked some punk, some rock, and a little bit of folk for the entire month. So here''s this week of music, starting with the Long Bar.

Tonight at the Long Bar is Righteous Anger, a band worth seeing if you enjoy standard alternative rock. The band doesn''t exactly pull out fiery original songs, but they''re young and will only get better. Terry Teranna, the lead guitarist for Trial by Fire, will play this show with them. That means it should be a practiced and sharp-toned group.

The next and most promising show this week is also at the Long Bar, with three bands you could call punk--if not for the music industry goons who control them. The group Diffuser will headline the evening. This is a band out of New York and one that is getting massive airplay on KMBY--now they want to try out the world-famous Monterey music scene (hardy-har-har). Opening up for them will be another punk group from LA called Homegrown, and Limbeck. No cover for this one either.

Lastly, Abbotfinney, a light modern group from Seattle, plays on Tuesday at the Long Bar. The band''s music is written around catchy modern vocal harmonies of Jeffrey Alan, the band''s singer/songwriter. Alan''s credits in the industry include supporting performances with James Taylor; Crosby, Stills, and Nash; and the mighty Michael Bolton. If you want to hear them, check out the Website, www.abbotfinney.com, or come to the show because this one will be free as well.

Righteous Anger, tonight, 9pm; Diffuser, Homegrown and Limbeck, Monday, 9pm; Abbotfinney, Tuesday, Long Bar, 9pm. No cover. 372-2244.

The greatest club in the world might soon be Club Octane if Taylor Wolfson has his way. Wolfson has laid out the general ideas he has for the dance club that should be finished by this January. Octane is being put together by Malcom Caruthar, a well-known European designer who solely builds dance clubs for a living. There are plans for multi-level dance floors, TVs above the stage, TVs you can dance on and live Internet broadcasting of evening events.

"I''m one of those guys who forgets that I have to make more money," says Wolfson. "Sometimes I just go a little crazy and end up spending a lot more than I make."

Wolfson is referencing his Halloween party where he went out on a shopping spree for masks and statues to throw all over his club, without conferring with his account books first. He may not be selfless as a monk, but he is interested in putting on entertaining events.

Tonight Octane honors the local hospitality industry during their regularly scheduled ''80s Dance Night. If you work in the hospitality industry around here, you can bring in a pay stub and get in for free. This night fits with other nights Octane presents like the Voters Registration night this past Tuesday. The ''80s night will be spun by Octane''s DJ Brian.

Hospitality and ''80s Night, Club Octane, tonight, 8pm. $7/door, or free with slip. 646-9244.

Well that''s this week. Next week, a new band, Under_Score, will get reviewed and the possibility for a Red Light Nightmare show at Ocean Thunder looms on the horizon.

Until then, be safe.