Have you ever had the fantasy of hosting your favorite band in your own backyard?  You know, having a huge party (maybe it’s your birthday bash) where say, the Clash, or perhaps Wilco, or if you’re thinking really big, maybe Mick, Keith & the boys (“Ladies and gentleman, please welcome…the Rolling Stones!”) play your private party for just you and a few hundred of your closest friends and family.  I know I’ve always entertained this dream.  One of my best friends, when he was back at Long Beach State, hired a local band to rock his fraternity’s annual huge block party.  The band?  Sublime.  Remember them?  Of course you do – they enjoyed huge modern rock hits in the mid-90s (“What I Got,” “Santaria,” “Wrong Way,” “Date Rape”) and my buddy booked them just before they got signed to Geffen records and took over modern rock radio.  What a coup!

Just like Wiens Family Cellars landing the English Beat last Saturday night.

The legendary Dave Wakeling took over Temecula’s Wine Country with his current version of the English Beat (Dave – lead guitar/vocals, Antonee First Class – toaster, Rhythmm Epkins – drums, Wayne Lothian – bass, Raynier Jacildo – keys, Matt Morrish – Sax) and turned the landscaped courtyard at Wiens into a “backyard party,” where amazing wine (Wiens’ Crowded was my choice for the evening), great food, and the Beat’s iconic songs added up to make a memorable evening for about 600 of their luckiest fans.  I haven’t seen Temecula have this much fun since, well, the last time the English Beat played Wiens (this was their 3^rd year).

Leading off with “Whine and Grine/Stand Down Margaret” (a perfect opener, as the chorus sounded like “wine and dine,” which is what everyone in the crowd was doing) and then heading into their classic version of “Tears of a Clown,” Dave & the Beat easily took control of the night and at least 50 concert goers immediately jumped out of their seats and began dancing to the Beat’s unique Ska/Reggae/New Wave sound.  Those who were teens when the English Beat’s first album was released found themselves “skanking” to their steady, rhythmic, hypnotic groove.  The front of the stage filled up with revelers reliving the early 1980s and the party was on!

As the evening darkened and the full moon shone brighter, Dave and the gang kept the energy level high with rousing versions of “I’ll Take You There,” “I Confess,” and “Best Friend,” all well-known English Beat tracks.  After taking a break between sets, they saved their biggest hits for last, as their second set consisted of “Save it for Later” (their biggest state-side hit), “Can’t Get Used to Losing You” (their ska version of the Andy Williams classic), “Tenderness” (from Dave’s General Public days), and of course, “Mirror in the Bathroom,” which ended the evening with the entire stage filled with dancing and singing concert-goers.  There were so many fans taking over the stage, you couldn’t even see Dave and his band!  Needless to say, tonight’s English Beat concert turned out to be the party event of the Temecula summer.

Presented once again by Golden Crown Productions, this evening’s proceeds went to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest County, a Riverside County organization that provides a safe, supervised, and structured environment for young people.  Serving more than 600 local youths a day via its innovative programs and fun activities, it’s “The Positive Place for Kids.”

Local acts Tim Moyer and Stone Senses rounded out the evening’s musical entertainment.

For upcoming Golden Crown/Wiens concerts, click here.  And make sure to visit Wiens every other Friday for their “Wine Lounge” series of concerts – next up is JD Priest on August 6^th.

If you’re like me, you enjoy trying to pick out all of the bouquet “notes” that are associated with a particular wine you’re out tasting in the wineries.  It’s like a personal challenge, isn’t it?  Can you detect the apricot in a Viognier or the black pepper of a spicy Syrah or the smokey mocha of a Rhone-style blend?  It’s not easy, but just like anything else, it takes practice and some direction/training.  But where you can receive such training so you can develop your “nose” for wine?

Glad you asked.  Winemaker Chris Johnston’s Middle Ridge Winery, located in Idyllwild, is holding a special event this Saturday for those wine lovers interested in developing their bouquet senses.  Their Signature Aroma Table is the main attraction – a table set up with almost two-dozen distinct aromas found in white and red wines.  Based on standards developed by UC-Davis and their world-renowned viticulture program, the aroma table is a great way for beginners and advanced wine aficionados alike to sharpen their sense of smell while learning how to identify the most common – and rare – wine scents.

Johnston will personally lead the tasting, explaining how certain wines arrive at their individual aromas and how to use the aroma table’s scented wines as a guide.  How can you identify molasses or black currant or what “earthy” means without a reference point?  That’s where the aroma table comes into play and turns a typical wine tasting event in one that becomes educational.  A well-schooled nose will only help you determine which wines you like and those you don’t.  Plus, you’ll feel less intimidated the next time you hit the wineries and you may even impress the wine server standing across the bar from you, not to mention your date.

Middle Ridge Winery is known for it’s hand-crafted artisan wines produced in the small mountain community of Idyllwild.  Chris, along with his wife Melody, has created a boutique winery with a simple philosophy:  to have a conversation with everyone who comes in contact with the winery.  This idea is expressed in the winery’s tagline:  “…when the conversation is as important as the wine.”

This one-of-a-kind wine tasting event will take place from 3:00-6:00pm, Saturday, July 31^st.  It’s only $15 per person and will include hors d’oeuvres and entertainment via acoustic guitarist David Jerome.  Reservations are required, so give Melody Johnston a call today to secure your spot.

Location:

Thousand Trails

24400 Canyon Trail

Idyllwild, CA 92549

951-659-0698

I love being outdoors on a summer night.  I love the warm mugginess after a hot July day, a day where the world seems to come to a standstill because of the excessive heat, but relents and encourages us to come out and play in the evening.  The trees and flowers give off their musky scents, the westerly breeze sends the mercury dipping, but not too low – it’s still quite warm enough to wear shorts or a sundress.  Add some fine wine, tasty food pairings, a smooth band providing cool Latin rhythms, and a cozy courtyard filled with good friends, and you have what I would call a perfect summer night.

Stuart Cellars Winery provided such a party this past weekend on a gorgeous, warm evening, as they hosted their Futures Barrel Tasting Bash.  Guests were privy to sampling 11 new, yet-to-be-released wines straight out of their respective barrels.  All of them, save for the 2008 Zinfandel and the 2007 Port, are 2009 vintages.  Young grapes, yes, but that’s the point of wine “futures” – the opportunity to buy Marshall Stuart’s newest wines at an amazing discount (50% off each case) before they’re bottled and ready to be sold to the general public at their normal price.  Tonight’s event was a bit like insider stock trading – the main difference being that one could sample the product before buying.

The barrel tastings ranged from the Viognier (well-balanced, slightly grape-fruity finish) to the Estate Chardonnay (oaky, round, smooth) to the Cabernet Franc (bolder than the other reds) to the Zinfandel (fruit-forward, enticing, rich – a real crowd pleaser) to the 2009 Field Blend (a great patio wine – semi-sweet, refreshing).  These were perhaps my favorite wines of the evening, but I (and others) also enjoyed the Merlot, White Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Malbec, and the Port.

We also enjoyed a delicious menu of foods paired with the individual wines.  The Viognier, for example, paired quite nicely with the Shrimp & Noodle Salad as did the Malbec & Merlot with the Cheese Meat Loaf.  And the Zinfandel tasted especially nice next to the Slow Cooked Baby Back Ribs.  For dessert, the Port and the Field Blend were complimented by the Red Wine Chocolate Cake and the Summer Lemon & Thyme Sorbet.

Throughout the evening, L.A. Acoustic provided mellow, jazzy, Latin-influenced music as the guests made their way from barrel to their table back to another barrel.  So many wines to sample!  It was a constant stream of happy wine enthusiasts and foodies walking from station to station, stopping only to discuss the newest wines with each other in between bites of Grilled Fennel Garlic Chicken and Roasted Roast Beef.  But once everyone was satisfied, they took to the dance floor and cool evening began to heat up.

Sitting at my table, talking with new friends about our favorite wines of the evening, I couldn’t help but take a moment to stop and look around – at those laughing and sipping by the barrels, the couples dancing, the candescent stars, and the glowing moon.  I was struck by the friendly vibe, the staff’s excellent service, and how everyone was, well, smiling.  It simply added up another perfect summer night in Temecula’s Wine Country.

Barley & Hops Olde World Family Tavern, one of the premiere beer bars in Temecula, was the sight of the latest rockin’ set by local favorites the 4019’s.  Deftly blending late-50s rock, a ton of 60s-era rock/pop, Southern rock guitar from the 70s, an 80s punk ‘tude, and the commercial side of grunge from the 90s, the 4019’s lays claim to certainly the most versatile – but also perhaps the best – band in the Temecula area.

The newest addition to Barley & Hops – the Draft Room, with over 20 beers on tap, a pool table, foosball, and 3 more flat screen TVs – serves as the bar’s “club” these days.  It’s separated from the main bar, so one can have the best of both worlds – a mellow, sports TV-driven room for beer sipping and conversation (they have over 250 beers to choose from – 41 of them on tap), or a loud & raucous room where rock & roll rules.  I, of course, chose door #2.

I must admit, after initially taking in a couple of their covers (CCR’s “Bad Moon Rising” and “Keep Your Hands To Yourself” by the Georgia Satellites), I was only slightly impressed.  Both songs were well performed and the singer had a great tone, but come on – just about every rock band in the area has those two songs in their set list.  I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to kick back, enjoy a beer, and listen to an artist that primarily performs covers, I want a little originality.  I love to be surprised at a band’s song selection.  It makes me smile when a band digs up a deep album cut that never gets played on the radio, a choice track that communicates to your audience, “this is the ride we’re going on tonight.  Fasten your seatbelt.”  Hey, perhaps I’m a bit too demanding – I’ll certainly accept that.  Maybe I’m on island with this opinion as well.  I can accept that too.  But…

…I compare it to playing songs via jukebox in a bar.  How many times have you heard AC/DC’s “Back In Black” or “You Shook Me All Night Long” hand-selected by a customer?  Or maybe the Stones’ “Satisfaction” or “Start Me Up?”  I bet you’ve listened to G’n’R’s “Sweet Child o’ Mine” more than just a few times in a dive bar – or even Aerosmith’s “Dream On.”  I think you catch my drift.  Hey, I love each of these songs – we all do.  That’s not the point.  Point is – why play something in public that you know each and every person in that joint has heard thousands of times and that you yourself own at home on CD or your iPod?  Instead, if you were still insistent on playing the artists above in your favorite watering hole, why wouldn’t you hit the jukebox buttons for, say, “Night Prowler” (one of AC/DC’s best lyric), or “Sway” (an underappreciated Stones gem off “Sticky Fingers”), or Guns ‘N Roses “Rocket Queen,” which includes one of the great bridges in rock.  There are dozens of other like choices song-wise.  Make the barfly at the end of the bar sit up and take notice.  Receive a “nice choice” compliment from the bartender/owner who’s there 6 days a week and hears the same songs over and over.  Prove to me you know more than just the big hit songs.  Remind me that you want more out of life.  Show me that you care.

Which is exactly what the 4019’s started to do.

From Dramarama’s “Anything Anything” to David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel” (a hit, yes, but far from David’s most popular track) to a kick-ass original called “Vegas” to “Secret Agent Man” (the first set closer), the 4019’s proved to me that they had originality, musical chops to smoothly handle their song choices, and the confidence (bravado?) to extend their audience’s expectations.  An impressive string of songs that made me take notice.  I mean, a Johnny Rivers song?  Awesome!

I also love that the 4019’s keep their core sound while performing this wide range of covers.  Instead of changing styles to fit the songs, they made the songs fit them.  Keith Moon, the Who’s amazing drummer, had a term when they did a cover – he’d say they “Who’d it.”  “Shakin’ All Over” and “Summertime Blues” are both great examples of the Who putting their stamp on such well-known songs – the covers came out as The Who, not a copy.  And to almost the same degree, I heard the 4019’s doing the same thing – they  “Forty-Nineteen’d” their covers.  They owned them.

The 4019’s have a classic “garage rock” sound – a thick, tasty stew of almost equal parts Beatles, the Smithereens, Big Star, Buffalo Tom, Badfinger, the Gin Blossoms, and the Replacements.  Big, melodic, hook-driven pop-rock.  I even hear a bit of 90s indie rock a la Superchunk.  Maybe a little alt.-country twang as well (the “rock” side of the Jayhawks and Uncle Tupelo).  All of this makes them a unique find here in Temecula – a band that doesn’t rely on the blues or Johnny Cash covers to make their living.  Instead, they can throw Tom Petty your way or Elvis or the Clash or even Greg Kihn.  When I had to finally take off, they were in the middle of “Dead Flowers,” a 1970 Stones track that rarely (if ever) get radio play.  A sterling choice, my friends.  It left a smile on my face and proved that the 4019’s do indeed care.  And so should you.

This wonderful event is a fundraiser to benefit the children’s education programs at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, and a celebration of the ranching and cowboy way-of–life. The Jubilee Dinner, Dance and Concerts at the Ranch begins on July 17 at 3:00 pm and will feature 3 shows, dinner, dance, western artisans, historical displays and specialized vendors, silent and live auctions.

Last year, the Cowboy Jubilee was rated as one of the top five events of the year in the Temecula Valley by local media.   The spotlight continues on the Jubilee for a 4^th year to musically, poetically, and historically celebrate the rich and colorful American ranching and cowboy-way-of life.

This year the Jubilee will be held at the Murrieta Equestrian Center (formerly the Murrieta Stud Ranch) in the western rural area behind Historic Downtown Murrieta.  Hosted by the City of Murrieta and its 60-acre facility, the Jubilee will feature three components:

The Jubilee Trail Ride returns this year with a two-night rig camping stay at the Equestrian Center before embarking on a specially designed two and four hour trial ride to historic Cole Canyon at the base of the Santa Rosa Plateau.  The trail ride is free with the purchase of the Cowboy Deal ticket.  Trail riders can bring their rigs and horses and enjoy a two-night stay at the Murrieta Equestrian Center, arriving Friday night the 16^th of July.  After a continental breakfast, the Trail ride departs 8:00 am Saturday morning; two hour ride to return between 10:00 and 11:00 am; four hour ride to return between 12:00 and 1:00 pm.  The ride will meander along a six mile route to historic Cole Canyon at the base of the Santa Rosa Plateau.  Trail ride reservations must be made in advance. Must have your own horse;  See www.murrietacowboyjubilee.com for trail ride information.

Article by: Marilyn Wrye-Tipps

What a great place to be!  This Friday July 9th, the City of Temecula kicks off it’s Hot Summer Nights program.  The streets of Old Town will be filled with fun, games and music for the whole family.

Baily’s Courtyard will play host to Aunt Kizzy’s Boyz .  Hailing from San Diego, AKB will be ripping off some down-home blues that will take you to the swamps of Mississippi.  Lead Singer “Sugaray” Rayford is revered as one of California’s foremost soulful “Blues Shouters”.  The Boyz recently played to a standing ovation at the Pechanga Showroom where they opened for the legendary Etta James.

On the corner of Fifth and Front Streets, the Silver Beatles will be filling the Old Town Plaza with the nostalgic sounds of the “Fab 4″.  The Silver Beatles stand alone Southern California’s foremost Beatles Tribute band.  They have dedicated themselves intensely to detail to recreate this earth-shaking historical British invasion.

The kids will find themselves elated in a whirlwind of fun and games in between musical venues courtesy of Dynamite Dave (Front Street/Main Street), Diego (Main Street near the Bank), and Dejay (Front/Fourth)  The family car is sure to be filled with balloon animals, tricks and trinkets on your happy ride home.

Temecula Summer Nights begins at 6:00 and ends at 9:00 every Friday night starting tonight and will continue through the summer until September 3rd. Admission is FREE.

Poncho Sanchez and Trini Lopez will headline this weekend’s Temecula Valley International Jazz Festival, July 9-11, at the Temecula Valley Cultural Arts & Music Center.  Modeled after the Vancouver Int’l Jazz Fest, one of Canada’s biggest and most successful music showcases, the TVIJF is a combination of free and ticketed events and is produced by Musicians Workshop, a non-profit public benefit corporation.

Here’s the awesome line-up:

Friday, July 9^th – Opening Night Dinner & Concert

Ray Brown, Jr. (Ella Fitzgerald’s son)

Keith Droste Trio

Tracy Niles

Jon Laskin Big Band featuring vocalist Johnny Macarro

Saturday, July 10^th – Main Festival Day and Headline Concerts

Poncho Sanchez and His Latin Band

Trini Lopez – International Singing Star

Ella Fitzgerald Tribute featuring Herb Jeffries, Freda Payne, and Arthur Rand & the Legendary Ink Spots

Ray Brown, Jr.

Brian Auger

David Arkenstone

Coryell Auger Sample Trio

…and more!

Sunday, July 11^th – Youth Jazz Festival – FREE admission

Artists TBA

There are multiple ticket levels and packages that are sure to appeal to everyone, from General Admission to Box Suite Seats to VIP/Backstage tickets and more.  Click here for the entire rundown.  Or call at (951) 678-2517 to secure your seats to what is bound to be one of the most talked about musical events of the year.

Proceeds from this year’s event will go to the Temecula Valley Cultural Arts & Music Center, home of the Chuck Niles Memorial Jazz Library.

The Blond Gypsies gave a rare Southern California performance Saturday, June 26th, bringing their unique Gipsy Rumba & Flamenco Guitar music to Palumbo Family Vineyards & Winery.

Surrounded by horse ranches & budding vineyards and sitting atop of the rolling hills off of Monte De Oro, Nicholas and Cindy Palumbo’s boutique winery provided the perfect venue for Latcho and Andrea, the duo that call themselves Blond Gypsy.   About 100 dinner guests – a very eclectic and beautiful crowd – sat in the winery’s courtyard, enjoying the clean, warm Temecula air and the fruits of the vineyards.  The tasting room’s cobble stone-style exterior served as the duo’s backdrop, where Latcho & Andrea took to their chairs and strummed their lovely Flamenco guitars.  With my eyes open, I thought I was in Italy…with them closed, Argentina.  The combination was…enthralling.

A fantastic meal was catered by Palumbo’s Ristorante (no relation to Palumbo Winery – that would be too easy, right?), one of Temecula’s favorite Italian restaurants.  The Penne Pasta with Chicken and Caesar Salad paired perfectly with Nick Palumbo’s handcrafted red wines. While many great Palumbo wines were offered this evening, I opted for the 2007 Estate Tre Fratelli, their popular Meritage blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.   Smooth, full-bodied, complex, and full of fruit – just as a Bordeaux should be.  A wise choice, if I do say so myself.

In between a couple of their rumbas, Latcho let us know that “All of our songs are about love and pain.  Or love and joy.”  Which means, of course, that all of their songs are about “love.”  That sentiment seemed to reach out and touch the audience, as the evening became one of couples holding hands and the spaces between dinner tables becoming dance floors.  The full moon shone down upon us (smiling, really), Palumbo’s wine reminded us how lucky we are to be living in the Temecula Valley, and Blond Gypsy’s Flamenco-style serenades lifted our spirits.  Seriously, how could it get any better than this?

Make sure to visit Palumbo Family Vineyards Friday-Sunday (weekdays require an appointment).  Give them a call at (951) 676-7900.

Rock and Roll is alive and well in Temecula.  Want proof?  Head out to The Vault, an all-ages music venue (no alcohol sold) located within the walls of the Temecula Sounds School of Music & The Arts, the Valley’s longest-running music school.  The Vault is a small, stripped down, no frills, warehouse-style haven to catch your favorite local and touring indie bands – in short, the perfect place to anchor the Temecula rock scene.

I dropped in last week to catch Victory Records’ artist Amber Pacific, playing one of their last So Cal shows before heading back home to the Seattle area (and eventually hitting the road again in late June).  An Alternative Pop-Punk group along the lines of the All-American Rejects, Taking Back Sunday, and Story of the Year (with a little

Weezer thrown in), Amber Pacific are veterans of the Warped Tour and just released their newest CD entitled “Virtues.”  Following a good time rock & roll set by local favorites Inverse, Amber Pacific took control of the stage with their high energy, melodic, radio-ready brand of Emo-ish punk rock.  The crowd of teens and early-20s fans ate it up, dancing and singing along, even with the band’s newest single, “Anthem For The Young At Heart.”

The Vault books bands and artists that are the “alternative” (so-to-speak) to the artists you’ll find playing in Old Town every weekend or out at the wineries.  Not many cover bands running through a tried & true Johnny Cash tune or a Beatles classic found on this stage.  There’s definitely a place and time for such bands, but for young, ambitious, hard-working bands with the dream of headlining Coachella or Lollapalooza one day, look no further than Temecula’s The Vault.  The sign above the stage reads “Support Local Music” and that is exactly what The Vault is all about.

Tickets are typically $10-$12.  Check out The Vault’s upcoming schedule, tickets, location, and directions here or contact the club directly at 951-296-9993.

You know the day destroys the night

Night divides the day

Tried to run

Tried to hide

Break on though to the other side!

So the Doors sang, opening their set with their hit “Break On Through (To The Other Side) at Wiens Family Cellars.  Jim Morrison in his leather pants hovering over the mic stand, Ray Manzarek leading the melody via his organ, Robby Krieger riffing on his six-string, and John Densmore keeping the ship sailing with his strong backbeat.   Except…it wasn’t Jim Morrison and the Doors circa 1969 – it was Wild Child, and it was this past Saturday evening.  For those in attendance, there really was no difference.  Jim Morrison & the Doors were indeed on stage…long live the Lizard King!

For those not “in the know,” Los Angeles-based Wild Child has been performing the last 20 years as the world’s premier Doors tribute band.  They mirror the depth, energy, emotion, and danger of the Doors’ concerts as they were back when Nixon held office and the war raged in Viet Nam.  Some of the most important and influential music from that turbulent time in our history was brought to life via Wild Child’s amazing performance.  The Sixties were alive & kicking this blustery May evening, and the audience – many who experienced the late 1960s first-hand – were out in full effect.

Golden Crown Productions are the vehicle and the heart behind such shows, as they produce concerts throughout the summer months here in Temecula to raise money for numerous charities, such as the Unforgettables Foundation, California Family Life Center, and the Musicians Workshop.  With Wiens Family Cellars, they have found the perfect co-partner and venue for their concerts, which has included the English Beat, Tommy Tutone, Stan Ridgeway, and Berlin.  Tonight was the first of five such concerts to take place this year at Wiens Winery.

Against the landscape of grape vines, orange trees, and snow-capped mountains, the stage at Wiens provides the picturesque backdrop that sets a Golden Crown Prod. concert apart from all others in the Temecula Wine Country.  Those who purchased VIP tickets were seated at tables in front of the main stage (where they enjoyed a scrumptious dinner provided by Smokey Mountain Catering), while those with general admission tickets enjoyed seats right behind the tables.  The property was transformed into a major concert venue (Golden Crown puts on a first-class production), but with a smaller, club-like vibe.  Maybe even, say, “down-home.”  Being an outdoor venue, it brought back memories of attending a family reunion in Iowa when I was a teenager.  It was at a cousin’s house and he had a huge backyard with tons of grass area and picnic tables, where we barbequed hamburgers, passed the potato salad, and played softball later in the day.  And that’s what it was like at Wiens – tons of friends and family, a little BBQ grillin’ going on, and fantastic wine flowing.  The only difference is that this “reunion” just happened to have a great band belting out Doors songs that we all know and love.

Wild Child’s performance was spot-on and as realistic as they come – it was as if aliens had lifted the Doors from the Whisky A Go Go stage in 1967 and gently set them in front of us on this gorgeous stage in the vines.  The evening’s semi-dark sky welcomed the performers as they hit the stage.  It was past twilight, but not yet fully night – we were in that weird, mysterious, almost spooky part of the evening.  A perfect entrance, really, as much of the Doors’ music can be described as such – dark, enigmatic, and eerie.  Front man Dave Brock as Jim Morrison is a sight to behold – not only does he have Morrison’s vocals down to a “T,” but he’s got his mannerisms and stage presence in his back leather pants pocket.  Brock prowled the stage as the Lizard King did back in the day – relentless & sensuous, yet never going completely over-board.  He pushed and tested the limits, but never fell over the side of the boat into the water.  All great rock and roll is about tension & release and straddling that fine line in-between the two.  Jim knew that – he lived his entire life flirting with that ethos.  Tonight, we witnessed Dave Brock do the same.

Wild Child’s set included many of the Doors’ biggest hits and most popular songs:  “Touch Me,” “Love Me Two Times,” “Alabama Song,” “Roadhouse Blues,” “When The Music’s Over,” “Light My Fire,” “LA Woman,” and their cover of Van Morrison & Them’s classic, “Gloria.” As the hits continued, the crowd in front of the stage grew and grew, until the entire area was filled with dancing and singing fans.  Perhaps, if the wine country’s ten o’clock curfew didn’t hold true, we’d have been witness to such favorites as “Riders On The Storm,” “People Are Strange,” and “The End.”  I guess there’s always a next time, right?

The evening also brought out a few select VIPs, such as sponsor Intrepid Cycles’ co-owner and Don Biron and original Alice In Chains’ bassist and reality TV star Mike Starr, who was there to support his friends from the evening’s opening band, Timmy and the Po’Boys, a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band.  Look for a Taste of Temecula piece on Intrepid Cycles in the near future.

Congratulations to Golden Crown Productions for putting on a great show while raising money for a noble cause (Musicians Workshop), Wiens Family Cellars for being the perfect hosts, and of course Wild Child for their scintillating performance.  Golden Crown and Wiens’ next scheduled concert is the Beatles tribute band, A Ticket To Ride, on June 19^th – see you there.