South Bay Rockers Benefit Show

Music and community have been on my mind a lot this past year.  Whether it's jamming with musician friends/family, learning new instruments, going to shows, buying new records, or starting new creative projects, music with all its diverse manifestations continues to fuel inspiration and joy.  Additionally meaningful is experiencing music in various communities around our town of San Diego.   Relatedly, my friend Hector Penalosa formerly of The Zeros has been a special music mentor this past year. While we jam, he tells stories about growing up in the South Bay neighborhoods of Chula Vista and National City in the 1970s. We’ve driven and walked through places from his childhood and youth. Some of these places are still here and some are not around anymore, the latter being favorite haunts like Wherehouse Music or Third Avenue Magazine Shop. These streets remain largely non gentrified and neighborhoods show their strong immigrant roots. This show I’m helping to organize on March 30th (changed from March 2ns due to rain) is a special tribute to music and musicians that came out of the South Bay community in the past few decades. Playing will be Static Halo, an indie band featuring Dylan Martinez that emerged from Chula Vista’s Southwestern College in the 1990s, Action Andy and the Hi-Tones hailing from National City sharing some hybrid honky-tonk and roots rock, and Neko Neko Neko, a rock and roll band led by frontman Hector Penalosa, formerly of Chula Vista’s seminal punk band, The Zeros. This tribute to the South Bay music scene will be held in the Chula Vista Memorial Bowl, where Hector and other members of The Zeros once jammed back in their high school days. This will be a donation-based all-ages ticket for the entire community. Please donate to this special show celebrating music from the area.  All proceeds will cover event costs and a donation to music resources at the Boys and Girls Club of Chula Vista, a place that fostered Hector’s love of music while he was growing up and a place that continues to benefit South Bay youth in the arts, leadership, and recreation.