Music Scene 8.2010

By Bart Mendoza

One of the best rock bands San Diego has produced in the last decade, Dirty Sweet, continues to churn out great tunes, mixing elements of classic southern rock, glam and blues. The band, who perform at Bar Pink on Aug. 13, part of the annual North Park Music Thing (NPMT) conference, recently returned from a tour of Europe promoting their new album, “American Spiritual,” and continue to be a major draw both locally as well as abroad. They remain the only local band to headline the Casbah three nights in a row and have sold out prestigious European venues such as Amsterdam’s Paradiso, a testament to their excellent live shows. This relatively intimate show promises to be one of the month’s highlights.
Dirty Sweet: Friday, Aug. 13. Bar Pink, 3829 30th St. 9 p.m. 21 and up. Cover TBD. myspace.com/dirtysweetmusic.
Exene Cervenka is a poet, writer and artist, but it’s as a singer with hugely influential Los Angeles punk band X that she’s made her biggest impact. A restless artist, she’s also spent time in the Knitters and Auntie Christ and is now a veteran of more than three decades of touring. Indeed, there are few music  performers today who have her stage presence. Appearing on Aug. 14, 7:30 p.m. at the Sunset Temple, part of NPMT, Cervenka will concentrate on material from her recent solo album, “Somewhere Gone,” but no matter what she includes in her set list, it promises to be compelling.
Exene Cervenka: Saturday, Aug. 14, The Sunset Temple, 3911 Kansas St. 7:30 p.m. All ages. Cover TBD. exenecervenka.com.

Little Hurricane, a blues rock duo with a female drummer who appears at Lestat’s on Aug. 14, 9 p.m. , part of NPMT, is bound to get comparisons to the White Stripes. However, a close listen to such tracks as “Super Blues”  shows the pair to have a more melodic edge than that of Jack White’s combo. The pair is working on their debut EP for later this fall, but live is the best way to experience their sound. While a two-person band lineup may seem  minimalist, the sound they produce is anything but.
Little Hurricane: Saturday, Aug. 14 at Lestats, 3343 Adams Ave. 9 p.m. All Ages. Cover TBD. myspace.com/littlehurricanemusic.

Although overshadowed by his older brother James Taylor, Livingston Taylor, who performs at AMSDconcerts on Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m., continues to create introspective, heartfelt music. While he’s only scored one top 40 hit, 1978’s “I Will Be In Love With You,” he is a prolific artist with 17 albums to his credit since his 1970 debut. Currently touring behind his latest album, “Last Alaska Moon,” Taylor’s music may not be as well known as that of his brothers, but his catalog of tunes is rich with material well worth hearing.
Livingston Taylor: Wednesday, Aug. 18 at AMSDconcerts, 4650 Mansfield St. 7:30 p.m. All Ages. $25-$50. acousticmusicsandiego.com.

While the concept sounds a bit like a “Saturday Night Live” skit, in practice, heavy metal band Mower playing side gigs as a jazz band called Slower, actually works. The band, who appear at the Soda Bar on Aug. 19, 9 p.m., recast their own hard-edged rock tunes, trading leather and jeans for suit jackets and winning over a new fanbase in the process. Even if you’ve never heard Mower before, Slower works as an independent musical project.
Slower: Thursday, Aug. 19 at The Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd. 9 p.m. 21 and up. $5. myspace.com/slower.