Inna Rude Mood: News

IRM served up some delicious classic rock to the hungry crowd at the Palms last night. There were not one, but two, wedding parties in the house and the people were primed for a good time. One bride to be (Kimeree?) particularly liked dancing to Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walking" and then immediately requested Aretha Franklin's "Respect." Her groom-to-be better watch his step once that marriage kicks into gear or he may turn into one of those unfortunte late night overboard casualties that sometimes afflicts newly married couples on their honeymoon cruise. IRM also spotted guest drummer Carrie in the audience and pulled him on stage to lay down the beat for SRV's "Cold Shot." Later in the evening, he also teamed up with his guitarist friend Billy to kick out the jams on some Led Zep and AC/DC. Oh the horror!!!

IRM's live sound was the best ever, if I may say so myself (and I will). Scott finally mastered his new Bose system and produced the best drum, guitar and vocals tones that had appeared in a long time. Linking up 4 subwoofers for the new Bose kick drum preset did wonders for the lower register and everyone in that place felt a wallop in the chest each time Ruben's foot worked the kick drum pedal. Also, Maggi had a new preset for her vocal mic that had it cutting through the mix like a hot knife through warm butter. Some treble tweaks to her bass also removed the mud that had been slogging down her tone and her bass tone was able to sparkle through the night without having to overcompensate with volume. With the updated Bose system, IRM is going to change from three to two systems for regular sized gigs and will still fill the room with clear sound as never before. Come on down and hear it for yourself. Next stop on this ongoing rock-n-roll tour of great dive bars is the nationally-ignored Star Lounge in downtown Ventura.

IRM returned to form last night at "It's All Good" in downtown Ventura. The crowd was amped and the band rocked the night. Owner, Lisa, was on hand to exhort the crowd to dance and show them how it's done. IRM has been kicking back a bit this summer with first an extended vacation by Maggi immediately followed by same by Scott. This has resulted in them not rehearsing together and not learning any new material. Yet, it's also caused the gigs to be even more interesting as the band is truly enjoying each others company and opportunity to perform together.

Last night, Scott had just returned from a two week vacation on the East Coast. Although battling fatigue from the three hour time change, he incorporated a few things he had learned while at Guitar Camp in Connecticut. That's right, even old men can attend band camp along with their kids (in this case a young drummer and guitar player) and attempt to learn new things. Scott took a week long class on blues-rock, discovering that he knew much of what was being taught, but also a few insights that will expand current playing abilities. We'll see if the notoriously lazy guitar player actually rehearses some of the unfamiliar stuff to work it into his current bag of tricks.

Scott also debuted the newest Bose technology improvement since the band started using the Bose systems two years ago. Bose has improved the entire package, including a convenient user interface that attaches to a performers mic stand. Although Scott had just opened it up earlier in the day, the band was able to notice the improvements in Ruben's kick drum sound that Scott conjured up using Bose's newest patented kick-drum noise-gate preset. Scott hopes to noodle with it over the next few weeks and improve upon as much of his guitar/vocal tone as possible with the latest technology. Come on down and check it out. As far as we can tell, IRM is the only local band using the Bose systems. You'll be amazed at how much clearer IRM's mix sounds as compared to other bands playing in the same small venues that feature lousy acoustic properties. It's like putting lipstick on a pig, but this pig could actually win the county fair's beauty contest. On that note, check out Ventura's upcoming County Fair but don't get too close to the sheep. We hear they get spooked very easily when someone sneaks up on them from behind as Ruben has been known to do after drinking a six pack.

Tonight, IRM performs at The Palms in good old Carpenteria. That place always rocks in the summer months with generally an hour plus wait for dinner during the first set. Todd, owner of the Palms, asked IRM to again perform at his club on the eve of the Avacado Festival and that's a choice gig. IRM will play to the sweaty, unwashed masses who have been drinking beer all day at the festival and are now seeking intimate companionship. Check it out for yourself, but arrive early as the line to get in has been known to wrap around the block and the bouncers can be beefy.

IRM had a great time performing at Ventura's 4th of July Street Festival. The band shook off the rust that accumulated since Maggi's extended vacation in June at her Utah home. It's like riding a bike. You get on and fall off whenever you hit a bump, no matter how many years you have been riding dirty. This is the fourth year that IRM has anchored the Food Court Stage and the hottest 4th to date. The food lines were long (30 minute wait) and the tables were full as the band kicked into a greatest hits two hour set. Although many things were similar to past years, this was the first year that IRM had ever received a tip of a "fish and chips" meal from a delusional homeless person. All in good fun. Next is a gig tonight at the Star Lounge and then another two week layoff as Scott takes a family vacation to the East Coast. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

It's the best of times and the worst of times as the cycle of life continues forward. The father of IRM's bassist passed away earlier this week and, rather than wanting to cancel Friday's gig, Maggi chose to rock through her grief. Sort of like on HBO's Entrourage when superagent Arnie "hugs it out, bitch" after every particularly nasty conflict with other shark-like business agents. A gaggle of Maggi's friends showed up and helped set the party mood in Frankys. Maggi got them all excited with her "Coyote Ugly" walk down the length of the bar and then distribution of IRM thong underwear for all.

The club is a decent restauarnt where you can order a fine steak or inexpensive hamburger and then take in the live tunes starting at 9pm. It's a fun family environment as discovered by the Bushnell family who have become regulars for their Friday night family dinner after their combo of Juro Cho sushi and Dukes Burgers has gone down the tubes. Franky's owner Joe clears the dance floor of tables, dims the light and flips on his strobo club lights. The waitresses and bartender are often the people dancing the most during the set and IRM usually gets so into it that they don't take breaks. They also keep playing because the night ends early a midnight and they know from experience that each break results in waves of patrons abandoning the scene. The dance floor was rarely empty last night as both young scenesters and middle-agers mingled freely while getting their groove on.

IRM is taking a few weeks off as Scott's son is having a Bar Mitzvah and much of his family is traveling to California from Massachusetts. Look at fine young Chad in his Sunday best, doing his own pose-down with a prop football. Scott and his oldest son Shane are playing "Nothing Else Matters" at the end of the service and believe that it's the first time that a Metallica song will have been played in the synagogue at Temple Beth Torah. Scott is a little concerned about this on-off gig as he's not used to playing in front of a bunch of attentive people who are not drinking alcohol. Also his son is cranking up his first major guitar solo in front of people and that's always a little dicey. They need to establish a two drink minimum at the Saturday morning Temple Beth Torah service, just like at the comedy clubs. The more worshippers drink, the better the performance will sound. Scott's also concerned as his family has voted him the most likely to cry like a little baby during the service. Sounds like a job for indoor sunglasses, ala Bono. Mazel Tov!

O'Learys has always been like a second home to IRM as the owner, Jadee, gave the band it's first break way back when it first formed. Through the years, it's been feast and famine as the club's popularity has waxed and waned. Lately it's been more famine than feast, but last night restored the venue to its true splendor.

The house was full by the middle of the first set and it never let up until last call. Maggi's sister and Leo set the tone by not being afraid to dance when everyone else was just drinking. Leo's daughter, Tiffany, dropped in to show off her new engagement ring and beaming beau. Maggi told him that IRM had known Tiffany since she first turned 21 and that we would hunt him down and exert extreme violence should he ever hurt her. Tought words from a tough chick. Actually, Maggi would probably just farm out the beating to Ruben.

Kat and Lauren were up to their usual tricks as bartending hostesses and trays of shots were passed to quench the thirty crowd. Ruben was sporting his latest look, the "Hansen triplet" eyeglasses from the movie "Slapshot." The glasses looked so good that even Scott tried them out for a few songs. IRM really cracked up once Ruben blacked out a tooth to complete the hockey player look. Actually that look in nothing compared to Maggi's look in her recently posted high school picture that now appears in the photo section of this website. Look for Ruben's junior high photo and you'll find the picture that Maggi has been holding back on. It's hard to believe that Maggi looked like such an innocent Catholic school girl before transforming into the rock-and-roll princess that she is today. Actually, I'm checking to see whether Maggi ever reads these journal entries because if she does, I'd expect her to request the picture be removed. Let's wait and see.

Yes, Maggi does read this column, and last time I checked there were THREE band members. So, Scott, dude, where's YOUR senior picture? You know, the one where you have--OMG--hair (lots of it) and where's the yearbook entry where you were voted Most Likely To Become President of........a Homeowners' Association??? And why did you expect to have to remove my picture? Wing haircuts were in back then. Don't I look like Farrah (with short hair, of course) or Dorothy Hammill?

As usual, IRM made a few new friends and expanded their e-mail list. O'Learys is closing for the first week of July so that the staff can take a well-deserved vacation. Kat promised to instead show up to IRM's July 4th Street Festival gig with her son, the little prince. Apparently he can say the word "muffin" but we will verify that for ourselves on the 4th. Anyway, you won't have IRM to kick around at O'Learys in July and instead look for them the first Saturday in August.

IRM began it's "first Friday of the month" residency at the newly refurnished Star Lounge on Main Street in Ventura. The place attracts an eclectic crowd who mixes well in the post-retro dive bar ambiance. This is one place with the best restrooms in all of the downtown area. As Ruben would point out, there were far too many poles in attendance. Yet, what the female bar patrons lacked in quantity, they made up in quality.Maggi thought she spotted Jennifer Aniston, but Ruben wasn't too sure. Also, with Maggi's sister and daughters in the house, the men were circling like sharks. Mom captured some incriminating cell phone pictures of the youngest daughter dancing with one youg gentleman. Although the older daughter could easily pass for that vapid hieress, Paris Hilton, she attends Harvard in the MBA program and certainly does not share the clueless mentality of the overexposed media trashling.

One of the most exciting events of the evening was when a hot but wobbly brunette was dancing solo until she fell backwards off of her way-too-high heels. The audience and IRM tried to be respectful and not laugh too much until the unfortunate gal fled the scene and then everyone could really make fun of her. There is nothing better than laughing at someone else's clumsiness with the smug feeling that you're very glad that it wasn't you.

Star Lounge owner Mark Hartley and his lovely wife were also in attendance. He's building a new restarant near the Ventura Theater and it's set to open in October 2007. After checking out the world class Bose soundsystem used by IRM, Mark decided that his newest restaurant needed one for its house system. Mr. Chad Carlson's new football coach, Dennis Ebell, was in the audience as well. Football season seems a long way off, but the boys will soon be attending offense/defense summer camp. Personally, I'd rather glorify my past football days rather than go through all that work of double sessions again, but that's only wisdom that comes with old age. Finally, the night ended by Glen introducing himself to the band. Apparently, he is a compadre of Mr. Doug Fawcett. His beautiful wife made Maggi's night when she told her that guys were mistaking her for Maggi and complimenting her singing. Scott told Glen to drag Doug's dryed out carcass to a gig (first you'd have to drag him off of the gold course) and the band would let him bash Ruben's drums to his heart's content. Doug, after all, is a founding member of the band and enjoys certain privileges as long as the band continues his vision and legacy. Anyway, it's almost time to do it all over again at O'Learys.

IRM did their level best to inject some energy into the Palms last night, but the crowd was having none of it in the first set. During the break, an overenthusiastic 24-year-old gave IRM the low down. Most of the partying locals had fled to the lake for the annual Memorial Day weekend skinfest. Apparently, people crowd into small boats in a few lake coves and then take drunken turns flashing some skin and engaging in other extracurricular activity. As Maggi would say "release the twins!"

Finally, in the middle of the second set, some people awoke from their slumber (maybe they were actually mourning dead soldiers) and decided they were finally ready to party. Some hotties gravitated to the dance floor and some guys soon followed. IRM gave a test run to two new tunes, Aerosmith's epic ballad "Dream On" and Nirvana's 80's-hair-metal-killer "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Both sounded pretty good on their test run and should sharpen up further over the next few months. The third set featured a Carmen Diaz look-a-like and the night finally ended on a decent note (a "G" at the end of "Little Wing", to be exact). Next weekend brings a double-header of The Star Lounge and then O'Learys. Hope to see you there.

IRM rocked the socks off anyone who was wearing them at "It's All Good" last night. At times the crowd swelled to venue capacity with a constant stream of newbies flowing in from Main Street. People were getting their groove on and Maggi was testing the limits of her wireless bass; playing on the sidewalk and then later while standing on the bar.

The boys from Bakersfield were in the house with their crazy hats. They were in Ventura to celebrate their buds bachelor party. IRM dedicated AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" to the groom and wished him the best of luck with his nupitals on Saturday.

Everytime IRM performs at Good, it gets better. The band will soon start a first Friday of the month residency at the venue and looks forward to packing them in like sardines.

IRM hit the floor at O'learys promptly at 9pm and played a first set to 12 people. Apparently they were the only 12 people who were not watching the pay-per-view De La Hoya/Mayfield boxing match. Just when we thought the whole evening was going to the dogs (I mean, who goes to an Irish Bar to celebrate Cinco De Mayo anyway?), a busload of fight fans showed up, already a little toasted from the home parties. IRM quickly kicked the enegy up a notch and settled into a rockin' evening. The crowd was in a Latino-inspired mood and ate up Sublime's "Santeria." They called for more but that's all she wrote. IRM will definitely look at adding another one by that band. IRM Drummer, Ruben De La Rosa, celebrated his 40-something Birthday (geez, I remember watching that TV drama "thirty-something" and thinking how old those coots were) and his best half brought enough cake to feed the bar. Cherries for everyone!! Good friend Connie was on hand with the largest bowl of guacamole ever seen outside of El Torito's Friday happy hour. It tasted so good that the band forgave her for creating a new and improved tip jar that got skunked for the first time ever. Maybe it was just all the cheap bastards at O'Learys??? Who knows, we'll give it one more shot at a place like Good or the Palms where the patrons throw in good money after bad. Then we'll see whether it's the jar or not. IRM has worked out some new tunes and is getting back to some of the best tunes in it's classic rock roots. Can you say "Hotel California" and "Dream On"? We don't need to stinkin' multi-guitar players when you have a line6 PodXT Live. The thing is amazing as it instantly changes the guitars tuning from a "B capo" 12 string to Joe Walsh's Les Paul dirt. Try to pull that off with your analog pedals, tube amps and non-digital modeling guitar. You can't touch it. Next on the list is Kink's "Lola", Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Outkast's "Hey Ya!." Speaking of "Dream On', how many of you know what the first few lines are really about (ie, "Everytime I look in the mirror, All these lines on my face getting clearer")? No, it's not about Steven Tyler getting older, although he is at least in his 60s by now. He wrote that tune when he was a young pup and the lyrics are a reference to his already developed habit of snorting the white powder after cutting lines on a mirror.

IRM had a great time last night funkin' the dance crowd at Franky's. The night started with a scene reminiscent of the Last Supper taking place in the middle of the dance floor. Luckily the diners skipped dessert and the tables were quickly whisked away to make room for the party people. Frankys venue keeps improving everytime IRM returns for a gig. This time it featured new art on the walls and an historic motorcycle near the entrance. It was quite an eclectic crowd and there were certainly more women than men in attendance, a truly rare sight in a nightclub. At midnight, it officially became Ruben's Birthday and the remaining drunks serenaded him with an off-key rendition of Happy Birthday. More fun to occur this evening in that little old bar from East Ventura, O'Learys. Come celebrate Cinco De Mayo after the fight and see if you can hang out with IRM and still have a bad time. We bet that you cannot.

IRM performed at Ventura's Art Walk on the Seaside Stage. It was a scenic soundstage, with the California Street hillside as the backdrop and Ventura's beach plaza as the foreground. The band cranked the Bose system up to 75% and it easily filled the huge plaza with clear tone. The sun never quite burnt through the marine layer in the afternoon and it was cool, especially when the wind kicked up in the last half-hour. IRM performed one two hour set of classic rock favorites and even stirred the passions of a few dancers and Taz, the amazing dog. All in all, a good time. After packing up the equipment at the end, IRM got together and partied until the wee hours of the morning with Ruben demonstrating his mastery of the ping pong table, despite the consumption of many beers. That boy is just filled with hidden talents.

IRM rocked hard at The Star on Ventura's Strip last night. While lacking in the usual suspects for the most part (except for Steve-O from Camarill-O), fresh faces and heavily tatted bodes were in abundance. There's something about the ambience of a vintage dive bar and The Star Lounge has it in spades. A history of ill repute, some broken down pool tables and a floor that doesn't mind spilled beer. Yet, a transformation continues at the venerable bar. Flat screen TVs are in abundance, and especially important to the ladies, the new owners have spent some cash to create the best restrooms this side of the Four Seasons Hotel. Jessie the bouncer gives the place some street cred with his old-school Harley biker motif, but even he isn't all that he appears. When not checking twenty-somethings IDs at the Stars door, he works as an actor and usually fills the role of the tough biker gang member. Every time IRM has played the Star (this is the 3rd?), it has gotten better and IRM is booked for the first Friday night over every weekend starting in June. Should be the start of a great residency at the hippest dive bar on the Ventura Strip. Now it's time for IRM to hit the beach this afternoon with a one-off outdoor concert at Ventura's world famous Art Walk. Look for IRM near Aloha's Steakhouse where California Street meets the sea. Amen brothers and sisters.

IRM made it's monthly trip to the sleepy little hamlet of Carpinteria last night. Just when it looked like the rain had driven everyone away from the club, patron poured in at 9pm and kept growin until packing the place. IRM played their little dinner set and then cranked up the Bose towers at 10pm. Groups of women got their groove on while enticing a few brave males to venue onto the dance floor. A small fight broke out just as IRM launched into "I Want You to Want Me" and band quickly stopped and killed the crowd energy with "Black Velvet." Seems like a night is just not quite an event at the Palms without someone's girl insulting another's wife and then the two male bulls locking horns briefly. Just as quickly as it started, it stopped and all returned to focus on rocking the night away. Maggi debuted her new wireless bass unit and even discovered that it played fine while walking down the sidewalk in front of the Palms. Next time, IRM will see whether the range of unit extends across the street. Next stop on the never ending tour of Ventura County nightspots will be The Star Lounge in Ventura and then a special one-off gig at Ventura's Art Walk. The band will play next near Aloha Steakhouse where drummer, Ruben DeLaRosa, will also be displaying his various crayola-inspired art from the first grade through last weekend. Some great stuff that you won't want to miss. He gives Tiger of IT's All Good fame a run for his money in creating unrecognizable character studies. Why does Ruben always sketch Scott naked? Must be something that he daydreams about often.

IRM blasted through the Ventura Strip last night, touching down at It's All Good for some rip-snortin' tuneage. With an enthusiastic crowd, It's all good. Spotted some of the usual suspects as well as many new patrons to the artistry that is IRM. Too many hotties to count and have the missing IRM thong underwear to show for it. Hopefully it led to at least a few Spring fashion shows to cap off some patrons fun night on the town. It it spring or sprung? Nothing makes Ruben smile more than imaging all the Ventura women wearing his signature IRM thong underwear each day as they dress for a tough day at the office. Lisa, owner of It's All Good, was a great hostess all night and ended up with a thong on her head at the end of the night. The best thing was that no IRM band member got pulled over by the cops on the way home to bed, at least that we know of at this time. Pay those taxes and save any refunds for partying with IRM at the next gig.

IRM made a triumphant return to the reopened Bernadette's On Main. Unfortuantely the actual Bernadette was under the weather, but her friendly barmaids made everyone feel welcome. Bernadettes is a great little nook and cranny to fill with classic rock and dance tunes. As the most intimate venue that IRM performs at, it allows the band to connect with an audience like no where else. Maggi appeared to have eaten some mexican jumping beans in her pre-gig dinner, spending much of the evening dancing with people in front of the bandstand whenever she wasn't singing into a mic. Someone get that girl a wireless unit so people stop stepping on the umbilical cord that connects her bass to her Bose amplification.

Much of the fun of playing in IRM, is meeting the people who aimlessly wander into our life and then get caught up in the heavy rotation of our gigs. From Russ who is living a full life despite lymph node cancer to Greg who is enjoying a mid-life crises a little later than most, it's always good to catch up with other peoples lives. Also, there's nothing better than having a fine lady tell you that she has worn out her Inna Rude Mood thong underwear and needs a new pair. Such heartwarming stories add value to playing covers repeatedly and make the band the enjoyable hobby that it is. The night ended with the familiar smell of Bernadette's world famous homemade crossaints and a few quickly found their demise in IRM stomachs. IRM next drops in on the fine people who hang at O'Learys.

Yes, UCLA did crap the bed in the final four. Yes, it's two years in a row. The only happy basketball fans in the bar last night were USC fans, who's team crapped out even earlier in the tournament. Oh well, what to do?

Plenty of people found fun things to do in downtown Ventura last night. It's All Good was rocking with both old and new friends of IRM. Maggi was dressed in her Moulin Rouge getup and that appeared to attract a larger group of similarly attired people later in the evening. It was all part of some hooker reunion at a dinner sponsored by John Hofer (you know, the guy that owns the Ventura Auto Center and always fights the city council on stuff). They had a drink or two before getting tossed out by the ever vigilant bouncers. What don't you understand about "don't touch the bands mics"? All in all, a very good night and fun for IRM.

The only downside to the happening downtown is that it's crawling with police when the bars close. There doesn't seem to be anything else going on in this sleeply little community. Since the band must pack up it's stuff before heading home, band members are sometimes targeted as late leaving bar flys. Often at that time of the night, there are more cops cars crusing around than regular cars. The last time IRM played at Good, Scott got stopped by a cop after making an illegal u-turn on Main Street. He was able to talk his way out of the ticket as the cop was really looking for DUI customers and that wasn't going to happen with Scott. Before leaving last night, Scott joked with Ruben that he would probably get stopped again and was going to be sure to obey all traffic rules this time. Scott actually then did safely make it out of the downtown area and was cruising along Harbor Blvd. There were no cars in sight for miles. He didn't notice the cop who had trailed him from the downtown area and was apparently following behind without any headlights on. Sure enough, just as Scott turned for this home off Harbor Blvd he was surprised by the flashing blue/reds in the rearview mirror. The cop informed Scott that he had been driving 58 mhp in a 45 mph speed zone. The cops real motive was to check Scott for DUI and once he ascertained that it wasn't going to be the case, Scott again talked his way out of the traffic stop ticket. Now if Scott were Black or Latino, he might get a complex after being profiled by the cops for a DUI three times in the last few months. Why don't they stop Ruben and give him a good beat down in the process?? That's why they approach the car with those huge flashlights isn't it? Ruben's the suspcious-looking minority in the band! It's probably because he is always riding home with two girls and the cops don't want to mess up his chances. Guess it's an equal opportunity crime and single white dudes leaving bars at closing time are most likely to be DUI. Anyway, the moral of the story is that if you go to an IRM and ask Scott if you can buy him a drink during the gig, don't feel badly when he turns you down. It's only because he knows that he's eventually going to be one of the last people leaving the bar and appears to fit the DUI traffic stop profile for Ventura cops and highway patrol men. At least he's three for three in talking his way out of traffic tickets. Although he'd like to credit that to his being an attorney, the real reason is that he does it the old fashioned way. He cries like a little baby and begs them for forgiveness. He tells the cops that they are powerful men and very handsome. If that doesn't work, he then flashes a little cleavage and asks them if they want to perform a body cavity search for weapons of mass destruction. It's a little known fact that such searches are deemed reasonable under the Patriot Act. Don't mock it. Again, how can you argue with three for three? From now on, Scott is going to add a demand to his band contract rider that he always be provided with limo service both to and from future gigs. He can then sit back and laugh as the limo driver gets stopped and attempts to talk their way out of the ticket.

IRM threw out their best game at O'Learys and made the best out of a fairly light Saturday night at the bar. In the first set, the band felt like the Christian rock bands who play at church every Sunday. Not much energy from the 12 people scattered throughout the bar and they were very stingy in the clapping department. What ever happened to Christians being charitable? Not sure but I did see on $3 lonely dollar bills in IRM's tip jar at the end of the night. Compare that to the $60 remaining in the prior night from The Star Lounge. Oh what the hell, the band dusted off a few old chestnuts and gave Metallica's Nothing Else Matters it's first live run through. Later, things got more interesting when the number of women actually outnumbed the men. Ruben likes to call that the more holes than poles ratio but Maggi and Scott never really understand sexual the reference. Such an unbalanced ratio is highly unusual at O'learys. The band picked up the pace and settled into a rockin' groove. By the time a group of heavily tatted young men came in, one featuring the silliest Army-issued special forces eyeglasses ever seen in O'Learys, IRM was heading into the sweaty home stretch. The Violent Femmes tune caught their fancy and they screamed in vain for a Ramones chaser. Later in the evening after the bombastic Led Zep closers, the band members confessed to religiously reading these News Entrys after each gig on the hopes that their name would be mentioned, or that the author would make some mistake like putting up the wrong "computer-generated" date. Why do I suddenly feel like singing, "You're so vain, you probably think this news entry is about you, don't you, don't you?" At least they are good sports and the best thing is that they have no forum to fight back. Only goes to show that you should never pick a fight with someone who buys virtual ink by the gallon. Anyway...getting back to the night. It finally ended the way it always seems to end at O'Learys. The Flower Seller Latino Man stopped in at 1am looking some poor male sap who was still trying to coax an intoxicated young lady back to his bachelor pad for a one night stand. But, instead of such a flower selling opportunity, one hard looking dude bought the Army guy with the funny glasses a bouquet of roses and then the remaining customers gave them both a standing ovation. No kisses, but you could see definitely feel the love in the room and see the mist forming in the corner of everyone's eye as they considered the partriotism and male bonding that had been alcohol-induced, yet sincere. For two heterosexual males, that's about as tender a monent as you'll ever find at O'Learys. Wow, good times. Of course the topping on the cake was when the PIZZA PIZZA guy showed up. How can you beat a $5 pizza at the end of the night? You can't beat it with a stick! Nor can you beat it like a wife! However, most importantly, you don't want to think about where the PIZZA PIZZA comes from as it just tastes good despite having no warmth remaning. IRM ordered a pepperoni-ham and pepperoni-sausage where the latter turned out to be the more popular choice. Although, in hindsight the little pellets of sausage looked a little too much like something I recently saw scattered across the field of a petting zoo. Again, it's best not to consider such things and just move forward. Which takes us to the next weekend of gigs. First up, is the warmup act to Saint Patricks Day in downtown Ventura at Frankys funky restaurant. Immediately followed in less than 24 hours by the big Kahuna, the Saint Patricks Day blowout at the world famous Palms in Carpenteria. It's going to be off the hook. Save up your money for IRM's tip jar and green beer to take a walk on the blarney side. Peace out.

Downtown Ventura has been very very good to IRM. Just as The Star Lounge's bartenders got finished telling IRM how dead the bar had been the last few Friday nights, the place filled up with a large number of individuals prepped to party down. It was a mass liquor snatch. Everyone settled down with drinks during the first set, playing pool and soaking in the scene. Danielle had her Birthday party crew in full swing. By the second set, everyone in the place was apparently drunk enough to believe they were the best dancer in the downtown area and dance they did. When Ruben commented on the foul language one young lady was using, she repled "I may have a bad mouth but I can do great things with it." Ruben just replied "More swallows means fewer storks." Not really sure what that little exchange was all about. Then this other woman told Ruben, "If you find a big cucumber in the frig, then you know it's time to toss the salad." Again, IRM is not really sure what she meant; maybe she is saying that she is vegetarian. I think Ruben was just pleased that she was a she and not a he. Anyway, The Star Lounge is continuing to improve upon it's vintage dive bar decor and the new bathrooms should be ready by the time IRM hits the bar again in April. IRM hopes the owners don't notice Maggi's spike heel imprints on their pool table closet to the band stand. Maggi got a little carried away during "I Drink Alone" and somehow ended up dancing on top of the table. We don't have the pictures to prove it so you'll just have to come down in April and ask her to repeat the feat.

There's nothing like a balmy winter evening to bring out the masses in Carpenteria. Who can pass up a hunk of raw meat that you grill yourself while listening to the tasty dinner set of IRM that started at 8:45pm? Apparently not many people as there was an hour and a half wait for tables until the kitchen closed at 10pm. IRM was well tuned up after some recent gigs and burned through their usual sets, with a few additional nuggets thrown in like Red House, Wicked Game, Voodoo Woman and Jackson. Some wild single ladies were in the house, per usual, and things got a little out of hand near the end of the second set. Tim bounced out a drunkard and then set the tone for a mellower third set. All in all, a fine cap to the weekend double-header for IRM. As always, it was great to see some many regulars following the band at the various gigs and we enjoy watching such people make new friends and mingle as we ply our favorite hobby. One final note, many people apparently assume that Scott writes all of the clever e-mails that are sent out to IRM's e-mail distribution list in advance of each gig. That is simply not true. Scott could never be that clever and we'll give you one more clue as to whom the author might be. The second clue is that it's not Ruben either. Can you guess now? On the other hand, the persistent rumor that this ongoing blog in penned by Scott in this strange third person voice could very well prove to be true. Scott often likes to think of himself in the third person as he believes it increases his stature and already sizable ego. Wait a minute, if Scott were really the one penning this as well, would he really be insulting himself in such a manner? I'm not sure but I know that you really don't care. See you at the Star Lounge on March 2nd, 8:45pm prompt.

It was a hot time in the old town last night as IRM rocked "It's All Good" in revitalized downtown Ventura. The capacity crowd was carefully culled from IRM's e-mail list and passerbys. Many familiar faces getting their groove on. One passerby apparently thought it was an employment agency as he popped in and stated "I'm here to apply for the blowjob." He left without a job. Now on to part two of IRM's weekend doubleheader, the Palms in Carpenteria. Hope to see you there.

IRM blew the doors open at Franky's last night. The downtown Ventura restaurant has been extensively remodoled by owner, Joe. It serves great food now. No more of that healthy vegetarian dishes, YUCK! Once the clock struck 9pm, IRM launced into Hey Joe and then proceeded to dazzle (ok, maybe not quite dazzle, but at least sparkle) the evergrowing crowd. Downtown Ventura is bursting with groups of looky-loos who peek their combined heads into a venue and determine whether its worthy of receiving their hard-earned cash, or mailed government subsidy. Apparently, more than a few such gaggles decided Franky's had earned that right on that Saturday night and most ended up boogying the night away with the band providing the soundtrack. The band emulated the fallen female astronaut by wearing diapers so that they didn't need to take any breaks during their three hour set. What's that you say, three hours without one break? Yes, it's true. Anyway, Joe wants the band back asap and its starting to look like a venue that IRM wants to have it's name associated with. IRM has always prided itself on playing only the best dive bars in Ventura County and, although Franky's is technically a restaurant, IRM may make an exception since it still has that divy kind of retro appeal that so turns on the band and inspires their setlist of classic rock. Stay tuned and you might be hearing next about IRM's gig at It's All Good next week. That venue is really taking off and, if IRM is not mistaken, it was Led Zepplica slumming around the venue this past weekend with a great show. Glad to see such a vibrant music scene in downtown Ventura after decades of sameness and lameness.

Toes were tappin', knees were slappin' and everything else you can imagine was going on at O'Learys last night. IRM was in the house on the eve of the greatest sporting event known to the USA. Too bad the best team in the NFL, the New England Patriots, were not able to participate this year. That's another story. On Saturday night, O'Learys was jumpin' and the party people were out in full force. IRM debuted Crazy, Wicked Game and Jackson. The latter went over so well that the crowd applied sufficient peer pressure until IRM relented and played the tune for a second time. Kat and Lauren were servin' drinks to the unwashed masses and everyone got their fill. IRM shook off the rust from their January hibernation and kicked it into high gear early and often. One customer must have thought that he had stumbled into the Ventura Employment Office as he was heard to exclaim, "I'm here to apply for the blowjob." Ruben and Melissa celebrated their 10th anniversary of dating and Scott tried his best to mess it up for them. Two guest drummers later it was time to close out the night with the mighty Zep and IRM kicked into a rejuvenated "Whole Lotta Love" that melted the remaining patrons faces. Over and out, see you at the next gig.

The full moon was shining and the planets aligned for a truly great night at O'Learys. Everyone and their mother decided to show up to party and one dude even got so excited that he bought the whole bar a round of drinks. There were so many Birthdays to celebrate that IRM had to play both their signature reggae version of "Happy Birthday" as well as Maggi's special breathy Marilyn Monroe version. Too much cake; and everyone ate it too. IRM rocked the place from the first chord to the last encore and everything seemed alright in East Ventura. IRM enjoyed hanging with Kat and Christie and all of their friends at O'Learys. IRM is taking the remainder of January off so that Maggi can make the most of her ski house in Utah's Deer Valley. Hopefully she'll have better luck than the Governator who ended his ski trip short with a broken femur. Didn't his mother ever tell him not to take steroids or the muscle-building drugs would remove calcium from his bones and lead to easy breaks in later life? Rumor has it that the macho Governor wasn't even skiing when the injury occurred. He was standing up with skis on, the skis got crossed and he fell down boom in an awkward manner. Next thing you know we'll hear about him breaking a hip at some wedding reception when he jostles for position with the single women to catch the bride's bouqet. DIdn't we see that in some movie somewhere or on America's Funniest Home Video? Take care of yourself and IRM will rock your world again in February. They are truly legends in their own mind!!

IRM rocked the rafters of the newly renovated Star Lounge in the revitalized downtown Ventura. It was great to see some familiar faces along with an even greater number of new ones. The club reminded the band of when O'Learys was at its heyday as a live music venue. The audience ebbed and flowed througout the night with mostly a very full club. The new owners have spent some decent cash fixing up the place (flat screen tvs, brand new furnishings, signs, street frontage, a decent pool table) but also managed to retain the charm of a timeless dive bar. No ones going to get too excited if you spill your drink all over the place as you let your hair down after a stressful week of work. It also featured a hi-tech Bose juke box with a killer sound and huge selection of tunes in digital format.

The place was rockin' for the first set early on with SRV fans and then party-people dancers showed up for the second set. By the third set, the timid had gone home to bed and the hardcore remained to party until 1am. The new owners were present for most of the night and liked what they saw and heard from IRM. They think the band's joojoo and songlist is perfect for the type of place they are seeking to create (upscale dive bar for baby boomers) and they asked IRM to perform there the first Friday of each month starting in March. After a quick meeting, IRM accepted the offer and now looks forward to adding Ventura's Star Lounge to it's monthly rotation of venues. Only problem is IRM is going to have to drop another regular venue to keep band member spouses from filing for divorce. Which will it be? Not sure yet, but probably one that is having trouble drawing a decent amount of people at this point in time.

IRM rocked Blue for party people warming up for New Year's Eve on Sunday night. The venue is slightly classier than the usual place where IRM performs, however, they serve the same alcohol as the others so such small differences don't seem to matter. Maggi had her whole posse in tow to celebrate her Birthday, as well as that of John's. Everyone had their cake and ate it too. It was an early night for IRM as they performed two sets from 7:30-11pm and then the DJ started playing hip-hop beats for the party that continued on to 2am. IRM debuted a few new tunes and will refine them by the next gig, the first Friday night in January at the Star Lounge in downtown Ventura. Now that's what I'm talking about. See you next Year!!