My heart was broken tonight. Not my careless heart. My regular one. About a year or so ago I went to the Blank Club in San Jose to see a band called the Swingin' Utters, and was blindsided by the hard, almost heavy metal 4 piece psychobilly support act called the Cacti Widders. With a stand-up bass, pro skateboarder Tom Knox on drums and fronted by charismatic guitar god J.D. Goodwin, I haven't been so pleased in quite some time. I went to the merch table right after their set and plunked down the $10 for their album "One Way Ticket." Although the production isn't great on the album, the songs carry it. I recommend it, if you like rockabilly/psychobilly, and don't mind some "swears," and if you can find it (Fallen Angel Records).

When I heard they were playing tonight at the Blank Club, and I actually had the evening free, I was down. I arrived too early, and to kill time I had an excellent cheese quesadilla down the street. When I got back, the Muckruckers were playing their set to a handful of people. It was good solid punk rock. Energetic execution and good original songs. They also did a great cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway."

Next up were The Careless Hearts. They were country sounding, but the kind of country I kinda like. Johnny Cash-like, with excellent vocal harmonies and musicanship all around. I was particularly impressed by Guitar player, Derek See. The more I looked at the bass player though, the more he looked like Andy Rigali, the bass player from my past bands Love Gone Mad and Big Nose. I got up close, and his stance, his ill-fitting clothing and his Fender bass had me convinced that it was Andy. I went to the merch table to ask the lady, who was undoubtedly the girlfriend of one of the band members, what the bass player's name was. As soon as I got up there though, everybody got excited because they thought I was going to buy a CD. One guy pointed to the back and said "That's a great song." The girlfriend got all smiley, ready for the sale. When I asked about the bass player, she didn't know his name, because he had just joined the band. She went into the crowd and asked another girlfriend, and it turns out his name is Bob Morton or something. So I bought a CD. It's good. Production isn't great, but songs are strong. I'd really recommend seeing The Careless Hearts live though.

Finally it was time to see, from Visalia California, The Cacti Widders.

First I spotted pro skateboarder and drummer, Tom Knox, setting up his sparkle green drum kit. Then the stand-up bass player with the headband, then the rythym guitar player with the black Les Paul. But no lead singer/guitar player/frontman J.D. Goodman. Maybe he was out in the car or something. But no, he wasn't. He was gone. The band started, and the rythym guitar player was now the lead guitar player and singer. He got through it, but it wasn't the same. I went to the merch table to ask the guy what happened to the other guitar player. He had landed a job with the CDF (California Department of Forestry). Then I noticed the singer for The Careless Hearts was at the merch table, so I asked him to sign my CD:

His name is Paul Kimball, and he wears Elvis Costello glasses like the ones featured in the liner notes.