She Likes to Watch

Norteño band Intocable heats things up at the California Mid-State Fair.

Norteño band Intocable draws a small but passionate crowd

Note: As part of The Tribune’s coverage of the 2010 California Mid-State Fair, we’re running a series of concert reviews. Here, Ron Tilley and his wife, Jeanne Potter, share their impressions of Sunday’s Intocable concert.

On Sunday night, we thought we’d take a chance on something different at the California Mid-State Fair.

Looking for something off the well-beaten path of aging rockers and country pretty boys, we opted for Intocable — a seasoned seven-member regional band out of Texas.

Intocable built a name for itself in the late 1990s playing norteño music first to a mostly barrio dance crowd, then later filling large arenas (including the Houston Astrodome) with sell-out crowds as its following grew.

Since 1997, the band has produced 10 albums and collected several Latin Grammys.

So we somehow envisioned the Main Grandstand Arena in Paso Robles filled with thousands of enthusiastic fans ready to salsa the night away.

Enthusiastic they were – but thousands they definitely were not.  An appreciative audience of maybe 500 swayed and sang along, as well-dressed couples clogged the aisles doing real dance moves to the lively 2/2 beat.

Intocable opened its set with a big crowd-pleaser — “El Poder de Sus Manos” — which brought the stragglers and tardies in from the gate and got them on their feet.

The band’s polished musicianship paved the way through a string of tunes familiar to audience members who knew all the words and sang along with gusto.

Lead singer Ricky Muñoz literally duets with his stable of accordions and trades them off between numbers. (We counted at least three during the night.)

Many of the band’s numbers consisted of vocals by Muñoz and Daniel Sanchez, singing harmony in thirds, plus lots of “love and longing” lyrics, the ever-present accordion riffs and a monotonous, banging 2/2 or 2/4 drum beat.

Variety is not this group’s strong suit. Oh, and the band’s appearance is strictly pedestrian for this fair venue — big buckles, cowboy hats and fancy boots all around.

Hats off to the Mid-State Fair for making a valiant appeal to a niche audience whose tastes are often underrepresented.

I cannot recall ever hearing of a fair concert where not only every song – but all the introductions and commentary were entirely in Spanish.

It was a terrific attempt to expand the fair’s horizons, but it sadly fell flat in terms of response.

The plain truth is that there isn’t a huge crowd of fans ready and willing to shell out $30 to $50 apiece to dance to Tex-Mex polka music in a dirt-floored Central Coast arena.

Still we say “muchas gracias” to the band for an evening “con mucho corazon” and “Applausa, applausa, applausa” to the concert bookers for swinging out on a limb.

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Intocable photo by Brittany App. Courtesy of the California Mid-State Fair.

Dexter Holland of The Offspring rocks out at the California Mid-State Fair.

311, The Offspring offer a full night of ’90s rock at the fair

Note: As part of The Tribune’s coverage of the 2010 California Mid-State Fair, we’re running a series of concert reviews. Erin Kidwell reviewed the Justin Bieber concert a week ago.  Up next is Tribune marketing coordinator Nicole Smith, who attended a July 23 concert by 311 and The Offspring.

I am always game to see a live concert, so when given the change to see The Offspring and 311 at the California Mid-State Fair on July 23, attending was a no-brainier.

The audience was an even split of men and women, most of them sporting band T-shirts and drinking beer. They ranged in age from their late 20s to late 30s.

Very few children or older adults were to be found, but there was a Ron Jeremy sighting at the mostly sold-out concert.

The opening act, reggae/dub/rock band Pepper, was not what I expected. I have not seen a band wearing coordinated outfits in a long time.

Despite the matching red lifeguard shorts, lack of shirts and white sunglasses, the band was not that bad. They rocked out in front of a giant yellow surfboard to colorful tunes such as “Point and Shoot” and “Give It Up,” getting the crowd moving.

They did not play for very long, only about 20 minutes, before welcoming to the stage The Offspring.

I was under the impression that the punk band was headlining the concert, so I was surprised when they took the stage before it was even dark.

Lead singer Dexter Holland was not young, but looked good with his spiky hair and sunglasses while lead guitarist Noodles sported a chunky black and white-dyed hairdo.

You can tell these musicians have aged, but that did not slow them down one bit and they rocked the stage the entire hour that they were up there.

Most of their numbers were greatest hits like “Gotta Get Away,” “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid,” the Beatles parody “Why Don’t You Get a Job,” “Hammerhead” and the “Rock Band” hit, “Come Out and Play (Keep ‘Em Separated).” They also played a new song or two from their upcoming album.

My favorite moment was when a piano rolled onto stage (the roadies probably love that they have to lug a piano on tour for one song) and Holland played the ballad “Gone Away.” It was very simple and elegant, a refreshing take on one of their classics.

I also loved “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy),” cowbell and all.

The band seemed to be enjoying the venue, so much so that they called it Paso “Bro-bles,” because we’re all bros here, right? When they closed their session with “Self Esteem,” the audience was really rocking out.

Full disclosure: I am not a fan of 311, so I was not surprised to see some people leaving the concert as the rock set up.

The band entered the stage to their own personal theme song, never a good start, and I was just never able to get into two men singing back and forth to each other while strutting and skipping around the stage.

I mean, for goodness sake, they had a bass that glowed green. But the audience seemed really into it, waving their arms and singing along, despite the peacocking from the stage.

There were a couple of redeeming qualities from 311.

First, they did a great cover of The Cure’s 1989 hit, “Love Song.”

311 also broke out into a fantastic drum circle, featuring drummer Chad Sextant, that involved five musicians rocking out in-sync on various types of drums.Throw in some creative drum stick tossing and the number was great.

Finally, 311 played a long set, until almost 11 p.m.

When you combine that with The Offspring, it almost like we got two full concerts in one. Not a bad night overall, but I sure would have loved a little more of The Offspring.

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The Offspring image by Brittany App. Courtesy of the California Mid-State Fair.

Short films follow Paso Robles grape harvest from vine to glass

Here’s an intoxicating addition to this week’s film calendar.

Thirsty moviegoers are invited to learn more about their favorite winemakers this weekend with a special screening at Vinoteca Wine Bar in Paso Robles.

Created by local filmmaker Dina Mande, “Paso Harvest Films” is a series of short films chronicling this year’s grape harvest in the lush Paso Robles wine country.

The shorts feature more than a dozen wineries and grape growers, including Clautiere Vineyards, L’Aventure Winery, Tobin James Cellars and J. Dusi Wines. They’re designed to celebrate the harvest and encourage visitors to enjoy the Central Coast’s bounty.

The free screening starts at 7 p.m. Saturday at Vinoteca Wine Bar
835 12th St. in Paso Robles.

It’s followed by a concert by blues combo Sleepy Guitar Johnson at 8 p.m.

For more information, visit Paso Harvest Films or Vinoteca Wine Bar online.

Joe Branca of Morro Bay and Katy Stallcup of Cayucos try their luck this month

Two Central Coast residents hope to win big this month on “Wheel of Fortune.”

Morro Bay resident Joe Branca will appear tonight as a contestant on the popular game show.

A server and restaurant supervisor, Branca enjoys outdoor activities such as mountain biking, camping and hiking,

He tried out for the show in March when the show’s Wheelmobile crew visited the Golden Hills Auto Center in Paso Robles, Sony spokesman Ani Amirkhanian said.

On Oct. 22, Katy Stallcup of Cayucos takes her turn onstage.

Stallcup, who also tried out for “Wheel of Fortune” in Paso Robles, is currently studying photography at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo.

Branca and Stallcup aren’t the only Central Coast natives to try their luck on “Wheel of Fortune.” Oceano resident Colleen Ghirardi and Morro Bay resident Nancy Coon are among the local folks who have appeared on the show in recent years.

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“Wheel of Fortune airs at 7:30 p.m. weeknights on KSBY, Channel 6.

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Photo by Carol Kaelson.