You’d be forgiven for not knowing what is going on in San Jose music right now. You’d be forgiven for thinking that in fact nothing is going on in San Jose music, or that “San Jose” and “music” aren’t really words that go together at all. We are, after all, the 10th most populous city in the US—a city of one million people—and yet we have almost never had a dedicated all-ages venue for music. The last time there was even a dedicated 18+ music venue here was in 2002, almost a decade and a half ago. Think about that. We have some of the biggest companies in the world, one million people, and 15 years without even a single 18+ venue.
If you have any doubts, let me just clear them up: this is not a common thing. I’ve been a touring musician for about 12 years. After graduating high school I started a band called Shinobu. We put out four records, a few EPs, went on a number of national tours, and made it to Japan once. After that band became inactive I started playing in a group called Hard Girls, and now tour regularly with them. I also session and play with musicians from New York, Chicago, Berkeley, San Diego and Florida. After over a decade of working at it, this is now more or less how I pay my rent. All in all, I spend about 4-5 months each year on tour. I’ve played in almost every state in the US many times, and played just about every major US city at least once. After a decade plus of experience, I can say that San Jose is truly unique in how little infrastructure there is for music here. With few exceptions, San Jose has become the place where music neither comes nor goes.
And yet, there is very much a scene here. It just goes almost completely unspoken of. Because there are precious few official channels for either local or touring bands—with the exception of a few bars (which means you and your audience have to be over 21)—getting music going at all here has involved a lot of creativity. Every generation hungers for music. It makes no sense to think that it would be any different in San Jose. Just because the city hasn’t been supportive of growing its music scene doesn’t mean that people here aren’t aching for music. Not just to hear it, but to play it.
As soon as I started writing for the Metro I knew that I wanted to write about what was happening in local music, and to bring it to wider attention. Somehow I managed to talk my editor into letting me run a column on music in the South Bay. As soon as I did I knew that what I wanted to focus on was the DIY scene.
I’ll be talking a lot about DIY over the coming articles, but let’s just give it a quick rundown for anyone who doesn’t know: a DIY musician is one that plays locally or nationally without the aid of big venues or industry representation. The same applies to DIY venues: they are locations that book shows outside of the realm of the music industry.
As long as this column runs, it will be the story of music in San Jose, and the greater South Bay. As long as it runs, it will be decided to the perros romanticos of the music scene: all those who have fought for music to exist here, a fight against increasingly insurmountable odds. My aim is to shine a light on the people, the places, the bands, and the shows that have struggled against inertia to keep music alive—to keep that beating heart from flatlining, and to give voice to the South Bay’s musical people. These perros romanticos work separately and together, always moving, always looking for new ways to keep the effort alive. As long as there is a hunger for music there will be perros romanticos.
That said, and without further ado, I’d like to begin with a remembrance of the time Modern Baseball played a porn shop on the East Side. It’s a timely story, as Modern Baseball play the San Jose State Event Center this weekend—along with Brand New and The Front Bottoms—in what promises to be a fantastic showcase of all that punk music can be.
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Estoy aqui, dije, con los perros románticos
y aqui me voy a quedar
—Roberto Bolano
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BACK IN 2013 there was a short-lived DIY venue on the east side of San Jose called Arrows to Eden. The live room was maybe 15×15’. Maybe. But that’s really not what’s striking about the place.
“We drove up, we get out, and I’m like ‘OK, we’re playing San Jose tonight,’” says Ian Farmer, bass player of Philly based punk/emo band Modern Baseball. “And then we just see this porn shop. People are saying ‘yeah, show’s in there.’”
A true testament to the desire to keep music functioning in San Jose, Arrows to Eden was easily one of the strangest venues the city ever had. Showgoers entered through the rear parking lot, where the back room of a porn shop had been converted into a small show space. A side room (with one-way mirror) served as the venue’s green room.
Farmer remembers thinking: “Is this show all ages? It is? Oh…that’s weird.”
In order to keep shows at Arrows all ages, the two parts of the business were temporarily separated. Very temporarily. Sheets of cardboard were duct taped over the open doorway between the store and converted space. It wasn’t much of a sight, but it worked. Unless you walked out and around to the front of the store, you never saw any porn. But if you did, there was plenty to see.
“I found a Diff’rent Strokes porn parody,” Ian says lightheartedly.
The lack of consistency & reliability in San Jose’s music scene can be frustrating to musicians and fans alike. But every now and then, something amazing like this happens.
These days Modern Baseball pack out thousand plus seat venues easily. The New York Times recently ran a glowing profile on the four-piece—a distinction that few musicians of any genre can claim. Shortly before I talked to him, Ian was invited to throw out the first pitch at a Tampa Bay Rays game.
That night in 2013, about 100 people from the South Bay packed into a makeshift live room to watch the Philly band play, separated only by a cardboard wall from copies of There Will be Cum, and Avatar: The Last Titfucker.
Until they come to SJSU this Halloween, this is the only show that they’ve ever played in San Jose.
