By Chris Nixon
July 17, 2008
Once upon a time, not too long ago, the sport of kings carried heavy baggage in the minds of anyone under the age of 40 – crusty old men reeking of cigar smoke donning fedoras and spending their paychecks on the ponies.
The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, one of America's classic racetracks, has managed to reshape the perception of horse racing through clever ad campaigns giving the sport a classic retro appeal. Along with the shift in marketing strategies came a series of live concerts, free with admission to the track
“In an effort to attract a younger demographic, we began concerts – known as 'Wild Fridays' at the time – with a show by the Rugburns in 1994,” said Josh Rubinstein, vice president of development with the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for the past 10 years. “The concert series took off during the '01 season when a total crowd of 27,000 was on hand for the races to see a former professional surfer turned up-and-coming musician named Jack Johnson.”
DETAILS
4 O'Clock Fridays with Gavin Rossdale, Pinback, Steel Pulse, Black Francis
When: July 18-Aug. 29
Where: Del Mar racetrack, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar
Tickets: Free with track admission
Phone: (858) 450-6510
Online: delmarscene.com
So from a business perspective, has the series, now called 4 O'Clock Fridays, worked?
“From a marketing-promotions standpoint, it's the most successful thing we do. In addition to getting a younger audience to the races on concert days, our research shows these folks return for nonconcert race days as well. Also, handle (wagering) on concert days (Fridays and some Saturdays) continues to increase.”
By teaming with radio station 91X, Rubenstein identifies bands walking the line between drawing young crowds while still appealing to older audiences. A few classic examples include Johnson, along with the Cult, Cake and Pete Yorn, to name a few.
“We try to book bands that offer appeal to a wide age range,” said Rubinstein. “In a perfect world, bands we book can be heard in a college dorm room as well as a 50th birthday party. The Violent Femmes, who have played at Del Mar for a record five times, are a perfect example. We also try to book bands that fit our 'cool as ever' branding and are a good match with our media partner, 91X Radio.”
Here's a look at the 4 O'Clock Fridays schedule and the artists who will be performing:
Gavin Rossdale (Tomorrow, 7 p.m.): Same gravelly voice, same sweet pop hooks. But instead of songs wrapped in layers of fuzzy guitar riffs like back in the good ol' days of Bush, Gavin Rossdale lives in the lucid world of middle-aged rock. Same Rossdale, he's just more mature, softer, sweeter and less edgy. Lately, he's known better as Mr. Stefani (husband to Gwen, father to Kingston). But that doesn't really do justice to his songwriting skills. On his latest solo disc, “Wanderlust,” the 42-year-old musician incorporates the skills of guitarist Chris Traynor (Helmet, Bush) and drummer Josh Freese (the Vandals, Guns N' Roses, A Perfect Circle).
Super Diamond (July 25, 7 p.m.): Who says you can't make a living in a cover band? Sorry make that a “tribute band.” After 15 years of spreading the gospel of Neil, this campy six-piece group makes a good living delivering kitsched-up versions of the Diamond songbook – “Kentucky Woman,” “Song Sung Blue” and “Sweet Caroline,” to name a few. Led by Randy Cordero, aka Surreal Neil, Super Diamond packs the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach every time it makes the journey down from the band's hometown of San Francisco. Everybody sing along: “Girl, you'll be a woman soon ”
Pinback (Aug. 1, 4 p.m.): If you love music from the sun-kissed streets of San Diego, then just the mention of Pinback will probably bring a sly smile to your face. It's hard not to feel possessive about the beautifully crafted transcendent indie rock songs Pinback creates. But it's time to share one of our best bands with the world: Zach Smith and Rob Crow are no longer just a San Diego phenomenon. “Summer in Abaddon” produced an infectious single, “Fortress,” that found a foothold on alternative radio station nationwide. The latest record, 2007's “Autumn of the Seraphs,” reached no. 69 on the U.S. charts.
The Bravery (Aug. 8, 4 p.m.): From the New Order-esque synth-driven melodies of “Honest Mistake” to the chiming U2-flavored guitars of “Believe,” The Bravery covers a lot of musical terrain. Guitarist Michael Zakarin obviously learned from many hours listening to U2's the Edge while growing up, and the singer spent time perfecting Bono's croon along with Robert Smith's high-pitched sing-song vocals. The quintet is currently riding high on the strength of “Believe,” the latest single from 2007's “The Sun and the Moon.”
The Wailers Band (Aug. 15, 4 p.m.): Rocksteady. Reggae. Ska. Jamaica has made major contributions to popular American music. Like the Motown and doo-wop groups from nearly 50 years ago, ska artists Prince Buster, the Skatalites and the Wailers (which included Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh) served as the backbone for Jamaica's storied musical history. Since Bob Marley's death in 1981, the Wailers Band continues to spread the legend's distinct brand of roots reggae.
Black Francis (Aug. 22, 7 p.m.): “CRACK! CRACK! CRACKITY JONES! CRACK! CRACK!” screams a pained Black Francis on the iconic 1990 Pixies album “Doolittle.” Despite the band's rather short recording career (1987-1991), Black and his Pixies cohorts churned out five of alternative rock's best albums. The Boston band's gigantic sound set the stage for the grunge revolution, which blew crappy pop music off the charts for a few years in the early '90s. Since the Pixies heyday, Black Francis (or Frank Black) has been building an impressive catalog of solo albums, including 2006's “Fast Man Raider Man” and 2007's “Bluefinger.”
Steel Pulse (Aug. 29, 4 p.m.): Straight out of Birmingham, England, Steel Pulse has been carrying the banner for roots rock reggae since the mid '70s. Anchored by David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals) and Ronald McQueen (bass), the lineup has changed over the years, but the devotion to the traditions of reggae and the Rastafarian religion remained through the 30-plus years of playing professionally. The band's Web site claims that Steel Pulse is “still the greatest reggae band on the planet.” While there are a lot of young reggae groups out there, not too many can claim the résumé of Steel Pulse.
Also, the racetrack is producing three Saturday shows and one Wednesday performance during its non-Friday concert series. On July 26, Gnarls Barkley will play after the races, followed by Ziggy Marley Reggae Festival on Aug. 9 and Devo on Aug. 30. On the last day of the thoroughbred season, Sept. 3, the English Beat will perform.
– CHRIS NIXON
