Labor Day weekend has come and gone, and what a great weekend it was. This past week, my friend Chris S. and I headed out to try the sushi at the Drunken Noodle in 45th St. Village and it was yummy! Before going in, our attention was diverted when we heard Michael Justis playing outside at 45th St. Bayside. It was a beautiful night; perfect for listening to some acoustic music before a great dinner. One of the great things about this place is there is always two musical options in one stop. Nightly entertainment continues on the deck of the Taphouse. In the Bayside Taphouse look for Side Project on Fri. and The Mood Swingers w/ Lauren Glick on Sat. Our reigning Coconut Times Entertainers of the Year, this band will have you out on the large dance floor of the Bayside Taphouse. If you haven’t discovered this jewel on the bay, you need to look a little harder. It’s located behind the package store at 45th St. under the blue neon Bayside Dining sign. It boasts a wrap-around deck complete with Tiki bar and seats that face into the large dining area with a huge rectangular bar. In addition to music and great food, this is a fine place to watch sports on their many TVs.

This week has been sort of a lull after an entire summer season and some really eventful weekends yet to come. Some may say it’s the “2nd season,” but not… quite… yet…. In the infamous lyrics of Steppenwolf, “Get your motor running, Head out on the highway, Looking for adventure, and whatever comes our way” That song is about as classic as it comes. If you know it, you’re moving your head or tapping your foot just thinking about it. Although it is not a description of the current genre, this song was thought of as the first ‘heavy metal’ song.  In the second verse the lyrics “"heavy metal thunder" represents the first use of this term in rock music.  The movie that made it famous is “Easy Rider”, released in 1969.  The movie depicts issues during the 1960s, such as the hippie movement, drug use, and communal lifestyle. Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda & Dennis Hopper, who star in the film, are in their late 20’s. Everyone should watch it at least once.

One of OC’s biggest and definitely loudest events starts this week. Welcome bikers! The actual “bike week” does not start until Thursday. However, considering the favorable weather report, I will presume you will see some Harleys prior to then.  I live in West OC, almost 2 miles from the highway, and I can feel the rumble from my porch. But don’t judge books by their cover, and don’t judge OC visitors by their means of transportation. This group of visitors beats all stereotypical pre-judgments.  Of each organization, conglomeration, congregation, clique and posse that has come together in this town, it is of my opinion they take the trophy for the most respectful, ecological, educated & law abiding visitors of the year (except possibly the cheerleaders).  Maybe you love the thunderous exhilaration, or maybe you do not appreciate it at all, but nevertheless, if you love southern & classic rock and roll then you will be in “HOG” heaven because you won’t be able to turn a corner without hearing it. 

I’m going to have to go with Trader Lee’s in West OC as the place to be. The reason is not because I will be working behind the main bar all weekend during the afternoons, but because the music will be top notch! Dr. Harmonica & Rocket 88 will be there Sat., Sept 14. Just like everyone is Irish on St. Patty’s Day, everyone is a biker on bike week. However, Trader Lee’s gets credit for being the one and only tried and true ‘biker bar’ all year round. Definitely stop by day or night and 100% guaranteed it will be rockin’, rollin’ and rumblin’.

So regardless of whether you are a true biker or a “bike week poser,” the cool September forecast is a perfect opportunity to throw on a pair of jeans, boots and a leather jacket and hit the musical highway. 

I regularly end my article in a quotation about music that correlates with the theme of the week. Although I thoroughly enjoy the research, I must admit, this takes me a long time because there are so many and it so hard to decide which to use. In the words of Edgar Winter, “Music is very spiritual; it has the power to bring people together.”