We had a blast covering the Summer Splash – Ragge on the Bay Concert at the Broadway Pier, but with entertainment like the Wailers, Barrington Levy, Tristan Palma and Midnite, who wouldn’t? Here are some of our photos that we’d like to share.
Monthly Archives: September 2012
Product: This Friday at Soma
This Friday, September 14th, Product will be coming to you at SOMA in San Diego, along with Irieality, River Bottom Rockers, Dante’s Boneyard, Shocks Of Mighty and 2000 Tons Of TNT.
Hailing from Hawaii, singer Chase Cavitt and drummer Steve Barger have joined forces with some local San Diegans to create a progressive roots sound with deep feeling vocals and positive upbeat tempo. It’s definitely a sound that will get the ladies dancing and put a smile on your face.
This is an ALL AGES show! For more information and presale tickets($10), email the band at product_music@yahoo.com or goto: Soma’s Website
Space Case: Grinding Perfected!
There is no book titled smoking weed for dummies. Whatever habits we have formed getting baked were developed through experience or word of mouth. Tobacco cigarettes are filled with a ground up or shredded version of the dried tobacco leaf. This creates an even burn and easy way to measure. The same concept has to be applied to smoking marijuana, but it isn’t common knowledge if you aren’t a smoker. For those who don’t know, when you purchase marijuana, from a dispensary or a guy you know, it comes in a flower bud form. This bud must be ground up to extract the maximum surface area to create the most ideal smoke. Thus, the smoker’s inevitable need for a “grinder”. Grinders come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and are made of many different materials. Grinders are basically two discs that have interlocking teeth on the inside. When turned, the material placed in between the discs is shredded into small, even pieces. Magnets usually hold a grinder’s discs together. This ensures that nothing will be lost in case of a spill. Space Case’s magnets are strong enough to survive even my clumsy girlfriend, who happened to drop the grinder multiple times while it was still full. Once the material is ground, it creates an even burn. Rolling a joint with ground material is infinitely easier and more effective.

To this day, I have yet to find a grind that doesn’t jam or get stuck. That is- until I came across the Space case. These grinders are infinitely more effective. The teeth in the grinder are razor-sharp, and there are 3 times as many teeth than leading brands. Space Case makes grinders in all different sizes, finishes, and styles. They have a great 4-piece grinder with a pollen catcher at the bottom. The grinder even came with a small tool to scoop pollen with. Space Case also carries a smaller 2-piece grinder that is a perfect fit in a pocket and can be taken anywhere. The Space Case aluminum 4 piece grinder should be a standard for anyone who medicates. This grinder’s precision teeth, along with its sleek design and secure magnet, make this a top quality grinder. As the grinder shreds the mix, the material falls through holes inside to a reservoir. Many grinders have holes that are too big, allowing paper-piercing stems through. Another issue for grinders that concerns some people are the metal shavings that rub off the grinder into your herbal mix. This is not an issue with Space Case. Also- other grinders can cut the sides of your hand because of mediocre quality. Cheap grinders are often not smooth all the way around, and have hazardous, jagged metal pieces from not being manufactured properly. Space Case’s rounded edges and perfectly smooth exterior prevent any such occurrence. These grinders are light in weight and hold more in the reservoir compartment than any other grinder I’ve seen on the market. Another issue I’ve come across with grinders in the past is having a wobbly, loose lid that easily spills. When a magnet comes loose, it can cause the lid to sit funny and wobble. Space Case magnets are well recessed into the grinder and aren’t going anywhere.

The bottom line: If you want a well put together grinder that won’t fail, that can hold more than others, that feels good in your hand, that won’t leave metal shavings in your mix, and that is pretty damn shiny, then Space Case is for you. We recently took our grinder to the San Diego Summersplash Reggae on the Bay Festival. It did its job all day for us! When we interviewed the Wailers, they all wanted one. If that’s not a testament to a great grinder, then I don’t know what is. This grinder’s quality is apparent, and never lacking. I know I will only be purchasing Space Case in the future when it comes to my grinder needs. For more information, or to buy CLICK HERE
-Tom Searcy
Project: out of bounds – Video Release Party The Army – at Winston’s in O.B.
The video for “The Army” has been a long time coming for POB. They started working on this video about 2-3 years ago. Let me rephrase that: WE started working on it about 2-3 years ago with them. To further explain, SoCal Reggae (Thomas Persichilli and Leucadia Bob) actually met right around the time that this video was being conceived. It began in Leucadia Bob’s garage after he went on eBay and ordered a green screen kit. At the time, Nate was not the bass player, and Jeff and Evan weren’t even in the band.
![IMG_2200[1]](http://socalreggae.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_22001-300x197.jpg)
On far left and right, Socal Reggae Co-Founders Leucadia Bob and Thomas Persichilli. Tom Searcy and Paloma Isabel in the center.
Thomas worked tirelessly on editing this video, learning as he went; knowing nothing about video editing when he started. Using Vegas Video on a High Performance PC, a multitude of special effects started to materialize,bringing a level of professionalism that is seldom seen from something that started in a dingy Leucadia garage. Everything was shot in HD, and each individual was filmed separately in front of the green screen. Eventually Thomas moved in with Leucadia Bob and SoCal Reggae HQ was established. The living room was converted into a studio and the Green Screen Alcove was created.
Kris had a very rough idea of the content that he wanted in the video, plus a few sketches with story boards, but in the beginning we were all just getting a feel for what was to come. There were a lot of test shots and reshoots, and there was a bit of a learning curve. It seemed like we would be doing this forever. Indeed, one of the most challenging aspects of filming a video on a low budget is getting the band to show up. Let’s face it, POB is a great band, but everyone has a life and work schedules to keep up with.
The Army is essentially taking a stab at the music business in general. We all love music, but there are a lot of factors that go into putting on a show: the club, the employees, security, promotion, overhead costs, and most important: the band that entertains you. At the end of a show, everyone needs to get paid, otherwise there is no motivation to be in this business. This song and video illustrates the sleazy side of it all. Contrary to what you may be thinking, there are a lot of bands that do not get paid. A variety of reasons can serve to support this, such as “not enough of a crowd draw” or “liquor sales were low”, but in the end, stiffing the band is generally not a good practice. Ultimately, the only people the band can rely on are the fans: they are your ARMY in a sense, and they will support you in any way that they can, including a boycott of ANY Club that does not properly compensate.
So this coming Wednesday, September 12th, POB will be celebrating and premiering this new video at Winston’s in Ocean Beach, when they play DJ Carlos Culture’s CLUB KINGSTON show (Around 9PM). Please join us, as it is a video that has been anticipated for awhile. We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.
A few looks at some video screen caps:
- Story board for “The Army”
- The Band, as seen in the Army Video
- Screen cap of the Live Action cut sequence
- Silhouettes of the band with the Robot
- Live footage shot at the Bar Leucadian
- Kris with the ‘Sun and Wings’ graphics
- Austin seen with the ‘Sun’ logo
- On far left and right, Socal Reggae Co-Founders Leucadia Bob and Thomas Persichilli. Tom Searcy and Paloma Isabel in the center.
Teaser Trailer:
Ziggy Marley, Wild and Free at the Race Track
Ziggy Marley’s annual visit to Del Mar was an unforgettable event. Del Mar’s summer concert series this year booked huge names like Steel Pulse, Jimmy Cliff, Ozomatli, and the Offspring. Of course, they saved the best for last: Ziggy Marley. Ziggy’s shows are always a guaranteed success at the track, bringing thousands of San Diegan’s together for a night of conscious music. This year’s show upheld this tradition.
San Diego’s own Stranger took the stage in the beer garden while people began placing their final bets at the races. DJ Carlos Culture followed Stranger’s act, spinning for the diverse crowd until it was time for Ziggy’s opener. The month of August delivered a huge blue moon for the show. The police presence was undeniable. More officers patrolled the grounds than any other concert I’ve seen this summer. However, this did not even begin to put a damper on the last big blow out of summer. San Diego had come to ‘Mash up the place’. The track’s main attraction for the weekend was the beer garden and reggae festival.
An anxious crowd patiently waited through the opening set. Nikka Costa’s music was soulful and fun, but the masses had undeniably gathered for Ziggy. When Ziggy took the stage around 8:30, the entire grounds shook from the hyped up crowd. San Diego wanted to come out, hear good music, and hang with chill people. Mission accomplished. Ziggy’s positive energy and message of love set the mood for a friendly gathering of San Diego’s music enthusiasts. This was not your average San Diego reggae show. Ziggy Marley’s success has put him in a place where he is not only one of the greatest reggae superstars ever- he is one of the greatest musicians ever. His appeal is evident in his honesty. Ziggy’s performance bares his soul to the audience. His own children made an appearance, dancing along to their talented father’s music on one side of the stage. As Ziggy put it, “This is not just entertaining; this is a mission.” This made me realize that when he comes to play a show, he is also here trying to create unity in San Diego.
Ziggy’s set included some old favorites like “Justice,” “Tomorrow People,” and “Look Who’s Dancing.” He also played some of his newer material like “Wild and Free,” and “Love is my Religion”. His skanking tune “Black Cat” was a big hit, stirring up the crowd. Marley classics like “Could you be Loved” were sprinkled in between Ziggy’s songs. Ziggy’s band was on point, and backed him well. The immense energy built up in the crowd was obvious. Overall, it was just a fun vibe. The massive collection of people gathered for Ziggy’s mission of love made this show work. I feel like I’ve been to many festivals with a comparable amount of people, and things can get out of hand pretty quick. Fortunately, this show did not have that problem. This show marked the last show of Del Mar’s summer series and was definitely the right way to end the summer with a bang.
After the show, Ziggy Marley invited SoCal Reggae onto his tour bus to speak with him. Ascending the stairs of the Marley bus was a surreal experience. For starters, the bus was huge! When we finally got to the top of the stairs, Ziggy’s manager and his daughter greeted us. My team’s anxiety contrasted with Ziggy’s calm aura. However, I felt surprisingly at home. He calmly waited at the table for his interview. I eased myself on the couch next to him. And here is what Ziggy Marley had to say.
Interview By: Tom Searcy
Camera: Leucadia Bob, Edit: Thomas Persichilli
Pictures By: RollinSD.com











































