Notes from the smoking patio

Last February, members of promising new band Clock Work Army split while recording their debut, leaving vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Emily Neveu to finish the album with just the help of producer Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession). After a stint as bassist for The Muslims, Neveu has finally finished the album. More importantly, she's added a few new members--Goodbye Blue Monday vocalist-guitarist Matt Mournian and ex-Comfortable For You drummer Tom Peart--and renamed the project Calico Horse. Considering Neveu's huge talent and the new members' solid reputation with their other projects, Calico could be a scene favorite very soon. They'll play next at Che Café (Oct. 1) and Beauty Bar (Oct. 6). MS/theclock workarmy.

After being forced to stop hosting live music due to complaining neighbors and a cease-and-desist letter from the city, San Diego Sports Club has resumed noisemaking. Bands are scheduled through November, including a Sept. 28 show by good-timing locals The Infants. Check "Locals Only" next week for the whole story. MS/sdsportsclub.

On Sept. 27, music trivia night hits the Whistle Stop to benefit the San Diego Music Awards Foundation. The event--sponsored by mTraks and Cover Me Badd and hosted by Adam Gimbel--has become a recurring competition between local band members and the city's biggest music nerds. The Shambles will perform for the live "name that tune" portion of the evening. Signups start at 8 p.m., trivia at 9 p.m. (sharp, slacker).

Two large events mark this week in local music. The first is a backwoods music and comedy concert called Ranchita Rocks. The purpose of the three-day camping gig is to raise awareness (and money) in the effort to stop the Sunrise Powerlink, a controversial SDG&E power line proposed to run east to west across San Diego County and through the private property where the concert will be held. Artists include HR (from Bad Brains) and Fishbone among locals like Al Howard and the K23 Orchestra, Jalopy, Vegitation and The Strikers. www.ranchita rocks.org.

The other large shindig is the 26th Annual Adams Avenue Street Fair--the largest free music event in Southern California. The two-day event (Sept. 29 and 30) will feature more than 40 bands on six stages, as well as the usual crafty people hawking crafty things and foodstuff that fits in a wheel-cart. Music Award-winning locals like The Coyote Problem, Kite Flying Society, Sara Petite and Gregory Page will be joined by iconic headliners Mike Watt and Wanda Jackson, among others. www.adamsaveonline.com.

Monte Battalion was a late addition to last weekend's Street Scene lineup after winning a battle-of-the-bands contest. They joined fellow locals Dynamite Walls, Augustana, B-Side Players, The Album Leaf, Louis XIV, Slightly Stoopid and DJ Kid Lightning at the two-day festival. For their performance, Louis XIV was one member bigger with the addition of Exfriends' violinist-mandolinist Ray Suen. For their 2005 breakout single, "Finding Out True Love is Blind," local singer-songwriter Anya Marina sung the saucy sex-slave refrain, "Wind me up and make me crawl to you/ Tie me up and make me call to you" (originally sung by Lindsey Troy).

Dynamite Walls have announced a nationwide tour that will culminate with a gig at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City. But first they have some greening to do--the band has purchased a bus and is in the process of converting it to biodiesel for the road trip. MS/dynamitewalls.

SayVinyl, a band whose star is surely rising, was surprised to get a call last week requesting a live performance on Andy Dick's radio show on Sirius Channel 101. They hope to be in the studio to record their first full-length this fall. MS/sayvinyl.

Transfer will kick off a two-week U.K. tour (their first) on Oct. 19 with British band Vib Gyor. Transfer will put out a U.K.-only EP for the occasion. MS/transferband.