L.A. Exposure : Club Lingerie to Showcase County Bands

It isn’t easy getting talent scouts from Los Angeles record companies to leave their Hollywood haunts to hear bands based in Orange County.

David Swinson, booking agent at Bogart’s, figures that if the mountain won’t come to Mohammed, he will bring Mohammed to the mountain.

In the first of what he hopes will be a series of Hollywood showcase nights for Orange County and Long Beach bands, Swinson has set up next Thursday at Club Lingerie a four-band bill aimed at helping acquaint the Los Angeles music industry with some of the talent to the south.

On the bill are Wood & Smoke, the Scarecrows, One Day and Peter Fahey.

“I thought that a lot of those labels (would) never come down to see these bands and (that) a lot of times the bands will have a hard time getting a show in L.A.,” Swinson said.

Brendan Mullen, who books talent for Club Lingerie, said he is open to doing monthly package showcases featuring Orange County and Long Beach bands.

Swinson said next week’s show will operate on an “open guest list” basis, which means fans who make reservations will receive free admission.

The arrangement is aimed at drawing a good crowd for groups that aren’t established draws in Hollywood, with the club making its money at the bar rather than from admissions.

As for the bands, Swinson said, they will play for “gas money” in exchange for the chance to be seen by label representatives.

Show time at Club Lingerie, 6507 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, is 9 p.m. For information on reservations, call Bogart’s at (213) 594-8976.

LIVE ACTION: War’s scheduled performance Saturday night at Night Moves in Huntington Beach has been canceled due to poor ticket sales, according to a spokesman for the club. No new date is planned. Refunds are available at points of purchase.