POP MUSIC : When Rio’s Bar Went Dry, So Did Its Well of Talent

When his liquor license was suspended two months ago, Cameron Moshtaghi, owner of Rio’s nightclub in Loma Portal, cut back on the number of nights per week his club is open. Down from seven to as few as two or three.

Since the June 7 suspension, the popular haven for local original-music bands--and frequent site of concerts by national upstarts--has been operating as an 18-and-up club, with no alcohol served.

The dip in revenues, Moshtaghi said, has made it increasingly difficult to hire quality bands. Hence, the cutback.

“The way we usually do it, the band gets the door and we keep the bar,” Moshtaghi said. “Now there is no bar, so it’s a pretty tough situation for original bands. They cannot make any money because we have to take most of the door money, just to cover our operating expenses.

“And, without the benefit of liquor sales, we don’t have many bands we can afford--which is why we’re only going to be open on a part-time basis, whenever we can get a good, affordable band.”

Moshtaghi’s liquor license was suspended by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Department because he doesn’t serve food, required under his “Type 47” license.

“They closed him down because he’s supposed to be a bona fide public eating place and he’s not,” said Pete Case, district administrator of the ABC office in San Diego. “He went before an administrative law judge, and he threw the book at him, since this is the second time he’s been up for the same charge.”

The suspension was for 40 days, “and an indefinite time thereafter until he either changes into a public eating place or gets a different type of license,” Case said.

Moshtaghi has already applied for a new “Type 48” license that doesn’t require him to serve food, but his hopes for a quick transfer were dashed by protests from neighbors--including the owner of another nightclub two doors down--and police.

“I just got a letter from the Sacramento (ABC) office, telling me they would let me know ‘shortly’ what the status is,” Moshtaghi said. “They’ve got my application and all the protests, they’re reviewing everything, and then they’re either going to accept it, reject it, have a hearing, whatever.

“In the meantime, Rio’s will continue to operate part time, as a teen club, with no alcohol.”

The Michelob Street Scene expands to two days this year, Sept. 7 and 8, and will feature performances by more than 40 pop acts on eight stages scattered throughout a 12-block area of downtown.

Promoter Rob Hagey said he’s still negotiating with several big-name rock acts to headline the event, but most of the other bookings are already confirmed. Here is the almost-complete lineup for Michelob Street Scene ‘90--which, by the way, is the eighth in seven years:

Friday, Sept. 7: Pato Banton, Peter Spence and Majek Fashek (91X Reggae/Worldbeat Stage, 7th Avenue and J Street); Beausoleil, Wayne Troupes and Zydecajun, the Rebirth Brass Band (Cajun Stage, 5th Avenue and Island Street); Eric Burdon-Robbie Krieger Band, Tower of Power (KCBQ Rock Stage, 3rd and J); Tim Weisberg and Keiko Matsui (KSDS Jazz Stage, 5th and K), and Zachary Richard, Pancho Sanchez, the Beat Farmers and Bulldozer (7th and L Street Stage). A main act will be announced later for the 91X Rock Stage, 3rd Avenue and K Street.

Saturday, Sept. 8: Buckwheat Zydeco, C. J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band, the Rebirth Brass Band (Cajun Stage, 5th and Island); Johnny Winter, Koko Taylor and Her Blues Machine, Five Blind Boys From Alabama and the Mighty Penguins (KGB Blues Stage, 7th and L); the Desert Rose Band, Southern Pacific and the Flatbed Band (KSON Country Stage, 7th and J); Katie Webster and Jeannie and Jimmy Cheatham and their Sweet Baby Blues Band (KSDS Blues/Jazz Stage, 5th and K), and Willie Colon and Legal Alien and La Boom (Radio Latina Latin Stage, 3rd and J). A main act will be announced for the KGB Rock Stage, 3rd and K.

Meanwhile, the Entrance Stage (5th and Harbor Drive) will feature non-stop mariachi music both Friday and Saturday.

The music at Michelob Street Scene ’90 starts at 5 and stops at 11 both nights. Tickets go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. at all TicketMaster outlets. Cost is $15.

LINER NOTES: Buddy Blue’s debut album for Rhino Records is all but complete, after a month of sessions at Hit Single Recording Services in the College Area. “All that’s left to be done is a little (between-song) narration by Harvey Pekar,” said Blue, formerly with local “blue-eyed” soul band the Jacks. Pekar is a comic-book author best known for a series of outrageous appearances on television’s “Late Night With David Letterman.” The album’s cover art, Blue added, is being done by underground cartoonist Spain Rodriguez, part of the Zap Comix stable. . . .

Two veteran folkies will be joining the San Diego Symphony Aug. 14 for a special one-night-only “SummerPops EXTRA!” program at Hospitality Point on Mission Bay. They are Mason Williams, whose “Classical Gas” went all the way to No. 2 on the national pop charts in 1968, and John Hartford, whose “Gentle on My Mind” was a big hit for Glen Campbell that same year. Williams will be bringing along his own back-up band, featuring such respected bluegrass musicians as three-time national fiddle champion Byron Berline and mandolin player Jerry Mills, formerly with the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. . . .

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. for Tommy Page’s Aug. 30 concert at the Civic Theatre. Sweet Sensation and Linear will open. . . .

Best concert bets for the coming week: Al Green, tonight at Humphrey’s on Shelter Island; the Ramones with Deborah Harry, Jerry Harrison and the Tom Tom Club, Saturday at San Diego State University’s Open Air Theatre; Peter Murphy with the House of Love, Sunday at Symphony Hall downtown; and the Righteous Brothers, Monday at Humphrey’s.