PERFORMANCES AN OPINIONATED GUIDE : THURSDAY

Something For Nothing (Charlie’s, 362 California St., Ventura, 648-6688) Speed, thrash, folk, pop or fill in your favorite noun. These four locals will get your feet moving. It’s all original rock that’s better than 90% of the brain death/ear death on MTV.

* Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan (The Grill, 1279 Coast Village Road, Montecito, 969-5969) Acoustic, gritty and obscure blues resurrected for the ‘90s by these talented Santa Barbara musicians with five albums to their credit.

* Leo Downey Band (The Ketch, 514 State St., Santa Barbara, 564-3231) He’s a classical acoustic guitarist and a rock ‘n’ roller with a zillion female fans salivating over his every move.

* The Tubes (Carnaval Club, 634 State St., Santa Barbara, 965-8422) Imagine the Heartbreakers without Tom Petty, the Pips without Gladys Knight, the Stones without Mick Jagger or the Tubes without former front man Fee Waybill.

FRIDAY

* Spencer The Gardener (Charlie’s) The singing landscaper with the killer horn section and enough Santa Barbara pop rock to keep the dance floor packed.

SATURDAY

* The Beach Boys (Santa Barbara County Bowl, 1122 N. Milpas St., Santa Barbara, 966-2727) These venerable purveyors of fun, fun, fun are doing a benefit concert for Project Teach and Tomorrow’s Teachers.

* Crucial DBC (Caribbean Cuisine, 5838 Hollister Ave., Goleta, 967-7265) It’s industrial-strength reggae from Santa Barbara’s favorite reggae band.

* Spencer The Gardener (Alex’s Cantina, 633 State St., Santa Barbara, 966-0032) Spencer really packs ‘em in when he plays his home town.

SUNDAY

* Mose Allison (Wheeler Hot Springs, 16825 Maricopa Highway, Ojai, 646-8131) Veteran jazz pianist who sings the blues and has recorded nearly 30 albums makes a rare local appearance.

MONDAY

* The Ex-Husbands (Alexander’s, 1050 Schooner Drive, Ventura, 658-2000) This week’s alternative to Monday Night Football and also this week’s Blue Monday presentation; and what a swell name for a band.

* Leo Downey Band (Charlie’s) Yup, it’s him again. But this time he’s doing his thing in Ventura. Matt Schulte and Bill Coffey, folk singers extraordinaire, do the 6 p.m. happy-hour set.

TUESDAY

* Plato’s Cat (Charlie’s) Once a quartet and now a trio but still a spiffy pop rock/folk rock act for all those philosophical feline lovers.

* James Taylor (Santa Barbara County Bowl) The yuppie sound that may make you want to kiss your Porsche, buy a condo and take notes during “thirtysomething.”

WEDNESDAY

* Mudheads (Charlie’s) One of the best pop rock bands in Ventura. It’s worth the drive just to hear them do the title tune from their tape, “Picking Up Ideas.”

* Plato’s Cat, Matt Schulte and Bill Coffey (Hornblower’s, 1559 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, 658-2202) The home of the Comedy Club is doing the rock thing on Wednesdays and is giving the locals another place to play.

* Michael On Fire (Hungry Hunter, 487 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks, 497-3925) All original folk, rock and blues.