Newport Roadhouse Closes as a Rock Venue

The Newport Roadhouse has closed after two years as an active, if bare-bones, venue on the local grass-roots/alternative-rock scene.

Former owner Steve Schiro said Thursday that the Roadhouse, a 220-capacity bar at 1700 Placentia Ave., was sold last week to a family that is in the restaurant and bar business in Santa Ana. Schiro said he isn’t certain what the new owners plan, but the building’s days as a rock venue appear to be finished.

The Newport Roadhouse had featured live music seven nights a week, with blues on Mondays, and alternative and hard rock on other nights. Schiro, an Irvine businessman and investor, said all the shows were run by independent promoters.

The Roadhouse’s most successful feature was New Klub on the Block, a punk and alternative-rock club that took over the venue on Fridays and Saturdays. NKOTB was launched soon after the Roadhouse opened on Feb. 15, 1991.

Mark Obey, who promotes the NKOTB shows with partner Craig McGahey, said that they had booked a full schedule of weekend shows this month at the Roadhouse. All have been canceled, although Obey said some shows may be transferred to the nearby Club Mesa on West 19th Street.

Obey said that he and McGahey had put NKOTB on hold during most of December and January because “we were getting a little burned out” promoting twice-weekly shows.

“We were all ready to come back,” when they learned last Saturday that they had lost their venue. The NKOTB promoters are mulling what to do next, Obey said.

One possibility they’re considering is to discontinue NKOTB’s weekly format of local rockers and touring underground bands, and instead present less frequent, but “bigger and better” shows.

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SUPERNATURAL DISAPPEARANCE: One casualty of the Newport Roadhouse closing was the scheduled Orange County debut on Friday of the Supernaturals, the latest band put together by veteran local rocker David Pedroza.

Pedroza, now based in Los Angeles, emerged in the ‘80s with the Scarecrows, an Orange County band that intermittently featured guitarist Marc Ford, now of the Black Crowes.

Besides Pedroza on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, the Supernaturals feature bassist Mark Dutton, another worthy O.C. alternative-rock vet who formerly played in Burning Tree, Santa Ana-based drummer Corey Gash, and lead guitarist Jack Lopez, who hails from East L.A.

The band’s first demo tape showcases the same heavy Rolling Stones influence that drove much of Pedroza’s songwriting with the Scarecrows. The Supernaturals play Wednesday at 11 p.m. at the English Acid club at Peanuts, on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.

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THE ICEMAN COMETH: While the NKOTB partners ponder what to do next, another independent alternative-rock promoter, Steve Belmonte, is going ahead with further concerts at the Ice House in Fullerton, a cavernous old brick structure that holds about 700 people.

Having sold out the building last month with his first promotion there, an O.C. punk festival featuring the Vandals and D.I., Belmonte has scheduled two more concerts at the Ice House, which is at 112 E. Walnut Ave., near the Fullerton railroad station.

Local ska-rock heroes No Doubt headline on Feb. 13, with punk-pop band Big Drill Car and Lidsville opening. The Dickies, Youth Brigade, the Mentors and Face to Face play a punk revival concert on Feb. 19. Both shows are open to all ages, with admission $13. (714) 828-8845.

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ZOMBIES ON TOUR: The Swamp Zombies are on a three-week tour of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the Orange County folk-punk band’s first trip overseas.

The trio, which has a habit of turning its on-the-road adventures into songs, will return on Feb. 26, no doubt with a notebook full of new song ideas abetted by guitarist Josh Agle’s fluency in German.

Before embarking on Feb. 2, the Swamp Zombies finished recording another album, the fifth of the band’s career, for Doctor Dream Records. Doctor Dream also has signed a deal to manufacture, market and distribute the debut album by the local alternative-rock band, Trouble Dolls. It’s dubbed “Cement” and is scheduled for an April release.

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NORTH COUNTY ROCK: Fullerton-area rockers are planning another free outdoor concert to showcase their local scene. First comes a preliminary benefit concert on Feb. 19 at 10 p.m. at the Fullerton Hofbrau, with proceeds going to pay staging costs for the bigger outdoor show next month in Hillcrest Park.

Standard Fruit, Fat Shadow and Mr. Mirainga will play the fund-raiser at the Hofbrau, 323 N. State College Blvd., with tickets priced at $5. (714) 870-7400.

Joyride, Swamp Zombies, Trip the Spring, Room to Roam and the Ziggens are lined up to play the free park concert, which starts at noon on March 21.