Cleaning Up Club Mesa’s Rep

Hercules had the Augean stable to clean. Craig McGahey has the reputation of Club Mesa.

The Costa Mesa nightclub’s stature as a grass-roots rock venue collapsed in the mid-’90s as it became known as a haven for racist skinheads who threw their weight around along with their rancid opinions. “Club Nazi” became its informal nickname among the local alt-rock cognoscenti.

Now promoter McGahey aims to restore the club’s good name. His history as a promoter on the O.C. punk-alternative scene goes back to 1989, when he began a weekly soiree called the Rat Trap at the same strip-mall storefront, 843 W. 19th St., that is now Club Mesa. McGahey, who ran a punk-fashion boutique during the ‘80s and early ‘90s, moved on to other venues, including the NKOTB club.

In his first move as the exclusive promoter for Club Mesa, he fired the security staff, which had failed to prevent a hostile environment. “They knew the people that caused the problems, and they didn’t take care of business right.”

McGahey says the problem clientele hasn’t been back: “The vibe’s not there. The whole stigma of Club Nazi is way gone.”

But bad reputations die hard, and McGahey figures the best way to erase lingering doubts among rock fans is to offer a run of desirable bookings.

To that end, the upcoming schedule includes some good ones: Rule 62 on July 11; U.S. Bombs, July 17; Humble Gods, July 25; the Humpers, July 27; the Dickies, Aug. 1; and the Muffs, Aug. 21. Shows at the 21-and-older club start between 9:30 and 10 p.m., with admission typically $5-$7. (714) 642-6634.

*

ELDRED ETCETERA: Mike Eldred emerged as a hot, versatile roots-guitar talent in his stint a few years ago with Lee Rocker’s Big Blue. Now he’s stepping out as frontman of a trio that also includes bassist John Bazz and drummer Jerry Angel, both of whom are moonlighting from the Blasters. They play July 10 and July 25 at Linda’s Doll Hut in Anaheim. (714) 533-1286.

“The best way I can describe it is a cross between Scotty Moore and Jimi Hendrix,” Eldred said. “It gets way out. There’s blues in it, but we do some rockabilly stuff. It’s real free-form and pretty raw.”

Eldred, who lives in Paramount, says he quit Rocker’s hard-touring band after deciding that the road wasn’t for him. “My daughter needed a dad more than I needed to be a rock star.”

Eldred will turn up as a session player on parts of Rocker’s next album, which is due soon on a French label and will be available at Rocker’s local gigs.

Fans of the former Stray Cats bassist, who lives in Laguna Beach, will probably get a preview of the CD when he plays on Saturday at the Hootenanny Festival at Oak Canyon Ranch.

Rocker won’t be backing Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana as originally planned; Fontana’s recent illness forced the two Memphis rockabilly greats to cancel. Instead, Rocker will play with his regular band, which includes guitarists Adrian Demain and Brophy Dale and former Desert Rose Band drummer Steve Duncan. Information: (714) 991-2055.