Woods Work

“No taxation without regimentation.” --Archie Bunker

*

The income tax was just the beginning. Then came parking meters, the pernicious evil of pay toilets, and pay parking at the beach. Now, playing at a tree near you, there is a user’s fee at your neighborhood forest.

Since last June, the U.S. Forest Service has been administering a nationwide “fee demonstration program” under a variety of names, whereby people who plan to park in a national forest must pay for what’s called, in California, an Adventure Pass. Without the pass, one can be warned or be issued a $100 ticket by a--get this--recreation technician.

The eclectic rockers in Ventura’s Euphoria have joined a growing opposition to the policy. To that end, the band will be hosting a fund-raiser tonight at Nicholby’s in Ventura, with the proceeds going to a group working to eliminate the fee program. And at three bucks, the show is two bucks cheaper than a daily Adventure Pass.

“It’s going to be a benefit concert for Free Our Forests, an uplifting evening of music and public awareness to protest and oppose the U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass program,” said Euphoria bass player John DeSurra.

In addition to DeSurra, the core members of the band are James Foster on drums, David Gorospe on keyboards and Sundance Erickson on guitars, along with a horn section that doesn’t always show up. Everyone sings.

“We’re eclectic,” said DeSurra. “We have respect for many different types of music, and we play it. Our music reflects everything we’re into. We can play four hours of music, and we have about two CDs’ worth of original music.”

Euphoria may be an uncommon reaction to a $100 ticket, but it’s a darn fine rock band. And a darn fine reggae band. And a darn fine jazz band. Musically proficient, Euphoria’s members have that jam thing figured out, to the point where they could make Phish Heads swirl. Reggae, jazz and rock--is Euphoria confused or just showing off?

“We started out in 1993 as a three-piece funk ska band,” said DeSurra. “We added reggae, then jazz. We played Cisco’s in Westlake for over a year on Thursday nights, and we played reggae because that’s what they wanted. We love reggae. Then last winter, Longboard’s in Ventura hired us to play jazz during their Sunday morning brunches during the winter. If someone wants three sets of reggae or three sets of jazz, we can do it. When we play other places, we do what we want.”

Now that DeSurra has completed his degree in classic music composition at UCSB, the band will be playing more, and driving more as well. A CD of originals, titled “Melting Pot Society,” will be released at a June party at the Ventura Harbor.

* Euphoria at Nicholby’s, 404 E. Main St., Ventura, 8:30 tonight. $3. (805) 653-2320.

*

The often-changing Metro Nite Club is once again presenting live music, but on a modest scale. This Friday night, it’s R&B; sensations Kai. They will do a brief set around 11. You can bet the farm the Oakland-based quintet will croon its biggie, “Say You’ll Stay.”

The hit is receiving heavy airplay on the radio, and the group just released its debut album on Geffen. Kai consists of four Filipino Americans and a guy from Hong Kong. The name Kai is an abbreviated version of the Tagalog word kaibigan, which means camaraderie, friendship and brotherhood.

* Kai at Metro Nite Club, 317 E. Main St., Ventura, 11 p.m. Friday, $6. (805) 653-2582.

*

The Bombers, featuring all nine of the original members, will make for a swingin’ Mother’s Day with a 6 p.m. gig at Cafe Voltaire in Ventura. For years the Bombers were the numero uno dance band in Ventura, regularly packing ‘em in at Eric Ericcson’s all through the ‘80s.

* The Bombers at Cafe Voltaire, 34 N. Palm St., Ventura, 6 p.m. Sunday. $8. (805) 641-1743.