BEST BETS Friday 2/16

ANAHEIM

7:30pm

Pop Music

Cadillac Tramps may have surrendered lead guitarist Johnny Wickersham to Social Distortion, but lead singer Mike “Gabby” Gaborno and company marshal on with hurricane-force punk intensity. They’ll play Friday at Chain Reaction.

* Cadillac Tramps, Chain Reaction, 1652 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim. With Foxy, Wax Apples, Los Villains. 7:30 p.m. $10. (714) 635-6067.

FULLERTON

8pm

Music

Winner of two national and eight international prizes, guitarist Margarita Escarpa returns to Cal State Fullerton for her second recital. The winner of the “Andres Segovia” Competition in Palma de Mallorca first played there in 1998. Her program this time will include works by Bach, Frank Martin, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Francisco Tarrega.

* Margarita Escarpa, Performing Arts Center, Cal State Fullerton, Nutwood Avenue and State College Boulevard, Fullerton. 8 p.m. $13. (714) 278-2434.

NEWPORT BEACH

7pm

Poetry

Could anything be more romantic than an evening spent in a coffeehouse by the beach? With a little help from an open mike, possibly yes. Lee Mallory, Orange County’s self-proclaimed “Love Poet,” heads the bill at the Alta Coffee House’s fifth annual Valentine’s Love Poetry Contest, with guitar music by Neil Miranda and spots for the first 15 contestants who sign up.

* Fifth annual “Love Poetry Contest,” Alta Coffee House, 506 31st St., Newport Beach. Free. $4 to compete; limited to first 15 contestants. Registration at 7 p.m.; competition at 8 p.m. (949) 675-0233.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

8pm

Pop Music

Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers have become regulars every year at the W.C. Handy Blues Awards, the blues world’s version of the Grammys. Piazza and his mates are up for several individual and group awards this year, including entertainer of the year for Piazza and blues band of the year.

* Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. With Mo Evans Blues Band, Fat Tones. 8 p.m. $13.50 to $15.50. (949) 496-8930.