Crab House Crooner

Mister O has been making happy hour even happier at the Crab House in Camarillo every Friday and Saturday night for the past four years. Everyone seems thrilled except for the crustaceans.

Mister O is Fred Olivas from Carpinteria, and he’s the most popular singing landscaper since Spencer the Gardener. Mister O is also a low-budget operation. There’s a guy, a guitar, a keyboard, a headset, a bunch of machines and a bunch of songs. This makes it easy to split the dough at the end of the night.

Mister O is off in a corner of the eatery, where people wait for a table during those hectic weekend evenings. But don’t think Mister O is trapped--he’s not. He’s wireless and thus mobile, which allows him to stroll the aisles serenading the dining patrons.

He’s got a pleasant and smooth voice, easily adaptable to about anything, which nearly encompasses his repertoire. The O knows oldies by the likes of Nat King Cole, songs by contemporary singers like Shawn Mullins and even instrumentals like “Green Onions.”

Mister O himself discussed the latest during a recent interview.

Have you always been Mister O, or have you had a band or what?

I have had a band, but for the last 10 years, I’ve just been Mister O.

How did you get the Crab House gig?

I had quit music for an entire year because I had just gotten married. Later, I was talking to my wife and I told her I wanted to get back in the music biz . . . . She agreed, so I . . . got a Recycler and saw an ad for a part-time fill-in guy. It turned out to be just Friday and Saturday at the Crab House in Camarillo, which was perfect for me because I didn’t want a lot of work. A month later they let the original guy go, and I’ve been there for four years now.

What is this gig like?

It’s fun. People like the variety of the music I play, and I think the volume is also really attractive. The customers get a chance to communicate with each other, have a drink and eat, but they want to be entertained at the same time.

What is your musical background?

When I was 7 years old, my mother made me take piano lessons for four years. Then I wanted to be a drummer, so I played drums and drove my parents crazy. That lasted about a year.

So was Mom right about this?

Oh, she was absolutely right. She could see that I had the talent. Anyway, then I switched over to guitar, mainly because it was easier to carry. I took two lessons and the rest I figured out with the help of some friends. Then I went to play flute and saxophone because I wanted to play wind instruments, and I got both of those down and that was fun. Then I played bass in a band for a while. Then I found a gig in Santa Barbara and played drums for a year. Finally, I got tired of hauling all that stuff around, so I went back to guitar, where I’ve been ever since.

How many songs do you know? Millions?

No, not millions, but maybe 350. I try to throw in three new songs every month. It takes me awhile to sequence them.

The scope of your repertoire is impressive.

I try to stay pretty current. I listen to the radio on the way down there. When I hear a song on the radio that I like, and if the announcer says who the artist is, I . . . pick up the CD and hope that I like more than just the one song. I can’t do every song, even though I would love to. People’s voices are different, instrumentations are different and harmonies are different. . . . It’s kind of disappointing when someone asks me to play an artist like Shania Twain. Well, I’m sorry, but I don’t sound like Shania Twain.

So you do take requests?

Oh, absolutely--people give me lots of ideas. One of the owners, Mike Lagomarsino, asked me why I didn’t play any reggae. Well, I didn’t own any reggae or know anything about reggae, so he gave me a couple of CDs--UB40 and Marley-something, Ziggy or Bob. Actually it was cool because I could do them on the keyboard and not worry about the guitar, so I learned a couple of reggae songs.

So it’s easy to be a one-man-band, especially when it comes to dividing the money at the end of the night?

Right. I don’t have to pay those guys--that’s the easy part. Also, everyone is always on pitch. I don’t have to worry about those interpersonal relationships or anyone’s girlfriend troubles or their alcohol problems. The drawback is there is no interaction with the musicians, but I do interact with the customers since I went wireless. Now I can get out and about and be friendly, and that’s what I want to do. And since I’ve gone wireless, the tip jar has gotten fuller. I didn’t realize at the time that it would translate into more tips.

What’s the strangest thing that ever happened at the Crab House?

I don’t know about strange, but something fascinating happened the day after the Grammys, three or four years ago. On television, I had seen Stevie Wonder being honored and the next night, I looked up and there he was right in front of me, not more than an arm’s length away. I got so nervous.

Did you play one of his songs?

Oh, no. I didn’t want to ruin it. He and his entourage stayed for dinner, then left. Nothing strange happens there, just fun things. I’ve gotten crazy once in a while when people are hooting and hollering, and I’ve gotten up on their table, and walked between the lobster claws.

DETAILS

Mister O at the Crab House, 350 N. Lantana St., Camarillo, 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; free; 987-4979.

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Things will be loud and fast Saturday night when punk metal ragers Death by Stereo headline at the Ojai Woman’s Club. The band has just released an album on Epitaph Records, “Day of the Death,” which contains such tunes as “Testosterone Makes the World Go ‘Round,” “You Can Lead A Man to Reason, But You Can’t Make Him Think” and “Porno, Sex, Drugs, Lies, Money and Your Local Government.”

Thus, humor + decibels + aggression = Death by Stereo. Or as frontman Efrem Schultz put it, “It’s all about the live shows. Meeting people, playing shows, loud music and getting people off, that’s why we play music.”

This is the band’s second album. “If Looks Could Kill--I’d Watch You Die” came out in 1998. Also on the bill for this show, which was originally to be held at Skate Street in Ventura, are Count Me Out and Faded Gray.

DETAILS

Death by Stereo, Faded Gray and Count Me Out at the Ojai Woman’s Center, 441 E. Ojai Ave., 7 p.m. Saturday; $6; 646-5163.

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There’s a reason most clubs are slow, if not closed, on Sunday. It has a lot to do with Monday being a workday. But club owners are always trying to get some sort of scene going. To that end, the Ban-Dar in Ventura is doing a Sunday Showcase to try to boost business and give bands a place to play.

This event features up to five bands playing throughout the afternoon, and this Sunday, it will include great pop rock from Atticus, a band that hasn’t played live for a while.

It’ll be worth it just to hear the angelic vocals of Wendy Johnson, who fronts the band named after the cool Gregory Peck character in “To Kill A Mockingbird.” Atticus has a pair of CDs also worth checking out.

Also on the bill is rock en espanol from Metropolis and classic rock this and every Sunday night in January from Road Dogs. Club owner Todd Winokur is going through his tribute band phase, and a number of such outfits will be playing the Ban-Dar soon.

On Jan. 20, the Long Run will play Eagles music, and a week later Heartbreaker will revive Pat Benetar. Upcoming tributes include those to the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Metallica and Aerosmith.

The best show of the month at the Ban-Dar, however, figures to be Jan. 13, when Steve White & the Barstool Pigeons will be joined by sax legend “Mighty Joe” Houston. Someday, they’ll have their own tribute bands.

DETAILS

Atticus, Metropolis, Ak & Zuie and the Road Dogs at the Ban-Dar, 3005 E. Main St., Ventura; 4 p.m. Sunday; free; 643-4420.

Bill Locey can be reached by e-mail at blocey@pacbell.net