The Road Rises Up to Meet Them

They’re not so young anymore, and not that many of them are from the Emerald Isle, but the Young Dubliners have hit their stride as a national touring act. They’ll make a rare local appearance tonight at Nicholby’s in Ventura, a venue they used to play with regularity.

Opening will be Flush, the coolest band in Simi Valley.

Dubliners frontman Keith Roberts came to the United States in 1988 and tried for a while to be a journalist but decided he didn’t have the write stuff. He soon found himself playing in a band on St. Patrick’s Day. The band was the Young Dubliners, and it began playing more and more. The group released its first album in 1993, a wild Celtic beer-swilling, sweat-drenched party soundtrack. Soon after, Roberts bought Fair City, a Santa Monica bar.

These days, the Dubs are on the road pretty much all the time. The only originals left are Roberts and bass player Bren Holmes, but capable replacements, such as violin player Mark Epting, keep the party vibe alive.

As usual, Roberts had plenty to say about everything.

How’s the Young Dubs’ biz these days?

We put out our last album last June, “Red,” which is our best seller to date. It’s just been a whole different world for us--at last.

*

What happened to Fair City?

Right after we got signed, we went on the road and couldn’t keep the bar. It became pretty obvious quickly that Fair City without the Young Dubliners was just another big empty bar.

*

Since you’ve been on both sides, discuss the eternal struggle between club owners and musicians?

I learned the hard way at Fair City that giving the bands everything they wanted was not the right way. We tried to make Fair City a real rock haven for bands, and it became that, and people always ask when we’ll ever open another one. It was difficult. Bands need to understand that clubs need to fill themselves every night. They’re paying for electricity, for beer and their staff, so they have to be full every night.

*

And musicians always want free beer and a million people on the guest list, right?

Sure. I can’t tell you how many times bands have told me, “Last time we played, there was 500 people, easy,” then 10 people show up for their gig. Later, you come to find out at their last gig, they opened for somebody and the fans were the other band’s people.

*

So how does a band go from playing Nicholby’s in Ventura to selling out the House of Blues in Hollywood?

We’ve actually sold out the House of Blues something like 34 times. It’s our home away from home. It’s due to the decency and the loyalty of our following. This year we shot up in our following because we toured with Jethro Tull for 2 1/2 months, and we also toured with John Hiatt. We finally got breaks where we got to open for other people instead of being the headliner.

*

That’s strange. Opening was good for you guys? I thought everyone wanted to be the headliner?

No, it was great for us because you weren’t preaching to the converted but playing for people who didn’t know who you were. You have 30 minutes to change that and we were pleasantly successful, thank God, in doing that every night. So we ended up with huge records sales--way beyond what we did before. We’ve been a national act since “Breathe,” but there were always large portions of the country we just wouldn’t go to because we didn’t have any sales there, like Texas and Florida, which later became big hubs of ours.

*

What else can a band do to promote itself and take it to the next level?

I’ve been watching Dave Matthews interviews, and he could literally be me speaking--well, except for the 30 million in sales. Other than that, we’re identical. We have the same instrumentation. It was always all about the gig for us. We never 100% believed anything anyone told us--if it did happen, that’s great, but if we don’t keep touring and keep the word-of-mouth going, then it’s not going to happen. The only downside is that we’ve literally been on the road nonstop.

*

This would account for all the lineup changes?

Sure, it’s too much for some people. It’s a very rigorous lifestyle. You’re on the road all the time. You’re away from home. It’s rough, so when people had families and kids and stuff, it was tough for them to stay on the road, but that’s what you have to do. And the Internet hasn’t hurt, because you can have fans internationally and they can download our entire album. I think it’s become more wide open for bands now. You can be big nowadays without a major label.

*

So what’s your secret to surviving that endless road trip?

The secret is getting along, being actual friends, giving each other space when you’re out there and trying to have good shows. Try and keep the quality of the gigs up, get the publicity done, try and get the fans out and learn to live in a communal situation.

*

Tell me about a memorable gig.

We’ve had lots of those. We’ve been in front of 10,000 people one night, then 18 the next. We’ve ridden the entire roller coaster. A really fun one was with Tull at the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks last summer. During the last song, Ian Anderson and the whole band danced across the stage. That was a fun show, and those guys are great friends.

*

What do you think Young Dubliners music sounds like?

You must keep in mind that Celtic rock is as wide a genre as alternative rock. Anyone that mixes rock and Celtic music of any sort can belong in that category, just because there’s no other category to put you in. We’re very much a rock band--a modern rock band with a Celtic touch. On our first few albums we were trying to find a blend, and in “Red” we finally found that. We had a great producer and a great studio that managed to capture the live vibe of the band. I can still listen to it every day and not go “ugh.”

*

How would you compare American fans to European fans?

I don’t really know because we’ve only been in Ireland, but I’m hoping to find out this summer. We have a huge summer tour scheduled, and we’re going to have to start the next record. I guess we’ll have to do it on the road--we’ve never done that one before.

*

So now you only play Nicholby’s once in a while these days?

[Club owner Nick Taylor has] become a good friend. We call when we’re in town and give him what we’ve got. He opened his place when I opened Fair City, so we have a lot in common, and I know what he’s trying to do. He promised me that the club would get better every time we came back, and he hasn’t let me down. Ventura should be proud of him, because very few towns have a club like that where you can come to a cool club and see bands. And thank God he moved those pool tables. There’s a couple of things you can’t have--somebody playing pool or someone watching a football game when you’re playing.

DETAILS

The Young Dubliners and Flush at Nicholby’s, 404 E. Main St., Ventura, 10 tonight; $8; 653-2320.

*

Chicago? Yeah, they probably know a few songs. With more than 120 million in sales during the last 30-something years, the band will perform Tuesday night at the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks.

The group began in 1967 as the Chicago Transit Authority, then discovered brevity. After deciding it wanted to be the Beatles with horns, the band debuted its double album, which was a huge hit, particularly considering some of the competition--namely the Rolling Stones and the Fab Four.

Chicago made its local debut more than three decades ago at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, sharing the bill with the Chambers Brothers and Love. The band played in Thousand Oaks a year ago. In between those gigs, the group has sold a few albums, won a bunch of Grammys and gotten a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. These guys have done way better than the Cubs.

DETAILS

Chicago at the Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks; 8 p.m. Tuesday; $60, $45 or $30; 449-2787.

*

To commemorate Women’s History Month, “Women’s Voices” will feature exactly that, and some darn fine ones, too, during a Tuesday evening showcase of songs and other stuff sponsored by the Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence at 66 California in Ventura.

The music will begin with a cappella and a stand-up bass from the Edwinas. Next up will be the Tune Bandits, followed by Suzanne Paris, who will doubtless sell a few copies of her latest release, “Pink Lipstick.” Singer-songwriter Rain Perry of Ojai is slated to be the party-ender. In between the music, there will be readings by Linda Livingston, Alexandra Currie and Tracy Abeles. The artwork of Norman Jean Campanaro and Linda Kish will be on display and on sale as well.

The proceeds from the event will go to the Rape Crisis Center in Ventura, the only such facility in the county. Tickets, at $20 for adults and $5 for youths ages 5-12, include dinner and drinks.

DETAILS

Women’s Voices with the Edwinas (6:15 p.m.), Tune Bandits (7), Suzanne Paris (7:45) and Rain Perry (8:40) at 66 California, 66 California St., Ventura; 6 p.m. Tuesday; $20 adults, $5 youths; 983-6014.

*

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