BUZZ CLUBS

Biafra pulls no punches on war

Part verbal pugilist, part punk-rock radical, Jello Biafra twisted a few heads around Thursday at the UC Santa Barbara Events Center. As part of Punkvoter.com’s “Rock Against Bush” festival, the former Dead Kennedys frontman unleashed a diatribe against the war in Iraq. The police presence was so thick you could smell the doughnuts, and the sold-out audience was riveted to his every condemning word. I caught up with Biafra after the festival, which included performances by NOFX, Authority Zero and the Alkaline Trio, and he told me he’s been this close to “pulling a Cobain” over the seemingly never-ending lawsuits filed by his former Dead Kennedys bandmates. The drama started when he refused to allow Levi Strauss to use the DK song “Holiday in Cambodia” in an ad campaign. (Duh.) The “Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1” CD/DVD, featuring music and videos by such bands as NOFX, the Offspring, Pennywise, Descendents, Social Distortion, Sum 41 and Bad Religion, hits stores Tuesday.

Score one for the Roxy: The righteous rock ‘n’ roll comedy group Metal Skool (formerly Metal Shop) is taking up residence at the Sunset Strip nightclub beginning Monday night. After a four-year run at the Viper Room, Metal Skool is looking forward to the roomier club, which should result in shorter lines out the door. Party-planning guru Josh Richman (the Alliance) will continue to emcee the night and the cover charge is still $10.

Such party people as Jared Leto, Mischa Barton, Brandon Davis, Jason Biggs, Lindsay Lohan, Don Johnson and Raphael Saadiq came out for the opening night of Lincoln, longtime clubber Rick Calamaro’s tony new Santa Monica steakhouse.... We hear the poolside Veranda Bar at downtown’s quaint Figueroa Hotel has been the site of lovely afternoon spring flings on weekends.... And the Brit popsters behind the hot mod squad Club Underground at Tempest on Fridays have launched another weekly night, Scene Not Herd, on Wednesdays at the same spot.

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Backgammon and turntables

If you’re looking for some afternoon delight, you can head to Falcon this Sunday for the “Jaguar X-Type City Sessions” from 5 to 10 p.m. Guests get to participate in a backgammon tourney while DJs Roy Davis Jr. and Garth Trinidad spin massive amounts of soul and rare groove.... And speaking of Garth Trinidad, he’s one of the turntablists tapped for the GQ Lounge, which returned to Cali last night for an eight-night run at Forbidden City in Hollywood. Among the artists are Juliette Lewis and the Licks, scheduled to play manana.... Attention hard-core knuckleheads: South Bay veterans Instigator recently released a new album titled “Sorry We’re Punk.” You can pick it up April 23 when the band performs at Latitudes in Redondo Beach with Guttermouth and STD’s.... And while we’re on the subject of hot L.A. sounds, you’ve got to head over to the rock club Thunderpussy at the King King tonight to see Chelsea Smiles, Doheny and Bigelf. We hear Queens of the Stone Age drummer Joey C. is sitting in with the fast and furious garage band Chelsea Smiles. Should be something to grin about.