Twist and Shout

If you want to enter 1998 dancing and drinking, New Year’s Eve can be pretty simple. All that’s left is deciding where you want to be at midnight when tooting a funny horn and wearing a pointed hat. The majority of venues are offering classic rock bands, but there’s still plenty of original rock out there, plus blues and even the dreaded disco. So without further exposition, here’s an opinionated musical guide for New Year’s Eve from the east to the west county.

In Simi Valley, the cavernous Tree House will offer two classic rock bands, Groove Club and Studebaker Hawk. Meanwhile, not so far away at Mixer’s, the Boogie Knights will play disco music for those stuck in that polyester time warp. And you can dance to songs you’ve heard before as Code Red plays hits from the last three decades at Judge Roy Bean’s. Also, there’s original rock from Hung Jury at Schooner Time on Los Angeles Avenue in the strip mall.

Perhaps the best party in the east county is at the Radisson Hotel in Simi Valley, where Flattop Tom & His Jump Cats will do that swing thing like there’s no tomorrow. And Tom himself, with a head as flat as an aircraft carrier, isn’t above shakin’ it up on the dance floor when his band really starts cooking. At the Clarion Hotel, Denny Gap will sing songs from those silly ‘70s.

At the popular Mexican restaurant Cisco’s in Westlake, it’s more disco with the Mother Love Band. Last Call plays original rock at the neighborhood watering hole, the Lounge Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. Not far away, Sonny Mone, a classic rock kind of guy who’s heard Neil Young a few times, will perform in the basement bar of the Hungry Hunter. A few offramps north at Azar’s Red Robin in Newbury Park, Dave’s Not Here--well, yes he is, and he plays classic rock.

At A&M;’s Roadhouse in Nyeland Acres right next to the freeway, Art the owner has a steady job--both of his bands are playing: There will be original rock by the Difference, which has a new CD, and classic rock from the Roxnard All-Stars. At the nearby Oxnard Hilton, Hit City will provide exactly that. And yes, there is life after dark in wondrous Wagon Wheel Junction as Candace & Company play classic rock at the Wagon Wheel Restaurant.

The Whale’s Tail in Channel Islands Harbor will feature one of the best local blues bands, the Pontiax, co-founded by front man Mitch Kashmar in 1982. Nearby, NuMonet plays classic rock at Port Royal and the Drivematics, a band of long experience, play more classic rock at the Lobster Trap Restaurant. Shepherd does likewise at the local sports bar, Champs. Bobby & Lee do the R&B; thing at Capistrano’s in the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort.

In Ventura, not far from convict condo in the Government Center (so act accordingly), it’s Night Train doing the classic rock thing at O’Leary’s Side Bar. The greatest band in all of Somis, Overground, will play some original tunes at Victoria Pub. Bloody Mary Morning will sell copies of its new CD “Rise and Shine” at McGinty’s Sports Bar. They inevitably pack this place when they play “music for girls to dance to and boys to drink to.”

Down at Ventura Harbor, Cloud Nine will do classic rock at Alexander’s, a venue that is threatening to again book live bands after New Year’s. At Hi Cees, the house band for years, Blue Stew, will do the rockin’ blues thing.

On Pierpont Boulevard, where every night is New Year’s, the Chance Brothers will perform bluesy rock at Sharky’s, formerly China Sea and Golden China. Around the corner at the Doubletree Hotel, it’s the aptly named Bar Flys doing more of that classic rock stuff. Zoot, of Brown Derby fame, plays swing music at the Pierpont Inn. Down by the pier at the Holiday Inn, Jimmy Legs and Bazooka Joe will play more of that ubiquitous classic rock.

There’s no mystery as to the drink of choice or the soundtrack when the 1998 Rhythm & Blues Band plays Wine Lovers. The only place to hear Raging Arb & the Redheads this year is on the jukebox at the Red Cove, but not until after Suzanne Paris and Hollis James play classic rock tunes.

The best gigs this year seem to be in downtown Ventura--within about a four-block stretch. At the Ventura Theatre, it’s blues with veteran Taj Mahal, who has been around only a short time less than the building itself. Local blues dude Bob Jones will open. At Bombay Bar & Grill--no surprise here--it’s the house band formerly known as the Ska Daddyz, and now just the Daddyz, doing original rock and ska. Bombay’s front bar will feature dance tunes from Code 3.

Nicholby’s will host one of the most popular local bands, Papa-Nata, which is more or less what’s left of Lion I’s, except now with more fans than ever. Keyboard player, songwriter and singer Guy Jeans is the common thread for both those bands and all the incarnations in between. It’ll be packed by those who live by the band’s theme song, “Beer in My Hand.”

After a week off for Christmas, Cafe Voltaire will reopen and feature Southern Cross, acoustic rockers that really rock. This is appropriate because the band played its first-ever gig at Voltaire a few years ago. With one of the best local CDs of 1997, Southern Cross has a ton of fans.

Down the street at Santa Clara House, it’s the best blues band around, Randy Rich & the Ravens. Don’t bother to make any requests for cover songs; Rich does all originals. It’s worth the drive just to hear “Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle.”

Heading up Highway 33, Sequoia will have a CD release party of its originals at Mojo’s (formerly Maxie’s) in Oak View. The band also knows about a million cover tunes. This place has a huge dance floor, pool tables and plenty of Bass Ale. Up at the world-famous Deer Lodge in Meiners Oaks, the Studebakers do the bluesy rock and classic rock thing for bikers and locals alike. In Ojai, the Preachers will play the blues at Calypso’s Bar & Grill.

The cops, meanwhile, will be humming their favorite song--the “Dragnet” theme, so don’t drink and drive. Check the club listings in this section for phone numbers and addresses.