While talking with my friend Kelly last night, she said that she had been reading this blog and asked about the possibility of featuring local bands.  I'll admit that I don't follow the local music scene nearly as much as I should, but nonetheless, I will highlight one of the Central Valley of California's more successful bands (no, I am not counting Cher or Kevin Federline) - the ska group Let's Go Bowling.

Fire up that flux capacitor and set it to 1990.  I'm in my third year of college taking an entry level computer programming class, and I'm introduced to a guy named Dean.  We were fairly good acquaintances for the few weeks he took the course, which he eventually dropped.

A while later I was at a local Wherehouse store, and discovered that he was working there.  I met up with him and he noticed the Untouchables shirt I was wearing (I had bought it at the show mentioned in a previous post), saying "Hey, Untouchables.  We once opened for them."  I said that I didn't even realize he was in a group, and he replied "Yeah, I'm in Let's Go Bowling." 

Yes, Dean was, in fact, tenor saxophonist Dean Olmstead.  I already knew of the band and its reputation, but had no idea he was in it.  Later on they played on the college campus and sure enough, there he was!  He left the band shortly after that, but I have just learned that he has since rejoined them.

Eventually I picked up their 1991 debut CD Music To Bowl By and loved it immediately.  A favorite track is their send-up of Rossini's overture from the Barber of Seville, called "Hare Tonic", obviously a nod to the greatest cartoon ever made.

Click here to watch a fan-made video for "Hare Tonic" on YouTube.

Click here to download the song from the band's website.