The Battle of the Surfing Bands
Who: 12 of the Bay Area's top Surf Bands
Where: The Hotel Utah, Fourth and Bryant in San Francisco
When: 2 PM- 8:30PM Sunday June 19, 2005
Master of Ceremonies: KFJC DJ Phil Dirt
$10 -- all Door money goes to KFJC, a listener supported Radio station
Age 21+ (Although The Utah unofficially seems to allow minors accompanied by a parent)
History: During the golden age of surf music in Southern California, Los Angeles radio station KFWB held monthly dances for teens featuring local surf bands like The Chantays, The Surfaris, The Bel-Aires and hundreds more. These bands would become known as the fathers of the surf rock sound, recording hits like Wipe Out, Pipeline, Penetration, Mr. Moto and Miserlou. In 1963, Del-Fi Records releases an LP featuring the best bands from the KFWB Battle of the Surf Bands series.
Today: Bands continue to create and perform surf music and stations
like Los Altos Hills' KFJC continue to play and support the surf sound over
the airwaves and internet. KFJC has long been dedicated to instrumental surf
music-- DJ Phil Dirt is starting his 22st year as host of "Surf's Up" on Saturday
nights from 7-9PM. Though the station is known for it ecclectic playlist,
many DJs regularly include surf cuts on their shows. In 2004 KFJC staged
its own Battle of the Bands and releases a fundraiser CD featuring fifteen
Bay Area surf bands.