Press release/For immediate release
Summary: Fans of popular Grateful Dead
tribute Cubensis are fighting mad over an offensive review in the South Bay
Easy Reader, and have fired off over 100 angry protest letters. Instead of
critiquing the band's performance, reviewer Ryan Beachkofski launched a
pointed attack on Cubensis admirers, calling them "bad for business."
Hermosa Beach, CA (Press release) June 30, 2008 -
Entertainment reviewer Ryan Beachkofski placed himself in the hot seat when
fans of popular Grateful Dead tribute Cubensis found themselves being trashed
in the Hermosa Beach, CA Easy Reader.
Sent to critique the band's performance at the legendary
Lighthouse Cafe, Beachkofski ignored the show and instead launched a tirade
against the Grateful Dead and their devotees. Picking on Cubensis fans
specifically, he asserted that they were an unwashed crowd which neglects
personal hygiene, pollutes the air driving VW "hippie" buses,
and who shun buying drinks in a bar because they come to shows already
high on drugs.
Beachkofski went so far as to condemn other journalists who
had favorably reviewed the band, particularly an LA Weekly commentary that
glowed, “…Cubensis plays with the same laid-back mastery as the Real McCoy.” He
considered his short 10 minutes of watching the group's performance
“punishment” and “a musical waterboarding.”
When the band posted the review on their website, Cubensis
fans were outraged and responded with over 100 protests which
deluged the paper’s editors. So many letters were received that the weekly
publication, which claims a circulation of 57,000, dedicated a special section
in their following edition just for fan comments, entitled "Deadheads no
friend of the devil," an apparent reference to their own reviewer and a
well-loved Grateful Dead song.
Those submitting rebuttals passionately described their
relationship with Cubensis and Grateful Dead music, and most mentioned how far
removed they were from the stereotypical picture painted by Beachkofski, with
many professing to have high-paying jobs and driving late model cars.
"I just got out of the shower, am getting ready for
work, earn well into six figures annually, have a MA degree, wear a Rolex
watch and drive a 2007 Mercedes," wrote Mike Cerneant, a self-professed
fan of both the Dead and Cubensis. "So how do I fit in your ethnocentric
description of deadheads?"
Long time follower Sydne Kasle also felt insulted and
complained, "The fact that Ryan has only characterized a certain type of
fan makes him seem more like some 1950's conservative reactionary to the hippie
movement than a hip writer." Kasle demanded a retraction of the
mean-spirited June 19 article.
Promoter Rick Parrott, who produced the concert,
feels that Beachkofski had a major axe to grind against the Grateful Dead
legacy and Cubensis’ efforts to keep that legacy alive. "I don’t think
anyone would have disagreed with a review devoted to the pros and cons of
Cubensis’ music," he explained. "What is disagreeable is Mr.
Beachkofski’s hatchet job."
Easy Reader entertainment editor Bondo Wyszpolski took
criticism of his lack of editorial oversight with good humor, admitting that he
didn't realize the article would have people up in arms. Thanking one
correspondent, he joked, “I'm glad you
took some time to write. Ryan Beachkofski's body is swaying from the gallows as
we speak.” Answering another offended fan, he quipped, “We received other
responses, too, and we’ll print a few of them next week, and then hold a public
execution for Ryan. We’ll save you a front row seat.”
Since 1987, Los Angeles-based Cubensis has carried the torch
in celebration of one of America’s most beloved and successful
touring acts, the Grateful Dead. Cubensis sets out to re-create the
Grateful Dead experience by emulating the sounds of Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir,
Phil Lesh, and the rest of the legendary San Francisco jam band. Cubensis plays
complete shows covering all eras of the Dead's 35-year career, and
no performance is ever repeated.
Cubensis is far more than just your standard cover band, as
they bring the magic and sounds to those longing for the live vibe that only
the Grateful Dead was able to deliver. "This is not note-for-note
imitation," advises guitarist Craig Marshall, "No wigs or fake
beards here. This is the real deal. We're satisfying our musical curiosities
like they did, by exploring improvisational frontiers." The group
has been acclaimed for giving new life to the Grateful Dead’s material,
bringing in new styles, new innovations, and new enthusiasts, while at the same
time remaining loyal to the original music and the original fans. Marshall
estimates that over 50% of each performance is entirely new music created
afresh by the band.
Cubensis is set to headline the Ojai Rock Fest ’08 at
Libbey Park in Ojai, CA on July 12, and will return to the Lighthouse Café
in Hermosa Beach on July 19.
# # #