PHOTOS: Sunday Surf Show at Hotel Utah in San Francisco with Pollo Del Mar and Slacktone, 10.16.11

It was hang-ten time at the Hotel Utah Saloon in San Francisco on Sunday, as local quartet Pollo Del Mar was joined by fellow surf-rock outfit Slacktone from Los Angeles. According to guitarist Ferenc Dobronyi, it was the 41st time Pollo Del Mar (not to be confused with the “Queen of San Francisco Media“) had performed at the ridiculously intimate venue. Anyone who caught every single show is undoubtedly deaf by now.

There were lots of people there who have been going to the band’s performances for years—including my future brother-in-law, who hipped me to the matinee show—as evidenced by the parade of vintage Pollo Del Mar T-shirts on display.

A few highlights from the show, in all its instrumental, heavily reverbed, 16th-note-shredding, wammy-bar glory:

• As a card-carrying Star Trek geek, my favorite moment was Pollo Del Mar’s cover of Alexander Courage’s original theme song, complete with a modified voiceover by guitarist Jono Jones describing their “ongoing mission to be a band without a singer” and “boldly go where no surf band has gone before.”
• Other cover highlights included Pollo Del Mar’s version of “Panic in Detroit” and a Slacktone medley that included the James Bond and Peter Gunn themes and “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In).”
• Earplugs were provided at the merch table. Dobronyi advised audience members not to lose their hearing for the band’s sake. “It’s just not worth it,” he said.
• “Play louder!” someone in the audience shouted. “I know that one,” Dobronyi replied.
• Pollo Del Mar played an original song that was inspired by Dobronyi’s favorite yoga pose. “It’s the one where you lie on the floor and fall asleep,” he said.
• Slacktone guitarist Dave Wronski on bassist Steve Ryan: “Steve’s never been to San Francisco before. Let’s kill him!”
• “Let’s play some old crap,” Wronski said.
• Did you know that those coiled, energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs now come in bordello red?

Here is photographic evidence of the afternoon:

Slacktone 4

Dave Wronski of Slacktone, Hotel Utah, 10.16.11

Slacktone 3

Steve Ryan of Slacktone, Hotel Utah, 10.16.11

Slacktone 2

Slacktone, Hotel Utah, 10.16.11

Slacktone 1

Dusty Watson of Slacktone, Hotel Utah, 10.16.11

Pollo Del Mar 7

Pollo Del Mar, Hotel Utah Saloon, 10.16.11

Pollo Del Mar 6

Ferenc Dobronyi of Pollo Del Mar, Hotel Utah Saloon, 10.16.11

Pollo Del Mar 5

Jeremy Rexford of Pollo Del Mar, Hotel Utah Saloon, 10.16.11

Pollo Del Mar 4

Pollo Del Mar, Hotel Utah Saloon, 10.16.11

Pollo Del Mar 3

Pollo Del Mar, Hotel Utah Saloon, 10.16.11

Pollo Del Mar 2

Jono Jones of Pollo Del Mar, Hotel Utah Saloon, 10.16.11

Pollo Del Mar 1

Pollo Del Mar, Hotel Utah Saloon, 10.16.11

Or in gallery form, if you prefer: