Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (1888PressRelease)
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 who neglected personal hygiene, drove VW "hippie" buses and who refused to buy 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 called his 10 minutes of watching the group's performance “punishment” and “a musical waterboarding.”
When the band posted the review on their website, www.cubensis.com, fans were outraged and responded with over 100 protest letters to the newspaper's editor. So many 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 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 in the 6 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.
Rick Parrott, a promoter who booked the concert, feels that Beachkofski had a major ax 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."
Since 1987, Los Angeles-based band Cubensis has carried the torch in celebration of one of America’s most beloved touring bands, 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 Grateful Dead, and no night is ever the same. 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 imitation," cautions lead guitarist Craig Marshall, "This is the real deal. We're satisfying our musical curiosities like they did, by exploring improvisational frontiers. When you take a musical leap of faith, sometimes you land on the rocks, but sometimes you fly."
The band 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.
###
