Rock on the Road to hit Orange County this weekend

The Popdudes, from left, features Mike Simmons, John Borack and Robbie Rist. The band will perform at the Orange County Fair on Sunday morning, Aug. 15 as part of the Rock on the Road Tour.

For fans of power pop who missed the arrival of the 13th annual International Pop Overthrow (better known as “IPO”) in late July and early August, there is an alternative to waiting until 2011 to catch many of the celebrated artists who performed as part of the event.
The Rock on the Road Tour is coming to Orange County for two dates this weekend, including a 21 & over-only 8 p.m. show at Fitzgerald’s in Huntington Beach on Aug. 13 and an all ages bill set for the final day of the Orange County Fair, playing out from 10:30 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. on Aug. 15.

Featured artists at the Friday night stop include Anny Celsi and Nelson Bragg, as well as singer-songwriter Adam Marsland (of Cockeyed Ghost fame). The OC Fair show will feature Maple Mars, Sparkle*Jets UK, Nushu and Dave Stephens. Orange County’s own Walter Clevenger & the Dairy Kings will close out each of the bills.
Organized by Adam Waltemire, the host of the popular online Pop Garden Radio show, Fountain Valley John Borack was approached about helping organize the Orange County dates.

“Adam has a radio show that airs out of Florida and he plays a lot of the (power pop) artists we all love,” Borack explained in a recent interview. “He had an idea for a mini-tour; a revue that goes to different cities and each is a day-long festival. He talked to me about doing something in California and through a Time Warner Cable sponsorship, we are able to put on the big show at the Plaza Arts Stage at the OC Fair on Sunday.”
Borack, who is both a music writer (Goldmine magazine, Garden Grove Journal) and drummer, was surprised when Waltemire asked if Borack’s Popdudes would appear on the OC Fair bill.

“I worked with Adam; it was a collaborative effort. He had some artists he definitely wanted, including the Popdudes.”
And while Borack loves to perform, he is just as excited to see many of the other artists on both bills.
“I think we’ll have a really big crowd on Sunday, that being the last day of the fair. There is a little something for everybody; from the psychedelic pop of Maple Mars and country-pop of Walter Clevenger to the covers we do in the Popdudes (a super group of sorts featuring Borack, musician-actor Robbie Rist and several members of Sparkle*Jets UK).”

In addition, the newly-issued “The Rock on the Road Tour: Season 1” 18-track CD will be sold for only $5 at both dates. The collection boasts unreleased material from all three Orange County acts on the set (the Popdudes, Walter Clevenger & the Dairy Kings, Sparkle*Jets UK) and features recordings from many other artists playing this weekend.
“I wrote some of the words and Robbie Rist set it to music,” Borack said of the Popdudes track “Joe Sincere” that appears on the new collection. “He has been playing the song at his solo shows and with Nice Guy Eddie. I’m excited the Popdudes get to play the song now with Robbie.”
Here is a rundown with more specifics on each of the events set for this weekend:

Rock on the Road
Pop Garden Radio presents "Rock on the Road" - hosted by Adam Waltemire

Friday, August 13th
Fitzgerald's Sports Pub
19171 Magnolia St.
Huntington Beach, CA. 92646
(714) 968-4523

$5 - tickets at the door
Doors open at 8 p.m.

8:00 - 8:30 p.m. Dennis Holseybrook
8:40 - 9:10 p.m. Michael Slawter
9:20 – 9:50 p.m. Dave Stephens
10:00 - 10:40 p.m. Nelson Bragg & Anny Celsi
10:50 - 11:30 p.m. Adam Marsland
11:40 p.m. - 12:20 a.m. Walter Clevenger and the Dairy Kings


Sunday, August 15th
Orange County Fair
Time Warner Cable Plaza Arts Stage
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, California 92626

Free with admission to the Fair

10:30 - 11:10 a.m. D Henry Fenton
11:20 - Noon Popdudes
12:10 - 12:50 p.m. Dave Stephens
1:00 - 1:40 p.m. Maple Mars
1:50 - 2:30 p.m. Sparkle*Jets UK
2:40 - 3:20 p.m. Nushu
3:30 - 4:10 p.m. Walter Clevenger and the Dairy Kings

For a complete line-up of artists and details about the upcoming Rock on the Road concerts, visit www.therockontheroadtour.com.