• Summer's end means a better chance to see local musicians

SUMMER IS WHEN the big mega-tours pull through, crushing everything in their path -- especially the local bands.

Case in point -- and if you get sick of my happy little anecdotes about being in a cool rock band, just skip ahead. But I was in a fairly popular band in Los Angeles about a decade ago. Along with a handful of other pretty big local bands, we were asked to do a summertime benefit show for the local food bank at a good-sized Los Angeles park.

I remember thinking that was cool -- somebody thought we could help raise money for charity. Visions of show-ending, all-star jams filled my head ... Live Aid and all that. I could climb out from behind the drums for the big "Let It Be" sing-along, or whatever equally crowd-uniting-for-humanity anthem. My cousin was visiting, and I promised him a very impressive showing. The promoter's diligent research predicted at least a thousand people showing up, maybe more.

Wrong.

Exactly 10 people showed for the big concert, seven of whom were friends and girlfriends. There were often more people onstage than in the crowd. Empty food donation barrels outnumbered the human beings, for crying out loud. Even the kids on the playground ignored us.

It was like the infamous Spinal Tap puppet show -- only worse.

Somebody had the bright idea to schedule this thing the same day as the big Metallica/Guns N' Roses show at the Rose Bowl. Whoever wasn't headed to Pasadena at 1 p.m. was probably still hung over from the previous Friday night in Hollywood.

So local bands getting the shaft from the local rock crowd is nothing new. The good news here is that summer's winding down (slowly) and we can get back to talking about the up-and-comers who deserve some attention.

My drawer is overflowing with stuff, so let's grab two or three. Apologies for reducing all this hard work to a few sentences, but at least I'm not trying to get these bands to play a benefit.

• Priscilla Ederle: She's a singer-songwriter who took an honorable mention in the 2001 John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Ederle has a gorgeous voice and middle-of-the-road, melodious rock approach. Lots of good choruses fall throughout her songs, which at times have a folk bent. She's about telling stories of life, to which we can all relate. All in all, it's a nice listen. Check out Ederle and her CD, "The Diamond Fields," which was recorded at Berkeley's FreeWheeler Music, at www.priscillaederle.com. The CD is also available on Amazon.com.

The Enemies: Always count on Lookout! Records to sign good punk bands. The Enemies, from Oakland, perform slam-bang punk, with catchy choruses that don't compromise the chunky, guitar-driven energy. What? you say -- that sounds a lot like Bad Religion? Yep, to a degree, though possibly without so much metal influence. But comparing someone to Bad Religion, at least in this column, is extremely high praise. This trio deserves more space than one column blurb, to be sure, and they could last a long time. The record "Seize the Day" should be available in local stores, or go to www.lookoutrecords.com for more info.

The Cost: Another Oakland punk band on Lookout!, though a little darker and more complicated than The Enemies. The band gets its power not from straight crushing riffage, but by building it through dueling, in-the-face guitar dynamics that give way to intense vocals. The best comparison might be early Jane's Addiction -- a band that could go in so many different areas to appeal to a wide range of rock fans. It's not a fair comparison, but The Cost's new record, "Chimera," is a definite recommended buy. Go to www.lookoutrecords.com for more info.

On the radio: Walnut Creek native Haley Jones, who as a young'un trained at Concord's never-say-die rock station KVHS, just received "Music Director of the Year" at a national industry convention in Colorado Springs. Jones is the music director at KFOG (104.5-FM). The station can hang that one on the wall next to the award program director Dave Benson won from Billboard in March for being the "Program Director of the Year."