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Night Notes Blues, Beam benefit and band sites lead the week's local music news By Sarah Quelland PREMIER NIGHTCLUB CHAIN House of Blues is looking to open a 1,200- to 2,000-seat club, restaurant and shop here in downtown San Jose, and the successful company has its eye on the old Woolworth building at 27 S. First St. It's also scoping out the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds for a 7,500- to 8,500-seat theater. Known for bringing in big names, old favorites and hot newcomers, the House of Blues on Sunset Strip in West Hollywood has Cracker, Ratt, Anthrax, George Thorogood and the Young Dubliners on its up-and-coming roster. With dance club chain Polly Esther's & Culture Club still hard at work renovating the old Studio theater on the corner of South First Street across from hotspots the Agenda and the Usual, San Jose could see a big increase in nightlife soon. The Jim Beam company is looking to help unsigned musicians by offering grant money through B.E.A.M. (Benefiting Emerging Artists in Music), a program that offers financial assistance, musical resources and exposure to musicians of all genres. Last year, the program awarded $50,000 to 27 unsigned musicians across the country. This year, the amount has been boosted up to $75,000. Funds can be used for any music-related financial needs including recording costs, travel expenses, new equipment, music education, rehearsal space and promotional materials. All applications will be reviewed by the B.E.A.M. Advisory Board, and finalists will be interviewed by board chairman Pat DiNizio, frontman for the Smithereens. Other members of the advisory board include Mike Peters (former frontman for the Alarm), Troy Gentry (member of country duo Montgomery Gentry), James Diener (vice president of A&R, Columbia Records) and Henry Juszkiewicz (chairman and CEO of the Gibson Guitar Corp.). Applications are available on the Jim Beam website or by writing to B.E.A.M., P.O. Box 4723, New York, NY 10163-4723. There are three rounds of deadlines: April 29, July 31 and Oct. 31. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age. The 2000 Music in the Plaza (MIP) series is gearing up to run Sunday afternoons, 5-7pm, June 18-Aug. 27. Musicians interested in participating are invited to submit demo packets to the Town of Los Gatos Arts Commission. MIP is focused on offering a diverse array of music, including bluegrass, gospel, classical, big band, R&B, rock, soul, jazz, light opera, oldies and mariachi music. Send packets to Town of Los Gatos, Attention: Tara Lang, P.O. Box 949, Los Gatos, 95031 before March 20. Musicians who submitted demo tapes last year should contact Community Services at 408.354.6820 before submitting new information. Pantera has a new album coming out titled Reinventing the Steel. Scheduled for a March 21 release, the album boasts 10 tracks. Check out Elektra's www.panterarocks.com (where samples of the new music should be posted soon) and Pantera Direct at www.panteradirect.com for more news and updates. ... Salmon has a new website. Go to www.salmon7.com to find samples of songs from the new four-song EP due out, according to drummer Pat Ruiz, by the end of February. Salmon has a gig coming up Saturday (Feb. 26) at Gaslighter's Music Hall in Gilroy. ... The improvisational group the Gas Chamber Orchestra performs next Thursday (Feb. 10) at the Cactus Club happy hour. This unusual ensemble combines noise, feedback, audience interaction and performance art, along with sledge hammers, Saran wrap, ice cream, beer and virtually anything else that strikes its fancy. ... LIVE 105 presents Papa Roach at Maritime Hall in San Francisco on Feb. 18. Tickets are only $1.05 for this special event. PLAN AHEAD: Boy Kicks Girl, Moodfrye and others, Feb. 4 at the YWCA in Palo Alto; Fear and Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, Feb. 4 at the Cactus Club; Cher and Lou Bega, Feb. 5 at the San Jose Arena; Anthrax, Feb. 5 at the Warfield in San Francisco; Gary Hoey, Feb. 6 at the Cocodrie in San Francisco; True to Form, Stitch, Method 5150 and others, Feb. 12 at the Cactus; Smash Mouth, Feb. 12 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco; the Pretenders, Feb. 14 at the Fillmore in San Francisco; the Cure, Feb. 17 at the Fillmore; Spearhead, Feb. 23 at the Usual; 2 Live Crew, Feb. 24 at the Usual; Peter Murphy, Mar. 2 at the Warfield; Guster, Mar. 2 at the Fillmore; Korn, Mar. 3 at the Oakland Arena; Filter and Oleander, Mar. 4 at the Warfield in San Francisco; the Specials, Mar. 10 at the Fillmore and Mar. 11 at the Catalyst. [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]