New Year’s Eve at Rusty’s Surf Ranch
Santa Monica, CA - December 31, 2002
By Jon Pergl

It was in October that I heard that The Red Elvises were going to be at Rusty’s for New Years. As soon as I heard that I picked up the flyer from Vladimir and got what info I could. So I knew back then where I was going to be the last seconds of 2002 and the first seconds of 2003. Although it was the best New Years I’ve had in a decade it did have a few minor drawbacks.

This New Years Eve I was accompanied by my niece, we’ll call her Ryann. She’s 17 and a handful WITHOUT guys, “beverages,” and a group of Rok’n Russians like the Red Elvises. I don’t know what I was looking forward to more, the show or turning my niece on to this band. If she liked it I’d have a person to take with me to as many shows as we could get to. I don’t know about you, but for some strange reason, when I bring up the guys around my friends and family I get a VERY quick “no” and a subject change. Their loss I guess. But things WILL be different in 2003.

We had dinner reservations for 9:30, but we decided we’d rather wait outside at Rusty’s on the pier than sit around our houses, and ended up getting to Rusty’s at 8:30. Of course that made no difference, we were seated and had a great dinner. We were seated behind the stage at one of two long tables set up where pool tables usually sit. Bamion Joyce was onstage doing his set while we ate. He was kind of cool, playing solo acoustical versions of alternative and classic rock songs. Ever heard of Seattle Grunge Rock Blues? That’s what EVERY song reminded me of. I think he even ended with an original song, which was nice (because it ended). By that time we were joined at our table by three couples who were there to bring in the New Year with their favorite band. Cool, loud people, one of whom was getting Ryann primed for the night. The next table over was a group from Boston, I think they said, who came in for the show, or it could of just been an extension of a holiday visit. I was unable to get their names but I did get their pictures. By the time our plates were being taken away The Big Red Van pulled up and was off-loaded. THE BOYS WERE IN THE HOUSE.

Ryann and I staked our claim on the long bench that runs along the wall perpendicular to the stage. Vladimir, on one side of us, was still finishing his dinner and to the other side of us was a group bringing in the New Year. They were in for “the game” and asked us and anybody else who was within earshot if they “should stay for this band.” I assured them they would like it. They were in town for “the game” and really wanted to talk sports. I couldn’t even tell them who I thought was playing in the Rose Bowl. They quickly stopped talking about sports and later were dancing three songs into the first set. I’m thinking there was some sort of discount or group rate given out to these Sooner fans at a nearby hotel. Lord I sure hope it was a nearby hotel so none of them had to drive. But it was “fun” listening to them bash California - NOT!!! Well at least it passed the time till the band got set up and started playing around 10:30.

They started off with “Night Butterfly” and then “Voodoo Doll”, then a nice long intro that had me wondering for a while what song they were leading into till of course it turned out to be my favorite (as of late) “Sunshine”. Maybe that’s why I like that song so much. Then it was “Good Times”, followed by another favorite, “Scorchi Chorniye”. Then the tempo dropped a bit with “Gypsy Heart”. By this time I realized Zhenya was in rare singing form tonight (well different than I was used to). The “Slave” sound was really coming out in his voice tonight. I liked it. Another thing I noticed, not unlike the Christmas licks he threw in at the Ventura show, tonight here and there were tidbits of “Slave” thrown in. Igor was his usual crowd pleasing self tonight and Oleg with his freshly dyed bright red hair was ready to go - and go he did. He hopped up on bass as the guys continued with “Strip Joint Is Closed.” I’ve been working on trying to figure out the lyrics to that one for weeks now and got what I was looking for before they moved on to “Three Alley Cats” and then “Sad Cowboy Song”. This time it was truly “sad” as I captured a picture of the last time these three would all be at the drums at once. Then the intro to “Rocket Man” started, without the bubbles, which were turned on in time for the next song that ended the first set. This was, unfortunately, another “last” (I’d coined it “the last dance”) as it was the last time Zee was on stage with a group of belly dancing fans. A sizable group at Zee’s corner of the stage were chanting “Don’t go!” between each song, and the Sooner fans were getting their party on, full tilt, by the middle of the first set. Rusty’s was only at about 214 (official head count) at this point, and while I like to see everybody enjoying my favorite band for the first time, when somebody puts a mic into the audience I wish they (Sooner fans) wouldn’t take that as an opportunity to cheer on their favorite football team.

During the break with only thirty minutes till the NEW YEAR, Zee was swamped by well wishing fans. Igor and Oleg headed off, got changed and “prepped” for the next set.

Quickly the New Year approached and the crowd seemed to shrink a bit, so we took that as our chance to get up close, near the stage. With six minutes till 2003, Zee made his way up on stage as the trays of champagne started being passed out. Several people up front were asking for their Red Elvis favorites to be included in the second set. Still, with no Igor or Oleg, Zee called them to the stage and then started playing, with now four minutes till midnight, “Show Me ‘In’” from his “Slave” CD. Oleg, now in his red and gold jacket, came in on drums, and shortly after, Igor, now in his gold jacket and leopard print paints came up and got in on bass just in time to be interrupted by the New Year. There was a brief pause in the music as the crowd rang in the New Year. Then Zee made the announcement “I’m gonna finish my f***ing song!”, and so he did, then they went right into “Space Cowboy” followed by “a request from Chris”, said Zhenya, which was “Ready to Fly”. Then Igor and Oleg swapped before “Red Lips, Red Eyes, Red Stockings”. Next was “Flaming Cheese”. Then Oleg went back behind the drums and the magic power of Igor’s shiny gold jacket and gray shades came forward and we got to sing along with “Sex In Paradise”, “Blue Moon”, and “Jerry’s Got A Squeeze Box”, complete with a sea of people kneeling down from stage to front door. To keep the crowd going with the fun tunes “Susanna” was next. Then they rolled Rusty’s till they sounded like Pink Floyd with “Love Rocket” (a.k.a. “Rock This Joint”). By this time it was 1:00 AM, Ryann and I were watching drunk people falling flat on their faces while trying to dance, the drunk guy huggings were happening and shouts of “I LOVE YOU MAN!” could be heard all over the bar from the festive fans. At this point I think the band just didn’t want to stop playing. They said “TWO MORE” and went into “Meltdown”. As the sixty (maybe seventy) year-old couple made out and swayed slowly at the side of the stage they started playing the last song I heard from the Red Elvises with Zhenya Kolykhanov as their guitarist. It was from “that B-movie Six String Samurai - Love Pipe”.

Was that their last song together with this line up? I know it won’t be. Hell, they could have played another but “Love Pipe” was the last I heard. There were really some “out of hand” people there, and even though I vowed to stay to the very end, my camera was out of film and I had to get Ryann home. I also had the task of dodging drunks for eighty miles ahead of me. As I drove in front of Rusty’s on my way off the pier, there was no music playing, so I’m thinking Zee DID finish with one of his Red Elvises favorites. All in all it was a great show. All three were there to do what they do best, and because of tonight they were at their best. I’ll always remember where I was for New Years 2003 because to me that band IS the best.

See ya at Rusty’s on February 21st.