Tristan Bowls picked up the guitar at 11 because Guitar Hero 2 and 3 made him want to play a real one. AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Iron Maiden, Slash. That was the foundation.

Now he's 29, runs Eastlake Studios on a private property in Lake Elsinore, plays guitar in Eastlake Rhythm Section, and tests amps at Suhr during the day.

In this episode, Tristan and Brian get into:

- Learning guitar by jamming with neighbors and best friends down the street

- The hard rock and heavy metal foundation that started everything (AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses, King Diamond)

- Branching into jazz fusion, R&B, and funk in college and beyond

- How Eastlake Studios came to be: getting invited to jam there in 2021 after COVID, finding the studio empty, and revamping it into his own space

- Why he prefers being behind the console listening, rather than recording himself

- Recording Hypno Sapo live at Eastlake and what made the band's theory knowledge stand out

- His mic setup for guitar cabinets: Sennheiser 421 paired with an SM57

- Why a Warm Audio U47 clone became his go-to vocal mic

- Working volume and tone knobs on the guitar instead of just relying on pedals

- His current rig: a Suhr Bella head, a Fender Princeton, and an Engl head he's borrowing for a punk project

- His pedalboard: Polytune, Vertex boost, Cornerstone Gladio overdrive, Boss delay, Strymon Flint

- Why he sold his SG Standard to pay for his Suhr Tele-style guitar

- The Eastlake Rhythm Section origin story: 14 years of friendship and multiple bands before landing in one project in 2021

- Why playing covers your own way matters more than copy-pasting the original

- His original projects: producing Red Hook in 2017, recording Quicksands, and a new punk/hardcore EP coming up

- The community of musicians at Suhr, including Apollo from Hypno Sapo

Memorable moments from the episode:

When Brian asked if Tristan ever pushes back on a band's tone in the studio: "If I'm really hearing something, I don't have a problem with being like, hey, can you turn down your treble on your amp? Because I'd rather do it that way than have to go and do it after I've recorded it."

On why comfort in the studio matters: "If you're nervous when you're recording, it's never going to come out like how you want it to. You could listen back to it. It could be good, but there's going to be little things where you're like, oh, that could have been better."

On guitar tone, sharing something a mentor told him early on: "You can control a lot of the tone just through your volume, your tone knob."

On how Eastlake Rhythm Section approaches covers: "We're going to play what we want to play. And we're going to play it good enough or just tight to where people are like, yeah, that's good."

Where to find Tristan and Eastlake Studios:

Eastlake Studios: recording, mixing, rehearsal space, music and video production. See Eastlake's and Tristan's credited work: https://linktr.ee/eastlakestudios

- Next Eastlake Rhythm Section gig: Saturday, May 16 at Bel Vino Winery (residency runs through June 21)

- East Lake Studio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastlake_studios_/

- East Lake Rhythm Section Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastlake_rhythmsection/

- Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tristan_bowls/

Lex Borja's musical roots run four generations deep. His great-grandfather was a trumpet player. His grandmother was a singer who directed a 12-piece mariachi, and once stopped them mid-song to correct the key (an 8-year-old Lex was watching front row). His mother is also a singer with a strong voice.

Lex started playing guitar at 8, started singing at 14, and has been playing venues since he was 18. He's 41 now and leads a band called Lextacy.

In this episode, Lex and Brian get into:

- Growing up in Tijuana with three-day family parties where everyone sang or played an instrument

- Being immersed in 90s pop and R&B (Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Luis Miguel) alongside mariachi

- Auditioning for La Academia in Mexico (2010), American Idol (2011, made it to Hollywood Week and the top 50), and The Voice Mexico (4 episodes on national TV, coached by Wisin y Yandel)

- The chair-turn moment on The Voice Mexico, when his hands cramped from the electricity and he had to stop playing guitar mid-song

- Auditioning for nine years before getting on The Voice

- Why he chose to sing in Spanish on The Voice (English is his second language, and he felt he could be more sincere transmitting emotion in Spanish)

- The story of being booked to perform on opening night of New York Fashion Week (Runway 7), and how it started with a song he wrote called "Never Thought" four months earlier

- Auditioning for The Voice in LA in 2022 and getting blocked due to being on probation

- How Lextacy can grow up to a 9-piece band when the venue can afford the full lineup

- The songwriting practice of mumbling first, logic second (a technique he learned from the Beatles)

- His three tests for new mixes: phone test, shitty wireless speaker, and car test

- How writing songs became his way to say what he couldn't say out loud, traced back to his single mom leaving letters on his pillow

- Why you can't blindly trust the setlist, and how to read the room

- His new single "Dañado" (releasing May 29) and what damaged means to him

Memorable moments from the episode:

When Lex talks about transforming pre-show panic into something useful, he says: "If you don't control your nerves, your nerves will eat you up and just leave you stranded to dry."

Reflecting on what kept him going through 9 years of auditions and a probation block that cost him a spot on The Voice in LA, Lex shares the philosophy that drives him: "I don't want the what-if on my life."

Toward the end of the conversation, Lex makes a direct appeal to anyone holding back a song they're scared to release: "Don't be stingy. Share that shit. Because I guarantee you that whatever you're going through, there's someone else out there going through a similar situation that that song could potentially shine some light, perspective, or lift someone up."

And on his core identity as an artist, when asked about playing alongside skilled guitarists: "I'm a singer. I'll go toe to toe with any singer. Put me. Let's go, baby. And I don't care if I get crushed, but I'll hold my ground."

Where to find Lex:

- New single "Dañado" releasing Friday, May 29 on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, and other major platforms

- Live release performance: Saturday, May 30 at Miramonte Winery, performing the song live for the first time with the band

- Lex has approximately 17 songs on Spotify, with multiple songs around the 50K stream mark (many listeners are coming from outside the US, including Spain, France, Brazil, and Mexico)

Lextacy band members shouted out in this episode: Josh Lomeli (guitar), Cody Burson (bass), Miguel Diaz (drums), Nicolai Flores (trombone), Music Man Mark (trumpet), Cameron Evans, Kole Weber (saxophone), and Dave DeNuccio (percussion).

Rick Hildebrandt has been gigging in Southern California since 2011, when he traded 54 years of upstate New York for a place in Menifee. After retiring from an IT career at Loma Linda Hospital in 2018, music became the full-time job. Today he plays solo, performs as half of the K-Ray Acoustic Duo with Kelly Ray, and hosts two open mics: Thursdays at The Hive and the second and fourth Tuesdays at Ronis West in Murrieta.

In this episode, Rick walks through the philosophy behind his approach (he treats every gig as a partnership with the venue, not a performance), the gear and software that lets one guy sound like a full band, and the song-selection formula he's used to keep dance floors full at Lorimar Winery, Stone Church Brewing, and Lady R Bistro. We also get into his influences (Allman Brothers, Brian Setzer, Albert Lee), his Telecaster setup, and why he hasn't brought an amp to a gig in years.

What we cover:

• Rick's path from upstate New York to Menifee, and 35 years playing with his brother in law
• Why he picked up the guitar at 12, and the influence of his mother's sight-reading piano
• First electric: a Gretsch country gentleman bought after selling a 1972 Bultaco Pursang motocross bike
• Today's rig: Telecaster, Boss GT-1000, no amp on stage, plus the custom 5-way switch Tele he's currently building
• How he builds backing tracks in Studio One from MIDI files, tailored to a consistent band sound
• The 4-fast, 1-slow song formula (and why "B-side" deep cuts don't fill dance floors)
• Why he plays three hours straight with no breaks
• The K-Ray Acoustic Duo with Kelly Ray, and why finding a singer with an ear for harmony is harder than it sounds
• The mindset shift that changed his career: musicians as partners in the venue's business
• Open mic logistics, including the on-screen queue system Rick's wife runs
• Influences, slide technique (metal Dunlop, pinky finger), and why he's on 10-46 strings

Where to find Rick:

• Website: rickhildebrandt.com
• Open Mic at The Hive: Thursdays, 7 to 10 PM
• Open Mic at Roney's West (Murrieta): 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 6 to 9 PM
• Upcoming: Lorimar Winery (Wednesday, 12:30 to 3:30) and Wilson Creek Winery for Mother's Day with Kelly Rae (Sunday, 1 to 4 PM)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rick_hildebrandt/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rick.hildebrandt.9

In this episode of SoCal Soundcheck, I sit down with Richard Wetherington - guitarist, songwriter, and frontman of the country-rock band Raw Fire.

Originally from New Jersey and now in Southern California, Richard shares his journey into the local music scene.

We discuss the power of networking, including how offering value through photography and gear support helped him build relationships with established musicians like John Demps. Richard also breaks down how Raw Fire came together - using Facebook, open mics, and some hustle to find the right lineup for his band.

We also talk about the “science” behind a great live show, including why pacing and giving the audience breathing room can make or break a set. We also talk gear, from his Taylor guitars to his Blackstar tube amp, and how his sound comes together on stage.

Finally, Richard shares what’s next - transitioning from a strong cover set into original music and building a distinct identity for Raw Fire.

Follow Raw Fire on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/rawfiremusic/

In this episode of SoCal Soundcheck, Brian sits down with Temecula saxophone player Cole Weber, who spent most of his life resisting the very thing he's now built a career on.

Cole grew up in Lake Elsinore surrounded by music (his dad is a working sax player), but wanted nothing to do with it. He chased competitive soccer instead, making a team ranked fourth in the nation, until two knee surgeries rerouted his path. Even through years of school band and a stint studying music production, he kept one foot out the door.

The turning point came when he found himself at his girlfriend's parents' house with no job and no plan. She pushed him to give saxophone a real shot, his dad handed him some starter gear, and within three months he was booking full-time income.

From there, the conversation gets into the realities of making a living as a working musician in Southern California: why Instagram outperforms every other platform for bookings, how word of mouth drives the Temecula scene, and the honest math behind solo gigs versus band splits. Cole also shares his five-year plan to move away from live performance and into producing and releasing original music, inspired by artists like Russ, Honest AV, and Nick D, who built audiences by dropping a song a week.

Plus: the heartbreak songs that shaped his writing, and the life motto that changed how he approaches networking ("it's not a flex to be busy, be available").

Connect: ColeWeberSax.com | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kolewebersax/

In this episode of SoCal Soundcheck, Brian sits down with Chris Merchant of No Hard Feelings and Press Rewind to talk about building bands, what it really takes to grow a local following and how you kind of just figure it out as you go.

Chris shares his journey from starting on drums to stepping into vocals, learning along the way without formal training and developing his sound through real band experience.

They dive into his two projects: No Hard Feelings, a pop punk original band, and Press Rewind, a high-energy cover band rooted in classic rock. But one of the biggest turning points came when his band leaned into Emo Night - playing covers from bands like Blink-182 and Fall Out Boy - to draw crowds and create momentum.

What started as a way to get more people in the room quickly evolved into a powerful strategy: build the audience with familiar songs, then introduce original music.

Chris also shares insights on the local Southern California music scene, hosting open mic nights, supporting emerging artists, and why community is everything when it comes to growing as a musician.

Follow Chris on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/chrisamerch/

In this episode of SoCal Soundcheck, Brian sits down with vocalist Anna Suzette to talk about her unique journey from classical opera training to fronting a rock band in the Temecula Valley music scene.

Anna shares how she began singing at a young age, training in opera and performing in choirs before eventually breaking out of that mold to explore rock, musical theater, and live band performance. She opens up about finding her voice beyond classical technique, discovering her love for harmony, and learning how to “belt” after years of operatic training.

The conversation dives into:

• Transitioning from opera to rock and live band performance
• The role of open mics and karaoke in building confidence and connections
• Forming and growing her band Rose Line
• The importance of community in the local music scene
• Favorite venues like Somerset, Crush & Brew, and Murrieta Brewing Company
• How social media and networking work together to land gigs
• Her vocal warm-up routine and how she protects her voice
• The relationship between crowd energy and song selection

Anna also shares insights into what makes a song connect with an audience, including why their cover of Barracuda consistently wins crowds - and why some songs just don’t land, even when you expect them to.

Whether you're a musician looking to break into the scene or just love live music, this episode is packed with practical advice, real experiences, and inspiration from an artist actively building her path.

Follow the Rose Line band on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/rose_line_band/

In this episode of SoCal Soundcheck, Brian sits down with Temecula-based country artist Maddison Scott to talk about her journey from choir and church singing to performing live across Southern California.

Maddison shares how she got her start, what it’s like transitioning from structured choir to live band performances, and how she built momentum playing venues throughout Temecula. She also opens up about opening for a major country artist, navigating stage nerves, and the realities of performing without rehearsals.

The conversation dives into the importance of song selection, crowd engagement, and why mixing genres can make or break a live set. Maddison also talks about social media, building a following, and why face-to-face networking still wins when it comes to booking gigs.

Plus, she shares her dream artists to open for, her recent Local’s Choice Award win, and one unforgettable on-stage wardrobe malfunction you won’t want to miss.

If you're a local musician or just love the SoCal music scene, this episode is for you.

Follow Maddison on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/maddisonrscottofficial/