San Jose/Los Angeles, Calif. -- The Bay Area was introduced to a new festival of sorts back in 1998 that took place over an entire weekend and included numerous clubs and numerous bands doing an assortment of shows throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Now as it reaches its fourth year in existence, Nadine's Wild Weekend is coming together once again and this year, the limits have been pushed even further. Founded by Nadine Condon, who aside from heading up this massive event, also serves as a band mentor, counselor, writer and speaker and has been coined "San Francisco's Godmother of Rock" for very good reason. Condon has been working in the Bay Area music scene since 1977 and has been instrumental to the success of some of the industry's biggest names. However, beyond that, she sticks close to her home turf and continually looks to help expose some of todays strongest and up and coming bands.

"As the industry has begun to recognize the heavier genres as commercially viable, it has spawned a whole new generation. The reason we are seeing more of it at the Wild Weekend is because there are more accomplished heavy bands out there today. " -Nadine Condon

After pulling together showcases for the major player BMI throughout the early and mid-nineties, Condon, after eventually ending her BMI showcase run in 1997, decided to continue doing the same type of event. However, in 1998, she labeled it "Nadine's Wild Weekend" and expanded the operation to include seven clubs, seventy bands, and over two and a half days of live music in the first year. Since that first weekend, the event has done nothing but expand, reaching an incredible 135 bands in twenty clubs over four days. This year's event, scheduled for late August, has even expanded to include "Nadine's Wild Nights" which are one off shows which act as a warm up to the big event in the late summer.

While there could easily be some bloated, high level explanation for this event, Condon explained in a recent phone interview from her LA office that the idea behind the "Wild Weekend" is actually rather simple.

"I believe in giving musicians a future. I really firmly believe the number one problem is not the big bad music industry but rather bands get frustrated and break up. So the more encouraging types of activities you can give musicians, to see other success stories and other bands doing what they are doing, they can see there is a method to our madness in making music," Condon explained. "I thought that musicians needed another vehicle that could be beneficial all the way around and that would help move forward in their careers. I'm not talking about getting signed or landing on a major label, I'm talking about getting together and celebrating what it is we do and that is to make music."

Ones and Zeros, who will be performing the 'Wild Night' on May 30th, 2002 at The Usual

This year, Condon has expanded the event to include all of Northern California, drawing bands from the entire region to participate in this weekend long music festival. She explained that she is "expanding this event not because I think that the San Francisco Music Community is shrinking, but rather because there is so much talent in Northern California."

While the range of music included in this event varies, bands from the Northern California Underground Heavy Scene are starting to permeate into the "Wild Weekend" as well. The Sacramento powerhouse act Luxt has participated in past events and Condon has invited the South Bay act Ones and Zeros to perform during the "Wild Night" show at The Usual on May 30th, 2002. She knows the industry's landscape and understands where heavier music is fitting in more with each passing year.

"As the industry has begun to recognize the heavier genres as commercially viable, it has spawned a whole new generation. The reason we are seeing more of it at the Wild Weekend is because there are more accomplished heavy bands out there today. The Weekend reflects the trends rather than the determining the trends. We are a mirror of what is going on today," Condon explained.

Condon's message basically goes after the true, pure spirit of music in so many ways. She often spoke of bands needing to simply stick together and create their sound for the pure art of expression and not to worry about the competition and sometimes stressful business side of the industry. While important factors in themselves, the pure, simple creative process is what lies at the heart of music and "Nadine's Wild Weekend" embodies this idea through the "community" based event.

Nadine's Wild Weekend is simply a grand event that goes right to the heart of why musicians seek a creative outlet. Condon, year after year, easily understands why she continues her event. "Even for a jaded old pro like myself, I never cease to be impressed by the magnetism and excitement from the bands as I go from club to club and it just reminds me of why I have to continue doing this year after year. I've seen so many good bands live that no one has ever heard of and I always walk away feeling honored that I am able to do this."

For more information or to apply to play, go to http://www.nadineswildweekend.com

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