While there are no actual roadhouses in San Diego — tough drinking establishments of the sort with chicken wire in front of the stage and a hot mix of country, rock and R&B on the stage — there are several combos that could hold their own in such an environment. Such is the case with the quintet Rio Peligroso, which performs at Humphrey’s Backstage Lounge on Nov. 18. Formed in 2008 by guitarist and singer Michael Rennie (ex-Roxy Monoxide, A.M. Vibe) and bassist David Lizerbram (ex-Kite Flying Society), the band has quickly become a club favorite, playing an eclectic mix of rock, country and alternative cover tunes. “I’d been playing in originals bands for years and while I loved my time in all-original bands, I had this romantic notion of playing for a different kind of audience,” Rennie said. “I always loved that scene in the Jerry Lee Lewis bio-picture ‘Great Balls of Fire,’ where Jerry is playing this roadhouse gig — bottles flying, knife fights on the dance floor, and people just dancing as if their lives depended on it. Rio Peligroso was created to be the archetypical ‘blowing-your-paycheck-on-a-Friday-night’ kind of band.” When Rennie and Lizerbram decided on the band’s early set lists, a mix-tape approach was developed. “Anyone who is music obsessive, who grew up in the 1980s, knows the immense satisfaction that comes from a well-crafted mix tape,” Rennie said. “It’s about getting that perfect blend of upbeat and down-tempo songs, mixing deep cuts with audience favorites. In mix-tape land, the art of the segue looms large. That was a big motivation in forming the set list for this band: picking songs that would please a crowd but also draw appreciative nods from the music snob leaning against the back wall.” Choosing covers is a mix of alchemy and instinct, and there’s really only one rule, according to Rennie. “Never play a band’s biggest hit. We’ll play (The Rolling Stones’ song) ‘Dead Flowers,’ but never ‘Satisfaction.’” The band’s music covers a wide spectrum, but there is a country lilt to much of their set list. “Initially, we were all about those hippie bands pretending to be cowboys — Gram Parson, the 1970s-era Byrds, Neil Young and The Band,” Rennie said. “But the great thing about having people cycle through the band is the other ideas they bring. That’s how Hank Snow, the Sadies and Ricky Nelson got into the mix. Or the Blasters and old Gospel tunes. I take immense pleasure in slipping a Camper Van Beethoven song between Willie Nelson and Elvis,” he said. Lizerbram has since left the group, with the group’s current lineup now including Rennie, singer Katie Spencer, bassist Darko Petrovic (ex-Roxy Monoxide) on bass and vocals, drummer Todd Caschetta (ex-Kite Flying Society) and guitarist Erik Olson (ex-Bill Cardinal) on guitar. “We’ve had a lot of great musician’s cycle through the band,” Rennie said. “We’ve had guest harmonica players, guitarists, violinists and keyboard players. The idea was to have a core band that could be supplemented by guests. I’d love to have a huge band — six, eight, 10 members. But its hard enough coordinating schedules for the five of us.” While Rennie has played with many respected bands, he said Rio Peligroso is special to him. “I’ve enjoyed every band I’ve played in, but it’s different with this band,” Rennie said. “I always feel like I’m sitting in with this really amazing pick-up band at a backyard barbecue.” He said he’s particularly happy to play with musicians of this caliber. “I’ve always heard that the best situation to be in is to be the worst musician in your band — to challenge yourself to greater heights and all that. For better or ” Rennie said. Rio Peligroso performs at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18, at Humphrey’s Backstage Lounge, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., Shelter Island. For more information visit www.humphreysbackstagelive.com.
