From the
San Diego Reader: "I was 14 when I first stepped into Straita Head Sound," recalls (Michael) Reed. "This club was unique in that it had obtained its liquor license as a dinner theater and, therefore, was able to serve alcohol to the 21 and up crowd yet still allow those under 18 to get in. All they had to do was serve food to meet the legal requirements of 'dinner theater.' This loophole in the law kept the club profitable and allowed many of my age to see their first live rock show."
"My first concert was [a] local headlining band, Assassin. It was amazing. After the concert, my ears rang for hours...I was at the shows every weekend and eventually 'worked' there. Because we were talented, eager and worked for free, club manager Gary Stauffer gave open access to my best friend, Mark Butler, and I. Together, we ran lights and sound for almost every show at Straita Head for close to two years, ignoring curfew, liquor and child labor laws in the process. It was heaven. In addition, I took over promotional duties and ran the fan club for Assassin, [as they] gained exposure by opening for bands like Alcatrazz, Grim Reaper, Precious Metal and Poison."
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