Count Five and Syndicate of Sound, Rocky Astrella Memorial Concert

In his 1971 essay "Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung" inimitable rock critic Lester Bangs starts off by calling the Count Five "a bunch of young guitar slappin' brats from some indistinguishable California suburb." That suburb happens to be San Jose. Bangs ends the essay by saying that the Count Five "were probably about as important as the Yardbirds in the long run," they just weren't recognized in their own time. With an endorsement like that from the Greatest Rock Critic of All Time, it's no surprise the Count Five are considered a seminal '60s garage group, along with fellow San Jose natives Syndicate of Sound. Unfortunately, Count Five drummer Rocky Astrella recently passed away, so the two groups are holding a benefit concert with all proceeds donated to his family. (Stephen Layton)