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Tijuana Panthers play at the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts. Photos by Angela Ratzlaff.<\/em><\/p>\n A sea of feline faces circled around the Eagle Rock Arts Center in Los Angeles, dancing and bopping to over-amplified music on Friday night.\u00a0This wasn\u2019t a production of Cats<\/em>, however. The faces behind the whiskered masks were young surf-punk boppers celebrating new music at the Tijuana Panthers\u2019 record release party.<\/p>\n The Long Beach-born 60s-inspired garage rock band followed up their first LP, Max Baker,<\/em> with a sophomore release Semi Sweet<\/em>, which hit record shops on May 28. The band sold copies of their new record during their Friday night performance that also featured the Los Angeles punk band Wounded Lion and Burger Records artist Dirt Dress.<\/p>\n Tijuana Panthers consists of guitarist Chad Wachtel, drummer Phil Shaheen and bassist Daniel Michicoff. Their music reflects early rock \u2018n\u2019 roll influences, including soul artist Little Richard, \u201850s crooner Roy Orbison and rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson.<\/p>\n Even though they take inspiration from classic artists from the \u201850s and \u201860s, Tijuana Panthers perform with a high-energy punk stamina. While Michicoff swings his black and white Rickenbacker bass back and forth, Shaheen bashes the life out of his drums. Each member takes turns shouting falsettos and punch-packed yelps into their microphones.<\/p>\n \u201cWe knew we just wanted to play music and have fun. We just said, ‘Let\u2019s do our thing and have fun and do something sincere,’\u201d Michioff said. \u201cWe are defiantly simple guys, we never associated with a scene.\u201d<\/p>\n After the baggy-clothes generation, Shaheen said that kids have now caught onto the once-underground scene of old-fashioned clothes, tight fitting pants and thick-rimmed specs.<\/p>\n \u201cI used to get heckled from across the street,\u201d Shaheen said about dressing in tighter clothes while he was in high school. \u201cKids used to think I was homosexual.\u201d<\/p>\n During the performance, young high-school and middle-school aged kids jumped up and down and crowd surfed while girls hopped on stage to kiss Michicoff on the cheek or sing lyrics into the microphone. Crowd favorites mostly consisted of songs off of Max Baker<\/em>, like the 1960s-sounding pop ballad \u201cRed Headed Girl\u201d and the rockabilly-pop song \u201cCrew Cut.\u201d<\/p>\n The band recorded Semi Sweet<\/em> at Long Beach\u2019s Toy Records, which is located off of Anaheim behind Alex\u2019s Bar. The record exudes full skirts and high-top Chuck Taylors with 1960s inspired pop tracks like \u201cBoardwalk,\u201d and surf songs like \u201cOne Way Ticket.\u201d<\/p>\n The process of making the new album spanned over two years, with songs getting exchanged among the band members.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a lot of time while trying to do something with Max Baker<\/em>,\u201d Michioff said. \u201cThere was some growth at the end of Max Baker<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Each member juggles the rock \u2018n\u2019 roll life with every day jobs, though not all of them remain in Long Beach. Phil works as an art teacher in Valencia, Daniel lives out of Los Angeles and works with Disney and Chad works multiple jobs including tutoring, woodwork and help at an antique shop.<\/p>\n {loadposition latestlife}With Chad being the remaining Long Beach resident, the group still associates their style and surf influences from the small big city by the sea.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople who associate with that surf culture are eclectic,\u201d Michioff said. \u201cThere\u2019s a pretty proud culture in Long Beach. It\u2019s a very tight-knit group of friends.\u201d<\/p>\n The band will go on a West Coast tour, where they will hit local spots like Fingerprints in Long Beach and The Echo in Los Angeles, starting in July. They will also embark on an East Coast tour later this summer in August.<\/p>\n![\"tijuanapanthers15\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/tijuanapanthers15.JPG\")
\u201cEver since I was born, my parents used to play oldies. That stuff I always liked,\u201d Wachtel said. \u201cI had my Dion and the Belmonts tape.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"tijuanapanthers22\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/tijuanapanthers22.JPG\")
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