HOOTENANNY TASTY, IF A BIT FAMILIAR.

Byline: David Sprague Staff Writer

Recipe for a successful roots rock concert: Take one part music, one part tattoo exhibit, two parts fashion show and a glop of hair gel. Then stir in a mosh pit politely going in a counter-clockwise circle during a high energy rockabilly band like Tiger Army.

Add a dash of authentic roots rock, like former Stray Cat Lee Rocker's version of ``One More Shot at Loving You?'' dedicated to Carl Perkins. Serve on a warm, breezy summer day to thousands of fans.

This years Hootenanny at Hidden Valley Ranch in Irvine on Saturday showed that everything old is new again is old again. The underground edge is gone from the show, but the spirit of the roots festival is still alive, with mainstay bands like X, Cadillac Tramps and Reverend Horton Heat turning in respectable sets and newer bands like Three Bad Jacks keeping the fire, sometimes literally, alive for the foreseeable future.

The veterans did their best to get everyone going, mostly on the two main stages at the show. The Cadillac Tramps lit up the crowd with music that seemed more natural in a dark club late at night, but was still fun outside during a hot summer day, even if the beer did run out early.

X performed their best triumvirate of ``True Love,'' ``Los Angeles'' and ``The Hungry Wolf'' to everyone's enjoyment. Singer Exene Cervenka helped along the atmosphere by wearing a straw hat and even a polka dot apron for the occasion. Joe Strummer, formerly of the Clash, seemed oddly out of place with some actual melodic music, very different than his roots.

But some of the best music was going on at the side stage, where Three Bad Jacks finished their very well-mixed set by lighting their bass drum on fire to open the song ``We Ain't Never Coming Back?'' and finishing with a Who-like kicking over of the drum kit. Other bands on the smaller stage, although not as polished or noisy as the bigger names on the main stage, played to appreciative fans looking for something not so tried and true, and they sometimes got a pleasant surprise.

Reverend Horton Heat, probably the heart and soul of Hootenanny, finished out the day by reminding us of just how much fun a three-piece band can be. Jimbo, the Horton's stand-up bass player, lent his name to a sing-along version of the dog song ``B-I-N-G-O'' that was one of the highlights of their set, along with ``The Devil Is Chasing Me,'' reminiscent of Golden Earring's classic ``Radar Love.''

Overall the day was a fun time, even with Blasters and Hank Williams III missing for unexplained reasons. But like the vintage eyeglass frames available on the revolving displays at the festival, just like you can get at Rite Aide, it's not quite what it used to be. A little bit off the shelf, without that edge that made it special before everyone and his dog discovered it.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) L.A. punk pioneers Exene Cervenka, left, and John Doe of X rip through a set at Hootenanny.

(2) Music fans try on vintage eyeglass frames at the Hootenanny festival Saturday in Irvine, which also featured vintage bands.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer