Having performed with a myriad of rock musicians, bassist Marco Mendoza is excited whenever he can play music.
“I love it,” Mendoza said. “I’ve been doing it for so long that I miss it when I’m not doing it too much. I got home from tour Dec. 21 — so that’s (three) weeks already — and I’m missing it.”
Mendoza, whose latest album is “New Direction,” will open for Eric Sardinas at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Thursday, Jan. 18, with special guest The Bubba Blues Band.
“The Coach House is legendary,” said the bassist/vocalist. “It has a history. It’s a prestigious place to play at. I’ve played so many shows there.”
Mendoza and Sardinas met while performing on the same circuit. Armed with mutual respect, Mendoza and Sardinas thought it would be a great idea to pair up for a jaunt.
“When you have two names, it’s always better,” he said. “You can play better venues. The ticket sales are better. Touring has gotten so expensive — like out of control.
“Eric is such a great performer. He’s got some great music. He kills. I have some great players. I have Drew Lowe on guitar and Kyle Hughes on drums. We have this synergy, man, and we know how to have a good time on stage and deliver good music.”
Performing varied genres, Mendoza made his musical debut on Bill Ward’s 1990 solo collection, “Along the Way.” Subsequently, his resume includes stints with Ted Nugent, Whitesnake, Derek Sherinian, Black Star Riders, Neal Schon, Dolores O’Riordan and Lynch Mob.
He often plays bass for Thin Lizzy, and released his debut solo album, “Live for Tomorrow,” in 2007. The collection was produced and co-written by Richie Kotzen and features a who’s who of rockers as guest performers — including Nugent, Steve Lukather, Doug Aldrich, Tommy Aldridge, Brian Tichy and Marco Rentería of Jaguares.
In April 2022, Mendoza joined Iconic, a supergroup featuring Aldridge, Michael Sweet, Joel Hoekstra and Nathan James.
Mendoza isn’t one to look back on his career, though, and it’s not because he’s pretentious.
“I try to live in the day and look at the future,” he said. “I’ve been very lucky, absolutely. I think about the opportunities I’ve had, the collaborations and being a part of this and that.
“We’re talking about documenting it. We’ll see where it goes. I’m very proud. My career definitely exceeded the expectations I had when I was 16 or 20 years old, when you have no idea what is happening. It’s amazing how far you can really go when you dedicate yourself. I do it for the love of the music.”
Mendoza said fans can expect to mostly hear music from his four records — “Live for Tomorrow,” “Casa Mendoza,” “Viva La Rock” and “New Direction.”
His experiences with other bands will creep into the set as well. However, he doesn’t create the set list until the day of the show.
“It’s all a feeling,” he said. “I feel the room and the fans. It keeps everybody on their toes, including ourselves. But fans can expect a great time of rock ‘n’ roll, great songs, great music and a little bit of storytelling — not much, however. I want to focus on the music.”
The focal point of Mendoza’s music is his positivity.
“I feel like I kind of planted a seed of positive energy and optimism and love, which is, without getting too deep, what’s needed these days,” he explained.
“We’re lacking in that department. I always do meet-and-greets after the show. I always get the best compliments: ‘Thank you, I love your songs’; ‘You have great energy’; ‘I was feeling down and struggling, but you brought me back up.’ That’s the best compliment. I just want people to get away and have fun for a few hours.”
DETAILS
WHO: Marco Mendoza with Eric Sardinas and The Bubba Blues Band
WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18
WHERE: The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano
COST: $25 in advance
INFO: thecoachhouse.com