EDIBLE: Major music venue news, with a side dish for local chefs.

Some of the more surprising local food experiences – and epic musical moments – I can remember happened in one place. And as of this week, that place has more surprises in store.

That place is Planet Gemini, a short drumroll from Monterey County Fairgrounds, next to Nu Art Adult Theater and Book Store on Fremont Boulevard in North Monterey.

My earliest pizza memories hail from that very spot, which was Tarantino’s back in the Reaganomics days. It once housed a short-lived Cajun spot that did a damn good po’ boy. It has played host to The Erotic Art Show and a Doggie Stylez-sanctioned hot dog-eating contest, which both had their stomach-turning and oddly inspiring moments. I’ve stood feet from international star David Gray stageside, helped the MedFlys crowdsurf on an actual surfboard and hung with Ozomatli in the parking lot.

Even with some gaudy red paint and cheesy VIP deck, it is still one of the best live venues the area knows, scaled nicely for bands that aren’t ready to fill Golden State Theatre, but have big followings and constantly tour California, eager to play spots between San Francisco and L.A.

Now, with a new and experienced team in place readying an aggressive overhaul, it could – and should – evolve into the liveliest and most consistent entertainment hub since Monterey Live, with some interesting food twists to complement it.

Polarizing longtime owner Anthony Lane – who used a mix of comedy, hip-hop, Italian, karaoke and banda nights to keep the club going for two decades across two locations (starting on Cannery Row) – no longer runs the show.

Victor Lopez had partnered with Lane for two up-and-down years. Now the 25-year nightclub/restaurant veteran, after stops in Fremont and San Jose, has new partnersSanjay Lacoul and Surya Shrestha coming on board.

“Planet Gemini has been one of the biggest clubs in the area for 20 years,” Lopez says. “The most exciting thing about the changes will be being able to bring so many different forms of music and entertainment.”

Nepalese Americans Lacoul and Shrestha have run Aroma India Bistro on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz for years. Shrestha, who lives in Seaside, says he’s been eager to uplift the nightclub scene since he was an Otter at CSU Monterey Bay. He’ll direct the bar.

“There’s not that much for young people to do,” he says. “We want to help change things.”

He has key players in place to realize that aim. Longtime rock-and-roller and drummer Brian Conway, who I’ve known since the early Monterey Live days, has been promoting shows for more than 20 years and stage managing events like First City Fest, Bottle Rock and Cali Roots along the way. He’ll act as entertainment director.

He’ll focus largely on weekend and rock music booking, bringing in fellow local promoters like Gus Madsack Presents (Matt Hable) and Monterey Space Program (Christopher Brian). In recent years Conway’s pulled Tornado Rider, Fire in the Hamptons, guitar dynamo Tom Ayres (for a Bob Dylan Tribute) and Jello Biafra of theDead Kennedys into The Planet’s field of gravity.

The voice of KRML radio (and its program director) Jeff White will also co-produce shows with Conway, as they have with Folktale Winery’s blockbuster barrel room “Live in the Vines” concerts with high-level touring acts.

BTW, the next Vines show features Mansions on the Moon with Lillie Lemon opening Friday, Oct. 23. Jump on www.krml.com to join the Listener Advisory Board, or LAB, for dibs on tix.

Conway’s also hoping to bring back Larry Vialas, who owns Monterey Bay Sound and does sound and lighting for the Folktale shows, as an expert house sound engineer. George Edwards, general manager of Delicate Productions, to customize the audio and lights, too.

“Edwards brings more sound than we could ever need,” Conway says.

The red paint and comedy acts will go bye bye, new sound gear will come in and acts will pack in as many as 400 people.

Karaoke will continue as many as three days a week pending touring schedules, with the two rooms and stages providing flexibility.

Local talents like Casey Frazier, Hanif Wondir and Arno Featherstone will likely tap their Conway connects to appear at the Planet. Halloween will provide a potent pop to the relaunch, with wildly popular local favorites Forrest Day doing the charismatic horn-driven hip-hop rowdiness.

The new ownership-management team is also throwing open the doors to a restaurant-grade kitchen for local chefs to occupy – special event, fundraiser or pop-up style – which bodes well for dinner-and-a-band combos or thematic meals paired with performances. (Interested parties can call 333-6855.)

The new name, meanwhile, will be left to music fans themselves. Keep an eye out for a contest in which the winner gets lifetime concert access plus one.

“The possibilities are endless,” Conway says. “It’s such a prime location, if it’s done right, the change can mean we make it really work.

“We’re pretty stoked, and putting all we have into it.”

QUICKBITES

• Salinas Valley Food & Wine Festival takes over Oldtown Salinas with six blocks of artists, local food purveyors, craft beer, classic cars, wine tastings, cooking demos, grower-shipper association salads, live music and a kids zone ($45 [$35 in advance] includes unlimited tasting of wine and beer, 758-0725, www.salinasvalleyfoodandwine.com).

• Big Beer just became monstrous. Anheuser-Busch InBev will purchase rival brewer SABMiller for a deal reported at $104 billion. More on the blog.

• Step into Nature author Patrice Vecchione anchors a tasting-book reading/signing that keys into the ways nature increases memory and catalyzes imagination at the 6-8pm Thursday, Oct. 15 at the brand-new Jarman Tasting Room Lounge and Patio. See p. 22.

• Corral de Tierra Country Club has a new general manager/COO in former Bernardus Lodge and Bernardus Winery operative Mike Oprish.

• The visionaries from Both Co. Aquaponics talk sustainable ag over soup and salad at Big Sur Grange 6-8pm Tuesday, Oct. 20 (free, donations accepted, www.bothco.com).

• Galante Vineyards annual harvest open house ($20/club; $30/public; 624-3800) noon-5pm Saturday, Oct. 24: flights, music, barbecue.

• Internationally known Beer Geek Chris Nelson knows his brew, which is why he anchors Pub Talk on KRML every Wednesday at Peter B’s BrewPub. He also repsDrake’s, and dropped some samples by the Weekly Friday. The potent Denogginizer and clean 1500 were predictably satisfying, but the Black Robusto porter might be the biggest surprise, not the palate blowout powerhouse so many are, and a mellow 6.3 ABV. The 8.75 imperial stout is also surprising: dry, crisp, nice. Side note: His dogs are named Porter and, yes, Stout.

• Monterey County’s up-and-coming Albatross Ridge just landed Marc Cutino as its sales pointman.

• San Benito Olive Festival happens Saturday, Oct. 17, www.SanBenitoOliveFestival.com for more.

• Laurence Sterne: “What a volume of adventures may be grasped within span of his little life by him who interests his heart in everything.”