ERIKA SOROCCO - For The Californian

The downturn of the economy has everything in creation seemingly shrinking -- value meals at fast food restaurants and even bags of potato chips. The one thing that isn't shrinking? The 2009 Temecula Music Fest.

"This year is much bigger and far better in every way," said Full Value Entertainment's Bill Gould, the brainchild behind the Temecula Music Fest. "I think this year will be awesome beyond compare because we have a great amount of talent in bands and visual artists."

Launched in 2005, the Temecula Music Fest has been a staple in the Southwest Riverside County community since it began, and Gould strives to make it bigger and better each year.

In 2005, it was a one-day event held under the title The Identity Band Clash. Fifteen bands came out to perform for a little more than 500 fans. In 2006, things we switched up a bit. The event was renamed Temecula Music Fest and held over a five-day period at three locations -- Aloha J's, the Temecula Community Recreation Center and Java Jo'z, a Murrieta hot spot whose doors have since closed. More than 1,200 people came out to show their support for the 40 local musicians who performed.

Two years ago, the Temecula Music Fest hosted 50 performers over three days at the Old Town Temecula Community Theatre and the Temecula Community Recreation Center. Last year, the event became more accessible to attendants by remaining in one place -- the Temecula Community Recreation Center -- for the three-day event. This year will follow the same pattern.

"I love the CRC and its staff," Gould said. "They run a great facility, and the city is amazing to work with. I love Temecula. Such a great location to have a day of music, art, food and fun."

Over the course of the event -- May 15-17 -- more than 50 bands will take center stage and bring their talents to Temecula.

Scheduled to perform May 15 are Destroy the Runner, LoveHateHero, No Dice, Souljourners, The Dares, Seven Ages, Misdelphia, Strike Twelve, Silent Treatment, Black Party Politics, Abeline, My Last Revelation, Service Interruption, Aesthetic Is Love, Kevin Salvador, Seventh Armada, The Sixes, Goodnight and Goodluck, Mission to Felspar, This Evening, Tyler Talbot, Logan Bishop, Dan Barnes, Stephen Cope, Paper Violet and Stephen Pistilli.

Slotted for May 16 are Stone Mecca, Divide the Day, Nural, Amue, Dark Haven, Reason the Citizen, Tora! Tora! Tora!, Opus Humanus, Starving for Gravity, The Shakeups, Midnight Rose, Change, Pheo, Fellguard, The Next, Tactik, A Phoenix Forever, The Stript, GogoBot, Unherd, Oscillator, Sean F. Kennedy, Novelle, Scareo, Gutenberg Live, Wooly Bandits, Adam's Attic, Speak, Science Fiction Theater, Illinoise, J Fire, Figaeight, The Truth, Anthony Dollar, The 100$, Phil Locash, Relative Contrast and Anterluz.

The May 17 lineup includes Inverse, War Stories, Lee Koch, Cetas Aspire, Walk the Rio, Late Night Revival, Soul Profit, Steam Powered Giraffe, Faded Chronicles, Soul Missive, Shunpike, Lights Down, The Shakedown, Long Live Logos, Olio, M is for Mitchell, Ross Turlok, Big Fellas, Tyler Vesneski, Peter Puffington, Red Eye, Jordan Reimer, The 4019's, The Riders, Paper Puppets, Mike Chartrand, The Brewer Boys, Cassi Coulter, Guilty Conscience and Candace Saunders.

"I want to give the best local bands the most exposure possible in three days," Gould said. "This year, to select performers, we had mail-in submissions which we reviewed. The Battle of the Bands helped too. Stone Mecca won the Battle of the Bands in the adult category; they have been on the 'Craig Ferguson Show' and have worked with The Wu-Tang Clan.

"Soul Missive won the Teen Battle of the Bands -- great harmony. Inverse is an amazing rock bands for fans of real straight-up radio rock. LoveHateHero are signed to Ferret Records and have a new record coming out. My Last Revelation just released their debut CD on April 24. Local attorney John Pozza is the singer in the 4019's, who play on Sunday. Divide the Day just signed to Universal Records. Starving for Gravity just got a new bassist. The Dares are signed to Jive Records."

Fifty volunteers will work alongside one another getting everything in order for the event. Vendors will be in abundance -- more than 30 visual artists, including local artist Todd Sanders, will be present -- and Pop n Momma, Skoops Ice Cream and Mr. Pete's Burrito, among others, will be selling goodies.

It's a team effort that makes Gould eager to try something even bigger and better in the future.

"I have some cool stuff I am working on, but I have to keep it under wraps for right now," Gould said. "Next year we might look at making this even bigger, maybe taking it on the road for a few dates around the Southwest."

Temecula Music Fest

When: 2-10 p.m. May 15, noon-10 p.m. May 16, and noon-8:30 p.m. May 17

Where: Temecula Community Recreation Center, 30875 Rancho Vista Road, Temecula

Tickets: $10, ages 13 and older; $5, ages 6-12; free, kids younger than 6

Info: 951-491-9053, temeculamusicfest.com