Local indie bands offered up a hearty dose of energy and a touch of theatrics to the 1,000-plus-person crowd at Cesar Chavez Park Friday night for the latest installation of the Concerts in the Park series. On the sidewalk leading up to the stage area, vendors were selling gyros, drinks, necklaces and earrings. The CHP had a tented booth, as did radio station Radio 94.7 FM and The Sacramento Press. The night’s diverse crowd included families, neon-haired teens and seniors, all basking in the glow of live music and sunshine. Friends spread out islands of blankets on the grass, and children ran around with balloons attached to their wrists. Siblings Juli and Tyler Lydell of The Dreaded Di

Harlow’s hosted an outstanding evening of music Tuesday night with Exquisite Corps, Musical Charis and Agent Ribbons performing. Jerry Perry put on another great promotion for the many guests that attended the show. Exquisite Corps started the show; actually they did an extended sound check so those who were there got to enjoy some great pre-show music. I’ve seen Exquisite Corps play a couple of times and was intrigued the first time I saw and heard them play. I thoroughly enjoy the mix of the orchestral strings in their music. It makes them unique not only for that but for their overall sound. Their mixture of violins and the deep cello sounds gives their music a rich dramatic sound

Fresh off a tour of Spain and Europe, and having one of their songs featured on a national television show, Agent Ribbons will play Sacramento twice this month. The band is touring the West Coast in support of their 2010 release “Château Crone” The Austin, Texas based duo is playing Harlow’s on May 10 and ten days later at Caesar Chavez Park. The band consists of Lauren Hess (drums, vocals) and Natalie Ribbons (guitar, vocals) and both are Sacramento-area natives, Hess is from Folsom and Ribbons is from Land Park. Hess, 29, lived in Folsom for 15 years and graduated from Folsom High in 2000. In addition, she had her first band while in high school called Miss Conduct. Their music has be

Well, can we say summer has officially teed off? Concert in the Park week one is on Friday – that’ll pretty much seal the deal. Tattooed Love Dogs kick off the fun this week, check out the rest of the full season schedule here. When you’re done with that… Portugal. The Man – This is a dizzying band – both in terms of the way streams of colorful instrumental hooks come kaleidescoping out of the amps like some sort of sonic Jackson Pollock, but also in terms of the sheer amount of music they keep cranking out. Most record companies will tell you that it’s tantamount to industry suicide by overload to release a new album every year – but what the hell do they know, anyway? 2007 was their c

Drifters, turn back! We’re keeping it good and local (kinda) this week as we celebrate our last weekend of theoretical playtime before Christmas all but consumes our ability to gobble up live music. We’re flanked by two gigs over the course of five days from one of the darlings of our local music family that have since relocated, but are spending a little time at home for the Holidays. I’ll be taking next week off to dunk my head in a giant bowl of eggnog, but keep your eyes peeled the week after for a special New Year’s edition of the Rundown once we’re done singing “O, Tannenbaum” – because Lord knows we need something to counter all the usual NYE nonsense of paying $50 for a cover band

Listening to Agent Ribbons’ newest release Chateau Crone (out October 12th on Antenna Farm Records) I was reminded of their final show in Sacramento back in March. I was impressed by the sophistication of the production and sound; by their wit and intelligence, energy and sass. In fact, it was the Agent Ribbons I remembered from that show but more. On top of their signature cabaret style, a selling point of their first album On Time Travel and Romance (2006), they sounded as if The Breeders (circa Last Splash ) and Amanda F. Palmer (of Dresden Dolls fame) teamed up to create a super chick band. Their lead off track “I’m Alright,” for example, is a smooth summery anthem harkening back to T

One of Sacramento's favorite local bands is local no more. Agent Ribbons will no longer be based in Sacramento. After a farewell show Thursday night at Old Ironsides, singer/songwriter/guitarist Natalie Gordon is going to be calling Austin, Texas home. At least for a little while. "I'm going down there with the intention of moving back to Sacramento at some point," Gordon said on the phone Wednesday before the band played a gig in San Francisco. "But I want to try somewhere new. My life's just really open right now." The band, which began as a duo consisting of Gordon and drummer/singer Lauren Hess, became a trio in the last couple of years with the addition of violinist Naomi Cherie,

 The season of free Friday evening concerts in Cesar Chavez Plaza at 10th and J streets in downtown Sacramento, a summer tradition, just got a bit longer. Promoter Jerry Perry, who has been arranging the multi-act shows, all featuring local musicians, since 1997, just got permission from the city to extend the concerts another five weeks. And this time, Perry will be in charge of the whole event, over the five-week series. Called “End of Summer Fest,” it will begin when the current series of concerts ends on Aug. 14. “I’ve always felt that the season ends too soon,” he said by phone Tuesday. “But I was never completely in charge before.” The shows are generally sponsored by the Downtow

The first scheduled concert of Sacramento's 'Concerts in the Park' series may or may not occur tonight depending on the rain, according to concert organizer Jerry Perry.   The bands Sol Peligro, Retrograde Revolution and La Noche Oskura are scheduled tonight to play the first of 15 series lined up for this summer's concerts, held every Friday evening at Cesar Chavez Plaza. If it rains, Perry said the series will begin next Friday, and an extra concert will be scheduled Friday, August 14, to make up for tomorrow’s cancellation.   This is the 18th year that the Downtown Sacramento Partnership has hosted the concerts, which are free and open to all ages. The plaza is located at 10th and J