Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "agent ribbons"

Indie rock brings a crowd to Cesar Chavez Park

2011-05-23T05:24:26Z

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 Diamond got the night started with their impressive mix of keyboard, drums and emotive, soaring vocals in the vein of indie-pop duo Tegan and Sara.

Tyler played his drums with the finesse of a jazz percussionist, hitting the high hat with exacting strokes of the wrist to produce shimmery and drawn out hisses of vibration. Singer and keyboardist Juli gelled effortlessly with her brother’s rhythm, producing waterfalls of notes and singing heartily from the pit of her stomach with a raw-yet-controlled delivery.

Jerry Perry, the event’s host, called the 15- and 19-year- olds “incredible” as he watched their performance from behind the stage.

Next up, Los Angeles-based Golden Ghosts charmed the crowd with their gracious attitude and twangy Southern-inspired brand of rock ’n’ roll.

Drummer Justin Goings and guitarist Riley Bray were dressed like 1960s rock stars in leather vests and skinny jeans. Bray’s chin-length hair and tassel-adorned vest swayed in unison as he delivered lines like, “You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone,” head swiveling with sass.

Brave audience members danced in front of the stage as hoots issued from the crowd during heady jam “Heart of Coal.”

“We couldn’t have picked a better day and couldn’t have asked for a better crowd,” Bray said.

Between bands, Kasey Cooper from Radio 94.7 took the stage to hand out guitar picks to eager hands and encourage audience members to enter a radio-sponsored raffle for a chance to win a $100 iTunes gift card.

As The Kelps started tuning up their instruments, a youthful crowd formed in front of the stage. Three teens stood side by side in homemade black Kelps T-shirts.

As their set got under way, it became clear why The Kelps appeal to a younger crowd: The energy of their live performance is unstoppable. Singer Cory Barringer’s howling vocals brought to mind an enlivened preacher describing hellfire, bassist Cameron Betts hopped joyfully from one foot to the other, and drummer Tony Reye’s flailing arms conjured images of another beloved bit of sea life: the octopus.

Before headliners Agent Ribbons took the stage, Perry spoke to the audience briefly about his experience touring with them a few years prior, describing it as “one of the great adventures of [his] life.”

Drummer Lauren Hess assembled her pearlescent kit center stage while guitarist Natalie Gordon bent down to sign an autograph for a pint-sized fan who, in a vibrant paisley top and jeans, appeared nearly as inspired by fashion as the women of Agent Ribbons themselves.

The theatrical duo donned pink masks with cartoonish eyes printed on them for set-opener “The World Is a Cigarette,” proving their skill as fine-tuned tour veterans capable of playing their songs expertly, even without the luxury of sight.

The girls delivered a studio-perfect version of “I Was Born to Write Sad Songs,” with Gordon’s throaty croon sailing to the back of the park as Hess rapped heartily on her toms.

This Friday, Concerts in the Park will host Rick Estrin & The Nightcats. Join the fun from 5 to 9 p.m. at Chavez Park on 10th and J streets.

Agent Ribbons, Musical Charis and Exquisite Corps at Harlow's

2011-05-12T22:44:31Z

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. Their string instruments combined with guitar, bass, drums and Bryan’s rhythmically soothing vocals give them an exquisite sound.

As with most local bands playing the local scene they had a merchandize for sale at a table towards the entrance. Bryan indicate that one of their friends, Melissa, had designed their t-shirts being sold along with CDs. He also thanked Jerry Perry for this promotion.

Musical Charis followed Exquisite Corps’ short set. As Musical Charis was setting up on stage there was an unfamiliar person in the front. At first I thought it was one of the guys from the band but it turned out to be someone by the name of Hobo Sapien. He spent a few minutes on stage warming up the audience. He did some poetry which was actually pretty good, he turned out to be a pretty well versed and smart hobo.

Musical Charis played musical chairs on stage as many of their members switched instruments going from one instrument to another. I thought that was pretty awesome as they showed off their versatility. Another thing I thought was awesome was the trumpet player, especially when they played their version of "Ring of Fire".

Musical Charis is a fairly large group and they pretty much used every inch of the Harlow’s stage. After finishing up one of their songs they announced that their set required audience participation and that pretty much summed up the evening very nicely. At one point one of them said “A lot of good musicians in the house tonight. Support local music, keep it going Sacramento it’s [freaking] awesome!" It reminded that you can download and purchase many of their songs via their webpage.

Soon they launched into "Anatomy" followed by "Jezebel" with Jeremy’s guitar starting the song off. One of their songs was dedicated to everyone alive in America and outside of America. The large ensemble played a lively, fun and energetic set. As they finished off their set they played "Changed" and "Catwalk".

Their variety of instruments and their presence on stage is truly enjoyable. Musical Charis is a talented bunch of individuals who seem to always have as much fun (if not more) than their fans. Their musical talents and performances are truly a musical gift.

The prodigal daughters, Agent Ribbons, returned to Sacramento and were welcomed back with open arms by the Harlow’s crowd. They started off with “Shoe Shine Boy” followed by “Buried With You” warming up the audience as more and more people gathered around the stage.

“Man it’s so good to see most of you people in this room.” said Natalie Gordon as she welcomed the audience. A few guitar notes later “Grey Gardens” was qickly followed by the catchy rifts of “I’m Alright”.

Natalie told a story about a show at the Storyland in Fresno, their equivalent of our Fairytale Town and how there were probably more people at Harlow’s. She continued to say that as they played, a spider landed on Natalie’s guitar and scared her. As she continued she said she then dropped her guitar pick and as she was picking it up she stepped on her dress and fell over. The audience laughed as she kept telling her Miss Muffet type story.

Their set also included “Birds and Bees”, “Wallpaper of Skin”, “Obituary” and “Chelsea, Let’s go Join the Circus”. After that they immediately launched into one of their most widely recognized songs, “Don’t Touch Me.” Members in the audience joined in singing the lyrics. This song showcases Natalie’s wonderful voice range.

Lauren Hess’ was recovering from a cold but showed her radiant smile as she played. The Folsom High School graduate played energetically through the set. As their show came to an end they played “Wood Lead Rubber”. Natalie said that when they played a show in Portland everyone formed a conga line and danced. Someone said “Sacramento does not conga” but he was mistaken a conga line was formed and moved in front of the stage.

Agent Ribbons’ à la mode outfits, as always, were truly awesome and their demeanor is very enjoyable. Their 12 song set was fantastic and delighted the audience. The prodigal daughters successfully returned to thrill the Sacramento crowd at Harlow’s show. One of their next shows will take place at Concerts in the Park (CIP) on May 20.

Jerry Perry came to the stage to close out the show and say that Agent Ribbons would be performing for free at Cesar Chavez Plaza Friday, May 20. He thanked everyone for coming to the show and bid everyone goodnight. It indeed was a good night to be at Harlow's and enjoy a great evening of fun and music.

Tangled up In Ribbons- An Interview with Lauren Hess of Agent Ribbons

2011-05-09T17:51:40Z

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 been described as sultry, vaudeville/Victorian-punk; fashion also plays a role in their presentation as they are fans of vintage dresses. They tend to shop for these hard to find clothes at second hand stores across the country and are often photographed sporting them.

The band began life in Records; a vinyl record store now located on Broadway but then had its home on Sacramento’s K street mall. That chance meeting turned out to be the beginning of the Ribbons. “I was shopping there when Natalie was helping them paint the walls. We struck up a conversation after I helped her dump out a bucket of rainwater out onto K Street. I had recently purchased a drum set and Natalie asked if I would be down to play a show with her. Even though I had barely started playing drums, I agreed! We had one practice and a week later, played our first show in San Francisco,” Hess explained.

And how did that show turn out with only one practice under their belts? “I remember it all went pretty well considering…at least it went well enough for us to keep going!” exclaimed Hess.

Their song “I’m Alright” was aired on the CW Vampire Diaries this past January and is one of the high points for the band which includes performing at a music festival in Europe.

The band began in 2006 in Sacramento and moved to Austin in March of last year.

“Originally, (the move) was because of our band mate Naomi. She was the violinist in our band for about two years and was living in Austin. It was just too much to keep flying her into Sacramento for tours and practices, so Natalie and I decided to move to Austin. Naomi ended up leaving the band in November of 2010, but luckily, we love Austin and are happy to stay here for the time being!”

Hess went on to share a thought about her hometown and their move was not predicated on dissatisfaction. “Both Natalie and I grew up in Sacramento and are really proud of that fact. We still absolutely love and miss that city, but it was time for us to try something new that is far enough away to reach new fans in a whole different part of the country.”

Hess explained that after the current tour ends in June, the band is looking to write and record again later this year and possibly tour in the fall, with a possible trip back to Europe.

The band has not forgotten their roots and knows what it is like to struggle at the beginning and keep functioning. Hess has advice for those just starting out and is looking to make music their jobs or passion in life.

“You have to sacrifice to make things happen, quit that job, relationship or bad habit that is keeping your dream from being a reality.”

IF YOU GO: May 10, 2011
Where: Harlow’s 2708 J Street, Sacramento
Time: 7pm
Cost: $7
Contact: (916) 441-4693

IF YOU GO: May 20, 2011
Where: Caesar Chavez Park, 910 I St. Sacramento
Time: 5pm
Cost: Free
Contact: (916) 808-5200

Sactown Rundown - May 5-11

2011-05-05T18:49:46Z

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 coming out party with the Led Zeppelin-infused blues rock juggernaut “Church Mouth” (lead singer John Baldwin Gourley will tell you that the album name was born while the band watching a speech by George W. Bush, which led to him commenting “man, what a fucking church mouth”). The avalanche of albums hasn’t slowed down since 2008’s “Censored Colors,” a tapestry of a think-piece released right around the time everyone in America all of a sudden knew the name of the town that the band started in: Wasilla, Alaska (you betcha!). “The Satantic Satanist” in 09, “American Ghetto” in ’10, and “In the Mountain In a Cloud” coming up in July? Strap yourself in and let Gourley’s gut-wrangling falsetto and squealing guitar lead the way through their almost ridiculous expansive catalog. With Telekenisis and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $17.50. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Agent Ribbons – Welcome home, ladies. “Chateau Crone” is the kind of breakout release we would love to embrace as a truly local product, with it’s thrift store indie rock edge, back alley gypsy jazz wiles and Beatles-played-backwards pop playfulness. But this, their hang-your-hat debut full length, was recorded after the band left native Sactown to set up camp in the mecca of Austin, TX. Their homecomings are always a blast, though, this this show coming up mid-week, and then a Concert in the Park headling spot (proving they’ll always be “locals”) on deck on May 20. 8 p.m. Tuesday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $7. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Check out Agent Ribbons on Daytrotter.

Dredg – They arrive in Sacramento at the tail end of the first official week of the “Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy” show, as the Bay Area native band’s newest album just dropped on Tuesday. It’s hard to tell if they’re a band just saying “screw it, let’s get weird,” or if this was some sort of new calculated direction they’ve been keeping in the bag for quite some time, lurking behind shards of imaginative progressive agro-metal, crafted like some twisted rock and roll fables. Check out the video trailer for their new midnight funk tune “The Tent” and you’ll see some sort of cross section between “The Wall,” a Gorillaz video and every Tim Burton movie ever made (which is kinda like just one movie, isn’t it?). It’s sweet and disturbing all at the same time – sort of like most of the music Dredg has ever made. With the Dear Hunter, Balance and Composure, Trophy Fire and Breva. 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St. $17. All ages. www.aceofspadessac.com.

Ash Reiter – Every now and then, the Rundown will dig past a headliner to highlight an opener. With no disrespect to the honey-voiced Pat Hull or Smoking Flowers or delightfully alluring husband-and-wife duo Smoking Flowers, Ash Reiter’s rising star is too bright to look over. Whether you give her an acoustic guitar and let her play a heart-tugging ballad, or hand her a hollow body Gibson and watch her spike out a thick ditty loaded with ‘tude, this Northern California songstress is buried treasure, and while digging up the treasure you’ll find shades of anyone from Jolie Holland to our own Two Sheds. Ash plays first, head to the patio early. 9 p.m. Friday. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E. St., Davis. $5. 21+. www.sophiasthaikitchen.com.

Check out Ash Reiter's Daytrotter sessions here and here.

Mark Your Calendars – KISS – Yep! May 29. Raley Field, 400 Ballpark Dr., West Sacramento. $40-$125. www.raleyfield.com.

If you are planning or promoting a concert in the Sacramento area, or just know of a show you’d like to see featured in the Rundown, shoot me an email.

For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sacramento Press.

Sactown Rundown - Dec. 16-22

2010-12-15T22:41:09Z

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 and two ounces of bubbly. Happy Holidays, Sactown!

Agent Ribbons - A few years back, the duo of Lauren Hess and Natalie Gordon were our lovable "next big thing" here in Sactown; hand picked to open gigs for Cake, fixtures at Concert in the Park and all our other hot spots, and teetering on the edge of being added to the Tesla-Deftones-Far-Jackie Greene list. Even though they've jumped ship for the indie rock mecca of Austin, TX, we can still feel that pride of ownership back here in town as they are poised to live up to that potential with their new full-length gem of a record, "Chateau Crone." Delightful ditties like "Grey Gardens" (which sounds like it could turn into a cover of "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" at any moment) and the back alley spice of "I'll Let You Be My Baby" (a tune that may have been stolen from the "Chicago" soundtrack by a band of Gypsies) are the kind of lushly produced and imaginative tunes we knew they had in them all along, and would ultimately round out their catalog to a level ready for the "big time" (whatever the hell that means). This vaudevillian indie pop duo will dish up two CD release shows for “Chateau” this week, one for the all age crowd and one for the “yo, barkeep” crowd. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, with Dog Party, So Much Fun and Monster Women. Luigi’s Fun Garden, 1050 K St. (MARRS Building). $7. All ages. www.myspace.com/luigislice. 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Shady Lady, 14th and R St. $5. 21+. www.shadyladybar.com.

Check out Sac Press’ Meg Sevier’s full review on “Chateau Crone” and sample a few Agent Ribbons tracks on Daytrotter.

2 or 3 Guys – Clearly there was not much effort given to this band name. They were probably spending all their time studying up on geek-infused cross sections of late ‘90s alt rock, as if guided by They Might Be Giants into an alternate reality where Soul Coughing let their hair down even father, Marcy Playground didn’t care what anyone thought when they wrote “Sex and Candy,” and Nirvana and Weezer took square dancing lessons together after carpooling their kids to soccer. A memo to Hollywood: As soon as you’re ready with that “Revenge of the Nerds” remake (and that knot in your stomach tells you that you know it’s probably coming at some point), 2 or 3 Guys should have plenty of material for the soundtrack, especially for the scene where the robot that will now look like Wall-E does a fix-it montage with Zac Efron and Shia LaBeouf. With Buster Blue and Calling Morocco. 9 p.m. Friday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $6. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

The Nibblers – They’re that band that’s quietly creeping up the ranks in Sactown – there’s nothing quiet about the sound, but the gigs just seem to keep getting bigger and more prevelant. No longer simply a weekly showcase at the Torch, sparkplug vocalist Hans Eberbach’s funk machine is becoming a major local player. We’ve known about Eberbach (Sweet Vine, Looking Star) for awhile, and there’s no doubt the man can belt, but the cast of dirt-rolling throwback funk scholars behind him has made this act a juggernaut, and they will do things to your hips that are illegal in most parts of Kentucky. Take in some funk on Friday night before Marilyn’s annual Bad Santa Party on Saturday night. 9 p.m. Friday. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $7. 21+. www.marilynsonk.com.

Mind X CD Release Show – Details are always sketchy about what Mind X is up to. They don’t spend a whole lot of time beating their chests over being one of the top jam bands in this area, and they spend even less promoting themselves. That’s why there’s nary a whisper on the website about a new CD, and the only evidence of it comes from the Torch Club’s website. Hey, aren’t some of the best corners of music somewhat shrouded in mystery anyway? (Read: Robert Johnson). New CD or no new CD, you’d be hard pressed to find something better to do with your Saturday night than to let Mind X take you on a tour through the crossroads of blues, rock, jazz, bluegrass, funk, Americana and Worldbeat. 9 p.m. Saturday. Torch Club, 15th and I St. Call for cover. 21+. www.torchclub.net.

Baby Grand’s “Christmas Cocktails” – Baby Grand doesn’t book many dates these days, but one they never miss is this annual pre-Christmas hootenanny, where they take your yuletide favorites and throw them in a blender with a pint of whiskey and whatever holiday goodies you pillaged from the office. Local stalwarts Knock Knock join the party with Four Eyes. 9 p.m. Saturday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $7.21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Mark Your Calendars: 30 Seconds to Mars – Stuck on the image of Jared Leto getting his face pounded in towards the end of “Fight Club?” Guess what: He also sings. Jan. 16. Freeborn Hall at UC Davis. $29.50. All ages. tickets.ucdavis.edu.

For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sacramento Press.

Agent Ribbons' "Chateau Crone" is Kitschy and Cool

2010-10-05T22:44:58Z

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 The Zombies “She’s Not There.” Layered both lyrically and musically this subtle, romantic, and empowering song in which the lead singer Natalie Gordon demands nothing less than the love of another, sets afire the slow burn that is the album as a whole.

And by “slow burn” I do not mean “boring.” There was extraordinary attention paid to not only the composition of the songs but the track order of Chateau Crone as well. How many pop albums have you heard that start off with a bang, followed by one or two more “upbeat” tracks, and eventually taper off into something slow and thoughtful, only then to repeat the formula once or twice before ending on a final, pensive note?

Instead of relying on this popular (and, yes, boring) trope, Agent Ribbons make a bold move with their first major release and keep the mood dark and low throughout starting with “Grey Gardens,” a hopelessly romantic and eerie waltz for a Russian aristocracy. Nestled halfway through the album they maintain this tone with an aptly titled song that exemplifies their strength as songwriters: “Born to Sing Sad Songs.”

“I was born to sing sad songs that go on for more than 3 minutes long, and I feel another coming on, now that you’re gone…if words were as specific as my heart is prolific then you would have had one hundred songs by now.”

By maintaining this mood, containing the potential energy and hinting at the possibility of a chaotic jam with tracks like “I’ll Let You Be My Baby,” and “Oh, La La”, Agent Ribbons manage to create superb tension. It isn’t until the very last track, “Wood, Lead, Rubber,” that listeners are finally rewarded with an explosive conclusion, in my experience eliciting not just an emotional but a physical response to the album as well.

From their look on and off stage – an amalgamation of Lolita-esque vintage dresses and punk styling, including cranberry tinted hair, tattoos and Patti Smith’s armpits – to their influences (Eartha Kitt and the Velvet Underground), to Chateau Crone’s album art (which includes a temporary tattoo) – this band is like an antique shop and their sound a dusty first edition of Alice in Wonderland atop a high shelf in the back of the store. Agent Ribbons is kitschy, whimsical, and cool and Chateau Crone is a rare find.

Agent Ribbons says farewell to Sacramento Thursday

2010-03-04T06:20:02Z

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, who came to the band while living in...Austin.

"We've been flying Naomi up here all the time for our tours, and it would give me more time to work with her. And just going there on tours and stuff, we really like Austin a lot," she added. "They're super supportive. They treat us like a local band.

"Austin has a really diverse music scene. It's as diverse as the Bay area, I think," Gordon said. "It has that reputation (of being very roots-oriented), but we're not even remotely roots music, and there's a lot of music there that's not really that rootsy."

Drummer Hess will remain in Sacramento for the time being, as she has a good job here. But Gordon said that she, too, is thinking about moving, perhaps to the Bay Area.

In the next few months, the band will be dropping its long-delayed second album, following up its November 2006 debut album. Gordon said that the new album, recorded at popular downtown studio The Hangar, is a departure for the band. Not only is it one member stronger, Gordon said the band has found a sound that she said works better for the members.

The band members worked with Producer Scott McChane at The Hangar, a downtown studio that Gordon called "our ideal place to record," and said that in addition to the violin, Lauren sings more backing vocals, and though it retains the band's minimalist sound, "there's a lot more going on. We suggest big epic things with small little sounds still, but the development is more encompassing."

But despite the changes, Gordon said Agent Ribbons "will always be a Sacramento band."

"We have a lot of really loyal fans in Sacramento - there's no place that compares to Sacramento," she said. "But attendance (at shows) is down. It's definitely waned a bit since we started the band. Sacramento's music scene ebbs and flows a lot, and we see the success that we've had in other places, so we want to explore that (and) just focus some energy outside of the west coast for a while."

Thursday night's show will be opened by Dog Party and Knock Knock. Showtime is 9:30 p.m. and tickets are $7. Old Ironsides is located at 1901 10th St.

Concerts in the Park season extended five weeks

2009-07-23T05:13:53Z

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 Downtown Partnership, with Perry in charge of booking the acts. Other sponsors chip in, and a popular beer garden underwrites the remainder of the cost.

The new series of five concerts, which begins on Aug. 21 and runs through Sept. 18, will be sponsored by The Sacramento Press. Other sponsors will be coming on board during the next few weeks, Perry said.

Artists already signed by Perry to perform during those five weeks are artists he couldn’t book during the original 15-week season, including Jackpot, Agent Ribbons, Shannon Curtis, Mike Farrell and a reunited Kai Kln. More artists will be announced shortly.

The concerts have proven popular, but producing them is still a huge effort, and a risky one at that. Perry says that the cost of putting on the show, with beer garden, food vendors, police, fire and health department inspectors and other costs total roughly $20,000 per week.

And although the shows are free, audiences wax and wane week to week, depending on weather, competing events, the timing of holidays, Furlough Fridays, and even last year’s wildfires, which led headliner Mumbo Gumbo to cancel.

This year, says Perry, “We got rained out one day and rained on two days. If it’s too cold, you don’t sell enough beer, if it’s too hot, people don’t come out. Last week was our lowest beer garden in a few years, I don’t know why. We got hit harder with the heat than anything. When it’s 105 degrees, people don’t want to come down to the park.”

Still, Perry says, being more in charge, while daunting, is allowing him to make a few changes he’s been wanting to make. One is to create a separate food court with tables, accessible only to those who buy food and want to sit down to eat it. He also says that problems with the beer lines have been eliminated.

With the enthusiastic support of the city – Perry says Tuesday’s approval of permits came in a mere seven minutes – the new End of Summer Fest seems likely to continue a tradition that is one of downtown Sacramento’s most popular.

But that doesn’t stop him from worrying.

“I think about the days getting shorter, is that going to affect turnout?” he says. “But I want to take it further, see where we can go with this. It is one of the things that defines downtown Sacramento in summer.”

Weather will determine if ‘Concerts in the Park’ series at Cesar Chavez Plaza begins today

2009-05-01T09:00:58Z

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 Streets and lined with food and jewelry vendors during the performances. There is also a beer garden adjacent to the stage. Perry said that depending on the musicians' set times, the concerts typically begin at 5:30 p.m. and end by 8:30 p.m.

Perry, who has been booking local acts ranging in genre from folk, rock, reggae, blues, acoustic, to punk at the concerts for the past 13 years, said he feels really good about the performances scheduled for this year.

“My thing is always trying to introduce new bands…I love all the new bands that are out there,” Perry said. Perry has 29 first-time acts booked to play the concerts for this summer.

Notable returning performers will include the Brodys, Bucho, Mumbo Gumbo and Agent Ribbons, according to Perry.

Also scheduled to play this year is renowned Sacramento rock band Tesla, whose performance was cancelled last year.*

The partnership's Director of Marketing, Lisa Martinez, said that in addition to a variety of new venues participating in the concert pub crawl after the performances, there will also be a number of new vendors selling food during the concerts.

It's a great event because it's free, and you can usually get food and a drink for under $10," said Martinez.

According to Martinez, 4,000 people attend the summer concerts on a weekly basis, and a total of 67,000 attend the concerts annually.

The concert series will continue for 15 consecutive Fridays at the park until August 7 or August 14, depending on whether or not tonight’s show is cancelled.

For a full list of this year's performing bands, visit http://downtownsac.org/concerts.

* Editor's Note:Tesla is not scheduled to play this year, nor did they play last year, but have played previously.