The Fire Escape Bar & Grill played host to four local bands Sunday evening. The first band, Purgatory, is from Elk Grove. Their last show was at The Distillery in Midtown on May 14. Their consistently hard-hitting sound is a more matured form of metal that blends everything from Nine Inch Nails to Johnny Cash. "I was really inspired playing with the other bands and being a part of something I dream of doing," said Gary Gruwell, one of the band's guitarists. "When I play, I have adrenaline and beer running through my veins." Gruwell Continued, "It felt unreal being up there on stage. It always does. I always dreamed of playing in front of a crowd. Every time is like the first time all

On Friday, the Distillery played host to a show aimed at benefiting the Alley Activation Alliance and Project Free Hope. The event, held in Midtown, was co-promoted by the Midtown Business Association. Several members of the Project Free Hope Board of Directors were on hand for the event. Members of the Midtown Business Association were also present. No representatives from the Alley Activation Alliance made their presence known. Alliance President, Julie Young, who was recovering from a back injury, said, "We are a newly formed organization and have much to learn.  If we weren't represented at the event, that is my fault.  I was impressed that the event was so well organized and seemed

On Friday, May 14th, local bands Vesuvius, A Single Second, and Purgatory will play at the Distillery, located at 2107 L Street in Sacramento.  The cover charge is $10, and the show is scheduled to begin at 9pm.  However, management from the Distillery says the first band is likely to begin playing closer to 10pm as the dinner crowd tends to remain seated for some time. A Single Second's Shawn Peter says, "Dave Girard, Aaron Holt, Jason 'Mogley' Tilsey and I are raising funds to help make a difference." Purgatory's Coleman Garcia says, "We're doing the show because we love writing and performing music.  We generate a clean rock sound that's also very melodic and can still kick your face

Located at 2416 16th Street, in midtown Sacramento, the Sixteenth Street Cafe has quickly become a hotspot for those seeking not only their nightly liquid fix, but also their nightly dose of local hard rock, metal, and indie music.  On Saturday, April 17th, Vesuvius wowed the crowd with their hard-hitting sound.  Their high energy mix of buzz saw guitar, slamming bass, and steady beats, was capped by vocals that seemed to add a shot in the dark to every cup of joe in the house. Big Ben Armstrong rocks the bass, Austin pounds the drums, and Albert shreds lead guitar; all three share vocals.  Ben is a towering figure; in fact, he's taller than some professional basketball players.  If you d