Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "cip"

Mayor spreads word about the benefits of an entertainment/sports complex

2011-07-13T01:57:27Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson is currently in the process of visiting Sacramento’s six major counties to discuss the benefits of a future entertainment and sports complex along the stretch of what used to be the old Southern Pacific railyards downtown.

At the mayor’s weekly press conference Tuesday, Johnson, who had just visited El Dorado County and the city of Folsom the day before, called his visits “authentic outreach.”

Johnson is going on a bus tour Thursday to visit regions of El Dorado County, Davis, Roseville and Rancho Cordova to seek input from the communities there, he said.

This city-to-city outreach is part of the the mayor’s Think Big Coalition. Johnson said the four guiding principles include putting the taxpayers first, making sure it’s about jobs, acknowledging that having an entertainment/sports complex is bigger than just sports and recognizing the need to win as a region.

“It’s really about us taking the show on the road and talking about the economic impact and benefits of having a new entertainment/sports complex,” Johnson said. “It’s much broader than the city of Sacramento. People of the region love that we’re going to them.”

In order to bolster community participation and support for an entertainment/sports complex, Johnson said there will be a design contest in which citizens will compete to design some part of the space outside of the proposed complex. The details are still being worked out through Citizen Architects, a support group for Think Big Sacramento.

“What makes our region different is the grassroots movement. There’s nowhere else in the country that’s getting the kind of input from its citizens the way we do it in Sacramento.

Johnson said that he is on day 44 of 100 days of their Think Big technical review of examining the old Southern Pacific railyards. Next week, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) will be examining the proposed entertainment/sports complex site.

“The other aspect of the 100 days is the financing,” Johnson said. “We’re looking at the menu of options that would fall into public financing, and we hope to have that done in a 100-day period.”

Other topics discussed included the importance of the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Greyhound bus station on Wednesday. The cost for the project was approximately $7 million, Johnson said.

The Community Investment Program (CIP) and share and redevelopment money were used to fund the project, Johnson said.

“We’ve been very frugal and efficient in terms of what we’ve been doing,” Johnson said. The Greyhound station (on L Street) has been something that has been an eyesore for years and we’re excited that we’re finally in a position to relocate the bus station to the new location on Richards Boulevard.”

The new Greyhound bus station was built a year ahead of schedule.

“It will be a state-of-the-art facility and it will be secure. People will feel safe there. Everything we’re doing is green now and we’re going to be a leader in that so it’s a sustainable building,” Johnson said.

Friday Night Concerts in the Park return May 7

2010-03-30T20:52:21Z

The Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) has released the 2010 schedule for the Friday Night Concerts in the Park. The free, outdoor concert series will rock Cesar Chavez Plaza (10th and J streets) every Friday night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. starting May 7 though August 13.

For the latest concert news, visit www.downtownsac.org/concerts.

2010 CONCERT SCHEDULE*

May 7 - Kepi Ghoulie
The Kelps, Dog Party, Simpl3jack

May 14 - Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
Low Down Dirty Dogs

May 21 - Dance Gavin Dance
Phallucy, Con of Man, Desario

May 28 - Mike Farrell
Aaron King & The Imperials, One Eyed Rhyno

June 4 - Method Echo
The Nibblers, Live Manikin

June 11 - The Nickel Slots
Los Blazing Hangovers
Mae McCoy & The Neon Stars

June 18 - Secretions
The Shruggs, The Four Eyes, The Enlows

June 25 - Mumbo Gumbo
Not An Airplane

July 2 - The New Humans
Sister Crayon, Chelsea Wolfe

July 9 - Izabella
Walking Spanish, Inversions

July 16 - Kate Gaffney
Gerald Pease, Autumn Sky, Juliana Zachariou

July 23 - Lite Brite
Prieta, Musical Charis

July 30 - Whiskey & Stitches
Final Summation, Bastards of Young

August 6 - The Golden Cadillacs
Light Rail, Johnny Guitar Knox & the Soothers

August 13 - The Brodys
The Phantom Jets, This Luxury

*Schedule is subject to change.

Produced by the DSP, the Concerts in the Park attract more than 4,500 fans every Friday night during the 15-week concert series. The event is presented by Budweiser and sponsored by Revolution Wines, CBS 13 and CW 31.

Disclosure: Article submitted by DSP Marketing Manager Jennifer Snyder

'End of Summer Fest' canceled

2009-09-03T21:52:50Z

Promoter Jerry Perry confirmed with The Sacramento Press Wednesday that the remaining three shows scheduled for End of Summer Fest have been canceled. According to Perry, the first two shows did not draw nearly enough people, resulting in a loss of money.

In fact, the shows were about 2000 people short for the event to even break even, Perry said. "Attendance was about half of what I call 'break even,'" he said. "[During Concerts in the Park] there were times when we had over three times as many people."

As a last ditch effort, Perry tried to relocate Friday's show featuring The Secretions to Old Ironsides, but the band declined the offer. The Secretions, a Sammie Lifetime Achievement Award-winning punk band who have been together since 1991, were to headline the show.

Secretions' fans, also known as "Secretins," can still catch the band this Saturday night when they will be premiering their music video for "Back in the Day Punk." Click here for information on the all-ages show at the Shire Road Club (5525 Auburn Blvd.), which also includes Aroarah, Flip the Switch, The Phantom Jets and DJ Rob Fatal.

"I can't continue to lose money [because] attendance is down," Perry said. He noted that the California State Fair is going on at the same time, but the State Fair has also been suffering from low weekday attendance.

Perry originally thought the low attendance on the first End of Summer Fest show was due to the show being held on a Furlough Friday. But last week's show lost money due to a low turnout as well, he explained.

"I'm surprised that even a free event wouldn't draw a crowd," he said. "I don't know what it was -- the State Fair, furloughs, hot Fridays [or if] people thought the event was over."

Perry confirmed that he will definitely continue Concerts in the Park and End of Summer Fest next year, but he plans to make some changes. Though he did not specify changes, he explained that Furlough Fridays are supposed to end by June 2010, and that may drive up attendance.

The Nickel Slots, who were scheduled to headline next week's show (Sept. 11), are still scheduled to be playing next week at Old Ironsides as part of a CD release party for their self-titled debut album. Fans can celebrate the album release and view opening bands King Cab and Golden Shoulders for $7 (click for details).

Jackpot, scheduled to headline the Sept. 18 show, currently has no shows or other upcoming performances scheduled.

The Sacramento Press was an official media partner with End of Summer Fest.

Photographs credit Sonny Mayugba. Photographs: Kai Kln headline the inaugural End of Summer Fest show.

Kai Kln to headline first End of Summer Fest concert

2009-08-21T04:40:53Z

"Unfortunately, I'm the idiot [who] came up with the world's worst f***ing band name," said Kai Kln drummer Neil Franklin. "It comes back to haunt me when I have to explain this name and try to pronounce it."

Kai Kln (pronounced "kai" as in "kaiser" and "klin, but ignore the vowel," Franklin said) formed in Carmichael and played its first gig in August 1989 at Southside Park. When the four-piece headlines the inaugural End of Summer Fest concert in Cesar Chavez Plaza, it will be the 20-year anniversary of the band's first performance.

Friday's concert, which is a continuation of Concerts in the Park, will also feature opening band Prieta, a 2009 Sammie award winner for best rock band. Prieta plays fast-paced rock 'n' roll, sounding like a cross between Led Zeppelin and Soundgarden.

Back in the late '80s before Scott Anderson, Neil Franklin, Sherman Loper and Gene Smith adopted it as their band name, "Kai Kln" was a character from a story Neil Franklin wrote in detention. "I had to do something in Saturday detention every week, so I started to write these stupid stories about this character I made up," he explained.

Despite having the "worst" name, in the first year that it existed, Kai Kln quickly made friends with Sacramento promoters Jerry Perry and Brian McKenna, both of whom found the band gigs. After opening for Primus, the band grew in popularity and began selling out gigs in Sacramento and all over Northern California.

By 1992, Kai Kln had already released three cassettes: Rhythm of the Strange, 1990; Hair of the Bud, 1991; and Vigoda, 1992. The songs featured punk and psychedelic rock with a grungy Seattle tint.

The band shared the stage with other big-name local acts such as Deftones, Cake and Oleander, and opened for rock legends such as Sublime, Bad Religion and Nirvana. However, at that point (June of 1991), said Franklin, "[Nirvana] were not the powerhouse they became."

In fact, Nirvana was opening for a larger band named Dinosaur Jr. The show took place at the Crest Theatre.

"Nirvana [consisted of] vegetarians, so we got to drink all their beer and eat all their food downstairs at the Crest," Franklin recalled. "That was my favorite part of playing with Nirvana."

"I still thought they had their first drummer from their Bleach album Chad Channing," he added. "It turned out to be Dave Grohl, and I was a huge fan of the punk band Scream that Grohl played with right before Nirvana. So we talked about Scream for a little while. He ran off chasing girls, and the rest is history."

But Kai Kln's successes didn't stop there. In 1992 the band became the first unsigned band to sell out the 975-seat Crest Theatre.

Lead singer Gene Smith had quit a number of times by 1993, with the other members talking him back into the band every time. But one day, "I just couldn't talk him back into it for some reason, but that's how s*** happens sometimes," Franklin explained.

The breakup lasted for two years, and then the band got back together in 1995, but it "wasn't as fun," Franklin admitted. "Everybody had kids at the time, and it took a shift: All of a sudden it just became a real job, and it's the job you think you want to have, but we got sick of each other I guess."

Kai Kln released another a album, The Matter of Things, in 1997 but played only sporadically from 1998 to 2000. Then the members didn't play any shows until 2007, when they reunited and started playing again on a tour that they named "The Grandpas of Rock Tour."

At Friday's concert, the members expect to bring back an old ritual that they haven't performed since their early years: having a drunk roadie introduce them while covered in costumes and props from thrift stores. An emcee named "Young Jimmy Telethon" will introduce the group to the crowd wearing a "wacky outfit," Franklin said.

Joining the band will also be local musicians Mike Farrell and Nicole Burdock, one of Smith's guitar students. Their set will be the band's first album Rhythm of the Strange, played front-to-back, plus a few extra songs they put on the tail end of the album for the CD re-release in 1995.

"It's the best damn gig in town," Franklin added, referring to Concerts in the Park/End of Summer Fest. "It's so much fun, there are so many people and the sound is great."

End of Summer Fest takes place at Cesar Chavez Plaza on 10th and J Streets from 5 to 9 p.m. every Friday through Sept. 18.

Photograph credits:

Photographs 1, 2 and 3 credit Ilsa Hess.

Photograph 4 credit Denise Wentzel Dunning

Photograph 5 credit Greg Savalin.

Photograph 6 credit Marc Malakie.

Sol Peligro to headline final Concert in the Park

2009-08-14T02:22:44Z

"People are probably going to give me [s***] about this," said Sol Peligro lead singer Sam Miranda. "Watching John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever [at] eight years old, I thought, 'This guy is cool.'"

Though his band Sol Peligro plays reggae-influenced cumbia music -- not disco -- Miranda points to this moment as the first time he knew he wanted to be in a band. Friday night, Sol Peligro will be headlining a Concert in the Park that includes Retrograde Revolution and La Noche Oskura (click links for MySpace).

Retrograde Revolution sounds like a Yellowman-influenced reggae/hip hop outfit, while La Noche Oskura combines punk and ska to sound like a Mexican Sublime.

Miranda formed Sol Peligro in 2004, a year after leaving his previous band, Raigambre, because he was going to be a father. Raigambre had been a success, winning a Sammie, his band mates often practicing up to four times per week.

As soon as Miranda found out that a baby was on the way, he left the band on good terms. It allowed the band to focus on music and allowed him to take a full-time job at a dental insurance company to prepare for the baby.

After 20 years of performing as a musician, Miranda reflected on why this was the wise choice. "Now I have a family to think about," he said.

"Music was a fun thing to do, [but] years ago I used to catch myself being bummed out about it," he added. "I was trying too hard to make it a living, and it took the fun out of it."

So when Miranda formed Sol Peligro, he vowed that the band would simply be in it for the fun. In the first year of its existence, he invited members of different Sacramento bands like Bucho, Sinclair and Filibuster to accompany him.

Once the band made a name for itself and recorded an album, Gritos de mi Pueblo, 2005, Miranda sought out more permanent members. One thing that all 10 of the current band members have in common is a full-time job.

Besides Miranda, the band features a four-piece horn section: two trumpets, sax and trombone. The rhythm section includes a keyboard player, two guitarists, a bass player, percussionist and drummer.

As for the band name, which translates literally to 'dangerous/threatening sun,' "it doesn't mean [anything], it's just a cool name," Miranda said. "It's just a name, so our music, and the content of our lyrics speak for what we stand for."

In 2006, the band won a Sammie for best World/Latin band. "That to me was cool; I contributed enough [to the music scene] that I got recognized," Miranda recalled.

Besides the Sammie, the biggest moment for the band so far was "doing a show at Harlow's with a group out of Texas called Grupo Fantasma," Miranda added. Grupo Fantasma occasionally backs Prince and was nominated for a Grammy earlier this year.

Miranda said he is happy to be playing the last Concert in the Park for the season, but equally excited for the End of Summer Festival, which will continue for the next five Fridays in Cesar Chavez Plaza.

"I saw the lineup and I [thought], 'Oh yeah, that's frickin' great,'" he said. "It's a great opportunity for people to get in there, and it's a great venue, especially for somebody who's starting out."

Friday Night Concerts in the Park take place at Cesar Chavez Plaza on 10th and J Streets from 5 to 9 p.m. every Friday until Aug. 14. The season continues as "The End of Summer Fest" at Cesar Chavez Plaza every Friday night from Aug. 21 through Sept. 18.

Don't forget that your Friday night festivities continue if you show your wristband to one of the following businesses:

Brew it Up!: $4 drafts, Bacardi, Jack Daniels and 3 Olives cocktails, plus half-price appetizers

Fuzio Universal Bistro: $3 drafts, $5 martinis, plus a selection of $3 appetizers

Marilyn's on K: $1 off well drinks, $3 draft Bud Light

Parlare Euro Lounge: $3 domestic beers, $5 wine, $4 assorted appetizers

Pyramid Alehouse: $2 pints of Curveball

Sofia on 11th: $3 drafts, $4 wines, $4 wells and and half-price appetizers

Table 260: Half off appetizer menu, 10 percent off dinner, $5 drink special on Sac Soul

Toppingz Pizza inside Image Lounge: $2.50 Bud and Bud Light, $4 Jack Daniels, appetizers starting at $1

Sheraton Grand Hotel's PMB Bar: $3.50 Bud and Bud Light (bottle or draft), $5 nachos or artichoke dip

Amourath Lounge at Hyatt: $1 off Bud, Bud Light and all appetizers

Citizen Hotel: $99/night weekend rate for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in a deluxe king, queen or dual-double-bedroom. This deal is exclusively for the Concerts in the Park, and for information on how to book the room, call 916-447-2700.

photograph credit Stephen Bingen

Concerts in the Park: Rowdy Kate to headline

2009-08-07T03:06:48Z

"Country" music means different things to different people. To Rowdy Kate lead singer Keri Carr, it means feeling at home.

She recalled that during her childhood, her father was a cowboy who rode horses and bulls and listened to country music. After her parents divorced, Carr and her mother moved away, distancing her from her father.

"I missed him a lot when I was growing up," she explained. "It feels like home to me when I sing country music."

Friday night, Rowdy Kate will bring the "back home" country spirit to Concerts in the Park. The band will headline a show that also includes Hellbound Glory and Flounder (click links for MySpace). Hellbound Glory members describe themselves as, a "scumbag country" band that "builds on the roots of honky tonk, bluegrass, rockabilly, and outlaw country." Flounder plays a diverse style of indie rock.

Keri Carr spent her youth moving around with her mother from San Francisco to Ohio, Virginia and Spain before settling in Sacramento in 1990. Her mother taught her how to sing, and was the biggest influence on her singing, Carr said.

"With my mom, I sing rancheras and boleros, and those are representative of my mom's side of the family, which I was distanced from in my upbringing as well," she explained.

Ever since her childhood days, Carr's second creative passion was always hair. She remembers as a young girl always wanting to "fix" people's hair. In 2006 she opened Honey Salon, 818 19th St., where she and her mother have been styling hair ever since. She even styles hair for local music celebrities like Jerry Perry and Kate Gaffney.

"Nick Swimly, the guitarist for the Golden Cadillacs and Hellbound Glory, has got really fun hair," she noted.

Also in 2006, she started Rowdy Kate with her husband Larry Carr, who originally played bass, but now plays drums. The two set out to play rockabilly, but the band naturally moved in a more country direction.

Lead guitarist Geoff Miller, rhythm guitarist Robert Sidwell and bassist Dave Garrity round out the band. Aside from originals that Carr and Miller write, the band covers "old school" country tunes from artists like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Graham Parsons and Buck Owens, Carr said.

So far, the band has recorded an EP and plans to record a full-length album. The members will schedule their second tour of Europe for sometime in the next year.

A highlight of Rowdy Kate's career so far has been playing Concerts in the Park, Carr explained. "If Jerry Perry likes us, it feels like validation," she added.

The band members said they look forward to Concerts in the Park every year. This will be their third year playing the show.

"It's really different playing in a club where there's two people not even paying attention to you, as opposed to a park where there's hundreds of people all cheering for you," Carr added. "Sacramento should really support Jerry Perry extending Concerts in the Park because he's done so much for the music scene in the town."

Friday Night Concerts in the Park take place at Cesar Chavez Plaza on 10th and J streets from 5 to 9 p.m. every Friday until Aug. 14.

Don't forget that your Friday night festivities continue if you show your wristband to one of the following businesses:

Brew it Up!: $4 drafts, Bacardi, Jack Daniels and 3 Olives cocktails, plus half-price appetizers

Fuzio Universal Bistro: $3 drafts, $5 martinis, plus a selection of $3 appetizers

Marilyn's on K: $1 off well drinks, $3 draft Bud Light

Parlare Euro Lounge: $3 domestic beers, $5 wine, $4 assorted appetizers

Pyramid Alehouse: $2 pints of Curveball

Sofia on 11th: $3 drafts, $4 wines, $4 wells and and half-price appetizers

Table 260: Half off appetizer menu, 10 percent off dinner, $5 drink special on Sac Soul

Toppingz Pizza inside Image Lounge: $2.50 Bud and Bud Light, $4 Jack Daniels, appetizers starting at $1

Sheraton Grand Hotel's PMB Bar: $3.50 Bud and Bud Light (bottle or draft), $5 nachos or artichoke dip

Amourath Lounge at Hyatt: $1 off Bud, Bud Light and all appetizers

Concerts in the Park continues as "The End of Summer Fest" at Cesar Chavez Plaza every Friday night from August 21 through September 18.

Concerts in the Park: The Brodys bringing props to the plaza

2009-07-30T17:28:35Z

The Brodys bring more than musical instruments to their Concerts in the Park shows: They also bring props. They like to up the entertainment value of their shows by bringing a little something extra.

One year, they brought a fake 30-foot shark to go with a beach theme. Another year they brought in a Brodys cover band who played the band's instruments while the group listened from the beer garden.

Once, they brought the entire Cal Aggie Marching Band to play a song with them.

"Every year we raise the bar for ourselves; we can't just go back to showing up and playing," said The Brodys' lead singer Tony Brusca. "People coming out will get good music and chuckles, too."

This year they will spend a little extra money building a homemade set out of plywood and paint. "People will not be disappointed," Brusca said, though he did not add any details on what else the set included.

The Brodys will play their 13th Concert in the Park on Friday and will be the headlining band. Opening will be Goodness Gracious Me and The Broken Poet (click links for MySpace).

Goodness Gracious Me plays an indie-garage style rock, while The Broken Poet plays a mixture of piano-based rock.

The Brodys formed in Sacramento in 1994 as a pop-punk rock band. They released their debut album in 1996, playing a number of local shows to support it. In one standout show, they played Old Ironsides with Oleander and Matchbox 20. Then opportunity knocked.

They were invited to open for Cake at Concerts in the Park 12 years ago. Since then the five-piece has played Cesar Chavez Plaza almost 20 times.

"After Jerry [Perry, Concerts in the Park promoter] gave us the opportunity to open up for Cake, people knew who we were," Brusca said. "That [show] put us on the map."

Their 1998 album Goody Goody garnered positive reviews in The Sacramento Bee. Their regional hit "Toss," from an untitled EP released in 1999, was the most requested song on KWOD 106.5 for a month.

Success continued in December 1999 when they played Arco Arena with Incubus, Foo Fighters and 311. In 2001, the band's music was featured on an animated MTV show called "Undergrads."

But after their latest albums, Unexamined Life, 2001, and Stuck in 2005, the band had to change their pace. They were tired of sacrificing everything and making the band priority number one, Brusca said.

"We came to a crossroad where we needed to either reevaluate priorities or call it a day," Brusca explained. "We were a little bit older, some of the guys had families, and being in a local band trying to make it [big] is grueling."

The band decided to continue, but to tone back the schedule. That way the band could keep playing the music they loved while keeping day jobs and families.

"A lot of people ask us why we haven't made it like Cake, Oleander or Papa Roach -- the people around when we started who all made it," Brusca said. "[But] we consider ourselves as having made it."

The band still enjoys one another's company, he added, and have a local following of devoted fans.

"[If we were asked] to tour with Green Day next summer, we would think pretty closely about that, but those days are behind us," Brusca added. "Right now we're just enjoying jobs, kids and life."

Friday Night Concerts in the Park take place at Cesar Chavez Plaza on 10th and J Streets from 5 to 9 p.m. every Friday until Aug. 14.

Don't forget that your Friday night festivities continue if you show your wristband to one of the following businesses:

Brew it Up!: $4 drafts, Bacardi, Jack Daniels and 3 Olives cocktails, plus half-price appetizers

Fuzio Universal Bistro: $3 drafts, $5 martinis, plus a selection of $3 appetizers

Marilyn's on K: $1 off well drinks, $3 draft Bud Light

Parlare Euro Lounge: $3 domestic beers, $5 wine, $4 assorted appetizers

Pyramid Alehouse: $2 pints of Curveball

Sofia on 11th: $3 drafts, $4 wines, $4 wells and and half-price appetizers

Table 260: Half off appetizer menu, 10 percent off dinner, $5 drink special on Sac Soul

Toppingz Pizza inside Image Lounge: $2.50 Bud and Bud Light, $4 Jack Daniels, appetizers starting at $1

Sheraton Grand Hotel's PMB Bar: $3.50 Bud and Bud Light (bottle or draft), $5 nachos or artichoke dip

Amourath Lounge at Hyatt: $1 off Bud, Bud Light and all appetizers

Citizen Hotel: $99/night weekend rate for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in a deluxe king, queen or dual-double-bedroom. This deal is exclusively for the Concerts in the Park, and for information on how to book the room, call 916-447-2700.

*photographs courtesy The Brodys

Concerts in the Park: Baby Grand headlining

2009-07-23T20:42:11Z

If Baby Grand keeps their current lineup and releases an album this year, it will be a huge first for the band. It will be the first time one of their albums shares the same lineup as their current gigging band.

This Friday at Cesar Chavez Plaza, Baby Grand will bring their most solid unit ever: a six-piece playing mellow organic pop. Opening for them will be Dog Party, The Poplollys and Ricky Berger.

Dog Party is a duo consisting of 11- and 13-year-old sisters who play original songs and covers on drums and guitar. The Poplollys are a local trio who play Americana style country, while another favorite, multi-instrumentalist Ricky Berger, sings mellow folk music.

Baby Grand first formed back in 1999 by husband and wife Tim and Gerri White. Once a power-pop/punk band, their sound has been getting progressively softer.

"At the point that I joined on guitar, we sort of took the band in a different direction," said Cory Vick, who has been with the band since 2004. "We're still a pop band lyrically, but structurally it's much more acoustic-based, folk-pop kind of stuff."

Vick admitted that the band has struggled to keep a steady lineup, but he's proud that the band's current lineup is the strongest they've ever had.

Vick, who has been the guitarist for Baby Grand on their last two EPs, did not appear on their first album back in 2002. But he's excited about the new album, which consists of twelve songs, because having a steady band means being able to concentrate on recording, he said.

"[The upcoming recording] is the first time we've actually really captured what we sound like live," he added. "[By recording this] it's the first time it feels like a real band."

By bringing down the volume, and learning to use dynamics in composing music, the band has been able to feature Gerri White's soft but soulful voice. "We're not louder, but I think our sound is actually bigger," Vick said.

He's also excited about playing Concerts in the Park to reach a new audience. "It's [going to be a] mix of state workers who get off work in their office attire, your downtown street people and younger kids," he said.

The band has played shows with the other acts before, and they've become friends. "I think while all four bands are different musically, anybody who would come to this show would find something appealing in all four bands," he said.

Friday Night Concerts in the Park take place at Cesar Chavez Plaza on 10th and J streets from 5 to 9 p.m. every Friday until Aug. 14.

Don't forget that your Friday night festivities continue if you show your wristband to one of the following businesses:

Brew it Up!: $4 drafts, Bacardi, Jack Daniels and 3 Olives cocktails, plus half-price appetizers

Fuzio Universal Bistro: $3 drafts, $5 martinis, plus a selection of $3 appetizers

Marilyn's on K: $1 off well drinks, $3 draft Bud Light

Parlare Euro Lounge: $3 domestic beers, $5 wine, $4 assorted appetizers

Pyramid Alehouse: $2 pints of Curveball

Sofia on 11th: $3 drafts, $4 wines, $4 wells and and half-price appetizers

Table 260: Half off appetizer menu, 10 percent off dinner, $5 drink special on Sac Soul

Toppingz Pizza inside Image Lounge: $2.50 Bud and Bud Light, $4 Jack Daniels, appetizers starting at $1

Sheraton Grand Hotel's PMB Bar: $3.50 Bud and Bud Light (bottle or draft), $5 nachos or artichoke dip

Amourath Lounge at Hyatt: $1 off Bud, Bud Light and all appetizers

Citizen Hotel: $99/night weekend rate for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in a deluxe king, queen or dual-double-bedroom. This deal is exclusively for the Concerts in the Park, and for information on how to book the room, call (916) 447-2700.

*photographs credit Ted Angel

Concerts in the Park: The Snobs headline

2009-07-16T04:25:12Z

Leading a band is like managing a kitchen, according to Jason Boggs. As both executive chef of The Shady Lady and lead singer of The Snobs, Boggs is qualified to make the analogy.

"A lot of the same stuff that goes on in a kitchen goes on in a band on tour: drinking, bad tempers and egos to worry about," Boggs said. "You're trying to make a group of guys work together and most of the time they're misfits not [fit] for regular society."

In order for the "misfits" to form a cohesive band, The Snobs created rules. Boggs, who played saxophone for local ska/reggae band Filibuster, was banned from playing saxophone.

"It was the other guys in the band protecting themselves from me [playing reggae]," he said of the ban. "But it's worked out great, and the sound has transformed."

Now, after picking up the saxophone again for The Snobs, Boggs also plays the instrument for the more jazz-oriented band Syncro, who played Concerts in the Park June 12.

Boggs will play saxophone and sing this Friday when The Snobs headline the show. Opening are The No Goodniks, Phantom Jets and The Cockfight Kings, all rock 'n' roll bands. (Click links for MySpace)

The Cockfight Kings have a more rockabilly-influenced set, while the Phantom Jets play surf and garage-inspired rock. "Girlie female vocals" give the The No Goodniks a fun pop punk sound, says Laura Winn of the Examiner.

"It's a blast," Boggs says of Concerts in the Park. "It's about the community, and playing on a badass sound system with a whole lot of people watching you."

Back in 2002, The Snobs formed as a straightforward Rock and Roll band. Upbeats, guitar scratches, and reggae of any kind were banned.

For nearly two years, Boggs sang, but never picked up the sax.

This lasted all the way up through the band's first album, Stepping Large, Laughing Easy, 2004. After constantly being bombarded by questions of "where is the horn?", he picked it up again.

"Being in a rock/punk band, it sets us apart because it's unusual to have a horn," he said. "It adds a dimension - the horn is like a bridge, [allowing] all ages to like our music."

The Snobs are currently recording their second full-length album at Track Shack in Sacramento. Because it's being produced by Jeff Tamelier (Huey Lewis, Eddie Money), it has more of a 1980s sound.

For the album, due in September, the band rerecorded two songs from the first album. They've also updated them, adding saxophone.

Friday Night Concerts in the Park take place at Cesar Chavez Plaza on 10th and J Streets from 5-9 p.m. every Friday until August 14.

Don't forget that your Friday night festivities continue if you show your wristband to one of the following businesses:

Brew it Up!: $4 drafts, Bacardi, Jack Daniels and 3 Olives cocktails, plus half-price appetizers

Fuzio Universal Bistro: $3 drafts, $5 martinis, plus a selection of $3 appetizers

Marilyn's on K: $1 off well drinks, $3 draft Bud Light

Parlare Euro Lounge: $3 domestic beers, $5 wine, $4 assorted appetizers

Pyramid Alehouse: $2 pints of Curveball

Sofia on 11th: $3 drafts, $4 wines, $4 wells and half-price appetizers

Table 260: Half off appetizer menu, 10 percent off dinner, $5 drink special on Sac Soul

Toppingz Pizza inside Image Lounge: $2.50 Bud and Bud Light, $4 Jack Daniels, appetizers starting at $1

Sheraton Grand Hotel's PMB Bar: $3.50 Bud and Bud Light (bottle or draft), $5 nachos or artichoke dip

Amourath Lounge at Hyatt: $1 off Bud, Bud Light and all appetizers

Citizen Hotel: $99/night weekend rate for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in a deluxe king, queen or dual-double-bed room. This deal is exclusively for the Concerts in the Park, and for information on how to book the room, call 916-447-2700.

Photo is credit Marc Kallweit

Concerts in the Park: Golden Shoulders light it up Friday

2009-07-02T16:08:53Z

Golden Shoulders is a "breakup-proof" band. That's because it consists of Adam Kline and whatever friends are standing near him at any given time.

In the past eight years, there have been 48 part-time collaborators, including former members of local bands Cake and Hella, as well as local singer Joanna Newsom. But one time, it was just Kline.

Headlining Concert in the Park Friday night, Golden Shoulders will be a four-piece. The concert also features openers Radio Orangevale, Jeepster and Trainwreck Revival (click links for MySpace pages).

Back in 2001, Kline formed Golden Shoulders with his friends from Nevada City. Since then they've recorded three albums and one EP, toured the U.S., and have been featured on college radio stations around the country.

"It was fun learning that Jeremy Piven was a fan of the band," Kline replied, when asked about the band's greatest moment. "It was amazing playing shows with heroes of mine like Jonathan Richman, Brendan Benson, and Glenn Tilbrook (of Squeeze)," he added.

Earlier this year, the band released Get Reasonable, which mixes Dylan-esque folk lyrics with The Decemberists' indie-pop sound. But their true style is hard to pin.

Different producers worked on different songs, and the resulting album is a smorgasbord of sound. "I just eased my grip on the reins a little bit and let other producers come in and have their way with some of the songs," Kline said.

Friday marks the fourth time Golden Shoulders has played Concerts in the Park.

"It's fun, strange and a great opportunity to check out the latest in arrhythmic interpretive dance moves," says Kline. "It's a good time, and an opportunity to be heard by people who wouldn't hear us otherwise."

Those who cannot get enough of Golden Shoulders can see them play a second gig right after the show. The band will joined by Cowboy Killers and Whiskey Gentlemen for a 21-and-over show at Old Ironsides.

Located at 1901 10th St., the show begins at 9 p.m., and costs $7. Kline said, "We will be playing a completely different set than we'll play in the park."

Friday Night Concerts in the Park take place at Cesar Chavez Plaza on 10th and J Streets from 5-9 p.m. every Friday until August 14.

Don't forget that your Friday night festivities continue if you show your wristband to one of the following businesses:

Brew it Up!: $4 drafts, Bacardi, Jack Daniels and 3 Olives cocktails, plus half-price appetizers

Fuzio Universal Bistro: $3 drafts, $5 martinis, plus a selection of $3 appetizers

Marilyn's on K: $1 off well drinks, $3 draft Bud Light

Parlare Euro Lounge: $3 domestic beers, $5 wine, $4 assorted appetizers

Pyramid Alehouse: $2 pints of Curveball

Sofia on 11th: $3 drafts, $4 wines, $4 wells and and half-price appetizers

Table 260: Half off appetizer menu, 10 percent off dinner, $5 drink special on Sac Soul

Toppingz Pizza inside Image Lounge: $2.50 Bud and Bud Light, $4 Jack Daniels, appetizers starting at $1

Sheraton Grand Hotel's PMB Bar: $3.50 Bud and Bud Light (bottle or draft), $5 nachos or artichoke dip

Amourath Lounge at Hyatt: $1 off Bud, Bud Light and all appetizers

Citizen Hotel: $99/night weekend rate for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in a deluxe king, queen or dual-double-bed room. This deal is exclusively for the Concerts in the Park, and for information on how to book the room, call 916-447-2700.

*photograph courtesy Brook Rivera