Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "club"

Punch Line Teaching Us to Laugh at Ourselves

2012-02-03T05:12:22Z

“Laugh at yourself first before anyone else can.”

Sure, those words were written over five decades ago by gossip columnist Elsa Maxwell, but they still ring true in every comedy club today.

The ten talented comedians who performed at the Punch Line Comedy Club Wednesday night showed how self-depreciation can be one of the most entertaining elements of the show.

Stand-up comedians are notorious for having the gift of somehow making all things taboo sound hilarious, and there certainly was no shortage of racial insults and sexual innuendos directed at each other as well as the audience members. A few of them poked fun at a friendly couple sitting up front who shared that they had been dating for 43 years. The comedians used the fact that they have never been married (and just about everything else they said) as goofy improvisational material.

Many of the performers were African-American and were having a great time referencing racial stereotypes as they celebrated the beginning of Black History Month.

Tristan Johnson talked about growing up in a rough gang neighborhood and referred to himself as "hoodie-two-shoes."

The very animated Andre Bailey took the stage afterward and focused more of his jokes on cigarettes and weed. He sent out a humorous plea for the audience to pray for him in his endeavor to quit smoking marijuana and mentioned one of his recent conversations with God. "Father, as soon as you stop growing it, I quit!"

Eight more witty and vulgar men (including host Lance Woods) and women took the stage to share odd pieces of their lives that most, if not all, patrons in the room found hysterical.

The show included everything from Daniel Humberger taking pride in what he called ”high-brow toilet humor: poop jokes that make you think" and his ideas for chloroform towelettes, to Gina Ritter sharing her recent dating and sexual adventures and her disdain for large mustaches.

"I would rather give CPR to a dead ferret than kiss someone with a Tom Selleck mustache," she giggled.

Each and every comedian had something clever and unique to add to the show. Steve Danner, the only little person at the event, said he could beat Black History Month with December, which is the official month for little people as well as breast cancer awareness.

"What puts more smiles on peoples' faces than dwarves and boobies?" he asked.

With every jab they made at each other and themselves, they seemed to also promote a sense of mutual respect and admiration.

Seems that laughing at oneself makes everyone laugh right along with you.

Le Butcherettes

2011-09-23T19:01:38Z

Scanning the Harlow’s crowd an hour or so before Le Butcherettes were slated for the stage, you would have found lead singer Terri Gender Bender leaning against a large pillar, her small foot tapping in rhythm with the hard drumming coming from Diciembre Gris, the second opener.

This small metronome action would have been the only outgoing behavior exhibited by Terri, who, off stage, seems quiet, docile and introverted. When approached by fans or curious bystanders, Terri offered the same genuine smile and sweet responses, a reaction surprisingly different from what you would expect to come from a bawdy woman known for her bloody apron uniform.

That is until Ms. Gender Bender got on stage. Quite quickly, drummer Gabe Serbian, bass player Jonathan Hischke and frontwoman Terri Gender Bender transformed what was a quiet, table-seated night at Harlow’s into a frantic mosh pit and interactive musical rock-out.

"Performing lets me get all the demons out,” Terri said.

Her theatrical, but authentic performance included aggressive thrashing about, numerous acrobatic attempts and playing the “trust fall” game where Terri without hesitation, lunged forward, backward, and upside down onto the crowd multiple times.

This dual persona is exactly what Terri tries to express through her artistic project.

“I want to show this shift — the change from domestic housewife who is silent and sweet and who spends her time cleaning the kitchen to this breaking of all feminine duties, to this raging animal release!” Terri said, breaking into Spanish to better express herself.

Jumping off stage wasn’t Terri’s only public interaction. After running through the crowd, singing and shouting, Terri ran out the front door, straight into oncoming traffic on busy J Street, hailing cars and drawing the crowd out behind her. The first car to stop was the Sacramento Police.

A few dance moves and a mad dash back inside, Terri was back on stage with the crowd short on her heels.Soon enough, Terri’s singing was interrupted as she was asked to come outside.

“Umm, sorry, but the police force wants to have a few words with me. Please hold on,” Terri heavily breathed into the microphone.

Minutes passed, and still Terri remained outside, time enough that concerned band members Serbian and Hischke alarmingly shuffled outside too. Onlookers gawked, traffic stopped, and fans shared their frustration.

“C’mon, its artistic expression!” one female yelled.

Eventually Terri was allowed to return to her guitar. Without any sign of anger, she convinced patrons that we should thank the police.

“They look after us and our health,” she said. And then led a screaming frenzy which morphed into possessed rag-doll dancing and spit spraying, scenes only a little short from “The Exorcist.”

But Le Butcherette’s offered a variety of musical compositions. A few, select pieces started slow, with seductive, stand-alone, eerie vocals. But they didnt last long, blasted unexpectedly by fast drums and loud guitars. The energetic ups and downs only added to the musical intensity put on by the trio.

Long-time admirer, Adrienne Beatty shared, “She’s just so nice and sweet. But up there [on stage], its surprising how empowering she is! You get a sense that this is a strong woman-led band.”

Le Butcherettes strong talent has put them on tour with extremely well-know musicians, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Deftones, Iggy and the Stooges, and currently, The Flaming Lips.

“They all are really, really great people. Its been amazing to tour with them. But maybe my favorite has been Deftones. They were just so nice, offering us coffee and joints,” Terri shared bashfully.

Applause goes out to I’m Dirty Too and Diciembre Gris who played alongside Le Butcherettes evening performance.

Catch Le Butcherettes again when they come back to northern Californian this December. In the meantime, head over to Harlow's to see the next fine bands in line.

Law enforcement, firefighters box for charity

2011-08-22T05:31:59Z

Law enforcement and correctional officers, military personnel and a firefighter went toe to toe in the boxing ring Saturday night, raising money for charity in the Battle of the Badges Fight Series: Road to the Championship.

Held in the intimate courtyard setting of Liquid Nightclub in Citrus Heights, the well-attended event benefitted charities including the Armed Forces Foundation, Firefighters Burn Institute and Sacramento Sheriff's Toy Project.

Battle of the Badges Fight Series events are a lead-up to the title fight at Battle of the Badges VIII. Last year's Battle of the Badges VII was held in August at Memorial Auditorium.

All bouts had a three-round limit, and on the card Saturday were 10 preliminary matches and one main event, featuring heavyweights Bryan Williams (Fresno PD) vs. Mike Gomez (CDC-CSP Sac).

Highlights of the evening for the crowd included a lights-out KO of David Richardson (CDC Solano) by Chris McElroy (CDC CSP Sac) and a brutal pummeling of Mike Hernandez (El Cerrito PD) by Noel Montes (CDC-CCPOA) that went the full three rounds and left Hernandez's face covered in blood.

All boxers were ranked by the United Combat Association and the matches were officiated by the California State Athletic Commission. Visit the Battle of the Badges website for information on upcoming bouts.

Fight results:

1. Brent Burkhart (CDC-DVI) defeated Gary Mungia (Army)

2. Jed McNamara (Dept of ABC) defeated Jose Hermosillo (Williams PD)

3. Dru McDonald (Sac Fire) defeated Craig Hamblin (CDC Solano)

4. Fracnsico Flores (Stanislaus County Sheriff) defeated Neil Tremethick (Army)

5. Brenden Reavis (CPS) defeated Javier Banuelos (CDC CSP-Sac)

6. Ruben Jones (CHP) defeated Eduardo Barajas (Williams PD)

7. James Davis (CDC-Folsom) defeated Craig Colosimo (CDC - Mule Creek)

8. Chris McElroy (CDC CSP Sac) defeated David Richardson (CDC Solano)

9. Chris Martinez (Avenal PD) defeated Orlando Rivera (Border Patrol)

10. Noel Montes (CDC CCPOA) defeated Mike Hernandez (El Cerrito PD)

11. Bryan Williams (Fresno PD) defeated Mike Gomez (CDC CSP Sac)

All images copyright: Steven Chea

Ace of Spades gets "Jane Fonda" lesson

2011-06-20T04:33:02Z

Hollywood sleaze-rapper Mickey Avalon performed for a huge crowd of die-hard fans at Ace of Spades Friday night, whipping the young crowd into a lustful frenzy with his provocative sing-along raps.

Folsom rap duo Ill Effect kicked the show off with some tight rhymes and beats, sounding the best as they flowed over B.o.B's well-known hit "Airplanes," featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore.

After a 30-minute delay that had everyone wondering what exactly was going on, rapper Ty$ (Ty Dolla Sign) took the stage. Unfortunately there was nothing spectacular in his short set that made up for the long wait. Highlights included some call-and-response about which side of the crowd was louder and boasting about how one of his songs was "everywhere" (it's not).

Next up was L.A. hip-hop/pop group The Divine, who put forward the effort but didn't quite hit the mark for the Sac crowd, getting booed and inciting chants of "Mickey! Mickey!" in between songs.

"His voice was too high,” Folsom resident Andrea Wilson said of vocalist Shane Gelinas. “It sounded like Backstreet Boys behind a beat.”

With a seedy backstory straight off an “E! True Hollywood Story” episode – former male prostitute, ex-junkie and teen pot dealer – Avalon has a lot of interesting experiences to draw from for his rhymes.

He ran through several of his super catchy party raps: "So Rich, So Pretty," "Jane Fonda,” "Mr. Right" and "My Dick," accompanied on stage by his scantily clad dancer, Jillian, who turned out to be extremely flexible.

In addition to his filthy sex appeal, Avalon's strong points are his unique flow, hooky beats and sing-along lyrics: "One, two, three, four/ Get your booty on the dance floor/ Work it out, shake it, little mama/ Let me see you do the Jane Fonda."

Drugs, booze, sex – it's all there. Shirtless and sometimes chugging a bottle of wine, Avalon oozed sexuality as he slinked his way across the stage, using his salacious glances and pelvic gyrations to start a bra collection on stage.

"I like his raw style,” said Frank Cornwall, who traveled to the show from Grass Valley with some family and friends. “He's one of those guys who sings what he wants to sing and doesn't care who he pisses off. He's like a combination of Eminem and Snoop Dogg: smooth and rude."

And for all his bawdy raps, Avalon is actually a soft-spoken, friendly guy and loves his fans. After the show, he stayed until every last person could get a picture taken with him or get their breasts signed.

It's no wonder why they love him back.

Photos by Steven Chea

Party at Harlow's with Foster the People

2011-06-04T06:24:23Z

You know that song with the can't-get-it-out-of-your-head whistling called "Young Folks" by Peter Bjorn and John that people seem to either love or hate?

Los Angeles band Foster the People has a comparable track called "Pumped Up Kicks" – a sing-along with a cheery melody and dark lyrics about youth gun violence – that has the same effect.

Polarizing song? For sure.

One-hit wonder band? It doesn't look like it.

Without seeming like they had anything to prove, the young group with more buzz than a beehive let its music speak for itself for a sold-out crowd at Harlow's Thursday night.

Support act The Chain Gang of 1974 (aka Kamtin Mohager) from Denver came ready to warm up the crowd with solid post-punk and new wave stylings. Imagine The Bravery writing an album after watching a 24-hour John Hughes marathon.

The Chain Gang had played Sacramento before, and things were a little different this time around.

"The last time we played here was at a pizza place in front of two people," Mohager told the packed house, referencing a November 2010 show at Luigi's Slice Fungarden.

Foster the People is vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mark Foster, bassist and backing vocalist Cubbie Fink and drummer Mark Pontius. Originally called Foster & the People, the new name stuck after the original was misheard enough times and the band warmed to the image it invoked of "taking care" of the people.

The synth-enhanced dance-rock music and Foster's falsetto draw comparisons to Passion Pit and MGMT, but they still find a way to project an identity and make their broad pop sound unique. It took about an hour for the band to run through all 11 songs on their recently released debut album, “Torches”.

Although you would have no problem throwing on “Torches” as the soundtrack to your summer pool party, the songs come alive and breathe when performed live. A track like "Broken Jaw" really shines when performed live, allowing Foster to demonstrate his vocal range and making at least one person in the crowd turn to his friend with his own jaw dropped in amazement as soon as it was over.

The band members had fun as they rotated on instruments throughout the show, taking turns on the various synths and energetically banging on the stand-up bass drum. Can't go wrong with a tastefully used Apache war drum.

Throw in some yellow maracas and a drunk blonde in a black dress from the audience dancing on stage, and you have yourself a very satisfying, high-energy soiree.

With sold-out shows as they tour through October, upcoming performances at huge music festivals (Lollapalooza, ACL Music Festival) and iTunes love ("Helena Beat" was the Free Single last week), expect Foster the People to keep the party going for a while.

Photos by Steven Chea

Japan XOXO: Dance for Japan

2011-04-27T23:53:20Z

Looking for something to do this Friday night? Put on your dancing shoes, head over to the Blue Lamp, and support a good cause! Japan XOXO is a benefit dance party, with all profits from the door going to the American Red Cross. Join local DJs Shaun Slaughter, Adam J, Sam I Jam, and Taylor Cho as they do what they love to support an amazing cause.

Feel like you could do more about Japan's dire situation? Feel helpless? Japan XOXO offers a very easy solution: COME DANCE.

Expect an evening of fun house, bouncy house, hip house, topsy turvy techno, treacherous techno, and some fun indie stuff mixed in the middle keeping the party going all damn night.

Plus, enjoy drink specials all night--$3 well drinks & $3.50 PBRs.

Feel like giving more? Do it! It's never too late (or too early) to help a good cause.

Specifics:
When: Friday, April 29, 2011, 10pm-2am
Where: Blue Lamp Lounge, 1400 Alhambra Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $5 (all proceeds from cover costs go to American Red Cross)
Age: 21+

Man on the Street: Where in Sacramento would you never want to take your parents?

2011-04-11T21:37:32Z

We all have parents. But while many may love and appreciate their mothers and fathers, there are just some things not meant to be shared between parents and children.

The Sacramento Press recently posed the question, “Where in Sacramento would you never want to take your parents,” to individuals at Westfield Downtown Plaza. After speaking to some fellow Sacramentans, the most common response was nightlife activities.

Kevin Watson, 29, lives downtown and works as a graphic designer. He said he thought taking his dad to a club could get pretty weird. “I wouldn’t want to take my dad to Faces (Nightclub). That place is pretty crazy, and it would just be really awkward if he got hit on while I was there.”

A number of people felt a club was a good place not to take their parents. A couple of individuals even specified strip clubs. Joe Morales, 21, who works as a gold buyer for Gold Rush at the mall, said, “I would never take my parents to a strip club. That’s just uncomfortable and real awkward!”

Whitney Phillips, 23, head cashier at Forever 21 who lives in Sacramento, also said she wouldn’t want to take her mom to a club, adding “She’s just kinda old and it would be embarrassing.”

Malwina Wnorowska, 23, a third-year student majoring in managerial economics at UC Davis, had a very specific answer.

“I would never want to take my parents to Cal Expo during Halloween. They host the Exotic Erotic Zone Ball. I don’t think my parents would want to see that, and I don’t want to give them a heart attack. But then again, maybe they’d like it...”

Despite a number of responses keeping parents away from potentially risque scenes or just away from their social lives in general, a few people noted they don’t go anywhere they wouldn’t take their parents.

Actress Bridggett Bess, who lives Midtown, said, “My parents are pretty open-minded. I think I could take them anywhere and be OK.”

Tell us where in Sacramento you would never take your parents in the comment section below.

Downed tree injures one and damages vehicles

2011-03-21T02:53:02Z

Sacramento, CA | Club goers leaving a local club escape fallen tree incident with minor injures and damaged vehicles.

Late Saturday night, as Azukar Lounge at 16th Street and J Street was winding down and club goers filled the parking lot heading to their cars, a large tree collapsed landing on one occupied, damaging others and pinned a female to the ground. Several bistanders worked together to get the tree off the girl as resue crews responded. The victim was transported to the hospital via paramedics with minor injures.

Occupants of the vehicle struck by the tree were unharmed and able to exit the vehicle without further incident.

For more weather impact photos and stories, CLICK HERE>>>

To stay on top of current weather conditions, CLICK HERE>>>

Interview with Above The City guitarist Simon Pesely

2011-02-19T01:49:16Z

On the heels of an inaugural show last week featuring Rob Zombie, the first "all locals" show at new music venue Ace of Spades goes down Saturday. SacShows Presents: Soundcheck will feature performances by local bands Ten After Two, Carcerys Vale, Batten Down Your Heart, Above The City, The Winter Formal, City of Kings, and Oneira.

Above The City is a relatively young, currently unsigned band made up of members Davey Sparks (vocals), Simon Pesely (guitar), Taylor Whitehurst (guitar), Zack Lee (drums) and Toby Hart (bass).

The Sacramento Press recently spoke with Pesely, 21, about being in an up-and-coming band in Sacramento.

How did Above The City get started?

We started about nine months ago. I believe it was March of 2010. Taylor and I initially got together and started jamming, and then Davey came into the picture, and and we played with Zach, and then we had another guy on the bass. Things got more serious, so we brought our friend Toby in, and he's been with us virtually from the start as well.

Where does the name Above The City come from?

The name was Taylor's idea. It doesn't have any real particular meaning aside from the fact that it was just a name we really dug, and it was rare and unique and we liked it for that fact, and it just caught on. And it's a simple nickname, and the abbreviation is ATC.

ATC flows well.

Yeah, exactly. It's easy to remember.

How long have you been playing guitar?

I've been playing guitar for about two years now. I initially started out playing the drums and then switched over, and Taylor and I got together and started playing and it just really worked out.

What kind of gear do you use?

Peavey 5150 heads, Schecter guitars, a few different Boss effect pedals. For the most part it's pretty straightforward.

I'm pretty new to the "screamo" genre. How would you describe ATC's sound for someone who wasn't familiar with it?

It's an alternative, poppy sound with the higher vocals and more in-depth melodies, and really heavy, crunching breakdowns. Hardcore, screamo, a little bit of everything in there.

What sets apart a good screamo song from the rest?

I think it's really just being unique and being able to combine all styles — a lot of smooth transitions and just showing your talent and that you can all work as one. Being prolific, you know?

What do you think about the current music scene in Sacramento?

I'd say the scene right now is really strong. There's a good driving force of young teens to mid-20s and older. Everyone's being really supportive. There's so much family for all the bands out there. The scene is this connected web of musical allegiance, I guess is a good way of putting it.

It's great to see the Sac music scene coming about. Eric Rushing is a guy who's doing a great thing by opening this venue, and everyone is working really hard to make the Sacramento music scene better. I couldn't even say it lacks really. There's a lot of great shows coming through here. Ace of Spades is going to open up huge doors.

I'm looking forward to checking out Ace of Spades. It looks like it's going to be pretty cool.

It's definitely going to be, I think, one of the biggest assets to Sacramento's music scene in the history of the music scene, hands down. Large capacity, better sound, better quality, everything.

What local bands are you into?

Ten After Two. They're great guys. They're really young and they got a lot of talent, a lot of good stuff going for them. Carcerys Vale is another really good one. They're great friends of ours, good musicians. They're coming up really big in the world.

What's your favorite venue to perform at?

It's always fun to play at the Boardwalk. There are always a lot of great shows out there. Now, everyone is really, truly looking forward to Ace of Spades. This one coming up is the big shebang for us. We're all really excited and really proud to be playing it.

What can people expect when they go to see ATC perform?

We're really into the music. We have a great light show. A guy named Aaron Muir does lights for us, and he does a really good job at it. We're really solid playing live, and energetic. We're out here doing what we love: trying to spread the word and be as unique as possible, bring the fans out and play good music.

Any plans for a tour in the near future?

We're hoping to by the middle of this year. We're planning on going out and hitting a few dates in Southern California and hopefully a lot more than that. In the next month or so we should have a lot more things set in stone.

What's your ultimate goal as you continue to pursue music?

Our ultimate goal is to hopefully get signed to a record label, and to get out there and tour and spread the word, enjoy the scene and meet new people, and to travel and see the world.

What's next for ATC?

We actually just went and recorded some stuff, and we have some really good news we'll be dropping here in the next month or so. We're really excited we're with Outerloop Management. They're doing a lot of good stuff for us. As of right now, we're just marketing and trying to get ourselves out there more and more. We just released a brand new studio update, our first one ever today, actually — our very first video blog.

As a fairly young band, you guys have made a lot of progress.

Yeah, we work really hard. We dedicated our lives to it. We spend every day practicing, nonstop. Davey lives in Yuba City and Taylor lives in Stockton, so we have long commutes. We put in a lot of miles to come and play every day and make sure we're solid.

This takes 100 percent dedication.You're going to have your ups and downs regardless, and it's about being able to prosper through that, and keep the right mindset and stay on the right track.

Support local live music and see Above The City perform Saturday at Ace of Spades. General admission tickets are $13.95 and include service fees. All ages. 5 p.m. doors, 6 p.m. show.

Alt-country rockers Murder by Death to perform at Harlow's Sunday

2011-02-12T00:00:39Z

No, Murder by Death is not a screamo or metalcore band.

But the band does explore some dark themes, like revenge, the devil and drinking away your troubles with whiskey. Taking their name from the 1976 Robert Moore/Neil Simon film of the same name, the four-piece rock band from Bloomington, Ind., takes their listeners on a ride through a "country gothic" soundscape, led by the powerful Johnny Cash-meets-Nick Cave baritone of frontman Adam Turla.

Armed with galloping punk-country, somber themes and interesting concepts — their 2003 "Who Will Survive and What Will Be Left of Them?" is an album about the devil being shot in a small, Western town and the aftermath that follows — this show has the potential to be an honest-to-goodness barn burner.

To get a taste of MBD, check out their song "Comin' Home," which you may have seen on the FX show “Sons of Anarchy” or a trailer for the Quentin Tarantino film “Inglorious Basterds”.

Murder by Death performs at Harlow's at 8 p.m. on Sunday, with support from The Builders & The Butchers and Damion Suomi & The Minor Prophets. Tickets are $12.

Good Signs on K St.

2010-12-13T05:19:05Z

The Dive Bar is the last of three new businesses on K St. to have its sign completed. The sign maker put the finishing touches on it early this evening. Pizza Rock and District 30 signs are up and the trio are on track to open on or before Jan. 1, 2011. Crest Theatre's marque is reflected in the glass. For more info on these businesses, CLICK HERE>>> .

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

The Gracious Few to play Harlow's

2010-12-06T01:37:12Z

Making a stop in Sacramento this Monday is a fresh, new band called The Gracious Few, featuring members of '90s alternative rock veterans Live and Candlebox.

After Live effectively disbanded in 2009 due to the departure of singer Ed Kowalczyk, the remaining members sought to continue making music and recruited longtime friend and Candlebox frontman Kevin Martin for their new venture. Martin in turn brought aboard Candlebox guitarist Sean Hennesy to round out the sound and complete the lineup.

TGF describes their sound as being influenced by '70s rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath and the Rolling Stones. The band’s eponymous debut album was produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads. Expect the rock.

See The Gracious Few perform at Harlow’s on J Street at 8 p.m. on Monday. Danielle Barbe opens, and tickets can be purchased here.

Photo: http://www.thegraciousfew.com

Downtown bar to host local music Thursday nights

2010-12-01T01:20:00Z

A new downtown bar and grill is catering to a lunch and dinner crowd while still providing a venue to showcase local music and sports talent.

Shenanigans – located at 705 J St. in the building that used to house Image – opened Oct. 28, and local band Tesla was there for the grand opening, according to co-owner Max Archuleta.

Shenanigans is the first joint venture by Sacramento natives Archuleta and Eric Schaefer.

“Our concept is a sports bar and live music venue, but we kind of want to celebrate what Sacramento has to offer those areas of entertainment,” Archuleta said.

The name is intended to make the concept somewhat vague.

“We sat down and thought, hey, you know, we want to do something fun and have something that has some ambiguity to it,” Archuleta said.

That “something fun” is to provide a comfortable venue for local musicians.

Archuleta said they plan to work with new talent and provide a performance venue for live music with the bar’s stage.

To do that, Archuleta said he is working with radio station 98 Rock to host local talent on Thursday nights, including Breva, Green Audio and A Single Second. For a list of upcoming performers, see the bottom of this article.

Both Schaefer and Archuleta have backgrounds in the bar and night club business, with Archuleta managing bar/night clubs in San Francisco and Schaefer managing Bobby McGee’s, which was at 5623 Sunrise Blvd. in Citrus Heights.

In order to appeal to the lunch and happy-hour crowds, Archuleta said they will provide good-quality food a notch above traditional sports bar fare, but stick with the traditional favorites.

“We’ve got a really good burger,” Archuleta said. “Everyone likes a good burger, so we had to have one.”

Chef Sean MacDonald said he is looking forward to the revised menu’s rollout on Monday.

“We want to tap into the local lunch business downtown,” MacDonald said. “We’ll have signature burgers, sandwiches and salads.”

The menu includes a selection of salads, hot wings, burgers and sandwiches as well as appetizers in an update to the current menu.

Happy hour – 4 - 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays – is designed to pull in the professional and state worker crowds for after-work beers, well drinks and appetizers, all being served for $3.

The venue is split-level, with a downstairs basement area reminiscent of a lounge or night club, but Archuleta said he isn’t focusing on that at the moment, preferring to get the top portion going first. But he did say the lower level can be rented to private parties.

The eight TVs in the establishment will show sporting events. Archuleta said the Sacramento Kings will take priority, along with football games on Sundays, but he also wants to show a sizable amount of boxing and mixed martial arts matches he said typically aren’t shown as much in the area.

In opening downtown at the corner of Seventh and J streets, Archuleta said he is working to help revitalize downtown and propel it in a positive direction.

Lisa Martinez, director of marketing and outreach for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, said having a business like Shenanigans open downtown is a positive move.

“I think everyone’s excited about having a new business in the district,” Martinez said. “We’re excited to see new entrepreneurs looking downtown for new business.”

She added that bringing more retail and dining to the mix is “always a good thing.”

Needles, Calif., resident Jeff Ritchley stopped by the bar Monday afternoon while in town for a meeting.

“It’s a quaint place like you’d find in cities all over,” he said. “It would draw me in (if I lived here). I like local talent.”

No local talent was playing Monday afternoon when Ritchley was in the bar, but he said it reminded him of an Irish pub, which drew him in.

Shenanigans is open from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. Sundays.

Local musicians playing on Thursday nights are listed below. The shows begin at 9 p.m., and the cover charge is $5.

Dec. 9:
Breva
Green Audio
A Single Second
+ Hot Pot Presents – Fusion Bellydance

Dec. 23:
Terra Ferno
Prevail
Prylosis

Dec. 30:
Early States
Aliciya Angel
1 TBA

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

K Street nightlife trio nearing completion

2010-11-25T00:16:22Z

After having their opening date pushed back, the three establishments on the 1000 block of K Street are on track to open by New Year’s, if not before then.

“We think we can have them open before Christmas,” said Russ Conley, superintendent for Terra Nova industries.

Conley said power has been supplied to the three businesses and that working with SMUD was a breeze.

Construction was delayed due to an unstable electrical vault under the property.

The three business concepts include a "mermaid bar," a gourmet pizza restaurant with acrobatic pizza tossers and a high-end, over-30 dance club to further develop K Street Mall into an entertainment district and to bring people from as far away as the Sierra Nevada foothills.

The project is the work of San Francisco nightclub operator George Karpaty.

Inside Pizza Rock, the big rig has been installed above the bar area.

Art on the ceiling recalls Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel piece, but with a guitar being handed over in lieu of the moment of creation.

Another view of Pizza Rock.

The pizza oven at Pizza Rock.

The pizza oven’s exterior portion fronting K Street.

Dive Bar has had its fish tank installed.

Dive Bar’s bar area under construction.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Hot-blooded soul from Cold War Kids

2010-11-13T02:08:54Z

If the long line snaking in front of Harlow’s on a chilly Thursday night was any indication, this city was ready to play with Cold War Kids.

Indeed it was, easily selling out the popular venue and providing a packed, electric atmosphere for the Long Beach-based band to feed its ravenous fans.

Anchored by the pounding kick of drummer Matt Aveiro and the soulful vocals of Willett, the ’Kids soldiered through a setlist that included several cuts from their first two albums, ’06’s “Robbers & Cowards” (“Red Wine, Success!” and “Hospital Beds”) and ’08’s “Loyalty to Loyalty” (“Mexican Dogs” and “Dreams Old Men Dream”), as well as ’09’s “Behave Yourself EP” (“Audience” and "Santa Ana Winds”).

The band is also using this tour to showcase tracks from upcoming album “Mine Is Yours,” due to be released in January 2011.

The new material doesn’t stray from the formula that got the ’Kids where they are now, and the new tracks sounded very strong. Songs like “Royal Blue” and “Louder than Ever” are a cocktail of the blues-inflected verses and hooky, sing-out-loud choruses the band has used to great success on songs like “Hang Me Up to Dry,” its most well-known song, which drew the biggest cheers of the night.

There lies the 'Kids strength: They strike the delicate balance between playing music that has indie-rock credibility and is also accessible for a larger mainstream audience. It seems inevitable that they'll lose some of that cred as they become more successful, but for now, all parties involved reap the rewards.

They inspire their fans too. Toward the end of the show, one overzealous female fan crawled up on the edge of the stage where Willett had just taken a seat at his piano. She engaged Willett and was apparently trying to request her favorite song. When her friends realized she was becoming a bit too comfortable clinging to the side of the piano up there and holding up the show, they had to gently pull her away.

After experiencing a raw, honest Cold War Kids live performance, it's easy to understand her fervor.

Photos: Steven Chea

For info on upcoming shows from Abstract Entertainment, please click here.

Downtown parking garage shooting

2010-08-27T16:02:55Z

Sacramento, CA | After two groups leave a Downtown night club, an argument ensues and a female is shot.

Early Friday morning, two groups leaving a downtown club, per SacPD, got into an altercation in the parking garage off L st. between 10th and 11th Sts in Downtown Sacramento. When officers arrived they found that a female victim had been shot. She was transported to UC Davis via Paramedics. The suspect fled on foot and remains at large.

See video coverage of this incident>>

Follow @SacMav on Twitter

for local breaking news.

Faces – A silver celebration 25 years in the making

2010-08-15T01:58:12Z

Faces, Sacramento’s premier gay night club, is celebrating their 25 year anniversary in colorful fashion this weekend.

Faces posted the following on their website to thank the Sacramento community:

Faces opened on August 15th 1985, and it is the great community of Sacramento that has kept Faces open for an amazing quarter century. Our nightlife experience in the area has expanded in many ways that make us proud to be a part of your memories and anxious to provide more and more ideas and opportunities to celebrate with you.

Friday, August 13th will be our "Kick-Off" party in honor of our 25 years in Sacramento. With a Thank-You to the wonderful community here we begin with NO COVER Friday night and welcome back guest DJ Chi Chi LaRue Spinning in our Main Dance Bar.

The anniversary party continues through the weekend with an After-Hours pool party on Saturday and a free barbecue on Sunday.

Photos by Marc McLaughlin, marcmclaughlin.com.
Marc McLaughlin is a Contributing Writer and Photographer with Sacramento Press

Venue shuts down

2010-08-13T23:14:30Z

Venue, located at 1417 R St., officially closed its doors today after being sold last week.

That’s according to Bob Simpson, one of the establishment’s partners.

“I can’t disclose the terms of the sale because it’s confidential,” Simpson said. “The business is sold. We’re excited about it. We got a good offer, and at this point, we decided to go for it.”

Simpson said he couldn’t disclose what the concept is for the business that will be taking it over.

Any performances scheduled to take place in the 1,000-capacity club have been canceled, according to Simpson.

“We were only doing occasional performances,” he said.

Venue opened in February in the building that formerly housed Empire.

Simpson said he was glad to find a buyer, as the market is flooded with businesses for sale right now.

“It was perfect timing for us,” he said.

Photo by Jonathan Mendick

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Dum Dum Girls @ Blue Lamp

2010-07-01T03:43:20Z

There was a lot of fishnet at Blue Lamp on Wednesday night, which could mean a few things, but in this case it was lo-fi pop quartet Dum Dum Girls visiting Sacramento in support of their debut album I Will Be.

Dum Dum Girls is led by Dee Dee (real name: Kristen Gundred), the creative force behind the all girl group, á la Trent Reznor. The name of the group is a nod to both The Vaselines' album Dum-Dum, and the Iggy Pop song "Dum Dum Boys". The 27-year-old singer/songwriter started recording songs in her bedroom and eventually looked to her friends to take the show on the road. The debut album I Will Be was produced by Richard Gottehrer, who is responsible for writing 60's classics "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy", and who has also worked with artists like Blondie and The Go-Go's.

The 'Girls were all dressed in some variation of a tiny black vintage dress and black fishnet stockings; a nod to their 60's girl group sound, but maintaining the edginess of a modern punk band. Dee Dee has a very pleasant voice; the sweet pop harmonies and fuzzy vocals and guitars played well together, putting them somewhere between The Shangri-Las and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Dee Dee stared straight ahead most of the time and there was minimal banter with the intimate crowd, and the group tore through almost all the short songs on their album (the average length of the songs are about two and a half minutes). The 'Girls don't move around on stage much, but overall it was a fulfilling live show filled with a great pop-punk sound and delicious, ethereal harmonies. I would recommend checking out their single "Jail La La" to get an introduction.

For more info:

Dum Dum Girls

Blue Lamp

Abstract Entertainment

Rooney @ The Boardwalk

2010-06-25T02:25:23Z

There is Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus pop, and there is Rooney pop. It was nice to see the Rooney kind on Wednesday night at the Boardwalk in Orangevale. Both Rooney and one of their support bands on this tour, The Young Veins, have a throwback pop sound that isn't so common these days. As someone who grew up with Weezer, I was definitely looking forward to seeing Rooney for the first time.

The Young Veins were a great opener (the other support bands were local band Flatlin, and Black Gold, from Brooklyn). The 'Veins are compromised of two former members of Panic! at the Disco and are touring in support of their first release Take a Vacation! If The Byrds and The Beatles had a baby, their love child would be named The Young Veins. The upbeat and catchy tunes, like "Take a Vacation!" and "Cape Town" had the young crowd (and some parents) primed for the main attraction.

Rooney took the stage next and dove right into songs from two of their albums, Rooney and Calling the World, and their recently released Eureka, which they are touring in support of. They played classics like "Blueside" and "When Did Your Heart Go Missing," as well as new songs like "Stars and Stripes" and "I Can't Get Enough." Rooney songs are insanely catchy and infectious, and the young crowd lapped it up. Imagine driving down the PCH in your convertible on a hot California summer, and you'll have a good idea of the vibe of a live Rooney show. They were also playing with a new bassist, Brandon Schwartzel, and it was neat to see him occasionally looking around to stay with the changes of his bandmates and then slide in perfectly on his bass into the beat.

For their encore, the band played two songs: “Not In My House,” from their new album, and “I'm Shakin',” from their first. It was an intimate show for a decent sized crowd, and based on the dancing and the screams of teenage girls in the crowd, I'd say the show was a crowd pleaser for everyone.

Flatlin

Black Gold

The Young Veins

Rooney

Rooney

Rooney

For more info:

Photos by Steven Chea

Portugal. The Man at Harlow's

2010-06-19T09:19:09Z

A roadie turned on the smoke machine, and a few moments later, Portland by way of Alaska band Portugal. The Man emerged from the dense fog to take the Harlow's stage. The experimental indie rock four-piece visited Sacramento Thursday night, touring in support of their latest full-length American Ghetto.

Portugal. The Man is John Gourley (Guitar/Vocals), Zachary Carothers (Bass/Vocals), Jason Sechrist (Drums), and Ryan Neighbors (Keys/Vocals). Think psychedelic indie rock with synth and dashes of electronica and hip-hop beats thrown in for good measure. It's a progressive and complex soundscape, and at the same time very much melodic and head-bobbingly accessible.

Their show at Harlow's drew evenly from their first five full-length albums, of which they have put out about one a year since 2006. Foregoing crowd interaction to work through the set, the group's jangly choruses occasionally meandered into extended sonic jam sessions, anchored by the tightness of a group that has a few shows under its belt. A lighting scheme that did not include spotlights on stage helped to create a dramatic mood for the show; the band was lit from a few low lights on the stage and the light/dark contrast (along with the smoke and lasers) created dramatic surroundings to accompany the upbeat performance.

I enjoyed the show a lot and I'm glad I caught these guys in an intimate setting as they continue to build a larger fanbase and play increasingly larger venues. I definitely recommend checking out their albums and catching them live if you can.

Zachary Carothers (Bass/Vocals)

John Gourley (Guitar/Vocals)

John Gourley (background) and Ryan Neighbors (Keys/Vocals)

Zachary Carothers

Ryan Neighbors

Fans in front of the stage watch Ryan Neighbors on keys

John Gourley

Jason Sechrist (Drums)

Zachary Carothers

The band gets ready to say goodnight

Setlist:

My Mind
The Sun
Guns & Dogs
Chicago
1989
Colors
Do You
The Woods
Oh Lord
Marching With 6
Stables & Chairs
And I
People Say
AKA M80 The Wolf

Photos by Steven Chea

For more information:

Portugal. The Man

Harlow's

Abstract Entertainment

A Venue for all occasions

2010-02-13T03:31:31Z

Randy Paragary, Bob Simpson, and Rick and Earl Lobley opened Empire Event Center in 2004. It was almost alone on the R Street Corridor for four years, before being joined by, among others, Shady Lady Saloon, Magpie Catering, Burgers and Brew, Space 07 Salon and Top This Yogurt.

With all of these businesses opening in the past year, it was time for the space to undergo a facelift - to the tune of $2 million.

Well, not just a facelift - a complete change.

Today, all that remains of Empire are memories of past performers, including The Roots, Muse and David Garibaldi, Sacramento's own performance painter. According to its managers, from now on there will be no more 18-and-over club nights, meaning no more college Wednesdays and no more student discounts.

Over the last several weeks, Empire's former address, 1417 R Street, has undergone a quiet and speedy renovation. It reopened Thursday night as Sacramento's newest entertainment destination - Venue.

"R Street, this whole section (of Sacramento) is ready to explode," said Venue general manager Elvis Lindsey. "We wanted a little more classy of a nightclub."

He and assistant general manager Ben Benoit, Lobley's cousin, said they've been remodeling the place around the clock, for ten days. Workers were putting finishing touches on the interior of the 1,000-capacity club Thursday evening.

Among other new features are 1,000-plus feet of crown molding, freshly painted red walls, four colorful bars, chandeliers, a state-of-the-art light and sound system, three VIP areas with bottle service, a DJ booth and stage, and art that former Sacramento-based painter Jacob Patterson described as "punk rock meets Victoria's Secret."

Most of the staff is new, managers said, and Mosaic Salon has added a twist of glamor by styling female employees' hair.

Benoit drove 3,000 miles, from Miami, for Venue's opening.

"The green room is more conducive for a band to come and enjoy; (it's) just a nicer environment," he said, adding, "(Venue will) bring high quality bands to Sacramento that usually bypass the area."

Venue looks to hold 120 shows per year, said Benoit, starting Friday with Lake Tahoe-based, '90's cover band The Alternates. Though Venue's nights are all 21-and-over, during some musical performances, the venue will be open to all ages.

"Personally, as a music fan, I'm excited," said Barry Prickett, former SN&R music critic and Venue's publicist. "Why wait for a good thing?"

Benoit called Venue's speaker system, a Meyers Pro, one of the best in the industry.

Managers said the club usually will be open Thursdays through Sundays, with a different theme every night. Thursday will be a mash-up night featuring a DJ paired with a live drummer. Friday nights will feature a live band with a DJ, while Saturday nights will be a top-40 night with a "stylish, provocative" dress code enforced.

Sunday nights might be "hospitality night," said Prickett, adding that many facets of Venue are to be determined.

Aside from concerts and dance club nights, Venue's management hopes to open the space to "other performances," and special and corporate events.

Cover charge will start at $10, and bottle-service packages for 10 people will cost $300.

A Fabolous night at Azukar

2009-11-07T06:45:18Z

It's hard to describe the sensory overload: Cologne, body odor, marijuana. Flashing lights, minor skirmishes barely contained by dozens of bouncers. Not unsafe, but too much "swagger" and body heat.

Why would Grammy-nominated rapper Fabolous want to perform at a nightclub instead of a larger venue for his first visit to Sacramento? Why would hundreds hang out in a less-than-savory atmosphere until after midnight to welcome Fabolous?

It's hard to recall why much of Thursday night, or early Friday was unique, but it's clear that when Brooklyn rapper Fabolous talks, it makes you want to party. "F-a-b-o-l-o-u-s," as he refers to himself, rocked a mostly-drunk dance party at Azukar, performing nearly an hour of hip-hop hits such as "Young'n (Holla Back)", "Make You Better" and "Throw it in the Bag."

He's not the most lyrically diverse rapper, but at least Fabolous has made an effort to change over four albums since his debut, Ghetto Fabolous, in 2001. Sometime during his career, early lyrics such as "sittin' in the crib, dreamin' about killing you," turned to more heartfelt songs about growing up without a father and vowing never to abandon his own son.

In "Stay," off his latest album, Loso's Way, Fabolous raps, That's when I became a man/ and that's the day he stopped bein' one/ This year I became a father /and I'll die bein' one/ What's up son? Perhaps it's being a new father, or an altercation in 2006 during which he was shot in the leg, but Fabolous seems to have abandoned his old gangster persona for a confident, professional appearance.

On the second floor of Azukar, 1616 J St., Fabolous entered a platform adjacent to the club's VIP area. Dressed in a black T-shirt, jeans and shades, Fabolous, a hype man and a DJ performed a spirited set.

From the beginning of his set, Fabolous and his hype man sent the audience into a frenzy. The audience shouted lyrics, threw their hands high in the air and shook their hips as Fab shook hands with dozens of 20- and 30 year olds.

Fabolous' catalog -- poetic lyrics, braggadocio or love stories -- made people shake it. Before finishing up a little after 1 a.m., Fabolous hugged a birthday girl, slapped some more hands and thanked the audience.

If Fabolous' show were a measuring stick for other performances in Sacramento's nightclubs, this reviewer would suggest attending the Mims concert at Image on Sunday, one of many events at Avalon nightclub and the Snoop Dogg performance next month at Azukar.

Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival

2009-09-28T05:44:31Z

High energy and fun brought Old Sacramento to life at the Second Annual Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival.

The two-day festival kicked off Saturday at the Benvenuti Performing Arts Center, which featured Angentine tango champions Miriam and Leonardo. Festivities continued Sunday in Old Sacramento. Both days were a celebration of international cultures through ethnic dancing, musical performances, historical storytelling and traditional reenactments of stories and folktales from all over the world.

Despite the sweltering Sacramento heat, close to 5,000 attendees managed to stay cool under the shade of large tents and trees, and with the aid of popsicles and cold drinks sold by street vendors.

Lina Fat, board chair of the festival and executive chef of Fat's Restaurants, hoped for an even bigger turnout this year by the community.

"Sacramento was named one of the most diverse cities in the United States," Fat said. "We really wanted to showcase the diversity, and one way to really bring people together is through the medium of music and dance."

The creation of the largely tented Global Village area brought children and adults together to learn activities relating to the arts, clothing, writing and traditional music. The Village also functioned as an "international market" for artisans and craftspeople, cultural organizations, and non-profit booths including the Crocker Art Museum, and I Am Peace, Japanese Club, and West African Face Painting.

For adventurous and willing participants, free dance workshops were offered. Audience members could learn everything from West African and Middle Eastern to Irish and old-time European folk dance.

First-time attendee, Maria, participated in manasa, an American tribal-style belly dance.

"I had fun!" Maria said. She enjoyed the natural flow and grace of moving her body, and is considering taking lessons.

Jany Saengsawad, The Anime and Japanese Club from Grant Union High School, assisted children and adults make decorative Japanese-style masks. The masks, according to Japanese tradition, were worn on the face for protection and concealment.

"This is our second year here," said club member Jany Saengsawad. "We are here to promote our club and to just have fun."

First-time attendees Jackie Wait and Katie Hansberry both felt the festival had much to offer to the Sacramento community.

"I really liked the merging of different groups and cultures," Hansberry said.

"I appreciate the diversity of the music," Wait said. "It's neat seeing all these groups of dancers. Without coming out to do this, I didn't even know that some of these dances existed." said Wait.

Two large canvas tents housed all the professional musical and dance performances. At the Passenger Station Stage, located in front of the Discovery Museum, a multitude of ethnic dances troupes included Tong Xin Tai Chi Chinese Team, Kennelly School of Irish Dance and Flamenco Del Oro, which presented both Spanish dance and live music.

The Waterfront Stage, showcased a variety of performances, like Jodama African Drum and Dance, Tezaur-Romanian Dance and Bhaskar's Arts Academy with Indian Dance.

Jodama, who only goes by her first name, calls her North Highland troupe "Sacramento's best kept secret." She felt proud to to have her company show off different cultural dances from everywhere in Africa, she said.

"We have a different variety of ethnic dancers from Ghana, West Africa, South Africa, Morocco," she said.

"If you feel the music, don't be afraid to stand up and dance!" one Jodama dance member shouted from stage.

Thundering drums, whooping and beating of sticks harmoniously on stage, brought many audience members to their feet cheering and grooving in tune with the tribal beats.

"Many of the villages in Africa would play their music loud and strong to communicate with other neighboring tribes," said dance member Joyce, speaking from the microphone. Villages would come together for huge celebrations, such as weddings, and communicate their joy through dance, she said.

"We wanted to show the best performers to really celebrate what each rich ethnic group has to offer," Fat said. "We are lucky to have so many people performing right here in Sacramento."

The Second Annual Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival can be found here.

Jodama's African Drum and Dance website can be found here.

Friends Show Support For Accused Security Guard Murderer

2009-09-25T22:06:37Z

Before this week, he could have been best described as your average, typical 23-year-old male. A love of cars, technology and fashion is evident from the photos and descriptions that litter his online MySpace and Facebook profiles. Comments from friends show he was much loved and adored, but now those same friends are showing signs of solidarity and support for a man accused of murder.

"My heart goes out to you," friend Christopher Williams wrote Michael "Mykel" Weisz's MySpace profile. "I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt someone on purpose."

But that's exactly what authorities say Weisz did Wednesday morning when he allegedly ran down 64-year-old security guard Leroy Fisher with his car after being ejected from "Badlands," a popular gay Sacramento nightclub. Fisher died from the hit-and-run incident; Weisz and a friend later surrendered to authorities in San Francisco. Authorities say Fisher's death was not accidental.

"We believe he [Weisz] purposefully hit him," police spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong told reporters Wednesday. "It was not an accident."

A passenger that was reportedly with Weisz at the time of the murder has not been charged, though the investigation is still ongoing.

Weisz was booked into Sacramento County Jail early Thursday morning on one count of felony murder and one count of felony hit-and-run. Almost immediately following the news, an influx of friends flocked to Weisz's online profiles to express their support and love.

"Love ya Mykel, here for you!" friend Cheryl Ehara wrote on Weisz's Facebook profile. Another, Tru Calderon, wrote "May God be with you my friend."

The support for Michael Weisz seems underwhelmed compared to the evening vigil for Leroy Fisher, where friends, family and supporters of Sacramento's gay and lesbian community gathered on K Street near a line of gay clubs and businesses to remember a person who felt more like a friend than a security guard. Sacramento resident George Raya frequently hired Fisher for security at events, but was also familiar with Weisz.

"He has a bad reputation," Raya told Sacramento Press reporter Suzanne Hurt. "He's just this wild 23-year-old who gets drunk and doesn't act considerate."

Now, the same 23-year-old adored by family and friends sits behind bars, accused of murdering a beloved community figure. Weisz did not enter a plea when he appeared in Sacramento County court Friday afternoon. Instead, his attorney requested, and was granted, a delay by the court. Weisz's next scheduled appearance in court is set for early October.

A statement reportedly from Weisz's family was placed on his Facebook profile Thursday afternoon on his behalf, thanking the public for their support.

---

Matthew Keys is an online news writer for FOX40.com and community contributor to The Sacramento Press. He can be reached by e-mail at mkeys@tribune.com.

Photos appear courtesy Michael Weisz' Facebook profile.

Sacramento celebrates DJ AM

2009-09-12T05:07:08Z

The Park put its "no tennis shoe" rule on hold Thursday night. The club's dress code normally requires shoes to be "polishable," but hundreds of Sacramentans came together in all kinds of footwear to celebrate the life of Adam Goldstein, aka DJ AM.

AM, a celebrity DJ, died August 28 of an apparent Oxycontin overdose. He also was known for his love of Nike sneakers. In addition to owning more than 700 pair, he was designing a signature shoe for Nike at the time of his death.

At about 10 p.m., a crowd filled the lounge/club to dance to tunes played by DJ AM's friends.

As part of the "Get Loud 4 DJ AM" celebration, a slideshow depicted him with celebrity friends such as actress Mandy Moore, DJ Steve Aoki and drummer Travis Barker, with whom he formed the duo TRVS-DJAM. About a year ago, Barker and AM were the only survivors of a plane crash that killed four others. They both suffered severe burns in the accident.

TRVS-DJAM performed at The Park in 2007 and AM returned to perform in 2008. AM was scheduled to perform there for a third time Thursday to celebrate The Park's four-year anniversary.

Instead, AM's friends performed, including Sacramento DJ Gave Xavier, who opened for DJ Scene, a popular Las Vegas DJ who has performed with 50 Cent, Nas, Afrika Bambaataa and many other hip hop artists.

DJ Scene played a set accompanied by Sacramento drummer Justin Barnes that was an homage to the instrumentation popularized by TRVS-DJAM. Brian Bassett, music and managing manager for The Park, and Sacramento promoter Nick Willrich, both friends of AM, emceed the free event.

"People asked if we would do a moment of silence," Bassett told the crowd, "but that's not what AM would've wanted. So let's toast to a guy who put Sacramento at this level [of DJ talent]."

"He was a pioneer, a revolutionary, with mash-up skills," said Rob Draper, 29. The University of California at Davis pre-law student first heard of AM two years ago when he attended TRVS-DJAM's performance at The Park.

"He's a person who can make a person who doesn't dance, dance," said Carla Sanchez, 28. She also saw TRVS-DJAM's 2007 performance at The Park. "It was awesome."
Sanchez drove from Vacaville on Thursday to see the tribute. She said she hoped AM's family would be touched by the celebrations of his life happening everywhere.

"It reminds us of New Year's, [hearing music] you're not used to [hearing]" said Sanchez's friend, Christel Prince, 23. "They're trying to re-enact what could have been, but respect his work."

"It's not DJ AM, but it's better than nothing," said Draper. "It definitely brings closure for [AM's fans] from Sacramento."

Smooth as Silk

2009-09-06T00:39:06Z

Local hip-hop artists performed to a packed house at the Silk Bar & Cafe Friday night.

The show was a promotion of local artists in the hip-hop community. They came with original beats and rhymes to showcase themselves for a chance to open for Bay Area rapper E-40 during a performance later this year. The performers will be contacted by the club managers with the details for the show and if they are performing. It was unclear how the judging was taking place.

R&B singer Adam Aldama aka Sizzle, who has been around the Sacramento hip-hop scene for about three years, sang two of his newest songs while the dance floor let loose.

"It's a pretty cool show," Sizzle said. "Cool artists too. I'm looking forward to the chance to perform with E-40 though."

The main performance for the night was Turf Talk, an indie rapper who originated in the Bay Area and is fairly new to the Sacramento music scene, closed the night out showcasing some of his newest beats.

The small dance floor of the 21-and-up club, doubled as the stage for the dozen performers showing off their skills. The layout of the club was simple with with only minimal sound equipment, leaving the rappers to show off only their voices and lyrics, free of Auto-Tune and other production.

The crowd was mostly friends and family of the performers. This was the first time Silk Bar & Cafe held a showcase like this, and they hope to do it more often and have even more people attend the very lively events.

To contact Silk Bar & Cafe and check for future show listings, please visit their website.

A brief encounter with Club Lyfestile

2009-07-19T01:04:53Z

You better run for your spandex, because Club Lyfestile is an epidemic dancing the nation.

Bravado night at Mix, a rooftop lounge and bar downtown, hosted a 13-person dance troupe from Philadelphia on Thursday.

Bravado is a party held at Mix every Thursday night. Past guest DJs include Nick Catchdubs, Designer Drugs, and Treasure Fingers.

I was able to follow the dancers around town for the night, and had the pleasure to know fun as I had never known before, the Club Lyfestile method.

The dancers are Versastile, Bumble Bees, RazzMaTazz, Champagne, Señor Sexweed, Jovius, Blackout, Miracle, Aquamarine, Marvey, Zephyr and Azimuth. They are followed by a videographer, Autofocus. Videos of the groups can be found on their site listed below.

A hungry hoard of dancers set up a changing room that functioned as a space for a grand entrance on the Bravado dance floor around 10 p.m. before hitting the streets of Downtown Sacramento in their regular day wear.

I was able to guide them to nourishment, and conducted a group interview over Chinese noodles and rice at Plum Blossom.

The genesis of Club Lyfestile (CL) was at the advent of caffeinated alcohol beverages, according to lead CL-er, Versastile.

A group of friends decided on a dance team concept, and Miracle, recalls one of their practices at a friend's house in Philadelphia. “Somehow someone brought a case of Sparks to our practice, then we just flipped out and started dancing," she said. "We turned the living room into Club Lyfestile.”

Club Lyfestile is essentially an ever-evolving set of enthusiastic people who embrace the do-it-yourself ethos with open, glittered arms. Their outfits, choreography and music are all self-produced.

Versastile is considered the “dad” of the group, because of his hand in helping found the group. He also leads in much of the choreography.

“We’re all amateurs," he said. "A couple of us maybe did dance before, but we’re not like a professional group. When people see us dance, they’re not like, ‘Wow, that’s amazing. I could never do that!’ It’s more like, ‘Wow, that was awesome. I could do that!’”

Jovius, the burly half of the wardrobe sewing team, said that all you have to do is “show up to practice” if you want to be a part of the team.

This was the case for faux-hawked Bumble Bees. “I saw them play once and I was like, ‘That’s it,’ and then I went to practice the next day," she said. "That was three years ago.”

CL is in its fourth year running. This is their third tour but first full-fledged nationwide journey venturing past Chicago.

About two years ago CL collaborated with Philadelphia club owner John Redden to perform at his space, The Barbary. Redden is a DJ under the name JHN RDN, and he worked with Designer Drugs, another DJ duo, to create a monthy party called Live Forever.

“I don’t think we fully realized then what combining Club Lyfestile with a regular club DJ night would be like, but once it came into fruition it was a formula that really worked,” Redden said. Before playing in clubs, CL could be found at block parties and house parties in Philadelphia.

Shortly after joining forces with CL in a club setting, Redden joined the troupe as Blackout. On the current tour, after performing with the dancers, he spins a DJ set with electro beats, and mixes bands like Animal Collective.

Over dinner, I brought up the topic of religion. Their MySpace page advertises the group as Wiccan, the dancers say jokingly, but their beliefs align with other-worldliness nonetheless.

“We regularly talk to the Dance Gods,” Jovius said.

Everybody chimed in unison, “The Dance Gods,” in reverence.

“They control our days and if our whole tour goes well or not," said spunky RazzMaTazz, a self-proclaimed fishmonger.

The Dance Gods have worked their magic on the crew. No longer do they have to dumpster-dive for scrap spandex and upholstery fabric to be economical.

“Now we go to designer spandex outlets,” said strawberry blonde dancer Marvey.The group's (tight) budget accommodates sparkles, yards of spandex and neon everything.

“I really love the idea of the second skin, so I taught myself how to sew so I could make spandex outfits,” said the burly Jovius.

The group has about 40 costumes for this tour, thanks to the labor of Jovius and Zephyr. The spandex onesie is a staple outfit and comes in a variety of patterns and light-reflecting colors.

They created rainbow "vomit-tards," a variation on the unitard, for a stunt where all 13 members jumped through the mouth of a 30-square-foot giant baby head.

As much as the stunts and performances are practiced, Redden finds there is still an air of suspense to the tour in its entirety. “We really go to these cities not knowing what to expect, what dance we’re going to do, the size of the venue," he said. "We don’t know where we’re going to stay that night."

After dinner, I was able to observe the troupe practice on the sidewalk next to a parking garage on 16th and L streets.

Some of the dancers piled into the tour bus and summoned me in an act of induction to the proper CL lifestyle. I received a “grand tour” of a small bus containing an explosion of fabric, groceries and, of course, cans of Max Fury alcoholic energy drinks.

Fearing rain, Versastile proceeded to take precautions. “You should close the windows — it might dance.”

The group burst with laughter.

It really is a lifestyle, but one that comes with a day job as well.

Zephyr is a nanny, Miracle is a photographer, Versastile is a union organizer and Aquamarine is a television editor.

The dancers are able to come from diverse backgrounds and contribute to an electric performance of gymnastics, disco-aerobics and jazzercise.

“It was overall something different and unique,” said party patron Haroon Ferhut. “I’ve never seen some kind of dance performance in a club.”

“It was raunchy to me,” he added.

Echoing the vibe, Bumble Bees said CL “is the kind of thing where you think that any one of us might make out with you.”

They gave a stellar performance that received applause and screams of encouragement from the crowd. JHN RDN's set infused the dancers with the pulsating crowd on the dance floor until the end of the night.

It became clear to me throughout the night that CL is a cooperative that functions as one entity, each person relying on one another to create a finished product and way of life.

Among transcending culture and notions of self-esteem, CL exceeds gender and sexuality norms. Males and females alike don neon onesies, sport ambiguous nicknames and embrace spandexuality, a term a friend of mine introduced to me, and I passed on to CL.

They are an amalgam of joy, entertainment and raw modes of production that serves audiences from all backgrounds a dose of lighthearted fun.

“We want to cross some borders,” said Jovius, speaking on the future of the group. “We want to need passports.”

After the performance, CL parted for a taco run, and then north onto the next leg of their 17-stop tour.

Thank the Dance Gods for the alcoholic energy drinks that brought these fine people together under one second-skin.

For more spandex and fun, click the following links:
Club Lyfestile
JHN RDN
Bravado

Discussion: nightlife during hard times

2009-01-12T12:14:40Z

The other day I was talking with some friends who were concerned about new nightclubs being planned in Sacramento. One of us remarked that we may crossed a line with too many "top 40 playing" nightclubs and not enough patrons.

Many current restaurant and nightclub owners are already concerned that we have reached our limit.

On The Sacramento Press there has been plenty of discussion about nightlife in the central city: here, here, and here.

Many local residents in conversations on the site point out that diversity is the real problem. Nightlife should not mean the same club, the same music, more and more alcohol. Perhaps we have reached the limit for one kind of nightlife but not another?

Two years ago I used to go to nightclubs often and then my friends and I joked that everyone at the club was in real estate. I wonder if this current economic downturn really affected this demographic and others. Is the market for big spenders at clubs down? Clubs make a lot of money on a few key customers willing to buy bottle service (it always makes me think of baby bottles for some reason). Could it be that the demographic for the club-goer market is just as large, but not living as large?

Of course, I am really interested in the idea that the nightlife market has a limit and that we have exceeded that limit. I may start looking into what local business owners think. For now I want to pose the question again on this forum. Is there a limit? Have we reached it?