Thunder Valley Casino Resort hosted Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson this Friday night in their outdoor amphitheater. It was a perfect summer night for an outdoor show. Both the performers and the audience fulfilled expectations. The Musik Mafia, as they call themselves, rocked a full house on Friday night. “Sitting on your ass is extremely prohibited throughout the entire Xtreme Musik Show,” spoke an electronically-enhanced voice that served as a flight attendant style introduction to the concert. John Rich seemed to lead the performance, the likely choice considering his successful stint on Celebrity Apprentice. Big Kenny sported his usual top hat. His fringed vest and snug pinstriped pa

The warm voice of Sara Bareilles welcomed fans to Thursday night’s show at Raley Field. Bareilles seemed at home here in Sacramento, perhaps due to the proximity to her hometown of Eureka. There was an extra bounce in her step as she sang away to the ballpark stands, the smell of hotdogs wafting in the air. She let fans hear, “Love Song,” early on, which made everyone happy, and followed up soon after with “Many the Miles.” Throughout her performance, Bareilles really took liberties with the sound and tempo for both old and new material. She also informed the audience that she had spent all of Wednesday filming the music video for “Gonna Get Over You,” her newest single, which she then pe

The Incredible Machine Tour, featuring Sugarland paired with one of several other artists, has already been tried and tested. Earlier this month, the band witnessed a tragic accident at the Indiana State Fair when high winds knocked down portions of the stage, killing six and injuring many others. After almost a week off, Sugarland members Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush turned back to their music for comfort. According to the Associated Press, their show in Albuquerque, the first since the accident, was a somber affair. The group devoted a minute of silence to those lost and injured. At present, the Raley Field pairing with Sara Bareilles is scheduled to go on, though saddened fans a

"Road 88" is announce the Best local band in Sacramento and is sponsored by Cowboy Up and Dean Guitars!! Tell the readers, who are the members of “Road 88”? What instruments do you play? Answer: Rachel Steele is the lead singer, Scott Prentice plays rhythm guitar and lead vocals , David Phelps is the lead guitarist and also sings lead vocals, Sherry Eidhammer is the background vocalist, Joe Anderson plays the drums and Joe Irwin plays the bass. When did you start your band and where was your first show? Answer: Rachel, Dave and Scott put the band together in the spring and summer of 2009. We had our first show at Tex Wasabi’s in January 2010. I saw you play at the Laguna Town Hall an

Taking full advantage of its intimate environment and superb acoustics, Sacramento's Crest Theater is hosting CMA Country Music Legend John Michael Montgomery for a live benefit concert next Tuesday, August 16, 2011 – with 100% of all proceeds benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children—Northern California. Make a nice summer evening out of the event. The concert begins at 7:30 PM, providing a wonderful window for enjoying dinner nearby before the show. Since the days when "Life's A Dance" turned him from an unknown artist into a national star, John Michael's rich baritone has carried many mega hits, which include "I Swear", "Life is a Dance" and “Letters from Home". John Michael Montgom

  As spring weather finally arrived in Sacramento on Friday, the Grove at the Radisson once again became a lovely small-venue showcase for some impressive musical talent. Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt graced the stage on the eighth stop of their 25-city acoustic tour. Both performers are known for their acoustic guitar work and their laid-back country-flavored songs about travelin’ and trucks, railroads and rivers, and horses and women and loneliness and love. That about sums up Friday’s performance: just two middle-aged guys with guitars, sitting quietly on stage, trading off tunes and some gentle ribbing. The crowd of about 2,000 fans loved every minute. Hiatt ran through some of his

Many local country music fans donned in cowboy hats and boots cheered and clapped for the Zac Brown Band concert at Raley Field Thursday night. Throughout the concert, fans cheered at lead singer, guitarist and Georgia native Zac Brown as he hollered at the crowd to rile them up. The band is known for its hit “Chicken Fried,” a song about loving the important things in life and, of course, having your chicken fried. “Chicken Fried” was first recorded in 2003 and later re-recorded to be included in their first album, “The Foundation,” in 2008. In 2009, the single won “Breakthrough Video of the Year” from Country Music Television and USA Weekend. In 2010, the Zac Brown Band won the Grammy

It was a sea of cut-off shorts, cowboy hats, and overalls at Capitol Mall on Sunday afternoon for Country in the Park 2010. KNCI 105.1 managed to turn the intersection on Capitol Mall and Fifth Streets into a country music venue for the day. The gated-off intersection was filled with an estimated 11,000-12,000 country music fans, making this year one of the biggest in it’s 11-year existence, according to Mark Evans, program director at KHTK and KNCI Sacramento. Due to budget cuts Gibson Ranch, where the concert is normally held, was unable to rent out the park to KNCI this year. The singing of the national anthem and “God Bless America” with help from the crowd kicked off the day on a h

Whiskey Dawn, a popular and energetic country music group, successfully opened Pops in the Park for the summer in East Portal Park in East Sacramento.A huge crowd was in place before they began. Pals listening to the music. Rich Cazneaux handed out free popsicles. Everyone loved the music.   Everyone had a good time hanging out.     An East Sacramento tradition that has become renowned for showcasing some of the finest musical talent in Sacramento, the Pops in the Park Concert Series offers a relaxing evening in the park with entertainment from live local bands. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy these free concerts! The Pops in the Park concerts are BYO everyt

 Louise puts the fanatic in fan.  She is a single mother of two working in an electronics manufacturing job in Houston.  From the first moment she first hears Patsy Cline singing on the Arthur Godfrey Show, she is totally enthralled.  She calls the local DJ every day begging him to play her favorite Patsy Cline songs.  During one of these calls Louise learns that Patsy is coming to Houston the next weekend.  Dragging her boyfriend and boss along, she arrives hours early at the honky tonk venue to get a good seat.  The place is still empty, save for Louise’s party, when Cline arrives to check out the venue.  Louise works up the nerve to introduce herself.  Over the evening, the two develop

Local Americana musicians Richard March and Tyler Ragle are not afraid to get political. Their new song "Gold Star Café" includes a café conversation about politics, praises for President Obama and criticism of the public for not being involved enough in politics. "Thank God this young man got the vote/But he alone won't save this boat/Gonna take 'all hands' to get her right/So we can sleep at night," March writes. Saturday at Javalounge, the local country-influenced folk duo will play a CD-release concert for their five-song EP Kings and Thieves, their first release as a duo. Davis-based singer-songwriter Nat Lefkoff will open the show. March lived in the Bay Area until age 30, when h