Concerts by the Richard Thompson Electric Trio, Rob Zombie and Papa Roach are already being booked for a new music club called Ace of Spades, expected to open in early February. The 1,000-person-capacity club at 1417 R St. most recently housed Venue, which was open for six or seven months after a $2 million renovation but closed Aug. 13. Its owners – Bob Simpson, Rick and Earl Lobley, and the building’s owner, Randy Paragary – had operated Empire Events Center there since 2004. Tickets are on sale and the shows are being promoted, with the first concert featuring San Francisco rapper Andre Nickatina Feb. 5. Some acts are more hardcore, including deathcore band Whitechapel on its Welcome

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,

Looking for a place to go for New Year's Eve? The Sacramento Press would like to break down the most appealing dance parties for those who like to get their groove on. Paragary Restaurant Group, who put on the ball drop last year, will be hosting what they bill as the "largest party of 2010." What: Dinner at Cosmo Café. The Spazzmatics playing 1980s hits at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret and DJ Pat Allen spinning dance hits at Social Nightclub. The cafe and cabaret are all-ages and Social Nightclub is 21-and-over. Where: The Cosmopolitan Building, 1000 K St. When: Dinner from 5 - 11 p.m., dancing from 8 p.m. - 1 a.m. Cost: $50 for access to Social Nightclub and the Cosmopolitan Cabaret. Pu

Twisting hundreds of knobs, playing several keyboards, and filtering sound through two Apple laptops, The Crystal Method worked at a frenzied pace entertaining the hyped crowd inside Harlow's on Tuesday night. The diverse crowd donned sunglasses, earplugs, glowing necklaces and even light emitting shirts as The Crystal Method wowed them, distorting breakbeats to perfection and putting on a dazzling performance. DJ LA RIOTS opened the show at 8 p.m. to a nearly empty dance floor. As the clock neared 10, the crowd had grown substantially in anticipation for The Crystal Method. Nearly 150 people on the floor and 50 more in the seats cheered as The Crystal Method crept through ambient fog o