Grammy Award-winning Bon Iver played for a sold-out crowd at Freeborn Hall on the University of California, Davis campus on Tuesday night. Throughout the night it became clear that this group is one to be seen live. Creator and lead vocalist Justin Vernon led the group in a full night of indie folk rock enchantment - much to the satisfaction of the eclectic crowd gathered at Freeborn Hall. The evening’s opening band was All Tiny Creatures. The four-member band from Madison, Wisc. started out a little slow but managed to get the crowd going by the end of their set. They had CDs and merchandise for sale, and played songs from one album in particular which was said to include the voice of t

It is a new found love and great privilege to be asked by an artist to write about their craft, their love, their product, and their passion. I approach the task with great seriousness and with much study and contemplation so that my product - my writing - will convey to you the reader, an informative and pleasurable read. It has been my honor to have spent several recent evenings listening to the new CD by David Rosales titled Smile. David is a gifted songwriter and vocalist. His vocal stylings on Smile are reminiscent of Johnny Cash blended with that familiar touch of Jim Morrison that fans of Silent Treatment (David's straight-up rock band) are so incredibly turned on by. Smile could b

  In the mood for a low-country Regina Spektor-meets-Jimmy Buffett-on-whiskey act followed by a Dave Matthews crossed with a beached-out Buddy Holly number? Well, you can... this coming Tuesday, November 8 at the Naked Lounge in downtown Sacramento (1111 H St.), starting at 8:30. This all ages show features two of California's up-and-coming, on-the-scene singer-songwriters, Jo Elless (www.joelless.com) and Mike Macchia & Tyler Canaday (Mike's Lost and Found, http://www.youtube.com/TheMikeMacchia). Midwest and northeastern roots, with a little dixie thrown in for good measure, Jo Elless is a Berklee-trained multi-instrumentalist who arranges her songs for wind orchestra (all of the instru

Radiant Mexican Singer Martha Toledo Debuts in Sacramento; Songs Speak of Respect and Dignity for Latin American Women La Raza Galería Posada, Sacramento’s nonprofit hub for Latino/Chicano and Native arts cultural programming, continues to bring rare,compelling and exciting music concerts to their intimate performance space in Midtown. Martha Toledo is an internationally recognized performer whose commanding presence embodies the sensibility and majesty of the Oaxacan culture. A Zapotec singer from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Oaxaca, Mexico, her soulful sound evokes the pulsing, vibrant rhythm of her country's music legacy. Many of these songs carry the contemporary message of

  On Saturday September 3, a broad, multi-genre group of area musicians will join together to present a benefit concert for Somalian refugees. “March to the Beat of One Heart” will be held at Antiquite Maison Privee, 2114 P Street in midtown Sacramento. The event runs from 5 pm-11pm and there is $10 minimum donation. The concert, in association with the Midtown Business Association and Swell Productions, will feature ten Sacramento musical acts playing for a common goal of assisting victims of the war and drought-ravaged region. 100% of the proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders, a worldwide humanitarian aid organization, and their efforts in Somalia. Guitarist and concert promoter

A five-day festival filled with music by 40 groups in five Midtown venues is about to engulf the Sacramento scene. The In the Flow Festival, an annual event going from Thursday to May 16, will be bringing out improvisational players of jazz, rock, blues, electronic, poetry/spoken word and visual art. Co-organizer and guitarist Ross Hammond, 33, addressed why it was created. Hammond said it is important to create a music event in Sacramento and bring out the unknown and/or unrecognized talents. “I knew enough people and acts, so we decided to put something cool together,” Hammond said. “It is a celebration of creative music and art. It is the music, art and poetry community just coming

Sunday nights at Shady Lady Saloon are usually a quiet affair. A few dozen patrons, sipping drinks and chatting while listening to the band play, are the norm. This was not so this May Day, which saw the triumphant homecoming of local favorites Blvd Park and Musical Charis from their two-month, cross-country “New American Dream” Tour. The Afterlife was the first to take the stage at a quarter after eight. They played to an already sizable crowd, one that you would normally see on Friday or Saturday evening, rather than on a “school night” like Sunday. Tyson Graf on guitar and Zack Sapunor on upright bass warmed up the early arriving patrons and a small group of listeners that included a m

"Listen for it as it comes…the pure, imperial sound of…Celtic Thunder." Sundry vocals, Irish folklore and dry ice poured majestically atop a meadow backdrop at Sacramento’s Memorial Auditorium Thursday, one of 70 stops the Irish supergroup will make in support of its third PBS television special “It’s Entertainment,” a performance series showcasing both the old world and the new. The rhythm of heartbeats from the sparse yet euphoric audience resonated with the thunderous percussion of traditional Celtic instrumentation. An amalgamation of cello, harp, fiddle, keyboard, piccolo, guitar, concertina, bagpipe and mandolin merged with the steadfast drumbeat to introduce the six voices of the

Playing a combination of their own songs and classic covers, Latin rockers Los Lobos had the baby boomers out of their seats and dancing at the Mondavi Center’s gorgeous 1800-seat Jackson Hall in Davis on Wednesday night. Many genres are used to describe the music of “The Wolves” – roots rock, folk, Norteño, blues – and what Los Lobos does so well is blend the different styles to create a hybrid euphony that has given them a unique identity. Essentially they started out 30 years ago in East Los Angeles with classic Mexican songs that were deceptively simple, added various styles of music and elevated the sound into music that has garnered the band three Grammy Awards. The talented group

Have you gotten a parking ticket lately? Feeling a little aggression? If so, Nate Weldon's new music video for his song "Ode To The Meter Maid" will help you laugh off a little steam. The music video follows Weldon through the streets of Sacramento encountering meter maids and their trusty ticket books. Take a peek and enjoy the satire. Sea Serpent Records Meter Maid album graphic by Ted Weldon

It wasn’t hard to find the Japanese bazaar’s location. Once within a few blocks of the Buddhist Church of downtown Sacramento, one could simply follow the mouthwatering aroma of teriyaki chicken rising from the barbecues. A tent canopy lined with lanterns was stretched over the Buddhist church’s parking lot. This makeshift construction presented a nomadic food court of delicious proportions. Booths with games and food lined the area’s perimeter as rows of tables and chairs filled in the center. A stage sat prominently in the large outdoor area in view of hundreds of spectating diners. Hundreds more made there way slowly through crowds of hungry people, drawn out to the bazaar by their app

When I hear the name The White Buffalo, I picture things like the The American Old West, Native Americans, and of course, bison roaming the plains. The man Jake Smith, aka The White Buffalo, is a big, bearded guy, and I think that type of imagery suits him.  I could picture him sitting in an old saloon, strumming his guitar and playing to a room full of frontier types. TWB played his first show in Sacramento last Friday night at Old Ironsides. His baritone voiced folk-rock brought a wide range of people out to the show, form hipsters types to an older crowd - I'd say there was more of the latter.  When I first heard his songs, it reminded me of the solo work that Eddie Vedder did for the

The White Buffalo, also known as versatile singer/songwriter/guitarist Jake Smith, brings his self-described "darker side of folk" to Sacramento this Friday.   With fan favorites The White Buffalo EP and full-length Hogtied Revisited under his belt, TWB continues to garner buzz by word of mouth and by touring constantly, performing solo and backed by a band (he'll be with a band this Friday). TWB has previously toured with Donavon Frankenreiter, Xavier Rudd, State Radio and Ziggy Marley, and his songs have been featured on the soundtrack to surfing movie Shelter and on FX series Sons of Anarchy.  The White Buffalo will play Old Ironsides with Prieta and The Kelps on Friday, July 16th, a

The Crest Theatre is a sit-down venue. The Avett Brothers are a stand-up-and-stomp-your-feet band. It came as no surprise that halfway through the final song of their set list on Tuesday night, many in attendance exploded from their seats and rushed the stage, raucously dancing out the remainder of the song as well as the encore that followed. I noticed upon entering the Crest that the sold-out crowd spanned several generations, a testament to the band’s blend of styles and a validation of my choice to bring my parents to the show (which saved me some serious money). After the opening act, Truth and Salvage Co. – not a bad band, but not particularly noteworthy -- my mom and I shared a gl

        Valentine's Day can be challenging for everyone out there, whether you've got a special someone to impress or not. The choices are limitless, and it can be hard to set something up that everyone will enjoy. This year, why not please the whole crowd with a just-before-Valentine's Day show starring local indie pop songstress Autumn Sky and up-and-comer Tre Burt?     Miss Sky, who recently won the Sac Show award for best Acoustic Show, holds a Valentine's Day show each year. 2009's show at Luna's Cafe drew a huge crowd, where patrons and audience members alike sat on floors and laps to fit in the tiny room. This year will prove to be no less of a good time, especially considering t

 Every Sunday this year the Shadechasers have been singing folk songs for the pleasure of their friends and neighbors in East Sacramento. We meet at the Clunie Clubhouse, next to the McKinley Library, in the auditorium. We will continue into the New Year. We had been meeting at 3 PM. But the new time is 4 PM to 5:30. All ages are welcome. We were initially funded by the First Five Commission of Sacramento for the first 12 months. We got a wonderful singing audience which just keeps coming. We have added children over the age of five. We have added folk and step dancing along with rhythm. Our songs tend to be from Pete Seeger, Malvina Reynolds, Woody Guthrie and other singers like Raffi.

Autumn Sky's "Creature Feature" The only Halloween theme to land on a day sure not to interfere with your elaborate Trick-Or-Treats festivities falls on Friday, October the 30th. Join one of Sacramento's top chaunteuses, Autumn Sky, for a night of ghoulish tricks, treats, and musical fun at Luna's Cafe on O and 16th at 8:00pm. Cover at the door is only $6, and it's an all ages event sure to entertain with special guests Adrian Bourgeois, Carly Duhain, and Jared Emme. See you there (muahaha.) Costumes are highly encouraged, as all the talent will be in full Halloween-themed attire!   AUTUMN SKY'S "CREATURE FEATURE" 8:00pm on October 30th. $6, all ages, located at Luna's Cafe and Juice

The accordion is “the most maligned instrument in the world,” according to the Monsters of Accordion's website. You can find out for yourself if that moniker fits at Luigi’s Fungarden, the music venue attached to the Downtown pizza joint, where the tour will be making a stop on Aug. 31. Seattle-based accordionist Jason Webley organized the tour and is also playing on all dates. “I meet so many amazing, freaky accordion players in my travels now, and I am lucky to count many of them as my friends,” said Webley via e-mail. The Monsters of Accordion came together “several years ago” when Webley was invited to play at an accordion shop in Oakland. “The event was incredibly fun, and was per

  "Girl meets girl. Girl becomes boy. Girl and boy become a band," and this Wednesday, that band will play in Sacramento, at Marilyn's on K street. Sacramento native Joe Stevens and his partner Ingrid Elizabeth are two halves of the folk/routes duo Coyote Grace. Stevens and Elizabeth formed Coyote Grace after spending several years playing music together in Seattle, where Stevens attended Cornish College of the Arts. They released their first album, Boxes and Bags, in 2006, and soon after embarked on an 11-month, 37-state tour to promote it.   The pair traveled in a 1978 Chevy RV, affectionately named "Harvey the RV," playing music wherever they could and living the lives of modern-day