Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "fox and goose"

Say hello to 2012 at these New Year's Eve nightlife events

2011-12-29T22:06:32Z

Can you belive 2011 is practically over? New Year's Eve is this Saturday and if you're still searching for plans, we here at Sacramento365.com have gathered up some activities for you.

If you're looking for a great, family friendly New Year's Eve experience, complete with fireworks, be sure to head to Old Sac for the New Year's Eve Sky Spectacular.

But, for those of you who are looking for some adult celebrations--no kids allowed--here're a few options to greet 2012 (see even more in our Top 10 & Holiday Event Section). Sacramento nightlife is kickin'!

1. New Year's 2012 Bash with Mickey Avalon: Ace of Spades, 7pm
Hailing from Hollywood, Mickey Avalon is known to the world as one of the hottest underground American rappers and has become a fan-favorite.

2. New Year's Eve Gala: Chicago: Davis Musical Theatre Company, 8pm
Ring in the New Year with Broadway favorite: Chicago. The Tony Award winning performance of the “truth-is-stranger-than-fiction” play is opening for a special preview, accompanied by a catered buffet dinner, champagne, dessert, party favors, a live DJ, and more.

3. Townhouse New Year's Eve Party: TownHouse Lounge, 8pm-2am
On the 365th day of the year, The Townhouse presents a very special NYE party with some of your favorite DJs on both floors: Electro/House/Progressive with Mike Diamond & My Cousin Vinny & Indie/Pop/Dance with The X-GVNR (Pop Freq, Get Wet) & Jon Droll.

4. NYE at the Hyatt Regency: Hyatt Regency Sacramento, 8pm-2am
Start the evening with a cocktail in the acoustic lobby lounge listening to the sounds of Quinn Hedges and Ryan Hernandez, then enjoy a gourmet four course meal in Dawson’s, followed by the big event in Sacramento’s largest nightclub with DJ Rated R and the Cheeseballs.

5. New Year's Eve 2012: The Golden Bear, 8pm
What better way to welcome 2012 then spending your evening partying it up at The Golden Bear? There is no better way! Live and direct--DJ Crook on the 1s and 2s spinning all your favorite joints and jams. Cheers with a champagne toast at Midnight, plus take advantage of New Year's Eve drink specials all throughout the night.

6. NYE 2012 Celebration: MiX Downtown, 8:30pm
Celebrate the end of 2011 and the start of 2012 inside Sacramento's favorite rooftop nightclub and lounge, which is also celebrating its third year of amazing parties and fabulous events. Complimentary champagne at Midnight, party favors, and lush decorations get you in the mood for a hands in the air night of dancing and partying with friends.

7. New Year's Eve Bash with John Nemeth: Torch Club, 9pm
John Németh is a rising blues star; a singer steeped in the tradition and reminiscent of B.B. King, Ray Charles and Junior Parker, and a harmonica player of riveting intensity and virtuosity.

8. NYE Dance Party with DJ Larry Rodriguez: Fox & Goose, 9pm
DJ Larry Rodriguez's Dance Party celebrates its 15 year anniversary on New Year's Eve with round, warm sould & funk. DJ Larry Rodriguez is bringing some of Sacramento's favorite dance party kings Mike C. and Tim Matranga to round out the night.

9. Roaring '20s NYE: Crescent Club, 9pm
Take a trip back in time to America's glorious Prohibition Era as you celebrate the New Year with gangsters, glamour, and gambling. The evening’s entertainment includes a Speakeasy Casino, Ballroom Swing Dancing, Gypsy Jazz, Blues, & Cabaret, featuring live music by the notorious Crescent Katz.

10. D30 New Year's Eve with DJ Serafin: District 30, 9pm-3am
In addition to the innovative sound of DJ Serafin, enjoy a huge balloon drop, dazzling confetti rain, complimentary champagne toast at Midnight, delectable confections at Midnight, and complimentary party favors.

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Find more detail on these events along with many more at Sacramento365.com, the year-round source for Sacramento events.

Disclosure: Rachael Lankford is the Managing Calendar Editor for Sacramento365.com, the year-round source for Sacramento events.

Year in review: Up-and-coming R Street

2011-12-28T01:55:25Z

The R Street streetscape improvement project that broke ground in 2010 finished in the fall, and several other changes to the R Street corridor signal it as an up-and-coming district heading into 2012, with more improvements on the way.

Improvements to R Street between 10th and 13th streets came in at less than the allotted funding, allowing the city to add a few more amenities, including 13 more benches for pedestrians.

Other improvements included creating uniform sidewalks, new pavement and new streetlights. Rail lines were left in place in a nod to the area’s history.

The construction stayed on schedule, coming to a close in the fall.

Completion of the first phase is just one step in the process that includes more than 20 blocks of improvements, and The Sacramento Press took a look at what else is in line for the area, including the R Street Market Plaza.

It wasn’t just government-funded infrastructure improvements that brought changes to R Street over the past year.

A popular local eatery, Shoki Ramen House, opened a second location near 12th Street on R Street. The owners told The Sacramento Press that they had always liked the R Street area, so when the space became available, it was a natural choice.

The Fox and Goose Public House, a longtime business at 10th and R streets whose owners applauded the infrastructure improvements, added a patio seating area, allowing customers to eat outside for the first time in its 36 years in business.

The owners of the restaurant took ownership of the Fuller Building in which it is housed, allowing them to convert the front ramps to seating.

A few blocks up R Street – on the heavily trafficked block between 13th and 14th streets – Top This Yogurt closed, allowing Burgers and Brew to significantly expand its draft beer selection.

Co-owner of both businesses Philippe Masoud said the yogurt shop didn’t work in the area, so he expanded Burgers and Brew into the space, using the storage for more beer kegs in a move other local businesspeople said helps strengthen the block’s draw for nightlife.

The Ace of Spades nightclub next door to Burgers and Brew also opened in the beginning of 2011, and numerous bands have played there since, drawing more attention to the R Street corridor.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Sacramento's trivia night and pub quiz guide

2011-05-20T06:07:34Z

Looking for a way to impress your friends or date with your intelligence? Take them out to a trivia night or pub quiz in Sacramento. The Sacramento Press has your guide to local bars and pubs that will test your knowledge on trivia in a friendly, yet competitive environment.

The Depot
2001 K St., Ste. A
Wednesdays, 9 p.m.
Free

De Vere’s Irish Pub
1521 L St.
Mondays, 7 - 8 p.m.
Free

Christopher Scott, the director of Cardio Pulmonary Services at Methodist Hospital, has hosted trivia for eight years. Currently, Scott hosts trivia nights at The Depot and de Vere’s Irish Pub.

“The presenting is the most fun – the experience with the people that are playing,” Scott said. “It’s getting that reaction where people have it on the tip of their tongue.”

At The Depot, Scott said that the team limit is six participants and that there are six rounds with different categories, including geography, entertainment and other categories. A packet of answer sheets are handed out for five rounds. There is an interactive recall round, where participants have to listen to audio from a song or a comedy sketch and figure out who it is.

Answer sheets for the additional round is handed out halfway through the night, sometimes with word puzzles.

The group with the highest amount of points total wins.

Trivia at de Vere’s includes 30 straightforward questions.

“I write the questions,” Scott said. “I have notes everywhere.”

Scott said that one of his techniques for writing questions is to choose a category first and write the question backwards by starting with the answer first.

“I like to write my clues, too,” Scott said.

Scott said he likes to create anagrams for participants to solve. Once, he said he created an anagram that was impossible for people to answer.

“I wanted people to figure out a person famous in the world of music,” Scott said. After giving clues of who the person was, he said that no one could guess Ahmet Ertegun, founder and president of Atlantic Records.

Prizes at The Depot include a round of cocktails and gift certificates for different restaurants, such as Scott’s Seafood, Sandra Dee’s Bar-B-Que and Seafood and Red Lotus each week. At de Vere’s, prizes include gift cards to the pub: $25 for first place, $15 for second and $10 for third.

Fox & Goose
1001 R St.
Tuesdays, 7 p.m.
Free

Student Morgan McCullough is a waitress at Fox & Goose Pub and Restaurant and hosts their pub quiz. McCullough said that the maximum amount of people in a group is four.

“The more dynamic the group, the more successful the trivia night and the team will be,” McCullough said.

Participants at the pub quiz in past include engineering groups, Sacramento State students, and people who work at The Sacramento Zoo.

According to McCullough, they have started to do some theme nights and said that they once had a politics-themed pub night.

“Having (State Senate President Pro Tem) Darrell Steinberg attend the politics pub quiz was the most memorable moment,” McCullough said.

At Fox and Goose, there are four rounds of questions. McCullough said that her questions come from a variety of places – from medical subjects she studies at school, literature, pop culture, current events, engineering and “this day in history” type of questions.

“I try to ask something about each general category,” McCullough said. “No matter who comes, there’s something that everyone can contribute.”

The pub quiz can be tricky, though.

“It’s really hard,” McCullough said. “I want to provide a challenge.”

The winning group receives four drink tickets and gets to pick from a box of goodies, such as a Fox and Goose flag or Guinness paraphernalia.

The Shack
5201 Folsom Blvd.
Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
Free

Dan Scott, founder and executive director of Sacramento Beer Week, hosts trivia night at The Shack restaurant. Scott has been a trivia host for almost two years.

Scott said that they sometimes do themes for holidays, and one week they did a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame theme.

“(It is) as fun and laid-back as possible,” Scott said. “We have a good mix (of) people wandering in...(We get) a new crowd of people every week.”

There are a maximum of six people per team and the trivia night consists of two rounds, with one winning group for each round. Round one consists of 10 questions, and round two is 15 questions.

Scott said he makes up his own questions, varying from the previous week’s news, science, music and movies, and he also tries to make the questions apply to different generations.

“(There is an) even balance, so there’s a great variety,” Scott said.

He also said that the 20th question is always something about “The Simpsons.”

“Quite a few teams enjoy that question,” Scott said.

According to Scott, trivia night at The Shack gets competitive.

"We sometimes have double or triple tie-breakers," Scott said. In the event of a tie, Scott said he determines the winner by asking a question with a number answer. For example, "What year was Elvis born?" or "How many answers are there in a magic eight ball?" The group who answers closest to the correct answer wins.

If you were wondering, Elvis was born in 1985 and there are 20 answers in a magic eight ball.

Scott said that during Sacramento Beer Week, it gets “pretty crazy,” and they have had questions all about beer.

“We have a lot of fun,” Scott said. “(It is) a regular party to look forward to. I get to be viewed as God once a week.”

The prize for each winning team is a round of drinks.

There are several other trivia nights to choose from in Sacramento.

Streets of London
1804 J St.
Sundays, 9 p.m.

Bonn Lair
3651 J St.
Sundays, 8:30 p.m.

Clubhouse 56
723 56th St.
Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m.

Preview: Fox and Goose royal wedding festivities

2011-04-27T16:50:05Z

Friday, the wedding of the century, between Prince William and Kate Middleton, will be occurring across the pond. If you can’t afford the airfare and are looking to take part in the celebration a little closer to home, you’re in luck. Local family-owned pub the Fox and Goose Pub, located on 10th and R streets, will be staying open late for the occasion.

The royal wedding is scheduled to take place at Westminster Abbey at 11 a.m. in London, which means it will be happening here on the West Coast at about 3 a.m. With that said, Fox and Goose is currently scheduled to make itself open and available at 2:30 a.m. to serve all interested partygoers.

Fox and Goose will be doing a viewing of the wedding while serving a light breakfast buffet for $12, which will consist of coffee, tea, fresh juice, various pastries and Devonshire Cream. There will also be a non-alcoholic champagne toast (since it is against the law to serve alcohol after 2 a.m.) just after the ceremony finishes to salute the royal couple, said server and manager Andrea Hirschinger, who will be working the event.

“This is the first event of its kind for us here. We’re not normally a late-night venue, but this is a special occasion, and being that we are an English pub, very appropriate,” said General Manager Dino R. Grassini.

Grassini also mentioned the event was the idea of current owner, Allyson Dalton, daughter to the original English co-founders Bill and Denise Dalton. Since Allyson Dalton’s parents and husband are English, Hirschinger noted that all of this is of personal interest to Allyson.

“It’s not just work for her, but a part of her culture,” she said.

Grassini and Hirschinger said they are looking forward to seeing who will be out to show their support during those wee hours of the morning.

This particular event will end at 5 a.m., but Fox and Goose will be reopening at 7 a.m. to continue the party with the cutting of a three-tiered traditional white wedding cake. Complimentary slices will be given out while supplies last.

Throughout the day, a special menu item of Cottage Pie (a lamb variation of Shepard’s Pie) will be served with a smaller portion the pub’s Kensington Garden Salad (named after Kensington Palace where Princess Diana resided), which is a mixture of baby green leaf lettuce and marinated onions with your choice of any of the house-made dressings.

Hirschinger expressed her excitement about the events at Fox and Goose, as well as for the wedding itself.

“I’m excited because this is something new for us, and I’m also looking forward to (seeing) the wedding dress,” Hirschinger said. “Will she have a long train like Princess Diana or will she go for a more modern look?”

No matter what your interest, whether it be the royal wedding itself or just a really late-night place to hang out, those at Fox and Goose said they hope you will come out to help make the event a success.

For more information, call 443-8825 or log on to the website.

Where to enjoy Easter brunch in the central city

2011-04-18T05:16:22Z

Easter is fast approaching and along with it comes the requisite egg hunts and candy-fests. Before you go snacking on the Snickers, though, you may be interested in having a good old-fashioned Easter brunch with your friends and family.

If you’re looking for good food on Easter Sunday in the central city area, here are a few places offering brunch and drink specials on this special day:

Tower Cafe
1518 Broadway
Brunch: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dinner: 4:30 to 11 p.m.
Tower Cafe’s large brunch menu includes their Famous French Toast, Eggs Tower, the Borracho Burger, and Thai steak salad. Or, try one of their specialties: a chorizo burrito with sauteed onions, garlic and dry chorizo sausage scrambled with eggs and wrapped in a jumbo flour tortilla with black beans and guajillo chili sauce.

Diners will enjoy the recently updated outdoor patio and waiting area, while Tower’s own in-house balloon artist will be on hand to create some fanciful balloon art for the kids. The bar will be open too. Brunch entrees start at $8.95. Reservations are not required but are suggested for parties of six or more. Call 441-0222 for more information.

Sweetwater Restaurant
1901 S St.
Brunch only, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sweetwater is offering a special Easter brunch buffet for $19.95. More than 30 breakfast, brunch and lunch item choices will be available, including a variety of eggs benedicts, pancakes, fresh salads, pastas, pastries and more. The buffet special includes a complimentary glass of mimosa or champagne, and you can add on unlimited mimosas for $6 more. Reservations are highly recommended through their website or by calling 731-8857.

33rd Street Bistro
3301 Folsom Blvd.
8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Guests will enjoy the made-to-order omelet station, scrambled eggs, pancakes, potatoes, spiral sliced ham, chilled salads, wood-roasted salmon with cucumber dill sauce, and many desserts and pastries for only $29 per person. Of course, what’s Sunday brunch without the endless mimosas for $8?

Manager Tim Spathos and crew go all out to make Easter brunch a special occasion for everyone. You’ll definitely want to make reservations for this one. Call 455-2233 for information.

Capitol Garage
1500 K St.
Brunch: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Executive chef Jonathan Clemons’ Sunday brunch menu includes everything from specialty egg scrambles to buckwheat pancakes with fresh blueberries to biscuits and gravy. If you feel like something a little different, go for the Banana Rama French Toast, topped with rum-flamed bananas, brown sugar, toasted pecans, whipped honey butter and garage potatoes for $13.95. Clemons’ specialty is desserts, and this time he’s bringing back his scrumptious truffles made with Cadbury Creme Eggs for $2 each or three for $5.

Most brunch entrees start at around $9.95, kids’ menu items start at $7.95, and bottomless mimosas are $6.95 with the purchase of an entree. Reservations are suggested, so call the Garage at 444-3633.

Cafe Bernardo
1431 R St.
Brunch: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cafe Bernardo is located in the R15 building, and everyone from singles to families come in on Sunday mornings to enjoy the brunch that head chef Scott Ostrander prepares each week. Along with such specialties as Amaretto French Toast, on Easter Sunday Scott will add griddled crab cakes with poached eggs, grilled asparagus, and roasted red bell pepper Hollandaise sauce. Entrees range from $7 to $10 and bottomless mimosas are $10 all day. Although reservations are not required, guests can call ahead at 930-9191.

Tuli Bistro
2031 S St.
Brunch: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tuli is a restaurant with a bistro-style menu and welcoming, neighborly atmosphere. Although they usually have a brunch menu every Sunday, this Easter they’re “kicking it up a bit,” says manager Claudia Bovero. Some of the specialty items on the menu will include chicken-fried lamb chops with a morel mushroom brown gravy, and rabbit sugo with house-made pappardelle noodles. Chef Eric Sarmento’s specialty is pork, so look for some delicious pork dishes as well. Entrees start at $11 and bottomless mimosas are $9. Reservations are suggested for Easter Sunday and can be made by calling 451-8854.

Kupros Bistro
1217 21st St.
Brunch: 10 a.m. to 2:30 pm
Dinner: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
This Easter Sunday at Kupros, chef Matthew Robinson has put together a delightful three-course brunch menu with buffet, entree, and dessert for $25 per person. First comes the continental buffet including pastries, fruits, parfaits and salads. Next, guests choose from a variety of entrees, including ricotta pancakes with candied raspberries and lemon curd, or spring vegetable quiche, or even a grilled bistro fillet steak with puttanesca sauce. Brunch finishes with small-bite pain perdu with maple gelato and walnuts. Bottomless mimosas are $10 and Bloody Marys will be on special all day. Reservations are recommended and can be made online or by calling 440-0401.

Fox & Goose
1001 R St.
Brunch: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The menu at this family-friendly English-style pubhouse includes a little bit of everything: eggs benedict, tofu scramble, waffles, scones and more. Fox & Goose’s specialty pub grills are served with two eggs and English country potatoes, and offer a wide variety of add-in choices like ham, bacon, linguica, sirloin steak, or even kippers. For something a bit more English traditional, try the Welsh Rarebit omelet, or perhaps some bangers and eggs. Entrees start at about $8 to $10, and they don’t take reservations, so walk right in and enjoy a great Sunday brunch.

R Street improvement kicks off

2010-09-09T02:22:03Z

The R Street improvement project officially started today at a groundbreaking ceremony in front of the Fox and Goose Public House at 10th and R streets.

“This is absolutely wonderful,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui. “We have a history here – a thriving commercial history.”

R Street is getting numerous upgrades from 10th Street to 13th Street as part of the more than $6 million project, including sidewalks, pedestrian-oriented traffic lights, designated parking spots and drainage, according to Sacramento Department of Transportation Director Jerry Way.

In a nod to the R Street corridor’s history, rail lines will be preserved in the streetscape.

“This project has been long and anxiously awaited,” Way said.

Part of the funding – about $1.5 million – came from a federal earmark.

“That has some bad connotations, but when it actually works, it leverages a lot of money,” Matsui said. “The federal government needs to be involved in urban planning, and it is. I’m looking forward to a continued partnership with the state and with the city.”

Mayor Kevin Johnson applauded the project and said the 170 jobs it will create are a boon to the local economy.

“The R Street corridor is going to be an amazing opportunity for us,” he said. “This is a microcosm, I believe, of everything that is happening in our city.”

The project lies in City Council District 4, and Councilman Rob Fong said the $6.1 million to address infrastructure in his district is key to preserving the history and helping bring in new development in the mixed-use corridor.

While the groundbreaking was today, dirt won’t actually be moved for about two weeks, according to Todd Leon, R Street development manager for the Capitol Area Development Authority (CADA), which partially funded the project.

Leon said the work from 11th Street to 13th Street will, depending on weather, be done sometime in late November or December.

Work from 10th Street to 11th Street will start after St. Patrick’s Day and be completed in June, he added.

“The businesses are going to be open the whole time, and we wanted to work around their busy times,” he said.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Council likely to green-light R Street improvements

2010-08-23T22:54:00Z

After months of delay, the project to improve R Street between 10th and 13th streets will move forward, pending City Council approval Tuesday.

Currently, that section of R Street lacks any uniformity in regard to curbs, street lighting and parking, said Tim Mar, supervising engineer for the Sacramento Department of Transportation.

The project will rebuild the curves, repave the streets and add defined parking spaces and street lighting.

Another facet of the project will be restoring the historical character of the area – which is mixed-use with some industrial, business and residential buildings.

The project was originally scheduled to start in spring, but since federal funding is financing it along with local funding – none of which is from the general fund – approval had to be gotten from Washington, D.C.

“It was quite a significant delay in getting that approval,” Mar said, adding that it took twice as long as normal due to administrative processes.

Staff is recommending the City Council award the construction contract of about $2.75 million to Teichert construction.

Darryl Hansen, estimating manager for Teichert’s Sacramento office, said he expects to break ground around Oct. 1 and finish the project by late summer, 2011.

Most of the work is concrete, as the street will be repaved with colored concrete, curbs will be built and the existing historic rail spur – currently partially paved-over – will be set off by cobblestones as part of the preservation of the area’s history.

Hansen said the project is a positive thing for the construction industry, which has been hard-hit in the past few years.

During the 36 weeks of construction, there will be times when streets are closed, but Hansen said keeping open access to local businesses is a priority.

“It’s critical to let the businesses have access,” he said.

Dino Grassini, manager of the Fox and Goose Restaurant on the corner of 10th and R streets, said he thinks the project will be good for business.

“We’re 100 percent behind it,” he said. “It will eventually benefit us, and it will draw more attention (to R Street) and bring more people down here.”

Mar said that in addition to the existing businesses benefiting, he expects more development in the area once the project is complete, including condo-type residences.

“We’re excited the project is moving forward,” Mar said. “It’s taken us probably at least five years to get to this point, and I think the corridor is going to receive a dramatic facelift.”

The City Council meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall, located at 915 I St. The staff report for the R Street project can be viewed here.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Be Brave Bold Robot, CD Show

2010-03-02T02:14:38Z

Saturday, local band Be Brave Bold Robot hosted a CD release party at the Fox and Goose. The band released its second full-length album, "Take A Deep Breath."

With Beer Week coming to a close, it seemed like everyone in Sacramento went out over the weekend in search of frosty pints, and the Fox and Goose was no exception. The bar's side venue, with its narrow entrance hall, featured patrons packed snugly near the stage, over-stuffed booths, and standing on chairs. The band's friends, family and co-workers all attended the party. About 200 people ended up attending the show.

I was able to meet up with some of front man Dean Haakenson's co-workers for the state, who only had flattering words for both Haakenson's band and his work ethic.

One co-worker/friend, Kyle Larson, even did the cover art for the honorary CD of the night. After describing his affinity for the band's music, Larson explained how "excited and honored" he was to create the cover. (Kyle Larson)

BBBR played a bunch of songs off its new CD, which the audience warmly embraced. When older songs were performed it was very impressive to witness the large amount of lip-singing mouths and satisfied smiles of familiarity. Such a strong display of loyalty for a local band is rare and I predict BBBR's new songs will be on a fast-track to finding a home amongst fans.

In addition to the usual live band, BBBR also added welcomed Jake Gleason (horns), Jhon Bellizia (banjo), and Humboldt native John Ludington (guest vocals), who was introduced to Haakenson through Sacramento singer-songwriter Justin Farren. Ludington took lead vocals on the night's second to last song and the crowd went nuts.

Haakenson took a step back to focus on the guitar, while Ludington covered his song. Sweat was flying, axes were shredding, Catie Turner's viola bow was doing whatever viola bows do, and Carly DuHain was doing her Janis Joplin thing.

Collectively they sounded great, jamming in the style of Blind Mellon, and the crowd roared concluding the performance. The addition of the banjo added a Eastern European flavor, comparable to the band Devotchka (Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack). The very last song of the night was a calm duet between co-vocalists Duhain and Haakenson. The song grounded the audience, after having just sent them on a frenzied trip.

It's mood seemed more fitting for the front row, who had been sitting cross-legged for the entire performance, than the chair-standing fans. However, it was a comforting end to an exciting night. Duhain and Haakenson have great chemistry together, and even talk about continuing a side project in the near future.

For future show go to BBBR's official Myspace www.myspace.com/bebraveboldrobot

Be Brave Bold Robot, CD Release Show Saturday

2010-02-26T03:04:52Z

Be Brave Bold Robot is hosting the release of their second full length album Saturday at the Fox and Goose.

Established for six years now, the band is stronger than ever. Started in the shadows of The 24K Cafe, now The Golden Bear bar, Dean Haakenson (front man) and Jeremy Pagan (guitarist) joined their musical forces to play under the name Double Helix Collective.

Since their underground start, the band has grown in maturity, popularity, and contributors. BBBR's internal relationship is what sets them apart from your average band. Although the face of the band has been subject to some changes, there is still a maintained friendship between them.

Most breakoffs from BBBR have been prompted by the simple lack of time and the obligations of day-jobs. Haakenson, who's cluttered the same cubical for six years now, understands that the band "isn't my job, it's a hobby," though he wishes it were. The band's 9-5 ranges from computer geek to community planner, and BBBR is their way of unbuttoning the collar and throwing down the tie.

Drummer Tony Ledesma believes that Haakenson is "the bread of the sandwich, holding the pieces together." This is not only true of their camaraderie, but also with their genre-bending music. Haakenson believes BBBR's collective musical influence institutes "no boundaries" to hinder their creativity. Although hard to narrow down what their sound is, BBBR manages to focus a complex collaboration of an eclectic band throughout production; the audience is left with a complete sandwich instead of an abstract salad.

If a sound comparison must be made, BBBR's vocal styling are similar to Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) with hip-hop-esque lyrics. Through and through, BBBR has a folk-rock foundation that can get funky on a whim in the style of bands like Beck or Wilco. Haakenson fell in love with underground San Francisco hip-hop during his rebellious high school years and, to this day, would still "like to be a rapper."

For Saturday's performance, BBBR is rounding up all members that played on the album to give the audience an experience "closest to the original recording," Haakenson said. Expect to see Dean Haakenson, Matty Gerken (Bass), Tony Ledesma (Percussion), Catie Turner (Viola), Carly DuHain (back-up vocals), Jeremy Pagan (guitar), Jake Gleason (horns), and Jhon Bellizia (banjo) who will be performing before BBBR as Sir Jhon. Calling on the full staff will require some of BBBR's previously members to saddle up one more time. Also, tonight at The Naked Lounge BBBR will be performing their set-list from the new CD, 'Take A Deep Breath.'

Fox and Goose is located at 1001 R Street. The show starts at 9 p.m. ($5 cover)

A portrait of Autumn Sky

2009-09-26T03:46:25Z

Most 20-year-olds don't play over 15 instruments or write three songs per week. Nor have they traveled and lived all over the United States. But Sacramento musician Autumn Sky didn't grow up in a so-called "normal" household.

Having played hundreds of shows, the ambitious Sky is on the rise.

Sky (she uses her middle name instead of her last name, Hall) was born in Paradise, Calif. She and her family lived out of a Volkswagen Beetle near Puget Sound in Washington and spent time in Oregon and Wisconson before settling in Sacramento.

She also recalled living in a log cabin in Mendocino as part of a nudist colony.

"There is a whole [photo] album that my parents have and it's all these babies and families just hanging around, only wearing tool belts," Sky said, with a hint of dry humor. "The sad thing is that people who live in nudist colonies are not the people you want to see nude."

Another thing that sets Sky's family apart is that they are high on the autism spectrum. Her father has Asperger's. She is the oldest of seven, with brothers and sisters who also have autism, Asperger's and dyslexia, she said.

"All of those disorders are blessings. There's so much of a stigma [but] I think it makes us all really cool," Sky said. "My autistic brothers are the sweetest people in the world."

It's hard to imagine Sky's colorful background when face-to-face with her. She wears girly dresses, reads poetry (e.e. cummings is her favorite poet) and once worked at Starbucks, she said.

Sky is currently on hiatus from jazz classes at American River College, works at Raley's during the day and admits a guilty pleasure: listening to pop musician/actress Mandy Moore.

Her hobbies include painting and writing and illustrating her own children's books. When she was younger, she had stage fright, and aspired to to be a journalist and author as a creative outlet.

Sky was introduced to music growing up around a grandmother who played piano and a mother who played both piano and violin and sang. She started taking piano lessons from her mother at age 6, then moved to violin at 11.

As a young teenager, Sky started doing open mic nights at her church, but she soon found her niche after moving on to the True Love Coffeehouse, as well as the Fox and Goose pub. "I used to do five open mics a week," Sky said, adding that she gained a sense of friendship among open mic performers.

"What else was I supposed to do?" she added. "Performing is so much fun for me, and it brings me so much joy to bring other people so much joy; it's extremely therapeutic."

"[Sacramento's music scene] is vastly underrated; there's so much potential," she said. "In L.A. I would be a folk singer among 500 others. It's very good for me to be in a place like this. I feel like [people] really cherish the music that comes out of here."

She released an EP, Diminutive Petite in 2008, and a friend from church helped Sky finance and produce her first album All Which Isn't Singing earlier this year. She made the album with most of the Sacramento band All on Seven backing her, creating an upbeat blend of pop, folk, and rock.

Sky is currently working on a follow-up album and is in talks with a label to have it released by next spring. "It has a '60s sound mixed with Tim Burton and Sunshine Pop," she said. If all goes according to plan, she will also be touring the Northwest in the upcoming months, she said.

Sky will be playing at Club Retro, 6521 Hazel Ave., Orangevale, on Saturday at 8 p.m. One can also see her play during her 11 Sacramento-area shows scheduled in October.

She will soon make her journalist aspiration a reality by previewing some of her own shows, here, at The Sacramento Press.

Photographs credit Caitlin Bellah/Autumn Sky

Musician Elliot Randall to begin California tour in Sacramento

2009-09-11T05:19:09Z

It was a combination of a songwriting workshop and heartbreak over a girl that jump-started Americana singer Elliot Randall's career.

"I think that every songwriter gets into songwriting because of a girl," he said. "Songwriters can write about heartbreak all day long if (they) experience it."

Heartbreak or not, Randall has made a name for himself in a relatively short time. Since his debut album, Take the Fall, came out in 2007, he's had the chance to open for some of his childhood heroes: Creedence Clearwater Revisited and the Steve Miller Band.

On Friday night, at the Fox and Goose Pub, Randall and his four-piece band will play the first concert of a California tour that he is co-headlining with folk rock singer Gina Villalobos. Local singer-songwriter Kate Gaffney will open the show.

Country music is deeply rooted in Randall's blood -- his father was a country songwriter, and his grandfather was a musician as well. "Once I started getting into songwriting, roots-type stuff just started coming out," he said.

His family moved from the deep South to South Carolina when he was little, and shortly before high school, they moved to California. It was at Santa Barbara City College that he took the songwriting workshop.

"It's a really well-known program run by a professor named Dr. Clark, an amazing songwriting coach and mentor. He really helped me with my craft," Randall said.

Randall mentioned that many people who have taken the class have been successful. One example is pop singer Katy Perry, whose 2008 album, One of the Boys, recently went platinum.

Later, Randall moved to San Francisco, where producer David Simon Baker (ALO, Jackie Greene, The Mother Hips) helped him record Take the Fall. The album reached number 16 on XM Radio's "X Country" charts, and Randall gained a regional following in the Bay Area.

But he won't say that he's successful or that he's "made it." That kind of thinking puts too much pressure on his career, Randall said.

Right now, he's working with Baker again on a new album entitled Caffeine and Gasoline, set for release in October or November. It will feature less heartbreak and include more lively songs, Randall said.

"I don't want to do another singer-songwriter, depress-everyone-in-the-world, sad Grey's-Anatomy-soundtrack record," Randall said of the record. "It's got some sweet ballads, but frankly I don't think there are enough Americana bands out there trying to rock the house, trying to get people moving."

Randall said he enjoys playing in Sacramento because the people who go to his shows (he played at Marilyn's on K Street last time) are willing to have a good time.

"I don't think people (in Sacramento) are as obsessed with being hip as they are in the Bay Area, so it was a nice change. I dig the fact that it's a real hardworking Northern California city, and people have to sort of cut loose a little bit and have some fun."

Randall will debut some of the new songs from Caffeine and Gasoline in the show Friday, which begins at 9 p.m. There will be a $5 cover charge for the show at Fox and Goose Pub, 1001 R St.

Photographs credit Music Fog

Meet the Evil Do-Gooders!

2008-11-13T01:41:10Z

I first ran into the local two-man show, The Evil Do-Gooders, at an Open Mic event at Fox and Goose. To be a little more accurate, my first encounter with band members Ryan and Ruben happened on my way out the door. Let me explain.

If you haven't been yet, Monday nights attract a lively round-up of diverse local musicians playing everything from blues and folk to acoustic rock. On this particular Monday, my crew and I were about ready to call it a night at the wee hour of 10 p.m., until two guys with guitars called out for our attention. After watching reporters from The Sacramento Press talk to virtually everyone who played that night, they didn't want to be forgotten about simply because they were scheduled to play last.

Yes, the audience was thinning out considerably. We were pretty much the only members of the once-plentiful crowd. So, we stuck around to give these boys some support, and were surprisingly pleased by what we heard.

What the Evil Do-Gooders may lack in experience, they make up for with enthusiasm. Like a trip back into the early days of what any good musician must have started out as, Ruben and Ryan's stage presence was something to be appreciated. A little nervous maybe, but completely honest and really giving it their all.

The songs were more jazzy than your typical young guys singing about bad relationships. How often do you get to see a white guy crooning out lyrics like "my bestest boo," to a background with a bit of Mexican flair that sounds similar to a Spanish folk song played on a nylon string guitar?

Any band that can smile while playing to an almost-empty room gets an "A" for effort, at least in my book.

Interested in seeing what this local talent is all about? Check them out at the Capitol Garage on November 15th, at 9 p.m. They'll be playing with Purple Girl and the Musical Chairs. The show is only 3 bucks, so anyone 21 and over should mark their calendars. Or, check out their MySpace page to get a sneak-preview of the tunes by clicking here. If you're interested in finding out more about open mic nights at Fox and Goose, see their Web page here.

In the follow-up to this piece, I meet up with The Evil Do-Gooders for a little more about how they got their start in the area, so stay tuned!

Monday Night Open Mic at Fox and Goose Pub

2008-10-28T23:10:38Z

You wouldn’t know it if you were standing outside and looking at the Fox and Goose Pub on a Monday night, but inside, it’s buzzing with people and music. The action is well-contained within those thick walls, and the second you open the door you’re sure to be overtaken with the warmth of the place and the lively rifts within.

The way Fox and Goose is laid out, there are two rooms to choose from. The first room contains all the essentials to Monday Night Open Mic; plenty of great pub beer true to England and Ireland, and an on-going line-up of one quality band of musicians after another. The crowd is usually a diverse one, ranging young to old, family or friends of the musicians and newcomers alike. In this room, people sit in clusters or stand against the back wall with beer in hand, all listening to the music and occasionally chatting.

The other, slightly disconnected room to the left of the pub, has a more docile energy than the first. Smaller clusters of people inhabit the large, comfortable booths, and towards the back end sits a drum circle. Those sitting in the booths seem easy-going, content, and are all engaged in conversation. The music is nice and resonant in this room, and thus can accompany friendly discussion rather than reign over it. Patrons Mark Richardson and Paul Rohrer sit in this room. They are just a few of many who are in regular attendance on Monday nights, agreeing that it is the quality of music and the social aspect that draws them to Open Mic Night. They come for the music and to socialize with other musicians whom they’ve met there. They agree that, on Monday nights, there’s always a good amount of people, but not too many.

It’s obvious that Open Mic at Fox and Goose allows for a good ‘Social Glue’ climate. It’s hard not to have a good, mellow time with friends where the beer selection is sound and it doesn’t really matter if you like the band playing, because there will always be more than one.

Have a few rounds at Fox and Goose Pub on Monday nights, starting around 7:30. You can find more information at their website.

Were you one of the people that attended? What did you think? Check back for more posts in this storyline by clicking the green storyline tab. And feel free to share your answers and thoughts in the conversation below.

The R Street levee

2008-10-14T10:02:18Z

R Street has been a railroad corridor for almost as long as Sacramento has been a city, but it was once part of our flood protection system. In 1854, engineer Theodore Judah planned the first railroad in California, the Sacramento Valley Railroad (SVRR), using R Street as its main line through town on its way to Folsom. However, in the 1850s, flooding was a regular occurrence in Sacramento, and our complex series of levees and street raisings was only beginning. In order to keep the new railroad line above water, a levee was needed along R Street.

The original map of Sacramento included plans for streets as far south as Y Street (now Broadway), but when the SVRR was built there were few homes south of R Street. The levee stretched from R Street at least a mile to the east, gradually meeting the higher ground to the east. In addition to keeping the railroad high and dry, the levee protected Sacramento from flood waters coming from the south. However, in 1861 the R Street levee accidentally contributed to Sacramento’s most destructive flood.

On December 9, 1861, Sacramento’s northern levee along the American River broke. As flood waters poured into the city, they were stopped by the R Street levee. Instead of protecting the city from flooding, the levee stopped water from leaving the city. A hole had to be punched in the R Street levee in order to allow the waters to drain.

By 1900, a new levee system was in place throughout the Sacramento Valley. The railroad route along R Street was still important, but the levee was no longer needed. In 1903, the levee was removed, and the tracks relaid at their current level. Today, the only remnant of the R Street levee is at the cross streets near Third, Fifth and Sixth Streets, where the street rises and then drops at R Street. This elevated section was needed to keep tracks on R Street level, and to permit the tracks to rise up to the level of the wharves along Front Street, where the riverfront levee still keeps the waters at bay.

Removal of the R Street levee made development south of the tracks far easier. Within a decade, a beautiful new neighborhood was built south of the old levee, with a new city park, Southside Park, at the neighborhood’s center.

William Burg is the author of Sacramento’s Streetcars and Sacramento’s Southside Park, both by Arcadia Publishing. His new book, Sacramento: Then and Now, will be released on September 30, 2008.