Local indie bands offered up a hearty dose of energy and a touch of theatrics to the 1,000-plus-person crowd at Cesar Chavez Park Friday night for the latest installation of the Concerts in the Park series. On the sidewalk leading up to the stage area, vendors were selling gyros, drinks, necklaces and earrings. The CHP had a tented booth, as did radio station Radio 94.7 FM and The Sacramento Press. The night’s diverse crowd included families, neon-haired teens and seniors, all basking in the glow of live music and sunshine. Friends spread out islands of blankets on the grass, and children ran around with balloons attached to their wrists. Siblings Juli and Tyler Lydell of The Dreaded Di

Harlow’s hosted an outstanding evening of music Tuesday night with Exquisite Corps, Musical Charis and Agent Ribbons performing. Jerry Perry put on another great promotion for the many guests that attended the show. Exquisite Corps started the show; actually they did an extended sound check so those who were there got to enjoy some great pre-show music. I’ve seen Exquisite Corps play a couple of times and was intrigued the first time I saw and heard them play. I thoroughly enjoy the mix of the orchestral strings in their music. It makes them unique not only for that but for their overall sound. Their mixture of violins and the deep cello sounds gives their music a rich dramatic sound

Fresh off a tour of Spain and Europe, and having one of their songs featured on a national television show, Agent Ribbons will play Sacramento twice this month. The band is touring the West Coast in support of their 2010 release “Château Crone” The Austin, Texas based duo is playing Harlow’s on May 10 and ten days later at Caesar Chavez Park. The band consists of Lauren Hess (drums, vocals) and Natalie Ribbons (guitar, vocals) and both are Sacramento-area natives, Hess is from Folsom and Ribbons is from Land Park. Hess, 29, lived in Folsom for 15 years and graduated from Folsom High in 2000. In addition, she had her first band while in high school called Miss Conduct. Their music has be

One of Sacramento's favorite local bands is local no more. Agent Ribbons will no longer be based in Sacramento. After a farewell show Thursday night at Old Ironsides, singer/songwriter/guitarist Natalie Gordon is going to be calling Austin, Texas home. At least for a little while. "I'm going down there with the intention of moving back to Sacramento at some point," Gordon said on the phone Wednesday before the band played a gig in San Francisco. "But I want to try somewhere new. My life's just really open right now." The band, which began as a duo consisting of Gordon and drummer/singer Lauren Hess, became a trio in the last couple of years with the addition of violinist Naomi Cherie,