Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "les claypool"

Primus plays the Memorial Auditorium

2010-09-16T07:31:42Z

The Primus Oddity Faire tour kicked off in Sacramento Tuesday at the Memorial Auditorium.

The first act to take the stage, a group from Los Angeles, was called El Bronx. The group consisted of a mariachi band decked out in traditional black mariachi suits with a rock-and-roll flare.

The singer brought a ton of energy to the stage, talking to the crowd and encouraging everyone to clap along. Fans of Primus who would normally be moshing in the pit were dancing and having a good time.

At first listen, El Bronx sounded like an ordinary mariachi band, but once the violin kicked in and the singing began, it was obvious that there was something odd about the mariachi tunes.

The subject matter of the music is what made El Bronx unique. Even though the group’s sound is very upbeat and Hispanic, its lyrics deal with everything from prison to political issues. The combination of the darker lyrics and the somewhat-humorous beats of the mariachi sound made El Bronx an act to remember.

Next up was a performing troupe of dancers and contortionists called the Vau-De-Vire Society. Their performance mimicked an old Vaudeville show, minus the slapstick elements.

The first person to take the stage was a lone guitarist who provided the soundtrack for the entire performance. Next, a dancer clad in red and twirling a large python in the air emerged.

Various other dancers came next. The show featured everything from sword-balancing acts to handstands. But of course what made the dances so much more intriguing was the sexy clothing the performers wore – the girls were dressed in bright red lingerie and ripped stockings.

Since no burlesque-meets-vaudeville-meets-circus act is complete without an element of danger, the performance also showcased ascantily clad man who cracked a whip to break roses off their stems from such provocative places as the female dancers’ mouths.

Furthermore, a rebel cowgirl also popped balloons and tipped over cans with a pellet gun from various places on the dancers’ bodies. The high point was when once of the dancers did the splits while in a handstand and a can was placed between her legs and shot by the cowgirl.

Finally, the lights dimmed and Primus was ready to play.

The band opened with the first song off of its album “Frizzle Fry,” entitled “To Defy the Laws of Tradition,” and Les Claypool emerged wearing an absurdly tall top hat.

Interestingly enough, the next few songs played were the next few songs off of “Frizzle Fry,” and it soon became apparent that Primus was going to play “Frizzle Fry” in its entirety.

While “Frizzle Fry” is one of Primus’ first albums and it is very well-loved by fans, hearing the entire album played front-to-back took away any element of surprise from the show. Older fans of Primus who have seen the band live many times probably loved hearing the whole album, but people who were seeing Primus for the first time might have wished for a little more variety. With such an extensive repertoire of songs (20 years’ worth of material) it seemed strange that the band chose to limit itself to a single album.

Now, as Primus fans know, it’s impossible to go to a bad Primus show, and Tuesday’s concert was no exception. Les Claypool and the gang can do no wrong, and certainly there was nothing wrong with hearing such a fantastic album. However, it was very odd that “Tommy the Cat,” probably Primus’ most notorious song, wasn’t played.

After “Frizzle Fry” was finished, Claypool broke the silence he had maintained for all of “Frizzle Fry” to interact with the crowd a little. He spoke lovingly and jokingly about his bass, making everyone who is familiar with his custom basses laugh.

“This stringed piece of furniture is rather a beastly thing,” Claypool said. “I have sort of a love/hate relationship with it. Though it looks exquisite, it’s made with very fancy, exotic wood. And it feels good in the hands … Uh, ‘Jerry was a Racecar Driver’ anyone?”

After his little spiel, Claypool, Ler and Jay did play a few more songs off of other albums, namely “Jerry was a Racecar Driver” and a few songs off of “The Brown Album” (i.e. “Over the Falls” and “Shake Hands with Beef”).

When the show ended, it seemed like Primus would come out for another mini-encore, but, sadly for everyone in attendance, that was not the case, and the show ended with “Shake Hands with Beef,” a song that Claypool claimed the band hadn’t played in quite some time.

Overall, the show was amazing. Claypool always manages to bring together such talented groups of individuals when he tours, and The Oddity Faire was certainly no exception. A fair of odd people the concert most certainly was, and that’s how the Primus and Claypool fans like it.

Primus to play at Memorial Auditorium

2010-09-08T02:06:25Z

Primus is probably best known for blending funk-based slap bass riffs and interesting and usually humorous characters and situations into long and often psychedelic songs.

Vocalist and bassist Les Claypool tells tales of fisherman, controlled substances and downright ridiculous antics with a twang in his voice and (usually) a Carl Thompson bass in his hands.

Although Claypool has a number of other musical projects such as Oysterhead, Frog Brigade and a number of albums under his own name, he is reuniting with Primus bandmates Larry “Ler” LaLonde (guitar) and Jay Lane (drums) for a full-blown Primus tour across the states.

In regards to the North American Oddity Faire tour, Claypool’s website claims: “Primus will take to the road this fall as part of the 2nd Annual Oddity Faire. The Oddity Faire is a freak show like no other and this year the tour starts off with a stop in Sacramento, and promises to get really strange with a special two night stand at the Club Nokia in downtown LA. The Oddity Faire will head up through the Northwest and come to Canada for the first time before returning to the states for some dates into October. Primus will be joined by some great bands such as Mariachi el Bronx, Portugal. The Man and Split Lip Rayfield.”

Even though there have been no new Primus albums released for this tour, Primus does have a free download of four songs available through its website.

The EP is from the June 2010 rehearsal and includes four songs – “Pudding Time,” “American Life,” “Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread” and “Harold of the Rocks.”

The first stop on the tour is in Sacramento at the Memorial Auditorium, and what that performance holds in store for fans is unclear, but set lists for shows back in August have songs from older albums ranging from “Frizzle Fry” to “Pork Soda.”

One thing is for certain – Primus is playing two nights at the Club Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, and the first night the band has scheduled the entire evening to perform the album “Frizzle Fry” in its entirety.

According to the Primus Facebook page: “As part of our special two night run in LA, the band has decided to play Frizzle Fry in its entirety on Thursday (Sept. 16) and do a completely different show on Friday night (Sept. 17). It's going to be great.”

Primus’ first official album, “Suck on This,” came out in 1989, and to date the band has released six more albums with complicated and tough-to-duplicate bass riffs remaining the star of each.

The band’s latest release, “Antipop” (1999), features song titles such as “Lacquer Head” and “The Ballad of Bodacious.”

“Lacquer Head” is about a boy who uses inhalants such as paint and gasoline, while “The Ballad of Bodacious” tells the story of Bodacious the bull, who famously injured a rider, Tuff Hedeman, so badly that he had to have facial reconstruction surgery.

Claypool is not the only talent behind Primus, however, his name is well-recognized because of the degree of difficulty behind the bass riffs he writes. Not only does he invent wild slap solos like in “Tommy the Cat,” he also uses a custom six-string fretless bass for a sound that is distinctly “Claypool.” His visionary bass playing makes the bass guitar the focal point of the music, even though bass as an instrument is usually relegated to the task of keeping rhythm with drums.

One of Primus’ most recognizable songs can be heard on older seasons of the show “South Park” on Comedy Central. The theme song was written for the show by Primus, and it’s not really surprising considering the affinity for cartoonish humor the band possesses. One need only glance at the clay artwork from any of the earlier album covers to get a feeling for what the music holds in store for listeners.

Claypool also wrote the theme song for another popular cartoon series on Adult Swim called “Robot Chicken,” which can be found on Claypool’s album “Of Whales and Woe.”

The song fits so well with the opening credits of the series that it’s hard to tell whether the song was written for the credits or the credits for the song.

Primus has even had a song, “John the Fisherman,” featured on the popular video game series Guitar Hero, and the band makes an appearance in the film “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey” during the battle of the bands scene.

Although Claypool is most famous for his bass skills, he is not a one-trick pony. He has ventured out into the world of winemaking and has also written a book.

“As I tiptoe through the entertainment industry, dabbling in mediums beyond the microphone and my four-stringed piece of electric furniture, I once again find myself venturing into a new foray,” Claypool claims on his wine’s website. “What started as an attempt to fill our own personal wine cache has turned into a ‘boutique’ wine venture. Having forsaken some of my past ‘indulgences,’ I found myself becoming an avid consumer of wines from my neighborhood. After kicking the notion around for a year or two with some pals, it eventually came time to dive in and make some ‘fancy booze’ of our own.”

Claypool has developed two lines of wine, titled “Purple Pachyderm” and “Pink Platypus.”

“Purple Pachyderm” is described by the website as possessing “aromatics ... of supple black cherry, ripe red berry, and ginger spice along with hints of spearmint and almond.”

“Pink Platypus” is a less-expensive rose pinot noir. The wines are currently being served in Claypool’s choice wineries and restaurants that he “personally endorses” (http://claypoolcellars.com/index.php?page=Happenings&item=2), several of which can be found in Northern California.

Claypool’s book, “South of the Pumphouse,” takes place in El Sobrante and tells a tale of methamphetamines, fishing and murder.

Like his song lyrics, the book is very verbose, and the dialogue between characters exists perfectly in the “Claypoolian” world of offbeat and colorful characters.

The book is very much an extension of Claypool’s talent for storytelling, and his literary voice is as strong as the bass solos in his songs.

To find out more about Primus, Les Claypool, and the Oddity Faire tour, visit Primus’ website.

Lots of free (and cheap) events this Weekend!!

2009-06-17T23:55:20Z

It has never occurred to me that Father's Day weekend always happens at the same time as the summer solstice. Is that by coincidence? The longest, sunniest day of the year falls on the weekend that we celebrate our Dad's. That's kind of cool! At least for those of us who celebrate them. Otherwise, think of it as an extended day for you to be having fun! This weekend is packed with family friendly events for the whole family to enjoy at budget friendly prices. There are a few things I've mentioned that are a little more pricey... but they sound so fun! Whatever your budget is and whomever you'd like to spend your time with, check out what this weekend has in store.

Thursday 6.18

Class: Small Business Forum: Going Green -- $FREE
Where: SHCC Offices (1491 River Park Dr)
When: 9am
Why: Every month a different topic is featured in these workshops. From accounting practices, legal issues, buying new technology and creating a business plan—they’ll teach you all you need to know to be more efficient in your business. This month will focus on the latest trend in business…Going Green. It won’t cost you any green to come so check it out!
Details

Food & Wine: Wild West Cheese Adventure -- $45
Where: C’est le Cheese (Penthouses at Capitol Park)
When: 6:30pm-8:30pm
Why: “Artisan cheese makers are pushing the frontiers of flavor into an entirely new world by using the sweetest, creamiest milk from locally raised cows, goats and sheep to create an exquisite array of stupendous artisan cheese. Join Laura Martinez, author of "The Everything Cheese Book", in a tasting adventure of these wild and wooly cheese creations paired with wine and beer from pioneering vintners and brewers. This class is guaranteed to transport you to the best of the Wild West!”~ C’est le Cheese
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Music: Third Thursday Jazz Summer Concert Series -- $10 (FREE to Crocker Members)
Where: CSUS Capistrano Hall
When: 5:30pm-8pm
Why: The Garrett Perkins Project will entertain with their versatile range of Jazz from bebop to modern contemporary jazz. The Garrett Perkins Project is dedicated to promoting music that is at once educational and entertaining. Garrett has had a Quartet since the age of fifteen as an avenue for playing his beloved alto saxophone.
Details

Friday 6.19

Festival: Sacramento French Film Festival—Opening Night -- $10/ $9 students (single ticket)
Where: Crest Theatre
When: 6pm (Movie at 8:30pm) ***The festival runs through Sunday, June 28th***
Why: Opening night and reception! You cannot see the film tonight without going to the reception. Enjoy an open wine bar and catered hors d’oeuvres by local restaurants and music by DJ Christophe. The Sacramento French Film Festival is an annual event held in July. It celebrates the present as well as the rich history of French cinema featuring new releases and rarely seen classics. It is the only festival dedicated to French cinema in Northern California and one of only two on the West coast. The Sacramento Bee described the Festival as “the Cinematic Highlight of Sacramento's Summer”. All of the films are in French with English subtitles. (Psst! Check out the website for more fun events like the fashion show on Saturday the 21st!!)
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Festival: All American Tattoo Festival--$15 at the door/$30 for the weekend
Where: Sacramento Convention Center
When: 2pm-11pm (also Saturday, 11am-11pm & Sunday, 11am-7pm)
Why: Tattoo lovers unite! Tell all your ink loving friends to come over to the CC this weekend. There will be tattoo contests for prizes in addition to the artwork and music. Whether you’re a seasoned (or should I say fully decorated) tattoo lover or a novice, this is the place to find what you’re looking for. Even if you’re not much of a tattoo fan, you got to come if only to see George the Giant. He is himself a complete sideshow performance- known for his fire breathing, sword swallowing, glass walking stunts and many more, he is sure to entertain! Plus...the world wide debut of SHIGE a book by Horitaka from the Yellow Blaze Tattoo Studio in Japan.
Details

Kids & Families: Wet 'n Wild Family Night @ the Y! -- FREE
Where: Sacramento YMCA
When: 6pm-8pm
Why: Join the Sacramento Area YMCA for a free Wet n' Wild Family Night with musical guests, Prima! Bring your swimsuit, flip-flops & towel, there will be plenty of wet n' wild games including a fundraiser dunk tank! This is a free community event where everyone is welcome so don't forget to tell your family & friends! Jamba Juice and Yogurtagogo will also be on hand selling their tasty juices and yogurt to help beat the heat!
Details

Kids & Families: Disney Train Comes to Sacramento! -- $FREE
Where: California State Railroad Museum
When: 9am-7pm (also Saturday, 9am-7pm & Sunday, 9am-4pm)
Why: Bring your family and friends to Old Sacramento to see the Disney Train on the tracks near the California State Railroad Museum. Disney is pulling out all the whistle stops and taking its show on the road with a spectacular immersive and interactive 40-city train tour, including a 3D sneak peek of film footage from the upcoming movie “Disney’s A Christmas Carol.” Enjoy a snowy backdrop in June in Old Sacramento, complete with all of the sights and sounds of Christmas including carolers, decorations, giveaways and many more surprises. This Disney family event is for guests of all ages and is free to the public. Starring Jim Carrey and directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” opens in theatres November 6 in Disney Digital 3D and in IMAX 3D.
Details

Music: A Classic Rock Tribute with “ATB” -- $
Where: Double Tree Hotel
When: 8:30pm-11pm
Why: After the Beatles, music has never been the same. Or so believes ATB, which stands for After The Beatles. They are a classic rock tribute band keeping the Beatles alive by playing the music that the Beatles made, after the Beatles.
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Music: Les Claypool -- $25 adv/ $30 at door
Where: Radisson Hotel
When: 7:30pm
Why: Legendary Bassist from the popular band Primus. Back in their heyday (aka the 90’s), Les was recognized for his inventive, funky style. Advance tickets can be purchased at any Dimple Records store, The Beat and R5 Records.
Details

Saturday 6.20

Art: Stellar Studios’ Summer Solstice -- $FREE
Where: Stellar Studios (23rd & C St.)
When: 5pm-12am
Why: Celebrate Summer Solstice and support some local artists while you’re at it! Stellar will be featuring new work in glass, ceramics, metal & mixed media from all local artists. Get a glimpse into the future of art spaces. Also, it’s a great excuse to peruse and shop around with music & fire to compliment the atmosphere on the longest day of the year.
Details: http://sacramento365.com/event/detail/38873

Art/Class: Figure Drawing Marathon for Adults -- $65 ($45 for Crocker Members)
Where: Crocker Art Museum
When: 10:30am-4:30pm
Why: Back by popular demand! This workshop is for beginners and advanced students looking to learn or improve drawing skills. Draw from nude models while exploring the figure through warm-up exercises, gesture drawings and long poses. Note that this is an adult class! You must be 18 years or older. Drawing materials will be provided. Make sure you call to reserve your spot because reservations are required.
Details

Festival: 8th Annual Juneteenth Festival-- $FREE
Where: William Land Park
When: 11am-6pm (also Sunday, 11am-5pm)
Why: A Celebration of Freedom and the Emancipation Proclamation. What a way we’ve come! This is a two-day event featuring two stages of live musical entertainment, vendors, children's activities, spelling bee, fishing derby, The Juneteenth Educational Theater, essay/poster contests, theater, cultural dance performances, and more on Saturday! The Juneteenth Talent Show is probably the highlight of the event where local aspiring talent takes a stab at the stage. Nearly 8,000 people attend Juneteenth annually. On Sunday check out the 3rd annual Juneteenth Golf Tournament, the Juneteenth Gospel Extravaganza featuring Sacramento’s best gospel artists, food/ware vendors, and all kinds of children’s’ activities. Be there!
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Fundraiser: Round ‘em Up Barbeque -- $10 adults/ $5 kids
Where: Swanston Park
When: 3pm
Why: Grab the kids and head to the park for a family friendly BBQ! The Sacramento Children's Chorus will be performing an informal concert for entertainment. All of the proceeds for this event benefit the Sacramento Children’s Chorus. With all of the funding cuts happening with children’s programs, makes sense to support them in family fun ways such as these…
Details

Music: Pops in the Park Concert Series -- $FREE
Where: Bertha Henschel Park
When: 6pm-10pm
Why: This week is featuring the George Bruno Big Band. I don’t know much about the band- and couldn’t find any information on them other than they play at all kinds of family friendly events- but I do know that the Pops in The park Concerts are a great night out for families. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets and prepare to have some fun!
Details

Sunday 6.21 (Dad’s Day!)

Film: IMAX Father’s Day Package -- $Varies
Where: Esquire IMAX Theatre
When: 11am, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15 (Start Times)
Why: Take your Dad to see an IMAX show this weekend- or dad’s, take your kids out and save. In addition to the Stimulus Deal IMAX has been promoting, this Sunday Dad’s get in Free! You still need the receipt from a restaurant though. So the Stimulus Package Deal goes like this: Visit any Downtown/Midtown Sacramento Restaurant and spend $20…then bring your receipt to the Esquire IMAX Theatre and purchase any ticket to see Dinosaurs Alive 3D, Under The Sea 3D or African Adventure 3D for $5 or get a $5 discount off the full price admission ticket to Monsters vs. Aliens 3D, Star Trek, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian or Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. (Subject to availability) Up to 4 Tickets can be purchased with receipt.
Details

Music: Father’s Day BBQ Train -- $49 Adults/ $25 Kids (plus taxes & Service charge)
Where: Sacramento River Train
When: 11am
Why: Why not? When’s the last time you rode the train? This 3.5-hour trip includes a 28-mile train ride with a stop for a barbecue lunch at Elkhorn Park. The Sacramento River Train, which has three open-air cars and three enclosed air-conditioned coaches, operates between Woodland and West Sacramento.
Details

Keep in mind that all of these events and many more can can be found on Sacramento365.com, the year-round source for Sacramento events. If you have an event you would like to add to Sacramento365.com, visit the website. Its easy and free to add your events! Also, if you want to mention an event that I didn't squeeze into my little article- add it to the comments below! Have a great weekend!!