Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "marilyns on k"

Skates, trains and automobiles

2011-11-16T23:47:35Z

November’s Second Saturday attendance appeared to have decreased this month. Two hot spots however thrived and attracted visitors to the monthly Second Saturday Art Walk. Art galleries and other establishments on 20th Street as well as businesses on K Street attracted large crowds.

Downtown Sacramento’s K Street, in another effort to jump start the commercial area, opened for vehicle traffic on Saturday.

A stage was set up on 12th and K Streets to accommodate an opening ceremony, a car parade, and other entertainment to celebrate the event.

Classic cars paraded down K Street for the first time in over 42 years. Reminiscent of cruising down the boulevards of San Francisco or Los Angeles several dozen cruisers delighted onlookers who gathered for the event.

After the parade Butoh Dancers, courtesy of Rowena & Takashi, took the stage to showcase their hair and makeup talent.

Mariachi Latino, courtesy of Mayahuel, played their brand of music as patrons of the restaurant and guests enjoyed being serenaded.

The Smirkers, courtesy of Marilyn’s on K, also performed for fans and friends.

The Spazmatics were the last act to take the stage at 12th and K and they thoroughly delighted the audience. They started their performance singing “Cars” by Gary Numan. Their performances of 80s rock are very whimsical, energetic, popular choices for dancing, great to listen to and a lot of fun to watch.

The Spazmatics’ performance was a great official ending to the Cars on K event. As the 12th and K Street stage closed down, so did many of the venues and art galleries that participate in the monthly Second Saturday Art Walk events.

Just down the street on K and 11th a skateboard course was set up and several people skated. The course was provided to coincide with Omar Salazar’s Nike SB shoe launch celebration. The shoe launch included a red carpet event hosted by District 30.

As I stopped to watch kids skateboarding on the made up course a skateboard piece of art was being created by Eddie Stein.

Stein’s piece was created using a metal loop and skateboards were attached to it creating art. Stein used skateboards he’s collected over the years. A plaque attached to the artwork indicated that another local artist, Ianna Frisby, helped create the concept.

Mehrad Saidi had been at the skating course early in the day and was on hand to show me around, as we discussed the significance of K Street and skateboarding and how appropriate it was to be there to have an Omar Salazar shoe launch event.

Saidi said, “K Street was a popular spot for skaters back in the 80s” and as he said this, Stein - who was working on his art piece -interjected, saying “I skated it.”

Discussing skating in the 80s, Stein said, “I’m not really an expert but I know they changed K Street Mall and they built all these concrete structures which we called tape barriers because that’s what they looked like. There were also all these fountains and different embankments that we used when we came to skate at night.”

Stein indicated they skated at night because they did not want to get in trouble with the authorities. He indicated it was considered a skate friendly place in the sense that they could meet other skaters and was a place to hang out and learn from others.

As Stein continued to work on his structure, he noted that it was an untitled piece and was going to be using 23 skateboards to complete the work. He noted that a Hobie skateboard used in the display was from the time period we were discussing. Stein also noted that his piece had been exhibited at the California Auto Museum. Stein noted, “In fact it was the very first installation art piece ever allowed in the California Auto Museum.”

People passing by stopped to look at the art piece and asked Stein questions. In the meantime skaters of various generations and ethnicities continued to skate the course. The love of skating was a common link.

District 30 was hosting the Salazar shoe launch later that evening and at their entrance Alma Campos of Forum Boutique had a table of her boutique designs on display. Joaquin Razo, the event planner for the Salazar event took me inside District 30 to reveal the set up for the evening’s red carpet event.

Luke Shawver of District 30 conveyed that several things were going to transpire during the evening in the club and surrounding establishments. He mentioned that DJ Chris Harnett would provide music for the evening and that drink specials were being offered at District 30, Pizza Rock and the Dive Bar.

District 30, along with other surrounding clubs, theaters and eateries on K Street look forward to increased traffic and hopefully increased business.

Legendary skateboarder Curtis Franklin was on hand to help the Salazar crew with the event. Franklin talked about skating in the 80s in Sacramento and said, “We used to come down to Sacramento and that’s how many of us met as kids.” Franklin noted that he skated with Stein saying, “He was a big guy back then and it’s still cool seeing him. Some of those boards are what I was doing when I was a kid.”

Franklin continues to skate and noted he has a skating set up in his back yard. I relayed that a neighbor of some friends had built a ramp in his backyard in Folsom and to my surprise Franklin knew who I was talking about.

Rekindling memories, Franklin stated with much enthusiasm, “Yeah, my buddy Roger, we all know each other. His last name is actually Folsom. When I was a kid, Roger and my buddy Randy Katen and others hung out with each other. Some of the guys you lose track of but everyone just keeps skating, or they stop and start skating as their kids begin.”

When asked why he was at the event, Franklin noted that he was there to support Salazar. Franklin’s passion for skating is quite evident and he noted the skating community is very tight. Franklin said, “Omar has the ability to bring people together, he’s really connected with the kids and he's a down to earth kid as well.”

In regards to the skateboarding community, Franklin explained that he was glad to see Salazar and others giving back to Sacramento. Franklin ended by saying, “It’s good that he’s giving back. If you don’t give back to this community you get kind of excommunicated. You have to know where you came from. I remember Omar skating with me when he was a little kid. He has a good family, good friends and a great foundation. He’s a positive and genuine kid.”

Pablo Salazar and Saidi later presented Franklin with a display board that read, “Their Perseverance Paved the Way for This Generation's Acceptance” and included the names of Sacramento skaters who continue to give back to the community. Names on the board included Matt Rodriguez, John Cardiel, Omar Salazar, Ricky Windsor, Brandon Biebel, Curtis Franklin, Stefan Janoski, Matt Palles and Mako Urabe.

Skaters enjoyed the ramps created by Casey Lindstrom. The Livermore native has lived in Sacramento for the past 14 years. When asked how long it took to build the ramps Lindstrom said, “It took about three days to put together the ramps and course. I build a lot of ramps for 28th and B (Skate Park).”

Lindstrom has been skating for over 25 years and also runs Casey’s Restoration, a construction business. He noted that lately he’s had a lot of free time and donates wood and other materials he may have during times of slow business. His commitment to skateboarding runs deep. “If I’m not working I’m doing something for the B,” Lindstrom said. Skaters keep him going and he explained, “Business has been slow and it’s a dog-eat-dog world. Skateboarding keeps me going and keeps people happy and that’s what it’s all about.”

District 30 celebrated the Cars on K Street after party that included the Nike SB shoe release and birthday party for Omar Salazar. Salazar celebrated with fans, friends and family.

Sactown Rundown - March 24-30

2011-03-24T23:16:15Z

Yo, winter storms - we've got your summertime right here!

The concert calendar this week will be doing a little work to help us all not "t-t-talk about the weather" (as my main man Dave Matthews would say) with the outdoor (covered) patio concert series at Sophia's Thai Kitchen in Davis teeing off with a pair of shows. Plus, it's a pretty safe bet that Mr. Deputy will be wearing shorts. Just sayin'!

Zach Deputy – Isn’t this the guy who should be popping the tops off your beers at the bowling alley bar, or maybe explaining the difference in quality among products at your local “tobacco” shop? He’s got that laid back, flip-flop island vibe to him, the kind of dude you could shoot the breeze with at any time, because he’s always willing to invite you into his party of one. Deputy is a fiesta of a one man band, throwing loop after loop to cover bass, drum, backup vocal duties and even some specialty effects into the digital fray, to give him something to shred the guitar and belt some down home tunes along with. It’s a mix of island rock, reggae flavor, dance floor smacking beats and shreds of Zydeco – but at his heart, it become immediately obvious that Deputy is a guitar guy. Give him an acoustic or an electric, it doesn’t matter, he’ll attack the thing like it’s two-for-one meatball sub day at the local deli (Utah, get me two!). 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $12. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Del The Funky Homosapien – Hooray, internet! Del and some friends are dishing up the Ice Cold Leak Pack on Bandcamp, a four track free download of Sir Dzl himself, with Bukue One and Serendipity Project – not to mention a $3 download of his newest album, “It Ain’t Illegal Yet” (check out the tiered price structure on that bad boy). One of Oakland’s most famous hip hop stars not named Too Short and once a member of revered hip hop troupes Gorillaz and Hieroglyphics, Del has routinely shown Sacramento some love with relatively off the beaten path gigs, much like Friday’s throwdown over at Sol Collective. Walking the line between spoken work prophet and straight-up funk master, Del has stayed off of hip hop’s own beaten path his entire career, and we all thank him for that! With A Plus, Domino, and Bukue One. 8 p.m. Friday. Sol Collective, 2574 21st St. (at Broadway). All ages. www.solcollective.org.

The Luyas (Friday) and The Seedy Seeds (Saturday) – Don’t know if ya’ll have noticed, but Sophia’s Thai Kitchen in Davis has become an absolute Mecca of indie rock bands, and one of the coolest places to take in a show in this area on the insanely intimate patio setting. It’s not even April, but the calendar is firing up this weekend and will be jam packed through September. Huzzah! Hailing from Canada, the Luyas are often known to get a little help from Sarah Neufeld of Arcade Fire – don’t get too excited about her showing up at this gig, but the ethereal inner-child vocals of Jessie Stein and her backing band of dreamy electro-pop jangle jockeys will serve just fine (With Appetite. Doors 9 p.m., show 10 p.m. Friday. $5). The Seedy Seeds are, at their heart, a folk band, but it just appears that someone decided to give them plenty of electronic toys to play with, making their sound a proverbial toy chest of bouncy pop and crafty hooks. Opening act Sgt. Dunbar & the Hobo Banned are tailor made for fans of San Jose the Mumlers, with a package of stylish throwback pop, jazz and indie rock rhythms, trotting a dusty back road through the heart of Americana. (With Poor Things. Doors 8:30 p.m., show 9:30 p.m. Saturday. $5.) Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E St., Davis. 21+. www.sophiasthaikitchen.com.

Mark Karan – Mark Karan fits the bill of two groups of musicians that often don’t get quite the respect they deserve. He’s your ultimate collaborator; OK, that title should really be Leon Russell’s, but we’ll he’s swimming in the same pond. He’s one of the many fairly anonymous guys who have toiled in relative obscurity by playing with the Grateful Dead family of bands (in his case, playing lead guitar with Bob Weir & Ratdog). He has also been a bandmate with the likes of Huey Lewis, Jesse Colin Young, Dave Mason, the Rembrandts, and many others too numerous to mention. Low and behold, this consummate pro also has his own band, and his down home funky blues wiles are enough to make you forget about the company he keeps and start paying attention to his own merits; not to mention he’s a labelmate of Jackie Greene on locally bred Dig Music. Jeremiah Puddleduck gets the party going. 9 p.m. Saturday. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $10 adv./$12 d.o.s. 21+. www.marilynsonk.com.

Arsonists Get All the Girls – Strap on your thinking cap, and hold it in place inside the mosh pit. This Santa Cruz experimental metal/hardcore outfit will take your mind for a ride, set it on fire, douse the flames, decorate it with pastels, and send it back to you to ensure that you won’t know what the hell to do with it when you do have it back. They’re part of the Young & Restless tour with Our Last Night, Atilla, A Bullet For Pretty Boy, Armor for the Broken, Across the Sun, and It Starts With Alaska (can someone get me a beer after naming all those bands, please). 5 p.m. Wednesday. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St. $12. All ages. www.aceofspadessac.com.

Walking Spanish CD Release – It’s funny that Walking Spanish has become something of a Sacramento staple, an institution, if you will – and their lead singer is not even 23 years old. Alex Nelson comes from good stock though, his older brother knows a little somethin’ about being a young prodigy and fronting a band in this town. Nelson is hardly piggybacking his brother’s fame, but he and his band did piggy back San Francisco’s Mission Bells Studios with big bro and his BFF Tim Bluhm of the Mother Hips to record “Wishbones,” which gets its formal unveiling this weekend, with help from another local mainstay with some new material to offer, Prieta. Check out Lindol French's take on the new album. 9 p.m. Friday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $7. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Mark Your Calendars – Super Diamond – Didn’t happen the first time around due to liquor license issues at Ace of Spades, but as Sac Press editor in chief David Watts Barton reports, the venue is slamming, and the “Surreal Neil” and the rest of this Neil Diamond tribute act are ready to roll! April 9. 1417 R St. $15. www.aceofspadessac.com.

If you are planning or promoting a concert in the Sacramento area, or just know of a show you’d like to see featured in the Rundown, shoot me an email.

For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sacramento Press.

The twists and turns of Jackie Greene

2011-03-22T00:54:33Z

NOTE: This story is an opinion piece, based on this reporter's previous coverage of Jackie Greene, which dates back to 2004.

At virtually any given time, in any town or city in America, there is a “next big thing.”

There is that one musician or band tirelessly performing local shows and trying to make a name, but everyone in town who has seem them play is convinced that they’ve “got it” and are going to go the distance (Sacramento music pun is absolutely intended).

Maybe we want it as much for ourselves, so we can say we say them in the small local clubs way back when. Maybe we just like seeing them play some tunes. Whatever the reason, we just know it’s going to happen – and it is a relatively rare event when it actually does happen, when one of those golden children, embraced and encouraged by the arms of popular adoration, does indeed “make it.”

For the early and middle 2000’s, ours was Jackie Greene.

And that begs the question: When we see Jackie Greene return Sac-side to perform hometown shows, like the pair on deck this week, are we seeing the Jackie Greene that we thought or expected (demanded?) he would be, or are we seeing the Jackie Greene that he always was and wanted to be?

Jackie Greene performs the first of two Sacramento shows with his full band at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 23 at Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. Tickets are $25, and as of Monday afternoon there are still tickets available via Marilyn’s website.

Show number two is at 9 p.m. (doors 8 p.m.) on Thursday, March 24 at the Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. Tickets are $25, and can be bought through Dig Music between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (916) 442-5344, www.digmusic.com. There will be a limited amount of tickets at the door the day of show, beginning after 4 p.m. Both shows are 21+.

Two Sac shows in two days? What year is it?!

It truly doesn’t seem like that long ago that he was the youthful prodigy from up the hill in Cameron Park. Barely out of his teenage years, he looked like he weighed about 150 pounds soaking wet, sported wiry, stringy hair and a pair of too-cool-for-school bluesman shades while playing gigs at spots like Marilyn’s (the original 12th and K location), Harlow’s and the Torch Club, leading a three-piece band with Ben Lefever and Hence Phillips and showing off mere seedlings of what was to come.

Like so many blues, folk and rock singers of his similar breed standing trial in the court of public opinion, he was one of countless other “next Bob Dylans” – and he probably wouldn’t have bought you a beer to thank you for that “compliment.”

Under the tutelage of local label Dig Music and his manager Marty DeAnda (who still manages him today), “Greenehead" fever was taking over Sacramento by 2004, right around the time he released his self-made “Sweet Somewhere Bound.” It was a deliberately minimalist record, showcasing his almost other-worldy mature chops as a songwriter on a deeper level than did his locally revered bar and festival anthem pack of an album, “Gone Wanderin’.”

With an increased and expanding touring presence, they were clearly taking notice outside of Sacramento, as Verve/Forecast Records picked him up in 2005, re-released “Sweet Somewhere,” and prepared to quarterback his national breakout by ushering him into the studio to lay down “American Myth” in 2006.

All of a sudden, we were hearing “Honey I Been Thinking About You” while we were buying khakis at The Gap, leading up to the release of “Myth,” a pop heavy album which gave the world the saccharine ditty “Closer to You.”

Hey, these shirts are on sale, let’s see if they have your size in the…holy crap, that’s Jackie Greene on the sound system!

This was it. He’d arrived. He was a major label artist, a national touring fixture, and we here in Sactown all knew it was going to happen just like this. Score one for us.

But, fast forward to 2007. We’d have been stupid to think that Jackie would or could go “all the way” in Sacramento, as he took the necessary step in moving to San Francisco, hastily motivated when he came across an available space to set up his own recording studio with pal Tim Bluhm of the Mother Hips (and the other creative half of the Skinny Singers project, which also features Jackpot drummer Mike Curry).

Why his own studio? He walked on the deal with Verve/Forecast amid contractual differences, one of many casualties of a shaky recording industry that has found countless artists holding I.O.U. notes. The follow up to “American Myth” was soon to come, but it would come on his own terms as a newly independent artist, and it would come after lending his time and talents on tour as the front man of Phil Lesh & Friends.

Our golden boy, fronting a Grateful Dead offshoot band? Lord have mercy, how did this happen?

“Giving Up the Ghost” followed in 2008, distributed by the relatively anonymous 429 Records (also home to Bruce Hornsby, New York Dolls and Dr. John). It was a sonically dingy record that stood in stark contrast to the squeaky clean pop veneer of “Myth.” Listen to “Hollywood” and “Shaken” back-to-back and you’ll think you’re on a bullet train to Bizarro World.

That Dylan haircut is long gone; he’s sporting rock and roll locks, an indie rock beard, thrift store troubadour threads, and the hat – well, that one could go several different ways. Last year’s snappy and crafty “Till The Light Comes” is similarly lacking any of those real or fabricated preconceptions of who many thought Jackie Greene was, circa twenty-ought-four.

The one thing that the fans did get right was the popularity. He routinely packs rooms of Fillmore size coast to coast. Tens of thousands flocked to see him at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in October, where he devoted nearly ten minutes of his set to covering one of his personal favorites, the Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie.”

“Please don’t dominate the rap, Jack, if you’ve got nothing new to say.”

The house was packed for a surprise pre-Thanksgiving show at the Blue Lamp in 2009, with hundreds lined up hoping to hear some “Mexican Girl” or a little "Tell Me Mama, Tell Me Right." The band performed "Mexican Girl," but he let his little brother take lead vocals. "Tell Me Mama?" The original acoustic guitar and harp-on-the-rack are gone, as that tune now lives as a down-tempo, smokey blues lounge-dwelling soul scorcher delivered by Hammond B3. The band spent most of the rest of the night inviting a few friends on stage, jamming around and covering the Beatles, Creedence, and Merle Haggard – but no “New Speedway” that night.

“You can’t overlook the lack, Jack, of any other highway to ride/ It’s got no signs, or dividing lines, and very few rules to guide.”

Was Jackie Greene trying to find his inner punk rocker and flip the middle finger to the preconceptions of his music and career? Hardly. Bear in mind, he’s only a few months north of his “Dirty Thirty” birthday. All of us go through several changes in tastes and preferences of music when we’re in our twenties (I still have that first Disturbed album laying around somewhere), and performing artists should be, and are, no exception.

But it cannot be denied that many artists in Jackie Greene’s position, and with that “next big thing” monkey on their backs, can and do spend their whole lives and careers on cruise control, riding the highway that was Mapquested for them by the tastes of the fans that helped get them there.

Jackie has always been one to write songs about desolate trails and dusty roads, and you have to take a moment to stand in appreciation of an artist that could have taken the express lane, but chose that dusty frontage road instead, regardless of a few gravel patches and potholes.

Jackie Greene has achieved (and is still achieving) the popularity we always knew he would, but over the last couple of years, he’s found the path to do it his own way, by writing, recording and performing the music that he wants to write, perform and record – and it is hard to argue that he is not a more alluring, exciting and complete artist because of it.

“Who can deny, who can deny, it’s not just a change in style/ One step down and another begun, and I wonder how many miles.”

Mother Hips on Saturday night with Lindol and Aaron

2011-03-06T23:04:18Z

Writer’s note: This is a collaborative concert review between Sac Press reporters Lindol French and Aaron Davis. If you’re familiar with Lindol’s frequent concert reviews and the weekly Sactown Rundown, this should really be no surprise.

LF: When Aaron first proposed a collaborative concert review, I thought to myself “what is this tall goofy S.O.B. talking about?” But then, myself answered “Say yes, you idiot! He can do all the hard parts, like remembering the songs, making notes about instrument changes et. cetera. You can drink Pabst and throw woo at chicks. It’s a win-win!” So I agreed.

AD: Truth be told, I rarely have good ideas, but this one seemed like it would work. So far, utter failure – probably due to the aforementioned PBRs. Eventually these Bloody Marys will (theoretically) get us to produce something of merit. But let’s get down to brass tacks here: You’ve lived here a whole year, man, how was last night the first time you’ve been to M arilyn’s? Too hard to walk away from that personal locker they gave you at Harlow’s?

LF: Look, man, I get my mail sent to Harlow’s. It’s cheaper than a P.O. Box. And anyways, I blame you. But, let’s not quibble. Better late than never, and Mother Hips was a helluva band to stamp my Marilyn's V-card.

AD: Right you are, grasshopper! Marilyn’s is becoming a regular stopover for the venerable Chico-bred rock outfit – given the fact that they also make the Powerhouse Pub in Folsom a frequent haunt, it’s great to see them consistently show this area some love. Saturday night wasn’t the most top-notch show they’ve done there (more on that in a minute), but their sets are always barnburners of psychedelic rock and piles of power chords. Since I came in late and only caught two songs, fill me in a little about opening band Floating Action, other than the fact that the bassist looked like a 21st century version of Chuck Berry watching an episode of Spongebob.

LF: You mean my new favorite band? And you forgot to note that the bassist was a lefty, just like Paul, which makes sense cause the Beatles influence is strong with these guys. Four cats from Asheville North Carolina playing dirtied up sixties style surf rock, heavy on the harmonies. They even had a machine gun style clapping interlude on “Cinder Cone” and a “Sha La La La La La” infused chorus on “Rincon.” But perhaps my favorite part of the show was their merch guy, Jordan. Jordan is a sixth year senior at Appalachian State, and he’s getting his last three credits via an internship going on tour with FA. When the tour ends, he’s a college graduate. How sweet is that?

AD: Almost as sweet as you failing to mention that their bassist was also rocking a Hofner bass – again, just like Paul McC. I did catch the last two songs and dug what I heard, shoddy opening band sound set-up notwithstanding. One thing I did notice while they were playing was that there was a Hammond set up on the stage, and it wasn’t Floating Action’s. The Hips don’t normally have a keyboard player, but local golden boy Jackie Greene is frequently known to sit in with the band on the 88s. You could hear devout Hips fans (and there are always a ton of them that have been loyal to this band since the early 90’s) in the crowd cooing about the possibility of Jackie showing up, but I quickly put that notion to bed by whipping out the crack box (iPhone) and checking Jackie’s calendar to reveal that he was in Salt Lake City last night. However, the Hips did take to the stage at a surprisingly early 10:15 p.m. with a keyboardist in tow for the night. Did you catch his name?

LF: “Dealing” Danny Eisenberg. Speaking of devout fans, I found one named Corby Anderson who not only knew the man behind the keys, but had seen over a hundred hips shows and had written a 20,000 word review (novella?) of the last Hipnic (the Mother Hips music festival held in Big Sur). According to tiftmerritt.net, Eisenberg was a member of the Hips from ‘94-‘97, played with Ryan Adams from ‘01-‘03, and is currently a member of Glider, with a couple guys from Counting Crows. The site seems pretty legit. I mean, it is on the internet. Regardless, one thing is for sure, the dude rips it up. His solo on “Transit Wind” was goosebump-inducing.

AD: By that logic, fetish porn is also “legit,” because it’s on the internet? I like it! Side note: Glider is fantastic. Having keys in the mix always takes the Hips’ sound to a whole other level, throwing some funky acid blues into the mix with Tim Bluhm and Greg Loiacono’s hollow-body Gibson vs. classic Telecaster guitar wars. And then there’s the bass, which has a whole new look with fill-in Scott Thunes, a former Zappa solider who is filling in for the currently on-leave Paul Hoaglin. If you look at the Humboldt setlist from Friday night, as Thunes is still learning all the tunes, it was practically identical – but no one seemed to care. Thunes is a heavy bassist, and in only his second show, filled in very amicably with gut-rumbling thump and taking a few coaching signals from the rest of the band. Sporting a shirt and tie and a Mother Hips hat (so cheesy it was actually cool) during the opening rips of “Honeydew” and following lead from the Hips’ intensely calculated drummer John Hofer on the spastic time changes of “Magazine,” his presence was a noticeable difference, and the band found ways to cover for the fact that they are still establishing some new, albeit temporary chemistry. “Transit Wind” is a lazy jam that turns into a kicker, playing out like Alice in Chains’ “No Excuses” as played by Crazy Horse at the height of their depravity, and those Hammond wails turn it into a howler of a tune. And how about that string of the hazy “White Falcon Fuzz” slamming right into the distorted vocal harmonies of “Third Floor Story,” both tunes from their most recent album, “Pacific Dust.” So good it made me want to pee myself!

LF: Speaking of pee…during “Time Sick Son of a Grizzly Bear” I adjourned for a smoke. Upon entering the smoking area, I saw one of the aforementioned “superfans” outside. I’d noticed him during the Floating Action set; he’d been the only person next to the stage, front and center, and he’d been headbanging, violently. He steadfastly maintained his position well into the Hips set, continuing to bang his head, while screaming along to every lyric. He was hard to miss. In the smoking area, he was even harder to miss: he had whipped it out and was peeing in a potted fern. A short time later he was dragged out by his collar, pants struggling to stay up (and losing the battle). What is it with Mother Hips fanatics? A quick perusal of lead singer Tim Bluhm’s Twitter account reveals that homie was not the only member of the audience who had issues with bladder control: “A drunk girl peed herself while sitting on the arm of a sofa directly next to me backstage. Security!” See Aaron, if you had peed yourself, you would have been in…well, not good company, but company! Let your freak flag fly!

AD: I’d prefer to fly that flag on the next block in front of the popped collar Dive Bar/District 30 crowd, where it is sure to inspire fear and discomfort. I wonder if the mermaids just “let it fly” in the tank. Hmmm… But there was plenty of time leftover for nightcaps after a sneaky hour and a half set that closed with a face-melter of a jam on “Pet Foot” before giving way to an encore of their priceless sing-along “Rich Little Girl.” This is one of those songs where you’re actually allowed and practically encouraged to scream along with the “sha la la la la-la, la-woah-yeah” lyrics – and then go pee in a bush. This show didn’t quite stack up to the barnburner of a gig they put on at Marilyn’s in June of 2009, but you had to give them a teensy bit of leeway with a new bassist coming on board two weeks ago. Apparently he didn’t have time to learn that you’re not really supposed to wear a t-shirt of the band you are a member of while playing on stage with said band…but again, so ridiculous that it was actually cool. The Hips always draw in huge and rowdy crowds at Marilyn’s, one of the more serviceable rooms in the local music scene. Jackie Greene is cruising by on the 23rd, as is Grateful Dead collaborator Mark Karan on the 26th. Whaddya say, return trip? (Note to self: Never try to follow local musicians, who shall remain unnamed, over to Henry’s – only bad things can happen).

LF: Seriously. My Henry’s V-Card is one I don’t mind keeping for the foreseeable future. I didn’t have to venture inside to know that nothing good happens in there after midnight (or any other time, for that matter). As far as Marilyn’s is concerned, I’m absolutely ready for another go. As my man Chuck Sheen says, “Bring it.”

Sierra Nevada Brew Night

2011-03-03T02:56:44Z

Old Ironsides was packed to the gills Saturday night for an epic three-band bill. Two of Sacramento's best young rock bands, Honyock and Walking Spanish, bookended San Francisco darlings Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers.

All three played inspired sets, as you would know if you were there.

If you weren't, well, you would be well served to attend their next Sacramento gigs.

Honyock is bringing their rare blend of folk, classic and new age rock to the Luna's on Friday, March 4.

Walking Spanish will be bringing their searing high-energy indie rock, fronted by Jackie Greene's virtuosic kid bro Alex Nelson, back to Old I for their CD release party on March 25.

And Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers — well, Nicki has no Sacramento dates upcoming, although she has been known to make surprise (or not-so-surprise) appearances at her husband's shows. Tim Bluhm will be at Marilyn's on K with the Mother Hips this Saturday.

So what of the Gramblers, you ask?

You're in luck. Three of them will be headlining the Sierra Nevada Brew Night at the Shady Lady on Thursday.

in conjunction with Sacramento Beer Week, the Shady Lady will have Sierra Nevada Hoptimum, Glissade and a special top-secret brewer’s choice on draft.

Dave Mulligan & Friends (Deren Ney and Mike Curry) go on at 10 p.m. These guys are all supremely talented musicians, and they assured me personally that they will be blowing the doors off. Chico's Dick and Jane open things up at 9 p.m.

It's not every day you get a second chance. I just gave you four of ‘em. See you at the shows.

Sactown Rundown - March 3-9 - The biggest Rundown in history!

2011-03-02T23:47:02Z

Sweet Jesus, I’ve finally done it – the biggest Sactown Rundown in history.

It’s just that kind of a week here in Sacto, friends. With no disrespect to the amount of local talent that pours blood on the stages week in and week out, there were way too many “can’t ignore this” shows coming through town this week – and we’re not even talking about Eric Clapton at Arco or Escape the Fate over at Ace of Spades. Harlow’s is packed, and you’re going to have to pick at least one week night to go to work smelling of cheap hooch and leftover sweat.

Did we mention that the initial High Sierra lineup is up? Too much to talk about this week, heads will explode!

And much of this coincides with Beer Week to boot? Strap on your drinking hats and earplugs, lemmings, let’s go for a ride!

The Mother Hips – There’s a bit of a shakeup in the “California Soul” community over the recent announcement by the veteran Chico-native band that bassist Paul Hoaglin is on an “extended leave” from the group, with no return date set or reason given. Plenty of speculation is fluttering about on the band’s message boards, but the one thing we do know for sure is that band buddy Scott Thunes (Frank Zappa, Steve Vai) is filling in. The band cancelled a pair of earlier bookings, presumably to get Thunes up to speed, but all signs point to him not missing a beat in plucking the thickies for the Hips’ unique brand of powerpop and psychedelic jam rock. Standard comparisons often slap them with the “four B’s” (Byrds, Beatles, Band, Beach Boys) – I’m not one to argue, but if you happen to miss the dirty rock and roll wiles of Neil Young, circa Crazy Horse in there as well, then you’re clearly not paying attention. In the long history of bands to come out of California and never achieve their due recognition, the Hips have to rank as one of the most criminally unheralded on the list; call that an ongoing bonus for long time fans who can still get “Back to the Grotto” in Marilyn’s sized clubs. My knees still haven’t recovered from June of 2009 – someone get be two braces and a Sierra Nevada, stat! With Floating Action. 9 p.m. Saturday. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $20. 21+. www.marilynsonk.com.
Check out the Mother Hips on Daytrotter.

North Mississippi Allstars – As Dustin Hoffman said in “Stranger than Fiction,” there are only two outcomes to a story, “the continuation of life, or the inevitability of death.” The core of North Mississippi Allstars isn’t hearing voices (we think) like Will Ferrell’s character was, but there does indeed exist a crossroads between those two turning points on the group’s new record “Keys to the Kingdom,” written just after the legendary Jim Dickinson (father to NMA members Luther and Cody) passed away, and also coincided with the birth of Luther’s first child. The Allstars previous records have been bouncy and junk-funky delights of roots rock, blues and Americana, but they were hardly teeming with the emotion of this new record, which has heaped some newfound mainstream popularity on a group that’s been at it since the late ‘90s. Don’t spend your time at this show feeling sorry for the brothers Dickinson; they’ll Dobro or washboard you right in the face. 8 p.m. Tuesday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $17.50. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Truth & Salvage Co. – If you were one of the fastest rising Americana bands in the country, having toured with Chris Robinson and the blazing-hot Avett Brothers, would you want to admit that your biggest fan in a particular California city was this guy? Truth be told, two of your Sac Press music aficionados have developed soft spots for this scintillating sextet of rebel rousers from L.A. (but way of North Carolina), whose Robinson-produced debut album was one of the overlooked treasures of 2010 – and we stand by the mancrushes! Courtesy of a core of four singer-songwriters and their swaying vocal harmonies that cascade over Southern-fried guitar hooks and plank-spanking rhythms on their way up to the rafters, T&S Co. are constantly walking a balance beam on the fence between country and rock and roll, being careful not to fall into the abyss of broken down Airstreams and empty bottles of Boone’s on one side and the flame tattoos and scratched up copies of Bachman Turner Overdrive on the other. They’ve snuck Harlow’s gigs into the middle of their last two headlining tours – we’re cool with that pattern. 8 p.m. Wednesday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $10. 21+. www.harlows.com.
Check out Truth & Salvage Co. on Daytrotter.

Kaki King – Kaki King will eat your face. She’s got that look of the kind of girl that is way too edgy to approach at a bar and drop a pick up line on without getting crotch-checked; but really, we’re talking about her unbridled approach to music. She bucks the notion that all mad scientist guitar cradlers need be grey-hairs with skullets and tribal jewelry purchased on Haight Street in 1977, as she routinely plasters crowds with inventive strums, hooks, slaps and slides. But not to be overlooked is her acumen as a songwriter – sharp, endearing, a little twisted, but consistently as inviting and intriguing as the Apple Store on iPhone release day (did I just compare her wistfully organic chops to smart phone technology? Someone crotch-check me, please!). With Washington. 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $15. 21+. www.harlows.com.
Check out Kaki King on Daytrotter.

The Snobs with Prieta – Two of Sacto’s finest rock bands in a joint with cheap tallboys of PBR and a natural inclination to get weird with it on a Tuesday night. I don’t really need to sell this any more, do I? OK, maybe a bit more – if you love a good wailin’ Hammond, and even if you hate bands with a sax by default (they'll change your mind), you’re set for the night. Script your call-in-sick statement beforehand, it’s gonna be wild. 9 p.m. Tuesday. Press Club, 2030 P St. Cover TBA. 21+. Facebook event page.

Heartless Bastards – Dayton, Ohio isn’t all that far from New York City; ditto for the no-frills breed of vintage NYC, attitude-pulsing, punch-mouth garage rock churned out by Heartless Bastards. We’re talking pure Patti Smith, Velvet Underground, Stooges type chord cramming here. They’re the kind of band that make no qualms about being raw and sludgy, with rumbling bass lines that stop off for cigarettes and road beers on the way from the strings to the amps, guitar hooks that don’t care if they get there on time, and vocals from sparkplug Erika Wennerstrom that would get any Catholic school girl some ruler lashes and eraser-clapping duty. 8:30 p.m. Monday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $12. 21+. www.bluelamp.com.
Check out Heartless Bastard on Daytrotter.

Joe Buck Yourself – Any San Francisco Giants fan probably uttered some combination of those words last October; thank God for bar background noise and plenty of “Let’s-go-Gi-ants!” chants to drown out the nonsensical ramblings of baseballs biggest announcer’s booth mistake. This is not that Joe Buck; this is the fire-and-brimstone Joe Buck that would like to toe-tag the lead singer of Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers (his former outfit), swears he will never have a “band” of his own, and (according to him) used the internet for the first time in 2008 so he could buy Ron Wood’s jacket on EBay; I really don’t care if that’s true or not, it’s awesome. The long time sideman of Hank III, Buck is a wrecking ball of angry kick drums, acoustic thrash and the kind of teeth-gnashing lyrics that made you want to hide under a blanket and sob like Haley Joel Osment in “The Sixth Sense.” You know those hairs on the back of your neck? That’s Joe Buck. With Chop Tops and Hooten Holler. 9 p.m. Friday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $10. www.bluelamp.com.

Mark Your Calendars (if you can handle more) – Zach Deputy – Turns out the guy in charge of stocking Hawaiian shirts and cargo shorts at Target can drop a sweet beat box over an equally awesome reggae riff…all by himself! March 29. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $12. www.harlows.com.

If you are planning or promoting a concert in the Sacramento area, or just know of a show you’d like to see featured in the Rundown, shoot me an email.

Believe it or not, there's more! For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sacramento Press.

Sactown Rundown - Feb. 24-March 2

2011-02-25T01:27:19Z

Snow in Sacto? They tell us it’s coming – but perhaps an equally rare occurrence is the kind of weekends we’ve been having in this town over the last couple of months.

You’ll never catch me on the bag-on-our-local-concert-scene bandwagon, but I’d be lying if I said that weekends like these happen all the time in this town, with the Stone Foxes ripping the roof off over at Old Ironsides and ALO thumping a sold-out Harlow’s crowd in the face, both on Saturday night.

That’s at least two sold out nights at Harlow’s in the last month. Well done, Sactown! Let’s keep 2011 big and weird!

Greensky Bluegrass with Snap Jackson & the Knock on Wood Players – The street cred meter and hipster thermometer are both rising high after that Avett Brothers/ Mumford & Sons hoedown at the Grammys a couple of weeks ago, signaling that “newgrass” has officially set up camp in the popular music scene (until something else comes along). While the classic sounds are being primped and packaged with glorious results these days, getting back to tradition never hurt either. Enter Michigan’s Greensky Bluegrass, who do things the old fashioned way, with snappy mandolin and banjo hooks, playful acoustic ramblings and plenty of down home American spirit. This will be a feast for those who just can’t wait for the summer music festival circuit to start up, whether you’re a String Cheese, Railroad Earth or Del McCoury fan; they’ve got you covered. Stockton natives Snap Jackson & the Knock on Wood Players (which features Light Rail fiddler Shane Kalbach) get things started with their similarly lively and throwback take on bluegrass rhythms. 9 p.m. Wednesday. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $8 adv/$10 d.o.s. 21+. www.marilynsonk.com.

Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers – Yep, the local concert scene truly is in Bluhm (sorry, it had to be done). Next week Nicki’s better half Tim will be greasing the wheels over at Marilyn’s, but this weekend, it’s her turn to take over Sactown. Nicki Bluhm has always been lingering as an up-and-coming talent, with piercing vocal chops reminiscent of classic singers like Linda Ronstadt or Dolly Parton, with the modern flair of a Rilo Kiley or Grace Potter. But she’s kept some solid company in recent years (like husband Tim of the Mother Hips) and her breakout album Driftwood has mad her a legitimate threat on the Americana circuit. The new records features guest spots from her hubby (who also produced), as well as Jackie Greene and members of ALO and Railroad Earth (this is a very serendipitous Rundown, no?). This is all not to say that Nicki Bluhm is piggybacking the names we just dropped; the soul drenched lyricism and knee-weaking delivery is all her! With Walking Spanish and Honyock. 9 p.m. Saturday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $7. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Sacramento Carnaval – To Mardi Gras or to Carnaval? Word has it that ‘Nawlins has nothing on Brazil’s annual feast of hedonism – but we digress. The winter weather won’t be able to cool down a performance from San Francisco’s SambaDa, one of the fastest rising World music acts in Northern California, who bring white hot Latin funk and dance rhythms with them anywhere they go. They’ll headline this festive hootenanny loaded with Samba dancers, drum groups, food and tons of regional fare. This first annual event is all being put on by the Brazilian Center of Sacramento. 8 p.m. Saturday. 1616 I St. $15 adv./$20 door. www.braziliancentersac.us.

Mark Your Calendars – Jackie Greene – He’s back. No special acoustic duos or sit down specials this time around, just a pure rock and roll show with Sacramento’s favorite son, returning to the spot (kinda) where it all got started. March 23. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $25. www.marilynsonk.com.

If you are planning or promoting a concert in the Sacramento area, or just know of a show you’d like to see featured in the Rundown, shoot me an email.

For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sacramento Press.

Sactown Rundown - Feb. 17-23

2011-02-17T02:42:01Z

Neil Young wins Best Rock Song. The Avett Brothers share the stage with Mumford & Sons and Bob Dylan.

Wow, these were not the Grammys we know and hate! I’ll be the first to admit to being the type of music writer that has to look a few things up when the usually loathsome Grammy nods are announced – and I’m OK with that, especially with Sammies season coming up

Boy, if we could actually get a few of these names below a golden gramophone sometime soon, now we’re talking!

The Stone Foxes – The Stone Foxes did not kill Robert Johnson, and contrary to some misguided opinions, they are not flashing any irreverence towards the blues by saying that. The irony of the title of the folkloric “I Killed Robert Johnson” is that it might be one of the best blues rock songs written in the last 20 years, and it’s played with about as much grit, panache and raw soul as anyone who’s picked up a Gibson in the last 40. This group of young upstarts from San Francisco (by way of the Fresno foothills) are quickly climbing the ladder of the classic rock revival movement; a path paved by the now pop-drenched Kings of Leon, with the slack being picked up by the likes of the Sheepdogs. Lead vocal duties bounce around all over the band as they slam vintage riff after sinewy jam into the amps with cross-generational authority; they’re the kind of youngn’s that never went through that phase of hating what their parents listened too, always choosing “Exile on Main Street” over “Cracked Rear View” and reading only rock rags with yellow, dog-eared edges and ads for shows at Winterland. The Denver Piledrivers and local favorites Goodness Gracious Me flank the band’s return to Sacramento for the first time since August. 9 p.m. Saturday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $10. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

BONUS: The Stone Foxes play again at the Powerhouse Pub (614 Sutter St. in Folsom) at 9 p.m. on Wednesday with The Ruin and Fight Inside.

The Soft White Sixties – Now this is a weird one: The Stone Foxes and the Soft White Sixties are both playing in Sacramento on Saturday night, but not together. These two bands are known to share more stages in California than hookers and ping pong balls in Thailand, but for tonight, you will have to choose your allegiances. Like the Foxes, Soft White Sixties (also of San Francisco) are galloping down the trail of classic rock, but leaning a bit more towards the soul and Southern flavored end of things, ditching a bit of the Foxes’s dirt for some spit shined blues, with plenty of hip-snapping licks and rock and roll attitude. Genius & the Thieves and Laced lend support. 9 p.m. Saturday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $7. 21+. www.bluelamp.com.

Hot Buttered Rum – When HBR last cruised through town, it was a string band show; a bit of a return to the roots of this classic bluegrass outfit that has been a Northern California festival favorite for years. This time around, it’s back to the new. Hot Buttered Rum have spent recent years mixing in more amps, electric guitars and a drum set, adding a rock club edge to their barefoot Redwoods organic wiles. The two musical ideologies go together like old friends drinking Sierra Nevada and telling “you should have been there” stories all night long, while taking several breaks to dance their asses off; sort of like the new folks getting slushed at Dive Bar/Pizza Rock hanging out with the guys that have been playing guitar for singles on K Street for years. Ten Mile Tide lends a hand. 9 p.m. Friday. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $12 adv/$14 d.o.s. 21+. www.marilynsonk.com.

Rocky Votolato – Guys with voices like Rocky Votolato are almost incessantly pigeonholed into the same category; shades of classic Simon & Garfunkel and Neil Young, but always end up sounding like Matt Nathanson while trying to sound like Mason Jennings. Somewhere in the middle of all these artists lies the silky smooth stylings of Votolato, an impossibly endearing talent once the presumed “been there, done that” of his music is sifted through. It’s hard to turn away, it really is! 8 p.m. Monday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $12. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Mark Your Calendars – North Mississippi Allstars – The South shall rise again? It sure as hell will at the hands of this veteran jam band, loading deep down jams with funk, soul and Moonshine. March 8. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $17.50. www.harlows.com.

If you are planning or promoting a concert in the Sacramento area, or just know of a show you’d like to see featured in the Rundown, shoot me an email.

For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sacramento Press.

Sactown Rundown - Dec. 16-22

2010-12-15T22:41:09Z

Drifters, turn back! We’re keeping it good and local (kinda) this week as we celebrate our last weekend of theoretical playtime before Christmas all but consumes our ability to gobble up live music. We’re flanked by two gigs over the course of five days from one of the darlings of our local music family that have since relocated, but are spending a little time at home for the Holidays.

I’ll be taking next week off to dunk my head in a giant bowl of eggnog, but keep your eyes peeled the week after for a special New Year’s edition of the Rundown once we’re done singing “O, Tannenbaum” – because Lord knows we need something to counter all the usual NYE nonsense of paying $50 for a cover band and two ounces of bubbly. Happy Holidays, Sactown!

Agent Ribbons - A few years back, the duo of Lauren Hess and Natalie Gordon were our lovable "next big thing" here in Sactown; hand picked to open gigs for Cake, fixtures at Concert in the Park and all our other hot spots, and teetering on the edge of being added to the Tesla-Deftones-Far-Jackie Greene list. Even though they've jumped ship for the indie rock mecca of Austin, TX, we can still feel that pride of ownership back here in town as they are poised to live up to that potential with their new full-length gem of a record, "Chateau Crone." Delightful ditties like "Grey Gardens" (which sounds like it could turn into a cover of "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" at any moment) and the back alley spice of "I'll Let You Be My Baby" (a tune that may have been stolen from the "Chicago" soundtrack by a band of Gypsies) are the kind of lushly produced and imaginative tunes we knew they had in them all along, and would ultimately round out their catalog to a level ready for the "big time" (whatever the hell that means). This vaudevillian indie pop duo will dish up two CD release shows for “Chateau” this week, one for the all age crowd and one for the “yo, barkeep” crowd. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, with Dog Party, So Much Fun and Monster Women. Luigi’s Fun Garden, 1050 K St. (MARRS Building). $7. All ages. www.myspace.com/luigislice. 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Shady Lady, 14th and R St. $5. 21+. www.shadyladybar.com.

Check out Sac Press’ Meg Sevier’s full review on “Chateau Crone” and sample a few Agent Ribbons tracks on Daytrotter.

2 or 3 Guys – Clearly there was not much effort given to this band name. They were probably spending all their time studying up on geek-infused cross sections of late ‘90s alt rock, as if guided by They Might Be Giants into an alternate reality where Soul Coughing let their hair down even father, Marcy Playground didn’t care what anyone thought when they wrote “Sex and Candy,” and Nirvana and Weezer took square dancing lessons together after carpooling their kids to soccer. A memo to Hollywood: As soon as you’re ready with that “Revenge of the Nerds” remake (and that knot in your stomach tells you that you know it’s probably coming at some point), 2 or 3 Guys should have plenty of material for the soundtrack, especially for the scene where the robot that will now look like Wall-E does a fix-it montage with Zac Efron and Shia LaBeouf. With Buster Blue and Calling Morocco. 9 p.m. Friday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $6. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

The Nibblers – They’re that band that’s quietly creeping up the ranks in Sactown – there’s nothing quiet about the sound, but the gigs just seem to keep getting bigger and more prevelant. No longer simply a weekly showcase at the Torch, sparkplug vocalist Hans Eberbach’s funk machine is becoming a major local player. We’ve known about Eberbach (Sweet Vine, Looking Star) for awhile, and there’s no doubt the man can belt, but the cast of dirt-rolling throwback funk scholars behind him has made this act a juggernaut, and they will do things to your hips that are illegal in most parts of Kentucky. Take in some funk on Friday night before Marilyn’s annual Bad Santa Party on Saturday night. 9 p.m. Friday. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $7. 21+. www.marilynsonk.com.

Mind X CD Release Show – Details are always sketchy about what Mind X is up to. They don’t spend a whole lot of time beating their chests over being one of the top jam bands in this area, and they spend even less promoting themselves. That’s why there’s nary a whisper on the website about a new CD, and the only evidence of it comes from the Torch Club’s website. Hey, aren’t some of the best corners of music somewhat shrouded in mystery anyway? (Read: Robert Johnson). New CD or no new CD, you’d be hard pressed to find something better to do with your Saturday night than to let Mind X take you on a tour through the crossroads of blues, rock, jazz, bluegrass, funk, Americana and Worldbeat. 9 p.m. Saturday. Torch Club, 15th and I St. Call for cover. 21+. www.torchclub.net.

Baby Grand’s “Christmas Cocktails” – Baby Grand doesn’t book many dates these days, but one they never miss is this annual pre-Christmas hootenanny, where they take your yuletide favorites and throw them in a blender with a pint of whiskey and whatever holiday goodies you pillaged from the office. Local stalwarts Knock Knock join the party with Four Eyes. 9 p.m. Saturday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $7.21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Mark Your Calendars: 30 Seconds to Mars – Stuck on the image of Jared Leto getting his face pounded in towards the end of “Fight Club?” Guess what: He also sings. Jan. 16. Freeborn Hall at UC Davis. $29.50. All ages. tickets.ucdavis.edu.

For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sacramento Press.

Sactown Rundown - Dec. 2-8

2010-12-02T19:16:42Z

Before we get into it this week, Sacramentans, allow me to entice you with a couple of treats for your ears.

First off, G. Love has offered up a free download of the title track from his forthcoming album, “Fixin’ to Die,” and it’s a beaut! Set for a February 22 release, the album was produced by Seth and Scott Avett, a.k.a. the Avett Brothers. Has there been a better combination since someone stuffed peanut butter into a chocolate bar? Hardly!

Hey, speaking of drinking, check out today’s Daytrotter session from Canada’s the Sheepdogs; specifically, “I Don’t Know.” It will turn your cubicle into a saloon.

If that doesn’t get your motor running for some live music, I’ll be happy to pay you five bucks and a lollipop for you soul – but that could be overpriced. Cheers!

Truth & Salvage Co. – To those who doubt the power of Facebook for anything more than the casual digital stalking of that girl you met at the bar but didn’t give you her number, two of your Sac Press writers, by virtue of a cheeky back-and-forth on travel logistics and soup, may have suckered Truth & Salvage Co. into adding a Saturday evening gig at Harlow’s, sandwiched between their Oakland and Reno dates (see the screen grab above). That’s probably egotistically delusional, but I like to think we had a hand in it (Aaron Davis likes this). This will be the third run-through of the year in Sactown for this lively outfit from North Carolina, but it will be their well-deserved first as a headliner, after greasing the wheels for the Avett Brothers back in April and Tea Leaf Green in September. Bands like these aren’t built to be kept outside of the velvet ropes and get stuck in the headliner role for long though; there’s way too much going on here. The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson worked the boards for their debut, self-titled album (released in May), and this sextet of soul-charged Americana poster boys have been working the road virtually ever since. With a core of four songwriters (yep, four), they have the formula of a band that could sonically beat the crap out of each other until there’s nothing left but an empty bottle of Evan Williams, some bootlegs on archive.org and a “thanks for the memories,” but the sheer creative bliss appears to be in a collective groove that very few bands of this particular structure can pull off. Hold on to your emotional knickers while watching this video for “Pure Mountain Angel,” and let them take you on a tour through the roots of American music; and if you prefer, they might not bring you back. Local favorite songstress Kate Gaffney opens this early evening show. 7 p.m. Saturday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $10. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Check out Truth & Salvage Co. on Daytrotter.

Monophonics – Usually the best way to judge a band is by what they do to your hips when you’re on the floor watching them play, but you can also start by checking out the company they keep. San Francisco’s Monophonics dished up a new record, “Into the Infrasounds” back in September, and it features some guest slots from Karl Denson (of the Greyboy Allstars) and Mic Gillette (of Tower of Power). Someone reach into the funk bin, grab the rubber stamp that says “Arrived,” and punch them in the face with it, please. This down-home, horn scorching six-piece does it the throwback way, with heavy nods to their cross Bay inspiration from Tower of Power, as well as the nastier side of James Brown – the side that will rip your face off with funk if you turn your back. We’re just throwing it out there, but with Truth & Salvage starting at 7 p.m. at Harlow’s, and these guys just barely getting going a couple hours later and only 12 blocks away, both can be done. It just depends on if your cahones and your liver are made of the same material (read: steel). 9 p.m. Saturday. Torch Club, 904 15th St (at I St.). $8. 21+. www.torchclub.net.

The New Up – Hmm, perhaps this would best be played in the gutter outside of the stadium? It’s too dingy for the bright lights that normally shine on bands like the Killers, but at the same time, too shiny to be confined to a stick-to-the-floor rock club that smells of cheap beer and shame. The Bay Area outfit’s new album “Gold” is a dogpile of tracks from their three previous EPs, mastered by veteran Roger Lian (The White Stripes, Madonna, The Killers, Smashing Pumpkins, and The Strokes). The group’s femme fatale front woman ES Pitcher is a certified bad ass (the kind that would buy you a drink at the bar and then throw it on you if you cross her), with her four bandmates kickin' in appropriately primal, for-the-crotch rock and roll attitude. They’ve got the makings of a big time breakout, so keep yout eyes peeled. With the Bright Faces. 9 p.m. Thursday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $5. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

The Yule Logs - Hey, we all love alternatives to the standard Bing Crosby Christmas tunes, but this is just the most ridiculous thing you will ever see – and God bless them for doing it. Just in case you needed to know what would happen if Flight of the Conchords brought their gear to your thrift store basement Christmas party while licking candy canes covered in ecstasy, Chico’s Yule Logs are happy to show you. Reason states that they only play during the holidays (hey, you never know), but December or June, there’s no way to not get a kick out of this yuletide outfit that looks like Weezer dashing through the snow, punching themselves in the manparts, and laughing all the way (hah-hah-hah!). With Uni and her Ukelele. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Luigi’s Fun Garden, 1050 K St. (MARRS Buidling) Call for cover. www.myspace.com/luigislice.

Mark Your Calendars – An Evening with Jackie Greene – Don’t screw around and miss your chance to catch Jackie Greene playing acoustic on the “same stage” (they've moved a couple blocks) where he first said “hello, world – I’m going to take you over now.” Dec. 10. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $20. www.marilynsonk.com.

For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sacramento Press.

Yule Logs photo by Jeff Shaner; Truth & Salvage Co. photo by Lindol French

Local businesses show voter appreciation this Tuesday

2010-10-28T23:13:07Z

This Tuesday people will (hopefully) be flocking to their polling places around Sacramento to vote. In honor of democracy, there are a few places around Sacramento who want to thank those who took the time to vote with special election day deals.

Marilyn's on K (908 K St.)
Guests with an “I Voted” sticker will get a discount on the cover charge ($3 instead of $5) to see the band MRQ at 8 p.m.

MVP Sports Bar and Grill (2110 L St.)
Guests with an “I Voted” sticker will be treated to the “Democrat Special.” Shots of Jack Daniels for $4, mixed drinks for $4, draft for $2.

L Wine Lounge (1801 L St.)
With the proper sticker, guests get happy hour all night: $3 beer, $6 featured wines and $4 cocktails.

Go vote, then celebrate democracy!

Hell on Heels

2010-10-25T00:52:27Z

The Sizzling Sirens delivered hell-raising hilarity and sinfully sultry stage sensations to Marilyn’s on K Saturday night. “Hell on Heels” was a burlesque variety show combining song, dance, music and mask work and original corsets from Isabella Corsetry, to create a modern burlesque experience.

Jay Siren, executive director of Sizzling Sirens, said she founded the Sirens to create original, entertaining and themed pieces to incite a freshness of perception for their audience. Siren said that in March of 2008 she cast the first Sirens, and by July of that year they celebrated their debut with the Red & Black Event at Parlare Euro Lounge in downtown.

“Discovering burlesque, I felt an instant, resonating attraction and curiosity for the art form itself, and how it could become a part of my life,” she said. “I saw my first live burlesque show in December of 2007 in Chicago, The Flaming Dames, and knew from that moment that I was meant to somehow participate in, and/or impact the landscape of this phenomenal form of entertainment.”

The girls were accompanied with live music from Sexrat during their performance.

The Sizzling Sirens include women of all types. Lucinda Buttons, Shauni Fatale, Tenacity Jane, Harlow Mynx and Meowie Wowie are a few of the performers who accompany Siren.

The group celebrated the grand opening of the Sizzling Sirens Burlesque Academy this month, where weekly group classes and workshops are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Classes are $15 per session, with topics including burlesque for your lover, burlesque for yourself, combo techniques, the chair dance, and props.

“There is no greater inspiration or therapy in my life than running the academy, and I look forward to its evolution as the scope of the troupe’s performances and breadth continues to evolve as well,” Siren said.

Photos by Marie Young.

Sactown Rundown - Oct. 21-27

2010-10-20T22:34:42Z

To quote Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses, “The world is such a wonderful place/ The world is such a wonderful place.”

Through and through, he’s absolutely right. But there are just some tragic and unfortunate elements of this world that we sometimes have to live with – the kind that tend to perpetuate the sale of cheap gin and handguns.

I of course refer to the fact that Arco Arena is hosting back-to-back concerts on Friday and Saturday night by Justin Bieber and Nickelback.

Hard to stomach the fact that we’ll probably see more heads each of these nights at the Big Gas Pump than at your average Kings game, all packed in to see a squeak jockey on anti-puberty meds and wearing a hair-met, and a group of guys I wouldn’t trust to do a parking lot show at the Woodland Wal-Mart.

Antidote, quick!

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey – Perhaps a little clarification is in order here – no one in this band is actually named Jacob Fred. There’s no need to try and understand why they decided to name their band “Jacob Fred,” and it’s even more futile to try and figure out what the hell these guys are thinking when they sit down to compose their acid-washed brand of fusion jazz. Maybe they’re not thinking at all, which is the true nature of most great music. Maybe someone let them out of their padded cells for awhile and turned them loose, allowing them to pioneer some jumpy, janky and head-scratching jams that only the most daring and slightly insane could pull off while sounding like Herbie Hancock and Bill Frisell’s gold star students? Works for us! They’ll be showing off some tunes from their newst album “Stay Gold,” released in June, along with Evarusnik and the Kairos Quartet. 8 p.m. Friday. Beatnik Studios, 2421 17th St. Call for cover. www.beatnik-studios.com.

SambaDa – Looks like these Brazilian hip-shakers from San Francisco have gotten popular enough that they needed a bigger spot. Once regular visitors to Old Ironsides, they’ve upgraded the floor space over to the Blue Lamp; but who really wants to try and do a faux-samba at Old I’s, anyway? Not to mention how tough it would be for the whole band to fit – there’s nine of them! If you were to surgically remove most of the hip-hop elements of Ozomatli and maybe give them a little flamenco augmentation while they were under, you might have something resembling SambaDa, a vivaciously energetic outfit that goes heavy on the horns and percussion and just as heavy on the heat with a fusion of rock, funk, jazz and World-beat rhythms. No opener tonight, folks, the whole night is theirs! 9 p.m. doors/ 10 p.m. show. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $10. 21+. www.myspace.com/bluelamp.

Sizzling Sirens with Sexrat – Mark it down: This may be the only time you ever hang out with gals with names like Lucinda Button, Tenacity Jane and Meowie Wowie and you won’t be at a strip club. You also won’t have to spend the whole next day trying to wash off the pungent perfume and shame and wondering where all your dollar bills went either. The Sizzling Sirens’ burlesque show does it the old fashioned way; admittedly naughty, but with a swagger and style that harkens back to the good old days of (very) high heels and hooch parlors. Before the corsets get strapped up, local stalwarts Sexrat will be kicking things off with their chunky indie alt-rock (think Mike Watt pounding PBR’s and playing horseshoes with the Meat Puppets). 9 p.m. Saturday. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $15 adv./$20 d.o.s. 21+. www.marilynsonk.com.

Mark Your Calendars: Neil Young Birthday Show – Only one day late for “Shakey’s” 65th Birthday, Jerry Perry hosts a group of local and visiting bands that will be digging into his epic catalog that spans the last five decades. Bands include Reggie Ginn, David Houston with strings, usual suspects Walking Spanish and Saucer, as well as out-of-towners the Silent Comedy (expect to see another gig from them pop up on the calendar as well, we’ll keep you posted). A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Bridge School, which Young himself chairs and for which he hosts this weekend’s annual Bridge School Benefit concert. Nov. 13. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $10. 21+. www.harlows.com.

For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sacramento Press.

Sactown Rundown - Oct. 7-13

2010-10-06T20:50:42Z

Before we get into this week’s happenings, a quick observation from this weekend’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco: Jackie Greene just continues to get better and better.

It really doesn’t seem like that long ago that the wiry young singer in his early twenties was our “next big thing” here in Sacramento, when he was playing regular gigs at Harlow’s and the Torch Club – but doesn’t every town have their own soon-to-fade “next big thing” going at pretty much all times.

But now, here he is, playing a main-stage closing spot at a festival that drew an estimated 600,000 people.

We tried to tag him as “the next Dylan” or stuff him into the bluesman category, but give Jackie a ton of credit for ditching the major label scene and the pigeonholes and playing the way he wants to play and writing what he wants to write. That includes a rendition of the Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie,” a grind-to-a-halt soul-scorching version of the once folk poppy “Tell Me Mama, Tell Me Right, and getting dirty with it on new material like “Medicine,” from his new album “Till the Light Comes.”

“Our little boy” grew up, Sacramento, but he grew into what he wanted to be, maybe not what we thought or expected he would be.

Good news is, he’ll be back in the area in late October, with gigs in Modesto on the 29th and in Chico on the 30th, along with the now locally familiar Truth & Salvage Co. He’ll also be celebrating his “Dirty Thirty” birthday in style in San Francisco on November 27.

OK, we’re done with Jackie (for now). Here’s what’s up this weekend.

Birds & Batteries – Very few band names can actually give hints as to what the band actually sounds like, as this San Francisco outfit combines a natural indie pop and Americana sensibility (the Birds) with cascades of bouncy and clever electronic effects (the Batteries) into a puzzling but delightfully alluring package. Slide guitars and synthesizers? You better believe they can get along! Read more about Birds & Batteries’ new album “Panorama” and check out their debut session on Daytrotter. 9 p.m. Friday, with Man/Miracle and Rachel Fannan. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E St, Davis. $5. 21+. www.sophiasthaikitchen.com.

Middle Class Rut – Sactown got an early taste of what this maniacal duo is all about when “New Low” surged onto KWOD 106.5 back in 2008, marking the unofficial last hurrah for local tunes on the now defunct station. MC Rut and “New Low” are back, ready to show the rest of the world what we here in Sac already know with their new full-length album “No Name No Color.” What we know is this: The riffs are heavy, the vocals are piercing, and their crafty and surgical hard rock wiles (with nods to Tool and Rage Against the Machine) have the potential win over the stingiest of the “too harsh, man!” crowd. Check out a little more about what MC Rut is up to, leading up this weekend’s CD release show. 8 p.m. Friday, with A.D.D and Lite Brite. The Boardwalk, 9426 Greenback Ln., Orangevale. $9.47. All ages. www.boardwalkrocks.com.

Dead Kenny G’s – Seriously, is this the greatest band name in the history of tongue-in-cheek band names? Show us one better! But it’s not just a clever name with the Dead Kenny G’s, and here’s why: The members of this trio are all completely flippin’ insane, and we could all use a little more of that when we go out and see live music. The path is lead by the venerable saxophone madman Skerik, who has toured with basically everyone on the planet (most notably Les Claypool and Roger Waters) and has more projects going at a time than your average construction foreman. On drums is Mike Dillon, another Claypool collaborator who also fronts the Go-Go Jungle, among many other credits. Brad Houser reels with the madness with his slap-happy shred on the bass, making this funky, fast-flying trio a treat for anyone who just loves to cut loose and get weird with it. 8 p.m. Sunday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $10. 21+ www.harlows.com.

Prieta – The boys from Prieta have been digitally giddy about this show for a long time now, as they’re making promises of tons of new material at this show (their first local appearance in the last couple months). Call me crazy, but I’m not sure anyone is yet sick of the tunes they’ve dished up on “Sleep All Night” or their self-titled EP. Those Soundgarden/Buddy Guy/Queens of the Stone Age/Black Sabbath riffs have plenty of life left in them, but it should be fun to see what else they’ve got up their collective sleeve. Aroarah and Genius & the Thieves join the party. 9 p.m. Friday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. Cover TBA. 21+. www.myspace.com/bluelamp.

John Lennon Tribute with AtB – Most hardcore Beatle maniacs will tell you that the post-Fab Four catalogs of the individual band members don’t get quite the respect or attention they deserve – it’s easy if you try. That’s just what After the Beatles (AtB) are all about, as they devote themselves strictly to those John/Paul/George/Ringo tunes, and will be providing entertainment for this show in celebration of John Lennon’s birthday – but they’re not the only one. Ed & Jerry of Midlife Confidential also perform, with the promise of special guests. Perhaps this show is merely a warm up for more possible Lennon tribute shows as we approach the 30 year anniversary of his untimely death on December 8? 9 p.m. Saturday. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $8. 21+. www.marilynsonk.com.

Mark Your Calendars - Nickelback - Wow, if you actually believe we'd give Nickelback's gig in Sac the time of day here at the Rundown, you haven't been paying attention. Seriously, Ozomatli is keeping the tradition alive by getting down with the Latin funk, hip hop, rock, R&B and soul at Sac State, where they seem to hook us up every year. Oct. 17. Union Ballroom at Sacramento State, 6000 J St. $20. www.sacstateunique.com.

For a complete listing of Sacramento area music happenings, check out Ann Freeman-Clement’s Concerts, Music Events and the Local Music Scene every Friday on Sacramento Press.

Sactown Rundown - Aug. 19-25

2010-08-18T22:32:13Z

Blast from the Past: On Friday night, local promoter Jerry Perry unveils his footage from Nirvana playing the Cattle Club 20 years ago with a free screening, here is the lowdown.

The Future is Coming On: Has anyone else noticed how many concerts are locked and loaded for the next couple of months? Atmosphere, Dave Matthews, JJ Grey, Devil Makes Three, Trombone Shorty - whoa nellie, we’re going to be busy here at the Rundown in September. Stay tuned…

Here and Now: A little bluegrass, a dance party, and a sultry and slightly crazy songstresses for your weekend. Here’s what’s on deck:

Hot Buttered Rum – Drums in a bluegrass band? Depending on who you talk to, it can either be a welcome addition, or it will go over like herpes at a swingers party. San Francisco’s Hot Buttered Rum have recently experimented with a more electric pop sound to go with their deeply rooted bluegrass traditions, adding beefier amps and a kit to their original string band formula on their newest album “Limbs Akimbo,” produced by Mother Hips front man Tim Bluhm and featuring a guest spot from local wonderboy Jackie Greene. The results have been mostly positive to their transition, but at this Friday’s show, it’s a moot point – HBR will be doing an acoustic, string band format performance, with special guest Adam Galbum on fiddle. With or without the skins, this vivacious outfit remains a rising star on the pickin’ circuit, with cleverly crafted pop melodies and the versatility to tackle an outdoor festival or make the nightclub crowd forget to complain about too much mint in their mojito. 9:30 p.m. Friday. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $12 adv/$14 d.o.s. 21+. www.marilynsonk.com.

The New Humans – Seen those posters floating around town for “Avalanche?” It’s time! Who knows if this new EP will be the fuse that ignites the powder keg on the larger scene, but by now, most of Sacramento is familiar with this group’s frenetic mob of electro dance rock; their uppers for the ears have made them a local go-to for the hipster crowds, or really any weekend warriors looking for an excuse to shake it. “Avalanche” arrives on Saturday night with this release party at, well, the one place where their dance party hurricane could really call home. 8 p.m. Saturday. The Town House, 1517 21st St. Cover TBA. 21+. www.townhouselounge.com.

Emily Wells – “Symphony 1 in the Barrell of a Gun?” If they give out awards for song titles, Emily Wells already wins Most Awesome before the other candidates are even announced. That trophy doubles up for anyone who has Outkast and Billie Holiday in her list of influences and will tinker with digital effects and synthetic beats at the same time as she’s caressing a violin. This edgy singer from Topanga sweats pure attitude, with an organic hip hop attitude, a folk-tuned vocal playpen and an ear for classical, chamber quartet musical structure, with hints of experimental jazz. She throws it all together into a mid-to-downtempo package that, on pure inventiveness, is as intriguing and thought-bending as it is oddly yet pleasantly accessible. With Blue Cranes and Elders. 8 p.m. doors/ 9 p.m. show Friday. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E St., Davis. $5. 21+. www.sophiasthaikitchen.com.

Mark Your Calendars: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue - At the tender age of 24, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews brings the heat with everything that burns in the Big Easy; jazz, blues, funk, soul, R&B...you name it! September 17. Harlows, 2708 J St. $20. www.harlows.com.

Sactown Rundown - July 29-Aug. 4

2010-07-28T19:10:40Z

NOTE: The Sactown Rundown will appear on Sac Press every Wednesday, with a focus on smaller club shows, festivals and events in Sacramento and surrounding areas.

Fruit Bats with These United States – If you haven’t been to a show on the deliciously intimate patio at Sophia’s in Davis this summer, this is the one to catch. Hailing from Portland (by way of the Windy City), Eric Johnson’s long-time project the Fruit Bats has at times had to share its enigmatic front man with the likes of Vetiver and the Shins, but he always finds time to come back to the indie folk ensemble that he founded over 10 years ago. With an ever-rotating cast of characters, Johnson remains the centerpiece of the group with his honey coated vocal snap (a ray of sunlight streaming through the autumn haze of a James Mercer) and razor sharp songwriting that drives the group's rollicking pop sensibilities – like finding a plush oasis with a playground in the middle of a concrete jungle. Joining Fruit Bats is These United States, a group of fellas from Kentucky doing cannonballs into a pool of psychedelic, guitar-driven Americana that finds a common thread between Gram Parsons, the Flaming Lips and Wilco with brain-twisting and foot-tapping results. 8 p.m. doors/ 9 p.m. show Friday. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E St., Davis. $7. 21+. www.sophiasthaikitchen.com. Check out sessions from both bands on Daytrotter; Fruit Bats are here, and These United States here, there and everywhere.

Edwin McCain – Somewhere in Hootie & the Blowfish’s backyard is a gravesite for the mid-tempo alternative pop bands of the middle ‘90s, but it seems that someone forgot to tell Edwin McCain there’s a plot reserved for him. The man behind the inescapable “I’ll Be” which dominated airwaves in 1998 has been a proverbial pop music termite for the last 15 years, nibbling his way in and out of the foundation of the genre, nesting, and reproducing seemingly at will. That’s not to say that anyone’s in a hurry to tent the house and fog him out; his natural, syrupy style has become a bedrock of contemporary pop and rock. “An Evening with Edwin McCain” gets started early, to make room for another ensemble seemingly immune to the normal shelf life of a pop fad (see below). 7:30 p.m. Friday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $22.50. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – Admit it, you once rocked a zoot suit, a flapper dress, or at least a pair of two-toned struttin’ shoes during the swing craze of the late ‘90s. As popular as it got, that fad was destined to get busted up like a gin mill during prohibition under the weight of its own popularity, but the cats from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy ignored the limitations of a short-lived revival and have kept the big band swing vibe alive with a consistent live performance schedule. Hits like “You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three Tonight (Baby)” and “Go Daddy-O” will make even the neophyte swing dancers compromise their dignity and rotator cuffs out on the dance floor. 10 p.m. Friday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $30.00. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Marilyn’s Anniversary Party – Although the locally cut 2002 Bob Dylan tribute album “Positively 12th & K” now has a bit of a mislaid title, it’s hard to argue against the 2005 move to the new below-ground digs at 9th and K for Marilyn’s (wait, does “Subterranean Homesick Blues” now have a whole other meaning?). Marilyn’s celebrates their 11th anniversary with a crème de la crème of local outfits, featuring the jazz-inflected wallop of Walking Spanish, the sax and sex drenched throwback rock licks of the Snobs, the rock and roll juggernaut of Prieta (think Black Sabbath meets Soundgarden meets Buddy Guy), and the freak-out sound wall of Black Tar Caviar. Also scheduled is Dirt Nap, and the promise of a “surprise.” 8 p.m. Saturday. Marilyn’s on K, 908 K St. $5. 21+. www.marilynsonk.com.

Wanderlust Festival – This one requires a drive, but there’s plenty to mellow you out after the trek up the hill. This festival is centered around the yoga, with some of the best teachers in the country assembled at Squaw Valley, but of particular note to electronica and club rock fans is a DJ set from the venerable Moby, and performances from Yard Dogs Road Show, Brazilian Girls, the sonic assault of San Francisco’s Bassnectar, the hip-hop, dub and brass band stew of Beats Antique, and many more. Three and four-day passes are sold out, but you can still select a single day to your liking. Thursday-Sunday. 1960 Squaw Valley Road, Olympic Valley. $29.50-$140. www.wanderlustfestival.com.

Mark Your Calendar: Chuck Ragan – The former lead man of Hot Water Music explores his softer side (sort of). August 13. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $TBA. www.myspace.com/bluelamp. Check out Chuck Ragan on Daytrotter.

Doug Stanhope - Rogue Comic Appearing at Marilyn's on K

2010-03-05T03:44:01Z

A Sacramento Comedy.Com Interview

Getting to the essence of veteran comedian Doug Stanhope is both easy and difficult at the same time. He's so simple, yet so complex. Because of that, he is also completely controversial. Actually, to say that Stanhope is "controversial " is a vast understatement.

Many people only know Stanhope through his short-lived hosting of "The Man Show" with Joe Rogan and his participation in the late-night, titillating "Girls Gone Wild" infomercials, which he said was only for the money.

Stanhope's true fans know him as an outspoken, uncensored, honest and libertarian comic who looks at the world and questions aloud how we have turned a blind eye to how we are manipulated on a daily basis by the government and the media.

When Sacramentocomedy.com spoke to Stanhope by phone, he was home at his small two-bedroom house in the teeming metropolis of Bizbee, Ariz., with a population of maybe 6,000 people, hanging out with his dogs and his long-term girlfriend "Bingo." Don't make the mistake of calling their relationship a marriage, Stanhope tells the world, ’cause "why would anyone would want to invite the government to share in the blessed union?

"If you could invent marriage today, would you say, 'Hey, let's invite the government to get involved!' or not?" he mused in one of his libertarian rants.

We asked Stanhope, who is appearing at Marilyn's on K March 12, why he is performing at such a small venue when he can draw a much larger crowd anywhere.

"Many comedy club audiences are like seat fillers for ‘Dancing With The Stars.’ They are both benign and banal. You might as well do comedy for your pets. My audience is a giant 'sausage festival' with would-be school shooters. That's why rock-and-roll clubs are fun. They allow for a kind of chaos and an audience that doesn't just sit with hands folded with a tablecloth and a candle. It feels real and alive."

So against the status quo, he has become both a curmudgeon and a contrarian. His anger took root in 2008 by planning to run for President under the Libertarian Party though he later decided against it and gave his support first to Libertarian candidate Ron Paul and then finally to Barack Obama.

"I would have had to count the income from all my appearances as fundraising and the campaign rules are so complex that if I made one simple mistake, the cost in fees were outrageous! And, I am not smart enough to not make mistakes!"

His confessions of "I'm not really that bright" and "I experience periods of self-loathing" put him into a class of comic that is both brilliant and to any exploitative, commercial or corporate type with a need to control him, a bomb just waiting to go off.

Stanhope, who began performing standup in Las Vegas in 1990, said that it has been an adventure. Starting as a "road comic" going from one gig to another fueled by drugs and booze, often sleeping in the car, propelled him forward.

Through the trek, we asked him how prevalent the drugs and alcohol were then and now.

"Honestly, alcohol is the Abbott to my Costello," he responded. It was reported that in 2006 he took ecstasy on opening night at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, that was handed to him by a member of the audience. He got rave, 5-star reviews.

Fans love him for his edgy, outspoken rants. So edgy in fact, Stanhope was booed off a stage in Ireland after stating that "Irish women were too ugly to rape," and in the United Kingdom for making derogatory statements about the Royal Family. The British GQ Magazine wrote an eight-page feature asking the question: "Is This America's Most Depraved Man?"

Though Stanhope eschews rehearsed, memorized and overly produced comedy passed off as spontaneous, he has done Showtime and Comedy Central specials, has appearances on stage and TV, produced numerous successful CDs and DVDs and appeared the comedy documentary, "The Aristocrats," where he held a young child and proceeded to tell one of the dirtiest industry jokes.

Love him or hate him, Stanhope is going to bring it March 12th to Marilyn's on K, 908 K St., Sacramento, CA 95814 at 7:00 PM. You can get more information or buy tickets (it is expected to sell out early) by clicking here.

The Comedy Guy

Steven Bloom is the founder of SacramentoComedy.Com, the Official Guide to Sacramento Comedy. This website is dedicated to interviews, comedian bios, videos and consolidating all of the Sacramento comedy events to a single site. You can send your questions directly to The Comedy Guy at Steven@SacramentoComedy.Com

Submerge magazine celebrates anniversary, 50th issue

2010-01-05T23:52:49Z

For a number of Sacramento's magazines, the phrase "labor of love" takes on a double meaning. Three of the best-known local magazine publications are run by talented couples.

Sactown Magazine is run by husband-and-wife team Rob Turner and Elyssa Lee, and Midtown Monthly is run by married couple Tim Foster and Liv Moe. Sacramento's newest couple-run magazine, Submerge, is run by Jonathan Carabba, 24 and Melissa Welliver, 29, who are unmarried.

This Saturday, their biweekly will be celebrating its two-year, 50th issue anniversary with a party at Marilyn's on K. It will feature live music from hip-hop artist TAIS, dub artist CHLLNGR (formerly Dub Defender) and DJ Mike Diamond.

"I think (working with Welliver) is awesome and a special partnership is beneficial because you learn your roles and feed off of each other," Carabba said. "It's beneficial for both of us, and it kind of goes to show, it's a winning combo (since) Sactown and Midtown Monthly are both amazing publications. We're fans."

Carabba, originally from Santa Cruz and Welliver, from the Mt. Shasta area, met in Chico about four years ago. They were in different graduating classes at Chico State. Welliver earned a degree in graphic design while Carabba majored in music business and minored in marketing.

Soon after meeting, they relocated to Sacramento with the idea that a larger city had more opportunities. They realized that they both had a passion for the arts, and with Welliver's experience in art direction at a publication and Carabba's marketing abilities, they had what it took to start a business.

The magazine-obsessed couple immediately dove into the publishing industry.

"We knew right away what we wanted to do," Carabba said. "It was a matter of doing the research, getting the right people on our team, and really just diving in and doing it. We borrowed money from Mom and Dad, and I would pound the pavement trying to get enough ad dollars to cover the printing bill."

They picked up a senior editor, James Barone, and the three of them formed Submerge's core staff. Submerge employs a team of between six to 12 freelance writers and photographers who contribute to the magazine regularly, but the business looks to expand the number of staff.

With such a small core — Carabba as advertising director and Welliver as editor-in-chief and art director — Submerge has always been a tight ship.

The magazine is created digitally before going to print, so until Carabba began renting office space at the Urban Hive last month, the couple never worked from an office. Submerge's office was Carabba and Welliver's home in the Marshall School area. After moving to the College Greens area near Sacramento State, the couple changed Submerge's address to a P.O. box.

It was stressful and difficult to pay the bills for the first eight months, Carabba said, but their friends and family told them to stick with it for two years before measuring their success. Now they publish nearly 18,000 magazines monthly, which they still load in their Camry and hand deliver. In the last two years, Submerge has conducted interviews with big-name entertainers like Cheech and Chong, Katy Perry and Dane Cook before their respective performances in Sacramento.

What's in store in the next two years?

"In the next two years I think we will have a little office space, a couple more people helping us out full time, interns and a few more pages," Carabba said. "I see growth."

Submerge can be found in local newsstands, coffee shops, record stores and other businesses.

Submerge's 50th issue party takes place at Marilyn's on K, 908 K St. at 8:30 p.m. Drink specials include $2 Bud Lights, $5 Kamikazes and $6.50 beer and shot pairings. 21+

New Year's music

2009-12-30T04:37:55Z

There is so much to choose from this New Year's Eve in Sacramento. New Year's dancing venues are detailed in this article. Sacramento Press community contributor Barbara Ambler-Thomas wrote about the Empress Hornblower Cruise in Old Sacramento and Julia Beckner previewed several family activities.

The following is a guide to several of Sacramento's New Year's Eve concerts featuring (mostly) local bands.

Twitch Angry, White Minorities, Prylosis, Nekrosylum, Chernobog and Lycanthrope

What: "New Year's Cancer's Evel" will feature metal and punk bands, hosted by music video and MySpace star Metal Sanaz. The event is also a cancer research fundraiser for the Derek's Wish Foundation. All ages.

Where: The Colonial Theatre, 3522 Stockton Blvd.

When: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Cost: $10 at the door

Three Bad Jacks, The Secretions, Baby and The Problem Girls

What: Punk Rock New Year's Eve at The Blue Lamp, 21+

Where: The Blue Lamp Lounge, 1400 Alhambra Blvd.

When: Doors open at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m.

Cost: $12 in advance (click here), $15 at the door

Richard March, The Inversions, Pushtonawanda

What: New Year's Eve Extravaganza of folk and indie rock. All ages.

Where: Fox & Goose Pub and Restaurant, 1001 R St.

When: 8 p.m.

Cost: Free

Dirt Nasty, Andre Legacy, Justin Barnes, Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval, nearly a dozen DJs

What: A live hip-hop show, dancing and all-inclusive well drinks and beer are included with tickets to this show. 21+

Where: The Elks Building, 921 11th St., Grand Ballroom and House Mezannine

When: 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Cost: $75 presale (purchase here), $100 door. VIP booths range from $900 to $3,000 and can be purchased by calling 530-870-7049 or emailing vip@sacnewyears.com. Tickets after 1 a.m. cost $25.

Lite Brite, Storytellers and Shades of Grey

What: Jerry Perry Presents hosts a New Year's rock'n'roll concert. 21+

Where: Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St.

When: 9 p.m.

Cost: $7 at the door

The Mother Hips, The Parson Readheads

What: Marilyn's annual New Year's Eve Bash. 21+

Where: Marilyn's on K, 908 K St.

When: 9 p.m.

Cost: Sold out.

Sources: emusiconnect.com, undietacos.org, sacramento365.com

Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers play Marilyn's on K Sunday

2009-11-07T06:57:56Z

Stephen Kellogg is not the type to brag about sharing the stage with Melissa Etheridge and hanging out with Carly Simon, James Taylor and Jimmy Buffett. In fact, the musician never mentioned it in his interview with The Sacramento Press.

Kellogg's favorite moment in his 15-year musical career wasn't even playing music. It was a humbling moment watching the drummer in his band help a soldier in the Middle East.

"In Kuwait this past spring, we met this Army Ranger shipping out that night for Afghanistan," Kellogg said. "He was hanging out, listening to us play, and it came up that he played banjo. Boots, the drummer from our band, who also plays banjo, gave his banjo to the Army Ranger. It felt like all the other things we'd done up to that point were leading up to this single definitive moment (where) the person whose life you're touching will never forget."

Fifteen years after his first demo recording, Kellogg will come to Sacramento with his band, The Sixers, on Sunday. They will perform at Borders Books in Roseville and Marilyn's on K, 908 K St.

Kellogg said he grew up in a household full of music by the Grateful Dead, Jackson Brown and Crosby, Stills, and Nash. But it wasn't until attending a Whitesnake concert in the 80s that the idea of music as a job became feasible.

He said it was "fate" that brought him to choose it as a career, and that once he realized you could make a living from it, he never looked back. Kellogg has since released five albums as the Sixers, also known as Sk6ers, pronounced Skick-sirs; three solo albums; one with The Stephen Kellogg band; and one with the Root Cellar Band.

Last year, the Sk6ers were favorably reviewed by NPR: "Their homegrown sound mirrors the folk-rock style of The Band, presented with great humility by a lead man with a Springsteen-sized personality."

Last month, the Sk6ers' new album, The Bear, debuted at No. 7 on Billboard's New Artist Charts.

Kellogg explained the band's readiness to play shows for social causes, for instance, last month's show for St. Louis Children's Hospital. "If we had made it, in terms of becoming a household name early on, I'm not sure our music would have gotten where it's supposed to go.

"You have to do other things that aren't trying to move your career forward," Kellogg said. "If we're going to do this for the long haul and be proud of what we've accomplished, we need to take music and make it different in ways that aren't so ego driven."

Having played about 1,000 shows with the Sk6ers, his life is a "dream life" he said, adding that he feels an obligation to give back.

Though the Sk6ers never have been to Sacramento, they say they're excited to visit the city. Kellogg has a friend from Sacramento who will take the band on a tour of the city, he said.

The musicians will play a free acoustic set Sunday at 1 p.m. at Borders Books in Roseville, because Borders stocks the Sk6ers' albums. "It's a good idea to get the back of those who get your back," Kellogg said.

Sunday's show at Marilyn's on K will begin at 7 p.m. with acoustic rock openers Tyrone Wells and Matt Hires. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door and can be purchased here.

Photographs credit Welk Music Group Publicity / Vanguard Records

Aaron Young: rising Sacramento soul singer

2009-08-05T04:42:56Z

Aaron Young can't stop writing new songs.

"I'm sort of plagued with it," he said. "I write every day, no matter what I'm doing."

It's part of a work ethic that came from growing up on a pecan orchard in Mississippi.

"I don't know if you've picked pecans to make some money, but you need a lot of them to make a pound, so you're out there a long time," he explained. "It taught me how to stay disciplined at something [and] develop patience."

It's Young's patience and discipline that helped him through rough times, like being dropped from a record label and being homeless in San Francisco.

This Friday night, the currently West Sacramento-native soul singer will bring his uplifting lyrics and passionate vocals to Marilyn's on K. Tickets cost $12, and the show begins at 9:30 p.m.

Young's affinity toward music developed from growing up in the South. "Singing in a [Southern Baptist] church choir allowed me to start singing," Young said. "That's where it all began."

In high school, Young said he had already thought about pursuing a career in music.

Back in the 90s, he started a group in high school called Mixture, which earned a record contract and a number of fans. The group's success included opening for platinum selling R&B artist Brian McKnight.

Mixture's record label moved them into a record executive's house in San Francisco.

While in the Bay Area, the group collaborated on a song with Northern California hip-hop icon E-40. Their single "Pop Ya Collar," which also featured Messy Marv and San Quinn, received radio play in the Bay Area.

But then their record label folded and the band broke up. Young was left with the choice of moving back to Mississippi or remain homeless in San Francisco.

"I stayed out here and by staying it made me a homeless guy because I didn't have a place [to stay]," he said. "I bounced around quite a bit until I got another deal, and I went straight ever since."

Since then, Young has accomplished much more than "going straight." He's toured the East Coast with Grammy-award-winning pianist Billy Beck (of Ohio Players fame) in his band.

He's recorded a self-produced album, They Call Me AY, in 2007. Since moving to West Sacramento (conveniently located near San Francisco where he cut his teeth and a short flight away from Los Angeles where a number of major record labels reside, he says), he's also won the 2008 V101.1 FM Homegrown Soul competition.

"That got me where I am right now," he said of the competition. "It got me on the radio, and got me connections with a record label."

That label was Sacramento's DIG Music. Though the label has not signed Young, several people who work for the company are guiding him, including Jeff Trager.

"I want to emphasize the fact that what separates him from everybody else is his material," said Trager, DIG's director of artists and repertoire. "And it's only going to get better because he works at it."

Now 30, Young is currently working on a follow-up album, and playing shows with Vernon "Ice" Black, who will be in Young's band on Friday. Black's credits include playing guitar with such artists as Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock and Aretha Franklin.

"I think he's going to be discovered by some labels as soon as they come out to see and hear him," Trager added. "If a kid has a chance to make it, I think it's a kid like Aaron Young."

*photographs courtesy Aaron Young

The (Afro)beat goes on

2009-06-25T18:54:06Z

What is Afrobeat? You might not have even heard of it five years ago, but now it's an emerging genre in the United States.

It began in the late '50s when Nigerian musician Fela Kuti created the unique style. His music inspired Nigerians to move in more ways than one.

The groove made people dance, but the lyrics got them to think about politics and react to government corruption. Truly a "world music," it has even inspired San Francisco band Albino.

"It's West African polyrhythms, James Brown horn lines and a great vehicle for social commentary," said Albino saxophone player and co-founder Nathan Endsley. He came across the genre while at UCLA studying music education with an emphasis on jazz.

Friday night at Marilyn's on K, the 10-piece band will give Sacramentans a taste of Afrobeat. Albino will play at 9 p.m.

The band describes their sound as "heavy, heavy Afrobeat." This could be due to a baritone sax player giving the band's four-piece horn section a heavy bottom end.

But Endsley said the band adds Afro-Cuban, funk and jazz flavors on top of an Afrobeat groove. "Each member has their own influences," he added.

Back in 2003, Endsley and two friends decided to spread the music pioneered by Afrobeat creator Fela Kuti, a.k.a. The Black President. They decided to form Albino and hit the road.

"The music has a social purpose instead of just being fun," Endsley said of Afrobeat. "You can say things with this."

Early on, unable to be on the road for as long as the band intended, the other two cofounders left the group. Since that day, Endsley has also been the manager of the band.

"It's a big community-oriented project," Endsley said of his band. "There's no one in the band free of responsibilities - that's the reality of a touring band."

Other members of the band have positions like tour manager, promotions manager and music director. Percussionist Kim Agnew dances on the stage and is in charge of the group's look.

On stage, the band looks like a tribe of sorts. Members wear costumes which have ranged from suits to Sun-Ra-themed garb. They even paint their own faces before their shows.

"A lot of people just think, 'What am I seeing?'" said Endsley of Albino's stage presence. "Face paint changes your perspective a bit - [it says] we're here to say something special."

"Expect to be surprised," he added. "Our goal is to make the musical experience incorporate the audience."

Tickets are $10 and are available here.

*Photographs courtesy Jonathan Costello.

Friday Concerts in the Park: Middle Class Rut comes out on top

2009-06-19T04:41:14Z

"Exhilarating, like running naked through a bee storm," said music magazine NME of Middle Class Rut, or MC Rut for short. The duo headlines Friday's Concert in the Park in which Lite Brite, Consider The Thief and Early States will also play (click links for MySpace pages).

MC Rut's style has been compared to Jane's Addiction and Rage Against the Machine, but the duo evokes a simpler feel than the The White Stripes, a band with similar instrumentation.

Even so, the two-piece packs a fury of sound that never lets up. They recently released an eight-song EP entitled 25 Years and completed a tour of the United Kingdom.

Lite Brite is a rock and roll trio that exudes a punk attitude, but can turn down the amps and write a beautiful ballad as well. Some say Lite Brite sounds like Radiohead while others say the sound is more reminiscent of Nirvana.

Lite Brite released its debut self-titled album last year, and a three-song EP is a free download from the band's website.

Five-piece Consider the Thief released its debut album Signs and Wonders Tuesday. "We decided we wanted to take a leap of faith and write songs that didn’t rely on what had become a crutch for us: screaming and busy guitar/drum work," said guitarist Sean O'Sullivan in an interview with Submerge Magazine.

That doesn't mean that Consider the Thief doesn't shred. The band still brings a sense of emotional, apocalyptic rock and roll.

Early States sounds like U2, but is fronted by a 19-year-old Roseville man. The band will be on the Warped Tour this summer.

Friday Night Concerts in the Park take place at Cesar Chavez Park on 10th and J Streets from 5-9 p.m. every Friday until August 14.

Don't forget that your Friday night festivities continue if you show your wristband to one of the following businesses:

Brew it Up! $4 drafts, Bacardi, Jack Daniels and 3 Olives cocktails, plus half-price appetizers

Fuzio Universal Bistro $3 drafts, $5 martinis, plus a selection of $3 appetizers

Marilyn's on K $1 off well drinks, $3 draft Bud Light

Parlare Euro Lounge $3 domestic beers, $5 wine, $4 assorted appetizers

Pyramid Alehouse $2 pints of Curveball

Sofia on 11th $3 drafts, $4 wines, $4 wells and and half-price appetizers

Table 260 Half off appetizer menu, 10 percent off dinner, $5 drink special on Sac Soul

Toppingz Pizza inside Image Lounge $2.50 Bud and Bud Light, $4 Jack Daniels, appetizers starting at $1

Sheraton Grand Hotel's PMB Bar $3.50 Bud and Bud Light (bottle or draft), $5 nachos or artichoke dip

Amourath Lounge at Hyatt $1 off Bud, Bud Light and all appetizers

Citizen Hotel $99/night weekend rate for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in a deluxe king, queen or dual-double-bed room. This deal is exclusively for the Concerts in the Park, and for information on how to book the room, call 916-447-2700.

Mike Doughty tour stops in Sacramento Sunday

2009-05-10T00:13:43Z

Right now Mike Doughty is driving north toward Santa Barbara, which is on fire. It's Thursday, and though 30,000 Santa Barbara residents are fleeing the fire, the former leader of Soul Coughing is driving toward the city. He has no idea whether his gig has been canceled.

Unfortunately, the show has been canceled, but Doughty will continue his west coast tour, which spans from San Diego to Vancouver, stopping in Sacramento on Sunday, May 10 at Marilyn's on K. Doughty will be playing an acoustic set as a duo with cello player Andrew "Scrap" Livingston.

Mike Doughty -- known simply as M. Doughty while leading Soul Coughing -- grew up on various army bases in the United States and Europe. He says he is "peripatetic," and that moving around since infancy prepared him for life as a musician on the road.

"There's also something about traveling that suits me; I just have road legs, and I'm very comfortable when I'm touring," he said.

Doughty went to the New School in New York City to study poetry, where he developed a unique rhythmically-inclined writing style that comes through in his syncopated singing with Soul Coughing as well as his latest solo album, Golden Delicious. Critics say his latest album is perhaps his best solo material yet, and it's his second in a row working with Grammy-award-winning producer Dan Wilson, who has also produced Semisonic, the Dixie Chicks and Jewel.

Golden Delicious embodies Mike Doughty's laid back style -- rhythmic, funky, yet deeply personal. It's danceable, but at the same time, it makes you want to step into a car, drive down the sunny California coast, and sing along with a group of friends.

It must have been the product of working with Wilson, whom Doughty describes as "super-relaxed, an excellent guy with excellent ideas, really smart and fun to hang out with," and having Dave Matthews as a boss at ATO Records, whose priority is that "there be sufficient time and attention to develop each artist and each release," according to their website.

Doughty loves interacting with the audience -- his song "I Just Want the Girl in the Blue Dress To Keep On Dancing" is all about audience interaction -- and he says he's excited "just to hang" in Sacramento, eat some Mexican food, and play "for some good Sacramento people."

Got a question? Cool. His tour consists of what he calls "Question Jar Shows," so before the concert, write down a question on any topic -- "the weirder the better," he says -- and between songs he or Livingston will take the time to answer them.

Although Doughty claims he has "no other marketable skills" besides music, his popular blog and Twitter with over 4,000 followers reveal that he is also a crafty writer.

The duo will be playing Marilyn's on K (and 9th) at 7 p.m. to a 21-and-over crowd. Tickets are $18 in advance or $20 at the door.

Photographs courtesy Mike Doughty.

Donnaroo, benefit for local soundman

2009-03-12T17:39:28Z

Unless you're a musician, or particularly observant, you don't notice The Sound Guy.

But if he weren't there, you'd notice his absence. A good soundman balances the volume levels and adjusts the equalization (basically, treble and bass) of every instrument's amplification. He is also responsible for something you don't hear, but which makes a huge difference in the quality of a performance: He adjusts the same things on the monitor mix, or the sound that the musicians hear on stage. A band on stage without good monitors can't hear each other, can't even, often, hear themselves. Which means they can't tell how they're playing. And at that point, you don't want to hear it, either.

A bad soundman - and there are many - does just the opposite. You can hate him without even knowing he exists.

Donny Boyer is a GOOD soundman. He's been around town forever, it seems, and in recent years he's made a whole lot of bands playing Marilyn's On K sound good, including yours truly. Accomodating and knowledgeable, Donny is one of those soundmen who acts like he's a member of the band - and not because he wants the glory. He wants it to sound good.

And now Donny is in some medical trouble, and like most musicians who aren't married to someone with a "real" job, he doesn't have health insurance.

So, tomorrow night (Friday March 13), a handful of the bands who Donny has made sound good over the years are trying to give him a hand back: They're playing a benefit performance, with all of the ticket price of $10 going to help Donny pay medical bills. They've dubbed it Donnaroo.

$10 buys you quite a bit: In addition to members of popular party band Mercy Me, there will be performances by Richard March and Tyler Ragle, Rowdy Kate, Tattooed Love Dogs and Seventy, Boulevard Park and Jay Swanigan, perhaps with a few surprises in store.

I don't know if Donny is doing the sound, but even if he isn't, that's one show that already sounds pretty good. Downbeat is 7 p.m.