Seven local musicians are getting together at Old Ironsides this Friday to not only pay tribute to music legend Sam Cooke but also help with the Haiti earthquake relief effort. "Havin' a Party: A Tribute to Sam Cooke" was originally going to be just a show about Sam Cooke until concert organizer Jerry Perry saw the destruction in Haiti from the Jan. 12 earthquake. Perry decided to put on a benefit show to help. "When things like this happen, we like to try to put together relief shows," said Perry, who also organized relief benefit concerts for Hurricane Katrina and Sept. 11. "Whatever money we can raise through the door, we're going to take and give it to the Red Cross," he said. The

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 age

Local Americana musicians Richard March and Tyler Ragle are not afraid to get political. Their new song "Gold Star Café" includes a café conversation about politics, praises for President Obama and criticism of the public for not being involved enough in politics. "Thank God this young man got the vote/But he alone won't save this boat/Gonna take 'all hands' to get her right/So we can sleep at night," March writes. Saturday at Javalounge, the local country-influenced folk duo will play a CD-release concert for their five-song EP Kings and Thieves, their first release as a duo. Davis-based singer-songwriter Nat Lefkoff will open the show. March lived in the Bay Area until age 30, when h

To commemorate the end of a month-long celebration of its 75-year existence, the historic bar Old Ironsides held a final party on Sunday. The Sacramento institution melded new and old, representing the vast changes in culture from its 1934 founding though the rest of the 20th century. “Old time” drinks from each decade were back on the menu to give patrons a taste of what past generations enjoyed. Obscure concoctions such as the Moscow Mule (a 1940s drink with vodka, lime and ginger beer) were suggested alongside more popular fare like the Harvey Wallbanger (1970s) and the Washington Apple (2000s). A few waiters kept a constant rotation of sampler platters circulating the two main rooms

If these walls could talk, Old Ironsides would have a lot to say after seven decades and lots of intrigue.  Papa Bill Bordisso opened the building downtown in 1934, just after Prohibition ended.  "My father said you could at one time see all the way down to the river. It was just completely open space," said owner Billee Jean Bordisso Kanelos, Papa's daughter. A celebration marking 75 years for Old Ironsides happens all this month.  Each week, Ironsides will feature drink and lunch specials from a particular decade, Kanelos said. "Back in the '40s, there was a popular special called the half and half," Kanelos said. "That is basically half spaghetti and half ravioli.  We can't keep the

Sacramento, CA- At 7:24 P.M. Friday evening, Sacramento firefighters were called to a downtown structure, just a few houses down from Old Ironsides off of 10th and S streets. When firefighters arrived at 1913 10th Street, they found the second floor and attic of the old Victorian well involved. Per Captain Jim Doucette, Engine 1 was on scene in about three minutes. Firefighters made a very aggressive attack on the fire. With the fire well seated in the attic, firefighters had to tear in and gain access to the space to bring the blaze under control. The roof on the north side became unstable and all the firefighters were ordered out. They were able to control the rest of the blaze from o

What do Cake, Deftones, Oleander, and Jackie Greene have in common? Besides that they are all from Sacramento, they are also all SAMMIES (Sacramento Area Music Awards) Hall of Fame members. Sacramento's music lovers, geeks, and fanatics rejoice -- Sacramento News & Review recently released this year's SAMMIES nominees, and eight shows between Thursday, May 21st and June 27th's awards ceremony and concert in Cesar Chavez Park will showcase the best of Sacramento's music scene. Thursday's 9 p.m. concert at Old Ironsides will showcase SAMMIES nominees The Generals, with Autumn Sky, Christopher Fairman and The Inversions opening the show. "I would totally recommend June 6, all singer-songwr

Country singer Wanda Jackson first picked up rock and roll when she was barely out of high school and on tour with Elvis Presley, when the soon-to-be King of Rock and Roll convinced her to try the brand new style. And although she scored more than 30 country hits between 1954 and 1973 — as well as a number of Top 40 hits like rockabilly tune, "Let's Have a Party" — Elvis's advice to her has had lingering impact. On April 4, Roseanne Cash inducted Jackson into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and on Wednesday, April 15, the so-called "First Lady of Rock 'n' Roll," now a seasoned 71, is returning to Sacramento to rock the house at Old Ironsides. The show begins at 8 p.m. and tickets are $15.

 Thursday, Jan. 8 at 9 p.m. A new group, "Friendly Creatures," composed of Brian and Tatiana Latour and Alex Jenkins, who are members of Daisy Spot, and Ross Hammond will be performing at Old Ironsides. Hammond describes the band's sound as similar to Midnight Star, Lake Side or SOS Band with some Gil Scott Heron and Curtis Mayfield in the mix.  Saturday, Jan. 10 during Second Saturday Kevin Corcoran and Ross Hammond will be doing a duet inside the 20th Street Art Gallery. Their music will be the perfect backdrop for those art perusers. Hammond describes the music they'll be playing as spacious and reminiscent of a sci-fi soundtrack. Old Ironsides is located at 1901 10th Street on the c

After being away from Sacramento for a couple of years, I realized that I have really missed out on a lot of great bands. In an effort to reconnect with the Sacramento music scene, I went to Old Ironsides last Friday to check out Casual Fog. I really lucked out; my first foray into Sacramento music led me to a band that I really enjoyed. Ryan Donnelly's clear, almost throaty tenor voice lends itself to the mellowness of the music. With a range of songs from "Want the Day" with its eerie tonality, to "Dive the Blue" with its comforting familiarity, the melody and lyrics flow together to form the kind of music that you want to stop what you are doing just to listen and absorb. However, the