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Sacramento Area Concerts and Local Music Events This Week

2011-10-28T18:35:43Z

Here are some of the many music events happening in the Sacramento area this week. For more detailed information on these events and many more go to www.eMusiConnect.com. Have a Happy Halloween!!

Sacramento Area Concerts & Music Events

Running through January 2012: Bingo The Winning Musical at Cosmopolitan Cabaret at 10th & K street in Sacramento. Show at 7:30 PM.. Tickets are $32.00 - $48.00.

Friday, October 28th: Sacramento Ballet presents Dracula at Sacramento Community Center Theatre. Tickets are $17.00 - $68.00.

Friday, October 28th: Midnight Star - A Taste of Honey at Thunder Valley Casino. Concert at 8PM. Tickets are $20.00 - $30.00.

Saturday, October 29th: Exotic Halloween Ball at Cal Expo. Doors open at 8:30PM. Tickets are $24.00 & $100.00 VIP. More info at http://now100fm.radio.com/2011/09/30/2011-exotic-halloween-ball/

Saturday, October 29th: Nightmare on R Street (15th & R Downtown) Halloween Block Party at Shady Lady, Burgers & Brew, Ace of Spades, R-15.

Saturday, October 29th: Sinners & Saints Halloween Party at Thunder Valley Casino. Doors Open at 9PM. Tickets are $19.00.

Tuesday, November 1st: Foo Fighters - Cage The Elephant at Power Balance Pavilion. Concert at 7PM. Tickets are $27.00 - $59.00.

Tuesday, November 1st: Method Man at Ace of Spades. Show at 7PM. Tickets are $32.95.

Wednesday, Novmeber 2nd: Mastodon at Ace of Spades. Show at 7PM. Tickets are $32.95.

The Local Music Scene

Friday, October 28th

Wake The Dead Halloween Bash at Harlows 10PM/$12

The Coalition Halloween Party at Torch Club 9PM/$8

TSLOS - Nice Monster - Musical Charis at Fox & Goose 9PM/$5

3 Dance Floors of DJ Top Hits - Hip-Hop - Latin at Faces $5 before 10PM/$10 After

Zach Deputy - Quin Hedges at Marilyn's 9 p.m.

CrookOne TGIF Halloween Pary at Golden Bear 10PM/No Cover

80's & 90's DJ Mix at Mix Downtown 9PM

City of Vain - Riot Radio - Setting Sons - Bastards of Young at Blue Lamp 9PM

Afternoon Teacup Collection at Lunas 9PM/$6

French Cassettes - The Isaac Howl - Black Holes at Old Ironsides 9PM

Blame the Bishop - Glowbox Lemonade at Naked Lounge Downtown 8:30PM/$5

DJ Gabe Xavier Halloween Party at Park Ultra Lounge 9PM/$15

Roger Carpio & John Drole at Townhouse 9PM/$5

Get Down To The Champion Sound with DJ Esef at Capitol Garage 10PM/$5

Costume Lingerie and Masquerade Ball with DJ A-1 & Benji Lugo at District 30 9 p.m.

Halloween Show with Misamore - Fallrise - Sixes and Sevens - Hot Pot Studios Fusion Bellydance at Shenanigans 9PM

Throwdown - Havenside - Carnifex - Suffokate - First Blood - Chernobog -And Came Back Brutal at The Boardwalk 7PM

Get Shot! - The Number 13 - The Left Hand - The Crunchees - Stalking Distance at Distillery 10PM

Rocky Horror Picture Show with Live Music at at Luigis Fungarden 8PM/$6

Matt Nathanson - Scars On 45 at Ace of Spades 7PM

Playboy School - Full Melt - Estaban Villa at Beatnik Studios 8PM

Tainted Love All Halloween Eve Weekend Party at Power House Pub 9PM/$20

Saturday, October 29th

Children of the Grave - Smirker at Marilyns 9PM

Isaac Bear - Face 4 Radio - Puzzeltree at Old Ironsides 9PM

Todd Clouser’s A Love Electric - Ross Hammond Trio at Fox & Goose 9PM

Wonderland & Haunted Rooftop Halloween Party at Mix Downtown 9PM

Country Music & Line Dancing 8PM with DJ's on Three Floors at Faces $5 before 10PM/$10 after

DJ Peeti-V Halloween Party at Park Ultra Lounge 9PM

4th Annual Halloween Bash at Stoney Inn 9PM

South Lot & Halloween Party at Distillery 10PM

Halloween Howler with KB & the Slingtones - The Revtones - The Vintage Vandals at The Torch Club 9PM

Not For Profit - Pushtonawanda - Honyock at Naked Lounge Downtown 8PM/$8

DJ Whores at The Golden Bear 10PM/No Cover

Arden Park Roots - Dogfood at Shenanigans 9PM

The Pirate Ball at District 30 9PM

Spazmatics Halloween Eve Weekend at Power House Pub 10PM/$20

DJ Larry Rodriquez at Press Club 9PM/$5

Warp 11 Halloween Party at Blue Lamp 9PM

X-GVNR & Brian Hawk at Townhouse Lounge 9PM/$5

Alesana - A Skylit Drive - Sleepting with Sirens - Attila at Ace of Spades 7PM

Sunday, October 30th

Jason Webley - Fierce Creatures - Musical Charis - Julie the Bruce at Beatnik Studios 7PM

Dragalicious Show & DJ Hits at Faces 9PM/$5

Blues Jam 5PM & The Nibblers Halloween Party at Torch Club 9PM

Powerhouse of Blues at Power House Pub 3PM

Industry Night at Golden Bear 9PM

Kathryn Calder - Anomie Belle at Blue Lamp 9:30PM

Sunday Night Soul Party with DJ Larry & DJ Hailey Press Club 8PM

Dead Rock Stars Halloween Show with I Scream On Sundae - Diciembre Gris - Ricky Berger - Sureshot - Denver Piledrivers - Crazy Ballhead - Be Brave Bold Robot - Virtue Vices - Blame The Bishop at Old Ironsides 8PM/$7

Disclosure: I have been covering the local music scene in the Sacramento area for over ten years, and just want people to know what's happening where they live. There is a lot to choose from and a wide variety of local talented musicians.So Get Out & Enjoy!!

Old Ironsides has sound system, continues live music

2011-08-12T00:56:53Z

Quashing persistent rumors that Old Ironsides would stop playing live music, staff told The Sacramento Press Thursday that the bar now has its own sound system, and concerts are booked into November.

“For the record, we were never without a sound system,” said Mark “Gonzo” Gonzales, a manager for the establishment and also the man handling most of the booking for shows.

In late June, there were rumors that the iconic establishment at 10th and S streets would no longer be hosting live music, which has been a mainstay of the business for 21 years.

Gonzales said the old sound system, which had been leased, was taken out June 19, and a new sound system was being looked at, but in the meantime, a different sound system was being rented.

The new sound system went on line June 29, Gonzales said.

Bartender Art Rodriguez said having the sound system is an important aspect of the business.

“It means a lot to me to have a new one, because the owners don’t have to pay the rent on the old one,” he said. “When I found out how much money they were paying for the lease (on the old sound system), it was incredible.”

Rodriguez declined to give an exact amount, but characterized the lease as “quite a bit.”

He said the sound system, which consists of a Yamaha sound board, two bass speakers and several powered speakers, is smaller than the one that was leased, but anything more in the small space would be overkill.

“All the people who have come into the venue really like it,” he said.

Only one live band show had been held with the new sound system by Thursday afternoon, Gonzales said, though there had been a few open mic nights as well.

Local alternative/R&B/rock band Red Velvet Kiss played at the venue with the new sound system in place, playing on July 22.

“It was decent,” said Vincent Scola, lead guitarist for Red Velvet Kiss. “It’s not as good as the last sound system, but it still did the job. I was happy with it.”

Scola added that he would play at Old Ironsides again, and he said it’s valuable to have as a live music venue.

“You cant have too many live venues,” he said.

Mick Stevenson, owner of Dad’s Sandwiches at 13th and S streets, said he is glad Old Ironsides has a new sound system and will continue to provide live music.

“It’s crucial in this town,” he said. “It’s not always my neighborhood watering hole, but all three of my bands have played there a lot.”

Stevenson has played in the bands Nevada Backwards, Sam Sobriety and BLVD Park.

“(Old Ironsides is) definitely our competition as far as restaurants go,” he added. “But I know everyone in there, and having them here is a benefit to everyone. The Old Ironsides guys talk about us, and we let people know about them.”

Stevenson added that he thinks having Gonzales book bands for the venue is a good move as well.

“Bartenders know what bands bring in the money,” he said. “It should be good. I’m glad they’re up and running.”

Rodriguez said the live music has helped the restaurant and bar succeed in the current economy.

“It’s very important,” he said. “I’ve been here for 28 years, and I’ve seen Old Ironsides grow from not having any entertainment ... As far as nightlife, (the music) has really helped.”

Gonzales said that no one should worry about Old Ironsides going anywhere.

“We’ve been around a long time,” he said. “Come in and hear the new sound system and support the local bands.”

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

Re-Launch: Old I's to host Launch Make-Up Party on Friday

2011-07-28T00:48:48Z

One Sacramento Press user commented that, “I wish I could remember how the night ended.”

Just in case you missed the end (or just thought you did) of Launch 2011 at the Greens Hotel on Saturday night, here’s what happened.

Although the festival was scheduled to run into the wee hours of the morning, the event was shut down around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, due to what festival organizer Michael Hargis believes was most likely a noise complaint from nearby residences about the considerable amount of jovial “whomp” that was emanating from the bustling and hotly-attended event.

According to Hargis, who was “under the impression we could go as late as we wanted,” there were issues with the appropriate amplified noise permit not being properly secured by the venue that may have led to the early shut-down.

Still, Hargis asserts that, despite the shortened schedule and lack of after-party, Launch 2011 was still a hit.

“I think it was very successful," he said. "For a second, people leaving were like ‘oh it stinks that it got shut down,’ but then it went right on to ‘it was such an awesome event.' I felt really positive about it.”

There was only one headlining act, DJ Shaun Slaughter’s project D.A.M.B., as well as the scheduled acts for the after party, that did not get to play at the shortened Launch festival.

The solution: Make-up party!

Put on by Launch, First Edition and Lights Down Low, the Official Launch Make-Up Party will be held at Old Ironsides (1901 10th St) on Friday, July 29 at 9 p.m.. The 21+ show will feature a “make-up” set from headliners D.A.M.B., along additional DJ sets from the quickly corralled Richie Panic, Adam J, Taylor Cho and Sam I Jam.

And how about this for a price tag at the door: $1.

“It will definitely give our team a chance to just go and have fun and not worry about setting up and taking down,” Hargis said with a laugh.

Hargis also hinted that Launch will soon be in talks to potentially hold the 2012 edition of the festival at the Crocker Art Museum, and will be looking at other possible new locations as well.

Questions arise over Old Ironsides' live music

2011-06-29T00:55:47Z

Sacramento musicians and their followers are waiting to see whether this summer brings an end to an era of live music at Old Ironsides.

Countless local bands broke into the music business at the bar/restaurant known as "Old I" over the last two decades. But there's currently only one weekend show booked for July.

Two shows that had been set for next month have been moved to another location, one has been canceled and future bookings have been postponed for now.

The family that has owned the bar at 1901 10th St. for 76 years is working to replace a rented sound system that was removed Sunday. The Kanelos family rented the system for about 17 years and was unable to negotiate a lower fee with the sound system's owner, a concert promoter said.

Old Ironsides' owners said they hope to know by early next week whether they've got a new system lined up and an installation date set, co-owner Sam Kanelos Jr. said.

"We're just between sound systems," he said Monday afternoon while tending the bar. "You're getting it from the horse's mouth."

However, concert promoter Jerry Perry will be parting ways with Old Ironsides – at least temporarily – after booking shows there for at least a decade.

He won’t book bands there unless the bar brings in a sound system. He doesn’t want to rent systems each night or rely on bands to bring sound equipment because he won’t know how good the sound quality will be each night, he said.

Perry, who owns Jerry Perry Presents, has been booking all the bands at the club on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, except for dance club nights. Perry also books bands at Harlows and Luigi’s Slice Slice at 1050 20th St. He’ll book his first show at the downtown location of Naked Lounge this summer.

He said he moved two shows to Luigi's after he was told by the owners that his July 1 show would be the last there and that the sound system was being removed. He stopped booking shows at Old Ironsides about a month ago in anticipation of that.

"They called me and told me they were done. That they weren't going to be doing any live music anymore, except for open mic and dance nights," he said. "I love Old Ironsides, but until things change there and they get a sound system back ... I won't be doing shows there."

Perry talked with the owners about buying a sound system a decade ago and again in 2007. Until now, he and the bands paid a nightly fee to the bar owners to rent the sound system.

Dozens of musicians and Old I customers posted comments on Facebook last week after he posted a notice that he needed to move shows because the sound system was being removed. Old Ironsides' owners later posted on their Facebook page asking customers to stay tuned for updates on the situation.

"We are just in the middle of switching sound systems and no decision has been made to completely let the night life go," the owners wrote in the post. "As of now, we are still here."

Some customers wondered if the bar was closing.

"We're not going out of business," Kanelos said Monday.

Perry also stressed the bar isn't shutting down.

"I don't like this idea that people are talking about – 'Oh, they're done.' That's ridiculous. They've been there more than 75 years," he said. "I don't want to see Old Ironsides lose any more business."

Recently, he had been working on deals to get the bar a new system. A durable, easy-to-store system including such things as amplifiers, speakers, microphones, mic stands, monitors, cables and a sound board would have cost about $14,000 or $15,000, he said.

One person was ready to install a rented system Monday that could be used until a new system was purchased. But the owners canceled the installation, Perry said.

Perry then told co-owner Billie Jean Kanelos he would have to move his shows. Her father, Bill Bordisso, was issued the first Sacramento liquor license after Prohibition ended for the bar.

Tuesday, Kanelos declined additional comment until the situation is resolved.

Perry said the family hasn't gotten back in touch to say they're bringing in a new system. They last told him they wanted bands or Perry to bring in sound on a night-to-night basis. Equipment would cost $200 a night or Perry would have to find bands with their own system.

That's too expensive and impractical, Perry said. Consistent, high-quality sound can't be guaranteed when working with a different sound system every night, he added.

Business is a bit lean for the bar in the summer – especially during the recession, Perry said.

Many local bands got started in the music business after Perry got behind them and booked them at Old I.

Perry began promoting bands in the early 1980s at the legendary Cattle Club on Folsom Boulevard. He also books the Friday Night Concerts in the Park at Cesar Chavez Plaza, Hot Italian's free Hot Lunch series at Fremont Park and the bands for a three-day art event called Chalk It Up!

Old I brought in bigger crowds in the 1990s after getting the sound system and offering live music, said Evan Drath, who was the bar's head sound engineer from 1995 to 2000. He also played bass guitar for Grub Dog and the Amazing Sweethearts.

Local bands that regularly packed Old I included Mother Hips, Okra Pickles, Sex 66, Magnolia Thunderfinger and Jackpot. It was well-known as a place for up-and-coming bands, he said.

"It established itself as a cultural point in Sacramento," Drath said. "The music obviously was the main part of that. It really brought it to another level nationwide as well as locally."

But now there's more competition, fewer local bands and more virtual entertainment options keeping people at home in front of their computers. Band members are getting older, and other bands aren't replacing them. People in their late-30s and 40s who established Old I as a live music venue are busy with their lives, Drath said.

Old Ironsides can't always pack the house three nights a week like before, added Drath, now a touring sound engineer.

"There's a reason why maybe the Kanelos (family) found it harder to meet the bottom line. It's because the crowd is dwindling," he said. "A different culture around music has developed. It was an actual music experience you were having as opposed to a virtual music experience."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Sactown Rundown - May 12-18

2011-05-11T19:42:51Z

It seems like all eyes are on Raley Field this weekend – and amazingly, it’s not because of the Riverkittys.

Country superstars the Zac Brown Band (one of the few popular “country” stars these days with the guts to actually sound like country) are getting after it on the field on Thursday night, setting up the stage for Friday’s night’s Brew Fest, and Saturday’s you-knew-it-had-to-happen-eventually “Sactopalooza” party, which features cover bands of the following artists: Journey, Beastie Boys, U2, Dave Matthews Band, No Doubt, Van Halen, Sublime and INXS.

Coverpalooza?

And no, we are not even "going there" with EndFest, we're just not. So, when you’ve wrapped up the beer tastings and power chord renditions…

Pepper – OK, have we finally gotten to the point where bands like Hawaii natives Pepper (or brethren Slightly Stoopid) can finally stop being called the “new Sublime?” “Wouldn’t you want to be compared to Sublime – it’s the greatest thing ever,” Pepper drummer Yesod Williams told me in 2008, right around the time the band had established their own Law Records label and released “Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations.” Save for a live record and the “Stiches” EP, the band has not released a new album since, but it hasn’t stopped them from moving beyond the comparisons to other bands and establishing their own punk rock-reggae mix, becoming a juggernaut in their own right. Recent shows from the island-dwelling funksters at Ace of Spades (nee Empire) have sold out, so don’t get caught lying in the hammock. With Iration. 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St. $18. All ages. www.aceofspadessac.com.

Alkalai Flats CD Release – Speaking of bands that actually sound like country (see above), Sacramento institution the Alkalai Flats are throwbacks in the truest sense of the word – a band of pointed-collar gentlemen (plus newly anointed vocalist Sasha Prawalsky of Poplollys) in matching threads and stupidly awesome bow ties, playing the kind of bottle-slide, honky-tonk gin joint country that went the way of the way of the dodo with Hank Williams and Bill Monroe. Call them revivalists if you will, but they have an uncanny way of doing it with their own edge and local flare; they’re named after a Midtown hood and they call their music “leveebilly.” Two cool points! They’re celebrating the release of their new record with Mike Blanchard & the Californios and Miss Lonely Hearts. 8 p.m. Friday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $5. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

McDougall – There are many possible reasons why Portland’s one-word man is a one-man band. Perhaps no one else could keep up with him, either through sessions blowing dust off of forgotten manuals of centuries old historical texts at the library that he might be able to make songs out of, or maybe the introspective whiskey sessions it must have taken to produce the kind of drink-and-think tunes he belts out. He goes nuts on the acoustic guitar and banjo, kick drum and hi-hat while romping around what is (or is soon to be) our history. “The faster that we moved, the more we showed up late/ And with our fingertips we spoke as we ate food without a plate/ and face to face was replaced.” That’s from “Ones and Twos,” do yourself a favor and check it out, especially if you live in Natomas. McDougall opens for Winter’s Fall, who are just flat out staging a boxing match between Wilco and My Morning Jacket. 9 p.m. doors, 10 p.m. show Friday. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E St., Davis. $5. 21+. www.sophiasthaikitchen.com.

Houses – Say hello to your modern day Vivaldi. Denver’s Houses have undertaken the rather daunting challenge of crafting an individual EP inspired by each the changes in the weather – your new generation take on the venerable “Four Seasons.” Not quite as loco as Sufjan Stevens’ dream of doing an album for all 50 states, but you get the idea. But you know what, Houses got this right. Although “Winter” has yet to see the light of day, the other three are thematic slam dunks of sunny, breezy, warm, cozy and crisp indie folk and psychedelic grooves; we’d have to assume “Winter” will be by-the-fire-with-brandy fodder, but that remains to be seen. The dense jams on “Fall” particularly stand out as vintage Winterland (wait, what?) style tunes. Check out some of the seasons and some free downloads on their Bandcamp page. Weatherman accolades aside, their music is consistently playful, jovially and introspectively constructed, with occasional pop-ups of creative mayhem, howling Hammonds and classic rock homage. With the One AM Radio. 9 p.m. Monday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $10. 21+. www.bluelamp.com.

Mark Your Calendars – Deftones – Somehow, the phrase “get your tickets now” for this Chi Cheng benefit show doesn’t quite say it. With the Dillinger Escape Plan. June 14. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St. $50 (again, it’s a benefit show). All ages. 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.

Sactown Rundown - April 28-May 4

2011-04-28T18:09:17Z

So I hear there's some sort of a wedding going on early Friday morning?

Yeah, well, we've got some music going on too, just as an FYI...

The Builders & the Butchers - In a music scene bursting at the seams with raw, albeit often streamlined indie rock, folk and pop talent, Portland is a hard place to make yourself stand out - especially with the Dream of the '90s still alive. From their jovially twisted cover art to a sound that fits the same description, say hello to Neil Young's journey to Hell's big top. At their hear, Builders and the Butchers are a bluegrass band, but that core influence has been compressed in a vice and inserted into a pegboard of dark folk and inventive indie rock, with thick, bizzaro-funk bass lines and break-neck acoustic guitar/mandolin riffs, like a ringmaster with a drinking problem conducting a circus of animals with rabies and acrobats that moonight at bondage clubs. With Damion Suomi & the Minor Prophets. 9 p.m. Thursday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. 21+. www.bluelamp.com.

Check out the Builders & the Butchers on Daytrotter.

Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside - There's a pleasing contradiction in the way that Sallie Ford presents herself and crafts her rhythmic wiles. Her vocal delivery is like that of the classic martini-in-hand singer, a Billie Holliday or an Etta James; pleasantly refined, crisp and alluringly soulful. Her overall approach is more like that of the victorious thrift store discovery that only needs a bit of paint or a little flower upholstery to make it a treasure. Such is the glowing ramshackle of her indie folk and blues & jazz-tinged Americana pop stylings. She'll be joined by the Souterrain, a thinking man's (or woman's) free-form jazz outfit, with poetic lyrics delivered like a Master's thesis in Englis lit inspired by Tom Waits bootlegs. 10 p.m. Friday. Sophia's Thai Kitchen, 129 E St., Davis. $6. 21+. www.sophiasthaikitchen.com.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood - No, there is not a glitch in the Matrix - Chris Robinson's newest outfit is indeed rolling back through town to play at Harlow's, less than a month after their appearance here in April. Their current tour has been a pendulum through California, slamming the same venues twice in an effort to showcase Robinson's (Black Crowes, New Earth Mud) latest conglomorate of blues, rock and Americana jam architects. Check out Lindol French's recap of the last show for a few ideas on what to expect. 9 p.m. Tuesday. Harlow's, 2708 J St. $15. 21+. www.harlows.com.

The Snobs - There's just almost no way to get enough of this champion local band. They're the kind that's been threatening a new album for six years and has never really made any legitimate moves to expand their audience outside of Midtown and the rest of Sacto, but who really cares? Their every-two-months-or-so humdingers at the local spots are some of the most fun in town, with Jason Boggs sax appeal and the band's throwback rock and diet punk licks. Huzzah! With Sure Shot and the Kelps. 9 p.m. Friday. The Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $7. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Mark Your Calendars - Trampled By Turtles - "Thrashgrass!" That should tell you all you need to know...but if it doesn't, we'll take care of you in the Rundown that week. May 19. 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.

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 - April 14-21

2011-04-13T23:00:04Z

It's Wednesday (as I prepare your weekly Rundown), and all I can think about is some G. Love!

"I cherish the moment when I get the lucky chance/ To sing my song and let the funky people dance/ make it last. Sonic blasts move past fast fly/ Outta speaker's sneakers stomp to the rhythm that will romp/ Let the wild rumpus start cause it just can't stop."

I'll have you covered with a recap of the show, but for now, let's look ahead to a fine week of shows. Sactown's got sauce!

Interpol - Loyal Rundown readers may remember a few weeks back when Lindol French and I were musing about the overrated hipster spectacle that is Coachella - but we agreed that the one benefit of having such a festival in the Golden State is the possibility of festival performers booking some Sactown gigs on the way in or out. Thanks, Interpol! This show has flown a bit under the radar on the local calendar, but they will indeed be holding a little pre-'Chella party at the Crest. Interpol isn't quite dry-humping the pop charts with their "it" factory the way there were back in the early '00s, where they were living fat and happy on the popularity of post-punk revival, following the path of Joy Division and the Smiths, alongside groups like Franz Ferdinand and a burgeoning Arcade Fire. To boot, they are now officially a "trio," with only Paul Banks and Daniel Kessler remaining as founding members, flanked by a rotating cast of supporting players. But there's a reason they achieved the rampant success that they did, and their fan base remains devoted as ever to their "look at me" guitar riffs, shakable grooves and biting energy. Fire up this video to the 3:00 mark and take a cue from the Avett Brothers, Interpol fans...it's OK to get up and dance at the Crest, seats be damned. With School of Seven Bells. 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show Thursday. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St. $32. All ages. www.thecrest.com.

Yonder Mountain String Band - In the ol' jam band world, one of the quickest ways to judge a band's street cred is by how often you'll see its individual members pop up to play alongside other bands, and how many solo and side projects tend to be brewing. The four guys from Colorado's YMSB are just these sort of characters - but let's not forget that they form what is widely regarded as one of the top active bluegrass bands still active today. Throwing some rock and roll flavor into their roots-based brand of bluegrass (the kind that Del McCoury and Bill Monroe set the gold standard for), they have been at the forefront of a bluegrass revival that is often attributed to the likes of the Avetts and Mumford & Sons - they've been doing this for quite awhile now! 8 p.m. Sunday. Harlow's, 2708 J St. $25. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Deke Dickerson and the Modern Sounds – Having had his birth certificate thoroughly checked for accuracy, it can be conclusively determined that Deke Dickerson was just flat out born in the wrong decade – in fact, we’ll call it several decades too late. His guitar ramblings and troubadour musings are immersed in a time when all band mates wore matching shirts, electric instruments were the new rage, and rock and roll was an itch in daddy’s britches – and daddy wore a cowboy hat. He’s a throwback to a time of pure country hoedowns, yet he still manages to find a translation to modern sounds, and get a little weird with it at the same time. He’s the freak front man that there’s no way the 1940’s could handle, and audiences today weren’t alive to form a frame of reference to. But let’s not split hairs over where he fits; if you’ve seen him with the Eccofonics, or his new band, the Modern Sounds, you know he’s one of the more unheralded performers on the California circuit. With Miss Lonely Hearts. 9 p.m. Saturday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $10. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

David Jacobs-Strain – While vacationing in Portland in February, a good friend of mine, one who heavily mirrors my tastes in music, and I got into a big fight over slide guitar when I played him some Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses. For some reason, he hates slide guitar – which is funny, because I know for a fact that he has a t-shirt that says “Martsch is God,” referring to Built to Spill lead singer Doug Martsch. Whatever his reasons are, it’s obvious that he would hate David Jacobs-Strain, who slides the neck of his six-stringer with playful abandon, a fitting compliment to his Delta blues wiles and diet-funky acoustic/electric rock. Certain to make fans from the Johnson/Butler/Jennings camps, Jacobs-Strain is an unheralded gem, sporting both supreme talent and a heart bigger than his chest. 8 p.m. Sunday. Torch Club, 904 15th St. $6. 21+. www.torchclub.net.

Mark Your Calendars – Chris Robinson Brotherhood – No, this is not a glitch in the Matrix; believe me, I checked. The Black Crowes/New Earth Mud front man’s new project is looping back through California, re-upping at several venues they just performed in the last month. May 3. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $15. 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.

Walking Spanish, "Wishbones"

2011-03-25T04:42:39Z

In late February I went to a show at Old Ironsides, my first. I had come to see Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, an Americana rock group from San Francisco that I had previously seen absolutely dominate a set at High Sierra Music Festival.

The other two acts on the bill were local bands Honyock and Walking Spanish. It's not surprising that a band with a nationwide reputation and fan base would enlist a couple local stalwarts to join them on stage and ensure a packed house.

What was surprising, to me at least, was that Walking Spanish wasn't opening for Nicki Bluhm. Nicki Bluhm was opening for Walking Spanish.

Knowing what an incredible show the Gramblers put on, I was skeptical (apprehensive?) that the young bucks would be able to follow them without being overshadowed. There are many a big name national act who would pale by comparison, and there's no shame in it. Nicki and the boys are just that good.

As it turned out, my concerns were unfounded. Alex Nelson (lead singer, guitarist and songwriter) and the boys (Timothy Picchi on bass, Christopher Haislet on keys, Robert Mills II on drums and Thomas Gunterman on violin) were more than up for the challenge. They played a phenomenal set, brilliantly opening with a Mother Hips cover, a nod to Tim Bluhm, founding member of the Hips, the Gramblers and Nicki's husband. They also played a Depeche Mode cover, which is always a good decision.

Where they really impressed, however, was with their original songs, many of which were from their upcoming album, "Wishbones."

Walking Spanish is throwing its "Wishbones" release party Friday at Old Ironsides. I was able to procure a copy of the album in advance, and boy howdy, it's a barn burner.

Their eponymous debut (2006) had flashes of brilliance, displaying their skill as musicians, but was raw, unpolished. Their new album has no holes. It is a complete work. "Wishbones" is the kind of album that you can listen to from start to finish, on repeat, and I've been doing just that.

The songs are fully developed. The solos and interludes are searing but restrained, integral to the songs. It's all about the songs on this record.

The album starts with "What If You Knew My Name?" a key-heavy toe-tapper whose poppy sensibilities belie its lamenting lyrics. The song is broken up with a fantastic instrumental interlude vaguely reminiscent of the "Layla" coda. Awesome.

Up next is "Sarah Marie," which is a great example of Nelson's growth as a songwriter. What begins as a slow, bluesy ode to the titular young lady becomes something very different. The song picks up pace steadily through the first four verses before entering an intermezzo momentarily reminiscent of San Francisco's Jellyfish, from which they emerge with crushing staccato power cords and then a prog rock guitar riff that leads back to whence they had come. It ends with Nelson issuing a warning, "Your days are numbered/ better start to count." All this in a 2:35 song. One of the best tracks on the album.

"Jacksin (Is Long Gone)" is another one. It's the rare rock song that makes good use of an accordion and has a bouncy, almost polka-esque theme running throughout. The song tells the story of a veteran who finds his lady with another man, with tragic results. Nelson extends himself as a storyteller on "Jacksin", and the band extends themselves as well with several instrumental interludes of varying styles.

"Sweet Cherry Lane" is a mournful, poignant ballad to love lost. "I watched the mountain crumble as your heart forgot my name," Nelson sings. "The picture frames are being emptied now/ what a cheap memory."

The album takes its name from the fifth track, "Counterfeit Wishbones." As good as it is on the album (very), the rollicking power rocker is better live, as it affords the band such an opportunity to extend the already crunchy instrumental jams, bringing the crowd to theretofore unfound heights. I remember it well from last month and look forward to seeing it again on Friday.

"Amor Vincit Omnia" proves that Nelson can write a love song that isn't mournful or tragic. Love conquers all. A beautiful sentiment and a beautiful song. (Upon closer inspection, it isn't entirely rainbows and sunshine after all. Nelson sings, "Rock and roll has tamed my soul, and left me smiling at the gallows pole." "Tiptoe through the Tulips" this ain't.

Another great song, "The Simple Moves," combines a rip-roaring Skynyrd-esque riff, with some soulful keys and poignant lyrics ("It's hard to be somebody when ‘somebody’ is your name"). The guitar-driven coda to this track would make the boys from Jacksonville proud.

"The Soldiers Lullaby" tells another sad tale, this of a soldier (natch) dying in battle and pining for his love. It's got an old-timey saloon feel to it, and I picture the protagonist losing his life somewhere in Europe during either the Great War or WWII. A beautiful love song that finishes on a hopeful note. "I'll build us a house in heaven to share," Nelson sings, channeling the young combatant, "and I'll wait, I'll wait for you there."

"Mama Don't Love Him" features an epic piano solo by Nelson's older brother, Jackie Greene, who also produced the album and contributes backing vocals, organ and tambourine at various junctures.

The album closes with its longest song, "Holiday Years." It's a super upbeat dance track about going on vacation.

Just kidding, it's a powerfully poignant and lovely ballad. Nelson sends us off with this: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, everything must change, I'll be gone/ so long."

It is a hell of an album, if a bit melancholy. Hey, it's the trials and tribulations in life that generally lead to the greatest pieces of art. Without it, you get this. Nobody wants that.

The "Wishbones" CD release party is at 9 p.m. on Friday.

Opening for Walking Spanish will be local rockers Prieta, about whom illustrious local music scribe Aaron Davis once said, "They'll knock your penis off, great band!" I'm seriously looking forward to them.

Tickets are $7.

I'll see you on the dance floor.

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.

Sacramento Concerts, Music Events, and The Local Music Scene This Week

2011-03-18T16:06:56Z

Here are some of the many music events happening in the Sacramento area this week. For more detailed information on these events and many more go to www.eMusiConnect.com.

Sacramento Area Concerts & Music Events

Through Sunday, March 20th: 9 to 5 The Musical at The Sacramento Community Center Theatre on 1301 L Street in Sacramento. Shows at 8PM, 2PM, and 7:30PM depending on date. Tickets are $18.00 - $70.00.

A Grand Night For Singing at Cosmopolitan Cabaret on 1000 K Street in Sacramento. Continues WED-SUN. Show times are at 8PM or 7:30PM with some 2PM matinees. Tickets are $33.00 - $48.00.

Friday, March 18th - Saturday, March 19th: Sacramento Ballet In-Studio Celtic Experience at 1631 K Street in Sacramento. Enjoy beer and wine and an intimate performance beginning at 7PM. Tickets are $25.00.

Saturday, March 19th: Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra presents Verdi's Requiem at Mondavi Center on the UC Davis Campus. Performance at 8PM. Tickets are $30.00 - $50.00.

Saturday, March 19th - Sunday, March 20th: Sacramento Master Singers Celtic Connections III at First United Methodist Church on 2100 J Street in Sacramento. SAT at 8PM, SUN at 3PM. Tickets are $20.00.

Sunday, March 20th: Camellia Symphony Orchestra presents a Family Concert at Tsakopoulos Library Galleria at 828 I Street in Sacramento. Performance at 2PM, Instrument petting zoo at 1PM. Free Admission.

Tuesday, March 22nd: Paul Thorn at Harlows. Show at 7:30PM. Tickets are $22.00 ADV.

Wednesday, March 23rd: Marsha Ambrosius with Melanie Fiona at Harlows. Show at 9PM. Tickets are $30.00.

Wednesday, March 23rd: Richrad Thompson Electric Trio at Ace of Spades at 1417 R Street in Sacramento. Show at 7:30PM. Tickets are $35.00 - $40.00.

Wednesday. March 23rd: Lady Gaga Monster Ball Tour at Power Balance Pavilion (Arco Arena). Concert at 8PM. Tickets are limited $52.00 - $177.50.

Thursday, March 24th: Crocker Art Museum presents Open Art: CORE Dance Collective World Premiere of Silent Noise at 216 O Street in Sacramento. Performance at 7PM. Tickets are $15.00 - $25.00.

The Local Music Scene:

Friday, March 18th:

Jerry Perry presents Island of Black and White - The Bellboys - James Cavern at Old Ironsides 9PM/$7

Mary Youngblood at 7PM/$20ADV and Primo with GPD at 10PM at Harlows

Gino Matteo at Torch Club 9PM/$12

Kevin Seconds - Kepi Ghoulie - Dino The Girl at Fox & Goose 9PM/$5

3 Dance Floors of DJ Top Hits, Hip-Hop, Latin at Faces $5 before 10PM/$10 After

Wonderbread 5 at Power House Pub 10PM/$15

CrookOne TGIF at Golden Bear 10PM/No Cover

Adam Varona - Christian De Wild - Ross Hammond at Distillery 10PM/$6

Set Theory at Marilyns 9PM/$5

80's & 90's DJ Mix at Mix Downtown 9PM

Coco Montoya - Mick Martin & The Blues Rockers at The Boardwalk 8PM/$20-$22

DJ Illest at Dream Ultra Lounge 9PM

DJ G-Roy District 30 9PM

As I Lay Dying - Winds of Plague - After The Burial at Ace of Spades 6:30PM/$20

DJ Billy Lane at Park Ultra Lounge 10PM/$15

Rough House with DJ Shaun Slaughter & Roger Carpio at Townhouse 9PM/$5

Get Down To The Champion Sound with DJ Esef at Capitol Garage 10PM/$5

Hot Tar Roofers - Perpetual Drifters at Luigis Fungarden 8:30PM/$5

98 Rock Local Licks Live with Stepchild - Fallrise - Black with DJ Blend downstairs at Shenanigans 9PM/$5

Sean Powers Shadow Puppet Theatre - Gilberto Rodriquez at Lunas Cafe 8PM/$6

Saturday, March 19th

Richard March at Old Ironsides 9PM/$5

The Newzmakers at Marilyns 9PM/$5

Early States - Wesley Avery - Greenlight District at Ace of Spades 6:30PM/$20

Simpl3Jack - Prieta - Honyock at Luigis Fungarden 8:30PM/$5

Sean Kilcoyne - Chris2Me - Rebel Radio at Fox & Goose 9PM/$3

Wonderland at Mix Downtown 9PM

Cura Cochino - Rabbits - Ungolian at The Distillery 10PM/$6

Country Music & Line Dancing 8PM with DJ's on Three Floors at Faces $5 before 10PM/$10 after

DJ Peeti-V at Park Ultra Lounge 9PM

White Minorities - Mudface - Left Hand - Deadset at The Boardwalk 8PM/$10

Laurie Morvan at The Torch Club 9PM/$10

DJ Whores at The Golden Bear 10PM/No Cover

Superlicious at Power House Pub 10PM/$10

DJ Slick D at District 30 9PM

DJ Larry Rodriquez at Press Club 9PM/$5

The Ricky & Del Rock Show - Dungeons & Dragqueens at Blue Lamp 9:30PM/$8

Oh Dang! at Townhouse Lounge 9PM/$3

Sunday, March 20th

Dragalicious Show & DJ Hits at Faces 9PM/$5

Blues Jam at 4PM & Bone McDonald 8PM at Torch Club 8PM/$7

Industry Night at Golden Bear 9PM

Saving Abel - Red Line Chemistry - Desperate Union - First Class Citizen at Ace of Spades 6:30PM/$16

Reggae Basement with DJ Wokstar at Blue Lamp 9:30PM

"We Turned it Up to 11" party as final Lipstick night

2011-02-28T05:48:19Z

The bright lights of Lipstick night will come to an end Tuesday as the Midtown bar Old Ironsides hosts their “We Turned It Up to 11” anniversary party in hopes of going out with a bang.

Since 2000, Lipstick has been a staple event for Sacramento, especially in Midtown. The event was started by DJ Shaun Slaughter who has now decided to end it.

“I think they want to end it on a high note,” said the Old Ironsides manager and bartender who only goes by Gonzo.

Lipstick started when Slaughter approached Old Ironsides with the idea, according to Gonzo, and he was joined later by Roger Carpio and other guests over the years, Gonzo said.

Though Gonzo didn't notice anything really evolve or change with the event, those eleven years with Old Ironsides changed for him. When Lipstick began, he was just a bouncer. Over time, he worked his way up to his current management position.

“I was there the whole time,” he said. The whole experience has been “phenomenal”.

“We love Shaun and Roger,” he said. “We appreciate everything they have done. We appreciate all the customers and all the business. I wish it could keep going, but all good things come an end.”

Though Lipstick is calling it quits, that doesn't mean it's the end for Old Ironsides, Slaughter, or Carpio. The first Saturday of every month, they will be holding an event, similar to Lipstick.

“There are other things in the works (for Tuesdays), so keep watch,” Gonzo said.

Ericka Violett, a senior at Sacramento State University, said she remembers the first time she went to Lipstick, over two years ago.

“It was a few days after my 21st birthday,” she said. “It was sometime during the summer, and I had a blast. It's a place where all kinds of people come out, and dance however they want. You get all kinds at Lipstick.”

Midtown resident Merry Vang noted the first time she went, nearly six years ago. She really enjoyed the music and the dark dance floor with its small florescent lights.

“It was a really good time,” Vang said. “We were impressed by the crowd.”

But, Vang added, it wasn't something you could do every Tuesday. Over the years, she felt it had its ups and downs.

Vang remembered a time, not long after her initial visit, when she felt the crowd was really “down.” Despite this, Vang said she will miss Lipstick night because you didn't have to be a great dancer, and there was no pressure.

“It was a really nice local thing, a very Midtowner thing to do,” she said. “Really, it was fun. It was just fun.”

Lipstick begins at 9 p.m. and the cover charge is 5 dollars.

Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers!!!

2011-02-25T04:29:48Z

Old Ironsides is playing host to San Francisco’s Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers Saturday night.

If you haven’t seen Nicki Bluhm perform before, you really should. Here’s your chance.

If you have seen Nicki Bluhm perform before, well, then, I don’t have to tell you. I’ll see you guys Saturday.

Mrs. Bluhm has been compared to Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell and pretty much every other great leading lady of rock ’n’ roll.

She is reminiscent off all of them at times, while retaining a voice all her own — comforting, smoky, velvety, textured, whiskey-tinged, beautiful.

The Gramblers most recent album, “Driftwood,” features members of The Mother Hips (including her husband, front man Tim Bluhm), ALO, Railroad Earth, Jackie Greene, Dengue Fever and the Skinny Singers.

The songs are timeless, evocative of the past but certainly not doomed to repeat it. I wanna listen to this album with the windows rolled down, driving along a two-lane country highway to anywhere (with a slight buzz. Can I say that? Don’t drink and drive, kids!).

It’s Americana pop rock, with a little country and a lot of California soul. I can't even tell you how excited I am for this show.

Filling out the Jerry Perry Presents bill are Sacramento stalwarts Walking Spanish (as their CD release party) and Honyock, neither of which I know personally.

From Walking Spanish’s MySpace page: “Their songs pay homage to great artists of the past while moving forward in a genre-mixing, fist-pumping affair that brings audiences of all ages to their feet.” ( Andy Laughlin, Village Life)

From Honyock's MySpace page: “Sounds like: Fun.” (They really don’t have much on their page, but one of their 348 friends is Dr. Dog, which is a very good sign.)

So come on out: Old Ironsides, Saturday night at 9 p.m. Tickets are $7.

See you on the dance floor.

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 - Jan. 20-26

2011-01-20T19:58:59Z

Sac Press Reporter #1: “Coachella is overrated”

Sac Press Reporter #2: “Never having been, I cannot speak intelligently to that contention, but definitely doesn't stir my fancy.”

Sac Press Reporter #1: “Since when has that stopped you?”

Touche!

Drool seems to be filling the gutters from Sacramento all the way down to SoCal over the unveiling of the Coachella lineup, which features the usual diet of indie rock, electro tweak jocks, and a couple jam bands just for fun. And for some reason, Kanye West is a main headliner.

Do you like fishsticks?

Not that we specifically care about the Coachella lineup here at Sac Press – but the impact on our local calendar from some bands who may throw us a gig since they’re already in California that weekend, now that is a different story. Stay tuned to this space for any upcoming local concert announcements from participants of the 2011 LookHowCoolIAm festival.

Now, on to more important matters…

Ra Ra Riot – If you read enough reviews and clips about Syracuse, NY’s Ra Ra Riot, there’s a word that will keep coming up: “Think.” Exactly when did that become a bad thing? You’re going to have to put a little thought into things if you’re going to be an indie rock band with a string section and not let it play out like some absurd collaboration put together for a Grammy broadcast that sounds like a deaf guy playing musical Legos. They’ve been compared to Polyphonic Spree (minus the cult thing) and even more heavily to Vampire Weekend, but if you want to hear what it sounds like when Ra Ra Riot isn’t thinking too much, check out their trio of Daytrotter sessions here, here and here; it’ll give you a sense of what this bouncy outfit is all about when they take the thinking caps off and put on the rock star cups. Givers and Pepper Rabbit join up. 9 p.m. Saturday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $15. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Neil Diamond Tribute Show – The Sunday morning after Jerry Perry’s Neil Young tribute show back at Harlow’s, I was over at R15 watching football and chatting with a few randoms at the bar. I told one of them that we had gone to see a Neil Young tribute show the night before, and he started singing “Cherry, Cherry” in response. I like bloody marys too much to throw the one I was drinking at him. Plus, I paid $6 for it. I’d like to find that guy and tell him that if he’s that tuned in to Neil Diamond, his time has come. Even if you think that Neil Diamond is the cheesiest performer on the planet, you can safely bet that you’ve heard several of his songs, be they originals (“Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon,” “America”) or covers of Neil songs (“I’m a Believer,” “Red Red Wine”) and enjoyed them without even knowing that he was the one who sang them. Or, maybe you became a fan by watching “Saving Silverman.” Either way, don’t you think a whole bar “bah bah BAH!” singalong will be well worth it? Neil turns 70 on Monday, and Perry had rounded up a few friends to celebrate their favorite songs of the legendary performer: Sal Valentino, Kepi Ghoulie, The Freebadge Serenaders, Gerald Pease (of Bucho), Hans Ebberbach (of The Nibblers), Brian Rogers (of Izabella), Richard March, The Blue Diamonds, Ol' Cotton Dreary, Vinny's Vipers, Jem & Scout, and Jeff Clark. 8 p.m. Saturday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $10. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Pets CD Release Show – A couple of years ago, Pets were the “next big thing” in Sactown; and just as quickly, they seemed to slip below the radar, although the duo of Allison Jones and Derek Fieth never left town. Guess what, they’re back! With dual guitars, drum machine and more loops than your average children’s cereal, Pets sludged-up, fuzz-coated and sassy (the Allison songs, that is) breed of head-twisting indie garage rock is hard to look past, even for the doubters who think they could do what they do in their own garage and do it better. Try it some time, see if you can pull it in this fashion. Their new CD “Ready the Rifles” is now out and ready to be picked up, and they’re celebrating it with Kepi Ghoulie Band and Dog Party. 8 p.m. Friday. Luigi’s Fun Garden, 1050 K St. (MARRS Building). 21+. Facebook event page.

A Lot Like Birds – Far be it for the Rundown to ignore a band with songs called “How I Parted the Red Sea” and “Ted Bundy’s Thanksgiving Dinner;” do you want to carve or should I? And don’t ask about the cranberry sauce. Kurt Travis of local thrash mainstays Dance Gavin Dance is now a full-fledged member of this raucous post hardcore outfit, and they’ll be holding court at Midtown’s newest all age venue with Not to Reason Why, Early States, Dreaded Diamond, and the Cryptics. 7 p.m. Friday. The Refuge, 1723 L St. $5. All ages. Facebook event page.

Typhoon – Like the Fleet Foxes relegated to a diet of Van Morrison records spread with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Funk and forced to play on instruments found in the trash behind bus stops (Mumlers fans, take notice), this juggernaut of an indie rock band brings their oddly funky and occasionally dingy brand of classically tinged garage pop to Davis, kicking off a four concert set at Odd Fellows Hall, put on by the same folks who provide Sophia’s Thai Kitchen’s consistently awesome summer patio concert series. Stay tuned to the rundown for more on this series, which runs through February 22. With AgesandAges, Brainstorm and Elders. 8 p.m. Saturday. Odd Fellows Hall, 415 2nd St., Davis. $10 adv/$12 d.o.s. All ages. www.sophiasthaikitchen.com.

Mark Your Calendars – February 1 – Holy cow, is this going to be a huge night in this area. Yep, it’s a Tuesday, but if you’re at home watching TV, you’re going to miss all three of these shows: Social Distortion at Freeborn Hall in Davis, Dawes at Odd Fellows Hall in Davis, or Clutch at Harlow’s. To quote Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: “You must choose, but choose wisely.”

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.

Second Saturday Art Walk

2011-01-11T08:52:04Z

Saturday Night’s temperature during Second Saturday kept many art lovers at home. The first Second Saturday of 2011 was sparsely attended. The cold weather which was in the upper 30s or low 40s seemed to have kept many people in the warmth of their homes. Truth be told the cold weather curtailed the number of galleries I attended.

On 20th and J Streets a candle lit vigil included some singing that brought a crowd of people to that site. The singers seemed to have disappeared just as fast as it had appeared. The group was singing “This Little Light of Mine” (among other songs) although some of the lyrics were changed to fit the location and situation. The usual crowd that gathers at this spot on Second Saturdays was missing this evening.

Walking up on 20th Street towards I Street the musical bands that are usually outside performing were non-existent. As I passed by the 20th Street Art Gallery the site was empty. That was a sad sight as many artists’ exhibit their art here on a monthly basis. I had heard they were moving last year but was still surprised as I passed by the complex.

Walking down another section of Midtown the Sacramento Art Complex got my attention with art sculptures in their parking lot. One of the artists was doing a demonstration and had gathered a small audience as he worked. He gleefully answered questions and spoke about what he was doing as he worked on a project. I also noticed that work was being done on the wall facing the parking lot.

Inside the complex it also looked like studios were being renovated and new occupants were moving in. The Garley Sculptures Studio was open during this Second Saturday. Garley Poetry was on hand to answer questions about his sculptures.

La Raza Galeria Posada featured the works of Felipe Magdaleno, Jesus Barela, David Buenrostro, Andrea Porras, Mario Vargas, Mario Moreno and Jose Lott during their "Twenty Years to the Day" art show. The small gallery was busy while I was there and the place was very warm. I loitered for a bit while talking with other people at the gallery.

Midikat Boutique featured musical guests during their art exhibit. South Lot was performing and 1 Lost MC was setting up in the back. This boutique is on 21st Street (between K and L). The band performing, South Lot will also be performing at Old Ironsides this Thursday, January 13.

(South Lot)

The Kennedy Gallery, another place that’s usually very crowded, was quiet during this month’s Second Saturday. I stopped to admire the work of Dianne Mattar and I talked with her husband. Dianne shares a station with KC Moore. When Dianne came back we talked for a few minutes and asked if I had seen the youth art exhibit. “There are some works of art from the 6th Annual Youth Invitational over on the hall walls over there, have you seen them?” Dianne asked. I told her I had not and she proceeded to tell me a little bit more about the event “Look at this, I only have this because one of the artist I invited could not be here.: She showed me a packet they gave the young artists who were invited and it included a thank you card that the youngster could send to the artist who invited them. Their work is all up and down the hall.” Dianne said as we walked over to the exhibit.

The 6th Annual Invitational is not really a competition. The purpose of the invitational is to encourage children who exhibit a talent for the arts and to recognize their talent and encourage them. The work exhibited did indeed show the talent these young exhibitors have. The age range for these artists was from 4 to 17 years of age.

Towards the entrance of the Kennedy Gallery Art Center the beat of Tribal Calling filled the gallery. Several children joined in making music as they were given other rhythmic instruments to play. As I left I could hear their rhythmic beat of the drums for a couple of more minutes.

(Tribal Calling and helpers at the Kennedy Gallery)

As the temperature continued to drop I looked for a place to warm up but ended making my way back home instead. Second Saturday will begin to attract more enthusiasts in the March/April time frame when the weather becomes warmer.

Photos:

1, 2 - Artist at the Sacramento Art Complex

3, 4 - La Raza Galeria Posada Exhibit

5 - South Lot

6 - Tribal Calling

10 for '10 : A look back at the top Sacramento concerts of the year

2010-12-29T06:03:20Z

As my good friends in Dr. Dog would say, “Where’d All the Time Go?”

Like most concert junkies out there, it’s easy to look back on 2010 and think about the concerts that I should have gone to but didn’t, for whatever reason popped up that kept me on the couch with my blankie and watching “Friends” reruns. Tight budget? Hangover? General lameness? They all showed up at one point or another.

But New Year’s is always a time for reflection on the year past, for looking ahead at what’s to come, and making stupid “go to the gym more” promises that will fizzle out in a cloud of whiskey and Häagen-Dazs by mid-January.

With that in mind, let’s take a look back at some of the best concerts of 2010 in Sacramento. Needless to say, I can only speak intelligently (?) to the ones that I actually attended. Henceforth, I’ll employ a little help from the archives of Sac Press’ Lindol French, the only guy I know who is more juiced on live music in this town than I am.

I’ve taken the liberty of ranking the shows from ten all the way up to number one, because everyone loves a good top ten list, right?

We’ll also check out a few names that are slated to come to town in the early goings of 2011. Happy New Year, Sactown!

10. Neil Young Tribute Show – While it’s nearly impossible to tag local bands for this list, given the frequency with which they play, this show easily deserves top-ten billing for its collaborative tour de force of Sactown talent. Although a rogue out-of-towner closed it out, the locals’ takes on Neil Young’s catalog were bone rattling, with highlights coming from Reggie Ginn (“Like a Hurricane”), Saucer (“Down By the River,” “Rockin’ in the Free World”) and David Houston (“Southern Man”). It was a tale of two halves, with some majorly random Young tunes filling up the early goings, and his classics like “Old Man” and “Harvest Moon” bringing home a juggernaut of a tribute show. (Harlow’s, mid-November).

9. Trombone Shorty – I missed this gig, but had the pleasure of seeing him about a month prior in Petaluma, and it can be safely said that Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews is one of the most enigmatic performers out there, melding jazz, funk, soul and rock into a hip-blasting package. Let’s hope he follows up on his recent Sacto appearances, now that he appears to be on the cusp of a huge breakout – performing on NFL Network with Dave Matthews Band will do that. (Harlow’s, mid-September).

8. Matisyahu – It’s amazing that we’ve come to a point where people will complain about something that’s free, but many attendees of the Jewish Heritage Festival were noticeably restless when featured performer Matisyahu (a bit of a notorious diva) dragged his feet in arriving at the steps of Capitol Mall for his promised afternoon performance. A performer that normally charges around $50 a head, and we’re upset because he didn’t start his free show on time? Hmmmm. Nagging aside, a graying Matisyahu and accompanying guitarist DP Holmes (of Dub Trio) put on a spiritually transcendent show for a packed crowd in the springtime sun. This was a treat of rare proportions in Sacramento – and we’re not just talking about seeing a major music star answer his cell phone mid-performance. Classic! (Capitol Mall, early May)

7. Band of Horses – It’s hard to reconcile yourself with the fact that Band of Horses just will not turn loose on their tunes and jam them out; all their songs are played pretty much totally by the book in concert. With that said, their crooning pop rock and Americana energy makes their concerts a familiar delight, performed with razor-sharp precision. Good luck seeing them at any venue smaller than Arco Arena any time soon. (UC Davis Freeborn Hall, late May)

6. The Silent Comedy – At this point it’s fair to say that this band of San Diego juke joint ruffians has found a second home in Sactown, with a brand of rowdy Prohibition indie rock that has made gigs at the Shady Lady a thematically natural fit. They slaughtered “Helpless” at the aforementioned Neil Young tribute, and biggest ups from a busy year from the 619 to the 916 go to their Sunday night hoedown at Old I’s over Labor Day weekend. After tearing down the walls, they shook some hands, kissed some babies, packed up the van, and scampered immediately out to catch last call at the Shady…just as it should be. Everybody at the bar say “amen!” (Old Ironsides, early September)

5. G. Love & Special Sauce – Although hampered by a mid-week midnight curfew, the one-of-a-kind hip hop and blues fusion of Garrett Dutton and the Sauce was in its usual fine form at his first Sacramento stop in four years. Mark Boyce was a sniper with his soul charged keyboard work, and Timo Shanko has melded in nicely with group in replacing the departed Jimi “Jazz” Prescott, but it is Dutton’s casually cool bluesman attitude and funk-charged emcee energy that made this performance sizzle. Just another day at the office for this veteran performer. (Harlow’s, mid-February)

4. Soulive – Lindol French had you covered on this one – for my money, any Soulive show in the era beyond their failed attempt at including a vocalist is a winner. The brothers Evans and guitar diety Eric Krasno are impossible to not discuss in the conversation of most talented jazz acts on the planet. (Harlow’s, mid-December)

3. Truth & Salvage Co. – Call this the “lifetime achievement” award for the year, as these cats from North Carolina swung through town three times this year, twice as an opener, and finally as a headliner, aided by digital persuading by two Sac Press writers who were delusional enough to think that they actually had something to do with it. From the opening notes of “Hail Hail,” they grabbed a small but enthusiastic early-Saturday rainy evening crowd by the throat and did not let go. “Smitty” and the gang also spent plenty of time out hobnobbing with the crowd, signaling that their budding fling with Sacramento might turn into a full-on tryst in 2011. (Harlow’s, early December)

2. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – This one somehow flew under the radar, but you will seldom see Harlow’s so packed with a crowd that was not quite “metal,” but hard rock enough to counter the usual crop of trend-trolling revelers. This trio’s energy when playing live is lamentably underrated, as they pumped song after song of throwback hard rock energy (Johnny Cash meets Johnny Ramone) into a foreboding tower of speakers and amps, playing for well over two hours worth of blood-in-the-mud rock and roll. You haven’t really had your ass kicked by a concert if you’re not sweating bullets when you leave with ears humming. Wowza! (Harlow’s, mid-February)

1. The Avett Brothers – Ultimately, this was a no-brainer. There is something special about Seth and Scott Avett; they’re the kind of band that will keep you constantly invigorated with their show even if you’ve never heard a single song before. The songwriting is honest, the passion cascading over the walls of any hall they choose to play. Seeing them play live in a sit-down venue is a bit like going into the Sistine Chapel and not looking up; getting on your feet and letting it loose to their rock-heavy bluegrass wiles is just part of the gig. But when one person decided to open the floodgates towards the end of the show as they played “Laundry Room,” everything was right in the world again. Very few bands with their relatively short history will sell out the Crest – this show made believers out of the new initiates and resonated heavily for weeks afterwards. They came for salvation, they came for family, they came for all that’s good, that’s how they walk away. (Crest Theatre, late April)

There you have it, this was your best of 2010. Will one of these shows below make the 2011 list? Who knows? Expect to see more on most if not all of the following acts in upcoming Sactown Rundowns. Cheers!

UPCOMING SHOWS:

30 Seconds to Mars with Middle Class Rut – Jan. 16, UC Davis Freeborn Hall
Ra Ra Riot – Jan. 22, Harlow’s
Dawes – Feb. 1, UC Davis Odd Fellows Lodge
Social Distortion with Lucero – Feb. 1, UC Davis Freeborn Hall
Clutch – Feb. 1, Harlow’s
John Scofield – Feb. 11, Mondavi Center
Sugar & Gold – Feb. 12, Blue Lamp
Hot Buttered Rum – Feb. 18, Marilyn’s on K
Cobra Skulls – Feb. 18, Luigi’s Fungarden
ALO – Feb. 19, Harlow’s
The Stone Foxes – Feb. 23, Powerhouse Pub
The Concretes – March 3, Blue Lamp
Joe Buck Yourself – March 4, Blue Lamp
Kaki King – March 6, Harlow’s

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. 9-15

2010-12-09T19:34:38Z

Truth & Salvage Co. plus Monophonics at two different venues in one night equals the most unproductive Sunday in history. There’s your Sactown Rundown math lesson for the week.

It was a heck of a Saturday evening, with Truth & Salvage Co. throwing down an Americana rock wallop of a set last weekend at Harlow’s. It seems like these six guys from North Carolina have officially earmarked Sacramento as a “must stop” when they head out West on tour, so if you haven’t caught them yet, we’ll be sure to let you know next time they come through.

And yes, they did indeed dedicate a song to Sac Press’ Lindol French. Wow.

Soulive – There’s no denying that an album full of instrumental jazz Beatles covers is about as original as the plot of Avatar; and there’s always the danger that, no matter what you try to do with it, it’s going to come off like the soundtrack to your daily elevator ride. Enter Soulive, who have carried the torch of instrumental acid jazz into the '00s virtually unaided (they did have some help from Medeski, Martin & Wood) and have proven themselves capable of plucking some hip shakes out of even the stingiest of naysayers who usually write off similar acts as niche bands for music geeks and blue hairs. The funk-fried trio is cruising through town in support of the aptly-titled “Rubber Soulive,” which find these three mad geniuses trying their hand at some of the heavier, jam-friendly Fab Four tunes (“While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”), but also finding their softer side (“Something,” “In My Life”). Expect to hear some of these vein-tingling covers, and plenty of their frenetically crafted originals – the kind that have lured out guest vocalists ranging from Dave Matthews to Talib Kweli. All is right in the universe again since they’ve gone back to their original format as the trio of brothers Alan and Neal Evans, and guitar freak Eric Krasno, after ditching their ill-fated attempt at adding a full-time vocalist in 2007 (if I wanted to hear someone chirping into a microphone just to hear the sound of their own voice, I’d just watch FOX News). 9 p.m. Tuesday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $20. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Tony Bataska (Full Band Show) – It’s go time! Singer/songwriter Tony Bataska is no stranger to the Sacramento scene, playing regular solo gigs at the Fox & Goose and at the Boxing Donkey in Roseville – but he’s got a lot more up his sleeve than a lone acoustic guitar and some sonic elbow grease. His new album “This Time Around” was designed to be played with a full band, and that’s just what he’s got going on when bassist Dusty Miller and drummer Bart van der Zeeuw (formerly of K’s Choice) join Bataska on stage at one of his favorite haunts out in the Dirty 5-30 (a.k.a. Davis). Full band shows have been a long time coming for Bataska - this should be fun. 10 p.m. Thursday. G St Pub, 228 G St., Davis. No cover. www.myspace.com/gstpub.

Voodoo Glow Skulls – Just one more band that adds to this universal and indelible truth about music: Ska will never die. It will go through its ups and downs (from Buck-O-Nine to Less Than Jake to Slightly Stoopid), but it will absolutely never go away – and who would want it to. The cats from this Inland Empire outfit form the kind of band that already have all the fans they’re ever going to have, but it's a fanbase that will never fade out and will never refuse them a club like the Blue Lamp in a city like Sacramento to dust off the brass and have a party. A guy who knows a little something about the staying power of ska (Jason Boggs, formerly of Filibuster) leads his rowdy sax-charged rock act the Snobs along with BFFs Sex Rat to open up this Sunday night hootenanny. 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show Sunday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $10 adv./$12 door. www.myspace.com/bluelamp; www.brownpapertickets.com.

Velvet Underground Tribute Show – Take a walk on the wild side, indeed! Jerry Perry is the master of putting together a stellar tribute night, but this one is going to be arguably his toughest challenge yet, in finding bands that can pull of the Velvet Underground/Lou Reed catalog and not look like they’re trying to build a model airplane with a broken finger and no thumbs. Many names on the list signed up to get after it are Perry tribute show veterans, so it appears they know what they’re getting into and have the chops to pull it off. Slated to get weird with it are San Kazagaskar, Universal Steve, Freebadge Serenaders, Exquisite Corps, Smooot Valley High, Saucer, David Houston & Strings, Ol' Cotton Dreary with Captian God, Scotty George, Sacred Appalacian Hands, Jem & Scout, and more. 8 p.m. Friday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. Cover TBA. www.theoldironsides.com.

Mark Your Calendars: Pinback – There’s been rumors swirling of a follow-up to this San Diego outfit’s “Autumn of the Seraphs” from 2007, but nothing has materialized yet. But if they never release another album, this lush and often quirky electro indie act still has a firmly secured reputation within the genre as a power hitter. Dec. 30. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $15. 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 - 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

Lipstick Tuesdays at Old Ironsides

2010-11-25T22:38:20Z

The local midtown haunt, Old Ironsides hosted Lipstick Nov. 23 - an indie rock, electronic dance party that attracted an eclectic crowd.

Lipstick is held every Tuesday night beginning a 9pm. There is a $5 entrance fee.

It’s the best place to people-watch said Kai Bittore, a Sacramento local who makes war-wrap for UFC fighters.

“Cool girl in red pumps - where can you go wrong?” Bittore said. “This night has been going on for a while - Tuesday nights you can’t go wrong.”

DJ Shaun Slaughter spun music from the likes of Arcade Fire and Temper Trap.

“Midtown is a close-knit community - you say Shaun Slaughter, you know it’s going to be jumping” said Bittore, who admited he hasn’t been to Lipstick for 2 or 3 years.

He characterized the music that night as “hipster, fixed-gear, flannel rock,” pointing out cyclists in the crowd.

Cat Younghans who is visiting from New York, was charmed by the scene.

“In New York anything goes - here the community gets together in one place based on the music. There’s more discovery vs. everyone knows this.”

Younghans who has a head of curly pink hair and wears boots that she got from Nashville, enjoys psych rock, punk rock and the blues. She explained that Lipstick Tuesdays is for people who like to dance.

“Some places want people to dance to Top 40, but you come here for rock n’ roll,” she said.

As Lipstick came to a close, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” could be heard playing in the background as club-goers were ushered out.

Old Ironsides is locate on S and 10th st.

For more information about Lipstick Tuesdays or the live music venues at Old Ironsides, an events calender can be can be found at www.theoldironsides.com

Sactown Rundown - Nov. 18-24

2010-11-19T01:50:39Z

Happy Holidays, indeed! It's not even Turkey Day yet and the local calendar is locked and loaded with sonic happenings to keep you distracted from shopping for pumpkin pies.

By the way, there's plenty in here for the No-Work Club next week...but even if you are strapped to the cubicle, it's only for three days, right? Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving, Sactown.

Keller Williams - Jamgrassreggaefolk or Jazzfunkreggaetechnograss? You decide. Check out more on tonight's Keller Williams show (his first in Sactucky in a decade) in this killer Q&A with Williams and Sac Press' Lindol French. If you end up looking at real estate listings after searching him, your Google skills need as much work as your musical aptitude. 9 p.m. Thursday. Harlow's, 2708 J St. $22.50. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Here at the Rundown, we usually don't spend much time on shows at the Big Gas Pump, but this one always bears mentioning - because the best way to understand what's so captivatingly great about Trans-Siberian Orchestra is to know about the people that make up this symphonic holiday rock extravaganza that has infiltrated Holiday-time pop culture and creative home lighting eruptions like a tidal wave of violins, laser lights and Les Pauls. Way back in 2003, this young bootlick reporter wrote his third career article about TSO's show at ARCO in early December. Group founder and producer Paul O'Neill thanked me personally with a RIAA-certified commemorative platinum record bearing my name on the center plaque (this drew the ire of my editor, who'd been in the biz nearly 20 years with nary such a thank you gift to his name). After their show the following year, I watched the same O'Neill fish a $100 bill out of his pocket and hand it to a young boy whom he'd never met, instructing him to give it to his father and tell him to buy the boy whatever he wanted for Christmas. I scheduled a pair of 20-minute phone interviews with O'Neil and music director Al Pitrelli (who had a one-time stint with Megadeth) in 2004 - both lasted over an hour, with only a fraction of the conversations dealing with issues related to the group. Despite their hot-blooded rock and roll re-vamping of classic yuletide anthems and their own folkloric original works, what truly gives this outfit the "spirit of Christmas" is the sort of truly genuine, selfless and giving souls they all are. Critics (and I have been one at times) will say that their annual shows become noticably repetetive over time, since they always do a full rendition of their album "Christmas Eve and Other Stories." But isn't the same true of star-shaped sugar cookies and fireside readings of the The Night Before Christmas? And neither of those require a boatload of Fenders. 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. Arco Arena, 1 Sports Pkwy. $57.50-$29.50. All ages. www.arcoarena.com.

Darksun Skypilot - Ah, pre-Turkey Day jams at Old Ironsides; the reason why nursing a hangover with grandma's sweet potatoes at the Thanksgiving table has become as much of a tradition as the gigs themselves. Most of Sacramento's locally inclined were probably holding their collective breath this year, waiting to see if Jackpot would reappear out of oblivion to carry out their heralded headlining slots at these annual Wednesday night hootenanies. But alas, R.Miller and company appear to have other plans; this will make it officially a year since the beloved narco-Americana troupe has played a gig, and your Sactown Rundown reporter is having massive withdraws. OK, enough 14 year old girling about who won't be there, because the bands that will represent the top tier of local breakneck rock and roll. Guitar diety Mike Farrell returns from last year with his sinewey and twistedly crafty Darksun Skypilot, bringing Lite Brite and the Kelps along with him. It's going to get seriously rowdy in there folks, it always does at these shindigs, so bring your drinking hats and earplus. 9 p.m. Wednesday. The Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $6. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Kenny G - Sigh...

Filter - You know those songs that just piss you off to no end because you really like them – the kind you can’t help but spin once every few months when no one else is within earshot (but you’ve constantly got your finger on the pause button anyway)? The acid-washed late ‘90s alt pop anthem “Take a Picture” just has to fit smack in the middle of that category. It certainly follows the formula of a power-ballad type tune following a heavy breakout hit, as it was the group’s second hit behind the thump of “Hey Man, Nice Shot.” Although they did skew the formula a bit; the two tunes were four years apart and on different albums. That impressive scrappiness has carried this group all the way to this year’s “The Trouble with Angels,” as they’ve dipped into some heavier industrial techno beats sprinkled into their snappy alt rock sensibilities. And here’s a little trivia for you: Lead singer Richard Patrick just happens to be the brother of this guy. I wonder if you can play guitar with swords on your hands? With ACIDIC. 7 p.m. Monday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $22.50. www.harlows.com.

The Stilts - Well, we know they pretty much owned Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer” at the Neil tribute show at Harlow’s last weekend – now it’s their turn to play a few songs that they wrote. If you like ‘em quirky and loud, it’s hard to go wrong with Christopher Fairman’s playfully exuberant outfit. 9 p.m. Monday. Press Club, 2030 P St. $3. 21+.

Mark Your Calendars - Truth & Salvage Co. - Originally, Harlow's had it scheduled as December 7, but I have it on good authority (and by authority, I mean the band themselves - huzzah!) that the show is actually December 4. Hmmm, Saturday vs. Tuesday for one of the whiskey-slugging, beautifully rowdy Americana troupes you'll ever see? Thank you, Hangover Gods! 7 p.m. Dec. 4. Harlow's, 2708 J St. $12. 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 - Nov. 11-17

2010-11-11T01:05:34Z

With no disrespect to the noble task of honoring our veterans, why is Wednesday the biggest drinking day of the week?

Save your livers, No-Work Club, there's business to be taken care of this weekend - and by business, we mean sonic awesomeness.

Neil Young 65th Birthday Show – OK, seriously, how much does this suck? What a thing to have happen to “Shakey” (as he is frequently called) on the week of his 65th birthday and in the wake of the reunion of Buffalo Springfield at this year’s Bridge School concert – and what a concert it was! The good news is that this week’s fire destroyed only an estimated 30% of the memorabilia that Neil Young kept in his non-descript San Carlos warehouse, but one can’t help but wonder what was in that 30% that went up in smoke. Maybe an old tye-dye shirt that Stills spat on? The guitar he wrote “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing” on? Anyway, we digress. Maybe having a group of Sactown’s finest locals (and a few visitors) getting together and going fair game on your entire catalog is enough to cool the burn (too soon?) for Neil having had a rough week. Hard to say how random into his body of work these bands might get (maybe and “Old King” or a cut from his dark and dingy new offering, “Le Noise,” produced by Daniel Lanois), but with so many hits like “Cinnamon Girl,” “Rockin’ in the Free World,” “Helpless,” “Old Man” or “Ohio” available, this should be a screaming good time – unless you’re a “Skynyrd” guy. Of the 14 acts slated to perform over 40 songs are San Diego’s the Silent Comedy, local legend Sal Valentino, David Houston with Strings, Saucer, Reggie Ginn, Walking Spanish, Briangle (featuring Brian Rogers of Izabella, Brian Jennings of Musical Charis, and Brian Breneman of Prieta), Roman Funerals (Matt & Evan Ferro of Bright Light Fever), and I love you baby can I have some more. A portion of the door proceeds from this show (arranged by, of course, Jerry Perry) will be donated to the aforementioned Bridge School. 8 p.m. (doors 7:30 p.m.) Saturday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $10. 21+. www.harlows.com.

The Silent Comedy – Yes, lemmings, I did indeed just mention them, since they seem to have started a glorious tradition of playing Jerry Perry-helmed shows (read: “Beatles White Album,” Chalk-It-Up Festival) and then kicking it at Old I’s or the Shady Lady for another full show. “Prohibition indie punk” is the best way to describe this group of San Diego miscreants who can rock the guitar, rock the banjo, rock the harp and rock the ‘stache all while dressed like they’re holed up in a hooch parlor listening to Al Green and B.R.M.C. records. With Fierce Creatures and the Kelps. 9 p.m. Sunday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $7. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Nick Jaina and Sea of Bees – Nick Jaina’s songs are the kind that shouldn’t have walls. Something about his tunes makes them seem like they’d be better performed for free on the streets, huddled up under a jury-rigged tarp in the rain and bundled up in moth-eaten thrift store scarves. His impassioned yet cleverly junky tunes have a hodgepodge quality that belies the precision with which this curbside alt-folk troubadour from Portland and his band deliver them. Joining up is the equally dime store friendly Sea of Bees, the pet project of Julie Ann Bee’s hazy, beautiful ambient daydream (the kind she might have had passed out on a couch somewhere in Alkali Flats). 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Luigi’s Slice & Fungarden, 1050 K St. (MARRS Building). $5-$7. 21+. www.myspace.com/luigislice.

Cold War Kids – It’s too bad their name makes them sound like 19 year-olds that got their ears gauged at a mall kiosk (someday I’ve got to stop this insane obsession with band names, but not today). Cold War Kids’ sound is steeped in the Bob Dylan/Velvet Underground traditions of the past, with a modern flair of acts like Kings of Leon or the White Stripes. They have yet to earn the rock god status of these aforementioned contemporaries, but perhaps it’s only a matter of time? 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $20. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Mark Your Calendars – Thanksgiving Eve with Jackie Greene – Dammit, Jackie, this was so much more fun last year when you left it as more of a last minute surprise show (if you even bother to point out the irony of me further exposing the show in this space, I will cut you). Nov. 24. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $TBA. www.myspace.com/bluelamp.

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.

Dead Rock Stars

2010-11-04T10:30:40Z

This Halloween night I did not buy candy for the little trick or treaters. Actually I was not even home to hand out treats instead I went over to Old Ironsides on 10th and S Streets for an evening of music. Old Ironsides hosted their annual Dead Rock Stars Show. It was billed as an evening where musical guests played selections from their favorite musicians, the dead ones.

Jerry Perry, the master of ceremonies for the show, started off by attempting to perform a standup comic routine. Dressed up in Halloween costume he was assisted by his wife dressed up as Poison Ivy. Jerry was dressed up as D. Weed. In regards to his comic routine, one guest put it in perspective by saying “I hope he doesn’t give up his regular job for this.” I agreed. During the evening, and in between acts, Jerry entertained the audience and asked trivia question and also gave out fabulous prizes and introduced the acts for the evening.

Ol' Cotton Dreary started off the night with a tribute to the Doors by starting off with Maggie M'Gill. This was a great starting point for the evening’s musical entertainment. They also played Don’t Stand So Close to Me by the Police. I thought they were still all alive but maybe I missed something while taking a sip of my drink.

After a couple of more songs Perry’s alter ego came back on stage to try more of his humor but alas the Trivia Question might have been funnier (if only I could remember it).

51 Heavy got on stage fairly quickly and were set to go. Many in the audience had just finished watching the 5th game of the World Series as the Giants got one game closer to winning their first World Series in 56 years. On another screen at the Old Ironsides bar the New Orleans Saints had just beaten the Pittsburgh Steelers. Most of the people that remained after the games were there for the music but kept the bar busy.

51 Heavy started off their show with Quiet Riot’s Bang Your Head. I think they did justice to the song. They followed with Nirvana’s All Apologies giving a great rendition of the song. Never Tear Us Apart by INXS was their final song of their set. This was a great start to the musical part of the show.

Jerry Perry took the stage as 51 Heavy was putting their equipment away. “Never host a gig that John Staples turned down” he said and it brought some laughter. I didn’t know what he was talking about but the look on his face made me smile. He kept trying to make people laugh but decided instead to introduce The Onlymen after a trivia question was answered and prizes were given out.

Warren Bishop on guitar and vocals, Todd Weber, playing guitar and doing vocals, Dan Eliott on bass and vocals, and Kevin Gailey on Drums took the stage as The Onlymen. Warren Bishop took to the microphone and declared, “Ladies and Gentlemen we present to you the lost Beach Boys Set”. They came on to play a set of their songs and were finishing up when I came back from the bar.

After another trivia question and prize package was given out it was time for Adrian Bourgeus and Ricky Berger to take the stage. After tuning up Adrian said he was going to do a Led Zeppelin song but we would have to have to sit through 3 ½ minutes of silence before he would do his John Bonham solo since only the drummer has died. So the Dead Rock Stars concept indicates that only one (or more) member of a band would have to be dead. In some cases the audience tried to think of what member of a band was dead. In one case some members of the audience thought Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys was dead.

Ricky and Adrian indicated they had been working on part of their gig the day before the show. I believe they started their set with a nice rendition of Handle With Care by the Traveling Wilburys. Both of them then collaborated to sing Roy Orbison’s Crying. I especially enjoyed Ricky’s tribute to Fred Rogers as she played her rendition of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood theme on the xylophone. Showing her musical talent she played the harpsichord to do a Bach piece. Adrian mentioned that he and Ricky will be playing at the Naked Lounge on November 12. They ended their set with a tribute to Alex Chilton who passed away on March 17 of this year. It didn’t seem like many people in the audience knew who he was. Their Chilton tribute was a good ending to their set for the evening.

The Jet Black Popes started their set with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Freebird and encouraged the audience to show their lighters. I thought I saw somebody raise their iPod with a lighter app. If I was mistaken maybe that would be a good app for the iPod, who knows it could make somebody some money. They also played INXS’ Devil Inside. The Jet Black Popes finished off their set with a song I did not recognize. Mr. Perry came back on stage to introduce 2 or 3 Guys (the name of the band).

2 or 3 Guys ended up being 4 in number and started off their set with a tribute to one time Folsom (prison) resident Rick James with his song Give it to me Baby. They also included Radio Ga Ga by Queen which I hadn’t heard in years.

A Halloween costume contest followed and my favorite couple dressed up as Mario and the Princess, from Mario Brothers’ fame was eliminated and the winners ended up in a tie.

Breaking Glass turned in one of the best performances of the evening. They started by playing a tribute to the Blonde Bombshell Mick Ronson guitarist for David Bowie (and others). Ziggy Stardust which showcased Mick Ronson's great guitarist skills was the first song in their lively set. They ended their show with a tribute to John Lennon’s (and the Beatles) Helter Skelter. Breaking Glass gave a very energetic show and had quite a following at the event.

The Grand Finale for the evening came by way of I Scream on Sundae. They played a Nirvana tribute starting with Aneurysm. Their rhythmic horn section was a nice touch to this song. Their horn section is one of the things that sets this band apart from all other. Their mix goes well with the rest of the band as well as with their vocals. The whole mix tends to get people out on the dance floor. I’ve seen them perform around Sacramento and they always seem to get the audience moving to their beat.

Another Nirvana song Breed followed suit and I Scream on Sundae gave a great rendition of this song. Heart Shaped Box followed by Drain You ended their set and put an end to a great Halloween musical evening. I was exhausted at the end of their set but nowhere near as much as these guys. A grand finale indeed.

Local Halloween Events

2010-10-15T00:32:07Z

Celebrating Halloween is now a month-long occasion. Here are some spooky activities to get your skin crawling and set your nerves on end all the way through the 31st. All events are in Sacramento, unless noted otherwise.

Trash Film Orgy Halloween 2010

Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.
Oct. 31: 8 p.m. (doors open) 9 p.m. (show begins)
All seats cost $10 ($1 discount for those wearing costumes)
Ages 18 and older only
More information: www.trashfilmorgy.com or call 916-44-CREST

Trash Film Orgy presents “Heavy Metal Halloween” at the Crest Theatre. Live bloody stage shows, audience participation, games and costume contests will accompany a showing of the 1986 film “Trick or Treat,” featuring cameos by Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne. The bar will be open at 8 p.m. to hydrate a lobby full of crazy games, including a series of interactive games helping people become heavy-metal rock stars.

Haunted Hagan Screampark

Hagan Community Park, 2197 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova
Oct. 8 - 28: 7:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Oct. 29 - 31: 7:30 - 11:00 p.m.
Ticket info: www.hauntedhagan.com/default.html

Haunted Hagan Screampark brags of hosting one of “Northern California’s most popular haunts; the Heartstoppers Haunted House.” In addition to having two haunted houses, the Screampark also features a train ride through the woods – operated by the Sacramento Valley Live Steamers Railroad Museum. The Screampark also promises a generous onslaught of walking dead.

Living History “Ghost Tours” offered by Historic Old Sacramento Foundation

Eagle Theater, 925 Front St.
Oct. 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30: 6:30 - 9 p.m.
Adults: $15. Youth (ages 6-17): $10. Ages 5 and under: Free.
More information: www.historicoldsac.org or call 916-808-4980

This walking tour leads visitors through the spooky history of Old Sacramento, dating back to the 19th century. Tour guides are in costume and lead an entertaining and insightful trip through the streets of Old Sacramento.

The Mansion After Dark

Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park 1526 H St.

Oct. 23, 30 6 - 9 p.m.
Adults: $6. Youth (ages 6-17): $4. Ages 5 and under: Free.
More information: www.parks.ca.gov/governorsmansion/ or call 916-323-5916

The mansion is embracing Halloween by decorating its rooms, playing scary music, providing only dim lighting and having costumed characters share stories of past governors. Fortune tellers will also be on-hand to share their predictions regarding the future. Tours through the darkened mansion are self-guided and appropriate for all ages.

The Haunted Fort

Sutter's Fort State Historic Park, 2701 L St.

Oct. 29 - 30: 6:30 - 9 p.m.
Adults: $6. Youth (ages 6-17): $4. Ages 5 and under: Free.
More information: www.suttersfort.org or call 916-323-7626

Sutter Fort’s State Historic Park offers this new Halloween-related event for visitors to learn more about the melancholy lives of pioneers from the 1800s. The tour lasts 45 minutes and guides visitors through darkened rooms and through the park as it is illuminated by the glow of firelight.

Spookomotive Train

Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot
Front and K streets in Old Sacramento

Oct. 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Adults: $9. Youth (ages 6-17): $4. Ages 5 and under: Free.
More information: www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org or call 916-445-6645

A skeleton crew silently implores visitors to hitch a ride on this Halloween-themed diesel train. With cobwebs hanging uncomfortably overhead, the Spookomotive train transports visitors a total of six miles along the Sacramento River and through Old Sacramento’s streets, which will be decorated for the Fall Harvest Days activities. The ride is described as being “delightful, but not frightful,” so all ages are encouraged to hop aboard.

Blood Moon Regale

The Colonial Theatre
3522 Stockton Blvd.

Oct. 16: 6:30 p.m. (doors open) 7 p.m. (performance begins)
$20 for advance tickets, $25 at the door
Ages 18 and up
More information: www.bloodmoonregale.com/ or call 916-308-9573

Celebrating its 10th year of performing, Blood Moon’s theatrical dance showcase features students from Hot Pot Studios as well as performers from all over the world. Presented by Unmata, Blood Moon Regale’s “Now That’s Fun” includes jump rope, bath time, magic, threesomes, a trampoline, synchronized swimming and so many other bizarre things that it would be counter-productive to list them all here. To understand the intriguing quality of this performance, you will have to go and see it for yourself.

Sacramento Horror Film Festival

The Colonial Theatre
3522 Stockton Blvd.

Oct. 21-24
A full calendar of film showings and ticket packages can be viewed at: www.sachorrorfilmfest.com/

This annual film festival offers an eclectic mix of film screenings, performances and activities all paying homage to the horror genre. Special guests at this year’s event include performances by Jill Tracy and renaissance man Voltaire. A Zombie Beauty Pageant will also be held with prize packages for those who place first, second, and third.

Safe and Super Halloween Monster Mash

Fairytale Town
3901 Land Park Drive

Oct. 22-24: 5 - 9 p.m.
Members: $10. Nonmembers: $7
Children 1-year old or younger have free admittance
More information: www.fairytaletown.org/ or call 916-808-7462

Fairytale Town will feature 17 candy stations and classic monsters, including Dracula, Dr. Jekyll, Frankenstein, witches and werewolves. The park has been made over for Halloween, offering hands-on activities and sets themed after spooky storybook tales. This event provides a wonderful Halloween experience for children and adults young at heart.

Haunted House at Maines Mansion

Midtown
2501 I St.

Oct. 22-31 (except on Monday and Tuesday): Dusk until 10 p.m.
Free admission, but donations are encouraged and accepted
More information: www.myramaines.com/

The Haunted House at Maines Mansion is celebrating its fifth anniversary. About 20 actors and special effects technicians bring the 30-minute show to guests exploring the century-old Victorian home. All donations will benefit Sunburst Projects (sunburstprojects.org) – an organization that helps children and families in the Sacramento area who are affected by HIV/AIDS.

Haunted Stacks

Central Library Galleria
828 I St.

Oct. 22: 7 p.m.
Free admission
More information: www.altlibrary.com/ and RSVP at www.meetup.com/altlibrary/

Be unnerved with an evening of paranormal investigation, a big-screen showing of “Ghostbusters” and an after-hours tour of the Sacramento Room. Participants will seek out the lady in red as they wander through some of the oldest parts of the library. There will also be a sharing time dedicated to some of Sacramento’s most popular ghosts.

Haunted Oasis Bellydance Showcase

Lido Bar & Grill
7739 Fair Oaks Blvd.
Carmichael

Oct. 23: 6 - 9 p.m.
Free Admission
All ages
More information: www.mychelledancer.com/hauntedoasis.htm

Join the belly dance community as it celebrates Halloween. Sacramento’s best belly dancers will be performing “A Night in the Oasis,” with dancers Rak’elle, Nour, Nyla Crystal, Radhia, Badia of Farasha Storm, Kelly, Jewels of the North and more.

Pumpkin Carving Workshop and Contest

Gluten Free Specialty
2612 J St.

Oct. 24: Noon - 4 p.m.
$20 a person, $30 for a pair (registration required)
Register by visiting the store or calling 916-442-5241

Gluten Free Specialty is making space for pumpkin carvers of all skill levels to join in its inaugural pumpkin carving contest. The store allows participants to use carving tools and supplies. A pumpkin is provided with the price of entry, and the store will also be selling pumpkins all week leading up to Halloween. First prize will receive a $50 gift certificate to the store. Photos of the finished product will be posted for customers to view and vote on throughout the week.

One Scary Nite Halloween Party

Sacramento Auto Museum
2200 Front St.

Oct. 29: 9 p.m.
General Admission: $20
VIP Table: $70
Ages 21 and older
More information: www.onescarynite.com/ or call 916-649-2388

One Scary Nite 2 promises to be bigger, better and scarier than before. The night will include live mixing by “DJ Clue,” fire breathers, stilt walkers, jugglers, zombies, costume contests with cash prizes and a large dance floor. This year boasts star attendances like Denise Richards and Stacey Dash, Bobby Jackson, comedian Tony Roberts and more.

Halloween Blackout Skate

Roller King
889 Riverside Ave.
Roseville

Oct. 30: 7 - 10 p.m.
Free admission with any canned food item (skate rental not included)
All ages welcome
More information: www.rollerkingroseville.com or contact David Jacques at rollerking@surewest.net

This all-ages event benefits the Placer Food Bank. Games and prizes will be offered throughout the evening. Guest are encouraged to wear costumes, provided that they are able to safely skate in them.

Midtown Trick or Treat and Pooch Parade

Oct. 30:
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Trick or Treat
Relles Florist, 2400 J St.

2 - 4 p.m.
Pooch Parade
Kennedy Gallery 1114 20th St.

2 - 4 p.m.
Pooch Costume Contest
24th and K Lot

For those who are scared of the dark, this daytime trick-or-treating event, supported by participating Midtown businesses, is the perfect way to get your candy fix. For those who enjoy dressing up their dogs, a pooch parade and costume contest will be taking place in the late afternoon. To enter the pooch costume contest there will be a $10 donation, which goes to the United Animal Nations. The times and locations listed above are meeting points during the day.

Halloween Carnival 2010

6446 Sylvan Rd.
Citrus Heights

Oct. 30: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Free admission
Ages 0-11
More information: www.creativefrontiers.com or call 916-502-6258

Creative Frontiers School and Radio Disney present a carnival full of activities for younger children. The carnival features vendors and food, live performances, raffles, costume contests, face-painting, hay rides, a bounce house, Radio Disney Live and much more.

Exotic Halloween Ball

Cal Expo

Oct. 30: 8:30 p.m. - 2 a.m.
General admission: $34 in advance
VIP Tickets: $100
21 and older
More information: now100fm.radio.com/events/2010/10/30/exotic-halloween-ball/

In its 14th year, NOW 100.5 is carrying on the tradition of 100.5 The Zone by presenting an event for the big kids. This huge party features costume contests, four dance clubs, live music from Wonderbread 5, laser light shows, bikini lap dances, a spanking and flogging stage, human petting zoo, mechanical bull rides and an exotic fun house.

Hallow’s Eve Red Carpet Halloween Ball

Shady Lady Saloon
1409 R St.

Oct. 30: 7 p.m.
Free for executive members, $15 for members, $20 for nonmembers
More information: www.metrospark.net

Come in costume and spend a night with the Halloween-outfitted Shady Lady Saloon. Live entertainment will start around 9:30 p.m., free psychic readings will be provided by Tammy Adams from House of Angels and goodie bags and prizes will be offered throughout the evening. The Harley White Jr. Orchestra will provide the music, and Fall-inspired cocktails will be served.

Dead Rockstars Show

Old Ironsides
1901 10th St.

Oct. 31: 8 p.m.
$8 cover at the door, 21 and older

This annual rock show, presented by Jerry Perry, will feature the likes of Adrian Bourgeous, Ricky Berger, I Scream on Sundae, Breaking Glass, Ol' Cotton Dreary, Crazy Ballhead, The Onlymen, 2 or 3 Guys, Saucer, Jet Black Pope and more.

Halloween Trick or Treat at The Fountains

The Fountains
Roseville Parkway and Galleria Boulevard

Oct. 31: 4 - 6 p.m.
More information: www.thefountainsatroseville.com
Free admission

Each of the retail stores at The Fountains will be throwing a trick-or-treat party. Main Street will be closed off for pedestrian traffic as visitors meander through the many different Halloween-inspired stations.

Trick or Treat Night at IKEA

IKEA West Sacramento
700 IKEA Ct.

Oct. 31: 5 - 7 p.m.
Free admission
Ages 3-12

Rather than getting lost in some real-world neighborhood setting, IKEA open openup to children and provided a series of candy stops throughout its massive store. Come get lost in a maze and mixture of bedroom and kitchen scenarios this Halloween. Kids can get their candy, and you can redesign your living room.

Kids Costume Brunch

de Vere’s Irish Pub
1521 L St.

Oct. 31: 9 a.m-2 p.m.
More information: www.deverespub.com/ or call 916-231-9947

This is de Veres’ inaugural Kids Costume Brunch, giving kids an arguing point for wearing their costumes all day on Halloween. A full brunch menu will be served, with cocktails for the parents. Special treats and giveaways will be available for children in costume. Some of the prizes include 30 passes to the Sacramento Zoo and four passes to the “Boo at the Zoo Party.”

Larry Scholl’s Folsom Ghost Train

City Lions Park
Stafford Way, Folsom

Oct. 22-31: 7 - 9 p.m.
All ages
Tickets are $8

More information: www.larryscholl.net/ghosttrain2010.html

Storyboard artist Larry Scholl put his 20 years’ worth of creative experience – most notably with Walt Disney – to work with the creation of the Folsom Ghost Train. The Ghost Train is the only independent, full audio-animatronic attraction in California.

In-depth coverage of Larry Scholl and the Ghost Train can be found by reading the article below:
www.sacramentopress.com/headline/38412/The_Ghost_Train_offers_scares_for_the_whole_family

Murder and Mayhem Scavenger Hunt

Evangeline’s Costume Mansion
113 K St.

Now through Oct. 31: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Free admission
All ages welcome

More information: www.sacramentopress.com/headline/38078/Murder_and_mayhem_at_Evangelines or call 916-443-2181

A trip to Evangeline’s Costume Mansion provides entertainment for hours, with or without the scavenger hunt. But, in addition to the already-overwhelming stock of costumes, games, trinkets, and funny gadgets, the store now invites visitors to navigate the old mansion in pursuit of clues revealing the identity of murderers from throughout history.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photo one: Evangeline's Costume Mansion Scavenger Hunt

Photo two: Ghost Tour

Photo three through six: Trash Film Orgy's presentation of "Trick or Treat"

Photos seven and eight: Larry Scholl's Folsom Ghost Train

Sactown Rundown - Sept. 30-Oct. 6

2010-09-29T17:19:34Z

A story posted this week on SFgate.com tells me that last year's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in Golden Gate Park drew 750,000 heads, which makes up virtually the entire population of San Francisco.

Yeah, "misprint" was my first reaction too, but it's legit.

Since it has to be assumed that every person in the entire city by the bay didn't go to the festival, it's a safe bet that some of you Sacramento folk were among that three-quarter million, and probably plan on going again this year.

And why not? It should be a riot!

Problem is, if you're out of town, you're missing a barn-burner of a hootenany of a weekend here in Sactucky. Check it out!

The Devil Makes Three with Cornmeal - Believe it or not, DM3 are not the only country punk outfit in the Rundown this week (we'll get there in a second), but they are arguably the biggest breakout face in what is quickly becoming a hugely popular sub-genre (perhaps grandfathered in by Hank III). Originally hailing from Santa Cruz, this fiesty threesome now calls the city of Davis their home; but let's be honest, as long as they can find a sunny porch and a discount liquor store, they're home. The trio of Pete Bernhard (who also has a killer solo album called "Straight Line" out there), Lucia Turino and Cooper McBean are all clearly born punk rockers, but have found their sonic nest egg in an uptempo brand of plank-kicking Americana and wiley bluegrass-tinged acoustic rock. The structure of a punk song and the attitude of hay-chewin', moonshine drinkin' roots music makes them delightfully irresistable, even if you hate country and punk. Their newest album "Do Wrong Right" will wet you palate, but their debut self-titled album sports perhaps their most beloved ditty of a drinking song, "Old Number 7." They're joined on a killer double bill by Cornmeal; fiddle player Allie Kral might just Charlie Daniels you and whoop your keester if you're not careful. 8 p.m. Thursday. Harlow's, 2708 J St. $15. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Blues for Life - By now, you are most likely familiar with Albie Aware, Inc., a cancer research foundation formed in the memory of Sacramento resident Albie Carson, who succumbed to breast cancer in July of 2002; they're the same outfit that put on the crazy popular Albie Puttin' mini golf pub crawl back in August. Their annual blues shindig at the legendary Torch Club has become a calendar-circling favorite event, each year bringing out an afternoon of the best in local blues music. This year's lineup includes fireballing vocalist Hans Eberbach and his band the Nibblers, Terry Hanck, Mercy Me, Volker Strifler, and several others, with proceeds going to Albie Aware. 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. 15th and I St. $15. 21+. www.torchclub.net.

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band - At first glance, "The Rev" looks like the guy who should be Lysol spraying the shoes at your local bowling alley - while we're at it, his wife Beezy looks like she should be working the bar and handing out ice cold Bud Lights, and Jamey might be the guy fixing the machine when it racks you up a set of pins that looks like the dental work in "Deliverance." They're a blue collar bunch of unassuming characters, but they pack a whallop in their frenetic hillbilly rock and roll. Reverend Peyton leads the way with ferocious junk-tuned guitar shreds, Breezy treats the washboard like it's been very, very naughty, and Jamey doesn't shy away from strapping a bucket into his drum kit for a little backwoods fun. Slide guitar, washboards, and songs called "Mama's Fried Potatoes" on the Warped Tour? That will give you an idea of their crossover appeal, since they were on that very pop punk trek for the entire summer - no word on if they have any bruises to show for it, but that would make for great song, no? With the Mighty Regis. 9 p.m. Friday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $10. 21+. www.myspace.com/bluelamp.

The Mother Hips - By now they should need no introduction. This group of neo-Americana and psychedelic power pop peddlers has been a "California soul" fixture since their formation in Chico in the early '90s. With gritty, electro-fried jams and Lennon/McCartney, Frey/Henley style songwriting interplay between Tim Bluhm and Greg Loiacono, they're just as cozy on a festival stage as they are a seedy bar with Evan Williams on-the-rocks dripping condensation down the amps. They evoke a stirring combination of Buffalo Springfield, early era Eagles, the Band, the Beach Boys, Tom Petty, and a heavy dose of one of their sonic heros, Neil Young, circa Crazy Horse. With Diego's Umbrella. 9 p.m. Friday. Powerhouse Pub, 614 Sutter St., Folsom. $15. 21+. www.powerhousepub.com.

Mark Your Calendars: Dead Rockstars Show - It's a Halloween favorite when a group of local rebel rousers dress up and cover some songs by rockstars who have gone to "the other side." Oct. 31. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. www.theoldironsides.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 - Sept. 16-22

2010-09-16T00:23:22Z

Big concert news for Northern California announced this week everyone. Despite the two hour drive, you really don’t want to miss Bridge School – especially not this year.

Now, back to what’s happening here in town. Harlow’s is going to get loco on Friday night with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, a group that’s about to go off the hinges behind their new album “Backatown” and puts on a gut-buster of a live concert.

Check out Sac Press writer Lindol French’s interview with Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews.

Hard to compete with that slugger of a live performer, but here’s who else is stepping up to the plate this week.

The Melvins – OK, so just about every post-grunge, ‘90s-and-on rock band spends a good amount of its time jock-sniffing Nirvana when it comes to talking about their influences. But here’s the question: From where did Kurt Cobain draw his sonic lineage, other than by staring at the floor all day in Aberdeen? Look no further than the Melvins, who emerged from the same small Washington town and established themselves as grandfathers of the grunge movement; the kind of influential outfit that, for whatever reason, no one really talks about. That’s probably because, sonically, they’re about as accessible as the creepy old lady who lives at the end of the street; the one whose yard you never want to set foot in when your Frisbee drifts into it. Their sludgy, murky and distorted rhythms draw influence from the darkest corners of early Black Sabbath, and are devoid of any notions of the kind of song structure that would make a radio DJ even consider giving them a spin on-air. Still, their chapter in the annals of music history is a vital one, even though it won’t spawn many cover bands any time soon. With Totimoshi. 8 p.m. Wednesday. The Boardwalk, 9426 Greenback Ln., Orangevale. $15 adv./$17 d.o.s. All ages. www.boardwalkrocks.com.

The Soft White Sixties – If you caught the Stone Foxes a couple weeks back at Old Ironsides, you may have seen this like-minded throwback rock group putting down some jams in the opening slot. While the Foxes’ take on classic rock leans heavily towards the blues side of things, the Sixties dish it up with a more straight ahead pop edge, channeling the R&B spirit of their namesake decade’s most prominent rock and roll, twirling in a few chunks of Southern rock twang for good measure, like a feast of Hamm’s ale and cheap cigarettes on the porch with Duane Allman and Dan Auerbach. They’re greasing things up with local upstarts Mondo Deco (which features Jeremy Green of Goodness Gracious Me). Mildrid also performs. 9 p.m. Friday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $7. 21+. www.myspace.com/bluelamp.

Laura Stevenson and the Cans – Hey, Laura Stevenson released A Record! No, really, that’s what her debut album is actually called; “A Record.” Let’s just say that she didn’t put quite as much thought, care and creativity into the album title as she did to the sticky-sweet collection of songs therein. It’s obvious that Stevenson comes from a musical pedigree, albeit an oddball one: According to her bio, her grandfather was Harry Simeone, best known for composing and arranging the Christmas classic “Little Drummer Boy” (this was just too random not to mention). There’s no yuletide lurking in this sultry young singer from New York. She sports a heart-tingling and down-home honesty in her electro-acoustic balladry, as if she were the only person alive to ever conquer life in the Big Apple by being nice about it. Stevenson and her amicable backing troupe the Cans find their tour stopping in Sac to get down with local favorite Kepi Ghoulie, pre-teen indie rock duo deluxe Dog Party, and Dan Potthast. 8 p.m. Tuesday. Luigi’s Fungarden, 1050 20th St (MARRS Building). $6. All ages. www.facebook.com.

Mark Your Calendars: Joe Buck Yourself – Not to be confused with the baseball announcer for Fox, this long time sideman of Hank III (as well as Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, but that story does not end well) is himself a one-man wrecking ball of spitfire punk country. Sept. 24. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. Cover TBA. www.myspace.com/bluelamp.

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 Sac Press.

Sactown Rundown - Sept. 9-15

2010-09-10T16:17:07Z

Things that make you go “Hmmm…”: Next year will be the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Has it really been that long?

But, no need to dwell on negative memories as September 11 falls on Saturday, which also happens to be the date of one of the more jovial afternoon events in Sactown, the California Brewer’s Festival at Discovery Park.

(Here’s an insider’s tip for the brew fest. Get buddy-buddy with the beer pourers, and they might not take one of those wooden tokens that are designed to regulate everyone’s hooch intake).

If you’re still alive after sampling a few (dozen?) tasty NorCal ales, here’s what’s happening on your concert calendar.

Side by Side Benefit Blues Show – OK, so we can probably all agree that a homeless bluesman has more to sing about than one that lives in a three bedroom two bath with central heat and air; in fact, isn’t sleeping under a bridge and being flat busted the quintessential image and songwritin’ fodder of the red-blooded blues singer? But being without a home is no joke and it’s certainly not a gimmick, and that’s what “Side by Side” is all about. The organization provides a safe environment for homeless musicians over at Loaves and Fishes, and this afternoon benefit show at the Torch (where else?) will be raising money for the program. Scheduled performers include Gary Mendoza Blues Band, the Used Blues Ban and the BluSoul Band, with special guests Kyle Rowland, Leo Bootz, The Deacon and Johnny "Guitar" Knox. 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Torch Club, 15th and I St. $10. 21+. www.sacblues.com.

The Business – It’s Business, it’s Business time (sorry, it had to be done!). Falling downline from breakthrough English punk acts like the Clash and Sex Pistols, the Business were one of the leading imports of the streetwise Oi! punk rock movement of the middle 1980’s. Vocalist Micky Fitz is by now the lone remaining original member of the band, and he still sounds like Elvis Costello having a complete mental breakdown and thrashing all the merchandise in a Harrods with a broken-off guitar neck. They’ve always been an under-the-radar group, staying away from major labels and limelight, all the way up to their newest offering, “Doing the Business.” With the Hollowpoints and Drastic Actions. 9 p.m. Monday. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd. $10. 21+. www.myspace.com/bluelamp.

!!! – You can argue over both how to pronounce the name (it’s usually sounded out as “chk chk chk,” or perhaps just by screaming really loudly) and where the band was formed, as most bio information will tell you Brooklyn. Reality is, the roots of this maniacal dance rock outfit are right here in Sacramento, as they’ve gone on to become a national fixture of club-razing, spastically hypnotic and dub-heavy electro rock. Without music like this, places like the Townhouse might not even exist – ditto for hipster rags and post-‘80s psychedelic drug habits. This homecoming (of sorts) comes in the middle of a tour supporting their newest release, “Strange Weather, Isn’t It?” 9 p.m. Monday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $15. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Mark Your Calendars – Lou Reed/Velvet Underground Tribute – Jerry Perry’s local band tribute shows are never something you want to miss; who knows who he’ll pull out of the woodwork to try their hand at a little Velvet U! Sept. 24. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $10. www.theoldironsides.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 Sac Press.

The Stone Foxes bringing scorching blues rock to Old I's

2010-08-23T18:03:26Z

Did the Stone Foxes kill Robert Johnson?

“We’ve had people ask us, ‘how dare you say that, are you trying to be a rock band that’s killing the blues?’” said Spence Koehler, the Foxes’ guitarist and vocalist.

That notion makes about as much sense as assuming that Neil Young’s “Needle and the Damage Done” is about an embroidery accident.

“That’s kind of laughable to us, that song is just playing out and telling the story of how he was killed,” Koehler said. “It’s not the Stone Foxes shouting ‘we killed Robert Johnson,’ it’s us embracing the blues.”

It may be slightly ironic that “I Killed Robert Johnson,” the same song which has apparently made a few select listeners question the Stone Foxes’ allegiance to the blues, is the cornerstone track in the catalog of a band that might just save it.

The aforementioned malcontents are clearly not paying attention to the tune’s folkloric lyrics and perhaps the most sinfully addicting blues-tinged guitar riff since “Smoke on the Water.”

Click here to download your very own MP3 of "I Killed Robert Johnson."

The White Stripes and the Black Keys (two bands to which the Stone Foxes could be justly compared) have done their parts to keep the blues in the forefront of mainstream rock and roll, but to look over your shoulder on the path that this quartet of upstarts from San Francisco is blazing ahead upon, you’ll see a straight line back to the guitar squealing and harp-wielding rebel bluesmen of the past; Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and Robert Johnson himself.

And don’t forget the nods to the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and the Band.

Touring behind the recent release of their juggernaut sophomore album, “Bears & Bulls,” the Stone Foxes perform at Old Ironsides at 9 p.m. on Friday, August 27, along with fellow San Francisco neo-soul blues rockers the Soft White Sixties (other acts TBA). Cover is $7. For venue info visit www.theoldironsides.com.

A five and a half minute homage to one of the great time-muddled legends (myths?) in music history, “I Killed Robert Johnson” is a story told from the first-person perspective of the bartender in Greenwood, Mississippi whom, in 1938, was said to have poisoned Johnson’s whiskey with strychnine in retribution for the blues luminary getting too friendly with his wife.

Virtually all aspects of Johnson’s life and his death remain under historical scrutiny (as of course does his storied Faustian deal with the Devil) – but there’s not much of a better way to ruminate on an urban legend than with lyrical barstool mythology and a Gibson SG.

“I think that (Johnson’s) influence on the blues kind of made the later guys; guys that are more well known as far as Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters, they’re the second generation of bluesmen,” Koehler said.

“Not everybody here listens to that stuff on the way to work, but we all have a fairly decent understanding of where the blues came from.”

“Decent” is a modest rating for the trio of band mates (Koehler, his brother Shannon Koehler, and high school pal Aaron Mort) that grew up in the Sierra foothills outside Fresno and began playing as a three-piece while attending San Francisco State. They would later be joined by Avi Vinocur, a singer and guitarist from L.A. who linked up with the trio for a show in SOMA three years ago. The group has been playing as a four-piece ever since.

While the group’s self-titled debut album was a rousing first offering of originals and a couple of standards, and earned the group a budding following in Northern California (aided by slots opening for the likes of the Mother Hips), “Bears & Bulls,” released in June, is an impressive leap for a group that records as a full band, in much the same manner as they play on stage.

“It’s tedious, just because everybody has to play their part correctly at the same time, but the payoff is you can get the energy of four guys playing in the room at the same time,” Koehler said. “When you finally get the right take its like ‘yeah, that’s the one,’ or sometimes you’re like ‘oh that was garbage.’”

“You go back and there are nuggets in there that sound good, and it’s worth keeping for like an oddity,” he said. “We haven’t recorded much layering on top of each other; when you are recording to a metronome and trying to record a perfect track, you don’t get those little oddities that make the song cool.

“I’m super proud of it, I think we got the sounds that we wanted on there. All those songs we’ve been playing for at least a year before they got recorded - it’s a take home package of what the live show is all about.”

Recorded at their Sunset district pad in San Francisco (and having one session disrupted in 2009 when the microphones were picking up bass from the Outside Lands music festival only a few blocks away in Golden Gate Park), “Bears & Bulls” features blood-in-the-mud spitfire blues tracks like “Mr. Hangman” and a cover of “Little Red Rooster,” as well as anthemic romps like “Passenger Train” and “Young Man.”

Just as when they play live, guitars, basses and lead vocal duties are switched around between the band members like baseball cards in a tree house, lending a varied sonic flavor to each track.

“We just craft things around what sounds best or who will best represent that part (of the song,” Koehler said.

The record is an impressive throwback for a group of guys all still south of 25, but even more eyebrow-raising is the stamp of originality that they put on a brand of rock and roll that has been collecting layers of dust since the 1970’s.

“With the release of the album and selling out a couple venues, we’re starting to realize that this is really taking hold,” Koehler said, while driving with the rest of his band mates from L.A. to Phoenix, as they are in the midst of their longest road stretch to date.

“When you start to see people you don’t know singing along at shows, it’s like, whoa, this is something that’s really meaningful…”

It was at this point that Koehler stopped talking to chuckle over a highway sign that read “Indio” and “Other Desert Cities.”

“We’re hoping to visit many other not-to-be-named desert towns on this tour,” he said with a laugh, “playing in small creek beds and forests near you.”

Sactown Rundown - Aug. 12-18

2010-08-11T21:21:05Z

Consider this the weekend guide for anyone not heading out to San Francisco for Outside Lands.

For those of you who are descending on Golden Gate Park on Saturday and/or Sunday, these are the bands you simply cannot miss: Beats Antique, Langhorne Slim, Dawes, the Whigs, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and the Devil Makes Three.

Don’t think, just do it.

For everyone staying in town, it’s Second Saturday and the streets are sure to be packed. A couple of 2nd Sat music highlights include Radio Orangevale at the Bike Kitchen (7 p.m., 1915 I St.) and Ricky Berger at Sugar Plum Café (8 p.m., 2315 K St.). Both shows are $Free.99.

Here’s what else is on deck for the week. Cheers!

The Brodys at Concert in the Park – While due credit is owed to all the acts that graced the CIP stage throughout another killer season (of particular note were throw-downs by Mike Farrell and Golden Cadillacs), they’ve saved the best for last. As much a tradition on The Grid as Downtown James Brown, the Brodys’ annual hootenanny in Cesar Chavez Plaza is a staple of summertime fun. They’ve been clobbering amps for the better part of a decade with their playfully adolescent brand of diet punk and power pop, probably sacrificing their own well-being for the following three days of recovery after pouring blood and Budweiser-infused sweat on the stage with reckless abandon. It’s at times strange to hear high school-themed and frat party lyrics coming from a group of guys who are more at the “pretty nice little Saturday at Home Depot (and maybe Bed Bath & Beyond)” stage of their lives, but there’s no denying that it’s a party everyone wants to be a part of, tongue-in-cheek and beer-in-hand – and they’ll offer up an ‘80s medley that makes Tainted Love look like toddlers with Lincoln Logs. The Phantom Jets and This Luxury get into the act for the final Concert in the Park of the year (but don’t pour one out for summertime yet, there’s plenty more fun to be had). 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday. Cesar Chavez Plaza, 10th and J St. Free. All ages. www.downtownsac.org.

Warped Tour – Speaking of high school themed punk rock, it’s back; the event where there’s enough moshing to knock down the Great Wall of China and enough energy drinks are consumed to power Cleveland. If you’re planning to strap on the checkered Vans and get crazy with it, here’s three bands you don’t want to miss (and why is Everclear involved in this?):

The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band – The guy who looks like he should be selling hot dogs at the concession stands is one of the most unlikely figures you’ll find on this or any other Warped Tour; but it just might be the first punk rock washboard in history. Slinging spastic junkyard blues-tuned guitars, "The Rev" is joined by his wife Breezy on the wash and his brother Jamey on drums (and occasionally buckets) for a blood-rushing hoedown of frenetic rock and roll disguised as Tennessee front porch drinkin’ songs.

Hey Monday – Considering they would fall alphabetically between Herbie Hancock and the Hold Steady on this reporter’s iPod, you’re not going to find them there, but something about this upstart band sets them apart from the waves of other pop-fused mall punk acts and gives them a genuine appeal. Lead singer Cassadee Pope has legitimate spunk and has the “it” quality of a dominant leading lady (we here at the Rundown would love to see her duel it out with Paramore’s Hayley Williams, for a variety of reasons).

Chase Long Beach – A little weird, a little crazy, they’re from SoCal, and there’s a ton of folks in the band. Is there really much more of a formula for a can’t-miss ska outfit? Not so much.

12 p.m. Thursday. Sleep Train Amphitheater, 2677 Forty Mile Rd., Wheatland. $33. All ages. For full list of bands and schedule, visit www.vanswarpedtour.com.

Peppino D’Agostino – Being the purists that they prototypically are, classical guitar virtuosos such as D’Agostino very rarely sport a legitimate crossover ability, and that may well be due to a general unwillingness to dip their toes into the ponds of other genres. This Renaissance man of a performer dives in with his clothes on and splashes his finger-style wizardry with showers of blues, pop and mid-tempo rock, to satisfy both the yearnings for a stroll through a Sicilian countryside and everyone’s inner guitar shredder. 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $15. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Fight From Above with the Generals – Some of the coolest shows are the ones where the bands don’t sound much alike, but this one is really a stretch. Sactown’s the Generals are like a peeled-back version of U2, getting at the root of their crafty rock hooks and wailing vocal croon with an inventive and wanderlust spirit. L.A.’s Fight From Above joins up with their bring-home-to-mom Golden State indie rock and cruising-the-pier electro-acoustic hooks, and Amberglance brings a little dose of dance-club vibe with an electronic pop digital circus. 9 p.m. Friday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $5. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Mark Your Calendars: Dave Matthews Band – Tickets are still available for DMB’s return to the Sacramento area (for the first time in four years?!). Stay tuned to Sac Press the week of the show for the musings of an admitted Dave-head with 30+ shows under his belt – but I’m not going to be as nice to them as you might think. August 27. Sleep Train Amphitheater, 2677 Forty Mile Rd., Wheatland. $35-$70. www.livenation.com.

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

Old Ironsides hosts Beach Boys tribute

2010-08-09T04:03:01Z

Surf music rang from Old Ironsides Saturday night as local bands took the stage to present a tribute concert in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Beach Boys’ inception.

The first band to hit the stage was concert promoter Jerry Perry’s son and his band, On Display, with “Then I Kissed Her.” It was the band’s first night in front of a crowd — they stumbled a bit, but at the end of the song applause rang out all the louder.

The bill focused on showcasing different interpretations of the Beach Boys’ work, many focusing on Brian Wilson’s credits more than other contributors like Mike Love.

A highlights of the night included a great solo performance by local heavy-hitter Aaron King (sans the Imperials), who covered two songs from 1966’s Pet Sounds: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times.”

“I didn’t want to bring the band down for just two songs,” King said before the show. “Jerry said, ‘I’m putting together this show. Do you want to be a part of it?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, tell me when and where!’”

Another nice call on Perry’s part was getting the Free Badge Serenaders. Their amazing onstage antics with a washboard, cowbells, slide whistle, kazoo and banjo earned them laughs and shouts as they trumped through “Heroes and Villains” and “I’m Waiting for the Day.”

An interesting part of the night was that not all of the songs covered were written or performed by the Beach Boys. For instance, the Free Badge Serenaders covered the Jan and Dean hit “Surf City,” which was written by Brian Wilson. Later in the evening, David Houston, with a gorgeous three-piece string section, covered “Miserlou,” a song that any Quentin Tarentino fan would recognize as the opening music to “Pulp Fiction.”

“I like that they played a lot more esoteric stuff,” Tom Blaze, 52, said. “I didn’t expect the kind of music I knew about, not just Top 40, you know?”

The night was marked by multiple cheers from the audience as they recognized songs as they were being played, many people singing along. The singing seemed to become more boisterous as the night wore on.

“I love this song!” Michelle Varner, 27, cried. “‘Help me, Rhonda, help me get her outta my heart!’”

For more information about future events at Old Ironsides, visit their calendar.

Old Ironsides to host Beach Boys tribute with local artists

2010-08-05T01:43:56Z

This weekend, the sounds of summer come back to life as Jerry Perry hosts a Beach Boys tribute concert by local acts, showcasing the talents of Aaron King, Baby Grand, David Houston and many others.

It’s been 50 years since the Beach Boys formed and Perry has made it his mission to generate tribute concerts like this. In the past, he’s organized tributes to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and even Sam Cooke. He said this one promises to be awesome.

“I can’t wait to see it,” he said. “The bands that are on it are surprising and just really good.”

Perry was initially skeptical about having a Beach Boys tribute, but from a past experience, he knew they could handle it and, what’s more, do it with style.

“I felt like the Beach Boys would be too difficult,” he said. “We did a Sam Cooke one back in January, and I was really surprised how deep the bands dug into the library and yet kept coming up with great, quality stuff. It made me think, ‘If they can take on Sam Cooke, then maybe we can take on the Beach Boys.’ ”

Perry’s tribute concerts bring together multiple bands from different genres and challenges them to perform a certain artist’s work. The night of the Beach Boys tribute, two different numbers will be performed twice.

“Everybody’s doing anywhere from two to five songs,” he said. “There are two songs being repeated, but they’re by such distinctly different acts that can stand on their own and have their own vibe.”

The concert is listed to cover every phase of the Beach Boys’ career.

“It’s really diverse,” Perry said. “It’s everything from the early rock-n-roll stuff to the cool pet sounds era to the ’70s whacked-out Brian Wilson stuff. It’s gonna be a real fun ride.”

Old Ironsides at 1901 10th St. will host the show. Doors open at 8 p.m. ,and admission is $8.

For more information visit here.

Sactown Rundown - Aug. 5-11

2010-08-04T20:39:31Z

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.

Before we get into this week’s shows, just a quick mop-up on one that we forgot to mention here in the Rundown last week: 100 Monkeys will be performing tonight (Wednesday, August 4) at Venue (formerly Empire).

If you don’t know them by their zoo of snappy and quirky indie rock, perhaps you’ll recognize lead singer Jackson Rathbone, a.k.a. Jasper from the “Twilight” flicks.

We at the Rundown implore you: Go see them for the music, not the “OMG!” factor. The show kicks off at 7 p.m. at Venue (1417 R St.), and tickets run you $17.

That said, here’s what’s on tap for the next week here in Sacto.

Beach Boys Tribute Show – Just in case you only know him as “that guy who introduces the bands at Concert in the Park,” his name is Jerry Perry, and under the moniker of Alive & Kicking, he’s been promoting concerts in Sactown since Nirvana was in diapers (as a band, that is). About once or twice a year, he’ll throw together a group of local bands for a tribute show, usually centering around a birthday or a significant anniversary; recent sonic celebrations have been for David Bowie, Madonnna, Johnny Cash, Michael Jackson, Dolly Parton, and recreations of the Beatles’ “White Album” and the Clash’s “London Calling.” There’s always a method to Perry’s madness, in that he always knows how to select the right local miscreants for the job, and it makes these tribute shows a screaming amount of fun (there’s probably a more eloquent way to put that, but let’s call a spade a spade). The surf rockin’ California boys who forever changed the landscape of pop rock music get the royal treatment this weekend, courtesy of Aaron King, Adrian Bourgeois, Baby Grand, David Houston, Dog Party, The Free Badge Serenaders, I Scream On Sundae, Jackson Griffith, Jem & Scout, Justin Davis, Ol' Cotton Dreary, On Display, The Only Men, and, a staple of any Perry tribute show, Saucer. 8 p.m. Saturday. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $TBA. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Aaron Beaumont – For some reason, it’s become en vogue to look for the “next” or “new” everything these days; Keifer Sutherland is the “new” Michael Douglas, John Mayer was the “next” Dave Matthews, etc. (Jackie Greene hung up the phone long ago when he was left on hold with that “next Dylan” call). Los Angeles ivory tickler Aaron Beaumont is going to get slapped with the “next Elton John” title up and down the block, purely because he spends his time camped behind 88 keys and sports a voice shinier than a new penny, but that’s where the similarities stop. He’s got the silky songwriting chops and crooning appeal of a Jason Mraz stuck in a time warp, paired with the pop know-how of Lennon/McCartney and the jagged edge of a paved and swept Tom Waits. A nod to Prohibition-era hooch parlors and smoky piano bars, his tunes are forged in pop-jazz pinewood and etched with ragtime bounce with heavy doses of modern appeal. Beaumont will join up with beloved Sacramento product Shannon Curtis, as well as JP Spangler, for an alluring pair of shows. 11 a.m. Thursday. Hot Lunch Concert Series, Fremont Park, 16th and P St. Free. All ages; 9 p.m. Friday, with One Eyed Rhino. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. $7. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Mother Truckers – Meet the antithesis to the Keep Austin Weird movement. This is not the kind of group you’ll see out on the streets at South By Southwest exploring their inner Nuclear Rabbit, but this band of dirt-kickers from Texas’ capitol are squarely tuned to the roots rock and country barroom ramble that keeps the Lonestar State’s embers burning. They’re one of the rare groups to enjoy breakout success without dipping their toes into any unfamiliar ponds, preferring to let their primal country rock energy do the talking with heralded live performances and Bud Light chugging honky tonk thump. 8 p.m. Wednesday. Harlow’s, 2708 J St. $15. 21+. www.harlows.com.

Ludacris – We almost didn’t get the memo on this one here at the Rundown, but Chris Bridges, a.k.a. Ludacris is indeed holding court downtown. Continuing to tour in support of his most recent album, “Battle of the Sexes,” Luda has remained one of the fixtures of ‘00s hip hop, with a generally celebratory approach that at times pulls out the wooden spoon and stirs the political and social pot. 7:30 p.m. Monday. Venue, 1417 R St. $35. www.tickets.com.

Mark Your Calendar: The Stone Foxes – A hodgepodge of flesh-eating blues and rock riffs and wails from the days of Led Zeppelin, rebel-rousing Rolling Stones, Howlin’ Wolf and even the White Stripes, this group of four upstarts from San Francisco is poised to go ka-boom behind their juggernaut sophomore album, “Bears & Bulls,” which contains perhaps the best blues-rock tune of the last 20 years, “I Killed Robert Johnson.” With the Soft White Sixties. August 27. The Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St. Cover TBA. 21+. www.theoldironsides.com.

Human Toys

2010-07-23T07:24:43Z

Old Ironsides hosted an evening of music with artists from as far away as Paris, France and also musicians from here in Sacramento. Tender Cinders, Human Toys and Der Spazm played at this Jerry Perry production.

Tender Cinders (inspired by a Bill Withers song) is made up of 6 members including 2 lead singers, 1 drummer, 1 plays a variety of instruments and 2 percussionists (later another percussionist joined the group). Tatiana and Brian Latour are married to each other and they have played together with this band for only a few months. Each member has been playing music for decades, individually and with other bands. Tatiana (vocals) and Brian (various instruments) have been playing together for 11 plus years. Brian said “We’ve been playing with the current band for a few months. Tatiana and I have been playing music together for 11 years.” Other members include Chad, Esteban (various percussion instruments), Nick (drums), and Mary (vocals). They play original compositions and their music touches, soul, blues, Latin and some fun ballads, my favorite was Ice Cream Man. One of their regular members had a previous engagement and was not able to join the group for this performance.

I spoke for a short while with Nick, who was accompanied by his wife. He was filling me in on the new band and was quite enthusiastic about playing with them. He too has been playing music for the past 10 years or so and has played with different groups. In talking to Nick and other band members it was apparent that they all have a solid musical background. They were a very friendly group. As I talked to Nick I noticed that they were conscientious about their followers and was obvious they had not developed an ego that sometimes follows some musicians. Their rhythmic music and vocals were very pleasant, soothing, and at the same time very upbeat. Be sure to follow this Sacramento band as they begin to book more events in our area.

The percussion was, in my opinion, truly amazing. A Brazilian Carnaval tempo, during at least one of their songs, had all the bells and whistles for dancing and celebrating, and also had everybody on the dance floor. Their next show will be on August 16 at Sacramento’s Press Club at 2030 P Street.

A couple of femme fatales, straight out of Paris France, made their way to the Old Ironsides stage to perform after the Tender Cinders. The Human Toys, made up of Mademoiselle Poupée and Emma Amaretto, came to rock the house (or the club). Mademoiselle Poupée (doll in French is Poupée) was the lead vocalist and did some programming while Emma played guitar, theremin and also vocals. They were a true dynamic duo. Electro influences were a true delight and mixed with a mixture of punk, hard rock, and electronica it had everybody on the dance floor. Harmonic vocals mixed with hard core guitar riffs kept everybody moving. At times Poupée went off the stage and danced with the audience. This doll got everybody ragged and their performance was over before you knew it. Emma and Poupée came back for a one song encore delighting the audience. Human Toys made quite an impression in Sacramento. I can’t say enough about their performance except maybe sacrebleu!

In between acts I got a chance to talk to Emma outside the club about their band. I learned that both members reside in Paris and are here for their American Tour. Their upcoming shows will be in San Francisco (July 22) followed by 2 shows in Oakland (July 23-24) before they go back to France. Follow the Human Toys via their myspace page. As Emma smoked her unfiltered hand rolled cigarette I asked how she got her gig at Old Ironsides. She indicated she has American friends who they help find gigs in France and their friends in turn help find shows in the U.S. for the Human Toys. The evening was cooling off rather rapidly and began to get cold for the first night in weeks. Emma had her arms and legs crossed while holding her cigarette reminding me of an alluring French (or European) commercial. As she spoke, her heavy French accent brought images and memories of people at outside cafés in Marseilles, Niece, or Paris; sitting, talking, enjoying life. I love hearing French accents. Emma and Poupée, like members of Tender Cinders still have that personality that makes them approachable to their fans.

Der Spazm was the final act of the night. I saw a couple of the members dancing to the Human Toys’ music and Dillon (the lead singer) talked about it when he took the stage. Der Spazm, a Sacramento band, is made up of Dillon (guitar, vox), Leticia (guitar), Andy (drums) and Ashley (bass and backup vocals). To me, Old Ironsides has a garage type acoustic sound and it made it the perfect place for the Der Spazm’s sound. I’m not sure how long Dillon and Leticia have been playing together but they complemented each other’s sound. At times they seemed to be choreographing their guitar picking movements, quite impressive. The guitar sound was at the center of their performance but at the same time without Andy’s drumming and Ashley’s bass playing their sound would have been incomplete. Der Spazm’s next show will be at the Fox and Goose on July 31. You can also get more information on their myspace page.

Photos:

1 - Old Ironsides Neon

2 to 5 - Tender Cinders

6 to 10 - Human Toys

11 to 14 - Der Spazm

The White Buffalo plays Old Ironsides

2010-07-18T06:58:03Z

When I hear the name The White Buffalo, I picture things like the The American Old West, Native Americans, and of course, bison roaming the plains. The man Jake Smith, aka The White Buffalo, is a big, bearded guy, and I think that type of imagery suits him. I could picture him sitting in an old saloon, strumming his guitar and playing to a room full of frontier types.

TWB played his first show in Sacramento last Friday night at Old Ironsides. His baritone voiced folk-rock brought a wide range of people out to the show, form hipsters types to an older crowd - I'd say there was more of the latter. When I first heard his songs, it reminded me of the solo work that Eddie Vedder did for the Into the Wild soundtrack, but with less banjo; very earthy, very personal. He's been riding some buzz for a few years now and has built up a dedicated fan base; one woman and her friends had come from Placerville to see the show, and model Angela Lindvall recently mentioned his music in October's Allure magazine (my subscription to Allure just expired, otherwise I would tell you what she said).

TWB was friendly with the audience and bantered frequently, at one point asking the crowd to buy merch so he and his band could have some gas money. He played songs from both the EP and full-length he has out, The White Buffalo EP and Hogtied Revisited. The show was a crowd-pleaser, and chants for an encore came immediately after the set was finished. After going off stage and taking a few swigs of beer, TWB came back on and played a song, solo, and then the other band members joined him for the last song of the night, an appropriate cover of Johnny Cash's 'Folsom Prison Blues'.

Opening band Prieta was impressive as well. Vocalist/keyboardist Alex Ayers easily sounds like Chris Cornell, and the band puts their own Southern rock spin on a tight classic rock/Led Zeppelin sound. Everyone seemed to really dig them, including the front row full of girls. They're playing at Cesar Chavez Plaza next Friday for Concerts in the Park.

The Kelps kicked things off for a sparse crowd around 9:30pm. These three guys appeared to still be in high school but that makes their mature sound that much more impressive. They won over the crowd with their driving bluesy rock and soulful vocals and performance. Now if only they would trade the white t-shirts and khakis for some real rock n' roll gear.

Jerry Perry Presents The White Buffalo this Friday

2010-07-13T05:51:12Z

The White Buffalo, also known as versatile singer/songwriter/guitarist Jake Smith, brings his self-described "darker side of folk" to Sacramento this Friday.

With fan favorites The White Buffalo EP and full-length Hogtied Revisited under his belt, TWB continues to garner buzz by word of mouth and by touring constantly, performing solo and backed by a band (he'll be with a band this Friday).

TWB has previously toured with Donavon Frankenreiter, Xavier Rudd, State Radio and Ziggy Marley, and his songs have been featured on the soundtrack to surfing movie Shelter and on FX series Sons of Anarchy.

The White Buffalo will play Old Ironsides with Prieta and The Kelps on Friday, July 16th, at 9pm. Tickets are $7. For details please contact Old Ironsides.

Photos from www.thewhitebuffalo.com

Lite Brite shows shine

2010-05-01T05:38:21Z

The crowd's ears were ringing, which only made them crave more. The cheers were so loud you'd never have guessed there were only about 40 people in the room. Don't let the number fool you; the rock was just as big as ever. The crowd at Old Ironsides was kicking off Sacramento's own rock/power pop/indie group Lite Brite's nine-day tour, its second. Their last tour, Lite Brite headed up north to Seattle. This time, the band will accompany Musical Charis, an experimental/pop/indie band, to San Diego on its "One Way Ticket to Texas" tour.

Providing a sound that has been influenced by many groups, including Radiohead and Led Zeppelin, Lite Brite captivates the audience. The three members have been friends since elementary school. Eddie Underwood, 23, carries the lead vocals as well as guitar while his brother Matt Underwood, 22, lays down a mean percussion. Robert Lander, 23, holds a strong bass line that ties the band together.

The group, which has been around since 2006, has released one album and has enough material for two. Most of the songs that were played during Thursday’s set can also be found on their album. They are about to release two new tracks that will be available for free download on their website.

Pets, which is at work recording an album, opened Thursday's show and got the energy flowing. Maybe people had loosened up a bit or knew more of the songs, but as soon as Lite Brite took the stage, their head bobbing became borderline moshing.

Eddie Underwood opened the group's set by saying, "We wrote this song a couple hours ago."

No sooner had the first song started than E. Underwood's guitar strap broke. It happened again halfway through the set. Lander knocked over his mic stand. Yet, they didn't seem to sweat the small stuff and still rocked out hard. A playlist that included "Glad to Have Known Ya," "Moonbeam" and "Shine On" kept everyone guessing what to expect next. What's certain is that these three musicians enjoy what they do and know how to have fun with it.

"The show tonight was awesome," Matt Underwood said, "and this tour will be better than the last because, let's face it, this one's super legit!"

Visit the band's website at http://www.litebriteband.com.

Photographs:

Lite Brite is from L-R: Eddie Underwood, Matt Underwood, Robert Lander.

Jerry Perry Brings Haiti Relief and Sam Cooke to Old Ironsides

2010-01-28T03:52:21Z

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 Haiti show was originally going to be on the night before the Sam Cooke tribute, but Perry decided to combine the two.

"I started to put something together, but it was ridiculous," he said. "There was a really good show on the Friday with a lot of bands on it."

The seven artist line-up is a stylistic mix, including The Visceral, Gillian Underwood, David Houston, Nancy Zoppi, Richard March, Four Eyes, The Inversions and Brian Rogers, who were all supportive of using their music to help with the disaster in Haiti.

"Performing at this benefit is an obvious way to show our support for those that are suffering and to share the message to our Haitian brothers and sisters that they are not alone and that people care about what is happening to them and their country," said Rob Klein of The Visceral.

There will not be any shortage of great songs, either.

Sam Cooke was a star in the late 1950s, with 29 Top 40 hits in his career. He was shot to death in 1964, and was known as a pioneer for soul music. He was posthumously awarded with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. His hits include "Another Saturday Night," "You Send Me," and "Havin' a Party."

The show was originally pitched to Perry by The Inversions as a way to honor Cooke near his birth date of Jan. 22. Now it serves as a way for concert-goers to give to the Haiti earthquake relief effort.

Perry likes that idea, noting that Cooke was a civil rights activist.

"It just felt right attaching the Haiti relief show to this show, and using the music of Sam Cooke to raise money for the relief," Perry said.

Perry, who is a fan of Cooke and his songs, promises a good time.

"It's just going to be a night of great music," Perry said. "It started out to be a Sam Cooke tribute night, and ultimately at its core that's what it is."

"For those that choose to attend the show, be prepared to have a good time and leave a little bit of your heart in Haiti," Klein said.

"Havin' a Party: A Tribute to Sam Cooke" will be at Old Ironsides on Friday at 9 p.m., and there is a minimum donation of $8. Old Ironsides is located at 1901 10th St. in Sacramento. The show is for ages 21 and up.

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

Richard March and Tyler Ragle to perform CD-release concert

2009-12-17T05:29:05Z

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 he moved to Nashville to pursue a music career.

After only two months there, he came back to California and settled in Sacramento because his wife was from here, he said. Currently living in West Sacramento, March spent time recently as a substitute teacher and still commutes to the Bay Area every weekend to play music in church.

Ragle grew up in Roseville and worked Skip's Music in Sacramento for five years before becoming a school aid helping autistic children in Orangevale. He has played in several "serious" local bands over the years, which he defined as bands that have played many live shows.

March, on the other hand, has a Bachelor of Arts in Popular Styles from San Francisco State, and hasn't stopped writing songs since he was 18. In 2007, he won a SAMMIE award for best male vocalist.

About a decade ago, March and Ragle met at an open mic night at Old Ironsides, where March asked audience members to name the artist he was covering. Ragle, a self-described music trivia fan and snob, shouted "Springsteen!" and March gave him a free CD as a reward.

The two have been playing music together ever since.

March has four albums, two with Ragle playing bass, but Kings marks the first time the duo have released a collection of songs they wrote together.

With harmonica, guitar, vocals and an occasional piano, Kings has a touch of Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel and the Eagles. The duo's chemistry is apparent on the album and they complete each others' sentences over coffee like an old married couple.

Writing political songs is difficult, said Ragle, 31, in part because certainly the pair are not foreign policy or politics experts. But opinions tend to be best expressed through song, he said.

"There are a couple of songs that people walk away from (when played live)," March said.

"We've had a good reaction to 'Gold Star Café' so far, but it will be interesting how that reaction will change in a year or two," Ragle added.

They both agreed some of their favorite moments in music included opening for folk music legend Ramblin' Jack Elliot and playing Concerts in the Park with Jackie Greene.

In addition to recording another full album, March said he is ready to hit the road and start some serious touring.

"I've never been one to throw caution to the wind," he said. "I'm a square-ass suburban white boy that's fairly comfortable. But at the ripe age of 40, I'm starting to try and tour, travel and focus on (music) full time."

The show begins at 8 p.m. and will cost $5. CDs will be available for $5. Javalounge is located at 2416 16th Street.

Old Ironsides ends month-long 75th anniversary celebration in style

2009-11-23T23:07:32Z

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. Modern sandwiches like sun dried tomato garden burgers mixed with classic crinkle cut French fries and hamburger patties on toasted sourdough to provide a balance for partygoers old and young.

Nostalgia ruled the day, fueled mostly by a flat screen TV in the barroom running a slide show of photos spanning every decade since Old I’s inception. Crisp, digital images from the not so distant past were bookended by fuzzy Polaroids of heavily sideburned patrons from the 70s and black and white, magnesium lit windows to Sacramento’s bar scene a half century ago.

In the second room, a DJ spun classics from each decade, switching CDs between each tune to ensure a variety of eras. Frank Sinatra’s iconic rendition of “Let’s Fly Away” clashed with funk numbers like “Brick House” and Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day” had people breaking out their best malt shop moves. The patrons, perhaps fueled by the irresistible $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon deal, danced with equal energy to every track.

There was a fairly consistent flow of attendees the entire afternoon, many staying for all five hours. If the crowded dance floor, packed booths and innumerable empty martini glasses and beer bottles were any indicator, this local hangout will stay afloat for another 75 years.

Old Ironsides 75th Anniversary celebration

2009-11-03T04:08:26Z

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 prices what they were back then, but we will keep them as low as we possibly can."

Drink specials will be served with a interesting slice of American history.

"One of the drinks we will have is called 'Moscow Mule'," Kanelos said. "Gin and brandy were big sellers in the '40s, and the Mule is made out of ginger beer and vodka. Because of that drink, there was a huge shift from gin to vodka in the '50s, and eventually it phased out the popularity of gin."

Surprisingly, not much historical analysis has been done on the building.

"We did have a historian come here back in the 1970s, and she was able to determine a rough estimate of the year due to the architecture," Kanelos said. "The architecture is called Italianate, which was popular a decade after the Civil War."

Papa Bordisso added a 'playroom' in the 1940s, complete with a fireplace and pinball machines, that hosted popular Shuffleboard competitions. Eventually, the shuffleboard fad died and Bordisso added a liquor store. Soon after, grocery stores began to carry liquor, so music and entertainment became the focus.

Clearly, Old Ironsides has changed with the times.

The secret to survival is having a good, family-run business, and the help of a lot of talented people, Kanelos said.

"In the '90s, we decided to go into nightlife and entertainment," she added. "It started out with one band, and now we show bands each week."

The 75th anniversary party will be on Nov 22, with appetizers and drink specials from 1 to 6 p.m.

"We plan on having a DJ spinning music from the '30s, and free samples from our lunch menu that will be passed around as appetizers," Kanelos said.

Perhaps the biggest reason to celebrate are all the memories Old Ironsides has created over the years.

Kanelos has many fond memories of her family's business.

"As a girl, I would come down on a Sunday and skate around with other kids while all the families and old folks were in the bar," she said. "We opened at 6 and by 6:30 all the stools were taken, many by businessmen that would come in for a coffee and brandy before heading home.

"A lot of comedians and bands from all over the world have performed here. All walks of life have come through," Kanelos added. "Sacramento has been very good to us."

Old Ironsides is at 1901 10th St. Lunch is served Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Old Ironsides' Web site is here.

More information on Old Ironsides' myspace Web site here.

Photos courtesy Old Ironsides.

Downtown Victorian home fire strikes out two alarms

2009-07-04T05:57:07Z

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 outside, then were able to reenter for overhaul to be sure the fire was completely extinguished.

"Firefighters made an aggressive attack on the fire and saved the downstairs units and they also prevented the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings. Fortunately no one was injured and there was only one resident in the entire building. All of the other units were vacant," said Doucette

A total of 16 fire units responded, four paramedic squads, 75 firefighters and 10 command/support staff.

Presently, the cause of the fire is under investigation.

SAMMIES nominees showcased in series of shows

2009-05-20T00:57:58Z

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-songwriters playing short sets, and June 7th, which is all hip hop emcees," said Sacramento News & Review entertainment editor Nick Miller.

"All of the money from the door goes to the bands," he added.

Here are the rest of the dates, from Sacramento News & Review's website:

Showcase: Category 7
Price: $6
Featuring: Category 7, Ambrosia Caprice, Claudia's Ashes, and Man Automatic
When: Wednesday, May 27, 9 p.m.
Where: Blue Lamp

Showcase: Order of the Golden Mirror
Price: $6
Featuring: Order of the Golden Mirror, Lynus, and David Houston
When: Friday, May 29, 9 p.m.
Where: Luigi’s Fun Garden

Showcase: Matthew Tucker
Price: $6
Featuring: Matthew Tucker, Ellie Fortune, Nice Monster, Christian Kiefer, Terra Lopez, Dead Western, and Kris Anaya
When: Saturday, June 6, 9 p.m.
Where: Luigi’s Fun Garden

Showcase: Illecism
Price: $6
Featuring: Illecism, Aquifer, Tais, Izreal, and Mahtie Bush
When: Sunday, June 7, 9 p.m.
Where: The Press Club

Showcase: Boats!
Price: $6
Featuring: Boats!, Another Damn Disappointment, and Final Summation
When: Wednesday, June 10, 9 p.m.
Where: The Press Club

Showcase: Impotent Ninja
Price: $6
Featuring: Impotent Ninja, Jeepster, zuhg, and Kate Gaffney
When: Thursday, June 11, 9 p.m.
Where: Old Ironsides

Awards Show and Music Festival
Price: Free
Featuring: 16 confirmed acts, 2 stages, vendors, beer garden, local fashion boutiques, places to park your bike, afterparty at Marilyn's on K until 2 a.m.
When: Saturday, June 27, 3 - 9 p.m.
Where: Cesar Chavez Plaza

For a full list of the 107 SAMMIES nominees, look here, and vote here for your favorites.

*Photographs courtesy Myspace.com photographs of each artist playing the Old Ironsides gig on Thursday.

Visit from The Queen (of Rock and Roll)

2009-04-14T17:07:14Z

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.

Jackson recently recorded "I Remember Elvis," a tribute album to the King, but it was another Elvis — Elvis Costello — who wrote a letter to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in support of Jackson's induction.

"She was standing up on stage with a guitar in her hands and making a sound that was as wild and raw as any rocker, man or woman, while other gals were still asking, 'How much is that doggy in the window?'" said Costello in a open letter supporting Jackson's entry into the Hall of Fame.

The Sacramento Press spoke with Jackson about her career, life and sunny California on the Monday before her show at Old Ironsides:

Your manager for the last 50 years has been Wendell Goodman, your husband. Have you also been married for five decades, and what is it like working with your husband?

Well not quite 50, but about three years after we were married, he began to take over the booking and managing job, and he has done it ever since. He also travels with me, so it's hard for him to keep up with everything, but he does a very good job at it.

I read that, along with your father, Elvis helped convince you to sing rockabilly. What did he say to convince you?

I was doing tours with him, several of them for a year and a half between 1955 and 1957, and we'd become very good friends. I could see the excitement that this music stirred up with all the hollering and screaming — girls rushing the stage and everything — so he suggested that I try to sing this new style. I didn't think I could because I had never done anything but just country. I considered myself a country singer. He said basically he was too, but he felt the songs differently.

He took me to his home in Memphis, and we spent an afternoon playing records, singing, just trying to show me the feel of what he did. It was like having private instructions with The King! He convinced me that I should at least try to sing this music because by now young people were the ones buying records. Always before, our marketing was directed to adults. So this was something brand new and it was turning the whole music industry upside down. I thought I would like to give it a try, so my producer gave me the okay to do it if I wanted to, so that's what I did.

Elvis Costello is another Elvis in your life, and he actually wrote a letter to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to help your induction process. What is your relationship with him like, and what is it like having a friend like him, who stands up for you?

It was shocking and caught me by surprise. I had gone to Hollywood to record a new in-studio album, and various artists were calling the record company saying they would love to be on the album with me if I wanted them. The album reads like a who's who of Rock and Roll. Then I found out that Elvis Costello was a big fan of mine. His drummer came into the rehearsal, and he knew that Elvis Costello would love to do a song with me. We corresponded by e-mail and he couldn't be there at that point, because he was being inducted into the Hall of Fame himself.

A little later — about a month — I flew back to California and he was there doing a television appearance and various promotional things, so that worked out good. He brought his band and came into the studio where I'd been recording and we cut this song together, "Cryin' Time." It was really fun and we had no problems singing together. Our phrasing was just alike, and it was [a] very good [experience]. He's such an excellent musician and singer, we just had no problems at all, so we enjoyed it.

Now we're still friends, and I've gone to see him in Tulsa. My husband and I drove from Oklahoma City to Tulsa to see him when he appeared and he brought me onstage and we did our song. I was very delighted that his audience was also very much aware of me and my music, so I got a very nice ovation. Now we correspond through e-mails.

Being that you grew up in California, how does it feel revisiting?

As a little girl, my folks lived in Los Angeles and Bakersfield. It was only about four years, and I started grade school in Los Angeles, and continued in grade school in Bakersfield, and then we moved back to their home, which was Oklahoma, and they chose Oklahoma City, and that's why I lived there, and my husband is from there. But I have always just have had a love for California. I think for anyone who enjoys pretty scenery, nice warm weather, friendly people and good food, there's nothing not to like about California.

Have you visited Sacramento, and if so what are your feelings about playing here?

I've been to Sacramento before, and I've played there. I'll be at Old Ironsides which is a neat place, and I've been there before.

Anything in particular you are looking forward to on the tour, and are you playing more country, gospel, rockabilly, or a combination?

Well I do a little bit of each one of those, but the main body of the concert is fifties rock, things that I recorded in the late fifties. Also I do a tribute to Elvis, because I have an album out called "I Remember Elvis," where I do the songs that he was doing in 1956-57. I also do a gospel song, and my country song "Right or Wrong" — the rockabilly crowd knows that song as well. I put in a yodel song to show them how I started, the type of music that I started off with in the beginning. I try to mix it up, but I keep it mostly rockabilly.

Is there something that I haven't asked you that would like to let people know about your current tour, or anything else?

One thing I would mention you may or may not know about, is that I have a new documentary, currently being played on the Smithsonian Channel, which is on [various cable and satellite networks including] DirecTV. They are playing it at least once a week throughout this month and it will continue to play after that. It is a feature length film and it was done by two great television producers. It's a very nice film, and I'm very proud of it.

There's a lot of interviews like with Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, and some of my fans, and they travel throughout America and also to Scandinavia, so it's a well rounded documentary. I'd like people just to know about it, and hopefully they can find it playing in their area or on their television somewhere.

*photographs courtesy Wanda Jackson

Local happenings for music-lovers

2009-01-08T01:53:12Z

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 corner of S and 10th.

20th Street Art Gallery is located at 911 20th Street.

For more information, contact ross@rosshammond.com.

Casual Fog

2008-12-04T00:47:23Z

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 music wasn't the only thing I appreciated about Casual Fog. In my experience, the best shows happen when the band makes some kind of connection with the audience. Casual Fog made a connection throughout the show; the audience felt it.

The show felt intimate, like friends playing for friends. It probably helped that the stage wasn't quite large enough to hold all seven of them — one member had to stand in the audience.

After the show I had a chance to speak with Ryan Donnelly. Not only is Donnelly the lead singer, he is also the founder and songwriter for Casual Fog. And the guys he plays with are his friends.

"I've known these guys forever and we've always played music," he said. "A couple of years ago we decided to play live. It's a fun way for all of us to play together."

"We're all just best friends," added percussionist Neal Morgan.

On Friday there were seven. But that number changes all the time, depending on who's up for playing.

"It's gone from four to sometimes seven," Donnelly explained, "depending on who's around. A lot of the time it's between five and seven."

No wonder the show felt so intimate. When you have a bunch of friends doing what they love and playing music, it's hard not to hear it in the music, or see it on the stage.

If you have a chance to see Casual Fog, I would suggest you take it. Their next Sacramento show will be on Jan. 26th, at the Press Club. I know I'll be there.

To listen to a few of Casual Fog's songs, check out their MySpace. Friday's band members were Ryan Donnelly, Dan Elkan, Thad Stoenner, Dave Nicholson, Ben Milner, Pete Newsom and Neal Morgan.