The Shins (with opening act Gardens & Villa) played Monday night at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at UC Davis. The show was the last of series of four concerts in Davis in April produced by the Bay Area's Another Planet Entertainment that I started calling "mini-Coachella," since the headlining bands (and many of the openers) also played that desert mega-festival the last two weekends: Explosions In The Sky at the Mondavi, Bon Iver at Freeborn Hall, and Florence + the Machine at the Mondavi. Other recent Coachella stopovers in the region include fIREHOSE at Harlow's, The Buzzcocks at Ace of Spades, Givers at Harlow's, and Mazzy Star at Harlow's. The Shins are touring to suppo

Appearing behind a sheer shadow box a top the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts stage on Wednesday night, Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, launched into her lilting “Only if For One Night,” the starting track off her 2011 record release “Ceremonials.” The crowd, captivated by Welch’s charisma and gold-studded cloak, cheered as the singer reverently raised her arms like a black bird and crooned the chorus line: “But you came over me like some holy rite, and although I was burning, you're the only light! Only if for a night!” Her graceful, yet guttural vocals permeated the theatre full with Florence aficionados. Behind her, a tapestry of stained glass cathedral windows and ce

Texas band Explosions In The Sky visited the Mondavi Center at UC Davis Sunday night and provided a pure guitar wall of sound bliss. Their show is the first of a set of four concerts in Davis in April produced by the Bay Area's Another Planet Entertainment (books shows for the Outside Lands Festival (2012 lineup to be announced tomorrow), the Treasure Island Music Festival, The Independent in SF, and the Fox Theater in Oakland, among others) that I am dubbing "mini-Coachella" since the headlining bands (and many of the openers) are playing there both last and next weekend. Upcoming Davis shows are: Bon Iver on Tuesday, April 17th at Freeborn Hall; Florence and the Machine on Wednesday, Ap

Just moments after Wilco’s enigmatic guitarist Nels Cline had peeled the paint off the walls inside UC Davis' Mondavi Center with a little psychedelic freakout on "Impossible Germany," front man Jeff Tweedy pulled out the line of the night: "You know, something just occurred to me - the guy yelling 'Free Bird!' might help explain the pepper spray incident." Ohhh, too soon? Tweedy asked that too, amidst the smattering of "ohhh's" and groans that were peppered (zing!) in with the laughter and the applause - although there seemed to be a resounding agreement that a little aerosol Tabasco to the face would be an appropriate response for a guy who apparently still thinks it's cool or funny t

Tom Stoppard's 1960s play Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead finishes its run at the UC Davis Department of Theatre & Dance tonight through Saturday at the Main Theatre in Wright Hall. Michael Barakiva, Granada Artist-in-Residence at UC Davis, directs the absurdist comedy that elevates two minor characters in Shakespeare’s Hamlet to central roles. The play features witty fast-paced dialogue and philosophical ponderings that involve meaning, being, and knowing. “There are times when things make sense and there are times when you’re transported from one space to another and reality bends to accommodate desire or fear,” Barakiva notes. “We're using Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Lorca

Who gives a shout out to the Central Valley? Well, someone from the Central Valley. This week, Cake played twice for eager Central Valley crowds. The local band performed for happy Cakesters at Freeborn Hall on the UC Davis campus on both Thursday and Friday nights. Friday night, the Memorial Union hall was at capacity, 1,775 people deep. On Thursday, nearly 1,300 people came out to sway and nod with Cake. An hour before the show on Thursday night, fans were already lined up outside, ready to vie for a good spot in the community center hall. Thursday night drew a devoted crowd with one (especially) veteran fan who declared she’s been to over 20 Cake spectaculars over the years. The alt

Art installations are largely complete as the Sacramento International Airport’s new Terminal B readies to open Oct. 6, and they include a range of pieces from technologically advanced works to traditional painting and mosaic pieces. While not the first thing arriving passengers will see, a giant red rabbit seemingly jumping from outside the building into a waiting suitcase opening up like a vortex on the floor is one of the most-talked-about of the 12 currently installed works. More than 1,600 aluminum triangles make up the rabbit’s exposed surface. The work, entitled “Leap,” is by Denver-based artist Lawrence Argent and is suspended above the ticket hall in the “land side” portion of t

If you're looking for an example of a band in the middle of making it big, look no further than The Joy Formidable. Formed in North Wales, the now London-based power trio has been riding a monster wave of success this year, touring and playing major U.K. and U.S. festivals – Reading, Coachella, Lollapalooza – and garnering praise from critics and their musical peers alike.  They made such an impression on Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters earlier this year that he took to Twitter to sing their praises: "I would like to personally thank The Joy Formidable for writing the song of the year "Whirring". xxx Dave". The band will open several dates with Foo Fighters in November. The band has a massiv

Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys opened the Mondavi Center's SummerMusic series at the UC Davis quad Saturday night. Led by Riley's masterful accordion playing, the band kept the crowd on their feet and dancing for their entire set of Southwest Louisiana Cajun French music. Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys have played together for over 20 years, and have three Grammy nominations for their albums.  Touring their most recent album Grand Isle, the cover of which shows a poignant image of an oil-soaked bird, Riley referenced the ongoing effects of the BP oil spill disaster on the local communities. The SummerMusic series concludes on Saturday, August 13 with Non Stop Bhangra. Bhangra

The Reverend Horton Heat was preaching to the choir Wednesday night at Ace of Spades. The legendary psychobilly phenomenon has been on tour since December 2010 promoting their new album, Laughin’ & Cryin’ with the Reverend Horton Heat, as well as those old Horton Heat classics we love them for. Mass began with the local Sacramento punk band, Another Damn Disappointment (A.D.D), who seriously tore up the stage. Don’t let their name fool you, there is nothing disappointing about A.D.D. Their high energy act, which channels sounds similar to punk greats like NOFX and Bad Religion, tore into the admittedly small crowd of early arrivals. A few diehards at the front of the stage made a sad att

Kites & Crows headlined an indie-folk bill on the porch at Sophia's Thai Kitchen in Davis Friday night. The duo of Misner & Smith from Davis (recently relocated from San Francisco) and Portland-based Brooke Parrot opened. Kites & Crows, hailing from Ashland, Oregon, used lush instrumentals to flavor the haunting lyrical storytelling of singer/songwriter Mysha Caruso. Jesse Baldwin and Nancy Martin distributed banjo, cello, accordion, and vibraphonette duties among themselves.  

Walking up to the venue, the thumping sounds of the opening act were clearly audible from half a block away. Clustered at the front entrance, a small swarm of well-dressed clubbers attempted to talk their way onto the VIP list as the line of ticket-holders stretched out past to the left, waiting patiently for the bouncers to take aside the rope and usher them into District 30 for the much-anticipated appearance of legendary DJ and producer Paul Oakenfold. Upon entry to the club, the place was already full to capacity with a crowd that would more likely fill a place like this on Friday or Saturday than a Thursday night. The openers, local DJs three b, treated the early arrivals to an expe

Internationally-renowned DJ Paul Oakenfold played a set Thursday night at District 30 on the K Street Mall in Sacramento. Compared to his year-long residency on Saturday nights at the Rain nightclub at the Palms in Las Vegas, where he presides over 25,000 square feet and around 2,000 clubbers, this was an intimate affair and chance to see one of the world's best at close quarters.

The inaugural Davis Music Festival, consisting of 20 musical acts playing 5 different venues in downtown Davis, was held Saturday. With music ranging from a local band of high schoolers to nationally-known touring bands, this photographer had grand visions of paying tribute to Sac Press writer Lindol French's imminent departure by mirroring his "eating for the cycle" feat at Raley Field earlier this year and listening to music "for the cycle;" but instead chose a more relaxed pace, visiting most of the venues and listening to about a quarter of the acts. The first annual event was run by a new non-profit organization called Music Only Makes Sense (MOMS), with all profits donated to the Da

Longtime alt-country stalwarts Old 97’s played Harlow's in Sacramento on Saturday night with fellow Texan Sarah Jaffe opening (see Sacramento Press article and photos on Sarah) . Old 97's are touring in advance of the release of The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2 on July 5. As has been standard for the shows in the last few months at Harlow's that this photographer has attended (North Mississippi Allstars, The Devil Makes Three, Trampled By Turtles), the packed crowd was extremely enthusiastic. And the band responded: playing over 25 songs in their set (including an extended encore) spanning their 18-year career

The Sac City Rollers (SCR), Sacramento’s first all-women’s flat-track roller derby league, hosted Antioch's Undead Bettys Saturday night at Foothill Skate Inn in Sacramento. The bout, billed as the Star-Spangled Splatter!, featured the Sac City Rollers' Capital Punishers team. The Punishers won the bout 234-103. The Sac City Rollers league was established in January 2006 and includes over 100 active skaters. The league consists of traveling interleague teams the Capital Punishers and the Folsom Prison Bruisers, intraleague teams the Sweaty Betties and Rude Girls, and the Junior Derby League for girls ages 10 to 17. The Bad Apples held a halftime scrimmage at this bout.

The 2nd annual Vélo & Vintage Fashion Show was held at Hot Italian Saturday night in Sacramento.  The show is as much about bicycles as fashion. Lorena Beightler of Sac Cycle Chic founded the event to highlight "urban cycling as a smart, stylish and fashionable mode of transport." Kari Shipman of Juniper James organized the event with Beightler. Models attired in vintage clothing sourced from local boutiques rode a variety of vintage and newer bicycles into the restaurant and onto the runway. Each of the ten models showed three different looks ranging from "daytime" to "night" and ending with a "crazy" look that included a wild mishmash of styles, smeared makeup, and plenty of attitude.

Sage Francis played the Ace of Spades in Sacramento Friday night, headlining an all-ages show that also included Who Cares, Ricky James, and Verbal Venom. It was the Rhode Island-based political rapper's first show in Sacramento in ten years. The show was part dance party, part consciousness-raising, and part therapy session. And judging by the crowd's reaction: all catharsis. During many songs, the crowd rapturously rapped his lyrics back to him in unison. As connected as his audience is to him, Francis has an strong connection to his audience and frequently interacted with individual members during the show. An update after the show on his Twitter feed stated: "Having a soldier in t

Mirah played Sophia's Thai Kitchen concert series in Davis Thursday night.  Girls In Trouble from Brooklyn opened the show. Mirah's (full name: Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn) Davis show was a warmup as she is scheduled for a 24-date tour in May and June with Thao Nguyen (of San Francisco's The Get Down Stay Down) as Thao & Mirah. The tour does not include any Sacramento-area stops but does hit the New Parish in Oakland on May 3rd and the Great American Hall in San Francisco on June 23rd. The tour will be supporting the release of the duo's "Thao & Mirah" album on April 26.