Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "records"

City Makes Records Available Online

2011-09-20T21:16:16Z

In order to provide the community with greater and quicker access to public records the City of Sacramento has launched a new online record library. (http://records.cityofsacramento.org). There are over 100,000 records currently in the online library with more being added every week. Currently searchers can look up meeting minutes, resolutions, and ordinances passed by the City Council 1921-present. Also available are City Council staff reports dating back to 1990 and budget records back to the 1921. New record series are currently being prepared for transfer to the online library for review. The City Clerk is excited as this will provide unprecednted access to citizens, visitors, and researchers who previously had to make a request for records to be made available for examination.

“It is very exciting to be able to provide these records to the public online. In the past citizens could have to wait several days while staff did manual searches through records. Now citizens are able to research, view and print the City’s most requested records on demand.” Shirley Concolino, City Clerk.

The City Council approved the digital record repository and workflow project to streamline the legislative process and meet the goals of the City Council’s green initiative, known as Citywide Content Management (CCM). The online library is part the of the CCM project led by the Office of the City Clerk and the City’s Central IT Department. Since the project’s implementation the City has been able to shift to a digital delivery of City Council meeting materials, significantly reduce its dependence on paper intensive processes and file systems; and continues to reduce the City’s need for offsite record storage. The digital repository has also substantially improved staff, and now citizen, access to the historical records of the City and City Council that previously had been cumbersome and time consuming to search.

For more information about the online record library contact Wendy Klock-Johnson, Assistant City Clerk, at (916) 808-7509 or at wkjohnson@cityofsacramento.org.

Disclosure: Wendy Klock-Johson serves as an Assistant City Clerk and the Records Manager for the City of Sacramento.

Ask the County Law Librarian -- Public Access to Mug Shots

2011-08-25T19:46:42Z

Q. Is it possible to obtain an individual's booking photo using the booking number at a County jail?

Thank you,

Rebecca

A. There are several reasons a person might want to see booking photos (also known as “mug shots”). They are a popular part of news stories on crime, especially when celebrities or particularly newsworthy crimes are involved. In some cases, a person may want a photo to help them identify a person who may wish them harm, but whose appearance may have changed. Academic or other studies may be another potential use for booking photos.

Although a few police or sheriff’s departments routinely release booking photos, and some even post them online, in many cases they are reluctant. You can start by simply contacting the sheriff department or jail records department and requesting the photo. You may find, however, that many—including the Sacramento county jail—will not release them in response to a simple request.

Your next step could be to file a request under the California Public Records Act (California’s equivalent to the Freedom of Information Act). The CPRA (California Government Code Sections 6250 through 6276.48) requires public agencies to permit inspection of their records.

According to the advocacy group First Amendment Coalition, it’s unclear under California law whether the police are required to release booking photos.

Booking photos are a “public record” (“any writing [including photographs] containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency”). (Cal Government Code 6522(e).)

However, records of investigations and investigatory files compiled by law enforcement agencies are exempt from the CPRA requirements. (Cal. Government Code 6524(f).) In 2003, the California Attorney General issued an opinion that mug shots fall within this exception. 86 Ops. Cal. Atty. Gen. 132, 135 (2003). As a result, law enforcement agencies may, but are not required to, disclose them. Attorney General opinions do not have the force of law, but courts tend to give them great weight when deciding a legal question for the first time.

The 6524(f) exemption itself has an exception: the agency must release the arrested person’s “physical description including date of birth, color of eyes and hair, sex, height and weight,” in addition to the name of the person and information about the circumstances of the arrest. The First Amendment Coalition suggests that “[o]ne could argue that a booking photo falls into this category of records that must be released, since it does no more than visually show information that a law enforcement agency is required to release anyway.”

To use the CPRA to get a booking photo, your first step is to write a request letter. The First Amendment Coalition has a sample of what such a letter should include.

If the letter does not work, you can try re-filing the request with a higher-up official, or you can file a lawsuit to enforce your CPRA rights right away.

If you file a lawsuit, and the court agrees that the records should have been released, you are entitled to reimbursement of your fees and any attorney costs. The First Amendment Coalition has a useful page on filing such a lawsuit. They also offer a Find-A-Lawyer service to match potential litigants with First Amendment specialists, sometimes at reduced rates.

Do you have a question for the County Law Librarian? Just email sacpress@saclaw.org. If your question is selected your answer will appear in next Thursday's column. Even if your question isn't selected, though, I will still respond within two weeks.

Coral Henning, Director
@coralh & @saclawlibrarian
www.saclaw.org

Dig Music label spawns retail vinyl store Medium Rare Records and Collectibles

2011-01-05T01:12:39Z

Marty DeAnda started a vinyl record store by accident with a little help from Louis Armstrong.

Medium Rare Records is in the offices of the Dig Music label, which DeAnda co-founded. The label represents local artists such as Jackie Greene, Chris Webster and Sal Valentino.

The business is located in The Urban Hive at 1931 H St. and was pretty typical of a recording label office, with couches and music-themed décor, before becoming a retail store.

The office, visible from the sidewalk, featured a mannequin of Louis Armstrong in the window, staring out at 20th Street, and passers-by routinely came in to ask about it.

“I’d have 30 people coming by each day,” DeAnda said. “I figured I might as well sell them something, so I brought some records from home. All of a sudden we had a store.”

The store officially opened in late November, but DeAnda said he has been bringing records in for the past year.

“We sell only quality vinyl records and collectibles,” DeAnda said, adding that he caters to buyers who are serious about music, but not looking to drop hundreds of dollars on an album.

“That’s how I came up with the Medium Rare name,” he said. “It’s about those people in the middle – those people who want a vinyl record of The Beach Boys or Jimi Hendrix but aren’t looking for something extra rare.”

DeAnda grades the condition of each record in his store, which he writes on a label and sticks on a plastic sleeve. Customers are asked not to remove the records so as to prevent damaging them.

“If they want to buy it, and they come to the counter, I’ll take it out for them to look at, but I just don’t want 30 people taking it out and handling it and taking away the quality,” DeAnda said.

The only CDs in the store are those put out by artists on the Dig Music label.

DeAnda said there has been something of a resurgence of interest in vinyl records despite the apparent dominance of digital music.

“The sound is just warmer on vinyl,” DeAnda said. “The new generation seems to have rediscovered it. In an era where you can sit under the covers in your Snuggie and listen to an entire album for free and then download the single you like, people miss the ceremony of buying music.”

Despite the recession, other music stores have opened in Sacramento in the past year as well, including Dimple Records, Phono Select Records and ZuhG Life.

DeAnda – a sixth-generation Sacramentan – said he knows the other local music store owners, and he added that they focus on different markets and don’t really compete against one another.

“Everybody’s got a different group of people they appeal to,” DeAnda said. “We’re where the 30-year-olds to the 70-year-olds come for good used vinyl.”

Nich Lujan, co-owner of Phono Select Records, agreed. He stopped by Medium Rare Records and Collectibles Tuesday afternoon to pick up some printing he’d had done.

“We’re absolutely not competitors,” he said. “We help each other out.”

Lujan said more record stores opening in the area is a good thing for the local industry, since many collectors will make a trip to multiple stores in search of the records they seek.

Brent Zane stopped by the store for the first time Tuesday afternoon to sell some records he’s picked up over the years as a musician.

“Right off the bat, it looks good,” he said. “There’s not a bunch of garbage – it looks like a quality used records store.”

Urban Hive owner Brandon Weber said having the store is a boon to his business.

“It’s great to have them,” he said. “It’s easy to walk in and find something good. You don’t have to dig for it. They do the digging for you.”

Kari Shipman works out of The Urban Hive, and she said DeAnda is “the perfect person” to operate the store because of his knowledge of music.

“He has a deep appreciation for the music,” she said, adding that she has shopped at his store to pick up music for her brother.

Medium Rare Records and Collectibles is open from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturdays, or by appointment. Visit the store online by clicking here.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Specialty vinyl store to open in Midtown

2010-07-28T00:37:52Z

In an era dominated by MP3 players and downloaded music, two music lovers are confident other fans are hungry for the real thing: vinyl, and lots of it.

Dal Basi, a longtime Tower Records music buyer, and his partner, Nich Lujan, are banking on the importance of being able to touch your music collection. They are opening an independent vinyl specialty store, Phono Select Records, in Midtown in early September.

"Digital music is so soulless," said Basi, 42. "Fast food is kind of like an MP3. You're getting what you need for the moment, but it's not something special."

Basi and Lujan both use digital audio players. But the most devoted music fans are into the entire "organic" experience: owning a collection, pulling out an album or cassette tape, putting it on, listening to the recording and checking out the art and liner notes, Lujan said.

More than half the inventory will be vinyl records — about 5,000 to 6,000 will be 33s or "long-playing" records (LPs), and about 1,000 will be two-song 45s. The store at 2312 K St. will stock almost as many CDs and a smattering of cassettes, which are seeing a revival among indie rock labels. About 70 percent of the merchandise will be used.

A lot of LPs are being reissued now. Some of those have thicker, higher-quality vinyl and better sound, making this a good time to buy records, Basi said.

The roughly 1,200-square-foot store will contain listening stations with phonographs, cassette players and CD players. The store will sell more than music. Phono Select will carry old and new posters, books, magazines, T-shirts, band buttons and pop culture curios.

The focus will be on independent music: indie pop, punk rock, metal, hip hop, reggae, world music and old, avant-garde jazz — from The Clash and Bad Brains to Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Basi said.

The store will carry local bands and small, independent labels such as Burger Records of Los Angeles, and London's B-Music and Sing Sing Records of New York.

The interior will be somewhat spare and stylized to spotlight the selective inventory.

"Record stores have the reputation for being a place where you just pack stuff in. People have to sort through the madness to find the
jewels," Lujan said. "We want the jewels to be right there when you walk in."

Basi has worked in the music business for more than 20 years. He was just 18 or 19 when he went to work for Tower Records in Stockton in 1986 or 1987. He quickly became the buyer for independent music.

"I was the kid who read all the magazines and went to the shows," he said. Basi later did a brief stint managing Tower Records on Broadway. He also worked at a music wholesaler, Valley Media, and for R5 Records, opened on Broadway by Tower founder Russ Solomon.

In that time, he's amassed a huge collection of music. Half of the store's inventory will come from that collection.

Lujan, 28, was working in computer-based graphic and print design at the Academy of Art in San Francisco until Basi called, saying he wanted to open the record store the two had talked about for the last few years.

A mutual friend introduced them because they like many of the same bands and are both open-minded enough to listen to anything at least once, they said.

Lujan and Basi, who will be the only ones staffing the store, said they want to share that same kind of experimental, collaborative, interactive experience with customers. With the store's eclectic focus and only 30 percent new inventory, they won't be able to carry everything. They hope to engage customers in conversation to find out what they like, then either find that or introduce them to someone similar they might not have heard of.

"There's so much music that flies under the radar and doesn't get promoted every day," Basi said. "That's what we want to champion."

Hours will be Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sundays noon-5 p.m.

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Mountain Lions stalking a quarterback.

2010-05-20T05:52:32Z

The Sacramento Mountain Lions are about to receive a large dose of credibility and star power. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the UFL's Sacramento franchise is in the process of finalizing a contract with former NFL quarterback Daunte Culpepper.

The erstwhile QB, who played in eight games last season for the Detroit Lions, will try to prove that he has still got something in the tank after spending the past five years as an NFL journeyman.

A three-time Pro Bowler and one-time Madden NFL cover boy with the Minnesota Vikings, the 6-foot 4-inch, 260-pound quarterback put up huge numbers in 2004, throwing for 39 touchdowns and nearly 5,000 yards. He set a record for most combined yardage passing and rushing that still stands. If it weren't for Peyton Manning and his record-setting 49 TDs that year, he most assuredly would have been voted the leagues Most Valuable Player. He was one of the league's biggest stars, and it seemed he would be for quite some time.

Then 2005 happened.

The Vikings got off to a slow start, due in large part to Culpepper's struggles. They were just 2-4 when he tore his ACL, MCL and PCL in a game against the Carolina Panthers. He was done for the year, and he had six touchdowns, 12 picks and a passer's rating of 64.4. A far cry from the gaudy 110.9 from the previous season.

To add insult to injury, literally, Culpepper was at the heart of a sex boat scandal involving 17 Vikings, two boats and a gaggle of strippers and live sex acts. Culpepper was one of four players charged with three misdemeanors. It really amounted to immature antics and boys being boys, but coupled with the injury, his deteriorating play and some contract issues, Daunte was on his way out.

Since that time, he has been a part-time starter for the Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins, but has never appeared in more than eight games in any one season.

The signing makes sense for everyone involved. In Culpepper, the Mountain Lions will be getting the kind of big name who will put butts in the seats. Up until now, the biggest names in the UFL have been the coaches. Dennis Green hands over his "face of the franchise" tag to Culpepper the moment he signs. Culpepper also may open the flood gates for other old or troubled stars to join the league.

In Sacramento, Culpepper will get a chance to play once more for Denny Green, under whose tutelage he had his greatest success. He will have a chance to start and prove himself on the field, an opportunity he would not have had in the NFL. If he plays well enough, he may earn his ticket back into the League.

It remains to be seen whether the UFL will survive where the XFL, World League and others have failed. Moving the franchises to cities that don't have NFL teams was a very good start. And bringing in quality name talent like Daunte Culpepper is another step in the right direction. Keep this up, and the NFL will find itself with something it has never really had before, a viable minor league.

Either way, the Sacramento Mountain Lions just got a lot more interesting.

DJ Rock Bottom spins the wheels of steel

2009-12-24T19:15:27Z

Looking to dance to the beat of a different drummer? Sacramento's DJ Rock Bottom strives to enable you to do just that.

The first and third Friday of every month, Rock Bottom spins a dance party called "Hot Pants" at Level Up Lounge. Whether it's Prince, Black Star or remixes of old-school Motown, Rock Bottom said his goal is to "challenge people to push the envelope, get outside of their box and let go musically."

Rock Bottom, born John Word, grew up in Gary, Ind., about 25 miles from downtown Chicago. He recalls as a child listening religiously to Common Sense (now Common), perhaps Chicago's most innovative emcee. He also emulated a cousin's musical taste by listening to Afrika Bambaataa, one of the three originators of break beat DJing.

In 2001, he came to Sacramento to "find himself." Checking out the music scene, with DJs playing the same songs all the time, Rock Bottom said he realized that the scene lacked originality.

"Instead of (being) hip hop DJs, they would just play these sick songs that would get the crowd going," he said. "I love A Tribe Called Quest, I love hip hop, but it was 2004, and I felt like DJs weren't pushing the envelope."

He got his break when DJ Mad Planet of the Zulu Nation gave him a chance to perform in front of an audience at The Golden Bear.

"I knew I couldn't at the time. I could mix worth nothing," he said. "He gave me a chance. He put his name on the line and gave me a shot. I just wanted to make sure my selection was impeccable. (Afterward) cats were like, 'You killed it at The Golden Bear!' "

Rock Bottom, 31, has been DJing since that moment in 2004. He works as an afterschool team leader at Woodlake Elementary School in Del Paso Heights, and takes classes at Sac City College with the goal of becoming a teacher.

Rock Bottom is realistic about his aspirations.

"If the opportunity came up to become a full-time DJ, I would, but there are no health benefits," he said. "I need to work and DJ."

From 2004 to 2005, Rock Bottom toured as the backing DJ for SAMMIE-award-winning, five-piece hip hop group Righteous Movement. "It was a good learning experience for me, getting to see different places, a lot of good shows, a lot of good food," he said.

Rock Bottom still works with emcee Tais from Righteous Movement, but his energy is largely on Hot Pants. He said it's his favorite gig because Level Up Lounge gives him creative freedom to honor artists dead or alive, known or unknown.

Many of his records come from The Beat, 1700 J St., or Records, 1618 Broadway. Rock Bottom said when he can't find them there, he purchases records online.

"I play (turntables) like an instrument. It is by no means like a guitar, because with an actual instrument, you're limited to that instrument," he said. "With turntables, whatever our imagination allows us to do, with hard work you can do it."

Rock Bottom performs "Hot Pants" every first and third Friday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Level Up Lounge, 2431 J St. The event is free, for ages 21 and older.

Photographs credit Amanda Lopez.

Weekend jazz festival flows down Broadway

2009-06-29T02:04:12Z

The second annual In the Flow jazz festival brought music and art fans out to Broadway's hub with more than 30 bands, poetry readings and live painting.

For $20, ticket holders were given wristbands that allowed entrance into all of the weekend's shows, which spanned five different venues along Broadway. For those who weren't wearing wristbands, several free performances were hosted at Records, Java Lounge and Records.

The back-to-back schedules at the venues allowed for a constant stream of activity, and if ticket holders didn’t like one performance, they could walk down the street to the next one.

The goal of the festival was to "showcase all of the different kinds of jazz you'll find in the area...not smooth jazz though....yikes," said Ross Hammond, who was the weekend's main coordinator and also a co-founder of the festival.

Hammond, himself a jazz musician, made an appearance with Vinny Golia on Saturday at Beatnik. He said that there is a huge jazz scene in Sacramento and the festival is a way to make people aware of the artists' presence.

“It was really hot, but the people were fun and I liked that there were so many performances to choose from,” said Mathew Zvonicek, who attended the festival Saturday evening.

Other highlights of the weekend's various shows included Byron Blackburn's CD release at Java Lounge Friday evening featuring Tom Monsoon, Alex Jenkins and Hammond. Jacob Felix Heule, Arom Shelton and Tony Dreyer performed a unique jazz set at Records on Saturday, using unusual techniques like scratching cymbals with drumsticks and vibrating objects on their drums.

Beatnik had a constant flow of talented musicians coming through its photography studio all weekend, including DJ Tommy V, the Harley White Orchestra and Tony Passarell and the Thin Air Symphony.

Jazz music wasn't the only form of art that made an appearance at the festival, however.

Java Lounge hosted the "Scary Art Collective Reception" Saturday to showcase works by local artists like Kathy Blackburn, who also has work on display at Beatnik. The walls of the cafe were filled with paintings and drawings of skeletons, owls and ghouls. Music served as the background to the reception, with five groups performing during the afternoon.

Saturday, a group of artists from the Pacific Art Collective in San Jose set up an art station in front of Beatnik, open to anyone who wanted to stop and paint. They said their inspiration for the music and art collaboration comes from "live paintings" that are popular in the Bay Area.

On Sunday, The Comedy Spot hosted music, poetry and the spoken word with Josh Fernandez, Frank Andrick, Mike Farrell and other artists.

Hammond and the other organizers were given a grant by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission that made the festival possible and enabled them to give all money raised through ticket sales to the artists.

The festival also received sponsorships from Swell Productions, The Greater Broadway Partnership and local businesses like Sacramento’s Skip's Music and Kline Music.

"We're planning on doing this festival annually, so just mark your calendars now," advises Hammond.

A.ll photos were taken by Paula Aguirre

Capital Public Radio spins out record sale this weekend

2009-06-25T05:13:36Z

Take a million-dollar inventory of LPs, CDs and DVDs, arrange them on several 80-foot-long tables and place them into a 10,000 square foot room for three days.

This is the recipe for Capital Public Radio's (CPR) annual Used Record and CD Sale.

It will commence on Friday night with a "Preview Party" from 6 - 9 p.m. For a $20 cover charge, people can get a jump start on the musical feast while enjoying live music, food and wine.

On Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., the public can dig in for free and search through the leftovers. It all takes place in suite 172 of the "Howe 'bout Arden" shopping center at 2100 Arden Way.

All-in-all there will be approximately 45,000 vinyl records, 12,000 CDs, movies, cassettes, and "everything else," said event organizer Dennis Newhall, a DJ for KXJZ, 90.9 FM. "Everything else" includes old formats like laser discs, reel to reel, 8 tracks, and even beta.

About 40 percent of the vinyl is classical music, much of which is released only on vinyl, said Newhall. The other 60 percent is pop, rock, blues, jazz and other genres.

The CDs and cassettes include all these types of albums plus newer music like punk and hip-hop.

"The prices are great," Newhall said. They include $4 CDs and DVDs, $2 VHS tapes, and $1 LPs. As the stock dwindles, these prices will also decrease.

"I'm surprised at how many new CDs and DVDs there are," added Newhall, who planned the logistics of the sale.

Though a marketing team of four people is assisting him, the rest of the event is run by volunteers. People can still volunteer by signing up at capradio.org.

All the items were donated by CPR supporters in the last three weeks. They had been collected in bins at local Borders and AT&T stores.

For the last 15 years, people have been lining up at the doors before the sale. Thousands are expected this year.

"You snooze you lose," said Newhall of the sale. "It's just this weekend."

There will also be boxes of free items. These include CDs, cassettes and videos that are homemade or are missing packaging.

All proceeds go to CPR. CPR members will receive 50 percent off entrance to the Preview Party on Friday and 20 percent off all merchandise on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday: Luigi's Fun Garden spins pizza and vinyl

2009-06-19T04:16:11Z

Every year, Davis radio station KDVS holds a record swap where local record labels, record collectors and record stores can trade thousands of records. It's likely that a few CDs, T-shirts and turntables will turn up as well.

This year's event will be held Saturday in Luigi's Fun Garden, and music nerds, casual shoppers and passersby can get in for $3. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. people will be able to visit booths of more than a dozen vendors, including punk-rock labels Gearhead and Prank Records.

KDVS, Midtown Monthly and the 'Zine Symposium held July 11 will also have tables, according to event co-coordinator Heather Klinger. Also a DJ at KDVS, she's been coordinating the event with Tim Matranga for four years.

The event has been held ever since the mid-'60s and has always been an informal affair organized by volunteers. It has previously been held at the now-defunct Fools Foundation art gallery and several other locations.

"Community radio and vinyl just go together," Klinger said. "The swap is a great place to meet other like-minded music people in our community and even learn more about music."

As an added incentive, Luigi's Slice next door will serve breakfast pizza at 9 a.m. Many people arrive early, and more than 100 are expected to filter into the venue throughout the day.

"It's becoming harder and harder to find brick-and-mortar stores that sell vinyl records with so many of the independent stores closing down," Klinger added. "You can't replace the feeling of flipping through actual records."

Luigi's Slice and Fun Garden is located at 1050 20th St.

*Photographs courtesy Heather Klinger.

Sacramento's spin on Record Store Day

2009-04-20T04:47:54Z

Sacramento's record stores are world class. On Saturday, April 18, several record stores in the grid proved it during International Record Store Day, a celebration of real, physical record stores -- as opposed to online behemoths or corporations who sell music.

Over 500 record stores across the country participated in the second annual celebration held on the third Saturday of every April.

"Some of the best records stores in the entire country are in Sacramento," Hip Hop artist and record collector Lyrics Born said in a previous Sacramento Press article.

"I think the record store is vastly under appreciated," said former 30-year Tower Records employee Mike Farrace outside of R5 records on 2500 16th Street, Tower's original location. Not only was he visiting R5 for Record Store Day, but he was also there to sell collectibles obtained by his company OptikRock, which has been selling Rock and Roll memorabilia since 2003.

If you are a local, die-hard music geek, you might also know Farrace as brainchild, publisher, and editor of Tower Records' Pulse magazine which ran for nearly twenty years.

But aside from the music intellectuals, record collectors, and the normal customer, there were many newcomers at R5 to appreciate the store. The store also had a handful of live bands playing all day including Silver Darlings (pictured) who drew a crowd.

"Part of the malaise with shopping is that when you go to the mall, there is always the same stuff," said Ernie Boetius, owner of Ernie B's Reggae, under a tent in R5's parking lot. Boetius, who owns a Reggae distribution company which holds a stock of over 300,000 Reggae records and 200,000 CDs, brought a small collection of records which he sold outside the store.

Other record stores like the Beat held slightly lower-key celebrations, but displayed a special Record Store Day selection of exclusive releases all day long. As a bonus for purchasing a record during Record Store Day, the Beat's customers received samplers and goodie bags tailored to each customer's purchase.

"We've been a lot busier because of it," said the Beat's manager, Eric Cadwell.

Two blocks away, Pearl Records, located inside Bows and Arrows clothing store at 1712 L Street, offered appraisals for record collections, and an open invitation to talk about anything record related. The store's owner, Chris Ferris, who has anywhere between 2,000-7,000 records in his personal collection at any time, spoke with Sacramento Press about the record culture in Sacramento.

"Sacramento's record stores are very good. There are many record hounds in Sacramento who search garage sales and record stores for rare records. Tower and Valley Records introduced a large volume of records into the area," he said.

"This should be done several times a year," Boetius added.

R5 Records' Record Store Day '09

2009-04-11T02:38:45Z

On April 18, 2009, R5 Records will be having a huge record swap for the internationally celebrated Record Store Day! Record Store Day is a day where hundreds of independently owned record stores celebrate the art of music. When R5 Records had their celebration last year, over 1,000 people showed up to see tons of local bands play and to get their hands on some awesome music paraphernalia. This year we will once again have a huge lineup of local bands and DJs that are going to be playing great music all day long. Inside the store EVERYTHING is going to be on sale and you'll have a chance to find some awesome stuff in in the Rock n' Roll garage sale we're having. There's also going to be records avaiable that you won't be able to find ANYWHERE ELSE!!! These exclusive records include albums by Sublime, Cold War Kids, Slayer, Modest Mouse, and Elvis Costello to name a few. Last but not least, there's going to be a raffle for box sets, framed prints, record players, and tons of other music goodies with all proceeds going to The Met School's music program.

For more details look at the flyer below. Hope to see you there!!!

-Hippie T

Tower Records Asterisk

2009-03-12T15:02:20Z

I understand that shortly after the writing of this piece, the Tower Record Store sign located at the closed chains Watt and El Camino store location will be coming down. While I do not know how long the sign has been there, the store apparently opened in 1960. The sign will be donated to local officials as a vital piece of history, eventially to be part of the Sacramento History Museum in Old Town Sac.

Alas this reminder triggers yet another sentimental trip down the infamous "Memory Lane". While I have no pictures to share, maybe some reading this do. I do know Tower Records over the years was the recipient of many of my hard earned dollars, dollars that these days most often go to some independent internet distributor. Though a trip to R5, Dimples & Beat Records is not unheard of!

Support Local Music: Those who make it, support it, promote it, present it or sell it! -

Keep Smilin' !

Jetsons Land in Sacramento

2009-02-11T07:07:40Z

The Astro and the Elroy are quickly becoming one of Sacramento's coolest hangouts. The two newly renovated buildings, which were converted from motels, are collectively known as the RetroLodge.

Originally meant to house 50 work/live studios, RetroLodge's amenities include bathrooms, conference rooms with kitchenettes, and shared courtyards. The style is meant to evoke 1950's and 1960's Palm Springs, but the most important feature the property boasts are its 50 parking spaces for lease, a rare find in midtown.

One of the first tenants in the Jetsons-named Elroy building was Dig Music - the label of notable Sacramento musician Jackie Greene, perhaps the most successful Sacramento musical product of late. Back in August, Greene's manager and record label owner, Marty DeAnda, had to move Dig and it's three-and-a-half full time employees after outgrowing their old office.

DeAnda said of acquiring Dig's new digs, "My whole house is full of all retro furniture and stuff, so this [property] was really interesting to me. The RetroLodge is going to have a lot of hip little businesses."

"The Naked Lounge is a great hang out, and their coffee is great. They're also thinking of making an all ages music venue," says DeAnda, who volunteered to apply his audio expertise when the proposed venue is ready to set up their speakers.

DeAnda was speaking of the newly opened Naked Lounge, which is practically a midtown institution. The Naked Lounge became the first storefront business in the Elroy building when their doors opened earlier this week.

The Naked Lounge also owns a local coffee roasting plant, at 3527 Broadway, which is open to the public on Mondays where coffee is half off. As for the new location, Naked Lounge had similar reasons as Dig Records for moving, according to manager Jenn Fox.

"There's one in midtown already, but everyone knows our name, so we're always trying to expand. Why not? We're all for local independent business." Besides, "The [RetroLodge] building is going to be great."

These two businesses are perhaps the most visible in the RetroLodge, which hopes to expand by the end of the year. Sacramento Press spoke to RetroLodge's Project Manager Andy Ekstrom about his hopes for the office space.

"I would say it's a little more difficult [to lease] than usual, but we have been able to sign 17 office leases, and the Naked Lounge for retail. Obviously we're not 100% full, but we expect to be by the end of the year."

The RetroLodge's 50-year-old building recently underwent a "green" renovation. The motel underwent structural changes, but for the most part the old structure was reused to build new amenities like showers, bathrooms, and conference rooms.

Ekstrom added, "I think the beauty of RetroLodge is diversity. Right now we have web developers, music management, the Naked Lounge, and pretty soon there will be a sandwich shop. Are there other spaces with offices [for rent]? Certainly. But none of them have a Palm Springs type of environment in downtown."

The Vinyl Record Comes Round Again

2009-01-02T05:56:11Z

As a child born in the eighties, I didn’t have time for much of a love affair with the vinyl record. A few years laid out on our brown shag carpet listening to the soft whir and tick of the record needle – gone in a flash with the appearance of the compact disc player. With its built-in lasers and shiny discs that occupied less space on cramped apartment shelves, the new device easily charmed our family. The records were quickly scuttled away in pine boxes to the dank recesses of our storage space. There was no looking back.

Now almost three decades later, armed with an iPod, a BlackBerry and a lovely home network of Macintosh computers, I find myself happily rediscovering vinyl. And I’m not alone.

Dal Basi, buyer at R5 Records is noticing a shift. “A few years ago, you couldn’t find a lot of new titles on vinyl,” he says. “Now more than 50% of new albums are coupled with a vinyl release. There’s just more product out there.”

Anyone who’s frequented Russ Solomon’s year-old record shop may have noticed the change too. A handful of months ago, vinyl shoppers had a small shelf portion at the back of the store to wade through. Now the vinyl section occupies a massive row up front.

“We are selling 60 to 70 records a week,” Basi says. “That’s double what we did last year.” Over the next year, R5 plans to devote even more shelf space to vinyl, brining in a used section and more turntables for sale.

Who is to account for the sales bump? With most retail product marketed to a younger demographic, are kids taking up the vinyl mantle for the first time?

“That’s the funny thing. Kids have always been interested in vinyl,” says The Beat owner Rob Fauble. “Really, anyone who buys a physical copy of music wants it to have value.”

Fauble sees a wide mix of customers visiting his store, some looking for new material and others searching for old titles not available on CD or online. “Records are a great way to mine the past,” he says.

The Beat has always devoted a respectable chunk of their square footage to vinyl, offering a seemingly endless supply of used and new records. Fauble is noticing a rise in sales as well.

“Our vinyl sales are up 5 to 10%, when nationally CD sales are down 20%,” he says. “It’s pretty interesting.” As far as expanding new vinyl inventory, he chalks it up to major labels trying anything to create a revenue stream.

With major labels becoming an increasingly outperformed commodity in the music world, it’s no surprise they are trying to latch onto anything trending in an upward direction. As an enticement, new vinyl is often coupled with a CD version of the album, or with a coupon for a free digital download.

With a marriage of the vinyl record and digital download technology, the customer can experience the best of both worlds – the convenience of digital audio and the tangible, interactive nature of vinyl. And if the record doesn’t contain the download coupon, the information can still be shot to a computer through a USB turntable – an item that both The Beat and R5 either do or plan to carry.

Anyone can dump their entire CD collection into an iPod playlist and run it until their lithium ion batteries are dead. And many songs available on iTunes can be transferred straight to cell phones as a catchy, identity-affirming ring tone.

“That’s why vinyl is cool,” says R5’s Basi, “It requires more physical interaction. You have to pay attention, stop cooking breakfast and remember to flip the record over.”

And with a surface area quadruple the size of a CD case and loads larger than the tiny, eye strain-inducing screen of any iPod, a vinyl record displays album artwork like no other format. It is a reminder that music, before being a testament to the genius of handheld phones and media players, is first and foremost a piece of art.

It does seem somewhat odd that amidst a proliferation of cool, sleek, portable devices like the iPod that the record would become a viable commodity again. But it’s happening. After years of not looking back, many consumers realize that records are still an enjoyable way to bring music into their homes

It’s also comforting to know that vinyl, a once-dwindling entity on many record store shelves, is again providing local shops with revenue.

For those interested in vinyl shopping, visit any of these superb local stores:

The Beat – 1700 J St. Sacramento, CA 95811 – (916) 446-4402
Dimple Records – 2433 Arden Way Sacramento, CA 95825 – (916) 925-2600
Esoteric Records – 3413 El Camino Ave Sacramento, CA 95821 – (916) 488-8966
R5 Records - 2500 16th St. Sacramento, CA 95818 – (916) 441-2500
Records – 1618 Broadway Sacramento, CA 95818 - (916) 446-3973