If you equate blues music with Robert Johnson, you’re in for a surprise and a treat Sunday afternoon when Sacramento Blues Revue teams with Folsom’s Powerhouse Pub to host the second annual Blue Christmas for Kids, benefiting the Sacramento Children’s Home. The event kicks off at 1:50 p.m. with the Randy Carey Band, a country blues group, and will finish with Rick Estrin & the Nightcats, a blues/jump band, playing from 6 to 7 p.m. In between, attendees will hear blues/zydeco from GumboStew, blues from Pinkie Rideau & Blind Resistance, rockin’ blues from the Jimmy Pailer Band, and blues/R&B from Sacramento Blues Revue, led by Rick von Geldern. Von Geldern said he began working on this eve

The Crocker Art Museum will host local indie darling Autumn Sky for a night of original folk and pop on Thursday, Dec. 15. Sky is an award-winning, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter from Sacramento. She will play songs from past releases and her soon-to-launch sophomore album, "The Hallelujah Chorus.” The concert will take place in the Museum’s Setzer Foundation Auditorium at 7 p.m. At 23 years old, Sky has been playing for Sacramento crowds for over six years and has garnered much local acclaim for her lively and engaging shows. Her unique style mixes pitch-perfect and deeply emotive vocals with indie and pop sensibilities. She released “Diminutive, Petite EP” in 2007, followed by

The corner of 20th Street between J and K Street usually serves as the unofficial epicenter for Second Saturday in Midtown, a monthly celebration that seems to be slowly losing it's focus on the art and music culture aspect of the event in recent years. This past Saturday, however, something was different. The Sammies, Sacramento's annual music awards show, turned 20 this year, and that afternoon there was no mistaking that music and hometown love reigned supreme over excessive drinking and partying. I sat on my patio just around the corner from the celebration, listening to the sweet sounds of the best of the best in Sacramento, before heading out around 7pm. By the time I had reached th

Club Circuitry, which usually takes place twice a month, has been gaining popularity and booking bigger special guests to perform. Last month, Ginger Fish, who used to be the drummer for Marilyn Manson, had a special slot as a guest DJ at the club, and this month there were three live acts – Android Lust, Mankind is Obsolete and Savi0r. Both Android Lust and Mankind is Obsolete have been touring the United States together on the Animalia tour and, on Friday, they stopped in Sacramento at Club Circuitry. Savi0r, a Sacramento-based industrial/rock group, was the first to take the stage. Savi0r has recently updated its lineup to include two new members – Ernst on keyboards/synths and Phil

The Sacramento News & Review Music Fest and SAMMIES (Sacramento Area Music Awards) Ceremony made its outdoor debut Saturday at Cesar Chavez Park in the sweltering heat but kept music lovers cool with the help of a dunk tank, beer and wine garden and the park's fountain. In the past, the annual event has been held at the Crest Theatre, but this year, organizers of the 19th annual fest chose to celebrate in the sun, with art and fashion vendors and a huge inflatable slide. The mood was celebratory throughout the festival. Children and adults alike splashed in the park’s central fountain as the 14 bands performed on two stages. The beer garden offered shaded areas for the 21 and over to lou

Summertime is here and Sacramento is stepping up to the plate! Sounds like it's going to be a scorching weekend at upwards of 100 degrees but the music and entertainment events are equally as sizzling! With a nice mix of free and low cost things to do as well as a few splurges, June is going out with a jam packed weekend! Browse this list to find plenty of opportunities to laugh, feast & learn along with local talent & tons of live music. It's sure to keep you and yours entertained all weekend long... Thursday 6.25 Theatre: Hedwig and the Angry Inch -- $25 Where: Artisan Theatre (1901 Del Paso Blvd) When: 8pm (also showing Fri & Sat nights this week) Why: This is the last weekend to see

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