Newest articles on The Sacramento Press written by Zemog Gomez

Sol'Jibe brings international music to Harlows tonight

2009-05-28T17:21:27Z

Relentless, dedicated, original and professional are a few words that describe the band called Sol’Jibe. With more than 200 shows and festivals under their belts world-wide, they bring their unique flavor of international music to Harlows; a show that will sure to be talked about all summer.

After driving 15 hours straight from their last show in Washington, they arrived last night in Sacramento where we met for dinner at Aura for some tasty pizzas. There’s a reason they’ve been called the hardest working band around. They’ve won “Best Band in the Reno News & Review Reader’s Choice” three years in a row. Last year, they stole the show at the High Sierra Music Festival with a review stating…

“"Sol Jibe proved itself one of the hardest working and most delightful new finds at the fest by lending it's world beats and Latin rhythms to two different stages during the course of the day, winning new fans every time it played."

- Honest Tune: The American Journal of Jam & Roots

Having played and studied in such countries as Cuba, Spain and Mexico, Sol’Jibe truly is a band that fuses sounds and styles from around the globe.

Formed by frontman Tim Snyder (lead vocals, violin, guitar, songwriter) who upon returning from his trip studying music in Spain in 2002, was inspired to develop his hand-picked band, which he poached from his alma-mater, the Jazz Department at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Sol’Jibe has supported acts including Michael Franti (Spearhead), Robert Randolph, the legendary Steel Pulse, Charlie Hunter Trio, Michael McDonald, Eric McFadden and more.

“The whole reason you perform and keep performing is to change and evolve. This new album is exciting for anybody that’s been part of the Sol’Jibe family for so many years.”

- Justin Kruger (percussion)

Festivals they have played include:

- Joshua Tree Music Festival (08’)
- Earthdance Northern California (08’)
- Seattle Hempfest (08’)
- Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival (08’)
- Lightning In A Bottle (08’)
- Moscow Mardi Gras (08’)
- High Sierra Music Fest (07’ - 08’)
- Yaak Wilderness Festival (07’ - 08’)
- MT Performing Arts Consortium (07’)
- Babb Fest & Portland Pirate Festival (07’)
- BSU Spring Fling (07’)+
- Jazz & Beyond Festival (07’)
- Moscow Renaissance Fair (07’)
- Jerry Fest (06’ - 07’)
- ArtsNW Booking Conference (06’)
- Sundance Film Festival (05’ - 06’)

The Oregonian said of Sol'Jibe:

"Sol'Jibe -- Take Rusted Root, Santana and Phish, add a dash of flamenco music and a smidgen of jazz, bake in a Spanish adobe kiln, and this band's music will come out. Piping hot. These guys are working to redefine the very nomenclature of a 'jam band.'"

If one was pressed to say whom they sounded like, it wouldn't be a bad guess to state, Dave Matthews Band vs. Gypsy Kings.

Sol’Jibe will be joined by The Nibblers (Hans Eberbach formerly on label with Sweetvibe at Atlantic Records) and Private Criminals, whom hail from the Foothills and play shows around the North Shore, Lake Tahoe.

If Sol’Jibe can drive 15 hours through three states in one day to perform in Sacramento, local music lovers should return the favor by spreading the word.

The first 15 bicyclists will get in free. Bring 3 friends and the fourth gets in free.
Between sets, bicycle certificates and gear will be given away including one year memberships to The Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen, College Cyclery and free rentals at Bites and Bikes.

21+ with ID, $10 per person. Tickets available online at harlows.com

More info at Sacvibe.com

Music of Sol'Jibe: myspace.com/soljibe

West Coast Brew Fest turns 10 today.

2009-05-16T14:51:45Z

The biggest brew festival in Sacramento turns 10 today at the same location is was launched - on the banks of the Sacramento River at Miller Park surrounded by giant Sycamores and the gentle breeze from the Delta. Last year, the festival saw the first 100 degree mark and today it seems it may also scrape the tripple digits making it the best event in town to cool off with.

The West Coast Brew Festival has been drawing thousands of beer lovers from all over Northern California for years and this year, event organizer, Matson Breaky stated last night that the numbers are up and over any year before including pre-event ticket sales.

The festival features more than 50 micros bringing in an estimated 300+ kegs worth of libations, slow cooked food, cigars, a bicycle raffle (Mad Cats), arts and crafts, live music and more including a dog friendly vibe and $5 entry for designated drivers.

Parking is very limited with an overflow lot just North of the main intersection before entering the long road into Miller Park. Savvy goers ride bicycles but this year, with mainstream media picking up on this event, regulars should expect an impacted parking situation for both cars and bicycles. Hint to cyclists, if you have trouble finding a post to lock up to, lock up to three or four of your friend's bikes and it's a safe bet nobody will walk off them. The more you can lock up to, the better.

Gates open to the VIP for the luncheon and private tasting at noon but it's believed those tickets are gone at $100 a pop. The general admissino gates open at 1 p.m.and the event closes down officially at 5 p.m. but usually starts running dry by around 4:15.

Youth under 16 are free as are dogs. No swimming allowed and anybody trying to climb over the security fence will be escorted out.

All photos courtesy Sacvibe.com with permission.

Santigold brings unique international freak dub style to Sacramento

2009-04-30T20:42:38Z

Santigold is a self-professed non-person. Rather, Santigold (born Santi White) is a musical collective whose front woman can be described as one of the most fun and serious artists today. The poignant and righteous lyrics are blended so sexily, super freaks around the globe from Michael Jackson to Libyan ruler Moammar Qaddafi are known to have even downloaded Santigold's music as leaks (probably bit torrents) before they were even published in 2008.

A relatively unknown artist until about 2007, Santogold changed her name to Santigold in 2008 (Santogold was taken already by a third rate B move wanna-be movie producer/singer) and went on to tour and or play with Bjork, Coldplay, Kanye West, Jay-Z and even the Beastie Boys.

She's made waves in the biggest music magaznes around the world from Rolling Stone to BBC and is in heavy rotation at night clubs in some of the most dangerous countries in the world inlcuding Beruit and Afghanistan. Even more interesting is that Sanitgold is apparently a popular act on the MIR International Space Station. Now let's take it even further. Some 3,000 miles away in Cape Hope, she broadcast a live simulcast to Fort Leavenworth (Kansas) where prisoners were reported to have celebrated with confetti.

White has been compared to and written about in music magazines as R&B and Hip Hop. She agrily rebukes those comparisons stating that critics and online music vendors make those comparisons because she is black, saying that that was racist.

"Everyone is just so shocked that I don't like R&B. Are you shocked that Good Charlotte isn't into R&B? Why does R&B keep coming into my interviews? It's pissing me off. I didn't grow up as a big fan of R&B and, like, what is the big shocker? It's stupid."

From Myspace/santigold -

Composed of absolutely no members, Santigold is also the first musical outfit capable of claiming the planet’s broiling collective consciousness as their front woman. Longtime collaborator, singer and songwriter Santi White says of her work with Santigold, “We began trying to write pop songs to sell, which made us depressed, so we started writing songs for ourselves instead.” The results of that self centered conceit is the songwriting work heard for the first time on the full length self-titled Santigold album, released in 2008 on Downtown/Lizard King (US) and Atlantic (UK).

As unmastered tracks leaked over the internet this past November, the request lines of radio stations from Miami to Hanoi began freezing with a flood of calls from listeners eager to hear the new Santigold sound over their frequencies. From his radio show in the United Arab Emirates capital city of Abu Dhabi, Michael Jackson (the King of Pop) played what Santigold snippets he had been able to pirate from a bootleg MySpace page dedicated to the group. Days later, BBC Radio One reported that the unreleased Santigold debut was heard blasting from the iPod shuffle of Libyan ruler Moammar Qaddafi as he entered an international summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja. Recognizing the urgent need to address the uproarious buzz, Santigold released the following statement through their label reps : “The response to our unmastered songs has been both premature and phenomenal! We were happy to hear that the children of Darfur have found hope in our melodic interpretation of life on the battlefield of love! We’re hoping that each and every 20-something from downtown San Francisco to central Mumbai will also learn something from our work! And to the people dropping no-knock fire on old ladies in Atlanta: shame on you! Santigold ain’t with that shit!”

Last week, Santigold was announced in the lineup for Lallapalooza in Chicago later this summer playing alongside such notables as Janes Addiction, Depeche Mode, Tool, Beastie Boys and TV on the Radio.

Santigold performs in San Francisco on May 21 and at Empire Events Center in Sacramento on May 22.

On May 1, Santigold will perform at a $100 per person, invite only show in New York to raise money for The Art of Elysium, a non-profit organization founded in 1997, encourages working actors, artists and musicians to voluntarily dedicate their time and talent to children who are battling serious medical conditions. They provide artistic workshops in the following disciplines: acting, art, comedy, fashion, music, radio, songwriting and creative writing. The Brooklyn Vegan published a story saying that a live stream will be fed online. You can check it out on May 1 at www.thegreenespace.org/thegreenespace/

For more information on this and dozens of other shows, visit Sacvibe.com/concerts

Santigold - 2009 Tour Dates
May 21 The Warfield San Francisco, California #
May 22 Empire Sacramento, California #
May 24 Cuthbert Amphitheatre Eugene, Oregon
May 25 Sasquatch! Festival @ The Gorge George, Washington
May 28 First Avenue Minneapolis, Minnesota #
May 29 Peoples Court Des Moines, Iowa #
May 31 Rams Head Live Baltimore, Maryland #
Jun 1 House of Blues Boston, Massachusetts #
Jun 3 Phoenix Concert Theatre Toronto, Ontario #
Jun 4 Metropolis Montreal, Quebec #
Jun 6 The Roots Picnic @ Festival Pier Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jun 7 The Norva Norfolk, Virginia #
Jun 9 Terminal 5 New York, New York #
Jun 10 9:30 Club Washington DC, Washington DC #
Jun 12 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival Manchester, Tennessee
Jun 13 Barcardi B Live @ The Pageant St. Louis, Missouri #
Jun 15 Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater Austin, Texas #
Jun 17 House of Blues Houston, Texas #
Jun 18 House of Blues Dallas, Texas #
Jun 20 Rialto Theatre Tucson, Arizona #
Jun 21 Hollywood Bowl / KCRW World Festival Series Hollywood, California
Jul 4 Oslo Live Oslo
Jul 5 Heineken Open Air Festival Gdynia
Jul 7 Elysee Monmartre (Headline Show) Paris
Jul 10 Splash Halbinsel Pouch Leipzig
Jul 11 Traffic Festival Turin
Jul 13 ROXY Event @ France Viux Plage Biarritz
Jul 15 5 Days Off @ Paradiso Amsterdam
Jul 18 Garden NEF Angoulême
Jul 24 Beat Festival St Poelten
Jul 27 Central Station (Headline Show) Darmstadt
Jul 29 Grosse Freiheit (Headline Show) Hamburg
Jul 30 Live Music Hall (Headline Show) Cologne
Aug 1 Field Day London
Aug 2 Underage Festival London
Aug 7 Lollapalooza Chicago, Illinois
# w/ Amanda Blank and Trouble Andrew

San Francisco Mayor Newsom woos young voters with free concert

2009-04-27T23:50:36Z

Let’s not mince words: political conventions are boring and a party convention is an oxymoron plain and simple. If you’ve been to one then you
know. Sure, the Democrats throw better parties than the Republicans. Hell, the new chairman of the Democratic Party, John Burton, is an admitted cocaine addict and known womanizer. But I digress.

For anybody who's been to a party convention, whether as a delegate, officer or volunteer, it's a fact that the highlight of a convention weekend is the dozen or so "hospitality suites" wherein various caucuses host parties inside the hotel. Usually the best party is hosted by the California Young Democrats who rent out a large hall and host a DJ, full bar and ample room for dancing and rubbing elbows.

This year, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom took the whole party thing to a new level by hosting an outdoor bloc party and concert. The backstage was built between The Depot and Lounge on 20. The main floor was blacked out all around and ran half a block just past the Sacramento News & Review.

By 5 p.m. word had spread throughout midtown that Wyclef Jean of The Fugees was in town and gearing up to play a show at the bloc party. What’s more – it was free. A free concert with Wyclef Jean at an outdoor bloc party in midtown? Yeah, the only caveat was that you had to either be a delegate, a member of the California Young Democrats (a.k.a. College Democrats) or be really good friends with one of the two groups. There’s the rub. Of course, Capitol staffers simply waved their ID cards to gain access.

One reporter from San Francisco wrote that Newsom’s team expected 3,000 attendees. But by 11:00 p.m., official reports estimated about 1,000 in force and I doubt even that. Maybe next time Newsom decides to throw a party in Sacramento, he might want to invite some of the locals who actually live and work here — and vote.

Here's a short video of the action on Saturday night. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2XUiXV_ZPQ

Free 'Spring Extreme Makeover Party' April 18

2009-04-17T18:44:51Z

A network of local women business owners in the downtown area are putting on a free event event for women on Saturday, April 18. The Spring Extreme Makeover Party was initiated by Denise Fraser, owner and trainer at Ftizone Studio in midtown.

Five professionals representing various facets of the health and beauty industry will be showcasing their expertise from hair and organic skin care to workouts and diet/nutrition tips. The evening's program includes hair demos, health tips, makeup demos and eyebrow design as well as a special exhibition by a Las Vegas based hair expert.

"I'm trying to help women through education and opportunites to see how they can improve their overall health and image. Everybody wants to look their best. Nothing is as empowering as feeling and looking great. Some people use crash diets and shopping binges as a way to improve their self image, but those methods do not provide long-term satisfaction. Our programs are geared to provide real results in the pursuit of health and fitness."

Attendees will receive various incentives from each of the five professionals including a free pilates workout, half off a makeup sesion by SacMakeUp, half off a hair style and a 20% discount on any service from Papillion urban organic skin care.

The event starts at 6:00 p.m. and runs through 9:00 p.m. and will take place inside Fitzone Studio at 1215 21st Street , Suite A. Refreshments will be served. Men are encouraged to rack up kudos amongst their lady friends and share this information.

College Cyclery to host "Pro-Am" bike sale and demo

2009-03-23T23:47:18Z

Eight professional mountain bike riders including world-renowned rider and course builder Randy Spangler, will be at College Cyclery this weekend selling their bikes and gear. A nice thing about being a pro rider is that sponsors throw down big bucks to ensure that their riders have the best equipment. This is your chance to find out what they ride, how they ride and get crazy deals on top-notch bikes and gear.

College Cyclery has been around since 1936 making it the oldest shop in town. Known as the kings-of-kustoms, this shop puts out some of the baddest looking bikes in town. The public is also allowed to open "shop" temporarily at the "Customer Appreciation Sidewalk Sale" and sell their bike(s) and bike related gear.

Company reps will also be on deck giving away swag and College Cyclery will be serving up fresh coffee. Customers who make a purchase will receive a free ticket to attend the first public viewing of the "College Compound" to witness the pro's ride the dirt track and partake in the family style B-B-Q. The "after-party" starts at 2 p.m. Folks wishing to sell at the event should contact info at collegecyclery.biz or call (916) 456-2042 and ask for Loreen or shop owner and dragster race, Terry Cox.

Pro riders include:

Randy Spangler

Jamie Goldman

Alex Reveles

Josh Bender

Ryan Howard

Kyle Jameson

Duncan Riffle

Brad Benedict