Harlow’s night club was converged upon Friday night by artists, musicians, designers, community leaders and culture enthusiasts to help support and celebrate the creative hub of Sacramento known as Midtown. The 2011 Midtown Business Association Annual Gala included exhibits by various local businesses, performances by local musicians and artists, and a lecture by Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Policy, Planning and Development and author of, “The Warhol Economy: How Art, Fashion, and Music Drive New York City.” Harlow’s was elegantly decorated with round tables on the dance floor topped with black linen, centerpieces of w

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

“Freedom has not come as a gift, but as a triumph.” –Alice Paul The 1911 victory for California women made California the sixth state to win equal suffrage for women. The California win doubled the number of women who could vote in the United States, building electoral power and support for the 1920 passing of the 19th amendment, which would give all women in the country the right to vote. The Sacramento History Museum has unveiled a unique and wonderfully elaborate exhibition detailing the long struggle women fought to win the vote, not only in California but in all of the United States, aptly titled “We Won the Vote! 100 years of Equal Suffrage in California.” The exhibit displays tru

The So-Cal Speed Shop Warehouse was in full swing Saturday as it hosted Sacramento Swing Time 2011. This family friendly event included a wide variety of activities including a car show, pin-up pageant, arts and crafts workshops, swing dance lessons, an amazing lineup of rock-a-billy, psychobilly and big band swing bands. There was also, of course, a plethora of retail and food exhibits. The parking lot was scattered with vintage cars dating from the 1920’s through the 1960’s, many with custom paint jobs and rebuilt engines. The chrome sparkled in the sunlight as the participants enjoyed beverages and relaxed in the sun, showing off their hard work and admiring the work of others. Also o

Ace of Spades was in full groove Wednesday night as a high-energy and highly diverse group of performers rocked the stage, leading up to headliners Fitz and the Tantrums. The party began with Sacramento natives The New Humans, who warmed up the crowd with an enthusiastic set of electro-indie rock beats. The four-piece band, consisting of keyboard, synth, bass guitar and drums, has been making their mark on the Sacramento music scene for years, and they were the perfect opening act to get everyone ready for what was to be a magical night of music. As the music continued, the crowd grew, and by the end of the performance, the full house was in a frenzy, loving every minute of what The New