Five bucks.
It sure doesn’t go as far as it used to.
What follows is a short list of things that you can purchase for $5:
- 1.25 gallons of gas
- 1.33 gallons of milk
- 3.875 songs on iTunes
- 2.86 tacos from Chando’s or 4 from Lalo’s (Lalo’s are better anyways)
- 1 foreign or microbrew at Streets of London, if it’s happy hour
- A large white mocha or caramel macchiato or pumpkin latte or whatever the hell the kids are drinking these days
- .8333 $5 foot-longs from Subway ($5 foot-longs actually cost $6. It’s tough all over.)
- A Sunday Chronicle and a bagel with butter (maybe)
- 3 pictures of this chick with the slogan of your choice written on her face
- 1 picture of that same slogan on a piece of toast
Slim pickin’s, right? Fret not, for there is a place where $5 still has some real purchasing power. What if I told you, for $5, you could get seven hours of live music performed by some of the best bands Sacramento has to offer, all with an idyllic backdrop of the beautiful Sacramento River?
"Is this heaven?" you might ask, full of wonder.
"No," I would answer, affectionately tousling your hair. "It’s just Shannapalooza."
This Saturday Swabbies Bar and Restaurant is hosting the fifth annual Shannapalooza. What started as a birthday party for friends and family in the woods is now one of the year’s best showcases of local musical talent.
This year’s headliners are Sacramento pied-pipers of funk, The Nibblers. These soulful cats love to party, and they are celebrating the release of their brand spanking new album, "So Much Trouble," so you know they’ll be at their rip-roaring best. Dancing shoes and party hats aren’t required, but they are strongly recommended.
Walking Spanish will be filling the pre-Nibblers slot in the lineup. The same Walking Spanish that will have Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers opening for them the following week at Concerts in the Park. The same Walking Spanish whose "Wishbones" I consider to be one of the best albums released this year by anybody, anywhere. These guys are no joke and put on an amazing show. See them now, because they aren’t going to be a "local" band for much longer.
Joining my two favorite Sacramento bands on the bill are Indian from Pluto & Joe Byrd, Crossing the River and In the No, whose jammy-latin-jazz-fusion I’ve been listening to all afternoon and am fully smitten with.
Who says you can’t get anything for $5 anymore?
Shannapalooza will be popping off (rain or shine) on Saturday, June 4th, from 3pm until 10pm ("or until the police shut [em] down").
Shannapalooza will be going down at Swabbies, 5871 Garden Highway, Sacramento.
Shannapalooza is an all ages show with a full service bar and restaurant.
