Dive into Sacramento & its Surrounding Areas september 13 – 27, 2010
#68
free
Krist Novoselic
Spirit of Independence
Signature Style
Ex-Mars V o l t a drummer’s
Broke Ass
The Memorials
on the cheap
new project
College
Ballin’ R a d i o A l i v e Channel
your
inner foodie
&
W e l l
smashing pumpkins
& helmet LIve! Risqué Nites turns Two
2
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
20
contents
12
10
17 cofounder/ Editor in Chief/Art Director
Melissa Welliver melissa@submergemag.com cofounder/ Advertising Director
Jonathan Carabba jonathan@submergemag.com Advertising sales
Josselin Basaldu josselin@submergemag.com senior editor
James Barone Contributing editor
Mandy Johnston
Contributing Writers
Joseph Atkins, Robin Bacior, Josselin Basaldu, Corey Bloom, Bocephus Chigger, Liz Franco, Brad Fuhrman, Anthony Giannotti, Blake Gillespie, Vince Girimonte, Bobby S. Gulshan, Ryan L. Prado, Adam Saake
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Blake Gillespie, Monica McStotts
68
dive in back in session
sept. 13 –27
2010
Dive in The Stream The Optimistic Pessimist Submerge your senses The Memorials Big Boi Broke Ass Ballin’ Academic Airwaves Krist Novoselic Calendar Live<<Rewind
Helmet, Bison B.C., will haven
Live<<Rewind Smashing Pumpkins
the shallow end All content is property of Submerge and may not be reproduced without permission. Visit www.submergemag.com to view more material you can’t have. Submerge is both owned and published by Submerge Network. All opinions expressed throughout Submerge are those of the author and do not necessarily mean we all share those opinions. Feel free to take a copy or two for free, but please don’t remove our papers or throw them away. Submerge welcomes letters of all kinds, whether they are full of love or hate. We want to know what is on your mind, so feel free to contact us via snail mail at 2443 Fair Oaks Blvd. #508, Sacramento, Calif. 95825. Or you can e-mail us at info@submergemag.com. Your opinion matters to us, believe it or not, so please feel free to speak your mind and we just might listen. Thanks for reading Submerge!
front cover photo by Jonathan Mannion back cover illustration by mat held
Melissa welliver melissa@submergemag.com Summer break is officially over and the majority of our area’s colleges are back in session, with the exception of UC Davis. But don’t fret; they’ll be starting up very soon. Since we have tons of readers on campuses in the area, especially in Davis, we thought it would be only fair to wait ‘til they’re about to start before we ran with our back-to-school stories. In this issue we have two feature stories that I’d say are pretty damn college-related. Though, if you have already done your time, I’m confident you will enjoy reading them too. We have a great double feature on our two favorite college radio stations: Sacramento State’s KSSU and UC Davis’ KDVS. Get your learn on about these free and independently run stations on page 17. Also in this issue we have a great foodie-on-a-dime feature. I don’t know about you, but I was a broke ass in college—and technically still am—but I always felt you shouldn’t have to break the bank just to experience some of the finer restaurants in town. Luckily for you, we sent one of our writers to a few select establishments in Sacramento to tell you about what each place has to offer for around $20 or under. Get the 411 on Ella, Red Lotus, Tuli Bistro, 58 Degrees and Holding Co. and Bistro 33 starting on page 14. When discovering that rapper Big Boi (of OutKast) had two shows in Northern California (unfortunately not in Sacramento but just a hop, skip and jump away to Arcata or San Francisco), I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to set up an interview and feature him in our back-to-school issue. Though I haven’t lived in the dorms for some time now, I could only imagine what the halls must sound like this fall with the release of Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty that came out less than two months ago. However, speaking from my current experience, it is a perfect album for those house parties, too. Boi, you’ve done it again! Please read our feature on page 12 and be sure to get your tickets for one of these shows fast, as I imagine they’ll sell out quick. I could go on and on about how great drummers can blow your mind, but I’ll save that for another column. Ex-Mars Volta drummer Thomas Pridgen has formed a new project called The Memorials; and in our interview with him on page 10, he discusses the reason for his new direction and what it’s like being in Oakland and playing rock music. You’ll be able to see this protégé perform at Harlow’s on Saturday, Sept. 26. Best known as Nirvana’s bass player, but currently active in local and grassroots politics, Krist Novoselic will be at Sacramento State on Thursday, Sept. 23 where he will give a free lecture discussing anecdotes and stories about the way social networking has already changed the terrain of elections and how social media are the “associations” of the 21st century. Flip to page 20 to read our interview with Novoselic. Also in this issue are two great show reviews of two legendary bands that recently came through town: Smashing Pumpkins (page 29) and Helmet (page 28)! Bummed you missed these shows? Didn’t know they were happening? Shame on you! Keep a copy of Submerge with you at all times (or hit up Submergemag.com from your phone) and be in the know! Enjoy issue #68, Melissa-Dubs
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
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The stream Like most of us, rock stars also can’t wait for season two of HBO’s Eastbound and Down. Jack White and Marilyn Manson both are awaiting the return of Kenny Powers to cable television. The latter even dresses up like the overweight ex-major league star portrayed by actor Danny McBride. “Whenever I see Manson, he’s repeating entire chunks of dialogue and dressed like Kenny,” said Eastbound and Down director Adam Bhala Lough. “He just walks around dressed like this and fucks with people on the street.” Appropriately, Kenny’s response to the Manson photo via Twitter, “Yeah, so Marilyn Manson’s a big fan. Who the hell isn’t?” When not following Kenny Powers’ road back to the top, Manson has been filming his new movie Splatter Sisters, which also stars his on-again-off-again fianceé Evan Rachel Wood.
shock rocker heads eastbound & down Six months after joining Jane’s Addiction, former Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan has left. McKagan contributed to the band’s forthcoming album after replacing former bassist Eric Avery. The band issued a statement in an e-mail to fans: “We wanted to thank Duff for helping us write songs for our new record,” it said. “We love the songs we worked on with him—and the gigs were a blast—but musically we were all headed in different directions. From here Duff is off to work on his own stuff so we wish him all the best.” Loaded, the band McKagan fronts, is finishing up a record themselves produced by Terry Date (Soundgarden, Pantera, Deftones). Slipknot lost their bassist Paul Gray in June to a drug overdose, and singer Corey Taylor doesn’t envision the band carrying on without him. Taylor told radio station radio station FMQB, “I’m very conflicted about whether or not I want to do anything with Slipknot, because to me, Paul was such an integral part of the band,” he said. Taylor recently released a new album with his band Stone Sour on Sept. 7 via Roadrunner Records. Audio Secrecy is Stone Sour’s third album.
Brad Fuhrman & Jonathan Carabba
John Lennon’s killer, Mark Chapman, was denied parole this month for the sixth time. Chapman, who is now 55 years old, was convicted of second-degree murder in 1981. In August, Lennon’s widowed wife Yoko Ono wrote to the parole board at Attica prison in New York opposing the possible release of Mark Chapman. BBC News quoted the parole board as saying, “This premeditated, senseless and selfish act of tragic consequence… leads to the conclusion that your discretionary release remains inappropriate at this time and incompatible with the welfare of the community.” Hallelujah.
AV of the local hip-hop group State Cap recently phoned Submerge HQ to let us know about the release party for C Plus and DJ Flow’s new mix tape, All on Me, on Sept. 15 at Press Club, but we ended up picking his brain about something even more exciting. Turns out, C Plus has a full-length record of original material called All C.I.T.Y. dropping sometime this winter through DL Flow and AV’s label, Live at the Dojo (www.liveatthedojo.com, also where All on Me is available). Keep some room on that iPod, iPhone or iWhatever, because you’re going to want to snag everything you can from the Dojo crew.
And in other news… Britney Spears’ former bodyguard is suing Spears for sexual harassment. “She was wearing a white lace, see-through dress. She… intentionally dropped her cigarette lighter on the floor, bent over to retrieve it and thereby exposed her uncovered genitals. The incident caused [Flores] shock and disgust,” according to reports. Which probably means his wife found out. (B.F.)
That same day, about two hours later, Sacramento drummer Justin Goings called to inform us that his old band, Mister Metaphor, was getting back together for a show on Nov. 6 at Townhouse. Two rad phone calls (please note we said phone calls and not Twitter messages or Facebook wall posts) bearing great news from local musicians in one day? How refreshing! (J.C.) Send regional news tips to info@submergemag.com or call (916) 441-3803
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Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
The Optimistic Pessimist In a World of Make Believe Bocephus Chigger bocephus@submergemag.com We live in a world of make believe. People can literally make people believe something is true when it isn’t. No longer do we need to back up our stories with cumbersome “facts.” We just make them up as we go. The average American is way too lazy to actually verify the veracity of a piece of information. And eventually, if repeated enough, something make believe becomes true. Talk about manifest destiny! Our politicians and celebrities have shown us that the sky’s the limit when it comes to bullshitting things into existence. John McCain is the inspiration behind the Six Million Dollar Man. Of course, the story was embellished a bit as McCain wasn’t left with any bionic powers, just a robotic colon and a penchant for rich women. On an unrelated but still shocking note, McCain was born in Mexico and later smuggled across the border of Arizona. What a maverick! Not to be outdone, President Obama was actually born in Guantanamo Bay to lesbian Islamic terrorists! That explains why he won’t close the Cuban prison and why he hates America so much. And get this: he is racist toward both black and white people! What a hater! Still, he’s no Dick Cheney. Some of you are already aware that Dick Cheney coined the popular phrase, “Go fuck yourself,” but did you also know that he shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel? Before dying, Hamilton was able to land a shot to Cheney’s chest. While he did survive Hamilton’s blast, the injury has continued to cause him heart problems until only very recently when his heart was replaced with a pig’s anus. Michael Steele might not be a pig’s anus, but he has been compared to a horse’s ass. Michael Steele is also a double agent for the Democrats charged with wasting the Republicans’ campaign money on S&M clubs, private jets and vacations to U.S. territories that lack the power to vote. If you ask me, the man is doing one helluva job! Speaking of doing a helluva job, have you noticed that since the last election Sarah Palin is on television all the time? I heard it’s all part of her master plan to SubmergeMag.com
retake the mayor’s chair in Wasilla, Alaska. While most view this as a step backward, Palin believes being governor was “just too dang hard.” She’s also under the impression that Obama gets to be president until he dies. But it’s OK; she has bigger fish to fry now. Literally. Sarah Palin caught a 200-pound mud shark off the coast of Alaska. She named it “Glenn Beck” and will have it stuffed and mounted in her already impressive trophy room, right next to the head of our 26th president, Teddy Roosevelt. These days, everyone is all about Justin Bieber. Most of us have heard of the teen pop phenom, but did you know that Bieber was born a conjoined twin? His twin sister didn’t survive the birth, but her sex organs made the journey. For his sister’s sacrifice, Bieber is now the proud owner of both a penis and a vagina. Fortunately for his singing career, he lacks any balls whatsoever. He also has a hard time with playground slides due to his horizontal ass crack. While we’re on the subject of crack, let’s talk Mel Gibson. Mel has gotten a bum rap. My sources say he isn’t racist. In fact, his cleaning staff is made up entirely of minorities. He always uses Jewish lawyers and accountants because “they really know how to screw people.” And the rumors about his abusiveness toward women are just misunderstandings. He is not abusing them; he just likes to touch them really hard in the face, repeatedly. Unfortunately, the rumors about his appetite for baby flesh are true. But don’t hate him for that. After all, a man’s got to eat, right? A man has to do a lot of things, but Tom Cruise is no man. Tom wasn’t born of this planet. Before he came to Earth, he went by the name of Xenu, and he was the ruler of the Galactic Confederacy. In addition to changing his name, Tom also changed the name of this planet from TeeGeeack to Earth. Tom was using the planet to blow up fellow space men so he could collect their “thetans.” He was captured and locked up in an undisclosed mountain for many years, but he recently escaped. Don’t let him jump on your couch!
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
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Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas Audio Express — Sacramento Submerge — 9/13/2010
Your Senses SEE HEAR TASTE Touch
HEAR
Risqué Nites Two-Year Anniversary on Sept. 18
SEE
Ballet + Live Local Music On Sept. 17, Concerts 4 Charity is teaming up with Pamela Hayes Classical Ballet Theatre and a few great Sacramento bands to bring us a night of contemporary ballet performed to music by Sister Crayon, Drifting Shapes, Doom Bird and Exquisite Corps. The gorgeous Crest Theatre will host the event and proceeds will benefit children who don’t have the opportunity to get involved in the performing arts. For more information, look up Concerts 4 Charity at www.facebook.com/c4c.sacramento. The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are just $12 and are available at the Crest box office, at Bows and Arrows (1712 L Street) or online through Tickets.com (just search “Ballet + Live Local Music”).
TASTE
Jewish Food Faire
On Sept. 26, head to Congregation Beth Shalom, located at 4746 El Camino Avenue in Carmichael, for the 33rd annual Jewish Food Faire and gorge on some of the most delicious traditional and modern Jewish food you can get your hands on. This year’s event is a “Save the Deli” theme, and you’ll get to try worldfamous deli food from Cantar’s Deli in Los Angeles, Katz’s Deli in New York and Saul’s Deli in Berkeley. Also on the menu: lox and eggs, matzo ball soup, bagels and cream cheese, corned beef sandwiches, latkes, rye bread, falafel and much more. The event is free and kicks off bright and early at 9 a.m., and there will be live music and entertainment all day as well. For more information visit www.cbshalom.org.
When DJ Mike Diamond started a monthly dance night called Risqué Nites two years ago, he had no idea what he was in for. The blood, sweat and tears he and his crew of tight-knit supporters have spilled have been well worth it though, as Risqué continues to be one of Sacramento’s most adored dance nights. They’ve brought some real talent through town to headline, including Steve Aoki, Designer Drugs, Wallpaper, LA Riots and more. “The whole party-throwing scene is about three things,” Diamond says. “Taking risks, being innovative and commitment. If you have a solid team and friends helping you, anything can be done.” On Sept. 18, Diamond and fellow resident DJs Sex and Weight and My Cousin Vinny will celebrate their two-year anniversary at Club 21 with headliners Religion, a Los Angeles-based producer/DJ duo. Submerge recently caught up with Diamond to pick his brain about his success with Risqué Nites. For more information, hit up www.risquenites.com. When you started this thing two years ago, what did you expect it to turn into? The last two years exceeded anything I thought was ever going to happen for myself and for Risqué as a club night. I had no idea what I was doing so I wasn’t sure if it was going to make it past the first two nights. After observing others, I knew the potential Risqué had, but wasn’t sure if I was the guy for the job. What are a couple of your favorite highlights from the past two years at Risqué? The most memorable Risqué for me was when Designer Drugs came out in late 2009. They were a big inspiration to me while starting DJing and throwing parties, so to finally meet them was a big accomplishment. The night was also the most packed I’ve ever seen Club 21, and people were going crazy! When the lights came on at the end we saw so many people had taken off their shirts or articles of clothing. It was also the night of the first Risqué stage dive and that was pretty epic to see. Another night was when we had our Pilgrims and Indians party in November. As innocent as it sounds, I’ve never seen people make pilgrim and Indian outfits looks so “risqué.” It was pretty awesome. I’ve seen so many crazy things while at Risqué, some good some bad, but I could go on forever.
Who could you have not done this without? Who’s been with you through the thick and thin and helped keep Risqué a hit month after month? My two biggest helping hands and partners are Paul and Brandy Brizulea of UnitedState. They’ve [ridden] this thing out from the start and have never left me hanging for the last 23 months. My two resident DJs, Sex and Weight [Miguel Francis] and My Cousin Vinny [Vinny Miranda] , are some of the most talented and understanding people to work with also. As friends we all are able to conduct business with such ease it seems like every month we just meet at the same place and time to party with Sacramento for a night. What’s next for Risqué? Do you plan on keeping it going for as long as you can? We definitely are going to raise the bar and bring more quality DJs and electronica music events to Northern California. Time will tell how long we keep this going, but I know none of us plan on stopping any time soon. Even if Risqué ended for a period of time, it would only be to reassemble and do it all over again, because we all still have our individual passions for music and helping Sacramento nightlife.
TOUCH
Free Pool at Monkey Bar Did you know that pool is free from 7 p.m. to close on Monday nights at Monkey Bar? If not, now you do. So if you’ve got a case of the Mondays, round up some friends, grab a few drinks and get to rackin’ and shootin’. SubmergeMag.com
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
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wed, sept 22
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nightmare in twilight • jack ketch • leviathon
fri, sept 24
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
sat, oct 2
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
Misery
sat, sept 18
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
arden park roots • stalking distance katastro The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
thurs, oct 7
sat, sept 25
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
Josiah Leming
the atlantic
Mon, sept 20
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
fri, oct 8
paper melody • the american scene The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
sun, sept 26
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
ten after two
my darkest days • Black sunshine The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
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The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
thurs, Nov 11
suN, oct 24
sat, oct 9
the Muertones
artist vs poet The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
Carnifex • armed for the apoCalypse and caMe back brutal awaiting the apoCalypse
sat, oct 30
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
tue, Nov 16
weD, oct 13
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
weD, oct 27
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
anarbor • the dangerous summer • Conditions
tues, Nov 2
Tropicana • 1696 arden way • sacramenTo
raider dave alias john brown salasi • gambizi des • who ride quette daddie The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
sat, Nov 20
tues, oct 19
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
suN, Nov 7
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
fri, Nov 19
thiur, oct 14
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
thurs, Nov 18
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
sierra skyline
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
Tropicana • 1696 arden way • sacramenTo
perls maChette fight The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
City Comma state The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
ALL SHOWS ALL AGES SubmergeMag.com
sat, Dec 18
fri, oct 22
moN, Nov 8
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
suN, Nov 21
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale
The TickeTs availaBle @ dimple records, The BeaT, armadillo(davis), TickeTs.com, musicToday.com, Boardwalkrocks.com and Boardwalk Box office
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
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We All Got The Beat Thomas Pridgen
Makes Honest Sounds for Anyone and Everyone With The Memorials Words Robin Bacior
The most stereotypical complaint of any musicians attempting to form a band is that there just aren’t enough drummers in the world. Percussion is the heartbeat, that aggressive slap of stick to skin or steel, an intensity that can’t be mimicked by any other instrument. So why the lack of drummers when they add so much? There’s something so universally understood, yet confusing, about drums; but not for people like Thomas Pridgen, who started playing early on, not even as a conscious decision. “My grandmother was a piano player in the church,” explained Pridgen. “Where I grew up, all the drummers used to switch off. It was kind of like playing basketball in the hood; everybody did it, so I had no choice but to.” Pridgen quickly separated himself as a prodigious talent. Not only did he win The Guitar Center drum-off at age 9, and a year later become the youngest recipient of a Zildjian endorsement, but he also was given a full scholarship to the esteemed Berklee School of Music, at age 15. “Yeah, I was a little badass,” said Pridgen with a laugh. Now only 26, he’s played with musicians like Dennis Chambers and Walfredo Reyes, Jr., and enjoyed a stint with the highly regarded, extraordinarily progressive force known as The Mars Volta. At one point while working as a musical director for a childhood friend, Pridgen received a somewhat out-of-the-blue invitation from prog-rock luminary Omar Rodriguez Lopez to hang out on Halloween. In the middle of a few drinks, Lopez casually mentioned he wanted Pridgen to join their set for the night, which happened to be opening for
“Sometimes as musicians you kind of feel like stuff you’re doing is over people’s heads, and sometimes when the normal person can like what you’re doing, and actually gravitate toward it, it’s kind of big.” – Thomas Pridgen 10
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Red Hot Chili Peppers to an audience of roughly 20,000 people. That was essentially the beginning of Pridgen’s time with The Mars Volta, during which he found a home for his somewhat aurally chaotic style that he thought was outside of most listeners’ realms of tolerance. In fact, they not only understood it, but liked it. “Sometimes as musicians you kind of feel like stuff you’re doing is over people’s heads, and sometimes when the normal person can like what you’re doing, and actually gravitate toward it, it’s kind of big,” Pridgen said. “I learned I can play all my crazy shit and be as crazy as I want, and it wasn’t far from normal. It wasn’t too abstract that people didn’t get it.” In December 2009, Pridgen decided to break from Volta and focus on his own creation, something to fill a certain void he felt existed in the current state of rock music. Something that’s purely about sound, regardless of style or ethnicity. “It’s kind of like if you’re a gangster rapper and you’re from the suburbs then nobody respects you, so in this [rock music], nobody cares where you’re from; but for us, we’re from the hood, from the ghetto, especially when I’m living in Oakland, where it’s predominately black and they’re not playing rock. It’s predominately hip-hop and R&B,” Pridgen said. “I could walk anywhere in my type of black neighborhood and they would not recognize me, but then when I come to more eclectic neighborhoods, they’re like ‘you’re the guy from The Mars Volta!’” It can be hard to maintain a balance of equally representing your individual style and self with music, especially if the two haven’t historically gone hand-in-hand, but it’s something that Pridgen strives for, and feels like people can get behind. “For me it’s kind of like a fine line, of trying to have people that respect you and know you’re from a place that’s predominately urban or whatever, and to do a music that most people of your color aren’t doing,” Pridgen said. “That’s why I feel like that voice is missing; Fishbone and Bad Brains, they’re super older than us, there aren’t too many young bands that come from where we come from.” Pridgen wanted to assemble a band that didn’t have to build an image around the sound, but more just played honestly what they felt regardless of suit or trends. “We don’t go play rock music and dress up like we’re in the ‘80s. We go and look just like we look when I walk in the hood, so for people my color to see that, it’s inspiring,” Pridgen said. “It’s inspiring to me to see other people—even if they’re not black—just to see people doing their kind of music with 100 percent passion,” Pridgen said. From all this came the birth of his newest project, The Memorials. The drums are the meat of The Memorials, with Pridgen’s impressively clean and rapid percussive builds that make for a thick base for their songs, melted over by Nick Brewer’s hammered/licked and sustained electric-guitar noises, drizzled with a glaze of Viveca Hawkin’s smooth, mellow vocals. Stacked and peppered with cameo contributions from various talented instrumentalists (Uriah Duffy on bass, Michael Aaberg on keys), it makes for a unique plate that at one point Pridgen might have questioned if people could even stomach, but now realizes they may even crave. “I never thought it would fail, but I never thought it would be this big so fast,” Pridgen said. In the history of Pridgen’s impressively long resume of collaborating with other talent, this is the first time he’s actually the appointed head of a group. While it might sound like more pressure, it’s around the same level of obligation, just more hands-on in the entire process of a band’s duties. “The only difference is I’m there from ground one—all the mixing and mastering, all the headaches—I’m getting the brunt of it,” Pridgen said. “It’s just a lot more on my shoulders, but it’s actually more fun.” Not even a year old, The Memorials will be releasing their first record on Nov. 23, according to Pridgen. Coincidentally, the date is also his birthday. However, they’re more excited to go test them out in front of crowds. “We made all these songs so we could go play them live,” Pridgen said. The core focus of The Memorials is to be able to play as many live shows as possible, to offer their eclectic creation to whomever wants to listen, and to be reciprocated with the experience of finetuning that very sound. Even though the group is now a solid trio, they remain open to guests and new ideas. “I’m totally open to experiment, because See The Memorials play I don’t want to make the same kind of live at Harlow’s on Sept. 25. Showtime is 10 p.m. records over and over again,” Pridgen said. and tickets are $12. Go No matter who comes or goes, there to www.harlows.com for will of course, always be drums. more information. Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
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Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010 N E W S & R E V I E W B U S I N E S S U S E O N LY DESIGNER
PG
ISSUE DATE
09.09.10
ACCT. EXEC.
JRB
OutKast’s Big Boi dons a fresh persona on solo debut
N
words Vincent Girimonte • Photo Jonathan Mannion
obody would fault Big Boi if he were to sit at home—one of his homes, maybe—put his feet on stacks of platinum 45s and take dog slumbers until his kids tugged on his socks. This is as true today as it was 10 years ago, and maybe a few years before that—it’s been 16 years, even, since OutKast’s Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, and not much has changed, at least in the sense that there will never be enough Big Boi and André 3000 to go around. The flipside of that coin may be best depicted by a recent Tweet, simply exclaiming “University of Iowa!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Big Boi (Antwan Patton), touring the United States at a svelte 35 and pushing his fantastic first official solo release, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, can’t seem to shake the DNA that propelled him into the spotlight as a youngster. “I’ve been in the game since I was a teenager, basically grew up in this,” he says. “I believed, but I never imagined it’d take me this far.” How Big Boi met Dré is worn material: performing arts high school in Atlanta, teenage but not rival MCs signed shortly thereafter, and the rest is the so-called sweet soul, G-funk-meets-Southern-fried history. The aftermath of the Big Boi and André hiatus, which they declared back in 2006, is perhaps the more compelling tale, albeit also worn out if not a bit drawn out at this point. Sir Lucious… began recording in 2007, ultimately to be released on Jive Records, the entity that absorbed OutKast’s longtime label, LaFace (Arista) Records. What ensued was more or less a rehashing of the classic corporate omnipotence versus artistic integrity; Sir Lucious… was tagged as overly artistic, unmarketable— words often de facto euphemisms for excellent, ambitious or at the very least, interesting. “‘Shutterbug’ had been done for almost three years, but Jive didn’t believe,” he says, speaking on the album’s Scott Storch club-buster single (two words: music video). “They wanted me to follow trends, make another ‘Lollipop.’ I love that song, and no disrespect to [Lil] Wayne, but come on, how are you going to tell me to try to copy someone’s style?” Most of the recording had been completed on Jive money—Big Boi says it’s essentially the same album minus a few tracks featuring André 3000, who, unlike Big Boi, is still signed with Jive—but the finishing touches were sewn under Def Jam, reconnecting Big Boi with LA Reid, founder of LaFace Records. As for Jive
12
asking Big Boi to “cover” Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop”: “I took that as disrespect.” “Being at Def Jam and back with LA Reid is like going back home,” he says. “He’s one of the first and few people in this industry that believed in me and Dré from the very beginning.” Jive probably had their reasons for essentially dropping what many have called the hip-hop album of the year, but it’s really hard to conjure up a decent one, at least to a guy who wasn’t in the room. Put it this way: somebody lost their job. Sir Lucious is gloriously, triumphantly scatterbrained, dabbling in funk, empowering the ‘80s synth and devolving into dubstep rhythm on a track featuring George Clinton—because of course it would. If there’s a thread to be found, it’s quite simply how well it all comes together.
strobe while lyrically intricate. André 3000, prohibited by Jive from laying down verses for Sir Lucious, does receive a production credit for “You Ain’t No DJ,” a manic, demented cowbell beat featuring fellow ATLien Yelawolf, one of many high-powered collaborations. (Regrettably, a Kate Bush—Big Boi’s favorite artist— cameo fell through for Sir Lucious...; “If you’re reading this then holler at me, Kate!”) All of the production glitz, like the Jive dispute, has perhaps overshadowed some of Big Boi’s most refined writing. Getting into his old man years, he still manages to keep a fresh, at times hyper-topical, perspective. “Sir Lucious is me doing my grown man,” he says of Sir Lucious being one of several Big Boi rap personas. Indeed, the album speaks of years on the scene—ups, downs and “busters.” Politics too, such as in “Daddy Fat Sax,” the second track on Sir Lucious…: “And who
“They wanted me to follow trends, make another ‘Lollipop.’ I love that song, and no disrespect to [Lil] Wayne, but come on, how are you going to tell me to try to copy someone’s style?” – Big Boi “You can always tell it’s an OutKast record or Big Boi record because we love taking it in a direction you didn’t expect,” he says. Aquemini, OutKast’s third release on LaFace, solidified the duo’s position as hip-hop’s boundary pushers; “Rosa Parks,” perhaps Aquemini’s lasting single, is bridged with a front-porch, kneeslapping harmonica boogie, at once perplexing and infesting the listener’s conscience. But OutKast has always used heavy-handed concepts in their recording while avoiding the dreaded “concept album.” Sir Lucious... employs a similar ethos, pulling but never piggybacking, creating something fresh while maintaining a steady bump-bump. “First of all, the drums have to knock. Funk/soul, it’s all about that boom so that definitely has to be there,” Big Boi says, laying some ground rules for production. The aforementioned “Shutterbug” does well to embody this album’s unapologetic club-ness, using synths and sweet vocals over tight percussion bars. “Tangerine,” featuring T.I. and Khujo from Goodie Mob (“That’s how you represent the A right there, going in strong!”), is in the same vein of classy club—dirty enough for the
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
you votin’ for, Republican or Democratic? Don’t say it doesn’t matter ‘cause that’s how they stole the last one, assassin’s bullet might be waitin’ for Obama, do you think they’ll have a brother before Billy’s baby mama?” “It’s a little different because when it’s both me and Dré, the work load is split up. But when it’s just me, all the writing is on me, hooks and verses,” says Big Boi. The former half of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Outkast’s 2004 release, is essentially a Big Boi solo album, but lacks the introspection of Sir Lucious… And it may help, of course, that there’s no competing with André 3000’s dazzling homage to ‘60s teeny boppers. As part of a three-record deal with Def Jam, the follow up to Sir Lucious…, titled Daddy Fat Sax: Soul Funk Northern Californians will have two Crusader (after another one chances to see Big Boi live. First, he’ll of Big Boi’s pseudonyms), is perform at the Arcata Community Center in Arcata, Calif., on Sept. 22. allegedly midway through The following day he’ll be in the the recording process. One Bay Area for a show at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco. Tickets for thing is for sure: University the San Francisco performance can be of Iowa hasn’t seen the last purchased through Ticketmaster.com. of Big Boi. Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
SubmergeMag.com
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
13
Broke Ass Ballin’ Food that goes down nice
without coughing up much Words & photos Adam Saake
I
n case you haven’t noticed, Sacramento has dropped down on one knee to beg you to give a shit about food. This analogy of desperation stems from the fact that the new restaurants, as well as the long celebrated, are speaking a new language to a more refined and educated customer. The vernacular is becoming common: “farm to table,” “slow food,” “organic” and “sustainable” are frequent mentions on the menus and are there to remind us of their good decisions as well as ours. And we’re both right. It takes a few extra drops of foodie love to craft not only a plate in this fashion, but an entire vision. Some subscribe to it as a lifestyle, whether it be chefs in the home or chefs in the restaurants. It’s cuisine now; disciples of Alice Waters, students of Thomas Keller and we the diners reap the culinary benefits of this labor of love so fruitfully worked by these chefs de exquisite. Problem is, it’s fucking expensive. There are a growing number of foodie fledglings whose palates are expanding yet whose wallets have deflated. Hence the popularity of farmers markets, food blogs and even in this age of ailing print, cookbooks. We want to cook and eat like the greats, but we can’t afford to eat out as often as these new restaurants are popping up. And frankly that won’t fly. If this sounds like you, then read on as Submerge takes you inside five of Sacramento’s most bon vivant establishments to show you how you can dine at the best with still a dime in your vest... er, blouse.
Ella
1131 K Street, Sacramento
Happy Hour 3–6 p.m. Mon.–Fri.
Ella is synonymous with fine dining and has one of the highest Zagat ratings in town. It’s a place where you take someone you’re really trying to impress and then she never calls you again (It was me, not Ella). So for a safer approach, there is a “bar bites” menu that head chef Kelly McCown has put together for those lovely late afternoon get-togethers. Confit items, typically duck, are popping up on many happy hour and small plate menus around town—and that’s good for you, my broke ass baller. Confit, which is basically anything cured and then cooked in its own fat, means delicious; and you should order it. Ella does it right with a serving of eight crispy confit chicken wings, a housemade ranch dressing and wedges of pickled celery that add a nice sweetness to this dish. Crisped in extra hot duck fat right before serving and de-boned, these wings are off-center but right on point. The cold bar chef warned me, “I’m glad you’re sitting down because those wings are gonna blow your mind.” Yes, and so will the price—$9. Most of the other items on the “bar bites” menu are $10 and under with the exception of the country pate ($12). But come on, it’s pate. The “bar bites” menu is available throughout the day, so no need to rush in for happy hour. Although, on my visit I ordered their happy hour Chardonnay and sampled the Cabernet Sauvignon and they are both a steal for $5 a glass. Tack that on to your wings and you’re sittin’ pretty at $14 (plus tax and tip).
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Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Red Lotus
2718 J Street, Sacramento
Happy Hour 3–7 p.m. Mon.–Sat.
Chef Billy Ngo, of Kru fame, has done it again with Red Lotus, his new restaurant that took over the space once occupied by the, uh, very interesting GB Hurley’s. The food is high quality, and if he served half his portions on a tiny plate with a flower on top I’d probably pay double. Alright, but seriously. Ngo calls it a “spin on dim sum,” but more of a focus on the concept; i.e. many small plates to be enjoyed with family and friends. Interesting items like ox tail, bone marrow and cow tongue are right beside classics like chicken chow mein, Chinese broccoli or dumplings. The prices are killer, and you can clean up with their happy hour menu. There are eight items, all priced at $5, that are full portions you’d get if you ordered from the regular menu. On my visit I ordered the long beans that are topped with Red Lotus’s special XO sauce—a combination of Chinese sausage, dried shrimp, scallop and garlic. I also tried the chicken pot stickers that were cooked perfectly and arrived with a trio of broad bean and Hunan chili sauce, spicy Chinese mustard and red vinegar with ginger. A glass of Riesling always pairs nice with Ngo’s menu, but with $3 wells and $2.75 domestic bottles during happy hour, what broke baller can pass that up? Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
Bistro 33
1020 16th Street, Sacramento Happy Hour 4–7 p.m. Mon.–Fri.
Tuli Bistro
2031 S Street, Sacramento Tuli’s menu changes slightly on a daily basis, depending on what’s fresh and what the chefs feel like preparing that day. Then again, there are things you can always expect to see on the menu such as wood oven-fired pizzas, mussels and a good cut of steak. Tuli is a quaint bistro that is situated underneath a loft apartment building on the corner of 21st and S. Seating is tight and there really isn’t much of a bar to sit at, but all that can be overlooked after eating a magnificently prepared meal paired with one of their carefully chosen craft beers that are only offered by the bottle. There are two ways to navigate the menu as a broke baller. The first is to hold off on ordering booze and put all your eggs in one basket by ordering one of their amazing pizzas priced at $15. I did just this and went with “The Smokey Goat,” a mouth-watering concoction of fire roasted tomato sauce, smoked bacon, goat cheese, jalapeños and mozzarella. Take a deep breath, because this pizza is a big boy, and you’ll be glad you stuck with water. The other direction you can go is to show up during lunch. Grab the burger with fries or tossed greens that’ll run you $8, pair it with a $4 Dixie Lager and you’re certified ballin’ on a budget. Make sure you check in on Foursquare so all your friends know where you’re at. You don’t need to tell them that your bill was barely $13.
One of five offshoots of East Sacramento’s 33rd Street Bistro, Bistro 33 Midtown caters to the posh urbanites who frequent the busy corner of 16th and K. This area is a hot spot with Mikuni and P.F. Chang’s flanking the corners of the block with Design Within Reach sandwiched in between. Above the restaurant loom swanky lofts that glow from the street and offer passersby a glimpse into a world above. This place isn’t my definition of high-end cuisine, but you know what they say? location, location, location. Bistro 33 offers a clever happy hour menu with all the items priced at $3.33. Standards like chicken wings and calamari anchor the menu, but fun items like the mini corn dogs or the mini BBQ sliders help to make it more interesting. The mini corn dogs are served with peach ketchup and honey mustard and the marinated shredded pork on the sliders are topped with grated Parmesan and garnished with a sweet pickle. Totally uncomplicated, but something nice and cheap to snack on while you gawk at some other dude’s girlfriend. Along with the drink specials, you could easily make it out of there with a $10 bill, and that my friend is certified broke ass ballin’. Although, if you can hold off on an adult beverage, I recommend the lamb sliders from their “Burgers and Panini” menu. Priced at $12.95, these luscious sliders won’t disappoint. They’re served with a caramelized onion fig jam, goat cheese, micro greens and a mango aioli. The flavor combinations work very well, especially the lamb and the fig. Tweet your foodie opinions tableside as Bistro 33 has free wi-fi. Score for you.
58 Degrees and Holding Co.
1217 18th Street, Sacramento Happy Hour 3–6 p.m. Mon.–Fri.
You’ve got to hand it to Chef F.J. Villalobos. 58 Degrees and Holding Co. is downtown Sacramento’s only real wine bar. They offer a great by the glass selection, a bottle shop attached to the bar if you feel the inkling to take something home and there’s a tasting room in the back for those special bottles that you need decanted. Yet the food menu shines all on its own. You can hit the happy hour, sure, but it’s really not necessary. 58’s diverse menu is so affordable and so delicious that you might feel frisky and order a bottle of Pinot to celebrate. A standout for me is the number of choices. Offered on the happy hour menu as well as the regular menu, is the bruschetta ($4.50). Instead of offering the classic, which anyone would be perfectly happy to indulge in, you may choose three from a selection of toppings for your order. Try the roasted eggplant and chevre or the mushroom confit and caramelized onion. When in Rome, let’s not forget about the wine. Two $5 glasses are offered during happy hour, a red and a white, and they change on a regular basis. On my visit, a Danzante Chianti was their red selection and paired very nicely with my classic petite burgers that were served on toasted rye bread slices with a sun dried tomato aioli ($5). Wine not your thing? Try the Trumer pilsner for $3 a pint and take a gander at the rest of their beer selection, which ranks up there with one of the best in town. SubmergeMag.com
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Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
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Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
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Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
Academic Airwaves Words Josselin Basaldu and Joe Atkins
KDVS and KSSU
provide real, free community radio
KSSU Back Alley Radio White, floor-to-nearly-ceiling CD-formatted shelves wrap around the half of the 15-foot long by 6-foot wide studio not filled with soundboards and wires. Little more decoration is needed than the hundreds of multi-colored cases. Among the “Electronica” and “Alt/Indie” with “Local” and various genres in between, pictures of antennae-d robot mascot “Sparky” hang high on the wall, watching over volunteer DJs, talkers and broadcasters. Located in the alley between University Union and Santa Clara Hall, Sacramento State’s student-run radio station, KSSU, was streaming live the first week of the fall semester. With the hope of “forging the way for E-music,” KSSU has been recognized for their programming. In 2009, the mtvU College Radio Woodie Awards ranked KSSU in the Top 10 of U.S. and Canadian college radio stations. Earning “Station of the Year” and “Best Student-Run Station” from College Music Journal were two of the five big wins in 2009, with 12 nominations in total. Broadcasting at 1580 AM on the dial and Kssu.com online, KSSU provides local and international listeners with college radio yearround. KSSU accepts and trains volunteers fall, spring and summer. Some KSSU alumni are allowed to return, but most volunteers at KSSU are students. “KSSU is reserved to be the voice of the students,” said Susie Kuo, station advisor and former longtime KSSU volunteer. After a rigorous broadcasting training boot camp, volunteers complete at least 15 hours of service a semester by hosting a live show, working at on-campus events, contributing to KSSU’s “blogazine” or screening submitted music to adhere to FCC regulations. Film production junior Tyler Wyckoff, aka “Cadaver the Rapper,” didn’t slip while rapping live on his first broadcast of The Cap City Collective, incurring no potential fee from the FCC. As it was his first show, and first live KSSU flow, backup was in-studio. Directing sound level changes and offering tech support, Kuo and station manager/history senior/ resident metal head Brian Bautista sat in the adjoining office to Wyckoff with a window view into the studio. While Wyckoff played his song lineup, Kuo and Bautista attempted to clear up the station’s wavering history, admittedly convoluted with muddled-at-best documentation, Bautista said. Beginning as KEDG in 1989, the Associated Broadcasting Club was the jump-off point for Sacramento State’s student-run radio. The following years shaped the student club into a ratified student radio station. The process of establishing a college radio station at Sacramento State was nebulous, much like the process through which firsttime parents rear a child. With such tricky changes, setbacks and encounters of the administrative kind, turning a club into a SubmergeMag.com
A
s summer ends in Sacramento, we’re lucky to receive a small reprieve from the sweltering heat; unfortunately for some, that also means back to school. But because class is in session doesn’t mean that we have to stop enjoying music and culture, so we’ve decided to highlight two great local, independent radio stations: KSSU of Sacramento State and KDVS of UC Davis. With their own unique formats, it’s hard not to love both of them. Independent radio is a great resource, for the people by the people, and as these stations can attest, it’s here to stay.
legitimately ratified radio station took cultivation. Co-founders Jim Bolt and Chris Prosio—both Sacramento State 1991 graduates— consider KSSU their baby, as stated in a letter to KSSU DJs and staff in May 2009, provided by Kuo. They wrote how two years of sorting things out with administration and setting actions in motion to establish and cement a student-run radio station “certainly felt like a birthing process.” The student-run station officially became known as KSSU at 89.7 FM in 1991. And Prosio and Bolt’s baby was born. Frequency changes took place, as did management and semester volunteers. “Since 1979, the various FM frequencies belonging to Sacramento State were consistently allocated to news and jazz programming by NPR on Capital Public Radio, instead of being the voice of the students,” Kuo said. Since space on FM is very limited and Sacramento State already owned two frequencies received after applying with the FCC, KSSU found a home at 530 AM in 1991 before transitioning to 1580. With a past of receiving coveted FM frequencies, there must have been times when feelings weren’t friendly. But KSSU and Capital Public Radio have been bridging the gap for years and are now broadcasting buddies. “I think they like how cute we are,” Kuo admitted. The “Capital” has just recently made bigger moves in streaming live on the Internet, but the “cute” has been sending e-waves out in the world for some time. The current KSSU AM frequency is essentially null and void, powered by 3 watts (or 3000 miliwatts, which Bautista said he thought sounded more robust), functioning off of Sacramento State’s carrier current. An electric toothbrush charger requires 10 watts and that laptop used to listen to your MP3s requires 50. No wonder the frequency can’t even be picked up at many locations on campus, or even near the alley-hidden studio. To be heard, the station had to reach listeners. In 2004, volunteer Melissa Maxwell initiated the process of putting KSSU online, so students could listen to music and miscellaneous streaming online from a computer. Kssu.com went live in 2005. After very resourcefully sending KSSU into the digital age, Melissa Maxwell went on to work for Entercom with local commercial radio The Eagle, 98 Rock and KWOD (RIP) and is currently doing technical operations and promotions at 94.7 FM. Maxwell is one of quite a few past KSSU volunteers to successfully capitalize on what they learned doing college radio. Some should-know names in the local spinning scene include DJ Rob Fatal, DJ Mike Colossal, DJ Rated R, Elliot Estes (who currently DJs at The Park), and DJ 671. During the late ‘90s, Marie VanAssendelft was a volunteer at KSSU and went on to work for McGathy Promotions, doing marketing and publicity for Elmo. Since on-air streaming was jimmy-rigged for KSSU in 2005, tracking the number of listeners is impossible. Therefore, listenership is estimated by public interaction with KSSU through social networking followers, friends and posters, and listener calls. Although inaccurate for statistics, monitoring public involvement is a good way to see which shows listeners are paying attention to and tuning (or streaming) in to.
Sac State Sunset’s prime time slot from 8 to 10 p.m. on Thursdays was earned as reflection of the hip-hop and reggaeton-spinning show’s popularity. Five years ago, DJ Vince Vicari aka “Dub V” aka “El Doble Frijole” (“V” is a difficult letter to pronounce in some languages, like Spanish, Vicari said) began his DJ-ship at KSSU with an a.m. show called Sac State Sunrise. With co-host Britney Rossman, aka “B-Unit,” the show caught listeners’ attentions and was re-situated on Thursday nights. On hiatus during the summer, Vicari and Rossman reunited on-air Thursday, Sept. 2 to commence the last semester of their KSSU radio show. Re-acclimating himself with the in-studio multi-tasking of interacting, storytelling, social networking, PSA-ing, logging, playing music and hopping out to the waiting area to jam down food, Vicari said it was a lot to do but has become second nature. “It’s almost like we’ve been doing it our whole lives,” he said to Rossman on-air about their first show of the semester. “But we’ve been gone for a while.” While discussing summer experiences, plans for the future and answering listener calls with “You’re on air, watch your mouth. Who is this?” the fire alarm went off. Bautista said, “Your show is too hot!” while Vicari reminded listeners as he has before: the show will continue until he graduates or the studio burns down. Luckily for listeners, it was a false alarm. KSSU is one of only a few organizations under the Associated Students Inc. that generates revenue. Even so, their resources are limited, sometimes causing technical difficulties. Although broadcasting on an insignificant frequency and with some “older” equipment and accoutrements, KSSU seems to make good use of what it has available. “We’re known for being really scrappy,” Kuo and Bautista explained. “We do some MacGyver Stuff.” Seems like they earned that “2009 Best Use of Limited Resources” award by CMJ, a Billboard for college radio. With its 20th birthday approaching on May 14, 2011, KSSU has been pooling resources to spiff-ify its image and broaden its reach. KSSU understandably markets itself as an online radio station, but it seems to like holding on to the past and look toward the future. Looking to have an audible presence on the dial, KSSU is partnering with outstanding local radio station KYDS 91.5 from El Camino High School. Soft-rolling Oct. 1, KSSU will fill space and send waves of music daily from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Due to “immense technical issues,” KSSU programming on 91.5 will be pre-recorded content, although Bautista said they would love to go live. In true studious collegiate fashion, KSSU has been planning to celebrate their 20th birthday the entire year before the real celebration begins. This next academic year should see a solid lineup of events and programming, as well as improved streaming and a Kssu.com website revamp. It’s all a warm up for the big shebang; A blast that will only get the e-waves crashing, rocking the streaming radio boat.
Continuted on page 19 >>
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
17
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Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
<< Continuted from page 17
KDVS Free Form Radio In less than seven hours, KDVS has scheduled radio programming that covers the ground of bile-worthy local bands, news, Sounds of Africa, radio theater, Aggie (sports) talk, psych, punk, garage and experimental music. And that’s just Tuesday. Yet, the long-standing local college station does much more than mere radio. In addition to its normal scheduled programming, KDVS puts together two biannual concerts featuring the best of independent music, they operate a recording studio, manage a small video production, print a quarterly publication, provide a mobile DJ unit for local events, and all of their radio broadcasts are available as online streams or podcasts. It’s a lot for anyone to do, and primarily college students and the culture of Yolo and the surrounding areas provide it all. KDVS started out as an AM station in 1964, and its first broadcast was in the laundry room of a men’s UC Davis dorm room. The first words spoken on air were, “Watson! Come here! I need a quarter!” Because the dorms were unisex, the university had to make a special arrangement to allow women to participate in the early broadcasts. From its inception, KDVS has been a force of progressive views and perspectives while also keeping strong ties to the community around it. Over time, the station moved from AM to FM, finally landing at 90.3 megahertz. But the history of KDVS, as are all histories, is a story of struggle. Neil Ruud, the newest general manager of the station, explains the struggle to keep KDVS a non-commercial station. “In the ‘80s they had a career staff guy come in to clean up,” says Ruud. “He actually shut down the station for the summer and tried to make it a Top 40 station. There ended up being a popular revolt. From that point on, the bylaws mandated that the general manager has to be an undergraduate student.” Ruud, who just stepped in as GM this summer, has had to adapt to managing the station quickly. “Right when I started the job, our transmitter wouldn’t power up because moisture got into the line,”
SubmergeMag.com
he says. “And in June, which is the last month of our fiscal year. So I kind of hit the ground running.” This became a learning experience for Ruud, who has been affiliated with the station since the fall of 2008. “It showed me in my first month on the job [as general manager] how many people value the station. I got a lot of calls. People were offering money. They were offering help. It showed me how many people really cared that we actually were on the radio.” The defining feature of KDVS is its role as independent community-centered radio, which then leads to their moniker free form. While the station is mainly student-operated, it’s also open to the public. “Anybody can come to KDVS and put in 50 hours of volunteer time and end up with a show in the middle of the night,” says Ruud. “For a music show the only rules we have are that it has to be educational. If it is mainstream music, it has to be educational or you have to be pointing out something educational about it. Mainly because we have an educational license.” It’s the educational aspect of KDVS that enables such a broad range of programming. Ruud explains: “KDVS is in the unique situation where it’s exactly what the community wants it to be. KDVS is an unfiltered source for bands and others publishing work that wouldn’t be heard elsewhere. A lot of people are saying radio is going to die because [companies] like Clear Channel are having a hard time. But I don’t think that’s true of radio as much as it is about the commercial model.” Because KDVS doesn’t need to appease to advertisers and mainstream radio playlists, they’re able to provide a space outside of the pay-to-play model. From poetry to blues to prog to discussions of agriculture, atheism and politics, KDVS provides a safety net for the programming that commercialism has pushed aside. As Ruud says, “People want to hear about their community.” On a recent visit to the station, Submerge was able to sit in as Simi Sohota broadcasted his show, Esotericism and the Occult in the Western World. It features an eclectic mix of garage, psychedelic and punk, which plays every Tuesday between 8 and 9 p.m. “This is pretty much what keeps me sane between school and stuff,” says Sohota. “It’s a great escape.” Sohota is graduating this December with a bachelors in biological sciences, emphasis molecular and cellular biology. As a musician and music enthusiast
he hopes to stay associated with the station after graduating. The station provides an outlet not only to listeners but to the DJs themselves, a place to clear their heads from school, work, life. Accordingly, Sohota points out the longevity of community radio participants. “There’s people here that have been DJs since they were undergraduates. They’ve graduated and stayed on as DJs since the ‘80s, now they’ve been here 20 years.” Brian Ang, who recently graduated from UC Davis with a masters in English, just completed his final transmission for KDVS before moving to Oakland. His show, Farewell Transmission, aired on Sundays. “It was really pleasurable to transmit to the immediate and the wider community,” Ang says. “It kept me interested in the experimental music and radical politics that I already enjoyed and let me share those things with others.” Upon leaving KDVS Ang notes, “It was a milestone. I’m not sad to leave because that phase of my life is thoroughly completed, and I’m beginning a new phase.” Most importantly the station continues to provide an important platform for emergent sources. “It’s hard to imagine where else anyone could find those things,” Ang says. “It opens a lot of doors for fascinating and challenging things that get totally effaced in the mainstream channels. I think that’s of extreme value.” As is the nature of all things, college radio included, when individuals leave new spaces are opened up for others. KDVS is always in need of people who are eager to be part of independent radio. “We’re trying to get more volunteers to blog for us right now,” says Ruud. As the station moves forward in maintaining a larger online presence to accommodate their podcasts and flash streams, KDVS still needs people. Despite KDVS using the Internet alongside its radio broadcasts, that doesn’t mean they will be going onlineonly anytime soon. Ruud is adamant about this last fact, “I think it’s premature to say that the radio station will be dead in 10 years. KDVS is going to stay FM for a really long time.” Long live college radio; long live KDVS.
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
19
Here We Are, Now Krist Novoselic discusses politics in the digital age Words James Barone
For as long as Nirvana was in existence, bass player Krist Novoselic served as the tall, somewhat goofy counterpoint to frontman Kurt Cobain’s charismatic, acerbic personality. Whether it was taking a bass to the face while performing at the VMAs or crafting impossibly hook-y bass lines to accompany Cobain’s rousing wails and anthemic rock song structures, Novoselic remained a strong constant throughout the tumultuous and all-too-brief history of arguably the most important rock band of the past three decades. With just three studio albums— the last of which, In Utero, was released in 1993—Nirvana’s music continues to be held in high regard among fellow musicians and fans. Meanwhile, numerous posthumous releases have given Nirvana legs beyond its years, expanding the band’s fan base to a younger generation. “I’m so proud of it—that it’s so enduring,” Novoselic says of his involvement in Nirvana. “I mean, God bless Kurt Cobain. He was such a visionary. That’s why the music has endured.” Since Cobain’s death in 1994, fellow Nirvana alum Dave Grohl went on to form another wildly successful band, The Foo Fighters, and more recently returned to the drums in rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures. But Novoselic took a different route. Though he released one album with the group Sweet 75, and the short-lived Eyes Adrift (with Sublime’s Bud Gaugh and Meat Puppets’ Curt Kirkwood), Novoselic’s main focus has been politics. Though he’s teased at a couple of runs for office—lieutenant governor of Washington in 2004, which he later decided against; and last year as county clerk of his home Wahkiakum County, Wash., which was done to protest a Washington state election law—Novoselic’s main work has involved youth legislation and voter reform. The bass player turned poltico will make an appearance at Sacramento State Sept. 23 to discuss these matters as well as constitutional issues. He discusses this upcoming event as well as his thoughts on where politics are heading in the following interview. In the write-up I read about your appearance at Sacramento State, it said that you’re going to discuss the effects of social networking on politics. Yeah, it’s like, I got started into politics in 1995, and people were excited that this bass player/celebrity was being active and what kind of impact that would have on youth culture and youth participation. People would bemoan how come more young people don’t attend party meetings, and why are groups like…the Elks club closing and why are all the members in their 80s? Association must be dead. But it’s like, oh no. Association is exploding. It’s just finding new forms… Association should be voluntary. People are compelled to associate with other people. I want to hang out with people who are interesting and compelling, bring something useful to the party. I don’t want to hang out with draining people; you know what I mean? [Laughs] That’s what association is about. You shouldn’t be forced to do anything. I know you’re active in Washington. Do you follow California politics closely? I’ve been following Proposition 14 [also known as the Top Two Primaries Act, which would create a single primary ballot], and I work with a national group called FairVote: The Center for Voting and Democracy. We put out a paper for fixes to Prop. 14. Two of the major fixes are allowing write-in candidates and moving the primary from June to September, so you can have a shorter campaign season, but you could also have more voices as part of the election, so instead of the top two being determined in June, they’d be determined in September. Another thing we recommend is an associational component, this “prefers party” business… There’s going to be a trial in Washington State in November regarding the constitutionality as applied. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld it as spatially constitutional, but now that it’s been used in Washington, the court wants to see any harm. I was going to touch on that. You know how I was just talking about draining people, and who
you associate with? You know Oscar the Grouch, you remember him from Sesame Street? He can say that he prefers your party from his garbage can, even if we have nothing to do with him—on a ballot! I see what the intention is behind the Prop. 14 and the “prefers party.” You want to open up the system, and I’m glad that those partisan primaries are gone in California. They’ve really outlived their usefulness as a practical political reform. I just can’t see how you have people associating online, it’s going to be a matter of time before Republicans or Democrats take full advantage of this Internet and social networking association, or someone’s going to beat them to it, and there’s going to be a new party or parties. A top-two voting system allows that... because it’s a majority voting system. There should be an honest ballot, where if you’re a Democrat or a Republican or whoever, you were chosen by those people. I reject the idea of party bosses. That’s old-fashioned. I say let the major parties nominate hacks and losers, and the voters will know this, and they’ll vote for the person who best represents them. The point is, let the parties nominate, and let the voters choose. When I was reading your blog for Seattle Weekly, I thought it was neat that you were talking about the smaller elections, and not just the sexy elections, like president or whatever. It seems to be that people don’t turn out for the smaller elections. How should we get people motivated not to just come out for the big votes, but the more localized and primary elections as well? Nothing captures the imagination like a presidential election. A lot of times, there’s no reason to vote. With gerrymandering and redistricting, the districts are skewed. The insiders have settled the election for one party or another before anyone got a ballot. When I was starting in politics in the ‘90s, it was like, let’s get out the vote for this Democrat in Seattle who wins with like 70 or 80 percent of the vote. It’s just like, rah rah, hey, let’s get out the vote. You’re asking people to get involved with the vote, and they get a ballot, but the race is uncontested or uncompetitive. It’s redundant—even with the top two. My nephew is 20 years old; he got a primary ballot and he was like, “You mean I have to vote again?” There’s only two
R U YO AD 3 E 0 R 8 3 HE6) 441-
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Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
people on the ballot. That’s how it works! You’ve got to do it. These people are going to make decisions on your behalf. What do you foresee happening in November? Do you see a big shift coming in Washington D.C.? I don’t know. A lot of it seems to be horse race press. It’s easy to fall into just following the horse race, but there’s good information. Somebody in Washington analyzed who was voting in the primary, and there were way more Republicans than Democrats. I don’t know what’s going to happen. What do people want? You can go back to the Republicans if you want. They haven’t shown anything. I remember back to 1994. What were the big keystone reforms when the Republicans were in power? I don’t know. I didn’t vote for any major party in the primary. Where I had choices of third party or independent, I always voted for them, because we have the top two in Washington, so I get a second choice. I can vote my conscience. When Nirvana ended, was there anything in particular that made you want to get involved with political matters? It was just really compelling. I’m really interested in it—reading about the issues. I’m really into election reform—ranked choice voting, proportional voting. There was a time when I thought I was going to run for office, but it didn’t really fit with what I want to do, which is more of a transpartisan, transformational politics. I’m going to try to reflect that in my speech on Sept. 23. Politics are about people, and I think people should come together. It all started even before Nirvana, with punk rock music…I was part of this group that rejected mainstream music and mainstream values in a lot of ways. We found each other and communicated and associated. We had the same needs. We wanted this punk rock music and this punk rock culture, and we had similar values. That’s what people do. You just find groups. Now with the Internet, it is way more decentralized. This was back before the Internet when you would get a Xeroxed fanzine in the mail, or you’d find another fanzine—Maximum Rock ‘n’ Roll or whatever—in a record store. There was no coincidence that there was that anarchy “A” symbol. Anarchy isn’t about smashing windows or protesting some global ministerial meeting; it’s actually about being organized and people coming together voluntarily
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and making independent structures outside of the corporate or governmental spheres. It’s an enduring idea. It’s up to the individual or groups of individuals to make it work for them. Since you’ve been working in politics, how much change have you seen in the electorate or how politicians reach out to the public, and do you think people are more engaged in politics than they were 15 years ago? I’m still assessing it. The tools are developing where campaigns have their Facebook page and a Twitter. The key to a campaign is to find a successful balance of holding a message together, but also not really keeping a lid on things, because on the Internet things are more decentralized and tend to grow more organically, so you can’t really have this top-down structure. People want to feel like they’re a part of something.
differently. It’s not 1955 or 1985 or 1995. It’s 2010, and things are different. That’s the nature of things—they change. We can imagine that politics are going to change, and how are we going to do it. Political change is happening, but it’s happening slowly, which is probably a good thing. A huge change could destabilize things, and with the economy perhaps it’s not a time for instability. Music’s in the digital era; we need a democracy that speaks to what is going on in the world, in the country, with the technology and people social networking. Do you think Nirvana would have faired well in the current musical climate? Oh, that’s impossible to answer. We’re still fairing well. We’re a huge band.
“Anarchy isn’t about smashing windows or protesting some global ministerial meeting; it’s actually about being organized and people coming together voluntarily and making independent structures outside of the corporate or governmental spheres. It’s an enduring idea. It’s up to the individual or groups of individuals to make it work for them.” – Krist Novoselic Changing gears a bit, you write about music a lot on your blog also, and you mentioned Sleigh Bells and M.I.A. You said of Sleigh Bells, “‘A/B Machines’ allows me to gauge our progression into the 21st century. We’re definitely in a new musical era.” What did you mean by that? Well, it’s not about guitars and drum sets anymore. This is all digital technology. The way the music is produced is really noisy and abrasive, sonically, and your ears have to be attuned to that. You have to break through…years ago, even a lot of people today, wouldn’t be able to listen to it, because they’d think their stereo was broken. Yet, all the technology has gone into noise reduction and crystal clear recording. It’s a different sensibility. It’s a different world now. People see things differently, they hear things
Are you working on any music projects now? I think soon, I’ve got this collaboration coming out with a lepidopterist… Did I pronounce that right [laughs]? I’m not sure… A butterfly expert, a naturalist. He’s reading a poem on wildlife and the natural world, and I’m playing acoustic guitar, so that should be out soon. Produced by Jack Endino [producer of Nirvana’s Bleach]. Grunge!
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Krist Novoselic will speak at the University Union Ballroom on Thursday, Sept. 23. The event is free and will begin at 7:30. For more info, go to www. sacstateunique.com.
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Tuesday
The Blue Lamp The Business (UK), The Hollowpoints, Drastic Actions, 9 p.m. Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Open Mic Night, 7:30 p.m. G St Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Harlow’s !!! (Chk Chk Chk), Ganglians, Shaun Slaughter, 9 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Lovely Builders, DJ Joaquin McPeek, 7:30 p.m. Off Broadway Deviated Instinct (UK), Psychosomatic, Cura Cochino, Disciples of the Goat, 8 p.m. Old Ironsides Be Brave Bold Robot, Thrift Store Cowboys, Warren Jackson Hearne, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Press Club Blvd Park, Musical Charis, 9 p.m.
Capitol Garage Open Jazz Session w/ SalmonJoe, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Traditional Irish Jam Session, 7 p.m. G St Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Harlow’s AA Bondy, JBM, 8 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Rolling Fork Blues Revue, 7 p.m. Memorial Auditorium Primus, Mariachi El Bronx, 8 p.m. Old Ironsides Lipstick w/ DJs Shaun Slaghter, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub DJs Rigatony, Alazzawi, 9 p.m. Press Club “Twist & Shout” w/ Der Spazm, Babs Johnson Gang, DJ Billy, 9 p.m. Shady Lady Chub City w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 10 p.m. Sol Collective The Vibrators, Knockoffs, Enlows, Millhouse SMF, 7 p.m. T2 Nightclub & Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m. Torch Club Hans Eberbach, 5:30 p.m.; Lew Fratis Trio, 9 p.m.
9.15 Wednesday
Bisla’s Open Mic, 9 p.m. Blackwater Cafe Open Mic, 7 p.m.
The Boardwalk DevilDriver, Kittie, Kataklysm, Misery, 6:30 p.m. Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m. Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Traditional Irish Jam Session hosted by Linda Relph, 7 p.m. G St Pub DJ Larry the Flower Vato, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Weldon Kekauoha, 6:30 p.m. Marilyn’s Gonzalo Bergara Quartet, 9 p.m. Mix DJ Gabe Xavier, 9 p.m. Old Ironsides Open Mic w/ host Lare Crawley, 8:30 p.m. The Palms Playhouse (Winters) Eilen Jewell, Miss Lonely Hearts, 8 p.m. Press Club Hump w/ DJ Whores, C Plus, DJ Flow, AV, 9 p.m. Shady Lady Straight, No Chaser w/ CrookOne, 10 p.m. Torch Club Acoustic Open Mic, 5:30 p.m.; Jimmy Pailer, 9 p.m.
9.16 thursday
Barcode Nightclub & Lounge DJ Wreck, DJ BTRIXX, 9 p.m. The Boardwalk Twitch Angry, Eightfourseven, Thea Skotia, Prevail, 8 p.m. Capitol City Hotel Karaoke, 8:30 p.m. Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m. The Coffee Garden Open Mic Night, 8 p.m. Fox & Goose Poetic Justis, 8 p.m.
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Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
G St Pub DJ Somebody, 10 p.m. Golden Bear Shake & Shout w/ Shaun Slaughter, 10 p.m. Harlow’s The Material, We Are The New Year, Time & Distance, 9 p.m. Marilyn’s Rockstar Live Band Karaoke, 9 p.m. Mix Ultra Thursday’s w/ DJs Ron Reeser, Dan Saenz, 9 p.m. Naked Lounge Downtown Live Kevin Sarro, Cara O’Shea, Nicole Norem, 8:30 p.m. Old Ironsides The Blue Diamonds, Majesty, Yeltsin, 9 p.m. On The Y Sam Adams Oktoberfest Karaoke Contest, 9 p.m. Press Club Hold On w/ DJ GVNR, Sex & Weight, 9 p.m. Torch Club X Trio, 5 p.m.; Beer Dawg Reunion Show, 9 p.m. Tre Retox Thursday’s w/ DJ Peeti V, 9 p.m. Vega’s Blues Jam, 7 p.m.
9.17 Friday
Arco Arena The Emotions, Deniece Williams, Barbara Lewis, The Honeycone, The Three Degrees, A Taste of Honey, Shirley Brown, Shirley Murdock, Dorothy Moore, 7:30 p.m. The Blue Lamp Mondo Deco, Soft White Sixties, Mildrid, 9 p.m. The Boardwalk Fate Under Fire, The Reel, Witzend, Amberglance, 8 p.m. Capitol Garage Get Down to the Champion Sound w/ DJ ESEF & Selector KDK, 10 p.m. Crest Theatre Ballet + Live Local Music w/ Sister Crayon, Doom Bird, Drifting Shapes, Exquisite Corps, 8 p.m.
Distillery The Make A Darkwish Tour w/ Dark Time Sunshine, Bru Lei, AgustusthElephant, Old Ghost, Tribe of Levi, DJ Mpenzi, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Carly DuHain, Justin Farren, Lindsey Cook, 9 p.m. G St Pub DJ Larry Rodriguez, 10 p.m. Golden Bear Crucial Fix w/ DJ CrookOne, 10 p.m. Grass Valley Center for the Arts Purple Haze (Tribute to Jimi Hendrix), 8 p.m. Harlow’s Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave, the Nibblers, 9 p.m. Luna’s Cafe The Yolos, Parker McDonald, 8:30 p.m. Marilyn’s The Hit List, 9:30 p.m. Mix DJ David X, 9 p.m. Naked Lounge Downtown Live Gillian Underwood, Lisa Langley, Vanessa Chan, 8:30 p.m. Old Ironsides The Nickel Slots, Richard March, Good Intentions, 9 p.m. Press Club DJ GVNTR, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Audioboxx, 9:30 p.m. Sol Collective SF to Sac w/ Z-Man, Boac, Defeye, Max Bundles, DJ Wanted, Crush Delight, 9 p.m. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen Hurray for the Riff Raff, Sam Doores & The Tumbleweeds, Miss Lonely Hearts, 9 p.m. T2 Nightclub & Lounge DJs & Dancing, 9 p.m. Torch Club Acoustic Trio, 5 p.m.; John Lee Hooker Jr., 9 p.m. Townhouse Fuck Fridays w/ DJs Shaun Slaughter, Jon Droll, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m.
9.18 Saturday
The Boardwalk Sherwood, The Dangerous Summer, Soletta, The Paper Melody, The American Scene, 7:30 p.m. Capitol City Hotel Karaoke, 8:30 p.m. Crest Theatre Sacramento Taiko Dan 21st Anniversary Concert, 7 p.m. Distillery Crazy Ballhead, DJ Larry Rodriguez, O Street Dub, 9:30 p.m. Fox & Goose Ian McGlone, The Inversions, Scott Ballard, 9 p.m. G St Pub DJ Charlie, 10 p.m. Golden Bear Sweaty w/ DJ Whores, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Katie Knipp, 7:30 p.m.; Midnight Players, 10 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Night Messenger, 4 p.m. Luna’s Cafe ElectroPoetic Coffee w/ Ross Hammond & NSAA, 8 p.m. Marilyn’s Love Fool, 10 p.m. Mix Boogie Nights w/ DJ Mike Moss, 6 p.m. Naked Lounge Downtown Live Fish Cat Fish, Doofy Doo, 8:30 p.m. Old Ironsides Red Meat, Mike Blanchard & The Whispering Chingaderos, Freebadge Serenaders, 9 p.m. On The Y Vital Perception, Keloid, Spawn of Descension, Nilshiphter, 8 p.m. The Park Ultra Lounge Hot Pink w/ DJ Peeti V, 9 p.m. Press Club DJ GVNTR, 9 p.m. Radisson Hotel Boney James, Kenny Lattimore, 7:30 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Audioboxx, 9:30 p.m. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen Archeology, Gratitillium, Hosannas, 9:30 p.m. T2 Nightclub & Lounge DJs & Dancing, 9 p.m. Torch Club Parkinson’s Benefit w/ Bad Caddies, 4 p.m.; Daniel Castro, 9 p.m.
The Blue Lamp Hypnotic IV, Blame Betty, 9 p.m.
The Press Club Mon 8/13 9p $3 Tues 9/14 9p $4 Wed 9/15 9p $3 Mon 9/20 9p $3
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9.19
Between I & J • Downtown Sacramento
Sunday
Barcode Nightclub & Lounge The Asylum w/ DJ Bryan Hawk, KJ Groth, DJ Darkstar, 9 p.m. The Blue Lamp Reggae Bashment w/ DJ Wokstar!, 9:30 p.m. Club Retro (Roseville) Josiah James, Lybecker, L.I.F.E., Our Battle Within, Galatia, Ember Beside Us, 7 p.m. Distillery Karaoke, 8 p.m. Golden Bear Industry Night, 7 p.m. Harlow’s Midnight Players, 7 p.m. J. Neely Johnson Park Jazz in the Park w/ Vivian Lee Quintet, 6 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Rock for Hope Benefit Fundraiser, 4 p.m. Mix DJ Billy Lane, 9 p.m. Pinky’s Aberzombies, Napalm Koopa, Pathogens, Fistful of Freaks, Damn Dirty Apes, 6 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Powerhouse of Blues, 3 p.m.; Blues Jam, 7 p.m. Press Club DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. Sacramento Horseman’s Club Joanne Shaw Taylor, Tommy Castro Band, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Fryed Brothers Band, 12:30 p.m. Torch Club Blues Jam, 4 p.m.; Johnny Guitar Knox, 8 p.m. Winn Park (28th & P) Ross Hammond, Tim White and Chris Harvey (Alkali Flats), Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children MacNuggits, Freebadge Serenaders, 11 a.m.
9.20 Monday
Tues 9/21 9p $4
Musical charis
Townhouse Phono Select Grand Opening Party, 9 p.m.
The Boardwalk Hinder, My Darkest Days, Black Sunshine, 7 p.m. Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Open Mic Night, 7:30 p.m. G St Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Harlow’s Willie K, 7:30 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Victor Contreras Quartet, Casey and Alicyn Duo, DJ Chris Macias, 7:30 p.m Old Ironsides Strapped for Cash w/ Nuance, 8 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Press Club Breaking Glass, Yes Sir, The Howling, 9 p.m.
September TUES
Hans EbErbacH 5:30PM
14
LEw Fratis trio 9PM
WED
acoustic oPEn Mic 5:30PM
15
JiMMy PaiLEr 9PM X trio 5PM
THURS
16
bEEr Dawg
rEunion sHow 9PM acoustic trio 5PM
JoHn LEE HookEr Jr. 9PM
FRI
17 SaT
18
Parkinson’s bEnEFit feat. bad caddies 4PM
DaniEL castro 9PM
SUn
bLuEs JaM 4PM
19
JoHnny guitar knoX 8PM
TUES
aLEX nELson 5:30PM
21
WED
22
LEw Fratis trio 9PM acoustic oPEn Mic 5:30PM
goLDEn caDiLLacs & tHE sootHErs 9PM X trio 5PM
THURS
23 FRI
24
HarLEy wHitE Jr.
FEaturing aaron king 8PM
acoustic trio 5PM
tHE
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cD rELEasE sHow 9PM
JoHnny guitar knoX 5PM
Lavay 25 sMitH rED SaT
& tHE Hot skiLLEt LickErs 9PM
SUn
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bLuEs JaM 4PM
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Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
23
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9.21 Tuesday
Capitol Garage Open Jazz Session w/ SalmonJoe, 9 p.m. Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Traditional Irish Jam Session, 7 p.m. G St Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Harlow’s Jennifer Knapp, 7:30 p.m. Luigi’s Fun Garden Kepi Ghoulie, Dog Party, Laura Stephenson and the Cans, Dan Potthast, 8 p.m. Marilyn’s Singer & A Song Night, 7 p.m. Old Ironsides Lipstick w/ DJs Shaun Slaghter, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub DJs Rigatony, Alazzawi, 9 p.m. Press Club “Twist & Shout” w/ Cthulu Boogaloo, DJ Billy, 9 p.m. Shady Lady Chub City w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 10 p.m. T2 Nightclub & Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m. Torch Club Alex Nelson, 5:30 p.m.; Lew Fratis Trio, 9 p.m.
9.22 Wednesday
COMEDY
DARREN CARTER
THUR, SEP 16 @ 730P
WWW.SACSTATEUNIQUE.COM
NOONER
LECTURE
Free, outdoor comedy plus special opening guest Leo Flowers. University Union Serna Plaza<<
LECTURE
SLEEP NOW MOON MORRIE TURNER
KRIST NOVOSELIC
Free, folk rock/ Americana concert
Free, bass player in NIRVANA, sharing his experience with political association and how technology is changing the First Amendment right of assembly. University Union Ballroom<<
WED, SEP 22 @ 12P
THUR, SEP 23 @ 12P
THUR, SEP 23 @ 730P
University Union Serna Plaza<<
Free, lecture on his career as a cartoonist and the creator of Wee Pals, the 1st nationally syndicated comic strip with a culturally diverse cast. University Union Hinde Auditorium<<
CONCERT
NOONER
COMEDY
ATMOSPHERE
SISTER CRAYON
SF INTERNATIONAL COMEDY COMPETITION
TUE, SEP 28 @ 730P
To All My Friends Tour, hip hop concert plus Blueprint, Grieves & Budo, and DJ Rare Groove. Tickets are $15 for Sac State students/ $20 general-available @ Tickets.com University Union Ballroom<<
24
WED, SEP 29 @ 12P
Free, manic trip–hop soul concert. Co-sponsored with KSSU.com. University Union Serna Plaza<<
THUR, OCT 7 @ 730P
Free, final rounds of the annual laughfest, featuring 5 competing professional comedians plus guest host. University Union Ballroom<<
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Bisla’s Open Mic, 9 p.m. Blackwater Cafe Open Mic, 7 p.m. The Boardwalk The Melvins, Totimoshi, 8 p.m. Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m. Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Steve McLane, 8 p.m. G St Pub DJ Larry the Flower Vato, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Musical Charis, Lite Brite, Happy Medium, 9 p.m. Marilyn’s Brandon Stanley, 8 p.m. Mix DJ Gabe Xavier, 9 p.m. Old Ironsides Open Mic w/ host Lare Crawley, 8:30 p.m. Press Club “Ballots & Beats” SAMMIES Party, 9 p.m. Shady Lady Straight, No Chaser w/ CrookOne, 10 p.m. Torch Club Acoustic Open Mic, 5:30 p.m.; Golden Cadillacs, The Soothers, 9 p.m. University Union Serna Plaza, CSUS Sleep Now Moon, 12 p.m.
9.23 Thursday
Barcode Nightclub & Lounge DJ Wreck, DJ BTRIXX, 9 p.m.
The Boardwalk All Names Taken, The Cosmonauts, The Crazy Harris Band, Taking’s Not Stealing, 7:30 p.m. Capitol City Hotel Karaoke, 8:30 p.m. Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m. Club Retro (Roseville) Black, Tantalium, Royals Die Young, If Cupid Used Bulletts, Cadence, Queen Alice, 7 p.m. The Coffee Garden Open Mic Night, 8 p.m. Fox & Goose Nine-8th Irish, 8 p.m. G St Pub DJ Somebody, 10 p.m. Golden Bear Skin Tight w/ Shaun Slaughter, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Tosh/Marley Celebration w/ Fullwood Band, 10 p.m. Marilyn’s Rockstar Live Band Karaoke, 9 p.m. Mix DJ Dan, Ron Reeser, Dan Saenz, 9 p.m. Naked Lounge Downtown Live The Dead Letters, Optomistiq, 8:30 p.m. Old Ironsides Los Blazing Hangovers, 9 p.m. Press Club Hold On w/ DJ GVNR, Sex & Weight, 9 p.m. Torch Club X Trio, 5 p.m.; Harley White Jr. feat. Aaron King, 8 p.m. Tre Retox Thursday’s w/ DJ Peeti V, 9 p.m. Vega’s Blues Jam, 7 p.m.
9.24
FRIDAY Beatnik Studios Last Friday Art & Music Showcase w/ Brian Rogers, Aaron Linkin, The Dirty Feet, Zuhg, Musical Charis, 8 p.m. The Blue Lamp Joe Buck Yourself (Hank III, Shack Shakers), West Nile Ramblers, 9 p.m. The Boardwalk Authority Zero, Arden Park Roots, Katastro, The Stalking Distance, 8 p.m. Cache Creek Casino Aegis, 9 p.m. Capitol Garage Get Down to the Champion Sound w/ DJ ESEF & Selector KDK, 10 p.m. Community Center Theater The Lowe Family, 8 p.m. Fox & Goose Dennis Johnson & the Mississippi Ramblers, 9 p.m. Golden Bear Crucial Fix w/ DJ CrookOne, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Pop Fiction, 10 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Sam Stern, Travis Vick, Micol Cazzell, 8 p.m. Marilyn’s Sacramento Jazz Orchestra, 7 p.m. Mix DJ David X, 9 p.m.
Naked Lounge Downtown Live The Polymers, Norfolk Jacket, George Papailias, 8:30 p.m. Old Ironsides Lou Reed/ Velvet Underground Tribute Show, 8 p.m. The Park Ultra Lounge DJ Homicide, Billy Lane, 9 p.m. Press Club DJ GVNTR, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Ryan Hernandez Band, 9:30 p.m. The Refuge La Noche Oskura, Spin45, Braata, Napalm Koopa, 7 p.m. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen The California Honeydrops, 10 p.m. T2 Nightclub & Lounge DJs & Dancing, 9 p.m. Torch Club Acoustic Trio, 5 p.m.; The Hucklebucks (CD Release), The Fortunate Few, 9 p.m. Townhouse Fuck Fridays w/ DJs Shaun Slaughter, Jon Droll, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m.
9.25 Saturday
The Blue Lamp Hellbound Glory, The Golden Cadillacs, The Whiskey & The Devil Chaplain, 9 p.m. The Boardwalk Allstar Weekend, 6 p.m. Cache Creek Casino Aegis, 8 p.m. Capitol City Hotel Karaoke, 8:30 p.m. Club Retro The Descolada Virus, Our Endless Obsession, Apollo In Contraposto, Aurelia, City Of Kings, Pledge The Silence, 6:30 p.m. Fox & Goose Rodeo Planet, Acoustic Eclectic Jam Band, 9 p.m. G St Pub DJ Charlie, 10 p.m. Golden Bear Sweaty w/ DJ Whores, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Sean Hayes, 7 p.m.; The Memorials, Hot Tub, 9:30 p.m. Luna’s Cafe David Houston & the Strings, 9 p.m. Marilyn’s Western Lights, 7 p.m.; Thaw Jack Frost, 9:30 p.m. Mix Wonderland w/ DJ Mike Moss, 9 p.m. Naked Lounge Downtown Live Brian Rogers, Freddy & Francine, Rich Driver, 8:30 p.m. Old Ironsides Brass Bed, Sex Rat, 9 p.m. Press Club DJ GVNTR, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Ryan Hernandez Band, 9:30 p.m. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen Y La Bamba, Typhoon, 9:30 p.m. T2 Nightclub & Lounge DJs & Dancing, 9 p.m. Torch Club Johnny Guitar Knox, 5 p.m.; Lavay Smith Red & the Hot Skillet Lickers, 9 p.m.
Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
SubmergeMag.com
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
25
$16 st Tommy T’s Kabeezy, Sept. 15, 8 p.m.
c o m e d y & m isc e l l a n e o us C a l e n da r
9.26
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Sunday Barcode Nightclub & Lounge The Asylum w/ DJ Bryan Hawk, KJ Groth, DJ Darkstar, 9 p.m. The Blue Lamp Reggae Bashment w/ DJ Wokstar!, 9:30 p.m. The Boardwalk We Came As Romans, In Fear and Faith, Confide, Upon a Burning Body, Abandon All Ships, 7 p.m. Capital Public Radio Blues on the Green 2 w/ The Blues Broads, Nick Gravenites Blues Band, 2 p.m. Distillery Karaoke, 8 p.m. Golden Bear Industry Night, 7 p.m. Harlow’s Bachata Lessons, 6 p.m.; Salsa Lessons, 7 p.m. Laughs Unlimited The Fabulous Devilles, 3 p.m. Mix DJ Billy Lane, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Powerhouse of Blues, 3 p.m.; Blues Jam, 7 p.m. Press Club DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. Torch Club Blues Jam, 4 p.m.
9.27 monday
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Crest Theatre Benise: The Spanish Guitar, 7 p.m. Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Open Mic Night, 7:30 p.m. G St Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Foothill Jazz Collective, Olive Oil, DJ Bill Torngren, 7:30 p.m. Old Ironsides Strapped for Cash w/ Nuance, 8 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m. Press Club Lasher Keen, Sherman Baker, 9 p.m.
Comedy Laughs Unlimited Geoff Brown, Jeff MacKinnon, Sept. 15 - 18, Wednesday, Thursday, 8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. BT, Lizette Mizelle, Sept. 22 26, Wednesday, Thursday, 8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Keith Lowell Jensen’s Wednesday Night Comedy, Sept. 15 & 22, 8 p.m. Marilyn’s On K Open Mic Comedy, Sept. 14, 9 p.m. Punchline Comedy Club The Fresh Kids of Comedy, Sept. 15, 8 p.m. Arabs Gone Wild w/ Dean Obeidallah, Aron Kader, Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. Michael Ian Black, Sept. 17 19, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.; Sunday, 8 p.m. Sugar Sammy, Sept. 23 - 26, Thursday & Sunday, 8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. Sacramento Comedy Sportz Mayhem!, every Thursday, 9 p.m. Sacramento Comedy Spot Sept. 14, Cage Match, 9 p.m. Sept. 15, Improv 1 Continuous, 7 p.m.; Harold Night, 9 p.m. Sept. 16, Sketch Lab, 6 p.m.; Improv 1 Continuous, 7 p.m.; In Your Facebook, 9 p.m. Sept. 17, Real (funny) Housewives of Rio Linda, 8 p.m.; First Date, 10 p.m. Sept. 18, Stand Up Shoot Out, 7 p.m.; Lady Business, 8 p.m.; Anti Cooperation League, 9 p.m. Sept. 19, Open Mic Scramble, 7 p.m. Sept. 21, Cage Match, 9 p.m. Sept. 22, Improv 1 Continuous, 7 p.m.; Harold Night, 9 p.m. Sept. 23, Sketch Lab, 6 p.m.; Improv 1 Continuous, 7 p.m.; In Your Facebook, 9 p.m. Sept. 24, Science Comedian Brian Malow “Rational Comedy For an Irrational Planet,” 8 p.m.; Comedy and Jazz Jam w/ Ross Hammond, 10 p.m. Sept. 25, Talking Shit, 7 p.m.; 3 On 3 Tournament, 8 p.m.; Anti Cooperation League, 9 p.m. Sept. 26, Open Mic Scramble, 7 p.m.
26
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Finesse Mitchell, Sept. 16 - 19, Thursday & Sunday, 8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. Shane Murphy, Sept. 22, 8 p.m. Tom Arnold, Sept. 24 - 25, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. University Union Serna Plaza, CSUS Free Outdoor Comedy Show w/ Darren Carter, Leo Flowers, Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. Misc. 16th and J Streets Midtown Bazaar, Saturdays, 7 a.m. 18th and Capitol MEX200 in Midtown Sacramento, Sept. 18, 2 p.m. Bistro 33 (Davis) Pub Quiz, Mondays, 9 p.m.; Poetry Night, Every 1st Wednesday, 9 p.m. Capitol Garage Trivia & Movie Night, Mondays, 9:30 p.m. Community Center Theatre An Evening w/ Garrison Keillor, Sept. 23, 8 p.m. The Guild Theatre Movies on a Big Screen presents: Brutal Beauty: Tales of the Rose City Rollers, Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m.; Lunch Line, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. Historic Sutter Street Folsom Live & American Idols Block Party 2010, Sept. 24 - 25, 5 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Joe Montoya’s Poetry Unplugged, Thursdays, 8 p.m. Amnesty International Film Night, Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m. An Evening with Writers: Frances Kagugawa, Bob Quinlan, Kiyo Sato, Susan M. Osborn, Sept. 21, 6 p.m. Memorial Auditorium Je’Caryous Johnson’s Cheaper to Keep Her feat. Vivica A. Fox and Brian McKnight, Sept. 26, 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Pavilions Shopping Center (Fair Oaks) Laura and Lisa Ling Book Signing, Sept. 23, 6 p.m. Sol Collective Salsa Dance Classes, Mondays, 7:30 p.m. Time Tested Books The Sacramento Living Library w/ baseball historian and author Alan O’Connor, Sept. 19, 7 p.m. Townhouse Record Club Movie Night & Lounge, every Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. University Union Hinde Auditorium, CSUS Free Lecture w/ Cartoonist Morrie Turner, Sept. 23, 12 p.m. University Union Ballroom, CSUS Free Lecture w/ Krist Novoselic (Nirvana bassist), Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m. Village of Fair Oaks 5th Annual Fair Oaks Chicken Festival, Sept. 18, 10 a.m.
Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
THE COW PALACE SEPT
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2 6 th 2 0 1 0
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General Admission 100,000 + sq ft of exhibition space with Patient consumption area TWICE as LARGE as APRIL 2 days of Panels, Debates and Classes Comprised of Industry Professionals 100’s of vendors from a cross section of industries Come see live Glass blowing and have a custom piece made while you watch! We donated thousands of dollars in April to ASA, Norml and MPP and we will do it again in September!
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SubmergeMag.com
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
27
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Alive and Kicking
Will Haven
Helmet, Bison B.C., will haven Harlow’s • Wednesday, sept. 8, 2010
Words Bobby S. Gulshan • photos Melissa welliver As promised on the flyer, Grady Avenell has indeed returned to vocals, and the local faithful flocked to Harlow’s for Will Haven. Some call it metalcore, or posthardcore, but Will Haven’s particular brand of bombast proves too elusive for quick categorization. Opening with “I‘ve Seen My Fate,” the dual guitar attack combined with keyboard atmospheres and driving rhythmic breakdowns conspired to create a steady sonic barrage. Avenell’s searing screams hammered the point deeper. With his back often to the audience, Avenell and the rest of Will Haven tore through their set with high-energy physicality, head banging in lockstep with one another. Songs such as “Helena” and “Carpe Diem” displayed the straightforward appeal of Will Haven’s approach. Their music relies on power and heaviness coupled with a driving rhythmic intensity. Tonally, the riffs were almost monochromatic, with guitarist Jeff Irwin providing occasional hints of color with high-pitched staccato runs. Closing with “Stick up Kid,“ the band displayed its full physical force, finishing up a blistering set of six songs that left the hometown crowd hungry for more. Hailing from the Great White North, Bison B.C. took the stage in the second slot. On tour with Helmet in support of their new LP, Dark Ages, the Canadian metal outfit added classic thrash-style riffs to a night of hardcore punishment. The guys themselves look like modern
28
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
primitives, as if they wandered out of the same deep forest as the mythical Wendigo, which they reference in one of their more epic tunes. James Farwell and Dan And provide guitars and vocals, one singing with a characteristic death metal growl, and the other providing a cleaner vocal on more melodic sections. As drummer Brad McKinnon told me after the show, “When I first heard Dio all those years ago, it hit a place, and it’s been metal ever since.” Indeed. Bison B.C. fills their sonic space with complex riffs and blistering solos, as well as hardcore breakdowns. “Slow Hand of Death” displayed Bison’s ability to combine thrashing riffs with off-kilter time signatures, moving seamlessly into a galloping melodic section, and then returning to churning extended breakdowns. “Wendigo Pt.1” featured both guitarists locked in harmonies that evoked one part Slayer, one part Iron Maiden. However, the development of the songs—particularly the ability to transition from a blast beat to an extended break with ease—is signature Bison. The Harlow’s audience seemed a bit unprepared for this metal onslaught, but showed their appreciation nonetheless. Turning 50 doesn’t seem to have slowed Page Hamilton. By the time Helmet took the stage, Harlow’s was packed and surging, and the seemingly ageless Hamilton did not disappoint. He told the audience that he was supposed to be on
a juice diet, and then promptly took a swig from his Corona. Hamilton played to the audience, constantly engaging them with wit and charm. At one point between songs, Hamilton brought up the subject of football, taking a quick shot at the Pittsburgh Steelers by pointing out that “their quarterback is a rapist.” Helmet’s classic album Meantime was released in 1992. While new tunes still bear the signature of Hamilton’s “glory days,” nothing sounds dated. Helmet has mastered extended breakdowns, utilizing various downtuned and detuned setups to create deep, heavy tones. The almost mechanical rhythms are persistent and stark, while the start-and-stop nature of the riffs keep bodies moving with an internal groove. Hamilton’s clear vocal melodies are somewhat refreshing in an age where the growl has become the lingua franca of hardcore and metal. Yet the riffs and breakdowns are as hard as anything out there. Old tracks like “Ironhead” and “Role Model” blended perfectly with new material, like the title track of the new album, “Seeing Eye Dog” and “So Long.” The show, of course, would not be complete without a performance of “Unsung,” which jolted the crowd into a frenzied sing-along with Hamilton. The back and forth with the audience continued during the encore when Hamilton asked the audience to pick three songs. “Black Top,” “In the Meantime” and “I Know” finished off the show, as requested by the fans. For a band that hasn’t toured in some time, Helmet and Hamilton have not lost a step, and all indications point to a long and hard-hitting future for the hardcore legend.
Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
live<< rewind
Electrified! Smashing Pumpkins The Crest Theatre • Monday, Sept. 6, 2010 Words Jonathan carabba • photo Melissa welliver
At 7:30 p.m. the corner of 10th and K streets was littered with hundreds of Smashing Pumpkins fans waiting in line to see Billy Corgan and crew in one of Sacramento’s most beautiful venues, the historic Crest Theatre. As fans poured into the building (and especially into the beer garden), Chicago’s Bad City attempted to get the crowd ignited with their ‘80s hair-metal influenced tunes. SPIN.com called them “a modern day Whitesnake,” and I’d say that’s a pretty spot-on description. At 9:01 p.m. the lights dimmed and the crowd roared as Corgan and his current lineup, which includes 20-year-old drumming prodigy Mike Byrne, lead guitarist Jeff Schroeder and bassist Nicole Fiorentino, took the stage. The first song they dove into was “Astral Planes,” a newer song from Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, where Corgan sings “Everyone gather, warm your soul,” on top of a grungy, slightly Fuguzi-esque guitar riff. Indeed, everyone had gathered; and rest assured our souls were warming, as did the energy in the room. The song “1979” off the nine-times-platinum album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness had the crowd reciting every lyric back at Corgan, as did songs like “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” and “Tonight, Tonight,” which sounded fantastic despite the apparent lack of a string section like on the original recording. In the same manner, the song “Eye,” released on the Lost Highway soundtrack in 1996, which is very SubmergeMag.com
electronica, translated great into this guitardriven performance with live drums. Speaking of drums, it needs to be noted that Byrne was an absolute beast all night and at one point soloed for a solid four minutes onstage by himself and left any drummers in the crowd wanting to quit immediately. At one point about midway through the show, an acoustic guitar was brought out for a change of pace. Corgan even played ukulele on one song. With the change in pace came the first real crowd interaction on Corgan’s behalf. He mentioned how in his hotel room there was a copy of Sactown Magazine. “Sactown!” Corgan yelled. “Isn’t that what they call it?” He poked fun at the term “Sactown” a little more and muttered that maybe it wasn’t a good term to use if our town was looking to attract tourists. People laughed. He also thanked those in the front row who were smoking pot. People laughed more. It was refreshing to see Corgan, now 43 years old, having a little fun with the crowd. After an epic encore, the band left the stage to screeching feedback, waving to the crowd while throwing picks and drumsticks along the way. At 11 p.m. the crowd was pouring out of the theater, electrified. Every one of us knew we had witnessed something special, something to brag about. It’s not every day Billy Corgan is in town.
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Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
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aa bonDy Jbm
Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 9:00pm
sean hayes [eaRly show]
Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 7:00pm
[laTe show] The(feaT. memoRials Thomas pRiDgen, ex-DRummeR of
The maRs volTa plus membeRs oR goapele, lyRics boRn, eTc)
SEpT 14
SaTURday
SEpT 25
SaTURday
SEpT 25
hoTTub Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 9:00pm Tea leaf gReen SEpT TUESday
TRuTh & salvage co.
Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 8:00pm
The Devil makes ThRee w/ coRnmeal
Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 8:00pm
The ReveRenD peyTon’s big Damn banD mighTy Regis
blue lamp • 1400 alHambra blvd. • saCto • 21 & over • 9:00pm
28
THURSday
SEpT 30
fRiday
OCT 1
a nighT of “bRoken woRD” & sToRies
wEdnESday Joe sib’s “califoRnia calling” (of wax, 22 Jacks, co-owneR of siDe one Dummy RecoRDs) OCT
alTeRcaTion’s JT habeRsaaT
blue lamp • 1400 alHambra blvd. • saCto • 21 & over • 9:00pm
DeaD kenny g’s
(feaTuRing skeRik) Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 8:00pm
phanTogRam Josiah wolf
blue lamp • 1400 alHambra blvd. • saCto • 21 & over • 8:00pm
sTReeT Dogs
(feaT. mike mccolgan foRmeR singeR of DRopkick muRphys)
6
SUnday
OCT 10
MOnday
OCT 11
SUnday
Devils bRigaDe (feaT. maTT fReeman of RanciD) OCT FlatFoot 56 • Continental 17
venue (formerly empire)• 1417 r st. • saCto • all aGes • 6:30pm
RogeR(foRmeR clyne & The peacemakeRs fRiday singeR of The RefReshmenTs) sToll vaughn
special TasTing of RogeRs’ new bRanD of Tequila
Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 9:00pm
gReg laswell
the ResCues • haRpeR Blynn
blue lamp • 1400 alHambra blvd. • saCto • 21 & over • 8:00pm
colD waR kiDs
on salea y Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto rd s a tsuept 18 [eaRly show] 18 & over w/id only• 6:30pm
kelleR williams
Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 8:00pm
abstract entertainment 30
the shallow end
TUESday
nOv 5
TUESday
nOv 9
THURSday
nOv 11
THURSday
nOv 18
TickeTs available aT: The beaT (17Th & J sT.), Dimple RecoRDs oR online aT www.evenTbRiTe.com oR www.TickeTs.com TickeTs foR haRlow’s shows also available aT www.haRlows.com
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
Semantics James Barone jb@submergemag.com Does anyone else like theater? I know, it can be pretty silly—a bunch of people in too much makeup playing make believe or singing and dancing and causing a fuss. But you know, like anything else art-related, when it’s good, it’s impossible to deny its charms. Luckily, we hardly have to shell out the money we don’t have to see theater in action; we only have to turn on the news. Pastor Terry Jones is no doubt a fan of theater, too (as long as there aren’t any gays involved, I guess). The Gainesville, Fla., fringe preacher announced recently that he was going to turn up the heat on a national day of remembrance and burn a Quran on 9/11. Hey. Why not? Somewhere in a cave in Pakistan— fitted with Wi-Fi, of course—dudes in al Qaeda were probably stoked. It’s like they don’t even have to try to get the world’s Muslim population pissed off at the Great Satan American anymore. All their work pretty much gets done for them. All they have to do is post a few grainy beheadings on YouTube to keep up appearances and call it a day. Jones really upped the ante, though. He dubbed 9/11 “International Burn a Quran Day.” Day! Might as well make a day of it. Take the kids to the park, pack a picnic, burn a Quran, toast marshmallows. He was doing this to protest the proposed building of the “Ground Zero Mosque,” which isn’t a mosque nor is it at Ground Zero, and I’m just about sick to death of hearing about the fucking thing. Since arbitrary titles that have no basis in fact have become so prevalent, I’m just going to call it “Herman” and move on. So Jones, and a peculiar majority of Americans, think Herman is an insensitive, gloating jerk and should move to another part of New York where I guess he could still gloat but at a greater distance. Jones wants to cause an even greater stink about it and burn some religious books. Fine, really, have at it. Burn a Quran, a Bible, a Torah… Burn an American, Canadian or Mexican flag. Put on a white hood, tattoo a swastika on your face and goosestep naked down Broadway during rush hour. It’s all protected under the First Amendment. The rest of us should just shrug, roll our eyes and say to our other educated friends, “Can you believe this asshole?” and have a good laugh about it. Of course, it’s never that easy. As Jason Limpkin put it in his wonderfully scathing article for Huffington Post, Jones was elevated in short order to icon status. “The story of how one lone idiot, pimping an 18thcentury brand of community terrorism, held the media hostage and forced some of this nation’s most powerful people to their knees to fitfully beg an end to his wackdoodlery is an extraordinary one,” he wrote. Jones ended up calling off the Quran burning. He said that he had been contacted
by Feisal Abudul Rauf, the imam in charge of Herman, through a local Floridian imam. Jones said Rauf had decided to move Herman to another location if it would stop International Burn a Quran Day. Jones added that he was heading to New York on Friday, Sept. 10 to meet with Rauf. As it turns out, this may all be a lie as both Rauf and the Floridian imam, Mohammad Musri, both deny ever contacting Jones or setting up a meeting and stated that Herman is staying put. Confused? Me too. I don’t know what’s happening here, or why I’m supposed to care. I don’t know shit about the Quran. I’ve never read it. Maybe there are four chapters in there about how to succeed as a suicide bomber. Even if there are, what the fuck is the difference? I read The Great Gatsby. It’s still one of my favorite books! I think about it all the time, but I never became a rich New York socialite. Still, while it may be easy to dismiss Jones and his followers as crazy people (they are), there’s no denying they have power. And I’m not sure they’re as marginalized as us thinking folk would like to believe. President Obama had to get on national television and plead with people to stop hating people because they’re different. I’m growing weary of these stories. It’s no longer a question of whether or not people really believe shit like this. They do, a lot of them do, perhaps even a large majority. It’s past the point of it being a question, “Are we this stupid?” The answer’s clear. We are. If you’re reading this, and you think I’m wrong because you work at some hipster coffee shop and everyone you speak to every day is stoked on the new Arcade Fire album and adheres to a vegan diet and gives a fuck about their carbon footprints and is so tolerant of other races and religions, you’re in the minority. In a democracy—and this country still is one the last time I checked—the majority rules. And you probably don’t even vote, but you can bet an iced soy milk mocha latte every member of the Tea Party does. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with the Book of Revelation. I still think it’s a wonderful work of psychedelic fiction—poetic, beautiful, frightening and yes, wildly spiritual. I used to have a perverse fantasy that I would live long enough to see this actually happen—that the trumpets would sound and plagues of locusts would swarm, the sun would grow as black as sackcloth, and the Great Whore of Babylon would descend from the sky; that the Four Horsemen would unleash their wrath upon the Earth; that the Messiah and the hosts of angels would stand against the Antichrist in an epic battle that would empty all the souls in Heaven (talk about theater!). Now I’m starting to hope it actually does. Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas
SubmergeMag.com
Issue 68 • September 13 – September 27, 2010
31
Dive into Sacramento & its Surrounding Areas
September 13 – 27, 2010
#68
Krist Novoselic
Spirit of Independence
Ex-Mars Vo l t a dru m m er ’ s
Broke Ass
The Memorials
o n t he c hea p
new project
Ballin’ Cha n n e l
your
inner foodie
s m ash i n g pumpkins & helmet LIve! Risqué Nites turns Two
B i g
Boi
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