Issue 69 (September 27-October 11, 2010)

Dive into Sacramento & its Surrounding Areas

September 27 – October 11, 2010

#69

Torstein

HorgMo Horgmo T h e N e w S ta n da r d

free M i dd l e

Class R u t No Place Like Home

Ludo RJD2 The I n-Joke

Your Label Here

Natasha

Leggero D r e ss e d t o I m p r e s s

Kupros Bistro N ic at y n e ’ s N e w Album Reviewed

2

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

contents

16

12

14

20 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

sept. 27 – oct. 11

03 04 06 11 12 14 16 19 20 22 27 28 30

Submerge Magazine

2308 J Street, Suite F Sacramento, Calif. 95816

916.441.3803 info@submergemag.com

distribution

Blake Gillespie, Monica McStotts

69

printed on recycled paper

www.submergemag.com

2010

Dive in The Stream Submerge your senses The Optimistic Pessimist Torstein Horgmo Middle Class Rut Natasha Leggero Ludo RJD2 Calendar Album Spotlight Nicatyne

refined tastes kupros bistro

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!

dive in

get in the mindset, it’s october already

Melissa welliver melissa@submergemag.com

It’s pretty hard to believe it’s fall, with the weather jumping back up into the 90s. It’s even harder to think that winter will be here in a few months and that it will be time to snowboard again. However, October is the perfect month to start thinking about snowboarding!

If you’re like me and are always looking for the best deals, this is the perfect month to start planning for winter. It’s time to watch a few good snowboard videos, get in the mind-set, then go shopping for last season’s gear. You really can’t beat all those 50 percent off deals.

Well, Submerge is here to help you get in the mind-set. You have to check out our interview with 23-year-old savage Torstein Horgmo. This Norwegian native has been coming up for a while now and has taken snowboarding to a whole new level this past summer with his fucking insane triple cork, the first-ever landed on film. It is a must-see on YouTube or Vimeo. But trust me, watching it at one angle is not enough, no matter how many times you view it. I even created a low-resolution stop-action image from the video clip to help you see what Horgmo’s triple cork is all about. Luckily, this trick was filmed with multiple angles, which you can see in the new film The Storming. This video has been premiering all over the world this fall and it’s coming to Sacramento on Oct. 17 at Barcode. Check out our interview with Horgmo on page 12 where he talks about his game changing trick and what it was like working with Tahoebased company Standard Films.

Another great thing to think about this October is art. Oh “Artober,” what a clever little word. One particular event that has much to offer is Crocker Museum’s Neo-Crocker 2010: A Modern Culture Party on Oct. 16. Though the ticket price might be a little steep, if you can afford it, there will be plenty of festivities to help you get that bang for your buck. One performer that will make it worth your while is RJD2. We were fortunate enough to interview this DJ/producer who is always working, especially now that he is in charge of his own record label, Electrical Connections. Flip to page 20 where you can read what RJD2 has to say about his past, present and future.

On the cheaper side, for only $9.47 you can attend Middle Class Rut’s CD release show at the Boardwalk on Oct. 8. After all their hard work and tours, Zack Lopez and Sean Stockham finally have an official release called No Name No Color. We were able to catch up with them shortly after their return from the United Kingdom. Check out our feature on page 14 where they talk to us about what it’s like to play heavy music these days, working with their label, as well as what it was like when they tried existing as “normal” guys.

If you’re always in the mind-set for humor, you can be sure to enjoy two things: comedians and musicians who act like comedians. The band Ludo, with all their humor and geekiness, have a new record out on Island called Prepare the Preparations.

They will also be playing at the Boardwalk on Oct. 2. On page 19, you can read our feature on the band in which Tim Convy admits that not everyone will get what they’re about and that they don’t let it bother them anymore.

As Natasha Leggero said in our interview on page 16, “It’s a good time to be a comedian.” I couldn’t agree with her more.

She’s a hilarious comedian that definitely feeds off of pop culture and America’s obsession with reality television “stars.”

Leggero often frequents my favorite late night show, Chelsea Lately, and was even one of the judges on this past season of NBC’s Last Comic Standing. You have an opportunity to see this pretty, witty lady at Tommy T’s in Rancho Cordova. She will be here for a few days starting on Oct. 7.

Enjoy issue #69, Melissa-Dubs

Follow us on Twitter! @SubmergeMag

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Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

3

The stream

Craig & mess rejoin dGD, elmo vs. katy perry’s cleavage

You’re forgiven if you drooled on yourself after hearing that A Perfect Circle is touring again. In 2004, the band scattered to other projects, including singer Maynard James Keenan’s return to Tool. But after a six-year break, A Perfect Circle is reuniting for a West Coast tour.

Each stop will include a three-night performance, with the band playing each of its three albums, starting with Mer de Noms. Keenan will be joined by other founding member, and his former guitar tech, Billy Howerdel, plus drummer Josh Freese, former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha and bassist Matt McJunkins. The tour will include three nights at the Fillmore in San Francisco on Nov. 16–18.

The Roots and John Legend have come together to release an album. While John Legend is known primarily for R&B and The Roots veer toward hip-hop, Wake Up! touches a wide variety of genres, including soul, jazz, gospel and reggae.

The album focuses on world issues and features covers of songs from R&B legends Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers. “I think it will feel very powerful to Roots fans, John Legend fans and all of the above people who haven’t listened to us before, because the collaboration felt very natural. It felt very right,” Legend told MTV. The 11-track album was released on Sept. 21.

Speaking of bands that have been sleepy lately, R.E.M. announced that it has finished recording a new album. The band broke through in the ’80s and was last heard from in 2008 after releasing the album Accelerate. The new release, which will be the band’s 15th album, is set to hit shelves in spring of 2011. Producer Jacknife Lee, who worked with the group on Accelerate, returned for the latest installment. R.E.M. spanned the globe during production of album No. 15, recording songs in Nashville, New Orleans and Berlin.

Here it goes, here it goes, here it goes again. OK Go, known more for their videos than their music, released another music video that became an instant viral success. The video for the band’s single “White Knuckles” took 124 takes to record and received an astounding 1 million hits within 24 hours of its release. The video features elaborate cup stacking, highly-trained canines and some well-choreographed chair dancing. The new video joins a long line of OK Go classics including the treadmill performance of “Here It Goes Again” and backyard dancing of “A Million Ways.” The band plans on touring in October with a full slate of shows in North America.

Weezer has informed fans about some upcoming tour dates, including two shows scheduled for San Francisco. The band’s self-proclaimed “Memories” tour will open in Los Angeles on Nov. 26–27 before heading to the Bay Area for shows on Nov. 29–30 at the Nob Hill Masonic Center. The two-night performances will feature Weezer playing The Blue Album on one night and Pinkerton on the other. In addition, fans at both shows will be treated to a selection of greatest hits from the group.

And in other news... Katy Perry’s boobs were banned from Sesame Street. No Katy, you cannot show your cleavage on a show that targets preschoolers. (B.F.) Longtime Sacramento screamo mainstay Dance Gavin Dance announced in mid-August that they had parted ways with singer Kurt Travis, and that original vocalist and now frontman for Emarosa, Jonny Craig (who’s also on the current cover of Alternative Press), has returned to the band. Jon Mess will also be returning to handle the screams alongside Craig’s soulful, wailing vocals. The band will head into the studio this fall to record Downtown Battle Mountain 2 and will perform live at the 2010 SacShows Local Music Awards on Sunday, Oct. 10 at Tropicana, located at 1696 Arden Way. Get your tickets early, as they are sure to sell out, at www. sacshowsawards.com.

Brad Fuhrman & Jonathan Carabba Sacramento MC/ producer duo Chuuwee and Lee Bannon have finally dropped their Hot N’ Ready project and it is indeed hot. Some might call it a “classic,” but I don’t like that term—I prefer “ageless.” Standout tracks include “Need That” which features C Plus, “Take Out,” and “Like This,” which features Zumbi of Zion I. Hit up www.chuuweeoftus.bandcamp.com for a free download.

In other local hip-hop happenings: Fly High’s JoEl is dropping The BARbarian mixtape on Oct. 1; PCM/ LMNH Records’ Kelz has an album coming out in the middle of October called T.G.I.F - Thank God I’m Fresh; �Dom Kennedy will perform at Colonial Theatre on Oct. 13 and Murs will be at 28th & B Street Skate Park on Oct. 21. (J.C.) Send regional news tips to info@submergemag.com

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Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

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Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

5

Audio Express — Sacramento Submerge — 9/27/2010

Your Senses SEE HEAR TASTE Touch

SEE

TOUCH

Moderno Festival del Cinema Italiano

Aspiring artists, listen up: on Saturday, Oct. 2, don’t miss this rare opportunity to learn drawing techniques from a true pro, artist Gretchen Ryan. A Northern California Arts Inc. Master Painter, Ryan has shown her fantastic, extremely detailed paintings and drawings all over the world, from Santiago, Chile; to Bristolo City, United Kingdom; to New York to Seattle. “An Introduction to Drawing” will get you on your way to becoming the illustrator you’ve always wanted to be. The class is free and takes place from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Sacramento Public Library Central Branch. For more information, call (916) 264-2700.

Our good friends at Hot Italian have another exciting weekend of events coming up at Fremont Park (across the street from Hot Italian at 16th and Q streets): the inaugural Moderno Festival del Cinema Italiano, or Modern Italian Film Fest, on Oct. 1–2. On Friday night, Caterina va in città (Caterina in the Big City) will be shown and on Saturday night, Giorni e Nuvole (Days and Clouds) will play. Yes, both films are in Italian, and yes, both will feature English subtitles on a very large screen.

Both movies start at 8 p.m. and are totally free, so round up some friends and grab a blanket and enjoy some Italian cinema under the stars.

An Introduction to Drawing

HEAR

2010 NorCal Noisefest XIV

TASTE

Asian Food and Cultural Bazaar Trust us, on Saturday, Oct. 2, this is where you’re going to eat lunch: the Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church (located at 6929 Franklin Boulevard) for the Asian Food and Cultural Bazaar. There will be teriyaki chicken, sushi, sesame chicken, chow mein, udon, Korean short ribs, kahlua pork, and manju (Japanese confections) all cooked on-site by church members and friends. There will be live entertainment, raffles, kids’ games and more.

Food is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

6

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

Now in its 14th year, the NorCal Noisefest is still going strong (and loud). This year, the event takes place on Oct. 1–2 at Luna’s Café and Sol Collective and features dozens of interesting performers from all around the country as well as plenty from our own region.

Friday’s events will be held at Luna’s Café (1414 16th Street) starting at 7 p.m. and Saturday’s will be held at Sol Collective (2574 21st Street) starting at 2 p.m. All shows are all ages. More information at www. norcalnoisefest.com.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

SubmergeMag.com

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

7

fri, oct 22

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Josiah Leming

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8

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale

The Boardwalk • 9426 GreenBack • oranGevale

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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The TickeTs availaBle @ dimple records, The BeaT, armadillo(davis), TickeTs.com, musicToday.com, Boardwalkrocks.com and Boardwalk Box office

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

9

10

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

The Optimistic Pessimist Breaching the GOP’s New Contract With America

Bocephus Chigger bocephus@submergemag.com

It’s that time again. Election season is back, and it’s tougher than ever. Shit is really fierce out there this year. The Tea Party is out crackin’ skulls and drinking the blood of their prey, while the Democrats are doing what they do best—which is to say, losing.

Until now, the Republicans have mostly been riding the Tea Party’s dicks teabags coattails. But by the time this goes to press, the Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives will have announced their 20-plus page “Pledge to America.”

This “pledge” is supposed to get the Republicans on everyone’s good side by “solving” all of our problems. If all goes according to plan, the people will love them

by Nov. 2 and they will sweep the House, thus returning us to the dark ages of 2006.

Being the investigative journalist that I am, I was able to get a hold of the GOP’s secret talking points on their “pledge.” These guys really mean business. Don’t believe me?

Take a look for yourself.

On Job Creation We need to protect our borders, and we have a lot of gun-lovers out there. Why not start paying them as border guards? Put that militia training to work, folks!

We love us a good war and wars mean jobs (unless you work in the body armor industry). Iran and North Korea are the obvious choices, but it doesn’t really matter who we fight. Maybe we will hit Mexico and show those border-jumping job stealers who we really are!

We are going to declare the Democratic Party to be Communist terrorists and encourage bounty hunting.

Drill, baby, drill! (and subsequently) Plug, baby, plug! It’s the circle of life!

On Spending Reduction First and foremost, we need Michael Steele on this. That guy is an economic genius.

With Steele in place, we will fly out to a Puerto Rican resort where we will figure this whole thing out.

These liberal Washington fat cats have been ramming social programs down our throats for years. We’re getting rid of Medicare, Social Security and unemployment. It’s time these people started working for a living like real Americans!

Science is a loose cannon and our children are in its crosshairs. It’s also expensive to teach with all that crazy equipment. So, say goodbye to science.

Teaching about the Lord is free!

Get rid of all those well-paid activist judges! We can judge ourselves!

SubmergeMag.com

On Health Care We need to replace Obamacare with basically the same system we had before, except we want to regulate it less. Let consumers decide!

Goodbye, abortion. We’re not just talkin’ partial-birth abortion, either. If your uncle raped you and got you pregnant, well, that’s just part of God’s plan.

The gays get all the diseases that cost us a bundle. Let’s ban being gay. Problem solved.

We need a Constitutional amendment that bans death panels before they kill our grandparents. It’s just the right thing to do.

On National Security Kill our enemies! Kill them good! Maybe bomb them a bunch and send in lots of troops!

Build a concrete wall around America.

No one could ever get in… or out.

Those internment camps did wonders with the Japanese during World War II. Why not dust off that old chestnut to take care of our Arab problem?

Maybe bomb Russia just to show people we mean business. Didn’t see that one coming did you, comrade?

Congressional Reform Congress is a mess, and we need to clean it up. There are way too many rules and procedures. We are going to get rid of these roadblocks (for us, not the Democrats) so we can get some stuff done!

Pork barrel spending is our lifeblood; it’s how we really get rich. Unfortunately, Americans are starting to reach for their pitchforks and torches, so we are going to need to polish this turd. We will make it a contest: The state with the most pork gets free guns.

All this voting is getting in the way of our campaigning. Since the lobbyists buy our votes anyway, why not just let them vote for us too? Let them figure it out. We got a campaign to run!

Keep congressional voting records confidential, so we always come up roses.

Sounds like a winner to me. Good luck this November, gentlemen!

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

11

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Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

O

n Saturday, June 5, in the dead of summer on a glacier in Norway, 23-year-old professional snowboarder Torstein Horgmo changed the sport forever when he landed the first-ever triple cork caught on film. That’s three off-axis rotations, or diagonal flips, if you will, completed in one huge-ass jump. Two days later, Horgmo uploaded a minute-long clip featuring the gravity-defying trick to his website (www.torstein.net) and to his Vimeo page, and within hours the video had gone viral, sending a shockwave through the industry that left jaws on the floor all around the world. The same day the video was uploaded, Snowboard-mag.com posted a link suggesting that the trick be called “the Cosmonaut,” because, “Homeboy looks like he’s in one of those anti-gravity planes.” The next day, Espn.go.com said, “Everyone knew it was just a matter of time, but how many guessed we’d see it this season? Or, for that matter, on the Internet first?” This brings up a good point: traditionally, riders and film producers save the biggest and best tricks for their video parts that premier in the fall, but Horgmo has embraced the power of the Internet. “I just wanted to put it on my website; I thought that would be cool,” Horgmo recently shared with Submerge. “It’s a little unusual, people usually put all their bangers in their video part, and I have it in my video part too. We had so many angles of the trick and after all that effort I kind of just wanted to get it out right away.”

He added, “I didn’t expect it to be that big. That was crazy.”

The video part Horgmo refers to is in The Storming, the newest offering from Tahoe-based snowboard film pioneers Standard Films.

Horgmo’s part features multiple camera angles of the triple cork, so don’t fret if the one-minute clip available online now has left you hungry to see more. The highly anticipated film will see its Sacramento-area premier on Saturday, Oct. 16 when Ground Zero Board Shop will host a giant premier party at Barcode with live music, giveaways and more. In the following interview, Horgmo chats with Submerge about landing the now infamous triple cork (on a bum ankle, mind you!), what it’s been like working with Standard Films on The Storming and other flicks, a nearly career-ending injury he sustained a few years ago, as well as his thoughts on the current state of the snowboarding industry.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

“It was only a couple hours, you know, between setting up the jump, warming up with some mellow tricks, like I did a couple double corks, and I just wanted to get it out of the way after that. I think I gave it six tries, and then landed it on the seventh.”

– Torstein Horgmo on landing a triple cork

So we’ve just got to talk about this, I’m sure everyone in the world wants to talk to you about this: the triple cork! That trick is mind blowing.

Tell me about it, how did it feel to ride away from it?

I was in a lot of pain, so once I landed I didn’t really have any pain anymore, you know? I just wanted to get it out of the way. I was so happy that the pain was just overwhelmed. Everyone that was there was super stoked; the vibe that was in the air was…I don’t know how to explain it.

It was just a crazy day.

Had you tried it a lot before landing it?

It was just like one session during the day. The glacier was open, the lift was running and stuff, so we just kind of set up the jump and had that closed off. The jump was so high-speed we didn’t want people to get hurt coming in from the side or anything. We just started the session, and I was feeling the jump a lot, so I just kind of decided to go for it until I landed it. It was only a couple hours, you know, between setting up the jump, warming up with some mellow tricks, like I did a couple double corks, and I just wanted to get it out of the way after that. I think I gave it six tries, and then landed it on the seventh.

That’s a lot mellower than I had imagined. I was thinking it was this big hyped-up type of thing that took days to set up.

I didn’t want anybody to know about it. I just told the filmer that I wanted to try it, so we figured out the jump, figured it was going to be perfect

for something like that to be tried on, you know? I just drove down with him, the main filmer, he’s a skier/filmer and had a skier crew on the jump and none of them knew I wanted to try it either until that day. I didn’t want any hype to get out there or whatever.

I want to talk about The Storming. Are you stoked on how your part turned out?

Yeah for sure. Out of the time I had on my hands with the season and what I had time to shoot, I’m super happy about how it came together. Luckily I ended up with a lot of shots that I wanted and a lot of sessions came together randomly so I got some stuff I didn’t plan, too. I’m really happy with how it came together; I’m super into being a part of how the shot order comes together and stuff, too, so luckily I got to work a little with Travis [Robb, filmer] in Squamish [British Columbia, Canada] , that was fun too.

How do you like working with Standard Films?

This is the third film with them. I love working with those guys. I’ve learned so much over the last three years. Those guys are triple OGs in the backcountry. They just take me to all these sick spots and show me some amazing snowboarding. Just thinking about all the movies they’ve made and all the legendary riders who have filmed for Standard before.

Being a part of the new generation over there has been sick.

What’s it like going back and forth between riding in contests and filming for video parts all year? Do they feed off each other or take from one another?

I think they definitely help each other out. If I’m out filming one week and just focusing on getting the stuff I want on all the spots properly, getting them just right, having long sessions with good friends, it’s a little bit mellower. Going from that into a contest maybe helps you not stress out too much on the contest scene and definitely helps your style a little bit too. Going from a contest week into filming again, the tricks you have in a contest like in a slope-style run, if you want those tricks in your video part, you’re definitely more prepared going into the backcountry with how those tricks are feeling, you know, and it helps decrease the amount of tries you spend getting a shot.

That’s interesting to hear that, because I feel like a lot of snowboarders are like “fuck the contests, I’m all about the free riding,” and some riders are the other way.

That’s right what you’re saying. They’re two completely different scenes. A lot of riders at contests, they just do contests and they have a different mentality. Some of the things they do and how they act, I can feed off that in both worlds—other stuff I’ll be avoiding. I still snowboard to progress myself. That’s always been the funnest part of snowboarding to me is learning new tricks, like when I was a kid and I would learn something new every time I snowboarded. Every time I was at a contest I pretty much learned a new trick and progressed myself. But, you know, I wouldn’t have started snowboarding or pushed to have made it to where I am today if it wasn’t for the inspiration I got from the snowboarding videos, too. It’s been a huge goal for me to be able to film video parts as well, so I just want to keep doing both.

I read somewhere that a few years ago you broke your back at a contest! What happened there?

It was just super shitty weather. I showed up a little late to a contest and didn’t have any practice time. The day of the practice was the day of the qualification. I was just coming out of the holidays.

I was stressing a little bit about figuring out what I wanted to do on the run, and we only got minutes to ride on the course. It was foggy and windy. I couldn’t see shit. They almost considered blowing

SubmergeMag.com

the whole thing over, calling it off, but they kept running the practice. They had four jumps in a row and on the fourth jump I got a gust of wind or something and all of a sudden had super speed and went way too far and overshot the jump. I landed on my butt and bounced around like crazy and that was it.

That must have been depressing for a young, up-and-coming athlete to all of a sudden be in that situation where you can’t perform. Did you think you’d be snowboarding again so quickly?

Because you were back on your board in a matter of months, right?

Yeah, I just didn’t really think too much about it. I didn’t need surgery, I knew that. When I got back home to Norway I talked to athlete doctors, or specialists or whatever, and they told me that it was just going to take time but I was going to be fine. I was like, “There’s no way! I am coming back from this. I am going to be snowboarding again real fucking soon.” There was no way that was going to set me back. I think that helped a lot, thinking like that all the way through.

What’s your take on the current state of the snowboarding industry? With guys like Shaun White taking it so far into the mainstream, the sport has more spotlights on it now than ever. Do you think it’s a good thing for the sport?

That’s just naturally happening, and I’m trying to evolve myself with it, you know? I think it’s kind of exciting. There’s always some stuff that’s going to be shitty, but there’s a lot of good things coming out of it too. With more corporate stuff happening, there’s more money involved to put on bigger and better events, and we can see sick movies like Travis Rice’s movie That’s It, That’s All, I don’t think that would have happened if the sport wasn’t growing so fast.

How many riders do you think are out there trying to learn triple corks into a foam pit somewhere?

[Laughs] I don’t know, dude. I don’t really know how foam pits work.

Don’t miss the premier of The Storming feat. riding from Torstein Horgmo and a slew of other amazing snowboarders on Oct. 16 at Barcode. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are $13 in advance (available at all Ground Zero locations) and $15 the day of. Admission comes with a free lift ticket to Sierra-at-Tahoe or Northstar-at-Tahoe. All ages are welcome.

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

13

Loving, and the Times We’re In

Middle Class Rut Ready Their Full-Length Debut Words Joseph Atkins | photo Andrew Kuykendall

Guy Debord, the pivotal member of the French art collective known as the Situationist International, once graffitied Paris with the slogan “Never Work.” In his book Lipstick Traces, Griel Marcus ties the SI as the real precursors of the punk-anarchist tradition. In a related way, Middle Class Rut embodies an angst that directly confronts the conditions of our world. Zack Lopez (guitar/vocals) and Sean Stockham (drums/vocals) use their songs to take swings at the monotony of the working class experience. It’s imbedded in the lyrics of songs like “Lifelong Dayshift” where both members double down on the chorus to create a throat-thick hook reminiscent of Filter: “Your life/It ain’t worth wasting mine on. I won’t accept that every day/Will just be thrown away.” A sentiment that anyone who’s ever had a miserable job can identify with. Lopez and Stockham don’t stop with lyric sentiment; they crank up their sounds to ear bleeding and make sure that their message gets loudly through to the audience. That message isn’t directly anarchist but is closely related via the spirit of DIY. Angry at the prerequisite struggle built into DIY, MC Rut’s debut full-length album, No Name No Color, becomes an example of a hard-wrought self-made body of work. Operating independently (self-recorded, selfproduced), MC Rut is succeeding at making things for themselves and that ever-elusive ability to be happy doing it.

MC Rut met with Submerge at a Starbucks on Madison. Without an interior for customers to sit in, it was a fitting example of our service economy. We drank coffee over the squeals and rumbles that signify our ever-fluid social relations, and here we discussed their jejune flirtations with a major label, family and their recent tours with Alice in Chains, …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, Them Crooked Vultures, The Bronx and Social Distortion.

“It’s cool to go out and support a band like Alice in Chains, just for the opportunity to do it,” said Stockham.

“And that was huge for us,” added Lopez. Thankful for the opportunities, MC Rut is ready to branch out on its own. Anxious to reap the benefits of their own labor, Lopez gets adamant about headlining. “We’d rather headline basements,” he said, “and have everyone there for us than go out on another support tour. We’ve been an opening band our whole life.”

“When you’re 16 or 17 you get so excited to just get out of your hometown,” said Stockham. “The first couple of tours we did when we were younger, it wasn’t about how many people showed up or how much merchandise we sold, it was about the fact that we’re in a van

14

driving across the world. Then we got a little bit older and had kids, and we didn’t want to do that shitty van tour anymore.”

“And we still did,” nodded Lopez. “We were thinking we just got to pay our dues. It’ll happen.”

Their previous group, Leisure, disbanded in 2004 after years of hype and little to show for their efforts. “It wasn’t until we got honest again that we started going anywhere,” said Lopez. “Getting in a record deal and being in a certain situation, you think that you can fool people. It just doesn’t pan out that way. Money was a joke then.

If you knew the right person, they were just handing it out.”

Stockham added flatly, “The industry has been flipped over.”

While things have changed dramatically for both major labels and bands, MC Rut is still able to take advantage of their connections to the majors. “[Our label] Bright Antenna still gets to operate the way they want to. They hire their own radio person, we hire our own artwork, together we pay for everything, but ILG and Warner make sure [our stuff] gets out everywhere,” said Stockham.

And, in case our readers haven’t been paying attention, MC Rut has been everywhere. They were getting radio play on KWOD 106.5 before the station changed formats, and their CD release Oct. 8 at the Boardwalk is getting attention as one of Radio 94.7’s $9.47 shows.

Yet despite this recent success, MC Rut is doing something a little different than many of today’s popular bands. Embedded into their songs, into their angst, is the late ‘90s feel of Jane’s Addiction, Rage Against the Machine, Filter and a punk rock attitude.

“You’re kind of discouraged nowadays from even being a heavy band,” said Lopez. “Especially with the indie scene how it got so big.

I couldn’t be less cool showing up to the club with the rig that I have.

That’s just who we are at heart. We’ve always just loved really honest, energetic, really heavy loud music.”

“We can easily feel outdated,” seconded Stockham. “Depending on what part of the world or what show we get thrown onto at the end of the night. Heavy music is still really big. Active rock, Disturbed, Godsmack—that shit is huge in the middle part of America. But when you go to London and you’re playing the hip cool place, we’re not playing to Disturbed fans. We’re playing to people who like Vampire Weekend, and that’s the scene we’re talking about. We feel like we can’t relate to them, and they can’t relate to us.”

“We wish that this band could be in the old Sacramento scene,” said Lopez. “You couldn’t beat that scene back then. Now there’s no

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

central place, the downtown scene is totally different.”

While the places have changed, the lifestyle hasn’t; and MC Rut is a testament to the difficulty of overcoming the systemic necessity of day labor. Both members have kids and homes to support; yet they constantly sacrifice family time for music. “If you love what you’re doing that should be what you’re doing,” said Lopez. “It was a lot harder for me personally, working and existing as a normal guy, being someone I wasn’t. I was building houses in Los Angeles. That was way harder for me than it was to leave my family and go out on the road to do something that I loved. If I’m home and I’m miserable because of my job, I’m just treating everyone like shit anyways. You can burn months, years even, in a certain routine. Just stacking time against yourself.”

“I didn’t even get my high school diploma,” revealed Stockham.

“Like, ‘I’m going to be a rock star at age 19.’ When that didn’t work out and you’re forced to get a job, it’s factory work. In a funny way we want to have the stability of a 9-to-5, just playing music. Health insurance would be dope.”

Like too many Americans, MC Rut has to juggle their work with their livelihoods, sometimes at the consequences of self-preservation.

When it’s not weighing down their bills, this tension manifests itself in the track “One Debt Away.” The chorus is a simple affirmation: “Be glad/To be home.” The first half is belted out with all the angst discussed above, the second half declines into a less tenuous space, the melodic thought of domesticity.

“We haven’t been to the doctor or the dentist in like 12 years,” laughed Lopez.

“There are times where it’s just an emergency, and it becomes this really expensive thing,” said Stockham. “My credit is fucked, because I went to the doctor one time and didn’t have the money to pay the bill.

Middle Class Rut will play a CD Hopefully things will change.” release show at Boardwalk on Oct. For MC Rut things have changed; 8. Also on the bill will be Another they’ve finally put together an album Damn Disappointment, Kaleiding full of momentum. It’s time to reveal Design and Lite Brite. Tickets are just $9.47 in advance. Go to www. it to the people. “It’s nice to have boardwalkrocks.com for more officially put out a record,” said information. No Name No Color will Stockham. “Now we can just move be available in stores and online on, go out and play as many shows Oct. 5. as possible.”

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Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

15

Pretty (Funny) Woman

Standup comedian and general pop culture humorist, Natasha Leggero Words Josselin Basaldu | photos Robyn Von Swank

Although convincing in her roles portraying strippers, sozzled skanks and “housewives” on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Reno 911, Natasha Leggero is no high-class hooker. She is a comedian.

A standup comedian who also does comic acting, Leggero is the voice of Callie Maggotbone on Comedy Central’s Ugly Americans, has been on the Tonight Show twice, as well as the Late Show, Samantha Who and The Sarah Silverman Program, was a judge on the last season of NBC’s Last Comic Standing and gets down digitally with a weekly podcast and a steady stream of pop culture jokes on Twitter.

She’s honed her flailing-arm, bourgeois physical comedic persona while smoothly imparting socially undertoned and well-timed jokes. Such humor and general likeability matched with comedic respect is unexpectedly bold and witty for someone so petite and pretty.

Certainly recognizable from her function as a social humorist, Leggero has been a consistent roundtable guest on E!’s Chelsea Lately since 2007. She’s that unarguably hot little lady with the big sparkly eyes, glossy long dark hair and the kind of jokes that don’t cut, but smack you upside the head with a thud.

Especially feeding on the hilarity of our current social climate, Leggero likes to dress in a glamorously classy fashion (read: wearing pearls while sipping a Manhattan at 11:30 a.m.) and question reality TV, hip-hop songs and “toilet babies” (babies delivered in toilets by women who didn’t know they were pregnant).

Born in Illinois and having attended performing arts school in New York, Leggero moved to Los Angeles to begin her comedy career, working to lose her “flat-A” accent along the way. A fond memory of transitioning from a Midwesterner was being in a place where “people know what sparkling water is,” she shared.

Leggero spoke with Submerge about doing standup, Snooki and why it’s so natural for her to act obliterated.

How long have you been doing standup?

Nine years.

I’m a sex robot in the future, who’s on the spaceship and everybody is tired of fucking.

Do you remember the particular club or city where you started your standup career?

I was in Los Angeles at the Comedy Store in the Belly Room, which is a room that was actually designed in the ‘70s for women comedians, and it’s just a great, easy room for comedy. It’s a great place to start out. I think they call it the Belly Room because it’s kind of like a womb. There are no distractions. It’s this small, dark room with low ceilings and no bar in the back. It’s a really kind room for comedy.

So you become a defunct sex robot.

Exactly. I think at one point they order me a new vagina.

But it’s all improv.

No big mistakes that first time?

I’m still trying to get a set as good as the first time I was onstage. It was a great set, and then I was so shocked that everyone was laughing. Yeah, it was just this amazing experience. The laughter just felt like waves coming over me. But now that I think about that story, I remember someone had given me a Xanax, and I had had some wine, so it might have been the drugs doing that.

You’ve portrayed quite a few characters. Which is your favorite character that you’ve acted out at this point?

Anything I do with the people from Reno 911 is my favorite, because they’re all just such amazing improvisers that somehow they make you funnier by just being so generous and funny themselves. They really know how to set you up for the jokes.

I worked with Tom Lennon and Ben Garant from Reno 911. I did Reno four times and I did their movie. I just did a pilot for them for NBC, which didn’t get picked up. Now we’re doing one for FX, which is a white trash, futuristic version of Reno 911; it’s set in space. It’s called Alabama, and I’m going to be playing a sex robot.

16

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

You’re pretty obviously obliterated in that role on Reno 911. Was it very difficult to act very trashed?

It was sort of an impediment when I was in acting school. We’d be doing Chekov and they’d say, “Stop moving around so much, you seem like you’re drunk.”

And it’s just a physicality that I just naturally do, that, um, seems like I’m drunk. Especially when I’m onstage. I’ve always liked to fall. I always have been good at it. I would always pretend to fall for my friends.

I mastered that art of pratfalls, and I’d always have comedy bruises all over myself. It’s something I always knew how to do and it goes well with being wasted.

You are a consistent guest on Chelsea Lately. How many times have you been on that show?

I think I lost count at 70… Last time I did it, Snooki was there, whom you may know from her work on the Jersey Shore. I had my dog with me, who’s a little Chihuahua, and we were backstage. I have a little “service dog” vest for it so I can take it into restaurants, and Snooki was like, “Can I see yoor dwaag?” So I said sure and showed her my dog. She was like, “Why ya got this vest?” I was like, “I have epilepsy,” as a joke, and she said, “What’s epilepsy?” I thought that was pretty phenomenal that word has escaped her, her whole life.

What are your thoughts on reality TV? I just don’t understand why we’re calling them “stars” when it’s the first thing they’ve ever done… In general it’s pretty silly, but it’s definitely there for us to make

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

fun of, I feel like. It’s a good time to be a comedian.

You joke about not wanting kids, but there’s a picture of you and a baby on your Twitter page.

I can’t believe my friend let me breastfeed her baby! Actually, she let me put a pacifier in the baby’s mouth, and then I pressed it up against my boob. So, that’s not my child. I should re-do that picture with my dog.

I would probably lay on a piano and belt out some old standards. Or maybe write some new standards about toilet babies.

Do you have any favorite type of audience?

I like people who are a little savvier, hip, stylish.

They get where I’m going with everything. They are not afraid to laugh at things that can be slightly mean.

When doing jokes about hip-hop songs, you actually sing, and your voice sounds really good.

Do you have any plans on adding “singer” to your entertainment resume?

I would love to sing more. My voice is not that trained. I definitely think I could do a lounge act.

Have you had any run-ins of the obsessed fan sort?

This one guy brought a picture of me on Chelsea… and he took the screen shot right when I was in the middle of crossing my legs and you could see the smallest bit of my underwear and he wanted me to sign it.

If you did put out an album, what kind of music do you think you would do?

What did you say to him?

I said, “That’s disgusting,” and then I signed it.

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Forgo the dirty screenshot photos when seeing Natasha Leggero’s standup live at Tommy T’s in Rancho Cordova. But, she said gifts of Lazy Lemonades are welcome. Leggero will perform Oct. 7–10. For more information and tickets, go to www.tommyts.com.

Photo courtesy NBC’s Last Comic Standing SubmergeMag.com

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

17

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Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

Revenge of the Nerds

Ludo returns with a new album and an emboldened sense of confidence Words James Barone

There’s a saying in some parts of the country that goes, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes,” of course referring to a bratty and unpredictable climate. In Northern California, given its multitude of microclimates, you could easily replace “wait five minutes” to “drive 20 miles.” None of that really has anything to do with Ludo, an alt-rock band originally hailing from St. Louis, Mo., but the sentiment behind that old adage sort of applies to the band’s latest album, Prepare the Preparations, released Sept.

7. If you don’t like one song, just skip to the next track.

You may have picked up from the album’s title that Ludo isn’t a band that takes itself too seriously, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Prepare the Preparation is musically restless with its antsy propensity for genre- and style-hopping. Take, for instance, the Danny Elfman-esque carnival bombast of opening track “Too Tired to Wink,” followed by the space-age speed riffs of “Cyborgs vs. Robots” and throw in a sea chantey (“Rotten Town”) and some folk-inspired rock (“Anything for You”) for good measure, and you’ve got what amounts to a pretty wild musical ride. However, what holds steady through Prepare the Preparations is Ludo’s solid musicianship. For all their quirks and perhaps goofiness, it’s impossible to deny the band knows what it’s doing.

“People want to push you a certain way and neglect the fact that you can really play your instruments better than a lot of the serious bands,” Ludo keyboardist Tim Convy told Submerge in a recent interview.

Ludo got its start in the first half of the ‘00s. The band’s previous album, You’re Awful, I Love You, released in 2008, was the first of the band’s multi-album deal with Island Records.

Prepare the Preparations found Ludo working once again with co-producer Matt Wallace (with Mark McClusky), who was behind the board for You’re Awful… Prepare the Preparations was even recorded in the same studio, said Convy.

“If we had worked in a different place with different producers, that might have counteracted the confidence, because we were so SubmergeMag.com

comfortable with those people and places,” he said. “I think we got something good out of it.”

Confidence was a major key to Prepare the Preparations. With their sophomore effort for Island, Convy said the band was “just a little cockier.” It was this growing confidence that played into Prepare the Preparations’ myriad sounds.

“Before, we may have talked ourselves out of certain decisions because it was our first major label record, but now we were more confident with what Ludo would do,” Convy explained. “I think that’s part of the extreme eclectic sound of the record, because you try to think about it without limitations. I think going into the studio with that mindset is why it came out the way it did.”

A burgeoning sense of Ludo coming into its own wasn’t the only difference this time around. The band members no longer all living in the same general area played into the writing process.

Whereas in the past Ludo’s chief songwriter, frontman Andrew Volpe, would come to the band with skeletons of songs for the other members to embellish upon, this time around, he presented the band with fully realized demos. For Convy, it took a bit of getting used to.

“When something’s that done, sometimes it’s hard to jump in, but at the same time, Andrew was open to everything that we brought in,” Convy said. “You didn’t have to wonder where he was going or what he heard in his head.”

Convy said that he believes the new process was

“empowering” for Volpe.

“It’s nice to be in on the ground floor of the creative process, but at the same time, there was a lot less confusion, because he might hear chords and lyrics, and I might picture something totally different than he did,” Convy continued. “Whereas with this, we could both be on the same page of what the end product was supposed to be. I just had to learn to adjust the way I had input.”

Empowerment seems to be a recurring theme in Ludo’s career and music. The band’s sense of humor and inherent geekiness (Ludo takes its name from a character in Jim Henson’s 1986 film Labyrinth) has had the band taking some flack amongst snootier music connoisseurs. This may have been a cause for concern for Ludo earlier on, but it’s less of a bother now.

“It’s unfortunate,” Convy said. “It’s something that we used to let bother us, but we don’t anymore. People are going to say what they’re going to say, and we’ll just do what we do.”

Songs about robot battles and leprechauns are certainly imaginative, but may cause eyes to roll at many a hipster venue across the country. Nevertheless, Convy knows you can’t please everyone, and Ludo’s not going to bother to try.

“It’s part of what we do, and people are going to take it the wrong way,” he said. “Someone wrote a review and quoted lines from ‘Whipped Cream’ [the band’s tongue-in-cheek first single from Prepare the Preparations] and said, ‘You’re not going to pick up chicks like that.’ And we were like, ‘No fucking kidding. We’re making fun of people.’ We realize now that not everyone gets it, and almost take pride in the fact that not everyone’s going to get it.”

All you need to get is that Ludo makes fun music; and since geek has become chic, rocking out to a band like this Go ahead, polish off that is way cooler than gazing at 20-sided die and head down to your navel. Radiohead is so last The Boardwalk Oct. 2 to see Ludo decade anyway. live. Also performing will be

“We realize now that not everyone gets it, and almost take pride in the fact that not everyone’s going to get it.”

– Tim Convy, Ludo Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

There for Tomorrow, The Graduate and Tommy & The High Pilots.

Tickets are $12 in advance/$14 at the door. For more info, go to www.boardwalkrocks.com.

19

It’s His Thing

RJD2 Doing What He Wants to Do

Words Corey Bloom

A

fter releasing his debut, Deadringer, in 2002, it was clear that RJD2 was embarking upon a fruitful career of longevity and innovation. The DJ/producer, and later vocalist, had an undeniable vibe and an eclectic palette of sounds at his disposal. With an understanding of music theory and chord progressions, his instrumentals played out more like a score than the average programmed beats, and while it was natural to lump him into the hip-hop gene pool at first, you knew he would eventually go on and grow into his own.

His preceding solo albums showed a quick evolution. As he began shifting further away from his hip-hop base with Since We Last Spoke and The Third Hand, he

had group projects with MCs like Blueprint and later Aceyalone that were catered more toward his core. RJ’s output, whether it was his own albums, lending his production to other projects or through a series of mixtapes, remained consistent and always pushed the creative boundaries he had cast on his last.

Complacency is a word that doesn’t exist in RJ’s vocabulary. He is always recording and creating, always touring, and now that he started his own label to back it up he is always working. It’s a job he enjoys though, and one that he is quite good at.

In support of an upcoming stop at the Crocker Art Museum on Oct. 16, Submerge reached out to the Oregon-born renaissance man. Excited to bring his four tunrtable and two sampler setup, he talked about the past and present and what to expect in the near future.

I want to talk about the progression of your career. From your early days with MHz on the underground rap tip, to creating what some dubbed as an “indie rock” album, to your last album The Colossus which was a collage of all kinds of genres, you have shown you can do it all. Was it always the plan to be this all-encompassing artist?

No, I never had any kind of any master plan of this is where I want to be in five or 10 years. I’ve just been kind of looking at what’s immediately in front of me, and behind me too, and sort of responding and reacting to those things. One thing that I feel compelled to mention is you brought up the “indie rock” record. I haven’t been working on that in any master plan, but there have been some constants in my career; some common threads that have ran through almost everything that I’ve done. From the beginning of my career to now the most driving influence in everything I do still is soul and R&B music. It has permeated in every record and decision.

It’s not conscious or anything, it’s just how it comes out. I know people refer to The Third Hand as more of an indie rock record, and I assume that is because of the singing, but from my perspective if you look at the production and sound of that record, it’s very much drawn from soul, funk and psychedelic rock influences.

Going off what you just said, and I hope this doesn’t come off offensive, but do you think it was labeled that because you are white?

[Laughs] Well, I’ll put it this way… For one, I don’t take that as offensive. I’ll pose a statement to you: A band like TV on the Radio can make a certain type of record, and for better of for worse they are going to get lumped into the category of “black rock.” I don’t know how they feel about it, but I assume a group like that doesn’t really care for that classification. I don’t know, we could play the game of hypothetically speaking thing all day, but to answer the question, it’s entirely possible [laughs]. One thing I will say to play devil’s advocate, I wouldn’t rule out the opinion of it’s how I sang on that record made it feel more like an indie rock singer than, say, a Curtis Mayfield soul record. And you know, to this day I don’t particularly fancy myself as the most accomplished vocalist. On that record, though, it’s not a bravado-heavy style of singing, it’s harmony-dependent. Singing-wise, I can see how people would say it was an indie rock style of vocalization, but to me there is so much more that goes into all music than just who’s singing; it’s the sound of the drums, the production techniques and all that other stuff make up the cumulative effect.

Is it bothersome for someone like yourself who works without boundaries that ultimately it’s the journalists and such who say what each album is? Do you read that stuff and just get a headache?

I learned it doesn’t put me in a healthy place to read reviews of my records. I do everything possible to avoid them actually. Right around the time of The Third Hand is when I learned to disassociate myself from reviews. I vividly remember reading the first two reviews, and they were so wildly disparate it just made me realize it wasn’t making me more effective as a producer, or better yet as a person. The only thing I lament about with the current climate is that it seems we have entered into an arena where the reigns over and the rest follow. It’s funny because I’ve had journalists tell me that other journalists, or magazines and blogs or whatever, wait for the larger source in their field to sort of say what’s good and what’s not, and then everyone else follows suit.

As a listener, I don’t think that serves anyone well.

Have you found in the interviews that you do that the level of journalism has dropped?

Yeah, I have found that people are less prepared. A lot of times it seems like I’m answering questions that are straight out of my bio. It doesn’t bother me, but it annoys my publicist the most [laughs]. I’ve gotten used to answering the same questions over and over. But yeah, I have noticed people not doing any research. Again, I’m not reading them, so I don’t see the final product, but the preparation seems to have dropped. There are still a lot of folks writing about stuff that they are interested in, which to me makes the most sense. It seems natural that you would write about the stuff you like opposed to the things you don’t.

20

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

OK, fair enough. To switch gears completely, I want to talk about your new label that you created, Electrical Connections, and get your perspective on being an artist/label owner. Was it more work than you expected?

It has been more work than I expected, but not a huge amount. At first it was tough, and I was taking on a lot of things—I reissued three records, put out a box set and released a new album in the course of four months. That period, of what was essentially putting out four records in as many months, was really rough. In hindsight though it’s only about 20 percent more work than what I was used to. I had a small label I was running called Bustown Pride on which I just pressed CDs and sent them straight to the distributors. Honestly, looking at the profit margins and the work that goes into everything, I’m still in awe how any record label can afford to have a staff.

Would you say it was a grueling process with a big reward, a grueling process with little reward, or say a fun process with a great reward?

I would say somewhere between grueling and a tolerable process, with a great reward. The reward for me is ownership of masters, which isn’t always immediately gratifying. It’s basically either going to pay off or not in the future, but I’m still wholeheartedly pleased with the way I’ve gone about it. My biggest concern was that I would put The Colossus out and no one would know anything about it. Love it or hate it, I feel like the visibility is about the same as it has in the past, and that is good enough for me.

With the name Electrical Connections, I have to ask about a video I saw of you where you built a wireless MIDI controller that linked up to your MPC… I gotta say, it was pretty awesome. I know you enjoy building and tweaking your equipment. I wanted to know if you have any other big projects in the works?

[Laughs] Recording-wise yes, I just moved and I set up a new studio space that is much bigger than my previous. The added new space will allow me to have several rooms that are all interconnected in the house. The ergonomics of doing completely live music, or synth-orientated music, or sample-based music and having each in their own spaces but will all great. It’s all wired into one control room, and I have video and USB feeds going through each room. There are times you don’t want to blend it together, but one of the things I really liked about my last record was having all kinds of themed approaches to recording. I get bored doing the same thing over and over, but I like the idea of doing just sample-based music, but I like to be able to easily blend them. I have a couple records finished that I’m in the process of getting ready to be released. I’m just waiting to get the studio done.

Can you divulge on those?

Yeah, the first one… I’m pretty into horror and sci-fi soundtracks from like the mid-‘70s to like 1984.

It’s all instrumental, and sort of an homage to that kind of cinematic approach to scoring music. I also did a record with a group I started with a singer named Aaron Livingston, who is featured on The Colossus. It’s all him singing and me on production, the group is called Ice Bird. Those two will be coming out in the next year for sure, hopefully before that.

And with a little foresight, how will journalists label Ice Bird?

[Laughs] I have no idea. I have proven to be a poor judge of that.

Last one. This interview is in support of your upcoming gig in Sacramento at the Crocker Art Museum. I have a feeling this may be different from a typical club gig you might get on tour, so I’m wondering if or how you change up your set depending on the setting?

I try to stay prepared. In the last year I’ve been using Serato [DJ software], but in the past I had to create dub plates so that I’d have everything for the live show. If I find myself in front of a crowd that doesn’t necessarily know my music, and they just want to hear something else, it’s like an eject button. Depending on the crowd though, I try to keep focused on doing my own thing.

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SubmergeMag.com

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

21

904 15th Street 443.2797

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Sept/oct TUES

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Crest Theatre Benise: The Spanish Guitar, 7 p.m.

Dad’s Kitchen The Alkali Flats, 6 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 Midnight Players, 10 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.

9.29 Wednesday

9.28

KatE gaFFnEy 5:30PM

LEw Fratis trio 9PM acoustic oPEn Mic 5:30PM

JiMMy PaiLEr & tHE ProFits 9PM X trio 5PM

HarLEy wHitE Jr.

FEaturing aaron King 8PM

Arco Arena Muse, Passion Pit, 6:30 p.m. for Jazz Capitol Garage Open Session w/ SalmonJoe, 9 p.m.

Crest Theatre 4 Troops, 7:30 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 Tea Leaf Green, Truth & Salvage Co., 8 p.m.

Laughs Unlimited Rolling Fork Blues Revue, 7 p.m.

Marilyn’s Open Mic, 6 p.m.; Mike Regina Quintet, 9 p.m.

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Ca l en da r Old Ironsides Lipstick w/ DJs Shaun Slaghter, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub DJs Rigatony, Alazzawi, 9 p.m.

Shady Lady Chub City w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 10 p.m.

T2 Nightclub & Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Hans Eberbach, 5:30 p.m.; Lew Fratis Trio, 9 p.m.

UC Davis: West Quad Jesse Barrera , 12 p.m.

University Union Ballroom, CSUS Atmosphere, Blueprint, Grieves & Budo, DJ Rare Groove, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday

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Bisla’s Open Mic, 9 p.m.

Blackwater Cafe Open Mic, 7 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Freezepop, Ming & Ping, Aerodrone, 8:30 p.m.

Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m.

Club Retro (Orangevale location) Backflip, Belmont, A Natural Disaster, Chernobog, Parley, Hugo Stiglitz, Listen for the Silence, Pierced From Within, 7 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose All On Seven & Friends, 8 p.m.

G St Pub DJ Larry the Flower Vato, 10 p.m.

Marilyn’s March Into Paris, Driven Acoustic, 9 p.m.

Mix DJ Gabe Xavier, 9 p.m.

Momo Lounge Salsa Wednesdays Dancing &

9.30 thursday

Barcode Nightclub & Lounge DJ Wreck, DJ BTRIXX, 9 p.m.

The Boardwalk Bugzy, Upperclass Ent, Penny, CD Loco, W.O.W. Ent, Seriious, Fade, The Glove, Anti, 8:30 p.m.

Capitol City Hotel Karaoke, 8:30 p.m.

Capitol Garage Joints & Jams, 9 p.m.

Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m.

The Coffee Garden Open Mic Night, 8 p.m.

Fox & Goose Ross Hammond, 8 p.m.

G St Pub DJ Somebody, 10 p.m.

Golden Bear 100% w/ Shaun Slaughter, 10 p.m.

Harlow’s The Devil Makes 3, Cornmeal, 8 p.m.

John Natsoulas Gallery (Davis) XOME, Chopstick, Mama Buries, Smite!, Overdose the Katatonic, Striations, Hammond/Shawn/Corcoran/

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Old Ironsides Open Mic w/ host Lare Crawley, 8:30 p.m.

Press Club Kill the Precedent, Black Mackerel, Machete, 8 p.m.

Shady Lady Straight, No Chaser w/ CrookOne, 10 p.m.

Torch Club Acoustic Open Mic, 5:30 p.m.; Jimmy Pailer & the Prophets, 9 p.m.

University Union Serna Plaza, CSUS Nooner w/ Sister Crayon, 12 p.m.

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Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

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Also available at submergemag.com/ calendar Steed Quartet, 7 p.m.

Marilyn’s Rockstar Live Band Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Mix DJ Ron Reeser, DJ Slick D, DJ Dan Saenz, 9 p.m.

Odd Fellows Hall Mad Cow String Band, The Alkali Flats, Arann Harris, 7:30 p.m.

Old Ironsides The Bitter Honeys, The Tender Cinders, Tropical Sleep, 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.

10.01 Friday

The Blue Lamp The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Mighty Regis, 9 p.m.

The Boardwalk Despised Icon, Misery Index, Revocation, Jack Ketch, Nightmare in the Twilight, 7:30 p.m.

Capitol Garage Get Down to the Champion Sound w/ DJ ESEF & Selector KDK, 10 p.m.

Fox & Goose Amberglance, Early States, Liani Moore, 9 p.m.

Golden Bear Crucial Fix w/ CrookOne (Decibel Devils/ Team Sleep), 10 p.m.

Harlow’s Wonderbread 5, The After Party, 10 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe NorCal NoiseFest, 7 p.m.

Marilyn’s The Big Lebowski Fiesta w/ The Nuance, Walking Spanish, 9 p.m.

Mix DJ Jus James, 9 p.m.

Naked Lounge Downtown Live The Bell Boys, Friends and Foes of John Koepp, Jesi Naomi, 8 p.m.

Old Ironsides The Mad Cow String Band, 9 p.m.

On The Y Larry David, Slaughterbox, Killgasm, Vital Perception, Nilhotep, 9 p.m.

Press Club DJ GVNTR, 9 p.m.

Red Hawk Casino Shane Dwight Band, 9:30 p.m.

Shaker’s Flatstack, Killdevil, Surrounded by Thieves, Walking Dead, Drastic Actions, 9 p.m.

tuesday-Friday 9 am -6 pm • saturday 10 am -4 pm Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

SubmergeMag.com

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

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24

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen The Whiskey & The Devil Chaplain, Water Tower Bucket Boys, 10 p.m.

T2 Nightclub & Lounge DJs & Dancing, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Acoustic Trio, 5 p.m.; Terry Hanck, 9 p.m.

Townhouse Fuck Fridays w/ DJs Shaun Slaughter, Jon Droll, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m.

10.02 Saturday

The Blue Lamp Raashan Ahmad (of Crown City Rockers), Pangea Project, Tribe of Levi, 9 p.m.

The Boardwalk Ludo, There for Tomorrow, The Graduate, Tommy & the High Pilots, 8 p.m.

Capitol Garage Be Brave Bold Robot, 10 p.m.

Capitol City Hotel Karaoke, 8:30 p.m.

Club Retro (Roseville location) Grand Opening Show w/ The Paper Melody, Not Your Style, Body Electric, Coolfield, A Lot Like Birds, Wings Of Innocence, Danny Secretion, 7 p.m.

The Fire Escape Bar and Grill Blazing Burlesque, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Happy Tails Benefit w/ Midtown Jazz Trio, 4 p.m.; Dc Holler, 9 p.m.

G St Pub DJ Charlie, 10 p.m.

Golden Bear Sweaty w/ DJ Whores, 10 p.m.

Harlow’s Hip Service, 10 p.m.

Marilyn’s 80’s Metal Night w/ Pirate Radio, 9 p.m.

Mix Dance Party w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez Naked Lounge Downtown Live Walking Spanish, Guns for San Sebastian, 8:30 p.m.

Old Ironsides The Mr. T Experience, The Knock-offs, Red Star Memorial, Mission Satellite, The Problem Girls, The Jacks, 9 p.m.

Plainfield Station (Woodland) Restore Maximum Freedom X Fest w/ AIDS Wolf, The Fresh and Onlys, Super Wild Horses, Ganglians, Random Abiladeze, Buk Buk Big Ups and more, 2 p.m.

Press Club DJ GVNTR, 9 p.m.

Red Hawk Casino Shane Dwight Band, 9:30 p.m.

Sol Collective NorCal NoiseFest, 2 p.m.

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen Diego’s Umbrella, 10 p.m.

T2 Nightclub & Lounge DJs & Dancing, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Johnny Guitar Knox, 5 p.m.; Gino Matteo, 9 p.m.

10.04 Monday

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Open Mic Night, 7:30 p.m.

G St Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Press Club Sans Sobriety, Bastards of Young, Young Livers, Riot Radio, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m.

UC Davis: West Quad Shinobi Ninja , 12 p.m.

10.03 10.05 Tuesday

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.

Capitol Garage Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 8 p.m.

The Fire Escape Bar and Grill No Where But Up, For The Operator, 6 p.m.

Golden Bear Industry Night, 7 p.m.

Harlow’s Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, 7:30 p.m.; EPMD, 10 p.m.

Mix DJ Billy Lane, 9 p.m.

On The Y You Be the Rockstar Karaoke w/ Larissa, 8 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Powerhouse of Blues, 3 p.m.; Blues Jam, 7 p.m.

Swabbies Hilary Marckx, The Cheatin’ Hearts, The Fortunate Few, The Infamous Swanks, 1 p.m.

Torch Club Blues for Life breast Cancer Benefit, 2 p.m.

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.

Marilyn’s Open Mic, 6 p.m.; Bell Boys Music, 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides Lipstick w/ DJs Shaun Slaghter, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub DJs Rigatony, Alazzawi, 9 p.m.

T2 Nightclub & Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Kate Gaffney, 5:30 p.m.; Lew Fratis Trio, 9 p.m.

10.06 Wednesday

Bisla’s Open Mic, 9 p.m.

Blackwater Cafe Open Mic, 7 p.m.

Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Dave McAsey, 8 p.m.

G St Pub DJ Larry the Flower Vato, 10 p.m.

Marilyn’s Rock 4 Cancer w/ Ryan Hernandez Band,

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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Halfway Gone, 8 p.m.

Mix DJ Gabe Xavier, 9 p.m.

Momo Lounge Salsa Wednesdays Dancing & Lessons, 7 p.m.

Old Ironsides Open Mic w/ host Lare Crawley, 8:30 p.m.

Press Club Hump w/ DJ Whores, 9 p.m.

Shady Lady Straight, No Chaser w/ CrookOne, 10 p.m.

Torch Club Acoustic Open Mic, 5:30 p.m.; Jimmy Pailer & the Prophets, 9 p.m.

University Union Serna Plaza, CSUS Nooner w/ TAIS feat. Live Band, 12 p.m.

10.07 Thursday

Barcode Nightclub & Lounge DJ Wreck, DJ BTRIXX, 9 p.m.

The Boardwalk Tyler Hilton, Josiah Leming, Dion Roy, The Reel, 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.

The Fire Escape Bar and Grill In The Eyes of a Mistress, 6 p.m.

Fox & Goose Marty Cohen & the Sidekicks, 8 p.m.

G St Pub DJ Somebody, 10 p.m.

Golden Bear 100% w/ Shaun Slaughter, 10 p.m.

Marilyn’s Rockstar Live Band Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Mix DJ Ron Reeser, DJ Slick D, DJ Dan Saenz, 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides Honyock, Bam Bam, 8 p.m.

On The Y You Be the Rockstar Karaoke w/ Larissa, 8 p.m.

Press Club Hold On w/ DJ GVNR, Sex & Weight, 9 p.m.

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen The Head & The Heart, Fences, 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.

UC Davis: West Quad Kero One, 12 p.m.

Vega’s Blues Jam, 7 p.m.

10.08 FRIDAY The Blue Lamp Aroarah, Prieta, Genius & Thieves, 9 p.m.

The Boardwalk Radio 94.7 presents: Middle Class Rut (Album Release), Another Damn Disappointment (A.D.D.), Kaleiding Design, Lite Brite, 8 p.m.

Capitol Garage Get Down to the Champion Sound w/ DJ ESEF & Selector KDK, 10 p.m.

The Fire Escape Bar and Grill Steel Savior, Siphon Soul, Serpent and Seraph, Devastator, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Whiskey and Stitches, Acoustic Eclectic Jam Band, 9 p.m.

Golden Bear Crucial Fix w/ CrookOne (Decibel Devils/ Team Sleep), 10 p.m.

Harlow’s George Kahumoku Jr., 7:30 p.m.

Marilyn’s Steven Storey (CD Release), Ryan Hernandez, 9 p.m.

Mix DJ Jus James, 9 p.m.

Press Club DJ GVNTR, 9 p.m.

Red Hawk Casino Erin McKinney Band, 9:30 p.m.

The Press Club Mon 9/27 9p $3 Wed 9/29 9p $3 Mon 10/04 9p $5

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SubmergeMag.com

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen Rachel Fannan (from Sleepy Sun), Man/Miracle, Birds & Batteries, 9:30 p.m.

T2 Nightclub & Lounge DJs & Dancing, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Acoustic Trio, 5 p.m.; Red Hot Blues Sisters, 9 p.m.

Townhouse Fuck Fridays w/ DJs Shaun Slaughter, Jon Droll, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m.

10.09 Saturday

The Blue Lamp Mahti Bush, Chino XL, 9 p.m.

The Boardwalk Shinobi Ninja, Element Of Soul, Sinizen, Simple Creation, Kingsuh Midtown, Across the Tide, 8 p.m.

Capitol City Hotel Karaoke, 8:30 p.m.

Club Retro (Roseville location) Lionheart, Donnybrook, Stand United, Havenside (CD Release), Causa Mortis, These Nightmares, 6:30 p.m.

The Fire Escape Bar and Grill No Remorse, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m.

G St Pub DJ Charlie, 10 p.m.

Golden Bear Sweaty w/ DJ Whores, 10 p.m.

Marilyn’s Bob Woods Band, 6 p.m.; John Lennon Tribute w/ ATB, Ali McNeill, Ed and Jerry, 9 p.m.

Mix Dance Party w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez Old Ironsides Fascination, 9:30 p.m.

On The Y Puke and Spit, Drastic Actions, Blame Betty, Social Concern, The SnotCocks, The Common Men, 8 p.m.

Press Club DJ GVNTR, 9 p.m.

R Street Corridor (Between 14th & 15th) SN&R’s 19th Annual SAMMIES Awards and Festival, 6 p.m.

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1) Long Term or Monthly Rentals 2) Air Conditioned and Have 12 Foot Ceilings 3) 24 Hour Access 4) On Site Management 5) CCTV Security System 6) Free Wi-Fi / DSL 7) huge gated parking lot Monthly lock-out from $365-$500 hourly: huge room w/ PA 4 hours $30

(916) 381-4500 sactostudios.com

2030 P Street • Sacramento

916-444-7914 • Open at 10am Every Day booking: pressclubbooking@gmail.com

Tues 10/05 9p $3

3-2-1 comic hosted By noeL deWitt.

2 Bands. 2 comics

Wed 10/06 9p $5

humP W/ dJ Whores

Every Sun The Flower Vato’s Soul Party 9p $4

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

25

Red Hawk Casino Erin McKinney Band, 9:30 p.m.

Ruggles Warehouse Pressure Point, Madhouse Disciples, Factory Minds, Wasted Liberty, 7 p.m.

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen Eliza Rickman, Garrett Pierce, Les Shelleys (Tom Brosseau, Angela Correa), 9:30 p.m.

T2 Nightclub & Lounge DJs & Dancing, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Johnny Guitar Knox, 5 p.m.; Kevin Russel, 9 p.m.

10.10 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.

Capitol Garage Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 8 p.m.

The Fire Escape Bar and Grill Lessons In Failure, Antix, 6 p.m.

Golden Bear Industry Night, 7 p.m.

Harlow’s The Dead Kenny G’s, 8 p.m.

Marilyn’s Floater, Reckless in Vegas, Smirker, 8 p.m.

Mix DJ Billy Lane, 9 p.m.

On The Y You Be the Rockstar Karaoke w/ Larissa, 8 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.; Tropicana 2010 SacShows Local Music Awards w/ live performances by Dance Gavin Dance, Jonny Craig, Green Audio, Arden Park Roots, DJ Elements, 6:30 p.m.

10.11 monday

The Blue Lamp Phantogram, Josiah Wolfe, 9:30 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 Cold War Kids, 7 p.m.

Old Ironsides Strapped for Cash w/ Nuance, 8 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Comedy CSUS University Union Ballroom SF International Comedy Competition, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m.

Laughs Unlimited Dennis Gaxiola, Sept. 29 - Oct. 3, Wednesday, Thursday, 8 p.m.; Friday, Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Open Mic Showcase, Oct. 5, 8 p.m.

Black Boy and Friends, Oct. 6 - 7, Wednesday, Thursday, 9:30 p.m.

Tim Jones, Fia Perera, Oct. 6 - 10, Wednesday, Thursday, 8 p.m.; Friday, Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe Keith Lowell Jensen’s Wednesday Night Comedy, Sept. 29 & Oct. 6, 8 p.m.

Naked Lounge Downtown Live World’s Worst Doctors Comedy Improv, Sept. 30, 8:30 p.m.

Punchline Comedy Club Big Al’s Big Ass Comedy Show, Sept. 29, 8 p.m.

Big Jay Oakerson, Sept. 30 Oct. 3, Thursday & Sunday, 8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.

Sacramento Comedy Showcase, Oct. 6, 8 p.m.

Donald Glover, Oct. 7 - 9, Thursday, 8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.

Joe Klocek, Oct. 10, 8 p.m.

Sacramento Comedy Sportz Mayhem!, every Thursday, 9 p.m.

ComedySportz, every Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.

Sacramento Comedy Spot Sept. 27, What Do You Want To Do, 9 p.m.

Sept. 28, Cage Match, 9 p.m.

Sept. 29, Improv 1 Continuous, 7 p.m.; Harold Night, 9 p.m.

Sept. 30, Sketch Lab, 6 p.m.; Improv 1 Continuous, 7 p.m.; In Your Facebook, 9 p.m.

Oct. 2, Anti Cooperation League, 9 p.m.

Oct. 5, Cage Match, 9 p.m.

Oct. 6, Improv 1 Continuous, 7 p.m.; Harold Night, 9 p.m.

Oct. 7, Sketch Lab, 6 p.m.

Oct. 9, 3 On 3 Tournament, 8 p.m.; Anti Cooperation League, 9 p.m.; Comedy Spot Prom, 10 p.m.

Tommy T’s Luenell, Sept. 30 - Oct. 3, Thursday & Sunday, 8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe Joe Montoya’s Poetry Unplugged, Thursdays, 8 p.m.

Natasha Leggero, Oct. 7 - 10, Thursday & Sunday, 8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.

Memorial Auditorium “Rollin’ on the River” 2010 Western Regional Flat Track Roller Derby Tournament, Oct. 1-3

Misc.

16th and J Streets Midtown Bazaar, Saturdays, 7 a.m.

Auburn Recreation Park Writin’ and Reciting w/ J Ross Parrelli, Sept. 28, 3 p.m.; How to Rap 101 and Mic Control w/ Skurge and Def Eye (of Righteous Movement), Oct. 5, 3 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Spoken Word w/ Joe Sib (Former singer of Wax and 22 Jacks, co-owner of Side One Dummy Records), Oct. 6, 9 p.m.

Bisla’s Pub Quiz Trivia, Mondays, 7 p.m.

Bistro 33 (Davis) Pub Quiz, Mondays, 9 p.m.; Poetry Night, Every 1st Wednesday, 9 p.m.

Sacramento Convention Center 13th Annual Sacramento Arts Festival, Oct. 1 - 3 Sierra Oro Farm Trail Passport Weekend Farms and Wineries throughout Butte County October 9 & 10, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $25 online and day of event, www.sierraoro.org Sol Collective Salsa Dance Classes, Mondays, 7:30 p.m.

Townhouse Record Club Movie Night & Lounge, every Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.

University Union Ballroom, CSUS Free Lecture w/ Roz Savage, Sept. 30, 6 p.m.

Capitol Garage Trivia & Movie Night, Mondays, 9:30 p.m.

Community Center Theatre Sacramento Speakers Series presents: Laura Bush, Oct. 11, 8 p.m.

Fox & Goose Pub Quiz, Tuesdays, 7 p.m.

It’s All Yoga Free Yoga Class, Fridays, 4:30 p.m.

R U YO AD 3 E 0 R 8 3 E H 6) 441-

com . g a gem

(9f1o@submer in

If you’re reading

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26

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

Album Spotlight

Still Searching for the Sacramento Sound Nicatyne

MidDay Marauder

Words Blake Gillespie

The femme-bot voice from A Tribe Called Quest’s classic album Midnight Marauders taught me that seven times out of 10, we listen to our music at night and that “marauder” means someone who loots. Tribe was marauding for listeners. Sacramento’s Nicatyne is out for the remaining 30 percent with MidDay Marauders.

At 21 years old, the Natomas produceron-the-mic has produced two solo albums, a collaboration album with JoEL and two records with Illecism—both of whom are members of Fly High crew. In a sense, MidDay Marauders is Nicatyne’s sixth record, which is an impressive resume at such a young age. His flow is not as swagged-out as E-40’s braggadocio, but Nicatyne bears some style similarities that make MidDay Marauder feel like shark bites (as in the faux pas of “biting”) on the Bay Area.

As Nicatyne states on “12s,” a dedication to 12-inch speakers, there’s only one reason his music has that bass for your trunk: “I knock because I got—12s.”

The album title will feel deceiving, given the young rap community’s recent insistence on reinterpreting the golden age classics (i.e.

Fashawn’s Ode to Illmatic). MidDay Marauder is not one of those records.

Nicatyne, like many producers who rhyme, is better at one of his trades—the reason the term “producer-on-the-mic” was coined. Opener “One Morning” is abstract and minimalist with its plumber-banging-on-pipes percussion and dog bark samples, while the SubmergeMag.com

East Indian bounce of “Dhalsim” (featuring JoEl) has anthem potential with its “My cash stretch like Dhalsim” chorus chant. Nicatyne’s soft-spoken and nasally flow on “My Way” meshes well with his crawling production that rides a pixie-like vocal sample. Five songs deep into the record, Nicatyne is on a creative tear, but “The Man” disrupts the momentum to a point that the album never recovers its swagger.

Nicatyne lags into whatever rappers are calling the clubby-hyphy style songs these days. Slap? Blap? Someone call it. No matter the slang, I am not ready to accept the track “Deaf Star” and its Comic-Con-meets-night-club format.

MidDay Marauder closes strong with “It’s a Wrap,” which features Illecism, and the barbershop-slap of “Real Banter” is another minimalist banger built around a phrase that might replace “real talk.” The not quite chillwave, not quite R&B production on “Forever” is a close call between lapsing into the corny side of The Dream or the trendy side of Nite Jewel—either way I’ll be answering for that comparison in hell.

I’m still waiting for a Sacramento record that feels as though it was conceived strictly with a Sac-Proper state of mind. An identity crisis is spreading like a plague on the scene.

It’s time for a sound to be identified as pure, instead of pandered toward the greater Northern California region.

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

27

refined tastes Gold medal for the copper spot Kupros Bistro

1217 21st Street • Sacramento words & Photos Adam Saake Kupro is Esperantan for copper. If you’re like me, you’re asking yourself, “What the hell is Esperanto?” Esperanto, a language all its own, was developed in the late 1800s as a way to create a middle ground for the people of planet Earth to speak with one another. But it never caught on, and now only a small percentage of people in the world care enough to learn it. Kupros Bistro, a wonderful new gastro-pub located in Midtown, will hopefully not suffer the same fate. If we could draw a comparison, although, it would be that Esperanto is apparently very easy to learn as Kupros’s menu is very easy to love.

What was once a popular costume shop by the name of Cheap Thrills is now a completely remodeled two-story destination for food and libations. Playing off the traditional English pub, Kupros offers a comfort food menu with

28

a touch of finesse. Move over, fish and chips; step aside, bangers and mash—ciao, linguine and clams, bon jour duck confit Rueben.

On my late afternoon visit, the lunch crowd had dispersed and I had the second-story patio all to myself. Inside, a multitude of tables all set and ready to go loomed like a ghost soiree waiting to be possessed. “Banquets,” said my server. Hopefully, because the amount of seating available seemed a little ambitious for what is essentially a pub. Outside, the patio overlooked the busy motorcade that is 21st Street, and umbrellas lined the banister, shading diners from the lingering summer rays and the wind-disturbed pollen and tree debris. Downstairs had booth seating and the U-shaped bar looked very inviting if you like getting friendly with the bartenders. Their draft beer selection had some keepers, including a Belgian-style saison from Lost Abbey and an English-style cider from Fox Barrel. And intentional or not, there was a humorous coupling of Stone’s Arrogant Bastard Ale and Flying Dog’s Raging Bitch.

For the appetizer, I tried the fried pickles ($5) with a house tartar sauce. It’s of note to mention that all Kupros sauces are house-made,

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

all the way down to the ketchup. Four lightly battered and fried wedges of tangy dill pickles are served modestly in a cocktail glass with a napkin back to absorb the excess oil. The tartar is pretty standard, but this dish doesn’t need to reach for the stars; it’s meant as a salty treat to go smashingly with a frosty pint. This isn’t a dish you grow tired of quickly and this is in part to the batter. It isn’t layered on so thick that you have a hard time finding the pickle.

It’s important to order the burger from time to time, because so many places do it differently. You never know when you’re going to stumble upon a truly great rendition of an American classic. As far as Sacramento goes, Kupros’s natural Angus burger with beer cheese, house relish and “drive-thru” dressing ($13) ranks up there in my top three. Aside from a great patty of beef cooked right and a fresh bun, the beer cheese turns this burger from good to great. This fondue-like concoction is a combination of cheddar cheese, lager beer and shallots, which is then smothered over the patty to make for coagulated goodness. Add

some grilled onions and you’re dynamite.

I’m a salty and sweet kind of guy, and although dessert at lunch is a little overkill, I just couldn‘t resist. Amongst other interesting treats, Kupros does a vanilla bean panna cotta with chocolate cookies ($8) that have a frosting center (essentially a beefed-up Oreo) made by one of the Kupros pastry chefs, Jodie Chavious. Panna cotta is a traditional Italian custard usually made with cream, milk, sugar and gelatin and the flavors vary from caramel to blackberry. Chef John Gurnee throws a little buttermilk in there to give it a nice tang. This desert is uncomplicated, rich and fun to look at too. Indulge.

The dinner menu has some items not available during the day, including a delicious potted rabbit that I tried on a previous visit that was literally served in a latch-top pot. The kitchen stops serving at 10 p.m., so get your orders in before the night sneaks up on you.

Also, Kupros is closed on Mondays and the kitchen takes a little break from 2–3 p.m. so plan accordingly.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

Tropicana

1696 Arden Way • Sacramento

SubmergeMag.com

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

29

\

Tea leaf GReen 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

TUESday

SEPT 28 THURSday

SEPT

the shallow end

30

fRiday

OCT 1

Deathclock.com James Barone jb@submergemag.com

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 • DJ Whores

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

fishbone

Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 8:00pm

SUnday

OCT 31

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 H a r lo w ’ s • 2708 J st. • s aC to 18 & ov er w/ id o nly• 6:30 pm

kelleR williams

Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 8:00pm

GRacious few (membeRs of live anD canDlebox)

Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 8:00pm

soulive

Harlow’s • 2708 J st. • saCto • 21 & over • 8:00pm

abstract entertainment 30

nOv 5

TUESday

nOv 9

THURSday

nOv 11

THURSday

nOv 18

MOnday

dEC 6

TUESday

dEC

Life is a sexually transmitted disease that is 100 percent fatal, yet rock stars aren’t donating their time to throw concerts to raise awareness and combat the problem.

Past generations only had the mirror and photography to remind them that they were creeping ever closer to their deaths. We’re lucky enough to have Facebook to remind us that we’re getting older.

Facebook is great; don’t get me wrong. I spend just about 50 percent of my waking hours on the site, either commenting, posting pithy statuses, sharing links that will make girls think I’m cool or interesting (both lies) or, my new favorite activity, liking comments other people leave on other people’s Facebook pages. It doesn’t count as stalking if you’re doing it so out in the open.

I currently have 333 friends. With only a couple of exceptions, I have at the very least met and have been solid acquaintances with everyone on that list. The few exceptions came about when I accidentally added people I thought I knew, because we had so many friends in common, but then after perusing their photos realized I hadn’t a clue as to who the fuck they were. I don’t drop “friends,” though, simply because I don’t know them, because that would limit the number of potential likes my aforementioned pithy statuses may receive.

Lately, most of the people adding me on Facebook have been family. It’s neat, because I haven’t seen or heard from many of them in years. It’s nice to know they’re doing well and can now benefit from the extraordinary amount of super-cool links and photos I “share” with my Facebook followers. A couple weeks ago, a younger cousin of mine—I’ll call her Sabrina—sent me a friend request. Sabrina is a smart kid. I believe she just graduated college. After adding her and visiting her page, I found out that not only is she off to a good start in her adult life with a good degree from a good school, but it also seems that she’s

engaged to be married to a handsome young man with a similarly bright future ahead of him. I posted an earnest “Congrats!” on her wall. (I don’t believe it received a return comment or like, but I’m sure that’s just because she’s busy being awesome.)

I was happy for her, but then, as I do with all things, I thought about how this news totally unrelated to me would affect me. Then I realized that not only do I remember when Sabrina was born, but I also served as the ring bearer for her parents’ wedding. That’s the sort of thing old people realize, I thought to myself. Then I had an epiphany: For fuck’s sake. I’m fucking old. When did that happen?

It’s a sad thing to realize. Sadder still when you have less than $20 in your savings account, no health care and no pension with the best years of your earning potential in serious wane. Suddenly, Facebook was no longer the lone bastion of my dwindling cooldom; it was no longer the place where I had a captive small venue audience to revel in my witticisms; it was now a sort of virtual crow’s feet marching across my aging face. All those crooked-number birthday reminders (and if I didn’t have those reminders, I’d never remember any of them, because my memory isn’t what it used to be), the wedding announcements, the baby announcements— everyone I know is married or having/had a baby. Everyone. Every. One. I’m that guy. The old single guy who still gets drunk on the weekends (and sometime weekdays), because he’s too cool for the 9-to5 grind; the one wives roll their eyes about when their husbands say they’re meeting me for a drink. How many rounds are you going to have to buy him this time? When is he ever going to get married?

Ugh. Maybe I should just delete my profile, but then I’d have a hard time justifying that I exist at all.

14

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 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

SubmergeMag.com

Issue 69 • September 27 – October 11, 2010

31

Dive into Sacramento & its Surrounding Areas

September 27 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; October 11, 2010

#69

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Class R u t No Place Like Home

Ludo

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Natasha

Leggero D ressed t o I m p r e s s

Kupros B i s t ro N i c at y n e â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s N e w Album Reviewed