Submerge Magazine: Issue 161 (May 5 - May 19, 2014) by Submerge Magazine

Dive into Sacramento & its Surrounding Areas

may 5 – 19, 2014

#161

Dad's

& zachary garren creating on the fly

riff raff neon dream

2014 bicycle mural tour

The Changing Face of Sacramento's Street Art

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kurt travis

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Skinner Provides Art for New Album by Mastodon • Jon Pardi Local Country Boy on the Brink • Salt Wizard to Celebrate New Release

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Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

14 28

cofounder/ Editor in Chief/Art Director

Melissa Welliver melissa@submergemag.com cofounder/ Advertising Director

Jonathan Carabba jonathan@submergemag.com senior editor

James Barone Assistant Editor

Mandy Pearson

04 05 06 07 11 12 14 18 20 25 26 28 30

Submerge

Contributing Writers

Zach Ahern, Joe Atkins, Robin Bacior, Corey Bloom, Bocephus Chigger, Justin Cox, Alia Cruz, Brooke Dreyer, Josh Fernandez, Lovelle Harris, Niki Kangas, Nur Kausar, Ryan J. Prado, Steph Rodriguez, Andrew C. Russell, Andrew Scoggins, Amy Serna, Jacob Sprecher, Jenn Walker

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161 2014

contents

Submerge: an independently owned entertainment/lifestyle publication available for free biweekly throughout the greater Sacramento area.

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

printed on recycled paper

front Cover Photo of dad’s by phill mamula

May 5 – 19

Dive in The Stream The Optimistic Pessimist the grindhouse

spiderman 2 Submerge your senses kurt travis &

zachary garren

riff raff Dad’s sandwiches calendar LIve << Rewind

jon pardi bike film festival 2014 bike mural tour the shallow end All content is property of Submerge and may not be reproduced without permission. Submerge is both owned and published by Submerge Media. 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 2308 J Street, Suite F Sacramento, Calif. 95816. Or you can e-mail us at info@submergemag.com.

dive in Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. Melissa welliver melissa@submergemag.com If you asked me when I was in my early 20s what I’d be doing when I was 30, I would have probably said some shit like, “hoping to be working in Los Angeles for a skateboard, music or art magazine; media and entertainment company like Universal; or possibly a design firm.” I definitely didn’t think I’d be living in Sacramento, running my own regional publication with my husband. I’m incredibly happy that I ended up on this amazing path completely different from what I thought. But this issue really made me think how life is really unpredictable and you never know which way it will take you. In both of our cover stories, we have two people, Kurt Travis and DJ Rogers, who both over a little decade ago were in pretty popular local bands: Five Minute Ride and Red Top Road. And to this day, you can’t help but come across Sacramentans still reminiscing about them. Now with so many years gone by, they’ve both been in and out of other bands, and now in their 30s, it’s interesting to see where they are. Kurt Travis, known for Five Minute Ride over a decade ago, was also in Dance Gavin Dance several years back and has been in A Lot Like Birds since 2011. With a little down time from ALLB and help from friend Zachary Garren, he is releasing his second solo album, Everything Is Beautiful, and hitting the road. The kick-off date is Wednesday, May 14 at Luigi’s Fungarden. DJ Rogers, who was in Red Top Road and several other bands after (see our sidebar on page 19), acquired Dad’s Sandwiches in 2009, one of my favorite sandwich places in town, with help from Mick Stevenson (who currently plays with Sans Sobriety and Nevada Backwards). Dad’s Sandwiches is celebrating 10 years of delicious sandos thanks to current owners Rogers and Stevenson, living the “Deli Llama” dream. To commemorate this momentous occasion, starting on page 18 you can read our feature on Dad’s and learn how Rogers and Stevenson met, along with some drooling descriptions of sandwiches that will make you want to run to one of their locations mid-read. You’ll also learn about how involved a lot of the people who work there are in the local music scene. Please note: they are throwing a show at The Press Club on Monday, May 12 featuring Stevenson’s own Sans Sobriety along with some of their favorite punk bands: Zero Boys (from Indianapolis, Ind.), Neighborhood Brats (Los Angeles, Calif.), and Sacramento locals Rad. The Dad’s dudes would love if you came by to celebrate this milestone with them! But with both of these cover stories, it made me wonder, did Kurt Travis think he’d be making music, singing, touring and loving it a decade later? Did DJ Rogers think he’d be running and owning such a successful sandwich spot in Sacramento? Where did everyone think they’d be in 2014? And on that note, I will keep wondering. At least until I go on a bike ride. PS: We have awesome Bike Month coverage in this issue. Check out the back of the publication where you can find our annual Bike Mural Tour and you can get the scoop on the Bike Film Fest coming to town along with a few other events worth checking out. Enjoy issue 161, Melissa

back Cover Photo of kurt travis & Zachary Garren by nicholas wray

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

The stream Sacramento comedy club news and notes

Local Band Salt Wizard Release Full-Length Album May 10 at Fox and Goose Jonathan Carabba

Send regional news tips to info@submergemag.com

Skinner is easily one of our favorite artists to have ever called Sacramento home (he currently lives in Oakland). We’ve been fans for years, and his work even graced the covers of one of our earliest issues. Looking at his extremely detailed, creepy, almost nightmare-inducing art might lead one to believe that the man behind the work is a raging lunatic. While that’s not completely untrue (seriously just look at some of his work!), he is, in reality, one of the nicest dudes we’ve ever met. Years ago, Submerge was visiting Skinner’s studio in the Del Paso Heights area and after learning that a couple of us here at the mag like to go snowboarding a lot, he tossed us a couple free pairs of goggles that he collaborated on with the eyewear company Spy. He was just like, “Here’s a couple hundred dollars’ worth of product for free because what the fuck am I gonna do, go snowboarding?!? That shit is cold!” See? Nicest guy ever. What’s the point of all this? Well, we are way fucking stoked for Skinner right now because he recently announced that he did the insanely awesome album artwork for metal giants Mastodon’s new album, Once More ‘Round the Sun. “This album is incredible, and I’m really honored to have been asked to do this with the Mastodon boys,” Skinner wrote on his Facebook page (Facebook.com/theartofskinner). “They are incredible artists and explorative spirits. Always moving. Always changing and I love them!” You can pre-order the limited edition, two-LP vinyl exclusively at Mastodonrocks.com/preorder. This is one you’ll want to get your hands on! It’s a huge four panel pullout that “sort of tells the universal story of life and death,” according to the artist. You can also hear a ripping new track off the album called “High Road” on the band’s website. Skinner’s art and Mastodon’s sounds? Yeah, we’re into it!

Just like our music scene and our art scene, Sacramento’s comedy scene is an ever-changing beast. Here are a few noteworthy things going down in the local comedy scene as of late: Sacramento Comedy Spot, located in the MARRS Building, is expanding and opening up a new space called the “Comedy Spot Lab,” located at 1812 J Street, Suite 9 in Midtown. According to a press release, The Lab will serve as an additional classroom, rehearsal facility, and podcast recording studio. With the extra space, the Comedy Spot can offer new sketch comedy and stand-up classes as well as additional beginning improv classes. Learn more, sign up for classes and check out upcoming shows at Saccomedyspot.com. After a long and impressive run, Comedy Night at Luna’s is coming to an end on Wednesday, May 14. Keith Lowell Jensen started Comedy Night at Luna’s in 2009 after recording a CD there and falling in love with the small, intimate space. “I long thought Sacramento needed a good workout room,” Jensen told Submerge. “Something to serve as the next step after the open mic scene helped comics get their first five. I wanted a place to get that first 10, 15, 30. I’m really proud of how many comics had ‘firsts’ at Luna’s.” He says he doesn’t really see a need for the recurring night anymore, that they proved it can work, and that “lots of people are doing kickass showcases and rooms downtown that can be a little more alt.” Plus, he may be able to use the free time for “new projects,” as he put it. Keep up with KLJ at Rockass. net and be sure to check out his podcast called “It’s Funny Because…” available on iTunes and Lybsin. A group of local comedians including Johnny Taylor, Daniel Humbarger, Stephen Furey, Jaime Fernandez, Michael Patten and Alfonso Portela, are teaming up to launch an all new recurring weekly stand-up show on Wednesdays called The InFIRMary at Thistle Dew Dessert Theater (1901 P Street). The show will feature special guests every week as well as sets from most (if not all) of the names mentioned above. Thistle Dew is a unique little spot with less than 40 seats, so these are sure to be intimate shows. You are encouraged to bring your own wine and/or champagne (don’t forget to bring your own glasses, too!) and there will be desserts available for purchase. Tickets are $8 each and the show gets started at 8 p.m. every Wednesday starting May 28. Snag tickets in advance to ensure your seat at the kickoff show at Infirmary.brownpapertickets.com.

Local band Salt Wizard are releasing their first full-length album on Saturday, May 10 at Fox and Goose. The self-described “magical-dark-indie-pop” group is made up of vocalist/ guitarist Eric Warren and drummer Anthony Ordonez (who both played together in E-Squared), as well as Rachel Lomax (vocals/keys/guitar, has played in Light the Beacon Fires and Be Brave Bold Robot) and Ron Melcer (bass, also plays with The Neighbors). The 10-track self-titled album was recorded at Warren’s house in West Sacramento and is well worth your time. It’s super mellow, a real easy listen, great soundtrack to your spring afternoons chilling in a park! Check it out at Saltwizard.bandcamp.com and if you like what you hear, head to the release show to pick up a physical copy. Opening the show will be California Lions from Long Beach, Calif. and Damager (aka Chris Bond). Cover is $5 and the party gets started at 9 p.m. Fox and Goose is located at 1001 R Street in Sacramento. SubmergeMag.com

remodel+remix

Former Sacramento Artist Skinner Does Insane Album Art For Mastodon’s New LP, Once More ‘Round the Sun

enjoy the spring at red rabbit

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916.706.2275 • TheRedRabbit.net Facebook.com/SacRabbit

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

The Optimistic Pessimist Why should kids get to have all of the fun? Let’s face facts; being an adult pretty much sucks. When work and bills aren’t filling our days, we are busy preparing for tomorrow’s work or worrying about yesterday’s bills! That is why it is imperative that we all blow off some steam from time to time. Now, you could go somewhere romantic with your hubby or out for a night on the town with friends, and both would be great fun, but why not try something you haven’t done in forever? Why not build a slip and slide? I say “build” because you can’t buy one in your size (at least not the adult version of you). Believe me, I checked. While that slippery yellow strip of plastic seemed to extend across your entire backyard as a child, in reality, it was only 16 feet long. Somebody should have sued the makers of Crocodile Mile, the lying bastards. So unless you like grass-stained rug burns, I don’t recommend your standard issue Slip ‘N Slide or any of its kin for your adult fun. Not to worry though; this is not a difficult project! A trip to your local home improvement store should satisfy nearly all of your needs. The hardest part of this will be steering that flatbed cart that those types of stores seem to

Slippery When Wet

favor. I just want all of the wheels to point in the direction that I am pushing the cart. Is that too much to ask? Anyway, grab your cart from hell and zigzag your way to a roll or two of opaque plastic painter’s tarp, a hose (or two, depending on the situation at your homefront), sprinkler heads for said hoses, and 10 to 12 tent stakes. You are also going to need a hammer for the tent stakes and something to cut the plastic if you don’t have it already. To the cashier at the store, you look like any other person preparing to complete a weekend project that’s been sitting idle for too long. Little does she know, you are about to build one badass, muthafuckin’ slip and slide! The first thing you need to do is crack a beer. If you are doing this right, it’s hot outside and nothing helps projects like this more than a little booze on the brain. Go for something refreshing like a pilsner, lager or pale ale. Once your drink is half gone, you can work on this slide thingy. Start by unrolling your plastic sheet to the desired length and cut it with your knife. Don’t be shy; unlike penises, the longer this baby is, the better. Take your tent stakes and

strategically place them around the edges of your plastic tarp. Put your sprinkler heads on your hoses and let her rip. Voilà: slip and slide! Throw in a barbecue and some music and you have yourself a proper slip and slide party. If you want to make it real dope, you better grab eight to 10 bags of sand at the home improvement store and some duct tape if you don’t have it already. With that, you will build a mighty splash pool that will take this ho-hum slide to something that would make Napoleon shit his pants in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure! Take your roll of tarp and tape together 6-foot strips of plastic until you have a 6-foot square sheet. Make another square just like the last and tape it to your slide. Open up the sandbags and pour a barrier around the inner radius of your plastic square, leaving an opening for you to slide through and into the splash pool. With your sand walls shored up nicely, slap the other plastic square over the top and tape that top layer to the rest of the slide. Make it nice and smooth. Your ass will be sailing over this tape shortly, so you don’t want any snags. Finally, pin your splash pool down with some more tent stakes and get some water in there because it’s time to slide, baby!

Bocephus Chigger bocephus@submergemag.com I’ve spent much of my adult life trying to avoid sprinklers, so it’s a nice change of pace to frolic in them. Hitting that wet plastic for the first time makes you feel like you were 8 years old again. Try out your styles. Are you a head-first, belly slider? A feet-first, baseball slider? Some sort of suicidal hybrid feet-first, belly slider? Do what works best for you. You don’t need to be an athlete to slide. If you can slip and fall, you can slip and slide, though you may be better off with a little extra body fat for cushioning. Which brings me to my word of warning: I won’t lie to you; the next day is going to be a little rough. You may have felt like one on the slide yesterday, but you aren’t a kid anymore. Your old broken down adult body is going to be sore in many strange places. Maybe you will bruise a rib or two or pull a muscle. You will definitely have grass all over your house if you let people come inside to use the bathroom. Oh and then there is that hangover. On the upside, the backyard won’t need to be watered for a while and you were free of all your adult troubles, even if but for a moment. It will be totally worth it; I guarantee it. Now let’s show these punk-ass kids how it’s done!

Mon through Fri: 11am–2am | Sat & Sun: 10am–2am Tagline

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

1050 20th Street, Sacramento, CA facebook.com/lowbrausacramento Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

The grindhouse

Our Hero The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Rated PG-13

Words James Barone

You can’t toss a dead cat without hitting a movie based on a Marvel Comics character nowadays. I’m not complaining, mind you. I’ll go see just about any superhero movie they toss out there. I saw Green Lantern. Twice. (And yes, I know that’s DC.) But Spider-Man will always hold a special place in my heart. He was my first favorite superhero, perhaps because I was a nerdy kid who got bullied by the other kids and couldn’t get the girl, and I saw something I could relate to in the science-minded photography geek, Peter Parker (Spidey’s alter-ego), who got bit by a radioactive spider and instead of just getting a really bad rash, was imbued with superpowers that allowed him to not only stand up against his tormentors but stand up for truth, justice and the American way. Fun fact: This is the fifth Spider-Man movie since the dawn of the new millennium. Five! That’s a kind of run that would make Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees jealous. But on to the movie: in this sequel to 2012’s reboot of the franchise, The Amazing Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield is once again behind the mask as everyone’s favorite web-slinger. With a few years of crime-fighting under his belt, he’s more show-y and wise-cracking than ever. In an elaborate opening action sequence, Spidey swings high above the streets of New York City in pursuit of Aleksei Sytsevich (an almost unrecognizable Paul Giamatti), a Russian mobster who has hijacked an Oscorp tractor-trailer carrying vials of plutonium. Though the police are hot on Sytsevich’s tail, they’re having a difficult time corralling the mad Russian crook…of course, that’s where your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man comes in. This sequence is awe-inspiring. As Spidey soars from building to building in a succession of acrobatic flips, the scene below is pure chaos: gunshots flare, cars collide into one another, etc. The dichotomy of the almost serene shots of Spider-Man gracefully gliding along, intermingled with the severe road rage on street-level, is a real treat for the eye. The intercutting of Peter SubmergeMag.com

Parker’s personal life in this opening scene just sweetens the pot. It’s graduation day, and Peter, as he’s clinging to the grill of a police truck, answers a call from Gwen Stacy (wonderfully portrayed once again by Emma Stone), who is about to deliver her valedictorian address. It’s Peter’s tightrope walk between his life as a young man with a family and friends that he cares deeply about and his life as a superpowered masked crusader that makes him such a compelling character. Whereas Batman, say, no longer has a “real life,” and only uses his persona as Bruce Wayne to further his crime-fighting career, Spider-Man actively lives his “normal life,” which is why his stakes seem a lot higher. This was brought beautifully to the foreground in the first film in this series, and it’s continued here in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. A lot of time is allocated to building the relationships between Parker and the people in his life—his Aunt May (Sally Field) who raised him, his childhood friend Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), his dead father Richard Parker (Campbell Scott) and even Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx), a man whose life Spidey saves in the pursuit of Sytsevich—but mostly his relationship with Stacy. Unfortunately, it feels as if there’s very little Spidey time with all this character building. Luckily, this is offset by Garfield and Stone’s wonderful banter and chemistry. They make a sweet, funny and perfect onscreen couple…the kind if you saw on the street, you’d secretly despise. Dillon becomes the main villain, Electro, after an accident at Oscorp turns him into a being of pure electricity. Though the effects are good, the character design seems a bit too reminiscent of The Watchmen’s Dr. Manhattan. Still, Foxx is a fine actor and though he looks like a blue ball of lightning much of the film, he seems to take his role very seriously, portraying a man who’s been powerless for much of his life and is suddenly given the strength of a god. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ends on a low note, Empire Strikes Back style, and sets up perfectly for the third film in the series, due out in another couple of years, which should be much more of a balls-out bust-‘em-up. The action scenes, when there are some, are very exciting, but they seem too far between. However, this is a nice characterdriven story that portrays Spidey for what he is…a hero of the people.

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Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

1000 K Street • Sacramento (916) 341-0176 • assemblymusichall.com

tEl cAiRO, Agustus thElEFAnt, thE gAtlin And dRE t

MAY 5

• All AgEs

MAY 7

• 18 & OVER

MAY 8

• All AgEs

MAY 9

• 21 & OVER

MAY 17

• 21 & OVER

FINN

“THE GroovaH” sAMu, VAluFA, luisA, And supA sAA

ghEttO YOuths cAMp, spRAggA bEnz, thE FRuit OF liFE REVElAtiOn pARt 2

And

MAY 10

• All AgEs

MAY 11

• 18 & OVER

MERchAnts • thE MuRdER shE WROtE

MAY 16

• All AgEs

With spEciAl guEst

nOthing lEss

night RiOts

stAnd Out stAtE And hEAVEnlY bEAt

MAY 20

• All AgEs

thE MOVEMEnt, And kAYAsun

MAY 23

• All AgEs

MAY 24

• All AgEs

MAY 25

• All AgEs

* * * F O R R E n tA l i n F O R M At i O n , p R i VAt E pA R t i E s A n d E V E n t s , p l E A s E E M A i l A s s E M b lY M u s i c h A l l @ g M A i l . c O M * * *

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

1000 K Street • Sacramento (916) 341-0176 • assemblymusichall.com

With spEciAl guEst

MAY 30

• 21 & OVER

GeoGrapher JunE 13

• All AgEs

MAY 31

• All AgEs

With spEciAl guEst

JunE 14

FiEld

• 21 & OVER

JunE 6

• All AgEs

dRY cOuntY dRinkERs

JunE 7

• 21 & OVER

thE bROthERhOOd OF Ellipsis And kRYptic MEMORiEs

JunE 17

• All AgEs

JunE 20

• All AgEs

coming soon

JunE 26

• All AgEs

JunE 28

• All AgEs

JulY 1

• All AgEs

7/O2 AxE MuRdER bOYz 7/17 FOREign ExchAngE 8/1O isRAEl VibRAtiOn & thE ROOts RAdic 9/15 thE REAl MckEnziEs

* * * F O R R E n tA l i n F O R M At i O n , p R i VAt E pA R t i E s A n d E V E n t s , p l E A s E E M A i l A s s E M b lY M u s i c h A l l @ g M A i l . c O M * * * SubmergeMag.com

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Includes choice of burger on regular menu and draft beer valued at $3 or less. No substitutions, additions will be charged accordingly. Not valid with other offers, details subject to change based on availability. Offer valid for dine-in in bar only. Tax & gratuity not included.

Issue 161 â&#x20AC;˘ May 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 19, 2014

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

Your Senses Words Brooke Dreyer

SEE HEAR TASTE Touch

Touch

Play Beer Pong with the Sac City Rollers May 9

Some call it a sport, others call it an expressive form of art. Regardless of your perspective on beer pong, we can all agree it’s one of the best reasons to call for a social gathering. Sac City Rollers are known for their competitive nature and incredible enthusiasm, so it’s no surprise that they’re hosting a Beer Pong Tourney at Morgan’s Bar and Grill (3348 S Street) on Friday, May 9. Assemble your team of four, purchase your tickets at Brownpapertickets.com ($35 per team of 4, $45 for a team of 3 and a derby girl teammate and $10 for individual players) and make sure to eat a hearty meal before arriving to the event at 6 p.m. precisely (tournament begins at 7 p.m.)! Sac City Rollers will be granting the champions with a trophy, SCR gear and the entitlement to brag to any one you desire. Remember, being a champion requires a great amount of responsibility, so make sure to recruit a designated driver.

See

Bicycle Art, Live Local Music, Bike Fashion Show and More at ArtMix: Spoke-tacular at Crocker Art Museum • May 8 Biker newbies, enthusiasts, socialites and experts alike, it’s time to celebrate that super-small carbon footprint of yours. In honor of Bike Month, Art Mix will be hosting Spoke-tacular at the Crocker Art Museum on Thursday, May 8 from 5 to 9 p.m. Park your bike at the free bike valet before immersing yourself into the sound of local bands and DJs complemented with Kevin Greenberg’s hand-built bike art and MonkeyLectric’s interactive digital wheel art. Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen will be there to assist with questions and provide suggestions for all the DIY bike builders and Juniper James will be presenting a bicycle fashion show for the boldly expressive and highly fashionable cyclists of Sacramento. The event is 21-and-over, and will be offering $5 drinks all night. Check out Crockerartmuseum.org for more details and ticket purchasing (free for members, $10 for nonmembers, $8 for college students).

Taste Hear

60-plus Bands Over Three days at Colonial Music Fest • May 16–18

Solanum

Great Apes

Dead Dads

Avenue Saints

Rebel Punk

Lisa Doll

SubmergeMag.com

Sacramento Colonial Music Festival: three days, 60-plus bands and just $35 for a three-day pass. Yes, you can still go to music festivals without having to sell your kidney to match the admission fee. May 16 to 18, Rise Entertainment will be hosting the all-ages event at the Colonial Theatre (3520 Stockton Boulevard) from 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday, and noon to midnight on Saturday and Sunday. The sponsors and vendors (including Hangtown Skate Shop, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Reality Check TV, Rise Entertainment, Whiskey and Sour, Cafe Colonial, Team Local Music/Amb Pirate, The Colony, Phono Select and more) will be providing an assortment of stage-side activities to complement the incredibly vast lineup. It’s hard to categorize the diversity of the bands under one genre, but if you’d have to, rock would complacently suffice. With bands contrasting thrash-grunge with Violent Femmes-esque post-punk and folk-punk to everything in between, you’re guaranteed to find your niche somewhere in the festival. Check out the lineup (which includes Elements of Soul, Kill the Precedent and White Minorities) on Sacramentocolonialmusicfest.com for more information and ticket purchasing (day tickets are available too).

More Berries than You Can Imagine at the Sixth Annual BerryFest • May 10 & 11

How many berries can you name offhand? Strawberries, blackberries and blueberries are givens. How about red currants, tayberries, cloudberries or goji berries? If you are a berry buff, you are probably familiarized with the variety of berries found in California and the assortment of ways they can be used. However, if your berry knowledge is limited to the grocery produce section, brace yourself for a mind-blowing experience. On May 10 and 11, Roseville will be hosting the Sixth Annual BerryFest at the Placer County Fairgrounds (800 All America City Boulevard). Local farmers will be available to assist you in expanding your berry capacity and capabilities; if you weren’t already, you’ll walk out of there feeling like a berry connoisseur, that goes without saying. BerryFest begins at 8 a.m. (both Saturday and Sunday) with a Boy Scout-hosted pancake breakfast. The actual festival begins at 10 a.m. and ends around 6 p.m. The festival’s activity list is almost as long as the featured berries list, which includes a classic car show, strawberry shortcake eating contest, kids zone (petting zoo, pony rides, strawberry-go-round and more), berry parades, Little Miss Strawberry pageant, beer garden and much more. Check out Feedmeberries.org for more information and ticket purchasing (kids 3 and younger are free, ages 4 to 12 are $5, 13 to 59 are $10 and seniors are $5).

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Constantly Creating A Lot Like Birds Vocalist Kurt Travis Uses His Brief Downtime to Record Solo Album Words Jonathan Carabba • Photos Nicholas wray

he life of a touring musician can be grueling. You write and write and write some more, then you record an album and get it mixed, mastered and pressed. After all that, if you have any money left, you release said album and if all goes well and all your ducks are in a row, the next logical step is to leave normal life behind and hop in the van (or if you’re lucky, a bus or motorhome) and tour the shit out of the album. It’s a process that’s not cheap and not easy. Kurt Travis, co-vocalist of Sacramento-based posthardcore outfit A Lot Like Birds (and former co-vocalist of fellow Sacramento-based band Dance Gavin Dance) knows the drill all too well. “A Lot Like Birds doesn’t give me a lot of downtime, but when they do, I’m kind of thankful for it because then I can go forward with some solo stuff,” Travis recently told Submerge during an interview in his new downtown Sacramento loft. “ALLB was going to do this European tour and it ended

up falling through. Immediately I was like, OK, I have this amount of time, lets bang out a record and lets go out on tour and sell it.” Travis enlisted the help of longtime friend and former bandmate Zachary Garren (they played in DGD together years ago). Garren, who now plays in the instrumental band Strawberry Girls and lives in Salinas, Calif., would come up to Sacramento for a few days at a time and the two would write songs and work on the album’s pre-production. They were also sending song ideas back and forth even when not in the same town. Before they knew it, they were sitting on a full-length’s worth of solid material, had a label ready to release it (Blue Swan Records, a new label that is run by Dance Gavin Dance’s Will Swan) and a full-on tour booked to support the record, which will be titled Everything Is Beautiful and will be released sometime later in May.

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

As of press time, Travis and Garren had only released one song off of Everything Is Beautiful, a pop-y, upbeat ditty called “Brain Lord.” At last check, it had 16,031 views on YouTube after only being uploaded a week prior. With no plans to release any other material from the album before its full release, Submerge was lucky enough to get a private listening party where Garren and Travis allowed us to hear rough, unmixed, unmastered versions of seven of the 12 songs that will appear on the album. What we heard was not some halfassed solo effort from a lead singer who just wants to put something out for the fuck of it. What we heard was a focused, mature, surprisingly pop-friendly album that touches on surf-rock with lo-fi garage vibes, glittering and noodly lead guitar lines, lush layers of vocal harmonies with sprinkles of synth-y goodness. It’s light and accessible (we only heard one part with aggressive vocals, and it was more of a shout than a scream) without being overly cheesy. It’s an artsy pop album, if you will, and it’ll more than likely have you moving and grooving. Check out an excerpt of our conversation and mark your calendars for Kurt Travis’ tour kick-off show at Luigi’s on Wednesday, May 14. Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

Tell me a little bit about the album title, Everything Is Beautiful. What’s the reasoning or motivation behind calling it that? Kurt Travis: With every release I kind of have a theme, because it’s fun. It’s fun to have a certain message. My first [album theme] being this little girl I knew, she was just learning how to speak, and I related to her because it was kind of like my first solo effort and the songs were very primitive. So it just kind of had this theme, that’s why I called it Wha Happen. She kept asking me that. For this [album theme], I’ve been under this impression lately. I’m very happy. I’m very creative. I’m doing really, really good. I’m having an amazing time with A Lot Like Birds and I’m having an amazing time writing my own stuff with Zach. The theme is Everything Is Beautiful because, well, it is. Just appreciating things that aren’t necessarily beautiful, but you watch them, and they change and your perspective on them becomes different. Kind of that sort of thing like, what is beauty, or what is art? I could get really crazy on you. We could talk about what is beauty and what isn’t beauty, but it would be wrong. Everything is beauty. Would you say this is the most pop friendly thing you’ve ever done? Zachary Garren: It’s definitely the poppiest. KT: It’s the poppiest freaking thing I’ve ever done in my whole life, and you know what’s really weird is I was really trying not to. With this record I was trying to go for that like new wave sound…and it came out super pop-y and funky and groovy.

“It’s the poppiest freaking thing I’ve ever done in my whole life, and you know what’s really weird is I was really trying not to. With this record I was trying to go for that like new wave sound…and it came out super pop-y and funky and groovy.” – Kurt Travis on his new solo album, Everything Is Beautiful

How does your approach to writing lyrics for your solo material differ from when you’re writing with A Lot Like Birds? KT: They’re very, very different. Nowadays I’ve been writing very conceptually, not as song-tosong-to-song. But kind of an atmosphere or a story within that song, and kind of vicariously really, which is weird, because that’s something that I really don’t do. I usually write from life and sorrow and just, you know, therapeutically healing myself. I don’t really do that anymore. I guess I don’t really have the need to. I don’t have to be extremely worried about what’s going to happen next. That’s totally kept me up at night in younger years when it comes to music. Your work with your other bands no doubt keeps you guys busy: Constant touring, writing, recording, doing press, etc. Why not just use your down time to relax? What is it that drives you to want to create music even during your little bit of time off? KT: I think Zach and I will totally say the same thing. It almost feels the opposite, you know what I mean? If you’re constantly creating and you’re doing different genres and such, I feel like sometimes the more opposite the genre, the more I’m just secretly influenced by it because it’s completely different. ZG: I just like to create a lot. Some days I’ll do way more than other days... KT: When I tell him to write a song, he’s got like six the next day. By the time I’m done listening to those, he’s got two more. And then when we get to the studio he’s like, oh man, I got to relearn these. It’s like that show Heroes where the guy blacks out and just does some amazing shit. ZG: Being a musician is different than working a 9-to-5 sort of job. It’s not easy, but it’s different. It’s still fun to a degree. KT: Even if I didn’t write a record this last month and immediately go back out on tour, I probably would have worked an odd job for a month and did it that way. But instead, I made a record, and I invested money in the T-shirts I’m going to sell on tour, stuff like that.

A truly Artful shAve At Anthony’s BArBershop

So in a way, it’s kind of like an “in between job” that just happened to be creating a record? KT: Exactly. When Joe [Arrington, drummer for ALLB and who also plays on Everything Is Beautiful] is home, he plays with like four different cover bands and makes way more money… I guess there is this mentality of like, work your fucking ass off, because we are privileged enough to be able to play music. ZG: Creating music in a way is also kind of downtime. If you’re a musician, what do you do in your downtime from your job? You’re probably doing music. We’re just kind of having extra fun. We do it because we like it and want to try to keep getting better and hopefully making better stuff than we have in the past. KT: The more you make music and go out on tour, the more you’re going to gain fans. At this point, I’ve been doing it for almost 10 years, I might as well just keep on. Kids still appreciate it and still buy the previous stuff and the new stuff. They’re still buying it, so... ZG: It’s cool to switch it up, too, because this new album isn’t like anything we’ve done in a long time. It’s the most accessible kind of thing. There’s no screaming so it’s a more mature version of some of our past stuff. With this album being so much more pop friendly than most of your guys’ past stuff, is it crazy to think that this could very well become the most popular shit you’ve ever done? KT: It very well could be, although you never know. ZG: It has the potential, but there are so many little things. KT: I mean, my manager is Eric Rushing and he’s pretty freaking connected. I did my best. A lot of the times I’ve shown him stuff, and he’s like, “Dude this is fucking incredible, what am I supposed to do with this? This is the best song I could never do anything about.” So this record will definitely be like, “Here you go man, this is probably the most accessible thing you can get out of me, what can we do with it now?” And I think Eric can do a lot. ZG: And it’s still creative music too, which is cool. This is going to be like our parents’ favorite record.

Don’t you think in a weird way it might have worked to everyone’s advantage? KT: Oh we loved it! We milked the shit out of it. It was crazy awesome cross promotion. I talked to Tilian, too. He was totally super happy about it, just like, “Oh my gosh this is going to boost everything!” One question that I feel a lot of people are curious about is what your relationship is like with all those guys? Jonny, Tilian, all the other DGD guys... I feel like people think there is all this drama. Is there? KT: No, no. Jonny was at the recent DGD show at Assembly, and I was at that show with Zach. I see Jonny at Ace or Assembly or whatever. I talked to Tilian after the show, shit like that, we were all talking and hanging out after the show. Everybody is just doing their thing. There’s a lot of shit you can check out from all of us, there’s just a big resume from all of us, and that’s really cool.

See Kurt Travis, Zachary Garren and their newly formed backing band play songs off of Everything Is Beautiful at one of the few remaining shows at Luigi’s on Wednesday, May 14. Also performing will be Hotel Books and So Much Light. Show starts at 7 p.m. and all ages are welcome.

lAst Cut wAsn’t so super? Get it fixed At Anthony’s BArBershop

2408 21st st • Sac • sacramentobarbershop.com (916) 457-1120 • Tues-Fri 9am-6pm • saT 10am-4pm SubmergeMag.com

On the same day that you dropped the first single off your album, Jonny Craig and Tilian Pearson, two other vocalists with past or present DGD ties, also dropped new songs from their new projects. Was that just a big coincidence, or was that meticulously planned out by your management or something like that? ZG: Not planned at all. KT: Swear to god. Not planned. We wanted to put it out a couple days earlier, but it didn’t work out. That’s what happens.

May 8

ROSE WINDOWS

May 9

ANNE ROOS

May 10

NOBUNNY

May 11

NIGHTMARE AIR

May 12

MOUNT SALEM

May 15

TYVEK

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MODERN KIN

w/ THE ANCIENT SONS,

SAD NUMBERS

w / H A L F P E N C E A N D H AY P E N N Y,

STEPPING STONE w/ OKMONIKS, KEPI GHOULIE w/ ROMAN REMAINS

w/ BOG OAK

w/ G.GREEN w/ TIARAS, THE NEIGHBORS

18 15 19 T H S T R E E T, S A C R A M E N T O, C A 9 5 8 11 18 +, W I T C H R O O M S A C .C O M WR_SubMerg_Ad.indd 1

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

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The Chamelion and the Kaleidoscope

Hip-hop artist Riff Raff has a style that’s impossible to duplicate Words Corey Bloom • photo Dan Monick

hen you see or hear Riff Raff, you won’t forget him. Nothing about him is ordinary, and it’s not an act. From the neon clothes and flashy jewelry, to his off-kilter flow and bizarrely genius wordplay, he is the definition of unique. While he cashes checks from rapping, he doesn’t feel comfortable confined to the role. This is the music business, and even bigger, the entertainment business. And Riff Raff is a damn good entertainer. Born in Houston (perhaps the one clear influence on his sound), much of his back story is intentionally shrouded in mystique. Where the line between man and the character we know as Riff Raff crossed is unclear, and whether there is even a difference at this point seems unlikely. For journalistic purposes this can be frustrating, but as a listener, it enhances the enjoyment by upping the bizarre. Whatever it is, his unconventional approach has been a recipe for success. Everything about his campaign is loaded with viral fodder, from a YouTube channel boasting more than 120 awe-inspiring videos (mostly music and some skits) to his debut album Neon iCon, set to drop on Diplo’s Mad Decent label this year. What is next, no one knows, but it’s playing out in a way that is hard to stop watching and listening. It may make a person cringe, but there is something genuinely enjoyable about his quest to be the greatest entertainer—not rapper—in music. The air of not caring is obvious, and not only does it look fun, it’s enjoyable to witness. To be honest, words don’t do the man justice. Riff Raff needs to be experienced. Sacramento will have its chance as the man will be gracing the Ace of Spades stage on May 12. How much of what you’ve accomplished, and where you’re at today, was planned? Day by day my choices change. You may have some feelings one day like you want to do something, and the next day you might have a whole different outlook. I just try to make progress with what I’m comfortable with. When it started to be more about music, that’s when I started to really try and make better songs. Is music all I want to do? No. At different stages I want to do different things, but right now it’s about this Neon iCon album.

It seems like all the neon colors are becoming pretty popular, would you see that and then change it up as a response? No, people can go look at my pictures from 10 years ago and see I’ve been rocking this. I don’t dress the same every day, but I’ve always loved neon colors. It’s amazing…OH SHIT, I think the tour bus just hit something… Anyway, it’s amazing how people will say they don’t like something I do, and then something will happen, and then everyone is doing what I was already doing. I don’t like being like that, but whoa, man, I have a lot of people who use my style. They would never admit it. They couldn’t admit it because they don’t want to do that.

Do you see yourself always doing music? I don’t know what I want to do next, I just take it day by day more or less. Are you in complete control of how everything is presented, from the music to the image and all that? I don’t have someone who dresses me or anything, unless I’m doing a big magazine shoot or something. I wear what I want. I’ve always been a fan of jewelry. I get different vibes from different things, so if I feel a certain way one day I’ll wear this, and the next day I might wear something totally different. The same way a chameleon changes the color of their skin based on their environment, or their mood. Clothes are just a way to express how you feel. Yeah, I could be a stylist for people.

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Are you a believer that imitation is the best form of flattery? No, no no no. People can try and say that, but no. It’s competition. It’s not admiration; they’re trying to be you. There are two different kinds: where people are looking up to you and might get some braids and wear neon because they like Riff Raff. But then you have someone like, “Fuck Riff Raff, I’m the one who started with the braids and neon clothes,” then it becomes somebody being salty. It’s all fun or whatever. There are probably a million people who were Riff Raff for Halloween.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

Can you laugh at it at least, looking at it from both sides, and know you affected people one way or the other? Yeah, man I just got a crazy style that’s hard to copy. James Franco couldn’t do it, so what makes any random person think they can? That’s the number one rule in hip-hop, no biting! It’s OK to bite, but don’t copy someone’s style and then deny it and act like it’s you. Don’t do that. Ever. If you want the aqua berry braids, you can get the aqua berry braids, just use the hashtag “NEONNATION” or something. But they can’t match it up with the aqua berry bracelet and aqua berry grill though… Yeah, exactly and don’t forget it. Are you constantly writing stuff down or taking notes, or do you just sit down and write a song on the spot? Randomly, I’ll do that, but usually I just like to hear the beat and write to that. What kind of rapper would you say are? I’d say… I’m like a Versace Kaleidoscope rapper. If you look into a kaleidoscope, it’s always changing, and you see all these colors blending together. The lights and colors, you can’t really explain it, you just gotta see it to believe it. I envision stuff while I write. When I say it, if just half the people who listen can envision the same thing, then we connect right there. Some people rap to explain themselves and paint that picture. I’m not trying to paint a picture so that people understand who I am. I don’t do that. When I do my songs, I say what I see on the beat. It’s like an audio movie. When I wake up in the morning, I don’t watch the news, I watch cartoons. The news makes me feel bad, but cartoons are funny. When I write, I have the same mentality. I want to write shit that when I read it, it feels good. Nobody wants to hear about problems. I want to hear about something out of this world, something bigger and better than what’s going on. I want to hear about aliens, and haunted houses, stuff like that. Since there is nobody in your lane, do you feel like you are your own competition to dig deeper and visualize something crazier and crazier each time? Umm, shiiit. Yeah, I just gotta come up with crazier and crazier shit, ya know what I mean? I am in my own lane for sure.

SubmergeMag.com

Do you ever shock yourself with the stuff you say? Of course. Is it entertainment for you? Yeah, if it wasn’t my life wouldn’t be fun and I wouldn’t be happy. If you’re not happy, that sucks. What is downtime like for you? Swimming. I like to swim. Do you separate from Riff Raff the persona, or is it all in the same now? I do whatever I want, when I want. It’s always me. I don’t have a wife or kids, or have this hidden life. Everything you see is just how I do shit. It’s controlled; I did this on purpose. I don’t have a wife and kids, or people telling me what to do for a reason. I always had a dream of making a lot of money, buying the best jewelry and having the prettiest girlfriend. That’s just how it is, because that’s what I want. Every day my outlook changes, but it’s hard to be anything but me. That’s that rap life for real. I don’t call myself a rapper, that’s real stereotypical. I don’t think people can judge me until they hear my first album, Neon iCon.

“Yeah, man I just got a crazy style that’s hard to copy. James Franco couldn’t do it, so what makes any random person think they can?” – Riff Raff

So what’s a better title? An artist.

The Neon iCon himself, Riff Raff, will perform at Ace of Spades in Sacramento May 12 with Grandtheft,Diamond Dez and JG. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $23 and can be purchased through Aceofspadessac.com or at Getta Clue, Dimples Records or Armadillo in Davis. Dress to impress!

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

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Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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Tickets Available @ Dimple Records, Armadillo Online: AceOfSpadesSac.com By Phone: 1.877.GND.CTRL OR 916.443.9202

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Sandwiches that Rock...

Dad’s Sandwiches Celebrates 10 Years Words Joe Atkins • PHOTOs phill mamula

e’ve been lurking at Sacramento sandwich shops since the Earl of Sandwich was holding it down on 16th among prostitutes and hourly hotels. And though the Earl no longer exists, and one of those godforsaken Goodwill dropoff points has taken its place, there are actually more options for sandos in our great city than ever before. One of those establishments, with an attention to working-class principles and restaurant quality, is Dad’s Sandwiches. Established in 2004 by a father-and-son duo, Dad’s Sandwiches emerged as one of the premier spots on the south side of downtown. At the time there wasn’t a lot on S Street, and

Dad’s success (a combination of blaring rock ‘n’ roll, tattooed sandwich makers and delicious food) allowed them to expand, opening Dad’s Kitchen on Freeport Boulevard. Since then, Rockers DJ Rogers and Mick Stevenson bought the S Street location and opened a second Dad’s Sandwiches on J Street, the 65th and Folsom location was franchised to a longtime worker, and Dad’s Kitchen was sold to unaffiliated investors. Rogers and Mick Stevenson, aka the “Deli Llama,” helped open the first incarnation of Dad’s Kitchen on Freeport. They met in the kitchen and bonded instantly over sandwiches and metal. “Mick and I,” says Rogers, “we

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

met in the trenches. We bonded, like Ken and Ryu. Dad’s opened in 2004; that’s why we’re celebrating our 10-year [anniversary]. [The previous owner] sold it to us with nothing down, which was nice because that’s all we had. He sold it to us in 2009. And we opened up J Street in 2011.” “Right when we did buy, it was the start of the downfall of the [economy],” explains Stevenson. “I remember when we were getting to know all these purveyors, they were like, are you guys fucking crazy?” But Rogers and Stevenson thought of purchasing the S Street establishment as a nobrainer. “No one would hire me,” laughs Rogers, “so it was a simple decision.” But don’t let simple fool you. The attention to detail reveals more than just a knack for flavorful combinations and fresh ingredients. Dad’s has a consistent menu with occasional changes, which means that their best stuff

sticks around to fill your gut. With a recent change of hours at S Street, Dad’s can satisfy the hungry masses for breakfast, lunch and dinner. To appeal more to the later crowd, they just started serving beer and wine two months ago. The beer list is simple: 24 oz. Pabst, Julian Cider, Lagunitas IPA, Moose Drool Brown and Lone Star—the national beer of Texas. Dad’s is making sure to keep the prices within the working man’s budget, which makes Dad’s my official go-to spot before a concert at Ace of Spades. “Before when the neighborhood was smaller it was lunch,” says Rogers, who manages the S Street locale. “Now that the neighborhood’s gown up, we’re growing with it.” Because I had yet to try the breakfast offerings, I recently picked up a Hacienda Hottie at 8:30 a.m. The Hottie, as it is called, was perfect for my spring allergy death match. I was all stuffed up and congested, but as soon as I bit into the bed of eggs, the salty bacon, the

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

...and the Rockers Who Make them

The people who work at Dad’s don’t just listen to metal, they are metal. Check out what these guys are up to when they’re not making rockin’ sandos.

Danny Lomeli & Al e x P o r t e

What band(s) have you been in or are you in? DL: We were in Elysia from 2003 to 2009. Our current band is Summit, and we just put out a new album, Spellbreaker. How would you describe your sound? DL: We call it thrash/heavy metal. We are rippers, oldschool rippers.

What’s the crustiest thing you’ve done while on tour? DL: Gatorade bottles are urinals when you’re on the road.

Shann Marriott & J u s t i n Is a a c k s What band(s) have you been in or are you in? JI: I played guitar in a hardcore band called Turn It Around, and we split up in 2008. We did some Canadian and West Coast tours. Played a lot with DJ’s band, Killing the Dream. rich Jack and cheddar cheeses and the roasted bell peppers and red onions connected with the spicy crunch of the fresh sliced jalapeños, my sinuses cleared right up. That sandwich woke me up, fixed my congestion, and satisfied. But let’s say you’re more of a traditionalist, a lunchtime sandwich gal. This is where Dad’s shines. I’ve been going there something like quarterly for the last eight years to get a bite, and my default is the Hot Blonde. This toasted beauty is a warm, melted, cool and rich combination of chicken, Swiss cheese and avocado, with onions, spinach and cucumber, layered with garlic spread, mustard and something called pepper plant sauce—which leaves the perfect zing in your mouth, not too spicy, not too bland. My other staple is the Reuben, which I’d identify as an iconic piece of sandwichness. Dad’s does it right: pastrami, swiss, sauerkraut, brown mustard, house-made thousand island, on toasted organic rye bread. Get extra napkins with this one, and eat it right away while it’s piping hot. The last piece I want to note is the Angry Roadman. “Angry Roadman sales are slowly picking up downtown,” says Stevenson, who runs the J Street spot. “New people come in all the time. They ask me what to recommend, and I go, I’ve owned this place for five years: Angry Roadman. That says a lot. I eat here every day, and it’s still my favorite sandwich.” I had to verify his recommendation, and I was happy I did. This hot sando comes with turkey, bacon, roasted red onions, roasted bell peppers, sautéed mushrooms, black olives, tomato and onion with mustard on sourdough. By far this was the highlight of my recent run. Dad’s has it all: vegetarian, cold, hot, add-ons, chips, delicious beverages, beer, wine and mimosas. They’ve even got a sandwich with walnuts on it. Yet, while the food is good, it’s the experiences that make Dad’s worthwhile for Rogers and Stevenson. One of the benefits about having a sandwich shop near a rock venue is that they get a lot of perks when they feed touring bands. As Stevenson explains, “I SubmergeMag.com

like that the tour managers [when playing Ace of Spades] come to us and trade us [sandwiches for] meet and greets for all the bands that we would pay to see anyways. We met Down, and that was pretty much the greatest day. It was one of the greatest shows I’ve every seen. Seriously. All because of turkey. [The bands] become our repeat customers.” That music connection is pivotal for Dad’s; most of the employees come from the music scene. When a group of sandwich workers are that passionate about music, there has to be conflicts and fireworks about the legitimacy of certain bands and styles. Sometimes it even goes beyond the kitchen itself. As Rogers details, “We used to have Sirius satellite radio, and Queensryche would always come on. We had to make a rule: no Queensryche in the deli. If it came on, we had to change the station. Then they were playing at Ace of Spades and we heard they were going to come down here.” It’s nice that we’re in 2014 and state workers and loud rock can coexist at a sandwich shop. This sort of thing seems inconceivable in the ‘90s. It’s a good sign that the customers don’t complain about the background music. Rogers explains: “In general they just fucking deal. I know in most restaurants, it would be a sin to play the music we play. It’s not like I play it in the lobby, [it’s in the kitchen]. I’ve got to balance the mental health of everybody back here with the cash flow.” “In some of our Yelp [reviews],” Stevenson laughs, “they rave about the sandwiches, and then add: Don’t mind the occasional death metal.” Dad’s just does what they do, and they keep doing it quite well. “If I get someone once,” says Rogers, “I’ve got them forever. I am one with the sandwiches. I know what people want. I have Dad's Sandwiches can be found at 1310 S to talk people into what they St. or 1004 J St. Visit want. I have to help them out Dadssandwiches.com for when they’re picky. I’m inside hours and more info. their minds.”

How would you describe your sound? SM: I’m in a slow metal/doom metal band called Church. We’ve got a show coming up Aug. 3 at the Starlite Lounge. What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve done on stage? JI: Play guitar poorly—trick people into thinking I am an actual musician. SM: I wore some denim short shorts at a festival in Tacoma, Wash., where my testicles were shown to the crowd.

Ben Dewey What band(s) have you been in or are you in? I play bass for Dcoi. It’s a punk band. We’ve toured the States, toured Europe, toured Canada.

What are European punkers like? It’s better there. It’s fun. They care more. They care more about the music. They take better care of you. You get paid better. They put you up in hostels, there’s always beds.

Mick Stevenson What band(s) have you been in or are you in? I moved here to play with Mynoc. I still currently play with Sans Sobriety and Nevada Backwards, and I did play in Blvd Park.

<< DJ Rogers What band(s) have you been in or are you in? I was in Secret Six, The Ballistics, The Romance of Crime, Five Minute Ride, The Roustabouts, Drugs of Youth and Killing the Dream.

What’s the craziest thing that’s happend to you on tour? I got detained in a country, and I have no idea where I was. I threw a boulder in a lake, and they detained me. They were talking all about jail time and all these fines. I explained to him, "Man, I traveled all this way to tour this country because I think it’s the most beautiful place on Earth. I admire the culture.” And he let me go. To this day, I have no idea where I was.

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

music, comedy & misc. Calendar DISCOUNT TICKETS AVAILABLE AT MARILYNSONK.COM MONDAYS 5/12 - Wandering • 5/19 - Pub Night 5/26 - Pub Night TUESDAYS 5/13 - GSE T Grateful Dead/ Jerry Garcia/ Bob Dylan Revue 5/20 - Tribute Week: Badge//Cream, Ship Of The Sun//Grateful Dead/Garcia 5/27 - GSE T Grateful Dead/ Jerry Garcia/ Bob Dylan Revue WEDNESDAYS 5/14 - CFR, Adrian Bellue 5/21 - Tribute Week: Beaufunk//70's Funk, The Bumptet, Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters 5/28 - Bump Day Wednesday with The Bumptet and friends

THURSDAY 5/15 - Pub Night • 5/22 - Tribute Week: Remix//Hard Rock Tribute To Pop, Abby Normal//Green Day 5/29 - Daily Grind FRIDAY 5/16 - You Front The Band 5/23 - Tribute Week: Exiles On Main Street//Rolling Stones, Tres Hombres//ZZ Top 5/30 - CIP Afterparty: Radiohead Tribute SATURDAY 5/17 - Denver J Band, Pointdexter, Said the Shotgun 5/24 Tribute Week: Pollywog Crew//Beastie Boys, Revolver//Rage Against The Machine, Thunder Covers Rock and Roll Time Machine 5/31 - Super Saturday

SUNDAY - 5/25 - Tribute Week: "Foxtrot Mary//Memphis Soul, Johnny Throwback//Detroit Motown

may 5 – May 19 submergemag.com/calendar

5.05 Monday

Assembly GZA, Tel Cairo, Agustus ThElefant, The Gatlin, Dre T, 7 p.m. Bar 101 Bad Behavior Blues Band, 9:30 p.m. The Boxing Donkey Open Mic Variety Night, 8 p.m.

Badlands Trapacana w/ Curty McDurty, Durty DJ’s, IMF.Dred, TAMEsta, 10 p.m. Bar 101 Open Mic, 7:30 p.m. Center for the Arts Richard Thompson, Iain Matthews, 7:30 p.m. Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m. Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m. District 30 Late Night Alumni, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Northern Soul!, 8 p.m. G Street WunderBar DJ Larry Rodriguez, 10 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Karaoke, 8 p.m.

The Coffee Garden Open Mic Night, 8 p.m. The Colony Thick As Blood, These Streets, Betrayal, Lionheart, Vitality, 8 p.m. District 30 Kronyak, 530, BPhree, Aviator, 10 p.m. Dive Bar Dueling Pianos, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Steve McLane, 8 p.m. Harlow’s Asleep at the Wheel, The Easy Leaves, 7 p.m. The Hideaway Bar & Grill Trash Rock Thursdays w/ Joshua Cox, Zach Yaksich, 9 p.m. Level Up Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m. Luigi’s Fungarden All About Rockets, Paper Ghosts, Matt Underwood (of Lite Brite), Lily Quintero, 8 p.m.

The Colony Go Deep, Fearection, xmalcolmx, 8 p.m.

Mix DJ Gabe Xavier, DJ Peeti-V, 9 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides Open Mic, 9 p.m.

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

Marilyn’s Sea Legs, Amalgamation, Brittany Vanessa, 8 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Manos Hand of Fate, Twilight Straggler, Free Trade, 8 p.m.

Mix DJ Eddie Edul, DJ Peeti V, 9 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe Nebraska Mondays hosted by Ross Hammond, 7:30 p.m. Marilyn’s The Darling Clementines Bohemian Burlesque Review, 8 p.m. Old Ironsides Heath Williamson & Friends, 5 p.m. Third Space Linear Downfall, Mad Judy, Supermuff, 8 p.m.

5.06 Tuesday

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m. LowBrau Le Twist feat. Mario Andreoni (of Chk Chk Chk), Sam I Jam, Adam J, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m.

Shady Lady Harley, 9 p.m. Torch Club Acoustic Open Mic, 5:30 p.m.; Brian Rogers, 9 p.m. University Union Serna Plaza, CSUS Nooner feat. Autumn Sky, 12 p.m.

5.08 thursday

Ace of Spades Chiodos, Emarosa, Hands Like Houses, Our Last Night, ‘68, 6 p.m. Assembly Will Hoge, Matt Gage, 7 p.m. Bar 101 Karaoke, 7:30 p.m.

Marilyn’s Greatest Stories Ever Told, 8 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Savagery, Mr P Chill, J SMO, Mic Jordan, Maintain, Bryce Chill, Yung Von Ent, 8 p.m.

Monticello Seasonal Cuisine Ricardo Rosales, 5 p.m.

The Boardwalk Starburstt, Frais, Master V, 7 p.m.

Old Ironsides Karaoke, 9 p.m. Pine Cove Open Mic Night, 9 p.m.

Center for the Arts The Stray Birds, Rita Hosking, 7:30 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Rock On! Live Band Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m.

Old Ironsides Living Room Sessions w/ Host Erik Hansen: Dana Gumbiner, Warren Bishop, 8 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Michael Beck, 10 p.m. Press Club Storytellers, DJ ESEF, Selector I-Lone, 9 p.m. Shady Lady Smooth Hound Smith, 9 p.m. Shine In the Flow Festival w/ The Daniel Rosenboom Quartet, Instagon, Gentleman Surfer, Now! Miles, 7:30 p.m. Starlite Lounge Mercedes Avenue, Chrylas, We Sleep Forever, 9 p.m. The Stoney Inn The Chris Gardner Band, 9 p.m. Torch Club Mind X Quartet, 5 p.m.; Chris Zanardi, 9 p.m. Witch Room Rose Windows, The Ancient Sons, Sad Numbers, 8 p.m.

Shine Open Jazz Jam hosted by Jason Galbraith, 8 p.m. Starlite Lounge Ulcerate, Plague Widow, Cura Cochino, Summit, 8 p.m. Toby Keith’s Open Mic Night, 7 p.m. Torch Club The J’s, 5:30 p.m.; Hans and the Hot Mess, 9 p.m.

5.07 Wednesday

Ace of Spades Suicidal Tendencies, Yankee Brutal, Solanum, 6:30 p.m. Assembly Late Night Alumni, 9:30 p.m.

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

5.08

Sea Legs Amalgamation, Brittany Vanessa Marilyn’s 8 p.m.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

5.09 Friday

Back 9 Bar & Grill Saint Solitaire, Ancient Astronaut, Odamé Sucks, 8 p.m.

Assembly Finn, Samu, Valufa, Luisa, Supa Saa, 7 p.m.

Cache Creek Casino Amy Hu, Johnny Yip, 1 & 4 p.m.

Bar 101 The Dread Lullabies, 9:30 p.m.

Capitol Garage Karaoke w/ Jeff Jenkins, 9 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Record Club Presents: Radio Radio ‘80s Dance Night, 9 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 8 p.m. District 30 Trill Sundays w/ Close Chase Me, Krancento Box, Gentlemens Club, DiskJockey Luigi, 10 p.m.

Bar 101 Golden Cadillacs, 9:30 p.m.

The Boardwalk Authority Zero, Torches to Triggers, Riotmaker, Island of Black & White, Abby Normal, 7 p.m.

The Blue Lamp Wolfgang Vega, Spider Garage, Celestions, 8 p.m.

Capitol Garage Feel Good Saturday’s w/ DJ Epik, 10 p.m.

Cache Creek Casino Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, 9 p.m.

Center for the Arts Keb Mo, 8 p.m.

Luigi’s Fungarden Simpl3Jack, 8 p.m.

Club Car Artcoustic Showcase w/ Rich Lawson, LowBrow, Adrian Bellue, 8 p.m.

Mix Sunday Circus w/ DJ Gabe Xavier, 8:30 p.m.

Capitol Garage Dub Culture w/ DK Wokstar, DJ Jaytwo, 10 p.m. Cesar Chavez Plaza Concerts In the Park w/ The Nibblers, Autumn Sky Band, Eli & the Sound Cult, EGG, DJ Epik, 5 p.m.

Fox & Goose Salt Wizard, California Lions, Damager, 9 p.m.

Club Car Jenn Rogar Band, 8:30 p.m.

Harlow’s Tycho, Dusty Brown, 8 p.m. (Sold Out)

District 30 DJ Peeti V, 10 p.m.

KBAR Z Rokk, 9 p.m.

El Dorado Saloon Lost In Suburbia, 9 p.m.

Level Up Lounge Guest DJs, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Kally O’Mally, Guy Jones, Emily Frost, Brianna Pruett, 9 p.m. Golden Bear DJ Crook, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Tainted Love, 9 p.m. Luigi’s Fungarden Sun Monks, The Horde & The Harem, Hollow Wood, 8 p.m.

District 30 DJ Billy Lane, 10 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe Scott Cove, Xochitl, Pablo, 8:30 p.m. Marilyn’s Rhythm School, 9 p.m. Midtown BarFly LIFTED feat. Karizma, Jon E Qwest, Undecided, Evolve, Spire and More, 9 p.m. Mix DJ Eddie Edul, 9 p.m. Monticello Seasonal Cuisine Donna Wren, 5:30 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe In the Flow Festival w/ Are You Fish?, Rent Romus’ Life Blood Trio, Ross Hammond’s Humanity Suite LP Release, 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides Broken, 6 Beers Deep, Another Week Gone, 9 p.m.

Marilyn’s CIP After Party w/ Bellygunner, Drop Dead Red, Rubbidy Buppidy, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub 8 Track Massacre, 10 p.m.

Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Mix DJ Gabe Xavier, 9 p.m.

Press Club DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m.

Monticello Seasonal Cuisine Bob Wren, 5:30 p.m.

Red Hawk Casino The Spazmatics, 10 p.m.

Old Ironsides William Mylar, 5 p.m.; 58 Fury, Sil Shoda, Old Cotton Dreary, 9 p.m.

Rounders Sports Bar & Grill Local Licks Acoustic Series & Sac Open Mic All-Stars feat. The Good Samaritans, Element of Soul, Claire Wright, Rebel Punk, 8 p.m.

The Park Ultra Lounge DJ Shift, 9 p.m.

Hideaway Bar and Grill One Way System, Mass Terror, Escapement, Class System, 5 p.m.

Monticello Seasonal Cuisine Bob & Donna Wren, 11 a.m.

Press Club Sunday Night Soul Party w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Rustler’s Heat, 2 p.m. Shady Lady Emily Kollars, 9 p.m. Torch Club Blues Jam, 4 p.m.; Kevin Selfe, 8 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento In the Flow Festival w/ Reggie Graham Trio, Capitol Jazz Project, Inertia (CD Release), Dwight Trible Quintet, 6:30 p.m. Witch Room Nightmare Air, Roman Remains, Der Spazm, All About Rockets, DJ Dire DeLorean, 8 p.m.

5.12

The Blue Lamp Acoustic & Spoken Open Mic w/ The Lovebirds, 8 p.m.

Press Club DJ Rue, 9 p.m.

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen Frontier Ruckus, The West Nile Ramblers, 9 p.m.

The Boxing Donkey Open Mic Variety Night, 8 p.m.

Sidetrax DJ Larry Rodriguez, 10 p.m. Sleep Train Amphitheatre Tim McGraw, Cassadee Pope, Kip Moore, 7 p.m. Third Space Sexless, Kasra Mirblouk, 8 p.m. Thunder Valley Casino Resort Dave Russell Band, 9:30 p.m. Torch Club Pailer & Fratis, 5:30 p.m.; Tattooed Love Dogs, Nickel Slots, 9 p.m. Witch Room Halfpence and Haypenny, Anne Roos, Stepping Stone, 8 p.m.

5.10 Saturday

Ace of Spades Wayne Static, Otep, Dope, Smile Empty Soul, Thira, Dead In Seconds, Vanishing Affair, 5 p.m.

SubmergeMag.com

Witch Room Nobunny, Okmoniks, Kepi Ghoulie, 7 p.m.

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

Ace of Spades Twenty One Pilots, Nonono, Hunter Hunted, 6:30 p.m. Assembly Stephen Ragga Marley, 6 p.m. The Blue Lamp Get Down to the Champion Sound w/ DJ ESEF, Juan Love, Ras Matthew and Guests, 9 p.m. Broderick Roadhouse Karaoke w/ DJ Jazcat, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Rock On! Live Band Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Shine Open Jazz Jam hosted by Jason Galbraith, 8 p.m. Toby Keith’s Open Mic Night, 7 p.m. Torch Club Bill Mylar, 5 p.m.; Debut Tuesdays w/ Rebecca Peters, Vein 2 Wires, Slinger and Throne Stones, 9 p.m.

5.14 wednesday

Bar 101 Open Mic, 7:30 p.m. Club Car The Double Shots, 7:30 p.m.

continued on page 22

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Christ Community Church Sacramento Concert Band’s Spring 2014 Concert, 7:30 p.m. Crest Theatre Jesse Cook, 7 p.m.

Sunday

Pine Cove Open Mic Night, 9 p.m.

Cafe Colonial Mea Culpa, Escapement, Assbackwards, Did is Dead, 8 p.m.

Torch Club Edward Herda, 5:30 p.m.; Sista Monica, 9 p.m.

5.11

Old Ironsides Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Let us take you home tonight.

Monday

Shine Proxy Moon, BoneYard Rattlers, Steve Kotarek, 8 p.m.

Thunder Valley Casino Resort Clean Slate, 9:30 p.m.

Monticello Seasonal Cuisine Ricardo Rosales, 5 p.m.

Starlite Lounge #FILTHY, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Disco Revolution, 10 p.m.

Shine The Soft Offs, Gena Perala, Claire Wright, 8 p.m.

Marilyn’s Greatest Stories Ever Told, 8 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Lara Price, 3 p.m.

Ace of Spades Riff Raff, Grandtheft, Diamond Dez, 6:30 p.m.

Starlite Lounge Ostrich Theory, Screwloose, A Mile Till Dawn, Fair Struggle, 9 p.m.

LowBrau Le Twist feat. The Genie, Sam I Jam, Adam J, Roger Carpio, 9 p.m.

Press Club Black Beast Revival, Six Beers Deep, King Never, 8 p.m.

Shady Lady Golden Cadillacs, 9 p.m.

Shady Lady Miss Lonely Hearts, 9 p.m.

Tuesday

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Placer County Fair and Events Center EndFest 2014 feat. Ed Sheeran, Austin Mahone, Hot Chelle Rae, The Chainsmokers, Kalin and Myles, 2 p.m.

Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Red Hawk Casino Radio, 9:30 p.m.

5.13

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Harlow’s Skid Row, Black Star Riders, 7 p.m. Luna’s Cafe In the Flow Festival w/ Harley White Jr. Trio, Jonathan Saxon, ElectroPoetic Coffee, The Beanstalks, 6:30 p.m. Marilyn’s Wandering, 8 p.m. Old Ironsides Williamson & Friends, 5 p.m. Press Club Zero Boys, Neighborhood Brats, Rad, Sans Sobriety, 8 p.m. Shine Classical Revolution, 8 p.m. Witch Room Mount Salem, Bog Oak, 8 p.m.

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

5.17

5.16

The Good Samaritans They Went Ghost, We Sleep Forever, Easy Bear The Blue Lamp 9 p.m.

Modern Kin Tiaras Witch Room 8 p.m.

Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Northern Soul!, 8 p.m. G Street WunderBar DJ Larry Rodriguez, 10 p.m. Harlow’s Parade Of Lights, Ugly Bunny, 6:30 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Karaoke, 8 p.m. Luigi’s Fungarden Kurt Travis feat. Zachary Garren (Album Release), Hotel Books, So Much Light, 8 p.m. Marilyn’s CFR, Adrian Bellue, 8 p.m. Mix DJ Gabe Xavier, DJ Peeti-V, 9 p.m. Old Ironsides Open Mic, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Open Mic, 8:30 p.m. Torch Club Acoustic Open Mic, 5:30 p.m.; Keri Carr Band, 9 p.m. UC Davis: Corin Courtyard Ross Hammond, 6:30 p.m. UC Davis: Jackson Hall Standard Bill Frisell, 8 p.m.

5.15 Thursday

Ace of Spades Berner, Devin The Dude, Pot Luck, Cool Nutz, J.Hornay, 6:30 p.m. Bar 101 Karaoke, 7:30 p.m. The Blue Lamp Blues Jam, 4 p.m.; Funktion w/ DJ’s Step Rock & B. Vega, 9 p.m.

Monticello Seasonal Cuisine Bob Wren, 5:30 p.m.

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen Modern Kin, Mike Sempert, TaughtMe, 9 p.m.

Old Ironsides William Mylar, 5 p.m.; Majickat (Cat Stevens Tribute) w/ Adrian Bellue, 9 p.m.

The Stoney Inn American Young, The Buck Ford Band, 8 p.m.

Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Torch Club Mind X Quartet, 5 p.m.; Red’s Blues, 9 p.m.

Powerhouse Pub Blue Collar Men, 10 p.m.

UC Davis: Jackson Hall Orchestra San Francisco Symphony, 8 p.m.

Press Club DJ Rue, 9 p.m.

Witch Room Tyvek, G.Green, 8 p.m.

5.16 FRIDAY

Ace of Spades One (Metallica Tribute), 7:30 p.m. Assembly Upon This Dawning, The Browning, Adestria, Merchants, Phinehas, Dayseeker, The Murder She Wrote, 5:30 p.m. Bar 101 For Sayle, 9:30 p.m. The Blue Lamp Mark Sexton Band, Joanna Borromeo, Musical Charis, 8 p.m. The Boardwalk Norco, Shotty Shot, D Cali, Young Bill, Lil Jay, DTR, 7 p.m. Capitol Garage Dub Culture w/ DK Wokstar, DJ Jaytwo, 10 p.m. Cesar Chavez Plaza Concerts In the Park w/ Burn Halo, Some Fear None, Alex Vincent Band, FUDI, Sleep Rockers, 5 p.m. Club Car Rumpshaker, 9 p.m.

Red Hawk Casino Fresh, 9:30 p.m. Shine Electric Snorkel, Clan Dyken, Mike Diaz, 8 p.m. Sidetrax DJ Larry Rodriguez, 10 p.m. Torch Club Pailer & Fratis, 5:30 p.m.; Twilight Drifters, Al Hendrix, Mae McCoy, 9 p.m. Witch Room Modern Kin, Tiaras, 8 p.m.

5.17 Saturday

Ace of Spades Hedpe, Soil, Sunflower Dead, Chernobog, Korean Fire Drill, 6:30 p.m. The Blue Lamp They Went Ghost, The Good Samaritans, We Sleep Forever, Easy Bear, 9 p.m. The Boardwalk Pseudosilence, Motorize, Mechanizm, Thumpa & The Bunch, 7 p.m. Cache Creek Casino ConFunkShun, 8 p.m. Capitol Garage Feel Good Saturday’s w/ DJ Epik, 10 p.m.

Center for the Arts Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn, 7:30 p.m.

Colonial Theatre Colonial Music Fest feat. Element of Soul, Keyser Soze, La Noche Oskura, Storytellers, Ghost Town Hangmen, The Infamous Swanks and More, 4 p.m.

Colonial Theatre Colonial Music Fest feat. Kill The Precedent, A.D.D., Pressure Point, The Knockoffs, Cold Feelings, Zero Progress, The Left Hand, Strange Party, The Moans and More, 12 p.m.

Club Car Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m.

Crest Theatre Kansas 40th Anniversary Tour, 7 p.m.

District 30 Justin Ancheta & Friends, 8 p.m.

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

El Dorado Saloon Hired Guns, 9 p.m.

Dive Bar Dueling Pianos, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose West Nile Ramblers, Hollow Point Stumblers, 9 p.m.

Fox & Goose Merrygold, The Blackberry Bushes, Delta City Ramblers, 9 p.m.

The Boardwalk Abbarrance, The Brotherhood of Ellipsis, 7 p.m.

Fox & Goose The Mike Justis Band, 8 p.m.

Golden Bear DJ Crook, 10 p.m.

Level Up Lounge Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Harlow’s Dustbowl Revival, 8 p.m.

Luigi’s Fungarden Handsome As Sin, Pullman Standard, 8 p.m.

Luigi’s Fungarden West Campus Fundraiser feat. Various Young Bands, 8 p.m.

Mix DJ Eddie Edul, DJ Peeti V, 9 p.m. Old Ironsides Bluegrass Open Jam, 7:30 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Dave Russell, 10 p.m.

Shine No Words Thursday w/ Plots, RedGreenBlue, 8 p.m.

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Luna’s Cafe Safeground Benefit w/ Jenn Rogar , Jackson Griffith, Tony Galioto, Karen Sanders, Lauren Wakefield, 7 p.m. Marilyn’s You Front the Band Live Karaoke, 9 p.m. Mix DJ Gabe Xavier, 9 p.m.

G Street WunderBar Black Market Sunday, Infinite Vastness, 10 p.m. Harlow’s The Curtis Mayfield Superfly Tribute Show, 5:30 p.m. Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Moonwalker (Michael Jackson Tribute), 7:30 p.m. KBAR Z Rokk, 9 p.m. Level Up Lounge Guest DJs, 9 p.m. Luigi’s Fungarden Luigi’s Final Show! feat. Dollyrots, Slime Girls, Sneeze Attack, Shoujo Kitten, 8 p.m.

Luna’s Cafe Katie Knipp, Emily O’Neill, Victoria Boyington, 8:30 p.m. Marilyn’s Denver J Band, PointDexter, Said the Shotgun, 8 p.m. Mix DJ Eddie Edul, 9 p.m. Monticello Seasonal Cuisine Ken Kemmerling, 6 p.m. Old Ironsides FASCINATION! ‘80s New Wave Dance Club, 9:30 p.m. The Park Ultra Lounge DJ Scene, 9 p.m. Pine Cove Karaoke, 9 p.m. Powerhouse Pub Skid Roses, 10 p.m. Press Club DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Fresh, 10 p.m. Sacramento Community Center Theater Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra presents Carmina Burana, 8 p.m. Shine David Houston, Calling Tempo, Witchdream Mansion, 8 p.m. Sleep Train Arena Now Glowing 5K w/Mary Lambert, 6:30 p.m. & Goo Goo Dolls, 9:30 p.m. Sophia’s Thai Kitchen Big Tree, Scary Little Friends, 9 p.m. Sudwerk Brewery KDVS 90.3 Presents: Operation Restore Maximum Freedom XIV w/ Mr. Elevator & the Brain Hotel, Tha Dirt Feelin’, Dank Ocean, Picture Atlantic, Kiwi Time and More, 12 p.m. Torch Club Volker Strifler, 9 p.m. UC Davis: Jackson Hall yMUSIC, 8 p.m. UC Davis: Vanderhoef Studio Theatre Lara Downes (Billie Holiday Tribute), 8 p.m.

5.18 Sunday

Back 9 Bar & Grill Zen Arcadia, Riotmaker, Overwatch, 4 p.m. The Blue Lamp Barnyard Stompers, Tell River, Acoustic Noir, 4 p.m.; Get Down to the Champion Sound w/ DJ ESEF, Juan Love, Ras Matthew and Guests, 9 p.m. Broderick Roadhouse Karaoke w/ DJ Jazcat, 9 p.m. Cache Creek Casino Live Band Karaoke, 5 p.m.

continued on page 24

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Cafe Colonial Dog Party, Lisa Doll and the Rock N Roll Romance, Mad Judy, Supermuff, 7 p.m. Capitol Garage Karaoke w/ Jeff Jenkins, 9 p.m. Colonial Theatre Colonial Music Fest feat. White Minorities, Solanum, Short Fuse, Kryptic Memories, Alarms, Dog Party, Defyant Circle, Race to the Bottom, S.W.I.M. and More, 12 p.m.

5.15

Distillery Karaoke, 8 p.m. Mix Sunday Circus w/ DJ Gabe Xavier, 8:30 p.m. Monticello Seasonal Cuisine Jazz Brunch w/ Guitarist Jon Spivack, 11 a.m. Powerhouse Pub Shana Morrison, 3 p.m. Press Club Sunday Night Soul Party w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9 p.m. Red Hawk Casino Sweet Revenge, 2 p.m. Torch Club Blues Jam, 4 p.m.; Scary Little Friends, Bear Lincoln, 8 p.m. UC Davis: Vanderhoef Studio Theatre Lara Downes (Billie Holiday tribute), 2 p.m.

5.19 Monday

The Blue Lamp The Secretions, Hospital Job, Self Proclaimed, 8 p.m. The Boxing Donkey Open Mic Variety Night, 8 p.m. Distillery Karaoke, 9 p.m. Fox & Goose Open Mic Night, 7:30 p.m. Harlow’s Tab Benoit, 8 p.m.

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Comedy Assembly Tig Notaro, May 9, 7 p.m. Cache Creek Casino Ron White, May 10, 7:30 & 10 p.m. Crest Theatre Demetri Martin’s Point Your Face at This Tour, May 9, 8 p.m. Laughs Unlimited Open Mic Comedy hosted by Anthony K, May 6, 8 p.m. Don Barnhart Comedy Hypnosis, May 9 - 11, Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. Say It Loud Comedy feat. Bryce Benson, Kristee Ono, Antwan Johnson, Dash Kwiatkowski, D Tyler, hosted by Michael Calvin Jr., May 15, 8 p.m. Luke Ashlocke, Lee Levine, May 16 - 18, Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.

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Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Luna’s Cafe Open Mic Comedy, every Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Keith Lowell Jensen’s Comedy Night, every Wednesday, 8 p.m.

Kristee Ono

Say It Loud Comedy

Bryce Benson, Antwan Johnson, Dash Kwiatkowski, D Tyler, hosted by Michael Calvin Jr. Laughs Unlimited 8 p.m. Punchline Comedy Club New Faces Showcase, May 7, 8 p.m.

Jules Tavernier: Artist and Adventurer, through May 11

Chris Distefano, Myles Weber, Dash Kwiatkowski, May 8 - 10, Thurs., 8 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.

Fair Oaks Community Clubhouse West Coast Swing Lesson & Dance, May 17, 5:30 p.m.

The Real Funny Housewives of Rio Linda, May 11, 7 p.m. Hanging with Carlos Rodriguez, May 15, 8 p.m. Bobby Lee, Raj Dutta, May 16 - 18, Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m. & 10 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. Sacramento Comedy Spot Open Mic, Sunday’s and Monday’s, 7:30 p.m. Spot-On Trivia: The Comedy Pub Quiz, Tuesday’s, 8 p.m. Harold Night Long Form Improv Comedy, Wednesday’s, 8 p.m. Gag Order, Thursday’s, 8 p.m. Improv Jam, Thursday’s, 9 p.m. Anti-Cooperation League, Saturday’s, 9 p.m. Test Kitchen, Saturday’s, 10:30 p.m. Tommy T’s Willie Barcena, May 8 - 11, Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 7 & 9:45 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. Sac Town Comedy Jam, May 14, 7:30 p.m. DeRay Davis, May 15 - 18, Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 7 & 9:45 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. University Union Ballroom, CSUS Free Comedy Show w/ Brent Morin, Andrew Ouellette, May 8, 7:30 p.m.

Misc. 2020 J Street Midtown Farmers Market, every Saturday, 8 a.m. Blue Cue Bar Bingo, Wednesday’s, 9 p.m. The Blue Lamp Naughty Trivia!, every Wednesday, 8 p.m. The Boxing Donkey Trivia Night, every Tuesday, 8 p.m. Cal Expo 18th Annual Race for the Cure, May 10

Fox & Goose Pub Quiz, Tuesday’s, 7 p.m. Fremont Park Ride and Seek: A Bicycle Scavenger Hunt, May 10, 2 p.m. Bicycle Film Festival, May 9 - 10, 7 p.m. Harris Center for the Arts Sacramento Ballet Presents: Modern Masters, May 15 - 17 Hughes Stadium Sacramento Republic FC vs. LA Galaxy II, May 17, 7:30 p.m. Laughs Unlimited The Sweet Spot Sacramento: Erotic Poetry, Burlesque, Fashion, Body Paint, May 8, 8 p.m. Luigi’s A Slice of Trivia w/ the Bruce Twins, Monday’s, 8 p.m. Luna’s Cafe Poetry Unplugged, Thursday’s, 8 p.m. Midtown BarFly Salsa Lessons, every Wednesday, 8 p.m. Miller Park West Coast Brew Festival, May 17, 1 p.m. Old Sacramento 22nd Annual Pacific Rim Street Fest, May 18, 10 a.m. Pine Cove Trivia Night, Wednesday’s, 9 p.m. Placer County Fairgrounds & Event Center 23rd Annual BerryFest, May 10 - 11 Press Club Flex Your Head Trivia, Tuesday’s, 8 p.m. Raley Field Mommy and Me Day, May 7, 9 a.m. Revolution Wines Wine Trivia Night!, May 7, 6:30 p.m. Sheldon High School Performing Arts Center Capitol Ballet Company’s A Classic Ensemble, May 10, 2 p.m. Shine Mid Town Out Loud: Open Mic Poetry and Acoustic Performance, May 7, 8 p.m. Indie Craft Fair, May 10, 10 a.m.

California State Capitol - West Steps Capitol BikeFest, May 8, 11 a.m.

Red Alice’s Poetry Emporium hosted by Bill Gainer, May 14, 8 p.m.

Capitol Ave. & 18th Street Dress Up Wine Down, May 10, 6 p.m.

Sac Vegan Society Meetup, May 18, 12 a.m.

Crocker Art Museum ArtMix: Spoke-tacular feat. Bicycle Fashion Show Curated by Juniper James, Bicycle Artist Kevin Greenberg, Interactive Digital Wheel Art by MonkeyLectric, Tips and Tricks from Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen and More, May 8, 5 p.m.

Southside Park Yarmarka International Festival, May 17, 11 a.m. Tommy T’s Ladies Night Out feat. NorCal’s Most Wanted, May 8, 9 p.m. University Union Gallery, CSUS Undiscovered California, through May 22

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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Country on the Rocks Jon Pardi

Ace of Spades, Sacramento • Saturday, April 19, 2014 Words Justin Cox • Photo Tony Clark

I’ll start by noting that I spent the bulk of my 20s running in the opposite direction of mainstream country music. I’ve relaxed that stance a bit in recent years, but it’s still not my thing. Having said that, here’s why I spent a recent Saturday night at the Jon Pardi show at Ace of Spades. I grew up in the Sacramento suburb of Winters, where Pardi’s band Northern Comfort was a staple of the downtown bar scene in the mid-‘00s. I played in a punk band around that time, and we often played those same bars, but to much smaller crowds and with much sloppier results. I was drinking in one of those downtown dive bars when I first happened upon Northern Comfort. The band was fast, loose and rowdy. They delivered on all of the raw energy country had to offer, without the cookiecutter corniness that tends to dominate the country charts. I loved it. Winters nightlife was exponentially better on nights when they played. A year or so after that, the band broke up and Pardi set his sights on Nashville. Since then he’s come through Sacramento on occasion, and I’ve attended a few of the shows. The first was at JJ’s Saloon in Winters (now defunct, as Winters has replaced most of its dive bars with wine tasting rooms). Next was The Grad in Davis, followed by headlining gigs at the Dixon May Fair and Ace of Spades. Fact: The headliners at the May Fair the previous year were Snoop Dogg and Larry the Cable Guy. SubmergeMag.com

That’s a steep trajectory, and it’s extra impressive when you consider there are thousands of musicians just like Pardi trying to scrap their way to the top in Nashville as I type this. Pardi has 112,000 Facebook “likes” and 27,000 Twitter followers, along with his own semi-vibrant hashtag: #PardiTime. It’s stamped all over his T-shirts and hats, and serves as a hub for all things Pardirelated on Twitter. His last name is pronounced “PAR-TY,” and it happens to be entirely on brand with his image. That matters in Nashville, where every performer is playing a character. Pardi’s making his marketing team’s job very easy without even trying too hard. The Ace of Spades show kicked off with a song called “What I Can’t Put Down,” which is also the first track from his new album, Write You a Song. It’s a lively country-rock song that revels in the difficulty that goes along with kicking your vices. The song celebrates the memories one can create while routinely fucking up, and it’s carried along by money lines like this: “The devil wears black and he goes by Jack and he’s really good at helping me forget.” The song embodies the whole “devil on your left shoulder, angel on your right” scenario with simple perfection. As you listen, it’s clear you’ll be leaning in the direction of the devil on this particular night, but at least you’ll have the decency to feel bad about it tomorrow.

ThURSDAY 6/5 - SATURDAY 6/7 From WhiTNey aNd uNdaTeable!

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Fact: Five of the 11 songs on Pardi’s CALL CLUB FOR SHOWTIMES: (916) 925-5500 album directly reference or allude to 2100 ARDEN WAY • IN THE HOWE ‘BOUT ARDEN SHOPPING CENTER 2 DRINK MINIMUM. 18 & OVER. I.D. REQUIRED. alcohol. “What I Can’t Put Down” (Jack TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE CLUB BOX OFFICE WITH NO SERVICE CHARGE. Daniels), “Up All Night” (eating jerky TWITTER.COM/PUNCHLINESAC • FACEBOOK.COM/PLSAC and drinking a 12-pack with some lady), WWW.PUNCHLINESAC.COM “Trash a Hotel Room” (general partying), “Empty Beer Cans” (duh) and “When I’ve Been Drinkin’” (duh). Pardi has already toured with some of the biggest names in country music, including Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley. He’s also opened for country icons like Alan Jackson and Dwight Yoakam. All four singles from his major label debut have cracked the Top 50 of Billboard’s Hot Country Song charts. He’s 28 years old. It’s not far fetched to speculate that he could be on the brink of something massive. Back when Pardi was still local, I remember watching him play an unfamiliar, yet incredibly infectious song as I finished a beer before leaving the bar. I was standing next to the “stage,” so when he finished, I leaned in and asked him about the song. I had never formally met him, but I was curious about the song. Newspaper: SUBMERGE MAG “It’s called ‘Wagon Wheel,’” he told publish me, and then explained that it was a Date: 5/5/14 Bob Dylan verse that a country band hadDue: 4/30 art expanded into a fully fleshed-out song. I PUNCHLINE SAC went home and learned it, andCoNteNt: played the shit out of it in the years that followed. size: 3.9” X 5.67” It was obscure then, but these days you can’t walk down street without arttheproDuCtioN: SACHA PfEIfER (720) 239-3411 getting clubbed in the face by that song. Notes: That’s in part because Hootie covered it, but also because it’s just a really high-quality blend of simple chords and melody that grabs you on a visceral level. That’s a quality that also exists in Pardi’s songs, and he was obscure a few years ago, too.

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Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Wheel to Reel Bicycle Film Festival returns to Sacramento Words Lovelle Harris

an you blame Napoleon Dynamite for being stoked on Pedro’s “sweet jumps?” Or help but revel in the inexplicable bike break-dancing scene in

Quicksilver? Hell, even an alien got into the mix when E.T. escaped the clutches of a hoard of evil scientists and police officers while nestled in the basket of his fearless companion’s bicycle. Bikes have often been cast as the quintessential

“character actor” in film, but every year these two-wheeled vehicles assume the lead role in the Bicycle Film Festival, which rolls into Sacramento May 9 and 10 at Fremont Park. BFF was born out of the wreckage of avid bike rider Brendt Barbur’s horrific collision with a truck in New York in 2001. After a year hiatus, the former Sacramento resident and founding director of BFF decided to bring the festival back to the City of Trees because of the rousing support he received from its residents. “I think that the Sacramento crowd is great,” Barbur said in a recent phone interview as the bike savant prepared for a flight to Italy. “Doing the screenings out in the park is amazing. I think [last time] we had a couple thousand people show up. So, it’s a good crowd—a very good crowd.” So grab your popcorn to-go, and gear up for onscreen

“Boy” (2012) A favorite of Barbur’s and screening on day one of the festival is a heartfelt story about a father coming to terms with the death of his son—an avid cyclist who died in a road accident while competing in a race. Justin Chadwick’s “Boy,” a 10-minute short bereft of dialogue, is an emotional powerhouse of a film that follows the grieving father, a carpenter by trade, as he hones a branch into a perfect plank of wood, which he lovingly installs into the velodrome track his son was to race on before his untimely death. The film weaves in and out of the present and the past as the man, through the process of transforming the branch—which he saws off of a tree near the spot where his son was fatally struck—is able to bury the ghost of his beloved son. Venerable British actor Timothy Spall, of Harry Potter fame, delivers an emotionally charged performance that is both haunting and beautiful.

“El Diablo” (2012) Contrary to what you may have heard on the street, the devil wears pink, not Prada. The 7-minute film from Paolo Casalis—a cinematic extension of his full-length film, The Last Kilometer, is a glimpse into the personality of Dieter “Didi” Senft, or as he is better known in European cycling circles, “El Diablo.” The Italian-language short follows Senft, who is the exemplification of a cycling fanatic, clad in pink racing gear, sporting a crown of devil horns atop his head while yielding a trident in his hand, who cheers on the cyclists during the Giro d’Italia race— one of the premier cycling events in Europe that include the Tour de France and Vuelta a España. Cheering is a bit of an understatement, however, as Senft hollers at the cyclists while chasing after them, wildly waving his trident in the air. The film is a strange, yet entertaining, romp through the mind of a true cycling aficionado.

“The Cyclist” (2012) Spall isn’t the only recognizable actor to bless the Sacramento incarnation of BFF with his cinematic contribution. Billed as the “love story that will send you spinning,” Morgan Krantz’s “The Cyclist,” based on a short story by Jessica Garrison. Shannyn Sossamon—yes, that Sossamon who left the band Warpaint to pursue a career as an actress— portrays Hannah, someone with whom most people who prefer to roll on two wheels in this town can identify: the victim of bike theft. However, this isn’t a story of intrigue, but rather a romantic comedy. The story is about Harry (played by Luke Baybak) and Hannah, who embark on the worst first date ever—trolling around for a bike thief. So, the rom-com isn’t the most palatable of genres, granted, but what sets this film apart from the archetype, i.e. When Harry Met Sally, is that the hero is set up for an intriguing twist by the time the credits run down the screen.

“Three-Legged Horses” (2011) Based on a true story, this award-winning, 20-minute exploration of the rickshaw business in Edinburgh, Scotland, depicts a driver who is driven by the need to make as much cash as he can before his ailing body gives out to the demands of his unrelenting profession. The beautifully shot short shows the protagonist hustling throughout the night, navigating drunks and other hazards of the road, culminating in his last fare of the evening, a gig that forces him to ascend the most grueling destination on three wheels—Edinburgh Castle. This filmic endeavor, written, produced and directed by Felipe Bustos Sierra, is not only an exploration of the hard life of the rickshaw driver but of the power of chance meetings.

explorations of all things BMX-, fixie- and cruiser-centric. Here’s a look at a few of the films that will be a part of this year’s screening as well as a taste of the non-cinematic offerings at this pop-up movie theater in the park.

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

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Sprint Races

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Ready. Set. Go! This year marks the return of sprint races—an event that provides an outlet for cyclists to compete against one another to see who is the fastest bicyclist in the West. Ross Del Duca, owner of the VeloReviews, an online community that embraces cycling, health and fitness, was thrilled to bring this event back to the BFF lineup after the former organizer hung up his laces. “The Bicycle Film Festival is fantastic; it’s like the Sundance for bicycle films,” Del Duca raves. “I guess you could say I’m a sympathetic audience because cycling is a passion of mine. Anytime I have a chance to go and hang out with a bunch of other folks who enjoy cycling, well, that’s just a great day.”

The crew over at Bike Dog Brewing Company is primed to take over the taps at Hot Italian during BFF—a real treat since the brew dogs typically only sell their sudsy offerings in their taproom. The cofounders of West Sacramento’s first brewery will be bringing a couple of their hop-heavy suds in celebration of some of their favorite things: beer, dogs and bikes. “For us, they really kind of speak to similar passions as ours, so we really want to be involved in supporting whatever they’re doing,” says AJ Tendick, one of the co-founders. “I’ve been a long-time supporter [of BFF]. To me, it [shows] some of the best of what Sacramento has to offer.”

Ride & Seek Treasure Hunt As the summer begins to descend upon Sacramento, so too do the myriad scavenger hunts. Sacramentans love their scavenger hunts. Now, bike lovers can join in on the fun when Nikolai Lokteff’s Ride and Seek Treasure Hunt rolls into town. While Lotkeff indicates that this is more of a cerebral side of the scavenger hunt model, the premise remains the same: teams of friends solve puzzles, riddles, word searches and crossword puzzles that lead the groups on an exploration of the various locales that make Sacramento great. “It’s not a typical scavenger hunt—you’re not hunting for soda bottles or other objects,” Lotkeff explains. “It’s not object-based but an info-based exercise. You’re solving a puzzle; a mystery.”

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BFF rolls through Sacramento May 9 and 10 at Fremont Park. Check out Bicyclefilmfestival.com for a full list of films to be shown in Sacramento.

SubmergeMag.com

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

In With the New

Submerge's Fourth Annual Bicycle Mural Tour Words Steph Rodriguez photos David Adams

ide along with Submerge for its fourthannual Bicycle Mural Tour. Yes, that’s right: the journey inspired by street art returns and features some of the city’s newest pieces—blasted in the alleyways of businesses like the Wilkerson Theatre on 25th Street, or covering a vacant building near busy railroad tracks. As this story gradually developed, via random bike rides and a few wrong turns throughout midtown and downtown, an underlining theme emerged from the select layers of paint: Change is everpresent. As more corrugated and concrete walls in Sacramento become skillfully decorated canvases, some veteran pieces fade behind new concepts and transition into mere memory. Submerge revisits and remembers one mural in particular, highlighted in 2012, by self-taught artist Skinner. His longtime homage to the monsters of heavy metal at the former Java Lounge coffee house on 16th Street was recently painted over with a new mural by artist Mynas. Much like the flux in businesses, the spot now hosts Good Hands Barbershop. In this year’s feature, explore the hidden designs of the outdoors, remember past works of art and pedal along with a magazine that will continue to document this ever-evolving art form.

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

A) Space babe

The Wilkerson Theatre 1723 25th St. (In the alley) A full-bodied space woman in an orange and red uniform stares down at passersby. Her white eyes encased by a clear astronaut helmet and colorless, outlined arms hint that this mural is yet to be finished by artist Cyber Punk. Sharp letters in many shades of brown and yellow are accented by several blue and purple orbs guiding viewers from one end of the alley to the next. Clue: If an older man framed in gold with deep brown eyes appears, smoking a cigar, X marks the spot.

B) The land before crime

1905 S St. (Next to Jim’s Color Corner Inc.)

A red van parked near the S Street railroad tracks reads “Mystery Machine” on one side. Its owner, artist Anthony Padilla, stands on the highest step of his paint-speckled ladder, and accents a navy palm tree with bright, aqua blue in the background of his mural, The Land Before Crime. Padilla says the owner of the building wanted a simple way to ensure that random incidents of tagging stopped. With this piece, he asks the public one question, “When will fossil fuels go extinct?” The query directly relates to the triceratops and pterodactyls featured throughout the plush scenery Padilla has created. “Instead of watching Miley Cyrus shake her flat ass, you could spend time thinking about serious shit,” explains Padilla. “This is the land before manmade laws. There wasn’t a judicial system. Everything was down to the laws of nature.”

C) Untitled a Hidden treasure Channel the inquisitive attributes of a modernday Sherlock Holmes and discover this mural not too far from Padilla’s The Land Before Crime. To find this bonus piece, bike toward the alleyway of new music venue Witch Room, then mosey past two blue dumpsters, and finally, peek around the corner near the railroad tracks to reveal a three-piece set of script and prehistoric creatures. One blue-gray dinosaur glares behind dark shades and clutches a can of spray paint. Although the ground is decorated by empty Ben and Jerry’s ice cream pints and cigarette butts, and a pair of shoes dangles from the power lines above, this hidden design is worth the extra investigative effort.

SubmergeMag.com

D) Style vault

Good Hands Barbershop 2416 16th St.

A police officer walks across a checkered floor and into the “style vault,” where stacks of gold coins act as a bread crumb trail of sorts. The word “end” is painted in gigantic letters in the foreground of this mural, with intricate details and color painted in each letter by artist Mynas. The piece quietly ends with the officer fast asleep on a wooden stool next to a box of glazed donuts. Owner of Good Hands Barbershop, Joshua Green, recently opened his business in March and says he simply wanted to start something fresh for the city. So, the choice to paint over Skinner’s mural of monsters was made. “I feel I made the right call,” explains Green. “I made sure I found the right person. It’s not like I said, ‘Screw it. It’s got to go.’ The art that was done previously by Skinner was kind of demonic with blood and people’s heads getting cut off. I got families and kids coming through here.” Eventually, Green wants to keep the wall in question as a rotating art space filled with layers by future artists. “I left a section up there that I had Mynas leave alone. It’s not 100 percent forgotten.”

E) Our time

7th and K streets An ominous figure stands tall, his eyes shaded behind neon green words that blatantly ask, “Our time?” This is the latest mural by artist David Garibaldi (@garibaldiarts) on 7th and K streets. The piece presses the question of time, perhaps coincidentally or intentionally adjacent to what will be formerly the Downtown Plaza Mall. As the mural tour comes to a close, change again surfaces. This time, it’s found within the deep purple of this figure’s jacket, accented with vibrant green and warped and smeared in a brown and gray background.

Buddha, Scooters, Flowers & Sea Monsters Jay SpooneR, niCole RoBeRtS, Dan WySuph

May 3-31

speciaL events Kick-off Reception: May 8 • 6-9pm

Mother’s Day is around the Corner

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2nd Saturday: May 10 • 9am-9pm Reception • 6-9pm Grand Finale: May 31 • 6-9pm

LittLe ReLics Boutique & Galleria 908 21st Street (between I & J) Midtown, Sacramento 95811

916.716.2319 www.littlerelics.com

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Open 7 days a week

Tig noTaro

(Grammy nominated comedian from the Sarah Silverman ProGram)

the shallow end

friday

may 9

a s s e m b ly • 10 0 0 K s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 8 : 0 0 p m

TycHo sold

dusTy brown

Harlow ’ s • 2708 J stree t • sacr amento

out • 21 &

saturday

over • 9:00pm

THe dusTbowl revival

friday

H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 9 : 0 0 p m

THe revivalisTs [new orleans FunK] H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 9 : 0 0 p m

pimps of JoyTime H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 9 : 0 0 p m

nicki bluHm and THe gramblers a s s e m b ly • 10 0 0 K s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 8 : 0 0 p m

les claypool’s duo de Twang

may 30 friday

reformed wHores

a c e o F s p a d e s • 1417 r s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • a l l a g e s • 8 : 0 0 p m

Brownout PreSentS

brown sabbaTH

june 6 thursday

H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 8 : 0 0 p m

HillsTomp

june 12 friday

Good Luck ThifT STore ouTfiT • WeST NiLe rambLerS

H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 9 : 0 0 p m

THe broTHers comaTose

june 13 friday

defibulaTors

H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 9 : 0 0 p m

roberT francis

june 27 friday

H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 9 : 0 0 p m

THe infamous sTringdusTers

july 11 tuesday

wHiskey sHivers

H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 8 : 0 0 p m

ok go

july 15 tuesday

a s s e m b ly • 10 0 0 K s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 18 & o v e r • 8 : 0 0 p m

THe Hold sTeady

july 15 wednesday

july 23

cHeap girls

H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 8 : 0 0 p m

snarky puppy

thursday

builT To spill

thursday

H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 8 : 0 0 p m

may

may 30 friday

dead winTer carpenTers

le on saay, frid 9

H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 8 : 0 0 p m

fuTure islands

H a r l o w ’ s • 2 7 0 8 J s t r e e t • s a c r a m e n t o • 21 & o v e r • 7: 3 0 p m

le on saay, frid 9

may

aug 7

aug 14 monday

aug 18

abstract entertainment TickeTs available aT: TickeTfly.com

TickeTs for Harlow’s sHows also available aT Harlows.com TickeTs for assembly music Hall available aT assemblysacramenTo.com TickeTs for ace of spades also available aT aceofspades.com and 916.443.9202

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

2+2=4 James Barone jb@submergemag.com

may 22 friday

Jelly bread

may

may 16 thursday

THe nibblers

le on saay, frid 9

may 10

About two weeks ago, I decided I’d had enough of cigarettes. At the time, I hadn’t thought if that decision would actually lead me to quit (or try to quit), or if I’d just continue smoking but have a lot less fun doing it. As it turned out, two weeks ago of this writing was the last time I smoked a cigarette. I can’t say I’ve kicked the habit because I quit cold turkey once for three years and eventually wormed my way back into the black lung club. I can say though that I don’t have a desire to buy another pack. When I decided I’d had enough, I called a smokers’ help line. I’m not really sure why I did. I’d heard that such things existed, and I was curious as to what help they could offer. Maybe I’d hoped that I’d call and the person on the other end of the line would magically free me from my addiction with a bippity, boppity, boo. As it turned out, that’s exactly what happened, more or less. When I called the number, a person named Ariel answered almost immediately. I was surprised to hear a human’s voice. I thought I would encounter a series of prompts and try to navigate a number of different help menus before the frustration would drive me out of the house in search of a pack of Camels. Instead I got Ariel, who may or may not have been a mermaid, and a decent conversation that would lead me down the road to recovery. I explained to her that I’d had enough of cigarettes (whatever that means), and that I truly wanted to try to quit smoking. I said that my girlfriend and I were planning on moving in together and even though I don’t smoke in the house, I set a goal that I wanted to quit before she moved in. Ariel awwwed. It was pretty cute. “My day job is very stressful,” I told her, and taking smoke breaks was sort of how I decompressed and rewarded myself for getting through the day. I said that would be the toughest part of breaking the habit. “Do you like games?” she asked. I mean, of course I do. Who doesn’t? She told me about a game she was hooked on called 2048. She said she had to force herself not to pull out her phone and play it when stopped in her car at red lights. We talked a little more. I thanked her for her help and encouragement. When I hung up, I immediately downloaded the game. 2048 is deceptively simple. The game is played on a board of 16 squares. You play

by sliding numbered tiles together to rack up points. The value of the tiles starts at 2, followed by 4, 8, 16, 32 and so on up until 2048. If all 16 squares are full, and you can’t combine any more tiles, the game is over. You combine like-numbered tiles creating the larger numbers until you can create the coveted 2048 tile, which I’ve been able to accomplish only once so far, but it was pretty much the greatest moment of my life. So, now when I’m slogging through my day job, instead of hopping outside for a smoke, I play 2048. I’m not sure if it’s helping or not, but it does make the time go by. It’s replaced my previous game obsession, Candy Crush Saga, which I think says something about my maturation as a person over the past few months. Let me explain. With Candy Crush, you encounter a brightly colored world filled with various confections. You play through levels with increasing difficulties and new and more frustrating challenges (regenerating chocolates, frosted candies blockades that take multiple hits before they’re removed and perplexing board layouts). The worst part about it, and the part that made it so addictive to me, was the limited number of lives. You’d only get five, and once they were done, you couldn’t play for hours sometimes until your lives were refilled. What I’m getting at here is no matter how much it rejected me or how badly it infuriated me, I kept going back for more. That’s no way to live. 2048 is a lot different. There’s no oppressive lives cap; you can play as much as you want. You can go as far as your skill will take you…the game doesn’t conspire against you by throwing curveballs at you any chance it gets. It’s like, hey, here are some numbers, add ‘em up the best you can. Also, when you create the elusive 2048 tile, it stops and congratulates you. It says you’ve won but then allows you to play on, if you want to (of course I want to). I think it’s made me realize that I’m over doing things that are bad for me (except drinking from time to time, but I prefer to live under the misconception that that’s good for me). I want things I can depend on. I want things to add up. It’s horribly boring, really (like extremely boring), but at least I don’t want to smoke. Bippity, boppity, boo indeed.

Dive Into Sacramento & Its Surrounding Areas

SubmergeMag.com

Issue 161 • May 5 – May 19, 2014

Dive into Sacramento & its Surrounding Areas

may 5 – 19, 2014 • #161

free Bicycle issue!

dad's one with the

2014 Bicycle Mural Tour The Changing Face of

Skinner

Bicycle Film Festival Velo Love

sandwich

Provides Art for New Album by

Sacramento's Street Art

Mastodon Jon Pardi

Local Country Boy on the Brink

Travis

& zachary Garren Creating on the Fly

riffneonraff dream